4/30 News: American Bookeristas

Colin Powell Boosts Small Business As Key To Economic Recovery

Former U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell spoke to the media this afternoon stressing the importance of small business and jobs in advance his presentation at Colorado State University's Moby Arena about global leadership and diplomacy. The retired four-star general's speech tonight coincides with the College of Business' grand opening and open house for its nearly $18 million 54,600-square-foot Rockwell Hall-West expansion.

The moderate Republican said U.S. President Barack Obama's decision for a troop surge in Afghanistan was the correct move, however the success of it will depend on the Afghans themselves. Regarding the economy, Mr. Powell said we will not be out of the recession until jobs return and the unemployment rate drops. He noted small business is the economic engine of the country. "The person who is most important as we come out of the recession is the small-business owner," Mr. Powell said. When asked if he will run for president, he chuckled, saying he had passed his "sell by date."

Tea Party Singer Calls For Conservative "We Are The World" Recording Session

The Tea Party Movement’s Lloyd Marcus has penned “Take America Back,” a song he wants to record alongside other conservative musicians to benefit charity. He’s urging activists to join him in the studio on June 5 to lay down the track in a “We Are The World”- style compilation.

The conservative Republican  says each artist will get to sing a line and chime in on the chorus. Meanwhile, the session will be filmed for an accompanying music video. He wants his upbeat ditty to “highlight the diversity” within the Tea Party Movement, so he’ll accept any musicians – from tattooed rockers to preppy gospel singers. Since his ultimate message is about “we the people,” he wants mostly unknown artists to partake, not big celebrities. He would, however, gladly make an exception for Ted Nugent.

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Nadra Enzi: "What About An Urban Tea Party?"

Asks the moderate-conservative Republican in Savannah, Ga., about a tea party movement specifically about Black America's challenges: "Why not high profile, center right events where Black citizens and fellow Americans with urban concerns unite to discuss the Obama Administration thus far and community issues? Urban rallies need not be liberal led to authentically air views from this constituency. The ‘hood has been written off and its vacuum filled by folks who raise conservative blood pressure. Blaming Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson ad naseum is a poor substitute for promoting a competing culture in urban America. Solutions and attitudes generally considered progressive in nature aren’t being met by a surge of songs; plays and initiatives to the contrary. Are urban conservatives hitting neighborhood associations with the same tempo as conferences in upscale hotels? Are they on the local airwaves denouncing the latest inner city shooting?"

He continues his commentary: "The playing field is wide open in the ‘hood because it has literally been written off. Having grown up in Forgotten America I made it my business to be forgotten no longer! I started promoting safety and success there.'Charity begins at home' so my Capt. Black role centers first upon urban quality of life as an indicator for national quality of life. What about an urban tea party? What about Black folks and others with urban concerns uniting to address the impact of the first Black president on urban America? What about enlisting attendees to combat fatherlessness; single motherhood; crime and poverty? These seem logical items for an urban tea party agenda."

More: "The existing tea party movement should be invited to join this latest expression of good citizens united for the good of America. The Left; concerned Black conservatives and moderates question whether the overall tea party movement is racially inclusive. Joining urban tea parties is one way to quiet these fears. Supporting life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is a priority regardless of zip code or color. So, what do you think about an urban tea party?"

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Arizona's Illegal Immigration Law: Bookerista Perspectives Pt. 5

Duane Brayboy: "The Black Elite's Hot Coffee Stand In Hell"

The conservative blogger in metro Atlanta, Ga. takes issue with a black professor who chastises the many black supporters of Arizona's new law, arguing that they should be more concerned about the racial profiling of Hispanics than with their job prospects: "Written by the very employed R. L’Heureux Lewis, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Black Studies at the City College of New York – CUNY. Now I have been doing this blog for years now and anytime stuff like this went down, many of the usual Black talking heads out offered very little comment on the issue. Innocent Black folks were being targeted by Mexican/Latino gangs (hotbeds of illegal immigrants). You would have thought these same commentators would have come to the defense of the Black folks who had nothing to do with the beef between gangs in that area. Black folks were getting killed and they said nothing. Mighty Whitey passes a law that targets illegal immigration and now suddenly the Black elite jump on the first thing smoking to Arizona to hold a protest banner and cheese for the camera. Those that can’t make it are left with the task of making their fellow unemployed Black bruthas and sistahs feel more guilty for actually putting their own interests (like finding a job, putting food on the table...you know, survival stuff) ahead of a demographic (illegal) that has been pushing them further down the economic ladder."

More: "If these elitist[s] want to prove that they can take one on the chin for the everyday Black man, then I challenge them to put down the protest signs, stop with the commentaries and compete toe to toe with illegals in the job market. Then maybe they can help me answer the question posed to me from my daughter the other day: “Daddy, why is it that all the road workers I see are Mexican?”"

Carol M. Swain: "Real Immigration Reform"

The law and political science professor at Vanderbilt University and moderate-conservative, comments on Twitter: "I have a sneaky feeling that #immigration reform will be a lose-lose 4 America. We don't have the heart or stomach 4 comprehensive reform." She continues: "Comp. immig reform would include: mandatory E-verify, higher penalties 4 visa overstayers, a reexamination of birthright citizenship..." More: "It is ludicrous 2 speak of legalizing 10-12 million illegal aliens when 22 million Americans R unemployed. 2 do so would B a lose-lose." She continues: "Legalization would dramatically increase number of people eligible 4 social welfare entitlement programs.We need 2 enforce existing laws." More: "I wish there was an easy solution. There is none. Democrats want the votes & Republicans like cheap labor. Who loses? We the People!"

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News: Bookeristas In Britain

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones' Campaign Posters Marked With Racist Graffiti, Stolen From Gardens

Election posters have been defaced with racist comments and stolen from gardens in the Chippenham constituency. Conservative Party posters have been marked with graffiti aimed at black candidate Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, a food product entrepreneur who refers to himself as "The Black Farmer" (also the name of his products). Another sign described Conservative Party leader David Cameron as a “toff” and encouraged people to vote Liberal Democrat. Dirk Russell, election agent for Mr. Emmanuel-Jones, said: “We have reported these incidents to the police and they have told us that they will keep an eye on the situation.”

Frank Bruno: "I'm Glad That I Was Involuntarily Committed To A Mental Hospital Back In 2003"

The conservative former world heavyweight boxing champion, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003, told ITV1's This Morning program: "When the bipolar [disorder] was coming on I was doing some odd things - phoning up people, going to people's house, whatever, and I'm glad I got hold of it when I did and got to the hospital and my daughter and certain other people forced me to go and get sectioned and that was one of the best things that could've happened to me."

Urging other people with similar problems to seek help, Mr. Bruno - who is part of the national Time To Change campaign to help end mental health prejudice - said: "I was aware (that I was doing strange things) but when you're a man you try and be macho. I was trying to fight it and not admit to it. But I finally went in there and it was one of the best things I could do."

He added: "If you've got a toothache you go to the dentist, if you've got a headache you got and get a tablet, but if your brain's not right they have good people at the NHS [National Health Service] to help you fix it and talk to and counselling to calm you down and to focus you. I'm not Mother Teresa's son but I'm just trying to emphasize that to you."

