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Terry Tate Vs. Sarah Palin |
did NOT see this coming (thanks for the link...I forget who, sorry) |
Terry Tate vs. Palin |
how in the HELL did they do this? clearly the world of editing is getting better and better. |
RIP - Dolemite |
Rudy Ray Moore passed this weekend. |
"Dolemite - Original Trailer" |
But the Avenging Disco Godfather will live on forever. |
"The Avenging Disco Godfather Trailer" |
Also, Dee Dee Warwick (Dione's younger sister) and Levi Stubbs, frontman for The Four Tops, also passed. |
Gay Marriage, Homophobia, HIV & the African-American Community |
So Barack Obama raised $150,000,000 last month so I have decided to move an additional donation that I was planning to make to his campaign to another cause closer to home. |
I'm voting against Proposition 8 here in California and I'll be supporting the efforts against this proposition financially and I'd like to explain why I think this issue is one that ALL Americans (and particularly African-Americans) should be doing some serious soul searching. |
First a confession. I am a policy JUNKIE! I have a Masters of Public Policy from Harvard that I am severely underutilizing, but give me a good set of numbers and econometric possibilities are endless. So let's begin... |
I've always felt that African-American's had a "privileged perspective" in this country due to our perseverance and eventual success (in THIS country) in spite of absolutely insurmountable odds in the face of CENTURIES of despicable and inhuman treatment. I believed that this perspective allowed us keen insight into in... |
Just a little background. I am a third-generation Los Angeleno. I have lived in California for almost me entire life. Believe it or not, African-American's only make up approximately 7% of the state's population (the majority of which live within the city limits of Oakland & Los Angeles and their respective surrounding... |
On May 15, 2008, the (judiciously conservative - remember we've had LONG LINE of Republican Governors running this state) Supreme Court of California overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage in a 4-3 holding that "that the California legislative and initiative measures limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples v... |
Really? What if we had allowed the good people of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia (you get the point) to DECIDE if African-Americans should enjoy the same freedoms that its white citizens enjoyed for hundreds of years? How do you think that vote would have gone? Exactly. Proposition 8 is a blatant attempt to n... |
One of my favorite political bloggers, Andrew Sullivan, posted this tidbit on his blog on September 30th. |
Citing a recently released study, Andrew noted: "Young evangelical Christians display generational differences on some key social issues. A majority of younger white evangelicals support some form of legal recognition for civil unions or marriage for same-sex couples. Older evangelicals remain strongly opposed. At the ... |
Andrew then concludes by saying, "Black evangelicals are another matter. There is, alas, no ethnic community as homophobic in America as African-Americans. Which is why the ballot initiative in California could be close." |
I was admittedly offended at his suggestion that African-Americans could play a decisive role AGAINST another person's/group's civil rights and immediately sent him an e-mail demanding proof of his claim. |
Well folks, here's the proof. Please take a gander at a VERY recent SurveyUSA poll on Proposition 8. California's African-Americans SUPPORT Proposition 8 by a margin of 20 points, 58% to 38%. To put that in perspective with other Californians: White 47% Yes - 48% No, Hispanics 47% Yes - 41% No, Asian 42% No - 48% Yes. |
Wow. How did we get here? Look I'm not in complete denial. I will certainly admit that there is a strong homophobic undercurrent within the African-American community, although I have never been able to ascertain what the SOURCE of that angst is? That being said, I've also seen nearly an equal of amount of flat-out "ac... |
I wonder how many African-American's believe that Dr. Martin Luther King would be FOR Proposition 8? Clearly more than I ever imagined. The reason I bring Dr. King up is his because he was a minister AS WELL AS a civil right leader. The political and religious have long been intertwined in the African-American communit... |
These same deaf ears have failed to tally up the true COST of homophobia in the black community, but we'll do that here with the help of the Center for Disease Control. According to the 2000 census, blacks make up approximately 13% of the US population. However, in 2005, blacks accounted for approximately 49% of new HI... |
So what does this have to do with gay marriage you ask? Everything. The level of homophobia in the black community and the rate of HIV infection is NOT one of coincidence. The longer we are complicit in denying equal rights, the longer we are complicit in preventing people from being 100% truthful about who they are. A... |
