Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone. May 09 chart a global course of change towards peace instead of war. Hopefully, human dignity will take a precedent to global corporate greed. I know many of us want a world we can call just. The only way we can have one is to practice democratic principles, and demand a just, fair, and equitable world to live in. To my family, I say, thank you for everything you do to make my world a fair and just world to live in. Take care everyone and stay tuned to many new and exciting additions to our website.

Change?

Everyone but me is impressed with Obama's cabinet. Call me crazy, but most of the appointments are status quo. I guess I expected more. It also seems like the bailout is helping the status quo also. Again, where is the "Change." Funny how credit unions, which are non-profits do not need a bailout. Did anyone in Washington see It's a Wonderful Life? It seems that Mr. Potter gets the benefit of the doubt, while the Baily's have to fend for themselves. We need to remember sometimes, that what we see and hear, is not reality. I still hold out hope, I just want to see some change.

Changes are Coming

To all of my friends and readers, my life's work and this book will see some changes over the next few months. Please be patient. The book will be rereleased with significant changes. A new publisher is in the works. The website will be retitled. I want to reassure you, the mission is still the same.

3rd Edition targeted for February 2009

I am working on a third edition. I am currently interviewing new people who represent a greater diverse representation of our society. I am also including the plight of our veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that the school year has settled, I am moving forward again to push for social justice. Many new contacts have been made through the book. Together, we will make a difference.

Is the Mission Accomplished

The fight for decency moves on. Many who supported Barack Obama can rejoice. However, he failed his first test of decency on the day of the election. 3 states voted down same-sex unions. Arkansas went a step further and restricted same sex couples from foster care. It strikes me as odd, that someone, who's own history involved the restriction of adopting or fostering children would not understand how this impacted decency.

Many Links have been Updated.

Many people are again responding to the website and I am updating pages regularly. I encourage people to check pages periodically to see new items. One of the interesting links for educators that I added to the social justice curriculum website is opposingviews.com. Check it out.

It's Official - We should privitize health care. (NOT)

I found this quote from John McCain regarding the benefits of privitizing health care. Here’s what McCain has to say about the wonders of market-based health reform:
Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.
So McCain, who now poses as the scourge of Wall Street, was praising financial deregulation like 10 seconds ago — and promising that if we marketize health care, it will perform as well as the financial industry
This statement was made last month prior to the finance industry collapse. Scary.

Regulation v. Deregulation

Why do Americans, not make the connection, that one of our presidential candidates, was part of the same economic scandal that happened 17yrs ago? And why, would we allow that same Senator, to argue for deregulation, when he has no credibility? How, did we reelect someone, who argued for the reality that exists today in our finance industry? Finally, the same person, is now again, arguing for regulation, and our media discusses his position, without studying the past?
I discuss in my book how many people, like John McCain argued for Deregulation, and it benefitted companies more than people. Are we destined to make this mistake again?

Why the Sarcasm?

Both political conventions are riddled with sarcasm, more than substance. It would take me weeks to compare the political speeches. We have so many issues surrounding decency, yet our political leaders just mock the other candidates in opposing parties. The problem is the media. Consultants have catered the convention towards a television audience.
This was most evident in Palin's speech. She literally left out any substance to how she would impact decency. It was transparent that a group of writers put together a speech that would elevate her to celebrity status, and, it worked. If we seriously want to tackle the issues, we need to change the process before it is too late.

The Audicity of Hope DELIVERED!!!

The Audacity of Hope. What a week for Decency. Next week, the conservative attack on decency begins. Hopefully, media collusion will not be a part of the equation. This is the time for people not to let their guard down.

Healthcare is not a Right according to Wall Street Journal and Fox News

I watched with interest a discussion on Fox News regarding Healthcare. The debate was centered on the issue of, "Is Healthcare a Right or Privledge?" The debate involved the head of the Wall Street Journal and a Fox News Commentator. (Fair and Balanced?) As I expected, with any debate on Fox, the commentator adamantly claimed that no where in the Constitution, does it say that Healthcare is a Right. This whole argument lacks any merit.
Beware intellectual debates involving the Bible or Constitution because often, conservatives use quotes only in their context. The Bible and Constitution are evolutionary documents (I know that term stinks of irony.) If they were meant to be seen literally instead of figuratively, then lets count blacks as 3/5ths as a person like the original Constitution says. While we are at it, people should be allowed to have weapons of mass destruction, after all, they have the right to bear arms. In fact, Iran has the right to have Nuclear Weapons according to our original Constitution. Ron Paul and conservative Republicans would agree that our Constitution strictly forbids us policeing the world as a Foreign Policy.
FDR called healthcare a right almost 80 years ago. Conservatives have successfully used the Constitution to argue that it is not a right. It is time to create a new reality.

