"IF HE WAS ALIVE HE'D BE A SICK MAN" DICK GREGORY ON PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH

NOTE: YouTubes added to this post February 26, 2008

There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society, with a large segment of people in that society, who feel that they have no stake in it; who feel that they have nothing to lose. People who have a stake in their society, protect that society, but when they don't have it, they unconsciously want to destroy it. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Fear and God do not occupy the same space. "Dick Gregory
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"I'm tired of people talking about these elections from the standpoint of fear..."
Dick Gregory from the Black State of Union 2008

We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

I had C-Span on all day today and listened as I did the wash and carried on my day. It was the live airing of The State of the Black Union from New Orleans, Lousiana. It can be seen online now as the morning session, Part 1 and the afternoon session, Part 2. It will reair on C-Span, Friday February 29 at 8:00 p.m. Tavis has a forum to talk the issues of being black in America.

As much as I really got a lot from this and I appreciate the discussion of "blacks", "browns", "yellows" and "whites" ~ I am disappointed the "reds" are almost always completely left out. I hate the use of color to identify human beings. None of us are those colors anyway. No Asian is yellow and the indigenous people we call Indians are not red... Very, very rarely do we ever include the first American, the Indians in any discussion. This is WRONG.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I hate it when I am dismissed. And we as a country are dismissive of the First Americans, indigenous people to this land ~ like they don't count, like they don't exist. And they do exist. And they will be the LAST to be recognized. Let us start including them in the dialog.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.
The Measure of a Man, 1958
Martin Luther King, Jr.

We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Link that will allow you to see the whole day, February 23, 2008 in New Orleans

C-Span complete coverage of the State of the Black Union

See Tavis Smiley "State of the Black Union" ~ Morning Session

See Tavis Smiley "State of the Black Union" ~ Afternoon Session

NOTE: This link of the entire morning and afternoon sessions worked for me February 23, but every time I have tried it after the first successful loading, it has not worked. Keep checking youtube, because it will eventually show up there most likely ~ too good not to... I just checked today, February 26 and that is when the Youtube embeds on this post were found with portions of Dick Gregory's sharing and I added them to this post for my readers.

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Dick Gregory "apologizing" to Bill Clinton
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"...How in the world can a nine year old child find a heroin man, but the FBI can't find it...."
Dick Gregory

Highlights were Donna Brazile at the 1 hour 2o minute mark, hurricane Katrina survivor Herreast Harrison at 2 hours, 29 minutes, and Dick Gregory really gets everyone going at the 56 minute mark, then again at 3 hours, 2 minutes. He zeroes in on Bill Clinton being a black man at 3 hours, 9 minutes.

DON'T MISS DICK GREGORY!

I particularly liked Eddie Glaude, Princeton University Professor of Religion's about "What is the prize?" at the 3:28 mark, that is the 3rd hour, 28 minute mark. But he is also good at the 50 minute mark.

I missed the bru-ha-ha between Tavis and the fact that Barack Obama was invited to come and participate and made the choice of campaigning for President in Ohio and Texas instead. But he did tell Tavis that Michelle Obama could come to represent the black perspective. But Tavis said no. This next link I think spells out quite well why Barack's decision was the correct one.
Why Obama should skip Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union
Roland S Martin

Here is the letter Senator Barack Obama sent to Tavis Smiley:

The following letter dated February 13, was sent to Tavis Smiley asking him to reconsider his decision not to let Michelle Obama stand in for her husband at the 2008 State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans.

February 13, 2008
Mr. Tavis Smiley
President and CEO
The Smiley Group

Dear Tavis,

Thank you for the invitation to participate in the 2008 State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans, Louisiana February 21-23. The exchange of ideas raised at this annual symposium are invaluable as our nation strives to address the critical issues facing not just African Americans, but Americans of every race, background and political party.

I especially commend you for hosting this dialogue in New Orleans. On the eve of the Louisiana primary, I visited this great city for the fifth time since declaring my candidacy to share policy proposals for rebuilding the Gulf Coast so that we never experience another Hurricane Katrina. On February 9, I was deeply humbled to win the Louisiana primary with 86 percent of the African American vote and a 14 point lead among all voters who said they were adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Uniting our country and creating a national constituency for fundamental change is why I am running for President of the United States. We have come a long way in this race, but we still have a long road ahead. In the final stretch, I will be on the campaign trail everyday in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly with voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable healthcare, housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy. I am committed to touching every voter, and working to earn their vote.

