Last night hundreds of people came to downtown Oakland’s Oakstradam University to hear actress and now Presidential Candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party Roseanne Barr speak. Weighing heavily on everyone’s mind in this overwhelmingly Democratic city were the recent raids orchestrated by the Obama administration against Cannabis clubs which were legalized by the state 15 years ago and have been an economic boom, tourist attraction and have provided a variety of services for the City of Oakland. To date Cannabis clubs are the second highest source of taxes for the city and so when the unannounced raids occurred more than a few residents and city officials were upset and remain upset.
Roseanne Barr who is steeped in natural health issues and green economy, spoke passionately to the packed house and explained her vision for this country and laid out a blueprint for others to follow. her remarks were well received..Afterwards I spoke with her about what’s shes experienced on the campaign trail. She explained that she was surprised to see just how corporatized the political process has become. The big money embedded is beyond shocking and has had far-reaching chilling effects. She also talked about the complicity of media and corporate backed pundits who she said work hand in hand with some of those powerful interests that have silenced the diversity of voices and perspectives that exists..
Roseanne Barr also noted that she’s been documenting her run for office and will eventually share with the world what’s she had to endure over the past 13 months that she’s been running. She says it will shed a lot of light and hard truths about our Democracy.. Also on hand at last nights gathering was former Green Party presidential candidate and congress woman Cynthia McKinney. Barr’s running mate, antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan was expected to be there, but for whatever reason was a no-show.. Below is my interview w/ Barr.. Enjoy
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In recent weeks there’s been a lot of discussion around voting and whether or not its a futile exercise. Much of the apprehension comes from those who see the system as corrupt and the voting process hijack by unthinkable amounts of big corporate money which has made all those who get elected or appointed beholden to them vs the people.
F– Tha System Don’t Vote! F– Tha system don’t partake in a corrupt process! has been a rallying cry in more than a few circles..It’s more than just a 
One year ago September 17th 2011, a group of people gather at 
If we look back at the accomplishments thus far of Occupy Wall Street, there are many. For one, the national conversation that preceded September 17th, 2011 was dominated by a manufactured political fight in Washington to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a credit default. Within the first weeks of OWS, the conversation had been changed to the real issue that is eroding America; economic inequality, a topic that hasn’t been discussed for decades. Within the first few months of OWS, the conversation evolved into an examination of how Wall Street’s money has destroyed our political system and took control of our democracy. The prison industrial complex, lower taxes for the rich, the outsourcing of jobs, Wall Street running rampant, poisonous foods for our children, even some wars and almost everything that disempowers the poor, is a result of money passing from lobbyists and corporations to our politicians. And that is what Occupy Wall Street is fighting against. It is a sad state that the politicians work for the people who pay them, not for the people who elect them. That is not democracy.
So, Jay, here’s the deal. You’re rich and I’m rich. But, today it’s close to impossible to be you or me and get out of Marcy Projects or Hollis, Queens without changing our government to have our politicians work for the people who elect them and not the special interests and corporations that pay them. Because we know that these special interests are nothing special at all. In fact, they spend millions of dollars destroying the fabric of the black community and make billions of dollars in return. For example, the prison lobby paid politicians to create a so-called “War On Drugs” that resulted in a prison economy that disproportionately locks up black and brown people, including many of your friends and mine. They took drug-infected, diseased people, locked them up, educated them in criminal behavior and dumped them back into our community, thus producing a jail culture for our streets. There are more black people under correctional control (prison, jail, parole, probation) today, than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War. This is just one issue that has been bought and sold. If we have to occupy Wall Street or occupy All Streets to change the course of direction of this nation, then we must. We must take our democracy off the market and let the world know that it is no longer for sale! Mic check!
During the 9-11 Attacks we realized that the World Trade was attacked because it was near Wall Street and it represented the financial arm of this country.. We felt bad for those close to those banking institutions and embraced them in solidarity.
Since 9-11 the ‘War on Terror‘ has become a money-making venture for those connected to the military industrial complex vs a defense operation designed to keep us and the rest of the world safe from harm..
There’s lots to say about whats going down here in Charlotte at the DNC. There are scores of protests… key word ‘scores’. More people are up in arms and stomping the pavement then they were in Tampa Bay..
There was a march and demonstration around the plight of undocumented students…where people should note, that as the DNC celebrated the rise of Latino politicians like keynote speaker San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro who gave a rousing speech that led to folks giving a standing ovation, outside the doors of the convention in front of the entrance, 10 undocumented students were arrested. Actress Rosario Dawson stood with the crowd as this went down in support. She held up a big sign that said Undocumented. Will they be deported? We don’t know..
Michele Obama left folks feeling proud.. For women who have felt been under assault by weeks of rhetoric on the campaign trail about ‘legitimate rape’ policies of GOP, Michele was a welcome breath of fresh air. For Black women she was a source of pride, someone who erased all the nasty stereotypes and bad images constantly being hawked and elevated in the form of shows like Basketball Wives and other Reality shows on network TV.. In fact one sister a radio personality, SkyyHook tweeted ‘Ladies, this is what a REAL wife looks like.. No Fighting, No Throwing chairs or Jumping on tables… Class and humility’.. That tweet was generously passed around.