Blogging about Current Events, History, Sports, Science and Opinion

The Erosion of Our Incongruity

Posted Monday, February 16, 2015, at 9:52 AM

"Thus far, all human governments have been failures, for none have secured, except in a partial degree, the ends for which governments are instituted"

(Frederick Douglass)

Citizens of the United States have struggled with issues of equality under law since the founding of the nation. Thomas Jefferson laid down undeniably self-evident truths in the Declaration of Independence. Years later, the Constitutional Convention brought delegates from the states together. By exercising diligent consideration of widely varying points of view and participating in functional deliberation with one another, the state delegates crafted a Constitution which created the foundation of "...not a perfect union, but a more perfect union." The Constitution established the principles of justice; however the social, economic and political attitudes that prevailed at the convention, have persisted in our culture through successive generations, resulting in arbitrary, unconstitutional law that has unfairly affected many generations of "...portion(s) of the family of man."(Elizabeth Cady Stanton)

"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time;

the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."(Thomas Jefferson)

Before Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he wrote "A Summary View of the Rights of British America", a fully developed instruction considerably longer than the Declaration, wherein Jefferson addressed the colonists' complaints against the King of Great Britain. Jefferson requested that the Virginia delegates to the Continental Congress assist him in persuading the Congress to communicate the summary to the king. Jefferson's work in the Summary presages the Declaration of Independence; he maintains the truth that one's existence as a free person takes precedence over Government. Jefferson expressed his fear the colonists' existence was in danger of becoming as one of a colony of slaves to a foreign, far removed tyrant; accordantly, he expressed the colonies' desire to abolish slavery and the African slave trade that had been in place since the earliest days of British colonization in America. Later, when Jefferson presents his arguments to Great Britain in the Declaration of Independence, he maintains the belief that the primary responsibility of a justified government is "to secure these rights" (Jefferson), the self-evident truths; however, there is no mention of slavery, neither civil nor African.

"Twenty years will produce all the mischief that can be apprehended from the liberty to import slaves. So long a term will be more dishonorable to the National character than to say nothing about it in the Constitution."(James Madison)

The Constitution of 1789 did not explicitly exclude any people from its protections. Many delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 opposed slavery; however, prevailing arguments based on beliefs not in the heart of liberty resulted in compromises. The fiery hot rhetoric of liberty used by patriots to rally the colonists to preserve their liberties through action against the King gave way to the rhetoric employed by the delegates who sought to preserve the rights of states that would continue ignoble efforts to deprive people of liberty. The dichotomy between the delegates on both sides of the dispute resulted in a Constitution that did not expressly mention, permit nor prohibit slavery, but used carefully chosen, ambiguous language to permit a continued slave trade in "imported" persons. In their pursuit of a more perfect union, the delegates presented to the states for ratification, a Constitution with a defect that was a herald to the fracturing of the nation. There would be a better time to press for the liberty of millions of "imported persons".

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal;"

(Elizabeth Cady Stanton)

Before the war that tested the nation that had been conceived in and dedicated to the proposition expressed by Jefferson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was compelled to seek recognition for women as equal to men under law. To understand Stanton's motivation and her focus on women's issues, it is necessary to provide details of relevant events from her life so that we may view her actions through a perspective.

Her parents were Daniel and Margaret Cady and Elizabeth was born on November 12, 1815 in Johnstown, New York. Her father was a wealthy landowner, politician and lawyer, and had served as a circuit court judge before serving as associate justice of the New York Supreme Court for the Fourth District. Between 1804 and 1827, Mrs. Cady gave birth to eleven children, five boys and six girls; sadly, four of the boys died in childhood and one died at the age of twenty a month after graduating from college. Her husband's lifelong effort to build an estate of inheritance had been in vain; the common law in effect at this time in New York prohibited Daniel's daughters from legally inheriting or owning property.

Her father's reaction to the death of his oldest son had a profound effect on Elizabeth. While Elizabeth's father held her in his lap while sitting at the side of her brother's casket, Daniel said, "Oh, my daughter, I wish you were a boy!" Elizabeth replied, "I will try to be all my brother was."(Elisabeth Griffith)

The adults in Elizabeth's life were initially supportive of her serious commitment to become "manly", or as Elizabeth understood manliness, she became committed to becoming "learned and courageous." Following the example of her mother, she became an athletic equestrienne. She studied Greek and read the law books in her father's legal library. She developed keen analytical skills when the law clerks from her brother-in-law's legal firm challenged her to argument. She witnessed first-hand her father, powerless to help women visiting his law office seeking remedy to the unfairness of law as it affected women.

The interests Elizabeth pursued, the skills she developed, and the awards and honors she held were not those conventionally held by women of the time. Initially, her father approved of and encouraged her activities, but as she grew older, her father grew embarrassed by her continued pursuit of the unwomanly interests; his approval and encouragement faded to the point where he forbid her from attending college. Later, she told Susan B. Anthony, "To think that all in me of which my father would have felt a proper pride had I been a man is deeply mortifying to him because I am a woman."

