A scary sight?

*

I survived the trick or treaters. That's reason enough to treat myself to something. -I am watching the Phillies and they are up 3-2 on the Hank-ees in the top of the 5th. So maybe, if they win, I will have my treat for the night.

Anywhooo, I saw an article that I wanted to share. Seems that some groups are up in arms over a Halloween costume which has been selling at Target and other stores. [*See pic]

"...Civil rights and anti-discrimination activists are up in arms over the "Illegal Alien Adult Costume," manufactured by Forum Novelties.
The costume includes an outer space alien mask, an orange jumpsuit with the words "Illegal Alien" across the chest and a fake green card.

After receiving complaints about the costume, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles wrote a letter to retailers asking them to stop selling the item. Executive director Angelica Salas called it "distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and current debate on immigration reform," according to The Associated Press.
Some retailers, such as Target, have stopped selling the costume. " [Story]

Now, I must admit, (and I am sure you all will agree) that these kinds of stories tend to always take on a tendentious tone with me. When I suspect racism, xenophobia, or injustice in anyway, I tend to lose my objective ability to reason. Which is why I am going to leave this one to you all to tell me where this little costume issue comes down. I know Halloween costumes are supposed to be somewhat risque, but can they go too far in offending a particular group of people?

Inquiring minds -not to mention people of good conscience- want to know.

Go Phillies.

"Trick Or Treat"!

I left my office kind of late tonight, and then I went to West Philly to hit up my favorite Jamaican restaurant for some takeout. I am busting it up Roosevelt Boulevard because the food is smelling in the car and I can't wait to get home and throw down. -Yes, I will admit it; I was "starving like Marvin". -In a perfect world I get home before my food is even warm, I lay out my goodies on the table, and I partake.

But that is in a perfect world. In my world things never quite happen how you want them to. Rrrrrng rrrng rrrng. That would be Mrs. Field chirping me. "Field can you stop by the store and get lots and lots of candy, I forgot to pick some up on the way home and it's Halloween tomorrow. Did you forget?"" No, I didn't forget, I thought we weren't doing Halloween this year."" What made you think that?" " Well, honestly, I am really not down for having little kids ringing my bell on a Saturday evening when I am trying to do other things.'" What field, like watch the games? Just get the candy, please."

So I am in the damn grocery story picking over all sorts of candy to fill into little plastic pumpkin bowls. I am doing this so that the little crumb snatchers can invade my space and line their bags with their grubby little hands. A pirate; a witch; a monster; Batman; Spiderman....it will go on and on until the last candy bowl is cleaned out. And, of course, Mrs. Field will tell me to put out more candy. Field, you know there is more candy in there, put out some more bowls.

Trick or treat! Like what are they going to do if I don't give them shit? Toilet paper my front door or my car? I don't think so. I am sorry folks, but around here where I live, these little snatchers aren't going to do squat. They might look scary in their little costumes, but I ain't scared of em. Besides, most of them have their parents with them, they wouldn't dare try anything with mommy and daddy in tow.

How did we get to this place? Isn't this supposed to be a christian country? And isn't Halloween some kind of pagan celebration? Why can't you all be like The Jehovah's Witness and just say no to fright night? A-merry-ca is a scary enough place as it is, we don't need a night to celebrate being scared. (See what you caused Jamie Lee?) The only people who love Halloween are dentists and costume store owners.

"Field, did you get the little mini Kit Kats?"" No, I didn't get the little minnie Kit Kats."" Well how close are you?" "I am real close," I lied. "Well could you stop at the drug store down the street, they have some in there. " Can someone please tell me what exactly is the relationship between candy and being scared to death?

Tomorrow night, just for spite, I am giving each kid just one piece of candy. That's what they get for making my damn curry goat rice and plantain get cold.

Shooting off a mouth.

If I am going decry the wingnuts when they foam at the mouth and commit violent acts I have to get on the left when they do it as well.

(It's getting bad here in A-merry-ca when we can't feel safe in the place we call home or where we worship. )

Take the case of one of A-merry-ca's most famous "birthers", Lou Dobbs. Seems someone has been taking target practice at Lou's crib. If true, that is not cool. And, to make matters worse, Lou says his wife -that beautiful Mexican A-merry-can Princess- could have been hit.

"But I want to tell you, when you talk about what they've done - they've created an atmosphere and they've been unrelenting in their propaganda," Dobbs said. "Three weeks ago this morning, a shot was fired at my house where I live. My wife was standing out and that followed weeks and weeks of threatening phone calls."

See what "propaganda" can do folks? It can make folks crazy. Mr. Dobbs has a right to speak his mind, this is A-merry-ca, damn it! No one should fear being shot in their own home just because someone happens to disagree with what they are saying.

"And, as I told the state patrol, and by the way, the New Jersey State Patrol is absolutely terrific - they responded instantly. But this shot was fired with my wife not, I don't know, 15 feet away and we had threatening phone calls that I decided not to report because I get threatening phone calls," Dobbs continued. "I now - it's become a way of life - the anger, the hate, the vitriol, but it's taken a different tone where they've threatened my wife. They've now fired a shot at my house while my wife was standing next to the car. It's become something else."

Mr. Dobbs, I hope they catch the SOB's and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

I bet they were illegals.

Now back to my Phillies. It's not looking good up in the Bronx. :(

A "teachable moment"?

It seems that a lot of bloggers in my area are all over the following story so I will bite.

Apparently a young Bucks County teacher, Matthew Curran, used a poor choice of visual aids to teach an 8th grade class about math.

Do you see that picture up there? That's what he used for his class on math to get them to focus on "solving equations." ( I am not sure what the hell that pic has to do with solving equations, unless, of course, they are going to count my man's teeth.) So now the Bucks County NAACP is outraged, and they want sensitivity training for the poor chap.

"We have a problem with sensitivity," said NAACP President John Jordan. "Some things are totally uncalled for and unnecessary, and this was one of them."

Hmmmm, I don't know folks, I would say that on a scale of one to ten on my racism meter this is registering as a four. I mean if the guy really is a racist wouldn't he do a better job of covering it up? He said he got the picture off of the Internet and he used it because it featured a caption with words his students are always using. ("Nooo Way") That seems plausible to me. But field, you do realize, don't you, that there is only one African American in the class. Well yeah, that is a little problematic... I tell you what; let's move Matthew Curran up to a five on the racism meter.

"John Jordan, President of the Bucks County NAACP, says the parents of the only African-American in the class expressed "anger, rage, disappointment" to the Central Bucks School District, the NAACP and now, attorney Ersula Cosby."The teacher went through a lot of trouble to find this offensive image," believes Cosby."

OK, I will give him a six, but that's it. [Story here]

Go Phillies!!!

"What about these niggers?"

