Kelly Dodson was asleep in her bedroom apartment when a predator broke into the room. Dodson battled with the intruder until her brother heard her screams. The brother fought off the attacker who escaped through the same bedroom window.
It is a terrifying scenario, especially with the predator still not apprehended. Even though he left behind a t-shirt and other personal items. Some are wondering why the Huntsville police have not been able to bring in the assailant to prevent future attacks from this person. Few would know about Dodson's attack if it was not for the rage expressed and the manner her brother articulated his rage to the television news camera.
Dodson's brother account generated some complaints on who should be able to tell the story. In addition, instead of a demand for the apprehension of the criminal, Dodson's words were putto music to generate an Itune. This only highlighted the lack of seriousness that is taking when a crime is committed in certain neighborhoods.
Some are calling the brother a hero for coming to the aid of his sister, others are waiting for justice for the sister, Kelly the real victim. Social Media can make a difference in this case see the report on a what happened to a jerk exposing himself next to an unsuspecting young lady. He was apprehended after a twit went out to the public within two days.
Soledad O'Brien named as the Journalist of the Year. The National Association of Black Journalist awarded O'Brien, CNN anchor and special correspondent and CNN celebrated O'Brien that evening with a VIP reception in San Diego.
Navistar International Corp., wanted to move its world headquarters from Warrenville to Lisle. However, a hiccup occurred because of some opposition to the Navistar's move to the Alcatel-Lucent site. There was a concern about air pollution, noise, traffic and some safety issue for some children:
Giant Steps Illinois Inc., a school for autistic students located next to the proposed Navistar site, has endorsed a plan that greatly scales back the amount of engine testing the truck and engine manufacturer intends to conduct at the facility.
Another group was opposed to air quality being impacted,
The safety issue had something to do with fuel storage,
Navistar's original proposal called for 62 engine-testing cells, but that number was reduced to six, Navistar spokeswoman Jillane Kleinschmidt said. The cells would be located farther from the school than initially proposed, she said. Navistar also said it wouldn't allow engines to run for long periods of time, and it would reduce diesel fuel storage from 150,000 gallons to 12,000.
Navistar is also seeking from Illinois to be a TIF district which would capture tax increases for its development in the area. It has only temporary delayed plans for the Navistar move with Illinois facing (at the time) a 11.2 percent unemployment rate. Navistar has other options, if their revised plan is not approved, such as relocating to places like Alabama, Texas or South Carolina. Navistar appears to be moving forward in its talk with Illinois on a downward unemployment rate trend at 10.4 percent.
Still, Fort Wayne, Indiana is campaigning for Navistar, to consider keeping its Navistar Truck Development and Technology Center on Meyer Road. But, years ago, Archie McCardel, CEO cost the city thousands of jobs back in the 1980s'.
Among the many changes McCardell made was to fire 11,000 of the company's 15,000 mid-and upper-level managers, whom McCardell felt were too close to UAW shop stewards. McCardell took personal control of IH's labor relations, and appointed a new vice president of human resources, W. Grant Chandler (who was to assist McCardell in all union negotiations). McCardell's actions stripped the company of nearly all its experienced labor negotiators, and those who remained were mostly ignored during the upcoming round of negotiations. McCardell and Chandler had little labor relations experience, however, and none in heavy manufacturing or in negotiating with the UAW.
Now there is no turning back as consolidation appears to be Navistar goal in taking the remaining Fort Wayne Navistar jobs.
Fort Wayne Mayor Thomas Henry is only doing a public relation to sidestep the fact, that one more company could be leaving the once manufacturing All-American City. Fort Wayne unemployment rate in June climbed to 10.3%. If Navistar should take its more than 1000 jobs away from the city, the unemployment rate will surely reach 11.0 % before the end of the year.
The Voices of Unity from Fort Wayne, Indiana performs for the 6th Annual World Choir Games 2010 Shaoxing, China. The purpose of the World Choir is to bring voices from all over the world to inspire children to peacefully compete in song.
The Champions of the World Choir Games, namely „Estonia TV Young Children`s Choir“ from Estonia, “Karangturi Choir” from Indonesia, “MIA Ladies Chorus” from Malaysia, “Men in Blaque” from the United States, “Shaoxing University Choir” from the host city Shaoxing in China, “Tygerberg Children's Choir” from South Africa, “Voca Erudita Student Choir” from Indonesia, “Lunds Stundentsångförening” from Sweden, “Vocalista Angels” (Indonesia) and “Stellenbosch University Choir” (South Africa), were highly acclaimed for their performances by the audience.
