The Average Black Man

TIME TO TALK MONEY

2008-05-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

Now that the contest with Hillary is pretty much over, it's time to return fire on McCain a bit. The place to start that discussion has to be with sinking dollar and it's effects on the U.S. economy. Obama has the opportunity to jump out in front of the conservative opponent, and possibly influence some of the Reagan Democrats by talking intelligently on the falling dollar. It really is something that has been neglected by the Bush administration and can be related to rising oil prices. Tax talk is something that fiscal conservatives love to argue about with Dems because they are going to win that debate with the American people every time. No one wants hear a candidate say, "I'm going to raise your taxes, but you can afford it!"--whether it's true or not. It's just not a good talking point. Related to the dollar discussion, though, is also the idea that we must strengthen the dollar and also strengthen the image of the country around the world.

Obama's on the right road by correctly identifying the "Gas Holiday" as bad economics and a poor attempt at political pandering. I'll oversimplify for a moment; but commodities(energy, grains, livestock) are priced in dollars on global markets so a strong dollar would reduce commodity prices. That would mean lower consumer and producer inflation and boost the buying power of wages. Basically we could give the economy a B-12 shot and lower gas prices a bit in the process. That's a winning argument that not many economists would argue with and could draw in more moderate voters.

I'm just the average Black man, and that's my two cents.
http://averageblackman.blogspot.com

The Race Card will Fracture the Party

2008-03-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

As an African-American, I have believed for a long time that the Democratic party was the most likely party to have the interests of the minority at heart. In recent weeks, though, I am reconsidering those thoughts. I have seen more race baiting and racially incendiary comments from the Hillary camp, than I've ever seen from the Republicans. It's shocking! Geraldine Ferraro's unapologetic, ridiculous comments only confirm to me that this is what's being said behind the scenes in Hillary's campaign.

I take personal offense to the way she is campaigning. It seems to me that Hillary and Bill are trying to diminish all that Obama is and has accomplished by trying to paint him as just the 'Black Guy'. They are trying to make him into a one dimensional character who's only defined by his race, forgetting all he has accomplished in his professional and private life.

I believe I can safely predict that Hillary is on track to fracture the party and possibly blow the election. If she succeeds and wins the nomination with these racially divisive tactics, Black folk are going to turn away from the Dems and probably stay home. Personally, I'm voting for McCain if Hillary gets the nomination over Barack and I've encouraged everyone I know to do the same. The other side of the coin is that even if Obama gets the nomination, Hillary has given McCain lots of fuel for his fire. If you ask me, Hillary is on the road to losing this election BIG TIME for the Dems.

I'm the Average Black Man, and that's my two cents.

http://averageblackman.blogspot.com

Presidential Candidate Breakdown

2008-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

I think now is as good a time as any for your humble blog-a-spondent to breakdown the candidates on both sides of the isle. This has been the most interesting election cycle in all of my life as a voter. I would advise any young person or previous non-voter, that this is the year of all years to jump in and make your vote count. It is shaping up to be a historic election and packed full of surprises.

MICHAEL DALE HUCKABEE (Republican) is the former governor of Arkansas [1996-2007] and the only candidate in the presidential primary who is "Chuck Norris Approved". Huckabee was born of modest means to a working class family and spent his early life pursuing the ministry. His years as Baptist minister has honed his skills as a speaker and his common sense approach to politics has had success in the past.

Huckabee has no chance, I believe, at becoming the next president, though. He may even screw up his vice president chances if he stays in the race too long. Mike Huckabee is an outsider, and he doesn't have the ivy league pedigree or the silver spoons one would expect from the GOP presidential candidate. What Huckabee does have is the support from moral conservatives that you would expect from a Baptist minister. The problem with him, though, is that it will take the big business, fiscal conservative support to win the nomination and the election; and he is perceived to be too weak on foreign policy, crime, immigration, and the economy. Mr. Huckabee will never unite the party, he has done a lousy job of fund raising, and he only has 217 of the 1,191 delegates it would take to win.

