Palin's Haitian Drive-By

In another seemingly nonsensical move in her sorta march toward the 2012 presidential election campaign, the half governator and failed Vice Presidential candidate from that great state of Alaska made a trip to Haiti this weekend. You can read the CNN story here
 

For what? Why now? The Haitian story has died down. It's over, as news stories go. Pushed to the back burner in the minds of most people, especially the ADHD voters of America. 

The corrupt government is not taking care of its people, the devastation remains and a cholera outbreak is in full swing. Why would a wannabe presidential candidate travel there now, when it's still so dangerous?

Maybe shooting helpless caribou on camera isn't enough to prove bravery. Maybe going to Africa was too big an undertaking at this point in time. But, venturing into the western heart of darkness, surrounded by armed guards and walking among the swarthy island natives is a better way and safer way to prove  worth to the American people and the world.

That's it, do a Tarzan turn and flip the script a bit...you know...white girl among the savages....pat a darkie on the head and all the other darkies in America will jump on your bandwagon and vote for you! Show white liberals you really and truly care about their minorities. Yeah that would work!

Must have been a really fun brainstorming session for Palin and her gang of Rovian mini brains. Bet no one thought going to Watts or Harlem would make more sense and accomplish the same thing, maybe. At least she'd be talking to people who could possibly do something for her....like, oh I don't know... vote, for instance.

Did she take her witch doctor with her? No, actually she took Todd and Bristol. Guess Willow or whatever that child's name is, finally had to go to school or maybe it was her turn to take care of Track and Trip, the baby props, while they are off stage and out of sight.

The trip wasn't announced to any news organization with the exception of FOX which sent it's cracked political commentator Greta Susteren along for the ride, complete with a camera crew to record for posterity, or for broadcast in the future, in case Lady Sarah needs to prove she can mingle with the masses.

There were no policy announcements except to chastise the American government for not doing more...Huh?

Thought the government was doing too much...spending too much...helping the wrong people...Oh..I get it...helping the bete noire of Haiti is okay...It's the black and brown Americans who don't deserve aid and sustenance from the government that takes its taxes.

She told reporters who were there on the real story; "(I) don't want Americans to forget the need that is here,"..... "More importantly, for Americans and people across the world to know what an individual can do to make a difference, to contribute, to.”

Gee, Sarah...you didn't have to make the trip and use up all that petrol...all you had to do was to write out a check for some of the money you got from your bogus book sales.

You know the old saying “money walks...bullshit talks.

Pagan or Christian-What You Celebrate on December 25th

No one knows when Mary is supposed to have given birth to Jesus, and for the first 300 years Christianity existed there was no celebration of the birth of Christ at all. If anyone wanted to celebrate or to mark the occasion, there was a tendency in the beginning, to lump his birth in with the Epiphany, an already established church feast which is held on January 6^th .

Some church leaders even argued against celebrating Jesus' birth because it reminded them of the way Egyptians and other religions honored their pagan gods. In other words it was a pagan tradition to mark a deity's birth with celebration.  Still, some church leaders argued that it should be celebrated and take place on May 20^th. Other dates in May, November, January, and March were also championed.

March 25^th was favored because it was considered at the time to be the day of the creation of the Sun according to the gospel.

December 25^th gained ground in 273AD, and eventually stuck for some very non christian reasons. Simply put, it was a time in the year when people weren't killing each other, you know, burning christians at the stake or throwing pagans into the lions den, depending on which side of the religious fence you found your village.

The reason nobody was being sent to their god, was that there were two other holidays celebrated on this day. The Romans marked “natalis solis invicti” which means birth of the unconquered sun, and the Iranian holiday, the birth of Mithras or “Sun of Righteousness”, which was very popular among Roman soldiers.

Winter Solstice, yet another pagan celebration also occurred at this time, within a few days of the other two celebrations. So since nobody was fighting at this time, wiley church leaders decided to co opt the day, December 25^th for their celebration of the birth of Jesus.

But Christmas didn't really catch on until many years later when  Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the number one religion of the land. The eastern parts of the empire, however, stuck with January 6^th as the day to celebrate his birth and baptism. But eventually everybody with the exception of the Armenians moved to the December 25^th date by 336AD. Western Churches still celebrate January 6^th as the day of the arrival of the Magi instead of as Christ's baptism date.

