Legacy

A Tribute to Harriet Tubman

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:36:46 PDT

Today, March 8th, is Harriet Tubman’s birthday. Born Araminta Ross in 1820, she was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. And while we celebrate the birthday of other great American leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman often goes unnoticed, unappreciated, and ignored.

But I want to change that.

And that’s why today, I chose to celebrate this great woman of God.

Click the link below to watch a short video on the life and times of Harriet Tubman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhzycOC3rM0

Or click below to read her Wikipedia biography.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman

God bless,
J.W.

Really?!!!! (Part 2)

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:52:18 PST

Rupert Murdoch Apologizes For Cartoon: "The Buck Stops With Me"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/rupert-apologizes-for-car_n_169386.html

Did it really take over a week and almost 1,000 protesters for Rupert to finally apologize?

Why was the cartoon even published in the first place?

Did the illustrator, and more importantly, the editors really not understand the racial overtones that the cartoon suggested?

And if not, isn’t that a problem in and of itself?

Isn’t this a perfect example of the reason why diversity is something to be encouraged and celebrated?

Because I guarantee you that if there was an African American in leadership over at the New York Post, it never would have been published.

This is why businesses and corporations need to invest in African American communities.

This is why there needs to be scholarship and empowerment programs for young, black youth.

Not just because it’s good for their community.

But because it’s good for all communities.

And it avoids situations like this.

God bless,
J.W.

Living Legend

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:10:54 PST

At just 27 years old, Serena Williams is truly a living legend.

Here, she reflects on her past and her ancestors' past in honor of Black History.

God bless,

J.W.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjzLNrk15oQ

A New Thing

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:31:21 PST

There's a new thing going on over at my entertainment site, The J'Nointed Experience.

I just started JEW3TV, an online TV show.

Please check it out via the links below.

Thanks so much and God bless,

J.W.

Q&A: http://jnointed.blogspot.com/2009/02/q.html
Episode 1: http://jnointed.blogspot.com/2009/02/welcome-to-jew3tv.html
Hot, Go Cop That: http://jnointed.blogspot.com/2009/02/hot-go-cop-that.html

Really?!!!

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:39:20 PST

Wednesday's Page Six cartoon -- caricaturing Monday's police shooting of a chimpanzee in Connecticut -- has created considerable controversy. But it has been taken as something else -- as a depiction of President Obama, as a thinly veiled expression of racism. This most certainly was not its intent; to those who were offended by the image, we apologize. However, there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past -- and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback. To them, no apology is due. Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon -- even as the opportunists seek to make it something else."

Wow.

Is this really the type of response we get?

After all the scrutiny and media coverage the Post has gotten over this, is this really the apology they give?

In fact, is it really an apology at all?

Or is it really them saying “oh, well, we’re sorry you took it the wrong way?”

I’ve heard that there have been calls for a boycott of all media owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox News and Myspace.

After this response, I’m strongly considering deleting my Myspace page (which I hardly use in the first place).

Sad.

Peace,
J.W.

Racism Still Alive...

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:35:54 PST

Think this drawing is racist?

I do.

And so does Rev. Al.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtaOa_0fCBw

Peace,

J.W.

Welcome to JEW3TV!

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:39:30 PST

What Now?

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:00 PST

With the passage of the economic stimulus bill this past weekend, our elected officials took a huge step forward to get this country back on track where it needs to be. However, while our leaders focused on getting the country back on track, one major question looms – one that I have yet to hear any of our leaders, including President Obama answer in a clear and concise way – that is, how do we prevent this from happening again? What regulations do we put in place to avoid this situation in the future? How do we put an end to predatory lending, corporate greed, and a culture that teaches us to live beyond our means and borrow the difference – the very practices that got us into this mess in the first place?

