Sunday, December 11, 2011
NO GOP FRONT RUNNER
LOOKS LIKE PRESIDENT OBAMA,WILL HAVE TO STAY IN OFFICE,.THERE'S NO CLEAR WINNER FOR THE GOP,.THESE TOP THREE ARE A JOKE IF THIS IS ALL THE GOP,COULD COME UP WITH.WHY HAVE AN ELECTION,JUST DECLARE PRESIDENT OBAMA,THE WINNER BY DEFAULT AND LETS GET OWN WITH THE BUSINESS OF RUNNER THIS COUNTRY,CREATING JOBS,REFORM THE BANKING INDUSTRY,STOP ALL WARS WE ARE IN.DO AWAY WITH THIS DAMN DO NOTHING CONGRESS,PRESIDENT OBAMA,DO NOT NEED THEM TO PASS AND PROMOTE HIS AGENDA,ALL HE HAS TO DO IS SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND HIS AGENDA WILL BE LAW.SUCH THINGS AS HIGH SPEED RAILS,SO IF YOU CAN'T FIND A JOB IN SAY ALABAMA,WHICH IS WHERE YOU LIVE YOU CAN TAKE THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AND BE IN ATLANTA,GA. IN 30 MIN OR CHICAGO IN TWO HOURS OR ON THE WEST COST IN THREE.NOT ONLY WOULD THIS BE GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY,AND THE CITIZEN BUT IT CREATE JOBS IT WOULD PUT MILLION BACK TO WORK.HIGH SPEED RAILS ALL CROSS THE COUNTRY,THIS WOULD BE THE NEXT BEST THING SENSE CREATING THE INTERSTATES SYSTEM,EVEN DOE IT IS USE FOR MORE THAN ITS INTENDED PURPOSE WHICH WAS TO MOBILE LISE THE MILITARY AND SECOND THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY,. WE SPENT BILLION OF DOLLARS ON THESE WARS WE HAD NO BUSINESS IN.OUR FREEDOM WAS NOT THREATEN,OUR LAND NOT IN VALETED,NO BOMBS DROP ON OUR COAST OR CITY EST,SO WHY ARE WE THERE.WE HAVE MORE OR JUST AS MUCH OIL AS THEY DO.WHAT ABOUT OTHER ENERGY ALTER SUCH AS HYBRID VEHICLE,WIND MILLS,FARM OUR ON LAND AND NOT IMPORT FOOD,WE CAN EXPORT IT BUT NOT IN PORT.STOP ALL BUSINESS FROM LEAVING U.S. TO OPEN IN OTHER COUNTRY FOR CHEAP LABOR,OK YOU WANT TO DO THAT FIND WE JUST STOP DARNING BUSINESS WITH YOU,YOU WANT TO TAKE JOBS FROM US WE STOP BUYING YOUR PRODUCTS AND OTHER WORDS WE DON'T SUPPOSE YOU MR.BUSINESS MAN,.LAST BUT NOT LEASE GIVE THAT BILLION DOLLARS YOU SPENT IN MAKING WARS ALL OVER THE WORLD BACK TO THE TAX PLAYERS.THE SAY WAY PRESIDENT BUSH,THE SECOND ONE DID.THIS WAS ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS I REMEMBER HIM DARNING ONLY THIS TIME MAKE THE PAY A WHOLE LOT MORE THERE A MARRY COUPLE COULD RECEIVE $38,000 DOLLAR,AND SINGLE PERSON SAY HALF OF THAT THIS WOULD ALSO JUMP START THE ECONOMY. SENSE HOME OWNER HAS BEEN DUKE INTO FIRST BUYING THESE OVER PRICE HOMES KNOWING THEY COULDN'T AFFORD THEM AND BEING WELL AWARE OF THE HOUSING BUBBLE THAT WHERE COMING AROUND THE CORNER KNOWING IT WILL BURST YOU MORTGAGE COMPANY INES AND BANKERS SHOULD EAT THESE COMPLETE MORTGAGES AND PUT A STOP TO ALL FOR CLOSER AND RETURN THE HOMES BACK TO THE HOME OWNER FOR WHICH YOU SET UP FROM THE START TO MAKE A PROFIT THEN DUKE THE MORTGAGES SHOULD BE FORGIVEN COMPLETELY AND THE HOME RETURN TO THE BUYER.NO I'M NOT ONE OF THEM MY SELF.CLOSE THE DAMN BORED ER AND TO HELL WITH BIG BUSINESS TO BIG TO FAIL THE OPINION OF THIS ARTICLE IS THAT OF AHMAD SHABAZZ ,A BLACK MAN WHATS YOUR OPINION.A Program For Self-Development
 The beggar’s eyes could not turn from that perishable wealth. So it is with the American Negroes; they are charmed by the luxury of their slave-master, and cannot make up their minds to seek for self something of this good earth, though hated and despised by the rich man and full of sores caused by the evil treatment of the rich man. |
This beggar was offered a home in Paradise but could not make up his mind to leave the gate of his master, the rich man, wishing for that which God had in store for destruction along with its owner. The beggar's eyes could not turn from that perishable wealth. So it is with the American Negroes; they are charmed by the luxury of their slave-master, and cannot make up their minds to seek for self something of this good earth, though hated and despised by the rich man and full of sores caused by the evil treatment of the rich man. On top of that he is chased by the rich man's dogs and still remains a beggar at the gate, though the gates of Paradise were ever open to him and the gates of hell were open to receive his rich master.
The American Negroes have the same gates of Paradise open to them but are charmed by the wealth of America and cannot see the great opportunity that lies before them. They are suffering untold injustices at the hands of the rich; they have been and still are being lynched and burned; they and their women and children are beaten all over the country, by the rich slave-masters and their children. The slaves' houses and churches are bombed by the slave-masters; their girls are used as prostitutes and at times are raped in public. Yet the Negroes are on their knees begging the rich man to treat them as the rich man treats himself and his kind. The poor beggar kindly asks for the crumbs, a job and a house in the neighborhood of the rich man.
The Negro leaders are frightened to death and are afraid to ask for anything other than a job. The good things of this earth could be theirs if they would only unite and acquire wealth as the masters and the other independent nations have. The Negroes could have all of this if they could get up and go to work for self. They are far too lazy as a Nation -- 100 years up from slavery and still looking to the master to care for them and give them a job, bread and a house to live in on the master's land. You should be ashamed of yourselves, surely the white race has been very good in the way of making jobs for their willing slaves, but this cannot go on forever; we are about at the end of it and must do something for SELF or else.
