Wednesday, March 31, 2010

An Obligation to Stay White and Die!

On a post on shoqvalue.com regarding:

LL Cool J, Fox, Palin & StopBeck

there is a recent post by @Shoq which makes the following assertion:

"All bloggers who posture as reporters and truth tellers, to any degree whatever, need to remember they have an obligation to not just report what's visible, but ask questions about what might not be so visible."
  

More offensive to me was that he called out The Political Carnival a blog by 'Laffy' or @GottaLaff as one of the "bloggers who posture as reporters and truth tellers" that he was giving the focus of his public attack.  

I disagreed and I was offended he chose to single out any progressive for his public tongue lashing but especially someone whose work I have recently come to know and respect.  Sorry, but that's wrong in substance and its wrong to pick on a fellow progressive.  So I weighed in. 

Here is my response to @Shoq:

WRONG! Completely WRONG! I can't disagree with you more! Do you really think that?

It scares me to ponder that you would even for a moment believe that statement yourself. "OBLIGATION"? 


I report what I want on blogs, at city council meetings, rallies, and at any opportunity I get. I don't call myself a "reporter" Does that make me a reporter nonetheless? 

In 1978, I started Golden Quill Publishers. At the time I was deeply involved in the health movement on issues of freedom of choice of medical care; natural noninvasive vs cut radiate and burn. 

I created my own press pass that has gotten me into events that every other activist were barred. Does that give me obligations? Hell no! 

I blog. Sometimes a lot; other times I go months without a single post. Last I counted I have at least a dozen blogs on as many subjects. Often when I write a post it will be so long and wordy it takes me hours on a single post. 

Last night I saw several videos: Olberman, Maddow, Maher, etc. I did 3 or 4 post with 1 video on each but without a single word on any save a title like: Teabaggers gone wild - Olbermann edition.

So according to your logic here I am in violation of some "obligations"? Really? I have several times done tweets saying that if rich liberals who didn't have time but wanted to do something for the 'cause' they should fund any one of a number of people on twitter whose work is nothing short of twitterific. 


I've been an activist all my life on all kinds of issues working with all kinds of people. Everyone has a role to play. That role is to contribute WHATEVER they can and more importantly, whatever they are willing.

Most ALL the activist I've ever met are flat broke. I'm one of them. We put in twice the time we ever did on a paid job. I often work til after 3am working obsessively to do everything I can to make a difference in between all my other actual, real 'obligations'. Most of the blog/activist I meet here and elsewhere are much the same. 


They have NO 'obligations to anyone for their hard work and service. The world owes them. The world they help save has an "obligation" to them not the other way around.

I never heard the name Angelo Carusone until I just read it here. I have routinely been trying to 'push' the stop Beck or Turn Off Fox messages. I RT any message I see that I like on the subject. Awhile back, I did one that wove several user names together in one tweet such as: Please @StopBeck by @TurnOffFox and watch @Maddow and #Olbermann. [It was something like that; you get the idea.] 


@StopBeck responded with a thanks and comment on the clever factor. I am doing more and ore individual #ff and I do them any day any time I see them on my radar.

I have a hard time believing that Angelo Carusone is hung up on getting the all the credit and glory for Beck's ultimate demise. I would be shocked to learn he thinks he deserves all of the credit. We all do what we can for the good of the over-all progressive effort. If that is true then Angelo should find something else to do with his time.

For two years in a row I got the Congressman George Brown Activist of the Year Award for the 34th AD. It came with very impressive plaques, certificates from members in Congress, State Assembly, Senate. etc. Quite impressive indeed. Especially since I cut my teeth under the late great Rep George Brown. 


The thing is that I got THAT recognition for some of the activism that I consider to be amongst the least of my work. I am the most proud of activism I got zero recognition for, save an arrest record. Stuff like shutting down the Riverside PD, getting arrested with Martin Luther Kind III, Rev Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Dick Gregory, Kim Fields and others.

The point is that for those of us who turn off FOX, the football game, American Idol, etc; stand up, speak out and do whatever it is we do to make the world a better place. we have only satisfaction of a job well done as our reward; being able to sleep at night knowing you did SOMETHING. 


For our self less efforts we owe nobody nothing. NO 'obligations' to anybody. Woodward and Bernstein we're not. When the Washington Post, The New York Times, MSNBC, or any number of actual news agencies get smart and hire us then we have an obligation. And with that obligation comes a staff of top researchers who can track down all people who need and deserve credit and run the titles at the end of the show.

Even if you still feel that we do have an obligation you should lead by example and let people follow if they want. Leave them alone if they don't. Its just your opinion and your wrong. 


Furthermore, these 'obligations' would put an anchor around the neck of any activist. So before I can weigh in on an issue I have to spend hour doing research and give all of the praise, kudos, recognition that someones ego may crave? Bull shit!

