If You Missed It...

DCYD President Addison Pate appeared with Aaron Dorn, Chairman of the Davidson County Young Republican, on WKRN's "This Week with Bob Mueller." The pair discussed how the Internet and online media is helping shape races locally this year. They also talked about their plan to work together, in a bipartisan effort, in conducting a Young Voters Debate Series among the candidates and to get more young voters to the polls.

If you missed it, below is a grainy version of the segment. For those wanting a higher resolution, visit VolunteerVoters.com and click on This Week with Bob Mueller: 02.25.07 under the video player.

Ordinary to Extraordinary Heroes

First, let me start off by giving a shout out to Sean. Sorry I am a week late from when I said I was going to blog. Anyway, I am writing, or should I say typing, this because I want to encourage everyone to go and see on of the best plays I have EVER, EVER seen in my 30 yrs on this earth...Ordinary Heroes. The play is running it's last weekend this weekend. Show times are Thurs., Fri, Sat. nights at 07:30 PM and Sunday at 06:00 PM. The place is Fisk's Chapel on Fisk's campus. The price is $5 for Fisk and David Lipscomb student/faculty ID holders, $12 for any other student ID, and $15 for general admission. The play is worth $50....that's how good it is.

The play is about local Nashvillians who took a stand against racial segregation in the early 1960's. For those of you who don't know, Nashville was the FIRST Southern city to desegregate lunch counters and other public places. Nashville has a rich history in the modern Civil Rights Movement. The play gives different perspectives of young and old people, and Black and White people. The play is awesome and I encourage you to go and see it. I am going again this coming Saturday (2/24/07). If you would like to join me, just email me.

After seeing this play a couple of weeks ago, I got to thinking. All the ordinary people in the play became extraordinary heroes. They were just regular folks like you and me. They were fearless, yet fearful. They were courageous, yet scared at the same time. This play encouraged me to be more of a doer than I already am. It is not enough to just talk about something. We as young citizens of this country need to make our voices heard. We need to educate people about paying attention to our government and what things are or are not being done. Find something you are passionate about and learn as much as you can on that subject so you can educate others. Hold our ELECTED congress people accountable, especially those who you didn't vote for but, somehow, some way, they got elected (shout out to porker, I mean Corker). :)

Anyway, please go and see the play. It is well worth the time and money. Until next time, let's start a revolution!!!

Add Rock Star to Gore's long list of titles!

Former Vice President Al Gore just announced a 24-hour concert push scheduled for July 7th called Live Earth.

It aims to have 100 performers and to create 2 billion activists on the issue of Global Climate Change. MSN has also signed on to this and will broadcast it on the internet.

The Live Earth concerts will take place in the Brazil, Shanghai, Japan, Johannesburg, London, Sydney, and the city in the U.S has not been announced yet (somewhere in Eastern United States). I feel a road trip coming on!

Here are some of the musical acts that have already signed onto the concert series:
Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Sheryl Crow, AFI, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Damien Rice, Corrine Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, ManaKeane, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Faith Hill w/Tim McGraw, Ray LaMontagne, Robin Thicke, Kenna

Check out the website MSN has created at http://liveearth.msn.com/

Also, check out The Climate Project at www.theclimateproject.org

Let the concert begin!

Seanna

Thank you, Mr. Mayor

This Tuesday, Mayor Purcell vetoed the ridiculous piece of legislation passed earlier by the Metro Council that would allow something about government business to be conducted only in English, except for some business, but that wasn't really defined... Please write him a thank you note: mayor@nashville.gov.

See below for an article about the veto and his statement to the press:


http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2007/2/12/mayor_to_veto_englishfirst_ordinance


Statement by Mayor Bill Purcell


English is our language. It has been so since before the city existed
more than 200 years ago. It is the language we use to conduct the city's business. In order to
get ahead in Nashville a person needs to be able to speak English. This has been the case for more than 200 years. It is not going to change.

We don't need a law to tell us what language we are already speaking. We don't need a law that will make it harder for a police officer to do his job, for a school teacher to teach or for a doctor to help a patient.

