Can I Get An Economist's Assessment?

Somebody please explain to me why all of these businesses and multinational corporations are failing? They're either getting gov't cheddar once, twice and sometimes three times even. Or they're filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection. You know thanks to our lawmakers working against our interests we can't even file for personal bankruptcy except in the rarest of circumstances. I figure if AIG can get $150B why can't we get to write off credit card bills, medical expenses and student loans and wipe the slate clean? Fair is fair right?

Shall we run down the list - and know this is hardly definitive:

1.  Banks (what is it, 5 and counting?)

2.  AIG

3.  GM with Chrysler soon to follow?

4.  DHL

5.  Mervyn's

6.  Circuit City

7.  Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Countrywide

8. - 100.  There's many smaller companies and I could spend the next 3 hours adding those!

Remember when Tower Records went under? That seems like such a long time ago and was a sign of things to come. Since banks are the permanent pet project for the gov't - even so far as getting a whopping tax break on top of the "loan", er gift, I'd really like to know what we're gonna get? An extension of unemployment benefits? Confederate bills? Wow, how frackin' generous! 

How is it that these companies were allowed to operate with impunity and then go to the gov't using taxpayer money (minus most wealthy people and corporations since they get to wiggle out of paying the bulk of their fair percentage) to bail them out when they prove they don't know jack s*it!? I mean let's take the automobile industry for example. They were building giant gas-guzzling tank size cars because their immediate profits went into overdrive despite all indication they should've been focusing on smaller fuel-efficient ones. Now they're almost bankrupt and they deserve to be bailed out with loans they'll never pay back? We're supposed to trust their judgement? WHY!?

Of course when "Main Street" is hurting MLK Blvd. is suffering the aftermath of a tsunami - not that anyone seems to notice except those that have to 'live' and barely survive there. It's 70 days until the Obama Inauguration but we can't wait until then for a viable and equitable economic plan. We of course have no guarantee of one even after that and really have to be informed citizens with a coordinated effort to slap some sense into these 'experts'. 

Do I need a PhD in economics to understand this or are we citizenry being forced to endure the biggest snow job in recent history? Why not let it all fall apart and pull a Darwin? Whoever survives gets to go on and we bring back or start new companies that are run in the USofA and hire USofA? Where are the penalties to those that circumvent laws by exploiting dirt cheap foreign labor? We know the wine and meat manufacturers are gross violators amongst many. Yes, I know about Sarbanes-Oxley which is thought to help businesses here set up shop abroad but I'll raise you a Gramm-Leach-Bliley which effectively gave the banks carte blanche to do whatever the hell they wanted. 

So, I don't want to put my sourpuss face on after my last post about seeing the silver lining, but these things are pretty serious. Any progress the next President wants to kick start is going to be that much more difficult with Shrub handing out pieces of the gov't like party favors to all those on his 'friends and family' plan. Remember Bush threatened Congress and the Senate with martial law if they didn't sign their names in blood and agree to the bailout and rename it a "Rescue" package. 

Here's Paul Krugman discussing the initial plan with Rachel Maddow. 

Last night's show on the latest developments.

photo source

You Know Before We Go Off the Deep End Maybe We Should Take A Breath Or Two

               

It's so easy to feel antsy and worry about what the Obama administration will and will not mean for us. Will he pick too many former Clinton staffers? Will those that supported him early on have more access and drown out the voices of those that still haven't come around? How many people are still going to chanting "Yes We Can" one year from now? Is he qualified to fix the economy - or will it be a hastily slapped on bandage? Do those that occupy the Red States consider everybody else not really American? If Obama offered reparations would Blacks be ready to take advantage of the opportunity or waste it? Can we really come together even if we don't everything we want when we want it?

Well these are valid questions, but do we need answers right away? We don't have to take up arms and rage against the machine just yet. We can regroup but still be enthusiastic. We can meet up with like-minded individuals and decide on a course of action. We can take a breath and exhale S-L-O-W-L-Y cuz it's gonna be a long 8 years. 

I'm already feeling a bit wobbly wondering what the Rethug attack machine will do. How many professional Black contrarians will emerge to assist the mostly white media in diminishing and thwarting Obama's every move? I wonder if the working poor will get real relief for the first time in 30 years, cuz everyone isn't middle class and we're definitely not all wealthy. 

We can't invalidate one group of people's needs for the other. We also can't blame each other for not being willing to go farther or work harder than we care to for things that don't immediately interest us. We cannot get discouraged and be poised to throw in the towel. The man hasn't even taken office yet. We don't need to decide we see potential enemies in our midst. Instead we need to recognize all the potential allies that surround us. From the most pressing matters to the most lofty of goals we can continue to create opportunities of expression.

We've had music artists write great songs and utilized the internet and Web 2.0 in ways unlike any other campaign before. Let's continue to tap into resources and our creativity. The Office of the President-Elect has a great web site where we can make our voices heard. We won't be silenced either by interference or apathy again. We are not alone!

What do you want? What are you going to do to reach out to people to get it? Will you listen or lecture? Will you see a person or an obstacle? When we begin answering these questions and working on our own hearts and minds we can transform everyone else's by example. We can all have a seat at the table now. Let's be gracious and generous with one another, patient and considerate. Let's not implode upon ourselves or react harshly against each other. We are the ones we've been waiting for, remember?

photo credit

Barack & Michelle Come to Washington

Don't they making a dashing pair?

Reuters/Joshua Roberts

It will take me at least a year before the idea of seeing Brown people who are in charge at the White House becomes old hat. It may be a symbolic gesture but it has still has merit for many. I am very curious about how Michelle Obama will utilize the role of First Lady after she and the wee Michelles settle in. I can't wait to see the puppy!

So while Shrub and Ba-rock went off the get down to the nitty gritty, Mrs. Shrub gave Mrs. O a quick tour of the House. Did Laura show Michelle the secret trap door should she feel the need to escape from all the insanity? Will the WH be covered with graffiti or littered with empty beer bottles and corn chips when they move in? Will Michelle have to put out an ABP on the china? Time will only tell.

On a more serious note, I am feeling somewhat uneasy with some of the names being presented for Obama's administration. They are left-overs from the Clinton administration and certainly not the only qualified people! Perhaps this is a pre-emptive strike at squashing those that could undermine him ala the adage: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I just hope some of the ineptitude and excess from the last Democratic administration doesn't creep into this one. The one trait that Obama has is discipline so perhaps he will be reigning in any foolishness! Being President sure is fun, huh?

Let the Backlash From Prop 8 Be A Warning

Here in California the moment of our coming together unraveled rather quickly don't you think? Some people may not have noticed yet but certain people have already drawn their line on the white side and are gunning for our jugular. 

