Obama's Weekly Address: Working Together in the New Year

President Obama tells the American people that, by joining together, we can move past the tough debates and help to create jobs and grow the economy in the new year.

Top 10 Greatest GOP Moments of 2011 (VIDEO)

While these moments are definitely funny, the truth is, they reveal a little something about the GOP candidates for president.

Some of them need to brush up on foreign policy and the federal government. Some think that under-privileged kids should work as janitors to one day make it to the middle class. And others truly believe, in their heart of hearts, that corporations really are people.

No matter which one ultimately gets the nomination, they're going to be hawking an extreme agenda. And they're going to have a ton of money from corporate lobbyists and outside super PACs to back them -- and their ideas.

Villagers, we should be scared ... one of these people could actually become president.

Nguzo Saba: The Seven Principles

Originally Posted: 12/30/2007


Villagers, I created this blog in order to inform and uplift people of African descent. Too often we are bombarded with negative images of what it means to be Black in America and throughout the diaspora. My hope is that the Electronic Village provides an outlet for us to share some self-love, self-respect and self-determination. I am hopeful that you will become engaged through your village voice to share your thoughts on the posts that we provide each day.

While the Nguzo Saba are commonly linked to the yearly Kwanzaa celebration, they have year-round applicability. I'm sharing these seven principles in the hopes that we can refer to them often over the coming weeks and months.

1. UMOJA (00-MOE-JAH) UNITY - The first principle is a commitment to the idea of togetherness. This principle is a foundation; for without unity, neither the family nor the community can survive. National African American unity begins with the family. Open discussions of family problems and their probable solutions are very important.
2. KUJICHAGULIA (CO-GEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-AH) SELF-DETERMINATION - The second principle is a commitment to building our lives in our own images and interests. If we, as a people, are to achieve our goals we must take the responsibility for that achievement upon ourselves, for self-determination is the essence of freedom. This day calls for a reaffirmation of our commitment to struggle for all people of African descent, particularly those of us here in America, to build a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
3. UJIMA (00-GEE-MA) COLLECTIVE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY - The third principle encourages self-criticism and personal evaluation, as it relates to the common good of the family/community. Without collective work and struggle, progress is impossible. The family and the community must accept the reality that we are collectively responsible for our failures, as well as our victories and achievements. Discussions concerning each family member's responsibility prove helpful in defining and achieving family goals.
4. UJAMAA (00-JAH-MAH) COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS - Out of the fundamental concepts of "African Communal Living" comes the fourth principle of Kwanzaa. In a community or family, wealth and resources should be shared. On the national level, cooperative economics can help African Americans take physical control of their own destinies. On this day, ideas should be shared and discussed for cooperative economic efforts to provide for needs as related to housing, education, food, day care, health, transportation and other goods and services.
5. NIA (NEE-AH) PURPOSE - The fifth day of Kwanzaa is a day for reviewing our purpose for living. Each family member should examine his/her ability to put his/her skill or talent to use In the service of the family and community at large. Take time to reflect on your expectations from life: discuss your desires and hopes with family and friends. On this day you should try to determine if this purpose will eventually result in positive achievements for family and community.
6. KUUMBA (KOO-M-BAH) CREATIVITY - The sixth principle of the Nguzo Saba relates to building and developing our creative potential. It involves both aesthetic and material creations. It is essential that creativity be encouraged in all aspects of African American culture. It is through new ideas that we achieve higher levels of living and a greater appreciation for life. Each family member should find creative things to do throughout the year that will enhance the family as a whole. On this day, poetry reading, songfests, dance exhibitions and the like, can aid in promoting the importance of Kuumba.
7. IMANI (E-MAH-NE) FAITH - The seventh principle is belief in ourselves as individuals and as a people. Further, it is a commitment to the development of the family and the national African American community. African America's goal of freedom rests significantly on our belief in our own ability and right to control our own destiny. Without Imani (faith), there is no possibility of victory.

Villagers, we will discuss each of these seven principles throughout the coming year. Perhaps you can begin the discussion by sharing your village voice on the Nguzo Saba. What say u? Which principle(s) are particularly meaningful in your life?

Kwanzaa: Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)

Habari Gani? Ujima!



To come together to build and maintain our communities.

None of us walks alone. Especially in the Black community. We need to realize that we stand on the shoulders of others. Celebrating the Nguza Sabo principle, 'ujima', gives us a chance to reflect on those that helped us reach our current platform. We can pay homage to our parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, mentors, colleagues or others that came into our lives. Nubians in America should also lift up in praise those African Americans that came ... some were lost ... so that we might have the freedoms we enjoy today.

In other words villagers ... let's be proud of our accomplishments. We earned the right to be proud. However, let's also remember that our accomplishments may never have happened without the help of others struggling before us. Now, we must pay it forward. We must reach back, down or across to others to help them on their journey.

Those are my thoughts about Ujima. Please take a moment to join this online Kwanzaa celebration with me. What do you think when the Ujima comes to mind?


Harambee!

Kwanzaa: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)

Habari Gani? Kujichagulia!


To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

The second principle in the Nguzo Saba calls for us to spend less time worried about what 'THEY' are thinking and more time focused on our own decisions. We can't waste our time trying to live up to the expectations of others. We must value the importance of our own personal goals. How are we living up to our own inner compass of what is right and wrong ... our own values ... our own dreams.

I plan to spend more in 2012 focused on setting and exceeding my own financial, family, physical and spiritual goals. I intend for 2012 to be a year in which I live my dreams. No more sitting back and waiting for others ... it is time for me to take control of my situation fully and completely.


Today, I take the first step.


Harambee! 
I hope that other villagers are considering what the concept of 'kujichagulia' or self-determination means to them.

Here is an affirmation for today that we can all use -- 'On this day, I will take five minutes and visualize that I have accomplished one of my goals.'

