You know how Republican Congress members like to invoke 9/11?  Well, here’s one invocation that I think they might want to take back.

California Rep. Darrell Issa, in expressing his opposition to extending benefits for first responders.  You remember them right?  These were the people that actually rushed into danger at Ground Zero to save people, scores of whom actually sacrificed their lives to do so.  Now, Issa is opposing actually doing something to help those first responders who survived that day but are still dealing with health issues from the toxic dust they breathed in and the families of those who lost their lives.

However, if his opposition is not offensive enough, you have to read the way in which he expressed his opposition.  Read this account of what was said:

During a hearing this week about legislation to extend victims’ benefits, Issa, a Republican, described the attacks on the World Trade Center as “a fire that had no dirty bomb in it, it had no chemical munitions in it. It simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft and residue of the material used to build this building.”

He questioned “why the firefighters who went there and everyone in the city of New York needs to come to the federal government for the dollars versus, quite frankly, this being primarily a state consideration.”

Issa went on to say that he could not vote for additional compensation money for New York “if I can’t see why it would be appropriate to do this every single time a similar situation happens which, quite frankly, includes any urban terrorist. It doesn’t have to be somebody from al-Qaida. It can be somebody who decides they don’t like animal testing at one of our pharmaceutical facilities.”

So, out of hand, Issa makes the 9/11 attacks appear like some air traffic accident.  And, even when he does get around to acknowledging this as an attack, he is basically saying that, if another terrorist attack occurs, Congress should tell the people, “you’re on your own.”

Issa’s statements have draw criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in New York.  I am just waiting for the pundits and commentators to make a firestorm out of this as they did with Jeremiah Wright’s comments.

Something tells me that I shouldn’t hold my breath.

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I’ll tell you straight-up, — and you can call me what you want — every black man is not my brother. If you hurt women and/or children, I don’t claim you.

Kelvin “Bird” Tillie, in no uncertain terms, is a coward, bully and no brother of mine.

Alexis Goggins is a 7-year-old first grader in Detroit and, in my heart and mind, a hero. Her mother, Selietha Parker, had broken up with Tillie six months ago. However, I wish she would have had better taste in men. This four-time felon couldn’t handle rejection so, on a night when Parker had to call a girlfriend to pick her and her child up when their heat went out, Tillie lay in wait for her outside of her house. At gunpoint, he kidnaps the two women and the child.

They stop at a gas station where Tillie forces the driver to get gas. The driver, Aisha Ford, calls 911 (who first hangs up on her then, during her second calls, tells her they have no units to send). Ford stalls for time, waiting for police to arrive and then tells Tillie that the $5 he gave her for gas would not be enough and goes back into the station to purchase more gas. The attendant sees that she is distraught and Ford informs him of what is happening. The attendant calls 911 and, as he is calling, shots are fired inside the vehicle.

The mother is shot in the head and arm and, before he could shoot again, Alexis puts her body between the mother and the shooter, begging him not to shoot her mother. Without hesitation, Tillie shoots the 7-year-old girl six times. Police finally arrived and arrested Tillie at the scene. He is facing charges of “kidnapping, assault with intent to murder, child abuse, felony firearms and habitual criminal charges.”

Alexis was taken to Detroit’s Children’s Hospital with wounds to her eye, left temple, chin, cheek, chest and right arm. She was in critical condition but expected to survive.

Needless to say, I have strong feelings about what should happen to Tillie but, as a responsible adult, I’ll save those for private converation.

Popularity: 31% [?]

If someone were to hang a noose in my workplace, I would consider it a symbol of hatred, not unlike have a swastika painted on a home or a cross burned in one’s front yard. For that reason, I find them neither humorous or something to take lightly.

More importantly, it is nothing to lie about.

That why I agree with the decision to fire a black firefighter in Baltimore, MD. There have long been issues of race in the Baltimore fire department…legitimate issues. So, why Donald Maynard, a six-year veteran of the department, took it upon himself to fabricate a story about being the recipient of a threatening note and a noose is beyond me.

As of now, Maynard is suspended with a recommendation that he be fired. To that I say, good riddance.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Let’s just put it out there — Pat Buchanan is racist or, should I say “white supremacist”?

The former member of Congress, presidential candidate and frequent talk-show contributor puts on an air of congeniality and feigns sage wisdom but, if you actually pay attention to what he says and writes, it’s clear that he feels that if white men are not in charge, we are doomed.

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, author of “The Isis Papers”, once stated that white supremacy exists “for the ultimate purpose of white genetic survival and to prevent white genetic annihilation on planet Earth - a planet upon which the vast majority of people are classified as nonwhite (black, brown, red and yellow) by white skinned people, and all of the nonwhite people are genetically dominant (in terms of skin coloration) compared to the genetic recessive white skin people.”

