Steve

In my opinion he's unfit for office right now. I don't want to sound unsympathetic. I honestly hope he gets better. I like him actually. I've read that he's a centrist politically and no where near the type of person his father is. If you recall he was one of the few black pols who supported Obama from the start and ran counter to pretty much every black politician. It was brave and showed he didn't just go along with the crowd. A crowd he had an 'in' with. However, if he's as bad off health wise as suspected and taking into consideration privacy, the leadership at least needs to know the details. He has a responsibility not only to Illinois but also nationally on important matters that needs voting on. http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/27/12997279-jesse-jackson-jr-being-evaluated-for-depression-at-mayo-clinic?lite Jesse Jackson Jr. being evaluated for depression at Mayo Clinic

Romney's comments aside, its not a big deal. In this election season any little gaffe is overblown and maginified ad nauseum. Its certainly not a reason not to vote for him. Obama is in full political mode and he is bringing his A game. He signed a new pact with Israel just as Obama is planning a trip to Israel. His being Mormon will hurt him a lot with the Jewish vote. They either don't know anything about them or they don't like or trust them. Its still Obama's election to lose. I don't see him losing. I'm seeing anywhere from 320 to 350 electoral votes for Obama when only 270 is needed. He's leading in Virginia and Obama is right. He wins Virginia its over. It negates one of the top swing states and he's leading in most of them anyway, at least the top 5 or 6. North Carolina is in play and a lot is made of it but Dems don't usually win that state anyway. Its usually a Republican state.

Romney's taxes are red herrings. Unless he broke the law and evaded taxes, it doesn't matter what his returns say. They could say he paid no taxes and made a 100 million dollars and I wouldn't see that as a reason not to vote fcr him. If anything, I'd see it as a plus. Any man smart enough to do that knows how things work. I won't be voting for him under just about any circumstances but his taxes and how much he made and paid isn't in the equation. The only significance is what he'll do. The Kennedy's made a lot of money as well but were staunch liberals who often voted to raise taxes. ALL that matters is what Romney will do if he's President. His taxes, Bain career, etc. means jack squat.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/former-coach-charged-harrassment-falsely-accusing-two-others-102721267.html Former coach charged with harrassment after falsely accusing two others at school of sexual contact with their athletes There are some things in the 'Bro Code' you simply don't do. One of them is falsely accuse another guy of molesting. In this day and age there are some stigmas that even if proven 100% false, you still are looked at wtih a 'hmmmm' in a few people's minds forever. Messing with underage kids is one of them. Its one of those things that everyone still in the small crevices of their mind still have a wee bit suspicion about no matter what. I would make this guy pay for the investigation at the very least. I hope this follows him to ANY job he gets after this. He'd need a 'Road to Damascas' change in his life for me to forgive him were i accused. The irony is he was doing that shit.

For me it doesn't matter what some 50 or 60 year old Presidential candidate wrote in college. We've all written some crazy shit. Its part of growing up. The vast majority of people are totally different persons than they were in college. Heck, you change your ideology, character, views on a wide variety of things a couple times before you're 30. Was Malcolm X and Mohammed Ali the same as when they were young moslems? Robert Byrd of West Virginia, a champion of equal rights was a known racist when he was younger. Its all more smoke and mirrors and gothcha politics. What are the persons current and recent views? The last 10 years would be a good indicator. Past that and too many life events happen to put much stock in it. I read the auto biography of Malcolm X in 11th grade and wanted to be called Rashad Ahmad Saheed for 4 months. (funny thing is I wouldn't convert to Islam, just wanted the name...lol). Bachman and these pols below are batshit crazy. Its McCarthy era stuff. The scary thing was she was a legitimate candidate for President. One of the reasons I won't go near the Republican party is because these crazies have a voice. The Dems to their credit got rid of their equivalent for the most part. They have no prominance. The Dems have moved toward the center, the Repubs have moved away from it. http://news.yahoo.com/top-republicans-denounce-attack-clinton-aide-180205853.html Accusing Clinton's aide of ties to Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood?! WTF?! With no proof? The 'accused' is noted is married and guess to whom? Abedin is married to former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner of New York, a Jew.

