I'm going to dedicate 5 minutes of my life to say this about black-white SGL dating...

Rarely nowadays do I comment on the racial politics of SGL male dating, but let me be honest about this whole white-black dynamic. Preface, yeah there are more racial combinations in the world, but in the US the white-black contrast is always the most contentious.  Back to topic, white-black racial combo in relationships is always tricky.  You may ask, "why do you say that?".  Well for starters, black LGBTs are still the bottom of the racial hierarchy in the US because "the mandingo, i.e. supposed 'big black dick'", "they are all thugs", "they aren't very well rounded or educated", "they are lazy and shiftless", or "they all have AIDS and/or HIV" stereotype.  Many have taken these stereotypical myths and applied to dealing with black males as only cutbuddies/fuckbuddies or hook up only material rather than dating.

In my personal experience, there has been a lot of objectification that goes on throughout the gay/bisexual fold of men in general, but there is a special set of rules that seem to exist just for black-white sexual & relationship interactions.  Where the black guy suppose to be the "dominant top with a big dick" and the white guy is "submissive bottom that loves big dick".

Also have to interject the problematic age disparity of some white guys when it comes to dating or being open to having a relationship with black guys.  Many will intentionally wait until they are "used up" or 30+ years in age to engage or "explore this" after many of their fellow "more appealing" (in the aforementioned supposed hierarchical terms) are tired of them or unattainable anymore.  This perplexes me considering I, like many other black guys whom aren't racial specific, was like this since day one when we encounter white guys whom are much older than us always approaching us like we are "their last resort".  My motto is this, "if you didn't want to deal with a black guy when you were a 'hot commodity' then don't deal with one when you aren't anymore".

Now personally, I am not a "top" at all and generally non-discriminatory when it comes to anything including dating although I lean more towards other black guys.  I have dated a couple of white guys and have experienced this silliness first hand. I do find this dynamic annoying to say the least.  I also find that this expectation to be off-putting when it comes to interracial dating with guys.  Let's not forget in the South and in many parts of the US in general, a significant majority still believe in the aforementioned negative connotation about black guys.  It's just a double negative as to why I'm extremely choosy about dating white guys, period.

If I get a hint of a reason to believe that person is that way then, I'm chucking up the deuces...

Love is love, and it shouldn't have any color boundaries or limitations because of the social construct known as "race".

Washington is regretting its selection of Gray...

This is one of those situations where I have to tell folk, "I told you so..." about DC's mayor, Vincent Gray.  Back in 2010, there were so much chatter amongst the black blogosphere about how "bad Adrian Fenty was as DC's mayor", "how he sold DC to white people", and "how Michelle Rhee and Adrian Fenty were ruining DC".  So those across the black blogosphere cosigned the poor judgment of those voting in DC to elected Gray over Fenty.

It's so ironic those are more silent than a whore in church on the huge controversy that has bestowed upon DC for the umpteenth time.  As much as I don't care for any pawn of the business establishment, it seems that Fenty wasn't as idiotic and corrupt as his successor, Gray.  I am actually more annoyed at the fact that folk doesn't seems to want perfection from many that will talk that talk, but never walk the walk.  Gray is a text book example of this mentality and its plethora of failings.

Meanwhile, a number of members in his 2010 mayoral campaign staff, 2 DC Councilmen, and a former mayoral primary opponent were all later implicated to be involved in the shell game of using funds and authority he offered upon getting elected to mayor's helm.  (FYI, for others who want to say "but they do it too", no duh, I know whites do this but they have sense enough to know better to do this do obviously.)  


However, after going from 2 mayors, Anthony Williams and Fenty, whom helped the city regain prominence and allowed significant public works projects and strategies to progress that helped Washington become the planning and community development hub of the East Coast.  Also reformed the DC school district from the average US city school district with low rates of overall scholastic achievement to one where accountability for school progress was enforced from the instructors to school administrators and increase in achievement and test scores during Fenty's tenure.  These are the things that are just as important as allowing adequate access of the citizenry whom are qualified for city jobs and pacifying those whom were in your corner.  It seems that so many in the establishment camp miss this lesson, you have to improve the entire city from across the board.  

I guess living in a city like Birmingham, where this is the reason why there is such a huge leadership void because nobody with pragmatic, progressive, and transparency tied into their political existence that it will continue to be more idiots than leaders at the city's helm.  To sum it up, most Birminghamians lack the nuance of their choices for mayor rather they allow the "establishment" to manipulate their perspectives, and wins every time.  In reality, the same thing happens in Alabama in general, but this applies with white citizens more often than black citizens...

*sigh* This is so depressing and shows that sometimes you have to give it up to the predominately white urban business establishment in a number of US cities.  They can get a progressive that has some sense elected that is smart enough not be caught up in blatant corruption.   I was shock when New Orleans chose Mitch Landrieu, because one he wasn't a puppeteer of the black establishment nor was he was one of the urban white business establishment.  New Orleans wasn't alone considering Charlotte elected Anthony Foxx, whom like Landrieu, wasn't apart of neither camp, rather loosely affiliated with both sides in the way to get elected.

Folk has to get it together because there seems to be a leadership problem in Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, and now Washington...

