They hate their government,but they love A-merry-ca.

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“Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny are fueled by perpetually rejuvenated illusions.”
~Albert Einstein~

If you are looking for me Friday don't look in Philly. I will be down in Dallas for the first ever Tea Party convention.....OK, I think you all know that's a lie. But the teabaggers will be gathering in Dallas (down conspiracy theorist) Friday to vent about big government and the beige King in Washington. It looks like the Tea Baggers are finally trying to organize into a cohesive political unit, but as is the case with all new groups; they seem to be having some growing pains.


"Organization for the convention in Nashville has been plagued by in-fighting, pullouts and criticism of an attendance cost of more than $500 and a glitzy dinner that evokes Wall Street rather than Main Street.

It also brings together activists who make for an awkward fit, mirroring wider divisions in a movement which seems united in little but its opposition to big government, especially under Obama's Democrats.

Conservatives ascribe the movement to grass-roots frustration with the big spending ways of both Democrats and Republicans. Liberals counter that it is a Republican Party or corporate front.

"Some have tried to portray this movement as a commercial endeavor rather than the grassroots uprising that it is. Those who do so don't understand the frustration everyday Americans feel when they see their government mortgaging their children's future with reckless spending," Palin wrote in an opinion published on Wednesday in USA Today.
Palin said she will donate her fee as keynote speaker at the convention to the cause and its candidates."

Hey, I am all for "grass-roots," but a populist grass-roots movement in a democracy which seeks to "throw the bums out" confuses me. I mean didn't we just elect the people in power by a majority vote from the general population? And hasn't it only been a year since the beige King has been in office? I can't believe that the "natives" are getting restless already. I mean honestly, the guy has been governing from the extreme center and the tea baggers are outraged. What if he had been governing like he should have? I guess we would have already had a full blown revolt on our hands.

Actually, when you consider that 58% republicans don't believe that O was born in A-merry-ca, 24% believe that O wants the terrorist to win, 31%-who worship at the church of Glen Beck- believe that O is a racist , and over 30% of them want him impeached, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that a revolt could be just around the corner.

"It takes its name from the historic protest against British taxation, the Boston Tea Party, one of the triggers of the American revolution against colonial rule."

I know that O has been staring down his political opponents lately, but he had better stay out of Dallas. These new revolutionaries scare me.

*Pic from the AP.

The R Word: No, not that one.

Let me say right off the bat that I do not have a lot of expertise in the area of the learning disabled. I do not work in the field professionally, and I do not have a social connection to anyone who is developmentally impaired. (Well, I take that back. I have a few friends who happen to be attorneys and you could make a pretty good argument....never mind.) But I do know that the word retarded is offensive, and it should not be used by people who should know better.

So I was surprised to learn that O's right hand man, Rahm Emanuel, used the word when referring to some left wing groups last summer. Seems my man was pretty ticked off that they were going to fund some ads against some blue dogs, and old Rahm let it fly.

"Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Emanuel, exasperated upon learning that liberal special-interest groups were planning to run ads against conservative Democrats not supportive of health care reform, blasted the plan as "f------ retarded" over the summer.."

Shame on you Rahm, be more careful with your language next time. And apologize to all the folks who are involved with the learning disabled here in A-merry-ca, be it professionally or personally.

Now, having said that, I have to get with our girl Sarah again. Apparently she sees a political opportunity here, and she isn't wasting anytime before taking advantage of it.

"Naturally, some outrage ensued after Emanuel's words came to light, with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin taking to her Facebook page to call on President Obama to fire him for what she saw as the equivalent of a racial slur.Palin, whose son Trig is afflicted with Down syndrome, said she was informed of Emanuel's comment by a fellow parent of a special-needs child and pleaded with the president to "show decency" to the political process by "eliminating" the Chicago native from his inner circle.In a post titled "Are You Capable of Decency, Rahm Emanuel?," Palin wrote, "Just as we’d be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the 'N-word' or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God’s children with cognitive and developmental disabilities — and the people who love them — is unacceptable," adding, "it's heartbreaking."

Sarah, stop it! You wouldn't be outraged if Rahm used the N word anymore than you were when Trent Lott longed for the days of segregation. I swear you wingnuts can use the race card when you think it benefits you. The R word as used by Emanuel was a bad word. The N word as used by___[fill in the blank], is wrong. But please, let us not compare them when you want to score cheap political points. We all know that if this had been a republican president and his chief of staff had said these things, you would have been silent. Trig would have not had mommy standing by him. Besides, it looks like Rahm reached out to some folks.

