Aaron X Wants To Extend "St Louis Success" Upon The Rest Of America

St Louis MO - where Aaron X's depression about the city's depression extends from.

ST LOUIS:

A city in population decline:

1960 750,026 −12.5%
1970 622,236 −17%
1980 452,801 −27.2%
1990 396,685 −12.4%
2000 348,189 −12.2%

St Louis:

A City dominated by those with failed policies:

The Democratic Party has dominated St. Louis city politics for decades.
The city has not had a Republican mayor since 1949 and the last time a Republican was elected to another city-wide office was in the 1970s. As of 2006, 27 of the city's 28 Aldermen are Democrats.

ST LOUIS:

St Louis - AS CITY ON THE MOVE. Dropping from #1 to #2:

According to Morgan Quitno's "14th Annual America's safest/most dangerous cities" report, St. Louis dropped from the number one "Most Dangerous" city in America in 2006 back to the number two most dangerous city in America in 2007.

St Louis:

Bush is the reason for our unemployment problems above the national rate:

2008 Jan 6.4
2008 Feb 6.2
2008 Mar 6.4
2008 Apr 5.3
2008 May 6.0
2008 Jun 6.4
2008 Jul 7.2


St Louis:

Come to our great schools and see how NOT TO DO it

Great Schools Rating: 2 out of 10

30,920 children in 91 schools
82% Black students; 14% White; 2% Hispanic; 2% Asian

(You have to understand how Aaron X will spin this sad statistic.  He will accuse ME of WANTING THESE BLACK CHILDREN TO SUFFER in failed schools........rather than considering WHO IS ALREADY RUNNING THESE SCHOOLS .......and FAILING THESE BLACK CHILDREN.  This is how the perverted mind of the Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism Chaser works.  Despite them being in control - they blame OTHER PEOPLE for their failures)

Per Student Spending:

St Louis $10,770
MO state average: $7,901

Public Schools Superintendent:
John A. Wright, Ph.D.

School Board

The St. Louis Board of Education is composed of members elected at large by the voters of the City of St. Louis.
The School Board has the legal responsibility for the education of children from ages 5 to 21 who live within the city boundaries. It is a policy-making body with the primary function of establishing and monitoring rules, plans and procedures for the school system. The Board appoints a superintendent to manage its budget, supervise the staff and students, and make recommendations for the operations of the schools and support services.

HERE IS THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD:

Vision
St. Louis Public Schools is the district of choice for families in the St. Louis region that provides a world-class education and is nationally recognized as a leader in student achievement and teacher quality.

Mission
We will provide a quality education for all students and enable them to realize their full intellectual potential.

Core Beliefs
* All children can learn, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, or gender
* The African American Achievement Gap can be eliminated
* Parents must be included in the education process
* Competent, caring, properly supported teachers are essential to student learning
* The community must be involved in encouraging high achievement for all children
* The St. Louis Public Schools are obligated to help students overcome any obstacles that may hinder their learning by forming partnerships with the entire community

Have they LIVED UP TO THEIR MISSION by any stretch of anyone's imigination? Or must you use the "audacity of hope" to see their success?

WHY does this man (Aaron X) have any CREDIBILITY again?

Question - Could You Tell Me How The Republican Platform Would Benefit Our Community Where The Democrats Would Not?

[quote]You didn't bother to cite one policy that McCain espouses that would be for the "betterment" of our community.[/quote]

dilettante:

Please allow me to "learn you something".

Please afford the the opportunity to blow my "word budget" as some other progressive who couldn't refute what I say so he gave me "English lessons" had said about me the other day.

I don't like the political party system. I don't like these CONVENTIONS. I don't like these platforms. I have not watched a single night or a single speech last week. I plan to return the favor this week.

I can't relate the the "Negroes that were crying" due to last Thursday. I can't relate to the White women who were crying last Friday morning either. Instead I see Black women CRYING on the various news shows that I watch. THIS represents more REALITY to me than anything I could hear in Denver or Minneapolis.

Thus to address your question. (I assure you that I am not going to "answer" it to your liking anyway - for it is a chase down a rat hole):

I make note that there are two constructs by which to MEASURE what you have asked me two:

1) What we ALREADY KNOW about the RESULTS of these type of policy initiatives for "the benefit of the Black community" that are presented by these two parties PER THE RESULTS ON THE GROUND ALREADY

2) The IMPACT on the STATE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD as we continue to accept policies that are POPULARLY ASSUMED to be in the BEST INTERESTS OF BLACK AMERICA yet fail to do the needed INTROSPECTION to VET THIS OUT. Where do these policies leave us as a PEOPLE? MORE CAPABLE of solving our problems at the LOCAL LEVEL that Blacks are now in POLITICAL CONTROL OF........or MORE DEPENDENT upon a system of NATIONAL ENTITLEMENT?

Do you NOT SEE dilettante!!!!!????? There is a vast difference between the proposal for

1) A proposal to HELP YOU ALL ALONG THE WAY with the benefit of "YOU BEING IN RECEIPT of a STANDARD OF LIVING" that THE SYSTEM THAT YOU OPERATE UNDER COULD NEVER, NEVER, NEVER produce for YOU if this external funding source were to go away (ie become bankrupt)

2) A proposal that asks that you STRUCTURE YOUR OWNSELVES in the political boundaries THAT YOU NOW CONTROL!! Instead of NATIONAL ENTITLEMENT confiscated from elsewhere and given to you they offer you a basic outline of WHAT HAS WORKED ELSEWHERE and ask that IF YOU WISH TO LIVE AT A GIVEN STANDARD OF LIVING that you say IS YOUR RIGHT then the onus is ALSO UPON YOU TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEMS to ORDER YOUR OWN PEOPLE so that this STANDARD OF LIVING WILL BE EXPRESSED!! Those PEOPLE who see this vision will have developed the CULTURE OF SYSTEMS that allow them to PROSPER.

dilettante - I am fully aware that for a good number of people #2 is OFFENSIVE. To have a system that HAS THE DAMNED AUDACITY to actually ASK OF THE PEOPLE to be the primary force IN THEIR OWN SALVATION........to actually EXPECT SOMETHING OF THE VICTIM is a breach of their own vision of GOVERNMENT CARETAKERSHIP THAT IS THE VERY ESSESNCE OF THEIR OWN POLITICAL ACTIVISM.

For them, dilettante they are "WORKING ON BEHALF OF BLACK PEOPLE" so that we might one day have access to the accoutrements of a "high standard of living". THEY ARE NOT "WORKING WITH BLACK PEOPLE", progressively having Black people TO CHANGE OUR WAYS so that our MORE DIRECTED ACTIONS will one day PRODUCE the outcomes that they WISH FOR.

dilettante - I DON'T GIVE A DAMN about these NATIONAL PLATFORMS!!! They are MARKETING TOOLS for those people who see the AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM PLAIN as the channel for RACIAL PROGRESS.

I see them as the modality to SELLOUT your own community and racial interests, OUTSOURCING them to the question of if your party is IN PLACE and thus will CONFISCATE goods organized elsewhere and rained down upon YOU and yours.......OR if YOUR COMMUNITIES will slip back to the state that is concomitant with the ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT IS WITHIN.

It is up to YOU TO DECIDE how much you wish to work with THESE PARTIES or THE PEOPLE YOU ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP.

I REFUSE to walk down the path that you would have me to walk and cheer-lead as you do.

The evidence is already clear enough for me.

The White Women Are Charged Up Over McCain's VP Pick

As I drove to the store this morning I saw various White folks out pounding the pavement with "John McCain for President" signs.

The White women are as motivated at the prospect of seeing a female vice-president as many Blacks are motivated at the sight of a Black president.

"How Many REPUBLICANS In Clayton County Ran Offering An Alternative?"

"how many REPUBLICANS in clayton county ran offering an alternative? " asked a Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive Fundamentalist Racism Chaser on the situation in Clayton County Georgia.

You see I challenged him on how his beloved Democratic Party, which ALREADY is in power WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, has caused material damage to Black people but suffer no harm as a party in doing so. I told him that in my observations of BQPFRCs they EXIT THE BLACK COMMUNITY as quickly as possible and seek to talk about THE NATION and how Republicans have in turn caused harm to these same Black communities......that Democrats are running. Thus they are not comfortable talking about the INSIDE OUT. (You all think that no one is watching your antics nor understand your rationale).

Thus this particular blogger came up with this tired question about how the REPUBLICANS have "failed the Black community" because THE REPUBLICANS did not compete.....against the Democrats. Does this make any damned sense to anyone?

The entire logic is painful and flawed. The way this blogger would have it - there were problems in Clayton County that served as a threat to the Black people there. As everyone knows - these problems were centrally caused by the 9 Democrats on the school board and a series of superintendents that came and went in the past 10 years of this troubled district. Despite the fact that all of these people were DEMOCRATS - instead of attacking HIS PARTY he faults the Republicans for failing to come in and "offer an alternative".

