Rep. Bobby Rush Engages in Race Baiting in Selection of Roland Burris to Replace Barack Obama in the Senate

Photo: The Three Stooges--Blago, Rush & Burris

Rep. Bobby Rush has pulled the race card. Funny, had a white man made those comments, he would have all the so-called civil rights leaders landing on him like a ton of bricks. Well, Rush said he doesn't think any U.S. senator would be caught turning a black man away from serving alongside them. Really? Even if this candidate, Roland Burris, does not have a good shot at winning a senate race in his state? Wow. He thought wrong.

No Senate Democrats responded to his racial challenge. They got support from President-elect Barack Obama, who will be the first African-American in the White House. Rush, D-Ill., dared Senate Democrats to block Roland Burris from becoming the Senate's only black member, urging them not to "hang and lynch" the former state attorney general for the alleged corruption by his patron, Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Obama was having none of that mess. He sided with Senate Democrats who vowed to turn Burris away should he show up in Washington to be sworn in.

"They cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat," Obama said in a statement. "I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it." Obama voiced disapproval for the spectacle unfolding in his home state. "I believe the best resolution would be for the governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place," Obama said. Source: Huffington Post

On Tuesday, Blagojevich declared himself the ultimate decider, defying the leaders of his party and naming Burris, 71, the next senator from Illinois. At a news conference in Chicago, he urged the Senate not to allow the charges that he tried to sell the same Senate seat to taint a well-respected man. Rush stepped up to the microphone to offer his challenge.

"Let me just remind you that there presently is no African-American in the U.S. Senate," he began. "I will ask you to not hang and lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer," he added. "I don't think that anyone - any U.S. senator who's sitting in the Senate right now _ wants to go on record to deny one African-American for being seated in the U.S. Senate." Source: Huffington Post

What a moron. I am all for an African American being in the Senate, but to suggest that because there are none you hand the seat to the first idiot chosen by a suspected criminal, is simply unconscionable. The fact is that Roland Burris ran for the governorship three times and lost. He is clearly not the best candidate to put forward for that seat. I will venture to say, he would not win a senatorial race. You can't bully your way to a senate seat just because of the color of your skin. That is insulting on so many levels. Blago, Rush and Burris are playing a dirty game of race baiting.

"The people of the state of Illinois should not be denied representation" when the new Senate convenes in January, Rush said on CBS' "Early Show." Democrats said the dispute is about the Senate's constitutionally granted power to decide who is seated as a member, and whether anyone appointed by Blagojevich would have the credibility to serve.

"This is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat," Majority Leader Harry Reid and his deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin, said in a statement. "Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic caucus." Burris said Wednesday that Blagojevich "has the constitutional and statutory authority to make those appointments ... and I have absolutely nothing to do with those problems." "I will not be tainted because the governor has followed the constitution," Burris told NBC. "And I am confident that when all is said and done, I will be a United States senator."

This man just doesn't get it. What Gov. Blagojevich has sought to do is the hijack the selection process. Considering the charges leveled against him, he has no right to select a replacement for Barack Obama. Roland Burris should be ashamed of himself and do the right thing. He is the weakest link in the entire field of potential candidates. He isn't a serious and strong opponent if he runs in an election. That seat would surely go to the Republicans.

Rep. Bobby Rush Engages in Race Baiting in Selection of Roland Burris to Replace Barack Obama in the Senate

Photo: The Three Stooges--Blago, Rush & Burris

Rep. Bobby Rush has pulled the race card. Funny, had a white man made those comments, he would have all the so-called civil rights leaders landing on him like a ton of bricks. Well, Rush said he doesn't think any U.S. senator would be caught turning a black man away from serving alongside them. Really? Even if this candidate, Roland Burris, does not have a good shot at winning a senate race in his state? Wow. He thought wrong.

No Senate Democrats responded to his racial challenge. They got support from President-elect Barack Obama, who will be the first African-American in the White House. Rush, D-Ill., dared Senate Democrats to block Roland Burris from becoming the Senate's only black member, urging them not to "hang and lynch" the former state attorney general for the alleged corruption by his patron, Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Obama was having none of that mess. He sided with Senate Democrats who vowed to turn Burris away should he show up in Washington to be sworn in.

"They cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat," Obama said in a statement. "I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it." Obama voiced disapproval for the spectacle unfolding in his home state. "I believe the best resolution would be for the governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place," Obama said. Source: Huffington Post

On Tuesday, Blagojevich declared himself the ultimate decider, defying the leaders of his party and naming Burris, 71, the next senator from Illinois. At a news conference in Chicago, he urged the Senate not to allow the charges that he tried to sell the same Senate seat to taint a well-respected man. Rush stepped up to the microphone to offer his challenge.

"Let me just remind you that there presently is no African-American in the U.S. Senate," he began. "I will ask you to not hang and lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer," he added. "I don't think that anyone - any U.S. senator who's sitting in the Senate right now _ wants to go on record to deny one African-American for being seated in the U.S. Senate." Source: Huffington Post

What a moron. I am all for an African American being in the Senate, but to suggest that because there are none you hand the seat to the first idiot chosen by a suspected criminal, is simply unconscionable. The fact is that Roland Burris ran for the governorship three times and lost. He is clearly not the best candidate to put forward for that seat. I will venture to say, he would not win a senatorial race. You can't bully your way to a senate seat just because of the color of your skin. That is insulting on so many levels. Blago, Rush and Burris are playing a dirty game of race baiting.

"The people of the state of Illinois should not be denied representation" when the new Senate convenes in January, Rush said on CBS' "Early Show." Democrats said the dispute is about the Senate's constitutionally granted power to decide who is seated as a member, and whether anyone appointed by Blagojevich would have the credibility to serve.

"This is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat," Majority Leader Harry Reid and his deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin, said in a statement. "Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic caucus." Burris said Wednesday that Blagojevich "has the constitutional and statutory authority to make those appointments ... and I have absolutely nothing to do with those problems." "I will not be tainted because the governor has followed the constitution," Burris told NBC. "And I am confident that when all is said and done, I will be a United States senator."

This man just doesn't get it. What Gov. Blagojevich has sought to do is the hijack the selection process. Considering the charges leveled against him, he has no right to select a replacement for Barack Obama. Roland Burris should be ashamed of himself and do the right thing. He is the weakest link in the entire field of potential candidates. He isn't a serious and strong opponent if he runs in an election. That seat would surely go to the Republicans.

Dan Barker, Co-President of Atheist Group Freedom From Religion Foundation, Files Lawsuit Against Prayer at Barack Obama's Inauguration

Dan Barker, co-president of atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation, has filed a lawsuit against prayer at Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration. He said that the government is picking a winner between "believers" and "those who don't believe" and subjecting atheists and agnostics to someone else's religious beliefs. Wow, so I am guessing that we must walk on egg shells around atheist and promote their beliefs at the expense of ours. He has joined with Michael Newdow, who fought to have the words under God removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, in a federal lawsuit seeking to enjoin the Presidential Inaugural Committee from sponsoring prayers at the official inauguration.

The 34-page legal complaint similarly seeks to enjoin Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., from adding the phrase "So help me God" to the presidential oath of office. "We're hoping to stop prayer and religious rituals at governmental functions, especially at the inauguration," Barker told FOX News Radio. "The inauguration is not a religious event. It is a secular event of a secular country that includes all Americans, including those of us who are not Christians, including those of us who are not believers," he continued.

Barker, who said government's not picking sides on the issue of religion is "hard wired into our Constitution," called the 29 members of the suit all atheists and agnostics who love their country and participating in the inauguration. "Yet we are subjected to someone else's religious views with the endorsement of the government, which makes us feel like second class outsiders," he said.

Barker argued that by allowing religious phrases to be used in the ceremony as well as inviting Revs. Rick Warren and Joe Lowery, who are named as defendants in the suit, to participate in the inaugural festivities, the government is picking a winner in the dispute over religion and atheism. "Those people who do pray do believe in God and they are in fact trying to use the government to pick sides. In America we are free to disagree. We can disagree with Rev. Rick Warren but we're not free to ask our government to settle the argument," Barker said, adding that government causes harm when it takes on "the mantel of religion and expresses religion as an official governmental function." Source: Fox News

So, here is another group trying to influence the belief system of others. The gay and lesbians had a problem with Rick Warren and now these atheists have a problem with prayer. It is time for Christians to make their positions known, since every other group seems to be throwing their weight around. The last time I checked, the United States of America was built on religious principles. Dan Barker and his posse are fighting a losing battle. Yes, I am not ashamed to say, "in God we trust."

