Thursday, September 23, 2010

NAACP Promotes One Nation Working Together on October 2, Upload 2 Lift online Voter Registration App

By now you have heard about One Nation Working Together, the historic March on Washington scheduled for 10.2.10. The NAACP will lead a broad coalition to bring America together and put America back to work. But 10.2.10 is just the beginning. The next step comes in November.

Are you registered to vote yet? Are your friends and family?

This year's elections are shaping up to be as crucial as 2008. As some media pundits attempt to turn back the clock by reopening the "debate" over the Civil Rights Act, the 14th Amendment and affordable health care, we need to stay strong and focused. Most importantly, we need to vote.

If you are not registered, you can do it right here, right now. The NAACP has developed Upload 2 Uplift, a new initiative to empower voters with the click of a mouse. Our online tool enables people to register to vote on the web and spread the word to family and friends who are not yet registered:

http://action.naacp.org/Upload2Uplift

Since its inception, the NAACP has been committed to bringing the fundamental right to vote to every member of the black community. And despite huge strides in voter turnout during the Presidential election, only 69% of African Americans are currently registered to vote, compared to 75% of non-Hispanic whites.

Our goal is to register every last voter, to verify every last voter, to mobilize every last voter, and to protect the rights of every last voter because in close elections, every vote counts.

But to achieve this goal, we need your help. Tell your networks about Upload 2 Uplift so that this innovative technology can reach the millions of remaining unregistered voters.

Once you are signed up for Upload 2 Uplift, a mobile messaging feature will remind you to vote on Election Day. Make sure your voice counts and get started now:

http://action.naacp.org/Upload2Uplift

We must stay strong and focused. In the last speech Dr. King gave he said, "Nothing would be more tragic than for us to turn back now." We have come too far to turn back. Join us in Washington, DC on 10.2.10 and, most importantly, register to vote.

For more than 100 years the NAACP has been working to facilitate change, but it's up to you to make sure change starts at the polls.

Thanks for your support,

Ben Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

Monday, September 20, 2010

"A CNBC Town Hall Event with President Obama"

"A CNBC Town Hall Event with President Obama" was good. Very good. The encore presentation on CNBC airs 7 p.m. Central, 8 p.m. Eastern.

If you are undergoing a personal financial crisis, you should watch.
It seems to me that the very wealthy should lend a hand- up to those below them in the economy. If they would work with the president to help the middle class grow, then we would be a much happier country. (and no one would expect much else from you.)

There are people who cannot put food on the table right now and they have these big car note payments and mortgages and a questionable jobs future. They want to save face too. And, they have been struggling with this for some time--before President Obama won the election.

The ones at the top, who are in charge of hiring and firing should take a really good look at what they would lose and gain by helping the president achieve his goal for America. Right now, they are not spending money on job creation and instead fighting like they have a problem keeping food on the table and that couldn't be farther from the truth.

These people at the top should ask themselves, what would you really be giving up? One lavish party per year? One less outing on the yacht? No one is discounting your hard work and right to enjoy your riches but at what cost to others? (you spend more time showing off and one upping each other in your class group--according to some prognosticators--and don't involve yourselves with the struggles of the commoner.)To much is given much is expected. What you are being asked to relinquish is not very much at all. Pitch the fk in.

If poor people and the working poor could be of help, they would be made to help society. However, to ask disabled individuals, widows, orphans and veterans to take a meal off of the table and literally starve to death pitching in to help America is insane. Don't be greedy. Don't take too much. Every one else is cutting back on their consumption because their budgets have gotten smaller. Top Dogs in business and finance should do the opposite and spend--spread the wealth. Call your friendly Senator and Congressman or Congresswoman and ask them to vote with the president. You won't notice a change in your budget worth mentioning.

It's like the rich men in the Bible. Those are good examples. While God said the poor would always be among us, he didn't say kick them when they are down or take food out of their mouths while they watch you at the feast. Wow, one less suckling pig on the table. What a sacrifice!

Most of these people pushing against the president are trying to save financial face. They are one step away from not being a millionaire anymore and surprisingly, I can understand that pain. Try thinking about the situation from another viewpoint. You may temporarily not be technically considered a millionaire or billionaire but many of your friends are in the same boat so there will not be a class difference that is noticeable. These people are far from broke and struggling they are not in survival mode and working hard to keep food on the table. Small sacrifices from the wealthy will quiet the rumble in the tummies of the poor and we can all move forward as one nation in peace.

Remember, people who do not have much to lose don't have far to fall but much to gain, are very dangerous to those who do have a lot to lose.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Danita Johnson Hughes: Turnaround expert, speaker & author

Danita Johnson Hughes: Turnaround expert, speaker & author
"Among a classroom of 30 students, I could have easily been lost in the crowd. After all, every student had needs. I wasn’t that special. How could one teacher touch every child in a way that matters?"

Teachers are very special and wonderful people who help form our future.