Saddleback Disgrace

How our media missed the real story of the Saddleback conversations with McCain and Obama. Yes, McCain was well rehearsed. That was evident to anyone who watched the program. I was bothered by the questions. It was brave of Obama to attend a national question and answer program anchored by a right leaning pastor. I wonder if McCain would attend a Planned Parenthood debate format? My guess is not.
American audiences have a tough time disseminating information. When a Pastor asks, "do you believe in evil?" and the candidate responds, "yes" and begins the usual rhetoric about Osama Bin Laden, then one has to wonder. Will the Pastor compare the lives lost on 9/11 - roughly 3000 to the 600.000 lives lost since then to American Aggression? Will he pose the question in context. He did not. Where was the response by the media to question the legitimacy of such a format?
Christians should be ashamed of this Pastor's lack of doctrinal analysis into thou shall not kill. Instead, I get a sense that they embrace his format. This is the challenge of 08 that fails to get media attention.
When will we embrace a format the digs deeper into human decency?

Political Affairs and Media Manipulation

Here we go again. I am so disgusted by the John Edwards coverage. I understand he made a horrible choice. Yet this is a private matter. This is used by the Republicans to distort our attention. Ever wonder how John McCain met his wife Cindy. Check out the new post in Media Bias called "Political Affairs." Interesting how we react to what we are told versus reality.

The School Shopping List - Mercy Me.

The one chapter in my book that is timely this time of year is "The Dreaded School Shopping List." It is the little inequities we create as a society that have long term consequences. It is good to see that Wal Mart and Staples have turned back to school into a profit making scheme. Yet do we understand decency and how the free market model impacts schools? My shopping list for my daughter is at least $120.00 this year. How with the high cost of gas will parents be able to afford such amenities?
Some of this years items are Toilet paper and tissues. Is this the 1930's? Think about the impact on student's from less affluent homes and ask yourself, "How did we get into this mess?"

Where Have all the Leaders Gone?

Remember Lee Iococca?
He was a former leader for Chrysler.
I read with great interest his thoughts on America today.
He's now 82 years old and has a new book, and here are some
excerpts:

Lee Iacocca Says:

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course'
Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. What course? This is America , not the damned 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'
You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore...........and it will get far worse. The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs.
While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for.
I've had enough. How about you? I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, crisis being the first.) Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis.It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.
On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes A Hell of a Mess so here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no real White House plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, Mexico, China, etc., while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.
Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has ever had a coherent
energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The so-called middle class is being squeezed every which way! But when you look around, you've got to ask:'Where have all the leadersgone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the peopleof character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.
Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.
Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.
Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturin g. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we goingto do about it? Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem.The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the gang in Congress and in the White House. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent or deceptive while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some boneheads on Fox News will call them a name or two? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope! I believe in America In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the 'Great Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the'Kennedy Assassination', the 'Vietnam War', the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play.
'That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in America It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

Happy Anniversery to the American DIsablities Act

Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

On the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we celebrate our progress towards an America where individuals with disabilities are recognized for their talents and contributions to our society. We also underscore our commitment to extend the full liberties and freedoms of our great country to all Americans.

Finally, something I can agree with Bush about.
I will be celebrating in Utica NY with NYS legislators and advocates of decency. I am pumped!!!

Even the Spelling's feel the hurt of Real Estate Crisis

I was truly touched when I read how today's hard times have impacted some of our richest dynasties such as the Spelling family. Consider this horrific tale of downsizing:

"Spelling, 62, is moving out of the biggest home in L.A., a 123-room, 56,000 square-foot mansion in Holmby Hills. The new place is a relatively tight squeeze, the Times' Roger Vincent reports"

Here is a description of her new digs:
"Her new home will be less than a third the size of the old one -- just 16,500 square feet -- but with a killer 360-degree view spanning the horizon from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Catalina Island."