Dan Barker, Co-President of Atheist Group Freedom From Religion Foundation, Files Lawsuit Against Prayer at Barack Obama's Inauguration

Dan Barker, co-president of atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation, has filed a lawsuit against prayer at Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration. He said that the government is picking a winner between "believers" and "those who don't believe" and subjecting atheists and agnostics to someone else's religious beliefs. Wow, so I am guessing that we must walk on egg shells around atheist and promote their beliefs at the expense of ours. He has joined with Michael Newdow, who fought to have the words under God removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, in a federal lawsuit seeking to enjoin the Presidential Inaugural Committee from sponsoring prayers at the official inauguration.

The 34-page legal complaint similarly seeks to enjoin Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., from adding the phrase "So help me God" to the presidential oath of office. "We're hoping to stop prayer and religious rituals at governmental functions, especially at the inauguration," Barker told FOX News Radio. "The inauguration is not a religious event. It is a secular event of a secular country that includes all Americans, including those of us who are not Christians, including those of us who are not believers," he continued.

Barker, who said government's not picking sides on the issue of religion is "hard wired into our Constitution," called the 29 members of the suit all atheists and agnostics who love their country and participating in the inauguration. "Yet we are subjected to someone else's religious views with the endorsement of the government, which makes us feel like second class outsiders," he said.

Barker argued that by allowing religious phrases to be used in the ceremony as well as inviting Revs. Rick Warren and Joe Lowery, who are named as defendants in the suit, to participate in the inaugural festivities, the government is picking a winner in the dispute over religion and atheism. "Those people who do pray do believe in God and they are in fact trying to use the government to pick sides. In America we are free to disagree. We can disagree with Rev. Rick Warren but we're not free to ask our government to settle the argument," Barker said, adding that government causes harm when it takes on "the mantel of religion and expresses religion as an official governmental function." Source: Fox News

So, here is another group trying to influence the belief system of others. The gay and lesbians had a problem with Rick Warren and now these atheists have a problem with prayer. It is time for Christians to make their positions known, since every other group seems to be throwing their weight around. The last time I checked, the United States of America was built on religious principles. Dan Barker and his posse are fighting a losing battle. Yes, I am not ashamed to say, "in God we trust."

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's Relief Boat Rammed by Israeli Ship

Why Cynthia McKinney decided to go on a mercy mission to the Gaza Strip is beyond me. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a boat carrying international peace activists, including Ms. McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said.

The boat, according to media reports, wanted to make a statement and deliver medical supplies to embattled Gaza. The trip’s organizers said the boat was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, at the time of its close encounter with the Israeli navy.

“Our boat was rammed three times, twice in the front and one on the side,” McKinney told CNN Tuesday morning. “Our mission was a peaceful mission. Our mission was thwarted by the aggressiveness of the Israeli military.”

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, denied there had been any shooting although the two ships had made “physical contact.” Palmor said there was no response to a radio warning to the Dignity, and the vessel then tried to out-maneuver the Israeli patrol boat, leading to the collision. Cyprus state radio said the Cypriot government would seek explanations from Israel over the incident.

McKinney called on President-elect Obama to address the Gaza crisis, saying the weapons being used by Israel were supplied by the United States. McKinney denied that the incident was an accident. “What the Israelis are saying is outright disinformation,” she said. “What happened to us last night was a direct threat to our mission, but not our cause.” Palmor called those allegations “absurd.” “There is no intention on the part of the Israeli navy to ram anybody,” Palmor said. Source: AJC

Cynthia McKinney had me up until this point. She is calling on Barack Obama to intervene. Really Cynthia? News flash, he isn't the president yet and there is really nothing he can do about this mess. It will be on his brunch plate first thing January 20, 2009, after he is sworn in.

McKinney, who ran as the Green Party candidate for president, sees the voyage as a humanitarian mission, said her father, former Georgia state Rep. Billy McKinney. “Her mother did not want her to go,” he said, referring to concerns at home for her safety. “But I think that certain people have missions in life and you can’t deter them.”

The activists, organized by the Free Gaza Group, said their 66-foot yacht called “SS Dignity” would defy an Israeli blockade of Gaza and ferry 16 activists and three tons of Cypriot-donated supplies. The supplies are intended to help treat the wounded from Israeli bombings against targets in Gaza, in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns. McKinney had sent an e-mail days ago to friends and supporters saying she intended to go to Gaza, said Hugh Esco, a Decatur resident who ran her presidential campaign Web site. “She has stood with people all over this planet against oppression,” said Esco. Source: AJC

Personally, I don't think she should have gone, given the volatile situation. I hope this wasn't a self-serving move on her part, but a geniune humanitarian effort. If the allegations are true, then the Israelis have played a dirty hand. On the other hand, Cynthia McKinney is no stranger to controversy--pandering for money from Saudi prince after 9/11 when Rudy Giuliani said no, to slapping a Capitol police man, plus the myriad of ridiculous antics in Atlanta--I take her actions with a grain of salt. Did she expect to descend on the Gaza Strip like Moses parting the Red Sea?

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's Relief Boat Rammed by Israeli Ship

Why Cynthia McKinney decided to go on a mercy mission to the Gaza Strip is beyond me. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a boat carrying international peace activists, including Ms. McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said.

The boat, according to media reports, wanted to make a statement and deliver medical supplies to embattled Gaza. The trip’s organizers said the boat was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, at the time of its close encounter with the Israeli navy.

“Our boat was rammed three times, twice in the front and one on the side,” McKinney told CNN Tuesday morning. “Our mission was a peaceful mission. Our mission was thwarted by the aggressiveness of the Israeli military.”

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, denied there had been any shooting although the two ships had made “physical contact.” Palmor said there was no response to a radio warning to the Dignity, and the vessel then tried to out-maneuver the Israeli patrol boat, leading to the collision. Cyprus state radio said the Cypriot government would seek explanations from Israel over the incident.

McKinney called on President-elect Obama to address the Gaza crisis, saying the weapons being used by Israel were supplied by the United States. McKinney denied that the incident was an accident. “What the Israelis are saying is outright disinformation,” she said. “What happened to us last night was a direct threat to our mission, but not our cause.” Palmor called those allegations “absurd.” “There is no intention on the part of the Israeli navy to ram anybody,” Palmor said. Source: AJC

Cynthia McKinney had me up until this point. She is calling on Barack Obama to intervene. Really Cynthia? News flash, he isn't the president yet and there is really nothing he can do about this mess. It will be on his brunch plate first thing January 20, 2009, after he is sworn in.

McKinney, who ran as the Green Party candidate for president, sees the voyage as a humanitarian mission, said her father, former Georgia state Rep. Billy McKinney. “Her mother did not want her to go,” he said, referring to concerns at home for her safety. “But I think that certain people have missions in life and you can’t deter them.”

The activists, organized by the Free Gaza Group, said their 66-foot yacht called “SS Dignity” would defy an Israeli blockade of Gaza and ferry 16 activists and three tons of Cypriot-donated supplies. The supplies are intended to help treat the wounded from Israeli bombings against targets in Gaza, in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns. McKinney had sent an e-mail days ago to friends and supporters saying she intended to go to Gaza, said Hugh Esco, a Decatur resident who ran her presidential campaign Web site. “She has stood with people all over this planet against oppression,” said Esco. Source: AJC

Personally, I don't think she should have gone, given the volatile situation. I hope this wasn't a self-serving move on her part, but a geniune humanitarian effort. If the allegations are true, then the Israelis have played a dirty hand. On the other hand, Cynthia McKinney is no stranger to controversy--pandering for money from Saudi prince after 9/11 when Rudy Giuliani said no, to slapping a Capitol police man, plus the myriad of ridiculous antics in Atlanta--I take her actions with a grain of salt. Did she expect to descend on the Gaza Strip like Moses parting the Red Sea?

Chrysler LLC Takes Runs Expensive Ads in Several Newspapers Thanking American Taxpayers for Bailout

General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC just don't get it. Chrysler took out a series of full-page newspaper ads last week to thank American taxpayers for "investing" in the company through the government's $17.4 billion auto industry bailout plan. Isn't this excessive spending one of the reasons the company got in financial trouble in the first place? They shouldn't be spending this money on pricey ads anywhere. It is absolutely unconscionable.

