I remember being a kid sitting in my cousin's Vineyard Town home in Kingston, Jamaica, as Tyrone Downie-- a friend of his at the time-- talked about the tour he had just come off of with Bob Marley in Europe. (Downie was the keyboard player for the Wailers for a long time) He was going on and on about how they played to a packed house in Germany and the Germans were rocking and vibing to every song; even though he knew that they didn't understand a word of the songs that they were singing or what the songs really meant. ("Chase Dem Crazy Bald Heads Out Of Town" wasn't meant to be a flattering song to white Europeans)
Later on in my young life as I listened to Fidel Castro give a speech, I could relate to those Germans, because although I didn't understand a lick of Spanish, I found myself cheering with the crowd whose grasp of the Spanish language was no better than mine. And so it is when you have skills as an orator or an artist, you can touch people's souls in spite of language and cultural barriers.
Fast forward over thirty years from that day at my cousin's home and I am watching his O ness give his town hall meeting in Strassbourg, France. I found my mind going back to that day and what Downie said about Bob and the Wailers and how they moved the crowds in Europe. Obama was moving the crowds in Europe and I am quite sure that like the Germans listening to Bob, most of the folks in Strassbourg, France weren't too proficient in the English language. Obama, like Castro and Marley has talent and charisma, and those two things can take you a very long way in life. If you have a message and an agenda those skills can help you convince others to go along with the program, and that is important to a politician, believe me. If you have talent and charisma that can also take you very far as an artist, and people will buy your records and pay to watch you in person no matter what.
Say what you want about his O ness and his politics, you have to admit the the man has some skills. Rethugs will nit pick and cry that he can't do any of his great oration without his trusted teleprompter, but Stevie Wonder and Governor Paterson can both see that it's all just sour grapes on their part.
So now rethugs have to ask themselves: Who will be our rock star? Who do we have with similar skills? Well, let me answer that for you: No one! In fact, you don't even have anyone that can come close. MC MacDaddy Steele? Not! Newt? The thrice married religion switching ,fraud? Not! Slum...(whoops I promised I wouldn't call him that).. Bobby Jindal? He blew his chance on the national stage. Sarah Palin? They really tried with her, but she wasn't ready for prime time and neither was her family. Eric Cantor? Please! In fact, rethugs are so desperate for a star that they created one who wasn't even a politician. But someone ought to tell the rethugs about packaging. I mean really folks; does "Joe the Plumber" really have a face that you want representing your party? Seriously, unless you are going after that all important skinhead vote, you might want to get him off the national stage. Then of course there is Rush, Sean, and Glen. It's not so easy to get them out of the spotlight since they are forever seeking it, but you might want to distance yourself from them as well, because as their envy for the really talented Obama gets greener, they are truly becoming unhinged. If I am going to be truly honest with you, I think quite a few people are becoming unhinged in A-murder-ca (That's my new name for A-merry-ca) these days. I wonder why? I bet if they had some talent and some real skills they wouldn't be so likely to be unhinged,but frustration can cause you to do some seriously crazy things.
“'I want anyone who believes in life, liberty, pursuit of happiness to succeed, and I want any force, any person, any element of an overarching big government that would stop your success – I want that organization, that element or that person to fail,' Limbaugh told the cheering CPAC crowd. "
Of course, frustration can cause you to say some seriously crazy things as well.
54 comments:
He is indeed a rock star, for now. Wow, the way has made NATO join with us on Afgan. The blue dogs and the repubs are with him on spending. And Timmmy, well he's a rock star all on his own. You're no one until he's fired you. szpork
He called for the elemination of nuclear weapons. He said as the only country in the world to use nuclear weapons, the US must take the lead to rid the world of them.
Stunning! I have worked for over 30 years to end the nuclear arms race, to stop nuclear testing on Shoshone lands. I have been arrested at most every nuclear weapons facility in this country... the Nevada test site, Pantex, Livermore Labs, Los Alamos, Rocky Flats...... I have lobbied, marched, worked at the UN on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, testified in Geneva..... and this is a day I honestly never thought I would see. Stunning and wonderful and hopeful....
Yes Jody he's a rock star in Iran and North Korea szpork
szpork:
I hate to be the one to tell you this. However, after he meets and sits down with Iran and North Korea, he will be a rock star over there as well. President Obama has interpersonal communication skills that Bush lacked.
