It seems that Sen. Clinton’s undercover attacks against Sen. Obama are starting to work against her. From the beginning of her campaign for President I have been offended by what I perceive as arrogance on the part of Sen. Clinton. From her audacity to speak among Presidents at the late Coretta Scott King’s funeral, to the fake accent she seemed to develop when speaking at a Black church. When will Sen. Clinton and her husband realize that Black folks were amusing them, no one really thinks Bill is Black. I find it quit offensive that the Clintons don’t respect the fact that being black is a little more than our walk and talk, it’s also about the struggle – past and present – of a people.
Bottom line, I would bet my last dollar that neither Clinton was a victim of Driving While Black. I would put that same dollar on betting Obama has been a victim of DWB more than once. I bet he’s Black enough for that. Let that be a test of his Blackness.
Racial Undercurrent Is Seen in Clinton Campaign By Chris Cillizza And Shailagh Murray
It has unfolded mostly under the radar. But an important development in the 2008 Democratic battle may be the building backlash among African Americans over comments from associates of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that could be construed as jabs at Sen. Barack Obama's race.
These officials, including Clinton aides and prominent surrogates, have raised questions or dropped references about Obama's position on sentencing guidelines for crack vs. powder cocaine offenses; on his handgun control record; and on his admitted use of drugs as a youth. The context was always Obama's "electability." But the Illinois senator's campaign advisers said some African American leaders detect a pattern, and they believe it could erode Clinton's strong base of black support. Read the Washington Post article here
Richard Prince reports in Richard Prince's Journal-isms that Susan L. Taylor, editorial director of Essence magazine is leaving the publication to focus on her Essence Cares mentoring movement.
Icon for Black Women Focusing on Mentoring Effort by Richard Prince
Susan L. Taylor, the driving force behind Essence magazine since she became its editor in chief in 1981, is leaving the magazine to build her Essence Cares mentoring movement, "a call to action for every able Black adult to take under wing a vulnerable young person."
Those who attempt to contact Taylor by e-mail are told:
"I am taking a break in South Africa and will have little access to email. When I come back to the States in mid-January, I will be leaving Essence to do what at this juncture in my life has become a larger work for me —building the National Cares Mentoring Movement, which I founded as Essence Cares and today is my deepest passion. Read the story here
Here I am talking grandmother talk with Susan.
It seems that some healthcare insurance doesn't cover sick people. It only covers you when you're healthy or just a little sick. The tragic story of Nataline Sarkisyan is a prime example of the serious problems with the current healthcare system. According to the Los Angeles Times, Cigna HealthCare refused to approve and pay for a liver transplant for the 17-year-old leukemia patient "calling the procedure experimental because it was not supported by enough medical literature as safe or effective in such cases. "
Nataline died shortly after Cigna reversed its refusal.
This sounds a lot like the Denzel Washington movie John Q. How can the law allow insurance companies to collect premiums for years and then refuse to cover a dying child?
The healthcare system in America needs a complete overhaul.
Tough calls in transplant case
A Northridge teen dies shortly after her insurer reverses its refusal to pay for a treatment it called experimental. By Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
The case of a Northridge teenager taken off life support just as her insurance company reversed itself and agreed to pay for a liver transplant is highlighting tensions among physicians, patients and insurers over the definition of experimental procedures.
Nataline Sarkisyan's family blames their insurance company, Cigna HealthCare, for the teenager's death Thursday. A leukemia patient, 17-year-old Nataline had been in intensive care at UCLA Medical Center for about three weeks after suffering complications following a successful bone marrow transplant Nov. 21, relatives said. She was covered under the policy of her mother, a real estate agent.
Doctors treating Nataline told the family and Cigna in a letter that patients in similar situations have a 65% chance of living six months if they receive a liver transplant. Doctors had qualified Nataline for a transplant Dec. 6 and a liver became available four days later, the family said. But the transplant was not performed because Cigna had refused to approve and pay for the procedure, they said. Read the story here
MIAMI, Dec. 20.— The New Orleans Police used electric tasers and tear gas to repress protesters who were trying to enter a City Council meeting where a plan was approved to demolish thousands of low-income homes in that city affected by Hurricane Katrina.
A number of demonstrators, who charged that the demolition would be racist because those most affected are African Americans, were arrested after their protest outside the iron gates of City Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Footage broadcast by the CNN network depicted a police officer spraying gas, amidst screams, on people nearest to the gates. Read the full story here
This is one of the positive sides of hip-hop culture. Rapper Jay-Z, aka Shawn Carter, is planning a luxury hotel in Manhattan. The J-Hotel will be the flagship for a planned chain of hotels.
The business ventures embarked upon by hip-hop artists should be lifted up more often. The public has to admit, many of the rappers did an excellent job of learning the music business including grasping ways to develop additional revenue streams. They took the time to understand the game and, rather than remaining a victim of the system, they re-defined the game. Perhaps it took criminal-minded individuals to win at a ruthless game. Hip-hop entrepreneurs are making moves but that's not likely to make the evening news. The media is fixated on the negative aspects of the culture.
Hip-Hop Artist Jay-Z Plans Luxury Manhattan Hotel
By: Scott Baltic, Contributing Correspondent, Commercial Property News
Rapper Jay-Z is busting a real estate move. Representatives of New York City native Shawn Carter, better known as rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z, have purchased a site on Manhattan’s Lower West Side for redevelopment as the five-star J Hotel, the first in a planned series of such properties.
