Barack Obama Sets a Fundraising Record

During the month of January, Senator Barack Obama raised $32 million dollars from donors, the most ever raised during a one month period by a Democratic Presidential candidate. The campaign also announced that they picked up 170,000 new donors, raising the total number to 650,000.

Hillary Clinton's camp did not release its fundraising numbers for the month.

The funds raised by the Obama campaign for January exceed the highest 3 month total for any period in 2007, a remarkable achievement. The funds are also an excellent propelling mechanism for "Super Tuesday", when national ads are going to be purchased by the Obama camp.

"We think that the strength of our financial position and the number of donors does speak to financial sustainability if it ends up going through March and April," stated an advisor to the Obama campaign. "We think we will have the financial resources to conduct vigorous campaigns in the states to come."

On "Super Tuesday", February 5, more than 20 states are going to hold their primaries. Clinton plans to air ads in 12 states, while Obama is going to focus on at least 20 of them.

Obama and Clinton have, together, raised a over $100 million dollars since the campaigns began. Both are considered front runners in the race for the Democratic nomination.

Best (Actual) News Headlines for 2007

Crack Found on Governor's Daughter
[Imagine that!]


Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
[No, really?]

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
[Now that's taking things a bit far!]

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
[Not if I wipe thoroughly!]


Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
[What a guy!]
&n bsp;

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
[No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so!]


Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
[See if that works any better than a fair trial!]


War Dims Hope for Peace
[I can see where it might have that effect!]


If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
[You think?]


Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
[Who would have thought!]

Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
[They may be on to something!]


Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
[You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?]


Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
[he probably IS the battery charge!]


New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
[Weren't they fat enough?!]


Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas
in Spacecraft
[That's what he gets for eating those beans!]


Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
[Taste like chicken?]


Local <>High School Dropouts Cut in Half
[Chainsaw Massacre all over again!]


Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
[Boy, are they tall!]


And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through
Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Aborigines Get Apology, African Americans Do Not

The Australian government has decided to do for Aborigines something that the U.S. Government has yet to do for African-Americans: apologize for wrong-doings of the past. The Australian government is set to issue its first formal apology to the Aborigines as its first item of business for the new parliament on February 13.

This marks an historic occasion for the country, as it works to progress beyond wounds of the past. The apology is to be issued to the "stolen generation", consisting of those Aborigines who were taken away from their families on the idea that their race was "doomed".

The issue has divided Australians for a very long time, but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has finally pushed the issue forward.

"The apology will be made on behalf of the Australian government and does not attribute guilt to the current generation of Australian people," Macklin said in a statement.

In spite of the apology, Rudd has refused to pay compensation, nor hold the Australian government accountable for the actions of the past. Michael Mansell, an activist in the country, has argued that the government should create an $882 million dollar fund to pay compensation for government wrong doing toward Aborigines.

Aborigines make up less than 5% of the Australian population. They are far more likely to be arrested, imprisoned, unemployed and illiterate. Also, there is a 17 year life expectancy gap between Aborigines and other Australians.

The apology has brought a comparison to African-Americans, who suffer from many of the same problems. Social dilemmas for African-Americans have been linked to 400 years of slavery in the US, for which the American government refuses to apologize.

Christine King of the Stolen Generations Alliance had a great deal to say about the developments in Australia.

"Older people thought they would never live to see this day," King said. "It's very emotional for me and it's very important."

From 1910 through the 1970s, roughly 100,000 Aboriginal children of mixed blood were stolen from their parents due to state and federal laws that said that their race was doomed and that taking the children would be the humane thing to do. The same thing happened to people of color during slavery, when their families were divided and sold to white owners across the country.

An inquiry into the family separations of Aboriginal children showed that the children suffered long-term psychological damage from losing their parents. A government inquiry in Australia argued that the government should apologize to the families and compensate them. But the Prime Minister at the time, John Howard, refused to do either, stating that this government should not be held accountable for policies of the past. The same has been said by U.S. Government Officials as it pertains to slavery.

Barack Obama Supporter Accuses Bill Clinton of Suppressing the Vote

Dick Harpootlian, a prominent Democrat and supporter of Senator Barack Obama, has accused former President Bill Clinton of using dirty Republican tricks to defeat Obama.

Harpootlian, a former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party and supporter of Barack Obama, accused Clinton of using remarks that were appeals to race and gender, meant to "supress the vote, demoralize voters and distort the record."

Harpootlian claimed that Clinton's remarks are "reminiscent of Lee Atwater", a Republican strategist who worked during the Reagan Administration. Atwater's tactics have since been disgraced by Democrats.

When asked about Harpootlian's comments, Bill Clinton lashed out at the reporter, saying, "You live for this. This hurts the people of South Carolina."

"Because the people of South Carolina come to these meetings and ask questions about what they care about, " he said. "And what they care about is not what's going to be in the news coverage tonight, because you don't care about it."

Barack Obama supporters have expressed grave concern over Bill Clinton's overshadowing presence in the Presidential election. Obama has claimed that he sometimes can't tell if he is running against Hillary Clinton or Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton has been on the offensive lately, heavily attacking Obama on issues related to the Iraq War, and he also complained that Obama's supporters in the union in Nevada suppressed votes. Finally, Clinton claimed that Obama made remarks supporting Republican ideas.

Clinton distanced himself from the attacks, claiming that the discussions were "crazy" and that he was "getting carried away." Many agree with his assessment and feel that he should not overshadow his wife's bid for the presidency.

Obama Calls for Unity on Martin Luther King Day

Barack Obama spent his Sunday in church calling for unity as America deals with its problems. In front of a packed house, the Senator stated that "none of our hands are clean" as it pertains to racial divisions.

Obama was speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church the day before the Federal Martin Luther King Holiday. He based his speech on a famous quote by King that "Unity is the great need of the hour."

"The divisions, the stereotypes, the scape-goating, the ease with which we blame the plight of ourselves on others, all of that distracts us from the common challenges we face: war and poverty; inequality and injustice," Obama said. "We can no longer afford to build ourselves up by tearing each other down. We can no longer afford to traffic in lies or fear or hate. It is the poison that we must purge from our politics; the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late."

The next Democratic Primary will be held in South Carolina on Saturday, and this is the first state with a large percentage of black voters. Some argue that Obama needs a strong victory here in order to remain in the fight with Senator Hillary Clinton.

In Nevada, Obama lost to Clinton in spite of having 83% of the black vote. The biggest concern for many Obama supporters is that the recent spat over Dr. Martin Luther King identified Obama as "The black candidate", leading to a decline of white support.

Some African Americans were originally skeptical over whether Obama had the ability to defeat Senator Clinton. However, his win in Iowa, which is predominantly white, gave voters a great deal of confidence. His black poll numbers jumped dramatically after this win.

"I understand that many of you are still a little skeptical," Obama said Friday night in Las Vegas. "But not as skeptical as you were before Iowa. Sometimes it takes other folks before we believe ourselves."

"We had to fight, bleed and die just to be able to vote," the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock said while introducing Senator Obama. "Now we can select presidents, and now with credibility and intelligence and power, we can run for president."

Obama mentioned the fact that there have been some divisive issues in his campaign recently. "Last week, it crept into the campaign for president, with charges and countercharges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation. None of our hands are clean," he said.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, both realizing the destructive nature of their public spat, called a truce on the issue last week. But the problems are still present, yet beneath the table.

Clinton Wins Nevada, Obama Wins the Black Vote

African-Americans in Nevada showed overwhelming support for Senator Barack Obama. However, this was not enough for him to defeat Hillary Clinton. Black voters represent 16% of the voting population in Nevada, and 80% of these voters supported Barack Obama.

The same was true in Michigan, where polls say that Obama would have won over 70% of the black vote. Some argue that this predicts a clear victory for Obama in South Carolina, where half of the voting population is African American.

Rather than support Senator Clinton in Michigan (where Obama chose not to participate due to party sanctions), 70% of African-American voters chose to vote "uncommitted". CNN exit polls showed that these voters were in overwhelming support of Barack Obama.

African-Americans have long supported the Clintons, with Bill Clinton having been called "The first black president" by Toni Morrison. The name was also adopted by Hillary Clinton as well. But many have come to question the Clinton commitment to African-Americans, leading to a substantial decline in African-American support for the Clintons.

On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee won the Nevada Caucus. South Carolina's primary serves as an important symbolic win for whichever candidate emerges victorious.

Golfweek Magazine Places a Noose on the Cover

Golfweek Magazine announced that it had fired editor Dave Seanor after Seanor agreed to put a noose on the cover of the magazine. The noose was in response to a recent event in which PGA tour commentator Kelly Tilghman jokingly said that Tiger Woods should be "lynched in a back alley."

Tilghman apologized on the air two days later, and the Golf Channel suspended the anchor. However, the light nature of the disciplinary action angered many black leaders.

Golfweek argued that it was seeking to create a debate over the issue. However, some have accused the magazine of sensationalizing a very sensitive issue.

“We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country,” William P. Kupper Jr., president of Turnstile Publishing Co., said on Golfweek's Web site.

“We were trying to convey the controversial issue with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic.”

