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Good morning Tom, Sybil, and Jay.

Well Tom, last night, as we all know, the President gave his first State of the Union address.

And as with presidents before him, within the first few minutes, President Obama reported that, “The State of our union is strong.”

They all say that no matter what condition the country is in.

But, today, Tom, I’m not going to focus on whether the state of our union is strong.  Instead, I want to talk about what we mean by “our union.”

So, I’m going to take a step back and start with this rallying cry that conservatives have been using, and that many Scott Brown supporters echoed during his recent and successful Senate campaign in Massachusetts…

You’ve heard it, Sybil: “Let’s take OUR country back.”

It speaks volumes about the state of race relations here in 21^st Century America, in this so-called ‘post-racial’ nation…

“Let’s take OUR country back…

Take it back from whom…? …from the solid majority of voters of all colors and ages who democratically elected our current president…?

Or from that ‘uppity’ black man who has no right to run it in the first place…?

Hmm… could that be the unstated but clearly implied suggestion…?

Jay, did you see that movie about the founding of the CIA called The Good Shepherd…?

In one scene, the Joe Pesci character tells the Matt Damon character, “The Irish, they have the homeland.  The Jews, their traditions.  Even the ‘N-word’ (he said), they got their music.  What about you people, Mr. Carlson, what do you have?”

In response, Matt Damon’s character calmly says, “We have the United States of America… the rest of you are just visiting.”

Well, I believe this attitude is a big part of what’s driving a lot of the Tea Party crowds…

I also believe – unfortunately – that many of these folks who call themselves ‘patriots’ hope and even pray that our Union is not strong, especially given the color of its captain…

They have even said as much… Remember Rush Limbaugh’s famous quote about wanting Obama to fail?  Do you think FoxNews wants Obama to fail?

Couple those sentiments with Tea Party protesters openly depicting our President as a witch doctor, a non citizen and a Muslim terrorist and I’d say, yep Tom, what we all know well: we still have a race problem in this country and I think we have to find creative ways to help address it.

Now I can understand if folks are opposed to many of the policies our President is pursuing … after all, they certainly have the right to protest, although George W. Bush’s administration  –who many of them support—tried to undermine this basic right…

I certainly don’t agree with everything our President does; Nor have I agreed with EVERYTHING any president before him has done.

…likewise, I don’t agree with the policies of the new Massachusetts senator Scott Brown, but I still wish him well in his new position and pray he can rise above party politics to do what’s best for our country and its citizens…

…I can criticize him politically without attacking him personally or questioning his love for his country…

…and yes, if you caught it last week on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann did go too far in attacking Brown personally, just as many have done with President Obama…

Ya see, politics unfortunately is often a vehicle for our people to pursue their own biases, whether it’s a journalist on the Left personally attacking a republican politician, or a right-wing campaign focused more on the race of the country’s first black leader than any particular issue…

…and if you ask them why they are doing it, they’ll likely tell you it’s for ‘the love of their country…’

So what can we do to solve this complicated 21^st Century, Post-racial race problem we have on our hands?  For one thing, I think we need more conversations like the one you led with Chris Matthews last week, Tom.

Not just on TV but in communities across this country—to help us as a nation—Black, White, Brown – work through this issue – which continues to bedevil us. I challenge each and every one of you to continue this conversation in your communities.

You know, W.E.B. Dubois said “The problem of the 20^th Century is the problem of the color line.”

It’s now a 21^st Century problem and we need some 21^st Century solutions for dealing with it.

Until next time, this is Stephanie in Love and Hope.

admin Obama Obama, President, State of Union

The famous German philosopher Schopenhauer once wrote that “change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal.”

Less philosophical, but equally poignant, businessman Robert Gallagher, remarked that “change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.”

And so it was Tuesday here in Massachusetts.  Not since 1972 has a Republican won a U.S. Senate seat in the State – and he was a brother.  For nearly half a century my late boss, Senator Ted Kennedy held this seat.  On Tuesday night (as we know), a Republican won a resounding victory to fill the late senator’s unexpired term.

(And may I add that I am sure Senator Kennedy is turning over in his grave right about now!)

Now, I’ve listened with great interest to a lot of the commentators who have tried to explain what happened.

On one end of the political spectrum, the Republicans are claiming that this election was a referendum on President Obama, the Democratic Party, and its agenda.

On the other end, the Democrats are saying that the democratic candidate, Martha Coakley, simply ran a bad campaign.

The truth is that both are right. And both are wrong.  Here’s why.