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National Black Police Association Objects To National Guard Handling Chicago's Out-Of-Control Crime In Black Areas

Ronald Hampton, executive director of the National Black Police Association, opposes a proposal by two Chicago black lawmakers who believe violence has become so rampant in the city that the Illinois National Guard must be called in to help: "A police department's officers are trained to enable Constitutional due process safeguards. Armies are not designed with this purpose - armies are trained to kill. The suggestion of the National Guard to be deployed in black and Mexican neighborhoods in Chicago is an outgrowth of the scary trend toward militaristic policing by many police agencies in the U.S. (Chicago in particular). The problem is compounded by many men with militaristic aspirations, but lacking courage for military service; rather using police work and low-income residential communities as way to achieve military aspirations. The National Black Police Association is an organization of black police officers. If anyone has the credibility to speak on a nonsensical suggestion that a military entity be deployed in Chicago, it is us. Most of our members have policed the country's biggest cities and most dangerous neighborhoods. The NBPA and its members know through personal experience that the National Guard does not belong on Chicago streets. No surprise to us that most of the people supporting the deployment of the Guard in Chicago have never been police officers. Add to that, that most of these misguided people have never served our country in the U.S. Military. Many NBPA have served in the U.S. Military (e.g., the writer, a United States Marine); therefore, our members know that there is stark difference between military duties and police duties. The NBPA asserts that calls for the National Guard to patrol the city's black neighborhoods are extraordinarily off-base, misguided and a complete misunderstanding of police work, Posse Comitatus, and the U.S. Constitution."

He continues his letter: "Militarization of the police and or deployment of the National Guard in communities will only hamper police community relations and cause citizens to feel under siege by police. The violence in issue demands - not the Guard - but that Chicago Police officers are placed on foot patrol and that more officers interact with black and Mexican people with respectful tones and professionalism. It is incredible that Chicago, unlike other big cities throughout the world, does not deploy many officers on foot patrol. Chicago would do well to take lessons from New York City and Washington D.C., where officers walk foot beats around the clock. Officers on foot stop crimes! If there are more officers who do not fear the neighborhoods or the people they are supposed to serve, there would be no need for calls for the National Guard, because there would not be as much crime. So, in the list of solutions to address crime in Chicago, let us consider changes within Chicago Police leadership; how Chicago police officers are deployed; and let us seriously pay attention to the types of men and women hired as police officers. Additionally, crime can be reduced with the creation of jobs, after-school programs, and other initiatives that enable young people to engage in positive activities."

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Blacks And Wheels

James Collier, a moderate blogger in California, opines: "Whatever the trip is with Blacks and big rims must be the analog to Whites and big tires. I have been watching White boys put big tires on trucks since 1975 (when I was a boy!). The big rim thing is relatively new, but deserves its look, with history in mind. In fact, as the picture shows, the mechanics of these urban rigs do not look much different than their 4x4 backwoods cousins. I believe fat tires came into being to give stability to tall set-ups looking for greater clearance over rural obstacles, stumps, log, swamps, alligators, lawn furniture, abandoned refrigerators, and such. Big rims are an equal testosterone injection for the urban dweller. And just like the cowgirls, the hooptie-girls heat up around this bigness."

More: "So I guess it’s all about sex. I have a friend who even calls the Dodge Ram Truck, the Dodge 'Penis'. She claims that this is how the truck looks, so why not call it by the same? For the record, it’s not a Black-thing to have tires/rims that are worth more than the car itself, either. Guys have been upgrading wheels and tires ever since Mags and Ansons first came out to improve performance, a half-century ago. No discussion would be complete without mention of the hydraulics that our Latino friends add to the mix. I have seen YouTube’s of cars hopping (here) many feet off the ground like an English boxer. When it comes to chest thumpin’ stupidity and automobiles, race don’t matter."

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Arizona Legislature Passes Bill To Curb 'Chauvinism' In Ethnic Studies Programs

Hat tip to reader P. for this one. After making national headlines for a new law on illegal immigrants, the Arizona Legislature passed a bill yesterday that would ban ethnic studies programs in the state that critics say currently advocate separatism and racial preferences. The bill, which passed 32-26 in the state House, had been approved by the Senate a day earlier. It now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer for her signature.

The new bill would make it illegal for a school district to teach any courses that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment of a particular race or class of people, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."  The bill stipulates that courses can continue to be taught for Native American pupils in compliance with federal law and does not prohibit English as a second language classes. It also does not prohibit the teaching of the Holocaust or other cases of genocide. Schools that fail to abide by the law would have state funds withheld.

State Superintendent for Public Instruction Tom Horne called passage in the state House a victory for the principle that education should unite, not divide students of differing backgrounds. "Traditionally, the American public school system has brought together students from different backgrounds and taught them to be Americans and to treat each other as individuals, and not on the basis of their ethnic backgrounds," Mr. Horne said. "This is consistent with the fundamental American value that we are all individuals, not exemplars of whatever ethnic groups we were born into. Ethnic studies programs teach the opposite, and are designed to promote ethnic chauvinism."

Mr. Horne began fighting in 2007 against the Tucson Unified School District's program, which he said defied the late Dr. Martin Luther King's call to judge a person by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Mr. Horne claimed the ethnic studies program encourages "ethnic chauvinism," promotes Latinos to rise up and create a new territory out of the southwestern region of the United States and tries to intimidate conservative teachers in the school system. But opponents said the bill would prevent teachers from using an academically proven method of educating students about history. They also argued that the Legislature should not be involved in developing school curriculum.

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Family Of Ghanaian Center-Right Icon To Presidential Candidate: "Don't Use Our Family Name For Dirty Politics"

The Dombo family, whose father, the late S.B. Dombo together with Dr J B Danquah and Dr K A Busia founded the United Party tradition (UP), is accusing the Alan Kyeremanten camp of using the family’s name to play “dirty politics” within the opposition center-right New Patriotic Party. The camp of the presidential hopeful recently accused the National Patriotic Party chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey of bias in favor of their perceived main contender for the NPP presidential nomination, Nana Akufo Addo. The accusation followed a donation of 3,500 Ghana cedis [US$2,482] made by Nana Akufo Addo to the Dombo family through Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey at the funeral of Naa Clement Dombo, eldest son of the late S.B. Dombo. The Alan Kyeremanten camp saw the chairman’s involvement in forwarding the donation to the Dombos as indicative of his support for Nana Addo’s candidature.

Addow Dombo, the 15th son of the late S.B. Dombo said the accusations by the Mr. Kyeremanten's camp against the chairman are mischievous and seek to exploit the Dombo name to not only play “dirty politics” but also score political points which will further divide the two camps in the NPP. Meanwhile Mr. Kyeremanten's camp described the comments by Mr. Addow Dombo as “unfortunate”. Yaw Buaben Asamoah, Mr. Kyeremanten's spokesperson, said their intent was not to indict the family name or meddle the Dombo family in party politics. He said that the context in which their accusations were made was the act by Jake Obetsebi Lamptey which they perceived could bring disunity into the NPP.

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JOHN AVLON COMMENTARY: The Phony Centrism Of Charlie Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist has bolted the Florida Republican Party to run as an independent in his troubled U.S. Senate bid, but moderate pundit John Avlon argues that it’s not an act of courage but rather ideology-free opportunism (hat tip: NeoMugwump): "As an independent and a centrist, I should be a textbook supporter of Charlie Crist’s newly announced independent candidacy for U.S. Senate. But I’m not — because Charlie Crist confirms the worst stereotypes of a centrist. Instead of being principled in his differences with his party, he is  opportunistic. Most independents and centrists feel politically homeless in our polarized two-party system because they are too fiscally conservative for Democrats but too socially liberal for Republicans. It is a principled position that refuses to conform to the go-along/get-along ideological straitjacket imposed by the special interests in both parties. But Charlie Crist does not represent this courageous tradition with any consistency — instead it is just a pose he is adopting for short-term political gain."

