I do not know what more I can say about the mayor of Philadelphia. I am officially using up the English vocabulary to describe his pathetic, weak, vacillating, fear-mongering, coward-like, and bullying tactics in his feeble attempts to get what he wants, and not to benefit all Philadelphians. He has taxed and cut jobs and much needed resources in our city since the onset of his administration more that 2 years ago.
When history revisits this individual, I believe it will share my view of Mayor Michael Nutter which is he was a "first-rate, second-rate man."
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition”
Friday, May 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
“There's a Cure for HIV/AIDS and Philadelphians Didn't Get the Memo?”
HIV and AIDS are ravaging Philadelphia. The increase of HIV and AIDS among women, men, and adolescents is 5 times higher than the national average.
What the hell is going on?
Did you think that a cure for HIV and AIDS was discovered, so people could return to the sexual decadence of the 1960's and 1970's? Seriously, is there a cure for HIV and AIDS, but Philadelphians didn't get the memo? Of course not! When Philadelphians are contracting these infectious diseases with such regularity it appears poor judgment and a lack on intelligence have convinced many that HIV and AIDS was not as life-threatening today as it was in the 20th century.
HIV and AIDS are just as powerful in the 21st century as they were 25 years ago. Believe it! Parents, teachers, medical professionals, and elected officials must increase education and provide additional resources to the masses specifically in the impoverished communities about implementing a rigid regiment of abstinence and/or safe sex.
A moment of commentary-- In 2008, 24,570 Philadelphians tested positive for HIV/AIDS, and of those, 14,083 are living with AIDS and 10,488 are living with HIV. Just like the Swine Flu epidemic, we must sound the alarm loudly to inform the public that HIV and AIDS in Philadelphia is steadily increasing not decreasing. Increasing!
It is time to place HIV and AIDS back at the forefront of our conscience and in our sexual behaviors.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
What the hell is going on?
Did you think that a cure for HIV and AIDS was discovered, so people could return to the sexual decadence of the 1960's and 1970's? Seriously, is there a cure for HIV and AIDS, but Philadelphians didn't get the memo? Of course not! When Philadelphians are contracting these infectious diseases with such regularity it appears poor judgment and a lack on intelligence have convinced many that HIV and AIDS was not as life-threatening today as it was in the 20th century.
HIV and AIDS are just as powerful in the 21st century as they were 25 years ago. Believe it! Parents, teachers, medical professionals, and elected officials must increase education and provide additional resources to the masses specifically in the impoverished communities about implementing a rigid regiment of abstinence and/or safe sex.
A moment of commentary-- In 2008, 24,570 Philadelphians tested positive for HIV/AIDS, and of those, 14,083 are living with AIDS and 10,488 are living with HIV. Just like the Swine Flu epidemic, we must sound the alarm loudly to inform the public that HIV and AIDS in Philadelphia is steadily increasing not decreasing. Increasing!
It is time to place HIV and AIDS back at the forefront of our conscience and in our sexual behaviors.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
Monday, May 17, 2010
The “Party of Fools, Hypocrites and Fiscally Irresponsible."
Illegal immigration and the disastrous oil spill have taken center stage in America.
If we are going to have a "serious" conversation about these issues, we must disregard and distance ourselves from the insipid, idiotic, and narcissistic ideology of some citizens in the Republic.
To be candid, there is no Republican Party in America, period! The Republican Party died a long time ago. Individuals like Sara Palin, John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Michael Steele, Bill O'Reilly, and George Will are speaking on behalf of a new breed of political party in America--the "Party of Fools, Hypocrites and Fiscally Irresponsible."
To prove this theoretical perspective on the members of this new party, what clear, insightful and effective solutions have the Palins, Boehner’s, McCains, Cantors and their cohorts offered to address illegal immigration, attempted terrorist attacks, the oil drilling debacle, America's decayed education system, corrupt politics, the escalating rise in middle class America living below the poverty line, and the environment? Not one intelligent solution has been developed by them for the Republic's current dilemmas. Not one! Zero! None!
Let's accept the fact that members and subscribers to the "Party of Fools, Hypocrites and Fiscally Irresponsible" are a part of the human species but nothing more. Let citizens of the Republic be more "intellectually critical" instead of being seduced by those that seek political office that stoke one's anger and frustration into voting for individuals that will not strengthen and unite America, but divide and implement chaos instead.