John Sidney McCain III(Republican) is the senior US Senator from Arizona. John McCain is the son of a navy admiral and former navy pilot. He is most remembered for being shot down over North Vietnam in 1967 and enduring a horrific stint as a prisoner of war until just after the Paris Peace accords of 1973. A real life war hero, McCain has a back-story that resonates with many Americans.

Why then, was there unrelenting vitriol aimed at McCain by all the biggest names in the conservative Talk Radio world (save Michael Medved). I'll tell you why. This goes back to the presidential primary of 2000. John McCain lost to George W. Bush and was fuming. He was boiling over the loss and resented the way president Bush's war chest was booming with dollars to the point that McCain couldn't compete. John towed the party line and campaigned for Bush, but he went right back to the senate and began working on campaign finance reform--which later passed in 2002. I would say that McCain-Feingold is one of the biggest reasons the conservative elite despise McCain. In so doing, the conservative upper crust defaulted first to Rudy G. and later to Mitt Romney as their chosen one. Try as he might, the flip-flopping, mud-slinging, millionaire mormon from Massachusetts could not cobble together enough support to warrant remaining in the race long after super Tuesday. With Ron Paul considered to be a loon by most rational thinking conservatives, John McCain is safely coasting to a victory.

The question now becomes "Can McCain solidify the base and still garner support from the middle?" The maverick senator will probably overcome his money problems now that he is the front runner; but will the straight-talk express be able to railroad past the 'gang of 14', the 'amnesty' fervor, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts? If he could win over the base would he still be attractive to independents. Possibly, and despite our disagreements on affirmative action and the confederate flag; I think he is the only shot Republicans have at winning the Office.

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (Democrat) is the junior US Senator for New York state. She was born in Illinois, the daughter of a successful businessman. Hillary started her political career as a volunteer for conservative pioneer Barry Goldwater. Inspired by his writings, she continued her conservative career working as an intern for the party until the Republican National Convention of 1968. Fed up with the mud slinging of Richard Nixon and the racist overtones of the convention, she left the party for good.

As a true believeing lefty, Hillary went on to graduate from Yale law school and build her connections within the Democratic party. Although she was asked several times by Bill Clinton to marry him, she finally agreed in 1975 after she failed the D.C. bar exam and passed the Arkansas bar exam.

Her political life as Arkansas first lady and "co-president" has sold enough papers to make us all a personal fortune. Somewhere between law school and the White House, the Clintons have become magnets for scandal and slicker than Nixon at avoiding prosecution. We all remember Whitewater and the list of Bill Clinton's mistresses is as long as my arm. Plus, there are some pretty heavy allegations levied in Kathleen Willey's book, Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

On the issues, Hillary Clinton is not far from the positions of Barack Obama (big shocker). I find that the two agree more than they disagree. Both are very socially liberal, so I have a big disagreement with them over the abortion issue. Although, I think this is a position that will be massaged during the general election in order to win over the moderates. Her health plan, I think, is flawed in that it mandates by law that we all run out and purchase a policy without assurances of any caps or aid on the premiums. The biggest problem with Sen. Clinton, though, is the fact that polls show that about 47% of the voters would vote against Hillary no matter who the opposite candidate was. She is a polarizing figure, that would inspire strong criticism and her candidacy would help sure up the Republican base. While I personally think there are some personal integrity issues with the Clinton's, the polls right now are saying that she would most certainly lose to McCain in a general election.

Barack Hussein Obama (Democrat) is the junior US Senator from Illinois.

**Yes--his middle name is Hussein. No relation to Saddam. Idiots like Mike Gallagher are trying to make an issue of his middle name as though he were a Muslim terrorist because he inherited his father's middle name. Gallagher has got to be the most un-intelligent conservative on syndicated radio (I don't count the grumpy old racist, Michael Savage). The only time Gallagher makes any sense is when he talks about football; and I hate the cowboys! Ok. I'll save the rant about this 'nincompoop', Gallagher for another day. Back to what's important...**

Mr. Obama was born to a Kenyan father seeking a better education in the States and a free-spirited, Kansas mother--one black and one white. Obama spent most of his childhood in Honolulu. He graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. Mr. Obama was the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review. Barack was a civil rights attorney; and a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago. He served in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004. He gave the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Convention; and is currently on the Senate committees for Foreign Relations, Veteran's Affairs, Labor, and Homeland Security.

