Day of Blogging For Voter Justice

A few days ago I shared information about the effort to unify the Democratic Party by requesting Hillary Clinton to concede the nomination. That movement continues to build momentum. The Afrosphere Action Coalition now seeks to enlist bloggers around the nation to participate in the Day of Blogging For Voter Justice that is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 25.

Please click here to sign up for the Day of Blogging for Voter Justice.

Asante sana to Francis Holland, Yobachi Boswell and PurpleZoe for their leadership on this blogging campaign.

If you are not a blogger ... you can still support this effort to unite the Democratic party in effort to take back the White House. Show your support by signing the online petition. What say u?

Manic Monday: Drink

Morgen asks that we blog about the word 'drink'. I would love to celebrate the positive aspects of the word. My favorite drink is sweet iced tea ... especially that which can only be found in the deep South.

However, my mind keeps going back to the horrific action of four white students at the University of the Free State in South Africa who forced five Black domestic workers to participate in beer-downing competitions, races and mock rugby games. However, the worst aspect of this public humiliation came when these four privileged white boys forced the domestic workers to eat dirty food and drink soup in which they had urinated while videotaping the whole thing. For those of us who do not speak Afrikaaner ... click here to see the video with English subtitles.



Many villagers joined us in celebrating the liberation of Black people in South Africa when apartheid was eliminated and Nelson Mandela was released from prison and lifted to the presidency of his country. Now we see that some people are still willing to denigrate other human beings simply because of the melanin in their body. I was glad to see the protest movement against these sick white South African students that took place a few days later in Johannesburg.



When will we overcome the madness of racism? When can we live in a world in which other humans are treated with respect and dignity for no other reason than their humanity? When can the act of sharing a drink with someone be a sign of comraderie and not something hateful?

Attacks on Barack Obama by Fox News Spread Like Virus in Mainstream Media

Have you noticed how the Fox News attacks on Barack Obama eventually worm into the mainstream media? Take a moment to check out this video evidence:



Is it just me? Or do you think that Fox News is purposefully gunning for Barack Obama in this year's election cycle?

Online Petition Urges Hillary Clinton to Concede the Nomination

Drumbeats from Francis Holland inform us that a group calling itself the Committee to Unite the Democratic Party seeks our signatures for an online petition asking Hillary Clinton to concede defeat and support the Democratic ticket led by Barack Obama. The online petition is a letter to Sen. Clinton and the DNC that reads as follows:

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The signatories to this statement urge that Sen. Clinton concede defeat in her quest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination and support the Democratic ticket. Wherefore:

1. The Democratic Party base has spoken. The delegate count shows that Sen. Clinton cannot win the nomination on the strength of earned delegates, based on the will of the voters.


2. Sen. Clinton's political attacks upon Sen. Barack Obama have increasingly appealed to and sought to increase resentment against others based on the color of their skin.


3. This divisiveness is regrettable because, via the presidential candidacy of Sen. Obama, the vast majority of African Americans stand united with millions of white Americans and Americans of all colors, genders, ethnicities and religious backgrounds, erasing divisions to implement a program of Democratic change. Together, we're making history!


4. It appears that Sen. Clinton is about to shatter this historic unity. Don't let her do it!


5. We therefore call on Sen. Clinton to face the reality of the earned delegates count, concede defeat, and thereby contribute to healing a wound which is opening and continues to widen. It's time for healing.


6. Sen. Clinton must wholeheartedly support the winner of the nomination, who has earned the most delegates, and devote herself honestly and enthusiastically to defeating Republican electoral hopes in 2008, not attacking Democratic politicians and Democratic constituencies. Tell Sen. Clinton to stop her divisive tactics!


7. Should the Democratic Party leadership nullify the people's votes by giving Sen. Clinton the nomination, despite the popular will as represented by earned delegates, we would then call upon African American voters and all Democratic Party constituencies and supporters to withhold their support from a Sen. Clinton candidacy in November. We have survived eight years under President Bush and, if compelled to do so, we will survive four years under a President McCain. However, we cannot and will NOT survive the nullification of our most hard-won right ... our votes. We're not going to take this lying down!

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

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Villagers, if you think it is time for the Democratic Party to bring the bickering to an end, then you are encouraged to take a moment to sign the petition now. View the signatures of others that agree with the principle of this online petition. What say u?

Old School Friday: One In A Million

Have you found your soulmate yet? Listening to Larry Graham reminds us that our soulmate is out there ... and if life shows us compassion we can find that person. Sit back and enjoy...

Barack Obama: On My Faith and My Church

Barack Obama responded to the recent videos of Rev. Wright in The Huffington Post. He wrote as follows:

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The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.

Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.

Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have legitimately raised questions about the nature of my relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church. Let me therefore provide some context.

As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.

Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country.

