Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix 2010 - Opening Parade Lap

All of the racing came off with great success on the first day of the Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix. The event which is being restarted since its last running in 1957 took place through the chaparral covered hills around Avalon's Golf Course and above the iconic Santa Catalina Casino pictured here. The day's events were all kicked of with a parade lap through the village along the waterfront of this island's largest settlement [ctrl-click to launch video of opening parade lap]. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix 2010 - Opening Parade Lap

7:30am, December 4, 2010 - Opening Ceremonies - Downtown at the Wrigley Stage - Race #1 Parade Lap through town.

Both motocross superstars and emerging talents will vie for top honors as they blast into the hills surrounding the main port town of Avalon. Riders will look to join Dave Ekins - Bud Ekins (the stuntman who performed the famous fence jump in “The Great Escape” for Steve McQueen) brother and past event rider, and Bob Sangren (the race’s only two-time winner) as champion of the island spectacle. Sangren will also be returning to the island to serve as Grand Marshal for the 2010 race.

Photo Slideshow Here>>

... notes from The EDJE

"Cool It" - A Thoughtful & Realistic Approach To Stewardship

A light bulb won't solve global warming. This guy's bright ideas just might. A documentary that takes an alternative approach than just FEAR in dealing with the clarion call of the global warming crisis [ctrl-click photo to see trailer]. Image Credit: Imdb

"Cool It" - A Thoughtful & Realistic Approach To Stewardship

Go to "Cool It" - In a very limited release before its roll out is a thoughtful and realistic stewardship approach to our consumption of energy on this blue orb. It makes Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, feel like the pandering, fright fest, ponzi-scheme that it was meant to be. In other words ... NO, the oceans will not rise 20 feet over this next century and coastal cities really have nothing to fear from the potential and realistic one foot rise in the oceans due to cyclic world climate swings that are primarily due to changes in radiation from the sun!

CCX (the Chicago Carbon Exchange) which became noted for having "carbon credits" for sale as high as $7.00 a ton closes its doors on October 21, 2010, just before the midterm elections, when the bottom drops out after it is discovered about one year ago that the primary Global Warming data was based upon fraud.

The last listed price for trading "carbon credits" was under $.10 a ton - OUCH. Al Gore may not be as rich as people were claiming he was a couple of years ago.

Go see "Cool It" and become less hysterically informed.

AARP Raises Premiums - Advocacy Clashes With Reality

Contrary to Democratic politician's promises when they jammed Obamacare through the Senate and Congress, claiming that when the public found out all that was in the bill they would start to support it, opposition is rising as the public becomes aware of what Washington Democrats actually passed and Obama signed into law. Caption & Image Credit: wakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com

AARP Raises Premiums - Advocacy Clashes With Reality

Truth has a funny way of dispelling the aggressive distortion of an advocacy point-of-view.

A classic case in point has popped up over at the insurance and liberal advocacy organization American association of retired persons, AARP. AARP is a non-profit organization which helps people above the age of 50 to lead a peaceful life both health and finance. Most famous of AARP programs is AARP insurance.

AARP is now telling its employees that insurance costs will rise by 8 percent to 13 percent next year, partly as a result of the ObamaCare law it supported.

This excerpted and edited from the Washington Times -

Obamacare spurs AARP to raise premiums
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar - Associated Press - 6:35 p.m., Thursday, November 4, 2010

AARP's endorsement helped secure passage of President Obama's health care overhaul. Now the seniors' lobby is telling its employees their insurance costs will rise, partly as a result of the law.
----
AARP added that it is changing co-payments and deductibles to avoid a 40 percent tax on high-cost health plans that takes effect in 2018 under the law. Aerospace giant Boeing also has cited the tax in asking its workers to pay more. Shifting costs to employees lowers the value of a health care plan and acts like an escape hatch from the tax.

"Most plan co-pays and deductibles have been modified," Jennifer Hodges, AARP's director of compensation and benefits, wrote employees in an Oct. 25 e-mail. "Plan value changes were necessary not only from a cost-management standpoint, but also to ensure that AARP's plans fall below the threshold for high-cost group plans under health care reform."
Reference Here>>

Ever since Barack Obama took the office as the 44th President of the United States, AARP endorsed the efforts of the Democrat political party in its efforts at healthcare reform. These efforts had little to do with improving a free market approach and everything to do with having the Government become the chief decider on what insurance will look like ... even if the Government has to become the "Single-Payer" in the insurance equation.

The chief reason AARP was an advocate on ObamaCare can be found where AARP makes their money ... in Medigap insurance coverage. Medigap plans are a cash cow for AARP and if people don't need them because they can enroll in Medicare Advantage plans, that's a revenue loss for AARP. Obamacare helps to do away with Medicare Advantage plans.

While the organization has some partnering arrangements with Medicare Advantage plans, they provide a fraction of the revenues to the organization that Medigap does.

Second, if Medicare's benefits are cut by $400 billion or more, seniors will have an ever greater need for Medigap coverage.

"There's an inherent conflict of interest," former AARP executive Marilyn Moon says of AARP's royalty arrangements. "They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income."

Tens of thousands of seniors have resigned from AARP, many of them cutting up their membership cards to protest the organization's promotion of health reform.

The new chief executive officer of AARP, Barry Rand, who was a strong supporter of President Obama during last year's presidential campaign, says AARP is not protesting the Medicare cuts because reducing waste and fraud in Medicare will make the program stronger over the long term.

The 40 million-strong AARP represents people 50 and older, including retirees on Medicare and Social Security. Its endorsement of President Barack Obama's health bill came at a critical time last year, just days before a vote on the House floor.

"The [insurance rate]impact on [our]AARP employees is not a factor at all in our policy-making, which is directed at the impact on our membership and on all older Americans," said said David Certner, AARP legislative affairs director.

One has to ask ... how many 50 years of age and older employees does AARP actually have?

We , at MAXINE, believe - AARP ... the American association of retired persons, is less about protecting the interests of retired persons than it is at protecting its cash cows in the insurance business.

Merlin Froyd, 28th District - Midterm Voting Takes On New Meaning

Campaign worker, Judy, proudly flyin' colors for Froyd! Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Merlin Froyd, California - 28th Congressional District - Midterm Voting Takes On New Meaning

Voters don't want to be governed from the left, right or center. They want Washington to recognize that Americans want to govern themselves.