When Elizabeth married Henry B. Stanton in 1840, she requested removal of the phrase "promise to obey" from her wedding vows. Henry and Elizabeth disagreed on the issue of women's suffrage, however, they did agree to a certain degree, on the issue of the abolition of slavery. In 1840, the two traveled to London, with the intention of attending the World Anti-Slavery Convention. Elizabeth and six other female abolitionists successfully gained access in spite of the fact there had been announcements that women would not to be admitted. However, they were not allowed to make any address.

Elizabeth's involvement in the work toward women's equality continued and in 1848 she helped organize the Seneca Falls Convention. With the advice of many of the women in attendance, the substantive legal references provided through the help of her husband and the encouragement of fellow abolitionist Frederick Douglass, she created a "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions". She used many of the compelling phrases and mimicked the style and cadence found in Jefferson's declaration to present an argument wherein she outlined a "...history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman..." among them, "He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise." Other women in attendance, and Stanton's husband (who was not one of the thirty-two men who signed the declaration), thought the call to extend voting rights to women would distract from the Declaration's effectiveness. They were of the opinion that there would be a better time to press for the most effective power to influence their equality under law. Douglass signed the declaration and supported the call for the right of women to vote in his address to the convention; "The demand of the hour is not argument, but assertion, firm and inflexible assertion, assertion which has more than the force of an argument. If there is any argument to be made, it must be made by opponents, not by the friends of woman suffrage. Let those who want argument examine the ground upon which they base their claim to the right to vote. They will find that there is not one reason, not one consideration, which they can urge in support of man's claim to vote, which does not equally support the right of woman to vote.

"Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was arrested and jailed along with hundreds of other civil rights protesters while in Birmingham, Alabama in April 1963. While jailed, King wrote the "Letter from Birmingham Jail", a philosophical, theological and logical response to what was, in King's estimation, an irrational plea from eight prominent white clergymen. Those clergymen had urged the Negro community of Birmingham to withdraw their support for King's protest method of direct action, suggesting the situation in Birmingham was a local problem providing an opportunity for a local solution by working through local courts or with local political leaders.

Dr. King's letter described the hardships endured by Negros in the Southland. Intransigent Southern political leaders, determined to maintain the existing social order, ignored most of the Negro citizen's attempts at meaningful dialogue. Some white business leaders in Birmingham had at one time relented to demands for the desegregation of their businesses, removing signs that read "White" or "Colored"; eventually the signs returned. The bombings of many Negro homes and churches had gone unsolved.

Dr. King charged that it is every citizen's duty to oppose perpetual injustice. He described the philosophy behind a direct-action campaign as non-violent, but necessarily assertive, and designed to create social and economic pressure leading to conditions that would overwhelm the opponents of desegregation. The movement served to heighten public awareness and understanding of the forces that deprived Negro men, women and children of equal opportunity and treatment Although his opposition had labeled the campaign confrontational and extremist, King challenged the oppositions notion of extremism, reminding readers that people on both sides of the issue appealed to the same God. He points out the fallacy of the clergymen's assertion that the direct-action movement had to be condemned because it led to violence, asking whether their assertion may be similar to one that would have condemned "...Jesus because his unique God-consciousness and never-ceasing devotion to God's will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion?" He offered a particularly relevant quote from the English preacher John Bunyan, "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience."

It seems behind Dr. King's politeness, and his use of "...patient and reasonable terms.", he was more than disappointed and frustrated; he was furious. He was driven by a seemingly limitless comprehension and belief in the philosophy, theology and logic he referred to in his letter. He artfully articulated his complete understanding of those studies as he highlighted the self-serving rationalization in his opponent's statements, and provides examples of their collective inability or appalling unwillingness to recognize and consistently apply any of those three studies in their work as advocates of God in their communities.

Dr. King's letter is timeless and strikes at the incongruities our nation has been burdened with since the Declaration of Independence. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed the time for slavery had not passed; some delegates at Seneca Falls believed the time for women's suffrage had not arrived. Dr. King recognized that it is not time that causes social change. Time simply passes; change comes through action taken by people.

On 19 July 2013, President Obama addressed the nation regarding the killing of Trayvon Martin. A verdict had been delivered and the president stepped forward to contextualize the experiences that may have affected ways people view that case. Near the conclusion of his remarks, the president commented, "Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes when it comes to race." He concludes his remarks by saying, "But we should also have confidence that kids these days, I think, have more sense than we did back then, and certainly more than our parents did or our grandparents did; and that along this long, difficult journey, we're becoming a more perfect union -- not a perfect union, but a more perfect union."

Comments

View 61 comments

Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

Good blog, Dave. I'm glad that you are now writing a blog. You are right. In 1776 we didn't have the perfect Union, but like Obama said, we are getting better with each generation.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Mon, Feb 16, 2015, at 10:50 AM
We find it strange there is one group of Americans that;

understand this country is "becoming a more perfect union" with time; getting better with time; able see that bright and shining light at the end of the tunnel.

And another group of people who insist the USA is going up in flames; getting worse; circling the drain.

When all one can feel is negativity and all one can see is darkness, the result of their thoughts and actions can only be negative and dark.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Mon, Feb 16, 2015, at 1:16 PM
In the darkness, we can see the light; we are hopeful and striving to make this a better nation with an understanding population; that is happening slowly; but it's happening.

