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Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

If the Founding Fathers Jumped Off a Bridge…

05 Sep

What up, folks!

Lots of stuff going on in the past few weeks**. My apologies for the lack of updates, but I’m finally out of my writing shell. Today’s topic:

I’m getting kinda tired of all things politics, particularly how often any side appeals to the founding fathers as “endorsing” their ideas. Dems and Reps are equally at fault, each claiming “the founding fathers intended this or that” on virtually any issue.

Let some of them talk long enough and you’ll start hearing some really off the wall stuff: “the founding fathers wanted me to have my internet connection” or “the founding fathers would have really enjoyed that new Justin Bieber album.” It’s such a weird way to have discourse…how can you refer to what the founders “want” in the present without them being here.

Beyond that, why should we care what they think? They certainly had some good ideas about government, and their system has eventually worked out pretty well. But by no means were these infallible folks. Everyone always cites their (general) favor of slavery and all things “keep women in their place”‘ville, as reasons to doubt their near-worship, but it’s more than that. These people were people, and as such, they should be treated as (you guessed it…) people.

I’ve yet to meet a perfect person. I take everyone (including myself) with a grain of salt, as a being capable of good and bad decisionmaking…but certainly not someone who has a feel for how events will play out several hundred years in the future. So yea…all sentences starting with “The founding fathers would have wanted…” should end with “…umm, I don’t know because it’s hard to group people of varying opinions into such monolithic opinion blocks, let alone imagine how dead people would think.”

**(graduate school has started and is taking up a lot of time. This isn’t a bad thing, though. I’m slowly getting accustomed to being a Terp. All my classes in the School of Public Policy have been great  ((keep those compliments in mind as you grade me, web savvy professors who have found this site)). That said, UMBC is still in my heart. As far as undergraduate experiences go, I couldn’t have had a better time. They prepared me well, and I miss the school mucho.)

 
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Posted in Politics, Random Thoughts

 

Spooning in a garden of pillows

22 Aug
  • First up, big thanks to those who made it our (Ndelible’s) performances at Liv and Jazz Under the Stars. Both were amazing shows where we met some great folk. Hope to have videos/photos up soon.
  • True Blood is entirely too addictive. This is problematic because…
  • School starts soon. I’m liking UMD’s School of Public Policy thus far (sans the random and unanticipated fees). It feels a little weird to be a Terp after four years of UMBC’ing. On a music note…
  • Kem and Esperanza Spalding both released purchase-worthy new albums last week. Spalding’s newest work is a lot different from her last album…it’s more strings-centered than her 2008 effort, but I like it nontheless. And Kem’s CD is dope as well. He’s one of the few singers I know who can say something like “don’t you want to spoon… in a garden of pillows,” and get away with it. lol.
  • Switching tracks a bit…I don’t understand this uproar over the planned NY mosque. Sensitivity concerns are legitimate, but we weren’t attacked in 2001 by Islam as a whole. We were hit by a radical contingent. That’s like saying no more churches should be built in Oklahoma because Timothy McVeigh once described himself as Catholic. Distortions of faith (and avoidance of their primary tenets) are no more representative of Islam than they are of Christianity. Besides, there’s already a mosque near the memorial.

…

Dahwell, enough random thoughts for the day. Hope everybody’s well. The Ndelible mixtape shall soon be upon you. Foe free!

 
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Posted in Joe's Music News, Politics, Random Thoughts

 

So, I Guess I’m Racist…

15 Jul

It’s been hard to ignore the Lebron James saga that culminated in “The Decision” last week. It’s a story with plenty of legs, the most recent of which has “the voice for all black people” Jesse Jackson declaring that Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cavs and writer of an angry rant about James, is a racist with a “slave-owner mentality.”

Evidently I have one too.

This has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve heard from the man the media seems to think speaks for all of us (newsflash, he doesn’t. Black people are segmented and of varying opinions, just like any other race). How can you compare slavery with somebody’s who’s worth more than we’ll ever imagine?

Gilbert called James “narcissistic” and “cowardly,” among other things.

…and I gotta agree. I mean to surround yourself with children and stage a one-hour “event” that spits in the face of your hometown…that takes a lot of balls. I mean really? Kids? Are they supposed to tug at our hearts? Make us feel empathy for you? This isn’t a “We Are the World” special. It’s basketball.

I don’t argue with James’s right to head to Miami. I’m looking forward to seeing (how quickly the Heat’s arrogance culminates in a karma-induced injury) how they compete with the rest of the league. But come on man…there’s no doubt James is a beast who’ll be in the Hall of Fame. He’ll just forever be marked as the dude who broke the hearts of a city for attention.

That’s like me jumping on my radio station of choice (NPR son! I would say WKYS or something, but there’s too many songs about false wealth and bling. NPR’s bling content ratio isn’t that high), and telling a girlfriend: “Umm, so this has been a really hard decision for me. And I’ve thought this over, asking everybody (especially my mama) for their opinion. It hurts me to say this, but I’m dumping you and moving on to hotter girl X. Mama agrees, you’re not that hot.” Discretion man…and the lack thereof.

