Assed out literally!

Well, during the final moments and play of the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eages game last night on NBC when Bears Wide Reciever, Devin Hester, had his pants pull down literally during the play.  His ass was exposed to the world for nearly 10 seconds on live network television.  Here's the video of the ass-outing of Hester:

LMAO!

WTF?!!!

According to the Birmingham News, 1800 individuals showed up on Sunday afternoon to line up for the book signing of Sarah Palin at the Books-A-Million at Colonial Brookwood Village shopping mall in Homewood.  It just makes me wonder who in the fuck would show up to see her, but then I realized and it dawned on me this is the South and Alabama, where anything "white is right" in the minds of a significant number of undisclosed people.  Then you tie in being white, socially conservative, and Republican, and you have the perfect combination to bring out that demographic of people who have a slight gullibility of mindset in droves like free food at an event or getting in free at a club before 11.

I have to say, WOW, but then yeah I shrug it off and say "WHATEVER" because I hope they had fun wasting their Sunday and Monday waiting for one of the "folkiest" and "incompetent" figures in modern politics.

Oh yeah, former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, Mike Huckabee, being there on Sunday might have contributed to the crowd as well.

Political humor or sabotage? Both in Birmingham and Atlanta mayoral races

http://animoto.com/play/jUOAPgfgfRpGi6KRR3cMpw?utm_source=project_complete_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=project_complete_email&utm_content=main#

Both of these are links to rap videos where candidates for mayor in Birmingham and Atlanta are depicted in "rap" videos. 

Now anybody with half a brain knows that if you use patronize black folks they will turn on you faster than a rabid dog.  So are this videos depictions of political humor or just plain sabotage by surrogates for the opposition of these candidates? 

It seems to me that they just might be considering how contentious both of these races are and considering the key demographics of the swing voters of both cities.

If you are black or Latino and male, chances are you are unemployed right now

Some very distrubing figures came out on Monday saying that unemployment amongst black and Latino Americans are more likely to be unemployed hands down. 

The Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights organizations are calling for a targeted aid package to put minorities back to work and stepping up pressuring on the White House ahead of its jobs summit next month where corporate CEOs, academics, labor leaders, community activists, and others have been invited to suggest any and all ideas to spur hiring.

The US unemployment rate among black workers soared last month to a 28-year high of 15.7 percent and the rate has risen to 13.2 percent for Latino workers - both well above the overall 10.2 percent national average. Despite early signs of economic recovery, many economists predict the jobless rate will continue to climb toward 20 percent in minority communities, which historically have higher unemployment than the general population.

The scary fact is that here in Alabama the numbers are even worse with 10.9% unemployment and rural, majority black counties like those in the Black Belt of West and South Central Alabama are facing unemployment numbers pushing 30%!  It's very scary out there for black and Latino folks hands down.  According to the Washington Post, unemployment numbers for 16-24 year-old black males have reached Great Depression levels at 34.5%.  For young blacks, race statistically appears to be a bigger factor in their unemployment than age, income or even education. Lower-income white teens were more likely to find work than upper-income black teens. Even blacks who graduate from college suffer from joblessness at twice the rate of their white peers.


Word is floating around that if you are double minority, i.e. SGL/LGBT of color, then you are even more likely to be unemployed than your heterosexual counterparts.  I'm trying to do my damnest not to wind up in an awkward situation myself although I'm in school at the moment...

I know the President (Obama) claimed the economy his persay, but it would have been his one way or another either through admitting it or having it pinned to him by Republican opponents come next year or 2012...

YAWN! The AMA last night...

I thought it was going to be good, but nope!  Although I could care less for Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, his performance with Alicia Keys of "Empire State of Mind" was the apex of the night.  Even my girl, Janet, was boring and lacklaster last night with her opening performance. 

Rihanna, well, was OK, but the hype of bigger than the performance.  I'm going to have to take a line from T-Boz and Jazzy Phae, who were sitting in for Ryan Cameron on V-103 today, Rihanna needs to get with Divine Stevens and get it together performance-wise.  She has beaten Beyonce in the hits category, but if you really want to become a BIG NAME like her then you gotta step it up on the live performance tip.  Otherwise, she'll be like Mariah Carey, just a sit-and-watch artist when it comes to performance like her music.

Other stuff, the whole granddose intro for Keith Urban as a "sexy man and half" was EXTRA to Carrie Underwood pretending to be major when she should know her lane by now.  WTF was the Black Eyed Peas doing?  I love me some B.E.P., but they should have SAT DOWN with that crap.  Jennifer Lopez, SMDH, I hate to say this, but J.Lo your time in the music spotlight is up!  The rest was alright from Kelly Clarkson (who has gone back to her natural size and I'm proud) to Sharika give one of her best with the Timbaland-produced hit "Give It Up to Me". 

