Posts with the tag Race

Playing the Cards You're Dealt

Tonya — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:16:31 EDT

Throughout this Presidential election process, we have heard criticism of media bias in the content and amount of coverage given to some candidates verses others. The protest prose the question of if the media drives the story, or the story that drives the media? Could John Edward's grievance of Clinton's and Obama's coverage been driven by; the more interesting story of two groundbreaking candidates, qualities of the candidate, the popularity or notoriety of the candidates, or the boredom of covering Edward's unmodified message for the third time? The question of why Edward's even thinner resume was never an issue, but Obama's experience was and is continuously questioned was never publicly posed. Although from the start there have been racial challenges and threats waged on even the Caucasian workers of the Obama campaign, the camp made every attempt to avoid any public complaints related to racism or prejudice.

McCain, who at one time referred to the media as a part of his constituency, has even vigorously voiced his complaints of the media's coverage of both his primary and general election run. Most recently, McCain has protested what he deemed as uneven coverage of the Obama European tour. Are we suppose to have sympathy for a male that never had the deck stacked against him or societal limits on his opportunities, because he's not as interesting as his opponent?

McCain's recent negative "celebrity ad" that attempts to minimize some of Obama's "star power", diminishes his history of integrity, doesn't speak to why he's the better choice, insults Obama's supporters and reneges on his promise of a positive campaign. When there are such vast policy differences to debate, McCain just appears petty and personal. To equate Obama to the unearned celebrity contributed to the likes of Paris Hilton is to minimize the testimony of Obama's childhood, discount his professional and educational achievements, overlook his public works, disregard the power of his message of change, dismiss his leadership of an effective organization and campaign, and to ignore his miraculous rise despite historical obstacles.

Reports of Mosque Surveillance Concerns Muslims

funkfresh01 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:55:45 EDT

http://religion.info/english/articles/article_385.shtml

Source: Religioscope
Author: Richard Cimino

While there have been allegations in the past of government investigation of mosques on issues relating to terrorism, the recent report, first featured in the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper, is said to be the first confirmation that surveillance is taking place.

An article in the Los Angeles Times (May 29) reports that information about the alleged spying surfaced in a case about classified files concerning terrorism that were stolen from a secure office used by military and civilian law enforcement officials at Camp Pendleton. Some of these classified records referred to the surveillance of Muslim communities in Southern California, specifically, the Islamic Center of San Diego. The records alleged that the mosque had been monitored as part of a federal surveillance program targeting Muslim groups, according to the Union-Tribune article.

The FBI's Plan to ‘Profile’ Muslims

funkfresh01 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:28:30 EDT

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/07/10/muslim_profiling/index.html

Source: Salon
Author: Juan Cole

The U.S. Justice Department is considering a change in the grounds on which the FBI can investigate citizens and legal residents of the United States. Till now, DOJ guidelines have required the FBI to have some evidence of wrongdoing before it opens an investigation. The impending new rules, which would be implemented later this summer, allow bureau agents to establish a terrorist profile or pattern of behavior and attributes and, on the basis of that profile, start investigating an individual or group. Agents would be permitted to ask "open-ended questions" concerning the activities of Muslim Americans and Arab-Americans. A person's travel and occupation, as well as race or ethnicity, could be grounds for opening a national security investigation.

The rumored changes have provoked protests from Muslim American and Arab-American groups. The Council on American Islamic Relations, among the more effective lobbies for Muslim Americans' civil liberties, immediately denounced the plan, as did James Zogby, the president of the Arab-American Institute. Said Zogby, "There are millions of Americans who, under the reported new parameters, could become subject to arbitrary and subjective ethnic and religious profiling." Zogby, who noted that the Bush administration's history with profiling is not reassuring, warned that all Americans would suffer from a weakening of civil liberties.

Race relations--How much Progress Have We made?

Liz — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:59:17 EDT

"Barack Obama's March 18, 2008 speech, "A More Perfect Union," focused attention issues of race and class in America today. Forty years ago race and class was on the minds of Americans too — when The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders released its report on the urban riots of 1967. That report, more commonly known as the Kerner Report, with its stark conclusion that "Our nation is moving towards two societies — one white, one black — separate and unequal" — was a best-seller. It was also the source of great controversy and remains so today.

