Dear friends.
The final debate, at least to me, was one that stuck to domestic issues, almost entirely. The questions asked by the moderator, I found to be far better than the two previous ones (i.e., debates) by the other networks…
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Dear friends.
The final debate, at least to me, was one that stuck to domestic issues, almost entirely. The questions asked by the moderator, I found to be far better than the two previous ones (i.e., debates) by the other networks…
John McCain’s strategy began with him speaking to the “little man”, as it were. He was disingenuous, if not deceitful. “Joe the plumber” is not doing so bad economically. This is a man, after all, who wants to buy a plumbing company.
As someone who has owned his own business, albeit fairly small, for most of my adult life (beginning at 18 years-old), I can tell you that the normal sale of a business is ten times the annual income of that business. That means that if a business makes about $500,000 per year, then one needs a loan of $5,000,000 to secure the aforementioned enterprise. Yet, with no more than three or four licensed plumbers, that is a very, very small plumbing business (I have a boxing student who has twenty-five plumbers working for him).
Please do not forget the cost of equipment, trucks, an office, a secretary, along with an accountant – and maybe a lawyer. That does not include rent or mortgage for the office, taxes, and other expenditures. [Note: Retaining a lawyer in such a business is extremely important, as , occasionally, customers make complaints (often times unwarranted), in any small business. For whatever reasons, even if someone just wants a refund in a small claims court. However, many small businesses take their chances in such a legal circumstance and go to court themselves, avoiding a lawyer’s fee. This is especially true of landlords (especially slumlords), for instance.]
In any case, no bank of which I am aware would ever lend such money ($5,000,000), unless they had proof of the seller’s income, as well as the buyer’s assets, because there would have to be a balance sheet that had been drawn up by a certified public accountant (CPA), in order for a bank manager to even consider loaning this type of money. This is not like buying a house. Joe wants to buy an existing, money-making establishment. In other words, because the bank officer is not loaning money to buy a house (a definite asset that the bank can recover if there is a foreclosure), he or she is not interested in “credit references”. Available assets are the only concern of moment - for the purpose of collateral.
What that means is: “Joe the plumber” is far from being a struggling entrepreneur. After all, he did work for these people for twenty years, as McCain mentioned. Moreover, once again, McCain seemed to be showing his absolute disdain for the ordinary American who has no idea of what I just stated above about “Joe the plumber”. Neither did Senator Obama, apparently – nor even McCain, perhaps, for that matter. Who knows? Maybe, that is what his (McCain’s) “advisers” told him to say. If Obama had known, nonetheless, then he would have been able to put that argument to rest the very first time that McCain brought it up. Instead, we had to hear about “Joe”, all evening. Any experienced businessperson, however, was laughing at McCain’s portrayal of Joe’s “predicament”.
Next, when they did move to foreign policy, McCain’s support of lawless Columbia is shameful. Back in 1997, I was invited to deliver a paper at a conference on Caribbean culture in Barranquilla, Columbia, as I had done the year before in Kingston, Jamaica. However, only a few weeks before my date in Barranquilla, I decided not to go, and, instead, sent the paper to my contact there via US mail, after a dear friend of mine told me a story about his experience there (in Barranquilla) where he was told to strip naked in public, downtown, mind you, by five machine gun-toting police officers/soldiers, after he had simply reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, while asking a native a simple question. (The nonsensical excuse by the brutes for the strip-search was, allegedly, because they thought he had just bought drugs.) That was a lie. He exchanged nothing with the person. It was just because he was an American. I can tell you more horror stories about Americans in Columbia, as well as those from Columbia will tell you about Columbia. McCain calls that country a “dear” ally. Puhleez!
McCain really trumped himself when he came out against Roe vs. Wade though. That did him in; he is done, done, done. He will definitely lose the election now. His choice of Sarah Palin has become more obvious. Even though he danced around the question regarding his support of a future Supreme Court justice, he made it clear that he will not just be satisfied winning this election. Rather, he wants to turn back the clock.
Finally, Senator Barack Obama was far more clear and specific about what he intended to do. Yet, his winning the election will only be the beginning. We must all continue working for a better society. People make the economy, and people make the history. We must build our communities, so that they are loving, productive, and prosperous. Except for scattered examples between the mid-19th and early 20th Centuries, before the government became so centralized, communities here have never been that way. There is no reason to turn back in the other direction. Let us move forward on November 4th.
G. Djata Bumpus
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Friday, October 17, 2008
Senator Obama Roasting Senator McCain
Humor as a way of understanding life's contradictions can be any combination of information, entertainment, or empowerment..
