Kudos Montell

She lost her Husband in Iraq.

The death of the cat that played in Brokeback (never seen it) was sad, but it's always sad when a young person's life ends. But as always, the media tends to over analyze the death of one, and ignore the others. (Yes, I'm going there) In particular the deaths of the the young men and women who seem to die daily in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes, we never saw them in a movie, but the fact that we never saw them on the big screen doesn't make their death any less tragic. Hell if the media over analyzed why they died, maybe we wouldn't still be occupying Iraq. Montell Williams sort of got this point across well on Faux.

Just in case you wanna see the faces of those who have recently died in the occupation, here you go, http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

Addicted

Ok ok, I can no longer deny it. Yes, I have an addiction. I'm addicted to "The Wire". It's a show I refrained from watching because it seemed too urban, too hood, just another urban show exploiting all the ills of the black community. It wasn't until my winter break, bored, that I by chance decided to watch an episode. I was blown away. This was about the realist urban show I'd ever seen. I watched every episode I could find on Demand.

Since I stared watching midway through the fourth season, I had to find someone who had the previous seasons on DVD. Luckily, my trusted cousin came through. So I think spent two days glued to the t.v., bringing myself up to speed.

What's the show about? Wow. Everything. From street level drug dealers fighting for more territory, to public corruption, to police juking the stats, to the struggles of a school system, the show mixes it all into one story line. It's absolutely brilliant. It's funny though that this show has yet to win any awards. Great acting and great story lines. And the bad thing is, it's absolutely realistic. From how drugs make it into the urban cities to how politicians find themselves getting caught up with durty money. Any way, I found a few clips for your viewing pleasure. Don't get addicted, I'm not trying to get you sprung. Selling Out Your Boy

Homicide detective breaks it down to murder suspect

Senator finding out he's being investigated

The Kids...

All You Can Read Buffet

Here's what I got out of this past King Holiday after hearing all the speeches and watching all the marches and the old footage of Dr. King.

It's not wrong to evaluate the blackness of others politically, we use it to gauge others in other avenues of life.

Some folk don't join the movement till their actual interest is in jeopardy. Until their interest is at stake, there will criticize your participation in the movement.

If you make it big, use your "bigness" to help somebody else. Who have you helped besides you?

Some Black folk talk about they made it on their own, but it was the civil rights strikes and marches that made somebody read their resume or their application. You aint the first qualified negro. Dig that!

Organizing and protesting aint old school. Can we say Jena, LA?

If you scared to speak out, say you scared, sit down, and let someone else be vocal. Whoa..that reminds me of BLSA.

Why can't there ever be more than one negro vocal at one time? Back in the day, there was Malcolm, Martin, Fannie Lou, Thurgood and others all advocating for the cause. Now days....who is there?

What side are you on and what role do you wanna play?

Do you have meaning and purpose?

Hope is ok, but FAITH is much better.

Last week I touched on Bob Johnson and his nerve to go there with Barak about his past. Mind you Bob made a living off BET as it glamorized the gangsta life and booty poppin. It was on his watch that the network dropped quality programing like Teen Summit, or people like Ed Gordon and Tavis Smiley. Here's a good read on more of Bob's dealings. This writer laid into him, http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=505&Itemid=1

Foreclosures are forcing Mayor's to seek aid. "Facing a collapse in the subprime mortgage market that has pockmarked their cities with vacant houses and crippled their budgets, the nation’s mayors pleaded Wednesday for a huge infusion of federal aid." Read the rest, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/us/24mayors.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

So, the economy is in the tank. Omg...say it aint so, who could have foreseen such a thing? Hmmm....I...R...A...Q.....700 Million a day? "A war against Iraq could cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars, play havoc with an already depressed domestic economy and tip the world into recession because of the adverse effect on oil prices, inflation and interest rates, an academic study [by William Nordhaus, Sterling professor of economics at Yale University] has warned." [Independent, 11/16/02]