Jeff Babineau was the editor chosen to replace replace Seanor. The magazine has claimed that the decision making committee had no African-Americans present when making the decision to place the noose on the cover.

Sen. Barack Obama Praises Republicans?

Barack Obama has been accused of a Cardinal sin: the act of praising Republicans. During an editorial board meeting with the Reno Gazette-Journal, Obama made a series of statements that have led to a slew of attacks by his primary political rivals, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinon attacked a portion of the interview during which Obama stated that he is not an "operating officer" and would not spend the presidency digging into bureaucratic details. Clinton replied that the presidency requires a "hands on" leader.

John Edwards attacked a part of the discussion during which Obama praised Ronald Reagan, citing his ability to change the political landscape. Obama also stated that the Republican party has been the "party of ideas" for the past 10 -15 years.

Edwards said that he would never praise Ronald Reagan, who has done "damage to the middle class and working people."

In the meeting, Obama made the following statement.

"I think it’s fair to say the Republicans were the party of ideas for a pretty long chunk of time there over the last ten, fifteen years, in the sense that they were challenging conventional wisdom," he said during the board meeting. "Now, you’ve heard it all before. You look at the economic policies when they’re being debated among the Presidential candidates and it’s all tax cuts. Well, you know, we’ve done that, we tried it."

Hillary Clinton had this response.

"That’s not the way I remember the last ten to fifteen years," Clinton said this week in Las Vegas. "I don’t think it’s a better idea to privatize Social Security. I don’t think it’s a better idea to try to eliminate the minimum wage. I don’t think it’s a better idea to undercut health benefits and to give drug companies the right to make billions of dollars by providing prescription drugs to Medicare recipients. I don’t think it’s a better idea to shut down the government, to drive us into debt."

Obama's campaign spokesperson, Bill Burton, quickly shot down the Clinton statement.

“It’s hard to take Hillary Clinton’s latest attack seriously when she’s the one who supported George Bush’s war in Iraq, the most damaging Republican idea of our generation," he said.

Congressman Charlie Rangel Calls Barack Obama Stupid

While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have agreed to tone down their rhetoric after this week's racially charged battle, one loyal follower of the Clinton camp, Charlie Rangel, had other ideas.

On a CNN interview, Rangel said that Barack Obama was "absolutely stupid" for his part in the conversation about the relative contributions of Martin Luther King and Lyndon B. Johnson.

"How race got into this thing is because Obama said 'race,'" Rangel said in an interview. "But there is nothing that Hillary Clinton has said that baffles me."

Clinton and Obama got into a dispute over the issue after Hillary Clinton implied in a speech that Martin Luther King's dream became reality primarily because he had a president willing to sign the legislation to make it into law.

"I would challenge anybody to belittle the contribution that Dr. King has made to the world, to our country, to civil rights, and the Voting Rights Act,” said Rangel. “But for him to suggest that Dr. King could have signed that act is absolutely stupid. It's absolutely dumb to infer that Doctor King, alone, passed the legislation and signed it into law."

Some have argued that Rangel is off base for his vicious attack on Barack Obama. Dr. Boyce Watkins, a Syracuse Professor and regular CNN guest, says that Rangel completely missed what the Obama camp was trying to say.

"Barack was communicating that politicians are bell weathers for public opinion, not much else," says Dr. Watkins. "If King had not engaged in the risk necessary to create the public sentiment needed for the Civil Rights Act to be passed, Johnson wouldn't have signed anything. King deeply cared about Civil Rights, Johnson only cared about doing whatever people told him to do. He would have signed a law reducing Civil Rights if the public had demanded it."

Charlie Rangel is a Congressman from the State of New York.

Mary J. Blige on Steroids?

One doesn't quite expect to see a name like Mary J. Blige on a list of clients allegedly using steroids. But that's just what federal investigators say they found.

The Times Union of Albany, NY cited unidentified law enforcement officials in reporting that Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and Tyler Perry were all listed as having received performance-enhancing drugs.

The officials stated that the entertainers are not alleged to have broken the law, and that the investigation is focused on doctors, pharmacists and clinics that provided the drugs.

David P. Soares, District Attorney in Albany, launched the investigation last year. He is neither confirming nor denying the names linked in the investigation.

A spokesman for Mary J. Blige denies that the singer has taken any illegal steroids. Tyler Perry's spokesman declined to comment.

Athletes use steroids to get faster and stronger to perform at a higher level. However, entertainers benefit from steroids due to their anti-aging qualities. Steroids have been in the news a great deal lately, due to federal investigations into Major League Baseball. Additionally, sprinter Marion Jones was sent to prison recently for perjury in a trial involving her steroid abuse.

The investigation in Albany is part a of multi-state initiative, focused on Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, FL. Thus far, 10 individuals have pleaded guilty and there are reports that professional athletes may have been implicated as well.

BET Founder Bob Johnson Goes After Barack Obama

BET Founder, Bob Johnson, criticized Senator Barack Obama for his characterization of Hillary Clinton's remarks about the Civil Rights Movement.

Speaking and introducing Clinton on Sunday, Johnson said he was insulted by the statements from the Obama camp, and even seemed to hint at Obama's alleged drug use as a young man.

Johnson was America's first black billionaire and founder of Black Entertainment Television.

Hillary Clinton had been quoted on Fox News, a network that Obama has refused to appear on, as saying that Martin Luther King's dream of racial equality could not have been realized without the help of Lyndon B. Johnson. Some argue that the message implied that African Americans would not be able to achieve their goals without the help of white leadership.

"That kind of campaign behavior would not be reasonable with me for a guy who says 'I want to be a reasonable, likable, Sidney Poitier,'" said Johnson. He also said that voters should be critical of Obama's record.

"To me, as an African American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved," Johnson said.

Johnson was referring to Obama's book "Dreams of my Father", in which he mentions teenage drug abuse: marijuana, alchohol and some cocaine. Johnson did not mention the indiscretions of the Clinton family, including confirmed sexual promiscuity on the part of Bill Clinton during his time in the White House and the Governor's mansion.

Johnson later claimed that he was referring to Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago "and nothing else. Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect," he said in a statement released by Clinton's campaign.

Obama's campaign declined to respond.

"I'm not going to spend all my time running down the other candidates, which seems to be what Senator Clinton has been obsessed with for the last month," Obama said.

Obama's strategist had more to say.

"I don't see why this is so much different from what Billy Shaheen did in New Hampshire. Senator Clinton apologized for that. It's bewildering why, since she was standing there, she had nothing to say about this," David Axelrod said.

Last month, a top Hillary Clinton advisor, Bill Shaheen, resigned after suggesting that Obama's past drug use could be used against him during the campaign.

Obama supporter "I.S." Leevy Johnson, a former South Carolina state legislator, told the Associated Press that it was "offensive" that Clinton stood by during Johnson's "personal, divisive attack on Barack Obama."

"For someone who decries the politics of personal destruction, she should've immediately denounced these attacks on the spot," Johnson said in a statement issued by Obama's campaign.

Some have also criticized Bob Johnson as being a man who has earned billions while hurting the black community. His network, Black Entertainment Television, has been considered to be responsible for a decline in the value systems of black youth in America.

Bob Johnson of BET Attacks Barack Obama

BET Founder, Bob Johnson, criticized Senator Barack Obama for his characterization of Hillary Clinton's remarks about the Civil Rights Movement.

Speaking and introducing Clinton on Sunday, Johnson said he was insulted by the statements from the Obama camp, and even seemed to hint at Obama's alleged drug use as a young man.

Johnson was America's first black billionaire and founder of Black Entertainment Television.

Hillary Clinton had been quoted on Fox News, a network that Obama has refused to appear on, as saying that Martin Luther King's dream of racial equality could not have been realized without the help of Lyndon B. Johnson. Some argue that the message implied that African Americans would not be able to achieve their goals without the help of white leadership.

"That kind of campaign behavior would not be reasonable with me for a guy who says 'I want to be a reasonable, likable, Sidney Poitier,'" said Johnson. He also said that voters should be critical of Obama's record.

"To me, as an African American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved," Johnson said.

Johnson was referring to Obama's book "Dreams of my Father", in which he mentions teenage drug abuse: marijuana, alchohol and some cocaine. Johnson did not mention the indiscretions of the Clinton family, including confirmed sexual promiscuity on the part of Bill Clinton during his time in the White House and the Governor's mansion.

Johnson later claimed that he was referring to Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago "and nothing else. Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect," he said in a statement released by Clinton's campaign.

Obama's campaign declined to respond.

"I'm not going to spend all my time running down the other candidates, which seems to be what Senator Clinton has been obsessed with for the last month," Obama said.

Obama's strategist had more to say.

"I don't see why this is so much different from what Billy Shaheen did in New Hampshire. Senator Clinton apologized for that. It's bewildering why, since she was standing there, she had nothing to say about this," David Axelrod said.

Last month, a top Hillary Clinton advisor, Bill Shaheen, resigned after suggesting that Obama's past drug use could be used against him during the campaign.

