Politrix are for kids

I was not going to do an entire blog on the Presidents birth certificate controversy, but changed my mind. I will say this, in my opinion he should not have shown them the long form certificate at all. What he did was, legitimize Donald Trump of all people as a viable political rival in 2012. I don't think anybody in their right mind was going to vote for, much less take Sir Combover seriously. Now that he has basically made the President call his bluff, he is taking credit for "Having done a great service to the American people". The thing is, it doesn't matter what President Obama showed these "birthers",(I refuse to capitalize their name) they are never going to allow themselves to see logic and believe he was born in Hawaii .Now Trump wants his academic records from Occidental, and Harvard. Where will it end, with Trump wanting to speak with professors, students and cafeteria workers at those institutions?

Sharon Guthrie, the legislative director for a Texas state representative backing a bill requiring proof of citizenship for presidential ballot access, told Slate.com "What they produced today still says certificate of live birth across the top," . "We want to see a 'birth certificate.' The one that we have that says 'birth certificate' is from Mombasa , Kenya , with his footprint on it. He has still not produced an American birth certificate." Now my question to her is "where is this birth certificate of the President, and where did you get it? Do you really think if John McCain had won the election, they would have made a peep about the fact that he was born in Panama ? That would be a resounding NO! Some people are going to always question his place of birth. Emory University 's Drew Westen, author of the "The Political Brain" and an informal advisor to Obama's 2008 campaign told CNN “the birther issue will continue to be political fodder until a critical mass of Republican leaders decides it's making the GOP look foolish and hurting the party among independent voters.”

There will always be controversy surrounding presidents. There will always be fringe people who believe The Clinton's had Vince Foster killed,that baby Bush knew beforehand or even orchestrated 911 and that Lyndon Johnson had a hand in the Kennedy assassination etc. Do not forget that the media plays a hand in this. If they would not report the rubbish nobody would pay attention. I watched the major news networks yesterday FOX; MSNBC and CNN after the President released his birth certificate. They all asked the question "Will this be the end of the controversy?" They all then proceeded to say "We will be right back with our panel of experts to discuss it". Now how redundant is that? Don't be distracted by wedge issues. When people started questioning the war in Iraq , they used Gay marriage as a wedge issue. When people start to question the price of gas, the loss of jobs and homes, they reignite an issue that was only being supported by a bunch of loonies. They are afraid of the black man in office and will believe anything to discredit him…facts be damned. I leave you with this quote from our second president John Adams "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence".

Politics as usual

Last year Roy Ashburn was arrested on DUI charges after leaving a gay nightclub near the Capitol. Ashburn a California Republican state senator who consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in statewide office, came out in an interview with KERN radio in Bakersfield, Ashburn said he felt compelled to address rumors "I am gay those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long," Ashburn told conservative talk show host Inga Barks. The 55-year-old father of four said he had tried to keep his personal life separate from his professional life until his March 3, 2010 arrest. Ashburn had voted against a number of gay rights measures, including efforts to expand anti-discrimination laws and recognize out-of-state gay marriages. In 2009, he opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honor slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Last year, he opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honor slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. A group that advocates for expanded gay rights and other issues Equality California said it consistently gave Ashburn a 0 rating on its scorecard. The senator did say however that his voting record reflected how his constituents wanted him to vote. I always thought you voted on what you felt was right. I guess if your constituents want you to vote against your lifestyle and what you believe in, in the interest of political expediency and self hatred you will go along with it.

The names are running jokes now Larry Craig who was arrested in 2007 for allegedly attempting to solicit sex in a Minneapolis International Airport bathroom from an undercover officer. According to the police report, Sgt. Dave Karsnia, who was investigating allegations of illicit sexual activity in the airport men’s room, entered a bathroom stall on June 11. Craig entered the adjacent stall and then began to “send signals” to Karsnia that he wanted to engage in sexual activity. He of course resigned to "weigh his options". Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned in 2006 after questionable IM's he sent to a 16 year congressional page surfaced. Bob Allen, Florida Chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign and a Member of the House of Representatives, offered an undercover officer $20 to blow the officer. Allen was one of 21 Florida legislators to sign Gov. Jeb Bush’s friend of the court brief supporting the state’s ban on gays adopting children. 2007 Glenn Murphy Jr National Chairman of the Young Republicans, Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, got a fellow Young Republican drunk and then spent the night at his house. The Young Republican woke up to find Murphy performing fellatio on him. Murphy was a well-paid political consultant for Republican candidates and advised them to use gay marriage as a wedge issue to paint their opponents as out of touch with traditional values.

