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Giving and Receiving Gifts of Spirit: How Goodwill can Promote Change
Published on 2012-12-20 01:09:00
By Fannie LeFlore, MS,LPC,CADC,EAP The recent loss of so many innocent kids who had their whole lives ahead of them, apparently has touched and made millions of Americans stop and reflect. There are national sympathy cards circulating for
Republicans are The Ugly Americans
Published on 2012-10-19 11:38:00
First published in 1958, The Ugly American by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdock became a runaway national bestseller for its slashing exposé of American arrogance, incompetence, and corruption. It exposes the opportunism and cynical deceit that have become imbedded in the fabric of our politics. The term "Ugly American" came to be used to refer to the loud, ostentatious behavior and
So I Crawled out of my Binder....
Published on 2012-10-17 10:17:00
To say...I TOLD YOU!!! I fell asleep watching MSNBC and woke up to “Morning Joke” and someone saying, “Robme owned the argument on the economy.” Is it me?I keep waiting for a little forthright journalism. It isn’t as if the man doesn’t have a governing record. He was Governor of Massachusetts! Here’s what that record tells us:Job creation:Massachusetts ranked 47th in job growth
Americans are Indifferent To Intelligence
Published on 2012-10-14 14:09:00
America has degenerated into a society where marketing, corporate influence and anti-intellectualism are the rules of the day. Intelligence has become synonymous with elite, haughty, Harvard, and who wants to have a beer with that? Admittedly, an intelligent person might become elite, may behave haughtily and could well have gone to Harvard, but the truth is, intelligence has little to
Why Mitt's Mendacity Matters
Published on 2012-10-12 14:35:00
This article was cross-posted from Winning Progressive Over the course of this Presidential campaign, we’ve learned one thing about Mitt Romney – that he is willing to say virtually anything if he thinks it will get him a vote. A case in point is last week’s Presidential debate in Denver, where Romney told at least 27 falsehoods in only 38 minutes of speaking, which is an average of
“I’m Afraid if Obama wins , the Blacks will Take Over”
Published on 2012-07-31 01:03:00
A full year before President Obama’s inauguration, an Ohio woman told why she was opposed to his election, “I’m afraid if he wins, the Blacks will take over”. Since Nixon introduced the southern strategy, it has been used to divide poor and working-class whites from those who should be their natural allies... poor and working-class people of color. As Corporations enjoy higher profits than in
What Racial discrimination?...Even the KKK believes in Equal Access
Published on 2012-04-11 14:27:00
Who said we’ve not made progress toward racial equality in this nation?
Are Americans oblivious to History, stuck on Stupid or just ideological Idiots?
Published on 2012-04-08 11:16:00
Note: The following narrative is necessarily long, but I hope you will take the time to read it. You may learn that the economic downturn that cripples the middle class is no accident but simply the American way. Either Americans are oblivious to history, stuck on stupid or ideological idiots. Since colonial times the economy and the politics of the country have been controlled by the top 1%...because the 99% allow it; even worse, a large percentage of the 99% support it. The elite cr [..]
OWS vs. ALEC… Lessons from Hannibal of Carthage (repost)
Published on 2012-04-06 19:00:00
A few years ago, I set out on my own one-woman protest. I moved my accounts from a major bank to a small neighborhood bank. When I bought a new car, I bought one that was American made, then refused to buy gasoline from a BP or Exxon gas station. They were baby steps, but steps I knew could have huge impact if everyone would do them. Afterall, you gotta hit ‘em where it hurts. I had the idea I would obtain a list of the corporations that lobby Congress and they would become my target [..]
If you have NO VOTE, you have NO CIVIL RIGHTS
Published on 2012-04-02 20:03:00
Voter Fraud isn’t the problem, Election Fraud is The ability to vote is one of the most cherished of our Constitutional Rights. It is the right to vote that people have fought for, marched for, and even died for. It is the right to vote that allows citizens to determine, to some degree, their own future by electing officials who reflect their views and will speak for them in government. After the 2000 Florida election debacle, Congress established a body called the Election Assistance Comm [..]
