Mexican American and Frustrated by Lack of Movement on Immigration Reform

Here we are during the Holiday Season.
We are in the 5th year of our President's tenure.
We have no movement on Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

I know the issues. I know the Problems.
Republicans have one agenda.
Democrats, a different agenda.

Republicans, especially the extremists, want to close the borders and deport everyone who does not have citizenship.
Democrats want Immigration Reform, but lack the strength to take a stand to pass it.

I have to give it to Republicans and all people who thrive in HATE for their strength and determination. They are willing to be demonized, ridiculed, hated, attacked, voted out of office, and they still stand their ground. They don't care about polls. They don't care that main street America disagrees with them and ridicules them. They stand their ground and still fight.

Democrats, on the other hand, always try to be politically correct. They thrive on polls and popularity. They continue to apologize for their views if they get a bad poll. Apologize and beg for forgiveness. Where are their guts?

Here I sit. Frustrated. Knowing Mexican Americans and Latinos are on the RIGHT SIDE of History. Immigration Reform is the right thing to do. (Like Healthcare, Civil Rights and so many other humanitarily correct philosophies).

What is the resolution? Do we have to wait until the 2014 elections?
I honestly don't know.
So here I sit.
Frustrated.
Not willing to post on my Blog every day anymore.
I still believe in Truth, Justice, America - the Land of Immigrants and Immigration Reform.
But I am NOT willing to be a pawn of those pushing forward a political agenda.

I DEMAND Comprehensive Immigration Reform for the Sake of Humanity and because it is the Right Thing to Do for OUR America!!

Latinos need to Plan NOW to Vote in the 2014 mid term Elections.

We need Immigration Reform. The 11M here -- most who have been here for decades -- since they were children, should be allowed to become Legal Citizens.
Most Americans agree.
Democrats agree.
Most Republicans do not.
Republican's version of Immigration Reform is to close the Border and make the 11M leave the country. They do not consider the cost of rounding up 11M people, incarcerating them - in prisons for months/years and providing travel for them to leave the country.
Additionally, most Republicans want to militarize the border with an electrified fence.
The most extreme (Rep Steve King) call Latinos animals.
We Latinos will NEVER vote for these Republicans.

There are a few Republicans that disagree and do support Immigration Reform. Governor Chris Christie told Latino Voters in his state that he agrees. That's why Latinos, in large numbers, voted for him. Let's hope he keeps his word.

I don't believe Congress will pass Immigration Reform in 2014. I don't believe Immigration Reform will pass until Democrats are the majority in both the Senate and the House. The only way this is possible is if Latinos vote in the 2014 mid term elections.

We need a grass roots campaign to get out the Vote!

Arpaio, the Most HATED Man in America!

Jorge Ramos says Joe Arpaio is the most Hated Man in America by Latinos.

In a recent interview with Arpaio, Ramos said, "As you know to many Latinos, you are the face of racism and discrimination,” Ramos said. “You know that.”

Rubio Reverses Himself on Comprehensive Immigration Reform and is once again ANTI Latino!

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio has reversed himself on Immigration Reform. Now, he is ANTI Latino.

This past weekend he has reversed himself. Where once he Strongly Advocated Comprehensive Immigration Reform.. NOW he is saying he is AGAINST the very Bill he Proposed.

What is Up with Rubio!
Why didn't Anyone Ever Tell Him his Republican Ass AND his Presidential Aspirations were TOO BIG to be a Strong Proponent of Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

This HINO does NOT care about Equality or Fairness. His Chief Priority is to be the Republican Candidate for President in 2016!

I say: SHAME on You, Rubio!!

Washington Republicans Agree with the President in Moving Forward with Immigration Reform and the "Kid's Act" for Dreamers

Many Republicans in Washington are speculating that some type of Immigration Reform bills will move forward before the end of 2013. Republican Eric Cantor is planning on introducing the “KIDS Act,” which gives citizenship to one million DREAMers.

National Review reports: Cantor made his most impassioned public case for the legislation yet at a press conference this morning, saying that addressing the fate of the so-called DREAMers – a reference to the DREAM Act, another bill that would afford citizenship to illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — is “an issue of decency, of compassion.”
“Where else would these kids go? Again, they’ve been brought here as a minor in many instances having no idea what was going on, knowing no other place than America as home,” Cantor added.
Speaker John Boehner is also supporting the legislation. “This is about basic fairness. These children were brought here of no accord of their own. Frankly, they’re in a very difficult position and I think many of our members believe that this issue needs to be addressed,” he said.

Washington Post reports: Byron York reports that the prospects for reform are still alive, noting there is a core group of House Republicans still working on a series of proposals, though they are shrouded in great secrecy. These efforts, York reports, have the blessing of GOP leaders.''
...Frank Sharry tells me that if Eric Cantor goes through with his plan to introduce the “KIDS Act,” which gives citizenship only to the one million DREAMers, immigration advocates and many Dems probably would be prepared to accept it — if Republicans are also willing to go to conference negotiations. “If the KIDS Act is good on the substance, Republicans will be surprised at how much love it gets from immigration reform advocates,” Sharry tells me. “Many of us would encourage Democrats to vote for the KIDS Act, if in exchange Republicans agree to a bicameral negotiation where all issues are on the table, including legalization and citizenship for the 11 million. This would be a stepping stone (to overall Comprehensive Immigration Reform).”

Angry Tea Party Republicans Vowing to Stop Immigration Reform and Alienate Latino Voters before 2014 Elections!

This morning, with the Shutdown Fight OVER, President Obama said he wants Congress to get a bill to his desk that will fix the Immigration system. The President said, “Let’s get this done!”

However, Tea Party Republicans, angry with their Government Shutdown LOSS, are plugging their ears and throwing tantrums. Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), who earlier this year quit working with the bi-partisan congressional team to write an immigration bill, said that President Obama’s "refusal to negotiate" with House Speaker John Boehner over funding the government and increasing the country’s borrowing limit made him unwilling to enter into talks over immigration.

“After the way the President acted over the last two or three weeks where he would refuse to talk to the speaker of the House … they’re not going to get Immigration Reform. It’s Done!” Labrador screamed, walking off the House floor Wednesday night after voting against the measure to open the government and increase the debt limit.

The Senate passed a broad immigration overhaul bill in June with the votes of every Democrat in the chamber and 15 of its Republicans. But Boehner has refused to bring the bill to a vote on the House floor because it is unlikely to receive the support of the majority of GOP House members. House Republicans have long said they want to pass a series of bills that overhaul different parts of the immigration system. The House Judiciary Committee has held hearings this year on increasing the number of visas given to high-tech workers, ratcheting up requirements for employers to check the immigration status of new hires, and allowing immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to apply for legal status, among other measures.

But none of them have been brought to the floor for a vote. Now, the Crybaby Tea Party caucus is stomping their foot and Saying No!

Careful Republicans. Your approval level is at an ALL TIME LOW. Now, are you going to allow your Tea Party Brats to alienate ALL LATINOS against you? Just in time for the 2014 elections? We are ALL WATCHING WHAT YOU DO NEXT!!

Guest Voz - Dee Dee Garcia Blaze: Naive Dream Act Activists Should Not Ask Rep. Nancy Pelosi to Pull Partisan Immigration Card Prematurely

In a demonstration recently in a Phoenix Field Office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DREAMers, undocumented moms, and U.S. citizens laid siege to the facility, in one instance blocking a bus filled with ICE detainees.
In a Guest Voz, Deedee Garcia Blaze explains this is a premature move by the Dreamers:

Mexican-American Times Dee Dee Garcia Blaze reports: Naive Dream Act activists should avoid asking Rep. Nancy Pelosi to pull a partisan comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) card until all bipartisanship means have been exhausted.  It is important to foster a bipartisanship spirit first and avoiding premature moves that will only anger Republican leadership and GOP votes we need in order for CIR to progress.  We cannot get past the government shutdown yet and the last thing we need to do is start the CIR conversations on the wrong foot — particularly with a looming Oct. 17 debt ceiling deadline when the Treasury says the government will be in danger of defaulting on its obligations.

