A look at the future

It is almost 4:00 in the afternoon on Friday, December 10, 2010 and as I type this Senator Bernie Sanders is carrying out his promise to filibuster the tax cuts to the wealthy bill that the obstructionists are using to hold the country hostage.

A little while ago, I heard him listing some CEO's that will benefit, and the only one I remember was the CEO of Wells Fargo. I remember them because I am having a huge issue with their bank, since their takeover of Wachovia here in Bessemer.

Anyway, let's say a CEO gets a tax break of $900,000, which is rounded from a figure that Sanders mentioned. We already know that it won't help the economy, based on the economy we have watched over the last 8 years while these same millionaires were getting this same tax break.

And we know that tax breaks that are not paid for contribute to the deficit.

Now, let's put 2 and 2 together and see what we get.

An increase in the deficit, caused by the millionaires, that the millionaires will not be paying down, because they don't pay the taxes, and that leaves us, the middle class, to pay what should be their deficit liability.

So this is what those Republicans that you Democrats who didn't vote, or didn't work to get Democrats in office, are doing for us.

And seniors! Remember that $250 check that you heard about. Blocked by those same Republicans that you helped put in office.

The Republican leadership has vowed that they will block all legislation until the tax breaks for their wealthy funders is passed.

They won't give Grandma $250 unless and until they give the CEO's $900,000.

Just get ready, America. You voted for this, and it's only going to get worse in 2011, when the Senate and House are infiltrated by Tea Party folks.

Here are some predictions.

They rich will get their tax break, either in the lame duck or the Daffy Duck session that will follow.

Obama will be blamed for the resulting increase in the deficit.

Republicans will demand that Medicare and Social Security be slashed.

Social programs that we commonly refer to as the safety net will be slashed.

The poor will get poorer.

The rich will get richer.

The middle class will shrink.

When taxes finally do go up, and they will, it will be the middle class and the poor that is affected and not the upper class.

That will mean that of every dollar you earn, that you will have less of it in your pocket to spend.

And all of this is because we (Democrats) were disenchanted with what was going on in Washington and we stayed at home on election day; and we (gays) were disgruntled because of the President's lack of leadership on our issues so we stayed at home on election day; and we (the rest of America) were fooled by the Tea Party into voting this change across our country, so they turned out on election day blindly voting against the fictional enemy, and elected an even greater enemy than they could have imagined.

That the American people could have been this, this, uh, stupid (it's the only word I can think of to describe anyone who would vote for the Republican party as it presented itself before the last election) is almost unbelievable to me. I mean, these are the same people (Americans) that thought it was OK for people to own other people - that's pretty stupid isn't it? And the same people that thought it was OK to segregate people racially - that was pretty stupid, wasn't it? So we are known for doing stupid things and having stupid beliefs.

Here's a new single from Erasure, a remix of their old hit, A Little Respect. Proceeds from this tune go to the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the home of the Harvey Milk High School, in New York, and the True Colors Fund. Get it on iTunes. h/t to JoeMyGod.

Imagine

I'm not at all happy about President Obama caving in to the Republicans and their definition of compromise on giving tax breaks to those who make over $250,000 a year.

Another campaign promise broken, that's how I see it.

What he and the Republicans he's in bed with don't understand is that those wealthy individuals would still have been getting the tax break on their first $250,000 of income, like everybody else, but they wouldn't be getting the special treatment on their additional income. And 80 per cent of Americans agree that they should not be getting the tax cut.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is threatening to filibuster the measure, and I say go for it.

Even if it delays the defense bill that includes Don't Ask Don't Tell and everything else in the lame duck session.

And I don't want to hear any complaints from progressives or Democrats or gays or anybody else because the fault of the matter lies with you. By not exciting your voters and getting them out to the polls in November, you empowered the Republicans and virtually assured the nation that nothing progressive or positive will happen during this session or the next two years.

The President and the Republicans are wanting to add $900 billion to the deficit. I'm not a deficit hawk by any means, and it wasn't high on my list of priorities going into the 2010 elections. But that's all the Republicans were talking about, and then the hypocrites turn around and sponsor a measure that adds $900 billion, and bring the president along with them (so they can later blame him for increasing the deficit even further).

Giving those tax breaks to the rich do nothing to stimulate the economy. I mean, these are tax breaks the rich have had for 10 years and they did nothing to help the economy during that time, so what makes them think they will help during the next two years?

Well, today is the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's death.



We old hippies and others still imagine the world as a better place, and have faith that someday we will get there. Just not as quickly as we hoped.

Here's Lennon's song "Imagine," performed on the show "Glee," by members of a choral group from a school for the deaf who were invited to the Glee school to practice and perform, and joined by some of the regulars on the show. Bet you've not seen the song performed in this manner.

Jana

Some of you heard this voice at our house this week as the cd American Indian Christmas was part of the music lineup.

