Double Consciousness: Live from New York, Here's Your Saturday Night Minstrel Show!

Double Consciousness: Live from New York, Here's Your Saturday Night Minstrel Show!: "From Aretha Franklin to Star Jones, Kenan Thompson is no stranger to making a spectacle out of the large black woman. The fictional character of Virginiaca Hastings literally takes the cake as Kenan's most minstrelesque role on Saturday Night Live.

This is not merely a matter of dressing in drag, but a much deeper racist and sexist mockery of the hypersexualized black woman."

Mainstream Beauty Standard for Black Women by Abagond

Sad, but true.

Meghan Williams Family Says Sentence Too Light

Thanks, Ann. I can't believe this evil judge gave those "human beings" a light sentence. That's satanic injustice. Meghan Williams deserves her due and all the evil judge gave those evil people a hand slap. If that's not a slap in the face to all Black women in America, then what is?

MEGAN WILLIAMS FAMILY SAYS SENTENCE TOO LIGHT, CALLS FOR PROTEST MARCH

By SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER
FEBRAURY 28, 2008
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The parents of a black woman who was allegedly tortured by six white men and women in Logan County are lashing out at the county’s prosecutor for not demanding harsher penalties.
Matthew and Carmen Williams held a news conference Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Charleston to voice their frustration with Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham.
“We were OK with the first two deals that (Abraham) made with Alisha Burton and George Messer, but then he started getting up to plea deals with Karen Burton and Frankie Brewster,” said Carmen Williams, referring to four of the defendants. “I think they should have gotten, to be honest, life in prison. We were very dissatisfied.”
Her 20-year-old daughter Megan Williams was allegedly held captive at Brewster’s trailer in Big Creek for days last summer, forced to eat feces, sexually assaulted and stabbed. Megan Williams was rescued Sept. 8 after an anonymous caller alerted deputies.
Karen Burton, her daughter Alisha Burton, Brewster and Messer all were initially charged with kidnapping, which carries a maximum life sentence. Alisha Burton and Messer each pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assault but received 10-year sentences. Karen Burton and Brewster pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
“To me, what’s going on here is a slap in Megan’s face. Not mine, but Megan’s. They promised her one thing, and then destroyed it,” Matthew Williams said before breaking down into tears and leaving the podium.
Abraham said all six defendants were given identical charges before the investigation was complete, and that those charges were never intended to stand throughout the criminal process.
“Each defendant will be held accountable for his or her personal actions in the case,” said Abraham. “I have and will base all of my decisions on the evidence that the investigation has revealed.”
The Williams family said the 49-year-old Brewster’s sentence could be especially light. Brewster pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault, which carries a 10- to 25-year prison term. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 12.
Karen Burton, 46, of Chapmanville, pleaded guilty to malicious wounding, assault and violating Williams’ civil rights. If served consecutively, the charges could result in 30 years in prison. Karen Burton was the only defendant charged with a hate crime.
Burton’s sentencing is set for March 3 at the Logan County Courthouse. The Williams family urged protesters to attend that hearing. They plan to organize a car pool to depart from First Baptist Church at 8 a.m. that day.
“We want to impact the city of Logan with our presence, and we want to see justice served,” said Bishop James Carter, the family’s pastor.
Felony charges including kidnapping and sexual assault are pending against Brewster’s son, 24-year-old Bobby Brewster of Big Creek and Danny Combs, 20, of Harts. A seventh defendant, Karen Burton’s son, Linnie Burton Jr., 21, was indicted on a misdemeanor battery charge.
At Wednesday’s news conference, Abraham was also criticized for not providing consistent information to the family about plea agreements.
http://www.dailymail.com/News/200802270606

Record-High Ratio of Americans in Prison - Examiner.com

Record-High Ratio of Americans in Prison - Examiner.com: "NEW YORK (Map, News) - For the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America's rank as the world's No. 1 incarcerator. It urges states to curtail corrections spending by placing fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.

Using state-by-state data, the report says 2,319,258 Americans were in jail or prison at the start of 2008 - one out of every 99.1 adults. Whether per capita or in raw numbers, it's more than any other nation.

The report, released Thursday by the Pew Center on the States, said the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending, the report said.

The steadily growing inmate population 'is saddling cash-strapped states with soaring costs they can ill afford and failing to have a clear impact either on recidivism or overall crime,' the report said."

Juan Williams on Michelle Obama

America's Newsroom

Royale Somalia: Somali elders in Ohio for Obama

Royale Somalia: Somali elders in Ohio for Obama: "I heard that a lot of Somali elders in Ohio who are also American citizens would be going to caucus for Obama , dressed like that notorious photo. Ohio has a large Somali community around 20 Thousand. Ohio also has large African community from West Africa."

Obama Photo in Turban, Robe Causes Stir

The Associated Press: Obama Photo in Turban, Robe Causes Stir
WASHINGTON (AP) — A photograph circulating on the Internet of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama dressed in traditional local garments during a visit to Kenya in 2006 is causing a dustup in the presidential campaign over what constitutes a smear.

