The battle continues...

Keith Olbermann’s special comment is the most eloquent and passionate response so far regarding this Prop 8

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The Audacity of Hope

As the electoral votes swarmed in and the will of the people was expressed throughout the country, a dream came to reality.  The dreams of slaves working on plantations singing spirituals of better days to come.  The dreams of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, aspiring for a day when Black Citizens could hold their heads up high and walk alongside their white brethren.  The dreams of young black Americans across the country ever wondering if America was really the land of the free and the home of the brave. The land of opportunity and the land of equality. A land where one’s dignity, not race, character, not ethnicity decides his or her potential success.  This day has come.  This dream has been realized.

 The glass ceiling shattered with 64 million voices pleading for change.  Ready for a new path.  Anticipating the beginning of a new era.  Millions upon millions of people across the world occupied the streets. Singing and dancing. Praising and praying. Filled with laughter and tears, groups of Americans once thought of as enemies became friends. Adversaries became allies.  The strong grip of fear vanished from the eyes of White Americans and Black Americans alike, and was replaced with hope.  A hope to look past the color of skin and into the dexterity of ones heart.  A hope to look past the ethnicity of our fellow citizens and into the intentions of ones soul.   The audacity to hope for a better tomorrow came with the reward of indeed seeing a brighter future.

 The tears streaming down the faces of notable Black figures such as Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey represented the tears of every African American who thought this day would never come.  These tears however were not just tears of happiness but tears of relief.  Relief from the fear that America was not yet ready to let go of its bigoted past.  Not yet ready to see Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream come to fruition.  Not yet ready to finally live up to its creed of liberty and equality for all. Instead, Black Fathers and Mothers can now look at their children and truly mean it when they say “you can be whatever you want to be.” The No Blacks allowed sign had finally been cast away and with it left the pain and struggle of Black Americans.  With it left the constant pain of government not representing your needs and your wants.  With it left the struggle to picture an African American finally embracing the full rights of everything this country has to offer.  This day will go down in history as not only the day the First African American was elected, but the day hope prevailed.

 “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

 This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.”

-President Barack Obama

...Imeabasi...

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Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th President of The United States

Congratulations America and the first family...America has Changed

The Voice

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Can't Wait Until November 4th?

Early voting has begun!

For those of you living in the Riverside County Area, the nearest Early Voting Center is in Moreno Valley. Directions as follows:

5.5 mi (about 7 mins)

1.	Head east on University Ave toward Iowa Ave	0.4 mi
2.	Turn right to merge onto I-215 S toward Indio	3.3 mi
3.	Slight left at CA-60 E (signs for Indio/CA-60)	0.7 mi
4.	Take the DAY St exit toward MORENO Valley	0.3 mi
5.	Keep right at the fork to continue toward Day St and merge onto Day St	0.5 mi
6.	Turn right at Gateway Dr	0.4 mi

7. Arrive at 2724 Gateway Dr, Riverside, CA 92507

If you are not living in Riverside, simply go to voteforchange.com and it will direct you to a polling place near you!

"Vote or you don't have the right to complain"

...Imeabasi...

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Background of the Darfur Humanitarian Crisis

I have read a lot of articles about the Sudanese genocide that tell me who is dying, when something happens and where. But a lot of the times articles forget to explain why a government would be working to systematically massacre a whole portion of its population. So I took a little time to read up on the genocide to find out how and why the killing began. The violence in Sudan began with a civil war, which began as a fight between rebel Christian/Animist sects of the Sudanese and the Muslim Central Government. There had long since been a distaste of the animist by the Muslim majority of the country. The President and government then funded an Arab Militia to keep the rebels in check. This militia became known as the Janjaweed or armed horsemen. What began as an insurrection over scarce resources and poor treatment by the Muslim leaders of the Sudan, morphed into a Religious and Ethnic cleansing.

The current crisis known as the Darfur Genocide Began in December of 2003 when the peace talks between the Government and the rebel forces now known as the SLM/A, Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army and the JEM, Justice and Equality Movement, fell apart. The Armed Horsemen were then turned loose on the African Masalit, Fur, and Zaghawa people whom the rebels get their support from. A lot of these groups under attack are also Muslims with slight differences in that some have tinges of Animism and Sufismin their practices. Animism being the belief that spirits inhabit and animate the world around us and these spirits are separable from the body; and Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam that deviates from orthodox strictures.

As you read this article the genocide continues. The Armed Horsemen funded by a country with oil Income rain bullets down on civilians. Even those who escape the Sudan to nearby Chad into the refugee camps are allowed no solace pursued by the militia; women being raped and tortured and men killed. At best count to this day 350,000 people have died as a result of this crisis and nearly as many displaced from their home. The violence continues and makes me wonder, how we will be judged by our progeny for letting this atrocity continue with not a thought for human life. Instead our concerns are for the oil/gas prices that partially fuel this human massacre.

Oldgen Rillago

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Students for Barack Obama General Meeting

Students for Barack Obama at UCR

Thursday October 23rd - 7 PM Commons 268 General Meeting with Guest Speaker Grey Frandsen

 We will be meeting in to prepare and mobilize for the final 10 days of this historic campaign. There is little time left to make sure that you are a part of this movement. 

