Shirley Sherrod and the "scary" topic of race...

Okay, I kept seeing Shirley Sherrod's name in my time line on Twitter and I was curious about who she was and why her resignation was so important.



Now, as I was watching Nightly News this evening, they showed the clip that apparently started all the talk and my first thought was "Oh damn, lady! Why would you say that?!" Her losing her job, in that moment, after seeing that snippet, made sense. If I had seen a clip of a white woman making that same comment regarding a black farmer, especially with all the hell they've been going through, I would say "Heck yeah, she should resign!" The way this clip was shown makes one question her [Sherrod] ability to perform her job without prejudice. Now we all see that the comment was apart of something benevolent, not malicious. I've been busy today so I only just now found out what the ruckus was. My opinion on this? Give Sherrod her job back.




Fact is, she was explaining how working with this white farmer caused her to overcome her initial prejudice. She says in the video that she realized she "couldn't live with hate..." and that "we have to work together...it's sad that we don't have a room full of whites and blacks here tonight be[cause] we have to overcome the divisions that we have..." Sounds like someone reformed, to me. So why is the Department of Agriculture's Secretary, Tom Vilsack, sticking with this whole resignation? Why would the White House continue to back the decision, but say that they had nothing to do with the decision? The entire situation that Sherrod was discussing is something that happened long before she began working for the Department of Agriculture. So it's not like she carried her prejudice into the new job, right? Why stick to this decision when it has turned out to be a bad one, born of a sliver of an entire speech?

And the farmer, whom Sherrod helped, the one who was the topic of her story, supports her? He and his wife are appreciative of the work Sherrod did to keep them out of bankruptcy? Vilsack, White House, it is okay to admit a mistake and rectify it. Give Sherrod her job back.

Let me also say that the whole issue of race in the age of Obama is pretty crappy. Why? Because every time a case of race or racial discrimination pops up, folks want to say that the President has to be sensitive about the way it is handled. Now, in theory, this may be fine, maybe even accurate. But my problem is this: why the hell is it suddenly so important for our President to be sensitive to such issues? Shouldn't this have been required, expected, long before now? Every president should be required to handle race in a sensitive manner. You mean to tell me that the first bi-racial (or self-identified Black) President is incapable of handling race? So every white president prior to administration was automatically deemed capable? Were former presidents reminded almost daily of race and held to the fire when dealing with such a sensitive issue? I don't think so...to be fair, I cannot recall ever seeing this much coverage on the way The White House handled race. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Oh! And to the NAACP? You stay losing! How can she be giving this speech, in its entirety, at an NAACP function, but the NAACP jumps on the bandwagon against Sherrod? The organization just can't seem to get right...

Blogging from A to Z: Today's Letter...M for Mitrice Richardson...

In case you are unaware or, perhaps, have forgotten about this young woman, Mitrice Richardson is still missing. She has been missing since last September, after disappearing from the Malibu police station. I did a blog post about this a while back and you can read it here. Recently, a few things have occurred regarding this case; allegedly, there is a videotape of Richardson at the police station. This is "surprising" because the original claim by the police was that no videotape existed *side-eye*. According to the Malibu Surfside News, Richardson's mother, Latice Sutton, and a small group of others, were allowed to view this "non-existent" videotape. After the viewing, Sutton says, per Malibu Surfside News:

the video “supports [my] theory that [sheriff’s] officers could very likely be involved in my daughter’s disappearance.”

You can read the article here, but the gist is that the claims of the Malibu police station do not match up with what the videotape shows. Richardson looks agitated and is pulling at her hair, and rocking from side to side. This is a different picture than what the police painted originally. They said that they saw no signs of distress and that she seemed fine. They claimed this even after witnesses at the restaurant where she was arrested, said that she seemed to be under some sort of mental distress. Another cause for concern, is that the videotape allegedly shows an officer following Richardson out of the police department after she was released. So what happened after that? Did this officer see which direction she took? Did he speak to her? Did he offer to take her home? What happened? So far no answers. The family wants those who were at the station that night to be investigated and I can understand that completely, if for no other reason than the shady business regarding the "non-existent" videotape.

Another search occurred on March 28, this time in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles. Apparently, there have been "sightings" in that area, so a group volunteered to search the area. It made sense to search this area; according to Chip Croft, who was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times:

With numerous homeless shelters, single-room occupancy hotels and social service centers, skid row is a place where someone like Richardson, who is thought to have had no money and may have been suffering from emotional problems, might end up...