It is for this reason and attitude LA Conservative Examiner is posting this article on behalf of Merlin Froyd in the hopes of giving those who intend to vote on Tuesday, access to all of the information to elect the one representative post that controls the purse strings.

Merlin Froyd strikes a pose ala Tony Katz before embarking on a day of neighborhood canvassing to represent California's 28th District. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

My neighbors all live in the California 28th District that has had the same representative for the last 14 terms … or 28 years. He has voted for the 16% increase in the spending (Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills) of all Federal Government agency budgets at a time our economy grew only 1.2% in the same 20 month time period.

No matter whom you intend to vote for, or what political party you associate yourself with, LA conservative Examiner urges you to go to Merlin Froyd’s website and look at the 2 minute video position presentations that matter to you. One will find positions from Government spending and size of Government, to a position on Government and marriage, and anything in between. No position is perfect for everyone but most would find them fair, well articulated, and reasonable.

Getting ready to canvass a neighborhood for Merlin Froyd. The effort on this street was engaged with a host of recently naturalized citizens from Italy, Lebanon, and Israel. Most were happy to hear that there was a choice at new representation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

As a concerned citizen and neighbor, LA Conservative Examiner is giving you all a “head’s up” on Merlin Froyd because we had the occasion to meet with him, observe him. We found him to be young, principled, and ready to represent the needs of our community in Washington D.C. with a fresh approach. He is a 27 year old man who was born in Minnesota, whose family moved to California, and works in middle management at our local Sunrise Ford dealership just up on Lankershim in North Hollywood and he really understands the needs of our uniquely drawn district.

Dressed to canvass a neighborhood with a Marlin Froyd campaign tee-shirt. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Simply stated, twenty-eight years of two-year stints is way too long to have a Congressman to hold only one post. In the summer of 2009, this representative refused to hold even one "Town Hall Meeting" and hear what the citizens of the district he represented for the last 27 years (at the time) had to say about what they thought about what was going on in Washington D.C.. It is time to move forward and consider a change for representative of our 28th District!

Merlin Froyd For Congress – www.merlinfroyd.com

Merlin Froyd Position Videos - http://www.youtube.com/merlinfroyd#p/u

Senate Race For Republican Control Handicap - What To Watch For

Based on data from the Intrade prediction market. 10-30-2010

2010 Senate Race For Republican Control Handicap - What To Watch For

A Republican Party politico in the thick of watching the races for the Senate on November 2, 2010, explained the simplest way to do the math, with 9 pickups meaning a 50-50 Senate and 10 giving Republicans control.

The Senate seats that seem to be Republican Party locks are Indiana, Arkansas and North Dakota. All-but-sure things, in this Republican's view, are Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Illinois. THAT'S SIX. Then start adding states where margins are razor thin.

His order is: Nevada would be 7; Colorado would be 8; West Virginia would be 9; Washington would be 10; California would be 11.

Needless to say, a run of the table would become not just an undeniable and historic change of power in Washington D.C. but a restraining order on the 16% growth of spending in Government budgets applied over these last 19 months at a time the economy grew only 1.2%.

So ... get out there on November 2, 2010 and not just vote for a Republican Party candidate, issue a restraining order!

No Ma'am - Boxer Violates Election Law

No Ma'am - Photo taken during the re-run of a television show depicting a gathering of men who were tired of being ordered around by women. The logo is a perfect expression to state the feelings of having a 28 year Senator be re-elected to another term. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

No Ma'am - Boxer Violates Election Law

Election Watch: Barbara Boxer’s Campaign Breaks the Law, Solicits Help From Los Angeles Area Students Via Teachers

California’s Flash Report recently obtained a letter proving that Barbara Boxer’s campaign has attempted to solicit Los Angeles public school government and social studies teachers to urge students to “volunteer” for the Barbara Boxer senatorial campaign.

Here is a copy of the letter sent by the Boxer campaign to Los Angeles school teachers:

The Boxer campaign letter clearly requests “students to take part in our campaign” and “earn extra credit” doing so. “Various projects” out of the Boxer Hollywood campaign office are mentioned for would-be student volunteers along with a suggestion to view this Obama video:

The president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) forwarded the Boxer “Dear Teachers” letter to and filed a complaint with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Board of Education:

To the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Board of Education: In abject ignorance of California state law, the political campaign of Senator Barbara Boxer has openly solicited teachers employed by LAUSD to urge their students to volunteer for her campaign. We trust that LAUSD will immediately inform all its personnel, credentialed or otherwise, that it would be a clear violation of law for teachers to recruit their students on school property during school hours to volunteer for a specific political campaign.

The HJTA president cites California Education Code, section 51520, which clearly states:

During school hours, and within one hour before the time of opening and within one hour after the time of closing of school, pupils of the public school shall not be solicited on school premises by teachers or others to subscribe or contribute to the funds of, to become members of, or to work for, any organization not directly under the control of the school authorities, unless the organization is a nonpartisan, charitable organization organized for charitable purposes by an act of Congress or under the laws of the state, the purpose of the solicitation is nonpartisan and charitable, and the solicitation has been approved by the county board of education or by the governing board of the school district in which the school is located.

The Boxer campaign, caught red-handed with their hands in the public school-electioneering cookie jar, admitted the authenticity of the letter but promptly issued a legalese-denial, non-apology style apology and punted responsibility to “volunteers” and a “junior staffer.”

Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski:

Because some local social studies teachers encourage students to volunteer, Boxer campaign volunteer coordinators notified a handful of schools near the campaign headquarters that the campaign was accepting volunteers. The letter did not ask teachers to solicit students to work on the campaign or to use school facilities, supplies or equipment for political purposes. The sole intent of the letter was to provide interested students with information about a volunteer opportunity. However, the letter, which was written by a volunteer and reviewed by a junior staffer, was inappropriate and we apologize. The author of the letter has been counseled and campaign coordinators will no longer conduct outreach to public schools.

The HJTA easily disproves this defense, stating in the letter sent to LAUSD and LACBE:

While claiming students will “gain an invaluable educational experience on [sic] one of the highest profile Senate races this election,” the letter candidly admits: “The Boxer campaign needs volunteers to help with various projects.”

One with perhaps even a modicum of legal knowledge, command of the English language, and common sense will gather that certain language in the “Dear Teachers” letter (eg, “The Boxer campaign (needing) volunteers to help with various projects”) is a political solicitation by the campaign.

The claim by Barbara Boxer’s campaign manager that the “Dear Teachers” letter was seemingly “inappropriate,” yet not illegal, is ludicrous. And forcing a lower level staffer to fall on the proverbial sword is beyond the pale.

