Prop 8 The Musical...

Funny, and points well made....

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

[ [ [Straight Outta Compton] ] ]

Pictured: King Drew Medical Center turned King Harbor Medical Center turned destined for failure... A familiar sight to King Drew Magnet High School students (circa 2003), and area residents.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is by no means *current* news. It was merely inspired by the newfound media frenzy over the case of Edith Rodriguez, who was left writhing in pain in the King Drew ER for about 45 minutes without ever receiving medical attention. She was arrested in the ER for an outstanding warrrant, and died. SMH...only on the east side. (Side note: there is a link to an article about her case in the 2nd paragraph.)

Health care has been a hot button issue for many Americans, especially in light of moves toward privatization and scores of job losses and benefit cuts sweeping across the country.

But the residents of South Los Angeles have been concerned about access to heath care long before Barack Obama introduced his plan, or even his bid to run for office. In fact, one may argue that there is indeed a hole in President-elect Obama's plan. Affordable, universal-esque health care is nice and all - but what am I supposed to do when the closest medical facility to me is more ill than I am?

For over 35 years, King Drew had existed as the only public hospital to service the greater portion of South Los Angeles - with the closest medical centers to it being County USC and the UCLA Medical Center. The trauma unit specifically, while barraged with thousands of near-death, and critically injured patients annually, had over a 90% survival and success rate. Yet, in October 2004, LA County officials voted to close the trauma unit so the hospital could focus it's energy into fixing other egregious flaws. IMPORTANT NOTE: The ER and trauma unit are not the same. So all the new media spotlight about the Edith Rodriguez case really has no bearing here. In fact, the trauma unit was closed in 2004, and this tragedy occured 3 years later. The sad reality is the members of the communities of South Los Angeles, Lynwood, Compton, Watts, Willowbrook, and other surrounding are as good as dead - in the event of a traumatic occurrence. And let's not forget this particular area has once of the highest incidences of homicide in the state, and nation.

The plight and travesty that is King Drew Medical Center (I don't care what the name gets changed to...why was Charles Drew's name taken off anyway? Shady biz...) pre-dates the more widely known January 2004 U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) inspection results exposing negligent and down right heartless practices of some nurses. The myriad of reports, statements, and records that have surfaced throughout the near 4 year period of scrutiny and inspection are abhorrently disheartening, and disgusting. From falsified charts, to ER negligence, it was readily apparent that K/D was seriously afflicted. But I can't help but wonder - where were these inspectors and county officials prior to 2004? It's not as though in December of 2003 the hospital was just fine, and as soon as the calendar hit '04 , shit hit the fan.

Throughout the over 3 1/2 years of failed, last-minute, last-ditch efforts of outside agencies and county officials, one thing was apparent - K/D had been diagnosed incorrectly, and the treatments were improper and insufficient. Everyone presumed the hospital to be cancerous - and proceeded to cut away vital units in an effort to "preserve" what was left. Too bad K/D was bleeding - and had been doing so for a very long time. Instead of injecting more life blood into the hospital, in August of 2007, CMS pulled the plug.

The impending closure (due to a complete loss of federal funds) of King Drew Medical Center isn't just about shitty hospital administration, shady funding, and stupid nurses. Ultimately, a definite price tag has been placed on the lives of the South Los Angeles residents who now are re-routed to more distant (albeit, "better") facilities to seek treatment. In fact, I remember attending a wake for the friend of a friend a few years back, who died from blood loss en route to Harbor UCLA because the trauma center at King Drew was closed. He was shot a few blocks from K/D - and could very well still be alive today if the ambulance did not have to re-route to a more distant facility.

Census and academic data from 2006 speaks volumes to why K/D (and the surrounding economically impoverished area) ble(e)d helplessly for so long. With around 30 percent of South Los Angeles residents living below the poverty line (which by the way, is over double the national average of 12.5 percent), and Compton ranking as the 6th most dangerous city in the U.S., it is apparent that the east side is, and has been in trouble for a very long time. A lack of economic development, employment, homelessness, and rampant gang violence (amongst other community conditions that I could spend all day listing) since the 1980's echoes the mantra of "kick 'em while they're down". They're all just gonna shoot, rob, rape, and smoke themselves to death anyways right - who actually needs a hospital in that area?

I could go on and on and on and on and on forever about societal ills, and on even further about how to rectify them... but I'll spare you my rantings. I just find it amazing (although unsurprising) that while one desperately needed medical facility dies on the east side...another one expands on the west side (UCLA Medical Center). Thinks that make you go "hmm..", eh?

In thinking about this post, and all the statistical data and reports for the shit that we already knew, one song comes to mind...let it marinate. I thought the video personally did the song NO justice, and (again, unsurprisingly) dumbed down the heavy contents of the lyrics.

Lupe Fiasco feat. Jill Scott - Daydreamin'

Never Stop Playing With Crayons...

I woke up this morning feeling colorful, despite the gray skies....

Art comes in all forms and uses an array of mixed media - which makes it interesting. I'm personally a fan of graffiti, photography, and installation art...but I appreciate fresh shit in other forums.

Herb Williams, a Nashville, TN artist created a picture of Barack Obama using Crayola Crayons...and not in the way that you think. Check the NBC vid of his piece:

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/weird/Crayola_Obama_All__National_.html

After watching that - I felt inspired to go back, and dig up some of my favorite pieces of Obama inspired art... Heeeere they are!!! Most of them are street art, which to me, makes them even more fresh :)



This one is actually from inside of the Obama LA headquarters....

I'm very rarely uber enthused about a pair of shoes... they're just not my thing. I spend 95% of my time in flip-flops anyways (yes sadly enough, sometimes even in the rain). But these shoes are hella fresh, and I STILL want them!!! Any buyers?









File these under Fresh :)

Hello Darkness...Hello Sunshine....

I remember sitting in my room on November 4th, BBMing, AIMing, GChatting, and texting with a large number of my friends as the numeric ass-kicking of John McCain cemented the future of Barack Obama as our next President. During our usual political play-by-play conversation my good friend, business partner, and fellow Obamaniac proclaimed, "Obama never woulda made it this far if he was my color." I started to immediately fire back "that's not true!", but I stopped myself - because I didn't know how true or untrue his statement was. But I do know, that for as long as the issue of racism has been an external oppressive force on Black people, colorism, has been a self-inflicted wound with no signs of healing on the horizon.

I usually give in to my friends musings of me being hella yella, manila, paleskin one, beige, mother of pearl, light bright, and any other allusion of brightness you could imagine. And of course, I have spent an absorbed amount of my time in the sun, trying hard to jack up my melanin count. In addition to that, my usual defense is "it's funny how making fun of light skinned people is laughable, but the second I make a joke about you being dark, its cruel, insensitive, and an exhibition of self hatred", to which the reply is almost unanimously, "shut up...you're people got to be in the house while mine were out in the field." (Sidebar: amazing how we can make light of some of the most damaging times of our people and our own history, huh? I'm not on my soapbox, because I'm guilty of it too. Just pointing it out...)