Obama supporter "I.S." Leevy Johnson, a former South Carolina state legislator, told the Associated Press that it was "offensive" that Clinton stood by during Johnson's "personal, divisive attack on Barack Obama."

"For someone who decries the politics of personal destruction, she should've immediately denounced these attacks on the spot," Johnson said in a statement issued by Obama's campaign.

Some have also criticized Bob Johnson as being a man who has earned billions while hurting the black community. His network, Black Entertainment Television, has been considered to be responsible for a decline in the value systems of black youth in America.

African American Money Matters: Recession is Expected

The economy is threatened with a major recession. The housing crisis has caused ripple effects, as many banks have been forced to scale back their lending. Additionally, unemployment is at a two-year high. This has some wondering if the economy is headed for a major downturn.

Wall Street seems to think so. Known as a "leading indicator" for the economy as a whole, the recent slide in stock prices is a signal to some that the economy and corporations are headed toward lower future earnings.

At the beginning of 2007, economists surveyed cited a 1 in 3 chance that the economy would go into a recession. Now, they say it's 50/50. Some think that a recession is a sure thing.

President Bush and Congress are exploring options to avoid a recession, including tax rebates. Lower taxes encourage spending. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is proposing lowering interest rates. Lower taxes and lower interest rates encourage two economic stimulants: more spending and greater investment.

"The recession gorilla is there. The question is can the Federal Reserve do enough to avert a recession?" stated Brian Bethune, economist at Global Insight. "We think the odds are close to 50 percent that there will be a recession. It is high — no question about it."

There is a question of whether the Federal Reserve, the financial governing body for the US, agrees that a recession is on its way.

"The Federal Reserve is not currently forecasting a recession," Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week. "We are forecasting slow growth."

Technically, a recession is a period of two straight quarters of negative economic growth. In other words, six months of slumping.

Some have concerns for African-Americans, who tend to feel the greatest effects of economic downturns. They have also been hit disproportionately by the housing and foreclosure crisis.

Additionally, there is fear that if consumers expect a recession to occur in the near future, they are going to stop spending in order to prepare. Businesses may also stop investing to prepare for the recession. If this is done on a large scale, the effects of the recession will worsen.

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Tony Parker Files $40M Defamation Lawsuit Over Alleged Affair

NBA star Tony Parker has just filed a $40 million dollar defamation suit against celebrity photo agency X17Online. The site was the first to run a story about a french model's claim that she and Parker had an affair just two months after he married his wife, Eva Longoria.

X17 published Alexandra Paressant's statements, in addition to text messages that were allegedly exchanged between Parker and Paressant.

According to Parker's court complaint, X17 "had to know that the story was false, or at the very least, it had to have entertained serious doubts about the credibility of its supposed source".

Only hours after the story was released, Parker and Longoria released statements claiming that the allegations were not true. Parker even claims that he never met Paressant.

"Celebrities are easy targets—both for those who would seek their own fame and fortune by fabricating salacious stories about them, no matter how damaging or hurtful, and for those who make their living publishing these false and defamatory lies, no matter how patently baseless," according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that none of the company's reporters contacted Parker or his associates to verify the story before posting it on the Internet. It also claims that no one took the story down after being informed that it was not true.

After hearing of the lawsuit, X17 filed a statement with E! online, claiming that they, "conducted extensive research for the reporting of this story," and that the information uncovered was "significant and newsworthy"

Clintons Accused of Degrading Barack Obama and Martin Luther King

Hillary Clinton has drawn a tremendous amount of criticism for remarks she recently made about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During an interview on Fox News, a network that has been frozen out by Senator Barack Obama, Clinton was accused of giving President Lyndon B. Johnson more credit for advancing Civil Rights than Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I would point to the fact that Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the president before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done,” she said, in response to a question about how her dismissive attitude toward Obama’s “false hopes” would have applied to the civil rights movement. “That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in peoples lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it, and actually got it accomplished.”

Clinton's statements were a double-whammy to comments made by her husband, Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton referred to the Obama campaign as "The biggest fairytale I've ever seen."

Many have considered the comments by the Clintons to be degrading and reflective of the fact that the Clintons feel that black people cannot have their dreams realized without the permission of white leaders.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most powerful black congressional leader in America, issued a statment expressing his disappointment with Sen. Clinton's words. Also, Donna Brazile, a prominent Democratic strategist, also expressed disappointment.

"For him to go after Obama using 'fairy tale', calling him a kid, is an insult," she said. "As an African-American, I find his words and his tone very depressing."

The Clintons have been working overtime to engage in damage control, doing radio interviews, including one with Rev. Al Sharpton. But the damage appears to be done, as many have begun to question the Clinton commitment to African-Amercans.

Clintons Accused of Degrading Barack Obama and Martin Luther King

Hillary Clinton has drawn a tremendous amount of criticism for remarks she recently made about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During an interview on Fox News, a network that has been frozen out by Senator Barack Obama, Clinton was accused of giving President Lyndon B. Johnson more credit for advancing Civil Rights than Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I would point to the fact that Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the president before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done,” she said, in response to a question about how her dismissive attitude toward Obama’s “false hopes” would have applied to the civil rights movement. “That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in peoples lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it, and actually got it accomplished.”

Clinton's statements were a double-whammy to comments made by her husband, Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton referred to the Obama campaign as "The biggest fairytale I've ever seen."

Many have considered the comments by the Clintons to be degrading and reflective of the fact that the Clintons feel that black people cannot have their dreams realized without the permission of white leaders.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most powerful black congressional leader in America, issued a statment expressing his disappointment with Sen. Clinton's words. Also, Donna Brazile, a prominent Democratic strategist, also expressed disappointment.

"For him to go after Obama using 'fairy tale', calling him a kid, is an insult," she said. "As an African-American, I find his words and his tone very depressing."

The Clintons have been working overtime to engage in damage control, doing radio interviews, including one with Rev. Al Sharpton. But the damage appears to be done, as many have begun to question the Clinton commitment to African-Amercans.

