shoutouts

Found this in my draft box and thought this was about a good way to start as anywhere else. Without delay the second post of the new year; I liked to give a shout out to anyone who has read an entry and came back (even just to place an ad). Also this is for my fellow bloggers especially those who either have blogger's block or overflowed with too much information. To my boys Paul West, Angry Nick, and Marcus S. aka King Indie aka Anwar Sadat aka MSea.(check out his site which you can find a link on the side right to the right). Also I want to hollerout to those I know who I don't see but keep in my thoughts (sorry but I forgot y'alls names). Big ups to those who labor in the shadow and the light; those who clean up our messes, the media, the buracrcy, dissenters, and all those women in the world that have made me stutter. Keep hanging, keep strong, and keep loose.

GO SIT DOWN!!

(This is a contiuation of my previous rant)

There is a new a single making the rounds on the radio lately by Maceo and it really encapsulates what some of these politicians and pundits and just plain dumb mafrockers need to do when then don't have something intelligent, helpful, or gramaticaly correct to say: HOE SIT DOWN!

(insert said idiot) sit down, every time I come around
u hollering, screamin, jumpin up and down
Jump around me h_e, I'ma hit ya wit a bow
knock ya down, and don't give a f_k if u get up hoe

On another line of thought; there should be a law against a motherfrocker showing up on TV when something happens just to say they were there (and in turns meant they did something) or to congradulate people who ain't did nothing and only did so because they thought it would play well in their district *


in the previous entry I tried to tell you how the New Negro viewed the political sitch here are some articles by those who can but the words into complex sentences.

John Dickerson "Political Hurricane" slate.com

Howard Kurtz "Media Notes " washington.com

David Remick "Under Water" newyorker.com

For an alternate view (I know you're out their Mr. Conservative)

The Big O (Ophrah) is on the loose nytimes.com

Also to see reporters gone wild check out this salon.com

also peep out Kanye West's new album it's good.


* be forwarned, the nytimes site requires membership to view articles (it's free 99). salon requires you to watch an add for a day pass.



*This doesn't mean I don't advocate such in certain times; but one should neither be blatant with it or try to do it if they don't have the brains or emotional range for it.

In the Middle of the Tempest

First came the hurricane;
then the levee brakes;
now we hear the moans a politicians makes.

It has been about a week and a half since the Hurricane and things have gone to shit. What we see before us has been a systemic brakedown of epic proportions. It began with the mayor of New Orleans Ray Naggin going off on local radio and continued to network and cable reporters (all of whom can be said to bge incensed by what's happend). It was striking to see Anderson Cooper, Mister I'm on mild depressant sounding; Mr I like grass watching press LA Senator Mary Landrieu about politician backslapping. Also striking was how Shep Smith of Fox News who can and does come off as a flippant American was trained of any sense of spin and polish delivering news from the highway leading out of the city. When he was on Hannity and Colmes; he had a look at one point that said if this dude (Sean Hannity trying to put this "in perspective") don't shut up he was going to come back to New York; shake his hand then put he foot down his throat and start stomping. But it wasn't just two incidents; Nightline's Ted Copple was on the tear after FEMA's director and TIm Russert basically challenged DHS head Chertoff to be a man and admit his faults (but this is the Bush Admin; only thing free flowing is bullshit and onomadapeia). However today's journal is all about the political aspect of what's happenend. I know what you're going to say, "this is above politics". To which I will reply it should be but it ain't. Especially after the last two elections and the growth in extreme partisanship (which I argue was started by conservatives). In looking at it imagine a type of strategy game for example chess and go. Chess represents the quick studied actions of a battle while Go represents the course of war (a series of skirmises and battles). the first level; the chess level involves the immediate look of the crisis. On one side is the state and local governemnts (in this case LA which has a complicated rep along with the fact they are run by democrats) and the Federal government (the Bush Admin). While the begining of this had everyone banding to gether; the delayed reaction on the part of FEMA and DHS whose job it is to handle major disasters and of George Bush to come out and comfort the nation had but blame or at least the bad smell in their court. Now we slowly hear information about the state and local gov'ts culpability in regards to the event as well as a mobilization of pundants to push to blame them (as well in some cases those left behind). This is a part of the short term chess type issue. the Go side reflects how this as well as souring opinion on Iraq will affect the rest of Bush's presidency. As we have seen for the past week; Bush and those under him are facing backlash for their actions. While this can be quieted (by the deputies falling on their swords); their actions have added to already taited legacy that is George Bush's. Also the way he and some of his party have handled relations with the opposition party have left very little good feeling to be used to ease this crisis out of their corner. Additionally, George Bush has proven himself lacking in terms of both his role as an MBA president and as a Comforter in Chief. I think Dennis Miller saying that Bush is a checkers type of President has proven false; becuase even in that game their must be a certain level of finess.

Light in the Dark 

helping hands 

Lights in the Darkness

Someone asked me to write about the Hurricane to ring my own perspective to it. I’ve thought about it. I have had thoughts. And I pulled out a sketch pad to write them down. But nothing really came. For the past week I’ve absorbed the coverage everything from the network news to the cable shows. I have looked at the pictures of the disposed and saw internet boards of people searching for loved and letting people know they were okay. I’ve seen and heard about people doing what they can for the people in need and seen those in power do very little. I have seen grown men cry at the futility of their Herculean actions. And I have seen women and children lost. There has been talk of looters and snipers and the scenes I have witness make it look as if it is some other country; a place not my own. I really don’t know what I can add to the situation. I don’t think words or even simple gestures can answer what happened. And like in many cases it wasn’t the storm but it was what came after that made this worse. There were signs and reports detailing the possibility that this would happen and that this kind of devastation was likely. As I write this I keep stopping and starting; my feelings and observations keep coming and mingling. I keep thinking about the fact that there were lines for gas because of rumors about gas shut-offs. I am pissed a how the market doesn’t dip down in value and how Wall Street can see such hope in all this mess. I ‘m mad that at the beginning of this every damn cable news channel called people refugees when they are citizens of these United States. I’m mad at any foreign pundant, reporter, or person who sees this as punishment for the “crimes” of the US against the world. I am mad as hell that I can’t cry when looking at scenes of children and grown men and women begging to be rescued. I want to now why aren’t; why didn’t we move haven and earth to protect are people. I sick of people saying they are doing everything possible when they aren’t doing a thing. I hate that I can’t add expletives to describe the level of disgust at how my black people have said nothing. I’m mad that that no one has stopped, just stopped and mourned or just broke something. I’m mad at how this had made me realized my powerlessness and my callousness toward my fellow man. I want to hug everyone who had to make the hard choice of letting go of that hand or the one who decided to let go. I agree with the mayor of New Orleans when he said that there should be a moratorium on press conferences; especially those that are only made to show leaders “doing” something. I want to see at least one person in charge ask for forgiveness and say they weren’t there that they should’ve been. I want to agree with Clarence Paige when he said we failed because we did not and do not protect the least of these. I want to thank God that we here in Memphis didn’t suffer the fate of those in the lower half of the Mississippi. I want to thank all those around the world who offered help and comfort and prayers. I agree that their was a racial aspect to this and I don’t care if that’s popular. I wish to god that I had the words to say everything that’s in my heart; but I know I can’t. Nothing ever promised but I know there is a light in the darkness and a peace in the valley.

My America