I had a friend in high school and throughout my early college years who was very pretty, and very brown. She had everything I wanted - huge boobs, a small waist, and a huge ass, and nice brown skin. We used to joke about trades and exchanges all the time. I noticed that during our morning-after-clubbing re-caps, she would make comments like "I hate going out with you, all the guys wanna talk to you because you're light skinned and have long hair." I laughed it off then, saying "yea they talk, til they realize I've got no ass....then they go to you." But more and more her comments became a reflection of serious self esteem issues of a woman of color - living in a world where the values of beauty are as conflicted as the people that created them. Its been long held the standard that, the closer to white you are, the more beautiful you are. If this is true, how did this syndrome of spending ridiculous amounts of money tanning, botox lip injecting, booty and breast implanting begin?

But I digress. I also have an ex, who fell on the far light end of the spectrum - light eyes, sandy brown hair and all. Our own friends and families made fun, saying out kids would come out clear...and if they're any darker, I cheated (lol). But all too often, I caught musings from darker male friends of mine, with their Kanye'd musings - "Ima make sure these light skinned n----s never ever ever come back in style". More often than not, during our intimate, intellectual conversations, he would reveal how he felt and dealt with the same feelings of rejection experienced by my other friend, but on a more 'universal' level. He felt rejected by Black people, and felt that he was never taken seriously because his skin color undermined any good work or positive words he would commit.

I know we've all seen this clip a thousand times, but look/listen with a new pair of eyes as you continue reading....

We all understand the crux and foundation of color values, dating back to slavery. But how do we do we move past these seemingly ingrained notions and stigmatizations of color, and begin to absorb and value beauty for the myriad of shades and flavors it comes in? Is my claim to Blackness less valid because I happen to be a mutt? If we keep it real (which we always do at LB anyway), no descendant of enslaved Africans in this country is 100% anything. I'm not - but I don't walk around wearing it on a t-shirt either. My dad is half German, and my mom's parents are Creole. I get mistaken for being every kind of mix, for some reason. My sister and I have the same biological parents (although you'd never be able to guess...we look nothing alike), and she is never mistaken for anything other than Black (well maybe sometimes Ethiopian). I'm slightly uncomfortable in my own skin - but who isn't really? We all have things we'd like to change about ourselves. I've never mistaken myself to try to understand the challenges of another person, I don't know what its like to walk in their shoes. I don't know how it feels to be invisible to the opposite sex, because you're a darker-skinned woman. I can't tell you how it is to have everyone fear you as a tall dark man. I can't tell you what its like to be a light skinned male that is apparently now 'out of style'. I can only tell you me - and I can only halfway do that, at best. Everyone thinks oh, life is so easy for you, the light skinned curly/wavy haired girl with a normal name. Truth be told, I don't know what my "perks" are - and perhaps it is of the same vain as white privilege - not fully understanding/recognizing its existence when you have lived within its confines and nowhere else.

Would have Obama had the same galvanizing effect, if he were perhaps, five shades darker? In the Jim Crow south, did Dr. King's color work to his advantage with Black people, or to his detriment with whites, (given that many revered black leaders and scholars, with the exception of Marcus Garvey have by and large been of lighter complexions)? Does my skin color open more doors than it closes?

This is one of those blogs for me, that is very limited by my personal experiences, and ends on a rather open note. So, on behalf of LB I am opening the floodgates of commentry - post your thoughts, feelings, comments and experiences... I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say, and engaging in an interesting dialogue.

Go forth, drop knowledge, tell your friends to do the same....

Shut Down the West Side... Just NOT During Rush Hour (When I'm Trying to Get Home)

First and foremost, I would like to SINCERELY AND HEARTFELTLY (is that even a word? probably not, lol) apologize to LB faithfuls that have been disappointed in the lack of new material... specifically Ralph & Chris :) The school year has begun for Bonita (she's the new Editor in Chief of NOMMO Newsmagazine), and I'm juggling a bunch of acts (working, hooking dope interviews, launching my own business and career). But we can't forget about LuvBomb - so look forward to new blogs, and links to the great ish we've been working on while away.

Now that we've got that out the way...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll spare my thoughts on the presidential election (at least for now) - everyone and their mom has released a statement on the historic and legendary epic milestone Obama's victory has brought forth. I'm just as excited as the next person (and yes Ralph, I WILL take those celebration shots this weekend...I didn't forget). But what I WILL urge is that we as a collective, push forward and fight the desire to become complacent with one accomplishment - albeit one large accomplishment, and continue to do the work we know is necessary to actually create the positive change we so desperately seek. Onward to controversy....

Proposition 8 has been one of the most divisive, telling propositions this state has seen. As much as I wanted the Prop to go down in flames (no pun/derogation intended, honestly), I knew in my heart of hearts that conservative ass California wouldn't go for it. You read right - conservative ass California. California has such a laid back, liberal, everyone-does-drugs-and- chills-at-the-beach ass reputation and aesthetic, that we blindly assume ANYTHING can get passed here. But we forget one thing - although this ain't the deep south, and despite the diversity, Californians still hold on to a core set of biases. And by and large, those biases are religious in origin - regardless of ethnic background.

I learned this, in conducting my own private research, and by research I mean arguing with about 10 of my friends. The overwhelming majority of these laid back, chill, funny, and diverse friends voted yes on Prop 8. Their arguments ranged from it goes against God, to gay rights are not civil rights, and everything inbetween. My absolute favorite arguments revolved around what I call the 'Save the Kids Syndrome' - "They're gonna teach gay marriage in school! You can't raise a kid in a house with 2 of the same parents, they will grow up gay...and that's not natural or fair." Word? You remember learning about marriage in third grade? I don't. I remember times tables, the 7 continents, and paper mache volcanoes, but not life lessons in marriage. And about the gay parenting thing.... in my book, two daddies are better than none! If I were a foster kid, I'd rather hear "ha ha ha you have two daddies" than "ha ha ha you don't have a home...or a family".

I'm not here to challenge anyone's belief systems (after all, we all need a higher power to answer to and have faith in), but I feel as though most people - particularly people of color, hold closely and blindly to a system of religious beliefs that at one time or another, were used to oppress or objectify them. White slave owners used the bible to justify slavery, and keep slaves in their place. Spanish Conquistadors used religion and violence to conquer the land and the native peoples of the Americas. You already know who's land this country is built on, so we won't even go there. Even with this knowledge, we become some of the most devout purveyors of Christianity (of whatever denomination) and hold so closely to these rules without a question or a conscious thought. Like I said, I'm not here to shake your base of faith, we all need one. I just have a problem with so much of the face-value, literal interpretation, Bible thumping that many of us are accustomed to.