So now the big story is the economic stimulus plan. Both taxpayers and non-payer will reportedly receive $300 to $800 bucks and those with kids get 300 per kid, I believe up to $1200. Damn I aint go no kids!! Not to be so damn pessimistic, but, I'm not sure how that's gonna kick start the economy when as soon as you cash the check, you are sending that loot to pay off Visa, Discover and Mastercard for one's monthly expenses. I'm no economist, but..... I did come across a good article written by Nomi Prins, and she asks, "Will Bush’s Stimulus Package Work? It Depends on Who You Ask" http://www.thewip.net/contributors/2008/01/will_bushs_stimulus_package_wo.html Here is another opinion on the proposed stimulus package by Paul Krugman of the NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/opinion/25krugman.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

I guess that's all for now folks...gotta bust a move.

Overkill

Ok...ok...I don't wanna run this whole Obama thing into the ground but more stories have hit the net and a ridiculous video popped up on Youtube. So I had to put it out there.

Some reporter from the Washington Post wrote a piece linking Obama to Louis Farrakhan. The link is that the Pastor of Obama's church has a daughter who awarded Farrakhan some award. So the writer wants Barak to disavow Farrakhan because is a so so called racist and anti-semite. Maybe he is, maybe he isnt. But I'm not surprised, that's how some you smear. So when your average American thinks Obama, they think Farrakhan which then ='s Barak's an anti-semite. That's ugly. Here is the article. You link someone to a person who the public frowns upon, so when you think of one person you think of the other. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html . Then there's Jesse Jackson piece in the post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011701121.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Now, the videos. I need not break it down, check'em out. http://mediamatters.org/static/video/hnc-20080117.wmv and this one, its really ignant

You know how I love to bash Fox News, gotta love this pic.

FYI - Rev. Jackson and Al Sharpton will be at Mason Temple in Memphis on 1/19/08. Townhall Meeting. Come check it out if you aint doing anything. Peace...

M.L.K.

"To take the first step in faith, you don't have to see the whole staircase; just take the first step." -- Martin Luther King Jr. Happy Birthday Brother King.

Hold Up, Wait A Minute, Time Out

I was not really ready to further evaluate the going ons of the Presidential race, particularly the treatment of late of B. Obama. There has been soooo much media going on as it pertains to him. But what concerns me is the large amount of hating that's going on not from from racists, but from the black community.

There appears to be some interesting dynamics at play. But, since I am so undecided, I'm going to try and be as opened minded to the criticism as possible. But...

Why are the old heads hating? I figure it's because Barak is the first to rise up not having to go through the "Civil Rights Hazing Process." What I mean is he did not come to prominence by rising through the ranks or by the blessings of those who did come through that era. Yes, I'm talking about the Jessie's and Al's. For the most part I think these cats are just hating cause they never garnered the support per se that Barak has enjoyed from particularly whites voters. These dudes aint win a primary or nothing. So naturally they are gonna hate. That doesn't make it right though. They are probably like, how this dude gonna come out like this with all this success and we aint even give him "our blessings." The problem with that thinking though is that there will never ever be a quote on quote black leader if the litmus test is what he did during the civil rights era.

Then there is the political angle that I think the Clinton camp is about to take up. Allowing Clinton to praise Barak, while contracting the bashing of Barak to other black folk. Whether it's Andrew Young asserting he is too young or Sellout Johnson, oops, Bob Johnson, former owner of that wack azz network BET, raising questions about Barak's admitted drug use during his younger days. Ok, I just did the same thing Johnson did by calling him a sellout because of rise and fall of BET, I mean who is he to even try to tell me who to consider when a few years back he was licking BuckFush's boots, yes admittedly, I digressed. But I find this type of politics to be hazardous to the black voter. Black folk can be quite trendy and at times victims of manipulation. Meaning, if we hear one or two or three other colored folk going in one direction, we will follow, not taking the time to figure out why they're going that way, and not looking to see on our own whether there is another alternative. Further, it will be quite disgusting if we see more and more black folk speak out negatively against Barak. That's the kind of shit we see everyday in the inner cities, brothers gunning down brothers over petty shit. I'd hate to see politics get played out like that. You know, allowing the white community to sit back and watch us tear down one who I consider our own.