OK, Granny. Any predictions on Iran?
szpork
BTW, Field:
I'm so glad you made Lou Dobbs the honorary house negro. Every time he opens his mouth, my spirit grieves. He is one evil, bitter, and hateful man.
On election night, my British cousin was just as delighted as I was, & I think she was typical. It's difficult for us to grasp how out of step we were with rest of the human race during the Cheney/Bush junta. The Prez will have to get tough with other nations, especially in Europe. But he's not a unilateralist. He doesn't have God whispering instructions in one ear & Cheney/The Devil yapping in the other.
spork.....
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)has been in place for 42 years. It has, over the course of those years been mostly successful in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world. The Treaty only recognizes 5 countries as nuclear weapons states. That is because they were the only countries that had nuclear weapons at the time this treaty was ratified. Those countries are US, UK, France, Russia (formerly USSR) and China. Article 6 says that the nuclear weapons states would work toward the elemination of all nuclear weapons in their arsenals. ALL of them have failed, although there has been major reductions in fits and starts over the years.
The rest of the 189 countries that have ratified this treaty (there are only 3 that have not: India, Pakhistan, and Israel) agreed that in exchange for not developing nuclear weapons, they would be given the technology and approval to develop nuclear power for energy. That is what is explicitly stated in Article 8. Iran has said over and over that they are not doing anything illegal and so far the IAEC (International Atomic Energy Commission) that monitors nuclear materials, testing globally says they are not. Another one of Bush's lies was trying to prep people here for a possible invasion of Iran by saying they were developing nuclear weapons. There is no evidence that they are working on weapons. They have been developing nuclear power plants and that is their right under the treaty.
I tell you this because, sadly, the US media will not tell you and because you should know this when listening to the rhetoric about Iran.
Jody, time will tell. NK has used *nuclear technology to get money from China and the West for a long time. They sign a treaty, then later they launch a missle for more moeney. Russia is involved in this scheme as well. Both of these countries are helping Iran. It's kind of like Obama demanding a end to sposal abuse to me. Who can disagree with that?
szpork
szpork
O-man is a rock star, and he just got a great endorsement from someone who knows a little bit about business: Jack Welch.
“'I want anyone who believes in life, liberty, pursuit of happiness to succeed, and I want any force, any person, any element of an overarching big government that would stop your success – I want that organization, that element or that person to fail,' Limbaugh told the cheering CPAC crowd. "
As long as unemployment continues to rise Limbaugh's hammering rhetoric will unhinge some people's already frightened minds, causing some to commit murder and suicide.
A recession can cause a mental depression that drains energy and hope. The mind darkens, and anger arises as the depression deepens. The unhinged people generally blame someone, a group, or a race for their pain, while reaching for their gun (or guns) to exact self-righteous and justified punishment. Then it's 'party time' at the OK Corral. BTW, it's not only the poor and uneducated who do this. The wealthy, rich, middle-class, and educated can behave in similar fashion, also.
Field, I am afraid there will be more murders to come in 2009. "A-murder-ca" is a good name that A-merry-cans will galantly live up to. I hope that I am wrong, but I don't think so because we all know that Americans are gun-toting gun-slinging cowboys who love Showdowns. So stay alert folks...remember the slogan for this year: "It's 2009, watch your behind."
B#
"He doesn't have God whispering instructions in one ear & Cheney/The Devil yapping in the other."
Amen, Bob, amen!
It really amazes me how some people haven't grasped the damage that Bush and Cheney have done to this nation. Do you think that Israel was the only nation that Cheney and Bush were whispering to on the sidelines and backstabbing President Obama with? What Cheney told Israel isn't current news, don't forget part of it came to the light that Bush had told Israel basically the same thing during the elections. The media glossed over that though because they were too busy trying to play the race game and hoping to prevent a black man from living in the gasp...White House.
Before those two left office, they were busier than two old gossiping women building roadblocks and obstacles spreading lies with other leaders. They don't want President Obama to be successful. It will end their profits. Their other ulterior motive is they don't want all of what they done to come out in the open.Yup, its some snakes still hiding up on Capital Hill, but they'll soon be flushed out. Another reason why the GOP is stalling and coming up with all these excuses in the confirmation hearings to cripple the progress with a deficiency in staff and hopefully clean up some of their dirty tracks they left behind.
