Mychal "Allegedly" Bell, the wrong martyr for civil rights.

Mychal Bell, from the "Jena Six" fame, was arrested on Christmas Eve for "allegedly" trying to steal shirts and jeans from Dillards. Bell and an "unidentified" male were "allegedly" caught on camera stealing $370 worth of clothes. Bell and his "unidentified" partner "allegedly" split up after they were noticed by mall security. Bell was then "allegedly" running through the mall parking lot trying to evade capture. The police discovered Bell "allegedly" cowering under a vehicle and when they got him out he "allegedly" began "swinging his arms wildly." Bell was arrest on multiple charges, including shoplifting, resisting arrest and simple battery. He was released on $1,300 bond and will be arraigned at a later date. Louis Scott, who is an attorney representing Bell, said that preconceived notions on the part of Dillard's employees may have played a role in Bell's arrest. "Dillard's has a tradition of being overly suspicious of young black males," Scott said. "I am predicting that once all the facts are established, he "probably" will not be guilty," Scott said. "There has been more put on this young man than anybody can bear — people trying to provoke him, trying to make him react."If he was going to break the law, I believe he would have done it before."

Five days later, Bell "allegedly" shot himself in the shoulder while cleaning out a.22 caliber pistol. He had surgery at a hospital in Monroe, Louisiana, and is recovering from his injuries. Whew, all of that within a week. I wonder what will he do for an encore? This character was the same one that civil rights organizations rallied around. This was the same kid that had radio hosts shouting from the airwaves to free him from jail. This was the same person that promised he was going to stay on the straight and narrow. Many black folks made Mychal Bell into a symbol of the modern day civil rights struggle. They went by the bus loads to go March for his freedom. If you weren't going to march, they told you to wear black in solidarity. I saw a white woman at working wearing black and I thought maybe she was down for the cause. Nope, apparently black just makes her look slender.

What does it mean when you say “he probably will not be guilty?” It can only be, yes he will be found guilty or no he will not be found guilty. Probably is a so so spades hand. Probably is having sex without a condom and waiting on a pregnancy test. Probably is not what you say when you are innocent. I know what it means to be followed by store security but “allegedly” stuffing the goods in a Dillards bag? That is a bush league type sucker move. It’s called Shop Lifting not Shop Bagging…..

The problem with this kid is that he’s not ready for prime time. He doesn’t have the integrity to be what the civil rights folks need him to be. His character is seriously lacking and it has been for awhile. They didn’t have a chance to complete a background check on him. He was plucked out of obscurity and was turned into a national figure. Things were moving too fast and he was the perfect symbol. And he didn’t mind playing the part because he wanted to get out of jail. Now the threads are starting to unravel and it’s turning into a mess.

The people that I feel sorry for are the ones that supported him. He has let them down and has damaged his credibility. I know that people aren’t perfect but it would have been great if Bell wasn’t in trouble. Because every now and then, you wish that the character matched the cause.

Mr. Blackwell, what gifts can I expect from you next Xmas?

Tennessee GOP leader Chip Saltsman, a possible candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent Republican committee members a Christmas CD featuring a parody song called "Barack the Magic Negro." Other tunes on the 41-track CD that Saltsman sent include "I Can Talk Like a Coal Miner's Daughter," "Love Client #9" and "Down on the Farm with Al Gore." The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper that published a story about the CD on Friday, reported that Saltsman said members of the GOP committee have "the good humor and good sense" to see the tunes as "lighthearted political parodies."

Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, a black candidate for the chairman, said in a statement Saturday "there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race" because of Obama's election and he concluded, "When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people." Former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael S. Steele, another black candidate for the, said Saltsman's "attempt at humor was clearly misplaced," adding that the leadership of the party needs to "be a lot smarter about such things and more appreciative that our actions always speak louder than our words." "Our actions and our words are often times used to define who we are as Republicans," Steele said in a statement.

It’s obvious that some white Republicans do not want to reach out to black folks. It’s also obvious that some black Republicans do not want to acknowledge that they are black. I’m not mad about Saltsman sending out the CD. Those are the things that racists do. They make racists comments and pretend that it’s all in fun. It’s always a joke when you are talking about the other guy. What bothers me is the black man not standing up to the racism. Mr. Blackwell, are you a leader that will take your party in a new direction or a lawn jockey standing out in the yard waiting on massa to come home?

Katrina's Hidden Race War: "Victims and Vigilantes"

Hat tip to Ruth Baldwin, from The Nation Books, for this one:



In an 18-month investigation supported by The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute, reporter A.C. Thompson weaves together stories of both innocent victims and unrepentant vigilantes, painting a terryifying and never before told picture of a hidden race war in New Orleans in the days following Hurricane Katrina. Most of the incidents took place in Algiers Point, a middle-class neighborhood on New Orleans' west bank, which stood between the inundated Lower Ninth Ward and a National Guard rescue point. As black residents from the Lower Ninth tried to flee New Orleans, white residents in Algiers Point took up arms and opened fire, shooting with impunity. Thompson, in Katrina's Hidden Race War and a companion piece, Body of Evidence, interviews witnesses on all sides of the gunfire, including shooters from Algiers Point, gunshot survivors, forensic pathologists, doctors, historians, private citizens, and law enforcement officials. Thompson reviewed over 800 autopsies and state death records, and reveals a city fractured across racial lines and evidence of brutal crimes:


* According to eye witnesses, at least 11 people were shot by vigilantes in Algiers Point. In each case the targets were African-American men, while the shooters all were white. It's unclear who all 11 victims were or how many may have died, because none of the shootings have ever been investigated.


* One shooting victim, Henry Glover (his shooter remains unknown), was found charred and burned in a scorched sedan. Glover's death is particularly suspicious, with eyewitnesses reporting that New Orleans police allowed Glover to bleed to death while savagely beating the man who tried to save him, then covered up and destroyed evidence. The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute had to sue for Glover's autopsy records.


* In a companion video, residents of Algiers Point admit to forming a "mini-militia," at one point saying that shooting blacks "was like pheasant season in South Dakota. If it moved, you shot it."


*As one militiaman told Thompson, “The police said, ‘If they’re breaking in your property do what you gotta do and leave them [the bodies] on the side of the road.’


