The History you weren't taught

In light of the unyeilding fervor over the various comments and meanings of soundbites and statements made by Rev. Wright, the less covered anger and bile by men like Rev. Manning, the repetition of legal imbalances in the Wesley Snipes, Sean Bell, and Megan Williams cases, and other items I wanted to ask a few questions.

This is not a test. This is simply questions to see what you know. It doesn’t matter what race you are, what country you come from, or what religion you believe.

Some questions I will answer, some I will leave for you to find out for sure. But I guarantee that one item on this post will be a blatant lie, though it is a lie that my readers have read in my posts before. That I will leave for the end to tell you.

Africans have been in America since at least 1619. In the 389 years since then can you name a war that Blacks have not fought in?

Today virtually all people of color with brown to black skin are called African Americans. 10 years ago we were known simply as Black. What were we called going all the way back in time to 1619?

How many songs made famous by Elvis Presly were not originally songs created and performed by Black singers/entertainers?

What group of people were the ones to find the means to cure the Bubonic Plague and to realize its source?

Where is the cradle of civilization found?

Who was Thurgood Marshall, and what did he do?

What year did the military stop segregation?

Who has done more for African Americans, Republicans or Democrats?

Have Blacks always voted Democrat?

Name 2 groups of Americans that the Constitution did not cover initially?

What is the original meaning of Cowboy?

What does Jim Crow represent?

How many Black colleges exist today? How many were started? When was the first?

Did Africans ever control Europe?

How many communicable diseases did the original American Indian tribes have?

How many treaties did the American Government break with the American Indians?

How many nuclear bombs have ever been used against people?

Name 3 Empires of the world that did not involve Europe?

Who created the 0 and thus all modern math?

Who are the Tuskegee Airmen?

What is my name?

Who founded Chicago?

Where was the city of Rosewood and how many were in it?

How many years was the South Carolina House run by a Black majority?

How much was the largest donation ever made by a Black American?


Now the point of all these questions is not to embarrass anyone. Nor is it to condemn any nation or people.

The purpose is to highlight the lack of knowledge that exists in America. I have no doubt that while most of these items are known historical facts, most are not taught in American classrooms, and I would bet not in European ones either. So how can so many believe they can have a realistic conversation about race in America when I doubt most can answer half these questions without going to Google?

In case you were wondering, here are some answers you may or may not have known (and I don’t profess that these are the only facts available or worthy of knowing – in fact they are the tip of an iceberg of information). Not every question is answered though. Some things need to be sought out to be learned best.


There has never been a war in America (even when it was a colony) that Blacks did not participate in. While history classes, movies, and popular books may overlook the fact African Americans have always fought for America, even when we were not recognized by the nation as people.

Prior names for African Americans go back to Black, Colored, and Negro (beyond the repulsive and ignorant N-word). That covers just the last 50 years. Only 339 more to go.

Elvis stole all his early songs (to my knowledge), and his manager advertised in newspapers to only buy the Elvis version. Or did you really think he wore blue suede shoes and knew about hound dogs back in the 1950’s?

The Moors, an African Empire, were the first to discover that cutting the blisters helped to increase the survival rate of plague victims, and that the cause was infected rats living in the squalid conditions of European cities.

The Euphrates River is known as the cradle of civilization.

Thurgood Marshall was a lawyer and Supreme Court Justice from 1963 to 1991. He was the first Black Supreme Court Justice (there has only ever been 2).

1948. That’s after WWII where African Americans did serve with honor.

For about 100 year Blacks voted with the party of Lincoln, Republican.

The Constitution did not cover women, Native American Indians, or anyone with more than 3/5ths African blood. Proving 3/5ths was harder to prove than you might imagine.

A cowboy was originally meant as a derogatory term to describe African Americans that worked with cattle in the field. As the number of Americans moving west increased and the need for cowhands rose the term grew to encompass Whites, and was later romanticized to exclude the Black it originally meant to describe.

After 1861, 20 Black colleges and equivalent institutions were created.

The Moors conquered and controlled Spain, Italy, Sicily and several other parts of Southern Europe and Northern Africa. This says nothing of the control and influence of Ancient Egypt over the Mediterranian countries.

To my knowledge there were no communicable diseases in the Americas until after European explorers arrived. Once they were here these diseases spread like wildfire.

The American Government broke every treaty ever made with a Tribe during the Wild West expansion and well after.

Only 2 nuclear bombs have ever been used against people. Both were in Japan. Hiroshima is the most famous, but Nagasaki was also bombed. At the time it was believed that use of nuclear bombs would be the only alternative to fighting WWII right up to the steps of Japan’s Emperor. 2 bombs were used to prove that the first was not just a luck invention and that we could reproduce the results at will.

While not the only Empires, better know ones are the Ottoman, the Mongol (of either Khan), and the aforementioned Moors.

The number zero can be traced to the Babylonians. But use in mathematics in Europe is traced from the Middle East and the Islamic religion.

As stated often in various posts, Vass is not my birthname. This is the one outright lie on this page or any post I have ever made. Vass is my legal alias though. Did you catch this?

Chicago was founded by Jean Baptiste Point DuSable.

6 years.

$20,000,000 by Bill Cosby to Spellman College.

Fox News lied about Tuskegee Experiment

Considering the massive attention being given to Rev. Wright today after his comments to the National Press Club, I wanted to make a comment. But before I could get to that I saw on Fox News at 6:02pm a report where Rev. Wright’s response about the American government creating AIDS and inflicting it on the Black community was addressed. Rev. Wright mentioned

“As I said to my members, if you haven’t read things, then you can’t — based on this Tuskegee experiment and based on what has happened to Africans in this country, I believe our government is capable of doing anything.”

The Fox news reporter then goes on to mention that the Tuskegee Experiment was where “syphilis infected Black men were observed for years.”

LIE!

The Tuskegee Experiment was when the United States Government watched (purposefully?? It’s not clear) 400 infected African American men with syphilis, without their knowledge, and then watched what happened over the next 40 years without ever providing a bit of treatment to them. The Tuskegee Experiment ended in 1972, just long ago enough to have affected some of my readers fathers, uncles, brothers, and grand-fathers. That is what our Government did, and when you consider they were willing to do this you can understand why some would think they could create AIDS and infect the Black population again.

Fox News in wording the actions of the government in a softer, and less viscious manner than actually occurred not only lied to the American public, they have attempted to change history and influence the public perception of current events.

Look up the Tuskegee Experiment. Learn the facts. Understand why some have the views they have. Learn what our Government has done and is capable of doing.

It’s moments like this that I get inflamed and angered. The news media has an obligation to report the truth, and when that vow is broken, we must respond quickly and directly.

As for Rev. Wright, you can view VASS and see the full transcript of what he said, word for word. Then you can make up your own mind, just as you should with his full sermons and video.

After the Sean Bell trial - now what?

So now that so many have heard about the verdict of the NY police officers involved in the Sean Bell killing (or shooting as some would prefer) the question that comes up next is what shall we do.