We hear about these stories all the time. I will reiterate this is not about anyone’s sexual preference; it's about the hypocrisy in society. The same pervasive message in Hip Hop that being Gay is something to be ashamed of, even though they promote a homosexual agenda on the downlow (pun intended) is the same Hypocrisy in the church. You have affluent preachers, Bishops and pastors denigrating the sins of homosexuality, yet engaging in homosexual acts. The politicians, who we vote into office, that vote for and introduce legislation against same sex marriage,same sex benefits and gay adoptions, are no better. We have to hold them up to a different standard, they are here to represent the people and some of the people are gay. It would not be that bad if they were not so vociferous in their opposition to a gay lifestyle, yet live one. If you can't be true to yourself, how you can be true to the people who put you in office? There are a number of openly gay politicians Barny Frank, Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, Steve Gunderson to name a few. Who have been honest and mostly open about their sexual preferences. Not all of them have the same views on same sex marriages or even "don't ask don't tell', but at least they admit who they are. The problems I have are with the ones who keep it in the closet, but try to tell me about family values. Don’t think I have left out the straight politicians who also preach family values, but sleep around. That is for another blog, on another day. So until next week, I leave you with this "The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity." ~André Gide, 1947 Nobel Prize winner for literature

Road to Damascus

2006 Ted Haggard resigned as National Evangelical Association president, where he had clout in Washington and condemned homosexuality on a regular basis, after Mike Jones...Who!? Mike Jones!! A male escort, not to be confused with the Houston rapper, claimed to have had drug-fueled homosexual trysts with him. Haggard placed himself on administrative leave from the 14,000-member New Life Church, which he founded in the 1980s.He was eventually fired by the Overseer Board of the church. Haggard of course denied the allegations at first, but finally admitted to masturbating, massages and methamphetamine use with Jones. Of course his role in the Christian Evangelical movement, where he was a major player with influence over an estimated 34 million members, was downplayed during the scandal by the likes of James Dobson and Pat Robertson. Also in 2006 the Rev. Paul Barnes of Grace Chapel in Douglas County CO, preached to his 2,100-member congregation about integrity and grace in the aftermath of the Ted Haggard drugs-and-gay-sex scandal. Barnes ended up joining Haggard as a fallen evangelical minister. He also preached that homosexuality was a sin but grappled with a hidden life. "I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy," Barnes said at the time in a 32- minute video to his congregation. “I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away." Now unlike Haggard, who had White House connections, Barnes was not a household name outside of Colorado. In a recent GQ profile, Haggard addresses the continued assumptions that he's gay, saying "I think that probably, if I were 21 in this society, I would identify myself as a bisexual."How noble of you

2010 George Rekers a Christian leader who co-founded the Family Research Council with evangelist James Dobson,yes the same James Dobson from 2006 who downplayed Ted Haggard’s involvement with the evangelical Christian movement once his escapades came to light, took a ten-day European vacation with a callboy he met through RentBoy.com. He was caught in an airport with the escort by a Miami newspaper. The escort said he had met the professor of Neuro-psychiatry and Behavioral Science, on RentBoy.com (a gay escort service). Rekers didn't deny that he'd met the callboy online, but said he had hired him to help him carry his baggage. Said Rekers "I had surgery, and I can't lift luggage. That's why I hired him." If you say so. Then we have Bishop Eddie Long ...you knew it was coming (no pun intended), a married father of four has been an outspoken opponent of gay marriage at his Mega church. His church counsels gay members to become straight. He was sued in September by four young men from his congregation for claims of sexual misconduct. The young men say he enticed them with trips to exotic locales, cars, jewelry and money. They say he targeted them after they enrolled in the Long Fellows Youth Academy, a program at the church that taught teens about sexual, physical and financial discipline. The Bishop stated he would fight the lawsuits in court, and promised in church sermons he would not let the legal troubles prevent him from doing his job. His attorney has denied the allegations on his behalf. For his part Long stated “I feel like David against Goliath, “But I got five rocks, and I haven’t thrown one yet.” The young men's attorney says she plans to subpoena records from Long that will show he traveled with the young men to New Zealand and elsewhere, which is not a crime. Long, said in documents that he often encouraged New Birth Missionary Church members to call him “daddy” and even “granddaddy,” as a sign of respect. Now I don't know about you, but the only men I have ever or will ever call daddy or granddaddy are my daddy and granddaddy. That sounds like a Pimp telling his ho how to address him. Long did admit that he sometimes shares rooms with some of his parishioners on trips. He also admitted to giving the plaintiffs gifts, he said he often provided many members of his church with financial assistance. Long became one of the nation’s most powerful church leaders over the past two decades, transforming a suburban Atlanta congregation of 150 into a powerhouse of 25,000 members that includes high-profile athletes, entertainers and politicians.