How can the masses be so desensitized to the fact that the rich have their burdens?

We need to discuss social inequities created by the Spelling's wealth instead of worrying about their burden.

Media Shenanigans

CBS, don't cover up for McCain!

This is the battle cry for many leftist thinkers.
Consider the following quote found on MoveOn.org

"CBS let down the public by covering up John McCain's lack of understanding about Iraq. CBS should correct the record by airing what McCain actually said and explaining why he was flat-out wrong."

I have continually argued that our media is trying to influence this election. Need more proof?
I will have the link for the coverup on MediaWatch.
You have to wonder why the blunder?

Media Watch Article on EXXON worth the read!

Please take the time to check out the Media Watch article on EXXON. There are two articles. One of the articles is an excellent example of Supreme Court Incorporated. While the other demonstrated Exxon's good neighbor policy. Enjoy!!!

Elitist, Silver Spoon in his Mouth - Bush or Obama?

Karl Rove, who is the ultimate spin doctor is working closely with Fix News to portray Barack Obama as an elitist personality we should all be wary of. Honestly, ask yourself, who was born from humble beginnings? Bush or Obama? This is just a sneak peak of what is to come. Fiction versus Reality. The scary thing is, it just might work.

Here we go....

Conservative Christians are attacking Barack. They will distort his record and claim he is a Muslim. The media is playing a role in this....

Check out the link or go to Media Watch.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/06/dobson_criticizes_obama_on_rel.html

Vacation is Over

Well, I am back from a well deserved rest. I was happy to see that Barack won the nomination. The media was quick to welcome Barack and also begin discussing his demise. Many GOP bloggers were quick to distort Barack's record. YouTube is spewing prejudiced videos that suggest he is Muslim. What is old is new in our nation's history regarding bias and hate. I still believe Hope will ultimately win out. I will be posting many of our reader's post this week. Much research has been done to support decency by people who read the book. I feel readers of the blog and the book will enjoy the new posts.

Many New Items This Week

Check out the following new items this week. Media Watch has many new items for your reading enjoyment. One of the most comical is the Fox News article on how Conservatives live happier lives than liberals. (Not surprising considering the source.) New sites that are developing are Green Power and Marketplace for decency. I will be introducing a book store starting next week. Another new feature this week is a site dedicated to offering help targeting donations towards social justice organizations making a difference in our country.

Overall, there are many new items throughout the site. Enjoy and please feel free to comment and send me your thoughts. This site has been developed by many people including myself to help progress issues of decency.

Have a great weekend and enjoy.
Len Giardino

Who served their country - Bush or Wright?

Interestingly enough, Rev Wright served his country during Vietnam. Our President on the other hand....hmmmmm and who is more American?

From 1959 to 1961, Wright attended Virginia Union University,[2] in Richmond. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,"[11] Wright gave up his student deferment, left college and joined the United States Marine Corps and became part of the 2nd Marine Division attaining the rank of private first class. In 1963, after two years of service, Wright then transferred to the United States Navy and entered the Corpsman School at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.[12][7] Wright was then trained as a cardiopulmonary technician at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Wright was assigned as part of the medical team charged with care of President Lyndon B. Johnson (see photo of Wright caring for Johnson after his 1966 surgery). Before leaving the position in 1967, the White House Physician, Vice Admiral Burkley, personally wrote Wright a letter of thanks on behalf of the United States President

Wright is Right - Wrong is Wrong

I predicted for months now that race would play a huge role in this election. Our media would twist sound bites into misconceptions that breed misunderstanding. The time given to Rev Wright by white journalists is unfair and without merit. Even his most controversial comments have much more depth than a 30 second sound bite.
The Reverend Wright is part of an African-American ministry that practice Christianity that is different than other cultural sub groups. His message is partial based on a history of slavery and segregation. A ministry that has given hope to African-Americans who often have been subjugated to "less than equal" status in our nation.
This is critical to understanding his most misunderstood comment regarding government mistrust and AIDS. Our government has a history regarding using African-Americans for experiments. In WWII, the government injected Syphliss into the Tuskogee airmen without their consent. The rumors today of AIDS follow a familiar pattern of past abuse. Denial today, admission a generation from now.
When listening to Rev Wright's ministry, we have to put into context he is speaking from a different voice. His voice should be allowed into the mainstream.