This election is about so much more than the Presidency. It is about fairness, due process, and equal protection under the law for all Americans including Black Americans. We have all seen the headlines that are direct evidence that justice isn't fair in this country. We are not only victims of injustice in criminal cases (Jena 6 case, Marion Jones sentenced to prison, and many of our people serving years for crimes that they didn't commit) but also victims of an unjust civil court system. We can make this election a civil rights victory for America and all of its' citizens. If we elect President Barack Obama he will have the opportunity to nominate federal judges and possibly Supreme Court Justices. After the President nominates the federal judges and Supreme Court Justices for appointment Congress must confirm them. A 2008 presidential victory for Obama will generally increase Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Thereby giving the new President more leverage not only in subsequent appointment of federal judges but also in any Supreme Court appointments he may make. An increase in the Democratic majority in Congress will also help Obama on his domestic legislative agenda concerning things like health care, education, and improving the economy. As detailed in my e-mail to Dr. Berry, I contact many people and news outlets. Two of the people that I contacted were Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. I sent e-mails to Senator Clinton on numerous occasions. I wrote the e-mails before and after the unjust dismissal of my Title VII case by the District Court. Although my concerns and issues all occurred in The State of New York. Senator Hillary Clinton did not respond to my pleas for assistance and/or justice. It is my belief that she didn’t respond to my e-mails because of her ambition to become President. She did not want to upset the establishment and the white women (white men generally don’t vote for her) of New York. The "establishment" included Eliot Spitzer the current governor of New York State. During the course of my life and this case I lived in Rockford, IL. I leased an apartment and moved to Rockford to be near Jeremiah, my now four-year-old grand baby. My precious grand boy has had three open-heart surgeries at Children Hospital outside of Chicago. While living in Rockford I was a member of Saint Paul Church of God in Christ. During Obama's bid to become a senator, Michele Obama visited my church seeking our support for her husband.
Senator Obama’s office responded to my e-mail. His staff called me on the phone several times. In fact of all the law professors, senators, and new media outlets that I contact prior to 2007 he is the only one that responded. I believe that Senator Barack Obama can and will win the general election for president. He can win if we as a people trust God and vote for him in all of the upcoming primaries and in the general election. THE JUNE 5, 2005 E-MAIL From: Vera Richardson To: MFBERRY@SAS.UPENN.EDU Cc: vbelle@cox.net Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 1:39 AM Subject: Wants Perjury Charges Filed Against NYS Attorney General Office and Various NYS Employees Dear Dr. Berry: Please review this case you will discover that it is one of the worst cases of civil judiciary miscarriage of justice in America. Please help me to expose the misuse of Summary Judgment Motions in dismissing Title VII cases. I have scanned many of the documents of this case on my computer. The Defendants not only lied in declarations but also in their answer to the amended complaint, interrogatories, reply to documents demands, and during administrative hearings. On 5/28/05, an Erie County, NY Asst. District Attorney reviewed my documentation of multiple perjury allegations against NYS Attorney General's Office and various NYS employees. After his reviewed he referred me to the U. S. Justice Dept. I contacted the USJD and at their telephone request e-mailed them extensive documentation on May 29, 30, and 31, 2005. I need your help in getting perjury charges filed against Mike Russo, NYS Asst. Attorney Gen and all NYS employees who committed perjury in this case. As of today's date I haven't heard anything from USJD. in an effort to give this issue a voice, I sent e-mails to Hardball, Rivera-at-large, On the record, 60 minutes, Oprah, Senators Clinton, Barack Obama, Charles Ogletree Jr., Alan Dershowitz, various newspapers, and many others. I was told by the Erie County DA's office that the statute of limitations on perjury is 5 years. The declarations were submitted in Sept and November 2000. The perjured depositions were recorded on October 98 (1) June 8, 2000. (1) I am a black female. In 1997, I was involved in a Pro-Se Title VII lawsuit against NYS Department of Correctional Services and NYS Department of Civil Services. Both defendants were represented by the NYS Attorney General’s Office. I was a victim of employment discrimination and retaliation. After seeking redress, I was further victimized by the NYS Attorney General’s Office (“NYSAG”). The NYSAG Office willfully and knowingly filed perjured declarations and affirmations in support of and in opposition to summary judgment with the Western District Court of NY. These perjured declarations/affirmations were from Mike Russo, Asst. NYSAG; Supt. Andrews, G. Goncalves; Sgt. Reed, Lee Gould, Director of Personnel, Dep. Supt. Berbary, and M. Lindsey. I have and present to the District Court, the Appeal Court Second Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court, direct evidence (smoking guns) that shows the New York State Attorney General’s Office obtained summary judgment thereby dismissing my Title VII Pro-Se lawsuit by filing the above mentioned perjured declarations/affirmation. On May 25, 2001, Judge Elfvin issued a 24-page order granting NYSDOCS and New York State Department of Civil Services summary judgment motion and dismissed case number 97-CV-818(E). In addition to dismissing my case Judge Elfvin’s May 25, 2001 order, also denied my motion seeking sanctions against the Defendants for various discovery violations. In 2001, I filed a timely appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (No 01-7722). The appeal was denied on January 25, 2001. On April 2, 2002, I filed a motion with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg seeking an extension of time to file a petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. The above-mentioned motion was granted. I filed the Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court on June 24, 2002. The Supreme Court refused to review my case thereby affirming the Court of Appeals decision. Questions that I asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review: 1) Whether a Title VII Pro-Se petitioner should have survived summary judgment as a matter of law once she has established a prima facie case of discrimination and/or retaliation and produced direct evidence proving respondents non-discriminatory non-retaliatory reason to be FALSE? 2) Whether the respondents violations of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) 8(b) denial of knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief, and FRCP 11(c) the filing of PERJURED declarations/affirmations by NYS Attorney General’s Office from NYS Asst. Attorney General Mike Russso, G. Goncalves, Supt. Andrews, Sgt. Reed, Dep. Supt. Berbary, Lee Gould, Director of Personnel and Sr. Personnel Clerk Mary Beth Lindsay so severely prejudiced petitioner’s case that is was impossible for her to properly defend against respondents’ summary judgment motion and to support her summary judgment motion. 3) Whether the respondents were judicial estoppel from their non-discriminatory retaliatory claim that petitioner was terminated because she was medically and psychologically unfit for her correctional officer’s position with NYSDOCS after she filed her Title VII claim. 4) Whether Title VII Pro-Se Petitioner adjudicated by the Social Security Administration as totally disabled due to work-related Major Depression and anxiety entitled to appointment of counsel? At the end of 2002 the United States Supreme Court refused to review my case. I read the “Purpose Driven Life” and received teaching from the “Purpose Driven Life” at two churches. I know that I was born black on February 18, 1954 to address and/or correct the way Title VII cases are improperly dismissed using FRCP Rule 56(c) Summary Judgment. All of the horrific experiences that I suffered by NYSDOCS and the way the NYS Attorney General handled Vera Richardson vs NYSDOCS and New York State will not be in vain. Respectfully,Vera Richardson (757)555-5555 Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined." http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615177018/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

Marion Jones and Roger Clements are the Same People

by Dr. Boyce Watkins - YourBlackWorld.com

Marion Jones, former Olympic champion, has been sent to prison for 6 months for lying about using steroids and being involved in a check fraud scam. While one might be tempted to believe that the prison time was due to the perjury issue and the check fraud problems, the words of Federal Judge Kenneth Karas lead one to conclude otherwise.

When handing down the sentence, Karas mentioned that the maximum would be given in order to set an example for other athletes who use drugs. He argued that Jones and others have overlooked the values of "hard work, dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship."

In other words, he was sending Marion Jones, mother of two young children, to prison to make an example out of her. Jones cried like Paris Hilton, but unlike Hilton, she was not let out of jail in 30 minutes. By his statements, the judge was also attempting to argue that Jones has poor values and lacks hard work and dedication.

And I thought it only happened to black males.

The judges words remind me of the ridiculous sports commentator who describes the team from Princeton as the one with great intellect, team work and commitment, while describing the team from Georgetown as the one with great athletic ability.

He reminds me of Fox Sports commentator Joe Buck, who described Randy Moss as a "disgusting" human being, yet he acts as if Bret Favre and Tom Brady are the second coming of Jesus.

I saw Marion Jones being regularly insulted on Fox News after allegations of steroid use. They too attempted to argue that Jones has poor character and is just a bad person. All the while, they spend almost no time scrutinizing their heroes, Lance Armstrong (for whom the allegations of drug use are endless, quite probable and regularly overlooked) and Roger Clemens (the 40-something year old pitcher who plays like he's 18 years old - one of the textbook symptoms of steroid abuse).

I love a good double standard when I see one. America has always been good at that.

Marion Jones should not have used steriods, yes. The problem is that steroid abuse is rampant in professional baseball, football and track. Any athlete hoping to compete at the highest levels is forced to find a way to match up to the drugged up athletes around them. That is a simple fact. Many of your greatest sports heroes were doped up in a major way, and you will never know.

Secondly, labs are all over the world that focus entirely on the task of creating designer drugs that avoid detection in traditional tests. BALCO just happened to be the one that got raided, but it was not the only lab in existence. Do you think that all those other labs went out of business after BALCO got raided by the FBI? Yeah right.

Finally, the governing bodies responsible for managing drug abuse among athletes did not do their jobs effectively. Major League Baseball could have done much more to stop the steroid craze of the nineties, but the "cha-chings" of filling parks with big time sluggers may have led them to put the steroid testing issue on the back burner. I honestly believe that they could have stopped the problem if they'd wanted to, but the money was just too good. If you are looking for a place to put the "low character" label, start with the commissioner's office.

Bottom line: Before you cast value judgements on Marion Jones, be sure to spread those judgments equally. I would like to see the same critical eyeballs on Roger Clemens, Lance Armstrong and others who have been accused of doping.

Barry Bonds and Marion Jones were great natural talents, who had amazing careers before drug use became an issue. These are two forthright individuals who may have likely felt the need to use drugs in order to keep up with the pack. By judging them so harshly and isolating these two individuals as the sole keepers of poor character, you are effectively arriving late to a fight and only punishing the child who threw the last counterpunch.

If Marion Jones has poor character, then so do many of your other American heroe. Judge Karas is wrong and racist in his assessment, and as a black man, I tire of having individuals like him questioning my character. He should probably start by questioning his own.

The Time Is Right Now - Endorse, Support, and Vote for Barack Obama

Pictures of sick Katrina victims at the airport. When elected "President" Barack Obama will respond in a timely manner. We must save ourselves.

I love President Clinton. I still believe that he was the best president in my lifetime. To quote a favorite sentiment of our current president "history will judge President Clinton’s time in office." I believe that history will confirm that he was one of the best presidents to served this country.

President Clinton graduated from Yale Law School and still lied under oath during a deposition. The alleged sexual harassment case was toss out of court by the filing of a summary judgment motion. After it became public knowledge that he lied under oath President Clinton paid Paula Jones over $900, 000.

As a Christian, I am not judging President Clinton but he did have --- with that woman. Do we as a nation what to worry about Hillary compromising the good of the country in general and the welfare of Black Americans in particular to conceal bad behavior by President Clinton? Behavior that she tolerated and suffered silently about in the past.

Do we want to worry like many of us have for the past seven years about who is really making presidential decisions? Call me a conspiracy theorist or what ever, but isn’t this a perfect way for the Clintons to circumvent the Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution? ( Serve more than two terms)

The Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution sets a term limit for the President of the United States, providing that "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

(Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Taking this one more step further, Senator Clinton voted for Bush Administration classification of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group. What intelligent, knowledgeable, and “experienced” Democrat would give Bush that much power to start another unprovoked war for a second time? Could it be that she wants to have the same unchecked power exhibited by Bush during “her” term as the “President?”

Only after she came under fire from rivals Obama and Edwards did she attempt to adjust her position by co-sponsoring a ”resolution” that prohibits the use of funds for military operations against Iran without explicit Congressional authorization.

I hope that Americans especially Black Americans are sick and tired of not being able to trust our president. We know that the rest of the world is tired of the same political game and names in the White House. As I typed that last sentence, I realized that for the last 20 years there has been a Bush or a Clinton in the White House.

