Magdaleno

DEAR SISTER AND BROTHERS

 

I want to talk about the smokers I see on freeways and side walks.. I should be clear that I am against smoking and all that is does to damage our lungs and our environment. But I must admit that I  was a smoker and enjoyed cigarettes and cigars for many years..It is an addiction and hard to break this habit.

 

Today I see people smoking in the streets or in their cars as I travel to and from meetings.. If you have to smoke put your ashes in a container along with your cigarette butt.  Drivers in Miami hold their cigarettes out the window with their left hands flipping their ashes to the wind and eventually just flipping the butt onto the freeway

 

Hey …if you like smoking …then roll up your windows, use your ash tray, and enjoy your smoke …

 

In the meantime we need to continue to educate all about the dangers of smoking…

 

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.     Cesar E. Chavez

b.     Ira moss on Hillary and Iraq

c.      Robin reminds us of the death of Iraqis

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CESAR E. CHAVEZ

                   His legacy is still very much alive..

On March 31^st we celebrate the birthday of this incredible leader who gave hope to many whose dreams had been damaged by the economics and racism of life.

Cesar, along with Dolores Huerta, Richard Chavez, many Filipinos and others started a farm worker movement that would be the example for others struggling to protect the rights of other farm workers and low wage workers…this movement became the UNITED FARM WORKERS UNION.

When I first heard Cesar speak in about 1968 I was a bit disappointed since I wanted him to have bombastic oratorical skills like those Reis Lopez Tijerina of the land movement  of Northern New Mexico or the call to battle rhetoric of Corky Gonzales of The Crusade for Justice Movement of Colorado.  For me he was not strident or forceful enough … I wanted  him to be loud and proud… nor was he like MLK or Malcolm X

Later in 1970 when I joined the Lettuce Strike in Center, Colorado (organized and led by women) which soon became a part of UFW did I begin to learn more of this man Cesar and all those around him ..I should note that in 1970 I was involved with drugs and carried two loaded pistols with me and had armed others in the Chicano movement.… I was a bit violent and had a temper that I could not control.  And it is a miracle that I am not in prison today..

In 1970 I learned of the firm and steady leadership of Cesar and the union. It helped to move me from drugs and violence and taught me how to organize… In those days we  were paid $5 a week wages and another $10 for food. It was the same for everyone in the movement. We depended on the community that we were organizing to sustain us.

During this period I was also re-reading the autobiography of Malcolm X which has many lessons for activists… (thank you brother Malcolm)

Cesar was a most effective speaker ( and had his own incredible style ) and was  a great leader… Dolores Huerta was more my style of a hot and direct speaker… The union taught us all that we could do the impossible…and sometimes we did just that.

Now I must admit that I had many arguments with both Cesar and Dolores and that I was not always their favorite organizer… but I was amongst the most interesting (I believe)…I was young and thought I knew more than I did and was willing to challenge everyone but myself. And some how the union tolerated me and my many questions.

Many want to make a god of Cesar… and others want to some want to make him  a saint… Cesar was incredible, magical and pulled more rabbits out of a hat than one could think possible.. But he was not perfect… he like all of us had his faults… but I can tell you that I have yet to meet his equal…Cesar and others who worked with him sacrificed so that we could live our dreams. He was a special spirit for a very special time..

The influence of Cesar and the Farm Workers Movement goes beyond the fields and into the civil rights and human rights agendas. Dolores today is a major voice for Women’s rights , and many of us who organized or supported the boycotts learned how to fight for freedom and justice… and continue to do so in our current positions. Although Cesar did not see himself as a leader of the Chicano movement he nonetheless became one of the stronger influences in this liberation movement.

1970 was the year I turned my life around and the year I learned about nonviolence… I also learned that I had many brothers and sisters who came in all shapes and colors who worked for justice …and this was all thanks to the UNITED FARMWORKERS UNION.

Cesar was a wonderful voice and example  for this world of ours and I am glad that I got know and work with him…

 

HE WAS NOT PERFECT BUT HE WAS THE BEST WE HAD.

