Hoodies are in vogue

Trayvon Martin has become the new fashion icon for the hoodie. He was shot dead in the chest, and some have said that he would not be six feet under if he hadn't been wearing a hoodie.

A hoodie is only a sweatshirt with a hood on it! The newest technology fad is HoodieBuddies which comes with a standard headphone jack in the front pocket that plugs into an mp3 player, iPod, iPhone, or other mobile device.

Bill Cosby also likes to wear hoodies and wore one while speaking to a parenting initiative audience at Frederick Douglass High School in metro Atlanta in 2004. Although this photo is a little fuzzy, does Cosby look suspicious? (Photo by Tomi Johnson)


Here is another hoodied man. (Geraldo Rivera, October 2011- Public Photo by Erica Levy Rivera, Dasgravyboat)

What do you think he will be wearing when he meets his maker?


Send us your favorite hoodie photos.

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

The Shaqster strolls through Lenox Mall in ATL

Shaq poses with Georgia Tech basketball players Shayla Bivins and Jasmine Blain at Lenox Mall in Atlanta, Ga.

You're liable to see anyone, including celebrities, strolling through Lenox Mall in Atlanta, Ga. I've seen Steven Spielberg and wife in Neiman Marcus, Redman outside the Adidas store, and now Shaquille O'Neal outside Aldo. Let the truth be told!

Shaq loves his fans and had no problem signing autographs and posing for pictures, although it must get old.  Oh, the life of the rich and famous! He lumbered down the aisles at the upscale shopping center like he didn't have a care in the world.

O'Neal is 7 ft 1 inch tall and seems slim and trim since weighing in at 325 pounds, making him one of the the heaviest players in NBA history. He retired after a 19-year career and now calls Atlanta home.

 
One unidentified woman even asked Shaq to autograph a receipt!

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Urban League weighs in on Trayvon Martin and State of Black America

In light of the recent Trayvon Martin shooting, Central Florida Urban League (CFUL) president and chief executive officer Allie L. Braswell, Jr. is calling for swift action to bring about an immediate, transparent resolution.

"This is an unfortunate and especially tragic incident given that a youth's life was lost. A private citizen taking law enforcement into his own hands is not and cannot be condoned. Our society cannot allow this return to vigilantism to have any inference of support from our elected or law enforcement officials," Braswell said.

At a community meeting of concerned citizens earlier this week, demands for a thorough investigation were made by leaders.

"If it is found that a crime has been committed, the shooter must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Braswell says. "In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' Loss of life without a thorough investigation is inadequate. We request that the state attorney, Florida law enforcement and the Department of Justice take immediate action."

Earlier this month the National Urban League released its annual report on the State of Black America.  The report is entitled: Occupy the Vote to Educate, Employ, and Empower. To read the full report, go to http://www.iamempowered.com/node/23900.

In Trayvon Martin case, what was the responsibility of the prosecuting attorney?

A prosecuting attorney works directly with a jurisdiction's district attorney and reviews ALL evidence against a party. With the help of police, the prosecuting attorney builds a case. This attorney is typically in charge of bringing criminal charges against a person and presenting evidence to a court to assure a conviction.

In the Trayvon Martin case, it took the prosecuting attorney less than 24 hours to receive all evidence used to make the decision not to arrest Zimmerman. Although Zimmerman was detained, he was not technically arrested, although the lead investigator recommended he be charged with homicide.

The evidence gleaned by the prosecuting attorney in this case did not include Zimmerman receiving a drug test, a search warrant being issued to get more details into what Zimmerman could have been "thinking" when he pursued Martin, cell phone records from Martin's cell phone, an affidavit from Martin's girlfriend who was talking to him moments before he was killed, or all eyewitness testimony. In other words, Zimmerman's non-arrest was based on the prosecuting attorney's belief that Zimmerman was telling the truth and was shielded by self defense and "Stand your ground" laws.

The investigation is not being undertaken by Florida State Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Justice Department Attorney Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General. In many instances, it is the purpose of the Justice Department to defend the actions made by local authorities.

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Zimmerman videotape shows no injury

ABC News has acquired a videotape of George Zimmerman at the police station and an affidavit from lead investigator concerning what he felt was a homicide. Read more or watch the video at http://abcnews.go.com/WN/trayvon-martin-case-exclusive-surveillance-video-george-zimmerman/t/story?id=16022897

Activism response from Bro Malcolm

Note: One online follower emailed the following message in response to my post concerning the NAACP and activism of civil rights organizations surrounding the Trayvon Martin case. I have highlighted certain points of interest.

You said it!

 

We need our own tools to build our own future because as Jesse pointed out, "We're at war," and this is something I've known for many years now. And I say that based on my experience growing up in the negro/Black/African Amer. community in Pasadena, Calif. (L.A. county), during the 60's & 70's at a time when job opportunities were scarce to none & alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, marijuana & A. dust were prevalent and the supply of one or the other was within walking distance from wherever you lived.