If Hillary is elected this country would have 28 years of the Clintons and the Bushes in the Oval Office. Is this a coincidence? Conspiracy theorist again, after all Bush 1 and Bill like each other and are now “good” friends.

Edwards is a recent statement said that he was confident that he would be the Democratic nominee because the last time he checked all of the previous presidents of this county looked like him.

Today one of Edwards’s campaign staff stated that he was going to stay In the race because of his elect ability. Really, Mr. Edwards part of getting elected is winning the nomination of the party. You cannot win the party’s nomination.

Although, his comment includes Senator Clinton, it really touches a nerve because I am a black woman. If the party that has received over ninety percent of our vote year at year don’t value us who does? Is it too much to ask that Senator Edwards respect Black Americans and the support that we have given the Democratic Party?

To Edwards I say, Sir go home to your beautiful wife and family. You are young, male, and white. In eight years you will still be a white male. We supported you when you were on the Democratic ticket for Vice President of the United States of America.

It is now time for you to show your support for us by getting out of this race. To President Clinton and Senator Clinton I say, we as a people loved you President Clinton. We loved you so much that our great black representatives saved you from the disgrace of impeachment. We loved you so much that we elected you for a second term.

Thanks for bringing us to the table during your two terms as president. We are a diverse group of intelligent and educated people. We are capable of solving our own problems and we are ready to demonstrate that fact to your family and the world.

To the Democratic Party I say, that the time is now, it is time for you to pay us for being loyal and true. This is Barack Obama’s time to run for the Presidency. Support him and the Democrats will not only take back the White House but we will also gain additional seats in both the House and the Senate. Seats needed to implement the “changes” that Senator Obama is so passionate about making.

To white Democrats I say, you can choose Hillary and her promise that she can beat the Republicans this time. You can choose Hillary because as evident from what she says after her “crying” moment, only she can save this country and I guess my implication, “us.”

To Black Americans regardless of party affiliations, you can choose Senator Clinton for the seats that we may get at the table this time. The other choice you can make is to choose Senator Barack Obama. You can choose Obama and not only get a seat at the table but also have the person sitting at the head of the table looking like you and I.

There are over 300 million people living in this country. Isn't it time that someone who doesn't look like Edwards and isn't a Clinton or Bush have the opportunity to represent us and to represent the United States of America to the world.

I know there is the fear that we may lose the general elections if Obama becomes the Democratic nominee. We know for a fact that we lost the last two elections. We also know that Hillary cannot win the November 2008 general election without “our” vote.

The white pundits and Hillary are now arguing that Senator Barack Obama isn’t qualified for the presidency because he only has two years of experience in the United States senate.

Article Two of the United States Constitution establishes the qualifications required to become president. The above-mentioned articles states that the president must be (1) natural-born citizens, (2) at least thirty-five years old, and (3) must have been a resident in the United States for at least fourteen years. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

As a race of people we have heard it all before we are not qualified although we are looking at the qualifications and we are as qualified as all of the other applicants. We know that our life experiences, as a black person is this county gives us skills that prepares us for the world.

Obama is as educated as the Clintons and is as qualified as former Presidents Ford, Carter, Clinton, Reagan, and Bush Sr and Bush II. The only difference is that the former presidents all look like John Edwards.

Finally, win, lose, or draw, I am appealing to all Black Americans to vote for Obama in South Carolina and the remaining primaries. To Black America especially our leaders who like me could not dare to “hope” that Senator Barack Obama could win, I say the time is now. It is time for you to choose Obama.

I encourage our black leaders (yes we still need and appreciate you) to chose Obama and endorse him now. After you publicly endorse our Senator, please lead, encourage, and inspire us to victory.

We have the chance to witness the manifestations of the promised made by God to Martin Luther King and to our forefathers. We don’t have the luxury of time on our side. We must win in South Carolina.

Lets really celebrate King's birthday this year. He match on Washington to give us this opportuity. Please examined the content of character of Obama and Hillary and Bill Clinton (you get both of them). As you are examining these two choices, remember that the next president will appoint federal judges and possible a Supreme Court Justice.

Karl Rove and Fox News wants Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic nominee. That fact alone is reason to vote for Senator Obama.

This is our moment in time to save ourselves. We can do this by to casting our vote in the primaries and the general election for someone who looks like Dr. Martin Luther King. Lets really celebrate King's birthday this year.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.”

available at amazon.com and
http://www.lulu.com/content/1362173ulu.com/content/1362173

Al Sharpton Speaks on the Hillary Clinton Win

I congratulate Senator Clinton on a surprising and significant victory in New Hampshire last night. Not only did it appear to revive her candidacy, it literally threw this race wide open again.

As a result of her victory, the January 26th South Carolina Primary becomes critical to all candidates on their path to the presidency. Given the significant number of black voters in South Carolina, that Primary should be a referendum on 21 st century civil rights issues such as racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the rise of hate crimes across this nation, the racial gap in health care and educational opportunities, and the still present income gap between blacks and whites in this country.

As Iowans rightly made the candidates deal with ethanol and oil and the people of New Hampshire made them address the economy and immigration, The African-American community should force real debate on our particular American issues.

South Carolina is of particular relevance to me. in the 2004 primary in South Carolina I received 10 percent of the vote in that first ever primary in S.C.( They were caucuses before that) with virtually no money. I intend to extensively tour the state and use my daily radio show, which is heard in the state to ensure that Jena, the decency issues raised in the Imus situation, hangman nooses, education as a civil right and the high incarceration of black men are brought into the forefront of the national discussion.

Many undecided African-American voters like me can ill afford to throw our vote away at this historic moment, we must seize the time.

Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network

Hillary Clinton Attacks John Edwards Over Change

http://www.lulu.com/content/1362173

Barack Obama Helping Kenya Resolve Violence

Turns out that New Hampshire and Iowa were not the only areas on Obama's radar this week. In addition to working to win the primary in Iowa and place a close second in New Hampshire, Senator Barack Obama was also on the phone lines in Kenya dealing with the violence and turmoil in the country after recent elections.

Obama's father is from Kenya and he still has family there. Obama reached out to contact Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga by telephone and also hoped that he would have the chance to speak with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.

Although Kibaki was declared the winner of the election, allegations of vote-rigging have marred the election results. The allegations have come from both inside Kenya and in the international community. As a result of the election problems, Kenya has been marred by violence, leaving hundreds dead and tens of thousands homeless.

International mediators are working to broker a settlement, but Odinga has said that he would not attend an unmediated meeting with Kibaki.

In response to Odinga's allegations, Obama had this to say: "Obviously, he believes that the votes were not tallied properly. But what I urged was that all the leaders there, regardless of their position on the election, tell their supporters to stand down, to desist with the violence and resolve it in a peaceful way in accordance with Kenyan law," Obama said.

Obama also taped a radio message to the Kenyan people urging that they be calm. His advisors said that he consulted with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and The Arch Bishop Desmond Tuto.

Hillary! Stop all that damn crying!

What's with all the crying Hillary? I am not sure when the last time was that I saw Hillary Clinton crying over anything, especially not losing a primary in a meaningless state where less than 5% of the voters even show up.

Yes, crying was a political tactic and yes it worked. But this is a serious setback for women trying to get into the Whitehouse.

If we get attacked by another country, is she going to cry then? Maybe if our enemies see our President in tears, they won't bomb us to death.

What if Obama had cried, what would we think of him? We would probably send him a box of kleenex and tampons and tell him to go back to Chicago.

Hillary, this stuff has got to stop. You have to win the election fairly like everyone else. By playing the gender card in such a sad and desperate fashion, you set women back 100 years. You should have been crying when your husband was screwing around, then maybe we would believe you.

Barack Obama Defeated by Hillary in New Hampshire

Hillary Clinton has defeated Barack Obama in New Hampshire. Clinton finished the race with 39% of the vote, with Obama getting 36%. John Edwards was a distant third, securing 17% of the vote.

On the Republican side, John McCain won with 37% of the vote and Mitt Romney pulled up second with 32%. Mike Huckabee and Rudolph Guiliani are not yet factors in the election.

The loss is a setback for the Obama campaign, which achieved a great deal of momentum after his win in Iowa. In spite of the small size of Iowa and New Hampshire, they are given a disproportionate amount of importance in election primaries. Some have criticized the system, stating that it does not properly reflect what is going on throughout the country.

The win is considered a campaign saver for Clinton, who was allegedly running short of funds in her drive to become the first female president of the United States. The win was nothing short of stunning, as Clinton was proclaimed to be trailing Obama by double digits in many respected polls.

Hillary Clinton's progress has reminded some of the experience of her husband Bill, whose first boost came with a second place win in New Hampshire. Clinton used the momentum and eventually went on to become President of the United States. During the 1992 election, Bill Clinton proclaimed himself "The comeback Kid", which led to voter enthusiasm that thrust him into The White House.

Tiger Woods Assaulted by Golf Channel Anchor Language

Kelly Tilghman, a former golfer for Duke University and now a play-by-play analyst for The Golf Channel, said some things on air that would have made Don Imus and Bill O'Reilly blush.

