DOJ battles Associated Press, IRS battles Conservatives and there are more questions about Benghazi…when did the Obama administration go off the rails?

I am a supporter of President Obama, but I am not blind and there is something wrong in the White House. There are too many things going wrong and even his most ardent supporters should be asking questions. The Republicans have politicized the Benghazi tragedy from day one, but there are some valid questions that need to be answered. It is not enough to say that the tragedy has become a political football. While that might be true it does not preclude the need to answer valid questions associated with the incident. The IRS has been targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they were seeking tax exempt status. The president has denounced their actions, but that is really not enough. The fact is who told them to do it? There has to be some kind of electronic paper trail and that needs to be investigated. This is not some kind of low level shenaningans. Some officials higher up the food chain need to be held accountable. The latest is the DOJ going after the Associated Press. C’mon man. The government investigating the press. This is simply wrong and it is not less wrong because we like the occuppant in the White House it is wrong on its face, but how did the administration get so far off the rails, and how will they get back on the rails? First thing they have to do is be accountable and not just look to shift blame to the Bush administration, the conservatives or whoever else might be convenient. Democrats have to move away from a defensive posture to an assertive posture. They need to be asking the tough questions too. The fact is we know that the Republicans take delight in all of these calamitous events coming to a head at once, but that can not be a reason not to address the issues. The president’s supporters can not put on blinders or put our heads in the sand. We have to hold the president accountable. We have to hold him up to the standards he set. We can not let him off the hook because we admire him because he is the first black president and we simply are still enthralled by that narrative. We had no problem when we criticized other administrations but we have been timid in calling out wrong with this one. I still support the president and it is early in this second and last term. We should not abandon the promise but if we want the promise to turn into a productive and fruitful second term we have got to make it happen, and that is not going to be comfortable for anyone.

American Crossroads hits Hillary Clinton…is she running for something?

In politics it never too early to hit an opponent. Even if you don’t have a candidate running against them. American Crossroads created this ad as a strike against possible candidate Hillary Clinon. At this point she is a private citizen but that does not stop Karl Rove and the gang. My question is will this controversy stick? In an era of news by the minute in 2016 will we still be talking about Benghazi? Share your thoughts.

Fox News Andrea Tantaros takes a shot at Malia Obama…there is nothing like a grown woman attacking a child

Below you will find what Fox News analyst, Andrea Tantaros, had to say about the President’s daughter, Malia. whatever happened to simply discussing politics. when did it take this turn toward the personal. I know the answer it happened in January 2009.

TANTAROS: I mean look, if the president is going to talk about his daughters, typically I would not talk about the daughters, unless, of course, they go to the Bahamas on spring break and we have to pay for it and I think it’s wrong, which I do. But they’re not grown women. So I’m just wondering, at 15 years old, is the Obama daughter, Malia, going to go on birth control? Are they gonna put her on birth control? Because he’s very concerned with the contraceptives and pharmaceuticals that are going in the mouths of everybody else’s 15-year old daughter.
But it’s definitely collectivism, right? “It takes a village.” Do you hear it, everybody? “It takes a village to raise your kids.” President Obama is now the parent-in-chief. Kathleen Sebelius is raising your kids. Joe Biden is raising your kids. Oh not even, it doesn’t stop there. It’s not kids. They consider 15-year olds to be women. They want to tell grown women what to do. They know how grown women feel. They have no idea how women feel. They should stop talking about it, because they have no clue.
Share your thoughts.

Does Gov. Rick Perry deserve an apology?

Two weeks ago there was a deadly explosion in West, Texas. Several lives were lost and many in the town have been displaced. Rick Perry took offense to this cartoon which was published in the Sacramento Bee. Does he deserve an apology? Share your thoughts.

