Micheal Moore sued!!!

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A double-amputee Iraq-war vet is suing Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming he recycled an old interview and used it out of context to make him appear anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Sgt. Peter Damon, 33, who strongly supports America's invasion of Iraq, said he never agreed to be in the 2004 movie, which trashes President Bush.
In the 2003 interview, which he did at Walter Reed Army Hospital for NBC News, he discussed only a new painkiller the military was using on wounded vets.

"They took the clip because it was a gut-wrenching scene," Damon said Tuesday. "They sandwiched it in. [Moore] was using me as ammunition."

Damon seems to "voice complaint about the war effort" in the movie, according to the lawsuit.

But what the father of two from Middleborough, Mass., was really talking about was the "excruciating" pain he felt after he lost his arms when a Black Hawk helicopter exploded in front of him.

Damon wasn't expressing any opinion about the war, the suit charges, but rather extolling the drug.

"I just want everybody to know what kind of a guy Michael Moore is, and what kind of film this is," said Damon. He has appeared in two films attacking "Fahrenheit" -- "Michael Moore Hates America" and "Fahrenhype 9/11."

In "Fahrenheit 9/11," the bandaged National Guardsman is shown laying on a gurney complaining that he feels like he's "being crushed in a vise. But they [the drugs] do a lot to help it and they take a lot of the edge off it."

His image appears seconds after Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) says, "You know, they say they're not leaving any veterans behind, but they're leaving all kinds of veterans behind."

Damon -- the dad of an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy -- doesn't come close to feeling that way.

"He couldn't have picked the worst guy to say that about," he told The Post.
"I'm the most fortunate disabled guy. I've even had a house built for me [by a nonprofit group, Home for Our Troops]."

Particularly outrageous to Damon is the fact that Moore never interviewed him or asked his permission to use the old clip.

"I was complaining about the pain I would've been having [if it weren't for the painkiller]," he said.

NBC is named in the suit -- which was filed in Suffolk County, Mass., on Friday -- along with Harvey and Robert Weinstein, Miramax Corp., Lions Gate Films and other production companies involved with the picture.
Newsman Brian Williams ends the NBC clip by adding, "These men, with catastrophic wounds are ... completely behind the war effort," according to the lawsuit.
That part, which wasn't shown in the Moore movie, is a far more accurate depiction of Damon's feelings, he said.

Lawyer Dennis Lynch said he took the case last year and they held off filing the lawsuit in a bid to settle the matter.
"We attempted to resolve the situation amicably with Mr. Moore [for a year] but he refused," he said.

Damon is asking for up to $75 million because of "loss of reputation, emotional distress, embarrassment, and personal humiliation."
In addition, his wife is suing for another $10 million because of the "mental distress and anguish suffered by her spouse."

Spokeswomen for NBC and Harvey and Robert Weinstein would not comment because they haven't seen the suit. Lions Gate doesn't comment on pending litigation, a rep said.

Michael Moore and Miramax reps didn't return calls for comment.

Self Hate?

It amazes me how people who say I hate myself for being Republican arrive at the uniquely strange idea that political freedom and expression somehow puts you into a weird category of self hate.

How did such lack of info lead to such a strange assumption. I understand that being a black conservative brings hatred, resentment and animosity from fellow black folks who are mostly liberal and also from a few phony white liberals who pretend to be the black man's friend. But I say to them that with great ambition comes great ire which I am fully prepared to accept as long as it is for the better of our society..

-Christopher
Young Black Republican from Florida

Dean Can't Get His Story Straight

DNC Chairman Howard Dean has irrationally lashed out, once again. The Washington Times has a great blurb on his most recent outburst (http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060531-122949-5192r_page2.htm).

“Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean claims to be reaching out to red-state voters, but yesterday, he suggested that opponents of homosexual ‘marriage’ are bigots.”

This is particularly interesting, given the fact that earlier this month when being interviewed on the 700 Club, Howard Dean falsely claimed that the 2004 Democrat Party platform defined marriage as between a man and a woman. http://www.townhall.com/news/ext_wire.html?rowid=47081

This latest flip-flop raises the question, where does Howard Dean actually stand?

Africas new Slavery Trafficking

Great article on trafficking!


The perpetrators of this current enslavement going on in the continental African nations today are the affluent indigenous Africans victimizing the less fortunate, less privileged and poverty stricken Africans.

So far, there is no widely known direct involvement of other race in the recruitment and transportation of Africans victims of human trafficking. However, information indicates that some final recipient of human trafficking victims include business owners (factories, hotels, bars and entertainment spots, plantations, etc) in the destination countries in Europe, North America, and other continents.

Profile of common perpetrators generally varies:
Affluent and not-so-affluent
Educated and illiterate.

Highly placed individuals in government and private sectors, both military, paramilitary, security, religious, civilians and businesses.

Almost anybody who could buy the law enforcement and the judiciary.
The common denominator is financial ability.

The practice is very common in the African continent and it is not hidden from public view.
Traffickers also comprise of African immigrants (some are permanent residents and naturalized citizens) who settled in the western countries to escape poverty, injustice, and insecurity in their respective countries. This presents an irony.

It appears that some continental Africans who migrated to various parts of the world have taken the practice along with them. However, it is hidden in the western countries due to good law enforcement actions.

Recently some cases have started to show up in Europe , America and other continents.
The root cause of human trafficking, as in the 14 th & 15 th century era slave trade is poverty and powerlessness.

Emerging Trend

Attention should be paid to the current trend in Africa , example Nigeria , whereby individuals seeking political office and wealth abduct children, especially boys, and virgin girls and slaughter them in various shrines for rituals - otokoto and okija shrines just to give an example.
There is also the widely reported case of headless Boy Adam in London , which the British Police had determined was a victim of human trafficking originating from Nigeria .

There is also the widely reported case of New York slavery shocker , which the U.S. authority determined was a victim of human trafficking originating from Anambra, Enugu and Abia States in Eastern Nigeria . Examples of highly educated Africans’ involvement

The traffickers are not some bunch of cultural fanatics, traditionalists or illiterates who may not be aware of the illegality of the practices. Quite on the contrary, the average trafficker is an educated (some are highly educated), who are fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
A New York based Nigerian trafficker who plead guilty to rape of his 13 years old ward in New York in 1992 was a medical doctor and child psychiatrist.

The two Nigerian-American traffickers convicted in New York in 2000 were Ph.D. (International Relations) and MSW degree holders respectively.

The two Cameroonian-American traffickers arrested in Detroit in 2000 also are lawyer and pharmacist respectively.

Two Nigerian-American couple convicted in Maryland , USA include a medical doctor and her husband.

Others include government officials – diplomats, etc.
Individuals that cover-up for the traffickers include: medical doctors, nurses, social workers, teachers, journalists, lawyers, etc.