During a telecast of the PGA Tour's opening event, Tilghman said that today's young players should "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley."

According to Newsday, a spokesman for the Golf Channel said that Tilghman apologized during Sunday's broadcast and has "reached out to Woods' representatives to express regret for the comments."

"I've reached out to Tiger to make an apology, and I've done the same with our viewers," Tilghman said.

"I can assure you that there was never any intention to offend anyone. I'm sorry for any misunderstanding."

The Golf Channel representatives have stated that they plan no disciplinary action.

Kenya Violence Reaches Death Toll of 486

Over 486 people have died as a result of recent violence in Nairobi, Kenya following the disputed presidential elections, according to a government official.

The death toll was calculated by a special committee of humanitarian services created by the government to tour areas most affected by the violence.

In addition to the 486 dead, over 255,000 have been left homeless.

U.S. envoy Jendayi Frazer was to meet on Monday with Kenya's opposition leader, Raila Odinga, who has said that he is willing to share power with the government. He accuses the government of rigging the elections and also called for mass gatherings, which some consider to be responsible for the bloodshed.

Frazer had plans to meet with Odinga Monday morning, on the last day of a 3 day mission, accoring to T.J. Dowling, the US Envoy spokesperson.

Sunday, Odinga said that he would no longer demand that Kibaki resign and would consider sharing power. But he would only work through a mediator with enough power to negotiate an agreement that the international community could support.

Ghana's President, John Kufuor, current chairman of the African Union, is expected to arrive in Nairobi on Tuesday as well. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Great Britain appeared on BBC television Sunday, asking that the two rivals hold talks to end the political deadlock.

The vote was only the second free election held in Kenya since independence was achieved in 1963.

Michael Vick Gets Moved To Another Jail

Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick left his jailhouse home and got a new one. Vick was recently transferred to a Kansas prison to serve out the rest of his 23-month prison sentence on a federal dogfighting charge.

The camp is in Leavenworth, Kansas, said Traci Billingsley, a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Yahoo! Sports stated that Vick is attempting to enter a drug treatment facility at Leavenworth. If he successfully completes the program, he will be eligible for parole in 12 months.

Vick was convicted on federal dogfighting charges after he and 3 co-defendants were found to have raised pit bulls with the intent of dog fighting. The dogs were found on Vick's property in Virginia and Vick was connected with the events that took place on the property.

Al Sharpton Statement about the Obama Victory

The winning of the Iowa Caucuses by Barack Obama is an historic event. It shows that America has a hunger for change and can come together to make that change happen. Though I have not made an endorsement in this race, I clearly see this as a positive occurrence at this point in American history. Unfortunately, some of the divisive and archaic forces in American politics are trying to divide us by saying that Obama’s victory in some way translates into an end of civil rights activism by people like me. This almost laughable notion has been repudiated consistently by Mr. Obama himself, who has gone out of his way to include the issues we have raised from the hate crimes to Jena in debates, and making several public appearances with me to show his respect for that work and the need for it to continue. Mr. Obama visited our headquarters in Harlem and had a public dinner with me at Sylvia’s in New York just 30-days ago. He went to the Iowa debates and pushed for our hate crimes legislation mentioning me by name, which clearly shows that Iowans voted with it in mind and that Mr. Obama relates to these initiatives and advocates do not see him in any way in opposition to it. Equally strange is this notion of generational shift. I must remind these pundits that Mr. Obama and I are only 6 or 7-years apart in age and his main supporters Oprah Winfrey and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick are the same age. I think that the hunger for change demonstrated in Iowa was also demonstrated by the tens of thousands of people, mostly young, that joined us in Jena in September and marched with us on the Justice Department in November. We have seen activism and voter participation rise as never before and we can not let those who have denied the need for change and equal justice divide us in moments of breakthrough. They are the same pundits who said there was no race problem. Now they say this ends the race problem. To his credit, Mr. Obama has not only refused to join them, but has publicly sent every contrary signal, as have the rest of the Democratic candidates. If Mr. Obama is successful in becoming President that will not automatically solve racial injustice in America and therefore the need for advocates for racial justice is needed in the same way that when Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court legal impediments in America were not ended; the need for Dr. King and other advocates at that time was just as strong.

Kibaki Violence Continues in Kenya

A week of post-election violence in Kenya has left 250,000 people homeless and over 300 dead. This is a surprising reality, given that the nation of known for being a safe haven for those fleeing war ravaged countries.

"I can't believe it. We're refugees in our own land," said Dan Mugambi, a 35-year-old teacher who was among about 15,000 people sheltering in a primary school compound in the North Rift Valley village of Kachibora. "This has never happened here before."

Kenya has turned chaotic after supporters of the opposition leader Raila Odinga accused President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the presidential election. The election was held on December 27.

Odinga blames Kibaki for the violence, claiming that he armed militant gangs in Nairobi slums to cause the chaotic violence after the elections.

It has also been reported that former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has been called in to help find a solution to the violence.

The United States initially congratulated Kibaki for the election, but then retracted after the EU and Great Britain called the outcome into question. The only country on record for congratulating Kibaki is Uganda.

“You need to address the genesis of this violence,” Odinga said during interviews. “Most of this has been done by Munguki, the government has armed illegal terrorist organization called [Munguki] organization who started long before. They are responsible for killing people.”

Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly Accused of Attacking Obama Aide

Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly appeared at a Barack Obama event at Nashua High School. Upon O'Reilly's presence, the crowd took notice, since O'Reilly has been accused of being racist and heavily against Barack Obama. However, it wasn't his presence that got the most attention.

Obama staffer Marvin Nicholson, a close aide to Senator Barack Obama, was standing next to Obama as he was taking handshakes. O'Reilly then yelled for Nicholson to get out of the way of his camera's shot. Nicholson also said that O'Reilly proceeded to move beyond the barricade protecting Obama, demanding a closer look.

"Then he grabbed me with both of his arms and tried to push me out of the way," Nicholson told the press.

Fox News has no comment about the incident.

"I told him, 'Sir, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't shove me anymore.'

"He called me 'low class.' He was pretty upset."

Secret Service agents assigned to protect Obama strongly ordered O'Reilly to get back behind the barricade, at which point, Obama extended his hand. O'Reilly then asked if Obama would appear on his show.

Nicholson, who has worked on other presidential campaigns in the past, said that he has never seen anything like this in his long career.

"I've never seen a member of the press lay hands on a staffer before," he said.

Democrats, to this point, including Obama, have refused to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show, as have most African-American leaders. Fox was forced to cancel a Democratic debate after none of the candidates agreed to appear.

"The senator said he would think about going to the show after the primaries," Nicholson said.

Some say O'Reilly's show has lost credibility in recent months, as he has been accused The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC and many major networks of being biased. Being accused of attacking a close aide of Barack Obama isn't likely to help his reputation.

Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly Accused of Attacking Obama Aide

Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly appeared at a Barack Obama event at Nashua High School. Upon O'Reilly's presence, the crowd took notice, since O'Reilly has been accused of being racist and heavily against Barack Obama. However, it wasn't his presence that got the most attention.

Obama staffer Marvin Nicholson, a close aide to Senator Barack Obama, was standing next to Obama as he was taking handshakes. O'Reilly then yelled for Nicholson to get out of the way of his camera's shot. Nicholson also said that O'Reilly proceeded to move beyond the barricade protecting Obama, demanding a closer look.

"Then he grabbed me with both of his arms and tried to push me out of the way," Nicholson told the press.

Fox News has no comment about the incident.

"I told him, 'Sir, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't shove me anymore.'

"He called me 'low class.' He was pretty upset."

Secret Service agents assigned to protect Obama strongly ordered O'Reilly to get back behind the barricade, at which point, Obama extended his hand. O'Reilly then asked if Obama would appear on his show.

Nicholson, who has worked on other presidential campaigns in the past, said that he has never seen anything like this in his long career.

"I've never seen a member of the press lay hands on a staffer before," he said.

Democrats, to this point, including Obama, have refused to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show, as have most African-American leaders. Fox was forced to cancel a Democratic debate after none of the candidates agreed to appear.

"The senator said he would think about going to the show after the primaries," Nicholson said.

Some say O'Reilly's show has lost credibility in recent months, as he has been accused The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC and many major networks of being biased. Being accused of attacking a close aide of Barack Obama isn't likely to help his reputation.

100 Black Men of America Partnered to Hold Democratic Debate

100 Black Men of America, Inc. and The Nevada Democratic Party, along with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, IMPACTO and the College of Southern Nevada have partnered to hold a Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas.This marks the second debate held in Las Vegas. Nevada holds the distinction of being the second state in our nation to hold a presidential caucus, and Nevada will be the first state in the west to host early presidential voting.

