And they called Lani Guiner a "loony" for espousing the same view...

"Democracy entails not just majority rule, but protection of minority rights."

– L. Paul Bremer III, Administrator, Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.

Paul Bremer made that statement after giving an overly optimistic yearend .:review:. of the American occupation of Iraq. The belated American allegiance to the protection of minority rights is an effort to keep Iraq’s Shiite majority from thinking too highly of themselves and demanding one man one vote - majority rule - in their multi-religious, multi-ethnic country. The need to satisfy the desires of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is just one of the issues that was not thought out in America’s rush to establish new military bases and turn Iraq into a cash cow for Halliburton and Bechtel. Only painful desperation would entice a Republican to publicly declare that minority rights are sacrosanct.

...When Lani Guinier was nominated by President Clinton to serve as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights she was called “loony” and a “quota queen” for advocating what Bremer now wants for Iraq. The unfortunate Ms. Guinier was not attempting to create a compliant puppet government. She was talking about bringing justice to the electoral system of the United States, a nation whose majority does not always appreciate minorities making too many demands or even asking too many questions.

.:read the rest:.

From Bad to Worse

.:American Family Voices:. website weighs in on the .:Richard Clark:. brouhaha with a collection of quotes from devout Bushites that belie their claims, and further indict this administration for mishandling intelligence prior to 9-11-01 and lying about the need to invade Iraq.

"Richard Clarke had plenty of opportunities to tell us in the administration that he thought the war on terrorism was moving in the wrong direction and he chose not to." – Condoleezza Rice, March 22, 2004


In fact, Clarke sent an urgent memo calling for a Cabinet-level meeting to discuss the possibilities of an al Qaeda attack back on January 24, 2001. The meeting was delayed for three months, and was held without the presence of Cabinet-level officials.

Clarke's colleague Thomas Maertens, former National Security Council director for nuclear nonproliferation under both Clinton and Bush, remembers that Clarke "was the guy pushing hardest, saying again and again that something big was going to happen," but that Bush officials weren't responsive to the advice of a Clinton administration holdover.

"Ramzi Yousef [convicted of the attempted WTC bombings in 1993] turned out to be Khalid Shaykh Muhammad's nephew. Khalid Shaykh Muhammad is the guy who came up with the idea of using airliners to strike the World Trade Center in about 1996, we believe, when he first suggested that, and who later supervised the attacks of 9/11." – Cheney, March 22, 2004


Another failed gambit from Cheney during his phone-in appearance on Limbaugh's show. This statement is part of a desperate attempt by the Bush team to pin the blame for 9/11 on the Clinton administration. Of course, as usual, Cheney vastly overstated himself and stuck his foot in his mouth, selling out a colleague in the process. Here's why:

"I don't think anybody could have predicted that these people…would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile." – Rice, May 16, 2002


Cheney's comments directly implied that people (meaning people in the Clinton administration) should have predicted that al Qaeda would use a plane as a missile, because Muhammad's plans stretched back to 1996. In a desperate attempt to free the Bush administration from blame, Rice similarly overstated her case as well. In fact, a 1999 report by the National Intelligence Council did issue an alert about this type of hijacking plan.

"The president returned to the White House and called me in and said, I've learned from George Tenet that there is no evidence of a link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11." – Rice, March 22, 2004

"But just days later, the President met with his National Security Council; the Director of Central Intelligence informed him that there was no link between the September 11th attacks and Iraq." – McClellan, March 22, 2004


It is embarrassing that the White House would even attempt to make this claim after shamelessly using 9/11 as grounds to invade Iraq. In fact, the Bush team had better hope that Rice and McClellan are lying. Otherwise there's no possible way to explain these comments:


"Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications, and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al Qaeda. Secretly, and without fingerprints, he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help them develop their own." – President Bush, 2003 State of the Union Address

"We learned more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the '90s." – Cheney on "Meet the Press," September 14, 2003


And, in a letter to Congress, President Bush argued that an attack on Iraq was justified because force was authorized against "nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11."

