The Trifecta of Fuckery: Eddie Long edition

WELL, WELL, WELL, WELL, WELL!  THE CHICKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST AND HAS CROWED 3 TIMES!

The messiness, foolishness, and sheer madness of this whole situation has brought me out of my work/career hiatus to post. (I hope to regularly post in general)  Hypocrisy, homosexual behavior, and the black religious fold.  This is PURE UNADULTERATED FUCKERY AT IT VERY BEST!  Now where do I start. 

I've been saying for years (pre-bloggging days) that foolishness ALWAYS finds it source.  Well, Eddie Long has a history of being involved in anti-LGBT foolishness from helping campaign for Georgia to ban any same-sex unions or domestic partnership in 2004 to his silly ass march in the winter of 2005 in Atlanta against same-sex unions to his rabid homophobic ranting in a good chunk of his "sermons" (if you want to call it that).  This man has been the walk body of the stereotype of homophobia in the black religious community.  Yet his stupid ass brought himself down over lust for another man, the irony.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the 3 plaintiffs (whom names I won't repeat since they are already is there for the world to see on most sites, just Google it) have said basically the same thing, Eddie Long likes to be called "Daddy", took them on lavish trips around the world, introduced them to celebs (or "popular people" in my vernacular), slept in the same bed with him, and sexual acts including masturbation, oral sex were engaged.

Now I'm going to speak on some stuff I allegedly now in vague terms since this is an ongoing case.  There are also allegations that Long has been doing this mess since the early 1990s when he first came popular in Atlanta and the black religious circles.  Things of such involving such as him taking those boys to the Atlanta Hawks basketball games and etc.

Art Franklin, New Birth's spokesperson is a former Birmingham news anchor has allegations about about him and his sexuality too (especially considering the allegations surrounding his divorce).  These are among some of the reasons why he allegedly left WBRC "FOX6" to go to Atlanta to work on his music and writing then later wind up at WBRC's former sister station, WAGA "FOX5" and now at New Birth as the spokesman. 

All I'm going to say is this mess is destructive and revealing the bed of hypocrisy involving some black folks especially in the religious and church circles.  That's why I've been giving most of them the side-eye for awhile now because it shows that folks need to leave the LGBTs alone like the racially bias need to leave people of color alone...

The aggregavation of housing...

Some things I do wonder about the world we reside in such as housing.  It seems to be the fabric of our communities since they offer shelter for all of us.  However, that necessity seems to be seen as a luxury by many bureaucratic paper-pushers.  In the case of the Metro Atlanta area, where nearly all the public housing developments have been demolished and replaces with high-end condominium development.  On the surface, this looks as if it is a good thing since public housing seems to attract all the "undesirable" elements in our nation's society, but on deeper look reveals that many of these people have no where else to turn aside from being homeless.  This within itself is disheartening because you have to evaluate the entire situation before casting a broad judgment on housing for low-income residents.

Since 2001, the Atlanta Housing Authority has practically eliminated all the public housing in Atlanta (gotta love gentrification and its side effects).  Now suburban Marietta, in Cobb County, its housing authority is doing the same and hopes to shutter and demolish all public housing by 2012.  The replacements for such developments were vouchers given to former residents so they could either get into senior housing for older residents or at-market rate private housing or apartments for others.

On the other hand, the realization that most of the vouchers only pay for only 65% of such living costs associated with housing puts these people in a tougher situation.  Many people don't have the luxury of being able to afford private apartment, which most decent ones start at $600/month in rent in Metro Atlanta.  The lack of affordable housing is seriously lacking nationwide, but particularly in the South.  Ironically, most of those suffering from this dilemma are our fellow non-white citizens.

I know it's wonderful to see cities like Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, Memphis, and other Southern cities move from their past images as low-income, crime-ridden places with projects everywhere.  However, you should never go from one extreme to another where you are pricing out your own residents to appease a reluctant crowd of non-natives of the city to move there.  It creates a new vacuum where you continuously force those whom need government assistance to another rough place.  There needs to be some type of median place where we can create affordable housing and not go from one extreme to another.

