OFFICIAL SPEECH BLOG: 2008

Change We Can Believe In

“Change” is the buzz-word after an historic day last Tuesday… Here are a few thoughts on change—please pass this along to those that might need the encouragement. Hope you have an Energized week! Ok, Giving an opinion about how others need to change is easy; taking personal responsibility for change is more difficult. I've learned that it's very easy to suggest how others need to change, but difficult to see the same need in yourself. For example, I've seen people complain that another person doesn't take responsibility to communicate with them. My suggestion is always the same, “How about you take the first step and go to them.” A wonderful rule of thumb is to determine what action you need to take, before you expect others to take action. Change always works best when we take the responsibility to make it happen ourselves. · What responsibility do I need to take in this situation? · Am I taking personal responsibility to get my needs met? · Am I draining my energy by being upset that others are not cooperating? If so, what do I need to do about that? · Am I procrastinating by waiting on others to provide me with information? · What stops me from taking the responsibility to get started? · What do I need to do to make things happen? There are two quotes that sum up this up: “If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it.” - Anon "Rebellion against your handicaps gets you nowhere. Self-pity gets you nowhere. One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world - making the most of one's best." Harry Emerson this is from my good friend Kit Cummings Read more!

The Legacy of Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba, the world re-known South African singer & a personal inspiration of mine died after collapsing on stage in Italy. She was 76. Miriam was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid, because of her views against oppression. In her music career, she performed with musical legends like jazz star Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon — and sang for world leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela. "Her haunting melodies gave voice to the pain of exile and dislocation which she felt for 31 long years. At the same time, her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us," Mandela said in a statement. He said it was "fitting" that her last moments were spent on stage. The Pineta Grande clinic in Castel Volturno, near the southern city of Naples, said Makeba died early Monday of a heart attack. Makeba collapsed on stage Sunday night after singing one of her most famous hits "Pata Pata," her family said in a statement. Her grandson, Nelson Lumumba Lee, was with her as well as her longtime friend, Italian promoter Roberto Meglioli. The first African woman to win a Grammy award, Makeba started singing in Sophiatown, a cosmopolitan neighborhood of Johannesburg that was a cultural hotspot in the 1950s before its black residents were forcibly removed by the apartheid government. She then teamed up with South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela — later her first husband — and her rise to international prominence started when she starred in the anti-apartheid documentary "Come Back, Africa" in 1959. "Whilst this great lady was alive she would say: 'I will sing until the last day of my life'," the statement said. Castel Volturno Mayor Francesco Nuzzo said Makeba sang at a concert in solidarity with six immigrants from Ghana who were shot to death in September in the town, an attack that investigators have blamed on organized crime. The death of "Mama Africa," as she was known, plunged South Africa into shock and mourning. "One of the greatest songstresses of our time has ceased to sing," Foreign Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said in a statement. "Throughout her life, Mama Makeba communicated a positive message to the world about the struggle of the people of South Africa and the certainty of victory over the dark forces of apartheid and colonialism through the art of song." Makeba wrote in her 1987 memoirs that friends and relatives who first encouraged her to perform compared her voice to that of a nightingale. With her distinctive style combining jazz with folk with South African township rhythms, she was often called "The Empress of African Song." When she tried to fly home for her mother's funeral the following year, she discovered her passport had been revoked. It was 30 years before she was allowed to return. In 1963, Makeba appeared before the U.N. Special Committee on Apartheid to call for an international boycott of South Africa. The South African government responded by banning her records, including hits like "Pata Pata," "The Click Song" ("Qongqothwane" in Xhosa), and "Malaika." Makeba received the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording in 1966 together with Belafonte for "An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba." The album dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under apartheid. Thanks to her close relationship with Belafonte, she received star status in the United States and performed for President Kennedy at his birthday party in 1962. But she fell briefly out of favor when she married black power activist Stokely Carmichael — later known as Kwame Ture — and moved to Guinea in the late 1960s. Besides working with Simone and Gillespie, she also appeared with Paul Simon at his "Graceland" concert in Zimbabwe in 1987. After three decades abroad, Makeba was invited back to South Africa by Mandela, the anti-apartheid icon, shortly after his release from prison in 1990 as white racist rule crumbled. "It was like a revival," she said about going home. "My music having been banned for so long, that people still felt the same way about me was too much for me. I just went home and I cried." Makeba courted controversy by lending support to dictators such as Togo's Gnassingbe Eyadema and Felix Houphouet-Boigny from Ivory Coast, performing at political campaigns for the veteran leaders even as they were violently suppressing the movements for democracy that swept West Africa in the early 90s. The first person to give her refuge was Guinea's former President Ahmed Sekou Toure who was accused in the slaughtering of 10 percent of the population.

