Timing is everything in life. Timing couldn't get any worse for Rep. Charles Rangel (D. NY). The timing of an ethics hearing before the mid term election is music to Republicans' ears and much to the dismay of Democrats. Rangel is charged by the House Ethics committee with committing ethical violations allegedly consisting of failing to disclose income and assets, failing to pay taxes on a Dominican Republican house and using his official Congressional stationary to solicit funds for a center named in his honor. He has served 40 years in Congress. Despite the fact that the allegations are personal in nature, a trial will be anything but personal. House minority leader John Boehner of Ohio says "this isn't really about Charlie". A truer statement could not be made. It's about the mid term elections. It's about the embarrassment of a trial for the Democratic members of Congress. It's about Republicans attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. CA) for her failure to clean up … [Read more...] about Rep. Charles Rangel- A Scape Goat By Republicans
Archives for July 2010
Sherrod, Shenanigans and Sheer Madness
In a court of law, witnesses are sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. To knowingly lie under oath is a crime called perjury. If Andrew Breitbart were in a court of law, he could be convicted of perjury if he knowingly misrepresented the facts of the Shirley Sherrod tape. Obviously, his acts did not occur in a court room nor was he under oath. Yet, we rely on journalists to tell the truth or at least to be accurate in their reporting. This past week of listening to the Sherrod tape, reading and seeing the incident unfold was like sheer madness. Did Andrew Breitbart intentionally and knowingly mislead the public? Andrew Breitbart, according to E-mails released by the Huffington Post last week sought out information to attack the NAACP for its stance on the Tea Party. He apparently revels in antagonistic journalism. This led him to the now infamous Sherrod misleading words on tape at an NAACP event in Georgia. We now know the words left out of the tape … [Read more...] about Sherrod, Shenanigans and Sheer Madness
Tea Party Teachable Lesson: Racism 101
What do the Tea Party, NAACP, New Black Panther Party, Shirley Sherrod and Attorney General Eric Holder have in common? They all teach us about racism. Racism is something you can see, sense, feel and hear. Yet, it’s hard to quite put into words. A precise definition is difficult to come by. The law forbids racial discrimination, yet it’s difficult to sometimes show facts that prove it. That’s why race discrimination cases are difficult to win in court. What feels and smacks of racism to many African Americans is often disregarded by some whites as a misunderstanding. Even when something appears blatantly racist to African Americans, there’s still room for debate among whites. But, racism goes both ways. Contrary to what New Black Panther leader Malik Shabazz says, blacks can be racist too. Shabazz says blacks cannot be racist due to their past slavery injustices. That’s like saying that Jews, Native Americans and other ethnicities cannot be racist because of past injustices … [Read more...] about Tea Party Teachable Lesson: Racism 101
What Do Women Want? Power, Please
by Mary Liepold, Editor in Chief, Peace X Peace A long time ago, when I was young and foolish, I heard a pretty woman say, “Oh, I’m not political.” I thought that sounded rather sweet, so I tried it out the next time the subject of politics came up in a group. The woman next to me was (relatively) old and wise. She said. “Politics is about who has power. Power shapes what happens in the world, and to whom. Do you mean you don’t care?” I did care, of course. It’s just that I was used to thinking at the level of stories rather than systems. Chaucer’s 14th century Wife of Bath and the even-older Arthurian legends both recount stories of a knight’s quest to find out what women want. The answer, in both versions: To choose for themselves. Women, like men, want the power to shape their own lives. If they’ve evolved even a little, they want that for others too. Self-determination is the groundspring ideal of democracy. We here in the United States believe that democracy is the … [Read more...] about What Do Women Want? Power, Please
A Tribute to Faye Wattleton
Women’s rights activist Faye Wattleton was born on July 8, 1943. I had the pleasure of meeting her when she served as President of Planned Parenthood. She spoke during the Annual Meeting of the YWCA of Baltimore, where I served as a board member. Her mere presence is awe inspiring. Ms. Wattleton served as the youngest and first African American president of Planned Parenthood for 15 years ( 1978 - 1992). Trained as a nurse, she saw the consequences of poor health care. In stepping forward to help effectuate a change in health care, Ms. Wattleton became one of the nation’s most effective advocates for women’s health care. Under her leadership, Planned Parenthood grew to become the 7th largest non profit in America with a $500 million budget to advance women’s reproductive rights. Ms. Wattleton served as the president of the Center for Advancement of Women ( “CFAW”) for another 15 years from 1995-2010. CFAW conducts research and analysis on women’s attitudes and opinions to … [Read more...] about A Tribute to Faye Wattleton
Michael Steele, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh: A Common Thread
I am no defender of Republican Party chairman Michael Steele. His statements last week that the Afghanistan war was “of Obama’s choosing” is false, absurd and asinine. After all, former president George W. Bush declared war on Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. Many Republican leaders from Senators John McCain (R.AZ) and Lindsey Graham ( R. SC) and Joseph Lieberman ( I. Conn) and a host of others are questioning Steele’s ability to lead the Republican Party. Some call for his resignation. Yet, I have to wonder how much of the call for resignation and outrage at his false remarks is partly due to Steele’s race. Yes, I’m invoking the race card here. There’s no difference between the false statements made by Michael Steele from those made by Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh and Palin have made so many false, inflammatory and outrageously absurd statements that it would be easier to contain the BP Gulf oil spill than to name them all. So why is there a double standard for … [Read more...] about Michael Steele, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh: A Common Thread