It's been a while since I've created a list, and you know people love lists. So today I'm listing the Top 10 ways to tell if you are in a "Pro-America area of this great nation" This is in honor of Governor Sarar Palin who recently said the following at a campaign rally We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation So here goes. #10 All government documents within a 100 mile radius are printed in English. #9 In your neck of the woods, "Allah" is when someone tells an untruth, i.e. "Joe done went and told Allah about being a plumber" #8 Barack Obama isn't campaigning there. #7 Your community doesn't need organizing. #6 Voter suppression is preferred to voter fraud. #5 The Republican Party in your area has but one regret: that Abraham Lincoln is part of their legacy. #4 There is a building or street in the county named after George Wallace, Strom Thurmond, or Bull Conner. #3 There is no ...

By Earnest Gates  We all have been following this election for the past 20 months. We have seen Senator Barack Obama go from a long shot to the presumptive nominee to the first African American Presidential candidate in the history of this country. It has been a long ride. The day that we have all waited for is just about upon us. As of Monday, October 20th, here in Texas we have the opportunity to cast our vote. It is time to put all talk aside and voice your opinion by voting. You don't have to debate with anyone who has different political views than you. All you have to do is cast your ballot. But if you don't, don't even think about complaining about the outcome. Since voter suppression, voter fraud, and voter intimidation have become hot topics, this should not be as much of an issue as it was in 2000 or 2004. The ball is in your court. If you don't show up, then shut up for 4 whole years!

Do you remember in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing when a number of the characters went off on racial tangents. Pino, one of Sal's sons who worked in the pizzeria was charged with slurring blacks. Ice Cube played this clip on his Death Certificate CD right before the single True to the Game. The intro to the record stated "no matter how much you want to switch, here's what they think about you." And then came Pino: You gold-teeth-gold-chain-wearin', fried-chicken-and-biscuit-eatin', monkey, ape, baboon, big thigh, fast-runnin', high-jumpin', spear-chuckin', three-hundred-sixty-degree-basketball-dunkin' titsun spade Moulan Yan. That's basically what I heard driving around on Monday as I listened to Colin Powell get lambasted for his decision to vote for Barack Obama in the upcoming presidential election. Mark Davis, WBAP host who sometimes serves as Rush Limbaugh fill-in charged Powell with being a "liar" and a "traitor." Speaking of Limbaugh, the king of conservative blowhards said Powell is only coming out for Obama because he's black. To assert that Colin Powell only supports Barack Obama because he is black is to slur the work of both of these men who have tried to do nothing more than to ...

Here's a press release that comes from Friendship-West Minister of Justice Danielle Ayers and NAACP President Casey Thomas. Please mark your calendars for Friday for a screening of American Blackout at Friendship-West at 7:00 p.m. Dallas, TX – October 12, 2008 The purpose of GOTV: Project Early Vote is to mobilize the community for early voting. The goal is to get 67% of registered voters to the polls. GOTV: Project Early Vote will consist of voter verification, a rally, movie screening and caravan to the polls. Beginning Monday, October 20 – Friday, October 31, 2008 citizens will be able to verify their voting status each of the fourteen (14) days at various locations (TBD). On Monday, October 20th voter verification will take place at Monday Night Politics held on the campus of Paul Quinn College in the Science Building. The GOTV: Project Early Vote will culminate with GOTV Super Weekend: · Friday, October 24th 7:00 p.m: Screening of American Blackout at Friendship West Baptist Church located at 2020 W Wheatland Rd, Dallas, TX 75232 · Saturday, October 25th: Early voting and voter verification will take place at ...

Last night on the 10 o'clock news, Jason Whitley did a surprisingly long and in depth look at whether or not South Dallas is missing out on the benefits of the Trinity River Project.  Jason interviewed yours truly for the story as well as a resident of South Dallas.  South Dallas is going to have to stay on top of this situation or the benefits really might just miss them.  The Lamar Street levee will literally back up into South Dallas once (if) the flood control portion of the project gets underway. Click here to view Channel 8's well done look at the Trinity Project's impact on South Dallas.