I don't like Obama's campaign strategy one bit. However, I'm chukling at Republians upest over his using a strategy they perfected. I'm seeing news reports on this but nary a word when Bush used the same exact strategy in '04. Romney doesn't have a clue. He's got no ideas other than the standard Republican mantra that they don't even follow once they are in office. Reagan and both Bushes added to the national debt. They had excuses of course. Obama doesn't seem to be much better but I do think he's on the right track with massive infrastruture spending. I will also say it would have been impossible to fix the economy in 4 years. We were near financial collapse and have deep, systemic issues. Impossible to fix in 4 years and every economist and arm chair economist knows this. However, signs of recovery should be expected.

I saw a map of all the American military bases we have near Iran and we basically have the country surrounded.

I looked at the RealClear site for the latest poll results. Haven't done that in a while. Conclusion? There is no real race right now. Yes, the polls in some swing states are tightening but Romney would need to do too much right now to win. They estimate Romney has about 181 definite electoral votes and Obama about 221. With 270 needed, there is no real contest right now. Romney would have to sweep the undecided states and swing states in contention. He'd need a perfect storm of events. Highly unlikely, the press knows this and both candidates know this. Virginia is polling towards Obama and the President says he wins Virginia he wins again. He's fairly accurate about that assessment. Virginia usually goes Republican and if Obama wins that, its one less of the tradtional swing states he has to win. Florida is the only one of the major 5 swing states (Ohio, Florida, Penna., Michigan and Wisconsin) that Obama is polling below Romney and even that poll is less than 1%. Granted, Obama is only a few points ahead in Ohio and a couple others but firmly ahead in Penna. Romney's VP is the one big event that he controls card he still has to play. Many are saying he should get Condi Rice. Not a bad choice but she brings the Bush baggage as well and she'll get hammered on knowing the economy. Virginia is an example of why the Republicans need to watch demographic trends. Virginia is voting Dem because the DC suburbs (Arlington, Alexandra and the cities and counties adjacent to it) are now being populated by people who moved to Virginia and not homegrown and these are yuppies and the like. One of my brothers moved to that state. These new Virginians come from a far less conservative background. Southern Virginia is closer to NC in ideology but that is changing. Also the latino population in Virginia has increased significantly. The fact of the matter is America is getting darker demographically. Latinos are having more kids than anyone, blacks on average are having more kids than whites. Also, whites from moderate and liberal backgrounds are moving into states that are solidly Republican in the past. Virginia, North Carolina (Charlotte, the triangle, etc. have a large influx of people). They are there for jobs. Georgia is still Republican but Atlanta is a magnet for out of state folks. The demographics don't favor Republicans and they will find it harder and harder to win national elections with the reputation they have of being anti-minority, anti-latino/immigration, etc. Furthermore, even the more conservative immigrants (Koreans for example) come from countries with what is deemed 'socialistic' programs here like national healthcare. Korea has it as well as immigrants from Europe. Its going to be a tough sell telling those folks you're against it. I don't think I'm writing anything the RNC doesn't already know.

