Fifty years ago on a bridge in Alabama

[bobabode]

http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-obama-selma-post-presidency-20150306-story.html#page=1

http://www.trbimg.com/img-54f90e49/turbine/la-apphoto-selma-50th-photo-package-jpg-20150305/800/800x450

[Tom Joad]

Scores of U.S. lawmakers are converging on tiny Selma, Alabama, for a large commemoration of a civil rights anniversary. But their ranks don’t include a single member of House Republican leadership — a point that isn’t lost on congressional black leaders.

None of the top leaders — House Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy or Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was once thought likely to attend to atone for reports that he once spoke before a white supremacist group — will be in Selma for the three-day event that commemorates the 1965 march and the violence that protesters faced at the hands of white police officers. A number of rank-and-file Republicans have been aggressively lobbying their colleagues to attend, and several black lawmakers concurred.

Read more (http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/gop-leaders-to-skip-selma-event-115801.html)

[finnbow]

Read more (http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/gop-leaders-to-skip-selma-event-115801.html)

Pretty lame of the GOP, but I would question the sincerity of a pinhead like Scalise if he were to attend. If he were to go anywhere near that place, he'd be wearing a white hood and a robe.:eek:

[Boreas]

Pretty lame of the GOP, but I would question the sincerity of a pinhead like Scalise if he were to attend. If he were to go anywhere near that place, he'd be wearing a white hood and a robe.:eek:

Perhaps lamer than you think. Rep. Lewis specifically invited the Republican leadership to attend and, to a man, they blew him off.

Obviously they saw the great potential of problems with their base. You know, those those good liberty loving patriots, just like Edmund Pettus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Pettus#Postbellum_career_and_legacy) himself.

John

[finnbow]

Perhaps lamer than you think. Rep. Lewis specifically invited the Republican leadership to attend and, to a man, they blew him off.

Obviously they saw the great potential of problems with their base. You know, those those good liberty loving patriots, just like Edmund Pettus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Pettus#Postbellum_career_and_legacy) himself.

John

They no doubt feel they'd lose more votes than they'd gain by attending - a sad commentary on their base.

[Oerets]

Not one of us picked the uniform of birth. Time some remember this point!



Barney

[Pio1980]

This and the Hispanic vote.
Good luck with that majority Southern white male base carrying the next election.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[donquixote99]

Not one of us picked the uniform of birth. Time some remember this point!



Barney

Some uniforms are not adopted at birth, but quite young nontheless....

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/454431487-alabama-marbury-confederate-memorial-park-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QSpVXXK7hAjk3ZMVs7wV6OlYA%2B q1fSVkgy8kyv01%2FoGB2bPCJMs0HpYwt3jLvk3oCg%3D%3D

http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-BE043781.jpg?size=67&uid=6bd58b11-8de1-4fcd-b65a-21cdafa43cfa

[bobabode]

Transcript of the President's speech today at the Pettus bridge in Selma.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-obamas-speech-at-selma-marking-bloody-sunday-anniversary/2015/03/07/411d8eac-c4fc-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html?hpid=z2

[donquixote99]

Transcript of the President's speech today at the Pettus bridge in Selma.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-obamas-speech-at-selma-marking-bloody-sunday-anniversary/2015/03/07/411d8eac-c4fc-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html?hpid=z2

He quotes this, from the Constitution: "We the People ... in order to form a more perfect union,"

One of his points, restated: it doesn't say 'in order to form a perfect union,' just a 'more perfect' one. There is always room for improvement, and if you love your country, you want to improve it.

[bobabode]

He quotes this, from the Constitution: "We the People ... in order to form a more perfect union,"

One of his points, restated: it doesn't say 'in order to form a perfect union,' just a 'more perfect' one. There is always room for improvement, and if you love your country, you want to improve it.

Pssst, don't tell Matteos. He thinks "progressive" is a dirty word. :rolleyes:

[Pio1980]

I find it significant that I can legally marry my partner of 25 years in Alabama on the 50th anniversary of the Selma march. In some ways we have come a long way here, yet obviously still have a long ways to go with attitudes and practices still long entrenched.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[CarlV]

And sadly those attitudes and practices are learned ones.


