around jackson, mississippi, where a common breakfast is eggs fried in lard, dr. herman a. taylor, jr. is known as "heart man." the respected university of mississippi cardiologist is director of the jackson heart study, the largest epidemiological investigation ever undertaken to discover the links between cardiovascular disease & race.
from now until 2014, dr. taylor, jr. & his team will follow 5,302 african-american residents of three mississippi counties: hinds, madison & rankin, they will observe their lives & seek to discover how their heart health is related to their environment.
for the study's participants there will be periodic medical examinations & referrals for care when problems arise. the ultimate aim of the $54 million investigation, dr. taylor, jr. said, "is to gain the information we need to stop an epidemic of cardiovascular diseases within the african-american community." the study is not without precedence.
the framington heart study, which tracked cardiovascular disease in three generations of new englanders, is thought to be the most productive investigation in public health history. but when the study was initiated in 1948, the town of framingham was mostly populated by second-generation immigrants & other whites. few blacks were included.
since 1963, death from cardiovascular disease for the nation as a whole has declined. yet, in regions like mississippi among african-americans mortality from heart disease is flat, or trending upward. particularly with women. a middle-aged african-american woman in mississippi has four times the risk of death from cardiovascular disease than a white woman elsewhere in the country.
dr. taylor, jr. & his team have identified a number of barriers to life quality, among them access to health care, high blood pressure, inactivity, obesity & smoking. they are also gathering relevant data on often overlooked issues such as anger, extended family, hostility, optimism, religion, social support & stress. they want to know what's killing folks.
african-american women in mississippi suffer from very high levels of obesity, higher than national averages. their rates of diabetes & hypertension are also quite high. fortunately, alcohol consumption among the women is much lower than average. additionally, the team will look at how these women respond to racial discrimination & how they cope with it.
one of the primary concerns of dr. taylor, jr's team is the immediate environment of the participants. a healthy lifestyle can be compromised when exercise - a jog or walk in the neighborhood - becomes a risky proposition. in other words: do people feel safe where they live? are there grocery stores in the area, or do people rely on the corner market with its customary jars of pickled eggs & pigs' feet on the counter?
in the traditional diets of african-americans in mississippi, the calories & fat are astronomical. they add up to being the fattest state in the nation. soul food, as such, could use a little tweaking. dr. taylor says, "the problem today for people living under stressful conditions is that harmful stuff is sometimes a cheap way to take a load off their lives & feel less stressed. i think that drives a lot of eating & smoking."
people in mississippi remember the highly controversial tuskegee study. in fact, the rationale for keeping valuable information from the study's participants was to not interfere with the history of their disease. says dr. taylor, jr., "we're an observational study. we take an active role in spreading the word about prevention. when one of our medical exams shows something of clinical importance in a participant, we contact their physician. if they don't have one, we have a group of local doctors who've volunteered to take them on."
i am
- mark j. tuggle
- harlem, usa
- same-gender-loving contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. community activist, feminist, health educator, independent filmmaker, mentor, playwright, poet & spiritual being. featured at, in & on africana.com, afrikan poetry theatre, angel herald, bejata dot com, bet tonight with tavis smiley, blacklight online, black noir, brooklyn moon cafe, gmhc's barbershop, klmo-fm, lgbt community services center, longmoor productions, nuyorican poets cafe, our corner, poz, pulse, rolling out new york, rush arts gallery, saint veronica's church, schomburg center for research in black culture, sexplorations, the citizen, the new york times, the soundz bar, the trenton times, the village voice, upn news, uzuri, venus, vibe, wbai-fm, wnyc-fm & wqht-fm. volunteered with adodi, bailey house, inc., black men's xchange-new york, colorofchange.org, drug policy alliance, east harlem tutorial program, imagenation film & music festival, presente.org, save darfur coalition, the enough project, the osborne association, the sledge group & your black world. worked on films with maurice jamal & heather murphy. writing student of phil bertelsen & ed bullins. mjt975@msn.com.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Stop Hydraulic Fracturing Now!
misleading the public under the erroneous claim natural gas is a "clean" energy, the powerful oil & gas industry currently uses a hazardous & toxic process for natural gas extraction called hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking). this devious process, ongoing in 34 states, is causing irreparable damage to the environment, poisoning animals & humans, making farms, homes & large tracts of land uninhabitable.
after several years of devastating many western states, gas drilling companies are now descending eastward - especially new york, pennsylvania & west virginia. they have already leased large areas including the susquehanna & delaware river basins. they're also poised to contaminate the water supplies of 41 million people from delaware, new jersey, new york & pennsylvania. these companies have already ripped thru western pennsylvania & west virginia, leaving these areas in ruins.
hydrofracking occurs when gas companies drill down, thru our aquifers, then horizontally thru the shale & pump in millions of gallons of tracking fluid comprised of millions of gallons of water, tons of toxic, carcinogenic chemicals & sand. its pressurized to such a high degree causing small earthquakes, fracturing the shale & releasing the gas.
it also releases tons of toxics - heavy metals, methane & radioactive materials. these toxibs seep thru the fractured rock, thru the vertical fault lines & other cracks in the ground & enter into our water supplies. once the water & the earth are poisoned there is no recourse.
the chemicals used in fracking do not biograde. moreover, there is no known technology to filter or treat the fluid waste. the small percentage of waste extracted usually ends up re-injected somewhere else, or worse, dumped. these toxins will be in our air, soil & water, for thousands of years...all for a short-term energy plan.
this process should be illegal. but its not. the halliburton loophole, inserted into the 2005 energy policy act, exempts hydrofracking from the clean air act, clean water act, safe drinking water act & superfund act - all of the environmental safeguards created to protect us. this process goes on completely unregulated & we must act swiftly, in the spirit of compassion, fairness & unity. for more info go to: www.unitedforaction.org.
after several years of devastating many western states, gas drilling companies are now descending eastward - especially new york, pennsylvania & west virginia. they have already leased large areas including the susquehanna & delaware river basins. they're also poised to contaminate the water supplies of 41 million people from delaware, new jersey, new york & pennsylvania. these companies have already ripped thru western pennsylvania & west virginia, leaving these areas in ruins.
hydrofracking occurs when gas companies drill down, thru our aquifers, then horizontally thru the shale & pump in millions of gallons of tracking fluid comprised of millions of gallons of water, tons of toxic, carcinogenic chemicals & sand. its pressurized to such a high degree causing small earthquakes, fracturing the shale & releasing the gas.
it also releases tons of toxics - heavy metals, methane & radioactive materials. these toxibs seep thru the fractured rock, thru the vertical fault lines & other cracks in the ground & enter into our water supplies. once the water & the earth are poisoned there is no recourse.
the chemicals used in fracking do not biograde. moreover, there is no known technology to filter or treat the fluid waste. the small percentage of waste extracted usually ends up re-injected somewhere else, or worse, dumped. these toxins will be in our air, soil & water, for thousands of years...all for a short-term energy plan.
this process should be illegal. but its not. the halliburton loophole, inserted into the 2005 energy policy act, exempts hydrofracking from the clean air act, clean water act, safe drinking water act & superfund act - all of the environmental safeguards created to protect us. this process goes on completely unregulated & we must act swiftly, in the spirit of compassion, fairness & unity. for more info go to: www.unitedforaction.org.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
I Am A Man: Black Masculinity In America
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this award-winning documentary links everyday black men from various socio-economic backgrounds with some of black america's most progressive academics, social critics & authors to provide an engaging, candid dialogue on black masculine identity in american culture.
i am a man was directed by filmmaker byron hurt. hurt directed the critically-acclaimed, "hip hop: beyond beats & rhymes," "barack & curtis," as well as the recent doc, "soul food junkies." hurt is also an anti-sexist activist, gender violence prevention worker & writer. his diverse media background includes experience in broadcast television, long-form documentary, print & public relations.
this powerful documentary features interviews with bell hooks, michael eric dyson, john henrik clarke, dr. alvin poussaint, mc hammer & others.
this award-winning documentary links everyday black men from various socio-economic backgrounds with some of black america's most progressive academics, social critics & authors to provide an engaging, candid dialogue on black masculine identity in american culture.
i am a man was directed by filmmaker byron hurt. hurt directed the critically-acclaimed, "hip hop: beyond beats & rhymes," "barack & curtis," as well as the recent doc, "soul food junkies." hurt is also an anti-sexist activist, gender violence prevention worker & writer. his diverse media background includes experience in broadcast television, long-form documentary, print & public relations.
this powerful documentary features interviews with bell hooks, michael eric dyson, john henrik clarke, dr. alvin poussaint, mc hammer & others.
Monday, July 04, 2011
Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova Win 2011 Wimbledon Singles Titles
novak djokovic of serbia defeated rafael nadal of spain 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to become the 2011 wimbledon men's singles champion. djokovic culminated his first title at the all-england club in london by also claiming the #1 ranking for the first time in his stellar career. djokovic's incredible match record this year is 49-1. his lone loss came at the hands of world #3 roger federer of switzerland in the semi-finals of the french open.
djokovic beat nadal, the defending champion, for the fifth consecutive time this year - all in final matches. but this was his first victory against the humble spaniard in five major tournament clashes. the personable serb credits a gluten free diet, confidence & hard work as subtle keys to his dominant success. the 24 year-old djokovic admitted afterwards he struggled with self-doubt yet continued to believe he could beat the best players in the world when it counted most.
petra kvitova of czechoslovakia upset maria sharapova of russia 6-3, 6-4 to win her first major singles title. the 21 year-old lefty displayed a powerful serve, crushing ground strokes & winning volleys to exceed her own expectations. seeded #8, kvitova reached the wimbledon semi-finals - her first major semi showing - last year, losing to eventual champion serena williams. but this year she was poised to go all the way.
the shy czech grew up watching her idol, martina navratilova, win 9 wimbledon singles crowns. although she doesn't serve & volley like martina, kvitova's aggressive style was reminiscent of a younger sharapova. in 2004, at age 17, sharapova beat serena williams in straight sets to shock the tennis world upon winning her first major singles title. kvitova is headed for the top 5 & will be a favorite at the u.s. open.
djokovic beat nadal, the defending champion, for the fifth consecutive time this year - all in final matches. but this was his first victory against the humble spaniard in five major tournament clashes. the personable serb credits a gluten free diet, confidence & hard work as subtle keys to his dominant success. the 24 year-old djokovic admitted afterwards he struggled with self-doubt yet continued to believe he could beat the best players in the world when it counted most.
petra kvitova of czechoslovakia upset maria sharapova of russia 6-3, 6-4 to win her first major singles title. the 21 year-old lefty displayed a powerful serve, crushing ground strokes & winning volleys to exceed her own expectations. seeded #8, kvitova reached the wimbledon semi-finals - her first major semi showing - last year, losing to eventual champion serena williams. but this year she was poised to go all the way.
the shy czech grew up watching her idol, martina navratilova, win 9 wimbledon singles crowns. although she doesn't serve & volley like martina, kvitova's aggressive style was reminiscent of a younger sharapova. in 2004, at age 17, sharapova beat serena williams in straight sets to shock the tennis world upon winning her first major singles title. kvitova is headed for the top 5 & will be a favorite at the u.s. open.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Same-Sex Marriage Legalized In New York State By Narrow Margin
lawmakers voted late friday to legalize same-sex marriage, making new york the largest state where gay & lesbian couples will be able to wed. the marriage bill, whose fate was uncertain until moments b4 the vote, was approved 33-29 in a packed but hushed senate chamber.
four members of the republican majority joined all but one democrat in the senate to support the controversial measure after an intensely emotional campaign. with his position still undeclared, senator mark j. grisanti, a republican from buffalo who sought office opposing same-sex marriage, told his colleagues he agonized for months b4 concluding he was wrong.
grisanti said, "i apologize for those who feel offended...i cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district & across this state, the state of new york & those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that i have with my wife."
senate approval was the final hurdle for this historic piece of legislation, which was approved last week by the assembly. governor andrew cuomo signed the measure at 11:55 p.m. the law will go into effect in 30 days, meaning same-sex couples could begin marrying in new york by late july.
passage of same-sex marriage in new york followed a daunting run of defeats in other states where voters barred same-sex marriage by legislative action, constitutional amendment or referendum. currently five states permit same-sex marriage: connecticut, iowa, massachusetts, new hampshire, vermont, as well as the district of columbia.
in 2009 the bill was easily rejected by the senate, then controlled by democrats. but as he pledged during the campaign cuomo made same-sex marriage one of his top priorities for the year. he deployed his top aide to coordinate the efforts of a half-dozen local gay-rights organizations - whose disunity & feuding was blamed for the bill's original defeat.
most of the republicans opposed the bill morally. however, many also had political concerns, fearing legalized same-sex marriage on their watch would embitter conservative voters & cost the republicans their one-seat majority in the senate. leaders of the state's conservative party, whose support many republican lawmakers depend on to win election, warned they'd oppose in legislative elections next year, any republican senator who voted for same-sex marriage.
but after days of contentious discussion capped by a marathon nine-hour closed door debate on friday, republicans came to a fateful decision. the full senate would be allowed to vote on the bill, the majority leader, dean g. skelos said friday afternoon. each member would be left to vote according to his or her conscience.
republican lawmakers spent much of the week negotiating changes to the marriage bill to protect religious institutions, especially those against same-sex weddings. the assembly & the senate approved those changes friday. yet they weren't enuf to satisfy the measure's harshest critics. in a joint statement, new york's catholic bishops assailed the vote.
"the passage by the legislature of a bill to alter radically & forever humanity's historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed & troubled," the bishops said. ruben diaz, sr. of the bronx, the only democrat to cast a no vote, said, "god, not albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago."
legalizing same-sex marriage in america is a relatively recent goal of the gay movement. over the past few years gay-rights organizers have placed the issue at the center of their agenda, steering money & muscle into dozens of state capitals in an often uphill effort to persuade lawmakers, media folk & our society. in new york, advocates flooded district offices with thousands of e-mails, phone calls & signed postcards from constituents who favored same-sex marriage.
new york is now the largest state to grant legal affirmation to same-sex weddings. also home to a large, visible & politically influential gay community, supporters described the victory as both poignant & symbolic - in june 1969, a riot against police took place at a west village bar, the stonewall inn. led by black & latino drag queens, the fight was a major turning point of the gay movement, which, unbeknowst to many, actually began in the early 50's.
during a brief recess amidst the vote, senator shirley l. huntley, a queens democrat who recently supported the bill publicly, strode from her seat to the back of the senate chamber. she congratulated daniel j. o'donnell, an openly gay manhattan lawmaker who sponsored the legislation in the assembly. they hugged & o'donnell, standing with his longtime partner, began to tear up. "we're going to invite you to our wedding," mr. o'donnell said. "now we have to figure out how to pay for one."
four members of the republican majority joined all but one democrat in the senate to support the controversial measure after an intensely emotional campaign. with his position still undeclared, senator mark j. grisanti, a republican from buffalo who sought office opposing same-sex marriage, told his colleagues he agonized for months b4 concluding he was wrong.
grisanti said, "i apologize for those who feel offended...i cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district & across this state, the state of new york & those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that i have with my wife."
senate approval was the final hurdle for this historic piece of legislation, which was approved last week by the assembly. governor andrew cuomo signed the measure at 11:55 p.m. the law will go into effect in 30 days, meaning same-sex couples could begin marrying in new york by late july.
passage of same-sex marriage in new york followed a daunting run of defeats in other states where voters barred same-sex marriage by legislative action, constitutional amendment or referendum. currently five states permit same-sex marriage: connecticut, iowa, massachusetts, new hampshire, vermont, as well as the district of columbia.
in 2009 the bill was easily rejected by the senate, then controlled by democrats. but as he pledged during the campaign cuomo made same-sex marriage one of his top priorities for the year. he deployed his top aide to coordinate the efforts of a half-dozen local gay-rights organizations - whose disunity & feuding was blamed for the bill's original defeat.
most of the republicans opposed the bill morally. however, many also had political concerns, fearing legalized same-sex marriage on their watch would embitter conservative voters & cost the republicans their one-seat majority in the senate. leaders of the state's conservative party, whose support many republican lawmakers depend on to win election, warned they'd oppose in legislative elections next year, any republican senator who voted for same-sex marriage.
but after days of contentious discussion capped by a marathon nine-hour closed door debate on friday, republicans came to a fateful decision. the full senate would be allowed to vote on the bill, the majority leader, dean g. skelos said friday afternoon. each member would be left to vote according to his or her conscience.
republican lawmakers spent much of the week negotiating changes to the marriage bill to protect religious institutions, especially those against same-sex weddings. the assembly & the senate approved those changes friday. yet they weren't enuf to satisfy the measure's harshest critics. in a joint statement, new york's catholic bishops assailed the vote.
"the passage by the legislature of a bill to alter radically & forever humanity's historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed & troubled," the bishops said. ruben diaz, sr. of the bronx, the only democrat to cast a no vote, said, "god, not albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago."
legalizing same-sex marriage in america is a relatively recent goal of the gay movement. over the past few years gay-rights organizers have placed the issue at the center of their agenda, steering money & muscle into dozens of state capitals in an often uphill effort to persuade lawmakers, media folk & our society. in new york, advocates flooded district offices with thousands of e-mails, phone calls & signed postcards from constituents who favored same-sex marriage.
new york is now the largest state to grant legal affirmation to same-sex weddings. also home to a large, visible & politically influential gay community, supporters described the victory as both poignant & symbolic - in june 1969, a riot against police took place at a west village bar, the stonewall inn. led by black & latino drag queens, the fight was a major turning point of the gay movement, which, unbeknowst to many, actually began in the early 50's.
during a brief recess amidst the vote, senator shirley l. huntley, a queens democrat who recently supported the bill publicly, strode from her seat to the back of the senate chamber. she congratulated daniel j. o'donnell, an openly gay manhattan lawmaker who sponsored the legislation in the assembly. they hugged & o'donnell, standing with his longtime partner, began to tear up. "we're going to invite you to our wedding," mr. o'donnell said. "now we have to figure out how to pay for one."