I think we can all agree (well most of us) that the environment over at Radio Rwanda is inimical to black folks. But has anyone ever wondered about the provenance of this philosophy? Well, if you have, wonder no more, because with the help of my friends over at Media Matters I am about to show you:

"Under its president, Roger Ailes, Fox News routinely employs racially charged appeals to foment opposition to the Obama administration and other progressive figures, such as Glenn Beck's comments that President Obama is a "racist" and "has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture." Before launching the Fox News Channel, Ailes worked as a media consultant for several Republican campaigns where evidence shows he similarly appealed to racial fears and biases for political gain, and as executive producer for Rush Limbaugh's television show, during which Limbaugh made several controversial statements.

Ailes' political and media history is littered with race-based appeals
As Nixon campaign consultant, Ailes reportedly looked for a "Wallaceite cab-driver" to bring up race at televised town hall meetings. As media consultant for Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign, Ailes directed televised town hall meetings in which Nixon answered questions from a supportive audience. According to Rick Pearlstein, Ailes suggested Nixon take a question from "A good, mean, Wallaceite cab-driver. Wouldn't that be great? Some guy to sit there and say, 'Awright, Mac, what about these niggers?" Pearlstein wrote, "Nixon then could abhor the uncivility of the words, while endorsing a 'moderate' version of the opinion. Ailes walked up and down a nearby taxi stand until he found a cabbie who fit the bill."
From Nixonland by Rick Pearlstein:

The panel questioners were unrehearsed. But they were also an effect of stagecraft. They were like those heterogeneous World War II-picture platoons: here a Jewish physician; there the president of an immigrant advocacy group; an outnumbered newsman or two to show the man in the arena wasn't ducking them; a surburban housewife; a businessman. In Philadelphia they hit a snag with the Jewish physician turned out to be a psychiatrist. "You should have heard Len on the phone when I told him I had one on the panel," one staffer related. "If I've ever heard a guy's voice turn white, that was it." (Garment had remembered his evening with Nixon in Elmer Bobst's Florida pool house: "anything except see a shrink.")

Ailes hit upon an idea for a substitute: "A good, mean, Wallaceite cab-driver. Wouldn't that be great? Some guy to sit there and say, 'Awright, Mac, what about these niggers?'" Nixon then could abhor the uncivility of the words, while endorsing a "moderate" version of the opinion. Ailes walked up and down a nearby taxi stand until he found a cabbie who fit the bill. [Nixonland, p. 331]
Ailes on 1988 strategy against Dukakis: "The only question is whether we depict Wille Horton with a knife in his hand or without it." Ailes was credited, along with Lee Atwater, with helping George H.W. Bush come from behind to beat Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election. Part of that winning strategy included portraying Dukakis as "soft on crime" and connecting him with convicted felon Willie Horton. Horton committed assault, armed robbery, and rape in Maryland during a weekend furlough -- a program granting temporary release to prisoners that Dukakis supported but was created under the previous governor. While the Bush campaign did not produce the Horton ad that was widely criticized as "racist," Ailes did produce the "Revolving Door" ad that similarly attacked Dukakis for the furlough program. The campaign also created "The Risk," a negative ad that referenced "a furlough escapee" who "terrorized a Maryland couple." Ailes has been quoted as saying, "The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it."

Ailes' 1989 attacks on Dinkins for Giuliani "prey[ed] upon the fears of the Jewish community." As media consultant for Rudy Giuliani's first mayoral campaign, Ailes placed an ad in a prominent Yiddish Newspaper, The Algemeiner Journal, that featured an image of Guiliani's opponent David Dinkins -- who would become New York City's first African-American mayor -- alongside Jesse Jackson. The ad also displayed a photo of Giuliani with President George H.W. Bush, and the headline stated, ''Let the people of New York choose their own destiny" [New York Times, 9/30/1989]. Howard Kurtz reported that "Ira Silverman, vice president of the American Jewish Committee, said the Giuliani ad seemed a 'legitimate campaign tactic,' but said that he found it 'troubling' because it 'preys upon the fears of the Jewish community' " [Washington Post, 9/29/1989]. National Public Radio has further reported: "Giuliani also tagged Dinkins as a 'Jesse Jackson Democrat.' That was an appeal to the city's large contingent of Jewish voters, who had despised Jackson ever since he used an anti-Semitic epithet to describe New York City. In this context, Giuliani's signature issue of crime took on racial overtones, says political consultant Norman Adler." One of Giuliani's ads featured a New Yorker stating, "I'm tired of living in New York and being scared." From a November 4, 1989, New York Times article:.."

Sadly, Ailes is still using the "what about these niggers" strategy. It's just that now it's focused on the office of the president.

Thanks Ben.

Strong words!

The following comes from one of my favorite web sites, Crooks & Liars:

Sally Quinn went on The O'Reilly Factor to announce that she and all the other Villagers are just all a-flutter over the Obama White House's puzzling decision to stand up to its an organization that clearly declared war on his administration from its outset, i.e., Fox News.
But first she had to stop and sniff disdainfully in the direction of Alan Grayson for his gauche style of political rhetoric:

O'Reilly: Do you know this guy? He sounds like a loon.
Quinn: I don't know him. But guess what? Here we are talking about him. And I think that's what this is all about -- he's obviously getting the attention she desperately needs.
O'Reilly: OK, there could be something to be said for that. He represents the Orlando area. But he's certainly kind of unhinged. When you hear rhetoric like that -- you know, the Dick Cheney shooting the guy in the face, and this and that -- doesn't it sound a little immature?
Quinn: Well, I think that it's worse than immature. I mean, what he said was so completely over the top that it sounds like -- it reminded me a little bit of Blagojevich, you know. I mean --
O'Reilly: No, that's good. That's a good -- yeah. Kinda unhinged.
Quinn: Yeah, unhinged. It made no sense. So I don't think you can take it seriously. And I also think that if he -- I can't imagine the Democrats feeling good about this. Or the White House feeling good.
O'Reilly: Or his constituents.
Quinn: But you don't want this guy on your team.

Heavens no. We want people like Sally Quinn. The kind of Village maven who would go on 60 Minutes and slag the Clintons:
"If you consider the life of Bill Clinton," she said on "60 Minutes," "whenever he leaves the White House, he's going to get on a plane, and where is he going to go?"
"What do you mean?" a baffled Mike Wallace asked.
"Well, he -- he doesn't even have a home," she sniffed. "I mean, when you think about it, he's homeless. I mean, they've lived in sort of government properties all their lives."

The kind of "social adviser" who would pen long Washington Post op-eds bemoaning the way the Clintons "fouled the nest".
Yeah, we need advice from Sally Quinn, all right.
And that commentary we should take seriously? I guess you just had to tune in three hours beforehand for that." [Link]

Wow, Radio Rwanda is pulling out all the stops. Sally Quinn? The same Sally Quinn who slept her way to the top of her profession? Nice.