On the issues of Civil Rights, the economy, education, energy, political Ethics, healthcare, Homeland security, and immigration; I believe Mr. Obama is on the right side of the road. My only concern would be a small caveat on the economy, in that, I feel we need to the lower corporate tax to encourage big businesses to keep their operations here rather than abroad. Also, I disagree with Sen. Obama on the abortion issue; but I believe he'll move closer to the middle after he secures the nomination.

What is interesting to me, my friends, is the fact that everyone lofted praise toward Barack and spoke of how great it was he was in the race--until it appeared he could actually win. Conservative pundits have re-focused their attacks to spend segment after segment on convincing people to vote against Obama; McCain has begun contrasting himself to Sen. Obama; and Hillary is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at this guy in terms of negative attacks. Yet, the Obama train keeps on moving forward. It's remarkable as well that Obama is raising a large amount of money from lots of individual voters who believe in him; while Clinton used donations from large single donors, special interests, or wealthy Arabs (allegedly). The point is that no one has electrified the voting public like this in years and drawn people to the poles. I believe that Barack Obama has the intelligence, integrity, and sound judgment to not only lead this country, but to unite it as well. The nation for some time now has been made up of feuding political parties, races, and religious groups. Call me sentimental, but I believe we can mend the nation if we had a leader brave enough to at least try.

I'm just the Average Black Man, and that's my two cents.

Politics of Personal Destruction: Clinton Mud-Slingers

2008-01-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

Monday night, we saw a rare glimpse of the real Hillary Clinton. With wide eyes and a sharp tongue, Hillary launched lie after lie at Sen. Barack Obama. I was disgusted with what I saw. I know that to use the word lie in reference to a Clinton is blasphemy in the Democratic Party; but I'm an independent so I have no such reservations. In tirade after rude tirade, I watched Hillary tell these half-truths to the American people in an effort to tarnish public perception of Sen. Obama. I think it is obvious that the Clinton's are desperate.

I would encourage Sen. Obama to stress in the coming weeks the fact that the Clintons are mud-slingers and how Sen. Obama is refusing to stoop to their level. I think that distinction has not been made and really needs to be. The media will not stress the fact that Hillary is playing dirty pool until Sen. Obama forces them to do so. I also think that Hillary should be challenged on her so called 'experience'. She claimed during the debate that she had 35 years of experience. That is laughable! She was elected to the senate in 2000. Before that the extent of her 'experience' was as wife to Bill Clinton. As much as I like Bill Clinton, that does not qualify her to be president. I'd like to see the Obama camp draw parallels to other famous presidential wives. Is Barbara Bush qualified to be president? Is Nancy Reagan qualified to be the leader of the free world? Should we have elected Jackie Kennedy after JFK was assassinated? Then why does it follow that Hillary is somehow credited with 17 years of Bill's experience. Barack's wife is highly educated and articulate. Should she be his vice president? No. Neither is Hillary qualified to be president.

The Clinton machine is expertly skilled at destroying the character of opponents, and I think it's time we all see that for what it is. I despise character assassination in politics and I don't appreciate the way the Clinton's are distorting the facts. Again, Sen. Obama must expose this to the people, so the national distaste for this kind of politics will be recognized.

Would an Oprah special television event help? Maybe a special sit down with Oprah to address all the lies in a cordial, calm way; and show the private investigators Hillary hires and highlight the way they are conducting themselves. The only way to fight the politics of personal destruction is the same way Dr. King fought for civil rights--by the peaceful presentation of the facts in a forum where you won't be cut off or shouted down.

I'm the Average Black Man and that's my two cents.

http://averageblackman.blogspot.com/

--Stay tuned for the Average Black Man's Candidate Break-down coming soon...

WHEN IS R KELLY GOING TO JAIL!