 A discharge petition move like this signals a cute procedural gimmick essentially indicating party leaders are unable to sit down together and work out their differences.  Reasonable GOPers acting behind the scenes are not going to throw Boehner under the bus so early in the CIR game.
What made the Senate Immigration reform bill successful was it was supported in a bipartisan fashion.  We had Republican Sens. John McCain, Jeff Flake and Marco Rubio who supported fixing the clearly broken system.  Most importantly, it is important for Dream Act activists to understand one thing:   Democratic Congressmen and women are not in control of the House of Representatives.   Republicans own the House.

And while students and youth in support of DREAM Act and Immigration Reform are trying to encourage Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Xavier Becerra to facilitate a discharge petition right now, it will only be met with premature anger particularly when there is a substantial threat that the United States might refuse to pay the debts.  This is why we witnessed Republican Senator John McCain refusing to support a government shutdown Tea Party Sen. Ted Cruz was advocating for.
As such, and in order to see progress of CIR at the Republican-led House of Representatives level and to also satisfy the proactive attempt by DREAMers with a discharge petition idea, we might suggest they begin micro-targeting vulnerable Republicans with a high Mexican-American/Latino population.   A discharge petition should be used as a last resort in light of the impending debt talks.
We ought to work smarter — not harder.
Independent registered voters are will be hawkish on vulnerable Republican  lists, since it is evident obstructionism is at the Tea Party Republican level:
Latino Decisions has identified 44 GOP-held House seats in which Latino voters could influence the outcome of elections in 2014 and beyond. This includes districts where the Latino voting-age population exceeds the 2012 margin of victory or swing districts won in 2012 by President Obama and the House Republican candidate that also have notable Latino populations. If the GOP loses just 17 seats in 2014, the Democrats will regain majority control.
While Latino Decisions has identified 44 GOP-held House seats we can influence, twelve of the 23 members live in districts where Hispanics make up more than 10 percent of the voting age population according to a chart below:

Target List of Republican Representatives Mexican American / Latinos are calling on.

Those members are California Reps. Jeff Denham, David Valadao, Buck McKeon, Gary Miller, Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman, Florida Reps. Dan Webster, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce, Nevada Rep. Joe Heck, and New York Reps. Peter King and Michael Grimm.

Ailing Midwestern Cities Extend a Welcoming Hand to Immigrants (Documented and Undocumented)

NYT Reports: DAYTON, Ohio — Fighting back from the ravages of industrial decline, Dayton adopted a novel plan two years ago to revive its economy and its spirits: become a magnet for immigrants. The Dayton City Commission voted to make the city “immigrant friendly,” with programs to attract newcomers and encourage those already here, as a way to help stem job losses and a drop in population.       

In north Dayton — until recently a post-apocalyptic landscape of vacant, gutted houses — 400 Turkish families have moved in, many coming from other American cities. Now white picket fences, new roofs and freshly painted porches are signs of a brisk urban renewal led by the immigrants, one clapboard house at a time. “We want to invest in the places where we are accepted better,” said Islom Shakhbandarov, a Turkish immigrant leader. “And we are accepted better in Dayton.”       

 

Other struggling cities are trying to restart growth by luring enterprising immigrants, both highly skilled workers and low-wage laborers. In the Midwest, similar initiatives have begun in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Lansing, Mich., as well as Detroit, as it strives to rise out of bankruptcy. In June, officials from those cities and others met in Detroit to start a common network. “We want to get back to the entrepreneurial spirit that immigrants bring,” said Richard Herman, a lawyer in Cleveland who advises cities on ideas for development based on immigration.       

 

... Concerns about uncontrolled illegal immigration, which produced strict curbs in Arizona and other parts of the country, have not been an issue in Dayton. Officials here say their goal is to invite legal immigrants. But they make no effort to pursue residents without legal status, if they are otherwise law-abiding. The momentum for change in Dayton came from the immigrants. In 2010, Mr. Shakhbandarov told the newly elected mayor, Gary Leitzell, that he was thinking of asking Turkish immigrants across the United States to settle here. Most of the Turks in Dayton are refugees who fled persecution in Russia and other former Soviet bloc countries. Mr. Leitzell was intrigued. “I said, the worst thing that could happen is that 4,000 Turkish families could come to Dayton and fix up 4,000 houses,” the mayor recalled. “So how do we facilitate their success?” With 14,000 empty dwellings in the city, officials were open to trying something different.       

 

Officials quickly realized that this city of 141,000 already had a small but fast-growing foreign-born population: more than 10,000 Muslims from different countries; refugees from Burundi and Somalia; college students from China, India and Saudi Arabia; Filipinos in health care jobs; and laborers from Latin America, many here illegally. “The hospitals, the police, the libraries, the service agencies, the landlords, they were all dealing with immigrants, but no one was talking about it,” said Tim Riordan, the city manager. “So we brought it out of the shadows.”       

 

... In October 2011, the City Commission voted unanimously for the Welcome Dayton plan.

Working with local organizations, the city found interpreters for public offices, added foreign-language books in libraries and arranged for English classes. Teachers went back to school to learn other languages. Local groups gave courses for immigrants opening small businesses and helped families of refugees and foreign students. City officials worked with Wright State University, a public institution, to find ways for immigrant doctors and engineers to cut through bureaucracy and gain certifications so they could practice in the United States.

 

The police chief, Richard S. Biehl, ordered officers to no longer check the immigration status of crime witnesses, victims and people stopped for minor traffic violations or other low-level offenses. The police union and sheriffs from nearby counties denounced the policy, saying Dayton had become a “sanctuary city” where immigration law was not enforced.

 

But Chief Biehl defended his approach, saying it allowed the police to focus dwindling resources on serious crimes. Immigrant leaders, especially Hispanics, embraced it, becoming less wary of the police. “If we have any group of citizens who are afraid to talk to us or don’t trust us,” Chief Biehl said, “that’s going to compromise our ability to produce public safety.”

 

...“It’s all about attitude,” Mr. Shakhbandarov said. “Americans maybe have seen better days of Dayton, a better life, better economy. But we never seen that. We have learned to appreciate what we have. And what we have here is much beyond what we ever had before.”

 

..In a national study published last month, Jacob L. Vigdor, an economics professor at Duke University, found that over the last four decades, immigrants helped preserve and in some cases add manufacturing jobs in cities where they settled, sustaining employment for Americans. They also added to local housing values. For every thousand immigrants who moved into a county, 270 Americans moved in after them, Mr. Vigdor found.  Dayton’s immigrant experiment is particularly close to home for one lawmaker who will most likely have a major impact on the debate in Washington: the Republican speaker of the House, John A. Boehner. His district wraps around the city on three sides. But Dayton officials said they were not waiting for Congress. “We’ve found that we can repopulate our city and we can educate the people and inspire them to employ themselves,” Mayor Leitzell said. “In 10 years, when the federal government figures everything out, we’ll be thriving.”

TeaParty Republicans Responsible for the Shut Down of the Government, Admit It and are now Splintering Apart!

