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http://www.sfbayview.com/122105/vengeance122105.shtml
Crips and Bloods: Stanley Tookie Williams, vengeance or justice
by Robert
We saw a lot of biased reporting on Stanley Tookie Williams’ case. Mainstream press are busy parading their news blurbs about how “Tookie Williams founded the Crips” and how “he needs to pay not only for the crimes he allegedly committed, but for everything ever done by any Crip in history.” News organizations like CNN interviewed the grieving parents or relatives of victims of gang violence, and since they want someone to pay for their loss, they have Tookie in their crosshairs.
The hip-hop culture, grassroots organizers, rap artists, actors, politicians, religious leaders and now the “bangers” and “rydas” themselves are speaking out.
Last Friday evening, Dec. 10, I saw a report on BET about how some L.A. Blood members turned weapons over to a BET reporter for her to turn them into the police. The report showed the reporter turning the weapons over and the police saying they were glad to get the weapons off the street.
The guns did not appear to be the kind of weapons usually turned in during police sponsored gun turn-in programs – no rusty looking .25s or .38s. These looked to be powerful assault weapons – Mac 10s and higher caliber weaponry. The arsenal was impressive, and the gesture unequivocal.
We all know the Bloods and the Crips have always been rivals. In this show of “good faith,” the members of the Bloods told the BET reporter, “If they can do this to Tookie, they can do it to any of us.”
The gesture was one that shows peace is possible – even among gang members – and, more importantly, to ask California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to grant clemency for Stanley Tookie Williams. This story is important, but not mentioned anywhere – not even on BET’s web site. The Bloods’ gesture of peace is being overlooked or hidden.
The mainstream press put headlines out about how the community leaders in L.A. were asking for calm, afraid of violence when the governor’s decision came down, and about how prison guards were afraid of what was going to happen if clemency was not granted. All of this, just to make the point that the Crips put fear into the government.
Why are the other sides of this, especially BET’s Bloods story, not reported? Why is there not any mention of it anywhere – not even on BET’s web site? Instead of both sides of the story, we have reporters like CNN’s Nancy Grace acting like no matter what, Tookie is guilty of something, so let’s kill him. Whatever happened to “beyond a reasonable doubt”?
There is a big difference between justice and vengeance, and it seems many want to make the death of Tookie the answer to their desire for vengeance, not justice. Instead of being afraid and speculating on the “what-ifs,” all those concerned should’ve looked at the opportunity the continuation of Stanley Tookie Williams’ life afforded us all. This was not a game – this was a man’s life.
By Tuesday, the so-called news organizations had moved on to the next big headline. But the fate of Tookie Williams was known by then. These same news organizations were hoping for some sort of “social uprising” so they could further their ratings and twist and manipulate our view Stanley Tookie Williams, even though he was murdered by the government.
BET, run your report, post it on your website. That report is proof that there is hope if we all overlook our need for vengeance. It’s one that everyone needs to see. Stanley Tookie Williams was not a threat to anyone except those who deemed him as such for their own gain.
This story originally appeared at http://www.thuglifearmy.com/news/?id=2185 .
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This is an old article that I had wrote and was very wide spread when it was first published. Give me your thoughts on Malcolm and Pac.
Generations seem to always have a 'voice' that speaks for them.
In my fathers generations case it was Bro.Min. Malcolm X. Malcom X made white society uneasy. The words he spoke where full of truth, and a need for social change. That 'voice' of that generation was silenced on 2-21-65 at 3:10 p.m. in the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. That day 'The Prince of Harlem' was forced to leave this world, his family and a whole generation behind.
My generation had Tupac Shakur. Who spoke or rapped or wrote in poetry the truth about the status of the social problems and also preached a need for a social change. On Sat. Sept. 7th, 1996 at 11:15 pm Tupac Shakur was shot. Although he fought like a souljah for a week, those wounds took his life on Sept. 13th, 1996 at 4:03pm. Our generations 'voice' was silenced.