The January 15, 2008 debate will be telecast live by MSNBC and comes just four days before Nevada's January caucus - January 19th, which is positioned between the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary."There are many issues our organization want the candidates to address in the upcoming debate. We are extremely interested to hear perspectives on critical issues impacting the lives of African Americans and Hispanics, which coincide with the areas of focus that impact the 100 Black Men and our 106 chapters," said Albert E. Dotson, Jr. Esq., Chairman, 100 Black Men of America, Inc."Basic quality of life issues must be discussed such as providing quality education to all students; providing support for programs that reduce the gap in health disparities between Black Americans and other groups; creating economic empowerment programs to help the underemployed and the unemployed care for their families and achieve financial independence; and supporting mentoring programs that allow Black children, specifically Black boys, to experience nurturing relationships that activates them to model appropriate social, professional and self-esteem enhancing behaviors.

"The 100 Black Men understand the significant role this debate will have on upcoming contests and felt it critical their organization participate and give a voice to so many who remain voiceless."Creating self-sustaining communities through economic empowerment initiatives, access to quality education, as well as eliminating the health care disparities that negatively impact black and brown people are just a few of the common issues facing African Americans and Hispanics," stated John Hammond, CEO, 100 Black Men of America, Inc. "These issues are nonpartisan and we would also welcome an opportunity to discuss the exact same issues with the Republican candidates."

Chapter presidents from across the nation have been invited to offer questions and attend the debate. Members from the Collegiate 100, the organizations mentoring program for college students, will also be in attendance. The organization is also planning to use the MSNBC live telecast as part of their January mentoring session to educate younger Mentees and to also engage their families on the issues and on becoming actively involved in the political process.

"The 100 continues to believe that men with a pure idea of educating and empowering youth can change a world," said Dotson, "Our reach is far and ever-growing, yet lasting and sustaining. Our services are universal and global, yet locally relevant and specific. With a passion for helping young people and a drive for education, our commitment remains clear and our response unwavering."

The debate will take place at the Cashman Center, located at 850 North Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89101 and will be telecast live from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The 100 Black Men urges all concerned citizens not attending the debate in person to tune in on January 15, 2008 to view the live broadcast. Visit http://www.100blackmen.org/ for more information on the programs and initiatives of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.

"The deadline to submit ticket requests for The Nevada Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate is noon on Wednesday, January 9th. The Nevada Democratic Party will hold a lottery for a limited number of tickets the afternoon of Wednesday, January 9th and notify recipients on Thursday, January 10th. Ticket requests must be submitted in writing through www.januarydebate.com/tickets. "Nevadans also can submit suggested questions for the debate at http://www.januarydebate.com/.

Eddie Murphy Marriage Is Invalid

The Australian news site news.com.au is reporting that the marriage between Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds is not valid. According to legal experts in French Polynesia, the couple was required by law to live in the region for 30 days before they are allowed to be married.

"You need to have residence for at least 30 days - one month in the island of Bora Bora for instance - and this has not been the case," general law specialist Malgras Benoit said. "If you want to get married in Paris you have to live in Paris for at least one month."

Reps for the couple say that the problem will be easily fixed once they are married on US soil. They also claim that this is a common problem for couples who marry in foreign countries.

"As is typical when couples get married in foreign countries, a legal ceremony will take place when they return to the U.S.," says Edmonds's rep. "The wedding that took place in Bora Bora was a ceremony to bind Eddie and Tracey spiritually in the presence of family and friends. The couple plan a legal ceremony as soon as they return to the States."

To add to the peculiarities of recent events, there are reports that Eddie Murphy's ex-wife Nicole was seen partying on New Years Eve with New York Giants star Michael Strahan. Strahan also went through a very messy and expensive divorce with his wife last year.

Woman Abandons Eight Kids and Leaves for Africa

A Houston woman allegedly left her 8 children at home as she flew to Nigeria to marry a man she'd just met on the Internet, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The children were left in the care of the oldest child, who is 15-years old. The girl was nowhere in sight when police showed up at the home.

"What he found inside the house was just deplorable conditions. There was trash everywhere, roaches everywhere," Lt. John Martin said. "He said every item of clothing in the house was dirty and there was very little food."

One of the woman's neighbors said that she drove the woman to the airport on Monday. She was planning to return with her new husband in 1 - 2 months. The family had been evacuated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Child Protective services told the Associated Press that two of the children they found in the house actually lived next door. Three of the kids who lived in the home were not there, including the 14-year old who is serving time for robbery and an 18-year old in prison for aggravated assault.

"There was no food in the home and mom didn't leave them any money," Olguin says. "The 15-year-old said she had to steal food and diapers."

Vivica Fox Claims Sex Tape Doesn't Exist

According to Fox news, actress Vivica A. Fox is "brushing off" the latest rumors of her having a sex tape released by her boyfriend. The man allegedly filmed Fox giving him oral sex and then distributed the tape to his friends via the Internet.

It was later reported by Porsche Foxx on V-103 that the tape was indeed real and that people were sending it to one another. Instances of the tape on the internet were removed from most websites.

Atlanta police spokesperson James Polite told The New York Daily News "At this time, we have no formal complaint from Miss Fox." Some have speculated that Fox sought advice from a friend on the police department and may have skipped formal procedures.

"If it was something that was consensual, we're not looking at a crime, per se," Polite said. "If the [boyfriend] is trying to extort Miss Fox, that's when we begin to look at a criminal element."

If this is indeed a publicity stunt, it is the latest in a long string of interesting behavior on the part of Vivica. Last month, she was booked for drunken driving and could end up with a $1,000 fine and a one year jail term. When she was arrested, she referred to the officer as a "White racist cop."

Fox also dated the rapper 50 Cent when he released his first album. The rapper eventually broke it off with Fox after feeling that she was only dating him to obtain publicity.

Obama Defeats Clinton in Iowa

In a major touchdown for his campaign, Senator Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in Iowa.

Obama, from Illinois, has taken his most significant step yet toward becoming the nation's first black president with this win. John Edwards and Hillary Clinton were in a close tie for second.

Obama was joined by Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and ordained Baptist minister, who was an equally surprising winner on the Republican side. Huckabee defeated front-runner Mitt Romney easier than expected, raising more eyebrows on the Republican side.

Both Huckabee and Obama rode grassroots campaigns to defeat their wealthier and more established rivals. The 2008 presidential campaign is considered to be the most wide open campaign in nearly 50 years, with neither a president or vice president running for the nation's highest office.

Although Iowa is a state small in stature, a win there is considered to be a tremendous boost to a campaign. The candidate can then claim to be the front-runner and has an easier time getting new votes and contributions.

Hillary Clinton and her camp are now back peddling to find ways to slow down the strength of the Obama campaign. Obama's work with Oprah Winfrey and other black leaders has cut into Clinton's base. Obama has also proven himself to be a more charismatic candidate and a better fund raiser than Clinton, nearly matching her dollar for dollar with a smaller number of political connections in Washington.

By winning Iowa, Obama is in a prime position as he moves into the races in New Hampshire and South Carolina. More half the voters in South Carolina are black, giving him a tremendous edge.

Many African-Americans had been afraid to support Obama because they felt that Clinton had the greatest chance of winning the presidency. That tide is slowly turning.

"Now that I know he has a chance to win, I am not going to vote for Clinton," says Dewhite Scott, a supporter of Obama. Many others are echoing this sentiment.

Bhutto Says that Bin Laden Has Been Murdered

In this shocking video, Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani leader who was recently assassinated, casually mentions "the man who murdered Osama Bin Laden." This is shocking for obvious reasons, given that we are still looking for him.

So, the question now becomes....why are we looking for someone who has been murdered? Bhutto is a credible source, and it's odd that no one in the Bush administration thought to ask someone in Bhutto's camp if Bin Laden was still roaming the earth. Given the respect our country has for this woman, it would seem that we would talk to her about such an important issue.

What the hell is going on?

The Truth Behind the Congo Crisis

by
Maurice Carney, Executive Director, FOTC
Carrie Crawford, Chair, FOTC
info@friendsofthecongo.org

Over the past few months a lot of ink has flowed in mainstream publications about the situation in the Congo. In almost all of the articles, the underlying reason for the crisis in the Congo - the scramble for Congo's spectacular natural wealth- has been consistently omitted or underplayed. The front-page article in Thursday, December 13, 2007 New York Times entitled "After Clashes, Fear of War on Congo's Edge" by Lydia Polgreen is no exception. Not only were there key omissions, but also, a glaring factual error said volumes about the manner in which mainstream media covers Congo.

The error claimed that the 2006 Congolese elections "produced Congo's first democratically chosen government." Why is this inaccuracy so egregious even though to the casual reader it may seem like a minor oversight? Well, it obfuscates a narrative that is central in explaining why the crisis exists in the Congo and continues to date. Contrary to the New York Times front-page report, Congo's first democratic elections occurred in 1960 and led to the formation of the first post-independence government with Patrice Emery Lumumba as its prime minister. Within months of Lumumba's ascendancy to power, the West, mainly Belgium and the United States, induced their Congolese puppets to assassinate Patrice Lumumba who believed that the vast mineral wealth of the Congo should be used to benefit the Congolese people.1 Belgium apologized in 2002 for the assassination of Congo's first elected leader. However, it was not sufficient to assassinate Lumumba, the West then installed and sustained one of the main culprits in Lumumba's assassination, the brutal dictator Joseph Desire Mobutu, whom the West maintained in power for over 30 years. Whenever the Congolese people rose up to overthrow him, the West led by the United States rushed in to crush the aspirations of the people.