President Obama: To supporters of Planned Parenthood
Published on 2012-03-31 05:04:00
As if vaginas are public domain and women possess America’s collective uterus, Republicans have spent the past two years legislating women’s reproductive rights. They have been so intent on warring against the female species, they even waged a campaign against the Girl Scouts. Read more »
Did Santorum almost call the President a Ni**er?
Published on 2012-03-30 11:54:00
From Crooks and Liars. You be the judge......
Vaginas are Public Domain, but Health Insurance is private
Published on 2012-03-29 20:28:00
Congressmen stood on the steps of the Supreme Court and pleaded for the oust of the Affordable Care Act, “please just leave us a tiny shred of freedom. Don’t let the government force us to buy something we don’t want.” Many of these Congressmen were the same men who had sung the “vagina dialogues” insisting that the private parts of pregnant women be poked and prodded whether they wanted it or not. Opponents of the Affordable Care Act insist that the legislation “comes betwe [..]
We gave Iraqis Universal Healthcare, Why not Americans?
Published on 2012-03-28 21:33:00
According to the Pentagon 4,487 American soldiers died in the Iraq War; 32,226 were wounded. For this tremendous sacrifice, Iraqis gained the right to vote and Universal Health Care. Read more »
Trayvon, Ramarley and Aiyana Stanley-Jones makes three
Published on 2012-03-28 10:15:00
In my quest to help people understand why Blacks are so moved by the death of Trayvon Martin, I have to highlight just one more story, out of thousands.
Before Trayvon Martin, there was Ramarley Graham
Published on 2012-03-27 07:24:00
Weeks before the killing of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, police gunned down 18 year old Ramarley Graham in the Bronx. In brief, this was the story: Police officials said that members of a street narcotics squad broadcast over their radios that they saw the butt of a gun in Graham's waistband as he left a convenience store, under observation for suspected drug activity. After two plainclothes officers in an unmarked squad car told him to stop, officials said, the young man then ran [..]
Black-on-Black Crime is a Misnomer
Published on 2012-03-24 15:05:00
It’s a term I hear often, especially in the wake of the death of Trayvon Martin. Whites implore Blacks to reflect on the crime they inflict on one another. The implication being that Trayvon’s death deserves neither sympathy nor scrutiny...it’s a Black problem. Some Blacks, as well are all too willing to shoulder responsibility for lawlessness because “we kill one another”. Are they right? Not if you study crime statistics. Contrary to the chatter, the problem isn’t [..]
Trayvon Martin - why Killing Blacks is just another Sport
Published on 2012-03-23 20:02:00
Americans have long claimed to have a special moral and religious exception. Indeed, these proclamations undergird the American ideal that speaks to the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But despite the glorification and avowed wisdom of the Founding Fathers, those cherished ideals were intended FOR WHITE MEN ONLY. On February 26, George Zimmerman killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin, but he had an accomplice...the history of a nation that fails to live up to its ideals. [..]
Shame on Joe Scarborough!
Published on 2012-03-22 10:49:00
I take great pride in researching and presenting sound and sane articles based on facts, but today I ask that you pardon me while I rant. I often wonder why the public is so misinformed, but after watching an episode of Morning Joe, I know exactly why. Well-informed economists, reporters and financial gurus sit on the set of Morning Joe and listen to Joe Scarborough impart totally erroneous information and they all remain quiet. About a week ago, Joe went on one of his rants about the deficit. [..]
Sterilize Men and end the Abortion Craze
Published on 2012-03-20 20:04:00
It’s no secret that I have an issue with the fact that old, pasty-faced, balding men are leading the charge against women’s freedom of sexuality. I have even less regard for the women, most of whom possess ovaries that haven’t expelled an egg in decades, who stand with them. I have a little sympathy for them, though. Afterall, after you suffer through the pangs of pregnancy, kegels and childrearing, you have a right to feel no woman should escape. Besides, if you looked like this wouldn [..]