Referencing the Kerner Commission report has become rhetorical shorthand in some ways. For critics it suggests wasteful federal spending programs — for others, societal goals and potentials not yet met. In covering the 40th anniversary report USTODAY headlined its 40th anniversary coverage "Goals for Black America Not Met." The article raised some ire when quoting Robert Rector of Heritage Foundation: "Rector says the report ignores a major cause of poverty: single-parent homes. He says 70% of black children do not have a father in the home." That sentiment earned this response from Elliott Currie, a member of the Kerner Commission, 40th Anniversary Task Force: "The implication is that it's the heedless behavior of black men — rather than the strains of a blighted economy and a legacy of discrimination — that is responsible for the continuing crisis of poverty and racial disadvantage 40 years after the Kerner Commission."

SOURCE AND MORE:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03282008/profile.html

The Kerner Commission Report

Liz — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:08:39 EDT

I don't know if any one referenced this today in the discussion on race, but it case not, here it is. March of this year marked the 40th anniversary of the release of the Kerner Commission Report.

If you are interested in racial issues and are not familiar with this report, you might like to watch the Bill Moyers video on the topic. It was presented a couple of months ago on PBS.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03282008/profile.html

New York Muslim’s Struggle for Justice in America

funkfresh01 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:30:37 EDT

http://atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/4016/32/ Source: Atlantic Free Press Author: Stephen Lendman Yassin Aref is a 37 year old Albany, New York resident and one of many Muslim victims of police state justice in post-9/11 America. They've been hunted down, rounded up, held in detention, kept in isolation, denied bail, restricted in their right to counsel, tried on secret evidence and trumped-up charges, then incarcerated as political prisoners or deported to where they face possible arrest and torture. Because of his faith and ethnicity, Aref was victimized by US "justice" in a post-9/11 climate of fear. He's an Iraqi Kurd who emigrated to the US as a UN refugee in 1999 with his wife and three young children. He's now in federal prison but committed no crime. He's also the author of a poignant memoir/autobiography titled "Son of Mountains: My Life as a Kurd and a Terror Suspect." He wrote it in custody at Troy, New York's Rensselaer County Jail after his wrongful conviction in October 2006.

Muslim Activists Seeking Probe of Reported Surveillance

funkfresh01 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:33:24 EDT

http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_C_muslim30.426eaa8.html Source: Press-Enterprise Author: Paige Austin A civil-rights group and a coalition of Muslim activists headed by a Corona man called on Congress this week to investigate a report that military and law enforcement officials stole surveillance records of Southland Muslims from Camp Pendleton. The request stems from a news report that military officials and law enforcement members of the Los Angeles County Terrorist Early Warning Group illegally took the top-secret documents from the base's Strategic Technical Operations Center. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Gary Maziarz has been court-martialed and convicted for his role in the thefts. While the details of the surveillance and the alleged theft remain largely unknown, the incident provides confirmation that the military and law enforcement groups have been gathering information about local Muslim communities, said Michael German, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington Legislative Office.

Florida Muslim Leaders Testify at United Nation Racism Hearing

funkfresh01 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:26:22 EDT

(MIAMI, FL, 6/4/08) - On June 2, 2008, Florida Muslim leaders met with Doudou DiÃ¨ne, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, at a Miami hearing to discuss Islamophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination. For photos of the event: http://picasaweb.google.com/bedier/UNMiamiHearingOnRacism Special Rapporteur DiÃ¨ne is visiting several cities across the United States to "gather first-hand information on issues related to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia." Reuters: U.N. racism investigator to visit U.S. http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL16843098

U.S. MARINES ACCUSED OF PROSELYTIZING IN FALLUJAH

funkfresh01 — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:46:29 EDT

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004444827_iraqgospel29.html Source: McClatchy Newspapers Author: Jamal Naji and Leila Fadel At the western entrance to the Iraqi city of Fallujah on Tuesday, Muamar Anad handed his residence badge to the U.S. Marines guarding the city. They checked to be sure he was a city resident, and when they were done, Anad said, a Marine slipped a coin out of his pocket and put it in his hand. Out of fear, he accepted it, Anad said. When he was inside the city, the college student said, he looked at one side of the coin. "Where will you spend eternity?" it asked. He flipped it over, and on the other side it read, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16."