And yes, I said one of our own because there are those who won't quite say, he is a brotha. Way I see it though is his granny and his grandaddy (deceased) still living in Africa, that prolly make Barak more of a brotha than me. I mean to even question his blackness is just dumb. As I previously asked, what, are the Clinton's or Edwards more black? That's the dumbest damn thing any other black can ask? Although, if you asked me if say Tiger Woods was black enough, I might give you some leeway with that one! When you look at it, one would think that once black folk realize how potentially close Barak might be to taking the White House, it would drive black folk into a voting frenzy just to be a part of such history. Clearly though, for him to win he will need the support of both black and white voters. I just cringe at the thought of him being destroyed by his own, you know? I think the test will be how well he does in the South Carolina primary. Like I said, I'm undecided.

Here are some of the articles on the above issues, http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/bet-chief-raps-obama-in-sc/index.html?hp , http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/11/AR2008011102000.html?referrer=emailarticle , http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=491&Itemid=1

Mind you, this criticism is coming from other Democrats. The right wing has not yet placed him in their scopes. But they are warming their engines, starting with Karl Rove writing an article in the Murdoch Street Journal. Here are a few excerpts from Alternet.org, analyzing the article,"Rove's race-baiting isn't subtle, but here's a translation for cloistered liberals who have "never met a racist": When he says Obama is "lazy" (what he means to say is "shiftless"), he's reinforcing a racist stereotype. When he claims that Obama "bluffs" and makes "misstatements" or "exaggerations," he's appealing to bigots who believe black people are inherently dishonest. Here's a classic code-talker sentence: "His trash talking was an unattractive carryover from his days playing pickup basketball at Harvard, and capped a mediocre night." "Trash talking" is perceived by white racists as both a black slang phrase and a common form of minority behavior, while whites have seen African Americans play "pickup basketball" in a thousand ghetto movies. (And bonus points to Karl for "cap," which is hip-hop slang for shooting people. Is he that smart? We report, you decide.) When he adds that Obama looks like a "vitamin-starved Adlai Stevenson," the portrait is complete: Obama's a shiftless, uppity, fancy-speakin', trash-talkin', basketball playin', anemic white-boy wannabe. Throw in a talking point or two from the Clinton clan and the pitch to white racists is complete." To read it all, http://www.alternet.org/story/73651/

What U Wanna B?

So my Chargers are still in it...trying not to get to hyped up.

I survive Afghanistan and I survive Iraq, but I come home mentally shattered and can't shake the urge to kill. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/us/13vets.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

My reading has been limited these days. It's a shame I can't sit down to read books anymore...feels to much like law school. Yes, I lost my reading mojo in law school. Damn shame aint it? I get about five pages under my belt and then that's it. I think I will start listening to books on CD, that may work. I really want to check out Barak's last book. Try and see where this cat is coming from. Like I said, I'm undecided.

I'm ready for a road trip. For some reason I enjoy getting on the open road and enjoying the scenery.

A friend was asking the other day, what did I want to be when I was growing up? I actually kind of laughed when the question was posed. I mean, when was the last time I actually thought back on those days you know?

So....don't laugh, no lie, a brotha wanted to be an astronaut. Stop the snickering! I was always intrigued with "Space"...the stars and planets, and the idea of zero gravity. I begged and begged my parents to send me to Summer Space Camp in Huntsville. Sent off for the application and even gave them a well put together presentation. Didn't work though. They had a young negro disappointed. Anyway, I went from wanting to be an astronaut to wanting to be a pilot. My granny started my love of flight by taking me on trips as a child via plane. Planes were the coolest thing to me, and to some extent still are. Once again, I tried to pimp my folks into getting me flying lessons. Instead, they bought me a Flight Simulator game for my computer. As I got older I entertained the idea of joining the military to go to flight school or helicopter training. But those damn recruiters seemed just a little too accommodating. Figured Uncle Sam was trying to pimp me, and have me on some front line somewhere not in a plane, but in a ditch so I passed on that.