That completes my rant for the day. And now, to practice…

Speaking of which, the Ndelible mixtape is in the final stages! Free musical goodies in preparation for the second album shall soon be here.

 
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Posted in Politics, Sports

 

RIP Dorothy Height

21 Apr

I’m a bit late, but I wanted to post NPR’s remembrance of the icon that was Dorothy Height. I know a lot of folk think we live in a post-racial society…that may or not be true, but wherever we are, we owe a lot of the progress to folks like Dorothy Height. It’s so easy to forget that our rights were bought with blood, tears, and toil. This is a great review of her life from NPR. RIP.

 
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Posted in Politics, Random Thoughts, Uncategorized

 

The Snow Enduced Blog…

30 Jan

As snow rains down in Bmore (can snow rain down?), and all my plans for the day get cancelled, I’ve decided to do a quick write-up. Stream of conscious thoughts in 3, 2, 1….

  • Ndelible had a great show at Towson University the other day. I love that band. We really are a fam
  • The great Walter Beasley has been kind enough to invite me to play with him at the Birchmere again. Playing with Walt is always a pleasure. He’s a great teacher (to any aspiring saxophonists out there, he does lessons online via Skype). The show is February 6th. Tickets are available via ticketmaster for just under $40. Hope to see some of ya’ll there.
  • Snow has lost every bit of allure it used to have.
  • This may be my favorite UMBC semester. Most of my classes are electives this time around. Really looking forward to Jazz History, Civil Rights, Intro to Newswriting, and Art of the Essay. Oh…and Physical Fitness
  • Obama
  • I continue to be impressed by our President. I don’t agree with him in everything, but I appreciate the way he runs his administration…the fairness he seems to bring to the table. This morning I’ve been watching his meeting with Republican lawmakers in Bmore yesterday. The video is below. There was a little bit of partisan bickering, but the majority of it was substantive debate. It can seem boring at times, but this is how politics needs to be run. I’m tired of 30 second commercial snippets (on both sides).

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Posted in Joe's Music News, Politics

 

God Made Me Do It…

14 Jan

So earlier today I read an article on my favorite politician, Sarah Palin. She really is a bastion for all things intelligent. And she’s so…gosh darn American! I’m sure she bleeds red, white, and blue. Anybody that bleeds otherwise is a terrorist.

Anywho, the AP/WashPost article was interesting, if scary. Its main point?  Sarah Palin thought she was doing God’s will by running in the 2008 election. Hmm…

How do you even try to reason with someone who says all their decisions come straight from Above? They easily label anyone who questions them as being anti-God, pro-Satan, and hell-worthy. It doesn’t make any sense to me. No matter how much I may disagree with Republican (or Democratic) proposals, I try to look at each suggestion with a grain of salt…realizing that I’m a fallible human that can be informed by others. There’s nothing wrong with hearing other people challenge your views. But if you think you’re on a mission from God, there’s not really any room for debate. We have the same problem with folks of the Pat Robertson ilk, who claims that Haiti deserved the earthquake because they “signed a pact with the devil.” Who made you the God authority? And more importantly: How can everybody claim to be God’s ambassador but have differing views? There’s gotta be a better way to have political dialogue…

In music news (as this is a music site), I’m gonna be playing with Walter Beasley at the Birchmere on February 6th. Tickets are available via ticketmaster for just under $40. Hope to see some of ya’ll there. More info on the show as it gets closer.

w/ Walter Beasley at Blues Alley

Performing at UMBC. Photo credits--The Retriever Weekly

 
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Posted in Joe's Music News, Politics, Random Thoughts

 

Semester is done!!!!!

23 Dec

Hello good folk.

I write this with an abundant joy…for I am finally home and done with this semester of school. 6 weeks of break! It’s been a long and arduous semester. But it’s done…

Winter plans mixed in with some random thoughts.

  • There’s some big stuff coming up with Ndelible. More info as we get closer, but for now I’ll say that we’re gonna be playing for DC’s Grammy Panel!! Boosted…
  • Gonna hopefully be doing some research on social services in PG County with the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute.
  • Also starting to write for my third album…taking my time with this baby.
  • Health care reform looks like it’s fitting to pass. I’m tired of this partisan bickering. Be constructive or I lose respect for you…goes for Dems and Reps.
  • The Redskins disgust me. From the owner down, we are some trash…I can’t even combat any of the hate I get from the various Ravens, Giants, etc fans out there.
  • James Baldwin is such a dope writer. Reading “No Name in the Street” now.
  • Maxwell’s BlackSummersNight is still being played incessantly…that joint has made it on to my favorite albums list. The rest of that list is basically Stevie Wonder
  • God is a good fellow. Despite my failings. Gotta keep remembering that.