Makeba, though, insisted that her songs were not deliberately political. "I'm not a political singer," she insisted in an interview with Britain's Guardian newspaper earlier this year. "I don't know what the word means. People think I consciously decided to tell the world what was happening in South Africa. No! I was singing about my life, and in South Africa we always sang about what was happening to us — especially the things that hurt us." Makeba announced her retirement three years ago, but despite a series of farewell concerts she never stopped performing. When she turned 75 last year, she said she would sing for as long as possible. Makeba is survived by her grandchildren, Nelson Lumumba Lee and Zenzi Monique Lee, and her great-grandchildren Lindelani, Ayanda and Kwame. Many parts of this is from CELEAN JACOBSON AP Read more!

OBAMA WON - AMERICA WINS!

November 5th is a day of new possibility. It's a about new direction with capable leadership! I am inspired, excited and hopeful for all of the world to change! Let's PRAY for Barack Obama and for our country that I am SO PROUD OF! November 5th 2008, our brother, Barack Obama was elected as America's first black president! Instantaneously this unleashed a renewed love for the United States after years of dwindling respect from around the world. People around the globe poured out onto the streets to celebrate! It reminds me of a bible verse: Proverbs 29:2 - When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. What even Pro-life, thus Pro-McCain voters didn't understand, is that it's not JUST about America.Our leadership is about the whole world! And that was the thing I couldn't explain to them. Although I feel strongly about protecting the "unborn", and we need someone to address that issue.

Feel me as I say, people across Africa stayed up all night or woke before dawn to watch U.S. history being made! Indonesia, where Obama lived as child, hundreds of students at his former elementary school exploded in cheers when he was declared winner! Nelson Mandela said his victory demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place! Many expressed amazement that the United States could overcome centuries of racial strife and elect a black man as president. This is the fall of the Berlin Wall times ten! Rama Yade, France's black junior minister for human rights, told French radio. "America is becoming a New World. "On this morning, we all want to be American so we can take a bite of this dream unfolding before our eyes," she said. Obama is overwhelmingly popular even in Europe,

another region that looked eagerly to an Obama administration! Poland's Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski spoke of "a new America with a new credit of trust in the world." Obama's victory was greeted with cheers across Latin America, a region that has felt some negativity from the Bush years. From Mexico to Chile, leaders expressed hope for warmer relations based on mutual respect — a quality many felt has been missing from U.S. foreign policy.

Venezuela and Bolivia, which booted out the U.S. ambassadors after accusing the Bush administration of meddling in their internal politics, said they were ready to reestablish diplomatic relations, and Brazil's president was among several leaders urging Obama to be more flexible toward Cuba. Rio de Janeiro, people expressed a mixture of joy, disbelief, and hope for the future! One person from there saying, "The United States is a country to dream about, and for us black Brazilians, it is even easier to do so now."

This is the first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, Gen. Colin Powell, Rice, and so many others even John Mccain gave props to Obama and his leadership! This is an exciting time yawl!

Overcoming Fear

Fear has gripped our society, and some seem to be caught in a “paralysis of analysis.” Our ability to make clear, firm decisions is imperative… Below are a few tips to encourage you during this time—please pass them along to those that will benefit… Have an great week! One of the greatest hindrances to decision making is fear. And, the longer you think about the decision the more fearful you become. All of us struggle at some point in life when it comes to making decisions. I would think many of you are experiencing that struggle as you read this newsletter. The emotion of fear complicates any decision making activity. Should I stay or should I go? Should I continue doing what I’ve been doing or try a different approach? What happens when my savings are gone? These are only a few of the questions that come up when making critical decisions during difficult times. When fear becomes a part of the process it not only complicates it, but causes the person to become stranded between options. Energy Performance Tips The best decisions are based on facts or at least the facts as you know them. Fear muddles facts. Interestingly, one of the facts about fear is that 99% of all the things you have ever worried about NEVER happened. Dr. Frank Crane, a Presbyterian minister said, “Most of the fear that spoils life comes from attaching difficulties before we get to them.” I’m sure you have seen or heard this definition of FEAR. Fear is: “Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real. Here are suggestions to help manage fear when making a decision: 1. There are no terminal choices. Whatever choice you make you can re-make it at any time. Plus all decisions provide you with benefits. If you make the right decision, great, you did well. If it was the wrong decision, you learned something. 2. Fear wastes energy. Fear causes you to visualize things that are not real or dream up things that have not yet happened. Use your energy for realistic thoughts and actions. W. Clement Stone said, “When thinking won’t cure fear, action will.” 3. All decisions have a certain amount of risk. "How can I be sure this is the right decision?" "What if I make the wrong choice?" The answer to these questions is that you can’t. What you can do is make the best choice possible and make adjustments as needed. 4. Have faith – trust that you did the best you could with the information you had. And keep in mind the old adage “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” You can't determine the future, but you can do the best you know to do in the present. "Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They are more afraid of life than death." - James F. Byrnes From my great friend Kit Cummings Speech Read more!

A cool Story!