The slave-master has given you enough education to go and do for self, but this education is not being used for self; it is even offered back to the slave-masters to help them to keep you a dependent people looking to them for support. Let us unite every good that is in us for the uplifting of the American so-called Negroes to the equal of the world's independent nations. Ask for a start for self and the American white people, I believe, are willing to help give us a start if they see you and I are willing to do for self. It would remove from them not only the worry of trying to give jobs and schools to a lazy people but also would get them honor and sincere friendship all over the Asiatic world and God, Himself, would prolong their time on the earth.
We must stop relying upon the white man to care for us. We must become an independent people. So-called Negroes should:
1. Separate yourselves from the "slave-master."2. Pool your resources, education and qualifications for independence.3. Stop forcing yourselves into places where you are not wanted.4. Make your own neighborhood a decent place to live.5. Rid yourselves of the lust of wine and drink and learn to love self and your kind before loving others.6. Unite to create a future for yourself.7. Build your own homes, schools, hospitals, and factories.8. Do not seek to mix your blood through racial integration.9. Stop buying expensive cars, fine clothes and shoes before being able to live in a fine home.10. Spend your money among yourselves.11. Build an economic system among yourselves.12. Protect your women.
Stop allowing the white men to shake hands or speak to your women anytime or anywhere. This practice has ruined us. They wink their eye at your daughter after coming into your home -- but you cannot go on the North side and do the same with his women.
No black man feels good -- by nature -- seeing a white man with a Negro woman. We have all colors in our race -- red, yellow, brown, and jet black -- why should we need a white person?
Africans would not dare allow their women to be the targets that we allow ours to be.
If I were not protected by Allah (God), how would I be able to stand before this white man unafraid and speak as I do.
You educators, you Christian ministers should stop preaching integration. The most foolish thing an educator can do is to preach interracial marriage. It shows the white man you want to be white.
Educators should teach our people of the great history that was theirs before they were brought to America in shackles by slave-masters.
Our children should be trained in our own schools, not dropped into the schools of the enemy where they are taught that whites have been and forever will be world rulers.
I am the first man since the death of Yakub commissioned by God directly. I say no more than what Jesus said. He said that he came from God. I say that I am missioned by God.
Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Harvey join Omega Psi Phi’s tribute to Minister Farrakhan
 'There is no man that’s more deserving the honor that is being bestowed today. Yet despite all his great accomplishments, Minister Farrakhan is a man of humility and modesty. In those qualities lie his greatness. We are so proud today to congratulate Minister Louis Farrakhan, spiritual leader, husband, father and friend.' —Shaquille O’Neal and his assistant Mark E. Stevens |
Two prominent Omegas, author, entertainer, and radio host Steve Harvey and NBA great Shaquille O’Neal both sent words of congratulations.
“There are no words great enough to capture the spirit nor depict the greatness of the legacy of Minister Louis Farrakhan. Minister Farrakhan is a man of courage and conviction; a man of integrity and strength; a man who is fully committed to serving God through the service of mankind. He knows that his life is not his own but that (it) has been shaped, molded, and determined by The Creator.
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“There is no man that’s more deserving the honor that is being bestowed today. Yet despite all his great accomplishments, Minister Farrakhan is a man of humility and modesty. In those qualities lie his greatness. We are so proud today to congratulate Minister Louis Farrakhan, spiritual leader, husband, father and friend,” they added.
Their message was signed, “Lovingly submitted by your ‘sons.’ ”
Steve Harvey said, “The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has been my friend and mentor for many years now. ... His advice and wisdom has guided me through some dark and confusing times...If we as Omega men are honoring him, it is because he embodies the principles of our fraternity as well as anyone living today... His courage is second to none,” said Mr. Harvey. “He is MANHOOD, SCHOLARSHIP, PERSEVERANCE, AND UPLIFT. He is my friend. HE IS ONE OF US!”
 Brother Michael K. Muhammad (L) and Brother Tyrone Muhammad traveled from Muhammad Mosque No. 48 in Dallas for the event. Both are proud members of the F.O.I. and Omega Psi Phi. |
There are many members of the Nation of Islam who are also members of Omega Psi Phi, all of whom shared their happiness at hearing that the Minister would be honored in such a manner. Several spoke with The Final Call Nov. 19 following the banquet.
“He put what Omega means in perspective,” said Brother James Muhammad, former Editor-in-Chief of The Final Call. Bro. James pledged in 1973 at the Delta Epsilon chapter located on the campus of Bowling Green State University in Ohio. “He looks at things from a higher spiritual level while we may look at things from a lower level and he put into perspective what manhood was really about for me personally,” he added.
Brother Jimmy Muhammad pledged in the Spring of 2000 at Pi Kappa chapter on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. He gave away highly coveted tickets to the Arkansas football game as well as an entire table he had purchased for his home chapter’s Omega centennial celebration just to be present to see and hear the Minister on this special evening.
“I used to always get on my fraternity for not honoring Minister Farrakhan for the stances he takes,” said Bro. Jimmy. “I said if they ever recognized him for it, I had to be there and tonight, I had to be here.”
Atty. Athill Muhammad, who pledged at Lincoln University’s Beta chapter in 1983 agreed saying, “One of the most beautiful things that I’ve ever done in my life was join a fraternity. That was only second because obviously the first thing was joining the Nation of Islam under the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan,” said Bro. Athill. “To have both of my worlds come together so to speak with the fraternity honoring the Minister, it was very humbling to me because he means so much. He is the most important person in my life.”
Brother Dennis Muhammad joined the fraternity in 1971 at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale’s Omicron Theta chapter.
“He summed up in his speech to the brothers what we need to do as a people, and the only thing that keeps us from being successful is our lack of unity,” said Bro. Dennis. “I think he gave marching orders to the brothers in the fraternity to stop standing on principles and actually put those principles into action by doing what it is we profess and say we believe,” he added.
Khalil Muhammad joined the fraternity in the Spring of 1989 while a student in Arkansas and now, is now with the Mu Xi chapter in Illinois. He said the Minister is “always on time, all the time and for any occasion.”
“I think it shows the growth and maturity that our fraternity has,” said Bro. Khalil. “To see Minister Farrakhan coming to a diverse crowd that may have been majority Christian but deliver a message that is universal, means a whole lot to me.”