Plans call for a 150,000-square-foot structure, to be the flagship for his new hospitality brand, which he intends to roll out in select cities following this New York debut. J Hotel, in the heart of the gallery district between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues at 510 West 22nd Street, also known as 511 West 21st Street, will be a prominent new addition to the burgeoning High Line neighborhood. Eastern Consolidated director David Johnson, with executive directors, Ronald Solarz and Eric Anton exclusively represented the seller of the prime block-through site, a long-term owner, and Solarz and Anton also procured the buyers. Read the full story at Commercial Property News
Here's a hard-hitting commentary by Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune. Citing the fact that many of us today are slaves to the past and don't know it, Page quotes Harriet Tubman, ""I freed thousands of slaves," Harriet Tubman, the great conductor on the Underground Railroad. I could have freed thousands more, if they had known they were slaves."
Don't let slave mentality hold back Obama
By Clarence Page
Chicago Tribune
Andrew Young, a civil rights veteran and former U.N. ambassador, should stay away from microphones.
In videotaped comments that have taken the Internet by storm, he says this: "I want Barack Obama to be president . . . in 2016!"
Obama, the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential hopeful, is too young and too lacking in a support network to be pursuing the White House this time around, says Young.
In the video interview posted on NewsMakersLive.com based in Atlanta, where he used to be mayor, Young praises Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Young says that her husband, Bill, the former president, is "every bit as black as Barack."
As the audience whoops and laughs, he quips, "He's probably gone with more black women than Barack."
Young quickly adds, "I'm clowning." I'm sure he was. In case you couldn't guess, Young supports Clinton. He's even hosted a fund-raiser for her. But with supporters such as Young bringing up her least favorite part of her husband's presidency, Clinton doesn't need critics.
And, please, Mr. Ambassador. The line about Bill Clinton's being our first black president is wearing a little thin, especially when his wife is running against someone whose African side is more visibly apparent.
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Such fear is a natural byproduct of our historical memory as an oppressed people whose hopes too often have been dashed.
I'm old enough to have heard the same pessimism expressed by my Roman Catholic friends about John F. Kennedy's chances in 1960. I heard similar pessimism expressed by some of my Jewish friends when Sen. Joe Lieberman ran in 2000. If you expect the worst, many figure, you won't be disappointed.
Read the full story here
From the Right to the City New Orleans Working Group
A CALL TO ACTION TO SUPPORT NEW ORLEANS' RIGHT TO THE CITY!
As goes New Orleans, so goes the rest of us. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced that starting December 15th it will begin bulldozing 4,600 public housing units in New Orleans, an 82% reduction in public housing in the city. This is the City and Federal Government's plan, even though 50,000 families remain in FEMA trailers and there are an estimated 12,000 homeless. It's clear that what is happening in New Orleans is a threat to public and low-income housing in all of our cities.
From December 10-15, New Orleans residents and allies will be engaging in a week of actions to delay and ultimately stop the demolitions. Targets of the week of action include City Council members and Senator Vitter(R-Louisiana), who has stopped the passage of the Senate version of the Gulf Coast Recovery Act, SB 1668, a bill that requires one-for-one replacement of any public housing demolished, AND would prohibit demolitions like this.
Continue reading "ACTION ALERT: Support New Orleans' Right to the City"
This case in Tennessee challenges the governments use of confidential informants. Snitches are consistently used to circumvent the laws governing investigations. The question becomes, when does the snitch become a government agent. At what point do they have to consider the constitution rights of others. Answer - send a snitch in and you never have to think about that good old constitution. Oh what a criminal justice system we have. I just wish they would use these aggressive tactics to catch child molesters and murderers instead of non-violent criminals.When does snitch become government agent? - By Jamie Satterfield
Not when he volunteers information, judge rules
The alleged kingpin of a massive mail-order illegal drug network has prompted the creation of a legal landmark of a test that he flunked.
In what appears to be the first ruling of its kind in the federal court region known as the 6th Circuit - of which Tennessee is a part - U.S. District Magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton has crafted a test to determine just when jailhouse snitches become government agents.
The ruling, issued Friday, comes in the case of Vicente Corona, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to a violent Mexican drug cartel and accused of heading up a large-scale drug conspiracy that funneled tons of pot and cocaine from California via mail-delivery services to a host of states, including Tennessee.
Corona, through defense attorney Steve Johnson, tried to block federal prosecutors from using against Corona incriminating statements he allegedly made to fellow inmates in the Blount County Jail.Read the full story here
I was overcome with a sense of pride while reading the headlines from several newspapers around the world reporting on Obama’s race for president.
Whether you vote for Obama or not, you must admit Black folks have come a long way considering slavery did not end until the late 1800's when other forms of oppression took over until the 60's. So, in actuality, we've had a little freedom for 40 or so years .... one full generation. Black folks have problems, but we've also made major accomplishments over the years. Obama's campaign for president should be a proud moment for all of us.
I have to add that it is beyond offensive for commentators, pundits, and candidates to insinuate that Oprah - a brilliant journalist, actress, talk show host, and businesswoman – can do no more than sell books. It’s ignorant and condescending. I’m sure she pays it no mind since she’s one of the richest women in the world.
This article from Australia says it best:Star rallies for Obama in crucial vote - The Herald Sun
ONE of the world's most influential celebrities, Oprah Winfrey, has made a passionate debut in US presidential politics to back friend Barack Obama.
Winfrey gave a rousing speech in the battleground state of Iowa to a packed stadium of 18,500 people in the first of four weekend rallies to support Senator Obama.
Only time will tell if the talk-show queen's high wattage star power, that can send a book into the bestseller list, will get Senator Obama into the White House.
In a patriotic rallying speech, Winfrey told the Des Moines crowd she was "not here to tell you what to think, I am here to ask you to think seriously".Read the full article here
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