Suspended Sentence for Kidney…is this fair to the Mississippi Scott Sisters?

Sometimes you are happy with the results even if the details make you feel a little icky. Today we learned Gov. Haley Barbour was releasing the Scott Sisters. These sisters have served 16 years of a life sentence. They were convicted of a robbery that netted $11. I was talking to a friend of mine today and she said the amount of the robbery was not the point. The point was that neither of the women brandished a weapon. The men who were involved in the robbery actually brokered a plea deal and they were released years ago.  The NAACP has been championing their case for quite some time. So naturally they greeted the news of the release with jubilation, but one of the stipulations of the release is that Gladys Scott, 36 must donate a kidney to her sister Jamie, 38. The state has said this was initially Gladys’ idea to donate the kidney and that might be true but that is not how this was positioned. The state has lamented the fact that dialysis is very expensive. So were the sisters released because there was in fact a miscarriage of justice or was it economic factors that precipitated their release? Some would say who cares they are free. We also have to ask what were the factors that motivated Barbour to act now?  Is it coincidental that this act of benevolence comes on the heels of Barbour’s recent civil rights history gaffe? The old saying is don’t look a gift horse in the mouth is appropriate for this situation, because this horse has a rotten set of teeth.

Lesson to Mayor Bloomberg: Snow Can Kill a Political Career

I grew up in Chicago and we got plenty of snow but they had the equipment that could handle it, but one winter the system failed. It was 1979 and we had a blizzard that stopped the city. Nothing was moving. Finally the L train that took southsiders (mostly black) to downtown started moving, but Mayor Bilandic at the time decided to alter the designated L stops. He cut out a number of the stops that served the black community in what he said was an effort to keep the trains running on time. It was a disaster and he lost his bid for reelection to Jayne Byrne. The snow did him in, but really his insensitivity to the working class black community was his downfall. As I have watched Mayor Bloomberg handle his snow emergency I can not help but think back on Mayor Bilandic. Bloomberg simply does not get it. First he tells angry frustated people it makes no sense to act like angry frustrated people. Then he says every street should at least see a plow by 7AM today which did not happen. My heart broke for the woman that lost her mother because an ambulance could not get down her street. I am not blaming all of this on the Mayor, but I am saying even if you can not provide an immediate fix to a problem you can acknow ledge there is a problem. I was reading a New York paper and a letter to the editor showed what some of the people think of their leader: “His Highness Mayor Bloomberg is more concerned about clearing the snow from Times Square in time for New Year’s Eve than about the snowbound sections of Queens and other areas.” This might not be true but if this is the perception people have Bloomberg has a bigger problem than the snow.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/12/30/2010-12-30_voice_of_the_people.html#ixzz19csB4LO0

The Scott Sisters Will be Free Women in 2011

Two Mississippi sisters who have spent 16 years in prison for an $11 robbery will be free next year. The stipulation is one of the sisters must give a kidney to the ailing sister. Gov. Haley Barbour suspended their sentence Wednesday and stated Gladys Scott, 36 must donate a kidney to her sister Jamie, 38. Each of the Scott sisters got life sentences for the robbery. The NAACCP has been fighting for the freedom of the sisters. So this is a happy day for them but does the governor’s directive regarding the kidney donation make you a little uncomfortable?

Tucker Carlson Says Michael Vick should have been executed?

Are we truly a nation of second chances? If so why are people questioning the fact that President Obama thanked the owner of the Eagles for giving Michael Vick one? No one is excusing what Vick did, but he did go to prison for his acts. How could Carlson compare the life of a dog to the life of a human being. Tell me what you think.

Was Mike Singletary fired for being too firey or for being a loser?

Mike Singletary was a monster during his football career as a Chicago Bear. He was an intimidating presence on the field. He brought this same kind of no nonsense attitude to his coaching career. He was an old school coach trying to coach new jack players and his approach simply did not work. Today I read an interesting article in which the author questioned if his firey style was a contributing factor to his dismissal. The author questioned if the NFL could deal with a firey black coach. Look at the other black coaches: Marvin Lewis, Mike Tomlin, interim coach Leslie Frazier and who can forget Tony Dungy. All of them share a common, calm temperament. So was Singletary fired because or personality or because the 49ers simply were not winning?

http://www.theroot.com/views/why-fiery-doesn-t-cut-it-black-nfl-coaches

Happy Birthday Jesus…Against the Rules?

During the holidays we see inflatable Santas, lighted reindeers and other over the top displays of the holidays, but what happens when you put up a small sign that says Happy Birthday Jesus? Well in one community that sign is viewed as a violation of the Home Owners Association rules.  This sign could be interpreted to simply be decorations but it is being viewed as a violation. Is this fair? Is this an assault on Christianity or is this simply a community trying to make sure signs are not displayed throughout their community. Tell me what you think. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/28/AR2010122804199.html?referrer=emailarticle

Steve Harvey is Truly Mr. Big Stuff

Steve Harvey is everywhere these days, and he is now being touted as a media king. Harvey now has a sucessful radio career, he is the host of the syndicated show Family Feud and he is a best selling author. His popularity is at it’s zenith, but is Harvey qualified to dispense relationship advice? Some have questioned the methodogy he espouses but his books are best sellers. He was recently profiled by the New York Times and he explains his view of his popularity. Tell me what you think. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/arts/television/26harvey.html?emc=eta1

Pastors Gone Wild

This seems to be the year of pastors gone wild. Sandy McGriff a pastor in Texas is accused of breaking into a member’s home and stealing furs and laptops. She was also charged with resisting arrest. She says that she actually saw two men burgalrizing the home and was actually attempting to save the member’s belongings, but she entered the home through a broken window. which when questioned she said that was her mistake. The pastor has a criminal record and number of aliases, but she says everyone has a past. Yes I agree with that but what is disturbing is the next day this woman was back in the pulpit. It seems the members might want the criminal matter resolved before she starts preaching to them?  Tell me what you think,

TMZ Stop worrying About P. Diddy’s Kids

I watch a lot of news shows like: Meet the Press, Face the Nation and various shows on CNN and MSNBC, but I must admit I watch and enjoy my fair share of junk tv. This morning I caught TMZ which is a gossip/celebrity show. They were taking issue to the amount of money that P. Diddy was spending on his children. Diddy is vacation on an island with his brood over the holidays, and the group was questioning the activities they were engaging in and the money being spent. They wondered if Diddy’s kids would have a work ethic, but why were they so worried about the kids growing up without a work ethic. They even said they hoped Diddy was at least making his kids make up their beds. they asked how will they learn to deal with ordinary people. Really? There was no story about the Donald Trump’s kids growing up rich and priviledged. they weren’t saying they hoped they were making up their beds. Why the concern about Diddy’ brood?

Man prosecuted for reading wife’s emails…is it fair?

“A Michigan man who says he learned of his wife’s affair by reading her e-mail on their computer faces trial Feb. 7 on felony computer misuse charges. Thirty-three-year-old Leon Walker used his wife’s password to get into her Gmail account. Clara Walker filed for a divorce, which was granted this month. Leon Walker tells The Oakland Press of Pontiac he was trying to protect the couple’s children from neglect and calls the case a “miscarriage of justice.” Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Sydney Turner says the charge is justified. Privacy law writer Frederick Lane tells the Detroit Free Press the law typically is used to prosecute identity theft and stealing trade secrets. He says he questions if a wife can expect privacy on a computer she shares with her husband.”* So what do you think? Should he be subjected to prosecution? Does a wife have a right to privacy on a shared computer?

*Associated Press