THE FOLLOWING IS FROM "THE ARTIS BLOG READER," S.L. KIRKWOOD
Dear Friends,
It's time to hold the Republican Party accountable. You've probably heard about Tea Party members shouting "Nigger!" at Black Congressmen during a protest in Washington, D.C. last weekend. One of the protesters spat on Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, while another called openly gay Representative Barney Frank a "faggot" as the laughing crowd imitated his lisp.[1]But Saturday was just the most recent example of the intolerance and hate coming from right-wing extremists this past year. At times it's been instigated by Republican leaders. When not, it's usually condoned and seen as part of a strategy to score politically. Either way, it's completely unacceptable and has to stop. It's time to confront Republican leadership and force them to take responsibility for the atmosphere they've helped create. Please join me in signing ColorOfChange's petition confronting Republican leaders about hate and fear-mongering in their party, and ask your friends and family to do the same: http://www.colorofchange.org/hate/?id=1703-711385
We're calling on RNC Chair Michael Steele, House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to publicly do two simple things: - Unequivocally condemn bigotry and hate among their supporters, and make clear that those who embrace it have no place in their party. - Make clear that they will not tolerate fear-mongering and coded appeals to racism from officials in the Republican party, at any level. Republican leaders publicly denounced Saturday's ugly scene, but they failed to acknowledge that this is only the latest incident in a pattern of violent rhetoric, racially charged imagery, and paranoid conspiracy theories at Tea Party rallies.[2]
Many Tea Partiers aren't simply about dissent -- they use fear and hatred to assault the very legitimacy of our elected leaders. It's the worst America has to offer. Despite this, Republican leaders court the Tea Party movement while methodically supporting, exacerbating and exploiting their fear and anger for cynical political ends.[3] This is nothing less than a betrayal of American values, and it's up to us to force the Republicans to stop aiding and abetting this enterprise: http://www.colorofchange.org/hate/?id=1703-711385The Tea Party movement has been marked by racially inflammatory and violent outbursts since its inception a year ago.
GOP leaders are trying to pass off this weekend's assaults on Congressmen Lewis, Cleaver, Clyburn and Frank as isolated incidents. But when so-called "isolated incidents" crop up again and again, a pattern starts to emerge. The examples are numerous. At rallies held to protest tax day last year, Tea Partiers carried signs that announced "Obama's Plan: White Slavery," "The American Taxpayers are the Jews for Obama's Oven," and "Guns Tomorrow!"[4]
The Republican National Committee had endorsed the rallies, and RNC Chairman Michael Steele encouraged Tea Partiers to send a "virtual tea bag" to President Obama and Democratic Congressional leadership.[5] After reports of the fear-mongering signs surfaced, Steele did nothing to distance his party from the lunatic fringe. He has even gone so far as to say that if he didn't have his current position, he'd be "out there with the tea partiers."[6]
The Tea Party's venomous rhetoric picked up steam over the summer, when angry mobs flooded town hall meetings legislators had organized as sites for rational, civil debate on health care reform. After one meeting in Atlanta, a swastika was painted on the office of Congressman David Scott (D-GA), who had also received a flier addressed to "nigga David Scott."[7] Some protesters showed up at town hall meetings carrying guns, including at least one man who was armed at an event where the President was speaking.[8]
Again, Republicans responded to these tactics with silence, doing nothing to denounce them. Our country deserves better than this. No matter what party one supports, we should all take strong action to support civil, honest, and respectful public debate. Please join me in calling on Republican leaders to denounce racist rhetoric and fear-mongering, and reject it from their party. And when you do, please ask your family and friends to do the same: http://www.colorofchange.org/hate/?id=1703-711385
This morning, I gathered with members of Congress, my administration, and hardworking volunteers from every part of the country to sign comprehensive health care reform into law. Thanks to the immeasurable efforts of so many, the dream of reform is now a reality.
The bill I just signed puts Americans in charge of our own health care by enacting three key changes:
It establishes the toughest patient protections in history.
It guarantees all Americans affordable health insurance options, extending coverage to 32 million who are currently uninsured.
And it reduces the cost of care -- cutting over 1 trillion dollars from the federal deficit over the next two decades.
To ensure a successful, stable transition, many of these changes will phase into full effect over the next several years.
But for millions of Americans, many of the benefits of reform will begin this year -- some even taking effect this afternoon. Here are just a few examples:
Small businesses will receive significant tax cuts, this year, to help them afford health coverage for all their employees.
Seniors will receive a rebate to reduce drug costs not yet covered under Medicare.
Young people will be allowed coverage under their parents' plan until the age of 26.
Early retirees will receive help to reduce premium costs.
Children will be protected against discrimination on the basis of medical history.
Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions can join a special high-risk pool to get the coverage they need, starting in just 90 days.
Insured Americans will be protected from seeing their insurance revoked when they get sick, or facing restrictive annual limits on the care they receive.
All Americans will benefit from significant new investments to train primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals, and the creation of state-level consumer assistance programs to help all patients understand and defend our new rights.
As I've said many times, and as I know to be true, this astounding victory could not have been achieved without your tireless efforts.
So as we celebrate this great day, I want to invite you to add your name where it belongs: alongside mine as a co-signer of this historic legislation. Organizing for America will record the names of co-signers as a permanent commemoration of those who came together to make this moment possible -- all of you who refused to give up until the dream of many generations for affordable, quality care for all Americans was finally fulfilled.
So, if you haven't yet, please add your name as a proud health care reform co-signer today:
Please accept my thanks for your voice, for your courage, and for your indispensable partnership in the great work of creating change.
History, and I, are in your debt.
President Barack Obama
AGAIN, HELP SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENT
SIGN UP
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
3/24/10
HEALTH CARE PASSES, WHAT A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA
Jeff --
For the first time in our nation's history, Congress has passed comprehensive health care reform. America waited a hundred years and fought for decades to reach this moment. Tonight, thanks to you, we are finally here.
Consider the staggering scope of what you have just accomplished:
Because of you, every American will finally be guaranteed high quality, affordable health care coverage.
Every American will be covered under the toughest patient protections in history. Arbitrary premium hikes, insurance cancellations, and discrimination against pre-existing conditions will now be gone forever.
And we'll finally start reducing the cost of care -- creating millions of jobs, preventing families and businesses from plunging into bankruptcy, and removing over a trillion dollars of debt from the backs of our children.
But the victory that matters most tonight goes beyond the laws and far past the numbers.
It is the peace of mind enjoyed by every American, no longer one injury or illness away from catastrophe.
It is the workers and entrepreneurs who are now freed to pursue their slice of the American dream without fear of losing coverage or facing a crippling bill.
And it is the immeasurable joy of families in every part of this great nation, living happier, healthier lives together because they can finally receive the vital care they need.
This is what change looks like.
My gratitude tonight is profound. I am thankful for those in past generations whose heroic efforts brought this great goal within reach for our times. I am thankful for the members of Congress whose months of effort and brave votes made it possible to take this final step. But most of all, I am thankful for you.
This day is not the end of this journey. Much hard work remains, and we have a solemn responsibility to do it right. But we can face that work together with the confidence of those who have moved mountains.
Our journey began three years ago, driven by a shared belief that fundamental change is indeed still possible. We have worked hard together every day since to deliver on that belief.
We have shared moments of tremendous hope, and we've faced setbacks and doubt. We have all been forced to ask if our politics had simply become too polarized and too short-sighted to meet the pressing challenges of our time. This struggle became a test of whether the American people could still rally together when the cause was right -- and actually create the change we believe in.
Tonight, thanks to your mighty efforts, the answer is indisputable: Yes we can.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
3/22/10
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of addressing a rally held by the Roanoke Education Association at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge in downtown Roanoke, Va. The following is what I had to say.
Good Afternoon, Thank you for having me here today. Before I begin, I would like to thank a few people. I would like to thank the Roanoke City School Board. I know you are doing all you can do to help our schools and our teachers.
I would like to thankDr. Rita Bishop as well. We have talked and I know she is doing all she can to prevent cuts to our school system. I would like to thank Roanoke City Councilman Court Rosen for looking out for teachers. When the Republicans and the Tea Party crowd give you a hard time about your proposed tax increase, remind them that even Ronald Reagan raised taxes. And to those businesses who do not support this tax increase, the Roanoke SCLC has something for you.
Isn't the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge a beautiful facility? Let me acknowledge the "Mother of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge," Dr. Perneller Chubb-Wilson for making this possible. Some may ask what a representative of the Roanoke Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil rights organization, is doing here today talking about education. Yes, I am a teacher. I teach Social Studies at Noel C. Taylor. I have been a teacher in one form or another for 10 years. But I am not here today to talk to you as a teacher. I am here today to talk to you as a representative of the Roanoke SCLC. You see, education is a civil rights issue. And Virginia has a Governor who is blatantly violating the civil rights of our children by instituting a public policy that is based on nothing more than some strange political ideology: that government can cut, cut, cut and never have to worry about the consequences of those cuts all with the notion of the Governor running for higher office in 2012, 2014 or 2016. Yes, education is a civil rights issue. Why? Because the Governor's cuts to education are hurting our children. The Governor's cuts to education are especially hurting those children who are economically disadvantaged regardless of race and those children who are disabled.
These are the children who need extra help in the classroom. These are the children who need extra services in our schools. These are the children who need extra attention in the classroom. These are the children who will suffer most in our schools because of the Governor's cuts to education. Why? Because of the Governor's cuts to education, teachers and other school personnel will not be in our schools and in our classrooms to provide those services to our children. It's simple really. Fewer teachers in the classroom and fewer school personnel in our schools hurt our children, especially those children who need those services the most. Our Governor says he cares about education. Let me borrow a Republican phrase to refute this claim. "You lie."
I want to ask the Governor. How can you say you care about education when your policies remove teachers from the classroom? How can you say you care about education when your policies remove personnel from our schools? How can you say you care about education when your policies lead to programs being cut in our schools? How can you say you care about education when your cuts to education disproportionately end education services to those students who need those education services the most? Agsin, "You lie."
You see, as a teacher, of course I don't want to lose my job. Neither do you. Many of us will be hurting this time next year. Many of us have already begun to cut back. Many of us are wondering what are we going to do without a steady paycheck, without health insurance and without life insurance. I know many of you are wondering how you are going to pay your house payment, your rent and your car note. What is happening to us is a shame.