We must reconfigure the current path we are taking the Republic. If we are not careful, 100 years from now America will appear next to Rome in the history books as two great empires that perished because they devoured their own.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
If we are going to have a "serious" conversation about these issues, we must disregard and distance ourselves from the insipid, idiotic, and narcissistic ideology of some citizens in the Republic.
To be candid, there is no Republican Party in America, period! The Republican Party died a long time ago. Individuals like Sara Palin, John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Michael Steele, Bill O'Reilly, and George Will are speaking on behalf of a new breed of political party in America--the "Party of Fools, Hypocrites and Fiscally Irresponsible."
To prove this theoretical perspective on the members of this new party, what clear, insightful and effective solutions have the Palins, Boehner’s, McCains, Cantors and their cohorts offered to address illegal immigration, attempted terrorist attacks, the oil drilling debacle, America's decayed education system, corrupt politics, the escalating rise in middle class America living below the poverty line, and the environment? Not one intelligent solution has been developed by them for the Republic's current dilemmas. Not one! Zero! None!
Let's accept the fact that members and subscribers to the "Party of Fools, Hypocrites and Fiscally Irresponsible" are a part of the human species but nothing more. Let citizens of the Republic be more "intellectually critical" instead of being seduced by those that seek political office that stoke one's anger and frustration into voting for individuals that will not strengthen and unite America, but divide and implement chaos instead.
We must reconfigure the current path we are taking the Republic. If we are not careful, 100 years from now America will appear next to Rome in the history books as two great empires that perished because they devoured their own.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Coward."
Sgt. Robert Ralston, a 21-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, shot himself in the shoulder and "cowardly" lied that an African American male did it.
Whether you're a cop getting shot, or someone getting robbed, or kidnapped, even in 2010 African American males are still targeted as the predator and scapegoat when a crime is committed. Ralston's “pathetic act” sparked an all out hunt by law enforcement to capture the fictitious assailant despite grave doubts about Sgt. Ralston's story.
Although, Ralston is suspended with intent to remove from the police force, he will not face criminal charges for his dastardly act. Sgt. Ralston is a first rate "second rate" man, and his wife should be forever ashamed of him.
Commissioner Ramsey displays the leadership, tact, and wisdom that the Philadelphia Police Department desperately needs especially at a time in which lawless, racist bigots like Ralston is given a badge, a gun, and is asked to protect and serve. Commissioner Ramsey is not playing the “behind the blue wall” ignorance. He is sending a message that “If you commit a crime as a police officer your career is over, period!”
Note to Philadelphia Police Officers: Many of you are heading down a dark path from whence you'll never be able to return. You either serve and protect law abiding Philadelphians with Honor, Courage and Integrity--or find another profession and with the utmost urgency.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
Whether you're a cop getting shot, or someone getting robbed, or kidnapped, even in 2010 African American males are still targeted as the predator and scapegoat when a crime is committed. Ralston's “pathetic act” sparked an all out hunt by law enforcement to capture the fictitious assailant despite grave doubts about Sgt. Ralston's story.
Although, Ralston is suspended with intent to remove from the police force, he will not face criminal charges for his dastardly act. Sgt. Ralston is a first rate "second rate" man, and his wife should be forever ashamed of him.
Commissioner Ramsey displays the leadership, tact, and wisdom that the Philadelphia Police Department desperately needs especially at a time in which lawless, racist bigots like Ralston is given a badge, a gun, and is asked to protect and serve. Commissioner Ramsey is not playing the “behind the blue wall” ignorance. He is sending a message that “If you commit a crime as a police officer your career is over, period!”
Note to Philadelphia Police Officers: Many of you are heading down a dark path from whence you'll never be able to return. You either serve and protect law abiding Philadelphians with Honor, Courage and Integrity--or find another profession and with the utmost urgency.
Anthony P. Johnson
The “180th Watchdog Coalition.”
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Michael “Houdini” Nutter
Remember Michael Nutter, the candidate?
