I don’t know if you guys tuned in for that disgraceful display of American so-called journalism last night in Pennsylvania…but if you did then you’re probably as pissed as I am (and millions others) about how much of a collosal waste of time it was. The media keeps manufacturing controversy to distract away from falling home prices, rising gas prices, a worsening economy, and a worsening of the conditions in Iraq. Just this week there were two suicide bombing attacks that killed over 50 people (each incident) in Iraq…but that doesn’t make it into the debate. Instead…the debate focuses on stupid ass covered ad-nauseum topics like Reverend Wright, Bitter-gate, and flag pin lapels! So anyway…today Barack Obama had a truly hilarious comeback to it all, that I just had to post. It seems like perhaps Barack went home and got some inspiration from his supporter Jay-Z and his videos. Check out Barack’s response to the debate:
So…in honor of Barack Obama and his swagger in dealing with the haters…I dedicate to him Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”
Today, the country marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are so many ways to remember the spirit and legacy of Dr. King and to take even more note of the profound sacrifice Dr. King made in his pursuit of justice and equality, none of which truly does him any justice. I take this anniversary extra personally, because this morning I couldn’t help but contrast his sacrifice with the complete and utter refusal of so many to sacrifice even the smallest things to make this world a better place. As a society we have become so complacent and we go about life as usual while others pollute the country with negativity and hatred.
When you contrast Dr. King’s voice and message with some of the most prominent Black men in this country like rappers who think it is too much to ask that they don’t say n*gga, b*tch, and hoe every other word…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. When you contrast Dr. King getting arrested 29 times for non-violent protests to help make this country a better place for Blacks and all oppressed people with rich rappers getting arrested over and over again for weapons, drugs, and other violence…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. And I’m not saying all this to say that rappers are the only problem in this country, I’m just saying LOOK at what happened to us and what we have come to accept and even exalt. Even if we can’t bring ourselves to demand better from each other….the least that we can do is to take the time to properly acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices of Dr. King and of all the people who marched, protested, and died for the rights we have today. So I ask that you guys take a moment from listening to music or watching videos and watch a Dr. King speech and reflect on the impact of his legacy and the gravity of his life and death.
Here is Dr. King’s last speech given the day before he died in Memphis, TN:
Part 1
Part 2
The presidential candidates paid tribute to Dr. King today at various stops. John McCain apologized for voting AGAINST Dr. King’s Holiday twice (apology not accepted). Hillary Clinton who previously marginalized Dr. King’s power and influence as a mere dream in an attempt to discredit Obama by saying that it “took a president to get it done” gave an “emotional” speech. Lastly Barack Obama gave a speech in Indiana where to talked about the economic aspect of Dr. King’s fight that often gets looked over. I included Obama’s speech below, because I think he gives a very important historical context about what Dr. King was doing in Memphis. I appreciate that he gave a speech that is not about himself but about Dr. King and truly delivering Dr. King’s message.
This speech is one for the history books. Barack Obama tackled the issue of race head on and challenged us all to look beyond our differences to form a more perfect union. United we stand, divided we fall.
Thoughts?
Posted by Reecie
PS- Please don’t leave any ignorant a$$ comments on this post, especially if you aren’t even going to bother to watch the video. Thanks.
Lt. Gov. David Paterson, who will take over as New York’s governor following Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s dramatic fall from power in a prostitution scandal, said Thursday he is ready to lead and “get New York back on track.”
Paterson takes over on Monday, and will become New York’s first black governor and the nation’s first legally blind chief executive.
Spitzer stepped down Wednesday amid a call-girl scandal that made a mockery of his straight-arrow image and left him facing the prospect of criminal charges and perhaps disbarment.
Spitzer and his successor have starkly different leadership styles. While Spitzer was famously abrasive, uncompromising and even insulting, Paterson has built a reputation as a conciliator, and lawmakers quickly embraced the new order.
Barely known outside his Harlem political base, Paterson, 53, has been in New York government since his election to the state Senate in 1985. Though legally blind, he has enough sight in his right eye to walk unaided, recognize people at conversational distance and even read if the text is placed close to his face.
Spitzer, who built his political reputation on rooting out corruption, resigned without securing a plea bargain with federal prosecutors, though a law enforcement official said the former governor was still believed to be negotiating one. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.
“I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people’s work,” Spitzer said at a Manhattan news conference, his weary-looking wife, Silda, again standing at his side as he answered for his actions for the second time in three days.
The resignation brought down the curtain on a riveting drama that made Spitzer an instant punchline on late-night TV, and fascinated Americans with the spectacle of a crusading politician exposed as a hypocrite.