"A Politico story today reports that an administration official informed them that Emanuel had already reached out to Special Olympics chairman and CEO Tim Shriver, who recently launched a campaign to end the use of "the R word.""Rahm called Tim Shriver Wednesday to apologize and the apology was accepted," the unnamed official said."

Story over? Sarah, if Trig had a say, I am guessing that he would say, yes. [Story]

Is it my man Racism? Or is it just a decoy?

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I was going to blog about Obama's 3.8 trillion dollar budget tonight, and about the republicans chirping about our children's future. (Like they really care.) But then I got an e-mail from a regular reader who wanted to know what I thought about a little problem that they are having up at one of our suburban high schools. (His alma mater no less)

Oh boy, how do I present this one? Alright folks, it's like this: It seems that some of the black parents of the high school basketball team are pissed because their kids aren't getting enough playing time. As a result, they are threatening a lawsuit.

I don't know; my racism meter isn't going up with this one. Why would a coach jeopardise his chances of winning by not playing his best players? So he thinks the best players happen to be white. Hello black people! You aren't the only ones who can play basketball. Have you ever heard of a fellow named Larry Bird? I am sorry, I smell an overly protective parent with this one. Of course I don't live in the area, so I am not familiar with the every day racial dynamic up there. But man this seems like a stretch.

Story by Mike Cabrey and Christiaan DeFranco

"FRANCONIA — A group of North Penn parents, angry over their kids' lack of playing time on the boys basketball team, will seek action from the school board as early as Monday and will file an anti-discrimination lawsuit if the board doesn't meet its demands.The group, led by Eric Stephens, wants North Penn coach Ron Hassler to both start and give significant minutes to five black players — Sheldon Stephens, Blair Alston, Thomas Scott, Dexter Shy and Janeus Somers — for every game the rest of the season.Otherwise, the group will name Hassler, the North Penn School District, principal Burton Hynes, athletic director Don Ryan and possibly others in a lawsuit alleging racism."Why not name everybody? ... They're all complicit," Eric Stephens said Friday night after North Penn's 53-36 loss at Souderton. "The black players have not been given anything approaching a fair opportunity to play this season.

All we want is fairness."Somers' family is not on board with the other parents and would not be involved in a suit."I've been coaching 26 years and, believe me, I put the best players out on the floor," Hassler said. "It has nothing to do with race."I love every player on this team, they're all great kids," Hassler said. "There isn't one kid I wouldn't take home to spend a weekend with my family. ... I feel really bad because there are kids being put in a situation they shouldn't have to handle and make decisions about."Hassler, whose brother Robert is the district superintendant until he retires Feb. 15, added that on North Penn's JV squad, for which he also determines who starts and who doesn't, six black players get the majority of the on-court minutes over four white players.

On Thursday, the Stephens-led group already made its demands for the varsity squad known in a meeting that involved principal Hynes, Ryan and the players in question. They had a similar meeting with assistant superintendent Curtis Deitrich. If those playing-time demands weren't met in the Souderton game Friday, four of the players (all except Somers) were planning to walk off the court in protest.Stephens even contacted NBC 10 News, which sent a reporter and film crew to the game. But the plan was scrapped after Hassler caught wind of it and told his players that anyone who walked off would be dismissed from the team." [More here]

Hmmm, not exactly the Greensboro Four are they. I don't know, if I were the parents of these kids I would be telling them to keep hitting their books and not the backboards. I am guessing that they will have a much better chance at an academic scholarship than an athletic one. But that's just me.

Sometimes my man racism likes to f%*k with me. He dresses someone else up to look like him and sits back in the cut to see what I will do. He wants to see if I will take the bait and chase his look-alike. Sorry "R", I have been chasing you long enough to know when it's really you. I am not going to chase your decoy. I am getting too old for that. I have to pick my chases wisely.

Thanks for the story Walter.

*Pic from the North Penn Reporter.

Reggie, Gaga, and the Grammys.

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Mrs. Field is trying to get me to watch the Grammy Awards Show. I am not biting. I am trying to blog, instead. Notice I said trying. She has the television going full blast in the other room. I am guessing she is going to make me listen to it or watch it whether I like it or not. "That Lady Gaga sure can sing". Yeah, whatever. I am still not biting.

So anyway, while perusing the blogosphere I came across an interesting read over at the excellent Maynard Institute blog. Some of you have probably heard about it by now, but I would really love to hear the sister's take on it.

