Tag Archives: racism

August 25, 2012 · 3:04 am

HOW CAN YOU ASSURE ONE TERM MORE FOR BARACK OBAMA,By Louise Annarino,August 24,2012

 

HOW CAN YOU ASSURE ONE TERM MORE FOR BARACK OBAMA? By Louise Annarino, August 24, 2012

Whenever I start to forget that every day most people in this country are working to create a better world for every one of their fellow citizens I shall watch this video. It reminds me that those who fear the future because they fear their fellow citizens are few. Yes, racism penetrates the fiber of each institution and person. Yet, most of us fight racism whenever and wherever it shows itself, even when it appears within ourselves. We Americans are basically good people. We believe in equality and freedom. We are made of stern stuff. We are strong enough to confront racism. Unfortunately, there is a small minority who live and breathe racism, for whom it has become second nature. Worse, there are those who use this bigotry, fear and loathing for their personal gain. Since the election of an African-American president there are political operatives and political leaders willing to use racist hate-mongering in a monumentally historic manner to gain the power of the presidency. It is such a painful thing to watch, that persons of good will can easily become so discouraged they start believing the propagandists of hate are stronger than they really are. We are stronger.

Watch video here:  http://vimeo.com/48090310

The New York Times reported few days ago, “Doug Preisse, the influential Republican Party chairman of Franklin County, which includes the state capital, Columbus, was quoted in The Columbus Dispatch newspaper as saying, ‘I guess I really actually feel we shouldn’t contort the voting process to accommodate the urban — read African-American — voter turnout machine’.”  Did he know how racist this comment is? Should he have known?  Voter suppression is particularly disgusting when applied to African-American voters who fought so hard for the right to vote; and treasure the right to vote so dearly. Today, Mitt Romney used this tactic when he “joked” about not needing to show his birth  certificate. Did he know how racist this joke is? Should he have known? Jokes about African-Americans, women, and others-particularly racist birther jokes- are not funny; especially when used to foster distrust and hate, and to bolster the bully power of the jokester. Such a joke is more than unseemly. It is sickening. We cannot allow ourselves to believe our fellow citizens are such sickening creatures,even though a man chosen as the country’s possible leader is the jokester. When your stomach starts to churn, watch this video and calm your disgust long enough to believe in the positive power of the majority of our fellow citizens.

Watch video here:  http://vimeo.com/48090310

There are days the when  the racism and hate is so strong and so pervasive that I cannot write a word. My hands are fists, unable to open and strike a key. The racism and hate brings tears which blind me to the goodness of others. It blocks rational thought, and I fear the damage angry words would cause. It is not hopelessness which engulfs me, but pure frustration that after so many years, having come so far, we must yet address the crosses burning up the airwaves in political commercials, rolling off the tongues of politicians opposing an African-American president to the jeers and cheers of the lynch mobs. You think I exaggerate? You think it wrong to compare what we have seen, and what I expect to see at the Republican Convention to Jim Crow? I do not literally think the pols would engage in forming a lynch mob; but,I do not doubt there are those who would gladly join one. We must expect and we must demand that pols stop pandering to those supporters who would go to the center of town to watch a lynch mob, and those who would join the mob. How do we fight such hate-mongers? With peaceful protest and peaceful admonishment; never with hate. Those who made this video found one way.

Watch video here:  http://vimeo.com/48090310

Each of us has some talent, some gift to offer,even if only the ability to walk up to a door  and help register a voter, to put together and distribute a yard sign, to cradle a phone and remind a voter to vote for Barack Obama, to bring a casserole to an Obama campaign office to feed volunteers, to offer housing to a young volunteer, to write a letter to the editor challenging false claims and racist comments. Some of us can only pray, or raise money. But, we can all do something. We are many. We are strong. We are sure that Barack Obama must have one more term. When we start to falter we can watch this video and remember; then, we can act in whatever way we are able.

Watch video here:  http://vimeo.com/48090310

Then act here:  http://www.barackobama.com

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August 19, 2012 · 6:32 pm

TEAPUBLICANS:UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED,By Louise Annarino,August 19,2012

TEAPUBLICANS: UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED,By Louise Annarino,August 19,2012

It is not easy for me to type the word Republican in the same sentence with words like “racism” http://open.salon.com/blog/chauncey_devega/2012/08/17/niggerization_toure_was_right_about_romneys_race_baiting: Obama (notice a title is never used) is an angry black man determined to destroy Christian America from within with his Muslim socialism,“war on the poor”: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/08/the-gops-war-on-the-poor/260983/ Obama gives out checks to black people who want free stuff but don’t want to work, “war on women” http://nymag.com/news/frank-rich/gop-women-problem-2012-4/index1.html America needs to turn back the Obama clock to days when women acted as women are supposed to act and let men take care of business,“attack on immigrants” http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/06/15/500607/mitt-romney-immigration-primary/ Mitt Romney would make life so miserable for immigrants they would “self deport” and Obama coddles them. “attack on education” http://www.alligator.org/opinion/columns/article_137d789e-8383-11e1-983d-0019bb2963f4.html Obama is uppity and overeducated.Not everyone needs an education, nor deserves one. Education should be privatized; ask your parents for a loan if you need financial help to pay for school.