 

SOME THOUGHTS ON HILLARYAND IRAQ

                             By Ira Moss

Why I am Grateful to Hillary

Love her or hate her, you have got to admit she’s a fighter and a dirty fighter at that. Mrs. Clinton’s recent attempts to kneecap the Obama candidacy with not so subtle attacks on his patriotism by husband Bill and his loyalty towards his church and Pastor Wright by Hillary herself, are just what Obama needs to strengthen his eventual campaign for president. Yes, its dirty, despicable and divisive, but with out a doubt less than what Barack will be up against if and when he becomes the Democratic candidate for president. Hillary is not using anything against Obama that the Republicans would not find and use in October. If its there, they will find it and as the swift boating of Kerry showed yet again, no tactic is to nasty if it leads to winning the white house. So any thing Mrs. Clinton can and will throw at him is but a foreshadowing of worse things to come. The German philosopher, Nietzsche famously said “that which does not kill me, makes me stronger.” Contrary to popular opinion, Barack Obama must and I believe, will emerge from the nominating process, better tested, fitter and stronger then ever. He will need every bit of it to succeed in his run against the Republican party for president.

Why Distinctions Matter

Politicians tend to blur distinctions because they believe (not without reason) that the broader public wants simple, clear and unambiguous answers to highly complex and very complicated questions. While this may be an effective political strategy, it is not effective in actually solving any problem. Real experts, have and always utilize many distinctions to create clarity where the less knowledgeable find only confusion. For example, imagine a mechanical imbecile (me) examining the engine that runs my car (or any thing else). I open the hood and see an engine. That’s pretty much it. I, who do not know a carburetor from a fuel injector, am powerless in the face of engine failure. It’s all just one big undifferentiated mass to me. As a result, I can’t fix it.

In Iraq, we have suffered from one tactical mistake after another, (never mind the larger strategic mistake that got us in there in the first place). Many of these errors were and are still being caused by our failure to distinguish things and call them what they are. Our policy makers failed to or refused to distinguish an insurgency. That led to the insurgency, becoming a civil war, which again they failed or refused to recognize because to do so would jeopardize their political position here in the US. Next we started to call any and all Iraqi resistance to the US occupation of their country as Al Queda inspired when Al Queda represented only a small part of the problem. Most recently, John McCain blurred the distinctions between Shiite, Iran and Sunni Al Queda.

By ignoring important distinctions we rob ourselves of any ability we might have to adapt to the reality of the situation. By fighting a small group of “dead enders”, we failed to defeat a broad based Sunni insurgency. This allowed the insurgency to morph into a civil war while we changed tactics and fought a Sunni insurgency.  Calling it a civil war would have undermined the administrations political tactics at home. In each case, it wasn’t  politically desirable to recognize the facts of the situation on the ground. As a result, we are always one step behind the trend and never able to respond effectively. Because our current policies are driven by politicians who can’t or won’t recognize the necessary distinctions, our tactics and ultimately our strategy are doomed to failure.

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TOO MANY DEAD AND INJURED IN IRAQ

Sent by Robin Smith Trequesser

It’s with a heavy heart that I write this.

After all of the brouhaha about the U.S.. death count reaching 4000. I decided to check the stats on Iraqis.

According to the link below it was 89,000 at the end of 2007!!!

 

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

 

At this point the grand total of U.S., Iraqi and allied forces must be over 100,000 and going up.

 

 

HELP ME TO TELL THE TRUTH

 

I welcome my friends and readers to send me articles and thoughts that I can include in my blog… you can even send me a poem or anything that you might think others need to know about . … In this world we all become teachers and students…

 

So send in your contributions..

 