We, at MAXINE, believe this question has to be asked in a society that prides itself on operating under the Rule-Of-Law - Why is the mainstream press in California ignoring this story?

(ht: excerpted and edited from Pajama's Media- Thursday, October 28th, 2010 - by Tim Daniel)

Soros Money Gets Juan Williams Fired From NPR

So, with the news that George Soros is buying one hundred political “reporters” for National Public Radio (NPR), one waits with bated breath for the left to decry the fact that a famous anti-American leftist is buying and influencing the “news.” Image Credit: Big Journalism

Soros Money Gets Juan Williams Fired From NPR

Yesterday, Glenn Beck opened his show stating that he had something else planned to present for the hour but something came up in the form of an email that he had to address.

The email concerned itself with the new round of donations being issued by Billionaire progressive, George Soros and his campaign to get Glenn Beck fired from Fox News through boycotts by advertisers to his program. The memo confirmed that Soros had just given the left-wing hell-raising blog, Media Matters, a million dollars and asked them to broaden their boycott efforts to all of Fox News ... the declarations are on the MM website.

It turns out that recently, George Soros has also given a very large donation (1.8 million dollars for 100 reporters) to National Public Radio (NPR) as well.

This morning, NPR has just announced that it was firing longtime author and Democrat politics commentator, Juan Williams. NPR used as its reasoning that Jaun Williams' appearance on the Fox News top rated politics, culture information, and commentary show, The O'Reilly Factor, resulted in Juan expressing feelings that were inconsistent with its world view ... or something to that effect.

This excerpted and edited from The Atlantic -

Juan Williams Fired by NPR For No Particular Reason (UPDATED)
By Jeffery Goldberg - Oct 21 2010, 12:23 AM ET

National Public Radio has fired the political analyst Juan Williams for comments he made about Muslims on Bill O'Reilly's Fox show. These are two of the controversial comments in question, according to The New York Times:

'I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

And this, in reference to Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani immigrant who attempted to blow up Times Square with a car bomb:

"He said the war with Muslims, America's war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don't think there's any way to get away from these facts."

The first quotation reflects the views, I'm guessing, of the vast majority of people who fly in this country (and in Europe and Asia and other parts of the world, as well). With some regularity, Muslim men associated with radical Islamist organizations have been trying to kill American civilians, here and abroad. A group of 19 Muslim men succeeded beyond their wildest dreams in their mission nine years ago. The majority of Muslims abhor terrorism, and Muslims are the disproportionate victims of Muslim terror, but the essential truth remains that most of the world's spectacular terrorism today -- thwarted and achieved -- is committed by Muslims.

Juan Williams misunderstands one crucial fact: Muslim terrorists who are attempting to commit acts of terror seldom if ever dress in "Muslim garb"; they dress, for obvious tactical reasons, in a manner meant to help them blend in with surroundings. So Williams is wrong, I think, to be particularly suspicious of traditionally-dressed Muslims. But is he wrong to worry about Islamist terrorism? Of course not.
Reference Here>>

So, the real reason for the firing seems confused, at best.

What is consistent here is that both Juan Williams and Mara Liasson are (or were) longtime contributors to NPR and are contributors to Fox News and therein lays the rub. Soros money is now beginning to turn the screws and place pressure from where the money is placed and directed. Mira Liasson has said previously, that her participation on discussion panels at Fox News (primarily with Brit Hume and Bret Baier) has been questioned by the staff at NPR.

One wonders ... just when will all of the Soros money will catch up with her (Mara Liasson) and gets her removed from either NPR or have her resign from Fox News due to "pressures"?

Boxer VFW Endorsement In Dispute By VFW Leadership

Photo of letter issued by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States calling the actions of the VFW-PAC into question as it relates to political endorsements. This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Boxer VFW Endorsement In Dispute By VFW Leadership

In what may be a case of identity theft through going rogue, the separate political action committee organization using the "VFW" in its name is endorsing candidates without the blessing of the real VFW organization out of Kansas City, MO.

In a letter issued October 8, 2010 titled "VFW Leadership at Odds with VFW-PAC" and signed by Richard L. Eubank - National Commander, Richard L. DeNoyer - Sr. Vice Commander, and John E. Hamilton - Jr. Vice Commander the VFW called the methodology process used by the PAC "seriously flawed at best this year and in immediate need of extensive review," in the wake of the recent congressional endorsements made by the committee.

This separate organization, formed by 12 VFW members, is acting rogue in their endorsements of Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi - especially given that the voting record and personal statements of these candidates should have had them removed from consideration.

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States website -

VFW Leadership at Odds with VFW-PAC
By Richard L. Eubank - National Commander, Richard L. DeNoyer - Sr. Vice Commander, and John E. Hamilton - Jr. Vice Commander - October 8, 2010 - VFW, Kansas City, MO.

“Even though the law requires that VFW-PAC be a separate organization, the acronym ‘VFW’ is attached to the committee and the natural assumption is that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is somehow making the endorsement decisions. Nothing could be further from the truth, but perception is reality,” said National Commander Richard Eubank.

“Obviously, an organization's political positions have to reflect the opinions of its members. But those opinions can't be perceived as ‘off the wall,’ and the methodology used this year to grade candidates obviously is skewed in favor of the incumbent. That isn’t fair, and it actually subverts the democratic process.”
Reference Here>>

Paul Chabot - Statewide Chairman, Veterans for Carly Coalition, Iraq War Vet, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (Kansas City) Lifemember) as he presents the letter from the VFW leadership out of Kansas City, MO, and reviews Barbara Boxer's voting record on Veteran's Affairs. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Barbara Boxers record is as follows (re-published from LA Conservative Examiner):

To be clear, this endorsement should be protested on these facts on the actions and voting record of this current Senator from California (information provided by the Pasadena Patriots - TeaPac - Paul Chabot - Statewide Chairman, Veterans for Carly Coalition, Iraq War Vet, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (Kansas City) Lifemember):

Boxer Military Fact Check

1) Barbara Boxer continues to campaign with Jane Fonda. I do not have to remind Veterans the harm that Jane Fonda caused to our Nation - they know all too well.

2) In California, we have 1.9 million Veterans, 30,000 returning from war each year. While the California unemployment rate is 12.4%, Veterans in California have over a 30% unemployment rate. Of the total number of unemployed persons in California, 25% are Veterans. The problem has gotten much worse under Boxer, not better.

