New Leadership needed in South Carolina and who’s got the Answer?
March 13, 2010 by comrex
Filed under Federal, Ryan B., South Carolina
By: Brian “Ryan B” Doyle, Candidate for US Congress
What an interesting night! I attended a very informative meeting of the Democratic 3rd Congressional District in Greenwood, South Carolina at Ryan’s Steak House. I was allowed to speak and heard the concerns of many during this meeting.
But what shocked me the most about a few in the meeting is that things still haven’t really changed much even in the 21st Century if you know what I mean. You would have had to experience something to understand.
For over two years as a local radio talk show host before syndicating into other market areas. The Chair of the State Democratic Party, the Aiken County Chair and a member of the McCormick County Party had all talked, been on my radio program, and I extensivelyed pushed and supported the Democratic agenda of many candidates as I was requested. As an African-American with a large listening base, and being able to move the people to polls and town hall meetings. I was a “modern day severant” to the party. But as soon as I attempted to take a lead role or seek office they abandoned me quickly I see this as modern day slavery.
It’s okay for some to be followers and in their eyes a good little boy or girl, but when you choose to lead oh, “Houston we have a problem”.
I say all this to say, my own chair (Aiken County Chair) made it his business to avoid me the entire night at this meeting. The same man who came on my radio program several times to use me to push his candidates and agenda as he saw fit refused to as much as say hello or good luck on your run for U.S. Congress. And that other Gentleman from McCormick County Party, who sat with me for hours at the McCormick County Democratic Party office to make sure “I got it right about why these were their candidates” also made it his business to avoid me at the meeting as well. This demonstrates to me one great thing about some people and shows that things still haven’t change in America.
In the eyes of some as long as we are followers and stay in our place we’re okay but when we get out of place or want to lead we are treated like lepers.
I will always remember the statement at an event I attended some years ago with my dear friend and great civil rights leader someone I honor Dr. Joseph L. Lowery.
“One party (the Republicans) don’t want us, and the other party (the Democrats) just put up with us for our votes, but don’t respect us!”
That was brough home to be as clear as the sky is blue with the State Democratic Party playing games with my candidacy for four months and the behavior of some on Thursday night March 12, 2010.
But one thing I’ve learned, that I want to say to both white and black voters of South Carolina. “I don’t take your votes or voices for granted”. I guess that’s why I don’t fit in with the power structure of the party and I’m not their favorite candidate for the 3rd District seat. “See there no strings attached to me and surely there will be no puppet show playing”.
It’s one thing to be controled by the people who elect you to serve, but its another to be a puppet with all the strings being pulled by the “power structure” while yhou move around the stage as instructed. The only show that’s playing in South Carolina for Brian “Ryan B” Doyle is : jobs, health care, education, trade agreements that are taking away our jobs and immigration reform.
Now I want to be clear, I accept full responsibility for my 1999 incident. Where as a result of sharing a phone number and a document and office space with a associate with who was under investigation unknown to me. But I refused then to be a puppet for the government and make statements about people I wasn’t sure to be a part of his scheme. And I surely refuse to be a puppet now!
It’s amazing that when certain people face issues in life they are excused, but when others (you can read between the lines and fill in the blanks) some never forget it.
Some great examples that are to be forgotten and never mentioned again are; You worked for your boss, who was a married man at the time to someone else, but you find a way to interfere with his marriage only for him to divorce his wife and marry you his former employee. Or being accused of contacting the CIA[1] about a businessman who had donated money to the Democratic Party only to search high and low and couldn’t remember anything and it all ended with any controversy and it was all forgotten. Or to make comments about victims of a Hurricane[2] and apologies and it was forgotten and forgiven. But don’t be black, oh I’m sorry did I say that it follows you for life.
The State Democratic Party needs new leadership! Their system of molding and inventing their candidates is over or should be over. Discrimination should not be tolerated in a party that claims to believe in equal rights for all. We shouldn’t act like republicans and preach about things we don’t hold true to. Less government and values something that they couldn’t hold true to for eight years in Washington nor for 30 days in South Carolina (the governor mess).
It’s time for real change in South Carolina we have a majority house and senate of Republicans who didn’t hold true to their family values when the governor left the State unprotected only to go spend time with his “concubine” in another country, and our Republican brothers and sisters in the House and Senate couldn’t find their family values to really address the issue and show South Carolina and the World that they are true Republicans with true family values and impeach the governor.
Additionally, the same Republican House and Senate doesn’t understand the value of our Children’s future and education here in South Carolina and call for cuts to teaches pay and education funding. These are the same Republicans that cry about passing debt onto our children while they support and take part in giving trillions of dollars to dishonest bankers.
