How to Deal With a Racist Boss

I actually need some help with this. My boss' behavior of going off on me for making decisions that I know are rational and sound has prompted me to ponder this question. I conduct parole revocation hearings. I was hired to do so shortly after my agency was sued and lost a major federal law suit for violating parolee's rights. I can truly say that my decisions are rational and sound. He even agrees with me after I get a chance to explain my decisions after his rants. Is he a racist? I don't know. Is he an asshole? Most definitely. You see, my agency had/has a history of conducting "kangaroo" proceedings. I actually listen to both sides (parolee and agents) and try to make decisions based in law and fact. On occasion, stupid ass agents disagree and will call him to complain. Rather than stand by my decision, he caves in like a bitch and overturns the decision. On today, he said that he disagreed with my decision but would let it stand. Okay, if the decision was so bad then overturn it you fat little fuck.

In any case, I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with this little asshole for the next few years. I say the next few years because I don't want to be working there any longer than that. He's loud, unfriendly, spineless, lacking conviction, simple-minded and cowardly. But rather than exercise some balls and tell these dopey, stupid ass agents to go fuck themselves, he cowards like a bitch and then goes crazy white man ballistic on me for exercising pragmatic decision making. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be pondering how to deal with this spineless, poor excuse for a man. Good riddance you ass hole. Peace.

What Community Organizing Means to Me

For those of you who are politically and socially aware, I don't have to tell you what members of the Republican party said about community organizing and community organizers at their convention. In essence, these folks belittled Sen. Obama's work in organizing poor communities in the South Side of Chicago. These folks totally offended me and should have offended every self-respecting American in this country.

I was raised with the understanding that I had an obligation to give back to my community in some shape or form. My first experience in performing community service was through my church's young people's department. My sister and I would spend occassional weekends feeding the homeless and singing to the elderly during Christmas. By the time I was a teenanger, my sister and I had the wherewithall to organize relief centers at our church. In 1992, immediately after the Los Angeles riots, I watched my 17 year old sister single-handedly spearhead a food distribution program at our church.

Today, my service to humankind takes different forms. I mentored a young lady who gradutated from Wayne State University and who is currently awaiting admission to a joint MBA/JD program. There are a hosts of other things I've done. But the point I want to make is that I knew that there was no way to uplift my community, the black community, unless I did something. What the Republicans essentially said last week was that not only are we intentionally failing poor and urban communities, but for those of you in a position to help these communities, you shouldn't be helping them either. I read on a blog recently that if you ever wondered whether the Republican's neglect of Americans during Hurrican Katrina was intentional or not, their mockery of Sen. Obama's service to his community at their convention last week should answer that question for you.

Folks, lets get it in gear and get organized. To repeat an African proverb that I learned in college and never forgot, "The essence of life is SERVICE to humanity." Thank God for all of those grandmothers who fed and still feed poor people in our communities. Thank you to my father who at 62 and retired spends his time tutoring young black children at public schools in our community. To paraphrase my aunts, mother and other women I know, "one monkey [or Republican] don't stop no show." We must continue to do what the true elite will never do and that is serve our communities. In the words of Molly Bell, a beautiful community organizer in the City of Los Angeles, "The Struggle Continues, But to God be the Glory!"

Mon. Sept. 8, 2008 - Day of Blogging for Community Organizing Justice

Monday, September 8, 2008: Day of Blogging for Community Organizing Justice: "I Am a Community Organizer"
The AfroSpear and afrosphere announce a Day of Blogging for Community Organizing Justice: "I Am a Community Organizer", to be held on Monday, September 8, 2008. AfroSpear and afrosphere bloggers involved are encouraged to each contact five additional bloggers and request their participation.

VP Democratic Nominee Joe Biden on Meet The Press this Sunday

Check out Joe Biden on Meet the Press on Sunday. I wonder if the Republican VP nominee, Sarah Palin, will ever appear on the show? Just wondering.