Mrs. Field usually gets Essence Magazine, and I admit that I usually "sneak a peak" from time to time, but I must have missed the Reggie Bush issue:

"A high-profile black athlete with a white girlfriend?" Jenice Armstrong began Wednesday in her Philadelphia Daily News column.
"No big thing.

'Well, not unless the athlete happens to be on the cover of Essence magazine and that particular issue is supposed to be all about 'black men, love and relationships.'

'Then, what you have is a potentially sticky situation especially since the cover model is none other than New Orleans Saints player Reggie Bush, who is romantically involved with Kim Kardashian. Besides her reality-TV show 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians,' Kardashian's biggest claim to fame is a pornographic sex tape she made with former boyfriend Ray J, brother of singer Brandy.

'. . . The image of Bush has irritated a long-frayed nerve that is further aggravated by the fact that Essence, a magazine many black women think of as their own, made him its cover image. It's stirred up an old debate about high-profile black men and their preference for dating white or light-skinned women.

'. . . on Essence.com, a lively debate is waging with more than 1,300 comments posted on this issue.' (The comments page has apparently been deleted.)

'"Essence declines comment,' spokeswoman Dana Baxter told Journal-isms. " [Story here]

Ms. Baxter, I don't blame you. I wouldn't touch that one with a twelve foot pole.

Before I go, can someone tell me why Taylor what's her name keeps winning awards? I think the Kanye payback is complete. (BTW, he was right) Enough already!

*Pic from the Maynard Institute blog.

Face Off.

What happened last Friday in Baltimore was extraordinary. His O ness went there to meet Republicans face to face, and to take them on for a little rumble in crab cake country. (No offense, Baltimore is a fine city with some wonderful people. But couldn't the rethugs have picked another spot for their retreat? It's not even an hour from D.C. Sorry, that doesn't sound like much of a retreat to me.)

I saw some of it on cable television, and it was high drama. You just knew his O ness wanted to go Southside but couldn't. His tongue must be sore from all that biting he did. The rethugs wanted to get medieval on his ass as well. Call him a few choice words; tell him what they really think of his beige behind, but they couldn't, either. Isn't A-merry-can civility wonderful? (That look Boehner gave his O ness as they shook hands was priceless.)

"The Republicans agreed to let TV cameras inside, resulting in an extended, point-by-point interchange that was almost unprecedented in U.S. politics, and rarely witnessed outside of Presidential Debates.The President and GOP House members took turns questioning and oft- times lecturing each other for over an hour at the gathering, and neither side could resist the chance to challenge and even scold the other. "

I think it was a bad move on the republicans part to let the cameras in. It looked like they were ganging up on O and that he was taking the high road. Even when he started scolding and lecturing them it looked as if his actions were justified. The rethugs, on the other hand, had to have known that their most rabid supporters would be watching the video clips of the event at some point, and their strained attempt to muster a conflict and disagreements at every turn came off as petty and uncalled for. Memo to the GOP: Most A-merry-cans- unlike moi-are looking for bi-partisanship. That face-off with O did not look like the republicans are looking for it as well. It looked like more of the same: Block; block; block; and oppose everything at every turn.

"With many Americans from all over the political spectrum angry about partisanship and legislative logjams, both sides were eager to demonstrate they were ready to cooperate, resulting in the GOP invitation and Obama’s acceptance. Friday’s exchanges showed that Mr. Obama and the Republicans remain far apart on key issues. It remains to be seen if that divide can be narrowed during the coming weeks."

It can't be "narrowed". Not now. It's too close to the next election. They might not have said it, but sometimes actions can speak much louder than words.

Just remember who sent you to Washington, O. While you keep trying to have Kumbaya moments with your enemies, your friends are getting restless.

On a side note: After a little dust up with some trolls the other day, I found myself checking my statcounter. Needless to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that we have gotten over two million hits on our little blog. I am not sure when exactly we hit that milestone, but to all of you who keep checking into the fields to give your minds a workout, I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks!

To the haters....*middle finger up*

The strange case of Tiana Drummond-Phiri

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The following cut and paste job is kind of long, but I need you to read it all the way through. It's important if we are going to discuss the post in a rational and objective way. The article is from Anette John-Hall, writing for my hometown paper, the Philadelphia inquirer.

"Any teenager will tell you that senseless fights happen almost every day in high school. Detentions and suspensions are served and students move on, in the hope they have learned their lessons.

But the penalty meted out to Tiana Drummond-Phiri by Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor and the Delaware County District Attorney's Office gives new meaning to "cruel and unusual punishment."