On the road again....

I guess it's time to blog about what is really good with me....

I'm now in Auburn trying to obtain my Masters of Community Planning and graduate minor in Economic Development.  I've been trying to adjust to this really small urban area compared to that of the Greater Birmingham and Metro Atlanta.  I'll try to include some of the happenings and debauchery that occurs in the Auburn-Opelika and Columbus areas.  However, it is going to be an ADJUSTMENT because the area is clearly a fractured region where everything is at least 5 miles from anything.  I consider this a "pit stop" along the journey of my life, so it will be interesting how I can blog about the Greater Birmingham area (Central Alabama), East Alabama, and Georgia (which I've been doing for awhile now).  I can already tell it's going to be an interesting 2-3 years in this area.  My heart is still in the major metropolitan areas, but my body is there.

Oh yeah, small rant.  The Columbus (Georgia) television market sucks ass.  I've never seen a market that needs to get its act together and I mean SERIOUSLY.  Why is that ABC affiliate, WTVM also known as "WTVM, News Leader 9" (HORRIBLE BRAND NAME, BTW) is the only news operation in the market that actually airs regular newscasts all 7 days of the week?  They also produce the lone nightly newscasts on WXTX "FOX 54", which is operated by WTVM via a shared-services agreement (legalese for co-ownership via a property trust or a front company).  The Media General-owned CBS-affiliate, WRBL, "WRBL, News 3",  used to be a strong competitor of WTVM, but due to the cheapness of Media General the station only airs 4 newscasts per day and 5 days a week (meaning no weekend newscasts).  It is a shotty at best news operation with practically no on-air talent at all.  It's quite embarrassing.  The piped in news product of NBC-affiliate WLTZ, "WLTZ NBC 38"  is so-so as they do try to make it look local, but like WRBL, it doesn't have air anything on the weekend and only have evening newscasts for 5 days a week.  There is practically no CW affiliate (unless you get WLTZ digital sub-channel called "GA-BAMA CW"), thus me having to watch my Thursday night show, The Vampire Diaries, online.  The sad and twisted irony is WTVM Raycom Media-owned sister station in the Montgomery market & NBC affiliate, WSFA, "WSFA 12" airs on Charter Auburn cable channel line up, which essentially means the market is fractured because WLTZ has no real pull on Lee County viewership.  Anything I've learn about TV market designation is that there is 1 affiliate allowed in each market's local area and if there is a duplication amongst the major networks then it is a fractured market with weak stations.  The Columbus (sometimes hyphenated with Opelika-Auburn, AL) market reminds me of most Southern TV markets in the 1990s, where there were only 4 full-powered TV stations and all the good syndicated old sitcoms that didn't put you to sleep wind up airing on the local FOX affiliate (which it does with WXTX) along with some other channels from other cities airing on the line-up in some of the key places outside the main urban area (Columbus metro area).

ON THE URBAN LANDSCAPE: The layout of the area is laughable.  U.S 431 is practically a two-lane country road most of the area until you get to the core of Opelika.  U.S 280 is a four-to-six-lane highway through the entire region and all the way to Birmingham as well as Columbus.  280 does come close to being an official freeway when it gets to the western periphery of the Columbus urban area in Russell County (Alabama) near Phenix City.  However, the only real freeways in the entire region is I-85 and I-185.  It's an area that lacks major freeway/throughway infrastructure serving the area population.   I will give Auburn some points for its continuous usage of sideways and crosswalk signals around most major intersections within its corporate limits.  The area also tends to lean towards a neighborhood retail center type of spread with some retailers like Winn-Dixie and Kroger locations.  However, the area is poorly laid out as the main regional retail area surrounding The Village Mall is located on East University Drive, which a road that less that 2 miles to the south is in a residential area.

