Jack & Jill Politics

EVENING POST IS UP

rikyrah: Another potential APPOINTMENT!

Democratic official: Kirk slated for US trade rep

A Democratic official says President-elect Barack Obama intends to name Ron Kirk as the United States’ trade representative.

Kirk is a former mayor of Dallas, and was the first black to hold that post.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because Obama has not made the selection public. He’s expected to make the announcement in coming days.

Obama tapped Kirk after Xavier Becerra, a Democratic congressman from California, announced Tuesday that he intends to remain in the House rather than take the trade post.

Currently, Kirk is a partner in the Dallas office of the Houston-based powerhouse law and lobbying firm Vinson & Elkins.

LIZ SIDOTI, AP

Shhhhhhhhhhhh! Y'all don't TELL nobody! O.K.? :>) :>)

[Using my best grammar!] :>) :>)

rikyrah: Another ANNOUNCEMENT:

Former Admiral DENNIS BLAIR - - - -Director of National Intelligence.


Annnnnd, MAYBE---Daniel Kilbee

Obama considering Kildee for a senior position at HUD

It’s one of the most understaffed, demoralized agencies in Washington. Some conservatives want to get rid off it entirely, while liberals complain it doesn’t do its job. Its constituency comprises the poorest and most vulnerable in society, who have little lobbying clout or resources. They pay, in the end, for the numerous scandals that swirl around its housing programs.

Given that background, two recent high-profile appointments by president-elect Barack Obama are intended to create a new chapter in the troubled history of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Obama named Shaun Donovan, New York City’s housing commissioner, as HUD secretary. He also appointed Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion as director of his new Office of Urban Policy, a separate entity that will coordinate federal efforts to help cities.

Housing advocates applauded both appointments as a welcome change, since Obama tapped national urban experts to fill key posts. More may be forthcoming. Dan Kildee, treasurer and chairman of the Genesee County Land Bank in Flint, Mich., confirmed to TWI that he “has had some discussions” with Obama officials about taking a high-level post at HUD, possibly the No. 2 position, but that he’s “not sure where things stand at this point.” TWI profiled Kildee and his land bank, which has gained national recognition for taking control of foreclosed and vacant properties and selling or reusing them, while turning a profit. Cities such as Cleveland, which are plagued by vacant and abandoned foreclosed houses, also are trying to establish land banks.

WATCHIN'. . . . :>)

rikyrah: FINALLY!

Donor List for Bill Clinton’s Foundation Is Released

Posted on Thursday, December 18, 2008 8:16:19 AM by advance_copy

WASHINGTON — The governments of Saudi Arabia and Norway, the Dubai Foundation and the business moguls Bill Gates, Stephen Bing, Haim Saban and Robert L. Johnson are among the biggest financial backers of former President Bill Clinton’s foundation over the last decade, according to a complete donor list published for the first time Thursday morning.

Lifting a longstanding cloak of secrecy, Mr. Clinton disclosed the names of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation as part of an agreement negotiated with President-elect Barack Obama to douse concerns about potential conflicts of interest if Hillary Rodham Clinton is confirmed as secretary of state.

The donor list, posted on the web site of the William J. Clinton Foundation, www.clintonfoundation.org, indicates that his organization accepted multimillion-dollar gifts from a variety of foreign governments, companies and individuals who might have an interest in United States foreign policy. The foundation raised $500 million over the last decade to pay for Mr. Clinton’s presidential library and his philanthropic activities.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...

Always playing games . . . . . .

rikyrah: SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS: [MSNBC - - 12:00NOON]

HILDA SOLIS- - - potential LABOR SECRETARY

CHUCK TODD - - - - NBC White House Correspondent


Obama Cabinet Update (Version 10.0) -- Rep. Hilda Solis As Labor Secretary

There are reports that President-elect Obama (D) has selected Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) to be the next Secretary of Labor. This pick should thrill progressives, who have been lukewarm, too say the least, about the majority of Obama's cabinet picks to date:

A labor official says Rep. Hilda Solis of California will be nominated as labor secretary by President-elect Barack Obama.

The Democratic congresswoman was just elected to her fifth term representing heavily Hispanic portions of eastern Los Angeles County and east L.A. She is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants and has been the only member of Congress of Central American descent.