Alright, now

I'm back to posting for this short in-between semester break and will try to continue throughout the summer when possible.  First thing first, my personal life...single again but by choice.  Couldn't deal with the idiot I dated for over a year so it had to cease and desist.  Secondly, I'm doing good academically with a 4.0 graduate-level GPA, so hopefully I'll continue this trend until the end, next year.  Third, what the hell is wrong with some people in south of the Greater Birmingham region in Alabama?  I swear this region is like the abyss for intelligence outside of these college campuses.  I've met 5 people non-affiliated with the university I attend for graduate school, Auburn University, and only 2 of them have shown any ability to hold my attention beyond 5 minutes.  Now I know why people don't deal with this region...

Anyways, on the societal issues.  Yeah, Birmingham (and Tuscaloosa but to me all of it is Birmingham since it's all one urbanized region) got hit hard by the April 27th tornado outbreak.  It turned out the tornado outbreak was quantitatively larger and deadlier than the Super Outbreak of 1974, but it is debated on the strength comparison.  I just know I was in the middle of finals when this outbreak occurred on that now historical Wednesday stuck doing presentations and examinations throughout the day.  It along with the April 16th tornado outbreak in North Carolina has shown Alabama and the world that nature still has plans under its sleeves for our increasingly belligerently ignorant and divisive society.  Raleigh and Birmingham will be dealing with the aftermath of these significant weather phenomena for the next few years.

On politics, I swear the aversive racists have shown their asses literally.  First, President Obama listens and folds to Front Lace Wig aka Donald the Chump over his birth certificate, and there was no merits to the bullshit claims.  Then, he takes out Usama bin Laden and the racists keeps adding flames to the fire by whining about seeing his body.  Then the brigade of assholes on the GOP ticket running for the presidency is laughable from Newt "I'm a whore" Gingrich to Mitch Romney.  The idiocy begins and this time it's racial.

Well, there is some truth to this, but a lot more misconceptions to this

I just read the article by Josh Kraushaar in the National Journal discussing the diversity problem associated with the Democratic Party.  While there is some truth to this notion because I've been saying this for a while now that there is a humongous problem within the DNC that involving viable black politicos whom are electable to pluralistic, statewide offices such as the U.S. Senate and governorships.  I've said time, time, and time again that there needs to be more pluralistic candidates promoted to candidacy for statewide offices across the South, but there is those whom are vehemently against this.  Yet, some blacks do wonder why the lack of viable black candidates continues persist in the South. 

On the other hand, there is way more young and non-white voters willing to vote for Democrats over Republicans.  The reasoning is quite obvious T.E.A. twits, Dixiecrats, anti-progressive stance will likely be the Republicans undoing. 

Now, the elections of Bobby Jindal, Nikki Haley (ironically both Indian Americans) to the governorships of Louisiana and South Carolina respectively is impressive.  However, notice they aren't electing any blacks or Meso-American Hispanics to the statewide offices because they know it won't fly in the South.  The few blacks elected in the South are always in majority white districts and extremely socially conservative, i.e. Allen West of Florida and Tim Scott of South Carolina.  This individuals aren't reflective of a "pluralistic" candidate rather an anti-thesis of pluralism because they have subjectively refuted an inclusive platform that is very reflective of their congressional districts.  This alone shows anyone with a strong critical analysis skill will notice about this situation of "diversity" in the Republican party.  It also will come back to haunt the GOP because most non-whites see through the overt non-inclusive nature of the current Republican party. 

If we didn't already know, Joe Reed is a JACKASS!

It just seems like that splaboo doesn't spare any clockwork when he proves to the entire world along with the entire the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) that he is one.  Instead of having some dignity and showing that he isn't a pompous egregious bigot about race (and sexuality), NO!!!!  He had to prove that he likes to be all about race and direct representation of it.

In the curious case of the replacement of Kenya Lavender Marshall, a lawyer whom was suppose to be the Democratic nominee for the Jefferson County Circuit Court seat come November (since there is no Republican competition), whom wind up disqualified and disbarred for using clients funds for personal usage.  The Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee had to appoint a replacement in time for the August 27th deadline, which is 45 days after the run-off.  Meanwhile, where comes the mighty splaboo, Joe Reed, to sweep in with his usual brand of down-home splabuvian ignorance that has been recorded time and time again on this blog.  Instead of appoint the runner-up in the Democratic race, Nicole Stills, the ASDEC (lead by that splaboo) appoints Elisabeth French, some random lawyer whom happens to be black, to the seat because Reed wants a black person to represent since a black woman won over a white woman (Stills).

If we have learned anything from all this crap is that playing racial politics in the South never bodes well for anybody especially progressives.  Reed is so ignorant and pathetic because all this type of buffoonery is going to lead to is destruction.  It's like Reed wakes up in the morning and says, "I wonder how in the world can I screw up the possibility of Alabama ever getting a decent black politician elected from a statewide office?"

I'm too through with this crap and the ADP because they gave him the keys to its destruction when they let his racially bigoted ass into the executive committee nearly 4 decades ago...

The only upside to this story is that the Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC) and the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC called out this foolishness.

Ok, time for another lesson in race discussions...

I'm honestly dumbfounded and disgusted by the inert actions of the folks in the White House (I vindicated Obama from this drama because of he would get implicated for playing favorites by the right and aversive racists) involving all this associated with race.  I can't get my mind wrapped around the notion that so many of these predominately white male individuals in the White House will do anything to including warning Obama that if he touches this he will lose moderate, working-class whites.  However, this discussion needs to occur, SERIOUSLY.

