Disqus - Latest Comments for EarthTone

Re: Evening Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:03:44 -0000

Two items for consideration:

• Political Miscellany @ 11/4/2009: Is the Obama Coalition “Portable” to Other Democratic Races?

~ This asks if the coalition that elected Obama will be a force in Democratic elections where Obama is not on the ballot.

http://allotherpersons.wordpress.com/2009/11/04...

• In Louisiana, a Great Racial Divide

This is a look at the very sad condition of black folks in the state of Louisiana... emphasis on very sad:

http://allotherpersons.wordpress.com/2009/10/12...

Re: Katie Couric asks Glenn Beck about ‘ White Culture’

EarthTone — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:16:56 -0000

Glenn Beck is a COWARD. Pure and simple.

When he has the mic to himself, he's unafraid to make these incendiary comments.

But when he's challenged - and in this case, he wasn't even challenged, he was just asked to explain his position - he didn't respond.

Sorry Mr Beck. It's too late to STFU now. You said it. You can either defend it, or apologize, or just be a coward and refuse to talk.

And it looks like he took the coward's way out.

Re: The White House CAVING on the Public Option?

EarthTone — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:42:47 -0000

It must be understood that, calling the White House will do little, if anything. If Obama had the power to change things unilaterally, then the public option would be in effect right now.

The problem is Congress and the lobbyists. The lobbyists are conquering the Senate and House one member at a time.

The author says Obama is bitching out. The truth is, he'd rather sign something than nothing. And nothing is a real possibility.

A veto threat from Obama (give me the public option, or I won't sign the bill) is seen as empty; for the lobbyists, that would make their day.

To those who say: "Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, thinks it might be too difficult to get a few senators to support a public option"... what evidence is there that Emanuel is wrong?

And, what are doing to mobilize an organization that will push the wayward senators to the correct position?

I've said this before: this is what motivates politicians in Washington:
• do what's necessary to get elected
• do what's best for the country
• do what's best for the district
• do what's good for the party
• do what's in their own best interests

Note that, doing what Obama says to do is not on the list. This battle will not be won by going to the president.

PS, I am not saying Obama is "right" to "cave" in. What I'm saying is, if it's politically impossible to get a bill passed with the public option in it, then what options does Obama have? And also, in the same way that people are blasting Obama for caving in, are people also targeting the senators who are the real problem? We need to ask these questions.

PPS, RE the comment, we are the richest nation in the world... people say this a lot, but it is an almost useless stat. The fact is, we are overspent and over-indebted. Other nations spend relatively more on healthcare, true, but they also spend relatively less on defense, and they don't have trillion dollar deficits. Between the military industrial complex and our excess debt, we have destroyed our ability to pursue other public policy objectives, such as expanded health care.

Re: Happy Juneteenth!

EarthTone — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:11:20 -0000

Well, I guess I am having a failure to communicate. I don't know how many other ways to spin this to make my point clear.

So let me say this, and be done with it. I see the Pledge as an individual commitment to civic engagement. To me it's about, not just protecting the country, but improving it. It's a call to positive action.

Some black folks feel that they cannot express such engagement because they associate the pledge with support for a country with an evil and unjust history. I have actually heard people say this.

And it's not just history. It's impossible to go into a low-income black neighborhood in the North or South without feeling that something just isn't right, that some things are given to some and not to others.

So all of this makes some people say, no, I won't make a pledge to this symbol of oppression. And their sense of engagement erodes or disappears, and they just give up on the country.

And I keep saying, it's bigger than the flag or our history or even the conditions in the streets. It's about all of saying that as a matter of duty, we will all act positively to make this a better country.

I can't say it any different than that, I hope you can see the point I'm trying to make.

Re: Happy Juneteenth!

EarthTone — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:50:09 -0000

Hah, well of course I want everyone to agree with me, because of course, everything I say is right...

But seriously: the point I'm making is, I would hope that disgust for our nation's racial history is not the cause for someone declining to say the Pledge. If people don't want to say the Pledge solely for religious reasons, for example, that's a whole different subject which I am not addressing at all.

My point has nothing to do with being educated about history. To the extent that some people won't say the Pledge due to our racial history, the problem is not ignorance of history, it's their disgust with the history.

So the conversation I would want to have is: to what extent does our history, which is overrun with injustice to black people, affect-or should affect-our decision to make a pledge of allegiance to the country? I don't know that we have that particular conversation much, if at all.

Re: Happy Juneteenth!

EarthTone — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:13:10 -0000

Hmmm... I feel compelled to say this: I don't mean to say that the folks in question are unpatriotic, and I certainly support their right to not say the pledge.

I do think we need a greater conversation about just what the Pledge means. I think there is a swath of black America that won't do the Pledge because of the slavery/Jim Crow legacy, and I think we should have a conversation about how that affects our "allegiance" to the country.

Re: Happy Juneteenth!