What did we do after the Rodney King trial and riots? What did we do after Amidou Diallo was murdered. What have we done after the media circus that was the coverage of Wesley Snipes vs the IRS (which he basically won – though you probably never heard the major news media mention that part)? What has happened after the rape torture and kidnapping of Megan Williams? What have we done about Congress (Democrat and Republican led) and the Presidency’s inaction in Darfur?

I have tried to promote information for you my readers to make comment on all these issues. I have hoped to spark intelligent debate. I ultimately hope to inspire those with more resources, time, and ability to do something. And I have donated and acted as well.

But perhaps I am too small a voice, or to little known for some people – no matter that I am read in over 100 countries every month with visitors that number better than many newspapers across the nation. So I offer the thoughts and comments of Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and Marq Claxton.

Sean Bell murder - Police absolved of guilt, African Americans endangered

Rodney King, Amidou Diallo, Sean Bell. What do these events all have in common. Black men assaulted by the police, with extreme and unjustifiable force, with officers that walked away from the incidents (crimes) without penalty. Nothing like the even hand of justice in America.

Now you may have caught some of the relatively brief news that came out today on the Sean Bell case. I have been following it since the murder was committed. The news today may well have been obscured by the shark attack or other vital news. What has happened is that the trial (which you may not have heard was underway since early this year) concluded with no charges against the police officers guilty of firing 51 shots into a car holding 3 Black men that were all unarmed.

If you never heard about this case (which you might have missed considering the short shrift the major news media gave it) it goes like this. 3 African American men are in a strip club celebrating a bachelor party for one of them, Sean Bell. They leave the club and go to their car. They are followed by a police officer. At this points all the facts end and conjecture begins.

According to the officer, who was in the club for surveillance in a matter unrelated to these men, he believed them to be acting suspiciously. He followed them to the car where he thought they were going to get at least one gun. He approached the car, identified himself, and as the men started the car feared for his life. He then fired into the car, as did several other officers involved in the original surveillance. During the shooting of the surrounded car it was believed that a 4th man exited the car – while under fire - with a gun. In total 51 shots were fired, killing Sean Bell, and severely wounding both of the surviving men in the car. No gun was found, no drugs. No witness identified or corroborated a 4th man, nor anyone exiting the car with or without a gun.

According to the men in the car, the officer has words with their group while in the club. They left and entered their car, at which point they became aware that they were being followed. The man from the club pulled out a gun, and they – in fear of their lives from this unknown assailant – tried to drive away. The man proceeded to fire into their car, followed by several others as they surrounded the car on all sides. There was no 4th person in their group, no gun, no drugs. The man with a gun, and his companions, never identified themselves as police officers.

That is the reports of both sides from the initial day of the incident. And that begins my problems. As I stated before:

“Mr. Sean Bell and his friends were fired at 51 times. One officer fired 31 times another 11 times. The tires of the car were not shot out. Deadly force was used, though it was against official policy…As Mr. Bell continued to attempt to get away the officer seems to have become fearful for his life and the results were one dead another shot 23 times and the third shot 16 times.

Imagine that this was a car full of white males. If that would be excessive then this must be. The bigger question I have always had is why such force needs to be used solely against African American men. Mr. Rodney King had 5 or 6 officers beating him; Mr. Diallo had 41 shots from 4 officers [at least one shot was through his foot after he was laying on the ground dead]. In each case the officers walked away without a single charge. Mr. Louima was violated in a police station with a plunger. Given these facts, my own experiences and those of friends, if I had a chance to get away from a police officer in a touchy situation I’d try to run as well. It’s not about guilt, it’s about survival.”

Now what does the media say? Well Yahoo titles this : 3 NYPD detectives acquitted in 50-shot killing. They go on to mention that the murder occurred in a “seedy strip club in Queens” – inferring that this was a bad place and that bad people go there. The tone is meant to imply that the officers were in the right and the men wrong, justifying the trial outcome.

But what about the case that few ever heard about? There was no jury, only Justice Arthur Cooperman.

“Cooperman indicated that the police officers' version of events was more credible than the victims' version. "The people have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that each defendant was not justified" in firing, he said.”

He said this without 1 officer taking the stand. He said this with both survivors taking the stand. He said this even though initial reports had a mysterious 4th person running from the car, without pursuit and allegedly armed, as per the police report and news media coverage that has since been dropped as if it were haze in the sunlight.

So I ask again

“But what is it that makes it alright to go to such extremes. And it must be alright on some level because across the nation Black American men are assaulted like this often. I don’t recall a single white male that was attacked in a similar manner once in my entire life. I’m not talking about a shootout with officers, or hostage taking. I mean beatings by half a dozen officers, being fired at enough times to necessitate reloading firearms, and abuses that even the prisoners at Abu Ghraib have not received.”

And what about the news media? Well I just wrote about Wesley Snipes and the media dealing with him. And this case?

“Black American men shot to death, in a style of overkill usually only found in action movies, minor news. Black man with contribution to the arts for decades, unburied for 2+ months, not important. African American wins a trial by using high priced lawyers and reasonable doubt, bad charges, and evidence planted by the police is unforgettable. Cute (dead) blonde gets daily coverage. An argument between celebrities, daily coverage. Offensive, demeaning comments by a celebrity against a religious or ethnic group, minor coverage. Defensive coverage of accused rapists, prior to a trial or Grand Jury, prior to any actual facts being found – daily coverage. As facts are found, huge recaps of the case, furthering the defense especially if anything leads to defending the accused. Coverage of a bank robbery by ‘cute teens’ huge coverage, the fact that the charges were lessened from federal offenses? 2 minutes.” [In fact there was a follow-up on the blonde bank robbers – they got probation and 1 year, the men of color involved in this non-violent crime got 10 years each. Coverage? About double the 2 minutes mentioned above.]

What about the legal system?

“There is no question that African Americans have long felt that the legal system in America is a failure when it comes to any person of color. We have long complained of higher conviction rates, less access to bails, and harsher penalties once convicted. That says nothing of the stigma attached to those paroled, falsely accused, or who win the judicial action.

There is the examples from the past of numerous lynchings, the eradication of Rosewood, and Jim Crow laws including segregation as recent as the mid- to late-70’s. But on more recent notes there are the examples of Rodney King, Sean Bell, OJ Simpson, Genarlow Wilson, and the Jena 6." [Add to that Wesley Snipes and his unfair and uncommon sentencing for misdemeanors.]

And yet when the facts are observed we find that

“So we get this realization, Whites committed 4,297,146 acts of violent crime against a single person, and 759,079 acts against multiple victims that were White. Including the 40,249 multiple Black victims we get a total of 5,096,474. Thus once we move away from percentages and look at real numbers we learn that Whites are far more likely to commit a crime of violence against anyone, especially other Whites.”

Yet given the preponderance of facts that Whites commit more violent crimes, against everyone, there has never been a White that has been murdered in a manner and/or without punisment as African American men face on a regular basis.

The media is negaitve, the legal system unbalanced, and the facts ignored. Is anyone surprised that the officers got off without a charge? Or that the judge in this case wouldn’t believe them? Or that, looking more broadly, a couple of 10 second clips of video is being accepted as Bible truth in an attempt to assault Senator Obama’s Presidential aspirations?