However, I hate to be the one to rain on their parade but in the open it is coming and they might be the first ever American President and VP to be tried for war crimes and treason against the USA and other countries. Yup, Bush and crew give thug life a new meaning and they don't wear baggy pants and bling bling. Oh, but they do have a wannabe rapper name Rove. Cheney is a very evil man.
If some folks would just open their eyes and ears, get passed their prejudices, and think, they would discover that the very things the GOP party is attempting to accuse the President and Democrats of is what the GOP had done, was doing, and was attempting to finish doing. Yup, especially, the part about the concentration camps. Funny how Beck should mention that, since that is what Bush and Cheney had in mind for American citizens and part of the reason for the Patriot Act. I took the time to read the Patriot Act line by line, the whole thing. However, things didn't quite turn out like they planned, because President Obama won.
They thought their strategy to get rid of him by demeaning, humiliating, degrading, and even inciting racism would work like in the good ole boy days. High tech lynching! Those insane folks even tried to dig up some dirt on Obama but he was clean, so what they did was tried to make up some and the media was helping them. That didn't work either. In the process, they made Rev Jeremiah look like a racist, but he's not, and they're going to pay dearly for that too. Hannity with his no good self left out and edited the part that Jeremiah was quoting what a guest on Hannity's show had said the week before.
The folks at CNN even kept changing the number needed for electoral votes and rules and regulation during the election process. And people wonder why President Obama didn't give the former DNC chairman, Howard Dean, a position in his cabinet. LOL! The GOP wanted Hillary to win the primary, because they were gearing up to swiftboat her. The thing is that they weren't expecting all of their underhanded dealings, tricks, and games to backfire on them.
I've always watched CSPAN because you find out unfiltered and unedited what is really going on, especially, late at night. Just last week, Barney Frank called them on their slanderous lies and about him and Dodd and dared them to deny it. He stood right there on the floor and called them on every thing they've been leaking out and he was not playing with them or mincing words either. Talking about quiet as a church house mouse, the GOP did not deny it either.
Them folks is something else. Whelp, every dog has his day and a good one has two. Whatever slides under the snakes belly got to come across his back too.
world is filled with rock stars....all of them used and abused. the last 'free' country is going down the drain. as an aside, who cares what some some sissy frenchman thinks....remember vietnam?????????????????
I can just imagine the appeal of Bob Marley and the Wailers in this quote "("Chase Dem Crazy Bald Heads Out Of Town" wasn't meant to be a flattering song to white Europeans)".
Imagine those Germans did wail their heads up and down and around while not understanding what the quotes meant. Bob Marley is one of my idols even without knowing what he went through just to have his music available to the people not just to be heard but also to be understood. - Tnomeralc -
"who cares what some some sissy frenchman thinks....remember vietnam?????????????????"
Anon, somehow I am not getting the connection between the Frenc and Vietnam.
Jody, thanks for breaking down the NPT for us, you have obviously done your homework.
Robbie, would that be GE Welch? I wonder why I haven't heard about that anywhere?
B#, I am afraid you might be right. I always watch my back, but I think I will pay close attention in 09.
The GOP is looking for their next Reagan (as far as communication skills and charisma). I don't know who that person could be.
They have shifted so far to the right anyone who could win among moderates or independents will never make it thru the primary.
Granny, I think you hit it right out of the stadium as usual with your post of 3:06.
One of the issues facing President Obama is the number of Dick and W moles planted in the Government by the Rethugs who are committed to submarining the new Administration.
Another is the conservatives Rethugs stalling and obstructing Obama's appointees -
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-perez5-2009apr05,0,6405519.story
This is an ongoing graphic (below) by the Washington Post illustrating the battle. Only about 1/2 of the people the Obama Team has announced and nominated have been confirmed. The conservative Rethugs have managed to slow the process down, and so far - only 9% of the Senior positions appointed by the President have been confirmed by the Senate.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2009/federal-appointments/
BT
The Republicans had there rock star, but he is brown. George P. Bush, Jeb's son. He rocked at his uncle's first nominating convention.