As with so many overblown teenage spats, it all started with a dustup. On March 16, an argument erupted between two classmates at Carroll - in theology class, of all places. A white student complained about the teacher's erasing a classmate's name from a demerit list on the board, suggesting that the reprieve was only because the student was black.
Dozing in the back of the room, senior Steven Farley said in court testimony, he heard the commotion and yelled "shut up" at the black student several times.

Tiana, a senior, was not in the class, but entered the oral sparring in the hallway afterward, taking up for the black student, a friend of hers.

"What's your friend's problem?" she asked Farley, who told her to get away from him and to "shut the f- up," according to the police report.

Their angry exchange marked the beginning of a high school beef that would have an unfathomable result.

Though the two were not even the original combatants, they sniped at each other the rest of the day and into the next.

Tiana, who took the train back to Overbrook every day, called her ex-boyfriend to meet her at the station and ride home with her.

Her ex, Jamar Cann, arrived with a friend. Farley showed up, too - driving there with a group of his pals. Witnesses testified that virtually the whole senior class followed. Rumors had circulated throughout the day that there would be a fight, they said.

And there was. Cann and Farley exchanged punches, though witnesses couldn't agree on exactly what happened.

What is certain is that at some point, Farley ended up with a fractured eye from a sucker punch inflicted by an "unknown black male," not Cann, according to the police report.

If anyone was to be charged, you'd think it would be the people throwing the punches.
Farley. Cann. Unknown black male sucker-puncher.
But no.

What happened next defies logic.

Authorities sucker-punched Tiana, though she stood 40 yards away and never threw a punch herself.

They didn't just throw the book at her - they pummeled her with the entire Criminal Code, nine charges in all: simple assault, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, three different counts of harassment, two counts of conspiracy, and reckless endangerment. All because of a phone call that they said started the trouble.

"The person who created the situation is clearly her," said Thomas F. Laurie Jr., a Delaware County assistant district attorney, before her sentencing in Media last Friday. "She's the one who had these guys show up and inflict serious injury."
You don't need a police dog to sniff out this bull.

The charges were so bogus that the judge found Tiana not guilty of eight of the nine during her trial in December - but let conspiracy to commit simple assault stand.
Let's see if I have this straight.

Tiana had to be at the station to take the train home. No one can explain why Farley was there, including Farley. (Well, the detective noted in his report that kids often go to the station to hang out and smoke cigarettes. Nothing like a cigarette after a hard day at school.
Farley fought. Tiana didn't.Tiana gets slapped with nine criminal charges. No one even looks in Farley's direction. Tiana goes home fearing her fate. Farley, fractured eye and all, goes out later that day to indulge in some underage drinking for more than two hours, according to his own testimony. Farley is allowed to testify without repercussions. But Cann, Tiana's primary witness, is pulled from the stand after the prosecutor asks for a conference, according to Tiana's lawyer. A public defender called by the court then tells him he could be criminally charged if he testifies. He doesn't.

Need more travesty?

Tiana is suspended from school for the rest of the year. Farley? Welcomed back with open arms.

For Tiana, the suspension was a shock. Her mother, Violet Phiri, said that when she took Tiana to school two days after the incident, she was assured by school officials that there would be no repercussions for the off-campus brawl. But later that day, Tiana was pulled out of class, summoned to the school office, and aggressively interrogated by Detective James Santoliquito of the Radnor Township Police Department - without counsel.
It was a traumatizing experience, Tiana said. She called her mother, who arrived to find her daughter alone. The next day, Tiana was called to the principal's office. Her mother said the school wanted Tiana to write a statement saying that Tiana had never had any racial problems at school, nor had reported any. She refused and was told to go home.

At the insistence of Tiana's mother, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sent a letter weeks later confirming Tiana's suspension. She also received a notification from the prosecutor's office instructing her when to report to the police station for fingerprinting and processing.
This teen, who only months before was lauded by her teachers as a stellar student, even enthusiastically supported for an academic scholarship, was now barred from going anywhere near the school. God forbid she'd infect the students with such gangster tendencies.
Devastating ordeal.The whole ordeal devastated her. Even though she lived only blocks away from Overbrook High, her parents, South African immigrants, had sacrificed to send her to Carroll. Tiana was forced to complete her studies at home to earn her degree. By mail.
Whatever happened to being innocent until proven guilty? Or student mediation? Or conflict resolution? Or Catholic values? What could students possibly have learned from such draconian actions, as though only one of them had shown poor judgment?