When you look at the larger picture the painting isn’t very good. If you’ve read this far I have to believe you can see the point and share my anger. You can see why African Americans laugh coldly when the concept of “fair and equal under the law” is brought up.

40+ years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and so many others fighting for Civil Rights there is still the absensce of equality in the law and law enforcement. And some want to tell me ‘It’s in your head’ or that I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Looking at all this I think we can all understand when an American military veteran religious leader says “Godd**** America” or wonders if AIDS was another version of the Tuskegee Experiments.

There are a lot of problems in America, and many can be seen in how the media reports or fails to report (like the Megan Williamns case) the facts.

But now that you see what I have seen and followed what will you do? For those White Americans that read my posts I ask you, now that another layer of the wool that covered your eyes has been removed, how do you feel? What is your response? How will you help get things to change, even if this reality makes you uncomfortable?

Wesley Snipes unfairly sentanced to 3 years, Willie Nelson free

So I was wrong. Not by a lot, but wrong all the same. Wesley Snipes was sentenced today to 3 years of prison by a judge in Florida today. I had expected him to receive no jail time and probation.

“Mr. Snipes was found guilty of 3 counts of not filing a tax return. Those were misdemeanor counts. He was up for 16 years in prison, that pundits were sure he would be convicted for, and based on the misdemeanors he will almost assuredly spend no time in prison.”

Given that the various pundits were nearly demanding his incarceration I found it interesting that he was found innocent by a jury, and that it was not publicized. There was massive media in convicting Snipes before the trial ever started as I have written. Now that he has been unfairly penalized, the media is all over this in a manner they have avoided on the positive news of this case.

Mind you that before the sentancing many entertainers offered letters defending his character. Some of those included Denzel Washington, Woody Harrelson, and Judge Greg Mathis. At least in the case of Judge Mathis, the hope was not in obtaining leniency but in ensuring a fair sentancing. That obviously did not happen.

Unlike Willie Nelson who lost a case with the IRS, owing $32 million, and received no jail time or probation Snipes was placed in jail. This reminds me of the various cases where crack dealers receive severely harsher penalties while those convicted for cocaine receive lesser punishment. In these examples of what is known to occur commonly, we see that being Black virtually ensures the longest jail sentances.

Remember that in this case we have Snipes with no prior criminal record, this is a non-violent crime, it’s a misdemeanor, and he’s a celebrity (which usually helps). Add to that that the IRS paid Wesleyt Snipes a full $7 million dollar refund, and waited 5 years for the red flags to go up.

At what point is this not the Government picking on a Black man? They used tax loss even for years in which Snipes was acquitted of failing to file a return. And the fact is criminal tax prosecutions are relatively rare. The judge in this case wanted to make a point and hurt Mr. Snipes, not unlike the courts and juries that went after OJ Simpson after he too was found innocent. They just couldn’t let the African American man walk away when they knew (in their minds), and wanted him to be found guilty and suffer in jail. Again, if you think I am wrong just refer to Willie Nelson and his freedom though he was found guilty for $32 million.

And I have to ask, why must the media play up the negatives of this case. From day one they framed this, in 30 second soundbites, to enhance the presumed and pre-convicted guilt of Mr. Snipes. Similar in the way that 35 years of sermons of Rev. Wright were summarized into five 10 second polispeak soundbites to be used against him and Senator Obama.

The media seems to take great joy in promoting any image or story that presumes guilt of African Americans. Yet they are remiss in dealing with obvious events of Whites commiting atrocities and repugnant racial attacks. Just look at all the news coverage given to Megan Williams as compared to Bobbie Cutts or the manner in which the death of Sean Taylor was covered, or the brief coverage of Michael Richards, or the unabashed and unrelenting proclamation of innocence of the Duke Lacrosse team, or the 3 month long coverage of Anna Nicole Smith as opposed to the virtual fleeting coverage of James Brown’s death. And I can go on.

With this kind of media coverage, is there any question why Senator Obama gets such strong polling, and yet reflectively few White votes? Or that Wesley Snipes is now going to serve 3 years in jail for something a comparable White entertainer didn’t spend 5 minutes in jail for?

Hell, Paris Hilton had petitions and multiple pundits proclaiming she was unfairly sentenced – though she flaunted the law and was a menance to the lives of the public on roads. Yet I’ve heard only Judge Mathis on the news media saying the same thing (the sentancing) for Wesley Snipes.

What a world we live in. And what major media we have telling us about it. Keep your eyes open because the America they are selling us isn’t the Friends they want us to believe in, but a more colorful and diverse reality. Until they get a chance to spin the polispeak against us.

the approaching Sumer films of 2008

Ok, I need a break from the 100+ blogs I’ve set up for a client, and the house negotiations. So what am I going to do? Write more, on politics and of course entertainment.

Well one of the bigger things to focus on is the upcoming summer movie season. So far the movies of the year have been major letdowns. I mean there really has been nothing that stands out or was worthwhile. Superhero movie was a superflop. I’ve already forgotten Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Street Kings seems to not be silver screen kings or even a joker. Smart People equals a dumb movie, The Ruins was ruinous, 10,000 BC was before common sense, Never Back Down never stepped up, Jumper (as I had suspected) needed to go over a cliff, Semi-Pro was only semi-good, and Drillbit Taylor doesn’t deserve to be mentioned.

And that was most of the better films of the year to date.

Hollywood is really out of their minds. Obviously the only thing that can save this year has got to be hero movies; specifically comic book heroes or perhaps a few Kung Fu masters. So far one of the best movies of the year is the combination of Jet Li and Jackie Chan. I have yet to see this, but I will, so I will reserve my thoughts to this. No matter how good or bad the movie masses will see this film because of just those 2 international entertainment stars.

So what hope do we have left?

Iron Man. I’ve been hyping this a bit but I have no doubt it will live up to my expectations. The previews look great; the storyline is filled with drama and adventure (if they follow most of the Stane/Stark storyline). Robert Downey Jr. is a renowned actor as is Terrance Howard. It looks like there would need to be a lot of effort made to screw up the film.

The Incredible Hulk. Thank goodness they are redoing the story. Ang Lee really destroyed the story, and we can only hope this one is better. The Abomination is the central figure so lots of big destructive fights can be expected. Ed Norton is an extremely better actor. And the graphics of the CGI look superior as well. Even if it’s not a great film it should stand galaxies above the Ang Lee film.

Speed Racer. Likely a huge letdown. This is not really the film that fans of the original cartoon are looking for. Far too stylized and tripped out, it may make the post MTV generation feel warm and fuzzy, but the rest of us will just be ill. The actors don’t seem to be impressive, even though John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are huge names in the cast. Christina Ricci may get some teen boys going but that’s about it. I think the Wachowski brothers missed the mark this time.

Indiana Jones. He may be old but expect this to pack the crowds in. Harrison Ford is an entertainer that commands the big bucks, and has no need of money or more fame. Thus his presence lends credibility to the thought that this is not just another Hollywood sequel seeking quick cheap cash based on the series name. It won’t win Oscars, but it should fulfill its purpose of making you forget the travails of daily life for a couple of hours.

