Dems? Repubs? No thanks...

Dems? Repubs? No thanks...

Immigration

When it comes to immigration I do not have a very educated opinion. It seems to me that it is necessary to have safe boarders..I know that a lot of bad drugs get through the open boarders and that the underground slave trade uses the open boarders to transport sex slaves. This should not be happening. Immigration must be regulated by the government, be it state or federal, I'm not sure who can do the best job. Without strict regulation we have no idea who is in this country or what they are doing.They could be diseased or harmful in some way to us and we would have no idea. We need to protect ourselves in this situation, it is only reasonable.

At the same time, we must feel for those who want to come to our country to start new lives or better their existing one. It needs to be easier and cheaper for people to immigrate. If we granted the illegals citizenship we could tax them and use that money to provide an immigration education system and pay for services that all Americans receive from the government. We could have programs that get them started in good, safe jobs. We could teach them english and help them exercise their citizenship to their greatest potential.

But all of us must adjust to changes that immigrants bring. We can learn from all of our neighbors, no matter where they were born. America is one of a few nations that is not bilingual and this is just ignorant. Anyway, that's all I really have to say..don't take my word for any of this, it's just speculation, I really have no idea what I'm talking about..

Nader 08?

Ok, so everyone knows how important this next presidential election is..maybe the most important one in the history of our country. With all of the confusion of the public and the turmoil of our policies Americans are looking for a swift change in the direction we are all headed. Personally, I have yet to find a candidate that really gets my attention..I mean, Obama has some good things to say sometimes, he gives great speeches and seems pretty progressive, but lacks experience in the federal world. This lack of experience would make it hard for him to man the controls of the nose-dived airliner that Washington is today.

I know that 3rd parties don't have a chance in winning this election, but all of my confidence rests with the Green Party. Their agenda is the most sound and educated one out there and I hope that Nader decides to run on their ticket. A lot of people think that if he runs, he'll take away crucial votes for the Dems, but I think thats just full of it. The Dems will say that to muster up anti-third party thoughts so they can keep their spot as one of two parties that control Washington and the election process. Nader was barred from a Fox News debate in 2004, even though he was invited by the news station. The debate committee is controlled by the Dems and the Repubs and they don't want that to change. It probably won't any time soon...

It would be good for now, at least, if the Dems would get with the Green Party and take on Ralph's agenda (link to GP agenda provided below). I'm hoping that Obama will win the primary, I believe he would be the only one to take on the progressive agenda. Hillary wouldn't do this, she's too full of herself. If the Dems would just take on the Green Party agenda, they would gain the votes of hundreds of thousands of GP voters, like myself, and have a much better chance of winning. And on that, GP voters aren't just Dems, in some states there are more Repubs that vote Green than Dems... gotta remember those agricultural voters and the thousands of farmers that look to the Green Party..So check out Ralph, I posted an interview from last year with him on Hardball...there's a second part you should check out on YouTube...

http://www.gp.org/tenkey.shtml
http://www.greenparty.org
http://www.nader.org/

Stephen Colbert on The O'Reilly Factor

This is pretty funny. Colbert has a lot of guts and we can all learn from him in this area. Did anyone see his appearance at the White House Press Correspondence dinner? That was great.

O'Reilly takes Colbert's presence as a threat and it's very evident. O'Reilly is one of those people who hides his fear behind anger. This can be seen when he's getting all upset about Colbert's name..seriously? I wish more people in Colbert's position would have the guts to stand up and just totally mock the bad guys. His comedy is very progressive and he deserves a lot of respect for what he does. People can look at this and easily realize how ridiculous O'Reilly is, even when he's not even debating an important issue...just something to think about I guess..

Gov. Mitt Romney meets a medical marijuana patient--Oct. 6

here are some interesting facts about medicinal marijuana..

Since 1996, twelve states have legalized medical marijuana use: AK, CA, CO, HI, ME, MT, NV, NM, OR, RI, VT, and WA. Eight of the twelve did so through the initiative process. Hawaii's law was enacted by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2000, Vermont's was enacted by the legislature and passed into law without the governor's signature in May 2004, Rhode Island's was passed into law over the governor's veto in January 2006, and New Mexico's legislation was signed into law by Governor Bill Richardson on April 2, 2007.


