gEnArlOw wIlsOn!

I know I made a big deal about the Day of Action, and that SHOULD be what I'm writing about today. But here's the two reasons why that's being put on the back burner: 1) I got some video I want to edit and organize, and 2) I have to back up and touch on my man, GENARLOW! If you're unaware of this particular case, it's basically a 17 year old engaged in consensual oral sex with a 15 year old at a party. It was videotaped; the tape incriminated him to the point where he was convicted of AGGRAVATED CHILD MOLESTATION, which resulted in a MANDATORY 10 year prison term. He's already served 2 years of this sentence, and RECENTLY A JUDGE ORDERED HIS RELEASE. Followed very quickly by an appeal by the State Attorney General, denying the release of Genarlow. Now for some interesting details...

I'm not sure how to see this as anything other than a personal attack on this young man with racial motives. Please call me out if you see any bias on my part because I do have a bias, warranted or not, against the south when it comes to issues of race. And I base that on 1) my belief that your consciousness evolves through time resulting in YOU today. For example, families who have lived in the south for generations still have parts of their ancestors' consciousness within them, as well as what they have contributed to their own current consciousness. And 2), I've been to Mississippi and Louisiana and WOW! Being from the Northeast, where racism is not extinct but is not as OPEN, I had a very hard time accepting the amount of Confederate flags. On people's homes, at the register in convenient stores and gas stations, etc., etc. With all that said, my intent is to look at the FACTS and try to come to a logical estimation of what's going on.



The main issue I have is the Attorney General's appeal. We are at a point in history where extraordinary breakthroughs are happening in countless disciplines. And that's great; we're learning from our mistakes and making the world a better place. So it really puzzles me when this AG appeals this case because it's LITERALLY the law. I respect the law and abide the best I can, so it's not that I'm just a generic discontent. Even though many very educated, powerful leaders including FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER, MONROE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE THOMAS WILSON, and MATT TOWERY, have spoken out against the injustice, he cannot see why common sense should supersede law. A law that since has been amended, just not retroactively, and has been an eye-opener for a lot of lawmakers and pundits. And that includes the aforementioned Matt Towery, the former Georgia lawmaker and author of the original piece of legislation back in 1995.

In the article, he admits that the original intent was not to lock up teenagers for 10 YEARS for having consensual sex. He also explains how in order to get ANYTHING passed he had to merge with another law, raising the age of consent in Georgia to 15. And because of this agenda-fueled merge of two very intricate laws, the final law did not get the debate it deserved. I'm not a lawyer by any means, BUT during the process of merging the two into one, there was a HUGE element overlooked. A ROMEO AND JULIET CLAUSE was added to the sexual intercourse side, but not the ORAL (Aggravated Child Molestation falls here). With the protection of the Romeo & Juliet clause, Genarlow Wilson's case would have automatically been reduced to a misdemeanor because there was less than 3 years between the two consenting participants. If he would have engaged in sexual intercourse, the R & J clause would have applied. Does that sound like a fair law? Wouldn't it make sense to retroactively change this law for everyone affected? Why keep this man in prison one more day?!?



So you're probably thinking, "yes, this is a terrible injustice, but where is the racial motive?" Well, do you remember the ROB LOWE SEX TAPE? That happened in Atlanta, and when the story broke, local television stations were warned by the Feds that if they broadcast, or even viewed, the tape, they would be guilty of possession and/or distribution of child pornography. Compare that to how this video is being handled. By definition, the "Genarlow Wilson Sex Tape" is child pornography, and there is no suffocation of either the viewing or distribution of this tape. Why?With those questions out there, it brings me back to the importance of knowing our laws. A good thing that came out of this is this SITE. In these times, more than ever, we NEED to know our rights. They're changing, and sadly diminishing, everyday. And how will you be able to teach your children "right" and "wrong" if you don't know yourself? To me, without viewing the tape, it seems the malicious intent that this law was originally intended to protect children from, is not there. We've all been to high school; and we know how athletes are viewed, especially through the eyes of underclassmen looking to fit in. This man is not a SEXUAL PREDATOR, as far as this case shows. But if the Attorney General gets his way, through plea bargains or continuing to prosecute under this law that is basically a gray area in the law, Genarlow will have to register as a sexual predator the rest of his life, with no asterisk explaining the complexities or the change that resulted because of this man's sacrifice.

dAY Of ActIOn!

