Damn, Alexander O'Neal looks so fruity. Of course, Cherelle also makes an appearance. "Innocent" was Mr. O'Neal's first-ever R&B hit, reaching #11 on the charts.
Apparently, Mr. O'Neal is now a reality TV star in Britain....
5/31 Flashback Song: Alexander O'Neal, "Innocent" (1985)
Herman Cain: "I Prove That The Tea Party Isn't Racist"
From CBS News, about the conservative Republican businessman and presidential candidate: "GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain is out with a music video/biographical introduction that puts a heavy focus on his race - and casts his presidential run as evidence that Tea Party supporters are not racist. 'To all of those people who say that the Tea Party is a racist organization, eat your words," Cain, who is African-American, says in the video above."
More: "One African-American supporter featured in the video says she and the Tea Party are more interested in America's colors than skin color. 'When people ask me about the Tea Party, they ask me if it's about color, and I say 'yes it is, it's about red, white and blue,'" she says."
Booker Rising response: This video is bama as hell. Is this gonna appeal to urban conservatives?
Who Is The Hottest Bookerista? Nominate Your Fave
European sweep: British parliamentarian Adam Afriyie and French diplomat Rama Yade won last year
The weather is getting warmer, so it's time for Booker Rising's 2nd annual Hottest Bookeristas contest. Who are the best-looking / sexiest moderates, conservatives, and libertarians of acknowledged black African descent? Nominate folks either in the comments section or email bookerrising@yahoo.com by Saturday, June 4.
You can review last year's male finalists and female finalists. Last year's list contained some surprises. I thought my readers lost their minds when Justice Clarence Thomas was voted #3?! Then again, perhaps y'all foresaw the women who later acted like damn fools over him: wife Ginni Thomas calling up Anita Hill 20 years later, and Justice Thomas' ex-girlfriend writing a book about how he was a "national sexual treasure". So you never know....
Bookeristas: "Sarah Palin Should Run For President"
Three bookeristas think the former Alaska governor should toss her hat into the ring:
Clifton Bazar: "The Ever-Growing Signs Of Palin 2012"
The conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey writes: "First there were subtle steps like hiring a new chief of staff, trips abroad and the beefing up of SarahPAC. But these last two weeks Sarah Palin has been making some rather serious moves showing she is going to make a run in 2012. First, there has been a change in Palin's tone. Starting with her admission that she has a fire in her belly for 2012 and then her goal to make sure Obama is not reelected in 2012."
He continues his commentary: "The subtl[ety] is gone and now Palin is making some rather bold and obvious moves. First there was the purchase of a home in Arizona (an essential move given Alaska's logistic and climatic challenges). Then came the announcement that there will be a movie highlighting her career as governor, that will premiere in Iowa no less. Finally [recently] we learn that Palin will embark on a national bus tour."
Naomi Campbell: "Comparing Me To Chocolate Is Racist"
I'm not seeing racism here, but it's a brouhaha in the UK. From The Independent (UK): "[On Friday] Campbell revealed she is considering 'every option available' after Cadbury, owned by the US giant Kraft, refused to pull the ad campaign, which ran in newspapers last week: 'I am shocked. It's upsetting to be described as chocolate, not just for me, but for all black women and black people. I do not find any humour in this. It is insulting and hurtful.' The model's mother, Valerie Morris, backed her daughter, saying: 'I'm deeply upset by this racist advert. Do these people think they can insult black people and we just take it? This is the 21st century, not the 1950s. Shame on Cadbury.'"
Black Brits are asking for African-Americans help: "Disgust at the ad prompted members of the public to complain to the campaign group Operation Black Vote (OBV), which has called for Cadbury to apologise. OBV's Simon Woolley said that without an apology, the 'only recourse black people have is not to buy its chocolate'. He has written to the American civil rights activists Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to ask them to mobilise the country's Afro-American population. 'I want them to know what their parent company is doing in Europe. I've asked them to support us.'"
A Bookerista Responds: "Where's The Racism In This Ad?"
Jim Collier, a moderate blogger in California, writes: "Just to show that I am not a knee-jerk racist-accusing zealot, I did not find this ad racist. The company may owe Ms. Campbell a fee for use of her name and diva-ish reputation, but the reference would seem clearly positive - as I have yet to meet a female who does not love chocolate."
West: "America Shouldn't Be A Rent-A-Force In Libya"
From CNSNews.com, about the conservative Republican Congressman (see video here): "Republican Congressman and retired Army veteran Allen West (R-Fla.) said he 'cannot understand' America’s involvement in Libya and that U.S. military is being used as a 'rent-a-force' in the region. 'For every decision there are consequences and we have to sometimes analyze what could be those consequences. Just the same with operations in Libya – I cannot understand it. I don’t know what the goal and objective are,' West said in an address at the Heritage Foundation on Tuesday."
The article continues about the former Army lieutenant colonel's comments: "No one can clearly tell me who these rebels or who the rebel leaders are – where they come from; what do they seek to have; what are they going to bring to the table different than Moammar Gadhafi. Moammar Gadhafi’s a bad guy, there’s no doubt about it but there are means by which you can contain him, instead of committing our Air Force and our Navy to be kind of like a ‘rent-a- force’ to them."
Artur Davis Discusses John Edwards' Possible Federal Indictment For Violating Campaign Finance Law
 |
| Artur Davis |
More: "'Campaign finance law gives candidates significant leeway on how to spend campaign dollars, as long as the money does not end up in their own pocket,' says Davis, a former member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee and now a partner in the white collar and government investigations practice at law firm SNR Denton in Washington. 'It is exceedingly rare for the government to bring criminal charges in connection with the misuse of campaign dollars; when it happens it usually involves some other crime like obstruction or making false statements to investigators. Those elements seem to be missing here,' Davis adds."