If one to compare Auburn to Opelika then you would know Opelika is the better planned one of the two.  It is also more proactive in its economic development initiatives like the power center, TigerTown at US 280 & I-85 led by the Opelika Development Authority.  However, its also a texbook example of urban sprawl and short-term, retail-oriented economic development rather than more sustainable white-collar and self-investing knowledge-based developments like pushing toward getting a more research center or entrepreneur incubator (since it's near Auburn University).  Auburn seems to go more towards the latter mentioned since they recently opened the Auburn Research Park, which will have long-term economic development benefits for the region.

Columbus is just there.  I mean I've been there a couple of times, but it doesn't seems like beyond the military base, Fort Benning, that there is much to its economy beyond that.  The lack of direct freeway/throughway access is an impediment for accessibility to anyone.  I-185 suck since it's a north-south directional freeway that only serves as a way for others on the Georgia side of the region to get to I-85 from Columbus and Fort Benning.  There are the attempts by locals in Columbus to make the RiverCenter, the Riverwalk walk and bike path along & whitewater rafting in the Chattahoochee River, and the local theaters via "Broadway in Columbus" as a draw, but I'm unimpressed.  The city just lacks the population base to pull anything major which I'm more accustomed to in North Alabama and North Georgia.

In general, I'm in an "it is what it is" mindset about this region.  Lee County (Alabama) and Muscogee County (Georgia) are the main population centers, but they aren't very cooperated in their strategy to make the region more attractive or impressive to newcomers or outsiders.  I'll just spend my time focusing on my studies and networking with those in the Auburn-Opelika area and look forward to transitioning to Georgia...

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.

I haven't blogged in 2 weeks

I'm busy and will blog when I feel I have the time, so it is what it is.  Go to some of the blogs on my list at the bottom of my home page.  They will certainly provide you with similar point-of-views of my own.  In the meanwhile, business needs to be taken care of so I'll keep you posted...

One year, and so...

Now back to regular posting.  Today on the other side of the Sunbelt, a federal judge repealed California's Proposition 8 that banned same-sex unions and such, so congrats to them (for now because you know THEY are going to repeal to the SCOTUS)...

It's another one of those cases where you have to give those in the Democratic establishment in Georgia the side-eye.  This time it's Roy Barnes, whom deliberately avoided being seen near President Obama in Atlanta on Monday when he was there for Disabled Veterans organization speech and Democratic National Convention fundraiser (all in the same hotel, Hyatt Regency Atlanta in downtown).  That's what I call a "nod and wink" stunt to the black Democrats, whom he went all out the way to court up until 3 weeks after he won the Democratic gubernatorial primary...

In the Greater Birmingham area, an young, black Democratic nominee for circuit judge position of Jefferson County, Kenya Lavender Marshall,  might be disbarred by the Alabama State Bar for using clients compensation for personal use.  UH OH, HOT DOG!  That's has to be one of the DUMBEST things I've seen person do when they are running for a judicial position when it requires prudence and discernment to do the job...

Oh yeah, black Democratic Congress members Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters ought to be ashamed of themselves for being SO DAMN STUPID.  I mean allegations of taking money and using it for their own personal usage and now both face ethics violations when they know they are up for reelection in 3 months.   I don't care how progressive you too maybe on key social issues, you have to be DUMBEST DEMOCRATS in the current sitting Congress, plain and simple.  Once again you see another Southern (white) Democrat pretending to be too busy worried what some rural (white) people will think of them rather than just showing their face for a few minutes with the president...PATHETIC!

LESSON TO ALL BLACK DEMOCRATS: DON'T GIVE OTHERS A REASON TO GET YOU WHEN YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY WILL THOSE OUT THEM WANTING TO GET YOU!  YOU WILL GET GOT!

On the Jefferson County issues...

Yeah, yeah, yeah, former Jefferson County Commissioner Gary White is finally going to the chokey, but what does this mean to the constituency?  I'm honestly wondering what type of outlook does this leave for the citizens of Jefferson County on the county governmental structure, particularly the elected representation...