I would like to believe this is not the position of the Grand Old Party- GOP. But, it has been for some time. I believe there are many republicans who are embarrassed by the current Republican platform, policies and candidates; who are ashamed of belonging to  party whose main goal is to make the black man a one-term president even when he adopts the very legislative approach sought by their once-heroes. Who no longer recognize the attacks being made, the lies being told, and the fostering of hate as defensible tactics. A political strategy based on racist ideology has been fully embraced by party leaders, who act as if they have little choice if the party itself is to survive. They seem almost eager to join the racists within their ranks. They seem to be in denial as they attack a black man defending himself against their racism as a racist himself. That is an old sorry tale. As Dan Rather would say “that dog won’t hunt.”

I believe in the power of words. It is time to embrace new terminology. From now on I will refer to the politicians who have embraced and use racism to “get out the republican base” as TEAPUBLICANS. I hope those republicans of good will, who are willing to join with democrats and independents to find solutions to serve the common good, who are willing to share in both sacrifice and success to lead America forward, and who refuse to wage war on fellow Americans to maintain unfair advantage-power-wealth will find a way to save the GOP. It is unsafe for the Republican Party to embrace the Teapublican Party in any way, at any level, at any speed. The Teapublican Party is headed for a crash. Republicans need to get out of the car and stand on their own. That is the only way the Republican Party will survive the years ahead.

Why do I care? Because I believe in a strong two-party system. Politics is a peaceful way to wage war and settle differences with one another. Politics no longer works when the parties no longer respect one another enough to fight the racist, sexist, ethnocentric, nationalistic, homophobic dark side of themselves. Teapublicans embrace false fear and false hate as tools. They walk on the dark side of life. If their fears were real and their hate justified, it would be a totally different story. But Teaparty hate is NOT based on reality: African-Americans are not scary, strong women are no threat, gay spouses won’t ruin heterosexuals marriages, immigrants don’t want your job. It is perhaps too late for republicans to “throw the bums out’ of the GOP;after all, their candidate for president and vice-president have stretched into ridiculous poses to adopt Teapublican positions and policies. But, it is not too late to get out of the car.

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August 18, 2012 · 7:07 pm

SYNERGY OR SERENDIPITY? RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN OFFICES OF SECRETARIES OF STATE,BY Louise Annarino,August 18, 2012

SYNERGY OR SERENDIPITY? RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN OFFICES OF SECRETARIES OF STATE,BY Louise Annarino,August 18, 2012

Synergy is two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable.

The Suppression of the African-American vote deserves a blog entry all its own. I recently wrote about the general suppression of early voters in Ohio. Such behavior is disgraceful. But, suppression of the African-American vote is truly beyond the pale of thinking Americans.Perhaps no one is thinking. Perhaps the intent is not so deliberately racist as it appears. However, I find it difficult to believe what is happening in Ohio and simultaneously in so many states had not been planned.

General systems theory would remind me of serendipity; perhaps it is simply a “surprising happenstance” that the votes of those groups who so strongly supported Barack Obama in 2008 are being systemically suppressed throughout the country during the 2012 election. 95% of African Americans in the U.S., 97% in Ohio, voted for Barack Obama in 2008. “With population growth and increased voter participation among blacks, Latinos and Asians, members of all three groups cast more votes in 2008 than in 2004. Two million more blacks and 2 million more Latinos reported voting in 2008 than said the same in 2004. Among Asians, 338,000 more votes were reported cast in 2008 than in 2004.” http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1209/racial-ethnic-voters-presidential-election  An even higher turn-out among these groups is expected for the 2012 election.

It is estimated no fewer than 93,000 persons voted on the week-end before the November 2008 election. Since not all county election boards keep a daily tally of voters this number may be far lower than actual votes cast. There is no way to prove the race of voters on that or any other week-end. However, we do know that African-American churches “Souls to the Polls” projects bus hundreds of thousands of African-Americans to early voting after church services on Sundays, including the final Sunday before election day. We do know that getting to the polls, early or on election day is a struggle for single mothers, students, older persons, those relying on public transportation, and those working longer hours for less pay. We have a collective a memory of who was left standing in long lines, who had to leave the lines without voting in 2004; and who formed long lines throughout the interior hallways, and out the door to wrap themselves in a line extending around Veteran’s Memorial and into the parking lot on week-ends in 2008. African-Americans stood witness as far larger percentage of voters in-line than the percentage of African-Americans living in Ohio. For African-Americans, wek-end voting is a necessity, not a convenience.

The recent efforts in Ohio,Pennsylvania and other states to make it more difficult to vote are being justified using the same arguments which were used to deny African-Americans and women the right to vote; which later were used to impose a poll tax or literacy test to deny African-Americans their place at the polls. Now, we face a bigger hurdle. The systemic institutionalization of voting rules meant to turn voting rights into mere privileges as a means of controlling whose vote will get cast,and counted.

We elected an African-American president, while white men thought they could still hold onto power. Putting a woman, Sarah Palin,on the Republican ticket was not enough to overcome the changing demographic. What’s next, a woman president? An African-American woman president? A Latino, Latina or Asian president?

I believe what we are seeing is synergy, not serendipity. Racism coupled with the power held by state Republicans to regulate voting is threatening our elections. On NPR this morning a man was questioned about his opposition to congressional candidate Christie Vilsack. His reason for opposing her, “No way. It’s a man world”. It really isn’t; not any longer. The only way to keep the U.S. “a man’s world” is to suppress the vote of those who would easily and happily live in a multicultural America.