This ordinance was introduced last September and for the last six monthsthe sponsors have been twisting arms and trading votes to get it passed. Some sponsors say it is an important law while other sponsors say it has no effect at all. The truth is that no one knows how this law may ultimately be interpreted. If this law takes effect, this city will be engaged in years of lawsuits testing the effect and constitutionality of the ordinance. That means hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees whether we win or lose, for no good reason.

This is not who we are. At the heart of this ordinance is the issue of immigration. We are dealing with that issue by supporting the deportation of illegal aliens who commit crimes. But this ordinance goes beyond illegal immigration to put at risk our community and its ability to welcome and work with those people who come to our city legally andwant to be a part of our city.

The Legal Department is clear in its opinion today that advised me thatthis ordinance is unconstitutional. The ordinance states that "all communications . . . shall be in English." The exceptions are so broadthat there is no way to know what is and is not allowed.

What do we do when a Kurdish or other refugee wants to take an English class at the Cohn Adult Learning Center?
What do we do when a Japanese company wants to find out about economic development opportunities?
What do we do when a foreign tourist wants to find out how to get to theParthenon?
What do we do when someone who only speaks Spanish wants to reportsuspicious activity in a neighborhood, or a codes violation, or a pothole?

This ordinance does not reflect who we are. When the waves of immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries came to Nashville, they became part of our community. Germantown and the Oktoberfest are reminders of those immigrants.. Most recently the NHL has brought people from all over the world to our city to work and to play.

Last year, the Celebration of Cultures at Centennial Park attracted 15,000 visitors to celebrate the diversity of the many communities and ethnicities in our city. Last year Nashville was chosen as one of three cities to host a World Cup soccer exhibition. Last year we welcomed the Greek Orthodox Church to a national convention here in Nashville, the most successful in history. Then we welcomed Hadassah.

Last year we welcomed the leadership of Nissan Motor manufacturing. This year we are planning to welcome a new Japanese Consulate to our city. In April I will lead a delegation of Nashville business leaders to what is now the fastest growing economy in the world. The great overarching truth in our success in this still new century is that we are a welcoming, inclusive, and friendly people and place.

If this ordinance becomes law, Nashville will be a less safe, less friendly, and less successful city. As mayor, I cannot allow that to happen. Therefore I am vetoing Ordinance 1185 and returning it to the Metro Council where I hope it will remain never to be seen again and that we can turn our full attention once again to education and public safety and quality of life which are the real work of a city and should be the work of its leaders now and forever.

DCYD Membership Mixer a Big Success

Neither the rain nor the cold air could keep people away from last night's DCYD Membership Mixer. The DCYDs invade Bar Car at Cummins Station and enjoy talking politics and Nashville with friends from all across the area.

Guests attending last night's event included Vice-Mayor and Mayoral candidate Howard Gentry, District 17 Councilman and At-Large candidate Ronnie Greer, At-Large candidate Richard Exton, At-Large candidate Jerry Maynard, At-Large candidate Peter Westerholm, District 19 candidate Freda Player, and Davidson County Democratic Party Chairman Billy Fields.

We wish to thank everyone who came out in support of the Davidson County Young Democrats. We look forward to seeing an even bigger crowd next month and in the months to come. Until then keep coming back here to the blog and our main Web site, dcyd.org, to find out the latest news from the Davidson County Young Democrats.

DCYD Memebership Mixer Tonight

Just because the presidential election is still over 600 days away doesn't mean you have to stop socializing with your Democratic friends. So instead of sitting at home tonight, head on over to Bar Car at Cummins Station and the Davidson County Young Democrats for our February Membership Mixer.

This is your chance to meet with other Young Dems from across the street to across the county. In addition to meeting other Young Dems, a couple local Metro candidates and elected officials will also be stopping by to say hello. And if that wasn't enough, we'll be giving away a couple door prizes as well.

Since this is our first mixer of the year, we'll be talking a lot about how the DCYDs look to make a big impact on the August races, what to look for in 2008, and how you can help make a difference in Nashville now!

This event is free and open to the public, so bring your friends!

Community Service Chairman Rachel Barnhard is asking that you show a little love for the Second Harvest Food Bank on this Valentine's Day Eve and bring a few canned goods or a couple donation dollars when you come.

See you tonight!