Advocates for Decency

I read this from a State Advocacy Group Regarding Jonathon's Law
Copy the Link and read for yourself.
http://www.sanys.org/Policy/Johnathan%20Carey%20Statement.pdf

If we want a just world, we can not compromise on human dignity. I am sorry.

Here is my response:

I read with great interest your response to Jonathon's law.
I have heard his family speak and I also have looked into CPS's unfounded reports. I guess I do not understand the objection to what is just and decent for families of people with disabilities having full disclosure when a restraint happens? What is the harm regarding releasing documentation of an incident at a residential setting?

The facts are that the staff member who killed their child was passed along in the system. He had over a thousand hours of OT in one year. This would make a great point for higher wages. Why hide this from the Carey's or the general public?

Regarding the staff member, this was not his first instance of abuse. Why did the state fight so hard to keep this information from the Careys? If that was your child, are you saying this is just? Where is the struggle here. They believe many good people work in a system that is broken. This is said with no disrespect to them. I have spoken to workers in this field and hear time and time again from their own mouths that there is a problem. Are they wrong also?

I do not work with disable children, however I want what is just for them. Am I wrong to ask for justice?

Moral Waivers and Decency

The army gave out 511 moral waivers to soldiers with felony convictions last year. Criminals got 249 army waivers in 2006, a sign that the demand for US forces in Iraq has forced a sharp increase in the number of criminals allowed on the battlefield.

The felons accepted into the army and marines included 87 soldiers convicted of assault or maiming, 130 convicted of non-cannabis-related drug offences, seven convicted of making terrorist threats, and two convicted of indecent behaviour with a child. Waivers were also granted to 500 burglars and thieves, 19 arsonists and nine sex offenders.

Is this just? Is this fair? How does one explain to someone raped in the army by a sex offender that this would never have happened if was not for a moral waiver?

War is never just.

(A more detailed account of this story can be found in the media watch website)

Corporate Greed v. Human Need

It seems odd to me how quickly Americans have settled for our Government's solutions to our nation's mortgage crisis. Our government is spending billions of dollars to bail out lenders from the crisis. Shouldn't a government for the people by the people bail out PEOPLE first? This is typical of the corporate model of government. The citizens of our country need to pay attention to the reality of business first, people second. The Mortgage bailout is not unique.

Does the Media Ever Question Reports about Iraq?

It seems like our Media fails to examine the news on Iraq. Watch this video and on MoveOn.org and question the perception of Fair and Balanced reporting in our media.

Social Security and Medicare are out of control?

Hmmmm, I just can not understand why this chart is rarely ever discussed in the media. All I seem to hear is that Social Security and Medicare are bankrupting our insolvent. Could it be that our spending priorities are not all that they seem. Fair and Balanced? I bet. Click on the graph and see the FACTS for yourself.

April 25th - When Teachers Hate Their Students and Will not Admit it.

As the Day of Silence program picks of speed and students come to school wearing their tags of protest, teachers around our country will have the following conversations.

Why does this have to be in our face?
Why do we not have a heterosexual day of silence?
Sarcasm, anger, and sadness will prevail.
For teachers who deny the importance of such days, here are the hate crime statistics that you refuse to acknowledge:

Hate Crimes Based on Sexual Orientation
1995: 13% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
1996: 12% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
1997: 14% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
1998: 15% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
1999: 17% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
2000: 16% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
2001: 14% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
2002: 17% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
2003: 17% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias
2004: 16% of all hate crimes were motivated by sexual-orientation bias

Enjoy those teacher room conversations.

Second Edition Due Out April 25th.

Just in time for the Time for Us signing in Rome, the second edition of The Quest for Human Decency will be released. There will be new chapters that challenge new topics regarding the human condition. I am extremely thankful for the contributions from many people to make this second edition possible.

Signing at Life Community Church April 26th.

The Carey Family will be coming back to Central New York to join us in our next signing. The Time for Us follow up will be attended by many professionals and families from all over New York. We hope to see you there.