The article continues: "He also thinks that the complaint is being handled in a 'bizarre' fashion. 'Given Edwards' stature as a former senator and serious presidential candidate, the normal practice would be for DOJ to take direct ownership of a high profile matter of this type, which has not happened here,' Davis explains. 'Instead, the local US Attorney's office in North Carolina is handling this matter. While Justice does have to sign off on the case, it is unusual that any direct action would be left in the hands of a satellite office far from Washington. All of this may signal a lack of enthusiasm in leadership circles within the Department.'"
Britain: Taylor Sentenced To 12 Months For Expenses Fraud
It's off to jail for the conservative politician and former lawyer, although he could serve as little as three months. However, he remains in the House of Lords unless a parliamentary act is passed to remove him. From the Financial Times (UK): "A former Tory peer has been jailed for 12 months for defrauding the parliamentary expenses system out of more than £11,000 [US$18,100]. Lord Taylor of Warwick, the first black Conservative member of the House of Lords, had carried out a 'protracted course of dishonesty', according to Mr Justice Saunders."
The article continues: "The peer was found guilty in January for claiming in 2006 and 2007 that his main residence was in Oxford, when he actually owned only one home in Ealing, west London. He had only twice visited the Oxford property – the residence of Robert Taylor, his step-nephew – and never stayed the night. He subsequently claimed an overnight allowance and travelling expenses to which he was not entitled. When challenged by the media, he said he was living with his elderly mother, who had in fact died some years earlier."
A Bookerista Responds
Walaa Idris, a Conservative Party activist in London, writes: "When a TV correspondent reported that Lord Taylor of Warwick was given a 12 months sentence for fiddling his expenses I was equally saddened for his verdict as I was for those before him. Losing one’s freedom can not be an easy thing either on the person or their family and loved ones – nevertheless that’s how we punish those who offend in this country. However, my sadness quickly turned to fury when the reporter continued by saying some parties are asking for leniency in the imprisonment part of the sentence on grounds that he is a role model to young black kids!!!"
She continues her commentary: "Young black kids have enough negative 'role models' both in prison and outside it 'running around' with ASBOs [anti-social behavior orders]. Not jailing Lord Taylor will send the wrong message and say, in this country there is one rule for blacks and another for non blacks – and it['s] okay for a black person to commit a crime because the law has a special concession for skin colour."
West: "U.S. Needs More, Not Less, Military Spending"
From The Washington Post, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "As the cost of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan becomes an increasingly weighty factor for President Obama’s national security team in determining the nation’s troop presence there, an outspoken GOP House freshman is calling for more, not less, defense spending. 'We get ready for World War I, then we go all the way down into a bottomless pit,' Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said Tuesday morning in an address to the conservative Heritage Foundation. 'Then we try to ramp it back up for World War II, and we go back down into a bottomless pit. If we don’t have a steady state (of funding), and then a plus or minus, we will lose an opportunity to ensure that we protect America for the future, for our children and our grandchildren.'"
More: "In making the case for increased military spending, West, a retired Army veteran, drew upon several anecdotes from his 22 years of military service, telling the audience that at times, 'my friends who were in tank units had to use golf carts to practice tank tactics. I can tell you as an executive officer when we did not have enough money to buy tools to repair our howitzers, or we did not have enough money to get toilet paper for some of our soldiers,' West continued. 'We did not have enough money to buy the ammunition so that guys could stay out on the rifle range. And we find ourselves going down that exact same path.'
The Hill also reports that Rep. Allen West also argued that the United States needs a bigger navy in order to deal with the Chinese military threat: "West called for a much larger U.S. Navy to compete with what in China will soon be the world’s largest naval fleet. The U.S. Navy now has 285 'deployable battle force ships,' according to a fact sheet on the service’s website. The fleet size has come down steadily over the last several decades. The Navy had 654 active warships in 1972, 594 in 1987 and 337 by 1999, according to another Navy fact sheet. The Chinese understand what the Greeks, Romans, Athenians and Dutch did in past eras — that a large and powerful navy is the way to expand a nation’s global presence, West said. More broadly, the freshman representative panned U.S. officials for failing, 'over the last 10 years,' to clearly define America’s strategic objectives. To that end, he called for a new strategic blueprint that matches desired military capabilities to the threats the nation faces."
Ghana Poll: Akufo-Addo Leads Mills In 2012 Presidential Race
 |
| President Mills (pictured left) & Akufo-Addo |
Booker Rising response: Nana Akufo-Addo is the son of Edward Akufo-Addo, a former Ghanaian president and Chief Justice who was one of the "Big Six" who led Ghana's fight for independence from Britain. He is also the grandnephew of the late J.B. Danquah, another "Big Six" member and father of Ghanaian conservatism. Nana Akufo-Addo lost the 2008 presidential election by less than one percent of the vote.
Steele: "I Won't Be MSNBC's Conservative Punching Bag"
From the Baltimore Sun, about the moderate-conservative former chairman of the Republican National Committee: "Reacting to what some are saying about his recent hiring as an analyst at MSNBC, Steele said, 'I think people kind of look at it and they go, 'Oh, gee, you know, yeah, he's the Alan Colmes.' Or, 'Pat Buchanon and Michael Steele that's, you know.' But I don't think it's that at all. I think I bring a very different style. If you've covered anything that I've done, certainly since my days as lieutenant governor [of Maryland], you know I'm not a wallflower. I don't hold back my views....I want to engage people.'"