I’m running to make the South Carolina 3rd District and South Carolina better, not for Democrats or Republicans, but for the people of South Carolina who don’t have a voice in Washington.
We need jobs, better education and reasonable pay for our teachers, police and firefighters. We need more public safety funding for EMS, Fire and Police and we need jobs for those convicted of felonies in order to pregfent and reduce crime in our community.
We need to provide our small businesses with taxes breaks and we MUST limit the amount of foreign goods shipped into this country that means changing our trade agreements Mr. President Obama.
That’s why I’m running not to be a part of the “power machine” nor the “power structure” but because I care about South Carolina, our health, futures and retirements, our children’s education and the freedoms our constitution affords us.
Best Regards,
Brian “Ryan B” Doyle,
Candidate for US Congress
3rd Congressional District
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Fowler; see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/cf090997c.htm; “See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/cf090997c.htm
[2] http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/ex-dem-chair-ap.html
A Request for Congress to review NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Powers and Policies
Ryan B, Host of Water Cooler Moment
Syndicated Radio host Ryan B, asks all his listener to contact the House Government Reform Committee and House Judiciary Committee to investigate the unlimited and unfair powers of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“I don’t understand why or how NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should enjoy unlimited arbitrary unitary executive power with no written rules for players or owners.” said Ryan B.
Goodell can impose any ruling or handle an issue anyway he feels without any appeal. The players might as well be innocent prisoners in Guantanamo subject to torture under the Bush administration remarked Ryan B.
“It reminds me of the good ole days of slavery whatever the slave master said was the law,” said Ryan B. Goodells’ bizarre behavior is reflected by the conditions he has imposed on Michael Vick in order to return to the Slave Master’s Playing Field. The things he requested of Vick are outrageous. It’s as if Goodell still has a slave deed on Vick.
“Michael Vick will have to live his private life the way Master Goodell wants him to live it as if Goodell has a slave deed somewhere that we the ticket holders and buyers don’t know about” says Ryan B. There are no written rules for punishment but only what comes from the mind of Goodell and considering that it does not appear that any similar punishment has ever been inflicted on a Caucasian player this looks like a racist thing to me. Ryan B goes on.
Since April of 2007 Master Goodell surf ruling hand shows that his personal conduct policy has no checks or balances it is what he wants when he wants it. “It scares me it reminds me of the stories my grand mother and great grand mother told of the slave master” said Ryan B.
I would hate to have to say in this case of Michael Vick it seems like to me Mr. Goodell has removed his suit in exchange for the white suit and let’s not forget that white hat of course with that fully being my personal opinion.
There are no guidelines that state exactly what punishment a specific violation will bring. That gives Master Goodell an excessive amount of leeway. Remember back in the day in the fields? Goodell also hears every appeal made by the suspended party rather than an arbitrator in what would be a much fairer process.
So I will be asking the House Government Reform Committee and the House Judiciary Committee to take a close look at self ruling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Powers over team unions, player and owners. I’m asking all my listeners and readers to do the same call there congress person and contact the House Government Reform Committee and Judiciary Committee to put an end to modern day slavery of all players of any race.
We have enough czars making our decisions for us and taking away what should be individual rights and ability to contract. He is as bad as Ben Benecki. Give away trillions of dollars and refuse to tell us about it.
Give anyone unlimited and unchecked power and it will be abused. The whole system of checks and balancers that used to protect citizens has vanished and this is just another symptom of it.
“Did we all forget that Michael Vick served jail time for his crime and was punished I don’t remember anyone being punished for slavery or being a slave master or for stealing trillions of dollars and giving it away to their buddies… I guess some people would like to see him down in a line asking for food stamps and a check.
If the man is good enough to play ball and people are willing to pay to see him and a team is willing to pay him to play whose business is it what he does with his money and who lives with him as long as he obeys the law?
“I don’t think Martha Stewart nor Rush Limbaugh had to wait any specific amount of time or be place under a slave deed for their transgressions which were in reality more serious than Vicks. But then they are of the privileged caste.
I haven’t figure out those people who believe dogs are more important than human beings. We are giving the homeless one way tickets to other cities. Who do we put in jail for all those who sleep under trees or bridges and don’t have a place to live because crooked bankers and politicians have stolen the country?
Let’s give the NFL back to the people the players and the teams. Let’s give the country and the money back to the people. Write to your congress people and senators. If they don’t want to do what is right for the people and the Country lets get rid of all of them. And lets and start with Goodell.