Obama has turned out to be a masterful politician. I say that not in admiration but a bit of sadness beacause I was hoping he wouldn't be a typical politician. He is doing what Republicans have perfected as Kamui said. He got elected in the same manner as Reagan. Reagan preached hope and change as well. Republicans get re-elected preaching fear. Negative ads and fear. They basically say 'the other guys sucks way more'. Ignore our faults because the other guy really sucks. Republicans have also been far, far more organized than Dems typically. Its been said their campaigns are run with Prussian effeciency. Obama has outdone them. His team are the best organized by any standard. They analyze a state down to not only small niches that are under the radar but also neighborhoods. He gets the most out of any state. He won Ohio and virginia by targeting small groups. Groups and niches that most campaign managers would consider a waste of time and resources to go after. As for the NAACP, two things. First, as sad as it sounds Obama feels he has to distance himselves from most Black organizations. He has to be seen as a President for ALL the people and unfortunately, even in this day and age as well as the misbeliefs about his religion, he may be seen by some whites as a 'Black president'. A Presdient for Blacks. He wants to appear presidential, inclusive. I can't say I disagree. He's always surrounded by whites. His spokesman, the public face around him is white. Second thing is he simply doesn't get along with the NAACP. I've written a long time ago that Obama and the Black power elite (Politicians) have NEVER gotten along. He's been described by some Republicans as part of the Chicago democratic machine but he was NEVER part of that club. They never liked him. When he ran for local office Black opponents said he was not of 'us' meaning black american who grew up in a black community which was true ironically. He was chastised for speaking 'white' and being a 'nerd'. His 'street cred' was questioned. He ran against a popular woman and was told it was 'not his turn'. Every major black organizaton as well as the Congressiona Black Caucus backed Hillary in '08. Jackson Sr. and Sharpton were opposed to him, the latter publicly. He was the first black Dem, its own member that the CBC did NOT support. Unprecedented. The black masses loved him but their elected officials didn't and they backed him kicking and scratching and held out till the last minute when there was no other choice. So, no suprise he did not go. He never got along with them and I think in some ways its a good thing. He wasn't beholden to them so wasn't gonna coddle the Sharptons of the world. Black enterainment loves him though. Jesse Jackson Jr was pretty much the only black Pol of note that supported him from the start. His father didn't. Speaking of the younger Jackson he's been on leave and the rumor is that he suffered an emotional breakdown.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/07/to-make-america-great-again-we-need-to-leave-the-country/259653/#.T_5b9LTJWUM.facebook Foreign observers used to chuckle at that very distinctly American political rhetoric of exceptionalism -- the assertions of our God-granted preeminence and predestination. But beneath that laughter, there was usually grudging respect, and even envy for a country whose citizens were so ready to express such national pride. Now such language it is often openly derided. Let's face it, even with all the problems in Europe, and everywhere, the American lantern is not as brightly inviting as it used to be. And I don't mean just literally inviting, as in inviting to immigrants -- though that in itself is a huge problem, one that contributes to the general perception of a country closing itself inward. When Americans travel abroad, they are often surprised at how well other countries do the things we used to think America does best. In fact, one reason so many American businesses still lead the world is because they benchmark the competition and emulate best practices. But suggest to an American politician that we should try to learn from other countries, and he will look at you like you are from Mars. It is somehow unpatriotic even to raise such comparisons. Imagine if a politician were to say, "France has a better health care system than we do." I can almost guarantee that politician would suffer electoral defeat -- even though the statement, in most objective respects, is true. The U.S. is, for too many, the only country that matters; experiences anywhere else are irrelevant. Remember, we have many members of Congress who boast they have no passport. ...But many of our political leaders, rather than asking what we can learn from the countries that have surpassed us in various ways, choose instead to win applause with unqualified boasts of our inherent greatness. They imply that the answers to our problems are to be found not just by closing our borders to immigrants but to foreign ideas as well. America is moving toward the kind of bifurcated society we used to deride in banana republics--rich getting richer in gated communities, while the poor grow poorer, barely seen in segregated urban ghettos and hidden rural decay. Over 20 million Americans live in extreme poverty. One in 50 Americans' only income is food stamps. Add the poor and the near-poor--that is under $44K for a family of four--and you have more than 100 million people. The richest country in the world now has the highest rate of child poverty in the developed world. The U.S. has gone from being relatively egalitarian to one of the most unequal countries in the world. Members of Congress spend up to 70 percent of their time raising money; that is their job; they become fundraisers far more than they are legislators. In that same year, 3 percent of retiring Congressmen became lobbyists. Now it's 50 percent of Senators, 42 percent of House members. Critics from the left and right and middle alike call our political finance system one of "legalized bribery." Rich private interests have many ways to block change. This is why health care reform was so modest in the first place; that is why there was no public option; that is why climate change legislation is now near impossible; that is why the U.S. is alone in the world in its inability to regulate guns; that is why basic financial reform can't be enacted.

I remember there was a doctor with his own office in the Italian neighborhood next to me. Dr. Ciaverelli. Funny thing is the Italians said he was a whack but we went there because he was cheap and you could pay in installments. Once he got to know your family very well, he adjusted the price to accomodate. He seemed well off enough to have a full time office manager and there was an Indian guy training with him. In any event, doctors make plenty these days and even if they stood more competition I don't think we'll see a shortage. There are too many lawyers but law schools are still filled up and competitive. Furhermore, are we basing health care on how much doctors should make? Its factor but a minor one. Doctors will come out all right. Obama should have started off dismantiing the present system. Insurance across state lines should be the first thing done and work with governors with regards to that.

http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-commander-says-taliban-cannot-win-afghan-war-131208823--abc-news-topstories.html The Taliban leadership knows it cannot win the war in Afghanistan and is prepared to accept peace with the Afghan government, but only if the militant group plays a prominent role in the country's future, according to an interview with an alleged senior Taliban commander conducted by a former high-ranking diplomat. Pakistan Remains a Taboo Subject "The one thing I dare not talk about is the relationship with Pakistan."