The article continues: "Steele, who had been in talks with the cable channels so long that TVNewser was running polls on where and when he would land, said it was his Republican friends who urged him to join liberal MSNBC. 'It was surprising to me how many of my Republican friends -- not even knowing what the status of the discussions were, or who I was talking to, and how hot and heavy those discussions were -- would voluntarily say, 'Go to MSNBC,' the Maryland resident said in a telephone interview with the Sun. 'They thought if there was anyone who was going to go take that flag and plant it [in liberal territory], it would be me, because I'm not afraid,' he added. 'Look, after the two years I had fighting, dealing with the establishment within my own party, I'm ready for liberals. I'm ready. I am absolutely ready. So, I thank the establishment for the warm up.'"
College Costs In America: Bookerista Perspectives
Student loan debt outpaced credit card debt for the first time last year and is on target to top a trillion dollars in 2011. Bookeristas weigh in about college:
De'Von Weatherspoon: "Is College The New Burden?"
Asks the Morehouse College student from Michigan and Republican: "There are no jobs for us. As a result, we have to live with our parents ([j]ust after one semester and coming back for Christmas break, I know this is quite a task). Many members of my generation and I wonder all the time: Is [c]ollege really worth it? The answer varies, but one thing is becoming known; it is not necessary to graduate to have success. Even the previous sentence cannot grasp fully our sentiment thoughts. Success is increasingly becoming self defined, and more often than not, college is not a constant variable."
Duane Brayboy: "Is College Just A Big Scam?"
Asks the conservative blogger in Georgia: "While I think it might be a good idea to give your kids some start up money for college, shouldn’t we as parents make it mandatory that our kids should work and pay for their own education? If we are truly honest, I do not think that there are too many kids out there who know EXACTLY what they want to do once they graduate from high school. I mean, at that stage kids are still trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. Why not give them the opportunity to FEEL like one and have them pay for their own education as they go along? I personally think that if someone really wants to go to college, they will work hard to get there. And if they are working hard in grade school, they will be increasing their chances of getting a scholarship. Maybe even a full ride."
Clarence Page: "Change Is Needed To Make College Worth The Money"
Asserts the moderate-liberal commentator: "What can be done? The growth of online courses nationwide — even at Harvard — illustrates how much we need to rethink about education in the new century. We can begin by making the future of education funding part of the coming year’s political debates on the federal and state level. Congress is considering cuts to Pell Grants for low-income college students, for example, at a time when the potential value of a college diploma is more important than ever. But colleges and universities also need to investigate and report why college tuition and fees have risen at a higher rate than general inflation — and family incomes — over the past 25 years, even during recessions."
The Mess Before Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan
 |
| Jonathan (pictured far left) at his inauguration |
More about Nigerian politics: "However, a ray of hope exists [despite crooked local politicians and a jacked-up educational sector]. The success story of Lagos is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria can change. President Jonathan does not inspire confidence when he speaks, but that will not matter if his works as president inspire Nigeria to its rightful place of greatness. He sees God in his rise from sheer poverty to the presidency, President Goodluck Jonathan will certainly call for the divine in his quest to tidy up Nigeria. His story inspired Nigerians to vote for him, one can only wish his works will inspire Nigeria to greater good."
Charles Onyango-Obbo: "Here's Why Kenya & Uganda Should Shiver Over Sudan’s Abyei Crisis"
The Ugandan-born moderate in Kenya writes about the Sudanese crisis: "Abyei contains rich pastureland, water and an oil field known as Diffra. Tensions are both over actual and speculative oil deposits. The region has emotional, symbolic and strategic significance. A number of leading figures from the south’s dominant party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), come from the area. North Sudan, unlike the south, is largely desert and depends for nearly 90 per cent of its revenues on oil from the fields in the south. Losing Abyei could, potentially, lead to the north’s economic collapse."
The article continues: "Yet, in several ways, [Sudan President Omar al-]Bashir’s reaction in Abyei last week could set off a chain reaction that could be the north’s death warrant. According to analysts, Bashir is spoiling for a war to shore up his position, and he could overplay his hand in the process. Locally, cracks are emerging in the inner circle that has kept Bashir in power. As he gets increasingly isolated, Bashir does not only face the risk of a coup, but the imagery of Southern Sudan gaining independence is expected to strengthen the voice and resolve of Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur to break away from the North. Add to that the possibility that in taking over Abyei in contravention of the CPA and recent security agreements struck with the SPLM, Bashir’s calculation in Khartoum was that because an attack would be so provocative, the South would retaliate immediately, and there would be war. With war, the July 9 formal independence of South Sudan wouldn’t happen, effectively annulling the results of the February 17 referendum and enabling Khartoum to exploit the oil in the south legally."
More: "A possible balkanization of Sudan into five independent states [Southern Sudan, Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and the North] would reverberate across Africa. At a regional level, the Abyei crisis could easily snowball and reawaken the proxy wars that have in the past enjoined Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad and Kenya into its domestic politics."
Open Thread: Memorial Day Weekend
Booker Rising will be taking a break until Tuesday. It is Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., which honors folks like Dorie Miller (pictured) who died during military service. And of course, the unofficial start of summer...
Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 28, 8:00pm ET, USA: Herman Cain Appears On The Fox News Channel
The conservative Republican businessman and presidential candidate will appear on "Huckabee", in an obvious bid to win over the supporters of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee (who decided not to run for president). I'm sure that they'll be discussing policy issues of the day.