Don't Focus on the Redneck Sitcom Called Sarah Palin

I have to remind myself of this challenge. Senator McCain chose Sarah Palin as his VP nominee because he believed that she would electrify the Republican base. This is the same group that President George Bush used to secure (no let me tell the truth - steal) the 2000 Presidency. That base is made up of evangelicals and what are commonly referred to as "rednecks".

It is clear that the term "redneck" is no longer an insult with the word being the title of award winning country singer Gretchen Wilson's chart-topping song "Redneck Woman". Some white folks even refer to themselves and each other as rednecks as did the baby's father of one of Sarah's teenaged daughter in his myspace page. This group is and probably always will be the base of the Republican Party. Ms. Palin simply got the base excited and electrified. I commend her on doing what she was called to do.

Senator Obama cannot and should not count on tapping into this scary base. To me, it would be like him expecting and working to get the Ku Klux Klan vote. I believe that Senator Obama needs to continue to focus on the issues, allow Joe Biden to do his work on Ms. Palin and attempt to tap into the independent vote which I would hope is a bit more intelligent than that of the evangelical or the redneck vote. Each party has its base and at this point both parties are trying to get the independent vote and a small portion of groups that typically support the other party. For Barack Obama, the groups that he needs to tap into are the fiscal conservatives, libertarians, and other smart undecided traditionally Republican voters who have accepted the truth about the last eight years under the George Bush regime.

That said, Barack Obama must stay focused. Spending the next 60 days focusing on a soap opera is good for McCain. This major distraction is good for McCain because it allows him to take the focus away from the terrible economy which the Bush regime has refused to own and which McCain would undoubtedly continue. So folks, lets not take our eyes off the prize. Let Joe and the other Obama surrogates deal with Sarah "Caribou Barbie" Palin. Allow Barack to focus on the issues and on the terrible Bush presidency which would undoubtedly continue if McCain is elected. And also, lets put our time and money where our mouth is. I donated more money on today and decided to voluteer my time with the Obama campaign to see him elected in November.

Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones

(September 10, 1949 – August 20, 2008)

Today is a sad day for me. My soror, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, went to be with the Lord on today. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends and the sisters of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. I first met Soror Tubbs in 2004 when I attended Delta Days at the Nation's Capital, an annual legislative conference in our Nation's Capital for members of the sorority where we'd come together to influence our Nation's legislators.

Every year that I attended the conference, Soror Tubbs would escort us around the Nation's capital and talk to us about issues of the day, all while treating us with such kindness. She was the kind of person you could just talk to and who didn't put on heirs. I remember Soror Tubbs parking her Honda Accord in the front of the capital to help orchestrate a group picture for sorors in front of the Capital. She was a real person which is a rare quality these days. Below is a statement that Tubbs made in response to the 2004 election. This quote, in my opinion, sums up Soror Tubbs' strength, courage and wisdom:

I, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a representative from Ohio,

and Ms. Boxer, a Senator from California, object to

the counting of the electoral votes of the State of Ohio

on the ground that they were not, under all of the

known circumstances, regularly given.

I, thank God, that I have a Senator joining me in this

objection. I appreciate Senator Boxer's willingness to

listen to the plight of hundreds and even thousands of

Ohio voters that for a variety of reasons were denied

the right to vote. Unfortunately objecting to the

electoral votes from Ohio is the only immediate avenue

to bring these issues to light.

While some have called our cause foolish I can assure

you that my parents, Mary and Andrew Tubbs did not

raise any fools and as a lawyer, former judge and

prosecutor, I am duty bound to follow the law and apply

the law to the facts as I find them.

Joy! Unpseakable Joy!

I love art, and especially art featuring black dancers. I came across the above piece while searching the internet for something else. I wanted to share this piece with you. The piece is entitled, "Jumping for Joy." Looking at this piece reminds of those things that are honest, pure, lovely, virtuous, true, noble and of good report and I choose to think on those things. Happy Valentine's Day!