A Fresh Start

Hello Readers,

You may have been wondering where I have been. Well, I had to refocus and regroup. Now I am ready to move forward and begin to assess and analyze the current administration's efforts and initiatives.

When I post new information, it important that I hear from you. I want this blog to be innovative and interactive. I want our voices heard. Our perspective is vital and unique. African American women have the power to influence the powers that be.

So let's continue to make history.

Historic Victory....Barack Obama Elected First Black President of the United States

America has spoken and elected its first African American President. What a moment in history.

This election was the most historic of them all.

Now a generation has spoken. Our country is moving into another direction to bring change. A step forward.

Now President-Elect Obama is picking his team to help him lead the country. As we speak, Congressman Rahm Emanuel from Illinois has been asked to be Obama's chief of staff. There will be others to follow in the next several days.

The United States House of Representatives is moving toward the left. The face of Capitol Hill will change. They have a lot of work to do. Many challenges ahead. Many things to clean up. Many new efforts.

African American women, we will be at the forefront of this change. We will be part of the dialogue and decision making. We MUST stay focus.

We must remember Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker among others who paved the way for us to make a difference. So now it is our chance to take advantage of this moment.

We must move forward and let's stay the course.

Response to Apostle Kimberly Daniels: Part Two

Hello WomenFolk Talk Readers:

As promised, this is part two in response to Apostle Kimberly Daniels email. This has been edited extensively. This is because when I first read her email, I responded immediately in haste without checking my grammar and spelling. I wrote out of righteous anger.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I am personally supporting Senator Barack Obama. I took advantage of the early voting period in my city last week and cast my vote for him. My support, however, does not violate the agenda or the mission of this blog.


Apostle Daniels,

I am responding to your email you sent last evening and I asked that you please remove me from your email list. I cannot support your efforts at this time. I am a born again believing African American woman who will personally support Senator Barack Obama and I will not allow such hate and misinformation you espouse to be a reflection of my beliefs as a Christian. I am ashamed to be a part of this ministry. I have received and read your emails and I have always forward them to other people who needed to hear your wisdom and insight. However, I am dismayed that you have become so naive to believe the information that has been disseminated by the so-called right-wing of the McCain-Palin campaign and the Republican Party.

First, I stand for righteousness and holiness. I live it every day. So much that I cannot stand and watch many of my fellow American citizens suffer because they do not have health insurance or they have lost their homes due to high medical bills. I cannot watch our fellow brothers and sisters lose their pensions and savings because of greedy Wall Street investors and corporate irresponsibility.

I recently was led to read the book of James, chapter five verses one through five. The scriptures told me what is going to happen to these greedy people. You should take a look. What these people are doing and have gotten away with is a sin. Why don’t you speak on that?

You should be reminded that the word of God states we will always have the poor among us and that we are supposed to take care of the orphans and the widows. This is our responsibility has believers in Christ.

Secondly, your flawed and hateful opposition of Senator Obama is disconcerting. How dare you condemn someone before you know the facts! You basically just called him the Anti-Christ. This is so alarming! You misrepresented what the prophets spoke of in the Book of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelations. So is the assusmption that anyone who is a Democrat or votes Democrat is the anti-christ? It is unfortunate that you got caught up in the scare tactics of the Republican Party. But I was reminded recently by the Holy Spirit that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of sound mind.

You also mentioned Reverend Jeremiah Wright and you have the audacity to quote James Cone. Question – Have you read or heard all of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons? Not just the snippets on the news or on YouTube.com. Do really know anything about Black Liberation Theology? Do you really know James Cone and the historical context of the Black church? Have you read any of James Cone’s books or articles on Black Theology? I have. Specifically, in James Cone "The Story Context of Black Theology," Cone's article calls attention to slavery and other forms of oppression of African Americans in the United States as the fundamental nature of black religion and the formation of black Christian thought. Is that racist?

Both Cone and Wright are not racist. Do you even know what racism means? It is a belief that some groups are naturally or innately superior of other groups based on race and ethnicity. So before you go calling anything or anyone racist you need to do your research instead using talking points someone gave you. Your first stop is to go to www.barackobama.com/issues and really look at his platform. Then go to www.factcheck.org to get the real facts.

