My open letter to Constance McMillian

This is my official response in form of a letter to the scheme that apparently Itawamba County School District officials and parents did this past weekend to Constance McMillian, her girlfriend, and a handful of other students.  They invited Constance and those others to an alleged fake prom while hold an actual prom sponsored by the school district unofficially at another location and later confirmed by the local newspaper, Tupelo Daily Journal.  Apparently, the parents and the officials of the district felt it was more important to scheme and set a ploy so that the district wouldn't be held in contempt of court, and with that alone I shake my head.

Dear Constance,


I understand your aggravation and disappointment with your local school district, the parents, students, and even the federal justice system on the case of your senior prom this year.  It's clear that the school district's legal team has made it apparent that the prom isn't an official school event, so the federal judicial circuit could not force them to invite you and your girlfriend or hold it as originally planned.    However, I look at this as a blessing in disguise as you wouldn't have to subject yourself or your girlfriend to the foolishness those idiots have been in their hearts and soul because of ignorance.  If that was me, I wouldn't want to be in the company of anybody who doesn't appreciate my time or presence.  People like your fellow classmates, their parents, and school officials are what is wrong with a great chunk of the South and Midwest where people find it A'OK to discriminate, but you and your girlfriend should graduate from school at the end of next month and move somewhere you and her can live productive and happy lives rather than entertain the idiocy of a significant number of citizen in northern Mississippi.


Sincerely, 


J.L. 

The Birmingham News endorses Emory Anthony

I know I've been slacking off on weekend posts, but I've enjoy not thinking about the stupidity for a few days, and will write on a regular again...

Anyways, this weekend the Birmingham News has decided to endorse Emory Anthony over Patrick Cooper for the mayor of Birmingham for the next 2 years.  There reasons is their lack of reporting all the 6 mayoral forums and saying that Cooper didn't attend all of them.  FACT: Cooper attended 3 of the 6 mayoral forums.  Anthony only attended 4 himself, so what difference does this truly make.  FACT: The Birmingham News only covered 3 of the 6 forums themselves, but only thoroughly reported on the 2 hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and Catalyst Birmingham at WorkPlay.  FACT: The majority of the attendees of these forums are supporters, campaign workers, and those who have already made up their mind were in attendance at the forums since they are forums and not debates where issues can be discussed and countered.  In other words, these are dog-and-pony shows for candidates, and if a candidate does show up to these they are basically using one-line zingers and slogans to their fan, cheerleaders, and those on their payroll.   FACT: The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald and Joey Kennedy were some of the main print media detractors of Cooper's lawsuit against former mayor Larry Langford over the authenticity of his citizenship in Birmingham, which was later proven false and the suit was legit.  FACT: The Birmngham News were some of the main culprits who turned a blind eye to the foolishness of the Langford administration hoping he would allow them into the Council Chambers and other city related business to scoop a story.  So to sum it up, it seems to me that the Birmingham News is a bias news source when it comes to reporting on things involving Birmingham and its imagery and trying to help progress the place beyond the racialized, hyper-partisan mess that remained status quo for nearly 2 decades.

Now Anthony ran for mayor in 1991 and 1995, but lost both times to then mayor Richard Arrington, and he was associated with Big Chief No-Do also known as former mayor Bernard Kincaid by getting him elected twice in 1999 and 2003 with the now-defunct Jefferson County Progressive Democrat Council.  So Anthony isn't new to the area's politics and is well-connected, but he just doesn't seem to me that he has that "ump" needed to get Birmingham out of the regressive hole we've been in.  Also he seems to want to continue some things that needs to be killed immediately like the city scholarship program when the city needs to get its finances in order.  Finally, he doesn't seem like he wants to engage the young, educated, or LGBT/SGL voters in this race. 

Oh well!  I'm pro-Cooper, but I wouldn't be mad if Anthony did win.  However, those 2 are light-years ahead of the 3 Stooges: Steven Hoyt, Carole Smitherman, and William Bell. 

