Manns Medium

Ever since this president was sworn in, there have been those who will stop at nothing but to oppose anything and everything that he says and does.   It is not so unexpected but it still is bewildering.   The newest media frenzy is over the anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden and decenters are given a microphone and all the time they need on every channel to roar.   The sad part of it is, many of them may have more at stake than this media mass are interested in finding out. John McCain says that the Obama Re-election Team was wrong for politicizing the death of bin Laden but many refuse to remind people that John McCain ran on having the knowledge and expertise to find and “get” bin Laden.   So was that politicizing it then or does McCain get a mulligan?   Ed Gillespie repeated close to this take but I do not remember him stepping to the microphone and declaring it off-limits when George W. Bush and Dick Cheney was going around bragging about ke...

I often times am surprised by those who say that they speak their minds and are not influenced by personal feelings when it comes to commenting on sporting events.   Many analysts say that they are impartial but then come an event which shows their real colors.   I expect it from everyday fans or those of us who are not paid to sit and critique teams but it is still surprising and somewhat discouraging to hear it coming from them. Almost to a Tee, many of those spoke about above had nothing but mean things to say about the elbow from Ron Artest/World Peace to James Harden during the Lakers Thunder Game   and according to an art5icle written by Kevin Kolczynski of Reuters much of what was quoted could have been contributed to many of these knowledgeable and partial commentators and analysts.   The report quoted NBA Commissioner David Stern as saying “The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularl...

I was greatly affected by the story of the Los Angeles Times regarding the 2010 photo of soldiers posing with the remains as referenced in the article written by Cheryl Pellerin of the American Forces Press Service titled Panetta Rejects Conduct Shown in 2010 Troop Photos.   The graphic nature of the photos was appalling to see but the real bane of my irritation was the complete disregard that these soldiers showed for the loss of life and the position that their action was putting those still serving in.   According to the article previously mentioned, the poster was “a soldier with the 82nd Airborne’s 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Bragg, N.C., anonymously provided 18 photographs because he believed they represented a breakdown in leadership and discipline that compromised troop safety.”   Knowing that, releasing them to the Los Angeles Times or leaving them where they could be used by anyone could also is “a breakdown in leadership that compromised troop saf...

If you have not read the article by Amir Shah and Heidi Vogt of the Associated Press titled US to defend Afghanistan for decade after drawdown , I suggest you give it a look.   While I normally can understand some of the moves made by this administration, I am having a difficult time defending this one.   The purpose can be easily explained but there are parts of this agreement that I believe could be problematic and very hard to swallow. The reports states that in the agreement “the United States also pledged it will not launch attacks on other countries from Afghan soil” and while I can see partially why that would be important, a clearer explanation needs to be made.     The report further explains that “the draft agreement on a long-delayed strategic partnership agreement ensures Americans will provide military and financial support to the Afghan people for at least a decade beyond the 2014 deadline.”   This is one place where I really have a problem...

“Wal-Mart employs 2.2 million people and runs more than 10,000 stores around the world”.   They also will locate in the poorest areas of a city becoming an anchor to keep that neighborhood afloat and providing jobs to those who need it worse.   Wal-Mart also allows those on fixed incomes or little income to be able to put food on their tables at a decent price as well as provide so many other basic necessities without breaking the bank.   It is also true that they are often targeted by labor and community activists who argue that it underpays its workers and its sprawling stores undercut smaller shops, often putting them out of business but Wal-Mart continues to go where other big box and chain stores refuse to tread. Now it takes another tremendous hit and one that it may not be able to recover from.   According to Jessica Wohl and Carlyn Kolker of Reuters in their article titled Wal-Mart probe could cost some executives their jobs , it is reported that “the...

Nothing much surprises me this election cycle considering no one on the Republican side except for a few is willing to see this economy get better even if it meant a second term for Barack Obama but hearing Mitch Daniels, Republican Indiana Governor say that Obama has a slim to none chance of winning his state did cause me to do a double-take. Mr. Daniels was a guest of Chris Wallace on Fox News, Sunday, when he was asked if President Obama would win Indiana as he did before.   Governor Daniels justified his statement by saying that “Obama’s job sinking policies would not be forgotten by Hoosiers and they would not reward him with a win.”   When Mr. Wallace asked if the governor believed that Mitt Romney had the state sewed up, Daniels replied that basically “Romney would have to work for it.”   That was quite a confusing interview but Mr. Wallace did little to clear it up.   What confused me was the thought if Indiana would not reward Obama with a win ...