Photo: My nephew, Doug Smith, II, eating Skittles

When the crack epidemic grew out of hand throughout the 80's in 1988, I had a spiritual awakening that revealed to me that our people are not just the victims of a alcohol/drug infiltrated environment, but the true reality is we've been & some cases still are victimized by what can be deemed as "chemical warfare." So, yes I concur with Jesse's comment to that effect, which is why I've seriously disapproved of the reckless conduct exemplified by Oprah, P. Diddy, Tyler Perry, Jay-Z, Magic Johnson, Denzel Washington etc, etc. in terms of how they "invest" when it's us that have always been & still are their #1 fans/supporters! For instance, as a truck driver I've been to many of Magic Johnson's 50% owned Starbucks he "had" scattered throughout southern Calif. & I don't want to elaborate on who I detected to be 90% of the employees pursuant to most of the ones I visited from 2006 to 2010.. (SMH)

My same nephew years later wearing a hoodie.  

With regards to young people walking out of their classes, I believe it sends a very credible message to the system & I strongly recommend that they stay on course with that, because isn't it a failed education system that got us where we are today? Isn't it a failed education/ “system” that cost Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, James Anderson & Sgt. Manual Loggins, etc, etc, etc. their lives? Think about it.. In other words, what is the system teaching "children," that's going to have a strong impact on their future in terms of  "how they view and respect others that are ethnically different?" Or are they teaching our children in terms of working towards or even imagining their "independence?"

Are they teaching them that Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Solomon Bros, Lehman Bros, Wall Street, etc & this entire US economy was built from the enslavement of their ancestors? Is the US education system teaching them the truth about how the Greeks acquired their understanding of theology from what they learned from the Egyptians? Are they teaching them the truth as to how climate is the sole factor that determines whether a human being has pale colored skin or dark brown colored skin? Are they teaching them that 95% of the people of African descent in Cuba, the Caribbean, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, the US & Haiti were forced to this part of the world during the same era known as the "Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade" & violence and death was the primary weapons used to enslave them? Are they teaching children of African descent that their ancestors paid tax dollars from the beginning of the tax idea to 1970 & during that time-frame this system created or expanded civil service jobs, such as the fire dept, police dept, dept. of water and power, post office etc & because of the "skin color" of their ancestors they were totally barred from being employed in "any" civil service position, but yet their tax dollars were used to pay the salaries and retirement for those civil service/government employees? 

The answer is NO because the education system is just as "ethnic biased or skin color based" today as it was in the 50's and it will remain that way well into the future because it has worked to the "system's" advantage. And the ideology is why fix or change something, that will reconfigure your power base.

Until we establish a vertical structure that's specific to our needs as an "ethnic group," that's seemingly being targeted from every imaginable direction in this part of the globe, nothing will change. I live in Calif. where we're only 6.8% of a populace of 30 + mill @ 40% white, 37% Mexican 13% asian and I can assure you the "new deal" is not at all in our corner...

Most have no feelings, whatsoever for how Trayvon was brutally murdered and the fact that his killer wasn't arrested & still allowed to retain the murder weapon.. The "new deal" isn't feeling that... This "new deal" doesn't have the level of intelligence to know that whenever you migrate to another country you automatically bare the burden of that country's history.. So what am I saying? And I'm certain that many of us will say "I know some whites, Mexicans & asians and they're good caring people!" OK, but what about the ones you don't know??? What I'm saying is the last time I checked the USA was a democratic country, meaning that the "majority rules" and what millions of us are apparently missing, is that the majority of whites in this country don't have any compassion whatsoever for the condition that we're in!

The majority of Mexicans do not give a hoot about our condition! The majority of asians do not care diddly squat about us! And for those of us who can't see that, you're  looking but you're not seeing! Those of us whom believe otherwise, something is wrong with how you’re perceiving reality! So you ask what's my point? My point is, based on the configuration of this multicultural, rainbow-ism, cesspool of hell madness we're in the mist of our future, as a people is at risk today & the future of our children will be at a greater risk, based on the design of this "capitalistic system" that's telling us loudly that it has a "new deal" and people of African descent are expendable, because I control all of the resources! We don't need you anymore! And what makes it even "uglier" is their message is being sent to us with the first Black president in office! How ugly is that??!!  

We should be aware now, that it's always been a #'s game, which is why they've always been trigger happy towards taking us out or locking us up. In some sense we can view our situation as being; "locked in, locked out & locked up." That said, in my solemn view we'll continue to lose until we embrace ourselves on every level for our survival & to make positive gains that solidify our future for total "independence." Aren't we tired of being hit over & over again with "ugly uncivilized behavior?" Trayvon Martin's case & the way it's being handled is almost as "ugly" as it gets! The "ugliness" towards us is here to stay because it's being taught to the youth at this very moment & we all know, what the youth are taught today will be manifested tomorrow. We're being controlled today by adults carrying out the lies they were taught yesterday...