The ads ran last week in several major daily newspapers, including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since USA Today and The Wall Street Journal are two of the highest-circulation newspapers in the country, full-page ad rates are steep. According to Fox News, a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal runs between $206,000 and $264,000, and a full-page ad in USA Today runs between $112,000 and $217,000.

The money that Chrysler has spent on this frivolous advertising should be given back to the government. Chrysler's ad, which is also posted on the company's Web site, pledges to produce cars and trucks that are attractive to consumers and improve their fuel economy. "On behalf of the 1 million people who depend on Chrysler for their livelihoods, thank you for investing in Chrysler, and America," says the statement, signed by CEO Bob Nardelli. Isn't Bob Nardelli the same person who mismanaged Home Depot until he was unceremoniously kicked out a few years ago? Yes, like a thief taunting his victim, Chrysler has done the unthinkable. This comes on the heels of the revelation that the United Auto Workers owns the $33 million Black Lakes Golf Club, complete with a $6 million designer golf course. To add insult to injury, GMAC, the financial arm of General Motors and Cerberus, was just handed billions in bailout funds from the TARP program. This is the reason why they should have been forced into bankruptcy and not bailed out by the Treasury.

Chrysler LLC Takes Runs Expensive Ads in Several Newspapers Thanking American Taxpayers for Bailout

General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC just don't get it. Chrysler took out a series of full-page newspaper ads last week to thank American taxpayers for "investing" in the company through the government's $17.4 billion auto industry bailout plan. Isn't this excessive spending one of the reasons the company got in financial trouble in the first place? They shouldn't be spending this money on pricey ads anywhere. It is absolutely unconscionable.

The ads ran last week in several major daily newspapers, including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since USA Today and The Wall Street Journal are two of the highest-circulation newspapers in the country, full-page ad rates are steep. According to Fox News, a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal runs between $206,000 and $264,000, and a full-page ad in USA Today runs between $112,000 and $217,000.

The money that Chrysler has spent on this frivolous advertising should be given back to the government. Chrysler's ad, which is also posted on the company's Web site, pledges to produce cars and trucks that are attractive to consumers and improve their fuel economy. "On behalf of the 1 million people who depend on Chrysler for their livelihoods, thank you for investing in Chrysler, and America," says the statement, signed by CEO Bob Nardelli. Isn't Bob Nardelli the same person who mismanaged Home Depot until he was unceremoniously kicked out a few years ago? Yes, like a thief taunting his victim, Chrysler has done the unthinkable. This comes on the heels of the revelation that the United Auto Workers owns the $33 million Black Lakes Golf Club, complete with a $6 million designer golf course. To add insult to injury, GMAC, the financial arm of General Motors and Cerberus, was just handed billions in bailout funds from the TARP program. This is the reason why they should have been forced into bankruptcy and not bailed out by the Treasury.

Mychal Bell, Jena Six Icon, Arrested on Shoplifting Charges, Reportedly Shot Himself in Chest

After so many people championed the cause of Jena Six, the last thing I expected to hear was that Mychal Bell, 18, was in trouble again. According to the Newsstar, Bell is free on bond following a Christmas Eve arrest on multiple charges, including shoplifting, resisting arrest and simple battery, related to an incident at Dillard’s in Pecanland Mall. Bell was arrested less than one month after he completed a sentence for his role in the beating of a fellow classmate, Justin Barker, at Jena High School in 2006.

Police said Bell and an unidentified male were spotted Wednesday by store security after they placed $370 worth of merchandise in a Dillard’s shopping bag. After the two separated, Bell left the store, was followed by a security officer, and began running through the parking lot. Police said Bell was discovered under a vehicle in the Sears parking lot. Lt. Jeff Harris said Bell began “swinging his arms wildly” and delivered a glancing blow to the security officer with his elbow.

Bell was booked into Richwood Correctional Center and released on $1,300 bond. He will be arraigned at a later date. Each of the charges carries a possible penalty of up to six months in jail. Louis Scott who has represented Bell in the past said that preconceived notions on the part of Dillard’s employees may have played a role in Bell’s arrest. “Dillard’s has a tradition of being overly suspicious of young black males,” Scott said. Scott said that personal and court experiences have led him to that conclusion. “He should at least have the presumption of innocence,” he said.

Dillard’s has been accused racial profiling in lawsuits in Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky and Georgia. A Dillard’s store manager in Monroe referred requests for comment to Roger Williams in the company’s Little Rock, Ark., office. A spokesperson who answered the phone in William’s office said he would have no comment on the matter. Scott has not been contacted to represent Bell on the current charges.“I am predicting that once all the facts are established, he probably will not be guilty,” Scott said. “There has been more put on this young man than anybody can bear — people trying to provoke him, trying to make him react.“If he was going to break the law, I believe he would have done it before.” Source: The Newsstar

I also read that he shot himself in the chest, but the wound is non-life threatening. Now, this young man should behave himself and watch the company he keeps. I am reminded of Rodney King and the widespread support he received for the brutal police beating he endured. After the dust settled, Rodney King never really changed his ways. He continued to have brushes with the law. OJ Simpson also comes to mind. He was acquitted in the murders of his wife and Ron Goldman, but he just couldn't change his attitude. His sociopathic behavior helped to land him in prison for a long time. People are making excuses that this young man is marked, but what about personal responsibility? If you have had a brush with the law, conventional wisdom would dictate a complete paradigm shift and a more reserved lifestyle. You can't continue the same lifestyle that helped to get you in trouble in the first place. It is a shame and if this young man doesn't get his act together, he may very well end up behind bars for a longer stint.

Mychal Bell, Jena Six Icon, Arrested on Shoplifting Charges, Reportedly Shot Himself in Chest

After so many people championed the cause of Jena Six, the last thing I expected to hear was that Mychal Bell, 18, was in trouble again. According to the Newsstar, Bell is free on bond following a Christmas Eve arrest on multiple charges, including shoplifting, resisting arrest and simple battery, related to an incident at Dillard’s in Pecanland Mall. Bell was arrested less than one month after he completed a sentence for his role in the beating of a fellow classmate, Justin Barker, at Jena High School in 2006.

Police said Bell and an unidentified male were spotted Wednesday by store security after they placed $370 worth of merchandise in a Dillard’s shopping bag. After the two separated, Bell left the store, was followed by a security officer, and began running through the parking lot. Police said Bell was discovered under a vehicle in the Sears parking lot. Lt. Jeff Harris said Bell began “swinging his arms wildly” and delivered a glancing blow to the security officer with his elbow.

Bell was booked into Richwood Correctional Center and released on $1,300 bond. He will be arraigned at a later date. Each of the charges carries a possible penalty of up to six months in jail. Louis Scott who has represented Bell in the past said that preconceived notions on the part of Dillard’s employees may have played a role in Bell’s arrest. “Dillard’s has a tradition of being overly suspicious of young black males,” Scott said. Scott said that personal and court experiences have led him to that conclusion. “He should at least have the presumption of innocence,” he said.

Dillard’s has been accused racial profiling in lawsuits in Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky and Georgia. A Dillard’s store manager in Monroe referred requests for comment to Roger Williams in the company’s Little Rock, Ark., office. A spokesperson who answered the phone in William’s office said he would have no comment on the matter. Scott has not been contacted to represent Bell on the current charges.“I am predicting that once all the facts are established, he probably will not be guilty,” Scott said. “There has been more put on this young man than anybody can bear — people trying to provoke him, trying to make him react.“If he was going to break the law, I believe he would have done it before.” Source: The Newsstar

I also read that he shot himself in the chest, but the wound is non-life threatening. Now, this young man should behave himself and watch the company he keeps. I am reminded of Rodney King and the widespread support he received for the brutal police beating he endured. After the dust settled, Rodney King never really changed his ways. He continued to have brushes with the law. OJ Simpson also comes to mind. He was acquitted in the murders of his wife and Ron Goldman, but he just couldn't change his attitude. His sociopathic behavior helped to land him in prison for a long time. People are making excuses that this young man is marked, but what about personal responsibility? If you have had a brush with the law, conventional wisdom would dictate a complete paradigm shift and a more reserved lifestyle. You can't continue the same lifestyle that helped to get you in trouble in the first place. It is a shame and if this young man doesn't get his act together, he may very well end up behind bars for a longer stint.