My best

leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS It is an interesting time for living .. .for Easter we went to a black church that was very welcoming with lots of singing and preaching… I think I am going back … Then for Easter lunch we had Mexican Food… at a new place and then I went home to lie around like a walrus full of food… NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS a. 5 years and counting b. bill Richardson c. McCain and Iran d andrea parra e. sexual demands for green cards f. passport issues g. joe Lieberman —————————————————————————————————– 5 YEARS OF YEARS OF WAR And counting…4000 plus dead … and counting Can you believe it… here we are five years later and we are still stuck in Iraq…people are suffering as our soldiers and their families. Bush and company want to stay there until there is a so called victory. First we should have never been there..second we have yet to see a real definition of what is VICTORY…in fact I believe we were defeated once we stepped foot in Iraq.. after our famous SHOCK AND AWE bombing… We were told things like a. the Iraqis would greet us with flowers b. that we would fund our efforts there by profits from the sale of oil. c. that democracy would bloom all over the middle east like spring flowers d. that we would have the greatest coalitions of all times to help us… e. and that we would find WMDs there were many other assumptions.. which were all wrong… and while some of us went to the streets and internet protesting the actions leading up to the invasion …others voted for and other waved their flags in support of the war… now we all know it was a serious mistake… and that this should end… we do not get out of hole by continuing to dig …instead we must build a ladder and get out of this human and economic tragedy.. coming to you is this new film THE BODY OF WAR http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03212008/watch.html I want to send my special appreciation to all those who demonstrate, and continue to pressure out politicians regarding our need to end this most foolish war.. ALL WE ARE ASKING….IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE… ———————————————————————————————————— BILL RICHARDSON ENDORSES OBAMA a major Latino voice says SI SE PUEDE Bill was courted heavily by both campaigns with Bill Clinton even going to New Mexico to spend the Super Bowl with Richardson. This was a coveted endorsement especially given that Richardson had also been an early presidential candidate and also served in several cabinet positions in Bill Clinton’s administration. This was a key endorsement at a key time. McCain and Iran ……An article by Ira Moss In a week in which cable news shows and bloggers alike focused obsessively on the inflammatory statements of Barack Obama’s pastor, John McCain received what amounted to a free pass from the commentariat over his own incredible assertions that Iran was “arming and training Al Queda in Iraq”. This was not a one time mistake. According to The New York Times, he made this assertion on three separate occasions after leaving Iraq where he presumably had been exhaustively briefed by senior military and Pentagon personnel. If we have learned anything about Middle Eastern realities during the last five years, it would include the fact that two separate Islamic sects, Sunni and Shia, do not work and play very well together. In fact, George W. Bush’s final and most potent excuse for remaining in Iraq is to keep the Sunni and Shia from massacring one another. Another fact that most of us have learned is that Al Queda in Iraq or anywhere else is an entirely Sunni enterprise. The Shia rank only slightly behind America and the Jews in the order of things that Al Queda hates most. A third reality of Middle Eastern politics that we all should have learned by now is that Iran is a Shiite theocracy with an almost entirely Shiite population. It’s no more likely to be helping Al Queda than Israel is. There are only three possible explanations for this astonishing distortion of reality, none of them very flattering to John McCain. The most charitable is that McCain is old and tired, his travel schedule exhausted him and he misspoke three separate times. In fact, according to the New York Times, it took fellow hawk and nominal Democrat, Joe Lieberman, who was traveling with McCain, to inform him of his mistakes. A second possibility is that despite his supposed national security credentials and the extensive briefings he had just received, the Republican candidate for president during a time of war does not know who the enemy is. The third possible explanation is that McCain did not misspeak at all. That he said exactly what he meant to say because his intention is to further reinforce the groundwork that the administration had already laid down to prepare this country for a military strike against Iran. I will leave it to you, the readers, to decide which one of these explanations is the most plausible, but in any case, the prospects of a John McCain presidency looks very frightening indeed. ————————————————————————————————- Andrea Parra invades Florida With her politics and smile A good activist friend and former Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Attorney who now lives and works in her home country of Colombia came to Miami with her parents for a visit. While in Seattle she worked during the day on Domestic Violence cases and in her free time on many progressive political issues including the rights of the disabled. Today she works in behalf of a transnational Women’s Rights project that has offices in both Spain and Columbia. Her new organization is WOMEN’S LINK WORLDWIDE. Find out more by going to their web page www.womenslinkworldwide.org. I admire my friends who continue to push the envelope of human rights and freedom. They give me hope … By the way Andrea came with her parents and I got to again visit with her mother who is a delight and always engaged with Andrea’s friends and her dreams.. —————————————————————————————————– GREEN CARD FOR SEX Abuse from inside HOMELAND SECURITY From Democracynow.org sent to Ahora by Maru Villapando (spanish and english) Agente de inmigración estadounidense arrestado por chantaje sexual Y en Nueva York, un agente de inmigración estadounidense fue arrestado luego de que fue sorprendido exigiendo actos sexuales a una mujer colombiana a cambio de otorgarle la residencia permanente. El agente, Isaac Baichu, procesó más de ocho mil solicitudes de inmigración durante su carrera. La mujer grabó a Baichu cuando le pedía que mantuviera relaciones con él, incluyendo practicarle sexo oral en el momento para que pudiera anotar que las intenciones de la mujer eran “serias”. El caso es una de varias instancias conocidas de chantaje sexual en el proceso de inmigración en los últimos años. Los analistas dicen que el número real de casos podría ser mucho mayor. Baichu afronta siete años en prisión. US Immigration Agent Arrested for Sexual Blackmail And here in New York, a US immigration agent has been arrested after he was caught demanding sexual acts from a Colombian woman in return for granting her a green card. The agent, Isaac Baichu, has handled more than 8,000 immigrant applications during his career. The woman recorded Baichu making his demands, which included performing oral sex on the spot so he could know that she was “serious.” The case is among several known instances of sexual blackmail in the immigration process in recent years. Analysts say the actual number of cases could be far higher. Baichu faces seven years in prison. —————————————————————————————————————————– Breach of passport files Now it turns out that all three presidential candidates’ files were breached. Obama’s three time
s while the others once. The bells and whistles of the state department designed to correct this did not work and notice of these breeches did not go up the food chain. Secretary of State only found out when a reporter asked her about the issue. It is presumed that an employee blew the whistle and gave information of these breeches to the media…otherwise we would have never known… now that person is a hero or shero.. —————————————————————————————————– JOHN McCain’s SANCHO PANZA..or is it Barney Fife Joe Lieberman Senator Lieberman was the Vice Presidential Candidate for the Democratic Party in 2000.. Today he seems to be the lap dog for John McCain… always at his beck and call and even correcting grandpa McCain. Jo Jo Lieberman has no morals and there should be a move in Connecticut beginning on November 10 to recall this man. Some say that he just might become one of McCain’s main political appointees….. I don’t know if should laugh or cry when I see this man in such a foolish position. But at the same time he is a dangerous tool.- GIVING WITH OUT ASKING OR EXPECTING TO RECEIVE The great part about giving is when you expect nothing in return… you get the satisfaction of giving and knowing you just might have helped someone… giving can be a smile, giving room for another auto on the freeway, visiting some one home bound , giving money or food… or perhaps just giving of you time… Often I give a homeless person a small gift and most often they offer to pray for me… so if this is true I should not have a hard time getting into heaven… but probably the homeless person will be in front of me in the line out side them pearly gates… and will probably say a good word for me ..saying that I gave a bit of my wallet but most importantly that I gave him a smile and that we touched hands… So give some one a gift… open a door, cook a meal, do the dishes… give a smile or perhaps a hug … but give with out expecting to receive… My best Leno www.magdaleno.org

