Whats Going On - Marvin Gaye

NO QUARTER: Now Do You Understand?

NO QUARTER: Now Do You Understand?

by Larry C Johnson

Breaking news! At least 22 Virginia Tech students gunned down. Cable news channels are wild with activity as they pump up the coverage a focus on the latest "crisis". The media is commenting that this shooting is overwhelming the local medical facilities. Crisis is in the air. Well, at least it ain't Iraq.

Okay. Big deep breath. This is horrible and this is tragic and this gives us an idea of what it is like to live just one day in Iraq. Consider the following:
---
He then goes on to list the 65 deaths in Iraq in one day - wolf
---
Let's total the score: at least 65 Iraqis dead in four attacks vs. 22 Americans shot at Virginia Tech. Whoops, forgot the 20 kidnapped policemen. Can you imagine?

The next time you hear Dick Cheney or George Bush blame the public attitude regarding Iraq on the media's failure to report "good news", examine carefully our reaction to the shooting at Viginia Tech. Look at our collective shock. Our horrified reaction. The public sorrow. Yet, in truth, this is an exceptional, unusual day in America. It is not our common experience. But we cannot say the same about Iraq.

The people of Iraq are living in a Marquis de Sade version of Groundhog Day. It is like the Bill Murray movie--the same horrible day repeated with some new, bizarre twists--only not funny. Multiple body counts and explosions and shootings are the daily experience of the people of Iraq. They have been living this hell for four years. Just keep that fact in mind as you mourn the deaths of 22 American students slain in Blacksburg, Viginia.

Drudge falsely claimed Soros funds Media Matters

Media Matters - Drudge falsely claimed Soros funds Media Matters

Internet gossip Matt Drudge has claimed that Media Matters for America is a "Soros operation."

In fact, Media Matters has never received funding from progressive philanthropist George Soros.

Will someone please show BruteLogic this link. When I am debunking some of the Neo-cons on Paltalk I will often use a website like Media Matters. Neo-cons like Brute often use Drudge or Fox News. Brute probably had what Drudge said about Media Matters in his notes. LOL, Yes Brute uses notes. Maybe because he can't think on his feet.

Katie Katie Katie

Media Matters - Couric's "Notebook" rehashed debunked Obama rumors

In the April 12 edition of her "Notebook" video blog, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric asked, "Is America ready to elect a president who grew up praying in a mosque?" and proceeded to repeat debunked rumors surrounding Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) childhood years in Indonesia.

The Flag

There are people who love to wave the flag in my face. Calling me names Like Terrorist, Un -American, Muslim Lover, Communist. They attack me, calling me a drunk, a druggie, a fagot , a SOB and Mother Fucker. Why? Just because I disagree with them about this war and this administration? Because I can see through Bushs Lies? Because I believe in the 1st amendment and freedom of speech? Because I don't worship their God?
Sometimes people don't hear the words of a song so I thought I'd post the lyrics to this one.
Dedicated to Jim Quinn and Rose from The Warroom radio show.

Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
© John Prine

While digesting Reader's Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I'd tell her how good I feel.

Chorus:
But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.

Well, I went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
"If you join the Christmas club
We'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, I didn't mess around a bit
I took him up on what he said.
And I stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife's forehead.

Repeat Chorus:

Well, I got my window shield so filled
With flags I couldn't see.
So, I ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And I'll never understand why the man
Standing in the Pearly Gates said...

"But your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more.
We're already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you
Into Heaven any more."

Saturday Nite Rock Party

Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
IMHO this has to be one of the best rock songs ever.

Saturday Kitten and Cat Blogging

Pook took the weekend off (Cat Napping again)
Thought Yunz might like these that I found on the web.

Political Cartoon of the Week

It was hard to choose this week but this one won out over the many Imus cartoons

42

Jackie Robinson Stealing Home against Yogi, 1955 World Series

I have mentioned that I am a Yankee fan in a few of the earlier of the posts on the blog. Growing up in New York City had it's advantages if you were a baseball fan in the 50's. I'm not just talking about those great Yankee Teams. It was because of my Mom who was a Brooklyn Dodger fan and Dad (when he was around) was a New York Giant Fan that I got to see all three of these great teams play.