To give you a sense of Solis' strong labor background, here's from Solis' campaign website on labor issues:

The daughter of a union family, Hilda is widely considered to be one of the strongest supporters of America's workers and the labor movement in the House of Representatives. She fervently believes that unions are vital to the health and strength of America's communities, allowing workers, the backbone of our nation, to stand up for themselves and their families.

President-Elect Obama! :>) LEADERSHIP

Hilda Solis is the bomb diggity... check out my update w/ some info re: the Great Hilda from the Golden State:

http://latinopoliticsblog.com/2008/12/18/dec-18...

adriana: Heeey! I went "Field Trippin'" to your site! Niiiiiiiiice!! :>) :>)

Senora Hilda esta muy bonita Y muy inteligente!! :>) :>)

She will do well!! :>) :>)

Yeah!

Yeah?

This is one coalition that could be great for all of us. The numbers will be big.

Lilytiger: Heeeeey! :>) :>)

Co-sign! :>) :>) "BIG NUMBERS!!" :>)

Gotta "raise up!" C U'all L8R!! :>) :>)

And those Hispanics just keep on rolling into the Obama administration.

2012 better be a cakewalk through CA, FL and TX...

whiterosebuddy: TA-RUE DAT!! :>) :>)

Excellent point, ibs,

"no candidate that we had in the primaries was for all inclusive gay rights, including marriage with the exception of Dennis Kucinich and we see where he is at. Hillary was not for it. John Edwards could not even say gay marriage. The others mono viewpoint on this issue"

rikyrah: Also on HIS SCHEDULE TODAY [Thursday]:

Obama transition team meets with Jewish groups Thursday

WASHINGTON--A selection of Jewish groups will be meeting with Obama transition officials on Thursday to discuss domestic and international issues. Among the transition officials expected to attend include Mike Strautmanis, chief of staff for Valerie Jarrett, who will oversee liasions with special interest groups; Jim Messina, incoming White House chief of staff and Dan Shapiro, who is among those handling transition chores on Middle East issues. During the presidential campaign Shapiro helmed outreach to Jewish groups.

President-Elect Obama! :>) LEADERSHIP!! :>) :>)

Recession
How Did Lawyers Enable the Meltdown?

Posted 2 hours, 42 minutes ago
By Terry Carter

In the game of blame that followed the deepest financial implosion since the Great De­pression, bankers and money managers have borne their share of attention. But how much blame should lawyers bear? Plenty.

As legislators, they helped remove restrictions on commercial banks that allowed them to get involved with subprime mortgage-backed securities.

As regulators, they allowed leverage at investment banks to increase largely unchecked. As judges, they made it harder for shareholders to bring suits to stop the financial shenanigans.

As counsel, their legal opinions gave sanction to deals that, in the words of the analysts behind them, “could have been structured by cows.”

There were also lawyers who did their jobs, only to find their voices lost in torrents of money, rationalization or plainspoken hostility toward the rule of regulation.

Continue reading this article in the January ABA Journal.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/how_did_lawyers_...

Blago's Atty Ed Genson, interview

Watch out for this guy, he takes cases where many thing the defendant will go to JAIL, but end up NOT. If Fitzgerald does not have all the eggs in the basket, Blago can eventually be exonerated.

I'll remind folks..

R.Kelly was ON TAPE TOO.

And, where is he now?

You are on point, iceberg.

This man is no joke.

Hey...if this guy could get Kellz off, he can beat ANY charge.

icebergslim: I WATCHED THIS. The questions were HARD and good 2. BUT, that attorney kept speaking as IFFF his client DID NOTHING wrong.

By some logic then, would it also be the case that the TRANSITION TEAM did nothing wrong, either? [as has been stated!!]

I'm just askin. . . . . . . .

Being an attorney also means being an actor in front of the cameras. Some are good at it, others stink. It is going to be a while before Blago is removed from office. And the reason that Blago's attorney is in Springfield is to remind that committee that nobody has heard squat from the "alledged" tapes Fitzy talked about last week. Until you know what is on the tape, when criminal charges are filed, all we have is Blago talking shit on the "alleged" tape. Which is why it took O's Team a minute to make doubly sure that the report they release next week is on point, and don't think Fitzy won't know what is in that report, he will because he would have read it before it is released to the media.

This case have a lot of moving parts to it, the red meat was the "Blago trying to sell O's seat", which I believe when it is all said and done, it is more talk than anything. And it was a concern for Fitzy to move faster.