Finally Apostle Kim, I thought you were a smart woman of God full of wisdom and understanding. I believe I am mistaken. God is doing something here. He has a great sense of humor and you do not even see it. You do not see the historical nature of all of this. Obama’s win is a moment for all of us, for ALL Americans. IT IS OUR TIME. I am sorry you will not be a part of it.

Response to Apostle Kimberly Daniels and Her Vicious Attacks: Part One

As a long time recipient of "Commander Alerts" from Apostle Kimberly Daniels, I was extremely offended by the ungodly and unfactual words that were demonstrated by in her recent alert. Her comments were the epitome of spiritual manipulation at its finest. Just to give you a background, she was responding to ad that alleging stated that she supported Senator Barack Obama. Clearly that misrepresentation angered her to the point where she felt the need to clarify her non-support of Senator Obama.

While her choice of candidacy is her prerogative, it is ungodly and unconscionable for her to throw such radical and irritational epitaph about Obama including the following statement:

"One of two things will happen:

1. The mercy of God will give us more time to get our houses in order to prepare for the onslaughts of the antichrist (a world leader) and the beast (the world system), for one day both will be manifested for who and what they are.

2. America will be placed under the rule of a demonic-influenced task master that will tax the people more than financially. Yokes and burdens that cannot be seen will be the portion of those who vote outside of the will of God. It is what happened when Samuel tried to convince Israel that God did not want them to have a king. The people would not hear the voice of the prophet. Samuel talked to God about it in I Samuel 1:19."

Below is Apostle Kim Daniels email. Because it is rather lengthy, I decided to share with you my response to her in a separate post.

Commanders,

I was very shocked to discover that someone listed a small column on a web page 'Why I support Obama' (By Kimberly Daniels) with Obama-Biden campaign letterhead. If someone did this, what will be next? The page even gives the reasons that I support this candidate. It even goes as far as to put a silhouette of a picture that looks like me on one of my books. I would like to state that I have not publically endorsed any candidate! I have been dealing with issues that I feel threaten the future rights of the church and what God wants to deal with in America.

I have been preaching on these issues (Abortion, Homosexuality and Religious Rights) for fifteen years, during elections and when there were no elections.

We just happen to be in the midst of an election and I will not change my message. I will be preaching the same truth that I have been preaching; no matter who is running for president. This will be until I die or Jesus returns! I have also been radical about whatever I preached, check my tracking record some folk are getting radical simply because of this election.

I pray that these same folk will be just as radical when the dust settles and they find out that all change is not good and they did not get what they thought they would get. I am sure that God will cause one of the candidates to win this race. Psalms 75:6 says that God promotes!

In our case, in America, God will allow as the people choose.

One of two things will happen:

1. The mercy of God will give us more time to get our houses in order to prepare for the onslaughts of the antichrist (a world leader) and the beast (the world system), for one day both will be manifested for who and what they are.

2. America will be placed under the rule of a demonic-influenced task master that will tax the people more than financially.

Yokes and burdens that cannot be seen will be the portion of those who vote outside of the will of God. It is what happened when Samuel tried to convince Israel that God did not want them to have a king. The people would not hear the voice of the prophet. Samuel talked to God about it in I Samuel 1:19.

First God says in I Samuel 1:19 'Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.' Then God says I Samuel 1:18 ' When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.' 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.' 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, 'Listen to them and give them a king.' Whatever happens, Jesus is Lord over America!

My prayer is that God does not give the people what they want. It will come out of their nostrils and cause them to throw up.

It is not so much that I support Senator McCain; I simply CANNOT support Barack Hussein Obama for the President of the United States, because of my convictions as a believer. Since the devil picked this fight by creating this lie on the internet, I have a right to respond and finish it!

I have not been quiet about my views on what is going on in America. My public views have strictly pertained to that which I feel are pertinent to the kingdom. This is my responsibility as a prophet!

If you wish to no longer receive emails as a commander because of this please let me know at apostle@kimberlydaniels.com.

