connecting*the*dots

Codename: Greenkil: Part 2 Escalation - pg 101 (emphasis mine)

“The pathology of the white ghetto� is what southern philosopher Reverend Will Campbell calls it (the culture from which the contemporary Klan is drawn). It is the same kind of antisocial behavior so prevalent in black ghettos. It is born of poverty and powerlessness, of humiliation and hopelessness. For many, the Klan and its ilk represent the only way a poor white person can say “I am somebody,� the only way he or she can escape emotionally from the economic and social wasteland of the American society. For a while, in the robes or security uniforms, they can be part of an organization that carries an aura of mystery and danger and strength.

It is a sad commentary that idealistic liberals and leftists can easily understand how socioeconomic factors produce street gangs and thugs in the black ghetto, but fail to recognize the same phenomenon among poor whites who join the Klan. To liberals, blacks are oppressed and exploited; the whites are hate-filled and despicable. No one in his right mind would consider daring a Chicago street gang to “come out from under your rocks and face the wrath of the people.� Yet that is precisely the challenge the WVO issued to the Klan in mid-October.�

I read Codename: Greenkil after participating in a discussion on Ed Cone’s blog a few weeks back, where I felt a bit uninformed regarding the full context surrounding the events of 11/3/79. The first 100 pages were chock full of solid information regarding the background and motivation of participants on both sides of the conflict.

Unfortunately, page 101 proved to be the end of objective research, and the beginning of a pointed perspective.

I’m participating in the Technology and Social Activism workshop at day 2 of Beyond Broadcast. The discussion is a bit broad — we’re throwing out various technological approaches to furthering social activism. Yeah, I have no idea where that conversation begins and ends either.

The first solution introduced was SMS, which was deemed by the group as a great technology for early adopters to organize on the fly, but when it comes to the average person or an illiterate community on the other side of the digital divide, it’s non-effective. So we shifted gears and started talking about community-based switch boards as a example to connect people to people without relying on reading and writing, with the cost of entry as low as the cost of a pay phone call. It’s an interesting solution, especially within communities which organize and socialize within familiar real world spaces, such as churches, barbershops, pubs, etc.

We’re now discussing creating a site that presents an aggregate list of social activist’s technological solutions; pros, cons, insight, tips, workarounds, etc. Okay… it’s time to run upstairs to present our findings. I’m months away from launching the interface for The People, Yes (there’s much more grassroots organizing and networking to do beforehand), but I’m walking away with a few tactical ideas for spreading, encouraging and mobilizing community-based citizen media.

Oh my… Fitzmas does come twice a year!

truthout.org, Jason Leopold
Rove Informs White House He Will Be Indicted

Within the last week, Karl Rove told President Bush and Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, as well as a few other high level administration officials, that he will be indicted in the CIA leak case and will immediately resign his White House job when the special counsel publicly announces the charges against him, according to sources.

Details of Rove’s discussions with the president and Bolten have spread through the corridors of the White House where low-level staffers and senior officials were trying to determine how the indictment would impact an administration that has been mired in a number of high-profile political scandals for nearly a year, said a half-dozen White House aides and two senior officials who work at the Republican National Committee.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources confirmed Rove’s indictment is imminent. These individuals requested anonymity saying they were not authorized to speak publicly about Rove’s situation. A spokesman in the White House press office said they would not comment on “wildly speculative rumors.”

Rove’s attorney, Robert Luskin, did not return a call for comment Friday.

Rove’s announcement to President Bush and Bolten comes more than a month after he alerted the new chief of staff to a meeting his attorney had with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in which Fitzgerald told Luskin that his case against Rove would soon be coming to a close and that he was leaning toward charging Rove with perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators, according to sources close to the investigation.

A few weeks after he spoke with Fitzgerald, Luskin arranged for Rove to return to the grand jury for a fifth time to testify in hopes of fending off an indictment related to Rove’s role in the CIA leak, sources said.

That meeting was followed almost immediately by an announcement by newly-appointed White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten of changes in the responsibilities of some White House officials, including Rove, who was stripped of his policy duties and would no longer hold the title of deputy White House chief of staff.

The White House said Rove would focus on the November elections and his change in status in no way reflected his fifth appearance before the grand jury or the possibility of an indictment.

But since Rove testified two weeks ago, the White House has been coordinating a response to what is sure to be the biggest political scandal it has faced thus far: the loss of a key political operative who has been instrumental in shaping White House policy on a wide range of domestic issues.

[…]

Let’s recap the legacy of this Republican led government, shall we?

The People

• Karl Rove
• Lewis “Scooter” Libby
• Tom Delay
• Jack Abramoff
• Duke Cunningham
• Armstrong Williams
• Jeff Gannon

The Events

• Iraq War
• Hurricaine Katrina
• Darfur
• Illegal NSA wiretaps
• Illegal phone call data pattern anaysis
• Tax cuts for the rich

I know I’m missing some big ones. Feel free to add them in the comments.

Uncle Cliffy… couldn’t you have just waited a month or so?

Nets’ Robinson suspended for violating drug policy

Another violation of the NBA’s drug policy will prevent Clifford Robinson from playing in the remainder of the New Jersey Nets’ playoff series against the Miami Heat.