What is going to happen to our children is worse. You see, many of us are the only positive role models our students see on a daily basis. Many of us are not only teachers. We are our student's father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, counselor, banker, loan officer, financial advisor, self- help guru, probation officer, best friend and a host of other things that cannot be measured on some silly standardized test. This is something the Governor apparently doesn't understand or doesn't want to understand.
You see, I know the Governor doesn't care about us. I know the Governor doesn't care about teachers. That's why I am framing this issue from a civil rights point of view. Since the Governor doesn't care about teachers, maybe he will care about our children. Maybe he can see if he cares about our children, then he has to care about us.
But, I think the Governor needs a little help understanding what goes on in our classrooms on a daily basis. So here is what I am going to suggest. I want the Governor to come to Roanoke Va. I want the Governor to spend a day with me. I want the Governor leave his ivory tower in Richmond to see first hand why he must provide proper funding to our schools.
Then I want the Governor to look me straight in the eye and say, "Jeff, we don't need you in the classroom anymore. These students can take care of themselves."
Let me speak as a teacher now. You cannot raise the graduation rate, you cannot lower the drop-out rate, you cannot raise test scores, you cannot improve education and you cannot improve our schools without teachers. Thank you very much.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
3/19/10
A MESSAGE ABOUT HEALTH CARE
Jeff --
"I'm here for Natoma."
That's what President Obama wrote us yesterday about Natoma Canfield, an Ohio woman whose story helped inspire the President and the nation to keep fighting for reform.
As we speak, each member of Congress is preparing to cast their last vote on health reform, while insurance-company lobbyists bombard D.C. with a million-dollar-a-day campaign of distortions and threats. To break through in these final moments, we must show Congress why we'll never forget the choice they make: Because we're fighting for the people who matter most in our lives.
So today, we've launched a new tool to help OFA supporters show Congress the names of the people who drive us to support reform. It might be a sick father. Maybe it's a friend who lost her job. Or maybe it's a daughter who simply deserves to grow up knowing that affordable care is always within reach. Whoever you know that's inspired you to fight for reform, the time to act is now.
Our voice is strongest when we speak out together, so we're aiming to send 80 messages from Roanoke to Representative Goodlatte today. Submitting your letter takes just a moment -- please click here to join in.
Representative Goodlatte has not supported health reform efforts so far, but a message about why you're fighting could help provide the resolve to rise above partisan divides and do what's right for your district and the country.
As the President reminded us, reform is not just about helping those who struggle today -- it's about making sure that no American is ever just one job loss, accident, or illness away from going without the care they require. That's why we're committed to reform that ends insurance-company abuses, guarantees affordable choices, and brings down costs.
But it all depends on the upcoming vote in the House of Representatives -- and with just a day or two left, it's still too close to call.
Our new online tool makes it easy to tell Rep. Goodlatte who you're fighting for, and you can even submit a quick photo to drive the message home. Your words and images will be sent straight to your representative, and they'll be visible to every member of Congress before the final vote is cast.
Together, we can send a unique message, powerful enough to break through when it matters the most.
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
PLEASE SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE BILL
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
3/12/10
REMEMBERING BLOODY SUNDAY
On March 7, 1965, Alabama state troopers attacked peaceful, non-violent protesters as they exercised their Constitutional right of peaceful protest in trying to acquire the right to vote in Selma, Alabama. This horrific event is called "Bloody Sunday." This case of extreme police brutality led to the famous Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama. The Selma to Montgomery March was led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Selma to Montgomery March, in turn, led to President Lyndon Johnson passing the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
On the 45'th anniversary of this brutal, yet, important day, the Roanoke Chapter of the SCLC paid tribute to those brave souls who were brutalized by Alabama State Troopers on that day by holding a ceremony honoring them at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge in Downtown Roanoke, Va. After opening remarks by Roanoke Mayor David Bowers and a prayer by Roanoke Vice-Mayor Sherman Lea, a silent march took place across the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge. The march was silent in order to pay proper tribute to and remember those who died during America's Civil Rights struggle. After the march, guest speaker, Vice Mayor Sherman Lea, gave a history "Bloody Sunday" and the resulting Selma to Montgomery March which was led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who founded the SCLC in 1957. Vice Mayor Lea was followed by Dr. Perneller-Chubb Wilson, founder of the Roanoke, Va. SCLC and the "Mother of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge." Dr. Wilson gave a brief history of the Civil Rights struggle in Roanoke, as well as, a short history of the founding of the Roanoke SCLC. Dr. Wilson thanked those who were responsible for helping to get the Roanoke SCLC started. Also in attendance for this event were new Roanoke City Manager, Chris Morrill, former Roanoke City School board member, Ms. Mignon Chubb-Hale and Ms. Brenda Hale, President of the Roanoke NAACP. Candidates in the upcoming May, 2010 Roanoke City Council Elections; Roanoke City Council Councilman David Trinkle, Ray Ferris, Bill Bestpitch, Bob Craig, Tony Walker and Carl Cooper also joined the Roanoke SCLC in honoring the brave marchers of "Bloody Sunday." The Roanoke SCLC would like everyone to remember that people died so we can have the right to vote on Election Day. IF YOU DON'T VOTE, DON'T COMPLAIN.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
3/5/10
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA
Jeff --
Last Thursday's first-of-its-kind summit capped off a debate that has lasted nearly a year. Every idea has now been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Both parties agree that the status quo is unacceptable and gets more dire each day. Today, I want to state as clearly and forcefully as I know how: Now is the time to make a decision about the future of health care in America.
The final proposal I've put forward draws on the best ideas from all sides, including several put forward by Republicans at last week's summit. It will put Americans in charge of their own health care, ensuring that neither government nor insurance company bureaucrats can ration, deny, or put out of financial reach the care our families need and deserve
I strongly believe that Congress now owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. Reform has already passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. Now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that has been routinely used and has passed such landmark measures as welfare reform and both Bush tax cuts.
Earlier today, I asked leaders in both houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And now, I'm asking you, the members of the Organizing for America community, to raise your voice and do the same.
Essentially, my proposal would change three things about the current health care system:
First, it would protect all Americans from the worst practices of insurance companies. Never again will the mother with breast cancer have her coverage revoked, see her premiums arbitrarily raised, or be forced to live in fear that a pre-existing condition will bar her from future coverage.
Second, my proposal would give individuals and small businesses the same choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves. And my proposal says that if you still can't afford the insurance in this new marketplace, we will offer you tax credits based on your income -- tax credits that add up to the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.
Finally, my proposal would bring down the cost of health care for everyone -- families, businesses, and the federal government -- and bring down our deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. These savings mean businesses small and large will finally be freed up to create jobs and increase wages. With costs currently skyrocketing, reform is vital to remaining economically strong in the years and decades to come.
In the few crucial weeks ahead, you can help make sure this proposal becomes law. Please sign up to join the Organizing for America campaign in the final march for reform:
When I talked about change on the campaign, this is what I was talking about: coming together to solve a huge problem that has been troubling America for 100 years and standing up to the special interests to deliver a brighter, smarter future for generations to come.
I look forward to signing this historic reform into law. And when I do, it will be because your organizing played an essential role in making change possible.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
I support President's Obama Health Care Plan. So should you.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG 3/01/10
REMEMBER "VOTE ONE"
* JeffArtis.com only supports one candidate in the March 2, 2010, Democratic Primary for Roanoke City Council.
* That candidate is Ms. Valerie Garner.
* Why? Because Ms. Garner is the only Democratic candidate running in this primary who will fairly represent all of the citizens of Roanoke, Va. especially those citizens who live in Northwest and Southeast Roanoke, Va.
* To insure that Ms. Garner gets a place on the May 4, 2010, Roanoke City Council Election ballot, I am again asking you to join my "VOTE ONE" campaign.
* When you go to the polls and vote in the Democratic Primary for Roanoke City Council on March 2, 2010, only vote for Ms. Valerie Garner.
* Doing this, does two things. First, you will give Roanoke, Va. Vice-Mayor Sherman Lea and Roanoke, Va. Councilwoman Anita Price another voice on Roanoke City Council.
* Second, you will give Roanoke's working people, especially those working people who live in Northwest and Southeast Roanoke another needed voice on Roanoke City Council.
* I am asking you to do two things on Election Day, March 2, 2010 for the Democratic Primary for Roanoke City Council. First, VOTE. If you don't vote, don't complain.
* Second, "VOTE ONE." Only vote for Ms. Valerie Garner for Roanoke City Council.
GUARANTEE A VOICE ON ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE WORKING PEOPLE OF NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST ROANOKE
"VOTE ONE" FOR VALERIE GARNER
WE THE PEOPLE
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE
THE ARTIS BLOG
2/12/10
* To all of the ladies out there, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
* I need to make something clear concerning the 2/10/10 ARTIS BLOG. I don't have a problem with Mason Adams of The Roanoke Times. I do have a problem with Trinkle, Bestpitch and Ferris and what they said or tried to say in Adams' article. When I get phone calls asking why I'm working for a political candidate while I'm associated with a non-profit organization and those questions are based on what was said/written in a newspaper article I need to correct the record.
* Adams did his job as a reporter. He reported what was told to him. It was the candidates, Trinkle, Ferris and Bestpitch who tried to pull a fast one on Adams.
* Roanoke, Va. City Councilman Court Rosen has suggested raising the meals tax 2% in order to help raise money for the Roanoke City Public School System. Good idea. This tax could raise $4.6 million for our schools.
* Before you go crazy saying taxes are too high already, remember this. Taxes are not too high. If anything, taxes, especially for the rich, aren't high enough.
* A 2% meals tax boils down to an extra 2 cents for every dollar spent, 20 cents for every $10.00 spent, $2.00 for every $100.00 spent and $20.00 for every $1,000 spent. If you can't afford that then don't eat out.
* As I've said before, Americans want nice things. We want good schools. We want good roads. We want good police, firemen and EMS. We want to live in comfort. The problem is, we don't want to pay for it.
* Trust me. I don't like paying taxes. But, I'm smart enough to know that without paying taxes, my standard of living is going to suffer. There's no such thing as the "Tax Fairy" who is going to magically appear and make sure everything we take for granted is paid for. Roanokers should support Rosen in his efforts to get more funding for our schools.
* I like Jeff Gordon in the Daytona 500. But, if Mark Martin, Jimmy Johnson or Junior win the 500 or the NASCAR championship that's cool, too. I'm also looking forward to seeing Danika Patrick racing this year.
* And ladies, once again, Happy Valentine's Day.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
2/10/10
LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE.
