The election of America's first black president has triggered more than 200 hate-related incidents, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center – a record in modern presidential elections. Moreover, the white nationalist movement, bemoaning an election that confirmed voters' comfort with a multiracial demography, expects Mr. Obama's election to be a potent recruiting tool – one that watchdog groups warn could give new impetus to a mostly defanged fringe element. "The vitriol is flailing out shotgun-style," says Mr. Levin. "They recognize Obama as a tipping point, the perfect storm in the narrative of the hate world – the apocalypse that they've been moaning about has come true."
The phenomenon is noticeable in developing nations. Over the past decade, millions of people in these societies have climbed out of poverty. But the global recession is pushing them back down. Many seem furious with democracy and capitalism, which they believe led to their shattered dreams. It’s possible that the downturn will produce a profusion of Hugo Chávezes. It’s possible that the Obama administration will spend much of its time battling a global protest movement that doesn’t even exist yet. In this country, there are also millions of people facing the psychological and social pressures of downward mobility. In the months ahead, the members of the formerly middle class will suffer career reversals.
The small child with a bullet-shattered wrist was crying alone in a house full of corpses when he was found last week by a stranger fleeing a gunbattle between rebels and pro-government militias in eastern Congo. The man carried the boy from the village of Kiwanja to a tiny hospital several miles away and the two- or three-year-old infant spent the night screaming and his days silent, medical staff said. One week later, the boy's name is about all they know. The tragic story is just one of many being told here after Congo's recent explosion of fighting began in August, displacing 250,000 people. The violence has shattered hopes the nation's first-ever democratic election in 2006 would usher in a peaceful era.
Miriam Makeba, the South African recording artist known as ``Mama Afrika'' who was exiled from her own country during apartheid, died of a heart attack last night after giving a concert in Italy. She was 76. The Grammy-winning Makeba ``collapsed as she was leaving the stage,'' South African Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said in an e-mailed statement today. Makeba, who brought the music of her continent to a global audience in the 1960s, had been performing at the Vastel Volturno in the province of Caserta, 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of the city of Naples. "One of the greatest songstresses of our time, Miriam Makeba, has ceased to sing,'' Dlamini Zuma said.
Say Hello to The 44th President of The United States of America Sen. Barack Obama! Yes We Can!
While it is no secret that conservatives have historically preyed upon the vulnerable in their attempts to suppress votes, the heights these entities go to never ceases to amaze; presenting scenarios that range from: “We lost your address so you’re no longer on the rolls,” to “You can’t vote because you have parking tickets,” to “Don’t vote on Tuesday, you can vote on Wednesday instead,” to “Your polling place has been changed” may sound ludicrous to some; but unfortunately, not to enough. Imagine getting a call from a very authentic sounding individual instructing you to “call in” your vote instead of going to the polls because of long lines. ACORN is the nation’s largest grassroots community organization working for social justice on behalf of low to moderate income people since 1970. They have a constituency of 400,000 member families; organized into more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters in 110 cities and 40 states.
As Barack Obama closes in on his bid to become the first African-American US president, racial politics have burst into mainstream media with the release this month of two "news" shows anchored by black comedians. But while some applaud the emergence of minority viewpoints in prime time, others worry that even in jest, the negative stereotypes show just how little has changed when it comes to racism in America. On the debut of "Chocolate News," a half-hour sketch show on the Comedy Central cable channel, comedian David Alan Grier wasted no time joking about Obama's mixed race heritage.
The economy suffered its biggest decline since 2001 in the third quarter, ushering in what may be the worst recession in a quarter century and boosting the chances of Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats in next week's elections. Gross domestic product contracted at a 0.3 percent annual pace, less than forecast, a Commerce Department report showed today in Washington. The last major economic data before the election also showed that a record two-decade consumer spending boom ended last quarter as the credit crunch deepened. The economic slump coincided with Democratic presidential nominee Obama's lead in public-opinion polls.
Most Americans know the phrase, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” In the good times, when the economy boomed and Wall Street prospered, it looked like nothing was broke. The free market, we were told, was working like magic insuring prosperity and progress. Over a year later, after eight interest rate cuts, with one more promised, and the injection of trillions into credit markets and banks worldwide, little has changed. Markets are volatile and trending down while banks are still not lending despite frequent projections of massive unemployment and tagflation.That hasn’t stopped the government from dipping into its tool bag and throwing everything it has at the problem—bailouts on an unprecedented scale, including, now, of insurance companies and auto lenders.
Voting, letter-writing, blogging, vigils and speeches are necessary and can even be honorably courageous. But history says it ain’t enough - if we’re talking about real social evolution. Shit, fill-the-jails may not be enough, at this point. The way I see it: those who fear real change have nothing to fear and far too many of those who desire real change are expecting a chicken to produce a duck egg.
Here Is The 60 Minutes Segment on "Stop Snitching". Getting past Camron's ridiculous answers (can a serial killer please move next to him) The issue of "Stop Snitching" needs to be taken seriously. (click on the guy in pink)
Must See! Bill Moyers Journal:Buying the War Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 9 PM on PBS How the administration marketed the war to the American people has been well covered, but critical questions remain: How and why did the press buy it, and what does it say about the role of journalists in helping the public sort out fact from propaganda?
"Do the American people know about the truth?” A lot of them know about 30 % of what’s really going on, and those definitely didn’t know through the ordinary Medias But the larger faction of the American people know the least of what’s going on and they’re not to be blamed since there are two main reasons, the first one is that they believe what’s the CNN or Fox been telling them
