Unfiltered Opinion

Goodbye Jesse Helms And Good Riddance

Jesse Helms, the former Republican U.S. Senator from North Carolina passed away today. This man was one of the most bigoted people ever elected to national office in my lifetime.  I know people are going to have their prepared statements calling him a fine statesman or a solid representative for North Carolina, but that's a bunch of hogwash. The truth needs to be said about this man - he was a racist.  That's the truth and everybody knows it - they may not want to say it publicly, but they know it's the truth.

I have never shed a tear when a member of the Ku Klux Klan or any other racist group died and I am not going to start crying now.  The world became a better place when he left Congress and the future is still looking bright now that he is going to hell.

Helms would have been happy if blacks had been kept in their place by segregation. If any person, especially a black one, were to say any thing positive about Helms, I would immediately consider that person to be suspect. If you want proof of this man's ignorance, please check out this site. 

The only thing I respected about Helms is that you always knew where he stood, unlike most of the politicians in office.  I knew every time I saw Helms on television, he wanted to use the first racial slur that came to his mind.  I would have paid anything to see Helms serve in the Senate with Barack Obama.  I could see Obama extending his hand in a collegial manner to Helms.  Without hesitation, Helms would look at Obama's hand and tell him that his hands were only good for picking cotton. 

That's the Helms I knew and that's the Helms that I am glad is gone.

Everyone Has The Right To Count Their Money

In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department discriminates against blind people by making paper money the same size and feel.  The court ruled that this policy makes it impossible for blind people to distinguish the monetary value of paper currency.

"The court also ruled that the United States failed to explain why changing the money would be an undue burden. The Treasury Departmenthas redesigned its currency several times in recent years and adding features to aid the blind would come at a relatively small cost, the court said. Other countries have added such features, the court
said, and the United States never explained what made its situation so unique."

I have never considered how difficult it would be for a blind person to distinguish the difference in paper currency.  I also find it pathetic that the government even tried to fight this in court without just making the necessary inexpensive changes to accommodate the blind citizens of this country. Instead the government wasted tax dollars trying to fight for their right to maintain the status quo.

Divorce - American Style

If you think anybody can get a divorce anytime they want to then you need to read this article.  You may want to think twice about living in certain states who make it hard to obtain a divorce.

If This Is True - Maybe Blacks Should Be Wary Of Obama

Marc Ambinder, an associate editor for The Atlantic has a blog that I enjoy reading on a daily basis.  I don't agree with everything that he writes, but I respect his opinion.  Yesterday, he posted a short entry on his blog entitled "The Edifice Crumbles?" and he the proceeded to post the following thoughts of an Obama supporter,

"It may be cynical, but I've started to think that Wright sees Obama as, in a way, a threat to his ministry. It would be difficult for him to preach that the government systematically destroys the lives of black people if a black man is sitting in the White House."

Ambinder then writes, "I know that many people inside Obama's campaign share this belief."

If what Ambinder says is true then many blacks will be offended and disappointed that members of Obama's campaign have subscribed to this tired theory on race in this country.  First of all, it does not surprise me that there are people in Obama's campaign that believe Wright views Obama's success as a threat to his ministry.  I would like to know the identification of those people.  I would be disappointed, but not surprised if the Obama campaign members who believe this were black. 

This unproven belief of some people in Obama's campaign is based on nothing.  These are the same people who will argue that racism is not that prevalent in today's society because a biracial male is on the brink of becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

There are many whites and some blacks who harbor similar thoughts about the media appointed black "leaders" like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan.  They believe that Jackson, Sharpton, Farrakhan and others do not want racism to go away because its demise would make them irrelevant.  I am not a fan of some of their methods and commentaries, but a person would have to be a fool to believe these men want people of color to continue to be discriminated against so they can continue to be relevant in the publics eye.  Now if there is a way to make them irrelevant, please let me know.

I do not believe Wright or any other black "leader" is threatened by Obama's success.  I am sure there are some people who are jealous of the attention Obama gets and the "easy road" he has traveled to get to this point. I do not believe that Obama has traveled an easier road to his success.  I believe Obama has traveled on a road that many members of the "black leadership" are not familiar with.  Nevertheless, there does seem to be a disconnect between the civil rights leaders who cut their teeth on the politics of 30-40 years ago and the new vanguard of black "leaders". 

The bottom line is this - Wright was revered on the South Side of Chicago before Obama came along and he will be revered when Obama is long gone.  Are there people who wish Wright had kept his mouth shut until Obama was elected president?  Yes.  However, the South Side community in which Trinity United Church of Christ resides is not going to turn their back on Wright.  I know they want Obama to sit in the Oval Office, but I guarantee you that they will never trust Obama over Wright.  Trust me when I say that Wright's ministry and his legacy is secure with the people that he represents and that is all that matters to Wright.

