Friday, October 12, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
My Oh My Oh My
I've lived in the south for over 40 years. I love it dearly and call it "home." But I am saddened, shocked and dismayed that the voters of North Carolina today chose to violate the tenets of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States by passing Amendment One. Not since 1875, when the state voted to disallow interracial marriage, has NC chosen to take away the rights of a minority. Welcome to the 19th century.
I wish everyone in NC could have heard this eloquent argument by The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II prior to voting today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywImcNViPtc
I wish everyone in NC could have heard this eloquent argument by The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II prior to voting today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywImcNViPtc
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Salute to Black History Month
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWtxCW9stNk&feature=fvsr
February is Black History Month. As one who learned my true racial heritage late in life, I take great pride in singing along to the words of the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing!
These are MY people. This is MY family. Celebrate diversity.
First Cousins
Standing in front of their grandparents' sod house.
Overton, Nebraska, Christmas, 1913
Overton, Nebraska, Christmas, 1913
My father is the toddler being held by his older brother, 3rd from the left.
February is Black History Month. As one who learned my true racial heritage late in life, I take great pride in singing along to the words of the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing!
These are MY people. This is MY family. Celebrate diversity.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wise Words
Below is a small excerpt from an op/ed piece written for CNN. Julian Zelizer recalls the midterm elections for presidents Reagan and Clinton, and how each was able to bounce back from miserable polls. As a Democrat frustrated by the lack of screaming and yelling coming from others in my party, I found the words hopeful and rational. I also think Mr. Zelizer is absolutely correct.
"But Obama must also do a better job at telling voters what he is about. While the president has a large legislative record to boast of, it remains unclear to many voters, including Democrats who support much of the record, what it all adds up to.
It's time for Obama to state his agenda and lay out a set of governing principles that will guide him in his next two years as president. It's likely that the pressure of the 2010 midterm elections will compel Obama to present an argument to the public to build a case for his presidency."
"But Obama must also do a better job at telling voters what he is about. While the president has a large legislative record to boast of, it remains unclear to many voters, including Democrats who support much of the record, what it all adds up to.
It's time for Obama to state his agenda and lay out a set of governing principles that will guide him in his next two years as president. It's likely that the pressure of the 2010 midterm elections will compel Obama to present an argument to the public to build a case for his presidency."
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian E. Zelizer.
Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. To read the complete article, click here:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/30/zelizer.obama.agenda/index.html?iref=allsearch
Julian Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. To read the complete article, click here:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/08/30/zelizer.obama.agenda/index.html?iref=allsearch
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
FAIL!
Sorry, Mr. President - but your speech tonight was lame. Don't make me wish I'd voted for Hillary!
Monday, April 26, 2010
And Now They're Mad?
Christian Struzan, in a message to the tea party, penned these very insightful words. He graciously granted permission for them to be posted here. My thanks to him.
Christian is an artist living in LA.
"YOU WANT TO GET MAD? We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, but now you get mad! You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy. You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted. You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.. You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war. You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq. You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people. You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans. You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden. You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed. You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city drown. You didn’t get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich. You didn’t get mad when, using reconciliation; a trillion dollars of our tax dollars were redirected to insurance companies for Medicare Advantage which cost over 20 percent more for basically the same services that Medicare provides. You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark, and our debt hit the thirteen trillion dollar mark. You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans… oh hell no. AND NOW YOU’RE MAD !"
By: Christian Struzan
Those with similar views need to speak out - LOUDLY and CLEARLY! And NOW!
Christian is an artist living in LA.
"YOU WANT TO GET MAD? We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, but now you get mad! You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy. You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted. You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.. You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war. You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq. You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people. You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans. You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden. You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed. You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city drown. You didn’t get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich. You didn’t get mad when, using reconciliation; a trillion dollars of our tax dollars were redirected to insurance companies for Medicare Advantage which cost over 20 percent more for basically the same services that Medicare provides. You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark, and our debt hit the thirteen trillion dollar mark. You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans… oh hell no. AND NOW YOU’RE MAD !"
By: Christian Struzan
Those with similar views need to speak out - LOUDLY and CLEARLY! And NOW!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Words of Wisdom
I read with great interest John Avlon's special to CNN today. His commentary (read on cnn.com) discusses 42nd President Bill Clinton's policies, legacy and words of advice.
The former president said this about the current incendiary language being used by right-wing extremists: "There is a big difference between criticizing a policy or a politician and demonizing the government that guarantees our freedoms and the public servants who enforce our laws."
Mr. Avlon ends with these wise words: "To see politics, we must view it with the broadest sense of perspective -- remembering that patriotism is ultimately more important than partisanship."
The former president said this about the current incendiary language being used by right-wing extremists: "There is a big difference between criticizing a policy or a politician and demonizing the government that guarantees our freedoms and the public servants who enforce our laws."
Mr. Avlon ends with these wise words: "To see politics, we must view it with the broadest sense of perspective -- remembering that patriotism is ultimately more important than partisanship."
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