Bury the Never Ending Myth of Jackson as Child Molester
July 13, 2009 by comrex
Filed under Guest Opinion, Hip Hop/R&B, US
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Websites, blogs and chatrooms pulsed with garish cracks about it. Legions of commentators and news reporters snuck it in every chance they got. More than a few of Michael Jackson’s fervent admirers and supporters made a dismissive reference to it. Even President Barack Obama in a cautious acknowledgement of Jackson’s towering contributions to American music and artistry still made reference to the “tragedy” in Jackson’s life which was a subtle nod to it. And New York Congressman Pete King skipped the niceties and flatly said it.
The “it” is the never ending myth of Jackson the child molester. It still hangs as a damning indictment that feeds the gossip mills and gives an arsenal of ammunition to Jackson detractors. This is not a small point. In the coming weeks, there will be a push to bestow official commemorative monuments, honors on and a national stamp for Jackson. The taint of scandal could doom these efforts to permanently memorialize Jackson.
The child molester myth doesn’t rest on Jackson’s trial and clean acquittal on multiple child abuse charges in a Santa Maria courthouse in June 2005. Only the most rabid Jackson loathers still finger point to that to taint Jackson. The myth of Jackson as child abuser rests squarely on the charge by a 13 year old boy a decade before the trial and the multi-million dollar settlement out of court. The settlement, then and now, feeds the suspicion that Jackson must have done something unsavory and probably criminal, or else why settle?
16 years later, though, the facts remain unchanged. The charge that Jackson molested the boy was brought by the boy’s father. In interviews the boy repeatedly denied the charges. This changed only after he was administered sodium amytal, an invasive, mind altering drug that medical experts have frowned on and courts have disregarded in witness testimony. Prosecutors, police departments and investigators in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara spent millions of dollars, convened two grand juries and probed nearly 200 witnesses that included 30 children, who knew Jackson to try to substantiate the charge. Not a single corroborating witness was found. Nonetheless, a motley group of disgruntled Jackson’s former housekeepers, attendants and bodyguards still peddled the story to any media outlet willing to shell out the cash that Jackson had engaged in child sexual wrongdoing. Not one of the charges was confirmed. Typical was this exchange between one of Jackson’s attorneys and one of the accusing bodyguards under oath:
“So you don’t know anything about Mr. Jackson and [the boy], do you?”
“All I know is from the sworn documents that other people have sworn to.”
“But other than what someone else may have said, you have no firsthand knowledge about Mr. Jackson and [the boy], do you?”
“That’s correct.”
“Have you spoken to a child who has ever told you that Mr. Jackson did anything improper with the child?”
“No.”
“Where did you get your impressions about Jackson’s behavior?”
“Just what I’ve been hearing in the media and what I’ve experienced with my own eyes.”
“Okay. That’s the point. You experienced nothing with your own eyes, did you?”
“That’s right, nothing.”
When asked at the time about the charges against Jackson, child behavior experts and psychiatrists nearly all agreed that he did not fit the profile of a pedophile. They agreed that the disorder is progressive and there are generally not one but a trail of victims.
The myth of Jackson as child molester never hinged on evidence or testimony to substantiate it, but solely on the settlement. Why then did Jackson agree to it?
No charge stirs more disgust, revulsion, and pricks more emotional hot buttons than the charge of child molestation. The accusation stamps the Scarlet letter of doubt, suspicion, shame and guilt on the accused. The accused can never fully expunge it. There is simply no defense against it. Under the hyper intense media glare and spotlight that Jackson remained under, the allegation no mater how bogus would have been endless fodder for the public gossip mill. This would have wreaked irreparable damage on Jackson’s ever shifting musical career and personal life.
A trial in Los Angeles in the racially charged backdrop of the Rodney King beating, the L.A. riots, and pulsating racial tensions in the mid-1990s would have been risky business. A trial in staid, upscale, and majority white, Santa Barbara County would have been even more risky.
Jackson and his attorneys knew that when it came to the charge of child molestation the presumption of innocence, or even actual innocence, is tossed out the window. Though Jackson did nothing wrong, a trial would have left him, his reputation and his career in shambles. The settlement was the only pragmatic, logical and legal way to end the sordid issue.
The settlement under extreme duress must not sully his name and place as an honored American icon. The myth of Jackson as child molester must finally be buried.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His weekly radio show, “The Hutchinson Report” can be heard on weekly in Los Angeles on KTYM Radio 1460 AM and nationally on blogtalkradio.com.