In other words…it’s the fear of a black planet.

Sound crazy? Well, think about the above as you read what Pat Buchanan says in his latest book, “Day of Reckoning: How Hubris, Ideology, And Greed Are Tearing America Apart”(thanks to Media Matters for the catch):

“How is America committing suicide? Every way a nation can.

The American majority is not reproducing itself. Its birthrate has been below replacement level for decades. Forty-five million of its young have been destroyed in the womb since Roe v. Wade, as Asian, African, and Latin American children come to inherit the estate the lost generation of American children never got to see.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2005 to 2006, our minority population rose 2.4 million to exceed 100 million. Hispanics, 1 percent of the U.S. population in 1950, are now 14.4 percent. Since 2000, their numbers have soured 25 percent to 45 million. The U.S. Asian population grew by 24 percent since 2000, as the number of white kids of school age fell 4 percent. Half the children five and younger today are minority children.” (Pages 7-8)

In other words, he fears white genetic annihilation and is sound an alarm to white people that, if they don’t get to making babies, they are doomed. Oh, but it gets worse. Here’s another passage from the book that should make it even clearer about where Buchanan is coming from:

“Almost as many African-American males are in jail or prison as are in colleges or universities. Half of all African-American and Hispanic students drop out of high school. The other half graduates with the math and reading skills of seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders. Yet by 2050 the number of African-Americans and Hispanics will have almost doubled from today’s 85 million, to 160 million. The future seems more ominous than it did in the hopeful days of civil rights. For these burgeoning scores of millions will not long accept second-class accommodations in the affluent society, where they are the emerging majority. The long hot summers of yesterday may be returning.”

In other words, the ignorant hordes of n*ggers and sp*cs are coming and white people will no longer be able to contain them.

It would be humourous except that, nearly every night of the week, he is on MSNBC or PBS, allowed to speak as a voice of credibility on a myriad of issues and, therefore, has an audience to which he can peddle this garbage.

I once heard a sort of joke that goes something like this — what’s the difference between a racist and a white supremacist? A racist doesn’t want to be around minorities at all. A white supremacist doesn’t mind being around minorities, as long as he’s in charge.

I guess I see to whom that joke refers.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Last week, I shared the comments of Dr. James Watson. Dr. Watson, in a interview with the Sunday Times, made comments labeling black people intellectually inferior.

At the time, Britain’s Science Museum canceled a talk he was scheduled to have there. Now, he is dealing with further backlash over his statements. Watson has been suspended from his research position at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York. According to the institution’s trustee board, this step is being taken “pending further deliberation by the board.”

For his part, Dr. Watson must have felt the heat because he offered the following:

“I can certainly understand why people, reading those words, have reacted in the ways they have,” he said.

“To all those who have drawn the inference from my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can only apologise unreservedly.

“That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of view, there is no scientific basis for such a belief.”

Shamefully, this man knew, with all his credentials, that his opinions on intellectual capacity as they relate to genetics would carry weight. Now, because he is facing heat for his words, he’s sorry.

I, for one, am not buying it.

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Britain’s Science Museum has canceled a talk by Dr. James Watson after it was revealed that Watson made some public statements that indicate his belief that black people are intellectually inferior to whites.

Watson rose to prominence by winning the Nobel Prize in 1962 for his co-discovery of the structure of DNA.

However, 45 years later, he is making news around the world for his blatant racism.

In an interview with London’s Sunday Times, Watson was quoted as saying he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours _ whereas all the testing says not really.”

He went to to say that he hoped people were all equal but “people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true”.

So, I’m just waiting for the right-wing talking heads in this country to use the words of a Nobel scientist to rationalize racism.

Well, here’s a “Middle Finger Award” to you, Dr. Watson. You do so richly deserve it.

Popularity: 30% [?]

John Tanner strikes again!

A few days back, I shared with you a story about John Tanner, Chief of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, in which he said that voter ID laws would actually be more advantageous for minorities because these laws disproportionately affect old people and minorities, generally, don’t live to be that old.

Now, he is is using more race-baiting to explain why black people were waiting in line so late into the night during the 2004 presidential elections in Ohio. According to Tanner, it’s because we were on C.P. time.

According to Tanner, black folks just got to the polls late in the afternoon, backing up lines and delaying the vote. Tanner wrote:

“…the principal cause of the difference appears to be the tendency in Franklin County for white voters to cast ballots in the morning (i.e., before work), and for black voters to cast ballots in the afternoon (i.e., after work). We have established this tendency through local contacts and through both political parties, and it accords with our considerable experience in other parts of the United States. Morning voters may wait in line several hours, as happened in white precincts, without keeping the polls open after 7:30 am; this is not the case, however, at sites where voters arrive after 5:30 p.m.”