Sisters and Brothers

 

 

What is in your passport file…??? I was shocked as were many to find out that

Obama’s passport file was breached 3 …yep 3 times before his office was contacted. After the first instance the Secretary of State (Condi) should have notified Obama directly given the presidential race… the Inspector General of State should have done a detailed investigation to ensure there was not a criminal element to these breaches…

 

Many of us could have our Passport Files looked at by almost anyone for any purpose and we would never know …now that also bothers me…

 

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS.

            a. anger management

            b. celebrating the circle of life

            c. bear stearns bail out

            d. what a speech.

            e. the economic news

            f. what I do

 

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ANGER MANAGEMENT

            A NEW MOVIE STARING JOHN I will choke you McCain

Some say that it will be refreshing to have presidential candidate who is not afraid to walk across the stage during a debate and slap his opposition… or who is not afraid of stomping on a news camera … or who is not afraid to call a dictator a MOTHER FUDGER….

I got my hope in Johnny over the next months getting redder and angrier.. .he might just spank a right wing evangelist if the y don’t shape up and get with his program…

Me I am non violent and I am staying out of his way….I don’t want him to B…..SLAP ME..

B stands for burrito…

In the mean time please keep pushing his buttons and get him to respond like only he can respond…let him get red in the face and get angry and get wild…

 

Another thing about GRANDPA McCain is that he really doesn’t know much about Iraq… he made some major mistakes about Iran’s role in this USA occupation in a recent trip to Iraq.

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CELEBRATING THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

                              A wedding of wonderful spirits…..

This past Thursday I officiated at the celebration of wedding vows of Tatanka (kit, buffalo) Bricca and Carol Lowenstein… This spectacular event was held in the mountains in Ben Lomond in Santa Cruz County in California..

It began with a cleansing with sage and honoring mother earth, father sky, our ancestors and all our family both two and four legged.. .it honored the large Redwood called by many Mother Red Wood that stood at the entrance to the meadow where the ceremony was held…

It was national gathering of spirits with many voices who during the three days shared stories, songs and smiles… it was the circle of life that embraced all who were there …Love was in the air the water and the moon and we were all infected… nobody was spared it was an epidemic of heartfelt emotions… even I felt as if I was getting married..