On August 6, 2012 The Honorable John Lewis (D-GA) stated on his facebook page: “47 years ago today, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. It is a shame and a disgrace that today we bear witness to a deliberate and systematic attempt to make it impossible for some among us to vote. It is an affront to those that suffered and struggled, and especially to those who gave their lives so that others would be free to choose their own elected leaders. We must resist every effort to make it harder and more difficult for people to register and vote.” Yesterday, I listened to an interview of Congressman Lewis on CNN where he was asked whether the racist environment during his civil rights days marching with Dr. King for the Civil Rights,where he was set-upon by dogs,hosed,beaten and jailed was worse than what we see and hear today. Congressman Lewis said  (I paraphrase) “It is the same. But then, it was only in the South. Today it is everywhere in the country.”

The struggle for the right of African-Americans to vote continues as we demand the restoration of week-end voting in Ohio, the removal of unobtainable documentation requirements for and end to voter ID in Pennsylvania, and a slew of other burdens and obstacles to voting across the country. If the vote of one person can be denied, the vote of every person can be denied. While it is clear what is being denied to African-American voters we must recognize it could also be denied to every voter, even to those like SoS Husted. He and his party may not always hold power. They should not forget they are simply one of us, as we are all part of the whole. The precedent he is setting treats the right to vote as a privilege to be controlled and doled out according to the whims of those in power. This is dangerous to all Americans.

Once again, African-Americans are on the front-lines defending the constitution we all love, witnesses to the need of those in power to oppress even it means their own self-destruction. We must stand together or we will fall together. As Sen.Robert Kennedy once said,  “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” African-American,white,Latino,Asian,men,women we must stand together against the folly we are witnessing.

 

 

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August 16, 2012 · 2:10 am

IF YOU CAN'T LAUGH AT MITT,YOU HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR,By Louise Annarino, August 15, 2012

IF YOU CAN’T LAUGH AT MITT,  YOU HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR, By Louise Annarino, August 15,2012

It never ends. Just when I think I have heard it all another hilarious comment flies forth from Mr. Romney. His demeanor changed, however, when he took off his mask to chastise Vice President Joe Biden for his “chains” remark, and the president for his “hate”. His businessman’s go-for-kill instinct rose to the surface as he attacked both the the vice-president and president for Mr. Biden’s remarks. We all know Joe: Good heart. Foot-in-mouth when speaking off the cuff. Rather like the gaffs made Mr. Romney himself when speaking off -script. Come on Mitt, give Joe a break. His gaffs make yours acceptable,too. We all know President Obama: children love him. Women adore him. Even his political enemies know he is a good man, and his political friends think he needs to be less tolerant and accepting. Even Mr. Romney accuses him of being too nice for apologizing when he is wrong.

Let me explain something, Mr. Romney. It is not code when the person speaking (VP Biden)is describing the actual event as it is occurring. It is not outrageous when what is actually happening to African-Americans and to each of us is not being done by the speaker (VP Biden)describing it, but by the man (that would be you, Mr. Romney) who attacks him for the audacity to describe what you would do to us. Mr. Romney has hung himself by hIs own petard! What is a petard, anyway?

I doubt any of this matters to Republican strategists who look for any excuse to describe President Obama as needing correction by his betters, whose very presence in the White House brings the presidency to a new low, whose support by an old white guy (Sorry, Mr. Biden,I call ‘em as I see ‘em) is reprehensible, whose African-American half  is enough color to race-bait voters. Now, they are calling for the resignation of VP Joe Biden for his use of racial code. If you are not laughing out loud at this irony, you have no sense of humor.

Let them try to make this a real issue. We know what is real. The real issue is that VP Biden’s reply (even though he mangled the words) to the Republican talking point that President Obama’s policies regulating banks and business shackles (their word, not Biden’s) Wall Street. Wall Street needs some restrictions so it does not bring the economy and each of us to our knees; depriving us of our jobs,our homes,our savings and our future. It feels to us. Mr. Romney, that you would chain us so we could not fight against those willing to do us harm and to make more than a few more bucks at our expense. Now, that, sir, is outrageous.

 

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August 9, 2012 · 12:34 am

CLASS REUNIONS,By Louise Annarino,August 8,2012

CLASS REUNIONS,By Louise Annarino, August 8, 2012

 

I am not attending my 45th. high school class reunion. It is more than I am able to tolerate. I had been considering not attending for some time as several classmates indicated they would set me straight  about politics and show me the real Obama (no use of the title “president” ever appears before his name when they speak of the man they love to hate). When I first sent out feelers to my email list about my blog, these same persons notified me to never send them ANY political emails. I have not. However, they continue to send them to me, repeatedly. For more than four years I have replied with Fact Check,Politifact and Snopes as truth checks to show the distortions in the ads,videos and emails they send me. I cite original sources and provide full cuts of doctored and manipulated speeches and documents so they may learn something of the truth and see how they are being manipulated by hate-mongers. I ask them to please notify all to whom they mailed the original statements a correction and update.