I really respect any position people have privately about their convictions; but when I was ordained as a preacher I lost some of my rights to keep certain things private. I will not allow the beast to shut my mouth! Therefore, I will give information I have come across about the candidates. I cannot confirm McCain's church affiliation or spiritual position. Up to this time he is not using Christianity as a vehicle in his campaign. Obama does!

No man can determine what is in another man's heart but we are commanded to try spirits by the Spirit of God as to whether they are of God. I have gathered information on Obama and Palin concerning their church affiliations (long before their political careers where public knowledge) and what kind of spiritual upbringings they have had.

CHURCH AFFILIATIONS

SARAH PALIN (This information was taken from the New York Times - 1-25-08) Title -Palin's Faith Is Linked to Form of Pentecostalism Known as Spiritual Warfare This article has a picture (taken from YouTube that shows Sarah Palin being anointed by a Bishop at her former church) Palin's faith has come under scrutiny after two videos taken in her former church surfaced on YouTube. The first showed a visiting preacher from Kenya praying fervently over Palin and asking God to favor her campaign for governor and protect her from "every form of witchcraft".


The second video shows Palin at an event in June praising the African preacher's prayer as "awesome" and "very powerful."

She is also shown nodding as her former pastor from Wasilla prays over her and declares that Alaska is "One of the refuge states in the last days," a piece of prophecy popular in some prayer networks that predicts that as the end times approach, people will flock to Alaska for its abundant open space and natural resources.

Palin has declined interviews about her faith. She states that her faith has been pretty personal.

McCain's campaign has not responded to questions about Palin's faith and the media has had a hard time discerning what she believes. What is known, however, is that Palin has had long associations with religious leaders who practice a particularly assertive and urgent brand of pentecostalism known as "spiritual warfare". Its adherents believe that demonic forces can colonize specific geographic areas and individuals, and that "spiritual warriors" must "battle them to assert God's control, using prayer and evangelism.

The movement's fixation on demons, it aggressiveness and its leaders' claims to exalted spiritual authority have troubled even some Pentecostal Christians.

Palin delivered an enthusiastic graduation speech for a class of young spiritual warriors in June at the Wasilla Assembly of God, the church in which she was raised. As governor, Palin appointed Patrick Donelson, a pastor and fishing guide who helped found a spiritual warfare ministry, to the only seat reserved for members of the clergy on the state's Suicide Prevention Council.

Bishop Thomas Muthee, the Kenyan preacher shown on the YouTube video anointing her as she ran for Governor, is celebrated internationally as an effective spiritual warrior who led a prayer movement that drove a witch out of town in Kenya. The removal of the witch Bishop Muthee says, resulted in a drop in crime, alcoholism and traffic accidents. All the religious leaders in Alaska decline interviews. Several said that they were told by the McCain-Palin campaign not to talk to the media. The article claims that Palin's belief is based on Ephesians the 6th chapter. Palin is referred to as a prayer warrior in the article, as quoted by Dr. James Dobson.

Dr. Dobson told Palin that he and his wife had been praying for her. Palin's response was, "I can feel the power of prayer and the strength that is provided by our prayer warriors across this nation."The article states that Palin was baptized Roman Catholic as an infant, but when she was young her mother took her to the church in Wasilla. The article describes Palin's beliefs in her denomination as:· Speaking in tongues· Divine healings· Casting out demons· Prophesying

The article says that according to the belief of Palin's denomination, these gifts are directly inspired by the Holy Spirit. It also says that Palin no longer attends Wasilla Assembly of God but has maintained good relations with the pastor.

Since that time she has not joined another church but visits four particular churches. All four of the churches that she visits are charismatic. Palin was noted to have relationships with prayer warriors that believe in spiritual warfare. An Alaskan native who helped bring a spiritual warfare prayer network to the state of Alaska testifies in this article that Palin has been associated with her prayer group since she was 24 years old. This is why the world hates Sarah Palin and calls her crazy. They thought that the people that were filled with the Holy Ghost on Pentecost were crazy also. I guess I am crazy too! [I received most of the following information from a very popular Christian musician, he is a black man.]

