[Sosfbay-discuss] FW: Hip Hop Activist Accepts VP Bid for McKinney's Green Party Bid

Wed Jul 9 21:50:03 PDT 2008

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [GPCA-MediaComm] Hip Hop Activist Accepts VP Bid for McKinney's
Green Party Bid
From:    "Hank Chapot" <hchapot at igc.org>
Date:    Wed, July 9, 2008 16:11
To:      "gpca forum" <cal-forum at cagreens.org>
         "GPCA Media comm comm" <gpca-mediawg at marla.cagreens.org>
Cc:      "Hank Chapot" <hchapot at igc.org>
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http://www.thuglifearmy.com/news/?id=4427

Hip Hop Activist Accepts VP Bid for McKinney's Green Party Bid
7/9/2008 11:59:05 AM by Davey D

Rosa Clemente accepting a bid to run as VP on Cynthia McKinney's Green
Party ticket is big news. In fact its great news. First Rosa is no
joke. This Bronx born-Puerto Rican-African sista is sharp on the
issues and uncompromising on the principals she stands for. She stands
tall and fights fiercely for the communities and people she has long
represented. She is more than qualified.

The other thing that is equally important is that Rosa gives voice to
a variety of issues impacting the community that have been
increasingly put on the back burner during this election season. many
of us have waited eagerly for important issues like the prison
industrial complex, media justice, gentrification, a just immigration
policy, police brutality (i.e Sean Bell), war crimes and impeachment
proceedings being levied on those in high office responsible and the
Palestinian perspective in the Middle East to be addressed. With each
passing day they seem to be tossed under the bus with the conventional
wisdom being middle of the road white voters from small towns need to
be appeased. Hence important issues like the aforementioned keep
getting sacrificed.

The other day, a prominent TV News commentator made a highly
offensive, arrogant remark when addressing the recent shift to the
right by Democratic nominee Barack Obama. He was talking about how
those who see themselves as progressive and grassroots and played
significant roles in the success of the Obama campaign, were feeling
disenchanted and had gone so far as to stage a financial protest by
withholding campaign donations until Obama reversed himself.

The pundit was asked if this will hurt Obama, he said it would not.
Obama can afford to sacrifice those issues because that group of
people have nowhere else to go. In other words they (we) can be taken
for granted. That is never a good way to go into a campaign. See the
way things work is like that. We start off making the sacrifice as our
candidate goes for these so called middle of the road white rural
voters. The game plan is once he/she gets in office he/she will start
addressing our issues.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that as soon as they get into
office they have to continue making sacrifices to make sure the party
gets people re-elected in Congress and the Senate. We saw this with
Bill Clinton. In his attempt to get folks re-elected he led the charge
dismantling welfare, building up more prisons and of course shuttling
in media consolidation. Wanna know how Fox News and crazed racist
right wing talk show hosts came into power? Look at the media policies
of Bill Clinton. All this happened when we were all being told to hush
up and let him do these things to help make sure the house and senate
are won by Democrats.

Well this is what happened. The house and Senate were not won by
democrats. All that sacrificing to appeal to white middle of the road
rural voters didn't do a damn thing except lay the foundation for
problems we are dealing with today. When I see Obama who I've
supported cave in on FISA, give a luke warm response to Sean Bell,
support faith based Initiatives, do an about face on campaign reform
and 'refine' his position on the war, I start having flashbacks to
Bill Clinton. When will the sacrifices stop?

Hell lets look back to 2006 when the Democrats took over the house and
senate. The victories was a mandate from voters to immediately end the
war and start impeachment proceedings against George Bush for lying
about our reasons for going to War. Well as we know that never
happened. Progressives and grassroots people were told to pipe down
and sacrifice because we needed to make sure the white house was taken
back and hence impeachment and ending the war was not feasible if we
wanted to make that happen. The sacrifices never stop.

Whether McKinney and Clemente stand a snowball's chance in winning is
not the issue as much as it is making sure large bodies of people go
on record to say there are important issues that need to be addressed.

Instead of appealing to fickle middle of the road voters who more
often than not don't even support us, how about going after the 30-40%
of the people who don't vote? How about really being a candidate of
change and figuring out innovative ways to appeal to them. Trying to
out Bush Bush and his croonies has never ever worked. So right on Rosa
Clemente. we wish you luck and we can count on you to ALWAYS speak
truth to power and not cave in.

Lastly Clemente, reps a trend of young Hip Hop generation folks making
big moves.

First we have BET correspondent Jeff Johnson possibly being the next
commentator on the Tom Joyner morning show.

He may be the voice to replace Tavis Smiley.

Next we have Dr Lamont Hill getting a permanent spot on the Fox News
Team where he is frequent talking head. Hill is by no means a right
winger and he always hold it down. He most recently shut down Bill
O'Reilly during an on air debate.

In Brooklyn's 10th congressional district, longtime Hip Hop activist
Kevin Powell has a really good shot at unseating a 26 year incumbent.

So good are Kevin's chances is that the democratic machine that has
long backed this Congressman Ed Towns has all but abandoned him. Kev
is the man with the momentum.

In Atlanta Hip Hop generation head 31 year old Rev. Markel Hutchins is
mounting a serious challenge to iconic civil rights figure John Lewis.

In a recent debate, Lewis was ano show which did not bode well with
people in his district who are beginning to wonder if he's out of
touch. Most importantly, Hutchins campaign forced Lewis to stop
backing Hillary Clinton and get behind Obama. Hutchins called Lewis
out for being in opposition with 85% of the district.

Below is a recent speech Clemente gave at the media reform conference.

http://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=mmBrj1PRgkU

Hip Hop Activist Accepts VP Slot to Run w/ Cynthia McKinney

JULY 9th, 2008

Today Rosa A. Clemente released the following statement:

"I am honored and excited to accept this invitation to run with
Cynthia McKinney. Cynthia McKinney is a hero to me and many others
across this country and around the world for her courage in standing
up to George Bush while the Democratic Party establishment caved.

"This campaign is the opportunity the Hip-Hop generation has been
working for. This is our time to address the issues affecting our
communities – rising unemployment, the high cost of food and housing,
a lack of quality public education and access to higher education, the
prison-industrial complex, and unaccountable corporate media. These
issues are not being addressed by either the Republican or Democratic
nominee. "I choose to do this, not for me, but for my generation, my
community and my daughter. I don't see the Green Party as an
alternative; I see it as an imperative. I trust that my Vice
Presidential run will inspire all people, but especially young people
of color, to recognize that we have more then two choices. Together,
we can build the future we've been wanting."

Hip-hop artist M1 says, "I've never voted in the Presidential
election; I've never felt strongly enough about a candidate to.
Knowing that Rosa Clemente is down with Cynthia McKinney's run, I feel
that now is the greatest opportunity for the Hip-Hop community to put
our collective strength and power to the test and vote for someone who
represents who we are and what we stand for."

For more info visit:

www.rosaclemente.com

www.runcynthiarun.org
# SourceDavey D

Hank Chapot - Oakland CA
hchapot at igc.org
510.654.5311
http://hchapot.blogspot.com/
Cogito Ergo Green

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