3) Our VA Hospitals are overloaded, bulging at the seams; the quality of care is decreasing while wait lines are increasing beyond any reasonable expectation. As a Vet who receives care at California VA's, I can firmly
attest to this fact and the outrage felt by my fellow Veterans.

4) Barbara Boxer has consistently voted against funding for our troops in times of war. In 2007, she was one of only 14 senators to vote against supplemental funding for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. That bill included billions of dollars in funding for body armor, for mine-resistant vehicles, for defense health programs - including funding for the treatment of soldiers suffering from PTSD and brain trauma - and to help combat IEDs.

5) In 2003, Boxer was one of just 12 senators to oppose the $87 billion supplemental appropriation for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, which provided funding for body armor, communications equipment, equipment maintenance and operation, defense health programs, increased imminent danger pay. The reconstruction package also included funds to help military families by increasing the Family Separation Allowance, by allowing family members to visit soldiers who are ill or injured as a result of their active-duty service and by providing access to the benefits of the Family Medical Leave Act.

6) Boxer has repeatedly disrespected prominent members of our military. Who can forget the time she upbraided Brigadier General Michael Walsh during a committee hearing for calling her "ma'am" instead of "senator."

7) Boxer has also refused to condemn the offensive, defamatory advertisement MoveOn.org ran against General David Petraeus, who is now commanding our forces in Afghanistan.

It is for these reasons, that we must ask the VFW-PAC to rescind its endorsement of Barbara Boxer.

Reference Here>>

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from the LA Times -

Boxer highlights endorsement by VFW-PAC
By: Cathleen Decker - October 10, 2010 | 5:13 pm

Fiorina has been critical of Boxer’s record on military issues, including Boxer's vote against a military spending bill that Boxer opposed because she said it did not outline a clear exit strategy from Iraq. On Sunday after speaking at a civic affairs conference hosted by the Iranian American Jewish community in Century City, Fiorina said the VFW PAC had “lost a great deal of credibility because they’ve demonstrated once again that all they ever do is endorse incumbent politicians.”

“There are a great number of veterans who are offended by Boxer’s refusal to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," Fiorina told reporters Sunday. "There are veterans who are offended by the way she dressed down a general, and there are, unfortunately for the VFW PAC, now a whole lot of veterans who are offended by the decision the VFW PAC has taken.”

Fiorina’s campaign also released a statement by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and other military veterans, objecting to the VFW's endorsement of her. (McCain is campaigning for Fiorina).

Asked after her speech about McCain's objection, Boxer merely smiled and replied: "I'm so excited to have the VFW endorsement. I couldn't be more thrilled."
Reference Here>>

This photo was taken at a protest rally outside of the VFW-PAC news conference to endorse Barbara Boxer for her fifth term as United States Senator. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Well, no matter how tainted or in dispute, or bogus an endorsement may be (especially given one's own voting record and personal statements) ... the accepting of this VFW-PAC endorsement passes for something to be excited about by Barbara Boxer, here during Carter's Second Term (the 44th Presidency of the United States).

Boxer Endorsement UPDATE - VFW Leaders Tell PAC to Rescind Boxer, Klein Endorsements - Published October 13, 2010 | FOX News/Associated Press

VFW UPDATE - VFW Commander-in-Chief disolvess its Political Action Committee (VFW-PAC) after disputed endorsements - October 15, 2010

It is now evident to most of the VFW leadership, both National and especially the departments, that the VFW has been subjected to extreme negative publicity throughout the nation, and the recent endorsement decisions have, in fact, harmed the VFW’s reputation and future ability to fulfill our mission.

I cannot let this erosion of public support for our great organization continue. The apparent lack of the committee to address these concerns will lead to a proposal by me, as Commander-in-Chief, to amend the by-laws at the 112th National Convention for the purpose of dissolving the PAC. Meanwhile, under the authority granted to me as Commander-in-Chief in section 619 of the VFW National By-Laws and under section 620 of the Manual of Procedure, I am withdrawing all PAC appointments effective October 15, 2010.

One Nation Rally - The Hodge-Podge Of Disgruntled Socialist Rant

Side-By-Side - Restoring America Rally on left (packed with concerned American citizens) / One Socialist Nation Rally on right (packed with all of the Messiah's socialist citizens) - ironic and telling, isn't it? Image Credit: The Blaze (2010)

One Nation Rally - The Hodge-Podge Of Disgruntled Socialist Rant

This rally, billed as being planned before the Restoring Honor Rally was planned and held, was a disorienting and divisive collection of speeches and music without a clear direction to it except an "I Want More From You" chant of bigger Government socialist utopia.

One by one, Communists the likes of Van Jones, Union Leadership operatives from SEIU, AFL-CIO, and etc., and single Race representatives from American Indian tribal associations political landscape operatives (Al Sharpton), La Raza (which translates to "The Race") hispanic rights over all others ... especially legal citizens, came to the microphone to exclaim their injustice and ax to grind in the name of unity ... with all of this being moderated by MSNBC's Ed Shultz. Can you feel the love?

More than 400 organizations, including liberal faith, environmental, union, and gay rights groups, sponsored the "One Nation Working Together" demonstration on the same end of the National Mall where a month ago tea party activists and sympathizers met to hear conservative TV and Radio commentator Glenn Beck, Former Governor Sarah Palin, and a host of other speakers talk to the issue of "Restoring Honor" to our broken nation.

Organizers claimed they had as many participants as Beck's rally. But Saturday's crowds were less dense and didn't reach as far to the edges as they did during Beck's rally (see photo below). The National Park Service stopped providing official crowd estimates in the 1990s.

Demand the changes we voted for - One Nation Working Together is a social movement of individuals and organizations committed to putting America back to work and pulling America back together. Coming from a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and orientations, we are determined to build a more united country with good jobs, equal justice, and quality public education for all [how come they did not use a photo from the actual rally?]. Image Credit: OneNationWorkingTogether.org via the infamous Martin Luther King speech held on the mall 47 years ago

This excerpted and edited from Gateway Pundit -

Figures. CSPAN Uses Tea Party Rally Crowd Shot for Leftist “One Nation” Rally Article

Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, October 2, 2010, 10:56 AM

CSPAN is airing the leftist “One Socialist Nation” rally today in Washington DC.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have a good crowd shot of the turnout… So they used a photo from a Glenn Beck tea party rally.