In generations past when one voice was stilled another rose up to carry on the work of the first. Bro. Min. Malcolm X had The Black Panthers to pick up the tourch and to continue to voice the ill's of the society and point out a need for change.
Today our voice is still not found or remains silent. When gangsta rap first came about, it was out of need. A need to point out the social failings and the cause or root of the problem.
Groups like NWA, Public Enemy, Ice T, Tupac Shakur and many Westcoast groups rapped about the social ill's and a need for change. And even pointed out that many were fed up with being ignored. The 'ol thought of politicians of 'Ignore them and they will go away...' wasn't working.
Rap music and gangsta rap brought society face to face with the truth of life in the hood and what it took to survive on the streets. And the politicians didn't like it. Ice T's Cop Killers, or NWA's Straight Out of Compton made people uneasy. They were afraid of what they saw; and what they saw was the truth staring them in the face.
The past generation had the Black Panthers and other organizations to make sure the message continued. And thanks to their hard work, Americans of color are no longer living under Jim Crowe laws.
Who has stepped up to carry on where Tupac was cut short? Where are the 'Brenda's Got a Baby' or 'Keep Ya Head Up' , 'Changes', 'Dear Mama', 'Me Against The World', and the list goes on and on.
Eastcoast rap has dominated the rap scene the last few years. The bases for the 'East' rap is clubb'en, hoochie's, and gym shoes. The younger generation watches video's that are mainly about getting drunk, what kind of ride ya got,what hoe you can pull, or what your wearing and these things are what is important to them. And then they find those things all cost money, and many of them find theirselves hung up in the system; trying to get them.
There is no social message in the Eastcoast based music we have today. The biggest controversy that is recent is about 'Pimp Juice'. What importance will that have on a child in the streets? I agree that that drink should not be out there; but aren't there so many issues that could be addressed and brought to light? Issues of social change and social meaning?
I am afraid we have lost our voice for good in my generation. And now they are remixing and re remixing the words of Tupac, slowly watering them down until they will have lost their meaning and standing in history.
I would wish for that 'new' voice to be heard. Where are the NWA's , the Public Enemy's now that we need a voice. Nothing against Nelly or Chingy or any of the 'good time' rappers, but it is not all good times out here for all of us, and we are desperate for a voice.
When rappers are more involved in dissing each other or looking for beef with each other, instead of trying to make a change; they should not claim they are for or from the street. Use that energy and talent and make a difference. Some try to imitate Tupac. They try to dress like him, sound like him, roll like him; which is funny. Because they have missed the point of who Tupac Shakur was. He wasn't a certain sound or dress; he was a social teacher, a man who pointed out the ill's of society and ways to deal with it. Tupac is reported to only have had around One hunderd thousand dollars in the bank at the time of his death. Why? Because he did a lot of charity work . Starting inner-city baseball leagues, or scholarship funds for inner-city youth. He was out to not only point out the short comings of society toward those of color and others; but to do something about it. He was from the streets, and that is why he is so loved even to this day.
Until some one comes along with the mind set of a Malcolm or a Tupac, or a rapper or group steps up , stands up and points out the world beyond their doorway, I feel YES we have lost our generations voice----the voice of Tupac Shakur. RIP dear souljah. It is proven with every cd that is released you can never be replaced or forgotten. I only wish someone would pick up your 'tourch' and carry on where you were silenced. And as you said many times------ONE LOVE....I sign: Robert
**Two web sites to visit to find out more about Bro. Min. Malcolm X and Tupac Shakur are :
For Bro. Min. Malcolm X: http://www.brothermalcolm.net
and For Tupac Shakur : http://www.2paclegacy.com
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For the first time in almost 27 years, the United Nations General Assembly will be debating the issue of establishing diplomatic relations with advanced Extraterrestrial Civilizations that may now be visiting Earth. On December 16, 2005, a Resolution to establish a United Nations Decade of Contact was formally transmitted to the incoming President of the General Assembly, H.E. Jan Eliasson of Sweden by the Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS), a Non-Governmental Organization. President Eliasson was Sweden's Ambassador to the United Nations from 2000 to 2005.