Folks - I have reported continuously about the 85/15 campaigns in various Black communities in which the community has held its collective ass out for the Republicans to kiss. Let me be clear - I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR REPUBLICANS. Instead I am seeking to hold THOSE WHO HAVE CONTROL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ACCOUNTABLE. These are two very different arguments.

The blogger in question and so many other BQPFRCs suffer from the notion of "The Black voter as a CONSUMER rather than a SCIENTIST". A CONSUMER can only eat from the menu that is presented to him. He has NO VOICE in asking of the "menu presenter" regarding what he WANTS TO CHOOSE FROM. Thus the typical series of events in the real world where a restaurant FAILS to meet the needs of its client base eventually goes out of business because of public rebuke.......the menu called 'the ballot' used within the Black community show that THE COMMUNITY is fat and happy with its choices despite not being happy with THE RESULTS.

I coined the term "Progressive-Fundamentalist" to model this behavior. (I told you that the term BQPFRC is not a term of slander but instead an attempt to model the primary forces afflicting the popular Black political activist. By definition a "fundamentalist" is not willing to part from his core beliefs even when real world circumstances are present to challenge his world view. In the case of the Black Progressive - they HATE the alternative (conservatism) more than they hate the FAILURE that their ideology has been INTERNALLY (note I am not saying that Progressivism is flawed against the EXTERNAL threat of White Supremacy. The fact is that their fundmentalism causes them to view ALL BLACK PROBLEMS as a derivative of WHITE SUPREMACY. Thus Blacks become ultimately a FUNCTION of White folk's actions - in their political orthodoxy).

The fact is - as I have been saying for several years - the domain of the EXTERNAL FIGHT for the DEFENSE OF BLACK PEOPLE'S RIGHTS versus the INTERNAL FIGHT for the PROPER ORDERING OF BLACK PEOPLE so that our intelligence and capabilities can be leveraged require two entirely different set of management policies for success to be achieved.

Change will only come when the BLACK COMMUNITY ITSELF shifts from the consciousness of the CONSUMER - where the popular figures are able to impress upon us and exploit the biases that are entrenched within OVER TO the Black community become SCIENTISTS. We have our GOALS IN MIND and are not bound to any METHODOLOGY to achieve them. Instead the methodology which has proven in its ability to deliver upon the requirements are the one which is adopted at the time.

Thus the circular reference that is present. Those Progressives who are bound to see problems in Black America as STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS with America will always seek to do what we saw being done in Chicago right now with the schools. Despite the fact that 44% of all of the funding for Chicago schools come from external sources - the Progressives charged "CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS" for the "short-changing" of funding into the city. At no time will the question of the structural problems OF CHICAGO ITSELF be inspected by these same progressives.

We must "follow the bouncing ball". When the Black progressives were on the outside of the Chicago Public School system - they attacked the system itself for "shortchanging" Black kids. They demanded more money, better schools, better teachers. Fast forward to 2008 and now the forces who are in alliance with these activists are IN POWER WITHIN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM......they don't attack the CPS - they now have "expanded the police tape" and they are going after THE STATE OF ILLINOIS - charging a civil rights violation.

Would it come as a surprise that if the state of Illinois agrees to increasing the funding of schools in Chicago beyond the present 44% and the funding STILL does not result in school performance increases - that these same people would go after the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - seeking to make education a National Entitlement?

Why would anyone be surprised? This is what Jesse Jackson Jr has laid out in his plan to make Education a Constitutional Right?

Now let me address the "next logical question" that many will not choose to answer - "Is educational funding the PRIMARY REASON for the racial performance gaps between Black and White?" (and thus is their entire drive a rouse?)

I believe that funding below a minimum amount to express quality education is a problem that should be addressed even if it means going to the state. What I do have a problem with is the people who seek "EQUAL FUNDING" which is the key component of their RACISM CHASE. In Chicago they went to the wealthiest, White cities in the state and inspected their school funding and thus used this as the reference point for Chicago funding. Not one ounce of financial analysis as to why this is the appropriate amount was done. "The White folks get this amount and thus we need this amount" was their motivation.

The key flaw of the Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism-Chaser is that they so often fail to see the link between their current CONTROL over local governments and the policies within and how they translate into the quality of life that their people ultimately live under. Shouldn't a city be expected to field an ECONOMIC SYSTEM which allows them to sufficently pay for their basic services? ISN'T THAT WHAT CITIES WERE CREATED FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE? Why then bother to have LOCALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS when at the end of the day you eschew the concept of "federalism" and distributed government for your favored world view of centralized government?

Ultimately the marketplace of ideas is blown to hell. Instead of allowing different areas of the nation to have economic freedom and choose to deploy policies of their own choosing they seek to protect their own communities from the results of the policies that are in place and instead force the centralized governments to make up for any shortfalls. This leads to an expansive national government who's main job is income redistribution to cover for otherwise failed policies.

The Black community needs to have policies that improve our condition not policies that mask over them by having resources that were created elsewhere rained in upon us to help us.

John McCain's Affirmative Action Chess Move

This requires that we go back in time as a means of analyzing the move by Republican John McCain - a White, Conservative male who chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

1961. President John F. Kennedy's Executive Order (E.O.) 10925 used affirmative action for the first time by instructing federal contractors to take "affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." Created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity.

(editor's note - it is interesting that the original Kennedy "Affirmative Action" mandated NO discrimination in favor of anyone")

1964. Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law. This was landmark legislation prohibiting employment discrimination by large employers (over 15 employees), whether or not they have government contracts. Established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued E.O. 11246, requiring all government contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to expand job opportunities for minorities. Established Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCC) in the Department of Labor to administer the order.

1967. President Johnson amended E.O. 11246 to include affirmative action for women. Federal contractors now required to make good-faith efforts to expand employment opportunities for women and minorities.

In the debates at the time there was strong belief that the reason why "White women" were added to the Affirmative Action slate was to allow the program to gain more acceptance from its opponents - the White people who would have to accept the mandates that Affirmative Action forced upon it.

In practice this preference for "women" (White women) was put into practice by which several White male sole proprietors who were bidding for government contracts simply re-incorporated their businesses with their "White wives" registered as the owner of the firm. Thus was created a new "minority owned firm" which had little difference from the company that was in existence days before in the areas that really counted. This was a boon for the White men who now qualified for certain contracts that had been stacked against them due to bonus points given to racial minorities and women.

Senator McCain is in the fight of his life. He is facing a Black male with a big time populist streak.The choice of a "White male" and thus yet another "2 White man" ticket allowed those seeking the 'Change' theme to exploit the "same ole same" theme as this nation quickly "diversifies".

The choice of Palin is a choice for White people to make. It comes as no surprise that the "Black vote" is on lock and there was little that Republican John McCain could do to change that short of asking Barack Obama to run as his vice-president AND continue to run as the Democratic nominee for president - thus Obama supporters couldn't lose.

Now you have White women placed with a choice - Do we vote for the "Black male" or make our "change" by having a woman placed in office?

For the White male the move is similar to what was the case with Affirmative Action. With Palin they are enabled to retain their "White lock" on the White House while expanding their "diversity" as a result of the threat that Obama represents to their sensibilities about political power.

Folks - this AIN'T about "racism" or "gender exploitation". This is POLITICS. Just as Barack Obama did a certain amount of political calculus regarding people's racial sensibilities with having a Black man on the ticket (and thus he did not choose a woman) - the same is the case with John McCain who chose to add a "Z" axis to the formerly 2 dimensional model that we had been working with.

That is my analysis of the primary situation at hand now let me get a bit more political. In listening to Michael Medved glowing about McCain's choice - it is clear to me that the Republican Right is as arbitrary as the Democratic Left in their attacks and pronouncements. I listened to Medved and several White male callers telling of their new found MOTIVATION in the McCain campaign based on the selection of Gov Palin. Please spare me!!!! She suffers from the same experience questions that Barack Obama suffers from - the same points that they were questioning a few short days ago.

I just wish that more people would see politics for what it is and STOP fusing their own RACIAL and COMMUNITY goals in with it. You are going to be disappointed every time.

Obama's Caretaker Speech

Based on Obama's Claims

* What evil George Bush did to cause SOME PEOPLE to not be able to afford to pay off the credit card balances THAT THEY RAN UP? Was it the mailing of so many of those credit card notices that GOVERNMENT REGULATORS should reign in?

* What did evil George Bush do to cause the current unemployment rate to rise slightly? CONTEXT means a lot:



* About those people who are "working harder yet making less"......I AM NOT ONE OF THEM, nor are the millions and millions of people who PREPARED themselves, watched employment trends and went here the DEMANDS ARE for their given skills.