Last but not least, America, on the state and federal level, touts a separation of church and state, at least theoretically. If we are to believe this is so - why is there essentially government control over some of the most private facets of our life? Religious beliefs should not dictate who I marry, or whether I decide to have an abortion (we'll jump on abortion in another blog). The fact of the matter is, 60 years ago, Blacks and Whites couldn't intermarry legally...how is this any different? Even if you don't buy into all the civil rights jargon, I urge you to call into question the moral grounds of a state that condemns the wedding of gays, but thinks it's okay to execute people.

I know you probably think I'm so adamant about this, because I might be lesbian...but I'm not. I rock the rainbow (metaphorically) in solidarity, because I understand and recognize that discrimination takes on many ugly forms. If you leave this blog with nothing else, leave with this awareness: there is always an "it" group. Somebody is always the target of some sort of bigotry. If its not criminal and licentious Black people, its our Chicana/o brothers and sisters stealing all the jobs, or some Muslim "terrorist" holding up our flights leaving LAX. Right now, gays just happen to be the "it" group. The same biases, insensitivities, and ignorance are just redressed and perpetuated to suit the needs of the time.

I hope I made you think.

'til next time....

Crown Royal On Ice

LuvBomb...YouTube Edition

The moons and stars have aligned and Beyonce Season is upon us, y'all! Just when we forgot who the Queen B is, and started jockin' this chick...

I don't care what you think of the songs (eh), Bey is the flyest chick in the game. Check the choreography in "Single Ladies."




The song is whatever, but the video's concept got me a lil pissed at all the times my girls and I have been severely under appreciated...

Beyonce - If I were A Boy (New) [HQ]
by Le-Tour-2Lor

Bey's dude in the car is aiight, but the chick he's rollin' with is a major downgrade...I know it's a video, but ain't it always a downgrade for the brothas who mess up with us?

In Case you Missed it...YouTube Edition

My best friend and I were YouTubing the other night, and came across these videos of Barack Obama dancing on Soul Train and in an old school music video. In the Soul Train clip, fast forward to the last 20 seconds or so of the video for Obama in a brown suit. Or if you're really bored, just watch the whole clip for some extra laughs.

P.S., isn't it nice to know that Palin brought "shout outs" to the mainstream? Now, when I'm writing my Shakespeare final, I can give a shout out to da big homie Othello 'cause his pimp hand is way strong with that Desdemona chick.

Soooooooul Train!



The Realness...



Say Whaaaat??



Sidebar: Who knew that White people actually knew the phrase "shout out?" Since I'll bet they eliminated the idea that it was a stain remover, I'm sure that it came up on google's most searched for terms this week.


Ok, I know that neither are Obama and the second video is just a Rick Roll, but hey...with the economy in the state it's in and Sarah Palin winkin' and talkin' all folksy so damn much, I figured it'd be nice to have a few lighthearted moments with respect to politics. Good Times.

Time out from LuvBomb's usual...T.V. Edition

Since their own network won't give them any publicity (SMDH), Bonita will spend a couple minutes trying to keep the only two Black shows on network T.V. from being canceled. Side note: Is this really how pathetic network TV is without UPN? Damn shame. Heeeeeere we go:

The Game, The C.W. Fridays at 8pm.



Centered around the Melanie and Derwin drama, the third season showed us that Melanie obviously hasn't been reading LuvBomb, because she's ventured into a land where no woman should trespass- accepting her cheatin' ass man's baby mama drama for the sake of love.

Upon hearing that her estranged pro-baller boyfriend has gotten his current girlfriend, Jenay, pregnant, Mel declares that Jenay is lying and proceeds to rip the shirt off of D's back in a fit of sexual passion. *Side Eye* to that. Even after Derwin confirms that Jenay is 100% pregnant with his child and that she would be better off without him, Melanie tells him that it doesn't matter and that he won't get rid of her that easily. *Super side eye, and double SMH*

Obviously on a budget, Friday's episode made damn good do with what they had, and the themes it explored were definitely worthy of staying in on a Friday night. It even got me wonderin' how much one should sacrifice for the one they love. Also, for those of you who don't remember, all of the characters used to live their lives in their respective bubbles, but last night's episode illustrated the personal chaos that erupts when our bubbles are burst.

Drama abound and with plenty of character growth and transformation (playas in love, football player wives demanding divorce, good girls gone bad), The Game should be one of the best shows on TV this fall, as long as the CW doesn't do them GF style and chuck them the deuce.

Everybody Hates Chris, The C.W.- Friday's at 8p.m.

In the 4th season opener, Chris ventures out of Junior High and into High School, which somehow doesn't meet his expectations when he realizes that not being the only Black kid in school isn't as great as he'd thought. The White kids don't pay attention to him and the Black kids think he's too nerdy, but that only adds for heightened comedy.



I have to admit that Chris Rock's dry humor delivered by a super talented cast is more than enough to make this the best Black comedy on TV today (even if there was a whole lot of competition). Friday's episode rested on all of the running jokes and character quirks that fans like myself haven't grown tired of yet. For example, Chris' closet (or not so closeted) racist teacher from JH ends up being his principal in HS and says something along the lines of "Well Chris, I reserved a room for you in the advanced homeroom just in case you didn't become a baby daddy, a crack slanger, or gang member over the summer." Good times.

Unlike The Game, I'm glad that EHC didn't veer too far away from what's made the show good the past three seasons- the show explores some good themes in terms of race relations, but still, it ain't that deep. Once again, I just have to pray EHC makes it through its fourth season, since we see how they do us over at the C-more-white-people-W (WTF Privileged???) Network.

The Ex-Games

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase that dating is an extreme sport...even when you aren't really dating. Until now, I didn't really understand what that meant. After taking the advice of my friends, I decided to put myself more "out there," in hopes of finding one (or more) guy(s) to go to the movies with, chill with at the apartment, and the various etceteras that boys and girls do. Alas, I haven't had the luck I was hoping for "out here," and the alternative seems to be an increasingly better option (if only the alternative was a choice and not biologically determined...sigh)

I call the dating we do after a break-up the Ex-Games, because if only we weren't somebody's ex, we wouldn't be out here playing/ caught up in them. Consequently, the ridiculousness of the Ex-Games has me wondering which is the lesser of two evils: Dealing with one person's drama or dealing with 5 people's crazy? Let's keep it real, folks, most of these people in the realm of "out there" are, in fact, crazy or R-cubed (really, really ridiculous). Also, please note that I'm not just talkin' about the triflin' dudes, I'm talkin' about the game playin', insecure young ladies as well (no male bashing on LuvBomb, though that would generate a lot of comments).