The publisher of African Sun Times, a local African weekly in New York devoted pages of his newspaper July 12-18,1999, page 6; July 19-25, 1999, page 4; and July 26-August 1, 1999, page 14; attacking and vilifying the victim of trafficking for cooperating with Federal law enforcement. The publisher (a Nigerian who migrated to United States ) claim Ph.D. and authorship, and could be seen mingling with African Heads of States, high-ranking diplomats, and business executives. Some of the traffickers are high-ranking officials of foreign embassies and missions who are well versed in laws.

Take the fetish ritual killings by the political class in the African continent, as an example:
On August 4, 2004 , Nigerian police raided a satanic shrine at Okija town in Anambra State and discovered over 70 dead bodies and hundreds of human body parts openly displayed and at various levels of decomposition, as well as over five registers containing the names of the patrons of the shrine.

The police arrested about 40 ‘priests’ and patrons of the shrine.
A federal lawmaker and few prominent individuals made press statements and interviews accusing the state governor of patronizing the shrine and requested the police to quiz the governor regarding the dead bodies found there.
The governor retaliated by publicly admitted visiting the shrine as a client, and added that a powerful syndicate with access to the presidency including the accusing lawmaker and the brother-in-law of the President took him there at gunpoint at about 2.00 a.m. to swear oath of obedience prior to his election in 2003.

The lawmaker and his team counteracted by stating that the governor as a candidate desperate to become governor actually suggested choice of satanic shrine to take oath to seal their agreement, suggested the time to go there and drove the vehicle that took them to the shrine.
However, the governor never addressed the issue of the dead bodies.
These and other revelations on how some Nigeria politicians got into office generated uproar around the world.

December 28, 2004 : After almost four months of investigation, the Police Inspector-General stated in a press conference that forensic and pathological examination show that some of the dead bodies recovered from the Okija shrine had head injuries, which are signs that they were murdered.

March 2005: The Police concluded its investigation, granted bail to the priests and transferred the case files to the Anambra State Ministry of Justice for prosecution.
July 2005: After almost five months of studying the case files, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice dropped a bombshell when he stated there would be problems prosecuting the priests because the charges preferred by the police against the priests could not support the facts uncovered by the police investigation. In other words, the case was not properly charged.

August 24, 2005 : Chief Magistrate freed the 38 surviving ones on the grounds that there was no evidence to sustain the charges against them. In other words, the case was not properly charged and that was the end of the case – Nigerian style.

Few weeks after their release, fresh death bodies reportedly littered the satanic shrine, again.
This development has raised many questions namely:

Does the legal victory of these ‘priests’ mean no Nigerian law has been violated?
Did the authority deliberately proffer improper charges to cover-up the highly connected individuals involved with satanic worship and human sacrifice in Nigeria ?
Is there some surreptitious manipulation from powerful quarters to shield the ‘priests’ from prosecution, hence concealing the identity of the highly connected individuals?
Why have the police been unable to make public the names in the registers recovered from the shrines, as promised?

Does the Chief Magistrate have the final say on this matter, or are there still other options?
Reports reaching our office indicate that the authority may have deliberately bungled the case to protect the highly connected individuals some of who are; states and federal lawmakers, states and federal government officials, as well as, private individuals with links to the states and federal governments.

Investigation reveals that secret and brutal ancient practice of ritual killing of human beings and sacrifice to seal oaths and covenants among various African countries continue unchecked till this day.

Nigeria ’s current president in recent press statements publicly announced that his nation’s police and judiciary are corrupt, however, he is handicapped in dealing with it effectively.Human trafficking chain and support network

Included in the African human trafficking chain and support network are:
The local recruiters, abductors, headhunters

The middlemen and women

The human (slave) merchants and the dealers on human parts

The custodians of satanic shrines where humans are killed for fetish ritual purposes

The businesses and individuals performing ritual killings (of human beings) in order to gain political power and economic wealth

The social authorities that acquiesced thereby supporting the practice

The institutions including religious, social clubs, community and professional organizations and associations that refuse to speak up

The end-users of the victims in households and businesses

Individuals that cover-up and mislead the authorities and law enforcement

The support network in the law enforcement and the judiciary that cover-up, refuse to investigate and deliberately mishandled the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases thereby aiding and abetting this horrendous crime and practice
And finally, the highest level of leadership, the political authorities, the governments that allow these atrocities to go on in their domains.
Related Articles:

1. Horror: Police find 50 bodies, 20 skulls in Anambra shrine

2. How Ngige, Uba Visited Okija Shrine

3. Ritual Killing and Pseudoscience in Nigeria

4. Body in Thames 2 years ago is linked to child trafficking

5. Maid: I Was Slave for 9 Years

Not One Black Republican In Congress

The reason for no black Republican representation in congress varies;
while some are cultural most have to do with urban verses rural politics.

If a black Republican which there have been many runs for office,
in a black city his message is shouted down in chorus of racial
mantras.

Corey Booker who is now mayor of New jersey is a Democrat
who supported school choice and his own fellow democrats called
him gay and a uncle tom.

Even more interesting was the email – entitled “New Jersey’s Reginald Jackson: The Preacher as Pimp & Prostitute” – that was received from Amiri Baraka, 71, the former state poet laureate whose job was eliminated after he gave a reading of a poem implying that Israel knew in advance about the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. A few weeks ago, he labeled Cory Booker “a closet Republican.” and attacked pastor Reginald Jackson. Here’s what he wrote, copied and pasted from the email, and unedited:

A few weeks ago, he labeled Cory Booker a closet Republican.He then attacked pastor Reginald Jackson.

Here is what he wrote, copied and pasted from the email, and unedited:

Actually it’s an old an old story to Black People, most people I would imagine. The phoney preacher who is actually stuffing his pockets, his stomach or his bed. Reginald Jackson comes to mind with this historic paradigm of corrupt misleadership.

Actually it’s an old story to Black People, most people I would imagine. The phoney preacher who is actually stuffing his pockets, his stomach or his bed. Reginald Jackson comes to mind with this historic paradigm of corrupt misleadership. He has at least two P’s going for him.

“His game begins by masquerading as a “Man of God” when actually he is a Man of ‘the Man”. i.e., he represents “White Power” the rule of corporations and racial privilege. Internationally it is called Imperialism.

“Whenever the Imperialists pull his little chain he is ready to bark like any hound, whatever they want. When the Zionists attacked me for exposing Israel’s foreknowledge of 911, Jackson supported this low attempt at character assassination. I wrote him a letter then asking did he know the difference between Judaism and Zionism and suggested he take a look at his bible once in a while.

“Now he is dragged out of his Tom House to bow wow for the Star Ledger that the accurate portrayal Ras Baraka made at the state house of Corzine’s siding with the Trojan Horse, Corey Booker, in his attempt to bring white power back to Newark, is “playing the race card”.