Almost to the day twenty-seven years ago, on December 18, 1978, the United Nations General Assembly voted to approve decision 33/426, inviting U.N. Member States "to take appropriate steps to coordinate on a national level scientific research and investigation into extraterrestrial life, including unidentified flying objects, and to inform the Secretary-General of the observations, research and evaluation of such activities." Then U.S. President Jimmy Carter then supported the U.N. General Assembly's decision. Carter himself had a close Encounter of the First Kind with a UFO (Night Light) in October 1969, in the company of 10 members of the Leary, Georgia Lion's Club while he was running for Governor of Georgia. Four years later, while Governor of Georgia, Carter filed a public UFO sighting report, dated September 18, 1973.
United Nations Decade of Contact
Former Canadian Minister of Defence, Hon. Paul Hellyer has requested that the Canadian Parliament hold hearings on the issue of relations with Extraterrestrial civilizations. On September 25, 2005, at the Toronto Exopolitics Symposium held at Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, former Minister of National Defence Hellyer stated: "UFOs, are as real as the airplanes that fly over your head." He stated, "The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning. The time has come to lift the veil of secrecy, and let the truth emerge, so there can be a real and informed debate, about one of the most important problems facing our planet today." Over 630,000 registered journalists and 283,000 registered media outlets world-wide have downloaded a November 24, 2005 Thanksgiving Day (USA) Yahoo News story of Mr. Hellyer's request to the Canadian Parliament.
Mr. Hellyer, Canada's former Minister of Defence, supports a United Nations Decade of Contact. In the introduction to a recent book, EXOPOLITICS: POLITICS GOVERNMENT AND LAW IN THE UNIVERSE, by ICIS International Director Alfred Lambremont Webre, Mr. Hellyer writes, "To turn us in the direction of re-unification with the rest of creation Alfred Lambremont Webre is proposing a 'Decade of Contact' - an 'era of openness, public hearings, public funded research, and education about extraterrestrial reality.' That could just be the antidote the world needs to end its greed-driven, power-centered madness."
A United Nations Decade of Contact has four Objectives: (1) DISCLOSURE - Governmental disclosure related to Extraterrestrial Presence; (2) DECADE OF CONTACT - Public funding of a 10 year process of public education and research about the Extraterrestrial Presence; (3) DISARMAMENT - A permanent ban on all space-based weapons and warfare in space through a Space Preservation Treaty Conference; (4) DIPLOMACY - Public Interest UNITED NATIONS Diplomacy with ethical Off-Planet Cultures now visiting Earth.
The Disclosure Project, a U.S.-based non-profit organization, on May 9, 2001, held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. in which numerous high-level military-intelligence, governmental and private sector witnesses publicly described experiences and evidence establishing that advanced Extraterrestrial civilizations are interacting with our terrestrial civilization at this time. A military-intelligence spying technology known as "remote viewing" originally developed at Stanford Research Institute in the mid-1970s by Dr. Hal Puthoff and Russell Targ has yielded replicable data regarding the existence of Off-Planet cultures now visiting Earth.
On May 20, 2005, Brazil, a major U.N. Member Nation took official measures in support of a United Nations Decade of Contact. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) openly allowed examination of classified UFO documents in several military facilities in Brasilia, the Federal Capital. The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favor of a treaty banning weapons and warfare in space. The last time a United Nations vote was held on this issue was on December 8, 2003, when the General Assembly voted 174 - 0, with four lone abstentions (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, United States of America).
Reached for comment, one Non-Governmental spokesperson stated, "We are certain 2006 will be a banner year for official disclosure of an advanced Extraterrestrial presence, and for the beginnings of a United Nations Decade of Contact."