So anyway, what exactly did my man Alan Grayson say?

"I have trouble listening to what he says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth while he‘s talking.But—but my response is this. He‘s just angry because the president doesn‘t shoot old men in the face. Oh, by the way, when he was done speaking, did he just then turn into a bat and fly away?"

Oh my! No wonder the wingnuts are not pleased. O man, maybe it's time your people left FOX NEWS alone and let folks like Alan Grayson do the heavy lifting. I think he is up for the challenge.

The church that prays together....

There has been so much anger and animosity around here lately that I thought I would post a positive news story for once. And even though my man racism isn't taking time off from harassing me, (h/t Race Traitoress)I figured I would let him play by himself, tonight.

Yep, tonight it's all about the positive from the field; I come to praise A-merry-ca, not put her down.

So anyway, today is Sunday, and it's the day many A-merry-cans choose to go into their various places of worship. Unfortunately, Sunday morning, as Dr. King so famously said, can often be a very segregated time here in A-merry-ca. When it comes to our religion we kind of like it like our sex: we only do it with people we are comfortable with.

But here in Philadelphia a wonderful thing happened today. Two congregations that used to be one but split because of racism 200 years ago, worshiped together in a spirit of unity. From all accounts, (and I know someone who was there) it was a beautiful thing. Black and white folks acknowledging mistakes of the past and vowing to form a bond of Christian brotherhood which is both deep and meaningful.

Credit should go to the two leaders [Rev. Mark Kelly-Tyler & Rev. Alfred Day] of the respective congregations for doing what is right. It's one thing to talk like a Christian but it's quite another to act like one.

I was thinking; wouldn't it be nice if churches kind of did this on a national scale and had this type of interaction all over the country? Kind of like "wife swap" but with church congregations. I think that would work. I don't know about the rest of you, but the church denomination I grew up in always had a black church and a white church; a black conference overseeing things and a white one.

My daddy was a big shot in the church and I remember that it was always something that embarrassed him. I think it's why he chose to work with the church in the islands and not to leave Jamaica. He couldn't stand the idea of being a part of a segregated church family from top to bottom.

"For the congregants at Mother Bethel, “this is really a first step in what we hope will be some ongoing dialogue and continuing fellowship together,”... Showing how to heal two congregations that had been torn apart so violently, he added, “can say something about how we handle this kind of division in today’s world.”

Amen Reverend! And it will insure that we keep certain other Reverends out of the spotlight as well.

Reverse Tuskegee?

Didn't Rahm Emanuel, the O man's right hand man, once say that you "never want a serious crisis go to waste"? Well, in lieu of that, what I want to know here and now is this: Why is Barack Hussein Obama forcing little white children to take flu shots? Why is this administration treating the upcoming flu season as if we should all get out our bibles and start reading from the book of Revelations?

"WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect noninfected patients.

The declaration, signed Friday night and announced Saturday, comes with the disease more prevalent than ever in the country and production delays undercutting the government's initial, optimistic estimates that as many as 120 million doses of the vaccine could be available by mid-October.

Health authorities say more than 1,000 people in the United States, including almost 100 children, have died from the strain of flu known as H1N1, and 46 states have widespread flu activity. So far only 11 million doses have gone out to health departments, doctor's offices and other providers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials..."

Yeah, but don't people die from the flu every year? I have never gotten a flu shot in my life, but some very smart people (including some on this blog) have been telling me that I should do it this year. Why? Have they all fallen prey to Obamamania as well?

Glen Beck says that it's probably all a move by the Communist, Obama, to gain control over the country and our minds. ( I thought he already had that.) He [Beck] says, in no uncertain terms, that he will not be getting the shots and his children won't either. Good for him. In fact, many of the right wing folks say that they won't be getting any shots this flu season. They just don't trust this Obama fellow. I guess they have been reading their black history books.

"As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic,"

Mr. President how do we know that this is just not another power grab by you?

But field, what if the government is right and this really is a serious flu strain? What if people-especially children- die from it if they don't get their shots?

Well then I guess that would mean that many of the people who don't take it would die, and the folks who listened to their government would live....

....I love Glen Beck; he is a wise man.

Before I go, I forgot to ask Ms. Cleo something else last night: Why are janitors killing Priests in North Jersey? I know living in Jersey can be rough but is it worth killing your priest over? I am just saying.

Calling Ms. Cleo.

It's Friday in A-merry-ca and there are some things that I would love to know before the next work week begins: Where is that Ja-fake-can, Ms. Cleo, when you need her?

Who killed this little girl? I saw the momma on television crying her heart out, and....well, alright, I will leave this one alone for now.

What the hell were these two pilots doing in the cockpit of a stinking A-320 jet that caused them to lose radio contact for over an hour? Note to self: If possible, try to avoid booking flights on Northwest Airlines.

Where is Mitrice Richardson? She was in Malibu for crying out loud! Not South Central.

What will his O ness do in Afghanistan? Come on O man, make the damn call.

Is Oprah going to come clean and tell us that this is a joke?

Will Mrs. Phillips take Steve back? Nope, not after she sees his Mistress. :)

Will Mayumi leave her bad acting husband? And if she does, will she take the kids?

Should I get a flu shot? Hey, I remember Tuskegee just like the rest of you Negroes. So I would love to know sooner rather than later just how damn dangerous this H1N1 thing is.

Will some urban terrorist in one of our urban battle zones try to outdo his fellow terrorist in the Bronx and kill a 93 year old woman?

I'm out.

He is baaaack.

*

"452,327: the number of deaths due to heart attacks in the United States in the year 2004.
20: the percentage of all deaths due to heart attacks in the United States in the year 2004.
1.2 million: the average number of heart attacks that occur each year.
38: the percentage of all those who die from a coronary heart attack.
15.8 million: the number of heart attack patients who survive.
8.9 million: the estimated amount of angina patients in the United States.
400,000: the number of new angina cases each year in the United States.
233,000: the number of women who died from cardiovascular disease each year.
14 million: the number of Americans afflicted with some form of heart disease or angina.
50: the percentage of deaths that occur one hour after a heart attack when not treated.
60 billion: the amount of dollars spent on heart attack treatment and prevention each year.
20: every 20 seconds, a new heart attack occurs somewhere in America.
60: every minute, another heart attack death occurs." [Link here]

Dick Cheney has a bad heart..... I am just saying.

Over at Jack & Jill Politics, Christian Progressive Liberal is just saying a little something as well:

"I really, really wish this cretin would OD on six packs of STFU. I mean, he orchestrated wars that America had no business being in, so he and his cronies at Halliburton could get fat paid, while torturing prisoners, and raping female employees sent to Iraq to help make that money.
But, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, he wants to provoke the current POTUS into hurrying up on what to do about Afghanistan.