 

Despite the hours of work it takes to carefully dissect and correct the propaganda, within weeks these classmates send me a different version of the identical distortions as if they never read a word I wrote. They probably did not. They are not interested in truth, only in attacking President Obama. At the 40th reunion I was blindsided by such hateful attacks. However, I presented the correct information and attempted to enjoy the company of other classmates. As a last resort, several of us had to leave the main event and go to a small room to avoid the political discussions and nonsense declarations. It is  fine line to walk to answer people politely when one has little respect for their lack of informed opinion and their willingness to find any way possible to excuse and justify their racism,sexism,homophobia; and bigotry toward African-Americans, Muslims,Latinos and immigrants. It is intolerable. It calls for response,not silence.

 

As I was considering the lost chance to see classmates from out-of-state I have been longing to see one of the reunion organizers called and mentioned everyone hoped no one would talk politics this time. The message was clear. Those disinterested in politics did not want the reunion ruined by those of us who do care.I will never remain silent when bigotry rears its head. I am genetically unable to remain silent when a bigoted opinion is accepted as factual analysis. Politics has become all about bigotry since an African-American was elected president. Hate groups monitored by the Southern Poverty Law Center have increased 1000% since he was elected. I can refrain from discussing most politics, but not this racial bigotry masquerading as politics.Clearly, I would be the thorn in everyone’s side again this time since others seem to prefer my silence in order to have a fun time. I made a decision right then not to  attend.

 

The rightfulness of my decision was confirmed a few hours ago. For the fourth time in as many weeks a classmate who assures me repeatedly how much she hates politics and is uninterested in it and to whom I never send anything political at her request, sent me a bigoted and factually incorrect email. This one was a doctored video of many speeches by president Obama in which various sentences were cobbled together to indicate he admits he is a Muslim. This video is not evidence of anything but the creator’s pathetic attempt to badly edit other tapes. Intelligent and well-informed voters know President Obama is not a muslim, although members of his extended family are. He and Michelle are Christian. But the more important point is that it would not matter one iota if he were Muslim,Mormon,Christian or Jew. Since when is a candidate’s religion a consideration? Roman Catholic President Kennedy’s election settled that matter long ago. It is ironic that this woman who declares we need to take back our country from those who would destroy our constitutional freedoms would deny a presidential candidate his constitutional freedom.

 

It is particularly disturbing to me that she sent out this hate-mongering against muslims video not a week after a white supremacist gathered his guns for a mass killing  of Sikhs, stupidly mistaking them for Muslims. Sikhs and Muslims have been the victims of soft attacks across the country since 9/11. To see the video attacks spread by my classmate turned my stomach. Instead of educating her about the misinformation and bigotry as I have done so many times before, this time I simply told her to never contact me again. I have had all I can stand of her bigotry; and of anyone else’s bigotry. This ethnic,religious and racial bigotry is eating away the soul of America and Americans.

 

If I thought I could reach her, or any of the others who send me such materials, by providing a reasoned and well-researched response I would continue to try. However, she appears to be immune to rational thought and is blinded by her hate and fear. I have tried to lovingly assuage the fears of those who send me this crazy stuff.  Some people actually thank me for pointing out what they had missed. But this woman and others like her are more comfortable with being bigoted than with being truthful and fair to others they hate. Not in my presence. Let my silent classmates deal with the bigots this time around. I won’t be there.

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August 8, 2012 · 1:58 am

REMEMBER ROMNEYHOOD,By Louise Annarino,August 7,2012

REMEMBER ROMNEYHOOD, By Louise Annarino,August 7,2012

 

Ronald Reagan took office as 40th. president of the United States in January 1981. By the close of his term in 1989 he had slashed domestic spending, reduced aid to cities by 60%, slashed public service jobs and job training, reduced funds for pubic transit benefiting cities while retaining highway funds benefiting suburbs,halved the budget for public housing and Section 8 and sought to eliminate housing assistance to the poor causing a steep increase in homelessness,widened the gap between rich and poor,(wages for average worker declined and home ownership rate fell),deregulated the Savings and Loan industry (leading to corruption,mismanagement and collapse of S&L’s requiring $100 billion government bailout) and attempted to dismantle legal services for the poor. (see more at http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/135/reagan.html )Reagan told us as Romney,Kasich,Mandel and Ryan now tell us that big tax cuts would pay for themselves by generating higher tax revenues through greater economic growth. President George W. Bush tried Reagan’s strategy and failed, just as Reagan did. Why would we expect Romney to achieve a different result using the same strategy?

 

I was a supervising attorney of the Senior Citizen Unit for The Legal Aid Society of Columbus during this time. I handled a caseload of 200 open cases, 350 altogether; and supervised another attorney with an equally large caseload, two paralegals, and a secretary. Our goal was to assist clients over 55 whose income fell well below the poverty line set in the 1950’s. Our cases involved consumer fraud, public benefits,medicare and medicaid,food stamps,hospital and medical bills, wills and powers of attorney/guardianships, housing, banking, land-lord tenant issues, mental health and a multitude of other legal issues. One cut made by President Reagan resulted in the deaths of three of my clients, and extreme suffering for hundreds of others.