I hope you got to read the 2/5/10 edition of "The Roanoke Times" and the article written by Mason Adams concerning next month's Roanoke City Democratic Primary for Roanoke City Council and the upcoming Roanoke City Council Elections in May. To read the story, please click on the following link.
Of course, I had to give an answer to these charges. I sent the following e-mail to Roanoke, Va. media outlets to tell the truth about the lies that were told about me last week.
-----Subject: A Lie About the Upcoming City Council Elections
2/8/10
Good Morning,
In the 2/5/10 edition of "The Roanoke Times," a story by Mason Adams ran accusing me of working with/for Valerie Garner in the upcoming Roanoke City Council Democratic Primary and the upcoming Roanoke City Council Elections. Roanoke City Councilman David Trinkle and Democratic candidates Bill Bestpitch and Ray Ferris made several claims about my role in Valerie Garner's campaign. These charges are nothing but lies.
I work for no candidate. In fact, given my position in the Roanoke, Va. Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the law clearly says that if I were to work for any political candidate, I would be putting the Roanoke SCLC's tax exempt status in jeopardy. Ferris, an attorney, should know this.
Yes, I am supporting Ms. Garner in the upcoming Roanoke City Council elections. That is my right as an American. I do not support Ferris because of his support of racist Roanoke Neo-Nazi Bill White. Ferris supports White's right to call Black people and others vile and disgusting names. Ferris supports White's right to talk about killing Black people and others, including President Obama. Why would I support this? I cannot support this.
Bestpitch was a failure during his term on Roanoke City Council once before. Why would I vote for him again? As for Councilman Trinkle, his re-election is safe. Although I thought Trinkle was better than this cheap political theater.
Through the years, I have been an outspoken advocate for the working people of this city, especially those people who live in Northwest and Southeast Roanoke. I have given my opinion on my "The Artis Blog" on who I thought the best candidate would be for these areas of the city. I have given my opinion on "The SCLC Radio Show" on which candidates I thought would be best for these sections of the city. However, in all of the years I have been involved with the Roanoke SCLC, I have never worked for a candidate as these three men claim.
Old folks used to say, "When you tell a lie, tell a good lie." Well, these three men have told a whopper of a lie. These men owe me and Valerie Garner an apology.
Take care. Jeff Artis
Again, LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
2/8/10
* I celebrated my 39'th birthday last week. Actually, it was my 53'rd birthday. But, as I told my wife, once you hit 50, age doesn't matter. Living a half of a century changes the way you view things. The little things just don't matter as much.
* As I've gotten older, nothing surprises me. This is especially true when it comes to two things. I'm never surprised by the goings on in Roanoke, Va. politics. And I'm never surprised by the reaction of some in Roanoke's Black community when it comes to responding to the goings on in Roanoke's politics.
* Through the years, some members of Roanoke's Black community have done some interesting things. Some were against a middle school football program to help keep kids away from gangs. Some were the development of a comprehensive program to keep our children from joining gangs. Some were against a comprehensive program to educate the community on the dangers of gangs and gang violence. Some are against the Roanoke Va. SCLC's Juneteenth Celebration. Some in Roanoke's Black community were even against a memorial for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
* When Roanoke's African-American voters had a chance to vote for an African-American majority on Roanoke City Council, you guessed it, Black voters voted against it. Strange, but, true. Now comes the latest interesting tidbit concerning Roanoke's Black community and Roanoke politics. Many in Roanoke's Black community are supporting Ray Ferris in the upcoming Roanoke City Council Election.
* Who is Ray Ferris? Ray Ferris is the lawyer for Roanoke, Va.'s notorious White supremacist, Bill White. Why did Ferris represent White? According to media reports, Ferris says White's First Amendment rights were violated when he was put on trial for his racist views and his racist speech which included making threats and trying to intimidate those who didn't see things White's way.
* I've written about Bill White many times on this blog. So I really don't need to go into detail about what White has said and/or has written about Black people. Still, it's interesting that Black people are supporting a guy for Roanoke City Council who supports White's right to call Black people vile and nasty things.
* Apparently, Ferris supports White's right to call Black people "niggers" and to call Black women, "nigger b#*#hes." Ferris apparently supports White's right to call for someone to kill Black people, including President Obama. Ferris apparently supports White's right to misuse and abuse the First Amendment in order to threaten and intimidate people, especially those people, both Black and White, who stand up for human and civil rights.
* Now, I'm not too surprised by some of the Black folks who are supporting Ferris for Roanoke City Council. Roanoke, Va. House of Delegate member, Onzlee Ware and his crew will support anything that pays well. I'm sure Ware will be rewarded very, very well for his support of Ferris. Some in the Roanoke NAACP are supporting Ferris. Those NAACP members who are supporting Ferris stopped advocating for civil rights years ago. What is interesting is the Roanoke NAACP was one of Bill White's targets. Go figure.
* Of course, there are those, both White and Black, who believe the liberal nonsense that what Ferris does as an attorney will have no bearing on what he'll do as a Roanoke, Va. City Councilman. I say bull. If Ferris were a Republican instead of a Democrat, those same folks would be raising hell about Ferris running for Roanoke City Council until the cows came home. I can hear those people, especially Black people, saying, "How dare that no good, racist Republican Party let someone like Ray Ferris run for City Council."
* If Ferris wants to make money standing up for people like Bill White, that's his right. But, don't expect me to vote for him. If Ferris supports the right for someone to call Black people "niggers" and worse, how can any Black person expect Ferris to support the Black community as constituents? How can someone support racism under the guise of the First Amendment and then turn around and say they will support Black people as a city councilman? I guess some folks, especially Black folks, need their heads examined. I know this. Ferris won't get my vote.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU SOON
THE ARTIS BLOG
2/1/10
* Anyone who says that President Obama didn't have an outstanding first year as President is a fool. First, look at what the man walked into when he became President of the United States. Then, look at the man's legislative accomplishments during his first year in office. Look at the state of our economy today as compared to the state of our economy one year ago. Look at how President Obama is addressing the problems of Islamic terrorism. Look at how he has raised America's standing in the world.
* Now, take into consideration that President Obama has done these things in spite of the stated fact that the Republican Party, "The Party of No", has not cooperated with him, has lied about what he wants to do, has lied about what he is trying to do and has staked its political future on President Obama failing at everything he tries to do. As I've said before. The Republican Party has no idea on how to fix the mess this country is currently in; a mess the Republican Party helped to make through bad government. They will do and say anything to pass the buck to cover up and hide their own incompetence.
* Yes, President Obama should have addressed the jobs issue before taking on health care. Yes, President Obama needs to do a better job clarifying his message especially when he is taking on the Republican Propaganda Machine led by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. And yes, there are times President Obama appears to be too cool.
* However, when it comes to taking on the real issues and the real problems that are facing America and the American people, President Obama is the right man for the job. If people would simply look at his record objectively they would clearly see this.
* I hope you got to see the State of the Union Address last week. It was outstanding. More interesting was the Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union Address given by Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia. Why? Because while saying President Obama was trying to do too much and saying that government needs to be smaller, Gov. McDonnell simply repeated the same themes and actions President Obama had talked about just a few minutes earlier. Yes, Gov. McDonnell actually cherry picked President Obama's speech to make President Obama's ideas his own. Shameful.
* But, these things happen when you have no ideas of your own. It appears Gov. McDonnell is intellectually bankrupt. Given the state of the Republican Party in the United States and in Virginia, I am not surprised.
* I hope you got to read the Editorial Page of the 1/28/10 edition of The Roanoke Times newspaper. Dr. Mark Crummey wrote a commentary addressing the so-called "School to Prison Pipeline." You can read his commentary by clicking on the following link: www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/234547
* I agree with Dr. Crummy's commentary. Personally, I think the "School to Prison Pipeline" deal is a bunch of liberal b.s. I have been and still am a vocal critic of some of the practices used by our public schools. However, if Johnny is in the 12'th grade and can't read, Sally is 18 and still in the 9'th grade or Bill is 14 and in jail for selling drugs, our public schools aren't only to blame for these types of situations.
* Once we stop scapegoating our public schools for everything that's wrong with American society, we just might figure this thing out. No, I'm not condoning bad teachers, bad schools, assembly-line education and a number of other issues and problems concerning our schools.
* But, if America really wants to improve our public schools instead of talking about the problems facing our public schools, America needs to do three things. 1) We can no longer give bad parents a free pass when it comes to making sure their children take advantage of what our schools have to offer. 2) We must speak out against the "Culture of Prideful Ignorance" that has taken hold of many of our children minds. 3) We must speak out against the mindset that believes "Education Makes You White," a mentality that has also taken over the minds of many of our children in this great country of ours.
More, next week.
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1/22/10
* What is going on at ESPN? Yes, that ESPN. On last Monday's "Mike and Mike In The Morning Show," that aired on the day we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mike Greenberg, co-host of the show, said the following coming back from a commercial break, "Talking football with you on this Martin Luther Coon King Jr. holiday."
* Greenberg has apologized. (I've seen Greenberg's apology, if that's what you want to call it. I call his apology bull jive.) ESPN has allowed Greenberg to remain on the air.
* Greenberg should have been suspended, if not fired outright, for what he said. What is the difference between Greenberg using a racial slur while mentioning Dr. King and Don Imus with his "nappy-headed hoos" comment? What Greenberg said is much, much worse than what Imus said.
* If I were an athlete, I'd refuse to have anything to do with ESPN until Greenberg suffered consequences for his choice of words. But, given the mentality of today's athlete, it's not going to happen.
* Here's one from The Stupid File. Bolivian President Evo Morales is upset with the United States trying to help Haiti recover from last week's earthquake. Morales says, "The United States cannot use a natural disaster to militarily occupy Haiti." What an idiot.
* Here's another one from The Stupid File. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is also upset with the United States trying to help Haiti recover from last week's earthquake. According to Chavez, "It appears the gringos are militarily occupying Haiti." Again, what an idiot.
* Still another one from The Stupid File; anything Rush Limbaugh says about President Obama, Haiti, health care or anything else.
* Speaking of health care, regardless of what some claim, health care is not dead. Health care is going to happen in spite of The Party of No; better know as Republicans.
* One more month until the Daytona 500. Thank goodness. Not even Sarah Palin can ruin the start of racin' season. Will this be the year Junior finally wins the championship?
* I like the Colts and the Saints in the Super Bowl. I'll be honest. With the Cowboys out of the playoffs, I really don't care who wins the Super Bowl. There's only one thing better than the Redskins beating the Cowboys; the Cowboys losing in the playoffs.