Let's look at Senator Obama's spiritual upbringing:

First, I would like to say that he definitely has Charisma! His presence draws you in as he speaks and I believe that he has a high calling on his life. If I was not rooted in what I know in God, Obama would be my choice.

JEREMIAH WRIGHT'S CHURCH Senator Obama attended Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years. This church believes in the ministry of inclusion. This is the faith of Carlton Pearson. Oprah also attended this church.

This church has not been ashamed about what they believe:

1. Jesus is not the only way to God. Carlton Pearson had a sign in the front of his church after he left our faith. It said, "Jesus is the way but NOT THE ONLY WAY!!

2. Homosexuals will be excused and allowed to go to heaven

3. There is no hell or devilThis church has also been known to bless same-sex unions.

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright's teaching for 20 years. Now he condemns Wright's sermons. Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 'Go and make disciples of all nations.' This means - to reproduce yourself. It means to teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you believe, etc.

The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a Caucasian Presidential Candidate who went to a church that has tenets and said they have a:

1. Commitment to the White Community

2. Commitment to the White Family

3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic

4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.

5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions

6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System

7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.Would you support a President who went to a church like that? Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church.

If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside. This kind of church is a racist church.

Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world. A church can't have a value system based on race. The church's value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if it's a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation.. Cone once wrote: 'Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community.

If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this? The race issue is not the only factor that concerns me about this church. The doctrinal foundation of this church biblically confirms it as a religious sect.

A sect takes a section or part of Christianity and builds it into something else. This organization is not a part of the Body of Christ. They have a right to worship as they please. This is America. But the truth is, this faith does not represent what Jesus did when he died on the cross, took the keys of death, hell and the grave and saved our souls. How could it? According to them, there is no hell.

If there is no hell, then they do not need to be saved. If they do not know that they need to be saved, how can they be saved? You had better believe that I will be praying for Senator Obama if he becomes our next president. WE WILL NEED IT!! So what would this mean for the nation? In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation?

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

The answer is: you do!

Is This For Real or Another Scare Tactic to Disenfranchise Voters

You may or may not have heard about the recent claim from Al Qaeda that there maybe a new major attack before the elections. CNN reported from a "reliable and credible website," that this attack will be a major one and benefit presidential candidate John McCain.

According to the Kuwait Times, "Al-Qaeda supporters suggested in a website message this week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the US as a way to usher in a McCain presidency. The message, posted Monday on the password-protected Al-Hesbah website, said if Al-Qaeda wants to exhaust the United States militarily and economically, "impetuous" Republican presidential candidate Sen John McCain is the better choice because he is more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

I am not sure if this is true or another scare tactic to disenfranchise voters. You have to come to your own conclusion. But please do not, I mean seriously do not let this stop you from going to the polls. Do not let this deter you.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and a sound mind.

So if you live in a state that has early voting, please take advantage and vote NOW!!!! If not, please don't be scared, vote on November 4th. We have been waiting for over 450 years.

This is an important election that will change not just Black history, or American history, but GLOBAL HISTORY.

Something to Ponder As You Vote on November 4th

Fannie Lou Hamer, a leader of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, speaks before the Credentials Committee of the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, August 22, 1964. (AP Photo/stf)

This is from a dear friend of mine, Mary Elliott, who sent an email today to many of us to think about the historical relevance of voting in this year's election. Please read the message below and ponder as you go to the polls. Be Blessed.

If You Never Read Another One of My Messages
By Mary N. Elliott, Esq.

I am emailing you this morning as I woke up thinking what have I really done to make an impact with regard to this upcoming election. I also thought about the profundity of Barak Obama becoming President of the United States. I am not a TRUE BELIEVER, indeed, not a BLIND FOLLOWER. In fact, I am an informed voter. Following this election process from the primaries to today, I feel secure in my choice for the next President of the United States. While I don't know who you are voting for, I do care that you vote. Many of you are aware that I am passionate about African American history and culture. I love to research it and share it with others, in order to inspire and empower all whom are exposed to it.

