What a year was 2012

 
Reblogged from THE OBAMACRAT
 
What a year!

 
Racism. Prejudice. Fear. Hatred.

 
Death and Destruction. Voter Suppression.
 
 
Natural Disasters. Handgun and Assault Carnage.
 
 
Lying Politicians. Jealousy. Envy. Incompetence.
 
 
Selfishness. Murder and Mayhem. War On Women.
 
 
War On LGBT Community. Homophobia. Islamophobia.
 
 
Homelessness. Bigotry. Fear.
 
 
War On Veterans. Cuts To Food Stamps (TANF).
 
 
Welfare. Social Security. Medicare. Medicaid.
 
 
Disability/Troop Benefits. Tax Cuts For Millionaires /Billionaires.
 
 
Corporations Are People. Tax Increases On Poor/Middle Class.
 
 
N.R.A. Idiocy. Fast and Furious Lies. Benghazi Fiasco.
 
 
Global Warming Denied. Missing Exploited Murdered Children.
 
 
Women’s Rights Denied. Americans Massacred.
 
 
Fiscal Cliff. Government Waste. Do NOTHING Congress.
 
 
Obstructionist TeaTardedRepubliCANTS.
 
 
Saints Disgraced. Birtherism.
 
 
Jerry Sandusky. RepubliCANT Primary Fiasco.
 
 
British Petroleum. X.L. Keystone Pipeline.
 
 
Fracking. Union Busting.
 
 
The Lyin UnFitt Mitt Romney Family. Romnesia.
 
 
Lyin Paul Ryan. Ted Nugent. Meatloaf. Grover Norquist.
 
 
Karl Rove. Conservative Talk Radio. Faux Spews (Fox News).
 
 
Wall Street. Wells Fargo. Bank Of America. Citi Corp.
 
 
Record Foreclosures. Occupy Wall Street
 
 
Susan G. Komen For The Cure. Abortion Clinics
 
 
Defunding Planned Parenthood. Legitimate Rape.
 
 
Attacking The First Family. Gas Prices. David Petraeus.
 
 
The 47% “MITTstake”. Bain Capital.
 
 
Clint Eastwood Speaks To An Empty Chair. Todd Akin.
 
 
Sandy Hook Elementary School. Sikh Temple,
 
 
Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Aurora, Colorado.
 
 
Clackamas Town Center, Oregon.
 
 
Cafe Racer Espresso in Seattle, WA.
 
 
Racist Rampage Tulsa, Oklahoma.
 
 
Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, MN.
 
 
Oikos University, Korean College. Oakland, CA.
 
 
Chardon High School in Chardon, OH. Syria.
 
 
Trayvon Martin. MARISSA ALEXANDER
 
 
Jordan Davis. Troy Anthony Davis. George Zimmerman.
 
 
Micheal Dunn. Janepsy Carballo. Daniel Adkins Jr.
 
 
Jamonta Miles. Hernando Torres. Diego Ortiz.
 
 
Whitney Houston. Hurricane Sandy.
 
 
JP Morgan Chase & CEO Jamie Dimon.
 
 
High Gas Prices. Sheldon Adelson. Donald Trump.
 
 
Amanda Todd. Michael Clarke Duncan.
 
 
Elizabeth Collins. Lyric Cook-Morrissey. Junior Seau.
 
 
Lance Armstrong. Tavis Smiley. Cornell West.
 
 
To say that I am still reeling from this past year’s events is an understatement. Yet, with all the shocking, horrible, obstructionist, evil actions that hit our nation like a tidal wave, there was plenty of love, courage and a fighting spirit that saw us through this eventful year. Let us all promise to get involved and engaged in 2013 to prevent another 2012 from happening again…or at least keep the man-made events to a minimum.
 
 
There are some great clips at the link

 
 

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No Country For Young Black Men

Melissa Harris Perry…

If you are a young black man, who you are is threat enough

The police acted the very next day. A man was arrested, charged, and is in custody, being held without bond. So this–the alleged shooting of Jordan Russell Davis by Michael David Dunn, is not that–the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman.

But in so many other aspects of this case, the parallels are undeniable–another 17-year old African-American boy, shot and killed. The alleged assailant, an older white man, said he felt threatened–although the boy he is accused of shooting was reportedly unarmed. Another claim of self-defense to justify the killing, and in a “Stand Your Ground” state. Another pair of grieving parents, losing a child and seeking justice.

And again, that sense–for those of us who know and love them–that this is no country for young black men.

Which is why this week, I am addressing my open letter to whom it may concern.

It’s me, Melissa. And if you are like me, this latest news has got you concerned, indeed. Because here we are again. It has been barely a year since the killing of Trayvon Martin resurrected that old angst–long buried, but always there just below the surface. You know that feeling. It’s the one that makes us hear about Trayvon, and now Jordan Davis, and reach back across decades into our history, for the name of another boy named Emmett Till.

Then, it was a whistle at a white woman. Now, it’s a hooded sweatshirt or music being played loudly from a car.

But always, this one thing has been the same–No presumption of innocence for young black men. No benefit of the doubt. Guilt–not determined by what they did or said–but presumed to be inherent in their very being. They need not wield a weapon to pose a threat. Because, if you are a young, black man, who you are is threat enough. And in yet another case, it seems, that perceived threat is justification enough for someone who would play judge, jury and executioner.

Jordan Russell Davis will be laid to rest today. His father described his son as a typical teenager, who was looking forward to staring his first job, working at McDonald’s. He was saving up to buy his first car. The day before he died, his mother says, he gave the Thanksgiving dinner prayer, where he gave thanks for his family.

But before Jordan could be eulogized at his funeral, the defense team for the man who is accused of killing him was already telling a different story about who this young man was. According to police, Jordan and his three friends were sitting in an SUV at a Jacksonville gas station, when Dunn pulled up next to them and asked them to turn down their music down. Words were exchanged. This is the story Dunn’s attorney, Robin Lemonidis, about why her client felt threatened:

“He sees that much of a shotgun coming up over the rim of the SUV…and all he sees are heavily tinted front windows that are up and the back windows that are down, and the car has at least four black men in it, and he doesn’t know how old anyone is, and he doesn’t know anything, but he knows a shotgun when he sees one because he got his first gun as a gift from his grandparents when he was in third grade.”
Police have found no evidence that Jordan and his friends had any weapon in their car.

But Michael David Dunn, a registered gun owner, did have one. He used his gun to fire eight rounds into the boys’ vehicle. Two of those bullets struck and killed Jordan Davis, who was sitting in the backseat. Dunn fled the scene.

These are the facts as we know them today. As the investigation continues, details will no doubt continue to emerge. But as we watch the case unfold, let us be sure, while we are watching, that we continue to see in Jordan Davis what Michael Dunn did not–a human being, instead of a threat.

Sincerely,

Melissa

 

I call it HOMEGROWN TERRORISM!

Another detailed accounting is at The ObamaCrat.com

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