Notice the Gadsden flags in the background.
(Hat Tip Editor)

This is despite the fact that thousands of supporters were given free rides by unions and the NAACP to the rally.

The actual crowd is a little sparse at the One Nation rally today.

Despite the free rides and T-shirts the leftists just couldn’t match this crowd.

This photo is from the Glenn Beck rally last month.

Reference Here>>

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka urged participants, including his union's members, to band together. "There is nothing, and I mean nothing, we can't do when we stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder," Trumka said. "We will stand together. And we will win together. And we won't let anyone — and I mean anyone — stand in our way."

"Coming out of here, we've got to go home and ask our friends to vote, ask our neighbors to vote," NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous said.

Socialist protesters and paraphernalia dominated today's left-wing protest rally in Washington, DC. The so-called "One Nation" rally was led primarily by labor unions as an attempt to counter Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor Rally, which took place in DC on 8-28-2010.

Rose Dixon, a health care worker from Pawleys Island, S.C., said she hopes the rally sends a message to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "Stop the obstructionism. Work together," Dixon said. "Stop playing politics as usual and to put the American people first. We're tired of the politics and the posturing and the games."

This quote sticks out because of its absurdity ... we have been governed since January 20, 2009 by an Executive Branch and Legislative Branch that has a single political party with a voting super majority - and they have passed legislation that has expanded Federal Government by nearly 25% and added more taxpayer debt in 19 months that it took forty previous Executive and Legislative Branches to amass in over 200 years (over 3 Trillion Dollars).

The "obstructionism" Rose Dixon is referring to, of course, is having the Federal Government release money directly to her and people like her. These people believe all power and income comes from Government as opposed to the fruits of one's own labor or intellectual property.

Not once during the rally observed on C-SPAN did we, at MAXINE, see or hear anyone stand up for the Constitution of the United States or the Bill of Rights. Frankly, there was very little in the way of displaying the American flag or anything Red, White, and Blue!

Organizers insisted the rally was not partisan. They said the message of the rally is about job creation, quality education and economic justice. However, the 400 organizations, such as the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union, Code Pink, the ACLU, and etc. always back Democrat Party candidates. We have to ask ... what are they rallying for? Their political party currently controls all of the power of this current Federal Government and unfortunately it is "One Nation"!

NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous was right as it relates what is needed to change things as they are in Washington today ... "we've got to go home and ask our friends to vote, ask our neighbors to vote" ... that is, we have to go into our neighborhoods and ask each of our neighbors to vote for a person that will go to Washington and vote to uphold working to have a smaller government, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights here during Carter's Second Term (the 44th Presidency of Barack Obama).

Congressional Adjournment - The Food Stamp Party Versus The Paycheck Party

PELOSI: ... It is definitely an advantage for us because we have aligned ourselves with those who passed Social Security, Medicare and now health care for all Americans as a right not a privilege. Image Credit: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images via Examiner

Congressional Adjournment - The Food Stamp Party Versus The Paycheck Party

Democrat leadership over these last four years has given us nearly 10% unemployment, an increase in our debt through spending by nearly 25%, and an increase in people on welfare assistance by nearly 50%. Now, Democrats want to send Congress into recess without taking any action to cancel the tax hikes that will come at the end of the year, putting off the debate until after the midterm elections. They want to play the percentages that they can put the blame on Republicans for supposedly blocking the debate in an attempt to force Democrats to agree to an extension of all current tax rates, rather than letting "just" the highest income brackets get hit with a tax increase.

The big problem with this strategy is that centrists in Pelosi’s House of Representatives caucus can read the writing on the wall in their districts. They don’t want to go back home and explain any kind of tax hike, not even a class-warfare explanation about soaking the rich, in a recessionary environment. Their Republican opponents would use such a vote to paint them as tax-and-spend Democrats ... which they are, given their record over these last four years, and many of them would have to look for a new job.

This has led to a bipartisan consensus that would pass, TODAY, an extension of the current taxation plan put in place at the beginning of the previous administration - hence NO Tax Increase!

On Nov. 2, three of the temporary Senate appointments will expire. That means Illinois's Roland Burris, Delaware's Ted Kaufman and West Virginia's Carte Goodwin will all be out of a job. If voters do not allow this tactic of sending Congress into recess without taking any action to cancel the tax hikes that will come at the end of the year to stand by going to the polls in five weeks, and voting every Democrat party incumbent out - their replacements would be Republicans. Democrats could return to the lame-duck session with three fewer members of their party, making it less likely they can hold out against the efforts of Republicans and centrists Democrats who want to extend the "Bush Tax Cuts." They've also potentially made voters question the Democrat Party's determination to fix the economy in general.

As Newt Gingrich put it this morning - "This election is a fight between The Food Stamp Party versus The Paycheck Party [Democrats vs. Republicans]!"

This is not a time for Democrats to show a lack of guts and leadership for it will cost them for decades to come. When they lose power, who would ever take the progressive agenda seriously again?

UPDATE - September 29, 2010:

Pelosi's Congress votes to adjourn just as 47 Democrats commit to pass an extension to our current tax laws.

By voting to go on recess, the Democrats show that they wish to raise taxes on all citizens while continuing to spend money we do not have at record levels. This group of leaders have increased the debt in two years what it took forty Presidents to spend and add to our country's debt in over two-hundred years.

Dreamin' On The Nightmare Of The Dream Act

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez discusses immigration issues while pandering to students at a conference organized by Elev8 Chicago students. Image Credit: Eric Young Smith

Dreamin' On The Nightmare Of The Dream Act

Harry Reid, in an effort to diminish the Rule-Of-Law, is working actively to give benefits and citizenship away through a piece of legislation he wishes to get passed by tucking it away as a rider on a military appropriations bill currently working through Congress.

The reason this "Dream Act" is a nightmare is that it seeks to slice up and weaken current immigration law that protects those who played by the rules and waited to become legitimate Green Card holders and/or citizens in the first place.

To have this legislation come up and be potentially passed into law as a rider without the debate and the vetting process required through the rule of law attacks the essence of sovereignty that makes the United States be the United States.

Further, these law breakers who make it into the United States believe they are entitled to have all of the financial assistance that full citizens are able to apply for just because they are here - a belief held by those we elect to protect us and the sovereignty our country.

This from Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)

"These [kids] are Americans in ALL, but paper ..." - This quote from Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), in its full context, can be found starting at 3:04 and the fact is, these people, no matter what age, are NOT Americans - in paper or otherwise.