The Bush White House has been spinning so many half-truths on this issue for so long that it was inevitable that at some point, they were going to overlap and contradict. That point appears to be now. It was perhaps the most poorly constructed web of deceit in recent memory – it only trapped the spider. ...

More links are here, here, and here.

Late, But Great, News

President Aristide did .:arrive in Jamaica:. safely on Monday. He's in an undisclosed location, undoubtedly to avoid any possible assassins sent by the U.S.

What? That's sounds too far fetched? P-shaw! As if the U.S. hasn't publicly contemplated the reinstatement of "legal assassination", as if the U.S. hasn't secretly assassinated leaders of other countries.

Both Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice continue in their roles as Black face clowns for the Gee Dubya administration when they pooh-poohed Aristide's return to the Caribbean. I believe it was Donald Rumsfeld who went 10 steps farther (to the right) when he suggested that the Haitian President not return to the Western Hemisphere!

Good golly Miss Molly! So much for freedom.

Much more to come...

Aristide in Jamaica?

President Aristide was due to land in Jamaica today, accompanied by a delegation that includes: U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Randall Robinson, and attorney Ira Kurzban. I haven't heard the latest yet, but here's hoping for the best...

Press Release from .:HaitiAction.net:.

P R E S S R E L E A S E
March 13, 2004

Both within the United States as well as within the Caribbean community there have been efforts, over the past two weeks, to have President and Madame Aristide returned to the Caribbean. A delegation is now on its way to the Central African Republic to meet with President and Madame Aristide, and to accompany them to Jamaica, where Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has announced the Aristides will be residing for the next several weeks. U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, author Randall Robinson, and attorney Ira Kurzban are the American members of the delegation, and Jamaican parliamentarian Sharon Hay-Webster will be representing the Government of Jamaica and Caricom. Accompanying the delegation are .:Peter Eisner of the Washington Post:. and .:Amy Goodman of Democracy Now:..

The delegation is expected to arrive in the .:Central African Republic:. on Sunday, March 14, and is expected to arrive in Jamaica, along with the Aristides, on Monday March 15, 2004.

Real Quick Like

I went to this .:blog:. and found this dead-on list in rebuttal to the charge that John Kerry flip-flops. Here it is:

Bush is against a Homeland Security Department; then he's for it.

Bush is against a 9/11 commission; then he's for it.

Bush is against an Iraq WMD investigation; then he's for it.

Bush is against nation building; then he's for it.

Bush is against deficits; then he's for them.

Bush is for free trade; then he's for tariffs on steel; then he's against them again.

Bush is against the U.S. taking a role in the Israeli Palestinian conflict; then he pushes for a "road map" and a Palestinian State.

Bush is for states right to decide on gay marriage, then he is for changing the constitution.

Bush first says he'll provide money for first responders (fire, police, emergency), then he doesn't.

Bush first says that 'help is on the way' to the military ... then he cuts benefits

Bush-"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. Bush-"I don't know where he is. I have no idea and I really don't care.

Bush claims to be in favor of the environment and then secretly starts drilling on Padre Island.

Bush talks about helping education and increases mandates while cutting funding.

Bush first says the U.S. won't negotiate with North Korea. Now he will.

Bush goes to Bob Jones University. Then say's he shouldn't have.

Bush said he would demand a U.N. Security Council vote on whether to sanction military action against Iraq. Later Bush announced he would not call for a vote

Bush said the "mission accomplished" banner was put up by the sailors. Bush later admits it was his advance team.

Bush was for fingerprinting and photographing Mexicans who enter the US. Bush after meeting with Pres. Fox, he's against it.

This is just a tentative list, and it's pretty damned good!

Unexpected Absence

There's so much going on, I haven't had the time, nor the patience, to put it into coherent thought. In due time...