Northeastern University Study Reveals Murders Among Black Youths Have Risen Sharply Since 2000

I have always been very vocal and critical of the high crime rate within pockets of the black community in cities across the United States. I was not surprised to see the results of a study by criminologists at Northeastern University in Boston. The study, to be released Monday, found that the number of young black men and teenagers who either killed or were killed in shootings has risen at an alarming rate since 2000.

The study found dramatic increases in shooting deaths among black teenagers. Last year, for example, 426 black males between the ages of 14 and 17 were killed in gun crimes, the study shows. That marked a 40 percent increase from 2000. Similarly, an estimated 964 in the same age group committed fatal shootings in 2007 -- a 38 percent increase from seven years earlier. The number of offenders is estimated because not all crimes are reported, said Northeastern criminologist James Alan Fox, who co-authored the study.

"Although the overall rate of homicide in the United States remains relatively low, the landscape is quite different for countless Americans living, and some dying, in violence-infested neighborhoods," Fox said. Seizing on President-elect Barack Obama's incoming administration as an opportunity for more funding, Fox added: "There is an urgency for reinvestment in children and families. In essence, we need a bailout for kids at risk."

The study partly blamed Bush administration grant cuts to local police and juvenile crime prevention programs for the surge in crimes by young black men and teens. Incoming Vice President Joe Biden has promised funding to put 50,000 new police officers on the street to help bring violent crime rates back to a decade-long annual decline that began in the mid-1990s, after then-President Bill Clinton provided local officials with money to hire 100,000 new cops.

Nationwide, the number of murders and violent crimes overall dropped last year after increasing in 2005 and 2006, according to annual data compiled by the FBI. Overall, however, murders have risen by about 8 percent between 2000 and 2007. The FBI reported 10,067 arrests in murder and non-negligent manslaughter cases in 2007. Half of the people arrested - 5,078 - were black. Almost 10 percent of black people arrested for murder were under age 18, the FBI data show. Source: The Huffington Post

This is alarming and we must take back our communities from the thugs that roam the inner city streets. We must also not give up on the young people. Something drastic must be done to get them off the streets. There should be stricter gun laws. It is unconscionable that the thugs on the streets have more sophisticated firearms than the police officers. There must be zero tolerance for criminal behavior. You can't let a repeat offender back out on the street with just a slap on the wrist. The recidivism rate is often high. There is no justification for this alarming pattern of behavior and something drastic must be done and quickly. The politicians need to start visiting these high crime areas more frequently and not just when they are up for re-election.

Northeastern University Study Reveals Murders Among Black Youths Have Risen Sharply Since 2000

I have always been very vocal and critical of the high crime rate within pockets of the black community in cities across the United States. I was not surprised to see the results of a study by criminologists at Northeastern University in Boston. The study, to be released Monday, found that the number of young black men and teenagers who either killed or were killed in shootings has risen at an alarming rate since 2000.

The study found dramatic increases in shooting deaths among black teenagers. Last year, for example, 426 black males between the ages of 14 and 17 were killed in gun crimes, the study shows. That marked a 40 percent increase from 2000. Similarly, an estimated 964 in the same age group committed fatal shootings in 2007 -- a 38 percent increase from seven years earlier. The number of offenders is estimated because not all crimes are reported, said Northeastern criminologist James Alan Fox, who co-authored the study.

"Although the overall rate of homicide in the United States remains relatively low, the landscape is quite different for countless Americans living, and some dying, in violence-infested neighborhoods," Fox said. Seizing on President-elect Barack Obama's incoming administration as an opportunity for more funding, Fox added: "There is an urgency for reinvestment in children and families. In essence, we need a bailout for kids at risk."

The study partly blamed Bush administration grant cuts to local police and juvenile crime prevention programs for the surge in crimes by young black men and teens. Incoming Vice President Joe Biden has promised funding to put 50,000 new police officers on the street to help bring violent crime rates back to a decade-long annual decline that began in the mid-1990s, after then-President Bill Clinton provided local officials with money to hire 100,000 new cops.

Nationwide, the number of murders and violent crimes overall dropped last year after increasing in 2005 and 2006, according to annual data compiled by the FBI. Overall, however, murders have risen by about 8 percent between 2000 and 2007. The FBI reported 10,067 arrests in murder and non-negligent manslaughter cases in 2007. Half of the people arrested - 5,078 - were black. Almost 10 percent of black people arrested for murder were under age 18, the FBI data show. Source: The Huffington Post

This is alarming and we must take back our communities from the thugs that roam the inner city streets. We must also not give up on the young people. Something drastic must be done to get them off the streets. There should be stricter gun laws. It is unconscionable that the thugs on the streets have more sophisticated firearms than the police officers. There must be zero tolerance for criminal behavior. You can't let a repeat offender back out on the street with just a slap on the wrist. The recidivism rate is often high. There is no justification for this alarming pattern of behavior and something drastic must be done and quickly. The politicians need to start visiting these high crime areas more frequently and not just when they are up for re-election.

Sharell Butler, 15, Arrested in the Murder and Dismemberment of John Hopkins Drago

Is baby-faced 15 year-old Sharell Butler a coldblooded murderer? That remains to be proven in a court of law, but the details are grisly and very disturbing. Butler, also known as "Lady Red," has been arrested in the stabbing death of John Hopkins Drago. His dismembered body was found stuffed in a garbage bag in the Bronx.

Butler, of the Bronx, was also charged with second-degree murder and robbery in a Dec. 19 home invasion that led to the fatal shooting of Christopher Umpierrie, 24, whom she and another suspect had intended to rob. He was shot in the chest after Butler tried to steal marijuana and cash from him. Law enforcement is going to sock it to her. She will be tried as an adult in both crimes. They ought to lock her parents up for failing miserably in their roles as parents. They seemed to have raised a thug.

Butler was led into a Bronx courtroom Saturday wearing a bandage on her right hand, an oversized white T-shirt and a blank expression on her face as family members looked on.

Butler, a lanky alleged gang member with unkempt poufy hair, was picked out of a lineup by witnesses in one of the crimes and identified by another witness from a photo array for the other murder, said prosecutor Jaimee Nadell said. "She's a 15-year-old girl," said Butler's lawyer Xavier Donaldson, who denied allegations that Butler was involved in the Bloods gang. "She's scared. She's just a kid." Source: NY Daily News

I get so angry when people talk about these alleged criminals in such glowing terms. She's a thug who was on a dangerous path to sure destruction. Hopkins Drago, 22, who had a history of drug arrests, was estranged from his family and had not been reported missing. Police sources said last week that he had been stabbed at least 40 to 50 times inside a first-floor apartment of a Pelham Parkway building.

She had help. Robert Pastore, 19, was in custody but has not been charged, police said. Police said that they believe Pastore and Butler may have killed Hopkins Drago as revenge for talking to police about a robbery Pastore had been arrested for last year.

"We're going on the theory that he was killed because they thought he was a snitch," said a police source, who said Pastore was being held on a statutory rape charge and remains a person of interest in the Hopkins Drago murder. Source: NY Daily News

Here's my parting question, where is this girl's parents and what type of life did they offer her? Something went terribly wrong for this young girl and it is a shame that she is now faced with life imprisonment for this heinous crime.

Sharell Butler, 15, Arrested in the Murder and Dismemberment of John Hopkins Drago

Is baby-faced 15 year-old Sharell Butler a coldblooded murderer? That remains to be proven in a court of law, but the details are grisly and very disturbing. Butler, also known as "Lady Red," has been arrested in the stabbing death of John Hopkins Drago. His dismembered body was found stuffed in a garbage bag in the Bronx.

Butler, of the Bronx, was also charged with second-degree murder and robbery in a Dec. 19 home invasion that led to the fatal shooting of Christopher Umpierrie, 24, whom she and another suspect had intended to rob. He was shot in the chest after Butler tried to steal marijuana and cash from him. Law enforcement is going to sock it to her. She will be tried as an adult in both crimes. They ought to lock her parents up for failing miserably in their roles as parents. They seemed to have raised a thug.

Butler was led into a Bronx courtroom Saturday wearing a bandage on her right hand, an oversized white T-shirt and a blank expression on her face as family members looked on.