Obama and Racism

Anjuli — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:08:01 EDT

There have been a handful perceptive articles about racism in this election cycle. We are seeing more and more media attention focus on this issue as voters give more candid responses in polls.

Here are two particularly interesting articles that were sent to me, which provide some insight this issue based on specific incidences.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/andrew_sullivan/article3907239.ece

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/12/AR2008051203014.html

The Race Card Trump

smffy — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:15:08 EDT

I don't think race - white workers are not fascits. But McCain has supporters who are clhttp://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/424707/

Healing the Rift between HRC and Obama

Democrat in Fresno, CA — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:06:10 EDT

I am a Hillary supporter and would like to try to answer a few questions about the rift. First, stop insisting that this battle for the nomination is over. It will not be resolved until a sucessfull ballot roll call at the convention after questions about seating the Florida and Michigan delegations are resolved, with or without a floor fight. Please remember that up until the sucessfull ballot roll call gets to the magic number (what ever that turns out to be) for one of the candidates, the super-delegates may change their votes over and over. In addition unless the rules have changed after the first ballot if not sucessfull in picking the nominee, ALL delegates can change their mind!!! It would also be helpful if people stopped making the claim that this is all about RACE. It is a factor for some Hillary supporters (not me) but the issue has been exacerbated by the fact that a lot of black democrats are basing their support on RACE and seem to be turning their backs on the Clinton's decades of support of them.

An historical study I have done on the last 4 presidential elections points out in part that the general electoral college math overwhelming favors Hillary, based on the states she has carried in the primaries and the percentages she has won by in those states.

I too want a democratic landslide victory in the fall but continue to believe that HRC has the best chance at making that happen. Experience does count, and knowledge of the process (no matter how you feel about it(lobbyists, good ole boys, and back scratching etc.) is the only way that things get done in Washington.

I would also like Obama to explain exactly which statements of Rev Wright he is distancing himself from, because for me (a middle aged white man) the sin is not in what the reverend said (most of it true at times by the way)it is the fact that Obama the "politician" found it necessary to denounce and distance himself from a friend and sometimes mentor of some 20 or 30 years. Very telling indeed of Obama's character.

I will end by saying, I will be a happy supporter of Obama in the 2016 and 2020 elections, if Hillary wins this contest. If not I will be a happy supporter of Hillary in 2012. As for this election I am sad to say that I am one of the democrats who will sit it out even if McCain wins because we do. Especially sad for me since I have voted Democratic in every election all of my life. Sometimes principal matters too!!

I would also ask if you knew for a fact that Obama would not win the general election, would you still stick by him on the principal of the importance of nominating a black man for president of this major party?

VICTORY IN THE FALL !!!

THE SOUL PURPOSE OF THE NEO-CONVERSATIVE RELIGIOUS RIGHT

funkfresh01 — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:16:19 EDT

Please read, copy, paste to your email, and forward this News Release.

----forward this to people or colleagues you know, thank you ----

WARNING: THE SOUL PURPOSE OF THE NEO-CONVERSATIVE RELIGIOUS RIGHT

Click the following link to view the full article:
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-20686?ref=email

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
iReport.com - Unedited. Unfiltered. News.
http://www.ireport.com/

"There's a Pattern Emerging Here": Or, How the Clinton Campaign Betrayed Bill's Honorific Title of "First Black President"

Policybusters — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:54:42 EDT

Who really has "a much broader base to build a winning coalition on"?

There is a clear pattern emerging from the Clinton campaign, but it's not the one Hillary Clinton wished to suggest.

Hillary's recent words underline a clear pattern in the way both the Clintons have been using race in this campaign. However poorly worded, Hillary's recent words suggest the fundamental reason the Clintons have betrayed the honorific title of "first black president" once bestowed on Bill Clinton by the great American writer Toni Morrison:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

The African-American community has clearly recognized and understood the implications of this pattern of racialized discourse, and has almost completly renounced and rejected the Clintons as a result. Results from the Indiana and North Carolina primaries this week indicate that over 90% of African-Americans voted against the Clintons.

