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Vol. 9 No. 41…Dedicated to the Dialogue
on Race…October 13, 2006
Dreams
By Yohannes Sharriff
What do you do
when you realize
there is no spoon
or straight line
separating dreams
from these waking
hours?
They say, if you
believe in your dreams
they’ll come true.
So why does it seem
we give so little
credence to the things seen
when our eyes are
closed?
They say you can be
anything,
if you reach for the
stars,
Making it seem so far
away
when our atoms are
the same as the stars.
So, why don’t we
reach for who we truly are?
Some claim they dare
not believe
in what they can not
see.
Yet, they believe in
every breath they breathe
and the air goes
unseen.
I mean, why do so
many
find themselves
saying it was just a dream?
Why do so many bright
ideas
fade in a shoe box in
the closet
gathering dust
amongst the keepsakes of youth?
They say, you must be
patient
yet the patient spend
their days creating proof
that their dreams are
real.
And maybe it’s not so
much
a constant
contradiction as it is the fact
we exist beyond three
dimensions.
The jaguar whispers
and I awake from the dream
Within a dream the
jaguar whispers,
“Everything is not
what it seems.”
Wading thru reality,
am I still dreaming?
Is this an awakening,
because most seems to
be sleeping?
Neither past nor
future…
Somewhere in between,
I’m living a waking dream.
Maybe it is the way
the ancestors dreamed
me into existence.
On top of Mt Arabia
watching the sunset
Breathe and believe
it’s infinite
The Goddess has
returned to conceive the present.
Birthing a new sun,
she’s here to
transform the limited into infinite.
Remember, this is a
dream
the meaning maybe
cryptic
perhaps metaphysic .
Then again, it may
not even make sense.
Acid trip lucid,
the jaguar whispers,
“Some seem to know
how to fight
without ever having
thrown a punch.”
My response was, “To
fight reflects the war inside.
So, I win the war by
not fighting
By exercising my
mind, moving wise
and knowing God got
the outcome.
Give my life to
protect what I love
Because you never
know the day or the time
But, if you are still
fighting when opposition arrives,
live or die, you
probably already lost.
No matter the war,
both sides pay the cost.
Pray and know God is
listening.
And don’t be afraid
to listen to the God within.
The jaguar whispers…
The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro returned to his middle school in
mid-August. Already the public school system has begun its endless regime of
testing, which is part of the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind
program. Asked about the early testing, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro groused,
"They don't teach! We just test!"
Abraham Lincoln
(1809-1865)
Born February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln was named after his grandfather, who was scalped in a 1786 Indian raid. His parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, were farmers. From an early age, Lincoln was exposed to anti-slavery sentiment. His parents belonged to a breakaway Baptist church that did not support slavery. Lincoln never joined any church. As a youth, he ridiculed religion, but mastered the Bible.
Lincoln's early education consisted of little
formal schooling. Self-taught, he read every book he could borrow. In 1837, Lincoln
was admitted to the bar. He served as a captain in a company of the Illinois
militia during the Black Hawk War, but he never saw combat. His political
career began with an unsuccessful bid for the Illinois General Assembly in
1832. Two years later, Lincoln (a Whig) won an Assembly seat and served four
successive terms
Elected to the US House of Representatives
(1946), Lincoln spoke out against the Mexican-American War, which he attributed
to President Polk's desire for "military glory -- that attractive rainbow
that rises in showers of blood." Lincoln decided not to seek reelection
following angry demonstrations by Democrats in his district.
Lincoln returned to politics in opposition to the
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), which sparked debates over slavery. On October 16,
1854, at one of his famous debates with Illinois Democrat Stephen A. Douglas,
Lincoln called slavery a monstrous injustice, which "deprives our
republican example of its just influence in the world--enables the enemies of
free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites--causes the
real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and especially because it
forces so many really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the very
fundamental principals of civil liberty--criticizing the Declaration of
Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of action but
self-interest."
Lincoln helped form the new Republican Party and
ran unsuccessfully against Douglas for the Senate (1858). A rising national political
star, Lincoln was chosen as the Republican candidate for the 1860 election. He
campaigned against expanding slavery into the territories. On November 6, 1860,
Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States.
As expected, seven slave states left the Union to
establish the Confederate States of America. South Carolina led the secession
to preserve southern heritage, which included the right to own slaves. Lincoln
appropriated unprecedented war powers -- proclaiming a blockade, suspending
habeas corpus, spending money without congressional authorization, and
imprisoning 18,000 suspected Confederate sympathizers without trial-to win the
war. His actions, though denounced by Copperheads, were subsequently upheld by
Congress and the Courts.
Lincoln made it clear that the North was fighting
to preserve the Union, not to abolish slavery. Freeing slaves (Emancipation
Proclamation) in the Confederate states was a war measure to weaken the
rebellion by destroying the economic base of its leadership class.