Just to get into some mindless entertainment banter for a second. I have no sympathy for Katie Holmes. Who gets into a relationship with someone as deep into Scientology as Tom Cruise is? Okay, bang the dude if you're an up and coming actress, appear on the red carpet and get some PR to further your career. I can respect that...but marry and have kids? http://omg.yahoo.com/news/katie-holmes-used-disposable-cell-phone-to-secretly-plan-divorce-from-tom-cruise--report.html?_esi=1 According to the Los Angeles Times, a friend of Holmes provided her with the throwaway device so she could talk to her New York City-based lawyers without Cruise, 50, or his people knowing what she was up to. Now, yet another report, a People magazine story released on Wednesday, divulges further details on how Holmes caught her husband of five years off guard by meticulously plotting her divorce plans ahead of time, even reaching out to her parents for help. According to the report, Tom Cruise was about to start shooting an action-packed scene on the set in Iceland when he answered an unexpected call from Holmes. “He was about to do a stunt and got off his motorcycle to take the call,†a source tells People. It was during that conversation that Holmes broke the news. “He’s been in shock since that day,†the source adds.

This is just from personal observation and I have no hard stats to back it up, but every country I've been to and I've been to about 15 or so different countries if I had to take a guess and those vary from industrialized countries to third world. In every one of those countries, including America, I found a few common traits amongst all doctors, 1) they made a wage that was considered upper middle class in that country, and lived better than 90% of the people in that country 2) it was a socially respected profession and they were adequately trained for the routine medical things, things that most people suffer every where. Not taking about brain surgery, the run of the mill maladies. While American doctors made more than everyone else, I don't think it translated into better medical care. Many folks run off to India, Thailand and Mexico for medical care and often are treated better if you take into account time allowed for recovery, comfort, etc. and the actual procedure was just a good as America. American hospitals rush you out of the hospital. What used to be a 3 day medical visit you now have to go home the same day. So, in my estimation its gotten WORSE. As I was writing this I took a minute to google a couple links. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/how-much-do-doctors-in-other-countries-make/ http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/article_a0677fc5-775d-583c-a3bb-6a12f8671a48.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/mitt-romney-booed-at-naacp-event-16754214 spoke too soon. It wasn't that bad. He even got some sporadic applause. He used the term Obamacare and I don't know if it was by design or by accident but the term would be considered incendiary. Calling it the health care bill would have been wiser.

Romney was in a can't win situation with the NAACP, just as if Obama was giving a speech to Tea Party or fundamental religioius right crowd. If he was booed, I am disappointed. He's a guest. Its no secret the organization and its members weren't going to agree. Why invite him or accept an inviation to speak, whichever it was, if all you're going to do is boo? I'll give Romney credit for going. It was brave. Booing detracts from the organization's reputation.

HH!! Its been way too long!! I hope (was gonna say pray but not with this anti religion crowd on here) all is well. Good to see you haven't forgotten us and you took a break from chasing ass to give an opinion. Cav (and others), I don't know much about Obamacare admittedly. So, just want to make sure its confirmed that expats will have to pay? Were permanently overseas I wouldn't want the added expense. If that is so, isn't there an amount of income that if you're below it, you either don't have to pay or its fairly low (although I can understand it if ANY additional expense is not wanted)? How would they enforce it? I know you have to file taxes...technically, but I know more than a few Americans overseas who haven't filed for years. There is one thing though is that the way we dispense and pay for health care MUST be reformed. To see just how receptive Americans are to it, I'd like to see a full vote, President, Congress and Governors, to either make health care a right and add to the constitution with other rights or don't. Make it a national debate so we can address some core issues.

