Obama's 1st Year's Grade

It's now the end of 2009 and almost 1 year has passed since President Obama assumed the office of the presidency. It's been a year of turmoil, both financially and politically, unlike anything I have seen since I have been alive. It is also the first time in 8 years that I did not have to suffer the embarrassment of having an incompetent as president of the US, and our country being the laughingstock of the world.

The things that I would downgrade him for, was his renewal of the Patriot Act, his renewal of FISA, his decision to send additional troops into Afghanistan, and his refusal to prosecute the criminals of the previous administration who approved torture and all manner of other violations of International and US law.

For these I would give him a grade of C.....

On the other hand, there were many notable things that he did achieve, the most recent was being awarded the most prestigious award in the world - the Nobel Peace Prize. Earlier in the year he also nominated and secured the appointment of the 1st Latina Supreme Court Justice, he fulfilled his campaign pledge to begin the daunting process of reforming healthcare in America, and he achieved a host of other legislative actions that had been neglected or denied by the previous administration. He has had many critics, both on the Right and on the Left, but at least one source correctly saw that his was one of the best 1st years in office that any previous president has had..

....from The BradBlog - http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7595

• Continued the draw down the misbegotten war in Iraq
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Thoughtfully and decisively picked the best of several bad choices regarding the war in Afghanistan
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Gave a major precedent-setting speech supporting gay rights
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Restored America's image around the globe
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Banned torture of American prisoners
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Stopped the free fall of the American economy
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Put the USA squarely back in the bilateral international community
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Put the USA squarely into the middle of the international effort to halt global warming
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Stood up for educational reform
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Won a Nobel peace prize
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Moved the trial of terrorists back into the American judicial system of checks and balances
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Did what had to be done to start the slow, torturous and almost impossible process of health care reform that 7 presidents had failed to even begin
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Responded to hatred from the Right and Left with measured good humor and patience
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Stopped the free fall of job losses
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Showed immense personal courage in the face of an armed and dangerous far Right opposition that included the sort of disgusting people that show up at public meetings carrying loaded weapons and carrying Timothy McVeigh-inspired signs about the "blood of tyrants" needing to "water the tree of liberty"...
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

• Showed that he could not only make the tough military choices but explain and defend them brilliantly
  (But that wasn't good enough for his critics)

For all these first-term achievements, I would give him a grade of A....

IMHO, His overall grade for his first year is a B to a B+, and I fully expect it to rise to a grade of A by the end of his 4-yr. term in office.

Time Out - Tiger Says!!

Well, the Tiger just announced that he was suspending his prowling on the PGA tour...and presumably in the bars and nightclubs where he picked up a bevy of flaxen-haired, blond hotties whom he clearly has a preference for, and who are just as unaccomplished as his nordic wife.

When you marry a woman for the wrong reasons, you are bound to get bored and restless, even if she is the mother of your two children. And apparently he was very bored! - so much so that he recklessly left traceable text-messages, and voicemails on the phones of a bunch of one-dimensional sperm cups, and now is paying millions for their silence. If only he had his head on straight and had a preference for the many attractive, accomplished Sisters available, it's almost guaranteed that he would not be in this mess today.

You would think that palling around with certified 'playas' like Barkley and Jordan, would have taught him a thing or two about how to 'play' with discretion and minimal exposure and risk. Instead, he displayed all the street smarts of a Monk gone wild on vacation. Reportedly he did not even use condoms as he scraped the bottom of the barrel with his driver and his 9-iron.

Predictably, the American sports establishment is chagrined at being betrayed by one of their 'honorary' whites who had the temerity to 'diss' one of their beauties they allowed him to marry, by whoring around on her. Just a few years ago they would have lynched him for much less than this - and this is how he repays them??? There was also a time when he would not have been permitted to even enter the clubhouse doors, never mind play on their golf courses.