Michael Jackson: Victim of Extreme Celebrity
June 26, 2009 by comrex
Filed under Entertainment, Guest Opinion, World
Michael Jackson The King of Pop
To the People,
I hung out with Michael Jackson (MJ) and his brothers during the recording of their TRIUMPH album, and I must say that MJ was very, very kind and brotherly-like to me. (Mind you now, this was a secret and off-limits recording session, and his brother Jackie did not like the fact that I was there).
But MJ insisted that I stay, and he and I spent about 2 hours (while waiting for a piece of recording equipment to arrive) – just talking about beautiful world destinations like Hawaii, Africa and other places.
More importantly, I have been very critical of and dismayed by MJ’s physical transformation that from my view, disrespected the tens of millions of Black brothers worldwide and their bold and beautiful African features and hair.
My verdict? MJ was guilty of dissing his original Africa features for Europeans ones.
Min. Farrakhan blames MJ’s issues on “extreme celebrity” that negatively distorts a person’s clarity.
Still others say that the childhood “beatings” by his father Joe Jackson were too many and were too brutal causing MJ to carry this fear/hate/love of his father to places that afforded him an escape from his reality.
Maybe MJ physical change to “white” was his attempt to dare the world to love him (and everyone) despite his (their) skin color or physical attributes.
Or maybe MJ did not want his children to face the same racism and the multitude of other problems Black people have to deal with is another possible reason MJ only wed and befriended white women (some of whom supposedly mothered his three children).
In conclusion, I just want to confess that I love music. But I also detest how music, sports, and celebrity are used to program the masses into a state of ignorance and servitude.
To his credit, MJ did leave the confines of the brutally racist entertainment industry to address world hunger, racism and the lack of basic human rights for various people of the world.
This, for me, is what makes MJ stand apart more than what any melody or lyric can ever do.
RIP my Brother. And please scout out a place for me in the other world.
In Love With My People,
Fige Bornu, Chairman – Positive African Image Institute
Israel Block Aid to Gaza
June 26, 2009 by comrex
Filed under Federal, Guest Opinion, World
- Hon. Cynthia McKinney
They Denied Us So They Wouldn’t Have to Ram Us
The Israelis are hopping mad. And they’re flexing their muscles in all the ugly places. They can’t ram us again without sparking an international uproar, so they’re trying to stop us from leaving the port at all. The Limasol, Cyprus Port Authority which controls the port of Larnaca also, sent their inspector to Larnaca with a letter saying that the boat failed inspection, only thing, the letter was written BEFORE he even arrived in Larnaca to do the inspection! Reuters is doing the story at this very moment saying that we were prevented from leaving due to Cypriot authorities. We just learned from a Cyprus government source that pressure is being applied by Israel to deny us departure credentials. It appears, then, that Israel is putting us into contortions because they don’t want us to take cement into Gaza. After white phosphorus, depleted uranium, DIME, cluster bombs, F16s, death, destruction, and mayhem. All of *this* over a few bags of cement. Can you believe???
1. Read the Haaretz article here, showing Israeli concern about us taking cement to Gaza
2. Hear the interview with Don Debar on the contortions we’re being put through by Cyprus Port Authority
3. Read the Reuters article here (interesting that the story broke in Israel and not Cyprus!!)
4. Individuals have already started to contact the Cyprus UN Mission and their DC Embassy to inquire why they are arbitrarily not allowing the Spirit of Humanity and the Free Gaza to set sail.
1. Here is the Ha’aretz article:
2. Hear Greta Berlin and I explain what is happening with the purposeful delay of our departure
http://www.livestream.com/wbaix
3. Read the Reuters article:
12:54 25Jun09 -Cyprus halts aid boats bound for Gaza Strip
LARNACA, Cyprus, June 25 (Reuters) – Cyprus stopped two
boats planning to carry aid to the Gaza Strip in defiance of an
Israeli blockade from leaving port on Thursday, officials said.
The U.S.-based Free Gaza Movement had been planning to take
33 activists to Gaza with medical supplies and cement, a
material that Israel does not allow into the Palestinian
territory devastated by a short war that ended early this year.
The Free Gaza Movement started sending regular aid voyages
from Cyprus to Gaza in August 2008, but one of its boats was
involved in a collision with an Israeli vessel in December, and
was turned back on another mission in January.
Cypriot shipping officials cited inspection requirements for
stopping the two vessels, a small ferry and a sailing boat, from
leaving port two hours before their scheduled departure.
Both vessels had travelled to Gaza before.