OK, last week Shirley Sherrod was thrown under the bus by the paranoid USDA secretary, Tim Vilscak, and then the NAACP went into panic mode as well.  Then we can even go back to my personal rants on how black Democrats in Congress such as Michigan's own John Conyers throwing ACORN under the bus last year after the foolishness that was pedaled from those doctored footage.  And let's not forget the Van Jones' castration of last December, where he was allowed to be tarred and featured by so-called liberals and black Democrats.  I'm just frustrated by those latter two events as much if not more than the Sherrod situation because at least those with sense came to her defense. 

The whole discussion of race, is a social concept created by white elites in this nation from the 1600s during the post-indentured servitude era of the Colonial America.  This was a response to white elites making note of who often black and white former indentured servants were suffering from common afflictions of lack of access to economic improvement, so they used the all encompassing term "white" as one to describe anyone whom was of fair complexion regardless of ancestry.  Also the usage of how fear of blacks being "savages" and "thieves" whom will do anything to get a one up on impoverish and working-class whites as a weapon to create a divide between the two groups.  This still continues to this very day between impoverish and working-class black and white Americans.

Class is also thrown in as a weapon to impede the growth of both groups but race is also an extra trick to ensure the lack of access from anything will not be there for blacks at all.  Ultimate, the two concepts are connected in many ways, but the discussion of how race is used as an extra spin on things is just icing on the cake. Race is an institutionalized affliction that impedes the empowerment of blacks as well as aforementioned groups of whites (along with other non-white groups), but the division amongst all is just disheartening. 

This is where President Obama needs to come in and attempt to discuss this openly discuss this issue.  Race along with the usage of class needs to be addressed to all.  Many of the those within the "Angry White People Coalition" aren't impoverish or working-class rather clearly economically stable middle-to-upper class whites whom just seem to have a racial bone to pick with Obama.  They are beyond hope and pointless to address in Obama's case.  Whereas, those like the Spooners, whom affirmed Sherrod's story, are the ones whom should be reached by such discussion.  They know that most non-whites aren't against them, but the way those like Andrew Breitbart, Tucker Carson, and the sycophancy of misinformation at FOX News will do anything to create such a wedge so there isn't any commonality between any groups...

Oh yeah, another tit for tat...

I guess since last Monday when the NAACP decided to rebuke the Angry White People Coalition, i.e. "the T.E.A. Party" for their growing racially bias forces amongst their ranks.  Then the strike back by 'spokesmen" for the T.E.A. Party Express, Mark Williams, with this racist ass letter calling the NAACP an organization of "coloreds looking for a free ride".  Also let's not forget the number of terrorist threats from certain individuals. 

Now the shadow organization nearly always responsible for the divisiveness and derision in this nation, FOX News, decided to use a video of the now former director of rural development for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Shirley Sherrod, professing a 24-year-old story about her and white farmer from South Georgia.  Yeah, FOX News decided to use that as their "tat" for the NAACP's "tit" at the faction that FN has been shilling for since its beginning...

Unfortunately, now Sherrod is the "whipping item" for the everyone right now.  She has lost her job and has been rebuked by the same organization that she has been a made her speech.  The NAACP is now trying to deflect the issue from themselves to keep it upon racial bias of the T.E.A. Party.  Sherrod has addressed that only part of the story has been told by the FN and that she fixed her prior actions as well going above and beyond the call of duty to help the farmer.   Of course, FN wants to go for the jugular and twist the story for their bias purposes.  Even the farmer involved in this case denies the allegations of racial bias.


MORE BACK STORY INFO: There is apparently more to the story.  Sherrod was a victim of the intolerance policy of the USDA, which occurred up until 1980s, lead to her and her husband lost their share of 6,000 acre farm owned along with other black farmers.  According to Anita Rose, Sherrod's former legal representation in the class action federal suit that lead the reward of $13 million in restitution from racial discrimination from the USDA, Sherrod's father was murder as an adolescent by the KKK.  None of the assailants were convicted of the crime.

This introduces a paradoxical view into what might be the reasoning behind Sherrod's perspective on race in our society and why she could hold pause in general as her formerly appointed federal position.  It reveals that there is more to the story behind the discrimination involving race and class in westernized society.  

Maybe just maybe, people will finally realize those like FOX News, corporate suits are attempting to uses weapons of divisiveness to beacon more acrimony in our society so they continue to rape us of our rights and privileges as US citizens...

UPDATE: Now the NAACP retracts their statement rebuking Ms. Sherrod, and CNN even interviews the white farming couple to prove the story has been fabricated by another socially conservative, ring-wing con artist.  Yet, nobody at FOX News wants fully own up to the hack job ending the employment of Shirley Sherrod, even after the white farming couple owes their preservation of their farm to her.  The question is WHO FORCED SHERROD OUT OF HER JOB AT THE USDA????

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Andrew Breitbart is now under federal investigation of defamation of character and could face prosecution along being made an example of "internet harassment". 

OH YEAH, HERE IS THE FULL VIDEO OF THE SPEECH:



I swear sometimes I want to dropkick those idiots at NewsCorp for pedaling foolishness into the world...

Blind justice or inherent ignorance?

I don't know what to make of the situation of the verdict of the Bay Area Rapid Transit officer that killed an unarmed black male, Oscar Grant, in January of 2009.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the verdict was "involuntary manslaughter" for former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. 

Although there were protests as a result of the verdict, according San Francisco Bay Area ABC owned-and-operated station KGO-TV "ABC7",  the Oakland Police the protesters were mostly outside agitators attempting to take advantage of the situation.  Regardless, if there are outside agitators or not the vast majority of the anger and aggravation associated with the verdict of the case is understandable.  The looting and property damage/destruction isn't excusable at all, but a significant number of East Bay (of the San Francisco Bay Area) citizens are upset that this verdict doesn't fit the crime.