I remember the "candidate" for mayor with a vision to clean-up city government corruption, make Philadelphia's streets safe, be a friend and supporter to city unions, create jobs for Philadelphians, and provide social service programs that would build character and integrity in youth and adolescents that are embracing the "darker angels" of their souls.
Unfortunately, Mr. Nutter is more like Houdini, where as a candidate; he bedazzled the voters with the type of rhetoric Philadelphians needed to hear as we endured 8 years of "open corruption" and a host of other mismanagement policies and projects by the Street Administration. But as mayor, Mr. Nutter is nothing more than a noun, a verb and according him, "America is in the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression."
What a sad state of leadership our great city is enduring.
Anthony P. Johnson
I remember the "candidate" for mayor with a vision to clean-up city government corruption, make Philadelphia's streets safe, be a friend and supporter to city unions, create jobs for Philadelphians, and provide social service programs that would build character and integrity in youth and adolescents that are embracing the "darker angels" of their souls.
Unfortunately, Mr. Nutter is more like Houdini, where as a candidate; he bedazzled the voters with the type of rhetoric Philadelphians needed to hear as we endured 8 years of "open corruption" and a host of other mismanagement policies and projects by the Street Administration. But as mayor, Mr. Nutter is nothing more than a noun, a verb and according him, "America is in the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression."
What a sad state of leadership our great city is enduring.
Anthony P. Johnson
Monday, May 3, 2010
"Forgotten Heroes?"
They provide invaluable information so that the next generation of Americans and the country's future will be brighter. Every day they enter a hostile environment where injuries--both verbally and physically--are constant, and in some instances, could very well lead to murder. Some work for administrations that are so draconian, incompetent, and apathetic to the resources that they need to be effective that one could believe without question that the administrators want them to fail.
Who are those forgotten heroes? Soldiers in our military, C.I.A., FBI or NSA agents?
No, they are "Teachers."
Some teachers in this country are walking into schools that resemble war-torn Europe during WWII and still they do everything humanly possible and beyond to provide youth and adolescents with the best education possible through their own devices.
The dedicated teachers for example continue to deal with the “political chicanery” of the public school administration that provides them with little or no support at all, and yet expects the educators to produce the best and brightest students. Additionally, the teachers face parents that could care less about what their children are doing in the home, let alone how they are progressing or regressing in the classroom.
Despite all of these road blocks they do produce! Some teachers throughout America are providing the youth and adolescents with much needed guidance by teaching them that there is a world beyond the barricade, and if they are willing to seek this venture, the forgotten heroes we call teachers provide the road map and effective leadership.
Over the last two years, we have witnessed an increase in unemployed Americans resulting in thousands of individuals requiring educational credentials. In fact, some individuals that were employed are losing their jobs because they do not possess a high school diploma or a GED. According to the U.S. Department of Education, some 40 million adults, 16 years and older, do not have a high school diploma, and many of the GED programs in America have not produced a significant amount of individuals earning a general equivalency diploma.
Not Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed.
Ms. Kaye has tirelessly worked 23 years in the field of Education, Training, and Employment. Combined with those skills, she owns and operates a GED Center where she teaches an accelerated version of GED preparation that students have excelled in, and in the process, has a very successful student completion and test pass rate.
Ms. Kaye brings an “academic holistic approach” to her program that students have embraced emphatically. She is an educator that is producing effective leaders for communities that are in short supply.
Dedicated educators and Bonnie Kaye are heroes, but they would chaff at such plaudits, sonnets, and poems lauded on their personage. They believe they are doing what anyone of us would be willing to do.
Would we?
Sure, there are hundreds of thousands of educators in the Republic, but how many have been effective in getting children and adults to learn under the “worst” circumstances and conditions? No. They're heroes. Unfortunately, we take them for granted only acknowledging their works after they left the room.
I will not. Many thanks to those teachers that give a damn about the youth and adolescents that could possibly someday be tomorrow’s leader for our country. Thank you, Ms. Kaye. Heroes? Yes. Forgotten heroes? Never.
Anthony P. Johnson
Who are those forgotten heroes? Soldiers in our military, C.I.A., FBI or NSA agents?
No, they are "Teachers."
Some teachers in this country are walking into schools that resemble war-torn Europe during WWII and still they do everything humanly possible and beyond to provide youth and adolescents with the best education possible through their own devices.