How are DEMOCRATS able to by pass the PROBLEMS that the cities and states that they DOMINATE are having - many of which are beyond any "pain" that the rest of the nation is experiencing? I can tell you how - only with COMPLICIT LISTENERS can someone look past that which the PEOPLE THEY VOTED FOR have caused and BLAME A COMMON IDEOLOGICAL FOE.

This is how Obama will win Clayton County Georgia, Southwest Philly and all of Detroit. This is a tacit approval for the MACHINE which runs these places and which Obama is a member of. It is ultimately a vote of ABSTRACTION from the facts on the ground.


Obama's speech was akin to the "Race Speech" in Philadelphia - if you are inclined to look past his IDEOLOGICALLY BASED viewpoints and his attacks in kind and only focus on the symbolism of it all - you can claim to have no issues with his speech.

(I am still burning up inside from the Race Speech in Philly in which he echoed what I have been attacking educational activist Jonathan Kozol for - that Black kids need to be in INTEGRATED schools with WHITE FOLKS rather than ALL BY OURSELVES for them to get a quality education")

From the Race Speech:
Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven't fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today's black and white students.

CLEARLY this is NOT THE CASE. The "segregated schools" of Northbrook and Winnetka, Illinois which might be the scene of protests by Black preachers who will depart the city of Chicago where their favored party has run for more than 3/4ths of a century and go to the "Segregated and Inferior schools" in Northbrook and Winnetka and tell those WHITE FOLKS - "Your school is INFERIOR because it does not have BLACK PEOPLE IN IT!!".


Here we have all of the KEY INTERESTS of Black people (education, employment, public safety and health - through not being shot to death) in the hands of two parties each with different visions. In the power of CO-CONSPIRACY - OUR PEOPLE are able to look past the vast FABRIC that blankets our community ALREADY and instead vote for a change at the top of the pyramid which is hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away from them. And they call themselves a STRONG people!

More Analysis Of the Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive Fundamentalist Racism-Chaser that NEEDS To Be Taken To Heart

The Obama Race Speech dissected:

Legalized discrimination - where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments - meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations. That history helps explain the wealth and income gap between black and white, and the concentrated pockets of poverty that persists in so many of today's urban and rural communities.

I can travel to the corner of Boulevard and North Avenue in Atlanta and make note of a community which 40 years ago WAS NOT BLACK!!!
If Mr. Obama's CLAIMS are correct then these dirt poor Black people who are living in this place of violence, drugs and lewd behavior is rampant - it is the LEGACY OF RACISM that has caused all of this - despite the fact that when this neighborhood started to "change" the Progressive city of Atlanta was a few short years away from getting its first Black mayor YET all of the RACISM that Obama CLAIMS was present in this community and/or was transferred in the collective consciousness of the Black folks who moved in, bringing it from these other places where they had experienced it.

There is likely more metro areas that DISPROVE Obama's victimization claims in 2008 than there are old Black communities that substantiate them. BUT NONE OF THIS MATTERS.

A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families - a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened.

The biggest THREAT to "Opportunity" in the community from keeping their doors open in SOME poor communities walks through the door with a 9mm seeking to empty the cash registers!!!

This triggers increases in insurance rates, forced investments in security devices, unwillingness to stay open during 'dangerous hours', SUPPRESSION of other investors who can see the new "Interactive Crime maps" that Google Maps type technology can bring.

Mr. Obama, like most progressives is good at BLAMING THE SYSTEM.

He is not so good at ASKING OF THE PEOPLE, being the main force in THEIR OWN SALVATION.


And the lack of basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods - parks for kids to play in, police walking the beat, regular garbage pick-up and building code enforcement - all helped create a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continue to haunt us.

This is simply amazing.

Just as we see in Chicago schools - the "Obama Like politician" sees the vision of a certain STANDARD OF LIVING. .....See it in practice in ANOTHER AREA (pssst Steve - among the White folks) and then rather than telling Black folks - THIS IS WHAT WE COULD BUILD IF WE ORDER OURSELVES WITHIN A GIVEN SYSTEM.......they say:

"Judge MY CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED.......LOOK AT HOW they live 'in the Suburbs'" (Hey Steve - the Suburbs are a code word for WHITE FOLKS. Clayton County is a suburb to Atlanta and Obama is not pointing at them).

Do you see why I say PROGRESSIVISM IS NOT AN ORGANIC MOVEMENT?

An ORGANIC movement would tend to TAKE INVENTORY of the HUMAN RESOURCES THAT IT HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL and leverage it TO GROW TO THIS STANDARD OF LIVING.

The first thing that the PROGRESSIVE does is FILE A LAWSUIT.

Indeed a LAWSUIT was JUSTIFIED when the WHITE FOLKS were actively DISCRIMINATING AGAINST US in resource distrubtion WITHIN THE SAME POLITICAL DISTRICT.

Today a CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT is justified when these WHITE FOLKS HAVE LEFT US ALL BY OURSELVES IN THE CITIES THAT WE BRAG SO MUCH THAT DEMOCRATS RUN!!!

Do you see why I say that there is a basic ASSUMED INFERIORITY of Black people by the Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive Fundamentalist Racism-Chaser? He asks NOTHING of his own people.

He does not see that his NON-JUDGMENTALISM on BEHAVIOR only comes back to bite him when he NEEDS to ask his people to ACT IN A DIRECTED MANNER.

What would Booker T. Washington Do in regards to all of this?

The Disproportional School Discipline Rates Of Black Students

Chicago Tribute: School discipline tougher on African Americans

Fifty years after federal troops escorted nine black students through the doors of an all-white high school in Little Rock, Ark., in a landmark school integration struggle, America's public schools remain as unequal as they have ever been when measured in terms of disciplinary sanctions such as suspensions and expulsions, according to little-noticed data collected by the U.S. Department of Education for the 2004-2005 school year.

I will allow you to read the report and make up your own mind.

In my view the report talks around one key measure that would distill the issue out as a "racial" one or a sociological problem.

In building up its case the author says:

In every state but Idaho, a Tribune analysis of the data shows, black students are being suspended in numbers greater than would be expected from their proportion of the student population. In 21 states—Illinois among them—that disproportionality is so pronounced that the percentage of black suspensions is more than double their percentage of the student body. And on average across the nation, black students are suspended and expelled at nearly three times the rate of white students.

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No other ethnic group is disciplined at such a high rate, the federal data show. Hispanic students are suspended and expelled in almost direct proportion to their populations, while white and Asian students are disciplined far less.

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Yet black students are no more likely to misbehave than other students from the same social and economic environments, research studies have found.

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Some impoverished black children grow up in troubled neighborhoods and come from broken families, leaving them less equipped to conform to behavioral expectations in school. While such socioeconomic factors contribute to the disproportionate discipline rates, researchers say that poverty alone cannot explain the disparities. "There simply isn't any support for the notion that, given the same set of circumstances, African-American kids act out to a greater degree than other kids," said Russell Skiba, a professor of educational psychology at Indiana University

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"In fact, the data indicate that African-American students are punished more severely for the same offense, so clearly something else is going on. We can call it structural inequity or we can call it institutional racism."

Note: "Justice Thurgood Marshall Justice"? - It's THE SYSTEM, dummy

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"They say there's no racism here, but if you go inside a school and look in the room where they send the kids for detention, almost all the faces are black," said Brenda Cherry, a Paris civil rights activist who assembled some of the complaints that sparked the federal investigation. "Unless black people are just a bad race of people, something is wrong here."

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"Studies of school suspension have consistently documented disproportionality by socioeconomic status. Students who receive free school lunch are at increased risk for school suspension," according to "The Color of Discipline," a 2000 study by Skiba and other researchers in Indiana and Nebraska. Another study concluded that "students whose fathers did not have a full-time job were significantly more likely to be suspended than students whose fathers were employed full time."

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"Poor home environment does carry over into the school environment," said Skiba, who is widely regarded as the nation's foremost authority on school discipline and race. "But middle-class and upper-class black students are also being disciplined more often than their white peers. Skin color in itself is a part of this function."

Note: While "well off Blacks" still have higher rates of discipline problems than do poor Blacks - why didn't the article make a direct comparison between the discipline rates of "well off Blacks" and poor Blacks? The obscurity of the words "are also being disciplined more often than their white peers" leaves too much to the imagination - if the author is biased toward making his case that it is RACISM that is the reason for the differences.

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Some experts point to cultural miscommunications between black students and white teachers, who fill 83 percent of the nation's teaching ranks. In fact, the Tribune analysis found, some of the highest rates of racially disproportionate discipline are found in states with the lowest minority populations, where the disconnect between white teachers and black students is potentially the greatest.

Once again these words are ambiguous. "Highest Rates" does not equate to "numerical instances" of discipline problems. If a state like Montana with few Blacks has a "high rate" of discipline actions against them this is not likely to compare to the same measure in New York state - who's population of Blacks is many, many times greater. The failure to include the numbers behind the rate against allows the author to advocate for the case rather than dispassionately tell the story and allow us to decide.

