The Lady with No Sense(us)

Oh, Michele.

One of my favorite Congressional loons is at it again. This time, dear Rep. Bachmann (R-MN) recently caused a firestorm by announcing that she has no plans to participate in the 2010 Census outside of answering the general household questions. The reasons? One, she somehow juxtaposed data collection to be done in the 2010 census to that of the WWII era where certain information was used to round up Japanese Americans bound for intermittent camps. Secondly, she indicates that “…the Constitution doesn’t require information above [household data]…” Here it is, directly from the horse’s mouth:

Now, there are a couple of things tragically wrong with the information Bachmann is dishing out here. For starters, it was sheer lunacy on her part to even implicitly suggest that personal information could potentially be used to the detriment of people. Not that I don’t agree to an extent, but this is coming from the same person who is “Strongly Opposed” to the idea that the Patriot Act harms civil liberties. Also, where was that same level of passion when post 9/11 Arab-Americans were the targets?

At any rate, Bachmann’s declaration struck me for a couple of reasons:

(1) Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution explicitly notes that the Census is done as directed by Congress. If they so desire (and if it is indeed voted on), Congress can ask any questions they want in the Census. Whether or not we think the questions are pertinent to anything is irrelevant. So I find it fascinated that an elected lawmaker has used a nationally televised forum to declare that she has no intention of ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE LAW. Wow.

(2)  ACORN is simply serving as one of the many “partners” in the Census. Contrary to the ideas raised by Rep. Bachmann, they will not be directly involved with conducting the Census. Instead, partners are  essentially responsible for spreading the word about the importance and benefits of the Census. In her zealous efforts to propogate the misinformation about ACORN’s overblown involvement in the Census, she has stirred tons of people who have built unmitigated antipathy toward the liberal group. But even Judicial Watch, a non-partisan watchdog organization of the Census Bureau has attempted to alleviate any concerns that ACORN will play a role in the Census outside of recruitment and promotion. I don’t deny ACORN’s history with voter registration fraud – which could in fact fuel some of Bachmann’s skepticism – but this ain’t the same. In fact, I liken any opposition to encouraging people to do the Census to somebody like me turning down advice about the importance of staying healthy just because Sean Hannity was the messenger.

Simply put y’all: just do the damn Census and be done with it. If you don’t like the questions included in the survey, take it up with your representatives. Otherwise, take a stand, don’t do it, and get charged $100 ($500 if you lie). If we can get enough people to follow Bachmann’s lead, we will have the money to pay off this country’s deficit in no time!

- ACL

Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

From CNN: The King of Pop is gone.

He had some rough (and admittedly, some pretty weird) episodes in his life. But I hope he’s moonwalking his way into the gates right about now:

 Be easy, MJ.

- ACL

Why Teenagers Can’t Be Trusted

I knew this idiot was lying from day one.

Now, if we can only do something about all the lies about “the black man doing it.”

- ACL

My Letter to the President

Dear President Obama,

For starters, please allow me to say that you are not beholden to the black community in any way, shape, or form. Even though folks like Dyson, Cornel, and Tavis are manufacturing nonsensical reasons to attack your racially neutral approach to doing things, I think you should continue to focus your efforts on problems facing the entire nation. But, if I can go against my own word just this once, I would like to ask you to use your Executive muscle to specifically address a few problems directly concerning your cousins ‘nem. Please help us get our acts together!

1. A law should be enacted that will prohibit any black person over the age 16 from watching BET. Ever. Scratch that. This law should apply to every American. Scratch that again: No person on this planet should be able to watch BET. I’m generally not in favor of the U.S. playing the policeman of the world, but when it comes to universally banning BET, I’m willing to make an exception.

2. No black person should ever be allowed to work on Fox News (Sorry Marc. That includes you).

3. Legislation should be established to prohibit black people from driving SUVs. With GM virtually leaving keys in their vehicles’ ignitions and “Free” signs hanging off the window, I suspect that many black folks will stock up on their Yukons and Escalades pretty soon. Even with gas prices on the rise again, these rides might be a problem once again.

4. On a related note, black people can no longer be allowed to have $10000 rims on rides that are only worth $300.

5. While we’re on driving behavior, a new law needs to be enacted that prohibits us from doing gangsta leans in our cars. Ever.