Urgent Alert: U.S. Led Coup in Haiti

2004-03-03 | Ira Kurzban, the lawyer who represents President Jean Bertrand Aristide, announced that the Central African Republic (CAR) has shut off President Aristide's phone service. He said that armed members of the French and CAR military are guarding President Aristide and he is not free to leave.

While there are many conflicting reports coming out of Haiti and Central Africa, the only way we will be able to determine the truth is open communications and immediate investigations.

In the United States, send an Email to your congressperson calling for the following:

· President Aristide Should be given full access to the media and telephone communications restored.

· President Aristide should be free to go where he chooses, otherwise it is clear that this was a coup orchestrated by the United States and France.

· An immediate Congressional investigation should commence to determine the role that the U.S. played, directly and/or indirectly in Aristides removal from power, and in supporting the civilian and military opposition movement.

· A multilateral force, not controlled by the U.S., should be deployed to stabilize the situation and immediately disarm the military opposition.

· The Bush administration should commit to an emergency economic development package to rebuild the Haitian infrastructure.

· Free and fair democratic elections should be permitted without the interference of the U.S. or its allies.

· One standard of treatment for all refugees should be in place. Haitian refugees should receive admission to the U.S. and be supported during this period of crisis.

· Rescind President Bush's unprecedented directive to the U.S. Marines to thwart all efforts of Haitian asylum seekers to reach our shores.

Email U.S. Senators and Congressional Reps with .:one click:.

.:Forward:. this as widely as possible.

Please also see:

.:Annan urges:. international community to stay for long haul in Haiti


.:International Forces:. Must Assert Control | More Troops Urgently Needed to Protect Human Rights


.:U.S. Return of Asylum Seekers:. Is Illegal | Fleeing Haitians Must Be Given at Least Temporary Protection


.:Convicted human rights violators:. must not be allowed power


Reality Check

MEDIA LENS: .:Bringing Hell to Haiti:. - Part 2 + Aristide Kidnapped


MEDIA LENS: .:Bringing Hell to Haiti:. - Part 1

.:Aristide WAS Kidnapped by "US Diplomats":.

Multiple sources that just spoke with Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide told Democracy Now! that Aristide says he was "kidnapped" and taken by force to the Central African Republic. Congressmember Maxine Waters said she received a call from Aristide at 9am EST. "He's surrounded by military. It's like he is in jail, he said. He says he was kidnapped," said Waters. She said he had been threatened by what he called US diplomats. According to Waters, the diplomats reportedly told the Haitian president that if he did not leave Haiti, paramilitary leader Guy Philippe would storm the palace and Aristide would be killed. According to Waters, Aristide was told by the US that they were withdrawing Aristide's US security.

TransAfrica founder and close Aristide family friend Randall Robinson also received a call from the Haitian president early this morning and confirmed Waters account. Robinson said that Aristide "emphatically" denied that he had resigned. "He did not resign," he said. "He was abducted by the United States in the commission of a coup." Robinson says he spoke to Aristide on a cell phone that was smuggled to the Haitian president. ...

.:Center for American Progress Newsletter:.

COMPLICIT IN THE OVERTHROW?: U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) said on ABC's This Week that the Administration is "just as much a part of this coup d'etat as the rebels, as the looters, or anyone else" because they "made it abundantly clear that Aristide would do best by leaving the country, which means that the rebels, the looters ... [were] given to believe that they should never, never, never accept Aristide as the president." Not only did the Administration demand Aristide's removal, but it refused to send peacekeeping troops until Aristide left. Said Rangel: "All we had to do was to send 200, 300 troops over there and tell those people to put down the arms." And at least one news agency reports that the caretaker of the Haitian presidential palace witnessed Aristide being forcibly removed from the palace by U.S. troops. Rangel's point was reinforced by one diplomat who noted that when Aristide was negotiating with rebels over the last two weeks, "it was clear that Washington had its own agenda during the mediation." Specifically, "the United States refused to talk about sending in peacekeepers to help thwart the gunmen's uprising in the countryside as part of a peace plan." As the diplomat said, "When they were refusing to address the security concerns, it was clear they had other things in mind," the diplomat said. "It was clear to me two weeks ago that Aristide was a goner."