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Nor has the decline of court-ordered integration across the nation and the gradual resegregation of urban schools in recent decades made much difference in disciplinary rates. Even in urban schools where most of the students are black, black youths are still disciplined out of proportion to their population, the data show. In Washington, D.C., for example, black students are 84 percent of the public school population but 97 percent of the students who are suspended.

The author has a flashing light right in front of his face and yet STILL chooses to not dig deeper which might point to something other than what he is predisposed to believe.

He says above that 83% of the teachers in the United States are White. In my trek through Black public schools it comes as no surprise that in Black schools....It is NOT THE CASE THAT 83% of teachers White.

If RACISM and institutional racism is alleged to be the case - why doesn't the author walk down the path that would best expose this as such?

WHAT IS THE RATE OF EXPULSION OF BLACK STUDENTS at

* Majority Black Schools
* Expelled BY BLACK TEACHERS

Instead he chooses to note that Washington DC schools which are 84% Black also has a 97% Black expulsion rate, thus proving that Blacks here are also disciplined more while leaving on the table the points above that would get to the bottom of the issue.


My question is:

Is there a substantially reduced amount of disciplinary actions against Black students when there is a Black teacher and administration?

Secondly - and more importantly - if there is some way to measure the "discipline environment' between schools - are these same Black schools "kept in check" as are their White counterparts? The recent showing of the documentary on HBO about "Fredrick Douglass High School" in Baltimore detailed the state of utter chaos in this particular school. If the prevailing standard in this particular school is that you will only get suspended if you do something ultra-heinous where as in a more diverse school who's "discipline environment" is more functional - and thus one would get suspended for doing something far less blatant - should we be considering the suspension rates at these two schools who's RESULTING OUTCOMES are so radically different?

I am sure that many of you believe that "I have it out for Black people". Nothing can be further from the truth.

I simply look at the TOP LINE CLAIMS that are often heard from our people - Good Schools, Quality Education and Justice. Unfortunately once all of this is put into operation - much of this falls apart. One of the biggest shortcomings in our prevailing culture within our community is our ability to impress upon Black folks to ACT IN A MORE DIRECTED MANNER which allows us to express these top line goals.

Again the Speak Truth To Power" bias and the "Justice Thurgood Marshall Justice" sensibilities kick and the organized forces who SHOULD BE supporting the institutions which are charged with educating our children end up UNDERCUTTING them and their authority.

I can't say that this is all foreign to me. On a personal note my wife and I have a different school management style as well. When our son gets a "warning" on his daily behavior report my wife is inclined to call the teacher and get clear explanations as to what our son has done. She asks if he was told what he was expected to do and what other measures did the teacher take to avoid this problem.

My view is very different than my wife's. If the teacher says that my son has done wrong I am going to accept her word over his - in common practice I am going to accept her version. (of course if the evidence is pointing grossly the other way - this would not be the case. But think about it - isn't this has TRAFFIC COURTS work? Have you ever really gotten out of a traffic citation when it was the police authority's word against yours? Absent some system of authority - the system itself breaks down. If there is proof that this authority has violated his duties then hold them accountable in aggregate). My reaction is to listen to all of the facts with a bias toward the teacher's version and then to appropriately discipline my son. I will then monitor the situation to insure that no other infractions are had.

I also evaluate the CONTEXT. The other day I asked my son "Did anyone else in your class get a warning today? Well what did they do to earn it?". Strangely enough he can articulate to me what these others did but when it comes to him - so frequently he just can't understand why he got into trouble.

Now I realize that my own little personal experiences should not be confused with that of a comprehensive study using empirical evidence but so frequently common sense and basic understanding of human interactions plays a far greater role in all of this than we are inclined to accept.

****************************************8

Other researchers believe that zero-tolerance policies, which encourage teachers and administrators to crack down on even minor, non-violent misbehavior, are exacerbating racial disparities. Some states, such as Texas, are so zealous that they have criminalized many school infractions, saddling tens of thousands of students with misdemeanor criminal records for offenses such as swearing or disrupting class.

The school security climate, in turn, can reinforce race-based expectations about which students are most likely to require discipline.

"Most suburban schools, where the students are more likely to be white, purchase security equipment that is meant to protect children—for example, hand scanners that make sure that the parent/guardian picking up the child is legitimate," said Ronnie Casella, an expert on the criminalization of student behavior at Central Connecticut State University. "In contrast, urban schools choose equipment such as metal detectors and surveillance cameras that are meant to catch youths committing crimes."

It is clear from this last piece that the author of this story is more interested in "progressive outcomes" than he is at dealing with the serious challenges that confront many of these urban school systems.

Minority Education - The Civil Rights Actor-vists In Clayton County and Gwinnett County Georgia

I have stated in the past - I no longer debate certain Black ideological opponents where they have me to prove that "my way" would be better for Black people. Instead I have set up a group of common standards that anyone who comes to the table with intellectual honesty could agree with in general terms. Then I inspect their actions in regards to this reference.

In Metro Atlanta - there are currently two issues where race and education have crossed.

First there is the recent loss of accreditation by the Clayton County Public Schools. Second, growing like a mushroom out of nowhere is the growing cries for the ouster of the superintendent for Gwinnett County Public Schools for statements that were seen by some as "racist".

For me as an observer of "Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism-Chasers" these two incidences and the RESPONSES by the "chicken hawks" who proclaim to be protecting the BEST INTERESTS of Black people their silence on the larger issue while growth in vocalization on the more trivial one speaks volumes.

Let me be clear in advance - I understand that the Gwinnett County NAACP is an independently operating branch as compared to the Clayton County NAACP. As well the teachers union featured in the story below is also a free agent in the matter.

Of course - anyone who has been reading this blog is already aware of the foolishness that has been going on in the Clayton County public school system for more than 10 years which has all lead up to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools voting to revoke the accreditation of the school system for 1 year while the officials who have been elected by the people of Clayton County get themselves together for the best interests of the 53,000 students in the system, the vast majority of them who are Black.

The people of Clayton County did come out in force this past spring at a series of public meetings in which the board was charged with explaining itself and why they have threatened the interests of the children and has put the integrity of the county in jeopardy. The people spoke - the main line civil rights organizations who are charged with "advancing the negro" were relatively silent. If the loss of accreditation is not a threat to Black children then I am not sure what is.

Now we have a situation in Gwinnett County to the northeast of Clayton County that is growing on a daily basis. The context of the issue was a public forum that was established to investigate the disproportional disciplinary action against Black children, a phenomenon that is seen in Gwinnett and nation wide - except in Idaho. The superintendent, J. Alvin Wilbanks wondered out loud "are there any Black children in Idaho" for them to be considered in the first place? This was seen as a "racist statement" and thus the call for his ouster.




Without the CONTEXT of it all from a local person, all of this might sit well with outsiders who are assumed to believe that there is nothing more than classical "racial interplay" at work with a conservative, White Southern state is playing tricks with Black folks in both instances. In both cases - you'd be wrong.

Let us inspect Gwinnett County. Gwinnett is a large county situated to the north and slightly east of Atlanta. It has the state's largest school system. As quiet as it is kept the majority of the county's Black residents have relocated to the county from other counties in Georgia. Using my two friends who did this I feel comfortable in saying that Blacks generally relocate to Gwinnett County to consume the quality schools that are located there. Relocation for closer proximity to jobs is also a factor.

First let me use my standard reference source to establish a stake in the ground for these two school systems - GreatSchools.net

Gwinnett County rating - 7 out of 10
Percentage of 8st Grade Students Meeting Expectations in:
Reading - 93%
English Language Arts - 92%
Math - 77%

Demographics
White: 43%
Black 25%
Hispanic 19%
Asian 10%

Per Student Spending $8,343

*********************************
Clayton County rating - 3 out of 10
Percentage of 8st Grade Students Meeting Expectations in:
Reading - 86%
English Language Arts - 85%
Math - 52%

Demographics
White: 7%
Black 73%
Hispanic 12%
Asian 4%

Per Student Spending $8,487
*******************************************************************

You heard it here first - Clayton County actually spends more per student than does Gwinnett.


It comes as no surprise thus that many Black parents are migrating to Gwinnett county for the academic opportunities that the school system presents.

In regards to my own experiences I would like to add in two other school systems to the mix - Dekalb County Schools and the Atlanta Public School System. Again any frequent reader of this blog will recall my documented experiences at a school in Dekalb County. I was told that there are two school systems in Dekalb "North of Memorial Drive" and "South Of Memorial Drive". The schools in South Dekalb, in this teacher's view (who was Black) are not desirable places to teach. Student discipline problems and lack of respect for authority - again in his view - are the main reason for the problems within these schools.