Iraq for Sale Screening

I have signed up to host a screening for the movie Iraq for Sale. The closest screening is 500 miles away. I am asking for your support to make this event a successful one. Keep in touch with the website to find out the date, time, and location of the event. If you want to preview the movie, go to iraqforsale.org.

Body of War

Phil Donahue's attack against Bill O'Reilly, which I posted on the website must have been a prelude to what was to come. It was brought to my attention that Phil has a movie coming out this month called Body of War. While the movie is not out in wide release yet. (hopefully it will be) the website offers details about the movies that are both chilling and informative about the reality of Iraq that I have discussed in detail over the past two years. The success of this movie will be an example of how well we breakthrough the media barrier of control. I will post youtube videos at the bottom of the website below Phil's beating up Bill O'Reilly. The website is www.bodyofwar.com

Last Thoughts on Spitzer - Working Families Party Response

I am deeply saddened by Eliot Spitzer's fall from grace. While I thought is education policy was terrible, I do believe his progressive policies were focused on equity and fairness.
In my book, I discuss how sex is the focus of decent behavior. How can we have a president that has lied over and over again to the American people not resign, yet Eliot Spitzer has to resign due to his personal behavior. I know his situation is complicated, however who has impacted us more, Bush or Spitzer?

The following is the response from the Working Families Party, which I stand by.

What made Eliot Spitzer a great Attorney General was his fearlessness in taking on the big money crowd.

He believed that everyone was equal before the law, and he was unafraid of the Lords of Wall Street. He tapped into an unspoken dismay in our society about the obscene inequality that characterizes American life -- "the malefactors of great wealth," as Teddy Roosevelt called them -- and that's what sent him to the Governor's Mansion with a record-setting level of support.

He didn't need much help to win the election, and he thought -- wrongly -- that he didn't need anyone, inside or outside of Albany, to help govern. We thought we were getting someone who would lead the tough fights for ordinary working families, but it didn't turn out that way.

Instead, we got a leader who thought his main fight was with the legislature, with SEIU 1199, even with the WFP from time to time. The anti-corporate crusader departed. We were left with an energetic but not always thoughtful leader who was too angry at too many people and institutions to be effective. His administration will be remembered as a squandered opportunity.

We should also keep his resignation in perspective. It's not earth-shaking, even as it's a terribly sad time for his family and staff, many of whom are terrific public servants. But we should remember what a real scandal is -- for instance, when a President dishonestly launches a pre-emptive war and thousands and thousands of people die as a result. We need to tell the difference between appallingly bad behavior and appallingly bad policies.

Needless to say, Governor Spitzer's resignation leaves an unfinished agenda. The WFP and its allies -- community organizations and unions and environmental groups and business and student groups and civil rights organizations and the blogosphere and everyone else who still believes in equality and democracy -- will, of course, continue on.

We will look to our new Governor, David Paterson, and to progressives in the Assembly and Senate to pick up the ball that Spitzer dropped. It means being both pragmatic and visionary. We need to fight for paid family leave and publicly financed elections, for preserving affordable housing and for a foreclosure moratorium, for subsidy reform to save taxpayer money and for green jobs/clean energy policies to save the planet , for reducing taxes on working families while asking the wealthy to pay their fair share, for adequate investment in education and health care and transportation.

Fundamentally, we still want our state to be a place where one's life chances are not determined at birth. That's our hope for the Paterson administration.

At the moment, and for the foreseeable future, the fundamental problem facing our State Government is this:

For the last 30 years, excessive tax cuts for the wealthiest New Yorkers have starved the state of billions in revenue and forced communities across the state to raise property taxes . Working families are choking on these property taxes. But the state still needs money to properly fund crucial services.

With a recession looming and a $5 billion budget hole to fill, we now face a choice: cut needed public investment in everything from schools to subways, or shift the tax burden off of property taxes and back to those who can most afford to pay by repealing excessive income tax cuts for the rich.

Click here to learn more and sign the petition for a fair budget.

Spitzer or Paterson, the fight for a progressive and decent New York goes on.

That's it. Read the papers, pay your dues, and... organize.

Sam Williams, Bertha Lewis, Bob Master
WFP Co-chairs

Dan Cantor
WFP Executive Director

Supreme Court Inc.