In a webpage dedicated to curing social injustice we find people who want nothing to do with a cure; we find people who would rather live in a world were people who are different are asked to leave; to move away; looking to grow and nurture that special hate-filled community. Should it bother them? Yes. Does it; No.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Tue, Feb 17, 2015, at 7:16 AM
Yes, Mike, "Subsidizing the degeneration of one's country isn't a "cure" for ANYTHING." However, the problem is that you are are so anxious to put a negative slant on current events, that you don't see that that "Subsidizing the degeneration of one's country" ISN'T HAPPENING!

Just because you want really bad for this to be occurring, sorry, but some people are looking to improve the country, and to the point of the blog - improving equality.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Tue, Feb 17, 2015, at 9:37 AM
"An old 'Nam buddy of mine lives in San Diego. Told me the other day the sun is shining down there.

Why not get OUT of the "gloom" if it bothers you so much?

-- Posted by Mike Bradbury on Tue, Feb 17, 2015, at 6:41 AM

That attitude is just as distasteful as the comments and attitudes in the deep south during the 50's and 60's towards those fighting for equal rights for the blacks.

-- Posted by the old progressive on Tue, Feb 17, 2015, at 10:07 AM
We've reread the posts and can find no evidence anyone said or implied there hasn't been any progress; our society is making progress and will continue making progress with or without those who wish the social injustice of 1950's would make a comeback.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Tue, Feb 17, 2015, at 10:44 PM
We get it now; when they try to imply there hasn't been any progress at all when dealing with social injustice? they meant in their overall intolerant view of tolerance. So yeah, we have seen progress in this country; just not in every demographics. Subtle, but we understand now.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Wed, Feb 18, 2015, at 7:51 AM
Raise your hand if you helped put President Obama in the White House.

Credit given.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Wed, Feb 18, 2015, at 8:11 AM
The president may be sitting there because blacks can vote but if some have there way that will change......it's called voter suppression.

I don't see why we are expected to be gratefull??? DID I MISS SOMETHING???? tHE SAME PATERNALISTIC ATTITUDES ABOUND AND THEY ARE SO DETRIMENTAL,ALL PEOPLE REALLY WANT IS OPPERTUNITY AND NOT TO BE THE JANITOR.Please tell me why that is so hard to understand????

-- Posted by lamont on Wed, Feb 18, 2015, at 9:47 AM
We clearly need to do more, instead of trying to get credit for a small amount of progress which I'm sure was achieved by tea-party-like people dragging their feet every single step.

After the Civil War progress was taken back by the Jim Crow laws and black people couldn't vote. Then the concept of "separate but equal" became the foot dragging technique of slowing down progress. At the same time literacy tests were tried to keep some people, mostly black people from voting. Then the Civil Rights Act made progress, but wait now the Supreme Court is taking back things from that by allowing some states to disenfranchise some minorities as long as they don't use the words black people, minorities, etc.

So no, Mike, I don't think that some people deserve a little credit. I see them as being part of the foot dragging that continually slows down progress. Maybe with foot dragging you can go back to the colonial times where only a white man with property could vote and a black man could be his property?

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 18, 2015, at 12:36 PM
Herman Cain is the Tea Party token black man that they bring out, shake the dust off, and praise just to prove that they aren't racists.

I'm wondering why a blog about the struggle for racial equality becomes a discussion of all of the non racial things that you hate about Obama. I'm also wondering why the side by side comparison between Obama and Cain? Let's see what does Obama and Cain have in common?

Back on the topic, when I grew up in Idaho I saw in the news the struggle for equality, but there was only one black kid in my school. We were not raised to be racists and had good examples to learn this from but had almost no chance to practice this good behavior.

We met more black people as we got older, some were friends and some weren't. Many were angry about past treatment. One of my brothers in-laws talked negatively about black people, but I'm sure they acted fine to their face. That is probably the worst kind of racism. It makes a person more angry and more paranoid. My brother used to say that it isn't paranoia if everyone really is out to get you.

It seems to be that empathy should be a required subject in school, along with ethics. The point that I'm making is it is pretty hard to fight hidden racism, and to understand if improvements are being made.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 18, 2015, at 8:19 PM
There is more to voter suppression than and ID CARD......all be it that and employer by law is sopposed to let you off work to vote, you have to be able to AFFORD not making that days or hours pay......That is just one factor.....distance to YOUR place to vote from the work place......these are just 2 things that affect the minority population more than there majority group counterpart.......so when you shut down early voting,sunday voting,absentee voting,you impact them more === voter suppression.

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 19, 2015, at 12:07 PM
Long voting lines in areas where minorities live is another attempt at voter suppression. Closing the polls when people are still waiting in line to vote is another.

Progress in racial equality is being made but some people keep chipping away at that progress.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 19, 2015, at 12:31 PM
I'm ridiculing people that use Cain and Carson as tokens. I don't think that they do the cause of racial equality any favors by doing so but that's their business.

Further examples of voter suppression and Republican comments about it is at the following link.

http://billmoyers.com/2014/10/24/voter-discrimination/

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 19, 2015, at 8:16 PM
True americans close the voting places with people standing in line to vote.True americans don't follow the law and refuse to let people off to vote.True americans devise ways to induce pole taxes.True americans put more polling booths in one section of town than needed while not putting enough in another.TRue americans make sure that the polling places don't have enough parking.True americans make sure the polling places are not accessable. True americans make sure defective and older voting machines are directed to certain neigberhoods. That is the true AMERICAN WAY.that is what I fought for.!!!!!!!!HELLO!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 19, 2015, at 8:45 PM
Very well said, lamont!