Illegal is illegal no matter what the circumstance. All undocumented immigrants need to be held to the Rule-Of-Law for without enforcement ... there is no law. The Dream Act opens the door to convert illegal to citizen without the processes that all other immigrants had to go through to become citizens. Sneak in and get citizenship ... try this approach in any other country. The Dream Act is nothing but a nightmare.

This is why I am urging everybody to pick up the phone and call Sen. Brown now to urge him to NOT support the DREAM Act due to the issue - the Rule-Of-Law. This issue should be debated and considered on its own merits alone and not tucked into a military appropriations bill. His number is (617) 565-3170.

Tell him (or the representative who answers the phone) that it doesn't make sense to diminish the Rule-Of-Law and to talk to his Senate colleagues Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to vote down the Dream Act for the same reasons.

Dreamy UPDATE - Reid ends up voting against own amnesty agenda rider ... The Dream Act!:

Today two Arkansas Democrats, blocked the bill that had the two riders - one repealing "Don't Ask Don't Tell" gay rights agenda for military service and one prelude to amnesty for Students and etc. ... "The Dream Act", with many arguing that the added measures, whether they supported them or not, had no place riding in a defense-spending bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who had championed the bills, also ended up voting against the defense bill for procedural reasons. The Republicans held strong - "Hats Off!"

More than 2.1 million children and adults under 35 years old would have been eligible if the DREAM Act passed, according to estimates by the Migration Policy Institute, and a little more than a quarter of them live in California alone. This means that California dodges another UNFUNDED Federally mandated spending bullet!

The defense policy bill has traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support, passing 48 years in a row with both parties eager to back the military. But this year, with the bill being introduced to the Senate floor in a paralyzing atmosphere just weeks ahead of the midterm elections, both parties have sought to add amendments that motivate their supporters.

“They want to weigh this bill down with controversy in a transparent attempt to show their special interest groups that they haven’t forgotten about them ahead of the election,’’ said Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader. “This is not a serious exercise. It’s a show.’’

2010 MPG Track Day Banquet - Zoran Segina's Piano Serenade

The MPG Track Day event brings together the greatest cross section of Automotive Professionals for 2 days of diverse automotive focused activities. Two Days of diverse driving activities including special courses and events for product evaluation and comparative analysis, driving instruction from professional drivers and driving competitions. Shown is a photo from the Cocktail Reception, Dinner & Awards Banquet and Afterglow Party with interactive games, contests and prizes. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

2010 MPG Track Day Banquet - Zoran Segina's Piano Serenade

The 2010 Motor Press Guild's Track Day event is certainly an event dripping in automobile culture but no one expects the emphasis would ever shift from automobile to culture.

In this video caught at the mixer just before the attendees were called to sit down for a shared dinner banquet and awards ceremony for the 2010 MPG Track Day, member Zoran Segina ESQ. (LA Car) serenade's his fellow members with an impromptu, and fun, rendition of "New York, New York" on the Sheraton Ontario Airport's lobby piano.

Welcome to the cultured part of the Motor Press Guild's membership on display.

Ground Zero Imam Issues Threat To New Yorkers ... et al!

The project, known as the Cordoba Initiative, began soon after the terrorist attacks. Image Credit: newscottage.blogspot.com

Ground Zero Imam Issues Threat To New Yorkers ... et al!

In what has to be a classic example of how the religion of perpetual outrage, Islam, takes a "finger in everyone's eye" approach to dealing with propriety, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the religious leader behind the proposed Islamic Center near Ground Zero - yesterday spoke to CNN about the controversy and issues a threat to New Yorkers and the rest of the free world.

Said Rauf, "If this is not handled correctly, this crisis could become much bigger than the Danish cartoon crisis, which resulted in attacks on Danish embassies in various parts of the Muslim world,” Rauf said later. “…. If we don't handle this crisis correctly it could become something which could really become very, very, very dangerous indeed.”

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf says the reason he can’t move the Islamic center now is because of national security concerns, saying parts of the Muslim world would be violently inflamed at the news of the center’s relocation.

“The headlines in the Muslim world will be that Islam is under attack… (there’s) the danger of the radicals in the Muslim world to our national security, to the national security of our troops,” he said.

“If we do move,” Rauf continued, “it will strengthen the argument of the radicals to recruit, their ability to recruit, and their increasing aggression and violence ... .”

"If we move from that location, the story will be the radicals have taken over the discourse," the imam told CNN in his first televised interview since returning from a two-week State Department-sponsored cooperation tour of the Middle East.

So he characterizes anyone who believes that Muslims have the right to build but object because of the context that Islam attacked us already by flying planes into the World Trade Center towers and killed thousands of innocent people not related to their outrage and grievance against freedom of thought of the free world ... as RADICALS.

We, at MAXINE, have to ask - Isn't flying hijacked commercial planes into buildings and killing thousands of people while destroying massive amounts of property ... RADICAL?

The truth is this mosque project, its location, its naming, and timing of its celebration of launch of September 11, 2011 ... exactly 10 years after radical Islams attack on the United States ... is the definition of RADICAL and it should not be allowed to stand.

Take this and all other Imam's threats of violence and throw them back into their face.

UPDATE - Additional Thought:

The highest level of threat that the Ground Zero Imam stated in his responses to Soledad O'Brian in the CNN interview-based article (Ground Zero Imam Issues Threat To New Yorkers ... et al!) is to label all of the people who do not think a Mosque should be placed at "Ground Zero" - named Cordoba, set to be launched exactly 10 years to the date of the attacks on the World Trade Center (about 70% of most American's asked) - RADICALS.

Just now on ABC, Meredith Vieira let a CAIR spokesman label these same Americans as Racists. When will the illegitimate name calling from Muslim Haters end?

This excerpted and edited from NewsBusters -

Vieira let Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) Zead Ramadan go on, uninterrupted, as he proceeded to compare the protest surrounding the Ground Zero mosque to some of America's worst moments of intolerance as he went on to say:

"The issue with the public sentiment is that when an issue is related to bigotry, unfortunately our history has shown that sometimes we're on the wrong side. For example we interred Japanese during World War II, we segregated our military, our schools, and it took on Executive Order to undo that. And we also enslaved our fellow Americans. So I mean when it comes to bigotry we've got to be careful about the public sentiment."
Reference Here>>

This Ground Zero Mosque issue over principles is probably the clearest example that we are in a culturally-based Values War with Muslims and they are the ones looking for the fight. The Muslim culture would like to erase American culture and the freedoms it once guaranteed through the Bill Of Rights and the Constitution.