Hellboy 2. I want this to be a good film. Or at least as good as the first. But the odds are 50/50. Fans will find lots to dislike, and newcomers will enjoy the action. I need to see more to be sure.

Stepbrothers. Another Will Ferrell miss. But everything he does can’t be as good as Elf. Thus we had Ricky Bobby and now this film. But this time all the NASCAR fans will be at Speed Racer so I doubt the success.

Sex and the City. Or more aptly named sluts without lives. Sure to bring in women patrons in droves, it’s still a failure as a film. Just like the television show. I’d advise guys to just give their dates/wives the cash to see it and go play their Xbox in the meantime.

Get Smart. Another remake of a classic and funny television show from the past. Hopefully this will not be the atrocity that the Honeymooners remake was. But Hollywood execs are rife with greenlighting a film without ever paying attention to what made a show classic. Expect this to either be the equivalent of remakes like Charlie’s Angels (either film) and Dukes of Hazzard, or Star Trek (the better films). Remakes of television shows only go those 2 ways.

Batman the Dark Knight. I don't like Heath Ledger as the Joker. I think he misses the mark from what I have seen. Without doubt there will be a huge sympathy rush towards this film. That does not affect my thoughts on the previews I've seen. Every film series has its failure, and this will rank among the Batman's lesser appearances, no fault of Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Christian Bale.

Any film with Aston Kushner. Complete waste of time. He has no talent, and his films to date reflect this. Even his only successful role, on the 70’s Show, highlighted his inability to have any depth.

Such is the upcoming summer fare. A dearth of entertainment value. Most will fail miserably as they should. Several will test the concept that if you give people enough sand will they drink it like water. Perhaps one of these days we will have some Hollywood execs that actually believe in entertainment quality over the absolute bottom barrel cheapness of American Idol on film. But this is not that day or year.

The real effect of the mortgage crisis on a real person - Excerpt

This is an excerpt from a post of the same name found at VASS

Looking over the housing markets, and considering the negative sentiment out, I decided that this was a good time to purchase a new home. Rates are 5.875% fixed and many home prices are depressed currently. And I’m not alone in my decision to pick up some property. So I wanted to share my experience so far, and at the end of this post I have 2 questions for you my reader.

Many who have good to excellent credit ratings, and available cash are out looking for a new home or a first time buy. But don’t believe this is exactly a buyers market. Even in a dying economy that is the Binghamton New York experience, home prices have held firm if not risen up. In fact I would say that prices over the last 6 months have risen about $3,000 on median. Because many like myself are entering this troubled market. ...

Full post found at The real effect of the mortgage crisis on a real person

Radio & Television Correspondents' Association dinner w/ Dick Cheney serving jokes

Some people think that politicians and pundits that follow their actions have no sense of humor. At least no on purpose anyway. But that is far from true. And the proof was found at the Radio & Television Correspondents' Association dinner tonight.

There were several normally stolid speakers at the dinner, an event that occurs annually and gives the speakers a chance to pick back at the news media with humor and the occasional bite. Notable were the Vice President Dick Cheney and former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney was especially funny, poking most of his humor at his failed bid for the Republican nomination. Of course a certain Democratic Presidential hopeful didn’t escape comment either. You have to enjoy the self-deprecating humor.



Not to be outdone, though less funny was the Vice President. I especially like the quip his wife makes in reference to his being Darth Vader.



As for Mo Racca, he needs to stick with his day job. He is horrible as a comedian – at the least he was falling flat tonight.

So there you go. Our politicians and the pundits that follow them trying their best at stand-up for a night. Saturday Night Live has nothing to fear, and thankfully this occurs only once a year. If only the Democratic Presidential candidates’ proposals, and the Government’s Darfur stance, weren’t jokes as well. The very unfunny kind.

Reflecting on V for Vendetta and American politics

So I was sitting home responding to comments on the VASS blog site, when I ran into a comment to my post thanking the Marines, the Armed Forces, and veterans for all they have done for this nation. The comment was an attempt to mock my heartfelt thanks. My reply was direct and obviously in direct opposition. Then I watched V for Vendetta.

It seems a bit ironic that I would watch a movie about how wrong a Government can go immediately after defending a Government that some feel has gone wrong. But there is the issue. Of late there have been a horde of movies demanding that America realize that utter chaos is ruling the nation. According to some there are no freedoms left. Such was the comment made at the abovementioned post. Such is the fare of movies.

Yet the reality is far from this. In V for Vendetta we see a government that has used its own people for biological experimentation. A scary thought for a movie. Except when you consider that America has already done this. They were called the Tuskegee Experiments. And America did not fall.

In the movie similarities are drawn to the Nazi’s, and fanatical Islamist governments that persecute the unwanted parts of their societies. Not unlike the way America had legal lynchings until 1922 (after 7 years of trying to pass the law) and Jim Crow to replace slavery. And America has not fallen.

In the movie the media is used to manipulate how people think. Unlike the direct commentary in the silver screen; reality only has pictures in newspapers (like the photo in post-Katrina New Orleans showing a Black man with a bag in flood waters called a looter, but a White man with a similar bag in waters equally as high is called a survivor looking for food), or news programs that attack the death of an athlete (Sean Taylor – his murder was a discussion of his actions as a teen) versus the months-long sorrow for drug addicts (Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears – oops she’s still alive right? Well you get the point). And yet America lives on.

For all the fears and horrors that movies imply, state, or hint at America remains the greatest nation in the world. Year after year, for centuries we have seen people across the globe come to this nation by any means they can. The fact America has issues with people of color is not only known, it’s advertised in every medium we have – and still they come. And all the detractors stay.

Why?

Because we aren’t losing all our freedoms. That even if we had half the freedoms that exist now we still would be the freest nation in the world. That we have the greatest ability to allow virtually anyone, or their kids, to have a better life. Because we are more than rich in wealth, we are rich in freedom which has no price tag.

Now this is not to say there aren’t problems in bundles. I do not hide from the issues that need to be dealt with, nor do I accept the word of the Government as Gospel. There are reasons why some think that the Government killed its own people on 9/11 (and this is not about V for Vendetta), or that drugs and AIDS were shoved into the poorer, more racially diverse parts of cities across the country. But at the same time, the people still have power to change how the Government acts.

Fear, some say, it the motivation of the day. But I also see the other side. The fear being feed like a crack dealer via the major media stating not that a terrorist is under your bed, but that the Government is out of control.

We cannot allow ourselves to be blinded by fear – of fanatical religious groups that believe sex with children is ok (Texas), that killing abortionist is ok (Christian), that women have no rights or that suicide bombs make sense (Islam). All those fears are real, existing in this country and outside of it, but they cannot destroy us unless we allow them. In the same manner we cannot be drugged with the opiate of the masses (television, movies, the internet) when some choose to use it to tell us to fear the very thing we control.

If a movie like V for Vendetta tells us anything it is not that we have lost everything. We haven’t even though we have done everything that they fear we might. But if we get lulled by this fear we will be no better off, in fact worse off, than the reality that surrounds us.

I love my country. That why I vote, and promote others to do so. It’s why I cover the Presidential race. It’s why I point out the schism in the media. It’s why I defend what I think is right, and address what is wrong. And it’s why we cannot blindly fight against one fear to just accept another.

