the Van Jones situation...

It's Sunday morning. I'm on twitter and begin to notice all of the chatter about Van Jones stepping down from his post as Green Jobs Czar. Here is the actual back and forth I had this morning on twitter which inspired this blog entry...

AroundHarlemRT @blogdiva: Van Jones is a casualty because ColorOfChange went after Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs. Think about that.about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem & Van did it all on vid...who's fault is that? I'm not saying he should have quit...but I understand. Don't embarrass the presabout 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy Can't debate Van Jones in 140 but if 1 of America's basic principles is Freedom of Speech, why is anything any1 says a problem?about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to thed_weezy

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem i'm not sayin he "should've" have said it...i'm saying that there r positions where "we" have 2 b more careful than others...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem It ain't right, but it is what it is. Love u'r posts...it's my sunday paper:-)about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem I'm sorry, "tweets" not "posts"...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlemThere's a lot of name calling on twitter this morning. Many are upset about Van Jones #p2about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy Disagree.The days of #Blck people needing 2b careful r over. Its 2009. We hav a Black President aka Leader of the free world#p2about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Yeah...Skip Gates thought the same thing...they took his ass to jail all the same thoughabout 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem so if Brian Williams was found on tape saying, "I hate ni@@as." it's cool cause he's got free speech? Leave Beck alone then...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Free speech works both ways...Glenn Beck is an idiot, but he's got free speech too...right? Unless he disses Obama?about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem All i'm saying is that sometimes, there is a price for standing up for what you believe in and calling ppl ass holes...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Just like there's a price for calling blk women "nappy headed hoes" or calling the pres a "racist that hates white ppl",right?about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy I've NEVER mentioned Glenn Beck bc I dont hav a problem w/statement.Disagree but respect his right 2 say it.Free Speech 4 every1about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem So you think it's wrong that he's losing sponsors left & right? you feel sorry for him just like you do Van Jones?about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Beck's the elephant in the room...he said some things that "cost" him & so did Van...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlemRT @thed_weezy So you think it's wrong that he's losing sponsors left & right? you feel sorry for him just like you do Van Jones?about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Over all, I wish ppl would allow for folks to change their minds. Quote me years ago & u'll find stuff i'm really sorry I saidabout 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy Beck losing sponsors is a business decision made by private corporations. Those decisions hav nothing 2 do w/Freedom of Speech.about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to thed_weezy

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem To err is human, to forgive...devine. The man said he was sorry and was doing something new he was good at...our loss indeedabout 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Beck says stupid shit everyday, he was losing sponsors because of the petition that (I know I did) most of us signed...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy Glad there were not 2 many people who thought like u in the 50s & 60s. Otherwise I'd still be sitting in the back of the bus.about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to thed_weezy

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem How so? I'm all for change. I was front row with a yellow ticket back in Jan in DC! I'm down for the cause...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Hell, i'm in Alabama where there are billboards of Rush Limbaugh up like he's a hero/i hate some stuff that is/but it still isabout 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem & what I KNOW is real in this country is that life ain't fair. Van Jones proved that there's NOT really free speech...about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem But, that's the rule...it's not fair...but it is a rule. He broke it. That's an anti-civil rights train of thought? How so?about 4 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem Van J was honest, said what he thought, didn't care who heard or saw him, and it came back to bite him. Happens all the timeabout 3 hours ago from Tweed in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlem@thed_weezy Down 4 the cause means supporting laws of the US. ur comments go against that.u approve of public pressure that go against laws.about 3 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to thed_weezy

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem i don't approve public pressure, i'm simply acknowledging they exist...about 3 hours ago from web in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem I'm a school teacher, by law, if they found me publicly drunk this weekend, they could fire me. that ain't right, but it is..about 3 hours ago from web in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem in order to fight any battle you need to know the rules of engagement. be they fair or not.about 3 hours ago from web in reply to AroundHarlem

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem and US laws have a history of not ALWAYS being fair. they change all the time...hence the supreme court interpretations.about 3 hours ago from web in reply to AroundHarlem

AroundHarlemI got up too early. Going back to bed.about 3 hours ago from UberTwitter

thed_weezy@AroundHarlem sweet dreams;-) wishing you visions of sugar plums (or at least that Pinkberry breakfast)about 3 hours ago from web in reply to AroundHarlem

Van Jones knew (or maybe he didn't but he probably should have known) that when you speak publically, you should always make an attempt to be professional. In my humble opinion, calling the opposing party ass-holes is less than professional. He also knows that in this country, be it right or wrong, that identifiying ones self as a communist, can cause political problems. And, he knows that this country has a history of holding people of African descent to a different scale of accountablility than of the majority race.(If ANY presidential candidate had the credintials of Barack Obama, he would have been a shoe-in...period.)Because of his race, there was still a questioning of his ablility to govern. This isn't fair but it is how it is in the good ol U. S. of A. Just like I think that Skip Gates should have known that the quickest way to go to jail is to argue and get smart with the police. (I'm not saying that you should be arrested if your only crime is to argue and/or get smart with the police.)

Van Jones had a history of saying what he thought how ever he wanted and it came back to bite him. Just like Glenn Beck, and just like Don Imus. Free Speech goes both ways whether you like what is said or not.

I'm Thed Weller and I approve this message.

Incorrectly Political: Why MSNBC? Your True Colors?

Incorrectly Political: Why MSNBC? Your True Colors?

Why MSNBC? Your True Colors?

So, I love CNN but I am partial to MSNBC's programs. Morning Joe, The Rachael Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Count Down with Kieth Olbermann and even Live with Carlos Watson are some of the programs I've come to know and love. I came to know many MSNBC personalities during last year's campaign season. But I've noticed a "trend" that is quite disturbing.

