Tuesday, September 30, 2008

A Word From Troy Davis, Georgia State Death Row


The United States Supreme Court in deference to Roshashana has deferred judgement on Troy Davis's fate and if he will recieved a new fair trail until October 6th! Your Prayers are appreciated.

Jaycee


Excerpt: Amnesty International Report on theCase of Troy Davis


Where is the Justice for me? A plea from Troy Davis
Where is the Justice for me? In 1989 I surrendered myself to the police for crimes I knew I was innocent of in an effort to seek justice through the court system in Savannah, Georgia USA. But like so many death penalty cases, that was not my fate and I have been denied justice. During my imprisonment I have lost more than my freedom, I lost my father and my family has suffered terribly, many times being treated as less than human and even as criminals. In the past I have had lawyers who refused my input, and would not represent me in the manner that I wanted to be represented. I have had witnesses against me threatened into making false statements to seal my death sentence and witnesses who wanted to tell the truth were vilified in court.
For the entire two years I was in jail awaiting trial I wore a handmade cross around my neck, it gave me peace and when a news reporter made a statement in the local news, “Cop-killer wears cross to court,” the cross was immediately taken as if I was unworthy to believe in God or him in me. The only time my family was allowed to enter the courtroom on my behalf was during the sentencing phase where my mother and sister had to beg for my life and the prosecutor simply said, “I was only fit for killing.” Where is the Justice for me, when the courts have refused to allow me relief when multiple witnesses have recanted their testimonies that they lied against me?

Because of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, the blatant racism and bias in the U.S. Court System, I remain on death row in spite of a compelling case of my innocence. Finally I have a private law firm trying to help save my life in the court system, but it is like no one wants to admit the system made another grave mistake. Am I to be made an example of to save face? Does anyone care about my family who has been victimized by this death sentence for over 16 years? Does anyone care that my family has the fate of knowing the time and manner by which I may be killed by the state of Georgia?
I truly understand a life has been lost and I have prayed for that family just as I pray for mine, but I am Innocent and all I ask for is a True Day in a Just Court. If I am so guilty why do the courts deny me that? The truth is that they have no real case; the truth is I am Innocent.
Where is the Justice for me?
By Troy A. Davis

Iceberg Slim Revealed October 3rd!



Robert Beck, the patron father of the Black Experience Genre, known worldwide by his nom de guerre, Iceberg Slim gave us a look inside his world. He pimped, he played and he paid and somehow in between he wrote about it. His characters were brutal, loving, gentle, ruthless, scoundrels but most of all doomed. His landscapes were the dark corners of urban America. From the Mothers who marched their sons and daughters to churches, sat behind them in class when they misbehaved, to the men who struggled to make their dreams reality by any means neccessary, to the predators and hustlers of all races and classes devouring souls along the way including their own. Beck, gave it to us raw and uncut. His Holloway House pulp novels, today are classics, inspiring generations of storytellers and liars! See where Ice T, Cube and Katt Williams really got that swagger from. Robert Beck, Iceberg Slim, is one of the Core Four Writers of the Black Experience Genre published by Holloway House including Joe Nazel, Donald Goines and Odie Hawkins!
Read about it all This Friday, October 3rd in this months Kongo Square Chat with Odie Hawkins!
This has been a Shameless Plug from A Choice of Weapons.
Mista Jaycee

Coming! October 3, 2008! Inside the 1965 Watts Workshop!


In 1965 The South Central community in Los Angeles exploded and burned in flames. In its wake A Hollywood Screenwriter and Producer named Budd Shulberg, fresh from the Hollywood Ten, Un-American Activities hearings sounded the call out to the voices of the community.

It was in 1966 that the Watts Writers Workshop was born. It's alumni like the rebellion that caused its inception still burn brightly across the worlds stages. Stanley Crouch, Wanda Coleman, Quincy Troupe, Eric Priestley and Odie Hawkins. This Months Kongo Sqaure Chat will feature Watts Writers Legend Odie Hawkins!
The United States Goverment targeted and destroyed the workshop not for plotting armed revolution but for daring to write one! Read all About it!

Check for it! October 3rd!

Jaycee

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Roshashana Begins! Hallelujah! Elohim! Hallelujah!




Roshasana is the celebration of the Jewish New Year!

It begins as a time of reflection and end with Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement. I chose to include pictures of Jews from Jerusalem and Kush so that Americans can understand that Jews are universal coming in all colors.

Happy Roshashana! Happy Roshashana! Happy Roshashana!

God is One! God is One! God is One! God is One! God is One!

One Love! One Heart! One Purpose! One Salvation! One Sacrifice!

One Soul! One People!