Interestingly enough, I’ve lived in Ohio my whole life and I remember the 2004 elections quite vividly. I, like a lot of black folks, came quite early to cast our ballots (I got there at 6:45am). I live in a predominately-black suburb and witnessed people waiting 2 1/2 hours to cast their votes. My polling place, which was normally for my community only, was combined with two other polling places (thanks to the scheming of our former secretary of state, Kenneth Blackwell). Also, you had Republican challengers there basically intimidated people trying to vote and people casting provisional ballots, many of which, we now know, were never counted. At the time, we were voting on punch-cards and one of the booths was down due to mechanical error. I remind you, this was all before 9am, in a suburban voting area. Could you imagine what was happening in the inner cities around the state.

Tanner attempts to tell people (I contend he’s lying) that black folks were waiting because they got there late. However, this does nothing to explain why there were some folks (those in heavily-Democratic districts) who missed an entire day of work waiting to cast their ballots.

Tanner’s lies might play to the Fox News crowd but, for those of us who saw this firsthand, he’s going to have to come better than that.

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A big thanks to Brad Blog for this one. If you are not familiar with Brad Blog, it provides excellent coverage on voter issues, particular being a watchdog on those public officials and companies that are working against the voters through an assault on even their most basic voting rights.

In a recent post, they cover a talk given by US Attorney John Tanner, who is — get this — the Chief of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. This means that he is supposed to be insuring the rights of voters of color. Instead, he is actively working against them.

While addressing the National Latino Congreso in Los Angeles, he offers an amazing rationale for requiring voter ID (which is likely a violation of the Voting Rights Act). According to Tanner, those most likely to be adversely affected by this requirement are elderly voters but, since minority voters don’t live that long, this wouldn’t be an issue for them. So, according to Tanner, this should work in favor of minorities.

No, I am not twisting his words, he actually stated this. To be precise, he stated the following:

“I think it’s probably true that among those who don’t, it’s primarily elderly persons. And that’s a shame…You know, creating problems for elderly persons just is not good under any circumstance.

Of course, that also ties in with a racial aspect, because our society is such that minorities don’t become elderly…the way that white people do. They die first.”

Well, you can hear/see it for yourself…

Popularity: 32% [?]

I always find it interesting when a white guy wants to tell black folks that slavery really wasn’t that bad. Understand, this is not a man whose family history was virtually lost forever or whose grandparents had to live through Jim Crow and, now, his offspring, James Crow, Esq.

This time, the offender is right-wing hack, Michael Medved. In his latest piece at Townhall.com, he wants to tell us how wrong we are on our perception of what slavery in the U.S. was and how the millions who died in the middle passage weren’t victims of genocide — instead, they were, basically, the unfortunate victims who died when slavetraders were moving product between shores. Also, America is really not to be blamed for its role in slavery but should be commended for its “rapid” abolition of slavery (despite slavery going on for nearly two and half centuries in this country).

I suggest you read for yourself. As for me, I’m not shocked, suprised or amazed, considering the source.

Popularity: 49% [?]

Bill O’Reilly’s racism shines through yet again. This time, he manages to insult just about every black American due to his amazement that black people can actually be normal and engage in everyday living with a self-respect and civility.

What am I talking about?

Recently, on his radio show, Bill O’Reilly recounted his recent safaris into the jungles of black America in order to bring back news to white America about how the natives live there. Oh, is my sarcasm showing?

Just check out some of the highlights:

“I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. They’re getting away from the Sharptons and the [Rev. Jesse] Jacksons and the people trying to lead them into a race-based culture. They’re just trying to figure it out. ‘Look, I can make it. If I work hard and get educated, I can make it.”

“Starting” to think for ourselves, huh?

(On go to Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem, O’Reilly stated he) “had a great time, and all the people up there are tremendously respectful…I couldn’t get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia’s restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it’s run by blacks, primarily black patronship.”

“…even though it was run by blacks…”?

Oh, lets not ignore this gem.

“There wasn’t one person in Sylvia’s who was screaming, ‘M-Fer, I want more iced tea.’ You know, I mean, everybody was — it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn’t any kind of craziness at all.”

What the hell?!!

The bottom line is that Bill O’Reilly has got to be one of the whitest men in America. It is clearly evident that he doesn’t spend any significant time around people of other races, nor does he have to. The ignorance he displayed above only further solidifies this point. However, I am less disturbed by him saying it than I am by the fact that millions listen to him and agree with him.

I have posted the audio below (thanks to Media Matters) for anyone interested in hearing it for themselves.

 

 O'Reilly's surprise at normality of black people: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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