The American President

This right here is why Obama is such a threat to the conservative agenda.

from The Huffington Post

Before Andrew Breitbart's unexpected death, the conservative blogger and journalist had promised to release video footage of President Barack Obama that he said would change the election. Now, BuzzFeed has unearthed the video it believes Breitbart was referring to, according to the site's editor-in-chief, Ben Smith.

If this is indeed the footage in question, it's not particularly controversial.

In the 1991 video, which BuzzFeed licensed from WGBH Boston, a young Obama is shown speaking in support of Harvard's first tenured black law professor, Derrick Bell. Bell was staging a protest over the lack of female black professors at the school, and was taking an unpaid leave until Harvard hired a woman of color.

As Bell said at the time, "My major effort in teaching is to convince students ... that they should be ready and able to take risks and make sacrifices for the things they believe in, and their real success in life will come from making those sacrifices and taking those risks, regardless of outcome. The best way to teach that is to practice it."

In the video, Obama, who was then president of the Harvard Law Review, is shown praising Bell, while the professor stands nearby and a crowd cheers. Obama recalls how Bell spoke at an orientation for first-year students, and instead of lecturing the students, encouraged conversation.

More here.

All I can say about this video is that politicians don't EVER do stuff like this. Leaders do. And no matter what we think about Obama's policies, we have to admire someone who commits to an effort such as this. Not bad for a "community organizer".

peace.

"...An Honorable Man."

Regardless of your political beliefs, I need you to recognize the sheer rhetorical brilliance of this right here.

This is why the Republicans are going to have such a tough time this year. They're all longing with the American people in prose and "Mark Antony" here is attempting to uplift them in verse. There aren't many people who can pull off this kind of thing. You gotta admit, he's a bad man.

peace.

The Student Body Politic

So here's the plan.

from CBS News:

Seeking to shore up support among cash-strapped college graduates and students struggling with rising tuition costs, President Barack Obama is outlining a plan to allow millions of student loan recipients to lower their payments and consolidate their loans.
Outside of mortgages, student loans are the No. 1 source of household debt. Young voters were an important bloc in Mr. Obama's 2008 campaign, and student loan debt is a common concern among Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Mr. Obama's announcement, to take place Wednesday in Denver, comes the same day a new report is being released by the College Board. It shows average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose $631 this fall, or 8.3 percent, compared with a year ago. Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high.

Read more here.

I'm not going to go into all of my thoughts about this tonight. However, as someone who will be affected by this, I am paying very close attention to how this is all going down.

Okay Barry. Make it work.

peace.

The Best of Times(?)

When I saw this, I knew Obama had it locked.

All this presidential talk has me reminiscing.

I had voted in two previous presidential elections before the 2008 campaign, the Bush v. Gore of 2000 and Bush v. Kerry in 2004. In either election, I can't remember the fervor of America's youth growing as evident and palpable as this. It was quite surreal, actually.

During the 2008 election I was living in Baton Rouge, LA, smack in the middle of the conservative south. I distinctly remember one of my very good friends with whom I worked strongly considering a vote for Obama solely based on his promise of universal health care. She had traditionally been a conservative. However, because our place of employment didn't offer a health care option at that time, she felt a "Medicare-for-all" plan was her best shot at getting affordable coverage for her and her daughter.

I don't know what's going to happen this time around. I think more than anything else, the current political climate has succeeded in pushing the public further into disillusion and dissatisfaction with the government's machinery. I do believe the youth will be much more difficult to energize. The Republicans have never really been able to do it. The Democrats have before, but much of the strategy from the political right in the last two years has substantially limited the Dems ability to rally the 18-30 troops. And honestly, I don't know if the liberals have displayed the spine to deserve those votes (except for that one time when Obama shot bin Laden in the face with a bazooka).

I guess they'll be no more dope political music videos with Kanye in them. That's a real shame.

peace.

Whistle While You Turk

After spending a few hours on yesterday's Watch The Throne review, I've decided to take it light today. I'm dedicating some hard time to my research project for the next couple of days. (Would you be interested in some excerpts?)