Here's an article that I wrote for the Paris News -my hometown paper- that appeared in last Friday's paper.  Thanks to Mary Madewell for the opportunity.  The 2008 Presidential Election has forced Americans to examine race in a way that we haven’t in years. But in my estimation, the uncomfortable analysis of the subject — especially between Black and White America — began last year. Early in 2007 the nation focused its attention on Paris, Texas, and the case of a former Paris High School student that citizens are all too familiar with. The racial spotlight then moved from the Red River Valley to Don Imus and degrading comments that he made about the Rutgers University Women’s basketball team. Eventually the light was directed towards Jena, Louisiana and the plight of six black males involved in a melee at school. That fracas was reportedly set off by unwarranted images conjured up by the hanging of three nooses in the Jena High courtyard. But after the light dimmed, and as the media and big city experts rolled away, the citizens of a town like Paris are left to pick up the pieces. As a former resident following the proceedings from afar, I felt the ...

Running Back Nabil El-Amin rushed for 194 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions defeated East Central Oklahoma 27-15 victory in the inaugural Harvey Martin Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Cotton Bowl. There were about 8,000 fans on hand, which got swallowed up in the massive new Cotton Bowl. I think the State Fair and Texas A&M Commerce may be on to something here. If they can both find a way to get 20,000 folks at this game annually then they'd have themselves a game. There was little to no marketing of the game this year so imagine what TAMU-C Athletic Director Carlton could do with an increased marketing budget. Speaking of Carlton, I think he tried to shake hands with all 8,000 people that were at the game. There were a number of players from the 1972 East Texas State NAIA National Championship Team that was lead by Harvey Martin. Cooper was excited about the inaugural contest, but looking forward to drawing more fans down the road, especially from the visiting team. TAMU-C Athletic Director Carlton Cooper (left) TAMU-C (East Texas) alum and Ticket host Donovan Lewis Texas A&M Commerce is in ...

On Sunday's Dallas Morning News editorial page, their board proudly proclaims "We Recommend: John McCain's experienced courage for president." I wonder who was given the task of writing this endorsement?  Whoever it was, I bet that they didn't endorse John McCain in the Republican Primary. Well, anyway, the Morning News' endorsement reads like a John McCain commercial: Americans want change, yes, but banking on change alone is a risky proposition. The Democrat talks about change, but only the Republican has made change happen. He's (Obama) as smooth and charismatic as his opponent is raw and irascible. For example, the Republican maverick has worked with Democrats on campaign finance laws, immigration reform and climate change. As inspiring as Mr. Obama's history-making presidential bid has been, it is risky to take a chance on an untried leader at this point in our history. I would imagine that there are a number of people on the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board who are embarrassed by this "recommendation." Not just embarrassed by the fact they they endorsed McCain, which is ...

The Chicago Tribune has endorsed Barack Obama to be President of the United States. As you will see, it is a historic move for the storied daily newspaper. If anyone would know about Barack Obama's associations -whether Bill Ayers or Father Pfleger- it would be the Chicago papers. And with its political history, the Chicago Tribune would be more than happy to blow the whistle. But like so many others have had to conclude, this is the best candidate, and Barack Obama is ready to lead. To read the Tribune's long and thoughtful endorsement in its full context click here.  Here are a few excerpts. We can provide some assurance. We have known Obama since he entered politics a dozen years ago. We have watched him, worked with him, argued with him as he rose from an effective state senator to an inspiring U.S. senator to the Democratic Party's nominee for president. We have tremendous confidence in his intellectual rigor, his moral compass and his ability to make sound, thoughtful, careful decisions. He is ready. This endorsement makes some history for the Chicago Tribune. This is the first time the newspaper has endorsed the Democratic Party's nominee for president. ...

1920 W. Colorado BLVD Built in 1931, Texas Colonial Last month, the Dallas Morning News reported that Farmers Branch Mayor Tim O'Hare had some harsh words for Oak Cliff. You remember Tim O'Hare right? When he was city councilman he lead the Farmers Branch effort to block housing rentals to illegal immigrants. Well in an e-mail that Mr. O'Hare wrote back in 2006, he makes his true feelings known about where he thinks his town is headed: I don’t want us to have to move. I don’t want to have to live somewhere else. But, I’m not going to live in Oak Cliff, which is what we are becoming and going to become if we don’t make some serious changes. Well maybe we should have taken Mr. O' Hare on the Oak Cliff Fall Home Tour last weekend. The tour was sponsored by the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League. The two day event consisted of 11 homes that stretched from just south of I-30 all the way down to just north of Illinois Ave. The tour wound through Oak Cliff neighborhoods like Kessler Park, Stevens Park, Kidd Springs, Winnetka Heights. 1525 Olympia ...