U.S. Soldiers Accused of Killing Afghan Civilians and Collecting Body Parts as Trophies

The Washington Post reports that:

"Cpl. Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska, is among five Stryker soldiers charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder. In interviews with Army investigators, he described a plot led by Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs to randomly kill civilians for sport while on patrol in Kandahar Province.

"Prosecutors have also alleged that members of the platoon mutilated Afghan corpses and even collected fingers and other body parts, and that some posed for photos with Afghan corpses. Morlock talked about how they threw a grenade at a civilian to "wax him." "

"Gibbs had pure hatred for all Afghanis and constantly referred to them as savages," Morlock said in the statement reviewed by the AP."

This story reveals how war disfigures and destroys the human spirit.  As they dehumanize and blindly butcher civilians and enemy soldiers, men devolve into beasts. Unfortunately, this is not an anomaly. Such atrocities have occurred throughout history. To end such barbarism, we must end this unnecessary war.

Several news sources have revealed that Al Qaeda has been defeated in Afghanistan.  U.S. intelligence reports state that less than 100 Al Qaeda members are in Afghanistan.  According to ABC News, "[w]ith 100,000 troops in Afghanistan at an estimated yearly cost of $30 billion, it means that for every one al Qaeda fighter, the U.S. will commit 1,000 troops and $300 million a year."

The U.S. troops must withdraw from Afghanistan now.  How many more U.S. troops and innocent Afghans must die before the Obama Administration ends this war?    

Obama Supports Building of a Mosque Near Ground Zero

During his speech regarding Ramadan, President Barack Obama announced that he supports the building of a mosque near ground zero. He said, "This is America. Our commitment to freedom of religion must be unshakeable." That's right Mr. President!

Dr. Laura's "Nigger" Rant: "Don't N Double A CP me!"

This audio speaks for itself. On her August 10, 2010 show, Dr. Laura said the word "nigger" at least 11 times. When an African American caller condemned her usage of the "n" word, Dr. Laura described the caller as "hypersensitive".

We need to put pressure on Dr. Laura's advertisers. No decent, respectable company should endorse such racism.

Why Are Some African Americans So Eager to Tear Other African Americans Down???!!!???

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the NAACP, my associates or advertisers.

On Thursday, I skimmed a few of blogs on my list and came across a provocative article on What About Our Daughters (WAOD) titled Ben Jealous Should Resign: Ben Jealous, Roland S. Martin, White House Shank Grandmother in the Back by Gina, the Blogmother. WAOD describes itself as “unapologetic, uncompromising, and unbowed in defense of Black women and girls.” Discussing the Shirley Sherrod controversy, the article focused all of its vitriol at Black men and organizations including NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous, CNN commentator Roland S. Martin and President Barack Obama.

Amazingly, the article did NOT criticize, condemn or even mention the most culpable parties, right wing Tea Party blogger Andrew Breitbart and FOX News. Mr. Breitbart posted the deceptively edited video and gave it to FOX News. FOX News repeatedly broadcasted the bogus news story and later downplayed their role in spreading the controversy. Mr. Breitbart is “unapologetic” about deliberately tarnishing Ms. Sherrod’s name. In retaliation for the NAACP’s condemnation of the racist elements within the Tea Party movement, Mr. Breitbart used the tape as a means to discredit the NAACP as “racist". As far as Mr. Breitbart is concerned, Ms. Sherrod was expendable collateral damage.

Conversely, when the NAACP discovered its error, the Association promptly apologized, posted the entire video and asked the Obama Administration to reconsider its decision to fire Ms. Sherrod. The video footage vindicated Ms. Sherrod. Subsequently, USDA Secretary Mr. Vilsack and the President apologized to Ms. Sherrod and offered her a new job. Again, WAOD oddly failed to condemn or mention the actions of Mr. Breitbart and FOX News. However, WAOD had no problem trashing the NAACP, President Obama and Roland Martin.

After reading WAOD’s article, I expressed my concerns regarding this omission. Essentially, I wondered, “Why are some African Americans so eager to tear each other African Americans down and so willing to excuse or gloss over the wrongdoings of other ethnic groups?” I asked WAOD, “Are you concerned about the racist signs and racist members of the Tea Party?” I raised other concerns as well in the comment section. See the comment section of Ben Jealous Should Resign for the details.

During the discussion, WAOD and other commentators asked me if I worked for the NAACP. I did not respond to that question for two reasons. First, I did not want to create the impression that I was officially speaking for the NAACP. I was speaking as an individual. The Association has designated spokespersons. Second, the name of my employer has absolutely no logical bearing on the validity of my arguments. Arguments stand or fall based on their logic or illogic. My intent was not to deceive. If any of WAOD's commentators clicked the link to my blog, they would have quickly discovered that I work for the NAACP. WAOD's detective work was unnecessary. Moreover, I was NOT paid or instructed to comment on the WAOD article.