It also vexes me as an independent thinker and black male as to why would a jury after realizing that if there tables were turned that the verdict would have highly likely harsher.   (In reference for those don't understand what I mean is if somebody was being apprehended by a police officer and the officer is accidentally killed in pursuit of the person).

The grasping of the conceptualization of why that the existence and lives of black American males is seen as the lowest of the low in the westernized world.  This can also be applied to the lives of any non-white males.  In particular, black males deal with the paranoia of everyone since we are seen as the "boogeymen" of society since there are higher incarceration and death rates. 

Adam Serwer of American Prospect summed it up quite eloquently:

I want to focus for a moment on the distinction between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. To convict on the higher charge of voluntary manslaughter, the prosecution would have had to prove that Mehserle's fear of Grant and his friends was "unreasonable." It decided the crime was involuntary. In other words, Mehserle's fear? That was reasonable.
Fear is at the core of questions of justice involving the deaths of black people at the hands of the authorities in the United States of America, dating back to when Toussaint L'Overture put the fear of G-d in slaveowners by revealing that their "property" might someday rise up against them. L'Overture still has that effect on some people. Following emancipation were the days when "justice" was meted out in the South by terrorists posing as vigilantes. Even then, when such atrocities were an accepted part of black life, people inside and outside the South found ways to sympathize with the anger and fear white Southerners felt toward their black neighbors -- The New York Times editorialized in the 1890s that no "reputable or respectable negro" had ever been lynched.
Even decades after the civil-rights era, a cop shooting an unarmed black man is barely a crime -- a 2007 ColorLines investigation of police shootings in New York City found that in 12 instances when the victim was unarmed, only one officer was found criminally liable. There hasn't been a murder conviction on a police shooting in Oakland since 1983.  As Kai Wright wrote in the aftermath of the Sean Bell verdict, "American law has been sanctioning the killing of black people to mollify white fear for centuries. ... We scare the shit out of America. And that fear excuses just about any reaction it spawns." Mehserle is profoundly unlucky to be punished at all.
Times change, but the radioactive fear of black people, black men in particular, has proved to have a longer half-life than any science could have discerned. This is not a fear white people possess of black people -- it is a fear all Americans possess. It makes white cops kill black cops, it makes black cops kill black men, and it whispers in the ears of white and nonwhite jurors alike that fear of an unarmed black man lying face down in the ground is not "unreasonable." All of which is to say, while it infects all of us, a few of us bear the brunt of the suffering it causes.

After all this "post-racial notions" of the election of Barack Obama there seems to be no end in sight to mollify the negative connotations associated with the black male.  Instead, we still live in a society where there is more "reasonable" fear of our existence than anything else.  Me being a generally non-temperament, usually varied dress, and friendly individual would still be accused of being "wild, temperamental, and aggressive" since I am black and a male.  Sad, just plain, sad.

The only upside to this case is the U.S. Department of Justice is considering looking into this to see if the case was taken too lightly by California state officials. (courtesy of KGO-TV)

Another blow to blacks aspiring to obtain more upward mobility (economically)

Another study released by Institute of Assets and Social Policy (IASP) confirmed what has been going on for awhile now, white American families are more likely to have better choice of economic upward mobility than black American families.  This gap accelerated during the period from 1984 to 2007.

Now this doesn't take into account of these other issues already plaguing most black Americans since as high chances of dealing with poverty, lack of access to resources to provide an adequate education, so on.  It's like the same song, but more proof of its existence.  Now the real question is when will social justice and economic equitable policy will be enforced to improve this situation.

Oh yeah, h/t to African American Political Pundit on the calling out the NAACP on their dropping their predatory lending lawsuit against Wells Fargo so they would be a title sponsor of their annual July conference.  It just shows that the average, hardworking black family is practically on their own when it comes to having social groups lobbying for such social justice in public policy-making.  

Thoughts on the "Great Division" proposed for Fulton County (Georgia)

I've been wondering and contemplating about this topic for months now.  For the life of me, I still don't fully understand the fundamental logic behind the desire to create or recreate the 160th county in Georgia, Milton County. 

Now for those that don't know, Milton County used to exist until 1932 when the Great Depression forced the county dissolve and merge into Fulton County.  The original boundaries of it was pretty much all of northern Fulton County from the Chattahoochee River and northward with the exception of a triangular shaped strip of land stretching from original Roswell land area including downtown to Chattahoochee River was originally apart of Cobb County.  Also Fulton County obtained the land north of present-day Dunwoody Club Road to the Chattahoochee from DeKalb County whose northern border was originally the river as well.  Regardless, the original Milton County went broke because of the disaster number of season of cotton harvest due to boll weevil devastating the crop.  However, the recent push as early as 2006 after a spring of municipal incorporation of Sandy Springs, John's Creek, Milton, and Mountain Park in northern Fulton County, the overwhelmingly Republican Georgia General Assembly delegation has pushed to sever Fulton County.  Interestingly enough, the "new" Milton County would include Sandy Springs, which was originally a part of the original Fulton County.  But, the recently-incorporated Sandy Springs is majority white (77% to be exact) and very Republican.  The 2010 general session of the General Assembly, the newly appointed House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones has been pushing this HARD to secede northern portions from the rest of Fulton County.