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Dallas Mavericks Win 2011 NBA Title
the dallas mavericks defeated the miami heat 105-95, in game six, on the road, to win their first nba championship. dirk nowitzki was named most valuable player. nowitzki averaged 26 points & 10 rebounds, but most importantly, the 13-time all-star led his team to victory by averaging 10 points per game in the 4th quarter.
despite their third seed in the playoffs, pundits expected dallas to lose to the talented portland trailblazers in the first round. in game four of their exciting series dallas blew a 23-point lead & lost the game. however, the mavs showed their determination, grit & resiliency by winning the next two games decidedly. they would not be a one & done team.
in round two dallas swept the two-time defending champion los angeles lakers, to every one's surprise. led by veteran point guard jason kidd, former 6th man of the year jason terry, 3rd place defensive player of the year center tyson chandler & an incredibly versatile bench, the mavericks went on to beat the gifted oklahoma city thunder in the western conference finals to face miami for the second time in five years.
miami was a team some loved to hate. all-star forward lebron james was criticized for his "decision" to leave cleveland & take his talents to south beach. james was joined by all-star center chris bosh to form, with all-star guard dwayne wade, the big three. b4 the season began miami hosted a celebration on stage featuring the three players amidst a cloud of smoke & james boldly predicting multi-championships.
the heat beat the youthful philadelphia 76ers in five games in the first round. their highly anticipated second round series against the heavily favored boston celtics showcased the brilliant defense of miami. the heat prevailed in five games. miami's eastern conference final opponent, the chicago bulls, boasted mvp point guard derrick rose & coach of the year tom thibodeau, as well as the league's best record, 62-20, giving them home court advantage for the playoff season.
neither team shot well in the series, primarily because chicago & miami were the top two defensive teams in the nba. rose struggled from the floor. his teammates, most notably center joakim noah & forward carlos boozer, were inconsistent. the bulls were unable to score freely & lost close games as a result, sending miami to the nba finals again; miami defeated dallas four games to two in 2006.
dallas & miami finished the regular season with 28-13 road records, tied for best in the nba. as such, miami's home court advantage was tenuous. miami won game one failry routine. but in game two, dallas overcame a 15-point deficit with less than eight minutes to go in the 4th quarter - one of the greatest comebacks in nba finals history - to even the series.
after miami beat dallas on the road in a close game three, they would never feel the thrill of victory, only the agony of defeat. games three, four & five were decided by a total of eight points. each game was a defensive struggle, marked by james' inability to score in the 4th quarter, for which he was heavily criticized. said james after the series, "i did not play up to my own standards...i have a lot of work to do."
game six was close for the first three quarters. both teams blew sizable leads & the game was decided in the 4th quarter. dallas' incredible shooting from three-point range proved decisive. jason terry scored 27 points off the bench. jj barrea added 17 points. deshawn stevenson hit three from downtown. timely offensive rebounds from tyson chandler, shawn marion & nowitzki demoralized miami. the heat committed costly turnovers & showed no heart at the end. dallas was a team of destiny.
despite their third seed in the playoffs, pundits expected dallas to lose to the talented portland trailblazers in the first round. in game four of their exciting series dallas blew a 23-point lead & lost the game. however, the mavs showed their determination, grit & resiliency by winning the next two games decidedly. they would not be a one & done team.
in round two dallas swept the two-time defending champion los angeles lakers, to every one's surprise. led by veteran point guard jason kidd, former 6th man of the year jason terry, 3rd place defensive player of the year center tyson chandler & an incredibly versatile bench, the mavericks went on to beat the gifted oklahoma city thunder in the western conference finals to face miami for the second time in five years.
miami was a team some loved to hate. all-star forward lebron james was criticized for his "decision" to leave cleveland & take his talents to south beach. james was joined by all-star center chris bosh to form, with all-star guard dwayne wade, the big three. b4 the season began miami hosted a celebration on stage featuring the three players amidst a cloud of smoke & james boldly predicting multi-championships.
the heat beat the youthful philadelphia 76ers in five games in the first round. their highly anticipated second round series against the heavily favored boston celtics showcased the brilliant defense of miami. the heat prevailed in five games. miami's eastern conference final opponent, the chicago bulls, boasted mvp point guard derrick rose & coach of the year tom thibodeau, as well as the league's best record, 62-20, giving them home court advantage for the playoff season.
neither team shot well in the series, primarily because chicago & miami were the top two defensive teams in the nba. rose struggled from the floor. his teammates, most notably center joakim noah & forward carlos boozer, were inconsistent. the bulls were unable to score freely & lost close games as a result, sending miami to the nba finals again; miami defeated dallas four games to two in 2006.
dallas & miami finished the regular season with 28-13 road records, tied for best in the nba. as such, miami's home court advantage was tenuous. miami won game one failry routine. but in game two, dallas overcame a 15-point deficit with less than eight minutes to go in the 4th quarter - one of the greatest comebacks in nba finals history - to even the series.
after miami beat dallas on the road in a close game three, they would never feel the thrill of victory, only the agony of defeat. games three, four & five were decided by a total of eight points. each game was a defensive struggle, marked by james' inability to score in the 4th quarter, for which he was heavily criticized. said james after the series, "i did not play up to my own standards...i have a lot of work to do."
game six was close for the first three quarters. both teams blew sizable leads & the game was decided in the 4th quarter. dallas' incredible shooting from three-point range proved decisive. jason terry scored 27 points off the bench. jj barrea added 17 points. deshawn stevenson hit three from downtown. timely offensive rebounds from tyson chandler, shawn marion & nowitzki demoralized miami. the heat committed costly turnovers & showed no heart at the end. dallas was a team of destiny.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Long Live The Spirit of Gil Scott-Heron
gil scott-heron transitioned friday at age 62 in a new york hospital. the beloved author, lyricist, musician, poet & singer enjoyed a successful albeit tumultuous collaboration with musician brian jackson. their work fused blues, jazz & soul with a potent hybrid of critical thinking, political commentary & social consciousness which transcended age, culture, gender, faith & sexuality.
many of scott-heron's friends & musical contemporaries have paid tribute upon learning of his demise. abiodun of the legendary last poets said scott-heron was the "link between john coltrane & malcolm x." public enemy founder chuck d said on twitter, "we do what we do how we do because of you." wu-tang clan's ghostface killah wrote, "salute gil scott-heron for his wisdom & poetry. may he rest in paradise."
as a spoken word artist in the early 60's & 70's some deemed scott-heron the 'godfather of rap' & the 'black bob dylan' - labels he personally appreciated yet publicly rejected. a deeply sensitive man, his impact on today's artists was humbling. eminem wrote on twitter, "rip gil scott-heron. he influenced all of hip hop." cee-lo green called him the "god gil scott-heron," while talib kwali said "he completely influenced me as an artist."
politically outspoken rapper michael franti said scott-heron's talent was his ability to "make us think about the world in a different way." he would make listeners "laugh hysterically about the ironies of american culture, anger at the hypocrisy of our political system, all to a beat that kept us on the dance floor, with a voice & flow that kept you waiting with anticipation for the next phrase."
richard russell, who produced & released scott-heron's final album, i'm new here, in 2010, described him as a "master lyricist, singer, orator & keyboard player." said russell, "gil was not perfect in his own life, but neither is anyone else. and he judge no one. he had a fierce intelligence & a way with words which was untouchable; an incredible sense of humor & a gentleness & humanity that was unique to him. gil shunned all the trappings of fame & success. he could have had all those things. but he was greater than that."
the musician's publisher jamie byng remembered him as "a giant of a man, a truly inspirational figure whom i loved like a father & a brother." scott-heron touched people who encountered him with his "singularity of vision, his charismatic personality, his moral beauty & his willingness to take his fellow travelers through the range of emotions," byng wrote.
byng continued, "throughout a magnificent musical career, he helped people again & again, with his willingness & ability to articulate deep truths, through his eloquent attacks on injustices & by his enormous compassion for people's pain. hundreds of thousands of people saw gil perform live over the decades, always with remarkable bands, & few came away untouched by his magnetism, humility, biting wit & warmth of spirit."
lemn sissay, a friend of scott-heron's who produced a documentary on his work, told the bbc he was a "polymath who spoke crucially of the issues of his people. in the late 60's & early 70's black poets were the news-givers because their stories were not covered in truth by the mainstream media." scott-heron's critically acclaimed & most well-known piece, the revolution will not be televised - which he wrote at age 19 - is often referenced in american pop culture yet resonates with oppressed folk globally.
born april 1, 1949 scott-heron was the son of a jamaican footballer who was the first black man to play for glasgow celtic. he was raised by his grandmother in jackson, tennessee. she introduced him to the writing of langston hughes, a writer whose work scott-heron admired & revered. scott-heron felt hughes spoke intuitively to the people, not at the people, an asset he demonstrated in his grass-roots music.
during in an interview with bbc music 6 last year, scott-heron recalled, "my grandmother bought a piano for about $8 i think it was. i began to listen to the radio & try to pick out what they were playing by ear. there were a lot of blues progressions that i was able to give some life to on the piano, there, & i enjoyed it very much."
at age 17 he wrote the vulture, a story about the death of a drug dealer. by this time scott-heron had moved from segregated tennessee to new york city's chelsea, a neighborhood which he described as "85% puerto rican, 15% white & me." he began his recording career with the independent label flying dutchman records (a nod to the leroi jones play) in 1970, at the height of the black power movement.
scott-heron's militant voice of protest can be heard on his 1974 album winter in america, which produced soul-aching ballads & timeless classics. this caught the attention of music impresario clive davis who made him, in 1975, the first artist he signed to arista records. by age 23 he'd published a book of poetry, two novels & recorded three albums; addressing issues like apartheid, celebrity, drug addiction, nuclear power, poverty & racism.
scott-heron successfully campaigned alongside bob marley & stevie wonder for an american national holiday to be named in honor of one of his heroes, the rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. his spirited activism engendered a level of respect & warmth with his fans wherever he played, both locally & globally. in 1993 he wrote message to the messengers, calling on rappers & musicians to use their art for social change.
in 2001 scott-heron was jailed in new york state for cocaine possession & again, five years later, for violating a plea on a drug-possession charge by leaving a rehabilitation clinic. it was while he was doing jail time when he received a visit from russell, who guided him into the studio for his eagerly anticipated comeback album.
on his blog russell said, "to my knowledge he never accepted an award. he always wanted everyone else to receive credit for their work. he is the only artist i've ever worked with who requested that the studio's engineer photo be given equal prominence to his own on his website. gil meant a massive amount to me, as he did to so many people. his spirit was immense. he channeled something that people derived a huge benefit from."
many of scott-heron's friends & musical contemporaries have paid tribute upon learning of his demise. abiodun of the legendary last poets said scott-heron was the "link between john coltrane & malcolm x." public enemy founder chuck d said on twitter, "we do what we do how we do because of you." wu-tang clan's ghostface killah wrote, "salute gil scott-heron for his wisdom & poetry. may he rest in paradise."
as a spoken word artist in the early 60's & 70's some deemed scott-heron the 'godfather of rap' & the 'black bob dylan' - labels he personally appreciated yet publicly rejected. a deeply sensitive man, his impact on today's artists was humbling. eminem wrote on twitter, "rip gil scott-heron. he influenced all of hip hop." cee-lo green called him the "god gil scott-heron," while talib kwali said "he completely influenced me as an artist."
politically outspoken rapper michael franti said scott-heron's talent was his ability to "make us think about the world in a different way." he would make listeners "laugh hysterically about the ironies of american culture, anger at the hypocrisy of our political system, all to a beat that kept us on the dance floor, with a voice & flow that kept you waiting with anticipation for the next phrase."
richard russell, who produced & released scott-heron's final album, i'm new here, in 2010, described him as a "master lyricist, singer, orator & keyboard player." said russell, "gil was not perfect in his own life, but neither is anyone else. and he judge no one. he had a fierce intelligence & a way with words which was untouchable; an incredible sense of humor & a gentleness & humanity that was unique to him. gil shunned all the trappings of fame & success. he could have had all those things. but he was greater than that."
the musician's publisher jamie byng remembered him as "a giant of a man, a truly inspirational figure whom i loved like a father & a brother." scott-heron touched people who encountered him with his "singularity of vision, his charismatic personality, his moral beauty & his willingness to take his fellow travelers through the range of emotions," byng wrote.
byng continued, "throughout a magnificent musical career, he helped people again & again, with his willingness & ability to articulate deep truths, through his eloquent attacks on injustices & by his enormous compassion for people's pain. hundreds of thousands of people saw gil perform live over the decades, always with remarkable bands, & few came away untouched by his magnetism, humility, biting wit & warmth of spirit."
lemn sissay, a friend of scott-heron's who produced a documentary on his work, told the bbc he was a "polymath who spoke crucially of the issues of his people. in the late 60's & early 70's black poets were the news-givers because their stories were not covered in truth by the mainstream media." scott-heron's critically acclaimed & most well-known piece, the revolution will not be televised - which he wrote at age 19 - is often referenced in american pop culture yet resonates with oppressed folk globally.
born april 1, 1949 scott-heron was the son of a jamaican footballer who was the first black man to play for glasgow celtic. he was raised by his grandmother in jackson, tennessee. she introduced him to the writing of langston hughes, a writer whose work scott-heron admired & revered. scott-heron felt hughes spoke intuitively to the people, not at the people, an asset he demonstrated in his grass-roots music.
during in an interview with bbc music 6 last year, scott-heron recalled, "my grandmother bought a piano for about $8 i think it was. i began to listen to the radio & try to pick out what they were playing by ear. there were a lot of blues progressions that i was able to give some life to on the piano, there, & i enjoyed it very much."
at age 17 he wrote the vulture, a story about the death of a drug dealer. by this time scott-heron had moved from segregated tennessee to new york city's chelsea, a neighborhood which he described as "85% puerto rican, 15% white & me." he began his recording career with the independent label flying dutchman records (a nod to the leroi jones play) in 1970, at the height of the black power movement.
scott-heron's militant voice of protest can be heard on his 1974 album winter in america, which produced soul-aching ballads & timeless classics. this caught the attention of music impresario clive davis who made him, in 1975, the first artist he signed to arista records. by age 23 he'd published a book of poetry, two novels & recorded three albums; addressing issues like apartheid, celebrity, drug addiction, nuclear power, poverty & racism.
scott-heron successfully campaigned alongside bob marley & stevie wonder for an american national holiday to be named in honor of one of his heroes, the rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. his spirited activism engendered a level of respect & warmth with his fans wherever he played, both locally & globally. in 1993 he wrote message to the messengers, calling on rappers & musicians to use their art for social change.
in 2001 scott-heron was jailed in new york state for cocaine possession & again, five years later, for violating a plea on a drug-possession charge by leaving a rehabilitation clinic. it was while he was doing jail time when he received a visit from russell, who guided him into the studio for his eagerly anticipated comeback album.
on his blog russell said, "to my knowledge he never accepted an award. he always wanted everyone else to receive credit for their work. he is the only artist i've ever worked with who requested that the studio's engineer photo be given equal prominence to his own on his website. gil meant a massive amount to me, as he did to so many people. his spirit was immense. he channeled something that people derived a huge benefit from."
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
African-American CNN Anchor Don Lemon Reveals He Is Gay
in his new memoir transparent, african-american cnn anchor don lemon reveals he is a gay-identified man. in an official statement lemon says, "today i chose to step out on faith & begin openly living my truth."
lemon's admission was not a secret. in fact, many of his co-workers & managers were keenly aware of his homosexuality. he now joins national television news anchors like rachel maddow & thomas roberts who have similarly acknowledged their sexual identities in a public forum.
"i think it would be great if everybody could be out," lemon told the new york times. "but its such a personal choice. people have to do it at their own speed. i respect that. i do have to say that the more people who come out, the better it is for everyone, certainly for the tyler clementis of the world."
tyler clementi is the gay-identified rutgers university student who committed suicide last fall. lemon futher laments, "i think if i had seen more people like me who are out & proud, it wouldn't have taken me 45 years to say it...to walk in the truth."
even beyond whatever affect his revelation might have on his television career, lemon said he recognized this step carried special risk for him as a black man. he told the new york times, "its quite different for an african-american male. its about the worst thing you can be in the black culture. you're taught that you have to be a man. you have to be masculine. in the black community they think you can pray the gay away."
as a same-gender-loving man of african descent, this writer is curious to know exactly what lemon means when he says, "more people like me." does he mean black men? professional black men? men over 40? men at cnn? other media folk?
as arsenio hall would say, things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.
lemon's admission was not a secret. in fact, many of his co-workers & managers were keenly aware of his homosexuality. he now joins national television news anchors like rachel maddow & thomas roberts who have similarly acknowledged their sexual identities in a public forum.
"i think it would be great if everybody could be out," lemon told the new york times. "but its such a personal choice. people have to do it at their own speed. i respect that. i do have to say that the more people who come out, the better it is for everyone, certainly for the tyler clementis of the world."
tyler clementi is the gay-identified rutgers university student who committed suicide last fall. lemon futher laments, "i think if i had seen more people like me who are out & proud, it wouldn't have taken me 45 years to say it...to walk in the truth."
even beyond whatever affect his revelation might have on his television career, lemon said he recognized this step carried special risk for him as a black man. he told the new york times, "its quite different for an african-american male. its about the worst thing you can be in the black culture. you're taught that you have to be a man. you have to be masculine. in the black community they think you can pray the gay away."
as a same-gender-loving man of african descent, this writer is curious to know exactly what lemon means when he says, "more people like me." does he mean black men? professional black men? men over 40? men at cnn? other media folk?
as arsenio hall would say, things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.