Since the election of a Democratic President in November depends so heavily on the African-American vote, all superdelegates need to be asking, in spite of Hillary Clinton's claims to the contrary: Who really has "a much broader base to build a winning coalition on"?

http://policybusters.blogspot.com

McCain pressed on 'Islamic' terror label

funkfresh01 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:10:56 EDT

http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080421/NATION/438135169/1001

By Rowan Scarborough

A coalition of American Muslim groups is demanding that Sen. John McCain stop using the adjective "Islamic" to describe terrorists and extremist enemies of the United States.

Muneer Fareed, who heads the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), told The Washington Times that his group is beginning a campaign to persuade Mr. McCain to rephrase his descriptions of the enemy.

"We've tried to contact his office, contact his spokesperson to have them rethink word usage that is more acceptable to the Muslim community," Mr. Fareed said. "If it's not our intent to paint everyone with the same brush, then certainly we should think seriously about just characterizing them as criminals, because that is what they are."

An aide to Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who is counting on his pro-Iraq war stance to attract conservative voters, said the senator from Arizona will not drop the word.

The Muslim myth still dogging Obama

funkfresh01 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:48:28 EDT

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19501048&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

BY ROJA HEYDARPOUR, STAFF WRITER
Source: Times Tribune

It’s been said many times: this is an election year of firsts. The first viable woman presidential candidate. The first viable black presidential candidate.

But the first Muslim presidential candidate?

One in 10 Americans believes that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim, according to a Pew Research Center News Interest Index survey taken in March.

Mr. Obama is, in fact, a practicing Christian, as underscored by the debate over the controversial sermon delivered by his pastor after Sept. 11, 2001.

The same survey found that 79 percent of the general public had heard rumors that Mr. Obama is Muslim, while 38 percent had heard “a lot” about it.

Scholars Address Islam And Democracy

funkfresh01 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:36:17 EDT

http://nwaonline.net/articles/2008/04/20/religion/041908relislamdem.txt

By Bettina Lehovec
The Morning News

Islam is more than a religion - it's a way of life, adherents believe.

A cornerstone of the faith is shariah, or Quranic law. It's seen as the ultimate frame of reference, governing everything from permissible food to marriage and divorce.

Most of the world's Muslim nations are ruled by military strongmen or kings. A recent push toward democratization has been accompanied by regime change and war.

As Muslims struggle to take their place in an increasingly global community, they must address some big questions: Is separation of church and state possible? What would an Islamic version of democracy look like? Is there a peaceful means to get there?

Two scholars tackled the questions at a forum on Islam and Democracy at the University of Arkansas on April 11. Sponsored by the Al-Islam (The Peace) Students Association and the UA Multicultural Center, the forum was one of a series hosted by the student organization to educate the community about Islam.

race and electability

annie b (mcliberal) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:18:40 EDT

from the ny times, adam nagourney on barack obama's struggle:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/us/politics/24obama.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1209039346-oV0Gy7PBHNjQ6kzLfhZCsA

To the Cable News Channels

AJ — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:43:09 EDT

I sent this email to the cable news channels:

Why are all of the commentators on all of the cable news channels, including CNN, avoiding the true issue with Obama and Clinton. In states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and others, racism is rampant!! Hillary Clinton did not get a larger vote because she was a woman or a better politician. She won because she is white. Period!! Start telling the truth. Racism is a plight on America. Rev. Wright was right on target. You hypocritcal folks in the media just wanted to let your stories get hotter. Any American who cannot see how crooked, two-faced and untrustworthy Hillary Clinton is, deserves what they get. I said the same thing about George Bush and I was right. Tell the truth CABLE NEWS CHANNELS!!!! America is plagued with racism from North to South and East to West.

KANSAS MUSLIM ATTACKED WITH 'MOLOTOV COCKTAIL'

funkfresh01 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:12:36 EDT

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/17/08) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today asked local and national law enforcement authorities to bring appropriate hate crime charges against the alleged perpetrator of a March "Molotov cocktail" attack on a Kansas Muslim.

A clerk at a Lenexa, Kan., gas station told police that a man came into the store and asked the clerk if he was Muslim. When the clerk replied in the affirmative, the man reportedly started harassing him.

Soon after the man left the store, a Molotov cocktail incendiary device was thrown through the front window of the store. A similar incident occurred at another store in area. A 26-year-old man was later charged with two counts of criminal use of explosives and one count of criminal damage.

SEE: Molotov Cocktail Hurled At Gas Station (KCTV)
http://www.kctv5.com/news/15721008/detail.html