On Monday, July 26, the 6th World Choir Games will close. In the morning the Closing Event begins with the Award Ceremony of the pending categories in the Open and Champions Competition of the second part. The Voices of Unity are in the pending categories and took double gold,
"Gold in both gospel and pop chorale and OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION in gospel!!! from their face book page."
The World Choir Games will take place in the USA for the first time in 2012. The city of Cincinnati will start on 4th of July 2012 though July 14th hosting choirs from all over the world.
Recently Shirley Sherrod Agriculture Department's Georgia director of Rural Development was fired from her job,. The NAACP without doing research attacked Sherrod solely on a video with Sherrod speaking to Georgia NAACP members about racialist behavior. When in fact the video was a media smear directed at the NAACP for labeling the tea party organization as racist,
NAACP is not a social organization to make nice to raced white folks or African-Americans who believe protest and boycotts are the things of the past. The NAACP is a ligitation organization that includes educating all groups on the nuances of racism to avoid finding themselves in court.
And folks who understand the role of the NAACP are needed as members in this organization, before the NAACP is eradicated. According to Roslyn M. Brocks, Chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
When the country is faced with racism, America turns to the NAACP to fight back. We are doing our part, and today the NAACP is turning to you. Become a member and expand our reach into Fort Wayne: There is more work to be done and we need your help. The future is calling and the NAACP will answer with action. http://action.naacp.org/BeAMember Thanks for your help.
The Ward 8 Unity Coalition Voter Assurance Campaign (UCVAC) is working to educate at least 10,000 residents in the community on the new voting rules in Washington, DC. The new rules allow early voting and same day registration beginning August 30, 2010. The UCVAC is also mobilizing and providing transportation for voters in Ward 8 community to the early vote site at SoutheastTennis & Learning Center.
Volunteers to register voters and promote early voting from the back of a Rolls Royce
WHO: Ward 8 Unity Coalition Voter Assurance Campaign (UCVAC), Black Youth Vote!, Sponsored by The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
WHAT: "Rock'n the Rolls" A team of volunteers will encourage voter registration, engagement, and educate the public on the early vote laws from the back of a Rolls Royce (White Phantom).
WHEN: DATE: TODAY July 20 & July 21, 2010 TIME: 6 - 8 PM
WHERE: Barry Farms Recreation Basketball Court 1230 Sumner Re., SE Washington, DC Suitland Parkway & Firth Stirling (Suitland Parkway & 295 Intersect)
CONTACT: Rock Newman or Leslie Jackson - 202 531-1806
Harrison is elected LCMS president, Mueller first vp.
HOUSTON—Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care since 2001, is the new president-elect of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and Rev. Herbert C. Mueller Jr. will serve as first vice-president Click here to read the rest of the story.
In 2003 LCMS formed the Lutheran Housing Support Corporation, it's a nonprofit in St. Louis Missouri where Rev. Matthew Harrison currently lives.
990 forms report the nonprofit received $101,000 in gifts, grants and contributions compared to the gifts totalling over $1 million the following year. In the same year expenses for travel came in at $70,000 and consultant around $64,000, with the Rev. Harrison, executive director received compensation totalling over $130,000 and secretary Marie Kienker, a former deputy director of the Fort Wayne, Ind., Housing Authority and past chief of the Carroll County, Md., Bureau of Housing and Community Development.
received around $100,000, according to the Internal Revenue Service 990 form.
The LHSC is involved in housing and community development efforts in cities that include St Louis, Fort Wayne, Baltimore, New York, Kansas City, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Fairfax, Va. "As the corporation networks with our congregations and districts currently doing community-based projects, this list will grow," Kienker said.
Dr. Leo S. Mackay, president of Integrated Coast Guard Systems and former deputy director of the Department of Veteran Affairs, is NHSC board chair. Board members also include attorneys William D. Swift and Janet M. Johnson; former LCMS Northern Illinois District President William Ameiss; and LCMS World Relief/Human Care Executive Director Matthew Harrison. Somebody was not pleased with the fiscal responsbilities of LCMS World Relief/ Human Care increase of personnel and operational cost.
More than a dozen clients were found to have been scammed by Josehph Garretson. The same fact is that more than likely it is a lot more. Garretson did not act alone to carry out this deed, he had to have the help of folks in high place. Hopefully, President Barack Obama Operation Stolen Dreams is on the case. "OSD" which targeted mortgage fraudsters throughout the country and is the largest collective enforcement effort ever brought to bear in confronting mortgage fraud began operation in March.