(ht: quotes excerpted and edited from CNN, Washington Post, & ABC News)

Robert Gibbs defends Obama's 'mainstream' Christian religion

Trinity United Church of Christ - "A CHURCH IN BLACK ... and white". Trinity UCC was founded in 1961. Ten years later, when the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright became its pastor, the church had 87 families. Today, Trinity UCC has more than 8,000 members, 70 ministries and three Sunday worship services. Image Credit: TUCC Newsletter


Robert Gibbs defends Obama's 'mainstream' Christian religion

Glenn Beck stated on his radio program this week (as reported by Associated Press) that President Barack Obama practices a version of Christianity that is not recognized by most people. Beck said that this "liberation theology" is all about "oppressors" and "victims."

The White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs defended this critique by Glenn Beck by saying President Barack Obama is a "committed, mainstream Christian." Further, Gibbs said, "I can only imagine where Mr. Beck conjured that from."

We, at MAXINE, looked into the website of Barack Obama's church during the 2008 presidential campaign ... the one he claims to have attended for twenty years, where he married his wife Michelle, and had his two daughters christened ... and this is exactly what we found.

Originally published at MAXINE on January 13, 2008 -

"Ideating" Barack Obama & Trinity United Church of Christ

IBM has a commercial where a workgroup is lying on floormats spread out on the floor of a large room, with those pillows people use on airplanes that form around the neck. The lights are off. When a man who is checking the rooms opens the door and turns on the lights to a neon glow, he discovers this room full of people, lying on the floor in orderly rows.

The man asks, “What are you guys doing?”

A female voice calls out, “We’re ideating.”

Well, we at MAXINE, felt like doing a little “Ideating” of our own when we began to read about Barack Obama and his twenty year association with the Chicago-based Trinity United Church of Christ.

The problem isn’t that this church may/may not have practices or beliefs that many would not consider mainstream – such as have some believers who speak in tongues, or handle snakes, or think that the Devil and Jesus Christ are related in a family way, or do a bunch of faith healings in a tent, or – well you get the idea. The problem starts with what this church tells about ITSELF and what it believes on its website.

Barack Obama (pictured here with TUCC Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.) has put his religion back into the headlines, trumpeting the power and salvation of faith and asking a church audience in South Carolina to help him become “an instrument of God” and join him in creating “a Kingdom right here on Earth." Image Credit: Trinity United Church of Christ/Religion News Service via FOX News

This issue first came to our attention during a morning review of Pajamas Media through this excerpted posting –

Obama’s Creepy, Race-Obsessed Church
By Burt Prelutsky - Pajamas Media – 1/12/2007

Introduction from PJM
A leading Democratic candidate for president attends an “Afrocentric” church that bestows awards on Louis Farrakhan and practically defines itself through race-baiting. Burt Prelutsky asks, why isn’t Barack Obama’s faith-based problem making national headlines and the nightly news?

One of the obvious differences between Democrats and Republicans is the role that religion plays in their presidential campaigns. For instance, every Democrat, while pretending to believe that “separation of church and state” actually appears somewhere in the Constitution, must also insist that religion plays an essential role in his or her life.
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What’s more, when questioning these people, the liberal media kindly limits itself to a yes or no question regarding the existence of God.
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Why is it, I wonder, that nobody is asking Barack Obama about his religious convictions? From what I’ve gathered, they’re far more fascinating than Mitt Romney’s.
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The vision statement of the TUCC is based upon something called the systematized liberation theology that began in 1969 with the publication of Dr. James Cone’s book, “Black Power and Black Theology.” Dr. Cone believes that black Christians should not follow the “White Church,” as it had failed to support them in their struggle for equal rights in America. I suspect that most white Christians would disagree.

Trinity United boasts that it is a congregation “Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian.” What’s more, “it is a congregation with a non-negotiable commitment to Africa. We are an African people, and remain true to our native land, the mother continent, the cradle of civilization.”

Its pastor, Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., has referred to “white arrogance” and “the United States of Whiter America.” To my ears, that sounds unashamedly black, but I’m not so sure about the unapologetically Christian.

Furthermore, Rev. Wright’s church publishes a magazine, The Trumpet. Not too surprisingly, all things considered, the recipient of the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Trumpeter Award for Social Justice was none other than Louis Farrakhan, the fellow who plays the race card even better than he plays his violin.
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That being said, I have no idea how a member of a black church that apparently feels it owes greater allegiance to Africa than to America and that pays homage to a bigot like Farrakhan, has the gall to present himself as the one candidate who can bring us all together.
Reference Here>>

Of course we had to do some investigation of our own, and sure enough this “Ideating” stuff can get really interesting.

Again, Barack Obama states that he has been an active member of this church for the last twenty years.

The website of the Trinity United Church of Christ has several revealing and disturbing written postings that need to be read in context in order to see what all of the fuss is about.

Trinity United Church of Christ sanctuary. Image Credit: TUCC

This from the TUCC website –

Trinity United Church of Christ

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization.

God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.

The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.

2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.

3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.

4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.

5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.

6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.

7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.

8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.

9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.

10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.
Reference Here>>

Image from YouTube video of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan receiving from Obama's pastor, Dr. Wright Jr., the "Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright,Jr. Lifetime Achievement Trumpeteer" Award for Social Justice at the 2007 Trumpet Gala held on November 2, 2007 - Hyatt Regency Chicago - Video Credit: TRINITYCHGO - TUCC

Talking Points

Dr. Wright’s talking points (3.1.7) [3/1/2007] for Trinity United Church of Christ its Web site and the Black Value System (in response to Erik Rush’s comments (2.28.07) on the Hannity and Colmes show):

• One of the biggest gaps in knowledge that causes the kind of ignorance that you hear spouted by this man [Erik Rush] and those like him, has to do with the fact that these persons are completely ignorant when it comes to the Black religious tradition. The vision statement of Trinity United Church of Christ is based upon the systematized liberation theology that started in 1969 with the publication of Dr. James Cone’s book, Black Power and Black Theology.

• Black theology is one of the many theologies in the Americas that became popular during the liberation theology movement. They include Hispanic theology, Native American theology, Asian theology and Womanist theology.