Hey, didn’t you and GeeShrubya try that approach seven years ago, when you invaded Iraq? You did what it supposedly took to win, and guess what?
Obama has to continue fighting the war you dipshyts started. And you have the good-God audacity to Complain.

Eff you, you rotten GOP Bastard; I guess you and your partners are missing all those no-bid contracts that paid millions while feeding our troops rotten food, and making them drink water that smelled and tasted like ass that those contracts were supposed to provide, in terms of goods and services.

So, you think Obama is “dithering” about Afghanistan. Well, jackass, maybe if you and your boy Georgie had done some “dithering” instead of “you’re either with us or agin’ us”, Barack Obama wouldn’t have to spend his first year in office restoring American good will abroad because you and your boy spent eight years alienating our country abroad and pissing away any good will we had – about 200 years’ worth...." [More]

Oh yes, my old friend Dick. And just where would the political debate in A-merry-ca be without him?

*Pic courtesy of Daily Kos.

Tales from the Confederacy.

I love Louisiana, I really do, but lately the folks down in "The Boot" have been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

You Negroes have lost your natural minds since the bi-racial Kenyan got elected to the highest office in the land. Cutting in front of white folks in Wal- Mart? You Negroes must be crazy. And then, when the woman called you a "nigger", (which I guess was cool pre-Obama) you had the nerve to attack her. Is it any wonder that the poor woman, Sharon Hodges, reacted the way that she did:

"..The affidavit said witnesses heard Hodges yell a racial epithet at the woman and say, "You will respect your elders, especially since I'm white." The woman's daughter admitted to lunging at Hodges after she used a racial epithet. While the daughter was being restrained, witnesses observed Hodges spit in the woman's face, according to the affidavit."

Well, at least they arrested Ms. Hodges. Now that's change we can believe in.

Story here:

Oh wait, before I go and watch my Phillies I have to blog about one more story. It's about my republican friends again. I tell you with these republicans it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

"Two South Carolina GOP chairmen declared in a letter to a local newspaper that criticism of Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is unfair because he is like a "Jew" who is "watching our nation's pennies."

The letter, published by South Carolina newspaper The Times and Democrat, was authored by James S. Ulmer Jr., who chairs the Orangeburg County GOP, and Edwin O. Merwin Jr., who chairs the Bamberg County GOP.

"There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves," the wrote. "By not using earmarks to fund projects for South Carolina and instead using actual bills, DeMint is watching our nation’s pennies and trying to preserve our country’s wealth and our economy’s viability to give all an opportunity to succeed."'

And they wrote this in a local newspaper? Okaaaay. And folks wonder why the South will never rise again.

I'm out. Go Phillies!

The silencing of Dr. Marc Lamont Hill.

Let this be a lesson to all you people out there who like to lie down with the FOX dog: You will always wake up with fleas, or even worse, in the unemployment line.

Seems Radio Rwanda found it necessary to dump Dr. Marc Lamont Hill after a shareholder confronted the Grand Pupa at a recent shareholder's meeting. The man was not pleased that Dr. Hill has been known to support alleged cop killer, Mumia Abu Jamal in the past, and he wanted to know what his black mug was doing on the people's news channel. Well, right then and there, Rupert Murdoch informed the giddy man that Hill would be fired. Yep, bye bye Marc. No more sparring with Bill O'Reilly on his daily show, no more offering your opposing views on important issues of the day to millions of red state minions. Nope, this is how it's done in FOX world. Only certain types of left leaning liberal views are allowed. (See the wimp, Alan Colmes.) And certainly only certain types of black people are allowed as well. (See the slave catcher, Jesse Lee Peterson.)

I feel bad for Dr. Hill. --Even though he pissed me off a time or two when he was here at Temple University, (Never forget where you come from Marc, because, in the end, Karma will bite you in the ass.) he didn't deserve what the folks over at Radio Rwanda did to him. So he defends Mumia Abul- Jamal's right to have another trial,- so do a lot of other people- and Jamal posted a column on his my space site, that doesn't make him one of the 911 hijackers. But apparently the folks on the right didn't like his "radical politics" and they felt that it was time to drop his black ass.

And that's all fine. It's Rupert's network and he can put on it whoever he damn well pleases. I just wish that the folks on the right would remember that when they start crying foul because the fat drug addicted one down in South Florida gets the same treatment.

This is not funny.

"Late comings with the late comin' stretcher That's a body bag in disguise y'all betcha I call 'em body snatchers quick they come to fetch ya? With an autopsy ambulance just to dissect ya They are the kings 'cause they swing amputation Lose your arms, your legs to them it's compilation I can prove it to you watch the rotation It all adds up to a funky situation So get up get, get get down 911 is a joke in yo town" ~Public Enemy~

I swear sisters can't get any love. Poor Kourtney Wilson. Remind me never to call 911 in the Chi. Hey, I know they have had some serious murders this year, and everyone in that town must be on edge, but damn it, trained professionals should act like trained professionals.

"Imagine calling 911 for medical assistance and winding up in jail. That's what happened to a South Side grad student who says, instead of providing treatment, paramedics had her arrested. CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports. Kourtney Wilson, 23, was charged with assaulting three paramedics.

But Kourtney says that's impossible because she was in the midst of a seizure. And she says, what she deserved was treatment, not a trip to jail. "I've had many seizures and been in the hands of many paramedics, and I've never had such an awful experience," Kourtney said. Kourtney has a history of lupus, and around 12:30 Monday afternoon, she had a seizure at her Woodlawn home. "She just started shaking, violently shaking and her teeth were clattering," said Tiffini Williams, Wilson's roommate.

That's when Tiffini called 911and paramedics responded. "I just remember being strapped down, feeling like I was in a straitjacket, and I just kept taking off the strap, like 'please no, please no', not really understanding everything that was going on," Kourtney said. But Tiffini repeatedly confronted the paramedics about what she saw as heavy-handed tactics, telling them, "'I called you all to help her but you're being too rough with her. It's almost like you're assaulting her.' As soon as I said that, one of the EMT guys pointed to Kourtney and says, 'you're going to jail.'" Kourtney says she was dragged down the stairs of her house in handcuffs to a waiting police car.

She was taken first to Grand Crossing District on 71st, then to South Shore Hospital, then to the Pullman District on 111th Street, and finally, to Roseland Hospital. There, she finally got treatment. "They drug tested me and then they provided me with an IV of seizure medication.

By then, it was about 10:00 at night," Kourtney said. In other words, she received treatment about nine hours after her arrest. And her release papers confirm her diagnosis as "seizure disorder."'

Well Kourtney, maybe the next time you should wear your "seizure disorder" bracelet.