All of the current sitting commissioners are going to be gone in November regardless of how the election turns out since the only one running for reelection (Bobby Humphryes) lost his primary about 4 weeks ago.  It just seems to anti-climatic for the citizens to continue to see this status quo exist with the county government.  Although they want to reintroduce merit raises for county employees, for now...

All I can say is, OH BROTHER!!!!

When will this sh*t end????

This ongoing propaganda war that the racially aversive, predominately white, social conservatives are attempting to wage on those with conscientious lore of our society.  Now there is a new twist to the tit for tat of the past 2 weeks, and this time it to place their aim at Shirley Sherrod's husband, civil rights activist, Charles Sherrod.  Now this video from him speaking at the University of Virginia questioning if he is "racist" according to the aforementioned latter group in the first sentence.  Let's not forget the proverbial question of how did Shirley Sherrod wind up working for the same organization that her family with others filed a class action lawsuit (and later won) against.

I'm beyond TIRED of this convoluted attempt to diverse the attention from what has been occurring in this nation for centuries and the institutionalized bias and impediments for non-whites for decades for economic empowerment or quality of life.  They need to stop trying to beat a damn dead horse because it's getting to a point of absurdity as those whom seem to be reaching for ANYTHING to cling to yet refuse to address the elephant in the room, institutionalized racism...

GEEZ!!!

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...

Georgia happenings of the past week...

Aside from my previous post that occurred in GA (involving Shirley Sherrod), there were other major events in the past week.  On Tuesday, there were gubernatorial primaries for the Republican and Democratic parties along with U.S. Senatorial primaries for Democratic nominee challenging socially conservative incumbent Johnny Isakson.  The Democratic gubernatorial race hands down was going to go to Roy Barnes since it was obvious to me along with anyone that knows politics that Barnes got the black establishment in Georgia along by 'essentially rubbing their bellies' with potent talk about "being a key ally".  I don't have a dog in this fight, but Barnes isn't a progressive at all; on the other hand, it is obvious in most Southern states that most of the black establishment will throw that under the bus to keep themselves in good graces with whomever is going to lead their state Democratic party.

Also there for some of the congressional primaries in both parties for the practically all the seats except for the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th districts.  Incumbents in the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th, and 11th districts went uncontested within their parties.  The open seats like the rapidly shifting 7th district, where there will be a battle royale in the fall since the district's population center, Gwinnett County, has recently become a non-white majority (courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution).  Meanwhile, Congressman Hank Johnson, of the 4th district was fighting long and hard against former DeKalb County CEO and beacon of racial controversy, Vernon Jones.  However, the more prudent amongst the majority black district voters kept Jones out of the seat (thank God!).

Now on to the other stuff...

On Thursday, Atlanta mayor, Kasim Reed, along with newly appoint APD chief, George Turner, and the Atlanta City Council openly LGBT member, Alex Wan, APD assistant chief, P.N. Andresen, and newly appointed APD LGBT liaison, Patricia Powell, attempted to pacify the city's large LGBT community.  According to the AJC, This meeting stems from the allegedly stake down that occurred in September 2009 at the Atlanta Eagle LGBT bar in midtown.  Meanwhile, I think it is obvious that there are some forces at work within the APD that will continue to harass some of the LGBT fold in the ATL, but event just doesn't seem like much without any actions proving there will a change of regime.  This is STILL the South, you guys should know and that Atlanta might be a major city, but there will always be those whom will show they don't approve of LGBTs within their ranks of the police force and in the city itself...

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...

So is Artur Davis a turncoat or just telling the truth????

Well, in today's Mobile Press-Register, former Alabama gubernatorial Democratic nominee and outgoing Alabama's 7th congressional district representative, Artur Davis, spoken on the win of Tuesday's run-off, Alabama Democratic Party, and the general election in November. 

