Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

This week has been interesting.  I’ve been trying to maintain my groove because I know just how much crap is on the political horizon.  To that end I have reduced the input of cable news.  I watched today just to see Barack Obama give his speech in Germany.

I can’t tell you just how proud I was of this man.  I loved his speech, loved the sight of American flags waving overseas.  I was just fine until the onslaught of the haters and their back-assed hatery.  Where do these fools come from?

I was ten seconds from some serious pisstivity when I heard a republican operative claim that Obama was just like...wait for it....george w bush.  At that point I could only laugh.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

Lately, even though the blackwoman has been trying to maintain her summer groove, she found herself wondering how the conversation on race devolved into who if anyone, can use the ‘N’ word.

Back in the day Richard Pryor did a routine about never again using the word after he returned from a trip to Africa and came to the realization that for him the word spoke of degradation that he was no longer willing to assign to black folk in America.

More recently Chris Rock riffed about the difference between black folk and niggahs.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

In my lifetime I have been asked if I am a Voodoo Priestess.  My responses varied as it depended upon who did the asking. A re-tired Admiral was asked if his penis had fallen off as a response to his apparent mocking. His question showed a complete lack of respect in that he thought he was offering an insult.

To a lover who asked the same question my response was "I hope so."  The most common was "I wish".

I must confess to ignorance about spells and such.  I’ve read a few books but came away with a different take on what magic spells look like.  Couldn’t feel the rooster blood stuff.  Loved the I am in control of my life aspects though.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

When the blackwoman first moved to the Pacific Northwest she did so with the idea that she would be writing a book about Thomas Jefferson.  Well, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings.

I’d done my research and had a fair idea of what I wanted to communicate. Having a three year olds attention span, I kept finding new strands and more information until I didn’t know where to begin. I had so many questions about Mr. Jefferson, how his mind worked, how he saw life and why he seemed so content flaunting the conventions of his time. He was both brilliant and flawed.

Needless to say I did not write it.   The tangle of his life was more than I wanted to take on in the end.  Still Tommy (as I grew to think of him) remains very much on my mind, never more so than this time of year when we celebrate the founding of this country.

Although Kos has declared 2010 primary season on corrupt Dems, Kevin Powell is jumping the gun a bit. Powell, an author and community organizer who might be best known nationally for his turn on the first season of MTV's The Real World, has decided to mount a primary challenge against Edolphus "Ed" Towns [NY-10].  Towns is one of the pharmaceutical company's best friends in congress and is also the man who handed the Bush administration a victory a few years ago by casting the decisive vote to pass CAFTA.

Towns has been in office for 25 years and represents a safe Democratic district in Brooklyn, so ousting him would send a powerful message to some of the less progressive members of the caucus to get their acts together.  Towns' defeat would also demonstrate the strength of the people powered political movement that Barack Obama is building.

But how can Powell defeat such a powerful incumbent?  Follow me below the fold.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

The blackwoman took some time off.  I left the idyll of my sweet country existence and spent the week with a longtime sistathgirlfriend in a small farming community where there are no shadows cast by cell towers.  It was wonderful.

My sistahgirlfriend has a lavender farm.  Hers is an organic life. Her environment represents an investment she made in her own growth.  Like her it is magical.

On paper no one would expect our friendship which at this point spans three decades. She of blond hair and blue eyes and me of not.  She of an easy grace and gentle spirit.  Me of fire breathing possibilities. She of tiny stature long side my Amazonian presentation.

Commentary
Dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor

This sunday was fathers day and made me think of my own father. He grew up at a time when "repectable" people didn't think people of color were as smart as white people. Growing up in Jamaica he learned that the british had a huge burden they civilized the world. Much like Obama my dad was abandoned by his dad, see his father was white and his mom was black.

When he passed away my grandparents wouldn't except him or my grandmother, the government refused to give her any of his pension. My grandmom was poor so at first she tried to have a friend raise my dad. My poor dad  because as a five year old, he watched this poor women pass away in the dead of the night, he had to walk home 3 miles past midnight to reach his mom. My father was given up for adoption, my grandmother was too poor to raise all her children. As a "high" yellow child it was easy to be adopted by a wealthy black family.

But they really wanted a live in servant, my father was forced to call his adopted brother and sister, sir and ma'am.

