ZENCHA LILY NKEMPU asked:

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET IN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE

Howard Dean broke new grounds during the 2004 presidential campaign in the USA when he came up with the internet site he called “THE BLOG FOR AMERICA-HOWARD DEANS 2004 CALL TO ACTION WEBLOG”. The blog which propelled Howard to the front-lines in the presidential campaigns was designed to act as a forum where citizens could get informed and involved. According to Kerbel and Bloom, Finally informing the electorate­? How the internet got people thinking about presidential politics in 2004, the blog contributors raised topics they believed to be important for the campaign to the citizens. And the citizens read, commented and shared opinions on the site. This was something difficult if not impossible with traditional media. The site which was used as a social space by contributors was maintained by a team tied to the Howard Dean campaign.

The call to action weblog was used to raise funds for the campaign, organize social events, voice opinions, and criticize Howard’s stands on salient issues.

Though Howard Dean did not succeed in winning the fight for the Presidency in 2004, he certainly left a legacy that was going to help reshape Presidential campaign in the United States of America and perhaps all over the world. Barrack Obama and John McCain both made use of weblogs during their campaigns. However, Obama recorded more success in his use than his opponent did. Obama’s, Change We can Believe In, blog was designed with the same features as Howards. The blog provided day to day information on happenings in the campaign, forums to meet other activist, possibilities for comments and opinions. Obama made it possible for people to propose policies and over 15000 proposals have been got so far. Raising funds for the campaign was one of the highs of the blog and the mechanism to contact friends via email and landlines to inform them of the site or some new event helped expand the site. The campaign managers made it their duty to answer all false rumours or misunderstanding by the mainstream media so as to set the records straight for the citizens.

While using the blog, Scheufele (2007) posits that Obama made his campaign alive on twitter. Facebook, youtube and even via the use of sms. The use of these weblog and other internet facilities seemed to have acted as the contributing factor to the success of what has been called the Obama internet campaign. Using the youtube, myspace, facebook and other highly rated internet facilities enabled several millions of Americans to get involved in the elections. Young people were able to meet and talk about the election with other people via these interactive sites and learn bout the campaign from the candidates themselves. Kerbel and Bloom () reveal that this got several persons especially the young involved in the elections and gave them the possibility to contact others and persuade them to get involved. Writing later in 2007, Dietrem Schefele, Understanding the mechanism underlying political participation ….and why it matters,2007,  brought out some surprising but yet interesting revelation from research on the 2004 presidential elections in 2004.  During the campaign season, young persons between the ages of 18 – 29 said the elections were the most important elections in their live time but less than 50% of persons in this age bracket voted during the final elections. Initially rating it as important definitely resulted from their ability to participate and share opinions via the internet. But the candidates needed more than a weblog to get young people to participate. The birth of the youtube in 2005 and the arrival of other fun sites for young persons like facebook, twitter, myspace was going to be the solution Obama and his opponents needed to get more people involved in the 2008 Presidential elections.

CAN THE INTERNET THEN STAND AS IDEAL

Kerbel and Bloom, “Blog for America and Civic involvement”, 2005 seem to conclude that the internet and the use of the weblog was a contributing factor to political knowledge in the 2004 Presidential elections in the USA. While agreeing with him, Perlmutter in “Political blogging and Campaign 2008. A roundtable” (2008) adds that the internet was the cause of increased participation in the 2008 Presidential elections thanks to Obama’s expansive and wise use of internet resources. Over 70 million Americans are said to use the internet on a daily basis and the young people are much more available on this media than the older generation – some of which do not know how to use the internet.

But according to Kajsa and scheufele (2005), the internet could be a good source of information for citizens during presidential elections but there are some potholes that have required that the new media be used with traditional media in order to get more effective results.

Research has consistently shown the print media to have an effect on the amount of knowledge that citizens are able to make out of events. The print media seems to offer more in-depth coverage of news thus permitting the ordinary citizen to in one seating get a whole block of information thus accounts for factual recall knowledge by the citizens. This leaves the print media with still much effect as a tool through which citizens can get properly informed. Since knowledge is not just the pieces of information a person has but the ability to connect such pieces, the newspaper provides the best means to get connected pieces of information.

