Obama's Historical Speech On Race 3-18-08 Pt. 1 of 4

The urgency is right now!!! We have 5 weeks before to the PA primary. We must refocus this race on the issues that unite us and agree that we can as a nation work to improve race relations in this country.

Racism and/or race relations in America are being used to derail the Presidential candidacy of Senator Obama. We must do everything possible to prevent the plans of the Sean Hannity and other conservative hosts from ending Obama's historic journey. Last night Sean was celebrating Obama's defeat as the nominee. He claimed credit for the defeat of John Kerry.

I know that you will agree with me that Obama's speech today was incredible in so many ways. One of the things that Obama did today was to put race, racism, and discrimination on the table for an honest debate.

I believe that nothing happens in this world by chance. It is a divine moment that Senator Obama is just months away from being a President for all Americans. It is also a divine moment for me because I have written and published a book for just this time in our history. "A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined" will show the world the hardships and unfairness of employment discrimination.

I know that my divine purpose is to shed light on employment discrimination in America. That light will reveal that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must be amended again.

My book is a powerful tool to show Black, White, and all Americans that discrimination and racism is real and a daily struggle for some black people. The book also shows that Governor Spitzer victimized me in his role as the Attorney General of NYS and that the courts including the United States Supreme Court failed me in this case.

Vera Richardson
http://www.lulu.com/content/1362173

Black Super Model Apologizes for Disappearing

Waris Dirie, a super model born in Somalia, disappeared for three days last week, creating a nation-wide police search throughout all of Belgium. Dirie was set to appear at a conference hosted by The European Union for International Women's Day.

Dirie reappeared suddenly, apologizing Saturday for her disappearance and offered litte explanation as to her whereabouts.

In addition to being a super model, Dirie is a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador. She has been outspoken about the practice of female genital mutilation taking place around the world. She has described a process in which a woman's clitoris is removed with a dirty blade, with no anesthesia.

The spokesman for the Brussel's prosecutor's office, Jean-Marc Meilleur, said that police have closed their investigation.

"She gave little explanation. She only said that she walked around during the three days and said she was lost," Meilleur said. "She said she slept in several lobbies of hotels because she had no money."

Dirie issued her public apology during an interview on Belgian Television. People were worried because just last week, another woman from Africa who spoke against genital mutilation was found dead in the Seine River. Katoucha Niane, who was born in Ghana, was found to have had no foul play in her death, according to French police.

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Kwame Kilpatrick Asked to Resign as Mayor

The Detroit City Council is expressing its disdain for disgraced Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. This week, the council moved for a resolution asking for Kilpatrick to resign voluntarily. However, Mayor Kilpatrick has refused to do so.

"This is what I was born to do," said Kilpatrick.

A formal vote by the council is set for Tuesday. If the resolution passes, the council will seek a voluntary resignation. If Mayor Kilpatrick refuses to resign, the city then resorts to other options available to force his removal from office.

"The city has basically been paralyzed since all this information has come out," said Councilwoman Brenda Jones. "We can't just sit here and act like we are moving forward."

Jones and the other council members unanimously passed the resolution against Kilpatrick.

Kwame Kilpatrick, known as "The Hip Hop Mayor", has had a troubled administration from the start. Most recently, he found himself in the middle of a whistle-blower case, in which two Detroit Police Officers sued, citing that they were fired for revealing details of the Mayor's extracurricular activities.

Mayor Kilpatrick, who is the son of Congress Woman Carolyn Kilpatrick, has been accused of perjury after he and his Chief of Staff, Christine Beatty, lied under oath about having an affair. If found guilty of felony perjury, Kilpatrick could be disbarred, forced to resign as mayor and given up to 15 years in prison.

Kilpatrick had little to say about possibly being forced out by the City Council. "I don't want to get into that," he said. "I'm not resigning."

The Detroit City Council also had some disparaging remarks about the national attention that the case has drawn.

"Detroit has received embarrassing coverage nationally and internationally, which has caused the mayor to be absent from his duties for a prolonged period of time and absent from the public," the resolution stated.

Whether the council can remove Kilpatrick from the Mayor's Office is yet to be determined. Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. stated that he doesn't believe Kilpatrick can be removed without being convicted of a felony.

"I think at this point he's dug his heels in pretty well," Cockrel said.

Kwame Kilpatrick, an attorney, was the youngest Mayor ever elected in the city of Detroit. His troubles began as Mayor in 2002, when rumors of a wild party at his mansion surfaced. It is alleged that the party involved strippers, and that Kilpatrick's wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, came home unexpectedly and got into a fight with one of the strippers.

But Kilpatrick's problems with strippers did not stop there. Tamara Greene, a stripper with the nickname "Strawberry", allegedly performed at Kilpatrick's home. Greene was shot over a dozen times by the same .40 caliber pistol offered for use by the Detroit Police Department. Her family is claiming that her murder (which came shortly after another failed attempt on her life) was committed to keep her from testifying.