The real question is it racially motivated?  Could very well be...  According to the 2000 Census data, the majority of the municipalities and former CDPs (that's census-designated places for those who don't know the statistical lingo) in northern Fulton County were on average 75% white and no more than 25% non-white.  It seems like a case where racial identity and partisanship politics meets and becomes quite ambiguous in definition.  The argument has been for years according to some is that the current Fulton County government is "too bloated and ineffective in providing services".  On the other hand, the proponents of keeping the now 1 million + inhabitant Fulton County unified hasn't really helped themselves with the site http://www.onefulton.org, but they do have some points as well.  The northern communities were given in recent years 3 new libraries from the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System with state of the art facilities and resources; whereas, the communities in the southern portions of the county aside from the locations in Buckhead and main branch in downtown Atlanta itself are still half-assed at best.

Now, this is my opinion on this since I have lived in another ineffective urban county, Jefferson County.  The efforts by the Republican delegation in the Georgia General Assembly is aversively bias in intent because they don't want to deal with the overwhelmingly non-white and politically different demographic groups of the rest of the county.  It is ineffectively pointless to secede from Fulton County when you could just write legislation to reform the county government to fix whatever issues ails the communities.  However, I've come to the conclusion this is another case where some socially conservative whites will walk and run around the main point here and that is "they don't want to be involved in anything where they feel they can't control or orchestrate on their grounds".  It's a shame that some whites will think this way and act that they should just sever an urban county because it doesn't represent them directly or politically, and you don't see too many non-whites or social progressives attempt to enact an usurp of power or government when we don't control things.  It's quite self-destructive and leads to further strife between the socially conservative whites against non-white and other non-WASP demographic groups in Metro Atlanta.  Nevertheless, it just shows that Atlanta is just as screwed up as Birmingham in a more ways than none.

Another lesson for those who are overtly partisan and delusional in Alabama politics (to a certain extent Southern politics)

I'm so sick and tired of talking about the whole hoopla over the ANSC endorsement of Alabama Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks over Artur Davis.  First thing first, at this point I honestly don't care either way since I'm absolutely convinced that the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) is well on its way to collapse.  Secondly, I'm moving out of Alabama (likely to Metro Atlanta soon), so it is what it is in my opinion of how effective or aligned to the interests of certain groups either candidate is.  However, it seems like it is time (yet again) for another rant on partisanship over pragmatism along with other elements at work.

Let's get one thing straight, although I do agree with some things in principle on Artur Davis' positions, I don't care to vote for him because he is who he is, a politician and lawyer.  Now let's get to the point.  Davis is a pragmatist who knows that within the toxic political culture of Alabama you must be a Democrat yet not a typical Democrat.  Also if you are a black politician then you must not be a typical black politician, thus his positions and opinions on individual issues and items may differentiate in a variety of ways.  Regardless, a pragmatist in principle will take the realist approach to things on issues and vote with their head with conscientous influenced decisons.  When examining Davis from an objective perspective, the man is a moderate black politico with progressive leanings on certain issues.  His evolution into this wasn't subtle nor overt, but he has always been a moderate, but his progressive leanings exist only in a political vacuum where his record isn't the only spotlit upon.  I disgress, Davis has more likelihood of making it in the Alabama Gubernatorial General Election over Ron Sparks.  For the record, Sparks is very conservative Democrat, whose pragmatism is virtually nonexistant since he talks out of both sides of his mouth and doesn't seem to show a true stance on any political issues aside from ones already laid out by Davis or hot topic ones such as gambling, which has been the talk of Alabama for nearly year now.

The partisanship issues within the ADP isn't one unique to any Southern state, but it is one that is very problematic.  Alabama has one of the highest number of black politicos in proportion to its black population, yet most of those black politicos are pseudo-progressives and the rest flat out conservative black Democrats.  They are all products of the Alabama Democratic Coalition (ADC) and the more recent additions are products of both ADC and ANSC (Alabama New South Coalition).  These groups maybe increment in reaching certain segments of the black population who doesn't follow politics as closely as myself, they are reluctance to show any real fortitude to work towards making the state a more progressive environment.  Instead they hold their power over the heads of the majority of Alabama black legislators and politicos, thus telling them to fundamentally "waiting their turn" to make waves in the water.  It shows what is really wrong with them.  The few who doesn't show any allegiance are practically invisible outside of their respective districts since they would rather enjoy making it to the Alabama Legislature and its fringe benefits than making increment changes during the regular legislative sessions annually needed to move the state forward. This holds back black politicos who are more progressive and willing to take a chance and attempt make major strides towards producing a more progressive and fiscally conservative Alabama

Even further within that partisanship void lays 2 additional problems: racial identity and stance on social issues.  Overall, the ADP is a rural-oriented, socially conservative group of individuals that are mostly white.  However, with even further examination on that, the racial dynamics of the party is horrible to say the least.  In a recent vote to Alabama to block the enforcement of the federal health care reform law, the vote was clearly racial with all the white Democrats voting for it and all the black Democrats voting against. It shows the sift within the ADP on racialized issues such a health care reform, removing racist language from the state's archaic state constitution among other things.  Social issues within Alabama (and the rest of the South) are very racialized due to the whole "welfare queen" mantra.  Most white Democrats are still those who fall into this void of being manipulated by these issues and will vote against their own economic and social interest all due to this racialized undercurrent.  What's even more embarrassing is the notion that black Democrats will do this as well (with those aforementioned groups of ADC and ANSC) by playing up the notion of an outsider is not to be trusted and have malevolent intentions of obtaining public office in a predominately black district. This sift is clear and obvious to the most objective and attentive analysts of political and social issues.