I want to leave you with a quote from that movie, apply it as you will

“What we need right now is a clear message to the people of this country. This message must be read in every newspaper, heard on every radio, seen on every television. This message must resound throughout the entire Interlink! I want this country to realize we stand on the edge of oblivion. I want every man woman and child to understand how close we are to chaos. I WANT EVERYONE, TO REMEMBER WHY THEY NEED US!”

2008 Olympic Games: What I hope to see

The 2008 Olympics. The once every 4 year event that circles the globe and features the greatest athletes in the world. The pinnacle of healthy fit human bodies. Supposedly representing the best of every nation, and with little polispeak of those nations.

But that’s not exactly true.

China is a prime example of that, and needs to be addressed before, and during this years games. China is a key supporter of the Sudan, and in this manner supporting the genocide of Darfur. China is the Sword of Damocles over Taiwan. China is the iron fist against Tibet. And while it’s not as commonly discussed as it has been in the past, for all the economic innovations made in the past decade, they are very communist.

On Wednesday many Americans got their first glimpse of the problems that China promotes. The students that crossed the Atlantic Ocean and our country to scale that bridge, at serious risk to themselves, made a statement. The protests, which were far more peaceful than similar events in England and France, got significant attention. But the major news media missed the big boat.

Well let me rephrase that, they missed the big boat of issues that I care about. While much was said of the protesters supporting Tibet, little was said about the other problems of China that have been ongoing for decades. Not to belittle the desire of the Tibetan people to be free. But I have yet to hear more than a polispeak soundbite discussing the continued efforts of China to encourage the Darfur genocide.

But it’s not because some with the major medias eye have not made statements. Stephen Spielberg quit as artistic advisor to the Olympics because of all the issues. French President Nicolas Sarkozy seems ready to boycott the Games. Last night Dennis Miller made perhaps the best statement and idea I have heard on the matter during his time on the Bill O’Reilly show – that every athlete, of every nation, appear at the opening ceremonies dressed like this



Some might say that a bit of clothing is just not enough. That this is not a strong enough statement. That more is required. I agree that more needs to be done. That Darfur needs to be ended, and those supporting the genocide punished in some manner.

“The Chinese have had their way over Tibet. They have openly intimidated those countries who want to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. And from their point of view, the Tibetans are an ungrateful bunch of peasants who have been dragged from the Dark Age of a Buddhist theocracy to the modern era of paved roads, city plumbing and light bulbs.”

Does that sound familiar? Does it remind you of the European desire to help the African people find civilization? Or the comments of some recently trying to justify the slavery of Africans in America and the current condition of Black Americans. Those kinds of thoughts and comments were not always unaccepted or considered the utterances of minds filled with compost. And even recent Olympics have been the stage for criticisms of American acceptance of those similar thoughts. Many of my readers may be too young to recall the international attention that this one scene created, deservedly so.



The Olympic Games are about the nations that host, as much as they are about the athletes that are competing. Nations are connected to the Games and each other. To accept the Olympic Games without calling attention to the murder of children and the subjugation of countries is an insult to what is on-going.

Thus I agree with Dennis Miller’s thought. I support his idea and add one minor point – every visitor to the Olympic Games’ opening ceremonies, including the political representatives of all the nations, should join the athletes in wearing the robes of the Tibetan monks. Such a display, viewed around the world, would shame China and hopefully be the cause of starting to address these horrible actions in a peaceful non-paranoid realistic manner.

Do you agree?

The most dangerous people in America Part 2 - 4.9.2008.1

This is a reply to a specific and series of comments found at Black & White Blog and The most dangerous people in America - 11.4.2007.1


Soldie,

First, my name is Michael Vass not dude. Please use that as after 40 years of life I think I am at least deserving of that if not the more polite and respectful Mr. Vass.

But to answer your comment, I did not isolate my initial post or comment above to only Columbine. As I stated and is a clear fact virtually every mass murder occurring in a school or college to date has been committed by a White young male. None have ever happened, or even been planned as is known, by African Americans or Hispanic/Latino Americans. And that is throughout the decade of time you wish to isolate my comments to, which I do not.

Thus while same race crimes may be more likely to cause harm or death to a Black male, which is a problem on a one-on-one basis, young White males are vastly more dangerous to groups of individuals. That is to say nothing of those older White males that are predominant in committing “gone postal” shootings, serial murders, and murder sprees.

You go on to mention how homicides are the leading cause of deaths to Black males under 30. You fail to mention that 66.2 percent of hate crimes are enacted against Blacks (according to D.O.J. 2006 reports). Further looking at the data from 1994 through 2004 we see that crimes by more than one offender against a victim work out as follows:

http://www.ojp.gov/bjs/abstract/cvus/race.htm

White victim - 1,555,490 Percentage committed by White - 48.8% Black - 22.2% Other - 11.8% Mixed race - 12.2% Unknown - 5.1%

Black victim - 372,680 Percentage committed by White - 10.8 Black - 67.1 Other - 6.7 Mixed - 13.9 Unknown - 1.5

In addition violent crimes committed by 1 offender are as follows:

Crimes of violence 6,930,880 Percentage committed by White - 62.1% Black - 26.2% Other - 9.3% Unknown - 2.4%

So we get this realization, Whites committed 4,297,146 acts of violent crime against a single person, and 759,079 acts against multiple victims that were White. Including the 40,249 multiple Black victims we get a total of 5,096,474. Thus once we move away from percentages and look at real numbers we learn that Whites are far more likely to commit a crime of violence against anyone, especially other Whites. Again I never isolated my comments to murder; I was speaking of violence and general danger.

Now add in the age component of multiple victims:

Crimes of violence 2,010,170 Under age 12 - 0.3% Ages 12-20 - 46.9% Ages 21-29 - 13.9% All over 30 - 5.7% Mixed ages - 25.9% Unknown - 7.2%

Thus 61.1% of all violent multiple crimes are committed by those at or under age 29. [Single crime age data not found, all data via the Department of Justice records] That is considered young.

So again I say what the numbers prove true, and seemingly leaves some readers feeling uncomfortable, young White males are dangerous.

It is not hateful or mean to state facts. You may not like the facts, you may feel embarrassed by them, but they are facts. There is no dispute of the numbers. And by not hiding behind percentages that sound impressive, we see the reality that was expressed to me on that Sunday.

The truth is that I have never in 40 years heard of a White male shot by police 50 times, or 40, or even a dozen – though multiple Blacks have been (Sean Bell and too mant others). The truth is I have never heard of a Black kid shooting a school or college. The truth is that nooses are used by Whites to intimidate and threaten Blacks (Jena 6). [By the way, as a friend of mine mentioned, what other purpose would anyone – especially kids – have to know how to make a noose?] The fact is that 6 Whites (most of whom were young) raped, tortured and kidnapped a Black woman (Megan Williams) that was avoided by the media. For all your protest otherwise you avoided speaking about any of these events. And for each one we can find multiple events of an exactly similar nature over the last 40 years. These are facts and they are not filled with hate or mean. They are just the truth.