 

President Reagan talked code to bigots,racists and economically advantaged white Americans in an attempt to stigmatize the poor, gut anti-poverty programs,and justify his tax cuts. “During his stump speeches while dutifully promising to roll back welfare, Reagan often told the story of a so-called “welfare queen” in Chicago who drove a Cadillac and had ripped off $150,000 from the government using 80 aliases, 30 addresses, a dozen social security cards and four fictional dead husbands. Journalists searched for this “welfare cheat” in the hopes of interviewing her and discovered that she didn’t exist.”(see more at http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2004-06-20/the-real-economic-legacy-of-ronald-reagan ). Reagan would have loved the interenet and used it along with political ads just as Mitt Romney does today – promising to roll back or privatize government benefits, requiring drug tests of welfare recipients, describing members of NAACP  as people who want free stuff from the government, falsely accusing President Obama of simply mailing out welfare checks to people unwilling to work. Working with Republican and Democratic governors HHS recently issued a memorandum allowing states to apply for waivers for TANF work requirement so long as the more flexible state project “demonstrates attainment of superior employment outcomes in lieu of participation rate requirements.” This is typical Obama pragmatism. If the state can demonstrate a different plan moves more people from welfare to work, HHS will be flexible and grant a waiver. Romney’s assertion is a complete distortion meant to appeal to voters who believe in welfare queens, or as Romney might state “big bucks” unwilling to work, a clear racial-code slur.(see more at http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/07/13165243-dubious-claim-behind-romney-welfare-attack?lite).

 

I dread where Romney’s distortions to justify tax cuts might lead us; and, how many Americans will suffer and even die as a result of old,failed policies. President Reagan ordered the Social Security Administration to remove all current disability recipients from active rolls, and require each one to reapply for benefits. He was certain that too many were fraudulently claiming to be disabled. He saw a welfare queen behind every bush. The actual fraud rate for welfare benefits at the time was 1/4 of 1%. Yet, American voters were told the rate was so high, every recipient was a suspect. So suspect that every SSD and SSI recipient was terminated. Those terminated lost a monthly income and medicare or medicaid coverage, and food stamps. They had no where to live, nothing to eat, could not see a doctor or go to the hospital, ran out of life-saving medications. Disability recipients are the most fragile among us.

 

My staff immediately filed new applications, and appeals of termination, for each client in our open and closed files. We posted flyers at community centers, senior centers and elsewhere offering our services. Many fell through the cracks. We also filed appeals for termination of low-income housing, evictions, food stamps and medicare or medicaid. We negotiated with landlords, doctors, pharmacies and hospitals begging patience until our cases could be heard. Most of our clients tried to hang on so long as they could. Others were too proud and disappeared into the streets. Others became so depressed they committed suicide. Three of my clients died simply because they lacked medication,food,medical care, and housing. I recall one phone call from a case manager at The Franklin County Welfare Department happily informing that finally (after 5 months) he was restoring my client’s food stamps. He thought I would be grateful and happy but I was crying. He asked why, “ Mr. X died yesterday from complications from diabetes and malnutrition. You are too late.”  Every single appeal I filed was granted. Reagan was dead wrong;too wrong, and too many dead as a result.

 

At the same time, Reagan announced he was eliminating Legal Services Corp. which funded legal aid societies like mine nationwide. He was frustrated that government was paying lawyers to appeal denial of  government benefits. My annual salary at the time was $12,600. Average salaries for lawyers in the private sector was $65,000. Congress reauthorized Legal Services but Reagan vetoed the funding bill. Staff agreed to work without pay, give up management positions and not replace those who gave up and left the agency until funding could be restored. I found a live-in position at a rooming house with no pay but free rent, installed soda machines in basement to pay for my bus transportation to work, and took an evening and week-end job as a toy store clerk to pay school loans and buy food while handling an ever-increasing caseload and grieving for my clients who were being so unjustly maligned and hatefully treated so that taxes could be cut and military spending increased by President Reagan. Now, Mitt Romney, Ohio Governor John Kasich, and Senate candidate Josh Mandel wants a repeat performance. They pit voters against President Obama and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown,using the same disingenuous statistics and history.

 

Remember the Alamo! Remember Pearl Harbor! Remember 9/11! I ask you to remember Reaganomics, Trickle Down Economics, Bush Tax Cuts, and now Romneyhood. We cannot allow politicians to prey on false fears when we have something real to fear. We must never forget that code messages stoking race-baiting, homophobia, and misogyny with lies and distortions will lead to death and disaster. I wish I could have saved those clients.

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July 31, 2012 · 3:26 pm

99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL,By Louise Annarino,July 30,2012

99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL, By Louise Annarino,July 30,2012

Political ads once were pieces of artful rhetoric. Remember “A Town Called Hope” extolling the virtues of presidential candidate Bill Clinton? Most ads were likewise lovely to watch, whether one supported the candidate extolled or not. They were inspirational, clarified a candidate’s position and beautifully if not nicely done. Even the infamous nuclear explosion reflected in the iris of a child picking flowers as an attack on presidential candidate Barry Goldwater was lovely to watch. It was consider-over-the top because it exceeded the extant of Senator Goldwater’s stance on nuclear armament, and was quickly pulled from the market having been shown only once. But once was enough to create an image of a man willing to lead Americans and the world into nuclear armageddon.

Just once, we were exposed to an ad which distorted and demeaned a candidate. Once was too much for television executives who pulled the ad because of public outrage and dismay. Today, political ads of distortion and outright lies are repeated ad nauseatum like the song “99 Bottles of Beer On The Wall”:

 

99 bottles of beer on the wall,

99 bottles of beer,

Take one down.