Fitzy have some goods on Blago, but we don't know yet. There is a reason Rezko's sentence was delayed, along wtih another co-hort of Blago's whose sentence was delayed, along with the former COS of Blago's who was indicated all through that criminal complaint, who is probably singing the Xmas tunes to Fitzy right now, in exchange for not doing jail time.

O's seat is going to be vacant, and the longer it is, the more a special election looks to happen in the spring. And we just may lose that seat if it goes this direction.

iceberg, this is a interesting analysis and food for thougt. Thanks.

icebergslim: THANK YOU for this explanation. :>) :>)

Waaaaay COMPLEX! huh? :>) :>)

O.K. Hope we don't LOSE that seat! But, IFFF so, it's BLAGO's FAULT!! IMHO :>)

rikyrah: I'm tellin' you, ALASKA is FINALLY figured out that IT IS a part of the other 50 states!: :>)

Alaska investigates racist e-mails

Alaska officials are investigating racist jokes about President-elect Barack Obama that have been circulating on state government e-mail accounts.

One of the five e-mails obtained by The Associated Press asks about the outcome of the Democrat’s victory after all the time and money invested and concludes: “Another black family living in government housing!”

State officials were unaware of the e-mails until asked about them by the AP.

NOTE:[HAH!! Believe that! NO!!! Check their computers!]

Three of the racist messages were confirmed by the state’s information technology division after an electronic search of the government’s e-mail system, Administration Commissioner Annette Kreitzer said Wednesday.

“It’s embarrassing to the state,” she said.

Kreitzer said she alerted the office of Gov. Sarah Palin — the failed Republican vice presidential candidate — about the e-mails.

Bill McAllister, Palin’s spokesman, said in an e-mail that the matter concerned individual actions taken by a handful of state employees among thousands.

“My understanding is that the Department of Administration is following up on this with the individuals who took action to forward the offensive e-mails,” he said. “This is, of course, a confidential personnel and disciplinary matter that has nothing to do with the governor’s office.”

The Rev. Alonzo Patterson, state chairman of the Alaska Black Leadership Conference, encouraged Palin to address the e-mails.

“They’re doing that in a state setting,” he said. “She should condemn it.”

Officials were not releasing the names or positions of workers involved.

It appears the original e-mails were sent to state employees from outside the state system, but some state employees forwarded them.

One e-mail, with the subject line of “Night Befo Crizzmus,” was forwarded dozens of times, Kreitzer said.

It was not immediately clear how many workers were involved in forwarding the e-mails.

The personnel files of state workers who circulated the jokes will be examined for a pattern of similar behavior, Kreitzer said. Discipline will be determined by past behaviors and could range from diversity training to letters of reprimand, she said.

The state was investigating whether the two other e-mails given to the AP also were in the state system, Kreitzer said.

RACHEL D’ORO, AP

Notice how "The Gov. aka "SnoHo" DOWNPLAYED the extent of the involvement of STATE WORKERS!! "WHYCOME" she had an opinion IFFFF she didn't know anything about the e-mails!! :>)

"HER DUMBNESS" continues to reign!! :>) :>)

Sarah needs to tell Todd to stay off the state computers.

Town: You ain't neva lied!! :>) :>) :>)

BUT - - - THEY HAVE!! ***shakin' my head***

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Miss Sarah was forwarding some e-mails herself. Didn't she supposedly refer to Obama as sambo once?

MsKitty: LOL! :>) :>) Need ta check HER computer 2!! :>) :>)

I don't remember that comment. Sorry. :>)

When the primaries ended it was rumored that Palin said "It looks like sambo beat the bitch (Hillary)," or words to that effect. But it may be just a rumor, but goodness knows there's plenty of other crazy stuff that came out of Palin's mouth LOL

MsKitty, here you go!

Alaskans Speak (In A Frightened Whisper): Palin Is “Racist, Sexist, Vindictive, And Mean”
September 5, 2008

by Charley James –

“So Sambo beat the bitch!”

This is how Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin described Barack Obama’s win over Hillary Clinton to political colleagues in a restaurant a few days after Obama locked up the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

According to Lucille, the waitress serving her table at the time and who asked that her last name not be used, Gov. Palin was eating lunch with five or six people when the subject of the Democrat’s primary battle came up. The governor, seemingly not caring that people at nearby tables would likely hear her, uttered the slur and then laughed loudly as her meal mates joined in appreciatively.