       We will be joined by Democratic Assembly District candidate Grey Frandsen, who will be here to speak about the importance of our efforts, the candidacy of         
       Barack Obama as well as his own candidacy. He will be glad to answer any questions you have as well.

       Grey is an exceptional candidate and we are excited to have him here on campus to discuss the issues. Grey worked in the State Department as well as serving        
       as chief foreign policy advisor for Senator Russ Feingold. 

        Check out his website here: http://www.frandsen2008.com/

        We will have Obama stickers and buttons available at this event as well. Also, we will have sign ups for a trip for change to Las Vegas.

*Note: This event will not conflict with the Pre-Election Symposium for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.; one will have the time to attend both if necessary. 

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Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Pre-Election Symposium this Thursday!

SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY, INC. XI RHO CHAPTER PRE-ELECTION SYMPOSIUM Thursday, October 23, 2008

8:00pm - 10:00pm

UNLH (University Lecture Hall) 1000

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A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Pi Epsilon Chapter had its latest efforts to increase voter registration with a voter registration drive, held on October 20th in the outdoor commons from 11am to 2pm. The turnout proved to be successful with 35 new registered voters. Good job Pi Epsilon.







Look out for other events on the way....

October 27th Bowling with The Alphas @ Moreno Valley Brunswick 8pm-11:55pm Directions:
1). Take I-215 S
2). Merge onto CA-60 E
3). Exit PERRIS BOULEVARD (Ext #62)
4). Turn Right on SUNNYMEAD BLVD (go 0.2 mi, its on your right hand side)

Any Questions please feel free to contact:
Christopher Webb - 818.274.8132
Marco Samaan - 310.933.7356

October 28th Black and Gold Informational
7pm Humanities 1501

Destiny

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Yes on Prop 1A

Yes on Prop 1A
Proposition 1A is an initiative that will bring Californians a safe, convenient, affordable, and reliable alternative to soaring gasoline prices, freeway congestion, rising airfares, plummeting airline service, and fewer flights available. “Proposition 1A is a $9.95 billion bond measure for an 800-mile High-Speed Train network that will relieve 70 million passenger trips a year that now clog California’s highways and airports.” (http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/argu-rebut/argu-rebutt1a.htm) Best of all Proposition 1A doesn’t raise taxes!

On Wednesday October 8, 2008, Calpirg had the current Mayor of Riverside Ronald Loveridge, as well as Jose Martinez, a leading in engineer in the Los Angeles County that will be heading the project, and Emilu Rush, the state-wide director of Calpirg speak at the Watkins lawn space on Proposition 1A.

According to Loveridge “…there is no perfect proposal or perfect project…” but our infrastructure isn’t in good enough shape to continue without such a high speed railway, especially considering the population of California will be approaching 50 million by the year 2012. [Current CA population is 38 million] To him the decision is a no brainer; “If not now, then when?,” he asked those in attendance.

This railway is not intended to compete with other railway systems, but rather “…it’s a tool in the tool box...,” says Jose Martinez. He sees the railway as a means to “connect the Inland Empire” with the rest of California, considering it is a “booming” portion of the state.

Not only would such a high-speed railway make life more convenient for residents of California, it would also get rid of some 12.7 billions pounds of gas emissions and will take some 100 million cars off of the highway.

Such monies for such a project would be needed anyway for many highway and airport expansions needed; in actuality building a high speed railway will be cheaper. As said by Emily Rush there would need to be some 222 miles of additions to infrastructures each year, as a consequence to not building the high speed railway.

The current proposal for such a project has arisen from 10 years of planning efforts. As from Mr. Martinez those working on the project have “…use[d] [their] best engineering judgment to use the best package we can present.”


-Ms. Proctor

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The Eloquence of Obama

The Final Presidential Debate was this week and it is becoming ever clearer that Obama is a great candidate for President. All of us would like to believe that we didn’t see race when we threw our support towards Obama. Reading all of his potential policies and truly believing in everything that he has planned for America. Meaning if Barack Obama was Barry O’Malley we would still be down for the cause right? I can’t lie the first reason why I threw my support towards Obama was because he was black. My thought process was, if we don’t get this Black Man in office, how many other chances are we going to get? There was an e-mail being forwarded around justifying why many African Americans should have the right to choose Obama just because he is black. Listing all the hardships that African Americans have gone through just because they were black. Have to go to the back of the bus because you are black. Drink from a certain water fountain because you are black. Get pulled over in a nice car because you are black. However, when African Americans want to choose the next president “because he is black”, now its bad and we are being racist? At this stage in African American history, being black to me is cause enough to vote Obama into office. Taking a step back, I began to realize that on the surface it seemed like we as a race were just voting for Barack Obama because he was black, but there is something deeper about this senator from Chicago that has caught our attention. As Chris Rock said in an interview with Larry King, “If it was Flavor Flav running for president would I be proud? NO.” Barack Obama speaks to the hearts of many African Americans because he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was not able to go to an Ivy League school and become the first African American President of The Harvard Law Review because his father bought the university a new library. Barack Obama pulled himself up from his own bootstraps and made a name for his self through hard work and dedication. However, the respect he garners is not from his story of a small black kid growing up in a mean white world. He garnered his respect by not forgetting the people many others left behind. Passing up offers to make millions of dollars as a hot shot lawyer, he decided to plant himself in a pain stricken town of Chicago where he helped communities get back on their feet and dream for a better tomorrow.