Some of these white people who identify as gay were sorta okay with following the Obama train because they felt he would do a little jig and tap dance on cue. They were anticipating tit for tat. If they voted for Obama, we'd vote No on 8. The fact that they made NO EFFORT WHATSOEVER to speak to Black (straight) people and have a history of excluding most Black people gay or straight from the official Gay Rights Industrial Complex then what were they expecting? Magical thinking doesn't work for anyone. 

It is not a coincidence CNN released inaccurate exit poll information and tried to present it a representation of actual votes. It is not a coincidence that certain white males who identify as gay with media access continued this lie and further spread the racial arson. It is not a coincidence that white people will appropriate elements of Black social movements and claim an endangered status when it suits them. It is a suit they can wear when navigating less amenable waters which can then be quickly removed once they are back on solid ground. 

I know many people are genuinely disappointed and angry that Yes on 8 passed. For them it may a singular issue of utmost importance. This affects many LGBT of color as well, but they're not the ones rioting! Since so many like to talk about discrimination I'd like to know how much people are willing to sacrifice to get rid of it?  Are people willing to denounce their white privilege to make it a level playing field for everyone? 

I highly doubt it!

I see this theme about 'homophobic Black bogeymen' as a straw hat argument that has no discernible meaning any more than the 'menacing Black mugger' Ashley Todd tried to use to start a race war on behalf of John McCain.  If a real discussion and analysis had been had the immediate eruption of anger and use of racial epithets even against fellow LGBT who are Black would not have occurred.  

Writer-activist Jasmynne Cannick wrote a great Op-Ed for the Los Angeles Times that you can read here.

Magic Negros & Blaming Black People for the Failure of No on 8

**NOTE to NO on 8 Organizers: YOU MESSED UP! Admit it and do something about it!! You don't get a cookie because you (may have) voted for Obama. You're really doing a disservice to those that supported your agenda while you let others speak for you and BASH BLACK PEOPLE. 

I was reluctant to touch this topic and have remained silent for the past three days but I must be unleashed! Yeah I'm talking to you Dan Savage, Andrew Sullivan and all the other so-called white gay progressives and Black apologists who are playing the "Black People Didn't Support No on 8 So They Must Be Bigots" song. And no I'm not linking to them either! Here you can find definitive analysis of those that actually supported Yes on 8 and guess what: THEY ARE MOSTLY WHITE!

This is for the No on 8 organization and supporters who did a CRAPPY job making your case and would've otherwise gone back to your life of ease and separatism except now you're going to be forced to deal with the inconvenience of building relationships with Black people gay and straight if you want to get any legislation passed. Perhaps you should have listened to a Black same-gender loving woman who warned you why your campaign wasn't working instead of trying to blame us now for your failings. Voting for Obama as the latest genie in the bottle doesn't absolve you of your racism and racial privilege either. 

I won’t presume to speak for all the people that voted for these bans and make assumptions about why they were opposed. Neither should anyone else. I will touch on a few reasons why I think this is still an issue in California and why it’s going to take at least 4 years, possibly 8 or more to work on the hearts and minds of people.

That would start with you. You who support Marriage Equality but insist that everyone has to agree with you without question. You’re going to have to get your hands dirty. Research the ones with the purse strings and the organization. Know your enemy. Stop conducting focus groups, writing press releases and putting flyers on doors. Don’t be invisible during the off years and show up begging for voters later. Don’t approach a Black person and tell them you understand “what it’s like”. YOU DON’T! It’s beyond insulting.

Let’s be blunt and ask a few individuals who voted for the ban: what’s in it for THEM to support your cause? The opinion that Gay marriage = Middle Class to Wealthy White people (Men mostly) wanting their cherry on the top of the sundae is a powerful one. You already have everything else and know you want this too?!  No on 8 wants the votes from people of color and support without giving anything in exchange. That’s not an alliance, That’s just using people. Especially when once the desired goal is achieved they’ll pack up shop and disappear.  

The Yes on 8 supporters were very effective at deflecting their true nature. The tv ads were successful in delivering the desired result: fear and a desire to protect children from the big bad. It was a false enemy but its message was not counteracted. The No on 8 ads were very cerebral with an air of assumption.

You have to take the time to build alliances. You need allies in large numbers consisting of people who may not agree with you. You don’t need them to agree necessarily but you do need to convince them to help you. Find some common ground.

Of course if you actually had Black LGBT people sitting at the table, making leadership decisions with check signing authority you wouldn’t have this huge obstacle. Then again, your GLAADs, your HRCs, etc. of the world would be completely different. The agenda would be different. You would potentially be out of a job because there are plenty of fabulous lesbian/lesbian-supportive sistas with the looks, brains and pedigree to run these organizations AND help the people who need it most. And yes, I'm advocating a Black woman to run things.

By the way: Black people are still suspicious and angry about Isaiah Washington’s firing from Grey’s Anatomy after his 5-month walk on glass public humiliation tour. And the show totally sucks now!

Why are these bread and butter issues tossed aside in favor of placing all the eggs in one basket of Marriage Amendments: 

1. Sex workers
2. Transgendered teens (and adults), particularly those of color 
3. Police brutality (esp virulent against #2)
4. Job Training/Jobs period!
5. Housing

6. Drug abuse and dependency

7. Medical related

8. Psychological related

As long as you approach a Black person and tell them they are discriminating against you, the white male (and female) one wouldn’t easily read as gay, you will get nowhere. What these organizations want is a continuation of white supremacy.

There is a class warfare going on. Paper covers rock. When San Francisco has lost more than half of its Black population due to lack of jobs and being intentionally priced out of neighborhoods your argument over ‘fairness’ has already been lost. Our pretty boy Mayor thought he was going to ride the Gay Marriage wave to the Governor’s office when his term ends. I think he has a little more work to do. 

What work have the No on 8 organizers done in poorer communities? Who are the representatives? I watched every single advertisement. I didn’t see one example of a loving couple, let alone any people of color. Let me clarify. I saw the ad with the Ugly Betty stars running during the episodes talking about how Latinos were not discriminatory. I saw the ad that Samuel Jackson narrated where Japanese internment and a photo of the Lovings was used. I would’ve advised against it, although I did agree with it in theory. That was preaching to the choir, though.

You have to accept and acknowledge that people are going to have a difference of opinion and different religious traditions. Not every church is affirming of homosexuality. Most people cling to religiosity but don’t really understand the Bible anyway. That is an internal journey that each of us has to take.