When do we start to focus on creating a fairer, more just, more equitable, more stable economic environment in our country? When will we start to address the fact that people who work over 50 hours a week get paid less than $30,000 a year in some cases? When do we stop paying athletes millions of dollars to play childish games and start compensating our public servants – the firefighters, teachers, nurses, etc. – who keep our country safe and running properly but just barely get by financially? If President Obama is really serious about public service, he would lead the charge, use his bully pulpit, and his tremendous influence to advocate on behalf of those working class people who are being exploited, abused, and manipulated by the corporate interests that we just bailed out.

I know he’s got a lot on his plate, but, at some point, we need to start thinking and talking about the measures we will put in place to avoid this situation in the future. And I know it’s his job to fix our country, but some aspects of this crisis just can’t be fixed – at least not through some stimulus package.

See, scripture tells us that we reap what we sow, and, as such, America is now suffering the consequences of the mismanagement, incompetence, and irresponsibility that we’ve sown over the years.

See, sometimes, there’s no way to avoid a storm. Sometimes you simply have to go through it to get through it.

God bless,
J.W.

The Greatest President

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:03:18 PST

The greatest President who ever lived is unfortunately not in the White House right now (at least not yet).

In fact, he’s not even alive anymore.

But he was born on this day, 200 years ago in Hardin County, Kentucky.

“Who are you talking about?” you ask.

President Abraham Lincoln, of course.

Known most for his leadership in both the Civil War and his efforts to abolish slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln was truly our greatest President. And no, not for the laws he passed or the wars he won. But for the man he was.

Despite what modern-day Republicans may claim, Abraham Lincoln is not your father’s Republican.

Rather, by definition, Lincoln was a progressive, seeking to promote positive change throughout this great nation through liberal legislation.

During his Presidency, Lincoln refused to give it to calls of compromise with the south on the issue of slavery. He faced threats of assassination throughout his Presidency but stayed strong in his convictions. On slavery, Lincoln wrote: “How can any one who abhors the oppression of Negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that ‘all men are created equal.’ We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except negroes.’ When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.’ When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be take pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”

Lincoln was also a Progressive in many other ways. For instance, he instituted the nation’s first income tax. He nationalized the country’s financial system. He invested in this nation’s infrastructure. And he granted amnesty to the Union’s prisoners.

Sound familiar?

It should.

Because without President Abraham Lincoln, there’d be no President Barack Obama.

And without Lincoln, there’d be no me. At least no educated me. I wouldn’t even be able to type this message.

America just wouldn’t be the same.

God bless,
J.W.

Where's The Love

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:49:24 PST

The following are the words of one of the greatest American politicians that ever lived - Mr. Robert F. Kennedy.

How fitting in these broken economic times.

Enjoy!

Peace,

J.W.

---------------------------------------------

"But even if we act to erase material poverty, there is another greater task, it is to confront the poverty of satisfaction - purpose and dignity - that afflicts us all. Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product - if we judge the United States of America by that - that Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities. It counts Whitman's rifle and Speck's knife. And the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.

Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."

~Robert F. Kennedy, 1968

Lost

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:30:00 PST

What happened to the grassroots, bottom-up movement?

It's what the Obama campaign was built on.

It's what set it apart from its Democratic primary counterparts.

It's what got him elected.

So why now, when it comes to fixing our economic and financial systems, does President Obama want to take a bureaucratic, trickle-down approach?

The current bailout plan calls for money to be given to banks and big corporations who will, in turn, pass the wealth down to the rest of us by creating more jobs and giving out loans.

But is that really the right approach?

As a former community organizer, shouldn't he focus on investing the money directly into the communities that need them the most, the communities for which he worked for years.

Somehow, he seems to have lost his way and forgotten about his roots a little bit, at least when it comes to repairing this financial crisis. Maybe it's the Harry Reids and Nancy Pelosis in his ear, telling to push some Democratic bureaucratic agenda. But he promised new type of politics, one focused on the middle class, the little guy, the grassroots.

Me?

I like the plan that Daily Show host Jon Stewart had advocated and my friend Brooke Barrett has so elegantly articulated in her "Barrett Economic Stimulus Plan." : )

In it, she calls for billions and billions of dollars in bailout money to be distributed directly to "everyday folks based on their consumer debt.... The banks get the infusion of cash (liquidity), we become debt-free, and we all live happily ever after."