The school didn't return my calls, referring all questions to the archdiocese. An archdiocesean spokesperson said she was not allowed to discuss personnel matters.

The callousness of the archdiocese's decision to suspend her still bothers Tiana. "It seemed like they had already made up their minds about me - that's what hurt me the most," she said.
At her sentencing last Friday, it was obvious just how much the deck was stacked against her.
Common Pleas Court Judge Charles C. Keeler was clearly aggravated by Tiana's lawyer. "My client's an honor student, waiting for the train to go home," William J. Ciancaglini said. "If this were a white honor student and a big black kid was yelling in her face, guess who's getting arrested. It's the black kid, guaranteed. . . . I'm sorry if I've offended the court."

"You have," said the judge, who admonished him with "you be quiet" and "you shut up" later in the proceedings.

The prosecutor made sure to use the ample time allowed him to scold Tiana for having the nerve to be offended by her peer's racial remark, which he declared unintentional. She missed "the opportunity that was presented to give someone the benefit of the doubt, to engage someone who said an improper remark," he insisted. "This young lady took it way too far." Did I forget to say the school is just 6 percent black?

Meanwhile, Santoliquito, the detective who investigated the incident, chummily sat with Farley's parents in court and escorted them outside.

I tried to ask the Farleys why their son went to the train station. "No comment," they said.
I also wanted to ask the detective why they never found the unknown sucker-puncher.
He said he couldn't talk.

In the end, Tiana received one year's probation and a fine to be determined. Her family already has paid $4,000 in legal fees.

She plans to appeal." [Story here]

I will not comment on this case for fear of being called a "racism chaser." [And other professional reasons.] But since it was in my local paper I just thought I would put it out there. There. There. And There.

*Pic courtesy of Philly.com

"Men Behaving Badly."

I am bugging out about a few things tonight. The first is this commercial that Focus On The [right wing]Family paid to have aired during the Super Bowl. The frauds over at CBS actually allowed Tim Tebow to appear in a commercial to pitch pro-life propaganda. (Memo to Tim; work on your damn game and stop trying to preach to me. If your body can't produce a child I don't want to hear shit that you have to say about abortion. Period. And that goes for every other man in A-merry-ca.) Now where was I? Oh yes, CBS. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. It's the damn Super Bowl! I want to see athletes get their game on. I don't need to get preached to from someone standing on a holier than thou soap box. And besides, didn't they tell a a church group who wanted to embrace Gays no to an ad. a few years back?

"I know some people won't agree with it," said Tebow of the 30-second ad at a press conference in Mobile, Ala., on Sunday, in preparation for next weekend's Senior Bowl. "But I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe. I've always been very convicted of [his views on abortion] because that's the reason I'm here, because my mom was a very courageous woman."

I do respect what you stand for, Tim. But I need you to respect what I stand for as well. So why should I have to hear what you stand for while I try to watch the damn game?

The second is the behavior of one of the supremes last night. This Alito character did his best Joe Wilson imitation while his O ness was giving his address. "Not true" he mouthed for all the world to see. "JUSTICE OPENLY DISAGREES WITH OBAMA IN SPEECH" the headlines scream. Hey, we know that at least four members of the supremes are right wing partisan hacks, but these guys are supposed to have the poker faces going at all times. I guess that sometimes it's just too hard to hide your disdain for a certain uppity beige fellow. Next time, Sam, could you at least cover your mouth?

And finally, I have to talk about my home boy Chris Matthews. Seems that poor Chris forgot that his O ness was black last night for an entire hour. And now the poor guy is getting ripped for it. -Even Rush Limbaugh is making fun of him.-

"I was trying to think about who he was tonight. It's interesting: he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour. You know, he's gone a long way to become a leader of this country, and passed so much history, in just a year or two. I mean, it's something we don't even think about. I was watching, I said, wait a minute, he's an African-American guy in front of a bunch of other white people. And here he is president of the United States and we've completely forgotten that tonight.. "

*Wait, still laughing.* OK yeah that would explain a lot. Thanks Chris. Hey at least you forgot that the guy was black for whole hour. -I bet Samuel Alito didn't forget.....*wait, still laughing* And Chris, you are not alone. Back in November of 2008, about sixty million people forgot he was black as well. The thing is, I think they forgot for more than an hour. But don't worry, I think that they are starting to remember. *Still laughing*.

The State Of The Union and Paul Shirley.