2007-11-29T17:08:00.000-08:00

That's right. It's high time somebody said what many of us have been thinking. When is R. Kelly going to jail, or at least court? Originally I had planned to present a column on the current political happenings given the recent developments on both sides of the isle; but I think culturally, this is worth addressing first. I'm going to back up a bit, though, because everyone may not know all of the details and it will give me a chance to dial myself down a bit. This story has always particularly rubbed me the wrong way because I am a parent and I have a daughter; meaning, I am not as reticent as some in the urban media to call out this pervert because of few hit records.

Robert Sylvester Kelly (40yrs old) made his meteoric rise to fame in the early 90's with a slew sexually charged R&B songs like "Sex Me (Pt. 1)", "Your Body's Callin Me", and the chart topping "Bump N' Grind." Kelly's new found fame and fortune afforded him access to more than just the fast money and women typical of today's celebrity. Sadly, the pimply-faced, adoring teenie-boppers backstage, held the fancy of the R&B star much more than we knew. In 1995, Kelly (then 27yrs old) married the 15yr old Aaliyah. Some reports claim that the teen songstress was pregnant and later miscarried. By 2002, a sex-tape surfaced on the web showing Kelly performing multiple lewd acts on the 14yr old daughter of an associate; who happened to be the niece of R&B singer Sparkle. There are still 14 charges stemming from this incident which Kelly must face. But he didn't stop there. Unfettered by the Illinois charges, Kelly moves on to Florida where he is surprised by local law enforcement and found with digital evidence of his latest, lascivious romp with a teenager. Fast forward to November, 2007 and we have Kelly's long time publicist and friend, Regina Daniels, announces she is fed up with Kelly. She resigned as both Kelly's publicist and friend amid reports the singer has been sleeping with their young daughter (now 19) since she was 16.

What does this mean? It means Mr. Kelly is sick. He is, at best, a pervert--at worst, a pedophile. This man's uncontrollable lust for young teens has led him to 'allegedly' defile countless young girls across the country, including the daughters of those who trusted him. It's disgusting. Given everything that has happened over the years, this guy is still running around in music videos and going on tour. I want this guy back in court to face the music and I believe he deserves jail time. If you disagree, ask yourself this: Would you leave your teenage daughter around this guy?

I'm just the Average Black Man, and that's my two cents.

http://averageblackman.blogspot.com/

Don't Taser Me Bro!

2007-11-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

Are police going taser happy? That's a legitimate question considering the recent upsurge in Taser incidents across the country. Putting aside the high profile Taser deaths in Canada, US police use of Tasers are on the rise. City after city line up to make large stun gun purchases, touting the weapon as a great non-lethal deterrent. Maybe it is, but I have serious reservations regarding its use and officer training.

Who could forget the 6yr old boy in Miami who was tasered by police. We all remember Sept. 17th - A UF college student got the country's attention by being violently tasered for refusing to leave a debate.October 29th--An 82 year old Grandmother is tasered in Chicago. October 31st--A 14yr old trick or treater in Atlanta is tasered for disorderly behavior. This past Tuesday, November 20th-- A 28yr old Utah man is tasered during a traffic stop for refusing to sign a ticket. (The fact that he was forced to sign is another pet peeve of mine. Don't even get me started on our right to refuse to sign their stupid tickets. Is that an arrestable offense?)

What exactly are Taser-able offenses now? What are the guidelines on when a cop can wrench you out of your car along the roadside and zap you, your 10yr old, or your grandma with 50,000 volts? Seriously. I want to know. Anytime we have this kind of ambiguity of the rules, I think we'll find that there will soon be frequent abuse. Think about it folks. We have about 18,760 police agencies in the U.S. and somewhere close to a million police officers across the country. The minimum requirements are GED or High School diploma, and the pay is crappy so we are not getting top of the class folks. All these police officers have been told that tasers are the non-lethal holy grail so they are zapping taser darts in the public at the drop of a hat. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want these guys running cowboy across the country with their finger on the 50,000Volt button when they pull over me and my family for running a stop sign. We need guidelines. We need clarity of regulations. We need uniformity of application.