“Ras told Corzine and his state hatchet persons, that to intervene in City affairs in Newark and not in all the cities, especially during an election, is suspicious. And that they spoke from a racially and economically privileged place which is why they could casually & coldly stop funds Newark City Council earmarked for the Newark Library, Museum, Symphony Hall, La Casa Don Pedro, Rutgers dormitories, the new Museum of Afro American Music, and other important city needs.

“The tragic-comic truth is that pimps and prostitutes like Jackson are the race card.! Their whole existence is based on achieving an entrance (a back door) into the white power camp, then grovelling their way down to a mouthpiece of backwardness. A well heeled heel.

“Is Jackson suggesting, after his well publicized tailing and co-opting of the racial profiling issue in New Jersey that racism has ceased to exist. Is that what his “faith based charity” pay check has written on it? “AINT NO MO RACISM, DUDE!”

“Jackson seems to believe that we can be made to believe that God is a Tom! Or maybe it’s just him. That sounds more likely!

“(Last night the white (racist) power advocates began pulling down Ras Baraka’s signs in the South Ward. It smells like the work of the Bookeremuses Oscar James and Carl Sharif. Ironically Booker’s handlers reportedly told him in a long meeting that his cabinet could not have Ex Felons -James or Musims -Sharif. Keep Tuned)”

-Amiri Baraka

This is what a Republican would have to go through, who would
spend there money and time dealing with such attacks.

One can only imagine if Corey were a Republican, he would
have never won office.

Also Ray Nagin them mayor of New Orleans had to quickly change his party just to get elected; I still think Nagin is a Republican at heart.

African Americans are constanly bambarded on election day they are victims of
Republican racism or oppression of some sort.

"You didn't get the job"? It's because of the Republicans
"Mail is coming late"? It's because of the Republicans
"Did not win the lottery"? It's because of the Republicans

It is odd when one thinks about it, because you would generaly assume
that if there were problems in ones district the person to accuse
would be youre congressman not another party.

But as long as Republicans are the boogeyman;
Democrats will continue failing there constituents all the
while point the finger at the evil Republicans...how convient!

Also an untold secret is how Democrats for years prior to Tom Delay,
are the real masters of gerrymandering. No majority white congressional district is allowed to go without the representative 12-14% black population, otherwise the district doesn't constitutionally represent the black population as a whole.

However, I've never seen any Democrat concern for the overpopulation of blacks in numerous districts throughout the US without much white representation (Maxine Waters' district for example). This is where democarts get almost all black votes from--black overpopulation of certain districts.
Gerrymandering and the DNC are very cozy ideals.

Wikipedia’s definition of “Black Conservatism”

Black Pundit has added on his site a link from Wikipedia
on black conservatism.

http://blackpundit.com/

He wants everyone to know that if you are unsure what side of the party you are on, read this and this should clarify the conservative side!

Black Conservatism is a political and social movement within African American culture which emphasizes American patriotism (and in extreme cases, jingoism), and right to far-right Christian values. Contemporary black conservatives find common ground with American conservatives of other races, which sometimes put them at odds with the largely “left” majority of African American communities.

OVERVIEW:
The perspective held by many Black conservatives is typically in conflict with some of the key points in the common social, economic, and political positions that a high percentage of African-Americans are in favor of. Particularly in regards to reparations for slavery, affirmative action and Black nationalism. It should be noted that while most African-Americans have a neutral stance on Black nationalism and integration (as long as there is an even playing field), Black conservatives are clearly in favor of African-American integration with mainstream America.

For many Black conservatives, in their own point of view, the key mission is to bring repair to the Black community by applying fundamental principles that are known to work regardless of the race of the people who choose to apply them. Their fundamental principles are: the pursuit of educational excellence as a means of assention within the society; policies that promote safety and security in the community beyond the typical casting of a criminal as a “victim” of societal racism; and local economic development rather than looking toward the federal government for assistance.

Black conservative politicians, in this regard, are more inclined to be supportive of GOP economic policies (i.e., globalization, free-trade agreements, tax cuts), militarism, regional interventions, or other agendas that the vast majority of Blacks are in opposition of and therefore they are viewed as being promoted to high positions in government due to their supporting views/actions.

A fundamental breaking point between the Black Liberal and the Black Conservative is focused around the balance between the impact that historical slavery and oppression has on Black people living today versus the power and consequences of personal choices that a person makes in determining his ultimate fate. The Black conservative is more inclined to advance the notion that individual choices toward success and a commitment toward changing one’s individual behavior will allow the individual to advance in society with respect to the rights that Blacks have been afforded due to the Civil Rights Movement. The Black liberal counters that collective success in which the least among them are focused upon and brought up to standard is worthy of consideration. Black Conservatives find common ground with Black Nationalists to the extent that they both believe that the black masses have been duped by the politics of condescending white liberals vis a vis the maintenance of the Welfare state.

Black conservatives also tend to be culturally conservative and put a priority on maintaining stong ties to black cultural and family traditions. This would include preferences to Jazz and Gospel music over Hip-hop and so-called Urban Contemporary music. Black conservatives favor traditional nuclear family arrangements and oppose Gay Marriage. They are particularly strong critics of out of wedlock births.

In the tradition of African American politics and intellectual life, black conservatives tend to side with Booker T. Washington as contrasted with W.E.B. DuBois.

Top Ten: 10 Worst Rappers of All-Time

James Manning a fellow blogger from Los Angeles, California,
came up with this list of the 10 Worst Rappers of All-Time.

Hip Hop Bots(people who do anything a hip hop artist tells them) are attacking him for this list saying he must be secretly white!

1. Lil Wayne – This little joker should never touch another mic. His style is wack, his lyrics are wack, his attitude is wack, his look is wack… the worst there ever was and probably ever will be.

2. Lil Romeo – Ok, pops put you on the scene but you are garbage. Maybe one day you’ll grow into a respectable rapper. But right now, you suck.

3. Vanilla Ice – Hell, everything that needs to be said has already been said about this cat.

4. E40 – The worst the west coast has ever produced (and the west has produced a lot of bad rappers). His voice is annoying and his style is… is… hell, what style? I can’t even think of one good record that I’ve ever heard from him. When I hear one of his songs or see him on TV, I just automatically say, "nigga please" and reach to tune him out.

5. Chingy – Marketing is a hell of an art. That is the only reason Chingy sold anything. Luda hooked him up. But they say never kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Chingy didn’t learn that and for that, he has been exposed as the wack rapper he always was.

6. Lil John – God, I can not stand this dude. How the hell did he get a record deal. His most famous line is.. Whhhaaaat!!! I challenge someone to come up with one verse the brother has recited that made you go 'damn, that was tight'. You can't because all that comes to mind with Whhhaaaaat. And the top five rappers should be ashamed of themselves that they rank higher than this bastard. Lets face it, if you have a 'Lil' in front of your name - you suck.