She also calls for "mortgages to be refinanced at a low, fixed rate for 30 years and that all student loan debt (federal and private) could also be consolidated by the federal government at the same low rate."

Sounds good to me.

What do you guys think?

We Made It

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:25:42 PST

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwtDfKpqxeo

Say It Loud

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:59:10 PST

I love being black.

I really do.

I love everything about it.

The style. The culture. The music. The arts. The cuisine. The people.

Everything.

I love waking up in the morning knowing that I am black!

It gives me a rush. It empowers me. It motivates me.

Now, to some, that may sound boastful, or even racist. After all, one might argue, if a white person said the same thing, we'd all call him racist, wouldn't we? So, what's the difference?

The difference is in experience.

White people came here in on the Mayflower... the Nina... the Pinta... the Santa Maria.

White people came here in search of land... a future... a better life for themselves and their families.

My people, on the other hand, came here as slaves... as vangabonds... as indentured servants.

My people came here through the Middle Passage... on the Amistad... through the slave trade.

All this and I don't have a right to be proud?

All this and I can't celebrate the fact that we now have an African American in the White House?

When I say I love being black, I don't say it for you, or even for myself.

No, I say it for those who came before me. Those who fought for the right to say "I'm proud to be black."

After all, it wasn't supposed to be this way.

We were supposed to hate ourselves.

We were supposed to think, act, and be like animals.

We were supposed to be second class citizens.

But now we run the White House.

Now we've got one of us in charge of leading this country, the same country that tried to enslave us and hold us down.

So, as we celebrate Black History Month during the month of February, I say loudly, and proudly, I love being black!

Don't like it? Well, that's just too bad.

Peace,

J.W.

Disgruntedly Yours!

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:21:32 PST

The following is an open letter that I sent to the Joint Congressional Committee for Inaugural Ceremonies, the Secret Service, and the White House. Hopefully, this issue gets more coverage and something is done to at least attempt to rectify the situation, whatever that may be.

J.W.

-------------------------------------------

Dear Joint Congressional Committee for Inaugural Ceremonies:

After working my butt off, both as a volunteers and a paid staffer, for over a year as a part of the Obama campaign, I am extremely upset and disappointed by the disorganization surrounding Tuesday's inaugural ceremony and purple ticket holders. After standing in line for upwards of 6 hours, I was robbed of the opportunity to see any of the inauguration of our new President, despite having tickets to the event.

After getting just 2 hours of sleep the night before, my wife and I woke up around 3am to ensure that we would get a parking spot at the New Carrollton metro station. Arriving at the purple gate by 6:30am, we were then forced to stand in line in a dark tunnel in the freezing cold with no bathroom facilities and no police and/or inaugural official presence with upwards of 10,000 other purple, yellow, and silver ticket holders just to be turned away at the gate at 11:30am. It was absolutely ridiculous!

Please understand that I am not just some ordinary citizen who simply voted for our new President on Election Day. I drove my car into the ground for this man! I spent 3 months away from home to help get him elected. I left my job to join the campaign. After driving for three hours from New Jersey and arriving in the D.C. area on Saturday, I was even forced to return home in New Jersey having been notified that my house suffered a busted water pipe, only to return to D.C. just a few hours later. That's how excited I was to see this inauguration. And my expectation was that, unlike others who didn't have tickets, that I would actually get to see it because I had tickets.

For me and countless others, this was the biggest screw-up the JCCIC, the PIC, and the Secret Service could have committed. Again, the people I stood in line with were not just ordinary voters. They were people who knocked on doors, made phone calls, and recruited volunteers 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to see this day. There is absolutely no excuse for what happened on Tuesday and you all should be ashamed of yourselves! Someone should be held accountable!

All I can say is that you all are very, very fortunate that our President recruited such civilized and respectful people to join his campaign. Otherwise, you would have had an even worse situation on your hands and things could have turned out very differently.