“I’m glad that my brothers got a chance to hear that life-giving message,” said Brother Jesse Muhammad, who joined the fraternity in 1977 at the Epsilon Beta chapter on the campus of Western Illinois University
State of the Black World: Accepting our responsibility
(Back Row L-R) Dr. Maulana Karenga, Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Willie �Mukasa� Ricks, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Haki Mahdubuti, Dr. Ron Daniels. (Seated L-R) Susan Taylor, Dr. Adelaide Sanford, Ambassador Dudley Thompson, Sonia Sanchez Photo: Jesse Muhammad
NEW ORLEANS (FinalCall.com) - Beyond egos, competing agendas and differing ideologies, the Black Nation should unite behind common principles to more effectively serve the needs of Black people, The Honorable Minister Farrakhan said during his keynote address wrapping up the State of the Black World Conference II on Nov. 23 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
After a stirring introduction by long-time activist and displaced Katrina survivor Mtangulizi Sanyika who described Min. Farrakhan as a “global evangelist, a theo-centric global humanist” and “a Muslim extraordinaire who loves Jesus profoundly,” the Minister immediately addressed the recent historic presidential election of Barack H. Obama and what it means to Black America.
“We have witnessed history being made and the history making event has placed on all of our shoulders a heavier responsibility,” said Min. Farrakhan. “I always try to see the hand of God in things that are happening so I can give the thing that is happening the proper respect,” said Min. Farrakhan adding that despite the fact that he cast his vote just before dawn on Nov. 4, he was “in doubt” that America would elect a Black president until late in the evening. The Minister said Mr. Obama’s victory is a sign that “God has not forsaken us,” and “is giving America a chance to redeem herself.”
“This is why I see Barack Obama as a mercy from God to the United States of America and a troubled world,” said Min. Farrakhan adding that America is in a fall from the pinnacle of power.
In a wide-ranging message also dealing with the state of Black leadership, organizations and the slave trade, Min. Farrakhan’s words brought laughter at times. His stern words filled with wisdom and guidance caused deep contemplation and reflection throughout.
The SOBWC II was first major gathering of Black leaders, thinkers, activists and scholars since the historic election of America’s first Black president.
Despite a severe economic downturn, and the typical financial challenges faced by many Black organizations, committed grassroots activists and legendary pillars of the Black Nationalist community made the journey to New Orleans, the symbol of Black suffering and poverty which came to the world’s attention after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Min. Farrakhan said the world’s recent events bring to mind the Biblical story of Moses who made a special prayer to God asking that He would “touch the wealth” of Pharaoh because the Children of Israel were so enamored with Pharaoh’s wealth, that they did not want to leave him.
Citing the recent collapse of several banking and financial giants, the “begging with a tin cup” by the “Big Three” American automakers—General Motors, Chrysler and Ford—and the fact that America is 10 trillion dollars in debt, it is clear that the wealth of America is in fact, being touched.
Well loved by the people of New Orleans, Min. Farrakhan has been a vocal and consistent advocate for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He conducted a fact-finding mission immediately following the disaster and then shortly thereafter commissioned The Final Call to produce a documentary telling the hidden truth about what happened before, during and after Katrina.
Minister Farrakhan chided the crowd for always being victimized by those who consistently work to “destroy our meager efforts for (financial) independence” with a system of laws to keep Black men and women as share croppers. The enemy kept Blacks picking cotton using education, labor laws, other legal shenanigans and actual lynchings to prevent “true emancipation.”
Unknown to many in the audience, The Minister informed them that New Orleans was at one time the hub of the American economy and considered “ground zero” of the cotton and sugar trade.
“The ugly secret of America is that this is where many of the rich bankers obtained their extraordinary wealth and power,” said Min. Farrakhan adding that during slavery, cotton was to the world economy what oil is now. He also said many Blacks found themselves in a state of perpetual slavery by wicked and deceitful slave masters.
However, even after all of that, many of us are like the Children of Israel who did not want to follow Moses when he said “Let my people go!”
“We don’t want to let him go. He has already let us go, but he is not giving us a good send off,” said the Minister. “No one can dig America out of the abyss of economic collapse” due to the wrong headed policies of the Bush administration.
“You are the only people who seek political strength on the basis of nothing,” said Min. Farrakhan noting that the Italians, the Irish and the Jewish people all established economic power then began to exert political power. He said every time we achieve one milestone, whether it is education, business ownership or voting, Black people collectively still end up in a bad condition primarily because we need to “flush out” envy, stupidity, ignorance, jealousy and envy among our people.
Speaking of his long-time allies in the struggle for Black liberation, such as Dr. Conrad Worrill and Dr. Haki Mahdubuti, the Minister told the crowd that those men helped him the most, when he first set out to rebuild the work of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin sat in the front row and listened intently nodding in agreement many times during Min. Farrakhan’s message of self help and responsibility.
“I think it is tremendous what he said,” Mayor Nagin told The Final Call. “We as Black leaders throughout the country need to come together in unity to inspire our people to be positioned for all of the opportunities the President-elect is going to bring us. Forcing us to think differently and to get off of our duffs and move the state of Black America forward, and I got it. I received it.”
African scholar-warrior Dr. Leonard Jeffries recalled how during his travels, when he was under attack, Min. Farrakhan ensured that members of the Fruit of Islam protected him understanding the importance of “security for outspoken Black people.”
“The Minister has been a blessing. I appreciate him building on the foundation he got from Malcolm X, I appreciated him going back into the wilderness and rebuilding the work of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad,” said Dr. Jeffries in between teaching sessions, photos and autographs. “I never fail to be inspired.”
“The State of the Black World Conference is the continuation of the tradition of Black people convening to find strategies and tactics to fight the challenges of Black people in America and African people worldwide,” said Dr. Conrad Worrill of the National Black United Front. “It goes back to the 19th century—the Negro Convention Movement—and this follows in that tradition and its significance with the recent election of President Elect Barack Obama finds us challenged to rise to the occasion in our organizing efforts to find solutions.”
During the five day conference, several working sessions were held calling together the great scholarship and leadership within the Black community.
A Black agenda
A town hall meeting on Nov. 20 brought together those interested in crafting a Black agenda to be addressed by the Obama administration.
“We’re here today to discuss a new way and come together like we have never come together before,” said Radio talk show host Bev Smith.
Political scientist and author Dr. Ron Walters said that for the first time, Blacks voted at a higher level than Whites in an election and remarked that Black people have “turned a corner” and that the success of Barack Obama is one that Black people can look to with a source of pride.
Bennett College president Dr. Julianne Malveaux remarked that agendas have been presented to the Obama administration by other ethnic groups, why not a Black agenda?
“The celebration is about the symbolism, but what is the substance?” asked Dr. Malveaux. “We need to lay out an agenda and that agenda is jobs, jobs, jobs. The words ‘poverty’ and ‘urban’ were banned from the (presidential) campaign. It’s up to us to raise them again,” she added.