As the DAY OF ACTION quickly approaches, a lot of different emotions are battling inside my skin. Everything from JOY to FRIGHT; HOPE to ANGER; EXCITEMENT to HESITANCE has been bouncing off each other like atomic particles. And we've ALL seen the negative potential of those who swear to protect and serve us on our local news stations. And if you really think about it, that's most likely the reason why THAT information is broadcast through your TV. GOTTA KEEP US IN OUR CULTURE OF FEAR! Stay in check, SHEEP! Have you EVER seen a PEACEFUL PROTEST on your news? Or any story that promotes that peaceful protest is one of your inalienable rights? And that it's YOUR DUTY, as an American, to exercise this right? I would guess NO! But if you have, PLEASE let me know...



Other than your government telling you how great this country is, why do you feel this country is so great? Don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying our country isn't a great country. What I am saying though is that everything evolves, and this country is a manifestation of the PEOPLE. But not all people; only the ones that PARTICIPATE! And you may ask yourself, WHY SHOULD I VOTE?

To keep this brief and on topic, the following are encompassed within THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT OF 2006. Let me know if you think these are legitimate reasons to vote?

• It revokes habeas corpus, thereby giving the power to imprison people without trial for as long as the President likes
• It gives George W. Bush and other top officials legal amnesty for any war crimes he may have committed
• It legalizes torture
• It creates a secret committee controlled by the President that can declare anyone to be an enemy, and thereby strip away their legal rights guaranteed by the Constitution
• It ends protection of prisoners of war by the Geneva Conventions
• It removes the right to a speedy trial
• It sets up absurd kangaroo courts that fail to meet the most fundamental civilized standards of justice, with unfair trials kept hidden from the American public

When you read this list, doesn't it seem like a list of human rights violations that the US, as the "world defenders of freedom," would be fighting against? Unfortunately, it's not. It's OUR law! If these are the laws in the LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE, it seems pretty elementary that we, as a country, are heading in quite a different direction than what our FOUNDING FATHERS had in mind. And I'm not trying to say that these men were the finest of moral and ethical prognosticators, but they did have the advantage of REVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE! Revolution (on any level of intensity) is Democracy! From not wanting a casino in your neighborhood to not wanting to be locked up for no reason. The People's actions affect policy from local to federal levels. Unfortunately, recently our action has been INACTION; and now we're in a bit of a mess.



For anyone who has read more than 1 of my ramblings, you know that I'm kinda stuck on my boy, HABEAS. So you can really FEEL me, imagine your own family. And I'm sure if you think long enough, you can think of that ONE family member who died before you were born. BUT, your family has kept them alive, and you get to know their SPIRIT. It's almost as though you do know them on some levels. It's to the level of you WISHED you had the chance to live and experience this person when they were HERE. But that's where you're connection is halted. You can listen to stories, look at pictures, watch video, and whatever else you do with your fives senses and never get the connection you want.

Well right now, this MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT is the murderer, cancer, plague that took the life of Habeas Corpus, so the generations after US will have to look upon a free and fair trial, or ACCESS TO THE EVIDENCE USED TO DETAIN THEM, or torture-induced confessions, as we look upon the spirits of our ancestors. That just doesn't sit well with me. I don't even have any children, and I have to DRAW MY LINE IN THE SAND. Even without a direct connection currently, I feel a responsibility to do WHAT I CAN to avoid passing on these laws of tyranny to future Americans.



And as much as I may "disagree" with George Bush, these are LAWS! And when he's (hopefully) out of office on January 21, 2009, the next president will have the same power. To all my Bush-count-downers: just because he's gone, doesn't mean things will get better. Recent legislation under Bush is sending everyone in the world a BIG message. And it's a shame the expertise used to keep US clueless. A great majority of folks have far more on their mind than international politics. And what is worse than an IGNORANT PEOPLE? Maybe the teachers of the ignorant?