You might like to be told the facts of what happens in America in a manner that makes you feel good, but that’s just sugar-coating. You might be upset that some Whites act in a manner that is despicable. But you have yet to deny or prove me incorrect.

And why is any of this important?

Because America is filled with anger and penalties of law that are motivated by the inaccurate and tunnel-visioned lie of who is committing crimes of violence. Because these prejudices and stereotypes influence our entertainment, politics, and daily lives. Because instead of saying that there is a problem and dealing with it we look to address the symptoms.

If you find me a pain because I’m presenting you the reality that actual numbers back up, and not the prejudiced image that percentages present, I can’t help you.

So now the question is before you, since the factual and accurate numbers state that young White males are the most dangerous group in America what will you do about it? Feel embarrassed and upset with me for telling you the truth, or do something to change the facts?

Donating to help Darfur - 4.9.2008.1

On March 13th of this year I wrote a post (Not On Our Watch, Cheadle and Clooney, donate $500,000 - 3.13.2008.1) discussing Darfur and the efforts of Don Cheadle, George Clooney, and many others to end the genocide that has been on-going for the past 5 years in the Sudan. In that post I mentioned that this is a subject that has not been covered properly by the media, politicians, the Government, and the Presidential candidates (all of them).

My discussion of this subject has been consistent for some time, and I will continue to do so. Torwards that end I promised to make a donation to Not On Our Watch on April 6th. That day was my 40th birthday and a Sunday.

I promised to donate every dollar and dime that was donated to the site up to that date. So far in 2008 there has been 6 dollars in donations, as noted by the widget on the sidebar.

While I have delayed my donation I never forgot it. At the same time I do not believe that $6 was enough to donate to this issue, though ever dollar does count and help. Therefore I donated $46.

As I promised I have donated every dollar the widget shows received this year. I have not used those funds but my own, and as more donations are made to me I will use those funds for the various charities and gift giving contests that I run from time to time. The additional $40 dollars represented my age. While I wish I could have made the gift larger, I’m not independantly rich and the growth of my corporation does constrain some of my efforts from time to time.

Even so, I do not intend to make this my last donation or effort for Darfur.

For those that might doubt my donation I provide the following confirmation

Donation made to Groundspring.org for Not On Our Watch, Inc.
    Date: 04/09/2008
    Transaction #: VLCA2BF773FB-742401
    Donation Amount : $46.00
    Tax Deductible Donation Value : $46.00 

M V Consulting, Inc and TV One Announce Collaboration - Press Release

New York (PRWEB) April 8, 2008 -- M V Consulting, Inc. announced that its VASS (www.mvass.com) blog has been selected as part of TV One's online website focus on the 2008 Presidential election (www.tvoneonline.com/electionwatch2008.asp).

TV One, a national cable network targeting African American adults that is available in 43 million U.S. households, is seeking to provide voters of all ages with information and a wide range of viewpoints that will help them be motivated and involved with the upcoming Presidential election. To that end they have created a webpage of resources dedicated to the election including Delegate counts, links to voter registration, and commentary from political bloggers.

To that end VASS - the politically focused blog of M V Consulting, Inc. - has been selected as 1 of 2 blogs to be featured on this resource page. M V Consulting previously collaborated with TV One to provide live coverage of the Heartland Presidential Forum in December 2007. At that time VASS was selected as 1 of 5 blogs covering the event and providing commentary on the presidential nomination process.

Michael Vass, President of M V Consulting, Inc., stated,

"I am very happy to be working with TV One again. Our collaboration on the live coverage of the Heartland Presidential Forum was a positive experience with a direct effect on blog readers and potential Primary voters." Mr. Vass continued, "Our goal of increasing the awareness and number of voters in this election cycle is a shared goal with TV One. It is my firm belief that in motivating every American citizen to vote, America will benefit from electing the very best possible President and path for the nations future."

TV One Director of Digital Media, James Hill stated,

"Michael's insight made him an easy choice to be part of our Presidential forum event and an even easier choice when it came to our ongoing election coverage. He is a valued voice and one we thought necessary while tracking this historic time in American politics."

In addition to VASS, TV One is also working with Megan Cosby - author and founder of Polichicks Online (www.polichicksonline.com). The Polichicks Online site was also previously involved with the Heartland Presidential Forum in 2007.

"I'm thrilled that TV One is giving Polichicks Online a chance to expose the TV One audience to entertaining and informative election coverage. I hope that Polichicks Online's quick election updates - we dish just enough to get by at a cocktail party - will encourage even the busiest of people to follow the election and vote. I'm honored to be affiliated with TV One and in the company of TV One's other political blogger, Michael Vass."

About TV One:
Launched in January 2004, TV One (tvoneonline.com) serves 43.4 million households (Nielsen March 2008 estimate), offering a broad range of lifestyle and entertainment-oriented original programming, classic series, movies, fashion and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult African American viewers. TV One's investors include Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK; radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets African American and urban listeners; Comcast Corporation [NASDAQ: CMCSA and CMCSK; comcast.com], the leading cable television company in the country; The DirecTV Group; Constellation Ventures; Syndicated Communications; and Opportunity Capital Partners.

About M V Consulting, Inc. and Michael Vass:
Mr. Michael Vass is a former securities industry account executive of good standing; and currently works in the fields of investor relations, consultation on the internet, and social/political blog writing. He has served in the US Marine Corps Reserves, as well as worked and studied in such diverse fields as entertainment, communications, philosophy and chemistry. He has lived abroad, in Moscow and Tbilisi, as well as in various cities throughout the United States.

Mr. Vass is President of M V Consulting, Inc. a diversified private company that maintains divisions in search engine optimization, an online store, political and entertainment celebrity blogs.

It is the combinations of these unique experiences that have led Mr. Vass to the creation of M V Consulting, Inc. The Company owns Black Entertainment USA (www.blackentertainmentblog.com), VASS (mvass.com), a corporate website (www.vassconsult.com), and an online store (www.cafepress.com/nova68).

Beware the Clinton wrath

If you have something negative to say about Senator Clinton or her supporters, especially the female supporters, expect to fear for your job. Such is the reaction found on even the most conservative of news cable networks. Fox has been covering the comments of Randi Rhodes for 3 days now, and they continue to be surprised by the failure of Air America to fire Ms. Rhodes.

You may be wondering, what could a liberal radio personality say that would be so horrible? She called Senator Clinton a Wh***. Add to that the fact that she said the same of Geraldine Ferraro.

Now if you think this was bad keep in mind a few facts. This was not on the radio. It was not in a public forum. It was not open to the public. In fact the video of the event, of which excerpt have been running on Fox News for days, seems to be taken on a cell phone. This is still not enough for some considering what was said. But the last fact is perhaps the most important fact, Randi Rhodes was doing a stand-up comedy act.

That last fact is the most important of all the facts. That is comedic expression. Poor taste perhaps, but far from worthy of the indefinite suspension that she received. And dissimilar to other events with celebrities with horrendous humors.

Unlike the infamous words of Don Imus, this was not on public airwaves. This was not an attack on private citizens. The comments were made in reference to the public political actions of Senator Clinton and Ms. Ferraro. I don’t approve of what was said, but I note the difference.