Friday, September 26, 2008


Thank You for the Service to Your People, America and the World!
In the 1968 Summer Olympic games in Mexico City, Two College students, John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their Black gloved fists and used their Black Socked feet to Salute Black People in America and across the world. As they ran we ran with them! The Olympic community shunned the statement but today we now know that they did a courageous service to America and the World. America felt that it's racial, political and economic injustices and apartheid should not be talked about in front of the World community. That somehow it should remain in house, safely behind closed doors. Freedom and Justice however obeys no such etiquette. Justice demands that it be shown Now! Freedom demands the same! Equality places itself at the service of all Humankind so ugly though it may have been for some Americans to see. It was Black, Red White and Blue! All Power to the People!
BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!
Jaycee

Thursday, September 25, 2008




If Eight Years of The Most Corrupt, Incompetent, bullheaded, Mean Spirited, Lying, Greedy, Evil, Malicious, Bush Family and Friend Run Goverment and the remote possibility of Eight more from a Book Banning, John Wayne Fantasizing Whacko hasn't made you fall to your Knees in Earnest Prayer either your Brain or your body is already Dead! Ya better Check!----Jaycee

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Spiritual Food for Thought! Defending the Poor!


Lev 19:11
“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.

Deu 15:11
“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Pro 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Pro 31:8
Open your mouth for the mute,for the rights of all who are destitute.[fn3]


Pro 31:9
Open your mouth, judge righteously,defend the rights of the poor and needy.

You're being Conned Baby! Part 3 The Fall of Wall Street!


Greed: 'Gred\ Noun: Selfish desire beyond reason.


De-ja Vu: \ -zhä-, -vue\ Noun: 1 a: the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time.

B: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.

2: something overly or unpleasantly familiar. Webster/Merriman

This ain't no liberal left wing swipe or some right wing fascist diatribe. This is just plain facts and plain truth. Can't deal tough! Go listen to Al Franken or Bill O'Reilly and let their left wing or right clawed azzez massage your political sensibilities and busted wallets!

I've been periodically watching the current wall street crisis and over the last two weeks two things have become apparent. The real reasons and culprits will not be raised and prosecuted, taxpayers will be hosed, poor people and minorities will be blamed and congress will probably not have the nutz to do what's right. Save the partisan hackle cause i ain't got time for the bull ish!

Henry Paulsen, the Top, super important, number one, numero uno, HDIC Treasury dude, testified before congress stating congress needed to act quickly and approve the $700 Billion dollar bailout or we would face Imminent DOOOM!

Congress: What? Imminent DOOOM! Oh let's give em the money!

Give em the money with no oversight, no RE-Regulation, No Reform! Just a big check with no strings attached?

Congress: Well, he said Imminent Doooom!

De-ja Vu: \ -zhä-, -vue\ Noun: 1 a: the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time.
B: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.
2: something overly or unpleasantly familiar. Webster/Merriman

Imminent Doom you say, well that sounds serious. Where else have we heard if we don't act now we face imminent doooooom?

Oh yeah, now, I remember. Colin Powell and a whole bunch of really high paid dudes said that when they wanted to invade Iraq! WMD's, Mobilized germ and chemical warfare vehicles and that of course the Iraqi peoples would welcome us with flowers as liberators to quote Serious Black man boob admirer Donald Rumsfeld.



Regulate: \ regye/lat, Verb, Governing according to rule. Adjusting to a standard.

Deregulate: \de'regyu'lat\ Verb, To remove Restrictions.

Alright boyz and girlz have you read the definitions for today's words?
Gooood! Do you understand where I'm going with this?

Does anyone remember Gordon Gecko? Greed is good! Greed is right!

How about Ivan Boeskey? Micheal Milken? Charles Keating?

Earlier this decade Enron and World Com collapsed sending ripples through the financial sectors, ruining lives and well, moving right along.
In both cases there was little oversight, relaxed rules and greed. Greed!

So here we are again facing a $700 Billion dollar bailout in the latest financial scandals. About five months ago former CEO of Fannie Mae, Frank Raines sued the United States Government for emails, records and other correspondence that would assist in his case against the Government.

Raines alleges that there was nothing wrong with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before the current Bush administration began to place it's people on the staff and change or tamper with policies that were in place. The Bush administration has refused to turn over the records invoking, You guessed it! Executive Privilege!

Now five months later Freddie and Fannie have collapsed. No, comment??? Hummmmmm? It's just a coincidence right? President Bush and his administration have never acted in an empirical way placing those loyal to the president in any sector of the government. They've never placed someone unqualified in a position as a thank you for loyalty. They never been accused of tampering with policies of a department before, right?

Before you answer. Alberto Gonzalez, (Justice Department) Harriett Meyers(White House counsel, Supreme Court suggestion and Justice depart), Michael "Hellava Job Brownie" Brown,(FEMA) and Johnny " He's just a fuzzy wuzzy teddy bear" Bolton. (United Nations)

Lets take a little trip back in time. See how this de-reg-u-lat-ion thang has worked out in the past. I borrowed a couple of passages from the 1980's Savings and Loans scandal. Also see Lincoln Savings and Loan, The Keating Five and just for fun Silverado Savings and Loan helmed by Marvin or Melvin Bush and how that all played out.

The U.S. Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s was the failure of 747 savings and loan associations (S&Ls) in the United States. The ultimate cost of the crisis is estimated to have totaled around $160.1 billion, about $124.6 billion of which was directly paid for by the U.S. taxpayer.[1]. Wiki.


