| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Stokes
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 28 Nov 2004
Posts: 1426
Location: PA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Mystic Power
admin THC-Ministry YahooGroup
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 3605
Location: Key West
|
 Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:05 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
Loretta's got the chops!
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~
"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stokes
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 28 Nov 2004
Posts: 1426
Location: PA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mystic Power
admin THC-Ministry YahooGroup
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 3605
Location: Key West
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
MS NALL COULD WIN ALABAMA BLACK VOTE:
| Ms Nall wrote: |
Dear All,
A very pleasant and exciting surprise came my way last week when on
Thursday I received an unexpected invitation to address the Alabama Conference of Black
Mayors in historic Selma,
Al during the annual celebration and reenactment of Bloody
Sunday. The four Democratic contenders for Governor were also in
attandance and gave addresses as well.
There
were no Republican contenders in attendance. I was never able to
determine if they were invited and declined or if they weren't on the
guest list. It's a question I would dearly love to know the answer to
because if the Republicans were not invited and I was then perhaps my
campaign has sparked some interest in the black community. Or perhaps
it simply implies that black people respect the principal that everyone
should be given equal access in the political process more than the
current power structure in Alabama. Whatever their reason for including
me I am eternally grateful for the opportunity.
I arrived and
two of my supporters were already in attendance as well as three people
I work with on drug policy and prison issues. It was good to see some
familiar faces in the room. I placed my things at the table with my
supporters and set up my camera. Also at this table was Harry Lyon an
attorney and frequent candidate for public office and his girlfriend. I
had some oversize postcards with me to distribute and Harry's
girlfriend picked one up and began to read it. When it dawned on her
who I was she looked at Harry and said, "I've been with you ten years, you are a
wonderful man and I love you...but I am voting for Loretta." I
must say that was a hell of a way to start the day.
I began to place my cards on every table in the room and suddenly a
young white man comes up to me and says, "You're
the candidate that wants to change the drug laws...I saw your front
page article in the Huntsville Times and I agree with you and plan to
vote for you...by the way I am the campaign manager for (name left
blank to protect the job of this gentleman)."
I must
say I was floored that in the space of five minutes I had stolen the
support of a longtime girlfriend of one democratic candidate and the
campaign manager of another. That sort of thing does a great deal for
ones confidence.
Soon it was time to take my seat at the head
table. Mr. Nathan Mathis who is also a democratic contender was seated
next to me. I have to say I like the guy. A big hearty fellow who is a
peanut farmer in South Alabama. He had a great sense of humor and he
and I shared a number of laughs as the day unfolded. He gave an
entertaining speech as well.
Current Lt. Governor
Lucy Baxleymade
her way to the table and, if I may say so, looked genuinely
surprised and a tad put out to find that I was in attendance. I
introduced myself and said that it was nice to meet her, which it
really was. She is an important woman in Alabama politics and just
because I am running against her doesn't mean that I do not respect the
work she has done to get where she is. Alabama politics don't have a
reputation for being overly welcoming to women and she certainly has my
respect for her accomplishments. I still intend to beat her pants off
come November 7, 2006 though. I think that may be much easier to do due
to her remark at the beginning of her speech that referred to the event
as a "variety show". How incredibly arrogant and distasteful. I heard
afterwards that many in attendance were very unhappy about that remark
and that she lost points for thinking she deserves more respect and
consideration when the guest list is compiled. I am almost convinced
they waited until the last possible second to invite me because they
feared if they did it earlier and Ms. Baxley knew then she would not
show up. It is certainly a possibility.
After lunch was served the event began in earnest when former Governor Don Siegelman
was called to the mic. Former Gov. Siegelman has the bad habit of
claiming in the media that he already has the black vote, which I find
to be snide, disrespectful and condescending to the black community.
While it is true that he has a history of black community support that
does not mean that they will support him this time around. He is in a
lot of trouble and while I will not pass judgement on his innocence or
guilt that trouble is looking more and more like excess baggage that
will prevennt him from winning the Democratic party nomination.
Don's
speech was sad to me. Disrespectful too. He seemed to be trying to pull
off a white boy version of the "I Have A Dream Speech" while throwing
out things like "Every Alabamian has a right to a good job" whatever
the hell that means and talking about how "the struggle goes on." Don
Siegelman has never personally known human struggle in his life, and
especially not the kind that African Americans endured in the South
during the civil rights movement. To imply that his "struggle" to beat
the second round of indictments against him in any way compares to
theirs is the height of disrespect, in my humble opinion.
Next
up was yours truly. Being that I only received the invitation the day
before the event I did not have much time to prepare what I would say
to this very important and distinguished group of black leaders. Since
this weekend is such a special time that deals specifically with voting
rights and the struggle to obtain them I decided I would focus solely
on how the drug war has stripped voting rights away from many African
Americans and how they need to join in the fight to get them back.