Like the comments of Opie and Anthony, this was a private venue. It was not available to the general public, and if it was not taped would never have been an issue. The crowd, in general, seemed to agree and enjoy the comedy skit.

Like Michael Richards it was intended to be humorous. It was supposed to amuse and entertain the crowd. In this case it was exactly what was happening. The women in the crowd seem to enjoy the comments as much as the men. There was no expression disapproval or anger. So unlike the Michael Richards event, Rhodes did not cross the line. Actually Richards didn’t just cross the line, he lost his mind.

But the power of the Clinton machine is immense. The major news media has leapt to her defense, wording the event (and manipulating the video) to seem as if this were a public venue or part of her daily work responsibilities. It’s presumed by the media as if Air America had created this event and solicitate these comments.

The real problem of this is the effect it has on Free Speech. By trying to minimize these kinds of events, and by trying to get every instance of such actions punished to a manner beyond appropriate and environment of stifled speech occurs. That is unfair and dangerous. Even for speech that many might find objectionable.

As I defended Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman, in so far as he should not have lost his job for the private racist conversation he had with his son, I say the same of this event with Rhodes. Private conversations and events that are closed to the public should not be held to the same standards and punishment as public ones. Jobs and lives cannot be regulated by politically correct polispeak standards.

I wanted Don Imus fired because he attack private citizens, without provocation, in a manner demeaning to women and racially prejudiced. I wanted Michael Richards to never work again because he crossed the line of humor and made a racial attack based on his own anger and inner demons in a public venue (which he himself acknowledged). I opposed the call to have Opie & Anthony being fired as they were on a radio station that requires paid subscribers, and allows those subscribers to change the channel if they don’t like what they hear. I opposed Dog Chapman being fired because it was a private conversation, even though he acknowledged his constant and racist charged use of derogatory terms.

Based on that I must support Randi Rhodes. She should not be suspended, and definitely not fired. This in fact should have no affect on her day job at all. The media needs to stay out of this issue – which only exists because they created it.

And for the record I don’t listen to Air America, I’m far from a liberal, a Republican, and have no love for Senator Clinton or Geraldine Ferraro.

Moment in time 40 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - 4.4.2008.1

Today, 40 years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 2 days before my birthday I pause to reflect on what has happened and what could have.

I’ve read a lot on Dr. King in the recent days, far more than what was written during this past Black History Month. And I’m reminded of comments made by Jeff Johnson when I saw him at Ithaca College this year. I consider what Dr. King was moving forward to do at the time he was killed, and how he has been frozen in time. I look at the society of America and of African Americans.

I am a child of the Civil Rights era. I have benefited in numerous ways from the struggles and strife made by those before me. And there are numerous things today that have gone backwards in time or have wasted the efforts made. Those children beyond my generation have no idea of what has changed, and seemingly few have an appreciation that they don’t know things have changed only recently.

If Dr. King had not been killed 40 years ago, do you think there would be a BET today? Perhaps there would be, and a TV One as well – but not the only 2 and not in the manner that we see now on Black Entertainment Television I imagine. I doubt that Bob Johnson would have been the first with a national cable channel, and it would not have been built upon the back of scantily clad Black women gyrating to lyrics promoting drugs and violence.

If Dr. King had lived, he honestly would have diminished in some of his stature – as all great leaders do as they age. Yet his voice would hold more power than all the so called Black leaders of today combined and then some. He would long ago have questioned the infusion of drugs into our communities, the ridiculous face value actions of “Just say no”, and the promotion of money over education values that have integrated into our communities via music videos, video games, and other genres.

If Dr. King had lived, there would be a voice to speak with fanatical Muslim extremists. Perhaps there would never have been a 9/11, nor a war in Kuwait, nor a bombing in Lebanon. And even if these events did happen, there might have been a voice to provide an alternative just a step short of war.

If Dr. King had lived unions would be far different than they are now. There would have been a powerful voice questioning America’s involvement in Viet Nam, and questioning how the Government ran the war.

I imagine that television networks and movie studios would have rushed to integrate the big and small screens for fear of boycotts. Today there would not be worlds of imagination segregated to a virtually uniform racial make up of the world. There would not be just 2% of the entertainment industry representing every person of color combined. Spike Lee would not have to be heralded as a unique and groundbreaking director (based on his color), but just a great director among others.

I imagine that the African American middle class would not be a ghost, but a viable and growing community. I imagine that I would not have been able to get through high school with a college preparatory physics class textbook that was 3 years older than me. I imagine that a better alternative to Affirmative Action may have been found.

I would hope that had Dr. King lived, America would have come to terms with the need to apologize for slavery, something that I think still festers in the background causing separation and ill-will. I would hope that America could realize that reparations are part of that contrition and the fact that every American today benefits from the 246 years of work that built the foundations of everything that exists today. I would hope that we all would further realize that another 100+ years of segregation and prejudice were instead built upon the back of slavery with Jim Crow laws and that the cycle of judgment based on skin color needed to be broken.

I believe that as some of these things came to pass the history of the nation, the full history, would be revealed. Men like the Tuskegee Airmen and every other African American that has fought in every war America has ever had would not be new revelations to our children today. That the innovations and inventions that make life modern would be attributed to the Blacks that created them. That no person in America would wish to use a word like the N-word because it had no relevance and its meaning is too vile to repeat.

I believe that there would be no need to be distinguished by skin color when being described as an American. I would not need to be African American or Mexican American and so on. We could simply be Americans, one and all.

I believe that the Tuskegee Experiment would not have lasted until 1972, and that the Government would have been smitten for such actions. That there would not need to be a question of whether the government had made AIDS and brought it into communities of people of color because we could be sure they would never act in such a manner again.

I believe that Dr. King would never have become a politician, but other people of color would have been inspired, supported and welcomed as such. That there would be no place in America that could still herald the fact an African American ran for or was elected to a political office. That the first viable Black Presidential candidate would have ran, and possibly been elected long before the 21st century – 388 years after the first recorded slave was sold, 235 years after creating America, 142 years after abolishing slavery, 85 years after lynchings became a crime, 42 years after Jim Crow and segregation laws were declared illegal, 23 years after the first Black Miss America, 8 years after the first Black Secretary of State, 7 years after the first African American President of an Ivy League College and first Black billionaire, and 1 year after the first Black American (and youngest person) that flew around the world solo [which went virtually unreported].

There are many things I think that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could have done had he lived, and others that he would have influenced that would have benefited America. But I am left with one other thought.

Why haven’t these things happened even without him?

Oprah mistaken to show pregnant "man"

I understand that Oprah Winfrey is an entertainer. Her purpose is to provide something to give women something to watch and talk about at bridge meetings, the office, and the spa. While she occasionally hits on real subjects of note, most often she revels in man-hating topics, movie promotion interviews and nonsensical topics that would never have made the airwaves before the Robert Downey Show (a mid-80’s program that was the inspiration for Jerry Springer).

But I just find the subject of a recent show to be objectionable and wrong. This is my personal opinion, and has little to do with Oprah beyond her allowing the subject to hit the airwaves. What was the show? A pregnant man.