That is why with regret, I am not able to attend the forum. I understand that you have declined the campaign’s request to have Michelle Obama speak on my behalf. I ask that you reconsider. Michelle is a powerful voice for the type of real change America is hungry for. No one knows my record or my passion for leading America in a new direction more than Michelle Obama.

Tavis, this is our movement and our time. I look forward to working closely with you throughout this election. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama
Source: The Black Political Review Tavis Smiley Feeling Blowback of Obama

When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Tavis Smiley's Covenant with Black America

It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”Martin Luther King, Jr.

USA AND AUSTRALIA HAVE THIS IN COMMON

Australia's PM Kevin Rudd has delivered a formal apology to Aboriginal people for injustices inflicted by successive governments, in an address broadcast across the country.

For many indigenous Australians this is a symbolic gesture of immense scale. The hope is it will usher in a new era of recognition and reconciliation

"Australia apologizes to Aborigines" I find this story a story that bears our attention in the United States. For many indigenous Australians this is a symbolic gesture of immense scale. The hope is it will usher in a new era of recognition and reconciliation. For many indigenous Australians this is a symbolic gesture of immense scale. The hope is it will usher in a new era of recognition and reconciliation. In Canberra, the Australian government "officially apologized Wednesday to its indigenous people for past treatment that 'inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss,' in a historic parliamentary vote that supporters said would open a new chapter in race relations in the country. Lawmakers unanimously adopted Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's motion to say sorry of behalf of all Australians in an emotional session of the federal Parliament that was telecast across the country and watched by crowds gathered giant screens set up in cities, students in school halls, and people huddled around televisions in remote Outback communities. TIMELINE: Key dates and facts about Australia's Aborigines 'We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians,' Rudd said in Parliament, reading from the motion. The apology was directed at tens of thousands of Aborigines who were forcibly taken from their families as children under now abandoned assimilation policies. 'For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, se way sorry,' the motion said, extending the apology to 'the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities.' 'And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry,' the motion said. In a speech urging lawmakers to support the motion that was telecast nationally, Rudd also offered an apology on behalf of the government. 'As prime minister of Australia I am sorry,' he said. 'On behalf of the government of Australia I am sorry. ... I offer you this apology without qualification.' Rudd received a standing ovation from lawmakers and from scores of Aborigines and other dignitaries who were invited to Parliament to witness the event. Many wiped away tears as Rudd spoke... ...The apology places Australia among a handful of nations that have offered official apologies to oppressed minorities - including Canada's 1998 apology to its native people, South Africa's 1992 expression of regret for apartheid and the U.S. Congress' 1988 law apologizing to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II. Aborigines lived mostly as hunter-gatherers for tens of thousands of years before British colonial settlers landed at what is now Sydney in 1788." Read the full article. I wrote about the United States of America's need to acknowledge our injustices against our indigenous people before. See below for yesterday's update on this Rhode Island case against seven Narragansett Indians. * ........................................................................ ........................................................................ So you killed me..... By gomauro Australia says sorry to Aborigines

