Will Sun Times columnist, Mary Mitchell, agree with Garrard that racism is extinct?

Garrard says it's official. Racism has left the shores of the United States. There are no racists here anymore. Everyone is free and we have no need to tell ethnic jokes...well we can tell them now without feeling fearful, inhibited, and racist. Well, that kind of defeats the purpose.

When you leave your house today, pay close attention - taking note that hate groups have disbanded, institutional racism is passe', and people are getting hired today based on their qualifications, not their skin color. We are free today - No Chinese internment camps, no holocaust, no slavery, no native American eradication. We are free because Garrard says so, ...and because Obama is president - elect. Mary Mitchell joins me later for a conversation on racism and it's disappearance.

Do you feel limited because you're a woman? Karyn Pettigrew and Erika Gilchrist show us how women can exercise their power in career choices, education, and self-esteem. What do you want to accomplish?

Incumbent Congressman Bill Foster and challenger Jim Oberweis will present their views on GML Tuesday. The race for 14th district Representative proves to be a tight contest, with Foster's Tribune endorsement and Oberweis's solid reputation as a well-known businessman. On this race, flip a coin - Hastert resigned...and Foster won the special election / primary. It's the general election coming up and Oberweis is going to milk this one for all it's worth.

Thank God the feds broke this thing up...

The Associated Press reported that there was a plot to assassinate Sen. Barack Obama and to shoot or decapitate 102 Black people in Tennessee. Two Neo-Nazi Skinheads reportedly had plans to rob a gun store, target a Tennessee high school, shoot 88 Black people and decapitate 14 more. Supposedly, the numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the White supremicist community.

The year 2008 for some people is no different than 1858, 1868, 1915, or 1964. We live in a great country, but killing and devastation are the hobbies of the disturbed.

I will not tolerate Black women dying over poverty, broken health care, and racism. The Black female death rate is twice that of White women. The sad news is that Black women have a tougher time with breast cancer than other ethnic groups. The American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organizations do great work at raising money for the cure. But inadequate facilities and late diagnosis can plague the chances of a black woman beating breast cancer.

Read the Chicago Tribune article.

ProgressIllinois.com File Photo

I am fed up with Jon Burge and I have problems with the massive cover-up that has taken years to truly expose. The Chicago Tribune states, "Special prosecutors have alleged that former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge led the torture of criminal suspects for two decades, coercing dozens of confessions with fists, kicks, radiator burns, guns to the mouth, bags over the head and electric shock to the genitals." Jon Burge pleading the 5th Amendment, skating away into the margins of statute of limitations is bogus. On Garrard McClendon's trial, he's a criminal and I believe the testimonials of the tortured deserve to be heard once again. $20 million is a great settlement, but money and justice aren't synonymous.

"A special prosecutors' report paid for by Cook County and released in 2006 concluded that dozens of suspects had been tortured but that no one could be prosecuted because the statute of limitations had run out" reported Angela Rozas and Jeff Coen from the Chicago Tribune on June 11, 2008. If I'm a torture victim, throw away the statute of limitations!!!

The Criminal Irony of Jon Burge

AP 2008                                             American Judicature Society 2008

Hip-Hip - Hooray for Mayor Rudy Clay and Judge Arredondo!

Come on people! Voter fraud in Northwest Indiana has never occurred. The ACORN fiasco and the CNN welterweight fight between Mayors Rudy Clay and Tom McDermott, Jr., could make audiences skeptical of voter fraud - you know those votes did come in late.

However, (thanks to Mayor Rudy and Judge Arredondo) it looks like polling places are open in Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago. This takes the strain off of voters having to go to Crown Point for early voting. You can say what you want about Rudy Clay, but this time, he fought for the people's right to vote early and close to their homes.

Has Ebony Magazine dedicated too much coverage to the Obamas? They have put the Camelot couple on the cover several times which can be interpreted as newsworthy, political patronage, or smart art direction. The Obamas can sell magazines, especially in an internet content-driven reading environment.

I like Reverend Senator Meeks. He is tenacious, smart, politically savvy, articulate, cares for people, and knows his scripture. 

We invited him on the show to discuss his proposal to have CPS students stay away from CPS for the first day of school - and, instead, go to New Trier, a much wealthier district. Hopefully he will be a guest on the show in the near future.

What I want Meeks to explain is the reason for keeping children out of school for a day.

Granted, New Trier, Neuqua Valley, Naperville High School and many other academic fortresses outside of Chicago are doing extremely well. These schools have high enrollment, high test scores, high graduation rates, and scores of National Merit Finalists, Honor Society Members, and Ivy League prospects. Is it because they have a higher per pupil spending ratio?

Senator Meeks - what about Walter Payton, Whitney Young, Lane Tech, and Northside College Prep? Aren't these public schools? Magnets, yes. Public, yes. Are you blaming wealthy suburbs for their impressive schools? If $750,000 homes can raise more tax money, shouldn't they have better schools? What is Rev. Senator Meeks' proposal for the Illinois funding formula?

Chicago, Winnetka, and Northfield, do you agree or disagree with Senator Meeks' proposal?  

Remember the movie "Face Off" with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? Magnetic boots on a lock-down. I think we need those...clearly a humane technology for offender control.

Well it seems that the mansion at 26th and California needs those boots because the Cook County Jail has failed to do the following:

"Protect prisoners from being harmed by inmates and staff, and

Provide adequate medical, mental health, fire prevention, and sanitation.

In March 2007, The jail had 35 inmate fights with 46 weapons being confiscated," according to Mike Robinson at the AP.

Stay out of trouble and stay your but out of Cook County Jail. The terrible living conditions are worse than the incarceration. Call the show tonight and join the discussion. 630-575-TALK.

The political world is abuzz over the comments made by Jesse Jackson towards Barack Obama.

You can see what I think in the video below.  What do you think? Post your comments below. 

Imagine a world where every missing child gets equal media coverage. Sorry to say, it doesn't happen. If you are considered attractive, white, or middle to upper class...you will probably get a headline, an elaborate search team, neighborhood look-out, and media coverage on several television stations.

But if you are considered less attractive, lower class, from the wrong neighborhood, or Black or Hispanic... you won't see a search team, or media coverage outside of a day.

I don't want to believe this, but there is a reason why I know the names of Lisa Stebic, Natalee Holloway, and Stacy Peterson. These missing persons have been on television almost every day. And they should be; they're human beings, They have websites. They have TV cameras all in the neighborhood.

Yasmin Acree, Kenneth Sanders, Lovace Simmons, Nathaniel Holt aren't household names...I had to go to the Chicago Police Department's Missing Persons page to find them. I don't have their names memorized and neither do you - because there is no coverage about them.

So it goes, the nightly news is a respecter of persons. Those considered attractive and middle class - COVERAGE. Those with no money and darker skin...eh, the back of a milk carton will do. 

Post a comment.

Kudos to Mary Mitchell for keeping all of us aware.

This is a photo of Yasmin Acree.