That's not all, just about everything connected to Christmas is pagan in origin. For instance, gift giving and partying dates back to Roman Saturnalia, christmas trees with lights and giving to charity date back to the way the Romans celebrated their Roman New Year, and the Yule log as well as stuffing your face with all kinds of foods and drink harken back to Teutonic feasts, leading some super christians to contend that Christmas is nothing more than gift wrapped paganism.

Want to learn more, click here

Compromise and Capitulation-Another White House Cave-in

(Open letter #4 to President Obama)

“we cannot play politics at a time when the American people are looking for us to solve problems.” -Barack Obama

Dear Sir,

This statement, like all of your other statements are very high brow and noble and full of pristine thinking. However, the GOP has been speaking and communicating in layman's terms since you took office two years ago.

What they're saying in common speak is “fuck you” Mr. President, “fuck you” middle class and all this time you've been singing background harmony.

They went into the meetings daring you to call their bluff and you blinked. Again. You even gave them more than they said they wanted. Lowering the estate tax more than they've ever asked..that's a wet dream for a rich man...doesn't help the poor man in any way shape or form.

None of this decreases the deficit. And by the way, where are the teabagging deficit hawks? Still waiting to hear from them. They can't vote until January, but, hell, they're not even talking.

Wha sa matta u Teabags...GOP got your tongue, too?

The GOP is not having any trouble playing politics with the lives of American people. We feel like we're in a fight but our hands are tied behind our back. We have to stand there and be pummeled by the no brained thug brought in to beat us into submission.

Where's the fight, Mr. President? Where's the change from Washington politics business as usual? Where's the change that we can believe in?

So far, all we have is Bush policy 2.0 except it has BHO in the signature line, these days. It's not compromise when you're always on the losing end.

That's a flat out ass whuppin', stomped and bloodied.

Extending the Bush tax cuts for two years, unnecessarily drains the federal coffers of more money but also puts the cuts into play in an election year, 2012. The country couldn't afford the tax cuts when Bush created them. We can afford them even less in addition to two illegal wars, a recession weak economy and a massive big pharma authored drug plan.

So what is this? You setting yourself up to fail? If you don't want the job, then don't run. Step aside and let somebody else with a stomach for street fighting take a crack at it.

Would it have been so hard to call the GOP's bluff and let the tax cuts expire? The money saved could have been used to fund stuff that needs fixing.

And what about the START treaty? Is that going to be signed or is the party of NO going to work to destroy the world in a nuclear holocaust now that it has effectively trashed America?

More important, are you going to stand by and continue to co sign on their actions?

What about DADT...is it dead? How about the DREAM Act or DOMA or ENDA? All dead because the GOP told you NO? You can't get them to compromise now...with a majority in Congress. What happens come January when they control the House? Do you really think these bills are going to pass?

Walking the walk is much more important than talking the talk, Mr. President. Don't need no more pretty speeches and soaring words....need some action....need  to throw some punches ...need to bury your size 12 in somebody's GOP ass...

It feels good to sweat....C'mon Mr. President...time to sweat for something other than a pick up basketball game on Sunday with your chums.

Hey Homes, You Pissin' Me Off, Man!

(Open letter # 3 to President Obama)

"These people are saying we are going to insist on tax cuts for the richest people in the country and we don't care if they are paid for, and we don't think it is a problem if it contributes to the deficit, but we are not going to vote to extend unemployment benefits to working people if they aren't paid for because they contribute to the deficit.”-Ted Strickland

WOW!

Tight! Perfect soundbite....but it didn't come from you, Homes. It came from my soon to be ex governor who took the bullet for you, man. He's gone..too late to save him. What you sayin'.. sorry?

Naw..all we got from you was more of the same BS you been talkin the past two years...you apologized to the wrong people on Tuesday, after another so called bipartisan sitdown in your office... what did you say...”sorry I haven't done enough outreach to the GOP.”

What the hell was that?

Where's the outreach to the people who elected you, Homes? You know the ones who are losing their jobs...their houses.....their ability to look their families in the eye and tell em it's gonna be okay?

Where's the apology to them for not standing up to the crazies who are trying to destroy this country rather than let the rest of us live here with them?

They have been telling you since day one, they are not going to work with you. Their only purpose is to destroy you. They ain't lyin' to ya bra.

THESE... FOOLS... ARE.... SERIOUS!