In closing, I'd like to leave you with something to ruminate...

In THIS INTERVIEW from 2002, Noam Chomsky said in response to the question "How far do you believe will the US sacrifice its basic civil liberties for a greater sense of security?":
"...My feeling is that popular commitment to the rights that have been won in hard struggle is too deep to allow the attack to proceed very far..." Now, this was said in 2002; I wonder how he'd respond in 2007?

P.L.U.R.,
zAy

kAtrInA!

Remember Katrina? You have to. I know I was on the edge of my seat for AT LEAST a week and a half when it was going on. And that'll be something I will NEVER forget. And we all know how short the American Memory is. We're coming up on 2 YEARS since (ARGUABLY) THE WORST NATURAL DISASTER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN! And other than this wrinkle in time being permanently burnt into my brain, the fact that NEW ORLEANS IS NOW TRYING TO GET FINANCIAL AID FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES, just gets my emotions boiling once again.

It's not that I'm too proud to accept assistance from other countries. It's the BUREAUCRACY involved in getting the money ALREADY RECEIVED to the people who NEED it. The federal government declined both logistical and monetary aid from foreign countries BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER! This storm didn't just come outta nowhere; it was HUGE; watched it for days.

Mr Bush was on vacation. And THIS just amazes me because if it was me that gave my buddy a job with responsibilities that required skills he did not posses, I would be making sure he got a little extra help when there was a chance he may be called upon to exercise said skills. Not W...



Maybe the ONLY good conclusion I've come to out of the whole situation is that DAVID BANNER is NOT a ignorant southern rapper. And it kind of hit me off guard. His video, PLAY, was all over the video channels and you have to admit the video is pretty extreme. But what turned me around happened in the days that followed the storm. The storm happened on a Monday, and NOTHING happened all week. So, on Saturday following the storm I was listening to DJ WHOO KID'S SHOW on Shade 45, and they were all trippin' off NOTHING still happened. And David Banner called up FROM MISSISSIPPI and broke down what was really going on, AND what he was doing about it. Long story short: he was doing his best to give back some of the money to the people that listen to and buy his music. He was very humble and made a point to say that without these folks, he wouldn't be in the position he was in. Shout out to all the other members of the Hip Hop Community that provided assistance before FEMA!



During the days immediately following the storm, David Banner managed to get 2 bus loads of food, water, and supplies to the victims (not refugees), BEFORE any assistance from the federal government. WHAT?! How could this happen? While DB's instincts were providing relief, FEMA and the rest of government were overwhelmed with offers from overseas. So overwhelmed, that they denied MOST of the aid, which included:

$854 MILLION in cash and oil. ($400 million = oil to be sold)
Cruise ships, Communication systems, Water, Emergency Health Workers, Urban Rescue Workers.

In a time where we really need to hold on to ANY country that would consider us an ally, we declined 54 of the 77 recorded aid offers from our most loyal allies: CANADA, BRITAIN, & ISRAEL! As a result, only $40 million of the total 854 has gotten to the folks who need it the most. And if you recall, this is when the gas hike really started because of the refineries that were damaged and destroyed during Katrina. At the same time we were offered $400 million-worth of oil. This fact makes me very skeptical of the governments true intent; it just doesn't make sense. JUST DOLLARS!

And what MOST government officials told the potential contributors was to give the money to the THE BUSH-CLINTON RELIEF FUND or Pat Robertson's OPERATION BLESSING. Pat Robertson? This "man of God" said the hurricane was an intentional punishment from God because of homosexuality, abortion, and what New Orleans represented as a city. And we expect this money to get to the the very people HE blames for this natural disaster...



To me, this is a PEOPLE issue. To hell with all the bureaucracy, investigative reporting, monitoring, and just plain old partiality. These are people that were seconds away from DEATH! And many had NO HOPE AT ALL! If this is truly a government of, by, and for the people, WHY were the major news stories about looting, the "inappropriate" spending of the little money some were lucky to get, and the decisions made by some medical professionals in the face of death?