Lastly, if I had the resources, helping my people become "independent" would be my 2nd priority. We need to all get in-tune with Dr. Claud Anderson's Powernomics & Inappropriate Behavior lectures etc. which are on YouTube... It's also important for us to tell our children that the resources used to propel 2/3rds of this world's economy is being extracted from southwest, central, southeast & southern Africa which is another reason why they'd like us to disappear... Now, if you think their level of "greed over need isn't ‘ugly’ think again…” 

Bro Malcolm

Kwaheri...

How does Reagan's " War on Drugs" affect Trayvon Martin case

It has been reported that Trayvon Martin was in Sanford because he was suspended from his Miami high school, because marijuana residue was found in his book bag. If not for that, Trayvon would have been in school, although he was shot on Sunday night.  It was first reported that he had been suspended because of excessive tardiness.

Once in the "system", it's hard to get out. That is the main reason black kids don't succeed in school: not because they are not smart and can't perform academic work, but because they won't bend to authority at every level. Even Barack Obama admitted to doing drugs while a student.

This still doesn't eliminate the fact that Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman.

What does political activism get you in 2012?

AAMU's mascot is the Bulldog - image from 1969 yearbook cover

My friend, the late Robert Gerald Joyner, was a student at Alabama A&M University (AAMU) in Normal in the early 1970's when he decided to join a protest march against racial injustice in downtown Huntsville. The university president told students not to participate. Joyner decided to march. As a consequence, he was kicked out of school.

The same scenario of protest with drastic consequences is playing itself out in 2012 at the same institution. Now AAMU has turned on Brandon Brown, a senior with four credit hours left to complete his degree. 

While some are racing to remove the hoods off their hoodies in the Rocket City, Dr. Charles E. Cannon, Vice President of the Alabama A&M University Alumni Association, Inc. reports that Brown is facing retaliation tactics from university officials who happen to be black.

"Dr. Andrew Hugine and his administration have declared war against one of the students that helped to gather signatures from fellow students earlier this year which led to SGA President Foster declaring a 'No Confidence' vote in his leadership at the institution," Cannon said in an email. 

Student Brandon Brown (r) with AAMU's 1st Lady Hugine at 2010 event

"On Friday, March 9, student Brandon Brown received an email from the registrar informing him that by orders of the vice president of student affairs he had been administratively withdrawn from his classes spring 2012. No reason was provided," Cannon continued. Brown was later accused of not paying his room fees.

"What I have shared with you is a blatant case of retaliation by Dr. Hugine and his administration...We send our students to A&M assuming that they are going to be nurtured academically and protected.  Dr. Hugine and his administration are playing hardball with this student - jerking him out of his classes in the middle of a semester."

It is unclear whether Brown owes the institution money and if he does, whether he will be allowed to pay the bill and finish his coursework. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, graduation of black and minority males should be a national priority.

Cannon is encouraging alumni and other interested parties to voice their disapproval by calling Dr. Andrew Hugine (256-372-5000) and Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (334-242-7100 & 334-353-0004 - fax),  the Alabama Attorney General's Office and Alabama legislators.

Emblem from 1957 yearbook when A&M was still a college

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU), is a public, land-grant HBSU founded in 1875. The institution's motto is "Service is Sovereignty."

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Health of Black or African American non-Hispanic Population

CDC 2010 Report

• White (38%) and Asian (36%) persons were more likely than black persons (28%) to be in excellent health.
• The percentage of persons in excellent health increased with increased levels of education and family income.
• College graduates (39%) were more than twice as likely as persons who had not graduated from high school (16%) to be in excellent health.
• Persons with family incomes of $100,000 or more (49%) were almost twice as likely as those with family incomes of less than $35,000 (26%) to be in excellent health.

Kaiser Family Foundation 2006 Report

The high rates of death, incarceration, and unemployment, and relatively low levels of college graduation rates among African American men ages 15-29 concerns their family and affects the nation's economy. By documenting the extent of the problem and by examining the factors associate with the lives of young African American men who avoid problems and lead successful lives, policymakers will be better equipped to develop and implement solutions.

NIH 2003 Report

An African American male has a 1 in 29 chance of being murdered, compared to rates for Black females (1 in 132), White males (1 in 179) and White females (1 in 495). 

Message to NAACP President Ben Jealous

Dear Ben,

I have been receiving your organization's emails since the Troy Davis case. Now you are requesting me to sign a petition to Florida State Attorney Angela Corey telling her my views surrounding the Trayvon Martin case. I wonder is this the best way to approach the issue of injustice in America.

I cried after all hope was gone, when Davis' delayed execution played out as Georgia State troopers had time to line their police cruisers up so they could show their power in front of the state penitentiary while Davis lay strapped to a gurney with needles stuck in his arm. The visual affects of this on my mind and in my heart were devastating as is the thought of Trayvon receiving a bullet wound to the chest that must have killed him on impact.

I have been writing about both cases on my blog and also urging folks to apply to be on their local Citizens' Police Academy to voice their opinions about justice and learn more about public safety. The issue is violence and a nonchalant attitude towards black genocide.