Friday, May 06, 2011
2011 NBA Post-Season Award Winners
the national basketball association recently announced its annual award winners for the 2010-2011 season. they are as follows...
most valuable player - derrick rose, chicago bulls.
coach of the year - tom thibodeau, chicago bulls.
rookie of the year - blake griffin, los angeles clippers.
defensive player of the year - dwight howard, orlando magic.
sixth man of the year - lamar odom, los angeles lakers.
most improved player - kevin long, minnesota timberwolves.
sportsman of the year - stephen curry, golden state warriors.
congratulations & godspeed for their worthy accomplishments!
most valuable player - derrick rose, chicago bulls.
coach of the year - tom thibodeau, chicago bulls.
rookie of the year - blake griffin, los angeles clippers.
defensive player of the year - dwight howard, orlando magic.
sixth man of the year - lamar odom, los angeles lakers.
most improved player - kevin long, minnesota timberwolves.
sportsman of the year - stephen curry, golden state warriors.
congratulations & godspeed for their worthy accomplishments!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Knicks Swept by Celtics in First Round of 2011 NBA Playoffs
the new york knicks were swept by the boston celtics four games to none in the first round of the 2011 nba playoffs. this was the knicks first playoff series since 2004 & they have yet to win a playoff game in 10 years. knicks coach mike d'antoni was obviously disappointed in the outcome yet remains optimistic about the future of his team, which was challenged with nagging injuries & new superstars.
amare stoudamire resurrected the culture of the knicks at the beginning of the season when he came over from the phoenix suns. in fact, bcuz of his stellar play he was the mid-season favorite for mvp. before the all-star break the knicks scored big wins over atlanta, chicago, denver, miami, new orleans & portland, establishing themselves as a legitimate force. stoudamire was voted by fans as a starter on the eastern conference squad - their first since patrick ewing.
after the all-star break the knicks acquired carmelo anthony, chauncey billups & anthony carter from denver in a blockbuster deal sending wilson chandler, danillo galinari, raymond felton & timofey mozgov to the nuggets. they also picked up (former knick) jared jeffries from washington & sent eddy curry to minnesota for corey brewer, who was later released to dallas.
the team noticeably struggled with their new lineup: brilliant one game & baffling the next. ny finished the season with a 42-40 record, their first winning season in a decade. the city was buzzed. the fans were excited. the players were hyped. their post-season relevancy benefits the league: madison square garden is the mecca for championship basketball & new york city is the media capital of the world.
still, the celtics displayed their chemistry, experience & resilience in each game. 2010 all-stars ray allen, kevin garnett, paul pierce & rajon rondo successfully embodied their roles within the team framework. glen davis, jeff green (newly acquired from okc), jermaine o'neal & delonte west solidified a team on a mission.
the first two games were hard fought. billups was injured late in game one & sat out the series. boston held their home court victories - by a total of five points - primarily bcuz they executed down the stretch, a skill the knicks must cultivate during the off-season if they expect to contend for a title next year & in the future.
stoudamire suffered back spasms in game two & was never fully healthy despite a gallant effort throughout. games three & four in the garden were blowouts, neutralizing the crowd's anticipation & thirst for killing celtic green. the knicks' bench competed mightily, outscoring the starters, yet boston proved why they deserved to move on the eastern conference semi-finals against the miami heat. the celtics are a better team.
amare stoudamire resurrected the culture of the knicks at the beginning of the season when he came over from the phoenix suns. in fact, bcuz of his stellar play he was the mid-season favorite for mvp. before the all-star break the knicks scored big wins over atlanta, chicago, denver, miami, new orleans & portland, establishing themselves as a legitimate force. stoudamire was voted by fans as a starter on the eastern conference squad - their first since patrick ewing.
after the all-star break the knicks acquired carmelo anthony, chauncey billups & anthony carter from denver in a blockbuster deal sending wilson chandler, danillo galinari, raymond felton & timofey mozgov to the nuggets. they also picked up (former knick) jared jeffries from washington & sent eddy curry to minnesota for corey brewer, who was later released to dallas.
the team noticeably struggled with their new lineup: brilliant one game & baffling the next. ny finished the season with a 42-40 record, their first winning season in a decade. the city was buzzed. the fans were excited. the players were hyped. their post-season relevancy benefits the league: madison square garden is the mecca for championship basketball & new york city is the media capital of the world.
still, the celtics displayed their chemistry, experience & resilience in each game. 2010 all-stars ray allen, kevin garnett, paul pierce & rajon rondo successfully embodied their roles within the team framework. glen davis, jeff green (newly acquired from okc), jermaine o'neal & delonte west solidified a team on a mission.
the first two games were hard fought. billups was injured late in game one & sat out the series. boston held their home court victories - by a total of five points - primarily bcuz they executed down the stretch, a skill the knicks must cultivate during the off-season if they expect to contend for a title next year & in the future.
stoudamire suffered back spasms in game two & was never fully healthy despite a gallant effort throughout. games three & four in the garden were blowouts, neutralizing the crowd's anticipation & thirst for killing celtic green. the knicks' bench competed mightily, outscoring the starters, yet boston proved why they deserved to move on the eastern conference semi-finals against the miami heat. the celtics are a better team.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
UConn Wins 2011 NCAA Title
the university of connecticut defeated the university of butler 53-41 to win the 2011 ncaa title. uconn coach jim calhoun joins john wooden, adolph rupp, mike kryzezwski & bobby knight as the only coaches to win three or more championships. at age 68, calhoun becomes the oldest coach to win the ncaa tournament. huskies all-american point guard, bob cousy award winner & naismith finalist kemba walker was named the final four's most outstanding player.
the game was played in front of a record crowd, over 75,000 fans, in houston. uconn's defense was brilliant, as they blocked 10 shots & held butler to an abysmal 18.8 field goal percentage - the worst in an ncaa final in 70 years. the bulldogs' best players mack howard & shelvin mack were a combined 5 for 23 shooting from the perimeter. furthermore, butler had no points in the paint during the entire game.
walker, who will graduate as a junior on his 21st birthday, may 8, averaged 23.5 points during the tournament. he scored 16 points & grabbed nine rebounds upon leading his young team to victory. uconn started three freshmen, among them jeremy lamb, who finished with 12 points & seven rebounds, along with roscoe smith who blocked four shots. sophomore center alex oriakhi played superbly, contributing 11 points, 11 rebounds & four blocked shots.
no one expected uconn or butler to play for the championship. butler lost last year's title game to duke amidst their cinderella run to the finals. they join the university of michigan as the only team in the last 20 years to both play & lose back-to-back title games. uconn (32-9) capped an amazing & unprecedented run after ending the regular season on a mild losing streak. they won the big east tournament - winning five games in five days - climaxed by their demoralizing win against butler.
the bulldogs played hard, but shot poorly, finishing with a record three two-point field goals. it was an ugly game to watch, particularly in the first half, as both teams struggled to drop the rock; the halftime score was butler 22 uconn 19. missed shot after missed shot for butler will be over-analyzed by pundits, yet the fact remains uconn's defense swarmed the bulldogs at every opportunity forcing bad shots & unlikely turnovers. uconn won the last 11 games of the season & deserve their place in history.
the game was played in front of a record crowd, over 75,000 fans, in houston. uconn's defense was brilliant, as they blocked 10 shots & held butler to an abysmal 18.8 field goal percentage - the worst in an ncaa final in 70 years. the bulldogs' best players mack howard & shelvin mack were a combined 5 for 23 shooting from the perimeter. furthermore, butler had no points in the paint during the entire game.
walker, who will graduate as a junior on his 21st birthday, may 8, averaged 23.5 points during the tournament. he scored 16 points & grabbed nine rebounds upon leading his young team to victory. uconn started three freshmen, among them jeremy lamb, who finished with 12 points & seven rebounds, along with roscoe smith who blocked four shots. sophomore center alex oriakhi played superbly, contributing 11 points, 11 rebounds & four blocked shots.
no one expected uconn or butler to play for the championship. butler lost last year's title game to duke amidst their cinderella run to the finals. they join the university of michigan as the only team in the last 20 years to both play & lose back-to-back title games. uconn (32-9) capped an amazing & unprecedented run after ending the regular season on a mild losing streak. they won the big east tournament - winning five games in five days - climaxed by their demoralizing win against butler.
the bulldogs played hard, but shot poorly, finishing with a record three two-point field goals. it was an ugly game to watch, particularly in the first half, as both teams struggled to drop the rock; the halftime score was butler 22 uconn 19. missed shot after missed shot for butler will be over-analyzed by pundits, yet the fact remains uconn's defense swarmed the bulldogs at every opportunity forcing bad shots & unlikely turnovers. uconn won the last 11 games of the season & deserve their place in history.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao: A Writer's Review
on a recent bright saturday afternoon in the village of harlem, i was excited to see my friend, elvis nolasco, star in the brief wondrous life of oscar wao. masterfully told by pulitzer prize-winning author junot diaz, this epic novel chronicles the life of oscar de leon, an overweight dominican boy growing up in paterson, new jersey who is obsessed with falling in love, science fiction novels & the curse plaguing his family for generations.
nolasco's solo gig was presented by special arrangement of the american place theatre's literature to life program. the american place theatre is committed to producing high quality new work by diverse american writers. the literature to life program gives students a new form of access to literature by bringing to life the world of the book with performances creating an atmosphere of discovery which spark the imagination.
the event was held at the harlem stage, a wonderfully intimate venue which celebrates & perpetuates the unique & diverse artistic legacy of harlem & the indelible impression it has made on american culture. harlem stage has been at the forefront of the development & presentation of new & experimental works by artists of color for over 25 years. in 2006, harlem stage completed a $26 million comprehensive campaign anchored by the restoration of the historic 135th street gatehouse into a state-of-the-art, flexible performance, rehearsal & support space.
i arrived about 20 minutes before show time, not knowing what to expect. i greeted a few friends & saluted some associates. there was a noticeable buzz in the air. the place was sold out to an inter-generational, multi-cultural audience. needless to say, i was hyped! i've known elvis almost 10 yrs & have witnessed him perform in film & on stage - but not alone, in this atmosphere, with this type of creative pressure.
as i'd not read diaz' novel, i was unfamiliar with the story, which only added to my anxiety & uncertainty. elvis was - in a word - brilliant. he captivated the pensive crowd for about 60 minutes with his charm, passion & wit. the variety of colorful people in the novel came alive on stage for us all to see. we felt their joy & pain. we identified with their trials & tribulations. elvis nolasco was treated to a standing ovation when his set was done.
finally, to every one's surprise & delight, junot diaz joined elvis on stage for a brief question & answer. diaz humbly praised his magnanimous performance. someone asked if a film was in the works. diaz mentioned possibly & he'd welcome elvis in the film upon witnessing his versatility. i was so proud of my friend. i felt like i was in the midst of a renaissance of sorts. his family & friends were there to support him as well.
nolasco's solo gig was presented by special arrangement of the american place theatre's literature to life program. the american place theatre is committed to producing high quality new work by diverse american writers. the literature to life program gives students a new form of access to literature by bringing to life the world of the book with performances creating an atmosphere of discovery which spark the imagination.
the event was held at the harlem stage, a wonderfully intimate venue which celebrates & perpetuates the unique & diverse artistic legacy of harlem & the indelible impression it has made on american culture. harlem stage has been at the forefront of the development & presentation of new & experimental works by artists of color for over 25 years. in 2006, harlem stage completed a $26 million comprehensive campaign anchored by the restoration of the historic 135th street gatehouse into a state-of-the-art, flexible performance, rehearsal & support space.
i arrived about 20 minutes before show time, not knowing what to expect. i greeted a few friends & saluted some associates. there was a noticeable buzz in the air. the place was sold out to an inter-generational, multi-cultural audience. needless to say, i was hyped! i've known elvis almost 10 yrs & have witnessed him perform in film & on stage - but not alone, in this atmosphere, with this type of creative pressure.
as i'd not read diaz' novel, i was unfamiliar with the story, which only added to my anxiety & uncertainty. elvis was - in a word - brilliant. he captivated the pensive crowd for about 60 minutes with his charm, passion & wit. the variety of colorful people in the novel came alive on stage for us all to see. we felt their joy & pain. we identified with their trials & tribulations. elvis nolasco was treated to a standing ovation when his set was done.
finally, to every one's surprise & delight, junot diaz joined elvis on stage for a brief question & answer. diaz humbly praised his magnanimous performance. someone asked if a film was in the works. diaz mentioned possibly & he'd welcome elvis in the film upon witnessing his versatility. i was so proud of my friend. i felt like i was in the midst of a renaissance of sorts. his family & friends were there to support him as well.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Happy 54th Birthday to Ghana!!!
on march 6, 1957 in ghana, the union jack was replaced with a flag of red, gold & green with a distinctive black star at its center. the british-ruled gold coast was now a self-determining country. ghana became the 1st sub-saharan nation to claim its independence from colonialism.
this was a historic event, heralded as the force urging other sub-saharan nations forward in their quest for liberation. often not discussed & usually overlooked is the impact ghana's independence also had on america's civil rights movement, or the impact black america had on dr. kwame nkrumah, the brilliant man who eventually lead his country to freedom.
many african intellectuals of that era completed their tertiary & post-graduate education in europe: it was customary, if not expected. ever the visionary, nkrumah set his sights on america & enrolled in lincoln university, one of america's oldest historically black colleges. he studied economics, sociology & theology; he also received an informal education in the politics of race & the plight of american-born black folk.
when nkrumah was not in school in philadelphia, he lived in the village of harlem, where he sold fish on the streets & waited tables on merchant ships. nkrumah attended black churches in harlem & philly. he aligned himself with black political organizations like the n.a.a.c.p., where he met & began working with the scholar w.e.b. dubois, who quickly became a mentor to nkrumah.
upon completing his studies in lincoln, nkrumah attended the university of pennsylvania, where he earned master's degrees in education & philosophy. while there, an already politicized man began to shape his ideas of pan-africanism as well as his vision for a liberated & unified continent - a place where all people of the african disapora could return to & call their home.
marcus garvey, the jamaican freedom fighter who advocated black self-reliance in america, was another instrumental figure in nkrumah's life. nkrumah noted in his autobiography, "but i think, that of all the literature i studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey, with his philosophy of 'africa for africans' and his 'back to africa' movement, did much to inspire the negroes of america in the 1920's."
during nkrumah's time at the university of pennsylvania he helped to establish its african studies section. he also established the african students association of american & canada, while serving as its first president. given his investment in his country's future, its no wonder some of the most notable black people in american history were present to witness ghana's independence.
the a-list includes u.n. undersecretary for special political affairs ralph bunche, also a nobel peace prize recipient; senator charles diggs; rep. adam clayton powell, jr.; mordecai johnson, the 1st black president of howard university; international labor activist maida springer; horace mann bond, the 1st black president of lincoln university & father of julian bond; rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. & his wife coretta scott king; as well as lucille armstrong, representing her husband, louis, who could not attend.
also present was then vice-president richard nixon, who approached a group of black folk whom he assumed were ghanaians & asked, "how does it feel to be free?" they said, "we wouldn't know, we're from alabama." ironically, the 1st time nixon met rev. dr. king, jr. was two days b4 the event. king said, "i want you to come visit us down in alabama, where we are seeking the same kind of freedom the gold coast is celebrating."
the repeated reference to alabama & freedom was especially poignant because ghana's independence occurred virtually on the heels of a major civil rights victory there: the montgomery bus boycott. the yearlong boycott began on december 1, 1955 when rosa parks refused to get up & give up her seat to a white person. in november of 1956, the u.s. supreme court issued a ruling in which it was declared the laws of segregation on buses were unconstitutional.
in his book, african americans in ghana: black expatriates and the civil rights era, author kevin kelly gaines writes, "the fulfillment of ghanian and african demands for national independence informed many african-americans' struggles for equal citizenship." during a radio interview in accra, rev. dr. king jr. said of ghana's independence, "it renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice. and it seems to me that this is fit testimony to the fact that eventually the forces of justice triumph in the universe, and somehow the universe itself is on the side of freedom and justice. so that this gives new hope to me in the struggle for freedom."
ghana's close relationship with black america, which was forged by nkrumah, continues today. dubois, who was not at the independence celebrations because the u.s. government refused to issue him a visa, moved to ghana in 1961 & spent his remaining years there. among the african-americans who have called ghana home include activist, educator & poet dr. maya angelou, writer & pan-africanist george padmore, writer julian mayfield & lawyer-author rev. dr. pauli murray.
in 2001 ghana's parliament passed "the right to abode," unprecedented legislation affording any person of african descent the ability to live & work there indefinitely. ghana is the 1st african country to extend such an overture to people in the diaspora.
when u.s. president barack obama addressed ghana's parliament in july 2009 he said, "africa's future is up to africans. the people of africa are ready to claim that future. and in my country, african-americans - including so many recent immigrants - have thrived in every sector of society. we've done so, despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our african heritage." for obama to choose ghana as the destination of his 1st official visit to africa was a befitting tribute to the legacy of kwame nkrumah.
this was a historic event, heralded as the force urging other sub-saharan nations forward in their quest for liberation. often not discussed & usually overlooked is the impact ghana's independence also had on america's civil rights movement, or the impact black america had on dr. kwame nkrumah, the brilliant man who eventually lead his country to freedom.
many african intellectuals of that era completed their tertiary & post-graduate education in europe: it was customary, if not expected. ever the visionary, nkrumah set his sights on america & enrolled in lincoln university, one of america's oldest historically black colleges. he studied economics, sociology & theology; he also received an informal education in the politics of race & the plight of american-born black folk.
when nkrumah was not in school in philadelphia, he lived in the village of harlem, where he sold fish on the streets & waited tables on merchant ships. nkrumah attended black churches in harlem & philly. he aligned himself with black political organizations like the n.a.a.c.p., where he met & began working with the scholar w.e.b. dubois, who quickly became a mentor to nkrumah.