There could have been a very effective argument how the Mormon Church was behind the legislation. Mormons who based a religion on naming Black people as being inferior and only changed it in 1979 – not that long ago - due to social pressure! Nothing will get the Black church more riled up that white people being oppressive!

Where are the Black LGBTs? Don’t they typically live in the neighborhoods they grew up in with everybody else. They’re not all moving to the Castro, West Hollywood, etc. Where the average rent is $2500/mo. See Black people can be funny that way. We may have a don’t ask don’t tell policy in our families but we have plenty of gay relatives. When the rubber hits the road race trumps sexual orientation and gender issues. Ask me how I know. 

I will never forget the day I was called a Nigger by a white gay male in the Castro for no reason whatsoever. Or how a work incentive became an ultimatum between firing me or my gay white male co-worker who’d I’d replaced as the top salesperson at a jewelry store. I stayed. I interviewed for an au pair position a few years ago for a couple who’d adopted a Black child. I didn’t know the race of the parents or the child prior to meeting them. When the child expressed delight in our sharing a similar phenotype I had a sinking feeling that was what got me eliminated from consideration. The owner of a popular nightclub in the Castro has been picketed for requiring Black patrons to produce 3 different sets of ID in order to enter, but where was GLAAD? Crickets…..

Having sex with, being friends with or having a co-worker doesn’t absolve people of their prejudices. If it did men would be fairer to women! Women wouldn't tear each other down either.

The transgendered disconnect within the gay movement is staggering to me. It’s the same argument over how bi-sexuality doesn’t exist for some gays but worse. Reassignment surgery and the entire process costs so much that it’s out of reach for most people of color. I have yet to see one Black post-op person on Oprah who discusses their successful journey over adversity. 

Take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I am a Black woman who didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth. I don’t need to appropriate someone else’s culture because it is my own. I worked with ACT-UP back in the day but am by no means an ‘expert’. I’m just a person who’d like the world to be a little kinder.

There are shades of grey here. People don’t necessarily have to hide for fear of being murdered. We’ve all heard of Matthew Shepard but what about Michael Shandy or Sakia Gunn? Or the New Jersey Seven? Like it or not but a lot of this argument is about convenience. Civil unions are allowed. Domestic partnerships have been approved. Adoption is not banned here like other states. We are also not living in a developing nation where life is much more perilous for LGBT people. So we need to have perspective and place things is proper context. 

I enter public spaces with a cross section of ‘progressives’ and when the discussion turns to racial issues the white posters typically engage in Oppression Olympics obfuscation. They just don’t want to acknowledge their white privilege and how they benefit from it. There’s a huge difference between the daily struggles we all have and systematic racism being added on top of that.

  

It’s kinda like lumping all Latinos together irrespective of their individual cultural ties and assuming everyone speaks Spanish. Similar to the focus on illegal immigration being on the land crossings between Mexico and the United States while IGNORING the cargo ships bringing millions of people from Europe and Asia in equal if not greater amounts. 

You have to start with mothers, at least the mothers who haven’t abandoned their children for being gay. Any revolution that isn’t fought with Black women at your side is an effort that will fail. We birthed this nation and bore all her ills.

I voted for No on 8 but I wasn’t asked to participate in an inclusive campaign. Even I can separate this into a “them vs. us” issue. I also realize this negatively affects Middle Class-Wealthier Black people as well but you can add this to the pile of crap we have to deal with!

  

Black people make up 7% of the entire population in CA. We are being replaced slowly and assuredly, so I don’t even want to hear about this nonsensical theme in the media of the bigoted Black person. Yes, there are some but there are far many more bigoted white people. I don’t like this focus on Black people being the architects of hatred when we are all too often its recipients.  

Asians and Latinos represent a higher population in the state and their numbers along with white voters far outnumber the Black voters – yet none of the focus is on them. Why is that? What’s your real agenda? 

Update: Just to further show you ignoramuses how ignorant you are I'd like to point out to you how this new administration operates when it comes to hiring practices:

The Obama-Biden Transition Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law. 

Can all you Gay Rights' organizations say the same?

The Real Affirmative Action Candidate

J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo

Is going back to Alaska and I'm so sorry for my fellow citizens up North but she's your problem! You voted for her in the first place. We have our own idiot Governor to deal with. If the Republicans think they can trot the CTLF (Candidate They'd Like to F*ck) out in 4 years they will taste the wrath of the electorate once again and the end of your relevance will be greeted with joy. Don't worry though we're going to be spending the next 4 years rooting out and exposing the white racist wing of the Democrats as well - maybe they'll become Republicans and we can kill two birds with one stone! 

The 5 Top Reasons Why I Hated Sarah Palin

1. Her fake Fargo accent. Watch the Gubernatorial debates on YouTube and tell me it wasn't an act.

2.  This woman had no problem pimping out her children for votes. Special needs my ass!

3. She is willfully ignorant, small minded and a racist while bringing out the worst in people.

4.  She tried to play the victim card (of sexism) while using sex to appeal to voters.

5. She refused to address specifics of policies and agendas but had no problem manipulating the media to control her image. 

Make sure you give all the clothes back. Goodbye and Good Riddance!

Black Women Coming Full Circle

Let's acknowledge the assistance and support Barack Obama has received from his staunchest allies: Black women. From his wife, to Oprah, to the Black vote which is 6 out of 10 Black women we came out when it counted. He made sure to thank Georgia resident Ann Cooper who at 106 cast a decisive ballot for him during his acceptance speech. Now of course many people have participated and worked together, but let's face it: Oprah stuck her neck out when she didn't have to. The demographics for her talk show are white women aged 55 and above. There was some backlash but it was overblown by the corporate media to tear her down. It didn't work though.

I am hard pressed to think of any high profile Black person be they politicians or entertainers that supported the Obama candidacy without reservation early on but Oprah. Her endorsement has been estimated to have netted him one million votes. That's nothing to take lightly and it made all the difference during the primary battle against the Clintons. 

I can say I was personally driven to take action beyond simply voting, hand-wringing and worrying. I had been prepared to support the eventual Democratic nominee but I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about it. I am really glad I got to vote for the candidate of my choice!! 

This by no means indicates a 100% universal support of Obama amongst Black people or the rest of the country. There are many people who will never be satisfied! This is a journey that will be certain to have bumps along the road. That's ok. I do hope some of the Cynthia McKinney agenda gets implemented into future gov't policies because despite whatever reservations some may have about her she does have our interests at heart. 

Here's the culmination of Oprah's dream:

  

Be sure the watch the full intro from her Election Special. Oprah is UNLEASHED! Did anybody record it? I need a copy stat!!!! If there was ever a time to offer videos for sale on ITunes it is now Miss Oprah.  