Taser Death: Ernest “Marty” Atencio (Phoenix, AZ)

It happened again! This time the infamous law enforcement apparatus of the Maricopa County Sheriff were involved in the taser-related killing of 44-year old Ernest “Marty” Atencio. [SOURCE]

Atencio was a military veteran. He was in police custody. He was unarmed. There were no drugs in his system. He was surrounded by ten police officers. There was no need for the use of a taser gun. The use of force was totally out-of-whack for the situation.

The infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently released video of the confrontation.





I have a feeling that this taser-related death is not going to fade away so easily for the powers-that-be in Phoenix. What say u?

Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity)

Habari Gani? UMOJA

To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

You live long enough and you begin to realize that you cannot have an impact on your community, nation and race until you first have an impact on your family. It is through the good you do with your parents, siblings, spouse, children, nieces, nephews and cousins that you leave your mark on the world. The pebble that you drop in the lake called family will begin to flow out in concentric circles that will grow larger and larger over time.

Make yourself and your family stronger ... you make our community and our nation stronger. Am I doing enough to make ourselves stronger mentally, physically, financially and spiritually?

The past is gone. Our ability to changes things for the better begins today. What can I do to make myself better mentally? physically? financially? spiritually? These are questions that I will ask myself today as I meditate on the meaning of 'umoja' in my life. I will find ways each day to improve myself and my family ... even my blogging family ... so that we might be stronger as a community and as a nation. Each one, reach one.

Harambee!

Care to share your thoughts on the concept of Umoja, the first principle shared in the Nguzo Saba?

Rest In Peace: Teena Marie (1956-2010)

The Internet and Twitter informed us that legendary soul singer Teena Marie was dead on this date in 2010 at the age of 54.

Teena Marie was a remarkable singer who amazed me when I was in college. I listened and loved her songs like 'Deja Vu' ... however, I didn't realize until much later that she was white. Her voice was such a soulful one ... and her remarkable duets like 'Fire and Desire' with Rick James were a staple at how of the house parties in basements and in the clubs.

I don't recall the song ... it was probably 'Square Biz' ... but, I remember seeing her on a video singing a song that I liked ... and she had on these HORRIBLE bell-bottoms. It took me awhile to digest her look versus what I had imagined from listening to her on the radio or from her albums (which never had her picture on them back in the day).

However, at the end of the day -- her soulful talent could not be denied.   She remains one of my favorite singers.   One of the songs that displayed her full-range of talents was a ditty called 'Cassanova Brown'.






Born Marie Christine Brockert, Teena Marie released 13 studio albums, six of which went platinum on the Rhythm & Blues chart. Two of her albums went platinum, and six altogether were gold.


Teena Marie could straight-out sing...

What are your thoughts or remembrances of Teena Marie?

Obama's Weekly Address: The President and First Lady Thank Our Troops for Their Service This Holiday Season

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama offer a special holiday tribute to the men and women who wear our country's uniform and the families who support them.





This blog joins with the First Family in wishing a very Merry Christmas to everyone who has ever visited the Electronic Village!

Rest In Peace: Eartha Kitt (1927-2008)

81-year old Eartha Kitt passed away three years ago today. She was an international superstar who performed in over 100 countries and sang songs in 10 different languages.

She performed on stage, film and television for six decades. I was introduced to Eartha Kitt when she played the role of 'Catwoman' in the weekly 'Batman' television series. There weren't many Black actresses on television back in the day. I'm hard pressed to think of anyone besides 'Julia' and one of the teachers in 'Room 222' ... and most villagers don't remember either one of those shows.

My kids are too young to realize that they were listening to Eartha Kitt whenever they watched the movie or cartoon series, 'The Emperor's New Groove'. She played the role of the villain, Yzma, in that show.

Later, I saw Eartha Kitt in a Eddie Murphy-Halle Berry film called 'Boomerang'. Admittedly, she scared me a little bit in that movie. I'm sad to learn of her death. It's fitting that she went to the other side on December 25th. After all, one of her most popular hits was 'Santa Baby'.

The Racism of Ron Paul

Dr. Ron Paul is a serial candidate for the Republican nomination to become President of the United States. He is also a serial racist. He fought against making an official holiday for Martin Luther King Jr.   He called it "Hate Whitey Day".  That was only the beginning.  There is a disturbing pattern of racism in this Ron Paul Political Report.  Here are some links to some of the racial comments in his most incendiary newsletters.

• “A Special Issue on Racial Terrorism” analyzes the Los Angeles riots of 1992: “Order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks three days after rioting began. ... What if the checks had never arrived? No doubt the blacks would have fully privatized the welfare state through continued looting. But they were paid off and the violence subsided.”
• The November 1990 issue of the Political Report had kind words for David Duke.
• This December 1990 newsletter describes Martin Luther King Jr. as “a world-class adulterer” who “seduced underage girls and boys” and “replaced the evil of forced segregation with the evil of forced integration.”
• A February 1991 newsletter attacks “The X-Rated Martin Luther King.”
• An October 1990 edition of the Political Report ridicules black activists, led by Al Sharpton, for demonstrating at the Statue of Liberty in favor of renaming New York City after Martin Luther King. The newsletter suggests that  “Welfaria,”  “Zooville,” “Rapetown,” “Dirtburg,”and “Lazyopolis ” would be better alternatives—and says,  “Next time, hold that demonstration at a food stamp bureau or a crack house.”

• A May 1990 issue of the Ron Paul Political Report cites Jared Taylor, who six months later would go onto found the eugenicist and white supremacist periodical American Renaissance. 
  
• The January 1993 issue of the Survival Report worries about America’s “disappearing white majority.”
• The July 1992 Ron Paul Political Report declares, “Jury verdicts, basketball games, and even music are enough to set off black rage, it seems,” and defends David Duke. The author of the newsletter—presumably Paul—writes, “My youngest son is starting his fourth year in medical school. He tells me there would be no way to persuade his fellow students of the case for economic liberty.”
• A March 1993 Survival Report describes Bill Clinton’s supposedly “illegitimate children, black and white: ‘woods colts’ in backwoods slang.”

This is some nasty stuff ... and it was always written in a newsletter under his own name. Paul has disavowed these articles and statements. I find it hard to think that he's sincere. He didn't apologize for these newsletter articles. Instead he is trying to say that he never wrote nor read about these racist comments.