America’s Collective Uterus
Published on 2012-03-18 17:55:00
In view of today's debate concerning women's reproductive rights, it seemed appropriate to repost this article. Few things anger me more than the men who actively campaign against abortion. Oh, I know all those moral, come-to Jesus arguments about men and fatherhood. But frankly speaking, unless the unborn considered for abortion is a product of the protesting men’s sperm, as far as I’m concerned, they don’t have a dog in this fight. So before you get your undies in a twist, I a [..]
Americans Never say Sorry - The Series
Published on 2012-03-17 08:23:00
I wrote this series to call attention to just some of the events that have been forgotten, revised or are perhaps unknown. I believe the African proverb that says, “Until the Lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter." Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part I Slavery, Unions and the making of Malcolm X Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part II Ethnic cleansing, Anti-Catholicism, Child Labor, C [..]
Understanding God's Law ...just for laughs?
Published on 2012-03-17 08:23:00
I thought I’d share a laugh. Someone emailed this to me, so I’m unable to give proper credit to the author. It clearly isn’t recent, so you might have read it before. But, since we’re in the throes of a debate about religious freedom, I thought it timely and worth a repeat. Dear President Bush: Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment ba [..]
I Was a Teenage Hoochie
Published on 2012-03-16 14:21:00
“Oh, Mommy look at this”, my daughter beamed taking a dress from the rack. It was a sleeveless black chemise with white buttons down a low-cut front, framed with a narrow white collar. “Oh man,” her sister chimed, “that is the bomb!” “Can I try it on, Mommy…can I?” “No,” I answered calmly, “I’m not spending money on that swatch of fabric they have the nerve to call a dress.” I removed another dress from the rack, “look at this”, I urged, “it’s just ri [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part VIII
Published on 2012-03-16 05:55:00
I wrote this series to chronicle the history of a nation that finds itself in the throes of division, racism and denial. I don't think we can afford to forget that the ignorance of a few can divide us all. The Rise of the Tea Party Ten days before the inauguration of President-elect Obama, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh declared, “I hope he fails.” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus) was passed on February 17, 2009. The first Tea Party rally took place [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part VII
Published on 2012-03-15 06:48:00
According to Conservatives, President Obama “goes around the world” apologizing for America. I reflected on America’s history and it occurs to me that someone does need to apologize...to Americans. Eight Years of Bushwhacking In 2003, President Bush enacted massive tax cuts, redistributing wealth to high income earners and placing a burden on middle and lower income earners. According to economists, the Bush-era tax cuts were the single biggest contributor to the deficit. Wher [..]
12 of My Simple Pleasures
Published on 2012-03-14 03:34:00
Difficult times have forced many of us to change and rearrange our priorities. It occurred to me that it is easy to think about the things that make us unhappy, while we give little or no thought to the things that make us happy. I’m hoping my post “Are You Happy” and this one will offer a little inspiration. There are wise old adages that says “the best things in life are free” and "pleasure is a simple thing". Following are twelve of my simple pleasures. Read more »
Are you Happy?
Published on 2012-03-13 05:43:00
Brian bounced from his bed with the energy only a five year old has at 6 am and announced with overwhelming glee, “I am so very, very, very, very happy today!” It seemed he had dreamed he was in the clutches of a huge monster and just as it was about to devour him, the Power Rangers appeared and saved his life. “Aren’t you happy everyday,” I asked. “Yes I am!“ It was a resolute declaration. “But yesterday, Grammy, I was just this happy.” He stretched his arms high abo [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part VI
Published on 2012-03-12 05:53:00
According to Conservatives, President Obama “goes around the world” apologizing for America. I reflected on America’s history and it occurs to me that someone does need to apologize...to Americans. Evicted Sharecroppers The New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act that paid farmers not to plant crops. The payments, made to the land owner, were to be distributed to sharecroppers in proportion to their share in the crop. To avoid paying, the landowners ki [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part V
Published on 2012-03-11 03:14:00
According to Conservatives, President Obama “goes around the world” apologizing for America. I reflected on America’s history and it occurs to me that someone does need to apologize...to Americans. Antisemitism in America Leo Frank, was a Jewish-American factory superintendent whose hanging in 1915 by a lynch mob, planned and led by prominent citizens in Marietta, Georgia, drew attention to antisemitism in the United States. There was jubilation in the streets when Frank was found gu [..]