From my own experience as a substitute teacher (and the occasional 'Career Day' speaker) in the Atlanta Public Schools years ago I saw first hand the challenges with discipline and academic achievement in Therell High School and South Atlanta High School.

(Note - I just found a report on the disproportionate disciplinary action against Black students and I will post details on that specifically in a new entry).

The point of this post is about the "Civil Rights" reaction to these two events. The Metro Atlanta activists KNOW that Clayton County is a troubled school district and has been for years. They also know that student discipline problems are a major problem in many schools that have a predominately Black student population. Certainly it is not unique to these schools but most certainly these problems translate into academic performance problems in these same schools.

If I were to stack rank the two issues at hand - The Academic performance problems in schools with a substantial population of Black students versus the Offense to be taken by the comments of the superintendent in Gwinnett county - these two problems should not even be on the same list. There is far more broad reaching damage being done to Black students within the environments in the schools that they predominate than any injury sustained in the comments made by Mr.Wilbanks.

If I had to choose between which one I would "let slide" - between the reaction to the comments or the reaction to the troubled schools that our children attend - the choice is clear.

Thus the purpose of this blog is to shine the light on those who's reactions ARE NOT in line with what is "clear". There is a standard to be upheld and there is a set of reactions that are more meaningful in the end. They are free to choose their responses....I am free to measure them.

The Face Of The "Indifferent Killer Of Black People" HAS CHANGED! (Why The Death Penalty Is Needed)

When this type of indifference over the killing of a Black person was seen by White killers - the Black community rightfully took to the streets in anger. "They can't go on KILLING US" was the cry. We thought that the "White man", being poisoned by hatred, supremacy and a system that was complicit in all that he did was the primary threat to our livelihood as Black people.

Today's response to the brutality on our streets, however sadly proves that "America has changed" and "we have changed" as well. I can't say that it is for the better. Absent the unifying force of the "Racism Chase" the Black community has been lulled into near silence over this and other killings.

The new media creation of various shows "The First 48 Hours", "Jacked", "American Gangster" and "Gangland" provide the opportunity for people to take a glimpse into the world of violence and depravity that some people live.

Now there is no doubt that some of you are going to say "CS you are attempting to WIPE BLACK AMERICA'S FACE in the actions of the criminals. What are you trying to prove?". This, like the same response that came from indifferent White people 100 years ago to the news that Ida B. Wells had promoted regarding LYNCHING only shows that some people are more beholden to their level of comfort in their system that they seek to protect than in accepting the painful truth, agreeing that this is wrong and savage and taking the necessary steps to MANAGE the situation to a less out of control state.

Sadly the Popular Political Machine upon Black America does not want you to focus on this ugly truth. Why are so many of these crime programs stocked with BLACK VICTIMS? Are the show's producers RACISTS and seeking to smear Black folks? Or does the Black community provide for the most abundant selection of choice homicides to choose from?

The 1:50 mark of the above video shows how some THUG KNEEGROWS DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT BLACK LIFE!!!! Sadly there are forces within our community - on the streets, in the legislature and with a microphone in their hands who will DEFEND THEM!!

A actions of a THUG LIKE THIS is laundered in the statements "There are too many Black folks in jail and thus THE SYSTEM is at fault". In the world of "Justice Thurgood Marshall Justice" where the assailant becomes the VICTIM of the system these type of killers escape the damnation that they have earned.

At the point where he is confronted with his actions of shooting two Black girls - this Thug shakes his milk carton and says "I'll see you in court".



This VICTIMS had NO COURT at their disposal.
Still some say that it is the AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM that is the "Killer of Blacks".

Here is the second segment in which the truth is discovered:




Finally - we see how all of this impacts the BLACK GIRL who survived the attack - having been SHOT IN THE FACE by a CRIMINAL THUG:




What was the underlying motivation for the contract killing? DRUGS and MONEY.

The "Black Priorities" On The Streets Is Very Diffrent That That Which Political Negros Document

1) Iraq
2) Free Health Care
3) More Money for Education
4) Restoration Of Civil Liberties

Talk to a political operative Negro who is beholden to his ideology and his party and you will see these (or similar) priorities for the Black community. THEY claim that others are "out of touch" with the Black community. The truth is - THEY ARE. They hope to mask the truth about that which is beyond their ideology's ability to MANAGE.

As I sample the world both on the streets of Black America first hand or via my consumption of the news - it cannot be clearer that the list of REAL BLACK PEOPLE could not be more different than what these slick talking operatives would have us to believe.

I saw this particular segment of "The First 48 Hours" which touched me. While some Black folks are "crying" tears of pride over the prospects of an Obama presidency.....far more meaningful tears outside of the domain of mere symbolism are being shed among Black people.



Here is what BLACK PEOPLE ARE CRYING OVER TODAY.

CRACK (They want to REDUCE the sentences for Crack dealing - remember)
THUG HIT SQUADS
THE DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE

Instead of expressing "Abstract Moral Superiority About "Torture In Iraq" they would prove their credibility if they were to get the Thug Killers who are far closer to where they live to stop killing people. Then they can graduate to being the "moral compass" and the foreign policy experts that they claim.

Who Is Vying To Be "On The Wrong Side Of History" - Black Community History, Not American History.

1) I have heard a constant stream of friends and associates ask me "Are you going to be on the WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY if Obama is elected president"?

Using this LOGIC.....ALL PRESIDENTS ARE HISTORICAL FIGURES once elected. All runners up are as well. How does "vying for history" drive me to SELLOUT my own views and vote for someone? They are the ones who have it wrong.

2) My OBJECTIVES are clear. I want the BLACK COMMUNITY FIXED as the primary result of my activism.

Today we have so many Black Americans vacating their discussions about what is REALLY going on WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY as they talk nationally about evil Bush. They are wise in that they know WHO ALREADY RUNS THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

If they are not doing a "Chicago" and blaming the state school funding for the reasons why their schools are funding - they would be left to have to BLAME THEMSELVES for assuming the positions of power WITHIN yet still failing to deliver as they promised they would.

3) Thus the only reason why this MACHINE that ALREADY RUNS THE BLACK COMMUNITY is allowed to expand is because they have plenty of CO-CONSPIRATOR BLACKS backing them. Each time the failures in our communities is met with AFFIRMATION of what they are doing on election day - the evidence that our PERMANENT INTERESTS are more important than our PERMANENT FRIENDS is proven to be a LIE.

4) The Black media is the primary culprit in all of this. (I just got my radio recording computer back on line to record the Bev Smith show and several other Black talk shows). They are masterful in their propaganda.

The key people who should be MANAGING OUR COMMUNITY are PROGRESSIVE-FUNDAMENTALISTS. A squadron of PROGRESSIVES in power as the Mayor, Police Chief, City Council, Governor, Elected Representatives in the State and US legislature....and indeed even the PRESIDENCY......their FAILURE to deliver for the Black community will not mean their PURGE. Instead it is evidence that the PROGRESSIVE STRUGGLE has more territory to cover before ultimate success can be had.

The Black community will be on a permanent CHASE for the SYSTEM to be changed. There is little effort for US to PREEMPTIVELY change and transform into this grand vision of HOPE that is marketed - at $15 a pop on a t-shirt.

5) Shay - The only way to really CHANGE BLACK AMERICA is to shift it from its SOLD OUT STATE on behalf of the DEMOCRATS and PROGRESSIVISM and instead have it recommit to its own INTERNAL OBJECTIVES:

* Safe Streets so that we can congregate and rebuilt our network
* Quality schools to teach our children how to be the professional service agents that we need in our local economy
* Strong local economic growth to employ our people and exchange goods
* Healthy lifestyles and practices so that our communities not the "red push pin" on every CDC map

* A push for comprehensive solutions of the above 4 with only the most effective and proven solutions being kept (thus get rid of Affirmative Action)

* A bias toward ORGANIC solutions where our own people deliver these solutions and LEARN FROM IT.


If indeed Obama is victorious in the next few months there will be the biggest street party in Black America. It will mask the streams of most unfortunate news that is on display today and nearly everyday.

In some ways, I believe that an "Obama presidency" would finally force certain operatives to vacate their unrealistic positions. Unfortunately PROPAGANDA and LIES by the usual suspects will always confound my most generous assumptions regarding how much my people will take before abandoning those who have their confidence in leadership.

Just image if a President Obama received "Bush-like" stead attacks for his policies and results. (ie: the average unemployment rate for his first term is 7.9% and our position continues to erode despite all of the FAKE HOPE). Do you REALLY believe that the usual suspects will accept these attacks as PAR FOR THE COURSE for any president?

Those airhead Feminists today raised a good point. They mentioned that America has already dispensed with the notion that open racist talk is permissible in this nation while sexist talk is still allowed. At the same time they mentioned that man women "protected" Hillary as Blacks did with Obama.