7. Jermaine Dupri – I give the man props on his business skills. But he still sucks as a rapper.

8. Coolio – If it wasn’t’ for the hair and the Lakeside beat, we would have never known you.

9. Lloyd Banks – Mr. Mush-mouth. I can’t understand a word he is saying. Is he talking are rapping? Don’t matter, he ain’t saying nothin'.

10. Young MC – This man represents everything that went wrong when white folks started liking rap. From young MC came rap in television commercials and news anchors ending the telecast saying ‘bust the move.’ He should be number 1 except the (9) rappers before him are just too inept not be where they are. Young MC single-handly brought about the demise of rap as an urban genre. I hope you are happy with yourself.

I have to do a Honorable Mention because I just want to communicate to the following rappers that I have not overlooked the fact that as rappers, ya'll suck as well.

Honorable Mentions: Nelly, Tone Loce, DJ Quick, Luke, Mase, Lil Flip, Charlie Baltimore

http://peaceonthat.blogspot.com/2005/06/fridays-top-ten-10-worst-rappers.html

The Jefferson Caption Contest

The blog http://intherightplace.blogspot.com/ had a blog contest
to add captions under Congressman Jefferson's AP picture.

Here are a few of the captions they are very funny!


-- "I was saving that money so I could move to the East Side and get that deluxe apartment in the sky."

radio free fred


-- "I told Weezie to tell Lionel to keep his allowance in the safe, NOT THE FREEZER!"

Bill W.


The "This Is Only Happening to Me Because I'm ______" Dept.:

-- "This is only happening because I'm gay, right?"

walrus


-- "It's because I'm Jewish, isn't it?"

McGehee


-- "It's because I'm a lesbian, isn't it?"

walrus


-- "It's because I'm retarded, isn't it?"

Carl


-- "It's because am a Faux-Native-American, plagiarizing, scholarly fraud, isn't it?"

walrus


-- "It's because I'm from the planet Calufrax, isn't it?"

McGehee


The "Johnny Cochran Memorial Defense Fund" Dept.:

-- "If the baggies don't fit, you must acquit."

the man

-- "If it's from the freezer, you must free the geezer;
If the cash is frost-bit, you must acquit;
If the cash is cold, the investigation is on hold;
If you've been in my ice tray, the search'll be thrown away;
If its iced like snow, you must let it go;
If the package said Popsicle, I'll get an acquital."

Rodney Dill


HONORABLE MENTION:

-- "It's getting hard out here for a pimp."

Bob


-- "I was demonstrating the principle of cold, hard cash."

Carl


-- "Listen, Beenie-Weenie left in the freezer too long develops mold that looks just like cash. There's no story here at all!"

-- "They fell for my plan, hook, line and sinker! You see, the whole thing was a reverse sting operation. I set out to prove that the FBI targets people of color on these corruption investigations..."

D. Carter


-- "You see, it's like this: How else can you cool off 'hot' money?"

-- "I was part of a product test for these new Ziplock freezer bags..."

-- "George Bush's economy is so bad that I was anticipating a bank failure."

-- "I was beta testing Al Gore's lockbox."

Doc


-- When asked about his "frozen assets", Jefferson replied, "Look, I like my bills nice and crisp."

-- "When I am cleared of these cold-hearted charges, I will spend the rest of my life searching for the person or persons who planted that money in my freezer."

don


-- "I got an e-mail saying that this guy in Iraq came across $15 Million, and he'd give me a share of it if I helped him get to America..."

GOP and College


-- After the press conference, paramedics treated Rep. Jefferson's hand for freezer burn.

hatless in hattiesburg


-- "It depends on the meaning of the word 'bribery'..."

MFG


-- "I'm innocent until they prove me guilty in court, which will take weeks... Well, that's not exactly what I meant to say, but you guys in the media know what to write... spin it for me, wouldja?"

-- "Hey, man, the OTHER William Jefferson got away with this sort of crap all the time!"

-- "Well, I gave $9,000 to Hillary for stock trading tips, and I invested $1,000... and, well, YOU do the math!"

Steve O


-- "You people are all focusing on 'bribery this' and 'illegal funds that' and missing the big picture. The Right Place Caption Contest was late this week..."

-- "It's a good thing they don't know that I use the money to support my gambling and crack habits... Did I just say that out loud?"

-- "On the bright side, I saved a ton of money by switching to Geico."

-- "Enough about the money, I'm still missing a boot from the hurricane flooding, any of you guys seen it?"

walrus


THE TOP TEN:

#10: Above, a politician of unknown party affiliation deflects attention from the Abramoff scandal, which some say touches all elements of the corrupt Republican Party, as President Bush's ratings fall below 35% for the 4th time this month. In other news, a former Special Forces Army Ranger Pilot speaks out against the Iraq war.

Steve O


#9: "How did that money get in my freezer? Well, as near as I can figure, the National Guardsmen I sent to my house during the hurricane must have taken out a pizza and left the money as payment."

D. Carter


#8: "I wuz gonna return it just as soon as global warming thawed it out."

Rodney Dill


#7: "If I say it came from 'cattle futures', will ya'll leave me alone?"

walrus


#6: "If it's from the Frigidaire, I got it fair and square."

Rodney Dill


#5: "Well, at least it wasn't from Abramoff."

walrus


#4: "They can keep the money. I just want my Swanson Mostly White Meat Turkey Dinner back."

MagicalPat


#3: "I collected that money for the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club."

Steve O


#2: "The man said it was a bunch of dead presidents. I was just keepin' them cryogenically frozen... until they could be cured."

spacemonkey


And the winning entry for this Caption Contest...


#1: "Crap! That means my safe deposit box is gonna smell like rotten hamburger."

Rodney Dill

Racism Then, Racism Now, Racism Forever!

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour refuses to posthumously pardon an African American man who was falsely imprisoned over 40 years ago for trying to desegregate a Mississippi college. Clyde Kennard, an army veteran who served seven years in Korea and Germany, only wanted to complete his education closer to home.

He had been a third year undergraduate student at the University of Chicago when he was refused admission to the all white Mississippi Southern College. To teach this uppity "Nigra" - as we were called in the south - a lesson, they plotted to kill him but ultimately decided to have him convicted and imprisoned on false theft charges. I guess to add insult to injury and to perpetuate the stererotype of black folks love of chicken, they convicted him of stealing $25 worth of chicken feed! The sole witness recanted, but sadly, Kennard died in 1963 of cancer.

Mr. Kennard's supporters have asked Barbour for a pardon but he said he will not even consider it, no matter what the parole board recommends. Read this callous response from his spokesman:

"The governor hasn't pardoned anyone, be it alive or deceased. The governor isn't going to issue a pardon here. The governor believes that Clyde Kennard was wronged, and if he were alive today his rights would be restored. There's nothing the governor can do for Clyde Kennard right now."