You ever BEEN to Europe, Field?? Just take in an "Energie Cottbuss" Bundesliga game sometime... you'd feel more welcome at a 1930's Nazi Rally..and they don't mutter their racial insults under their breath like at a Yankees or Phillies game, they have organized chants where they call their opponents "Affen" (Monkeys)...and the English Leagues are even worse...
Yeah - Europe has it's racial and ethnic problems as well, Frank. After a 1000 year history of killing Jews, and any other group such as in Serbia and Bosnia...
It would be a mistake to believe the folks in Europe are any better than anywhere else.
And I've been to at least 10 countries over there, including several Eastern European countries.
So... Your point is?
BT
The connection between the France and 'Nam is that the 'Nam was a colony and that war over there was started first between the french and the communists. We got sucked in afterwards.
Oh well we will see how far he goes being a rock star without a serious band to back him. No Wailers, no Sagitarius Band. I say if you wanna see the future of the Obama Administration keep an eye on the Bruce Golding government back a Yaad. He came in making promises, singing a new song not the same sanky and now PM Golding is getting bogged down because its not happening for the people like they expected. And all he has to deal with is Sista P AKA Portia Simpson-Miller and not Rush or Hanity to drag on his coat tails.
Anon 10:22:
You say we got sucked in as if we didn't walk into Vietnam. It was hubris. We felt compelled to stop the spread of communism which eventually managed to collapse under it's own weight. Ever hear of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution? Falsified reports used to justify Congress approving the President to go to war with a country that has not threatened it; does this sound familiar? And BTW, guess what country funded that disastrous (for the French) war between French colonialists and communism?
Field,
French Indochina was Vietnam's old name. They were it's colonial power.
Important thing: Obama's a diplomat, just like ol' man bush was -- he's the one stepping into the trenches and making sure that China's leader and France's leader are getting compromises worked out, not just arguing without any change.
That's worth something too.
One moves mountains, the other makes holes in levees.
I hate to be the one to tell you this. However, after he meets and sits down with Iran and North Korea, he will be a rock star over there as well. President Obama has interpersonal communication skills that Bush lacked.
Tell it, Granny!
I can't help from smiling and being overwhelmingly proud whenever I see our President and First Lady. They are the breath of fresh air the country so desperately needed.
Many were hoping for their failure but They went to Europe and rocked it!
(Hi Haters, Hi Haters, I See You)
"I am quite sure that like the Germans listening to Bob, most of the folks in Strassbourg, France weren't too proficient in the English language."
I have to disagree with you here. My experience in France was that about half of the people I spoke to (ignoring tourist traps) preferred to speak in English than have an American butcher their language for another second (in most cases, their English was better than my French). English is likely one of the top languages studied in France, although in Strassbourg in particular, German and Alsatian may be more major languages than English.
Also, unlike in much of the United States, the first major foreign language(s) (typically Spanish and/or English) is taught very early on in France. This increases the likelihood of fluency in that language greatly.
So I suspect that a good percentage of the crowd did understand what he was saying (at least most of it), and that some of them were acting as translators for others.
Your basic point, though, is correct.
Jody, time will tell. NK has used *nuclear technology to get money from China and the West for a long time. They sign a treaty, then later they launch a missle for more moeney. Russia is involved in this scheme as well. Both of these countries are helping Iran. It's kind of like Obama demanding a end to sposal abuse to me. Who can disagree with that?
Some people can not be reasoned with. The North Koreans and Iran both fit into that category. The North Koreans have the bomb and there is no way to get them to give it up; sanctions don't work against countries that don't care about their people.
Hell, the Islamic clerics believe that the apocalypse is right around the corner, they can't wait!
Folks I understand the French connection to Vietnam,but again,what did they (The French)have to do with the Vietnam war?
Frank, I have been to Europe and I am quite familiar with the racism and racist chants that go on at soccer games in places like Germany. So what is your point?
Zimbel, you are right about other countries and their ability to speak and understand English.I stand corrected on that point.
Can a Brotha' get a break?
Poll tells Paterson it’s time to go
Business First of Buffalo - by G. Scott Thomas
Nearly two-thirds of New York’s voters believe that Gov. David Paterson does not deserve to be elected to a term of his own, according to a statewide poll released Monday.