In spite of the established medical value of marijuana, doctors are presently permitted to prescribe cocaine and morphine - but not marijuana.
Source: The Controlled Substances Act of 1970, 21 U.S.C. §§ 801 et seq.

On September 6, 1988, the Drug Enforcement Administration's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, ruled:
"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known....[T]he provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance."
Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22] (September 6, 1988), p. 57.

The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care."
Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22], (September 6, 1988), p. 57.

Between 1978 and 1997, 35 states and the District of Columbia passed legislation recognizing marijuana's medicinal value.
States include: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IA, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, and WI.




I think a lot of the information provided to the masses about medical marijuana is very skewed...Politicians seem to have a one sided, non-investigative view on it despite the overwealming evidence that it does work in a controlled environment. I have seen the medical stores in San Francisco and in NorCal and they are a very safe business. Not only is MedMarij good for patients, but it also stimulates the economy (when legalized). The state government taxes the crop and they make a lot of money off of it. According to NORML.org and the Birmingham News, Marijuana is the number one cash crop in Alabama. What if we controlled this cash crop and taxed it for medicinal use? Most of the people who are illegally growing in mass quantities are doing so in a dishonest and environmentally unsafe way, not to mention the fact that the Alabama Free Malitia gets much of its money from the cultivation of marijuana...definatly don't want those kooks having lots of money to buy more illegal grenades, rocket launchers, and IEDs.

Most people, including Mitt Romney are in the dark about medical marijuana. My DARE officer told my highschool class that medical marijuana didn't exist anywhere in the US. Needless to say, I spoke to her after class about her lies. Maybe someone should speak to our government officials who are spreading these lies or even just hearing them? We spend so much money on a failed war on drugs aimed toward marijuana, a less harmful substance than alcohol. If we want to attack drugs, lets get all those poor 2nd graders off of meth based ADD drugs and spend all the money we waste on pot towards a global campaign against cocain and the slave trade that goes hand in hand with it...let's DO something!!!

I'm not so sure anyone is reading this...

For the people who read this, here's a little gift..


Caribbean Heritage Reggae Festival
This weekend, October 5-6
18th St. & 1st Ave. S
www.caribbeanheritagereggaefestival.com

I will be there...you should come too. But not if you don't like reggae or dub or whatever.

My take on arts and crafts, just for fun.

I would appreciate credit for this...it took me a while to make it aaand it does say something..i guess.

well how 'bout that?!

Did we elect this guy? Oh, wait...

Hillary Clinton Sings National Anthem

this is great...

15 Years of Critical Mass

www.critical-mass.info


Today marks the 15th aniversary of Critical Mass! For those of you who don't know about CM, it is the world's largest bicycle protest and happens on the last friday of the month around 6pm. CM is not organized and was started by two dozen biker friends in San Francisco, California. Over time, CM has grown like crazy in SF, usually getting around 5,000 people each month to join in on the ride.

Ok, so you may be saying, "So what, it's just a bike ride, what's the big deal." Well, not only is this a biker's rights advocacy protest, but a STOP DRIVING EVERYWHERE protest. The bikers have no set rout which severly messes up traffic, especially on the last friday of the month in the heart of rush hour. And don't say that it's bad for the environment because of all the idoling cars because it really has made a lot of progress in the city. When CM started in 1992 only 2% of trips in SF were made on bikes...now almost 10% of all trips in SF are on bikes. So many trips that the city government has designated "bike only" streets, making it easier for people to ride their bike, and more difficult to drive. If only everywhere was San Francisco...ha. But really, it's true.

I have participated in this event. One time was in SF and it was just about the best time I've ever had. Let me tell you, San Franciscan's know how to turn a protest into a party. Tons of music, pissed off Hummer drivers(but who cares about those people anyway), and the most fun cat and mouse game you could ever play with the cops. The police don't like it because CM doesn't ever have a permit, but that is the whole point. Biking is a right, unlike cars. And BIKES SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!