In spite of overwhelming evidence supporting all of these allegations, the New Orleans Police Department and public officials have refused comment, beyond a curt two-sentence email, for over eight months. To date there is no evidence a single investigation was ever opened, and law enforcement at every level was completely uncooperative with the investigation. As Thompson, an award winning journalist now on staff at ProPublica, wrote in the piece, "As a reporter who has spent more than a decade covering crime, I was startled to meet so many people with so much detailed information about potentially serious offenses, none of whom have ever been interviewed by police." An accompanying Editorial in the January 5, 2009 issue of The Nation magazine calls for a full and complete investigation. "Katrina still stands as a symbol of our elected officials brutal indifference to the lives of poor African-Americans," the Editors write. "It's not too late for accountability." The Editors of The Nation, America's oldest weekly news magazine, implore Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to lead a multiagency task force to get to the bottom of these crimes; Representative John Conyers and Senator Patrick Leahy to compel law enforcement to testify before congress; and incoming Attorney General Eric Holder to begin an investigation at the Department of Justice. "If we as a nation are ever truly to transcend race," they write, "tolerance for racist violence in our midst must come to an end."

Alerted by The Nation to the A.C. Thompson story, the advocacy group Color of Change launched a campaign moments after the story went to press echoing the calls for an investigation. Color of Change, a national organization that "exists to strengthen black America's political voice," played a critical role in raising public outcry around the Jena 6 case and in demanding accountability immediately following Hurricane Katrina. The organization will be launching a petition drive and an online campaign targeting Jindal, Holder and others to demand an investigation. "It's unconscionable that three years would pass without any investigation into these crimes," said James Rucker, co-Founder and Executive Director of ColorofChange.org.

Color of Change has set up a petition at http://www.colorofchange.org/nation/

"This is yet another tragic example of Louisiana officials not taking seriously their responsibility to protect Louisiana's black citizens. We hope that Thompson's article and The Nation will help shame officials into action."

A.C. Thompson's reporting on New Orleans was directed and underwritten by the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute. Thompson is an award-winning journalist on the staff at ProPublica, which provided additional support as did the Center for Investigative Reporting and New American Media. Anyone interested in interviewing reporter A.C. Thompson may contact Ben Wyskida at 212-209-5426 or ben@thenation.com.

Congress never placed conditions on the bailout money.

I was trying to figure out what was wrong with the Washington Wizards. I should have been trying to figure out what was wrong with Congress. Those morons slipped up and gave the banks a free pass. Does anybody in the government believe in oversight? Now the Banks can’t seem to explain what they have been doing with the money. I guess it’s back to putting money in the mattress.

How The Hills ruined my evening……can someone please get some Diversity on this show?

This one might be the post where the right wingers finally put the prejudice label on me. I’m not going to try to defend myself with the “well I have plenty of white friends”. Maybe I could use some though, because you never know when you need a co-signer for a loan. Lately I have been too busy to go out looking for a white friend. I have been trying to fit it into my schedule but between work and this blog….well you know how it is. Anyway, this is about how the television show The Hills ruined my evening.

I started a conversation with Citizen Wifey about us needing a new dryer. The current one looks like it was made in the Nixon Administration and it’s starting to sound like a World War II fighter plane. Then she said that The Hills were coming on. I was working on my lap top and I didn’t feel like leaving so I asked her how long would it be on. You see I don’t like the show because it is stupid. Rich white girls running around doing nothing. They do nothing from Hollywood to Paris. They do nothing from sun up to sun down. They sit around talking about feelings and falling out and making up with friends. The good thing about Sanford and Son, Good Times and even Benson was that they were relatable. You could even watch Different Strokes and Fact of Life with some credibility. They had characters that you could identify with. Citizen Wifey says that the show is entertaining. Wrestling is entertaining to me but every time it comes on all I hear is complaints.

Anyway, I was trying to get her to look at Dryers on the internet and all I kept hearing was crap. Some dummy went away to Mexico and he thought he married his girlfriend. They come back to the U.S. and find it’s not a legitimate wedding. So now they have to go to the justice of the peace to get hitched. Meanwhile his girlfriends’ mother and best friend are mad at her because she married the dummy. All this was going on and the dryer sounded like someone threw rocks in it and turned it on. Having that show on was like being tortured slowly. I would have rather been water boarded by Dick Cheney than have to listen to another minute. Then during the commercials you find out that this show has spawned spin offs. Listen I don’t have a problem with white women on television, because I like Kelly Ripa just as much as anyone else. I just don’t want to see rich girls doing absolutely nothing. Why can’t they add someone from across town (Crenshaw, Watts, or Compton) to the mix? At least when you see a girl crying about her best friend a sister can add some insight. She will some something powerful such as “you don’t need her anyway, let’s go shopping, but with your money of course.”

These shows keep being created and people keep watching them and I ask myself why? What is it that makes them so entertaining? You never see them going through any real struggle. You never see them face true adversity. People are eating and shopping around Los Angeles and my dryer sounds like a leprechaun is inside with a jackhammer. We have got to have better television shows on in the Citizen household. And Black Entertainment Television, don’t think I have forgot about you. I’m still trying to get you out of my house.

When Republicans try to be down…… no, Ann Coulter will not be joining a black sorority.

Anh “Joseph” Cao, the Republican who beat Rep. William Jefferson in the second Congressional district of Louisiana race, has expressed interest in joining the Congressional Black Caucus. Apparently Cao, the first Vietnamese-American elected to Congress, was elected in a predominantly minority district (64 percent African-American, and 3 percent Asian). Well isn’t this Ka-winky-dink!!! A republican, that isn’t black, that wants to join the CBC. I hope he talked to the spirit of Ronald Reagan before he made this decision.

I’m going to go off the tracks here and say that they should let him join. Why?? In 2006, Rep. Steve Cohen wanted to join after being elected in a predominantly black district. They dissed him and didn’t give him his golden ticket for entrance. When these politicians are being elected from majority black districts, they should get a serious look from the CBC. They are attempting to join because they will be dealing with the same issues. They also might need help in trying to provide for the needs of their constituents. The CBC should be flattered that these congressmen want to join their organization. Besides, the Black Republicans definitely don’t want anything to do with them. Let’s be honest about this group. It’s not like they support a true “black” agenda. A majority of them were endorsing Senator Hillary Clinton for president. I think Rep. Cao should receive an interview from the CBC or whatever it is that they do. And he should be given the right hand of fellowship. In the spirit of President Elect Obama reaching across the aisle, the CBC should hook this Republican up. Besides he probably thinks that the CBC gives better parties than the Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus. Think about it? Kwame Kilpatrick’s mother is a member and you know how those Kilpatrick’s do……

Obama and the man from Saddleback

People are mad at Pastor Rick Warren/People are mad at President Elect Barack Obama. Gays think that Heterosexuals hates them/Heterosexuals think that Gays hate them. Obama’s pick to do the invocation has sparked much controversy. I don’t believe there is a pastor, father, reverend or bishop on this planet that would have pleased everyone. A reporter even called Obama a bigot. All this time and now we find out Obama is a racist?? I guess that reporter hasn’t seen Obama’s picks for cabinet members. I take it that lately Gays feel that they are being persecuted. Well that is another conversation that is up for debate at another time. I want to end this post on a positive note.