upon completing his studies in lincoln, nkrumah attended the university of pennsylvania, where he earned master's degrees in education & philosophy. while there, an already politicized man began to shape his ideas of pan-africanism as well as his vision for a liberated & unified continent - a place where all people of the african disapora could return to & call their home.
marcus garvey, the jamaican freedom fighter who advocated black self-reliance in america, was another instrumental figure in nkrumah's life. nkrumah noted in his autobiography, "but i think, that of all the literature i studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was philosophy and opinions of marcus garvey, with his philosophy of 'africa for africans' and his 'back to africa' movement, did much to inspire the negroes of america in the 1920's."
during nkrumah's time at the university of pennsylvania he helped to establish its african studies section. he also established the african students association of american & canada, while serving as its first president. given his investment in his country's future, its no wonder some of the most notable black people in american history were present to witness ghana's independence.
the a-list includes u.n. undersecretary for special political affairs ralph bunche, also a nobel peace prize recipient; senator charles diggs; rep. adam clayton powell, jr.; mordecai johnson, the 1st black president of howard university; international labor activist maida springer; horace mann bond, the 1st black president of lincoln university & father of julian bond; rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. & his wife coretta scott king; as well as lucille armstrong, representing her husband, louis, who could not attend.
also present was then vice-president richard nixon, who approached a group of black folk whom he assumed were ghanaians & asked, "how does it feel to be free?" they said, "we wouldn't know, we're from alabama." ironically, the 1st time nixon met rev. dr. king, jr. was two days b4 the event. king said, "i want you to come visit us down in alabama, where we are seeking the same kind of freedom the gold coast is celebrating."
the repeated reference to alabama & freedom was especially poignant because ghana's independence occurred virtually on the heels of a major civil rights victory there: the montgomery bus boycott. the yearlong boycott began on december 1, 1955 when rosa parks refused to get up & give up her seat to a white person. in november of 1956, the u.s. supreme court issued a ruling in which it was declared the laws of segregation on buses were unconstitutional.
in his book, african americans in ghana: black expatriates and the civil rights era, author kevin kelly gaines writes, "the fulfillment of ghanian and african demands for national independence informed many african-americans' struggles for equal citizenship." during a radio interview in accra, rev. dr. king jr. said of ghana's independence, "it renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice. and it seems to me that this is fit testimony to the fact that eventually the forces of justice triumph in the universe, and somehow the universe itself is on the side of freedom and justice. so that this gives new hope to me in the struggle for freedom."
ghana's close relationship with black america, which was forged by nkrumah, continues today. dubois, who was not at the independence celebrations because the u.s. government refused to issue him a visa, moved to ghana in 1961 & spent his remaining years there. among the african-americans who have called ghana home include activist, educator & poet dr. maya angelou, writer & pan-africanist george padmore, writer julian mayfield & lawyer-author rev. dr. pauli murray.
in 2001 ghana's parliament passed "the right to abode," unprecedented legislation affording any person of african descent the ability to live & work there indefinitely. ghana is the 1st african country to extend such an overture to people in the diaspora.
when u.s. president barack obama addressed ghana's parliament in july 2009 he said, "africa's future is up to africans. the people of africa are ready to claim that future. and in my country, african-americans - including so many recent immigrants - have thrived in every sector of society. we've done so, despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our african heritage." for obama to choose ghana as the destination of his 1st official visit to africa was a befitting tribute to the legacy of kwame nkrumah.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Black Inventors/Brilliant Inventions
people of african ancestry have made extraordinary contributions throughout the course of hue-man history. these brilliant inventors realized their god-given talents to create useful products we probably take for granted everyday. in the spirit of african heritage month i've listed some of their inventions which simplify the lives of folks all over the world.
a.p. ashbourne - biscuit cutter. l.c. bailey - folding bed. james a. bauer - coin changer. andrew j. beard - car couple; rotary engine. g.e. becket - letter box. alfred benjamin - stainless steel pads. h. bradberry - torpedo discharger. phil brooks - disposable syringe. marie brown - home security system. henry blair - corn planter; cotton planter. sarah boone - ironing board. l.f. brown - horse bridle bit. oscar e. brown - horse shoe. otis boykin - guide missile; pacemaker. john a. burr - lawn mower.
burridge & marshman - typewriter. r.a. butler - train alarm. george carruthers - radiation detector. george washington carver - lotion & soaps; paints & satins; peanut butter. george cook - automatic fishing reel. a.l. cralle - ice cream mold. william d. davis - horse riding saddle. w.a. detiz - shoe. joseph dickinson - arm for recording player; player piano. o. dorsey - doorknob; doorstop. clatonia j. dorticus - photo embossing machine; photo print wash. p.b. dowing - postal letter box. dr. charles drew - blood plasma.
t. elkins - toilet. david a. fisher - furniture caster. robert fleming, jr. guitar. george f. grant - golf tee. j. gregory - motor. micheal harney - lantern. soloman harper - thermo hair curlers. b.f. jackson - gas burner. h.a. jackson - kitchen table. joseph n. jackson - remote controllers; video commander. isaac r. johnson - bicycle frame. jerry johnson - sani-phone. lonnie johnson - super soaker. william harwell - space shuttle retrieval arm. w.a. lavallette - printing press. lester lee - laser fuels. maurice w. lee - pressure cooker.
f.w. leslie - envelope seal. a.l. lewis - window cleaner. john l. love - pencil sharpener. hugh macdonald - rocket catapult. tom j. marshall - fire extinguisher. w.a. martin - lock. jan matzeliger - shoe lasting machine. elijah mccoy - lubricators. alexander miles - elevator. garrett morgan - gas mask; traffic signal. lyda newman - hair brush. alice h. paker - heating furnace. j.f. pickering - airship. purdgy & sadgwar - folding chair. w.b. purvis - fountain pen; hand stamp. l.p. ray - dust pan. a.c. richardson - insect destroyer gun.
w.c. richardson - baby buggy. n. rillieux - sugar refinement. walter sammons - pressing comb. g.t. sampson - clothes dryer. henry sampson - cellular phone. dewey sanderson - urinalysis mchine. ralph sanderson - hydraulic shock absorber. s.r. scottron - curtain rod. j.w. smith - lawn sprinkler. r.b. spikes - automatic gearshift. j. standard - refrigerator. t.w. stewart - mop. rufus j. weaver - stairclimbing wheelchair. paul e. williams - helicopter. j.b. winters - fire escape ladder. granville t. woods - auto air brake; electric cutoff switch; electric railway system; galvanic battery; relay instrument; roller coaster; telephone system; telephone transmitter.
a.p. ashbourne - biscuit cutter. l.c. bailey - folding bed. james a. bauer - coin changer. andrew j. beard - car couple; rotary engine. g.e. becket - letter box. alfred benjamin - stainless steel pads. h. bradberry - torpedo discharger. phil brooks - disposable syringe. marie brown - home security system. henry blair - corn planter; cotton planter. sarah boone - ironing board. l.f. brown - horse bridle bit. oscar e. brown - horse shoe. otis boykin - guide missile; pacemaker. john a. burr - lawn mower.
burridge & marshman - typewriter. r.a. butler - train alarm. george carruthers - radiation detector. george washington carver - lotion & soaps; paints & satins; peanut butter. george cook - automatic fishing reel. a.l. cralle - ice cream mold. william d. davis - horse riding saddle. w.a. detiz - shoe. joseph dickinson - arm for recording player; player piano. o. dorsey - doorknob; doorstop. clatonia j. dorticus - photo embossing machine; photo print wash. p.b. dowing - postal letter box. dr. charles drew - blood plasma.
t. elkins - toilet. david a. fisher - furniture caster. robert fleming, jr. guitar. george f. grant - golf tee. j. gregory - motor. micheal harney - lantern. soloman harper - thermo hair curlers. b.f. jackson - gas burner. h.a. jackson - kitchen table. joseph n. jackson - remote controllers; video commander. isaac r. johnson - bicycle frame. jerry johnson - sani-phone. lonnie johnson - super soaker. william harwell - space shuttle retrieval arm. w.a. lavallette - printing press. lester lee - laser fuels. maurice w. lee - pressure cooker.
f.w. leslie - envelope seal. a.l. lewis - window cleaner. john l. love - pencil sharpener. hugh macdonald - rocket catapult. tom j. marshall - fire extinguisher. w.a. martin - lock. jan matzeliger - shoe lasting machine. elijah mccoy - lubricators. alexander miles - elevator. garrett morgan - gas mask; traffic signal. lyda newman - hair brush. alice h. paker - heating furnace. j.f. pickering - airship. purdgy & sadgwar - folding chair. w.b. purvis - fountain pen; hand stamp. l.p. ray - dust pan. a.c. richardson - insect destroyer gun.
w.c. richardson - baby buggy. n. rillieux - sugar refinement. walter sammons - pressing comb. g.t. sampson - clothes dryer. henry sampson - cellular phone. dewey sanderson - urinalysis mchine. ralph sanderson - hydraulic shock absorber. s.r. scottron - curtain rod. j.w. smith - lawn sprinkler. r.b. spikes - automatic gearshift. j. standard - refrigerator. t.w. stewart - mop. rufus j. weaver - stairclimbing wheelchair. paul e. williams - helicopter. j.b. winters - fire escape ladder. granville t. woods - auto air brake; electric cutoff switch; electric railway system; galvanic battery; relay instrument; roller coaster; telephone system; telephone transmitter.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
President Obama Names 15 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
president barack obama today named 15 recipients of the presidential medal of freedom. the medal of freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the national interests or security of the united states, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant private or public endeavors. the awards will be presented at a white house ceremony early next year.
obama said, "these outstanding honorees come from a broad range of backgrounds & they've excelled in a broad range of fields, but all of them have lived extraordinary lives that have inspired us, enriched our culture & made our country & our world a better place. i look forward to awarding them this honor."
the recipients are: 1) george h.w. bush, 41st us president, vp during the reagan administration & former cia director; 2) chancellor angela merkel, the 1st woman & 1st east german to serve as chancellor of a unified germany, which this year marks its 20th anniversary; 3) congressman john lewis (d-ga), an american hero & freedom fighter during the civil rights movement who served as chairman of the student nonviolent coordinating committee at age 19 & continues to serve georgia's fifth district since 1987.
4) john h. adams, who co-founded the national defense resources council in 1970, served as executive director & later, as president of the nonprofit environmental advocacy group until 2006; 5) dr. maya angelou, activist, actress, author, educator, filmmaker, humanitarian, poet & producer who is currently the reynolds professor of american studies at wake forest university; 6) warren buffett, an american industrialist, investor & philanthropist, he's one of the most successful investors in the world.
7) jasper johns, an american artist who produced a distinguished body of work dealing with themes of identity & perception since the mid-1950's whose work has influenced pop, minimal & conceptual art; 8) gerda weissman klein, a jewish holocaust survivor who's written several books about her experiences & recently founded citizenship counts, a an organization teaching students to cherish the value of their american citizenship; 9) dr. tom little, an optometrist who was brutally murdered 8/6/10 by the taliban in the kuran wa munjan district of afghanistan along with nine other members of a humanitarian team on a mission to provide vision care in nuristan.
10) yo-yo ma, recognized as a prodigy since age five he made his carnegie hall debut in nyc at age nine & is considered the world's greatest cellist whose celebrity transcends the world of classical music; 11) sylvia mendez, a civil rights activist of mexican & puerto rican descent whose victorious lawsuit after being denied entry into an all-white school at age eight was a landmark case in the movement against segregation; 12) stan "the man" musial, a baseball legend & hall of fame first baseman for the st. louis cardinals for 22 years who was a 24 time all-star selection, three time most valuable player & member of three world series teams.
13) bill russell, the former boston celtics' captain who revolutionised professional basketball with his defensive prowess leading boston to 11 nba titles in 13 years, including a record eight in a row, five time most valuable player & the first african-american to coach in the nba; 14) jean kennedy smith, who in 1974 founded vsa, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the john f. kennedy center promoting the artistic talents of children, youth & adults with disabilities; 15) john j. sweeney, the current president emeritus of the afl-cio who served as their president from 1995 to 2009, revitalizing the american labor movement by emphasizing social justice, union organizing & workers' advocacy rights.
obama said, "these outstanding honorees come from a broad range of backgrounds & they've excelled in a broad range of fields, but all of them have lived extraordinary lives that have inspired us, enriched our culture & made our country & our world a better place. i look forward to awarding them this honor."
the recipients are: 1) george h.w. bush, 41st us president, vp during the reagan administration & former cia director; 2) chancellor angela merkel, the 1st woman & 1st east german to serve as chancellor of a unified germany, which this year marks its 20th anniversary; 3) congressman john lewis (d-ga), an american hero & freedom fighter during the civil rights movement who served as chairman of the student nonviolent coordinating committee at age 19 & continues to serve georgia's fifth district since 1987.
4) john h. adams, who co-founded the national defense resources council in 1970, served as executive director & later, as president of the nonprofit environmental advocacy group until 2006; 5) dr. maya angelou, activist, actress, author, educator, filmmaker, humanitarian, poet & producer who is currently the reynolds professor of american studies at wake forest university; 6) warren buffett, an american industrialist, investor & philanthropist, he's one of the most successful investors in the world.
7) jasper johns, an american artist who produced a distinguished body of work dealing with themes of identity & perception since the mid-1950's whose work has influenced pop, minimal & conceptual art; 8) gerda weissman klein, a jewish holocaust survivor who's written several books about her experiences & recently founded citizenship counts, a an organization teaching students to cherish the value of their american citizenship; 9) dr. tom little, an optometrist who was brutally murdered 8/6/10 by the taliban in the kuran wa munjan district of afghanistan along with nine other members of a humanitarian team on a mission to provide vision care in nuristan.
10) yo-yo ma, recognized as a prodigy since age five he made his carnegie hall debut in nyc at age nine & is considered the world's greatest cellist whose celebrity transcends the world of classical music; 11) sylvia mendez, a civil rights activist of mexican & puerto rican descent whose victorious lawsuit after being denied entry into an all-white school at age eight was a landmark case in the movement against segregation; 12) stan "the man" musial, a baseball legend & hall of fame first baseman for the st. louis cardinals for 22 years who was a 24 time all-star selection, three time most valuable player & member of three world series teams.
13) bill russell, the former boston celtics' captain who revolutionised professional basketball with his defensive prowess leading boston to 11 nba titles in 13 years, including a record eight in a row, five time most valuable player & the first african-american to coach in the nba; 14) jean kennedy smith, who in 1974 founded vsa, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the john f. kennedy center promoting the artistic talents of children, youth & adults with disabilities; 15) john j. sweeney, the current president emeritus of the afl-cio who served as their president from 1995 to 2009, revitalizing the american labor movement by emphasizing social justice, union organizing & workers' advocacy rights.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Power To The People! The Egyptian Revolution Was Televised!
the sounds of freedom continue to ring thru cairo 24 hrs after hosni mubarak was forced to resign by the awe-inspiring courage, determination & resilience of millions of egyptians who poured in2 the streets in unprecedented numbers for 18 str8 days. after 30 yrs of authoritarian rule, the impossible became possible: the hated dictator has left the country & his notorious police force has all but vanished.
for the tens of thousands who were in tahrir (liberation) square friday pm, the explosive news of mubarak's resignation spread like wildfire; within seconds crowds erupted in2 screams of joy & relief. strangers exchanged congratulatory embraces, their eyes moist with tears of disbelief & pride at the historic change they helped create & witness.
all night long every street in cairo lit with celebrations. people streamed in2 tahrir square from across the colossal city, waving egyptian flags, breaking out in2 dance, poetry & song, their faces bursting with a sweet & unknown delight. loud chants of "the people have brought down the regime" & "hold your head up, you are egyptian" echoed late in2 the night.
egypt's revolutionaries defy trivial generalizations. they are men & women, young & old, rich & poor, educated & illiterate, muslim & copt, atheists & believers, capitalists & workers, peasants & techies, artists & state employees, housewives & professionals, salafists & socialists, long-time activists & apathetic citizens.
after their long night of jubilation the revolutionaries returned to the square saturday, now armed with brooms, garbage bags & a new found sense of national pride. thousands dutifully swept the dusty streets in & around tahrir square, pausing at different intersections to recall the bloody battles with state security & thugs unleashed by mubarak's oppressive regime. others applied a fresh coat of paint to the pavements while talking about the freedoms they wanted to enshrine in their rejuvenated country.
the january 25th uprising in egypt has set an inspiring example to people globally. three days in2 the shift of power tens of thousands of peaceful protesters on cairo's qasr-al-nil bridge shattered the invincibility of egypt's security forces empowered with their bodies & a neo-gandhian fearlessness in the face of extreme brutality. when the panicked regime took the police off the streets to intimidate people in staying at home, the people responded by organizing committees to guard their neighborhoods.
when the regime unleashed hired thugs to stage pro-mubarak demonstrations & attack journalists & pro-democracy protesters in the square, thousands fought back with rocks while others set up make-shift clinics to treat the wounded & distribute blankets, food & water, as well as tents to those inside the square. when state television framed the demonstrators as directed by "foreign elements," folks waved egyptian flags, asserting a patriotic struggle. employees of state media outlets & well-known media personalities soon began to speak out in protest.
challenging mubarak's power has been fatal. according to estimates by the human rights watch & united nations, at least 300 people were killed in the uprising. many others have been detained & possibly tortured by egypt's intelligence & military force. every time mubarak or his recently deputized vice president omar suleiman appeared on television, they expressed contempt for the protesters, announcing piecemeal reforms to try & appease the millions in the streets.
indeed, each day brought a litany of new reasons for the people's frustrations & rage against the regime to swell. but despite the lack of restraint on the part of mubarak's hostile regime, the pro-democracy protesters did not respond to the constant provocations with violence. instead, the diverse & united people in the square delivered periodic chants of "ours is a peaceful revolution, ours is a popular revolution."