Alabama is held back more predominately due to the Southern influence of covert racial cues used to play up the bases and unsettle the uninformed.  The main culprits of this are Alabama Democrats more so than Republicans because the Democrats control both houses of the state legislative body.  In conclusion, like all other Southern states, Alabama's Democratic Party will have a catharsis of this obviously toxic elements from power within its leadership position since they have brought nothing but status quo.  It's not going to change until that occurs...

Georgia's 1st black female and youngest chief justice is being considered for departing U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

While I was under the weather for the last few days (literally after I returned from Atlanta), Leah Ward Sears, Georgia's 1st black and youngest chief justice name has popped up on the list of names to replace John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS).  According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Sears' name now is among more than half a dozen candidates being considered by the president to replace Justice John Paul Stevens, who is retiring this summer.

Well, this is an interesting series of developments involving the foolishness that has been pedaled by Senatorial Republicans at the idea of President Obama appointing another justice to the SCOTUS like Alabama's very own junior senator Jeff Sessions (backwoods, aversive racist asshole).  According to the Mobile Press-Register, Session released a long, yet convoluted statement commending and condemning President Obama if even thinks about attempting to nominate anything other than a social conservative to the post currently held by the clearly liberal John Paul Stevens.  This excerpt is so tale-telling about the double standard that Sessions along with the majority of the Senatorial Republicans on this process:

Justice Stevens' approaching retirement sets in motion an important constitutional process to nominate and confirm the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. In exercising its 'advise and consent' role, the Senate must act on behalf of the American people to carefully scrutinize the nominee's qualifications, prior speeches and writings, and record. Senate hearings are the public's best opportunity to become involved in this process, and it is critical that the Judiciary Committee conduct a fair and thorough evaluation of whomever President Obama nominates for this extraordinary lifetime appointment.

We know from the nomination of Justice Sotomayor last spring that the public is rightly concerned about the future of our judiciary. The product of her confirmation hearing was a near-universal rejection of President Obama's empathy standard, the flawed notion that judges should allow personal feelings, political opinions, and social views to guide judicial decision-making. Senators on both sides of the aisle--and the nominee herself--disavowed the president's standard because it lies contrary to the traditional role of a judge in our legal system. Such an approach opens the door to an anti-democratic abuse of power where unaccountable federal judges set national policy according to their own views and political agendas. That approach is deeply unpopular with the American people, and any nominee who subscribes to it should expect bipartisan opposition.

The courtroom is a place reserved for the search for truth and the fair adjudication of disputes, free from politics. The American people want judges of the utmost integrity who have demonstrated a commitment to the Constitution and a willingness to impartially apply the law to the facts to reach a just outcome, without regard to the parties involved. There is a growing movement that is calling for more fidelity to our constitutional order, not less.

This idiot is telling me that he made sure that Roberts and Alito were properly vetted in the Senatorial approval process?  That one is HIGHLY DOUBTFUL considering how bias on opinions Alito clearly is on rulings moreso than any other justice on the SCOTUS.  I hope that Obama nominates Sears for the SCOTUS since it would bring another open-minded moderate with progressive leanings and bonus of this one would a black female.  On the flip side, according to the Washington Post, Sears is friends with current sitting justice Clarence Thomas, so it would be interesting to see if he will do some backdoor campaigning in her favor. 

This is going to be a three-ring-circus and the Senatorial Republicans of the socially conservative and hyper-partisan ilk are just going to make this one so more dubious and annoying...

HUH?

Again Virginia's socially conservative Republican governor Bob McConnell has made an ass of himself and the Commonwealth of Virginia this time with the proclamation of April as Confederacy History Month.  This idiot is a simple as an Easy-Bake Oven, and had the audacity to deliberately omit the acknowledgment of the enslavement of black Americans and the ramifications. Interestingly, McConnell unlike his Democratic predecessors, feels that this proclamation will help with the state's tourism involving the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War...

Interestingly, Virginia's first black governor and the first one of a Southern state L. Douglas Wilder, who refused to endorse that Democratic pushover in last year's gubernatorial race and tacitly endorsed McConnell, spoke out against this proclamation.  According to the Washington Post, Wilder called it "mind-boggling to say the least" and "Confederate history is full of many things that unfortunately are not put forth in a proclamation of this kind nor are they things that anyone wants to celebrate. It's one thing to sound a cause of rallying a base. But it's quite another to distort history." Also Shelia Johnson, BET founder Bob Johnson's ex-wife, who also endorsed McConnell called him out as well.  Now Johnson had endorsed McConnell because he was for "job, jobs, jobs" according to her advertised endorsement from last year's campaign.  Also word on the street is that heifer was also looking for a nod-and-wink from McConnell and the mostly Republican Virginia General Assembly over tax incentives for a real estate venture she was attempting to construct in Northern Virginia. (Too little, too late Johnson and we all know you have something against anybody that isn't black and wealthy as yourself).  McConnell half-assed attempted to apologize for the omission of slavery, but will keep the proclamation to appease the idiots.

The idiocy continues although it wasn't as highly publicized Alabama's socially conservative buffoon governor Bob Riley did the same thing on March 22nd.  I've yet to understand what is the purpose of these Southern Republican governors attempting to appease the lowest common denominator of their populous hoping to buy some political cool points and capital along the way.  Whereas, these idiotic gestures are solidifying their dissonance with non-white Southerners particularly blacks and to a certain extent young, educated whites.  Funny when they have the Southern Republican Leadership Conference this weekend in New Orleans hoping to strategize and reclaim a majority in Washington and in their individual Southern state capitals. 