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 19, 2015, at 11:53 PM
lamont, I think it would be a good idea to take control of voting out of the hands of the states. The article linked to below, mentions the 2000 election and how a partisan Supreme Court decided on the Florida ballot issues to not fix the voting problem, or manually count the votes but to just let Bush win Florida and therefore the presidential election.

It then describes the antics of some states since then to make it difficult to impossible to vote if you are a minority, ill, don't drive, can't get off work during finite hours on voting day, etc.

Moving the control of the voting at least makes the process more transparent.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/08/remember-when-judges-decided...

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 10:17 AM
I should add that my comment is on topic because it pertains to racial equality in voting, and how some states are taking backward steps on this.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 10:26 AM
WELL I AM SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED BY VOTER SUPPRESSION ARE LYING ! AND THAY ARE ALL SMOKING POT AND WALKING AROUND IN A FANTASY LAND.....THAT'S GOT TO BE IT BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS HAVE SAID THERE IS NO VOTER SUPPRESSION UNLESS WE SAY THERE IS.....FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS.

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 1:55 PM
Just type in voter suppression and pick your site.

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 3:52 PM
I just tried that myself lamont. I Googled it and got "About 1,030,000 results (0.37 seconds)"

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 5:45 PM
CANT BEAT THAT SAM !!!!!!! SPEAKING OF ....how are you doing???? HOPE YOU ARE WELL !!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 8:49 PM
COOL BREEZE YOU CHALLENGE FOR INFORMATION YOU GET IT AND THEN YOU ATTEMPT TO RIDECULE IT.So your reality is if I DIDNT SAY IT IT AINT SO.So why are you directing your comments at us??? Is it just to start fights because it certainly is not for anything constructive.I am glad you find it funny but the jokes is on you. Your just here to rebel rouse.I am sure that will be kept in mind.Thankyou !!!!!! you left no dought.

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 20, 2015, at 9:55 PM
COOL BREEZE THE INFO IS THERE I AM NOT GOING TO PICK A SPECIFIC SITE There is so much info you pick the site then you cant say it's a left wing site picked by me.......The other thing is that if something pertains to minority's you call it a lie so why bother saying anything at all.You believe everything is just fine....problem is for who???????by the way I can spell anything anyway I want it's a free country remember ?????ALSO I am glad you pointed out that we can find what ever we want on the net,therefore we will all consider your info in the same light so don't post right wing lies and propaganda if you don't want to be called on it.....and that will probally include everything you post !!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 10:52 AM
I'm doing good lamont. I hope that you are as well.

I found an interesting article in "Time". The author presents a cause and effect situation where because there have been centuries of racial inequality the number of poor people is growing and it is hard to separate the racial inequality in Ferguson from the inequality given to the poor.

Interestingly the author says that the way that the blacks/poor are kept down is through misinformation. The following excerpt from the article makes a good point.

"PunditFact's recent scorecard on network news concluded that at Fox and Fox News Channel, 60 percent of claims are false. At NBC and MSNBC, 46 percent of claims were deemed false. That's the "news," folks! During the Ferguson riots, Fox News ran a black and white photo of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with the bold caption: "Forgetting MLK's Message/Protestors in Missouri Turn to Violence." Did they run such a caption when either Presidents Bush invaded Iraq: "Forgetting Jesus Christ's Message/U.S. Forgets to Turn Cheek and Kills Thousands"?"

http://time.com/3132635/ferguson-coming-race-war-class-warfare/

A lot of people in the United States watch Fox News, NBC, and MSNBC so they are fed misinformation.

Fox News tells people that there is no race issues just issues with black people, including the president, misbehaving. Conservatives love Fox News and believe what they hear. They won't let actual facts and logic get in the way of what Fox News tells them and they want to believe. They think that trotting out Herman Cain and saying that they are wonderful, proves that they aren't racist.

This is very tiresome, and frustrating because a large section of America is not helping to fix the problem of racial inequality in the United States.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 11:53 AM
CoolBreeze your opinion article is written by a professor of economics and is considered to be an expert on economics not on polling. The poll that he cites is from 2012, which is fine, but he left out some facts from the actual poll. What a surprise!

Here is what Pew found in the 2012 election. Take note of the last bullet and the locations of the problem areas which have a higher proportion of minority voters.

"The early numbers paint a picture which is not that different from 2008:

*36 percent of voters reported not waiting in line at all in 2012 compared with 42 percent in 2008;

*13 percent of voters reported waiting more than 30 minutes compared with 14 percent in 2008;

*In 2012 lines on average were longer for early voting than they were on Election Day, with reported wait times of 20 minutes and 13 minutes, respectively. Similarly, in 2008, voters reported waiting an average of 20 minutes for early voting and 15 minutes on Election Day; and

*As in 2008, voters in Florida, Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia faced some of the longest average wait times in 2012, averaging nearly 50 minutes in Florida, more than 30 minutes in Maryland, and more than 25 minutes in South Carolina and Virginia."