The fact that you want to call out another progressive to abide by Shoq rules is wrong. Its divisive and counter productive. It also runs counter to the very core principals of the First Amendment and the progressive movement. 


If you run your "obligation" standards to there logical end then I would have to post a large banner with credits on it for every bumper sticker I put on my car. Me and what staff are supposed to do all this background research and investigations to give all proper credit where do. Frankly I don't give a rat's ass whether LL Cool J is on Palin's show or not. Let LL Cool J fight that battle. 

We got a mountain of work to do in this country. In the past decades whenever I am out fighting for social justice and I turn around to see who's got by back I have yet to see LL Cool J.

Last Friday I caught a tweet by @GottaLaff with a link to a post with yet another video on her blog. I've come to notice that she is often the one that breaks a story to ME before I see it anywhere else. I started tweeting a series of sarcastic tweets that I am so damn tired of all these smart progressive women who every time I show up on the scene to get the goods they are already leaving with the story if its not already on their blogs. 


I love progressive women because they are always sharp and on top of things; even though they often make me look bad cause I'm often NOT.

Laffty and The Political Carnival has her role. I have never met her and a couple of month ago I had never heard of her. I had often gotten emails with links to some of her blog post. To that I am obligated as a progressive to push that message; NOT to spend my time doing investigative research into how she got what she got. I feel the same about anyone who says a message like STOP Beck.

You should retract that statement of our "Obligations" and you should apologize to Laffy. Then you should apologize to progressives for giving them anything other than praise and encouragement in the hope they will do more! 


There is a saying in the black community when someone tells them they have to do this or that: "All I got to do is stay black and die!"

For this old, white, burnt out activist;my ONLY "obligations" are to my family! Oh, and stay white and die!

Respect!


Read more: http://shoqvalue.com/quitpalinwins#ixzz0jp5BZIPl

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Rachel Maddow on Dem Unity Against GOP Hate & Division

House Democrats Walked Arm in Arm
Through Protests
Despite a Weekend of Intimidation

By now you heard about the Racial Slurs used against black Members of Congress including the distinguished Civil Rights Leader from the '60s, Rep John Lewis.  

You heard about the Teabaggers yelling Faggot at openly gay Rep Barney Frank.  

You also heard about one GOP Congressman yell "Baby Killer" at Democrat Members of the House. 

By now you probably even heard that the idiot who disgraced his Party and brought shame to the hallowed Chamber of the House of Representatives was Randy Neugebauer, not surprisingly a Texas Republican.

What you might have missed mixed in with all of the other drama surrounding the Historic Passage of the HCR Bill in the House was the Democrat Members of Congress being United as they went about the People's Business.  

The Democrats were not at all surprised by all of the Hate, Fear, Bigotry, Racism, and Division they were Subjected to in doing the People's Business.

When it was time to make History; When it was time to move the Country forward; When it was time to be Progressive; Democrat Leaders Marched.  They locked arms and marched FORWARD!  

They were prepared for what they would have to endure because they've been enduring the abuse of GOP opposition to Progress for as long as there has been GOP.

When asked about being called the 'N-word' Rep Lewis said: "Yes, at least five times. But I'm used to it from back in the '60s"  It wasn't the first time Rep Barney Frank had heard the word 'faggot' either. 

So arm in arm, Democrat Leaders Marched together and arm in arm they made HCR History together.

I'm not sure what makes me prouder to be a Democrat: Passing HCR or the Style, Class, and Courage by which my Party's Leaders handled the People's Business!


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Monday, March 22, 2010

The Bigotry of HCR, GOP is a Palin' Teabag. And oh, Keith's Back


Keith is a God among Progressives. This commentary on passage of the Health Care Reform Bill is as good as it gets. 

If you ever had ANY have any question of exactly how my political views about the GOP, Teabaggers, Sarah Palin, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Conservatives, and all other things to the RIGHT of Center; you can find out EXACTLY as spoken by the Master Progressive Commentator himself: 
Professor Keith Olbermann

I ONLY wish I could be half as articulate, well spoken and Spot-On as Keith is:


On Saturday, the day before the House HCR vote, I was on twitter (twitter.com/larrydhalstead) throughout the day. Following Obama's speech I started to see some tweets about racial slurs against Civil Rights hero from the '60's and now Congressman John Lewis.


I started seeing one of my 'follows' is @westwingreport and I saw a series of tweets coming from them that I compiled and put on a twitlonger tweet like this: 



On Saturday 20th March 2010, @larrydhalstead said:
Rep. John Lewis gets Teabagger Racial Slur. Full @WestWingReport Tweets here;

West Wing Report westwingrpt@gmail.com

-Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights leader who marched at Selma, was called the "N" word by protesters today on Capitol Hill.