For those of you who are familar with my diaries you know I'm very carefull about calling a person a racist. I find it's more like to end conversations then to start them. But I find this story from the NYT is loaded with politics and racism masked as concern. I have developed a deep loathing for the word CONCERN in politics. More often then not it's a code word, because it's never elaborated on. Concern about what?  Concern usually masks racism, sexism, politics, or homophobia. The reasons expressed for this concern always seem flimsy.

In this case the CONCERN is over the large number of black people registering to vote in Louisiana. You see the Democrats’ Vote Drive in Louisiana Stirs Concern. Why is it stirring concern?

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

In about 145 days Americans will go to the polls and elect a new president.  I cannot tell you how I long for the day when George Bush is no longer resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  I have already offered to go in there with sage and do an energetic wipeout.  Not sure what can truly be done about the stain on our collective consciousness that this man and his cronies have put upon this nation and what many of us thought America stood for.  We’re gonna have to work real hard to eliminate the vestiges of his demon residue upon the citizens of this country as well as the world at large. I get a headache just thinking about it. I’ve gotten sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Meanwhile this summer we are going to be treated to nationalism in extremis as the Olympic games begin in August.  Americans who think we are not ready for a black president are always ready for a black gold medalist.  I’ve often thought it strange that we are all Americans when competing on the world stage.  Less so at home.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

Since the first of the year I’ve been sensing a shift in the fundamental ways that things have been done.  I wrote about it in my first diary of this year.  I wrote about hope.

One of the comments in that first of the year diary challenged the idea of hope.

Now if he had a plan that actual had a road map to hope - then I would consider it. Don't you find it weird that a campaign slogan is hope?  Come on.

Here is my reply...Hope is not a road it's the way you take the journey.

For the past six months I and others have been taking this journey of hope.  We are half way there now and things are looking good.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

There has been a lot of talk about the election of Obama symbolizing a post racial America. While his nomination will certainly signal an end to the black out of African Americans in Presidential politics, I’m not feeling the post racial thing.  At least not yet.

One of the observable phenomena that the blackwoman has gleefully  noticed is the increase in numbers of African Americans on cable news programs.  Eugene Robinson has become a regular feature.  Bob Herbert as well.  Michelle Barnard has become an MSNBC political analyst.  Tamron Hall on MSNBC.  Donna Brazille and Roland and Tony Harris on CNN. To name a few. Even Jon Stewart has Larry Wilmore. Hell, even J.C. Watts is starting a black news channel.This is one of the positives of the Obama candidacy. No matter what Geraldine Ferraro says.

Following up on Jeremybloom's excellent diary on Hillary's potential difficulties in NY State after her sustained and repeated attacks on the African American electorate

http://www.dailykos.com/...

And in keeping with the principles of confronting Dems who refuse to Act Blue, I invite you to consider a potential challenger for Hillary in 2012

update
All those stating that Hillary can 'mend fences' fail to understand the antipathy that Hillary engenders in the Black community in NY.  Without  that support she cannot win.  So, if we want to keep the seat we should begin thinking about who should run against her in the primary.

Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor


You know, the blackwoman is feeling pretty good these days.  Tomorrow I leave for New Haven CT. where my youngest son is getting two (count ‘em) two, Masters Degrees from Yale University.  

Last Thursday, my ninth grandchild was born.  Shares a birthday with two other of my grands. And my brother.  And one of my dearest friends.

My Azaleas are kicking butt beautiful.

My lawn is mowed. It had started looking like Afro (Ultra Sheen big ass afro)-turf.

My bills are mostly paid (a big thank you Jesus).

Yeah, it’s a good time.

Karen Brooks of The Dallas Morning News is reporting on the problems involving the selection of Democratic National Convention bloggers. Check out the link to her article below. Ms. Brooks provides a great overview on the issues involving the Democratic Party and how they are treating black bloggers. I know Native Americans and the Angry Indian must be wondering why Native Americans seem to be excluded by the DNC as well.

http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.co...

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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Commentary
Robinswing, Black Kos Editor

What a week. I’ve been in such a good mood, I’m sure that somewhere I’m illegal.  I’ve got that I can do anything, I just kicked some bear boodie exuberance.  I’ve experiencing that cup running over thing while cheerful is slapping me about the head and shoulders.

Something has shifted. A tide has turned.  Not a moment too soon if you ask me.  The blackwoman needs a little rest, some time to put my hands in the dirt and grow something wonderful. In celebration.

This year I’m planting an Obama Victory Garden .  It will provide food, flowers and fragrance. I will watch it grow and see it as an analogy for what is taking place in America.

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


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Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing


click to enlarge