Jake Tapper of ABC News reported on the new GOP’s war room on his show Political Punch and ended up exposing not only those manning this room but the Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as hypocrites.   According to Mr. Tapper, “Political Punch got an exclusive look inside the committee's anti-Obama attack machine, and the space they call "the war room."   “That means having transcripts of all President Obama's speeches at the ready, and responding immediately any time there is a gaffe by a the president, vice president, or a Democratic operative.”   Mr. Priebus was quick to point out that their purpose was to hold the president responsible for the promises that he made.   Therein lays the hypocrisy because Mr. Tapper also asked if the war room was closely watching everything said by those in their own party but the question of holding them to the promises that they make was not addressed.   I often times wonder why asking for an ...

There are several great lessons that can be found in the bond hearing that took place for George Zimmerman today.   George Zimmerman is the man accused of second degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin.   Several things happened that made me both proud and a little concerned. What made me proud was seeing our legal system at work, each side doing what they were supposed to do and that is defend and speak for their clients.   Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara showed why he is one of the best in the field.   He keeps refusing to play out his case in the media and is quite determined to keep it in the courtroom where it belongs.   His constant objections during the bond hearing lead me to believe that he really is quite the professional.   His apologies for defending his clients to rumors of his defense being offensive to the parents and supporters of Trayvon leads me to believe that he is a man of high character.   His job is to get his clie...

Mitt Romney poses in front of a business and implies that the plant closed under the Obama Administration.   No one in the crowd corrects him or after wards approaches him about it.   It should be said that excuses should be given to no one in the crowd correcting him because it was his crowd and they seem to accept their guy spreading lies and do not appear interested in having a representative who are more truthful.   The media runs straight to their polls and tells us that Mitt Romney is better on the economy than this president.   They say that the economy is the weak point of President Obama’s re-election campaign.   I beg to differ with all these experts especially when I compare both on economic standards. Mitt Romney was Governor of Massachusetts and if past reports are true they ranked 23 rd in job creation.   He ran Bain Capital and if he is credited with creating jobs there, he must also be credited with all of the job losses as well. ...

Bigotry is defined as a person who is intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices while prejudice is defined as a preconceived judgment or opinion formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge.   These definitions goes a very long way in proving my point and providing the substances as to why I feel that bigotry and prejudice may never die.    People develop prejudice about almost everything and very few ever take the time to investigate to find out if the grounds for their prejudice are true or not.   The failure of Black America to take the time to learn the true essence of White America leads to prejudice of all whites just as when White America refuses to invest the time to find out if what they have heard or been taught is true about Black America.   The same thing happens with any group or section of our society when those who are not a part of it fails to seek sufficient knowledge about that group or section.  ...

For me, the debate over raising taxes on millionaires and everyone paying their fair share was looked upon as nothing more than a level playing field.   Then I began to listen to others frame this debate in different ways each with its own merit.   The cloud was lifted after I considered the arguments and discovered something that no one was talking about. I went on Turbo Tax and plugged in the numbers for people making over one million dollars per year paying thirty percent of their income in taxes and only taking the normal deductions.   Deductions like the mortgage insurance and property taxes on their primary home, wages and salaries paid to employees, advertising and supply costs as well as payroll taxes and other business expenses and choosing one hundred percent at risk.   After doing that what showed as the refund amount was a little over what they would have paid in taxes.     What this says to me and anyone else who wish to try it is, the ...

While channel surfing I came across the Melissa Harris Perry Show where the topic of Taxes were being discussed.   Her guests were JoAnn Reid of the Grio, Rick Newman of US News and World Reports and Randa Fahmy Hudome, Former Energy Secretary for the Bush Administration.   There were quite a few good points made but there were also some of which I took issue with. Ms. Hudome mentioned that the true job creators were the millionaires and billionaire which is why their taxes should not be raised.   She said that all of them want to do the right thing.   She further stated that there appears to be no trust in the economy as if trust were a necessary ingredient to boost consumer confidence.   I agree with the need for trust but her premisie misses the target.   If millionaires and billionaires wish to do the right thing then the right thing would have been paying those corporate taxes and not hiding money overseas.   The right thing would be creat...