The Associated Press photograph portrays Obama wearing a white turban and a wraparound white robe presented to him by elders in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya. Obama's estranged late father was Kenyan and Obama visited the country in 2006, attracting thousands of well-wishers.

The gossip and news Web site The Drudge Report posted the photograph Monday and said it was being circulated by "Clinton staffers" and quoted an e-mail from an unidentified campaign aide. Drudge did not include proof of the e-mail in the report.

"I just want to make it very clear that we were not aware of it, the campaign didn't sanction it and don't know anything about it," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a teleconference with reporters. "None of us have seen the e-mail in question. If anybody has independent reporting that they've done on it I would welcome it."

McLaughlin echoes smear of Michelle Obama: "You don't think she's a black militant?"

Media Matters - McLaughlin echoes smear of Michelle Obama: "You don't think she's a black militant?"
During the February 24 edition of the syndicated program The McLaughlin Group, referring to Michelle Obama, host John McLaughlin asked Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page: "Do you think Michelle -- do you think she leaves the impression -- not mine, but I've heard this -- that she has a chip on her shoulder?" Page responded: "I think that's BS. You know, people say that she's got a chip on her shoulder. That's like, well, she's been the B-word, which is a classic, you know, epithet against women whenever they sound aggressive or they really state their mind. ... Maybe I know her too well. She doesn't have a chip on her shoulder." McLaughlin then asked: "You don't think she's a black militant?" Page replied: "A black militant? Well, I'm a black militant, John, and the Tribune hired me anyway. Seriously." Several media figures have recently suggested that Obama has a "chip on her shoulder," including VDARE.com contributor Steve Sailer, who wrote that Obama "sounds like she's got a log-sized chip on her shoulder from lucking into Princeton due to affirmative action."

Pan-African News Wire: Pennsylvania Court Rejects Appeal By Mumia Abu-Jamal

Pan-African News Wire: Pennsylvania Court Rejects Appeal By Mumia Abu-Jamal: "The struggle to free world-renowned journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal continues after Pennsylvania’s racist courts again ruled against him on Feb. 19, rejecting an appeal filed by his lawyers on his behalf.

However, his supporters are still awaiting a separate, major ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that will determine if he is granted a new trial, has his conviction overturned, or sees the death sentence reinstated.

Abu-Jamal was convicted, in a political frame-up and a thoroughly corrupt trial, of killing police office Daniel Faulkner in 1982.

The appeal that was rejected on Feb. 19 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had challenged a 2005 ruling against a Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA) petition filed on the case."

Obama may face grilling on patriotism - Yahoo! News

Obama may face grilling on patriotism - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama's refusal to wear an American flag lapel pin along with a photo of him not putting his hand over his heart during the National Anthem led conservatives on Internet and in the media to question his patriotism. Opponents of Sen. John Kerry proved in the 2004 election that voters are sensitive to suggestions that a candidate is not sufficiently patriotic. The Democratic presidential nominee's campaign was torpedoed by critics of his Vietnam War record called the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, even though he won multiple military honors and was lauded by his superiors."

The Black Commentator - The Biggest Lie Ever Told: Today’s Republicans Need to Stop Claiming to be the Party of Lincoln - Between the Lines By Dr. Ant

The Black Commentator - The Biggest Lie Ever Told: Today’s Republicans Need to Stop Claiming to be the Party of Lincoln - Between the Lines By Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad, PhD, BC Columnist: "Every time I hear Republican Candidate John McCain refer his party as the “Party of Lincoln,” I wince. It is probably one of most factually inaccurate references in politics today. In fact, if you were to measure it against some of the biggest lies ever told, it would be right up there with the great “old lies” like Columbus discovered America and Lincoln Freed The Slaves, or the new lies like Smoking doesn’t kill (one of the greatest lies) and “I did not have sex with ‘that woman,’ Ms. Lewinsky!” Save those lies; the Republican party as the “Party of Lincoln,” is the biggest lie ever told.

The only thing today’s Republican Party has in common with the Radical Republicans of the 1850s and 1860s is the name. It’s like saying the Ford at the turn of the 1900s is the same car Ford makes in the 2000s. Or the Jeffersons of 18th Century (related to Thomas) is the same Jeffersons (related to George) of the 20th Century. Both the face and the mindset are different."

Wampum: So exactly what did she say?

Wampum: So exactly what did she say?: "This morning, the Huffington Post reported Ms. Obama's remarks thusly:

'For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,' she told a Milwaukee crowd today, 'because it feels like hope is making a comeback.'

Which, frankly, doesn't sound as bad as when I heard only the initial clause. However, the Telegraph has this quote, which feeds my sense of dread:

Speaking at a rally in Milwaukee, she said: 'Hope is making a comeback and, let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change.'

Ironically, Fox solves the mystery of the discrepancy."