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1/20/10
* Can we please stop all of this silliness? Bad candidates lose elections. Martha Coakley was a bad candidate. That's why Coakley lost in the Massachusetts Senate race earlier this week. Scott Brown winning Ted Kennedy's old U.S. Senate seat is not monumental. Brown's victory is not earth shattering. Brown's victory is not the end of the Obama Presidency.
* Brown's victory is the result of Martha Coakley thinking she had the election in the bag. Coakley thought she couldn't lose. Well, she did. If Coakley would have run any kind of a real campaign, she would have kicked Brown's behind all over Massachusetts.
* The question now is, do Democrats in Congress have the guts to do what is needed to be done to make this country better? My instincts tells me they don't have the guts. Politicians lose their nerve in election years. Now, President Obama will have some real problems due to Democrats in Congress being cowards, not because the American people are tired of the Obama agenda.
* Like I said a year ago, the biggest problem President Obama will face in his Presidency will be his fellow Democrats not supporting him. President Obama's biggest problem will not be Republicans making sure his agenda fails or the Republican propaganda machine misrepresents everything the man does or attempts to do.
* Gov. Bob McDonnell says he will veto any tax increase in Virginia. I guess we will see more cutbacks. Funny thing about taxes. If Virginians want good government services like police, schools, roads, trash collection, open rest stops and all, Virginians will have to pay taxes. There's no such thing as the "Tax Fairy" who is going to magically appear and make sure the people of Virginia get outstanding government services. Why is this so hard for people to understand?
* You see, I got spoiled in my childhood. I remember when Virginia didn't have to worry about money. I remember when Virginia had good roads, plenty of money for schools, plenty of money for public safety and plenty of money for everything else. I remember when Virginia used to make fun of those states who didn't or couldn't provide outstanding government services for their people. I remember when adults had something called common sense, when adults said, "No, I don't like paying taxes. But, I don't like bad roads or bad schools, either." Where have those days gone? Where has common sense gone?
* So let me see if I've got this straight. Politicians in Virginia say they care about education. Politicians in Virginia say they want Virginia to have a first class school system. Yet, all across Virginia, school districts are being forced to lay off teachers, cut programs, increase class sizes, increase teacher/student ratios, reduce the number of text books a school/class has and cut back on a number of other things because of a lack of tax revenue. And Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says he will veto any tax increase to prevent these things from happening in our schools.
* I sure would hate to see what would happen in education if Virginia's politicians said they hated our public schools.
* Funny thing about the upcoming Roanoke City Council Elections. I feel like been there, done that. When I ran for council in 1996, I campaigned on many of the issues the candidates are talking about today, especially government waste and spending beyond our means. I warned the voters of an economic downturn and how the city needed to take this into consideration when the city did spending or capital improvement projections.
I was told back then that I didn't know what I was talking about, that I wasn't a "team player." Now I have people coming up to me and telling me they wished they would have listened to what I was saying in 1996, that they regret not voting for me. All I can tell them is be careful who you vote for this time.
* Bob Craig and Tony Walker have entered the Roanoke City Council race. Once I learn more about these men, I'll let you know what I think. Right now, I'm only pulling for Valerie Garner for Roanoke City Council.
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1/11/10
* With the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, I am often asked if civil rights organizations have outlived their usefulness. My answer is that civil rights organizations are more important now than ever before. However, the mission of civil rights organizations has changed from achieving civil rights to making sure we take advantage of the civil rights we have achieved.
* Some disagree with me, especially those civil rights organizations that have become more of a social club than a civil rights organization.
* As I've said many, many times, we can no longer blame the White man or White racism for everything that is wrong in the Black community. The time has come for the Black community to take a long hard look on what the Black community is doing to itself to deny itself full access to the American Dream.
* This is not to say that racism and discrimination are things of the past. Racism and discrimination are alive and well in America. In fact, racism and discrimination are the root causes of why so many in the Black community feel achieving the American Dream through legitimate and legal means is a joke.
* However, there is a self-victimization and hopelessness in today's Black community that is more accepted and pronounced than in past generations. Past generations of Black people fought racism and discrimination. Today's generation of Black people seem to have accepted as fact that they can't make it regardless of any situation.
* Granted, some people in the Black community are in circumstances I can't even imagine. However, hard times and bad circumstances are nothing new to the Black community. And there are plenty examples of Black people overcoming extreme circumstances to make it. These Black people are not the exception to the rule, they are the rule. We should take note of their examples and follow them.
* We must say enough is enough when it comes to certain behaviors in the Black community, behaviors that we have control over. We must get serious about the Black-on-Black crime and stop accepting and making excuses for Black criminality. We must get serious about the Black drop-out rate and stop accepting and making excuses for Black illiteracy. There was a time when Black people were put to death for learning how to read and write. Now, Black illiteracy is celebrated in certain circles.
* We must get serious about babies having babies. With the unlimited availability of birth control today, there is no excuse for the unacceptable pregnancy rates in the Black community. Fathers not being fathers, HIV/AIDS, gangs and gang violence, drug abuse and a host of other ills in the Black community must be addressed by the Black community.
* We need to get serious about the rampart exploitation of the poor in this country. I'm not talking socialism. I'm talking fairness. It is a crime how financial institutions and businesses are taking advantage of the poor. We must realize that economic justice is as important as social justice.
* Now, more than ever before, civil rights organizations must lead the way. The job of civil rights organizations isn't over.
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1/8/10
* I've been asked to go into more detail about my VOTE ONE CAMPAIGN.
* It's simple mathematics. Roanoke's voters are given three votes to cast in both the Democratic Primary Election for Roanoke City Council on March 2, 2010 and the General Election for Roanoke City Council on May 4, 2010.
* If a voter uses all three votes in these elections, those three votes essentially cancel each other out.
* Casting just one vote in these elections does the opposite. Casting one vote is essentially the same as casting three votes for the candidate of your choice.
* It's all in the math. The fewer votes you cast in these elections, the more powerful your vote becomes.
* As for the candidates running on the Democratic ticket, I have no problem with Roanoke City Councilman David Trinkle. Yes, he supported the Hershberger Road methadone clinic and he's had a conflict of interest issue. However, his re-election to Roanoke City Council is in the bag.
* Former Roanoke City Councilman Bill Bestpitch? Been there, done that. Didn't work before. Won't work now.
* Plus, I'm tired of Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost candidates; those candidates who only know where Northwest Roanoke is before an election and forget where Northwest Roanoke is once elected.
* Ray Ferris? If you defend an neo-nazi like Bill White, there's no telling what you'll support once you are elected. Can't vote for him.
* If you want another voice for Northwest Roanoke on Roanoke City Council, vote for Valerie Garner. If you want another voice for the working people of Roanoke on Roanoke City Council, vote for Valerie Garner. If you want to make sure Valerie Garner gets on Roanoke City Council, VOTE ONE. It's all in the math.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
1/4/10
One decade ends, another decade begins. So what's in the future? What will happen between 2010 and 2019? Let me tell you. I predict. . .
* President Obama will win the 2012 Presidential Election in a landslide. The years 2010-2019 will become known as "The Obama Decade."
* In 2019, the U.S. will still be the #1 country and superpower in the world. China's status as a world power will be slowed by internal and economic problems. However, China's standing in Africa will stay secure.
* Revolution will take place in Iran. The current government in Iran will be replaced. After internal problems and violence in the streets, a new form of democracy will take hold in Iran by the end of the decade.
* After gaining seats, but not the majority, in Congress in the 2010 mid-term elections, the Republican Party will implode due to the Republican Party's radical right wing. Democrats will control Congress and the Presidency for the next generation.
* By the end of the decade, Sarah Palin, the Tea Party Movement, Dick Chaney, Rush Limbaugh, and the "Politics of No" will become afterthoughts. Americans will see the Republican Party as a do nothing party with no new ideas.
Real reform on Wall Street and in our financial institutions will become afterthoughts, as well. Some financial reform will take place this decade, but, not enough to prevent our next economic crisis.
* Unemployment will hit 11%-12% by late 2010, early 2011. Unemployment will then will drop drastically to 6%-7% by 2015. By late 2011, early 2012, our economy will begin taking off like a rocket.
* The Supreme Court will see a huge shift to the left as President Obama appoints several new liberal justices. There will be a new spirit of cooperation in Congress as Republicans see the "Politics of No" doesn't work after the 2012 Presidential Election produces a landslide Obama victory.
* Money and lobbyists will continue to control American politics as America's current populist movements become fractured. However, the political playing field will become more level between lobbyists and the American public as politicians have a "Come to Jesus" moment due to the public's outrage over politicians who have been or appear to have been bought off by lobbyists.
* The words "liberal" and "moderate" will no longer be curse words in American politics. America's "War of Radical Islam" will continue.
* Roanoke, Va. House of Delegate member, Onzlee Ware will resign or not seek re-election due to his own doing. Roanoke City Council will continue to be stuck in neutral. The actions of the Roanoke City Democratic Party will still be questionable, though not as questionable as it was under the direction of former Roanoke City Democratic Party Chairman, Tony Reed. "Cut, Cut, Cut," will be the motto of Roanoke City government during the upcoming decade due to a number of reasons and a loss of tax revenue.
Fasten your seat belts. It's gonna be an interesting decade.
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12/21/09
* Often, liberals remind me of conservative Republicans. Both groups don't mind cutting off their noses to spite their faces. As a result, both groups often lose the battles they are fighting before the battle they want to fight has actually begun.
* I'm talking about the current health care bill.
* It is a fact that the health care bill passes by the House of Representatives is much, much better than the health care bill that is currently being debated in the Senate.
* However, the health care bill that is currently being debated in the Senate is as good as it's going to get. And in American government, new legislation doesn't get passed unless the House and the Senate both agree on a piece of legislation point by point, word for word, piece by piece.
* Like it or not that's how American government works.
* So liberals can call folks what they want. Liberals can point fingers at folks all they want. Liberals can cry all they want. Let's face reality. At this point and time, a public option for health insurance ain't gonna happen. Why? The Senate won't vote for it. There will be no buy-in to Medicare? Why? The Senate won't vote for it. There are other things in the House health care bill that won't pass. Why? The Senate won't vote for it. And if the Senate won't vote for it, it ain't gonna happen.