In my earlier blog post, a commenter, arlee, brought up the idea of questioning the homeless community. Since many homeless people tend to have mental health issues, searching the Skid Row area for missing persons was a smart move. If it had been done sooner, maybe there would have been better results. The family of Richardson is also interested in questioning a man who was recently arrested for the sexual assault of a Malibu woman. Apparently this man, Christian Marcus Verdin, was living in the homeless community around the time that Richardson disappeared. Most recently, a drone aircraft was used to search the area surrounding the police station. According to the Malibu Surfside News, this drone was able to search areas that were unreachable by the search teams. The family is currently waiting for the results of this particular search.

Mitrice Richardson is out there, somewhere; my hope is that Mitrice is found, alive, and reunited with her family. I truly with the media would get on top of this case and put pressure on the police department to produce results. The shadiness of the videotape situation should cause concern  and be worthy of some media coverage. What the hell happened the night that Mitrice Richardson left that Malibu police station?

Blogging from A to Z: "L" is for Library of Congress & LOL!

I was on one of my favorite sites today, Twitter, when someone sent out a tweet that said the Library of Congress will be archiving all public tweets, from March 2006 on forward. That's right, folks! If you thought Twitter was nothing more than sh*ts and giggles, you are WRONG! And, according to their website, the Library of Congress wants to congratulate you:

Have you ever sent out a “tweet” on the popular Twitter social media service? Congratulations: Your 140 characters or less will now be housed in the Library of Congress.

That's right! Congratulations go out to all those people out there "tweeting" a ton of foolishness! And I'm not talking about your average jokes. I'm talking about stuff that would make your elders blush and cut their eyes as you. Hey all you "Wang Wednesday" people you're about to be a part of history! And we can't forget those "Twitter After Dark" tweets! Oh this is such hilarity! I can't help but laugh out loud and shake my head at those who don't think it necessary to do a little self-censorship when tweeting. Now, don't get me wrong, are there some of my own tweets that I'm not thrilled about being archived? Hmmmm...no actually I feel pretty cool about it all' I haven't posted anything that I would be embarrassed by or would not want to stand by, so the idea of archiving my tweets doesn't faze me at all. But, I can say that I'm glad I haven't been reckless with my digital fingerprints; once you put stuff out there on the Internet, it's pretty much a wrap. This is how I've approached the entire social networking issue. If you don't want it known, better keep it to yourself.

photo credit: Jacqui Sadler on Flickr

Blogging from A to Z: Today's letter....H for Harvard University (and others)...

I received this email this evening and figured it would make for a good and informative blog post for the challenge:

Harvard University Announcement

No tuition and no student loans

Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only ten percent of the students in elite higher education come from families in the lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution."

If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans!

To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at: http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

SEND TO SOMEONE WHETHER THEY CAN USE OR NOT. THEY JUST MIGHT KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN.

This sounds spectacular, right? Students from low-income homes are receiving a great opportunity; just because someone is from a home that is struggling to make ends meet, especially in our current economic setting, doesn't mean that they should be blocked from attending an Ivy League school if that is the school they choose.  After checking around for some more information, I found an article on, CNNMoney.com, that discusses this. Apparently Harvard, and other major schools, are planning on using more work-study programs and grant money as financial aid for low-income students. While there is still the chance that the family will need to invest some money, due to the "expected contribution" amount, which is figured when completing the FAFSA. But the amount contributed will be extremely lower than what was previously expected. According to the Harvard financial aid website, at some point family's had to use home equity to pay for their child, or children, to go to Harvard. And chances are, the student would still leave the school with debt! I think that this program is a great idea and it should be taken advantage of.

Armed robery + $11 stolen + no one harmed = Life in prison?

Oh, I forgot to add "innocence" to that equation! Two women, Jamie and Gladys Scott, were arrested and convicted for armed robbery. $11 was stolen and no one was injured or killed, but the Scott sisters were convicted and each sister received to two consecutive life sentences! They've maintained their innocence since 1993 and witnesses to the crime say that they were threatened, forced to lie on the sisters. Insanely unjust! Now, add the fact that Jamie Scott fighting severe infections and receiving substandard medical care, and the situation becomes even more dire! Innocent, in prison for life, and fighting for her health? Why isn't this receiving more attention? That was a rhetorical question...

Please read the press release below (from freethescottsisters.blogspot.com)...