Glenn and McCain: cleared of impropriety but criticized for poor judgment


The Keating Five scandal was prompted by the activities of one particular savings and loan: Lincoln Savings and Loan such savings and loan associations had been deregulated in the early 1980s, allowing them to make highly risky investments with their depositors' money, a change of which Keating and other savings and loan operators took advantage.[4][5] Savings and loans established connections to many members of Congress, by supplying them with needed funds for campaigns through legal donations.[5] Lincoln's particular investments took the form of buying land, taking equity positions in real estate development projects, and buying high-yield junk bonds.[6] Wiki

The scandal was followed by a number of attempts to adopt campaign finance reform—spearheaded by U.S. Sen. David Boren (D-OK)—but most attempts died in committee. A weakened reform was passed in 1993. Substantial campaign finance reform was not passed until the adoption of the McCain-Feingold Act in 2002 Wiki.

So now let I get this straight. Each time an industry has been de-reg-u-lat-ed it always ends up in scandal with alot of big players, taking over smaller companies, manipulating the markets and in the end we always got hosed. That's called a con game baby! But we keep getting conned cause we keep taking the bait.

Demopublican: We need deregulation because it will free up the markets and allow for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to bloom. Regulation or further regulation stifles unfettered capitalism and the free market. Taxpayer or gullible Demopublicans: Oh, the free market. We don't wanna hurt that! Let's give it to em!

Then some folks make alot of money until it collapses and then those people are gone and alot of folks get hurt. Mainly poor folks! This morning I read that it was because poor folks and minorities were given home loans that's the reason for the mortgage crisis.

No, it's because bankers and loan institutions gave loaded, bad, high interest, loan shark, predatory loans to poor folks and minorities, alot of whom qualified for better loans, but were strongly encouraged by banking institutions to take upfront low interest adjustable rate loans that later skyrocketed to unmanageable rates that they collapsed.

It was pure unfettered capitalism. Take advantage of any opportunity disregarding principle, morals, ethics and good sense. Greed! Baby! Greed!

Bankers all over made huge commissions off of these kinds of predator loans. Has anyone admitted that the type of loan was wrong? That the practice itself was evil?

The great social scientist W.C. Fields said there's a sucker born every minute. He was prophetic. The sucker always ends of the taxpayer and the poor!

BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

Spiritual Food For Thought!


16. A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lord upholds the righteous. 18. The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20. But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. 21. The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. 22. For those who are blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those who are cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. 25. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. 26. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. 27. Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. 28. For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29. The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. 30. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. Psalms 37:16-30__._,_.___

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Welcome New Friends!

Hey I would like to say Welcome to A Choice of Weapons. I got some new friends joining the daily duels and choosing peace, love, poetry, music, joy, writing, art, food, humor, blogging and prayer and meditation as their weapons against oppression, evil, negitivity, clowns and tight binding underwear!

Welcome Bombchell! Welcome Sista GP! Welcome Mr. Swagger! Welcome Beautifully Conjured! Hey Serious Black! Hey Luscious Librarian! Grateful Daisy, Ripple baby! Go Zack! Of course they are not new but I dig them so much. If you haven't left a comment but you take the time to read my blog God (IAM) Bless You in advance! If I didn't mention you I still know who you are and I will soon. Promise!

Welcome! WELCOME! Welcome!

Don't forget go read some of the back posts. Read the Kongo Square Chats and The Black Dots and Blue Notes. U will dig em!

Jaycee

Troy Davis Receives Stay of Execution


The United States Supreme Court has seen fit to allow Mr. Davis, a stay of execution until the court can decide if they will compel the lower courts to allow testimony of seven witnesses who recanted their stories. Some witnesses when asked stated they simply repeated what they had already heard during the case. Praise to God! (IAM) for the blessing of letting Mr. Davis have a stay, praise God (IAM) for allowing us, the people the chance to still have true justice and a fair and equitable legal system. We still have that chance!


On a side note! When does a person not be pronounced a COP KILLER in every sentence preceding his name? Troy Davis has always maintained his innocence. There is a ton of evidence to suggest that he may be innocent. When does Troy Davis get to be Troy Davis and what will the headline be when he is reprieved and released? TROY DAVIS FREE! OR OOOPS NOT A COP KILLER? OR how about Sorry about that Innocent Man formerly known as COP Killer Troy Davis! Wow! The media sure seems unbiased when introducing Troy Davis, a COP KILLER. Is it just naivete to ask for a unbiased, objective story and headline? Does that go out of the window when a jury, which can be and has been wrong in the past declares you guilty?

Just thinking about it. Just pondering......


BE Mindful! BE Careful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Conviction Doubted Yet Troy Davis Scheduled to Die!


Georgia State Death Row inmate Troy Davis is scheduled to be executed this evening barring a last minute stay or clemency. Pro Death or Anti, I do not care!

Fairness is what I do care about. Nine witnesses of eleven have recanted, inadequate counsel, and a couple of witnesses who hold fast to their stories may have actually committed the crime!

This case stinks from start to finish. It's been sixteen years and it looks like dude might actually be innocent of the crime he was convicted of. In any case his execution should be halted!