Oh Donnie McClurkin

This was posted by Rod Mc on Rod 2.0, but Donnie McClurkin has been cutting up at the last weekend's Church of God in Christ (COGIC) annual conference in Memphis.  He was remarking how the young people are lost and stay up all night long like vampires, but the high point of controversy was when he want to make some swipes at gospel singer and pastor, Tonex, who came out over the summer as a SGL (same-gender loving) male.  McClurkin also wanted to take some swipes at the gay and bisexual males who are effeminate and flambouyant about themselves along with lesbians as well about how butch they are.  Of course, anybody with half-a-brain knows that McClurkin claims to be "ex-gay" and "save" with the temptation to taste the "sugar" like a diabetic, but knows better to resist. (SURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRE! YOU DO!  *WINK*)

Anyways, Yvette Flunder, orator and founder of the LGBT affirming City of Refuge Church,  in DC.  She posted this on the church's pastor Kendal Brown Facebook page:

Pastor Donnie knows like I know that Tonex’ is more the ‘rule’ than the exception to the rule. What makes Tonex’ unique is not that he is a Gay gospel music artist and Pastor but that he told the truth about his sexuality, while not claiming to be delivered. I believe that these public hateful words directed to the Same Gender Loving community come from the need to instill fear of public ridicule in the hearts of those who may be considering coming out and come from folks who felt they were denied the opportunity to be authentic in their sexuality AND remain successful in the mainline church. I am not worried about Tonex’. He will feel the pain of rejection for a time but he will rise up and answer the prophetic call to be a liberator to his generation. My deep concern is for those young people who are part of the COGIC and for their families who have now been driven deeper into the closet by experiences like this. The closet is a dangerous place, where theological, and physical self-abuse runs rampant.

These young people love the church and feel the only place they can go is underground. I am encouraging these young people to find their voices and not run to the shadows to live in fear like my generation has. Watch the signs, change is possible. God is greater than any denomination and bigger than the narrow theologies that seek to hold us hostage. I am excited about our future and I am determined to let folks know that there are safe places to land.

Now, I follow and understand what she is saying because those types of messages Donnie McClurkin and those like him are very dangerous and the cause of a many suicides/suicide-attempts along with self-deprecating behaviors.  However, her message isn't universal to all portion of the US especially the South, Midwest, or West.  Also most black folks still live in the South, and not in the large cities of NYC, LA, Chicago contrary to popular notions (just check out the US Census site).  Outside the large cities, partiuclarly in the South, you are playing Russian Roulette with your well-being since homeless shelters are overflowing these days due to the deep recession.  Also they are few to no refuges for SGL/LGBT youths that are kicked out or runaways (especially in Birmingham), so you have to play your hand wisely if you want to not wind up on the streets.  There are some resources here in Birmingham, but they are very limited to AIDS Alabama, Central Alabama Pride, and Birmigham MPowerment group.  However, from last I checked only AIDS Alabama can provide any real physical resources but most of those are reserved for HIV/AIDS patients.  However, the dilemma lays with what choices one makes and how they are executed. 

I believe (depending on their individual situation) one can come out in stages and work towards being totally independent of their parents, relatives, or guardians, if they aren't supported by any of them for being out.  However, one can only do what is applicable to their situation aside from the "throw the baby out with the bathwater" approach that is universally advocated by some.  I'm not saying coming out at all because that is ridiculous, but you have to wise and have a plan on whatever you do when coming out...

The Catholic Archidoses of DC threatens to pull a "we'll show you" over the same-sex union charter

According to yesterday's Washington Post, the Archidoses of the District of Columbia said they will yank their funding and services from the District's homeless shelters over the passages of the same-sex union ordinance to the DC Charter.  Now get this, DC aka Washington is the first city in the South to pass such law, not Atlanta, but DC, LOL.  However, after all the splaboos and coons pretending to be members of clergy of the black community in the Maryland suburban counties of Prince Georges' and Montgomery had their whining over the past month about the same-sex unionship ordinance.   Yeah, yeah, yeah, anybody that reads this blog knows I don't tolerate coonery of any kind especially from splaboos that need to get their house in order faster than anybody else..