Now, beat writers are tripping over themselves in angst at the besmirching of their sport by Tiger -
"golf has always held itself on a higher moral plane as a sport ruled by principles of honor. Has any such publicity created a bigger stain on golf?", and, "the game of honor and integrity had been besmirched like at no other time in it's 500-year history. It is a stain that no amount of Clorox could remove."
This is the most laughable of all assertions...that golf could have been stained by Tiger's actions, notwithstanding their racist history of exclusion that did not end until 1961, when black golfer, Bill Spiller's 13-year court battle, finally permitted him and fellow blacks to play on the PGA tour.

What they probably are really pissed at, is the certain plunge in revenues that all phases of golf will experience while Woods is away from the game - from smaller gates, drops in TV ratings, smaller purses, decreased corporate sponsorships, decreased equipment sales, deceased Ad revenues; to tour players dropping back to the 'Peter Principle' salary levels, where they would have been had not Tiger come along in the first place.

Many of the golf pros grumbled at Tiger's greatness and invincibility whenever he played, now they have a lot more to grumble about while he's on his sabbatical - the longer he is gone the worst it will be for them. When he was on tour they loved to hate him, now that he is gone, they will love to have him back.

It now appears more and more, that Tiger was being beaten with a golf club by his wife, because of her fury at the published accounts of his infidelity. This is what caused him to run out of the house and take off in his SUV with no shoes on, just before the crash. Apparently his wife was running right behind him and succeeded in smashing out the rear windows in her fury. But by the time the authorities got there, the spousal battery of his wife on him, was turned into "her heroic rescue of him", thus saving her from being arrested and charged with spousal battery. Had he been the one beating her, he would have surely been arrested and gone to jail. Instead, she gets a pass plus millions of more dollars to stay in the marriage with him.

All the facts may never come out, but he made his bed and he has to lay in it.

A Prize For Peace - Or a Nobel War?

As I listened to President Obama's speech, it struck me that his justification for the war he just expanded, is exactly what he had to say in order not to displease the powerful, elite, MIC ideologues who profit handsomely from our being constantly at undeclared war.

Do you think his life would be worth a plugged-nickel if he crossed them????

He is not a fool - he knows that they already murdered a sitting president plus his brother and two Civil Rights Activists, for crossing them by opposing the escalation of the Vietnam War; He knows that they warned Reagan with a faked assassination attempt when he strayed from their directives; he knows that they assaulted NYC and Washington, DC with massive air strikes that only they could have engineered and accomplished - all to provide a 'terrorist' rationale for war and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq...

He also knows that the recent security breech that allowed the 'party-crashers' to get close enough to kill him, was a thinly-veiled warning to let him know how easy it will be to take him out if it were ever necessary.

So it appears to me that President Obama is fighting to stay alive, while still trying to do some good for the people who supported him and even for those who did not - I don't envy his dilemma.

So don't get caught up in the hype that he could have ended the war by bringing the troops home, rather than choosing to expand it as he did - he may not have had that option because his life was on the line, and his first duty to himself and his family, is to stay alive!

How Dare You, Jesus!

This is the month of the year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the only Eternal God and Creator of the Universe.....

But since His birth and earthly ministry, His teachings has created a conundrum and a dilemma for those Conservatives who consider America to be a 'Christian' nation, yet hate, resist and ignore most of His teachings, particularly those they consider to be too socialistic, too communistic, or too pacifistic.

When Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said, 'eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt. 5:38-39), Conservatives reply, 'we consider this to be unrealistic - in fact we believe in capital punishment and Bush's doctrine of Preventive War that justified the bombing, invasion, and rape and pillaging of Iraq.'.....how dare you, Jesus!

When Jesus says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25), and in Matt. 6:19 He says "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth", and a few verses later, in Matt. 6:24, He says "You cannot serve both God and Money". In Luke 6:24 He says, "woe to you who are rich." Conservatives reply to all this, 'we believe in being filthy rich and we love the tax cuts for the rich that Reagan and Bush lavished on us while the standard of living for the middle class and the poor worsened every year....and to expect us to 'sell everything we have and give to the poor' (Mark 10:17-22), is pure insanity - only a communist would expect us to consider doing something like that.....how dare you, Jesus!