If he is set free, then sixteen years of his life is still gone. You can't give it back! He can't get it back! So screw the apologies! If Troy Davis is innocent then the victim who was murdered will not get any relief from the punishment nor their families and if he is innocent but executed there will be two victims and neither would have received justice. You can't execute a whole state!
It seems to me not only from what I've read about this case but in several others the systems desire to fast track the process is what is driving this not the pursuit or desire for Justice.
How many times have we all heard well there are just too many appeals? He's guilty! He should get one appeal and then it should be finished? Some of us have said it but then how many other cases are there where the convicted was set free after ten years or more on death row their innocence proven! Remember, they too were convicted by twelve people. It speaks to the process! The entire process from start to finish from the initial crime investigation, the arrest, the legal proceding, the appeals, then the punishment. Are we placing a mans life on the testimony of a jailhouse snitch? In alot of cases we do. Not just Death penalty ones. Jailhouse snitches, not forensic science, not reliable witnesses, not good investigations. This has to change.
Some states actually are willing to execute the mentally retarded, the insane and children. No, we can do better. Think on that!

Read about Troy Davis! Email, Call, Text, Pray, Meditate and send out Good vibes for Troy, the victim, the families and most of all us.

BE Mindful! BE Careful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Spiritual Food For Thought!


Hey Y'all since it's Ramadan and we all stand to go through it due to all the financial snafu's I figured this would be cool. Jaycee


Taken from the Noble Quran

21) O believers, follow not the steps of Satan; for whosoever follows the steps of Satan, assuredly he bids to indecency and dishonour. But for God's bounty to you and His mercy not one of you would have been pure ever; but God purifies whom He will; and God is All-hearing, All-knowing.


۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًۭا وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿١٢﴾


(22) Let not those of you who possess bounty and plenty swear off giving kinsmen and the poor and those who emigrate in the way of God; but let them pardon and forgive. Do you not wish that God should forgive you? God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْفَضْلِ مِنكُمْ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤْتُوٓا۟ أُو۟لِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلْيَعْفُوا۟

وَلْيَصْفَحُوٓا۟ ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٢٢

Fall Equinox Begins! Fall Solstice!



Tuesday, September 23, 2008, the Fall Equinox (Equal day/Equal Night) begins. During this time, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west.
BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

Friday, September 19, 2008

Spiritual Food For Thought!


1. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret it only causes harm. 9. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. 10. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look diligently for his place, But it shall be no more. 11. But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12. The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. 14. The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15. Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. Psalms 37: 1-15

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Serious Black Free! Coup Defeated!

Serious Black, (shirtless in above picture) Leader of the League of Evil Monkeys, is free tonight! The six day coup was stopped when members of the Universal Defenders of International Goodwill (UDIG) coaxed the Hopelessly indifferent wing of the league into getting involved! They were threatened with a six day all Kenny G, Barney the Dinosaur duet! Evidently this worked! The Hideously Evil Monkey packed up and left saying that even he wouldn't stoop so low as to do that! He is now seeking asylum at Rush Limbaugh's house. As to the whereabouts of Sen. Joe Lieberman, he is believed to still be slithering somewhere in the sewers! The Bush administration released the following statement.

Dear President Serious,
Welcome Back! Sorry bout the coup, hope it doesn't hurt our friendship.
PS. Donnie Rumsfeld thinks you look hot! What? Ewww Donnie!
Wait, did I just write that?
Darn it Dick! Stop waving that shotgun around it's not a toy! Sarah Palin, stop swinging your Shotgun around too this instant young lady!
Booom!
See you just shot Mccain in the tushie! Oh well no one can tell if he's alive anyway.
Better bury him before Dick eats him!
Is this thing still on.
Hope they didn't hear that!
Serious Black! Welcome Back!
Signed
Dubya


This is Anderson Cooper signing off from the Democratic Republic of Primates! Back to you Mista Jaycee! Hey Wolf! Did you just cosign with Rumsfeld on Serious Black's Man boobs? Ewww! You sick lil Monkey!

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Black Patriotism, Josh Howard, American Style



The Colored Man has always suffered with the question of how do I feel about my country and how does my country....feel about me? - Lt. Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Line from The Tuskegee Airman film
This morning America Online, posted a clip of Dallas Maverick Forward Josh Howard casually enjoying a game of flag football. Someone is heard saying "Hey! The National Anthem is playing!" Howard in response to that stated " That don't mean nothing to me, I'm a Black Dude!"

Now, of course there will be folks of across all color lines who will denounce these comments, some who will agree and others who don't give a rats tail about it. Never mind that this a public guy in a private conversation. We grown used to private off colored remarks being made public. That's not what this is about.

About a decade ago, Denver Nuggets shooting guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf took a stand against standing for the anthem. He stated his belief that he could not in good conscience as a righteous Muslim stand for a symbol of tyranny and oppression. Oh! The controversy! Oh, the death threats! The accusations! The mess! Of course they never asked Mahmoud to explain his feelings and how he came to have them and Mahmoud was not the most cordial spokesman then. He could be now. America has gotten very comfortable ignoring Black anger. Some would say too comfortable.

The media interviewed Center Hakeem Olajuwon, then of the Houston Rockets, also a practicing Muslim, who disagreed with Mahmoud stating that he knew nothing in Islam that would prevent Mahmoud from standing for the anthem.