Marching and petitioning makes us feel better because at least we are doing something, but what will be the outcome? Rallying for Trayvon may have the same outcome as it did for Troy Davis - nothing was done.

How can I as a concerned citizen help with the issues of unemployment, justice, and health care from a proactive, non-reactionary viewpoint? Our people are suffering. Things are getting worse instead of better, and like Jesse Jackson said, we're at war in a battle that appears we can't win because we don't have the right equipment.

The powers that be don't care about what we're feeling and deem us suspicious, emotional, reactionary, poor, drugged out beings. This Martin case is a diversion created to get our minds off unemployment, gas prices, and inadequate health care.

Instead of our students marching in hoodies, they need to stay in school and get those degrees so they can start businesses and pay those student loans. We need to march online and stay off the streets where we will become targets and our pictures and words will be noted by law enforcement.

In my opinion, going about change in the same fashion will lead to the same results, and justice will not be accomplished. Please come up with some new ways by which we can fight and win.

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Join your local Citizens' Police Academy now!

Informational seminars on public safety are held in communities across the nation, and some are also headed by the FBI. George Zimmerman applied to such an organization before he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in Stanford, Fla.

In Cobb County, Ga., I talked to Rene Cameron (770-499-4100) who takes applications for the program. She said the Spring session of the program was cancelled because only six people applied, and they needed twelve participants.

"It's a 13-week class that goes into every aspect of public safety," Cameron said. She said the present application may change before the August class begins and presently is nine pages long. You must be a Cobb resident over 21 years of age or a Cobb County employee in order to attend.

Lieutenant Jonathan Durant of the Atlanta Police Department said their Citizen's Academy starts April 18 and is a seven week program held on Wednesday nights between 6 -9 p.m. (right when some folks are attending Bible study at church!)  He will email you an application if you contact him at the Training Academy by calling 404-209-5250. Metro Atlanta residents are given preference, however, if not enough participants, others may apply. The application includes a consent form for a criminal background check.

The mission of the training is to "educate the citizens of Atlanta with the operation of their police department while obtaining valuable feedback from the citizens to enhance police/community relations."

Be proactive! Apply to join the Citizen's Academy. George Zimmerman did!

FYI: I called the media number for the Sanford Police Department (407-364-7335) and emailed them to get verification that Zimmerman was enrolled in the program. I got a message back from Shirley, Joint Information Ctr., that all the information related to the case is on the Sanford Police Department website. The answer to the question was not easily recognizable. https://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=sanford+florida+police+department&oq=sanford+f&aq=0p&aqi=p-p1g-z1g2&aql=&gs_l=hp.1.0.35i39j0i3j0l2.195l5538l0l8994l17l10l4l3l3l0l135l955l7j3l17l0.frgbld.&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=cc15dadee3a28017&biw=1280&bih=683

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

What is on Zimmerman's reading shelves and computer searches?

If I were the FBI, I would be looking in George Zimmerman's personal library to see if the Turner Diaries or any other such books are there. Since Zimmerman has not been arrested for the death of Trayvon Martin and no search warrant has been issued, how can a thorough investigation into the mind of the murderer be fully attained? While the investigation is proceeding, Zimmerman has time to destroy evidence, especially on his computer or cellphone...Arrest and properly investigate the murder of Trayvon Martin now!

How does U.S. Department of Justice handle hate crimes?

In 1997, President William Bill Jefferson Clinton declared, "Starting today, every United States Attorney in our country will establish or expand working groups to develop enforcement practices, and educate the public about hate crimes. This national hate crimes network will marshal the resources of Federal, state and local enforcement, community groups, educators, and anti-violence advocates, to give us another powerful tool in the struggle against hate crimes."

Perhaps President Obama should get involved in having Zimmerman arrested just as French Prsident Sarkozy has gotten involved in the manhunt for a killer of Jews in France.

Since it has been reported that the Justice Department has sent its Customer Relations Service (CRS) to Stanford, Fl. to meet with the community and civil rights activist protesting the murder of Trayvon Martin, we decided to take a look at this organization, how it defines hate crimes, and what it has done in the face of hate crimes.

According to its website (http://www.justice.gov/crs/pubs/htecrm.htm), CRS  is a specialized Federal conciliation service available to State and local officials to help resolve and prevent racial and ethnic conflict, violence and civil disorders. Note again, it is set up to help local governments, not people in the community. As with all investigations, these types of organizations help "defend" police department actions when they come under scrutiny by members of the community.

CRS defines a hate crime as "violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability."

In the past, the CRS has become involved in school and business  issues as well as murders and church burnings. 

Perhaps the most notorious hate crime in recent history was the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas in 1998. Byrd was an  African American male murdered by three white men who were all tried and convicted. One was executed by lethal injection, one  received a life sentence in prison, and one is still on death row.

According to 2008 FBI statistics, of 16,272 crimes of murder and non-negligent manslaughter committed, only 7 were deemed hate crimes. The Southern Poverty Law Center, however, counted 1,018 active hate groups in the United States in 2011.