My Holiday message for Obama is simply this: Oh well….you can’t make em all happy.

Guilty until proven innocent: The Chicago Story.

Governor Rod Blagojevich had his press conference today in Chicago. If it was meant to be a serious event, they completely missed the mark. Gov. Blagojevich’s lawyers made me laugh with their flare for the dramatics. If I’m ever caught on tape, those are the folks that I want working my case. No public defenders for me!!! I am amazed at Gov. Blagojevich’s insistence that he did nothing wrong. As if that was someone else that we heard on tape. His lawyers are trying to say that the wire taps were illegal. Yeah right!!! The wire taps on Martin Luther King Jr, and the Black Panthers were illegal. This was someone running a wire tap on a possible crooked politician. He was on tape discussing the possibility of selling a U.S. Senate seat. If he gets out of this one, he will be the “white” O.J. Simpson.

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. went from being a number on the “wanna be” U.S. Senate carousel to Donnie Brasco. One day he was accused of floating a bribe to the Gov. The next day he was a snitch for the state. But what kind of informant was he? Did he do it because he cares about corruption or was he trying to get back at Blagojevich? This is the biggest Jackson mess since Michael burnt his perm on tour. Congressman Jackson is defending himself on two fronts. He is trying to prove that he is not a corrupt politician. He is also trying to prove that he is a good snitch and not a bad one? Or that he wasn’t a full time snitch but just a part time one? It’s really confusing and I wish someone could clear it up for me. They say there are three sides to a story and I truly believe that. Whose side is it: The Governor, The Congressmen or The person from the Obama camp that talked to the Governor?

Don Lemon interviews Jesse Jackson Jr about Gov. Blagojevich Probe

Mr. President Elect, you seem mad about something

End of the year Music Showcase

The Soul of John Black

Lisa Shaw

Jean Baylor

Inverse

Slow Train Soul

Camp Lo

Question: Why put a music link on your blog? Answer: Because radio sucks. Listen to individuals/groups that should be on radio

Stop calling black preachers Rod!!! God said the line is busy

Why is Governor Blagojevich calling on black preachers to pray for him? No, let me change my question….Why are black preachers going to Gov. Blagojevich’s house to pray with him? It is obvious this man is crooked…...i.e. the tapes that have been heard around the world. Once again, we have another crooked politician that doesn’t watch “The Wire”. Although there is some crap that comes on television, “The Hills”, you can learn a lot from certain shows. The Gov. is on tape leaking like a Sieve, and he is walking around like business as usual. He was the first politician I heard someone refer to as a sociopath. Do you know how bad you have to be to get called that? Those are terms usual reserved for leaders of international drug cartels.

This whole thing is a mess and now we have the preachers getting involved. I just wish they would have sit this one out. Stick to visiting those folks on the sick and shut in list. They actually need a word of prayer. It always seems as if black preachers are supporting flawed characters. I remember watching R Kelly and his preacher on television. His preacher was talking about how R Kelly was a good man. A few months later he was back to bumping n grinding and a year or two later he was on trial. Can’t we still show love to the sinner but chastise the sin? Don’t get me wrong, everyone deserves Gods mercy and grace. But this guy is two fuses short a fuse box. When they have you on tape, that’s when you throw up your hands and say you got me. When it is he said they said that is when you fight them. A taped conversation records your voice; he said they said is your word against theirs. If he was repentant and they came over to pray, I would feel much better. But for him to act like he is innocent and that we are all confused is a bit much.

I don’t believe for a second that other democratic politicians in the state didn’t know he was crooked. Jesse Jackson Jr, had to dance before the media to clear up his story. I hope he knows that he will never be anything more than a congressman for the rest of his life. The Senate seat is a long shot. Matter of fact his father has a better chance of being president than him being a congressman for the state of Illinois. I can only voice my opinion because it is not up to me to judge. I just wish Gov. Blagojevich would have called Pat Robertson, John Hagee and Rick Warren instead.

Bob Johnson isn’t done with messing…opps, uh…changing the face of television.

Bob Johnson, business mogul, has plans for a new “urban” television network that will cater to a multicultural audience. The new network will focus on health, lifestyle, and education issues. Wow….. I can’t believe someone had the concept to create a television network for people of color. Golly jeepers…this Bob Johnson character must be a genius. Black Entertainment Television has given us such great gems like Cita’s World and College Hill…………… Sike!!!

I wish I could say this was a joke I read on a bathroom stall somewhere. But like politicians and prostitutes it’s all real!!!! Bob Johnson actually has plans to run another 24/7 network. You have got to be (this is a family blog so no cursing here but this is where you would insert curse words if you curse) kidding me!!!! We have seen this all before. The network starts off with such promise and then something happens. I don’t know if it’s greed, ignorance or the lack of intellectual curiosity. But something sinister happens. The good shows go by the wayside and the lowest common denominator shows start popping up. You go from intellectual conversations about politics to soft core porn. I’ve watched BET, like Hip Hop, go from a beautiful queen to a crack head. Now after pimping up and ho’ing down BET, Bob Johnson wants to expand his slimy touch to a wider audience.

Bob Johnson can do whatever he wants because it’s his money. I just want him to start what he finishes first. He needs to fix the Charlotte Bobcats, the basketball team that he owns. Workers are getting laid off, there is no star player, the seats are too expensive and the business community is pissed off with statements made by Mr. Johnson. You name the team after yourself and you fly in and out of town like a drunken sailor on shore leave. I’ve seen more layoffs in North Carolina than I have bobcats. How are you going to pass the bobcat off as a native cat of North Carolina…….but I digress.

You have lost all credibility in the television business so whatever you do will be scrutinized. If this network starts “cutting fool” like BET did, I am going to blow you up on this blog. Mr. Johnson, this time get it right!!!!