The TeaParty is running the Republican Party and they have SHUT DOWN our Government. As the saying goes, "The Inmates are Running the Asylum." The shutdown began at midnight Monday. Millions of government workers have been furloughed. Thousands of government services have been stopped.

However, the Program the Crazy Teapartiers wanted stopped rolled out Tuesday. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) (aka Obamacare) Exchanges Healthcare.gov have officially opened and millions of people are accessing the websites and enrolling in plans. ACA is the Law of the Land. It was enacted in 2010. Americans are experiencing many of the benefits of ACA now, including:
1. Insurance coverage from their Employer Healthcare Plans for their children until 26
2. Closing the donut hole for Seniors enrolled in Medicare
3. Prohibiting pre-existing conditions denials.

With the shutdown, National Parks and Monuments are closed. The employees have been furloughed and there are no security guards available to safeguard the monuments or visitors.

Today, the wacko Teaparty Republicans who led the charge in shutting down the government went to the Veterans Memorial today and removed the "Do Not Enter" Safety Tapes. Wackos like Michelle Bachmann and Louie Gohmert, the very proponents of the government shutdown, proclaimed they were not going to allow the Veterans to be turned away from these sites. Rance Priebus said the RNC (responsible for shutting down the government) would pay to keep the sites open. At the same time, they are allowing the elderly and babies to starve and wounded vets not to receive their medical services, yet -- they were taking a stand to remove the yellow tape so tourists could visit the very sites they shut down.

As if to make matters worse for the duplicitous republican party, 16 republican congressmen today said they did not stand with the Teaparty Republicans and would vote FOR a Clean CR. Also Grover Norquist spoke out today and said Ted Cruz was WRONG and was the instigator behind the shut down and was at fault for leaving Congressional Republicans high and dry.

The McClatchy poll which came out Tuesday said 72% of Americans are AGAINST the shutdown and they blame Republicans for the shutdown.  Teaparty Republican Steve King said today the Republicans WERE RESPONSIBLE for the Shut Down and would keep it going for at least 3 more weeks in order to allow the Government to Default during the Fiscal Cliff.

Racist Fox News Calls American Latino Babies "Children of the Corn!"

On September 19, Chris Wallace of Fox News in a segment titled "The Grapevine" called American Latino Babies "Children of the Corn."

While Wallace spoke, a graphic appears with the title "Children of the Corn" -- the title of a horror story by Stephen King that has been adapted to film. It's not clear why the producers chose that title, though corn is traditionally an important element of the Mexican diet.

Brave Latinas Kicked Arpaio out of Hispanic Conference!

Brave Latinas from the Hispanic Women’s Corporation Kicked Out Sheriff Joe Arpaio from their Conference. Flagrant Arpaio wanted to put up a Recruitment Booth at the Latinas' Conference, however Conference Officials, citing Arpaio's court ruling for racially profiling of Latinos as their reason for ousting the convicted Racial Profiler.

"The conference is about leading and inspiring Latina professionals," said Leticia de la Vara, a spokeswoman for the HWC, according to the Associated Press. "Arpaio does not fit that mold, so it was a pretty easy decision on why we would go forward with that."

Angry Arpaio lashed out at the Hispanic group in a press release for denying his office’s request to put up the booth, calling the decision “politically motivated.”

A federal court ruled in May that Sheriff Arpaio’s office had systematically targeted Latinos in its efforts to enforce federal immigration law, even after his office lost that authority in 2009.

Racist Republicans Opposed to Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Don't Give a Crap About Offending Latinos!

It's been 3 months since the Senate passed an Immigration Reform Bill. They left it to the House to pass their version, however the Republicans in the House are Racist and Refuse to Pass Any Version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and they could Give A Damn about Alienating the Latino Vote. The Republican dominated House, whose 1st goal was stricter Mexico Border enforcement, has walked out of negotiations.

Republicans walking out are attempting to blame "Obamacare" for their walkout, but the facts are clear. They are walking out because Republicans in the House cannot gain enough votes to pass a bill within their own ranks. They are a party divided and the racist half is the most Vocal, the most Opposed to Comprehensive Immigration Reform. And it is their Racist Half that is adamantly and Vocally opposed to Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

It is clear most Republicans DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT LATINOS and Could Care Less IF We Vote For Them.

Facebook CEO Zuckerberg supports Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is a strong supporter of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). He has founded a group, “Fwd.us” which was set up to lobby for passage of CIR.  Zuckerberg said CIR is vital to the US Economy.  The US needs skilled workers to work IN the U.S.
“Eleven million people are being treated unfairly right now,” Zuckerberg said in reference to the 11M currently in the U.S.

Zuckerberg is also establishing another group, “Internet.org” which is based on the promise to “Connect the next 5 billion people.”

Zuckerberg is meeting with members of the Gang of 8 and other Democrats and Republicans this week to “listen, learn and share his perspective on the knowledge economy and the passage of Immigration Reform.”

The History of Syria, the Slaughter of Innocents and Should the U.S. Get Involved?

I love Peace. I oppose War. However, as a Humanitarian I am concerned about what is happening in Syria. People, including children, are being slaughtered with poison gas. This is a monstrous act. The videos show it all. Most Americans are tired of war. We've been engaged in wars in the Middle East since 1979.  This region has been at war for centuries. Syria gained independence from France in 1946 and, as its own country, has been in the midst of a Civil War since inception. Their President Assad has used poison gas on his own people since 2012. 
Our President Obama is asking Congress to intervene. We are the only country who has shown a willingness to help the victims.
Some countries support this intervention, but many countries oppose it. The problem is, no other country will act and the countries that hate us and want to overthrow our way of life are watching our actions. Congress will decide this week if we will intervene. We need to study the issues and contact our Congressmen with our views.

History of Syria:
From 1516 - 1918, all of the countries in the Middle East were part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire. After World War I, their Empire was split up and the countries in the Middle East were established and had sponsor countries. Syria was a "mandate" of France from 1918 - 1943. It was a difficult rule. French troops occupied Syria and there were constant revolts. France evacuated their troops in April, 1946.

Even with Freedom, there was constant upheaval in Syria. In 1948, they were involved in the Arab-Israeli War, aligning themselves with other Arab states attempting to prevent the establishment of the State of Israel. In 1956, Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union to gain military equipment and military training for their constant battles with opposing religious groups (internally) and with neighboring countries. In the 1950's, they began building their Military Committee. In 1966, the Military Committee overtook their own Ba'athist political party. In 1967, their military participated in the War against Israel. Israel turned their sights to Syria and captured the entire Golan Heights in less than 48 hours. This defeat caused an internal split between Jadid - who ran their political party and al-Assad (Sr.) - who was the Lead General of their Military.  In 1970, the Military (bloodlessly) overthrew the government and General al-Assad became the Leader of Syria. The first President al-Assad was well known for using terror, intimidation, guerilla warfare and assassinations to extend his control over his country and neighboring countries.

Syria, Lebanon and Egypt continued their wars with Israel. Israel attempted to take more lands from Lebanon. Syria and Egypt fought with each other for control and also sought to defeat Israel.

In the 1970s, an internal religious group sought to free themselves from the Military Rule of the Ba'athists. This internal Islamic group, primarily comprised of Sunnis, named themselves "The Muslim Brotherhood." Their group began as a moderate, humanitarian group opposed to al-Assad's tyranny. They represented 88% of the Syrian people (60% Sunni). They started with 500 and by 1978, their numbers grew to 300,000.

Syria's military Ba'ath Party consisted of Alawites. The Alawites were only 12% of the population and they lived on the northwestern seaboard.

The Brotherhood fought hard against the military. The Military fought back. In 1982, during these Civil Wars, the Syrian Military's "Hama Massacre" killed up to 40,000 of their own people.