So every year about this time, Conservatives of every stripe are reminded of how far from the teachings of Jesus they really are, and in no sense can they claim to be Christians or claim America to be a Christian nation.... Jesus says they are not, and how dare He?

Obama's War????

Well, President Obama just fulfilled his campaign promise to send additional troops and expand the war in Afghanistan....much to the chagrin of many Liberal Progressives - many of whom are apoplectic with cries of, "we voted for change, and we are not getting it!"

Perhaps they didn't hear, or merely ignored Obama when he was campaigning - particularly in his Sept. '08 debate with McCain...he clearly said that the situation had eroded steadily there, and he would send in at least two brigades to shore up the deteriorating situation.

In fact, just 1 month after he took office, he sent 20,000 troops there as his first installment...now he has sent an additional 30,000 troops and an unknown number of support and logistical personnel. When they have arrived, we will have about 100,000 troops there, as well as at least 125,000 contractors.

Progressives want the troops to be brought home immediately because they see it as a hopeless mission, and that country has never been conquered by a foreign power in it's history. But we are not there to stop terrorism or the Taliban, we are there for other unstated reasons....

Like Bush, Obama can never say what are the real reasons for our being in Afghanistan, but here are a few -

- To secure and guard a right-of-way for the oil/gas pipeline which has already been started, and runs across the length of the country..

- To pacify the Generals who can only be pleased when there is war and they can be promoted...

- To provide a continuing stream of work and profits for big defense contractors and others of the MIC (military industrial complex), with profitable, no-bid contracts...and to provide a profitable bonanza for the oil companies which provides fuel for our military's needs...

- To control and profit from the world's largest narcotics growing area, from which the CIA derives most of it's funding for secret 'off-the-shelf' projects, and other mischief...

- To provide a military presence near the increasingly unstable Pakistani government, which has over 65 nukes in it's arsenal...

Will he start bringing them back in 18 months? - probably, if he really wants to be re-elected in 2010...but who really knows????...

MJ Docu: "Redeem or Fail To Acquit?"

My buddy Nezet responded to the question this way -

A response to the Los Angeles Times Opinion section “Comments Blog” titled: ‘This Is It': Does the Michael Jackson documentary redeem or fail to acquit?

The title of the article is insulting and demeaning to Jackson and his family IMHO….tripe like this “'This Is It': Does the Michael Jackson documentary redeem or fail to acquit?” as a title gets neither benefit of the doubt nor station with me. It is intended to demean and be slanderous to Jackson. Like some of the comments made by folks to the article, and they are entitled to their opinion, after all, this is AmeriKKKa…and how some people will want to continually try Jackson in the court of public opinion and forever tie his acquitted cases to his musicianship is a red herring at best. If every artist’s personal life is to be a reflection on what they do for a profession (singing, acting, playing an instrument, etc.)…puh-leez…let’s pull out the tabloids and “true Hollywood” stories of some of our so-called stars of yesterday and current ones….oh, and let’s pull out the “race card” (even if Michael Steele is in the background shouting “NNNNnnnoooooo!!!”)…how is that white artists can have all kinds of “dirt”…be it sex with an underage person, DRUGS, car accidents, multiple marriages/divorces, etc. and that’s just the stuff we hear about…after living out in Cali and crossing paths with a few folks in the “industry” there is a lot of sheet going on that doesn’t make the press…I’m not having this crucifying of MJ to satisfy some inherent need of denouncing and demeaning him on trumped up charges by money-grubbing parents of some of these kids. MJ had problems…who doesn’t…we’re all human (well, I suspect some are reptilian but that’s a rant for another day!)…and on many cases I would say IMHO he had poor judgment in his actions as an adult (to put it mildly)…but I’ve yet to see or hear all these details of how he’s a serial child molester or how he had sexual activities with any of these kids. All I know is some families got PAID large (looked like, “Hey Johnny go spend a night with MJ, oh...he touched your arm at night…and he let you SLEEP in his bed…CHILD MOLESTATION!!! What’s that…oh, you’ll pay us $20 mil….okay, send over the check…thank you very much! Oh Johnny…he’s fine…LATAH!”). Yadda-yadda-yah!