The wedding was a three day celebration …in fact some staying on for a fourth day.. on the third day there was Talent Show where any one could get up sing, read poetry, tell stories but most importantly share what was in their mind or heart.. It was an amazing day of entertainment… Gabe Harris (son of Joan Baez) came with a young artist from Senegal led us all in drumming our dreams … they handed everyone present an African drum and we all learned how to play and become symphony of heart beats..

Now many are hoping for yet another celebration on the anniversary of this wedding…

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CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ECONOMIC NEWS

The US helped JP Morgan Chase and Co’s buy out of Bear Stearns… using our tax dollars to bail out millionaires… at the same the home foreclosures of average home owners continuing.. These home owners are an important part of the foundation of our economy and they are being forgotten.

And at the same time the FEDS continue to lower the interest rates for banks…     HOW ABOUT LOWERING OUR INTEREST RATES ON CREDIT CARDS AND LOANS…

And now some banks are getting our of the college loan business because they can not make a big enough profit… this is criminal… and hurts the future of America..

The economy will make our societal divisions seem ever greater and insurmountable unless we talk about them..We need to take a lead on this dialogue

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BARRACK OBAMA          

  Delivers an incredible speech on race

This historic speech addressed head on the fears of the people about race and the manner in which we should address our fears.  It was an incredible presentation about the many issues of that face our country… Those include economics… health care and jobs… and the war….

I got to hear about 80%  of the speech in between station announcements.. And I was very impressed by what I heard.

Race is a critical issue in America and we have not resolved our differences or our biases as a country… when I do something wrong on the freeway in most cities other drivers honk their horns, flip me half of the peace sign and then call me a dirty Mexican.. In Miami since there are so many Latinos ..I just get the honk and half of the peace sign.

WHAT I DO WITH AND FOR OTHERS

Every so often I am invited to perform weddings, funerals, MC events, and on occasion speak.. It is always an honor to be at such events. It gives me an opportunity to share with others and also to receive some of their energy …

My best

leno

 

you can always find my VIEW OF THE NEWS on www.magdaleno.org

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS…IT IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

The economy continues in a downward spiral, with huge job losses, with the housing market stagnant and even more homes going into foreclosure.  60,000 jobs were lost recently …We are in a recession and people are suffering.. And our president continues to say that his economic programs will bring the economy back and he continues to say that even though there is an economic slow down it is not a recession…. He is a fool.. And the media should attack him for his foolish statements..

You community organizers must make the economy a key part of your daily agenda… too many Americans are suffering and the CEO’S  of troubled and chapter 11 companies ate taking huge retirement financial parachutes… if a company can afford millions for their executives then they need to do SOMETHING REASONABLE for their regular employees…

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      march 4^th

b.      Gaza

c.       The 3am call

d.      Admire the activists

 

JUST TO BE CLEAR ABOUT MARCH 4^TH

Hilary seems to have won 3 out of 4 primaries in the popular vote and this has given new life to her campaign and to some of my relatives and readers who support the Clinton Campaign. And today all eyes are on Wyoming…

But it seems that Barack will win more delegates in Texas….SO WHO DID WIN TEXAS???  And after all it is the total number of pledged that is important.

.Not every one close to me agrees with my AGGRESSIVE support of Obama but in the end I hope that we are all ready to support the Democratic nominee…

Just so you know I have seen two Obama Bumper Stickers on cars in Miami and have yet to see a Clinton sticker on a car… and I have seen now 10 Obama t-shirts and no Clinton shirts

But recent politic tactics by the Clinton Campaign have disappointed me.  During these March primaries we saw some negative ads and language that is not needed.

Also the 3 am call ad I believe will come back to hurt the Clinton Campaign… and the fact that it seems that the call to the Canadians regarding NAFTA came from the Clinton Campaign.. But two recent awful issues that have come up is one where Hillary tells the public that both she and the republican candidate are the only two qualified to answer the 3 am call and then her staff brings up Kenneth Starr..Accusing Obama for being like Starr for asking for her tax report…..this Starr reference opens up a whole historical witch hunt and some bad experiences… (THIS IS A BAD MOVE).  And then one of Osama’s staff called Hillary a name and she resigned since this is not in the spirit of the Obama campaign.

It seems as if the Clinton Campaign wants to go till the bitter end and if that’s what they want to do then both campaigns should stick to the issues…the Democratic party needs to be strong after the primary not weak from personal and bloody attacks.

One of the most interesting parts of this primary process is the energized electorate and their interest in changing our government and making this a better world..I just hope that these new voters don’t get angry and walk away from the electoral process.