Obama Is Walking A Fine Line With Some Black People

I remember it wasn't that long ago when most black people wondered aloud if Obama was black enough.  Some blacks did not trust him because of his biracial background.  He did not have the similar life experience that the majority of blacks have as a result of living in the United States.  Blacks who doubted Obama pointed to the fact that he was the son of a Kenyan father and a white mother.  He also attended and graduated from some of the best schools in the country.  Therefore, some blacks questioned his authenticity on his knowledge of being black in America.

Now approximately 90 percent of the voting black community supports Obama and his quest for the presidency.  Even though he is biracial, Obama has allowed everyone (black, white, media, etc.) to say that he could be the first African-American president of the United States.  For the record, I respect Obama's decision to identify with his African heritage, but I am of the opinion that Obama would be the first biracial President who happens to identify as a black male.  I only say this because I believe when people say Obama is African-American, they totally disregard his white mother and her family.  Obama is the man he is because of his white mother and her parents who basically raised him as a young man in a white household.

When Obama won the Iowa Primary, most black people were stunned that a predominantly white state would vote for someone of color.  The Iowa victory and his strong showing in New Hampshire gave some blacks the courage they needed to support Obama.  For example, Jesse Jackson won 77 percent of the black vote in 1984 and 92 percent of the black vote in 1988.  Currently, Obama is getting numbers close to what Jackson got in 1988.

Despite the support he gets from the majority of black voters, Obama has to be careful of his perception in all segments of the black community.  There are already rumblings from some members of Indiana's black communities that Obama and Hillary Clinton are basically ignoring them while concentrating on courting the blue collar white voters.

Obama is also being watched to see how he handles the Jeremiah Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ controversies.  When Obama denounced Wright yesterday, most people knew he did it for more political reasons than for personal ones.  For Obama to have any chance of making inroads into the white blue-collar vote that Clinton has consistently beat him in he knew he had to strongly denounce Wright.  However, Obama has to be careful how he denounces Wright so as not lose many members of his black voting bloc.  Obama knows that there is a risk that some blacks will think he's just criticizing Wright to appease some white voters.  I believe young black voters are more likely then older black voters to understand why Obama had to give the speech he gave yesterday.   I think older black voters will understand, but will be less likely to forgive him for it.

Obama has to continue to find the balance that allows him to criticize Wright's views while not making it look like he's selling Wright out to white America because he needs their votes. For example, Obama was allegedly criticized by Al Sharpton for trying to "grandstand for white people" by appealing for calm after the controversial verdict in the Sean Bell shooting trial.

Obama is in a delicate situation but he can overcome it by just being himself.  The trouble is I don't know if Obama really knows who he is because I sure don't.  The man is being pulled in all directions by all people on a daily basis.  This is one reason why most people do not run for President of the United States.  I wish him well even though I will not be voting for him in the fall because he's too liberal for my blood.  However, I am willing to overlook the flaws or political leanings of any candidate who would be willing to forgive student loan debts over $50,000.

Obama Better Put A Muzzle On Conyers

Representative John Conyers (D-MI) is still talking about reparations for black people.  The archaic legislator was in North Carolina campaigning for Barack Obama when he began talking about his favorite legislative project.  If Conyers had his way, a commission would be set up to discuss the issue of reparations for descendants of slaves.  It should be noted that Obama has not publicly endorsed this legislation.  There is no way Obama would endorse legislation dealing with the issue of reparations while he is running for President.  He already has enough problems attracting certain groups of white voters as documented in this article written for The New Republic.

I have said it before and I will say it again, black people should forget about reparations.  If reparations were approved, how would you know who to give the money too?  What kind of documentation would people need?  Does Conyers and his supporters realize how many people would be "trying" to pass for black so they could get paid?  If Conyers really wants to do something that will benefit people and stimulate the economy at the same time, he should pass legislation that would erase everybody's student loan debt up to $100,000.  This action would help a lot of people - black, white, asian, etc.

Remember - erase my student loan debt.  That is all the reparations I need.

King's Last 24 Hours In Detail

This magazine details the last 24 hours of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.  According to the details of the time line, King's last hours were spent being happy and reflective.  I also found the actions of the Memphis Police Department very interesting with the placement and removal of police officers at certain times of the day for no apparent reason. You can feel the intensity of race relations at the time with the comments made at some of the meetings depicted.  I believe if someone in 2008 was acting as suspiciously as James Earl Ray was described as acting in this story, I think the police would have detained him for questioning before he could do anything wrong.  Well, at least I hope they would.

This Is How Conspiracies Get Started

It's hard to believe it has been 40 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.  It's also hard to believe that no law enforcement authority never interviewed King's assistant's that were with him at the time he was killed.  Jessie Jackson, Andrew Young, James Bevel, and Samuel Kyles told Time Magazine that they were never interviewed by police.