“One of the ships was only recently registered in Cyprus and
under Cyprus law it has to undergo inspection before being given
permission to sail,” said Serghios Serghiou, head of Cyprus’s
Department of Merchant Shipping. “(The second) … did not apply
for any inspections before sailing.”
Israel tightened a blockade on Gaza in 2007 after the
Islamist group Hamas took control of the enclave, a tiny sliver
of territory home to some 1.5 million people.
Israel bans imports of cement, steel or other building
supplies to Gaza, saying militants could use them for military
purposes. One of the vessels was to carry 15 tonnes of cement.
Israeli forces bombed then invaded Gaza in late December
2008 with a declared aim of ending cross-border rocket attacks
from the Hamas-ruled territory.
The war damaged infrastructure and hurt an economy already
hobbled by years of isolation.
(Writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Lin Noueihed)
((michele.kambas@thomsonreuters.com; 357 22469607; Reuters
messaging michele.kambas.reuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: PALESTINIANS ISRAEL/ACTIVISTS
Thursday, 25 June 2009 12:54:02
RTRS [nLO676773 ] {C}
ENDS
We are determined to depart, if not today, then tomorrow.
—
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Israeli Block Aid to Gaza
June 26, 2009 by comrex
Filed under Guest Opinion, World
Subject: Public Advisory – We did not leave Cyprus today
PUBLIC ADVISORY
(25 June 2009, LARNACA) – This is not the statement we in the Free Gaza Movement intended to release today. We had hoped to announce that our two ships, the Free Gaza and the Spirit of Humanity, departed from Larnaca Port on a 30-hour voyage to besieged Gaza, carrying human rights activists who have travelled to Cyprus from all across the world for this journey, 3 tons of medical supplies, and 15 tons of badly needed concrete and reconstruction supplies.
Nobel peace laureate Mairead Maguire, returning for her second trip to Gaza aboard one of our ships, said “[The people of Gaza] must know that we have not and will not forget them.”
That was our hope, but that is not what happened.
Instead, our ships were not given permission to leave today due to concerns about our welfare and safety. Our friends in Cyprus tell us that the voyage to Gaza is too dangerous, and they are worried we will be harmed at sea.
Cyprus has been a wonderful home for the Free Gaza Movement over these last 10 months. Cypriots know first hand the terrible consequences of occupation. They too know what it is to suffer from violence, injustice, and exile. Since our first voyage to break through the siege of Gaza, the Cypriot authorities have been extremely helpful and understanding of our goals and intentions.
The journey to Gaza is dangerous. The Israeli navy rammed our flagship, the Dignity, when we attempted to deliver medical supplies to Gaza during their vicious assault in December/January. Israel has previously threatened to open fire on our unarmed ships, rather than allow us to deliver humanitarian and reconstruction supplies to the people of Gaza.
The risks we take on these trips are tiny compared to the risks imposed every day upon the people of Gaza.
The purpose of nonviolent direct action and civil resistance is to take risks – to put ourselves “in the way” of injustice. We take these risks well aware of what the possible consequences may be. We do so because the consequences of doing nothing are so much worse. Anytime we allow ourselves to be bullied, every time we pass by an evil and ignore it – we lower our standards and allow our world to be made that much harsher and unjust for us all.
In addition to the concerns expressed by our Cypriot friends today, the American consulate in Nicosia warned us not to go to Gaza, stating that:
“…[T]he Israeli Foreign Ministry informed U.S. officials at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv that Israel still considers Gaza an area of conflict and that any Free Gaza boats attempting to sail to the Gaza Strip will “not be permitted” to reach its destination.”
Former U.S. Congresswoman & presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney responded to this warning by pointing out that, “The White House says that cement and medical supplies should get into Gaza and that’s exactly what we are attempting to take to Gaza.”
“Instead of quoting Israel policy to us,” McKinney continued, “…the U.S. should send a message to Israel reiterating the reported White House position that the blockade of Gaza should be eased, that medical supplies and building materials, including cement, should be allowed in. The Free Gaza boats should be allowed to reach their destination, traveling from Cyprus territorial waters, through international waters, and straight into Gaza territorial waters.”
“The State Department has chosen to advise us to take the Israeli notification seriously. Our question is, ‘Can we take President Obama seriously?’ Will he stand by his own words and allow us to provide relief for Gaza or will he back down?”
Tomorrow we will deliver a waiver, signed by all going to Gaza, that we absolve Cyprus of all responsibility for our safety. We would like to tell our friends here in Cyprus that though we understand and appreciate their concerns, we will not back down to Israel’s threats and intimidation.
###
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