All this however does not make him a good candidate for president. There are many great people out there with stories similar to Obama’s who would not make very good presidents at all. There has to an unshakeable self assuredness that the person knows what’s best for the country. The person has to be able to look at his opponent and not find differences but look for common ground. Even under intense scrutiny, the person must be able to keep calm and explain themselves clearly and sincerely. Even though McCain in his desperation was trying to prove to the American people that Obama is not ready to be president, McCain helped reassure me that Obama is indeed ready to become the leader of the free world. When Senator McCain questioned Obama on his tax policy calling it “class warfare”, Senator Obama reasoned that it was within the middle class in which our financial crisis will be solved. When McCain questioned Obama’s stance on Abortion, Obama found common ground in the fact that no one likes or wants Abortion but the final decision should be left unto the mother not the government to decide. McCain even questioned Obama relationship with William Ayers, a former domestic terrorist during the Vietnam War. Once Again, Obama respectfully but decisively dismissed the notion that William Ayers has or had anything to do with his campaign.

Senator Obama coolly withstood the jabs of John McCain and when it seemed that Senator McCain landed the haymaker, Obama brushed his shoulder clear of the accusation and continued on with his speech to change America for the better. Obama’s calm demeanor extinguished any doubts I, myself, had for him in terms of experience, mental and emotional aptitude for the job of President. Along with my vote, it seems that Obama now is poised to take down the “No Blacks Allowed” sign of the White House and begin the era of true liberty and equality for all.

...Imeabasi...

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Can You Forgive Your Father's Murderer?

Can you forgive your father's murderer? Can you hold your child's lifeless body in your hands and not harness extreme grief and rage? Can you hear the screams of your mother as death grasps her spirit and not look for revenge? On September 11th, 2,740 Americans died by the hands of people who had perverted the faith of Islam to do their own bidding. 

Filled with patriotism and pride, we rose to avenge the deaths of our fallen citizens in the deadliest attack on American soil in our young history. As an American, I did not only feel like we should go avenge our citizens, but that it was our RIGHT to defend our fallen citizens. Gallantly, we shipped our troops off to fight the good fight for freedom and I hoped that our troops would show no mercy towards the ones that caused my country so much pain. I think till' this day I haven't really wrapped my mind around how many Americans died on 9/11. One person dying violently is already a travesty on earth, but for 2, 740 Americans to die at one time, some from the crash, others from jumping out of the burning world trade centers, and even more from the collapse of those same buildings is catastrophically horrific if ever there was a meaning to those words. As a Christian, I asked myself the questions, am I not my brother's keeper? Is it not our duty as a nation to step up and fight for what we believe in? I would turn on the TV and see bombs being dropped all over Afghanistan and would not bat an eye. "14 dead after airstrike" would be an afterthought as I changed the channel back to the Laker game. Death in this case was our sweetest revenge. Unfortunately I, and many others, did not look deeper into our faith to see the horrible mistake we made. When Judas betrayed Jesus on the fateful night, did Jesus smite him down? Did he curse his name or ask God to look down upon him? We say the prayer all the time, "and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us" yet we failed in our most dire need to actually follow these words. As humans can we forgive our father's murderer? And this is where the cycle begins. 

With every passing day, more and more Innocent Iraqi people die. 654,945 Iraqi citizens have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war. Six hundred and fifty four thousand, nine hundred and forty five Iraqis have been killed, accounting for almost 2.5 percent of Iraq. Relatively speaking, that's equal to every citizen in the city of Atlanta, Georgia dying in a 5-6 year period. 654, 945 Iraqi different family stories. Thousands of fathers dying in front of the eyes of their children. Tens of thousands of Families staring at their child's lifeless body in unbelievable grief and pain. Tens of thousands of Iraqi families seeing death grasp the lives of their mothers. And when the dust clears and they wipe the tears from their eyes, they look up and see American soldiers. 

Can you ever forgive your father's murderer? 

No one is there to explain to them that 5-6 years ago there was an attack on American soil leading to death of 2,740 Americans. No one there to explain to them that we believed they had weapons of mass destruction. Stepping over their families dead remains they will forever hold that pain in their hearts. And as pain burrows itself deep into his heart. Revenge creeps through their heart and is evident in the fire burning in their eyes. 

After our American troops leave Iraq and come back to our country, the Iraq children are still left with the images of their dead relatives. With revenge in their hearts, they plot attacks to avenge their families. And blinded by the same revenge that we as Americans harnessed after 9/11, the Iraqi children will seek blood to avenge their blood. The cycle of death... 

"How do you forgive the murderer of your father"- Lupe Fiasco 

..Imeabasi..

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