Sunday, May 29, 9:00am ET, USA: Juan Williams & Rep. Allen West Appear On "Fox News Sunday"
Mr. Williams, a moderate-liberal commentator, will appear on a panel with Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard, Nina Easton of Fortune magazine, and Byron York of The Washington Examiner.
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), is a guest on the show, and I'm sure he'll be talking about his opposition to the Patriot Act's extension (among other issues). Other guests are Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.).
Sunday, May 29, 4:00pm BT, Britain: Dambisa Moyo Speaks At The Hay Festival
The Zambian-born moderate-conservative economist and best-selling author will be discussing trade, investment, and economic growth with British journalist Bronwen Maddox. The event with Dr. Moyo is sold out, but you never know. The event takes place at the Elmley Foundation Theatre in Hereford, England.
Rep. Allen West Opposes Patriot Act Extension
From SunSentinel.com, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "South Florida Congressman Allen West, a retired Army colonel who served in Iraq, opposed extension of the Patriot Act, legislation that allows wiretapping and other enforcement powers to secure the homeland from terrorists. 'I am not fully convinced that by extending these provisions for four years we would be any safer, but instead I fear they may only give us the illusion of being safer,' West, a Republican from Plantation, told his colleagues."
The article continues: "The House and Senate approved the extension, and President Obama signed it into law late Thursday. West’s opposition reflects the growing unease by an unusual combination of conservatives and liberals who are concerned about the government’s power to investigate citizens and foreigners in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attack. West has asked FBI Director Robert Mueller to clarify how many times these provisions have been used on citizens and non-citizens, how many were convicted or investigated, how many were released without being charged and 'what intelligence, if anything, came from these instances.' 'There is a constant struggle between liberty and safety,' West said, 'and it is a principle that I am prepared to balance as a congressman of the United States.'"
New Black Heritage Network Being Shopped
From Broadcasting & Cable: "A group of investors including former FCC Commissioner Tyrone Brown, TIAA-CREF CEO Roger Ferguson, syndicated columnist Clarence Page and former GE and NBC exec Paul Besson, are backing the launch of a new nonfiction programming based African American-targeted cable and satellite net, the Black Heritage Network. According to former WUSA-TV GM Richard Reingold, who will be CEO of the new net, BHN is in 'serious' talks with the major distributors and expects to have about seven million subs [subscriptions] at launch, which is targeted for December of this year."
More: "The network will combine original programs with updated 'classic material,' all of it reality and/or history programming rather than scripted -- it will have some 'classic movies' with 'cultural relevance.' Reingold describes it as a mix of Discovery and History Channel targeted at a 'slightly older, educated, affluent audience' than its competition.' He calls its target the upper end of the 25-54 African demo and 50-plus, which he says is where the money is. Unlike the just-launched Bounce TV, the network will is targeted at cable and satellite operators rather than digital multicast channels, says Reingold."
Booker Rising response: Is it too much to ask to have a black-owned network with original, scripted programming that's not years old?
Sudan: 80,000 Flee Fighting
From National Public Radio: "In Sudan, 'around 80,000 people have fled since the north Sudanese army seized the disputed Abyei region almost a week ago,' a local official tells Reuters. 'The situation is going from worse to even worse,' Dominic Deng, commissioner of the of a region in south Sudan that borders Abyei told the wire service. Many of the refugees have fled to his region, Deng said, and 'they are sleeping under the trees. They need food and water....some people are dying.'"
More: "Thursday on Morning Edition, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, Princeton Lyman, explained to guest host Mary Louise Kelly that Abyei 'is a very small part of the Sudan, but it is one in which each side is very heavily invested, emotionally and politically. It has long been in dispute, between the north and the south, as to where Abyei should be.'"
Ken Blackwell Will Decide Next Month Whether Or Not He Will Run For The U.S. Senate
From the Springfield News-Sun (Ohio), about the conservative Republican: "In an interview Wednesday with the Dayton Daily News, Blackwell, 63, said he is talking with fundraisers and supporters and expects to announce a decision next month after the launch of his new book, 'Resurgent: How Constitutional Conservatism Can Save America.' 'If I decide to run, it will be to win,' Blackwell said in an email to 450 conservatives around the country last week."
More: "Blackwell has not yet formed a campaign committee that would permit him to raise money. Two other Republicans, Treasurer Josh Mandel, 33, and former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin, 41, have formed such committees, but have nor formally announced their candidacies to seek the nomination to challenge first-term Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. In a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, Blackwell, who won statewide races for treasurer and secretary of state, emerged with by far the most support for the nomination. Among Republicans, Blackwell got 33 percent, nearly double Mandel’s 17 percent and nearly seven times the 5 percent for Coughlin. However, 43 percent either were undecided or gave no answer. The poll found all three Republicans losing to Brown, but Blackwell was in the tightest race, losing 44-35 percent. Against Mandel, from suburban Cleveland, Brown won, 45-31 percent and against Coughlin, Brown prevailed, 44-28 percent."
Apocalypse, Oops: Again
 |
| Camping: "All non-Christians will be obliterated" |
He continues his commentary about Harold Camping: "He now declares, according to The Associated Press, that he got the date wrong. Again? He said that in 1994 too. When the world failed to end then, he claimed a mathematical error in his calculations and reset Judgment Day for last Saturday. This time after humanity remained stubbornly untouched by anything worse than the usual disasters, he readjusted his prediction. Now, he says, we can look for the Rapture and a big ball of fire on Oct. 21. Left unsaid is why any of us should trust his math, if we ever did."