CEO of the National Urban League Marc Morial, who also served as mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002 said he had faith in President Elect Barack H. Obama because he knows the reality of urban life, having spent time as an organizer in Chicago. He also cautioned against unrealistic expectations or complacency now that a Black man is headed to the White House.
“We made history (but) we didn’t elect a messiah,” said Mr. Morial “We didn’t elect a savior. We expect him to live up to the things that he committed to, but civic engagement does not end on Election Day,” he added.
Solutions and strategies
In the Pan-African policy forum titled “The Role of the Diaspora in the Development of Africa and the Caribbean” those interested came together to discuss ways to strengthen the relationship between Africa and Blacks in America.
Ambassador Dudley Thompson defined the term Diaspora as people of African descent who are not living in Africa and said that all Black people—especially in America—should refocus their thinking on their origins.
“Think of yourself as a non-residential African who happens to be living somewhere else,” said the 92-year-old Pan-African scholar pointing out that Africa’s financial situation keeps it powerless and still victimized by neo-colonialism. “If you are broke, you cannot be free whether you are a man or a country and that even applies to large (African) countries under the control of multi-national corporations,” he added.
As a board member of the TransAfrica Forum, moderator and award winning actor Danny Glover said Black people in America have a responsibility to do what they can to help the continent by involving themselves in “strategic and important dialogue” along with action. He also pointed to the youth as a key component in improving the educational and economic conditions in places like Haiti and on the African continent.
“Paul Robeson once said that every generation makes its own history. I think the generation of young people was represented by the election of Barack Obama,” said Mr. Glover. “But I think it’s more than just that. There are young people out here doing great and extraordinary work in the fight for justice. We need to invest in young people and young people need to stand up to make their own history.”
The importance of Black arts
In the intergenerational workshop titled “Reviving the Black Arts and Culture Movement” several members of the Black arts community participated in an intergenerational dialogue on the future of Hip Hop and the Black freedom struggle held on Nov. 22.
“I have been blessed to impact a lot of artists that exist today. That’s why I spend my time helping up-and- coming artists deal with having lots of money and their new found fame because many people don’t know how to handle it. I feel obligated to teach,” said Kangol Kid from the legendary rap group UTFO.
Poetess Sonia Sanchez added context to the freedom struggle of the sixties which continues to this day. “Back in our day, we had to fight so we challenged the system with our words,” said Ms. Sanchez. “We were told at times that our music and poetry wasn’t real but we kept pressing on. Our two greatest influences were Malcom X and (John) Coltrane. Those two men fed us and inspired us to write in the way that we did”.
 NYOIL |
Wordsmith NYOIL also weighed in on the current state of hip hop and the bias against rappers interested in social commentary.
“There are institutions out there that only pay big money for artists with a certain celebrity status, but those artists get on the stage and say anything. They won’t invite conscious rappers like myself and others who have something to say. We as younger people need guidance from our elders,” said NYOIL. “We can’t do this without you all and sometimes I feel alone in New York. Will you help us?” he asked.
Hip hop journalist Davy D has solutions for those who feel as though that which currently exists does not represent them or provide sufficient outlets for displaying their skills and talents.
 Davey D |
“I believe it is that aloneness that people experience at times that creates institutions. If the goal for us is only to be on BET or CNN, then we are off in our thinking,” Davy D said. “We don’t have to depend on mainstream media to put out our story, when we can do it. There are people off the block and in the hood who can do great things if we start falling back in love with one another. We need to start utilizing the resources that we all have and network to build institutions
Jasiri X, who has done a lot to infuse real world events into his lyrics by creating anthems related to the “Jena Six” case and the case of Sean Bell, had several recommendations.
 Jasiri X |
“If you or anybody you know is connected to institutions, why not invite positive rappers in? I have witnessed how organizations have certain positive initiatives that we offer to represent from a hip hop standpoint and we get shut down. It would make sense to use an artist who can reach young people with their message.”
Workshop moderator Dr. Kimberly Ellis, also called Dr. Goddess brought it all home in a unified manner.
 Dr. Kimberly Ellis (a.k.a) Dr. Goddess |
“We are not going anywhere without our elders who paved the way for us,” said Dr. Ellis. “I believe our generation is powerful and if we have the guidance of those before us we will do even more. But there must be communication between the two and a level of respect.”
On the evening of Nov. 22, the Institute of the Black World held the Legacy Awards ceremony honoring those consistently on the front lines of the struggle for Black liberation. Among those honored was Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright. After graciously thanking many of those joining him on the stage, he delivered special words of thanks and appreciation on behalf of Black people for Minister Farrakhan and the two men embraced to the cheers of the crowd.
“One of many things that the media got angry about back in April is that I would not let them tell me who my friends were, and because the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is a friend of mine,” said Rev. Wright adding that during the controversy, the Fruit of Islam provided security for him and other Nation of Islam members stood in support of him. “While they were using me as the whipping boy, they were waiting on him (Farrakhan) to say anything. Anything. He held his peace in order that Barack may be our president. My brother, we owe a debt of gratitude that we can never repay.”
Dr. Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World called it an “incredible and powerful moment” that many at SOBWC II will not soon forget.
Though not talking much to the media over the past few months, Rev. Wright told The Final Call that it was an evening of “mixed emotions” the night he heard the news that Barack H. Obama had been elected president.
“It was like it was all worth it,” said Rev. Wright. “I told one of the reporters from the Los Angeles Times, that I had been supporting Barack for years long before many of them could even pronounce his name and to see all of that hard work come to fruition was a sign of hope with my biggest hope being that all of those that worked so hard to get him elected will continue to work (because) he can’t do this all by himself,” Rev. Wright added.
Rev. Wright also said that on the night of the election, when his family was celebrating Mr. Obama’s victory, it was painful when his name was still being tarnished in the media and that he could not be present in Grant Park for the celebration.
“It was great feeling—it was painful in that I couldn’t be there because of his support(ers) hating me—many of them—and my presence being something that would hurt him, that was painful because long before they knew him, I was pushing him and supporting him. It was like seeing one of your children finally make it to the big stage, but you can’t be there with him. It was a mixed emotion kind of night. In fact, as I was celebrating and enjoying the moment CNN mentioned my name in a negative light—that night! They won’t let it go, but it was good seeing that come to pass.”
“To see these giants coming together and to show these two men that we have their backs to see that they have each other backs,” said Dr. Daniels “We may never see that in a collective setting like this again, it was just incredible.”