How to Turn A Mugger into an Escort
Published on 2012-03-10 14:45:00
After partying on the north side of Chicago, I got into my yellow convertible cougar and sped down South Shore Drive towards Hyde Park. It was 2 am. The Museum of Science and Industry was up ahead, so I put on my signal to exit when suddenly, my tire went flat. I bumped along slowly trying to find somewhere to pull over. I remember thinking every nerd at the University of Chicago owned a Volkswagon Beetle. There were a million of them, parked bumper to bumper. Just when I was about [..]
Fair Warning: Women better Learn to Behave
Published on 2012-03-09 10:38:00
As men drag women back to the days when they were chattel and women decide whether this is an ideological contest or one that threatens their feminine values and the foundation of womanhood, I thought it appropriate to give fair maidens a little review of history. As late as the nineteenth century, women were punished for daring to speak their minds, especially to men folk. Not unlike children, they were expected to be seen and not heard. Women who dared venture to “nag” were punished [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part IV
Published on 2012-03-09 01:58:00
According to Conservatives, President Obama “goes around the world” apologizing for America. I reflected on America’s history and it occurs to me that someone does need to apologize...to Americans. "Not Quite White" Considered “not quite white”, the fate of Italian Americans was no different than that of other ethnic groups targeted by lynch mobs. The most infamous lynching of Italians occurred in New Orleans. Following the murder of the city police superintendent, the [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part III
Published on 2012-03-08 06:46:00
According to Conservatives President Obama “goes around the world” apologizing for America. I reflected on America’s history and it occurs to me that someone does need to apologize...to Americans. Another September 11th - Mormon Malevolence Since the founding of their church in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Latter Day Saints (Mormons) had been heavily persecuted and attacked. They were chased from New York to Ohio where Smith was tarred and feathered and arrested on a charge of bankin [..]
10 Life Lessons I’ve Learned
Published on 2012-03-07 10:34:00
Like everyone, I’ve had my ups and downs. I’ve been blessed to be able to see the world, to love and be loved, raise two fine children and begin a whole new path. Through it all, I’ve learned a few things. These are just 10 of the lessons I’ve learned. 1. Some people believe they will find happiness when they find someone to spend their life with. If you aren’t happy living life as a single person, you won’t be happy in a relationship. 2. It’s alwa [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part II
Published on 2012-03-06 13:31:00
Cruel and unusual punishment In 1811, a slave named Charles Deslandes led an unsuccessful slave revolt in the Louisiana Territory. Deslandes and five hundred slaves killed two whites and burned plantations and crops. They were stopped west of New Orleans by the American military and a slave-owners’ militia. Their ammunition soon exhausted and the slaves were defeated. 100 slaves were executed and beheaded. The heads were put on poles along the Mississippi River Road and the dismembere [..]
Being American means Never having to say You’re Sorry - Part I
Published on 2012-03-05 12:58:00
President Barack Obama faced fierce criticism, yet again after apologizing for the burning of the Quran at a US military base in Afghanistan. The incident sparked deadly protests that led to the death of American soldiers. But clearly, many believe being American means never having to say you’re sorry. I couldn’t help but think that we speak words that ring with freedom while betraying them in both American law and American life. From The Salem Witchcraft Trials to the Mystic, Conne [..]
Single Parents are Abusive and Negligent
Published on 2012-03-02 17:26:00
After my husband died, leaving me to raise two children on my own, I was technically “a single parent”. And over the years, I’ve had the nerve to feel a sense of pride in the fact that I actually managed quite well by my two girls. They’re both educated, drug free, employed, well-adjusted and pretty cute, even I do say so. I can still recall the trips to gymnastics, then swimming, back to music lessons and odd and sundry activities and get winded just thinking about them. I still [..]