I see O is still delivering his latest introduction to the A-merry-ca people. I would wait until he is over to post, but why should I? We all know what's going to happen: The dems will love it. The rethugs will hate it, and the fight will continue in Washington. Over at Radio Rwanda there will be pundits saying that his speech did nothing to change their minds about A-merry-ca heading down the wrong path, and over on other so called main stream news outlets they will be breaking down every little thing he said and "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" his speech writers.

For what it's worth, the speech has been decent so far. (I loved when he gave a shout out to the First Lady. Is it me or does it look like Michelle Obama has seriously stepped up her fashion game?) He told the A-merry-can people that we are in trying times and they call for extraordinary measures, such as domestic spending freezes. (Hmmm, no cut on military spending?) And he scolded himself for not doing a better job of getting his message out to the A-merry-can people. “I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people,” Obama said. “... This problem is not going away.” But we have come to expect nice speeches from O. As they say over at Jello: The proof will be in the pudding. That is what will determine if we will hear nice speeches for three more years or seven.

Another story that got my attention today is the one about this has-been b-ball player slamming the relief effort in Haiti, and chastising A-merry-cans for giving to the cause. Most of you have never heard of Paul Shirley, and if it wasn't for his stance on the Haitian relief effort you would never have heard of him at all. He had a cup of tea in the NBA but that's about it. Still, my man is getting headlines today becaause of his rant. Here is some of what he said:

"I haven’t donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don't give money to homeless men on the street," he wrote. "Based on past experiences, I don't think the guy with the sign that reads 'Need You're Help' is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don't think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either..."

".. And he didn't stop there, even writing a letter to the people of Haiti. "Dear Haitians," he wrote, "First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded. "As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?" He also asked what's being done to prevent this tragedy from happening again, using New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina as an example. "We did the same after Hurricane Katrina," he said. "We were quick to vilify humans who were too slow to respond to the needs of victims, forgetting that the victims had built and maintained a major city below sea level in a known target zone for hurricanes. Our response: Make the same mistake again. Rebuild a doomed city, putting aside logic as we did."

Now, as to be expected, people of conscience everywhere are outraged, and ESPN has dropped my man as a freelance writer. But here is the thing; there are quite a few people who agree with Mr. Shirley. And I, for one, am of the opinion that he he has a right to express himself just like everyone else. So I don't think that ESPN should have dropped him, and I want people like Mr. Shirley to have a platform to speak. We need to hear all sides of these types of debates here in A-merry-ca. As ignorant and as repulsive as his views might seem to most of us, there are many folks who are saying, right on Mr. Shirley way to speak for me.

To those folks and Mr. Shirley, I give you the following article by the brilliant Hilary Beckles. I realise that Mr. Shirley has been too busy cultivating his basketball skills to actually read a book or an article about Haiti over the past few years, so I am always glad to educate where I can.

"..how best to deliver a major conference on the theme Rethinking And Rebuilding Haiti.
I am very keen to provide an input into this exercise because for too long there has been a popular perception that somehow the Haitian nation-building project, launched on January 1, 1804, has failed on account of mismanagement, ineptitude, corruption.

Buried beneath the rubble of imperial propaganda, out of both Western Europe and the United States, is the evidence which shows that Haiti's independence was defeated by an aggressive North-Atlantic alliance that could not imagine their world inhabited by a free regime of Africans as representatives of the newly emerging democracy.

The evidence is striking, especially in the context of France.
The Haitians fought for their freedom and won, as did the Americans fifty years earlier. The Americans declared their independence and crafted an extraordinary constitution that set out a clear message about the value of humanity and the right to freedom, justice, and liberty.
In the midst of this brilliant discourse, they chose to retain slavery as the basis of the new nation state. The founding fathers therefore could not see beyond race, as the free state was built on a slavery foundation.

The water was poisoned in the well; the Americans went back to the battlefield a century later to resolve the fact that slavery and freedom could not comfortably co-exist in the same place. "

[More here]

You see that Mr. Shirley? Rather than shout you down, the field chooses to educate you. You can thank me by writing a check to the Haitian relief effort.

G. Gordon Liddy, Redux?

I am not sure if you have been paying attention folks, but there is some really strange stuff going on in politics these days. First, folks on the right have hinted that his O ness and his crew dispatched a ghost writer to write positive letters to the editors of various newspapers about O. Right wing blogs are all a buzz about this Ellie Light character, and some legitimate news sources are all over her as well. This writer who seems to have a love affair with all things O, apparently has a knack for getting her letters published. As a result, the wingnuts smell a rat.