The sweep was organized by President Obama’s interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was established to lead an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. Starting on March 1, to date Operation Stolen Dreams has involved 1,215 criminal defendants nationwide, including 485 arrests, who are allegedly responsible for more than $2.3 billion in losses. Additionally, to date the operation has resulted in 191 civil enforcement actions, which have resulted in the recovery of more than $147 million
.
There is a tip line for some of these families in Indiana. I would request for United States Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the case rather than the local FBI agents, so click here.
Todd Leary walked out of Judge Fran Gulls' court today facing only a single felony count. Leary was quick to nod his head to verdict of guilty to the charge. the nod should have been viewed as mocking the Gulls on the earlier 17 felony charges against Leary. Huffingtonpost has an interesting post on the charges brought against Leary
Yep, the former Indiana basketball star and Indiana University commentator was to stand trial in August for 18 charges, but instead copped a deal to the charge of conversion or misappropriation of title insurance escrow funds. Originally, Leary was locked in with Indiana mortgage fraud king, Joseph Garretson. Garretson is facing 11.5 years in prison while Leary may simply serve 1 1/2 years on house arrest.
Leary only has to pay back $295,000 to avoid going to prison. The story is not over. Robin Hunt will soon have his day in court along with a few others. "Mortgage broker Robin Hunt was charged with six felony counts of loan broker fraud. Another mortgage broker, Lane Miller, was charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit loan broker fraud. And Buffy Sue Raptis, a former employee of State Bank and Trust, an Ohio bank with branches in Allen County, is accused of taking $1,750 in kickbacks from Garretson for referring loan closings to Fort Wayne Title. She is charged with fraud on a financial institution."
Somehow, these folks were able to enjoy a lifestyle of the rich and famous off of other folks money and the court just gave a wink and a nod and called it a day.
This sounds like tale for U.S. Attorney General Eric Holders
Today, dowdellresearh, llc has been administratively dissolved in Indiana effective today. I don't know what time it is in Indiana but it is 11:00 a.m here in Italy. I probably needed to pay my bi annual renewals but didn't. But that does not mean my blog is going anywhere. So keep reading.
According to the Indiana Recorder Roland Martin will be in Indy during the Black Expo.
On July 14, the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) will host the Black business conference – media reception “Honoring Minorities in the Media.”
Award-winning journalist and CNN analyst Roland Martin will host the reception, which will take place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave. The reception is invitation only, with RSVP required.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the reception that honors African Americans and other minorities that have excelled in the field of journalism, and also gives a nod to aspiring news people of the future. The Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists has historically given out three scholarships at the reception to future members of the media: the Liz Daily Crawford Scholarship, Lynn Dean Ford Scholarship and the Lauren Crowner Scholarship.
IBE stated that it is thrilled to have a journalist of Martin’s prestige hosting the event. An author of several books, including Speak Brother! A Black Man’s View of America, and The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House, Martin is perhaps most remembered for his stirring words and tears of joy upon hearing that Obama had won the presidency while hosting election night coverage on CNN. His work covers the media gamut; he has won more than 20 journalism awards, made appearances on MSNBC, Fox News, Court TV, BET Nightly News, BBC, NPR, hosted a radio show, is a senior analyst for the Tom Joyner in the Morning radio program, is the founding news editor of Savoy magazine and BlackAmericaWeb.com, and has contributed to a wide variety of other news outlets.
Martin is one of the most easily recognizable Black journalists in the world.
Rainbow Community was established in 1984. Robin W. Hunt was running this show. Several notable board members during Hunt's reign, Gary Baeten worked for the housing code enforcement, Matthew Harrison, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church and Dale Bloom, a lawyer of Bloom, Bloom, More and Miller. It had a name change to Project Renew and than to NeigborWorks Home and Development Commuinity Organization. A.Dale Bloom prepared the name change document.
But by 1991, another nonprofit discovered that there was money to be made in providing a service to low income neighborhoods. FORT WAYNE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, INC. was started in 1991 to serve low-and moderate-income residents to move toward home ownership but was adminstratively desolved in 2008.
Some of the board members later will get together to create a for profit business duplicating the same time of service. John Lehner was running the show in 1991.