Stories like this happen everyday. People in these positions of authority who are supposed to be leaders of men, the moral backbone of the community, above reproach are being outed as wolves in sheep's clothing. The point is these men preach against homosexuality, gay marriage and a gay lifestyle in general vehemently. They use bible scripture to promote their own agenda and then live a lie. Once they are caught then all of a sudden they have a problem they have been wrestling with their entire life. The hypocrisy is appalling. I don't know how the Eddie Long saga will play out, but usually where there is smoke there is fire. My opinion, and this is "Opinionated" after all, is that it will be settled out of court with hush money, a gag order and no public admission of guilt. I just want to know why a grown man is texting pics of himself, in the bathroom wearing a tight muscle shirt and biker shorts to teenage boys? I'm just saying. This blog is not to demonize them for being gay or allegedly gay; it's about the forked tongues they speak with. The people they have influenced to hate gays or make people think they can be "cured" of who they are. They rail against same sex relationships and gay marriages based on Bible scripture, ignorance and their own self hatred. To learn more about this issue, read "Snakes in The Pulpit" by Reuben Armstrong. I will be back next week with the 3rd and final installment in this blog series entitled Homosexuality and Hypocrisy from Hip Hop to the ballot box. Remember "what's done in the dark, will always comes to light."

Express yourself!!!

By now I'm sure you have all heard about HOT 97 DJ Mr C being arrested last week for receiving oral sex from a transvestite prostitute. With his nickname being "The Finisher", the jokes were fast and furious. Some were funny "Did the Finisher... Not finish?" Some corny "He needs to change his name to Mr Sis-Cee". The underlying message from people not in the industry was that he is finished as a successful DJ. Of coure when situations like this happen the accused follows one of the age old defenses; a)it wasn't me or b) that's not what happened and the truth will come out etc. I personally don't care about anyones sexual preference. Who you love, who you sleep with is your business. I do think people should be more discreet with how they handle their business. If that is what you like, get a room don't sit in your car in broad daylight two blocks from the Holland Tunnel. Be smart .
This is not the first time we have heard about a Hip Hop personality being caught with or supposedly looking for a transvestite prostitute. Rapper/Pastor Mase was involved in an incident in 2007,The rapper turned minister was involved in an accident in Atlanta, GA. According to the young lady involved in the accident, Mase, while making an illegal right hand turn, struck her Range Rover as she was traveling on Spring St. towards North Avenue.According to witnesses , Mase had circled the block 6 times trying to pick up a transvestite in the area. After the accident, Mase remained in his vehicle with a towel over his head. The police officer working the accident supposedly demanded several times that Mase step out of the car or roll down the window. Witnesses say that Mase remained seated in the car while it was being towed.
I will reiterate this is not about anyones sexual preference.Whether you are in a gay or straight relationship you deal with the same issues, trust, infidelity, communication etc. This is about the contradictory messages in the music. It's okay to promote videos like "Pop Champagne"
which have overtly homoerotic overtones but then to turn around and use the most deragatory lyrics you can on records is hypocritical. The most disrespectful thing you can call an MC after snitch,is gay. Based on real world statistics both of those designations are well represented in Hip Hop and the world at large. So why won't Hip Hop embrace homosexuality openly? With the new media platforms popping up everyday from social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook etc , Will we eventually see an openly gay (male) MC/producer/DJ in the near future ? There are more questions than answers this week. I am doing a Blog series on Homosexuality in our world. This is the first one ,so feedback is appreciated. I will leave you with the words of Bayard Rustin "Bigotrys birthplace is the sinister backroom of the mind where plots and schemes are hatched for the persecution and oppression of other human beings."