In the late 1980s through the 1990s including the Gulf War, the Syrian Army made a major shift. Instead of partnering with their other Arab States, they partnered with the U.S. (Bush Sr. and Clinton) The U.S. provided them military weapons and military training. Syria also started negotiating with Israel.

In June, 2000, al-Assad (Sr.) died and his son, Bashar al-Assad was elected President -- he ran unopposed. It's very important to understand that al-Assad (Sr) was very ill and since 1993, knew he was dying. He put careful plans in place to ensure his son would succeed him. In fact, he retired many of his Military Generals and brought in new staff to specifically ensure that his son would be elected and to ensure his son would have a supportive staff.

The civil wars continued; many intellectuals were imprisoned and killed.

In 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, Syria's capitol, claiming they were bombing a terrorist training camp.

In 2011, the Arab Spring began as a chain of peaceful protests. The protestors were attacked by the Syrian Army. In July, 2011, the "Free Syrian Army" was formed by Army Defectors and is comprised primarily of Sunnis.

In March 2013, as a result of the ongoing civil war, an alternative government was formed: "The Syrian National Coalition" which is said to represent the vast majority of the country.  Representatives of this government were invited to take up Syria's seat at the Arab League on March 28, 2013. The opposition coalition has been recognized as the "sole representative of the Syrian people" by several nations including the United States, United Kingdom and France

The U.N. and other sources say over 100,000 civilians in Syria have been killed by the Syrian Army. "The Human Rights Watch" referred to Syria's record as "among the worst in the world." Internet and telecommunications are controlled by the military. Arbitrary detention, torture, and disappearances are widespread. In 2011,  the United Nations reported that over 250 deaths were children as young as 2 years old, and that boys as young as 11 years old have been gang raped by security services officers.

Over 1.7 million Syrian refugees have escaped to their neighboring countries of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey.  As the civil war has dragged on, there have been worries that the country could become fragmented and cease to function as a state.

In August 2013, Syria was accused of using chemical weapons against its civilians. In early September 2013, President Obama told U.S. Senators that the CIA had trained the first 50-man insurgent element and that they had been inserted into Syria. The deployment of this unit and the supplying of weapons may be the first tangible measure of support for the Opposition by the U.S.

Syria continues to foster good relations with her traditional Allies, Iran, China, Venezuela and Russia. The primary source of Syria's earnings are: 40% Oil Export, 20% Agriculture and increased Taxes upon their people. Their tourism industry has dropped to almost zero. Since the Civil War in 2011, their economy has shrunk by 35% and the Syrian Pound is down to 1/6 its former value. Their government is increasingly relying on loans from Iran, Russia and China.

Let's go back to the Questions:
1. Should the U.S. get involved? Can we allow the Gassing of Innocents to Continue?
2. What involvement would we have? Does it start with Weapons and Training of the Opposition? (as has already occurred by the CIA) Will it end there? What do we do if they and their Allies retaliate against the U.S.? What if the Opposition hates the US too?
3. What happens IF we don't get involved? Will this strengthen them and their Allies? Will they expand their attacks on their opposition and neighboring countries?

The President has brought this request to the People.
We should study the issues -- the facts, decide for ourselves and notify our Congressmen.

Message to Other Countries: DO NOT Misinterpret our Freedom to Disagree with Each Other -- Remember, WE THE PEOPLE of America ARE Americans First!! We The People WIll Never Be on Your Side! WE ARE TOO UNITED!!

Tonight, I want to say I Love America and I Love Being An American.
Regardless of those that attempt to put you down, what is BEST about America is WE ARE the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. and WE THE PEOPLE are Americans First. Sure we might occasionally disagree. But that is the Beauty about America.

ALL of us are FREE to Disagree AND Pursue Our Dreams!

I LOVE Being An American!

I almost feel sorry for those in Other Countries that attempt to dissuade the purpose of our country. I say to Syria and to Iraq, regardless of your Wars and YOUR atrocities, WE THE PEOPLE IN AMERICA STILL LOVE OUR COUNTRY!

It is true that sometimes we ARE Partisan. Sometimes RED. Sometimes BLUE.

However, when it comes down to supporting OUR Country, WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE.

Don't Ever Think that ANY of Us will side with Enemies of America, even if it sometimes sounds like it in various international media comment sections.
Don't misinterpret when we chastise each other. Fox vs NBC. White vs Brown or Black. In the end, WE THE PEOPLE are STILL American First. Don't FOOL YOURSELVES. WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY. However, Unlike YOUR Country/Dictatorship, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO Disagree, and we do so often. We may Choose a side that we wish to support of fighters in YOUR country. We SEE there are atrocities in YOUR Country. We might take sides for that. However, regarding OUR Support of OUR Country, regardless of what you say, WE STILL LOVE OUR COUNTRY~ Regardless WHAT happens in YOUR Country. YES WE ARE HUMANITARIANS, however, WE ARE AMERICAN FIRST.

No One, NO DESPOT, can STOP Us from LOVING OUR COUNTRY FIRST and pursuing our Dreams! Never.

I Love America and pledge to Always Love America!
WE TRULY ARE THE LAND of the Free AND the Home Of The Brave!!

God Bless America!
And May God Bless Our President, Barack Obama!

San Francisco Considers Ending Immigrant Detention

Interesting and Breaking News:
HP Reports: San Francisco is poised to become the first county in the country to stop detaining immigrants on behalf of the federal government. An ordinance proposed by Supervisor John Avalos would make it illegal for local law enforcement to detain people only on the basis of their immigration status, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. The proposal heads to a committee vote on Thursday, where it is expected to pass to consideration by the full Board of Supervisors, enough of whom reportedly support the idea to withstand a veto from the mayor.

The city and county of San Francisco are governed locally by a Board of Supervisors rather than a City Council. "The legislation is about due process against the arbitrary loss of liberty," Avalos told the Chronicle.

The first-of-its-kind law would mark a victory for immigrant rights advocates, who have opposed the soaring number of deportations under President Barack Obama and expanded cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local police under the program Secure Communities.

S-Comm, as its opponents -- including Avalos -- refer to it, is a fingerprint data-sharing agreement between agencies that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement to check the criminal histories of undocumented immigrants after the arrest and flag them for detention and deportation.

The program’s critics say Secure Communities funnels too many people into the detention and deportation systems, including low-level offenders. Opponents contend that widening the deportation net undermines trust between police and immigrant communities, particularly among Latinos. Some 81 percent of undocumented immigrants were born in Latin America.

The draft of the city ordinance questions the constitutionality of immigration detainers issued under Secure Communities. “Unlike criminal detainers, which are supported by a warrant and require probable cause, there is no requirement for a warrant and no established standard of proof, such as reasonable suspicion or probable cause, for issuing an immigration detainer,” the draft reads.
The ordinance, if it were to become law, would require local law enforcement to ignore civil immigration detainers requested by ICE.

Avalos first introduced the measure in July. Last year, San Francisco handed 542 people over to ICE after holding them on immigration detainers, according to the San Francisco Examiner.
The Obama administration has repeatedly butted heads with states like Arizona that want to take greater control over immigration enforcement, a role reserved for the federal government.
But the president has also conflicted with places like San Francisco that want to limit federal immigration authorities’ influence on their communities.                     

AMERICAN CONGRESS! STAND TOGETHER!! WE CANNOT ALLOW ANY COUNTRY TO UTILIZE SARAN GAS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!