Janelle Monae in "Many Moons" a short video/film

Paying with every Puff

Inhalers are going green and I mean green like the dollar. In the beginning of 2009, Inhalers will be filled with eco-friendly chemicals and not the chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) that have been a cause of global warming. Who knew with every puff of my inhaler I was the one making that Indian cry on that commercial. It appears that going green is the new black. Not to be confused with gay being the new black. Because essentially black is the old black made new. Are you confused??? Anyway… The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has signed off on inhalers going green and drug companies are following the lead as well. An endorsement by the FDA doesn’t make me feel any better about the new inhalers. This is the same organization that can’t keep feces out of our meat, and pesticides off our vegetables. They probably thought the Bird Flu was a dance until people started getting sick. I think that it’s great to help out our environment but why does it come at a cost? The new inhalers are going to cost between $20 - $50 more dollars than the old ones. What??? Why is it that everything healthier comes at a high premium? At those prices who can afford to be sick? This is why all the natural food stores are in “well off” neighborhoods. You don’t see chicken joints in the hood selling arugula and organic chicken. Not only will the inhalers cost more but the medicine will taste different. People who have been using the new inhalers aren’t even noticing the puffs. So now the puffs are silent puffs? How are we going to know if the medicine is working without the puffs? I need my puffs!!!! Until my inhaler runs on fumes I am going to hold out. I’m not doing this to make a statement. It’s a co-pay issue. My medical insurance likes to trip sometimes….

The New Face of Foreclosure

Just when I thought the news out of Charlotte couldn’t get any worse. Fantasia Barrino is about to lose one of her homes. Yes!!! I said one of her homes. Who knew she was balling like that!!! Apparently the $1.3 Million, 6,232 square foot home is going to get the BIG “F” if she doesn’t start making payments. I have never owned anything that expensive so I don’t know what she should do about making those payments. I guess she could sell more records but at those prices she would have to put a record out every 6 months or have a monster hit. I mean a monster hit…..like The Fugees 2nd Album. You don’t see Lauryn Hill beggin for food do you??? Like I previously said she owns a second home. She owns a $740,000, 4,572 square foot home. I personally don’t know why a single mother with one child would leave a 4,572 square foot home for a 6,232 square foot home? It would have been cheaper for her to add on. I guess 3 ½ baths just doesn’t do the trick like 5 ½. This is going to be debated on television and at the barber shops as a case of financial irresponsibility. People against homeowner bailouts are going to use this as an example for their cause. Fantasia’s financial dilemma shouldn’t take away from the many people that need help saving their homes. Many good people were given loans that they were not eligible for. They didn’t know how the mortgage industry worked so they left all the details up to the professionals. People were given Arm Loans with the hopes of the economy staying strong. Well as we have just found out, we have been in a recession since 2007. Fantasia is going to be alright in the end. She will though, be the butt of occasional jokes and negative talk on the internet. The individuals that won’t be alright are the ones that do not have a second home to go to.

What a week!! 12/1/08 – 12/5/08

This week was the worst!!! There were numerous Job layoffs or as CEO’s call them “job reductions”. When you are out of a job, you really don’t sit around worrying about semantics. President Elect Obama rolled out more of his “Super Friends” to the world. Obama is steady filling up his presidential cabinet while President Bush’s cupboards are bare. I remember when people didn’t want Obama to mention his name and President in the same sentence. Now they are crying out for him to take charge. The last thing we need is for two people pretending to be president. We already have one person that fits that description.

Alan “Kamikaze” Keyes, a conservative crackpot, has filed a lawsuit to withhold California electoral votes until Obama proves he is a U.S. Citizen. Yes……….(I say with embarrassment) Alan Keyes is a black man. This is the same Keyes who lost a 2004 Illinois Senate race to Obama. He actually moved to Illinois to run against Obama. Yes……….(I say with extreme embarrassment) Keyes never lived in Illinois…NEVER! The Republicans probably figured “well It’s just one black guy” so let’s send him out against Obama. Keyes has become the Black Republican Canary (no not a superhero but a super zero). They send in Keyes (like a canary) into the coal mines (political races he can’t win) to test for toxic fumes (to lose). Republicans can then pat themselves on the back and say they are diverse. Keyes needs to stop chasing Obama around discrediting him. It’s just not cool. Keyes will never end up on the cover of Ebony for the top 25 blacks with swagger. Keyes and these other loons need to drop these lawsuits and petitions. Obama would not have gotten this far if he was an illegal alien. His mother is from Kansas for crying out loud!!!

Another week of watching those kooky automobile CEO’s aka “The Big 3”. Why would you drive all the way from Detroit to Washington in a compact car? If they could afford a PR Firm, they would have known to go coach on the first trip. After years of creating cars that needed to be refueled every 2 days, we are officially in a crisis (per the financial books of the Big 3). I wonder did the CEO’s sit around saying “those silly Japanese, do they really think those miniature cars will sell”. These CEO’s had a lack of foresight and were not able to prepare for the future of the automobile. So we are supposed to hand them a check because they now have a plan? I’m all for throwing people out once they show you they are incompetent. The unions that work for these companies are feeling the heat as well. They better get their stories together or they might be going to Washington by Greyhound. I just don’t know if going the MC Hammer Bankrupt route will fix anything either. Due to the lies that we have been told so far, I don’t trust any of these Economists. Citizen Wifey handles the family finances so maybe I should consult her. At least she won’t wait a year to tell us we are in a recession.

Saxby (my name sounds like a Saxophone mixed with Zaxby’s Restaurant) Chambliss won his run-off election with a whopping 57 percent of the vote. The Georgia Senator was talking a lot of trash after his victory. If he was a better politician, he wouldn’t have been in this predicament. The person he was running against must have been 7th on the depth chart of available politicians. The Democratic Party had a lot of ATLiens to choose from to run against Saxby. Usher, Jermaine Dupree, Young Jeezy, Andre 3000. Georgia proved that black folks won’t come out to vote if Barack Obama is not on the ticket. In Clayton County (which has a heavy African American population) Jim Martin received half the votes he did in the November election. It appears that we have yet to comprehend the power that voting gives us (i.e. special interest groups and lobbying). Yeah, this week really sucked…..

Julian Bond to step down as NAACP board chair

Mr. Bond, I commend you on doing the honorable thing and falling on your sword. Your poor leadership and lack of vision have placed doubts over the NAACP. Mr. Bond, I blame you for the departure of former president Bruce Gordon. I also disagree with your decision to involve the NAACP in seating the Michigan delegates. You need to let some “new” blood circulate through the organization. But please, no more handpicked subordinates as replacements.

I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry

Sniff Sniff... Yours truly has been given The Superior Scribbler Award. The award was given to me by UglyBlackJohn. You can click on the above post title to learn more about the award.