EarthTone — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:35:11 -0000

In a related note: earlier this week, I attended a Juneteenth celebration that was held at the main library here in Washington, DC. During the event, one of the speakers asked everyone to rise and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Most of the people in the almost all-African American audience stood and said the pledge. But there was a bunch of people who did not.

I was troubled by this. Yes, this country has committed its share of offenses. Certainly, slavery and Jim Crow are evils that will forever stain the American legacy.

But darn it, this is our country too. During the Civil War, some 200,000 African Americans served in the Union forces. Many of them died in the cause of OUR freedom, a freedom that all black Americans enjoy today… and that many black Americans, sadly and unfortunately, squander.

My uncle served in World War II. He was a part of General Patton’s black tank unit. He took pride in showing me a Nazi swastika that he captured from German soldiers. And I took pride in hearing of his accomplishments.

Bottom line, we fought for this country, we built this country, we ARE this country. America is us.

I am proud to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Not necessarily for the America that is, but for the America that I want and am willing to work hard to create. I pledge that I will make America a better place, not just for me, or my family, but for the world community.

And that’s something we should all stand for.

I relate that Republican talk of secession here:
Georgia Governor Candidate Blasts Republican Secessionists; Blacks and the Pledge of Allegiance

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:16:58 -0000

I don't think we ALL have to agree on something... but I do think that, if a group of us have a similar position on things, we should be sure to organize and push that issue forward.

As for Obama doing something expressly for Blacks... I don't see that happening. He is the American President, not the President for Black People.

Black Americans should lobby for the address of their interests. as should any constituent group.

But I will add that:
- If health reform does happen, it will disproportionately help AAs, since AAs are among those who are disproportionately w/o health insurance (assuming a new heath program helps folks who are unisured).

- I don't know the status of this, but I think Jack&Jill Pol has reported that the Obama administration is making moves to settle issues related to Black Farmers.

- I also understand that that the administration/Justice Dept is planning to make changes to eliminate disparities in drug sentencing, where crack cocaine (used a lot by AAs) arrests result in more jail time than cocaine powder (used a lot by whites) arrests.

So... I don't know if Obama is doing stuff that will specifically help AAs, but he is doing things that will disproportionality benefit AAs, if only because he is changing policies that have disproportionately hurt AAs in the past.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:02:13 -0000

Well, if being elected is important, then why would you want to be a ConservaDem in NOLA?

Was Jefferson a ConservaDem before he was busted for all that $$$ in the freezer?

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:45:18 -0000

This link is somewhat buried in the morning open thread, it's something to think about: on Capitol Hill, who are the lobbyinsts for OUR interests?

If Lobbying Money Talks, the African American Constituency is Muted on Capitol Hill

Re: Wednesday Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:40:20 -0000

{Why is the focus on the President and not on the other equal branch of government?}

NMP, What I am seeing is an amazing amount of naivete concering what the president can do, on what liberal congressional leaders can do.

The fact is, much of what happens on the Hill is bigger than Obama or Congressional leadership. Any politician in Washington has one of several competing goals when making a political decision:
• do what’s good for the country;
• do what’s good for local constituencies;
• do what’s good for his political party;
• do what’s necessary to get elected;
• do what’s god for him/herself.

Instead of complaining about Obama, people need to organize into effective lobbying groups that will push our interests. This is what business interest groups do. But who do we have to lobby for US? Hardly anything.

This is of interest:
If Lobbying Money Talks, the African American Constituency is Muted on Capitol Hill

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:47:03 -0000

I went to Catholic school for 12 years, they told us there WAS a hell.

Although I had one Franciscan bother who believed that nobody would be sent to hell, because God was so forgiving. I can only hope...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:44:19 -0000

From http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

...investigators found a note in the car James von Brunn drove to the Holocaust Museum, which said:

"You want my weapons -- this is how you'll get them. The Holocaust is a lie. Obama was created by Jews. Obama does what his Jew owners tell him to do. Jews captured America's money. Jews control the mass media."

I guess all those people who said the attack on the museum was Obama's fault were right... but not in the way they thought.

Re: We Should Look At DHS Report Fox Trashed In New Light…says someone at FOX

EarthTone — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:55:38 -0000

Interesting thing about Smith is, he's from the Deep South (Mississippi), so he has more of an insight into where a lot of the fringe is coming from.

By contrast, Sean Hannity is from suburban NY, believe it or not. I don't know if guys like Hannity realize how embedded the hate is among a lot of the fringe. Hannity plays to it, he lights the fire to it, but I wonder if he realizes how explosive and combustible the fuel is that he's playing with. I think Sheppard Smith does.
***

Nobody's saying it yet, but if things get worse, the question will have to be asked: how much of this is a reaction to the reality and symbolism of the election of a black president?

Re: We Should Look At DHS Report Fox Trashed In New Light…says someone at FOX

EarthTone — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:24:55 -0000

Whoa - I am troubled to see Louis Farrakhan and Jerimiah Wright used in the same breath.

Farrakhan in the past said, and literally believed, that the white man was the devil. This belief was repudiated by Malcolm X and many other now former followers of that particular "Muslim" belief.