Lastly, Andrew Sullivan posted a new blog today about the SurveyUSA results and what he believes Barack Obama should do about them: |
For the record, Obama IS opposed to Proposition 8, calling it a "divisive and discriminatory effort to amend the California Constitution", but he is AGAINST gay marriage BUT supports equal rights for gay couples under the law. Got that? |
Look. Clearly gay marriage has emerged as this decade's third-rail of electoral politics. Remember how well Karl Rove has used it thus far? Obama's playing out the clock on this one and Sullivan knows that. Younger voters don't have a problem with gay marriage and older voters won't be around to prevent it from happeni... |
Film Commentary: "The Secret Life of Bees" |
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. I will repeat, I REALLY liked it. |
I don't ask for much any more in a film. All I ask is that you make me care enough about the characters to either sympathize with them, laugh at them, or be very impressed by their stunt doubles. Oh and the acting should be strong, and the writing and the directing. Umm, maybe I am asking for a lot. Anyway, this movie ... |
Alright yes, one could label it as one of those 'female films,' but I think I am doing it a disservice to call it a 'chick flick'. It is a good movie. Period. |
One dissenting voice - my mother. In a nutshell she grudgingly liked it. Two points she made: |
(1) She thought it was unrealistic and, |
(2) She is tired of having black stories told through the prism of white people. As if without them we don't have stories to tell, which of course isn't true. However, try and get big dollar financing for a story involving black people where no white person is prominently featured and you tell me how long it takes you.... |
Even though I thought she was being a downer, I had to concede that she had a point. I actually posed this same assessment to a friend about films based on the African experience. I will reserve additional commentary on that point until a later date. I gotta wrap this up. |
I also mentioned to my mum that the film is adapted from a best selling novel - she rolled her eyes at me. Oh well. |
I think I was just happy to see a well done, positive representation of black people on the big screen. Frankly I can't get enough of it. Having Barack Obama as the democratic presidential nominee has brought out the best and the worst of our citizenry. The ignorance and hatred running rampant at these McCain/Palin ral... |
Yes - no matter where my posts begin, all roads always lead to Obama! |
Very many props to Gina Prince-Bythewood!! |
Film Commentary: "W" |
How one man's need to receive approval from his father led to America's downfall |
Saw "W" this weekend. Oliver Stone presented a fairly balanced film. He certainly didn't Michael Moore it and destroy the man - even though he had plenty of ammo. He honestly tried to provide a legitimate portrayal of his strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, goals, etc. |
I cannot tell you whether or not the film is good. I was so shaken by watching the beginning of the end play out before my eyes that I couldn't register the film as a whole. Watching the origins of our descent into military chaos and hell, the origins of our loss of credibility abroad and the whys and hows of how all t... |
I did maintain presence of mind to notice the acting: |
Josh Brolin did a magnificent job although the parts where he played the young George Bush were uncomfortable to watch. No amount of hair dye and make up was going to convince me that a 40 year Brolin was an 18 year old college Bush. Naw. Nevertheless his acting was superb. |
Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell was stellar and Stone's portrayal of Powell was interesting to watch. Portraying Powell as the lone voice of reason during the first Bush administration, Stone presented a classic "me" against "them" scenario - until it wasn't. |
Richard Dreyfuss's Cheney could have been more sinister but I may think that only because I think Cheney is evil incarnate. |
Thandi Newton as Condi Rice. Apparently I missed the memo about who was playing Bush's girlfriend (just kidding but she was definitely his gal 'friday'). Here I am wondering who the hell is playing this character and why on earth is she so god awful. Let me repeat - GOD AWFUL! I don't really care for or at this point e... |
James Cromwell's GB1 was a quite likable statesmen, except that by the end of the film Stone leaves you thinking that if GB1 hadn't been such a distant and disapproving father (rightly so) to GB2 the last eight years may have never happened. |
Stone's assertions: |
(1) GB2 desperately wanted his father's approval and love (damn that overachieving Jeb Bush!!) |
(2) GB2 was a scrappy, good natured frat boy who hated to lose. No really, I mean HATED to lose. Oh and he has a wee bit of an ego . . . |
(3) GB2 is not a stupid man, he's just a lazy and indifferent learner - come on you knew what he was trying to say during all those occasions when he MANGLED the english language. |