This is the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseballs Color barrier. I have always admired Mr. Robinson, not only for what he did but the way he did it. If you watch the movie "Soul of the Game" you'll get an insight on why Branch Rickey chose Jackie rather than Josh Gibson or Satchel Paige to be the one. One of the major reasons is told in another movie "The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson" when Jackie refused to sit in the back of a military bus when he was a second lieutenant during World War Two.

I could go on and on about how hard it was for Jackie because of the racism that he faced during almost every game he played back then as well as what he had to deal with off the field but I'll let you look up that bit of history if your interested. When I came to Pittsburgh I learned a great deal about the Negro League where Jackie came from. Two great teams played here, The Homestead Grays and The Pittsburgh Crawfords. Jackie never played for those teams, Josh Gibson did.

I wonder if it will take another sixty years before racism like Jackie faced will become a distant memory.

I'm Gonna Say It Now

For Brian Williams
Oh I am just a Blogger sir, and only want to Post
But it's hard to write through the risin' smoke from the spin
that you like to burn
So I'd like to make a promise and I'd like to a vow
That when I've got something to say, sir, I'm gonna say it now

Verse rewritten from a Phil Ochs song, I am Going To Say It Now.

There have been many attacks on bloggers by main stream media types like Brian Williams. I haven't really paid much attention to those spin doctors since Uncle Walter retired. I'm talking bout Network News Shows here, Not the cable networks. These spin doctors work for large corporations like GE and Disney that own their asses. One bad screw up like Imus and their gone. Sure, some of them have worked their way up the ladder from one of those local city news shows and they can be admired for that. It's the same old story though, some always forget where they came from and cave into the blindness of corporation spin and rule. I never had a thought in my head about this blog or my writing becoming more than anything than what it is - A place where this one dyslexic SOB can write what he wants, when he wants, about what he wants and tell it like he sees it. So Brian and others like you, When I got something to say, I'm going to say it now.

Crooks and Liars » Brian Williams on Bloggers

Crooks and Liars » Brian Williams on Bloggers:”I’m up against a guy named Vinny in an efficiency apartment.”

"You're going to be up against people who have an opinion, a modem, and a bathrobe. All of my life, developing credentials to cover my field of work, and now I'm up against a guy named Vinny in an efficiency apartment in the Bronx who hasn't left the efficiency apartment in two years" — Brian Williams, anchor of the "NBC Nightly News," speaking before New York University journalism students on the challenges traditional journalism faces from online media.

My name isn't Vinny, I work on my blog in my undies, have wifi, don't live in the Bronx and I leave my efficiency apt all the time, to go to work so I can feed Pook T. Cat

Lets Talk About Rap For A Few

The Last Poets - True Blues

I have been hearing a lot about Imus using the same words that Rappers use. Also been hearing that 1. All rap is bad. 2. All rap is racist and 3. Rap isn't music. I say, bullshit to all three. People who say things like that 1. Never have listened to a Rap song in their life 2. Using the term Racist to define rap is racist in itself 3. Never get the beat behind the rap. You would think someone my age (63) would never listen to rap music. Your wrong. I don't condone the use of words like bitches and ho's in some of todays music. I started listening to Rap when it was just starting. The Last Poets and Gil Scott Heron are some heavy hitting political dudes. No one, and I do mean NO ONE has been more outspoken in his music than Chuck D of Public Enemy. I am adding this Last Poets video to the blog to give you a taste of some great political rap. Gil Scott and PE have been posted earlier. If you have preconceived notions about rap try to listen with an opened mind. If you know what I'm talkin about, Right On Brothers and Sisters.

Chatter on FOX during the Imus Outrage...

O'Reilly Factor
You remember, a few months ago, NBC military analyst William Arkin called American troops in Iraq "mercenaries" and said other disparaging things. Arkin was seen primarily on MSNBC, where Imus lives. And the hate rhetoric from that outlet has increased dramatically over the years.