Reflecting on Min. Farrakhan’s Sunday message, Dr. Worrill said Min. Farrakhan’s participation in this event as a representation of the continuation of the struggle for Black liberation, and at the same time, preparation for the passing of the torch.
“In 1970 Minister Farrakhan was the keynote speaker at the Congress of African People meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Ron Daniels, Mtangulizi Sanyika and myself, Conrad Worrill were there, and these same activists are still on the front lines, trying to make the connection with the next generation to take our place, so it is prophetic and profound that the Honorable Minster Louis Farrakhan would be speaking at a gathering that has such great tradition in our movement,” Dr. Worril added
Busta Rhymes leaving Aftermath!! WHAT??
Trevor Smith – announced he was walking away from his Records contract last week, in favor of Universal Motown records. Rhymes signed to Dre’s Aftermath label in 2004, but four years on, his album blessed had still yet to be released. The label split is rumored to have been the result of a dispute between the star and Interscope boss Jimmy Iovine over the constant album delays. However during a New York radio interview this week, Rhymes claimed he and Dre will remain close, despite the label mess. He told Hot 97’s DJ Envy, “Me and Dre are still good. So even though I’m not in business with Aftermath or Interscope, I’m still with Aftermath. Me and Dre are always gonna be good.” And Rhymes took the opportunity to poke fun at his old label executives for providing him with the singles We Made It and Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ‘Em). He added: “Big up to Interscope for, you know, giving me the leaked joints and the set-ups. Now we gonna consider those the leaked joints.” Rhymes will now release his highly-anticipated new album on Universal, and has changed the title to B.O.M.B. (Back On My Bulls**t). SourceProps to Bussa Buss I can’t wait for the album to drop! I’m going to be first in line
Swizz Beats denies smashing Alicia Keys!! **Must Read**
NoahSife.com has learned Swizz Beatz denies doing anything funny with Alicia Keys. In case you didn’t know these two were rumored to have been messing around and that is what led to Swizz getting separated from his wife. After Swizz let this rumor go on for entirely too long, here is what he had to say:
“I can no longer ignore the harmful rumors, that my friend Alicia Keys is in any way linked to my marital circumstances or to the decision that [my wife] Mashonda and I have made to separate,” Swizz explained. “I am disappointed that some have chosen to try and tarnish Alicia’s reputation by irresponsibly implicating her in a situation that she had absolutely nothing to do with.”“This experience has been one of the most difficult times in my life,” Swizz revealed. “And as was stated when we announced our separation several months ago, I ask that you continue to respect my privacy in dealing with this personal matter.”
You gotta respect him for stepping up and squashing that rumor. Being a celebrity is hard, even though you have a beautiful wife you have to resist being tempted by one of THE most beautiful and talented women on this planet. Rough. Word to the wise Swizz…STAY HOME!!!! Let’s keep it faithful yall
Erykah Badu Goes Off on Critics!! What did she say?
Ms. Badu recently had her third child by her third baby’s father. I guess she went on her message boards for her fan site and everybody was hating big time! So she reponds back to them. Here is what she said…
HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT THE QUEENDOM
…AND MY CHILDREN AND MY INTELLIGENCE.
ive never been so disgusted in all of my life .
there is no other place i used to enjoy more .
i post no where else .
you guys have taken an all time low , tho.
I’LL STATE MY PEACE
i am a great mother and care giver to my 2 children and to this world .
my children are 2 of the kindest and happiest people i have met.
I home schooled them and taught them the ways of good to the best of my ability.
i am their doctor and their nurse .
and even sometimes their mother and their father.
i am an excellent mother and resent all of the negative comments and insults on my character.
I PUT MUCH TIME AND THOUGHT INTO HAVING AND RAISING MY CHILDREN.
IVE HAD THE HONORS OF HAVING 2 HOME BIRTHS AND 2 WONDERFUL PARTNERS BY MY SIDE.
every relationship i have been in was because i loved the person DEARLY and was dedicated to us “exclusively” FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
the fathers of my children are my brothers and friends .
we have a great deal of respect for one another and always will.
WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN TO NO END.
we took our own “vows” and CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THEM.
AND THAT IS WHAT THAT IS .
question?
WHAT IS MARRIAGE ?
WHO IS THE JUDGE?
WE ONLY UNDERSTAND THE EXAMPLES WE ARE GIVEN ( well sort of)
WOULD IT “LOOK BETTER ” TO MARRY AND DIVIORCE AND MARRY AGAIN ?
WOULD THAT BE MORALLY CORRECT ?
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE ? the government’s involvement i guess.
IDEALLY , IT WOULD BE EXCELLENT TO FIND THE MAN OR WOMAN WHO FULFILLS YOUR SPIRIT AND STAY FOR EVER AND EVER ( thru sickness and health till death do us part ) AND HAVE HEALTHY STRONG CHILDREN AS A RESULT OF A HEALTHY AND STRONG UNION.
(this CAN happen … we need much training , however.)
OR
IS IT REALLY “GOOD” TO STAY IN A RELATIONSHIP WHERE BOTH PARTIES ARE UNFULFILLED , LONGING FOR RELIEF , BRINGING one another down as a result of improper training , creating BAD ENERGY AND EXPERIENCES FOR THE CHILD TO REPEAT ?
(not to mention breeding deceit and anger and resentment )
SEEMS TO CREATE FEARFUL CHILDREN WHO TURN INTO FEARFUL ADULTS .
HOW MANY OF YOU GREW UP IN 2 PARENT HOMES THAT WERE MISERABLE AS F**K?
OR 2 PARENT HOMES THAT WERE NOT PERFECT BUT WORKED?
HOW MANY GREW UP IN ONE PARENT HOMES WHERE THE MOTHER WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE CARED FOR BUT SHE WASNT QUITE HAPPY?
HOW ABOUT A HOME WHERE THE FATHER WAS THE MAIN CARE GIVER AND DID THE BEST HE COULD -LACKING NURTURE?
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A SIBLING THAT HAS A DIFFERENT FATHER OR MOTHER?
DOES HE OR SHE MEAN LESS TO YOU?
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 1 MOTHER OR FATHER OF YOUR OWN CHILDren ?
HOW MANY OF YOU HAD /OR / ARE PARENTS RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN ,THAT DONT QUITE FIT ANY OF THESE DESCRIPTIONS?
HOW MANY OF YOU STAY IN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS FOR FEAR OF GOING TO HELL?
HOW MANY HOS OUT THERE … THAT HAVE KIDS TO GET A PAYDAY?