(4) GB2 actually had good intentions for the country. He really thought he was doing what was best for everyone. It was that diabolical Cheney who wanted to control the rest of the world. |
Like I said, Stone let him off easy. Perhaps he didn't want to make a truly partisan film. Perhaps he saw it as a challenge as a filmmaker to find the humanity in GB2 and to present as objective a film as possible. Whatever. In any event it really doesn't matter. Everyone (whether they want to admit it or not) is acute... |
And that is why a President Obama is so desperately needed. I do not trust McCain to apply the type of temperament, nuanced thinking and judgement that we need to start to undue the mess Bush will leave behind. |
Sunday, October 19, 2008 |
Black Alaskan OUTRAGE!!! |
Black Alaskan Carlos Boozer is pissed. |
I was doing some of my regular Sunday morning newspaper reading and came across this headline: |
I was naturally intrigued but encountered a story that was more gripe than substance. |
First off, I assume that minority equals Black, or at least it does for the article's author. Apparently, Alaska's black political establishment feels slighted due to a lack of representation in Sarah Palin's administration. |
Maybe Palin is still upset that she lost the Miss Alaska crown in 1984 to a black woman. Yes, A BLACK WOMAN. IN ALASKA. |
Or maybe the lack of minority (read: Black) participation in the administration is due to the fact that Palin is the governor of ALASKA, which, according to the Census, is 3.7% Black. The article's figures put the percentage of black appointees in her administration at 2%, a number that might be higher if political emp... |
Basically, I can't fault Palin on the hiring front. I wonder what would be the proper percentage representation in the eyes of those interviewed. |
This isn't the first time someone's brought up a lack of black hiring in a state with a miniscule black population. In the 2004 presidential race, Al Sharpton made it an issue that while Howard Dean was governor of Vermont, he had few black political hires. Great point, Al. Oh wait, maybe the reason why there weren't (... |
I'm all for black folks being in the upper echelons of government in significant numbers but making a case in Alaska, Vermont, or any other state with similar demographics, is a hard sell. |
But best of luck to them, though. |
I'm rootin' for ya!*wink* |
Palin on SNL |
I completely missed SNL last night but caught two clips with Sarah Palin online today. |
Both apperances were short and I don't think they'll drastically shift public opinion either way on her. But, I have to say, it was good to see a more humanized verison of a candidate (I still think Bob Dole on SNL was probably the best). And having Alec Baldwin walk her out to the faux press conference was ironic. |
Below is a rap Palin supposedly refused to perform during Weekend Update. |
Once again, hip-hop shown in its best, or at least most popularly conceived, form... |
It's Official... |
Well, you heard it here first (probably not, but I'll take the credit). |
Since it looks like Powell won't hit the trail, the Obama supporters out there better hope a campaign ad hits the airwaves in Ohio and Florida ASAP with Powell displayed prominently. You raise me a terrorist Muslim who wasn't born in America and I'll trump you with a respected retired general and former Secretary of St... |
Any other suggestions for Team Obama to seize this opportunity? Will there be a Republican counter to Powell? |
Saturday, October 18, 2008 |
ST LOUIS, Missouri (AFP) — A gigantic crowd numbered by police at 100,000 people turned out for a rally here Saturday by Democrat Barack Obama on the closing stretch of the White House campaign. |
This Shit Is Wild! |
I was procrastinating this morning from writing and did some ego-surfing. |
Did you guys know about Huffpo's "FUNDRACE" website. |
This shit is WILD. |
You can search AMERICA to see who gave what to what candidates. For example if you put in our names you can see that Diallo gave about 3x as much to Obama as I did... |
(though I think this thing is laggy cuz I gave O-dog more than is listed but I moved recently...whatever, but still...I always suspected Diallo was rich and now I know...maybe this thing is just from the primary cuz Clinton's name is on it...?**) |
But the possibilities of this thing are endless. |
Wanna know if your neighbors are Republican or Democrat? Put in your address. Wanna know if your boss gave as much to Obama as she claimed? Put her name in. Wanna know if your favorite actor/singer gave? (well, Thom Yorke can't donate cuz he ain't Murikan, but you get my drift.) |
Damn...I just checked on my mom... |
...we gotta talk. |
(how is this legal?) |
ps - **Okay, I just gave some more money to Obama. Damn this WEBSITE!!! |
ps2 - okay, so, on a lark I put in the name "Muhammad" the most poplular Arabic name on the planet: |
... $750 from 2 people to Republicans |
$28,406 from 48 people to Democrats |
now we know. There are only 2 Muslim republicans. this site is FANTASTIC. |
Increase Obama's Security Detail |
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