Dear friends,
Here's a clip (if you have not seen it yet) from "You Tube" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk5YJkhizRs that you can also catch on "Comedy Secrets" at http://www.comedysecrets.blogspot.com/ ( a link that also shows McCain roasting Obama at the same dinner program in New York City), it is really funny stuff. :-)
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
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Dear friends,
Here's a clip (if you have not seen it yet) from "You Tube" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk5YJkhizRs that you can also catch on "Comedy Secrets" at http://www.comedysecrets.blogspot.com/ ( a link that also shows McCain roasting Obama at the same dinner program in New York City), it is really funny stuff. :-)
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
Read full post
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Martin on Questioning Palin
For all of the kudos that she has been receiving, have we really heard much about Sarah Palin's views as they relate to her actual life experiences?
Dear friends,
Since the debating is now over, but the campaign is not, Roland Martin reminds us of the need to remember the fact that Palin is only a heart beat away from office, theoretically. Please check out the info on the link below.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/martin.campaign/index.html
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Smith on Gold Relationships
Currently, all we have been hearing is bad news about the economy. Yet, even during the Depression, there were those who made a lot of cash...
Dear friends,
One of the great mysteries of the current "financial crisis", at least, so it seems to me, involves the question: When a company fails and needs a government bailout, why is it that the executives who were in charge of the failed enterprise remain highly compensated?
With the excellent piece on the link below, Elm Smith of the Philadelphia Daily News tries to help us have a little more clarity, concerning this abovementioned matter.
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20081010_Elmer_Smith__Failed_execs_get_the_lollipop__laid-off_workers_get_the_stick.html?adString=pdn.news/local;!category=local;&randomOrd=101008061819
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A Black Woman, Star Jones, speaks...
Dear friends,
When Don Imus called members of Rutgers' University basketball team, "Nappy-headed hoes", there should have been a letter - like the one below - sent to him and the main stream media by someone with celebrity - like the writer of the aforementioned missive...
Instead, Imus colluded with Reverends Al Sharlton and Jesse Jackson (the Endored Spokesmen for Blacks) to make it seem as if the comments were directed towards eight young women who Imus did not even know. Then, my feeling was: Imus was attacking ALL Black women. Unfortunately, the spin was: He was talking badly about those young girls.
In any case, I am glad that, at least now, someone with "celebrity" has finally come out, when an African American woman is attacked. Hopefully, this will start a new trend among African American women - and men.
Growing up in the Movement, back in the Sizties, I watched and particpated in a cause where men were given credit for the accomplishments. Yet, in spite of his scholarship and oratory skills, I am not aware of Martin King or any of those guys ever leafleting doors about boycotts and rallies, or any of them having put a single person on a bus. (Please see "Ain't I a Woman" by Belle Hookes aka Gloria Watkins)
Worse yet, when Michelle Obama had an opportunity to articualate her statement of being "proud" of this country on the "View", she blew it, undoubtedly following the direction of her husband's largely non-African American campaign managers. But this election is about "us", not the Obamas. THat is, they will get in because of us. Our votes are not marginal.
At any rate, below is the Star Jones letter that was forwarded to me just yesterday from a friend via e-mail.
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
*******************************************
Star Jones Reynolds responds to Bill O'Reilly/Fox News about MichelleObama! Worth reading... Below is Star Jones' informed and provocative response to Bill O'Reilly's comment about 'having a lynching party for MichelleObama if he finds out that she truly has no pride in her country.'
Bill O'Reilly said: 'I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this ishow the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels - that is abad country or a flawed nation, whatever - then that's legit. We'll track it down.'
Star said: 'I'm sick to death of people like Fox News host, Bill O'Reilly, and his ilk thinking that he can use a racial slur against a Black woman who could be the next First Lady of the United States , give a half-assed apology and not be taken to task and called on his crap. What the hell? If it's 'legit,' you're going to 'track it down?' And then what do you plan to do?
How dare this white man with a microphone and the trust of the public think that in 2008, he can still put the words 'lynch and party' together in the same sentence with reference to a Black woman; in this case, Michelle Obama? I don't care how you 'spin it' in the 'no spin zone,' that statement in and of itself is racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level.
O'Reilly claims his comments were taken out of context. Please don't insult my intelligence while you're insulting me. I've read the comments and heard them delivered in O'Reilly's own voice; and there is no right context that exists. So, his insincere apology and 'out-of-context' excuse are not going to cut it with me.