It wasn't until I was in about tenth grade and I was reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X did I come across a statement that kind of opened my eyes. Can't remember the exact quote, but something to the fact that the people who help bring change to black people during the struggle were Ministers/Preachers, Doctors, and Lawyers. So I took that statements and marinated on it for a good while. A preacher, me? Naw....I mean I'm spiritual and all but...a religious leader, me? That's too much responsibility for a brotha. Then there was medicine, I didn't even take the time to consider the many fields of medicine, the thought of blood and guts alone took control of that analysis and I moved on. That left law. I could be the cool guy, like Blair Underwood in LA Law (Remember that show?) I thought, I like to read, like to write, like to talk, and love to debate, I might have this law stuff sowed up. Little did I know of the how's, when's and what's that it would take to even get on the right path. I guess I can say, we plan and then God plans.

A Brotha or A Sista?

I think this is my first post of 2008, so Happy Belated New Year's to you! May we be continuously blessed and successful in our every endeavors. On that note,

So Bro. Obama won the primary Iowa. The media made a big hoopla about it. But last night, he placed second to Hillary in New Hampshire. So the big news today was "The Big Comeback." What comeback? The brother won one primary...the race just started, and its already a comeback for Hillary? It's entirely way too early to get excited about any of this. Or to even attempt to gauge whether our country is ready to embrace a colored man or a woman as president?

Speaking of whether the nation is ready to embrace a colored president, I should be asking if blacks are ready for a black president? Or are we so pessimistic of Obama's early success, finding it too good of a thing to be true, that we vote for anutha? I am not too sure how I feel about the question of whether he is Black enough to garner African-American votes? What, is Hillaryor Edwards MORE black than he? Wtf?

I'm still undecided though as it relates to who I like in the race. Yet the media coverage to be, interesting, to say the least. For instance, did you catch the interview with Obama's granny in Kenya on her thoughts about his win in Iowa. I'm astonished that they (the media) would even go there? Putting an true African face on the election. That's really gonna help him win southern states. I figured you wanted to see the interview. So here it is.

Not to get stuck on race, I have to touch on gender too. Is America ready for a female president? Some segments are but, lets see what happens when she comes to the South. How is it that the most backwards ass states may dictate whether an African-American or a woman becomes our next president. Are you in one of the states? Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas, and then I have to add, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, as if a cat whose middle name is Hussein stands a chance winning those states. Let's just be real.

On that thought, talking about his name, I came across an interesting statement. "What's so interesting is how easily and quickly, after just a few early news accounts, the false notion that Obama is or was ever Muslim has made it into mainstream discourse. Not just Ex-Sen. Bob Kerrey -- Obama is asked about his "Muslim" upbringing by legitimate interviewers...And it occasionally comes up in Q and A sessions with voters. And the media -- myself included, I guess -- seem to obsess about the implications of both the false allegation of his faith and the reasons why it's damaging, in America, to be associated with that religion." From, http://http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/12/obama_and_the_smear.php#more

So what I see happening if Obama's campaign continues to gain momentum, folks are going to start popping him with low blows about how he was raised as a child and where he stands on his faith. As if he is somehow the Manchurian Candidate of Al-Qaida. Not that his faith even matters, wasn't BuckFush supposed to be all holy and ish, and you see where that got us. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.obama16mar16,0,1634059,print.story?coll=bal_news_nation_promo

Oops, I got off subject. I was asking whether a woman could win the presidency. Did you see the jerk that heckled Hillary while she was giving a speech in New Hampshire. Dude stood up and held a sign that stated "Iron My Shirt" as if to say, home is where a woman should be. Personally, it seemed a little staged to me. You know, last minute political ploy to get those women who were undecided between Hillary and the other candidates. Even so, all is fair in love and politics.

Try this out, it's a Presidential Calculator, it helps determine based on your views of the issues, who the candidate is for you. Tells me Biden is my man. Go figure? http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html