Last week I posted a video of MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan fervently proclaiming his dissatisfaction with the corporate control of Washington politics and the American economy. (See here.) Today, I'd like to offer a video by Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur, otherwise known as The Young Turks. Ana and Cenk do a wonderful job of peeling the layers of Ratigan's epic tirade, offering clear and simple explanations of Dylan's thoughts and ideas. Here, have a look.

Hmmm...

I wonder how "bought" President Obama really is?

peace.

The Big Deal

Once again, it's past my bedtime. Tech rehearsals for The Winter's Tale are going well. Tomorrow is our preview performance, and I'm really looking forward to it!

This is what's caught my eye this evening.

from CNN.com

A fourth straight day of negotiations intended to head off a possible government default ended on a tense note Wednesday, with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and President Barack Obama squaring off over the Republican's call for a short-term extension of the federal debt ceiling.

At one point, Obama said the political wrangling confirmed what the public considers to be the worst of Washington, according to Democratic sources familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of not being identified.

Multiple sources, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Obama told the gathering that "this could bring my presidency down," referring to his pledge to veto any short-term extension of the debt ceiling. Sources say he vowed, "I will not yield on this."

For more, see here.

I'll only say one quick thing about this. If it's true the President walked out on the Republicans today, then more power to him. It's about time he stopped letting the Republicans maneuver him into corners time and again. And sure, I understand the political reasons for his past cave-ins, but I think he truly has the upper hand this time, and he better not let it go.

peace.

His Name is Cain...

And he knows black people.

Goldman: Before you announced your campaign, you said that the liberal establishment is scared that “a real black man might run against Barack Obama.” Are you suggesting Obama isn’t really black?

Cain: A real black man is not timid about making the right decisions, that’s what I meant. Look, I’m not getting into this whole thing about President Obama. It is documented that his mother was white and his father was from Africa. If he wants to call himself black, fine. If he wants to call himself African-American, fine. I’m not going down this color road.

Goldman: But you’re saying he’s not really a black man.

Cain: Not in terms of a strong black man that I’m identifying with. I identify with a strong black man like Martin Luther King Jr., or my dad, Luther Cain Jr., who didn’t have a lot of formal education, but he had a Ph.D. in common sense.

For more, look here.

First of all, Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. got B.A. in sociology from Morehouse College (the Alma mater of both Herman Cain and myself) and a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University. So the comparison to his dad seems incredibly awkward and misplaced. I'm not quite sure if he understands the difference between a Doctorate in Philosophy and whatever he's claiming of his father. It's just weird.

But that's not what I want to talk about.

I have a reasonably close member of my extended family who is conservative. It makes Thankgiving dinners quite interesting. Every time the conversation turns to politics (which seldom happens for obvious reasons) there is absolutely nothing on which we can agree. He's against women's rights, against gay rights, against Medicare for all, pro-corporation, anti-regulation, and against affirmative action (Which, I guarantee you, is the only reason he got his last job.). He has spent a lifetime promoting at the top of his lungs beliefs that I spend my life opposing at the top of mine. And he's 20 years older than me, so he's got a head start.

However, with all that, he's my family. He's a decent person who makes mistakes(!) and is trying to figure out this world just like the rest of us. He and his wife maintain a wonderful home and raise their children as well as they know how. He's a very loyal, charming, thoughtful, and assertive individual. I wouldn't categorize him as anything less that a upstanding and respectable guy. And no matter how energetic the political discussion may grow, I would never employ such a personal attack as what Herman Cain unleashed today.

Cain has political differences with Barack Obama. But Obama has grown up with a single parent, earned an unparalleled education, help build a gorgeous family, and inspired millions of people around the world with his historic accomplishments. By anyone's definition, at least anyone with some **** sense, would consider Obama to be a strong black man.

You better stick with the issues Cain. Obama's manhood is way out of your league.

peace.