First, way to support your fellow player and Black Brother dude! All sarcasm aside though, Hakeem, wouldn't get the what Mahmoud was talking about. Hakeem is a Nigerian Afrikan. Mahmoud is an American Afrikan. Hakeem wouldn't understand why Mahmoud, formerly Chris Jackson, of Gulf Port, Mississippi, would view the flag and its anthem, as a sign of oppression and tyranny.

Hakeem may understand the ill feelings that some of his fellow Nigerian Afrikans feel towards the British and the other colonial powers! But he while he may have a familiarity with American style racism it is not part of his DNA. It is not soaked in his skin like Mahmoud and his family has had to endure.

Wait! Mista Jaycee, are you saying that just because a Afrikan person not born an American Afrikan doesn't understand racism, apartheid, oppression, subjugation, murder, torture and discrimination?

Hell Naw! Of course , they can and do understand and know it intimately!

But Your Blues ain't like mine! I will repeat your blues ain't like mine!

Ya feel me? Ya dig? Sho nuff then! Sho Nuff! Right on! Solid! Ya dig?

So here's the point. This is another perfect opportunity for us to discuss patriotism, what it is and what it is not! I know there are gonna be some European Americans (White Folks) who say that Josh Howard never had it so good. ( See Barbara Bush's comments on Katrina Survivors for subtext.) He's a millionaire! So, his economic good fortune, does not change the fact that he can be stopped anywhere in the country and treated like he's a drug dealer!

Josh Howard ain't feeling the anthem, so what! That's his right as a human being and as an Afrikan American. Any Black dude who has read the daily news or a history book has more than enough reason to justify why he ain't feeling the anthem or the pledge of Allegiance. Hell! Anyone who has followed the Reagan and both Bush administrations knows enough European Americans that took the oath to defend the country and constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic and well we see how that's turned out!

Sorry, that was a dig! There is no one except the original indigenous (American Indians) people of this land who have endured or suffered more than Black Folks. Not one! We have our own National Anthem written by James Weldon Johnson that honors what we believe America should mean. Do all Americans know it? Does John Old Kane McCain know it? Can he sing it? Does he even know that there is another one? I can sing the one written by Francis Scott Key! Heck! Just to be fair Does Barack "Bam Bam" Obama know it?

European Americans (White Folks) need to acknowledge what has happened to Afrikan Americans (Black Folks) and understand we will not allow our patriotism or percieved lack thereof to be defined by you!

We have fought in every war, we have fought for freedoms and civil liberties when we ourselves were denied them. We have treated our enemies as human beings should be treated even when they called us less than human and treated us worse than a chicken. You can have your opinion on Josh Howard's or Black Folks patriotism but you have no right to judge it!

Be Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Yeeeeh Socialized Healthcare! Whoo Hoo!

The other day a dude I work with, I'll call him "Mac," started a conversation about taxes that led into health care and he asked if I would be in favor of socialized health care. He let me know that he was against both taxes and socialized health care a few minutes later.

But I replied, we already have socialized health care.

A HMO is a form of socialized health care. Do you really believe that you can see a doctor and get your meds filled for such a cheap price without it being socialized even a little bit? Try it without it! Go on I dare You! I, double dog dare You!

Some including Mac would argue that it is privatized health care not socialized. We are both right!

Years ago, I had Kaiser, when it was still good. I could get a prescription filled at its pharmacy for $5.00. Yeah! Today it's still $5.00 dollars to get a prescription filled but well the hospital is not as good. So why, so cheap? Could it be that it's because we all pay a certain amount for our health care plans? Could it be that the drug companies give a discount because of the amount of medications purchased?

Is that not what we are after with Universal or Socialized Health care?

Now, for all the right wingers, fiscal conservatives and partisans, I'm telling ya now save the rhetoric and the Bee Ess cause I ain't got the patience for it.

My man, Mac, then asked, well do you want higher taxes? I answered, No, of course not! But informed him that we already pay higher taxes!

He asked me how?

I tried to explain but he quickly muddied the water with partisan rhetoric.

First, I am not a Republican! I am also not a Democrat! I am a Black Dude! Neither party has always acted in my or my peoples best interests! I know enough history to know that the Democrats were the racist, obstructionist, segregationist party that denied the rights of Black folks up until 1964 and some would say beyond, depending on who you ask. We were Republican until the 1964. Some still are. My Grandmother was! (RIP) They too sold us out when it was convienient! Abraham Lincoln, The first Patron saint of the GOP, was not looking to end Slavery, his interests were in keeping a Unified country, however that was achieved so be it! He talked of deporting us! The Republicans also have more than their fair share of Racist, fascist policies and deeds too. So my politics are with my people first, then the working and middle class then America's! I am all for helping America rise but not if my people don't rise!

America looks to it's own interests and hurts my people. Black People! Whenever someone, not the Nation of Islam, points that out then we get called racist! No, there isn't a major city in America, where you can't find a China town, A Greek town, A lil something. Where's little Afrika? It ain't the Ghetto! I am not a racist and will never be. I believe in the Brotherhood of Man. I will never avocate turning anyone away who needs help. Black folks throughout history have always shared! To our detriment!

Whenever Black folks say they are gonna do something for Black Folks like build businesses and create jobs in the Black Community, it's frowned upon even though everyone else does it. Black folks are the only ones expected to be Universal. So that's where my politics sit! Don't like it, Tough! I love Jesus and tried to be Universal until I realized the only one trying was me. Fool me once..