Mindful of that - I recently came across the oral recording and the transcript of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer. She was a powerful woman with a mighty voice. While she understood the strength of the masses - she also understood the impact of one. She fought for her right to register to vote and to actually vote. She is best known for her fight to have the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), founded by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), seated at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. She even ran for Congress. She is famous for the words "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired".

Fannie Lou Hamer is one of many African American figures in history whom my father made me commit to memory. Each Afro-American History Week (as it was when I was a child), my father displayed 8 1/2"x11" posters of figures in Black History along the walls in our house.

When I think back on this act, it really moves me b/c he took the time to share. He took the time to teach. My father took the time to remember and to inspire. He passed it on. I mention this b/c not everyone had such an experience. Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, the Stono Rebellion, the Niagara Movement are, perhaps, names and events that we've heard before but we can't readily recall why they are so important. Some of you are likely very familiar with Fannie Lou Hamer and her powerful story. On the cusp of this historic election I would be remiss if I did not share the following with you.

As the subject line of my email reads - "if you never read another one of my messages", please read this one. I believe that the profound words of Mrs. Hamer will linger with you up to the voting booth. Fannie Lou Hamer sacrificed a great deal to move all of us, this country, forward. We must not forget the selfless acts of the older generations. We cannot take it for granted. Yes you should vote because it's a civic duty, because you want to see change, because he's Black, because you want to help the middle-class, because you are a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent, because you want to make history AND . . . because history is what brought US to this place in soo many ways.

Below, you will find a link that takes you to the web page for "Say It Plain" by American Radioworks that includes Mrs. Hamer's transcript of her testimony before the Credentials Committee of the Democratic National Convention. The site also includes a link that allows you to hear her actual testimony. It is very powerful and I highly recommend that you click on the link to listen. Just above the transcript you will see the words "Listen to the speech", if you click it on - a RealPlayer recording will play. I copied and pasted the information into the body of this email in case you have trouble pulling up the website.

Please feel free to pass on the link.
Again, I hope all is well.

Thank you for taking the time to read my lengthy message.

Be well, be blessed and always . . . always be encouraged.

Kind regards, -Mary


Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977)
Testimony Before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention
Atlantic City, New Jersey - August 22, 1964

Fannie Lou Hamer's life took a dramatic turn the day she showed up for a mass meeting to learn about voting. It was August 1962 and Hamer, who was forty-four years old, wasn't even sure what a "mass meeting" was. "I was just curious to go, so I did," she said.1 The meeting was organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Hamer was told something she'd never heard before: black people had the right to vote.

One of twenty children born to a family of sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta, Hamer grew up picking cotton and cutting corn and attended school through the sixth grade. She married a fellow sharecropper and the two scratched out a living doing hard, menial work on a plantation near Ruleville, Mississippi.

According to biographer Sina Dubovoy, when Hamer heard SNCC's presentation, she asked herself, "What did she really have? Not even security." A lynching in a nearby town in 1904 had terrorized blacks then, and the ever-present KKK still kept them quiet. As Dubovoy notes, "The Mississippi Delta was the world's most oppressive place to live if you were black."2 Hamer decided on the spot to register to vote. On August 31, 1962, she boarded a bus to Indianola with seventeen others to try to register to vote. The next day she was kicked off the plantation where she had lived and worked for eighteen years. Her husband lost his job, too.

Hamer immediately went to work as a field organizer for SNCC. Returning home from a training workshop in June 1963, Hamer's bus was intercepted by policemen. She and two others were taken to jail in Winona, Mississippi, and mercilessly beaten. Hamer suffered permanent damage to her kidneys. After recovering from her injuries, she traveled across the U.S. telling her story. With her genuine, plainspoken style, Hamer raised more money for SNCC than any other member.