CONTACT:
Institute for Cooperation in Space(ICIS) - 1-877-266-7337
Alfred Lambremont Webre, JD, MEd
Information: http://www.peaceinspace.net
Email: email protected from spam bots
Non-Governmental Organizations Contact:
Toronto, Canada: Victor Viggiani, Exopolitics Toronto Symposium
Tel: 905-278-5628
http://www.exopoliticstoronto.com
Washington, D.C.: Dr. Steven Greer, The Disclosure Project
Tel: (540) 456-8302 (Office)
http://www.disclosureproject.org
Please sign this Petition to the United Nations General Assembly for a UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF CONTACT
View this petition and your signature at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/529287855
A print version of the UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF CONTACT Petition,
and a feature article can be found in the forthcoming UFO Magazine (www.ufomag.com).
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
http://www.un.org/ga/60/
TEXT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF CONTACT RESOLUTION
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/529287855
Website: http://www.peaceinspace.net
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ThugLifeArmy.com, hip-hop and rap music news site, along with there other network site TLA-PROnline.com, for unsigned artists, are adding to their growing network with the introduction of the newest addition to the ThugLifeArmy.com site – ‘Tha Spot’.
Tha Spot is a collaboration platform which includes: forums for discussions, blogs: which offer a voice to the voiceless, content management, and photo gallery. Members are encouraged to participate and to share their opinions on the many topics offered. Beyond hip-hop culture and rap music, serious social issues and cultural topics are also investigated with many view points and sources of information.
ThugLifeArmy.com is seeking the ‘voiceless’ for owners of their own blogs.
Each owner of their blog will have total control of it and it will also be available for syndication thru RSS and or Atom feed. Blog owners can pass the feed address along to others who may be interested in your blog.
ThugLifeArmy.com is encouraging all to investigate ‘Tha Spot’ at - http://community.thuglifearmy.com - and if you are interested in having a blog please email administrator@thuglifearmy.com .
Although ThugLifeArmy.com will not accept all blogs, they are interested in blog authors who can contribute to the culture of hip-hop and to those who can give news and opinions on urban culture struggles.
So if you have something to say and can keep your blog active with new posts and or opinions ThugLifeArmy.com’s ‘Tha Spot’ is looking forward to hearing from you.
Covering not only hip-hop and rap, ThugLifeArmy.com is hoping to attract those with an urban culture view also. Many in hip-hop culture know there is a real struggle going on in the real world and ThugLifeArmy.com would like some intelligent people to have their own blogs to keep their visitors informed.
Although the site is not ‘live’ yet, ThugLifeArmy.com asks that you please check it out and register if you feel lead to do so.
They are looking forward to a great 2006 and with the addition of ‘Tha Spot’, ThugLifeArmy.com hopes that they can become a total news and information site for hip-hop, rap and urban culture issues.
Grass roots activist, hip-hop and rap music fans, and artists – everyone is welcome to get their own blog and hopefully join in all that ‘Tha Spot’ has to offer.
If you are interested in a blog you will need to register and then email them at administrator@thuglifearmy.com . Let them know your user name and what kind of blog you want to have.
Please take time to visit http://community.thuglifearmy.com .
Tha Spot should be ‘Live’ in a few days, so this is an opportunity to get in on the ‘ground floor’ and help set the direction of ‘Tha Spot’ and have your opinions and news be seen.
Contact administrator@thuglifearmy.com for more information or visit - http://community.thuglifearmy.com or http://www.thuglifearmy.com .
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Visit the realest rap site on the net, the all new http://community.thuglifearmy.com/ with more than you can imagine in features.
This newest addition to ThugLifeArmy.com is sure to bring our community of true hip-hop culture people togeather for everything under one roof.
Register and enjoy the benifits of this new ThugLifeArmy.com feature.
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This if my first blog entry.
I have different 'views' on the current status of the hip-hop culture and also very interesting vews and insights to the urban culture scene. I will address many issues here and keep you up on things that are important for all of us to know about and to explore on our own.
Click around or comment on my blog posts.
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