Obama in Joplin

Today I flew from Seattle, Washington to New Bern, North Carolina; I'm certain that I flew almost directly over this as it was happening.



I can't quite get my thoughts together to make an appropriate comment about this tonight, but I will get back to it in the coming days. For now, have a look.



peace.

Word to Obama

There's been a lot of sobering discussion about the recent fatal capture of Osama bin Laden, and rightly so. It's been a difficult 10 years for people who have desired to see the orchestrator of Sept. 11th answer for his crimes. So anytime we can find something that resembles light and humor in these kinds of topics, it's certainly a welcome injection of hope and humanity. And judging by how many views this video has, it's certainly serving that purpose.



By the way, this cat is not only good at mimicking Barack Obama, he's a really good emcee. Do you know how hard it is to stay in the pocket of the beat while doing an impression? This is hot.



peace.

Gotcha! (The Prequel)

As you may or may not know, every year there is a social gathering of White House and Capitol Hill press correspondents and top Washington political brass to celebrate the difficult, awkward, but good-natured relationship between the politicians and the media that cover them. Hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association, the Correspondents's Dinner has been a Washington tradition since 1920.

The Dinner has always included performances by contemporary singers and comedians as highlights of the evening, and frequently the sitting President speaks as well; usually with jokes about himself and his colleagues. In recent years, there have been a few controversial performances by the invited performers. Most notably, Stephen Colbert's act in 2006 was especially contentious due to his scathing satire of conservative punditry and targeting of The Bush Administration.

Ironically, this year's Dinner took place on April 30th, just one evening before President Obama announced the death and capture of Osama bin Laden. And though the recent news coverage has been concerned with the responses surrounding this event (and rightly so), I feel the importance, relevance, and risk of this year's Correspondents' Dinner has been underestimated.

Because Obama incinerated Donald Trump this weekend.



Look at Trump! He ain't happy!

It's been rather unfair that Donald Trump, with his deliciously media savvy haircut, has been able to take control of this extravagant "birther" issue while the President has had to focus on nagging stuff like the deficit and national security. I've been waiting to see how Obama was going to allow himself to say Trump's name and still be presidential.

It's a really tough thing to do. The President would be devaluing himself if he acknowledged and addressed every wacko and dummy that drags his name through the mud; there are more pressing matters to attend. But the Dinner gave the President the perfect forum from which he could approach "The Donald" like the joke he really is; a less formal, more cordial, and more playful audience that is as inside the joke as they can get. I got the impression from watching this that most of the press recognize the marginality of Trump's political aspirations as much as anyone else.

Trump recognized that the President can, and will, push back. And he'll do it with his target sitting in the room. Reconsider much?



peace.

P.S. I'm not sure if it's right to celebrate someone's death, even if that someone is as warped and malevolent as bin Laden. I feel like cheering about it some times, and at others I don't. But I wholehearted believe our global society can move forward with more unity and less fear without his influence. And I surely won't miss him.

Gotcha!(?)

This is from CNN.com

The most prominent face of terror in America and beyond, Osama Bin Laden, has been killed in Pakistan, U.S. officials said Sunday night.

Bin Laden was the leader of al Qaeda, the terrorist network behind the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. U.S. officials said that their forces have the body of bin Landen.

More here.

So here we are. Apparently. Osama Bin Laden has been killed by a handful of U.S. Navy SEALs who carried out a very quiet operation ordered by President Obama on Friday, based on intelligence received on Bin Laden's whereabouts in Pakistan. I'm sitting here at home watching live footage of a gang of people in Lafayette Park, across the street from The White House, partying like the Redskins just won the SuperBowl.

All the reports are saying Bin Laden's body is in U.S. custody. What are they gonna do, put pictures of it on facebook for proof?

And just last night, President Obama was doing stand-up at The White House Correspondents' Dinner where he absolutely blitzed Donald Trump. This cat is really good at multi-tasking.

So I guess my most nagging question now is, "What next?" If it is true that Bin Laden got smoked, what does that mean? How are things different?