Back to the movie…I liked it, it was sad and bittersweet to see a supreme talent like MJ at work…and how he treated his fellow dancers, musicians, staff…no boasting, no diva-behavior, no “this is my show dammit!”…frankly, a gentle human being who was a master at his craft, knew what he wanted…and I’ve no doubt the actual concert show would’ve been a monster (as in good)! He was a tragic figure, flawed by a skewed childhood (or lack thereof frankly)…and I’m probably in the minority when I put a LOT of the blame to his parents (not that I want to drag Katherine or Joe through the mud, wringer, etc.)…but despite all the success, money and materialism…as the parents you need to get a grip on your reality…so hopefully your kids can have one. But in the drive, and this is probably on Joe the most, to be successful in the music industry…MJ’s childhood and sense of “normalcy” was skewed from when he was like 7 or 8 years old…and we have all been witness to the result. Even his siblings have “issues” that I surmise from afar…the predictable multiple marriages/divorces…and “acting out” by many of them…the only one who seems to be fairly balanced is Rebbie…who you don’t hear about or see in the press…which is why she’s probably fairly “normal” but I’m just speculating on that idea.

I could go on but I think you get my take…MJ…a “force of Nature” as one friend put it…and I concur…never seen anyone like him before…and don’t know if we’ll ever see anyone like him again! May he RIP….

By “Nezet”

How To Protect Marriage

I think it's absurd that the rabid right-wing is presuming to protect traditional marriages by supporting legislative bans on gay marriage or civil unions...this is like trying to promote cleaner air by banning air conditioners....Also, to think that marriages need protecting is laughable on it's face....

But to play along with their line of illogical thinking, I propose 5 ways to protect marriages while 'tongue is firmly ensconced and planted in cheek'...

1 Outlaw divorce - there is no better way to protect the institution of marriage..

2 Ban Viagra - except for married men and for procreative purposes only!..

3 Mandate arranged marriages - in much of the world this has worked best for centuries...

4 Levy a fee of $10,000 to obtain a marriage license - this way only the most committed, responsible and wealthiest citizens will marry....

5 Outlaw unmarried sex - if jail is mandated, it will provide a powerful incentive for responsible citizens to get married...

I am expecting an avalanche of congratulatory messages on my bold initiatives to preserve their non-issue, from the James Dobsons' of the world - but I'm not holding my breath!..

Achieving 'Scum Bag' Status

One dictionary defines "scum-bag" as, "a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible..."

Among others, I would include the following right-wing blacks in this category - Clarence Thomas, Walter Williams, Juan Williams, Shelby Steele, Michael Steele, Kenneth Blackwell, Larry Elder, Armstrong Williams, Ken Hamblin, Roy Innis, Alan Keyes, Star Parker, Condoleeza Rice, Janice Rogers brown, Stephan Frazier, Rev. Jesse Lee Petersen....to name just a few...

Some say, "These guys don't really mean this stuff, and they are just saying and writing these things to get a paycheck." - I say if this is true, then they are worst than paid 'hos, and should apologize to the honest whores.

Others say, "Yes, they really mean this stuff deep down in their souls and heart of hearts" - if this is true, then I say they are traitors to our race, and no better than other traitors to our country.

So if they just vary from being 'dishonest' at best, and being 'traitorous' at worst, you can readily see how they have achieved this dubious distinction....

From Despair To Hope

On the first anniversary of the election of President Barack Obama, it should be noted that it was a confluence of circumstances that worked positively for his candidacy and election.