Jana is a Native American singer and she has recorded 10 Christmas favorites in 10 different Native American languages. This is O Holy Night sung in Navajo.



The cd can be ordered from Southwest Indian Foundation, and probably other sites as well.



Just in case you want to see some of her regular music, here's a video from her cd, New Moon Born. You can find it at Southwest Indian Foundation also. This is a great song too, and nice video.

Bullied

Tonight is a free film screening of the documentary Bullied followed by a panel discussion. The film is being presented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and is sponsored by the UAB Safe Zone and Co sponsored by the UAB Gay/Straight student alliance, the Alliance for LGBT Equality at UAB, UAB Chi Sigma Iota, and Alabama Safe Schools Coalition.

The film will be shown at Hill University Center Auditorium at UAB, 1400 University Blvd, at 7:00 PM November 30 (today).


Here's the trailer to the film.



Don't miss this opportunity to see this important film. It should be shown in every school, and Southern Poverty Law Center will see that you get a copy for your school.

Our One Mile coming to Bessemer

Are you interested in hiking or biking along established trails? Now's your chance, if you live in Western Jefferson County, to let your voice be heard.

I attended their kick off meeting in October. Here's a review of that meeting.

Our One Mile will hold a meeting on Tuesday, November 30, at Lawson State Community College, Bessemer Campus, from 5:30 to 7:00.

They want to know where you live, work and play.

Our One Mile will connect places that matter most throughout Jefferson County through greenways, trails, and sidewalks. You will be able to walk, bike, or roll from your home to desired daily destinations such as parks, schools, libraries, churches, or shopping areas. You, your family, and the rest of your community will have a safe path to travel to these locations in a new way - without a car.

Our One Mile is an initiative of the Freshwater Land Trust, funded through the Jefferson County Health Action Partnership. This Spring, the Partnership received Federal funding to combat obesity and to improve tobacco cessation efforts throughout the county—all part of their mission to make the healthy choice the easy choice for everyone. Our One Mile will improve the community’s health by creating a comprehensive and implementable greenway master plan for the county, identifying both shovel ready projects and the funding to make them happen. The master plan is expected to be completed in early 2012.

Here's a short video about Our One Mile.

Our One Mile from jason hamric on Vimeo.

So take a few minutes Tuesday at 5:30 and be there. For your health. For your community.

Response to Western Star bigotry

Bessemer's Western Star is published by Trib Publications, Inc., and their president, Bob Tribble, exhibited his lack of education and his bigotry in a recent editorial. You can read it here.

Three letters appeared in today's Western Star in response. One is from me, the others are from Elisa Macon and Trey Noland. This will make for a long blog post, but I am posting all three letters here. Click "Read more" to view the letters.

The vigil and the editorial

Over the weekend I spoke at the vigil held in memory of Tre' Juan Figures, the 12 year old Anniston boy who killed himself one year ago after being pressured by gang members to join their group, and bullied because he wouldn't join.



The speakers were Jason Childs, founder and director of Center for Progress in Alabama, State Representative Barbara Boyd, Grace Episcopal Church (Anniston) Youth Minister Andy Harris, and myself, Joe Openshaw, Interim Chair for Equality Alabama.

Jason Childs speaking at the vigil

Jason Childs organized the event to honor Tre's memory and to bring attention to the continuing problem of bullying in this state.

State Representative Barbara Boyd told of her own experiences with bullying as a child and encouraged others with her story of success and how she overcame the perils of her childhood.

Andy Harris spoke about the choices we make stressing that we can (and should) choose kindness. He also spoke of his parents, both of whom took their own lives.

Jason Childs shared that when he was asked why he was holding a vigil for a child he didn't even know and was asked what Tre' was to him, he had to answer, "Nothing. That's the problem."

He explained that he will never know the difference this boy could have made as an adult, what he would have become, what the world is missing because of this loss, what the true cost of his untimely passing is.

I spoke about Equality Alabama's efforts in getting Alabama's anti-harassment policies strengthened, and said that this one tragedy was enough, we don't need another tragedy to remind us that something needs to be done.



Here are my remarks.

Tre Juan Figures Vigil


Tre's mother gave an emotional interview to the media. Here is Jason Childs and Veronica McGee, Tre's mom.




Here is a story about the event on ABC 33/40, and here is one from CBS 42, where you can read about or watch video of Ms. McGee.

Also

Also over the weekend my editorial that I wrote for the Mobile Press-Register was printed and posted online, here.

The editorial also covers bullying among teens, but also the bullying that occurs in the military because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Thank you Frances Coleman of the Press Register for asking me to do this.

This editorial has gotten at least 38 facebook posts, by far the most of any Press Register editorial of late, including those concerning the oil spill. To me this means that this is an issue of major importance to the public. The more people that read and understand these issues, the more pressure will be put of our state legislators and school board members, and on congress regarding DADT, to make a change. Please share.