Update: Link to Interview with ABC's Robin Roberts. It was funny!

There's Nothing Quite Like a Fair Weather Friend

I am continuing my theme of all the Black people who are acting like they were in the tank for Obama all along - except (when) they weren't! Everybody loves a winner!! I'll keep adding more names and videos as they get posted. Rejoice now (Johnny Come Lately supporters) but if I were Obama I'd offer a handshake from afar lest I ended up shanked! But he's so magnanimous he said he'd be the President for all those that didn't support him as well. He's a better person than I'd be. I guess that's why HE WON!!!! 

Magic Johnson

Did your hedge fund deal not pan out with Ron Burkle? Whassup?! 

It runs from 7:20-11:04.

Vernon Jordan 

BFF of Bill Clinton. Not certain if it's reciprocated or not. He's got a book to promote after all. CYA. CYA. CYA. All the way. 

Jesse Jackson, Sr.

OMG! How could I have forgotten about him? Well, I wasn't gonna bother. He was crying like a baby with Oprah and them. How could we ever forget that hot mic on Fox though. I guess Obama's Father's Day speech where he merely suggested that all men take responsibility for their children was just too much. Ahhhhh let's recap for giggles!  

They All Feel Safe To Come Out Now

Yeah, I know it's a new day and all and we're going to come together and be one. I also know that as I'm breathing this air certain Rethug pundits are regrouping for their next coordinated attack. But we see you!! Now there's a lot of Black people that were and will continue toting water for their masters or just not have a vision for a brighter future that can obtained with hard work, focus and unity. It's time to get with the program. 

Everybody did not jump on the Civil Rights bandwagon despite best wishes for revisionist history. That didn't stop them from 'milking' it after the fact, though. Be you an elder, a senior member of a political administration or my local mail carrier it's time to step up to the plate. This is not about blind support, but about elevating each other to fulfill greatness and holding each other accountable. I know some may be offended but if we don't do it then who will?

There's this amazing post by Christian Progressive Liberal over at Jack & Jill Politics that I thought summed it up best.

Condoleeza Rice 

Thanks Condi for your grand gesture. You're still a war criminal! May you forever be held accountable for shoe shopping while the 'undesirables' were dying in NOLA.

  

Maya Angelou

Thanks for finally believing. Where were you when your good friends were race-baiting and making light of political assassinations?  

 

It's Two-Fer. Dumb and Dumber are still trying to stay relevant. Harold Ford, Jr. wishes he was Obama and spent the past year trashing him every chance he got. Tavis Smiley is still stuck in the Civil Rights Industrial Complex (CRIC) mode thinking he was going to be KING-maker. Barf!

  

Note to Tara Wall, Juan Williams (he slipped up a bit last night and was actually reasonable), Amy Holmes and all you professional Black contrarians, who think you're going to ride the gravy train joining the Rethug pile-on to tear down an Obama administration......think again!!! 

As for you John McCain, your concession was nice. Too bad you didn't run your campaign with any class. No cookie for you!

Introducing Your Next First Lady

Michelle Robinson Obama!!!! 

I have no words. A Black First Lady. A Black First Family. So many never thought they'd see the day. Some people can't deal with it. Well......you're gonna get used to it. Eventually they may come around...or not. In the words of our Senator from New York: "Screw 'Em." 

You are free to leave the country and go annoy somebody else. 

I am tired of being told (by some) I'm not good enough, smart enough or not somehow "right".

THAT TIME IS OVAH!!!!

It's also time for some of our brothers - and sisters - to straighten up and fly right. No more excuses about 'da man'. It's on YOU now.  

We have a lot of work to do. So let's roll!

  

  

  

  

          

Reuters/AP Photos

OBAMA IS 44!!!!!

Yahoo Photo

In Numerology the number 44 is considered a Master number and very powerful. The person who best embodies the necessary qualities for 44th President of these oft-divided states needs to be a visionary, create a certain spark of interest, be an open seeker of knowledge, disciplined and willing to combine wisdom with reason. 

Using Obama’s birth date of August 4, 1961 = 8+4+1+9+6+1 = 11 which is another Mater number. 1+1 = 2. The birth number is also the life path number. Now you can also evaluate someone by their name as well, but I really like the life path. I think it’s the ‘face’ we show to the world. 2’s are considerate, creative, inspiring, spiritual and very sensitive. 

We can also evaluate Obama by his astrological sun sign - which is in Leo. In Chinese zodiac animal signs he is an Ox. Leos are very charismatic and have definite star quality, are loyal and born leaders. Oxen like to be in positions of power, but are very down to earth, seek security and are very family oriented.  

Some less enlightened religious interpreters may condemn the use of astrology, runes, numerology etc., but they are simply the application of numbers used as a tool to gain personal insight. We use personality tests, academic exams and psychology to do that as well. The danger is always in having a narrow definition of what “it” means be that religion, sexuality, race or standards of Blackness! That Higher Power is trying to reach out to us in ways that we can easily relate to – hence the prevalence of these ‘spiritual’ self-help books.

The Bible uses a lot of symbolism with the use of the number 40 and 12. The Israelites wandering in the desert, the amount of time Jesus was tempted by the Devil, the number of disciples for example. These numbers are not necessarily literal, but powerful tools which represent something worth further examination.

We really need to think more critically and perhaps put what we read into proper context for the time it was written and how memes are shaped. We also need to utilize various translations and compare the differences when using Greek, Aramaic English and other languages. Singers don’t come into their own vocally until the after the age of 30 development-wise. Why would we expect the acclimation of our religious traditions be similar? Why wouldn’t our growth as humans continue to evolve?

One such example to consider would be how when Jesus was resurrected He could have chosen to come to anyone and he chose his most faithful: the women. Not the most strict rules followers, not the ones that donated the most money and not the ones that showed up in the fanciest clothes.

Do you really think women didn’t have leadership roles on equal standing with the men under those circumstances after that? Or is that a continuation of a social construct like categorizing people by phenotype?

Someone shared a verse from Proverbs 29:2 with me on the eve of Election Day: “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power they groan.“ And of course the one Commandment those that refer to themselves as Christians are supposed to be following is, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Note it doesn’t say:

1. Tell someone how to live based on one's interpretation or personal opinions.

2. Bear false witness and continue to blatantly lie (on the campaign trail).

3. Allow your supporters to seek the physical destruction of your political rival. 

4. Place your interpretations and viewpoints above all else even your “God”.

If leaking confidential immigration data and filing erroneous charges for a candidate’s use of a plane to see a dying relative aren’t reprehensible enough for some of you to reconsider your political affiliations I don’t know what will. 