That is nowhere near Wright's beliefs.

Re: Top Artists And Albums For Black Music Month

EarthTone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:35:30 -0000

How did the Last Poets (album w/N***** are Scared of Revolution) not make the list? I would add that and remove Innervisions.

Re: Obama’s Economic Recovery Overlooks Racial Inequity

EarthTone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:26:52 -0000

The issues black folks face are so systemic and pervasive and locally based, it would be hard for the federal government to address them all.

The US is moving to a post-industrial, information age economy. This disproportionally hurts AAs, since, for example, we have traditioanlly relied more on jobs involving low-skilled labor.

To compete in the new economy, we must improve graduation rates at the high school and collegiate level. But we all know the problems we are having in education. This is a huge stumbling block.

One issue I see is this: in the black community, we have a problem with leadership and "followship" at the low-income levels. Black professionals do the talking for low income AAs, instead of them talking for themselves.

There is a need for grass-roots activism among the black poor, where they can speak for themselves, help set the agenda, and do things to address their issues. But low income black folks tend to be the least educated, the least organized, and more significantly, the most stressed and troubled of all social groups in the country.

So there's a conundrum there. We need change from the bottom-up, but all the decsions are being made in a top-down fashion. I don't have the answer to this problem.

Re: Wednesday Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:14:27 -0000

For the history buffs: this link talks about how the need to protect slavery in the colonies was a key cause of the Revoltionary War. That is, it wasn't all about freedom, liberty, and taxation without representation.

It's somewhat long, but interesting:
Was Slavery a Cause of the Revolutionary War? Yes. (Book Review of SLAVE NATION)

Also, here's a link to a post on the 1930s/1940s Little Rascals/Our Gang series which some of you might find interesting for what it says about racial stereotypes, then and now:
Our Gang's Little Rascals, Racial Stereotypes, and Kids Just Having Fun

Re: Wednesday Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:44:18 -0000

This is a follow-up to the story about the SC student who was invited the State of the Union speech back in February:

Help Comes to School in South Carolina’s ‘Corridor of Shame’

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

EarthTone — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:20:43 -0000

This is a look back at the movie Glory,, about black soldiers who fought in the Civil War:

20 Years of Glory; In Memorial to the Colored Troopers of the Civil War

Re: Sunday Open Thread

EarthTone — Sun, 24 May 2009 12:27:20 -0000

The significant thing about the two speeches:
- Obama looks at the terror/security controversy from the standpoint of human rights and civil liberties. He asks the basic question, is what we are doing "right?"

Cheney addresses this little if at all. He says the methods used by his administration were "legal," while avoiding any discussion about the controversies within and outside of the administration about the supposed legality.

In other words: Cheney ducked the issues! It totally avoided the FACT of the controversy inside and outside the Bush administration about the legality and righteousness of their torture policies, which was a key focus of the Obama speech.

- Cheney uses a number of "straw Man" arguments in his speech, that is, he FALSEY CHARACTERIZES many of the Obama administration's arguments concerning torture and homeland security.

For example Cheney said Obama uses "euphemisms that suggest we’re no longer engaged in a war." In fact, in Obama's speech, he said "We are indeed at war with al Qaeda and its affiliates."

It's always easy to counter an opponent's arguments by misstating them; Cheney seems to have turned this into an art form.

Meanwhile Obama made what I think was a fair and even nuanced discussion of all sides of the arguments.

So yes, Cheney won on his terms. But his terms were avoiding the issues, and mischaracterizing the other sides issues. I guess we can say "mission accomplished."

Re: Sunday Open Thread

EarthTone — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:56:48 -0000

as Obama establishes new unemployment records weekly

So Obama is the cause of the unemployment records? What a tool-ish thing to say.

Re: Michael Steele - Runaway Slave, House Negro & GOP Mouthpiece

EarthTone — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:51:36 -0000

If Steele doesn't do something about this...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/22/734201/...

...he deserves to be called an Uncle Tom.

And I am NOT joking when I say that.

Re: Wednesday Open Thread

EarthTone — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:48:35 -0000

Has there been any discussion here of the Dumping in Dixie problem that's followed in the wake of the TVA coal ash spill? It seems like the toxic sludge is being shipped to poor black areas in the South.

See here:
http://allotherpersons.wordpress.com/2009/05/20...

and here

http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/05/tva-send...

Re: Tuesday Open Thread

EarthTone — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:51:39 -0000

MG, Intellectually and morally, I understand your outrage and agree with it.

But emotionally, I'm just not feeling it. If I had a dime for every time I've seen bad acting black kids in a mall, on a bus, or down my block, I'd be rich enough to buy a mall for myself.

You talk about the problem of "expecting negativity from our kids."

Well, one definition of insanity is doing the same thing a million times and expecting a different result.

I've expected unsupervised black kids to act right since... well... I've been alive (and I'm in my mid-50s). It's romantic to expect the best from them, but reality has disappointed me too too often.

But hey, don't let my cynicism stop your own outrage. I'm just saying, I'm not feeling it.