Butler, a lanky alleged gang member with unkempt poufy hair, was picked out of a lineup by witnesses in one of the crimes and identified by another witness from a photo array for the other murder, said prosecutor Jaimee Nadell said. "She's a 15-year-old girl," said Butler's lawyer Xavier Donaldson, who denied allegations that Butler was involved in the Bloods gang. "She's scared. She's just a kid." Source: NY Daily News

I get so angry when people talk about these alleged criminals in such glowing terms. She's a thug who was on a dangerous path to sure destruction. Hopkins Drago, 22, who had a history of drug arrests, was estranged from his family and had not been reported missing. Police sources said last week that he had been stabbed at least 40 to 50 times inside a first-floor apartment of a Pelham Parkway building.

She had help. Robert Pastore, 19, was in custody but has not been charged, police said. Police said that they believe Pastore and Butler may have killed Hopkins Drago as revenge for talking to police about a robbery Pastore had been arrested for last year.

"We're going on the theory that he was killed because they thought he was a snitch," said a police source, who said Pastore was being held on a statutory rape charge and remains a person of interest in the Hopkins Drago murder. Source: NY Daily News

Here's my parting question, where is this girl's parents and what type of life did they offer her? Something went terribly wrong for this young girl and it is a shame that she is now faced with life imprisonment for this heinous crime.

Ringgold, Ga., Set to Unveil Statue of Confederate Maj. Gen. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne, To Coincide with Civil War's 150th Anniversary

In recent years there has been a great deal of distaste at the mention of the word "confederate" and its connotations of slavery and the horrific mistreatment of blacks in the United States, particularly in the South. So, I was naturally taken aback when I learned that a statue honoring Maj. Gen. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne is set to be unveiled in Ringgold, Ga. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, this unveiling represents a seven-year dream of some history buffs who believe that he deserves some belated honors. The statute is the brainchild of Mauriel Joslyn, a writer from Sparta who edited a book on Cleburne. I guess this is meant, in part, to bring tourists to the obscure small town.

The 700-pound bronze statue of Confederate General Patrick Cleburne, which cost $120,000, is being stored in the Ringgold Telephone Company’s warehouse. The town plans to put the statue up during a festival next fall. The statue almost was not finished because for years organizers couldn’t scratch up the money to pay the sculptor.

With the Civil War’s 150th anniversary in 2011, communities across the South are planning gatherings and spiffing up battlefields in hopes of drawing tourist dollars. Between Chattanooga and Atlanta, towns where blue and gray fought are trying to build things for people to see besides reading roadside markers. Ringgold is banking on one of the few new statues to a Confederate being built anywhere and a festival next fall to unveil it. In this little town, the Army of Tennessee general won his greatest victory. Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

I had to do a little research of my own to understand who Patrick Cleburne was. It seems that he had a very complicated history. He was an Irish immigrant who fought on the losing side of many major battles in which he fought. He was, indeed, a die-hard supporter of the South, but he never owned slaves and actually called for blacks to earn their freedom if they fought for the Confederacy. Of course, the other generals hated the idea and he become somewhat of an outcast, if you will. Many historians believe his plan cost him promotions.

Patrick Cleburne became the highest-ranking Irish-born officer in American military history, attaining the rank of major general. He entered the Civil War as commander of the Yell Rifles, which became part of the First Arkansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He became a drugstore owner and lawyer in his new Arkansas hometown of Helena (Phillips County) and was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in 1858.

On November 5, 1849, Cleburne, his older sister Anne, and brothers William and Joseph boarded the Bridgetown for America and landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Christmas Day. Employment was a priority, and the siblings headed up the Mississippi River looking for work. Patrick found a job as a druggist at Nash and Grant’s Drugstore in Helena after arriving in April 1850. Immediately following his five-year wait for naturalization, he passed the Arkansas bar examination in 1856. He supported law partner Thomas Hindman in his bid for the Senate against Know-Nothing candidate W. D. Rice. Cleburne was wounded when Rice ambushed him and Hindman in a Helena street in 1856.

Cleburne joined many social clubs and affiliations. His politics mirrored Arkansas’s Southern stance, and he joined the Democratic Party in 1855 during their fight against the Know-Nothing party in the 1856 elections. Cleburne never owned slaves and voiced his opposition to the institution, yet he valued the right and desire of a section of the country to govern itself. Much of his philosophy was based on witnessing the Irish fight for independence. This acceptance endeared him to the Arkansans whom he would command in battle. Source: Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture

Cleburne died while leading a charge on the Union breastworks on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee. Though his past was not as controversial as others, putting up a Confederate statue could spark some controversy, especially in an age in which the Confederate symbols are hotly challenged across the South. They are an offensive reminder of slavery, a bloodstain on America's history. Ringgold is no stranger to controversy. Black residents in the predominantly white town objected to the Confederate battle flag being flown over the town depot. The flag was taken down. Though there are some who would trek to Ringgold to view this statue, personally, I would not waste my time. This statue will not provide the windfall that the town is banking on, whether Cleburne was a moderate or not.

Ringgold, Ga., Set to Unveil Statue of Confederate Maj. Gen. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne, To Coincide with Civil War's 150th Anniversary

In recent years there has been a great deal of distaste at the mention of the word "confederate" and its connotations of slavery and the horrific mistreatment of blacks in the United States, particularly in the South. So, I was naturally taken aback when I learned that a statue honoring Maj. Gen. Patrick Ronayne Cleburne is set to be unveiled in Ringgold, Ga. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, this unveiling represents a seven-year dream of some history buffs who believe that he deserves some belated honors. The statute is the brainchild of Mauriel Joslyn, a writer from Sparta who edited a book on Cleburne. I guess this is meant, in part, to bring tourists to the obscure small town.

The 700-pound bronze statue of Confederate General Patrick Cleburne, which cost $120,000, is being stored in the Ringgold Telephone Company’s warehouse. The town plans to put the statue up during a festival next fall. The statue almost was not finished because for years organizers couldn’t scratch up the money to pay the sculptor.

With the Civil War’s 150th anniversary in 2011, communities across the South are planning gatherings and spiffing up battlefields in hopes of drawing tourist dollars. Between Chattanooga and Atlanta, towns where blue and gray fought are trying to build things for people to see besides reading roadside markers. Ringgold is banking on one of the few new statues to a Confederate being built anywhere and a festival next fall to unveil it. In this little town, the Army of Tennessee general won his greatest victory. Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

I had to do a little research of my own to understand who Patrick Cleburne was. It seems that he had a very complicated history. He was an Irish immigrant who fought on the losing side of many major battles in which he fought. He was, indeed, a die-hard supporter of the South, but he never owned slaves and actually called for blacks to earn their freedom if they fought for the Confederacy. Of course, the other generals hated the idea and he become somewhat of an outcast, if you will. Many historians believe his plan cost him promotions.

Patrick Cleburne became the highest-ranking Irish-born officer in American military history, attaining the rank of major general. He entered the Civil War as commander of the Yell Rifles, which became part of the First Arkansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He became a drugstore owner and lawyer in his new Arkansas hometown of Helena (Phillips County) and was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in 1858.

On November 5, 1849, Cleburne, his older sister Anne, and brothers William and Joseph boarded the Bridgetown for America and landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Christmas Day. Employment was a priority, and the siblings headed up the Mississippi River looking for work. Patrick found a job as a druggist at Nash and Grant’s Drugstore in Helena after arriving in April 1850. Immediately following his five-year wait for naturalization, he passed the Arkansas bar examination in 1856. He supported law partner Thomas Hindman in his bid for the Senate against Know-Nothing candidate W. D. Rice. Cleburne was wounded when Rice ambushed him and Hindman in a Helena street in 1856.

Cleburne joined many social clubs and affiliations. His politics mirrored Arkansas’s Southern stance, and he joined the Democratic Party in 1855 during their fight against the Know-Nothing party in the 1856 elections. Cleburne never owned slaves and voiced his opposition to the institution, yet he valued the right and desire of a section of the country to govern itself. Much of his philosophy was based on witnessing the Irish fight for independence. This acceptance endeared him to the Arkansans whom he would command in battle. Source: Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture

Cleburne died while leading a charge on the Union breastworks on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee. Though his past was not as controversial as others, putting up a Confederate statue could spark some controversy, especially in an age in which the Confederate symbols are hotly challenged across the South. They are an offensive reminder of slavery, a bloodstain on America's history. Ringgold is no stranger to controversy. Black residents in the predominantly white town objected to the Confederate battle flag being flown over the town depot. The flag was taken down. Though there are some who would trek to Ringgold to view this statue, personally, I would not waste my time. This statue will not provide the windfall that the town is banking on, whether Cleburne was a moderate or not.