Oct 05, 2008 The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge. The blog 'Leisha's Random Thoughts' has translated the story. It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge: When it was finally Mary's turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. -You'll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway , the man behind the counter said. Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway , and she had no one else to call. -I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary. As tears streamed down her face, she heard a 'gentle and friendly voice' behind her saying, 'That's okay, I'll pay for her.' Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. -He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. -He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary. She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her. Who was the man? Barack Obama. Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated 100 dollars to his campaign: -He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling. She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway . At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago , and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university. Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him: In the spring of 2006 Mary's parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier. And Obama replied: In a letter to Mary's parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped 'United States Senate, Washington DC ', Barack Obama writes: 'I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I'm happy I could help back then, and I'm delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway . Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama , United States Senator'. The parents sent the letter on to Mary. Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the k ind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office. Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now. SPEECH & the AD family Read more!

I Dare you to vote!

I Double Dare You To Vote! Everyone underestimates the ability of the youth to actually be responsible enough to follow through with what they say they're going to do! This election is your chance to do what you said you would! Prove the Nah sayers wrong. They say blacks, youth, and artists never turn out in real numbers...I also hope the rural white voters see the label the media and pundits have placed on you. They say you're uneducated and unable to think clearly about WHO is the best candidate for your financial situation. I have HOPE IN YOU ALL! Let's make it happen in early voting (Like Yolanda & I proudly did) or make it happen NOV.4th. Just do it.

You are...

Even the most intense experience is only an experience  you are having. It is not you, and you are not it.   You are more than your problems, more than your  possessions, more than the pains and pleasures. You  are more than the frustrations that sometimes feel so  overwhelming.    Too often, out of fear, you cling tightly to things  that don't really matter. Imagine the freedom that can  come from letting go and stepping back.   What if your most agonizing worries no longer had the power to worry you? What if your most burdensome  difficulties no longer had the power to trouble you?   Step back from them, and it is all possible. It's not  a matter of running away, but of putting the world in  perspective.    The real person you are, is not defined or limited by  the passing circumstances, no matter how intense they  may be. Always remember that you are more.  Read more!

Tips for the growers...

1. Be quick to decide. Execute rather than wait. The Union Civil War General Sherman said: "A good plan executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow." 2. Always paint the back of the house first. Do those things you least like doing when you have more energy. Then turn your energy on the things you love to do. 3. Do all you can to manage what you have and leave the rest. Manage your energy and your time and your possibilities. Don’t look for new things to spend energy and time on. 4. Check on competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. Everything looks perfect at a distance. You can find out what others are doing, but it’s more important what you are doing. 5. Don’t allow anyone to intimidate you. Stick with the people who are supporting your cause and leave the rest behind. You have every right to be successful. Don’t waste your energy comparing yourself to others or worrying about what other people think. 6. Solve your own problems. The emphasis here is “solve” not worry. The buck really does stop with you. Yes, you can get insight and encouragement from others, but in the final analysis you have to make the important decisions.

7. Don't take yourself too seriously. As my English teach would tell me, “Rausch, get off the stage and stop complaining.” You are valuable, but there are also millions of others just as valuable. Focus on someone or something other than your own problems. 8. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. Somewhere I picked up this quote and have found it to be energizing when things are tough; "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time." Word up. Read more!

We're on a World Tour...

Here we are at the brink of the most important election in my lifetime. My wife & I have PROUDLY ALREADY VOTED! I am presently in Cape Town, South Africa, where only 15 short years ago most of the population here was denied simple freedoms that many in the world take for granted. Arrested Development was here in 1994, during their time of FREEDOM when the worlds hero, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa with overwhelming support! I was not only able to meet him, but I was able to speak directly before him at an address to the South African people, it was proudly one of the most important times in my life! Today in America, racism is being woven (once again) into the fabric of our thoughts, and whites & blacks are having to unleash their deep hidden fears, anxieties and dreams as they make a decision on a possible first Black president of the racially unjust United States. This is an exciting opportunity to live out the dream of America and a great time to be alive. (I love this following video)

God knows the outcome of this election already, that comforts me. I also know that ultimately (in the end) God's will has to be done in this world and that also comforts me, as a God "fearing" and God loving man.

Being here in Africa today, and having communed with the black & white Africans, Indian and colored people at our two shows (in the last two days), it has been amazing and refreshing! I, being almost 40 years old, have seen things that I had never seen before. Simple things like, a commercial about a clothes detergent having an all black cast. A black soap opera, that is not based on "black" issues. I'm in a place where I can finally see the possibility of blacks being seen as humans, not "black" at all.