This is how the Dubya administration wins friends and influences nations.

.:Click Here:.

Democracy Now! will air a special report on the crisis in Haiti, tonight at 7pm.

The Opposition in Haiti —What You Should Know
Part III

"If we just had an international presence saying drop your guns, then the Aristide supporters would drop their machetes and we would not have the bloodshed. Then we'll have a little longer to determine whether or not Aristide should accommodate the accords and integrate the opposition until his government." -- .:Rep. Charles Rangel:.

Aristide has left the country. Those who oppose him were determined to sieze power, by hook or by crook, and they've succeeded, so far. It's more important than ever to know exactly who these people are.

The Group Players: FRAPH, Tonton Macoutes

FRAPH — The full name is: Front for Haitian Advancement and Progress. The group was responsible for at least 5,000 murders and untold numbers of bloody assaults in the 1990's. Its members are free and have been deeply involved in the current destabilization of the country.

According to a 1996 .:UN Human Rights Commission:., FRAPH also had close ties to the CIA, which paid the salary of at least one leader - Emmanuel "Toto" Constant - and also allegedly supplied the thugs with weapons.

The CIA has denied the charges, but curiously our government has refused to return all the documents stolen from Haiti in 1994. The documents that have been returned were heavily redacted.

Jodel Chamblain and Emmanuel Constant are two former (current?) members of FRAPH, and by all accounts two of its deadliest. Jodel .:resurfaced:. in Haiti, despite charges against him, and the U.S. refused to detain Emmanuel, who now lives in Queens, NY.

Tonton Macoutes — an .:armed militia:. responsible for intimidation murders during both Duvalier regimes (Papa Doc & Baby Doc). Its members are also free and undoubtedly involved in the opposition's bloody activities.

The Opposition in Haiti —What You Should Know
Part II

Individual Players: Otto Reich, Roger Norriega, Andre Apaid

Otto Reich — Part of the incompetent team .:running:. U.S. Policy in Latin America.

Beginning in the 80's, under Ronald Reagan, he was chief of the Office of Public Diplomacy. Its purpose was to .:spread disinformation:. to the American public about Central America and smear the reputations of reporters the administration didn't like. With Reich at the helm, the Office of Public Diplomacy lied to "journalists, Congressional committees, and the U.S. people." Congress discovered the illegal operations and closed it down. ...never forget the Iran/Contra hearings.

After the Contra war Otto was .:appointed:. Ambassador to Venezuela. He secured the release of the Cuban exile terrorist, Orlando Bosch— jailed for the 1976 bombing of a Cuban plane, which killed all on board. "The U.S. Justice Department had evidence of Bosch's involvement in more than 30 other terrorist acts, ...including a rocket attack on a Polish ship in Miami." Jeb Bush the assisted Otto with getting Bosch .:pardoned:. by George Bush I in '92.

Reich .:became part:. of the current administration in 2001. Courtesy of a "special loophole" that enabled Bush to temporarily (1 year) appoint him, sans any approval from the Senate. After that year passed, he was again appointed to a post that didn't require approval; he was made a "special Latin American envoy to the National Security Agency." Noriega led many of the efforts to disrupt the government of Venezuela. Venezuela is the biggest American oil producer, and since President Hugo Chavez is a democratically-elected leader who nationalized the country's oil revenues he is a target of this administration. Otto .:met with:. Chavez "upper-class opponents" in Washington to plot his overthrow. His preferred method of sowing dissent in the country is to use Venezuela's media, which is owned by the upper-class opponents. The fight to topple democracy in Venezuela is ongoing.

Roger Noriega —Heads up negotiations of international efforts in Haiti. He's a former .:chief of staff:. to the rabidly racist Jesse Helms. Noriega has a "long history" of siding with the elite, anti-Aristide business owners in Haiti.

