Immediately after the verdict was handed down, as I traveled from my hotel in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn to the Dumbo section of Brooklyn, I heard murmurs and frustrations from scores of people unsatisfied with judges decision.
Many have called out for peace and calm, including Sean Bell's own family, we'll see if there appeals are heeded or not. I sense a real fervor in the streets of New York, stay tuned. I think this song by New York rapper Papoose reflects the mood of many New Yorker this afternoon.
*The views reflected in this song do not necessarily reflect the views of Dion Dega, Blogger.Com or Mike Bloomberg.
Man the Pennsylvania primary took a lot of me. Sorry for the inconsistent postings. Here's a few thoughts about the Pennsylvania primary:
-The Machine beat the Movement: In a state like Pennsylvania, demographics weren't the only aspect that played well to the Clinton strategy; it was also the powerful democratic machine of Pennsylvania. A throng of elected officials, including over 100 mayors and dozens of party leaders all lined up to support the Hillary Clinton, even though he still has nothing more than a slim chance to win the nomination. That kind of thinking is counterintuitive to this crowd that never takes chances on eventual losers.
-Too Little Too Late: Obama had to much ground to make up and too little time.
-Rendell Was Right: Twenty percent of Pennsylvania Democrats said the race of a candidate played an important role in determining their vote. Clinton won those voters by nearly 20 percentage points, 59 percent to 41 percent.
In the end, I believe Pennsylvania got shortchanged. We are much more than beer drinking, deer hunting, ex-mill workers. We have a rich history, cultural legacy and potentially a bright future if we tackle the REAL PROBLEMS that threaten our prosperity. Issues such as: -Infrastructure: Our crumbling roads, bridges and inadequate public transit systems -The Economy: How do we turnaround our struggling former mill and mining towns? -Crime & Violence: Over 500 people have been murdered in Philadelphia and Allegheny County since January 2007.
So as my parting shot, I give you Lt. Governor Knoll who typifies the flames of Pennsylvania:
In the middle of writing this blog I saw this on MSNBC:
Absolutely speechless, now back to the program.
As new a poll showing Obama closing in on Clinton in Pennsylvania, the democratic candidates for President launched new TV ads (Clinton 5 in total) targeting each other's core base. Today, Quinnipiac University released results from their latest poll in a memo declaring, "Obama Catching Up With Clinton In Pennsylvania; She's Losing Ground Even Among Women".
The memo went on to say: "With two weeks to go, Sen. Barack Obama is knocking on the door of a major political upset in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary. Obama is not only building on his own constituencies, but is taking away voters in Sen. Hillary Clinton's strongest areas - whites including white women, voters in the key swing Philadelphia suburbs and those who say the economy is the most important issue in the campaign," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "The Pennsylvania primary is like a game of horseshoes: Sen. Obama needs only to come close to be considered the winner - taking away, perhaps fatally, Sen. Clinton's argument she is the candidate best able to defeat Sen. John McCain in critical swing states like Pennsylvania."
- This compares to a 50 - 41 percent Sen. Clinton lead in an April 2 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.
- One of the biggest shifts is among women who went from 54 - 37 percent for Clinton April 2 to 54 - 41 percent for her today. A look at other groups shows:
-Obama leads 55 - 37 percent among Philadelphia voters and 53 - 42 percent in the Philadelphia suburbs, widening a 49 - 44 percent April 2 lead in this critical area.
* White voters for Clinton 56 - 38 percent, down from 59 - 34 percent last week. * Black voters back Obama 75 - 17 percent, compared to 73 - 11 percent. * Men are for Obama 48 - 44 percent, compared to a 46 - 46 percent tie last week. * Voters under 45 go with Obama 55 - 40, while older voters back Clinton 55 - 38 percent.
- By a 71 - 23 percent margin, Pennsylvania likely Democratic primary voters have a favorable opinion of Clinton, compared to 67 - 19 percent for Obama.
- The economy is the single most important issue in deciding their primary vote, 52 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats say, followed by 22 percent who list the war in Iraq and 15 percent who cite healthcare.
Pennsylvania Democrats approve 65 - 23 percent of the way Obama is handling race issues in the campaign, with white voters approving 62 - 25 percent and black voters approving 80 - 14 percent.