-Rep. Lewis, who was a national leader in the 1960s struggle for civil rights, is an American hero. Shame on whoever called him the "N" word.

-Rep. Lewis was asked if racial epithets were yelled at him: "Yes, but it's OK, I've heard this before in the 1960s" (Reports: The Hill)

-Whoever called Mr. Lewis that has undermined their own credibility & that of their cause. Bluntly: you're a bigot & a Neanderthal.

Touche'. Unfair to Neanderthals (to @PDXsays)
(end WWR)

Teabaggers have EXPOSED the Hate and bigotry we always accused them of from the Hate Machine of Fox, Palin, Beck, Rush, Bachman, etc.

See also @huffingtonpost Tea Party Protests: 'Ni**er,' 'Faggot' Shouted At Members Of Congress http://huff.to/auHAJT #p2 #tcot


In addition the reports started flowing about bigoted slurs of 'faggot' were being hurled at openly gay Congressman Barney Frank.

As Keith points out, it is far too easy to call these isolated incidents. But the truth is that its part and parcel to an epidemic of hate, fear, division which is the hallmark of the Teabagger cult.

It is not a movement. Movements have a overall plan, a direction, some goals.  This is the anti group. They're against government. They're against everything that is NOT them.

The GOP have reached the end of the road. They have allowed the fringe extreme Teabagger cult to hijack their party.

They have only themselves to thank.

If you remember how Carl Rove was able to put an anti-gay marriage proposition in each of the eight states that Bush needed to flip to RED in order to win.

All across this country in election after election, GOP politicians have campaigned on the fear and hate that Glen Beck now madly scribbles on his chalkboard or Palin on her hand, or Rush pukes out on his radio show.

The GOP has lied and deceived for so long now that they no longer have any credibility.  Even their own campaign promises to their base are lies.  

Think about it. You can win almost any election as a GOP with the constant chant of: "anti-abortion-gay-marriage, anti-abortion-gay-marriage".

And yet, once elected they have never ever delivered on the whole "anti-abotion-gay-marriage".  They don't even try.  And they no that abortions are and will continue to be legal. Roe v wade is the law of the land.

And gay marriage is getting closer to equal rights. The tide is rising and its only a matter of time before it to is the law of the land.

Bush and the GOP were wrong and out of step with the American Public on: 
preventing 911; 
WMDs; 
War in Iraq; 
the Patriot Act; 
global warming; 
Katrina response; 
green energy; 
deregulation; 
corporate welfare; 
bank bailouts; 
women's health rights; 
gay marriage; 
and every single other issue that would take this country forward.

But the biggest issue yet  was and is HCR.  Its the mother of all is HCR.  

And they failed; miserably.  They lied.  They spread fear. 

They called it socialism, fascism, Nazi, government take over, death panel, baby killer, children slaughter, any other absolutely insane fear mongering they could think up.

They lied.
They were wrong.

The People of the United States of American must now hold the GOP accountable for all their lie, hate, fear, and division.  They must denounce the Teabagger cult.  They must deBeckify, dePalinate, deRushDivide their party before they can ever hope to become a credible relevant party again. 





Saturday, March 20, 2010

Teabaggers Gone Wild - Vol. One



Teabaggers Gone Wild

They are: "Fired up; Ready to go!


They are "Angry as HELL!"


And they are holding major RALLYS!

Numbering in the HUNDRED!

Maybe as many as Two HUNDRED!

Leading up to the big HCR 'Just Pass the Damn Bill' weekend of March 20-21, 2010, many of my fellow Progressives on twitter were eavesdropping on a series of Tea Party phone conference calls we had infiltrated. Their planning appeared to be detailed and massive in scope. Nothing was left to chance.

Those of us listening to this call were not surprised at the hype of fear and division that has become the trade mark of the Teabagger cult. Nor were we surprised that they were working overtime to mobilize to a massive turnout to in effect KILL the BILL.


This first video of 'Teabaggers Gone Wild" is from a Teabag Rally held on March 16. It was about as unimpressive as the Teabag Rally to follow on Saturday. We had lots of fun laughing at the turnout being big enough to fill and ENTIRE phone booth.

Crowd size aside, the level of intelligence was way lower than what you would expect from any 8th grader. But lest they forget their Beck talking points, some Teabaggers were thinkin ahead and simply have them printed on their T shirts. All non-Beck T shirt-wearing Teabaggers had to resort to simply citing Beck or the entire Fox Network.

For those of you who have more than a single digit IQ, grab the popcorn, gather around the family and be prepared to laugh your ass off.



THE TEA PARTY & THE CIRCUS 
Final Healthcare Reform Protest





end