In response to my comments, WAOD posted a misleading article titled NAACP Legal Goons Invade WAOD Comment Section Following Calls for Jealous to Resign. Instead of presenting a substantive, cogent response in the article, WAOD’s resorted to gossip mongering, fallacious ad hominem attacks, bully tactics and puerile name calling. As WAOD stated in the comment section, “Y'all do realize that once they start calling you names. They have run out of arguments. So you win.” It is easy to attack the person making the arguments. It is far more difficult to refute sound arguments. As stated is the Nizkor Project website, “The character, circumstance, or actions of a person do not have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made.”

To date, WAOD has not provided any substantive responses to the issues that I have raised.

I realize that sexism is an issue that the African American community must confront. I acknowledge that no organization or individual is beyond criticism. All organizations, leaders and politicians should be held accountable.

Nonetheless, the dialogue should remain civil. Brothers and sisters should not fight each other. Such conflict only benefits the right wing opposition. The extremist right wing opposition wants to “take our country back” to the pre-civil rights era. Rather than simply bashing the Nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, WAOD, as a "defender of Black women and girls", should focus at least SOME of its criticism and energy on such racist elements of the Tea Party.

Andrew Breitbart Exposed!

Yesterday, on ABC's Good Morning America, Eric Boehlert of Media Matters exposed far right wing blogger Andrew Breitbart. Mr. Breitbart deliberated used a 1.55 minute segment of a 43.15 minute speech to create the false impression that former USDA official Shirley Sherrod and the NAACP are racist. After the NAACP posted the entire video, it was apparent that Mr. Breitbart's heavily edited 1.55 minute video was intentionally designed and manipulated to take Ms. Sherrod's statements completely out of context.

Instead of taking full responsibility for manufacturing and peddling the false story about Ms. Sherrod and the NAACP, Mr. Breitbart has attempted to justify his shameless actions. In response to the NAACP's criticism of the Tea Party movement, Mr. Breitbart is desperately trying to discredit the Association. However, he ended up discrediting his self.

Rather than simply bashing the Obama Administration and the NAACP, progressives should focus on the source of the problem, Andrew Breitbart and FOX News! We cannot allow them to turn the NAACP into the next ACORN.

Making History: President signs Health Care Reform Bill

After a century long struggle, President Obama signed the Health Care Reform Bill into law. I commend the President and the Democrats for a job well done. We witnessed history. In the plain words of Vice President Joe Biden, "this is a big f***ing deal!" Although this legislation is imperfect for the sound reasons articulated by progressives such as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader on Democracy Now, this legislation provides major tangible benefits to the American people. As stated in Tara Siegal Bernard's New York Times article entitled "For Consumers, Clarity on Health Care Changes":

The legislation .... provide[s] coverage for as many as 32 million people who have been shut out of the market — whether because insurers deem them too sick or because they cannot afford ever-rising insurance premiums.

[Within] six months .... many plans [will] be prohibited from placing lifetime limits on medical coverage, and they [cannot] cancel the policies of people who fall ill. Children with pre-existing conditions [cannot] be denied coverage.

And dependent children up to age 26 [are] eligible for coverage under their parents’ plans — instead of the current state-by-state rules that often cut off coverage for children at 18 or 19.

And within three months ....., people who have been locked out of the insurance market because of a pre-existing condition [will] be eligible for subsidized coverage through a new high-risk insurance program.

That special coverage [will] continue until the legislation’s engine kicks into a higher gear in 2014, when coverage [will] be extended to a wider part of the population through Medicaid and new state-run insurance exchanges.

Those exchanges, or marketplaces, [will] provide much more competitive, consumer-friendly online shopping centers of private insurance for people who are not able to obtain coverage through an employer.

In 2014, people with pre-existing conditions [can] no longer be denied insurance, all lifetime and annual limits on coverage [will] be eliminated and new policies [will] be required to meet higher benefit standards.

While this landmark legislation is a major accomplishment, it must viewed as a single step toward the ultimate goal, free universal health care for all citizens.

One Exceptional Negro

As reported in the Washington Post, according to the authors of Game Change, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said “that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

After this statement was revealed, Sen. Reid issued the following apology. "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans, for my improper comments." In addition, he called President Obama and apologized. In response, Obama stated, "I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years. I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."

Democrats such Congressman James Clyburn, former Congressman Harold Ford and even activists like Rev. Al Sharpton accepted Reid’s apology. The Congressional Black Caucus is issued a weak press release regarding the issue. On the Today Show, in an accommodating manner, Ford simply described Reid’s statement as “unusual”, and Gwen Ifill asserted that Reid's statement was not demeaning. Attempting to excuse Reid’s statement, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine contended that the statement was made in the context of praising Obama’s candidacy for president. Similar to Joe Biden’s gaffe referring to Obama as the first clean and articulated African American presidential candidate, Reid’s condescending praise of Obama is an insult to the African American community.