The link below provides some insight on why minorities and the poor are least likely to vote. White and the non poor don't vote due to personal choice, such as they don't like the candidates, or they are busy. Minorities and the poor may also not vote for those reasons but mostly, they don't because of barriers to their voting such as transportation, registration, and long voting lines.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/01/why-are-the-poor-and-minorit...

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 12:24 PM
Better you than me SAM that is what I STATED IN THE FIRST POST......fOR THOSE FOLKS THAT IS VOTER SUPPRESSION.fOR THE RECORD THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID ALSO.fOR THE RECORD THE FORMS OF THAT SUPPRESSION IMPACTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS DEPENDING ON WERE YOU LIVE.Be it less machines ,less parking,transpotation to and from etc.Also depends on wether you are in a southern state or northern.SEEMs that I REMEBER SOME DISTRICTS IN TEXAS being jacked up for suppression,if it aint happening to you it has got to be a lie !!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 12:40 PM
Yes, we have provided examples and proof of these things but some people don't want to acknowledge what is true.

My son told me a story of something that recently happened to him in Boise. He was driving his car and his friend was sitting in the passenger seat. A policeman turned on his flashing lights so he pulled the car over.

The policeman told my son that he stopped him because he hadn't stopped before making a turn. He didn't ask my son for his license or registration but shined his flashlight on the passenger seeming to be more interested in the passenger. Then he told my son to drive more carefully and got in is car.

My son's passenger was apparently guilty of "riding while black". My son was shocked.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 1:13 PM
BTW, I've met this friend of my son and he is a nice, neatly dressed young man in his twenties. Nothing that should raise any suspicions about him.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 1:15 PM
NOW SAM.....YOU SHOULDNT BE TELLING THOSE LIES YOU HEAR....HE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING....IT'S ALL IN YOUR MIND........AFTER ALL WE KNOW WHAT SIDE YOUR ON!!!!~!!!!.

Doesn't surprise me at all I have had my share of garbage out of the boise police and don't forget they just changed chiefs there.You might want to give him a heads up call.They will know the officer all you need is the date and approx. time and location.I'D give the new chief the benefit of the doubt.....After that I get nasty....if it happens again.

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 1:40 PM
I WONDER........IS THERE A SITE THAT CAN TELL US WERE WE CAN FIND NEUTRAL INFORMATION OR DO WE HAVE OUR OWN BUILT IN CREDABILITY MONITOR??????

OH I GET IT, UNLESS SOMETHING IS ON THE CREDABILITY MONITORS LIST......WHICH THEY DENOTE AS CREDABILE IT'S NOT CREDABILE.NOW IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.??????? What I do get is that if a conservative didn't write it it's a lie......wishfull thinking !!!!!!! HATE must be addictive to some because it gets to a point that that is all they can stand to hear. !!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 4:26 PM
WELCOME TO THE LIARS CLUB SAM......ACCORDING TO COOLBREEZE.......IT OOZES FROM EVERY PORE IN EVERY POST.......HA !!!!!!!! THE THING THAT GETS ME these things as you described SAM happen every day and people say so but there ALL wrong.Right that is why police departments pay out millions rather than be taken to court.There is a case in boise right now about 2 traffic stops same trooper for the same reason.In other words they did the same thing twice to two different people. One the judge said pay him the other one the judge stated that there was reason to believe the officer acted inapproprietly because the intent of the law was met.They could proceed with the suit.fUNNY THING, BOTH PARTIES WERE BLACK,BOTH PARTIES HAD WHITE WIFES IN THE CAR ONE HAD CHILDREN ALSO.BOTH WERE HIGHLY PAID EXECS EMPLOYED IN BOISE,LIVING IN MERIDIAN.COINCIDENCE?? COULD BE????? THE JUDGE DIDNT THINK SO.!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 5:02 PM
HE DID MIKE......THANKS TO THE EFFORT OF HIS CAMPAIGN AND THE VOTERS.

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 5:12 PM
COOL BREEZE.......WOULD YOU CALL WHAT YOU JUST POSTED RACE BAITING ???? I WOULD,I SPOKE OF A CASE IN BOISE THAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.I did not speak of the president or REV Sharpton.I DIDNT RANT AT ALL....You just don't like the fact that I mentioned the case,tough, it's there.I lived the 60's did you???? IF you didn't I don't think you have the exsperience to tell me what they were all about. I WAS IN UNIFORM IN 1961 WHERE WERE YOU ???The president didn't change race relations the bigots who couldn't handle a black independent president did,start with SEN MC CONNAL,START WITH the racist jokes and depictions which I am sure you found nothing wrong with.IT makes no difference at this point. We know what to exspect and so does he.So you rant on we don't care.I for one don't need an ADVOCATE, NEVER HAVE. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF BELIEVE ME.AND that bothers people like you.I know the system and how to make IT WORK SO the POLICE and certain people really don't bother me.They have but one recourse and that is to kill me !!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 7:07 PM
This is from the urban dictionary, CoolBreeze and is a response to your saying "your people".

While the phrase has long been used as an interpersonal generalization, it has become known as a racial epithet targeted to blacks only recently. The earliest documentation of this meaning that I can find is from 1992, when presidential candidate Ross Perot was chided for telling an NAACP audience about financial hardships befalling "your people."