And I am filled with a mix of joy and sadness. Joy that I can finally see the possibilities of a world not seeing me as black! Sadness because it took 39 years and a trip all the way to South Africa for me to see it that way. At our show last night in Cape Town, I saw an African wearing an Obama T-shirt! It's amazing to see the overwhelming interest and support for our elections. It reminds me of the huge role we play in the entire world! As we toured, first to London, now in Africa and God willing next to the middle East (Dubai, Bahrain & Abu Dabui); my wife & 2 kids are in tow, seeing Muslims, Arabs, Blacks, Jews, Whites, and Indians as people, not terrorists, or all the other stereotypes that Americans have been indoctrinated to see. They see humans, families, children of God and I thank Him for this! I thank all of you fans of music for giving me the opportunity to tour, and for paying my bills. :-) Click on the title of this blog to read the review of our SOLD OUT show in London!

Thank you South Africans for your love, hospitality and long talks about your future hopes, your past atrocities and love for human kind! Thank you to the many hip hop heads here that reject the imagery of U.S. mainstream hip hop and have decided to take a more life sustaining/conscious route! Today I am about to go into the townships and shanty towns, I will also go to church. I know what to expect! Many strive to put fear into us about crime and violence, but I know God is with us and we'll see exactly what He means for us to see. Anyway, we're on a world tour and in this day, this time period we are freedom riders. Seeing the vision, promoting the dream, and living with no fear! Read more!

Thank you fans!

I have had the pleasure of writing, performing, and experiencing music through the eyes of the fans for 17 years! We first jumped onto the scene in 1991 and it’s been an incredible journey! I’ve gotten much more than I asked or even hoped for.

Every night I meet more of you and you inspire me to be better, to reach the skies in my own life & write songs of quality. From the 51 states of the U.S. to the countries in Europe we’ve falling in love with you guys! The great openness of Australians, the wonderful servitude and gratitude of the Japanese; you fans have kept it fresh for us!

We introduce new music - you show love! You introduced babies, wives, children and friends to us at the shows and we show love! And now we’re off to Africa and the Middle East.

(Dubai) I can’t repay you and you can’t repay me for what we’ve offered each other. This journey just keeps getting more interesting, thanks for taking it with me!

Love SPEECH Read more!

Time for Some Campaignin'

As y'all can tell by the content, Speech & the Vagabond family are always interested in sharing pertinent information about what's happening in the world and we always encourage spirited two-way dialog. So with all the heaviness that comes our way in the world today, we thought we'd share what we thought was one of the funniest cartoons we've seen in awhile. It skewers both parties and in some areas may be as close to reality as it is funny! Enjoy! Gregg Adams Read more!

The BAIL OUT Dilema

This is where I get upset at people who say LESS government, more private enterprise. Where is the pull yourself up by your boot strap argument, when it comes to the billion dollar companies? It's only made for the regular working class; Those who made mistakes in buying houses, those unwillingly on welfare, those who have a sick relative and goes into debt. But here we are, regular tax payers bailing out HUGE corporations! While CEO's go un- tarnished! It's a graaaaave injustice! Under what conditions would multi-billion-dollar bailouts of private businesses be acceptable? What standard is acceptable (if any) for deciding when it is best to use public money to save private business? Never! (In my opinion) I understand that some companies get "too big to fail" and have to be bailed out. I believe the role of government is to help the people! I think each year our government should determine and regulate if companies have become "too big to fail". Maybe that company should be forced to break up into several smaller companies, or something but what's happening now is outrageous! It's not the ideal free market solution, but it sure beats the present "free market" system that's using taxpayer money to bail out the biggest corporations in the country! Look, I'm not poor. In fact, I'm among the rich in this country. A lot of what I stand for is NOT because it affects me so much. But it affects the community at large and I am for the people at large, not just for self. I see a sad double standard, in how our present administration runs things. I have many right wing friends that insist they have gotten to where they are with NO Help - Just hard work, and determination. (Which I don't believe is possible) And their usual attitude for any one who is desperate is pull your self up, work harder. I have some on the left who enable people - making them lazy. Both are wrong to me. But Government IS supposed to be for the people and by the people and not just for the richest among us! It's just not fair! Read more!

Who owns the Federal Reserve Bank?