The current crisis is the latest eruption of the West's 120-year history of controlling Congo's enormous natural wealth at the expense of the Congolese people. Although there is a UN force in the Congo and the West spent $500 million to organize elections, they systematically sidelined the democratic forces in the country while providing Joseph Kabila with unconditional support.2 The pro-democracy forces called for national reconciliation and inclusion following the 1996 – 2002 war. They argued for a process that would lead to stability and justice for the people. However, it became quickly evident that the primary goal of the West who had never supported democracy in the Congo was to put in place a "reliable" person and a legal apparatus that would ratify the looting of the Congo by multi-national corporations. A 2007 ICG report states, "the U.S., Canada, South Africa and Belgium took the lead in seeking to control strategic reserves of copper, cobalt and other minerals and restrict China's access." 3The same report goes on to say that the focus on economic interests by Western diplomatic corps who supposedly was in the Congo to shepherd a democratic process was revealed with " the U.S. ambassador's public celebration of Phelps-Dodge's acquisition of the Tenke-Fungurume concessions in Katanga in August 2005 and the grandiose June 2006 ceremony in Kolwezi marking the reopening of the Kamoto mine, attended by Belgian, EU, Canadian, French, Angolan and even UN representatives."4

The $500 million investment in assuring Kabila's ascendancy to power was the beginning of the pay off for the West's investment. It is for this reason that many Congolese surmised that Kabila was summoned to Washington in October 2007 because he may have strayed from the game plan when he signed a $5 billion deal with China. Even as Kabila ventured to Washington, he first had to stop in Phoenix, Arizona to visit Tim Snider (recently replaced by Richard Adkerson,) CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, formerly Phelps-Dodge, inheritors of what Global Witness called the world's richest copper mine, Tenke Fungurume. Global Witness also goes on to note that the deal is so odious that it resulted in Congo owning only 17.5% of its own resources and being in such position that it may even not get any profits from the deal.5 Nonetheless, the United States government agency, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has provided risk insurance for a $1 billion investment project by Freeport-McMoRan.

If there were any questions as to where the United States government stood on the review of mining contracts undertaken by the Congolese government, the risk insurance provided to Freeport-McMoRan should put all speculation to rest. In part due to pressure from civil society and international human rights groups, the Congolese government began reluctantly, in early 2007, a review of the mining contracts. The review process is finished but the Congolese government has yet to publish the results. The world has already got a glimpse of the significance of decisions made by Congo's leaders regarding mining deals in their country. In early November, a Congolese newspaper published what it claims to be the findings of the report, which called for renegotiation of the majority of the contracts and an outright cancellation of others. The result was the decline, on Exchanges from London to Toronto, of the stock prices of mining companies with interests in the Congo. Billions of dollars have been raised on the world Stock Exchanges to invest in mining operations in the Congo.

As a result of the high stakes in Congo's resources, the Congolese people are fighting against enormous odds. The die is literally being set now for a continued impoverishment of Congolese for several generations. The odious contracts will be in place for 30 to 40 years and will be backed by international law. The World Bank established the Mining and Forestry guidelines in the Congo as early as 2002. These guidelines were fixed on a neo-liberal model, which calls for the selling off of the country's wealth to private interests. Both codes facilitated and legalized the fleecing of the Congo. The World Bank has come under withering critique from groups like Greenpeace for allowing the Congo rainforest (known as the second lung of the earth) to be sold off to logging companies. Greenpeace International, Africa Forest Campaign Co-ordinator, Stephan van Praet said "These contracts are a shameful relic of colonial times. Millions of hectares of the Congo rainforest have been traded away by local communities to the logging industry for gifts like salt, machetes and crates of beer while logging companies and their taxes do next to nothing for local development."6

The Congolese landscape is replete with spectacular modern day heist backed by international institutions such as the World Bank and western governments, mainly the United States, England and Belgium, all at the expense of the tens of thousands of raped and brutalized Congolese women and millions of corpses.

As humanitarian groups seek resources to care for the sexually violated and brutalized women and children of the Congo, they should start with those companies that are lined up to purloin billions from Congo's wealth while 80 percent of Congolese live on less than 30 cents per day. Coexisting with the orgy of rapes and killing is what one corporate magnate calls a party. Gerhard Kemp of the Rand Merchant Bank, of Johannesburg, SA is quoted saying "The Congo is so rich in mineral wealth, you can't just ignore it. You don't want to be the last guy at this party."7

We may look at what is taking place in the Congo and cringe or cover our eyes but the unsightly picture that is often left out or obfuscated, especially by the mainstream media, is the significant role of the corporations that provide us with our cell phones, game consoles, lap tops and other modern technological devices which benefit from Congo's woes.

The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Ms. Magazine, Huffington Post, and Glamour Magazine, all have published reports of atrocities in the Congo in recent months but none get to the crux of the issue and almost all obfuscate the problem instead of adding clarity that may lead to prescriptions that will benefit the people of the Congo and result in a lasting resolution of the crisis. The central issue is only touched upon tangentially or in passing.

We cannot genuinely weep for the Congo or lament the rapes and killings, yet remain silent about those profiting from the atrocities. Corporate pilfering influences everything that happens in dramatic ways in the Congo. The conflict resulting in brutal rapes and ghastly killings are inextricably linked to the looting of the Congo. Noble laureate Wangari Maathai is instructive in this case when she says, "These wars when you look at them, they are all about resources and who is going to control them."8

In the end, not only will the Congolese people have to endure enormous suffering from the wounds of war and instability but when things finally settle down, they will come to realize that not only their women have been brutally violated due to a climate of impunity but the entire country would have been raped of its wealth.

By only telling the part of the tragedy and savagery in the Congo that is consistent with our preconceived notion of the "savage," "depraved" African, the leading media institutions of the west are complicit in one of the most well documented resource heist of the 20th century and which persists at the dawn of the 21st century. We can hear the echoes of Joseph Conrad's "the horror, the horror."

A lot of the blame for the persistent climate of conflict is often laid on the Hutu militia who fled Rwanda in 1994 pursuant to the genocide in that country. In fact this is just a part of the story, which does not give a complete picture. It is instructive to note that, for all intents and purposes, Rwanda controlled the east of the Congo from 1996 – 2002, a period in which they claimed to be in hot pursuit of the Hutu genocidaires known as the Interhamwe. However during that period, Rwanda's most noted military clash was with Uganda inside the Congo. The source of the clash was over who would control vast diamond concessions in Kinsangi hundreds of miles away from where the dreaded Hutu genocidaires were situated. Hence, although the Hutu presence in the Congo is an issue, it falls far short of explaining the source of the violence and crimes in the Congo.

Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda and his rebel forces, currently the source of the bulk of the unrest and suffering in the East of the country and who for all intents and purposes is a proxy of Rwanda, are using the Hutu argument as a justification for the havoc they are wreaking on the Congolese people. This argument was not sustainable when made by Rwanda itself and is even less convincing when made now by its proxy Nkunda. Instead of pledging military advisers to Kabila, the United States has a golden opportunity to play a constructive role, mainly by placing pressure on Rwanda to stop its support of Nkunda and disabuse itself of any notion of invading Congo for a third time. The whole idea of Rwanda "pledging restraint" is preposterous. The path to peace in the East of the Congo starts in Kigali.

Key Sources of the Conflict:
1. Clients of the West such as Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda who serve as lifelines for rebel groups in the Congo
2. Congolese elites who serve as sycophants for western interests while using militia to terrorize the Congolese people
3. Western Governments
4. Multilateral institutions such as the World Bank who set the legal framework for the looting of the Congo's wealth
5. Multi-national corporations who are to quick to super-exploit the Congo all in the name of business and at the expense of the people

Constructive International Engagement:
1. Pressure Rwanda to stop supporting its rebel proxies in the Congo
2. Encourage Rwanda to create democratic space for the Hutu to return
3. Promote reconciliation and justice in the Congo
4. Call for and support the genuine inclusion of the democratic forces in the Congo
5. Support a democratic process and not just power elites who are too quick to mortgage the country's wealth and the future of the sons and daughters of the Congo to mining and forestry multi-nationals

Should the global community play a constructive role in the Congo, the Congolese people will take care of the rest and produce leaders who represent their interests by bringing reconciliation, justice and prosperity to this vital country in the heart of Africa.

Notes:
1. Ludo De Witte's The Assassination of Lumumba
2. International Crisis Group, Congo Consolidating the Peace, Africa Report No. 128, July 5, 2007
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Global Witness, "Digging in Corruption: Fraud, Abuse and Exploitation in Katanga's Copper and Cobalt Mines," July 2006, p. 36-37
6. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/
releases/congo-report
7. Global Witness, "Digging in Corruption: Fraud, Abuse and Exploitation in Katanga's Copper and Cobalt Mines," July 2006, p. 34
8. Interview, Democracy Now with Amy Goodman http://www.democracynow.org/2007/10/1/
unbowed_nobel_peace_laureate_wangari_maathai


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