Hate group map: Southern Poverty Law Center 

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Is Trayvon Martin case worse than Emmett Till case?

Picture of Emmett Till taken by his mother, Mammie Till Bradley, on Christmas Day 1954

At least in 1955, someone was arrested less than a month after the murder of Emmett Till. George Zimmerman is still free, has moved out of his home, and may be a flight risk. Does the local police department know where Zimmerman is, or will he be able to get away and avoid prosecution before the grand jury convenes on April 10?

What does the police know about this case that has not been revealed to the public? Is this just a coverup for a botched investigation that didn't even include a drug test being performed on Zimmerman before he was let go?

Since the Justice Department is involved, how many federal dollars will be spent to finance the investigation, and how much time is being devoted to this murder which has taken the focus away from unemployment, the economy, and the price of gas? Another distraction, another race card pulled.

Picture of Trayvon Martin supplied by his mother,  Sybrina Fulton

And suppose you pass Zimmerman on the street or in the supermarket and recognize him. Do not say anything to him because he just may take offense and shoot you in the head. That's what loose cannons do.

Arrest George Zimmerman NOW!

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Breaking news: Ear witness comes forward in Trayvon Martin case

CNN is reporting that a girl who was talking to Trayvon Martin on the phone seconds before he was shot has given an affidavit to investigators. According to the report, Trayvon told the girl a man was after him and that he was hit while talking to her.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, hired by Martin's family, urged the police to arrest Zimmerman who was dangerous but "walking around free like a jaybird while Trayvon is lying in his grave." Crump said Trayvon's girlfriend was traumatized by the situation.

A grand jury will convene on April 10, and the Justice Department is now investigating the case which may be deemed a hate crime.

More news to come.

Trayvon Martin was running from danger, standing his ground when shot

After hearing the first release of the 911 tapes concerning George Zimmerman shooting Trayvon Martin, I believe that the police have been releasing a little information at a time so that those listening will not get too upset.

Although that has not worked, the initial release suggests that Zimmerman was stalking someone he felt was "real suspicious" and out of place. Wanting to be a hero, he followed (stalked) Martin although the police had discouraged it. Of course, Zimmerman would not have ignored police if he felt he was endangered. He felt thoroughly secure because he was packing a deadly firearm. Only when Martin viewed himself threatened did a scuffle break out, and unfortunately Zimmerman was the only one with a peacemaker.

Zimmerman took the law into his own hands. He was not arrested or given a drug test by police. He was able to state that he felt Trayvon looked drugged, but couldn't tell what he was holding in his hand. He stated that Trayvon looked, "up to no good."

To listen to the 911 tapes, go to: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/GRAPHIC-Trayvon-Martin-911-calls-released/-/1637132/9450044/-/6m827cz/-/index.html.

From listening to the tapes released to the public, certain portions, Zimmerman's phone number and the address of another caller, have been edited out. It is unknown what other information has been edited from the tapes. One source reported that Zimmerman called Martin a "coon" during the 911 call. The word "assholes" is bleeped from the tape, and Zimmerman also says, "...BLEEP is running."

Trayvon could have been running because he was afraid of a man watching him from a pickup truck, proving that he felt himself in danger. Zimmerman does not sound afraid on the tape, but rather he disobeys the police and appears to be winded while running after Martin.

According to Wikipedia, the "Stand Your Ground" law "governs U.S. federal case law in which self-defense is asserted against a charge of criminal homicide. The Supreme Court ruled in Beard v. U.S. (1895) that a man who was "where he had the right to be" when he came under attack and "...did not provoke the assault, and had at the time reasonable grounds to believe, and in good faith believed, that the deceased intended to take his life, or do him great bodily harm...was not obliged to retreat, nor to consider whether he could safely retreat, but was entitled to stand his ground."

Martin is the one who was threatened by a person older, heavier, and better armed. Zimmerman is a neighborhood watchman who was probably well versed in the "Stand your ground" law, and in my opinion, Martin probably had not heard of it. According to ABC News, the neighborhood Watch group was not supposed to carry weapons.

In the dark, Zimmerman accused Martin of acting wrong and under the influence of drugs. After police told Zimmerman not to follow Martin, Zimmerman appears to have had every intention of going after Martin himself (vigilante justice) because when the officer asked him where he was going to meet officers at the scene, he told them to call him instead of saying he would meet them at the mailboxes or in one location.

Martin was wrongly judged, and Zimmerman was let go, without arrest. This case reminds me of a time when black men could be lynched for questioning a white man, whistling at a white woman, or for looking a white man in the eye, and our form of justice let all the perpetrators off the hook. Trayvon Martin had just celebrated his 17th birthday the month he met Zimmerman who is Hispanic. This life episode resembles nightmarish scenes of slaves being hunted through the swamps by masters with coon dogs and shotguns.