Sixty-three percent of the people surveyed by the latest Quinnipiac University Poll said that Paterson does not deserve a new four-year term, while 22 percent said he does warrant additional time in office.
A majority of the respondents — 53 percent — said that Paterson should clear the field by announcing now that he won’t run in next year’s election. Even a plurality of members of the governor’s own party said that he should drop out of the race now, with 49 percent of Democrats calling for his withdrawal and 45 percent saying that he should stay in the contest.
If Paterson were to run in a primary against Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the poll shows that Cuomo would win, 61 percent to 18 percent.
Voters are especially displeased with Paterson’s handling of the state budget. Seventy percent said that they disapprove of his fiscal plans, while only 19 percent approve.
“There’s nothing good for Paterson in this poll,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, which surveyed 1,528 registered voters between April 1 and April 5. The poll’s margin of error is 2.5 percentage points.
Actually it's a step up from last month's poll, 22% now think he should hang in there...
Versus 19% a month ago.
Suggest he considers a job in radio...
My friends over at Jack & Jill and Black Woman blogs, Travis Smiley has named you folks as those he is up against to the Washington Post. You can read the story on Huffington Post. "Blacks At Odds Over Scrutiny Of Obama"
The thing is that he really doesn't want to admit that this is really about President Obama turning him down for the Black State of the Union the first time during the elections. Travis is a journalist and knows how to play with words. But he needs to be a man and fess up that he is full of it and has his self interest at heart. He wants to sell his book. Like the kids say, "Player Hater" equal Travis Smiley.
"If Paterson were to run in a primary against Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the poll shows that Cuomo would win, 61 percent to 18 percent."
Another Arnold and Gray Davis move! The games people play!
Some anonymous pinhead:
all of them used and abused. the last 'free' country is going down the drain.
Which country would that be exactly?
Can't be the U.S. you're talking about, because we have more people in our prisons (1,962,220) than any other country in the world, including China(1,428,126) and India(281,380) together, who's combined populations are at least quadruple ours.
But, please...keep on spewing out that faux news style jingoistic horse-shit if it keeps you from running amok in the hallways with an automatic weapon.
Another Anon:
Some people can not be reasoned with. The North Koreans and Iran both fit into that category. The North Koreans have the bomb and there is no way to get them to give it up; sanctions don't work against countries that don't care about their people.
Hell, the Islamic clerics believe that the apocalypse is right around the corner, they can't wait!
Oy...there seems to be nothing that is quite perfect as facepalm material on the net, as the rants and raves of an arrogant, ignorant individual that lives deep inside a vast empire that has no chance of ever being invaded.
So...I'm assumming that by "can't be reasoned with" you mean "nuke-em-all and let god sort 'em out," "invade-kill-convert (ala Ann Coulter)," or some other completely moronic statement such as that.
Unfortunately, this is what tends to happen when you have a vast population of people, that live right in the middle of a far stretching empire, that has no chance of invasion on its own shores.
I swear, sometimes you folks make me wish the U.S. would actually suffer a real invasion on our home turf. Just once, if some tanks from a China / Mexico invading army rolled right down the middle of downtown dumb-fukistan, leveled everything in their paths, killed and mained a hundred thousand or so civilians, and reduced a few walmarts, penneys and starbucks to piles of smoking rubble, and give us all here a taste of what we have been dishing out to the rest of the world since the 50's, than these penny-ante little armchair dictators that live in their moms basements and have little else to do but talk tough and act like the over-privileged little shits that they really are, would have a little perspective. Not gonna happen though.
I'm sure the people living within mortar range of the border in South Korea (including the entire city of Seoul, which by itself contains 10 million people (24.5 million if you include suburbs), are very happy that we have such broad thinking, and wise people (such as yourself) living in this country.
Theoretically, in the long term, North Korea would likely lose any replay of the Korean War. Not only is their military technologically inferior in just about every way to what the US and South Korea have, we also need to consider the change in China from hardcore ideology first Communists, to "hey guys, we can make a hell of a lot of money from trading with South Korea." So it's extremely unlikely the Chinese would have their backs this time around.
That being said the border of N-S Korea is literally lined on the northern side with thousands, if not millions, of guns, and it's only 70 km from downtown Seoul. Most likely, in the very short term, the result of any actual war would be the leveling of everything within range.