More here:

Thanks for this story Jessica. And we are still looking for Mitrice Richardson.

Strange Bedfellows.

Before I post tonight I have a quick question for all the fellows out there who are married or spend a lot of time with their significant other: Do you all get the treatment from the Ms./Mrs. when you try to use certain things in the house? By things I mean items such as silverware, china, or towels. I get it all the time. And tonight I got a one hour lecture from Mrs. Field about why I should never ever ever use her fine china. Ladies, what the hell is up with that? I mean what the hell are you saving it for? I swear that there is an entire closet of towels and hand towels in chez Field which have not been used since that day that we said I do to each other.

So anyway, now for my post: Maybe it's because of that little issue down in Hammond, Louisiana with the justice of the peace refusing to marry that interracial couple, but I keep thinking about John McCain pushing his O ness to pardon Jack Johnson. I keep asking myself why. Why is Mr. Morton so obsessed with his issue? (And I really want to know this so maybe someone reading this can comment on it and tell me.) Is Johnson from Arizona? Did one of his family members or descendants reach out to McCain? I mean what is it? I know Mr. Morton did a little boxing back in the day but would that be enough to get his passion up so much to push for a posthumous pardon of the former heavyweight champ.

We all know that he was convicted of violating the "Mann Act" and that the real reason was because he was hooked up with a white woman; an injustice to be sure, but a posthumous pardon?

From the AP: "Sen. John McCain on Friday pressed President Barack Obama to give a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, the black heavyweight boxing champion who was imprisoned nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman.

McCain, R-Ariz., and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., noted in a letter to Obama that both houses of Congress this summer passed their resolution urging a pardon. After the vote, the lawmakers wrote to Obama in August asking him to issue the pardon.

"Regrettably, we have not received a response from you or any member of your administration," they wrote in Friday's letter, adding they hoped that Obama would be eager to "right this wrong and erase an act of racism that sent an American citizen to prison."The White House declined to comment on the letter.

When he unveiled the resolution in April, McCain said he was sure that Obama "will be more than eager" to issue the pardon. On Friday, McCain said he was still confident the president would do so.

"The president's been very, very busy," McCain said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "Hopefully, this letter will be a kind of reminder that it's important to get it done. But I'm not critical of the president yet. We'll give him some time."
The senator said he hasn't personally talked to Obama about the issue.
"The conversations that I've been having with him have been on Afghanistan," he said. "But we'll see what result we get from this letter."

Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion on Dec. 26, 1908 — 100 years before Obama was elected the first black president. Johnson won the title after police in Australia stopped his 14-round match against the severely battered Canadian world champion, Tommy Burns.

That led to a search for a "Great White Hope" who could beat Johnson. Two years later, Jim Jeffries, the American world titleholder Johnson had tried for years to fight, came out of retirement but lost in a match called "The Battle of the Century," resulting in deadly riots.
Johnson was convicted in 1913 of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes. He fled the country after his conviction, but agreed years later to return and serve a 10-month jail sentence.

Filmmaker Ken Burns helped form the Committee to Pardon Jack Johnson, which filed a petition with the Justice Department in 2004 that was never acted on. His 2005 documentary, "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson," explored the case against the boxer and the sentencing judge's acknowledged desire to "send a message" to black men about relationships with white women."'

I don't know senator, I smell a rat. But I could be wrong, maybe that Ken Burns fellow is just very persuasive.

Why?

*

If you live outside of the Philadelphia area you have probably never heard of Selene Raynor; but you are going to learn about her tonight. It's important, because I want the folks who read this blog to understand the detestable loathsome and unspeakable things that we do to the ones who we are supposed to be loving and caring for.

"Police today filed murder charges against the boyfriend of a West Chester University student found shot to death yesterday in North Philadelphia.

Tyrell Hart, 19, was arrested last night at his home and questioned at the Roundhouse.
Selene Raynor, 21, was found slumped over the wheel of Jeep on the 1900 block of Newkirk Street in the city's Strawberry Hill section yesterday afternoon.

Raynor, a chemistry major in her third year at the University, was last seen with Hart Wednesday night, said Capt. James Clark, commander of the Homicide Unit.
Raynor picked Hart up in her mother's vehicle and drove to Newkirk Street "to talk about some aspect of their relationship," Clark said.

At some point, Hart pulled out a gun and shot her once in the head, Clark said.
After the shooting, Hart got out of the vehicle and went home, where he took a shower and went to bed, Clark said.

He said he was not aware of any prior domestic violence incidents between the Raynor and Hart.

"From all accounts she was a very nice young lady," the homicide commander said. "It just seemed like she got hooked up with the wrong guy."

Students held an imprompu [sp] memorial for Raynor at the university's Sykes Union Ballrooms last night.

A statement issued by Pam Sheridan, a WCU spokeswoman, said the turnout at the vigil showed that "Selena was a special young lady who touched the lives of many on campus."
The statement said Raynor had been active in campus life and had been involved in the unversity's Gospel Choir, Black Student Union, and Student Activities Council.
"Our sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy go out to the Raynor family during this very difficult time," the statement said. "The loss of a member of the campus community touches us all."'

Selene Raynor was also eight weeks pregnant, and I have it from some pretty good sources that she was killed for that very reason. Still, you read this story and you can't help but wonder what type of monster we created. "He got out of the vehicle and went home where he took a shower and went to bed."?

When you go to bed tonight please don't forget about Selene Raynor. I know I won't.

Story.

*Pic courtesy of Philly.com

Lief Erikson Day; John Brown; Juan Williams; and a Justice Of The Peace.

*

A hundred and fifty years ago that honorary field Negro, John Brown, launched his attack at Harper's Ferry. I wonder if he knew that if he was successful with his mission what it would eventually mean for the republic?

He couldn't have. The republic still can't get its shit together when it comes to matters of race. We have dumbocratic politicians saying they don't want niggers living next door. A Southern justice of the peace who refuses to marry a black man and a white woman."I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way. I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else." Seems he is concerned for their little bi-racial children as well. And this news breaks on the day that our bi-racial president is speaking not fifty miles away from where this travesty took place. And here in Pistolvania, our local skinheads are getting a makeover. It looks like they are trying to become more skinhead friendly. Skinhead lite if you will. Apparently they sense the mood in the country changing as well, and they see an opening to increase their numbers. Hey, nothing like a little skinhead PR to smooth over the rough edges. Image is sooo important.

"Three-year-old Ariana is ecstatic. Stomping in time to the raucous Celtic tunes floating out across a stone pavilion in Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, she giggles and twirls in front of the musicians with another little girl. When she runs back to her mother, green eyes shining and blond ponytail slightly disheveled, she knows what to say to get attention: "I'm gonna fuck you up!"