Oh yeah, I changed the channel on Adam Lambert's so-called contraversial performance because I was bored with the AMAs and the news was on by then.  However, I saw it and it was forced and lame.  It's cute that you are open about your sexuality Adam, but you could have tried to let it occur naturally like most contraversial performance rather than hyping it up to be one...

Jesse Jackson and his "foot-in-mouth" syndrome and the Black Establishment

After the whole House health care bill debacle where Alabama Congressman and Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Artur Davis, was one of only few dissenting votes against the health care bill on the grounds of small businesses and his awaiting the Senate version, he was lampooned by the splaboo Jesse Jackson.

'You can't vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man'

The remark stirred a murmur at the reception, held by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation as part of a series of events revolving around the 25th anniversary of Jackson’s run for president. Several CBC members were in attendance, including Chairwoman and Congressional Democrat Barbara Lee, who had introduced Jackson.

Jackson seems to have a have an issue with black politicos that doesn't fall line-in-toe with the Democratic establishment.  Just last year, Jackson had went on FOX News Channel and had thought he had his mic off when he said "I want to cut his nutts off" about then Democratic candidate Barack Obama on how black men needs to step up as fathers and father-figures.

So this is no surprise to me at all.

However, after a day of ridicule and apparent deep afterthought of his comments, Jackson released another statement yesterday via his organization the Rainbow Coaltion:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 19, 2009)— “I talked to Congressman Artur Davis today to assure him of my abiding admiration of him as a leader who is engaged in a huge challenge.

I offer no challenge to his integrity as a leader. Representatives should all vote their conscience in the interest of their constituency.

There is a growing disparity among the black and the poor and we desperately need voices and votes.

Among the black and the poor, the infant mortality rate is higher, life expectancy is shorter, poverty is growing and unemployment is highest.

We need comprehensive healthcare that is more accessible and less expensive for all Americans. The historical Davis journey as a change agent continues and his latest quest deserves the support of the caring.”

He better backpedal because it seems to be a common remark I hear from so many blacks that want to question whether or not somebody is 'black enough' because they don't fall into the communal mindset of the majority.  Also Jackson knows he has become an irrelevant political pimp with little to no influence on the decisions of the younger generation of black voters when it comes to black issues.  He hasn't been relevant since the late 1980's and early 1990's at best.

What pisses me off more than anything is the fact that there are fools out there even on Left in Alabama blog where they think the Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) and the black establishment will show Artur Davis because he didn't do what he was 'suppose' to do on waiting his turn with the Alabama 7th Congressional district seat to now the health care vote.  If we all were to wait our turn on things and always kiss somebody's ass. 

I find it borderline pathetic because there are posters on there giving life and validation to the irrelevancy of people like Joe Reed, the Alabama black Democrats "leader".  This is the same dumbass that inaccurately predicted Hillary Clinton would win Alabama in the 2008 Democratic Primary by endorsing her before even listening to Barack Obama's platform.  It was dumbfounding yet predictable because the Black Establishment ideology comes from the same place where black conservative comes from (which can even be connected to why so many blacks doesn't accept black LGBTs as well but that another conversation).  It's sad commentary on the agenda of those who claim to represent the black voters, but can't even change and evolve with society and time. 

Here's an except from The Hill:

He came to Congress soon after winning a primary against a CBC-backed member, Rep. Earl Hilliard (D-Ala.), whose surrogates had questioned whether the Harvard-educated former prosecutor was “black enough.”
The CBC’s political action committee gave $10,000 to Hilliard to fight off Davis. Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave even more. But when Davis faced his own primary in 2004, no such help was forthcoming.
“I’m sure I asked,” he said with a laugh on Thursday.
One CBC staffer quipped that Davis  is part of the 42-member caucus “by default.” In an interview, Davis noted he bucked the party on legislation on terrorist surveillance and hate crimes, adding, “I was the only [CBC] member who didn’t sign the letter demanding that [now-Sen. Roland] Burris get seated. I didn’t think that was a racial issue.”

The Black Establishment is another contributing reason why I'm no longer a Democrat since they are always wanting to put somebody in their place.  Yet wasn't that what they were fighting against just 5 decades earlier when they were trying to gain a place at the table in Congress, state legislatures, city council, and other organizations where blacks weren't permitted to serve?  They seem to want to disenfranchise young up incoming black politicos like Obama, Davis, etc. who doesn't want to be directly tied to the identity as being black all the time when they are running for statewide or diverse electoral pool in such offices like mayor, governor, etc. 