And just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the 2008 presidential election, me being a Democrat, him claiming to be Independent while talking Republican, the liberal media or a conservative point of view. To the contrary, this is about crossing a line in the sand that needs to be drawn based on history, dignity, taste and truth.
Bill, I'm not sure of where you come from, but let me tell you what the phrase 'lynching party' conjures up to me, a Black woman born in North Carolina . Those words depict the image of a group of white men who are angry with the state of their own lives, getting together, drinking more than they need to drink, lamenting how some Black person has moved forward (usually ahead of them in stature or dignity), and had the audacity to think that they are equal.
These same men for years, instead of looking at what changes they should and could make in their own lives that might remove that bitterness born of perceived privilege, these white men take all of that resentment and anger and decide to get together and drag the closest Black person near them to their death by hanging them from a tree - usually after violent beating, torturing andviolating their human dignity. Check your history books, because you don't need a masters or a law degree from Harvard to know that is what constitutes a 'lynching party.'
Imagine, Michelle and Barack Obama having the audacity to think that they have the right to the American dream, hopes, and ideals. O'Reilly must think to himself: 'How dare they have the arrogance to think they can stand in front of this nation, challenge the status quo and express the frustration of millions?' When this happens, the first thing that comes to mind for O'Reilly and people like him is: 'it's time for a party.'
Not so fast...don't order the rope just yet. Would O'Reilly ever in a million years use this phrase with reference to Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy McCain or Judi Nathan? I mean, in all of the statements and criticisms that were made about Judi Nathan, the one-time mistress turned missus, of former presidential candidate RudyGiuliani, I never heard any talk of forming a lynch party because of something she said or did. So why is it that when you're referring to someone who's African-American you must dig to a historical place of pain, agony and death to symbolize your feelings?
Lynching is not a joke to off-handedly throw around and it is not a metaphor that has a place in political commentary; provocative or otherwise. I admit that I come from a place of personal outrage here having buried my 90 year-old grandfather last year. This proud, amazing African-American man raised his family and lived through the time when he had to use separate water fountains, ride in the back of a bus, take his wife on a date to the 'colored section' of a movie theater, and avert his eyes when a white woman walked down the street for fear of what a white man and his cronies might do if they felt the urge to 'party'; don't tell me that the phrase you chose, Mr. O'Reilly, was taken out of context. To add insult to injury, O'Reilly tried to 'clarify' his statements, by using the excuse that his comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the term 'high-tech lynching' during his confirmation hearing. I reject that analogy. You see JusticeThomas did mean to bring up the image of lynching in its racist context. He was saying that politics and the media were using a new technology to do to him what had been done to Black men for many years-- hang him. Regardless of if you agreed with Justice Thomas' premise or not, if in fact ---Bill O'Reilly was referencing it the context becomes even clearer.
What annoys me more than anything is that I get the feeling that one of the reasons Bill O'Reilly made this statement, thinking he could get away with it in the first place, and then followed it up with a lame apology in a half-hearted attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers, is because he doesn't think that Black women will come out and go after him when he goes after us. Well, he's dead wrong. Be clear Bill O'Reilly: there will be no lynch party for that Black woman. And this Black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for all of us.'
Star Jones Reynolds
Read full post
When Don Imus called members of Rutgers' University basketball team, "Nappy-headed hoes", there should have been a letter - like the one below - sent to him and the main stream media by someone with celebrity - like the writer of the aforementioned missive...
Instead, Imus colluded with Reverends Al Sharlton and Jesse Jackson (the Endored Spokesmen for Blacks) to make it seem as if the comments were directed towards eight young women who Imus did not even know. Then, my feeling was: Imus was attacking ALL Black women. Unfortunately, the spin was: He was talking badly about those young girls.
In any case, I am glad that, at least now, someone with "celebrity" has finally come out, when an African American woman is attacked. Hopefully, this will start a new trend among African American women - and men.
Growing up in the Movement, back in the Sizties, I watched and particpated in a cause where men were given credit for the accomplishments. Yet, in spite of his scholarship and oratory skills, I am not aware of Martin King or any of those guys ever leafleting doors about boycotts and rallies, or any of them having put a single person on a bus. (Please see "Ain't I a Woman" by Belle Hookes aka Gloria Watkins)
Worse yet, when Michelle Obama had an opportunity to articualate her statement of being "proud" of this country on the "View", she blew it, undoubtedly following the direction of her husband's largely non-African American campaign managers. But this election is about "us", not the Obamas. THat is, they will get in because of us. Our votes are not marginal.
At any rate, below is the Star Jones letter that was forwarded to me just yesterday from a friend via e-mail.