With Rev. Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good. And while Rev. Wright's statements have pained and angered me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be President of the United States.

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Did Barack Obama answer the questions you had about this issue?

Six Florida Students Suspended for Joking Around with Lynching Noose

We want our national leaders to engage in words and deeds that uplift our country. We want to move away from the evil racism that dominated our country over the past 300 years. Keith Olbermann had it right. It is a shame that Hillary Clinton didn't seize on the moment earlier this week to put racist words and deeds into a box and out of her campaign.

Young people take their cues from these national discussions. As such we shouldn't be surprised that at least six students at the Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines, FL were caught hanging a noose on cmapus. [SOURCE]

Cindy Guerra, the South Florida regional deputy for the Attorney General’s Office noted, “A situation involving children and hate symbols is something we take seriously.”

The school’s assistant principal, Donyale McGhee said the students involved in the noose hanging were cited for “disorderly behavior, misrepresentation of information, defiance and withholding information from administration.”

Somerset freshman Moremi Akinde wrote a column for the South Florida Times titled, “Banning Black History Month,” in which she expressed her view that relegating black history to the shortest month of the year marginalizes the contributions of the race. The column was distributed at the school, and some students were asked to write responses to it.

Later, on Feb. 14, Moremi and several of her friends sat at a lunch table in the outdoor eating area of the school’s campus. Shortly after they were seated, one of the young ladies spotted a rope fashioned into a noose, dangling from an umbrella affixed to the lunch table directly behind them. The noose recalled the lynchings of Black people by white supremacists in the Jim Crow South.

Six male students of various ethnicities were sitting at the table where the noose was hanging. When Moremi and her friends approached the young men, the boys dismissed the offensive symbol as “just a joke.” Their response prompted Moremi and one of her friends to approach and complain about the noose to school officials.

Moremi said in a previous interview that there is an undercurrent of racial insensitivity at the school, where she has heard this joke from other students: “What do an apple and a black person have in common? Answer: Both look good hanging from a tree.’’

It is time that Hillary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Ed Rendell and others do some soul-searching about the careless way that they are dealing with race relations in our country. Noose incidents like the one at Somerset will continue to plague us all over the United States if our national leaders don't do better.

Where is Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine?

Drumbeats from Sokari urge all villagers to take a moment to sign the online petition calling for the safe return of Haitian human rights activist Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine.

Lovinsky was the co-founder of Fondsayon Kore Timoun Yo (Foundation for the Support of Children) for young street children in Port au Prince, FAM (Foyer pour Adolescentes Mères), a center for teenage mothers, and Map Viv ("I Live"), a program designed to give medical and psychological aid to the victims of the 1991 coup. His present community-based human rights organization Fondayson Trant Septnm grew out of the work of those earlier efforts. He is part of the Lavalas movement and a member of the Lavalas Party, and was a potential candidate for the Haitian Senate.

Lovinsky lived in Washington DC during the turmoil and violence that followed the removal of President Aristide in 2004. During that time he continued his work as an advocate for Haiti's poverty-stricken majority, including gathering support of a wide network of organizations and individuals in the US, meeting with members of Congress, speaking at human rights forums in Boston, Los Angeles and elsewhere in the US as well as in Brazil, Canada and Venezuela. A month after he returned to Haiti, Lovinsky was instrumental in bringing together a delegation that included journalists and others who hail from Guyana, Barbados and the United States to attend the May 2006 Inauguration of President Rene Preval."

Keep your thoughts and prayers with Lovinsky and his family during these troubling and confusing times in Haiti.

Geraldine Ferraro Unveils Racist Campaign Strategy of Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton is about to watch her campaign explode in her face if she does not take immediate and forceful action to place a gag in the mouth of her surrogates. Clinton's weak protest just ain't enough. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell started the Clinton campaign on this slippery slope with his racially motivated comments. Clinton fundraiser Geraldine Ferraro continued the race taunting earlier this week when she said that Barack Obama is only winning the nomination because he is Black. In effect, she called Obama an 'affirmative action baby'.

Perhaps it is nothing more than sour grapes. After all, Ferraro was truly an 'affirmative action baby' when Walter Mondale selected her to be his VP running mate in the 1984 campaign. Her only redeeming value was that she was a woman. Perhaps Ferraro is so embittered by that experience that she cannot see the skills, talent and ability that Obama is showing the world with his campaign.

Hillary refused to shut Ferraro down when she had a chance. So Ferraro was emboldened enough to continue her racist remarks about the Obama campaign. Check it out:

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"I have to tell you that what I find is offensive is that everytime somebody says something about the campaign, you're accused of being racist. Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up. Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

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What is your thought about Geraldine Ferraro's comments? Why is Hillary Clinton supporting these racially-divisive comments from her surrogates? Am I being too sensitive about this stuff?