Basically, Reid said that Obama is an exceptional Negro. In other words, he is not like most Black people. He implied that Obama is an honorary white person. In essence, the Senator alluded to the notion that a lighter complexion is superior or preferable to a darker one. Unfortunately, such sentiments may reflect the opinions of many white voters who helped elect President Obama. Obama was raised by his Caucasian mother and grandparents. His background made it easier for white voters to identify with him. It would have been more difficult for white voters to identify with him if had a darker complexion and was raised by Black parents.

Furthermore, Reid insinuated that it was an extraordinary feat for an African American politician to speak standard proper English. He used the antiquated segregation era term “Negro” to imply that most African Americans only speak Ebonics. Furthermore, Reid insulted Obama by suggesting that Obama is a phony who can pretend to be Black when necessary.

Although the book may be closed for Obama and the Democrats, it remains open for the African American community. This is not a Democratic Party or Republican Party issue. While I appreciate Sen. Reid's demonstrated commitment to social justice, his record should not serve as a basis to excuse his racist statement. It is extremely disappointing that no prominent African American politicians or organizations have strongly condemned the Senator’s racist comments. Where is your heart? How many more apologies will the President accept?

War is Peace

Yesterday, President Barack Obama humbly accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. During his acceptance speech, Obama said that his accomplishments are slight compared to other Nobel Prize winners such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and former South African President Nelson Mandela. I am proud that the first African American U.S. President received this distinguished award. Barack Obama is the embodiment of African Americans' hopes and dreams. He is a great symbol of American progress.

However, with all due respect, I agree with President Obama. His accomplishments are slight compared to great peacemakers like Dr. King and President Mandela. President Obama has been in office for less than one year. He was in office for a couple of months when he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Aside from giving beautiful speeches about mutual respect and international cooperation, he has done little for the cause of peace.

The timing of this award is ironic and controversial. The United States is waging two wars. Last week, after long deliberations, President Obama announced his decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan. According to the President, this escalation will cost American taxpayers at least $30 billion this year. During his eloquent and thought provoking acceptance speech, Obama justified his decision to escalate the conflict. He stated that:

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations - acting individually or in concert - will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified…I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiation cannot convince al Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms…Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of American has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of arms…The instruments of war have a role to play in preserving the peace.

That last sentence reminds me of the slogan "War is Peace" in George Orwell’s novel 1984. Clearly, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee's award to Obama is peculiar.

I am no pacifist. In principle, I agree with the President’s general point. Some wars are necessary and just such as the Civil War and World War II. Although I support the President's goal of eradicating Al Qaeda, I do not support his decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan for the following reasons. First, other great powers such as Russia and Britain have failed in Afghanistan. The U.S. should reflect and learn from those examples. More troops equals more unnecessary American casualties.

Second, the Karzai government is a corrupt, inept regime of warlords and drug dealers. It is unlikely to ever become a reliable partner with the U.S. Without a strong central Afghan government, success is impossible.

Third, instead of squandering billions of dollars waging war and attempting to repair a failed state, that money should be used to address the problems plaguing American cities. My hometown, Detroit, has been devastated by sub prime mortgages, skyrocketing unemployment and failing schools. Many other inner cities face similar problems. This Nation always has enough money for war. But for health care and other social programs, we are told that those programs must be deficit neutral.

Fourth, Afghanistan is only one of Al Qaeda's safe havens. For instance, many of Al Qaeda operatives are in Pakistan. Many Al Qaeda leaders were killed or captured in Pakistan. Most of the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia.

Fifth, the U.S. does not have a clear exit strategy. The U.S. has been in Afghanistan for over eight years. Despite Obama's assurances that the U.S. will begin to transfer forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have suggested that troops may remain in Afghanistan for years after that soft deadline.

And finally, American military intervention and occupation has not and will not ultimately defeat terrorism and fanaticism. Such policies fuel terrorism and perpetuate the endless cycle of violence and retaliation.

No Faith Justifies the Fort Hood Massacre

I express my condolences to the Fort Hood victims and their families. I honor the fallen: Dr. Mike Cahill, Major L. Eduardo Caraveo, Staff Sgt. Justin M. DeCrow, Capt. John Gaffaney, Specialist Frederick Greene, Spc. Jason Dean Hunt, Sgt. Amy Krueger, Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, Pfc. Michael Pearson, Pvt. Francheska Velez, Lt. Cal Juanita Warman, Capt. Russell Seager and Pfc. Kham Xiong. I pray for the the wounded.

When I read about the terrible shooting rampage at Fort Hood, I was shocked and disgusted. When I discovered that Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a fellow Muslim, was responsible, I was outraged. I cannot understand how anyone, especially someone claiming to be a Muslim, could murder innocent people. People have compared this incident to the Oklahoma City bombing. Some people mention that the media did not refer to Timothy McVeigh’s Christian religion or describe him a Christian terrorist. Some have questioned the relevance of Hasan's religious views.