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
*******************************************
Star Jones Reynolds responds to Bill O'Reilly/Fox News about MichelleObama! Worth reading... Below is Star Jones' informed and provocative response to Bill O'Reilly's comment about 'having a lynching party for MichelleObama if he finds out that she truly has no pride in her country.'
Bill O'Reilly said: 'I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this ishow the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels - that is abad country or a flawed nation, whatever - then that's legit. We'll track it down.'
Star said: 'I'm sick to death of people like Fox News host, Bill O'Reilly, and his ilk thinking that he can use a racial slur against a Black woman who could be the next First Lady of the United States , give a half-assed apology and not be taken to task and called on his crap. What the hell? If it's 'legit,' you're going to 'track it down?' And then what do you plan to do?
How dare this white man with a microphone and the trust of the public think that in 2008, he can still put the words 'lynch and party' together in the same sentence with reference to a Black woman; in this case, Michelle Obama? I don't care how you 'spin it' in the 'no spin zone,' that statement in and of itself is racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level.
O'Reilly claims his comments were taken out of context. Please don't insult my intelligence while you're insulting me. I've read the comments and heard them delivered in O'Reilly's own voice; and there is no right context that exists. So, his insincere apology and 'out-of-context' excuse are not going to cut it with me.
And just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the 2008 presidential election, me being a Democrat, him claiming to be Independent while talking Republican, the liberal media or a conservative point of view. To the contrary, this is about crossing a line in the sand that needs to be drawn based on history, dignity, taste and truth.
Bill, I'm not sure of where you come from, but let me tell you what the phrase 'lynching party' conjures up to me, a Black woman born in North Carolina . Those words depict the image of a group of white men who are angry with the state of their own lives, getting together, drinking more than they need to drink, lamenting how some Black person has moved forward (usually ahead of them in stature or dignity), and had the audacity to think that they are equal.
These same men for years, instead of looking at what changes they should and could make in their own lives that might remove that bitterness born of perceived privilege, these white men take all of that resentment and anger and decide to get together and drag the closest Black person near them to their death by hanging them from a tree - usually after violent beating, torturing andviolating their human dignity. Check your history books, because you don't need a masters or a law degree from Harvard to know that is what constitutes a 'lynching party.'
Imagine, Michelle and Barack Obama having the audacity to think that they have the right to the American dream, hopes, and ideals. O'Reilly must think to himself: 'How dare they have the arrogance to think they can stand in front of this nation, challenge the status quo and express the frustration of millions?' When this happens, the first thing that comes to mind for O'Reilly and people like him is: 'it's time for a party.'
Not so fast...don't order the rope just yet. Would O'Reilly ever in a million years use this phrase with reference to Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy McCain or Judi Nathan? I mean, in all of the statements and criticisms that were made about Judi Nathan, the one-time mistress turned missus, of former presidential candidate RudyGiuliani, I never heard any talk of forming a lynch party because of something she said or did. So why is it that when you're referring to someone who's African-American you must dig to a historical place of pain, agony and death to symbolize your feelings?
Lynching is not a joke to off-handedly throw around and it is not a metaphor that has a place in political commentary; provocative or otherwise. I admit that I come from a place of personal outrage here having buried my 90 year-old grandfather last year. This proud, amazing African-American man raised his family and lived through the time when he had to use separate water fountains, ride in the back of a bus, take his wife on a date to the 'colored section' of a movie theater, and avert his eyes when a white woman walked down the street for fear of what a white man and his cronies might do if they felt the urge to 'party'; don't tell me that the phrase you chose, Mr. O'Reilly, was taken out of context. To add insult to injury, O'Reilly tried to 'clarify' his statements, by using the excuse that his comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the term 'high-tech lynching' during his confirmation hearing. I reject that analogy. You see JusticeThomas did mean to bring up the image of lynching in its racist context. He was saying that politics and the media were using a new technology to do to him what had been done to Black men for many years-- hang him. Regardless of if you agreed with Justice Thomas' premise or not, if in fact ---Bill O'Reilly was referencing it the context becomes even clearer.
What annoys me more than anything is that I get the feeling that one of the reasons Bill O'Reilly made this statement, thinking he could get away with it in the first place, and then followed it up with a lame apology in a half-hearted attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers, is because he doesn't think that Black women will come out and go after him when he goes after us. Well, he's dead wrong. Be clear Bill O'Reilly: there will be no lynch party for that Black woman. And this Black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for all of us.'
Star Jones Reynolds
Read full post
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