* Sometimes in politics, you've got to take the best piece of legislation that is being offered to you. A little bit of something is better than nothing at all. Plus, there's another reality of American politics that we need to remember. If a piece of legislation is lacking, Congress can always go back and fix it at a later date when the votes are there to fix it. We can get a public option at a later date. We can get a Medicare buy-in at a later date. We can fix what's left to fix in the current health care bill at a later date.
* Those liberals who say we need to start the health care debate all over again are ignoring the realities of Washington politics. In politics, sometimes you have to take what you can get and fight for what you didn't get another day.
* That said, I don't have a problem with the current health care bill that is now being debated in the Senate, which, when all is said and done, will be pretty close to the final version of the health care bill that will be sent to President Obama to sign into law. Even with its limitations, we've still gotten the best health care bill we could have get at this time.
* For that, we should be thankful.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
12/18/09
* The Tiger Woods controversy is nothing but overkill. So, I have to ask. . .
* If Tiger Woods were White and he got caught cheating on his White wife with 10 or more White women, what would the outcry be?
* If Tiger Wood's wife were Black and he got caught cheating on his Black wife with 10 or more Black women, what would the outcry be?
* If so many folks outside of the Black community didn't think Tiger Woods was the "perfect Black man" and he got caught cheating on his wife with 10 or more Black women, what would the outcry be?
* No, I don't condone what Tiger Woods did to his wife and his family. He was wrong to do what he did. But, let's be honest. Tiger Woods isn't the first big time athlete to cheat many, many times on his wife. Tiger Woods isn't the first big time public figure to cheat many, many times on his wife.
* So why are we acting like the world is coming to an end because Tiger Woods cheated on his wife?
* Can we stop the PC nonsense and call a Christmas tree what it is, a Christmas trees?
* Can we stop the PC nonsense and call Christmas Vacation in our schools what it is, Christmas Vacation? Winter Break, my foot.
* Here's my problem with the whole PC, let's not say Christmas thing. I'm not ashamed that I am proud to be a Christian. That said, Christmas is about the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we are a Christian nation, as much as we try to say otherwise. So why the PC?
I wish people "Happy Holidays," out of respect and politeness. But, to say "Happy Holidays" over "Merry Christmas" or to call a Christmas tree a Holiday tree for the reason of being PC? What has this country come to? And to those people who get insulted over the use of the term, "Christmas" I only have one thing to say. Get over it.
* Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. To those who don't observe Christmas, Happy Holidays.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
12/14/09
* I can't stand cowards, people with no heart, people who hide behind the United States Constitution to do their cowardly deeds or people who hide behind the Constitution to act like a clown. That's why I have no respect what so ever for Roanoke, Va. White supremacist, Bill White who is on federal trial for free speech violations.
* You could say White and I have some history together. We've exchanged some interesting e-mails. In the past, he's posted some stuff about me on his old website, Overthrow.com. Once, he accused me of using the Roanoke, Va. SCLC Juneteenth Celebration to feed pimps, whores and drug dealers, (his words, not mine).
* He and his buddies have called me the usual things a racist calls Black people.
* White took issue with me over the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge in downtown Roanoke, Va. And given our relationship, or lack there of, I'd say that I'm one of the "Negro Nuisances" that White said he had developed a plan to kill.
* No, I didn't run from him. I won't run from him. I never will. I don't have a problem standing up to him. I let White know how I felt when he went after Roanoke, Va. NAACP President Brenda Hale and Roanoke NAACP member, Brenda Walker.
* I gave a television interview to WDBJ 7 about White a couple of summers ago. During the interview, I called White an idiot.
* White is an idiot. In fact, he's such an idiot that other White supremacists don't want to have anything to do with him. White gives them a bad name, if that's possible.
* However, White is also dangerous. White is a threat to public safety. He has his followers. And he has those followers under his spell.
* White may or may not do anything to the people he harasses and demeans. But, White knows his followers will do his dirty work for him. His followers, while few in numbers, don't mind going to jail for the man. And if you don't think White has some followers, think again.
* White knows what he did. He knows what he's doing. He knows what he was trying to do. The man, as they say, is crazy like a fox. White is guilty as sin. I just wish the man had the guts to say, "Yeah, I did it and here's why." However, like most racist cowards, White lacks the guts to admit it. White is nothing more than a cowardly racist who is trying to hide behind the United States Constitution to stay out of jail. I hope his jury sees this sham and sends him where he belongs, to prison for a long time.
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12/07/09
* Please remember the sacrifices of the 4,500 military personal that were either killed or wounded on this day, December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day. Please say a prayer of thanks for those who died so we can live free.
* The White House Gate Crashers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These people need to be made an example of so no one will attempt to do something so stupid again.
* A couple of weeks ago, I was reading an article on the shortage of Black male teachers in our nation's schools. According to the article, only 2% of all teachers nationwide are Black men. What's going on?
* It's simple really. Black men can make more money, with less aggravation in other professions.
* I'm not knocking Black men who do not go into teaching. I'm just explaining why there is such a shortage of Black male teachers in our nation's schools.
* Not everyone can be a teacher. To be honest, as a Black male teacher, there are a number of things Black male teachers have to put up with that women and White male teachers don't have to deal with.
* Please say a prayer for the family of Malik Jaylin Scott Eubank, age 15. I'm being told the young man had it rough.
* Everyone knows I'm a Tiger Woods fan. Frankly, Tiger Woods cheating on his wife is none of my business. I'm not surprised that he was creeping on his wife. However, I am surprised that he's handled this whole thing like a little whimp.
* I thought Tiger was above blaming the press for his problems. All the man needed to do was keep it in his pants. Still, I'll still be pulling for Tiger to win.
* Tiger Woods isn't a role model. Heck of a golfer. Lousy husband.
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12/3/09
* I will be stepping down as Chairman of the Board of the Roanoke, Va. SCLC at the end of January in order to spend more time with my family. I will also be stepping down as the Roanoke, Va. SCLC's Juneteenth coordinator after this year's JUNETEENTH IV CELEBRATION.
* I heard a rumor that I'm considering a run for Roanoke City Council in the spring. Ain't gonna happen.
* I applaud President Obama's new Afghanistan plan. If we can't get things straight in Afghanistan by July 2011, we'll never be able to get things straight in Afghanistan.
* What is wrong with some Americans? A psychopath attacked this country on September 11, 2001. He and his organization still hasn't been brought to justice. Yet, some Americans are saying we need to get out of Afghanistan before the job of bringing this psychopath to justice is done because too many soldiers are getting killed and it costs too much.
* I don't want to see soldiers killed. I don't want our government to spend more money than it has to. However, we have an obligation to the people who lost their lives on 9/11 to make sure those responsible for that horrible day are brought to justice. We have an obligation to make sure those who have lost their lives defending this country didn't died in vain while trying to bring the people responsible for 9/11 to justice. We also have an obligation to totally destroy the terrorist network that was responsible for the attack on 9/11 so we won't be attacked again. Why is this so hard for some Americans to understand?
* Frankly, I think the folks who talk about leaving Afghanistan before the job is done need to wake up to reality. I support their right to say what they want. However, the facts are clear. If we don't take care of them, they will take care of us. Again, why is this so hard for people to understand?
* And no, Afghanistan is not like Viet Nam; not even close.
* Tony Reed is stepping down as Chairman of the Roanoke City Democratic Committee. Good.
* To those parents who are complaining to Roanoke City Schools about the fighting that's going on at William Fleming High School in Roanoke, Va., you are complaining to the wrong people. You need to take a trip downtown to see Roanoke, Va. Police Chief, Joe Gaskins, and tell him to do something about the gangs and gang violence that has taken over parts of Roanoke; that in turn is causing most of the problems in our schools.
* You also need to address Roanoke, Va.'s mainstream media for giving Gaskins a free pass for his ineptitude in dealing with Roanoke's gang problem.
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11/25/09
* I'm not going to lie to you. I listen to all types of music, including rap music. But, while I listen to rap music, I don't fall into or try to live the "Rap Fantasy Lifestyle."
* My Mother can take credit for this. My Mother always allowed me to listen to the music I wanted to listen to when I was growing up. However, my Mother also told me, "Boy, you can listen to that stuff all you want to. But, if you start acting like those guys on those records, you and I are going to have some real problems."
* My Mother and I never had any real problems over the music I listened to. Why? Because I didn't want to have any real problems with her. Why? I knew if I acted like the guys I listened to on my records, I would get jacked up by my Mom. That's just the way it was when I was growing up.
* Did I dress like those guys? Yes. Did I talk like them? Yes. But, never around my Mom and never around adults who I knew would tell my Mom that I had lost my mind by doing something she said I'd better not do.
* Around my friends, I was as cool as cool could be. Around my Mom and other adults, I was a nerd. Why? I didn't want to get jacked up by my Mom.
* I did the same thing when my kids were old enough to listen to their music. When my son was growing up, I told him, "Boy, you can listen to that Snoop Doggy Dog guy all you want. But, if you act like him, start cursing like him or disrespect women like he does, you and I are going out to the back yard. And it won't be to play catch." My son listened. He listened to his music. But, he didn't get jacked up.
* I said the same thing to my two daughters when they got old enough to listen to their music, without the going into the backyard thing, of course. With each one of them, I asked, "Baby Girl, why are you listening to music that is putting you down as a woman?" Each daughter told me the same thing. "Daddy, I'm not anything like the girls those guys are talking about. And if some guy talked to me that way or treated me that way, I'd get rid of him real quick." I could only smile.
* Like me, my children were into the music, not the fantasy lifestyle. And like me, my children had an adult telling them, "You can listen to that stuff if you want to. But, there will be negative consequences you will have to suffer if you start living the fantasy lifestyle of the music."
* As we lose more and more of our young people to the streets, prison or the graveyard, I can clearly see the change in parenting that allows a young person to get caught up in the fantasy lifestyle of rap music instead of the musicality of the music on the whole. Although the people responsible for promoting rap music are getting filthy rich promoting the fantasy lifestyle aspect of rap music, (money, drugs, women, disrespect and guns), few of us in the real world are telling our young people that rap music promotes one main thing, a fantasy lifestyle that isn't real, parents included.
Let's be honest. When young people listen to the same thing, day in and day out, and that's all young people listen to, eventually fantasy becomes reality. Suddenly, these young people feel it's more important to get bling and live the fantasy lifestyle than it is to get an education. Suddenly, these young people know more about the latest rapper than they know about math, English and history. Suddenly, these young people start believing that life is so short that you have to get yours by any means necessary, regardless of the costs to yourself and others. Suddenly, a promising young person with a future becomes another negative statistic.