http://news.yahoo.com/gop-offers-health-care-repeal-without-alternative-204054205.html GOP offers health care repeal without alternative Not surprising they don't. Howevver the article did say that the '09 Republicans offered this, which I think is good and a bear minimum. Republicans in both houses have suggested numerous measures in recent years to remake parts of the sprawling health care system. The last time the party offered a full-fledged legislative alternative was in 2009, meaning that none of the dozens of first-termers elected in 2010 were involved in its drafting. That measure called for capping medical malpractice judgments, allowing insurance companies to sell policies across state lines and permitting small businesses to pool together to purchase coverage for their employees. It also would have provided funds to the states to help maintain high-risk insurance pools for people with pre-existing conditions, for whom insurance is otherwise either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. Taken together, Republicans said at the time their alternative would have reduced federal health care costs as well as the deficit. It also shunned the government mandates at the heart of the law that eventually passed. The power of the insurance lobby is evidenced in that you can't sell insurance across state lines. Its crazy that they can't. I read where Wellpoint raised fees 39% in the last few years in California and no one can do anything about it because they are one of the only games in town so you pretty much have few alternatives. I'd even allow FOREIGN insurance companies in IF they meet certain financial requirements, have a cash reserve that will adequately cover claims. They have to be strong enough to enter. The problem with the above suggestions is that it doesn't cover the uninsured. You lose your job, what happens? There are millions on social welfare. I don't like it but they have to be taken care of. We also need to loosen restrictions and allow a whole lot more doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, etc. in. Increase the competition. Pharmacist companies like Rite Aid and such wanted to have clinics on location as well and the AMA fought that. They don't want any competition and they site 'health care' concerns which is a crock of shit. These clinics take care of basic needs. They're not doing brain surgery...literally. Those get referred to experts. They would take care of the same things that your family doctor did many decades ago. They should allow this in areas with a high number of poor like the inner city and rural America like West Virginia as well as older folks like retirees in Florida and Arizona for example.

Scranton is a blue collar, industrial, factory town from decades ago. Cities like these that are all over Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, states that were the heart of industrial America have been suffering since the '70s. Some a slow death, some rapid. Lots of these jobs are overseas. This city is a prime example where massive inftrastructure projects could be useful. Money doesn't go anywhere, it simply transfers from place to another. http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12659748-scranton-pa-slashes-workers-pay-to-minimum-wage?lite Unions representing civil servants in Scranton, Pa., filed suit Tuesday after the mayor cut pay for police, firefighters, garbage collectors and other public workers to minimum wage, saying that was all the city could afford. Unions representing police, fire and public workers in the city of 76,000 filed three lawsuits after the city defied a judge's order and issued paychecks Friday that paid 398 city employees at the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune. The lawsuits against Mayor Chris Doherty include one filed in federal court under the Fair Labor Standards Act accusing the city of failing to pay wages on time and failing to pay overtime. Another lawsuit seeks to hold the mayor in contempt for violating a judges order. Yet another alleges that benefits for disabled police and firefighters were cut without a hearing. The Times-Tribune, quoting City Business Manager Ryan McGowan, reported that as of Monday the city had $133,000 in cash, but owed $3.4 million in vendor bills. One of those bills was health insurance, McGowan said. Scranton is among a number of cities struggling to pay their bills amid rising labor costs. Earlier this month, Stockton, Calif., became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy protection from creditors. Scranton's mayor and the city council have been locked in a dispute over how to raise money in a city that has steadily lost population over the past 50 years and has been hit hard by the real estate slump and the Great Recession that followed. Doherty has argued that the city needs to increase taxes, but council members want to find other ways to raise money. Doherty is a Democrat. The city council is comprised of Democrats. The Scranton newspaper said the city has been designated as financially distressed for 20 years.