In 1964, with the support of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), Hamer ran for Congress. The incumbent was a white man who had been elected to office twelve times. In an interview with the Nation, Hamer said, "I'm showing the people that a Negro can run for office." The reporter observed: "Her deep, powerful voice shakes the air as she sits on the porch or inside, talking to friends, relatives and neighbors who drop by on the one day each week when she is not campaigning. Whatever she is talking about soon becomes an impassioned plea for a change in the system that exploits the Delta Negroes. 'All my life I've been sick and tired,' she shakes her head. 'Now I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.'"3

SNCC had formed the MFDP to expand black voter registration and challenge the legitimacy of the state's all-white Democratic Party. MFDP members arrived at the 1964 Democratic National Convention intent on unseating the official Mississippi delegation or, failing that, getting seated with them. On August 22, 1964, Hamer appeared before the convention's credentials committee and told her story about trying to register to vote in Mississippi. Threatened by the MFDP's presence at the convention, President Lyndon Johnson quickly preempted Hamer's televised testimony with an impromptu press conference. But later that night, Hamer's story was broadcast on all the major networks.

Support came pouring in for the MFDP from across the nation.4

But the MFDP's bid to win a seat at the Atlantic City convention still failed. At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago four years later the MFDP succeeded. On that occasion, Dubovoy recounts, "Hamer received a thunderous standing ovation when she became the first African American to take her rightful seat as an official delegate at a national-party convention since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, and the first woman ever from Mississippi."5

Listen to the speech

Mr. Chairman, and to the Credentials Committee, my name is Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, and I live at 626 East Lafayette Street, Ruleville, Mississippi, Sunflower County, the home of Senator James O. Eastland, and Senator Stennis.

It was the 31st of August in 1962 that eighteen of us traveled twenty-six miles to the county courthouse in Indianola to try to register to become first-class citizens.

We was met in Indianola by policemen, Highway Patrolmen, and they only allowed two of us in to take the literacy test at the time. After we had taken this test and started back to Ruleville, we was held up by the City Police and the State Highway Patrolmen and carried back to Indianola where the bus driver was charged that day with driving a bus the wrong color.

After we paid the fine among us, we continued on to Ruleville, and Reverend Jeff Sunny carried me four miles in the rural area where I had worked as a timekeeper and sharecropper for eighteen years. I was met there by my children, who told me that the plantation owner was angry because I had gone down to try to register.

After they told me, my husband came, and said the plantation owner was raising Cain because I had tried to register. Before he quit talking the plantation owner came and said, "Fannie Lou, do you know - did Pap tell you what I said?"

And I said, "Yes, sir."

He said, "Well I mean that." He said, "If you don't go down and withdraw your registration, you will have to leave." Said, "Then if you go down and withdraw," said, "you still might have to go because we are not ready for that in Mississippi."

And I addressed him and told him and said, "I didn't try to register for you. I tried to register for myself."
I had to leave that same night.

On the 10th of September 1962, sixteen bullets was fired into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tucker for me. That same night two girls were shot in Ruleville, Mississippi. Also Mr. Joe McDonald's house was shot in.

And June the 9th, 1963, I had attended a voter registration workshop; was returning back to Mississippi. Ten of us was traveling by the Continental Trailway bus. When we got to Winona, Mississippi, which is Montgomery County, four of the people got off to use the washroom, and two of the people - to use the restaurant - two of the people wanted to use the washroom.

The four people that had gone in to use the restaurant was ordered out. During this time I was on the bus. But when I looked through the window and saw they had rushed out I got off of the bus to see what had happened. And one of the ladies said, "It was a State Highway Patrolman and a Chief of Police ordered us out."

I got back on the bus and one of the persons had used the washroom got back on the bus, too.

As soon as I was seated on the bus, I saw when they began to get the five people in a highway patrolman's car. I stepped off of the bus to see what was happening and somebody screamed from the car that the five workers was in and said, "Get that one there." When I went to get in the car, when the man told me I was under arrest, he kicked me.

I was carried to the county jail and put in the booking room. They left some of the people in the booking room and began to place us in cells. I was placed in a cell with a young woman called Miss Ivesta Simpson. After I was placed in the cell I began to hear sounds of licks and screams, I could hear the sounds of licks and horrible screams. And I could hear somebody say, "Can you say, 'yes, sir,' nigger? Can you say 'yes, sir'?"

And they would say other horrible names.