I'm just the Average Black Man, and that's my two cents.

http://averageblackman.blogspot.com/

THE DOUBLE TALK EXPRESS: LAME DUCK HILLARY

2007-10-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 31st, Philadelphia was host to the Democratic presidential debate which included six of the leading candidates. The eyes of America and much of the hot talk before and after the debate centered on the front runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton. Let me sum it up for all those who missed it or had no idea it was on. I'M NOT IMPRESSED--with Mrs. Clinton. I believe that Hillary is a lame duck. I realize that term is usually a moniker given to the most impotent of presidents; but I feel that Hillary is an equally impotent candidate. Don't believe the hype people. The media has already anointed Giuliani and Hillary as the two contenders whose battle royale would sell the most papers. The problem there, is they are not the two most qualified and would not be best for the country. Is George Bush's wife qualified to be president? Should Nancy Reagan have run for president following her hugely popular husband's reign? I think not. What then, qualifies Mrs. Clinton?

Don't misunderstand me. I voted for Bill Clinton--twice. That does not mean I will blindly vote his wife into office. The debate Wednesday night proved my reservations to be warranted. Hillary would not give a straight answer to the questions presented her. When pushed by Russert to clarify exactly what her opinion is; we get this monologue about 'gotcha politics'. It is not 'gotcha politics' to hear straight talk about what the next leader of the free world actually believes. Instead we got a mouth full of double talk and political acrobatics. Abortion, immigration, the Iraq war, the coming conflict with Iran, the oil crisis, the economy are all problems that can't be brushed away by political rhetoric. Hillary's tap dance around the issues was not entertaining, but disappointing. At every misstep, Obama and Richardson were there to zing Mrs. Clinton and emphasize their own political prowess and knowledge of the issues.

I believe the debate was great for the American people to see firsthand which candidates have a real grasp on the problems we face as a nation going forward; and not just a commanding use of the latest catch phrases and buzzwords. On the one hand, the Clinton camp says they are tough enough to romp with boys; but on the other, the Clinton operatives cry foul the next day saying the big boys are picking on her because she is a woman. It's not about the gender of the candidates, race, or any of those things. What this is about, is finding the right person to unite this divided nation and repair the damage done by George Bush. I would submit that by the very nature of Mrs. Clinton's tendency to avoid giving straight answers and share her true intentions for this nation; she will not be getting my vote. This 2008 election is a critical juncture in the future of my family; and I will not let someone with a pocket full of special interest money and catchy sound bites to sway me from sifting out the best candidate. I hope you don't either.

I'm just the Average Black Man, and that's my two cents.

RACISM IN AMERICA: THE COLD WAR HEATS UP

2007-10-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

There is a new cold war in America. This time it's not between the U.S. and a nation thousands of miles away. It's right here in front of our faces; but most of us choose to ignore it. Society chooses to turn a blind eye and pretend it doesn't exist. Racism in America--our dirty little secret is beginning to bubble over. Since Martin Luther King's dramatic exposition of American hatred in the 1960's, we've all been party to a lie. Society at large would have us believe everything is 'honky-dory', no pun intended. As if we put a band-aid on America's boo-boo, and suddenly we're all better. Well, this may come as a surprise to most of you; and some of you still won't believe it but you need to hear it anyway.

Racism does exist and it is rampant in the United States.

Blacks in America have been and still are victims of domestic terrorism. Communities are terrorized by policemen who shoot, beat, and most recently, taser first; and ask questions later. City councils and local governments zone the majority Black areas for liquor stores and gun shops. Public schools receive disproportionate educational supplies. Black youth incarcerated and/or killed by authority holders is rising at an alarming rate. Martin Lee Anderson , 14, killed in Panama City bootcamp by guards. Ronald Madison, 40, shot in the back and killed by New Orleans police. Megan Williams, 20, kidnapped, tortured, and raped for days. Suburban Black family of Alpharetta, Ga has racial slurs painted on their home for the last six weeks. The Black church burnings of 2006. The list could go on and on. Each time, explained away or brushed under the carpet. Those who choose to speak out or draw federal attention to these systemic issues are labeled 'race-baiters' or immediately disregarded for playing the 'race card'.