As part of the rules of this award I must pass "The Award" on to 5 most-deserving Bloggers. See rules below:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.
2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.
4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

So here we go...............rim-shot please...we can't afford a drumroll.

uppity negro network - provides an unusual brand of commentary that is part religious/part street sense/part common sense. Even if you don’t agree with some of his posts, you will surely be challenged by them and that’s what I like.

a blue state of mind - is a calming presence to the blogosphere. Her life is written as if it were a painting. When you read her posts, it’s as if you are watching someone painting on blank canvas.

aunt jemimas revenge - provides commentary that is straight with no chaser. She is unapologetic and unbossed. She says what many people are thinking and what they wish they could say. A strong black woman that doesn’t take shorts…you gotta love her.

we are respectable negroes - has some of the best ranting that you can find on the web. Don’t get me wrong because it’s not just three folks sitting around flapping their jaws. They provide insightful, well thought out rants. They have something good to read on a weekly basis. Key Word: Consistency.

makes me wanna be a writer - is the cool kid in school. I’m kept up to date with the latest in pop culture without all the sleaze you get at some other sites. Also knows how to drop a thoughtful gem on you. Make sure you stop in to check out the music selection.

I wish that I could blame Bush but I can’t find him.

I was talking to my dad about Social Security over this past Thanksgiving break. He talked about when he retires, (again!) he will have a Social Security check rolling in. I mentioned to him that when Social Security was founded they weren’t expecting people to have longer life spans. I also told him there wouldn’t be any money left for me when I get older. Point of reference on my dad’s age: He is currently trying to get the “Shaft” movie soundtrack converted from his 8-track cartridge to a Compact Disc. Please don’t ask….

Anyway, his response to me about Social Security was “I don’t know what you are going to do but I’m getting a check.” During Bush’s time in office what did he do about Social Security? I wish I could blame Bush for the lack of Social Security reform.

We are now just finding out that we have been in a recession since 2007. That means for almost 2 years we have been lied to “by the powers that be.” It feels like every American Economist just popped out of a cake and yelled surprise!!!! Apparently we weren’t told about the recession because they didn’t want us to stop spending money. People are losing their jobs, and homes and they wanted us to keep spending? But not spending on the United States or even “in” the U.S. Amazing…it’s no surprise where our jobs are going – we purchase toys from China, clothes from Taiwan, diamonds from Africa, hair weave from Korea, Beer from Germany, rock music from the United Kingdom, and cars from Italy, Korea, Germany, Japan and Great Britain. Jobs kept going overseas, no oversight on shady bank deals and a war (or two or possibly three) that has no end in sight. During Bush’s time in office what did he do about building up the Economic Surplus? I wish I could blame Bush for the Economy.

I see Barack Obama rolling out new cabinet members like appliances at Sears. I see the Chairman of the Fed and the Treasury Secretary pretending to fix the economy. I even see Condi Rice playing the piano for the Queen of England but I can’t find Bush. Is he hiding out in that bunker with the Vice President? The last time I saw him, the economy went bust, he looked scared and I haven’t seen him since. I know he has an MBA from a so called “elite” school. I guess those Ivy League Schools don’t teach economics… If Bush is still the president, then he needs to show his face. If only I knew where he was…….

P.S. It’s not Bush’s fault that Plaxico Burress (Dummy!!!) shot himself in public but if I could pin it on him I would….

Letting bygones be bygones: because my momma said so

During my time home for the Thanksgiving break, my mother talked to me about holding grudges. Apparently she thinks I hold grudges against people: family members, the girl up the street (back in the day she led me on), and Hillary Clinton. I’m not really as bad as she makes me sound. I just don’t have time for a lot of crap. I guess it didn’t help by me mentioning suing the girl up the street for the time I wasted with her. It was a long shot but who says you can’t sue people for time wasted? Anyway… my mother talked about getting into Heaven and some other stuff – how did Hillary Clinton bring all this up??? All I said was that I couldn’t stand her!!! You can’t blame a brother for being honest.

I just felt that the Clintons betrayed black folks with their campaign rhetoric. How could they do this to “us”? The Clintons wouldn’t be where they are today if it weren’t for black folks. How did you think Bill Clinton got his street cred? There was always the cool white guy list…Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, Sean Connery, The rappers from 3rd Bass and Bill Clinton. They say not to take politics personal but how could you not? Hillary call Barack Obama everything but a child of God. She even played the “whoa is me..I’m white and blacks are taking over everything card.” It made you scratch your head and wonder what christian conservative deck did she get that out of???? This lady even teamed up with Bob “pimping ain’t easy” Johnson to help with her Obama greatest dissess album. Bob Johnson had the audacity to accuse Obama of basically holding a drug corner. When did Obama become Avon Barksdale? Obama already said he used drugs in his youth..duh!!! Hillary should have known better than to get involved with a pimp…I’m talking about Bob not Bill.

So after the campaign I’m supposed to bury the hatchet (not in Hillary’s back that is) and move on. Obama (for some foreign reason – only aliens would know) has decided to make Hillary his Secretary of State. Hillary Clinton, the same woman that lied about being under Bosnian sniper fire. I don’t get it and I don’t like it. I heard the talk about her having an International Brand Name. Mariah Carey is internationally known as well but I wouldn’t send her to talk to the Iraqis. It’s not that I’m just holding beef for someone but it’s a character issue. Hillary is a shady character and if you can’t trust her - how could you want to be around her - therefore making it hard to like her. You see there is some logic to this.

BUT….because it is going to be a new year and I don’t want citizen momma going on and on about forgiveness. I will turn over a new tree (notice I didn’t say leaf) and extend the peace branch. I can’t say peace pipe because I have asthma and I think the Indians smoked the chronic. This does not mean that I won’t criticize her again. She is a politician and is using tax-payers money so she is fair game. No more personal attacks (like in the campaign) by saying horrible things about her. You see momma I’m trying and I don’t even have my fingers crossed behind my back.

Tis the season of appeasement

It’s that time of year again!!! You can just smell the fresh baked cookies and the pine scented fake trees. Its Christmas suckers!!!!! This is the time of year when people lose their minds. You ask why? No not because of homelessness or being homesick. They get the Fever AKA The Debt Before XMAS. People run around like crack heads mistaking a sugar truck for carrying blow. The media calls them consumers. People that obtain all of their food and clothes from garbage cans call them fools. I call them the Big Spenders of Xmas Eve.


They consist of parents that don’t have the will power to tell their child no. And people who are afraid of what family will think if they don’t purchase gifts. You see these folks at work during their lunch break shopping on line (or possibly shopping on line during work). They have these long check lists of gifts that they are trying to fill out. I remember when my grandmother (on my mom’s side) use to give me long johns. I use to think to myself what am I going to do with these. She must have known that in the future I would be turning down my heat to offset those robbers known as Duke Energy. Boy! She must be a psychic!!! She didn’t do like the rest of my fellow Americans and shopped until their credit cards started smoking. So many people are charging their way into debt. What are they going to do when the bill is due? Trust me, the bill is always due. The last time I heard about someone giving away something for free, my high school lacrosse team ended up with mono.


