Blasphemy

I mentioned this to G.D. and on my Facebook status update yesterday: LeBron's best might be better than MJ's best. Really.

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Keeping quiet

Quite purposefully, I have not had much to say about President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court or the subsequent - and predictable - conservative meltdown.

Maybe it's because I honestly don't know what to say. Maybe the crazy coming from the Right has been a bit overwhelming. Or maybe Sotomayor's credentials simply speak for themselves.

Hilzoy, as usual, has her finger on my pulse:

Both Gandhi and the Civil Rights movement made brilliant use of the following method: you do something right, which you suspect might lead your opponents to do something wrong. If you are right about them, they discredit themselves, without your having to lift a finger. If you're wrong, you are pleasantly surprised. But you do not have to do anything wrong or underhanded yourself, nor do you in any way have to hope that your opponents are bad people.

As Hilzoy notes, it would be wonderful if there was a reasonable opposition party in the U.S. But it would also be nice if I got a unicorn for my birthday. Continue Reading »

The Latino KKK?

Maybe "noted bigot" Tom Tancredo has confused Sonia Sotomayor with Kid Frost:

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Vacation

I'm on it, peeps.

I'll be checking in every now and again ... goodness knows, I can't stay off the computer or stop running my mouth. But I need a break and I need to be a good host to my folks.

I'll be back to regular posting next Wednesday. Until then, be wonderful to each other. But don't be surprised if I pop in during the break.

Deuces. Continue Reading »

Please, stop saying that

Rev. Al Sharpton: "the voice of black America." Continue Reading »

What to remember on Memorial Day

On this day, I would like to express gratitude for the hundreds of thousands of veterans - including my father, late grandfather and a number of uncles - who risked or gave their lives in defense of our country.

With that in mind, the Center for American Progress has compiled some data showing that we're really not doing all we can to honor our veterans and their service. Here's some of the more eye-opening stats:

– 338,000 or almost one in five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, or major depression as of January 2009.

– Yet only 53 percent suffering from PTSD or major depression have seen a physician or mental health provider.

– 154,000 veterans were homeless on any given night in 2007, and 300,000 were homeless at some point during that year.

– One-third of homeless Americans are veterans, even though only one-tenth of all adults are veterans.

– Foreclosure rates in military towns were increasing at four times the national average in last year.

Of course, this is not going to get better anytime soon. But it's about time we start working harder to remedy the situation.

Also, I'm not sure that I agree with President Obama's decision to uphold tradition and honor Confederate soldiers. But ... sigh ... I understand. On the flip side, it was a great touch to send a wreath to a memorial honoring black soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

Like a lot of people, I'll just have to remember that he's president of the U.S. and not president of Black America.

Post-script: Oliver Willis gets off the line of the day regarding the Confederate War memorial: "We should build a shopping mall there." Oliver FTW!

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Bamboozled

I've seen enough of the promos between NBA playoff games to finally ask the question: How is Meet the Browns not a prime-time example of coonery?



Also, Tyler Perry is not fulfilling the dream.

Where are the Mau-Maus when you need them? Continue Reading »

Rain, go away

With my parents set to arrive in town Tuesday, I'm hoping the string of thunderstorms that have settled over the Tampa Bay area for the past week are ready to move on. The Weather Channel's forecast for the next 10 days does not inspire much hope.

That's just life in Florida from May to August. But nothing is going to keep us from the beach.

Anyway, to chase away those gathering storm clouds over my dome, I came up with a list of my five favorite songs about the rain. Enjoy:

1. I Wish it Would Rain by The Temptations.



2. Rain by SWV.

3. In the Rain by Xscape (I probably would have gone with the original by The Dramatics but there wasn't a decent video or audio recording available).

4. Can You Stand the Rain? by New Edition.

5. The Rain by Oran Juice Jones. (I'm very, very upset that this video couldn't be embedded, by the way).

Until then, you know what you gotta do? You gotta get on outta here with that alley-cat-coat-wearing, punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake I saw you with. Cause you dismissed! Continue Reading »