You all need to do something to rectify this situation. I don't know what could or should be done. That is for you to figure out. But something should be done. Moreover, our President and his campaign should be notified about this. This is something that could threaten their re-election campaign in four years. How would they feel to know that the people who have the most experience campaigning on a grassroots level and skilled in community organizing don't want to work for the campaign anymore because of something your committee did, or failed to do? Why would I want to work for a campaign that doesn't respect me enough to honor the tickets it gave me? I'm sure President Obama would not be thrilled to find out that he can no longer count on the thousands and thousands of people left out on Tuesday because of your actions. Rectify the situation! Repair the damage! Let us in!

Disgruntledly yours,

James Woodson

Former Field Organizer, 3rd Congressional District, New Jersey

Barack Obama's Campaign for Change

Justice For All

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:22:44 PST

For those of you who don’t know, last week, a black man named Oscar Grant was shot in the back while he was handcuffed and subdued on the ground during a confrontation with Oakland, California transit police (BART). Initially, reports were that the officer responsible for Grant’s death claimed that his gun went off accidentally. Then, after he realized he might be in some trouble for the incident, he refused to talk.

Now, after much pressure from the public, the Oakland District Attorney has charged the officer with second-degree murder.

Now, while some may claim that the punishment is a little excessive for what seemed to be an accident, for a police system that, by many accounts, had been corrupt for a while, someone needed to investigate. Furthermore, I would even argue that the officer’s refusal to talk suggests the incident may not have been as much of an accident as he claims (although I’m sure it was somewhat in response to his lawyer’s advice to not speak to the press).

But the fact that the officer has been charged by no means suggests that justice has been or will be served. According to ColorofChange.org, experts couldn’t even remember when the last time a member of the police force had been indicted, much less convicted, in the Bay Area.

As such, it’s up to us to ensure justice is done in this case. We need to continue to put pressure on the people in charge of this case to make sure this isn’t another Sean Bell situation, where the people responsible get off scot-free.

So, please click the link below and sign your name to the list of those who are committed to seeing justice served for Mr. Grant, his family, and the countless other victims and their families who have suffered loss at the hands of corrupt police officers.

http://www.colorofchange.org/oscar_update/?id=2293-211157

Please be advised that the video posted on the page via the link above is footage of Oscar Grant's arrest and brutal execution. It was taken by some subway passengers who witnessed the incident. It contains some disturbing images and some foul language.

God bless,
J.W.

Daughters

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:53:00 PST

So, as you all know, in just under a week, we will inaugurate our new President. Michele and I will be going to see history in the making live and in person as I'm sure many of you will be. The rest of you, I know, will be watching on TV and celebrating with friends and family members in your homes.

But as we approach this significant day in history, I want you to know exactly who you have elected. I want you to understand exactly who you have chosen to be in charge of running this country for the next four years.

Despite my various qualms with the social injustice that occurs on a daily basis in this country, I have to give America credit, for it has picked what seems to be one of the most caring, genuine and compassionate people to lead us into the 21st century. So, as I share this with you, I echo the sentiments of our beloved new first lady in saying that I couldn't be more proud of my country than I am right now.

God bless,

J.W.

--------------------------------------------------

Next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President. On this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children. Here, he shares his letter to them.

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love,
Dad

Racism Still Alive... (Part II)

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:30:01 PST

Today, I read an article in Time Magazine that suggested that racism is “so deeply ingrained” in our society that “protective legislation and affirmative-action programs are required” to properly address it. In particular, the article highlighted two phenomena, called unconscious racism and the impact bias of affective forecasting, that causes people to largely ignore overt racism and to even go so far as to accept it on occasion without complaint.

Now, while this may have come as a shock or surprise to many Americans, I suspect that this wasn’t news at all to those who finds themselves the victim of such racism the most – namely, those of the black diaspora. The fact is that, for most of us, it’s something we deal with on a daily basis, whether we even consciously recognize it or not.