I'm thinking back to 1999-2000 when Al Gore and Joe Lieberman ran against George Bush and Dick Chaney. Had Gore/Lieberman won and their tenure was not the disaster that Bush's was, it would have been impossible for Obama to have been nominated, and then elected president.

First, I wonder what kind of V.P. Lieberman would have made, given the scum-bag traitor/opportunist , we now know him to be. And worse, supposed Gore had conveniently died in office and Lieberman became President...what a disaster for this country and a bonanza for Israel and the predatory Healthcare Industry that would have been.

As much as I despised Bush/Chaney's candidacy and their Supreme Court appointment to the presidency, I was happy that Gore did not win due to his awfully poor judgment in choosing Lieberman as his V.P.

We know now what a disaster and catastrophe Bush's presidency has been, and were it not for that fact, and the desperation the electorate felt as the disaster engulfed us, they would not have voted in sufficient numbers to elect Obama as president.

So the back-slapping bragging about post-racialism etc., is just talk....Obama's election was due to and born out of, desperation and fear of the imminent sinking of this Republic's Titanic.

So far he has struggled mightily to undo and reverse the actions that were sinking this ship, and virtually no one believes that had Palin/McCain won, we would still be afloat.

We are still waiting for the wars to end, for healthcare legislation to pass, and a myriad of other promises to be fulfilled...hopefully by the second anniversary we will be able to collectively sigh and exhale in relief, and look forward to the promise of one of the best presidencies in the history of our country.

A Noble Effort Reaped A Nobel Prize

What a week this has been, just a few days ago President Obama flew to Europe to make a personal appeal to the Olympic committee to award the 2016 games to America, and specifically to his hometown of Chicago. You would think that all Americans would have applauded his attempt to sway them in favor of our country. But not the rabid conservative right-wing, who frothed with their collective mouths and railed at him for "leaving his pressing duties here to make the trip there." So it was not too surprising when the committee awarded the games to a country and a continent that never had it before, Brazil and So. America, that the wackos erupted in an orgy of celebration that Obama had failed in his attempt to bring the games here.

These are the same hypocrites that like to trumpet their patriotism and alleged love of country at every drop of the hat - they are as phony as their family value pretensions that has been consistently getting exposed of late, as news of a string of their adulterous relationships has been popping up almost non-stop. But they see no disconnect in their apparent lack of patriotism and even less of family values, from the virtues they pretend to have.

The repugs disgraceful display of glee at what they viewed as a European 'snub' of Obama, was topped today when we all awoke to the fantastic news that President Obama had been awarded the most prestigious of all awards, the Nobel Peace Prize. The world body apparently viewed Obama's fledgling peace efforts to have been so significant and important, that they chose him above other worthy candidates, to bestow this ultimate honor for his efforts. This was a pleasant surprise to most of the 70 million who voted for Obama, but it was a day of mourning, outrage, and apoplectic angst for millions of his detractors, including most of the MSM, who are supposed to just report the news, not make it. Leading the charge, was the black, figure-head chairman of the Repugnants, Michael Steele, who reportedly had this to say -

"Says Steele: “The real question Americans are asking is, ‘What has President Obama actually accomplished?’ It is unfortunate that the President’s star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights. One thing is certain - President Obama won’t be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action.”

This is the bile and swill that came out of this fool's mouth on the very day that the 1st black president in the history of this country was honored. His reaction is even more onerous than that of the real hardcore racists who inhabit every inch of this party, and who reacted with predictable outrage and disdain - what a pitiful piece of human waste and a Sambo, Steele has shown himself to be.

Well, the world is way more appreciative of Obama's extraordinary dedication to the principals of international diplomacy and to the cause of peace for the preservation of this planet. His many hate-filled opponents are so brain-dead, that they can't even understand and appreciate, that the award was bestowed on President Obama on behalf of ALL the American people.

The world peace body has spoken with this award, and has simultaneously sent a message of approval of our new President, and a rebuke and thumbs-down to the previous administration which lawlessly detained and tortured others, and illegally eavesdropped on many of us for most of 8 years.