I can't even step away and go to Atlanta for a few days without having more stupidity and racial omission at its very worst going on...

I want some people to STFU on this whole Obama Census form crap!

Over the New York Times story discussing how Barack Obama filled out on the race identification section of the U.S. Census form for himself.  REALITY CHECK: if Barack Obama was an average citizen that was seen on the streets or (God forbid) pulled over for an offense by law enforcement do you realize that his race would be identified as a black male.  Yeah, he was raised by his clearly white mother along with his second generation Irish American maternal grandparents, but he said in his own autobiographical story that he has come to identify himself as an 'African American' or in my terms, black.  It's not that hard to understand that since the one-drop rule has been enforced in most social circles of our society in this nation since the times of slavery that if a person appears have more physical traits uncommon to most white Americans then they are considered 'non-white'.  This following quote by a commentator on The Huffington Post sums it up quite eloquently:

Most people do not consider biracial black/whites to be white 9.5/10 no matter what. If Barack Obama was some hustler in Chicago, or a janitor in Idaho no one would look at him and say "Oh, he's half white so he really could be white". That just doesn't happen. Like he's said in his books, Obama has always been treated and regarded as a Black man.

The only time anyone wanted to seriously talk up his "White" side was when it looked like he was about to become President and afterwards. Just like South Koreans wanted to claim Hines Ward 'after' he became MVP. In lesser circumstances these men would be considered (and treated) as black period.

Obama's white side never helped him catch cabs. It never stopped many whites from calling him an affirmative action candidate. His white side didn't stop Glenn Beck from saying he has a deep seated hatred of white people. His white side didn't help him in the Louis Gates incident last year when whites freaked out after he said police officers acted stupidly (which they did). His white side hasn't helped convince ignorant masses that our Democratically elected president is a legal citizen of the US.

He can identify as he likes and he identifies as Af-American. I'm not sure why some whites are getting upset over a societal norm that they created, promoted, and complacently live by everyday.

The fact that some whites want to claim Barack Obama as a member of the in-group when many doesn't even consider their own biracial or multiracial relatives as 'white' although their blood says A LOT of the trivialized mindset of a number of individuals in that demographic group.  It's quite simple, the man sees himself as black and if you don't respect then that is your problem.  However, don't conveniently consider a person a part of a demographic group when otherwise other individuals who have more apparent traits associated with being white are denied instantly because of their lack of prominence or achievements.  It's hypocritical and very evident of the apparent sift and dissidence in our society when it comes to concepts of race identification and white privilege.  (I'll leave that to the blog Stuff White People Do to discuss since it's entirely dedicated to such topics). 

I guess Michael Steele has finally read the memo

That memo is if you're black then your ass is always on the line...


He addressed that very factoid on ABC's Good Morning America this morning when asked about the controversy that I intentionally neglected to cover of the past week involving the Republican National Convention (because controversy and the RNC or social conservatives are as common as people farting and belching, so Google it if you want to know it was).  However, silly ole Steele finally realize those white guys and (white women) in the RNC doesn't have much patience for his black ass or any of his antics, but he's not stepping down. (Obviously because the paycheck, perks, and speaking engagements along those financial benefits from them are too good to relinquish without being officially forced out).

Here's a quote from his interview:

"The honest answer is, 'yes,' Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. A lot of folks do. It's a different role for me to play and others to play and that's just the reality of it. But you take that as part of the nature of it....  My view on politics is much more grassroots oriented, it's not old boy network oriented, so I tend to, you know, come at it a little bit stronger, a little bit more street-wise, if you will. That's rubbed some feathers the wrong way"

It's ironic yet rather potent how he now wants to acknowledge what most black professionals deal with daily in prominent position although the U.S. alleges it is post-racial since the election of Barack Obama as president.  Well, it's not and until that time comes, you got be assertive and call it like you see and experience.

The brazen lies and intentional omission of the obvious

After reading this idiotic article on Real Clear Politics about how "liberals doesn't white politics" by David Paul Kuhn.  The amount of foolishness spewed by this guy is AMAZING to even somebody with a social psychology background as myself.  He attempted to brush over how although there has been some incidents of racial bias and what not, the TEA party movement isn't about race or ethnic bias.

Disregard centuries of furious debate over the role of government. Disregard the Great Recession, historic economic anxiety, this hyper-partisan era, or the comparable vitriol Bill Clinton knew. Disregard white working class skepticism of liberalism since the Great Society, when liberal policy became less concerned with them. Disregard the average man today who sees rich guys and poor guys getting the big breaks from big government. No, Rich explains, it's all about whites who want to "take our country back" from a black president.

What then shall we make of Howard Dean? Over and over, fiery Dean railed during the 2004 campaign, "It's time to take our country back!"

This is the argument that suffices for logic. Rich tosses out the most loaded charge in American life, racism, without evidence. All he has are anecdotes of angry white activists. So he stereotypes. It's like a white person who watches a black criminal on the local news and draws racist generalizations.

Clearly, some Tea Party activists are driven by racial animus. We read it in the signs. Dale Robertson, Teaparty.org founder, held up a sign last year that read, "Congress = Slaveowner, Taxpayer = Niggar." Recently, in an ugly scene near the Capitol, some Tea Party protesters reportedly hurled racist epithets at members of the Congressional Black Caucus (including civil rights hero John Lewis). But it's the generalizations that are absurd and self-defeating.

