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One of my Favorite Rappers is Killer Mike.. One of My Favorite Albums is R.A.P. Music..Our Intv w/ Him

August 17, 2012 By

It’s always a pleasure and enlightening to sit down and chop it up w/ Atlanta emcee Killer Mike. He’s never at loss for words and he pulls no punches when speaking on political situations. Our recent sit down w/ Mike was no exception.. We talked at length about his new album R.A.P. Music which was produced by EL-P of Def Jux fame. Many would not associate the pair because on the surface they appear to be on opposite sides of the musical spectrum, but in reality they have lots in common.. The album they created is a hard-hitting masterpiece that seriously bumps and lyrically is a breath of fresh air and a much-needed nourishment shot for the dome.

During our interview we started off talking about the album’s lead single ‘Reagan’. This is an excellent scathing critique of one of the worst presidents this country ever produced who in recent years has seen millions of dollars poured into campaigns to sanitize his image. Killer Mike accurately reminds us that Reagan was a criminal who answered to a powerful cartel who ultimately controlled him. Mike goes in on both the song and interview about Reagan.

He also pulls no punches on other Presidents including Barack Obama who he famously stood up for and supported in 2008. In fact during the 2008 Ozone Awards, Killer Mike sitting on a panel pushed his rap colleagues to clean themselves up, put on their Sunday best and not allow any industry rap BS be the downfall of than candidate Obama.

In our interview, Killer Mike explains that his position on Obama didn’t ‘evolve’, it was part and parcel of what one should do when you elect someone to office. He noted that all politicians need to be pushed and held accountable and his responsibility as someone who is active in voting and helping get folks in office is to speak up, be loud and make sure they understand there will be political consequence fr not doing right by the folks who support him/her.  So, yes he supported Obama. In 08 he was the best man for the job, but the nature of the Presidency is to do the bidding of those who push him the hardest, and hence Mike brings heat in challenging Obama and anyone who is in office.

In our interview Killer Mike lays out what he says should be top priorities for any President seeking his vote as well as many within the Black Community. He details a job program in which folks coming into the community must partner with residents. He also talks about expunging the record of those who were incarcerated and returning home. Mike talks about the importance of providing programs and opportunities so one doesn’t return to prison which ultimately impacts the larger community.

During our conversation we talked about standout songs like the melodic ‘Anywhere But Here‘, where Mike gives us a thoughtful and compelling view of New York City and Atlanta. In the first part of the song, he talks about Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Stop and Frisk and the ghost of Sean Bell and others who are victims to police terrorism. He talks about the importance holding police accountable via the Mayor and other politicians who control them. He explained that anyone who allows the police to be out of control  don’t politically punish the Mayor for allowing this to happen, has missed the mark in a big way..

New York City is contrasted w/ Killer Mike’s hometown of Atlanta which he describes as a Black male heaven because of its abundance of opportunity, Black office holders and beautiful women. In the song Mike notes how in a city of such abundance, Black blood is still being spilled, with young brothers playing the role of villan vs the good guy who many feel never win.

It’s a powerful cut and during our interview Mike expands upon the political and social dynamics of Atlanta and its relationship to the rest of Georgia. He noted that one day he may actually run for office because he feels that strong about his city and wants to see it improve.

Just is just a short summary and doesn’t do justice to Killer Mike’s passion and love for his community and this music we call Hip Hop.. We divide this interview up in two parts..

Click links below to listen to our interview w/ Killer Mike

Killer Mike pt1

Killer Mike pt2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPyjJ1MMUzQ

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Filed Under: 2012 Daily News, Breakdown FM Interviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

President Obama Comes to Town.. What Will He Say to a City w/ a Lot of Questions & Concerns?

July 23, 2012 By

Obama comes to Oakland today

So President Obama is in town-Oakland, California. He came in last night and will be at the Fox Theater later this evening for what will be one of 3 fundraisers…I find it ironic that Obama would come to Oakland to raise money from our good citizens while his US Attorney appointee Melinda Haag has run roughshod over Northern Cali, directing federal agents to shut down state and city sanctioned medical marijuana facilities. Her actions run in stark opposition to what Obama and his Attorney General Eric Holder had said they would not do when they came trouncing around Oakland looking for money and votes back in 08.. So while Obama gets money from us..the city is now struggling to make sure the second largest contributors to its tax coffers are not permanently closed..

When Obama comes to speak tonight there will be a rally and protest starting at 12 noon.. you can get the info here..

http://www.facebook.com/events/342631035818988/

http://stopthedrugwar.org/trenches/2012/jul/20/rally_monday_obama_fundraiser_oa

#SaveHarborside

When Obama comes to the Fox Theater tonight, it’ll be interesting to see he addressing the rampant police killings of unarmed civilians taken place up and down the state. From Oakland to SF to Vallejo to Stockton and now Anaheim. Over the weekend, we saw the outrage in Anaheim around the killing of Manuel Diaz and out of control police setting dogs on mothers and kids.. What took place in Anaheim was the second unarmed man killed by police in a week..Thus far this year, the city which is home to Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth, has seen 7 civilians killed by APD.. The Happiest place on Earth.. More like the most Trigger Happy place on Earth.

We’ll see if Obama addresses these shootings or the recent ones in Oakland including ones involving Alan Bluford, Oscar Grant, Raheim Brown, Derrick Jones, especially since several of these cases have requested investigations from his Attorney General..With one African American being killed by police every 36 hours, folks in oakland are very aware of the problems with police.. I wonder if he’ll address the grief folks are feeling or if he’ll shower praise on a troubled OPD which has had to pay out close to 60 million dollars in brutality settlements over the past 10 years, and try to appeal to their union  I’m asking this in the context that OPD has been training Mexican Federales on how to deal w/ drug cartels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRDJS5PTzmc

In an area with large immigrant population, How will Obama address the record number of raids that have impacted both Latino and Asian communities here. In spite of us being a Sanctuary City, it has not stopped ICE from showing up here and breaking up families. Yes, we know, Obama made his recent gesture toward immigrant families by saying he isn’t going after young people, but what will he do to restore those families that have already been broken up? When he came in 08, he got everyone hyped by talking about how he was gonna push for comprehensive Immigration reform..