Anyways on to this episode, the ordinance passed the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary vote of the DC Council on Tuesday in pre-council meetings, and rejected an amendment that would allow an individual to reject providing services based on their religious beliefs.  However, on Wednesday, the church decided to swoop down and attack with their ultimatium.  They released their attackdog or should I say spokesperson Susan Gibbs to announce:

"If the city requires this, we can't do it. The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem."

Now the downside to this foolishness is that some 68,000 people use the city-owned shelters are provided services to the homeless and impoverish residents via the DC Archidoses' non-profit, Catholic Charities.  So the Archidoses wants to strong arm the city into getting in line or they will walk.  However, the DC officials pointed that the church is the primary provider of anything in particular, so they will adjust. 

The sponsor of the ordinance, DC Council at-large reprep, David Catania, said he would rather end the relationship with the Church regardless of the fact that he has been one of their biggest supporters.  Another council member like for Ward 3 said it was "somewhat childish".  The chair of the committee that passed Tuesday's vote, Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), said they wouldn't legislate based on threats.

I say let the bastards go since they want to play chicken with the DC Council.  They want to hold the impoverish and homeless hostage over something that actually helps the city gain better reputation beyond being the nation's capital, but as an inclusive place to reside.  Does it matter at this point since the ordinance is good as done, but you never know...

However, the million-dollar question is how will cities the likes of Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Orlando, Raleigh, Nashville, and the rest of the Southern "progressive" bunch handle this when it comes up?  This is going to show the true make or break of these cities and their progressiveness in my eyes since they always try to shit on Birmingham by saying we are ass-backwards.

More political grandstanding and bizarre things occuring

According to the news reports on Tuesday,  the Birmingham City Council has unstalled the project known as Birmingham Intermodal hub.  The Intermodal Hub is going to be the future home of the Birmingham Amtrak station, the Greyhound terminal, and the central station for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) Metro Area Express (MAX) bus system.  There are also plans in place to make this a central hub of the In-Town Transit Partnership (ITP).

The federal funding in place wasn't signed off because the former mayor Larry Langford couldn't do anything sign he was indicted by the feds.  Now interim mayor Smitherman has signed off on this project so it can begin next year. Smitherman is hoping to get some brownie points from us transit advocates come December 8th.  Sorry, sister girl but it's not going to work because we still stuck on how you cosigned on Langford's bullshit. 

IN OTHER NEWS:  An unknown state legislature in the Alabama House of Representatives named DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley) has pre-filed a state amendment that would ban any public funded agency from allowing domestic benefits of its employees including those with same-sex partners.  Yeah, this asshole is trying to force UAB, and the other schools in the University of Alabama system to drop their new policy or plans to allow benefits for same-sex couples.  This douchebag is doing the regular ol' political grandstanding, but yet his district is extreme east Alabama including Chambers and portions of Lee counties.  In other words, he has more to do with Auburn University than the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  This another reason why I get so pissed at rural white Southerners and Alabamians because a number of them doesn't want to mind their own business and let Birmingham do what it do.  Instead, they want to ensure UAB doesn't recruit top talent regardless of what their sexual orientation.   When it comes down to it every little thing counts to these people since they can go to any other major research university in the nation and they already have their suspicious about Alabama, but thanks to an ass like Bridges it will just reaffirm them rather than defy them.  UGH!

Hoover and Vestavia Hills did it! They have essentially killed any hope for regional transit...

Last night at after the special hearing of the Hoover City Council, they decided to vote to end funding mass transit service, which will end the Metro Area Express (MAX) U.S. Highway 31 (Montgomery Highway) route at the end of the month.  This is after the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) informed them last September that more funding was needed to maintain adequate access to the system due to the economic crunch..  Hoover decided to operate the majority of fiscal year 2009 without a budget and didn't pass one until July, but didn't allocate the full $110,000 needed to operate the system in the city.  Instead they only allocated a partial payment of $50,000, and the BJCTA was will to accept this and cover the other $60,000.  However, last night the Hoover City Council decides to just flat out reject the partial payments altogether with another resolution alluding to "low ridership" as the cause. 

City Council members voted Monday night based on Councilman Brian Skelton's motion to give Mayor Tony Petelos the authority to negotiate a final settlement with MAX and to terminate service.