Don’t believe me? Well, just check out the study that was conducted by researchers from Yale University and Toronto’s York University. Its findings are very interesting, and disturbing at the same time.

The study tested 120 nonblack students who were “told they were being recruited for an experiment on team-oriented problem-solving.” The participants were split into three groups. One group, the test group, was then placed individually into a room with both a white and a black actor pretending to be participants in the problem-solving experiment.

The test was to see how the unsuspecting students would react when confronted with overt racism. In order to test such reactions, the experiment called for the black actor to “slightly” bump into the white actor while leaving the room. According to the article, “after the black actor had left, the white actor played out one of three scenarios, saying ‘I hate it when black people do that,’ ‘Clumsy n*ggers,’ or nothing at all.” The researchers, through observation and interviews, would then study the responses of the participants. According to the article, “the unsuspecting students were also asked to choose one of the two actors – still posing as fellow participants – to work with on a team assignment.”

Again, the findings were interesting and disturbing. Researchers found that none of the students who experienced the racist comments directly approached the white actor to “correct or disparage” him. Moreover, none of the students said that they were upset by the comments when asked about it later. In fact, according to the article, “71% of the students chose the white actor as their partner for the assignment” after he made the racist comments.

As a control, the researchers also exposed the two other groups of unsuspecting students to the racist comments, albeit indirectly. One group watched the interaction on video and the other read about it. Of those who watched the exchange on video, 80% said that would not work with the white actor. Of those who read about it, 75% said the same. “Participants in both groups said they were deeply upset by the racist comments,” according to the article.

So, what does all of this mean, you might ask.

Well, it tells me two things. First, it tells me that what we are truly missing in today’s society is a sense of empathy – the ability to see oneself in another’s shoes.

In looking at the results of the study, it seems to me that those who either watched or read about the racism were much more affected by it than those who experienced it directly. Why? Well, I would argue because they were able to look at the situation more objectively, to see it from an outsider’s perspective, to see it more empathetically.

Those directly affected by it, however, could only see it from their own perspective. In my opinion, they looked at the racist comments as something that was not directed towards them. Therefore, it was not something by which they should be directly affected or something with which they should take issue.

The researchers themselves concluded that the impact bias of affective forecasting, a psychological phenomenon marked by the tendency to overestimate one’s reaction when faced with emotional events, played a part in the results. “Failing to feel outrage, the participants may have then rationalized the racist comment as somehow acceptable and let it pass,” the author’s speculated.

Whatever the case, I think Kanye West said it best when he exclaimed: “racism still alive, they just be concealing it.” And just like these researchers, I believe that it’s experiments like these that prove that, for as far as we have come, our society is still not completely fair and equal. Hence the need for governmental action.

God bless,
J.W.

The Real Economic Bailout

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:00:01 PST

According to a New York Times article, 524,000 jobs were lost in December. 2.6 million were lost in all of 2008.

Scary numbers for scary times, for sure.

Unemployment is currently at a level of 7.2%, meaning that more than 11 million people are currently unemployed, according to the Times article. Moreover, those numbers are predicted to increase over the next several months. As such, according to the article, during a speech given on Thursday at George Mason University, President-Elect Obama claimed that the unemployment rate “could reach double digits” at some point.

With all these dismal and depressing reports, you would think that our federal government and our legislators would do something to help us out. Instead, what do they do? They continue to give billions and billions of dollars to corporations that were partly, if not wholly, responsible for the financial collapse in the first place. What sense does that make?

Instead, what we need is a common sense approach. What we need is not another bailout to big corporations, but rather one for individuals, families, and small businesses. That’s the way we will pull ourselves out of this recession and begin to build our economy back up. Middle class tax cuts, mortgage forgiveness and renegotiation programs, and investment in a green economy are what will get us back on track. Not simply continuing to do business as usual.

It’s time to really commit to Obama’s “Change We Can Believe In” platform. But not only will it take support from a bipartisan group of legislators, not only will it take courage and conviction on the part of our new President, but it will take each of us to hold those in power, including our President-Elect, accountable to deliver the results we desire.