Besides, since all the information on the internet is not provided in one huge block, readers are given the choice to log on to the sites themselves for information. This has often led to selective exposure as most persons are likely to go for sites that write positively or are owned by the persons they support in the political process. This distorts the citizen’s awareness as concerns opposing parties and while one could have an in-depth knowledge on one of the candidates for the elections, the same person could be totally lacking in information about the other candidates.

Moreover, the 2004 Pew campaign data revealed most citizens as saying that television is their main source of political information and they use the internet as a compliment to other news sources. According to the research, 99% of the respondents admitted using other media aside the internet as means of information.

Further research however reveal that the internet is vital in getting young persons to get active in the elections through opinion sharing which gives them the feeling of importance thus pushing them to the poles.

CRITIC

All the researchers here tend to look at the internet as an ideal house for information. They tend to look at citizens as rational enough to log into the proper sites for news and information on what is important to them. But the ease of access to the internet and the ability of just about anybody to post articles into internet sites has tended to distort the fairness of the information. Aside original internet news sources, other sites owned by private individuals are accessed on a daily basis and this cannot hold as reliable sources of information even on issues as minimal as the biography of the presidential candidates. This goes to say the there is a lot of distorted information on the internet that could make the new media a kind of dangerous tool for information gathering.

Moreover, I agree with the idea that there is a lot of selective perception done on the internet. People will go for information that gives them mental comfort. Obama fans will easily log into th
e internet and access his campaign site rather than trying that of McCain. This makes the other media very important. Even though there is selective exposure on other media, it cannot really be as serious as it is with the internet when people make a choice of the information they want to see. Television on its part tends to force its choice on the audience instead since they are never sure of what will be in the newscasts.

The ability to participate and share opinions via the internet is also proven to be an important tool to voter turn-out and even political participation. When people are made to think that their opinions count, they definitely will want to live up to that pride by participating in the general elections.

Besides, since the internet provides citizens with very heterogeneous discussion networks, it is easy for people to access the opinions of others in order to shape or reshape their own opinions. Scheufele (2007) says talking helps, thus interacting with other citizens will help to increase knowledge acquisition and possibly participation.

To conclude, it has largely been proven that the internet or the new media as it has come to be called has impacted a lot on the way people gather information and participate in political issues. Evolving from internet blogging, all the features on the internet have finally been involved in the political process. Since earlier research showed that youths are less involved in politics and in other matters of public concern, the target of politicians is largely tilting towards them leading to the use of this new media. However, the internet cannot stand alone as the ideal source for information. It has been proven as unable to sustain recallable factual knowledge. This may explain why the Obama campaign used several tactics aside the internet to get to their audience. He is even reported to have used computer games as part of his campaign to invite young people to take vote. Since the internet has finally moved into the planning halls of all political candidates in the USA, is there a possibility that the same will prove successful for candidates in other parts of the world.

REFERENCES

Matthew R. Kerbel and Joel David Bloom: “Blog for America and Civic Involvement”. The International Journal of Press/Politics 2005; 10; 3

2.  Kajsa E. Dalrymple and Dietram A. Scheufele: “Finally Informing the Electorate? How the Internet Got People Thinking about Presidential Politics in 2004”. The International Journal of Press/Politics 2007; 12; 96

3.  David D. Perlmutter: “Political Blogging and Campaign 2008: A Roundtable”

The International Journal of Press/Politics 2008; 13; 160

4. Dietrum Scheufele. “ Understanding the mechanisms for the underlying political participation….and why it matters” (2007)

www.unr.edu/organizations/pcr/1702-2007-Spring/commentary

5. www. Callmetaft.wikidot.com/new-media-political process

Michael Pomper asked:

With the recent announcement of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin resigning her post, there has been much criticism surrounding this unexpected turn of events. The big question is, what now? That question can only be answered by Sarah Palin herself. All the speculation in the world won’t change that, but of course the left as well as some on the right are discrediting her for what some call, giving up. If in fact this was a move towards a run for the 2012 Presidential election, Americans need to look deeper into what it would mean for someone like her to become President of The United States of America.