6. Black people should be prohibited from putting stuff “in their baby’s names”. No child on the planet should have to live out their youth with a phone bill, a car note, and cable TV services already being charged to them.

7. Speaking of our children, a new law should be passed that will no longer allow a person under the age of 21 to conceive a child. I’m no fan of abortion, but I’m an even greater opponent of knucklehead’s having baby showers – when they’re 15!!!

8. Speaking of children again, black teenagers must not be allowed to spend more than $200 total for their proms. No more custom-made dresses, outlandish hair designs, funky nails, horse drawn carriages, or stretch Hummers. It’s a flippin’ high school prom, NOT a presidential inauguration (though Mr. President, if you came to your Inaugural Ball in a stretch Hummer, I’d disown you too. Sorry…)

9. Speaking of children one more time, black folks should legally be prohibited from giving their children crazy names. I’m sorry, but I will never hire an attorney named BonQuisha. I don’t care how good she is. I will never vote for a politician named Demareon-tay. By giving these innocent and unsuspecting children jacked up names, we’re setting them up for failure. I mean, look how hard it was for you to get elected with your name. Your parents got you good, too.

10. Any black churches that still print people’s tithes and offerings must to be closed down at once.

11. While we are on church behavior, brothas must be banned from wearing suits with jackets that have more than four buttons; that come in pastel colors; or that have matching gators, hats, and canes. Sistas must be prohibited from wearing flower hats, glittery dresses or off-colored stockings (red, green, yellow, etc.).

12. While we’re still on church behavior, any ministers who have to rely on theatrics to sell their message should be fired immediately. Hootin’ and hollering, creating new dance steps, and “Shaking the Haters Off…” must be banned from the church forever.

13. New laws should force brothas on the Down Low to come out. While I think the phenomenon is definitely overly-hyped, I don’t dismiss the reality that it does exist to some extent. The negative consequences to the black community (health issues, the disintegration of the black family, etc.) are all significantly impacted by this DL mess.

14. Speaking of relationships in the black community, black women should no longer be allowed to date thugs. Trust me. It’s for their own good. In fact, you should consider yourself extremely lucky that Michelle didn’t choose Leon the South-Chicago thug over you. Nice, kind, intelligent brothas never get the girl. You’re making history all over the place!

15. A person with functioning body parts, a cell phone, Baby Phat apparel, and freshly done hair/nails may not be eligible to receive welfare benefits. For that matter, welfare recipients must show proof that they’ve earnestly attempted to apply for work in order to stay eligible. Social programs are important, no doubt. But preventing people for sponging off the system is just as important.

16. Black people must no longer be able to watch the Tyra Banks show. I’d include Oprah in that list, but – as much as I try – I can’t hate on her. After all, she virtually got you elected. Tyra, on the other hand, is just ridiculous.

17. New legislation should be presented forcing the NAACP to disband or – at the very least – reexamine itself socially. Any organization that gives “Image Awards” to Mo’Nique and R. Kelly should lose their credentials immediately.

18. Black “leadership” should be disallowed and eliminated.

19. Jet, Ebony, and VIBE must be put out of commission.

20. Fried chicken must only be served at one function every six months (unless it’s Crystal’s. Then, we may have to do some negotiating). Watermelon must be completely outlawed altogether. Kool Aid can stay.

21. Giving black folks an occasional “hookup” is perfectly acceptable. After all, white guys have been doing it for years. Except the wording is a little different. Other code names for “hookups” are “lobbying”, “insider trading”, and “bailouts.”

22. The bootleg CD/DVD man must be allowed to work full time and given a salary for his hard work.

24. The FCC must never allow D.L. Hughley or Tyler Perry to do anything on television EVER again.

25. Ray J, Flavor Flav, and New York must be arrested and waterboarded for an indefinite amount of time. Just ‘cuz.

Thank you for your attention to these most immediate and pressing issues of national security.

Sincerely,

ACL

To the Dads

ACL: Sorry for the lateness of this post. WordPress was on a whole lot of that craziness yesterday. At any rate, to all the father’s holding down: my hat goes off to you!

 

- ACL

Movin’ On Up!

Congratulations to my hometown of Flint, Michigan. Not only has Michael Moore brought the city international shame fame by way of Roger & Me, but Boss Limbaugh is adding to the city’s increasing popularity.