He continues his commentary: "Case in point was his recent veto of a bill that would have brought merit pay to Florida teachers. An education reform backed by the Obama administration, it was predictably opposed by the powerful teachers union. Crist was previously a supporter of the bill, but weeks before his filing deadline — and likely looking for general-election support — he vetoed it. This not only locked the Sunshine State into a failed system while other states back this important reform, but it placed Crist to the left of Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. It is one example of many. 'This is just the latest in a long line of personal betrayals by Charlie Crist,' Florida-based GOP consultant Rick Wilson told me on the day of Crist’s formal defection. 'The real challenge is whether the national media gets what Floridians already know: He is a faux-independent — a guy who’s never had a discernible ideology other than ‘how do I get to the next election.’ Charlie Crist has always been a guy of tremendous personal and moral flexibility as long as it serves his personal and political ambition.'"

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Run, Princella, Run!

Joseph C. Phillips, a conservative Republican actor, on a candidate for the U.S. Congress: "Some voters in Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District will believe Princella Smith is just too young to be a congresswoman. Doing business on Capital Hill requires wisdom and life experience; at 26-years-old, Smith is a baby. Of course, age was not an issue for Edward Rutledge, who at 26 signed the Declaration of Independence. Nor was age an issue for Amelia Earhart, who at 25 set an altitude record for female aviators. Besides, according to Article 1, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution the only qualifications required to serve in the House of Representatives are that a person 'have attained the age of 25 years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.' Princella Smith certainly passes constitutional muster. It is, however, her vast experience that makes her not only more than qualified, but perhaps the best choice to represent the people of the 1st District. Princella Smith has clerked at the U.S. Department of Labor, was e-campaign director for then Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele’s Senate campaign, national spokesperson for 'American Solutions,' the issues advocacy group begun by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich; she was even a prime-time speaker at the Republican National Convention in New York."

He continues his commentary: "However, the road to Washington is both long and is scattered with more obstacles than just age. Princella is a conservative Republican running for office in a district that hasn’t elected a Republican since 1872, which, no doubt, explains why the district is filled with crumbling schools, high unemployment, and deep-seated racial tensions. Smith is also black and the district she seeks to represent resides in a Southern state that has never elected a black person to a congressional or state-wide office. The good news is that Arkansas is still a place where values matter. What Princella has going for her is that while she may not share party affiliation with many of the voters of the 1st, she shares their values; she is one of them. The 1st is a large district extending from the Mississippi River to northern Arkansas near the Missouri border and encompassing 26 counties. Miss Smith was born and raised in Wynne, Arkansas, a rural farming county in the Delta and one of the poorest regions in the country. Her father is a pastor and former school board member. Her mother is a vice-principal at one of the local high schools. The people of Wynne know the Smiths and more importantly they know Princella. People from all over the district watched her grow-up; some of them coached her to a college basketball scholarship, others watched her clean toilets to make spending money; some cheered her academic success, and many proudly tuned in to their televisions when she began appearing on the cable news as a political commentator. Smith is home grown, which presents a challenge to local Democrats."
 
More from Mr. Phillips: "She also possesses common sense, a trait displayed in Washington far too infrequently. For instance, she recognizes that increased entitlements must be paid for through higher taxes. Increased entitlements, coupled with tax cuts lead to increased debt. Talking about tax cuts without talking about spending cuts is a failure of Congress to exercise its fiduciary responsibility. Smith is also a proponent of the flat tax. 'I would like to replace the monstrous tax code with a single sheet of paper that every American can fill out,' She says. 'One flat tax-rate that everyone — corporations included — will pay.' Yes, Princella Smith is only 26.  However, given the propensity of our older and wiser representatives to spend money the country doesn’t have — running up trillion dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see — I find a bit of comfort in Smith’s youthful enthusiasm. 'I am fighting on behalf of my generation,' she says. 'It’s my generation that is going to have to pay this debt!' Run, Princella, run!"

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Sports News

Ten Years Later, Bronze 'Special' For U.S. Gymnast Dominique Dawes

Hat tip to reader Nanakwame for this one. It may be 10 years since she competed in the Olympics, but gymnast Dominique Dawes is thrilled about the new medal she will soon add to her collection. Dawes and her teammates were given the bronze after China was stripped of their 2000 Olympic bronze medals because they fielded an underage competitor, Dong Fangxiao. Ms. Dawes, who has worked with Yahoo! Sports for the past two Olympics, heard the good news from another reporter. "I got calls from fellow reporters before receiving an email from the [Gymnastics International] Federation," she said. "I also got a call by my coach, Kelli Hill, to congratulate me on the medal."

Ms. Dawes said that getting the medal puts a positive ending on an Olympics that had been disappointing for Team USA, which had been shut out of medals. "It was very difficult not just for the gymnasts, but the coaches as well. When we got to Sydney, we didn't have gold medal on our minds, but we knew there was a possibility for us to get on the podium. It is good to know that now, 10 years later, we did achieve the goal that we had set out to do."

Black American Players Drop To 9% in Major League Baseball

Among major leaguers, the number of black American players dropped from 10.2 percent to 9 percent last season. The sport had made a small stride since reaching a low of 8.2 percent in 2007, but the latest data indicates a steady rise might be years away. "I think it's a reflection now of the long-standing fact that African-American youths are playing basketball and football more than baseball," Institute director Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports,  said. "It's ironic only because the role of people of color running baseball is dramatically increasing."

A dwindling number of black American players has been a concern of baseball and those in the black community for years. Last year's report was the first time since 1995 that the majors had an increase among black players. In an effort to curb the numbers, MLB has established its Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program and urban youth academies. But Mr. Lapchick said it will likely take many years before it's known if those efforts are paying off

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Open Thread Friday

Discuss any ideas in your posts. Like Jamaican model Carla Campbell, keep 'em big and beautiful.

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4/29 Bookeristas In The News

Denmark: Ayaan Hirsi Ali Wins Rights Award From Danish Cartoon Paper

Somali-born libertarian feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali received a free speech award yesterday in Copenhagen from a Danish newspaper which sparked outrage by publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005. Ms. Hirsi Ali, a former Dutch parliamentarian who was threatened with death for criticizing Islam, was named by Jyllands-Posten newspaper as the winner of its Prize for Freedom of Expression. The prize, worth 50,000 kroner (US$8,900), was launched in 2006 at the height of anti-Danish protests in some Muslim countries after the paper published 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Uganda: Conservative Party Calls For Special Prison Cells For Breast-Feeding Mothers

The Conservative Party has called for special cells for breast feeding mothers to ensure that female inmates with breast feeding babies get a good nutritional environment. John Ken Lukyamuzi, the party's moderate-conservative president, says this would address the welfare of children who have committed no crime and get imprisoned with theirmothers. Mr. Lukyamuzi urges the Ugandan government to make a law that will protect children imprisoned with their mothers. The current law in Uganda prohibits the execution of convicted pregnant women, but it doesn’t protect the rights of children with any crime imprisoned with their mothers.

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MICHELLE BERNARD COMMENTARY: How To Live By Dorothy Height's Example

The conservative head of the Independent Women's Forum writes about the U.S. civil rights icon, who recently died at age 98: "[Dorothy Height] became the foremost woman leader of the civil rights movement, working side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King and others to change the world. She not only had to work with other civil rights leaders to fight the oppression that blacks faced, but she also had to push back against sex discrimination within the movement, which too often marginalized women. Dorothy Height was proud of the progress made during the civil rights movement, but she recognized that much work was left to be done. For forty years, she led the National Council of Negro Women, fighting for additional reforms. She remained active until the very end. What can we learn from a woman like this? All Americans, but especially African-Americans, should be proud that this woman was able to overcome so much and change the world for the better. She showed us every day of her life what is possible. Within the black community, we should also be challenged. Each of us should ask ourselves, what are you doing to improve our lives and the future of our children and community?"