The dedicated teachers for example continue to deal with the “political chicanery” of the public school administration that provides them with little or no support at all, and yet expects the educators to produce the best and brightest students. Additionally, the teachers face parents that could care less about what their children are doing in the home, let alone how they are progressing or regressing in the classroom.
Despite all of these road blocks they do produce! Some teachers throughout America are providing the youth and adolescents with much needed guidance by teaching them that there is a world beyond the barricade, and if they are willing to seek this venture, the forgotten heroes we call teachers provide the road map and effective leadership.
Over the last two years, we have witnessed an increase in unemployed Americans resulting in thousands of individuals requiring educational credentials. In fact, some individuals that were employed are losing their jobs because they do not possess a high school diploma or a GED. According to the U.S. Department of Education, some 40 million adults, 16 years and older, do not have a high school diploma, and many of the GED programs in America have not produced a significant amount of individuals earning a general equivalency diploma.
Not Bonnie Kaye, M.Ed.
Ms. Kaye has tirelessly worked 23 years in the field of Education, Training, and Employment. Combined with those skills, she owns and operates a GED Center where she teaches an accelerated version of GED preparation that students have excelled in, and in the process, has a very successful student completion and test pass rate.
Ms. Kaye brings an “academic holistic approach” to her program that students have embraced emphatically. She is an educator that is producing effective leaders for communities that are in short supply.
Dedicated educators and Bonnie Kaye are heroes, but they would chaff at such plaudits, sonnets, and poems lauded on their personage. They believe they are doing what anyone of us would be willing to do.
Would we?
Sure, there are hundreds of thousands of educators in the Republic, but how many have been effective in getting children and adults to learn under the “worst” circumstances and conditions? No. They're heroes. Unfortunately, we take them for granted only acknowledging their works after they left the room.
I will not. Many thanks to those teachers that give a damn about the youth and adolescents that could possibly someday be tomorrow’s leader for our country. Thank you, Ms. Kaye. Heroes? Yes. Forgotten heroes? Never.
Anthony P. Johnson
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
What Happened to the Republican Party of Old?
In the 1990’s as a student at Cheyney State University, several friends and I were contemplating on becoming members of the Republican Party.
As a political science/history major, we believed that with recruiting other African Americans, Latino Americans and Asian Americans we could turn the clock back to when the Republican Party was united in serving “all” Americans.
Some of us know of the weird “warping” political structure in the great Republic that saw the Dixiecrats, members of the States' Rights Democratic Party, split into two in which our grandparents saw a sneak preview of the formation of the Democratic Party in 1948. Some members of the Dixiecrats did not approve of civil rights; the reversal of Jim Crow introduced by such progressives as Hubert Humphrey, and with President Truman’s executive order to desegregate the armed forces in the same year, the “schism” was complete. The Democratic Party morphed and became the progressive party for “every” American.
At its founding, the Republican Party was not racist, bigoted, and was far from “conservative.” Abraham Lincoln spearheaded a party that destroyed the institution of slavery, waged an all-out civil war to keep the Union intact, suspended and re-shaped parts of the U.S. Constitution, launched a hugely ambitious social program known as Reconstruction forerunner of the New Deal, imposed a short-lived progressive income tax, as well as created a national banking system, a Department of Agriculture, and a system of land-grants and college education for all Americans. Theodore Roosevelt was a “Trust Buster,” who broke up corporate monopolies, supported the coal miners union during the 1902 strike, and believed that the government should provide quality healthcare for every American. Later Republican U.S. Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover thought of themselves as progressives, and Hoover once remarked "We are a nation of progressives," while President Eisenhower would refer to himself as a "New Republican."
So what happened to the “that” Republican Party?
The Republican Party of today is anything but “progressive.” This Republican Party has expressed its views consistently by “grotesque” rhetoric. The Republican Party now has a very strong racist, bigot, xenophobia backdrop which has frightened and prevented many Democrats to speak out against this vulgarity that is tearing the Republic to shreds. Many in the party take a stance that big government is a bad thing, but when they have the democratic majority, it is in fact the Republican Party that has huge governments and even bigger deficits.
