Shawn828's Comments (66)

“Black soldiers fought for their freedom and the freedom of others during that war, during the Revolutionary War, and every war between and afterward. There's also the century of segregation, harassment, lynching, murders, false imprisonments, being blocked from jobs, land purchases, etc. It wasn't some peaceful golden age after the Civil War's completion (which by the way wasn't just about freeing the slaves, it was more about maintaining the union).

MTV and other such sites are a false analogy, as what you really need to look at there are who's making the money, who benefits. The biggest chunk of those distribution and recording companies are not black operated. As to other problems in the community- yes there are things that need to change. But it's difficult to work towards that goal when you have to simultaneously deal with people like Rush and company. When his out of context and flat out lie B.S. has to be dealt with, it takes away time and effort from actually getting anything done.

And by the way, have you noticed how you skip right past all the people who work hard every day, who take care of their families, who work jobs and/or run their own business, and put the problem areas on the black community, but when it comes to things like drugs, crime, families being murdered by stressed out fathers you won't put that on the white "community", it's always an individual thing.”

“It's appalling that so many of our serving women are subjected to this treatment. I know two women that have been assaulted in Iraq, with virtually no consequence to the perpetrator. And then we have the recent event of the contractor that has been trying for four YEARS to get the right to have her case heard by a court system after being gang-raped in Iraq, falsely imprisoned by KBR (locked in a container) and threatened with retaliation if she tried to press charges, then told her contract required arbitration to deal with a felony crime! This is BS, and needs to stop.”

“I think the article is quite accurate in the intended context, but it shouldn't be taken as all encompassing because I remember a lot of those "Middle America" people that wanted to let the man who bombed the church in Birmingham off because he was old and it was a long time ago. There are a number of others guilty of rape, assault, etc in the South alone that Middle America would like to just leave in the past. But a key difference is that these are basically anonymous people, where Polanski is well known. That means his name will be usable in more rallies appealing to the more virulent portions of the conservative party. It makes for a great sound bite that doesn't require a lot of thought.”

“Socialism and fascism are opposing forms of govt, so that part of the argument is off. How is he violating the Constitution, and where was all this resistance when the Bush administration violated the 4th Amendment, the 5th Amendment, and was working on the 1st Amendment? When people weren't free to exercise freedom of speech if it was "too close" to the President (i.e.- anywhere he might actually see/hear it)? When an Act was signed into law that allowed the govt to incarcerate you at whim, hold you indefinitely without counsel, and not even tell anyone they had you?

When those crimes were going on too many people were silent, and now under a different President they suddenly find their voices and start going bat-sh** crazy. That's the vitriol we're talking about, that only (in large part) seems to have come along with the occupation of the White House by a Black man.”

“Hear hear!”

“If you look at who's talking (i.e. listen to the reasonable people) you'll note that they are saying some of the dissent is racist in tone, not all. And they have been trying to address the issues, but the other side is too busy being a whiny little b**ch.

Van Jones is not a communist.
ACORN has a few people who do wrong. If held to the same standard most of the major companies and contractors doing business with the govt are corrupt ( KBR, Blackwater/XE, Halliburton, a number of weapon contractors, etc).
We don't continually apologize, but it is time to make amends for being so damned arrogant, especially when people die because of it.
The Postal Service has problems, but at the same time no one else can economically deliver mail everywhere. UPS and Fedex are selective and pricey. Great for express stuff, but not too good at delivering a letter to Podunk, ME for $0.44.”

“But have you noticed that whenever other news services talk about companies taking job application, you always see a great number of minorities lined up waiting to apply? That part THEY won't show, cause it doesn't play into their "lazy minority" schtick.”

“But these are the same people that don't have a problem keeping a weapon program going that's not needed because it "keeps jobs". Isn't that using public funds as an ATM for redistribution?

Usually those "social justice schemes" are either a move to correct past injustices, or an attempt to make life better for society as a whole. Kind of in keeping with the "Christian values" they claim this country was founded on.”