Carl

[bobabode]

Probably one of the best speeches I've heard from this president. :)

Just got an email from my brother Paul who lives in Memphis, Tennessee who attended the celebration. He's going to walk from Selma to Montgomery tomorrow in our dad's footsteps from fifty years ago.

[Tom Joad]

Probably one of the best speeches I've heard from this president. :)

Just got an email from my brother Paul who lives in Memphis, Tennessee who attended the celebration. He's going to walk from Selma to Montgomery tomorrow in our dad's footsteps from fifty years ago.

That's pretty cool. :)

This on the other hand is not cool. :mad:

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/kkk_fliers_left_at_selma_homes.html

[bobabode]

That's pretty cool. :)

This on the other hand is not cool. :mad:

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/kkk_fliers_left_at_selma_homes.html

The last dying gasps of wretched refuse. :(

[Pio1980]

Probably one of the best speeches I've heard from this president. :)

Just got an email from my brother Paul who lives in Memphis, Tennessee who attended the celebration. He's going to walk from Selma to Montgomery tomorrow in our dad's footsteps from fifty years ago.

Very commendable!
It takes remarkable character to do not what is popular but what is right in the face of incredibly vicious opposition with uncommon heroic determination.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Boreas]

Probably one of the best speeches I've heard from this president. :)

Just got an email from my brother Paul who lives in Memphis, Tennessee who attended the celebration. He's going to walk from Selma to Montgomery tomorrow in our dad's footsteps from fifty years ago.

Yew, yer bruther 'n' yer pappy's jes' a pack o' them gud fer nuthin' Yankee trubble makers, ain't ye? ;)

That's very cool. Bob!

John

[Pio1980]

And Republican representation at the event was telling in its absence.
The message is still crystal clear.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[bobabode]

Very commendable!
It takes remarkable character to do not what is popular but what is right in the face of incredibly vicious opposition with uncommon heroic determination.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Yew, yer bruther 'n' yer pappy's jes' a pack o' them gud fer nuthin' Yankee trubble makers, ain't ye? ;)

That's very cool. Bob!

John

Thanks guys. You don't know the half of it, dem apples didn't fall far from the trees. ;)

[bobabode]

And Republican representation at the event was telling in its absence.
The message is still crystal clear.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Yep. The 'Party of Stupid' has consistently alienated every African, Asian and Latin American voter in the nation.

[Tom Joad]

And Republican representation at the event was telling in its absence.
The message is still crystal clear.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Bush was there.

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz359/Dog_of_the_Earth/bush-selma.jpg (http://s843.photobucket.com/user/Dog_of_the_Earth/media/bush-selma.jpg.html)

[donquixote99]

You can send ex's. They're safe. Can't be punished in the next election....

[Tom Joad]

She should have gone ahead and marched and just politely ignored him.

This just gives the Right Wing Racists an opportunity to scream "reverse racism!"

Civil rights movement leader Diane Nash calls former President George W. Bush's attendance at Selma anniversary "an insult to people who believe in nonviolence"

continue (http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/09/original-selma-organizer-refused-march-alongside-bush)

[matteos]

Pssst, don't tell Matteos. He thinks "progressive" is a dirty word. :rolleyes:

My ears are burning... I've spent some time with people who work for KPFK (you know that station if you're in the OC), The most narrow minded unblinking group of ideologues I've ever encountered.

[Boreas]

My ears are burning... I've spent some time with people who work for KPFK (you know that station if you're in the OC), The most narrow minded unblinking group of ideologues I've ever encountered.

Translation: they disagree with you.

[bobabode]

My ears are burning... I've spent some time with people who work for KPFK (you know that station if you're in the OC), The most narrow minded unblinking group of ideologues I've ever encountered.

Nope. I don't do talk radio. KOCI FM is alright though.

edit - I had to go look to see what I was missing. http://www.kpfk.org/index.php/programs/programschedule#.VP-fOY5EUnM

Democracy Now and Thom Hartmann? You think that's radical? Pfffft. You don't get out much do you Matt?

[bobabode]

Translation: they disagree with you.

Funny how this guy called himself a liberal when he came in here. He must be using the Conservapedia definition. :rolleyes:

[donquixote99]

He claims to be liberal in some historical British sense. We call that 'real liberal revival' schtick 'neoliberal,' I believe....