Yeah, only a fool would believe that one, Kuhn.  He conveniently forgot how some spewed the word "nigger" to Georgia Congressman John Lewis and spat on Missouri Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver on the weekend in which healthcare reform has passed.   Let's keep it real, some of those who originally wanted start the TEA party movement might have objectively wanted it to remain racially ambiguous, but let's face the facts.  First, the movement is still over 90% white and the few non-whites involved are negligible since they are as entertainment for the crowd like Jerome Lewis.  The twisted irony of how they conveniently formed after a black president was elected and a Democratic-majority of Congress occur isn't a coincidence.

White politics exists, and most politic experts such as such as myself are well-informed of this, but most of it involves the omission of the social ailments of non-whites and usually rails upon how white males are "mistreated" by the changing American society.  Hell, you and those like you should take a note from your predecessors handbook and was told to non-whites, "either get with the program or get lost".  If you can't keep up with the economy and increasingly diverse nation then you need to evolve and change so you can survive rather than using rhetoric like "taking our country back".  Notice non-whites have never said such things because they don't believe in owing this country rather just being citizens that contribute to the place as most productive members of a society.  This article posted by David Seaton on Talking Points Memo explains exactly what has been occurring best.  If you are using that type of rhetoric that lets us all know that the problem with white politics is it's about ownership and possessiveness in a patriarchal sense rather than being just a productive contributing member of society.

IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND DON'T BE MAD THAT EVERYBODY HAS CLOCKED YOU AND THOSE THAT ARE THINKING LIKE YOURSELF!

Tragically, ACORN is done...

While the healthcare reform legislation passed in the House and Democrats and some Progressive patting themselves on the back for the accomplishment of a controversial issue, ACORN's board of directors decided to fold the national urban issues advocacy organization citing depleting funds.  SIGH! 

It's a time like this when we really need ACORN because they have fought long and hard for the people against predatory lending involved in the housing crisis, jobs, living wage, voting right, and education reform.  Last fall, the ignorant brigade of Angry White People Coalition and idiots and so-called "progressives" like Congressman John Conyers voted to strip the critical funding that the federal government gave to the organization.  Those idiots were reacting and believing that garbage from that idiotic white boy who prove to be a fraud and a criminal himself.  ACORN did win a court battle that they fought to get their funding back, but unfortunately the damage was done...

This shit disgusts me to no end because this organization actually helped those who couldn't speak for themselves.  The New Orleans-based organization's mission was always to fight to the hardships of those who were either impoverish, undeserved, or non-white, but of course this will go into the abyss because healthcare... SMH

A little reality check...

I was doing my usual blog stroll and came across this lovely post on Left in Alabama and boy was it quite a doozy!  Gotta give it up to the non-native, but person with Alabama connections calling it like he sees it.  However, he was only half-right because there is some major political strength behind Artur Davis' campaign here in Alabama.  The problem is only timing, which is going to play a major part in the gubernatorial election.

New Orleans elects it first white mayor in a generation...

Unfortunately, my professional life has seriously impeded upon my following of the New Orleans mayoral race, but apparently Moon Landrieu's youngest child, Mitch, won the seat of New Orleans' mayor last night.  Also the twisted irony is that Moon was New Orleans' last white mayor since 1978.  He beat everybody by a psuedo-"landslide" considering he only won by 66% in a field of 5 candidates.  The surprise to me is that Atlanta tried to do the same thing, but the racialized politics cloudy this and hence why we have Kasim Reed aka "Fathead" in office.  Anyways, congrats N.O. considering you had Ray "C-Ray" Nagin as mayor for the past 8 years and prove to be a bigger joke than anybody else in recent history of local politics.

Now, the whole political football over endorsing New Orleans over Indianapolis is so trivial to me, so have at to everybody else.  It is what it is.  I would say just enjoy the game...

Harry Reid and the unspoken things that some people think...

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know US Senator and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said something that a number of us black folks realize about Barack Obama and other educated black folks.  Also he touched upon the imagery of what some people think about lighter toned, educated, and/or well-spoken blacks.  It's ashame that we still live in a world where some whites and blacks think that if you are lighter means better, but if you are light-toned, educated, and well-spoken then you are "acceptable".  I'm dumbfounded yet not really surprised at all this.  Now, Al Sharpton and Congressional Black Caucus supporting him

In related news, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele needs to STFU.  He is claiming that if it was somebody white and Republican then the DNC would be calling for their head.  There are even claims that these remarks are as bad as the remarks former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said about how good of a guy that Strom Thurmond was.  That is true, but you are the token negro of the RNC/GOP and they are plotting your demise at this very moment.  Let's not forget about "Y'all come.  I got the fried chicken and potato salad" comments in the interview with the young male asking about inclusion of non-whites into the GOP.  You are the same fool who wrote a book and touring for it, but had to start canceling appearances and interviews because they are back in the shed grinding and sharpening the axe for your ass.  Simpleton.

Democrats and Republicans are both parties with racist, racially bias, and racially aversive individuals with more hang ups than phone operator, but let's be real.  The Republicans have a way more racially aversive platform overall than the more inclusive platform of the Democrats.  As an Independent, I will vote for a candidate of either party as long as they have a proper and productive and progressive platform, but the Republican party is a joke these days regulated to the South and exurban areas.  

Ignorance all around the way...