I think the way the "looters" were portrayed through the media was RIDICULOUS! Who are these news executives to JUDGE people in these conditions? As is usually the case, these folks that CONTROL the information we receive do not research and report with a SOLUTION behind the reporting. They immediately go to the extreme. And, in this case, continue to denigrate how Blacks are viewed by people that have never saw anyone darker than SUNBURNT! It's pretty clear to me the level of Racism in the country and particularly with the handling of the aftermath of KATRINA, so I wanna look at another interesting happening concerning this debacle.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!

Wow...and since I've already thrown RACISM around a lot, I have to note that these are WHITE FOLKS! And could someone tell me how this doesn't conflict with the 2nd Amendment? This is scary. We have to get off the couch! These are direct violations of the Constitution; and we're just letting it happen...because it hasn't reached OUR circles...YET!
I like to read quotes. And earlier this week, I heard one on the radio from THOM HARTMANN. He said "...voting isn't enough anymore...not enough people turn out for that to be effective..." And after thinking that through for a few days, I have to agree. We need to get more involved in our government--BEFORE IT'S GONE!

To sum it up, I feel Katrina is a humanitarian issue first because if you can't even be guaranteed LIFE in this country, how can you expect to be awarded these other RIGHTS guaranteed by the Constitution. If your LIFE isn't even respected, why do you think you'll be given HUMAN RIGHTS, or "INALIENABLE RIGHTS?" And if you haven't seen at least parts of Spike Lee's documentary, "When the Levees Broke," you need to!

JUNE 26, 2007 = DAY OF ACTION! I'll be in Washington, DC...

P.L.U.R.,
zAy

prIsOns!

This topic of "prisons" and "prisoners" always has been a very sensitive one to me. But today's rambling is gonna be extra sporadic. Please excuse me. I received some extremely troubling news yesterday about the only MAN I've ever considered my "best friend." I've been trying to call him for the last few months to no avail. And now I know why. He apparently was arrested and charged in relation to OPERATION BROKEN TOY and is facing double-digit years behind bars. My heart goes out to him...

But this post is not about him in particular. It's about a very broken system that is being used to "keep people in their place." And I'm not solely referring to the poor staying poor, BUT also the rich staying rich. There's a required balance. And before I get any further into this, I want you to check out this SLIDESHOW I did for an Ethics class back in 2003 on the subject. Just so you know where I'm coming from.

To be clear, I am not anti-prison. I agree that there are people who deserve to be locked up. BUT I don't believe NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS are amongst these folks. Because as we ALL know, once you've been to prison, the "odds" are definitely against you. Instead of being formally rehabilitated and able to blend back into society, you get a big X on your back. To me, that says 2 things. 1) The prisons are not serious about rehabilitating people. After all, isn't the backbone of ALL SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES repeat business? And 2) as a result of number 1, it makes it a lot more likely the person will go back to his or her "old ways." PEOPLE CAN CHANGE!



If you're unaware of what the ROCKEFELLER DRUG LAWS are, please educate yourself. THESE LAWS and similar ones outside of New York state are tearing apart entire inner city families (black and hispanics mostly.) In a nutshell, these laws require RIDICULOUSLY harsh mandatory jail sentences, regardless of the actual circumstances of each individual case. For example, 8-20 years (mandatory) for selling 2 ounces of weed! It doesn't matter if you picked up the wrong briefcase at the bus stop, or you just left your dealer's house; 8-20! This is an extreme example, BUT the key is these are mandatory sentences. I could spend all day on these laws, but I wanna touch on a few other things. FYI: The RDL's are in the reform process, and some minor reforms have recently (2004-5) been accomplished. Cross your fingers...

Continuing with the affect to the inner city family structure...most of the State prisons are NOT in the communities where the prisoners are from. As a result, the families are (more times than not) COMPLETELY cut off from their family members, usually fathers. And I take NOTHING from the single mothers out there; I LOVE YA'LL! BUT, basic reason will tell you that FATHER + MOTHER > MOTHER. And another point for consideration is the JOBS produced by these prisons. Wouldn't it make sense to give these (good-paying) jobs to the family members of the prisoners? I'm not saying security guards or anything like that...but cooks, janitorial, clerical, admin, etc. The MAIN point here is this: these prisons are BIG business! And now that they're PRIVATIZED, they're being positioned by Congressmen (mostly Republicans) in districts where the demographics of the prison and the residents are opposites. The prisoners CANNOT VOTE; but are counted as residents in the census...BIGGER POPULATION, BIGGER DISTRICT, BIGGER APPROPRIATION...