Women of color (of all religious traditions) and their allies may very well be the ones to lead this country out of darkness away from wickedness, wherever it comes from, up to and including themselves. Our survival depends on it. 

Might I also add that I think sooooo many people will be getting the shock of their lives if they’re around when Jesus comes back and he doesn’t look or act like they’ve imagined. Especially if we find out our entire concept of Jesus was wrong (like there being no Jesus since everyone doesn’t follow that tenet) and Heaven and Hell has been right here on Earth this entire time and we messed it up!

**For those that don’t ascribe to this line of thinking or utilize it in different forms please feel free to share your own stories or alternate philosophies. This is my perspective but not the only one.

Denver Ambition

The first tallies are coming in: McCain has won Kentucky with 8 Electoral votes while Obama has won Vermont with 3. It's going to be a long night folks. Here I thought I'd be running all over town and feeling totally wired, but I'm sorta calm. We've done all we could. It's up to the people of this country to make a choice of mediocrity and division or go the course less travelled. 

It all came together on a warm evening in August where Barack Obama accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for President. I took a bunch of photos and shot some video. I've added them to my Flickr account but will post a few here (sorry for the one photo Blogger is NOT cooperating) for viewing.

And if you can stand the sweetness, Black Snob has a great array of photos of our future First Family (whether it's now or 2012 or thereafter) that will give you instant cavities!!! Oh it's so good. Professor Tracey has a hilarious Top 10 List that I can agree with. Has no one put out an ABP on Ann Coulter?

Ok, that's it for me I think. I may be back cuz I can't help myself. I'm going to making a few nation-wide phone calls to check in with friends and la familia just to calm myself. I'll pop into the local Obama HQ and I will probably go to a watch party. I need to charge my laptop though.

Good Luck to us all!!!!

Voter Generation

We’ve got Spirit, yes we do! I’ve got spirit, how ‘bout you? I was speaking to voters yesterday – after my Jury Duty stint – and what an experience it was! I met a 38 y.o. Iraq war vet who’d enlisted back in 2003 and he was voting for the first time ever. He was a native San Franciscan of Asian descent and I had to ask him why now (and of course why not before). He replied that things had gotten so bad he had to vote! He was voting for Obama and complained how poorly McCain treats Vets as one of his reasons. It was estimated to be a 3-hour wait and he’d been getting antsy, hoping he could skip the line as he just wanted to vote for the Presidential race. I urged him to consider the many Propositions (34 Yikes!!) we had on the ballot this year that would greatly impact the State and Local municipalities and tried to explain them in an unbiased way. He even found the name of a School Board candidate that he knew and got even more excited. 

As you know every state has different rules, deadlines and techniques for voting. San Francisco County doesn’t have touchscreens in wide circulation – yet – and perhaps that’s a good thing! There’s a very simple paper ballot where you fill in the middle section of an arrow that clearly and accurately indicates your choice. No hanging chads, no funny stuff! Also the electronic options are currently limited to the Presidential candidates BUT you get a paper receipt. 

Another voter complained that the wording of the legislation was so confusing. I agree. I think it should be written simply enough for a third grader to understand. A smart third grader but the clear intent as I see it is to discourage people from reading up on an issue more thoroughly. The mini legalese and double-talk of some of this legislation greatly misleads voters into thinking they are supporting things they in fact may not want! Also I reported earlier that voting had started on October 20th which that was the deadline to register. It had in fact began on October 6th! 

Yup, many people could’ve avoided these long lines by voting at the beginning of last month. Or completing a mail in ballot - though I tend to be suspicious of things getting 'lost'. Now I looked at the Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s website and the official SF Gov page and I’d be hard-pressed to find that information. My suggestion: say "If You Need Help Voting Free Classes Can Be Found Here. Know Before You Go!" and "Avoid Long Lines - Vote Starting October 6th, 2008." Don't set up links upon links under headlines and columns. Paper flier neighborhoods. Hand out pamphlets at the supermarket. 

The polling locations did not have enough voter guides either, not to mention the fact it’s more than 200 pages! There are reports of wide spread machine malfunctions, lack of official ballots, incompetent poll workers and general chaos, but we knew this was going to happen!  I consider myself a somewhat savvy voter, but I was confused even though I had done a lot of research prior to voting. Voter Education classes are available but like I said it’s not as if this has been made readily available to voters nor has this been explained and promoted. I don’t care what these officials have to say, they need to do better outreach. This should be taught in school as well as the basics of finance and budgeting. 

How confusing does it get? One voter sometimes used Junior in their surname and they got flustered by the official that told them he should make certain to add it to his ballot information. He didn’t use it all the time and since he didn’t have his voter card handy (it's not required) he wasn’t even sure he’d registered using it. This is not even a battleground state where a lot of the illegal removal of registered Democrats has occurred (except perhaps for those during the Primary but that’s another story). Can you imagine how many people could have had their votes stolen under these circumstances? 

We need a complete overhaul of how elections are operated, voters get registered and results are tallied. Seriously. 

***

I forgot about the 3-hour time difference and woke my mom last night just to double check what time she was voting. New Yorkers don’t have early voting and I wanted to give her a heads up on the lines. I thought voting as early as possible was the way to go. My youngest brother is voting for the first time today. I haven’t spoken to him yet but I wrote on his Wall on Facebook about how cool it must be for him to cast his first vote for you know who. 

My mom was groggy but said she was so happy to vote for such a distinguished and qualified candidate. I was also surprised to hear her say she didn’t think she’d get to vote for a Black candidate in her lifetime. She’s only in her 50’s! She briefly mentioned what it was like living at the end of Jim Crow and the dawn of the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights. She remembers hearing about people being beaten and jailed and the deaths of King and Malcolm X and many others. The 4 Little Girls. I will need to set aside time and interview her about this. I can’t recall us ever talking about this come to think about it. 

History will be made today and we will live to tell the tale!

Countdown to Destiny

The long arduous journey is coming to its inevitable end. We will elect a new President on Tuesday. Then a new journey begins. We will not allow ourselves to fall into a comfortable stupor. We will not allow fear to be our primary motivator for we've been scared out of our wits enough! We still have many rivers to cross. We didn't need perfect harmony to come together at this time and we won't need it to continue what we've started. Many of us have invested a lot of time and effort into various candidates. 

One candidate appears to be willing to bring people into the fold. Another seems to be less inclusive. We know from previous administrations that not all campaign promises can be kept. We are also much more invested and have increased our political savvy. I know I used to see elected officials in terms of a hierarchy. Then I got an inkling of how corrupt gov't can be when it is run by people who support interests that run against the needs of the people. 