Well that is what it was billed as, but in fact that is a lie. Every newscaster that has touched on this story has made the reference of this being a man that is pregnant. That is physically impossible, and untrue. In fact it is a woman that is pregnant. Not that this obvious fact of nature matters to the state of Oregon – the home of the city of Eugene that can’t figure out how to speak to African Americans.

Let me explain that this falls into a category of items I call “We can, but we shouldn’t”. Like injecting poison into your body – otherwise known as botox injections. Or breast implants for teenagers. Or as in this case changing your sex.

The “man” in this case is actually a woman, who partially changed her body to resemble a man’s. She is “married” to a woman. She maintains the reproductive organs of a woman. Thus she is a woman, and the fact she is pregnant proves it. Worse is the fact that if she raises the child in this family setting. That kid, mark my words, will be the most screwed up kid in quite some time.

I do not agree with people trying to be smarter than nature and “fixing” their sex. I do not agree with these people raising a child. And I mean transgendered not gay when I say these people. Nature said they were male or female, and unless they are a hermaphrodite [which this woman in question has functionally become] that is all there should be.

Science may be capable of cloning creatures (which I disagree with), manipulating DNA (another bad idea), and moving around body parts – but human beings are not smart enough to know neither why these things exist as they do nor how they affect their surroundings. We just aren’t. And in promoting the belief that we are this smart, Oprah does society a disservice.

My greatest objection to this is because of my personal belief. It is because of the impact on the unborn child and society. It is one thing for a grown adult to manipulate their body in an unnatural way (all cosmetic surgery is unnatural and generally unnecessary), but promoting that as normal or positive – as being on Oprah makes it – is bad, in my opinion. And to raise a child in a family that is sexually confused and societal pariahs is unfair and conductive to problems in that child’s emotional if not intellectual growth.

Appearing on Oprah just gives fuel to others to follow in this manner, just as the antics of Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, and Paris Hilton (among others of both sexes) promote and fuel drugs, drunken binges, anorexia, ill-behavior and such. Or in another manner it’s like the way that Columbine has caused the copycats since that event.

I do not see a single positive to society, or the unborn child, by the actions of Oprah in promoting this act. It was wrong, but sadly the genie is out of the bottle. As such I give my condolences to the future children of the transgendered parents.

Some things in this world we can do, but we just shouldn’t.

The Hillary Clinton boxing connection - repost

**Repost from VASS, my political blog. But it has multiple boxing and movie references.**

So was it just me or did anyone else find humor in the comments of Senator Hillary Clinton yesterday? If you don’t recall the comment it was

“Let me tell you something, when it comes to finishing a fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up. And neither do the American people.”

Now as I recall, wasn’t the first Rocky movie that she references (about running up the stairs in center city Philadelphia) the first time that Rocky loses to Apollo Creed the champion that was Black? Are we to take it that she too is in a battle that she won’t win? [And in the real world Sylvester Stallone is a Republican that backs Senator John McCain]

In fact, Rocky lost multiple times to better stronger Black men. Actually Rocky was constantly losing and getting his head beat in. I recall a Rocky movie (just before the most recent, I think it was 5) where the pugilist lost everything and was back in the poverty he started from due to the fact he wasn’t smart enough to manage his finances and make a proper plan for the future.

So if Senator Clinton is just like Rocky, as she says, then she is a loser without the sense to know when to stop fighting, can’t manage money, and willing to risk the livelihood of family and friends just to prove a point. Not the inspiring image that she intended, perhaps a Freudian slip on her part?

But I won’t beat up on her about this. I’ll just highlight the similarities. Senator Clinton has lost the popular vote, trails virtually 2-1 on state victories (27 – 14) and is losing on the delegate count. There is almost no way that she can avoid a decision and the odds are decidedly against her as her own supporters are acknowledging Senator Obama will win the Democratic nomination.

And she has thrown more low blows than Gerry Cooney, hitting below the belt with a campaign staff that has either been following instructions or is so without supervision they have been caught repeatedly using race as a means of personal attack. Spreading emails that claim Senator Obama is a secret Muslim, highlighting his middle name to draw on the Muslim fears/prejudice of America, alleging that Senator Obama was a drug dealer, insulting African Americans that voted for him by dismissing his victory in South Carolina, attempting to circumvent every rule and plan that she agreed to back when she thought she would win easily in 2007, and the list goes on.

That says nothing of her Leon Spinks-esque brown bag equivalent of trying to ignore the fact that one of her larger fund raisers was known, wanted fugitive Norman Hsu, who happened to give her $1 million that he stole and she did not want to return.

If anything, I would equate Senator Clinton with James ‘Buster’ Douglas. Like the little boxer that could she won a Senate seat in New York State, and has gone up against a heavyweight she was not prepared for. She was under prepared and got knocked on her butt in the early rounds. But she made a comeback, and thought she was stronger than she in fact was. She’s been knocked back and down repeatedly and too many want her to throw in the towel. She’s even taking late hits (from herself) with the truth of her own actions hitting her as hard as the fact that she has no experience has. [Bosnia and Ireland if I was too obscure]

So let me ask this. If you had a choice, and you do, why would you want to back a fighter that loses repeatedly, trips over their own legs, is overconfident to the point of embarrassment, and seems more than a bit punch-drunk?

A point of differnce after Sean Levert dies

In sad news I noticed that Sean Levert died on March 30th. He was 39 years old. While I saw nothing about this in the major media, I think it’s worth noting.

One thing that really gives me pause is the fact that Sean Levert was in jail just prior to his death. One hour before he died he was serving time for failing to pay child support. An autopsy has already been done and the claim is that there was no foul play. And I have to wonder.

Over the weekend I saw news about Anna Nicole Smith’s son. His death was ruled an accidental overdose. Back at the time of his death there was constant coverage, and it took about a week to get a full autopsy done. The only thing that Anna Nicole’s son is known for is being her son, and dying under odd circumstances.

Yet, Sean Levert actually contributed to society (he was a singer like his father, and working with his more famous brother Gerald for a time). While his contribution was nothing to win a Nobel Peace Prize over, in comparison to the Smith son he was King Kong. He was relatively famous in his own right, and the son of a very successful famous father. He was in jail (which the media normally loves to cover and laud when it comes to entertainers in trouble and African Americans in general as I observe). And he died very suddenly with what seems to be in comparison a rushed autopsy.

Now I’m not saying that this was foul play on the part of Cuyahoga County jail, but I am noting that there is a schism yet again. Anna Nicole Smith has been in the news, on and off, for a year. Her son generated significant news coverage a year after his death – while he was an ordinary person beyond his lineage. Sean Levert got nothing, Sean Bell was dropped in a day, Sean Taylor was vilified over his youth, Megan Williams was ignored, and they tried to railroad Wesley Snipes.

Months after his death I’m hearing even more about Heath Ledger. Why? I’m not trying to belittle their deaths, and I do give my condolences to their families and friends, but that does not change the obvious actions of the media. And then some people wonder why Preachers like Rev. Wright are upset.

If we can’t give equal, or even similar, acknowledgement of the deaths of those famous and near-famous in our nation then how the hell can we except to see equality in life?