I know I've been a little hard on the NY... So tomorrow I wanna go to GEORGIA...

P. L. U. R.,
zAy

2nd AmEndmEnt!

"[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." - James Madison, January 29, 1788.

The 2nd Amendment. I know people have different feelings when it comes to the RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. Most are based on their personal experiences with guns. What I want to discuss is the historic purpose of this amendment, as well as how it applies to our society today. For the record, I do own a gun.



Let's start with the quote from above. The first part is basically saying we are one of VERY few nations in the world that allows their citizens to BEAR ARMS. And this is true to this day. When I lived in England (1999-2002), it always was a trip to me how the BOBBIES didn't carry guns. I just couldn't comprehend COPS NOT HAVING GUNS. But I must admit, the country is FAR less violent--for obvious reasons and not so obvious ones. On an elementary level, LESS GUNS equal LESS VIOLENT CRIMES. But bigger than that, their culture in general did not glorify violence as much as US. And we all know that our culture is very NUMBING. Why has television PROGRAMMING become overwhelmingly this "reality tv" genre? What do you learn from this? It's a distraction; but that's another discussion. The second part of the quote explains WHY these other countries do not allow their citizens this RIGHT--they're afraid of the citizens collective power. Why would they have this distrust if they had the people's best interest at heart? Hmmm...

Now remember, America is a very young country. And these other nations around the globe have been through what we're going through to some degree, at least on the level of "keeping the masses at bay." Unfortunately, OUR government was intricately planned BEFORE the PILGRIMS did whatever they did. A society of overindulgance! Perfect for this CHRISTIAN/CAPITALIST/IMPERIALIST amoeba we all claim to LOVE and sacrifice our loved ones to uphold. All on the grounds of our SELF-PROCLAIMED HIGHER MORAL AUTHORITY!



As I understand it, the Constitution was amended to include this RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS so we could defend "the security of (our) free state." The OUTDOORSMEN community has definitely become a very lucrative one, but this is not the true intention of the right to bear arms. Again, I believe the Constitution justifies revolution in this case.

Should everyone own a gun? NO. Should every household have a gun? YES. The reason I say this is because in the event of an actual revolution, or anything close to, responsible gun owners are going to be very easy to track down because they'll most likely have their guns registered with local, state, or federal government. If there was one in every household, there would be no way of distinguishing higher threat (to the government) levels.

I obviously support the 2nd Amendment, but I'm also for gun control. Not everyone should have access to firearms. Similar to a driving license, you need to be competent enough to handle the responsibilities that come along with bearing arms. A conflict I have though is the level of firearms one should be able to have access to. One one hand, I don't feel that people have the need to have AK-47's or grenade launchers; but on the other hand, if your reasoning for having them is in case of an uprising, your gonna need something that will make a difference. If you have a six-shooter, you'll be virtually worthless against THESE!

And I know that many will have their views on guns (set in stone) because of a family member that was killed, or their morals just don't allow for violence, or any number of other reasons. And to these people I say this: I understand the emotions that come along with a tragedy like this; it's VERY difficult. Please try to expand your mind beyond feelings. Emotions make you irrational in this society. Emotions are NATURAL reactions; and they make you act in your most natural state. And although it may seem impossible, TRUTH & REASON need to be allowed into your thoughts.

I truly believe that we are being bombarded with information, so it's too difficult to sift through. It just makes me wonder what "secret" legislation was signed last week when Paris Hilton was the TOP story on the majority of the network and cable news networks. It may seem like a very cynical view, but when you've done as much reading and research on this stuff as I have, it becomes almost undeniable that the world we are seeing right now is NOT AN ACCIDENT. Think about it. Even with the law of averages, SOMETHING has to "randomly" work out IN FAVOR of the little people of the world. Can you think of ANYTHING?