The music isn't our enemy. Our enemy is the lack of supervision of our young people who listen to rap music. Negativity breeds negativity. Ignorance breeds ignorance. The rap lifestyle breeds the rap lifestyle. Why and how? We have allowed fake-wanna-be-fantasy lifestyle-gangsta-rappers to gain control over the minds of too many of our young people. For this, we only have ourselves to blame.
* One final thing. I never listen to rap music around my wife or my grandson. It's that responsibility thing again. My grandson is too young to hear that stuff. My wife hates rap music. I don't play rap music around her out of respect.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
11/20/09
* In Roanoke, Va. videos of school fights are being carried on the evening news. School and neighborhood fights in Roanoke, Va. are a staple on YouTube. Dan Casey, of the Roanoke Times newspaper, has written a column about a recent drive-by shooting that was witnessed by Brenda Hale, President of the Roanoke NAACP. There are things going on in several Roanoke neighborhoods that people don't talk about and are never reported to the police. People are afraid. What's going on?
* Since 1994, I have been calling on the City of Roanoke, Va. to address the issue of gangs and gang violence in the city. My calls have fallen on deaf ears. As a result, gangs have become "institutionalized" in the city to the point that even if the City of Roanoke wanted to address the problem, it may be too late to do anything about this problem.
* What we have been seeing lately is the end result of a problem that has gotten out of hand. Gang members are being recruited as early as elementary school. For some gangs, membership is entering a second and/or third generation. Gang membership in Roanoke, Va. involves both males and females, young and old, Black and White.
* Now, there are people out there who will strongly disagree with me on the problem of gangs in Roanoke, Va. Those people are: 1) public officials who want to whitewash the problem of gangs in the city in an attempt to cover their backsides for failing to address the problem, 2) people who are making money from Roanoke's gangs, (another one of the city's new institutions), 3) family members who don't want to see other family member go to jail through their gang activity, or 4) fools.
* What can be done about the problem of gangs in Roanoke, Va.? Until the city's officials get off their backsides and aggressively address the problem of gangs and gang violence in the city by: 1) admitting we have this problem, 2) educating the community about the problem, 3) putting programs in place to address the problem, 4) prosecuting the most serious gang crime crimes as gang crimes, not much.
* In the meantime, I encourage you to read, "A Parent's Guide To Gangs," here on JeffArtis.com. A link to, "A Parent's Guide to Gangs" is posted above.
* I'll give some credit some folks for speaking out against gangs in Roanoke, Va. Congressman Bob Goodlatte is the only public official to date to say that we need to address this issue.
* WDBJ 7 is the only media outlet in Roanoke that has consistently addressed the issue of gang violence in the city. Others have talked about it. But, not like Channel 7.
* Every negative statistic involving our youth in Roanoke, Va. is disproportionately affected by the influence of gangs and gang violence, from graduation rates, to crime rates, to STD rates, to teen pregnancy rates, to drop out rates. The question is, "When are we going to address the problem of gangs in Roanoke, Va.?"
* We are losing our children. We only have ourselves to blame.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
11/12/09
* Mountains can be moved. I support the House of Representatives' health care bill. It's a good bill that will do the country and the economy much good in the long run. It will be interesting to see how the Senate's health care bill stacks up in comparison.
* I'm going to do something I haven't done in a while. I'm going to agree with the Republicans in Congress on a one thing. Health care tax dollars should not be used to pay for abortions unless in the case of rape or incest. Anyone who says otherwise is just plain wrong. As for the issue of our tax dollars being used to fund health care for illegal aliens, President Obama made it clear he would not support such a thing months ago. I guess the Republicans Party wasn't listening when he said that. I was.
* Folks have been taking me to task for my comments in today's Roanoke Times newspaper about former William Fleming High School Principal, Susan Willis. I don't mind. And to be honest, the reporter, Courtney Cutright, didn't print everything I said about this controversy.
* As an educator, I'm tired of kids getting the short end of the stick when it comes to getting an education, especially minority kids, poor White kids and special education kids. These kids are just as smart as anyone else. These kids may have to be taught differently. But, these kids can excel in the classroom just like anyone else if they are expected to do so and if the proper demands are placed upon these kids to excel in the classroom.
* What Willis did is a disgrace to education. She should have to suffer the consequences of her actions. And let's not forget that on the whole, Willis was a piece of work as a school administrator. Even without the SOL scandal, Willis was running William Fleming High School into the ground. If don't want to believe me, do the research. What was the teacher turnover rate at William Fleming High School while she was the principal there? The teacher turnover rate was outrageous and unacceptable.
Folks can support Susan Willis all they want. That is their right. However, if you support Willis, you don't support the kids this lady has hurt. And you can't possibly support education.
* Am I being too strong? I don't think so. My research shows about 150 kids didn't get a standard high school diploma because of her foolishness. About 40 special education kids are in that group, who by the way had their civil rights violated when their IEP's where changed without permission from their parents and their IEP team, which from what I understand, is a violation of federal law. Let the lawsuits begin.
Now, these 150 kids have to be re-educated at tax payers expense, all because a so-called educator was either too corrupt to do things the right way or too incompetant to make sure things at the school were being run the right way.
* What's sad is, all Willis had to do was to come clean about what she did and explain why she did what she did. The Roanoke community would have forgiven her. Instead, she let her ego get in the way. Instead, Willis played the victim card, the Black victim card, the woman victim card and the Black woman victim card. She has wasted a lot of people's time and a lot of people's money, including her own.
* Dr. King must be rolling over in his grave because of the Black community's refusal to address the wrongs committed on the Black community by other Black people. As I told Ms. Cutright, I guarantee you that the majority of those student affected by this SOL scandal are Black. America thinks Black kids are dumb and stupid anyway and now you have a Black administrator feeding into and reinforcing this racist stereotype, who said through her actions that Black kids were too dumb and too stupid to pass a SOL test. We just can't have that.
* I'll say this again. If a White principal would have done what Susan Willis did and messed over those kids like Susan Willis did, Black folks would be marching. But, because Willis is a Black principal who messed over those kids, things are quiet. Most of those kids Willis messed over are Black. The Black community, through it's silence, is saying what Willis did is o.k. We can't have that, either.
* William Fleming High School will get through this. It 's time for Willis to ride off into the sunset. She needs to just shut up and go.
* To read my comments in today's Roanoke Times newspaper, please click on the following link.
* Don't read anything into yesterday's Election Day results. Yesterday was not a referendum on President Barack Obama and his policies.
* There is one rule in politics that people always seem to forget; "Republicans vote, Democrats fall in love."
* Republicans are always going to vote on Election Day. There may be 10 feet of snow on the ground. The temperature on Election Day may be 50 below zero. Man eating tigers can have been placed in front of the voting booths. Republicans, by their nature, are going to go to the polls and vote.
* Democrats, on the other hand, only vote if they have a reason to vote. If they don't have a reason to vote, Democrats will stay at home on Election Day. That's the nature of Democrats. That's why elections in America are so easy to predict most of the time.
* I told people in August that there would be a Republican sweep in Virginia on Election Day. Why? Because the people on the Democratic ticket didn't excite anyone. Don't get me wrong. Deeds, Wagner and Shannon are good people. They were the best qualified candidates. But, they didn't have the "IT" factor. They didn't excite people. The fact is, with the exception of Deeds, most people didn't know who Wagner and Shannon were. Democrats rarely vote for people they don't know. Democrats rarely vote for people that don't excite them.
Again, remember Rule Number 1 about politics, "Republicans vote, Democrats fall in love." Democrats didn't fall in love the Democratic ticket in Virginia. That's the only reason Republicans are in power in Virginia.
* Of course, Rush and the boys will say Republicans won in Virginia because voters rejected President Obama's policies. But, then again, when has Rush and the boys ever known what they were talking about?
* Now that the Republicans have won in Virginia, this state is really in trouble. BIG TROUBLE. That's what happens when you elect style over substance in elections. You'd think we would have learned something from the election of George Bush. I guess not.
* As for the New Jersey Governor's race, you had two very unpopular candidates running for governor in a state that's really suffering hard times. If the voters in New Jersey could have selected "None Of The Above" on the ballot instead of one of the candidates running for governor, "None Of The Above" would have won.
* Maybe the Susan Willis saga, the controversy over her involvement in the SOL cheating scandal at William Fleming High School, is almost over. I hope so anyway. Willis likes to say she is fighting to save her good name. I say she is a disgrace to education. As I've said before, Willis is ether the mastermind of the SOL cheating scandal at the school or she is guilty of a complete lack of institutional control at the school by allowing 4 key members of her staff to engage in a SOL cheating scandal she didn't know was taking place. Either way Willis is either too corrupt or too stupid to be a high school principal or to be in education.
* One final note. A number of the William Fleming students affected by this cheating scandal are Black. Funny thing. When White folks do Black folks wrong, Black folks raise Cain. When Black folks do Black folks wrong, Black folks are strangely quiet, especially in Roanoke, Va. That's one double standard I will never be a part of.
WE THE PEOPLE
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THE ARTIS BLOG
10/29/09
* No, I haven't stopped blogging. I've just been very busy since school started. I'll be going back to my regular schedule soon. In the meantime. . .
* I told you so. To all of those folks who called me an Uncle Tom and other things because I supported turning Forrest Park Elementary School into an "overage academy" where older kids could finish high school, you were wrong, dead wrong. I told you the school's transition wasn't about race, it was about giving students additional opportunities to finish their education. The numbers don't lie. And Roanoke, Va.'s graduation rate for the 2008-2009 school year went, you guessed it, up.
* I'll be voting for Creigh Deeds on Tuesday. In fact, I'll be voting for the Democratic ticket. If the Republicans win on Tuesday, I've got three words for you. We are screwed.
* I'll also be voting for Sherman Holland for Commissioner of Revenue for Roanoke, Va. on Tuesday. Holland's a good man who has done a good job in the COR's office. As Election Day gets closer, remember one thing. Holland is responsible for accessing taxes, not collecting them.
* Some say the recession is over. It isn't. The recession won't be over until the unemployment rate improves.
* Why are people critical of Tyler Perry's work? That's the problem with uppity Black folk. Uppity Black folk take life too seriously. I like Perry's work. I'm not insulted by his movies or television shows at all. That said, I'm not uppity.
* Hate crime legislation now covers members of the gay community. It's about time. Now, if we can just get rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow gays to openly serve in the military, we will be a lot better off.
* I think President Obama has done a good job as President. I'm glad to see him take on Fox News and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. For too long these two groups have been nothing more than Republican front organizations.