HOW MANY PEOPLE GETTING THEY ASS KICKED AND ARE FORCED TO SUBMIT CAUSE YO MAMA GOT HER ASS KICKED?
THEN WHAT is CORRECT?
how about this:
I PRAY WITH MY CHILDREN
I FEED THEM GOOD FOOD
THEY RESPECT PEOPLES DIFFERENCES
THEY TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH ME
THE KNOW WHO THEY ARE
THEY ADORE THEIR FATHERS AND ARE LOVED BY 2 PARENTS OR MORE
-
OR TWO OR MORE SETS OF LOVING GRANDPARENTS
THEY CRY
THEY GET HURT
THEY GET SICK
THEY HEAL
THEY ARE real
THEY ARE NOT AN IDEA or a TOPIC
AND NEITHER AM I .
I AM ALIVE .
I AM BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
I AM A GOOD WOMAM.
I AM GROWING
I AM COMPLETE WITH OR WITHOUT A PARTNER AND WILL ALWAYS BE
AND I HAVE DREAMS OF A FAMILY STRUCTURE
ALL OF MY DREAMS DO NOT COME TRUE
AND DESPITE ALL OF THE PAIN IN MY LIFE …
IN MY MOTHERS LIFE …
IN MY GRANDMOTHERS LIFE
WE HAVE ALWAYS ENDURED
AND THERE IS SO MUCH JOY TO BE EXPERIENCED.
I NEVER HAD A FATHER AND I DONT KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE -
BUT MY CHILDREN DO , AND THEY LOVE THEIR ‘PARENTS’ .
WE ARE THEIR CHAMPIONS .
live how you want . follow which ever pattern YOU like .
MY CHILDREN WILL BE LEADERS
and they will not ever be slaves to this society’s failing idea of morality.
THEY OWN THEIR MINDS AND THEIR DREAMS.
BIRTH CONTROL lol … could have 10 babies instead of 2 .
I LOVE CHILDREN AND I WILL HAVE AS MANY AS GOD WILL GIVE ME .
I AM VERY HEALTHY AND RESPONSIBLE AND SO ARE ALL OF MY PARTNERS
I CHOSE THEM WISELY AND SOBERLY .
ALL GOOD BROTHERS .
your opinions lack experience and are not only careless but also very uninformed and immature.
nothing is sacred here . and i see why.
if i loose you as a fan because i want to continue to have children then
F*CK OFF… WHO NEEDS YOU ….CERTAINLY NOT ME … KICK ROCKS … CALL TYRONE … PACK LIGHT …. BITE ME
i have defended myself here ON THIS SITE and hurled a few insults .. but only in response to your insults of
my music , my clothes , my lyrics , my hair , my being a woman , my spirit, my choices of partners….
these have all been on trial here . and i continued to support the energy of this place .
this is to all the okay players / REAL HUMAN BEINGS hiding behind screen names in order to insult one another and who ever else you will.
geeeez…
i had to say something
i am so sad for parents who try , today guys
enough is enuf.
dont judge to quickly , OKAY PLAYER?
i know you are having fun , but what if it were you and your children?
my son is 10 .
my daughter, 4 .
peace
ANALOGUE GIRL
and if this post is not clear
kiss my placenta.
Wow, she really spit some knowledge. Sometimes you get youself in some situations that look bad on the outside but with some explaining really get cleared up. I know some women with two or three babies fathers but they aren’t bad women. You just gotta live your life to the fullest. Don’t really take into concern what the people on the outside looking in have to say. Because on the day to day tip, they don’t matter…Here’s a cut off Erykah’s new album New Amerykah, it’s called “Honey”….
Saturday, December 10, 2011
West Coast will have best seat for Saturday's lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse will occur Saturday, and all of the United States will be able to see some portion of it.
The West Coast will have "a more complete view" of Saturday's event and will be able to see the totality, the time when the Earth's shadow completely covers the moon, according to NASA.
That totality on the West Coast is timed as the moon sets and the sun rises, NASA said. The peak, when the moon is a deep red, will occur at 6:30 a.m. Pacific, NASA said.
The East Coast won't have such a nice view, NASA said. Atlantic seaboard residents will only see the earliest portion, when the moon begins to enter Earth's shadow, and the dimming will be very slight and may be difficult to see, NASA said.
The eclipse will last from 6:33 a.m. Eastern (3:33 a.m. Pacific) till 12:30 p.m. Eastern (9:33 a.m. Pacific), and totality will last 51 minutes, NASA said.
"A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth is directly between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's rays and casting a shadow on the moon. As the moon moves deeper and deeper into Earth's shadow, the moon changes color before your very eyes, turning from gray to an orange or deep shade of red," the NASA website said.
"The moon takes on this new color because sunlight is still able to pass through Earth's atmosphere and cast a glow on the moon. Our atmosphere filters out most of the blue colored light, leaving the red and orange hues that we see during a lunar eclipse. If there are additional dust particles in the atmosphere, the moon will appear to be a darker shade of red," NASA said.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, which is orbiting 31 miles above the moon, will get a front-row seat to the lunar eclipse, the last one of the year, NASA said.
The orbiter will record how quickly certain parts of the moon will cool off during the eclipse, NASA said
Getting hired when you're over 50
True, older job seekers face a few extra obstacles. But you may be able to overcome them by turning your age to your advantage. Here'FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I read your recent column on bridging the generation gap in the workplace between young bosses and older employees. It struck a nerve with me, because, frankly, I'd be delighted to work for a young boss if I could just get one to hire me. I'm 53 and I was laid off last year from a senior marketing management position at a bank. Luckily, I have enough savings to live on for a while, since my job hunt seems to be taking forever.
All goes well until I show up for an interview with a 30-something hiring manager or HR person, and then I hear, "Oops! Sorry, the position has been filled, but thanks for coming in." I'd like to think this isn't because, like most people in their fifties, I have a few gray hairs and laugh lines, but it's hard to draw any other conclusion. Do you and your readers have any suggestions for me? — Not Dead Yet
Dear N.D.Y.: Cold comfort though it may be, a long job hunt is perfectly normal these days, especially for anyone seeking a senior management job. "The higher your rank in your last position, the longer it takes to find a new one," says Mark Anderson, president of ExecuNet, a national career network for $100,000-a-year-plus senior managers.
ExecuNet's research shows, for example, that a vice president over age 50 takes 20% longer to get hired than a 41-to-45-year-old job seeker at the same level. But age is only part of the story. The main reason it now takes the average management job candidate at least 10 months to get hired is that "companies are taking longer to fill positions," Anderson notes. "Many companies who have management openings are not aggressively looking to fill them."