Rudd said the apology would help to remove a "stain" on Australia's past [GALLO/GETTY] Australia's prime minister has delivered an historic apology to the Aboriginal people in a gesture of reconciliation for injustices committed over two centuries of white settlement. "We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians," Kevin Rudd told the Australian parliament. His speech focused in particular on the suffering of what have become known as the "Stolen Generations" - mostly mixed-race children, who were taken from their families up until the 1970s in a bid to assimilate them into white society. But Rudd's address also took in a broader apology over what he called "a great wrong" committed against Australia's indigenous peoples, repeatedly using the crucial word "sorry". "As prime minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry," Rudd said. "For the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry" Kevin Rudd, Australian PM Click here for the full text of Rudd's apology Wednesday's apology is being viewed as a watershed in Australia, with television networks airing the speech live and crowds gathering around giant screens in major cities to witness the event. In the remote community of Mutitjulu, close to Uluru or Ayers Rock in the centre of Australia, the apology was welcomed by Aboriginal leaders. "Personally I think sorry’s a very important word to say," Dorethea Randall, chairwoman of Mutitjulu council told Al Jazeera. "It recognises the wrong that's been done in the past and it's a process of starting healing for all indigenous people." In the Australian capital, Canberra, hundreds of Aborigines from across Australia gathered in front of parliament to hear the speech, many having travelled thousands of kilometres to be there. Many also packed the public galleries inside the parliament building. Disadvantaged "This is the most significant moment for our people that's happened in my lifetime," Aboriginal man Darryl Towney told AFP. A bitter history Aboriginal population of Australia estimated between 750,000 to two million prior to arrival of first white settlers in 1788. Combination of disease, loss of land and violence reduced numbers by 80 per cent over the following century. Smallpox wiped out more than half the population. Between 1900 and early 1970s estimated 100,000 Aborigines were taken from their natural parents as part of an assimilation programme, now dubbed the Stolen Generation. Aborigines not granted vote in federal elections until 1962. Aboriginal population was not counted in national census until 1967, prior to which Aboriginal affairs were governed under Australian flora and fauna laws. According to 2006 census, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders population stood at 455,031, out of total Australian population of 20,061,646. Many aboriginal communities are plagued by high unemployment, juvenile delinquency, school dropouts, drugs, crime, domestic and sexual problems, and alcoholism. Government statistics show an indigenous Australian is 11 times more likely to be in prison than a non-indigenous Australian, while indigenous Australians are twice as likely to be a victim of violence. A 2007 study found standards of healthcare for Aborigines 100 years behind rest of Australia, with Aboriginal men having life expectancy 18 years below national average. "For us, this is like the Berlin Wall coming down." Aborigines remain Australia's most disadvantaged minority, with a lifespan 17 years shorter than the national average, and disproportionately high rates of imprisonment, heart disease and infant mortality. In Sydney, thousands of people cheered and applauded the speech shown on a big screen in the city's central Martin Place. Large crowds also gathered in the rain in the city's largely Aboriginal district of Redfern to watch the address on specially erected screens. While the apology and Rudd's pledges to improve Aboriginal welfare have been broadly welcomed, he has also received criticism from some community leaders for ruling out direct financial compensation. Speaking to parliament Rudd said the apology was offered as part of "the healing of the nation", adding that it would allow a "new page" to be written in the history of Australia. A failure to address the injustices done to Australia's indigenous people was "a great stain" on the nation's soul, Rudd told parliament. "We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians," he said. Rudd's apology went much further than the highly qualified statement initially expected, drawing emotional applause from the crowd outside parliament. Focusing on one of the most painful episodes, he told parliament up to 50,000 children were taken from their families, noting there was "something terribly primal" in the many first-hand stories of the Stolen Generations. 'Sheer brutality' The apology was broadcast on giant screens in cities across Australia [GALLO/GETTY] "The pain is searing, it screams from the pages, the hurt, the humiliation, the degradation and the sheer brutality of the act of physically separating a mother from her children is a deep assault on our senses," he said. But Rudd's speech also referred to the "past mistreatment" of all Aborigines, adding "the injustices of the past must never, never happen again". "For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry," he said. "To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. "And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry." Use of the word "sorry" carries major symbolism for Aborigines after Rudd's conservative predecessor, John Howard, refused to utter it when he was in power. Howard was the only one of Australia's five surviving prime ministers who was not in parliament on Wednesday to hear Rudd's speech, although his Liberal party, now in opposition, backed the motion of apology. Howard lost his parliamentary seat in last November's national elections which saw a landslide victory for Rudd's Labor party. Source english aljazeera Hear about this story. ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Dine' (Navajo) Grandmothers resist relocation to radioactive lands Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas of the Narragansett Indians listens as Judge Susan E. McGuirl issues her ruling today. Providence Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski February 12, 2008 Judge does not dismiss smoke-shop case PROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl this afternoon refused to dismiss the case against seven Narragansett Indians accused in the 2003 State Police raid on a tribal smoke shop in Charlestown Defense lawyers had sought dismissal, saying the state has been “grossly negligent” in meeting pre-trial discovery rules that mandate the state to turn over any evidence that could be used to exonerate a defendant. But the judge today said that it did not rise to the level of flagrant prosecutorial misconduct and that the defendants were not significantly prejudiced. She did say that the prosecutors and the State Police did not do their due diligence and that she is concerned about defendants who are less privileged -- essentially, if this could happen in a high-profile case such as this one, what happens in your average case? "More worrisome is the thought of less prominent cases seeing such handling," McGuirl said in Providence County Superior Court. Asked for comment after the judge's decision, Matthew Thomas, the Narragansett Indians' chief sachem, said: "This is Rhode Island, I didn't expect anything different." Source Narragansett tribe website

CARRY THE OLYMPIC TORCH FOR DARFUR

IT'S APPARENT

IN TIMES OF GENOCIDE

WE MUST LEAD

OUR LEADERS

What do these locations have in common?