18 days of progressive struggle brought power to the people. egypt's revolution was televised but remains far from over. who will shape the post-mubarak era? who will be allowed to guide the transition to civilian rule? as the celebrations in tahrir square continue folks' concerns about the prosperity, restoration & success of egypt are not awash in cynicism. there are more questions than answers. egyptians have tasted the power of a popular uprising whose foremost demand was met & now they can't imagine giving up until all of their conflicts are resolved.
these include the repeal of the emergency law, the dissolution of parliament, constitutional reforms to ensure fair & free elections, the release of all political prisoners & justice for all those killed during the revolution. no one knows how quickly these demands will be met, but affirmed by their monumental victory against mubarak, millions of egyptians now believe if they continue the struggle anything is possible.
for the tens of thousands who were in tahrir (liberation) square friday pm, the explosive news of mubarak's resignation spread like wildfire; within seconds crowds erupted in2 screams of joy & relief. strangers exchanged congratulatory embraces, their eyes moist with tears of disbelief & pride at the historic change they helped create & witness.
all night long every street in cairo lit with celebrations. people streamed in2 tahrir square from across the colossal city, waving egyptian flags, breaking out in2 dance, poetry & song, their faces bursting with a sweet & unknown delight. loud chants of "the people have brought down the regime" & "hold your head up, you are egyptian" echoed late in2 the night.
egypt's revolutionaries defy trivial generalizations. they are men & women, young & old, rich & poor, educated & illiterate, muslim & copt, atheists & believers, capitalists & workers, peasants & techies, artists & state employees, housewives & professionals, salafists & socialists, long-time activists & apathetic citizens.
after their long night of jubilation the revolutionaries returned to the square saturday, now armed with brooms, garbage bags & a new found sense of national pride. thousands dutifully swept the dusty streets in & around tahrir square, pausing at different intersections to recall the bloody battles with state security & thugs unleashed by mubarak's oppressive regime. others applied a fresh coat of paint to the pavements while talking about the freedoms they wanted to enshrine in their rejuvenated country.
the january 25th uprising in egypt has set an inspiring example to people globally. three days in2 the shift of power tens of thousands of peaceful protesters on cairo's qasr-al-nil bridge shattered the invincibility of egypt's security forces empowered with their bodies & a neo-gandhian fearlessness in the face of extreme brutality. when the panicked regime took the police off the streets to intimidate people in staying at home, the people responded by organizing committees to guard their neighborhoods.
when the regime unleashed hired thugs to stage pro-mubarak demonstrations & attack journalists & pro-democracy protesters in the square, thousands fought back with rocks while others set up make-shift clinics to treat the wounded & distribute blankets, food & water, as well as tents to those inside the square. when state television framed the demonstrators as directed by "foreign elements," folks waved egyptian flags, asserting a patriotic struggle. employees of state media outlets & well-known media personalities soon began to speak out in protest.
challenging mubarak's power has been fatal. according to estimates by the human rights watch & united nations, at least 300 people were killed in the uprising. many others have been detained & possibly tortured by egypt's intelligence & military force. every time mubarak or his recently deputized vice president omar suleiman appeared on television, they expressed contempt for the protesters, announcing piecemeal reforms to try & appease the millions in the streets.
indeed, each day brought a litany of new reasons for the people's frustrations & rage against the regime to swell. but despite the lack of restraint on the part of mubarak's hostile regime, the pro-democracy protesters did not respond to the constant provocations with violence. instead, the diverse & united people in the square delivered periodic chants of "ours is a peaceful revolution, ours is a popular revolution."
18 days of progressive struggle brought power to the people. egypt's revolution was televised but remains far from over. who will shape the post-mubarak era? who will be allowed to guide the transition to civilian rule? as the celebrations in tahrir square continue folks' concerns about the prosperity, restoration & success of egypt are not awash in cynicism. there are more questions than answers. egyptians have tasted the power of a popular uprising whose foremost demand was met & now they can't imagine giving up until all of their conflicts are resolved.
these include the repeal of the emergency law, the dissolution of parliament, constitutional reforms to ensure fair & free elections, the release of all political prisoners & justice for all those killed during the revolution. no one knows how quickly these demands will be met, but affirmed by their monumental victory against mubarak, millions of egyptians now believe if they continue the struggle anything is possible.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Packers Edge Steelers In Super Bowl XLV
the green bay packers defeated the pittsburgh steelers 31-25 to win super bowl 45 & claim the coveted vince lombardi trophy. the thrilling game was witnessed by over 103,000 fans in arlington, texas, home to the dallas cowboys. this was green bay's 4th super bowl title. the packers won the 1st 2 super bowls with vince lomabardi coaching bart starr & they won again in 1997 led by (recently retired) qb brett favre.
super bowl 45 mvp was green bay qb aaron rodgers who completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards & three touchdown passes. rodgers' brilliant performance was slightly overshadowed by six dropped passes which would have augmented his numbers & changed the final score. packers cornerback nick collins intercepted a pass for a touchdown, leading an underrated defense to a hard-fought victory in a season many pundits thought was over after 14 regular season games.
when green bay was struggling at 8-6, their hopes for a playoff berth were slim, yet veterans like wide receiver donald driver & cornerback charles woodson - both of whom missed the 2nd half of the super bowl due to injuries - empowered their team to one win after the next. the 6th seeded packers beat the philadelphia eagles, new york giants & chicago bears on the road to earn a super bowl trip against the more experienced steelers.
packers wide receivers greg jennings & jordy nelson caught touchdown passes as green bay dominated the 1st half, leading 21-10, despite a steelers td pass from ben roethlesberger to hines ward late in the 2nd quarter. the game's momentum shifted as the steelers scored again, cutting green bay's 18 point lead to three points but the black & yellow never got closer. the steelers' offense, stifled by costly turnovers, was unable to move beyond midfield in their final possession with less than two minutes in the game. pittsburgh is now 6-2 in super bowl games.
super bowl 45 mvp was green bay qb aaron rodgers who completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards & three touchdown passes. rodgers' brilliant performance was slightly overshadowed by six dropped passes which would have augmented his numbers & changed the final score. packers cornerback nick collins intercepted a pass for a touchdown, leading an underrated defense to a hard-fought victory in a season many pundits thought was over after 14 regular season games.
when green bay was struggling at 8-6, their hopes for a playoff berth were slim, yet veterans like wide receiver donald driver & cornerback charles woodson - both of whom missed the 2nd half of the super bowl due to injuries - empowered their team to one win after the next. the 6th seeded packers beat the philadelphia eagles, new york giants & chicago bears on the road to earn a super bowl trip against the more experienced steelers.
packers wide receivers greg jennings & jordy nelson caught touchdown passes as green bay dominated the 1st half, leading 21-10, despite a steelers td pass from ben roethlesberger to hines ward late in the 2nd quarter. the game's momentum shifted as the steelers scored again, cutting green bay's 18 point lead to three points but the black & yellow never got closer. the steelers' offense, stifled by costly turnovers, was unable to move beyond midfield in their final possession with less than two minutes in the game. pittsburgh is now 6-2 in super bowl games.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
The Origins Of Black History Month
black history month, also known as african heritage month, is a time to appreciate, celebrate, reflect and rejoice in the magnanimous beauty and unparalleled brilliance of the motherland. in acknowledging africa's extraordinary contributions to global society, we honor all members of the african diaspora. let us begin by taking an in-depth look at how this unique cultural phenomenon came to be.
in the early 1900's, omega psi phi, one of the oldest african-american fraternities, first celebrated the achievements of black people on february 12, abraham lincoln's birthday. later, in 1916, dr. carter g. woodson, an honorary member of omega psi phi, convinced the association for the study of negro life and history - an organization he started - to sponsor "negro history week." his aim? to reach a larger, more diverse audience.
dr. woodson began the annual celebration in 1926 to increase awareness of, and interest, in black history amongst blacks and whites. he assiduously distributed promotional brochures and pamphlets to various state boards of education, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, women's clubs, white scholarly journals, black newspapers and periodicals: implementing ways to document truth.
unequivocally accepted as the founder of this, now, cultural/national movement and observance, dr. woodson comes from humble beginnings; his parents were enslaved and illiterate. as an adolescent he worked in the west virginia coalmines to support his family; as a result, he started school later than most children, yet earned a high school diploma with honors. his motto in life was, "it is never too late to learn."
dr. woodson continued his education at harvard university where he received his master's and ph.d. he later studied at the prestigious sorbonne in paris, france. while developing as a scholar he recognized a troubling pattern in history and literature books. dr. woodson surmised africans were intentionally omitted from history, and, if they were mentioned at all, it was only done to advance culturally oppressive myths (read: lie) about africa and her people: arbitrarily imparting to europeans a false sense of superiority and to africans a fatal sense of inferiority.
for example, the african ancestry of alexander pushkin, noted father of russian literature, is peculiarly "blacked-out" from standard history texts; in fact, pushkin was castigated for embracing his heritage. another literary giant of african descent, alexander dumas, spent most of his life in france. dumas once publicly stated, "when i discovered i was black, i was determined to act so that men should be beneath my skin."
in germany, the word "mohr" means black. in english, however, that same word is spelled: moor. one of the world's most honored and treasured musicians is a man of african ancestry. we know him in america as ludwig von beethoven. in germany he is referred to as "the blackamoor." beethoven is also known in other countries as "the black spaniard."
contrary to popular belief and contemporary misconception, february was not "given" to blacks by guilt-ridden whites because its shorter than other months. dr. woodson consciously chose the second week in february to memorialize the birthdays of lincoln, and more significantly, frederick douglass. in the early 1970's his vision was extended throughout the entire month and the use of the noun "black," symbolizing power, pride and purpose, was ceremoniously added to the title.
today, dr. woodson is generally best known for his groundbreaking book, the mis-education of the negro. he wanted black history affirmed everywhere it is researched: on every continent and in every culture. like w.e.b. dubois, marcus garvey and malcolm x, dr. woodson clearly understood the power accurate history has on a people's collective self-value and worth. we share his third eye this month - and each day of our lives - honoring our ancestors, cultivating our spirit, expressing our creativity and treating our brothas and sistahs with the love and compassion they so richly deserve.
in the early 1900's, omega psi phi, one of the oldest african-american fraternities, first celebrated the achievements of black people on february 12, abraham lincoln's birthday. later, in 1916, dr. carter g. woodson, an honorary member of omega psi phi, convinced the association for the study of negro life and history - an organization he started - to sponsor "negro history week." his aim? to reach a larger, more diverse audience.
dr. woodson began the annual celebration in 1926 to increase awareness of, and interest, in black history amongst blacks and whites. he assiduously distributed promotional brochures and pamphlets to various state boards of education, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, women's clubs, white scholarly journals, black newspapers and periodicals: implementing ways to document truth.
unequivocally accepted as the founder of this, now, cultural/national movement and observance, dr. woodson comes from humble beginnings; his parents were enslaved and illiterate. as an adolescent he worked in the west virginia coalmines to support his family; as a result, he started school later than most children, yet earned a high school diploma with honors. his motto in life was, "it is never too late to learn."
dr. woodson continued his education at harvard university where he received his master's and ph.d. he later studied at the prestigious sorbonne in paris, france. while developing as a scholar he recognized a troubling pattern in history and literature books. dr. woodson surmised africans were intentionally omitted from history, and, if they were mentioned at all, it was only done to advance culturally oppressive myths (read: lie) about africa and her people: arbitrarily imparting to europeans a false sense of superiority and to africans a fatal sense of inferiority.
for example, the african ancestry of alexander pushkin, noted father of russian literature, is peculiarly "blacked-out" from standard history texts; in fact, pushkin was castigated for embracing his heritage. another literary giant of african descent, alexander dumas, spent most of his life in france. dumas once publicly stated, "when i discovered i was black, i was determined to act so that men should be beneath my skin."
in germany, the word "mohr" means black. in english, however, that same word is spelled: moor. one of the world's most honored and treasured musicians is a man of african ancestry. we know him in america as ludwig von beethoven. in germany he is referred to as "the blackamoor." beethoven is also known in other countries as "the black spaniard."
contrary to popular belief and contemporary misconception, february was not "given" to blacks by guilt-ridden whites because its shorter than other months. dr. woodson consciously chose the second week in february to memorialize the birthdays of lincoln, and more significantly, frederick douglass. in the early 1970's his vision was extended throughout the entire month and the use of the noun "black," symbolizing power, pride and purpose, was ceremoniously added to the title.
today, dr. woodson is generally best known for his groundbreaking book, the mis-education of the negro. he wanted black history affirmed everywhere it is researched: on every continent and in every culture. like w.e.b. dubois, marcus garvey and malcolm x, dr. woodson clearly understood the power accurate history has on a people's collective self-value and worth. we share his third eye this month - and each day of our lives - honoring our ancestors, cultivating our spirit, expressing our creativity and treating our brothas and sistahs with the love and compassion they so richly deserve.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Ugandan Gay Rights Activist Murdered
david kato, a progressive ugandan gay rights activist, was beaten to death & found in his home wednesday. police have confirmed his murder & one suspect has been arrested. kato courageously sued rolling stone, a local tabloid newspaper which outed him as a homosexual & published the photographs of several people they said were gay, including mr. kato, with the headline, 'hang them'.
u.s. president barack obama was "deeply saddened" to learn of kato's death. obama said, "in uganda, david showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate...he was a powerful advocate for fairness & freedom...the united states mourns his murder & we recommit ourselves to david's work." obama continued, "at home & around the world, lgbt persons continue to be subject to unconscionable bullying, discrimination & hate...lgbt rights are not special rights they are human rights."
u.s. secretary of state hilary clinton has urged authorities to investigate & prosecute the killers. the bbc's joshua mmali, in kampala, says its unclear whether the death is linked to the rolling stone campaign but police have said there is no connection between kato's activism & his death. the police say the main suspect - who lived with kato - remains on the run.
homosexual acts are illegal in uganda, with punishments of 14 years in prison. an mp recently tried to increase the penalties to include the death sentence in some cases. there has been a recent spate of "iron-bar killings" in mukono, where kato lived, in which people have been assaulted with metal. witnesses told the bbc a man entered kato's home near kampala & bludgeoned him to death before leaving.
his sexual minorities uganda (smug) group said kato had been receiving death threats since his name, photographs & address were published by rolling stone last year. frank mugisha, the group's executive director, told the bbc's network africa programme he was "devastated" on hearing the tragic news from new york. mugisha said, "he was killed by someone who came in his house with a hammer, meaning anyone else could be the next target." he said kato was concerned about recent death threats.
human rights watch (hrw) has called for a swift investigation into kato's death. hrw's maria burnett said, "david kato's death is a tragic loss to the human right community...he was a fearless voice for the protection of the lgbt community." kato diligently campaigned against the anti-homosexuality bill, which appears to have been quietly dropped after provoking a storm of international criticism when it was mooted in 2009.
clinton said she was "profoundly saddened" by kato's death, stating, "this crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for & defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us & the sacrifices they make...as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, & that the human rights of lgbt individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons."
following a complaint by kato & three others, a judge last november ordered rolling stone to stop publishing the photographs it said were homosexual, saying it contravened their right to privacy. several activists said they had been attacked after their photographs were published. mugisha called on the ugandan government to step up security for gay people, stating, "we're strongly asking every gay & lesbian & bisexual & transgender person in uganda to watch our for their security...they should take extra caution."
rolling stone editor giles muhame told reuters news agency he condemned the murder & that the paper had not wanted gays to be attacked. muhame said, "there has been a lot of crime, it may not be because he is gay...we want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality, not for the public to attack them." in the 1970's when former leader idi amin was in power, "iron-bar killings" were fairly common in uganda.
u.s. president barack obama was "deeply saddened" to learn of kato's death. obama said, "in uganda, david showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate...he was a powerful advocate for fairness & freedom...the united states mourns his murder & we recommit ourselves to david's work." obama continued, "at home & around the world, lgbt persons continue to be subject to unconscionable bullying, discrimination & hate...lgbt rights are not special rights they are human rights."
u.s. secretary of state hilary clinton has urged authorities to investigate & prosecute the killers. the bbc's joshua mmali, in kampala, says its unclear whether the death is linked to the rolling stone campaign but police have said there is no connection between kato's activism & his death. the police say the main suspect - who lived with kato - remains on the run.
homosexual acts are illegal in uganda, with punishments of 14 years in prison. an mp recently tried to increase the penalties to include the death sentence in some cases. there has been a recent spate of "iron-bar killings" in mukono, where kato lived, in which people have been assaulted with metal. witnesses told the bbc a man entered kato's home near kampala & bludgeoned him to death before leaving.
his sexual minorities uganda (smug) group said kato had been receiving death threats since his name, photographs & address were published by rolling stone last year. frank mugisha, the group's executive director, told the bbc's network africa programme he was "devastated" on hearing the tragic news from new york. mugisha said, "he was killed by someone who came in his house with a hammer, meaning anyone else could be the next target." he said kato was concerned about recent death threats.
human rights watch (hrw) has called for a swift investigation into kato's death. hrw's maria burnett said, "david kato's death is a tragic loss to the human right community...he was a fearless voice for the protection of the lgbt community." kato diligently campaigned against the anti-homosexuality bill, which appears to have been quietly dropped after provoking a storm of international criticism when it was mooted in 2009.
clinton said she was "profoundly saddened" by kato's death, stating, "this crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for & defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us & the sacrifices they make...as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, & that the human rights of lgbt individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons."
following a complaint by kato & three others, a judge last november ordered rolling stone to stop publishing the photographs it said were homosexual, saying it contravened their right to privacy. several activists said they had been attacked after their photographs were published. mugisha called on the ugandan government to step up security for gay people, stating, "we're strongly asking every gay & lesbian & bisexual & transgender person in uganda to watch our for their security...they should take extra caution."
rolling stone editor giles muhame told reuters news agency he condemned the murder & that the paper had not wanted gays to be attacked. muhame said, "there has been a lot of crime, it may not be because he is gay...we want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality, not for the public to attack them." in the 1970's when former leader idi amin was in power, "iron-bar killings" were fairly common in uganda.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Scott Sisters Released From Miss. Prison
jamie & gladys scott were released from a mississippi prison friday, after serving 16 years for an armed robbery which netted $11. during an emotional news conference attended by activists, family members, friends & supporters, the sisters thanked everybody who helped secure their release, including mississippi governor haley barbour, who suspended their life sentences last month.