The adults around her — tattooed men with shaved heads and combat boots, women in tight jeans with dyed hair and heavy makeup — guffaw. "The things kids say," sighs one man, grinning and rubbing her head.

Ariana is one of the youngest attendees of this Leif Erikson Day celebration, which has for the past three years been held by the Pennsylvania white supremacist group Keystone United on the Saturday nearest Oct. 9 to honor the Viking explorer. This year, the event began around noon with a 70-person march to the Schuylkill riverside statue of Icelandic explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni and ended around dusk with the live Celtic music in FDR Park.

The eight-year-old Keystone United — also known as the Keystone State Skinheads — wants to "break the stereotypes of skinheads being alcoholic thugs and violent, drug-addicted criminals," according to its Web site. KSS members resist the "hate group" label and resent the government and media outlets profiling them as such.

"We're defined as enemies of the state," says Eric, who adds that he's been physically attacked for his affiliation with the group. "It's an uphill battle."

The group simply believes that the white race is superior to all others, and that white people should not mingle with people of color — and really, what's so wrong about that?

Yeah the Leif Erikson Day celebration. I am sorry I missed that. (More here)

So anyway, is it any wonder that our white friends are so confused and angry? They still can't believe that another black man told Juan Williams to "go back to the porch"on FOX NEWS the other night. This from a Newsbusters commenter:"The depth of hatred that some blacks feel for any black person (even a liberal like Juan Williams!) who doesn't toe the racial line, is deplorable. As if calling them "house...er....slaves" (we all know what that is code for) now they are considered dogs on the porch? This Ballantine guy is despicable." (Well....Juan does spend a lot of time on the porch.) And this whole Rush Limbaugh thing just proves their point that they are losing their country. Is it any wonder that Glen Beck was calling on the real A-merry-cans in the military to get ready in case that Obama fellow gets out of line?

"Chris remarks on the irony of holding the Leif Erikson Day concert in a park named after Roosevelt, "liberal, pro-communist that he was."... "His wife was worse," Eric chips in. "Her dream was to have white kids and black kids hold hands to the point where everyone was tan. Her dream was our annihilation. These are the people that dream that stuff up. I mean, they're the heart of the evil. Other people are just brainwashed."

Eric, I would say that you are doing a pretty good job of allowing her "dream" to come true.

*Pic by Evan Lopez and courtesy of City Paper.

Up Up And Away.

To say that what was playing itself out on television today was surreal would be an understatement. Not since O.J.'s famous Bronco ride has so many people been glued to the news channels to see unscripted reality TV. You all know the story by now: We were told that there was a six year old boy floating away in what looked like a big birthday balloon slash spaceship as it blew across the windswept Colorado plains.

My co-workers were beside themselves: workers and litigants watched in awe from the television in the courthouse lobby. Field you will not believe this. There is a poor little boy floating away in a hot air balloon. God that poor child! -That little six year old owes me some reports- So I went out and watched right along with them. Right until the over- sized birthday balloon landed softly with a thud in what seemed like the perfect spot. But, alas, there was no boy. And then everyone started to think the unthinkable; what if he had fallen out? Of course the news reports didn't help. It was one confusing and contradictory report after another. In hindsight it seems that they were all just as confused as we were.

Fast forward five hours, and we all know by now that the little guy is safe and sound. Seems he was right there in his garage hiding through the entire ordeal.

Now you know I have to keep it real with you, so that's what I am going to do.

First, who the fuck has a hot air balloon just parked in their back yard? Are these people crazy? A balloon? Ahhh honey, I have to go to the grocery store, I think I will take the balloon. No problem dear, just make sure it has enough helium in it.......unbelievable! And, to make matters worse, they have little children. Did it ever occur to these people that this might be a dangerous situation? Thank goodness the little rug-rat didn't really go Fifth Dimension on us and try to fly away in daddy's beautiful balloon. Still, just the fact that everyone involved thought it was possible just goes to show how foolhardy these damn people are. I say call DHS/ Child Protective Services on their asses to investigate. They do it with poor people all the time, these suburban loons don't get a pass.

Oh, and while we are at it, let's bill them for the cost of the rescue operation that went out to save their little six year old and the disruption that they cost local air traffic. BTW, that little six year old better be glad he is not in a black family, because if he was, falling from a damn balloon would be the least of his problems. As it stands, he will probably just get "time out" and no video game privileges for a week.

"When the Heene family aren't chasing storms, they devote their time to scientific experiments that include looking for extraterrestrials and building a research-gathering flying saucer to send into the eye of the storm," according to the show. "

Which begs the question; if they can't find their damn six year old in the garage attic, just how the hell are they going to find "extraterrestrials"?

Sign me up. It's all about the website.

*

My friends and fellow field hands, I am posting tonight while in a very confused state of mind. You see, it's like this: I have been going back and forth all day trying to decide if I should join the republican party; that wonderful party of Lincoln. And, can you believe it, all it took was a visit to their new website to get me to, once again, reconsider my independent political status here in A-merry-ca. I saw all the minorities and the women posted all over it and I was hooked. I think they really do like me.

I have to give it to hip hop Mike, he sure knows how to push my buttons. Give me a nice website with your party's rich history of inclusion and fighting for the rights of us black folks here in A-merry-ca, and you will have "me at hello" every time. I wonder who came up with this idea to become more Negro and woman friendly? Well, whoever it was, I have to give it to them, it sure is working with me.

Forget what turncoat republican, Lindsey Graham, said; calling the republicans a party of "angry white guys, this new and improved web site sure doesn't say angry white men to me. In fact, I see quite a few black republican heroes. Fredrick Douglas? Joseph Rainey? Wow! Color me impressed. I guess you learn something new every day. So you lose Graham, but you get the field. Isn't that a nice trade off?

Thank you hip hop Mike. Now where do I sign up?

*Pic courtesy of stringdistro.com

Wingnuts Gone Wild.

*

So let me see if I have this right: Spurred on by their racist puppet masters, a bunch of protesters show up at B. Bernice Young Elementary School, disrupt the poor children's classes, and cause a major disruption in the day of the lives of the poor people of Burlington Township. All this because they think that the same children who they happen to be traumatizing with their protest were allegedly being indoctrinated with black militant and Communist propaganda by the evil one, AKA President Obama. Honestly, if there weren't children involved this would almost be funny. So children can't celebrate the first African American president by singing a song about it during black history month? Wingnuts you really have to chill just a little bit.

"The protesters, who were not permitted on school property, assembled across the street on the sidewalk about 10 a.m. for about 45 minutes of singing songs such as 'Bless America' and chanting slogans including, 'No politics in the classroom,' 'Reassign the principal" and 'Liar, liar pants on fire.' About 10 township police officers kept an eye on the protest.
'We want to keep this day as normal as possible for the children in school, which is what this is all about," Lt. Wayne Maver said. '"

Too late Lt. Maver, I would say that there is nothing "normal" in A-merry-ca anymore. But this is what happens when folks listening to Radio Rwanda act on their passions: they disrupt what should be a normal day for our children.