I have written before about Barbour's racist comments he's made in the past and his affiliation with the new Klan, the Council of Concerned Citizens. The picture at the top is Barbour at a CCC barbecue. He has been asked to have the CCC take his picture down from their website, and like his pardon of Clyde Kennard, has consistently refused. People like Haley Barbour make me sick to my stomach! To think that in the year 2006, there are still people clinging to a past most southerners would rather leave behind. Attention Ken Mehlman. Do you still wonder why the Republican Party has a hard time finding acceptance among African Americans?

Hat tip: blackelectorate.com

http://newleadership.blogspot.com/

Black Republican of the Month

Black Republican of the Month


Yaphet Frederick Kotto (born November 15, 1937 in New York City) is an American actor. His father was a Igbo Jew from Cameroon and Kotto is a practicing Jew by faith. His father was royalty in Cameroon making Yaphet the son of the Crown Prince of the Royal Bell family of the Doualla region of West Africa's Cameroon.

He recently claims to have uncovered proof that he is the great-great-great-grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria. According to Kotto, the queen's son Prince Albert Edward VII had an illicit affair with Princess Nakande, daughter of King Doualla Manga Bell, producing the light-skinned Alexander Bell, Kotto's great-grandfather, but the deputy press secretary to Queen Elizabeth categorically refuted the story saying, " . . . Edward VII never visited Cameroon."


Kotto got his start in acting on Broadway, where he appeared in The Great White Hope, among other productions. His film debut was in 1963 in an uncredited role in 4 For Texas, but his first big break came in Nothing But a Man in 1964. He also starred as an auto worker alongside Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel in the commercial failure but cult favourite, Blue Collar. Kotto landed the role of the James Bond villain Mr. Big in Live and Let Die. Kotto also starred in Across 110th Street, Truck Turner, Alien.

He played Baltimore police Lieutenant Al Giardello in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street.

His son, Fredrick Kotto, is a real-life police officer with the city of San Jose, California.

Kotto campaigned for Steve Forbes's bid for the Republican Presidential nomination in the 2000 primary elections.

Kotto is married to Shirley Kotto, a Catholic, and recently claims to have seen the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Marmora, Ontario, Canada (known as Our Lady of Marmora).[citation needed] The couple have bought a house near Marmora and applied for landed immigrant status in Canada.It is unclear if Kotto has fully renounced his Jewish faith or not. However, according to IMDB.com "to this day, he remains a devout, practicing Jew".

He is also Republican.

Black Leaders Condem Bush on Guest Worker Program

A coalition of black leaders is calling on Congress to pass an enforcement-only immigration bill and reject any proposal that gives amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. The coalition is called
Choose Black America, and it includes black leaders from all over the U.S. who are concerned about the effect of illegal immigration on their community.

Coalition member Jesse Lee Peterson, founder of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND), took part in a news conference calling for tighter border control. "The black community has been affected by illegal immigration and illegal aliens first in the areas of education, jobs, family housing, [and] social services," he observed, "and so the people are jumping in and insisting that the government do the right thing.

" These black community leaders "want the illegal alien lobbyists to know they cannot pull the race card on this issue," the BOND spokesman asserts. "This is not a race issue, and it’s not a civil rights issue -- it’s an American issue. No amnesty and no guest worker program; it’s time that America consider its citizens first." Peterson says black members of Congress who support amnesty are not representing the views and interests of their constituents back home

Do Black Fathers Matter?

by Maggie Gallagher

November 23, 1998 — "I'm old, and I'm tired," William Raspberry told a distinguished group of (mostly) black scholars and community activists at a recent historic conference co-sponsored by Morehouse College and the Institute for American Values. "And some things I just don't want to debate anymore. One of them is whether black fathers are necessary for their kids."

The applause was thunderous. For decades the debate over the decline of marriage has been hampered by fears that "fatherless families" were just code words. As Dorothy Roberts, a law professor at Rutgers University, put it in a new book, "The Politics of Fatherlessness": "Even when race is not mentioned, powerful images of promiscuous Black mothers and their shiftless partners shape the debate about fatherlessness."

In this "revisionist" view so beloved by a certain type of liberal, African-American males' increasing defection from family life is not a crisis but merely a successful cultural adaptation to harsh circumstances.

But while they were defending black single-parent families, such advocates failed to notice they were also sending a different troubling racial message: Black kids are somehow different from white kids; they don't need fathers. And black men are somehow different from white men: They can disappear from the family without leaving a hole in their kids' hearts.

The conference is one sign that many African-American men and women are no longer content to frame the question in this way.

Not that there isn't plenty left to debate, even after conceding Raspberry's point. In 1960, for example, three-quarters of black babies were born to married couples, and eight out of 10 black wives married for life.

Today, 70 percent of African-American kids are born out of wedlock, and more than half of black marriages end in divorce. How did it happen? And what, if anything, can be done about it?

Are cultural change or global economic forces more to blame? Is reviving marriage a realistic possibility, or should we concentrate our efforts on helping "fragile families" — poor, unwed mothers and fathers?

The Ford Foundation's Ron Mincy argued for a "marriage-plus" over a "marriage-only" strategy, emphasizing the large role that economic factors play in pushing young black men away from marriage. Eighty-six percent of never-married black men make less than $18,000 a year, compared to about 68 percent of never-married white men. Even more strikingly, 71 percent of divorced black men make less than $18,000 a year, compared to just 44 percent of divorced white guys. Declining male wages is certainly an important part of the story of the collapse of marriage.

Boston University's Glenn Loury points out that even if fatherlessness is to a large extent a "moral" problem as much as an economic one, that doesn't mean we have no obligation to help. For culture, he points out, is not an individual achievement but a communal one. "Otherwise we are expecting kids to be heroes," he said, to pull themselves out of deformed situations by their own unassisted efforts. He invites us, in other words, to exercise our own moral imagination: Suppose you are a young black teenager in a jobless, gang-ridden neighborhood with bad schools, raised by a mother, dearly loved, who nonetheless struggles alone perhaps with episodic bouts of depression, drug addiction and welfare dependency. How effective would you be at pulling yourself out of poverty?

All of us Americans, warned Raspberry, and not just the black community, are in danger of "making the norm what people do." The problems besetting African-Americans are just an intensified version of the family fragmentation all Americans are experiencing.

The solutions may be difficult, but perhaps at long last we can agree on the shape of the problems.

To the question, "Are African-American fathers necessary?" the only possible answer, as Raspberry concluded, is "Damn straight we are."