My Father Isn't God Anymore - A 501 Word Challenge
Published on 2012-03-02 09:37:00
I was still on the farm, thirsty and bored, so I was just walking around. I watched the chickens, pecking and scratching behind a tall wire fence. Tiptoeing, I pushed up the gate latch and swung it opened. I thought they’d just walk around, instead they clucked and flapped as they streamed out and down the hill in a massive white swarm. The geese impatiently gnawed at the fence, so I opened their gate too. One plump gray goose stooderect, spread his wings, and honked loudly. Then h [..]
Well Water – A 101-word challenge
Published on 2012-03-01 22:40:00
Down the dusty road to Uncle Jerry’s farm. “I’m thirsty”, I said. He cranked the bucket up from the well and dipped a cup. I took the ice cold cup and sniffed “It stinks”, I said giving it back. Later that night I overheard them talking about my great great grandmother. I hid and listened. Read more »
John Coltrane, Mozart and Tupac Shakur
Published on 2012-02-27 12:09:00
When I’m feeling jazzy, I pour a little Stoli over ice, add a twist of lemon, a dash of cracked black pepper and turn on John Coltrane. I think I own everything he ever recorded. Canonized by the African Orthodox Church as Saint John William Coltrane, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for "masterful improvisation, supreme musicianship and iconic centrality to the history of jazz." Read more »
Are there any Self-Respecting Republican Women in Congress?
Published on 2012-02-25 18:06:00
Take a look at the guide that shows the legislators who have written, endorsed and pushed laws that infringe on women’s reproductive rights, then answer the question. ”No self-respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex.” ~ Susan B. Anthony 1872
The Warriors against Women’s Rights - a guide for women
Published on 2012-02-25 16:59:00
“Feminism asks that women be free to define themselves -- instead of having their identity defined for them, time and again, by their culture and their men.” ~ Susan Faludi Since the 2010 elections, Republicans have mounted an assault on women’s health and freedom that would deny millions of women access to affordable contraception, life-saving cancer screenings, testing for H.I.V. and other sexually transmitted diseases. They have cut Head Start programs and funding that provi [..]
Republican Men Hate Their Mothers
Published on 2012-02-23 09:04:00
Actor Tony Perkins in Psycho Like serial killers who act to gain and exert power over their victims, Republicans are attempting to change society, to cure a perceived societal ill. And just like those mission-oriented killers typically justify their acts as "ridding the world" of a certain type of person perceived as undesirable, such as homosexuals, prostitutes, or people of a different ethnicity or religion, Republican legislators across the country have introduced laws that address Americ [..]
The Hypocrisy of Santorum and the Catholic Bishops
Published on 2012-02-19 18:39:00
Rick Santorum has a history of controversial political positions around privacy rights and government’s authority to regulate consensual sexual behavior between adults. He believes Catholic priests caught in the“pedophile scandal”, were merely affected by the media and a culture of "academic, political and cultural liberalism" that approves of homosexuality. Which may explain why he advocates getting rid of the Department of Education. His latest rant that “President Obama is tryi [..]
Contraception - False Morality and the War Against Women
Published on 2012-02-17 15:52:00
Under the guise of religious consciousness and First Amendment rights , Republicans are mounting an assault on women’s health and freedom that would deny millions of women access to affordable contraception. The attacks did not just begin, but have persisted since Republicans claimed the majority after the 2010 elections. These are just a few of the attacks of the GOP’s war on women: 1) Republican Dan Burton has a bill to provide contraception for wild horses. All while they push to elimi [..]
Birth Control and Government - Uncle Sam was an Abortionist
Published on 2012-02-16 08:57:00
The government has a history of taking over people’s reproductive future. In the first half of the twentieth century, the United States promoted efforts to “breed better human beings”. The pseudoscience, called eugenics included forced abortions, sterilization, and other methods of family planning.When the Nazis went on trial after World War II, for war crimes in Nuremberg, they justified their mass sterilizations by citing the United States as their inspiration. And just as the ri [..]