Willie Clark, president of the N.A.A.C.P. branch in San Bernadino, Calif., said the overall tone of Mr. Perot's remarks and particularly his use of the phrase "your people" reflected how culturally out of touch he was with his audience.

"When he said 'you people' or 'your people,' it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull," he said. "It's something white folks have used when they don't want to call you ________, but they don't want to treat you like an equal."

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 7:07 PM
SAM.......IT'S OK HE HAS TOLD US ALL WHAT HE IS ABOUT.....LIKE MOST HE WILL NOT DECLARE HIMSELF BUT REALLY HE ALREADY HAS A LONG TIME AGO.ALL I did was tell You OF A CORRESPONDING INCIDENT IN THE COURTS RIGHT NOW AND HE JUMPED AND HE CHANGED THE SUBJECT.Then went on to imply that your son is a liar and that you were also.When all you said was the cop seemed more interested in the passenger than the driver and your son wondered why.Kinda like you have no idea how many times I have heard"WE A LOOKING FOR SOME ONE" it would be funny if it wasn't so dangerous.

MIKE....in2013 shaun winder ran for sheriff in priest lake......kkk leader and Aryan nations member that's here in Idaho I DIDNT LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE.why WOULD YOU think they have gone away???There closer than you think.!!!!!Why didn't you ask cool breeze he's the only person here that tells the truth.HA !!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 7:48 PM
I agree lamont.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sat, Feb 21, 2015, at 8:15 PM
Lamont, I think you have the wrong last name of the person who ran for sheriff.

I think you have the wrong place named that he ran for sheriff.

I'm sure he was a racist, who finished third, in a three person election, who the community wants gone and numerous local and national grroups are after him.

-- Posted by skeeter on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 7:10 AM
re:"...the COMMON MAN decided he would not be sheriff"

Do you suppose Bull Connor would've been elected for multiple terms as Birmingham's Commissioner of Public Safety if the Voting Rights Act had been in effect at the outset of his career as commissioner?

"I don't know what they're [Congress] thinking exactly, but it seems to me one might reasonably think this: It's an old disease, it's gotten a lot better, but it's still there. So if you had a remedy that really helped it work, but it wasn't totally over, wouldn't you keep that remedy?" Justice Stephen Breyer

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 8:50 AM
Thanks for acknowledging the substance of the initial post.

Do you have any response to the question?

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 9:28 AM
Coolbreeze..... really gets upset when things don't go your way.I don't care wether you like it .It is still there and it is perpetuated by people like you.wHEN IT IS RACIALLY MOTIVATED IT'S RACIALLY MOTIVATED.Just because you don't see it that way doesn't make it so anymore than it does for me.I don't have a chip on my shoulder I JUST WONT LET BIGOTS PUSH ME AROUND AND THAT'S NOT OK WITH YOU...respect is a two way street.... speaking of hate you hate DEMOCRATES,PROGESSIVES, INDEPENDENTS ANYONE WHO DOES NOT SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR CONSERVATIVE BRAND OF LIVING.GO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND STOP HATING ON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DONT AGREE WITH YOU.TRY PUTTING THE WORD.... WHY..... IN YOUR VOCABULARY.

Mike nobody has said things havnt improved. What we are saying is that the things that are out there are as hideous as they were before, they just don't take place in the same form.Every white person is not portraed as a criminal,but almost every black man is to include the president. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON YOU GET SO MANY BLACK MEN BEING SHOT AND KILLED WHO ARE UNARMED.When you carry assumptions about people you tend to do things to make those assumptions valied. Yes mike you do see white guys married to black woman and no they are not stoped as often. The assumption in the BIGOTED circles is that she is a whoa SO WHY BOTHER. wOUlD YOU CALL THAT CRUEL ??? I would.I have a friend here who is married to a white guy and she has some story's to tell,I DONT THINK SHE WOULD LYE SHE IS HIGHLY EDUCATED AND COMES FROM A VERY NICE FAMILY.She IS A MILITARY BRAT and would know, her mom is a LTC in the med corp.

Skeeter you are probally right I would have to look it up again,but he did run....in 2013.WE cant say it's not there when you have things like that happening.wHAT IS GREAT AS YOU STATED, THE PEOPLE DID NOT ELECT HIM.

Well said DAVE.......IT'S NOT GOING TO HEAL BY ITSELF........HAVE A GOOD ONE !!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 11:01 AM
Mike ......not one person is pointing a finger at you !!!!~!!!I certainly am not.I don't exspect that you would be aware of what goes on that affects me if it doesn't affect you.I do exspect that when I tell you what affects me that im not called a liar.That is something you have never done.That is when you usually ask when, how, and why.That is appreciated,most on the blog do the same.Now Skeeter seems to stay on top of some things that others don't.Right on !!!!!

Any how there have been cases were the justice dept has sued a county because there gerrymandering negated the vote.That did happen in texas in the last election.The supreme court gutted some key parts to the voteing rights act which allowed that to happen.I guess what I am trying to say is we are back to attempting to nullify the potential of the minority vote.I would also have to say both parties are guilty of the gerrymandering.