PRESS RELEASE

THE COMMITTEE TO FREE THE SCOTT SISTERS

CONTACT:

Mrs. Evelyn Rasco

P.O. Box 7100

Pensacola, Florida 32534

E-mail: rqueenbee2222@yahoo.com

Website: www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.com
Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Free-Jamie-Gladys/index.html
Legal Transcripts: http://www.scribd.com/Scott%20Sisters

MISSISSIPPI INJUSTICE: A DOUBLE-LIFE SENTENCE FOR $11.00!

Scott County, MS ---- In a trial fraught with legal malpractice and witness coercion, Mississippi Judge Marcus Gordon oversaw one of the most blatantly corrupt trials in history, culminating in the staggering over-sentencing of sisters Gladys and Jamie Scott to double-life each in an armed robbery where no one was murdered or harmed and the amount alleged to have been taken was a whopping $11.00.

On December 24, 1993, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department arrested the Scott sisters for armed robbery even though three young males, ranging from ages 14 to 18, confessed to committing the crime. Despite this, the corrupt Mississippi sheriff used coercion, threats, and harassment to compel them to turn state’s evidence against the Scott sisters due to a long-standing vendetta against a family member. The 14-year-old male would later testify that he did not read the statement and was pressured to sign a written statement prepared by the sheriff without an attorney being present.

As if that weren't bad enough, these young women received incompetent legal representation at the lower court trial. Their attorneys, Firnist J. Alexander, Jr. and Gail Shaw-Pierson failed to interview and subpoena witnesses, only calling one witness when there were several. Incredibly, the jury never even heard any testimony from the alleged victims. The sisters were advised to not testify on their own behalf by their attorneys, Alexander and Shaw-Pierson, denying them the opportunity to speak for themselves.

In October of 1994, Jamie and Gladys Scott were sentenced to extraordinary double life terms each in prison, even though neither sister had prior convictions and there was no violence involved in these charges.

The four State’s witnesses provided conflicting testimony and one alleged accuser was not called to testify – he was not questioned or subpoenaed by defense attorneys Firnist J. Alexander, Jr. or Gail Shaw-Pierson. Witnesses admitted however, that reports prepared by the Sheriff, of their descriptions of the event contained no such claim. In other words, the sisters were not present. Jamie and Gladys Scott were not involved in the armed robbery and they did not conspire to plan such. Witnesses all testified that they were coerced and threatened by Deputy Sheriff Marvin Williams. Testimony also revealed that Marvin Williams prepared statements of the events from the night of December 24, 1994 BEFORE obtaining signatures and BEFORE the witnesses were brought into his office. In other words, the statements were not written by witnesses. Three affidavits exist – they all state that the Scott Sisters were not involved in this robbery. One affidavit is written by a trustee of the local jail, his account of the facts reveal that a wallet was located a few days after this alleged robbery and that wallet contained the photo ID of one of the alleged victims of the trumped up robbery and three twenty dollar bills. The trustee also reveals that there was NOT a robbery, he was also threatened to be sent to Parchman Penitentiary if he told the truth.

According to the Request for Commutation of Sentence and/or Pardon prepared by attorney Chokwe Lumumba, the Scott Sisters challenged their convictions on direct appeal; arguing that there was insufficient evidence to convict them, and the guilty verdict was against the overwhelming weight of evidence, which should have exonerated them. The court of appeals found no error and affirmed the convictions on December 17, 1996. As a result, they filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court, which was denied on May 15, 1997. They consequently filed an Application for Leave to File Motion to Vacate Conviction pursuant to the Mississippi Post Conviction Collateral Relief Act. The Supreme Court also denied that application.

This family is shell-shocked, yet determined to fight on. They have tried to have faith that at some point this unbelievable travesty would be corrected and their upside-down lives righted. Yet 14 long years later nothing has changed, the women's five children are still being raised by their now ailing mother, and their father has died of a massive heart attack because of this. The emotional strain this burden has placed upon their family is immeasurable.

Jamie Scott writes, "What began as an implication and outright miscarriage of justice, has catapulted to destroy an entire family. Gladys was a 19 year old pregnant mother, and myself, Jamie, a 22 year old mother during the time of our arrest, conviction and sentencing for a crime we did not commit." She continued, "We are convinced that once this chain of events is exposed and unraveled, the events that occurred, the lives that have been destroyed, the pain and suffering the citizens of Scott County have endured; everyone will be utterly amazed, astonished and compelled to assist us in our plight for freedom. We pray that the people would insist upon an investigation into their misconduct and miscarriage of justice."

Gladys and Jamie’s older brother has recently returned from Iraq and has served in the US Army for 22 years, while his sisters remain victims of wrongful convictions in the very country that he proudly represents. The defendants and their family are wholly depending on support from the press, organizations, and all those dedicated to justice in making this debacle as public as possible.