"Young, Bevel, Jackson and Kyles told TIME that although they witnessed everything that happened, no authority from the Memphis Police, the Tennessee State Police or the FBI have ever asked them a single question".

I had never heard this story before.  However, it now explains why many older blacks do not accept the fact that James Earl Ray shot and killed King by himself.  This is how conspiracies get started.  I know the assassination happened 40 years ago, but how do witnesses to a murder not get interviewed?  This just does not make any sense to me.  I would really like to hear someone explain what happened during the investigation because there is always two sides to a story.

Al Sharpton - You Disgust Me

Al Sharpton ( I refuse to call him Reverend) is at it again.  This time he and the local branch of the NAACP is trying to defend the black teenagers in Florida who committed one of the most horrendous crimes I had ever read about.  Sharpton is trying to compare their case to that of another rape case in Boca Raton which was committed by white teens.  Sharpton says the black and white teens committed the same crime, but law enforcement are not treating them in the same way.  He points out that the white teens were released on bail, whereas the black teens remain in jail.  Sharpton also said, ""To have different reactions to the same set of circumstances is a crime in itself." 

What were the circumstances of the crimes?  Please read the following:

"In the Dunbar Village case, four teens are charged with armed sexual battery for the June crime where they allegedly forced the woman at gunpoint to have sex multiple times, including with her son. Police say the teens then used cleaning agents on the victims afterwards in an attempt to cover their crimes, including stuffing a bar of soap inside the woman. They face possible life in prison."

"In the Boca case, five teens are charged with sexual battery on a helpless person because the then 13- and 14-year-old female victims had downed repeated shots of vodka . According to the teenage boys, at least one of the girls asked in her drunkeness to have sex. Prosecutors recently amended charges so the teens cannot argue consent as a defense. The teens face of a maximum of 30 years in prison."

I don't know how these crimes are similar except that both groups of teens committed rape.  Sharpton has a habit of picking people to defend who do not need defending.  The white and black teens both raped innocent victims and they should be punished appropriately.

However, I have a serious problem with Sharpton and the NAACP standing up for the rights of the accused teens.  The civil rights community should be doing all they can to help the woman and her son who lived through the crime.  The teens who committed this crime are evil people and nothing less.  I do not believe people like this can be rehabilitated.  The mother of one of the accused says her son should not be charged as an adult because he does not have the mind of an adult.  He may not have the mind of an adult, but it's obvious he does not have the mind of a normal decent human being either.

Finally, there are some black women who are not afraid to take on the media created "black leadership".  These ladies have a forum and are effectively using it on a daily basis to criticize Sharpton for his ridiculous grandstanding actions.

I'm also tired of the excuses that parents and other groups make for the criminal behavior exhibited by the black teens in this case.  I already know the excuses - let me see if I can remember some of them:

1) Blame it on slavery - it's always a safe bet to blame it on something that happened over 400 years ago.

2) Blame it on the penal system locking up all of the black males.  The jails have robbed the homes of father figures and role models.  Yeah - right.  I know there are some innocent people in jail, but for the most part these convicts are not role models and not good fathers.

3) Blame the economy and the low paying job.  No excuse - I've been broke before and I have known people without a dime to their name.  None of us tried to rob or kill anyone.

4) Blame the white people.  If this doesn't work, go back to blaming slavery.

5) Blame the media, rap songs and the rap videos.

Forget the excuses.  The problem is people are not raising their children to be productive members of society. If your son is 5 years old and he can recite the lines from the movie, "Menace To Society" and the lyrics to Soulja Boy's, "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" you already have a problem. 

There is "right way" to raise a child, but there are ways that are obviously wrong.

Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Targeting Minorities

The Advocate, a right to life group based on UCLA's campus has been calling Planned Parenthood offices around the country.  The student group believes that Planned Parenthood targets minorities and minority neighborhoods.  An article in the Idaho Statesman desribes how the group called the office of Planned Parenthood of Idaho and had actor say, "he wanted his money used to eliminate black unborn children because "the less black kids out there the better".  The actor went onto also say that he did not want his kids to be at a disadvantage because of affirmative action.  The situation got worse because the Planned Parenthood representative either did not recognize the call as a set up or she just really wanted the donation.  Whatever the reason, Planned Parenthood of Idaho office does not look good in this situation.

I have never heard of this kind of action before.  I also did not know there were people who thought Planned Parenthood targeted minorities.  I guess the pro-life vs. pro-choice war is alive and well. 

It's interesting that the issues of abortion and the appointing of Supreme Court justices has not been talked a lot during this campaign season.  Maybe it's because everyone knows where the candidates stand on the abortion issue and what kind of justices they would appoint.