Although the investigation is ongoing, according to reports, Major Nidal Malik Hasan's religion is relevant because he alleged exploited it to justify his cowardly actions. We should not bury our heads in the sand and pretend that his faith played no role. We must confront and condemn all fanaticism. Hasan reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) before he began firing on his fellow soldiers. Additionally, he reportedly expressed reservations about joining non-Muslims in a battle against fellow Muslims. He allegedly made statements sympathizing with suicide bombers and had ties to an extremist imam linked to Al Qaeda.

After beginning to recover from 9/11, this incident has set back Muslim and Christian relations by decades. When the public is constantly bombarded with disturbing images of suicide bombings and other terrorist acts committed by misguided Muslims in the name of God, understandably and but unfortunately, people begin to equate Islam with terrorism and violence. I share Army Chief of Staff General George Casey’s concern that this tragedy may lead to some people to question Muslim American soldiers’ loyalty. People must resist prejudice. The extremists are a minuscule minority. They do not represent the vast majority of law abiding and patriotic American Muslims.

I join the many Muslims who have condemned this horrific crime. In the words of President Obama, “No faith justifies these murderous and craven acts. No just and loving God looks upon them with favor.”

Many people have used distorted interpretations of Islam to justify terrorism. However, the Quran and the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) oppose terrorism and extremism. Each surah or chapter, except one, of the Holy Quran begins with the phrase “In the Name of Allah (God), the Beneficent, the Merciful.” Mercy is God’s dominant attribute. No merciful God would condone the brutal murder of innocent soldiers. It sickens me to hear terrorists use God's blessed name to celebrate senseless acts of violence. Although the Quran does address the issue of war within a historic and pragmatic context, the greeting of the Muslims is As-salaam Alaikum (peace be upon you). The words "Islam" and "Muslim" have peace as their root. In fact, in Surah 5:32 of the Quran, Allah compares killing an innocent person to slaying a whole people and saving a single life to saving a whole people. Similar to other major religions, Islam condemns suicide bombings. At Surah 4:29 in the Quran, Allah commands Muslims not to “kill (or destroy) yourselves for verily Allah hath been to you most merciful.” In Surahs 4:171 and 2:143, Allah encourages the people not "to commit excesses in religion" and refers to the Muslim community or Ummat as "justly balanced". Extremism is the ultimate manifestation of imbalance. In Surah 5:8 of the Quran, Allah commands believers to be fair and “not to let hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice.”

Intolerance and hatred breed violence. Muslim leaders must promote tolerance and mutual understanding. As stated in Surah 3:64, we must call Christian, Jews and Muslims to come to common terms. The Quran repeatedly reminds us that all of mankind was created from a single person. We share a common humanity and destiny.

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How Can We Save the Children?

Last week, I read a disturbing article by Jozen Cummings about Derrion Albert’s brutal murder in Chicago. According to reports, Derrion was not a gangster or a drug dealer. He was an honor student. Someone struck Derrion Albert in the head with a 2 by 4 wooden plank and other people stomped and beat him to death. The article compared his violent death to the beating of Rodney King, the lynching of Emmett Till and the hosing of civil rights protesters. Derrion was not beaten to death by police, neo-Nazis or KKK members. Four African American teenage boys murdered him. The incident was captured on video.

Derrion Albert’s death is another recent example of the senseless violence that plagues our communities. Chicago is no different from other inner cities. According to CQ Press, the cities with the highest crime rates are New Orleans, LA, Camden, NJ, Detroit, MI, St. Louis, Oakland, CA, Flint, MI, Gary, IN, Birmingham, AL, Richmond, CA, North Charleston, SC, Cleveland, OH, Baltimore, MD, Miami Gardens, FL, Memphis, TN, Youngstown, OH, Atlanta, GA, Compton, CA, Orlando, FL, Little Rock, AR, Minneapolis, MN, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Jackson, MS, Newark, NJ and Milwaukee, WI. Most of those cities have large African American populations and relatively high homicide, poverty and unemployment rates.

Some young African Americans are waging a fratricidal war against their own community. One cannot watch the news without hearing about another young black homicide victim. There is no end in sight to this violence. According to the U.S. Census and the FBI, although African Americans constitute only 12.8 percent of the U.S. population, approximately 48 percent of all murder victims are African American. Over 90 percent of them are killed by other African Americans.

We have become completely desensitized to this kind of violence. We expect and accept it as a fact of life. Shortly after the incident, one of my Facebook friends posted a video of Central High School Principal and Newark City Council candidate Ras Baraka delivering a passionate speech regarding another violent incident, a shooting in Newark, New Jersey that occurred near the school. Addressing the predominately African American group of students in the auditorium, Baraka asserted that their plight was not normal. Instead of changing the situation, the students have adapted to their environment.

As Baraka stated, in many inner city neighborhoods, you will see murals, graffiti, and t-shirts honoring young African American homicide victims. Many wear this harsh ghetto reality as a hideous badge of honor. They proudly use words like “hard” and “gangster” to describe themselves and their neighborhoods. Popular hip hop music celebrates violence and eulogizes the deceased. As rapper Talib Kweli says in his song Africa Dream, they “drink champagne and toast death and pain like slaves on a ship talking about who got the flyest chain.”