“I beg to differ. I think the 85% (myself included) are simply happy to HAVE coverage, not necessarily with said coverage. And the situation is getting worse. The system needs changing because what we have is highly inefficient and wasteful money-wise. By changing over to single payer we increase efficiency by reducing paperwork, cutting out levels of bureacracy, reducing overhead which allows more funds to go to care deliverence, and hopefully improving the nation's overall health, thus reducing high-cost critical care treatment.

The one person's death is only part of the overall subject, not the entire case.”

“What does ACORN have ot do with this? And for that matter, what's wrong with ACORN? They are simply getting minority voters registered and acting on behalf of the communities around the nation. Conservatives tend to invoke their name as a smoke screen for a lack of reasoned argument.

A better response would be with the lobbyists involved who knows what will happen.”

“In fairness you have to wonder how the Iranian families of the people we killed in a shoot-down of a civilian airliner 4 months before Lockerbie felt when we announed that after investigating the incident "we" deemed it a mistake (oops!) and they should be happy with monetary compensation and no punishment to the killers?

This is not to diminish the pain suffered by the families, simply a reminder that we are also responsible for causing great pain and should be cognizant of it.”

“We also bombed utility plants, restaurants where we thought we'd catch Saddam or his family members, and other targets dep within a heavily populated city. We killed lots of civilians!

There's also the general from Haiti we removed in 1994 who then moved to the States in a deal rather than facing justice for his crimes. Then there are the Cubans who have been actively involved in bombings in Cuba which killed civilians on purpose to try to destabilize Castr's govt. We aren't even trying to pursue them (votes from Florida more important than justice). Posada Cariles ring a bell?

And as to Joanne Chesimard/ Assatta Shakur: the trial was flawed, testimony suspect, and how did she shoot a trooper standing behind the car after she'd been shot in the back and couldn't even get out of the car on her own? And while you speak of the BLA, how about the high number of questionable shootings in the black neighborhoods by white police all during the sixties and beyond?

If any lesson is to be learned it is that justice depends mostly on money and position, and whether you are part of the right skin color group.”

“Here's an idea: when the Republican protesters show up with their guns, the Liberals can bring their shotguns. At least then we know there will be a price to pay for trying to intimidate.

The point the author is trying to make is if they want to come to the meeting shouting and disrupting rather than discussing, then they need to get push back. Either we act like adults or kids in the schoolyard.”

“I can see your point. But I ask this question: Why haven't we turned Posada Carilles (did I get that right?) over to Venezuela for bombing a jet liner and killing 73 people? Isn't terrorism the same no matter who's "side" you're on? He didn't strike a military target, it was a civilian aircraft. Yet we keep him here supposedly because of immigration issues that take precedence to a murder trial. Because we don't like the govt that seeks to try him.

This is an atrocity, but we shouldn't talk until we are willing, as a country, to do the right thing.”

“Damn good questions. Especially #1 and #10. Would that more people would show your common sense and thinking.”

“Thank you, Mr. Horowitz, for injecting some sanity into this matter. I have no problem with Second Amendment rights and teh exercise thereof, but I do have a problem with bringing weapons into a public forum where they have no potential beyond making a possible crisis situation far worse and more tragic. What if someone had fired a weapon that day for any reason: dealing with a real threat, a misfire, a dropped weapon? The SS and law enforcement would have immediately sought to suppress any weapon in site as part of the threat, and there were too many civilians around to have individuals trying to engage a threat they don't know about. A lot of death and destruction could have resulted for no reason.”

“I've read several news stories on the incident, but of course a number of details aren't present for us (the readers) to consider. Such as what type of car did the service bringing Dr. Gates have? Was it the usual town car, or a marked van such as airport shuttle services use?

Also for those thinking the Dr. had a "chip on his shoulder' remember that he had just returned to Mass. from China, so he'd spent the better part of the last 24 hours in airports and aircraft with little real rest. And are we certain the officers spoke to him with the respect accorded a citizen? People can make it evident in tone and speaking style when they are speaking down to you, and to a tired and stressed individual that can be irksome and lead to less than respectful counter-speech.