Wordless Wednesday: African American Governors

Over a thousand people have taken the oath of office as governor a state in America. Only three of them were African American.

1. P.B.S. Pinchback (Louisiana, 1870-1872)
2. Douglas Wilder (Virginia, 1990-1994)
3. Deval Patrick (Massachusetts, 2006-Present)

David Paterson will become the fourth Black person in our nation's history to be the chief executive officer of their state. This is truly a remarkable accomplishment that should make all villagers proud!

Arrest in Jamiel Shaw Murder Case

As funeral services for Jamiel Shaw are taking place in Los Angeles, we learn that an arrest has been announced in his murder. Nineteen-year-old Pedro Espinoza, a reputed gang member, was arrested a short time ago by the Los Angeles police. The charge includes the special circumstance allegation that the defendant was "an active participant in a criminal street gang and the murder was carried out to further the activities of the criminal street gang." Prosecutors are expected to decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Espinoza. [SOURCE]

Surrogates Gone Wild * Geraldine Ferraro

Geraldine Ferraro is a major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. She was talking with the media today and claimed that the only reason Barack Obama is winning the Democratic nomination process is because he is an 'affirmative action candidate'.

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she said. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

Some villagers may be too young to remember Ferraro. She was a congresswoman for less than six years when Walter Mondale chose her as his running mate in the 1984 presidential campaign. Outside of her New York district and Capitol Hill, few of us had heard of her. It is likely that Mondale picked her in a desparate effort to beat Ronald Reagan. Mondale wanted to break a barrier -- selecting the first (and, so far, only) woman for a major-party presidential ticket. It didn't work too well. Mondale/Ferraro were beat 49-1 in the election that year.

I wonder if Team Clinton thinks that George W. Bush is "very lucky" to be in the White House ... benefiting from the fact that his Daddy was a former White House occupant?

I wonder if Team Clinton thinks that Hillary Clinton is "very lucky" to be a leading presidential candidate ... benefiting from the fact that her husband was a former White House occupant?

Ferraro and Team Clinton continue to overlook the fact that Barack Obama brings to the table leadership skills and talents that are remarkable. Look at his fundraising success. Look at his community organizing success that results in him winning more than twice as many states as Team Clinton. Look at his magnificent communication skills with audiences all over the nation.

I continue to be amazed at the arrogance and borderline racist tendency of Hillary Clinton and her surrogates. It is difficult to go a full day without another example of poor judgement and diarrhea of the mouth from Clinton's surrogates. I wonder what type of weak response we will hear from the candidate?

If Geraldine Ferraro comes by to this visit this blog ... my simple statement to her:

'Shame on You!

Missing: Aliyah Battle, Agena Battle & Sedrick Harrington

This is a truly sad story. We encourage all villagers to share this information with others in your sphere of influence. These children are not blue-eyed, blonde co-eds ... so the case won't be on the mainstream media ... it is up to us. Kudos to Black and Missing, But Not Forgotten for creating the YouTube video.

Latina Blogger Endorses Barack Obama

I found this post in cyberspace and it made me smile.

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I am a women.

I am a Latina.

I am a feminist.

I am working class.

I like Hilliary Clinton.

I am voting for Barack Obama in the primary. Barack Obama is the best candidate for women, latinas, feminists and the working class.

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Elena Mary may be the exception to the rule ... however, she is welcome to our village anytime!

Eliot Spitzer and Emperor's Club VIP Prostitutes

Another sleazeball in the Hillary Clinton campaign. Governor Eliot Spitzer endorsed Hillary Clinton last year. Now we find out that Spitzer has been engaged with a prostitution ring. Spitzer has informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, an administration official said this morning. [SOURCE]

Eliot Spitzer was elected in 1998 and 2002 as New York state Attorney General. And on November 7, 2006, Mr. Spitzer was elected to a 4-year term as Governor of New York state. In June 2005, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson hailed Eliot Spitzer as "the future of the (Democratic) party." And 2004 presidential candidate Wesley Clark said that Spitzer was on his vice-presidential short-list.

Time magazine named him "Crusader of the Year" in 2002. In 2003, San Francisco Chronicle named him "Businessperson of the Year." In 2004, University of Illinois honored him with its "Ethics in Government" award. New Yark magazine gave him their Public Service Award.

On a personal level, Spitzer is married with three teenage daughters. His wife, Silda, a Harvard Law School graduate, is founder of Children for Children, which helps children volunteer to benefit other children.

Hillary Clinton Wants Bizarro World Results

I've been watching Team Clinton talk about adding Barack Obama as their vice presidential running mate. I thought I might be in a Bizarro world. Hillary and Bill Clinton seem to talk every day on the campaign trail about having the 'best of both worlds' if the Democratic Party would have Obama on their presidential ticket.