There will be a big rally today at 3Pm to Protest Obama sending the Feds in to Raid Oakland’s state sanctioned Medical Cannabis Clubs

In an area that filled with over 10 colleges and universities, wonder if Obama will address huge student debt and pending budget cuts directed at students.. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of inspiring message he gives the youth in Cali who have provided him a solid Blue state.. These young voters got out and gave him  a bunch of key congresspeople, 2 US Senators and a Governor he should be able to work with.. Those who voted for him in Cali did their part what will he do for them?Will he aggressively push for the Millionaire’s Tax? Will he direct new legislation or issue some sort of executive order to help stem rising tuition costs?

Lastly we have the issue of foreclosures.. Cali especially the bay Area has seen them massively impact folks, especially in Brown and Black communities. Yes, we know Cali AG Kamala Harris reached a deal with the banks that was ion fact better than most, but we should not forget that she had intense pressure from the White House to settle, in the meantime we still have folks out on the streets.. What does Obama say to them tonight? What does he say to Oakland, knowing the type of stranglehold his buddies at Goldman Sachs have had over the city which is directly and indirectly forced us to close schools  and give up other resources.. Some of the main opponents currently fighting Goldman Sachs are Black churches, which are a key voting block for Obama in Oakland..You can read about that HERE

Should be an interesting evening in Oakland w/ Obama in town..

 

Filed Under: 2012 Daily News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dregs One: A Letter to the President (Some Serious Food for Thought)

March 31, 2012 By

This is the homie Dreg’s One out of San Francisco.. Folks need to be up on him… He’s a serious activist, commentator and dope emcee..He’s one of the increasing number of artists especially out of the Bay Area who is all about taking his/her music and using it as a tool to serve the people.. In the tradition of Chuck D from Public Enemy , Dregs is not about rhyming for the sake of riddling, that’s clear by his new song and video ‘Letter to the President‘…It’s one that our Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama may wanna peep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TsFAhUab5U

Below is one of the many commentaries Dregs One  does on issues off importance..  check out this joint here where he breaks down the impact of gentrification in his native San Francisco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJdcU-4cqQ8

 

Filed Under: 2012 Daily News Tagged With: , , ,

Looking Beyond the Hoodie, even as Bobby Rush is Booted off the House Floor

March 28, 2012 By

Today Congressman Bobby Rush from Chicago got kicked off the House Floor for wearing a Hoodie. He like many others had dawned the attire to bring attention to the case surrounding Trayvon Martin. It was a noble gesture. It helps keep the case in the spotlight, but this has got to go beyond Hoodies. Too many of us are focusing on that and not some of the larger issues at hand.

For example, all of us should be asking; ‘whats the story behind Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee?’ Most of us protesting around Trayvon don’t  know his name. All we know is the police chief stepped down and very few of us are bringing him up in conversation and demanding he be brought to task? He’s just as guilty as George Zimmerman.

Sandford Florida Police Chief Bill Lee

Why was Chief Sanders and his department so sloppy with the initial investigation? Why didn’t they follow standard police procedure of collecting evidence like; keeping Zimmerman’s  gun and running ballistic tests or checking to make sure Zimmerman wasn’t high or drunk? We need to know why Standford police didn’t notify Trayvon’s family for after he was killed and his body was in the morgue.. Martin’s father found out after he filed a missing person’s report. We are just finding out that one of the early investigators wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter. Why wasn’t that allowed to happen?

We need to know what’s the deal with State Attorney Norman R. Wolfinger, why didn’t he press charges? We need to know if there’s a connection with George Zimmerman’s dad Robert Zimmerman a former magistrate and the lawmakers here in Florida?

All of us should be asking those questions and when we see a Congressman like Bobby Rush wearing a hoodie on the house floor, he is not only asking those questions but ideally if he’s being escorted off  the floor it’s because he’s attempting to hold hearings where many of those questions can get answered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ougHdwR8PhI

We need to see Rush and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus hold more briefings and hearings like they did with yesterday’s  Protecting a “Suspect” Community: Racial Profiling & Hate Crimes. We need to see hearings on police misconduct. We can start with the frequent leaks coming from the police departments designed to smear Trayvon’s name. In many states, including Florida, they have in place a Policeman’s Bill of Rights. In many places those Policeman’s Bill of Rights make it difficult to get a hold of personnel files to review complaints against an officer  (I’m not sure if Florida has the same provisions as California where officers are shielded).

In any case all of us need to continuously connect the dots.. Trayvon’s killing can’t be seen in isolation to last week’s brutal vigilante killing of Shaima Alawadi in Lakeside California or the ‘drive by’ shooting death of Rekia Boyd by an off duty Chicago cop who claims he saw a man standing next to Boyd draw gun. Boyd was an innocent bystander yet her shooting was deemed justified even though the police found no weapons on the scene.

These incidents and scores of others need to be investigated. We need to make sure that these incidents are not connected to a larger more sinister plan of action. Are we experiencing co-ordinated and deleibarte terrorist attacks or are people just angry and acting out? Hopefully Rush and the CBC can lead the charge on Capitol Hill and start to really dig into those questions while we start looking into this amongst ourselves in our communities.

Lastly, lets not get caught up in the hoodie thing as if Black people are only suspicious when wearing them.. Try driving a nice car and your suspicious… Try walking around a nice department store and your suspicious.. Try cashing a large check and your suspicious..

Racist People are suspicious of President Obama, with or without a hoodie

This suspiciousness is rooted in racist people holding on to the notion that Black people not being in ‘their place‘ when they do something that defies stereotypes. This is why we see the racial attacks on President Barack Obama who is constantly under suspicion..We already seen the disrespect directed to him by business mogul Donald Trump, who demanded to see the President’s birth certificate. Even after it was shown, we now have Arizona sheriff Joe Arpiao conducting an investigation to make sure it’s not fake..

Sadly we are suspicious of each other..Long after this Trayvon/ Zimmerman thing dies down, even if he’s arrested and convicted, many of us are still gonna be running around not trusting the Black repairman, the Black lawyer, the Black accountant.. Black men will claim they can’t trust ‘skeezing, gold digging sistas and sistas will say they can’t trust these ‘trifling scheming azz’ men..and nobody trusts the kids..How do we intend to change that?.