The sad truth is that MOST BLACKS are not READY to allow a "president Obama" to be PRESIDENT and take all that comes with it WITHOUT projecting their own RACIAL BIGOTRY into the mix.

Is there any chance that a White person who attacks a President Obama would AVOID BEING CALLED A "RACIST" when THIS is the popular message being "pushed" by pimps in the Black community? (the message on the t-shirt below which can be yours for $15)




(Please note - this is not a POLITICAL t-shirt as there is not ONE DAMNED SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE presented on it. This is a PROPAGANDA t-shirt made by people to make Obama an hyper-political figure [above politics] and thus have Blacks believe that our freedom is closer in voting for him. Something that didn't work out too well with the mayors who tried to do the same.)

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ACTIVISM?
A BLACK PRESIDENT OR A FIXED BLACK COMMUNITY?

It is a chance that you may get NEITHER but you all sure are not doing much to insure BOTH.

A Hero In The Fight Against Thugs Doing "Smash & Grab" Robberies And Edging Businesses Out Of Business

This brother did what he thought he should do.

Clearly he is not yet infected with the "Stop Snitching" virus that infect so many native born Americans.

Good job.

School Watch In "Our Communities" - SAT Scores - How Are You Actually BENEFITING From Your Leadership Again?

To the laywer defending the 4 rogue School Board members - OF COURSE its just RACISM regarding the latest SAT resutlts for Metro Atlanta and all of Georgia.

The entire state of Georgia is ranked at the unenvious position of 47 nationally. (in Georgia more students take the test even those who are not "college material" which weighs down the score but this still does not mask the fact that there are some real problems in GA).

The state SAT results fell by six points below the previous year. (AJC- SAT Results)

Georgia's Average SAT - 1,466
National Average SAT - 1,511

Clayton County served as the butt of the metro Atlanta region once again.

Clayton County Average SAT - 1,268

AJC: Clayton County SAT Scores

Students in Atlanta, Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Fayette and Henry counties all scored higher than Clayton.

.........Reading...Math...Writing...Total
Atlanta.....436....424....440.......1300
Cherokee....525....537....513.......1575
Clayton.....428....422....418.......1268
Cobb........510....514....499.......1523
Decatur.....530....513....512.......1555
DeKalb......452....443....444.......1339
Fayette.....518....528....505.......1551
Fulton......527....538....528.......1593
Gwinnett....504....522....495.......1521
Marietta....489....500....471.......1460
State.......491....493....482.......1466
Nation......502....515....494.......1511

Only Maine, Hawaii, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., saw lower scores.

Some Black Men I Would Choose To Worship With

In the face of great loss it was uplifting to see the parisoners of Emmaus Road Missionary Baptist Church express such a positive outlook on the entire situation.

If you listen to their words - they suggested that they will "Pray To God" regarding the purpose of the fire and what they must do to recover from it.

I did not sense the stereotypical, irrational words that critics of religion often put forth upon people of faith. My interpretation is that after having what they must do revealed to them.....they are going to DO IT.

Just imagine if this type of message was more present both among our people and among thus nation? Gone would be much of the finger pointing and victimization practices. Instead there would be more of a directed, 'can do' attitude and inevitably more of our problems would be solved.

I have driven past the Emmaus Road Missionary Baptist Church hundreds of times. I had no idea the amount of strong faith and sense of purpose that was contained within. I pray that the Lord will guide them through this period of loss. At least no one was injured in the fire. They will rebuild.

The Marketing Of Economic Failures - Bank Failures

Economist Blog: A History Of Bank Failures

If you were to listen exclusively to certain "urban radio" sources you would swear that the US financial system is on the verge of collapse. While you will often hear "who's POLICIES" are to blame for it all - I assure you - you will never hear any deep, analytical discussions which substantiate their views. Much of what you hear will be will respect to "prevailing sentiment" rather than any specific empirical fact.

Likewise isn't it curious that during the "boom times" that they refer to back in the late 90's we were not treated to the "Chicken Little" fears that we hear right now regarding our banking system?

How is this possible people?

Who are you getting your information from?

What is THEIR agenda?

Likewise - what are their qualifications to provide such information?

Lastly - what is their track record for success where their preferred policies are in place?

The Debate Over Funding Of Chicago Public Schools - The EXTENRAL Chase For EQUAL Resources With The Promise of EQUAL Results If The Loot Given

A Tale Of Educational Spending In Three Cities (Well - one one of them is a village and another has 12,000 people, but go with it for a second )

Chicago Illinois
Northbrook, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois


In the minds of some Chicago area ministers of the gospel according to Jesus Christ - the school funding rates of two of these cities (well - one of the is a village and another has 12,000 people) should serve as the reference point for the City of Chicago Public schools and thus the lack of "Social Justice" which remains in this land of ours. Their plan is to depart the city limits of Chicago and go wage a protest in the towns of Northbrook and Winnetka Illinos (psst - where the White folks live.)

I have not heard anyone ask the Question - "What makes the per student spending in Northbrook and Winnetka the standard for that which Chicago should spend on its students?"

These are 45,800 people living in these two towns as compared to 2.8 million in Chicago who define the reference. Why is it that these people are the reference standard for these protesters in Chicago?

In this debate are any of the people who are making the claim that "Chicago schools are underfunded when compared to the suburbs" doing any sort of analytical inspection of HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT IN CHICAGO to substantiate their claims that the kids of Chicago are getting the short end of the stick?

If I live long enough I hope to achieve understanding in the great paradox between theories applied to government versus those applied to business. In the business world one gets ECONOMY OF SCALE by growing larger and increasing productivity of these capital resources (physical plant, machinery, etc). Thus as the capital expenses are spread across more UNITS of production the net per unit cost for doing business is LESS. The same operatives who are lobbying for more money for Chicago schools are also likely the ones who would tend to be opposed to consolidated businesses in pursuit of said cost savings. The argument that "per pupil spending" differences amounts to proof in itself of being "short changed" is RIDICULOUS absent further scrutiny to bear this out.


The paradox comes in that these same people (and indeed I do overgeneralize about people and their ideologies - don't I) are for GOVERNMENT CONSOLIDATION and growth for the sake of imposing a more standardize governance and tax policy. Where I live the "labyrinth of little principalities" is said to create a duplication of effort and thus more cost per unit as a result. Think about it - duplicate police command staff, fire equipment & dispatch - all of this must be purchased and operated by each of these small towns. There is no doubt a bit of truth to this if EXPENDITURES were the only point of consideration.

Thus when it comes to comparing Chicago with Northbrook and Winnetka, Illinois these same policy and financial geniuses run straight for the CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION call to explain the differences in school funding.

First let us analyze some important demographic information about the 3 distinct places.

Chicago Public Schools (Data At A Glance)

(Note this data was obtained from GreatSchools.net, Wikipedia, and the home pages of each of these school districts respectively)


Clearly CPS is a far larger school system than these other two and thus their concerns are not even in the same orbit for comparison. I question how the marginal difference in per student spending ($3,317 for Northbrook and $1,640 for Winnetka) are pointed to as the key variable in the differentiated outcomes for these schools.

Take a look at the number of schools in each of these systems. I imagine that with 621 school buildings to maintain and operate that there is a substantially more complex hierarchy of staff and resources applied in Chicago but they can achieve a greater ECONOMY OF SCALE than is the case at the 4 & 5 school building counterparts in these other districts. I can imagine that a maintenance staff of 4 people each with a van full of equipment must be purchased by Northbrook and Winnetka. These same people might be able to actually manage 10 school buildings if the district were larger but still the costs for this labor and equipment is borne by the smaller districts. Chicago by comparison could scale these same resources across their far larger population of buildings that need upkeep thus the (for example) $100,000 for salary and benefits per maintenance worker paid by this district draws less in proportion of what these other two smaller districts would have to pay.

To flip things around a bit - if we were to use Winnetka's $1,640 spent over and above what Chicago is paying and then add it to Chicago's budget - this would mean an addition $678 million dollars paid into the Chicago Public Schools.

I still fail to see how the call for "More Money" alone is justified by what has been presented by those who are waging the protest. Has anyone broken out the "Instructional Expenses" that have been paid out? Wouldn't this bring us closer to proof of their claims?

Even still the median and per capita incomes for these two other cities is far higher than that of Chicago. If these two cities made the local choice to direct more of the money collected in their own borders into education - is this a crime? More importanly - how does THEIR DECISION become the reference model for what Chicago should aspire to for its funding?

There is no legitimate discussion unless someone defines a BASELINE SET OF EXPENDITURES that all students in Illinois require for quality education to take place at all. Thus the protesters in Chicago should be advocating for the students to receive AT LEAST what this base line level specifies where as all other funds beyond that point are not a CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION....but GRAVY added on top.