Well what do you know…just the other day I criticized Jay-Z for not lending his voice to more positive issues, and now he is robo-calling for Sen. Barack Obama! Of course my gripes didn’t cause this change, but I must say that I am incredibly pleased. He is definitely one of the more high profile Hip Hop artists/moguls so his endorsement might stir up some enthusiasm and make some take notice. Click here to listen to his call.
Russell Simmons announced his support for Obama this week, after months on the sidelines. Of course he has more to gain by supporting Obama at this point rather than sticking his neck out on the line when he wasn’t as far ahead…however, I won’t be picky about that. I hope that this support translates into raising more awareness in the Hip Hop community.
What do you guys think of Jay-Z’s robocall? Isn’t it great for him to finally be getting involved? Do you think Russell’s support for Obama influence others to speak out?
Posted by Reecie
P.S.- Today Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island vote. I’m nervous as hell for Obama, because I want him to win Texas and Ohio and end Clinton’s campaign once and for all. We’ll see if that happens though. I’m crossing my fingers.
Will.I.Am tapped a new group of celebrity friends to talk about why they are supporting Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign and set it to new music. This one doesn’t have the same emotional pull as “Yes We Can”, but it is fantastic to see how more and more people are jumping on board his campaign and starting to believe in his message. I think the most important thing to recognize is how people are using their voice. Less people are apathetic and standing silent on the sidelines and that is exactly what this country needs. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
Appearing in the video are: Will.I.Am, Jessica Alba, Kerry Washington, Ryan Phillipe, George Lopez, John Leguizamo, Luis Guzman, Macy Gray, Tichina Arnold, Tyrese, Zoe Kravitz, Regina King, and many more. Check it out.
What do you guys think of this video? Some people have said that making a song about politics or a politician is creepy, but I have to challenge…is making a song about drugs, violence, hoe’n (for lack of a better term lol), etc. supposed to be better? Isn’t it great to hear people speaking out for a positive cause?
Super Tuesday was one helluva roller coaster for the Democratic candidates. Missouri was prematurely called for Hillary then had to be called for Obama, New Mexico couldn’t get their act together and took 3 days to figure out who the hell one the state, and there were some pretty big upsets. However, one thing is for sure- the fight for the nomination continues. At the end of this round, Obama is leading Clinton 910 delegates to 882. However, this race is most certainly going to be determined by super delegates.
The media largely called Super Tuesday a draw, but considering that Obama overcame 20 and 30 point deficits to be competitive and even win in many states, I consider the victor. Clinton has been the “inevitable” candidate for the past year, so for Obama to still be in the running with the momentum in his direction it speaks volumes about his campaign and the movement. However, there is still a long way to go, and it ain’t over til it’s over.
I had the pleasure of attending the LA Election Results party for Obama and even though it royally sucked that Obama didn’t win California I still had a blast. They gave out these dope t-shirts they were making on the spot for free and the atmosphere was buzzing. LA is already a pretty diverse place, but the best thing was meeting people from different backgrounds who had no reservations in striking up convos simply because you don’t look like them. If only the country could be that united and kumbaya-ish then the world would be a better place lol. Anyway…that is my belated two cents. Here is another superb speech Obama delivered on Super Tuesday….and before ONE more person says he has no substance visit: www.BarackObama.com for information about his policies and plans for America
A dozen celebrities such as John Legend, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, Nicole Scherzinger, Hill Harper, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Esthero, Tracee Ellis Ross, Taryn Manning, Fonzworth Bentley, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Kelly Hu, Amber Valetta, Nick Cannon, Adam Rodriguez, and more came together in support of Will.I.Am’s song “Yes We Can” inspired by Barack Obama’s New Hampshire speech…I’ve listed most of them in the title and is truly a remarkable thing to see so many celebrities unite around Obama’s message of hope and change. In a country that has been so divided for so long, there are a lot of celebrities that don’t want to go out on a limb and support a candidate at the risk of losing fans…however, these celebrities have put their belief and conviction that Obama is the right man for this country above the fear of a backlash. So that got me thinking…
It is my turn to stop saying “I’m not saying you should vote for Obama” and have enough conviction to say “Obama has the desire and determination to heal this nation and I urge you to vote for him. “If people have a problem with me saying that, then oh well. With hundreds of thousands of people across the country of all backgrounds, races, incomes, genders, religions, and every other classification we are broken into, are ending the reign on complacence and apathy and getting involved in the cause to make the country a better place for all people, I would be totally remiss for not using the platform that I have to speak out. I enthusiastically support Obama not only because of his ability to inspire, but because he has a solid plan for getting this country on the right track with his health care, economic, education, and Iraq proposals. If you are one of those people that says “Obama gives great speeches but doesn’t have any substance”, then download “Blueprint for Change- Obama’s Plan for America” or www.BarackObama.com to get informed.