Critics call her inexperienced, so were our founding fathers. They say she is just regular folk, so were are founding fathers. In fact, Sarah Palin is much closer to our founding fathers than most seem to realize. This is the time for a President with values that date back to the mid to late 1700’s. Why in the world do we continue to vote in the same politicians that messed up this country in the first place? I don’t have an answer to that.

All I can do is speculate. Unfortunately, all we Americans seem to do these days is speculate. It is time to stop speculating and start digging deep inside our souls for the answer. We need to stop going with the flow. Republicans and Democrats alike continue to take their ballots and look for an R or a D and put a check next to it.

Why are so many Americans discounting Sarah Palin? Is it so hard to believe that someone actually has the values this country desperately needs. Could it be possible that she really is doing it for the people of Alaska? For her to have all these legal ethics issues is one thing, but to have her family, specially her children treated this way is absolutely appalling and she is a better person for stepping down so her family can get out of the spotlight even for just a short time and give someone who is freed up without all the distractions to run the State of Alaska. It is a selfless move most politicians wouldn’t even give consideration.

Think about the horrific treatment she received from the left wing President Obama subjects. She has been crucified in the main stream media and it took a long time for any women’s group to even come forward to defend her. Even if they don’t like her personally, they should have come to the defense of women in general. This is how these liberal followers are. They abandon their own values because of their own political opinions. It will be long before these groups are taken seriously again.

Sarah Palin has endured a lot of criticism since her initiation into the national spotlight . If anyone actually thinks that she is a quitter and her decision was selfish in any way, think again. Think about the things you would be able to handle in the same situation. I don’t think any one of her critics could even endure half of what Governor Palin has and still stand tall and continue to fight for her country. For her to resign was a brave act of Patriotism. Does anyone actually think she didn’t know the backlash she would receive from her critics, let alone her own constituents? Of course she knew. Sarah Palin is a smart women no sane person can deny. If her aspirations are to make a run for the 2012 Presidential ticket, it was a smart move for everyone involved including the Republican party. For her to stay in her current position as Governor of Alaska would not be fair to the people of Alaska and she knew it. Sarah Palin may be the most cruelly publicized public figure in US history. Not only on her, but on her family. Liberals should be ashamed of themselves for the way they treated her family, especially her children. Who, in America or the rest of the world for that matter, could possibly feel good about being associated with a party that criticizes older teenagers, mentally challenged babies and adults having sexual relations with a fourteen year old. What this women has endured over the past year is appalling. How she continues to be strong in the publics eye is amazing. She is a true American with small town values this country desperately needs. She has taken on her own party, showing she is strong and not easily swayed by popular opinion and understands that big Government is not only bad for the country, it’s capitalism *******.

Olga asked:

Days before the North Carolina General Assembly convened for its 2009 session, Senate leader Marc Basnight suggested he may call for increases in cigarette and alcohol taxes to address a portion of the state’s large and growing budget gap. Though well-meaning, the Senator’s idea is badly flawed.

Senator Basnight is right that state leaders must find a way to deal with the budget shortfall – which is projected to be as much as $3 billion for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Addressing the shortfall through spending cuts alone will hurt the economy – remember, government spending pays salaries, buys goods and services, and makes the investments that will form the basis of a more prosperous future for North Carolina. Program cuts would also weaken families and communities because adequately funded public systems – such as schools, courts, health inspections and so on – are vital to daily life.

However, not every proposal for raising money is a good idea. These particular tax-increase proposals (on cigarettes and alcohol) are really terrible policy ideas with negative consequences that will far outweigh the positive. First and foremost, they will unfairly burden low- and moderate-income taxpayers, who spend most of their incomes and are in fact more likely to be addicted to cigarettes that higher-income taxpayers.

Increasing taxes on them not only makes it harder for them to make ends meet – at a time when many of them have lost jobs or seen their hours cut – but it could also hurt the economy. Studies have shown that while a sizeable cigarette-tax increase can deter teenagers from smoking, adult smokers – the ones running households and supporting families – are unlikely to buy fewer packs of cigarettes because they cost more. Instead, they’ll make cuts elsewhere, essentially taking the money out of their local economies.