Yet, there is always a double standard because the Democratic Establishment will bend hand over foot for a "Blue Dog" white Democrat running to secure an office.  It seems that this a triangulated racial bias when it comes to blacks that doesn't confirm to stereotypical platforms when it comes to public office, but the same principles never seem to apply when a white does the same thing.

Now, I don't agree with Artur Davis on quite a number of things including the stance on same-sex union/civil unions, ENDA, or health care reform, but at least he is able to stand out on his own principles.  It is obvious that because of these traits at the moment he is more electable on the Democratic side than Ron Sparks.  He doesn't have to confirm to anybody's standards to be liked or electable.  However, there are just as many Democratic purists as there are Republican purists, but the "tent" is bigger with the Democrats so they just don't make up the majority.  

Once again, incidents like this reminds me why I am non-conformist along with being my own person because nobody will have your back regardless if you do want they want you to do or not.  Regardless, this also reminds me why I will continue to be an Independent thinker and voter.

OK, the People magazine "Sexist Man Alive" edition is out

The real question I want to ask is why haven't there ever been a black male as titled as one or Latino one?  As much as I want to avoid asking such questions, but how many homely looking guys whose 'sexiness' is questionable unless you like the imfamous 'swag' crap. 

Anyways, Johnny Depp is again the 'Sexiest Man Alive' according to People. 

How many hate crimes associated with the South will we have?

First the incident in Baltimore where a black teenage male was murdered, now this incident in Houston.  Ironically, all of them are black males and the alleged assailants were black as well.  I know I usually stay out of this arena of things because it has more to do with your surroundings and the people you are around, but this got to cease and desist.

The teen's mother said since the district's officials didn't do a damn thing about the threats that teen himself informed them about before it occured that they are moving to another district.  It's so bizarre and ridiculous how people are so callous about threats when involves sexuality.

The real question I ask is "What in the hell is up with black folks in the South and the acceptance of black LGBTs?"  I guess too many black males are uncomfortable with their own sexuality that they got to throw a fit and attack someone else who is comfortable with themselves and in their own skin.  Just as I said last week, the South is home to the majority of the nation's black population, but it seems to be the worst place to be open and honest about yourself for black LGBTs aside from the cities.  Black folks, we got to get it together and stop impeding other black folks' happiness.  As the old omen says, "let it be, let it be".

Here's the video of the report from Houston CBS affiliate KHOU, Channel 11, on another teen was beatened with a pipe:

Well, the shuttered LGBT-oriented publications carry on

Although they went kaput on Monday, the former staffs of just about all of the Window Media, LLC publications (weekly) have continued on under new names.  The Washington Blade is now the DC Agenda and I will update as I find out the new names of the other former-Window Media properties in South Florida, Houston, and Atlanta.

Now the irony of all this all the properties are/were in the major population and cultural centers of the South, DC, ATL, Houston, and Miami.  Also this company was the largest LGBT oriented publications group in the nation, but apparently they didn't pay their bills or handle their finances well if they had to liquidate and shutter everything...

Oh, Tallahassee! Your showing your small pundit roots!

The Tallahassee chapter of the SCLC has decided to throw in their 2 cents of why the extension of domestic benefits of city employees to same-sex partners.  They wrote a long diatribe about how the voters of the State of Florida has made it known that same-sex unions should be banned, blah, blah, blah!  They say their mission statement of how they are for equal protection of all, but the City of Tallahassee should wait until the same-sex union banned is rescinded before extending benefits.

Uh ok, I wonder if they would have felt the same if this was an amendment of rules based on interracial marriages?  I guess since Bernice is in charge of the SCLC that the rules have changed and they will go out their way to make sure anything same-sex union or LGBT oriented is out.

Interesting...

Martha Stewart is a Bitch with a capital "B"

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/martha-stewart-takes-aim-rachel-ray-abc-news/story?id=9116891

In a recent interview with Cythnia McFadden on ABC News' Nightline, where she basically derides Rachel Ray for her imperfections on air and style of cooking.  Here's an excerpt:

"Well, to me, she professed that she could -- cannot bake," said Stewart. "She ... just did a new cookbook which is just a re-edit of a lot of her old recipes ... and that's not good enough for me. I mean, I really want to write a book that is a unique and lasting thing. Something that will really fulfill a need in someone's library."

She is a BITCH, but I can respect her for being one regardless since she is able to admit that openly unlike some...