"We thought that the school would be closed on Columbus Day. Unfortunately it's not," Haney said. "We're protesting politicization of children. It's about politics. It's about an agenda. We think that is not fair. You should not use children for that purpose. Whoever organized this is trying to force their views on the children."

You are a liar! You knew school would be open. Why would you want to stage a protest outside of a closed school building? I swear these wingnuts must think that everyone in this country is as dumb as they are.

But the wingnuts weren't done there. Oh no, it seems that they made a statement up in Massachusetts as well.* Nothing like defacing a little golf course to make a political point. The swastika next to Obama's name? How original.

Anyway, back to the school protesters: Fortunately, the people of Burlington Township weren't falling for the Okey-Doke. They know outside agitators when they see them, and they acted as I hoped they would have.

"Dana Williams, the parent of a 7-year-old at the school and an employee in the Trenton School District, said he believes there was an ulterior motive behind the protesters' message.
'They shouldn't be doing it in front of the school,' Williams said. 'I'm sure many of the townships they come from have no diversity. Some of them are coming with racist attitudes, racist views, and they're trying to cover it up with politics.'

Linda Hoffman, whose daughter attended the school last year when she was in second grade, agreed. 'I absolutely believe this is racially motivated,' Hoffman said. 'I don't believe this has anything to do with politics. Do you see any black individuals down here in their group? Not one. These kids were so proud of themselves for what they did. They did this play; it was beautiful. There's no politics involved in this. They're second-graders. I just think the whole thing is ridiculous.'"

Ms. Hoffman, you obviously don't love A-merry-ca.

A big baby and a big fraud.

*

A couple of things have me seeing red tonight: The first one has to do with the lying scumbags from the insurance lobby and their last ditch effort to influence the politricksters who will vote on the Baucus version of the health care reform bill tomorrow. These are the same people who made nice with his O ness just a few months ago and promised to work with him to get health reform passed. Now look at them. O man, you might be from Chicago, but you still have a lot to learn about dirty politics.

This latest report from the health insurance lobby group (AHIP) claims that premiums will shoot up if the proposed health care bills happens to pass. Can you say bullshit boys and girls? Please keep in mind that the firm that prepared this report is the same one that prepared that bogus report for big tobacco a few years back. The folks over at Radio Rwanda, as is to be expected, is all over this report, and they are treating it as if it is a legitimate study. I am sure that was the intent when the dirty rotten scoundrels put it out there in the first place. And, to be fair, it's not only them; other main stream media outlets have been giving legitimacy to this study as well.

How much do you want to bet that the spineless politricksters in Washington will be quoting from this bogus report as they run for cover? Thank goodness for baby Alex; that cute Colorado baby who the insurance companies refused to insure because he has a pre-existing condition. Yep, seems you can't be a chubby baby (17 pounds @ 4 months) if you want to get covered in A-merry-ca anymore. That is considered a pre-existing condition to big insurance. Hopefully A-merry-ca is paying more attention to baby Alex than the AHIP study. If they do that it will open up some eyes, and maybe, just this once, we can actually get something right in this country.

The second thing that pissed me off tonight was watching yet another house Negro, Stephen A. Smith, (Or as he is affectionately known here in Philly:"Screaming" A. Smith.) defend Rush Limbaugh and his right to buy an NFL team. According to house Negro Smith, all those athletes saying that they won't play for Rush are a bunch "hypocrites" who are "lying through their teeth", and once that check is put in front of them they will all sign on the dotted line.

This is typical of the house Negro: he or she always assigns traits to others that they themselves possess. Stephen A. Smith would sign the check because he is a whore, and he can't believe that other black men would have the courage and the character to walk away from money in order to stand up for something which they believe in.

What Stephen and those of his ilk don't understand is that when they come out and openly chastise young black men who are trying to do the right thing, they play right into the hands of folks like this; folks who are all too willing to put up the black man disagrees with other black man headline.

And let me say something else about Mr. Smith which is a little more personal: He is an ego- maniacal jerk, and he tries to big-time people whenever they are fortunate enough to be in his presence. (Ugly suits and all) I know, because I have been in his presence a time or two. Stephen A. Smith is not a very good journalist, but he caught a break when the Philadelphia Inquirer hired his sorry ass. ESPN loved his big mouth and gave him some shine on their network, but that lasted about as long as you can say fraud. And now this clown is telling anyone who will listen that he is down with Rush but not the athletes who spoke out against him?

Negro please! Take your sorry ass and your fucked up haircut back to Winston- Salem with that bullshit. That big fat check Rush will slip you might go far down there.

"Oh Ye of Little Faith."

*

"He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

~ Matthew 17:20~

I am not going to trash religion tonight. In fact, I don't like trashing religion at all. Unless, of course, someone uses religion to meet their own selfish needs. (See some of the poverty pimps we have masquerading as preachers in the ho0d.)

Personally, I am agnostic. I honestly have no clue if their is a deity or not, but I am not someone who likes to rip others because they happen to be religious. The way is see it we are all just pretty much throwing the dice and hoping for the best regardless of which side of the equation we come down on. But I do have a problem with people who are religious when they let religion stand in the way of science. I mean, if you believe in god, you have to believe that god created the scientist and gave him or her the knowledge to do what they do, right? So why turn your back on something that is proven?

Take for instance the case of Kent Schaible: The poor child was ravaged with bacterial pneumonia and and his parent never sought medical treatment for him, in spite of all the symptoms in the week leading up to his death. Now as an adult, you are free to believe whatever you want and to worship who and what you want. But when your belief system goes contrary to science and you make a decision not to treat your own two year old child, well then your ass should be charged with manslaughter. Fortunately, in the case of Kent Schaible, his parents were charged.

"After the two attorneys representing the Schaibles argued for their innocence, Municipal Judge Patrick Dugan held them for trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
'When you look at this case, it's obvious that what you have are loving parents who also appear to be misguided,' Dugan told the couple. 'Your child needed medical care. As parents, that's what your duty is, and that's why you are here in court today.'"

The Schaibles belong to First Century Gospel Church, and like a number of other churches around the country they believe in prayer not 911. There has been a lot of that going around lately: parents choosing prayer over medicine. Now I am not going to sit here and try to tell someone who believes in their creator that their faith is not a powerful thing. And, who knows, it may even move mountains. But you know what, if you have a child, give the medical professionals a shot at working their miracles as well. Hey, maybe god sent them to you.

Story here:

*Pic courtesy of Philly.com

Congresswoman, I sure hope that you have a bullet- proof vest under that nice suit.