If Derrion was murdered by the police or by a group of racists, the civil rights community and black politicians would be have been enraged. Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been on every television station in America condemning this brutal murder. They would have organized mass demonstrations. ColorofChange.org would have launched another online petition drive and thousands of people would have signed the petition. Although it is commendable that civil rights leaders issued statements and attended the funeral, that is insufficient. Where is the sense of urgency? What is their long term plan of action?

This violence is a symptom of the underlying problems of concentrated generational poverty, unemployment and inferior schools. Instead of spending billions of dollars waging a so-called war on terror in Iraq, America must wage a war on poverty. Rather than spending billions of dollars bailing out avaricious Wall Street companies, the Obama Administration should devote similar resources to ending poverty. According to news reports, Attorney General Eric Holder will make a statement regarding this incident. Hopefully, Attorney General Holder will unveil a bold strategy to confront this crisis.

In addition to governmental involvement, the African American community, the parents, the churches and the mosques must bear responsibility as well. We cannot simply sit on our hands waiting for the government to save us from ourselves. We must support mentoring programs and anti-gang initiatives.

A New Chapter of International Cooperation

In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, President Barack Obama stated that our future rests on four pillars, non-proliferation and disarmament of nuclear weapons, promotion of peace and security, preservation of the planet and a global economy advancing opportunity for all people.

Obama's Dilemma

After giving his famous speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama emerged on the national political scene. During the speech, he said:

We are all connected. There is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a Latino America and an Asian America. There is the United States of America.

Many people embraced Obama as a symbol of the new post-racial era. That image made Obama appealing to a large segment of the white community. He was not another threatening, angry black man like Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton or Min. Louis Farrakhan. People have described him as the Tiger Woods of politics.

During the Presidential Election, the Obama campaign avoided discussing issues of race. They constantly reminded the American people that Obama was not running to be the President of Black America. He was running to be President of the United States of America. When then Senator Joseph Biden referred to Obama as the first clean, bright and articulate African American Presidential candidate, Obama avoided directly addressing the issue. Later, Obama stated that he did not take the comments personally and that Biden’s statements were inaccurate. Eventually, Obama was forced to address the issue of race because of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy.

Obama’s strategy of avoidance helped him win the Presidency. Therefore, it is not be surprising that Obama rejected former President Jimmy Carter’s statement about racism.

It is obvious that Barack Obama is under attack in part due to his race. This is apparent when one sees the teabaggers’ protest signs. Some of the signs depict Obama as an African witch doctor, a terrorist and Adolf Hitler. One protester's sign read, “We came unarmed (this time).” Some of these protesters actually came to town hall meetings armed. At one of the town hall meetings, one deranged protester carried a sign threatening the President and the First Family’s lives. One preacher actually prayed for the President’s death. With their racially divisive remarks, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are inflaming the situation. For example, Limbaugh said, “In Obama’s America, white kids get beat up with the black kids cheering right on, right on, right on.” Furthermore, the birthers claim that President Obama is not even an American citizen.

In the face of all this ugly racism and hatred, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs asserted that “the President does not believe that criticism comes based on the color of his skin.” On Meet the Press, President Obama said, “This debate that is taking place is not about race. It is about people being worried about how our government should operate.”

I understand the Administration’s reasoning. The President is attempting to pass health care reform. He does not need any unnecessary distractions. It would be illogical for him to jeopardize long term goals for the sake of posturing. Politics is like a game of chess. One may have to sacrifice lesser pieces or even important pieces in order to win. Although I understand, I wish the Obama administration had the courage to speak the truth about race. Since Obama is silent, the progressive bloggers, activists and organizations must continue to speak out.

House Rebukes Rep. Wilson

I commend the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the resolution rebuking Rep. Joe Wilson for his outburst. During the proceedings, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer stated that the House will not stand silent in the face of conduct that was universally recognized as inappropriate. To watch the proceedings on C-Span, click this link. The resolution states:

Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and

Whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009.

Since Rep. Wilson apologized to the President, Wilson’s supporters assert that Wilson should not have to apologize to the House. That argument fails for the following reasons. Rep. Wilson’s apology was insincere. He apologized only after Republican leadership pressured him to do so. In addition, he has exploited the spectacle to raise funds for his election campaign. On his website, he boldly proclaims that he will not be muzzled. Appearing on the Sean Hannity radio program, he embraced his new role as a hero of the right wing anti-immigrant movement. Rep. Wilson’s conduct not only offended the President, he offended the House, the Senate and the American people. If Wilson was sincere, he would have apologized to his House colleagues as well. Instead, he was defiant.

The House did the right thing by condemning him for his breach of civility and decorum. Now, lets focus on getting health care passed with the same efficiency. I hope that Rep. Joe Wilson’s 15 minutes of fame are over.