UGH! Here we go again

In recent days, I seen so many incidents of stupidity it makes my head hurt.  OK, yesterday Ala. Gov. Bob Riley had a speech before the Birmingham Business Alliance where he proposed constructing an elevated toll road east of I-459 beltway to the Eagle Point Drive along U.S. 280.  Also the other portion of the proposal included a plan similar to what the officials in Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, and Homewood have recommended for the U.S. 280 corridor, which includes adding express lanes along with entrance and exit ramps while removing the traffic lights from intersections in between the Red Mountain Expressway and I-459 beltway.  Now, I don't have a problem with the idea of constructioning the roadway as planned in between the Red Mtn. Expy. and I-459, but the other portion is tacky and short-sighted at best.  If one thinks building things like Austin, Tampa are the way to go then they are in for a big surprise.

Most of us that knows that developmental patterns of cities is that building more roadway, i.e. an elevated tollway is a BAD IDEA.  The area would be better served by an extension of an the western portion of the plan with express lanes along with entrance and exit ramps at intersections would be much wiser.  This is similar to what ALDOT used along the Memorial Parkway (U.S. 231) corridor in South Huntsville.  The long-term plans should eventually include the usage of mass transit such as bus-rapid transit (BRT) such as that proposed to be used in the ITP which can be easely converted to light rail transit (LRT) at some point. 

OTHER FOOLISHNESS: The lack of foresight and what I dub as "retail segregation", i.e., chasing the majority white and affluent households.  That's what has happened to the majority of retail in the region, i.e., Eastwood Mall, Century Plaza, Roebuck Shopping Center, Five Points West, and now the Western Hills Mall area around Fairfield and Midfield.  The Sears store at Flintridge Centre is closing Januray 17th.  Although, nationally the Sears Holding Corp. has been struggling financially, it's borderline acrimonious how quick these retailer will close in majority black areas, but keep their locations in areas where they have a more a timeclock on their existence than anything else like, uh, Riverchase Galleria in Hoover. 

Now before anyone would argue with me it's more about economics than racial composition, I understand that, but there seems to be more a prevalence of the shuttering of retailers in prodominately black or Latino areas whereas others are quick to open in far flung areas like Shelby County, Trussville, and Hoover.  However, the retailers needs to realize that these areas have incomes to support retail regardless of who makes up the racial composition of the surrounding areas. 

FINALLY: A new report was released by the United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association, and Partnerships for Prevention yesterday.  It depicted Alabama once again at the bottom in rankings of the health survey at 48th. 

Challenges in Alabama include a high prevalence of obesity at 32.2 percent of the population, high levels of air pollution, a high percentage of children in poverty at 23.7 percent of persons under age 18, a high premature death rate with 10,116 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population, a high rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease at 358.8 deaths per 100,000 population and a high infant mortality rate at 9.2 deaths per 1,000 live births, the report noted.

Now everything isn't all bad for Alabama, but these things are very minuscule:

The report also said the rate of uninsured population declined from 13.6 percent to 11.9 percent in the past year and in the past five years, the prevalence of smoking decreased from 25.3 percent to 22.1 percent of the population.

Alabama has several strengths, the report said, including a low prevalence of binge drinking at 11.4 percent of the population, low geographic disparity within the state at 8.6 percent and high public health funding at $97 per person.

IMO, the stats weren't any better for Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi, or the majority of the South.  However, we are the fastest growing region in the nation with most states including Alabama posting  <4% growth of each state population in the past decade.  We gotta get it together on this front because we are killing ourselves slowly with this lack of sustainable, walkable communites, removal of physical education in schools, and the overusage of the private automobiles for short-distance and local travel.

Mayoral forums for Birmingham Mayoral Candidates

There is a mayoral forum for tonight at Huffman High School @ 6:30 PM hosted by the Jefferson County Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority
Another one hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance on November 30th @ the Alabama School of Fine Arts
On December 1st at Workplay in this Theater hosted by Catalyst, a group of citizens and young professionals from the area at 6 PM.

Honestly, I'm wondering why the Delta waited until yesterday to formally announced this publicly, which would have given both the candidates and public time to schedule their attendances.  Anybody with half-a-brain would know that it is pointless to attend a debate only 24 hours notice from a candidate's perspective.  The Deltas could have kept that and in Huffman?  LOL, Huffman isn't a bad place, but let's be serious... 

Why do I hate smaller cities and towns?