Not to digress too much… Again we must be clear and push forward with justice and the dismantling of institutionalized racism and oppression as a goal. Our hoodies have got to be connected larger political agenda or understanding. Are we wearing a hoodie to show solidarity?  If so, who or  what are we in solidarity with? Are we wearing the hoodies as an act of defiance? If so what exactly are we defying?   All of us should learned the lesson of what happened after Obama got elected. His historic victory was quickly erased by this onslaught of racist killings all over the country. From Oscar Grant to Trayvon and beyond. If we’re not mindful of this, we will quickly find ourselves back at square one even if Zimmerman is carted off to jail for life or given a death sentence. Bottom line: What good is a symbol if its not connected to a larger politic and plan of action?

written by Davey D

Filed Under: 2012 Daily News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

A Look back at Some of the Most Dubious & Outlandish Moments of 2011

January 1, 2012 By

2011 proved to be a year with some dubious, sometimes humourous, shocking and outlandish moments.

For example we had an outrageous moment when Barack Obama wound up showing his birth certificate the world to prove his American Citizenship. Thanks to constant public doubting by people dubbed birthers and led by then potential presidential hopeful and business mogul ‘Klansman’ Donald Trump, President Obama finally caved and showed us along form birth certificate. After doing so, one would think that would be the end-It wasn’t. Donald Trump and other still think the certificate is fake. The response to this incident from comedian political commentator Baratunde underscored how many felt .

In 2011 we had the situation where a Homeless Woman was Facing 20 Years for Sending Her Child to Better School. This was disturbing on so many levels. First you have someone who is trying their very best to make sure her child doesn’t get in the same economic predicament as she found herself in. The best way to do that is to make sure that child gets a darn good education.

The fact that we have wide disparities in public schools should be cause for alarm. This mother, Tanya McDowell obviously could not afford to move into the more affluent district so she basically lied about her address and sent her child to school. One would think we would applaud the effort and try to find ways to accommodate this woman and her child. Apparently she had enraged school officials in Norwalk, Connecticut who pressed charges and demanded she pay back the school district.What made this story even more outrageous was the fact that similar scenarios had gone down 4 other times this year, but only McDowell was being charged and fined

when she lied about her address in order to send her child to a school outside her assigned district

We had other scenarios like Public Enemy hypeman Flava Flav Opening a Chicken Spot in Iowa which closed down after four-months. There was a lot of controversy about employeee not being paid..Flav emphatically refuted the claim..In recent days he says he’ll be reopening the the chicken spot in Las Vegas.. Flav also introduced a line of flavored vodka (LeFlav) which included bubblegum..

V-Nasty

We had the controversy with white woman rapper from Oakland named Kreashwan who made alot of noise when she dropped the song ‘Gucci Gucci’.. The song was pretty good and people were with it, but raised eyebrows when she introduced her crew ‘The White Girl Mob‘. People began to sour when it became known that her partner V-Nasty routinely uses the N word and made no apologies. People really flipped out when fellow Oakland rapper Mister FAB offered up a ringing endorsement of the V-Nasty and defended her use of the word.. The video FAB put out was definitely an Outlandish Moment for 2011.

We had a dubious moment when it was revealed that longtime Hot 97 deejay and producer Mister Cee was arrested for lewd conduct. He was caught having sex in public and supposedly that wasn’t the first time.. That alone got everyone talking, but when word got out the person he was having sex with was another man, folks really got to talking.To Cee’s credit, he didn’t miss a beat literally with all the drama. The next day he was back on the air rocking the tables like nothing happen..

Rayvon Mcintosh

We were shocked and dismayed around the story of Rayon McIntosh. This was a brother who made headlines when he was shown beating two women with a metal club in McDonalds.

The back story to this went as follows: McIntosh was following company procedures when he inspected the large bill two unruly female patrons handed him. The pair verbally went off and one reached over and struck him. Emboldened, they then jumped over the counter and went after him..McIntosh responded by picking up an iron rod and whupped the two women, fracturing the skull of one and cutting the arm of another..Peep the video HERE

When it was discovered that McIntosh shad been incarcerated for 10 years prior to working at the franchise, folks went off.Many said he went too far, others argued the women got what they deserved. McIntosh was later fired and arrested, spending 7 weeks in Rikers Island. Charges were eventually dropped and he’s now suing McDonalds especially since it had been revealed he had been pushing the company to get security.

Disgraced presidential hopeful Herman Cain gave us lots of dubious moments in 2011. This loquacious pizza chain owner was the gift that would not stop giving. We recall him bragging about his woeful ignorance on foreign policy. We recall his over simplistic approach to solving the economy with his 9-9-9 plan. We cringed when he asked if it was ok to ban mosques. Cain seemed to take pride in sometimes being abrasive. He asserted he was just being frank and straight forward. We say Cain was a loudmouth and abrasive as away to distract from his ignorance. The best dubious moment for Cain was when he told those who are unemployed to Blame themselves..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHMEC8Xk9cg

One of the most Outlandish moment for 2011 came at the hands of Lt. John Pike. For those unfamiliar with Pike, he’s the douche bag police officer for UC Davis who decided the best way to disperse a group of peaceful protestors upset that their tuition which had already doubled was being increased again, would be to pepper spray them. His was the spray can heard and seen all around the world. He also gave us a glimpse of just how sadistic police officers can and usually are toward the folks they are suppose to protect and serve.

Pike was suspended and the chancellor of UC Davis has apologized. Some think that should resolve the issue. We found it disturbing that police agencies across the land didn’t come out and denounce Pike’s action. Talk about thin blue line..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AdDLhPwpp4

There’s a long list we highlight a few…

Kim Kardashian: Yes this woman could’ve won this award for any number of violations. First she did a full court press blitz where she appeared on damn near every TV network news show and Late Nite show to encourage folks to tune in and watch her get married to NBA basketball player Kris Humphries. She was trying her best to match the hype of the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Sadly the marriage lasted for less than 90 days..

But that wasn’t the worse of it..Folks got pissed at Kim because she was casted to star in Tyler Perry’s new movie ‘The Marriage Counselor‘. There was a backlash as folks petitioned Perry to get Kardashian canned.

Like I said those two incidents along get Kim a DUBIOUS AWARD, but what sealed it for me was when she was kicked off stage during a Prince Concert for not dancing… Y’all remember this right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKunZnUSl_s&feature=related

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Penny Chapman: This is a Philadelphia woman who gets on a crowded bus with her 4-year-old son.. Apparently he’s acting up and so she decides to swat him on the butt to discipline him.. Homegirl decides to calmly call her people.. who show up at the next step with assault rifles and start shooting into crowded bus..Whats scary here is seeing just how violent folks can get and how impervious someone like Chapman who is a mother could be in calling for retribution over something so minor. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/06/earlyshow/saturday/main20089055.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qR6HJrZUtU

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Governor Scott Walker: He’s the union busting Governor of Wisconsin who took advantage of lackluster turnout during the 2010 mid-term elections. Once in office he ran full tilt toward trying to strip away bargaining rights of public sector unions. His actions set off a fire storm of protests at the state capitol in Madison throughout the month of February. As many as 100 thousand folks were routinely showing up with people camping out and ‘Occupying’ the Rotunda building months before there was an actual Occupy Movement.