To be sure, Martha Coakley ran a really bad campaign.  She had a 30 point lead and squandered it.  She assumed that by winning the Democratic primary, the generals would be a cake walk. She took a month off – chilling in the Caribbean.

Well, you know how that vacation ended … Sybil, she’s no Stella and she may NEVER get her groove back.

It would be a mistake, though, to blame everything on Coakley.  The interviews of Obama voters who switched to the Republican in this race were shocking.

They said they didn’t like what was going on in Washington, and they were voting to send a message.  Their words . . . Not mine.

But it would also be a mistake to think that the Obama revolution is over.  Things change very quickly in politics and 2012 is a lifetime away.  And there is a lot that the President and Democrats can do to turn the tide

All indicators show that most of the Independent votes went to Republican Scott Brown on two issues: Health Care and Jobs.

The Democrats will be wise NOT to ignore the loud message that one of the most liberal states in the country sent to Washington.

So First, let’s talk about Health Care.  No matter what you think substantively about the health care debate, many polls show that nearly 60% of the American public are against the current bill.

They feel, rightly or wrongly, that Washington is shoving its policies down the throat of Joe Public – much the same way that Democrats and Independents felt under President Bush.

Now, the Democrats may feel that their version of health care is so important, so necessary, and so imminently needed that they are going to do it no matter what large chunks of the public may think.

…well let’s just say to stand on principle is noble.  But, in politics it comes at a price – a price that the Democrats must be willing to bear.

And, we saw that price on Tuesday.

Now, on to jobs.  People vote their pocket books.  Right or wrong, this economy belongs to the President and the Democrats.  Just as the President won the election, in large part, due to Bush’s inept Shepparding of the economy, the Democrats will be voted out of office if the economy doesn’t turn around.

Record numbers of people are broke.  Record numbers of people are out of work.  The Democrats cannot continue to say, “it’s Bush’s fault” even though it may be.  People want jobs.  People want to feed their children.  People want to stay in their homes.

As James Carville famously said, “It’s the economy stupid.”

So my advice to the Dems is to focus, like a laser beam, on the economy.  If people have J-O-B’s, the party in power is rewarded.  If people do not have J-O-B’s, the party in power is in trouble.

Political stars rise and fall with the economy.  This is as constant in politics as the sun rising in the East (or as constant as Romo chocking in a playoff game – all in fun, Tom).

It’s all about the Benjamins, Jay . . . (sing) money money money…

Until Next Time, this is Stephanie in Love and Hope.

admin Democrat vs Republican Martha Coakley, Robert Gallagher

As you guys know, Last week my commentary focused on Haiti, and I want to begin by asking that we extend our love and support to the Haitian people as that country is recovering, yet again, from a natural disaster. Haiti’s tragedy comes right before Dr. Martin Luther King’s actual birthday, tomorrow January 15th, even though we celebrate the official holiday this Monday, the 19th…

Tom, I am so pleased that you’ll be in Haiti tomorrow, I know that we’ll all be listening.  We’ll also tune in on Monday as you host the MSNBC Townhall on Race.  I am soooo happy that you’re getting this important conversation started.…and I’ll be speaking this Monday morning to the MLK Support Group of South East Texas at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur Texas in celebration of the holiday…So if you’re in the area, stop in and see me… So, what would Dr. King say about all those suffering souls in Haiti?  First, he would encourage us to pray, pray, and pray even more.  Second, Dr. King might use this as an occasion for the country to re-examine its priorities.  Dr. King might remind us of the old metaphor used in macroeconomic theory: ‘Guns vs. Butter.’

We’ve all heard this in one form or another, but here’s how it works. The ‘Guns vs. Butter’ economic model teaches us about the relationship between investment in the military versus investment in goods and services to civilians. While it’s intended to be an over-simplification of national spending, the ‘Guns vs. Butter’ model teaches us that the more guns we buy, the less butter we have to feed the hungry. So countries have to make a choice.  Do we invest in guns, or do we invest in butter.

When catastrophic disasters occur, like the one in Haiti, the United States of America should be first in line to pour as many resources as needed to come to the aide of suffering people. But, as a country, we’re broke.   We’re broke because we are fighting two wars – still – with no real end in sight.  We’re broke because we have failed to invest in working class people, the backbone of our country.  We’re broke because we’ve chosen to buy guns, guns, and more guns, and little butter.  So, what would Dr. King say today?

