Some might ask why I have spent so much time lately discussing the unusual (and seemingly unprecedented) firings of Republican U.S. attorneys by the Justice Department. Specifically, some may ask, what this has to do with black folks. Apart from us being affected as citizens of this country, there is an impact to this that is more central to us.

In a previous post, I offered the following:

Also, keep in mind, the people fired were Republicans. So, if they can fire people for not being “Republican enough”, how many people scored high marks for willing to do political hit jobs, using their prosecutor statuses or blocked/ignored investigations into Republican corruption out of political loyalty.

Well, it appears that some may have done just that very thing — they may have done some partisan political hit jobs.

Look at this except detailing some of the investigations done by reports for the McClatchey newspapers.

Since 2005, McClatchy Newspapers has found, Bush has appointed at least three U.S. attorneys who had worked in the Justice Department’s civil rights division when it was rolling back longstanding voting-rights policies aimed at protecting predominantly poor, minority voters.

Another newly installed U.S. attorney, Tim Griffin in Little Rock, Ark., was accused of participating in efforts to suppress Democratic votes in Florida during the 2004 presidential election while he was a research director for the Republican National Committee. He’s denied any wrongdoing.

Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the four U.S. attorneys weren’t chosen only because of their backgrounds in election issues, but “we would expect any U.S. attorney to prosecute voting fraud.”

Taken together, critics say, the replacement of the U.S. attorneys, the voter-fraud campaign and the changes in Justice Department voting rights policies suggest that the Bush administration may have been using its law enforcement powers for partisan political purposes.

So, indeed, this issue hits close to home for us. We may be seeing the old trick of Republican voter suppression being taken to a new level by having it done at the hands of the top presecutors of their given states.

Therefore, if anyone asks why this is important to us black folks, let them know that, once again, our very right to vote is under attack by the very people tasked with making sure our right to vote is not jeopardized.

Popularity: 8% [?]

I wonder — if a person were to check the calendars in Paris, Texas, would they all still read “1954″?

The reason I ask is because some of the blatant racial disparities there appear to be very similar to many of the incidents I read about that occurred in the early stages of the Civil Right Era.

I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. For example:

There was the 19-year-old white man, convicted last July of criminally negligent homicide for killing a 54-year-old black woman and her 3-year-old grandson with his truck, who was sentenced in Paris to probation and required to send an annual Christmas card to the victims’ family.

There are the Paris public schools, which are under investigation by the U.S. Education Department after repeated complaints that administrators discipline black students more frequently, and more harshly, than white students.

But, the next two cases really show the start treatment, by race, that can occur in this town.

And then there is the case that most troubles Cherry and leaders of the Texas NAACP, involving a 14-year-old black freshman, Shaquanda Cotton, who shoved a hall monitor at Paris High School in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun.

The youth had no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor–a 58-year-old teacher’s aide–was not seriously injured. But Shaquanda was tried in March 2006 in the town’s juvenile court, convicted of “assault on a public servant” and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until she turns 21.

Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family’s house, to probation.

No one is excusing the young woman shoving a hall monitor but, the monitor bore no serious injury. But, really, does this transgression warrant 7 years in prison, especially when the same judge tries a case where a white girl burns down a house, on purpose, and that girl is still walking the streets?

Something is rotten in Paris and somebody needs to turn up the heat on this place.

Popularity: 18% [?]

“Pop Goes The Weasel” from the album Derelicts of Dialect

Popularity: 9% [?]

It appears that the mess that was seen at the Walter Reed Army Hospital (see here, here and here) was not unique. The horrible conditions under which some soldiers were (ware)housed, has some looking at veterans’ care with a new sense of scrutiny.

The latest news on this is that the Pentagon is now investigating a veterans’ home in northwest Washington, DC. This comes as a result of a report issued by the Government Accountability Office, which highlighted some alarming conditions at the Armed Forces Retirement Home.

In the report, the GAO stated that residents of the homes were admitted to Walter Reed with “serious pressure wounds” and, in one instance, a patient was admitted with maggots — yes, maggots — in a wound.

The chief operating officer of the facility, Timothy Cox, takes exception to the report indicating that the patients of his facility “may be at risk” and called the claims of the report “without merit”, labeling them as “inflammatory allegations.”

But, then, he basically confirms these allegations:

During a tour of the home yesterday, Cox confirmed that a resident had been found in August with maggots in a leg wound. Cox said the man was “noncompliant and combative,” and did not want his dressing changed.

Cox said the dressing should have been changed anyway. Eight employees were eventually fired because of the incident, he said. The man, who was 87, later died of causes unrelated to the wound. “It was an isolated incident,” Cox said.

Cox said the reports of human waste in the rooms may have stemmed from an outbreak in February of highly contagious norovirus, which infected more than 100 residents. “When you’re sick with vomiting and diarrhea, sometime you miss the john,” he said.

But, this is probably most telling:

Cox was hired from private industry in 2002 to bring down costs. In the past three years, the workforce has been cut from 736 to 447, and the operating budget has been reduced from $76 million to $54.7 million, according to figures provided by the home. The maintenance staff has shrunk from 127 to nine, despite a rising population, according to the senators’ letter.