For more information please e-mail us at davidsoncountyyoungdem@gmail.com

DCYD Membership Mixer

Tonight, February 13th

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Bar Car at Cummins Station

At-Large Council Candidate Richard Exton Invites DCYD Members to Bowl

As many of you know, long time DCYD supporter Richard Exton is running for one of the five At-Large Council positions available this summer. Richard is holding a Petition Signing Party next Monday, February 19th, from 6-8 p.m. at the Hillwood Strike & Spare and he's inviting all the DCYDs out to join him for the event to help him raise the staggering 25 signatures required. Below you'll find a copy of the invitation.

For those who may not be familiar with Richard Exton, he served as our umpire for the 2nd Annual Davidson County Young Democrats vs. Young Republicans Softball Game and has been an active supporter of our organization. Please take a moment to read over his biography below and be sure to head out for a few frames of bowling next Monday.

A Quick Biography

Richard moved with his parents to Nashville in1963, just before his fifth birthday. He has called Nashville his home ever since. A graduate of Metro Public Schools, Richard attended Glendale, Woodmont and Burton Elementary Schools, John Trotwood Moore Middle School and Hillsboro High School. He graduated in 1976. Richard then received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

In June of 1983 Richard joined the real estate appraisal firm William R. Manier, III and Associates, as an Associate and progressed to Senior Associate, before acquiring the firm in January of 1994. The firm then changed its name to Manier and Exton. Richard is engaged exclusively in real estate appraisal work on a fee basis. He is retained by a variety of institutional, governmental, and private clients for the purposes of providing real estate appraisal services for a diversity of property types, including residential, commercial retail and service, industrial, agricultural, religious, and development. In addition to being a State Certified General Appraiser, Richard is a Licensed Real Estate Broker, although he does not represent buyers or sellers.

His professional activities include serving as President of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, as a Director of the Tennessee Association of Realtors, and on the Housing Needs and Appraisal committees of the National Association of Realtors. He served as a Director of the National Association of Realtors in 2006. In 2003 Richard was named Realtor of the Year, and was recognized in 2002 with the GNAR President's Award.

He was President of the Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Clinic Bowl State High School Football Championships, served on the Board of Directors of Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and on the Advisory Board of Vanderbilt/Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital. He was a member of the 1994 class of Leadership Nashville. His other civic participation has included working on Habitat for Humanity builds, fundraising for Oasis Center, and helping with his son’s Scout Troop.

Richard has been married to Maralie since 1986. She runs the program training Medical Technologists and the quality assurance programs for the clinical laboratories at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. They have a son, Richard Jr., who is a junior at Hume Fogg Academic High School. He is a member of the rugby and swim teams and the Show Choir. They live in Forest Hills with their pound puppy "Puddles," a yet unnamed black and tan puppy, and their cat Mickey. Richard enjoys scuba, family vacations, and cooking.

UPDATE: Bloggers NOT Sacked

Associated Press is reporting that John Edwards has decided not to sack his bloggers who came under attack for personal postings made on other blogs.

"I talked personally to the two women who were involved. They gave me their word they, under no circumstances, intended to denigrate any church or anybody's religion and offered their apologies for anything that indicated otherwise. I took them at their word," Edwards told reporters during a campaign stop in Charleston, S.C.

To read the entire story visit MSNBC.com.

The Untold Consequences of Blogging

For anyone interested in blogging, now or in the future, we recommend you take a look CNN.com to see what just happened with the John Edwards campaign. Turns out Edwards, like many others in the Democratic Party this year, tried to go mainstream and hire a couple professional bloggers to jump start his Internet movement and reach out to more "liberal voters and activists."

Unfortunately the hired bloggers, Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan, also have personal opinions that they feel open to share on other blogs outside of the Edwards campaign. (We're sure it has something to do with that whole First Admendment thing.)

Now the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is demanding they be fired for personal comments they made against the Pope and the Church's stance on homosexuality and abortion.

Edwards isn't talking and neither are the two bloggers. Yet what happens next could set the standard for professional blogging as well as the blogging community as a whole. But this incident brings up a serious conversation that everyone who blogs need to ask themselves: are we prepared to own up to the comments we post and are we prepared to let people speak freely without consequences?

For example: Should the McDonald's fry cook lose his job because he rails against the company in a blog devoted to fast food industry reform? Can a bank manager be trusted to be objective with Hispanic clients at the bank, when he or she writes paragraphs on blogs about Pro "English-Only" legislation?