Tamara Greene's family is suing the city of Detroit for $150 Million.

Living a Purpose Driven Life

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

I am a Christian who believes that I have surrendered to God’s perfect will for my life. That perfect will included discussing my life in an open book to the world. In spite of my faith and the fact that I surrendered to God’s will, I am having a difficult time today. I feel like a victim. I am anxious, fearful, impatient, and sad.

I believe with my whole heart that I am living a life of purpose. I know in my spirit that I must wait on God and that he will be glorified after my divine purpose is fully accomplished. Although I am living a purpose driven life my flesh and mind are wrestling with my needs and desires.

In this blog entry I am going to share some of my past emotions and thoughts that I experienced as I pursued my divine purpose.

I am a black female and I experienced discrimination while employed by New York State Department of Corrections. From 1993 to 1996 I was the victim of a continued hostile work environment, discrimination, and retaliation at Albion Correctional Facility.

Shortly after I filed my Title VII case without an attorney in 1997, God told me “You will be victorious in this matter.” I believed God because with God nothing is impossible. It was with this firm belief and trust in God’s promise that I was able to exhaust all avenues for judicial redress.

May 24, 2001
Judge Elfvin issued a twenty-four-page court order that dismissed my Title VII case. The court order did not even mention the fact that seven of the declarations filed by The New York State Attorney General’s Office contained perjured statements.

Although my case was dismissed by the United States District Court for the Western District of New York I held on to God’s promise. After I got over the initial disappointment I started working on my appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

January 25, 2002
I felt disappointed as I read the Appeal Court’s decision. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its order upholding the decision of United States District Court for the Western District of New York. The Appeal Court agreed with Judge Elfvin's order that dismissed my case.
http://vlex.com/vid/18529506

I didn’t understand the fact that neither court order addressed my argument that the New York State Attorney General’s Office had presented perjured non-retaliatory explanations in their sworn declarations filed in the district court.

My faith was tested by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit’s ruling. I still believed God’s promise that I would be victorious in this matter. I also believed that God would be honored even more after I successful argued and won my case before The United States Supreme Court.

June 24, 2002
The nine Supreme Court Justices have wide discretion in deciding what cases to review. The Supreme Court Justices and law clerks of the Court review nearly 9,000 appeals that are filed each year and pick about 80 to decide.

I filed a Writ of Certiorari and nine Appendix (exhibits) with the United States Supreme Court. I was aware of the almost impossibility that my case would be reviewed but I worked countless hours preparing my Writ of Certiorari. As I typed the 40-paged Writ, I held on to God’s promise that I would be victorious in this matter.

November 4, 2002
Today The Supreme Court of the United States of America issued an order that upheld the Second Circuit Court of Appeals' decision not to reverse the district court's summary judgment order. I understood the reality that The Supreme Court of the United States of America reviews less than 100 of the approximately 9,000 cases filed with the Court each year. I didn’t understand the fact that my case wasn’t selected as one of the cases for review.

After I read the Supreme Court's “decision” I burst out in loud cries of anguish and disbelief. I cried out to God in pain and utter disappointment. How would I live when the very foundation of my faith received a near fatal blow? I lapsed into something deeper than depression. How could I go on with my life after experiencing such an unjust decision? How could I function in a world were lies prevail over the truth? I didn’t know what to think or what to do. I no longer had a job or the hope of being victorious in my lawsuit. I felt like a complete failure.

Fall 2004
I read the “Purpose Driven Life” and received teaching on purpose at two different churches. After I read Rick Warren’s divinely inspired book it changed my life. I realized that I was victorious in my case because God’s purpose for my life was revealed to me.

My divine purpose is to shed light on employment discrimination in America. I believe that this light will reveal that Congress needs to investigate, address and/or amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Amending the Act again would prevent one judge from having the absolute power to grant summary judgment motions that dismiss discrimination and retaliation cases.

February 18, 2006
I was born 52 years ago today. I have chosen this day to begin my journey fulfilling the divine purpose of my birth. I know that I was born black and poor on February 18, 1954, to write “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.”

November 12, 2006
Today I am currently writing on the retaliation I experienced at Albion. I am overwhelmed with anxiety as I continue to view extensive evidence of discrimination and failure of anyone to help me. I am in tears as I type this.

This is the day that Dr. Martin Luther King’s Memorial was dedicated. Oprah gave a moving speech in honor of Dr. King that reminded that I must complete this book.

No American citizen should suffer the mental and physical anguish I experienced from New York State Department of Corrections employees, New York Attorney General’s Office and the American Judiciary System.