Talk about a high tech lynching...Man you sittin' on a horse with your hands tied behind your back, waiting for them to locate the perfect tree for you necktie festivities.

What don't you understand about that?

There can be no compromise....There should be no compromise....It is perfectly plain....permanent tax cuts increase the deficit....

It's a no brainer, man...
Even Jose Feliciano can see this...

Since you're a sports junkie...let me paint a picture that you might understand....comes from the old Burt Reynolds movie called The Longest Yard..

During the climactic game against the guards...word trickles down that the QB has once again sold out...the team...angry...stops playing...and let's golden boy take the hits..

This is where you are Homes...you're in a team sport....but due to your seeming lack of leadership...your team is quitting on you..because they no longer believe in you..

Reynolds does ultimately beat the guards in a perfectly scripted Hollywood ending...

But this ain't the movies, Homes...this is real...

Homes...you need to make some moves...call out some signals...change the game...or you're going to be sacked and penalized..

Think of it this way....4^th down and inches.....your name is Franco Harris...or 4 seconds on the clock your name is Michael Jordan and you're playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round...and the ball has been inbounded to you..........

What you gonna do Homes?

Huh?

When Sex Kills-A Conversation for My People on World AIDS Day

(originally published 12/1/2009)
 
Black people- HIV/AIDS is killing our community. It stopped being a gay white man's disease, years ago. However, from the beginning it was killing Black people. Black women were passing the germ on to their newborn babies in breast milk, and they were dying. Black people in Africa continue to die with whole generations wiped out and children left without parents. The white gay community mobilized to deal with the situation while Black people fell through the cracks due to their own prejudices and ignorance, coupled with an inherently racist health system that continues today.

The HIV virus is not killing white America, so much anymore, but it is killing Black America....Let's bring it even closer....It is affecting Black straight America...through Black straight women, who refuse to hold their sexual partners accountable.

In Hamilton County, Cincinnati, Ohio....The number of Black women living with HIV/AIDS has doubled since 1998, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Across America, Black women, most of them straight, make up 61% of the newly diagnosed cases, while Black men make up 46% of all newly diagnosed cases.

The Black community in America is on target to be wiped out just like in Africa.

I've been writing and doing radio programs about this since the disease surfaced in 1984. I lost 11 friends in one year and 2 relatives before I stopped counting. I continue to write about it, and to talk about it, but it feels like I'm spitting into the wind and nobody is paying attention.

The fact of the matter is that.....

HIV is the number one cause of death for Black women between the ages of 25 and 34. The same is true for Black men between the ages of 35 and 44.

My people, you are dying because of fear, denial and ignorance. It's not about drug use and junkies sharing needles. That does happen, but primarily the cause is unprotected sex. Sex without condoms. A condom can stop the spread of the disease. No one is saying become celibate....just become sensible about what you do when you do decide to get your groove on.

Anyone who has sex with someone who refuses to use a condom is committing suicide...a long painful and stupid suicide.

As Black people we're funny. We talk about white people letting their dogs kiss them in the face. We worry about the germs from the dog's tongue. Yet, dog germs on your face won't kill you. But sex without a jimmy will and does over and over and over again. But nobody's talking about that.

Straight Black women in particular are in denial and are paying the price. Maintaining a jimmy-less relationship with their man when he comes out of prison is a big factor, especially since many black men engage in man on man sex while in jail, then take it home to their women.

Another major factor is men who routinely have sex with other men, yet don't consider themselves gay and still sleep with women. She ends up infected since male to female transmission is the easiest form of transmission.

Ohio Corrections tests all men going into the system, however they don't test them upon release.

The sad fact is that statistics show that most Black straight women are infected by their husbands and boyfriends.

So what can be done. Well, it's a matter of the entire community coming out the closet about the problem. And by this I mean, Black Churches, Black civil rights organizations, and Black people need to admit to themselves that it is not a white disease or a black disease....It is a disease that is colorblind and is killing us.

Everyone should be tested. I have been, a couple of times. It is a simple blood test that you can have done while you're having other blood work done. Your doctor can give you a card that you can carry in your wallet. The information just says...blood type..rh factor and HIV positive or negative.

People are living longer and longer because the medicine is finally catching up. HIV is no longer an instant death sentence.

So do yourself a favor on World AIDS Day, get tested and ask your partner to get tested, too.
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