Mr. Page argues that some folks will fall for anything: "In that vein, Camping's folly offers us a valuable lesson in what I would call a foolish certainty that, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said of a 'foolish consistency,' is 'the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.' We humans have amazing powers of forgiveness, especially for those who help us to believe what we desperately wish to be true."
2012 Election: Herman Cain In The News
Herman Cain: "The GOP, Media Slight Me"
From NewsMax.com: "Republican voters are rallying to Herman Cain in straw polls and on the stump, so the presidential candidate and former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza is asking why the party apparatus has snubbed him, the Washington Wire blog of the Wall Street Journal reports. blogs. Cain, a political newcomer and black conservative radio talk-show host in Atlanta, also told the Journal that the national media has been as dismissive of his candidacy as the national GOP. 'It has nothing to do with my color,' he said. 'I just happen to be outside of the establishment.'"
Herman Cain: "I Ain't Worried About Sarah Palin"
From Fox News, about the conservative Republican businessman: "Amid renewed speculation that Sarah Palin could run for president, 2012 candidate Herman Cain said he's 'not worried' about a possible bid by the former Alaska governor. Cain avoided any notion that a Palin bid might steal away his Tea Party spotlight, telling Neil Cavuto, 'I have a lot of respect for Governor Palin. Governor Palin is helping to stir the pot. What I like about her most is that she tells it like it is. That means that you've got several people out there being honest with the American people, calling it like it is, and this is what the American people are asking for.'"
Herman Cain: "There's A Double Standard With Obama"
From CNN: "Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain defended his limited foreign policy experience by comparing his history to that of President Barack Obama. 'President Obama didn't (have any) either. So why is it, it's a double standard,' Cain said Friday on 'CNN Newsroom.' When pressed on the comparison, given that Cain is frequently critical of the president, he said Obama's failings are because he lacks 'problem solving experience,' something the former Godfather's Pizza CEO said he has. 'I have taken organizations that were troubled financially and made them very successful,' Cain told CNN's Carol Costello. 'It appears as if some people want to give President Obama a pass for lack of experience but yet they don't want to acknowledge my problem solving experience.'"
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "Republicans Are Waging A War On Women"
Samuel Gonzalez, a conservative Republican blogger in New York City, takes issue with the liberal Democrat: "But Democrats who vote pro-life get a pass [as Ms. Wasserman Schultz claimed?]. The mind of the Liberal is an incredible thing. They live in a world of their own where attempting to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion is somehow construed as a war against women. Think about that for a moment. It’s warlike, according to Debbie, to not want to be party to abortion. So killing unborn babies is not warlike, but withholding public funding is? To the rational mind, it doesn’t make sense. But, Liberal thought has absolutely nothing to do with rationality."
Yale Scholar: "Blacks Were The First To Celebrate Memorial Day"
From BlackAmericaWeb.com (hat tip: The Root): "Three years before the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic called on Union veterans’ organizations to decorate the graves of dead soldiers, blacks in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865 launched the first Decoration Day in honor of the Union’s war dead, says Yale University history professor David Blight. 'That ceremony on May 1, 1865 was actually the first recorded Decoration Day or Memorial Day,' said Blight, author of several books, including 'Reunion and Race.' Today, the national observance on the last Monday in May still serves as a day to remember those who died in wars. It’s also mixed with parades, picnics and other displays of patriotism."
More: "Blight was in a Harvard University library doing research for 'Reunion and Race' about 15 years ago when he stumbled across a box of unorganized papers of a Union veterans’ organization and a folder with the words 'First Decoration Day' written on it. He sifted through those papers and landed on a research path that would take him to South Carolina and the former Washington Race Course and Jockey Club, a place that was once a prestigious horse racing course for the state’s low country planters and others in the wealthy, aristocratic class. During the Civil War, that track was turned into a prison for Union soldiers. Many died there, but were not buried properly, Blight said. Following the Confederate surrender ending the Civil War, blacks went to the place where hundreds of prisoners had been buried, many in mass graves. 'Blacks, many of them recently freed slaves, buried the soldiers properly. They put up a fence around the area and painted it. More than 260 were buried there. We don’t know the names. We don’t know the race,' Blight told BlackAmericaWeb.com. Following the burials, there was a ceremony."
Libya: Bookerista Perspectives
USA: Rep. Allen West: "Congress Needs To Approve Further Libya Operations"
From The Hill, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "Freshman Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) on Thursday morning said he wants President Obama to seek congressional authority for continued military operations in Libya. In a C-SPAN interview, West said he agrees that the War Powers Act gives the executive branch the authority to commit troops for 60 days without congressional approval, but said that window has elapsed. 'I think that we've gone past that deadline, which was last Friday,' West said. 'So I think that the president needs to come and talk to the Congress about his plan as far as going ahead.'"
Uganda: Andrew Mwenda: "A NATO-Installed Regime In Libya Is Futile & Dangerous"
Asserts the Ugandan libertarian journalist: "Even where Africa fails, it should never justify us submitting to foreign control. We need to organise our own social movements to overcome tyranny. And this is not because the outside world is ill-intentioned. Rather it is because even when noble in their intentions, they do not understand our intricacies. Foreign solutions often fail to take into consideration the uniqueness of our problems. The people of Egypt and Tunisia have shown that our societies have capacity to bring down entrenched tyrants."
More commentary from Mr. Mwenda: "NATO’s particular approach to the Libyan problem will undermine the democratic content of the current struggle. By guaranteeing rebel victory and babysitting them all the way to power, it is actually encouraging opportunists without strong commitment to reform to join. Many former Gaddafi handlers are now joining the rebellion in order to be on the winning side, not because they believe in the objectives of the struggle. With time, the opportunists will crowd out the genuine democrats."
