This is OUR house; we should take care of it!

I cannot believe Eric Cantor (R-VA) and his remarks concerning the Joplin tornado disaster.
http://freakoutnation.com/2011/05/24/eric-cantor-holds-tornado-ravaged-joplin-missouri-hostage/
He feels that we, as a nation, must JUSTIFY extending relief fund to OUR  own citizens who desperately need it. After both the Haiti disaster and the Japanese Tsunami I was flooded with opportunities to donate funds to help these people,
http://haitirelieffund.org/haiti-relief/
http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/

Why are Americans not worthy of our charity and help? I know their are many, many Americans, who like me, watched in utter dismay and concern as the disaster in Joplin was reported, and would like to help. Who does Eric Cantor think he is? So one man gets to decide who he deems worthy of our help in a time of need. Are we to just leave families , literally, out in the cold to fend for themselves? I feel John Stewart, once again put it into perfect perspective,
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-june-2-2011/cantor-won-t-?xrs=share_copy
In this video he refers to the fact that actual elephants from the circus are being used to remove debris, therefore elephants are doing more than the GOP party for the people of Joplin!

Random Rant...

I wrote this in like 5 minutes one day for a class assignment that I had not done, didn't turn out too bad(little cheesy)

To Society:

As I sit here and ponder
Over what , Hmm I wonder.
The world, it's slowly going under...

Society has become such a disaster
Into the vortex; faster, faster
I shall not bow down to any master!

Organized religion is such a solicitation
Just believe, you don't need an education.
Wake up and realize it's all just a fabrication...

Government lies; Media acts surprised
And you, You're caught up in The View

Lindsey Lohan, Mel Gibson ranting
F this, F that, growling and panting
And_your_on_the_edge_of_your_seat_enthralled! How enchanting.

I hope you enjoy your trivial little things
Into your life, a little joy it should bring
If ignorance is bliss, then you should be about ready to sing!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be the disrespectful one
But if I've offended you then job well done
Maybe now you will take a look at what you've become

Miss-educated, un-educated, illusional, delusional
Barely literate, and oh yeah full of it!!

When was the last time you had an original thought?
Now that's a thought.. Think about it!

What is Spirituality???

I would like to share an excerpt from an Alcoholics Anonymous text called "Came To Believe", this is on pg 4 I believe,
     "Spirituality is an awakening- or is it all the loose ends woven together into a mellow fabric? It's understanding- or is it all the knowledge one need ever know? It's freedom- if you consider fear slavery. It's confidence- or is it the belief that God will see you through any storm or gale? It's adhering to the dictates of your conscience- or is it a deep, genuine, living concern for the people and the planet? It's peace of mind in the face of adversity. It's a keen and sharpened desire for survival.
     It's a man or a woman. It's gratitude for every happenstance of the past that brought you to a moment of justice. It's the joy of being a young man/woman in a young world. It's awareness- or is it realization of one's capabilities and limitations? It's concentration- or is it an easy sensing of the universe? It's seeing a mystical power for good in each and every human being. It's patience in the face of stupidity. It's feeling you want to knock somebodys head off- and walking away instead. It's when your down past your last dime, and you know you still have something that money can't buy. It's wearing dungarees that feel like a tuxedo. It's wanting to go home, yet being there. It's a rocket ride that goes far beyond the world your eye can see. It's looking at something that is superficially ugly, but radiates beauty. It's a majestic skyline or a western desert. It's a young child. It's seeing a caterpillar turn into a butterfly. It's the awareness that survival is a savage fight between you and yourself. It's knowing that even the bad times are good.
     Dont' look back- you haven't seen anything yet. When people look at you and wonder what's with you, the look in your eyes will answer them, "Because I can cut it!"
     The singular thing that is spirituality cannot be given to a fellow man/woman by word of mouth. If every man is to have it, then every man must earn it, in his own way, by his own hand, stamped by the seal of himself, in his own individual right."

http://www.amazon.com/Came-Believe-AA-Services/dp/0916856054

Underlying Racism in Florida's Welfare Drug-Testing

This is an appalling attempt by a state government to further oppress the most needy in their region. It has been shown time and time again that poverty is a huge catalyst for drug dependancy. Those who are seeking welfare are the poor, and unfortunately in this country that means a large percentage of African American population. Our government has been and still is the leading importer of drugs into this country(if you don't believe that, do some research on the Reagan Contra issue and Freeway Ricky Ross), yet we spend billions every year on the war on drugs, but we rarely arrest anyone above a "street-level" dealer. AND one of the most hyppocritical points of it all is that the major contributors to A Partnership for a Drug Free America are the tobacco and alcohol industry. We, as a nation, provide minimal support for those struggling in our country and yet we are going to put up even further barriers to the most needy in our country. This is another racially motivated policy to further oppress the poor and to further stretch the socioeconomic gap that is ever-widening in this country. One last point, the majority of the 'dirty urines' that would probably be seen, would be for marijuana. So once again we will be wasting money fighting a so-called drug that we hold a very hyppocritical stance upon as a government. We allow marijuana to be a very socially accepted phenomena, yet we continually lock up our youth providing them with criminal records that will follow them for years if not forever, and now we will once again use a substance that we socially accept and hyppocritically waffle on, to further seperate the economic classes and deny citizens the avenues to a better life. Shame.