Mike Dave only used bermingham as and example.tHE POINT IS THINGS ARE STILL HAPPENING NOW...If YOU ARE NOT FAMILAR WITH BERMINGHAM WHAT HE SAID MEANS NOTHING TO YOU.

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 2:14 PM
Hi lamont. This conversation has progressed so that it is now more to the point of my nationalconversationonrace.com article.

Take care.

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 4:50 PM
COOLBREEZE .......NICE TRY !!!!!!! THERE IS NOT A PERSON HERE THAT DOESNT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EXCEPT YOU !~!!!!!!!!!I DIDNT PROJECT A THING ON YOU. YOU OWNED UP FOR YOURSELF THAT IS WHAT IS SO FUNNY AND YOU DONT EVEN SEE IT...BE PROUD....REMEMBER I DIDNT CALL ANYONE A LIAR OR ANYTHING ELSE...You started insulting me the moment you found out I was black....... don't let my age stop you or encourage you but getting in my face is not something you want to do !!!!!HAVE A GOOD DAY !!!!!!!

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 7:48 PM
Dave, the paragraph in your blog that I liked the most is this one.

"Dr. King's letter is timeless and strikes at the incongruities our nation has been burdened with since the Declaration of Independence. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed the time for slavery had not passed; some delegates at Seneca Falls believed the time for women's suffrage had not arrived. Dr. King recognized that it is not time that causes social change. Time simply passes; change comes through action taken by people."

Some people aren't ready to take action to make a change. Maybe consciously or subconsciously they make a justification that there isn't a problem or that time will take care of the problem. Maybe they have been raised to prejudiced against people from different races, religions, genders, and sexual orientation.

In the case of racial or other types of inequality actions need to be taken because it is just wrong.

One action, like lamont says, is to report inequality when it occurs. Another action is to comment on these blogs and point these things out. An important action is to vote for candidates based on these issues.

When the U.N. needs to tell America to get it's act together after the problems in Ferguson, then we know that we've got a big problem.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Sun, Feb 22, 2015, at 8:30 PM
The United Nations serves a good purpose and America is a major part of the United Nations.

I can find no support to the following claim that you made, Mike. Are you just making things up as you go along?

"During the 2012 presidential debates, one of the few intelligent things I heard from ANYBODY, was when Romney was asked about the U.N.

His answer was that if it was up to HIM, he would have that place jack-hammered into rubble. The man sees what most do not."

-- Posted by Mike Bradbury on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 7:36 AM

As the discussion pertains to the problem of racial equality, I mentioned the United Nations because they have told us that we need to do better on that. Whether you think that the United Nations is "HAVEN for terrorist & communist nations that hopes to one day fly ITS flag over the whole world." is beside the point. And inaccurate.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 10:02 AM
COOLBREEZE THE MANY IS YOU.......BECAUSE I WONT KNOCKLE UNDER TO YOUR BRAND OF GARBAGE THAT NOTHING IS WRONG........NOTHING IS WRONG FOR YOU.!!!!!!!!!! And as long as there isn't you see nothing wrong. To include bad traffic stops,assaulting women by the side of the road,shooting unarmed men,killing children.It aint happening to you and you think we should say things will change and wait and you'll protect us.THE PORTRAYEL OF BLACKS as less than,the portrayel of all black men as violent,thiefs and murders.The wanting of minorities to work for less and to be happy with the most menial jobs regardless of education.I COULD GO ON BUT ALL OF THIS IS MEANINGLESS TO SOMEONE WHO DOESNT SEE ANYTHING WRONG

I TREAT PEOPLE HERE WITH RESPECT YOU SEEM TO TAKE SOME PERVERSE PLEASURE IN BEING AS RUDE AS YOU CAN AND AS NASTY AS YOU CAN ESPECAILLY TO ME AND YOU THINK I SHOULD TAKE IT .......WRONG.sPEAKING OF IGNORANCE THAT IS THE HEIGHT OF IT.I exspect some of that from conservatives but you take it to the extreme.I am not the only one who feels this way Im just the one who will say so.So you get it I am not here to write a grammatically correct anything you don't like the way it comes out don't read it >>>>>>>>>>>>

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 10:31 AM
lamont and those that may be interested, the Department of Justice has been looking into the practices of the Ferguson police and their pattern of discrimination n their policing. If they don't agree to recommended Justice Department changes, then the Justice Department will file a law suit against Ferguson.

That sounds like a step forward to me.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/18/politics/ferguson-justice-department-lawsuit/

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 5:09 PM
They are also expected to announce that they won't file charges against Wilson, presumably because of the difficulty of doing that kind of case when there was no video evidence and conflicting witnesses.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 5:12 PM
SAM........tHEY PRETTY MUCH SAID THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN SOME MONTHS BACK.GOOD !!!!!!! That department needs to be fixed,They can say what they want he did not need to empty his service revolver at this young man.Yeah the young man was wrong but this was not a deadly force situation.

You know all the cell phones around and no video,I thought there was one that showed this officer killing this person taped by a young woman coming home from work.I COULD BE MISTAKEN OH well as long as they now get the bigger problem rectified.