Ridiculous guy moment #1- Guy A sends me a text (it should have been a phone call, though) asking if I would like to go out. Even though it was a school night, and I had a nice amount of work to do, I agreed because, well...the boy is foine. Looking forward to seeing him, I ask what time he'll be over my way. Silence. Things get complicated as Guy A proceeds to tell me that he doesn't like driving to the women he dates because "he got played that way last time." Even though I reminded him of the time that I've made the 35 minute mission down the 405 to his 'hood in the past, he didn't seem to see the logic in the boy-asks-girl-out-boy-picks-girl-up model. Needless to say, the date didn't happen.

Ridiculous guy moment #2 (label this one "wowsers") - Guy B from the Bay sends me a text (it should have been a phone call though...come on!) letting me know that he'll be in L.A. for the weekend and that he would like to meet up while he's down here. I agreed that we could kick it because, well...the boy is foine. The date of his arrival descends upon us annnnnd...he misses his flight. Why? Because he was "playin' video games for money and the lady at the airport said they would hold the flight, but her ass didn't." I know you're probably asking, "Damn, Bonita what type of dudes you be messin' with?" I. Don't. Know.

Even though I smelled a rat, the saga with Boy from the Bay continued when he assured me not to worry because he'd just come in the morning. He even asked if I could pick him up from the airport, and I agreed (under the condition of gas money, of course) because, well...the boy is foine. The following morning is upon us and then...the text messages start (at 7am).

Text 1- Aye I thought my flight got in at 9, but it's really leavin at 9.
Text 2- Aye my 9am flight was delayed 'til 10.

Text 1, yeah maybe. Text 2, yeah right, Homie. Confirming my 12 hour suspicion that I was being lied to, I checked his flight status, and all was well with Southwest Airlines. At that point, I could not wait until 10 to hear what he'd have to say, though I wasn't going to call him out since that would be unnecessary drama with an obviously crazy person (I mean, why go through all of this if you aren't crazy?).

Boy from the Bay asked "ya feel me?" about 15 times in the four minutes he spent on speaker phone with my friend and me explaining how he was just gonna cash out and, um, uh, sniff, 'cause um, they trippin' at the airport, yadadamean? He even made up a few terms like "jug jug (?)" in his explanation of why he wasn't coming.

So what was really hood with Boy from the Bay? Who knows? Maybe he was home, or really in L.A. the whole time and decided he had something better to do. I'm actually pretty confident that he was really in Alaska with Sarah Palin, though, playin' video games and enjoying the view of Russia from her house (that would make a lot more sense). Although, I should be thankful that he would still like to see me sometime and I am so glad he reminded me not to be a stranger (I'm sure he even did the Palin wink as he said this). We'll always have Oakland.

Now, as thankful as I am that I have friends who care about my well-being, I can't believe no one mentioned that, as hard as it is to be a pimp, it's even harder to be "out there" when everyone you talk to is trying to be a pimp.

Also, let the record show that a lot of women, like myself, aren't looking for their next relationship while we play in the Ex-Games as we extend ourselves "out there" into the black hole of Black dating. Most of my friends and I are simply looking for a friend (or 2) who doesn't suffer from various transportation related issues. As I'm finding out, however, it's cold "out there," and maybe we're just better off staying inside. I'm cool on all the wackness for now.

WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED LUVBOMBING TO BRING YOU A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM CROWN ROYAL ON ICE

My fellow Americans, it has come to my attention that many political pundits and Republican supporters find Sarah Palin's repeated winking charming, or endearing. Here at LuvBomb, we operate on the wavelength of truth, and could not bear to allow the perpetuation of this misinformation to continue. It is with complete confidence that I say unto you that winking is not a political strategy. I repeat – winking is not a political strategy. Despite what you may have seen, thought, heard, or been told, winking is not a political strategy. Winking will not fix the messes we've made abroad, and the wars we've started. Winking will not stabilize Wall Street, or end the sub-prime mortgage meltdown. Winking will not eradicate global warming. It will not win you an election, and it certainly won't make us forget you told Katie Couric "I'll find one and get back to ya".

Repeat after me - winking is not a political strategy.


We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog reading. Thank you.

Debating For Dummies, By Sarah Palin

I'm always lookin' out for my folks, especially when it comes to new/hot/fresh/dope ish. And keeping in that tradition, I wouldn't feel right if I didn't hit ya'll with a preview of Sarah Palin's newest book: Debating For Dummies. She wrote it all by herself, right before tonight's Vice Presidential Debate. She boasts that it's her kinda book - where she may not get the chapters right, but she's writing straight for us, the American people out there that want answers. DFD is slated to hit major book stores right before the Presidential Debate on October 7th. Hopefully McCain can use some of the tactics she employed to win us all over.


Chapter 1: Wink Like There's No Tomorrow
That’s right – wink like you’re party depends on it, because actually, they do! Sure, it undermines and in some ways hypersexualizes you as a woman but hey! Who cares? You don't care about silly things like credibility and respect - you're a Washington outsider! Do away with those zany preconceived stuffy notions that a debate is a serious medium that millions of Americans will watch in an effort to determine who’s best to guide their next 4 years in this country. Wink away!!!

Chapter 2: Buzzwords, Buzzwords, Buzzwords!
Maverick. Partisanship. Nuclear Proliferation. Job Creation. Sure, you probably can’t spell them, and you have even less of a clue about what they mean, but that doesn’t matter! Tell ‘em you’re depends-donning running mate is a maverick – don’t worry, Katie Couric isn’t there to ask you why. So what if you can’t even say NU-CLE-AR right – you’re just a regular Joe six-pack that had to go to about six different colleges before you finished your degree in Journalism! What do they expect from you? Good thing 'straight talk express' isn't your catch phrase. Be sure to tell 'em that you're all about nuclear proliferation here for the hardworking people of America, and determined to make sure there's no job creation for those awful terrorists and dictators over there in Afghanirakistan. Oh phooey, switch that around. Or wait - which one is it? Phone a friend. Tina Fey had the right idea.

Chapter 3: Jab First, Answer Question…Never.
What better way to answer a question than to come out swinging?!? Be crass. Show ‘em that you can hang with the big boys. “Keep it real”, as some would say. Screw it – don’t even answer the question. And if they try to call you on it (like that bee-yotch Katie Couric did, or that punk Mr. Charlie) – accuse the Senator of being sexist, and the Moderator of playing favorites. Yea that’s right – you’re the Governor of the big bad state of Alaska – and you don’t gotta take shit from no one - Russia included. Keep up that winking!!!