He also .:openly met:. with Venezuelans to plot the first failed coup against Chavez.

Andre Apaid — This is an American-born .:sweatshop owner:. who has aligned himself with former members of the Haitian military. As an American citizen, he has no right to hold office in Haiti. Apaid was a .:Duvalier-supporter:. and often acts as the .:spokesman:. for Group of 184 (European-funded businesses).

Protest America's Hypocrisy

Tell your elected representative to support Congresswoman Maxine Waters' Resolution to .:Prevent a Bloodbath in Haiti:..

Write your .:Representative:. or .:Senator:..

Canada

Find and contact your .:MP:. to demand that Canada stop supporting the US in its quest to undermine Haiti's democractic process.

Contact .:Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham:. to demand he cease support of US attempts to corrupt democracy in Haiti.

Contact the .:NDP:. to demand they stand against the Liberals' complicity in the imminent disaster in Haiti.

Donate to Humanitarian Relief

.:MADRE:.

The Opposition in Haiti —What You Should Know
Part I

US Government and NGO's Financially Back the Haitian Opposition:

Approximately $70 million has been given to organize an opposition to President Aristide between 1994 and 2002. There are numerous opposition groups that make up the .:Democratic Platform:.

Two of those sub-groups are the .:Democratic Convergence:. and the .:Group of 184:. (Haitian business owners and the professional elite). Though often referred to by the media, there is no mention of their affiliation with the US government and the Brookings Institution (right wing think tank), USAID, and the International Republican Institute, whose .:board of directors:. includes elected Republican officials.

The US may also have funneled arms to .:paramilitary groups:. operating in Haiti. The coincidence of the simultaneous acquisition of new M-16s by Haitian paramilitaries and a military aid shipment of US-made M-16s to the Dominican Republic is extraordinary. Even more extraordinary is that the coincidence is of no interest to mainstream media.

In recent days, American officials have made statements indicating that Aristide should step down. They have no compunction in supporting a coup against a democratically-elected leader in Haiti, while telling the American people that our country will support democracies around the globe.

Protest America's Hypocrisy

Tell your elected representative to support Congresswoman Maxine Waters' Resolution to .:Prevent a Bloodbath in Haiti:..

Write your .:Representative:. or .:Senator:..

Canada

Find and contact your .:MP:. to demand that Canada stop supporting the US in its quest to undermine Haiti's democractic process.

Contact .:Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham:. to demand he cease support of US attempts to corrupt democracy in Haiti.

Contact the .:NDP:. to demand they stand against the Liberals' complicity in the imminent disaster in Haiti.

Donate to Humanitarian Relief

.:MADRE:.

Black History Question Answer from February 21:

.:Sharpsville:. (Sharpsville Massacre)

Democratic Debate

*sigh* Thoughts on that later ...

Talking Loud & Saying Nothing

I drove the car without the cd player so I was forced to listen to the radio. I punched the channel changer over and over again trying to find a station I could stomach for the 15 minute drive to the plantation (I mean that literally, the building's architectural style is like a plantation). I stopped mashing the button when I landed on Hot 107—Florida's premier radio station (*pppbbbbbbbbbbbbbbtt*).

It sounded like there were four people on the air, three men and one woman, who was reading the morning news bytes. It's difficult to tell anyone's age on the radio, but based on their grasp of various political events, it was obvious they were not just young, but partly apathetic and mostly ignorant.

The woman was doing a bad job of ad libbing about Haiti's political crisis when a male voice began talking over her. He matter of factly said that when there is talk about "violence in countries that aren't American" (go figure that one out) after the first few words all he hears is "blah blah blah." Then he asks why there's unrest, what are the people rebeling against.

A second male voice weighs in with his infuriating misconception of the situation. According to this guy, Aristide hasn't done anything for his people and the people are tired of it. That's it! That was all he knew ...he'd shot his wad of information (misinformation) in just a few wrong words.