Rep. Tim Scott Co-Sponsors Job Protection Act
From FedSmith, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) has introduced The Job Protection Act to underscore current protection of state laws in the National Labor Relations Act. Initiated with his South Carolina colleagues, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), this legislation will prevent the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from moving forward with their case against Boeing or attempting similar action against other companies."
The article continues about the bill: "The Job Protection Act explicitly clarifies that the NLRB cannot order an employer to relocate jobs from one location to another, guarantees an employer the right to decide where to do business within the United States, and protects an employer’s free speech regarding the costs associated with having a unionized workforce without fear of such communication being used as evidence in an anti-union discrimination claim."
More: "In explaining the need for this measure, Scott said, 'The NLRB’s action represents an unprecedented attack on our free enterprise system and it ignores 45 years of NLRB and Supreme Court precedent, which holds that an employer has a legitimate and permissible interest in preventing future work stoppages.'"
NEGRO, PLEASE POST OF THE DAY: Scottie Pippen: "LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan"
 |
| Who is tops: LeBron or Air? |
He backtracked some: "Pippen responded first by posting, 'For all of you that don't know, I played the game you keep watching and cheering.' He softened his stance later, writing: 'Don't get me wrong, MJ was and is the greatest. But LeBron could by all means get to his level someday.'"
Juan Williams: "I Don't Regret The Muslim Comments That Got Me Fired From NPR"
No surprise, given that he quickly bounced back and is getting paid more now than ever. From The Daily Caller, about the moderate-liberal commentator: "Fox News contributor Juan Williams said he has no regrets about the comments he made about Muslims that got him fired last year as an analyst on National Public Radio. 'I never had a second thought,' he said during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. 'Because in fact what I expressed was a genuine feeling. It was not a well-vetted analysis.'"
More: "Williams was fired from NPR in October after telling Bill O’Reilly on Fox News that because of the September 11th attacks, he is nervous when he boards planes and sees Muslims. 'When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they’re identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous,' he said. Williams’ firing sparked calls from Republicans to defund NPR, saying the episode illuminated the organization’s liberal bias. He said Thursday his comment 'wasn’t a suggestion that we base our TSA policies on the basis of such a feeling, it was simply an honest statement of feeling.'"
House Republicans' Budget Plan Defeated In U.S. Senate
 |
| Capitol Hill |
More: "The nation's record deficits have gripped Washington at a time of intensified voter concern over the debt load, putting budget battles at the center of political debate. The GOP budget would have cut nearly $6 trillion over the next decade and revamp Medicare by giving the next generation of seniors a set amount of money to buy health insurance policies on the private market rather than guaranteeing health coverage."
They also defeated President Obama's budget: "Obama’s budget calls for an end to the tax breaks for upper-income households, reinstating a higher tax bracket for households earning beyond $250,000 annually as was the case before the President George W. Bush-era tax cuts. Moderate Democrats, especially those facing tough re-election campaigns in 2012, have resisted tax hikes. Obama's budget was even more dramatically defeated, 0-97, with all senators present, Democrats and Republicans, opposed. The president has largely moved away from his initial budget to a new fiscal outline, which also proposes deeper budget cuts but also calls for tax hikes on the wealthy. Two other votes on Republican budgets put forward by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), also failed to advance."
Bishop Eddie Long Settles Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit
 |
| One of the booty call pics sent to the young men |
More: "Back in September, the Associated Press reported on allegations that the pastor 'abused his spiritual authority to seduce [teenage boys] with cars, money, clothes, jewelry, international trips and access to celebrities.' Later details reported in the Christian Post said that the married father of four 'admitted to mentoring the men and sharing rooms with them while on trips, but denied any sexual activity took place.'"
Some background about the preacher: "Beyond his sizeable and influential church ministry, Long is well known for his anti-homosexuality messages and activism against same-sex marriage, a perceived hypocrisy that only inflamed his critics."
SHELBY STEELE COMMENTARY: Obama's Unspoken Re-Election Edge
The conservative commentator argues that Obama's presidency flatters America to a degree that no white Republican can hope to match: "What gives Mr. Obama a cultural charisma that most Republicans cannot have? First, he represents a truly inspiring American exceptionalism: He is the first black in the entire history of Western civilization to lead a Western nation — and the most powerful nation in the world at that. And so not only is he the most powerful black man in recorded history, but he reached this apex only through the good offices of the great American democracy. Thus his presidency flatters America to a degree that no white Republican can hope to compete with. He literally validates the American democratic experiment, if not the broader Enlightenment that gave birth to it."
He continues his commentary: "He is also an extraordinary personification of the American Dream: Even someone from a race associated with slavery can rise to the presidency. Whatever disenchantment may surround the man, there is a distinct national pride in having elected him. All of this adds up to a powerful racial impressionism that works against today's field of Republican candidates. This is the impressionism that framed Sen. John McCain in 2008 as a political and cultural redundancy — yet another older white male presuming to lead the nation. The point is that anyone who runs against Mr. Obama will be seen through the filter of this racial impressionism, in which white skin is redundant and dark skin is fresh and exceptional. This is the new cultural charisma that the president has introduced into American politics."
Open Thread Friday
You know the drill: keep it clean and civil, but otherwise discuss what you'd like to discuss on my blog. Otherwise, I gotta do how B-Rock did a giddy then-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the 2009 G-20 summit, "Slow your roll, partner. Be careful how you approach my precious baby. If you disrespect her, don't think that I won't clown your ass right here."