The thing that stood out about Walker was how he positioned himself as this free thinking independent type of guy. It was later discovered that he was beholden to the billionaire Koch Brothers, who are best known for founding the Tea Party. Someone did a prank call to Walker pretending to be David Koch, what emerged from that conversation was Walker’s willingness to do whatever it took to crush protests at hand. Among the tactics expressed was sending in folks to disrupt the proceedings. It was also scary to hear how subservient he was.. It made me wonder who was really the Governor of Wisconsin We encourage folks to listen to the exchange between Walker and the fake David Koch.

We also want people to look at how things unfolded and were ultimately handled in Madison to get a better understanding about some of the things that unfolded during the Occupy Movement. Again Madison and the fight over union rights was the Occupy before the Occupy.

Peep the tapes HERE

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One of the lewd pictures Wiener sent to twitter followers.

NY Congressman Anthony Weiner: Here’s a guy who seemed to have it all in 2011 only to lose it all in what many would describe as an Epic Fall from grace.. Wiener was a firebrand who was the pride and joy in many left leaning circles because of his willingness to take on his Republican colleagues and pretty much blow up their spot. He had garnered a reputation for being the man who would set it off anytime anywhere and with anyone … Time and time again Wiener would come out on top.

Adding to Wiener’s lure was the fact that this one time storied playboy bachelor had landed and married powerful a woman named Huma Abedin who is an aid to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton which means homeboy had access and was making his presence felt in high circles.

With all that in mind one has to wonder what would possess the outspoken Wiener to send lewd pictures of him and his private parts over the internet? What would possess a 46-year-old married man to act a fool with no regard for his wife who was pregnant at the time? Even more disturbing is what would possess Wiener to go on TV and hold press conferences where he would lie over and over after he was busted? At the time I penned a story suggesting that Wiener may have been influenced by the Ying Yang Twins.

What made Wiener’s fall so Dubious was it came at the hands of conservative commentator Andrew Breibart who runs the website Big Government. At the time Breibart had soured his reputation by stretching the truth and out right lying in some of the exposes he unleashed about his liberal rivals. Most notably was the case story around Shirley Sherrod

Unfortunately, for Wiener, Breibart had peeped some of the exchanges he was having on twitter with female followers. When Wiener accidentally tweeted a picture of an erect crotch shot Breibart grabbed it before it was deleted and the rest his history. You can peep the time Line of the Weiner scandal HERE

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Psychology Today: Who could forget the over the top insulting article put out by this supposed esteemed magazine titled: Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?

In this piece which has since been pulled from the website they ran down all sorts of backwards pseudo science ranging from Black women having higher testosterone levels on down to sistas having mutant genes..Here’s some of the outlandish claims written by the author London School of Economics’ evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa

I can think of that might potentially explain the lower average level
of physical attractiveness among black women is testosterone .
Africans on average have higher levels of testosterone than other
races, and testosterone, being an androgen (male hormone), affects the
physical attractiveness of men and women differently. Men with higher
levels of testosterone have more masculine features and are therefore
more physically attractive. In contrast, women with higher levels of
testosterone also have more masculine features and are therefore less
physically attractive. The race differences in the level of
testosterone can therefore potentially explain why black women are less
physically attractive than women of other races, while (net of
intelligence) black men are more physically attractive than men of other
races.

The fallout from this article resulted in Psychology Today apologizing for the article and the author Kanazawa almost losing his job. He apologized to school officials, admitted some of his work was flawed and forbidden from publishing articles in non peer reviewed publications

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Superman Renounces His Citizenship: Everybody loves the Man of Steel Superman aka mild mannered reporter Clark Kent who has long used the tage ‘Truth , Justice and the American Way… Key words ‘The American Way..

Well in 2011, Superman noted that he was tired of having his actions construed as a instruments of US policy. As a result he renounced his citizenship to the US in a comic book plot. He says he’s tired of having his actions construed as a instruments of US policy-Oouch!

Maybe Superman looked out at and realized he was no longer working for the people but instead uber rich corporations who want to suppress the people. Maybe Superman looked out and saw the over the top antics of racist and sexist policies championed by the Tea Party…

Maybe Superman got tired of seeing that Justice is only for the Rich and Powerful and the American Way is increased imperialism at all costs.. Who knows..Maybe it was slow box office sales.. In any case its a reflection of how this country seems to fall out of favor with folks all over the world everyday..

All this took place last Spring in a what is now a collector’s item Action Comics #900

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Common Underfire for White House visit: Back in may of 2011 there was manufactured Fox News style ‘outrage’ over rap star Common‘s appearance at the White House for a Poetry event. At issue was Common standing up for exiled former political prisoner Assaata Shakur and current political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal

Dave Jones of the Fraternal Order of Police in New Jersey was upset that Common over his 20 year career, did a couple of songs/poems addressing police brutality…songs I should add, that most people if queried would be hard pressed to name…They were ‘Letters to the Law’ and ‘A Song for Assata’.

He raised a stink and in your tried and true typical scenario Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Bill O’reilly went reaching for an old standby tactic-Demonize a Black person or some or some sort of cultural expression to get ratings, bring attention or distract from an issue. That’s been done for decades and with each deployment there are scores of willing participants who are eager to engage these clowns in a feeble attempt to go toe for toe…

I’m not a big fan of folks going on Fox and engaging them over outlandish claims, but it was good to see TV host Jon Stewart defend Common and hold it down during this memorable exchange.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8WhG-8FGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7fIjufCPsg&feature=relmfu

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: , , , ,

Cornel West, Liberal Sellouts and Critiques Agst President Obama

May 26, 2011 By

In recent days there’s been a lot of blow up about the criticisms levied at President Obama by Princeton Professor Cornel West.. Many have quickly circled the wagon and attacked West claiming his critique was more personal than principled. The end result has been West being dismissed and Obama being praised as if the critiques about him being a supporter of corporate and foreign policies that are harmful to poor people were not on point..Below are a two articles that excellently address all sides of this issue.. They weigh in on Cornel, look at Obama’s policies and offer up some solid points about Obamites.. Big shout out to Chris Hedges of Truthdig and Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report for these breakdowns..