Further Discussion: Institutional Racism

I have been reading Class, Race, Gender, & Crime by Gregg Barak, Paul Leighton, and Jeanne Flavin:
http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=%5EDB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0742599698&thepassedurl=collegepublishing&exam_copy=true
I believe it very eloquently presents the issue of institutional racism and instead of me trying to paraphrase their thoughts, I will just quote a little, "The term institutional or institutionalized racism acknowledges that racist behavioral patterns or consequences may have structural aspects to them that systematically stratify society, shape identity, and produce substantative differences. For example, Stokely Carmichael and Charles Hamilton observed:
When white terrorists bomb a black church and kill five black children, that is an act of individual racism, widely deplored by most segments of society. But when in that same city-Birmingham, Alabama-five hundred black babies die each year because of lack of proper food, shelter and medical facilities, and thousands more are destoyed and maimed physically, emotionally, and intellectually because of conditions of poverty and discrimination, that is a function of institutional racism (1967, 65)" 
Ref. Carmichael, Stokely, and Charles Hamilton. 1967. Black Power: The Politics of Liberation in America. New York: Vintage
This is still happening in cities all across America. Ready to talk yet...???

A racist Harrisburg?? Let's have THAT discussion...

I was watching the budget hearings for Philadelphia school districts and could not believe the way the issue of racism was so politically skirted. I don't know the gentlemen's name, but one of the speakers for the Pila. school district stated that Harrisburg was beginning to listen now that they are seeing that the reaction is coming at them citywide and "not just from the Black and Brown." Are you serious?? So it takes WHITE people to complain to Harrisburg to get anything done. When are we as a nation going to stand up and full-on address the MAJOR issue of racism in this country, in our institutions, and in our government! WE, all of us, are American citizens and therefore are entitled to our basic civil liberties under The Constitution of America. In this age of information and technology the old guard of powerful, rich white men can no longer operate their agenda's of oppression, and socio-economic subjugation under the cover of darkness. We see what is being done to the middle and lower classes of this nation; high unemployment rates, education funding cuts, and I will not even get started on the drug and poverty issue of this nation, as well as our crooked, chattel slavery penal system. It's time that we begin to bring these discussions to the forefront of our political debates! It is a shame that only now, that many whites are being caught on the "wrong side" of this socio-economic division where the rich are slowly but steadily strangling the very life out of the classes below them, that a move to bring some focus onto this subject is beginning to occur. We are all people! As far back as the Plessy vs Ferguson decision this country has tolerated racially based institutions, when is enough going to be enough! The rich and powerful of this country are slowly trying to shape this country into their own personal plantations. I am doing my best to educate myself to what is happening in my community and my country because knowledge is the first step in forming a defense against what is being done to us as a nation. Have these conversations, as respectfully as possible, but please begin to have them!

article on hearings:http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-26/news/29586416_1_funding-for-philadelphia-schools-powel-school-jenks-in-chestnut-hill

Politics is NOT a four-letter word! Campaign trail 2012

Check out Eliot Spitzer's interview with Shelby Steele concerning Obama and race; http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/25/

In 2008 there were a lot of people who voted who had NEVER voted before, both black and white as well as many other ethnicities. And yes many of the black population voted JUST because Obama is considered black, but many, many young white voters voted Obama because it was the "cool" thing to be doing. Well, when the mid-term elections came around many of these voters who voted for the first time and voted for Obama probably did not even know that there is a such thing as mid-term elections. So the same crotchety, rich white folks came out to vote and we ended up with a republican dominated congress. In 2012 many of the voters will turn out again just to vote Obama, which I believe is a good thing, but I wish it was a more educated vote.When did discussing the manner in which WE are governed become taboo and why???? This seems to be playing right into the hands of those who wish to keep power to keep others oppressed. Please discuss how we are governed!!! The majority of the people of America do not vote yet it is this same majority who is getting the short end of the stick. The less we discuss politics and the less we become involved the easier it is for those in power to remain in power. Our governments shortcomings are no secret by any stretch of the imagination, so why cannot we get these fixed?? It is because we do not participate, we do not discuss what is going on in our government with those in our own communities. Believe me the ones with money and in power have these discussions on a regular basis and then act upon their opinions by voting, that's how they remain in power. I know that the history of our government and it's corruptions have made US as a society of people disillusioned in our own governing process to the point where we choose to disassociate. A change can be made but it takes a nation of millions! Let us stop a small percentage of the country from running the country, IT IS WITHIN OUR POWER! Politics is not a four-letter word!