But I digress.....

So back to Mac, socialized medicine and higher taxes. King/Harbor Hospital in Watts, South Central Los Angeles, is a county hospital. Up until about five years ago it was one of the best trauma centers in the nation. The Trauma center was closed, as were several others, in the immediate metro area. The hospital was almost closed. Poor healthcare! They couldn't keep enough nurses. Hospitals like Kaiser paid more!

So when a non insured person gets the flu or a cold and can't go to the doctor for treatment they go to the emergency room. They will not be turned away. The city will end up footing the bill, not for treating illness ,when it was the flu or a cold, but for pneumonia or bronchitis. It could have been prevented if medical care was affordable. Is that a tax? Yes! It may not be called a tax but it's a tax. That same money could have been put into a clinic that served the uninsured and save the taxpayer much more money.

This is an argument that has already been proven and won so many times that it's pointless to argue it again.

If half the people in city don't have any health insurance then we are doing something wrong! Let's fix it! Come to the table with your ideas.

Now is it wrong for a health care company to make a profit? No! Of course not! But it is wrong for profit to be the major motivating factor! That's where they lose me. Some people would actually defend a system where half didn't have health insurance, and another thirty percent has it, but can not afford to go to the doctor, just so twenty percent can remain well insured and the shareholders make a profit!

That's wrong! What I don't hear is ways to fix it! How many people work full time jobs but have no health care? How many have health care but their kids are on medical cal? ( State assistance)

See we already foot the bill! I say, we spend the money smarter and more effectively.

In Watts and Compton where King/Harbor is the majority of the population is working class, the education level ranges from those who have no diploma to high school diploma/some college. The racial makeup of Compton and Watts is increasingly Hispanic. Why do I mention the racial makeup? It's been used to muddy the water again. Prop 187, remember? Are we giving public serves to illegal aliens? Should they be able to walk into a hospital and get free health care on our dime? Then we don't talk about affordable health care we are talking about immigration then. That's not the issue! Immigration is not the issue! It's just a smoke screen!

Bill Smith, makes $30 K a year, doing construction. He pays $1750 a month for a two bed room, 1 bath and he has two kids. His wife makes $25 K and none have health insurance. The company doesn't offer it and they can't afford it anyway!

Let's talk about what happens if Bill, his family, go untreated then an illness morphs into a stronger pathogen? How much money will that cost? Who will carry Bill? A small few would just put the foot to Bill but again Bill declares bankruptcy or defaults on a loan then who foots the Bill? We do! That's the point! Get it! The healthcare and drug special interest lobbies don't care about the taxpayer! They privatized the profit and socialized the loss!

What's the solution? Go to any emergency room in the inner city on a Friday night. It will be filled to the brim with the poor and the uninsured. It will be overwhelmingly minority!

So, here's what I would suggest we do. One implement some form of universal health care. Two, send doctors into Mexico to treat those who would come North before they do. Build clinics here and in Mexico. Have new residents work in the clinics with MD's and abroad. Supply all the clinics. Is it the absolute best plan? Heck No! but it's a start and it's better than what we got now.
We can use socialized models that work from Canada, France, Germany, Cuba and tweak them but hey these are not third world countries here.

Will it lower my quality of health care? It shouldn't! If you got nothing now what have you got to lose? If the taxpayer is already footing the bill anyway then I think the taxpayer would like it to be spend better by having that money reinvested into clinics and hospitals. What's the benefit?

Hospitals and clinics! Better relations with Mexico and possibly one less reason for illegals to head North!

Just a thought! But just so this gets said. One of the reasons it wouldn't work is because of the drug, insurance companies and partisan hacks who would let first Xenophobia, and most of all Greed! Greed being the main motivating factor. These special interest lobby millions every year to keep the status Quo. Which leads to only a few folks getting good health care and the rest with nothing. These special interests, the insurance lobbies and drug companies, want to privatize the wealth from the current system and socialized the risk or failures. The bill from the uninsured on the backs of the taxpayer.

Time for Change! If they preachin Stat Quo, they gots to go!

BE Mindful! BE Prayerful! BE Careful!

Jaycee

Monday, September 15, 2008

Serious Black Update!

I managed to photograph this little gem off the side of the Citadel a mere twenty minutes before the Hideously Evil Monkey had it removed! Serious Black was taken to solitary confinement after loyalists stormed the Citadel this past Friday. The underground reports that he has refused food and water and began to practice advanced meditation and breath control. Loyalists have attacked the Citadel continually since Friday. The Hideously Evil Monkey's spokesman Sen. Joe Lieberman having slithered away to parts unknown was not available to T.H.E.M. to issue a statement. While the coup supporters still have much power, Serious Black loyalists have made progress and are advancing on the capital.
BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!


Friday, September 12, 2008

Serious Black Coup! Update! Day Three!



Geraldo photographed after the battle!

Anderson Cooper observing the battle!

Former Georgia Governor Zel Miller


Whoa! I haven't seen anything this horrible since I watched The View!

Well Alright! Whoop! Whoop!

Senator Joe Lieberman speaking on behalf of the Hideously Evil Monkey!