* I didn't mention the National Rifle Association in this mix. As an organization, the NRA is just plain nuts. The NRA give gun owners like myself a bad name. As an organization, the NRA is nothing more than a group of rabid, right- wing koo-koos.
* As many of you know, I'm a Washington Redskin fan. Needless to say, I haven't watched too much professional football this year; not in any football game the Redskins have played in this season, anyway.
* One final I told you so; Notre Dame football. Go Irish. I'm just waiting to find out which BCS Bowl the Irish will play in. I'd love to see the Irish play Va. Tech.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
10/7/09
I did something this year that I have not done for a while, take a summer vacation. Well, kinda, sorta anyway. With the economy the way it is, getting a summer job while school was closed just was not an option this year. Still, I had a pretty good summer. This was my first real vacation in several years.
I took two 5 week classes at Virginia Western in order to renew my teaching license. Anyone who says Virginia Western is a joke does not know what they are talking about. Those people who put Virginia Western down are people looking for an excuse to justify their own inability to get it together to get a college education. Virginia Western is no joke.
I lost 35 pounds. I did not go on a diet. Diets do not work. I started walking a mile a day. Now I very, very slowly run one to three miles a day with my dog. Losing the weight was actually painless. I cut down on my sugar intake and the junk food I eat when I get bored or watch television. I weighed 275 pounds in June. Now, I weigh 240. I feel great.
Running after my grandson also helped me lose the weight. I love being a grandfather. I am raising the boy right. He is almost two-years-old so I have him reading the newspaper, watching the news and watching PBS. He is the only kid I know who watches Elmo in the morning and This Week in Washington on Friday nights. We talk about making good grades in school, going to college and making something out of himself. I am teaching him to play the drums, how to do yard work and to root for Notre Dame. I doubt if he understand much of what I tell him. I do not understand two-year-old. But, we have a great time together.
I got a kick this summer watching conservative Republicans act like 1960 radicals over the issue of health care. Conservatives Gone Wild has been interesting television, a cross between professional wrestling and The Jerry Springer Show. Sarah Palin even had a part playing of one of those blowhard wrestling managers who do not know what they are talking about. Wait. That was not an act. Never mind.
I am always amazed with the compassion and concern this community shows when bad things happen to good people. My wife had another heart attack. I thought I was going to lose her. But, she pulled through. I would just like to say thank you for helping me and my family get through our time of need.
Overall, it was a good summer with some good teaching moments for the school year. I can teach my social studies classes about Onzlee Ware and his interesting use of campaign funds. Thanks to the Susan Willis scandal at William Fleming High School I can teach my students that the way to the top is not through cheating, rigging test scores and cheating. (Did I say cheating twice?) I'll teach my students that the way to the top is through hard work. This is especially true if you are a high school principal who is supposed to be a role model in the community. I guess Willis forgot all about that. I look forward to teaching the real intent of the First Amendment, not the Bill White cowardly version of American free speech. Bill needs to man up.
Summer is over. School is open. Football season is here. Go Irish. Virginia Tech is overrated. The Skins might finish .500 this year. Yeah, right.
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THE ARTIS BLOG
10/5/09
* Judging from the comments and e-mails I have gotten concerning my last ARTIS BLOG, I seem to have hit a nerve when it comes to what needs to be done to fix our education system. Actually, the material I wrote in my last ARTIS BLOG was nothing new. I said those same things when I ran for the Virginia House of Delegates in 1995 and for Roanoke City Council in 1996. My comments, then as now, upset a number of people, namely those parents, students and politicians who don not want to take responsibility for their actions or lack thereof when it comes to educating our children.
* Here is the bottom line. As a teacher, I do not have a problem with education standards. I will try to meet those standards no matter how unrealistic those standards may be, as with the "No Child Left Behind" nonsense. But, if you are going to tell me that I have to meet those standards as a teacher, do not add that I have to meet those standards with one hand tied behind my back. Most teachers will tell you the same thing.
* Americans say we want good schools. Yet, we do not want to pay teachers. We take away school funding at the drop of a hat. We lay off teachers at the drop of a hat. One minute we talk about cutting class sizes because students learn better in smaller classes. The next minute we are expanding class sizes because the politicians are gutless when it comes to the issue of raising taxes to make sure our schools have what they need to educate our children.
* We refuse to properly fund adult education programs. This is silly. At 17, a student may feel that school is nothing but a real pain and may become a real pain, especially in school. At 22, that same person, now a former student, may realize they made a mistake by throwing their chance for an education away and may want a second chance. There is nothing wrong with giving that person a second chance. In fact, it is more expensive in the long run not to give this person a second chance at getting an education.
* Why? Our jails and prisons are full of men and women who did not get an education, who may have gotten an education if given a second chance. If it were up to me, those in jail or prison would have to get their high school diploma as a condition for getting out of jail or prison. No education, no parole.
* Here is the bottom line. We cannot fix our education system until we deal with the weak link in education, those underachieving students at the bottom who for whatever reason, do not value education. These are the students that are bringing down the test scores and graduation rates. These are the students who have the ability to do well in school, but choose not to do well. These students lack the ambition, the drive and the motivation to be successful in the classroom. We must find better ways to deal with this type of student.
* Again, our schools are not as bad as some think they are.
* The question is, are we going to talk about the main problem in our schools or do something about the problem?
* Talk is cheap. It is time to get busy.
* An educated community is a profitable community. Why is this so hard for people to understand?
WE THE PEOPLE
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THE ARTIS BLOG
9/28/09
* When it comes to our schools, must ask ourselves one simple question. Do we really want to fix our education system or do we just want to talk about fixing our education system? For too many of us, talk is cheap. We talk to get elected. We talk to sound good. We talk to sound important.
* Few of us talk with any real intent to actually fix the problems facing our education system. Talk is not cheap here on JeffArtis.com Featuring The Artis Blog. Here are some solutions to what ails us in our public schools.
* First, we must realize that our schools aren't as bad as we think they are. Americans like to compare our schools to the schools in other parts of the world. This is like comparing apples and oranges. Why? Because school systems in other parts of the world don't have to deal or won't deal with many of the problems American schools have to deal with on a daily basis. American schools attempt to educate everyone. Schools in other countries are somewhat selective in who they try to educate. We tend to forget this important fact when comparing American schools with schools in other countries.
* That said, we must also realize that a school or a school system with a high suspension rate or a high expulsion rate isn't necessarily a bad thing. We must impress upon our students that school is not an amusement park where they can have fun, fun, fun 24/7 where anything goes and everything is acceptable. We must impress upon our students that you come to school for one thing, to learn. We must impress upon our students that if they come to school and act stupid, if they are disruptive or if they are disrespectful, they will be sent home and they will keep being sent home until they come to school and act like they have some sense.
A disruptive students stops the learning process in a classroom. A disruptive student infringes upon the right of a non-disruptive student to get an education. Our schools cater too much to disruptive students. Our schools are spending too much time on students who couldn't care less about getting an education. In the meantime, students who need extra help, who want to get an education are being shortchanged because of the time that is being wasted on students who just don't care. That's not right.
* We should base our school systems on one simple principle. If a student does the work, they pass. If a student can't do the work, they don't pass.
If a student is not in the grade they are supposed to be in because they can't do the work, so be it. We do students a huge injustice by passing those students who don't deserve to be passed to a higher grade. After all, if Johnny can't read in the third grade, what makes anyone think Johnny will learn how to read by high school? However, every effort must be made to make this failing student a passing student, as long as the student puts forth a legitimate effort to pass.
* We need to better define what a "failing school" is. If a student can graduate from a so-called failing school and be excepted into Harvard, (this actually has happened) can that school really be called a failing school? No, it can't.
* If a school system doesn't have enough money to properly educate our children because of a reduced tax base and gutless politicians who refuse to address the issue of economic discrimination when it comes to the funding of our schools, can any school in that school system be called a failing school? No, it can't.
* We must expand vocational education programs in our schools. College isn't for everyone. It's silly to think so. Plus, plumbers, brick masons, electricians and people in other vocations make a pretty good living.
* Parents, I'm calling you out. Your child is in school about 7 hours a day. Your child is with you the rest of the day. Do your job. Make sure your child takes their education seriously. Let me put it this way. Let's say Albert Einstein is your child's math teacher. What kind of a grade will your child make in math if you constantly send a message to your child that math isn't important, math is dumb, school is dumb or that Einstein guy doesn't know what he is talking about? Will your child reach their full potential in math class? I doubt it.
A teacher can only do so much. Without a parent's help at home, the education a child gets is often lacking.
* Finally, we must start treating teachers like the professionals they are. Yes, there bad teachers who have no business teaching in a classroom. However, most teachers are good at what they do. In fact, if people outside of education would just get out of the way and let teachers teach, we'd all be a lot better off. Our schools would improve almost overnight.
WE THE PEOPLE
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THE ARTIS BLOG
9/21/09
Well, it’s that time again, the time when politicians talk about “fixing” our schools. After all, it is an election year. Here is the problem. The politicians don’t know what they are talking about when it comes to “fixing” education. They don’t have a clue on how to fix our public school system.
How do I know this? It’s simple really. You cannot fix our schools until you can answer the following questions or give solutions to the following situations. Until then, the politicians are just all talk. Plus, how many politicians have actually been in a classroom other than for a photo-op? How many politicians have actually taught a class? How many politicians decided not to go into education because they knew they could make much more money in other fields?
Here’s the problem when it comes to “fixing” education. You can only “fix” education by starting at the bottom and working your way up. Answer these questions or give a solution to the following situations and we can fix education. Until then, talk is cheap.
Tens of thousands of our school children have to deal with these situations everyday. All of these situations have a huge bearing on the education a child gets in school. In the past few years, students have either asked me or have told me. . .
1. Mr. Artis, why should I worry about getting an education when I can make more money selling drugs?
2. Mr. Artis, I can’t concentrate on my work because I’m hungry. Our food stamps just got cut off.
3. Mr. Artis, I don’t come to school like I should because people make fun of the way I dress. My family can’t afford nice things.
4. Mr. Artis, I fall asleep in class all of the time because I can’t sleep at home. There’s too much going on in my neighborhood?