Pass it around.

98 bottles of beer on the wall.

(repeat with 1 less bottle until no more bottles are left and end with)

No more bottles of beer on the wall,

No more bottles of beer,

Go to the store and buy some more,(KOCH Bros. et al)

99 bottles of beer on the wall.

The internet messaging of lies is even worse. At least the possibility of vetting an ad or disclosure exists within broadcast and print news departments.The internet is unfiltered. The race-baiting, homophobic, misogynist attacks against President Obama, his staff, appointees, and supporters goes unchecked.

I recently received an email message from a childhood friend with the same old attacks (i.e. Muslim foreigner,baby and jobs killer, hates business, caused recession, brings terrorist infiltrators into government, stupid liar and cheat) against President Obama with a new twist. At top of the page was a photo of suit-clad smiling white man claiming he was a classmate of the president’s at Columbia and knew Barry well, and who knew the items in content of piece used to attack were true. At the bottom was a Snopes link which he asserted proved the truthfulness of the email content. My friend pointed this out to me since I had on several prior occasions disproved her attack emails by replying with the facts to dispute her specific allegations, and often used Snopes as secondary source since she found it hard to believe my research data from NYT, London Guardian, BBC, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, LA Times, historical texts, US Constitution, specific laws and regulations etc. I checked the Snopes link. The question Snopes agreed to answer was “Is this person the source of these allegations?” The answer was “Yes, this person is the source of these allegations.” The truth meter read “true”. What!

I answered my friend that the only truth was that the man who claimed to tell these lies did tell these lies. That does not make lies true! This person asked me two years ago to NEVER send her any political information, nor my blog articles since she hates politics. I never send her a thing until she sends me a pack of lies. Then, I reconstruct each issue, provide her factual data and point out the mistruths. I honor every persons right to their own opinion; but, no one is entitled to their own facts! How can one answer such idiocy? Her behavior is not based on a search for truth so we can each make an informed decision with the needs of all sides considered; it is simply a need to be right and justify her hatred for President Barack Obama.

What is so disturbing is not simply the ads and e-mail/facebook messages themselves, but the willingness of people to share demeaning and untrue attack ads with no effort on their part to check for truthfulness. I can appreciate that not every voter is a political wonk, not many have the time to fully explore issues or candidates, and very few take the time to research before forming an opinion. What I cannot accept, what I refuse to accept, is that these voters believe their opinion is so sound as the opinion of the voter who does explore policies, records and world views of each candidate. It is not. They are not of equal weight. The uninformed opinion has less value. It is often wrong. It is often based upon lies and distorted reality. It is worthless.

I de-friended a person on FB yesterday after she began posting increasingly racist imagery on poster cartoons attacking President Obama, baby-killer comments and other derogatory attacks. I had repeatedly pointed out her racist content over the past weeks. I once asked her why all of her posts were anti-Obama and none pro-Romney. To all of which I received no response. I chalked up her behavior to ignorance, not ill intent. Yesterday, she posted another hate-filled photo attack. I ignored it at first. Later I saw her friend had commented with a question, “ But, who can we vote for? I could never vote for Obama whom I hate with a passion.” She replied to her friend, “I don’t know, but I hate him too much to vote for him.”  Those comments explained a lot. I have had enough of hate and hate merchants. They sell hate. I don’t think they can consciously admit why they are acting so, because at the deepest level they really do know why. We all know why. We just are too polite to mention it. I am not so polite; the reason is racism.

What happened to the American voter who sought to learn the voting record of a candidate, wanted to understand a candidate’s policies on various issues and why a candidate espoused those particular policies? What happened is that those Americans in either party are demeaned along with the candidate they support. They are called names: Obmanoids, Romneyites, babykillers, feminazis, even N*****lovers. This is unacceptable in any America past or present. Racism seems to trump acting with American value behaviors. We fought a civil war over this already.

What happened to American voters who believed in playing fair in order to elect the best candidate? What happened to the American voter who would rise in outrage over lies and distortions? Who would not tolerate attacks from either party on constitutionally protected race,creed,color, or religion? Where are these Americans? Where is a press corps, news executive, ad executive who refuses to air outright lies as political ads. Where is the journalist whose follow-up question challenges the lie which has just been told? Who refuses to allow a false premise as the basis of a response? Who can look a candidate in the eye while asking the question? Who can frankly challenge racist comments? Who can ask why being Black in America disqualifies every action taken by our president?

Racism is at the core of my understanding of what is going on here. It is not a means of avoiding valid attacks on our president, who has never claimed perfection, who only does the best he can with faint support by his own party and extreme refusal to participate in governmental action of ANY kind by the Republican party. Racism; not pure and not simple.

It is painful to watch newspersons obsequiously ask questions they know will not be answered, while Romney smiles with superiority. The smile is not one made in response to a good joke, or as a punch line on himself as President Obama often uses in response to uncomfortable questions. It is a smirk and a grin responding, “I’m not tellin’ and you can’t make me. Na, na, na, na,na na!” This same “na,na,na” attitude is heard coming from the mouths of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner; from every republican House Committee Chair. Have you been watching? Are you listening? “I can hang you from a tree in a political ad any time I choose. Na, na,na,na.na.na!” Oh, it is clear what has happened to American politics, and why there is so little public outrage.