With all the financial stress that seemingly has just LEAPED into our lives, it is safe to say that there are many different perspectives on HOW this happened and whether we should all be more concerned about it. I'd love your thoughts. Check out this video! (Mind you, it's 31/2 hours long so do it in kibbles & bits) It gives one perspective. This article gives another. (uummm) http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-515319560256183936&hl=en&fs=true Q: Who owns the Federal Reserve Bank? A: There are actually 12 different Federal Reserve Banks around the country, and they are owned by big private banks. But the banks don't necessarily run the show. Nationally, the Federal Reserve System is led by a Board of Governors whose seven members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The stockholders in the 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks are the privately owned banks that fall under the Federal Reserve System. These include all national banks (chartered by the federal government) and those state-chartered banks that wish to join and meet certain requirements. About 38 percent of the nation's more than 8,000 banks are members of the system, and thus own the Fed banks. The concept of "ownership" needs some explaining here, however. The member banks must by law invest 3 percent of their capital as stock in the Reserve Banks, and they cannot sell or trade their stock or even use that stock as collateral to borrow money. They do receive dividends of 6 percent per year from the Reserve Banks and get to elect each Reserve Bank's board of directors. The private banks also have a voice in regulating the nation's money supply and setting targets for short-term interest rates, but it's a minority voice. Those decisions are made by the Federal Open Market Committee, which has a dozen voting members, only five of whom come from the banks. The remaining seven, a voting majority, are the Fed's Board of Governors who, as mentioned, are appointed by the president. The Fed is a little defensive about the question of ownership. In its Frequently Asked Questions section, the Federal Reserve Board says: "The Federal Reserve System is not 'owned' by anyone and is not a private, profit-making institution. Instead, it is an independent entity within the government, having both public purposes and private aspects." It continues: Federal Reserve Board: As the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve derives its authority from the U.S. Congress. It is considered an independent central bank because its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by Congress, and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms. However, the Federal Reserve is subject to oversight by Congress, which periodically reviews its activities and can alter its responsibilities by statute. Also, the Federal Reserve must work within the framework of the overall objectives of economic and financial policy established by the government. Therefore, the Federal Reserve can be more accurately described as "independent within the government." The twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks, which were established by Congress as the operating arms of the nation's central banking system, are organized much like private corporations--possibly leading to some confusion about "ownership." For example, the Reserve Banks issue shares of stock to member banks. However, owning Reserve Bank stock is quite different from owning stock in a private company. The Reserve Banks are not operated for profit, and ownership of a certain amount of stock is, by law, a condition of membership in the System. The stock may not be sold, traded, or pledged as security for a loan; dividends are, by law, 6 percent per year. -Brooks Jackson Read more!

White privilege

I want to say that I do know there is such a thing as White privilege. And I'm proud of Barack Obama for never complaining or even mentioning the effects it has has on this historical campaign. But as a citizen and brother to all I think these statements need to be shared. Some will have their eyes opened to the double standard. Tim Wise (the writer for what follows) is a young WHITE anti-racist activist and a frequent speaker on college campuses. His book, “White Like Me,” is very famous. Everybody PLEASE remember that the Last day to register to vote Oct 1! Tell your neighbors and friends! . This is Your Nation on White Privilege By Tim Wise 9/13/08 For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help. White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay. White privilege is when you can call yourself a "f-----' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their f----n' a--," and talk about how you like to "shoot s---" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug. White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all pee on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested." White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals. White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college--you' re somehow being mean, or even sexist. White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look." White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America. White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced. And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain. White privilege is, in short, the problem. . Read more!

You can fool some people sometimes!

Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights! In the famous song by Bob Marley and the Wailers, there's a verse that says, "You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool all the people all the time!" I hope that works this time too. If America falls for the same republican tricks that worked 4 years ago, then we deserve the disastrous results! Wake up yawl! Just take a look at the smears of Fox TV against John Kerry 4 years ago and the same ones from Fox TV now in 2008.

GACC is Doin' a new Thing!

Isaiah 43:18-19 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. My wife, Yolanda & I have been disciples of Christ for 13 years, and we’re so happy to be in a ministry that is active in sharing our faith, we’re devoted unswervingly to the scriptures, and we’re enjoying fellowship and “each other” times filled with salt. I have many friends in other churches that are still yearning for days of old, or to worship with friends from the past. Of course I’d love to see various friends that mean a lot to me, but God is doing so much now, and I only hope all disciples will get to feel that again! At GACC we’re making new friends.

Almost every week there’s a new baptism, a new family, campus student, or single learning about God or visiting. We’re meeting dynamic & vibrant people from various races and backgrounds all streaming to the kingdom, the way Isaiah describes. Isaiah 2:2   In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.. It’s obvious that people are craving the word that is preached with authority and even more so being lived out in reality! I’m proud that the only disciples that are moving over to our ministry have been those who want total commitment, accountability and yearn to have more zeal for the Lord. I’ve also noticed that only people who have left our ministry unhappy, feel we are too committed, and active in each others lives and in the lord. They didn’t leave because GACC isn’t striving to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind & strength. (The Baptism of Jermaine & Denise)

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! Our church has refused to play church politics. We haven’t joined any particular movement, because we’ve insisted that anyone who is a disciple of Jesus is in our family! We are about the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17 & we won’t refuse fellowship with anyone who is for building God’s kingdom in scriptural truth, righteousness and faith. As we study the bible with new people it enables us older disciples to see the folly in being hung up with past church rifts, & divisions. Those divisive issues primarily fester in the prideful hearts of leadership, and the average disciple and especially new converts could care less about any of it; And rightfully so, because they have just learned about the importance of forgiveness, humility, self -denial and trust in God. I know all of us, especially those older in the faith, can stand to take a refresher course in these concepts, for they are the foundation of the church. Our teen’s ministry is prepped and ready to go, our campus, married and single ministries have had incredible successes, in spiritual growth and in numbers. But all of that pales compared to the hearts of serving disciples. I can see that God is ready to move in all of us if we are willing to let Him.