Stunning Photo Surfaces of President Bush, Scammer Isaac Toussie's Father Robert Toussie, Who Bilked Blacks and Latinos in Mortgage Scam

It turns out that President George W. Bush had some contact with the patriarch of the Toussie scamming clan. The New York Daily News has published the picture showing President Bush shaking hands with Robert Toussie as they stand in front of an American flag. Aaaw, how patriotic! Of course, the White House is in damage control to minimized the embarrassment of Bush rescinding the pardon of a criminal who seems unrepentant, at best.

Isaac Toussie pleaded guilty in 2001 to lying to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to get mortgages for unqualified homebuyers. Both Toussies face suits accusing them of fleecing hundreds of blacks and Latinos who bought overpriced, shoddy houses. The Toussies are all over the place in New York City, contributing to many politicians who would rather take the money and worry later. It is a mystery to me how the White House didn't bother to do some research to see that this man was a scumbag. Wait, am I dreaming? This is a classic Bush move that would have remained under the radar had the Daily News not pursued the story. The Bush administration ignored the background of Toussie and his father, which is a tale of sordid actions--payoff and corruption spanning 45 years.

The rags-to-riches story began with Toussie's father, Robert, who clawed his way out of poverty to build empires in the clothing and real estate businesses. Although the Toussie family record is filled with suits and scam allegations, as well as the fraud conviction that drew the pardon, it is also a story of triumph and contradiction. Robert and the now-37-year-old Isaac enjoyed the high life, complete with Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Jaguars.

Robert Toussie, 67, has made numerous charitable contributions, including $50,000 to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell. The Toussies seem to win as many suits as they lose, prevailing against then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in an alleged land sale fraud case, among many others.

It all started with Robert Toussie, who was 7 when he began buying candy wholesale and selling it for a profit to his friends. At 10, he had a paper route, and at 15, he graduated as valedictorian of his high school class. Instead of going to college, he joined his older brother in the baby clothes and children's wear businesses - and soon became a millionaire. From there it was on to business school and then real estate development. Beginning in 1970, Toussie - later joined by his son - began buying thousands of parcels of land for development on Long Island, mostly in Suffolk County.

He bought the famed 39-acre Chandler estate in Mount Sinai for $500,000 in 1997 and sold it to Suffolk County for $5 million three years later. That sale triggered charges of collusion with two Suffolk County officials and investigations by Spitzer and the federal government. Robert Toussie emerged unscathed. The big suits against the Toussies involve charges of inflated prices and misleading advertising for some of the Long Island developments and others on Staten Island. Source: NY Daily News

I am not surprised that President Bush ignored this, but it is very hypocritical when they go after President Bill Clinton's pardoning of Marc Rich. At least Clinton didn't flip flop on the matter. It is truly reprehensible that the White House didn't bother to do a thorough investigation into its decision to pardon Isaac Toussie. It is, however, indicative of the type of White House President Bush ran -- Don't ask and I won't tell. I will be glad when this nightmare of President Bush's reign comes to a screeching halt on January 20, 2009.

Stunning Photo Surfaces of President Bush, Scammer Isaac Toussie's Father Robert Toussie, Who Bilked Blacks and Latinos in Mortgage Scam

It turns out that President George W. Bush had some contact with the patriarch of the Toussie scamming clan. The New York Daily News has published the picture showing President Bush shaking hands with Robert Toussie as they stand in front of an American flag. Aaaw, how patriotic! Of course, the White House is in damage control to minimized the embarrassment of Bush rescinding the pardon of a criminal who seems unrepentant, at best.

Isaac Toussie pleaded guilty in 2001 to lying to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to get mortgages for unqualified homebuyers. Both Toussies face suits accusing them of fleecing hundreds of blacks and Latinos who bought overpriced, shoddy houses. The Toussies are all over the place in New York City, contributing to many politicians who would rather take the money and worry later. It is a mystery to me how the White House didn't bother to do some research to see that this man was a scumbag. Wait, am I dreaming? This is a classic Bush move that would have remained under the radar had the Daily News not pursued the story. The Bush administration ignored the background of Toussie and his father, which is a tale of sordid actions--payoff and corruption spanning 45 years.

The rags-to-riches story began with Toussie's father, Robert, who clawed his way out of poverty to build empires in the clothing and real estate businesses. Although the Toussie family record is filled with suits and scam allegations, as well as the fraud conviction that drew the pardon, it is also a story of triumph and contradiction. Robert and the now-37-year-old Isaac enjoyed the high life, complete with Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Jaguars.

Robert Toussie, 67, has made numerous charitable contributions, including $50,000 to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell. The Toussies seem to win as many suits as they lose, prevailing against then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in an alleged land sale fraud case, among many others.

It all started with Robert Toussie, who was 7 when he began buying candy wholesale and selling it for a profit to his friends. At 10, he had a paper route, and at 15, he graduated as valedictorian of his high school class. Instead of going to college, he joined his older brother in the baby clothes and children's wear businesses - and soon became a millionaire. From there it was on to business school and then real estate development. Beginning in 1970, Toussie - later joined by his son - began buying thousands of parcels of land for development on Long Island, mostly in Suffolk County.

He bought the famed 39-acre Chandler estate in Mount Sinai for $500,000 in 1997 and sold it to Suffolk County for $5 million three years later. That sale triggered charges of collusion with two Suffolk County officials and investigations by Spitzer and the federal government. Robert Toussie emerged unscathed. The big suits against the Toussies involve charges of inflated prices and misleading advertising for some of the Long Island developments and others on Staten Island. Source: NY Daily News

I am not surprised that President Bush ignored this, but it is very hypocritical when they go after President Bill Clinton's pardoning of Marc Rich. At least Clinton didn't flip flop on the matter. It is truly reprehensible that the White House didn't bother to do a thorough investigation into its decision to pardon Isaac Toussie. It is, however, indicative of the type of White House President Bush ran -- Don't ask and I won't tell. I will be glad when this nightmare of President Bush's reign comes to a screeching halt on January 20, 2009.

Chip Saltsman, RNC Chairmanship Candidate Distributes CD with Controversial Song "Barack the Magice Negro," Calls it Political Satire

UPDATE

Well, we have an Uncle Tom vying for the RNC chairmanship who didn't see anything wrong with Saltsman's distribution of the song. Ken Blackwell, an African-American himself, has defended Saltsman, dismissing the criticism as "hypersensitivity in the press:"

"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-Elect Obama being the first African-American elected president," said Blackwell, who would be the first black RNC Chairman, in a statement forwarded to Politico by an aide. "I don't think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."

But there was a voice of reason who took offense to the comments.

The current chairman, Mike Duncan, has issued a statement saying that he is "shocked and appalled" that Saltsman could have thought this was funny or appropriate in any way: "The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."

So I am guessing from this latest dust-up that conservative nutjob Rush Limbaugh is the new face of the Republican Party. RNC chairmanship candidate Chip Saltsman sent committee members a music CD with lyrics from a song called "Barack the Magic Negro." And I am guessing he's is dumb enough to think that would go over well with everyone. He just blew his chances of being considered for the chairmanship. I heard about this early yesterday, but decided to wait a while to see if it would gain any traction and it did! According to The Hill, the song was first played on Rush Limbaugh's radio show.

“I look forward to working together in the New Year,” Saltsman wrote. “Please enjoy the enclosed CD by my friend Paul Shanklin of the Rush Limbaugh Show.” The CD, called “We Hate the USA,” lampoons liberals with such songs as “John Edwards’ Poverty Tour,” “Wright place, wrong pastor,” “Love Client #9,” “Ivory and Ebony” and “The Star Spanglish banner.”

Several of the track titles, including “Barack the Magic Negro,” are written in bold font. The song, which debuted on Limbaugh’s show in late March 2007, latches onto an opinion column in the of the same title. That column, penned by cultural critic David Ehrenstein, argued that Obama could serve as a balm to whites who felt guilty about past treatment of African Americans. Limbaugh first highlighted the column the day it ran, according to a contemporary report by Media Matters, the liberal watchdog agency. Media Matters reported Limbaugh repeated the phrase more than two dozen times the day the column ran.