She continues her commentary: "As a community, we should urge the black community to begin by refocusing on education. Certainly, Dr. Height recognized that education was the foundation of progress. Without education, there can be no meaningful progress. And today, our education fails too many of our children. One in four eighth grade students scored 'below basic' in reading on a national test, which means that they don't have a literal understanding of what they read. That figure is for all children. It's much worse for African-Americans, with more than 40 percent of 8th graders scoring below basic, which means they effectively can't read. How are these children going to go on to high school and obtain they skills they need to graduate, get a job, and become active, successful members of the community?"

More commentary from Ms. Bernard: "Yet we shouldn't wait for the education system to improve. Education has to start at home. The top priority of all parents has to be to give our children what they need. And that doesn't mean money. Even if you're poor, you have the tools you need to give your child a leg up on life. You can be your child's first, best teacher. That starts with getting an education yourself. If you can't read, learn. There are programs and organizations committed to helping. Then, start reading to your child. Pay attention to what your child eats, drinks, watches on television, and who he or she plays with. Ask questions at your child's school. Make sure your child does homework. If your public school isn't a good fit for your child, explore other options. Remain engaged. If your child gets in trouble, that's no time to let up or give up. You need to stand by him or her and get help so that your child can have a second chance. It's not just parents who need to get involved. All of us should think about what we can do and how we can help one another. Keep an eye on your neighborhood. Is there a child in trouble? Someone who could use an adult's help or guidance? You can be that person. Volunteer.Talk with children. Be the person that you wish you'd had in your life when you were young."

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News: Bookeristas In The British Election

The election is next Thursday. There is a good chance that this time next week, the two gentlemen below will be making victory speeches. What are these bookeristas running for Parliament doing now?

Shaun Bailey Talks Public Housing In Swing Race. Will His Brand Of Working-Class, Community Activist Conservatism Unseat The Incumbent?

The London Evening Standard writes: "Hammersmith & Fulham council, a test-bed for [Conservative Party leader] David Cameron's policies, has been accused of plotting to move out the poor [out of what is called social housing in Britain] to increase private housing. They insist they will rebuild the homes. In wealthier parts of the constituency such as Brackenbury and Brook Green, where house prices regularly top £1 million [US$1.5 million], many young families fear they will be priced out. The Tory candidate, Shaun Bailey, has lived in social housing all his life and says he can't afford to move to Hammersmith [in the London metropolitan area] from neighbouring Brent. He admits: 'There are estates that are 40 or 50 years old so...if the opportunity comes up we'll have to develop them.'"

More: "But he dismisses rumours that residents would be forced to move to areas such as the Olympic Village. 'If the council were about to do that they'd have me to deal with,' he says. The polls suggest Mr. Bailey, a black youth worker, could win here, although the seat's new boundaries — losing Fulham and gaining parts of Shepherd's Bush — favour Labour. Holding  Hammersmith [where 36% of residents live in public housing] is crucial for Labour to stay in power but Mr. Slaughter has a notional majority of just 3,672 [and it would take a swing of just 4.22 per cent for Mr. Bailey's Conservative Party to win]."

Sam Gyimah: "I'm No Political Parachute"

The East Surrey constituency in southeastern England will have a new parliamentarian for the first time in 18 years after Peter Ainsworth stood down. Sam Gyimah, a businessman who was chosen as the new Conservative Party candidate for the area, said he is confident that he can retain the seat for the party. The Tories have been in power in East Surrey ever since the constituency was created in 1918, but Mr. Gyimah said he is still working hard for every vote. “There is a lot of support, but there are a lot of people who are undecided and mulling over their options,” he said. “We are canvassing them and trying to make them aware of the case for change.”

Mr. Gyimah hit back at claims by Liberal Democrat candidate David Lee that he was “parachuted in from north London”, having been selected at a meeting of Tory supporters back in February. “I do feel connected to the place, I said I was going to move in and I have moved in to Oxted,” the 33-year-old banker said. “Over the past seven weeks I have been getting involved in the community and local causes. I’m not like someone who has lived here for 30 years, but I am learning every day, and I think the most important thing is what you can do for a place, not just whether you live there already.”

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Arizona's Illegal Immigration Law: Bookerista Perspectives Pt. 4

Bookeristas continue to have split opinion on Arizona's toughened law against illegal immigration:

Gregory Kane: "Rule Of Law Is Not For Sale In America"

Asserts the conservative Republican columnist in Maryland, responds to a pro-illegal-immigration documentary: "If America is obligated to take in Mexico's poor and educate them, and provide them with health care and jobs, then it has that obligation to the poor of every nation in the world. How many people would that be, exactly? The numbers are staggering; we simply can't afford to do it. The more practical solution is the one everybody ignores: Implore or compel the Mexican government to address the needs of its own poor so they don't have to sneak into the United States illegally. But suggest that and the charges of racism will fly anew. At another point in [documentary] 'Un Sueno Americano' some guy is going on and on about is the billions of dollars illegal immigrants add to the American economy in pursuit of their dream. But the American dream is worthless without the rule of law. Or, to quote our president on the matter of immigration: 'We must remain a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.' So the film's producers are saying, in essence, that because illegal immigrants bring us a ton of money, then somehow the rule of law is canceled in this country. Either that, or the rule of law is for sale in America. That might be true in Mexico, but it sure as heck ain't the case here."

Tony Campbell: "What About Dora? Can She Stay In Arizona?"

The moderate Republican in Maryland sarcastically asks about Dora the Explorer, a popular children's television character: "In the aftermath of Arizona’s immigration law, I want to know if Dora the Explorer can stay on the airwaves in the state. After all, we know she is Hispanic and probably not a U.S. citizen. I think the law is stupid not to mention unconstitutional. If it gets enacted before a federal judge hears it, probably the Supreme Court, I will be very surprised. Every Mexican in Arizona should leave and let’s see if Arizonans will take up the slack by burping the babies, fixing the houses, and doing the jobs that pay less than minimum wage… until then BOYCOTT DORA ;-)"

Raynard Jackson: "Alienation"

The moderate Republican political consultant in Washington, D.C. is firm: no amnesty: "As written in previous columns, how can the NAACP (supposedly the premier civil rights organization in the U.S.) support amnesty for over 30 million people and yet complain to Obama about the high unemployment rate in the Black community? So, their solution is to increase the pool of unskilled workers who will compete with citizens of this country for a limited number of unskilled jobs! Why is Al Sharpton sticking his nose into the business of Arizona?  He is threatening to organize boycotts, yada, yada, yada!.  I wish he would devote the same level of energy to the racist 'wet foot, dry foot' policy that is in [e]ffect in Miami, Florida.  This insane policy allows any Cuban who gets at least one foot on U.S. shore to stay, but if a Haitian does the same thing, he is immediately returned to his country. Where is Al Sharpton on this issue? Oh, I forgot, there is no camera crew there to cover this story."