The text and video of my speech and others speeches is located HERE.
I wasn't really nervous until it was my turn, then all of a sudden my
gut knotted and the temp in the room seemed to rise 20 degrees and the
gravity and importance of the situation finally sank in.
Here I
am, for the first time being given equal time with those considered to
be "major candidates" in this election, about to address a room of
roughly 300 politically active African American Alabamians 54 of which
are current mayors in places like Birmingham, Mobile, Selma and
Tuskeegee. Wow! I am humbled and awed.
I know that what I am
about to say will not be anything at all like what the other candidates
there will say and in fact may be something only two or three people in
the room have ever heard anything like before. I knew that my words had
to leave an impression and that I had to shock them if I could. And I
think I achieved that if nothing else. When the other candidates speak
there is laughter and interaction from the audience. Generally that is
included in my speaking as well but not this time. When I spoke the
room was so slient you could hear a pin drop. I was nervous and could
not get the shake out of my voice. Looking back at it now I think the
nervousness I displayed could be seen as a sign of respect to those I
was addressing. I also get emotional near the end of the speech when I
begin talking about the Christmas for Kids of the Incarcerated event
and the thousands of little kids whose parents are in prison.
That deserves some emotion if you ask me.
When
I was done loud, extended applause broke out. I must say the silence
throughout the speech had me a little scared about whether there would
be any clapping when I was done. I hadn't come with pork chops around
my neck, nor with a hundred empty promises of things I would give away
if elected. I came with the message that there is serious trouble afoot
and that the civil rights leaders of the past would not have stood for
what the drug war has done to the black community and that if they
really cherish their voting rights then they, as black leaders, have a
lot of work to do.
Next up was Mr. Mathis whose sole campaign is
to legalize lottery and casino gambling. He promised to allow black
people to own four casinos out of fifteen. My question is "Why only
four and how come he gets to decide who owns what in a free-market?" He
also stated that he would use some of the money collected in taxes from
casinos to build more prisons. He had balls to get up and say that
after what I just said.
After Mr. Mathis it was Mr. Lyon's turn
and the only thing that stuck with me from his speech is how he wants
to implement mandatory student drug testing for all high-school
students and send them through the court system if they fail a drug
test. I began to shake my head NO at that point and tuned the rest of
his talk out.
Finally it was Lt. Governor Baxley's turn and her
speech consisted of her being a farm girl, a good Christian, a
successful politician with nothing embarassing on her track record and
a liberal in the example of Jesus Christ. She didn't really say what
her plans for Alabama are but asked for the support of the black
community as we all did.
And then it was done. As I exited the
building many older people in attendance approached me and told me how
wonderful it was to hear my words and to really shake up the people in
attandance and remind them what voting rights are all about. They
wanted information cards and a few even wanted campaign signs which I
gladly gave them.
Later that night after I returned home I
called a black minister friend of mine who was in attendance and asked
him what his perspective on my speech was. He said, "Girl you kicked
them in the mind....they're not used to a white woman saying what you
said and you made each and every one of the black leaders today think.
They won't forget you soon and after today you might well gain enough
black support to win this election."
I am honored to have been
asked to address the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors and I hope to
be working with them a great deal in the future. Even if they do not
vote for me I hope that they took my words to heart and will become
more active in preserving and restoring the right to vote. |
Bliss on,
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~
"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 7295
Location: Amsterdam
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
thanks for that Brother Ben, that sounds very good, can you post the link to that video she made? I would love to see it.
_________________
█ Please read the Board Rules and Posting, and you
█ Radio Free Amsterdam
People who know truth, speak truth.
Those who don't, quote scriptures. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pepper
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 528
Location: Earth
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
Link  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 7295
Location: Amsterdam
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stokes
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 28 Nov 2004
Posts: 1426
Location: PA
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ferre wrote: |
Thanks Brother Pepper.  |
Not a problem, Ferre. 
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where love is, there God is also.
-Mahatma Gandhi |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 7295
Location: Amsterdam
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Jeezz. 
How could I miss that link. 
Thank you too Brother stokes.
_________________
█ Please read the Board Rules and Posting, and you
█ Radio Free Amsterdam
People who know truth, speak truth.
Those who don't, quote scriptures. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stokes
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 28 Nov 2004
Posts: 1426
Location: PA
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Simple ... I forgot to add the Wavy Smile.
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where love is, there God is also.
-Mahatma Gandhi |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
Posts: 7295
Location: Amsterdam
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That must have been it.
Maybe we should make it mandatory to add the wavy smilie to links.
_________________
█ Please read the Board Rules and Posting, and you
█ Radio Free Amsterdam
People who know truth, speak truth.
Those who don't, quote scriptures. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
Public Forum
Members only forum
Members Group
| 