November 17, 2006
I am feeling more empowered and stronger. It has taken me 3 days (30 hours) to write about the January 7, 1996 incidents. I am using the five-paged memo titled Lost Or Stolen ID as a guide. I am so thankful that I wrote all of those documents and kept them. God knew that I would need them. I must hold on to the fact that with the vision from God comes the provisions. It is 2:19 am and I am ending my writing for today. I worked 10 hours today on the book. It was a good day.

December 9, 2006
I almost complete the portion of book that deals with the retaliatory action of Berbary ordering Sgt. Fasano and C.O. Frost the Vice President of the local Council 82 union to escort me out of the facility. Writing this book is emotionally and physically painful. I am experiencing pain in my lower back (from my butt all the way down to the middle of my thigh). I am very sad as the memories come rushing through my mind. It is 1:00 a.m. I need a break from this difficult assignment. I will work on completing this portion of the book tomorrow.

February 3, 2007
I have almost completed the chapter of this book titled “My Summary Judgment Motion - Retaliation.” This has been a difficult chapter for me to write. The emotional pain of reliving every aspect of this ordeal is almost unbearable. Vivid memories including the initial discrimination at Albion, the failure to supervisory staff to correct it, the retaliation that I experienced, New York State Division of Human Right’s no probable cause ruling, New York State Attorney General’s filing of perjured declarations/affidavits, and Judge Elfvin failure to appoint counsel to represent me during my lawsuit are crushing my spirit and my resolve to complete this book and to fulfill my divine purpose.

I have gained strength, confirmation, and encouragement from various religious broadcast and sermons. In my determination to fulfill the divine purpose of my life I typed and saved a document titled “Confirmation of Purpose from Religious Broadcast”. At 12:40 a.m. I pulled up the document and read part of sermon from Bishop T. D. Jakes.

Bishop T. D. Jakes on September 20, 2006
“Man has nothing to do with God’s promise. People don’t have to approve it. You must know that God blessed it he that has begun a good work in your life and will fulfill it until the return of Christ.”

Fear the controversy but do it any way. Man has nothing to do with God’s promise. Don’t abort your baby you may have pain, not have friendships. Pain is an indication that birth is getting close.”

I am crying now as I type this. I truly fear what may happen to me after my book is published. I fear for my life but I know that God’s perfect will for my life will be fulfilled.

Bishop Jakes continued, “This is the time that you have to bare down, when opposition is getting strongest, you have to bear down. Great things are often born out of the system.” He cited the example of Mary and the birth of Christ. The system will lock you out don’t wait for the system to make room. God birth a King in a barn. You must trust God promise to you.

“Many people have given up on God’s promise because man has said there is no room for them. The greatness of the concept may not be ideal circumstance but it is still the promise. Redefine willing you have to be willing to be in an uncomfortable situation to get what God has promised you”

After reading Bishop Jake’s sermon I accepted his challenge and his confirmation of God’s promise to me. I will complete this chapter and this book because it is an assignment from God. I love you Lord and I surrender to your perfect will.

CONCLUSION
The horrible experience of my Title VII case still causes me to shed tears. Only God knows how many other whole human beings have suffered, cried, and prayed to be treated according to the rules, according to the law, and according to the United States Constitution.

Thank you Holy Spirit for this revelation and the fact that I feel better now. I feel better because I realize that I suffered and am still suffering so that other people will not have to endure or experience my ordeal of discrimination and retaliation.

Vera Richardson

http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/oop/click_ord/listbooks.html?sid=1624&type=a&qkey=Richardson,+Vera

Bill O'Reilly aims to Lynch Michelle Obama: How Nice

Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

Call me a crazy black man, but why do I keep hearing commentators on major media outlets discussing the idea of lynching African-Americans? A golf channel analyst used the word to describe suggested treatment of Tiger Woods, and now Bill O’Reilly from Fox News has used it as a way to describe his feelings toward Michelle Obama. In fact, O’Reilly even said that he may have a “lynching party”, bringing back images of people gathered for family picnics to watch a charred black body hang from a tree.

In response to Michelle Obama’s recent comment about being proud of America for the first time, O’Reilly had this to say: "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts that say this is how the woman really feels.”

At least he’s going to make sure Michelle Obama did something wrong before he lynches her, that’s awfully nice of him. O’Reilly’s comment takes you back 100 years to a time in which community Klansmen felt they were being “good people” by waiting to hear the evidence before going to the black man or woman’s home to have them shot, burned, maimed, stabbed or castrated.

Fortunately, Michelle Obama has taken the classy route and is only taking Bill O’Reilly as seriously as the rest of us do. He may as well be called “Irrelevant O’Reilly”, as both he and Sean Hannity gained their popularity in a post-911 world, built on fear, anger and negativity. The “Post-Post-911” period in America appears to be one of bringing people together and moving forward, not allowing the extremists such as Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and O’Reilly to dictate the dialogue. The War on Terror has been as successful as the War on Drugs and we are finding that working together achieves far more than bullying our way through foreign and domestic policy.