On the flip side, should we be giving the blogs that much value or should they looked at them as mere bulletin boards for any Tom, Diane, or Harry to come write a personal message? Should personal names be removed, and pseudonyms be put in their place to protect the livelihoods of those who dare speak out? Does anyone have legal recourse on either side?

There are far more questions than answers and the gray area on this subject is pretty large. But these questions need to be addressed before the blogosphere becomes the birthplace for a 21st Century Spanish Inquisition. So to anyone and everyone who writes on a blog, remember Michael Jackson: "I always feel like, somebody's watchin' me..."

Gore Nobel Nomination Fervor ... A Few Sore Republicans Speak Out

From The Tennessean, when asking people to comment on former V.P. Al Gore's recent nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize:

"I can't see it, myself," A.J. McCall, head of the Wilson County Republican Party, said of An Inconvenient Truth. "I've read too much about the global warming, and there's no basis for their conclusions, there's no science around it. It's just all politically motivated. I think what that tells us is that the Nobel Prize is a prize for being liberal, and not for doing anything that is productive.

I'd like to refer Mr. A.J. McCall to today's Associated Press story out of Paris:

Scientists from 113 countries issued a landmark report Friday saying they have little doubt global warming is caused by man, and predicting that hotter temperatures and rises in sea level will “continue for centuries” no matter how much humans control their pollution.

A.J., I prefer to take the word of a couple hundred scientists who have been studying this issue for the last couple decades. How about you stick to the furniture business and we'll leave climate crisis analysis up to the scientists. And as far as the Nobel Prize being a "prize for being liberal and not for doing anything that is productive," I guess that means President Theodore Roosevelt, President Woodrow Wilson, Secretary of States Cordell Hull and Henry Kissinger were all just a bunch of tree-hugging, gay-loving, do-nothing, flaming liberals?

Of course, if that wasn't enough, there was the state Republican Party Chairman, Bob Davis:

Plenty of people are worthy of getting the prize, said Bob Davis, head of the state Republican Party. "I guess Vice President Gore has convinced the Norwegians that he meets the standards for receiving this award."

Yes, Bob. He's definitely convinced Norway. He's also convinced a couple million others across the planet Earth as well. But let me make my prediction now. If Tennessee Republicans think like these two, and if Republicans across the country speak like these two, then 2008 looks to be an even better year for Democrats.

The country is tired of this same childish rhetoric coming out of the mouths of political party leaders and members. Far be it from me to say the Democratic Party doesn't have its share or Republican haters and loose-lipped speakers. We have plenty to go around. But the majority of Americans are tired of this "Fox News" style of speaking. Sore losers AND winners are not attractive and do not inspire confidence.

So boys, the next time you get the urge to bash I recommend the phrase "No Comment."

Is Race EVERYTHING?

Watching the news this morning made me ponder the question, "Does race still matter in America?". I'll get to why I was pondering that question in a minute...

I would love to say "no", but reality always tells me "yes". When will I, an intelligent, educated African-American female, every be looked as just a woman, not just an African-American woman? I listen intently to what people say throughout the day. Just today, I overheard a conversation two people were having. The two were Caucasian and one was describing a person to the other. The one describing started off by describing the person's race FIRST. Now, I thought, "Maybe this is just a coincidence."

I decided to do my own unscientific poll. I had a magazine with me and I asked 2 African-American peers of mine and 2 Caucasian peers of mine to describe the person they saw in the magazine article I showed them. The 2 Caucasian peers started off by describing the person's race FIRST. The two African American peers did mention race, but they described the weight, height, clothes the person had on in the article and then race.

I say all that to say this: This country will not get any better and race relations will stay the way they are if we do not start looking past a person' s color. Now, obviously, if you are describing a person to another person, race will be one of your descriptions, but I think it was interesting where the race description fell in order during my unscientific poll.

Now, back to the reason I was pondering today....Biden, the newest presidential hopeful, made a comment about Barack Obama being (and I am paraphrasing) first mainstream, clean, well articulate, good looking African American running. Now, first off, why Biden is not remembering Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Shirley Chisholm, and Carol Moseley Braun running for the presidency? These people were and are very articulate, clean, and somewhat good lookin. :) Does Biden think the majority of African Americans are not?