I would submit that we should all play that 'race card'. We should slam it down on the table, grab the dealer by the collar and force him to stop bottom dealing. There is a growing racial divide in this country that could easily fracture this melting pot we all love. Like the early civil rights movement, it will take some help from fair-minded White Americans to heal this nation. Despite talking heads like Michael Medved, Laura Ingraham, and Mike Gallagher; we can't just explain away or ignore all these incidents of social injustice against our minorities. The federal government's cold war has a track record of standing idly by as killers are acquitted, authority is abused, and communities are terrorized. The vitriol against Sharpton and Jackson grows, but I've come to realize a simple fact. Sharpton and Jackson don't fly around the country staging shootings, beatings, and hate crimes; but they are despised for publicizing them and forcing us to face the cold ugliness of today's America.

50,000 people came to Jena, LA to call attention to a corrupt town of racist school officials, police, district attorney, and judges; but America still slumbers and the cold war rages on. The federal government has repeatedly refused to do its duty and step in when local governments fail. Now we have the problem of the noose. A dreaded symbol of slavery and hatred has returned to popularity in the face of an impotent legal system. We only have one America. Once it's gone, it's gone. Those of you who believe that systemic racism is an urban legend, answer me this. Would you dismiss sexism so easily? Anti-semitism? This is not just a Black problem or White problem. It is an American problem and we must first recognize it, and work together to address it.

http://averageblackman.blogspot.com/

Maybe the Death Penalty Ain't So Bad

2007-03-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

John Evander Couey. Those of us from Florida are well aquainted with the scoundrel from Citrus County; but I'll lay it out for those of you whose televisions are locked on MTV or BET. On February 27, 2005, Jessica Lunsford disappeared. She had been kidnapped by convicted sex offender, John Couey, who lived only a 100 yards away. Couey spirited the child away in the dark hours of the morning and held her captive in the trailer he shared with two women. Couey savagely raped the 9yr old that day and the next morning. After satisfying his disgusting appetites, he locked the child in his closet while he went to work at "Billy's Truck Lot". Three days after he abducted Jessica, Couey tied her wrists, threw her in a garbage bag, and buried her alive under his front porch, where she suffocated to death. It wasn't until March 19, 2005 Jessica's body was found and Couey was brought to justice--again.

Why was this monster even on the streets?! Why did the system let this two-time loser loose to prowl the streets again for our children? This man has over 20 arrests for burglary. In 1978, Couey broke into a home and stopped to forcibly molest a little girl sleeping in her bed. In 1991, Couey was arrested for fondling another child in Kissimmee. They say old habits die hard. Well, this is apparently the Gospel truth when it comes to child sex offenders. After being released from prison, it never took Couey long to get back to old tricks; hence Jessica's tragic rape and murder. (Did I mention Couey confessed repeatedly to officers and inmates before he tried to play crazy!)

The way I see it, there are two things that need to happen.
(1) We must proactively protect our children from all the 'chester-molester' perverts like John Couey. We cannot give these monsters a slap on the wrist after violating our children in the worst way. What does that say about our priorities as a society.
(2) John Couey must die. Plain and simple. I have never been a staunch supporter of the death penalty; and in the past I have had my doubts about whether the state should hand down punishment on that scale. Today, those doubts have melted away. Any man (if you can call him that) who can do those kind of things to a child does not deserve to breathe the same O2 we enjoy. The state owes Jessica and her father an apology for releasing this guy to offend again, as sex offenders often do. I think the jury agreed with me.

On March 14, 2007, after only 1hr of deliberation the jury recommended Couey be put to death. So I sit here, knowing the facts of this case, and I can't help but think--maybe the death penalty ain't so bad.

DEMOCRATS WANT US TO LOSE

2007-02-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

I’m an average Joe—the average Black man to be exact. I’m not an ideologue or a very politically inclined person; but I read the papers, blogs, and watch national news. I say all that, to say this; I believe the Democrat political leadership wants the United States to lose the war in Iraq. I hope everyone reading this finds that as shocking as I did when the revelation first struck me. I’m sure there are some, though, who are not surprised at all; but I think the large majority of regular guys like me will be.