In my eyes this election isn’t simply a matter of ”who has been in public office the longest”, it is a matter of “who has the best vision for the future and is making it a priority to unite this country and inspire change”. I’m for unity and I’m for person I believe can best achieve that- Barack Obama, because ”united we stand divided we fall”. Yes we can- Si Se Puede!!!
What do you guys think of Will.I.Am’s music video? Isn’t it great to see a focus on celebrities doing something productive rather than what parties they are attending and who they are sleeping with? Are you an Obama supporter? Why are you supporting Obama?
*Please post a link of a picture of you and/or your friends in your Obama gear if you have one, and I will edit this post with to include the “everyday people” pictures as I get them!
Unless you are under a rock then you know that Barack Obama scored a decisive victory in South Carolina beating Hillary Clinton 2 to 1. As much as people try to paint it as nothing more than Black folks voting for Obama, I can’t help but be tremendously proud of this accomplishment. First, it goes to show that once again you can’t trust the election polling which had his lead going into the vote at a much lower 9% margin not the 27% victory margin he ended up with. He received greater support from every demographic than what pundits were projecting and proved that his candidacy is not a fairy tale. His candidacy is about bringing change and unity to this country and taking a stand against the status-quo.
I was very disgusted with the lengths the Clinton campaign took, especially the former president, to smear, attack, and race bait. Bill Clinton went to an even lower low by comparing Barack Obama’s run to that of Jesse Jackson. Now I’m no Jackson hater (I actually respect his work), but I know what Clinton was trying to do when he drew the comparison. For all the people out there still retarded enough to think that Bill Clinton was the first Black president…wake up and smell the coffee. With the divisive campaign the Clintons are running, Black folks are first in line to be thrown under the bus. Watch his arrogant/smug comments below.
But enough on that, Obama gave one of the most inspiring speeches (watch below) I have seen of his entire campaign that left me feeling optimistic and immensely proud of what he is accomplishing in this race and what he is setting out to do. I’m so proud of the fact that he has been able to build such a “diverse coalition” of supporters, because despite what a lot of racist people might think…there are only very superficial differences that separate us all. Essentially we all want same things for ourselves, our families and our friends…good jobs, health care, good schools, safe communities, etc. For someone for a CHANGE to appeal to the things we have in common instead of pandering to pockets of people is such a refreshing change and what is needed to unify this country.
Right on the heels of his victory in SC, Caroline Kennedy (daughter of former president John F. Kennedy) wrote an endorsement of Obama in the NY Times entitled “A President Like My Father” (Click here to read). I found her Op/Ed piece extremely moving and Obama spoke about how honored he was to receive such high praise. Also, Senator Ted Kennedy has reportedly decided to break his neutrality and endorse Obama despite his long friendship with Clinton. That is another coup for Obama and it just goes to show the kind of impact he is having.
There is no doubt that majority of us in this country are looking for a change in our leadership, and I hope that the country will choose someone who will stand up for it instead of being content with the gridlock that the Congress has been crippled by over the past 8 years.
What do you guys think of his SC win? What does Obama’s candidacy mean to you? What does his support say about the direction this country is moving in?
This morning on my way to work, I thought about this incident at my old company where this British lady made a comment about how she didn’t see the point of a holiday like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Day and how we just celebrate anything over here. At the time, I didn’t say anything…mainly because I worked for a very Republican company and just didn’t want to get into the drama of defending the merits of MLK Day…however, thinking about it this morning, I really wish I would’ve said something. I would’ve said that MLK Day isn’t just a pointless holiday, it’s a day to REMEMBER that it wasn’t too long ago that Blacks (and other minorities) were completely disenfranchised in practically every way possible. Dr. King represents the struggle, the hope, the perseverance, and the right for everyone to be treated equally and has human beings. If that isn’t something worth taking pause of to remember, acknowledge, and celebrate his legacy, then I don’t know what is.
So today…take a moment to think about what life would be like if someone like Dr. King hadn’t stepped up to the plate and been such an inspirational and unifying leader. Take the time to be thankful for the sacrifices that millions of people made to get us to the point where we are today. We went from not being able to drink out the same fountains, not being able to vote, constant denigration, lynchings, and the list goes on to having a Black man making a credible run for the presidency of the United States. We still have a long way to go and the fight for racial injustice is not over, but Dr. King did not die in vain and his legacy lives on.
Posted by Reecie
P.S.- If you get the chance, check out this video of Obama’s speech at Dr. King’s church…so incredibly inspirational!
Reecie
thehonorable
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