Congratulations, President Obama!

Reprise: Is the Coz 'Truth-Telling' Again???

I'm not into self-anointed, celebrity 'truth-telling' pundits like Cosby, who make money from white folks (book deals, speaking engagements) by bashing poor blacks who have not yet pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps. I believe that whenever our dysfunctions are discussed publicly, the corresponding context leading up to and enabling this dysfunction must be discussed as well - Cosby never mentions the context of our historical and ongoing debasement in America (like the sick, racist attacks on President Obama that demeans us all) - If he's going to be a 'truth-teller', then he should tell the whole truth, each time!

And I remind folks that his own personal sexual misconduct over the years (what's his excuse?), also diminishes the credibility of his 'bully-pulpit', in my eyes.....basically his comments are an example of the shameless self-aggrandisement's of a 72 yr. old, aging, has-been entertainer, that still craves the limelight, and will say and do anything to stay in it.

The context of the dysfunction of the "lower classes", is the deliberate destruction of the working class and the middle class for the sake of profits. The so-called 'lower classes' do not benefit by Cosby and his ilk bashing them (to the amusement of white folks who love his tirades) - What has been accomplished for this 'lower class' since Cosby uttered his first tirade in 2004? - exactly nothing!....In fact things have gotten worse since then, and will continue to do so.

So I see him as a shameless opportunist, saying the right things and getting 'amens' from like-minded, star-struck sheep, while knowing nothing is going to change for the values of the those he is dissing, without jobs, employment, education, healthcare, housing, and a sincerely dedicated effort to change their lives and outlooks.

He should be speaking truth to power along with his tirades, but he is too cowardly to bite the hands that feed him. His disingenuous tirades ignores the contexts, and takes the focus off the real culprits, the capitalists (including those at BET) who value profits over people (particularly over black folks) and their betterment.

Ahmad's Night

On Friday Night I saw a most heroic performance by the 79 yr. old pianist, Ahmad Jamal, at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, here in Los Angeles - I say 'heroic' because there are few musicians who can deliver the same level of improvisational skill, enthusiasm, joy and technical facility, at his age!

Coupled with his prodigious gifts on the piano, is his genius for integrating the American Jazz form with the European Classical form - there are only a few who have successfully coupled the two, as he has done - from Ravel to Ellington, from Strayhorn to Copeland and Gershwin, and most of all, from the percussiveness of Rachmaninoff to that of Monk - all of these were integrated into his inimitable stylings, which he applied to the full range of the willing Steinway Concert Grand he was playing.

Not only did he play in his customary bravura style, but he conducted his able sidemen as an orchestral conductor might - particularly his bassist of 26 years, James Commack, and the local drummer, Kenny Washington. The symbiotic bond between him and his long-time bassist was apparent...it was almost spiritual in how they related to each other and complimented each other's playing. Added to these was the superb percussionist, Manolo Badrana, who played an eclectic assortment of at least a dozen bells, whistles, drums, and more.

He was animated, played joyfully, and at times, even stood up while playing in response to the sheer joy of hearing the music that was bubbling inside of him. I was sitting behind the fabulously gifted pianist, Eric Reed, and I was able to see that he could hardly contain himself - his was the same dilemma that I also experienced.

It's a shame that Ahmad Jamal isn't better known, and iconically revered right here in America, rather than in France, all over Europe, Asia and much of Africa - all because of America's reluctance to celebrate the genius of it's best musicians, especially if they happen to be black. So it was gratifying and a joy to see the older crowd of mostly black music lovers in attendance, who came to show their appreciation and support, and to honor this gifted icon, notwithstanding America's neglect.

.....A rare, rare performance of a musical genius that enthralled us all.....I am still on a musical high and on 'cloud 9'!

Top 10 Things Vick Learned...

Now that Vick has been hired by the Eagles.....

