Darnit, Rev. Wright! You Done Wrong!

Alright, see, this is just so frustrating in a way because:

1. Rev. Wright's speech at the NAACP Awards was SUPERB, outstanding, factually accurate, inspirational, even entertaining. His discussion of America and "difference" not being "deficient" was just wonderful. He wasn't Barack. He wasn't Michael Dyson or Cornel West. He wasn't Snoop Dogg. But he was wonderful.

2. I missed the interview he did with Bill Moyer and only caught a snippet of it; but even then, it was okay.

3. I caught only a part of his speech at the National Press Club but even that speech was very good. (I was giving finals, forgive me)

4. I only heard about the disaster of the Q & A but when I saw the recap, my heart sunk a bit. See, that was all about ego. I defended Wright's need to come out and give his speech and stand up for himself, Black liberation theology, the Black Church and even set the record straight about a few things. He did that very well and on every occasion --- until that Q & A.

Wright is a public intellectual, not just a preacher. He has a responsibility, especially in this country, when we can name the Black public intellectuals we see on TV on one hand (a testament about America in and of itself). And, unfortunately, there is no reason why you should be throwing up Que (Psi Phi) signs, dancing at the mic, suggesting you should be Vice President and undercutting Barack Obama's chances.

It's sad but I felt that Rev. Wright doing this was a bit vindictive and also rested in ego-mongering. And, please, I live in the Hill District, I get enough of that b.s. every day or at least every Monday.

It's just hurtful and Wright did not just hurt Obama, he hurt all of us who are out here in the public, he hurt all Black radicals and progressives, he hurt all ministers and he most certainly hurt the everyday people who are still riding for Barack.

I am still riding for Barack . . . BUT:

Barack needs not to listen to his campaign managers all the time. What his campaign managers should have done was to bring out the Black intellectuals AND all progressive intellectuals who could accurately verify much of what Wright said in his previous speeches.

Yes. Unfortunately, Wright's antics have overshadowed the fact that 99% of what he has said in his speeches is entirely accurate. Even Thomas Jefferson thought that America was, literally, God-damned. Harriet Beecher Stowe, an avid abolitionist, feared that if America did not repent for 'Her' original sin (slavery), America would be God-damned. Heck, even Pat Buchanan feels that liberal tolerance of homosexuality and abortion makes America God-damned. If we added up all the Americans (of any ethnicity) who believed that America was God-damned, we might find we outnumber the terrorists who believe the same---albeit for different reasons.

So, this is why I say that the public intellectuals should have stepped up. Let the media see what Howard Zinn has to say. Let Tim Rice speak up. Check out Michigan State University's Race Conferences and pick ANY of those folks. Personally, I can contextualize and provide greater understanding for Wright's commentary with my eyes closed, including the accusation that the U.S. Government invented AIDS---because I was an Africana Studies major and I'm a scholar of American Studies. And in these kinds of ignorant newsmaking and viewership, I cannot overstate the need for an intellectual conversation about what has been happening and why race is still a problem in America.

As far-fetched as the AIDS in America theory sounds and as ridiculous as it seems, there are real and factual reasons why even this paranoia is perfectly valid---especially if you're Black. I'm not saying Barack needs to validate that. But Rev. Wright is not crazy for believing it, although he might be irresponsibile for putting that theory out there without providing the factual information to back it up. Besides, this is not just a Black theory. This theory has been touted and put forth by The Strecker Memorandum and many others, including many doctors who live outside of the United States.

And let's not act like spreading disease as a form of biological and chemical warfare is somehow inexplicable. Smallpox in Indian blankets, anyone? Tuskegee Syphilis experiment, anyone? Agent Orange, anyone?

I mean, come on . . .

Anyway, my point is that if Rev. Wright had been properly supported in the mainstream, he might not have felt the need to lash out and defend himself---and then act a fool.

I'm embarrassed and sad that he chose to do that and I know it must be painful for all involved.