I pray for all churches around the world to have at least what we have right now, and even greater things than this! Please pray for God to continue to see us worthy of His grace, blessings and power, as we pray for your church as well. In unity, and the encouragement that comes from being in the Lord. Speech. Read more!

Tom's Shoes, Arrested Development 'Pair Share' Program Kicks Off!

Greetings y'all! We're pleased to announce that AD and Tom's Shoes have agreed to co-sponsor a program to benefit children in need around the world. Since May of 2006, Tom's Shoes has given over 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina and 50,000 pairs in South Africa through the purchases of their caring customers. They do it by donating on a '1 for 1' program - you buy a pair, a child get's a pair! As an AD fan, you can now receive a $4 discount on the coolest shoes on the planet and help Tom's achieve their 2008 goal of donating 200,000 pairs for children around the world. Just use the promo code 'Lifemusic'

Speech is currently sporting the 'Vote' style, (look at the Tom's website and let's us know which pair you believe are housing his feets!). There's a lot of options for you to spend your hard earned charitable dollar, but we ask that you consider our children. Visit Tom'sboth websites for details of where you can join AD and Tom's live! http://www.tomsshoes.com/ http://www.arresteddevelopmentmusic.com (Click on 'News Updates') Peace, and thanks for your consideration! Read more!

Women Against Sarah Palin

A Post by: Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston New York, NY This Post is by women & ONLY for women that are against Palin being vice-president: Friends, compatriots, fellow-lamenters: We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce—on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate—that has a real possibility of becoming fact. Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet. We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from. First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly. Therefore, we invite you to reply here with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation. Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence. We will post your responses on a blog called 'Women Against Sarah Palin,' which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience—the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be. Thank you for your time and action. Sincerely, Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston New York, NY womensaynopalin@gmail.com Read more!

NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign Announces Milestone!

A picture is worth a thousand words! In this case, 30,000 signatures (and growing) shows that on the 7th anniversary of 9/11, a significant number of NYC voters aren't satisfied with the official explanation of 9/11 nor the government-sponsored investigation! Sept. 9, 2008 - New York, NY) Some said it couldn't be done. However, others here in NYC knew different. We knew that with the right attitude, the right effort, all that mattered was doing whatever work was required to establish the foundation for the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative. This public referendum is the most substantial, well-structured effort to date that can result in a subpoena-powered, fact-driven, comprehensive investigation of the most momentous event of our time. Now, 30,000 petition signatures, the minimum requirement to submit a ballot initiative to NY City Council has been reached. From here we will work to double and triple our numbers. We will widen our base and build even greater momentum. We will create a demand for passage of the Initiative that will be undeniable. This is completely available to us because there is now official confirmation from the City Clerk's office that all existing signed petitions will be valid for the mayoral election in 2009. It should also be noted that with substantial numbers and support showing there is a serious mandate from the voters, it is actually possible that NY City Council can be moved to introduce and pass the Initiative on their own. This is the necessary strategy which organizers and petitioners here in NYC have every intention of pursuing. Another vital piece of information has come to light. Back in the spring doubts were raised about the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative because it was said that the Mayor could block it, making all our efforts null and void. Many people here and around the country were disheartened, saying there would be no way Mayor Bloomberg would allow the Initiative to get on the ballot. They argued we were doomed and it would be futile to try. However, there was a core group of stalwart and stubborn activists who were not deterred. We always knew this wouldn't be an easy task, but led by our vision for an authentic investigation we pushed ahead anyway. There were other challenges as well, yet we always knew that if effort was applied, anything could happen. We could actually succeed. Now, through communication with the City Clerk