Every Xmas there is the local commercial where some guy walks into a place with his car title and receives a cash loan. This is to show how easy it is to buy gifts for Xmas when the money is low.


Let’s review the tape shall we?
A person takes a car title to a business to receive a cash loan (STOP)!
1) If you are in possession of your car title that means that you have paid off your car loan.


The business gives the person a cash loan (STOP)!
2) This is a loan with a very high interest rate (has to be at least in the double digits).


The person takes the money to buy Xmas gifts (STOP)!
3) If you need a loan to buy your child a toy for Xmas, you must be broke! Therefore you have no business buying Xmas gifts.


Don’t get me wrong I’ve had to eat oodles of noodles (or as black folks call them oodles-n-noodles) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I highly recommend the shrimp flavor. The reality of this situation is that there are consequences to making this decision. Let’s say you don’t pay off your loan in time - guess what? Now this business owns the title to your car which you had previously paid off. So some fool will lose his car because he couldn’t tell his child that they can’t get any toys this year. I’m sure somebody will say Citizen you don’t have any kids so how would you know what it’s like. Well you are right!! I don’t have any kids. And if I keep looking at yours I might not want any!!! I remember one Xmas I wanted a Lone Ranger action figure set. I’m talking The Lone Ranger, Tonto, a Stage Coach and some other foolishness. Well on Xmas day I ran downstairs to open my gifts and I didn’t see what I asked for. This is also the time that I stopped believing in Santa Claus but I digress…. Well what I ended up with was long johns, some other toys and a radio that picked up television stations. I know that last part sounded weird but it’s the truth!!! I could tune the channels like a radio and I would receive television stations. I could hear the television shows perfectly but I couldn’t see the television show. I guess my parents were trying to stay ahead of the technology curve. We were always a little behind everyone else. During my freshman year of college I had a word processor. My parents were all proud like I was going to school with the Apple Notebook. Later on they got me a radio that had a TV in it. Please don’t ask……..


People need to be honest about their financial situation and not get caught up in the hoopla. Xmas is a once a year event but going into to debt can last forever. If the people around you don’t’ understand your situation then change the people around you. Drop your kids off in Nebraska and stop speaking to your relatives.

Merry Xmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SNL Skit on Rahm Emmanuel

No Country for Educated Men

"I admit it. I want a thug around the edges. Something about their swagger gets me all hot and bothered. Stick up their behind men bore the hell out of me. I think the more education you have the less you know how to have fun. I want a man who will stick up for me, not run if someone says some foolishness to me or grabs my ass in the club. What happened to all the real dudes standing up for their women? I will take a thug over a coward in a suit anyday."

~ RideOrDie

Credit: the title post "Every Good Woman Needs A Thug?" from the blog The P.O.S.H. Life

Obama is president elect and women are still saying this? I’m having flashbacks to my freshmen year of college. I remember how girls would run behind the roughest dudes in school. Then when they graduated, (i.e. wanting marriage, kids etc), it was time to look for a responsible man. I guess it’s hard raising a family when your man is in the street. If Lil Wayne was running for president, would he have won the 2008 election? White folks would have voted 97% for McCain. The 3% are the white kids that think they are black. We have an education crisis in our inner cities and this woman wants a thug? That’s what we have in our schools already!!! Come on lady…. Really???

This Abraham Lincoln "Team of Rivals" stuff sucks!!!!

I am getting ready to commit a cardinal sin and question President Elect Obama’s judgment. This is not going to go over well with black folks, but I mean no disrespect. I have questioned Obama before and he has always proved me wrong, but this time I am scratching my head.
Joe “turncoat Lieberman betrayed Obama and his party during the Presidential Election. He never missed an opportunity to stab Obama in his back. “Lie”berman would speak disparagingly about Obama in front of Republican crowds. This is the same douche bag that was running for vice president as a Democrat. Instead of Obama keeping him as chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, he should boot his behind. I wouldn’t let him chair the small business and entrepreneurship Committee.

I know Obama likes reading about the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. I know they both have roots in Illinois. I know they both are tall. I know that they both have black in them, but damn man… Hillary Clinton as secretary of state!!!! Was Condoleezza Rice that bad??? How did we get back to this? Why won’t she just get on her broomstick and fly away? This woman used the race card on Obama. That’s an automatic “hate on you” yellow card to throw at her. What other books on United States Presidents is he reading? Might I recommend “Lincoln Unmasked” by Thomas J. Dilorenzo. You will know it’s the right book because on the front it says “What you’re not supposed to know about Dishonest Abe.

These people tried to discredit and disgrace him. He must be the pillar of forgiveness. Enemies are to be vanquished. That’s what you do to them. You take them out with the quickness and efficiency of a ninja. You don’t keep them lying around plotting to take you down. UNLESS…Obama is reading “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. If he is trying to keep his eyes and hands on his enemies that would make me feel better. For the life of me, I don’t know why Obama would want Bill and Hillary, white America’s Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston, involved in helping him run the country.

Why is it so difficult figuring this guy out? He is unlike any other brotha I have ever met. I rack my brain everyday trying to figure out his next move. If someone can explain his motives to me, please let me know. Until then, this "Team of Rivals" stuff sucks!!!!

Taking Obama's off the pedestal

"Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1964 and Barack Obama is the 44th president. 1964 plus 44 is 2008. God works in mysterious ways!" ~ Anonymous



Um…. No! Rev, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. By the above authors calculation, that would make President Elect Barack Obama destined to be President in 2012. Uh Oh someone needs to let Senator Clinton and Governor Palin know. As heavy as the Obama bandwagon has been, it’s a miracle the wagon never had a flat tire. It’s understandable that black folks would be excited about a black family occupying the White House but the jubilance has gotten out of hand.

I was reading my local paper yesterday and they had an article about what Michelle Obama means to black women. I thought to myself “oh that’s nice.” After reading the article, I was bewildered by many of the participants. Michelle Obama becoming the first lady garnered such responses as “because of the Obama’s, now I have hope in finding a man,” and one woman said, “I’ve started paying attention to my daughters more.” What??????? I think it’s nice that Michelle Obama can be a role model but savior of the black race she’s not. If you needed to see a black first lady in order to give your children the time of day, something is really wrong with your concept of parenting. The fact that Michelle Obama reads to her daughters at night shouldn’t motivate you to read to your kids. You should be reading to your kids regardless of who is in office. Don’t be put off because President Bush didn’t read a lot. You still need to read to your kids. Maybe things would have been different if he read those intelligence reports.