Time for Censure

During his address to Congress, President Barack Obama stated that illegal immigrants would not be covered under his health care plan. In response, U.S. Representative Joe Wilson yelled, “You lie!” His outburst was completely disrespectful and undignified. Didn’t he realize that he was not at one of those town hall meetings? Would he have done that if the President was white? It is no coincidence that Mr. Wilson represents South Carolina, one of the most racist states in America. South Carolina was the bastion of the Confederacy. In that state, they continue to boldly and proudly fly the Confederate flag, a symbol of slavery and segregation.

Later, Rep. Wilson issued this apology:
“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”

Although White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel accepted Rep. Wilson’s apology on behalf of the President, Rep. Wilson needs to hear from the American people. He can be reached by phone (202) 225-2452, (803) 939-0041, fax (202) 225-2455, (803) 939-0078 and email joe.wilson@mail.house.gov. An apology is insufficient. He should be formally censured by Congress.

No More Compromise Part 2

I salute the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus for standing up. Yesterday, both Caucuses sent letters to President Barack Obama stressing the importance of a robust public option. The Progressive Caucus actually stated that they would not vote for a health care bill that does not include a public option. The Congressional Black Caucus's letter emphasized the need to maintain provisions addressing racial disparities in health care. Click the highlighted links to read the Congressional Black Caucus’s letter and the Congressional Progressive Caucus’s letter.

No More Compromise

Earlier in his political career, Barack Obama supported single payer health care. A single payer system would provide free, universal and quality health care for all citizens. Every major industrialized democracy has some form of single payer health care.

It is a national disgrace that over 47 million Americans have no health insurance. Private health insurance companies’ primary objective is maximizing profits for shareholders. They actually increase profits by denying coverage. Many health insurance companies refuse to sell or renew policies due to a person’s health status. In addition, they deny coverage for treatment of certain pre-existing conditions. Moreover, due to escalating premium costs, fewer employees will be able to afford health insurance in the near future. According to a new Commonwealth Fund report, health insurance premiums increased “119 percent between 1999 and 2008, and could increase another 94 percent to an average of $23,842 per family by 2020 if cost growth continues on its current course.” [1]

To build a census to address this crisis, President Obama embraced a pragmatic approach. He has rejected the proposal of U.S. Representatives John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich for single payer legislation, United States National Health Care Act H.R. 676. In attempt to reach a compromise, the private companies would continue to provide health care insurance. However, under America’s Affordable Health Choices Act H.R. 3200, citizens would have an option to enroll in a public insurance program. H.R. 3200 would prevent companies from refusing to provide coverage based on an individual’s health status or pre-existing conditions. The legislation includes “new data collection efforts to identify and address racial health disparities.” Finally, people will receive credits to purchase private or public insurance.

Despite efforts to develop a bipartisan compromise, most Republicans and the Blue Dog Democrats continue to oppose the President’s health care plan. The right wing critics have called President Obama a socialist. A lunatic fringe has even compared him to Adolf Hitler. Instead serving as a medium to convey a clear message to the American people, the town hall meetings have degenerated into chaos. Consequently, the President’s poll numbers are declining.

Under intense pressure, the Obama Administration has expressed a willingness to eliminate the public option, the cornerstone of any progressive legislation. The public option was designed to create competition in the market place. As the summary of H.R. 3200 states, the public option "will be a new choice in many areas of our country dominated by one or two private insurers today."

Eliminating the public option will allow insurance companies to continue to raise costs. Their monopoly over the market and the political process must be brought to an end. The President has already compromised by rejecting a single payer system and by proposing to establish credits to enable more citizens to purchase in private insurance.

U.S. Representative Maxine Waters[2] is correct. The time for bipartisan cooperation is over, no more compromise. The Obama Administration needs to enforce party discipline and start twisting arms to bring the Blue Dog Democrats in line with the President’s agenda. The President and progressive members of Congress should reject any proposal that does not include a public option and they should support the Kucinich Amendment. That amendment would allow states to establish their own state based single payer health care plans. Surrender is not an option.

[1] Commonwealth Fund, New Report: Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Premiums Increase 119 Percent from 1999-2008; Project to Double Again by 2020 (August 20, 2009). http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2009/Aug/Employer-Sponsored-Health-Insurance-Premiums-Increase-119-Percent.aspx

[2] Rong-Gong Lin II. “Rep. Maxine Water a hard liner for public health care option.” Los Angeles Times. 23 August 2009.

My Experience at the NAACP National Convention 2009

I enjoyed attending the NAACP’s 100th Annual National Convention. I was blessed with an opportunity to hear President Barack Obama and other great speakers such as NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, NAACP Vice Chair Roslyn Brock, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Congressman Al Green, Harvard Law professor Charles Ogletree, Lawyers Committee for Equal Rights Under Law Director Barbara Arnwine, attorney John Relman, former Director-Counsel and President of NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Theodore M. Shaw. I met Joe “The Black Eagle” Madison and appeared on his show with NAACP Interim General Counsel Angela Ciccolo and NAACP Board Member Dr. Ernest Johnson. I saw Chaka Khan and Thelma Houston perform. I met and took a photo with actor Jeffrey Wright. I had a great time listening to Tim Hagans Quintet at Birdland, attending the Connecticut State Conference’s reception at Jay Z’s 40/40 club and attending Ms. Brock’s reception. Of the five conventions that I have attended, this one was by far the most exciting and surprising.