I am so grateful for all of the articles forwarded to me. One of the most intriguing articles I have received lately is an article on the Supreme Court. The article supports the assertions from my book that corporate greed is the priority of our government. Please read the article which can be found on the Media Watch blog.

March is roaring in like a lion.

I will be heading back to Massachusetts this month, along with one more signing in Central New York. The new version of the book is well on its way to fruition. The website is growing everyday. People visiting the website was up in February by 25%. Please note some new features. This month, we have added Civil Rights for People with Disabilities. This site will have features for parents and advocates for fairness regarding people with disabilities. Another website added is Hate Watch. This site will research and report on the reality that hate is still a huge problem in America. Many Right Wingers have criticized my book for dividing people instead of uniting them. A couple of people have suggested that my research on hate was exaggerated. The blog was created to change that perception. Please feel free to check in regularly for new articles and interesting commentary.

Oneida Autism Conference Huge Success

My book signing at the Oneida Autism Conference was a huge success. The poignant moment of the day was the discussion from Mike and Lisa Carey regarding he loss of their son in the state's care. This story has deeply impacted me and many others. Please visit my new blog civil rights for people with disabilities to learn more about Mike and Lisa's story.

Wisdom from my buddy Mike regarding Decency

Investing in war and divesting in education, health care, and human
needs

Billions of public money to private corporations to support war
profiteering and record oil profits

War on terror is an ideological construction that obscures the real
reasons for the war

720 Million a day on war = 12,478 elementary teachers, 1yr for
95,364 Head Start placements, 1yr Healthcare for 423,529 children

NYS testing – Significant disruption to instruction, not sufficiently
funded – burden to taxpayers, doesn’t recognize or allow for varying
abilities,

High Stakes testing administered in January and March therefore student
achievement for a full year is evaluated on five months of School
District

Affordable health care coverage is tied to work that unions built over
five decades is being eroded same as pensions.  Moral values party

Social Security – established in 1935 FDR, Americans of modest means
contribute throughout career and trust the government to protect the
elderly.  Privatization breaches this contract.  Social security
provides monthly income to retired, disabled, and surviving spouses and
dependents.  Federal government borrowed money from the Social Security
trust fund for many years and the trillions of dollars have not been
paid back to the fund.  The debt of borrowed money owed by the federal
government creates an unnecessary impression that money will be depleted
causing confusion and concern.  No person in Congress or administration
has proposed that the money borrowed will be paid back.

I only ask one question for my readers, "when will Mike's reality be
our reality?"

Check out the Phil Donahue Video at the bottom of the Home Page

God I miss Phil Donahue. Check out this gem I found on Youtube at the bottom of the page.

Soviet Amerika

Check out the Media Watch Site this week for a disturbing article on the 60 minutes blackout in Alabama. Very disturbing.

New Grants Posted This Week.

A Nation of Fear

The topic of Fear and 9/11 has come up a lot at book discussions. It is a dangerous part of the American Reality. I touched upon this in my book and hope that as people read the book and explore the website, they begin to realize the importance of overcoming insecurities created by our post 9/11 society.

Critical Thinking Skills - NCLB

Having a week off from school has many benefits. I consider this time for renewal. Thinking back on some of the previous book signings, teachers and parents have said, "Are there schools out there that excel at challenging students anymore to critically think." I often give the school I am an administrator as an example. I sometimes believe they need evidence. For this reason, I created a blog for people to explore the rich diversity of learning that is still going on during our national crisis of NCLB. I hope other students and teachers will give examples from their school.

Please Support Oneida Autism Conference

A Time For Us Event Details

Start Date: March 1, 2008 - End Date: March 1, 2008

Time: 2 to 5 pm

Location: Dibbles Inn Vernon

Organization: Oneida Autism/Special Needs Support Group

Event Description

This conference is for parents
of children with or with out disabilities
and professionals wanting to make a difference!

Special Guest:
The Carey Family who’s 13 year old son with autism died in the care of a state-run residential facility and recently worked with legislators to pass Jonathan’s Law in honor of their son.

RSVP 315-361-1090 (not mandatory but as a courtesy)
Sponsored by St. Johns Church of Oneida NY

Other Speakers include:
John Salka: Parent of a young boy that has had several restraints used on him. Currently the family is home schooling their son. John is the Madison County Brookfield Town Supervisor and sits on the county committee of Public Health, and is the vice-chair of the Committee on Mental Health; he hopes to increase awareness on a county wide level.