The Resurrection of Jim Crow IV - Politics, Pandering and Propaganda
Published on 2012-02-16 04:27:00
Bobblehead America -The Art of Flip-flopping Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, declared that his greatest legislative priority was to ensure that Obama would be a one-term president. Republicans and Tea Party members declare with regularity their aim to see that President Obama goes down in history as the worse president ever. Why? Despite their professed love of God and country, Republicans and the Tea Party clearly hate President Obama more than they love God or the country [..]
The Resurrection of Jim Crow III - Priming the Nation for Hate
Published on 2012-02-14 11:31:00
Fanning the Flames of Fear and AngerI have no doubt that many Tea Partiers have a genuine concern about the direction of the country, but mass movements offer cover to people whose lives are driven by passionate hatred and during times of discontent, hate becomes respectable, because it can masquerade as patriotism. From the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report: As of 2009, there are 1,002 known hate groups operating across the country, including neo-Nazis, Klansmen, white nationali [..]
The Resurrection of Jim Crow II - The Unmaking of a President
Published on 2012-02-12 11:32:00
"Let’s Take our Country Back"....to the pre-Civil Rights era Tom Tancredo, a former Republican Congressman, known for his passionate opposition to immigration told Tea Partiers gathered for a convention, “This is our country, let’s take it back.” According to ABC News, he spoke about the “cult of multiculturalism". He claimed President Obama was elected because "we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country. “ It was a reference to lite [..]
The Resurrection of Jim Crow I - Mississippi and Beyond
Published on 2012-02-10 20:02:00
In the early 1790s, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison organized the Democratic-Republican Party. The party split over the choice of a successor to President James Monroe. In the 1850s, anti-slavery Democrats and Democrats in favor of war switched to the Republican Party. Until the “New Deal” era of Franklin Delano Roosevelt beginning in 1932, African Americans supported the Republicans who were against the expansion of slavery. During Reconstruction, former slaves were granted cit [..]
I Want Congress-Men to Leave My Uterus Alone (Update)
Published on 2012-02-08 18:08:00
I’ve said this all before and frankly thought I had settled the matter of those pasty-faced Congressmen poking around in my privacy and trying to tell me what to do. Like I said before, my sexuality and uterus are not their affair. Oh, I could hear the argument about all the birth control stuff and Catholics. But to be honest, I was half listening until that sniveling John Boehner spoke out and said: "If the president does not reverse the Department's attack on religious freedom then [..]
Shameless Lies and Willful Ignorance - Employment
Published on 2012-02-08 08:35:00
The Myth about the Obama Federal WorkforceRepublicans talk about being conservatives who believe in small government and reducing the federal workforce. The numbers don’t bear out their claims. In a press conference, House Speaker John Boehner said, "In the last two years, under President Obama, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs." The Republicans even advanced legislation calling for a reduction of 200,000 federal employees. Read more »
Shameless Lies and Willful Ignorance - Taxes and Tax Cuts
Published on 2012-02-07 14:31:00
The Myth about Taxes Romney accused President Obama of raising corporate tax rates during his presidency, while Congressional Republicans accuse him of raising taxes on the Middle Class. Neither is true. "There's been lots of corporate tax cutting under Obama, but no corporate rate tax increases," said Robert McIntyre, director of the Center for Tax Justice. "Romney may be thinking Obama would like to do that, but since he says he wants to do the opposite, I just don't know how Romney [..]
Shameless Lies and Willful Ignorance - Government Handouts
Published on 2012-02-04 10:28:00
I take no pleasure in writing about issues of race, but I take even less pleasure in witnessing the racial falsehoods and myths that politicians and the media are all too willing to advance. I refer to the advancement of these tales as shameful lies because the tellers know better. Those who accept these fallacies are the willful ignorant because the truth is not hidden.Over a period of years, Reagan told the story of the "Chicago welfare queen" who had 80 names, 30 addresses, 12 Social Secu [..]