Gravy, that is, which is in many ways just rewards for a small city which has ORDERED ITSELF accordingly to promote the BEST INTERESTS OF ITS OWN STUDENTS, without depending on forces outside of its district to LIFT THEM UP TO A STANDARD that their own productive actions can deliver for them.

(If it is said that a CORPORATION can grow too large for its own good......why is it that few people will note the same for a city with respect to its ability to deliver required services to the people within?)

The Continued Assault On Businesses Within Black and Transitioning Communities

There are few other sure shot ways to destroy a business district than to allow "Thug Kneegrows" free reign to have their way with them.

In the classic case of "Why did you rob the bank?" / "Because that's where the money is" phenomenon these Thugs prey upon centers of commerce that have money and valuables aggregated which make easy pickings for their plots to transfer these funds to their own wallets.

We always hear from the "Civil Rights" community regarding REDLINING/ Discriminatory Insurance Rates/ The "Black Tax" - where prices are higher within Black communities due to lack of competition. Why is it that we DON'T HEAR FROM THEM on these issues? This "Thug Force" is raising the cost of doing business WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY and will eventually make sure that Black areas are the LEAST ATTRACTIVE areas to open up shop. Only those who are willing to brave the environment will be open and thus without competition they will charge a higher price.

It is my view that the progressive forces that dominate our community are wholly INCAPABLE of setting forth policies that CONTROL THEIR PEOPLE. Instead they work to control the SYSTEM around these people. Thus these "Thug Kneegrows" are robbing and vandalizing........because SOCIETY has channeled them into a life of crime because SOCIETY is RACIST.

We are to ignore the fact that these "Thugs" while they were "Thugs In Training" had the opportunity to attend 13 years of free education, just like everyone else. Had the environment of their schools been enforced to be one of "academic excellence" and "discipline" by mere osmosis many of these Thugs would be different people than they are today.

Instead what we are likely to hear is a series of "Martha - There's A Hole In The Bucket" type of excuses which will then point to the LACK OF SCHOOL FUNDING from the larger society which causes these schools to FAIL to save these young men before they turned into thugs.

BUT WAIT!!! Where do these schools get their money from? FROM LOCAL taxes - property, sales and otherwise. WHO'S ACTIONS provide the #1 ASSAULT on the value of these communities and thus the inability to maintain a TAX BASE?

Indeed - there's a HOLE IN THE BUCKET and it must be SEALED but not the POPULAR way that has been tried thus far.

Blighted Black Communities - By Our Own Hands

I am called a "sellout" because I live in the suburbs rather than within the city limits of Atlanta. I am said to have "left my people behind" during their time of need.

I am NOT a property owner within the City of Atlanta. There is no property that I own which is not insured.

The issue of "stolen wealth" from "stolen home equity" and property values is a hot one among many people with something to say about the issue. For most of these people - as long as there is the face of a "Evil Corporation" as the operatives who are STEALING the wealth of Black people away - all is fine. The STRUGGLE against the oppression of Black people will continue. We will stay UNITED as a people because there is this COMMON THREAT against us.

There are so many holes in this line of thinking. Beyond the Black folks who were co-conspirators in the selling of Subprime Mortgages during the surge in people acting as mortgage brokers so they can "get paid" - this news report brings attention to yet another way the property values are kept suppressed within certain communities - ABANDONMENT OF PROPERTY!

I was previously familiar with the incidences of owner abandonment of property maintenance with respect to "absentee owners" who rent their property and have their tenants send their rent checks out of state while maintenance on the property is never done. I was not as aware of this phenomenon where the children who inherit property from parents and other relatives fail to maintain the property or at least prepare it for resale on the market.

It sounds logical that these homes which are vacant are also a good candidate for squatters and vagrants to move into them. The death spiral of the community is initiated from this initial abandonment source per the actions of the children.

Once again the community's response is to go to the GOVERNMENT to seek funds for the revitalization of these properties. Why not condemn the properties, take them away from the owners after due process for getting them to respond has been exhausted and then put them on the open market for those who promise to fix them up and inhabit them can be afforded the opportunity to own a home? This is the best way to revitalize and recapitalize these communities.

List of American's Dying Cities - Is Anyone Surprised? Which Economic Policies Dominate These Places?

Forbes: America's Fastest-Dying Citie

Where's it worst? Ohio, according to our analysis, which racked up four of the 10 cities on our list: Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland. The runner-up is Michigan, with two cities--Detroit and Flint--making the ranking.

The Double Standards On "Voter Verifications"

Meet Ken Blackwell, former Secretary Of State for the State of Ohio and a Black man. In the 2004 election Mr. Blackwell was "De-Blackified" for having the AUDACITY to ENFORCE THE VOTER REGISTRATION LAWS for the state of Ohio as he is constitutionally charged to do.

Mr Blackwell discarded several voter registration forms that failed the standards that were set before him. He also rejected a batch of registration forms that were submitted by an activist group on paper that was not in line with the standard that EVERYONE ELSE HAD TO ABIDE BY. For Mr. Blackwell's failure to NOT follow the letter of the law he was "tagged" as depicted above.

Now meet Jan Brewer, Secretary of State for Arizona.



In full disclosure - Ms Brewer is a Republican. But - THIS POST IS NOT ABOUT JAN BREWER. This post is about the REACTIONS to the two Secretaries of State with respect to their enforcement of the laws for voter verification.

As I watched a representative from the National Organization For Women the other day she indicated that her organization would be insuring that EVERY SINGLE SIGNATURE on the ballot initiative is VALID. For this she will NOT be called out as a person seeking to "suppress the voices of the voters who disagree with her". Indeed when an "Evil Republican operative" seeks to do the very same scrutiny of the verification process - the usual suspects call them the standard names.

Can someone tell me why one group who scrutinizes the validation process are called "Guardians Of Democracy" while another group who seeks the same verification are called "Supressors Of Voting Rights"?

Funny how that works, isn't it?

ARIZONA: Anti-affirmative action fails, shy valid signatures for ballot

By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.22.2008


PHOENIX — A proposal to outlaw race- and sex-based preferences in government failed to collect enough valid signatures to be on the November ballot, Secretary of State Jan Brewer said Thursday.

Brewer said the group, known as the Arizona Civil Rights Initiative, filed nearly 335,000 signatures. But Brewer first threw out petitions with more than 9,000 names as being invalid.

And then county recorders, checking a random sample of 5 percent, determined that 40 percent of the names remaining could not be counted because they did not belong to registered voters or there were other problems.
Brewer said all that, left Proposition 104 with just 194,961 valid signatures — short of the 230,047 necessary on petitions seeking to amend the state constitution.
Ward Connerly, architect of the measure, said he is not giving up.
"We're not throwing in the towel," he said, promising to have workers gathering evidence through the weekend to get some signatures restored.
The initiative seeks a constitutional change making it illegal to give preferential treatment in government employment, education and contracting on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity and other factors.

Connerly pushed through the first version of his measure in California in 1996 in the wake of court rulings which allowed state universities to admit minority students ahead of non-minority students with higher qualifications.
If Connerly goes to court he will face more than Brewer and the county recorders. Even before Brewer's decision Thursday, two groups filed their own lawsuits contending there are insufficient valid signatures on petitions for Proposition 104 to allow it to appear on the ballot.

One of those groups, Michigan-based By Any Means Necessary, also claims that many signers — mostly minority voters — were fraudulently persuaded to sign by being told the measure promotes civil rights.

Connerly said there is nothing misleading about that, as the measure, if approved, would put all races and sexes on an equal legal footing.

New Orleans And The Levees - The Build Up To Flooding In "Hurricane Loretta" - Part II

AP: New Orleans repeating deadly levee blunders

NEW ORLEANS — Signs are emerging that history is repeating itself in the Big Easy, still healing from Katrina: People have forgotten a lesson from four decades ago and believe once again that the federal government is constructing a levee system they can prosper behind.

In a yearlong review of levee work here, The Associated Press has tracked a pattern of public misperception, political jockeying and legal fighting, along with economic and engineering miscalculations since Katrina, that threaten to make New Orleans the scene of another devastating flood.

Dozens of interviews with engineers, historians, policymakers and flood zone residents confirmed many have not learned from public policy mistakes made after Hurricane Betsy in 1965, which set the stage for Katrina; many mistakes are being repeated.

Here is the kicker folks:

Geneva Stanford, a 76-year-old health care worker, is a believer, too. She lives in a trim and tidy prefabricated house in the Lower 9th Ward, 200 feet from a rebuilt floodwall that Katrina broke.

"This wall here wasn't there when we had the flood," Stanford said, radiant in a bright kanga-style dress. "When I look at it now, I say maybe if we had had it up it there then, maybe we wouldn't have flooded."

They're not alone. A recent University of New Orleans survey of residents found concern about levee safety was dropping off the list of top worries, replaced by crime, incompetent leadership and corruption.

This sense of security, though, may be dangerously naive.