Dr. Paul is uncomfortable about the fact that people are beginning to unearth his past thoughts and statements on race relations in America. I guess this must be how Herman Cain was feeling when his past sexual improprieties began to get publicized!

What is your take on Dr. Ron Paul?

Taser Death: Wayne Williams (Houma, LA)

It happened again! A young man was electrocuted with over 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun and died. This time the taser gun was used by police officers in Houma, LA. The guy who died, 27-year old Wayne Williams, was in police custody at the time of his death. The police indicate that he swallowed drugs. I imagine that the autopsy will play up the drug angle.

Click here to learn more about this taser-related death.

It is worth noting that Houma is a relatively small town in Louisiana. However, Houma is no stranger to taser-related deaths. Villagers may recall that Dennis Sandras was also electrocuted by the Houma police department last year.

515 Taser-Related Deaths in the United States Since 2001

Today we added 44-year old Marty Atencio (Phoenix, AZ) and 27-year old Wayne Williams (Houma, LA) as the 163rd and 164th taser-related death in America since 2009. [NOTE: the full list is shown below].

According to Amnesty International, between 2001 and 2008, 351 people in the United States died after being shocked by police Tasers. Our blog has documented another 164 taser-related deaths in the United States in 2009-2011. That means there have been 515 documented taser-related deaths in America. Some would say that the police are out-of-control and taser-happy.

This blog has been pointing out incidents of police taser torture for quite awhile. The work done over the past few years by Patti Gillman and Cameron Ward continue to be the inspiration for our work. Gillman and Ward documented over 690 taser-related deaths in North America on their blog.

I wonder if anyone cares about the rising use of the taser as a lethal weapon? The folks in Louisiana want us to believe that the taser is a humanitarian tool when used by the police. The ACLU in Arizona issued a report that showed a disturbing lack of consistency in the taser policy as it applies to pregnant women and children.

I am pleased to report that the citizens of Montpelier, Vermont are pushing back on a proposal by their police chief to purchase taser guns for his 14 police officers!

I do think that that the issuance of new Taser guidelines is a good thing. This is the first time that new guidelines have been issued since 2005.

On the other hand, I think that something is wrong in America when the police electrocute folks on a WEEKLY basis with their taser arsenal ... and the public is mute in its response. Sometimes it takes a lawsuit ... like the one recently settled in Ohio ... to get the police to cool it. The police in Charlotte are getting worried about their taser guns.

I encourage you to use our COMMENTS ('Post a Comment') option at the bottom of this blog post to let us know what you think about these weekly taser-related killings.

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1. Jan 9, 2009: Derrick Jones, 17, Black, Martinsville, Virginia
2. Jan 11, 2009: Rodolfo Lepe, 31, Hispanic, Bakersfield, California
3. Jan 22, 2009: Roger Redden, 52, Caucasian, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee-
4. Feb 2, 2009: Garrett Jones, 45, Caucasian, Stockton, California
5. Feb 11, 2009: Richard Lua, 28, Hispanic, San Jose, California
6. Feb 13, 2009: Rudolph Byrd, 37, Black, Thomasville, Georgia
7. Feb 13, 2009: Michael Jones, 43, Black, Iberia, Louisiana
8. Feb 14, 2009: Chenard Kierre Winfield, 32, Black, Los Angeles, California
9. Feb 28, 2009: Robert Lee Welch, 40, Caucasian, Conroe, Texas
10. Mar 22, 2009: Brett Elder, 15, Caucasian, Bay City, Michigan
11. Mar 26, 2009: Marcus D. Moore, 40, Black, Freeport, Illinois
12. Apr 1, 2009: John J. Meier Jr., 48, Caucasian, Tamarac, Florida
13. Apr 6, 2009: Ricardo Varela, 41, Hispanic, Fresno, California
14. Apr 10, 2009: Robert Mitchell, 16, Black, Detroit, Michigan
15. Apr 13, 2009: Craig Prescott, 38, Black, Modesto, California
16. Apr 16, 2009: Gary A. Decker, 50, Black, Tuscon, Arizona
17. Apr 18, 2009: Michael Jacobs Jr., 24, Black, Fort Worth, Texas
18. Apr 30, 2009: Kevin LaDay, 35, Black, Lumberton, Texas
19. May 4, 2009: Gilbert Tafoya, 53, Caucasian, Holbrook, Arizona
20. May 17, 2009: Jamaal Valentine, 27, Black, La Marque, Texas
21. May 23, 2009: Gregory Rold, 37, Black, Salem, Oregon
22. Jun 9, 2009: Brian Cardall, 32, Caucasian, Hurricane, Utah
23. Jun 13, 2009: Dwight Madison, 48, Black, Bel Air, Maryland
24. Jun 20, 2009 Derrek Kairney, 36, Race: Unknown, South Windsor, Connecticut
25. Jun 30, 2009, Shawn Iinuma, 37, Asian, Fontana, California
26. Jul 2, 2009, Rory McKenzie, 25, Black, Bakersfield, California
27. Jul 20, 2009, Charles Anthony Torrence, 35, Caucasian, Simi Valley, California
28. Jul 30, 2009, Johnathan Michael Nelson, 27, Caucasian, Riverside County, California
29. Aug 9, 2009, Terrace Clifton Smith, 52, Black, Moreno Valley, California
30. Aug 12, 2009, Ernest Ridlehuber, 53, Race: Unknown, Greenville, South Carolina
31. Aug 14, 2009, Hakim Jackson, 31, Black, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
32. Aug 18, 2009, Ronald Eugene Cobbs, 38, Black, Greensboro, North Carolina
33. Aug 20, 2009, Francisco Sesate, 36, Hispanic, Mesa, Arizona
34. Aug 22, 2009, T.J. Nance, 37, Race: Unknown, Arizona City, Arizona
35. Aug 26, 2009, Miguel Molina, 27, Hispanic, Los Angeles, California
36. Aug 27, 2009, Manuel Dante Dent, 27, Hispanic, Modesto, California
37. Sep 3, 2009, Shane Ledbetter, 38, Caucasian, Aurora, Colorado
38. Sep 16, 2009, Alton Warren Ham, 45, Caucasian, Modesto, California
39. Sep 19, 2009, Yuceff W. Young II, 21, Black, Brooklyn, Ohio
40. Sep 21, 2009, Richard Battistata, 44, Hispanic, Laredo, Texas
41. Sep 28, 2009, Derrick Humbert, 38, Black, Bradenton, Florida
42. Oct 2, 2009, Rickey Massey, 38, Black, Panama City, Florida
43. Oct 12, 2009, Christopher John Belknap, 36, Race: Unknown, Ukiah, California
44. Oct 16, 2009, Frank Cleo Sutphin, 19, Caucasian, San Bernadino, California
45. Oct 27, 2009, Jeffrey Woodward, 33, Caucasian, Gallatin, Tennessee
46. Nov 13, 2009, Herman George Knabe, 58, Caucasian, Corpus Christi, Texas
47. Nov 14, 2009, Darryl Bain, 43, Black, Coram, New York
48. Nov 16, 2009, Matthew Bolick, 30, Caucasian, East Grand Rapids, Michigan
49. Nov 19, 2009, Jesus Gillard, 61, Black, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
50. Nov 21, 2009, Ronald Petruney, 49, Race: Unknown, Washington, Pennsylvania
51. Nov 27, 2009, Eddie Buckner, 53, Caucasian, Chattanooga, Tennessee
52. Dec 11, 2009, Andrew Grande, 33, Caucasian, Oak County, Florida
53. Dec 11, 2009, Hatchel Pate Adams III, 36, Black, Hampton, Virginia
54. Dec 11, 2009, Paul Martin Martinez, 36, Hispanic, Roseville, California
55. Dec 13, 2009, Douglas Boucher, 39, Caucasian, Mason, Ohio
56. Dec 14, 2009, Linda Hicks, 62, Black, Toledo, Ohio
57. Dec 19, 2009, Preston Bussey III, 41, Black, Rockledge, Florida
58. Dec 20, 2009, Michael Hawkins, 39, Caucasian, Springfield, Missouri
59. Dec 30, 2009, Stephen Palmer, 47, Race: Unknown, Stamford, Connecticut