[Pio1980]

My ears are burning... I've spent some time with people who work for KPFK (you know that station if you're in the OC), The most narrow minded unblinking group of ideologues I've ever encountered.

Pacifica radio?

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Boreas]

Nope. I don't do talk radio. KOCI FM is alright though.

KPFK is actually quite good. So is KPFA here in the Bay area. Both are part of the Pacifica network of stations in CA (KPFA & KPFA), NY I(WBAI), DC (WPFW) and TX (don't remember the call sign for that one). Pacifica founder Lou Hill pioneered publicly supported radio and, unlike NPR, Pacifica is still totally listener-supported.

The programming is far from 100% news & talk. They have pretty good music programming too.

John

[Boreas]

He claims to be liberal in some historical British sense. We call that 'real liberal revival' schtick 'neoliberal,' I believe....

I suppose he's a Tony Blair Liberal, a capitol L Liberal as opposed to a liberal. I suppose the party label meant something once.

John

[Boreas]

Pacifica radio?

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Yup!

John

[matteos]

I'm surprised at being the center of attention here. Liberal only means left wing in America. I use it in the correct sense of the term. Call Yourself a so************************t if you are one. Youre all embarresed by the word... Politically I'm probably centrist. I am socialy liberal. I believe in equality. I think in politics too big a swing to either extreme is bad, if it's unions with too much power or the chumps on Wallstreet swindling the rest of the country. It's bad, just a matter of scale. I believe in more rights being a good thing provided they dont infri ge on others. Government should be in charge of military, police, fire department and universal health care (no insurance companies) and should regulate the private sector and penalize the crooks. Lobbyists should be constrained to a significant degree. There should private sector for business and welfare should be cut down and in place the government should hire more for building or maintaining infrastructure. I don't see why i should keep replacing my tires for instance due to the potholes. Pay sometime on welfare to fill them up. There should be a safety net, but not one so excessive like Britain you have generations who have never had a job and have never wanted one.

I don't believe in affirmative action. It is reverse inequality, thats not what bothers me, i certainty don't feel aggrieved and i understand at the time it was necessary. But I think we do other people a disservice by the relentless focus on Race. Change the topic and in time racism will subside ( at least on the coasts)

Now back to the thread.

[matteos]

I suppose he's a Tony Blair Liberal, a capitol L Liberal as opposed to a liberal. I suppose the party label meant something once.

John

Fuck that guy. And he was in the labour party. Do people really not know what a true liberal is?

Yes Pacifica. Bunch of tools. A couple of good people, but mostly ego and entrenched views on everything.

[bobabode]

Jeese Louise Matty, try a little punctuation and separate into paragraphs. The above reads like a stream of consciousness poured onto the page, olde son.

[bobabode]

Fuck that guy. And he was in the labour party. Do people really not know what a true liberal is?

Yes Pacifica. Bunch of tools. A couple of good people, but mostly ego and entrenched views on everything.

No Stephie Miller, I'll pass. :D

[matteos]

Funny how this guy called himself a liberal when he came in here. He must be using the Conservapedia definition. :rolleyes:

Or I'm using the correct English definition. Not my problem you all speak Merican

[matteos]

Jeese Louise Matty, try a little punctuation and separate into paragraphs. The above reads like a stream of consciousness poured onto the page, olde son.

I'm typing on a Samsung tablet with the worst keyboard and predictive text. Apologies but i edited that post about five times. Grammar won't get better on this piece of crap I'm afraid. My computer crapped out on me.

[bobabode]

I'm surprised at being the center of attention here.

Now back to the thread.

Ehhh, you're just fresh meat Matt. ;)
At least you aren't some pox ridden Manchester United fanboi. :D

[bobabode]

Or I'm using the correct English definition. Not my problem you all speak Merican

As Merrylander would remind us, 'Two people separated by a common language'.

He's a cousin from the Great White North.;)

[Pio1980]

I'm typing on a Samsung tablet with the worst keyboard and predictive text. Apologies but i edited that post about five times. Grammar won't get better on this piece of crap I'm afraid. My computer crapped out on me.