Mr. Jackson continues his commentary about illegal immigration: "When I go to foreign countries, if I don’t speak the language, then I am out of luck. But, yet California prints their election ballots in over 200 languages. We are enabling foreigners not to assimilate. If you are or want to be an American, then you must speak English. I guarantee that none of my pro amnesty friends know who Robert Krentz was. Well, he was the Arizona rancher that was murdered by an illegal a couple weeks ago. He is the reason the bill in Arizona was passed. But his death has been lost in all the emotion of the debate. No one is talking about the impact that illegals who are committing crimes are having on U.S. families. When will we focus on the rights of Americans to be safe more than the non-existent rights of those who are illegal?  Rights are earned with responsible behavior. Would someone please tell me what are the responsibilities that illegals have to America? You never hear illegals talking about their responsibilities, only what their rights are. This attitude is what is grating on Americans.  The only right illegals have is the right to leave the country. Obama has the right, er, obligation to enforce the existing laws of the land. If we don’t step up enforcement of existing laws and punish employers that hire illegals, then Obama and the Democrats will only continue to fuel this alienation!"

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Black Conservatives: The New Face Of The GOP?

The midterm congressional elections are seven months away. Republicans are already promising a strong effort to take back the majority and they're attracting candidates who are already making history. At least 30 African-Americans in 16 states are running for the U.S Senate and the House of Representatives. It's a surge of black Republican activism that America hasn't seen since the Reconstruction era.

Charles Lollar [pictured] is one of the candidates. As a major in the Marine Corps Reserves and a businessman, Mr. Lollar is taking on the second most powerful Democrat in the House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Mr. Lollar said that just as he felt drawn to serve his country, he feels called to run against those he says are steering America off track. "The policies of socialism," the conservative Republican said. "The policies that say government should get involved in competition when that's not the government's role, the policies that extend government and makes it overwhelming with the tax burden where every 38 cents of your dollar goes to state, federal or local government, where you're only getting 62 cents of every dollar you earned -- there's something wrong with that." He continued, "If we keep going down the road we're going, financially - I think - it's 53 to 54 cents of every dollar we make with this health care bill intact. We're getting closer and closer to slavery."

Actor and author Joseph C. Phillips [pictured] believes the Republican Party has always been a natural fit for the black community. Conservative principles, he points out, were the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. "Who is a more idealistic people, American people, than black people in America?" Mr. Phillips asked. "We truly, truly believe in the ideas articulated in the Declaration of Independence: equality under the law and a limited government that secures equal rights to life, liberty and property."

However, life as a black conservative can be lonely. Candidates still face pockets of racism among whites and those who associate with the Tea Party movement face criticism from liberals. Mr. Lollar has even been called a racist. "It's actually kind of funny when you think about it," Mr. Lollar said. "I use the one liner in my speeches, 'How can I be a racist? My wife is black.'"

Ken Blackwell [pictured], senior fellow with the Family Research Council and former candidate for Republican National Committee chairman, argues the GOP should widen its tent, but not at the expense of its principles. "We are the party of job creation and opportunity and we believe in a meritorious society where individuals deserve a place at the starting line with no guarantees of how they're going to finish the race," he said.

Mr. Lollar predicts Americans will notice more black conservatives running for public offices on all levels in the coming years. "It's time for us to reach across aisles," he said. "Be uncomfortable and reach across race lines. It's time for us to rebuild our country from the inside back out."

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In Black Folks News

Obama Eulogizes Civil Rights Leader Dorothy Height

U.S. President Barack Obama eulogized U.S. civil rights leader Dorothy Height today as a history-making figure in "a righteous cause." The president spoke at the funeral for Ms. Height, who died last week at the age of 98. He told hundreds of moruners who filled the the massive National Cathedral in D.C. that Ms. Height should be associated with other American civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and W.E.B. DuBois. "There are giants who fill our history books.  Well, Dr. Dorothy Height deserves a place in this pantheon. She, too, deserves a place in our history books.  She, too, deserves a place of honor in America's memory," he said.

As a young social worker, Ms. Height helped New York City resolve the 1935 Harlem Riots, and she helped organize protests against lynching, the killing of blacks, usually by white mobs. Later, she worked alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. and other leaders at the forefront of the civil rights movement, seeking equality for women as well as for blacks. Ms. Height led the National Council of Negro Women for more than 40 years, working on issues affecting black women and families, such as health, education and economic matters, as well as basic civil rights. She also campaigned for international human rights and humanitarian issues in Africa, India, the Caribbean and other areas.

The president said Ms. Height's perseverance advanced the cause of justice, and eventually made it possible for him and his wife, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, to live in the White House. Mrs. Obama was in the audience, as were Vice President Joe Biden and many top U.S. officials. Some of the nation's most prominent African Americans took part in the memorial, including poet Maya Angelou, opera singer Denyce Graves, Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, and gospel singer BeBe Winans.

Poll: Black Teens More Optimistic Than Peers

Hat tip to reader Nanakwame for this one. A poll released today by Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., found that 70 percent of black students ages 15 to 18 thought their standard of living would be better than their parents, compared with just 36 percent of white students. Overall, 39 percent of respondents thought they would have a higher living standard. Those numbers and the level of optimism among black students appeared to be closely tied to their enthusiasm for U.S. President Barack Obama, making for what some called the "Obama effect." Asked about the liberal Democratic president's performance, more than two-thirds of black students rated his performance as "good" or "very good," compared with 23 percent of white students. Overall, about a quarter of the students who were surveyed rated the president highly.

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ANGEL ROBERSON COMMENTARY: Why Some Blacks Are Returning To Their GOP Roots

The conservative Republican motivational speaker discusses why some black Americans are returning to the political party of their grandparents and great-grandparents: "It was Republican Governor Win Rockefeller in the 1960s who began appointing blacks to key positions. Some of our key traditional Black colleges are named after white Republicans who funded and supported them while Democrats tried to destroy them. It was the Republicans who championed Civil Rights for Blacks - from the Civil Rights Act of 1875 to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 proposed by Dwight Eisenhower. The Republicans had fought hard and long to achieve Civil Rights, but were no match for the racist Democrat machine until JFK picked up the legislation and was able to help Republicans finally get the minimum bi-partisan support to pass it. Less than a half century old, this history is long forgotten by many."

She continues her commentary: "However, African-Americans are looking at the deteriorating condition of our communities over the past 40 years of loyalty to one party, realizing the detrimental effect and coming to the conclusion that being on one side of the boat has caused us to nearly capsize. Take a look at where we are after 40 years of liberal policy: poor inner-city schools, welfare dependency, alarming out-of-wedlock poverty, one out of every two black babies aborted, a platform for increased crime, lower standards and widening gaps in education, increasing illiteracy and drop-out rates. We must conserve our future and a most critical key is to conserve the traditional two-parent family (not popular amongst liberals) which is the biggest deterrent to poverty and many other problems."

More commentary from Ms. Roberson: "Perhaps the biggest reason some African-Americans are returning to their Republican roots is the crucial difference between the ideology of the Republican Party and the Democrat [sic] Party which can be summed up in the old adage: 'If you GIVE a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you TEACH a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime'. It’s that independence - not entitlement - that empowers us to not only take care of ourselves, but teach generations to come to do it just as our forefathers did in the face of tremendous adversity."

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Ayaan Hirsi Ali on Malalai Joya

The Somali-born libertarian feminist and former Time 100 honoree, pens a piece about Malalai Joya (pictured) who made this year's Time 100 list of people who most affect our world: "To be a woman growing up in Afghanistan under the Taliban and to survive is in itself a major feat. To be so lucky as to become literate in a place where girls are shrouded and denied even fresh air is close to a miracle. To start underground schools and educate girls under the noses of turbaned, self-appointed defenders of virtue and forbidders of vice is truly extraordinary. But to get a seat in parliament and refuse to be silent in the face of the Taliban and warlord zealots shows true fiber. When Malalai Joya did this, her opponents responded in the usual way: expulsion from parliament, warnings, intimidation and attempts to cut her life short. She has survived all of it. Malalai, 31, is a leader. I hope in time she comes to see the U.S. and NATO forces in her country as her allies. She must use her notoriety, her demonstrated wit and her resilience to get the troops on her side instead of out of her country. The road to freedom is long and arduous and needs every hand."