Peace,

J.W.

Legacy

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:51:26 PST

As many of you already know, I am currently in the process of revamping and updating my blogs for the new year. As such, Leave Your Legacy, now simply called Legacy, will no longer serve as an alternative to my inspirational blog, Journal Your Journey, but rather will focus solely on issues of politics, law, and social justice.

By examining the effects of current events in our society, the hope is that this blog will enlighten you, encourage you to better understand the world around you, and spark you to actively seek to change the world in which we live.

As such, it is in the legacy of the civil rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” that this blog is written to ensure that all of us stay informed, engaged, and vigilant in seeing justice served in our legal, political, judicial, and financial institutions.

So stay tuned!

I hope you enjoy!

J.W.

Free Tickets!

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:36:14 PST

I just got two FREE tickets to the Presidential Inauguration on the 20th.

If you want to go see history in the making, let me know ASAP!

- J.W.

Journal Your Journey

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:20:38 PST

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that since the campaign is over and my "Journal Your Journey" site is up and running again, from now on, I will be posting all of my blogs there. If you are not yet subscribed to my "Journal Your Journey" series, please do so by going to http://jnointed.blogspot.com/ and entering your email address in the space provided on the right hand side under "Subscribe Via Email." Thanks so much for continuing to read. I promise I will continue to do my best to write interesting, thought-provoking pieces for you all to enjoy.

J.W.

P.S. You can also catch my blogs on Facebook under my Posted Items.

He Who Has Ears...

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:17:32 PST

A few weeks ago, Michele and I were watching an episode of Dr. Phil in which they were discussing the recent passage of Proposition 8 in California that prohibited gay couples to marry. In watching the show, what was disturbing to me was not the fact that the bill was passed, not the fact that gay rights activists are now protesting a democratically-elected piece of legislation, but rather the fact that here you had two parties, one in favor of the bill and one opposing the bill, sitting across from each other, intent on simply hurling insults at each other. Neither side would listen to the other. Rather, it was all about simply stating your own position and fighting against what the other side had to say.

In my opinion, this is what the American people are tired of. This is the reason that John McCain, Sarah Palin and the entire Republican Party lost this election. People are tired of arguments and constantly placing the blame on others. Rather, people want to see action. They want to see us working together to find common ground so that we can solve the tough problems that we are facing today.

That is the spirit that President-Elect Obama tapped into during his campaign. In fact, today, I learned that a lot of this ability grew out of what Obama learned as a community organizer in studying the organizing practices and techniques of famed organizing mastermind Saul Alinsky. In his first book, Reveille for Radicals, Alinsky insisted that organizers “begin by listening and learning the mores, history, and values of any community they work in. Their work is not to convert,” he argued, “but rather to help draw out the democratic potentials in any community.” Called “relational organizing,” it was the same technique upon which Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the SCLC built their Civil Rights Movement and the same technique that President-Elect Obama used to turn this country from a 51%-49% nation into a 60%-40% nation. As Thelma Craig put it, if the goal is culture change, then the strategic objective should be to get to 80% - not 50% - of the people.

That’s why, today, I’m tired of hearing the rants of people like Keith Olbermann and Arianna Huffington on the left, and Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity on the right, who simply toe the party line and either fail to see or simply ignore the absurdities of their own ideology. I’m tired of hearing gay rights advocates tell me that people of the Christian faith are gay-bashers and homophobes, while those who claim to follow Christ try to convince me that gay people don’t deserve equal rights simply because their lifestyle is different than theirs. We may not agree on everything, but if we would just stop talking and listen more, we may find that there are certain concessions that we each can make in order to find a solution with which each side can live. The old saying that God gave us one mouth and two ears so that we could listen twice as much as we speak reigns true. There’s value in listening. Try it. You might learn something.

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:28:14 PST

To each of us, Thanksgiving holds a different meaning.

To students, it means a day off from school.

To football fans like myself, it means the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, a tradition that dates back over 50 years.