and upon reading the detail of the law we have learned that the Mayor cannot kill the Initiative. If he wanted to complicate things, he would have to go through the trouble of setting up a Charter Commission. This Commission would have to hold public hearings. Then if this Commission succeeds in placing it's Initiative on the ballot, our Initiative would be rescheduled to the following year's election. In summary, the Mayor would have to go through a complicated process which can be rebutted by the public and would bring much scrutiny on his actions. You can be sure that many 9/11 families will not be pleased. This action would attract an immense amount of negative baggage. If his Charter Commission succeeded in introducing their own Initiative, our Initiative would still be valid and be placed on the ballot one year later. As Senator Mike Gravel recently told me, sometimes things require a longer term approach but since they're worthwhile, you have to adopt a high-level perspective which will get you to the place that's desired. He should know. He has been working on the National Initiative for 20 years! At a meeting of our petitioning/management group on Wed. Sept. 3rd, Senator Gravel joined us by speaker phone. He said the following: "Solidify the numbers in 2009. It's vital to get enough signatures. This will get you credibility and visibility. Get people to anticipate and want it. There are people who share your view. I applaud everyone who worked to bring it about.This is truly the most significant effort going on. I can't encourage you enough to continue your efforts." I asked him to comment on his recent statement saying that the Initiative is the most effective way to hold Bush and Cheney to task. He answered, "More than they are involved. We are committed to pursue justice, knowledge, and truth, wherever that leads us." He offered to continue helping in every way he can. Then we were joined by Ed Asner on speakerphone. He was absolutely elated by the results that have been achieved here. He said, "I'm proud to be identified with you. Proud to support you. I celebrate all you have achieved. Then he went onto say,"You're not over the top yet because of fear that occupies every soul. If you have no fear at this time, you must be lobotimized! Yours is a sensational achievement. I'm really impressed." We thanked him for his willingness to be involved with the Initiative to which he replied, "You're the one's doing the work. I'm just spreading my name around. My love to you all." We invited him to NYC and promised to have a huge party which will hopefully hasten his arrival. Furthermore, 25-year veteran NY Times journalist Philip Shenon lectured at the NY Law Bar Association on Thurs. Sept. 4th on his best-seller titled "The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation". I gave him press materials on the Ballot Initiative. As it turns out, he had already heard of it and clearly appeared impressed. This could lead to any number of positive developments. After all, every page of his book is filled with evidence on why a new investigation is warranted. We know that the federal or even local government is unlikely to call for a true investigation of 9/11, however, through the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative, the voters of NY City can. This may be the only opportunity to obtain truth and justice for the victims of 9/11. People of conscience around the world are awaiting the outcome. Now more than ever, what's needed is public support. Anyone who knows voters in NY City can direct them to the site where they can download the petition and volunteer. Also, funding is needed for hiring professional petitioners, paying for literature, banners, educational DVDs, and advertising. We ask all to donate whatever they can, which can be done on the web site at www.nyc911initiative.org . Please urge others to help so that we can break through the wall of resistance to the truth of 9/11. Together, we can correct history, gain the truth of 9/11 and secure justice for the victims including first responders. This will go a long way towards restoring Constitutional freedoms and creating a political system which complies with law and works to fulfill the principles of democracy. We can then re-chart our collective future towards a vision consistent with the kind of society that our children deserve, can live and thrive in. Les Jamieson National Coordinator NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative -------------------------------- The NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign is a citizen-based effort to call attention to the fact that the U.S. government did not conduct a thorough investigation of 9/11. Through the creation of a public referendum, the most basic of democratic processes, the voters of NYC can now use their power of the petition to place a ballot initiative on the general election of 2009. This Initiative is designed to enable voters to create a new, independent, impartial Commission to conduct a thorough, fact-driven investigation of the most momentous event of our time. . Read more!