The league announced on Friday that the veteran forward has been suspended five games for violating the terms of the anti-drug program.

The suspension will begin Friday with Game Three of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Nets and Heat. The best-of-seven series is tied at one game apiece.

Robinson was suspended five games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy in February 2005 as a member of the Golden State Warriors. Later in the month, he was traded to the Nets for a pair of second-round picks.

Although he is 39, the 6-10 Robinson remains a solid post defender and still can score a bit.

The Nets need all the help they can get in the interior against the Heat, who have Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning in the middle and Udonis Haslem at power forward.

In New Jersey’s eight playoff games, Robinson averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 24.8 minutes. He was shooting just 33 percent from the field (13-of-39), including 6-of-19 from 3-point range.

The absence of Robinson should mean more minutes for shooting forward Lamond Murray and power forward John Thomas off the bench.

Robinson started 13 of 80 games this season and averaged 6.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23.3 minutes. He shot 43 percent from the field, including 34 percent from the arc.

In his 17-year NBA career, Robinson has played in 1,330 games and averaged more than 14 points and four rebounds. He won the Sixth Man Award in 1993, was an All-Star in 1994 and a member of the All-Defensive Second Team in 2000 and 2002.

photo by driki

Minnesota Public Radio
Bill Buzenberg, Sr. Vice-President of News

Public Insight Journalism
Created a database of listeners — Audience Insight Repository — who are willing to give both personal and expertise information. Based on this understanding of who their users are, they can send out requests for specific insight from specific areas of expertise. Now their reporters are smarter, more thorough and deeply connected.

My question: Do they link back to their new found sources? (I followed up with Bill afterwards; he said that some participants would rather be anonymous, while others are given credit over the airwaves. He thought that the idea of linking out to individuals from the website’s transcript or off-shoot article of the broadcast is an idea worth exploring. In leu of a micropayment model for citizen journalism, I think it’s the least structured media can do — expose the source of knowledge, build community and truly work together.)

Terry Heaton, Donata Communication
“You’ll find your next business model within the distruption of this new media, not in the safety of the old.”

Personal Media Over Mass Media

• Media is unbundled at the point of origin and rebundled at the point of consumption.
• Mediated people make their own media.

David Liroff, WGBH Vice President and CTO
“The new rules haven’t been written yet.”

“A global consciousness; all of our institutions, governments, organized life, thrives on the idea that geographical distance prevents interpersonal communication.”

“We’re not going to broadcast our ways out of this one.”

My brother’s documentary, Greensboro’s Child, will be screened at The Scene on South Elm, directly following the release of the TRC report on May 25th and again on May 26th. Free copies of the TRC final report will be made available to ticket-holders ($3).

This marks the first time the film will be shown in Greensboro since the film was released in 2002.

For more information and complete show times, please visit the official web site. Link love is appreciated.

Artist: Johnny Cash
Song: I Don’t Know Where I’m Bound

==========

I don’t know where I’m bound
I don’t know where I’m bound
Whistles calling me away
leaving at the break of day and
I don’t know where I’m bound

Can’t stand locks, bars or doors
mean cops insanity and wars
Gotta find a place of peace
Till then much travellin’ on seas
but I don’t know where I’m bound

There’s gotta be a place for me
under some green growing tree
clear cool water running by
an unfettered view of the sky
but I don’t know where I’m bound

When I die don’t bury me
cause then I must be free
cremate my body with a grin
throw my ashes to the wind
cause I don’t know where I’m bound

I don’t know where I’m bound
I don’t know where I’m bound
Whistles calling me away
leaving at the break of day and
I don’t know where I’m bound

Got myself a little gall
she has been a damn right pall
that ol’ highway’s calling me
and free I gotta be but
I don’t know where I’m bound

You gotta love a net neutrality PSA produced with machinima.

(via Tara)

Check it out. Man… heh… #1 is ridiculous!

Figures are power-washed out of the muck that builds up beneath our feet in order to raise awareness of power plant pollution in Chicago.

(via blakkbyrd)

Last September, I happened upon Michal Levy’s brilliant computer animation of the Coltrane classic, Giant Steps. After reading John Amato’s latest musical post on John Coltrane, I figured John and his audience would dig it. Thanks for the h/t, John.

Now, if you’re truly a political head, yet only a casual a fan of jazz, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point you over to the life work of Charles Mingus. The man lived life on the edge, spoke from the heart and translated his political perspective into complex compositions and straightforward lyrics that would make even the most polished, political pundit take notes.

Check out this quote from a review of the Mingus Big Band release of Blues & Politics:

…Mingus’ song titles are also fascinating because they are so suggestive — how does the Haitian revolution or the rise and decline of man (”Pithecanthropus Erectus“) sound? The titles make you think and pay attention to the music as it is played — this is what Mingus desired most as a performer. Throughout his career he sought a conscientious audience working with him to bring meaning to the music. Reprinted within the liner notes of Blues & Politics is Mingus’ untitled prose poem about pledging allegiance to the American flag as well as the lyrics to “Oh Lord, Don’t Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me”, “Don’t Let It Happen Here”, and “Freedom”. These pieces reflect Mingus’ concern with justice for all Americans across racial lines…

Pure genius.