I had to do a fact check on the current score in this presidential campaign.

• Who is winning the popular vote? - Obama (13,007,968) vs. Clinton (12,415,816) [SOURCE]


• Who is winning the pledged delegate count? - Obama (1378) vs. Clinton (1223) [SOURCE]


• Who won the most caucuses or primary contests? - Obama (26) vs. Clinton (15)

Why are we listening to Team Clinton's pompous, arrogant, Bizzaro discussion about a running mate? Team Clinton is losing this election. Don't believe the hype...

Electronic Village Milestone: 500 Posts!

Our Electronic Village just passed the 500-post milestone this weekend. We began on this blogging journey about 400 days ago on January 13, 2007. It has been invigorating to watch our online community grow over time as we passed other milestones:

• 100 posts (May 2007)
• 200 posts (Sep 2007
• 1-year anniversary (Jan 2008)

My overall goal with this blog is to provide information and discussion that is uplifting for people of African descent. Often this means sharing information through the blog that is not readily available in the mainstream media (MSM).

The blog now has over 300 visitors a day right now with about 500 daily page views. There are over 1,000 incoming links over the past year. I have never met many of you, nor have I had a chance to say 'asante sana' in person or via email. I hope you know how much I appreciate the good vibrations that you send each and every time that you visit our Electronic Village.

There are over 200 of you that subscribe to our blog. I hope to increase that number to over 500 by mid-year. If you like the flow of our blog ... then I encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to the Electronic Village.

I am no different than the other 960+ bloggers of African descent. I simply write on topics that interest me and it is serendipity when the world shows up. My favorite topics over these 500 posts have been about politics, Obama and criminal justice.

You get what you measure. Our metrics over the first 500 posts have been interesting to watch. We note the date (in parenthesis) when we set personal bests on the Electronic Village:

• Highest Feedburner Subscribers - 224 (3/5/08)
• BlogCatalog Ranking - 60.7 out of 100 (11/28/07)
• Highest Technorati Authority Ranking - 261 (2/23/08)
• # Blogs Between EV and #1 Blog in the World - 19,658 (2/24/08)
• # Blogs Linking to EV - 1,055 (3/5/08)
• # Bloggers listing us as a 'favorite' - 88 (1/28/08)
• Top Daily Visitors - 710 (11/26/07).

We're not Bossip.com, but, we do our best! I have no idea where the next 500 posts will take us. However, I pledge to be consistent in efforts to grow our Electronic Village community. I hope that you will regularly sit underneath our baobob tree and enjoy dialogue with other elders in our village. Let's share information, ideas and thoughts with one another in an effort to grow and improve!

500 posts! Asante sana!

Villager is Guest on Harambee Radio Network * Mar 10 @ 8pm ET

Villagers, Saadiq Mance is the managing director for Emerging Minds. He invited me to be a guest on an Internet radio show he is hosting Monday, March 10 @ 8pm ET. He wants me to talk about the Electronic Village blog, The AfroSpear, society news, and politics.

Emerging Minds has created a unique alliance with the Harambee Radio Network. Harambee radio features explosive commentary from some of the most respected activists from all over the world. During the live shows, please call in toll-free and let your voice be heard at (866) 851-5279.

When the show is not live, there is a constant 24/7 stream rebroadcasting the live shows from the previous week. Anyhow, I hope that some of you can tune in on Monday night. Talk shows are always better when there are guests dialing in to ask provocative questions!

Police Arrest Jessie Dotson as the Lester Street Murderer

Police announced today that 33 year-old Jessie Dotson will be charged with six counts of first degree murder and three counts of attempted first degree murder. The police say that the Lester Street Massacre was the result of a family argument between two brothers that turned deadly.

As we shared with you earlier, Jessie Dotson just got out of prison January 26th, after serving time for second degree murder. Police say Jessie Dotson shot and killed his brother Sunday, March 2nd, after an argument, and then shot the three other adults in the home. He also stabbed the five children. Three of the children survived and are being treated at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center.

It appears that the MS-13 gang didn't do this crime. Just a punk brother and uncle. How do you lose your mind to the point that you stab five children resulting in death to two of the toddlers? Could this really be about a leather coat?

Anyhow, Villagers, this is a good day to reach out to your brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts and let them know that you love them unconditionally. We need to repair our family units and connections so that atrocities such as the Lester Street Massacre have shown us this week.

Funeral Services for Jamiel Shaw

Listening to Vida's drumbeats, we understand that public respect can be paid to Jamiel Shaw at a public viewing to be held Monday at Inglewood Cemetery Mortuary, located at 3801 W Manchester Blvd., from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the teen.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the West Angeles Cathedral located at 3600 Crenshaw Blvd. The viewing and funeral service are located in Los Angeles, CA.