On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E.
Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Five days later, Lincoln
was shot in the head at close range. He never regained consciousness. Sometimes
called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter and Great
Emancipator, Lincoln was officially pronounced dead at 7:22 A.M. April 15,
1865. (Sources: Encyclopedia Americana, http://en.wikipedia.org
and www.pbs.org)
Disgruntled
want to know: Examined along demographic lines, it is easy to see
where the pain of unemployment is concentrated. The low 4.6% national
unemployment rate translates into an unemployment rate for blacks of 9.2
percent, more than twice the 4.0% white unemployment rate. The black and white
teen unemployment rates of 32.2% and 13.8 respectively, were even more
disturbingly disparate. If slavery ended, how do we explain this chasm of
inequality?
Disgruntled feels: Shameless! Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
preached the rule of law in impeaching former President Bill Clinton. Yet, he
jettisoned his lofty principles to legalize lawlessness in detainee treatment
and detention. Some say Karl Rove's little black book of secrets forced Graham
to abide by George W. Bush's wishes. So, Graham, a conservative darling and
lifelong bachelor, embraced shameless hypocrisy.
Disgruntled
says: The detainee detention bill is strictly CYA. Recall detainee
abuses at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo! Grunts were prosecuted for obeying orders. This
is CYA!
Heritage of a Totally Lawless Nation
By John Burl Smith
Entering a new millennium, after surviving the dark and deadly 1900s, slave
descendants hoped the United States would finally accept responsibility for its
slave heritage. Furthermore, it would create mechanisms to address and began to
repair damage caused by nearly 400 years of deprivation. Benighted, the
intervening years after emancipation did nothing to affect the mind-set of
whites. Owning human beings produced a superiority/inferiority dichotomy in the
minds of whites and blacks. White-run state governments promoted white
privilege.
The nation's refusal to repeal the constitutional bases of slavery (Article 1
Section 2 of the US Constitution) and eliminate systemic institutionalized
racism has kept the socioeconomic and political impact of slavery intact.
Constitutional rights granted slaves and their descendants were nullified;
defiance of those laws by states put America astride the bar of justice.
Codifying racial discrimination preserved state and federal policies that
encouraged defiance and lawlessness.
Whites talk of "Saving our way of life" or "Keeping the white race
pure!" Government (state and federal) maintain the economic advantage
whites gained during slavery by continuing discrimination against blacks.
Depriving blacks of education through segregation was states' top priority.
States directed terror campaigns, even organized lynchings that were attended
by business and community leaders and their families. Any gruesome, horrid or
profane act perpetrated against blacks, no matter how vile, was validated by
state and federal courts.
This lawlessness has been documented by James Allen, author of Without Sanctuary: Photographs and Postcards
of Lynching in America. Searching the annals of US heritage, Allen
uncovered visual evidence that lynching was state-sponsored terrorism. The most
lawless and deadliest period for blacks in the US was 1890 to 1950. Nearly
5,000 people are known to have been lynched; most researchers believe the
actual number is much higher.
The critically acclaimed documentary on Civil Rights in the US, "Eyes on
the Prize" produced by Blackside, presents the battle for dignity waged by
blacks against state and federal governmental power. It shows US blacks faced
the same lawlessness as blacks in South Africa during Apartheid. Governors,
like Ross Barnett of Mississippi and George Wallace of Alabama, and Senators,
such as Storm Thurmond (R-SC) instigated racial hatred by defying laws that
sought to give blacks equality in order to maintain their heritage of white
supremacy.
Appeals to heritage by Sen. George Allen of Virginia, bear the same
implications as Barnett, Wallace and Thurmond's, as well as George W. Bush's
claim to Southern heritage in his speech at Bob Jones University in 2000. Their
appeals glorify the most lawless period in US history, when black killings were
recreational events called picnics. The Republican assault on constitutional
government will increase such lawlessness. Fear of what may happen if blacks
actually gained equality has always been used to gain and maintain power in
America. During the 1900s, this kind of fear mongering was proclaimed overtly.
Today, politicians like Sen. Allen use code words, such as "heritage"
and "Macaca," to telegraph their racist sentiments and intent.
Having survived the lawlessness of slavery, Jim Crow and lynching, blacks
living in America are the strongest and most resilient humanity has to offer.
We have access to or are within reach of most current theories and applications
of knowledge. The world's best technology is just a click away. Centuries of
deprivation have infused us with a sense of struggle no other people have
endured, let alone survived. Consequently, we are owed reparations as a result
of the heritage Sen. Allen so proudly embraces.
George W. Bush promised to, "turn back the clock on civil rights."
Erecting barriers and blocking access, he hoped to convince blacks to accept
"white only" signs in their minds. For blacks to acquiesce, they
would have to get back down on their knees and put Bush's foot on their necks.