Bill of Rights or Orwellian State? You Decide

Police use pepper spray on a woman as she approaches them with a flower during a rally at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

This post is not intended to speak to Democrats, Republicans, conservatives or liberals. The intended audience is ALL AMERICANS who value the freedoms described in the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights. The article below, written by Chris Hedges, recaps the frightening actions of the St. Paul police department in response to peaceful protests at the Republican National Convention. Leave your party affiliations at the door and ask yourself if these actions demonstrate the characteristics of a free society. For those that don't, please get involved in protecting the original freedoms that help make this country great, as that is what a true 'Patriot' does.
Tyranny on Display at the Republican Convention By Chris Hedges St. Paul is a window into our future. It is a future where, as one protester told me by phone, “people have been pepper-gassed, thrown on the ground by police who had drawn their weapons, had their documents seized and their tattoos photographed before being taken away to jail.” It is a future where illegal house raids are carried out. It is a future where vans containing heavily armed paramilitary units circle and film protesters. It is a future where, as the protester said, “people have been pulled from cars because their license plates were on a database and handcuffed, thrown in the back of a squad car and then watched as their vehicles were ransacked and their personal possessions from computers to literature seized.” It is a future where constitutional rights mean nothing and where lawful dissent is branded a form of terrorism. The rise of the corporate state means the rise of the surveillance state. The Janus-like face of America swings from packaged and canned spectacles, from nationalist slogans, from seas of flags and Christian crosses, from professions of faith and patriotism, to widespread surveillance, illegal mass detentions, informants, provocateurs and crude acts of repression and violence. We barrel toward a world filled with stupendous lies and blood. What difference is there between the crowds of flag-waving Republicans and the apparatchiks I covered as a reporter in the old East German Communist Party? These Republican delegates, like the fat and compromised party functionaries in East Berlin, all fawned on cue over an inept and corrupt party hierarchy. They all purported to champion workers’ rights and freedom while they systematically fleeced, disempowered and impoverished the workers they lauded. They all celebrated the virtue of a state that was morally bankrupt. And while they played this con game, one that gave them special privileges, power and wealth, they unleashed their goons and thugs on all who dared to challenge them. We are not East Germany, but we are well on our way. An economic meltdown, another catastrophic terrorist attack on American soil, a war with Iran, and we could easily swing into an authoritarian model that would look very familiar to anyone who lived in the former communist East Bloc. A few of those arrested in St. Paul, including eight leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee—one of the groups organizing protests at the GOP convention in St. Paul—now face terrorism-related charges. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald and Max Spector could get up to seven and a half years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge, which allows for a 50 percent increase in the maximum penalty. This is the first time criminal charges have been filed under the 2002 Minnesota version of the federal Patriot Act. The Patriot Act, which was put in place as much to silence domestic opposition as to ferret out real terrorists, has largely lain dormant. It has authorized the government to monitor our phone conversations, e-mails, meetings and political opinions. It has authorized the government to shut down anti-war groups and lock up innocents as terrorists. It has abolished habeas corpus. But until now we have not grasped its full implications for our open society. We catch glimpses, as in St. Paul or in our offshore penal colonies where we torture detainees, of its awful destructive power. The commercial media told us that what was important in St. Paul was happening inside the convention hall. The vapid interviews, the ridiculous soap opera sagas about Sarah Palin’s daughter and the debate about whether John McCain or Barack Obama has proprietary rights to “Change” divert us from the truth of who we have become. You had to search out “Democracy Now!,” TheUptake.org, Twin Cities Indymedia, I-Witness, along with a few other independent outlets, to see, hear or read real journalism from St. Paul. It does not matter that the RNC Welcoming Committee describes itself as an “anarchist/anti-authoritarian” organization. We don’t have to embrace a political agenda to protect the right to be heard. Shut down free speech and radicals only burrow deeper underground, splitting ossified political systems into fractured extremes. We may well end up with the Christian right on one side, with politicians like Sarah Palin providing an ideological veneer to a Christian fascism, and embittered leftist radicals who turn to violence on the other. St. Paul was not ultimately about selecting a presidential candidate. It was about the power of the corporate state to carry out pre-emptive searches, seizures and arrests. It was about squads of police in high-tech riot gear, many with drawn semiautomatic weapons, bursting into houses. It was about seized computers, journals and political literature. It was about shutting down independent journalism, even at gunpoint. It was about charging protesters with “conspiracy to commit riot,” a rarely used statute that criminalizes legal dissent. It was about 500 people held in open-air detention centers. It was about the rising Orwellian state that has hollowed out the insides of America, cast away all that was good and vital, and donned its skin to shackle us all. Read more!

"The Grown Folks Table" Coming Soon!

A fresh voice in Hip-Hop! Take a good listen to this fresh voice in Hip Hop and soul. He goes by the name of SPEECH. After traveling to Jerusalem, the turbulent Middle East, down-under Australia, Northern Africa and Europe, Speech embarked on his most incredible musical journey to date. The Grown Folks Table. A record of world-wide influence and collaborations. Special Guest include: John Butler (of the John Butler Trio), Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5), Marie Daulne (of Zap Mama), Steph Pockets, Marvin Priest, Jahi, Braille, Theory Hazit, Jahah, 1 Love, Tasha Larae, Za’ and JJ Boogie (of Arrested Development). Beat Producers include: S-1 (Strange Fruit Project), Speech, Sebmaestria (France), Lounge Lizards (Denmark), Theory Hazit, and BeatKamp (New Zealand). Speech has always had a fresh take on hip hop since his debut in 1992 with the revolutionary group Arrested Development, of which he lead and founded. Yet Speech has grown from a sometimes naïve, hippie rapper to a songwriter and passionate philosopher/activist. And this album shows his best hip-hop lyrical skills to date. At first listen you notice the obvious hard-hitting drums, a new addition to his usual melody driven tunes. You will also notice Speech’s unapologetic return to Hip hop. With all of his musical detours, it’s easy to forget that the world first heard of Speech in a hip-hop group. Speech says: "Grown Folks Table is my coming of age record, everybody grows up, this album deals with those transitions. I’m speaking to a new generation where immaturity is glorified, & no one is expected to mature. Too many rappers who in reality are hittin’ on 40years & have kids, complex lives and wives, yet rarely talk about them in their songs. Instead they portray themselves with dancing women at the beach, shopping at the malls, going to strip clubs, and playing video games."
Speech the writer of 1991’s hit, “Fishing For Religion” it’s obvious with this “Spiritual” laced release, Speech has found religious faith. Each song is sprinkled with these convictions and yet with honesty he wrestles with what religion commands and how he sometimes falls short of it. This album is filled with the thrills of human drama. It surpasses the cliché’ revolutionary banter of some and embraces a commonality that the whole world will relate to.
From revolutionary, to father, from husband to minister, The Grown Folks Table speaks to the thickness of life, like not many other records dare to in these days.
"The Grown Folks Table" is pure hotness, full of hard hittin beats & uplifting content. Available late - 2008 on CD, Vinyl and specialty cassettes - from Vagabond Records & Tapes Keep in tune with the blog as Speech will Debut some of this great material in the coming months! Read more!