And please don’t think Michelle Obama can change the marriage statistics for black women. The numbers still look shaky ladies!!! I hope women aren’t running around looking for the next Barack Obama. You have a better chance finding the next Bobby Fisher. When the Obama’s first met in the law office back in the day, it wasn’t just her looks that Obama liked. If Michelle LaVaughn Robinson was working in the mail room instead of as a lawyer, Barack probably would have kept it moving to the next chick. You are not going to find a man of Barack’s character at ladies night, or on the corner. I’m not here to persuade black woman from dreaming of a “knight in shining armor” but there is more to finding a “quality” man.

I’ve also been disturbed by statements from black men saying “the day after Obama won I put on a suit….” what???? Why do we need Barack Obama in office to get our grown man on? I guess Jay Z wearing a suit didn’t give folks a hint. You should have been wearing a suit before Barack become president. Why are people taking their life “cues” from the first black president? What would we have done if he never would have entered the race? I remember that no one (including myself) thought that he could win in America. We thought he would never be able to fight the Clinton Machine and white folks wouldn’t vote for him. It wasn’t until Iowa that black folks started looking at him with possibility. Then when the Clintons showed their natural behinds in South Carolina, black folks bucked the Clinton Machine and went with the Brotha. Now we have arrived and people have placed their hopes on this one family.

The Obama’s aren’t good parents because of MLK. Barack doesn’t wear suits because of John H. Johnson. Michelle doesn’t carry herself with dignity and class because of Judith JAMESON. They don’t need to be inspired to do what most people do every day. I’m sure they aren’t perfect but it’s not about that. It’s about doing the best you can with what you got. It’s okay to admire a person or be inspired by them. You just have to remember that they are just like you…….human.

Back to Basics: Return of an old friend

"People are looking to buy the things they want with non-credit-based terms. The lend and spend boom is over.”

~ Michael Bilello, senior vice president of business development at ELayaway.com

A favorite friend of shoppers is making a comeback. Our good friend lay-away is back in business. Tough times have ushered in a frugal mentality when it comes to shopping these days. In our current financial crisis, people aren’t splurging like they use to. Stereotypically, less affluent shoppers where once the poster children for lay-away. Many stores ditched their lay-away programs because they wanted to appear more upscale. It’s actually ironic if you think about it. Our current financial depression brought back a retail program that was birthed in our 1st Great Depression.

Babbling Bush King of Toastmasters

"He needs to understand that as President, his words will be scrutinized and will have impact whether he intends it or not. In this regard, President Bush is an excellent model; Obama should take a lesson from his example. Bush never gets sloppy when he is speaking publicly. He chooses his words with care and precision, which is why his style sometimes seems halting. In the eight years he has been President, it is remarkable how few gaffes or verbal blunders he has committed."

~ conservative blogger John Hinderaker advice to President Elect Barack Obama

The Republicans got their heads handed to them on Nov 4th but they still keep talking. You think after they got mauled on both coasts and the Midwest, they would go somewhere and sit down. Nope! Not these clowns. They keep talking and talking and talking. Some dim wit Georgia Congressman named Paul Broun called Obama a Marxist today. Newsflash to Paul Broun….you are 1week late. Obama won the election. You are probably like Sarah Palin and don’t read anything in print. Are the words to big for you Mr. Broun?????

I digress………….I’m not going to blow him up tonight because I’m focused on this loon of a blogger. This fool actually thinks that President Bush is a good public speaker. This idiot must be deaf? Bush couldn’t talk his way out of a paper bag. Every time he opens his mouth, he proves that you don’t have to attend an Ivy League school to be successful. A professor in constitutional law needs speaking lessons from a C Average student?
It would have to be a black man that someone would step to like this. Let me not mix words so you won’t be guessing. If Obama was white, he wouldn’t have attempted to give him advice like this. Yeah I said it!!!!!! This man must be out of his damn mind!!!!

My Post Election Commentary

The results of this past Tuesdays election has me contemplating. I am still in a state of disbelief. I have to admit that I am cynical when it comes to race relations in this country. I wasn’t always like this. I grew up in predominantly white environments and had a mix of black and white friends. But after being out here in the working world, I have become more cynical as the days go on. I see the disparity between whites and blacks every day. I’ve watched less qualified whites get hired, while qualified blacks had to work at minimum wage jobs. I’ve watched blacks get marginalized as stereotypes on television and print. I’ve heard whites say some of the most despicable things on radio.

So to see a black man become the President Elect of the United States of America, it still leaves me in awe. I still don’t know what this means yet. I don’t think we are moving to a post racial America, but it does change how I look at this country. The white folks that voted for Obama bought into the concept of judging a man by his character vs. his color. The vote did not validate America’s tolerance, but showed how this country is supposed to work. Tuesday wasn’t just a win for diversity, but for the people that died, all genders and races, in order for this to happen.

When I woke up the day after the election, I had to renew my driver’s license. I can’t believe the DMV doesn’t take debit cards……….I digress though. The day looked like any other day, but there was something in the air. It was something that I have never felt before after a general election. This feeling was a sense of newness in America. I was looking at the world through a different set of eyes. What I saw wasn’t limitations but great possibilities. They say life is a beautiful struggle – well the struggle continues but the world just become a little prettier.

President Elect Obama can't even get a blurb in East Texas?

“We run a newspaper, not a memory book service. We covered the local commissioner’s race. We thought that was more important.”

~ The Terrell Tribune’s publisher, Bill Jordan

The day after Obama was elected president, the headline of the Tribune centered on the local county commissioner’s race. The headline was titled, “Jackson defeats Schoen.” If you thought this was an error in judgment it wasn't. Not one story in the newspaper was devoted to the presidential victory. So the local commissioner’s race was more important than the presidential election? We are talking about the president of the United States of America.

I was taking my Post Election Nap and Racism woke me up. I tried talking to him because he is really down in the dumps.

"Hello Racism, I see you look the same since we last met. Oh, you don't like that there is an African American President? Yep, white folks even voted for him. You do know that he won the popular vote and the Electoral College. No the Electoral College is not in New Hampshire. Anyway don't be mad, it's all good. If it makes you feel any better, they have impeach Obama websites up and running. Funny thing is he hasn't even started the job yet. Stop crying it is undignified. This too shall pass and you will live on to fight another day. You still have many supporters including the publisher of a raggedy newspaper. With Obama in office business is going to pick up for you. Besides you thrive off of causing dissention among the races. You know you're going to spend the next 4 years telling us how bad Obama is. You are who you are and that's all you know how to do. Well I'll talk to you later. I have to get my "local newspaper" with Obama on the front."