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskan...

Ah, I wasn't that far off. I knew the words sambo and bitch were involved LOL

MsKitty: How 'bout - - - almost errythang!! :>) :>) such as. . . .:>) :>) :>)

rikyrah: DANG! My computer was "actin' - - - up!"

O.K. HE SPEAKS! Annnnnnnnd, THEY SPEAK. :>) :>)

NOW the QUESTIONS:

1. We must do whatever is necessary to improve our financial system/flow of credit.

2. ON the PASTOR: Let me start with my own views: fierce advocate for equality for gays/lesbians. BUT, I've also said that we must come together on social views. I've been to his church when he knew that I had different views. Rev. Lowry also has different views. We are "diverse, noisy & opinionated."

3. Back on POINT: On financial regulation: "We have been asleep at the switch!" "We have to strengthen our REGULATORY APPARATUS!" That's why I have all these experts to re-design it!"

4. On the Financial crisis: I think that the American people believe that "There is not a lot of adult supervision out there!"
Restoration of a sense of responsibility. We must advocate what is good for the country not SELF. We will make mistakes. Government can't do it alone. There must be a shift in ETHICS!! "IS IT RIGHT?" is the question that must be asked.

O.K. Thanks guys!

'cause HE's LARGE and IN CHARGE!! :>) :>)

Great job GreenLadyHere! Much better summary than the predictable jibberish and distortion I just heard from Norah O.

Alexander: HEY! :>) THANK YOU!! :>) :>) Just quotin' annnnd, typin' fast!! :>)

But, on Nora O! "HATED HER!" ["IN LIVING COLOR" - style! ] :>) :>)

Thank you womanistmusings. This took me back to my first fight in school 1st gr. for being called an N. So now, you give me a little more ammo to fight for my daughter when noone else will.

So how do you feel about that?

There's nothing in his background that suggests that he's capable of being Secretary of the Navy. He's a fundraiser (or, as is being said by people I know, a "community organizer").

I'll excerpt from what I wrote about it on my blog:

I don’t really care that the man is gay. What he does with his life-though I don’t agree with it, or condone it, or feel the government should either-is his business. However, shouldn’t the service secretaries be people who have some experience-either through service or a career-working with DOD and the service they wish to lead? Mr. White has managed, essentially, a carrier (museum!) in port. Not exactly the same as command at sea.

I can’t even favorably argue that Mr. White is capable of doing the job.

Even as a civilian position I always assumed that to be a Secretary of one of the Armed Services, you had to have been in uniform at some point. That's not the case? And how does that go over with those serving? Wouldn't there be resentment issues?

Not at all. Some of them may have served, but a lot have come from industry (the current Deputy Secretary of Defense came from General Dynamics a long time ago, and was Secretary of the Navy before taking his current position).

The service secretaries are all administrative heads; they don't issue orders or command troops in the field.

Got it. Thanks for clearing that up.

No problem.

Do you know very much about Juan Garcia, the other guy mentioned in the article?

(edited)

Found his bio.

CONSTELLATION was my ship...wonder if he was there when I was.

Thanks, D.

Interesting bio

He seems like a better fit. But I will need to learn more about what his duties will be with regard to the administrative position versus his background. Will be interesting to see what direction this goes...

Responsibilities of the Secretary of the Navy

Generally, all the service secretaries' responsibilities are along this line.

matthew iglesias has an interesting blog post about the achievement gap in chicago. it seems that even tho test scores for all chicago students showed impressive improvement under obama's new ed guy arne duncan, the achievement gap actually got worse because improvements in test scores made by white youth were so much higher than the gains made by youth of color. this has not been reported widely in MSM.