Like you, I've been watching all of the news coverage about Syria. Everyone agrees that their President Assad is poisoning his own people with Saran gas. He has killed hundreds of thousands of them with this weapon of Mass Destruction. For all Republicans that sided with President Bush with his war against Iraq, there WERE NO WEAPONS of Mass Destruction in Iraq.

However, there ARE Weapons of Mass Destruction in Syria. Even Syria's President Assad ADMITS IT and Laughs at the U.S. at being unable to stop him. Assad has poisoned hundreds of thousands of his own people. Poisoned/Murdered them. Little children -- 2 years old -- killed them.

Last year, President Obama told him to stop it. Assad continued to poison more of his own people, innocent children. No one since Hitler has used Poison Gas in such a horrific fashion and Assad is laughing about it. He says the U.S. and our President are weak and are unable to stop him. Assad thinks his friends in Russia and China validate his demonic regime.

Now, our President and his representative, John Kerry - the Secretary of State, are asking Congress for permission to respond. They are NOT asking to go to War. They are asking them to allow specific steps to be taken, with no boots on the ground, in order to stop Assad from continuing to weigh his war against Humanity.

What do we do?
Congress has a decision to make. We have two choices.

1. Do Nothing and allow Assad to continue his Terror. If we do this, we are condoning his actions and thereby allowing him and his supporters to spread this destruction not only within his own borders, but OUTSIDE of his own borders and into the borders of our allies, friends and our own borders.
2. Give the President and his Administration the Authority to take specific action to stop Assad from continuing using this poison gas to murder people.

Will Congress finally give up their personal and political in-fighting and finally allow WE THE PEOPLE to Join Together as ONE NATION to stop Assad from using Saran?

That is the Question.
My Prayers are for Congress to UNITE, stop their Petty Grievances, and Support Our President in Moving Forward.

I've been reading about Syria, Assad and how we've reached this Tipping Point.

Back in 1970, Assad's father, a former General, was put in power. He was a member of the Alawite party. His group was NOT THE Majority, however, their regime was ruthless and brutal in terrorizing the opposition and overpowering them. Assad Sr. wanted his oldest son Basil to succeed him. However, his son died in a car accident. Therefore, his least favorite son, Bashar Assad was next in line and took his place. Bashar was a pompous, spoiled brat. Married to a rich, spoiled English-born brat who loved to spend millions on clothes, cars and toys. Bashar was over zealous and relished his power over the people. He was relentless and demonic when he came into power in 2000. Bashar Assad and his army has been terrorizing his people for years. However, it wasn't until 2011 that he began using Saran Gas.

Saran Gas -- a weapon of Mass Destruction -- so easily used in terror.
If we allow Assad and his supporters to utilize this WMD without any penalty, his supporters will read this as permission to utilize SARAN - WMD outside their borders, in our very own towns, in our very own drinking water, in our very own homes. IF WE DO NOT STOP THE TERROR NOW, THE TERROR WILL ENTER OUR VERY HOMES.

Those using this WMD are not Afraid YET. WE THE PEOPLE have NOT given them reason to fear. Instead, we have been caught up with so much In Fighting that we have NOT allowed ourselves to think about the ramifications of allowing these zealots the Freedom to Terrorize us with Saran.

WE CANNOT ALLOW THEM TO BELIEVE THERE ARE NOT CONSEQUENCES FOR USING SARAN GAS. WE CANNOT. FOR ANYONE WHO BELIEVES OTHERWISE -- I ASK YOU TO THINK AGAIN -- THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WE CANNOT ALLOW ANYONE -- ANY COUNTRY -- TO BELIEVE THAT THE USE OF SARAN GAS CAN OCCUR WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.

WE MUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WE MUST STAND TOGETHER IN THIS.

I ASK YOU.
I PLEAD WITH YOU.
PAY ATTENTION.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THE USE OF SARAN GAS -- ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD -- WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.

US Census Bureau Map Displays Evolution to U.S. Multi-Culturalism

This US Census Bureau Map depicts which Ethnicities have the Largest Ancestry In U.S. Cities. What this map proves is America is NOT a melting pot.

Teddy Roosevelt would be appalled by this map. Roosevelt opposed anyone maintaining their own ethnicity or identities. His wish was that everyone coming to America adopt his view of assimilation. He opposed the Immigration of German and Irish at the turn of the last century. About Native Americans he said, "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of ten are." Regarding Blacks he said, "I have not been able to think out any solution of the terrible problem offered by the presence of the Negro on this continent." From Roosevelt's perspective, everyone coming into America should jump into a Melting Pot and come out Vanilla.

Looking at the map today, those of German ancestry overwhelm states all across America and the Irish overwhelm Massachusetts and New York. The English populate the Northeast, Utah, the eastern part of Nevada and lower Idaho. Blacks are the majority in Southern States, in D.C., Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. Latinos of Mexican descent are the majority in Texas through to California. Native Americans are the majority in Northern Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, eastern Oklahoma, and parts of South Dakota, Montana and Nevada. The Finnish and Norwegian populate the northern parts of Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota.

America is more of a Salad Bowl. We are all American yet unique in the fact that we each maintain our ethnicity, culture and family traits as we continue to evolve within our economic environment and technological advances.

Old Movies Depict Racist Actions that will NOT be tolerated by Americans Today!

I decided to re-write this post.
I watched "Driving Miss Daisy" on Encore yesterday. It was very infuriating to me.

This movie was made in 1986 and like many old movies, it depicts life as it was in America. Blacks and all minorities were treated as inferiors and made to "Serve the Man."

While I love old movies, movies on Encore, movies on TCM, many of these old movies depict minorities as servants and inferiors. Some movies, like "Gone with the Wind" are obviously racist. More subtly racist are movies like "White Christmas" or "The Great Lie" where all minorities are depicted as servants or mammies.

Many of the old TV shows depict only White people. Occasionally a minority will appear as a servant or some exotic creature.

In times past, we allowed one group to be elitists and another group to be down-trodden minorities who served as their slaves/servants, sex machines or crooks.

Thank God for Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. Until then, America was NOT the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave for ALL. While times have gotten better, we still have racism in many people's hearts. Recently, Hollywood has produced newer movies that are meant to help us remember - never forget the racist atrocities of the past. These movies include:
. The Help
. 42
. The Butler
Watching these movies is painful. I understand the reason and rationale for these movies -- to help us remember the history and to ensure those times NEVER, EVER re-occur.

Saying all of this, I know that Bad Anon will send me some hate-filled comment saying, "Racism is over. I'm sick of minorities still playing victim." To him I say, that level of Open Racism is over, but the underlying racism in some people's hearts is still there. We hear it with every:
. "I want my country back!" (to times of Mayberry)
. "English Only" 
. "Anchor Baby"
. "Your President," "Kenyan," "Muslim,"  "Witch Doctor"
. "Self Deport," "Mass Deportation," "Get to the back of the Line."

America was founded as the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, and most important of all:
WE ARE ALL EQUAL!!!

It is time for America to Unite and STOP the petty bickering between the Left and Far Right Extremists! WE NEED TO START PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SYRIA AND THE POTENTIAL OF WORLD WAR 3!!

It is time for America to Unite and STOP the petty bickering between the Left and the Far Right Extremists!

The Middle East is erupting and WE THE PEOPLE need to start Paying Attention to What is Going On! (READ THIS ARTICLE!) If this thing explodes, we need to understand how this will effect America! While the Left is reluctant about entering into a World War, they will support it if these continued terrorist actions (Chemical Weapon Killings) continue to occur. Republicans, of course, will be pro-active in supporting a war. However, if a World War ERUPTS, it will involve not only the Pro-War supporters, it will also involve ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. This will effect our own Families -- my sons -- my grandsons -- your own children!