• Darfur, Sudan
• Rwanda
• Yerevan, Armenia
• Sarajevo, Bosnia
• Germany and surrounding countries
• Phenom Penh, Cambodia
• Nanking, China http://nankingthefilm.com/
• The land the United States of America was created upon
  

Human inhumanity is a legacy and a stain on all of us. All of these places have this word in common: GENOCIDE. Do you know what genocide is? It was defined December 9, 1948 at the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide… http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html

And do you know the date that the United States of America ratified it? Not until November 25, 1988.

A Summary of United Nations Agreements on Human Rights: http://www.hrweb.org/legal/undocs.html

I was on a nationwide, worldwide really, hour conference call today with approximately 75 others via the Save Darfur Coalition offices in Washington, D.C. I consider myself a human rights activist and Darfur community leader in the state of Rhode Island. It was a privilege today to participate in this call. We listened to the worldwide coordinator of the Olympics Torch Relay for Darfur, Jill Savett, explain the progress and plans of this huge endeavor. There will be a Torch Relay for Darfur going through countries that have had genocides: Starting at the Chad/Darfur border, where the current genocide is, continuing in Rwanda, Armenia, Bosnia, Germany, Cambodia ending in China or in a symbolic location of China (if China won’t allow us in China). The Torch Relay will link the Darfur genocide to China, where the 2008 Olympics will take place. The Dream for Darfur Olympic Torch Relay will begin August 8, 2007, one year in advance of the opening ceremonies in Beijing, China of the 2008 Olympics. By the way, Steven Spielberg is producing the opening and closing ceremonies in Beijing, China, land of the Darfur genocide funding.

http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/TorchRelay/InternationalRelay/tabid/205/Default.aspx

But also, there will be a symbolic Torch Relay for Darfur in the United States of America. This United States of America Olympic Symbolic Torch Relay will begin September 9, 2007 which is the anniversary date that Secretary of State Colin Powell initially identified and acknowledged the actions as genocide in Darfur. The USA Darfur Relay will culminate on December 10, 2007, Global Day of Action for Darfur, which is also the date of World Human Rights Day.

www.savedarfur.org/pages/dreamfordarfurolympictorchrelay

http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/TorchRelay/USRelay/tabid/206/Default.aspx

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SaveDarfur.org has a post called "Unity Statement" that's worth checking out...

The emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. A government-backed Arab militia known as Janjaweed has been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out communities of African tribal farmers (notes…

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Why Focus on China

China has two large oil companies in Sudan, which makes money for the Sudanese government. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir uses 70 % of the nation’s budget for his military who works in coordination with the Janjaweed to commit the genocide on the Darfuri families. This is proven by human rights organizations, independent films, such as Darfur Diaries, as well as the African Union troops who have for years been documenting the stories and actions, in addition to taking pictures of the carnage. China sits on the Security Council of the United Nations and is in a position to put an end to this four and half year genocide, however it has done not only nothing to alleviate or stop the genocide, but it has done the opposite by making supportive statements repeatedly for Omar al-Bashir, the mastermind behind the genocide.

Email the National Olympic Committee to state your position on the Darfur genocide:

http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/TakeAction/EmailNationalOlympicCommittees/tabid/159/Default.aspx

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Please . . . please, Sign the Petition.

Tell the Olympic Committee to Bring the Olympic Dream to the People of Darfur.

Sign the Petition to the International Olympic Committee:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/Dream/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=623&t=DefaultTemplate.dwt

The organizers of the Dream for Darfur’s sponsored International Olympic Torch Relay for Darfur met the China Ambassador to the United States last Friday. China proved to be cognizant of this endeavor. We have their attention. It is important that we have their attention. And more.

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Gabriel Starring, who is and has been on the Chad/Darfur border for two weeks, was also on the conference call today and told us that the people in the “refugee” camps just “want to go home” and that they are in “survivor mode” in these camps. He said:

there is “no rule of law”, life is “unpredictable”, there is “no security”, “humanitarian aid is hit and miss”

that when he was there in 2005, camps were relatively stable and things have deteriorated drastically

the people want to find hope and that they want to connect with us

the people are resilient, beautiful and strong and that he feels at one with them.