No prob' here, it's legible enuff. I'm on a Samsung Galaxy Note-III, lotsa fun.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[matteos]

Ehhh, you're just fresh meat Matt. ;)
At least you aren't some pox ridden Manchester United fanboi. :D

Lol. No chance actually. ..LA Galaxy...

Had to watch them get slapped down 7-0 last year though by Man Utd.

[matteos]

Did this site edit the word so************************t?

[matteos]

Yes, yes it did lmao

[matteos]

No prob' here, it's legible enuff. I'm on a Samsung Galaxy Note-III, lotsa fun.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

This has no arrow keys. Most frustrating thing about it. Hard to go back to text to change it.

[matteos]

As Merrylander would remind us, 'Two people separated by a common language'.

He's a cousin from the Great White North.;)

Nice. I live in long beach now. Quite close to you i suppose.

[bobabode]

Did this site edit the word so************************t?

I'd let you stew on that but....:rolleyes:

Anti spam software at work. Soshulist contains C-I-A-L-I-S in it.
V-i-a-g-r-a gets the same treatment.

[bobabode]

Lol. No chance actually. ..LA Galaxy...

Had to watch them get slapped down 7-0 last year though by Man Utd.

I learnt real football in Kingston, Jamaica back in the '60s, courtesy of the Peace Corps. Pops was one of Jack Kennedy's boys.

[bobabode]

Nice. I live in long beach now. Quite close to you i suppose.

Not too far. I'm in Costa Misery (Mesa).

[matteos]

I learnt real football in Kingston, Jamaica back in the '60s, courtesy of the Peace Corps. Pops was one of Jack Kennedy's boys.

Peace corps is a great program, visited my friend when she was in Guatemala Doing it A few years ago. They built a school essentially out of plastic bottles filled with other kinds of plastic. Chicken wire and cement. Amazing stuff.

[matteos]

Not too far. I'm in Costa Misery (Mesa).

That's a nice area surely?

[bobabode]

That's a nice area surely?

It's infested with 'baggers and neocons like the rest of Orange county but the weather is nice. ;)

[matteos]

It's infested with 'baggers and neocons like the rest of Orange county but the weather is nice. ;)

Lol. . Yes the OC is conservative and rich.. go hand in hand

[bobabode]

Lol. . Yes the OC is conservative and rich.. go hand in hand

Only the coastal and southern areas. Most of the county is fairly blue collar, Loretta Sanchez kicked B1 Bob Dornan out of office some time ago :D.

Sadly Dana Rohrabacher-GOTP is my rep in the house.:(

[Pio1980]

Lol. . Yes the OC is conservative and rich.. go hand in hand

"I've got mine, fuck you".

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[matteos]

Translation: they disagree with you.

i feel i'm pretty unblinkered in my viewpoints. I didn't use to be. I used to be a progressive. But I've spent years on forums such as this. I've been swayed by viewpoints opposed to mine. Mostly over Israel. Over time i realized i was guilty of only looking at half the picture. I'm sure I'm wrong about a lot of things... but I'm definitely open to changing my mind.

I read a lot of chomsky and zinn. And when you read just one side you get closed minded. There's value there for sure. I just realized there is also value in the other side Though too. Britain is very left leaning in its education. There's a lot of guilt and there should be. But not everything on the other wing is bad. I try and keep a more open mind now. Better or worse.

Britain is also very so************************t and is a mixed bag. Some ways its good some ways not. I know for a fact with my lazy inclinations i would have achieved a lower personal success in my career if i had stayed there. you dont need to work to live in Britain. you can exist in council houses and on the dole. Remove some of that you get a much needed kick in the ass... that altogether i feel was good for me personally.

[bobabode]

"I've got mine, fuck you".

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

There is an awful lot of that but there are a lot of us democrats too. The undeclared at the bottom of the list is telling.