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 6:44 PM
MIKE ....... I KNOW ALL THOSE THINGS AND DONT HAVE A BIG PROBLEMM WITH WHAT HAPPENED ONE CORRECTION BROWN OUT WIEGHED WILSON BY ABOUT 20 LBS.Never did understand were this twice his size came from. Wilson was not a small guy.I think most people want to consider that the police being the pro use a little restraint I know they won't and so do you.Hollow points ????? we are shooting at our own citizens.I personally think the police need range time every month.I also believ that if a person doesn't have a weapon clearly ID WE SHOULD NOT BE THINKING ABOUT DEADLY FORCE.IT is easy to say it was justified when the other person is dead and you cant bring them back.

I am all for the police being able to do there job. I am not for a cowboy mentality to get it done.Sometime there overreach gets people hurt in more ways than one.

-- Posted by lamont on Mon, Feb 23, 2015, at 7:56 PM
The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition--led by the Lawyers'Committee for Civil Rights Under Law--was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. This coalition is made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners.

http://www.866ourvote.org/newsroom/publications/body/Full-2014-EP-Report.pdf

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 8:12 AM
Should any voter be expected to tolerate their right being denied even though the majority had freely exercised their right?

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 8:20 AM
This issue affects all citizens, without regard to party affiliation. It seems all political parties would take advantage of opportunities to ensure voter rights aren't adversely affected.

-- Posted by Dave Thompson on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 8:26 AM
COOLBREEZE......TAKE YOUR SARCASM AND PUT IT SOME PLACE IT WILL DO YOU THE MOST GOOD.I FOR ONE AM FINISH WITH IT.I DONT LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE SARCASTIC FOR NO REASON AND I DONT LIKE THEM WHO ARE SARCASTIC AS A MEANS OF PROVOKATION.sO TAKE YOUR TUCK COMMENT AND DIRECT TO SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT AND MAYBE IT WONT GO TO WASTE.

DAVE I read it your right it does impact us all.I think the point is to some greater or lesser degree we are all in it.There seems to be 4 states more than others that have put forth the most barriers.The thing that is on my mind is this under current to let the states legislature select our senators and congressmen talk about a step backwards. They don't listen to us now.!!!!!

well im busy got to run ...............later

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 9:37 AM
This article from "The Atlantic" was an eye opener. Police were harassing black customers at a convenience store but their favorite thing apparently was to keep arresting, for trespassing, a black employee of the store. Over 60 times.

The store owner complained and it still continued. Finally he notified the media and it stopped but almost all of the officers involved still have their jobs and apparently weren't penalized for their fun and games.

When this kind of thing happens to just one black person then people should be trying to do something about it, rather than complaining about the people who want racial inequality to stop.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/02/This-american-life-cops-see-...

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 5:20 PM
SAM .......I read about this awhile back.Some people would like to believe and do believe that this doesn't happen or they blame the victim......he must have done something wrong.This is not uncommon problem is by the time anyone does anything the person has a record.ACTUALLY HE IS PROBALLY LUCKY HE DIDNT GET KILLED WHEN HE RAN...........they probally would have justified it with fleeing and being a habitual criminal.Yes this is everyday stuff.Unless it happens to you I think you don't want to believe it because to acknowledge means everything you have been lead to believe is a lie.To be a black male without an arrest is a very lucky person.That one thing affect so many things it would blow your mind.It also puts your life at risk because it is on the computer for a traffic stop and now you are considered dangerous,WE KNOW WHAT THAT CAN LEAD TO. WELL THANKS FOR THE READ.........I TRY NOT TO LET THIS STUFF GET TO ME I HAVE LIVED ALL THESE YEARS WITH IT,I JUST TRY TO DO MY BEST TO GET THE CHANGES WE NEED..........LATER

-- Posted by lamont on Tue, Feb 24, 2015, at 6:49 PM
Seeking to end racism, keeps it alive? That just doesn't seem logical.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 25, 2015, at 12:02 AM
SAM .... IGNORE.....I GUESS IF WE JUST let people continue to be mistreated and we don't say anything it will just go away and stop happening.That's a joke of course,but for some that is the way to clear the issue after all getting shot,incacerated,not hired etc aint no big thing it's not happening to them.

You know and I know THAT there is a need to stop what goes on, and that wont happen with silence.Anyhow lets get on with things.OUR CONVERSATION WITH.....DAVE'S...... INFO HAS BEEN GOOD...YOUR LAST ARTICLE.... I think I also read that it put that police force in DOJ headlights.............later Iv some music to write.

-- Posted by lamont on Wed, Feb 25, 2015, at 8:36 AM
Discussing racism, is not directed at others in the blog unless of course those who engage in race baiting.

Discussing racism does shed a light on the problem and the fact that pretending that it doesn't exist doesn't stop racism. It needs to be discussed, as well as how to address it.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 26, 2015, at 12:01 AM
This blog has turned into a few that insist on calling each other out. This is not the purpose or intent of our stories or the blogs. I am asking those involved to stop. Discuss the topic and your feelings and belief without making it personal. Thank you.

-- Posted by Brenda Fincher Publisher MHNews on Thu, Feb 26, 2015, at 1:46 PM

Respond to this blog

Posting a comment requires free registration:

If you already have an account, follow this link to login
Otherwise, follow this link to register