Please sign petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Free-Jamie-Gladys/index.html

Also do what you can to help the cause! Please contact the following people to voice your concerns:

BE DIRECT BUT PLEASE BE COURTEOUS -- NO YELLING OR CURSING!
IT WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES, PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

Governor Haley Barbour
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, Mississippi 39205
1-877-405-0733 or 601-359-3150
Fax: 601-359-3741
(If you reach VM leave msgs, faxes, and please send letters)

Dorothy Kuykendall
Personal Assistant to Gov. Barbour
(601) 359-3150
DKuykendall@governor.state.ms.us
P. O Box 3150
Jackson, MS 39205

Christopher Epps, Commissioner of Prisons for the State of Mississippi
601-359-5600
CEPPS@mdoc.state.ms.us
723 North President Street
Jackson, MS 39202

Emmitt Sparkman, Deputy Commissioner
(601) 359-5610
esparkman@mdoc.state.ms.us

Margaret Bingham, Superintendent of Central Mississippi Corrections Facility
(601) 932-2880
mbingham@mdoc.state.ms.us
FAX: (601) 664-0782
P.O. Box 88550
Pearl, Mississippi 39208

Dr. Gloria Perry, Medical Department (601) 359-5155
gperry@mdoc.state.ms.us

Attorney General Eric Holder
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

PLEASE CONTACT POLITICIANS AND MEDIA

Congressman Bennie Thompson
3607 Medgar Evers Blvd.
Jackson, MS 39213
601-946-9003(ph)
601-982-5337 (fx)
Benniethompson@mail.house.gov

Congressman John Conyers
2426 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Ph: 202-225-5126
Fax: 202-225-0072
John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

A complete list of the media that we have listed (feel free to send to any others that
you wish to!) is at http://freethescottsisters.blogspot.com/2010/01/119-emergency-update.html

RIP Corey Haim

I wake up this morning feeling great and then I'm thrown for a loop when I logged onto Twitter. Someone posted "RIP Corey Haim" and I'm thinking "Get outta here!" Did some searching and found a link confirming that he actually died. This saddens me, as a "80's baby" because growing up he was in some of my favorite movies. The Lost Boys and License to Drive are still in my movie collection to this day! They're saying he died of a drug overdose; while that isn't surprising, it still feels like another part of my childhood has passed away. No matter what, I hope he is at peace.

Click here to read more about this story.

Know your role! The 'Ho' never gets an apology!

I never gave the Tiger Woods debacle much, if any, attention. It was simple to me; he cheated on his wife with a harem of women and he was about to cost him a whole lot. However, after reading this article, I cannot hold my tongue regarding the foolishness that is now occurring. After last week's public apology, someone else wants an apology. One of the mistresses, Veronica Siwik-Daniels, feels that she is deserving of a personal apology. WTH?! Has she forgotten that she, like several others, played a part in this adulterous mess? She has an attorney and everything! For what reason, I have no idea. She and her attorney responded to Tiger's public apology; Siwik-Daniels' attorney, Gloria Allred, said "He [Tiger] led her to believe she was the only woman in his life other than his wife..." Say what?!Are you serious Ms. Allred?! Your client, Veronica Siwik-Daniles, was A MISTRESS! She is in no position to demand any kind of an apology! Are times rough for Allred? So rough she has to take on every frivolous case she can in order to make ends meet? I seriously doubt it; she looks like a media hog, right along with her client.

Siwik-Daniels says she "had to deal with a lot and too much from him and because of him...It never had to come to this. He knows that I was very straight and honest with him, but for a long time he lied to me." Um...no little mistress, you dealt with a lot because you chose to do so. And you were dealing with a man who was lying to his wife, so you were dealing with a liar. And you what? Expected him to be honest with you? Someone smack her forehead and tell her she should have drank a V8 because she is a idiot.

The fact that this is being fed into speaks volumes regarding the moral issues this country has! The only, and I repeat ONLY, person who deserve an apology are Tiger's family. This means that each and every woman who played a part in the adultery should apologize to his wife and his children! They deserve none of the media attention they are getting and they definitely do not deserve an apology from Tiger! I could be wrong, but I really do not believe I am.



Image via (CNN/KTLA)

Are they just now beginning to suspect foul play in the Mitrice Richardson case?