38 year-old jamie said tearfully, "we're so grateful...i never thought this day would come...but i kept the faith & i do know god will show up." her 36 year-old sister, gladys simply said, "praise god." the sisters' life sentences were suspended with the unprecedented condition of one sister donating a kidney to the other, who is sick & needs a transplant.
their attorney, chokwe lumumba, said the sisters were exuberant as they were reunited with their mother & children at 8:00 am from a prison in pearl, mississippi. said lumumba, "they're feeling great. this is beautiful. i feel like a young fella myself."
in 1994 the women were convicted of armed robbery for hitting two men on the head with the butt of a shotgun in forest, mississippi, as well as stealing $11. activists have contended their harsh sentences were racially biased. jamie said she'd continue to speak out on behalf of other women in the prison, stating, "i won't leave them behind. i will be their voice."
jamie is currently on dialysis & hopes to receive better medical treatment now. gladys agreed to donate one of her kidneys when barbour included the stipulation as part of their release, which some feel is politically motivated - barbour is touted as a republican presidential candidate for 2012 (against obama) & this decision could influence black voters.
last december lumumba admitted the arrangement "does sound a little barbaric," but noted gladys would have donated the kidney anyway. he said the sisters must undergo more medical tests before the transplant can take place. lumumba said it's not clear how the operation will be paid for. said the attorney, "we still need medicaid to handle the bill, or we'll be looking for donors to help us."
38 year-old jamie said tearfully, "we're so grateful...i never thought this day would come...but i kept the faith & i do know god will show up." her 36 year-old sister, gladys simply said, "praise god." the sisters' life sentences were suspended with the unprecedented condition of one sister donating a kidney to the other, who is sick & needs a transplant.
their attorney, chokwe lumumba, said the sisters were exuberant as they were reunited with their mother & children at 8:00 am from a prison in pearl, mississippi. said lumumba, "they're feeling great. this is beautiful. i feel like a young fella myself."
in 1994 the women were convicted of armed robbery for hitting two men on the head with the butt of a shotgun in forest, mississippi, as well as stealing $11. activists have contended their harsh sentences were racially biased. jamie said she'd continue to speak out on behalf of other women in the prison, stating, "i won't leave them behind. i will be their voice."
jamie is currently on dialysis & hopes to receive better medical treatment now. gladys agreed to donate one of her kidneys when barbour included the stipulation as part of their release, which some feel is politically motivated - barbour is touted as a republican presidential candidate for 2012 (against obama) & this decision could influence black voters.
last december lumumba admitted the arrangement "does sound a little barbaric," but noted gladys would have donated the kidney anyway. he said the sisters must undergo more medical tests before the transplant can take place. lumumba said it's not clear how the operation will be paid for. said the attorney, "we still need medicaid to handle the bill, or we'll be looking for donors to help us."
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Happy Kwanzaa Everyone!!!
the season of kwanzaa has come again, the celebration & season of joyous harvesting & sharing of good in the world. founded in 1966 by dr maulana karenga, professor of black studies at california state university-long beach, this year marks the 44th anniversary of the recovery & reconstruction which has found a valuable & enduring place in the hearts, homes & daily lives of over 30 million people throughout the african disapora. the seven day celebration is dec 26-jan 1.
the nguzo saba is a vital source of practices & principles to bring, increase & sustain good in the world. they represent values & vital teachings of our ancestors about how we are to live decent lives, rightfully relate to each other & the world & teach our children by word & deed what it means to be an african man & woman in this world. each of the seven days we practice a different principle & learn to incorporate them into our daily lives .
day 1: umoja (unity) speaks to the ancient african ethical understanding: we come into being & flourish in relationship & that being of & with each other, logically & morally leads us to being for each other in real & mutually rewarding ways. umoja cultivates in us a sense of oneness with each other & a responsibility to each other, our people, hue-manity & the world. umoja calls on us to stand in solidarity with the suffering, oppressed & struggling peoples of the world in their rightful resistance to oppression & their just quest for the good life we all deserve & want. umoja makes us conscience of our obligation to care for the environment as sacred space & preserve & promote its flourishing, health & wholeness.
day 2: kujichajulia (self-determination) obligates us to respect our own cultural way of being hue-man in the world & to avoid dignity-denying & self-deforming imitations of others. kujichajulia urges us to define ourselves by the life & dignity affirming ways we walk & work in the world & to name ourselves in deep-rooted respect for our identity as bearers of dignity & divinity. kujichajulia calls on us to create for ourselves in the good-producing & world-preserving ways of our ancestors & to speak for ourselves in ways revealing our rootedness in our own culture & our commitment to the goodness & uniqueness of being african in the world.
day 3: ujima (collective work & responsibility) encourages us to commit ourselves to work & struggle to build the caring family, moral community, just society & good world we all deserve & want to live in. ujima teaches us to constantly search for & sustain common ground in the best of our moral values & to engage in cooperative projects for the common good. ujima demands we increase our efforts to confront & solve the persistent & pervasive hue-man problems of disease, homelessness, hunger, needless deaths, poverty & war which disfigures the face & future of hue-manity.
day 4: ujamaa (cooperative economics) is a principle of shared work & shared wealth of the world. ujamaa calls for & cultivates economic practices which demonstrate due respect for the dignity & life-affirming necessity of work, the right to a life of dignity & decency & a right to an equitable share of the good & goods of the world. moreover, as a project of cooperative creation & sharing of good, ujamaa seeks care & support of the vulnerable & a rightful relationship with the environment protecting it from the evils of depletion, plunder & pollution.
day 5: nia (purpose) speaks to us of our collective vocation to do good in & for the world & to restore our people to their traditional greatness defined by this ongoing creation & pursuit of the good. in this practice we follow the path of service like the heroes & sheroes before us who sacrificed their lives so we could live fuller, freer & more meaningful ones. the lessons of rev dr martin luther king jr's teachings on service as the substance of greatness, malcolm x's teaching on offering one's life as a testimony of social value & dr mary mcleod-bethune's teaching that we must live our lives so that at the end we are able to stand tall on the platform of service.
day 6: kuumba (creativity) calls on us to always do as much as we can in the way we can in order to leave our community & the world more beautiful & beneficial than we inherited it. kuumba teaches us to reaffirm the ancient african ethical commitment to constantly heal, repair & transform the world - called serudjta in ancient egyptian. kuumba requires us to revere life & to apply the active arm & healing hand to end the social injustice & persistent suffering around us & throughout the world. kuumba challenges us to become & be examples of the new world we struggle to bring into being.
day 7: imani (faith) is founded in the ancient ethical & spiritual teachings of our ancestors, forged in struggle & reaffirmed in the reality of every day life directed toward doing good in the world. amidst the cynicism, despair & evil in the world, we believe in the eventual triumph of good in the world. we dare to believe eventually thru acts of deep & enduring loving kindness, hard work & long struggle africa will come into her own again; the people of darfur, haiti, the congo & the survivors of katrina & all other oppressed & suffering people will be liberated, recover & rebuild their lives & forge a future of expansive freedom, justice & forward movement.
heri za kwanzaa - happy kwanzaa!
the nguzo saba is a vital source of practices & principles to bring, increase & sustain good in the world. they represent values & vital teachings of our ancestors about how we are to live decent lives, rightfully relate to each other & the world & teach our children by word & deed what it means to be an african man & woman in this world. each of the seven days we practice a different principle & learn to incorporate them into our daily lives .
day 1: umoja (unity) speaks to the ancient african ethical understanding: we come into being & flourish in relationship & that being of & with each other, logically & morally leads us to being for each other in real & mutually rewarding ways. umoja cultivates in us a sense of oneness with each other & a responsibility to each other, our people, hue-manity & the world. umoja calls on us to stand in solidarity with the suffering, oppressed & struggling peoples of the world in their rightful resistance to oppression & their just quest for the good life we all deserve & want. umoja makes us conscience of our obligation to care for the environment as sacred space & preserve & promote its flourishing, health & wholeness.
day 2: kujichajulia (self-determination) obligates us to respect our own cultural way of being hue-man in the world & to avoid dignity-denying & self-deforming imitations of others. kujichajulia urges us to define ourselves by the life & dignity affirming ways we walk & work in the world & to name ourselves in deep-rooted respect for our identity as bearers of dignity & divinity. kujichajulia calls on us to create for ourselves in the good-producing & world-preserving ways of our ancestors & to speak for ourselves in ways revealing our rootedness in our own culture & our commitment to the goodness & uniqueness of being african in the world.
day 3: ujima (collective work & responsibility) encourages us to commit ourselves to work & struggle to build the caring family, moral community, just society & good world we all deserve & want to live in. ujima teaches us to constantly search for & sustain common ground in the best of our moral values & to engage in cooperative projects for the common good. ujima demands we increase our efforts to confront & solve the persistent & pervasive hue-man problems of disease, homelessness, hunger, needless deaths, poverty & war which disfigures the face & future of hue-manity.
day 4: ujamaa (cooperative economics) is a principle of shared work & shared wealth of the world. ujamaa calls for & cultivates economic practices which demonstrate due respect for the dignity & life-affirming necessity of work, the right to a life of dignity & decency & a right to an equitable share of the good & goods of the world. moreover, as a project of cooperative creation & sharing of good, ujamaa seeks care & support of the vulnerable & a rightful relationship with the environment protecting it from the evils of depletion, plunder & pollution.
day 5: nia (purpose) speaks to us of our collective vocation to do good in & for the world & to restore our people to their traditional greatness defined by this ongoing creation & pursuit of the good. in this practice we follow the path of service like the heroes & sheroes before us who sacrificed their lives so we could live fuller, freer & more meaningful ones. the lessons of rev dr martin luther king jr's teachings on service as the substance of greatness, malcolm x's teaching on offering one's life as a testimony of social value & dr mary mcleod-bethune's teaching that we must live our lives so that at the end we are able to stand tall on the platform of service.
day 6: kuumba (creativity) calls on us to always do as much as we can in the way we can in order to leave our community & the world more beautiful & beneficial than we inherited it. kuumba teaches us to reaffirm the ancient african ethical commitment to constantly heal, repair & transform the world - called serudjta in ancient egyptian. kuumba requires us to revere life & to apply the active arm & healing hand to end the social injustice & persistent suffering around us & throughout the world. kuumba challenges us to become & be examples of the new world we struggle to bring into being.
day 7: imani (faith) is founded in the ancient ethical & spiritual teachings of our ancestors, forged in struggle & reaffirmed in the reality of every day life directed toward doing good in the world. amidst the cynicism, despair & evil in the world, we believe in the eventual triumph of good in the world. we dare to believe eventually thru acts of deep & enduring loving kindness, hard work & long struggle africa will come into her own again; the people of darfur, haiti, the congo & the survivors of katrina & all other oppressed & suffering people will be liberated, recover & rebuild their lives & forge a future of expansive freedom, justice & forward movement.
heri za kwanzaa - happy kwanzaa!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Obama Signs Repeal Of Don't Ask Don't Tell Military Policy
president barack obama brought the arduous political struggle over the military's controversial "don't ask don't tell" policy to a close wednesday, signing legislation that will bring an end of their ban on openly gay men & lesbian women serving in the armed forces.
the bill repeals a 1993 law ushered in during the clinton administration. obama signed the bill in front of a jubilant crowd of supporters at the department of interior. among those in attendance included vice-president joe biden, house speaker nancy pelosi (d-ca), senate majority leader harry reid (d-nev) & joint chiefs chairman adm. mike mullen.
"this is a good day...i'm overwhelmed & i've never been prouder," obama said. he said the repeal "will strengthen our national security & uphold america's ideas." "no longer will tens of thousands of americans in uniform be asked to live a lie." "this is the right thing to do for our military," said the commander-in-chief. "it's the right thing to do, period."
continually exhorted by a supportive audience, obama said, "this is a moment more than two centuries in the making...over the course of u.s. history, gay americans fought just as hard as & gave just as much to protect the country as anyone else...we are a nation that believes all men & women are created equal."
passage of the repeal was a major political victory for obama & congressional democrats. obama repeatedly promised to repeal the ban during the 2008 presidential election. the crowd chanted "yes we can" as obama was introduced before the historical signing - a reference to his popular campaign slogan.
massachusetts rep. barney frank, an openly gay democrat, called the bill's passage, "the biggest single thing," in terms of the progress of gay rights in america. air force lt. col. victor fehrenbach said, "he made a promise to me a year & a half ago...he looked me in the eye & said i'm going to get this done." air force veteran jeff cadavona said, "when i was in the military in the 60's, they'd hammer you over for being openly gay...if they found you out they'd kick you right out."
the change won't be immediate, however. the white house noted the repeal may take several months to enforce. the pentagon has an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal. over the next few weeks, military officials need to examine & rewrite a series of directives, policies & regulations related to the current law.
the bill repeals a 1993 law ushered in during the clinton administration. obama signed the bill in front of a jubilant crowd of supporters at the department of interior. among those in attendance included vice-president joe biden, house speaker nancy pelosi (d-ca), senate majority leader harry reid (d-nev) & joint chiefs chairman adm. mike mullen.
"this is a good day...i'm overwhelmed & i've never been prouder," obama said. he said the repeal "will strengthen our national security & uphold america's ideas." "no longer will tens of thousands of americans in uniform be asked to live a lie." "this is the right thing to do for our military," said the commander-in-chief. "it's the right thing to do, period."
continually exhorted by a supportive audience, obama said, "this is a moment more than two centuries in the making...over the course of u.s. history, gay americans fought just as hard as & gave just as much to protect the country as anyone else...we are a nation that believes all men & women are created equal."
passage of the repeal was a major political victory for obama & congressional democrats. obama repeatedly promised to repeal the ban during the 2008 presidential election. the crowd chanted "yes we can" as obama was introduced before the historical signing - a reference to his popular campaign slogan.
massachusetts rep. barney frank, an openly gay democrat, called the bill's passage, "the biggest single thing," in terms of the progress of gay rights in america. air force lt. col. victor fehrenbach said, "he made a promise to me a year & a half ago...he looked me in the eye & said i'm going to get this done." air force veteran jeff cadavona said, "when i was in the military in the 60's, they'd hammer you over for being openly gay...if they found you out they'd kick you right out."
the change won't be immediate, however. the white house noted the repeal may take several months to enforce. the pentagon has an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal. over the next few weeks, military officials need to examine & rewrite a series of directives, policies & regulations related to the current law.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Georgia Prisoners' Strike Makes History
on december 9, 2010 thousands of prisoners in six of of georgia's state prisons initiated the largest prisoner strike in u.s. history. they united across racial & religious boundaries to demand an immediate end to the cruel & dehumanizing conditions which damage the lives of prisoners, their families & the communities they return to.
prisoners demand access to families, a living wage for work, an end to cruel & unusual punishment, decent health care, decent living conditions, increased educational opportunities, just parole decisions, nutritional meals, self-improvement & vocational opportunities. their demands are not only fair & just, but mandatory under the u.s. constitution & international human rights laws.
its not just in georgia where oppressive conditions exist. prisoners across america are denied basic medical care, exposed to illnesses, obstructed from accessing the court, subject to routine dehumanization, separation from their families & violence. u.s. jails & prisons are in constant violation of the international covenant on civil & political rights, the united nations convention against torture & other cruel, inhuman & degrading treatment & the standard minimum rights for the treatment of prisoners.
its imperative concerned members of the general public, faith-based communities, human rights advocates, legal community members & social justice activists mobilize in support of prisoners & their families today. georgia prison authorities have reportedly reacted to the prison strike with violence. the threat of retaliation will remain for the foreseeable future & we must rise to the occasion with increased action & vigilance.
the legal community has a unique role & serious responsibility in working to support prisoners & communities targeted by policies of mass incarceration. the forces fighting against race & class-based policies must be strengthened & supported. under the guise of a war on drugs, the u.s. government has constructed the largest prison economy on the planet, incarcerating more of its own people than any place else in the world.
when evidence of the pervasive targeting of communities of color at every level of the criminal legal system is recognized for what it is, there is only one conclusion to arrive at: mass incarceration is the new jim crow. like the old jim crow this system serves to perpetuate economic inequality, institutionalized racism & political disenfranchisement. it seeks to divide people of color & poor whites in order to keep middle-class & working communities enslaved on an economic & political plantation prioritizing profits over folks' decency & democracy.
the transcending of the politics of racial antagonism by the prisoners in georgia striking for their human rights & human dignity is a profound call for the renewal of visionary mass movements for freedom & social justice. our communities outside of these walls are in dire need of human rights as well: a livable planet, educational opportunities, food, health care, housing, jobs & peace. in building an integrated, mass movement for human rights inside & outside the prisons we are working to undermine the conditions of economic, political & social oppression fueling apathy, crime & violence.
prisoners demand access to families, a living wage for work, an end to cruel & unusual punishment, decent health care, decent living conditions, increased educational opportunities, just parole decisions, nutritional meals, self-improvement & vocational opportunities. their demands are not only fair & just, but mandatory under the u.s. constitution & international human rights laws.