60. Jan 6, 2010, Delano Smith, 21, Black, Elkhart, Indiana
61. Jan 17, 2010, William Bumbrey III, 36, Black, Arlington, Virginia
62. Jan 20, 2010, Kelly Brinson, 45, Race: Unknown, Cincinnati, Ohio
63. Jan 27, 2010, Joe Spruill, Jr., Black, Goldsboro, North Carolina
64. Jan 28, 2010, Patrick Burns, 50, Caucasian, Sangamon County, Illinois
65. Jan 28, 2010, Daniel Mingo, 25, Black, Mobile, Alabama
66. Feb 4, 2010, Mark Morse, 36, Caucasian, Phoenix, Arizona
67. Mar 4, 2010, Roberto Olivo, 33, Hispanic, Tulare, California
68. Mar 5, 2010, Christopher Wright, 48, Race: Unknown, Seattle, Washington
69. Mar 10, 2010, Jaesun Ingles, 31, Black, Midlothian, Illinois
70. Mar 10, 2010, James Healy Jr., 44, Race: Unknown, Rhinebeck, New York
71. Mar 20, 2010, Albert Valencia, 31, Hispanic, Downey, California
72. Apr 10, 2010, Daniel Joseph Barga, 24, Caucasian, Cornelius, Oregon
73. Apr 30, 2010, Adil Jouamai, 32, Moroccan, Arlington, Virginia
74. May 9, 2010, Audreacus Davis, 29, Black, Atlanta, Georgia
75. May 14, 2010, Sukeba Olawunmi, 39, Race: Unknown, Atlanta, Georgia
76. May 24, 2010, Efrain Carrion, 35, Hispanic, Middletown, Connecticut
77. May 27, 2010, Carl Johnson, 48, Caucasian, Baltimore, Maryland
78. May 29, 2010, Jose Martinez, 53, Hispanic, Waukegan, Illinois
79. May 31, 2010, Anastasio Hernández Rojas, 42, Hispanic, San Ysidro, California
80. Jun 8, 2010, Terrelle Houston, 22, Black, Hempstead, Texas
81. Jun 12, 2010, Curtis Robinson, 34, Black, Albuquerque, New Mexico
82. Jun 13, 2010, William Owens, 17, Race: Unknown, Homewood, Alabama
83. Jun 14, 2010, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, 42, Hispanic, Harris County, Texas
84. Jun 15, 2010, Michael White, 47, Black, Vallejo, California
85. Jun 22, 2010, Daniel Sylvester, 35, Caucasian, Crescent City, California
86. July 5, 2010, Damon Falls, 31, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
87. July 5, 2010, Edmund Gutierrez, 22, Hispanic, Imperial, California
88. July 8, 2010, Phyllis Owens, 87, Race: Unknown, Clackamas County, Oregon
89. July 9, 2010, Marvin Booker, 56, Race: Black, Denver, Colorado
90. July 12, 2010, Anibal Rosario-Rodriguez, 61, Hispanic, New Britain, Connecticut
91. July 15, 2010, Jerome Gill, Race: Unknown, Chicago, Illinois
92. July 18, 2010, Edward Stephenson, 46, Race: Unknown, Leavenworth, Kansas
93. July 23, 2010, Jermaine Williams, 30, Black, Cleveland, Mississippi
94. Aug 1, 2010, Dennis Sandras, 49, Race: Unknown, Houma, Louisiana
95. Aug 9, 2010, Andrew Torres, 39, Hispanic, Greenville, South Carolina
96. Aug 18, 2010, Martin Harrison, 50, Caucasian, Dublin, California
97. Aug 19, 2010, Adam Disalvo, 30, Caucasian, Daytona Beach, Florida
98. Aug 20, 2010, Stanley Jackson, 31, Black, Washtenaw County, Michigan
99. Aug 24, 2010, Michael Ford, 50, Black, Livonia, Michigan
100. Aug 25, 2010, Eduardo Hernandez-Lopez, 21, Hispanic, Las Vegas, Nevada
101. Aug 31, 2010, King Hoover, 27, Black, Spanaway, Washington
102. Sep 4, 2010, Adam Colliers, 25, Caucasian, Gold Bar, Washington
103. Sep 10, 2010, Larry Rubio, 20, Race: Unknown, Leemore, California
104. Sep 12, 2010, Freddie Lockett, 30, Black, Dallas, Texas
105. Sep 16, 2010, Gary L. Grossenbacher, 48, Race: Unknown, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
106. Sep 18, 2010, David Cornelius Smith, 28, Black, Minneapolis, Minnesota
107. Sep 18, 2010, Joseph Frank Kennedy, 48, Caucasian, La Mirada, California
108. Oct 4, 2010, Javon Rakestrau, 28, Black, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
109. Oct 7, 2010, Patrick Johnson, 18, Caucasian, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
110. Oct 12, 2010, Ryan Bain, 31, Caucasian, Billings, Montana
111. Oct 14, 2010, Karreem Ali, 65, Black, Silver Spring, Maryland
112. Oct 19, 2010, Troy Hooftallen, 36, Caucasian, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
113. Nov 4, 2010, Eugene Lamott Allen, 40, Race: Unknown, Wilmington, Delaware
114. Nov 6, 2010, Robert Neill, Jr., 61, Caucasian, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
115. Nov 7, 2010, Mark Shaver, 32, Caucasian, Brimfield, Ohio
116. Nov 23, 2010, Denevious Thomas, 36, Black, Albany, Georgia
117. Nov 26, 2010, Rodney Green, 36, Black, Waco, Texas
118. Nov 27, 2010, Blaine McElroy, 37, Race: Unknown, Jackson County, Mississippi
119. Dec 2, 2010, Clayton Early James, Age: Unknown, Race: Unknown, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
120. Dec 11, 2010, Anthony Jones, 44, Race: Unknown, Las Vegas, Nevada
121. Dec 12, 2010, Linel Lormeus, 26, Black, Naples, Florida
122. Dec 20, 2010, Christopher Knight, 35, Black, Brunswick, Georgia 
123. Dec 31, 2010, Rodney Brown, 40, Black, Cleveland, Ohio 