The following month, Shanklin debuted his version of the song, sung to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon” and performed in Shanklin’s impression of Al Sharpton.“See, real black men, like Snoop Dogg, or me, or Farrakhan, have talked the talk, and walked the walk, not come in late and won,” one verse in the song says.

Saltsman said he meant nothing untoward by forwarding what amounts to a joke more at Ehrenstein’s expense than at Obama’s. “Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies,” Saltsman said. Source: The Hill

Once again, the RNC appears to engage in very petty acts of opposition to Barack Obama. They have not realized that criticizing Barack Obama for things he has no control over does not sit well with Americans. They are small-minded and they have obviously forgotten that Barack Obama's late mother was a white woman. I can just see the path the RNC will go down if Chip Saltsman is appointed their new chairman. The RNC has lost its sense of direction and it's leadership is the primary reason why. I have yet to hear one senior Republican condemn this song. As a conservative who has voted for a Republican on several occasions, cheap gimmicks like this is one of the primary reasons why I could not in good conscience vote for a Republican in the presidential election. Rush Limbaugh has appointed himself the moral compass for the Republican Party and that is very troubling. He tried to use Barack Obama's race against him and it backfired. Funny, Rush Limbaugh couldn't possibly walk in Obama's shoes or any other highly educated politician. He is so vocal and knows everything. I wish he would run for elected office instead of sitting on the sidelines grumbling and criticizing every move being made by Barack Obama. Sheesh.

Chip Saltsman, RNC Chairmanship Candidate Distributes CD with Controversial Song "Barack the Magice Negro," Calls it Political Satire

UPDATE

Well, we have an Uncle Tom vying for the RNC chairmanship who didn't see anything wrong with Saltsman's distribution of the song. Ken Blackwell, an African-American himself, has defended Saltsman, dismissing the criticism as "hypersensitivity in the press:"

"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-Elect Obama being the first African-American elected president," said Blackwell, who would be the first black RNC Chairman, in a statement forwarded to Politico by an aide. "I don't think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."

But there was a voice of reason who took offense to the comments.

The current chairman, Mike Duncan, has issued a statement saying that he is "shocked and appalled" that Saltsman could have thought this was funny or appropriate in any way: "The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."

So I am guessing from this latest dust-up that conservative nutjob Rush Limbaugh is the new face of the Republican Party. RNC chairmanship candidate Chip Saltsman sent committee members a music CD with lyrics from a song called "Barack the Magic Negro." And I am guessing he's is dumb enough to think that would go over well with everyone. He just blew his chances of being considered for the chairmanship. I heard about this early yesterday, but decided to wait a while to see if it would gain any traction and it did! According to The Hill, the song was first played on Rush Limbaugh's radio show.

“I look forward to working together in the New Year,” Saltsman wrote. “Please enjoy the enclosed CD by my friend Paul Shanklin of the Rush Limbaugh Show.” The CD, called “We Hate the USA,” lampoons liberals with such songs as “John Edwards’ Poverty Tour,” “Wright place, wrong pastor,” “Love Client #9,” “Ivory and Ebony” and “The Star Spanglish banner.”

Several of the track titles, including “Barack the Magic Negro,” are written in bold font. The song, which debuted on Limbaugh’s show in late March 2007, latches onto an opinion column in the of the same title. That column, penned by cultural critic David Ehrenstein, argued that Obama could serve as a balm to whites who felt guilty about past treatment of African Americans. Limbaugh first highlighted the column the day it ran, according to a contemporary report by Media Matters, the liberal watchdog agency. Media Matters reported Limbaugh repeated the phrase more than two dozen times the day the column ran.

The following month, Shanklin debuted his version of the song, sung to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon” and performed in Shanklin’s impression of Al Sharpton.“See, real black men, like Snoop Dogg, or me, or Farrakhan, have talked the talk, and walked the walk, not come in late and won,” one verse in the song says.

Saltsman said he meant nothing untoward by forwarding what amounts to a joke more at Ehrenstein’s expense than at Obama’s. “Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies,” Saltsman said. Source: The Hill

Once again, the RNC appears to engage in very petty acts of opposition to Barack Obama. They have not realized that criticizing Barack Obama for things he has no control over does not sit well with Americans. They are small-minded and they have obviously forgotten that Barack Obama's late mother was a white woman. I can just see the path the RNC will go down if Chip Saltsman is appointed their new chairman. The RNC has lost its sense of direction and it's leadership is the primary reason why. I have yet to hear one senior Republican condemn this song. As a conservative who has voted for a Republican on several occasions, cheap gimmicks like this is one of the primary reasons why I could not in good conscience vote for a Republican in the presidential election. Rush Limbaugh has appointed himself the moral compass for the Republican Party and that is very troubling. He tried to use Barack Obama's race against him and it backfired. Funny, Rush Limbaugh couldn't possibly walk in Obama's shoes or any other highly educated politician. He is so vocal and knows everything. I wish he would run for elected office instead of sitting on the sidelines grumbling and criticizing every move being made by Barack Obama. Sheesh.

Despite Massive Industry Losses, United Auto Workers Union's Real Estate Includes $33 Million Black Lake Golf Club with $6M Designer Golf Course

Photo: Fox News, Aerial View of Black Lakes Golf Course, Owned by UAW

While the Big Three automakers and UAW president Ron Gettelfinger were grovelling on Capitol Hill for bailout money, a little secret was about to be unveiled. It seems that the United Autoworkers Union has something many unions do not possess. A $33 million lakeside retreat, Black Lakes Club, in Michigan, complete with its own designer golf course worth $6.4 million. So as the industry is being rocked by massive losses, the UAW bigwigs, including Gettelfinger, continue to operate this retreat, which flies in the face of conventional wisdom and decency. This is a horrific waste of union dues.

The UAW, known more for its strikes than its slices, hosts seminars and junkets at the Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center in Onaway, Mich., which is nestled on "1,000 heavily forested acres" on Michigan's Black Lake, according to its Web site.

But the Black Lake club and retreat, which are among the union's biggest fixed assets, have lost $23 million in the past five years alone, a heavy albatross around the union's neck as it tries to manage a multibillion-dollar pension plan crisis.

Auto Union's Golf Course "It's their members' money that they're spending on this thing," said Justin Wilson, managing director of the Center for Union Facts, a union watchdog group. "The union has bigger issues at hand than managing a golf course."

Managing the course may become a burden for the union. The UAW covers costs for the Reuther Center from the interest it earns on its strike fund, according to tax documents, but massive losses in the past five years have forced the union to make heavy loans to keep the center afloat. Critics call it a poor investment for a group with over $1.25 billion in assets.

The Reuther Center is open 11 months of the year to offer courses on leadership, political action, civil rights and other topics; it hosts nearly 10,000 visitors annually. The UAW says it sends workers there to "learn, experience unionism (and) commit to labor's cause," according to their Web site. Source: Fox News

Apparently, the bigwigs threw the little people a bone, but it comes with a cost. Union members can play golf at discounted rates on one of the country's top 100 courses, designed in 2000 by famed course architect Rees Jones at a cost of $6 million. Funny, this is supposed to be an educational center, couldn't they have rented office space in a building somewhere in Michigan? Why the pomposity of a retreat? This is a blatant example of the reckless expenditures of the auto industry. I guess this was one minor detail that President Bush and Hank Paulson overlooked when they decided to throw General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC the taxpayers' money. Of course, this is also coming from the same people who gave the banks a blank check when they and the Congress gave them billions with no strings attached. Absolutely ridiculous.

Despite Massive Industry Losses, United Auto Workers Union's Real Estate Includes $33 Million Black Lake Golf Club with $6M Designer Golf Course

Photo: Fox News, Aerial View of Black Lakes Golf Course, Owned by UAW

While the Big Three automakers and UAW president Ron Gettelfinger were grovelling on Capitol Hill for bailout money, a little secret was about to be unveiled. It seems that the United Autoworkers Union has something many unions do not possess. A $33 million lakeside retreat, Black Lakes Club, in Michigan, complete with its own designer golf course worth $6.4 million. So as the industry is being rocked by massive losses, the UAW bigwigs, including Gettelfinger, continue to operate this retreat, which flies in the face of conventional wisdom and decency. This is a horrific waste of union dues.

The UAW, known more for its strikes than its slices, hosts seminars and junkets at the Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center in Onaway, Mich., which is nestled on "1,000 heavily forested acres" on Michigan's Black Lake, according to its Web site.