According to the L.A. Times, the sheriff's department has decided to start a homicide investigation for Mitrice Richardson. In case you are not familiar with this story, Mitrice was at a restaurant and unable to pay for her meal. Apparently, Mitrice was talking and behaving oddly; people at the restaurant thought she may have had some mental issues. Her grandmother was called and she offered to pay for the bill, but didn't have access to a fax machine. The couldn't accept her card payment over the phone. So, the police were called and she was arrested. The police department claims she showed no signs of drunkenness or mental issues, so they released her.

This young woman disappeared after being released from the Malibu police department in mid-September. The police claim that they had no reason to hold her at the station because she did not show any signs of being drunk or being mentally incapacitated. Now it turns out she may have had some sort of breakdown, so how is it that the police saw no reason to hold her, at least until a family member could come to the station and take her home? Mind you, she had no car (it was miles away, at the restaurant where everything started), no money, and no cell phone. Instead of dropping her off at home or simply taking her back to her car, the police department let her walk off into the night. Now she's missing. The sheriff says that they do not believe she is dead, but by starting a homicide investigation, more resources can be used to find her.

Wouldn't it have made more sense to use more resources months ago? Leads that could have been discovered back in October may be long gone! I hope that is not the case, but I'm upset at the fact that her strange disappearance did not seem to warrant a massive media blitz. I know, the story was featured on CNN Headline news, but I haven't seen or heard much else about her disappearance since October. I pray they find Mitrice and that she is able to go home to her family.

Oscar Grant Update: Mehserle receives a change of venue...

This is just a brief update on what is going on regarding the murder of Oscar Grant, which occurred on January 1, 2009. In case you didn't know, this young man was shot in the back, while handcuffed and lying on his stomach, by a BART police officer in Oakland, CA. The officer, Johannes Mehserle, has been charged for the crime and has plead not guilty. According to The Associated Press, Mehserle was granted a change of venue; now the trial will not take place in Oakland. Mehserle's attorney claimed that his client could not receive a fair trial in Oakland due to all the news coverage. I think that no matter where the trial is moved, he will still be found guilty because there was no reason to shoot Grant. At least I hope he is found guilty...we all know how this kind of case usually turns out...*side-eye*...

Violence against women: A spectator event...

I don't understand this teenagers today. So angry, so violent, so desensitized to anger and violence. I'm going to write this and I ask that you bear with me because I might babble...so many thoughts are running through my head. A few hours ago, I read an article on CNN.com about a young girl, possibly 15 years old, being gang-raped and beaten by four males (can't call them men because true men do not do such things and can't call them boys because they were old enough to know the difference between right and wrong). This disgusting and violent crime happened right outside of her high school's homecoming dance. This alone makes me want to react violently, but add the fact that approximately 15 people, perhaps students, stood around and watched this girl's brutal violation and DID NOTHING TO STOP IT...NOTHING! When you add that to this story, it makes it that much more sickening! This girl was going through the ugliest, scariest, most traumatic and humiliating moments of her life and there were people standing there watching! I can only imagine that she would have been thinking "Someone please help me! Please! Someone stop this!" But no one had it within them to push these guys off of her? I mean dang, even if you want to use that weak excuse of "being afraid for one's personal safety", someone could have ran inside the school and told a teacher what was happening outside of the school! But nope, each person chose to be a spectator to the abuse of this girl. They probably have no idea that they were bearing witness to her mental breakdown, or maybe they did and they did not care at all.

I do not understand where we are as a society where violence against women is just something to watch, something to accept and not something to stop.  Women face so much hatred (direct and indirect) and abuse (physical, emotional, and mental). And we often become just as desensitized as men to the violence commited against us. Rumor is that that some girls went to a party after the crime was committed and they were overheard joking about it...joking about the fact that a girl was beaten and raped. As I said, this is a rumor, but would this surprise me if it were found to be true? Not at all. There is no solidarity among us women. We fall into the catty, back bitting foolishness and in extreme cases we defend the abuser! What in the world?!?! Maybe some of us feel that if we defend the woman, we are bashing the man? I don't believe that it has to be an either-or situation. But if it comes down to a choice between the two, I'm choosing my sisters...those deserving, of course. I say "deserving" because I know that there are women out there who lie about being abused, whether it is to save themselves from some consequence (see Hofstra rape) or to get revenge (see Megan Williams). In situations like the Hofstra story and Megan Williams, when found guilty of falsely accusing someone of rape, there should be legal consequences. But that is another story...