Must be the money

Two lawsuits emerged this week alleging Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant owes more than $850,000 from jewelry and tickets to sporting events purchased on credit, as well as unpaid loans. David Wells, adviser to Bryant, said Wednesday the Cowboys player wants to repay his massive debts. "We'll get them all settled and dealt with," Wells said Wednesday. "We want to move on, that's what we want to do. We're working on it."Wells said the experience has weighed on Bryant. The lockout between the NFL and the players' association is about to enter its third week. Because of these lawsuits,and run ins with mall security, the perception is that Bryant is struggling financially ,irresponsible and immature. Bryant made $2.8 million in base salary and bonuses this past season. He also received $50,000 from Under Armour and other income from personal appearances. Bryant is scheduled to receive a base salary of $1.1 million this year with a $1 million roster bonus. He can't receive the bonus until the lockout ends. He will receive his base salary over a 17-week span starting in September. He is by no means broke, but he is definitley living beyond his means.


Details emerged this week about rapper Foxy Brown's alleged temper tantrum aboard a Caribbean cruise with Tom Joyner this month .Passengers on the cruise told TMZ, Foxy set up a nail appointment on the cruise ship .She then proceeded to show up three hours late. They told Brown they couldn't accommodate her when she strolled in. Foxy went completely ballistic. According to sources, security removed her from the salon and sent her back to her room. She remained in her room under supervision for two days.When the ship dropped anchor somewhere in the Cayman Islands the authorities kicked her off. Foxy was then escorted to an airport and flown home. Foxy has had numerous run ins with beauty salon employees, neighbors and also served 8 months in prison. She has not had a hit record in about 15 years,but still feels that she is entitled to be treated like a "star".



You look at these two situation and say "What does one have to do with the other"? On the surface nothing, you have to look deeper. They are two sides of the same coin. Two self indulgent individuals,whose entire worldview is me, me, me. Before Dez Bryant caught an NFL pass, before he was even out of college, he was suspended his senior year of eligibility for lying about having dinner at Deon Sanders house. Now that in and of itself was not that bad. You add his run in with mall cops a week ago,and this wanting to shine before it's time,this could be BET movie. Both of these stories are cautionary tales of money and celebrity too early. Foxy caught a case,went deaf and now performs at proms.While still trying to"battle" Lil Kim. Let's hope Dez doesn't marry a blonde and move to Brentwood ,or try to make it rain during an illegal dogfight. Most of all let's hope he doesn't start rapping about "Must be the money".

Give us free!!!

First an foremost I would like to send my prayers out to the people of Japan during this trying time.Now let's get right to it. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Petersen caught a case of "foot in mouth" disease the other day.While being interviewed by Doug Farrar of yahoo.com "Shutdown Corner" he stated that the current labor dispute going on between the NFL owners and Players was akin to "modern day slavery".Here is part of the exchange;

AP: We're business-minded, also. It's not just fun and games. A lot of football players, whether it's Sunday or Monday night — we're out there on the field, competing, hitting each other. But people don't see everything else behind it. It's a job for us, too — every day of the week. We're in different states, sometimes thousands of miles away from our families and kids, and a lot of people don't look at it like that.

SC: It's nothing that I haven't heard from other players, believe me.

AP: It's modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too.

I don't think he meant that literally in the context of braving The Middle Passage and working for tattered clothes and grits.I don't know the man, so I can't say.I will however wait for the inevitable apology and clarification. The thing is, he was not that far off. I had a conversation with a good friend of mine about his comment.This is a condensed version of of what he thought "Of course his comment was way off base. I mean, how can a millionaire use the word slavery? That doesn't even make sense. Look, these guys get paid millions of dollars to play a game. MILLIONS. so to infer that the players are slaves or they make slave wages or they are treated like slaves, or just even mention the thought of slavery is asinine. Remember, these players agreed to play this game.Nobody is forcing them to play".That has been the major consensus across the board. Quit crying and play!

Every year the best college football players are invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indiana.Executives, coaches, scouts and doctors from all 32 NFL teams conduct an intense, four-day job interview in advance of the NFL Draft. Here is a brief breakdown of the skills they measure The 40-yard dash which is about about speed, explosion and seeing who can run the fastest. The bench press is a test of strength and endurance .The vertical jump which is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach.These are just a few.They also administer the 50-question Wonderlic test to all prospects, the test’s supporters believe that it can measure how mentally prepared a player is to handle the NFL’s demands. A high score say 20 is considered average. The standard is closer to 25 for positions that require quick thought, such as quarterback.A high score can solidify a player as a can’t-miss draft pick. A low score is seen as a red flag that can overshadow a player’s physical ability.This is from a slave auction in 1859 .Replace "slaves" with "players" and "buyers" with "teams". "The slaves were brought in early so that buyers who desired to inspect them might enjoy that privilege, although none of them were sold at private sale. The slaves were examined with as little consideration as if they had been brutes indeed; the buyers pulling their mouths open to see their teeth, pinching their limbs to find how muscular they were, walking them up and down to detect any signs of lameness, making them stoop and bend in different ways that they might be certain there was no concealed rupture or wound; and in addition to all this treatment, asking them scores of questions relative to their qualifications and accomplishments."Hmmm... NFL Combine anyone??