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Bullock’s Blind Side Black Baby

Jim Collier, a moderate blogger in California, writes about the actress's new adopted son: "Truth follows fiction, follows truth? Or so it would seem. Sandra Bullock, who won an Oscar for portraying a White mother who takes in a homeless Black youth as her son, has recently announced that she is adopting a newborn male infant, who happens to be Black. So what’s going on here? Is Bullock some kind of Angelina Jolie-wannabe, bringing the plight of the unfortunate into the public eye? Or is this another case of exotic-baby-as-pet to a Hollywood celebrity? Is the baby a hapless pawn, destined for a tortured life? How should Black people feel? Should her marital problems influence the situation?"

He continues his commentary: "Assuming she gets her pick of roles, I suspect that the same underlying emotional attraction that drew Bullock to Blind Side is showing itself in her adoption choice. Whatever one thinks, she gets high marks for consistency. Unlike Americans who go far and wide to adopt, I applaud her willingness to drop the gloves and buy (adopt) US, particularly a Black baby. She knows, intuitively, that she will have to share her son with the Black community and critical commentary is only a headline away."

More commentary from Mr. Collier about the adoption: "As for the wellness of the baby, race is a social construct that means everything to some and nearly nothing to others. Bullock has the resources to mitigate the challenges. Whether she has the common sense remains an open question, but also one of nobody else’s business. The challenges of being a superstar celebrity parent will far outweigh race differences, and are much more likely to detract from her parenting - ask Michael Douglas. I don’t expect a rush of adoptions of Black orphans because of Bullock's profile. More people might consider adopting outside of their race, and I think this is a okay, but adopting is too difficult and expensive to ever to become a fad of the masses. As for Black opinion, I think the Black Psychology Association finally shut-up about being against interracial adoption – not a minute too soon. The related cross-racial issues with an adopted family are preferred, in any sensible opinion, to the truckload of issues that Black orphans suffer at the hands of this country’s foster care system."

Final thoughts: "Lastly, Bullock announced her impending divorce. This is a non-issue. She committed to the adoption prior to her split, and has bonded with the baby. Those who don’t agree with single parenthood are ignoring that current wedlock and divorce rates are, in part, a significant function of enduring bad marriages and the resulting dysfunctional parenting that follows."

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The British Election: Labour's Love Lost

Robert A. George, a moderate-conservative Republican blogger in New York City ponders whether the shortened length of the British campaign season has an effect on a big political blunder that Prime Minister Gordon Brown made when he was caught on mic dissing a lifelong Labour Party supporter as a "bigot" for her views about Eastern European immigration to Britain (the prime minister, who heads the Labour Party, has since done a mea culpa): "The upside of Britain's truncated, four-week national election campaign season is that it is, well, truncated and lasting only six weeks. In contrast, the American presidential election unofficially takes years and officially runs, well, nearly a year from Iowa caucuses in January to the presidential election in November. On the other hand, the upside of the lengthy U.S. system -- and the downside of the U.K. counterpart -- can be seen in what happened yesterday to the soon-to-be-ex Prime Minister Gordon Brown. On the campaign trail, the man about to lead the incumbent Labour government to an ignominious defeat next week called a fairly nice woman a 'bigot' -- just for asking a handful of questions, one of which was related to immigration levels:



Mr. George continues about what Brits are calling "Bigot-Gate": "This is what happens when a candidate hasn't been out on the campaign trail for months and refined both stump speeches and the art of the regular gladhanding potential voters. Brown slipped, accidentally showed his true grumpy self -- and there is hardly anytime to try to right the ship. With microphones and cameras around to capture the moment, it was a 'Macaca' moment -- times 10. Brown was forced to run back and apologize to the insulted 'Mrs. Gillian Duffy.' He then sent a letter apologising to fellow Labour candidates for this massive cock-up. The incident is all over the telly, as they say back in the old country (yes, you may have noticed that I'm employing quite a few British-isms and English spellings in this post. (So bloody sue me, mate!). And Labour was already doing pretty badly in the polls before this implosion."

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Charlie Crist Goes Independent: Bookerista Perspectives Pt. 2

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist - who's had a troubled U.S. Senate bid - today announced that he's leaving the Republican Party and will make an independent bid for the seat. Bookeristas continue to weigh in:

Clifton Bazar: "Charlie Crist Announces He Will Run As An Independent"

The conservative Republican in New Jersey opines: "Did anyone really need a crystal ball to see this coming? Charlie Crist is basically doing exactly what Arlen Specter did, but without the blunt admission. For Crist and Specter it is all about keeping themselves employed on the public dime. Polling data shows that Rubio is more than capable of beating the Democrat Kendrick Meek. If Charlie Crist really believes that America needs a new tone in Washington, then he should have stepped aside and allowed Rubio to bring it. By running as an independent, Crist is turning an easy GOP pick up into a crapshoot. Hopefully Florida voters will reject this self-serving opportunist."

DarkStar: "Crist 'Crisis'"

The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Maryland opines: "I don't know why I was surprised that Crist would try to run as an independent for the Senate. I think people who are in the Senate are more likely to be extremely competitive and not take losing well. So, Crist playing a spoiler by going independent, makes sense, especially if he could win by splitting the vote. This makes clear the concern Republicans have with the Tea Party people and this makes clear why Steele and the rest of the GOP elites (HAH!) are trying to co-opt the Tea Party people."

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LARRY ELDER COMMENTARY: ODSD: Obama Double Standard Disease

The libertarian-conservative Republican in California opines about media treatment of U.S. President Barack Obama: "Obama Double Standard Disease: an affliction that causes the media to ignore, rationalize or trivialize in order to defend, support and advance the tax-the-rich, spread-the-wealth, expand-the-government agenda of President Barack Obama and his party. This stands in stark contrast with the media treatment of those who refuse to embrace the left-wing, America-bullies-the-world, dissenters-are-racist, pro-amnesty, gay marriage-is-a-right, pro-Roe v. Wade worldview. ODSD is pandemic. Here are just a few cases. When the economy recovered under President George W. Bush, the major news media pronounced it a 'jobless recovery.' Now, despite unemployment stalled at 9.7 percent for several months, the same media call it a 'surprising' or 'unexpected' recovery. Obama urged passage of an $800 billion 'stimulus' package in order to prevent unemployment from reaching 8 percent. Post-stimulus passage, unemployment reached 10 percent. Consider how the media would have treated President Bush had he given varying predictions about, and then varying accounts of, the number of jobs supposedly 'created or saved' -- a laughably unprovable yardstick."

He continues: "Obama brazenly claims that under his policies, 95 percent of 'working Americans' received a "tax cut." But nearly half of American workers pay absolutely nothing in income taxes. And after exemptions, tax credits and other deductions, the Obama tax cut even exceeded many workers' payroll taxes. How does a check, given to someone who pays little or no taxes, become a 'tax cut'?"

More: "ODSD ravages the country. It guarantees a pass is given to an administration that refuses to use the term 'Islamofascism'; that offends traditional allies like Israel and new ones like Poland and the Czech Republic; that apparently accepts a nuclear Iran; that ignores government's role in the housing meltdown while blaming Wall Street 'greed'; and that makes appeals to voters along racial lines. It means that the harmful consequences of the exploding welfare state get ignored, trivialized or disputed. It means that 'experts,' hand-picked and quoted by the media, overwhelmingly support the administration's income-equality agenda. It means that inconvenient news stories -- ones that question 'bigger and better' government or show there is another side -- are downplayed, underreported or dismissed. The Obama Double Standard Disease is a pre-existing illness -- not covered, even under ObamaCare."