Race is frustrating...

I'm so disgusted right now! Paris Hilton is out of jail! Not that I have anything personal against HER, but what this actually represents is the bigger picture of RACISM in the U.S. And I know that A LOT of FOLKS will argue that this has nothing to do with Race. And that's OK. It could easily be misconstrued as an ECONOMIC ISSUE. But I'd be willing to bet that a very, very small number of minorities would see it that way WITHOUT ULTERIOR MOTIVES. This is not an isolated incident...

Let me give you a personal experience example of what I'm talking about. It was 2003, and I was taking a Black Literature class. One of the pieces we BRIEFLY covered was KNOWLEDGE IS KING, by KOOL MOE DEE. While we were discussing it, the lady next to me says "I CAN'T STAND ANY OF THAT RAP CRAP!" She was in her late 40's and white, so I kinda have an ignorant tolerance for her demographic when it comes to HIP HOP. But she wouldn't let it go, and brought up the song "WORK IT," by Missy Elliott, and how that's all she hears on the RADIO. So being the HIP HOP HEAD that I am, I asked her if she thought that MAYBE she was hearing THESE songs on the radio intentionally. I let her know that 98% of what I listen to is Hip Hop, and I NEVER listen to the radio. Do you think that the government controls what's on the radio? OF COURSE!!! Why else would they play the RIDICULOUS bullshit they do on free radio? Have you ever heard KRS-ONE, Mos Def, Common, dead prez, or Talib Kweli on the radio? OF COURSE NOT! They have a positive message!



I guess I'll wrap this up (no pun intended). The point I was TRYING to get across was: INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM DOES EXIST! And even though a lot of us are affected by it, either directly or indirectly, don't throw up your hands in defeat. Continue to ASK QUESTIONS and fight for what you believe in! Even if you're skin is white, you have a part to play.

DON'T BE TOLERANT OF INTOLERANCE!!!

Nuttin' but LOVE!

1st AmEndmEnt!

"THERE IS NO EXPRESS GRANT OF HABEAS IN THE CONSTITUTION; THERE'S A PROHIBITION AGAINST TAKING IT AWAY" -Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales - January 18, 2007 WOW!!! Now, I'm not gonna kid MYSELF and tell you I know the intricacies of Constitutional Law, BUT it seems to me that if the Constitution states you can't take it away that it's to be assumed that you got IT! Americans...that's your countries TOP lawyer! Congratulations!!! So let's talk a little law...

And I'm sure we all recognize this fine piece of literature as the 1st Amendment...*applause*...when it comes to FREEDOM, this is a trandscending document--almost holy. And if you really think about it, RELIGION, SPEECH, PRESS, PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, & PETITION are all freedoms WE probably take for granted at times. But people from all around the world are risking their lives RIGHT NOW to get here for a chance to live under this law. It's a BEAUTIFUL THANG! The freedoms that is. It's quite amazing. People will jump in an inner tube or rowboat just to get here. And they have no guarantee of entry when, and if, they arrive here. Just ask Mr. Bush about the HAITIANS! EITHER ONE!

I understand that ALL of these freedoms are integral parts of the makeup of our nation, but I want to focus on the right to ASSEMBLE PEACEFULLY. Why that one? Because on June 26, my SIGNIFICANT OTHER and I are heading to Washington, DC for the DAY OF ACTION! This will be both of our FIRST (of many) protests, and I can't wait. This is also our first step in ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY for our democracy. I'll definitely have pics!



And this guy is my main motivation. Of all the BS that is making me sick and cynical at the same time, this is closest to my heart. PEOPLE, without Habeas Corpus, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS! It's irrational; and will change (for the worst) this country FOREVER! Imagine being detained/arrested on someone else's WORD! You get NO say. It is what it is. UNLESS we do something about it! It's our time to shine; our part of history is being written RIGHT NOW! And the Constitution JUSTIFIES REVOLUTION! Remember JUSTICE?

Since I started with a quote, I'll end with one. From my all time favorite movie, Do the Right Thing, DJ Mister Senor Love Daddy (Samuel L): WAKE UP!