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#Voter_registration_stati stics
Population and registered voters Total population[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-US-CB-B02001-23) 2,989,948 Registered voters[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66)[note 4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-PCT-RV-67) 1,397,665 46.7% Democratic[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 442,878 31.7% Republican[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 583,625 41.8% Democratic–Republican spread[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) -140,747 -10.1% Independent[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 36,964 2.6% Green[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 5,492 0.4% Libertarian[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 10,824 0.8% Peace and Freedom[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 3,330 0.2% Americans Elect[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 244 0.0% Other[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 4,792 0.3% No party preference[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County,_California#cite_note-CA-SS-66) 309,516 22.1%

[donquixote99]

Pacifica, yes indeed. I know the feeling. Five minutes in a room of conspiracy believers would do it for me.

[Boreas]

Pacifica, yes indeed. I know the feeling. Five minutes in a room of conspiracy believers would do it for me.

What exposure have you had to Pacifica and what do you dislike about it?

Here in the Bay Area, I listen to KPFA in Berkeley. When I lived in New Jersey, I listened to WBAI and also, when I was in the Baltimore/DC area to WPFW. For sure, they're left-leaning but so am I. I don't agree with everything they broadcast but I appreciate the fact that they air what they do since it's opinion and information you're not likely to hear anywhere else.

Also, WBAI is responsible for Democracy Now! which is among the best news programs in the US.

John

[donquixote99]

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I wasn't equating Pacifica to conspiracy believers. I was equating matteos' feeling with the Pacifica group to what my feeling would be with a group of conspiricists.

[bobabode]

I'm surprised at being the center of attention here. Liberal only means left wing in America. I use it in the correct sense of the term. Call Yourself a so************************t if you are one. Youre all embarresed by the word... Politically I'm probably centrist. I am socialy liberal. I believe in equality. I think in politics too big a swing to either extreme is bad, if it's unions with too much power or the chumps on Wallstreet swindling the rest of the country. It's bad, just a matter of scale. I believe in more rights being a good thing provided they dont infri ge on others. Government should be in charge of military, police, fire department and universal health care (no insurance companies) and should regulate the private sector and penalize the crooks. Lobbyists should be constrained to a significant degree. There should private sector for business and welfare should be cut down and in place the government should hire more for building or maintaining infrastructure. I don't see why i should keep replacing my tires for instance due to the potholes. Pay sometime on welfare to fill them up. There should be a safety net, but not one so excessive like Britain you have generations who have never had a job and have never wanted one.

I don't believe in affirmative action. It is reverse inequality, thats not what bothers me, i certainty don't feel aggrieved and i understand at the time it was necessary. But I think we do other people a disservice by the relentless focus on Race. Change the topic and in time racism will subside ( at least on the coasts)

Now back to the thread.

In other words, you're a Blue Dog Democrat. I'm cool with that. ;)

[Boreas]

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I wasn't equating Pacifica to conspiracy believers. I was equating matteos' feeling with the Pacifica group to what my feeling would be with a group of conspiricists.

Ah! I see.

[Tom Joad]

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I wasn't equating Pacifica to conspiracy believers. I was equating matteos' feeling with the Pacifica group to what my feeling would be with a group of conspiricists.

Pacifica carrys some pretty good programs, like "Democracy Now".

Back in the fall of 2002 they are the ones that were promoting the extremist left wing conspiracy theory that Saddam had no WMD.

[matteos]

Ah! I see.

OTOH Alex Jones nuts... I just laugh at them.

Troofers. 911 was an inside job. The CIA is responsible for ISIS and whatever crap comes out of info wars.

I do admire their ability to fashion hats from tinfoil though.

[bobabode]

I watched a little MSN in the last few days and had to go back to watching re-runs of old westerns before my head exploded and I bounced the remote off the screen and had to buy a new TV.

Even Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell were moaning about that mythical/mystical Rightwing unicorn 'ServerGate' that the RWNJs have been pushing all over the lamestream news channels lately.

Personally, we like that boring old PBS News Hour around here but Free Speech TV has some good stuff like 'Democracy Now' and Stephanie Miller.

[Boreas]

Personally, we like that boring old PBS News Hour around here but Free Speech TV has some good stuff like 'Democracy Now' and Stephanie Miller.

I don't regard them as any more trustworthy than the MSMs these days. Ever since Gingrich got through with their federal funding, they've been slowly taken over by "underwriters" which range from MICs like Boeing to oil companies like Chevron and to right wing oligarchs like the Kochs. They;re bought and paid for like the rest of the media.

John