"If you're not familiar with the notorious Ellie Light, this is a great time for something of a little primer on "her." Ellie Light could well be a pseudonym, or it could even be a fake person entirely concocted by a well-organized effort by a group or groups to fabricate widespread support for the abysmal, dropping popularity of Barack Obama. In any case, the forces behind Ellie Light are basically a multi-location, well-organized propaganda effort all in the support of Obama and his policies. Ellie Light is actually the pen name used for multiple Letters to the Editor that have begun appearing over the last few weeks in newspapers all across the US. These Letters to the Editor all from "Ellie Light" have appeared in New Mexico's Ruidoso News to across the country in South Carolina's The Sun News and every other conceivable locale in between."

"Notorious Ellie Light"? "well-organized propaganda effort"? Organized by who? Give me a break! How about a citizen from California who happens to be a traveling nurse, and who happens to be an Obamaholic with a great writing style. Don't blame her if newspaper editors don't do a better job of fact checking which letters get published on their letters to the editor page. I heard girlfriend on the radio this morning and she admitted to being less than honest with the newspaper folks about where she is from, but I didn't smell some big plot from the DNC or one of O's people.

So sorry, nothing to see with Ms. Light, wingnuts. Move along. You will have to get his O ness on something else.

Actually, if we are going to be honest; the real illegal and nefarious crap going on in politics today is from the right. Yep, the right. Seems that clown who pretended to be a pimp and took a hidden camera into ACORN's offices is at it again. This time his butt got arrested by New Orleans finest. ( I wonder if Glen Beck bailed him out?) They are calling it a" Watergate-style" break in attempt. This chump was actually trying to tap the phones in Senator Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office. I wonder what the hell he was expecting to hear? And just who the hell he was working with?

"A federal law enforcement official said one of the suspects was picked up in a car a couple of blocks away with a listening device that could pick up transmissions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not part of the FBI affidavit.
O'Keefe said 'veritas,' Latin for truth, as he left jail Tuesday with suspects Stan Dai and Joseph Basel, both 24. All declined to comment.

'There will be a time for that," Dai said."'

Yes, "veritas" indeed. The truth, Mr. O'Keefe, is that you are a common criminal. And I hope the DA in The Big Easy throws the book at you like a Drew Brees pass.

Viola playing drug dealer taken down? Wait....maybe not.

Pssst; hey field, do you feel like doing a little running? You being Jamaican and all I know you like to get your run on.

No racism, please leave me alone! I am not chasing you tonight. I just had a meeting with my accountant, and life is too good here in A-merry-ca. Not even you can ruin my red white and blue high, tonight.

OK field, but think about it, I have a new story for you:

"The photos taken by Jordan Miles' mother show his face covered with raw, red bruises, his cheek and lip swollen, his right eye swollen shut. A bald spot mars the long black dreadlocks where the 18-year-old violist says police tore them from his head.

Now, 10 days after plainclothes officers stopped him on a street and arrested him after a struggle that they say revealed a soda bottle under his coat, not the gun they suspected, his right eye is still slightly swollen and bloodshot. His head is shaved. The three white officers who arrested him have been reassigned. And his mother says she is considering a lawsuit.

"I feel that my son was racially profiled," Terez Miles said. "It's a rough neighborhood; it was after dark. ... They assumed he was up to no good because he's black. My son, he knows nothing about the streets at all. He's had a very sheltered life, he's very quiet, he doesn't know police officers sit in cars and stalk people like that."

A judge continued the case until Feb. 18 after the officers failed to appear at a hearing Thursday, Miles' attorney, Kerrington Lewis, said.

The police department is saying little as it investigates and isn't releasing the officers' names. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said that the city is investigating whether the officers' actions were justified and that if they weren't, "they will be held accountable for those actions."

"The incident was very troubling to me, and we're taking it very seriously," Ravenstahl told reporters. "It seems as if there was a tremendous amount of force used."
Miles' family describes him as a studious teenager who plays the viola for a jazz band and the orchestra at Pittsburgh's prestigious Creative and Performing Arts High School.

The confrontation began around 11 p.m. Jan. 12, when the teenager walked out of his mother's home and headed to his grandmother's, where he spends most nights. His mother complimented him on the new jacket he had gotten for his birthday.

"It looks handsome," she said, smiling as he walked down the front steps.
As Miles walked up the block, he noticed three men sitting in a white car, "but I thought nothing of it," he said.