Weeks leading up to Dylan Ratigan's show (Morning Meeting) he was a regular on the network's a.m. staple Morning Joe promoting his new show. I started noticing new TV ads promoting MSNBC's new morning line up. They go something like this, "watch MSNBC all morning starting with Morning Joe and after that it's Morning Meeting with Dylan Ratigan and then it's Dr. Nancy, blah, blah, blah..." but absolutely NO mention of Live with Carlos Watson. I've seen MSNBC ads for every show from The Ed show to Andrea Mitchell's. There is not a Carlos Watson TV spot. I didn't even know he had a show until I lucked up on it by happenstance. I actually thought it may have been canceled with the addition of Morning Meeting, because the TV ads actually say, "watch Morning Meeting and then watch Dr. Nancy..." as if there is not Carlos Watson in between.

Why? Even the openly gay white Rachael Maddow (whom I adore) get's many kudos and promos. What gives MSNBC? I went to Carlos Watson's Wikipedia page and was impressed with what this guy has been a part of and has accomplished. He's the real deal!

I'm not calling MSNBC a "racist" network (we all know that FOX News works too hard to retain that title), but I am saying that the executives at MSNBC should be aware of how it looks when the only person of color to host an entire hour on it's network is the ONLY person that consistently gets NO promotion. When we know better we do better...& now you know.

I'm Thed Weller and I approve this message.

BET Awards/MJ Tribute...I call Bullsh*t!

I must admit, as a general rule, award shows don't do it for me any more. I used to get excited about the AMA's or the VMA or even the BET Awards but the truth is, in the era of youtube, seeing your favorite artist perform isn't the rarity it once was but seeing your favorite artist on an award show IS a rarity now-a-days. This year was the exception. Because of the loss of Michael Jackson, and the fact that BET announced that this year's award show would change gears and be a "tribute" to MJ, I made sure I made it home in time to tune in to the 2009 edition of BET's Award show. If you watched it, you probably already know where this is going...if you didn't, allow me to hold your hand while we stroll down memory lane.

First of all, let's talk about "the red carpet". How does CNN have better coverage of BET's red carpet than BET? I'm watching Pleasure P [of Pretty Ricky fame] tell me how he'd love to be some woman's sloppy seconds while Don Lemon is interviewing Pappa Joe Jackson! WTF?!?!?!? This was my hint that maybe the producers and executives at Viacom's "black sheep" my not have placed the proper importance on what could have been considered important to Michael Jackson fans...but let's see how deep the Rabbit hole goes.

What a great start! The complete group New Edition with Bobby Brown & Johnny Gill is on stage doing what they do best! I'm dancing, singing and am so looking forward to the rest of the show!

Jamie Foxx is a true talent. Let me say that. He comes out in every "young" MJ outfit he can find starting with Beat It! Hilarious! The 30 foot moon walk attempt...classic tv. From this point, there were some really good parts & some definite highlights...but I'm not hear to talk about the the "good" stuff....

I love Soulja BoyTell'em...for what he's accomplished and not so much for his music (even though it can be quite catchy *slight admission*), but just because you got on a MJ t-shirt don't make it a tribute performance. I KNOW this kid can dance...we've seen him "superman ho's" all over the nation! I would have really enjoyed watching Soulja Boy with any one of those Jamie Foxx outfits on and dancing to Billie Jean or something. Have some fun with it and pay homage to the greatest...but alas...he turn't his swag on and off and jumped on the bed he had rolled out on stage. This would have been an over-lookable offense but this was the top of a steep hill of "wtf moments" we were beginning to roll down.

Beyonce did good to me. She sang Opera. She was graceful, she was beautiful but she didn't change one thing she had planned to do in honor of the man that was being "honored". She did thank him when she picked up her award but her performance...well, it was all Beyonce and no MJ. I ain't mad at her but she's like the biggest female star in music right now...it would have meant a lot to her fans and maybe more importantly the the hurt family that made it out, to see someone of her stature, do something special in Michael's honor...but maybe it's just me.

So now it's time for Jamie Foxx's performance featureing T-Pain. Like, when T-Pain was in the jewelery store did he just pick this necklace charm out or did he have it made...hmmmm, I wonder. "Big ASS Chain"...WTF was he thinking? How coon-a-licious of you. People who don't "normally" watch award shows, partially because of sh!+ like this, will be sure to continue to watch now! How impressive! A rapper using autotune with a "Big ASS Chain" on...how can I be down?

Jay Z was good, the O'Jays were great, Keisha Cole and Monica looked and sounded nice, Trey Songz was too timid, Johnny Gill over sang (as usual), Tyrese represented and Don Cornelius got really old when we weren't looking. And who ever's job it was to control the "5 second delay" fell asleep at the switch...all night. Maxwell had on a really nice suit and made the ladies swoon and Jamie "moist"and then... the Drake, Lil Wayne & friends performance complete with really young "women" surrounding the ACL-less Canadian. Note to performers..."just because you toss in a "give it up for mike" in the middle of a misogynistic, vulgar, offensive, egotistical, self-promoting song don't make it a tribute to Michael Jackson!"

I was on twitter and facebook the entire show and was glad to see that I wasn't alone in my feelings. Last week I heard a friend of mine say the revolution is being "cell-o-vised" [i.e. cellphones with social networking]. I hope that it is and that we can influence the powers that be (major media conglomerates) to get better or die. Let's not let this be THE only major tribute from our people, by our people distributed by Viacom...

I'm Thed Weller and I approve this message.