Has anyone else ever wondered why issues between many people are never resolved and tends to continue to fester and often time grow into larger more complicated matters?   I have and now I think I can safely say why. What happens in most instances begin almost immediately after the first confrontation where involved parties seek shelter by running directly to their corners instead of staying put in the middle of the ring.   What I mean by this is that as soon as we are confronted with a difference of opinion or thought instead of attempting to learn as much as we can on why there is a difference, we immediately run to our corner and deem the opposition as an enemy.   We do not take the time to listen to what the other side has to say because all we hear is their non-agreements.   Case and point is the recent dust-up between Ann Romney and Hilary Rosen.   When Hilary Rosen made her commit about Ann Romney never having worked a day in her life, every...

Supporters of the Stand your Ground Law wonder why all of the fuss about this law and many have attributed to just a few race-baiters or troublemakers.   Sad for them that they have refused to look just a little below the surface of this debate because if they did, their concerns may have been answered. The main disingenuous result of this law is how it makes work for some and not for others.   A law is supposed to be enforced equally throughout society but this one is not.   Take for example the differences between the Trayvon Martin case and Dana Hancock shooting.   When the Trayvon Martin case came to light, some immediately jumped on the side of George Zimmerman and preached how he was justified in shooting Trayvon but this same action did not happen when it came to Steve Sims Jr. in Atlanta Georgia. According to an article written by Jennifer Mayerle of CBS Atlanta titled “ Man claims Georgia 'stand your ground' law should apply to his case” it wa...

When the Founders first got together to craft the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, the primary goal was to make rules, regulations and laws which would benefit the nation as a whole.   To leave room for it to expand to include any other provision which would also follow that one and only goal?   They crafted a piece of legislation that they believed would serve and protect the freedoms that they held dear and that was missing from the land of which they departed.   It was a moment of triumphant and it was a feeling of accomplishment.   Today every one of the Founders would look upon this land and not recognize it for all that they gave to give us an ever-expanding document to serve only one goal, we have misrepresented it and turn it into a document that suits the few and not the many.   For this we should be ashamed and beg the Founder’s forgiveness. American lost its way when our elected leaders lost theirs.   They campaign fro...

While I and so many more are truly upset and angered by the events in Sanford, Florida, none of us wish to disrespect Trayvon’s family, Zimmerman’s family or the numerous officials in Sanford who are now trying to clean up a mess created by a select few.   What angers me more are those who think that the only way to get justice is on the other end of a gun? Recently six shots were fired into an empty police car in Sanford and for those individuals who believe this is just, they are wrong.   All this does is add fuel to the fire and instead of us using this moment as a teaching moment, addressing all those long standing issues and working to bring an end to this separate justice system we now have.   We have a golden opportunity to finally get issues which has plagued the African-American community and so many other communities out in the open and possibly solved.   We do not need the 10 percent who thrives better when there are divisions. We must not be deter...

When asked why tempers are so high in Sanford Florida, many people just can’t seem to answer that question.   I, myself, have had a hard time attempting to explain why so many are marching for justice and often I use the analogy of people turning out to comb the countryside when The Anderson child was lost or the enormous outcry when Natalie Holloway came up missing.   While many have tuned in to the Trayvon Martin story, they have also been exposed to similar events which have happened and no one seemed to have really paid attention to them.   This has left some furious and others unaffected but what it should have done to all of us is show us that coming together as Americans is the only true way to end this senseless violence upon any community and upon our nation. Take for example an article written by Olivia Katrandjian of ABC News titled Two Men Arrested, Facebook Clues in Tulsa Shooting Spree .   This article along with the one from Holbrook Mohr of th...

The more I consider the “War on Women” and all of the bills being pushed and passed by Republican-led State Houses as well as those being crafted in Washington, I cannot help but wonder where are the female lawmakers and why are they voting for things like this? Take for example the information found in the article by Amanda Terkel of the Huffington Post titled Scott Walker Quietly Repeals Wisconsin Equal Pay Law.    There had to be some female lawmakers in the Republican Party that thought this was not a good idea.   How can they not see the regression that this and other bills will cause all women?   Are they under the impression that these bills will not affect them or their daughters and sisters?   The article reports that the law quietly signed by Scott Walker harms the "economic security as a women’s health issue," Sara Finger, executive director of WAWH. "The salary women are paid directly affects the type and frequency of health care services t...