She would say, "Yes, I can say 'yes, sir.'"

"So, well, say it."

She said, "I don't know you well enough."

They beat her, I don't know how long. And after a while she began to pray, and asked God to have mercy on those people.

And it wasn't too long before three white men came to my cell. One of these men was a State Highway Patrolman and he asked me where I was from. I told him Ruleville and he said, "We are going to check this."

They left my cell and it wasn't too long before they came back. He said, "You are from Ruleville all right," and he used a curse word. And he said, "We are going to make you wish you was dead."

I was carried out of that cell into another cell where they had two Negro prisoners. The State Highway Patrolmen ordered the first Negro to take the blackjack.

The first Negro prisoner ordered me, by orders from the State Highway Patrolman, for me to lay down on a bunk bed on my face.

I laid on my face and the first Negro began to beat. I was beat by the first Negro until he was exhausted. I was holding my hands behind me at that time on my left side, because I suffered from polio when I was six years old.

After the first Negro had beat until he was exhausted, the State Highway Patrolman ordered the second Negro to take the blackjack.

The second Negro began to beat and I began to work my feet, and the State Highway Patrolman ordered the first Negro who had beat me to sit on my feet - to keep me from working my feet. I began to scream and one white man got up and began to beat me in my head and tell me to hush.

One white man - my dress had worked up high - he walked over and pulled my dress - I pulled my dress down and he pulled my dress back up.

I was in jail when Medgar Evers was murdered.

All of this is on account of we want to register, to become first-class citizens. And if the Freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America. Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where we have to sleep with our telephones off the hooks because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?

Thank you.
1. Sina Dubovoy, Civil Rights Leaders: American Profiles (New York: Facts on File Books, 1997), 101.
2. Ibid., 101-12.
3. Jerry DeMuth, "Tired of Being Sick and Tired," Nation, 1 June 1964. Reprinted in Reporting Civil Rights: Part II: American Journalism 1963-1973 (New York: Penguin, 2003), 99-106.
4. Clayborne Carson, In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1981), 124-25.
5. Dubovoy, Civil Rights Leaders, 108.

Let's Put This All In Perspective

A friend of mine sent this article to me this morning and I decided to share it with you.

It is from John Ridley's entry on the Huffington Post. He hit the nail on the head on his assessment on the total hyprocrisy of this election. Please read below:

"Up in the Twin Cities area folks are speaking a new language. Or, should I say Palinguage. It sounds sorta familiar because it's Latin based. But different from the plain English we're used to speaking, in Palinguage recognizable words take on new meanings. Won't you take a moment to learn some Plainguage so you can talk like a hypocritical conservative?

REPEAT THE FOLLOWING:
If you're a minority and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "token hire." If you're a conservative and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "game changer."

If you live in an Urban area and you get a girl pregnant you're a "baby daddy." If you're the same in Alaska you're a "teen father." (Actually, according to your own MySpace page you're an F'n redneck that don't want any kids, but that's too long a phrase for the evil liberal media to take out of context and flog morning noon and night).

Black teen pregnancies? A "crisis" in black America. White teen pregnancies? A "blessed event."

If you grow up in Hawaii you're "exotic." Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential "American story." Similarly, if you name you kid Barack you're "unpatriotic." Name your kid Track, you're "colorful."

If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're "reckless." A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a "maverick."
If you say that for the "first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country" it makes you "unfit" to be First Lady.

If you are a registered member of a fringe political group that advocates secession that makes you "First Dude." A DUI from twenty years ago is "old news." A speech given without proper citation from twenty years ago is "relevant information."

And, finally, if you're a man and you decide to run for office despite your wife's recurrence of cancer you're a "questionable spouse." If you're a woman and you decide to run for office despite having five kids including a newborn... Well, we don't know what that is 'cause THAT'S NOT A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK.

They also forgot one we discussed yesterday:
If you're a White Republican and went from rags to riches and got into all Ivy League schools, you're a "brilliant," "driven," "over-achiever" and "living the American Dream." If you're a Black Democrat who did the same thing, you're an "uppity" "elitist" and clearly an "affirmative action recipient." "