What trips me out is, this is not the first time he has said something that puts a race of people in a negative light. Am I suppose put my trust in a man who sees only race when he is looking at a person who looks different than him? I don't care what people say, race is everything (unfortunately). I will always be looked at as an African American woman, not just a woman. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY proud of my heritage. But, when race affects great political people like Harold Ford, Jr. and Barack Obama, I can't just sit by and not voice my opinion.

First an Oscar nod, and now Nobel

Former Vice-President Al Gore, who's film "An Inconvenient Truth" was nominated for an Oscar, has now been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. For more on the story, visit MSNBC.com to hear about how a Conservative and a Socialist joined forces in Norway to nominate the Vice-President. (Gee, a guy that can bring the political parties together...that sounds like someone who I might want to see run for ...SHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

Congratulations, Al! Always nice to see a Tennessee Democrat getting nominated for an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize. All that's left is ... well ... you know ... we'll see you after the Oscars!

A New Terrorist Threat? We're doomed!

This topic really doesn't have any direct connection to politics, though a few politicians are already speaking out, but it is connected to our generation and I wanted to throw my two cents in on yesterday's "bomb scare" in Boston. Turns out the Mooninites are a new terrorists cell that Homeland Security wasn't aware of, and thanks to a few "Lite-Bright" like promotional boxes Homeland Security now knows more than they ever wanted to know. In case you're not familiar with the Mooninite cell, here is a photo of their two leaders:











Pretty scary, huh? Yeah, they look rather dangerous. So far Homeland Security has been able to determine that only one group of individuals in the United States has had success in stopping the Mooninite threat. They are known as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and are featured in the photo below:















If for some reason you haven't figured out the joke, these photos are from characters in the popular Adult Swim Cartoon, Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It is the story of a "Frylock," his buddy "Shake," and a wad of meat called ... wait for it ... "Meatwad." It would take way too long to explain, but just trust me when I say it's funny.

In an attempt to promote the upcoming "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" movie, Cartoon Network enlisted the help of these electronic devices:















Basically a 80's-style "Lite-Bright" with 4 "D" batteries. This marketing team decided it would be a good idea to place these illuminated boxes at different points throughout a number of major cities including Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, and Seattle. (Rather sad Nashville didn't make it.) These devices have been out and viewable for nearly 10 days, but yesterday someone in Boston got a bug up his or her butt and decided to make a call to the police.

After shutting down parts of Boston for up to half a day, and blowing up a few of the "Lite-Brights" for security reasons, the truth of the promotion was discovered. Ok, so egg on the face of the hundreds of Homeland Security personnel who couldn't see this was just too silly to be true.

Oh but wait...no one gets away with making Homeland Security, the city of Boston, or even a few elected leaders look foolish. No no, someone has to pay for this stupid and it won't be the ones who bought into the delusion of terroristic grandure. This from CNN.com (Parent company Turner Broadcasting who, yep, owns Cartoon Network)

Peter Berdovsky, 27, a freelance video artist from Arlington, Massachusetts, and Sean Stevens, 28, were facing charges of placing a hoax device in a way that results in panic, as well as one count of disorderly conduct, said Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. The hoax charge is a felony, she said.

Both men were arrested Wednesday evening. According to his Web site, Berdovsky is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and a founding member of a video artists group called Glitch who goes by the nickname "Zebbler" and sings in a band called "Superfiction."

Authorities believe Berdovsky was "in the employ of other individuals" as part of the marketing campaign, Coakley said. "How exactly this was executed, we are still investigating." Berdovsky is scheduled for arraignment at 9 a.m. Thursday in Charlestown District Court.

So two young guys are arrested for trying out a clever, if not entirely thought through, idea just because a few people in Boston law enforcement got this one WAY wrong. Ok, where exactly do we draw the line? When do we finally say enough is enough? While I give you that the marketing ploy could have been better researched, perhaps announced via standard media, is it really something worthy of criminal prosecution?

I'm sorry, but I have let my inner punk kid out on this one and say that the Boston AG, Homeland Security, and anyone else who got caught looking foolish on this one needs to chill out and move on.