Attacking North Korea means sacrificing Seoul. Seoul would be destroyed, millions would be killed and displaced, and the economies of all of Asia would be utterly devastated for generations.
Thankfully, (a)the South Koreans obviously aren't willing to do that, and (b) the president doesn't listen to, or take foreign policy instructions from internet tough guys.
The Obama's have raised the bar for everyone, even many whites who may have thought that they were on the right path to the White House.
I'm glad. People want to be inspired, to be talked to as honestly as possible without drowning in fear, to feel a connection to their leaders, even if the connection is in your head, to be proud of America and all the opportunities and great possibilities that exist.
If the extent of our displeasure with the Obamas is their choice in gifts for diplomats; or Mrs. Obamas short sleeve dresses; or Pres. Obama's pauses with the teleprompter then those are things I can ignore. And so should the critics.
For now I wish them well. It's no easy task improving America's image among world leaders, (perhaps why McCain picked Palin so he could lose), to 'fix' the economy after it has been fucked up for at least 8 years, to decrease world threats and bring our troops home safely, and the list of daunting tasks goes on and on...
So...I'm assumming that by "can't be reasoned with" you mean "nuke-em-all and let god sort 'em out," "invade-kill-convert (ala Ann Coulter)," or some other completely moronic statement such as that.
God, your a fucking idiot! My point was does anyone thing North Korea is going to give up its nukes? Do you think Iran will stop trying to build one? Those countries are run by nut bags who don't give a damn about nuclear Disarmament. So you might as well forget about getting rid of nukes; that ship sailed decades ago.
Obama has charisma, no doubt. So did Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Republicans with charisma? They're out there, as much as it pains me to say it. I will choke on these words, but Sarah Palin has it, which only goes to show that charisma and intelligence have, at best, a tangential relationship.
Mitt Romney has a touch of it, and so did Newt Gingrich when he was at the top of his game. No one should imagine that charisma is a Democratic or liberal phenomenon. Hitler had boatloads of it.
TJWash:
Amen!
Cinco:
"It's no easy task improving America's image among world leaders, (perhaps why McCain picked Palin so he could lose), to 'fix' the economy after it has been fucked up for at least 8 years, to decrease world threats and bring our troops home safely, and the list of daunting tasks goes on and on..."
Nah, McCain really wanted to be President and he thought Palin was a good pick until he found out she didn't know as much as 8 year old does. Like I told you folks during the elections, when the elections was over they would turn on her and drag Palin's name through the mud.
Let me ask you something do you think all these negative leaks on her are accidental or do you think that Granny might just have a little foresight and insight?
Interesting -
Surviving Jena Six: The Dreams of Mychal Bell
Friday 03 April 2009
My name is Mychal Bell and I was one of the Jena Six that was charged with attempted murder down in Jena, Louisiana in 2006. As of now, seeing that we have a black president, and with the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. tomorrow, I wanted to share with you my dream like Dr. King shared his dream with everybody. I even had the chance, although I was in shackles and handcuffs, to meet Martin Luther King III, when he came to visit me in prison. So, I feel like I have a connection to the King family.
When I look back at the day that I got in a fight with Justin Barker at my high school, I now realize that I should have done what Dr. King preached, which was non-violence. A few months before the fight, I remember seeing nooses hung from a tree at my school, and none of the few black students knew who was responsible. But, what came to my mind was images of Mississippi burning, seeing how black people were hung and killed, and it felt very disrespectful. In the small town that I grew up in, I had always felt that black people and white people didn't get along. After all, this was Louisiana.
When I first entered prison, I was young, only 16, and I had been charged as an adult with attempted murder for the fight. The kids who put up the noose…nothing happened to them. Being in prison, I could only see my parents once a week and it was really hard to get by. But, being in prison, it helped me become a better man in life and become stronger and realize my dreams. I spent over a year in prison, before I took a plea bargain in juvenile court for a simple battery and was given time served and sent home. Since that time, my life hasn't been easy…a lot of people talk bad about me and the media has portrayed me as someone who I am not…I know the truth about who I am and I know I am not a bad person. The media pushed me to a point where I tried to kill myself, which I didn't want to do, but that incident has made me a stronger person, and now I can finally see my dream in front of me. On May 13th I will graduate from high school and in the fall I will attend a four-year university on a football scholarship. As me being a young black man I know that Dr. King died for me, so I can be in the position that I am, to become anything I want in life.