Chapter 4: If You Don’t Know It – Change the Subject
Still feeling the pressure to answer those question-thingies? Well don't worry, I've got the solution right here! Change the subject! It's not so hard; when Miss-I’m-So-Cool-Because-I'm-Black-and-a-Black-Man-is-Running-for-President-and-I-Wrote-a-Book-on-Him Moderator asks you a tough question about the economic crisis, talk about energy! Drill, baby, drill! Oh – don’t forget to drill baby drill into people's heads that Alaska is an energy producing state, with tons of oil and natural gas. The American people will want to hear that about 50 or so times. And when they ask you about exit strategies from Iraq – just make up some shit! Talk about North Korea, and how your son just got deployed! And if they dare ask you about taking over as President if you win (which you won't) and McCain dies (which he….yeah), talk about education! Dig deep! And if all else fails – talk about your family! Tractor, Igloo, Icerod, and little Rifle! Hell – bring ‘em on stage if it helps! And don’t forget those buzzwords!

Chapter 5: Give Shoutouts.
You know you’re having a time getting those Black folks to vote Republican. Damn that Senator Obama and Senator Obiden. Maaaybe, just maaaybe you can appeal to them by doing something they're notorious for – no, not dancing. No, not rapping either. But you’re close. Give shoutouts!!! That’s right. Smack dab in the middle of a question you’re not answering, riiiight about when you start bringing up your family for the 8th time, say: “I’d like to give a shout out to all the kids in my hood – SP love da kids! Oh, and don’t forget my fam, and the homies behind the walls – the ice walls!” That’ll get you the street cred you need. Sure you’ll make an absolute fool out of yourself, but that’s nothing you're foreign to!

---------------------------------------------

Still feel like you’re in over you're head? You should. After all, you’ve demonstrated on more than one occasion that you have no idea what you’re talking about, and really have no firm grasp on anything besides your hunting gun and your Bible. But that’s okay, because you're a Joe six-pack maverick Washington outsider hockey mom. And that’s what the people really need – sub par intellectual capability, a world view that traverses the expanse of the narrow maritime border between Alaska and Russia, and a candidate who can’t quite explain what the job entails! You're on your way to the top!

-----------------------------------------------

Crown Royal's Final Thought:

At the end of the day, I don’t want Joe-six pack (or Caribou Barbie, as one of my friends calls her), sitting in that seat of power. If the average person has the faculties to run a country, I’ll run in 2012, because that means I'm OVERqualified. At the end of the day, I want extreme competence, intellectual superiority, and common sense making decisions that will affect me for the next 4 years. I want my President, my VP, my whoever – to wake up in the morning, and piss excellence. America has a lot of problems – and I need to be confident that the leadership's solutions are better than mine.

Dope Boy Fresh!!!!

My mom (shouts out to mommy!!!) sent me an e-mail today, with this picture attached. I have no clue who this cat is, or who cut his hair (I'd LOVE to know who, on either account), but this is pretty dope! I can appreciate the talent it requires to shave the next President of the United States into the back of someone's head. And the fact that it's a Black man, makes it that more dope!!! I mean let's face it - nobody would shave McSenile in the back of their head (unless they have hella wrinkles, lol)...
File that under FRESH!!!

Why Crown Royal is On Ice.....

Bonita always says, "CR we love your politics, music, and stuff....but our readers want to know about the real Crown Royal, the lover...." And truthfully, I've attempted to publish my fair share of blogs about the more personal things that swirl around inside my head. But alas, they always end up as eternal drafts. But I'm determined for this one to see the light of day - if for no other reason, than to say "I told you I would" to Bonita. Heeeere we go....


Moment of Truth#1: Hi, my name is Crown Royal, and I have a problem....


I'm a mellow kinda gal, with a very casual approach to life. It takes a lot to piss me off. A lot. I've dealt with liars, cheaters, back-stabbing friends, failed relationships...the whole nine. But through all my college years (you know, those years when you really learn who you are), I've managed to flip out...like twice. Two whole times. For the most part, I had a kind of 'whatever' attitude towards the things life has thrown my way. If I had a motto, it would probably be "Meh...it is what it is." Sounds cool right? To go through life not being a certified psycho? Meh...it is what it is (lol). I've come to realize my demeanor, although casual in origin, is nothing more than a defense mechanism, and the jury is still out on whether its a good or bad thing. The bottom line is that this mellow exterior makes it difficult for me to express sincere and true emotion.


Moment of Truth #2: Objects in mirror are NOT how they appear.


I guess the best way to explain what this all means, is through looking at a recent experience....

When things went sour in my last relationship, I felt like I had lost everything I had come to be secure in. There is nothing like working through the termination of a long-term relationship, to test your emotional strength, sanity, patience and character. In the eight months it took me to get over my ex, (yes I said eight months...it took that long, whether you believe it or not) I learned a lot about myself, and my growth as a woman. My first epiphany was that my collected, nonchalance and composure was a defense mechanism (see Moment of Truth #1). I've always known I have a real problem expressing my truest emotions. Not walking around saying people do, but I really couldn't deal with being hurt. I've basically gone throughout my relationships risking just enough to be invested, but not enough to get hurt.


All of that changed, with my last relationship. Every wall I had spent 21 years building was torn down. Every safeguard dismantled. So when it ended I was a mess. But very, very, very, very few people knew - like 2. I didn't even have the heart to tell some of my closest friends about what I was feeling. Everyone else really had no idea what I was going through, what I was dealing with because in the face of appearing emotionally weak or vulnerable, I managed to force out my mild mannered motto. Besides, with my involvement in other ventures, I absolutely refused to be the girl that couldn't put her emotions aside to get work done, or the girl that brought her drama wherever she went.


But pretty soon, my motto stopped working. I mean it worked externally, but internally I was a mess. By stifling my emotions, they poured out in other ways, that were completely uncharacteristic. I teetered along that borderline of crazy for a second. I did things that I criticized immature, insecure, psychobitches for doing. But the time finally came, when I had to finally face my fears - expressing my emotions.I had to be okay with feeling lonely. I grew to accept that it was okay to cry (alone - we aren't even talking about in front of people yet). Once I got over the initial embarrassment of shedding a few tears, I began to open up and be real with myself, about exactly what I was feeling. I wrote my truest thoughts, and feelings in a small journal. Opening up, releasing this burden I felt pressured to bear alone, suddenly made each subsequent day easier to face. I began to slowly build the confidence to know that it was okay to be unguarded, and it was okay to feel. I didn't always have to push my motto so hard.


Moment of Truth #3: Each Day Gets Better....