He knew nothing about the background of the opposition. He knew nothing about FRAPH, or who trained and armed them. He knew nothing about those who .:publicly fund:. the opposition. He has no idea that U.S. ReTHUGlican organizations like the .:National Endowment for Democracy:. and the International Republican Institute plays a large part in the unrest in Haiti, and they do so without shame or public accountability.

Neither he nor his on-air buddy know much because they don't want to know. As a result, they'll keep polluting the airwaves with American-made white lies and half-truths.

A Part of Ourstory from January 25, 2003

"They're killing us like dogs out here, pure dogs!" said Stansbury's mother, Phyllis Clayburne, a police department crossing guard. "It's not right and it needs to stop!"

Timothy Stansbury was shot in the chest and killed while using a routine shortcut across the rooftops of his housing project. It was reported that he and two other friends were on their way to another friend's house. Three Black young men, full of life and potential, doing what all young people do—now there are two.

.:Link 1:.
.:Link 2:.
.:Link 3:.

A Part of Ourstory from February 10, 2003

Marcus Dixon, an 18 year old former National Honors Society member and athlete, who earned a 3.96 GPA and 1200 on his SATs, was charged and convicted of raping a 15 year old girl.

A jury of nine whites and three blacks found Dixon innocent of all charges after deliberating for 20 minutes, finding little to no merit in the girl's testimony.

However, the jury was forced to find Marcus guilty of aggravated child molestation and statutory rape since the girl was three months shy of her 16th birthday and that during the intercourse she was "injured" because she was a virgin.

Under Georgia's seven deadly sins laws, the crimes he committed carried a 10-year minimum sentence.

.:Link 1:.
.:Link 2:.

Warning to Black parents of young men: keep them away from little white girls unless you know that Becky or SuzyQ won't consent to sex and then cry rape when daddy finds out her sexual partner is b-l-a-c-k!!

At this point in ourstory, your junior is less likely to become a piece of strange fruit, but more likely to be subject to biased prosecution and unknowing jurors, who are oh' so sad because they thought your boy could be convicted, but go straight home and into your loving arms.

Ramping Up

This is Black History month and I feel compelled to honor that. However, I'm dismayed that so few realize ourstory today is being turned into history tomorrow. We also forget that ourstory is comprised of the good, the bad and the ugly; frequently we focus on the good, as though any attention to the bad and the ugly will negate the good. It won't.

I'm saving some space here for the badness and the ugliness ...

A Part of Ourstory from December 2003

Mr. Kenny Walker of Georgia was shot in the head, execution-style, after being stopped by police for suspected drug trafficking.

According to the Sheriff's Department account, Deputies, acting on behalf of information from the Metro Narcotics Task Force, pulled over a gray Yukon on I-85 around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10. However, what happened after that is an issue, which remains cloudy, with few answers and even fewer facts. What has been clearly established is that Mr. Walker was not involved in any criminal activity. Mr. Walker did not have a criminal record. Mr. Walker was not armed. Mr. Walker did not 'resist' arrest. Mr. Walker was shot twice by a deputy who the Sheriff's department refuses to name. Mr. Walker was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at around 2:25 a.m. on Thursday, December 11.

.:Link 1:
.:Link 2:.
.:Link 3:.
.:Link 4:.

This is still a part of ourstory in the 21st century. Should we choose to ignore it, or relegate incidents like these to the unfortunate incident pile we do a disservice to our children and to ourselves.

Oprah Researchers Confirm My Suspicions

I found this information on another blog.

True or False: African-American men have the biggest penises.

True Research confirms that Asian men are the smallest, followed by Caucasians, with .:African-American men:. being the largest.

I think this is important. Why? Because over the years I've heard people, including some Black men, adamantly assert that this was a myth. As a result, I attributed my experiences to savvy in picking the right partners. *wink* Now I find out that what I thought was true, is indeed t-r-u-e!

All those who denied the facts should now recognize their penis envy for what it is.