I saw the following story yesterday and I figured that it was a perfect time to write about it as a follow up to my post about that gun toting soccer mom.

Ever wonder why we have a society where we are "slaves" to the gun? I will tell you why: It's because we have people in a political party in this country who would be far better suited to try and govern with their form of political ideology from a Third World country. Hey, I grew up in one. I know what it's like for a political party to try and take power by violent means and with the help of the gun. Sure, here in A-merry-ca we like to tell ourselves that we are more "civilized" than that, because there is not the rampant poverty you would find in a Third World country. Here, we don't need political power in order to eat and have a roof over our heads. Here, we simply need the gun because our Constitution says that we have the right to have it. And, god forbid, our government should ever get out of line, we would need those very guns to protect us from the tyrants we put in power. Here in A-merry-ca, the gun is a powerful political symbol. We don't use it to kill our political opponents yet, but give it time. The gun lobby and their whores are more powerful than damn near every other lobby group in Washington. And they have a bottomless pit of money to keep sending more whores to Washington.

One such whore wannabe is a man by the name of Robert Lowry. This scumbag actually went to a republican event and as a part of the festivities there took target practice at a target with his opponents initials (DWS) on it. A woman, who by the way, happens to be battling breast cancer. Real classy folks those repubs.

"A South Florida Republican said it was a mistake to shoot at a target with the initials of the Democratic congresswoman he is trying to unseat.
Candidate Robert Lowry made a brief statement to a local newspaper but refused to speak further Friday about the incident, which happened Tuesday during a weekly GOP meeting held at a gun range.

Organizer Ed Napolitano defended the gathering, as well as the use of targets that appeared to be gunmen with traditional Arab head scarves."

"GOP meeting" at a "gun range"? WTF? I guess when you have nothing to offer in terms of policy you just go and brush up on your shooting skills. After all, you never know when you might have to take an election by force. I also like the little racist xenophobic touch in there. It's always nice to put "traditional Arab head scarves" on your targets. I am sure that plays well in GOP circles.

"That's our right," said Napolitano, president of the Southeast Broward Republican Club. "If we want to shoot at targets that look like that, we're going to go ahead and do that."

I am sure you are. Today rifle range targets, tomorrow real live opponents. Just like we do sometimes down in Jamaica .

Story here:

Guns don't kill people: husbands and family members with guns do.

*

I really wish racism would leave me alone. Here I am trying to enjoy a quiet evening, and here comes the son of a bitch trying to get me to chase him again. But I won't bite. Although, I must admit, that it's pretty tempting to put on the old track shoes. Police handing out KKK cards? WTF! See, this is why I don't shop at Wal-Mart.

But I am going to leave Kennett, Missouri alone. (For now) Because tonight I want to blog about the culture of guns here in A-merry-ca, again. I know I told someone in the comments section yesterday that I was going to leave it alone, but I can't. This story is too compelling.

And before I get to the actual story let me me give you this little gem: Last night there were two (yes I said two) murder suicides in our fair city. One victim was a 90 year old and the other was a victim of domestic violence. I suspect, that in both cases, a lawfully owned firearm was used. One of the tragedies of guns in this country is that over 23,000 people die each year from accidental shootings. I bet the gun lovers and NRA types would never peddle those facts like they do the other crap that they like to try to sell to the A-merry-can public. (Guns don't kill people, people kill people...blah blah blah). The fact is that guns don't really protect you from criminals like the NRA folks would like you to believe, and if you happen to own a hand gun you are more than four times likely to be killed by one. (Kind of like the poor souls in Killadelphia last night.) BTW, this study comes from the University of Pennsylvania; that "fly by night" diploma mill whose claim to fame is that they were one of the first four colleges in A-merry-ca.

So now to the real story: Some of you might -or might not remember Maleanie Hain. She is the soccer mom who liked to pack heat while attending her kids soccer games. She became a celebrity among the NRA folks and gun lovers here in A-merry-ca, and they defended her with her law suit in her fight to be able to bear arms at her five year old child's soccer games. Well they can withdraw the suit now, because Meleanie Hain is dead. She was shot by her husband in the kitchen of their Lebanon home while her trusty pistol sat in her backpack.

"Meleanie Hain always carried her holstered 9mm Glock pistol, even to the grocery store, and was holding a rifle while she talked to someone outside her house last week..."

Sorry Meleanie, It always happens when you least expect it. I sure hope that the NRA folks send her some nice flowers.

Pic courtesy of MSNBC.

American Minstrels.

When the revolution finally starts I have to say that there are some white folks who I would rather have on the front line fighting next to me before some of you Negroes. (You know who you are.) I am sorry, but being black doesn't automatically get you a pass. Some of you Negroes (you know who you are) do much more to hinder black empowerment than you do to help. And I am not talking about the obvious Negroes: the ones who are destroying our communities by doing ignorant shit on a daily basis. They are easy to identify. I am talking about the Negroes who would sell out another Negro (or anyone else for that matter) quicker than I can say Oprah if it suits your own selfish needs. Dere dey go massa. It's dat field Negro; he de one. I heard him tellin dem other Negroes dat de should run away.... Let me stop.

I am blogging about this tonight because of a little incident which took place "down under" with one of "The Big Easy's" favorite sons. Seems my man Harry Connick, Jr., was hosting a variety show "down under" when the Aussies fooled around and thought that they would recreate A-merry-ca in the forties and fifties. (Not to mention the present if you count republican get to-gethers and college frat parties.) To Connick's credit, he called them on their bullshit and gave the Aussies a lecture about ignorant stereotypes and A-merry-can history.

But this post isn't about the Aussies or their black face skit. I have come to expect that kind of stuff from some people. No, this post is about Connick and his decision to speak out about what was happening and not just sit there and pretend that the crap wasn't offensive. Connick is one of those white folks who could stand next to me when the revolution is going down, because, obviously, he isn't afraid to speak out against racism and ignorance when he sees it. He could have said nothing and this incident would not have made world news and blew up on You Tube. It would have been just another variety show on a far away continent with a bunch of bad acts.

Now ask yourself; would a black celebrity in Connick's place have done the same thing? I am sure that quite a few would. But I can think of just as many who wouldn't have. In fact, I can see many of them (you know who they are) laughing and going along with the skit. Hell some of them (you know who they are) would have jumped on stage and started dancing right along with the performers who were in black face. Connick, to his credit, stayed true to his principles.

"I just want to say, on behalf of my country, I know it was done humorously, but we've spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that we take it really to heart,"

Well Harry, you can't speak on behalf of your country, because I am quite sure that more than a few people in your country wouldn't see anything wrong with what the Australians did. And as to trying not to make us look like buffoons"; I think that's kind of hard to do when some of us try so hard to do just the opposite.