Davis apparently praised Tuscaloosa dermatologist and Alabama Republican gubernatorial candidate, Robert Bentley, on his ability to overcome the intra-partisan politics of the Alabama Republican Party.  He also remarked about the strength of his candidacy and respect for his campaign:

"Robert Bentley is one of the most decent, honorable people I know in politics. I have nothing but admiration for him," Davis said Thursday. "I believe he will be a very strong candidate."

"Over a year and a half and 20-something debates, you get to know each other pretty well," he said. "(Bentley) was always very authentic, consistent in his positions and knew as much about state government as anybody in the race. He is running a very impressive campaign."

Now me being objective, Bentley won because of the shadow campaigning by the Alabama Education Association (AEA).  The same can be said about the candidacy of Ron Sparks as well.  However, Davis is apparently admiring Bentley's consistency of his platform and the fact that he is going to be difficult candidate for Ron Sparks to beat in November.  He also addressed Bentley's bipartisanship efforts as well.  Davis did allege that Bentley wooed independent voters (which I doubt because AEA was coercing its members of all political affiliations to crossover and vote in the Tuesday run-off).  Interestingly, at the end of the interview, Davis did point out how he didn't agree with Bentley on abortion, charter schools and other key policy issues. 

On the other hand, Davis WENT IN on the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) for their issues.

"The party is losing its way. We are losing ground in Alabama and we are losing it unnecessarily," he said. "We want to hide behind the excuse that the national party is unpopular right now but that's not what's causing it. The fact is we're seeing the complete domination of the party by a narrow group of insiders who are completely out of step with average Alabamians."

He didn't spare any moment not to make a huge swipe at Sparks and liberals in Alabama whom cause such damage:

"Ron Sparks was very much the candidate of activist, liberal Democratic voters. And the fact is that's a very small segment of the electorate in Alabama," he said. "That puts him very much at odds with the majority of Alabama voters, and that is a prescription for failure."

Davis has a valid point of addressing the issues where the ADP is controlled by Joe Turnham (whom has essentially said that any Democrat is running for statewide office should run right), the AEA duo of Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed, along with the special interests of Alabama Farmers Association (ALFA). 

Now, I don't totally agree with him about his assessment of Sparks since there liberals were as supportive of his candidacy as whom have much to gain from electronic bingo and gambling like Milton McGregor.  Nevertheless, he was right about how those on the "left" or "liberal" were attacking him on the health care reform vote.  Their indignation towards him after pretty much supporting most of their interest was disingenuous and partially vindictive.  It was also trifecta of the workings of Joe Reed & Co. getting revenge on  Davis for usurping their established candidate, Earl Hilliard, Sr. in 2002.  

All of this says to me that there is some twisted bullshit going on in Alabama amongst its Democrats and Davis' remarks on such things are a symptom of such affliction as Reed, Hubbert (whom is "stepping down" from the ADP), etc.  It's evident that there more issues at work than even I could describe and progressives are left up shit creek without a paddle.  Liberals are fucking up things for them then the ADP and its shadow orgs like AEA, ADC, etc. are too busy toiling up schemes to sabotage elections for progressive candidates whom doesn't kowtow to their interests. 

FYI, AEA doesn't just involve themselves in the interest of education or educators, more or less they are an organization that works to control everything while letting the quality of education and facilities in urban districts like Birmingham, Montgomery, and Anniston falter as well as rural districts like the counties of the Black Belt.  They should be using their power to vastly improve the conditions of such places to the level of the school districts in Hoover, Madison, Oxford, etc. around the state of Alabama.

Late Congrats to Terri Sewell!

Congratulations to Terri Sewell!  You beat "the beast of Jeffco", Shelia Smoot, thus ending that self-serving fool's political career for now.  Sewell's progressive platform, ground game of knocking on doors of houses, and warchest of $1 million+ from tenacious fund raising over the past year helped her win (even in Smoot's so-called "territory", Jefferson County by nearly 2,000 votes).  I'm enthused that she overcome the foolishness that was projected at her from the Smoot camp and their brigade of shills.