As an NAACP staff attorney, I attend the NAACP’s Convention and assist with the Association’s Continuing Legal Education Seminar. In addition, the NAACP Legal Department runs an office at the Convention. The Legal Department disseminates valuable information to NAACP members. Besides legal work, I participate in general Convention activities.

Before I left for the Convention on Friday morning, July 10, 2009, I saw a news report on the Today Show that reminded me why America still needs civil rights organizations such as the NAACP. After making a reservation to use the Valley Club swimming pool located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the owners decided cancel the African American kids’ reservation and return their payment shortly after they arrived. Valley Club employees allegedly complained that the kids were “changing the complexion” the swimming environment.

After hearing that news report, I packed my luggage and headed to Baltimore Penn Station. When I arrived at the New York Hilton, I checked into my hotel and rushed to attend the staff meeting.

On Saturday evening, July 11, 2009, I went to the world famous Birdland jazz club and listened to The Tim Hagans Quintet. They were great. Tim Hagans reminded me of Miles Davis in his later years. Similar to Miles, Hagan had shoulder length hair and played beautiful, sweet melodic numbers. I particularly enjoyed a cool boogaloo song that he played. I do not recall the name of the song.

On Sunday, July 12, 2009, the NAACP began its Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) Seminar. The first panel was the Legislative Update. The panelists included Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott, Congressman Al Green and NAACP Washington Bureau Director Hilary Shelton. Sounding more like a Baptist preacher than a member of Congress, Congressman Green gave a rousing speech about minimum wage and housing discrimination legislation.

Next, former NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Director Counsel and President Theodore Shaw gave and excellent presentation on the U.S. Supreme Court. He discussed the dynamics of the U.S. Supreme Court. He told us that Justice Clarence Thomas is the most conservative justice on race issues. In addition, Mr. Shaw said that he went to high school with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Sotomayer. He rejected arguments that the Judge Sotomayer’s appointment was an affirmative action appointment. He further stated that she graduated at the top of the high school class above white and all other students. Since Sotomayor will be replacing Justice Souter, a moderate, her appointment will not affect the direction of the U.S. Supreme Court. He said that we will continue to see more 5-4 decisions. Mr. Shaw concluded by discussing Ricci v. Destefano and M.U.D. v. Holder.

Later, John Relman of Relman & Dane gave a housing discrimination presentation. He discussed the Zanesville case. In that case, the city deliberately deprived a segregated African American community of water for years. He stated that the segregated housing patterns made that discriminatory treatment possible. Moreover, he discussed the City of Baltimore’s lawsuit against Wells Fargo. The lawsuit alleges that Wells Fargo targets African Americans for sub prime loans. Consequently, African American neighborhoods are plagued by foreclosures and blight. As a result of that crisis, the City of Baltimore loses tax revenue and has to pay to board up abandoned homes.

After the first day of the CLE was over, I went to the Public Mass Meeting to hear NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and NAACP Vice Chair Roslyn Brock give powerful speeches. Both of them discussed the progress that we have made as a Nation and the progress that still needs to be made. In describing the great strides that the African American community has made, Ms. Brock said, “We went from the out house to the White House.” Julian Bond discussed the continuing need for the NAACP. He stated that in every social indicator African Americans continue to trail whites.

On Monday, July 13, 2009, the NAACP Legal Department had the Clarence Mitchell Memorial Luncheon. U.S. Attorney Eric Holder was the guest speaker. While I was standing by the door, NAACP Law Fellow Malcolm Ruff and I saw actor Jeffrey Wright. Malcolm said that he recognized Mr. Wright from John Singleton’s Shaft movie. My favorite Jeffrey Wright movie is Basquiat. I greeted Wright and asked if we could take a photo with him. We took the photo.

After taking my seat and listening to dignitaries give greetings, Eric Holder began his speech. It is very encouraging to hear Eric Holder say,“The Civil Rights Division is back in business.” I was proud to hear NAACP Interim General Counsel Angela Ciccolo say that Mr. Holder would not only go down in history as the first African American Attorney General but was one of the greatest Attorney Generals. Ms. Ciccolo proclaimed, “We have your back!” The crowd applauded.

Just when I thought the Luncheon was over, Ms. Ciccolo asked if I was in the room. I raised my hand and she asked me to come to the front of the room. I was seated in the back of the room. I proceeded to the front of the room. I thought that she wanted me to perform some task for her. When I arrived to the front of the room, Ms. Ciccolo announced that I was receiving the NAACP Legal Department Staff Lawyer of the Year Award. I was completely surprised. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. To receive this award from the world’s greatest civil rights organization at the 100th Annual National Convention before a such a prestigious group of lawyers, judges, scholars and activists was a great honor and privilege. It meant the world to me. The NAACP Law Fellows told me that they knew about it for weeks. They did a great job keeping it a secret.