During the 1968 Memphis Sanitation strike, black men stood up and from their
necks hung, "I AM A MAN!" Today, we can do no less, than stand up for
law against lawlessness. Even in the wild wild west, there was always one man
that would stand for law against the lawless or is everyone "Brokeback
Mountain" cowboys. Is that American heritage?
Fighting alongside striking sanitation workers to bring down racist laws, I
lived an example of US heritage. Thirty-eight years later, I never dreamed that
I would be defending America's heritage of constitutional law, which is now
under attack from the same kind of lawlessness. There are times in a nation's
life, when its people must decide, whether their country's heritage will be
that of a nation ruled by law or a nation ruled by men above the law. For the
United States of America that time is now!
Angilo Freeland
On September 28, 2006, Polk County, Florida
Sheriff's Deputy Vernon Williams, 39, and his dog, Diogi, were shot while
pursuing Angilo Freeland, who fled from a traffic stop. According to the
official recount, 27-year-old Freeland, fatally shot the deputy and his dog and
wounded a second deputy. When Freeland, a troubled young man, was found hiding
in a fallen oak tree, nine SWAT officers fired a total of 110 bullets at him,
hitting him 68 times. Freeland refused to raise both arms and an officer said
he spotted a weapon in Freeland's hand.
After viewing Freeland's riddled body, his family called on Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to order an independent investigation of the shooting. An Orlando-based civil rights group called on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to look into the circumstances surrounding Freeland's death.
Sadr’s Surprise
Just before "shock and awe," "Peep
City" Barnabas warned that Iraq's army planned to fight an urban guerrilla
campaign, rather than face the US in large battles. Peep City dropped off the
radar screen after that last dispatch. Back then, many argued against Peep
City's scenario.
Unquestionably, the US has been unable to
vanquish the Mahdi army of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al Sadr. Obviously, it
contains former Iraqis soldiers. Considered a "rag-tag" bunch of
disgruntled "jihadists" or Saddam loyalists at first, these upstarts have
the empire planning a full scale invasion of Sadr City in a house to house
sweep.
Believed dead by most in the international game
of deep cover operatives, apparently Peep City went deeper than deep surviving
the last three years. A real patriot during this time when leaks are the only
way citizens learn what is really going on, Peep City believes this invasion is
part of an election-year "October surprise" designed to make it seem
the US is on the offensive -- that the war in Iraq is winnable. Peep City warns
of impending carnage, if the US invades Sadr City and other Shi'ite
strongholds.
According to Barnabas, the Mahdi army is busy
planting IEDs. The word is booby-trap everything, then booby-trap the
booby-traps. Lamenting the needless deaths and destruction in Fallujah, Peep
City continued, "The Mahdi army learned hard lessons by standing and
fighting. They are determined not to allow US troops to advance house to house
and not take causalities, while they must fight hit and run skirmishes."
Sadr's October surprise will draw US troops into certain areas, then let them blow themselves up searching for 'Islamic jihadists.' Never staying to fight prolonged battles, increased body counts and lack of success will anger Americans; damaged homes and businesses will anger Iraqis.
In closing his report, Barnabas threw in the caveat, "Ho Chi Minh would be proud of this plan."
Mailbox: E-Mails, Faxes and Telephone Calls
Email caselawclk@hotmail.com
Compromise Detainee Legislation Guts Common Article 3...By David Scheffer...
The so-called "compromise" legislation between the Bush
Administration and key Republican members of Congress concerning the
enforcement of common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions significantly
weakens existing law, censors the federal judiciary in its deliberative and
drafting responsibilities, and invites dangerous reciprocal and retaliatory
measures by foreign governments to the detriment of U.S. personnel engaged in
or responsible for interrogations of foreign detainees and any U.S. personnel
who may be captured.
Email www.tompaine.com Lincoln Weeps...By Bill
Moyers...Back in 1954, when I was a summer employee on Capitol Hill, I made my
first visit to the Lincoln Memorial. I have returned many times since, most
recently while I was in Washington filming for a documentary about how Tom
DeLay, Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist, among others, turned the
conservative revolution into a racket--the biggest political scandal since
Watergate. If democracy can be said to have temples, the Lincoln Memorial is
our most sacred. You stand there silently contemplating the words that gave
voice to Lincoln's fierce determination to save the union--his resolve that
"government of, by, and for the people shall not perish from the
earth." On this latest visit, I was overcome by a sense of melancholy.
Lincoln looks out now on a city where those words are daily mocked. This is no
longer his city. And those people from all walks of life making their way up
the steps to pay their respect to the martyred president--it's not their city,
either. Or their government. This is an occupied city, a company town, and
government is a subservient subsidiary of richly endowed patrons.
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