--------
Mychal Bell was one of the Jena Six and was charged with attempted murder in Jena, Louisiana in 2006.
http://www.truthout.org/040409A
BT
@anon 2:23... you are making alot of assumptions, that while understandable, are incorrect. You say that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability. There has been no evidence of this. Only the propaganda put out. The International Atomic Energy Commission,which monitors all nuclear activity globally has certified over and over that Iran's nuclear program is for nuclear power. Another "fun fact" you (and all americans for that matter) should know is that every year there is a Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations in NYC. For the past 10 years, every year, there is a proposal to create a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in the Middle East. Every year EVERY COUNTRY (including Iran) votes for this proposal except 2.... US and Israel. It is a sight to see the light board on the huge wall where the votes are tallied... green, green green for yes, 189 green lights... and 2 red ones. Israel has nuclear weapons that they are not willing to admit to the world they have. South Africa's apartheid regime sold them to Israel when, at the end of apartheid, they declared themselves a non-nuclear state and gave up their weapons.
In addition there are 5 global regional nuclear weapons free zones treaties. You see, most nations realize they are suicide weapons and expensive, and toxic to their environment, and are safer without them.
So, your assumption that we cannot achieve a nuclear weapons free world is based on obviously very limited knowledge of nuclear proliferation and the position of the rest of the world.
As for India, Pahkistan, North Korea and Israel.... if there is Global momentum to rid the world of these weapons, there will be preassure to bear to eliminate them for all of these countries, The justification thus far is that if the Big5 weapons states have them, then so should we... But, if the Big 5 weapons states agree to complete disarmament, they have said they would give theirs up as well.
That is why it is such a big deal for Obama to say we are going to do it and we will take the lead in doing it. As I said before, I am a bit of a nuclear weapons wonk, and have followed this issue, both professionally and personally for over 30 years.
"Obama vaya a lavarse ese palto"
-Hugo Chavez
Like I told you folks during the elections, when the elections was over they would turn on her and drag Palin's name through the mud.
Let me ask you something do you think all these negative leaks on her are accidental or do you think that Granny might just have a little foresight and insight?
GrannyStandingforTruth, I told my progressive friends and my Conservative friends that this would happen. They did not believe me. The election corpse wasn't even cold before the leaks about the clothing started.
And now I wonder if Levi Johnston is being paid by the RNC or some monied GOP member to hang the Palin family's dirty laundry for the national viewing public to see.
Hell, Palin has issued more statements than a credit card company since the election. And far too many of them have been on the defensive, not a good sign.
Wingnuts think Progressives are afraid of Palin, no, we WANT her to run in 2012. That complete evisceration would be a thing to behold because Palin/Jindal, Palin/Romney, Palin/Cantor, Palin/whoever have not a chance in hell of winning a general election.
The powers that be in the Republican party know she can't win and maybe are willing to offer her up as their sacrificial lamb in 2012. Palin may appeal to their base but most of the wealthy GOP power brokers loathe her. They know the quickest way to kill her presidential aspirations is to quash her chances of getting the moderate conservative and independent vote. Their base is too busy worrying about abortion, gun control, Islam and the Black man sitting in the White House to realize that THEIR party is fucking over their princess.
I told all of you back when the election was going on that Palin's daughter and Levi relationship would end after the elections were over. It wasn't nothing but a bunch of BS in the first place.
Both Jack & Jill and Black Woman blogs should send Travis Smiley a thank you note. Yup, he just indirectly gave them some free publicity in the Washington Post and on Huffington Post. I suspect their blogs visitor's number will be growing in the next few days and weeks. Be on guard and ready to sock it to them with some political correctness.
allheavens:
That's not all that's coming up in the near future. Like Coretta used to say, "If you gone stand for anything, stand for righteousness." That was the best advice anyone could give anybody. I'll be glad when some folks learn that lesson. You can't wallow in doodoo and expect to turn out smelling like roses. More people need to take Coretta's advice. The world would be a much better place if they did.
Amen Granny, amen.