Now on to November where Sewell needs to take down Republican competitor, Chamberlain, which shouldn't be that difficult considering this is a heavily Democrat-leaning district (the only in Alabama).  Then she'll be Alabama's first black congresswoman!

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)

What's up with electronic bingo in Alabama?

I mean honestly, what the hell is up with this?  I mean it has turned into a biggest game of cluster fucking in my lifetime.  It just seems like there is more political "gotcha" on the side of Alabama outgoing Republican governor Bob Riley's part than anything else.  Now I'm not saying the proponents of such shroud are innocent either considering the likes of Milton McGregor along with a cornucopia of politicos that flat out deserve the side-eye whom is associated with these such interests.  However, the true victims of this is the citizens who rely on the these establishments as forms of gainful employment in these economically horrible times.

Just Friday, Alabama House Rep. John Rogers of Birmingham wants to file a voters' rights complaint in the federal docket against Riley and the Alabama Supreme Court.  According to the Tuscaloosa News, this is on the basis since the voters of the Greene County, Alabama, where the GreenTrack Race Course and gaming facility is located, ratified in 2003 an Alabama constitutional amendment allowing "electronic bingo" operations within their county's boundaries.  This is conflicting with the Alabama law explicitly prohibiting gambling, but the state constitution has over 840 amendments and dates back to 1901.  In other words, it is a convoluted, legally contradictorily document.  Regardless, Alabama citizens allow this to continue to be their state charter because they feel that if anything changes then it will allow "special interests" and "lobbyists" to take over the operations of the state.  REALITY CHECK: Special interest and lobbyists already run the state capitol in Montgomery.

The involvement of the Alabama Black Caucus doesn't really help the situation considering many of them are albatrosses on the necks of the those advocating the passage of the such pro-gambling legislation.  (Anyone who reads my blog or follows me on Left in Alabama knows why the Alabama Black Caucus is a joke).  The piss-poor attempt via a pro electronic bingo bill in this years regular session of the Alabama State Legislature came to a screeching halt following the federal probe in April.  According to the Birmingham News, a number of state legislators from both the Alabama Senate and House where informed of the investigation, but given few details until the official questioning occurred.  The bill died in the final days of the session left not voted upon by Alabama Senate in late May. 

Economically speaking Alabama is more fucked probably more so than most other Southern states.  Alabama's citizenry still does commute long distances to far-flung places for employment due to the lack of variety of jobs outside of the major urban areas.  Its black citizenry is especially fucked because outside of the cities pretty much most of them live in the Black Belt, which is a very economically depressed region.

This is just a bizarre situation and reminiscent of why I'm so leaving this state because there are too many things wrong with this place and no enough intelligent individuals to push progress further here.

Another chapter in black politics (actually just social issues): THE BOONDOCKS

Yeah, just by the way this post sounds somebody will read it and roll their eyes almost immediately.  However, the Aaron McGruder-created series is quite realistic in a satirical and parodist manner about how society is.  I've been a fan since the beginning, but isn't exactly a fan of the overt usage of the n-word though understand the context of its usage.  

The Boondocks speaks upon many things that black and white Americans does in such a foolish manner yet doesn't realize how crazy it is from another perspective.  In particular, the ongoing theme of the show's first 2 seasons were racial issues involving black and white Americans in suburban areas.  You would have the already established white citizens living in that area then the influx of non-whites into the neighborhood with the sudden suspicion that there is "unwanted elements" arriving.  Interestingly enough, those non-white formerly "new arrivals" become suspicious of more non-white new arrivals to that same neighborhood they were just looked down upon because of their difference in lifestyles.  It's just a vicious circle, yet McGruder exploits this for the world to see in his now-defunct comic strip and current TV series.  

McGruder ridicules the ostentation nature of intimacy involving interracial relationships such as the character "Tom", who epitomizes the idea of an "uncle tom".  "Tom" has a white wife, who is wild for any good looking black male.  The point of the satirical representation whom is "Tom" isn't interracial relationships itself rather the idea that being in one removes one from the issues involving race in our society.  That's far from the fact because there are many situations where "Tom" would fall back into the web of issues associated with being black although he has an interracial familiar unit.