Yes, an investigation should be made and the international community should be outraged by this questionable law and senseless death. With the law in his other pocket, Zimmerman pulled out a firearm and silenced Martin while no other witnesses could intervene. We need to be more than just sad about this one and demand justice for Martin and future unarmed, innocent sidewalk walkers who happen to be young, black, and unarmed.

We need to also closely look at the law. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0776/Sections/0776.013.html

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Why Clooney and his posse should protest unemployment in U.S. next

While actor George Clooney, MLK, III, and other high profile civil rights folks were being arrested in D.C. for protesting injustice in Sudan, I was attending a job networking session in metro Atlanta facilitated by an unemployed lawyer who also holds advanced, human resources management credentials. Many highly qualified and skilled, unemployed and underemployed people are attending similar seminars and are trying to keep hope alive despite the fact that their job prospects are bleak. Twenty million people living in U.S. "employment transition hell" are in crisis and perhaps need to protest at local career centers which receive federal funds for putting people back to work. Instead of offering "retraining" to laid off workers for non-existent jobs, career centers should be focusing on stopping corporate HR departments from using insensitive doorkeepers and resume bots to weed people out of work opportunities. We have got to get real: --The unemployment rate is not 8.3 percent; it's actually 20 percent (according to "You're fired!" Donald Trump) and higher in some communities and ethnic groups. --Although 90% of jobs are not posted, for every one job, there may be 500 applicants. HR departments are actually spending more time handling the process of turning people down than hiring workers. --Obtaining additional skills, certifications, and certificates help institutions of learning financially more than job seekers. --Companies want to maximize profits while hiring the least amount of people. --Corporate profits are more important than human resources. --Some companies don't hire people because they don't fit the company "brand". --Some insurance companies deem some potential employees high risks which equates to no job offers being made by some companies. --Discriminatory HR practices are rampant but seldom challenged. --Certified HR professionals are trained to weed people out. --Starting a new career for some is virtually impossible because of age, psychological baggage, prior convictions, and skill in discerning truth. --Pre-employment exams to determine a person's character and integrity are being increasingly used instead of meeting applicants face to face or checking their references. --Getting a new job is a waiting game, and prospective employers don't like to be hassled. It often takes six weeks or more for a new hire to get through the employment process after an initial application is made. The average person only has two weeks worth of savings in the bank. So what must be done: PROTEST, DEMAND CHANGE, AND PRAY.  ©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

Daily challenges we face

This is from the late Pope John Paul II's
STARTING AFRESH FROM CHRIST: A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO CONSECRATED LIFE IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM

"It is not possible to remain indifferent to the prospect of an ecological crisis which is making vast areas of our planet inhabitable and hostile to humanity. The rich countries are consuming resources at a rate which cannot sustain the equilibrium of the system, thus causing poor countries to become even poorer. Nor can one forget the problems of peace so often threatened by the spectre of catastrophic wars. 

 

"Greed, the craving of pleasure, the idolatry of power, the triple concupiscence which marks history and is also at the root of present evils can only be overcome if the Gospel values of poverty, chastity and service are rediscovered. Consecrated persons must know how to proclaim, with their lives and with their words, the beauty of poverty of spirit and of chastity of heart which free one for service to brothers and sisters and of obedience which gives longevity to the fruits of charity."

To read more, go to: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20020614_ripartire-da-cristo_en.html#INTRODUCTION

 

Goldman Sachs executive's resignation letter speaks to greed vs prosperity

It's amazing that yesterday I began reading the book "Power and Restraint" which defines domestic prosperity as being measured by industrial output, commodity prices, bond and share values, and corporate profits. In order for corporate profits to remain high, does that mean the moral compasses of bankers have to spin out of control?


It appears from Greg Smith's letter of resignation from Goldman Sachs that greed is the motivating force behind some Wall Street firms. I wrote about Goldman Sachs previously in an article - nuns charging them with impropriety (http://wingcomwatchdog.blogspot.com/search?q=nuns) almost a year ago, so if sisters are accusing them, what more can I say!

Greed is a deadly sin defined by Wikipedia as "an excessive desire to possess wealth, goods, or abstract things of value with the intention to keep it for one's self...a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power."

How do prosperity and greed become the downfall of people, companies and nations? People are compelled to do what they want to do, and if there is no morality, fear of God, or punishment, the devil takes charge!

I'm sure the courageous and possibly hounded Mr. Smith will have many critics, however, the opposite of greed is charity and although GS is in the business of making money, it appears that some at the company serve the former sin instead of the latter virtue.

And Smith resigned one day after a new pr guy was hired, which means Jake Seiwert, who is another Wall Street insider, will probably not tell the truth either and we will continue to be in the dark when it comes to what is happening in Goldman Sachs' morality room. When you keep doing the same corrupt things and promoting the same corrupt sort of people, you will get the same corrupt results.  

I checked the Goldman Sachs career website, and there are no openings for Morality Counselor posted. Why not hire someone like me with a fresh view to come in and HELP Goldman Sachs with its image? IMAGE IS EVERYTHING! My resume can be found on LinkedIn. My moral compass is fixed, and I have proof that I passed the ethics portion of the PMI exam with 100%.