Bill, Please don't talk about hate unless you mention your own network - wolf

Hannity & Colmes show
LAURA INGRAHAM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I think you've known him for a long time. I know him somewhat. And, frankly, if it weren't for Ronald Reagan, Rush Limbaugh, and Don Imus, I wouldn't be in radio today. So I owe Imus a debt of gratitude, even though he and I kind of have a love-hate relationship, which is probably more on the hate side right now, for whatever reason.

Don't know how many of you folks have listened to Laura on the radio but you can see by this quote where she's coming from - wolf

...
And I would point out that I'm not going to tell black people how they should feel about these comments. I don't think that's right for me to do.

However, I also would say that conservatives have been saying for a long time that it's time to try to lift up the culture and try to expose what is good about the culture and also try to, perhaps, push aside what is bad about the culture and discourage it.

Oh thank you very much WHITE LADY - wolf

THIS JUST IN --- Imus has been Fired by NBC - Hopefully CBS Radio will do the same.

A few of my thoughts on Racism Part 1

It seems that this Imus thing has brought some things about race to the forefront. This can be a good thing or it can divide us more. As Spirit and I observe on paltalk, when a person of color wants to talk about something as meaningful as racism she gets shot down and ridiculed. This is not the first time that this has happened. In fact it happens a lot. You might be shaking your head and saying, Wolf Paltalk is a chat program. True, however many of us who use that chat program view it as a microcosm of the real world. Perhaps it is easier to talk about your true feelings when you are hiding behind a computer monitor. I'll talk about real life in awhile but let me finish this rant about the internet here.

As I've mentioned before, I have been on the net in chat rooms for many years. This racist and bigoted behavior is nothing new. I agree with Spirit wholeheartedly that this blog should be used to fight hate. If you go back and read many of the earlier posts and look at some of the videos you can see I have been trying hard to express my thoughts on this subject.

I spend 99% of my time on Paltalk in the political section. There are times I wish people would talk about other things than the Israel-Palestine Issue. Sometimes there are topics that are just as important. When people try to bring them up they get shot down. A great example of this is my post called Orphans in a Storm. I wish people could remember to say Zionist Jews instead of using the term Jew all the time. I wish people could stop hating all Jews because of what Israel is doing to the Middle East. I wish some people would listen to my Native brothers and sisters with an open mind, instead of just giving us lip service. I wish that some folks would get over the idea that their country is the best damm country in the world that never does anything wrong. I wish the hate would stop. As John Lennon once sang, You many call me a dreamer but I know I'm not the only one.

MSNBC's Imus Double Standard

This is from Media Matters . Please read it while I gather my thoughts for a post on how I feel about Racism.

Network Quickly Fired Michael Savage for Homophobic Rant in 2003, Imus Goes Unpunished Despite Long History of Inflammatory Language

Washington, DC - Today, Media Matters for America called on members of the media to question MSNBC's apparent double standard - quickly firing host Michael Savage for anti-gay hate speech in 2003 while failing to punish Don Imus for years of inflammatory commentary.

"When Michael Savage made anti-gay remarks on MSNBC, the network took swift action with his firing. They even characterized the decision as an 'easy one,' " said Jamison Foser, Managing Director of Media Matters. "The media should be asking MSNBC to explain their tentative response to Imus' remarks. If Savage's outburst led to an 'easy' decision, we'd love to know why reaching a decision on Imus has been so difficult."

The progressive media watchdog organization also called on MSNBC to stop treating Imus' recent racist comments as an isolated incident and acknowledge his long history of bigoted commentary.

"It would be disingenuous for MSNBC or members of the media as a whole to discuss the controversy surrounding Don Imus' recent remarks without noting his long history of racist, sexist, homophobic commentary," Foser said.

On the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team, which is comprised of eight African-American and two white players, as "nappy-headed hos" immediately after the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hard-core hos." Later, former Imus sports announcer Sid Rosenberg, who was filling in for sportscaster Chris Carlin, said: "The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the [National Basketball Association's] Toronto Raptors."

On Monday, July 7, 2003, MSNBC fired Savage for comments he made on a weekend TV show referring to an unidentified caller as a "sodomite" and saying the caller should "get AIDS and die."