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2008...

trying to get people to address the achievement gap from the top down is not working. i think the answer is to organize students around this because the degree of "willful ignorance" and denial by white teachers about the effects of their behavior on students of color is devastating and causes students of color to "creatively maladjust" to learning in defense of their dignity.

last year i was a coach and advocate for a young dominican woman in her last year of high school. she had a white english teacher who was ostensibly doing "all the right things" on the surface --- high expectations, prep for college, filling her classroom with POC literature at her own expense and buying books that her students of color wanted to read, but couldn't find (this was a high school that was 85%+ students of color). my young friend who was in danger of failing the class decided to do her final research paper on the achievement gap and was met by obstacles every step of the way. she did her powerpoint presentation in front of the class and had a researched-backed slide on the role of white teachers in perpetuating the achievement gap, the teacher not only ridiculed her and accused her of not being capable of doing reliable research but publicly accused her in class of being racist for suggesting it. unfortunately, her peers were not confident enough to defend her in public (altho a number sought her out privately, afraid that the backlash of speaking publicly could impact their own precarious academic standing in the class). and the white teacher was so powerful at the school that even the administrator would not back up the righteous outrage of my young friend and her foster mother (and me --- but that is another less important story about how white educators who speak out as allies of students of color get marginalized -- they were able to block my standing as an advocate because she was ward of state and there was no parent with power to "legitimize" my standing as an advocate). luckily we spoke out and made enough of a fuss to get my young friend to receive a (barely) passing grade (she deserved an a) and consequently her high school diploma.

addressing curriculum and having high expections is clearly not enough on its own to address the achievement gap. ed researchers (and i am one myself) who don't spend long periods of time in schools never get to these complicated stories about how even their best recommendations from the ivory tower get coopted by everyday racism by teachers in schools.

Comments of Jill Christine Duson, President, Maine Electoral College

We meet today to make official, the outcome of the general election held on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008.

We electors, two selected by the statewide popular vote and two selected by the popular vote in each Congressional district, gather here today to cast Maine’s official public ballots for President-Elect Barack Obama and Vice President-Elect Joseph Biden.

We members of the 2008 Maine Electoral College, thank you Madame President, Madame Speaker, Madame Chief Justice and assembled guests for your attendance here today to bear witness as we conduct this momentous task.

I thank my fellow electors for permitting me the privilege and honor of presiding over this historic gathering.

In the words of the first African American to give a keynote address to the Democratic National Convention: “Now that I have this grand distinction what in the world am I supposed to say?”, questioned Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan at that 1976 gathering.

I am Jill Christine Duson, a descendant of Moses Duson, husband, father and a slave on the Jones Plantation near Culpepper, Va.

Born in 1953 in Chester, Pa., I attended segregated schools until a court order required a group of 5th graders to be bussed across town to the white schools.

No one would have predicted this day, for the third of five children of a divorced mom struggling to raise a family on welfare. And now here in the Chamber of the House of Representatives of the State I have called home for 25 years, what am I supposed to say?

Zachary Walker, was the last Pennsylvanian to be murdered by a lynch mob. Next year on the 100th anniversary of his death, a marker will be placed at the site where my great grandmother’s brother was dragged and tied and set afire in full view of the citizens of his community.

Who could have predicted that his great niece would serve as the first Black Mayor of the largest city in the whitest state in America.

“What in the world am I supposed to say ? …? ”

I say AMEN, HALLELUJAH, WELL DONE

I am STAGGERED by outcome of the 2008 election. I am STUNNED by the overwhelming nationwide success of Barack Obama. I am UNDONE by the margin of his victory here in Maine.

Read the rest....

rikyrah: Thursday, DECEMBER 18, 2008; DAY -33; On His "JOURNEY TO JANUARY!"

1. WORD(s) of the DAY: TRANSITION TRAIL/APPOINTMENTS

2. HEADLINE(s):

a) HIS SCHEDULE (partial):

Thursday Dec. 18, 2008
All Times Eastern7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
10:45 AM

President-elect Barack Obama holds a news conference at The Drake Hotel in Chicago.

b) From Politico 44:

President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday will name the first woman to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to two senior Democratic officials. Mary Schapiro is currently CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a non-governmental association that oversees all American securities firms. She is a former SEC commissioner.

b) Here's an Interactive on Obama's Inner Circle:

Obamas Inner Circle

c) ONLY 33 MORE DAYS!
I Barack Hussein Obama Do Solemnly Swear...

President-elect Obama has said he plans to take the oath of office using his full name "Barack Hussein Obama" as other presidents -- though not all of them -- traditionally have done.

SKIP

During the campaign, his detractors repeatedly referred to him as "Hussein" in a vain attempt to perpetuate an Internet-fueled myth that Obama, who is a Christian, is Muslim.

"I think we've got a unique opportunity to reboot America's image around the world and also in the Muslim world in particular,'' Obama told the Tribune, adding that he wanted to "create a relationship of mutual respect and partnership in countries and with peoples of good will who want their citizens and ours to prosper together."