My main point is that we have to stop standing by, letting women be abused, and doing nothing to stop it. It's one thing to walk around wearing ribbons for Domestic Abuse Awareness, but it's a whole other thing to actually have the courage to be proactive about stopping the abuse. We have to teach our daughters, sisters, and other female relatives that violence, any violence, against women is WRONG! We have to teach our sons, brothers, and male relatives the same thing. And we have to get rid of the "stop snitching" mentality! This is probably the reason that no one went inside the school and told someone that the young girl was outside being brutalized! If you see wrong happening, SPEAK UP! If just one person had done so, maybe the what happened outside of that high school would have went differently.

*****UPDATE******
According to the Los Angeles Times, a girl, who heard some people talking about the rape, called the police. Thank goodness there was at least one person with the decency to call 911. So far, several guys have been arrested. I wish those who stood back and watched could be charged with something! I've been on simmer since last night, but now getting fired up all over again...

DON'T SIT BACK AND LET THIS SHYT HAPPEN!!!

WATCH THIS VIDEO...



After clicking on a link via Twitter, I saw this video and felt angry, sick, tired, and outdone all at once. What in the world is wrong with our youth? Why the hell are they so angry? Yes, I know life is difficult and sometimes it is hard to simply get up out of bed because the obstacles seem too high to get over. But a difficult life is no excuse for MURDER! You know what, and I don't care who I offend when I say this...I don't give a motherf@#k about how hard your life is...excuse after excuse...there is no excuse for what was done to Derrion Albert. THOSE SOB'S KILLED THAT CHILD!!! AND AS MUCH AS THAT ANGERS ME, WHAT ANGERS ME MORE IS THE FACT THAT ADULTS WERE THERE!!! WHY STAND BACK AND WATCH THIS UNFOLD!!!! WHAT? JUST SO YOU COULD RECORD IT? GROWN FOLKS, WHEN WE SEE THIS STUFF HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO STOP IT! DON'T SIT BACK AND SCREAM AND WATCH...DON'T BE PASSIVE! THEN WANNA SCREAM "WE WANT JUSTICE!" WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?!?! WE CAN'T LOOK FOR OTHER FOLKS TO GET OUR KIDS UNDER CONTROL!!! IT PISSES ME OFF THAT THOSE KIDS KILLED THAT CHILD BUT IT PISSES ME OFF EVEN MORE THAT ADULTS, GROWN FOLKS, DID NOTHING BUT SCREAM! CHARGE EACH ONE OF THOSE UNREASONABLY ANGRY SOB'S WITH MURDER! THROW THE EFF'N BOOK AT THEM AND BUST THEM UPSIDE THEIR HEADS WITH BOARDS! NO SYMPATHY! NO EXCUSES! I'M TIRED OF IT...SO EFF'N TIRED...

Oscar Grant Update: Change of venue?

Apparently Johannes Mehserle is afraid that he will not receive a fair jury trial. His attorney has filed a motion requesting a change of venue because the majority of people polled in Alameda County know about the case and have already prejudged Mehserle as guilty (Read more here). In case you are asking yourself "Who is Johannes Mehserle?" I'll fill you in. Mehserle is the BART officer who shot Oscar Grant in the back on January 1, 2009. Not only did he shot this young man in the back, but he did so while Grant was lying on the ground, on his stomach with his hands cuffed behind his back. In case you are wondering, Mehserle is white and Grant was black. As you can imagine, this has caused more racial tension within the community. According to Mehserle, this was a terrible mistake; he thought he had pulled out his taser. Right. Even if people were to buy that, he wants people to believe that this young man is lying on the ground, on his stomach, hands cuffed and he needed to be tased? Get out of here! The use of tasers have been in the news as of late because of the deaths they have caused (just google "taser deaths" and you'll see examples). Anyway, the change of venue seems fruitless because if you live in California, you already know about the case, so at best, Mehserle can only hope that people will put personal opinions aside and listen to all the facts before making a decision.

Lucky for him, I'm not in the jury pool because I think he is guilty as sin and the fact that he had to extradited from Nevada only makes him look more guilty.

And another one!!!

On Wednesday, I did a blog post regarding a rally concerning a noose-hanging incident at the city water plant. At said rally, we protested the way the case was. or is, being handled and demanded that there be a no-tolerance policy for such incidents, or hate crimes. At this time, there have been no arrests made for the water plant incident and according to the newspaper, the two men responsible are still working at the plant. That's some bull, right? Well, I guess seeing the lack of consequences in this case, another man decided "Hey, I'm gonna hang a noose at a different city work site! That will be funny!" The only difference in this incident, is that this man was arrested, but for disorderly conduct. There's that phrase again...disorderly conduct. Why is this city so afraid of calling a spade, a spade! These actions are HATE CRIMES!!!! Stop coddling and trying to sweep this shit under the rug! The first two men should have been arrested, just like this new guy was arrested! What is the hold-up?! Oh yeah, supposedly the mayor's blood is involved in the first case...the names of the first two idiots have yet to be released to the public, so that theory is starting to look more and more plausible. Again, I say call this what it is...RACISM!!!