Dan Kelker vice -president of NBD bank becomes treasurer by 1998 and it was 1997 that Standard Federal Bank vice-president Doug Fyock joins the board.
But this did not prevent board members from the nonprofit to start a new for profit business called NHP Development Inc for engaging in the construction and operation of real estate transactions.
NHP Inc. was incorporated in 2001 and administrative ended in 2008. Some of the board members from Fort Wayne Neighborhood Partnership are listed in bold below who were a part of NHP and the business was in the same building as the FWNHP (No need to pay rent or mortgage and you already have clients coming through the door for the nonprofit) :
Directors
John Lehner Dan Kelker Rita Tilden Tom Niezer Doug Fyock
But before the organization was desolved complaints were flying that the organization was not on the up and up. Charges such as houses were being overappraised and home buyers were paying taxes on homes that were exempt from property taxes. Some families came forward to file discrimination charges but their complaints did not go forward. Some of these folks hired an attorney, Matthew Elliot and received a small settlement in a class action lawsuit. After funds began to disappear from the FWHP account, it went into receivership.
In 2010, the U.S. Treasury received over $340,000 dollars from the defunct agency's account and the St. Peter's Catholic Church and Zion Lutheran Church (SPZP, Inc.)received $22,000 and an entitlement to other funds owned under a decision made by Salin Bank and Trust Co. Chairman William Salin, appointed receiver of the Fort Wayne Neighborhood Housing Partnership by then-Attorney General Steve Carter. The fund had to go to a like organziation and the organization just happen to bne the lutherans. in 2010.
(I did mention St. Peters and Zion the churches are in a predominately African-Americans community. These churches acquired land that surrounded them that was to be used for a soccer field, however, an African-American organization (the urban league) is making mortgage payment to the builder that in addition houses a public library that was to be used by the children attending the Zion Lutheran School and a nonprofit daycare.)
Robin W. Hunt left Project Renew between 2000-2004 and moved on to form a for profit company called Freedom Financial Mortgage (FFM). Nicole Turner Ridlley Abraham would become the new executive director of Project Renew. FFM would later merge with Freedom Financial Holding Inc which is now called Freedom Energy Holding.
Freedom Financial Holding Inc. took over and merged Freedom Financial Mortgage into a new company in 2005. This was after the company reported over $500 million in loans.
We acquired, as a wholly-owned subsidiary, FFMC in May 2006. FFMC is a full service mortgage company, specializing in “non” or “sub” prime instruments. FFMC was formed in 1997, and has established a reputation for providing fair and equitable loans to individuals with limited access to prime interest rate mortgages. FFMC has grown since its inception, averaging fees of more than $1.5 million over the past 4 years. Over the past decade, FFMC has secured more than 3,500 transactions, comprising nearly $520 million in loan volume.
Well the the incentive for getting in the mortgage business in Indiana:
In 2005 there was approximately $125 billion dollars in mortgage originations in the State of Indiana; the data for 2006 is not yet available. There is substantial competition on both the national and local level and the Company originates only a small portion of all loans originated in the areas in which it is licensed.
And was able to secure a $5 million dollar line of credit from National City Bank, according to the document.
The name changes are numerous, I will list those laters.
Robin Hunt travels from high school football to director of an African-American housing program to be cofounder of his own multimillion dollar has finally collapsed. Robin Hunt got busted for loan broker fraud.
On Wednesday, Robin W. Hunt, 45, of the 17300 block of Dawkins Road in rural New Haven, was charged with six felony counts of loan broker fraud – two Class C and four Class D.
The Class C felonies are punishable by up to eight years in prison; the Class D felonies by up to three years.
Hunt is accused of submitting mortgage applications to a number of banks, using his name but knowing that Garretson and Lane Miller had actually completed the paperwork on behalf of the borrowers.
(Side notes: does these banks have names??!!)
It seems that Joseph Garretson victim involved a deputy prosecutor of Allen County, Mike McAlexander. Yep raced white boys began to rip off credit worthy raced white folks,
Meticulous bill payers Alisha and Peter Thomasma have been forced to teach their children not to answer the door because on the other side may stand a bill collector.
Karen Villwock and her husband, Brion, had pristine credit built through years of never missing a bill payment, yet their home is now in foreclosure.
Their problem: refinancing their home mortgages with Fort Wayne Title and the now-defunct company's owner, Joseph A. Garretson.