I am by no means making light of Slavery at all.The correlation between the two cannot just be ignored, or written off as the ignorant ramblings of a spoiled athlete. Before free agency, players were treated like property/slaves. They could be traded(sold literally) to another team (plantation,)uprooted from wife,kids and a city they had grown accustomed too. They are paid handsomely to play a sport. Now for those saying "come work at my job",don't get mad at the "slave" for feeling undervalued. Your job doesn't generate billions in revenue from TV,merchandising, or concessions . Think about this, if your job had a three and a half year career window, you would be trying to get as much compensation as you could. I will admit using the term slavery may have been a bit harsh.Especially when you are scheduled to make over 10 mill next year...but how much is Massa going to make off the sweat of these big bucks ? A lot more than 10 million. If you really want a better understanding of the sports and slavery connection read "$40 Million Dollar Slave" by William Rhoden "How sports stardom has brought black athletes wealth without progress and prosperity without freedom."review By Elizabeth Gettelman.So I sign off with the words of Cinque "Give us Free!!"

Back to the Future...again

Hollywood superstar Matt Damon has said that he is disappointed with Barack Obama.Damon had gone all out in support of Obama during the 2008 elections, but apparently the honeymoon is over.During an appearance on the CNN show ''Piers Morgan Tonight'', the Oscar winning actor said that Obama "misinterpreted his mandate" and that he "definitely wanted more" from the President. When asked about Obama''s role in the Afghanistan war effort, Damon said, "I don''t think the mission there has been very well articulated. And I think it would help to kind of reframe the way we''re thinking about being there and why we''re there." Damon is among a growing list of celebrities ,Barbara Streisand,Jay Z to name a few who have grown a bit disenchanted with our President. I usually don't take celebrities seriously when it comes to politics, or anything else outside of their chosen craft . This time I can feel their pain ...to some extent .

I voted for Obama, and still support him.I just have an issue with the way he has handled certain situations (Henry Louis Gates, Shirley Sherrod) and campaign promises,closing Guantanamo and ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan etc. I have written previous blogs about the Obama experience, Back to The Future and Back to the Future II. I along with everyone else was caught up in the Hope and Change rhetoric. So caught up in fact that we all expected Obama to, "Hop out the boat, so he could walk on water".When it became apparent that Obama was not a savior, but a man faced with a very difficult job,perceptions changed. People who voted for him usually fall into two categories . They either feel he has not done enough of what he promised and has not lived up to expectations, or he has done the best he can, with the hand he was dealt. I fall in between. He has done okay with the hand he was dealt, but there is lot more that he can do and should be doing.

Lets get the facts correct. According to Politifact.com of the more than 500 promises made by Obama on the campaign trail 134 have been kept, among them a repeal of "Don't ask, Don't tell" ,establishing a Credit card bill of rights and the big one Universal health care. 39 promises have been outright broken, among them "Repeal of the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes" and as we just learned, he will not "Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center" which was opened after the illegal war on terrorism during the Bush Presidency.The reason people want it closed is some of the people being held there have not been charged with a crime and may never be charged with a crime.They may be held indefinitely wth no evidence whatsoever.The proposed closing was one of his major campaign promises. 220 of his promises are in the works and 41 he has compromised on. That is not a bad percentage of kept promises to say the least, since most politicians make promises they can't deliver, nor do they try.

We expected him to be different because he looked like us,played basketball like us and listened to our music, plus "he spoke so well,he is so well spoken". Add that to the fact that he was an intellectual from Harvard, and after 8 years of idiocy from Baby Bush we couldn't wait to vote him into office. Like I have said previously, he could show some more spine when dealing with the opposition,whether it's Republicans or members of his own party. Obama fanatics that think any critique of the President is racist if they are not black, an Uncle Tom sellout if they are,is the real sellout.You let color blind you to high unemployment rates, high gas prices,a falling economy and lowered morale. Do I think it's all on Obama no, but he wanted the job.Let's see if he wants it for another 4 years. Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it.