I've felt helpless to do anything as I thought of myself as one pebble in an ocean. Then something amazing happened this year: one became three, three became ten, ten became hundreds, then thousands and now millions. The key will be to maintain that proactive consensus after it no longer becomes popular and after some start to feel safer and more comfortable again. We must never return to apathy. 

I am hoping for an Obama total blow-out that will leave all the know-nothing pundits with their jaws on the floor, sputtering to make sense of 'how it happened'. Though I bet Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow might offer a smile. 

Should the unspeakable occur all will not be lost!! The Democrats will surely have gained enough Senate and House seats to not allow further Republican railroading. We will be galvanized to fight to derail every bad piece of legislation the McCain/Palin ticket tries to push. We will roar like lions and we will win. The McCain presidency will be an embattled one and as those supporters are abandoned one by one for special interests that ignore them they will join the ranks of those that knew better to sink the Republicans once and for all. Then it's on to 1012.  

Alas, I am hoping for a less volatile scenario where we have an Obama administration that results in a golden age for US politics.  Where we fight to put ourselves and our country back on track. Where even all the naysayers come around eventually. And we can be at peace. Ok, that was a wee bit sappy :). The US has to stop colonizing and meddling in developing nations, but that's all on us, the voter. 

How Can I Be Stuck With Jury Duty?

So I have been called to perform my civic duty and am awaiting in a packed room at the SF Courthouse. It only took 7 years! I know people who've been called 2-3 times already. Can you believe one of my former bosses is here? I know because her name was just called and I had to take a peek to see if it was her. Sure enough it was. I hope she voted already! I have no cell service but there's free wireless. I'm hoping for a dismissal. Sorry but this is not the week! 

I suppose the world doesn't stop because we have the most important election in modern history but still. I did request an extension from July because I was....actually I don't remember why. I was just surprised I was contacted because the summons was sent to my post office box not my home address. Who knew the gov't kept such stringent tabs on its citizens. Ha! I kid. I kid. With wiretapping and satellites and being able to retrieve all deleted contents from computer hard drives there is nothing they can't do. Except run an efficient operation. 

It's November and finally feels like Fall. It's dark outside earlier now and has finally started to rain. California is in drought mode. It was in the 80's less than two weeks ago. Unseasonably warm for Northern Cali. Not anymore. I'm trying to decide what election watch party I want to attend or if I should just stay in. It might get a little bit hectic outside tomorrow night. There's new polling information indicating the South might rise again. Georgia is in serious play. Heavy Black turnout might put Obama over the top. I really hope that's the case. It's good for a candidate and their supporters to know who was in the tank for their campaign.

I have been calling friends and relatives back East to annoy them, er remind them to make sure they vote. Early. It's going to be a long day. After this one's in the bag we need a serious overhaul of our entire voting system. Voting should be a Federal holiday or be held on weekends. That 2 hours you might get from your employer (if you still have a job) ain't gonna cover this election. 

We know somebody's going to want to make it more difficult for another Obama to claw their way through by changing the goalposts. I'd also like some serious analysis of the Clinton involvement with the Obama campaign. I understand the long-standing rule is that their are no permanent enemies, but damn! They really did a number on Obama enough so that McCain could use Hillary in a robocall. Ambition does not equal fitness to run a country. Otherwise let's elect Madonna for President in 2016. She's fiscally responsible, disciplined and bold. If the Republicans even think about trying to prop up Sarah Palin (if she survives the wrath of her constituents and gets re-elected) the Democrats need their own star and it needs to be someone without the last name of Clinton. 

Prop 8 Yeah or Nay?

Support for and opposition of Proposition 8 is neck and neck per the polls but I'd like it to fail just on principle. When Mormons from Utah fund legislation that affects voters in California I have a problem with that. Should Californians draft legislation that dictates how they live, particularly their so-called break away sects where 16 y.o. girls are forced to marry 80 y.o. men? The hyprocrisy knows no bounds, however I'm not sure the opponents made their case to the citizens of California.

Celebrity endorsements and comparing it to Civil Rights does not have universal appeal. Every person who supports it is not a raging homophobe. They did not leave every stone unturned in my opinion and if it squeaks by those who support "No On 8" should count themselves very lucky indeed. I hope this was not just a single issue for wealthier voters and they are equally supportive by deed and donation to assisting working class LGBT people whose immediate needs extend beyond marriage to housing, jobs, medical assistance and fighting police brutality.

It annoys me to no end that people carp about marriage being between a man and a woman as if it was always set up as an ideal and as a positive and beneficial thing. Women and children were and still are thought of as property. It was a business transaction and when did women typically have a choice?

In Western society how seriously do people take marriage nowadays? Is it simply a civil union or a religious ritual? Is there a spiritual component and alignment with a higher power? When people think they can find 'love' on a reality show do you think they're using sound judgement? When people focus on appearance and are driven by lust do they have the stamina to stick it out past that first bloom once it wears off? People take things for granted when it is a right given to them without merit. When you have to work towards something because it is being denied to you there is greater appreciation for it.

I am certain same gender loving people will eventually be allowed to marry, but the journey to get there may take a little while longer.

It's Up To Us

Well it’s 2 days and counting. One of the drawbacks to living in a solidly Blue state is that we don’t get a final in-person appearance by either major party candidate. One erroneous thing the media has been reporting is how much more money the Obama campaign has – as if there’s something nefarious about it. This plays into the shock and awe the white corporate media still displays in underestimating the appeal of Obama to a wide swath of voters and the continued “othering” of his candidacy.

The RNC has in fact raised more money than the DNC and they had a combined total of $20M MORE than the Democrats as of Oct 15th . This just goes to show you – do not listen to the what the media says! They did a virtual shut-out of the Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and we deserved to hear their platform regardless. Locally we have Cindy Sheehan running for Speaker Pelosi’s Congressional seat and she is also being given the media cold shoulder. By the way the Paul v. Clinton campaign finance fraud case is still scheduled to begin next week in Los Angeles.

Those volunteering are being asked to court voters in other states in that last push to Get Out the Vote. After all the advertisements, the robo calls, the campaign messages, the lack of balanced reporting by the media, the questions, the fears and the hesitation must be put aside at some point. The lack of knowledge must be accounted for. We are not operating at mental incapacity, but intellectual inefficiency and excuse-making.

Why are some still voting for the Pig, er Elephant? People at the McCain/Palin rallies would cheer for anything they say, while booing if Obama’s name is mentioned. All they have is the assertion of their whiteness. Now to be sure there are many who are voting for the continuation of their corporate tax breaks. As well as the real redistribution of wealth by taxing the poor and giving it to the rich: the latest welfare check going to AIG to the tune of $21B even after they’ve been busted for throwing million dollar parties and the pending bonuses going to the banking executives who cried wolf. What about the rest?