1. They suck because they are BORING AS FUCK.
2. 9 out of 10 times they are about as diverse as a sheet of paper
3. You have to drive everywhere
4. Most of them are usually socially conservative, which I abhor
5. Most doesn't have lively restaurant, bar, or club area where people can let their "hair down" and unwind
6. Dubious mindset where the residents think they are "safe" from crime
7. Most are chain store city where everything and everywhere you can shop, eat, or entertain your can be found in any major urban area if not in multiple parts of a much larger urban area, i.e., Wal-Mart, Target, McDonalds, the chain theater, GAP, etc.
8. Most people-of-color who live there are so delusional that they will "fit in" when in reality when shit goes down...
9. Lack of sidewalks or public transit since most small cities in the South doesn't believe in public transit because the perception only "poor people uses it".
10. Most of are "dry" (and for those that doesn't know what that means they doesn't sell alcohol on Sundays or at all).
    

Smaller cities are losing their appeal for medium-sized and large cities

According  the U.S. Census Bureau, smaller cities and communities are losing their appeal to those who are economically mobile and educated in a report released Monday. 

A review of newly released census data shows, for example, that cities of between 20,000 and 50,000 residents have lagged behind their larger counterparts in attracting higher-educated residents in this decade.
In 2000, small cities, which include remote towns and the distant suburbs known as "exurbs," ranked at the top in the share of people with college diplomas. They slipped to No. 2 last year with 30 percent holding degrees -- in between medium-sized cities, which had 31 percent, and big cities, at 29.8 percent.
Poverty is growing in the small cities, fueled partly by population growth, although average median income of $60,294 in those communities is still higher than other places.

Compared with previous years, they had smaller incomes, higher housing costs, longer commutes, more poverty and more single-parent families. Demographers attributed some of the shifts to the housing downturn and a spike in gasoline prices, which has hit residents in the far-flung exurbs harder. Many families in smaller towns also are looking for jobs in larger cities because of the current recession and are rethinking the wisdom of a lengthy commute to work.
Some small cities may have become victims of their own success. As their local economies boomed mid-decade, many places grew rapidly and attracted lower-income residents needed to build roads, schools and other public works projects. Some of these areas have shot up in size and are now medium-sized communities.
"Small towns have a certain appeal to people, and their quality of life there is backed up by the data," said Mark Mather, associate vice president of the nonprofit Population Reference Bureau. "But as more people move in, small towns start to lose the qualities that attracted people there in the first place."
The shifts are notable in the ranks of the educated.

Now all these places like Hoover, Anniston, Tuscaloosa, and Gadsden are starting to feel the pinch of the economy and aren't growing as fast as they used to.  They are seeing levels of poverty increase with its inhabitants and aren't fully-equipped to handle it like the large cities like Birmingham. 

I knew this was going to occur since here in Central Alabama everybody wants to diss Birmingham as this "horrible place" and flock to the suburbs and exurbs.  Now they see that if you run from your problems then your problems will always find you even in the smaller cities.  Hence why I enjoy and continuously want to live in the city where you know what to expect and expect what you know. 

OH WELL! 

Thank God! Arrington is not running

Former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington, Jr. got the hint when all the candidates he and his New Jefferson County Citizens Coalition, realized that they weren't as viable as yesteryear, and said that he isn't going to run for mayor again.  Instead, he said that all the 13 candidates running for the 2-year term left by former mayor Larry Langford was going to be filled by the winner of either Dec. 8th special election or its run-off (which is very likely) are more than enough for the variety for the election. 

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.

OK, now I'm getting annoyed

The list of buffoons running for the mayor of Birmingham is getting too long and borderline ridiculous.  12 CANDIDATES for a special election?

I say this because in the 2007 actual mayoral election nobody wanted to run aside from 90% career politicans, but all of asudden these crop of village idiots want to pop up and run for the special election on December 8th.  I'm all for civic involvement, but 2/3rds of these fools are running to be funny or try to say "yeah, I want to fix the city".  My proverbial question is, where the fuck were you in 2007 when you knew Langford was going to damn near destroy the city then?  Oh yeah, they were too busy being apathetic or "going-along-to-get-along" because they didn't want to rock the boat.  Yeah, this another reason why I get so annoyed with this crap because they could have done more THEN instead of NOW...

At the rate this bull is going I'm going to stop being on the fence and fully endorse Cooper because these other idiots have proven to me that they are as useless as a flat tire.

UPDATE: Two more morons added their names to the hat, City Councilor Steven Hoyt and former mayor Richard Arrington, but he claims he's contemplating over the weekend before formally announcing...  Regardless, the Old Guard wants to maintain status quo in Birmingham so that they can remain in control of the city, but they are apart of the problem than solution.  I sometimes absolutely hate some black folks at times especially splaboos...

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!