Lenny Giardino: Teacher and Author of “The Quest for Human Decency; Realities versus Perception” will discuss his book and the rights of the parent to pursue an education for their children. His book covers question and perceptions of NCLB and the social justice issues in state mandated curriculum's.

Thank You MCLA

I was fortunate enough to visit MCLA this past weekend. I was excited to see that future teachers and administrators have passion in their heart. The theme of our discussion was the book I wrote and we seemed to discuss the idea of fear governing our nation's policies. I will always have a place for MCLA that is near and dear to me. Many administrators from NY have traveled to the Berkshires to earn their certificate from this very special place. For those unaware of MCLA's Leadership Academy, MCLA emphasizes Social Justice as a primary focus for future leaders in education. The Leadership Academy is a beacon of light in the dark world of NCLB.

Hillary v. Obama - This May Help

This was forwarded to me from a friend. Interesting....
The Senate voted today to preserve retroactive immunity from lawsuits for telecommunications companies that cooperated with a government eavesdropping program, decisively rejecting an amendment that would have stripped the provision from a bill to modernize an electronic surveillance law.
A yes vote means that these people wanted to hold GW accountable for spying on people's telephone lines. The no supports GW and gives immunity to the phone companies and all those involved with taking away our constitutional rights. Those Dems who voted no, should all be voted out of office. Notice that Barrack voted yes and Hillary cowardly did not vote.
Chris

Party	Yes	No	Not Voting
Democratic	Daniel Akaka, Max Baucus, Joseph Biden, Jeff Bingaman, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Robert Byrd, Maria Cantwell, Ben Cardin, Bob Casey, Christopher Dodd, Byron Dorgan, Dick Durbin, Russell Feingold, Tom Harkin, Edward Kennedy, John Kerry, Amy Klobuchar, Frank Lautenberg, Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin, Robert Menéndez, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Jack Reed, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Jon Tester, Sheldon Whitehouse, Ron Wyden	Evan Bayh, Thomas Carper, Kent Conrad, Dianne Feinstein, Daniel Inouye, Tim Johnson, Herb Kohl, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln, Claire McCaskill, Barbara Mikulski, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Mark Pryor, Jay Rockefeller, Kenneth Salazar, Debbie Stabenow, Jim Webb	Hillary Clinton

Bank of Walmart

Walmart wants to be your local banker. The Federal Government so far has rejected the idea, at least for now. One of the more disturbing ideas under the media's radar. Please visit the Walmart links on Research for Decency blog to read about the facts behind this very radical idea.

The Regents 64

In my book, I briefly discuss how grading can be a weapon of revenge for a teacher. Recently, I bumped into a student from my summer school class from five years ago. She is working locally and we laughed a bit in the store. Her most memorable experience from High School? Cheer leading. Least favorable? Global Studies Regents grade of 64.
That summer, I had many seniors and underclassman that went to summer school to retake the Regents. The high school regents for Social Studies is subjective at best. A 64 is not a concrete grade. Neither is a 63. Yet thousands of students across the state are subjected to this grading torture. Equity is the key. I am positive that teachers who know a student find the extra point. It is an unspoken rule. Yet, if the kid is unknown or disliked by the graders, then too bad.
It is this kind of inequity that needs to be questioned by parents and students across the state. Hopefully, alerting as many as we can about the pitfalls of high school will help change the Regents scoring grid. Until than, watch out for the Regents 64

Upcoming Book Talks - Website Update

I will be taking the show on the road for a bit. North Adams, Mass Feb 17th, Arsenal House, Rome on the 29th of Feb., and Mar 1st at Dibbles Inn. The website had the most hits this week in my 4 months of existence. Interest in the book and website have increased significantly. Thank you for your support.