But the Black Lake club and retreat, which are among the union's biggest fixed assets, have lost $23 million in the past five years alone, a heavy albatross around the union's neck as it tries to manage a multibillion-dollar pension plan crisis.

Auto Union's Golf Course "It's their members' money that they're spending on this thing," said Justin Wilson, managing director of the Center for Union Facts, a union watchdog group. "The union has bigger issues at hand than managing a golf course."

Managing the course may become a burden for the union. The UAW covers costs for the Reuther Center from the interest it earns on its strike fund, according to tax documents, but massive losses in the past five years have forced the union to make heavy loans to keep the center afloat. Critics call it a poor investment for a group with over $1.25 billion in assets.

The Reuther Center is open 11 months of the year to offer courses on leadership, political action, civil rights and other topics; it hosts nearly 10,000 visitors annually. The UAW says it sends workers there to "learn, experience unionism (and) commit to labor's cause," according to their Web site. Source: Fox News

Apparently, the bigwigs threw the little people a bone, but it comes with a cost. Union members can play golf at discounted rates on one of the country's top 100 courses, designed in 2000 by famed course architect Rees Jones at a cost of $6 million. Funny, this is supposed to be an educational center, couldn't they have rented office space in a building somewhere in Michigan? Why the pomposity of a retreat? This is a blatant example of the reckless expenditures of the auto industry. I guess this was one minor detail that President Bush and Hank Paulson overlooked when they decided to throw General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC the taxpayers' money. Of course, this is also coming from the same people who gave the banks a blank check when they and the Congress gave them billions with no strings attached. Absolutely ridiculous.

National Retail Federation Wants in on the Stimulus Plan, GMAC Hits Pay Dirt

National Retail Federation, the largest retail trade association in the United States, has asked President-elect Barack Obama for a pie of the stimulus pie. I knew this was going to happen. The federation asked Obama to add a series of sales tax-exempt shopping days to a coming economic stimulus package in an effort to revive consumer confidence and spur spending. Wow, since everyone is forming a queue for economic assistance from the taxpayer, then where is Main Street's share?

The National Retail Federation called for three periods of sales tax-free shopping that would last 10 days each in March, July and October 2009. The trade group estimates that it would save consumers about $20 billion, or $175 per family.

Under the industry group's proposal, which would exclude alcohol and tobacco sales, the federal government would reimburse states for the lost tax revenue. State sales tax rates range from 2.9% to 7.25%, the group said. The five states without a sales tax -- Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon -- would also receive monies.

In a letter signed by the chief executives of retail chains, including J.C. Penney Co., Saks Inc. and Petsmart Inc., the NRF warned the situation was "critical," with consumer confidence in October falling to the lowest level in the 41 years data has been collected.

"Without swift, additional Congressional measures, the current economic weakness could worsen, creating a more rapid downward spiral -- beyond what economists are predicting for 2009 -- in the years ahead," the NRF said.

The group said it supports Mr. Obama's efforts to create a long-term stimulus plan to generate jobs by rebuilding the country's infrastructure and investing in public schools and alternative energy. However, the NRF said short-term incentives are also needed to encourage consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of the U.S. economy.

In the third quarter, spending by consumers fell 3.7%, the biggest drop in 25 years. The fourth quarter's results are expected to fall even more. Source: Wall Street Journal

This Christmas season will be dismal for the retailers as well. But exactly where do we need to draw the line? People are hurting in this country and Main Street needs assistance before the retailers. Everyone is looking for a handout these days. President Bush and Hank Paulson handed billions to the banks to stimulate the economy, but that has backfired. Wouldn't it have been better if they had given some of that money to homeowners to pay down their mortgages or to put measures in place to freeze foreclosures? Who is going to line up next? The grocers?

To read the entire article in the Wall Street Journal, CLICK HERE....

General Motors just hit pay dirt. According to Bloomberg, the Fed used emergency powers on Dec. 24 to grant GMAC’s bank conversion, citing turmoil in financial markets and the potential impact on Detroit-based GM as the biggest U.S. automaker taps emergency federal loans to stay in business. So, GM will be double-dipping, if you will. The Fed said that by converting GMAC to a bank “would benefit the public by strengthening GMAC’s ability to fund the purchases of vehicles manufactured by GM,” the Fed said in its order. GMAC was shut out of credit markets this year after piling up $7.9 billion in losses dating from the middle of 2007. Really? Didn't GMAC make it quite clear that they were not lending to anyone without an A+ credit rating?
Once again, the Feds are looking out for the big guys and not the little people.

To read the GMAC article in its entirety, CLICK HERE...

National Retail Federation Wants in on the Stimulus Plan, GMAC Hits Pay Dirt

National Retail Federation, the largest retail trade association in the United States, has asked President-elect Barack Obama for a pie of the stimulus pie. I knew this was going to happen. The federation asked Obama to add a series of sales tax-exempt shopping days to a coming economic stimulus package in an effort to revive consumer confidence and spur spending. Wow, since everyone is forming a queue for economic assistance from the taxpayer, then where is Main Street's share?

The National Retail Federation called for three periods of sales tax-free shopping that would last 10 days each in March, July and October 2009. The trade group estimates that it would save consumers about $20 billion, or $175 per family.

Under the industry group's proposal, which would exclude alcohol and tobacco sales, the federal government would reimburse states for the lost tax revenue. State sales tax rates range from 2.9% to 7.25%, the group said. The five states without a sales tax -- Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon -- would also receive monies.

In a letter signed by the chief executives of retail chains, including J.C. Penney Co., Saks Inc. and Petsmart Inc., the NRF warned the situation was "critical," with consumer confidence in October falling to the lowest level in the 41 years data has been collected.

"Without swift, additional Congressional measures, the current economic weakness could worsen, creating a more rapid downward spiral -- beyond what economists are predicting for 2009 -- in the years ahead," the NRF said.

The group said it supports Mr. Obama's efforts to create a long-term stimulus plan to generate jobs by rebuilding the country's infrastructure and investing in public schools and alternative energy. However, the NRF said short-term incentives are also needed to encourage consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of the U.S. economy.

In the third quarter, spending by consumers fell 3.7%, the biggest drop in 25 years. The fourth quarter's results are expected to fall even more. Source: Wall Street Journal

This Christmas season will be dismal for the retailers as well. But exactly where do we need to draw the line? People are hurting in this country and Main Street needs assistance before the retailers. Everyone is looking for a handout these days. President Bush and Hank Paulson handed billions to the banks to stimulate the economy, but that has backfired. Wouldn't it have been better if they had given some of that money to homeowners to pay down their mortgages or to put measures in place to freeze foreclosures? Who is going to line up next? The grocers?

To read the entire article in the Wall Street Journal, CLICK HERE....

General Motors just hit pay dirt. According to Bloomberg, the Fed used emergency powers on Dec. 24 to grant GMAC’s bank conversion, citing turmoil in financial markets and the potential impact on Detroit-based GM as the biggest U.S. automaker taps emergency federal loans to stay in business. So, GM will be double-dipping, if you will. The Fed said that by converting GMAC to a bank “would benefit the public by strengthening GMAC’s ability to fund the purchases of vehicles manufactured by GM,” the Fed said in its order. GMAC was shut out of credit markets this year after piling up $7.9 billion in losses dating from the middle of 2007. Really? Didn't GMAC make it quite clear that they were not lending to anyone without an A+ credit rating?
Once again, the Feds are looking out for the big guys and not the little people.

To read the GMAC article in its entirety, CLICK HERE...

Sultry Singer, Dancer & Actress Eartha Kitt Dies From Colon Cancer, She was 81

The music world has lost another icon on Christmas Day. According to media reports, Andrew Freedman, a family friend, said Eartha Kitt, a sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has succumbed to colon cancer. She was 81.

Kitt, a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr, was one of America's most versatile performers. She played the Catwoman in the 1960s television series "Batman." You will remember her as Lady Eloise from Eddie Murphy's movie "Boomerang." She won two Emmys and was nominated for a third. She also was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Grammy. She had a distinctive voice that can never be duplicated.

Rest in peace Eartha Kitt, you made your mark and lived a full and productive life. She is survived by her daughter Kitt and her two children. As you recall we lost James Brown on Christmas Day two years ago, though we still hear rumblings in the news over his estate, but nonetheless, he was a musical genius.

Here are two of Ms. Kitt's songs. Enjoy.....