Tim Pawlenty: Bookerista Perspectives
 |
| Tim Pawlenty |
Asks the conservative Republican blogger in New York, about the GOP presidential candidate: "I’m sure Tim Pawlenty is a nice guy. It’s hard being a GOP gov in a blue state like Minnesota. I get ti [sic]. But, I think he has a significant yawn factor to get over the hump. I'm not saying he can’t do it. But, he has his work cut of for him. However, knowing the GOP establishment types as I do, Pawlenty may be made to order. You know what that menas> [sic]? 4 more years of Barack Obama!"
Clifton Bazar: "Tim Pawlenty Is Painfully Uninspiring"
Asserts the conservative Republican blogger in New Jersey: "For me, a Pawlenty candidacy is a non starter. His support for a regional cap and trade scheme and other RINO activities puts him in the Romney league for me. 2012 is no time for 11th hour converts to conservatism."
ANDREW MWENDA COMMENTARY: Rwanda And Western Prejudices Towards Africa
The Ugandan libertarian journalist writes: "Over the years, human rights activists, end-poverty evangelists, politicians, rock stars, journalists and diplomats from the western world have become extremely vocal in affairs that concern the people of Africa. They carry a near-cultural arrogance that makes them feel qualified to judge and dictate affairs on the continent. One wonders why this British journalist [Ian Birrell, who got into a Twitter battle last week with Rwandan President Paul Kagame] (like many of his ilk) feels he cares about the human rights of the people of Rwanda than its elected president and government. Why does he think he is more humane (or human) than Kagame?"
He continues: "Morally, Kagame shines far above George Bush and Tony Blair or [British Prime Minister David] Cameron and [U.S. President Barack] Obama. The leaders of these democracies have proceeded to jail, torture and kill suspected Al Qaeda sympathisers without any due process – including small people like taxi drivers, idlers and hawkers. In Rwanda, Kagame has promoted restorative justice where only the ringleaders of genocide were prosecuted while the masses who implemented it have been forgiven and re-integrated in society. The scale of the challenge RPF faced was such that hardly anyone would have predicted success. One would have expected a counter genocide. There were only isolated human rights abuses. Within 17 years, RPF has been able to reconstruct the state and economy and institutionalise power so rapidly that human rights abuses are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The speed and effectiveness of this achievement is a feat without precedent in human history."
G-8: Nations, Banks To Give $40 Billion For 'Arab Spring'
From the Associated Press: "Rich countries and international lenders are aiming to provide $40 billion in funding for Arab nations trying to establish free democracies, officials said at a Group of Eight summit Friday. The officials didn't provide a breakdown of where the money would come from or when, or what it would be for. But the overall message from President Barack Obama and the other G-8 leaders meeting in this Normandy resort [in Deauville, France] appeared to be warning autocratic regimes in the Arab world that they will be shut out of rich-country aid and investment, while new democracies are encouraged to open their economies."
More: "A group statement from the G-8 leaders said that $20 billion from international development banks could go to Egypt and Tunisia over the next three years. Beyond the institutional funding, the [unnamed] French official said the aim was for another $20 billion from bilateral support from G8 members as well as from rich Persian Gulf states and others."
Herman Cain In The News
Of course, the conservative Republican businessman is in the news a lot:
Cain Scores In Latest Gallup Poll
From Fox13.com: "The latest Gallup poll, released Thursday, showed Cain, the former honcho of a pizza chain, outpolling, among others, Tim Pawlenty, the two-term governor of Minnesota, and Michele Bachmann, the fiery congresswoman from Minnesota, among Republican presidential aspirants. The poll, a survey of Republicans and GOP-tilting independents, had Cain at 8%, despite his lack of name recognition. And while nabbing less than 10% in a poll does not a banner headline make, more interesting is a number that Gallup labels 'positive intensity'— a measure of how strongly respondents feel about a candidate. According to the figures, those who know Cain (and, sure, there aren’t all that many) — love the guy. His score was the highest of any potential candidate, Gallup said."
However, Mr.Cain has gained 12 percentage points in name recognition since March.
DNC Sets Sights On Herman Cain
From The Daily Caller: "While the [Democratic National Committee] has been barraging media and supporters with alerts criticizing Republican presidential hopefuls Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, and Mitt Romney’s media appearances, Cain has largely been out of the mix. Last week, the DNC sent out more than 25 alerts attacking the aforementioned GOP frontrunners, not one mentioned Cain. Today, however, the committee ramped up its focus on Cain, issuing a 'Rapid Response' attack against his morning 'Fox and Friends' appearance, during which Cain praised the Paul Ryan budget."
Herman Cain Strikes Back At Karl Rove, Charles Krauthammer: "My Campaign Isn't Entertainment, It's About Inspiration & Excitement"
Mr. Cain strikes back at the conservative Republican commentators on Fox News. From Mediate (see video here).
DEBATE: Should America Support Israel?
There is a clear libertarian vs. conservative divide on this issue:
YES: Rep. Tim Scott Condemns President Obama's Call For Israel To Revert To 1967 Borders
From the conservative Republican Congressman's press office: "I disagree in the strongest terms with President Obama’s call for Israel to return to the 1967 borders as a pre-condition for further Arab-Israeli peace talks. I am appalled that the President would pressure Israel to negotiate with a Palestinian Authority that is now comprised of Hamas – a terrorist group committed to Israel’s destruction. The United States must lead – from the front – in the global struggle for freedom and democracy. If it does, Israel will be safer, the Middle East will be safer, and the world will be safer."