its not just in georgia where oppressive conditions exist. prisoners across america are denied basic medical care, exposed to illnesses, obstructed from accessing the court, subject to routine dehumanization, separation from their families & violence. u.s. jails & prisons are in constant violation of the international covenant on civil & political rights, the united nations convention against torture & other cruel, inhuman & degrading treatment & the standard minimum rights for the treatment of prisoners.
its imperative concerned members of the general public, faith-based communities, human rights advocates, legal community members & social justice activists mobilize in support of prisoners & their families today. georgia prison authorities have reportedly reacted to the prison strike with violence. the threat of retaliation will remain for the foreseeable future & we must rise to the occasion with increased action & vigilance.
the legal community has a unique role & serious responsibility in working to support prisoners & communities targeted by policies of mass incarceration. the forces fighting against race & class-based policies must be strengthened & supported. under the guise of a war on drugs, the u.s. government has constructed the largest prison economy on the planet, incarcerating more of its own people than any place else in the world.
when evidence of the pervasive targeting of communities of color at every level of the criminal legal system is recognized for what it is, there is only one conclusion to arrive at: mass incarceration is the new jim crow. like the old jim crow this system serves to perpetuate economic inequality, institutionalized racism & political disenfranchisement. it seeks to divide people of color & poor whites in order to keep middle-class & working communities enslaved on an economic & political plantation prioritizing profits over folks' decency & democracy.
the transcending of the politics of racial antagonism by the prisoners in georgia striking for their human rights & human dignity is a profound call for the renewal of visionary mass movements for freedom & social justice. our communities outside of these walls are in dire need of human rights as well: a livable planet, educational opportunities, food, health care, housing, jobs & peace. in building an integrated, mass movement for human rights inside & outside the prisons we are working to undermine the conditions of economic, political & social oppression fueling apathy, crime & violence.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Beyond The Fair Sentencing Act
this year's historic vote in congress to scale back the harsh & racially disparate mandatory sentences for federal crack cocaine offenses was a watershed event in the movement for a humane approach to american drug policy. the fair sentencing act expects to benefit about 3,000 defendants annually, with an average sentence reduction of 27 months.
defendants convicted of possessing as little as five grams of crack - the weight of two pennies - no longer receive a mandatory five years in prison; the quantity-based sentencing disparity between crack & powder cocaine offenses has been significantly reduced. the true value of the new law will be seen, however, only if it helps secure widespread drug policy reform.
as welcome as the new reforms are, they leave in place the broad structure of mandatory sentencing for most drug offenses, under which judges have no discretion to weigh mitigating circumstances such as the defendant's age, history of abuse & parenthood. as such, the current drug policies have produced the most bizarre outcomes: in 2004, a 55 year prison sentence was imposed on weldon angelos, a 24 year-old music producer in utah with no prior felony convictions.
on three separate occasions angelos sold about $350 worth of marijuana to a police informant. at each sale, angelos possessed a gun, which he neither used nor threatened to use. yet under the terms of federal mandatory penalties, judge paul cassell, a george w. bush appointee, was required to impose what was essentially a life sentence, which he called "unjust, cruel & even irrational."
in recent years states across the nation have re-evaluated their excessive sentencing policies. michigan's extremely punitive "650 lifer law," whereby even a first-time offender convicted of selling 650 grams of cocaine or heroin would receive a life sentence without parole - the same as for 1st-degree murder - was finally scaled back in the late 90's after being on the books for 27 years. former republican governor william milliken, who signed the law into effect, called it "the worst mistake of my career." similarly, the rollback of new york's notorious rockefeller drug law in 2009 marked a milestone after decades of vigilant campaigning.
the federal crack reform continues this incremental move towards just sentencing policies, but there is more work to do. drug courts, for example, have proven to help divert low-level offenders into treatment rather than prison, but many of them impose strict criteria for admission, often focusing on cases in which prison terms would be unlikely to be imposed even without the program.
school-zone drug laws, imposed with the inarguable goal of reducing drug sales to children, often apply as well to drug sales between consenting adults. this has been a predictable racial impact, because large portions of densely populated urban areas, disproportionately comprising communities of color, lie within a school zone. in new jersey, 96% of such penalties were imposed on african-americans or latinos, an outcome which this year persuaded the legislature to restore discretion to judges in such cases.
the first test of the impact of the fair sentencing act will come when the u.s. sentencing commission votes on whether to apply the guideline changes retroactively to the thousands of people who committed their crack cocaine offense before the bill was signed. additionally, the commission's report on mandatory sentencing, due out in 2011, may help to strengthen the long-standing & much documented argument about excessive punishments.
ultimately, the scope of reform can be measured only by our ability to level the unbalanced playing field in addressing substance use. while the so-called war on drugs has been waged for decades, it is actually two distinct wars. in well-heeled (read: white) communities substance use is treated as a public health issue best served by prevention & treatment. in low-income communities of color, substance use is often viewed as a criminal justice problem to be solved with more police, prosecutors & prisons.
our challenge is to implement drug policy broadly, fairly & rationally.
defendants convicted of possessing as little as five grams of crack - the weight of two pennies - no longer receive a mandatory five years in prison; the quantity-based sentencing disparity between crack & powder cocaine offenses has been significantly reduced. the true value of the new law will be seen, however, only if it helps secure widespread drug policy reform.
as welcome as the new reforms are, they leave in place the broad structure of mandatory sentencing for most drug offenses, under which judges have no discretion to weigh mitigating circumstances such as the defendant's age, history of abuse & parenthood. as such, the current drug policies have produced the most bizarre outcomes: in 2004, a 55 year prison sentence was imposed on weldon angelos, a 24 year-old music producer in utah with no prior felony convictions.
on three separate occasions angelos sold about $350 worth of marijuana to a police informant. at each sale, angelos possessed a gun, which he neither used nor threatened to use. yet under the terms of federal mandatory penalties, judge paul cassell, a george w. bush appointee, was required to impose what was essentially a life sentence, which he called "unjust, cruel & even irrational."
in recent years states across the nation have re-evaluated their excessive sentencing policies. michigan's extremely punitive "650 lifer law," whereby even a first-time offender convicted of selling 650 grams of cocaine or heroin would receive a life sentence without parole - the same as for 1st-degree murder - was finally scaled back in the late 90's after being on the books for 27 years. former republican governor william milliken, who signed the law into effect, called it "the worst mistake of my career." similarly, the rollback of new york's notorious rockefeller drug law in 2009 marked a milestone after decades of vigilant campaigning.
the federal crack reform continues this incremental move towards just sentencing policies, but there is more work to do. drug courts, for example, have proven to help divert low-level offenders into treatment rather than prison, but many of them impose strict criteria for admission, often focusing on cases in which prison terms would be unlikely to be imposed even without the program.
school-zone drug laws, imposed with the inarguable goal of reducing drug sales to children, often apply as well to drug sales between consenting adults. this has been a predictable racial impact, because large portions of densely populated urban areas, disproportionately comprising communities of color, lie within a school zone. in new jersey, 96% of such penalties were imposed on african-americans or latinos, an outcome which this year persuaded the legislature to restore discretion to judges in such cases.
the first test of the impact of the fair sentencing act will come when the u.s. sentencing commission votes on whether to apply the guideline changes retroactively to the thousands of people who committed their crack cocaine offense before the bill was signed. additionally, the commission's report on mandatory sentencing, due out in 2011, may help to strengthen the long-standing & much documented argument about excessive punishments.
ultimately, the scope of reform can be measured only by our ability to level the unbalanced playing field in addressing substance use. while the so-called war on drugs has been waged for decades, it is actually two distinct wars. in well-heeled (read: white) communities substance use is treated as a public health issue best served by prevention & treatment. in low-income communities of color, substance use is often viewed as a criminal justice problem to be solved with more police, prosecutors & prisons.
our challenge is to implement drug policy broadly, fairly & rationally.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Federer Beats Nadal In ATP World Tour Finals
world # 2 roger federer of switzerland defeated world #1 rafael nadal of spain, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win the atp world tour finals in london last sunday. federer was dominiant in his usual all-court brilliance. this was the most highly anticipated match of the year. their friendly & respectful rivalry marked only the 2nd time they've played this year, with nadal winning in str8 sets on clay this summer.
the 29 yr-old king federer, a husband & proud father of twin daughters, was gracious in his acceptance speech. he was visibly thrilled to beat nadal, the heir apparent to his crown. this was the 22nd time the two have played each other in their career. the 24 yr-old nadal leads 14-8. federer did not lose a match in the year-end eight-man championship round robin.
nadal finished an impressive year, winning 71 matches & seven titles. nadal became the 1st male since rod laver to win the french open, wimbledon & us open in the same year. he amassed over $7 million in prize money for the year & now has 9 major titles. federer won the australian open for his record 16th major title.
fans & pundits wondered would federer regain his swagger this year. he welcomed new coach paul annacone, whose success with federer's idol, the beloved american champion pete sampras, is well documented. annacone's presence has been evident in federer's aggressive play. he's been returning serve with conviction, particularly on the backhand wing, as well as chipping & charging from time to time. also, he is moving forward earlier in the point & shortening the rallies.
federer once remarked he wanted to win 20 majors b4 he retires. he recently said he'd like to play in the 2016 olympics, which will take place in brazil, even tho he'll be 35 then. 2010 was admittedly a disappointing season for the humble champion, federer took great pride in beating nadal in a tournament most players regard as the 5th major. 250,000 adoring fans in england witnessed great tennis all week, capped by an exciting final with the two best male athletes in white shorts.
the 29 yr-old king federer, a husband & proud father of twin daughters, was gracious in his acceptance speech. he was visibly thrilled to beat nadal, the heir apparent to his crown. this was the 22nd time the two have played each other in their career. the 24 yr-old nadal leads 14-8. federer did not lose a match in the year-end eight-man championship round robin.
nadal finished an impressive year, winning 71 matches & seven titles. nadal became the 1st male since rod laver to win the french open, wimbledon & us open in the same year. he amassed over $7 million in prize money for the year & now has 9 major titles. federer won the australian open for his record 16th major title.
fans & pundits wondered would federer regain his swagger this year. he welcomed new coach paul annacone, whose success with federer's idol, the beloved american champion pete sampras, is well documented. annacone's presence has been evident in federer's aggressive play. he's been returning serve with conviction, particularly on the backhand wing, as well as chipping & charging from time to time. also, he is moving forward earlier in the point & shortening the rallies.
federer once remarked he wanted to win 20 majors b4 he retires. he recently said he'd like to play in the 2016 olympics, which will take place in brazil, even tho he'll be 35 then. 2010 was admittedly a disappointing season for the humble champion, federer took great pride in beating nadal in a tournament most players regard as the 5th major. 250,000 adoring fans in england witnessed great tennis all week, capped by an exciting final with the two best male athletes in white shorts.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Senate Approves $4.6 Billion for Black Farmers and Native Americans
the senate has approved almost $4.6 billion to settle long-standing claims brought by native americans & black farmers against the government. the money has been held up for months in the senate as democrats & republicans squabbled over how to pay for it. the two class action lawsuits were filed over a decade ago.
the landmark settlements include almost $1.2 billion for black farmers who say they've suffered discrimination at the hands of the agriculture department. $3.4 billion would go to indigneous landowners who claim they were swindled out of royalties by the interior department. the legislation was approved by senate voice vote friday & sent to the house.
president barack obama praised the senate for passing the bill & urged the house to move forward. his administration is also working to resolve separate lawsuits filed against the usda by hispanic & women farmers. said obama, "while these legislative achievements reflect important progress, they also serve to remind us that much work remains to be done."
elouise cobell, a member of the blackfeet tribe from browning, montana & the lead plaintiff in the native americans' case said friday it took her breath away when she found out the senate passed the bill. she said she felt despondent after the chamber tried & failed to pass the legislation many times. two people who would have benefited from the settlement died on her reservation this week.
said cobell, "its 17 below & the blackfeet nation is feeling warm. i don't know if people understand or believe the agony you go through when one of the beneficiaries passes away without justice." john boyd, head of the national black farmers association said the passage of the black farmers' settlement is also long overdue. said boyd, "26 years justice is in sight for our nation's black farmers."
bi-partisan lawmakers have said they support resolving the long-standing claims of discrimination & mistreatment by federal agencies but funding has been caught up in a fight over spending & deficits. republicans repeatedly objected to the settlements when they were added on to larger pieces of legislation. but senate majority leader harry reid (d-nev) satisfied conservative complaints by finding spending offsets to cover the rest.
the legislation also includes a one-year extension of the temporary assistance for needy families program, which gives grants to states to provide cash assistance & other services to the poor, & several native american water rights settlements in arizona, montana & new mexico sought by senator jon kyl (r-ariz).
in the native american case, at least 300,000 indigenous people claim deception from royalties overseen by the interior department since 1987 for things like gas, grazing, oil & timber. the plaintiffs would share the settlement. the cobell lawsuit dragged on for 15 years.
one judge in 2008 comparing it to the charles dickens "bleak house," which chronicles a never-ending legal suit. using passages from that novel, us district judge james robertson noted "the suit has, in course of time, become so complicated...no two lawyers can talk about it for five minutes without coming to a total disagreement as to all the premises."
the native american plaintiffs originally said they were owed $100 billion, but were willing to settle for less as the trial wore on. after more than 3,500 court filings & 80 court decisions, the two sides finally reached a settlement in december. cobell said, "personally i still think we're owed a hundred billion dollars, but how long do you drag this thing out?" she said, "do you drag it out until every beneficiary is dead? you can't do that."
cobell said she feels confident about passage in the house, where the two settlements already have passed twice as part of larger pieces of legislation. for the black farmers, its the second round of funding from a class-action lawsuit originally settled in 1999 over allegations of widespread discrimination by local agriculture department offices in awarding loans & other aid. its known as the pigford case - named after timothy pigford, a black farmer from north carolina who was an original plaintiff.
the government has paid more than $1 billion to about 16,000 farmers, with most getting payments of about $50,000. the new money is intended for people, some estimates say about 70,000 or 80,000, who were denied earlier payments because they missed filing deadlines. the amount of money each would get depends on how many claims are successfully filed.
the bill passed friday would be partially paid for by diverting dollars from a surplus in nutrition programs for women & children & by extending customs user fees. interior secretary ken salazar said, in refernce to the passage of the cobell settlement: "this is a day that will be etched in our memories & our history books."
the obama administration has aggressively moved to resolve the discrimination cases after most of them have lingered a decade or more in the courts. last month, the agriculture department offered native american farmers who say they were denied farm loans a $680 million settlement. agriculture secretary tom vilsack said the passage "marks a major milestone in usda's efforts to turn the page on a sad chapter in our history."
the landmark settlements include almost $1.2 billion for black farmers who say they've suffered discrimination at the hands of the agriculture department. $3.4 billion would go to indigneous landowners who claim they were swindled out of royalties by the interior department. the legislation was approved by senate voice vote friday & sent to the house.
president barack obama praised the senate for passing the bill & urged the house to move forward. his administration is also working to resolve separate lawsuits filed against the usda by hispanic & women farmers. said obama, "while these legislative achievements reflect important progress, they also serve to remind us that much work remains to be done."
elouise cobell, a member of the blackfeet tribe from browning, montana & the lead plaintiff in the native americans' case said friday it took her breath away when she found out the senate passed the bill. she said she felt despondent after the chamber tried & failed to pass the legislation many times. two people who would have benefited from the settlement died on her reservation this week.
said cobell, "its 17 below & the blackfeet nation is feeling warm. i don't know if people understand or believe the agony you go through when one of the beneficiaries passes away without justice." john boyd, head of the national black farmers association said the passage of the black farmers' settlement is also long overdue. said boyd, "26 years justice is in sight for our nation's black farmers."
bi-partisan lawmakers have said they support resolving the long-standing claims of discrimination & mistreatment by federal agencies but funding has been caught up in a fight over spending & deficits. republicans repeatedly objected to the settlements when they were added on to larger pieces of legislation. but senate majority leader harry reid (d-nev) satisfied conservative complaints by finding spending offsets to cover the rest.
the legislation also includes a one-year extension of the temporary assistance for needy families program, which gives grants to states to provide cash assistance & other services to the poor, & several native american water rights settlements in arizona, montana & new mexico sought by senator jon kyl (r-ariz).
in the native american case, at least 300,000 indigenous people claim deception from royalties overseen by the interior department since 1987 for things like gas, grazing, oil & timber. the plaintiffs would share the settlement. the cobell lawsuit dragged on for 15 years.
one judge in 2008 comparing it to the charles dickens "bleak house," which chronicles a never-ending legal suit. using passages from that novel, us district judge james robertson noted "the suit has, in course of time, become so complicated...no two lawyers can talk about it for five minutes without coming to a total disagreement as to all the premises."
the native american plaintiffs originally said they were owed $100 billion, but were willing to settle for less as the trial wore on. after more than 3,500 court filings & 80 court decisions, the two sides finally reached a settlement in december. cobell said, "personally i still think we're owed a hundred billion dollars, but how long do you drag this thing out?" she said, "do you drag it out until every beneficiary is dead? you can't do that."
cobell said she feels confident about passage in the house, where the two settlements already have passed twice as part of larger pieces of legislation. for the black farmers, its the second round of funding from a class-action lawsuit originally settled in 1999 over allegations of widespread discrimination by local agriculture department offices in awarding loans & other aid. its known as the pigford case - named after timothy pigford, a black farmer from north carolina who was an original plaintiff.
the government has paid more than $1 billion to about 16,000 farmers, with most getting payments of about $50,000. the new money is intended for people, some estimates say about 70,000 or 80,000, who were denied earlier payments because they missed filing deadlines. the amount of money each would get depends on how many claims are successfully filed.
the bill passed friday would be partially paid for by diverting dollars from a surplus in nutrition programs for women & children & by extending customs user fees. interior secretary ken salazar said, in refernce to the passage of the cobell settlement: "this is a day that will be etched in our memories & our history books."
the obama administration has aggressively moved to resolve the discrimination cases after most of them have lingered a decade or more in the courts. last month, the agriculture department offered native american farmers who say they were denied farm loans a $680 million settlement. agriculture secretary tom vilsack said the passage "marks a major milestone in usda's efforts to turn the page on a sad chapter in our history."