124. Jan 5, 2011, Kelly Sinclair, 41, Race: Unknown, Amarillo, Texas
125. Feb 5, 2011, Robert Ricks, 23, Black, Alexandria, Louisiana
126. March 15, 2011, Brandon Bethea, 24, Black, Harnett County, North Carolina
127. Apr 3, 2011, Jairious McGhee, 23, Black, Tampa, Florida
128. Apr 22, 2011, Adam Spencer Johnson, 33, Caucasian, Orlando, Florida
129. Apr 23, 2011, Ronald Armstrong, 43, Race: Unknown, Pinehurst, North Carolina
130. Apr 25, 2011, Kevin Darius Campbell, 39, Race: Unknown, Tallahassee, Florida 
131. May 1, 2011, Marcus Brown, 26, Black, Waterbury, Connecticut
132. May 6, 2011, Matthew Mittelstadt, 56, Caucasian, Boundary County, Idaho
133. May 11, 2011, Allen Kephart, 43, Caucasian, San Bernadino County, California 
134. June 13, 2011, Howard Hammon, 41, Caucasian, Middleburg, Ohio 
135. June 22, 2011, Otto Kolberg, 55, Caucasian, Waycross, Georgia 
136. June 28, 2011, Dalric East, 40, Black, Montgomery County, Maryland
137. July 5, 2011, Kelly Thomas, 37, Caucasian, Fullerton, California
138. July 10, 2011, Joshua Nossoughi, 32, Caucasian, Springfield, Missouri
139. July 19, 2011, Alonzo Ashley, 29, Black, Denver, Colorado 
140. July 21, 2011, La'Reko Williams, 21, Black, Charlotte, North Carolina 
141. July 30, 2011, Donald Murray, 39, Caucasian, Westland, Michigan
142. August 4, 2011, Pierre Abernathy, 30, Black, San Antonio, Texas
143. August 6, 2011, Everette Howard, 18, Black, Cincinnati, Ohio
144. August 6, 2011, Debro Wilkerson, 29, Black, Prince William County, Maryland
145. August 6, 2011, Gregory Kralovetz, 50, Caucasian, Kaukauna, Wisconsin 
146. August 12, 2011, Joseph Lopez, 49, Hispanic, Santa Barbara, California
147. August 17, 2011, Roger Chandler, 41, Caucasian, Helena, Montana 
148. August 21, 2011, Montalito McKissick, 37, Black, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
149. August 24, 2011, Michael Evans, 56, Race: Unknown, Fayetteville, North Carolina
150. August 30, 2011, Nicholas Koscielniak, 27, Caucasian, Lancaster, New York
151. September 11, 2011, Tyree Sinclair, 31, Black, Corpus Christi, Texas
152. September 13, 2011, Damon Barnett, 44, Caucasian, Fresno, California 
153. September 17, 2011, Richard Kokenos, 27, Caucasian, Warren, Michigan
154. September 24, 2011, Bradford Gibson, 35, Black, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
155. September 24, 2011, Donacio Rendon, 43, Race: Unknown, Lubbock, Texas
156. September 29, 2011, Howard Cook, 35, Black, York, Pennsylvania
157. October 4, 2011, Glenn Norman, 46, Caucasian, Camden County, Missouri
158. October 9, 2011, Darnell Hutchinson, 32, Black, San Leandro, California
159. October 31, 2011, Chad Brothers, 32, Caucasian, Colonie, New York
160. November 13, 2011, Ronald Cristiano, 51, Caucasian, Bridgeport, Connecticut
161. November 15, 2011, Jonathan White, 29, Black, San Bernardino, California
162. November 22, 2011, Roger Anthony, 61, Black, Scotland Neck, North Carolina
163. December 16, 2011, Marty Atencio, 44, Hispanic, Phoenix, Arizona
164. December 22, 2011, Wayne Williams, 27, Black, Houma, Louisiana

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You can see that we don't know the race or national origin (RNO) for Ronald Armstrong, Kelly Brinson, Kevin Darius Campbell, Michael Evans, Jerome Gill, Gary Grossenbacher, James Healy Jr., Clayton Early James, Anthony Jones, Derrek Kariney, T.J. Nance, Phyllis Owens, William Owens, Stephen Palmer, Earnest Ridlehuber, Sukeba Olawunmi, Ronald Petruney, Donacio Rendon, Larry Rubio, Dennis Sandras, Edward Stephenson or Christopher Wright. We can use some research assistance from villagers to help us identify the RNO for these folks who died after being electrocuted by police taser guns.