Booker Rising response: FYI, Mr. Elder has a live webcast on Monday-Friday from 3pm-5pm PST. People can inquire at: http://wevegotacountrytosave.com.

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4/28 News: Malcolm X Assassin Freed On Parole

Thomas Hagan, the only man to admit shooting Malcolm X, has been freed on parole 45 years after he helped assassinate the civil rights leader in New York City. He served the first 23 years of his sentence behind bars, and then had been spending two days a week at a Manhattan prison under a work-release program. The 69-year-old Hagan was the last man still serving time in the 1965 killing. He and two others were convicted of murder.

Hagan says he was one of three gunmen who shot Malcolm X at Harlem's Audubon Ballroom. But he says the two men who were convicted with him were not involved. They maintained their innocence and were paroled in the 1980s. Hagan has repeatedly expressed regret. He applied for parole 16 times before a board approved his request last month.

Booker Rising response: He should still be behind bars. His actions should've gotten him the death penalty. Life imprisonment at minimum.

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Arizona's Illegal Immigration Law: Bookerista Perspectives Pt. 3

Clarence Page: "It's Simply Harassment"

The moderate-liberal columnist opines: "This is the goofiest legislation since the Arizona House days earlier voted to require all presidential candidates to provide their birth certificates before they can have access to the Arizona ballot. This thoroughly useless legislation obviously sprang out of the goofy 'birther' movement, a persistent cult of moon dancers who refuse to acknowledge the validity of Barack Obama's birth certificate. What can you do with people who won't believe the documents of a documented worker? The new ID-check law not only allows but requires police to ask individuals for proof of their citizenship based on nothing more than reasonable suspicion that they might be illegal immigrants. Heaven knows how many unreasonable acts have been committed in the name of reasonable suspicion. The law requires legal immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times. That's so they can produce them on demand in the way freed slaves were required before the Civil War. And here I thought those days were over. Silly me. Of course, what about Americans who happen to look like what some people think an illegal immigrant looks like? These citizens better have some ID handy, too, or their next trip to the grocery could be interrupted by an unnecessary trip to a holding cell."

He continues his commentary: "The ID-check law is worse than useless. It is a hazard. It actually endangers public safety, as some police officials have pointed out, by poisoning police relations with minority communities. It discourages victims, witnesses and informants from coming forward to provide the help with which most crimes are solved. Worse, it puts Arizona in a class with apartheid South Africa in subjecting people to ID checks based on their appearance.....Is South Africa's pass coming to Arizona today? Even the usually sensible Gov. Jan Brewer admitted in a news conference that she doesn't know what an illegal immigrant 'looks like.' Yet since the overwhelming majority of Arizona's legal and illegal immigrants happen to be Hispanic, the ID-check law sounds very much like a breathtakingly bold attempt not only to legalize but force ethnic profiling by police. Anyone who denies that, as Brewer does, does not know the definition of profiling or desperately wishes not to know. But I congratulate the governor and her fellow state lawmakers for this much: They've brought Washington's overdue attention to some very serious immigration issues, including their state's porous border with Mexico. Unfortunately they've chosen to make their point with all the subtlety of a roadside bomb."

Kevin Jackson: "Illegal Immigration - Reprise"

The conservative Republican blogger in St. Louis, Mo. opines: "Mexicans could head south into South and Central America. But they don’t. They come to America. South and Central Americans march right through Mexico to immigrate, usually illegally into the U.S. You’d think that a few of them would stop along the way and say, 'You know, I think I will stay in Mexico City or Acapulco…it’s not so bad here!' But they do not! They continue marching towards the 'tyranny of the U.S.' It is this illegal influx that has caused American citizens to say enough is enough. This issue is about enforcing America’s laws, and not allowing the false issue of “foreigners doing jobs Americans don’t want” rule the day. At present unemployment rates, Americans are certainly more willing than in the past to consider ANY job. There are many examples of ICE raids that have occurred where illegal immigrants were deported, and the next day American citizens were lined up to accept these so-called 'jobs Americans don’t want.' A convenient excuse for the Left to use to allow approximately 20M illegals residents the opportunity to vote...Democrat!"

He continues his commentary: "Adding insult to insanity, Al 'Where’s the Camera' Sharpton compares America’s lack of enforcement of our laws to Apartheid in South Africa! So let me get this right, a group of non-Africans, the Dutch, oppress the indigenous people of Africa, the Africans, and Mexicans see this as a parallel to what is happening to Mexicans illegally living in America? No Sharpton, Mexicans (and others!) have entered our country illegally! They should have no rights, except to be treated humanely and shipped back to the apparently miserable countries they left. However because of the ignorant Left in this country they expect to be treated better than our citizens...and they ARE!"

More: "There is never a discussion of the process of immigration into other countries by people from the U.S. When was the last time somebody from America entered other countries illegally? Oh that’s right, it was two reporters who entered North Korea and were jailed! Does anybody recall that it took a former president to obtain their release? Not that anybody wants to, but to expatriate to Mexico for example is, in a word…astounding. And it’s not easy in most any country! But Obama is upset by the enforcement of our laws! The man who swore to uphold the Constitution of the U.S. openly scoffs at our laws!"

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L. DOUGLAS WILDER COMMENTARY: Why No Blacks On SCOTUS Shortlist?

The moderate Democrat and former Virginia governor opines, about the search for a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: "We need Thurgood Marshall back. When I look at the current lists of potential Supreme Court nominees President Barack Obama is supposedly considering to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, it perplexes me that most lack even the hint of a mention of a single African-American. Anyone paying attention to the lists the media throw around would be left to believe that the names of potential black justices are being kept apart — segregated into a pile that no one in the White House is paying attention to. But Marshall’s legacy means too much to our nation to not consider a black nominee." 

He continues his commentary: "On Oct. 1, 1967, when the Supreme Court reconvened from its summer recess, the American people were treated to a sight many never imagined they would live to see — and some probably prayed they’d never see. For the next 24 Supreme Court terms, Marshall, a lion of the civil rights movement, took the bench as a member of the nation’s highest court. Few people in U.S. history had done more to earn the title 'Justice' than Marshall. 'I believe it is the right thing to do,' President Lyndon B. Johnson said when he nominated Marshall, 'the right time to do it, the right place.' When Marshall stepped down on Sept. 30, 1991, he had proved the president right. From the very next day, however, many African-Americans felt unrepresented on the Supreme Court. Any number of decisions over the succeeding decades has proved them right. Since the late 1960s, the nation’s federal courts of appeal have provided the vast majority of nominees to the Supreme Court. When I look around the country, from appellate court to appellate court, I find many qualified African-American judges who could easily and naturally make the transition to the Supreme Court. Their names are augmented by the numerous black state Supreme Court judges who would also have little problem joining the high court. Justice Clarence Thomas just does not represent the aspirations, or reflect the perspective and experiences, of most African-Americans. I have read some of the court’s decisions over the past 20 years, and all I can do is shake my head. That body lacks a certain voice. It is painfully obvious how much Marshall is missed."