Today, I think Dr. King would be rallying us on behalf of the poor and the disenfranchised, those hit hardest by our current economic hardship –disproportionately of color – who have lost homes, are struggling to feed children, or are lining the streets, the shelters and the soup kitchens of our country…

Today, Dr. King would be organizing on behalf of the uninsured and underinsured – disproportionately of color—who can’t afford much-needed prescriptions, who risk sharing medications with those unable to purchase them, or who are turned away from the emergency rooms in our country

Today, Dr. King would denounce America’s engagement in the international conflicts fought disproportionately by people of color in both Iraq AND Afghanistan, conflicts largely driven by corporate interests and a still-active military industrial complex…

Today, Dr. King would say that the country has a duty – indeed, a moral obligation – to provide relief to the thousands of families both here and in Haiti, who have lost people and who are affected by this earthquake.

Today, Dr. King would say that we should ‘study war no more’ and focus on people, suffering people, hungry people, displaced people, sick people, homeless people . . . .

…and today, here in 2010, as he did 50 years ago, I think Dr. King would be a fearless advocate and activist with his incredible brand of Love and Hope to inspire us — with the power of faith, the spirit of perseverance, and the fire of righteousness…

So today, as we celebrate King on what would be his 81st birthday, let us remember that his work is not done, and that Dr. King himself –in his soul-stirring voice– would remind us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Until next time, this is Stephanie in Love and Hope.



admin Haiti Haiti, Martin Luther King

Well a belated Happy New Year guys.
So did you… make any New Year’s resolutions…?
Well, if you did, try to hang in there… you’ve only got 348 days to go…
With all of the New Year’s celebrating going on this past week, I want to make sure we don’t miss a very significant anniversary in this first week of January…
Any idea?  Here are some hints:
Writer Alexander Dumas; General Toussaint L’Overture; iconic scholar and leader W.E.B. DuBois; founder of Chicago Jean Baptiste DuSable; Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean; and musician Wyclef Jean…
You guys figure it out yet…?
That’s right, all of these important people are either Haitian or Haitian American…
…and this week marks the 206th anniversary of the end of the massive slave rebellion known as the Haitian Revolution, the country’s declaration of independence, and its establishment as the world’s first Black republic…
..in fact, Haiti was the second country in the western hemisphere –the first being the United States – to win its independence from a European power…But unfortunately, since the revolution in 1804—over two centuries ago, this Caribbean nation off the coast of Cuba has had a pretty hard time…To maintain its independence, it was forced to indemnify France for the profits it loss from the slave trade – paying millions until 1947. As Huggie would say, can you believe that shiggity.  Haiti had to pay France because France lost money in the SLAVE trade once Haiti won its independence.…and to add insult to injury, Haitian refugees who –because of their dire situation back home— have risked death to reach the U.S. by raft or boat continue to be dealt with unfairly…

Groups of refugees or asylum seekers coming to the United States from other countries have commonly been granted Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, a designation protecting those who cannot safely return to their homelands because of armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extraordinary conditions…and Jay, Haiti clearly fits this description . . . and has for a long time now.  And, why do we think Haitians are treated differently from refugees from European countries?  . . . Any thoughts?
…the country is still reeling from four back-to-back hurricanes in 2008 that devastated this already impoverished nation to the tune of billions in damage…

Nonetheless, Haitian refugees are arrested and deported quicker than any other group; and the current legal status of as many as 35,000 refugees in Florida has been in limbo for the past year since the Obama administration has yet to make a Temporary Protected Status determination…

Let me be clear…whether you are for or against loose or strict immigration policies is a secondary matter… For whatever the policy is, or whatever our current administration determines it to be, it needs to be uniform and fair so that Haitians aren’t treated any differently than immigrants or refugees from other nations…
And if refugees from similarly situated nations are being given Temporary Protected Status, then the same should be applied to Haitians…
So to ensure fairness, we can call the Department of Homeland Security Comment Line –they handle TPS issues– at 202-282-8495 and urge them to halt deportations, grant TPS to Haitians in the United States and conduct a full review of administration policy towards Haiti…

If you’re unable to get through to Homeland Security, call the White House Comment line at 202-456-1111 We, as a country, must treat Haitian refugees as we do others.  Justice demands it.
Aristotle famously remarked, “moral excellence comes about as a result of habit.  We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.”

As a country, we have to exhibit moral excellence by insisting on a just policy for our Haitian brothers and sisters . . . by being temperate in understanding that many Haitians are trying to escape unspeakable poverty and shameful violence . . . and by bravely challenging our government’s discriminatory policies against Haitians seeking asylum.

Until next time, this is Stephanie in Love and Hope.

admin Haiti Haitian, Haitian American