So, once again, veterans get the short end of the stick. This is just one more example of the lack of Congressional oversight that has been typical during Bush’s tenure. I shudder to think of what else will come out in regards to veterans’ care.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Despite what some may want to believe, it’s okay for black folks to question where Barack Obama’s heart lies when it comes to our interests. It’s not a question solely for him — we should be asking this of any candidate. But, particularly, when the candidate is black, we DO expect him/her to be sensitive to the interests of his/her people and to include their concerns, as well as the concerns of others, in their decision-making process.

I came across a piece by Debra Dickerson at Salon.com that spoke to some of my concerns about the Obama candidacy. The article, titled “Sympathy for the devil: Leave Rev. Al alone!”, addresses the rumors of Sharpton’s alleged jealousy of Obama. According to “insiders”, this is the supposed motive for Sharpton not yet endorsing Obama. However, Dickerson says that Sharpton is only asking questions that need to be asked of Barack Obama and is right to not give an endorsement until they are answered.

Feel free to peruse Dicker’s contribution to the black cause, or trust my condensed version. Suffice it to say that blacks are no more strangers to silencing and schoolyard bullying than any other group. Supposedly “the high-profile, self-promoting” wannabe Sharpton, driven “crazy” by jealousy and failure, “has launched a ‘big-time’ effort to tear down” Obama, that white-backed poseur with no community ties, surrounded by shady nobodies. I’m surprised Sharpton wasn’t fingered for dropping a dime on Obama’s Marlboros and parking tickets. It’s Sharpton as Salieri, the bitter, conniving also-ran. How did Dicker “learn” this? From “[a] prominent black Democratic activist who knows Sharpton” and “who supports Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton,” from “another black Democratic activist,” “a source close to [Sharpton],” “Democratic activists,” and “a prominent New York official.” Not one of these “knowledgeable sources,” proof of Sharpton’s venality clutched in their hot little hands, was willing to put his or her name where his or her big, fat mouth was. Please.

Sharpton, being Sharpton, wasted no time hightailing it to the OK Corral. He told CNN, “It’s important to point out, they started this … I wake up yesterday morning with no warning and [read] ‘Is he jealous because he won’t endorse?’ I’ve never heard anything like that in my life in politics. This is one time I didn’t start the fight.” Sharpton went on to explain that he was withholding his endorsement until he got his questions answered on issues like Obama’s civil rights agenda, why Obama stumped for Joe Lieberman (an Iraq war supporter), Obama’s stance in support of tort reform and the like. “Why shouldn’t the black community ask questions?” Sharpton asked. “Are we now being told, ‘You all just shut up’?” Good questions, especially this one: Who’s telling blacks to shut up? Other blacks, that’s who, however much Obama’s white supporters might agree.

I have no doubt that Sharpton is jealous of Obama. Hell, I’m jealous of him. It’s doubtful that there’s anyone who spent decades crawling up the political ladder whose admiration isn’t mixed with at least a soupçon of “What’s so great about him?” Indeed, I argued that mainline civil rights leaders like Sharpton and Jackson need Obama to pay obeisance and show them public respect, if only to take the sting out of his leaving them in the dust. But much more important, Obama needs to respect blacks in general by explaining himself to us, answering our questions, and bloody well winning our vote. Whatever Sharpton may be feeling in his heart, he’s doing his job as a black leader, let alone as a voter, by withholding his endorsement until he’s convinced that it’s in his, and his people’s, best interest to bestow it on a particular candidate. It’s ridiculous to court his endorsement and then denounce him as an insubstantial playa-hater. We can only hope that this ad hominem whisper campaign was not sanctioned by the heretofore classy Obama. Sharpton now says that the senator did call him after the article ran, but that he hasn’t yet returned the call. Admittedly, that’s classless on Sharpton’s part. But still. Here’s looking for a follow-up article on a staffer or advisor suddenly cut loose from the Obama campaign.

Look, I am not wanting to tear down or turn support away from Obama but, I also don’t believe in giving someone a free pass just because he’s black. Like Dr. Cornell West stated, “(i)f there’s any white supremacist perception of Barack, I defend him. If there’s any white supremacist abuse of Barack, I defend him. Why? ‘Cause I hate white supremacy. But, he has to be accountable.” And, like I have stated previously, I want to know where he stands and what kind of person he truly is.

So, until I get that answer from him, and any other candidate for that matter, I am withholding my support , not because I question his competence but, because I don’t know what he intends to do for black Americans.

Popularity: 18% [?]

This “Middle Finger Award” goes out to the Democratic leadership of the House who, for a brief while, banned Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Mississippi) from speaking on the floor for his comments about another representative, Tom Price (R-GA), whose proposed amendment Taylor saw as being putative to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita who are still seeking reconstruction funds to rebuild their homes.

Taylor’s speaking privileges were restored and he apologized but, he sticks by the sentiments of his remarks.