I do know this. Obama just stamped his two-term ticket tonight.

I'll be watching the commentary just like you. Perhaps I'll have more constructive thoughts later this week.

peace.

Birther Control

President Obama released the long form version of his birth certificate this week. Here's his comment about it on Oprah's show yesterday.



Fortunately, I have the luxury of not having to waste my time discussing this issue with anyone who takes the "birther" thing seriously; a luxury the President doesn't share.

*sigh*

"I don't put anything pass the stupidity of this country." Bill Maher



peace

Big Bird

Today I drove from Philadelphia, PA to my brother's home in Richmond, VA and the trip was fairly uneventful. Traffic was sticky in spots, my cat puked and pooed all over her carrying case (in fact, she puked before the truck even started moving), and I didn't have any air conditioning. But really, this is all nit-picky stuff. My cat and I made it safely to Richmond and I'm very happy to be hanging with my brother, my niece, and my nephew.

However, the most impressive event today happened just as I was passing by Andrews Air Force Base, just east of Washington D.C. I'm cruising along on I-95 when the shadow of an enormous plane swooped across the interstate. I mean, it had to be as wide as the entire highway (I think it was six lanes by now). It crossed the southbound lanes first, then the northbound ones heading east towards Andrews. I looked out of my window to see what kind of plane it was and saw this:

I was dumbfounded. I just figured it was going to be some standard issue military cargo plane, not Air Force One! I immediately called my dad and told him what happened (since I knew he'd be especially interested in my aeronautic experience). I mean, did the President just fly over me!?

It turns out that at the same time I saw Air Force One, President Obama was in the Oval Office meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, so he couldn't have been on that plane. Therefore I didn't actually see Air Force One, since the plane only carries that designation when the President is aboard. Nevertheless, it was a bit awe-inspiring to be buzzed by the President's plane. It made my day.

peace.

Sharpton Vs. West: The Knock Down

For context of this post, see this.

Al Sharpton is right. It's not Barack Obama's job to write every bill and take up every local cause in the country. The job of the President is to shape and guide an all-encompassing American agenda that allows for the nuances of our society to shake themselves out.

Cornel West is right. President Obama is the singular most influential and representative figure of everything that is the United States of America. It's his job to be attentive and sensitive to the needs of all of us, and support us in our battles and struggles as we navigate this delicate society.

But this isn't about that. No, this post is about the silly, abrasive, hilarious, wonderful collision between two of black America's largest egos, Professor Cornel West and Reverend Al Sharpton.

My first response to this video was, "Who at MSNBC thought is was a good idea to put West and Sharpton in the same room on television? Haven't they been paying attention?"

For the sake of full disclosure, I'm not really a fan of either of the cats. Not because I don't think they take appropriate positions on the given topics; most often they do and I agree with much of what they say. But rather they communicate a sense of cultural privilege; an arrogance that their points of view should never be shunned because of their status in the black community. They both seem to attempt serving as the mouthpiece of a community without maintain a sense of participation in it.

Consider Al Sharpton for a moment. I remember when he ran for president back in 2004. During the Democratic primaries, there were a few debates that featured all of the Democratic nominees for that year, all 10 of them. (That's right. Ten. Look here.) Sharpton would show up to the debates and blow more wind than a nor'easter. And yes, he would make great points, shake up the debate a little, and even brought some occasional comedy to the conversation. But most of the time he read as the loud, bossy, bombastic black dude more interested with his own voice than adding to the conversation.

Then there's Professor West. You know, very rarely does he fail at coming off as completely pompous and hyper-rhetorical. Yes, he is a very intelligent cat. That's not the problem. But he imparts his intelligence and insight with such inaccessible vocabulary that his arguments read as cryptic and difficult to follow. I do give him credit for the ability to be a translator for the black community to people who may not fully understand our collective impulses (see West and Mos Def of Real Time with Bill Maher). More often than not, however, I think his comments and lectures do more to gratify the black elite in the belief of their own exceptionalism than make significant strides in a societal understanding of the African American experience.