More: "Where is the diversity of life experience, education and ethnicity? Its absence tells me that Obama — who so richly exemplifies the diversity of the American mosaic — hasn’t yet tipped his true hand. But why limit this search to judges? I couldn’t even begin to name the great number of black lawyers who could join the justices of the Supreme Court and serve with distinction. Not to mention the plentiful crop of black law professors ready and able to serve. Many in the media would have us believe that Obama is considering none of these people. I would be mightily surprised if that were the case....More than ever, this nation needs a Thurgood Marshall. Although he now lives among the nation’s giants who watch over us from history books and court precedence, Marshall left us a human legacy in the form of any number of black judges and lawyers ready to take up his cause on the Supreme Court. The media would have us believe the president is ignoring each and every one. We owe Marshall, and the country, more than that. God knows, we have waited; and no group of Americans has waited longer."

Booker Rising response: I don't know why Mr. Wilder believes that there are no black people on President Obama's short list. It's been pretty well publicized that two blacks are on the short list: federal appeals judge Anne Claire Williams here in Chicago and Leah Ward Sears, the former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. How does Mr. Wilder not know this fact?! I will grant Mr. Wilder that Justice Thomas, who is a conservative and an originalist, does not represent the perspective of most black Americans, who are not conservative and favor strong Big Government approaches. However, a black guy who was born poor in the South, worked his way up to become successful, does not represent the experiences and aspirations of many African-Americans? Most African-Americans, of his generation? Get out of here with that mess. More importantly, shouldn't the primary focus be on people's qualifications and not on racial checkboxing?

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AIDS Programs Hit Setbacks In Africa

One year ago, U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a new $63 billion global health initiative. So why are advocacy groups raising the alarm about HIV treatment shortages (hat tip: NewsOne)? Newsweek writes: "Over the past year, the Obama administration has rolled out plans for a new, more pragmatic approach to U.S. global-health initiatives. As NEWSWEEK wrote in the fall, the plan was to get more results for less money, something health experts believed they could achieve by diversifying the U.S. global-health portfolio beyond the singular orientation of PEPFAR [the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief], and teaming up with multilateral partnerships, like the Geneva-based Global Fund. This would allow HIV clinics to treat an array of health issues, including those not related to HIV, and stabilize funding for a variety of health concerns, independent of transitory fundraising pushes for the cause du jour. At the same time, driven by critiques of PEPFAR's sustainability, the plan would cut costs by committing to treat the sickest patients first, shifting resources over to prevention efforts, and putting national governments on the hook for delivering services. The new plan isn't chump change; Obama asked Congress for $63 billion for his new Global Health Initiative, to be spread out over the next six years. Still, the money previously authorized by Congress for PEPFAR ($48 billion over five years, approved in 2008) didn't make it into this year's budget. Instead, arguing for a smaller, smarter PEPFAR, the administration increased funding by just 2.2 percent this year, the smallest increase the program has seen since its inception."

It continues: "AIDS advocates are now wondering whether 'pragmatic' is just a euphemism for cheap. In the last year, the number of HIV-positive people that PEPFAR started on treatment was the smallest it has been for four years, even while demand increases as patients live longer and the disease continues to spread unabated. The program's annual report is a thin 20 pages, consisting mostly of charts, compared with the 60- to 100-page tomes that used to mount vigorous defenses of the program each year. At the same time, the decision to slash $50 million from the U.S.'s commitment to the Global Fund has cast doubts on its commitment to multilateralism and partnership. There is a sense among AIDS advocates that a golden age of treatment has passed, says Emi MacLean, the U.S. director of Doctors Without Borders' essential-medicines access campaign. 'Whenever we raise questions about why PEPFAR is flatlining, the response is that we need to move away from the U.S. being the primary actor toward a more multilateral response. But the Global Fund is that multilateral response, and yet there's no increased commitment there,' she says."

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Charlie Crist Goes Independent: Bookerista Perspectives

Reports are that moderate-conservative Florida Gov. Charlie Crist - who's had a troubled U.S. Senate bid - tomorrow will announce that he's leaving the GOP and will make an independent bid for the seat. While originally seen by many as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, Gov. Crist lost momentum following his public support of U.S. President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan and veto of a GOP-backed education bill last week. The dynamic of the race will be dramatically altered with the emergence of three major candidates. The Democratic frontrunner is U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek (who is black). The most recent Rasmussen poll, conducted last week, has Mr. Rubio at 37 percent, Gov. Crist at 30 percent and Rep. Meek at 22 percent. Bookeristas weigh in:

Michael Steele: "Charlie Crist Won't Be Senator"

With GOP Gov. Charlie Crist set to announce that he will run as an independent in Florida's Senate race, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele vowed today that Gov. Crist will not serve a day in Washington, D.C. "There will be no Senator Crist," the moderate-conservative Republican declared during an interview on CNN's "Situation Room."

Once the favorite of the Republican establishment, Crist aides told POLITICO today that the governor – trailing his Senate primary foe, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, by double digits –will announce an independent run. "That's Charlie Crist's decision," Mr. Steele said. "I've said from the very beginning, I'm looking forward to going into Florida in November and supporting the Republican nominee for the United States Senate." He added, "We want to keep that seat in the Republican column and we're looking forward to going forward with the nominee," the RNC chairman continued. "And if Crist is not in the primary any longer, then we know who the nominee will be. That will be Marco Rubio."

CNN host Wolf Blitzer then pointed out that some polls show Gov. Crist could win the race as an independent, despite the fact that he was getting crushed in the Republican primary. "That's a real possibility," Mr. Steele conceded. "It's a dynamic that's unfortunate, in my view."

Samuel Gonzalez: "Florida Gov. Charlie Crist To Run As Independent In Senate Race"

The conservative Republican blogger in New York City writes: "It['s] official, Charlie Crist is a jerk in the Republican [P]arty! Thanks to this selfish and cowardly move to run as an independent in the Florida senate race, the votes m[a]y be split just enough to give the [S]enate seat to the Democrats. If Crist had any sense of party loyalty or even plain decency, he would rethink this bad decision and accept the will of the people of Florida. Shame on you, Charlie! How much is Barack Obama promising you?"

Dennis Sanders: "Charlie Crist And Moderate Republicanism"

The moderate Republican blogger in Minnesota argues that Gov. Crist's "opportunist" move ain't helping the moderate Republicans' cause: "If you would have asked me a few months ago about the prospects of Crist leaving the GOP, I would have said this is yet another sad reminder of the Republican Party's tilt to the far right. I would have cast Marco Rubio, the Crist's conservative opponent in the Florida Senate race as the evil conservative out to destroy all that is good and right with a moderate, conservative Republicanism. But now, I'm not so sad about Crist's decision. Don't get me wrong: I am concerned about the ongoing 'purging' that is taking place within the GOP. I don't like how a certain ideological rigidity has taken over. I think that there should be a moderate faction within the Republican [P]arty. But I want a principled moderate or centrist Republicanism, not one that seems based on changing political fortunes. The problem is Crist tends to be somewhat of an opportunist, willing to shift to the prevailing winds that will assure him victory."

He responds to conservatives who awhile ago highlighted Gov. Crist's record, which they argued was wishy-washy and a fiscal wreck: "After reading all this, I've come to the conclusion that Crist isn't some poor centrist getting bullied by mean conservatives, but a political chameleon that was done in by his own smarts. There's a lesson here for moderate Republicans. We can't simply support someone because they follow a certain checklist of our issues (gay rights, abortion rights, environment). If they can't govern worth two cents, then they don't deserve our vote. We have to support people who can govern competently and have values that they try to adhere to, and not just latch themselves to whatever or whoever is popular. I don't know if Rubio is worthy of my support, but I know that I won't be supporting Crist in his Independent bid. A moderate has to have some values."

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