Voters approve 56 - 28 percent of the way Clinton is handling race issues, with white approval at 60 - 24 percent and black approval at a negative 35 - 48 percent.
From April 3 - 6, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,340 Pennsylvania likely Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.
40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was murdered in Memphis, TN during a visit to support striking sanitation workers. I spent this weekend in Memphis soaking up the spirit of Dr. King and reflecting on the dreamer and the dream deferred. I thought it was poignant that Dr. King died in the midst of the labor struggle, this is a point many people forget. Many people also forget the year before his death he gave his famous speech vilifying the Vietnam War. We too often romanticize the legacy of Dr. King and forget how he had moved far beyond the silo of racial justice to broader issues of social justice including: economic justice, anti-militarism, supporting workers rights, etc.
I spent this past weekend in Memphis with the country's emerging progressive leaders discussing the next phase of the civil rights struggles: connecting the social justice movement to the environmental movement. We can no longer afford to exist in silos, the planet is in peril. We can save the planet and shift the global economy in way that ensures wealth, natural resources and access clean land, water and air is available to all 6 billion members of the human family. This is our moral obligation of the 21st century.
I am convinced that the future of our human existence depends on the next 100 years. I am convinced we have much more in common, than we have differences. I am convinced we share a common destiny. We shall either prosper or perish together. In these coming days embrace your "higher angels", if not for yourself, do it for those who await us in the next world. Do it for those who have yet be born. Dr. King once said: I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
"Just waking up in the morning gotta thank God, I dont know but today seems kinda odd. No barking from the dogs, no smog and momma cooked a breakfast with no hog.... "- Ice Cube
Today, I took the afternoon off so I could take my mother to see Michelle Obama speak at Carnegie-Mellon University. It was the first political event I went to with my mother since my youth, so it was a very interesting experience for me. When I was boy she took me to feminist panel discussions, so it's only right I got the opportunity to take her to see such a dynamic woman speak.
One hour, no notes, pure passion and all intellect. A lot of the people left that gym hoping one day they'll get to vote Michelle Obama for (Fill In the Blank). On the way in, I caught this pic standing in front of the "Hip-Hop Hype Man" Van. In between some of his on fire freestyles and occasional witty one liners, he mentioned he had traveled all around the country selling Barack Obama SWAG. He also mentioned that some true laissez faire economists were selling SWAG from both democratic candidates. The Hip Hop Hype Man thought that was bogus, "You gotta pick a side!", he said before launching into a freestyle flow reminiscent of 3:45am basement keg party cipher circa 1993.
The rest of the day I've been thinking about how funny that was, how good Michelle was, but mostly I've been thinking about my mom and how that picture truly tells the story of my day much better than I could.
Join us on the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. This historic event will celebrate his extraordinary life and present positive solutions from today's generation of visionary leaders. A bullet killed the dreamer, but not the dream. Together, we will create ecological solutions to heal the earth while bringing jobs, justice, wealth and health to all our communities.
The Dream Reborn is a chance to embrace and commemorate the legacy of Dr. King and all of the visionaries and fighters who have stood up for racial justice, hope, unity, and equality for all people. It is also a chance to bring together a generation of new leaders who are taking on the chief moral obligation of the 21st century, building a green economy for all. Together, we will heal our communities, break down barriers of race and class, and build pathways out of poverty to uplift the entire nation.
Diondega is the original name of my hometown, Pittsburgh, PA. The name was given to us by the Seneca Nation in the 17th or 18th century. The word means "the forks" referring to the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, where present day Pittsburgh has stood since 1758.
For the last several years, my close friends have often referred to Pittsburgh as Diondega. The name has become a rallying cry in our mission to transform a dying rustbelt town of into a vibrant, diverse, and economically competitive 21st century metropolis.
412 is the area code for the Pittsburgh region, if you were curious. My original blog The Diondega Journal has been on hiatus since summer 2005. Think of Diondega 412 the remix version.
The Plural Majority is a blog dedicated too political analysis and cultural commentary from the perspective of Gen X'ers & Millennials (aka The Plural Majority) who represent an emerging progressive American political movement that is more diverse than any in this country's history. The purpose of this blog is to provide a platform to discuss politics, current events and popular culture from a "Plural Majority" point of view.
This morning, 3 NYPD police detectives on trial for the murder of Sean Bell were acquitted of all charges, potentially setting off a tense weekend in the Big Apple.