I understand such intransigence by a candidate and his party supporters, supported by subliminal racism, makes it difficult to report the truth. But not impossible. I dread to imagine the softball questions posed to candidates in upcoming debates. I hope the debates won’t be just another round of 99 bottle of beer on the wall. I need a drink!

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July 15, 2012 · 6:28 pm

GO TO THE BACK OF THE BUS,WHAT BUS?,By Louise Annarino,July 15, 2012

GO TO THE BACK OF THE BUS, WHAT BUS?, By Louise Annarino, July 15,2012

 

“The racial diversity among Democrats and the lack of it among Republicans means that the two bases bring differing concerns to the national debate.”

Charles blow, Not Afraid To Talk About Race, NYT, Opinion, 6-7-2012,  http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/not-afraid-to-talk-about-race/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120607

 

But, do we really have different concerns as Americans? Everyone wants a stable and decent job; one which pays enough to provide safe housing, safe food supply, generous health care, sound education, affordable transportation, and reliable retirement income.  Just the basics, but unpredictable for the racially-diverse urban poor, and the more-segregated homogeneous rural poor. Demographic studies and census data indicate that the gap between the availability of basic necessities for the top 2% and the rest of us is ever-widening. The issue of race as part of our analysis of how we can turn this situation on its head is clearest in considering the needs of the the multi-racial urban cores of our cities.

Some cities such as Columbus, Ohio are making come-backs while others like Detroit are decaying from within. But even in Columbus, Ohio,those areas where racial diversity is strongest, the improvements are weakest. Of course mayors are hampered by governors who turn away federal dollars meant to address the needs of the urban core as well as the rest of the state.

No where is this more apparent than in the refusal of federal transportation dollars to build interurban rail service, high speed rail, and slow rail between key cities within a state. One of the reasons unemployment is so much higher in urban cores where minorities live is that white flight to the suburbs for housing was also white flight of jobs to the suburbs. Companies moved their headquarters and manufacturing plants to the outskirts of cities. Malls and shopping areas closed in the urban core to move to suburban malls, and more jobs were lost. Even major union halls moved outside the city core. Lack of public transportation made it more likely organizations would move out of the urban core to facilitate parking. But, many of our urban poor lack automobiles and are, therefore, left out of a city’s forward commerce. They simply are denied any opportunity to turn things around themselves. If they can’t get to an interview to get a job, then get to a job to earn money, they have no way to change the game. Apartments  built outside the city core seldom have sidewalks, and are in areas not designed for walking or biking as a means of transportation. And these areas still lack substantial bus service, and no rail service.

In Columbus, bus service is limited for those seeking jobs outside the urban core. There is little to no bus service from downtown to the outlying malls, business and plants. Minorities are trapped jobless within the city core. A plan to connect the downtown with outlying areas by rail with federal transportation dollars was scrapped when Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) returned federal grant made to Ohio. In the latest transportation bill  the deficit argument was used to eliminate and cut funds for public transportation projects, bike trails etc. There is little understanding of the transportation needs of voters in our city core.

Thus, our attitude toward our racially diverse urban populations affects our transportation decisions. We are willing to spend tax dollars to maintain the status quo for those who fled the cities, abandoning our fellow citizens to second class status. Mainly white Republican voters agree with racially diverse Democratic voters that America needs a strong transportation system. The difference is that Republicans don’t notice that their tax and spend policies ignore the needs of so many fellow citizens in our  urban cores. They fled for the same reason they refuse to fund the urban core’s survival. As President Obama says, “We can do better than this.”

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July 13, 2012 · 2:48 am

ROMNEY VS. BIDEN AT N.A.A.C.P. CONVENTION,By Louise Annarino, July 12, 2012

ROMNEY VS. BIDEN AT N.A.A.C.P. CONVENTION, By Louise Annarino, July 12, 2012

Mitt Romney knew to whom he was speaking at the N.A.A.C.P. convention. He spoke to the moneyed-base of the republican party. He did not expect to win the support of the civil rights group with his “self-deportation” policy. Apparently, he would have been a proponent of the “back to Africa” movement  to solve the “problem” of slavery decades ago. Nor did he expect his attack on Obamacare to meet with applause. And, of course he knew the members of an organization which fought for civil rights and faced police dogs and water hoses, beatings-bombings-lynchings, and the murder of its icons would not sit quietly while he called the first African-American president a failure who betrayed them. He had to know his comments would fall like boulders into a sea of opposition. What he did not know is that his policies are racist. Not only his policies, but his very presence.

How can I say his very presence is racist? Because he gave the impression, through his own body language and tone, and the publicly made and well-played talking points used to paint him as brave for going into the sea of blackness, i.e. “We have to give him credit for even attending this event.” Why does he deserve credit for making an appearance and asking for the vote of African-Americans? He wants to be president. Why does he deserve credit for going before this group?  Did we say he deserved credit for appearing before any white group? What is he afraid of? More politically important, what does he want us to be afraid of? He is playing on our own fears, the fears of white Americans of all things black and of African-Americans in groups. Oh, we easily offer, “I have a friend who is African-American”, but how comfortable are we as a lone white person in a black group?