We track the RNO information because we sense that these taser-related deaths are happening at a disproportionate level to people of color.

For example, we see that at least 66 (65 men and a 62-year old woman) of these taser-torture killings occurred against African Americans. Black people are only 13.6% of the total population, yet 40% of the 2009-2011 taser-related deaths in America are Black people.

At last count, there are more than 514,000 Tasers among law enforcers and the military nationwide. Tasers are now deployed in law enforcement agencies in 29 of the 33 largest U.S. cities. Some states, such as New Jersey, are loosening up their rules for taser use.  Other states, like Delaware, seek to justify taser use in spite of rising death toll.

However, the tide may be turning. As taser-related deaths and injuries have continued to rise (as well as the amount of Taser litigation), many departments are starting to abandon the weapon in favor of other means of suspect control. Currently, Memphis, Tennessee, San Francisco, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada have opted to ban the use of tasers by law enforcement. Charlotte (NC) pulled all the tasers off the street.

South Carolina is beginning to question its use of tasers. Additionally, a federal court has ruled that the pain inflicted by the taser gun constitutes excessive force by law enforcement. The courts don't want police to electrocute people with their tasers unless they pose an immediate threat.

Perhaps the idea of an electric rifle made sense when it was first invented. "Taser" refers to an electrical weapon trademarked by the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company known as Taser International. The word Taser stands for "Tom A. Swift Electrical Rifle."

The Taser was developed by Jack Cover, a contract scientist on NASA's Apollo moon program in the 1960s. Inspired by his favorite childhood book series - Victor Appleton's Tom Swift - Cover drew up plans for a non-lethal weapon like the one the series' main character used.

In 1993, Rick and Tim Smith, who launched Taser International, worked with Cover to improve his design and introduced the device the next year. Since then, use of the word Taser has became part of the common American language.

However, we now see too much taser abuse. First available to law enforcement in February 1998, now used by more than 14,200 law enforcement agencies in more than 40 countries. More than 406,000 taser guns have been sold since the product hit the market. It may be time for congressional hearings.

Some tell us that tasers are making America safer. Police kill about 600 people per year in shootings. So what?! Should we be we be happy that they are ONLY killing people once-a-week with taser guns?

How Do Tasers Work? When a Taser’s trigger is pulled, two wires shoot out of the device at the suspect from up to 35 feet away. At the ends of the wires are probes that either embed in a person's skin or cling to clothing.

• When the probes hit, an electrical pulse is delivered for five seconds, causing involuntary muscular contractions in the subject.
• At the end of the first pulse, police tell the person to roll onto their abdomen, so they can be handcuffed. If they do not comply, they may be shocked again.
• Once a person is arrested, police remove the barbs and call EMTs to the scene.
• The person is taken to the hospital to be checked out. If the barbs remain in the person after police try to remove them, they are removed at the hospital.
• The Taser is equipped with a chip that records information on each use, which can be used in court if someone alleges they were shocked multiple times.

Personally, I think that the 'Use of Force Continuum' needs to show tasers as 'near-lethal' ... definitely an error to claim that they are 'non-lethal'.

Many of us think that that immediate problem with Taser use is the lack of state and federal training standards for Taser certification. There are too many police officers with a taser on their hip and insufficient training on how ... or when ... to use it. Without set training standards (which includes a block on the liabilities of the weapons use in the event of bodily injury or death), officers are not fully aware of the ramifications of Taser use.

What say u?What would you suggest we do to deal with these weekly taser-related deaths?

Jon Goode's Legendary Performance: 'Dark'

...for the love of Black woman I share this brother's flow!





God bless you Black women!

Happy Birthday: Florence Griffith-Joyner (1959-1998)

My favorite female athlete of all times is Florence Griffith-Joyner ... or Flo-Jo. Flo-Jo was born in Los Angeles on this date in 1959.

She was a dominant track star in the 1980s. In fact, the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul Korea is forever imprinted in my mind as the Games of Flo-Jo. In the 1988 Seoul Games, she won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and in the 400-meter relay. For these accomplishments, she received the Jesse Owens Award, given to the year's top track and field athlete, and the Sullivan Award, given to the year's most outstanding amateur athlete.

Only us villagers from a certain generation can remember her flashy one-legged uniforms as well as her long and extravagantly painted fingernails. Check out this video to gain an appreciation of this powerful female athlete:






Flo-Jo retired from track in 1989 to devote more time to endorsement activities, modeling, writing, and coaching her husband. President Bill Clinton appointed Griffith-Joyner co-chairperson of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 1993.

Some, like Marion Jones, tried to emulate her without success. Florence Griffith-Joyner died of an apparent heart seizure in 1998.

Do you remember Flo-Jo? What female athlete do you think can challenge her as the greatest of all times?

Happy Birthday: Ossie Davis (1917-2005)

Ossie Davis was born on this date in 1917. He was an African American actor, writer, producer, director, and a "giant of civil rights." It is hard to think of Ossie Davis without thinking of his wife, Ruby Dee. The two of them demonstrated the power of a committed love between a married couple.