More from Rep. Scott's statement: "Despite our President’s reticence, Republicans in Congress should use this moment to ensure that our country continues to lead the free world. With our influence over the budgetary discussions, foreign aid, and the Defense Department, we should look for new ways to foster democratic institutions, as opposed to pouring billions into military assistance and propping up regimes that do not support our values. That is good policy for America and for all democracies in the region.”
NO: Jay Thomas: "We Shouldn't Support The Last Apartheid Nation"
Asserts the Libertarian Party supporter in California: "Should we support Israel indefinitely, while they continue the last Apartheid Nation? I say here is another place we can cut spending, if Israel wants to continue it[s] occupation. Do it without my [t]ax dollars! Life Long Libertarian!"
He takes another Facebook poster to task: "[A] Pro-Zionist argument is not in line with Libertarian philosophy. You are advocating Christian Conservative dogma that is more divisive to the World. The Liberty that we advocate as Americans we advocate for the world. Liberty to the people of the region will not allow a State based on religious fundamentalism or race as history has proven time and time again. We are one people, not Chosen or Un-Chosen."
Ayaan Hirsi Ali & Dambisa Moyo Make "100 Most Influential People Of Africa" List
The Somali-born libertarian feminist and the Zambian-born moderate-conservative economist make New African's "100 Most Influential People Of Africa" list. The list honors "the top 100 influencers, opinion-shapers, doers, agitators, groundbreakers, myth-busters, business people, sportsmen and women, actors and actresses, etc. who are reshaping the face of Africa as well as global opinion about what Africa and Africans can achieve."
You can read the European-based magazine online here.
Afghanistan: Bookerista Perspectives
Bookeristas on two continents opine about Afghanistan:
USA: Rep. Allen West: "Maybe Some Of My Fellow Congressmen Need To Get Shot At A Few Times In Order To Realize The Threat That The Taliban Poses"
Yeah, the former Army lieutenant colonel went there. From the Miami Herald, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "With Osama bin Laden dead, the House is considering two votes to force President Barack Obama to establish clear, expedited timetables for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan, where about 100,000 are now. Obama plans to begin withdrawing some forces in July, and he aims to have most of them out by 2014. And while the efforts to speed up his timetable are expected to fail, thanks largely to strong opposition from Republicans, the votes could be close."
More: "Some members, though, remain stea[d]fast: Florida Republican Rep. Allen West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who trained Afghan officers, soundly denounced efforts to withdraw, calling the threat there a 'multi-headed Hydra.' 'Is the Taliban still fighting? I spent 2.5 years in Afghanistan. Just because you kill Osama bin Laden does not mean that the Taliban has stopped fighting,' he said. 'Now can we fight a little smarter? Absolutely.' Asked about efforts to curb U.S. involvement, West said, 'I would take these gentlemen over and let them get shot at a few times and maybe they'd have a different opinion.'"
Black Women No Longer Have Their Essence
 |
| Why is Essence bigging up NeNe Leakes? |
More: "When I went on Essence Music Festival’s website and looked at the speakers listed under 'Empowerment' I was stunned and quite embarrassed! The Essence Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of Black musical talent in the U.S. It is a 3 day event filled with cultural celebrations, empowerment panels, and nightly entertainment by some of the biggest names in music. It is held in New Orleans, LA every July. The event attracts more than 200,000 people. One of the speakers listed under “Empowerment” is 'NeNe' Leakes. She is one of the main characters of the reality TV show, 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' The show is about the private lives of women who are dating or is married to successful men in the Atlanta area. Leakes is a foul mouth, angry, nasty person on the show and from media accounts in real life also. She is also the founder of Twisted Hearts Foundation (which focuses on domestic violence against women). They were forced to close down last year after being suspected of money laundering. Leakes is also a former stripper."
And more: "One of the other speakers listed under 'Empowerment' is Shaunie O’Neal, former wife of N.B.A. great Shaquille O’Neal. She is the executive producer of 'Basketball Wives.' The women’s only claim to fame is that they either dated or were married to a pro basketball player. They have nor had no identity outside the athletes they were involved with. Both shows portray women in the worst light imaginable — using high profile men to get fame and fortune. These women then try to exploit their former relationships to get their own TV show. They are paid to tell the most intimate details of their former relationships. Essence, could you please tell me how these two women fit into your mission of uplifting the Black woman? What can they teach women about 'empowerment?' Is this really the image of Black women Essence wants to promote?"
War Crimes Fugitive Mladic Arrested In Serbia
 |
| Mladic, in 1995 |
The article continues: "Mladic's arrest removed the most important barrier to the Western-leaning Serbian government's efforts to join the European Union and to rehabilitate the country's image as a pariah state that sheltered the men responsible for the worst atrocities of the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Mladic had two pistols when he was arrested but offered no resistance, and he appeared shrunken and pale, Serbian officials and media said. Serbia raised its national security level and banned all gatherings after nationalist groups pledged to pour into the streets in protest."
Background on the crimes that he is accused of: "Foremost among the horrors Mladic is charged with is the July 1995 slaughter of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, which was supposed to be a safe zone guarded by Dutch peacekeepers. A bullnecked field commander with narrow, piercing blue eyes, Mladic seized the town and was seen handing candy to Muslim children in the town's square. He assured them everything would be fine and patted one boy on the head. Hours later, his men began days of killing, rape and torture. War crimes tribunal judge Fouad Riad said during Mladic's 1995 indictment in absentia that the court had seen evidence of 'unimaginable savagery: thousands of men executed and buried in mass graves, hundreds of men buried alive, men and women mutilated and slaughtered, children killed before their mothers' eyes, a grandfather forced to eat the liver of his own grandson.'"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