The House of Representatives

I love the smell of Napalm in the Morning-Apocalypse Now

At five o clock this morning Serious Black loyalists attacked the Citadel seeking to free their leader and restore him to power. It was a fierce battle that lasted four hours. See Photos


Anderson Cooper was at the citadel seeking an interview with Serious Black. He was denied access while the those loyal to the hideously evil monkey insisted that the New Republic of Conservative Symians does not torture! The underground network reported that Serious Black after twenty four straight hours of Xena and the Gilmore Girls was reduced to sitting in a corner and sucking his thumbs and maybe a couple of toes. He's a monkey, don't judge him.

It was at that moment Anderson reports observing large symians hurling hot monkey mud against the windows and screaming! Free Serious Black and Give us Lieberman or Geraldo Rivera gets it! This proved to be a grave miscalculation as no one claimed Geraldo and he was subsequently thrown into the battle literally. Anderson Cooper reported witnessing Geraldo's body slammed repeatedly against the iron gates. The gates now breached and Geraldo still able to speak, the Monkeys, in an unprecedented act, of cruelty continued to let him speak!

Serious Black Loyalists set up thousands of hot lights and loud speakers playing Billy Ray Cyrus's Achy Breaky Heart and Michael Bolton repeatedly as loud as it would go!

Senator Joe Lieberman slithered away, escaping through a sewer line. Singer Toby Keith set to perform a tune praising the Hideously Evil Monkey was merrily stomped and beaten by the Dixie Chicks who came along with Anderson Cooper, Bono and Raekwon the Chef (who beat Keith with a spiked hat), in a delegation to free Serious Black.

This is Anderson Cooper reporting from the Citadel!!! Oh My-------!

BE Mindful! BE Careful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Coup! Day Two Update! Serious Black Held!


I just received a communique from the underground network concerning the whereabouts of deposed League of Evil Monkeys leader Serious Black. Reporters embedded inside the league report that he is under guard around the clock. He has been subjected to torture repeatedly being forced to watch reruns of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Xena(the episodes where Gabrielle and Xena talk about their feelings) and only the Shemp episodes of the Three Stooges.

Senator Joe Lieberman, (monkeyhood undetermined at presstime) an active participant in the coup, speaking on behalf of the Hideously Evil Monkey issued the following statement to the press.

"Serious Black abandoned the protocols of monkey nationalism, therefore the league leadership has been taken over by our, I mean, the benevolent leader "The hideously Evil Monkey" until free and fair elections can be held and order restored."

President Select George Bush and his Vice President while expressing deep concern for Serious Black's welfare lameted "how unfortunate it is that democracy has failed here!" Nevertheless he and Vice President Cheney signed into law a trade agreement importing several varieties of cheap bananas and Nilla wafers to America that Serious Black had vehemently opposed days before the coup.
When questioned about Serious Black's health and when he would be allowed access to a lawyer and have a court date in order to hear the charges against him, the Bush administration declined comment citing Executive privilege and National Security with the Vice President select Dick Cheney accidentally shooting Senator Ted Kennedy in the tushie!
No further comment at this time. Stay tuned!
BE Prayerful! BE Mindful! BE Careful!
Jaycee

America's Imam Passes on!

Al Imam Warith Deen Muhammed has passed on joining the ancestors waiting for the first resurrection on the last day. He was born, Wallace Muhammed, the seventh child of Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammed.

According to the Autobiography of Malcolm X it was Wallace who first tutored Malcolm in Orthodox Islam. Wallace was sentenced to three years in prison for refusing the draft and in that time studied Al-Islam and his Islam as his father taught it. After comparing the two Wallace ceased teaching the official NOI doctrine and instead taught Al-Islam. Wallace was suspended many times from the nation for not teaching the doctrines and theology prescribed by the Nation of Islam.

He was reinstated as a Minister of the Nation of Islam and would succeed his father as leader upon Mr. Muhammed's passing in 1975. He changed the name of the Nation of Islam to the World Community of Al-Islam in the West opening the mosque to all races and adopting Al-Islam. He denounced the original NOI teachings, closed the restaurants and bakeries and began to concentrate on teaching and bringing the people to the light of Al-Islam.

Several ministers chafed under his leadership most notably Louis Farrakhan who broke with Warith in 1977 and reformed the Nation of Islam. It is the largest of all the dissident organizations.

Imam Warith Muhammed became the first Imam to offer prayers at the United States Senate. In his lifetime he often spoke of truth and reconciliation between all members of the human family. He and Louis Farrakhan embraced and reconciled publicly in 1997. Minister Farrakhan in recent years has moved the Nation of Islam closer to the orthodox teachings of Al-Islam.

I am personally saddened by his death. He passed on September 9th and in a way this is the closing of one of our greatest opportunities. Warith Deen knew what extremism was and wasn't. He was an orthodox Iman and could have explained Islam to Americans and he could have explained Westerners to the Islamic World but strangely enough we are still just as ignorant about Islam and other world religions and cultures as we always were. He did not immigrate here, he was from here. He was very well known and respected and he was a non immigrant. His people didn't immigrate here they were imported and he was from the homegrown stock. He could have battled the likes of the Osama Ben Ladens with the beauty of Al Islam that Americans are so unfamiliar with. Now he's gone, We've lost that chance. He will be missed.