Gabriel stated that the people are no different than us and that we would want them to do for us if it was us.

Gabriel told us that videos that they have been taking there are uploaded daily and can be seen at www.stopgenocidenow.org Gabriel’s group is going to leave video equipment with the people when they leave, so that the people can feel a connection to the rest of the world, which they so desperately need.

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Then, Mia Farrow spoke to us about her trip there. She said that more than the needed water and food, the people's plea is for protection, safety . . . that the UN is hopelessly paralyzed, that China sits on the Security Council and has rendered the UN toothless regarding Darfur, that Beijing pours billions of dollars into the Sudanese government’s coffers and in effect are underwriting the first genocide of the 21^st century, that China’s oil companies’ air strips in Sudan are being used for planes bombing the Darfuri families and communities, that 76% of China in a poll stated that they believe that China has the responsibility to step up and do the right thing.

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Youtube Submission for CNN question for Presidential Candidate “Debate”

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Scott Warren, of Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, who is the new executive director of www.standnow.org told us that the United States Olympic Torch Relays goals are to:

1. Influence China regarding their responsibility to use their leverage to end the Sudanese government’s perpetrating the genocide on their own people

1. That the 2008 Chinese Olympics are China’s “Coming Out Party” and that by shaming

them - they will do the correct thing

b. To gain media coverage of this issue of our complicity and living out our stated values of

human rights is something we also must be pressured to do as a nation

2. Make an impact on the world, the USA populace and the Presidential candidates

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I plan to organize an Olympic Torch Relay for Darfur in the state of Rhode Island

Once my plans materialize, I will post it on www.savedarfur.org/pages/dreamfordarfurolympictorchrelay

I also will post here about the plans as we go along.

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BY THE WAY, I CALLED PRESIDENT BUSH TODAY AT

202 – 456 – 1111, just as I ask you to do every day.

I was only asked what state that I am from.

Today, my message was:

"I am calling about the Darfur genocide. I believe we are standing idly by and I’d like us to stop that and take action."

When the automated message came on I just waited as if I have a rotary dial phone in order to talk to the person live. This is the President’s Comment Line and she says that she will pass on the message to the President. If you and I call every day until this genocide is over, it is a small step for humankind and toward peace. It’s really up to us to shine a light on our responsibility to stop genocide. Evidentally, our leaders need us to lead them in times of genocide.

The President's Comment Phone Line is open Monday through Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
202 - 456 - 1111

email: president@whitehouse.gov

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Call your US Senators & Representatives at

1 - 800 - GENOCIDE

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Genocide flourishes when there is no accountability.

WE CAN’T SAY THAT WE CARE ABOUT JUSTICE

WHEN WE DO NOTHING TO STOP THE INJUSTICE

We each have a voice.

We each have a presence.

We have been called to be human

 in the most basic way

 on this subject.  

Where there is a will - there is always a way.  

And where there is no will - there is no way.

Silence is necessary for genocide to go on.  

Our collective silence is a weapon used by the genocidaires.  

Silence kills.  

And we are responsible for our personal silence.

Let us not be silent.

If Peace never begins, Genocide will never end.

One World.

One humanity.

One Human Race.

One.

• http://www.Savedarfur.org
• http://www.ajws.org/
• www.sudandivestment.org/
• http://www.genocideintervention.net/
• http://www.standnow.org/

What Legacy Will You Leave?

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IMUS EXPOSES US, THE CONTENT OF CHARACTER

First

Just

Because . . . Ioan Gruffudd is Beautiful

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“I AM PAINFULLY CONSCIOUS OF MY imperfections,

THEREIN LIES ALL THE STRENGTH I POSSESS.”

Mahatma Gandhi

April 16, Oprah’s show was a response to the Imus mess following his two firings through recent use of “Nappy Headed Hos”. Her show’s topic was “What do we do next?” April 17 will air Part Two of this topic. Honestly Oprah said she had been avoiding discussing racism on her show, but that now she is. I request to broaden the discussion. And specifically to include the Native American Indian societal and institutionalized racism. And let's lose the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" requirement of gays in the military. For goodness' sake, they are over in Iraq putting their bodies in death's way and we can't stomach letting the gay service people live their lives in truth. What are we, if not bigots?