I have dealt with Bill O’Reilly up close on many occasions. Three months ago, he had my picture slapped up on his show for 5 days in a row, calling for me to be fired from Syracuse University for insulting him and his Bojangled Caricature of a sidekick, Juan Williams. My refusal to appear on his show earned me an entire episode of anger and nasty attacks by both he and his conservative guests. Perhaps this too qualifies as the type of “lynching party” he plans to give Michelle Obama, I’m not sure. I consider myself lucky, for a “lynching party” 100 years ago would not have consisted of meaningless words, it would have put my black butt in a casket.

I am sure Bill doesn’t truly want to physically lynch Michelle Obama, but there are many ways he could have expressed his frustration. Mrs. Obama could have been challenged on her remarks, criticized for them, and even taken to task on O’Reilly’s show. But the fact that Bill O’Reilly, a man whose racism exceeds both Don Imus and David Duke, would choose the word “lynch” to describe Michelle Obama is not only disturbing, it’s downright revealing. What’s more revealing is the fact that Fox News has not felt the need to punish O’Reilly for his remarks, implying that it is ok to talk about lynching a woman who might be the First Lady of the United States. I am not sure he would have gotten away with offering to send a prominent Jewish woman to “the concentration camp”, no matter what she had to say.

Bill O’Reilly is not only racist, he is unpatriotic. How can you love your country when you want to have a “lynching party” against the wife of a Presidential candidate? While he is quick to jump on the anti-Muslim bandwagon in the War on Terror, O’Reilly is the first to use terroristic words to describe his reaction to the potential First Lady. This should alarm all of us, whether we agree with Michelle Obama or not.

America has many enemies, both foreign and domestic. Overzealous commentators, draped with the American flag, making terroristic threats toward our leaders are first and foremost among them.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com

Michelle Obama: The Angry Black Woman?

Michelle Obama is in the middle of controversy after recent remarks made during a speech in support of her husband, Senator Barack Obama. Conservative publications and some liberals have attacked Mrs. Obama after hearing her remarks.

Speaking at a rally in Milwaukee, Michelle Obama, said, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change."

Considered a strong role model for black women (and all women everywhere), Michelle Obama has been called unpatriotic and selfish by many conservatives.

Sasha Issenberg of The Boston Globe said, "So what did Michelle Obama think of the United States before her husband decided he wanted to run the place?"

Mickey Kaus at Slate.com said that Michelle Obama "seems to have a non-trivial chip on her shoulder and it's not a winning quality."

Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot, a conservative publication called the Michelle Obama remark "strikingly ungracious."

Jonathon Last at The Conservative Weekly said, "Do these comments provide a glimpse of her general political worldview--one that is surprisingly critical of America for the wife of a presidential candidate? Or do they suggest a certain narcissism about the Obamas and their view of themselves? Or both?"

The comments by conservatives strike a tough chord with those who support Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama has been called "my rock" by her husband, and is considered to be one of the strongest potential first ladies in American History. However, to manage the controversy, the Obama campaign issued a statement in response to Michelle Obama's remarks.

"Of course Michelle is proud of her country, which is why she and Barack talk constantly about how their story wouldn’t be possible in any other nation on Earth. What she meant is that she’s really proud at this moment because for the first time in a long time, thousands of Americans who’ve never participated in politics before are coming out in record numbers to build a grassroots movement for change."

Many are concerned that Michelle Obama's "realness" as a black woman can be a liability, especially in an historically racist country such as The United States. Stereotypical images of black women as being angry, defensive and mean toward others show themselves in the reactions of conservatives and even liberal whites.

Senator Obama has been able to dodge the stigma of "the angry black male" primarily because he has shown enough diplomacy and soft talk to make whites comfortable. However, the honesty of Michelle Obama, who reflects the sentiments of millions of Americans, does not match the polite, all-accepting disposition typically taken by the First Lady.

Up Close and Personal With Senator Barack Obama

Up Close and Personal With Senator Barack Obama

This video interview of Senator Obama is awesome. Tavis Smiley interviewed Barack on October 18, 2007. Tavis appears supportive, proud, and loving during the entire interview.

During the interview with Tavis Senator Obama addressed questions on the lack of black support, concerns about his safety, his campaign strategy, his experience, health insurance etc.

After viewing this video one wonders what really happened to change Travis Smiley’s attitude from the interviewer on this video and the Tavis voicing his comments on the Tom Joyner Morning Show on February 12, 2008.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined."

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=9780615177014

http://politics.yourblackworld.com/2008/02/i-believe-obamas-hope-and-change_12.html