So, while increasing cigarettes taxes at least ten percent makes sense as a tool to curb teen smoking, doing so to fill a budget hole is bad policy because it will only make future budget gaps greater. Unlike costs for state services like education and health care, which will surely continue to rise every year, cigarette tax revenues will actually decline over time as current smokers die off and fewer people pick up the habit. And alcohol taxes will at best grow with the state’s population and will not keep pace with the cost of providing public services or the state’s economy.

Happily, there are several better options for raising revenue than cigarette and alcohol tax increases. For example, North Carolina’s tax code is littered with corporate tax loopholes that cost the state tens of millions of dollars and benefit no one except shareholders. Moreover, expanding the sales tax to include a few services, such as entertainment, would increase revenue and actually make the tax code fairer because wealthy people spend much more on services than working families. After all, does it really make sense to increase taxes on low-income people or cut services for struggling families when the state could instead require rich people to pay a slightly higher tax rate? (Increasing taxes on higher-income people does not hurt the economy because they have the resources to keep their standard of living going while saving a little less.)

The one criterion by which “sin tax” proposals fair well – and perhaps the only one considered by Senator Basnight – is known as “political feasibility”, or in other words, they “poll well.” Of course they do. The majority of us who don’t smoke and don’t drink heavily, so what’s not to like about a tax paid by others.

But the entire state suffers from bad tax policy. Years of implementing short-term fixes and avoiding hard decisions is how North Carolina got into this mess. Doing what’s in the best interest of the state doesn’t always poll well. Nevertheless, North Carolina’s leaders have a duty to fully evaluate all the policy tools available to them and choose the path that will put the state on the road to fiscal stability.

Tar heels that drink and smoke didn’t cause this economic collapse so why should they alone bear responsibility for making it right? Quite frankly, they shouldn’t.

The author of this article is:

all4smokers[dot]com

smokingbrands4sale[dot]com

marlboro4sale[dot]com

Stephen Willis posted:

It’s all change in Denmark following the decision by Anders Fogh Rasmussen to step down as Prime Minister so as to take up the position of Secretary General at NATO. The new Prime Minister, the Liberal Party’s Lars Lokke Rasmussen takes up the role at the head of Denmark’s coalition government after experience as Denmark’s Finance Minister. This change at the top of the government comes hot on the heels of the economic maelstrom being experienced in Denmark as a result of the global economic crisis.

What could the double whammy and upheaval in Denmark signify for the international freight and freight forwarding market?

In the face of the weakening economy in Denmark, which is buffeted by the same winds that are creating economic crisis worldwide, the new prime Minister is having to deal with an increasingly vociferous opposition. The opposition party, the Social Democrats, are buoyed by public opinion polls that suggest that their leader enjoys more popular support on a number of issues, especially healthcare, welfare and the integration of immigrants.

But as a former Finance Minister, Rasmussen enjoys most support for his ability to handle the economic crisis.

It is his handling of the economy that will be of interest to freight forwarders and shipping companies,which will be directly affected by Rasmussen’s decisions regarding spending on transport infrastructure projects.

The deteriorating budget deficit and debt position of the public finances in Denmark are likely to have an impact upon the investment in the transport infrastructure on which international freight depends.

Rasmussen’s hopes of winning a fourth election for the Liberal-Conservative coalition will  depend on how successful his policies are at mitigating negative effects from the economic downturn.

The government will need to show the long term sustainability of the public finances through reforms to public services and the welfare system. Future investment in transport infrastructure is likely to be a casualty of government spending cutbacks and this could have a negative impact on the freight forwarding industry.

However, the Danish government is keenly aware of the importance of international trade and is likely to do all it can to balance the need for cutbacks with the need to maintain efficient freight forwarding for exports. Because the domestic market is limited, Danish manufacturers are highly export orientated. Denmark has a healthy trade balance as a result.

European markets account for 70% of all exports. Germany, Sweden, UK and United States together account for 50% of all Danish exports. Other significant export markets, in order of magnitude, are Norway, Netherlands, France, Italy, Finland and Spain. New markets have also been opening up in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Australia and the Far East, necessitating the creation of  new partnerships and ways of working within the Danish freight services industry.