For the foreseeable future, New Orleans will be protected by levees unable to protect against another storm like Katrina.

When and if the Army Corps of Engineers finishes $14.8 billion in post-Katrina work, the city will have limited protection — what are defined as 100-year levees.

This does not mean they'd stand up to storms for a century. Under the 100-year standard, in fact, experts say that every house being rebuilt in New Orleans has a 26 percent chance of being flooded again over a 30-year mortgage; and every child born in New Orleans would have nearly a 60 percent chance of seeing a major flood in his or her life.

"It's not exactly great protection," said John Barry, the author of "Rising Tide," a book New Orleans college students read to learn about the corps' efforts to tame the Mississippi.

Please recall that last year on this very blog I made the case that certain politically partisan Negroes believed that the 96 hours of the "botched" Katrina Rescue (in their view) did more to seal the fate of the residents than the events which occurred during the 236,000 hours that I had transpired between Hurricane Betsy and Hurricane Katrina.

All of this is a derivative from the bias toward leaders with skills of "Speaking Truth To Power" rather than the presence of "MANAGEMENT and LOGISTICAL SKILLS" among the political and community leadership!

In the past I posted stories about lawsuits that lead to more reliable earthen-levees being replaced in a design by steel and cement walls due to the increased horizontal land coverage of the earthen-levee. The community actor-vists twisted the intentions of the Corps Of Engineers as seeking to "move Black people out of the area by taking their land for the earthen-levees". You are not going to hear these details in a Spike Lee version of events.

The levees and housing situations in New Orleans is akin to a polluted river - if you want to understand WHY the river is polluted go back up stream and back in time and ANALYZE as each party has thrown contaminants into the stream which aggregated into a polluted river. One big mess!!

Clearly New Orleans needs new leadership with new skills. They need to focus on the OBJECTIVE - providing a safe environment for the residents (safe from flooding that is. The other issues that threaten their safety are beyond what the Corps of Engineers can do).

That one question that keeps lurking in my mind is - Are some communities in New Orleans ultimately unfit for human habitation because of the flood risks? I have watched over the years that I have lived in Georgia some knock down, drag out battles over zoning laws. Various counties in Georgia have a strict ban on CONSTRUCTION IN FLOOD PLAINS. Yes they use the same designations of "100 year floods, 20 year floods, etc" as you see in the story. This is a POLICY DECISION among the county leaders that the RISKS outweigh the BENEFITS toward constructing on these parcels of land.

Unfortunately for New Orleans class and racial conflict seem to under-gird everything, to the detriment of the ultimate SAFETY of the people in question. It comes as no surprise that the land with the highest elevations in the city is worth more and is further away from the levee walls. Also these areas are more likely to have White residents in that the Whites are more affluent than the Blacks in many cases. Thus we get to the politics.

If someone who was an objective observer made the case that the LOWER 9TH WARD IS TOO DANGEROUS TO BE REBUILT - all hell would break out. I set foot in the Lower 9th Ward in person. I had my GPS in hand. The place is between 15 and 32 feet below SEA LEVEL. Anyone who knows fluid dynamics and gravity along with the sight of the Industrial Canal wall which is just a few blocks away should realize that these are not favorable conditions for insuring the safety of a people.

If one presses this point the charge of "RACISM!!!" will be alleged.

It is far past time that the LEADERS who will ultimately be HELD ACCOUNTABLE for the death and destruction of these communities MAKE THE TOUGH CALL. The cry of RACISM is used because it has the INTENDED EFFECT upon the recipient. The leaders should know that these same RACISM-CHASERS, after the flood are going to be CALLING THEM OUT AGAIN for failing to protect them from the flood waters. Clearly they are in a lose/lose situation. CLEARLY they need to get some backbone beforehand and do what is necessary to protect the people despite the catcalls.

I was actually surprised to see fits and starts of construction in the Lower 9th Ward during October 2007. There was not one ounce of fill dirt brought in that might raise the entire area up. I spent the last 5 years watching as the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport build their 5th runway. The land was low so they built a 5 mile conveyor belt to bring dirt in and raise the land no less than 30 feet about the roadway surface that I ride on.

Lost in all of this is the NATURAL ECOSYSTEM of the Mississippi river. For thousands of years the river flooded and thus distributed silt throughout these flood zones. This is how the land was built up in the first place. Since this time MAN has restricted the river into a path which he wants it to take AND has robbed the land of sediment which would otherwise build up these low lying areas through this natural process. Man's settlement and engineering of this place proves to be a double whammy with regards to increasing the threat of the most powerful waterway in North America. The confined Mississippi is now a faster flowing river and the lands that are most threatened are low lying. The only thing that stands between order and flooding are a network of levees which The Mighty Mississippi has claimed long term victory over for years.

Its it time that the conscious people who can balance MAN versus NATURE come in and settle this situation? For years I have heard those who are more spiritually inclined say "Mother Earth is trying to tell us something when she destroys our fortresses that man has constructed to control her". We need some more spiritually conscious people to take these decisions away from the US Corps of Engineers and the community activists who are quick to throw the race card out.

The people of New Orleans can't afford any less.

My Tour Of A Local Urban Mall: "The Marketing Of Hope For $15 Per T-Shirt"

Today upon hearing the news that the long dormant "Magic Johnson's Fridays" restaurant at Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta had reopened I decided to extend my Saturday drive to checkout how the mall is faring these days. With camera phone in hand I went investigating.



I was happy to see "The Pearl Bistro" put a stake in the ground and seek to keep the food and entertainment dollars within the community. I used to attempt to get my buddies to meet up at the Magic Johnson place rather than going to Midtown.

I hope that at some point someone will do something about the dormant "Cub Foods" in the same area. Are there any Koreans listening?



As I walked down the main corridor and back I noticed that aside from the anchor stores (Rich's and Burlington Coat Factor, awh hell - and Radio Shack) all of the national brand name stores have vacated the mall. In their places are a series of 'urban' clothing stores, woman's fashion stores, jewelry stores and several shoe stores left in the mall. I was surprised that the Peppermint Music store was gone. I saw more Indian and African vendors in these stores than I saw any others.

Of course there was the jewelry store that was one of the victims of the recent "Smash and Grab" mall jewelry store heists. This place is too close to the exit of the mall. They are asking for trouble.

As I continued my walk I began to see a pattern - Barack Obama Viral Marketing! T-shirts and bumper stickers with Barack Obama 24/7.

Even the THUGS at XXL love Obama. Must be something about that "Reduced Crack Cocaine sentencing" that Michael Eric Dyson had promised upon an Obama presidency:

I couldn't help but notice the correlation between the "Marketing of the Imagery of Obama" and the fact that there were two booths together with one guy working both. One was a t-shirt station with several Obama t-shirts. Right next to it was a hip hop ring tones booth where one could load up his cellphone with appealing tunes. The Obama t-shirt shops dealt with THE ISSUES plaguing the people in this urban mall about as much the ring tones by Lil Wayne did.

As I went into the Medu Book Store (black books) the perfect series of pictures fell into my lap. The best place to find LEFT WING CONSPIRACY THEORY BOOKS is a Black book store. Thus right below the row of Michelle and Barack Obama PLACE MATS for Black folks to eat upon.......was a row of "Frontline" magazines. I would not ask for a bigger irony.

As I have stated previously after listening to radio station WRFG on Friday nights, hearing the Black left wing radicals - They are on a collision course if Barack Obama becomes president. I wonder how they will reconcile their own beliefs about the globally insidious American government with a Black president who is a leftist?

Please note the titles of their last few editions placed against the backdrop of the Obama family place mats that no doubt can be found in many of these Black radical's houses in celebration of Obama. (I thought that the JFK and MLK picture hanging on the wall was standard issue for many Black homes as I was growing up. Now they have Obama place mats. This is plain tacky)

Can we all agree right now that a "President Obama" should be able to tell the FBI and CIA to "back up off of Black people" and thus these magazines won't have anything to talk about regarding the US government for at least 4 years? Or is this not the case?  Does anyone REALY think that they will cease their claims?

I think that it is fair to demand that a "President Obama" release the secret serum for the cure for AIDS since the American government created it in the first place.

No folks that IS NOT the cover of a Time magazine for sale. That is a PLACE MAT for some Negro to purchase so that he can eat his meal with Obama staring at him.

Today I departed Greenbriar Mall with the same niggle that I had when I first was treated to a string of Black folks wearing the "Dreamer / Dream Come True" t-shirts that are being mass marketed to Black America: 

There is so much abstraction going on between where the people stand today and what OBAMA could ever hope to do for them.  They have transitioned Barack Obama from a politician to the "Great Hope For Black America".  While this may help the Democrats in the short term it only serves to fortify the lack of LOGISTICS that is present within Black America to actually bring this CHANGE to life WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY from our own efforts rather than from EXTERNAL RAIN that is going to clean the unwashed among us.