First Presidential Debate held in Mississippi

On Friday, September 26, the first U.S. presidential debate was held between Democratic Party nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-ILL) and Republican nominee John McCain (R-AZ). The debate was held at "Ole Miss," the University of Mississippi Oxford.

The 90-minute debate was moderated by the News Hour's Jim Lehrer. The debate focused on Foreign Policy and National Security.

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Reginald James' Myspace Blog

http://blog.myspace.com/blog/rss.cfm?friendID=2731126

Hip Hop is the "Hood CNN"

Rapper Chuck D, of Public Enemy, once said, "Hip Hop is the 'Hood CNN,'" meaning that Hip Hop music is a venue to continue the African oral tradition over music.

Hip Hop artist Jasiri X has created a new Hip Hop style weekly recap of the news, as told from a urban standpoint.


This week with Jasari X, Episode 3

'Blacks against Obama' stir up campaign rally

[*H*]A dozen Black men protest University of Miami Obama campaign rally

By Reginald James
MANAGING EDITOR

For the second time in two months, a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-ILL) was interupted by protestors. The irony to many is that the protestors have been Black.

'Blacks against Obama' protest at campaign rally' video
*Editors Note: Video posted and edited by GOP member


According to news reports and available internet videos, the group who interupted the University of Miami rally were mostly Black men. Their signs read, "Blacks against Obama", "Jesse Jackson hates Obama," and "Obama endorsed by the KKK." The last signed refers to the endorsement of Obama by Senator Robert Byrd, a Grand Dragon in the KKK.

He attempted to calm the protestors down by stated, "“Hey young people out there – it’s no problem for you to put your signs up, but let everybody – let me finish what I have to say, alright?" When the protestors continued, Obama fans attempted to drown out the demonstration by chanting "Yes we can" while waving matching campaign signs.

The protestors were escorted out of the crowd by security forces, with what appeared to be no incidences. The protestors left while holding up their signs as the crowd cheered loudly.

After the men were taken out of the stadium, Obama said "Alright, let's get back to work," to the excitement of the crowd. "Settle down, everybody," he added.

The men are believed to be a part of a group called Michael Warns, as "Michaelwarns.com" was written on the bottom of most of the protest signs.

A youtube video posted by "Michael the Black Man" after the protest suggest that Obama is the "beast" or "anti-christ" warned about in the Bible.

"Obama the image of the Beast" Video by MichaelWarns.com



A separate but not completely unrelated protest was staged by a group of Black people in St. Petersburg in August. The demonstrators, a part of the International Democratic Uhuru Movement (InDPUM).

The demonstrators shouted, "What about the Black community, Obama?" The protestors were also shouted down by Obama supporters. "Baarack obama is running for president and he's running around representing the interests of everybody except for his own community, the Black community," said Diop Olibaga, an InDPUM organizer. "So we put the question right on front street: What about the Black community Obama?"

"What about the Black community, Obama?" Youtube Video

POETRY: "Bank the Bankers"

Bank the Bankers
BY MARVIN X

Bank the bankers
Fleeing Russia with pants in hand
Fleeing Wall Street cross Brooklyn Bridge
The fundamentals are sound said Bush/McCain
Then Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bit the dust
Bank the bankers
Those communist in capitalist drag
Sharing the robbery of workers
Homeless in the snow
Bankers ski in the Alps
Gleaming Wall Street Journal
Sliding down the slope
Champagne on ice
Bank the bankers
Bear Sterns
Washington Mutual
Bank of America
Thieves in the night
Who is Federal Reserve?
To workers in the cold
Who is the Treasury?
To grandma’s house gone
She in shelter bout to stroke
Don’t understand the sub prime loan
Her son took out
He gone on dope
Like the president
Drunk in white house
Fundamentally sound
Just ride out this crisis
Don’t lose yo cool
He tells American people
Fleeing Katrina and Ike
Hurricane hit Wall Street
Taxpayers took tab
Bank the bankers
Let them taste jail
Eat zoo zoos and wham whams
no end in sight
Let the dollar fly in the air
bankers don’t care
They home by the fire
In the pickle room
don’t care
workers have no homes
No car
No stocks, no bonds, retirement gone
Burial insurance in hand,. thank God
What good is that?
Bank the bankers
Those loose loaning pigs
Even the jobless got loans
Bankers didn’t care
Sell the notes to China, Russia
Saudi Arabia
Sell Citibank and Chase
Sell America to whomever
Give a loan to whomever
No credit check
No collateral
No job
Sell America
Sell yo mama
Bankers don’t care
Greed rules this day
The heartless have their homes
Their summer & winter retreats
Bank the bankers
Let them eat pizza on Riker’s Island
Or Leavenworth.

Marvin X is a prolific poet, author, and speaker. One of the lesser known poets of the Black Arts Movement, he regularly contributes to Harambee, the Oakland Post, and maintains his own blog. Read more at Marvin X Writes: http://marvinxwrites.blogspot.com

Student leaders wanted

Black Caucus seeks Executive officers

By Semaj D. La Niger
HARAMBEE STAFF WRITER

Are you a community college student who is interested in meeting new people, improving your leadership skills, and empowering other students?
The Black Caucus of the California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC) is currently seeking students to serve in vacant positions on its 2008-09 Executive Board.
Vacancies include Secretary, Communications Officer, Parliamentarian, Central Region Chair and Northern Region Chair.
“Students have an opportunity to participate in a statewide network that collectively represents over 200,000 students of African Descent,” said Black Caucus President Marlene C. Hurd. “Officers gain organizational experience, numerous networking opportunities, and will receive assistance in reaching their academic goals.”
In addition to the duties of the position, all students will be required to hold a minimum of two (2) office hours per week. Students must be registered at a California Community College with three (3) units and have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
For more info about the vacancies, contact President Hurd at mchurd@sbcglobal.net. •H•

Raising Red, Black & Green

In honor of the Black August, Marlene C. Hurd, president of the Black Caucus of the California Student Association of Community Colleges, raised the Pan-African Flag at Laney College in Oakland, CA. The colors of Red, Black and Green, commemorated by Pan-African revolutionary Marcus Garvey are symbolic of the African Diaspora.


Red represents the blood of the people, Black represents the people's skin and melanin, while Green represents the land, our Earth.
Laney College is located in Oakland, CA; the birth place of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

Marlene C. Hurd raising Pan-African flag at Laney College