"Top 10 things Vick (hopefully) Learned While Sitting in the Federal Pen"

1. No white quarterback would have received federal prison time (and probably no time at all) for a similar 'crime'..

2. America just finished 'shocking and awe-ing' Iraqis, resulting in the slaughter of over 1 million humans on a damn lie, with no one from PETA, ASPCA, etc. uttering a single word of protest at the human slaughter..

3. America loves it's dogs more than it loves it's humans, particularly if they are black humans..

4. America has no problem with the dog-racing industry brutalizing and eventually killing dogs, because that makes money for them..

5. America also has no problem with hunters like ex-governor Sarah Palin, shooting wolves and bears for sport from an airplane..

6. America continued it's grand tradition of thievery, first by stealing the land from the Native Americans, then by stealing the labor from the African slaves, then by stealing the $130 million he just received for being one of the best QBs in the league..

7. No NFL team would hire him to be the back-up for a white QB, because he's better than most of them and it would cause too much anxiety and insecurity among them..

8. No NFL team would hire him if he wasn't still among the best QBs, eventhough he hasn't played in nearly 3 years..

9. The NFL team that hired him, would do so because they can get him cheaply, and also keep him from playing for another team that could eventually beat
them because of his tremendous talent at the QB position..

10. Most defensive coordinators and other strategists, will probably have to endure sleepless nights again, trying to figure out how to defend against his passing plus his running..

If he learned just half of these, he should be able to move forward to earn a living and feed his family, never doubting that he was victimized by a racist double-standard in his punishment. He now knows that as long as he is black in America, he will be subject to this double-standard, and must take care to avoid being ensnared by it again - this is something we have all had to learn..

How Stupid is "Stupidly"??

It depends on whether an experienced police sergeant, who is also reportedly an expert in racial profiling and a teacher of how not to do it, makes an arrest of a Black professor, Gates, in his home - after he determines who he is and that he is lawfully in his own home.

President Obama said Sargeant Crowley acted "stupidly", in making that arrest, and it was! The proof that it was, is that the police department had to drop the charges because it was a bogus arrest, and the follow-up report written by Crowley, lied about what the 911 caller said. She said that she could not tell the race of the two suspicious men - Crowley wrote that she said "two black men were acting suspiciously." Crowley lied to justify his arrest and to obscure the fact that he had 'profiled' the professor in doing so.

Obama later spinelessly backed off his assessment of Crowley's actions for political reasons, but the fact remains - the police acted "stupidly" as he originally stated!

The Birthers

- those who question Obama's birthplace and fitness to be president....

...these are the descendants of the dregs of Europe who colonized and raped this land, while enslaving and lynching Africans, and committing genocide on the native Americans. Even with that foul DNA in their bloodstream, you would think that over time, they would have evolved as they became better educated and presumably enlightened. Instead we find them to be as savage, racist, unenlightened and pathetically ignorant, as their ancestors - perhaps even worse than they, because it's 300 years later and the world has advanced so much in general, while they have stood still or regressed.

Miracle on Penn. Av.

Today, July 20th, is exactly six months since President Obama took the oath of office and became POTUS.

Looking back, I now see nothing but miracles that were performed by God on his behalf, on the road to the White House. If you don't believe in miracles, consider these:

- a non-stop barrage of incendiary Rev. Wright TV ads, that would have derailed anyone else..
- a slew of racist comments and ads by the Clintons, trying desperately to derail him..
- the media's linkage of Obama with Bill Ayers as terrorist comrades..
- the false assertions that Obama was not a US born citizen..
- white trash Sarah Palin's strident assertions, that "he palled around with terrorists"..
- the false assertion that Obama was a Muslim..
- a major magazine's cover feature, picturing the Obamas as fist-bumping terrorists..
- right-wing, racist evangelicals like James Dobson, praying to their false 'gods' for rain to wash-out Obama's nomination ceremony in Colorado..
- an unprecedented number of death-threats issued, unlike any of those received by previous presidential candidates..