This move will impact not only regular transit routes in Hoover, but also paratransit, which assists those with disabilities ability to be mobile throughout the area.  It's another sign why regional cooperation amongst the region's governments is so shitty and hasn't gone anywhere.  Also reaffirming why Tony Petelos isn't a "regional leader" as so many Hooverites want to proclaim he is because any true "leader" would realize that sticking it out through the tough times and funding a very much needed assess like mass transit will help the municipality in the long run.  As I reiterated a few weeks ago, it' obvious that Hoover is going broke and fast because their main revenue source is retail and due to the recession also that the place lack any original ideas to move their municipality forward. 

Vestavia Hills isn't too far behind since they have opted to have hearing calling for the reduction of service in their municipality as well.  They want to reduce the amount of payments for the bus service in the city. 
Also it goes to show those with a critical yet intuitive mentality that Hoover and Vestavia Hills doesn't give a damn about the lower-income residents of the region that can't afford private transportation.  I felt this one comment on the the blogs on the Birmingham News site: 

It is interesting to compare past comments and sentiments to this story.
All of them need to just get a job.

I started at the bottom and had to work my way up.

If it weren't for illegal immigrants Americans would have entry level jobs.

All they ever want is a handout.
And the list goes on. It's amazing to see the kinds of comments when there is an article that primary deals with the black or Hispanic/Latino population, whether it's the politicians, ministers, workers, criminals getting two, three, four, five, six plus pages of comments but when there is an article that solely deals with the white population dealing with the same subjects, for the most part, you get four to ten comments at the most.
Sometimes the bigger picture gives us more insight than the snap shot of a situation.

I try to stay as non-bias as possible when it comes to this, but this shows how classism, racial bias, and poor leadership all converge on one issue at hand as to why Greater Birmingham has so many issues.  It's embarrassing how prejudice and callous so many choose to be towards the working class who are better themselves. 

It's not entirely race-motivated, but it does color a lot of issues vis a vis Bham. It's also the reason why the Birmingham metro area will never progress to the level of Atlanta or any other major city of importance. At least not until the city and suburb governments and both white and black residents put an end to the low-level civil warfare.
Birmingham's weighed down with an unbelievable amount of racial baggage. Everything here as a racial undercurrent. Whites either stay cloistered in the trendy downtown areas or they book it OTM as fast as they can. Blacks feel content to run down their own areas out of sheer apathy and attack whites for attacking their governments and neighborhoods. Nearly all of the governing authorities display a requisite amount of incompetence and corruption in any title they hold. This area is just screwed any which way you look.

Now, I don't agree 100% of this quote because Atlanta is far from a racial harmonious oasis in the South, but this person who posted this comment has a valid point about Greater Birmingham's underlying "civil warfare" between the city and its suburbs.  That's why I believe racebaiting officials like Langford, Frank Matthews, Tony Petelos, Gene Melton, etc. need to be voted out of office because there is always this "us versus them" mentality that is impeding growth and progress of this region.
This why I hope Birmingham can land the TIGER grant so it can start the In-Town Transit Partnership (ITP), so it can start a citywide comprehensive mass transit system including an improved bus system, bus-rapid transit (BRT) for the City Center, and frequent connector routes.   It will show places like Hoover, Vestavia Hills, etc. that opting out of regional transportation infrastructure.  However, in the long run they will regret their shortsighted decision on this issue.

Now Mini Cooper AKA "Mini Coop" ought be exposed for this

There apparently has been a NUD or "Non Urban Dictate" issued by the marketing agency that wants to promo Mini Coops via radio. In other words, there don't want to promote or advertise this specific brand of vehicles to Urban radio stations also know as "black radio stations". Interesting, I say since last time I remember black Americans were considered one of the "largest consumer block of products." Special thanks to Urban Radio Nation for the heads up.

Here's a piece of the e-mail:

MARKETS-BOSTON-HOUSTON-DC-BALTIMORE

Formats-Rock, News, Alternative, Sports, Talk

Length: 30’s

Dayparts-All

No combos or urban formats.