Actually, I'm glad MSNBC got these two together.

"A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men." Roald Dahl

peace.

Sharpton vs. West: The Set-up

I haven't had a chance to look at this enough to figure out what I think. But I knew I wanted to put it up and have you all take a look.

I will say this. I stumbled across this video doing other stuff. I intentionally stayed away from MSNBC's "A Stronger America: The Black Agenda" stuff. It felt patronizing, and if MSNBC is the "progessive" news network I would have expected better than that.

I have some thoughts on this tomorrow night.

peace.

America Loves Bullets

From The Baltimore Sun:

President Barack Obama is calling for a six-year, $53 billion spending plan for high-speed rail, as he seeks to use infrastructure spending to jump-start job creation.

An initial $8 billion in spending will be part of the budget plan Obama is set to release Monday. If Congress approves the plan, the money would go toward developing or improving trains that travel up to 250 mph, and connecting existing rail lines to new projects. The White House wouldn't say where the money for the rest of the program would come from, though it's likely Obama would seek funding in future budgets or transportation bills.

More here.

There are 13 countries in the world that currently have a functional high speed rail system. Here, I'll list them.

China

Spain

Japan

France

Germany

Italy

Turkey

South Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

The Netherlands

United Kingdom

Switzerland

There's a problem with this list. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT ON IT!!!!!!!!!!

What the h*ll!?!?!?

I'm usually not an America basher. That's kinda played out now. But this is inexcusable.

Didn't this country land a couple dudes on the moon? Didn't we build and operate the Space Shuttle? (By the way, NASA operates on 1/2 of one penny of your tax dollar. And as Dr. deGrasse Tyson says, "How much would you pay for the universe?") Aren't we the ones that got that Golden Gate Bridge put up? Aren't we the country that built the interstate system? Yeah, we got the idea from Germany, but still! How about the Hoover Dam, or The Sears Tower, or the New York subway system? Didn't we build all that? Isn't all this stuff super-dope and/or incredibly useful?

When's the last time we built something like this? The most recent thing I can think of is the birth of the personal computer, and by the time they got into full swing all the major components were being made in Japan anyway. That was the early 1970s.

Now here we are, a bunch of limping, shiftless, whinny do-nothings reminiscing on our FORMER greatness. But the truth is that we haven't been on the forefront of design and engineering for 35 to 40 years now. The tallest building in the world is in Dubai, and we aren't on the list until number eight. The fastest train in the world is in China, so is the world's largest dam, so are four of the top five longest bridges. As the world continues to surpass us in all areas of scientific ambition, we recede into the caves like a flock of yuk-mouthed curmudgeons.

I don't care how much this American bullet train costs. Let's get it done, or the only bullets in our future will be the ones that blow holes through our feet.

peace.

A Quick Thought on Interracial Dating

No matter what someone's political beliefs may be, Barack Obama is an impressive individual. He has worked tirelessly and diligently to assume the role he now plays in our world. I feel that no matter what the legacy of his presidency may be, he will be remembered by history to be one of America's most inspiring figures.

Obama's parents are Barack Obama, Sr., a black man from Kenya, and Stanley Ann Dunham, a white woman from Kansas. So yes, while the President may personally identify with being a black man (and rightfully so), he is the product of an interracial relationship.

I would cautiously argue that many Americans tend to admire the novelty and exoticism of individuals who are biracial or multiracial descended. We seem extremely attracted to them; we view their existence almost as an evolution of humanity. They represent the gradual erasure of the racial divide. However, there are many in our society that are still apprehensive about interracial dating. We still have those initial tribal impulses embedded in our bodies that prevent us from fully appreciating romantic biracial interaction. When we see interracial couples in public, we can't help but take a second look and wonder about their story. What were the circumstances that brought them together and why did they choose each other instead of someone of their own race? Is the scrutiny difficult for them, or has it simply become background noise?