-Davey D-

Why Liberal Sellouts Attack Prophets Like Cornel West

by Chris Hedges

Chris Hedges

The liberal class, which attempted last week to discredit the words my friend Cornel West spoke about Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, prefers comfort and privilege to justice, truth and confrontation. Its guiding ideological stance is determined by what is most expedient to the careers of its members. It refuses to challenge, in a meaningful way, the decaying structures of democracy or the ascendancy of the corporate state. It glosses over the relentless assault on working men and women and the imperial wars that are bankrupting the nation. It proclaims its adherence to traditional liberal values while defending and promoting systems of power that mock these values.The pillars of the liberal establishment—the press, the church, culture, the university, labor and the Democratic Party—all honor an unwritten quid pro quo with corporations and the power elite, as well as our masters of war, on whom they depend for money, access and positions of influence. Those who expose this moral cowardice and collaboration with corporate power are always ruthlessly thrust aside.

The capitulation of the liberal class to corporate capitalism, as Irving Howe once noted, has “bleached out all political tendencies.” The liberal class has become, Howe wrote, “a loose shelter, a poncho rather than a program; to call oneself a liberal one doesn’t really have to believe in anything.” The decision to subordinate ethics to political expediency has led liberals to steadily surrender their moral autonomy, voice and beliefs to the dictates of the corporate state. As Dwight Macdonald wrote in “The Root Is Man,” those who do not make human beings the center of their concern soon lose the capacity to make any ethical choices, for they willingly sacrifice others in the name of the politically expedient and practical.

By extolling the power of the state as an agent of change, as well as measuring human progress through the advances of science, technology and consumption, liberals abetted the cult of the self and the ascendancy of the corporate state. The liberal class placed its faith in the inevitability of human progress and abandoned the human values that should have remained at the core of its activism. The state, now the repository of the hopes and dreams of the liberal class, should always have been seen as the enemy. The destruction of the old radical and militant movements—the communists, socialists and anarchists—has left liberals without a source of new ideas. The link between an effective liberal class and a more radical left was always essential to the health of the former. The liberal class, by allowing radical movements to be dismembered through Red baiting and by banishing those within its ranks who had moral autonomy, gradually deformed basic liberal tenets to support unfettered capitalism, the national security state, globalization and permanent war. Liberalism, cut off from the radical roots of creative and bold thought, merged completely with the corporate power elite. The liberal class at once was betrayed and betrayed itself. And it now functions like a commercial brand, giving a different flavor, face or spin to the ruthless mechanisms of corporate power. This, indeed, is the primary function of Barack Obama.

continue reading article at Truth Dig

How Cornel West Did the Obamites a Favor

by BAR Executive editor Glen Ford

It is a shame that Princeton professor Cornel West did not stick to a disciplined critique of the corporatist policies that have made Barack Obama richly deserving of the label, a “Black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs.” Instead, the Princeton professor slipped into psycho-babble, musing on the president’s supposed “fear of free Black men” and associated personality deformities. The particularities of Obama’s racial background may, or may not, have contributed to his malignant neglect of the African American condition, but we will not forge a movement to defeat Obama and his Wall Street masters by putting the president on the couch.

There is no need to inject racial psychoanalysis into the (public) conversation when straightforward political analysis is more than sufficient to the task. In two and a half years, the Obama administration has expanded George Bush’s wars and national security infrastructure and budget, added a new theater of combat in North Africa, and proclaimed a presidential prerogative to assassinate and invade at will. He has out-Bushed Bush.

Obama engineered by far the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind, funneling at least $12 trillion to Wall Street. At the height of his popularity, still riding the crests of post-election euphoria, and under no real pressure from a demoralized Republican Party, Obama eagerly placed Social Security and other entitlements “on the table” for chopping. He endorsed the corporate/Republican line that deficits were the nation’s biggest problem, effectively sentencing the unemployed to damnation and inviting the austerity reign of terror that has descended. And these are just the highlights of Obama’s tenure.

The resulting catastrophe in Black America had rendered Black Obamites all but mute on issues of policy; they could not defend the indefensible. In an MSNBC debate with West, Al Sharpton, the administration’s Black pit bull, was reduced to inane sputtering. The rationale for continued Black and progressive support of the Obama administration has been reduced to one factor: a primal fear of the Tea Party boogeyman. Yet, the sheer economic and political devastation wrought under Obama’s brief tenure has made it plausible to make the case – as we do at Black Agenda Report – that the First Black President is not the lesser of two evils, but the more effective evil, having facilitated more of the right-wing agenda at home and abroad than George Bush ever attempted or envisioned. What does it matter that Obama is not a white Republican, if he can tear down the social safety net, privatize education and wage aggressive war more effectively than the GOP?

Of course, Obama is empowered to act as Wall Street’s Trojan Horse by the acquiescence of the Left’s core constituencies – chiefly, Black America, without whose consent and active participation progressive politics is reduced to the fringes. For reasons that have everything to do with race, Black people have clung to Obama even as he has consistently pushed them away. But the agonzing facts of a community in historical free-fall can no longer be denied. The “Black Wall” that the African American mis-leadership class attempts to erect around Obama is cracking, if not crumbling, especially among left activists and intellectuals. Cornel West is a celebrity example.

The First Black President is not the lesser of two evils, but the more effective evil, having facilitated more of the right-wing agenda at home and abroad than George Bush ever attempted or envisioned.”

Melissa Harris-Perry

Unable to mount a coherent defense of Obama’s policy decisions, especially after his further, dramatic lurch to the right following last year’s midterm elections, Obama’s unrepentant Black politicos seethed in relative silence. It had become impossible to speak in policy terms without indicting the presidential icon. Cornel West’s foray into Obamanalysis gave them the opportunity to explode in reams of outraged words that had little or nothing to do with policy. Prof. Melissa Harris-Perry managed to write almost 1,500 words forThe Nation on West’s “personal attack” on Obama, offering only 130 words about her own position on Obama’s tenure at the end of the piece.TheRoot.com, a Black Obamite corporate hangout, gleefully reported that West had “’stepped in it’ with his controversial comments about President Obama,” with “Google News listing more than 100 stories.”

This is the kind of “controversy” in which Obamites revel, precisely because it allows them to avoid confrontation with Obama’s indefensible policies. If they can resurrect another version of the phony, diversionary arguments of 2007 and 2008 about whether Obama is “Black enough” to deserve African American support, then they can hope to coast through the 2012 campaign without having to justify support for the “Black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs.”