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/25/5372555/rick-perry-explosion-cartoon-published.html

NABJ Statement on Reference to Race in Boston Bombing Coverage

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 17, 2013) — The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) urges all news outlets to use extreme caution when reporting on the tragic events which occurred in Boston this week.
There have been various reports identifying a potential suspect as “a dark-skinned individual”. This terminology is not only offensive, but also offers an incomplete picture of relevant facts about the potential person of interest’s identity. When conveying information for the public good, and which can help law enforcement with the help of a vigilant public to keep the country safe, it’s important that such facts be put into proper context. NABJ in no way encourages censorship but does encourage news organizations to be responsible when reporting about race, to report on race only when relevant and a vital part of a story. Ultimately this helps to avoid mischaracterizations which might encourage potential bias or discrimination against a person or a group of people based on race or ethnicity. As news organizations which seek to uphold the highest ethical standards it is important to exercise good judgment, to be cautious, to be mindful of bias, and sensitive to the perpetuation of stereotypes in the mass media.
*Ethnicity, race: The mention of a persons race should not be used unless relevant. This also applies to references to ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion. Derogatory terms or slurs aimed at members of a racial or ethnic group may not be used unless having a direct bearing on the news, and then only with the approval of the senior editor in charge. Avoid stereotypes. Race and ethnicity may be relevant in some stories, including the following:
* Crime stories – A highly detailed description of a suspect sought by police can contain race. Be sure the description is properly attributed. Do not use descriptions that include only a few items or are vague, such as tall, dark clothes.
* Biographical or announcement stories – Be careful about using race or ethnicity to describe a person as the first to accomplish a specific feat. Firsts are important, but race and ethnicity shouldn’t be overemphasized. Reserve race or ethnicity for significant, groundbreaking or historic events such as winning a Nobel Prize, being named chief justice or becoming mayor. By overplaying race or ethnicity, ones achievement may seem dependent on that instead of ability.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization for journalists of color in the nation, and provides career development as well as educational and other support to its members worldwide, visit our website at http://www.nabj.org.

CNN John King was loud and wrong yesterday

CNN John King was first to announce the arrest in the Boston Marathon bombing case. He even had a description of the suspect “dark skinned individual”. It had to feel great to scoop the competition, but the problem was he was wrong. The police say there is no arrest. You win some, you lose some. No, this is sloppy journalism and in this age of social media and instant gratification it is happening far too often.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/john-king-boston-bombing-dark-skinned-male-ifill_n_3102195.html

When are we going to stop being shocked?

We are here again. Unspeakable evil rendered for no reason. Sure law enforcement is busy trying to find out who planted the bombs at the Boston marathon, and sure there is probably a political reason, but there is never a reason to justify killing and maiming people. Everytime something likes this happens we are shocked. We were shocked at 9/11, we were shocked at the shoe bomber, we were shocked at Columbine, we were shocked at Virginia tech and we were most recently shocked at Newtown. Each time the nation is shocked, saddened and then we mourn, but what do we do next? We move on with our lives until the next time we are shocked, but what can we do about any of this or any future attacks? How do we channel our anger and our grief? I don’t have the answer, but if any of you do feel free to post.

2 Explosions Rock Boston Marathon

Two powerful explosions shook downtown Boston Monday afternoon near the finish line of the Boston marathon, shortly after the winners of the race were announced. According to reports from journalists and marathon spectators on social media, people were running from the scene and as many as 30 people may have been injured. Photos posted on Instagram and Twitter showed a fireball beneath a building. According to Reuters, the hotel serving as the official marathon headquarters is on lockdown, with no one allowed in or out.
*Source Daily Beast

GOP Rep. Steve Stockman debuts new bumper sticker on Twitterr

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BET founder Bob Johnson appears on O’Reilly Factor and actually makes sense

When I first saw that Bob Johnson was discussing President Obama with Bill O’Reilly I must say I expected some Obama bashing, but I was pleasantly surprised by his comments and I must say I agree with him on some them. He points out the fact that unemployment in the black community is 14% and this country would not tolerate white unemployment at that rate. Compare that to white unemployment is 7%. Why aren’t black people calling for the presidnet’s head on a platter? They love him and they hope things will get better. O’Reilly attempted to bring the fact that there are fewer fathers in the black homes, but Johnson conceded that might be a factor, but it was not the only factor. Johnson made a number of other points worthy of discussion. Watch the clip and share your thoughts.