I have had many opportunities to try and explain why many in the African-America community have a distrust of law enforcement but were never really able to capture it before I read this article titled McGill student's run-in with U.S. border agents prompts lawsuit written by Benjamin Shingler for the Canadian Press.   I believe it captures the very essence of what many of us feel when it comes to trusting that law enforcement is here to protect us with the same vigor as they protect other races.   The article centers around “a Montreal university student was detained at the U.S. border, held for several hours, interrogated, had his personal belongings searched and saw his computer confiscated for over a week.   What caught the authorities' attention? His doctoral research on Islamic studies, he says. In a case that has attracted media attention in the U.S., Pascal Abidor has become embroiled in a drawn-out legal battle with the American government — and a post...

This commentary comes in direct response to an article written by Mr. Mark Whittington as a Yahoo Contributor titled Obama Helps the Muslim Brotherhood's War on Egyptian Women .   In this article Mr. Whittington makes some very good points but do not offer any possible explanation for the Obama Administration seemingly stands except that it is a “bereft of shame”.   While I am sure that some of my commentary could be found to lack the same, I am still compelled to answer his charge.   Now make no mistake, I am not privy to any inside information from the Obama Administration which makes me an expert into their thinking but as with all other Americans I too have my opinions. In an effort to address each point of Mr. Whittington’s commentary, I will provide a picture of the other side of the argument after repeating his.   The first of which is “President Barack Obama has hit upon a re-election strategy, according to Reuters , by wooing working women and accusi...

Reuters reports that shirts were on sale in Miami Florida during a protest calling for the capture of George Zimmerman.   In my humble opinion this action does nothing but disrespects the memory of Trayvon , undermines the work being done by his family and attorneys’, attempts to circumvent the FBI and all legal representatives who are truly working to make justice fair for all.   It is nothing more than an opportunity to stand on the grave of Trayvon to make money. Hypocrisy is the act of pointing out what others are doing as unjust or immoral while doing the very same thing yourself.   Selling those shirts and pushing this vigilante style law enforcement by offering a reward is asking some mentally questionable person to conduct him or herself identical to the way Mr. Zimmerman did.   His action caused a 17 year old to lose his life and supporting this idea of a bounty in any way could also result in the same end. So what would be the purpose?   ...

Many of us have been wondering just how many Trayvon Martin stories are out there that very few know about.   One such story is the one that was posted in the Huffington Post titled Howard Morgan, Black Off-Duty Cop Shot 28 Times By White Chicago Officers, Faces Sentencing.   This story reports that “Howard Morgan, a former Chicago police officer who was shot 28 times by white officers -- and lived to tell his side of the story. Morgan was off-duty as a detective for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad when he was pulled over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street on Feb 21, 2005 , the Chicago Sun-Times reports.   According to police, Morgan opened fire with his service weapon when officers tried to arrest him, which caused them to shoot him 28 times. His family, however, very much doubts those claims.   "After being left for dead, he survived and was then charged with attempted murder of the four white officers who brutalized him," Occupy Chica...

It should go without saying that no party or person has all of the answers and in order for anyone to grow and mature as a person, the first thing we must do is be willing to admit when we are wrong and modify our stances to reflect our education on that subject. What frightens me most about the New Republican Party is that none of them seem to ever wish to admit that they are wrong.   Many those honestly looking at the entire situation is being chased out of the party and those who are never wrong are taking over.   I witnessed this fact last night as I attempted to hear the other side of the Obama Bashing Debate by tuning in to Sean Hannity’s Show on Fox last night.   His guests were Liz Cheney and Lanny Davis.   The topic was exposing the Real Obama.   It was evident how this conversation would go with the first question by Hannity to Cheney and the amount of time he gave her to speak her mind without interruption.   This was not the same respect...

When will we learn that individuals who tend to try and help often times does more damage than good?   This is quite evident in the recent new stories beginning with Zimmerman’s father and now ending with this now misguided attempt by Zimmerman’s neighbor.   According to an article written by Dylan Stableford from The Cutline titled “ Zimmerman neighbor on robberies by ‘young black men’ before Trayvon shooting: ‘If you plant corn, you get corn’ , it is reported that “Zimmerman's Sanford, Fla., neighbor, said the neighborhood watchman protected his residence from a potential burglary several weeks before the shooting of Trayvon Martin.   Frank Taaffe, a former neighborhood watch captain, told CNN's "Starting Point" that his house was in the process of being robbed on Feb. 2, but Zimmerman called Sanford police, who thwarted the robbery.   "My house was being robbed, and George on his nightly rounds watched this burglary in progress, called Sanford P.D., ...