GAZA … THIS WAS A HARD READ BUT IS IMPORTANT

More on Gaza, if you care.  Called the worst crisis since ’67.

 

http://my.ynet.co.il/pic/news/5.3.08/embargoedGazalowreswithout.pdf

 

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Its 3 a.m., the phone is ringing and the crisis is you. So what’s your answer?

March 6, 2008…Rosa Brooks LA Times ..

Hillary? Hillary?

What? It’s 3 a.m.? Yes, I know that. Look, I’m sorry if I woke you up. But you said you were fine with 3 a.m. calls.

I’m calling because we have a serious crisis on our hands. And I thought of you immediately, because you’re right, you’re the only person who might be able to defuse the situation.

We’ve got a problem with John McCain, Hillary. Remember him? I know, you’ve been so busy lately trying to destroy Barack Obama that McCain probably slipped your mind. That’s why I had to call.

Hillary, listen: This country could be in serious danger if McCain becomes president. His national security policies are a recipe for endless conflagration, especially in the Middle East. Saying McCain’s a “hawk” is an understatement. McCain makes Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld look like cute little parakeets. No kidding. Remember “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran?” Ha ha.

No, no, you’re right, it wasn’t funny. And by the way, McCain says your Iraq strategy would constitute “surrender … waving the white flag.”

What’s that? You don’t want to see McCain become president either?

Then withdraw from the Democratic race right now, Hillary.

Whoa! Don’t get so irritated. It’s just that the longer you stay in, the more help you give McCain and the right.

Stop being so mean? I’m not trying to be mean, Hillary. Please, get yourself another pillow if you want one. You’re smart and you’re tough, and you’ve blazed an important trail. But at 3 a.m. — dark-night-of-the-soul time — we need to be realistic.

Let’s do the math together. Do you want to go find a calculator? No? Sorry, of course you’re good at math.

OK — so before this week’s primaries, Obama had 1,192 pledged delegates, and you had 1,036. On Tuesday, you won in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island, and MSNBC estimates that after the results have been fully tabulated, you’ll have eroded Obama’s original 156-delegate lead by … somewhere between seven and 13 pledged delegates.

Whoop-de-do.

What? Oh sure, you did manage to regain some momentum. And yes, I probably wouldn’t even have called if it hadn’t been for those infamous “red phone” ads you’ve been running. They’re definitely effective ads, Hillary. By suggesting that Obama isn’t fit to be commander in chief, you do seem to have shifted the dynamic; exit polls suggest that Ohio and Texas voters who made up their minds at the last minute mostly opted for you.

So is that your campaign’s take-away here? That if you go all out to destroy Obama — suggesting he’s weak on national security — you’ll be able to eke out a few more victories in the primaries that lie ahead?

That’s what I was afraid you were thinking. Only a few months ago, you were accusing Obama of attacks on you that came “right out of the Republican playbook.” I should have figured you’d be studying that playbook yourself.

For the sake of your country, don’t do this. You’ve got 12 contests remaining before the Democratic convention, and given the complex proportional system for awarding delegates, you’ll have to win all 12 by 20-point margins just to break even with Obama in the pledged delegate counts. It’s not going to happen. (And don’t even think about Florida and Michigan. Trying to change the rules in the middle of the game will tear the Democratic Party in two.)

And as you chase after near-impossibilities, you’ll be running a campaign aimed at systematically destroying the reputation of your party’s front-runner — the candidate who leads in the overall popular vote as well as the delegate count, the candidate who has shown an impressive ability to win the hearts of independents and even Republicans, the candidate who is attracting new voters in droves, the candidate who voters think stands the best chance of preventing Mr. “Bomb Bomb Iran” from becoming our next president and leading us into a future of endless war.

This week, right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh urged Republicans to vote for you instead of McCain in Texas and Ohio — because “Obama needs to be bloodied up. Look, half the country already hates Hillary. But nobody hates Obama yet. Hillary is going to be the one to have to bloody him up politically.”

You were right all along, Hillary: There is a vast right-wing conspiracy. The thing is, you’ve just become their not-so-secret weapon.

Here it is at last, Hillary, a genuine test of your ability to lead in a dangerous world. It’s too late for you to win the Democratic nomination — but if you stay in the race, you can sure help Obama lose the White House.

What are you going to do?

Hillary?