First of all, I should tell you all that I am a registered Independent (N.P.A. and proud of it!) so I have no political axe to grind; and I was against the invasion of Iraq because I felt that Saddam was relatively contained. Secondly, I am a Black man in America, which means that most of my friends and family consider themselves to be Democrats (although they would not approve of partial-birth abortions, gay marriage, or any of that ultra-liberal crap—but that’s a topic for another day). I, like everyone else I know, thought that Bush was an idiot for dragging the US into a war that there was no need to fight. I can hear Colin Powell’s words echoing in my mind, “you break it, you own it”. That’s the ‘Pottery Barn’ rule of foreign policy. Now, guess what happened? We broke it!

The problem arises when people’s emotions become so vitriolic regarding President Bush that they are willing to position themselves against the good of the nation just prove Bush wrong. Ask yourselves. Do you want to be right or do you want to be safe? I’m not a supporter of George Bush, but I am fully comfortable saying that I want the troops to pound our enemies into powder! Ok, we didn’t want this war. That may be true; but people must deal with the reality that we are in this war. Do you want every savage dictator, despot, and radical to believe that the US is a pushover? We will be attacked from all sides by every rogue nation that perceives us as weak. I would ask Jack Mirtha, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama one question. Do you want to win? I was listening to CSPAN and a caller was still angry over the 2000 election. I will not sacrifice the lives of my family and countrymen just to prove George Bush wrong. I want the US army to be given the go-ahead kick butt. If my grandfather was alive (he was a Kennedy Democrat) he would be outraged to see the US coddling a bunch of killers who want to decapitate Americans. It’s ridiculous. We don’t live in a fairytale world where everyone is reasonable and we can have tea and crumpets with Osama. If a Democrat has any chance of winning in 2008, he/she will have to do more than simply say, “I’m against George Bush”. Defending this country from killers crosses all political boundaries. I would say to any Democrat presidential candidate that if you want to win, you should want the US to win. That’s my 2cents. I’m the Average Black Man.

Goodbye Kofi Annan, and Good Riddance!

2006-12-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

Kofi Atta Annan, for those who may not know, is the outgoing Secretary-General of the United Nations. Annan was the first Black man to head the international peace organization; and ultimately a dissapointment. Why, you ask? Maybe it's because I hold Annan to a higher standard. Maybe I expect a native African to do more for Mother Africa during a time when she needs so much help. Let's look at Mr. Annan's life and tenure.

Kofi Atta Annan, Atta meaning twin, was born in Kumasi Ghana with his twin Efua. He is a member of an upper-class merchant family descended from tribal chiefs. With access and education, Annan went on to Macalester in St. Paul, Institute of High International Studies in Geneva, and MIT in Massachusetts. Then, in 1962, Annan began his career with the UN. He worked his way up through the ranks for over thirty years as mostly a paper pusher. Annan functioned in financial/budget capacities until 1993 when he was placed in charge of Peacekeeping Operations.

Let's pause here for a moment. Although Mr. Annan should be applauded for his accomplishments, was he prepared for this position. What I'm asking, kids, is... Was he a fighter? Was he a man willing to fight for those who could not fight for themselves? I submit that he was not. His hesitance to exercise military might on behalf of the oppressed and inclination to coddle the tyrannical was to our detriment.

Annan had been placed in charge of the 100,000 or so blue-helmets. A substantial force, that could make a real difference in the world; and also could make a statement to oppressive despots around the world. As a child in Prichard, Alabama; I always believed the UN was like the Justice League, or the Federation from Star Trek. They were those who would intercede around the world to fight the warlords, tyrants, and dictators of our time.

Annan was asleep at the button in 1994 when over 800,000 Tutsis were slaughtered. The ex-General Romeo Dallaire, former UN commander for the mission in Rwanda, says Annan expressly prohibited UN troops from helping and ignored faxed requests for access to the weapons depository. Tragic.

Annan continued his ultra-passive stance despite the loss of life around the world and enjoyed great popularity among UN bureaucrats. Violence, mutilation, and murder continue in Darfur, Sudan. He has stood by idly while rebel factions are armed by Arab-Muslim imperialists and non-arab Africans are killed.