The criminal complaint says Miles was standing against a building "as if he was trying to avoid being seen." But he says he was walking when the men jumped out of the car.
"Where's the money?" one shouted, according to Miles. "Where's the gun? Where's the drugs?" the other two said. "It was intimidating; I thought I was going to be robbed," Miles said.

That's when he says he took off back to his mother's house but slipped on the icy sidewalk. Before he could pull himself up, Miles said, the men were at his back.

"That's when they started beating me, punching, kicking me, choking me," he said.
Not until 15 minutes later, when uniformed officers drove up in a van and Miles overheard their conversation, did he realize he had been arrested, he said. Initially, when the handcuffs were clamped around his wrists, he thought he was being abducted, he said.

The police believed Miles, who appeared to have something heavy in his pocket, was carrying a gun, according to the affidavit. The police say they used a stun gun on the teenager. According to the affidavit, the object in Miles' pocket turned out to be a bottle of Mountain Dew. But Miles says he didn't have anything in his pocket and rarely drinks Mountain Dew."
[Story]

Sorry racism, I still won't bite. Hey, the kid could be lying. I know damn good and well that those black kids love Mountain Dew. And besides, as one of my regular black conservative readers like to point out, he could be one of those "street pirates". The police can't be too careful these days. If the kid wants to avoid these types of confrontations tell his mama to move to a better neighborhood.

Furthermore, the president didn't talk about it like he did with Skip Gates, so I don't see anything here to get excited about. It's not like the kid was a college professor or anything.

Field, you are no more fun. The man has finally gotten to you.

I know. Next week I am checking out country club memberships.

Exciting neighborhood tours!

*

I know that we are in a recession, and that we have to do what we can to get our hustle on. But charging tourist to tour gang infested neighborhoods? Look, I am all for making an honest living, but seriously, couldn't tourist visiting L.A. just settle for the home of the stars and the Hollywood walk of fame?

 

"Passengers paying $65 a head Saturday signed waivers acknowledging they could be crime victims and put their fate in the hands of tattooed ex-gang members who say they have negotiated a cease-fire among rivals in the most violent gangland in America. If that sounds daunting, consider the challenge facing organizers of LA Gang Tours: trying to build a thriving venture that provides a glimpse into gang life while also trying to convince people that gang-plagued communities are not as hopeless as movies depict.... 'There's a fascination with gangs'" said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. 'We can either address the issue head-on, create awareness and discuss the positive things that go on in these communities, or we can try to sweep it under the carpet."'

Yes, but Alfred, who drops $65 to get shot? I know white folks are adventurous but isn't this a bit much? "Look honey, it's a Crip. See, he is wearing blue. He looks just like that guy in the Snoop Dogg video. And look at all the pretty graffiti, aren't you glad you came?"

 

Yes, one more check-off on the old "Bucket List": actually visit a gang infested neighborhood.

"It's a terrible idea," City Councilman Dennis Zine said. "Is it worth that thrill for 65 bucks? You can go to a (gang) movie for a lot less and not put yourself at risk." More than 50 people brushed aside safety concerns for Saturday's maiden tour to hear how notorious gangs got started and bear witness to the struggling neighborhoods where tens of thousands of residents have been lured into gang life.

 

I might be missing out on something here. Los Angeles isn't the only city with urban violence and crime. Maybe I could do the same thing here in Philly. I am sure that folks from middle A-merry-ca would just love to see where the Lex Street Murders took place. And that's where crack addict number six got shot to death, and that's where crack addict number seven got shot to death. Or I could take my friends from Kansas and Iowa where the JBM used to roam and execute folks on the regular to control their turf. And, if that didn't get them excited enough, I could take them to where the aptly named Kaboni Savage had seven people murdered by having their home fire bombed. The tour guide would have a field day with that one. And, to top off my tour, I would take them where my man Gary Heidnik was getting his "Jungle Fever" on by eating his victims. That would be a nice touch. I could sell salt and pepper souvenirs shakers with Gary's name and some of the victims on it.

 

Of course, just like my man Alfred Lomas did, I will have to have my customers sign a waiver. I don't need any of them catching a stray bullet if you know what I mean. That could be bad for business.

 

"There's a fascination with gangs," said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. "We can either address the issue head-on, create awareness and discuss the positive things that go on in these communities, or we can try to sweep it under the carpet."

 

Sure Alfred, and if you can make a buck exploiting the poor people of "these communities" along the way, why not?

*Pic courtesy of Gangstyle.com

On a ligher note, good luck to "Who Dat Nation", tonight. Your city deserves a Super Bowl.