The party that once aided the middle class and poor alike now solely supports the wealthy and fabricates lies to tell an ever decreasing middle class population that the government is over-taxing you in order to waste money on chaotic and foolish progressive legislation to help African Americans and other minorities. The “new” Republican motto should be, "Vote for us, and we will give the money to you instead of in the pockets of big, bad government and lazy minorities."
The Republican Party today resembles nothing of the Republican Party of old. Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were giants and visionaries of a party that was once boasted what seemed like an endless stream of vibrant and brilliant members open to different philosophies dedicated to creating a thriving Republic that the once mighty Roman Empire would have envied. The Republican Party members today are toxic, angry, bitter, resentful, hateful, and narrow-minded. Their philosophy is not only incendiary--it’s un-American and many in the party, including elected officials, publically support the dissolution of America.
Conversely, the 1990’s look like 100 years ago when I considered joining the Republican Party as a college senior. A political party founded on the principals of fairness, equality, justice, and integrity. Unfortunately, the aforementioned characteristics no longer exist in that party in the 21st century that was once mentioned more than 100 years ago as a “truly remarkable entity.”
Anthony P. Johnson
As a political science/history major, we believed that with recruiting other African Americans, Latino Americans and Asian Americans we could turn the clock back to when the Republican Party was united in serving “all” Americans.
Some of us know of the weird “warping” political structure in the great Republic that saw the Dixiecrats, members of the States' Rights Democratic Party, split into two in which our grandparents saw a sneak preview of the formation of the Democratic Party in 1948. Some members of the Dixiecrats did not approve of civil rights; the reversal of Jim Crow introduced by such progressives as Hubert Humphrey, and with President Truman’s executive order to desegregate the armed forces in the same year, the “schism” was complete. The Democratic Party morphed and became the progressive party for “every” American.
At its founding, the Republican Party was not racist, bigoted, and was far from “conservative.” Abraham Lincoln spearheaded a party that destroyed the institution of slavery, waged an all-out civil war to keep the Union intact, suspended and re-shaped parts of the U.S. Constitution, launched a hugely ambitious social program known as Reconstruction forerunner of the New Deal, imposed a short-lived progressive income tax, as well as created a national banking system, a Department of Agriculture, and a system of land-grants and college education for all Americans. Theodore Roosevelt was a “Trust Buster,” who broke up corporate monopolies, supported the coal miners union during the 1902 strike, and believed that the government should provide quality healthcare for every American. Later Republican U.S. Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover thought of themselves as progressives, and Hoover once remarked "We are a nation of progressives," while President Eisenhower would refer to himself as a "New Republican."
So what happened to the “that” Republican Party?
The Republican Party of today is anything but “progressive.” This Republican Party has expressed its views consistently by “grotesque” rhetoric. The Republican Party now has a very strong racist, bigot, xenophobia backdrop which has frightened and prevented many Democrats to speak out against this vulgarity that is tearing the Republic to shreds. Many in the party take a stance that big government is a bad thing, but when they have the democratic majority, it is in fact the Republican Party that has huge governments and even bigger deficits.
The party that once aided the middle class and poor alike now solely supports the wealthy and fabricates lies to tell an ever decreasing middle class population that the government is over-taxing you in order to waste money on chaotic and foolish progressive legislation to help African Americans and other minorities. The “new” Republican motto should be, "Vote for us, and we will give the money to you instead of in the pockets of big, bad government and lazy minorities."
The Republican Party today resembles nothing of the Republican Party of old. Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were giants and visionaries of a party that was once boasted what seemed like an endless stream of vibrant and brilliant members open to different philosophies dedicated to creating a thriving Republic that the once mighty Roman Empire would have envied. The Republican Party members today are toxic, angry, bitter, resentful, hateful, and narrow-minded. Their philosophy is not only incendiary--it’s un-American and many in the party, including elected officials, publically support the dissolution of America.
Conversely, the 1990’s look like 100 years ago when I considered joining the Republican Party as a college senior. A political party founded on the principals of fairness, equality, justice, and integrity. Unfortunately, the aforementioned characteristics no longer exist in that party in the 21st century that was once mentioned more than 100 years ago as a “truly remarkable entity.”
Anthony P. Johnson
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