To department stores and retail chains, it marks the day before Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year and the start of the Christmas shopping season.

To most of us, however, it means gathering with our families and friends to stuff our faces with Thanksgiving turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, rolls, pies, and a host of other dishes that will remain nameless.

But in the hustle and bustle of this holiday season, let’s not forget what Thanksgiving is really about – that is, giving thanks to God for all He has done for us throughout the year and throughout our lives.

As my Facebook status reads, if you can read this, you have something to be thankful for. So, if you’ve never prayed before, if you’ve never been to church before, even if you’ve never even thought about God before, it’s never too late to reach out to Him. God isn’t interested in your perfection. All He wants is a relationship with You. So, remember Him as you go through this Thanksgiving Day and partake in your various holiday traditions.

God bless and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

J.W.

"And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." ~ Colossians 3:17

Historic Day

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:29:58 PST

Just wanted to share this account that I received through email from my godmother. Hope you enjoy!

Good morning,

What a glorious day!!!! To be a part of history is so exciting... to be a part of change is so rewarding.
I waited for an hour and a half to vote, and it’s the best time that I’ve ever spent standing in a long line. So many young African Americans voting for the first time, middle-aged African Americans voting for the first time, and the seniors…oh the seniors having the experience of finally being able to vote for an African American candidate for the office of President.
After all that they’ve been through and seen, all of the horrors they’ve experienced, on today they were the face of pride and achievement. I was so filled up that I thought I’d cry, then I felt as though I would take off running through the hallways of Hamilton Elem/Middle School. The atmosphere is quietly charged today. It is truly the time of a new beginning and I thank God that He allowed me to be in this time period.

I Voted

jewoodson@hotmail.com (James Woodson) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:46:51 PDT

I got this email from my aunt today and wanted to share it with you. But before I do, people may be wondering why, over the last several months, I've worked for this campaign for free, taken a pay cut, traveled all around the state of New Jersey, and basically moved out of my house since September.

Well, I'll tell you. It's not for myself. It's not for my career. It's not because of Senator Obama. But it's for my wife. It's for my future kids. And it's for my country. Because like Senator Obama, I know how great this country can be if we would stop dividing ourselves from each other, and come together to do what's right for all of us, not just a select few.

Enjoy!

I'm a middle-class white guy living in Jacksonville, Florida. I've got a wife and two kids. Because the kids had no school today, I took a vacation day from work, and took the kids downtown to vote early. Fifty-nine minutes later, two smiling children and I proudly sported 'I Voted' stickers.

But I didn't vote for Obama.

I voted for my ancestors, who believed in the promise of this country and came with nothing as immigrants. I voted for my parents, who taught in the public schools for decades. I voted for Steve, an acquaintance of mine from Kentucky (killed by an IED two years ago in Iraq). I voted for Shawn, another who's been to Iraq twice, and Afghanistan once, and who'll be going back to Afghanistan again soon -- and whose family earned eleven bucks a month too much to qualify for food stamps when the war started.

I voted for April, the only African-American girl in my high school -- it was years before it occurred to me how different her experience of our school must have been. I voted for my college friends who are Christian, Jewish, Mormon, and yes -- Muslim. I voted for my grandfathers, who worked hard in factories and died too young. I voted for the plumber who worked on my house, because I want him to get a REAL tax break. I voted for four little angels from Birmingham. I voted for a bunch of dead white men who, although personally flawed, were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor, and used a time of great crisis to expand freedom rather than suspend it.

I voted for all those people and more, and I voted for all of you, too. But mostly, I voted selfishly.

I voted for two little kids, one who has ballet in an hour, and one who has baseball practice at the same time. I voted for a world where they can be confident that their government will represent the best that is in this country, and that will in turn demand the best of them.

I voted for a government that will be respected in the world. I voted for an economy that will reward work above guile. I voted for everything I believe in. Sure, I filled in the circle next to the name Obama, but it wasn't him I was voting for -- it was every single one of us, and those I love most of all.