What of those McCain supporters who know better be they white and especially for the non-white ones who silently give their approval of his racial arson by closing their eyes to it. They may be a single-issue voter but the entire boat is sinking. With the vast majority of policies detrimental to the population filling those holes with plugs won’t save the rest of us from that pending tidal wave on the horizon. Remember Bush promised to bring honor and integrity back to the White House when he first ran.

If Obama loses on Tuesday it won’t be because he didn’t do everything in his power to win. It won’t be because he left any stone unturned. He raised more money than any candidate period without taking PAC money and using 527 groups. For all the whining McCain did about Obama not keeping his promise to stick to federal funding with its $84M cap, he has not discussed all the money he’s accessed via back channels and loopholes or how he used his wife’s vast resources like her jet for his use.

Obama instead asked for the voters to fully participate in ‘their’ campaign, started out slowly and now has millions of people volunteering across the country. You have to have some pull to get people to work – enthusiastically – for free! He learned from the previous mistakes of the last two Democratic nominees. He fought every attempt at Republican malfeasance at stealing people’s votes. He is his own person, not aligning himself with the left too handily nor adopting the ‘shoot first ask questions later’ lead footedness of the conservatives. He actually stresses educating oneself and asking questions. He strategized and remained focused even as he’s been attacked and played it a little too safe at times. 

No, if Obama loses it won’t be because of him. It will be OUR FAULT. For being shortsighted, for not doing enough, for taking refuge in useless racial paradigms, for not believing and for wallowing in helplessness. See I don’t agree with every Obama platform, heck I don’t think I’d necessary get along with every Obama supporter! If we want to actually have that change in gov’t, in society and in ourselves that’s been mocked we have to change. Obama has said it numerous times but I’m not sure how many of us actually heard him: it’s up to us! 

It has always been in our hands. This is bigger than the Tuesday Presidential election results, though that is the starting point. We can look back and blame Bush, Dick Cheney and the entire administration for destroying the country, but we were given a clear preview of all the wrong to come by the time Bush was selected by the Supreme Court. It went from uncomfortable, to horrible, to disgusting, to wretched, to catastrophe. Here we are in the midst of it and still some people are not moved to take action in the right direction.

There are some third party candidates with great platforms as well and their numbers are going to be lower, but they also resonated with some and their message shouldn’t be discarded per se. We should have the right to vote for whomever we want and have that vote count. We must also see the big picture and throw our support behind those most likely to get things done. Sometimes it’s good to be like a bee buzzing in somebody’s ear though.

We will need to take full responsibility for the people we put in office. There are quite a few shady Democratic politicians as well. This is not a partisan focus, but one of electing people who have our best interests at heart. Obama promises transparency: let’s make sure we get it from ALL of them!! The Black Agenda Report is a great tool we need such a report for every politician in office.

Perhaps we also need to start nurturing other ‘unlikely’ candidates as well. Someone with a vision of what they’d like the country to be who isn’t a ‘professional politician’. You know perhaps now is the time to stop looking to others for answers and take the leadership role ourselves. Every office holder should not have to have a JD or have attended an Ivy League school. Common sense, compassion and intelligence are qualities we can all cultivate. It’s truly up to us!

We're So Over the Hump Day Election Day Slump

Phew, I don’t know about you but I feel so much lighter. All that campaign fatigue has simply melted away. It’s 5 days until a “New World Order”. The Obamamercial that aired last night was like totally awesome, dude! The man who is sometimes referred to as “Obambi” by some right wing sourpusses did his darndest to spread pixie dust positivity and offered lollipops to every man, woman and child in this country. I’m a believer!! I’ll have a cherry rootbeer please. No wait, I want grape. I like having a purple tongue.

You see, there’s this drink called the Purple Motherf**ker. It has 5 grains of alcohol and uses a Long Island ice tea base but adds caracao. It might be considered a ‘girly’ drink because it’s sweet, but don’t be fooled. It packs a wallop. If you’re not careful you’ll wind up on the floor! Don’t underestimate the potency of a honeyed but powerful thing.

At this point we all might just go into a sugar coma. Don’t fade now people. Eat some protein and drink plenty of water! There’s still work to be done. We have to make sure the gremlins don’t come out at night and take away all our goodies.

I think it’s curtains for Senator McNasty who’s spent the past few weeks not making his case for POTUS, not reaching out to people like me (hard working, possibly tech-savvy but un(der)employed POC who live in the city) and not offering any inspiration whatsoever. Instead he has been throwing rotten pumpkins well in advance of Halloween while ducking under tables, hurling stink bombs, spewing bile and showing his you know what on the regular. Yeah and the Little Engine That Couldn’t (Palin) has been as appetizing as mushy okra. With poop on top. 

All I’ve wondered lately is, “Geez isn’t he tired?” And I’m not talking about the tall big-eared guy. Where does McCain get the energy to encourage all that hate and tell lies with a straight face? Obama’s a socialist and hangs out with terrorists. He’s going to raise your taxes….and did you hear that he ____________ insert whatever horror you can imagine. He’s eeevilll!!! This from the man who never met a sewer he wouldn’t romp in, helped deregulate the industry that has wiped people’s savings out, is BFFs with a man who offered to murder fellow Americans and is totally out of touch with people who look like me.

Is he hooked up to some contraption where he regenerates every night? Does he mix beer with the blood of a virgin and drink it as a tonic? Does that pact with Lucifer expire midnight November 4th? Now wait - this is mere speculation on my part. I have no idea if the Devil even likes John McCain. 

*****

Quote from McGrumpy’s free advertising on CNN via Larry King Live, regarding Palin: “Every time I’m around her I’m uplifted. “ I bet Bill Maher will make that a New Rules on this Friday’s episode of Real Time with a raunchy joke. Watch!

8 Days and Counting!!!

Source

So I don't want to count any chickens before they're hatched, but I can't help but notice those that are coming home to roost either! 

Election Day is nearly one week away and I have to say I am getting excited. I feel a shift, a momentum building though I am optimistically cautious and ever diligent. Obama's poll numbers are through the roof and he is even leading in several formerly Red states that went for Bush. Yeah!!

In California we have a plethora of State Propositions to vote on, 12 to be exact. 