THIS IS VERY SERIOUS and we NEED TO START PAYING ATTENTION!!

While this "Middle East War" has been erupting for the last 4,000 years and there has always been some conflict in the Middle East, this time, it's different. The world powers are different. This time the world powers are taking sides, just like before previous World Wars. It's the U.S. and their Allies VS the Middle East extremists and their allies in Russia, China, Korea, Venezuela and Cuba.

We as a Nation, for the most part, have tried to stay out of the Middle East in-fighting. Now, however, situations are likened to those prior to previous World Wars. There is actual PROOF that the Syrian government has carried out a large-scale chemical weapons attack against their own civilian people last week. (Much like in WW2 Germany).

The U.N. and America have advised the Syrian Government that they will not abide with the use of these Chemical Weapons on PEOPLE. Syria was warned months ago, yet they murdered even more innocent people last week, with the continued use of these chemical weapons.

Yesterday, our President responded. He advised Syria that the U.S. and our Allies (UN & Europe) WILL RESPOND.

As we are about to indicate how WE as a Nation and Our Allies will respond, Russia and China have already stated they will respond to our Response.

While WE AS A NATION Pray For Peace -- WE AS A NATION & Our Allies will NOT Tolerate the use and abuse of Weapons of Mass Destruction against Innocent People.

Given this potential preamble to WW3, here is my prediction as to what COULD Happen Next:

1. The U.S. & their Allies, will respond. We will either disperse Drones or a trained Elite Task Force to "take out" the person most responsible for approving the use of Chemical Weapons that Killed Innocent Victims. (Read this to be "Kill Syrian President Assad")
2. If/When  this happens, the Syrian Military will react and declare some type of response to the U.S. and their Allies -- Israel is closest.
3. Russia and China will somehow become engaged. Next North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba.
4. The Possibilities: IF Russia and China become Engaged, will this mean World War 3.

If my predictions happen, and we begin the first stages of WW3, then the next steps include the re-instatement of The Draft in the U.S. Look around you. Think of your children and grandchildren -- anyone between the ages of 17 and 27. Will they be drafted into the next World War?

If a WW3 occurs, this will mean a drastic change for ALL of our Futures.

Here is what I ask of ALL of My Readers: WE MUST STAY AWARE AND EVER VIGILANT OF WHAT IS ABOUT TO OCCUR NEXT!!

Far Right Wing Using Pointless Murders to Attack ALL Blacks and ALL Minorities!!

The right wing websites and some of my Bad Anons are going crazy over two recent crimes on White Males. My Bad Anons are clamoring for me to write about these cases and "give it the same coverage you gave the Trayvon Martin case."

The crimes were atrocious. The victims innocent. However the crimes were different.

Unlike the Trayvon Martin case, with both killings, the killers were arrested within days of the crime. There is plenty of coverage in the news about these crimes. Both right wing and left are covering them. George Zimmerman, Trayvon's Killer, was NOT charged for Trayon's death for many months and there was no media coverage for the case for months.

The first crime:
Last Friday, Christopher Lane, 22, a white, Australian baseball athlete, was shot and killed as he was jogging down a quiet street in the rural town of Duncan, Oklahoma. The shooter was a half black, half white 16 year old and has been charged with 1st degree murder. A second teen, a 15 year black teenager, was also charged with 1st degree murder even though he was not the shooter. I find this a bit odd, but given the media attention to some months old "facebook gun selfies", it's not surprising he was charged with 1st degree murder just due to the negative media coverage.
Both were charged as adults. The 17 year old white driver was charged as an accessory, but charged as a juvenile, probably because he confessed that the other two were the perps. All three are in jail and will stay in jail until the trial.

The 2nd Crime:
Last Thursday at 2:00am in Spokane, Washington, Delbert Belton, 88, a World War II veteran was brutally murdered in the parking lot of an American Legion hall. The killers were two 16 year olds. They were black. They were looking to rob him and they beat him over the head with a flashlight. The killers have been arrested and are charged with 1st degree murder and 1st degree robbery.  Both are jailed and will stay in jail until the trial.

Zimmerman's Brother:
This weekend, Robert Zimmerman, the brother of the set free killer of Trayvon Martin, attacked our President, charging that his spokesperson should have known about the Christopher Lane killing, saying our President has a hatred for White People.
-----------------------------------
My View:
I feel sadness for the Victims and their Families. I feel sorrow for the deaths of Christopher Lane, Delbert Belton and for Trayvon Martin. All three of them were needlessly killed. Their Killers should have been:
. Immediately Arrested
. Charged to the Fullest Degree of the Law
This WAS the case for Victims Lane and Belton. NOT the case for Trayvon Martin.

AND our courts should NEVER:
. Put the Victim on Trial
. Never go back into their phone records & accuse them of being responsible for their own deaths.

THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE for Victims Lane and Belton. Unfortunately, this is what happened to Trayvon Martin.

The good news:
1. the killers of Lane and Belton were immediately arrested and charged for their crimes; no bail and will be in jail until their trials.
2. the victims are being treated as victims. They will not be put on trial.
3. The police will NOT:
a. check into their cell phone records for the last 2 years to see if they took pictures of themselves with guns.
b. they will not search their facebook posts to see if there are any comments that could allude to any "partying" behavior.
c. even though one victim was coming out of a bar at 2:00am, their drinking history will NOT be put on trial.

THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. The police and the courts will treat Victims Lane and Belton as VICTIMS and NOT put them on Trial. Unfortunately this was NOT the case for Trayvon Martin.

Additionally, and I find this the most atrocious.
READ THE COMMENTS on the articles about Victims Lane and Belton. The far right wing commenters not only chastise the perpetrators, they blast ALL Blacks and Minorities. They call them Animals. They shout out "they don't belong in our country."
They blame our President, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton for these crimes.

Here are some comments from the Daily Caller:
1. White deaths do not appear on community organizer radar. (Blaming President)
2. Wonder how Rev. Al will cover it ?... or... NOT cover it !
3. Yep, a crack smoking homosexual that has a penchant for bath houses. (BlamingPresident)
4. It is way too late. It is so over. The complexion of our country is nothing like it was even 20 years ago. The liberals have flooded our population with muslims, African Africans and Mexicans just to jerrymander with the vote. They are some sick puppies.
5. More like Meximerica.
6. How about Mexmusmerica?
7. That's right, America is going to be become a Sharia country because of Obama.

All in all, one of my biggest peeves is, the Far Right Wing's methodology in attacking and blaming ALL MINORITIES when a crime involving a minority perpetrator occurs -- or blaming the Victim if the Victim is a Minority, AND at the same time, IF a there is a crime committed by a White Perpetrator, then it is AN ISOLATED Incident committed by a Crazed Gunman.

Examples 1:
Right Wingers View Crimes by Whites = Isolated Incident by Crazed Gunman:
1. Columbine School Shootings (Any School Shootings)
2. Aurora Movie Shootings
3. Gabby Giffords Shootings
4. Serial Killers: BTK, Bundy, Gacy, etc. etc. etc.


Example 2:
Right Wingers View Crimes by Minorities = All Minorities should Leave the USA; they're ALL Animals
1. Any drunk driving charge by minority/illeegal
2. Any killing near border where an unknown minority/illeegal MIGHT have done the killing
3. Any killing by a minority or 1 person in the group was a minority

The proof is in the Comments of any newspaper following these articles.