Another thing, McGruder exploits in particular in the second season of his series is hip-hop and its surrounding urban culture.  He focuses on  obsession with the hip-hop and urban culture by suburban whites.  McGruder shows that although these youths listen to and attempt to imitate such cultural icons and quirks (although most are only figments of fantasy and exaggerated by the media), they don't suffer the consequences of their actions as would black when they exercise such behavior.  He made quite clear that although these youths are truly aren't malevolent in intent with their actions, they can get away with these antics.

In addition, McGruder focus on the hypocrisy within the hip-hop on homosexual behavior.  He points that out with a rapper in the series who denied to the very end that he wasn't engaging in homosexual behavior although it was proven time and time again.  It goes to show that some will engage in such behavior and still live in denial.  He also satirizes the foolishness of some rappers like 50 Cent, Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, and such on the glorification of being shot various times and obtaining "street cred" from such incidents.

The current season of the TV series parodies the bandwagon effects of black Americans.  He pointed out with the election of sitting president Barack Obama, many blacks felt that was a "game changer" in the state of race relations and the idea of "one of us" in the White House.  However, the storyline revealed this to be far from the truth with the notion that 2 of the main characters were rejected access to the inauguration and following festivities.  Another character, Huey, knew from the beginning this was far from the fact, but it was displayed that his ambivalence was "outsider behavior" and "treasonist" in nature by many black characters in the episode.  Now this isn't saying that all black people have group mentality, but it is obvious that many exhibit such even in my past postings. 

The most recent controversies the series has pointed out is the foolishness of now Viacom-owned BET.  The BET network executives pushed to have the 2 episodes ("The Hunger Strike, "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show") satirizing the network's poor representation of modern black culture.  The parodies of the network was quite accurate since there is practically no news, public affairs, or informational programming in its line-up since Viacom acquisition in 1999.

The most recent stir-up is the recent episode "Pause", where McGruder satirize the plays of Tyler Perry and his "Madea" character, and consistent message of the works.  He also exploited the alleged culture that exists behind the scenes with Tyler Perry's professional and personal life.  This includes the exploit of Perry being a closeted homosexual who uses his religion and usage of Jesus to deflect the discussion of his personal life while furthering the allowance of homophobia amongst black religious circles.  There are a number of works by Perry where he has ridiculed LGBTs, particularly black males in his plays and films.  Especially while in character as "Madea" mentioned black LGBT males as "tambourine players", but the irony is "Madea" is black male dress in women's clothing also "drag" himself.  

According to the Los Angeles Times, Perry apparently is furious with Turner Broadcasting, who owns the Cartoon Network and ironically parent company of TBS where he airs his 2 sitcoms.  The execs at the network are now trying to coddle Perry to keep him from possibly pulling his shows off the TBS network.  However, Perry knows other networks would give him the time or day with his corny ass shows though.  Most critics (including myself) sees most works of Perry as examples of the sanctimonious nature of some black folks,

To sum it up, the Boondocks depicts the issues surrounding the black people and to certain extent society itself...

Birmingham city council's pattern of blaming the businesses instead the true problems

One thing I have noticed about the Birmingham City Council regardless of whom is sitting on it, is its level of ineptitude of on problem finding and solving especially when it comes to night clubs and bars.  First, in 2008, lead by then mayor Larry Langford, the Birmingham City Council pushed to have Banana Joe's night club closed via revocation of its liquor license after the shooting which led to the death of 21 year old by an underage teen.  Last year, Langford urged the City Council to have Club Zen shuttered on Morris Avenue in downtown after a Bessemer resident stabbed a club patron there.  Now on June 29th, the City Council moves to have the Continental ballroom and night club shuttered after allegations of complaints from police officers (not citizens) although there hasn't been any major incidents there in months.