African HIV Myths

HIV/AIDS Is Bad in Africa Because Africans are Hypersexual

There is no evidence to support the claim that African sexual practices are any more deviant or abnormal than any other group of people. This well worn and rather tired stereotype resides in the Anglo-American imagery of African sexuality more than anything else. Many factors fuel the pandemic in this region, including poverty, lack of adequate health-care infrastructure, the failure of the international community to react in a timely manner to the pandemic and lack of political will. In addition, HIV 1 subtype C is the most prevalent strain of the HI virus in this region, which in itself is responsible for half of infections worldwide. There is evidence to support the claim that this strain is much more efficiently transmitted through heterosexual sex. Thus, myriad social, economic, political and biomedical factors contribute to the severity of the pandemic in this region.

HIV Was Invented to Get Rid of Black People and Homosexuals

The idea that HIV was invented by humans deliberately, to get rid of black people and homosexuals, is widely regarded as a conspiracy theory. The evidence to support this claim is tenuous at the best and people who believe it disregard the evidence of the similarities between Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) that occurs in apes and HIV, as well as the fact that the first cases of HIV have been traced back to 1959, a time when the technology was simply not available to engineer HIV. The most credible origin theory is that SIV jumped species from chimpanzees being hunted and killed, either through being eaten or blood transference through cuts and wounds sustained by hunters. In some cases the hunters would have been able to fight off SIV, but in others it would have mutated into a specific strain of HIV. See http://www.avert.org for more details.

Facts on Infant mortality in African American Women

Myth:
Infant mortality is higher for Blacks because so many black adolescents are giving birth.

Fact:
Studies show that Black mothers lose their babies more frequently than white women regardless of age..



Myth:
Black infant mortality is high because too many black mothers are single.

Fact:
Studies of the relationship between marital status and low birth weight (an indicator of infant mortality) show that Black women had higher rates than whites regardless of their marital status.



Myth:
Black infant mortality is high because too many black mothers are uneducated.

Fact:
Studies have shown as large a disparity between Black and white women among those with college education as among less-educated women. Studies of socioeconomic status and race show that while white women tend to have improved infant mortality rates when socioeconomic status improves, Black women do not.



Myth:
It's genetic. Black infant mortality is high because of genetic differences between blacks and whites.

Fact:
Studies have shown lower incidences of infant mortality among foreign-born black women, compared to US-born Black women, suggesting a non-genetic cause.




Myth:
Black infant mortality is high because too many black mothers do not receive adequate prenatal care.

Fact:
Studies show that prenatal care offers some limited improvement in Black infant mortality rates. To be effective, studies suggest that prenatal care must also include activities to reduce those risks that are highly prevalent among Black women or unique to Black women.

Black Invention Myths

Perhaps you've heard the claims: Were it not for the genius and energy of African-American inventors, we might find ourselves in a world without traffic lights, peanut butter, blood banks, light bulb filaments, and a vast number of other things we now take for granted but could hardly imagine life without.

Such beliefs usually originate in books or articles about black history. Since many of the authors have little interest in the history of technology outside of advertising black contributions to it, their stories tend to be fraught with misunderstandings, wishful thinking, or fanciful embellishments with no historical basis. The lack of historical perspective leads to extravagant overestimations of originality and importance: sometimes a slightly modified version of a pre-existing piece of technology is mistaken for the first invention of its type; sometimes a patent or innovation with little or no lasting value is portrayed as a major advance, even if there's no real evidence it was ever used.

Unfortunately, some of the errors and exaggerations have acquired an illusion of credibility by repetition in mainstream outlets, especially during Black History Month (see examples for the traffic light and ironing board). When myths go unchallenged for too long, they begin to eclipse the truth. Thus I decided to put some records straight. Although this page does not cover every dubious invention claim floating around out there, it should at least serve as a warning never to take any such claim for granted.

Each item below is listed with its supposed black originator beneath it along with the year it was supposedly invented, followed by something about the real origin of the invention or at least an earlier instance of it.

http://www33.brinkster.com/iiiii/inventions/

Blacks flock to the Republican Party

-by Felicia (Fee) Benamon

As a young black conservative, I am happy to see more black people taking an interest in or switching to the Republican Party. It's a party of inclusion for people of all races. If you are the type of person who likes to work hard to achieve your dreams, if you are conservative in your views, you will find a place in the Republican Party.

For years, the Democrat party has been taking the black population for granted. The Democrat Party is today, the party of socialist programs, and handouts. A "get by free" card. It's true that sometimes people need a little help from time to time, but that's where we come in as a community. The government shouldn't be the one to take care of you. We are to help our neighbors. Big government is never the answer.

"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away." --Barry Goldwater

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'." --Ronald Reagan

The Democrat party (or a Democrat candidate) promises you that it will take care of those who are needy in exchange for your vote. Sorry, but I don't need anyone to take care of me. Republicans like to stand on their own and achieve their dreams on merit and strength, not because of help to manipulate the system. Black people are starting to realize that the Democrat party only wants them to stay dependent on them, and not to branch out and be strong themselves. Take affirmative action for instance. It is now said that Affirmative Action does more harm... of course it does! Not only are specific ethnic groups getting a slight advantage over everyone else who are working hard, but those people who don't "meet the requirements" of Affirmative Action are jaded and upset that it is unfair someone less qualified than them are getting ahead and they should have been the one to succeed. There is no level playing field. So in a sense, it is another form of discrimination and racism. I don't know about you, but I want to make it on my own merit, intelligence, and hard work. Not because I am a specific skin color. Democrats and the liberal, PC way of thinking supports using Affirmative Action to achieve "diversity" in colleges. Diversity is fine, just as long as the people have worked just as hard as others to get in. We should be color blind.

Conservative issues

One thing that binds us in America is our conservative values. Most Americans are fairly conservative. The Democrat Party has not been shy about the issues they support. The party is just a front for Far Left liberal groups who wish to do their work through the Democrat Party, and the Democrat Party is happy to oblige. For instance, the Homosexual movement(Democrats expected to back gay marriage).. Most black people are against Homosexual marriage, or anything of the sort. Many blacks switched and voted for President Bush over this big issue last year during the Presidential election. That and the issue of abortion. Those seem to be the two biggest topics that have dominated news headlines in the past few years. Black people want to keep our traditional values. So we turn to the Republican party.

Political Correctness

Over the years, the Political Correctness has run amuck. Democrats have favored this tactic in order to, in their opinion, make all ethnic groups happy, and not to offend anyone. Well, I find Political Correctness to be offensive. I believe these terms originated in the 1990s. Black people are now called "African-Americans". This totally annoys me. I prefer to be called a black lady. No problem. It's worked before. But we have to be PC now. People are "______-Americans". Not just American. Can't we just say "Oh, he's Chinese, or she's a Hispanic lady, etc." We all know that if you are a citizen of this country, you are American. We don't need the hyphenated term. This only separates people into groups. The "Chinese-Americans" over here, the "African-Americans" over there (by the way, I was born in America, not Africa). We don't need to be divided like this. We are supposed to be a family. You see where I'm coming from? So that nonsense needs to stop. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS! Proud Americans! We are an inclusive society. We should not have to worry about offending someone because we didn't use a Politically Correct approach. The Democrat party has been happy to allow liberalism in this form to sweep across America. It has been dragging our society into a pit.