In the end, people are not thinking about Rev. Wright. People are worried about their gas, worried about their rent, worried about losing their homes and worried about their jobs. If the media wants to focus on Rev. Wright, fine. But the more responsible thing to do is focus on the candidates, themselves, their ideas and how they plan to change this country.

For me, Barack Obama is still the change I can believe in.

And I am 100% committed to making Michelle Obama my first lady.

Election Results in the Burgh

Okay, good people. Let's look at the FACTS:

In sum, lots of new registered voters voted. A ton of Democrats voted. Hillary won PA but Barack is still in the lead. Barack got more delegates from the Burgh and Jake made it rain.

STATISTICS REPORT-EL45 PAGE 001 VOTES PERCENT
PRECINCTS COUNTED (OF 1321) . . . . 1,321 100.00
REGISTERED VOTERS - TOTAL . . . . . 913,628
REGISTERED VOTERS - DEMOCRATIC . . . 567,516 62.12
REGISTERED VOTERS - REPUBLICAN . . . 250,427 27.41
REGISTERED VOTERS - REFORM. . . . . 178.02
BALLOTS CAST - TOTAL. . . . . . . . . 377,631
BALLOTS CAST - DEMOCRATIC . . . . . 317,023 83.95
BALLOTS CAST - REPUBLICAN . . . . . 60,513 16.02
BALLOTS CAST - REFORM . . . . . . 95.03
VOTER TURNOUT - TOTAL . . . . . . 41.33 (this is still low, for shame, America!) VOTER TURNOUT - DEMOCRATIC. . . . . 55.86
VOTER TURNOUT - REPUBLICAN. . . . . 24.16
VOTER TURNOUT - REFORM . . . . . . 53.37

********** (DEMOCRATIC) **********
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (WITH 1321 OF 1321 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
BARACK OBAMA . . . . . . . . . 141,596 45.34
(Congratulations on closing that gap, Barack!)

HILLARY CLINTON . . . . . . . . 169,073 54.14
(Nice try, Hillary, just don't cheat!)
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 1,600 .51

ATTORNEY GENERAL (WITH 1321 OF 1321 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
JOHN M. MORGANELLI . . . . . . . 212,416 99.41
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 1,265 .59

AUDITOR GENERAL (WITH 1321 OF 1321 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
JACK WAGNER. . . . . . . . . . 254,773 99.73
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 690 .27

STATE TREASURER (WITH 1321 OF 1321 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
JOHN F. CORDISCO . . . . . . . . 55,570 23.27
ROBERT MCCORD . . . . . . . . . 106,608 44.65
DENNIS MORRISON-WESLEY . . . . . . 15,987 6.70
(Sorry, Dennis!)
JENNIFER L. MANN . . . . . . . . 59,973 25.12
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 646 .27

REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 19TH DISTRICT
(WITH 80 OF 80 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

DEIDRA L. WASHINGTON. . . . . . . 3,482 27.17
(Sorry, Deidra, they lied to you Sistagirl!)

JAKE WHEATLEY . . . . . . . . . 9,312 72.66
(Congratulations on a smashing victory, Jake!)
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 22 .17

DELEGATE TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION 14TH DISTRICT
VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN 7
(WITH 739 OF 739 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
NO CANDIDATE FILED . . . . . . . 0

DAN FRANKEL (M) . . . . . . . . 72,344 7.50
JAMES SHEPPARD (M) . . . . . . . 67,122 6.96
CLIFFORD B. LEVINE (M) . . . . . . 74,491 7.72
TONYA D. PAYNE (F) . . . . . . . 67,489 7.00
(Hillary Clinton supporter---just shameful)
ROBERT C. HAMPSHIRE (M). . . . . . 71,533 7.42
BETSY MAGLEY (F) . . . . . . . . 70,405 7.30
DOUGLAS A. SHIELDS (M) . . . . . . 74,182 7.69
KAREN ROLLINS-FITCH (F). . . . . . 71,405 7.40
(go head, Karen! You got more than our councilwoman!)
GARY A. VAN HORN, JR. (M). . . . . 64,612 6.70
SYLVIA C. WILSON (F). . . . . . . 64,771 6.72
HEATHER ARNET (F). . . . . . . . 66,782 6.93
(sorry, Heather, next time support Michelle Obama)
SUSAN GOLOMB (F) . . . . . . . . 73,285 7.60
ETHAN SMITH (M) . . . . . . . . 56,477 5.86
JOSEPH PRESTON, JR. (M) . . . . . 68,844 7.14
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 563 .06