In October, Allen County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Michael McAlexander took a call from a man expressing concern about the length of time it was taking for his previous mortgage to be paid off after he refinanced using title insurance, settlement and escrow services from Garretson and Fort Wayne Title, 3614 New Vision Drive.
McAlexander realized he also had used the services of Fort Wayne Title and, after contacting his original mortgage holder, found his loan also had not been paid off using the proceeds of the refinancing, according to court documents.
And it did not help Garretson, that a former Indiana NCAA basketball star, Todd Leary was in his pockets and ratted him out..
Leary told Evans that Garretson didn't have much choice because he had caught Garretson misappropriating money from Fort Wayne Title while they worked together, the affidavit says.
Garretson was sentenced to 11.5 years by former Prosecutor now Judge Fran Gull. Judge Gull only gave Garretson 11 years after Garretson pocketed and lived a lavish lifestyle off of other folks money!!!!
Oh it was a plea bargain and it was a political state investigation. Plea bargain in exchange for...you fill in the blanks.
The conviction and plea agreement come after a joint investigation involving Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s Prosecution Assistance Unit (PAU), the office of Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Karen Richards – particularly Deputy Prosecutor Timothy McCaulay, and the Indiana Department of Insurance. Garretson was also sentenced on charges of Conversion or Misappropriation of Title Insurance Escrow Funds, a Class B felony, and Corrupt Business Influence, a Class C felony. Unlawful Loan Origination Activities is a Class D felony.
Mr. Hunt worked for a community dealing with housing for African-Americans way back in 1989. From one of his websites:
In 1989 he began working at Project Renew and in 1990 he took over as the Executive Director. Mr. Hunt was also responsible for the development and administration of federal and private loan programs. Additionally, he established Project Renew as a qualified housing agency with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also qualified Project Renew to act as a mortgagee and project manager under the Federal Housing Administration 203K Program. During his time at Project Renew, he also became the Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for the annual accounting audit and bi-annual government audits.
Hey those are federal dollars and more than likely some of these foreclosed homes involved federal dollars.
FFMC is registered with HUD as a Supervised Loan Correspondent and must maintain a total adjusted net worth of $113,000 ($63,000 dollars for the main office and $25,000 dollars for each of the two (2) branch offices). It appears that over the last year, the company may have violated the minimum adjusted net capital requirement set by HUD. There is a possibility that HUD may conduct an audit of FFMC. As such, an audit could result in administrative action which could affect the Company’s status as a HUD licensed entity. However, the Company has instituted new policies to ensure that the Company will not fall below the minimum HUD requirements and the Company will monitor its status for compliance with the minimum requirements on a monthly basis. Only approximately five percent (5%) of the Company’s business is derived from HUD. See “Business of the Company – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Loan Correspondent.”
So why are not these boys not being tried in federal courts? And more than likely more than 15 victims were involved in being ripped off.
It seems Mr. Hunt had a knack for meeting the right folks to get in good with other people money.
I remember eyeballing Mr. Hunt in Zion Lutheran Church on Hanna Street in the basement. Mr. Hunt and the Rev. Matthew Harrison were having workshops to get longtime residents to sign up for housing. (They tried to get me to take some of the cheap juice in a jug home with me). I had eyeballed Rev. Harrison during the time the late Rev. Bledsoe and Deputy Mayor Sharon Banks were making "take back our community" walks in various drug infested neighborhoods. Rev. Harrison did not want the moral authority of a black voice in his church. Rev. Harrison was the moral authority in his church, a majority raced white membership, in an African-American community.
Rev. Harrison believed his raced white congregation would return to the magnificent church if these members felt safe in driving back into the old neighborhood. Some members did, like Kevin Leininger, newspaper editor. Leininger grew up in the neighborhood and saw the decline of the neighborhood from not just white flight but from government support. So, Mr. Hunt working for a housing organization was welcomed by Rev. Harrison and Mr. Leininger.
And that in itself made things a little suspect. All of these were raced white males. The majority of the folks who lived around Zion were African-Americans.
It seems Mr. Hunt moved from working on low-income African-Americans to the NFL big ballers. His business has licenses in several states, licensed in Indiana, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee. I suggest ballers ya'll need to check your paperwork for your houses football players real close.
Many athletes who enter the world of professional sports, including NFL players, are young and may not be financially savvy. They immediately find themselves earning and spending incredible amounts of money. Being young and financially inexperienced, they often spend money with no thought of their future. Their athletic stardom and large incomes can make them easy targets for deception from unscrupulous professionals and, sadly, sometimes trusted friends and family members who charge higher than normal fees for products and services. Generally, these young professional athletes are very trusting individuals and seldom question the motives of anyone. They make a lot of money and are willing to spend a lot for the products and services they want that is until they get burned.