• I use the word “systematized” because Black liberation theology was in existence long before Dr. Cone’s book. It originates in the days of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. It was systematized and published by theologians, Old Testament scholars, New Testament scholars, ethicists, church historians, and historians of religion such as Dr. James Cone, Dr. Cain Hope Felder, Dr. Gayraud Wilmore, Dr. Jacqueline Grant, Dr. Kelley Brown Douglas, Dr. Renita Weems, Dr. Katie Cannon, Dr. Dwight Hopkins, Dr. Linda Thomas, and Dr. Randall Bailey.

• These scholars, who write in various disciplines, also include seminary presidents like Dr. John Kinney and professors of Hebrew Bible, like Dr. Jerome Ross. Black liberation theology defines Africans and African Americans as subjects – not the objects which colonizers and oppressors have consistently defined “others” as.

• We [African Americans] were always seen as objects. When we started defining ourselves, it scared those who try to control others by naming them and defining them for them; Oppressors do not like “others” defining themselves.

• To have a church whose theological perspective starts from the vantage point of Black liberation theology being its center, is not to say that African or African American people are superior to any one else.

• African-centered thought, unlike Eurocentrism, does not assume superiority and look at everyone else as being inferior.

• There is more than one center from which to view the world. In the words of Dr. Janice Hale, “Difference does not mean deficience.” It is from this vantage point that Black liberation theology speaks.

• Systematized Black liberation theology is 40 years old. Scholars of African and African American religious history show that Black liberation theology, however, has been in existence for 400 years. It is found in the songs, the sermons, the testimonies and the oral literature of Africans throughout the Diaspora.
Reference Here>>

“IDEa … what?”, The man at the door asks the workgroup lying on the floor, on mats, while having their necks supported with custom travel pillows. Image Credit: IBM via Mikntosh3001

And last but not the least -

THE BLACK VALUE SYSTEM

Trinity United Church of Christ adopted the Black Value System, written by the Manford Byrd Recognition Committee, chaired by the late Vallmer Jordan in 1981.

Dr. Manford Byrd, our brother in Christ, withstood the ravage of being denied his earned ascension to the number one position in the Chicago School System. His dedication to the pursuit of excellence, despite systematic denials, has inspired the congregation of Trinity United Church of Christ. Prayerfully, we have called upon the wisdom of all past generations of suffering Blacks for guidance in fashioning an instrument of Black self-determination, the Black Value System.

Beginning in 1982, an annual Black Value System – Educational Scholarship in the name of Dr. Byrd was instituted. The first recipient of the Dr. Manford Byrd Award, which is given annually to the man or woman who best exemplifies the Black Value System, was our brother, Dr. Manford Byrd.

These Black Ethics must be taught and exemplified in homes, churches, nurseries and schools, wherever Blacks are gathered. They consist of the following concepts:

1) Commitment to God. “The God of our weary years” will give us the strength to give up prayerful passivism and become Black Christian Activists, soldiers for Black freedom and the dignity of all humankind.

2) Commitment to the Black Community. The highest level of achievement for any Black person must be a contribution of strength and continuity of the Black Community

3) Commitment to the Black Family. The Black family circle must generate strength, stability and love, despite the uncertainty of externals, because these characteristics are required if the developing person is to withstand warping by our racist competitive society.

Those Blacks who are blessed with membership in a strong family unit must reach out and expand that blessing to the less fortunate.

4) Dedication to the Pursuit of Education. We must forswear anti-intellectualism. Continued survival demands that each Black person be developed to the utmost of his/her mental potential despite the inadequacies of the formal education process. “Real education” fosters understanding of ourselves as well as every aspect of our environment. Also, it develops within us the ability to fashion concepts and tools for better utilization of our resources, and more effective solutions to our problems. Since the majority of Blacks have been denied such learning, Black Education must include elements that produce high school graduates with marketable skills, a trade or qualifications for apprenticeships, or proper preparation for college.

Basic education for all Blacks should include Mathematics, Science, Logic, General Semantics, Participative Politics, Economics and Finance, and the Care and Nurture of Black minds.

5) Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence. To the extent that we individually reach for, even strain for excellence, we increase, geometrically, the value and resourcefulness of the Black Community. We must recognize the relativity of one’s best; this year’s best can be bettered next year. Such is the language of growth and development. We must seek to excel in every endeavor.

6) Adherence to the Black Work Ethic. “It is becoming harder to find qualified people to work in Chicago.” Whether this is true or not, it represents one of the many reasons given by businesses and industries for deserting the Chicago area. We must realize that a location with good facilities, adequate transportation and a reputation for producing skilled workers will attract industry. We are in competition with other cities, states and nations for jobs. High productivity must be a goal of the Black workforce.

7) Commitment to Self-Discipline and Self-Respect. To accomplish anything worthwhile requires self-discipline. We must be a community of self-disciplined persons if we are to actualize and utilize our own human resources, instead of perpetually submitting to exploitation by others. Self-discipline, coupled with a respect for self, will enable each of us to be an instrument of Black Progress and a model for Black Youth.

8) Disavowal of the Pursuit of “Middleclassness.” Classic methodology on control of captives teaches that captors must be able to identify the “talented tenth” of those subjugated, especially those who show promise of providing the kind of leadership that might threaten the captor’s control.

Those so identified are separated from the rest of the people by:

** Killing them off directly, and/or fostering a social system that encourages them to kill off one another.

** Placing them in concentration camps, and/or structuring an economic environment that induces captive youth to fill the jails and prisons.

** Seducing them into a socioeconomic class system which, while training them to earn more dollars, hypnotizes them into believing they are better than others and teaches them to think in terms of “we” and “they” instead of “us.”

** So, while it is permissible to chase “middleclassness” with all our might, we must avoid the third separation method – the psychological entrapment of Black “middleclassness.” If we avoid this snare, we will also diminish our “voluntary” contributions to methods A and B. And more importantly, Black people no longer will be deprived of their birthright: the leadership, resourcefulness and example of their own talented persons.

9) Pledge to Make the Fruits of All Developing and Acquired Skills Available to the Black Community.

10) Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting Black Institutions.

11) Pledge Allegiance to All Black Leadership Who Espouse and Embrace the Black Value System.

12) Personal Commitment to Embracement of the Black Value System. To measure the worth and validity of all activity in terms of positive contributions to the general welfare of the Black Community and the Advancement of Black People towards freedom.
Reference Here>>

Not at all as White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs put it - President Barack Obama is a "committed, mainstream Christian." All pretty biased and somewhat inflammatory stuff if what we are seeking here is a mainstream Christian culture based on Christian values.