Here's a link to this new story: http://www.sj-r.com/homepage/x1331799616/Mayor-Davlin-to-discuss-arrest-of-city-employee

R.I.P. Michael Jackson...The King of Pop

What a day this has been...

Michael Jackson, a man whom I've been a fan of it seems all my life, passed away this afternoon. A true icon...it's difficult to find the words to describe what I'm feeling right now. Earlier today, when I read that he had been taken to the hospital due to a cardiac arrest. I was thinking that he would be okay; no way would this man be taken away from the world, not yet at least. Then, via Twitter, I started to see folks saying that he passed away. Still, I could not believe it! He had to make his comeback, give a middle finger to all the haters out there who said he didn't have what it takes anymore. While I wouldn't have been able to attend one of the concerts in London, I knew that there would be footage or some other way that I could experience THE CONCERT OF THE CENTURY!

So no matter what was said, I refused to believe that Michael was gone. I sat at work, tissue in hand, tears in my eyes trying not to break down as I read all the news websites and listened as radio stations made the claim that he was indeed gone. Feeling numb, I left work, listened to the radio so I wouldn't miss anything. Got home, watched the news and began to cry when they said the LA Times announced his death. Cried even more when CNN started playing a clip from a TV show when Michael was performing "I Want You Back" as one of The Jackson 5. Cried off and on, for awhile as I watched all the coverage and the music clips. Reminisced about my childhood, listening to my parents Off The Wall and Thriller albums (for real vinyl records on my record player, lol). Music that would have me laughing, singing my heart out one moment and crying like a baby because he was so vulnerable and I could feel what he was feeling. Mind you, I'm 7 or 8 at the time, but I knew what he was feeling and you couldn't tell me otherwise.

What were your fave MJ moments? I remember when a Michael Jackson video was an EVENT!!! And if you missed the world premiere of the video, you should have felt shame. I would be on the phone with friends, talking about how cool this "Black or White" and "Remember the Time" was. The first time I saw "Smooth Criminal" and the entire Moonwalker movie...Michael Jackson is apart of many memories in my life...I'm going to miss him so much...getting teary eyed again....

Really, what were your favorite Michael Jackson moments?

Thinking about this makes me feel something like what John Mayer was saying on Twitter...I feel like a piece of my childhood is gone. Not trying to be dramatic or anything, but this truly hurt my soul.

FYI

According to an article The Wall Street Journal website, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling that says the police cannot interrogate a person without the presence of an attorney. Now, my first reaction was "That's some Bull@#$^" because I'm fairly certain that there are officers who do some underhanded things to get a confession (not because I watch police dramas and movies, but because its human nature). My next reaction was "Okay, so what, you can interrogate me all you want to, but I don't have to say anything and I'm not confessing to something I did not do!" Now, I think that my final reaction to this is a mixture of the two. This is bull@#$% because there are people who, after intense bullying and threatening, will confess to crimes they did not commit, and the original ruling gave them a little protection against that. Now, I'm not naive enough to believe that true criminals find protection from that as well, but punishing the innocent does not seem fair to me. So, what can be done? I'm not sure, but I don't think that the president can overturn the Court's decision, so petitioning him maybe fruitless. Perhaps I can contact my state's representatives and they could help in some way? I was never a fan of my Political Science class, so I'm not very knowledgeable on the steps one can, and should, take in a situation such as this. But there has to be something that can be done...

Your thoughts on this?

If there is any justice in the world, this S.O.B. will be dealt with!!!!!

Crimes against children always, ALWAYS, hurt my soul...and piss me off! Babies are some of the most innocent beings on earth and I can't stand it when people harm them. Women we need to be cognizant of the type of men we allow to be around our children! This poor, little innocent baby boy had no way of defending, or protecting himself...as I type this, I cry and get more and more angry! Emanuel Wesley Murray was murdered by his mother's ex-boyfriend, Richard A. McTear Jr., a man who disliked the child from the beginning. This S.O.B. beat the mother and then picked up a car seat, which the baby was still in, and threw it across the room. The baby fell out of the seat and hit the floor. The mother run out of the apartment for help, and this monster runs off with the baby. While driving along the interstate, this MONSTER throws the baby out of the car!!!! RICHARD A. McTEAR JR. DESERVES TO DIE!!!!! I read an article about a woman being sentenced to death by firing squad, in another company, for drug trafficking. THIS MOFO DESERVES A SENTENCE NO LESS THAN THAT!!!. Now, forgive me, I'm mad at the mother too... if this punk was a danger to the baby, she should have taken the baby somewhere else; you know, found someone who would be willing to keep the baby until this nutcase was out of the picture completely. As soon as the S.O.B. showed that he didn't like the baby, he needed to be out of the equation. That said, I pray for the mother and the family of innocent little Emanuel.