Though Imus continued to apologize this morning, the comments are just the latest in a long history of racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs made on the show by Imus, his guests, and regular contributors. Below are several examples of remarks made by Imus and others on his program documented by Media Matters over the past few months:

Imus called women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200704040011
Wednesday, April 4, 2007

On the April 4 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team, which is comprised of eight African-American and two white players, as "nappy-headed hos" immediately after the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hard-core hos." Later, former Imus sports announcer Sid Rosenberg, who was filling in for sportscaster Chris Carlin, said: "The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the [National Basketball Association's] Toronto Raptors."

He's back? Rosenberg alluded to previous racially insensitive remarks that first got him fired from Imus
http://mediamatters.org/items/200703280001
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

On the March 27 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, former Imus sports announcer Sid Rosenberg appeared on the program and referenced a story in the New York Daily News headlined "Serena Shocked by Racist Heckler." Rosenberg commented, "I was on an airplane," suggesting that he could not have been the one heckling professional tennis player Serena Williams.

Imus' McGuirk on "young colored fellah" Obama "pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200703160007
Friday, March 16, 2007

On the March 16 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, executive producer Bernard McGuirk, performing as his character "Cardinal Egan," said that "the whole nation is talking about" reports of a "young colored fellah pretty much deckin' the old bag from New York and takin' away some of her money." McGuirk continued: "I'm speaking, of course, about [Sens.] Barack Obama [D-IL] and Hillary Clinton [D-NY]."

On Imus, McGuirk said that "bitch" Clinton will "have cornrows and gold teeth"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200703070009
Wednesday, March 7, 2007

On the March 6 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, executive producer Bernard McGuirk said that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) was "trying to sound black in front of a black audience" when she gave a speech on March 4 in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 1965 "Bloody Sunday" civil rights march. McGuirk added that Clinton "will have cornrows and gold teeth before this fight with [Sen. Barack] Obama [D-IL] is over." Earlier in the program, in reference to Clinton's speech, McGuirk had said, "Bitch is gonna be wearing cornrows." McGuirk also said that Clinton will be "giving Crips signs during speeches." The Crips are a Los Angeles-based street gang.

Imus: "[I]t was Bernard who said, 'Besa mi culo' ... not me"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200702090002
Thursday, February 8, 2007

On the February 8 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, during a discussion with Newsweek magazine chief political correspondent Howard Fineman, host Don Imus falsely claimed that "it was [executive producer] Bernard [McGuirk] who said, 'Besa mi culo ... Gordo, [to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson] not me." The phrase loosely translates to "kiss my ass, fat one," in Spanish. As Media Matters for America noted at the time, however, Imus echoed McGuirk -- labeled by Media Matters as "unidentified" -- saying "besa mi culo" at least twice himself on the February 1 edition of Imus. Richardson's mother is Mexican.

Imus touted Giuliani as willing to "drop [a nuclear weapon] on Mecca"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200702070014
Wednesday, February 7, 2007

On the February 6 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus claimed that "if we're gonna be fighting these terrorists through the lives of [8-year-old son] Wyatt Imus' children," then "it might be good to start with somebody who is willing to take three big ones and drop one on Mecca, one on Jeddah, and one on Saudi -- one on Riyadh," all cities in Saudi Arabia. Imus made the point in response to co-host Charles McCord, who claimed that Imus had "Leon Klinghoffered John McCain ... in favor of Rudolph Giuliani" during a private conversation they had the previous evening. Imus has previously claimed that he is voting for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in 2008.

Imus producer referred to Obama's "Jew-hating name"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200702020009
Friday, February 2, 2007

On the February 2 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, claimed that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has "a Jew-hating name." The remark followed a flurry of other negative comments from host Don Imus, McGuirk, and co-host Charles McCord about the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, calling Obama a "creep," "a wind-watching wimp," and "a flip-flopping weasel."

Imus sat by as McCain said Nelson resigned RNC over Ford ad
http://mediamatters.org/items/200701040008
Thursday, January 4, 2007

Summary: Don Imus didn't challenge John McCain's claim that his 2008 presidential campaign manager, Terry Nelson, while serving as head of the independent expenditure unit of the Republican National Committee, "realized it was a mistake" to sign off on an ad attacking Tennessee Democratic Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. and that Nelson subsequently "resigned from the group of people who approved of it." In fact, Nelson has publicly defended the ad, and there is no apparent evidence that Nelson "resigned" from his RNC position in protest over the ad.