All of these and many, many more, had to be miraculously overcome in order for Obama to reach the White House...they were overcome, and he became the President in spite of all the racist garbage from hell thrown at him!

'Reverse Racism'??

Recently I was accused of 'reverse-racism' by a black conservative ex-colleague..this is how I responded to her...

'Of all of the instances of inexcusable ignorance, it is of those blacks who are ignorant of white racism, and either excuse it as being benign, or conveniently ignore it altogether. When a black person accuses another of 'reverse-racism', they are implicitly accepting this phony made-up term by white racists, who devised it to 'flip-the-script' on blacks and fool them into believing and accepting a specious premise - that blacks can be, and are, as racist as white folks.

Not only is this premise false, but it ignores the realty that there can be no effective racism without the necessary power to implement and execute it - something whites have always had, and blacks have seldom, if ever had.'

'Rising Above IQ'

I read Nicholas Kristof's NY Times article, and the new book he referenced seems to finally get it right - that there are no innate intelligence differences among racial groups.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/opinion/07kristof.html?em

The differences arise from unequal history and access to resources, which translates into all manner of inequalities right down to the number of words a baby in a welfare family hears - "One study found that a child of professionals (disproportionately white) has heard about 30 million words spoken by age 3; a black child raised on welfare has heard only 10 million words, leaving that child at a disadvantage in school."

Interestingly, Kristof did not address white children raised on welfare, which number many-fold more than black children raised on welfare, and presumably they also have only heard 10 million spoken words by age 3, leaving them also with a disadvantage in school.

If this 'spoken word' count is correct and results in a learning and educational disadvantage, then it partially explains how 65 million mostly white voters could vote for Bush in 2000, 68 million voted for him in 2004, and 60 million mostly white voters voted for McCain/Palin in 2008.

In contrast Bush received less than 4% of the black vote in 2000, less than 11% in 2004, and McCain/Palin received less than 2% in 2008. So it appears that despite some blacks being handicapped by hearing lesser spoken words by age 3, we as a group 'rose above IQ' and had the sense to reject the Bushco disaster both times, and avert the McCain/Palin disaster that would have surely followed. Above all we had the good sense to vote for President Barack Obama! - now that's really 'Rising Above IQ'!

Reflections On The Moment.....

As I see Barack and Michelle taking their victory walk along the parade route, I'm struck by the tremendous risk that they are taking to follow the 'walking' tradition started by Jimmy Carter. Of course Carter was never in the amount of danger that Obama is, and will be, throughout his presidency. So I held my breath and prayed along with millions of others along the route and watching on television.

It has been a momentous time ever since Obama declared that he was running for the presidency, over two years ago. America will never be the same again, even if they never elect another Black man again. History has been made and witnessed by millions who never thought they would see this day. And those who have passed on already, will not have the opportunity to experience what we did today. I'm thankful that God has protected him so far, and am hopeful that He will continue to do so in the days ahead.

The self-congratulatory expressions of our greatness and generosity, flowed freely in the many speeches that were made today. I just wonder if all the good things that we can rightfully boast about, compensates for the evil done by us or by our proxies with our permission. Can we ignore the 1,300 Gazians killed by Israel financed with our tax dollars. What about the 400 children and 100 women included in that number?....what about the 100,000 Palestinians injured, including 1,900 children and 800 women included in that number...the 24,000 buildings demolished and the 100,000 made homeless are too horrific to comprehend - all this done in our name and with our connivance. What about the millions of Iraqis that are either dead or injured by our actions?...And we call ourselves a 'christian', moral nation with a deep respect for life, unless of course 'the others' have been branded as terrorists and not worthy of humane treatment, as these have been by Israel and Us.

Oh well, fortunately, the final trump card is still held by Almighty God, and He alone will ensure that we 'sow what we have reaped'. Until then, we will continue to feel smug about our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power we have just witnessed. When the piper has to be paid though, it will all go for nought...we should enjoy it for now....