1.   Prop 1A  High-Speed Passenger Train

2.   Prop 2  Standards for Confining Farm Animals

3.   Prop 3  Children's Hospital Bond Act

4.   Abortion Waiting Period/Parental Notification 

5.   Non-Violent Drug Offense Initiative

6.   Police & Law Enforcement Funding

7.   Renewable Energy

8.   Gay Marriage Ban 

9.   Criminal Justice System

10.  Alternate Fuel Vehicles

11.  Redistricting

12.  Veterans' Bond Act

Go to CA Secretary of State website for detailed info. 

Also the Courage Campaign has a voter guide that is downloadable to pdf.  

In San Francisco we have 22 additional Propositions to vote on - yeah! It's a LOT. Plus the Presidential election. 

A: SF General Hospital and Trauma Center Earthquake Safety Bond
B: Establishing of Affordable Housing Fund (Charter Amendment)
C: Prohibiting City Employees from Serving on Charter Boards/Commissions
D: Financing Pier 70 Development Upon Board of Supervisors' Approval
E: Changing the Number of Signatures Required to Recall City Officials
F: Holding All Scheduled City Elections Only in Even-Numbered Years
G: Allowing Retirement System Credit for Unpaid Parental Leave
H: Changing Revenue Bond Authority to Pay for Public Utility 
I: Creating the Office of an Independent Rate Payer Advocate
J: Creating a Historic Preservation Commission
K: Changing the Enforcement of Laws Related to Prostitution and Sex Workers
L: Funding the Community Justice Center
M: Changing Rent Ordinance to Prohibit Harassment of Tenants  
N: Changing Real Property Transfer Tax Rates
O: Replacing the Emergency Response Fee With an Access Line Tax 
P: Changing the Composition of the SF County Transportation Authority Board
Q: Modifying the Payroll Expense Tax
R: Renaming the Oceanside Water Treatment Plant
S: Policy of Budget Set-Asides & Identification of Replacement Funds
T: Free and Low-Cost Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
U: Policy Against Funding the Deployment of Armed Forces in Iraq
V: Policy Against Terminating (JROTC) Programs in Public High Schools 

There's other district races as well, but this is the bulk of ballot measures. To be well informed is to be well-armed.

Barack Is Not the Only One Being Tested

So it's 10 days and counting. To election day. Hats off to those that voted early - please do so if you haven't already. Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Independents alike we all share a common desire for our country to be 'well'. We just don't agree on how best to achieve that goal. That's okay. If we can focus on a few things that we do agree on we can start from there. 

Some of us have been waiting for the October 'surprise', this event that would cause a rift amongst voters that would favor one particular political party and carry them on a wave to victory. We were thinking it would be military-related, perhaps something to do with Osama bin Laden. He's chilling somewhere in a villa with amenities despite public declarations of him hiding underground in some hole or cave. Don't you think someone would've found him by now? It's been 7 years! So that wasn't it.

We've had the inevitable financial catastrophe that some wise but ridiculed economists and trend forecasters warned people about at least three years in advance - but it was barely covered by the corporate media and most people weren't really interested in hearing 'doomsday' predictions truth be told. We're not quite out of the woods yet. Even as uncomfortable as this makes a lot of people that is still not quite enough to sway those that are single issue voters or those with a narrow focus. 

As for the rest of us who think we've decided what matters, we are being given another opportunity for review. How? Aside from the candidate, his wife, his children and anyone who's ever associated with them WE are being tested for our judgement, loyalty and common sense. 

This incident with Ashley Todd is our defining moment, as much as the Obama campaign (and this country) does not want to focus on race and the white supremacist structure that exists here. This is the biggest unofficial referendum on the ballot. For some would use every divisive racial tactic in the book to blow apart his campaign and ignore the will of half the country. 

Keith Olbermann discussing the Hoax heard 'round the world.

Because let's be clear, we have a majority of white people here and they have to decide where they stand. Not being aware of 'racism' can no longer be the caveat. Not when highly paid operatives and their supporters are trying to manipulate the system for their personal gain. Concerns about "issues" were tossed out six weeks ago and John McCain clearly stated his campaign was going to be about attacking Obama personally. He has encouraged a certain faction of supporters to regress to their basest nature, even commending them for acting out. Other Republicans have followed suit even going so far as to suggest some people who don't fit their narrow definitions are not American = not white = wrong. 

So now this is bigger than the McCain campaign and the Republican party. This is bigger than the election, though the result desired is selecting new leadership. No, the true goal here for us as 'Americans' of every creed, nationality and social standing is our very soul, our moral compass and to state what we stand for when tested. All the warm and fuzzy moments aside and all the feelings of harmony when times are good mean nothing if they were to be thrown aside at a time of duress. 

Will we continue to be a country based on engineered racial hierarchy and social standing? 

Let's state for the record that both major political parties have some serious flaws. Black people have had their votes marginalized since our enslaved ancestors were set 'free'. It's been a freedom that has been attacked time and time again, often using the rule of law to suppress that freedom along with our voting rights. Blacks have also been far too loyal to the Democratic party without demanding reciprocity. We also have internal motivations that need to be reevaluated. I believe that time for being taken for granted is over and done, never to be revisited. We still have to fight voter theft and let's also be clear that it has been directed by the Republican party almost exclusively since the passage of the Civil Rights Act. 

I have to seriously question any individual who may be opposed to certain policies of the Democratic candidate but would still support the McCain ticket after everything he has allowed. If he has a strong enough platform why can't he just run on that and let the PEOPLE decide? Why does he have to seek to tear this country apart with anger and hatred just so he gets elected President? If you see how power hungry and erratic your candidate of choice behaves before the election what do you think he'd be like afterwards? 

We have to take responsibility for those we put in positions of power! Why would a person who claims to love this country vote based on fear or smear tactics? I hope people of consciousness would decide to take their vote elsewhere and declare to those in their own party who are being so hateful, "Not in my name." 

It has been divine intervention that these plots for racial disharmony, the lies, the voter thefts have come to light so quickly. That and people being ever diligent. And I'll give credit to Obama and how he has run his campaign. He was so much nicer than people wanted, so much more comfortable in 'mixed' company, so shrewd (not Left enough for progressives) and frugal (he wears shows with holes in them). Those that supported him early on had a clear vision that made it easy for more and more people to put aside their doubts and jump on board as well. He's certainly not perfect - but neither are we. 

If enough of us take a stand no amount of trickery, subterfuge or scandal will touch us. This is bigger than one politician. After this I am more convinced than ever why we need Obama as President, though.  Perhaps this will be the spark we needed to overturn this country's long and violent history and finally heal. It's a beginning to be sure, but it's one that is long overdue. 

Here's a thoughtful conversation between Drs. Rachel Maddow and Melissa Harris Lacewell.