The National Nightmare Is Over

The 8 year dictatorship of President George W. Bush will be coming to an end next year. I can’t say that I am going to miss the guy. Most people I know, i.e. Black Folks, hate George Bush’s guts. I don’t think he is the devil as some people say. I just think that he was under qualified to be President. He lacks the intellectual skill set to be the leader of a country. That’s one of the things I like about President Barack Obama. He knows what he knows and he knows what he doesn’t know. Obama doesn’t make “gut” decisions based on personal feelings. He believes in surrounding himself with knowledgeable advisors. I don’t know what the future holds but it should be something to see. For now though… the National Nightmare is over.

What up pilgrim? There's A New Sheriff In Town!!!!

Citizen Ojo congratulates Barack H. Obama as the 44th president elect of the United States of America. 11/4/08.

Wonder Woman: I wonder why John McCain picked you?

"Now tomorrow, I hope, I pray, I believe that I'll be able to wake up as vice president elect, and be able to get to work in a transition mode with the president -elect, John McCain."

~Sarah Palin voting on election day in Wasilla, Alaska

Liddy Dole click your heels three times and go back to Kansas

Democratic state Senator Kay Hagan was elected to the U.S. Senate by beating Elizabeth Dole. Toward the end of the campaign, Dole used attack ads against Hagan questioning her Christian faith. The commercials were of bootleg quality so that speaks to her professionalism. Now Dole can go back to spending time with her sour patch faced husband.

Welcome to the party Obamaholics but I'm done......party on without me.

This election is bittersweet for me because it is my last time voting as a Democrat. I’m going to become an independent or as it’s called in North Carolina “unaffiliated”. As long as I have been voting I have been a Democrat. I have Harry S. Truman to thank for sending my family down this path. President Truman advocated national health insurance, and civil rights issues. I personally don’t think he actually believed in black and white equality, but don’t’ mind me I’m cynical about race relations. I’ve watched my parents vote for the Democrats every presidential election. They voted even when the candidates were wack (Dukakis, and Mondell). I even carried on their tradition of voting for wack candidates (Kerry).

I remember my first election like it was yesterday. A young saxophone playing upstart from Arkansas was running for president. He was so popular with black folks that they started calling him “The first black president.” That never passed down to his wife though, because there wasn’t anything “stereotypically black” about her. I know the Republicans hated the way black folks revered the Clintons. The more they attacked the Clintons, the more black folks loved them. When President Bill Clinton was caught getting “serviced” in the oral..oops.. oval office, black folks gave him a pass. I remember a black guy telling me “the presidency is a stressful job, of course he needs a pick me up to help him relax.” I voted for Clinton twice and I don’t regret my vote. I decided to let the good times roll and vote for Al Gore in 2000. With all the shenanigans that went on with Gore vs. Bush, I thought I was voting in a Kenyan election. For 4 years I walked around with a bitter taste in my mouth because of Democracy denied. I stuck with my party and tried again with Kerry vs. Bush. Bush bamboozled voters with thoughts of Gay folks marrying each other and having babies in the streets. So they voted Bush in and he didn’t stop gay people from marrying at all. Actually gay people are getting married faster than ever now.

So after 8 years of a Bush dictatorship, I was ready for something different. I thought Hillary Clinton was a good bet and I decided to roll with her. I thought it was nice that Barack Obama was running but I didn’t think white folks would actually vote for him (I told you I’m cynical). I think the turning point was in Iowa when he pulled out the victory. He became a serious contender in the race and that’s when Hillary lost her mind. It started in South Carolina with the Clintons using the Republican model of the southern strategy. Then my arch-enemy Bob Johnson opened his cooning mouth, referring to Obama as habitual drug user. Every primary and caucus after that became painful to watch. The party that I have stood by for years was disintegrated before my eyes. It all came to a head when the Democrats met to discuss giving voting rights back to Michigan and Florida. White women in hotel lobbies yelling how unqualified Obama is and that they were being robbed. Hillary used the fact that she was a woman and played the damsel in distress role. She accused everyone and anyone of sexism. Black folks in the party were covering for the madness saying that they were unified. Obama had to fight black Democrats, white women, the mainstream media and the Clintons. I realized that the party was not the same one that was advertised to me. I had thought that all the Dixiecrats left to become Republicans. I realized the Democrats were just as racist as the Republicans. Then polls turned up showing how White Democrats wouldn’t vote for Obama because of his race. I personally like my racism out in the open and not hidden. I came to the realization that the party I have supported since 1992 was not the kind I want to belong to. I thought the Democrats would support the best candidate whether they were black or female. I thought Democratic candidates would respect each other and not tear each other down. Black Democrats supporting Clinton didn’t even pull her to the side to say “calm down.” I would rather be by myself then stay with a dysfunctional family. I can’t support people that truly in their hearts don’t support me.

Now I can see someone reading this and saying “why don’t you become a Republican?” My two word answer to that is…………………………………………………………….NO!!!!

The party of Jesse Helms, Strom Thurmond, Trent Lot, Tom Delay, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and Anne Coulter… need I say more.
I think this independent move will work out best for me. It feels right to me. I view certain issues with a liberal eye and a conservative eye. Being unaffiliated also takes me out of the box that pollsters and pundits want to put me in (such as: I’m black so I automatically vote Democrat). I just hope that I won’t be getting any flyers from Cynthia McKinney and that Green Party.

One week away...what will the aftermath look like?

Citizen Ojo welcomes guest blogger DougMG.

So DougMG tell us what's on your mind:

Let's quickly fast forward 7 days...

What will the aftermath of Barack Obama's land slide victory look like in America? What direct impacts will it have on the psyche of those Americans who still subscribe to the 'concepts of whiteness? Clearly we'll be excited and inspired and charged up.... But how will our celebrations be interpreted? Might they even be mis-interpreted as 'riots'? For those who aren't so inspired, how will their insecurities actually play out? Will organizations such as the KKK see a new revival in their memberships, and what will be their implications?

I cite one such historical scenario, where in 1910, the Unforgivably Black Jack Johnson fought and beat "The Great White Hope" Jim Jefferies. The aftermath led to a renewed cultural pride accompanied by spirited celebrations nationwide, but it also led to dozens of deaths and even lynchings.

We've never had this type of success before, of a Black man becoming president...therefore, it's really quite hard to say what we and the rest of America will do on the days after next Tuesday.

So I only wonder, what will post-November 4th look like?

Paging Joe the Plumber...Paging Joe the Plumber...Please

Ignorance - common sense + Intolerance x Rage = Racism

Ain't this the truth!

~Citizen Wifey