5. Mr. Artis, I want to get an education. But, my friends say I’m being “White” when I get good grades.
6. Mr. Artis, how can I think about going to college when my Mom can’t even pay the rent?
7. Mr. Artis, I won’t be in class today. My Pops is taking me out to party.
8. Mr. Artis, I’m not worried about getting high. My parents and I get high all the time.
9. Mr. Artis, I wasn’t in school last week because my baby was sick. I didn’t have a babysitter.
10. Mr. Artis, I’m dropping out of school. I need to get a job to help my family.
11. Mr. Artis, I wasn’t in school because I got kicked out of my house and I don’t have a place to live.
12. Mr. Artis, Johnny won’t be in school for a while. He got locked up.
13. Mr. Artis, my Dad’s in jail. I don’t know what I’m going to do. School’s just not that important anymore.
14. Mr. Artis, I can’t stay after school today to get that extra help. I’ve got to get home to baby sit.
15. Mr. Artis, I’m dropping out of school. I can’t pass that (standardized) test. If I can’t pass the test, I can’t graduate. So why bother.
16. Mr. Artis, I don’t care about school. I’m only here because the judge says he’ll lock me up if I don’t come. I’m just here to hang out.
17. Mr. Artis, go ahead and tell my Mom I’m messing up in school. She don’t care. All she does is stay high all the time.
18. Mr. Artis, I don’t care about school. I only reason I come to school is so I won’t lose my (government) check.
19. Mr. Artis, f*#k school. Ain’t no jobs where I live.
20. Mr. Artis, my folks say I don’t need an education. School’s a waste of time.
Feel free to send this to your local politician when they start talking about “fixing” education. Until the politicians address these issues or until they have answers on how to take care of these situations, they can't "fix" education.
MORE ON WEDNESDAY
WE THE PEOPLE
THE ARTIS BLOG
9/16/09
* Jimmy Carter is right. Some, and I mean some, of the opposition against the Obama Administration is based on racism. It's silly not to ignore this fact.
* I disagree with President Obama on some issues.
* We need to get out of Afghanistan. Our policy in Afghanistan should simply be, "When we capture Osama bin Laden, we will leave. Until then, we aren't going anywhere." No one, not even the U.S. can win in Afghanistan.
* I question President Obama's support of merit pay for teachers. I'm against it.
* There needs to be more accountability with the "czars" President Obama is appointing to the different areas of government.
* I'm waiting for the Obama Administration to make Wall Street more accountable through regulation and reform.
* I still haven't figured out how President Obama plans to pay for health care reform. But, I am willing to pay higher taxes to fix this problem.
* Other than that, I think President Obama is doing one heck of a job.
* Speaking of taxes, Americans need to quit whining about them. We want good schools, good highways, good police departments and good everything else. But, we don't want to pay for anything. How dumb.
* Quality costs. But, paying for quality actually saves money in the long run. There is no such thing as the "Tax Fairy." America needs to realize this.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU FRIDAY
THE ARTIS BLOG
9/14/09
I have to admit that I'm enjoying reliving the 1960's. It's interesting watching all those radicals running around yelling, screaming, raising hell and engaging in bad behavior. I just didn't think the hell raisers would be those good, All-American, God-fearing, church going, country loving, flag flying, gun toting, family value conservative Republicans who since January, 2009 have apparently lost their minds. My how things have changed since those long-haired hippy days.
I've never seen so many people have so many nervous breakdowns all at the same time. And here we are worried about the Swine Flu, or whatever we are calling the Swine/H1N1 Flu these days. But, don't worry. There's a cure out there for our newest disease, "Republicans Gone Wild."
Yeah, I know some of this behavior isn't about people having a disease that causes you to go crazy. It's about some folks trying to be slick. These folks aren't fooling anyone. For example, these folks can't publicly call President Obama a "nigger," so they call him a "Nazi." These folks only call President Obama a "nigger" behind closed doors. It's safer that way.
There is one main cause for the "Republicans Gone Wild" disease that is responsible for all of the nervous breakdowns that are happening nationwide, a disconnect from reality. For the past 40 years, since the days of Richard Nixon, conservative Republicans have been saying they are losing America. In an attempt to prove this theory, this silly notion that America was going to hell in a hand basket, conservative Republicans made minorities, namely Blacks, progressive women, gays, Hispanics and liberals into anti-American Boogie Men. Now that one of those Boogie Men has become the President of the United States, conservative Republicans just can't handle it. They just don't know what to do. Their worst nightmare has come true.
What is interesting is this Black President is actually an excellent example of how a minority can overcome adversity to become successful through hard work, personal responsibility and accountability. President Obama's life story represents everything conservative Republicans have been preaching over the past 40 years on what a minority should do to overcome racism and discrimination to become a successful adult, husband and parent. President Obama is actually THE poster child for the conservative Republican message. But, then again, honesty and integrity has never been a strong trait within some conservative Republican circles.
For those who are worried about catching the "Republicans Gone Wild" disease, don't worry. There is a cure. The cure is common sense. Common sense makes everyone immune from this disease. Thank goodness, most of us have it. So if you haven't gotten caught up in the charges that President Obama is a liar, a socialist, has death panels and is somehow the second coming of Adolph Hitler you are safe. If you understand that children won't run off and join a cult if they are allowed to watch President Obama give a speech that encourages them to do well in school you are safe. If you know that the people who are having "Tea Parties" across the country are hypocrites and not real Americans who are looking out for their country, you are safe.
If you know that conservative Republicans suffering from the "Republicans Gone Wild" disease have no new ideas, that all they can do is raise hell you are safe. It's simple really. Conservative Republicans entire political agenda consists of throwing mud at a wall, hoping that some of the mud sticks and that the American people are too stupid to realize that the so-called "truth" these conservative Republicans speak is nothing more than mud thrown at a wall. If you understand that, you are safe. In the meantime, let's hope the "Republicans Gone Wild" disease doesn't claim too many more people.
WE THE PEOPLE
SEE YOU WEDNESDAY
THE ARTIS BLOG
9/11/09
I don't know about you, but I'm still angry. I'm angry that 8 years ago today, mass murderers attacked us. These mass murderers like to call themselves Muslims. I don't. I call these people what they are, mass murderers. And no, these people are not at all representative of the Islamic faith. They never have been. They never will be. Yes, I'm still angry. Until my dying day, I will hope these people rot in hell. Hell is the only place these mass murderers belong. No PC here.
I was at work when the attacks happened. When I first heard about the first plane flying into the World Trade Center, I thought it was a tragic accident. When the second plane hit, I knew. I spent the rest of the day trying to get as much information about what happened as possible.
Like most of America, I spent the next few weeks in a daze. No, I was not afraid of another attack as some people were. I thought bin Laden got lucky. He never could have imagined the World Trade Centers collapsing due to his attack. Plus, I also felt the attack happened more to lapses by our National Security sector, instead of some great master plan by a mass murderer.
I'm also angry that 8 years after we were attacked, bin Laden and his band of lunatics are still out there. I'm angry that we took our eyes off of the ball, twice. Clinton had bin Laden and would not pull the trigger because of his sex scandal. Bush had him and decided to attack Iraq instead. Both were dumb moves.
I never believed the Bush Administration's claim that bin Laden had ties to Iraq. No, I'm not an international expert. But, I know history. I've always known that any claim of any tie between bin Laden and Iraq just did not make sense. In the meantime, to borrow a quote, bin Laden has made more videos than a rock star.
My anger about that day is offset by the pride I have in this great country of ours. We got hit in the gut on 9/11. We got knocked to our knees. Many of us suffered great loss on that day. But, we didn't get knocked out. As Americans, we picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and got back to business. We did this because we are after all, Americans. That's what we do. We don't quit for anyone, especially for some two-bit psychopath who now lives in a cave.
America is the greatest country in the history of the world. Period. End of discussion. We are the Big Dog. No other country comes close to our greatness. And we owe no one any apologies for our greatness, especially to those who hate us for who we are and what we represent. So today, I want all Americans to do two things. First, remember those who suffered horrible loses September 11, 2001. These Americans still need our support. Second, give yourselves a pat on the back. We are Americans. We never quit.
WE THE PEOPLE
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND, SEE YOU MONDAY
THE ARTIS BLOG
9/9/90
I'm back. I hope you summer was as nice as mine. I'll fill you in on my summer vacation shortly.
We all know what Mike Vick went to prison for. I do not condone his actions. More than once, I have said on my blog that what Mike Vick did was not only incredibly and unusually cruel; his actions were also incredibly stupid. Nor do I feel sorry for Mike Vick. Playing in the NFL, or playing on any sports team, is not a right. It is a privilege. Too many athletes, from Little League to the pros, abuse that privilege.
I look at Vick's situation as someone who had a winning $150 million Lotto ticket in the palm of his hand. Instead of cashing that ticket in, he decided to tear it up. There is a part of me that is tired of athletes who have been blessed by God with talent others would die for who do dumb things that put their careers in jeopardy.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sports junky. I've played sports. I've coached sports. I watch sports. I love sports. I know sports. I even watch WNBA games. Notre Dame is the greatest college football program of all time. The Washington Capitols will win the Stanley Cup next year. The Baltimore Orioles will eventually win the World Series in spite of their owner. Go Celtics, Tiger Woods, Jeff Gordon and since the Baltimore Colts no longer exist, go Washington Redskins. This year I will also be rooting for Mike Vick.
Why? I believe in forgiveness. I also believe Mike Vick did the time for the crime he committed. According to the legal experts I have listened to and have talked to, Vick did more prison time than Joe No Name would have done due to his celebrity. Not only that, when all is said and done, Vick will have lost close to $150 million in earnings and endorsements, if not more. Taking this into consideration, I feel Vick has more than paid for the crime he committed.
I understand perfectly why some people never want to see Vick play pro football again. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. However, it bothers me when people put the mistreatment and death of animals over the mistreatment and death of humans. Frankly, if the people in the anti-Vick crowd would put their energy into ridding our society of gangs, poverty, hunger, abuse and other human suffering, our society would be much better off. Where is their outrage when a person kills someone while drunk driving or when there are American children who go to bed hungry every night? Where is their outrage when some Americans, especially seniors, have to choose each month between buying food, paying for their medicine, paying their rent or paying their utility bills?
Spare me the, "Athletes Are Role Model," argument for keeping Vick out of the NFL. If a child is more influenced by the actions of an athlete than they are influenced by the actions of their parents, those parents are sadly lacking. Charles Barkley had it right. Athletes are not role models.
As a dog owner, a dog lover, a parent, grandparent and sports fan I understand those who want to do to Mike Vick what Mike Vick did to those dogs. On this issue, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Mike Vick has paid his debt to society. I wish him nothing but success.