As the 'one year later' mark approaches, I can honestly say that I feel good. I'm free to do what I want, and not bound by any unresolved emotions, bad blood, or desperation. My easygoing nature has returned, but not as a defense mechanism. I can honestly say this is truly who I am, without having to safeguard anything. In rediscovering that 23 isn't exactly as old as I thought it was, I've resolved to take full advantage of my youth, and do whatever I want, while I can. I don't have kids. And for the most part, I don't have any real responsibilities. These are years I can't pause or get a refund on. So I'm determined to have fun with them. Dating and relationships are even fun now. I'm not looking to replace anything, or fill a void in my life, because I'm happy being me. It may sound cliche, but you've gotta know how to make you happy, before anyone else can. I'm glad I learned that.


If you take nothing else from this blog, at least remember this: don't allow yourself to be bound by maintaining a certain image, or modify your behavior to be something you aren't. The greatest disservice you can do to yourself is hinging your happiness, or self satisfaction on that of someone else. Sorry if I sound a little preachy, but it's the truth. You won't understand how true it is, until you are forced to learn it.


Crown Royal is On Ice - she's not cold, but definitely chillin.

P.S. Bonita - I told you I would :)

Gonna Party Like It's 1984....

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Oh wait, my bad...that's just the Dow Jones. Same difference.

During my brief hiatus from LuvBomb, I had the awesome opportunity to witness a number of my friends wiggin' out about the continuing and recent failings of America - from why we're still in Iraq, why folks are losing houses like socks in the laundry, and why Dubbya is hardcore earning the title of Bailout Bush before his reign of incompetence comes to an end. Even more entertaining has been judging the reactions - from anger to absolute bewilderment - of my friends with every new breaking development of the Republican campshame; why McPain is "suspending" his, and why news reporters are no longer allowed to expose America's Favorite Incompetent Hockey Mom for the waste of stem cells she is.

The swirls manufactured truths, the stench of deceit, the corruption overload, is smeared across the face of this country kinda like....lipstick on a pig (imagine that!). Or more like Oceania in George Orwell's 1984. A closer look into this "far-fetched" novel some cat wrote in the 1920's as his conception of how things would look in the year 1984 raises some interesting points:
1.) The Party / Big Brother: Signs everywhere. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. He sees you, he is listening, and even what you're thinking. Spies and informants are everywhere - controlling you, your every word, your every action, your every thought, and ultimately your life. What'd you say about the Patriot Act?
2.)The Ministry of Truth: Today, the newspapers say "we are at war with country A ,for reasons x, y, and z." Tomorrow, "as we said before, we are fighting x, y, and z, through war with country B." Suddenly, everyone forgets what the truth and the root of the issues were, because the government ultimately controls and manipulates the media to communicate whatever messages it chooses. Afghaniraq, anyone? Or for that matter, [insert skewed media coverage incident here]. Don't worry, I'll wait.
3.) Newspeak: Inherently contradictory jargon, aimed at distorting the truth, while creating the dichotomy of good and bad. Popular examples from the book include "WAR IS PEACE", "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY" and "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH". Imagine that....kinda like saying "I'm going to suspend my campaign to focus on the economic crisis." Nice try, McSenile, but those of us with at least two active brain cells have figured out that your suspension is a campaign in and of itself.

At the end of the day, Orwell was before his time, in terms of exposing the notion of government deception and control of people through psychological manipulation. Although he pegged it at '84, we now see that the shelf-life of the Matrix is much longer....

Indulge me on my soap box for a little while longer.... But I can't seriously be the only one that saw the hard financial fall coming. Maybe it's cause and effect, maybe it's karma. It might even be an act of god. But one thing is for sure - the economic downfall of America has been brewing for quite some time. Budget deficits, misappropriations of funds, increasing national debt, yadda yadda yadda. We all knew what was up, but nobody really cared a few years, or even shit, a few months ago for that matter. Maaaaybe just maaaaybe we are all a little more ideologically American than we are comfortable believing or admitting. We turned a cold shoulder to the skyrocketing unemployment rates across the nation until we all graduated from college and couldn't find jobs. We could've cared less about the number of homeless persons rising, until the news told us these homeless people were working class people out on a loan turned bad, and that we could be next. That's the true American spirit of selfishness shining through - I don't care what happens, until it affects me personally.

So now we frantically and emphatically target Bush and his cronies (believe me, I am in NO way defending them) for basically bailing out companies their retirement pensions and stocks are invested in. But they're just protecting their interests, looking out for numero uno, right? Whether it's a $700,000 home, or a $700 billion dollar bailout, it's still self preservation - as American as apple pie.

And face it - you are too.

-- Crown Royal On Ice --

Quote of the Day

CR: ...You act like guys dont hit on you everwhere you go. Not saying u gotta give thugalicious your number, but be more open.

B: Ew, but I hate guys. I lightweight wanna be gay, but I'm just not.

CR: That's when you know you're not ready for a relationship...when changing ur sexual orientation seems like a better option.

Quote of the Day

B: I hate responsibilities. Even when they aren't real world responsibilities, like kids and mortgages, they're responsibilities nonetheless.



CR: Well, unfortunately.... there's nothing left after this but real responsibility.



B: Sigh...That's depressing.

For Every Action...?

If there's one thing I hope Progressive Americans don't learn from this long, treacherous, overbearing, slightly annoying election season is to be reactionary.

Being reactionary in one sense means that, as individuals, the only time we seek power or influence is when we seek to take it from others, as opposed to independently critically assessing a situation and acting accordingly. In another context, reactionary individuals also resist progress and seek to return to the "good ol' days" (before Abortion was a woman's choice and when women were told what to say by men before being interviewed on national televion) and tend to lie to the far right of the political spectrum.

The Good OLD Days?

Most Americans, though they may claim to be liberal, are, in fact, highly reactionary individuals by both definitions. For example, the new 3G Iphone is released and there are 5 hour lines just waiting for the chance to dump their old (6month old) Iphone just for a slightly thinner, slightly faster model. You see, Apple produces an action, and the American public reacts. Example 2, Facebook creates the Newsfeed feature, and its WWIII. (I even created a group in protest of the newsfeed). I'm partly a conspiracy theorist so I really don't think it's any mistake that consumerism and capitalism drive this country when those two ideologies are rooted in the fact that you have to be a reactionary person to even moderately participate in them.


Not to say that Obama is pure and untainted from the urge to be reactionary, but he's doing a pretty damn good job of showing us how politics/ real lives should be run. (Imagine life always being like it is on the Hills: Don't hang out with LC or else Spencer WILL react and kick you out of his family.)

For those of you who quite didn't understand why anyone would want to speak softly and carry a big stick (so to speak), this represents real political change. Obama's campaign tactics are less about being the bigger man and taking the high road and more "I'm not going to get up and jump everytime this crazy White man/woman says some bullshit about me."

Can you imagine if the American government reacted to every snide remark/gossip tidbit/unsubstantiated threat ever made against us? We'd be at war with some guy named Terror looking for Weapons of Mass Destr--you see...