God, please keep me in your care.

©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

What happened in a Florida gated community?

Martin was killed by a 9 mm admittedly fired by Zimmerman.

Community activist are up in the air, trying to figure out why an armed neighborhood bully has not been arrested for the murder of a youth carrying Skittles on his way home to watch the NBA All Stars game.

Trayvon Martin was gunned down by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman is claiming self defense.

We are going back in time. Perhaps 17 year old Trayvon Martin was "threatening" because he was a hoodie-clad black man walking around with snacks. What gave George Zimmerman the right to kill Trayvon? If he gets away with this, it will be just another example of genocide against blacks in America and will prove that no one is safe from hateful vigilantes, whether they are patrolling inner city streets or gated communities.

I must say, I'm truly concerned about this one because Trayvon could have been any young man walking down the street...it could have been any child killed this week in Iraq by a trained soldier from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat team. Stop the violence! 

Should religious leaders be speaking out against this senseless death? Not only should the Florida Attorney General get involved, but call Eric Holder on this one. Call the director of Kony 2012 and the Pope. This is a moral issue. What does this say about violence in our land and our world?

Should we comply with Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law or Jesus Christ's "Turn the Other Cheek"?

Unfortunately, when you train people to kill, you get trained killers who can aim the gun at anyone. We MUST become a country which is truly PRO-LIFE by loving and protecting lives already present on planet Earth.

Photo of handgun: Grand Power Slovakia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 1.0 Generic license.
 ©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

KONY 2012 YouTube video powerful; April 20 will be day of action

Update: We are waiting for a response from an email written to Invisible Children Inc: "We are hoping that this is not just another project using poor African children to raise money or to become famous. We are often inundated by organizations made up of Caucasian do-gooders who often are profiting by the millions from 'humanitarian' projects in Africa. I am reminded of King Leopold 'helping' the Congolese people while he was stealing their rubber and other natural resources.

"Can you please answer the following: How will donations be spent?   How much money has been raised? How much did it cost to make and market the film?"

Previous post:

I saw KONY 2012 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc) being reviewed on the Today Show this morning and decided to take 30 minutes of my time with two cups of coffee to see what over 27 million others were watching. It sparked my interest because it displayed a murderous, Idi Amin-like renegade who murders and rapes at whim.

The main villain of the documentary, Ugandan leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony, is being sought out for crimes against humanity. The film is directed by Invisible Children Inc. filmmaker Jason Russell. The project began in 2003, the film was released in 2006, but it went viral on the Internet earlier this week, proving the power of images on YouTube.

The timing speaks to the problem of continuing to allow horrible atrocities to occur because the world community is not paying attention and stepping up to end violence against children. It also makes me ponder why we can spend energy on capturing, trying, and killing Troy Davis while Joseph Kony is on the loose.

First minutes: As soon as the Internet film begins, I know this is not an amateur project. Riveting from the first few seconds, it tells a story of sorrow but hope, of innocence but ungodliness, of suffering but preserving determination. It crosses income brackets, race, and borders.  Now, let me continue watching...

22 minutes in: Kony is sought by U.S. military advisers authorized by President Barack Obama, and the Get Kony 2012 campaign has begun with the action mission of individuals to contact celebrities, policymakers, and millionaires through social media. Goal - blanket the night on April 20, 2012.  This will be a people of the world protectionism event.

NOTE: Of persons on the list of the International Criminal Court who have been indicted for counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and contempt of Court, seven are from Sudan, six each are from Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, five are from Uganda, two are from Libya, and one is from Cote d'Ivoire. It has been noted that no one knows the whereabouts of Kony at this time.
©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

What to believe...are we being deceived?

The knowledge of good and evil is a powerful tool that biblical scholars and earthly world powers may not want us to possess. 

As a multimedia journalist, I pride myself on relating the truth to my readers. Two revelations, however, have made me question the "truth" that is being promulgated by traditional media.

My husband and I make it a point everyday to watch two national news broadcasts - the NBC Evening News and ABC Evening News. On one particular night, our young adult children were over. After watching one newscast, they commented on our need to watch the next one. "They are both the same news," my son said.  And guess what? He was right!

The major media sources in the U.S. are the Associated Press and Reuters. The major newspaper is USA Today, and the major Internet news is Google News. I think these news sources give us a very narrow view of what is going on in our world and a convoluted analysis of trends, events, and decisions being made on our behalf.

We should also be cognizant of alternative media outlets, like the ones listed at  http://www.afairerworld.org/_Communications/alternativemedia.html

Then comes the idea of the Bilderberg Group and the people who are actually privy to information kept in secret from the majority of the world's population. This group meets in secret and invites members of the mainstream media who promise not to report on the agenda or events. What the??? This is only one group of individuals who are meeting to decide how our lives will be led, arranged, and mastered. Without knowledge, we will all perish.