It’s almost as if it telling the folks how easy a target young folks are with money. In February 2010, Freedom Financial Mortgage was shut down by Freedom Holding.
Do we fully understand the saying, Failing to know your history you are doomed to repeat it? What about the meaning of the 4th of July, do we understand what is being celebrated? Listen to Danny Glover or read the document
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another (Separating from British authority)and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them (Suggesting that it is there right to do so as being human beings walking on the planet earth), (but first must give their reason for not wanting to be a part of the British establishment) a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
(So now their grievances of how the British had done them wrong as MEN), [w]e hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…
(Now the list)..
“He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”
(All of this to put Britain on notice that these folks had the right to declare to free themselves).
…[t]hat these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Republican Governor Bobby Jindal, in the voice of Kanye West, does not care about the people of Louisiana. Governor Jindal is playing politic in delaying the deploymnet of thousands of National Guards for cleaning up BP oil mess.
As of today, the federal government has authorized a total of 17,500 National Guard troops across four Gulf states, all to be paid for by BP.
Michael Hasting writes an article about a counterinsurgency crew that at times did not abide by the rules from the White House while leading the charge in the War in Afghanistan. In his article the Runaway General, Hasting tells the story through flippant comments made by General Stanley McChrystal and his sidekicks about a war that needs more support for its military might more so than the talking points uttered by those holding lightweight United States political and diplomatic positions.
Highlighting General McChrystal's, a star among the counterinsurgency elites of the Pentagon commitment to high tech violence against the enemy. But not so much to the other parts of COIN requiring the flossing to politicians, Stroking economy interests or the social swagging. The target enemy seems his sole interest, which has relocated to Pakistan, can be gleaned from the article. And McChrystal disdain for hobnobbing with countries in order to engage them in helping the U.S. occupy Afghanistan just to bring over some fast food chain. Soldiers is what the General needs, committed to a war, especially with the fact, that American soldiers are dying at an alarming rate. These are soldiers committed to winning a war for the United States not the politicians, Hasting points out in the articles.
The story told by Hasting is not pretty. But, the story found in the magazine the Rolling Stone has attracted folks who probably would have never picked up a newspaper or magazine to read about war. Could this have been the reason for General McChrystal and crews sully mocking comments in the magazine? We do know that the White House was taken aback as the General was recently summoned to the White House about the article. Shortly after meeting with President Barack Obama, General McChrystal walked away from the mission to resettle thousands of soldiers. It seems the warring country is not impressed by the billions dollars spent by the United States to put "lights" in their country nor a country interested in new footprints planted in their country by the talking heads in Washington.
Hasting in his articles uses General McChrystal words and its not about President Obama:
Back in Afghanistan, less than a month after the White House meeting with Karzai and all the talk of "progress," McChrystal is hit by the biggest blow to his vision of counterinsurgency. Since last year, the Pentagon had been planning to launch a major military operation this summer in Kandahar, the country's second-largest city and the Taliban's original home base. It was supposed to be a decisive turning point in the war – the primary reason for the troop surge that McChrystal wrested from Obama late last year. But on June 10th, acknowledging that the military still needs to lay more groundwork, the general announced that he is postponing the offensive until the fall. Rather than one big battle, like Fallujah or Ramadi, U.S. troops will implement what McChrystal calls a "rising tide of security." The Afghan police and army will enter Kandahar to attempt to seize control of neighborhoods, while the U.S. pours $90 million of aid into the city to win over the civilian population.
In essence, the world is watching a war in Afghanistan being solely fought by United States soldiers. And these soldiers are losing their lives while General McChrystal attacks Vice President Joseph Biden and others about knowing little or nothing about fighting a war. Hasting attacks General McChrystal strategy as marshalled by the Pentagon as on par with those who simply take photo ops during hard times and a war that is costing billions of dollars and United States lives. A war that offers a no-win situation not unlike Vietnam A war that is going to need more than a McDonald to emerge on the corner of the fifth poorest country in the World.
After two draws, the United States scored a decisive goal for continuing to play soccer in South Africa. The United States team was expected to win against Algeria, but the win did not come until the last minute of the game. Now in first place, the United States has an opportunity to move up the ladder, after losing a quesionable game against Slovenia.