If we have cancer, we think of removing it. If we have a sickness, we make a move to be healed of the illness and feel better. If we spew hatred cloaked in the claimed right of freedom of speech, it still affects not only those who it is directed toward, but it affects the one who owns the words. In the movie “Amazing Grace” the minister says to William Wilberforce’s question “In what way are you trying to make the world better”, with “When you make the world better in one way, it becomes better in all ways.” What is thrown out into the universe affects the world as a whole. We make the world what it is. We color the world with our words, behavior and silence. If we hurt someone else, we can’t help but hurt ourselves. It may not be visible hurt or even apparent to the receiver as well as the giver, but we live with who we are. And you can’t say crap and not have it be part of your life.

“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.

The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.”

Marcus Aurelius

BEAUTY

I am white, female, 58 years living, heterosexual and a human rights activist, although primarily regarding genocide, Darfur, Sudan, I also speak at speaking engagements, “letters to the editor” and write on my main blog, here, as well as my blog at tvguide.com, regarding “human dignity through human rights” for other groups. I have spoken up for the rights of girls, women, foster children, the poor, the Native American Indians, homosexual and bisexual human beings. I was a music teacher for 30 years. Although the April 16^th Oprah show was for the most part not seen due the east coast downed TV cable lines and the Virginia Tech murders’ two interruptions to the Oprah show – I did catch bits and pieces of the show. (An aside: George Worthless Bush says he will give support to Virginia Tech and the government stands ready to help. I laughed at him. Like he has been giving help and support to those victims of a hurricane called Katrina?)

The claim that “political correctness” is encouraged by firing Imus and the-like, misses the point. Claiming pretentious “political correctness” results when “We the People” speak out and say this kind of speech is anything but freeing dismisses Right for what sounds right. We must address wrongs, injustices and expose indecent behavior. This sick language and behavior that doesn’t have the light shone on it will simply find roots and continue to grow like weeds. This kind of language strangles the truth from all of us regardless of who the language is directed toward. It keeps us all down and from being free. Also, the point isn’t that having “freedom of speech” gives us the right to be condescending and dehumanizing to another of the human race. Not being denigrated is a civil rights issue. We have the inalienable right to be treated with decency. And I so agree with the mindset that says this is not a black woman’s issue, or even just a woman’s issue. This behavior and “talk” belittles all humankind, regardless of race or gender.

We have put up with this kind of behavior and language for too long. Let us look at ourselves and face who and what we are. We have a country built on racism. And it started even before the first African black slaves were shipped here as human cargo. The nation was built on land lived on by other societies before Europeans arrived on its shores. Even in the Declaration of Independence, the description of the Native North Americans, dubbed by the immigrants as “Indians” because they thought they were in India, comes from a place of ignorance, pomposity and illustrates dehumanizing language. The Declaration of Independence states “the inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an indistinguished Destruction of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions” indelibly imposes this unjustifiable description on the Native Americans, who were forced to fight to protect their established ways of life AND their land.

Genocide of the Indians was authorized by those that came to this land as immigrants. Do you suppose the Indians wished they had united and built a fence to keep out immigrants? Injustice is a one-word sum total of the treatment of the Indians by the government.

A class-action lawsuit, Cobell v. Norton was filed on June 10, 1996, in U.S. District Court to force the federal government to account for billions of dollars belonging to approximately 500,000 American Indians and their heirs, and held in trust since the late 19th century. This money is missing. The money has been lost by the very federal agencies that were responsible to care for the funds belonging to Indians. Through document discovery and courtroom testimony, the case has revealed mismanagement, ineptness, dishonesty and delay by federal officials. Leading U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth declared their conduct "fiscal and governmental irresponsibility in its purest form”. This case has not been resolved to this day.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court turned down the request of the Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island to consider overturning the lower court ruling against them with the state of Rhode Island. It was over a smoke shop incident where state troopers went onto Indian Land and aggressively and violently overtook and arrested the unarmed Indians. We saw the video played over and over on the TV screens for weeks. It didn’t make the troopers look good. Apparently according to a treaty the Indian Tribe signed – their land legally is not sovereign land, as other Indians’ lands are. The history of broken treaties with the Indians and the United States government, from the beginning to this day is appalling. When the treaties were broken – it ALWAYS fell in the favor of the government and never the Indians.

The Narragansett Indians had a proposal to build a casino on the ballot last November. But the voters of Rhode Island voted it down. We have gambling in Rhode Island, actually right where I live, but for some reason Rhode Islanders didn’t want the Indians to have this.

Putting myself in the shoes of the Indians, I would feel betrayed by a government that stands on the values expressed in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal …with certain unalienable Rights . . .”