To read the article, click here...

When will it stop...

Just read about the death (or murder) of Bernard Monroe. A 73 year old black man, who was in his yard with family when he was killed by a police officer. Apparently, the police thought that Monroe's son had committed a crime and chased the man to his father's home. According to the article, the son was chased into the house and then back out into the yard. Monroe went over to the police officer who had just tasered his son; as he went toward the police officer, another officer shot Monroe dead. Of course, the officer says that the old man had a gun in his hand when he was walking toward the other officer. Witnesses are saying that Monroe had no gun in his hand and that the police planted a gun near the old man's body.

Of course, now there is even more racial tension in the small community of Homer, La. Apparently, the police chief in the community has allegedly made some comments that leads me to believe he may have ugly intentions. Citizens in the community say that young black men are being targeted as criminals. This seems to be a nationwide epidemic.

Read more about this story by clicking here.

Shooting in Pittsburg...3 dead...what's going on people?!

Yesterday, a fool lost his mind and killed 14 people in New York. Today, another fool decided to shoot 3 police officers in Pennsylvannia. Possible reason? According to those close to him, he was angry about losing his job and was worried that Obama was going to place a ban on guns. So he starts shooting...yeah, that would convince the President to say "You know what, there's no need for gun control..."

Click here to read the news story...

Oh really?!

I was listening to the Michael Baisden radio show this afternoon (very thankful that I can get this online, because my sucky town doesn't carry the show). Anyway, one part of the show was dedicated to the discussion of teens and sexuality. Baisden started off by talking to a pastor about a comment made by the current Pope, who says that condoms promote HIV/AIDS and promiscuity. Huh? Yeah, I know...WTF, right? Well, Michael totally disagrees with that statement, as most should, because condoms AND sex education are so important to stopping the spread of disease.

Well, as the show continued, Baisden asked that parents call in and talk about their hot-in-the-pants kids, lol; he specifically wanted to know whether or not any parents have walked into their homes and caught their child in the "act". One caller in particular caught my attention because of his feelings about finding his son with a young girl in his room getting it in. According to him, the girl was a skank because she didn't have enough respect for herself OR his home OR the fact that he and his wife were asleep in their room at the time. Okay, so he may have a point; I mean, it is pretty trashy on the girl's part to be in doing the do with her boyfriend with his parents down the hall. However, the father placed all the blame and shame on the girl. Baisden asked the father what he said to his son and George Wilborn asked him if he thought his son was skanky or a ho. The father said that his son is definietly a ho, but here's the thing...he said it with a sense of pride in the fact that his son has really "done some thangs"!

Anyone thinking what I'm thinking? Can we say "DOUBLE STANDARD"? That girl didn't break into the house and throw his son down and just take the d*#@.... she had to have been invited into the home, into the bedroom. Therefore the boy deserves just as much of the blame and shame as the girl. Both of them should have had respect for themselves, the parents, and the home. Respect for self being the biggest part of the equation. They were saying that kids, who haven't even graduate from high school yet, are having as many as 20+ sex partners! How insane is that! Looking for love and affection, trying to find comfort in all the wrong places. We have to educate the children because the reality is that sex is a natural act and it happens. So why not give them the information they need to make informed choices?

Just food for thought....

A short rant....

People, in case you don't know...walking up to people and touching their hair is rude. I'm at work, sitting at my desk, laughing at something and one of the managers comes into the office to give something to her assistant. Before exiting the office, she walks over, starts touching my hair and says "I just have to touch your hair! It looks so soft!" I laughed and asked "Do ya?" I'm like, do you really HAVE to touch my hair? "Can I touch your hair?" would have been the better way to approach me...I just don't understand it! Unless you are my man, you need to ask me permission before playing around in my hair. What is this impulse some people have to just go up to people and lay hands on their hair! This must stop...it's rude and if you have that habit, then out of simple respect for another person's personal space, just ask first.

*Sighing*

Rant over...leave a comment or continue with your day : )