Tis all for now…trying not to be a bad blog admin. Hope all’s well with everybody. Congrats to all the UMBC folk who graduated today! Vic, Booky Book, Gerard, etc…many props to you good folk.

Gonna try to leave out each post w/ a vid-yo.

The man, himself…Herbie Hancock doing Cantaloupe Island. Marcus Miller on bass!!

 
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Posted in Joe's Music News, Politics, Random Thoughts

 

As I…

17 Sep

…read yet another story about the birther/”you lie”/Obama=the socialist anti-Christ movement, I think it’s finally become real to me. People really, really dislike this dude…to the point of hate. The rhetoric being spewed isn’t of the conventional political backbiting nature, which although nasty, doesn’t generally get to such ridiculous points of fury. Even Walker Texas Ranger has his panties in an uproar.

I just wish our political conversation was more informed and substantive. The issues being battled over are going to be ones our generation (and our posterity) struggle with for years to come. To this end, emphasis should be on the specifics of policy. But it’s not–there’s a tremendous focus on malice coming from the right (not saying Dems are perfect either, but they’re not driving this hate-filled nonsense).

I’m also not suggesting everybody who disagrees with him is racist…shoot, I disagree with him on some stuff. But when that disagreement is enhanced by hate…there becomes a problem. This is a hatred beyond conventional “I think politician X is a lying, conniving, whatever whatever.” This is about life and death, about people actually carrying guns to these lunatic driven rallies. Obama is in very real danger, and personally I had forgotten that as I’ve been immersed in this news blitz. I think this blog is just a reminder to keep him in your prayers. Whether you agree w/ his policy or not, the guy is your president. Disagree with him on substance? Cool. Disagree with him off the bat because you can’t stomach a black guy leading your nation? That’s an issue. In other words, Glen Beck sit down.

Now that I’m done ranting, I should probably say something music-related…as this is a music page. Ummmm…oh. New CD is in the works. Really preliminary stages, but I’m starting to write…taking my time with this joint. School’s going well, too. Thanks to all who ask.

 
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Sunday’s Concert is CANCELLED!!!

11 Sep

I apologize, but Sunday’s event at the Golden Dragon Restaurant has been CANCELLED. There have been some problems with the venue (which is going through some renovations). I know a lot of people were looking forward to coming. Please spread the word around to anyone you know who might have planned on attending.


I will be playing with Ndelible tonight, though. We’re at the People’s Community Baptist Church in Silver Spring, MD. Think we go on around 8pm.

In other news, I wanna throw a shoe at Senator Joe Wilson’s ignorant behind. As I said in my previous post, I’m slow to call everything racism…but let’s be real: this has a taint of something particularly pungent with it. Presidents in the past may have been disagreed with, but they were never treated with such outright disdain in as public a forum as a joint address to Congress. No matter your views on his policies (and I have beef with a few too), he’s still your President. Treat him like it.
Tis all for now…

Study time…blargh.

 
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Posted in Joe's Music News, Politics

 

Fighting the good fight?

19 Jul

For those of you haven’t heard, the wonderfully insightful Pat Buchanan was let out of his cage again. This time to spew hatred on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who is likely going to be the first Hispanic ever allowed on the court. The video is below, but Pat’s main point is that white men are the new underclass. He seems to think they’ve been exceptionally discriminated against, that the country was built on the backs of white people, other races didn’t fight in the civil war, and other nonsense. He’s clearly high on something.

That said, I wanted to quickly blog on him, trying my best to understand his frame of mind. I actually think his visceral hate has two (understandable?) causes…

  • The country always known as a mosaic containing different faiths, colors, and beliefs is actually becoming it. One day soon there will be more minorities than whites. Group think necessitates that he feel a bit threatened by this development. Honestly, though, his fears can be allayed…I’m pretty sure depressing statistics like this aren’t drastically changing soon.
  • Now, his other point is a bit more complex. I’ve struggled with the concept of affirmative action for a minute. It’s a particularly charged issue, especially for me. Honestly, I love and hate the concept. As a (potential) direct recipient of the initiative, I wonder if my existence in college is owed to it. On the other hand, I hope that my grades would have been high enough to make it where I wanted regardless of color. I hate the idea of being given a hand out, or a leg up…I feel like there’s a perceived weakness, no matter how I try to qualify it. So that’s the hate side…On the other hand, I love it because I realize without affirmative action the country would have had little impetus to advance women or minorities to positions of power. My grandfather would likely not have been admitted to college, just off the basis of prejudice…no matter how high his scores were. That in turn would have meant different life opportunities for his children, and through them, me. So in short, I hope the need for it completely disappears one day. Gift and a curse…

What do you good people think? Affirmative action. Good or bad? Somewhere in between?

Enjoy my good friend Pat in the interim…try not to throw anything at your laptop. Oh, and just so there’s something music related on my music blog, I should say yet again…Maxwell’s album is CD of the year for me (so far). Tis all. Hope everybody’s well.

 
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Posted in Politics