Movie Review: "The World's End" -- Thumbs Down

Movie Review: "The World's End"  -- Thumbs Down

My husband and I go to the movies every weekend and we love going to the movies together. Either he picks or I pick. This week, I picked "The World's End." I picked the movie based on the rave reviews critics gave this movie. My husband will tell me he likes a movie or hates a movie. This week, he hated the movie I selected. I have mixed views about the movie. The critics – especially the elite critics on both coasts -- are raving about this movie. My husband and I always rate each other’s pick. After the movie, I wasn’t looking forward to his rating.

The movie: “The World’s End.”

It stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I loved their movie “Paul.” I read the reviews for “The World’s End” and based upon the reviews, I thought this movie would be similar – Extra-Terrestrial, Funny, Endearing, Good Moral. This movie was all of the above.  However, there was a big difference. “Paul” was about a couple of Brits vacationing in America who happen upon an extra-terrestrial. “The World’s End” was different. This time the movie was based in England. The humor, especially the first hour, was strictly stiff upper lip, British.  I suppose this plays well for the New York urban crowd, but for regular Americans, the British have an entirely different, non-American point of view.

I was never a big fan of British movies. Actually, my husband fell asleep about 15 minutes into the movie. He thought it was so very boring. I had to agree.

So for the first hour, the movie plods along, British humor, stiff upper lip, pub crawl. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Then, about an hour in, the film, we get our Socks Knocked Off!!

When the film gets its kick-start, they go into a different ozone layer. It goes over the top! Bizarre! Almost Crazy. Insane. You are knocked off of your seats. Maybe not in a good way. I certainly did not feel comfortable with the transition, nor settle down to any happy ending through to the end. The movie just made me feel manipulated, jacked around, laughing, angry, happy for the hero.

For those who haven’t seen the movie, please stop reading.
The movie was about a young man who was the teenage leader of his crowd. He was at the top of his heap. King of his pack.  His pack attempted to complete “The World’s End Tour (drinking tour)” but failed. After they failed, he lost his dreams, lost everything, became an alcoholic, tried to commit suicide and nearly succeeded. At 40, he escaped from his mental institution and attempted to relive his dream, finding his old “pack” in their current, middle-aged doldrums and convincing them to complete the tour.

That’s the starting point of The World’s End. His meeting up with his childhood friends and attempting to complete the 12 bar drinking tour that they failed as teenagers. As he attempts to relive his lost childhood, he and his friends find that his old hometown was overtaken by extra-terrestrials. Ultimately he redeems himself by defeating them and starting a new pack of friends. Then the ET’s destroy the world as we know it. Somehow our world is NOT defeated. The strong survive and rebuild from their grassroots. (Sort of like the future world of Terminator.)

“The World’s End” is a redeeming and intelligent story, but this redemption and intelligence was NOT enough to save the movie nor save it from a failure at the box office, regardless how much the Elite Critics praise the movie.

I don’t believe American audiences will like this movie. It’s too slow. It’s too focused on British Rural, Middle-Aged Culture. I've seen comments about Simon Pegg being the revitalization of Monty Python. But what volumes of young persons today will relate to Monty Python?

All I can say is, my husband fell asleep twice in the first hour. During the first hour, it bored me too. Plus, after the movie did its dynamic turn to extra-terrestrial and good moral ending, for some reason, it didn’t touch my heart. It should have touched my heart (as “Paul” did).

My husband gave this movie a Resounding THUMBS DOWN and added, “What the Hell did We Just See!! From now on, I pick!” I have to mention that most people in our audience were agreeing with my husband.

I chose the movie wanting a WIN and based on reviews and the fact I loved the movie “Paul.” I like Simon Pegg and his partner Nick Frost. I should have WON today. I lost. I ultimately have to agree with my husband.

Like it or not, Hollywood needs to focus on people like my husband and people like me. We love movies. We go every weekend. We want to see a movie we can relate to.  If a movie is attempting to relate to an audience, you cannot focus on a “Stiff Upper Lip” mentality for American audiences.

I think most people want to see a good story they can relate to. We don’t want to be bored by stories pushing a specific culture that is NON familiar to American audiences. We don’t want a story or moral pushed upon us. I got the story. I understand the redeeming values. I wanted this story to work. I picked it. In the end, I lost. He gave it a thumbs down. It is very clear to me that this movie failed.

I believe American audiences will agree with me.

Post note: I understand and "Get" that the elitist reviewers will attempt to demonize American audiences for "being stupid" and not understanding what this movie was attempting to accomplish. I disagree. The media and critics LOVE the British and fawn all over anything they publish or any movie they release. American audiences are NOT stupid. We want to relate to what we know. NOT to what the elitists or British audiences want us to relate to.

"The Butler" Demonstrates the Progress We've Made with Civil Rights and the Distance We Have to Go!

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen the movie yet and are planning to go this week, you may want to wait to read this review until after you've seen it.

The movie "The Butler" is based on a True Story. The story begins when Cecil Gaines is about 10 years old. His family worked on a cotton farm. His parents and his siblings were hard at work, picking cotton. His father showed Cecil how to pick the crop. During this instruction, the cruel landowner grabbed Cecil's mother and took her off to a shanty on the side of the cotton field. Cecil starts to protest, but his father hushes him saying he cannot say anything to "The Man." All the farmworkers hear his mother's screams and Cecil asked, "Daddy...aren't you going to do anything?" His father slowly shook his head and looked down. When the landowner came out of the shed pulling up his pants, Cecil looked to his Dad. As the landowner walked by, Cecil's Dad stood up and glared at the landowner. The landowner glared back, took out his gun and shot his Dad square in the forehead. He fell over, dead. Cecil and the farmworkers were shocked, mouths open, in fear. The landowner's mother ran outside when she heard the noise. She too stood in shock, then she glared at her son as he brushed past her and went inside the house. She turned to the farmworkers and ordered them to bury Cecil's dad. She then turned to Cecil, grabbing him around his shoulders and said, "Come inside boy. We're going to make you a "House Niggah."

Cecil, in shock, follows her into the house and begins his training. The elder House Worker trains him how to "Serve the Man." He must have two faces: one for "The Man" and one for his own people. Cecil learns how to cater to the Master's every whim and never look him in the eye. "The room should feel empty when you're in it."

So begins The Butler's life of Service to "The Man." Cecil grew to a young man (now played by Forest Whitaker) and moved to the city where he found a job in a bakery. Here he learned more lessons, more bowing, scraping and serving. Then he moved to Washington DC and worked in a large, majestic Hotel that catered to those who worked in Government. He did his job well and was spotted by someone who worked for the White House who recommended Cecil for a job as a Server in the White House. Cecil adapts well and makes friends with many of his fellow servers.

Before he left the hotel, he met and married Gloria (Oprah Winfrey). She had been a maid at the hotel. Where Cecil is quiet, demure and soft-spoken, Gloria is loud, boisterous, allowing herself to "hang out" all over the place with her wild hair, clothes and eyes. Cecil was always working which left plenty of time for Gloria to throw house parties and even have time for a quick affair with her neighbor's husband.

They raised two sons. They were good young men. The younger son, Charlie, was an obedient son who tried to please his parents, loved his brother and eventually joined the military and was killed in Vietnam. The older son, Louis, loved his parents but was closer to his mother. He finished high school and went to college. There he participated in the Civil Rights Movement, joining Dr. King in peaceful protests, from lunch counters to Freedom Riders. Cecil was disappointed in him, that he was not adapting and conforming to the current society's norm.

