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HOW NOT TO PICK A NEW 11TH DISTRICT CONGRESS REPSubmitted by Roldo on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 13:33.
A self-anointed selection committee of Democratic “leaders” will strongly “influence” – I’d say rule – the choice of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party in its task to name a replacement for Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Jones died suddenly recently of a brain aneurysm. Our leadership stinks pretty much all around, as many others have noted here and elsewhere. Who gave former Cong. Louis Stokes, now a partner in the elite Squire, Sanders & Dempsey law firm and an executive board member of our greedy Forest City Enterprises, or Mayor Frank Jackson the right to choose the next Congress(woman) for the 11th District seat? We know that the person named – most likely Marcia Fudge, mayor of Warrensville Heights – will have a huge advantage as the Democratic name on the ticket in November. How about a public process in which citizens in the 11th District can assess a field of candidates and which one they might like to represent them? Is that too democratic for our Democratic Party leaders? Why doesn’t one of the major television stations set up a debate among the announced candidates and give citizens a chance to see how the candidates stand up in debate? Such an event would have wider interest than the 11th district. Among some of the announced candidates are C. J. Prentiss, Jeff Johnson, Rev. Marvin McMickle, Bill Patmon, and Judge Michael Ryan. They will have to hurry because the decision is being made next Thursday by the Democratic Party and the person named will likely be the next Congress person from the 11th District – for many, many years. The same non-democratic method was used to fill the seat of Fannie Lewis. We were supposed to believe that Lewis made a death-bed whisper of her successor’s name to Council President Marty Sweeney. Sweeney would not have appointed Stephanie Howse without the consent of Mayor Jackson. You would think that the Plain Dealer – the only daily hereabouts – would take more of an interest than the mere listing of candidates. A good newspaper would sponsor a debate, even if not televised, so that people would see the candidates in action. However, the managers at the Pee Dee seem unable to think beyond the ordinary. Then they wonder why we have such poor representation by our public leaders. Our democracy, more and more here, comes by fiat of self-appointed elders without the input of any public process. Could that have anything to do with why things are so screwed up here? -
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strictly along racial lines?
Why do people seem to think that the selection of the Tubbs Jones replacement has to be conducted along racial lines? Aren't there any qualified people out there besides black people, and shouldn't we be talking about everyone who could possibly handle the representative's job in Washington?
Why the presumption that this person must be a black successor? Exclusion of other qualified, competent candidates in this instance limits the dialogue and militates against the best interests of the district overall.
A bigger question is why
A bigger question is why 90%+ blacks are planning to vote for the Obamessiah?
Pssstt. Flash: Many BLACKS are more racist than many white folks.
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic but will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path to destruction." Thomas Jefferson
What I do to black racists...
Being the only Euro-American family on a street of Afro-Americans... one of few Euro-American families for many, many blocks in any direction... I certainly experience racist anger from blacks against whites. One neighbor called me a "White Devil" when I moved here, and a black teenager behind my house has played racist rap music into our yard, to insult and intimidate my wife... some stuff about fucking white bitches...
Now, my name on the street and in the hood is "Bates" - for Norman Bates - for psycho - because I get in the face of black racists, rather than accept their stupidity. Mr. White Devil knows I consider him a disgrace, and I'm sure my neighbors understand why... and understand.
When the racist teenager behind my home tried to invade our space with his shitty "music", I shouted from my backyard up to the racist in his second story window "Is that fucking shit intended for us?" Turn that fucking shit off, you little racist". "Put your speakers in your fucking room and listen to your shitty music alone - mother fucker". I assure you my entire neighborhood heard me, and I havent seen or heard from the little racist punk since... or from any other little racist punks in my world, except you, here
Perhaps now the young black racist isn't a racist, being young enough to make mistakes and then learn to be a better person.
I don't believe ignorant old white racists are capable of such change, as they are victims of learned hatefulness and learned worthlessness. I assume you are such a racist... I suggest you turn off your stupid fucking racist rap, as some day you may have younger offspring who will not forgive you.
I forgive you.
Disrupt IT
Maybe Dick Bachert should
Maybe Dick Bachert should read a bit of history about racism in our nation.
He wouldn't be making such stupid statements if he did.
I vividly remember the 1968
I probably know more of our history than you do, and it's not the sanitized, PC, revisionist garbage coming through the government schools.
I vividly remember the 1968 Hough riots in Cleveland. My pregnant wife’s Ob/Gyn’s office was in the University Circle/Western Reserve area and I recall seeing jeeps with NG troops manning .50 cal MGs at every intersection.
A standout moment was when a TV reporter stuck a mike and camera in the face of a sweet old black resident and asked her what she thought about what was going on. She looked up the street to the gang of thugs trashing and burning some cars and softly remarked “I think those ni**ers are gonna get some of us black folks killed.”
I’m glad she’s no longer here to see what their behavior will bring THIS time should BO lose.
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic but will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path to destruction." Thomas Jefferson
I wasn't sure if you were really a racist...
Shame you reproduced... are your kids racists too.
Disrupt IT
Solving our problems
I am not going to pretend that anger is not part of the equation that amounts to life in the city and it radiates out to the suburbs where people live locked up with their guns and SUVs.
Anger is killing us and driving our kids to kill themselves. We have to plant seeds. We may not see a garden in our life time, but please, for the kids who inherit our little corner of the world, can we set good examples?
I'm glad to hear the
I'm glad to hear the extensive education Dick had in race relations in his partial one-day experience in 1968 during a riot period.
With that as the basis of his education no wonder he's so "thoughtful" about the subject.
Maybe Dick is not aware of
Maybe Dick is not aware of this book, for example - Slavery By Another Name
for someone who oft quotes Jefferson, let me offer this: (from the book's website)
Slavery:
. . . that slow Poison, which is daily contaminating the Minds &
Morals of our People. Every Gentlemen here is born a petty Tyrant.
Practiced in Acts of Despotism & Cruelty, we become callous to the
Dictates of Humanity, & all the finer feelings of the Soul. Taught
to regard a part of our own Species in the most abject &
contemptible Degree below us, we lose that Idea of the dignity of Man
which the Hand of Nature had implanted in us, for great & useful
purposes.
PTSD
Norm, one of the side effects of urban living is a sort of PTSD, which all of us need to be aware of and watch for symptoms. I was on near-perpetual alert for a number of years, here in Archwood-Denison. I think the whack job in the back house tried to have me arrested 38 times; she once had the dogs impounded when we were in Buffalo. For a respite, I used to go away to Shreve for the weekends along with Gloria and the kids.
It helps if they think you're crazy. They also thought for a while I was a judge. I never let them know much about who we were, or weren't. It seems to have worked.
Your public in-town image is a delicately balanced creation.