This is crazy. First, that coach should be fired and face charges. Right off the bat, that much I say should happen. However...and I will sound insensitive. But the degree to which he went after her doesn't sound right. Maybe he has a history of this sort of behavior. Maybe he doesn't. My guess is if there was any kind of history he'd have been fired long ago. The athlete does not deserve any of it BUT I have to think something was said to the coach to get that kind of rage out of him. Something isn't right. It sounds like more than just an enraged coach. I could be wrong obviously and maybe my heartlessnes is coming out. http://msn.foxsports.com/basketball/story/wisconsin-girls-basketball-coach-punches-player-in-face-after-loss-charged-with-battery-071012 A Wisconsin girls basketball coach has been charged with battery after witnesses said he punched one of his teenage players in the face and threw her to the ground after a loss, police said Tuesday. Fred Freeman, 47, of Hartford, Wis., faces the misdemeanor charge after the Monday incident, which involved a 17-year-old player from his traveling youth basketball team, at the Indiana Fieldhouse Sports Complex near Indianapolis. ''The victim told officers her basketball coach was verbally abusing her after the team lost their game,'' Fishers police spokesman Officer Tom Weger said. ''She reported that during a verbal altercation he punched her in the face, threw her to the ground and got on top of her with his hands around her throat.'' The girl, a Milwaukee resident, suffered scrapes and scratches to her arms and legs. When officers arrested Freeman afterward at a restaurant, he admitted to restraining the girl but claimed to have been the victim, Weger said. However, the parent of another player told officers she saw Freeman striking the victim. A police report says Freeman's daughter also was present and pleaded with him to stop the attack, The Indianapolis Star reported. Jean Washington, the parent of a player from another team, told officers Freeman ''grabbed the victim tightly around her torso'' and Washington heard the victim ''tell the suspect to get off of her,'' the police report said. ''The two fell to the ground, and the victim continued to resist the suspect. The suspect and victim made it back to their feet, and the suspect grabbed the victim again and slammed her back into the ground,'' the report said. Freeman's daughter then spoke up. ''Ms. Washington observed the suspect's daughter yelling, 'No, Daddy.' The suspect then got up and threw the victim's badge into (a) tree,'' the report said. Washington then escorted the victim back inside the building while Freeman left with other team members, it said. Freeman was due to be released on his own recognizance from the Hamilton County Jail on Tuesday. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney. A residential phone listed in his name was disconnected.

If ever there was a case for the death penalty it is here. I would have absolutely no problem, I’d even pay for the privilege to pull the lever on this f*cker. If it were my child or the child of any of yours, etc. I’d be in jail right now as an accomplice. No joke. http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12667351-guilty-plea-child-rapist-was-accused-of-giving-girls-special-juice-before-assaults?lite

The seeds of change if not a revolution were there. The Occupy Wall Street was the middle class who are squeezed saying enough is enough. Whether one agrees or doesn't that they are targeting the wrong folks, in a way its a contination of what the Tea Party started out as. The Tea Party were also middle class folks who initially focused on purely economic terms (scaling back goverment size and spending for example) before it got hijacked by the far right and got into social conservatism. So, while they seem totally disparate the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street is the middle class crying out. They don't see much hope. The government can't continue to ignore the middle class. There are people making what seems to be decent money, 50k, 60k or even more a year who can't pay for their kids college tuition. Who see very little of that wage after everything is paid off. You have young single professionals who see marriage as a financial impossibility in the current climate. College grads are despondent. There is a growing anti corporate America feeling out there. That they are f*cking us. That they are in control of the politicians. The talking heads in big media and the parties have successfully done the divide and conquer with the disparate middle class groups. Occupy Wall Street, the Tea Party, the voters who support Ron Paul are solidly middle class or upper working class folks. They all are saying 'we're hurting here', no one has been able to unite them all...yet.

Totally agree and I hope my post didn't suggest that if one buys his story they are. I stated in my post that there are some folks who regardless of the races of the two think that Zimmerman is innocent. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever. I was just echoing some things I saw on various threads about it where there are a number of Zimmerman supporters who seem to base their support on him not so much on the facts but out of anger to the 'race card' being played in their opinion and the inclusion of Jackson and Sharpton. There is a very strong sentiment and I've seen threads derail into other aspects of race in America. The matter has become racially polarized and its sad. The facts should speak for themselves. Black American women have long resented successfully Black men who have non black wives. Those sentiments are very old and common. Although, as we become a more integrated society its not as much but still strong enough. Black women are dating outside their race in increasing numbers as well.

I don't see it as the right or wrong party. In the infancy of a lot of new democracies like this, the religious conservatives sometimes does well like in Egypt. I wouldn't worry about it. Whomever is elected they will be judged eventually on the kitchen table issues: jobs, education, cost of living. I think its actually a good thing that the Muslim Brotherhood won in Egypt. The country is a mess economically to some extent and when the people see that being a militant doesn't translate to running an economy they will vote them out. The Libyans will get it right eventually I hope. They will make mistakes as any new democracy does and find their way. The goal or rather the hope is get to a similar level as Turkey. A successful, moderate moslem state. In all these Arab spring countries they will learn that you can't be too extreme. You need moderation to invite in capital. To make it a place where foreign investors, banks, tourists, etc. will want to invest and spend their money. The world has become a whole lot smaller with technology and we are more interdependent with each other than we ever were. You can't operate in a vacuum. Iran and Syria are seeing that for themselves.