Allah U Akbar Warith Deen, rest in peace see you on the last day. May the God (IAM) of Peace be with your family in their time of grief.

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayer!
Jaycee

Wednesday, September 10, 2008




Main Library Saved!

The Long Beach City council and Mayor Bob Foster have come to an agreement on the city budget. Each city department will suffer budget cuts including some layoffs but the proposal to close the Main Library has been abandoned for now. The Library will close on Sundays and Mondays and some staff members will be layed off.

Mayor Foster still plans to eventually close the Main Library and build a new one at a different location. Thanks to local activists, educators and residents though the Main Library lives on.


BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee

Acres Of Books to close October 18th!




GENTRIFICATION: Noun: The process in which a neighborhood is transformed from low-value to high-value properties, Colonisation of an urban area by a higher socio-economic group, the displacement of lower income residents by higher income residents in a neighborhood.
According to the Long Beach Press Telegram the Acres of Books is will close its doors on October 18, 2008. The Karen Robes-Meeks penned article miffed me.
The Acres of Books is a Long Beach historical landmark that is being removed by eminent domain. It is not going out of business due to Amazon.com, the Internet or chain stores. The Acres of Books is being forced out of it's current location by the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) in conjunction with the City using eminent domain as the means. The RDA is planning to build on the site which extends from Broadway Ave. down Long Beach Blvd. to East 3rd Street and up Elm Ave. The RDA has accepted bids for contracts from private developers to build luxury condos and artist lofts and retail stores. They have also included the option to include California State University Long Beach. (CSULB) has not signed on to the project as of yet. The RDA has promoted this project as The Art center or some such name commiserate with the East Arts Village. There is however no explanation why the RDA would force the existing Art galleries, Photography and Bookstores out of business. Couldn't those businesses have been included in the layout of the new project? Why replace Art galleries with other art galleries if that is your true objective?
The Shades of Afrika operated at 352 East 3rd street for 15 years. It is an Afrikan American owned Bookstore and Art gallery. It also is a community center. NA AA meetings are held, Sistah Circle, a rite of passage program for young women, Poetry, Yoga and Afrikan history, CPR/First Aid classes and cinema nights. Why wouldn't you include that. They have since moved. The Acres of Books also hosted a weekly open mike. Al's Photography and Fingerprinting held several exhibitions of local art and photography. They have also moved further up 3rd Street. Why would they not be included? So I find it disingenuous of journalist Karen Robes-Meeks, of the Press Telegram to write that the Acres of Books is closing due to the changing literary landscape. I talked with Mrs. Meeks back in April when she first published a story about The Acres closing. I let her know that her story omitted several facts and it appears deceptive. Mrs. Meeks has continued to use the same quotes and deceptive omissions.
Nowhere do any of Miss Robes-Meeks articles mention gentrification nor is there any interviews with other local merchants affected by the RDA project. The Acres of Books has been advertised as an historical landmark. It's landmark status seemed to insulate it from the RDA but the city deftly explained that it was a city designated landmark status and that the city can choose to revoke that status. While I agree that this is a smarmy, snake move it is within the cities right but where is the Press Telegrams article on it?

Where is the article talking with local merchants about the city and the RDA's decision to gentrify the area? What about the merchants anger and feelings of betrayal? What about fairness?
What about the small business owners who have supported the area for years only to be discarded following another bout with the cities wanderlust? What about the residents? We're next!
Rents have gone ever higher each time the city gets a hard on to re-develop an area. Wages are stagnant! Where are the renters supposed to go?

Lastly, why is it alternative weeklies like LA Weekly, OC Weekly, The District, The Gazette and bloggers like myself are the only ones mentioning the failures of past and most recent redevelopment projects?

City place, the New Pike? Failures! Why??? Ask John Morris, you remember him? Owns Smooves, The Cohiba room, used to have Jack Roses and Mums, sued the city, won, then lost on appeal? Look at Pine Street right now. Morris complained years ago about the cities wanderlust when the Pike was being built. It killed Pine Street! Now, Z-Gallery is closing their store on Pine for this very reason.

Pine Street used to be the development that was gonna revitalize downtown. They built the new AMC theatre with retail shops and condos and restaurants then California went through a recession and a housing downturn. That was about 1992. Shop after shop has opened on Pine and they've closed most citing lack of foot traffic, the cities lack of support or high rents!
Remember Ben and Jerry's. The System M bar, New York Bryans, Education 2000+? The Afrikan American Gift Shop, Boogie Woogies? All Gone!
The City of Long Beach and The Redevelopment Agency to quote 562 Magazine have never met a developer they didn't like. Project after project has been built or is being built in hopes that the city will be infused with a higher income population. They have shown though that they are more than willing to sell Long Beach's collective soul in order to get it.
The Press Telegram is a decent local newspaper most of the time but good, fair, unbiased investigation is the only way to be a good journalist and continue to be a good paper. The PT is supposed to confront the RDA and The City officials on the failures of the old projects not just promote the new ones.
Don't let me be the only one who asks this question. Feel free to email Karen Robes.@presstelegram.com

BE Prayerful! BE Careful! BE Mindful!
Jaycee