Raiford Chatman Davis (his birth name) was the oldest of five children born to Laura Cooper and Kince Davis in Cogden, GA. He picked up his nickname others mistook his mother's articulation of his initials, "R.C” as "Ossie." He headed for Howard University, where he studied under drama critic Alain LeRoy Locke, the first Black Rhodes Scholar. Davis began his career as a writer and an actor with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem in 1939.

Davis and Ruby Dee were married in 1948, and are the parents of three children. In 1961, Davis wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed “Purlie Victorious.”






He wrote and directed many films, including “Cotton Comes to Harlem” (1970) and “Countdown at Kusini” (co-produced with his wife, Ruby Dee, 1976), the first American feature film to be shot entirely in Africa by Black professionals.

Davis wrote a number of books and received many honors and citations, including the Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement in 1989; the Theater Hall of Fame in 1994; the U.S. National Medal for the Arts in 1995; the New York Urban League Frederick Douglass Award; the NAACP Image Award and more. Dee and Davis were joint Kennedy Center honorees in December. They were cited not only for their "theatrical and film achievement," but because they opened "many a door previously shut tight to African American artists and planted the seed for the flowering of America's multicultural humanity."

Davis and Dee were eloquent voices and fundraisers for civil rights issues from the McCarthy era in the 1950s. They were blacklisted because of their activities, and well into the 1980s and '90s, Davis continued as a spokesman for numerous causes of equality.

Ossie Davis was found dead on February 4, 2005, in his hotel room in Miami Beach, FL, at the age of 87.

I enjoyed watching Ossie Davis whenever I could. I thought that he was great in two Spike Lee movies, 'Get on the Bus' and 'Do The Right Thing'. However, my most powerful memory of Ossie Davis comes from somthing that I heard many years after the fact ... his eulogy at the funeral of Malcolm X.

Villagers -- what is your favorite memory of Ossie Davis?

Old School Friday * The Emotions

Do any of y'all remember The Emotions? I remember them as being three Nubian sisters with powerful voices and lyrics that seemed to hit home more often than not. One of the first songs I remember from this is Don't Ask My Neighbors






My favorite song by The Emotions was on the radio back in 1976. If you listen to the full song you will hear a message that brothers today need to hear more than they needed it back then. Don't you agree?






Finally, it is Christmas time. In fact, the reason that I created this blog post was to highlight this next song -- sometimes it hits home more than I like. Have you ever wondered what the lonely do for Christmas?

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Lights Envy

What Has Barack Obama Done for Black Folks?

President Obama received about 95% of the African American vote in the 2008 presidential elections. Black folks put a great deal of energy and enthusiasm into his election. Some say that the Obama administration has not delivered enough for Black folks in America.

Personally, I think that Barack Obama could have sleep-walked through the entire 4-year period of his first term as President of the United States and I would be cool with it. Just having a person of African American descent as our president is powerful enough in many respects. My young son now understands that there is no limit to his dreams and aspirations.

However here is a more tangible list of accomplishments made by Obama administration that impacted on the Black community. Methinks this list may be more tangible for the more skeptical 'villagers' in cyberspace!

1. Last year President Obama extended unemployment benefits for roughly 7 million workers who would have otherwise lost them.
2. The Small Business Administration will commit $1 billion to invest in companies located in under-served communities. This will include investing in hardest hit areas.
3. $3.6 billion out of a total of $7.2 billion has been secured in grants and financing for Black businesses due to the work of President Obama’s Minority Business Development Agency.
4. President Obama is challenging states to turn around America’s 5,000 lowest performing schools – many of which are serving African American children. And this Administration is investing more than $4 billion to help states turn those schools around.
5. More community colleges will receive funding they need to grow and thrive – $2 billion more over 4 years.
6. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Morehouse, Spelman, Howard University and Florida A & M will now receive nearly $1 billion more in funding over the next 10 years with the total amount of funding going to HBCUs now approaching $2.55 billion more to invest in serving their students.
7. Because of the Affordable Care Act 8 million African Americans now have access to healthcare. And, expanding access to preventive care will reduce health disparities for 41 million African Americans (14% of the population).
8. President Obama signed into law the Fair Sentencing Act, to reduce the huge disparity in punishment of those convicted with cocaine possession or use versus those caught with crack. The law gets rid of so-called “mandatory minimums” and knocks down the disparity in length of sentences from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1.
9. Under President Obama 80 cents of every dollar in HUD’s budget is being used for renewing homeless and rental assistance for current residents of HUD-assisted housing. In the 2012 budget the Obama administration will assist over 5.5 million families and double the number of new supportive housing units.
10. President Obama signed the Cobell-Pigford settlement for Black & Native American farmers which approved two multi-billion dollar settlement agreements that have been held up in Congress for decades that benefit minority groups with claims against the federal government.

The challenges faced by President Obama have been unique and powerful -- two traditional wars, war on terrorism, BP oil spill, natural disasters, near-depression level economic, high unemployment and a do-nothing Congress. Yet, he continues to fight for us. At the end of the day I suspect that the Black community is going to realize that Barack Obama is a better choice for a second term as our president than any of the folks currently running for the GOP nomination.

Don't you agree?

Video of the Day: Al Sharpton Lampooned on Saturday Night Live

I guess that you know you've made it into pop culture when you are satirized on Saturday Night Live. I must admit that I haven't watched a full episode of Saturday Night Live for over 20 years ... but, I did find this video-clip about the new Rev. Al Sharpton talk show to be funny!





Did you laugh?

Did You See 60 Minutes Segment on Tasers?

Some villagers have asked what I thought of the 60 Minutes' segment titled, 'Taser: An Officer's Weapon of Choice'. Personally, I thought that it was a puff piece that could have been filmed entirely by the public relations department of Taser International.

The show indicates that only two (2) people have died as a result of being electrocuted by a taser gun. Of course, it seems to me that over 500 people have been killed by taser guns over the past few years ... at a rate of once per week in the United States alone. There is quite a bit of difference between two taser-related deaths and 500+ taser-related deaths. 

I did learn new things from the 60 Minutes' piece. For example, I truly didn't know that the manufacture and sale of taser guns is not regulated like any other lethal weapon. Instead, the regulations is no more stringent than that placed on the manufacture and sale of a screwdriver or a hammer.