I've been involved in a thread on another site regarding this case. I never got into the racial aspect. I just wanted to know the facts. The logic of it didn't make sense to me at first. According to Zimmerman, Martin arbitrarily approached him and picked a fight and was enraged to the point that he told him he was going to die and the comments Zimmerman said that Martin said just didn't make logical sense to me given Martin's background (no history of violence that comes close to that) and that he was on his way home to his father's house who was a disciplinarian. His suspension from school was non violent (pot and that was sketchy as the amount was superficial at best). I just didn't see it happening the way Zimmerman said it did. Nevertheless its become a racia cause celebre on both sides. The introduction of Jackson and Sharpton made it a circus. Given their history, just having them involved is going to evoke so much bad sentiment that I think some wanted Zimmerman innocent just to tweak the noses of those two despite the reasoning and logic of it all being highly suspicious at best. Fox News has been very sympathetic to Zimmerman. He's become a bit of the 'payback' for OJ for some whites I think. Just being honest from what I've read on other sites. I can see some reason to believe he may be innocent. His passing of the non admissable lie detector test. His injuries as well. Consistent with someone losing a fight. However, I would ask how he got into a fight in the first place. He wouldn't be the first person to instigate a confrontation and lose. Also, given what we know about Martin, if he was so enraged to do that, what must have been said to him? His gf tells of someone who was worried about being followed while Zimmerman followed him initially. What could Zimmerman have said that enraged him? I don't see Martin arbitrarily going after him. Its possible but very unlikely from what I've seen. I hate that its become a racial thing. I want the facts to speak for themselves. My guess is Zimmerman will be found innocent. I don't think here is enough evidence to convict him. That doesn't mean he is innocent in my eyes. OJ was innocent in the eyes of the law but there is no doubt he was guilty and although very few blacks will admit, amongst ourselves I've never heard anyone claim he was innocent. OJ was payback for Rodney King and historical crimes. Not right to do that. "We" sometimes take on 'heroes' in desparation just to have one. OJ, who shunned the black community after he made it. Obama, who never grew up as part of the black community has no familial ties to it with his African father. I understand it, even if I sometimes don't agree with it. I was always different because of how I grew up. Parents who never spoke of anger against whites even though they went through painful times in the '60s and such, and also having a brother who was Italian (long story...lol...a couple people who know me on this forum knows the story). There is a lot of sentiment by many whites toward Zimmerman because I think there is a feeling that any thing that is done against a black person gets brought into the murky, emotional realm of racism when its just an incident, nothing more, nothing less. Also, any incident against a white person by a black person that is obviously based on prejudice gets swept under the rug. I get that and I understand it and even sympathize. America has made huge progress over the last 40 years and I would say progress that has far, far exceeded expectations from where we were. I would say that any of you who were old enough to remember the '60s (I don't) would say that you never would have imagined a black person in your lifetime under any type of scenario. Maybe not even your childrens which indicates just how things were polarized back then. So, its not surprising to me that Zimmerman was able to raise a million bucks. Funny thing is he's not white. But just like the Black community embraced someone not of their own (OJ, Obama) so has many whites with Zimmerman. While I think there are some racists who will support Zimmerman no matter what the facts are, I think there are quite a few whites who do out of frustration. Whites who don't regard themselves as racist but feel are marginalized by the race card being played too often. In their grief and for justice, the Martin family accepted the help of Jackson and Sharpton and although its understandable, I would not given the same situation. At least I'd like to think I would but in grief and seemingly no one to turn to people get desperate and I think that's what has happened with the Martin family. Given what they knew it was painfully frustrating. Their son, who they believe to their core had no capacity to arbitrarily attack someone was killed. The whole thing is sad and the verdict will not end it. If Zimmerman is found innocent, Blacks will point to it as evidence that institutionalized racism as well as white racist sentiment is still alive and kicking. If he is found guilty, Whites will see it as Jackson and Sharpton and some in the media influencing a verdict and I fear it will harden some. Some neutrals in terms of views of race may start harboring sentiments they didn't have before. Its a mess.