VOTE: Ralph Nader for President – Does anybody care?

Ralph Nader is running for President…again. What do you think about that? Answer the poll question below to share your thoughts.

{democracy:4}

One Love. One II.

Color Me Blind

On a lighter note, I got this video via email today, and it would be even funnier less sad if I didn’t see it play out in real life so often.

Enjoy this in the spirit of Black History Month programs everywhere.

One Love. One II.

Why Barack Obama should attend the Black State of the Union

Tavis Smiley hosts and annual event called the Black State of the Union. The 2008 version will be on February 23rd in New Orleans, LA.

Last year, a big question around this event was whether or not Barack Obama was going to attend the event. He did not, but he was doing something that was much bigger: deciding to and formally announcing his run for the Presidency. Now, one year later, in the midst of a very competitive primary season, Obama faces the same question: will he go? Should he go?

Obama is not attending. Tavis Smiley is on record saying that he’s cool with that. Roland Martin at Essence Magazine thinks this was the right decision. His primary argument is that Obama must “look forward, not in the past” and that Obama “can’t be defined as the Black candidate.” He thinks that Obama should send his wife Michelle, and continue campaigning in Texas and Idaho.

I think that’s a terrible move and completely wrong, and here’s why.

Barack and Michelle Obama should both attend the Black State of the Union event. Any criticism of their attendance of this day, arguably the most important discussion of the state of this country’s Black affairs, would not only by unfounded and irresponsible, but easily refutable.

The Growing Battle for the Right to Water

What’s up fam,

Those who know me have heard me talk passionately about my fear of how I think “water wars” is going to be the single greatest cause of our lifetime. The drought we are seeing in places in the Southwest and Southeast are not cyclical and as countries throughout the world become more developed, the need to be better stewards as it relates to water increases dramatically. Having said that, I pulled this article from alternet.org, regarding a new book on water policy that is a must read. The book is entitled, Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water,

The link to the article by Tara Lohan is here and I posted the article in its entirety here.

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond endorses Clinton (basically)

From the Michigan Messenger,

A noted civil rights leader weighed in the Democratic race by calling on the Democratic National Committee to seat delegates from Florida Michigan.

The AP reports that “In a Feb. 8 letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean, NAACP chairman Julian Bond expressed “great concern at the prospect that million of voters in Michigan and Florida could ultimately have their votes completely discounted.” Refusing to seat the states’ delegations could remind voters of the “sordid history of racially discriminatory primaries,” he said.”

Superspade gives keynote address at DAPCEP!

What’s up fam,

I am writing to let you know that Garlin will be giving a keynote address in Detroit, MI for DAPCEP. DAPCEP is acronym for the Detroit Area Pre College Engineering Program. For those that are not from Detroit, this is a really big deal because parents from all over Metro Detroit clamor over themselves trying to get their kids involved in this program. I know parents and students alike wil be inspired to see a DAPCEP Alumni who is young and doing it big for himself and the community.

DAPCEP is a great program and I highly recommend it. Just look at their mission,

DAPCEP’s mission is to increase the number of historically under-represented minorities (African American, Hispanic American, and Native American) who are motivated and prepared academically to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology related fields.

If you are in Detroit and would like to get your kids involved in DAPCEP and/or hear Garlin bring the house down, find yourself at Cobo Hall tomorrow morning at 7:30am, the program starts at 8:00am. Per usual, Garlin will provide an audio file of his presentation upon his return to Seattle.

Stay up G,

For more information on DAPCEP, click here, www.dapcep.org

Obama Robocalls telling WA voters wrong caucus date

According to The Stranger, as well as a caller into the Thom Hartmann radio program (great show), robocalls are going out to some in Washington telling them that the caucus in on Sunday, not Saturday (the actual date).

The calls apparently came from Meyer Associates Teleservices, a St. Cloud, MN-based direct marketing company. This company has done extensive work for the Obama campaign in Illinois, New Hampshire, and other states.

Robocalling is completely unacceptable. If this was done purposely, it’s inexcusable. If it was done accidentally there are no accidents in politics at this level. Democrats don’t like when Republicans do it to them. Democrats therefore should not do it to each other. Note also that this process is illegal in some states, and Obama’s calls [courtesy of Meyer] were found to violate New Hampshire law.

This is sad, and I really, really want this to be untrue, but the evidence is not looking that way at this point. I want honest, ethical politics, not this stuff.

One Love. One II.

Double Bubble Trouble in California Primaries

It appears that 94,000 votes that were cast in California by Decline-To-State voters in the Democratic primary are in danger of not being counted: not by any fault of the voters themselves, but due to unnecessarily confusing ballot design.

Why the hell do we make voting so difficult if it's something that we want everyone to do? I don't understand this. In this election season, where Democrats are seeing voters participate in caucuses and primaries in record numbers, I would expect they would want to do everything in ther power to have the newly-energized Democratic electorate not be disenfranchisd. Instead, this ballot, which undoubtedly was approved by somebody, has the strong stench of voter suppression lingering around it.

Do Something! Make sure every vote counts this February, this November, and beyond.

Michelle Obama and relationships

This message is dedicated to the fellas. No matter who you support to be President of the United States, you must admit that Michelle Obama is the type of woman you want to marry. She embodies the idea that beside every great man is a great woman. To be sure, there are women like Michelle Obama all across the country but men by and large find ways to mess things up. I compiled a list of what men do wrong that end up leaving women like Michelle Obama from finding their Barack.

1) We think that we have to be “established” before we can truly settle down in a serious relationship leaning towards marriage. This extends to work, graduate school, etc.

2) We wait too long to propose.

3) We put more emphasis on our bank account than our character.

4) We don’t get women on the come up, in other words, we try to wait until the flower is in full bloom before we make the pursuit and by that time, it is probably too late. For the brothers that went to undergrad, you know there are some women that you know you should have tried to step to but now you look stupid because you thought you could wait until you both finished graduate school.

5) We expect women to compromise their dreams for the relationship before we are willing to compromise ours.

6) We too often play the “You should already know how I feel” card. Man up and say what you have to say.

7) We use our work life as an emotional shield.

8. We delay talking to somebody (a professional) to better understand our approach towards women and relationships.

9) We rely too much on the numerical odds. Just because the odds favor educated Black men doesn’t mean that it is easy to find and maintain love. Don’t be the guy that makes Black women swear off Black men.

10) Be the woman you want to marry. In other words, if you want your wife to be saved and sanctified, then be saved and sanctified. If you want your wife to be in shape, then be in shape. The list continues but you get my point.

Now hopefully, if you are a guy and this post made you twinge a little….good. Make the change because this Valentine’s Day, there will be millions of women like Michelle Obama who are waiting for brothers like you to step up.

Stay up fam,

Brandon Q.

Distinctions without Differences & Protective Imitation

Cross-posted at the Brave New Films Blog.

Primaries are about differentiation. Differences in the candidates' records; differences in the candidates' policy positions; differences in the candidates' ideologies. Well, at least they should be. Sadly, the more and more (or less and less) I watch/listen to political dialogue and commentary about these Presidential primaries and this upcoming Presidential election, I'm hearing a vague message of "change" that is doing little to concretely differentiate the candidates or further this country's dilapidated political discourse.