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Rangel Found Guilty Of 11 Ethics Violations
a house ethics subcommittee found representative charles rangel (d-ny) guilty on 11 counts of violating house rules "by clear & convincing evidence," rep. zoe lofgren (d-calif), the chair of the house ethics subcommittee announced tuesday.
rangel was found guilty of breaking house rules related to reporting rental income from his villa in the dominican republic, of using a rent-controlled apartment in harlem for campaign activities & rules against using congressional stationery to raise funds for a center at new york's city university to be built in his name. after receiving news of the verdict, rangel blasted the findings, "unfair & unfortunate."
the popular new yorker was clearly incredulous, asking, "how can anyone have confidence in the decision of the ethics subcommittee when i was deprived of due process rights, right to counsel & was not even in the room?" rangel continued, "i can only hope the full committee will treat me more fairly & take into account my entire 40 years of service to the congress before making any decisions on sanctions."
but lofgren affirmed her subcommittee's verdict & the process they used to warrant their arduous decision. said the chairwoman, "this has been a difficult assignment, time-consuming & we have approached our duties diligently & that includes every member of this subcommittee...we have tried to act with fairness, led only by the facts & the law & i believe that we have accomplished that mission."
representative michael mccaul (r-tex), the top republican on the subcommittee, endorsed their findings, but said the rangel matter has broader implications for the entire house. "i'm hopeful as we move forward with this matter into the next phase, that at the end of the day we will be able to begin an era of transparency & accountability, a new era of ethics that will restore the credibility of this house," he said.
rangel faced charges stemming from a 21-month investigation. the rare & historic trial began monday, more than two years after the congressman recommended the ethics subcommittee fully monitor him following various non-stop media reports of irregularities in his personal financial disclosure reports to the house & his untidy tax filings. rangel refused to file income taxes from 1998 to 2008.
although rangel insisted he never knowingly violated house rules, he stepped down from his chairmanship of the powerful house ways & means committee in march of this year following a ruling from the subcommittee on gift rules violations. after moving on, he defiantly kept a high profile on capitol hill & in his harlem district, steadfastly maintaining his innocence at every opportunity. he was re-elected to a 21st term on november 2.
in an extraordinary speech on the house floor in august, rangel held forth for over 30 minutes to defend himself - before going home to new york to campaign for re-election. he said, then, there was "not one scintilla of evidence" to prove him guilty of the violations & demanded the ethics subcommittee publicly try him so he could answer the allegations.
yet when the eight-member house panel began the hearing, rangel calmly walked out of the proceedings, deeming them unfair & a violation of due process as he sat perturbed with no legal representation. he explained he'd spent nearly $2 million in legal fees in the run-up to the trial & asked the subcommittee to delay his hearing until he could find & raise more money to pay for more lawyers.
the subcommittee said no.
rangel exclaimed, "the committee has deprived me of the fundamental right to counsel & has chosen to proceed as if it is fair & impartial & operating according to rules, when in reality they are depriving me of my rights." despite his absence, the subcommittee's staff attorneys continued with their case, making an early motion to end the hearing with no further evidence or witnesses against rangel. they granted their judgment & then went into closed executive session to debate each count against him.
now that rangel has been found guilty, the full committee will meet to make a recommendation to the full house about punishment. ultimately, their decision on his political future could potentially range from censure to expulsion to reprimand.
rangel was found guilty of breaking house rules related to reporting rental income from his villa in the dominican republic, of using a rent-controlled apartment in harlem for campaign activities & rules against using congressional stationery to raise funds for a center at new york's city university to be built in his name. after receiving news of the verdict, rangel blasted the findings, "unfair & unfortunate."
the popular new yorker was clearly incredulous, asking, "how can anyone have confidence in the decision of the ethics subcommittee when i was deprived of due process rights, right to counsel & was not even in the room?" rangel continued, "i can only hope the full committee will treat me more fairly & take into account my entire 40 years of service to the congress before making any decisions on sanctions."
but lofgren affirmed her subcommittee's verdict & the process they used to warrant their arduous decision. said the chairwoman, "this has been a difficult assignment, time-consuming & we have approached our duties diligently & that includes every member of this subcommittee...we have tried to act with fairness, led only by the facts & the law & i believe that we have accomplished that mission."
representative michael mccaul (r-tex), the top republican on the subcommittee, endorsed their findings, but said the rangel matter has broader implications for the entire house. "i'm hopeful as we move forward with this matter into the next phase, that at the end of the day we will be able to begin an era of transparency & accountability, a new era of ethics that will restore the credibility of this house," he said.
rangel faced charges stemming from a 21-month investigation. the rare & historic trial began monday, more than two years after the congressman recommended the ethics subcommittee fully monitor him following various non-stop media reports of irregularities in his personal financial disclosure reports to the house & his untidy tax filings. rangel refused to file income taxes from 1998 to 2008.
although rangel insisted he never knowingly violated house rules, he stepped down from his chairmanship of the powerful house ways & means committee in march of this year following a ruling from the subcommittee on gift rules violations. after moving on, he defiantly kept a high profile on capitol hill & in his harlem district, steadfastly maintaining his innocence at every opportunity. he was re-elected to a 21st term on november 2.
in an extraordinary speech on the house floor in august, rangel held forth for over 30 minutes to defend himself - before going home to new york to campaign for re-election. he said, then, there was "not one scintilla of evidence" to prove him guilty of the violations & demanded the ethics subcommittee publicly try him so he could answer the allegations.
yet when the eight-member house panel began the hearing, rangel calmly walked out of the proceedings, deeming them unfair & a violation of due process as he sat perturbed with no legal representation. he explained he'd spent nearly $2 million in legal fees in the run-up to the trial & asked the subcommittee to delay his hearing until he could find & raise more money to pay for more lawyers.
the subcommittee said no.
rangel exclaimed, "the committee has deprived me of the fundamental right to counsel & has chosen to proceed as if it is fair & impartial & operating according to rules, when in reality they are depriving me of my rights." despite his absence, the subcommittee's staff attorneys continued with their case, making an early motion to end the hearing with no further evidence or witnesses against rangel. they granted their judgment & then went into closed executive session to debate each count against him.
now that rangel has been found guilty, the full committee will meet to make a recommendation to the full house about punishment. ultimately, their decision on his political future could potentially range from censure to expulsion to reprimand.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Free The Imprisoned Scott Sisters
on xmas eve in 1993, a robbery occurred near the small town of forest, mississippi. no one was hurt & perhaps $11 was taken. two african-american sisters, jamie scott, 21, & gladys scott, 19, were convicted of the most draconian sentences imaginable short of the death penalty. each were sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison. they've been imprisoned ever since, despite the lack of credible evidence.
jamie, now 38, is seriously ill due to kidney failure. she is on dialysis thrice weekly & suffers from excruciating headaches which they treat only with tylenol. 36 year-old gladys is trying to get her sister hospitalized asap. they were accused of luring two men into a trap, in which the men had their wallets taken by acquaintances of the sisters, one of whom had a shotgun. three teenagers, ages 14-18, pleaded guilty to robbing the men. in their initial statements to investigators they did not implicate the women.
but a plea deal was arranged in which the teens were required to swear the women were involved. as part of the deal, two teens were obliged to testify against the sisters in court. howard patrick, age 14 at the time of the robbery, said the pressure from authorities to implicate the sisters was immediate. patrick testified, "they said if i didn't participate with them they would send me to parchman & make me out a female."
patrick was referring to mississippi state prison, which was once the notoriously violent parchman prison farm. the lawyer questioning patrick said, "in other words, they would send you to parchman & you would get raped, right?" "yes sir," said the frightened teenager. the teens were sentenced to eight years in prison each & were released after two years.
..."mississippi goddamn," as nina simone sang.
among the many people invested in helping the scott sisters include naacp president ben jealous, who is actively seeking a pardon from mississippi governor haley barbour. said jealous, "it makes you sick to think that this sort of thing can happen...that these women should be kept in prison until they die - well, that's just so utterly inhumane."
why were mississippi authorities insistent on oppressing the scott sisters with life sentences, yet let the teenagers, who unquestionably committed the robbery. serve lighter sentences? life sentences for robbery can only be imposed by juries in mississippi, but its extremely rare for that sentencing option to even be included in the instruction given to jurors.
chokwe lumumba, an attorney representing the scott sisters, captured the prevailing legal sentiment when he said, "i don't think mississippi law anticipates that you're going to be given this instruction in a case where nobody gets hurt & $11 is allegedly stolen. in the majority of cases, even the ones that are somewhat nasty, they don't read that instruction."
even the original prosecutor, ken turner, who is now retired & believes the sisters are guilty, has said he thinks it would be "appropriate" to offer them relief from their punitive sentences. turner recently told the clarion ledger in jackson, mississippi, "it was not a particularly egregious case." the appeals process for the women has long since been exhausted. as such, it is up to governor barbour, who is considering petitions on the sister's behalf, to do what is decent, humane & right.
"mississippi goddamn..."
the mississippi department of corrections confirmed governor barbour's role in pardoning five cases of life sentences - four for murder, signed into executive order july 16, 2008. radley balko, in an article for slate magazine, noted none of the five men were given relief because of concerns they had been unfairly treated by the criminal justice system. there were no questions about their guilt or the fairness of the proceedings against them.
but they did have one thing in common. all five men had been enrolled in a special prison program "that had them doing odd jobs around the governor's mansion." again, why were the scott sisters mistreated with such heinous contempt? a spokeswoman for the governor said she referred the matter to the state's parole board. under mississippi law, the governor does not have to follow the board's recommendations: he can act autonomously.
some mississippi observers have characterized the governor's actions as acts of mercy; others have called his deeds dangerous abuses of power. in response to jamie's illness, gladys & others have offered to donate a kidney for transplant. evelyn rasco, the women's mother, told the clarion-ledger, "i wish they would just hurry up & let them out. i hope that is where it is leading to. that would be the only justified thing to do." but if the governor refuses to act with a pardon or clemency, her daughters are both likely to suffer an unjust death in prison.
"...mississippi goddamn!!!"
jamie, now 38, is seriously ill due to kidney failure. she is on dialysis thrice weekly & suffers from excruciating headaches which they treat only with tylenol. 36 year-old gladys is trying to get her sister hospitalized asap. they were accused of luring two men into a trap, in which the men had their wallets taken by acquaintances of the sisters, one of whom had a shotgun. three teenagers, ages 14-18, pleaded guilty to robbing the men. in their initial statements to investigators they did not implicate the women.
but a plea deal was arranged in which the teens were required to swear the women were involved. as part of the deal, two teens were obliged to testify against the sisters in court. howard patrick, age 14 at the time of the robbery, said the pressure from authorities to implicate the sisters was immediate. patrick testified, "they said if i didn't participate with them they would send me to parchman & make me out a female."
patrick was referring to mississippi state prison, which was once the notoriously violent parchman prison farm. the lawyer questioning patrick said, "in other words, they would send you to parchman & you would get raped, right?" "yes sir," said the frightened teenager. the teens were sentenced to eight years in prison each & were released after two years.
..."mississippi goddamn," as nina simone sang.
among the many people invested in helping the scott sisters include naacp president ben jealous, who is actively seeking a pardon from mississippi governor haley barbour. said jealous, "it makes you sick to think that this sort of thing can happen...that these women should be kept in prison until they die - well, that's just so utterly inhumane."
why were mississippi authorities insistent on oppressing the scott sisters with life sentences, yet let the teenagers, who unquestionably committed the robbery. serve lighter sentences? life sentences for robbery can only be imposed by juries in mississippi, but its extremely rare for that sentencing option to even be included in the instruction given to jurors.
chokwe lumumba, an attorney representing the scott sisters, captured the prevailing legal sentiment when he said, "i don't think mississippi law anticipates that you're going to be given this instruction in a case where nobody gets hurt & $11 is allegedly stolen. in the majority of cases, even the ones that are somewhat nasty, they don't read that instruction."
even the original prosecutor, ken turner, who is now retired & believes the sisters are guilty, has said he thinks it would be "appropriate" to offer them relief from their punitive sentences. turner recently told the clarion ledger in jackson, mississippi, "it was not a particularly egregious case." the appeals process for the women has long since been exhausted. as such, it is up to governor barbour, who is considering petitions on the sister's behalf, to do what is decent, humane & right.
"mississippi goddamn..."
the mississippi department of corrections confirmed governor barbour's role in pardoning five cases of life sentences - four for murder, signed into executive order july 16, 2008. radley balko, in an article for slate magazine, noted none of the five men were given relief because of concerns they had been unfairly treated by the criminal justice system. there were no questions about their guilt or the fairness of the proceedings against them.
but they did have one thing in common. all five men had been enrolled in a special prison program "that had them doing odd jobs around the governor's mansion." again, why were the scott sisters mistreated with such heinous contempt? a spokeswoman for the governor said she referred the matter to the state's parole board. under mississippi law, the governor does not have to follow the board's recommendations: he can act autonomously.
some mississippi observers have characterized the governor's actions as acts of mercy; others have called his deeds dangerous abuses of power. in response to jamie's illness, gladys & others have offered to donate a kidney for transplant. evelyn rasco, the women's mother, told the clarion-ledger, "i wish they would just hurry up & let them out. i hope that is where it is leading to. that would be the only justified thing to do." but if the governor refuses to act with a pardon or clemency, her daughters are both likely to suffer an unjust death in prison.
"...mississippi goddamn!!!"
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
San Francisco Giants Win 2010 World Series
the san francisco giants defeated the texas rangers 3-1 in game five, on the road, to win the 2010 world series. the giants' title is their first since 1954, when the team was based in new york & led by hall-of-famer willie mays. mays' grandson, the much maligned, current giant star & all-time major league home run leader barry bonds threw out the first pitch in game one at candlestick park in san francisco, which the giants won 11-7.
34 year-old veteran giants shortstop edgar renteria was named world series most valuable player. renteria hit .412 with two home runs & six runs batted in. he becomes the fifth shortstop in mlb history to win mvp & the fourth player to hit game clinching homers in separate world series. renteria was a key member of the 1997 florida marlins championship squad.
san francisco ace & two-time cy young award winner tim lincecum won both the opening & closing games, pitching brilliantly in game five with a one run, three hit, two walk, 10 strikeout performance in eight innings. giants closer brian wilson saved game five, retiring the side in 10 pitches.
the giants pitching dominated the series. in addition to lincecum's greatness, matt cain won game two, throwing seven & two-thirds innings in their 9-0 victory. cain's streak of 21 1/3 consecutive shutout innings in the postseason highlighted their incredible starting pitching. 21 year-old lefthander madison baumgarner led the giants to a 4-0 game four win, surrendering three hits in eight innings. texas only had one base runner reach second base in the last two games.
other giant standouts included outfielders cody ross & andres torres, rookie catcher buster posey, second baseman freddie sanchez, infielder juan uribe & first baseman aubrey huff, all of whom delivered timely hits & made defensive gems. uribe was a member of the 2005 world series champion chicago white sox, as was his teammate aaron rowand, who delivered a two-run triple in their game two blowout.
the texas rangers made their first world series appearance. manager ron washington won the respect of his team & inspired them to accomplish several firsts during this exciting 2010 postseason. texas made the playoffs for the first time since 1995, won their first playoff series ever & became first time american league champions by defeating the defending world series champion new york yankees in six games.
rangers hitters batted a paltry .190 during the world series, scoring just 12 runs in five games. their star lefty cliff lee, sporting an intimidating 7-0 postseason record entering the fall classic, was beaten twice by the giants. texas' powerful 3-4-5 hitters, josh hamilton, vladimir guerrero & nelson cruz were a combined 7 for 54.
34 year-old veteran giants shortstop edgar renteria was named world series most valuable player. renteria hit .412 with two home runs & six runs batted in. he becomes the fifth shortstop in mlb history to win mvp & the fourth player to hit game clinching homers in separate world series. renteria was a key member of the 1997 florida marlins championship squad.
san francisco ace & two-time cy young award winner tim lincecum won both the opening & closing games, pitching brilliantly in game five with a one run, three hit, two walk, 10 strikeout performance in eight innings. giants closer brian wilson saved game five, retiring the side in 10 pitches.
the giants pitching dominated the series. in addition to lincecum's greatness, matt cain won game two, throwing seven & two-thirds innings in their 9-0 victory. cain's streak of 21 1/3 consecutive shutout innings in the postseason highlighted their incredible starting pitching. 21 year-old lefthander madison baumgarner led the giants to a 4-0 game four win, surrendering three hits in eight innings. texas only had one base runner reach second base in the last two games.
other giant standouts included outfielders cody ross & andres torres, rookie catcher buster posey, second baseman freddie sanchez, infielder juan uribe & first baseman aubrey huff, all of whom delivered timely hits & made defensive gems. uribe was a member of the 2005 world series champion chicago white sox, as was his teammate aaron rowand, who delivered a two-run triple in their game two blowout.
the texas rangers made their first world series appearance. manager ron washington won the respect of his team & inspired them to accomplish several firsts during this exciting 2010 postseason. texas made the playoffs for the first time since 1995, won their first playoff series ever & became first time american league champions by defeating the defending world series champion new york yankees in six games.
rangers hitters batted a paltry .190 during the world series, scoring just 12 runs in five games. their star lefty cliff lee, sporting an intimidating 7-0 postseason record entering the fall classic, was beaten twice by the giants. texas' powerful 3-4-5 hitters, josh hamilton, vladimir guerrero & nelson cruz were a combined 7 for 54.
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