Also, I admire the entrepreneurial aspects of the Taser International story. These two siblings in Arizona took an idea ... worked on it in their backyard ... and now they have a multimillion dollar business. You can't argue with their business plan or their aggressive marketing of the taser guns to police departments around the country.  

The scary part is that they are now looking to market the taser guns to households. Scary when you realize that (supposedly) trained law enforcement officers are killing people on a weekly basis with the device.

In case you missed the show ... here is the full 13-minute episode for your viewing pleasure:





What was your opinion of the show?

Video of the Day: Mitt Romney Offers a $10,000 Bet to Rick Perry

Do you remember the last time that you made a $10,000 bet on national television? If your name is Mitt Romney ... then it was earlier tonight! Romney put his hand out to Rick Perry suggesting that they make a $10,000 bet on some words in his book...





All of a sudden this photo from Mitt's past doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore:

I think that Mitt Romney may have lost his chance for the presidency tonight. His $10k bet has already spawned its own Twitter account --> @Bet10k

'Blogging While Black': New Book Discusses One Journalist’s Rise to National Prominence During the Historic 2008 Presidential Election

We had some heady times in my early days as a blogger!  The afrosphere was buzzing with online activism that reached its heights with the Jena Six protest march.  One of the leading Black bloggers of that era was a young brother named Shawn Williams.  

As such, this blog is pleased to inform all villagers that social media and hyper-local news pioneer Shawn Williams released his first book, Blogging While Black, which chronicles the pivotal role his blog played during the historic 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama, as well as during the brief but effective online civil rights movement. Williams is publisher of DallasSouthBlog.org, a frequent columnist for the Dallas Morning News and formerly contributed to WFAA Channel 8’s Inside Texas Politics.

“The meteoric rise in popularity of then-Senator Obama created an avenue for African Americans to stand up and speak out about their community and their country,” said Williams. “Regretfully, when some people saw Black bloggers weigh-in on politics, the message was misunderstood by some and perceived as antagonistic by others,” Williams said. “Blogging consistent messages allowed us the opportunity to articulate an intelligent point of view that didn’t appear vitriolic, and allowed for understanding which opened doors for effective communication.” 

Beginning with the plight of a teenager in Paris,Texas, and ending with the election of President Barack Obama, Blogging While Black tells the story of how Williams, and other online advocates, changed America for the better. The book also looks at “breakthrough bloggers” who have transferred their online stardom into offline success.

Blogging While Black is a tool created for aspiring writers, bloggers and journalists who want to make inroads through the media and make a difference in the community as well. At the end of each chapter, Blogging While Black provides tips for anyone who aspires to use social media tools to make their own mark online, including: how to launch a blog in five minutes; how to become a big fish in a small media pond; how to leverage your personal networks; and how to use your phone as a news gathering tool.

This would make a great gift for any bloggers in your sphere of influence!

Video of the Day: Not Disappointed by President Obama

Last month I mused over the things that President Obama has done for Black folks. This month I share with you some thoughtful commentary given by American author Jake Lamar.





I'm willing to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt as well. Can he live up to our dreams and aspirations if he is re-elected for a second term? YES, HE CAN!

OURstory: Underground Railroad (1780-1862)

I believe in the Nguzo Saba, especially the Umoja (unity) principle. Umoja calls for us to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

One of the best examples of 'umoja' in American history is the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad, a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves escape to the North and to Canada. This network was not run by any single organization or person. It effectively moved hundreds of slaves northward each year -- according to one estimate, the South lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1850.

An organized system to assist runaway slaves seems to have begun towards the end of the 18th century. In 1786 George Washington complained about how one of his runaway slaves was helped by a "society of Quakers, formed for such purposes." The system grew, and around 1831 it was dubbed "The Underground Railroad," after the then emerging steam railroads. The system even used terms used in railroading: the homes and businesses where fugitives would rest and eat were called "stations" and "depots" and were run by "stationmasters," those who contributed money or goods were "stockholders," and the "conductor" was responsible for moving fugitives from one station to the next.

For the slave, running away to the North was anything but easy. After the initial escape for a slaveholde, the fugitives would move at night. They would generally travel between 10 and 20 miles to the next station, where they would rest and eat, hiding in barns and other out-of-the-way places. While they waited, a message would be sent to the next station to alert its stationmaster.

The Underground Railroad had many notable participants, including John Fairfield in Ohio, the son of a slaveholding family, who made many daring rescues, Levi Coffin, a Quaker who assisted more than 3,000 slaves, and Harriet Tubman, who made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom.

Ohio was crucial to the Underground Railroad saga. It has been estimated that 40,000 runaway slaves escaped to Canadian freedom through Ohio. A secret and successful network of over 700 safehouses and “depots” waited for those fugitives fortunate enough to make it to—and across—the Ohio River.

Although a “free state,” a designation indicating only that its residents could not own slaves, Ohio was a distinctly dangerous host to the escapees. Bounty hunters criss-crossed the state. Pro-slavery factions existed in many villages and cities. The Ohio Black Laws rewarded those who turned in or reported runaways. Lake Erie was a formidable obstacle to attaining Canadian freedom. Vigilante groups scoured the state, targeting all African-Americans. Law officers were aggressive, particularly following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.

I live in greater Cincinnati area. We are home to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum. I hope that all villagers have a chance to visit this remarkable museum.

Also, the Cincinnati Museum Center hosted a world-class exhibit, America I AM: The African American Imprint in 2010. The Center for African American Decorative Arts lent them a book simply entitled The Underground Railroad to be displayed in the Underground Railroad gallery at the America I AM exhibit. In 1852, a group of Philadelphia abolitionists formed a General Vigilance Committee to assist escaped slaves along the Underground Railroad. William Still was part of this group and kept detailed records of the runaway slaves he encountered. First published in 1872, this book is used to this day in genealogy searches. Many of the stories include references to Cincinnati and the Ohio River.

What are your thoughts about the Underground Railroad?