Black History Month Revisited

Every February, public Schools across the US celebrate black history month. Considering the first people to arrive in Jamestown were forcibly brought here from Africa in the early 1600's, I can not see any reason to just have one month be acceptable for Black History Month. As longs as there is racism in America, why should there only be one month for Black history.
Why do we not take the month February and utilize it for reevaluating how we teach Black History. For example, how many people realize that Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was stripped of the controversial pieces? The text students read today are edited by most text book companies. Why do we not teach of Dr. King's protest of the Vietnam War? Why do we not ask kids to learn the facts behind a dream deferred as suggested by Teaching Tolerance magazine?
While I am ranting a bit. Please check out my clip of Malcolm X. The Autobiography of Malcolm X should be standard reading in High School. Malcolm X explains why today, it does matter to a person that your ancestral history was stolen from you. Do other citizens in our country understand the meaning of this point?
How many African-American women are left out of the equitable teaching of American History. I truly do not know. Where is the dialog among students about tolerance? Can Tolerance be measure on a test? Probably not. How can we free our teachers to be free to have classroom experiences that touch upon the social learning of tolerance? Maybe this is what we should dedicate our efforts towards.....

NEW!!! Social Justice in the Curriculum

In the book, The Quest for Human Decency, I touch upon the lack of social justice issues in state mandated curriculum. To help support decency in the classroom, and at home. I have a new resource for Parents and Educators. Check it out.

Global Poverty Stimulant Package

Wow. I am extremely disappointed in our legislators. They have totally fed into the fears of the Global Markets. What I fear will happen is we will have a 170 Billion dollar stimulant package for Global Outsourcing. Think about this. The American people will be given a rebate for indecent expenditures. While some will use the money to help sustain their livelihood,, most will use the rebate to support outsourced labor and our service sector economy.
I am so disappointed in the Democratic Leadership. Mike Huckabee made more sense of the stimulus package by saying in the debates, " I would much rather see the money go towards our infrastructure, creating more jobs, repairing our roads from Maine to Florida. He is right. Economic stimulus packages of the past would extend benefits for the unemployed, rebuild our infrastructure, and create high paying jobs.
Lastly, how do we pay for the stimulus package. I am sure some will argue that the economic returns of such a package pay for itself. It seems to me however that our 10 Trillion dollar budget deficit financed by foreign governments would argue just the opposite effect. Our dollar is dropping dramatically against foreign currencies because of such stimulus packages of our past. Yet, so many Americans will ignore the current state of our economy.
The winners will be multinational corporations, China, NAFTA, and all other global trade pacts past, present, and future. The losers of this stimulus package will be jobs of decency, fair trade, and our next generation of Americans who pay the price for our brief gain on the Dow.

Check out Media Watch this week for intriguing articles on foreign policy.

Media Watch has been updated with excellent articles challenging common misconceptions of our nation's foreign policy.

Two down - 48 to go.

The New Jersey Legislature just passed the National Popular Vote act. They will be giving their delegates to the National Vote winner, not the candidate that wins NJ. I think we are on to something here

The Bias towards African-American Athletes

I am a bit upset over the media bias towards African-American athletes. I believe there is a social injustice to how they are handled in the media and the courts. The most recent examples that come to mind are Marion Jones, Barry Bonds, and Michael Vick. I am not condoning their personal choices or decision. I guess what bothers me is what happens to their white counterparts who commit similar injustices.
For example, Mark Maguire has a home run record, and pleaded the fifth for using steroids while giving testimony to Congress. Where was the outrage when he cheated baseball? Yet the media has hunted down Barry Bonds for years because he seems cocky to some and arrogant to others.
Michael Vick is serving jail time for Pit Bull fighting. While illegal, I have to ask how many deer roam the countryside dying from painful wounds inflicted by white hunters. What is a sport to some, is not to others.
Marion Jones will serve time for a white collar crime. Yet many CEO's or powerful people who bilk the American people millions of tax dollars never see a moment of time in jail.
It is important to analyze how African-Americans see the indictments of athletes through their lens to fully understand racial inequalities in our American Justice system, along with our media.

Peter Gabrel and You Tube Join Together for Human Rights

Check out the YouTube video of Peter Gabriel talking about Human Rights in the Cerebral Cinema Blog.

Election Bias by the Media

Please check out the Media Watch forum. I have an interesting article and links regarding the Iowa Caucus and future moves by the media to manipulate the election.

National Popular Vote Building Steam

The National Popular Vote (NPV) was passed into law in Maryland. Read the full article in the Research for Social Justice section.