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted atGlen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: , , , ,

Remember President Obama isn’t the Only American Having to Show His Papers to Racist

April 29, 2011 By

A few thoughts on this madness surrounding Donald Trump, Barack Obama and the Birther nation..

First we should keep in mind this ‘papers please’ mentality is being levied on several other communities. Many of us got upset about seeing a Black president have to prove his citizenship to a white racist.. Hopefully we’re just as upset knowing that many of our Brown and indigenous brothers and sisters have to do that everyday in places like Arizona where they passed the infamous SB 1070 law. Proposals to pass similar laws await in places like Georgia and Texas..

The fact that we have white citizens, many of them the offspring of immigrants running around demanding proof of authenticity from folks who’s lands they colonized and stolen is beyond insulting. Sad part is many of those being stopped and accused of being ‘illegal’ are actual ‘legal’. Try explaining that to your Trump-like racist and its hard for them to comprehend.  To hear them speak the country is under seize with dangerous Mexicans  and hence everyone and anyone must be stopped and frisked.

Texas lawmaker Debbie Riddle

Some like Texas nutcase Debbie Riddle have taken this hysteria to insane levels by claiming that our country should be afraid of so called Anchor and Terror Babies and thus laws should be passed to deny American citizenship to someone born here..

Be sure to connect the dots to the indignation we’re feeling with watching this President hand over his papers.

We should not forget the insult levied on Asian Americans when Texas lawmaker Betty Brown suggested that they change their names to ‘American sounding’ names so they wouldn’t confuse people at the voting booths. Brown was responding to the concerns voiced by members of the Asian community who were discovering that the names and spellings on their IDs weren’t always matching on voting rolls and as a result many Asians were being denied an opportunity to vote.

Just another example of ‘Papers Please.’.

Peter King

We should not forget the demand for papers and proof of Americanism being levied on Muslim Americans… We saw some of this ugliness rear its head during the Ground Zero debates this past September. But the real insidiousness occurred when NY Congressman Peter King held hearings on Islam public claiming that Muslim Americans were more loyal to their religion than the country. Of course King conveniently overlooked that any devout person of any religion in theory would be loyal to God then to man. What religion doesn’t demand that?

he also conveniently overlooked that all religions have extremist including good ole Christianity where in recent years have led to the arrest of Christian militia members bent on committing heinous acts.. Nevertheless King and his supporters put Islam on trial and like Donald Trump demanded papers from entire populations of American citizens.

All this was supported by the numerous states from Oklahoma to North Carolina that decided to lambast Islam by passing or proposing to pass laws banning Sharia Law as if the extreme practice of that was somehow a problem..Its amazing that all these Papers Please type laws have gotten on the books at a time when we have record unemployment and all sorts of economic upheavels. One would think law makers would be hard at work tackling these other issues.

Donald 'Klansman' Trump

With respect to Klansman Donald Trump..What more can be said about the overt racism he displayed?  Our reaction to such nonsense should be firm, impactful and without delay. We can start by boycotting his show ‘Celebrity Apprentice‘ and more importantly his sponsors which include; Enterprise Rental Car, Clorox, Sprint, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Walt Disney, and Groupon.

We must also remind ourselves  that given his racial attitude that things shown on that show like the upcoming fight between Black participants Star Jones and Nene Leaks from Real Housewives of Atlanta are akin to slave owners pitting their prized property to fight one another.. Star and Nene bring Klansman Trump high ratings and while we understand that most of what has been shown on the show has been pre-taped, their antics should not be supported in the least.  I’d be embarrassed to be associated with a show such as Celebrity Apprentice after seeing the display Trump put on this week.

I think this commentary by Baratunde Thurston of the Onion explains it best..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX5ueEKsSWc

Lastly we should not lose sight at some of the larger issues at play, primarily President Obama’s policies.. While smashing back at the racism of white folks demanding proof of citizenship, we should also remind our president that some of his policies including support and signing of the Patriot Act, him approving warrant less wiretaps and having increased surveillance  of American citizens helps foster the Papers Please environment that we’re experiencing.

Sometghing to think about

-Davey D-

Filed Under: 2011 Daily News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Jahi: What comes with a $37,000 meal with Obama?

April 26, 2011 By

To answer matter of fact, I don’t know.  I wasn’t there.  I can only imagine the mounds of hummus and Birkenstock shoes, vegetarian and carnivores standing across from each other with food contests, fruits and rivers of vegetables, and oceans of drinks, sweets, and all you can eat.   I mean, a $37,000 meal must take a whole day to consume, right?  I want to see the silverware that comes with a $37,000 meal.  I wonder how many people that can feed?     How many courses is that?  Does that come with soup and salad, or just recycled rhetoric and smiles, handshakes, and no real action for the every day American trying to juggle two jobs just to get to work, afford college, run a business and not even making a profit?    I’ve been pondering this since the first African American president just left where I currently reside, the Bay Area.  To be more specific, I live in Oakland and the President was in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.   Two different worlds, although where I live in Oakland I feel safe, I can walk at night, and I mostly take public transportation.  I’m sorry, I got off the point.  $37,000 for a meal with Obama?  The reports said that the money generated, over a million dollars easy, in less than a whole weekend, will go towards Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Party.

Here’s my question, open to general discussion, but expounding on the amount of money raised I ask, (as an aside, now I realize it’s more than one question) why didn’t you stop at some youth center, some recreation center, some school, some hospital, some corner store in Deep East Oakland, or a community radio station, or a homeless bum in Berkeley and offer financial assistance in the lives of the every day human beings struggling out here while watching your motorcade go by?

The second question is what type of leader can be so insensitive to the fact that you can just swoop in and swoop out with all this cash, and not stop at a soup kitchen?   Do you not see the elite audacity to even have a $37,000 meal in these days and times when families can’t even see the American dream anymore?  What’s more important, your campaign war chests, or people out here, on the ground?

And who can pay for that kind of a date?   I can’t speak for the people who hosted or attended this gathering, but I will say that I am an artist educator in San Francisco, and Berkeley, and there are some youth who could use some school supplies, lunch to take to school, health services and counseling from all the crime and violence right here in this city, and real financial help.  I think your money would be better served locally.  Californians are proud of the label “eat local.”  I have one to add- “help more local.”