And, by the way, folks. I will not soon forget these statements from this article:

But Deidra Washington, his challenger in Tuesday's Democratic primary, contends
Mr. Wheatley, 36, is out of touch with the concerns of people in the 19th District.

Well, 72% say Wheatley IS in touch.

Ms. Washington, a former site manager for the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, is also a Democratic committee member since 2002. She lost the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee to Mr. Wheatley by three votes in February, 55-52.

Such a showing for a first-timer, Ms. Washington said, gave her hope
that the district is ready to change leadership after three terms under Mr.
Wheatley.

The problem here, good people, is that the Democratic Committee's votes (and Tonya Payne's de facto candidacy via Ms. Washington) demonstrates that the Democratic Committee representatives are "out of touch" with the wants and needs of the District.

And it's a shame because Ms. Washington is probably a good person who got caught up in all of the negativity and mayhem Tonya was swirling around her. The reason for the division in the Hill District within the last two years is mostly due to Payne's poor leadership, petty politics, grudge-holding and a fanciful imagination. Certainly, there was division beforehand but she exacerbated and exaggerrated it.

My recommendation is that the Democratic Committee (along with everyone else) re-thinks its analysis and, for just a fleeting moment, consider that Tonya Payne's lies, manipulation and traitorous behavior to her community are coming to a swift end.

Jake Wheatley is "The Peoples' Rep" and "the people" have voted in overwhelming numbers to support him.

And next year, Tonya will receive a very Payneful reminder about whom "the people" DO NOT support --- her. Goodbye, Tonya!

And anyone else who still can't see the forest for the trees.

Three Great Historic Moments

So much happening, so little time to blog about it. But:

1. The great Aime Cesaire (Negritude) has passed away. R.I.P., Mr. Cesaire.

2. Jake Wheatley is going to be re-elected State Representative. I'm claiming it.

3. Baracky the Vote - absolutely hilarious.

Haikus for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

Oh yes, yet another corrective video of the "God-damned America Speech" for you to watch from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I must say, as an Historian, his facts were correct and he was en pointe. Go 'head Rev!

And this is great because just the other day, I published the haikus I wrote for Hillary and Barack.

Here are some of the crowd favorites:

Hillary Clinton
Reverend Jeremiah
Is all Wright with me

Hillary Clinton
We know you're qualified
It's just . . . you're too sly

Hillary Clinton
Michelle is a woman, too
Welcome, First Lady!

Hillary Clinton
Where were you the day Bill dissed
Our Sister Souljah?

Hillary Clinton,
My daughter asks that I vote
Barack Obama

***
Barack Obama
For once, in this here lifetime
I vote my full heart

Barack Obama
Whether you heard it or not
Reverend was Wright

Barack Obama
The audacity to hope
is borne of the slave

Barack Obama
Remember, your hopefulness
Came from Black Mammy

Barack Obama
The movement for human rights
is far from over

Barack Obama
We dressed up as African
to get served, back then

Barack Obama
America's hopefulness
is all She has left

Barack Obama
We want Michelle, Our Sweet Belle
as the First Lady

Barack Obama
The Hip Hop Generation
Is Standing Up Now!

Okay, people, write your own Haikus.
It's a japanese style of poetry

Five syllables the first line
Seven syllables the second
Back to five syllables for the third.

Write your own and send them back to Dr. Goddess!

Word!