After the Luncheon, I returned to the CLE and moderated a panel on 100 years of NAACP legal history featuring the Honorable Judge Nathaniel Jones, former Interim NAACP President and CEO and former General Counsel Dennis Courtland Hayes, University of Delaware Professor Leland Ware and others. Then, I listened to Charles Ogletree and Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law Director Barbara Arnwine discuss future civil rights legal strategy.

On Tuesday, July 14, 2009, Angela Ciccolo asked me to go with her on the Joe “the Black Eagle” Madison Show radio show. I was a little bit nervous. Mr. Madison is one of my favorite radio personalities. When I worked in Washington, D.C., I listened to his show everyday.

Approximately ten minutes later, we met Board Member Dr. Ernest Johnson walked to Joe Madison’s booth at the New York Hilton Hotel. After Ms. Ciccolo and Dr. Johnson responded to Mr. Madison’s questions, Mr. Madison asked me about the division of work in the NAACP Legal Department. I told him that I handle in-house matters like contracts, insurance and estates. In addition, I told him that I handle public accommodations cases as well. Before I could tell him about the other types of cases that I handle, Mr. Madison essentially asked me to elaborate. I briefly mentioned the NAACP’s Myrtle Beach cases. I described how one hotel in Myrtle Beach actually refused to allow African American tourists to stay at the hotel during Black Bike Week 2008, an annual predominately African American motorcycle event which occurs during Memorial Day Weekend. The hotel owners actually filled the hotel to capacity with their white friends and employees free of charge in order to avoid serving African Americans.

During the Convention, I attended several receptions. Chairman Bond’s reception was good. NAACP President Benjamin T. Jealous’ reception was chic and classy. The live band played a wide variety of dance music from old school R&B to contemporary hip hop. The NAACP Connecticut State Conference's reception at Jay Z's 40/40 club was great.

On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, I attended Ms. Brock’s reception. With all due respect, her reception was best. Her reception was on a yacht with three levels. The top deck provided spectacular views of the New Jersey and New York skylines. On the top deck, there was a gentle soothing breeze and Jill Scott’s music was playing in the background. Everyone was dressed in radiant white garments. The DJ was excellent. He played R&B classics and even some classic house music. The food was superb. I had a great time joking around with the NAACP Law Fellows and seeing my NAACP colleagues.

On Thursday, July 16, 2009, I stood in a long winding snakelike line in the New York Hilton Hotel waiting to enter the ballroom to hear President Obama speak. After waiting for over an hour, I finally entered the ballroom and found my seat on the balcony level. After eating my salad and dessert, a chocolate cup filled with berries and cream, the NAACP Event Planning Department Director Ana Aponte came to my table and other NAACP staff tables and told us to prepare to move in 30 minutes. She repeated the announcement several times.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., all the NAACP staff members lined up and exited the ballroom. Then, I realized that I was actually going to take a group photo with President Obama. We went down the escalator and entered a huge back room. There were four photo shoot locations set up, one for NAACP Board members, one for NAACP SCF members, one for New York officials and one for NAACP staff. While we were entering the back room, I saw Rev. Al Sharpton and took a few photos of him. While we were positioning for the NAACP group photo, I notice New York Governor David A. Paterson and took a photo of him. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement as I waited for President Obama to enter the room. I tried to play it cool. The experience was surreal.

About 10 minutes later, President Obama entered the room and posed for photos with the Board and SCF members. Then, he headed toward us and I started frantically taking photos of him. Obama was smiling and joking with us. He extended his hand and shook our hands. Everyone was laughing and happy. No one told us that we were going to actually meet the President. That was such a wonderful surprise.

After the photo shoot, we returned to our seats and listened to President Obama give his address to the NAACP. During his speech Obama thanked the NAACP for making his election possible. He explained how the NAACP helped make America a more perfect union. He talked about persistent structural inequality. Furthermore, he stressed the need for health care reform, energy reform and financial reform.

Later in his speech, he described his visit to a slave dungeon in Africa that had a church on top of it. He said that that was an example of saying one thing and doing another thing. He mentioned his walk through the door of no return and said, “We have always persevered.”

Also, emphasizing the need for a quality education, Obama said, “A world class education is a prerequisite to success…Education is necessary to bring about equality.” He further stated that the education system needs “more money and more reform.” Obama also stressed the importance of personal responsibility. Without parent involvement, no government program will solve the problem. He said, “Parents must demand excellence.” He asserted that parents must stop their kids from playing video games. He further stated that everyone cannot be Lil Wayne or an NBA basketball star. He said we need more African American scientists and other professionals. It was a great speech.

After Obama gave his speech, Julian Bond received the Spingarn Award, the Association’s highest honor. Finally, Chaka Khan performed. I loved hearing her sing Angel and Through the Fire. It was great meeting President Obama. I will remember this Convention for the rest of my life.