Unfortunately, the success of overall destructive politics rests on the fact that Americans are, in fact, reactionary people. This is also why McPalin offends me as deeply as they do- they don't believe that the American people can be anti-reactionary (we'll define this as intellegent).

Here are three examples of just how reactionary the McSityouroldassdown campaign has been:

1- Embittered Hillary supporters looking for a woman in office? I got a woman, right here! She's cool, just like the 3G Iphone.

2- The American people like to hear the word change, huh? Well call me a "MAVERICK!"

3- Yes, I did believe that "...the fundamentals of our economy are strong," but now that Wall Street has melted down, I'll revise that statement and declare the economy to be "in crisis."

You see, McCain only reacts to something external to his own percieved intellectual analysis of the country as it truly is. Boo to that.

Meanwhile, if it's any indication from the quote below, my fear is that key Democrats will fail to ride with Obama on the I'm-an-intellect-lemme-do-me-'cause-I-got-this-in-the-bag train and derail the Obama campaign from the progressive track it's on:

"It's time to dump Biden and replace him with Sen. Hillary Clinton," said Andy Ostroy on the Huffington Post Monday. "I'm starting to think that if Team Obama doesn't do something dramatic fast, it's gonna lose this election."

Now, LuvBomb is Team Obama all the way, all day, but, man, won't we be disappointed if they start playin' the same tricks on the American people that McIcan'tbelieveitsnotawrapforthisguy has been playing? (That, in itself, would be like waiting hours in line at the Apple store for an Iphone, throwing away your Blackberry, dealing with all the bugs with the Iphone, then turning on the TV to find that they've released the 3G...ahhh capitalism based on reactionary citizens at its best!)

More Palin jokes

5 Cool and Unbelievable Things you too can do according to Sarah "I- can -see -Russia -from- an-island-in-Alaska-therefore-I'm-an-expert-on-foriegn-affairs-in-Russia" Palin:

1- If you can see the sky, you are automatically qualified to be an Airforce Commander

2- If you ever see Britney Spears in Malibu, you, too, can win 3 VMA's while wearing a pink wig, talking in a British accent, sipping Frappacinos and Red Bull, eating Cheetos, all without producing any hit songs.

Pictured Below: Brit-Brit circa Two-thousand-Crazy.

3- If you can see dead people, you're dead.

4- If you see the new Jaguar, then I'm not even hatin' beause you're baaaallin'.

5- If you can see the White House on a postcard your Aunt Sally sent you on a recent trip to Washington D.C., then you may be on your way to being Vice President and your name is Sarah Palin.

The "C" word

In church this Sunday, Pastor John over at F.A.M.E told the story of shamed Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, who was caught up in a vicious sex scandal and was brought down in the worst way from office... Think the Michael Vick of politicians.

Not quite sure where Pastor John was going with this, I was surprised when he highlighted a quote that had been stated by Kilpatrick, "...Detroit you have set me up for a comeback." I heard a couple of people in the church sigh and "pssh" at this, just like you may be.

Though Kilpatrick clearly isn't the posterchild for good Christian boys and certainly didn't place his statement in a religious context, Pastor John's sermon expanded on Kilpatrick's quote as holding a deeper meaning- that we are constantly just being set up for a come back, even when times are tough, and even when as a result of our own bad choices.

Although this isn't exactly a new revelation in the church, it got me thinking of all the times I've made "comebacks," and realized that most of them have been small, albeit significant. My greatest revelation, however, is that while we may be set up for our respective comebacks, the ensuing comeback may not be the comeback we were expecting. Unfortuantely, the fact that we don't make it back to where we exactly envision ourselves, sometimes blinds us to the fact that we've made any sort of comeback at all.

Of course, I don't claim to be a spiritual guidance counselor, but I can't help but think that our unwillingness/inability to see that we've made comebacks in our lifetime is a key reason why some of us may never reach our full potential. We get so caught up in what we think we haven't accomplished that we don't realize that we could be doing so much more in the positions that we're currently in. In short, we become our biggest haters- like we ain't spit if we aren't homeowners six months after college graduation.

Can Somebody Please Explain to Me What the Vice President Does?

I've decided to stand up and fight - on behalf of women and people with at least 2 functioning brain cells everywhere. Sarah Palin's bid for Vice President is offensive, and an insult to the intelligence of the American public. Now I've never been one to advocate that Americans are the brightest people, or that we (sigh, it hurts to say that sometimes) share the same intense work ethic that propels other countries forward, but the hijinks and shenanigans of the OldFart/DumbAss '08 are just down right ridiculous.

Watching the Charles Gibson interview on ABC last night (and again today on YouTube), I laughed on the phone with Bonita about how incredibly dumb Sarah Palin is, and how we might as well go ahead and undo the 19th Amendment, and pack our bags for the Motherland if this shit flies. In my day-to-day slander and defamation of McCain and Palin, I find myself more and more convinced that my 4 year old nephew is more prepared to run this country than they are.

Just in case you can't quite figure out why I absolutely abhor McCain and Palin, I have a few educational videos that I would like to share. Prior to Palin's selection as VP running mate, she made it CRYSTAL CLEAR that she has no idea what the Vice President of the United States does. As a matter of fact, she said exactly that:



In case you missed it (or like me, don't have the luxury of indulging in morning TV during the week), John McCain was on The View. If this wasn't a ploy to secure the soccer mom vote, I don't know what it is. But to Barbara, Whoopi n' them's credit, they didn't make this an easy PR move for McCain. Low key, he got grilled. Some of my favorite moments:

Barbara: How is Sarah Palin going to reform Washington, as a Republican, when the Republicans have been running the country for the past 8 years, and her running mate has spent 22 years in Washington as a Senator and Congressman?

Whoopi: [In reference to John McCain's belief of strict constitutional interpretation] Should I be worried about becoming a slave again?



Everyone also made a big hooplah about ABC's Charles Gibson getting the first ever interview with Sarah Palin. Boy, I bet the Elephant camp regrets that choice.... He surely solidified and broadcast to the world that Sarah Palin is an absolute moron, who knows nothing outside the confines of Alaska (and even her knowledge about that is questionable at best). I bet after this interview, she went home and Googled "Bush Doctrine" and "US Diplomacy" to brush up on some of the good ol' stuff she'll need to know the next time somebody asks her a question.