According to Fromthetrenchesworldreport.com, the major world players who attended Bilderberg 2011 were:

• Alexander, Keith B., Commander, USCYBERCOM; Director, National Security Agency
• Altman, Roger C., Chairman, Evercore Partners Inc.
• Bezos, Jeff, Founder and CEO, Amazon.com
• Collins, Timothy C., CEO, Ripplewood Holdings, LLC
• Feldstein, Martin S., George F. Baker Professor of Economics, Harvard University
• Hoffman, Reid, Co-founder and Executive Chairman, LinkedIn
• Hughes, Chris R., Co-founder, Facebook
• Jacobs, Kenneth M., Chairman & CEO, Lazard
• Johnson, James A., Vice Chairman, Perseus, LLC
• Jordan, Jr., Vernon E., Senior Managing Director, Lazard Frères & Co. LLC
• Keane, John M., Senior Partner, SCP Partners; General, US Army, Retired
• Kissinger, Henry A., Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc.
• Kleinfeld, Klaus, Chairman and CEO, Alcoa
• Kravis, Henry R., Co-Chairman and co-CEO, Kohlberg Kravis, Roberts & Co.
• Kravis, Marie-Josée, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, Inc.
• Li, Cheng, Senior Fellow and Director of Research, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution
• Mundie, Craig J., Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Microsoft Corporation
• Orszag, Peter R., Vice Chairman, Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
• Perle, Richard N., Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
• Rockefeller, David, Former Chairman, Chase Manhattan Bank
• Rose, Charlie, Executive Editor and Anchor, Charlie Rose
• Rubin, Robert E., Co-Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Secretary of the Treasury
• Schmidt, Eric, Executive Chairman, Google Inc.
• Steinberg, James B., Deputy Secretary of State
• Thiel, Peter A., President, Clarium Capital Management, LLC
• Varney, Christine A., Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust
• Vaupel, James W., Founding Director, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
• Warsh, Kevin, Former Governor, Federal Reserve Board
• Wolfensohn, James D., Chairman, Wolfensohn & Company, LLC”

Those who unofficially attended were former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. This list of powerful people are engaged in technology, economics, banking, business, government, military and media. Human/civil rights, health care, and religious leaders are absent from the list. Some say these leaders may lack moral centers, but just because one is rich and powerful does not negate the fact that they fear God. Instead of being afraid of the Bilderbergs, maybe we can learn and teach from member's examples.

This leads me to ask, "What should I know to survive?" I fear that there is more to "know" than just biblical prophecies, and I am truly ignorant if this is the case. We all must seek to be more than entertained and prayed over while powers that be and the eugenics movement press our existence.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

The major question is, when knowledge is provided, how will we act on it to save ourselves and those we love?

Photo and article ©2012 Tomi Johnson. All rights reserved.

MLK, III sends message against Georgia SB 469

The following message has been forwarded to civil rights activists around the country.

"Extremist lawmakers in Georgia's legislature are pushing a bill designed to intimidate those who would engage in protest activities, such as picketing or sit-ins. This is an effort to silence protesters who are standing up for economic justice.

"My father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., died fighting for economic justice. Before his assassination in 1968, one of the ways he supported striking sanitation workers in Memphis was by joining them on the picket line.

"It's shocking to me that 44 years after my father's death, extremist legislators are still trying to silence peaceful protesters. My father would not back down from opposing this bill, and we cannot either.

"That's why I created a petition to the Georgia House and Senate and Governor Nathan Deal on SignOn.org, which says:

We urge all Georgia lawmakers to oppose SB 469. This bill restricts the free speech rights of Georgians.

It burdens small businesses by forcing them to issue additional notices to their employees, and it puts extra strain on our already-stretched public safety forces. We need lawmakers to focus on real solutions to our jobs crisis, not push bills that take away our basic free speech rights. Again, please vote NO on SB 469."

–Martin Luther King III

The Georgia General Assembly website has the following summary of SB 469 -Labor; provide provisions prohibiting mass picketing shall apply to certain private residences:

"A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor organizations and labor relations, so as to provide that certain provisions prohibiting mass picketing shall apply to certain private residences; to provide for an action to enjoin unlawful mass picketing; to provide for punishment and penalties; to provide for injunctive relief; to provide for public policy concerning refusal or decision to withdraw from a labor union or employee organization; to amend Code Section 16-7-21, relating to criminal trespass, so as to provide for both criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy; to provide for punishment and fines; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes."

Cropped/flipped photo: originally posted to Flickr.com, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 15:36, 22 January 2009 (UTC) by Nesnad (talk). On that date it was licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

BREAKING NEWS: Blogger Andrew Breitbart, who accused Shirley Sherrod of racism, dies

Controversial Andrew Breitbart, who launched a smear campaign against USDA employee Shirley Sherrod which led to her resignation, died today at the age of 43.

Sherrod, who was invited to return to the USDA in a civil rights role, was suing Breitbart for defamation of character.

Breitbart is survived by his wife, Susannah Bean, and four children.