History would indicate that the reason the treaty between the State of Rhode Island and the Tribe, in regard to Narragansett Indians’ Smoke Shop, was upheld in court and NOT broken - is because to do so, favored the government and NOT the Indians.

I propose that the strength of a country is evidenced by the willingness to face and acknowledge the errors of its ways. It is time for admitting the injustices that we as a nation and a state have done and still do to the Americans who were here first. It would provide a turning point where the healing could begin. The Indians should not continue to be held hostage by racism institutionalized by law.

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Winds -by Mauro

“so you killed me...
I knew you would”

I respectfully request that the discussion that found attention through a prominent white man’s utterance of “nappy headed hos” be broadened to more than racism of black Americans and sexism, let’s open up the scourge of racism to include our first sin regarding racism against the Native American Indians. When I was considering moving to Indian Country in New Mexico, my partner was black and I asked the real estate agent if there was racism in the area and his answer was “No. Except for the Indians.” I found this to be true as I was in a shop one day that I thought sold Indians' art work. The white man behind the counter, brazenly and ignorantly told me the people ruining the sale of the goods in his store were the Indians. I was confounded. Here I was in his store because I wanted to buy Indian-made jewelry and pots and he said if Indian jewelry and pots were made by the Indians it was no good. He told me his things were made by white people.

I hear comments from members of my own family that are racist and they would not imagine that they are racist. My brother referred to my past partner who was black. He said he didn’t think of Mark as black. I said Mark considers himself black. My uncle said of the people in New Orleans pictured on TV after hurricane Katrina that were doing what he considered to be unacceptable behavior … “I hate to say it, but you look on TV and they’re all black.” My sister the day after hurricane Katrina hit said that the hurricane happened because ALL of the people in New Orleans were heathens and sinners. I asked her, “ALL of them?” And she said, “Yes”. These relatives are ignorant racists. But take out the word ignorant of that sentence and you still have a racist, don’t’ you?

When I was eleven years old I met a black boy at church camp and had a deep crush on him and he on me. My father quietly leaned into my ear while waiting for the bus one morning and said that my children would be striped and polka dotted. My mother secretly destroyed my two love letters from Eddie and the two pictures of us together. She never told me that she did it. But I know. And I never put her on the spot and asked her why. My mother cringed when she sat on a bus once in Florida with other people who were obviously not her kind, white. I learned that my dad’s family dog's name was “nigger”. I grew up in an all-white towns. During the 1960’s there was never a mention in our home about the civil rights marches and the murders of Edgar Evers and Martin Luther King, Jr. During this time, my father’s father said once on the way home from church while I was a young child that “they ought to go back to Africa”.

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Emily faces racism.

When I was 36 years young, I thought I was in love. His name was the same as my father’s, Mark. We met in Bermuda. He was black. And since I was living in New England and my parents lived in Indiana they hadn’t met him yet. My mother and father were visiting me in Rhode Island and my mother made a comment how upset my dad was if Mark was a negro, as she put it. I don’t know why I was accused of making dad unhappy and not her, other than she disapproved and she found it easier to totally put it all on dad. As enlightened as I am, I make an effort to consider if I am racist. I try to see everyone as individuals and judge them for the content of their character.

“If nearness kills love what hope is there for humanity?"

Sudborough

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GLOBAL DAYS FOR DARFUR
April 23-30, 2007
Find an event in your area and attend or better yet, organize one
http://www.savedarfur.org
has the ideas on the website and you can find events in your area

We must not be complicit

regarding human to human hatred, bigotry, mass crimes or genocide

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Join the "Fidelity Out of Sudan" Campaign
www.FidelityOutOfSudan.com

http://www.sudandivestment.org/

http://www.genocideintervention.net
http://www.ajws.org

http://grassroots.amnestyusa.org/

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PLEASE, sign the petition of Amazing Changes Campaign
http://www.theamazingchange.com/abolish.html

Zach Hunter is a fifteen year old, who wants to put an end to world-wide slavery
Zach’s website:
http://www.myspace.com/amazingchange

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www.amazinggracemovie.com

Starring Ioan Gruffudd

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“By arguing on the ‘force of circumstances,’ we have argued all force from ourselves; and stand lashed together, uniform in dress and movement, like the rowers of some boundless galley. Practically considered, our creed is Fatalism; and, free in hand and foot, we are shackled in heart and soul with far straighter than feudal chains.” Thomas Carlyle

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