The world, he said, "is ready for that message."

Presidential Inaugural Committee spokeswoman Linda Douglass says as far as she knows Obama still plans to use his full name for his swearing in. She pointed to the president-elect's interview with the Tribune, specifically citing this quote from Obama:

"I think the tradition is that they use all three names, and I will follow the tradition. I'm not trying to make a statement one way or another. I'll do what everybody else does.''

YES HE WILL!! :>) :>) LARGE and IN CHARGE!! :>) :>)

Barack Hussein Obama



I love it!

Justice58: VIRTUAL 'DAP'!!! :>) :>)

GreenLadyHere, thanks for the daily reports!

PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA- YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL IT LIKE IT IS!

spirit: Thank you. My pleasure. :>) Mr. PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!

***standing when HE enters the room*** :>) :>)

Damn skippy, they better stand, and address him correctly too!

Here's a lil sumpin, sumpin for you: http://www.aksalser.com/game.htm

have fun!

spirit: RAOTFL!!! :>) :>) :>)

HAVE FUN!!?? I don't do 0's - - as a rule!! :>) :>)

Betcha I just DID NOW!!! :>) :>) :>)

Thanks! That was fun!! :>) :>)

Very beautiful lady!

All children Are Not The Same: Looking at the ways in which racism rears its ugly head in childhood and why we cannot to universalize the experience.

Your son is so fortunate. And, don't even remotely doubt that you ARE changing the world. Your writings are so full of honesty and truth, and once again, I must thank you.

The one thing that Black parents must do that a White parent doesn't have to do is prepare themselves for the moment their child realizes that some in the world can hate them JUST FOR BEING. Not for anything they have done, but just for EXISTING.

A friend of mine who is a psychologist said that most children realize color and race about 5 or 6. So if black children are learing so early aren't white children?

wonanistmusings, your post is spot on. I went to a segreagated school until about 6th grade. And even then, we were seperated by gender. This was in rural Southern Maryland.

I knew why the boys were seperated from the girls. That was the compromise with the school board and white parents. The white dads didn't want their precious white daughters in the same class with the black boys.

It was an exchange for one form of segreagation for another. I also observed and expereicned that the most of the white kids in our school didn't display disdain for us, it was the parents who constantly came to the school with complaints.

So your post of All children are not the same is so potent and extremely obvious!!!!

Adults play the most important role in shaping our children. They set the precedent, can mold it, nutrue it and maintain it. Ann, what's her name blog clearly has the mindset of someone who is oblivious to how racism has the potential to harm our children.

Awesome blog post. You are so accurate. I remember when I realized I was black, and what it all meant...... 5 years old is about right.

I was also 5 when I realized people thought something was wrong with black.

I think I am going to write a blog about it.? This seems to be a common denominator.? My race wasn't an issue when i was attending school in Santa Clara County CA.? I was blessed to be able to have the option to take reading with the first graders... I was in kindergarten.? I could do P.E. or reading.? I chose reading class.? When I moved to NC they acted like I was strange because I could read, and I wasn't recommended for any of the academically gifted classes because I was black.? I excelled anyway.

It is a very common denominator. Especially for those growing up during a certain time period and also for those attending schools outside of their socio-economic boundaries.

My situation while painful for a small child, did prepare me in ways for the real world that it didn't for others.

I think that is why I am so flexible now.? I see you people and and your racism is clearly showing.

I was in 1st grade when I realized. Up until then I was in an all Black/Caribbean community. It took less than a month for one of my peers to let me know what color I was and who I can and cannot talk to/play with. =O

So I reading the responses both here and on my blog make me that much more determined to keep fighting for my boy. If people cannot recognize how special and worthy our children are we have to. I cannot change the world for my boy, but I can take an active role in making sure he realizedthat he is somebody of value.

Your son will grow up with an open loving heart,and know who he is. My grandma told us we were special and loved with every visit.

She taught us that folks would try to use our race and gender against us. Shre always reinforced our specialness not only by her words but by her actions as well.

If you do, he will be strong, confident and able to weather any storm; even those similar to the ones the commenters endured.

Because I was adored by my family, I immediately sensed the dissension and stood up even taller and tried even harder.

If you don't who will? I try to advocate for my students. However, the black on black crime I see is horrible. I could tell some stories..... Keep up the good work.