The parts of the interview you missed:

Gibson: I already know you're an idiot, but just for shits and giggles, tell me if you really believe you're prepared for this job.
Palin: What job?
Gibson: Vice President of the United States.
Palin: Who said I was doing that? I don't even know what that means.
Gibson: I figured as much. Moving on, what do you think about the war in Iraq?
Palin: I just sent my son. He will come back safe and sound, just like all the troops will.
Gibson: Dear God, you can't be this dumb.
Palin: Of course I can, Charlie!
Gibson: Shit. [Sigh]...what do you think about the Bush Doctrine?
Palin: I really believe that you should wax, or at least shave. Don't be unkept - you never know what will happen, Charlie.
Gibson: Do you agree with and believe in the sovereignty of Georgia from Russia?
Palin: Russia has no right to try to take over one of our states!
Gibson: Damnit bitch, have you ever been outside of the country?
Palin: Of course! I just went to school in Idaho, its not like I live in the rural part of Alaska, Charlie.
Gibson: Fuck. I give up. [Wilson proceeds to snatch off mics, and pull a Kanye on the cameras.]

Okay, forreal, I'm really gonna go on hiatus now. No I'm not - part deuce of this BS comes on tonight. I'll blog on that, then go on hiatus.

-- Crown Royal On Ice --

He Went Hard as the Hood He's From....

(Picture: Crown Royal On Ice)

TMZ. Media Takeout. National Enquirer. America's favorite news sources aren't actually "news" sources at all. But if you're looking for Britney's latest order from Starbucks or what brand of gum Kobe chews, they've got it on lock. An occasional victim of TMZ and Media Takeout myself, I was caught off guard when Bonita said "Hey, did you hear that Kanye got arrested?", so I went straight to the source of the lowest form of journalism for the scoop.

Headlines everywhere blared "Kanye West Arrested at LAX on Vandalism Charges", and proceeded to tell the story about how he and his body guard did a grab and smash on some TMZ pappers camera. Okay, I'm still looking for the bottom line, so I watched the video.

We all know I love Kanye, and I give him as much grief as I do praise, but damnit, this is ALL OUT RIDICULOUS. Honestly, I'm pissed off that he didn't do MORE to this guy. Yeah, its bad for PR, but let's think about this on a basic, human level (after all, despite what any of us may think, he IS human, until proven otherwise...). How many club fights have started, all from just someone being looked at wrong? Now then think about how YOU would react if someone followed you constantly barraged you with cameras, dug through your trash, and surrounded your car and prevented you from getting where you needed to go, on a regular, if not daily basis???? You'd flip, right? I would. And the lame dude has the nerve to have video of him saying how afraid he is of Ye. GET THE F**K OUTTA HERE!!! Even I'M not afraid of Kanye!

Some people make the argument that it's just the price of fame, the price of living your life in the spotlight. And truthfully, I rarely ever feel sorry for people with more money than they could spend in 10 lifetimes, but this is honestly ridiculous. At some level, everyone has a right to privacy, and to not have every single last detail of their life exposed through the lens of a camera. Yet by that same token, some of us are to blame - we feed and feed into this shit. We run out and buying stupid plastic striped aviators because Kanye wore them, or switch from Orbit to 5Gum because Lindsey Lohan said it's delicious. We are the ones that keep trying to figure out if Chris Brown and Rihanna are dating, and what store Paris Hilton bought her ugly dog's leash from.

Whoever's fault it is, the bottom line is, you get what you deserve. Nobody forced this sap stalk Kanye in LAX. As a matter of fact, they've got footage from other times they've tried to film Kanye, and he and his body guard tactfully explained that it was not going down that way. A hard head makes a soft ass, and somebody shoulda beat his.

-- Crown Royal On Ice--

P.S. - My new prediction that the media and McCain's tired ass camp, in all their infinite wisdom will attempt to draw some correlation between Kanye playing into the "angry black man" stereotype, and Barack Obama. Mark my words.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's Note: Crown Royal will be taking a brief vacay from LB to get her ish together. But don't worry, she'll be back soon.

Original Quote of the Day

CR- ...We have a phrase for guys like him: "He's like water."

B- What does that mean?

CR- Like, water : Good, nothing necesecarily bad, but just nothing distinct about it. Nothing about him stands out, or has any flavor.

B- Yah he is pure, filtered water. Not ocean water- not even lake water. He's Aquafina water.

CR- ...Even dirty fishtank water is better. Even if its bad, it has SOME character.

Playing the Same Old Games...

Just in case you missed it on the Facebook News Feed (or we're not Facebook friends lol)... A friend of mine posted a note about how slick the Republicans think they are:

Uppity. An effective connotation to put an educated black man (and his wife in place). This insult was hurled at Barack and Michelle Obama by Georgia Congressman Westmoreland. And this wasn’t a slip of the tongue, he later defended this statement. Clearly this statement was interjected to remind Georgian voters (where the traditional republican stronghold is extremely close 44 percent to 48 percent) that Obama is just a ‘uppity’ black man.

These insult was popular during slavery as slaves who worked in the field called ‘house-negroes’ this term- uppity. This correlation is strong as it feeds into the false theme that Obama is an elitist. But what’s funny is how the tables have turned and why the congressman is putting himself in the shoes of a field-working slave in order to disparage the Obamas. Clearly the republicans are attempting to build a majority of ‘working people’ who abstain from uppity negroes This reeks of the Willie Lynch papers, but inviting the ‘workers’ into this discussion. But instead of dividing people by shades of black, the new tactic is to divide by class.
- EJ Alford

And here's what I had to say:

This shit happens all the time, when the GOP, or any conservative group fears a loss of power/stronghold. The mudslinging tactics, the deliberate mislabeling and conjuring of images of Obama as everything from a terrorist to uppity negro, and even the recent media circus around his "lipstick on a pig" comment are old, tired, and trifilin'. I'm surprised there aren't photoshopped pictures of him snorting lines of coke with Lil Wayne circulating around on the internet, for that matter. These folks will stop at nothing to undermine and undercut the legitimacy of worthy competition.

The bottom line is, this is NOTHING new. If we go ALLLLL the way back to the founding documents of this country, the conservative framework from the outset has been based upon the premise that the American public is a bunch of blundering fools, and cannot be trusted to make critical decisions about legislation and who should run the country. Why do you think we have an electoral college? The entire point is that the GOP has always treated the American public like we are damned idiots unfit to make a decision. This election REEKS of that belief...cough, cough, Sarah Palin. As a matter of fact, the entire Elephant circus at this point relies not on developing a framework to address critical issues of this country (the economy, the war, the fact that gas will cost me my firstborn child, etc.), but rather banks on the fact that we have the mental capacity of a goldfish. That's exactly why stupid shit like "uppity" and "Obama/Osama" and every other image will continue to surface until he is elected in November, well honestly, it will continue after that.

My next prediction: they (meaning conservatives/republicans/right-wing media) will try to draw some parallel between Obama verbally attacking Palin and licentious Black men that prey on "pure" white women. Mark my words.

And they will continue to do it, because they think we're that damn dumb, and as racist and sexist as they are.

-- Crown Royal On Ice --