Taylor took exception to Price attempt to bar the use of community development block grants to help fund the rebuilding effort, claiming that doing so was good fiscal responsibility. Taylor took exception to this and said the following:

“He wants to punish [towns affected by Katrina] for mistakes of the Bush administration. Mr. Price, I wish you’d have the decency, if you’re going to do that to the people of south Mississippi, that maybe you ought to come visit south Mississippi, and see what has happened, before you hold them to a standard you would never hold your own people to, and that you fail to hold the Bush administration to.”

Later, a spokeswoman for Rep. Taylor, Courtney Littig, offered the following:

“This is somebody with no idea what he’s talking about, who hasn’t visited Waveland, Mississippi. He doesn’t know that no one is living there, the City of Waveland has no tax base, they can’t rely on regular police patrols, they’re using volunteer firefighters, and there is no way for parts of south Mississippi to rebuild unless they’re able to use community development block grants.”

Another interesting not is that Rep. Taylor still lives with his brother after his home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina so, he might know what he’s talking about.

I’ve always found it interesting that Congress is so worried about civility when issues of life and death are on the line. Today, for putting concerns about civility over concerns about people first, I give the Democratic leadership of the house the middle finger.

Popularity: 20% [?]

Sudan was once the home of Osama bin Laden so, to say that the country has terrorist ties would be an understatement.

In our so-called, “war on terror”, it appears that we are willing to drag our feet while atrocities are carried out by a government in exchange for some information on terrorist activities.

Despite protestations to the contrary, this is part of our policy on Sudan.

It’s kind of like the police letting one of their informants rape and murder in exchange from some information they might have on drug syndicate. You ignore crimes actually being carried out by one group, based on the fear of potential crimes by another group.

This is just one more piece in the puzzle of why we sit idly by while people die.

But, really, it’s not so complicated when you think about it. There’s a line in the movie Sahara that sums it up best. In one scene, there’s an exchange between a man running a waste disposal plant where chemicals are seeping into the water supply, threatening the people of the country, and the dictator of that country. When the plant owner expresses worry, the dictator turns to him and simply says, “Don’t worry. It’s Africa. Nobody cares about Africa.”

So, I offer the same conclusion — nobody cares about Africa.

Popularity: 72% [?]

It’s been 200 years and the people of the D.C., despite paying the same taxes as other citizens, have no real voice in Congress. Sure, they have an at-large representative in Eleanor Holmes Norton but, in that capacity, she does not have a vote.

Currently, there is an initiative to get House representation for D.C. but, there is a big hurdle, the White House. Yes, believe it or not, Bush is threatening to veto D.C. vote if it passes the House.

The argument against the vote is that, since D.C. is not a state, it should not get a vote. So, in other words, the mostly-black city of D.C. is to be considered in the same vein as U.S. territories like, for instance, Guam.

I say that if a person is a U.S. citizen and can pay U.S. taxes, they need to have a vote in Congress.

Popularity: 8% [?]

The Alberto Gonzalez controversy train just keeps rollin’!

Earlier today, the President has made a “offer” to the committees investigating the firing of eight federal prosecutors. Bush offered to have his chief strategist Karl Rove and former White House counsel appear in front of the committe but, get this, they would not testify under oath. In other words, they would be free to lie to their hearts’ content. Miers supposedly proposed the idea to fire all 93 U.S. attorneys at the beginning of Bush’s second term. Karl Rove is suspected of having one attorney ousted to hire a friend of his in his place and is suspected of passing on complaints about a U.S. attorney from the New Mexico Republican Party chairman, Allen Weh, to the Justice Department. Weh said that, when he asked Rove if anything would happen to the New Mexico prosecutor, David Iglesias, Rove said, “He’s gone”, indicating it was a done deal.

If you remember, when George Bush and Dick Cheney met with members of the 9/11 Commission, they weren’t under oath and, more ironically, Alberto Gonzalez wasn’t under oath when he testified on the NSA’s spying on U.S. citizens. Gonzalez later “clarified” his unsworn testimony in a letter to the committee.

Well, it’s a new day in Congress so, it looks like Bush was trying to head off the news that House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. and Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sànchez will seek subpoenas for “five current and former White House and Justice Department officials”.

Conyers, Sànchez to Issue Subpoenas for White House Officials

(Washington, DC)- Today, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. and Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sànchez called a meeting to authorize subpoenas for five current and former White House and Justice Department officials. The Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (CAL) will meet TOMORROW, March 21st at 10:15 am in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building to consider subpoenas for Kyle Sampson, Karl Rove, Harriet Miers, William Kelley, and Scott Jennings, as well as White House and Justice Department documents, which have not been provided to date.

WHO: House Judiciary CAL Subcommittee

WHAT: Authorizing Subpoenas for White House, Justice Officials and Documents

WHEN: TOMORROW, March 21st, 10:15 am

WHERE: 2141 Rayburn HOB

I don’t know if they’ll bite on the president’s “offer” but, I hope not. I believe that Conyers has been waiting too long to get these folks under oath and won’t want the opportunity to slip away from him.

It’s a new day and I, for one, hope they give ‘em hell.

Popularity: 11% [?]

“I Got Cha Opin” from the album Enta da Stage

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Popularity: 8% [?]