He points to a new ExecuNet survey that says that only 16% of employers plan to hire executives over the next six months, a big decrease from about 30% earlier this year.
Job interviews can be especially difficult for executives over 50 who have spent their careers moving up through the ranks, or being recruited for better jobs, and thus have had little or no practice at selling themselves while unemployed, say executive coaches Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane.
Sloane and Mays are the founders and principals of OptiMarket, a Darien, Conn., coaching firm that specializes in helping older executives find jobs quickly. They also wrote a book, Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Executive Job Search Challenge. They offer four tips on making sure your job hunt does not, in fact, last "forever" (even if it seems that way):
1. Preempt the age issue. "If you're over 50, your age is the elephant in the room. Should you try to sweep it under the rug and hope it doesn't come up, or wait until it does and address it then?" asks Sloane. The answer: Neither. "All effective salespeople know that the best way to counter an anticipated objection is to address it first."
Instead of being defensive about your age, make it an asset. In cover letters, on your resume, and especially in interviews, "describe the abilities you've gained from experience that will give you an advantage over younger, less experienced candidates," he says. One example: Problem solving. "At age 50-plus, there are probably few business challenges you haven't faced," says Mays.
2. Describe your flexible management style. "There is a perception that over-fifty job seekers are set in their ways and reluctant to change. So talk about how you modified your approach to fit different situations and varied corporate cultures," Sloane suggests. "You can also mention how you responded to unanticipated problems like a product recall, the loss of a major client, or a new government regulation." The point is to show that you can roll with the punches as well as, or better than, any 35-year-old.
3. Cite past success at working for a younger boss. Recruiters and hiring managers often worry that executives over 50 will have problems reporting to someone younger, and young managers may wonder if your experience means you're after their jobs. "During interviews, give examples where you enabled a young boss to succeed, grow, and advance their careers," Mays advises.
"If you're interviewing with a prospective boss who is younger than you, ask what his or her greatest challenges are, and tell how you believe your skills and experience can make their mission easier," he adds. "You'll be less likely to be perceived as a threat if you show that you respect their authority and are as committed to advancing their career as your own."
4. Be flexible about pay. "You'll have a significant advantage over younger candidates if you're willing to accept a lower base salary up front, in exchange for greater performance-based bonus or equity," says Sloane. "Companies prefer to hire executives who are willing to prove themselves first."
Decide what minimum salary you need and then, when asked about your pay requirements, "mention that once you learn more about the job requirements and the company's full compensation structure -- including salary, bonus, profit-sharing, perks, and equity -- you'll be in a better position to answer."
Among OptiMarket's clients, Sloane says, "reducing initial salary requirements is often the key reason they get an offer. And in most cases, they end up making more money in the long run, because of deferred compensation they earn for great performance."
Here's hoping it works out that way for yous how.
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Army Should Be Charged with Killing U.S. Army Private LaVena Lynn Johnson!!!
U.S. Army Private LaVena Lynn Johnson, RIP
by Elizabeth HiggsAccording to the U.S. Department of Defense, Private LaVena Lynn Johnson killed herself on July 19, 2005, eight days before her twentieth birthday. Exactly how did she end her life? She punched herself in the face hard enough to blacken her eyes, break her nose, and knock her front teeth loose. She douched with an acid solution after mutilating her genital area. She poured a combustible liquid on herself and set it afire. She then shot herself in the head. Despite this massive self-inflicted trauma, she somehow managed to drag her then fully clothed body into the tent of a KBR contractor, leaving a trail of blood along the way and set the tent ablaze in a failed attempt to cover up her crimes against herself.
If this story sounds plausible to you, you may have missed your calling as an officer in the U.S. Army, because Army officers, speaking with a straight face, would have you believe that such a thing is not only possible, but actually happened.
In reality, LaVena Johnson was raped, beaten, and murdered by someone on a military base in Balad, Iraq, and the Army doesn’t want you to know about it. Army officers most especially didn’t want her parents to know about it, so they concocted the suicide story, informing them that their daughter had shot herself in the head in her barracks.
When LaVena’s body was returned to her parents, however, her father, Dr. John Johnson, immediately noticed that her nose was broken and her lip was torn. He was surprised to discover that her gloves were glued to her hands (as it turns out, to hide burns). As a former military man himself, he also recognized that the exit wound from the bullet could not possibly have come from the weapon the military claimed LaVena used to kill herself. He knew then that the Army was lying to him, that his daughter had been murdered. He made these discoveries three years ago. Today, the Army is still lying to him, and to us.
LaVena Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from a Missouri high school because she believed it was right to serve her country. She loved America, was very patriotic, and she thought joining the military was the best way to express that patriotism. Although her mother had assumed that her daughter, a violinist and honor student, would go straight to college, LaVena had made other plans. After her death, her company commander described her as having been "clearly happy" during her time in the Service. She enjoyed her job, took pride in it, and cared about the U.S. Army.
Unfortunately, the Army did not care about her. In fact, the disdain and contempt in which the Army held – and continues to hold – her seems to have no bounds. Her father stated last year in an interview given for a Missouri television station that the U.S. Army "turned on her" after her murder. I differ with Dr. Johnson on only one point: the U.S. Army never did give a damn about his daughter.
In a heart-wrenching interview conducted last month with LaVena’s parents, her mother, Linda Johnson, describes the members of the military responsible for this cover-up as "lying demons."After filing a FOIA request for release of a CD-ROM contained in LaVena’s file but withheld from the family for over two years, and under added pressure from a congressman, the Army finally gave the Johnsons the CD. On it they found horrific photographs from the autopsy that clearly showed the extent of their daughter's injuries. It proved that the original black and white photos of LaVena’s body originally sent to them had been doctored. Also on the disk were damning sketches of the crime scene that gave her parents further information contradicting the Army's statements.
One wonders whether LaVena would have enlisted in the Army if she had known that Veterans Administration statistics show that one third of the women who serve in the military are victims of sexual assault by a fellow soldier. Or if she had known about an emerging pattern of "suicides" of women soldiers who were also victims of sexual assault.
According to the Department of Defense FY07 Report on Sexual Assault in the Military,
"The Army remains committed to thoroughly investigate and take appropriate action in all unrestricted reports of sexual assault," and the Department of Defense "continues its commitment to eradicate sexual assault in the military services."
Military leaders have no real interest in stopping sexual assaults. If they did, LaVena Johnson’s rape and murder would be included in their statistics. But they would rather not admit that these crimes occur if they don’t have to. So, if the victim is dead, all the better. Just report that death as a suicide.