Hillary?

rbrooks@latimescolumnists.com

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I ADMIRE THE ACTIVIST

It is amazing when you see people standing up for their rights … and not being quiet about injustice … I admire these voices who at some times are not as smooth or as polished as an executive or lawyer … but their honesty and courage can not be equaled.. .these activist are UNCOMMON PEOPLE WHO DO UNCOMMON ACTS OF HUMANITY…

And we should find ways to support them …and thank them…

MY BEST

leno

 

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

This Tuesday we will have some most interesting news .. There are four states that are up grabs and two are major delegate pockets. The two largest are Texas and Ohio. But also important is the trend in the votes in Vermont and Rhode Island. Please give this mini-super Tuesday your attention.

Now For My View of The News

a.   Obama 1

b.   New jersey is historical

c.    Economic news

d.   Gloria Romero on dp

e.   Make phone calls

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OBAMA 1 CLINTON O

Yesterday I had many individuals looking at my chest not my face… It seems that my Barack Obama shirt with the YES WE CAN slogan caught the attention of many as I traveled from New Jersey to Miami.

 As I was checking in at the airport in Philadelphia a woman said as she liked my shirt giving me a thumbs up signal and a smile… and then when I got off the plane in Miami the male agent greeting the passengers at the gate gave me a strong smile and said..THAT’S THE FIRST OBAMA SHIRT THAT I HAVE SEEN. Then added I WENT ON THE OBAMA WEB PAGE AND THEY WERE SOLD OUT …so I gave him the name of two other web sites where he might get shirts and stickers..

So there I was traveling and letting all know who my candidate was…. And I did not see any shirts for Clinton… thus it was Obama 1 and Clinton 0 ..

WEAR YOUR SHIRTS …AND LET ALL KNOW THAT OBAMA IS THE ONE …

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HISTORICAL EVENT …THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN NEW JERSEY

Saturday March 1^st brought together hundreds of individuals and organizations that worked in coalition to abolish the death penalty.  It was people of various political and religious stripes that came together. This was all done under the strong and organized leadership of Celeste Fitzgerald. This 8 year campaign gave light and hope to many around the country and the world.

Me.. Well I was honored to be the master of ceremony and being able to insert my jokes and facts as needed through out the evening. In behalf of Sister Helen Prejean who contributed to this legistlative victory but could not attend the nights event I presented Celeste a puppet called the FIGHTING NUN…and this drew a warm laugh from the audience.

State Senator Robert Martin gave recognition and uplifting comments which were complimented by a message read in behalf of Senator Raymond Lesniak

Celeste in her comments mentioned the many supporters of their work including many local voices and some national voices that were present.  It was a great celebration. There was a Champagne toast to human rights and New Jersey.

Mario Marazziti of the Sant’Egidio community of Rome was there to give his organizations best wishes and promise to continue their work to abolish the death penalty world wide.

On December 10^th (international human rights day) the senate passed the abolition bill and on the 13^th the house passed the bill and on the 17^th the Governor signed the bill into law. On that day The Sant’Egidio community got the Coliseum in Rome lit up as a sign of the success and the saving of life. (A copy of a poster commemorating this lighting up of the coliseum can be obtained from Celeste) Then on the 18^th the United Nations took a vote in the General Assembly calling for a world wide moratorium on the death penalty. December 2008 was a wonderful month.

And Bryan Stevenson a human rights lawyer of Alabama who works in behalf of death row inmates gave a most moving talk about the future and the work that we can do together in behalf of death row inmates.

Money was raised for THE CENTER FOR TRAUMATIC GRIEF…that helps families who have lost a loved one to traumatic death… and a special fund for four men that were wrongfully convicted. You can still send in a check for both

I should mention that my old friend Abe Bonowitz was part of this team who created a miracle in New Jersey.

Please take a moment and send an email to Celeste ‘cfitzgerald@njadp.org’ and celebrate a bit this historic event that is a major turn in the road for abolition.

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THE ECONOMIC DATA IS NOT GOOD      

I had never been a good reader of the business page of my newspapers but today this is some tragic and important reading that we must all do. We must  take notice of the trends and problems with the market…

While the pains and tragedy is being felt more by the working poor … we can also see that many major companies are running scared. .. Investors are holding on to their mega bucks…and they do not believe the optimism of Bush.

Our government is going to give each family a couple of hundred dollars thinking that this will be the magic wand that will stimulate the economy..it will take a lot more to stimulate this economy and raise up the working men and women of this country.

Meanwhile George Bush and his friends continue to call for more tax cuts for the rich and special programs to help those that got us into this mess in the first place…

The next president and congress must make the economy first and foremost.