Simply put, I'm disappointed. A man, with personal ties to Mother Africa should have done more in 34 years of service and 12 years in authority besides effective budget cuts and administrative improvements. I disagree with Boutros Boutros-Ghali. A man in the position of authority in the United Nations can make a difference and should be faulted if he doesn't.

Goodbye Mr. Annan, and good riddance.

The Average Black Man
http://averageblackman.blogspot.com

Cops Gone Wild! - Shootings Across the Country

2006-12-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

As the average Black man, I'm obligated to comment on the recent police shootings across this great nation. This type of thing has been going on since I was a young boy back in Prichard, Alabaman and it is sad that it continues unabated today. Let's review.

In New York city, an unarmed Black man named Sean Bell was gunned down outside a strip club in a barrage of 50 gunshots. Bell, who was to be married that week, was in his car with two friends who were also seriously injured. An undercover cop was in the strip club and claims he heard an associate of Bell's remark of going to get his pistol. The undercover followed the men outside. Somehow, after the men were in their car, the cops drew their weapons on the threesome. Witnesses report that the police never identified themselves and no weapon has been recovered.

In Atlanta, Georgia the police shot a 92 year old woman. They entered her home under a "no-knock" warrant because they claim bought drugs there earlier. The elderly woman had been robbed on several previous occasions and afraid to even answer her door. She had old revolver that she had for protection. In full riot gear, they claim the old woman was enough of a marksman to shoot an officer in the face before they killed her. Most believe this was a case of police serving a warrant on the wrong house, killing the old woman, and creating a fantastic story to cover. We're supposed to believe that this fearful old woman, who walked with a cane, managed to get the jump on three officers in vests and riot shields. Not likely.

In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida the police unloaded into a stolen SUV of unarmed suspects. Even if the car was stolen and the men inside were the dregs of society; we can not condone cops being the judge, jury, and executioners.

This comes down to one thing kids-- fear. Cops are so afraid when it comes down to dealing with minority suspects that they draw down at a moments notice and shoot first, ask questions later. What is it about police training that makes cops feel that deadly force is the first option when dealing with minorities. Now, my friends on the right would have us believe all these incidents are coincidental and have no bearing on race. I reject that whole heartedly. This is not coincidence. How many times has an unruly soccer mom been pulled over and shot. How many unarmed, young college-aged white men have been gunned down mistakenly. Not too many. Let's admit the cold, ugly truth America and weed out this trashy element in the police force that our tax dollars pay for. After all, these people are supposed to protect us.

YES, KRAMER IS A RACIST.

2006-11-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

That’s right kids. The Tooth Fairy doesn’t exist; the Easter Bunny is a load of crap; and now we find out that quirky Kramer (Michael Richards) from Seinfeld is bigot. I was driving home from work Monday afternoon listening to Al Sharpton’s radio show when I heard what happened. For those of you who live in a cave—or don’t have a computer, TV, radio—yours truly, The Average Black Man, will run it down for you.

Michael Richards was doing a stand up spot at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, CA and being heckled. Richards was totally unprepared to deal with the heckling, and flew off the handle spouting racial slurs and offensive epithets to one of the Black hecklers. It would have went unnoticed if not for a young woman in the audience who video taped the whole disgusting display with her cell phone.

Now here’s my two cents.

Kramer (Michael Richards) called this young man a ‘nigger’ more times in 60 seconds than I have been in my whole life as a Black man. It was wrong. It was offensive. It was appalling. You will of course have a few Blacks crawl out of the woodwork and try to defend this guy, but what he did and said was indefensible. What he did that night basically amounts to hate-speech and it should be taken seriously. He is no better than Trent Lot’s pandering to old southern Red-Necks or Mel Gibson’s drunken anti-semitic rant. There is no justifying this and it is an indication of a deeper hatred that he had previously been able to mask. This man should be black-balled from the mainstream, but I am confident that he won’t be. There’s too many of his ilk in this country who believe that is totally justifiable to use ‘nigger’ if they are angry enough with a black man who “steps out of line”.