I know I do this, even though I feel a bit of shame. It takes a moment for my reason and acceptance to offset the initial pangs of tribalism. I guess I'm human after all.

But for me, there is a bigger question. If the children of interracial couples are so treasured by our society, why are the couples themselves still the targets of scrutiny and skepticism? Should we not praise their efforts as openly as we marvel in the beauty of their offspring?

Until tomorrow...

peace.

Mo' tee, suh?

So the State of the Union address was last night. (yawn...)

The President's remarks were remarkable. His speech and proposals reestablished his message and allowed him to rise above the rhetorical shenanigans and political posturing of punditry and partisan bickering. (boring...)

The official Republican response was inflexible and unsuccessful in offering clear alternatives to the President's proposals, mostly regurgitating Republican talking points to no real purpose. (next...)

But then there was the "Official Tea Party Response to the President's State of the Union" by Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann. (It aired on CNN, giving it EQUAL BILLING with the SOTU and the official Republican response.) You remember her, don't you? She's the Kato Kaelin grand prize winner that found her way onto "Hardball with Chris Matthews" (I still don't like that name.) and called for media penetration of liberal members of Congress for having "anti-American" views.

I'm loving this Tea Party stuff. Its exposure of the destructiveness and hatred that exists in the extreme right of this country's electorate is exactly what our political process needs. I have many friends, some conservative and some liberal. But more than anything, they are ALL hard-working, decent, generous people who simply want their children to have a better experience of life than they. They are much more alike than different. And none of them carry these types of radical and extremist ideologies. I know. I've talked to them.

There are only two outcomes to this Tea Party movement.

1. The Tea Party movement succeeds in yanking the Republican party further and further to the right in order to maintain its base, rendering most Republican candidates for state and federal office unelectable. The Democrats will respond by moving the center of the country towards the left and offer sensible programs and policy that appeal to the majority of American citizens.

2. The Republican party distances itself from the principles of the Tea Party and moves ITSELF further towards the left, more in the direction of a Dwight Eisenhower sense of conservatism. (Look up his domestic policy. You'll be surprised.) This would also allow the Democrats to move left as well. These two moves would allow for a more healthy bipartisan effort in governing the country, confining the extremists on both the left and the right to the fringes of the political landscape.

Although both outcomes are fine with me, I hope for the second. Republicans have ideas, too. And even though I consider myself fairly liberal/progressive, I recognize my beliefs aren't for everyone and governing should be shared in order for us all to progress together.

So thank you, Tea Partiers, for being so out of your mind. You are serving your country more than you know.

peace.

Snow Day

So I'm taking another night off. I haven't talked to Walta in a while so I decided it'd be a good time to catch up with her since we both have a free evening. I'm also taking in the coverage of President Obama's State of the Union address. I will be back tomorrow with my thoughts on the speech.

Until now and then, here's a video of a two rats having a staring contest.

Hmmm... I'll bet this is what would happen if Bill O'Reilly ever met Ed Schultz.

peace

Tucson Ruminations

It's late. I just came from my friend James' birthday celebration and I don't have much left. So I'll make this quick.

Maybe I've been fooled.

Maybe this moment has been tailored to trigger my response.

Maybe I'm being cornered and manipulated by powers I could never comprehend.

Perhaps it's because I feel like I should have been around for the 1960s so I didn't feel like such a fake when discussing "the struggle".

Perhaps I want to feel now the way they felt then, as if someone spoke not only with a familiar voice, but a familiar soul.

But...

Maybe it's the truth. It's been hard to spot nowadays.

Maybe this is the feeling I've been waiting for; pride, admiration, awe.

Maybe this represents the beginnings of my citizenship.

Because I don't know if I've ever identified with that until now.

But whatever it is, I do know this.

These two will always be my heroes.

Hopefully, I'll be in New York tomorrow to see my friend Mark in a play. If I can get to an internet connection I'll put up the next Emcee of the Month post and get a review of the play up on Sunday. I'm so excited (Jessie Spano)!

peace.