For the people

The Republican party is truly for the working people. There is a misconception about the Republican party, that it is only for the rich. And the Democrat party is for middle class, or poor people. If that were the case, then shouldn't the Democrat party give people incentives to strive harder to reach their goals? Not to give handouts and have promote unnecessary social programs? But to encourage people to make a better living for themselves? To get on one's own two feet? That's what the Republican party does. I am reminded of this quote:

"Give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you will feed him for a lifetime."

The Democrat party can't keep giving people handouts and expect them to be weaned off of that and grow and become independent to do something on their own. We must teach them, show them how to become successful and to encourage and enlighten. More and more black people have decided they will not be dependent, they are going to do it for themselves. The Republican party wants all to succeed. Hard work, drive, positive attitude, our values, all are important in helping us reach our goals.

Conservative blacks emerging

President Bush has been the only President in history to ever elect so many people of different racial backgrounds to his cabinet. The more notable ones are Colin Powell & Dr. Condoleezza Rice. She is the first black lady elected as Secretary of State. She is an inspiration to me. She's a hard worker, very intelligent, and is TOUGH! President Bush saw something in her, she had the qualifications (stellar qualifications might I add) and is doing quite wonderfully now. President Bush sees no color, only your accomplishments. I am glad to see more conservative journalists, and people in the media emerging. Funny how we conservative black people who support the Republican party get labeled as "Uncle Toms, Aunt Jemima, sell outs, etc." Anything racist like that. What is wrong with thinking for yourself and making a decision what party to support? Everyone assumes that blacks will automatically vote Democrat. Well, not anymore. Check out (Welcome to Wayne Perryman Online, Articles).

Final thoughts...the Republican PartyThe next time you go to a gathering of Republicans, look around. These are people who are bonded together by their love of family, conservative values & traditions, love of God, etc. It shows mightily. I have seen many people of different backgrounds at Republican gatherings. There is such an atmosphere of love when I attend. It's not at all like what you hear. I have experienced no racism whatsoever. Only good friendships and a welcoming spirit. The Republican party has come a long way, but it still has a ways of getting out its message to blacks and other ethnic groups. It is definitely a party of inclusion of all people. But blacks are noticing a difference between the Democrat Party and the Republican Party. The Republican party wants all to succeed, and work hard. The Democrat party is increasingly falling to the Far Left liberals who want people to be dependent on them and their socialist way of living. Not happening for me or other blacks who are wise to their tactics.

So if you are curious about the Republican party, do some investigating yourself. Do not believe rumors, try the party and see how you like it. If the party lines up with what you believe, if you are a conservative, the Republican party is for you. Check out what the Democrat party stands for, what causes they support. That will give you an indication whether or not you want to align with their party. Whatever party you support, make sure you are true to yourself, that you aren't voting a certain way or supporting a certain party because you've always done it that way, it's a family tradition, etc. Both parties have changed over the years. Keep up to date with what they stand for. Remember, the Republican party believes we are all the same underneath, and should be given the same opportunities to rise to greatness, everyone on equal footing. No preferential treatment. We are ALL AMERICANS. One Nation Under God!

-Felicia (Fee) Benamon hails from a military family (Navy). Patriotism was ingrained in her at a young age. She participated in ROTC...Reserve Officers Training Corps while in school and joined the Army in 2003. However the stay in the Army did not last long. Felicia quickly left the Army after becoming ill and realizing what her true calling is, to be involved in politics. She really started becoming aware of political issues during the 2000 election. And since then, has worked hard to fight for conservative issues. She is politically active locally, working behind the scenes as a campaign worker and advisor.

Black Greek Organizations Are Needed

by Akindele Akinyemi


As Alpha Phi Alpha begin to celebrate their 100th anniversary this year we should acknolwledge not just the men of A Phi A but all of our brothers and sisters who are part of a Black Greek Organziation. Black Nationalists groups always call Black Greek organizations sellouts. Even though these organizations have struggled since their inception they have stood the test of time.

Black Greek Organizations are NOT sellout groups like these desperate nationalists claim. They are great service organizations that have helped African Americans achieve greater success throughout time.

The reason why Black Greek organizations were founded was to bring African Americans together and develop unity on college campuses.

I know that Black Nationalists often point out that A Phi A was not the first Black Greek organization in the country. This credit goes to Sigma Pi Phi or the Boule. What Black Nationalists conspire is the fact that we have a Black "elite" running Detroit under the direction of the Boule. Many often point out that former Mayor Dennis Archer is a part of the Boule and this is why he gave the city away.

Such garbage will get us all killed.

Black Nationalists also attack organziations like Links and Jack and Jill. These groups traditionally are Black and conservative in their lifestyle.

Black Nationalists discourage young people from joining Black Greek organizations because they will live a "Greek" lifestyle. How ludacris can you be? I don not know ONE person that is living a Greek lifestyle. In fact, many of them embrace African centeredness as a lifestyle.

However, I would like to say to these Black Greek organizations that even though you produce positivity we need to kill he ignorance that goes on in these organziations. Hazing and traces of black on black racism are an obstruction to producing a more vitable community.

We should send a message to Black Nationalists that they should stop criticizing organziations that are doing good for the Black community.

http://onedetroitnetwork.blogspot.com/

"Hip Hop In The Church"

by Jeff Yale

Graffiti on the signs and walls, a patio of table tops painted with covers of hip hop albums, a full-sized basketball court and a skate park are just the first things you notice as you pull into the parking lot of Crossover Community Church in Tampa, Fla. When you enter the building you are not greeted by a couple dressed in their Sunday best offering free coffee. You are entering a the hip hop church. You most definitely will feel loved and accepted, but you won't find the "traditional church experience" here.

In the sanctuary, the walls are lit up with pictures of the Tampa skyline. The lights dim, and the DJ starts spinning his beat. Lights focus on a group named Harmony, similar to the kind you would expect to see in an urban
nightclub setting.

While the group is singing, the presence of God fills the place and people start worshiping Jesus. While Harmony sings, the lyrics are presented on four TV monitors.

After worship, everyone is welcomed and offered a free full-color magazine about the church. They're also given a CD filled with hip hop songs and personal testimonies about life-changing experiences with Jesus Christ from music artists in the church body.

After prayer and a multimedia presentation, everyone meets the pastor of this thriving congregation, Tommy Kyllonen. On this Sunday, he's wearing a Philadelphia Phillies cap backward and a warm-up jacket of his hometown's basketball team, the 76ers. He stands behind his pulpit, which resembles a large can of spray paint, and starts to do his thing--be a voice of God to a culture that traditional churches have not embraced.

Kyllonen, also known as hip hop artist Urban D, is the man behind this church. He was born into a pastor's home in Philadelphia, and the two most important things to him when he was growing up were Jesus Christ and hip
hop culture.