But back to our illustrious president Mr. Obama,   if you think you are going to come smile and shake some hands, not even in my neighborhood, but some safe suburban enclave,  and play the rock star this time around for my vote, you can forget it.  You want my vote, come to my hood.  Yep, an every day average American citizen, independent artist and educator, is calling out the president.  I have a right to.  Like Obama said, “Sometimes you have to give the system a push, sometimes you have to give it a shove.”   We’ll as an African American male, father, and husband, with some college education, I think my life is not a minority in that there are good men out here, who want to provide for themselves and families, and having a tough go at it in the face of $37,000 meals for campaigns.  If you really want have a real photo op Mr. President, if you really want to have the news coverage and media, come to the hood.  Pick one.  There’s at least one in all 52 of your states, and bring your checkbook.

If you want to play the roll of rockstar, then come make it rain, in the community.  It’s not like you didn’t have a few dollars to throw right?  No, in all seriousness, money is not the sum answers to the problems of this area, city, or world, but for responsible, hard working, everyday people, it can help.  Put an extra meal on the table, an extra pair of shoes, driving classes for a teenager, something that can help.  Everyday Americans know how to use money wisely, it’s just not enough it.  So when I see a $37000 meal, I’m not playa hatin’s all, I’m just nudging you on the shoulder to remind you to remember the hood.  You owe it to them.  They are as American as the people who hosted you.  They are as important as a Facebook CEO.

As a student of history, I’ve come to learn that most people don’t recall this Dr. King, but do you know his agenda was to end poverty, and to establish a guaranteed annual income to every American (about $4000 was his thinking at the time)?  Dr. King’s agenda was clearly on poor people, the less fortunate, and those suffering from poverty by slumlords and closed doors. Mr. President, it may very well be because of Dr. King that you became president, but your agenda seems more on the affluent than the impoverished, corporations over community, and elite gatherings, even the San Francisco event at Moscone Center was like a rap concert with people vying for VIP seats, and then the people who can only afford the balcony seat in general admission.

So back to my original point, what comes with a $37,000 meal?   I can tell you, after riding AC Transit the evening you left Mr. President, and saw a woman with her whole life in two oversized Walgreen’s bags, winter coat stained with earth which she is wearing in Spring, ashy hands and eyes of a tired soul with forgotten beauty wrinkles, winter hat tilted, exhausted and sleeping on the bus on my way down Park Blvd.  I can tell you, Mr. President, what doesn’t come with it is real tangible change to the millions of people in this country struggling to survive.  I saw that with my own eyes.  I hope you enjoyed your meal.

Signed

Concerned Citizen

Filed Under: 2011 Daily News Tagged With: , ,

US Bombs Libya: Where’s Obama the Peacemaker?

March 20, 2011 By

As we enter into our third war, one has to wonder what’s the ultimate motivation? Many will try to fool themselves and say its needed to save lives.. The question is who’s lives exactly? In Libya is this a popular uprising or a civil war?

Are we on the side of those fighting oppression or are we giving lip service and using that as a good excuse while we aim for other things..In this case oil?

Is Ghadafy a detestable figure who is ruthless with his people? If so where’s our consistency around him? One minute we hating him ala Ronald Reagan.. the next minute we trying to do business with him under George W Bush.. Have we forgotten the US-Libya Business Association who have since took down their site but not before everyone from Haliburton to Chevron broke bread with a man we are now bombing..

Meanwhile all over the planet we have human rights violations being levied on all sorts of countries we consider friends with no talk of Regime Change.. We friendly with China in spite of their of their dastardly deeds.. We’re cool with Saudi Arabia inspite of their shoddy human rights track record. . We ain’t invading Yemen and it was there where we had a ship blown up USS Cole.  We could go on and on.. Hell lets talk about the drama with Israel and how they smash on their Palestinian neighbors..

What’s sad is the role President Obama has been playing. He came out the box saying he opposed the wars but as you can see over the years he’s ‘re-calibrated’ himself and seems as hawkish as any right wing war monger. How does a son of Africa bomb Africa?

I guess its when that Son of Africa sees himself as a politicians more interested in positioning himself and playing the game vs doing what is right. With all our collective brain trust there was no diplomatic solution?  We have a military that has no qualms applying pys-ops techniques on Senators to keep us at war.. But seemingly none to help nations be at peace..

What seems to be at play is those pys-op techniques being used to keep our anti-war movement silent.. Look most people would agree that folks fighting for liberation against oppressive regimes should be supported. But we can’t be selective and hwe have to stand on principal about being about peace.. We’re over in Libya demanding Ghadafiy bounce but we’ve yet to bring our own violators of human rights to justice. Can you say George W Bush? Dick Cheney? Or the soldier shown in the video below..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgybOzCQIpM

Peep the videos below outlining President Obama’s stance on the wars over the years.  As you watch ask yourself will there be consequences to our actions. Ghadafy has threatened to take down commercial airlines. he may not have the weaponry but he does have the money .. The US is fighting 3 Muslim countries is not good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAwQRsaD6KI

Below is the link to Obama speaking on us bombing Libya …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unD7NJYuEDE

Filed Under: 2009-Daily Hip Hop News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

President Obama on Jon Stewart Daily Show: He Needs to Do That More Often

October 28, 2010 By

Last night President Obama appeared for a full half hour on the Daily Show where he verbally jousted with host Jon Stewart and pretty much defended the record of his administration. For many who watched the show, Obama directly engaging a significant part of his base had been a long time coming. There were remnants of the hopeful feelings that so many experienced in 2008 during his historic campaign and for many that was a good thing.

It was good to hear President Obama being cheered and not jeered. It was good to see him have a conversation with a host like Stewart who resonates with a lot of the voting public who for the most part feel they been left out of the conversation. Stewart articulated a number of concerns that his audience had ranging from the issues of healthcare to how and why Obama and his administration went from ‘Hope and Change‘ to ‘Please Baby Gimme One More Chance‘ and he did it in away that was both funny but right on point. You can peep the Jon Stewart episode HERE:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/wed-october-27-2010-barack-obama

Pres Obama directly engaging many within his young,left leaning base via Jon Stewart needs to happen more often

With that being said, its hard to gauge if that will translate to votes in the 11th hour. Not sure if it’s too little too late. What needs to be underscored is the array of issues Obama’s appearance on the Daily Show brings up that go beyond the 2010 midterm elections. For starters, the hoopla around Obama coming on the Daily Show because it was the ‘first time in history‘ is not something to hang your hat on and beat your chest. It suggests that there’s been a serious neglect of the political relationship and continued courtship that was needed for the millions of young and first time voters who enthusiastically voted for him in ’08. Since he’s been president, we’ve seen Obama on all the morning network news show several times. We’ve seen him on shows like 60 Minutes. We’ve seen him go before the GOP House issues conference. We’ve even seen him on Fox News‘ Bret Baier where in many people’s minds he was disrespected both as a man and as president. This had not gone unnoticed by those who supported him. It made the man who came across as a smart, decisive hero to many, seem weak. Jon Stewart said it best, Obama has been ‘timid’.