MSNBC's Imus referred to "Jewish management" of CBS Radio as "money-grubbing bastards"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200612080006
Friday, December 8, 2006

As the Forward newspaper reported in a December 8 online article, Don Imus referred to the "Jewish management" of CBS Radio as "money-grubbing bastards" on the November 30 broadcast of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning. Imus was discussing a past conflict with his bosses about hosting the musical group the Blind Boys of Alabama. Executive producer Bernard McGuirk asked, "Even if you wear a beanie, how can you not love the Blind Boys?" Imus continued, "I said, 'They're handicapped, they're black, and they're blind. How do we lose here?' And then a light bulb just went off over [the managers'] scummy little heads." CBS Radio owns WFAN, the New York station that is the flagship for Imus' radio show.

NBC's Mitchell hosted segment that falsely asserted Kerry "refus[ed] to apologize" for "botched joke," even while mentioning Kerry's appearance on Imus in which he did
http://mediamatters.org/items/200611010011
Wednesday, November 1, 2006

During the 11 a.m. ET hour of the November 1 edition of MSNBC News Live, NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell aired a portion of comments made by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) on that day's edition of Imus in the Morning, but left out the part in which he said he was "sorry."

Buchanan book featured on Today: For nation to "survive[ ]," U.S. must keep "Americans of European descent" from becoming "minority"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200608230002
Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Summary: On NBC's Today, David Gregory provided Pat Buchanan a forum to discuss Buchanan's newly released book, which includes a claim that the United States must keep "Americans of European descent" from becoming the "minority" in order to "survive[]."

Echoing producer, Imus declared: "We thought" man who confessed to killing Ramsey "was Ned Lamont," added: "[W]e're supporting Lieberman, if you did not know that"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200608180005
Friday, August 18, 2006

Summary: On MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, Don Imus echoed his executive producer Bernard McGuirk's claim that John Mark Karr, the man who reportedly confessed to killing JonBenet Ramsey, "looks like Ned Lamont."

Imus producer on man who admitted killing Ramsey: "He looks like Ned Lamont, actually. Is that who you want representing you, Connecticut?"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200608170003
Thursday, August 17, 2006

On the August 17 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, executive producer Bernard McGuirk said that John Mark Karr, the man who reportedly admitted to killing 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, "looks like Ned Lamont, actually." McGuirk then asked: "Is that who you want representing you, Connecticut?"

MSNBC's Imus: "Maybe Dennis Kucinich could" replace al-Zarqawi
http://mediamatters.org/items/200606090012
Friday, June 9, 2006

Summary: On MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, host Don Imus suggested "[Rep.] Dennis Kucinich [D-OH] could" replace Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Matthews cited Savage's "Bareback Mounting" characterization of Brokeback Mountain; Imus cited producer's "Fudgepack Mountain" remark
http://mediamatters.org/items/200601200002
Thursday, January 19, 2006

Summary: Appearing on MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, Chris Matthews quoted "the wonderful Michael Savage" referring to award-winning film Brokeback Mountain as "Bareback Mounting."

Imus anchor on Palestinians: "Stinking animals. They ought to drop the bomb right there, kill 'em all right now"
http://mediamatters.org/items/200411190009
Friday, November 19, 2004

MSNBC's Imus in the Morning offered derisive, racist commentary about Palestinians during the November 12 funeral of deceased Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat. Regular Imus guest and sports anchor Sid Rosenberg referred to Palestinians as "stinking animals" and suggested: "They ought to drop the bomb right there, kill 'em all right now." On November 19, the program broadcast a radio segment featuring a guest -- parodying General George S. Patton, Jr. -- who said that the recent report of a U.S. Marine shooting an unarmed, injured Iraqi insurgent provided the enemy "with another cozy 'al Jazeera moment' for the Muslim masses to respond to with their routine pack-of-rabid-sheep mentality." The guest also referred to a deceased Iraqi insurgent as "a booby-trapped raghead cadaver."