Near the end of high school, Kyllonen had a hard time blending Jesus with his culture, and he started to rebel. As he began to search for answers and seek God, he accepted the call God had on his life. In 1996 he graduated from Southeastern Bible College.

After graduation he took a job as youth pastor at Crossover. The church had 40 adults in attendance on Sunday mornings when he started, and only four young people. Kyllonen had his work cut out for him.

During his first year he started a basketball league, put on hip hop concerts and held outreaches that grew to 60 the number of kids in the church. The next year that number doubled. Over the next several years more than 200 kids attended, while the Sunday morning service stayed traditional and still drew about 40 people.

The church went through three senior pastors in four years, and by 2002 it was obvious that God had prepared the church for Kyllonen. Tommy had seen how God used the blending of hip hop culture with the gospel in the youth ministry, so he took the opportunity to build the church in the same way, all the while fully relying
on God.

Crossover has gone from one service that reached 40 people to three weekend services and 500 people. Each year the church hosts an urban workers conference at which people from all over the world learn about
hip hop ministry.

Kyllonen has taken the elements of hip hop culture--music, dance and graffiti--and applied it at Crossover to reach that culture like no other church in the world.

"They want their worship, study and service to be a piece of their daily lifestyle, not segregated into Sunday mornings," Cameron Strang, founder of Relevant magazine, says of Crossover.

"Hip hop is everywhere," Kyllonen points out. "From radio and TV to selling clothes and even cars. I want to impact this culture with the life-changing message of Christ, not just here in Tampa but around the world."

Crossover Community Church is proof that hip hop and the church can co-exist. For more information about Tommy Kyllonen or his ministry, visit the Crossover web site.

http://www.foursquare.org/the_city/articles.sd?iid=126&catid=&isid=3&sec=Ministry%20Unwrapped

Black Republican... "Democrats' Worst Nightmare"

Robert Novak

May 29, 2006

Richmond Myrick, the principal of Largo High School, is a registered Democrat in overwhelmingly Democratic Prince George's County next to Washington, D.C. He has not been active politically and is not recorded as having made any contributions to candidates for federal office. Yet recently, he stood in the parking lot of Prince George's Community College adjoining his school to introduce Republican Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, whom he has endorsed for the U.S. Senate.

Myrick is African American, as are most students at Largo High. So is Steele. If enough non-political blacks follow Myrick's course, Steele will become the first black Republican elected to the Senate in 32 years. That is the Democrats' worst nightmare. Democratic dominance in Maryland has been based on maintaining a hammerlock over the state's substantial African-American vote. Steele threatens that domination.

Steele sees national implications and put it to me this way in a conversation before the recent rally in Upper Marlboro: "It's a breaking point. I've heard the talk: 'Hillary, Bill, Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, all are coming in to campaign against you. They can't bear to see you win this race.' If I win this race, I am sure that the whole dynamic changes."

This is a potential bright spot in a dreary 2006 election vista for the Republican Party. In addition, two other African-American Republicans are running for governor -- Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell in Ohio and former professional football star Lynn Swann in Pennsylvania. A victory by any one of them would constitute a rare GOP breakthrough in the black vote, but a Steele win in Maryland would be most exceptional.

Maryland typifies the pattern of blacks supplying nearly unanimous support for Democrats but getting little to show for it in the way of major offices. The party's choice this year to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the retirement of Paul Sarbanes is Rep. Benjamin Cardin of Baltimore, a hard-working toiler in the vineyards during 40 years as a state legislator and congressman. The feeling in political circles is that Cardin's time was due after so many years of tireless if unexciting service.

The flamboyant Kweisi Mfume, former head of the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP, has waged a serious Democratic primary challenge on Sept. 12 against Cardin. Mfume is so underfunded that he is unlikely to win, but the scars of the intraparty conflict could drive blacks to Steele in November.

Democratic leaders were not happy when Steele, as running mate in 2002, helped pull even a mere 5 percent of the black vote for Robert Ehrlich, the winning Republican for governor. Running by himself for the Senate, Steele will surely do much better. His own surveys show 14 percent, with an upside potential of 44 percent. If Steele gets 25 percent of the black vote, he is probably the winner.

I asked Myrick why he had endorsed Steele. "He came to school not just for a brief visit, but spent the whole day," the principal told me. "He showed he cared about the students and teachers." What about Cardin? "He hasn't been here," said Myrick. When I asked if he even knew who the veteran congressman was, he said he did not.

Steele is a conservative and pro-life on abortion (balancing Ehrlich's pro-choice views on the '02 ticket). He says became a Republican at age 18 when he heard Ronald Reagan address the 1976 Republican National Convention.

But at Prince George's Community College with Principal Myrick at his side, Steele whacked President Bush's educational policies (especially defunding support for low-income college students). In his brief remarks, he could not find anything favorable to say about the president.

He was even tougher on Bush in talking to me: "In the eyes of blacks, [Hurricane] Katrina was a 9/11 event. You didn't fly over 9/11. You got on the ground in the rubble. You should have been on the ground for Katrina." Republican regulars don't mind this sort of talk. They know Steele, their former Republican state chairman, from fish fries all over the Free State. He can say whatever he wants to score a historic victory of national proportions.

First Black Journalist Killed In Iraq

A wave of car bombings snatched the lives of two CBS News team members covering the war yesterday, including veteran cameraman Paul Douglas (pictured), a British national who was the first black journalist to die in the ongoing violence. Mr. Douglas, 48, soundman James Brolan, 42, and 39-year-old CBS correspondent Kimberly Dozier were accompanying the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, to film a Memorial Day story about what life is like for the troops in Baghdad when a car packed with explosive blew up nearby. The three were outside of their armored Humvee, with troops who were examining a roadblock in Baghdad, when the blast happened, according to CBS and Iraqi Police. Mr. Douglas and Mr. Brolan were killed instantly. Ms. Dozier is in critical but stable condition and is being treated for injuries to her head and legs. The deaths of the two men, who both lived in London, bring the number of journalists killed in the Iraqi conflict to 71, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Correspondent Mark Phillips offered this short tribute to Mr. Douglas: "It was Paul's smile, the one that never seemed to leave his face no matter what horror he was witnessing. And from Bosnia to Afghanistan, from Rwanda to the Palestinian territories to Iraq, there were few horrors of recent history that Paul Douglas had not witnessed. Paul was one of those people you wanted around when things got dicey. He could charm his way through hostile country, he could defuse the belligerent tension at an armed roadblock. He would get the reluctant to tell you their story. Paul could disarm anyone with his good natured ways, given the chance. Today he had no chance. Paul Douglas was 48 years old when his luck ran out on a Baghdad street. He leaves a wife, two daughters, three grandchildren, and an elderly mother behind."

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Everybody Hates Chris