Critical Mass, 15 years later is all over the world and has helped so many people realize that the moral thing to do on the way to work or school is to ditch the car and and ride to work. Too bad the South is still in the dark ages. Which brings me to my next point. We, the students of BSC, should start our own Critical Mass in Birmingham. It would be difficult for a while, but something positive needs to happen in this city for once and we have the power to do it...So, who's with me?

Free Public High-Speed Internet Access could be at our fingertips..

Tomorrow, Wednesday the 26th, John Kerry is holding a conference on improving the internet for America. Some of you may be members of Free Press and have already recieved an email about this, but for those of you who haven't, chech it out. One thing that is holding the progression of world-wide education is the lack of free public access high speed internet.

As we have studied, the internet is the easiest medium for people to learn about whats going on around them and to share their opinions and beliefs with others. But unfortunatly, the big media corporations control internet access and won't give it up without a fight. Progressive areas of our country, Northern California for example, have a head start on this issue. Soon the city of San Francisco will be completely wireless, allowing people who normally cannot afford the internet to have free high speed access to a whole world of knowledge. I can only hope that other cities will invest some of their education funds in the same manor.

Tomorrow America will have the (small) chance to progress this idea. Senator Kerry is holding a conference on free public high speed internet access.

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to write to him via the hyperlink I have provided below. This is one of the most effective ways to help bring education to those who aren't as fortunate as we are! If you care about humanity, I'm sure you can spare the 10 minutes it takes to do this....

http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/09/25/questions-from-sen-kerry-how-can-we-connect-america/

http://www.freepress.net/

neofreedom

Freedom (noun) - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

the concept of freedom has played a large role in this country. it was the reason why a group of oppressed citizens ventured accross the vast, unknown atlantic ocean and why they eventually set up a government based on those strong convictions to a society of free people. but it seems that over the years this preception of freedom has strayed from the definition above...some may feel it is for the better, but i feel very differently. americans have forgotten what true freedom is (the freedom spoken of by the founders of the constitution) and the price that is occationally payed for it.

america has been physically attacted only twice in the past century, a small amount compaired to the numerous times of other countries, but both times freedom granted by the constitution in the first ammendment has been severly restricted. one who has studied the basics of the first world war could recall the racist camps that housed japanese american citizens like abused animals during the war. yes, american citizens in america, not jewish citizens in germany. and most americans alive today can tell you where they were when the trade center fell in new york..and the comparison here to the the racist camps of world war two is bush's patriot act, defined as:

Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

this did not unite or strengthen america, but hack further at our freedom granted by the constitution. just like the racist camps, the patriot act of 2001 took america one step further from the vision of the founders.

my point here is not to critique the president, or to rant about the many grotesque actions of this country's government over the years as it is not entirely their fault. the blood also lies in the hands of us: the voters and consumers. we as voters have the responcibility of electing responsible candidates, which are nearly impossible to find, and as consumers to give our money to businesses who have the best intrest of mankind in mind. neither one of these are achieved often. companies like at&t and viacom have been working for years to hack at 1st ammendment rights (most recently at&t in their plot to spoil the neutrality of the internet) and to mold america's art, music, films, and media into products right off the assembly line. yes, it's true, the popular culture sucks. music played on the radio has no heart, coke ads are more recognizable than artists like vassily kandinski or hassam, movies are meerly a business, and america's mass media keeps feeding the minds of ignorant american citizens with all of this crap.



so my point is that our freedom has been raped by presidents, ignored by congresses, misinturpreted by the corporate media, and all the while we sit and take it. freedom comes at a price and that price is not always paid on the battlefield as the masses think. but freedom is reaped and payed for by the individual every day when we wake up and step outside in a dangerous world, filled with people who hate and kill.

we dont need wire taps and homeland security to preserve our freedom. so far, all its done is restict it. true freedom is not knowing if you are going to be killed in an attack, or if the bomb threat is actually real, but accepting that risk and loving your freedom to the death. not letting it be taken away by presidents or terrorists because a president is a terrorist if he(or she) takes away your freedom as a natural living being.

personally, i would rather been bloan to peices than for my freedom to be taken away. but i've only met a few other people who share my belief of true freedom.....

new things

I haven't even done this before...

But new things are good sometimes, I guess.

This blog will post my opinions and viewpoints on issues, current and dated... so take it for what it's worth.