When the issue of Flint came up on his radio show, Oxy Limb and a caller from nearby Flushing came up with a great idea: bulldoze the city. In Rush’s defense though (imagine me saying that), the idea of tearing down deteriorated portions of the city – as fas as the eye can see in certain areas – was also introduced by City of Flint county treasurer Dan Kildee. Though, I suspect one of the big differences between Kildee and Limbaugh is that Kildee truly does have the city’s interest at heart. Meanwhile Rush is simply trying to take  political shots at Democrats, President Obama, and poor people.

All the same, score another one for the good guys. Hooray, Flint! You’re moving up in the world. Pretty soon, you might even be able to catch up with the folks in the D.

- ACL

Random thoughts

 

Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Perhaps I’m a little tipsy from the apple juice I drank all throughout the night. But a few random things are going through my mind right now:

(1) When McCain/Palin and their supporters on the right moaned about the unconditional lovefest between Obama and the media, we shrugged it off. But I’ll be doggone if they weren’t right about that. Geez. Between the Obama dog, stories of Barack and Joe eating hamburgers, playing hoop every other day, and the COUNTLESS photos people keep sending me of the President in laid back environments, I’m convinced that the media REALLY IS swooning over Obama. True, he doesn’t embarass this country like George Bush did. True, he’s far more brilliant and socially refined than Bush, McCain, Palin, and most other people on the right are. In that respect, having a President with sense and refinement is refreshing. But how does ANY OF THIS translate into job performance? Bush was the most idiotic president in the history of all civilization, and he was only able to produce bad idea after bad idea. But he was also a “Get stuff done” President. Even if that “stuff” was wrong and destructive, he got it done. If Obama could combine his own intelligence/social grace and Bush’s ability to get stuff done, he’d be the greatest leader in history.

(2) Speaking of the Obama administration’s inability to get stuff done, what exactly does Joe Biden do with his time? God, maybe Sarah Palin’s ignorance of what a Veep does is justified. Honestly Sarah, I dunno either.

(3) Since the Palins are on the brain, David Letterman was wrong with his jokes about the Palins. On his show, he jabbed at the Palins’ recent trip to a New York Yankees game by stating that her 14-year-old was knocked up by Alex Roderigez.  For one, I’ve vehemently argued that politician’s families are off limits. Even Bristol Palin (who has become somewhat of a political tool since changing her tune about how realistic abstinence is AFTER she became a paid spokesperson) is off limits for the most part. Sexism and crude behavior is consistent, whether the person being attacked is a liberal or a conservative.

(4) With the recent killing murder of George Tiller and the tragic shooting at the Holocaust Museum in DC, when will certain personalities get their conservative talking heads out of the sand and realize the impact of their rhetoric? No, I’m not blaming them (I don’t know why I can’t seem to convey that point out loud enough). But they HAVE to at least be conscious about what kinds of people are clinging on to their words.

(5) I may be mean and prejudicial by saying this, but I think Amanda Cox, a U.S. college student standing trial for killing her British roommate in Italy, is guilty as hell. I may have been a little less likely to accuse her had she not given conflicting stories of her whereabouts during the killing. Also important to note: a part of her lie conflicting story involved implications that…of course…a black guy could’ve did it. *Shakes my head.*

(6) I just heard that MC Hammer now has a reality show, further cementing my beliefs that God has the worst sense of humor to be found.

(7) I’m wrong for this one too, I know. But I have zero sympathy for the 72-year-old lady who was recently tasered. On the one hand, if a cop can’t handle little old ladies, maybe law enforcement (outside of pencil pushing or working as a dispatcher)  is not his thing. But this lady was indeed trippin’ and had had no regard for the law. She got what was coming to her. I’ve seen people (brothas especially) tasered for far less. Equal opportunity tasering, I say.

(8) By his own admission, rapper Kanye West is a “proud non-reader” of books. That’s fine and dandy. If you don’t like reading, that’s on you. But then the ignoramus turns right around and writes a book. Sigh. Negros.

(9) I can’t stand the Lakers. I mean, I really, really, really dislike them.

(10) I’m going to be writing a piece on this soon, but it will be VERY interesting to see how far Obama’s offer of $108 billion to the IMF will go. I get why he wants to do it, but I’m not so sure it’s the right way to go. When I have time to put some substantive thoughts together, I plan to blog about this.

Alright, Unmitigates. Back to work I go. If you’re reading this, you need to go back to work too! Later…

- ACL