I don’t ask these questions lightly. I spent years on college campuses, among the defamed by Mr. Romney liberal elite, watching students, faculty and administrators separate along racial lines in campus dormitories, study halls, cafeterias, fraternities and sororities, parties and social events at all levels. And, I notice white people move near the emergency call button when a group of African-Americans enter an elevator. I notice white waitpersons avoid taking the orders of African-Americans in certain restaurants. I notice African-American children disciplined by white lifeguards for running at the pool, as a group of white children run past the scene. I notice a white car dealer mistaking an African-American customer in a business suit arriving to pick up his new Lexus for the part-timer newly hired to wash cars. I notice white co-workers inviting everyone but African-American co-workers to week-end party. Even my noticing this last incident is tinged with racism. Why would I think African-American co-workers would want to party with people who treat them badly every day of the week? Do I, like Mr. Romney, expect credit for noticing? Being a white racist is a role with strong cognitive dissonance.

Day after day, in small ways white people don’t even notice, our racism shines through. it is a constant struggle. And Mitt Romney’s advisers know it. When they say “give him credit” we respond positively to Romney. Why? Because we want credit for fighting our own racism. We feel wronged when someone like me alleges racism is an issue in this election. We cannot admit our racism even to ourselves, especially to ourselves. But, we will never overcome it by hiding from it;it will only make us vulnerable to race-baiting like that we watched from a candidate who braved appearing before the N.A.A.C.P.

No one gave Senator Joe Biden credit for appearing before the N.A.A.C.P. Why not? He presented himself differently. He did not anticipate anything special. He came as an equal. He came with a commonality of interest which transcends race, yet addresses  the results of racism. He did not view his presence as a gift deserving of thanks. He came with thankfulness and respect. There was a moment when his tone seemed obsequious, when he shouted out to his friend “Mouse”,but Senator Biden was no stranger within this group. Long ago, Joe Biden faced his own racism and embraced his responsibility to address the results of racism. Joe Biden is a member of the N.A.A.C.P. The lovely thing about sincerely reaching across racial boundaries is the generous acceptance one is given. Senator Biden was well received. Mr. Romney could have been well-received had his appearance been sincere. Given his true motivation, his appearance, with only three sets of boos, was very generously received.

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June 29, 2012 · 6:15 pm

DEFENDERS OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER ARE A COLORFUL GROUP, By Louise Annarino

DEFENDERS OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AREA COLORFUL GROUP,by Louise Annarino,June 29,2012

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. 

 – John F. Kennedy

 

 

I am so glad I was born a woman. It has allowed me the freedom to not conform. From first consciousness of a personal identity it was clear I was not an equal to any male; not simply different from boys, but unequal as well. This message was not simply from parents and family members immersed in Italian culture. It was the American cultural premise that boys mattered more: their plans must be first-met, their hopes first-fulfilled, their preferences first-considered. They never noticed what seemed obviously appropriate for their well-being. Why should they have done so? The culture fit them well. Their shoes fit. When shoes fit well, one does not notice. One only notices when the shoes pinch. I have worn shoes that pinch my entire life. It makes me cranky, angry and tired. This is not because of individual men who treated me so badly, although there a few who shall remain nameless. Men and women agreed to share this norm within our personal relationships and cultural institutions. It always take a prince to save the princess in our stories. Thank you Drew Barrymore for your portrayal of a different kind of princess in EVERAFTER: A CINDERELLA STORY.

 

I cannot compare a woman’s discomfort with that felt by African-Americans,Native-Americans, Latinos and other groups hobbling along with pinched shoes seeking the American dream. Even when they are  allowed to join in the race, painful feet make their chances of winning a race so much more difficult. The pain is different for each of us, but we recognize the restricted gait in others. For white men the race is also a struggle. They must work equally hard to train for the race. The course they run is the same we all run. The only difference is that our shoes pinch. We understand our struggles are common struggles. But our pain helps us become sensitized to issues of injustice, discrimination and abuse of power. This is not to ignore those white men who are equally sensitive to issues of injustice and would never discriminate or abuse power. In fact, they amaze me since it would be so easy for them to simply move ahead and leave the rest of us far behind.

 

As I watched the faces of those brave and committed Congressional Democrats who walked out on the Republican contempt motion initiated by Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CAL) I saw the faces of people who know an abuse of power when they see it, because they have experienced it so often themselves. And because they have never been able to conform to the white-male power model, they have been free to grow into people with   the strength of character, perspicacity, and empathy for others to speak truth to power.These men and women of color were joined by white representatives who understand the common struggle we all face, and know we must face challenges together.

 

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which initiated the protest, led the exit from the House floor, civil rights icon Rep.John Lewis (D-GA) at their head as the contempt vote against A.G. Holder began, along with minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CAL), minority whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Asian-Pacific American Caucus,and the Progressive Caucus who were joined by more than 100 representatives of the House of Representatives.

 

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Rep. Hoyer asserted the walkout was not about race but “to call the attention of the American people, who are angry about confrontation, angry about gridlock, angry about the fact that we are not focused on their priorities: jobs, investment infrastructure, the environment, education, innovation, building our economy.” Leader Pelosi commented that the effort was a political ruse meant to erode respect for and confidence in A.G. Holder and  impede the Justice Departments’ efforts to prevent voter suppression. This is what speaking truth to power looks like: men and women of every nationality, race, color and hue hand in hand to overcome injustice and abuse of power by awakening the rest of us.

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