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Death-penalty system loaded with racial bias
By Senator Gloria Romero 02/27/2008

For the last two years, we have spent a lot of time discussing how we execute people. It is time we start discussing whom we execute. California’s death penalty is marred by racial and geographic disparities that have gone unaddressed for years. Californians need to start asking why.

Two years ago, executions in California were halted as a result of legal challenges to the method of execution: lethal injection. In the interim, little has changed in the way people live on Death Row, the way people die on Death Row, or whom we send to Death Row.

Though we might soon resolve the issue that is now holding up executions – whether or not the current method of execution is legal – there are many more difficult problems that aren’t being addressed. Why, for example, does the criminal-justice system seem to value some Californians’ lives the least?

Here are the facts: A defendant who is convicted of killing a white victim is four times more likely to be sentenced to death than a defendant convicted of killing a Latino victim. In cases where only one victim was killed and the crime did not include another serious crime, someone who kills a Latino victim is 11 times less likely to receive the death penalty than someone whose victim is white.

In addition, the highest rate of death sentencing occurs in counties with high proportions of non-Latino white residents, and low proportions of people of color. California has more Mexican citizens on Death Row than any other state, and indeed, more than any other country.

These numbers are alarming and are mirrored in the disparities in death sentences for cases with African-American victims. It should also trouble Californians that in the most diverse state in the country and one with a strong history of leadership on civil-rights issues, we have done nothing to address the fact that we make decisions about who lives and who dies based on factors such as race.

Most death-penalty states have enacted reforms to address disparities. Many states use a system called proportionality review, which requires the highest court to review death sentences to make sure the punishment is appropriate for the crime and that factors such as race, ethnicity and poverty did not influence the death sentence. The state of Kentucky has adopted a Racial Justice Act, providing further scrutiny of the role of race in death sentences. California, unfortunately, has done nothing.

A bipartisan panel – the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice – is reviewing the evidence of racial, ethnic and geographic disparities and asking what should be done. The commission held the second of three hearings in Los Angeles earlier this month. The commission has already heard evidence from the experts and from the defense and prosecution communities. Now it is time for civil-rights leaders and communities of interest to be heard, to tell the commission that we can no longer ignore the serious racial injustices in California’s death sentences.

If we are going to sentence people to die, we must ensure that those decisions are not based on race, poverty, or place. If we cannot do that, then we should recognize that California’s death-penalty system is fundamentally flawed and the premise of equal justice for all is amiss.

Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, is the majority leader of the California Senate and chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee.
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MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS AND TURN OUT THE VOTES

Dear magdaleno, and his friends.

Yesterday, supporters all across the country responded to Barack’s request by making more than 300,000 calls into crucial March 4th primary states.

We reached our goal of one million calls much faster than expected, so we’re setting a new goal: 1,500,000 calls to voters by Tuesday.

Use our online phonebanking tool and start making calls right now:

http://my.barackobama.com/call

There’s no easier or more effective way to keep building momentum for this campaign than making calls to likely supporters.

And there’s no more important time to get involved than right now.

The primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont this Tuesday, March 4th, could be decisive for this campaign. Reach out to voters in these states, listen to what’s important to them, and share your reasons for supporting Barack.

The online phonebanking tool is easy and fun to use. Here’s how it works:

1.   Choose a state you’d like to call.

2.   Log into My.BarackObama.com and get a list of 20 names that only you will receive. (If you don’t have a My.BarackObama account, creating one is fast and easy.)

3.   Click on a name and you’ll be led through a simple script, question by question.

4.   Start making calls.

It’s as easy as that — a list of likely supporters and an opportunity to make personal connections right from your own home.

You are the voice of this campaign, and there are thousands of people out there, waiting to hear from you.

Make your voice heard. Start making calls today:

http://my.barackobama.com/call

Thank you for making this happen,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

P.S. — There are a number of specific calling campaigns that you can select if you have special skills or interests.

·         If you are fluent in Spanish, you can reach out to Spanish speakers:

http://my.barackobama.com/spanishcalls

·         If you are a woman, you can choose to speak with other women about why you support Barack:

http://my.barackobama.com/wfocalls

·         If you’re a student, you can talk to other students:

 

TAKE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

 

You can make a difference in this political season and in your community. All you have to do is take a moment to invest in your future by giving or yourself.  You will be better and stronger because of your giving of your time and energy…

 

My best

leno