President Obama more than most politicians clearly understands the importance of effective communicating. During his campaign he was everywhere. He was on the Steve Harvey radio show every week. He was on the Tom Joyner show. He sat down with MTV. He sat down with Jon Stewart. More importantly he was showing up on college campuses and large numbers of people on the campuses worked on his campaign. After the ’08 election all that seemed to disappear. Obama was a strong presence in those enclaves and quite frankly he needed to be. We needed to hear or see him those arenas articulating his position on policies, laying down challenges and marching orders and sharing his frustrations. We needed to hear him defending his policies and defending himself. We needed him to remind folks that they too needed to help with the heavy lifting and lay out some practical ways in which this could happen.

Have the millions of young voters who rode for Obama in 08 been effectively engaged? Many Democrats have been dismissive to the point of arrogance in how they should best be reached. The Obama voter in '08 is not necessarily a staunch Democratic voter in 2010

Now over the past year when I’ve had this conversation with people who are in Democratic circles it became clear there’s a huge disconnect. There’s a disconnect in many of them understanding that there were a lot of Barack Obama fans/voters who weren’t necessarily down for their local congressman, senator, mayor or whoever else was running even if they have a letter ‘D’ after their name. That’s been a hard pill for many to swallow and one that’s often met with defensive posturing that means absolutely nothing when we’ve had important races for mayoral and senate races all round the country with super low turnouts. from New York to Atlanta to Houston we’ve seen 20-26% come out and the wholesale absences of the throngs of new and first time voters who came out riding for Obama in 08. Where did they disappear to? Why did they not come out?

The excuses given are often drawn from the proverbial political consultant handbook which reads; We always have low turnout during elections where the president isn’t on the ticket. That excuse is usually accompanied by the often arrogantly stated ; “Well these young voters are lazy. They need to read the NY Times and Newsweek or watch CNN like I do if they wish to stay informed” Wrong answer folks. The response should’ve been: Lets figure out ways to better reach folks consistently through the mediums they enjoy.

In 2010 where folks tend to attach themselves to small or niche ‘information’ and ‘entertainment’ watering holes, to be dismissive of that fact and basically tell folks to ‘buck up’ as Vice President Joe Biden did the other day is why Dems are in trouble all over the country. It seems like some in leadership have forgotten that people are who they are and anyone who feels that a particular segment of the population can bring votes to the table needs to get up and meet them where they’re at. If they’re at NASCAR, church, concert  or plopped on their couch watching the Daily Show, then innovative compelling ways need to be used to reach that audience. Every other business does that so why not the Democrats?

President Obama‘s appearance with Jon Stewart was a reminder that in 2010 it’s not enough to simply show up at the 11th hour trolling for votes. It’s about having an ongoing dialogue and relationship one that’s in place before, during and after an election cycle. This is branding 101. It’s pretty basic and like it or not we now live in a society where enhancing your presence in the minds of consumers and in this case voters is paramount. As Jay-Z famously said ‘I’m a business man, I’m a BUSINESS, man. So in short, yes, I can read  about politics in the NY Times or Washington Post ? Sure I can ‘go on line and read about issues of the day at any number of sites. All the information we want is at the tip of our fingertips. However, for those who are truly in touch with their audiences the information is too much. It can be overwhelming and so direct engagement is even more important. If it was that simple and practical as surfing the web and coming away feeling empowered and connected then the topic of political engagement wouldn’t be topic. If it was that practical President Obama would not have found it necessary to go on the Jon Stewart Daily Show.

Sports writer Dave Zirin has long managed to keep folks politically engaged by connecting the dots to issues on the sports arena

Again the bottom line is everything is political including how we choose to engage folks especially on the electoral. Some like their news, views and politics in the backdrop of other things, in this case of Stewart, comedy and entertainment. Others like it served with sports as the backdrop… ala Dave Zirin and his Edge of Sports column or any number of sports stations that also carry shows like Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly.. Still others like it in gender based chat fests like the View. Lets hope folks step up their interaction game beyond the 2010 midterm elections.

Lastly, for those on the receiving end of information, its important to note that the end game for many in power is to keep you dis-empowered, uninformed, distracted and politically in the dark. This is done to keep folks from being wise to their games, susceptible to lies, doublespeak and blatant falsehoods. In other words politics is often slimy and many who do dirt don’t want an informed public to hold them accountable. The fact that corporate interests have such a strong hold in the political arena should be wake up call to all of us as we see the ways in which things play out.

It’s no accident that your local urban radio station which was calling its ‘The Obama’ station in ’08 hasn’t created a forum or show or even had a single discussion on important issues impacting your day to day lives. It’s no accident that some outlets decided to to have last minute voter registration drives only after money was spent on ads, not because they saw it as a service to the community.  It’s no accident that we are hearing more about the shenanigans of actor Charlie Sheen in 5-10 minute chunks on the evening news and not who is running for mayor, city council or District Attorney in your own backyard. Commercial media is part of the corporate wave infusing itself with politics and as a result they as business have it in their interests to keep sizeable populations dumb downed so they be that pimped and exploited.

It’s also no accident that many politicians will avoid hard hitting investigative news shows like a Democracy Now, Mike Milloy Free Speech TV or Rachel Maddow for fear of being jammed up and made to address questions they’ve skirted..So yes, on many levels its up to each of us to keep ourselves informed and at the same time we will have to push and insist that folks who want your support come to where your at and not just during election time.

something to ponder

-Davey D-

PS on a side note.. if you wish to find out about all the key elections in your state, city and neighborhood, here’s the link to an incredible voting guide. It breaks down all the races and includes all the candidates, not just Republicans and Democrats. They have the folks who are running under the Green Party, Peace and Freedom and many others. This is a great resource.. hope you find it useful http://www.votesmart.org/voteeasy/

Filed Under: 2010 Daily News, Political articles, Southern Shift Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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