Yup, and Travis needs to be held accountable as well. Why is that every time a State of the Black Union comes around he has a new book out to sell? Smh! I wonder what his next book will be about?
I brought the first book he was peddling at the State of the Black Union, and to be honest, I wanted to send it back and get a refund. That's bad because Granny collects books and I've been collecting them since 1963.
Jody sez - Israel has nuclear weapons that they are not willing to admit to the world they have. South Africa's apartheid regime sold them to Israel when, at the end of apartheid, they declared themselves a non-nuclear state and gave up their weapons.
Think you have that backwards. Israel got the plans and fissionable material from the US. Some of that was done by cloak and dagger - some was just given to them.
South Africa got lots of aid from Israel in the development of their small nuclear arsenal - which probably never numbered more than 8 or 9 weapons. Because South Africa didn't have access to certain technologies (such as the enrichment process to produce the W31 warhead given by Raygun to China) - they were in all probability useless to the Israelis, who are perfectly capable of developing weapons small enough to be mounted on missiles, and probably MIRVs.
So it is reasonable to believe South Africa destroyed their warheads. Whether they sold the nuclear material to Israel or not is another issue. I seem to recall the post-Apartheid government of South Africa detailing how they had safed and stored the material.
Israel is estimated to have something on the order of 200-300 warheads - putting them on a par with China.
The US is estimated to have about 4,000 "active" weapons...
And 5,500 "inactive" weapons in storage.
BT
Granny said, "...Travis is a journalist and knows how to play with words. But he needs to be a man and fess up that he is full of it and has his self interest at heart. He wants to sell his book. Like the kids say, "Player Hater" equal Travis Smiley."
Granny, I agree. Tavis acted like a self-centered 2-year old when Obama could not attend his SOBU in 2008. I particularly resented his attitude toward Michelle Obama when he snubbed her as though "she" wasn't good enough, and lacked the political acumen for his show. It was at that point I realized that he had lost his way, and had developed an inflated ego of deluded importance.
Tavis no longer represents who he pretended to be. I don't feel that he has the interests of the black community at heart... he has the interest of Tavis Smiley at heart. I bet his book falls wa-a-a-ay short of expectations.
Tavis should make an apology to the Obamas and the black community for his childish actions. Until he does, that cloud over his head will follow him like a shadow. However, it would surprise me if he DID apologize--Tavis's ego is too insecure for that.
B#
Iraq need nuclear power to help end global warming and good news! The easter bunny is coming. szpork
Jody; re Korea / Iran and the anona-trolls here:
You probably already know that your wasting keystrokes with most of those clowns but DAYUM I enjoy what you write, so...please don't stop!
A little more fodder for you (although you probably already know this)-
Number of nuclear warheads:
US 4,075
Russia 5,192
UK 192
China 176
France 300
OTHER NUCLEAR STATES (ESTIMATES)
India 75
Pakistan 15
Israel 200
North Korea 2
Iran 0
North Korea and Iran have a total of 2, yet, when it comes to nuclear weapons talk on the corporate run media now, all the attention is put on to them.
It's funny how the good folks with the THOUSANDS of nukes, have managed to convince its populace to fear a country with none.
Hook-line-sinker.
Oh...szpork. Some day, when you are all grown up, you may actually move out of your moms trailer. You may even venture a little out in to the world. Hell, you may even leave the state you live in.
Rest assured, that you will find out that the big bad boogieman, that populate and live in the other 99% of the world that you seem to be so frightened of, aren't really big, or bad, or even boogieman.
Now, you may just find out that being spoon fed propaganda and fear your whole life has just made you soft, and weak and crying to big brother for him to protect you. You probably will find out what a tool you have really been all of your life. It may make you a little angry when that happens, but, rest assured, you will get over it.
It's all just part of the growing up process you still need to do.
Jody, I actually took the time to do a yahoo search for iran weapons evidence and you're right. I really should start doing that first. szpork
Iran isn't our enemy. They have never been our enemy. The propaganda camopaign to make them seem like our enemy is a sick joke.
Amen Grinder!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfVenJrKNvg&feature=related
Yeah Obama really looks like a rock star.LMAO.
yeah he talks like a rock star but acts like a republican.
he is totally owned by the white power structure
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