It seems like to me that the Birmingham City Council is a pool of idiots more than they are a board of legislative representatives of the city.  You don't blame the business owners for the problems of the patrons when it clearly an issue that is nearly impossible to totally prevent.  You don't see in Atlanta governmental entities pushing to shutter every club or nightspot that has an incident occurs because they know that it is nearly impossible to remove that element from society only control it.  However, Birmingham has a pattern of shooting itself in the foot economically while attempting to claim to improve along the way.  NOT!!!! 

My advice is you know there will ALWAYS be a "hood club" in every city, but the business owners of these establishments should realize what type of cliente they are catering to while attempting to keep the potential of criminal activity to a minimum. 

On the other hand, this is the same entity that wants to vote fund $10,000 for the "Thunder on the Mountain" fireworks display over Red Mountain after the lead organizers said that is seeing a shortfall due to lack of sponsors.  This all the while Birmingham is facing a major budgetary shortfall themselves guaranteeing a 30% pay cut for civil protection such as police and firefighters.  SMH!

Links courtesy of the Birmingham News and al.com.

The South continues to be home of the most fat asses

Not surprise to me, but the report issued by Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation depicted that the South is home to 9 of the 10 fattest states in the nation for adult obesity.

Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia are all in the top 8 depicted by the bright red color.  The other 2 spots in the top 10 is South Carolina at 9th with North Carolina and Michigan tied for the 10th place.  Georgia and Florida are the only Deep Southern states that lucked out this time around, but that may have much to do with the existence of Metro Atlanta for Georgia and the big 3 in Florida (South Florida, Tampa Bay, and Orlando).  This is embarrassing considering this region is also home to the nation's highest number of black Americans, but on the flip side home to the highest level of abject poverty as well.  It's like if you live in the South then you are already predisposed to be fat because of the lack of infrastructure conducive with mobility, economically or physically.  The region has the lowest amount of public transit infrastructure availability and usage amongst the nation's major metropolitan areas.  Let's not forget the lack of adequate health care services.  Pathetic and scary.

Oh Jeff Sessions...

You just had to prove to the world that you are an idiot, misanthrope, and bigot once again.  You came up with these bizarre line of questions in the three-ring circus they call the "senatorial hearing" for the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.







This is what Alabama has allowed to represent them in the U.S. Senate along with Richard Shelby.  WTF???

Some things about to occur

It irks me to no end to see Congress rejecting the extension of unemployment benefits for those who are trying to find another job in this abyssal recession/depression by a 261-155 margin. 

As the debate over unemployment benefits continue in Washington, here are somethings that those Democrats and Republicans blocking the extension saying it "makes people lazy" should think about.  One there are 1.7 million people who are looking for jobs for at least 6 months, but still no luck at all.  This will increase to nearly 3 million people if this isn't extended.  Second, these people are your constituents in primarily in swing states like Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Nevada, where jobs aren't as plentiful as in the past, but these people will vote against you because of your callousness.  Third, the states that seem to be hurting the most are the reliably socially conservative states in the Deep South like Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, where unemployment is well over 10% of the employment rolls, but those idiots in DC like that  over the top effeminate closet case Lindsey Graham, the racist Jeff Sessions, the demented one Jim DeMint, and greedy fool like Richard Shelby are from these states.

Michigan Senator Carl Levin in the Huffington Post said that the claims that it will add to the deficit "lame", but he summed it quite well about the problem:

"The problem that exists -- 20 years ago I took a USA Today reporter out to an employment office and he interviewed the people in line waiting for their checks and it was a wide diversity of people, and it was a front-page story," Levin said. "The problem I have and you have is there's no place you can go to talk to the unemployment. They get their checks through the Internet -- the money's sent to them. So it's hard to put a human face on this, but there are 1.7 million human faces, plus their families, so we're determined to find a way to humanize this."

The media's negligence towards displaying the faces of this unemployment problem which should allow everyone including the recalcitrants in DC, who live off our dollars but couldn't give a damn about the people.