LaVena Johnson was awarded a posthumous promotion to Private First Class, a bone thrown to her family, no doubt. But her spirit cries out for justice. Please call your representatives in Congress and demand action on her case. The telephone number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202/224-3121. Please help her parents to obtain a proper investigation of their daughter's death. The major media have ignored LaVena’s story, and without a vociferous public demand for action the government will continue to stonewall.
LaVena Johnson was raped and murdered. Do not let the military sweep this under the rug.
August 4, 2008Elizabeth Higgs [send her mail] is a wife and mother living in Covington, Louisiana.Copyright © 2008 by LewRockwell.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given
Requiem for a TrainHigh-speed rail is dead in America. Should we mourn it?
If you live in Los Angeles, Orlando, Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, Raleigh, or any number of other U.S. cities, chances are you’ve read a news story that started something like this: “Imagine stepping on a train in [your city] and stepping off in [another major city] just two-and-a-half hours later. This dream could become a reality in the next [unrealistic number] years, thanks to plans for a national network of high-speed rail lines.”
Well, you can stop imagining it now. High-speed rail isn’t happening in America. Not anytime soon. Probably not ever. The questions now are (1) what killed it, and (2) should we mourn its passing?
There was a brief burst of enthusiasm around the future of high-speed rail in January 2010, when President Obama announced $8 billion in federal stimulus spending to start building “America’s first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service.” Since then, however, the project’s chances of success have been heading in one direction: downhill. First, Tea Party conservatives in Florida and wealthy liberal suburbanites in the Bay Area began questioning their states’ plans. Then, just as Joe Biden was calling for $53 billion in high-speed-rail spending over the next six years, a crop of freshly elected Republican governors turned down billions in federal money for lines in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Florida. Finally, Republicans in Congress zeroed out the federal high-speed rail budget last month. (To understand why conservatives hate trains, see my colleague Dave Weigel’s story from earlier this year.)
Though Republicans’ outright rejection of high-speed rail is short-sighted, so were many of the plans themselves. Rather than focus on the few corridors that need high-speed rail lines the most, the Obama administration doled out half a billion here and half a billion there, a strategy better-suited to currying political support than to addressing real infrastructure problems. Spread across 10 corridors, each between 100 and 600 miles long, Obama’s rail system would have been, at best, a disjointed patchwork. The nation’s most gridlocked corridor, along the East Coast between Washington, D.C. and Boston, was left out of the plans entirely. Worse, much of the money was allocated to projects that weren’t high-speed rail at all.
The Europeans define high-speed trains as those that travel at speeds of 155 miles per hour or more (or 125 mph for tracks that are upgraded, rather than newly built). Wisconsin’s proposed $823 million Milwaukee-to-Madison line was to reach 110 mph, at most, in between stops in cities such as Brookfield and Oconomowoc. Ohio’s version was even slower, with trains on an upgraded freight-rail track topping out at 79 mph. With stops, the trip from Cincinnati to Cleveland would have been significantly slower by rail than by car. Who would ride such a thing? Former Ohio governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, bemoaned the jobs that would be lost when his Republican successor killed the project. But at a cost of $400 million, this was job creation of the sort that John Maynard Keynes himself would have eyed skeptically. Florida’s $2.4 billion Tampa-to-Orlando line made more sense, but it was no surprise that Republican Gov. Rick Scott nixed it in February. By that time, high-speed rail had already become a punch line among fiscal conservatives.
For all that, a line in California, connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco, still seemed to stand a chance. Unlike its counterparts elsewhere in the country, the California line would be true, dedicated high-speed rail, with trains running up to 220 mph. It would connect two metropolises of seven-million-plus people that are just far enough apart to make a drive unappetizing (six hours sans traffic) and a plane hop unwieldy. And the plans were already in place; the state had been working on a high-speed rail line for decades and lacked only the money to execute it.
It was, it seemed, the perfect showcase for the Obama stimulus. This was more than just
digging holes in the ground—it was putting people to work building something that the country needed anyway. Not only is California’s Interstate 5 congested and getting worse, but air traffic between San Francisco and Los Angeles is beginning to be a problem as well. Without high-speed trains, the state will need to build more highways, more airports, or both. But for a state that recently passed a law limiting greenhouse gas emissions, electric trains make far more environmental sense. And they’re popular—the state’s voters had approved a $10 billion bond issue for the rail line even before Obama announced his own high-speed plans. So what went wrong?
digging holes in the ground—it was putting people to work building something that the country needed anyway. Not only is California’s Interstate 5 congested and getting worse, but air traffic between San Francisco and Los Angeles is beginning to be a problem as well. Without high-speed trains, the state will need to build more highways, more airports, or both. But for a state that recently passed a law limiting greenhouse gas emissions, electric trains make far more environmental sense. And they’re popular—the state’s voters had approved a $10 billion bond issue for the rail line even before Obama announced his own high-speed plans. So what went wrong?
The project was oversold from the beginning, with projections of 100 million riders per year and healthy operating profits—yes, profits, on a railroad—leading to skepticism even among those inclined to support it. Along with the usual conservative opponents, the wealthy liberals living along the railroad’s proposed path in Palo Alto and neighboring cities—sufficiently motivated by the prospect of trains roaring literally through their backyards—began to uncover holes in the financing scheme as well. Rather than take them seriously, the rail line’s bullheaded backers attempted to steamroll the opposition, branding them NIMBYs and “rotten apples.” Sure, they were NIMBYs, but it didn’t make them wrong. And when they leveraged their connections and media savvy to get state lawmakers, academics, and journalists like me to investigate, the findings that came back damaged the project’s credibility.
Under pressure to come up with more realistic projections, state rail authorities admitted last month that the project would take twice as long to build as they’d originally claimed, attract fewer riders, and cost twice as much. The honesty was welcome, but it came too late: A poll released this week showed the public has turned against high-speed rail altogether, with nearly two-thirds saying they’d like a chance to reconsider.
Some will point out that California’s high-speed rail plan still isn’t dead, exactly. (It’s “more of a zombie,” one blogger quipped.) State officials, backed by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, have concentrated their efforts on building just one leg, from agricultural Fresno to dusty Bakersfield, as a sort of desperate foot-in-the-door tactic. They still have the Obama adminstration’s support. “We are not going to be dissuaded by critics,” transportation secretary Ray LaHood said this week. "We are only at the beginning of this multi-generational process—the simple fact is that the transportation challenges that are driving increased demand for rail are not going away." That’s true, but the chances that California—or the country—will meet those challenges now look dim.
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