Perhaps the most important scene in the movie was when the older son, Louis, came home to dinner, bringing along a young woman from college who was a fellow protester. They came dressed in Berets and Afros. Cecil was dressed in a conservative sweater and Gloria in a dress. Gloria talked glowingly about Sidney Poitier in "In the Heat of the Night." Louis said, "Sidney Poitier is the White Man's fantasy of what the White Man wants us to be." Cecil said, "What are you talking about? He's breaking down barriers for all of us." Louis responds, "He's teaching us how to be White. Sidney Poitier ain't nothing but a rich Uncle Tom." Cecil, now angry, says, "Get the Hell outta my house." Chaos erupts. Cecil tries to shove his son away from the table while Gloria attempts to calm everyone down. Then Louis shouts, "I'm sorry, Mr. Butler, I didn't mean to make fun of your hero." To which Gloria abruptly slaps her son. "That Butler brought us to where we are today." Louis, shocked, leaves the house with his friend.

Throughout the movie we see several historic moments that occurred throughout various Presidencies, from Eisenhower to Kennedy to LBJ to Nixon to Ford, Jimmy Carter, Reagan and finally to Obama.

We also see several historic moments regarding Racism in America, the Civil Rights Movement - including the assassination of Martin Luther King and the murder of Emmett Till.

The essence of the film was the conflict between Father and Son.
The Father, Cecil, after seeing so much cruelty and racism as a child, accepted the fact he was a Black Man living in a White Man's world and modified his behavior to cater and serve "The Man." Cecil felt it was his duty to teach this to his son. He believed that the son was causing more trouble for himself and his family by refusing to accept his beliefs and protesting. He believed his son was a radical.

The son, Louis, believed that All Men are created equal and in order to make change happen, he must participate in the Civil Rights movement and peacefully protest, regardless the consequences. Though he wanted a better relationship with his Dad, Louis felt it was his duty not to conform as his father had and continue to participate in the movement.

Towards the end of the film, Cecil looked back on his life. He worked hard and did his best to raise a good family. Cecil was recognized for his Service to The Man, but was never truly accepted as an equal.

It wasn't until Barack Obama was elected that Cecil looked back at pictures of his son's participation in the Civil Rights movement -- his being jailed, being beaten, the pain he had to endure, his resilience to continue the fight -- and he realized that his son was a hero.

The last scene of the picture shows Cecil visiting Louis, now a Professor teaching young students about equality. Cecil, at last, reconciled with his son.
---------------------------------
I had mixed feelings about the movie. The acting was excellent. Forest Whitaker was so understated and believable. Oprah was good too, showing raw emotion and exposing her vulnerabilities. David Oyelowo -- who played Louis, reminded me of the awakenings we all felt in the 60s and 70s. Television allowed us all to see the truth. Minorities, especially Blacks, were treated as 2nd class citizens. In a country where our founding fathers vowed ALL PEOPLE were created equal, Television allowed us to see the truth. Racism was rampant. One hundred years after the Civil War, minorities were treated disparately and non equally.

My mixed feelings came from seeing the raw depth of racism in action. Seeing the hate filled glares, the beatings, the murders and the police brutality was heart wrenching.

In the sixties, the vast majority of Americans accepted this unequal treatment of people. Even the minorities themselves accepted this treatment and conformed their own behavior to it.

It took a lifetime for Cecil to realize the truth. It wasn't until the last years of his life that he realized his son Louis was right. Since Cecil was a child, he expected the abuse and conditioned his own behavior to accept it. It was difficult for him to understand that the abuse was wrong and by his own behaviors, he was condoning the abuse and allowing it to continue. He couldn't understand why his son was unwilling to continue to cycle.

Cecil finally realized it was necessary for the facts to be televised. It was necessary to protest. It was necessary to be willing to be jailed and worse -- in order for the needed changes to occur.

So the reason that the Sidney Poitier "Slap" is the most important scene in the film is because it was at that moment, that very moment, that anyone watching and truly understanding what was occurring in the film understood that Louis was right. What Sidney Poitier was doing in "In the Heat of the Night" was exactly what Cecil was attempting to teach Louis -- How to Act White in order to be acceptable to "The Man." 

In today's experience, this is called "Assimilation." Tom Tancredo and Steve King claim assimilation means all minority groups must conform to the White Northern European standards established in America.

It is obvious our country has come a long way since the sixties.
But it is just as obvious that we still have a long way to go.

It is critically important that we continue to use all methods of communication (TV, Internet, Movies) and speak the truth when injustice occurs.
Afterall, our great country was founded on the fact that ALL PEOPLE are Created Equal.

Tea Party Rodeo Clowns' Last Stand! Koch Brothers, Glenn Beck and Others Display Level of Racism

I am convinced that the Republican Far Right Wing, Tea Party base is comprised of those that have hidden their racism from the public and from themselves. They are former KKK Members, White Nationalists, Hate Groups like John Tanton's F.A.I.R., NumbersUSA, Alipac, (etc), Segregationists, Xenophobes, Misogynists and Gay Bashers. Let's give this group a Name. Let's call them the Rodeo Clowns.

These Rodeo Clowns have very vocal, far right extremist supporters. Their lead supporter is Glenn Beck. I don't believe Glenn Beck has their core hate. Beck is an opportunist. He is the true Side Show Barker, pulling in these Rodeo Clown Crowds. Raising all the ticket prices to reap all of the rewards for himself.

These Rodeo Clowns do NOT comprise the ENTIRE Republican Base. However, these Rodeo Clowns  are the Loudest and the Most Vocal of the Tea Party members and are attempting to DOMINATE and Push Forward their views. Why? Because they believe they are supporting the "Last Stand of the White Man."

From their View: Minorities are NOT Equal. Minorities are Responsible for ALL Crimes. That's why Racial Profiling is OK. That's why they support "Stop and Frisk." They don't care that even though it has been proven by statistics -- 9 out 10 minorities have done nothing wrong and are released during these Stop and Frisks, pundits like the very racist Pat Buchanan say Stop and Frisk is OK because "You Go Where the Ducks Are."

To these racists, Minorities include: Anyone NOT White -- all Blacks, Hispanics, Gays. They also say Women must be kept in their place. They can work, but can't have a voice. If they get pregnant, or are raped, it's their own fault. None of them should get healthcare, contraceptives, or any benefit if they get old. If they do, they somehow believe any benefits they receive are "Off of their Own Paycheck."

Never mind that most of these Rodeo Clowns are ON Social Security and are collecting some type of benefit themselves. When these Rodeo Clowns do it, they feel they are entitled. They figure they paid into it so they are Not Abusers.

The most maddening aspect of these Rodeo Clowns is that they are being Funded AND Manipulated by the Most Extreme (and Fiscally Abusive) 1 % who are USING the Rodeo Clowns to serve their own agenda. The 1% are exemplified by the Koch Brothers and other Very Rich and Powerful Republican Supporters of the Citizens' United legislation.

We are at a Crossroads in America. The 1% are attempting to Manipulate us -- WE THE PEOPLE. It is clear they have been successful in manipulating the Far Right Extremist Rodeo Clowns AND the Side Show Barkers.

At the same time, we are experiencing the Baby Boomers' transition into Retirement and Social Security. This is a Huge Factor.

We have to make a choice in America:
1. Do we Support the 1%:
-- The 1% is exploiting and manipulating the weakest of our Fellow Americans through their own biases.
-- The 1% are strong, powerful and often control the messages in the media and through our politicians.

2. Do WE THE PEOPLE Support a Land of Immigrants -- the Land of the Free -- Home of the Brave? Do WE Truly Believe that ALL PEOPLE are Created Equal?

Do We? Rich or Poor? White or Black? Man or Woman? Gay or Straight? Working or Not? Christian or Not?  We all have to think within our OWN SOUL -- Is this what WE THE PEOPLE believe?