Plus I believe it was said that he initially thought he was dealing with Campus Security responding to the phone call about the door issue, which probably led to some confusion about the ID request. Would providing right off have nipped this in the bud? Maybe, but still it should have come to an end once it was established this was his residence. And in light of personal experience dealing with police in the South I also have to wonder if the officer involved escalated the situation in order to prove he was top dog.”

“Actually she was very funny. You are just too stuck on stupid to see it. : )”

“What countries are they "enslaving" within Central/South America? And can you clearly show where this article is based on "propaganda" from Chavez and/or Castro? All you can site so far is conjecture which could be seen as based on "propaganda" from Michiletti.

As to the "wise" Hondurans: Why has no real effort been made towards relieving the stifling poverty there? Why so much railing against a raise in the minimum wage? Honduras has made little effort in the poverty relief column since I was there over two decades ago. I'm willing to bet medical support in the areas outside of the major cities is still horribly lacking. Those very people you rail against (Chavez/Castro) are at least making efforts to keep their people healthy and educated and pushing wealth down to people beyond the ruling families. Do they screw stuff up? Hell yes. We still screw stuff up in the "most powerful nation on the planet".

I can't agree on your statement about Honduras being "enslaved" by anything Zelaya was doing. If anything it risks being enslaved again by the military. But I do agree with your point on isolation. Let them have a few years of isolation without our military might or tax dollars backing them up. It should make them come out a better country, if all that you say is true.”

“Armed thugs? You mean like a military that fires on the house of someone who used his freedom of speech rights to talk to the press, then assaulting and arresting his mother? The ones who shoot unarmed civilians? Are those the thugs you're talking about?

I have an easy solution for you: We'll let Honduras see to its own affairs. At the same time all military and other aid will cease, troops will be withdrawn (no more SF teams instructing the military), and any troops they want to send for training in the states THEY pay for. Freedom comes with a price. Are you willing to pay it?”

“Well they say they don't need us or want us to interfere. That means they don't need our aid either. If they get steam-rolled that's the way the real world works.

But that's not even the case here. The nations in the region, who are far better informed of how things are than we in the U.S. are, called it a coup and are reacting accordingly. That's good enough for me. Pres. Cristina Fernandez is no Chavez, yet she calls it a coup also.”

“Please explain why we need Honduras as a friend in the region, if you want to go there? I think Honduras needs us way more than we need them. Also, if this is only a "firing" then why are so many other people being arrested right off the bat? Why are reporters being threatened with harm if they don't stop transmitting images? Why are only pro-coup stations being allowed to broadcast, while Zelaya supporters are forcibly shut-down?

By their actions the current govt shows this to be a coup, and if they don't like us calling it such too bad. After all, what would be more pro-democracy than letting a country be free to make it's decisions free from any U.S. influence through the removal of troops and funds. I'm sure they will be able to keep up the training and equipment just fine.”

“The Colombian military has a worse human rights record than the FARC. Also the AUC, remember them? And that's before we travel a bit further north. In fact the Colombian military has killed far more civilians than the FARC, and they (like Venezuela) are headed by a democratically elected leader.

ALBA is an attempt to form a trade group that makes decisions amongst themselves, rather than at the direction of the U.S. Sort of like NAFTA doesn't take into consideration what Chile or Peru think.”

“I have to disagree there. I was in Honduras during the Contra-wars, and we were plenty interventionist. There and in El Salvador. And wouldn't Iran-Contra be considered interventionist? Illegal arms trading to fund a war that Congress cut off the funds for?

Also, what "violent paramilitary groups" has this trade organization financed? Venezuela is doing just what we do - extend influence into it's area of interest through diplomacy and funding.”

“Well something must be kinda fishy with it if two important battalions are not taking orders from the sitting government. (Golosan/La Ceiba and Tela locations.)”