With real GDP in Denmark Denmark forecast to shrink by 3.5% in 2009, and a severe contraction of the economy predicted, it remains to be seen whether future plans to improve the transport infrastructure  will be put on ice or whether Denmark’s dependence on exports will mean that the transport infrastructure remains a high priority despite the economic crisis and the need to cut government expenditure.

It is to be hoped that the government in Denmark take a long term view and continue to invest in their freight transport infrastructure and their international freight and freight services industry.

However, if Rasmussen decides to rein in spending to help balance the budget, at least Denmark is better placed than most other countries worldwide to weather the storm, as it already has such a strong transport infrastructure in place.

Janeen Clark posted:

As if it isn’t stressful enough dealing with the critical voices we hear in our own minds all the time, we also find we have to deal with the criticism and opinions of others on almost a daily basis.

While we can sometimes benefit from the advice of others, we can also make the mistake of letting their opinions carry far too much weight in the decisions we make and how we decide to live our lives.

It is necessary to take a step back once in awhile and ask ourselves the reasons behind so much of what we do.

For instance:

Why do you have the job or career that you have? Is it something you always wanted to do? Or is it a job or career that others such as your parents, spouse or friends think is the right job for you?

I have a friend who always wanted to be a writer. After she graduated high school she intended to look for a job in the publishing industry. Her parents however had a different idea. They didn’t think the writing field was solid enough. Jobs were hard to come by and easy to lose. Newspapers and magazines paid very little. Getting a book published was a one in a million shot. (This was all before the internet by the way.)

They convinced her that taking a job as a writer would be irresponsible on her part and that she should work as an administrative assistant on Wall Street instead. Plenty of positions available, good solid income, security. After enough pressure she caved and took their advice and became an administrative assistant for over 15 years. And hated every minute of it. The ironic part was when years later she decided to give her writing career another shot, it was now her spouse who didn’t want her to give up the steady income she was making as an assistant.

Even though they all knew she was miserable doing what she was doing, they wouldn’t or couldn’t, look past their own opinions of how she should live her life.

Luckily she finally came to the realization that this was in fact, her life, and not theirs. She started writing and submitting pieces in her spare time and eventually started earning enough to make it her full time job. She is now very successful and happy! But it was only when she realized that she had been sacrificing her desires because of the opinion of others that she was able to make the move.

So how about you?

Are you in the career you want to be in? Or have you been convinced by others that it is the best thing for you?

Are you getting married or trying to have a baby because others are telling you “it is time” or because you really want to?

Are you single because you want to be? Or is it because your friends are single and do not want to see you in a permanent relationship?

How about the person you are dating or married to? Is it a person you want to be with or is it a person others are telling you is “perfect for you.”

The clothes in your closet. Are they clothes you enjoy and are comfortable in, or is your closet filled with what others are saying are the “must-have” item of the season?

How about where you live?

Your religious affiliation?

Your political party?

How and what you eat?

How you look or how much you weigh?

It is important to take stock once in awhile and notice why you are making the decisions you have been making in your life. You need to remember that you came down to this Earth to live your life and to create what you want and to make yourself happy.

It is your natural entitlement to create your life any way you want to just by your being here! It is not only something we are all naturally entitled to – it is our reason for being in the first place. To create whatever we desire!

It is not your job or responsibility to live your life to please others. It is not your job to make others happy. It is their job to make themselves happy and to create the life they are desiring.

It is also very important to remember they other people do not live the consequences of the decisions that they want you to make. Only you do. Just like the example of my friend up above. Her parents wanted her to be an assistant. And she became one. And then they went off nice and happy and didn’t give it another thought, while she ended up being miserable every day for 15 years!

If you want true freedom in your life you need to remember that other people opinions are just that. Their opinions. It doesn’t matter if it comes from your enemies or most loving friends and family members.

They base their beliefs on their own personal experiences which could be completely opposite of what you have experienced in your past or what you believe. What decision might be right for them could be the absolute wrong thing for you.

Another thing to remember is to start trusting your own opinion more. You are an intelligent person. You’ve had enough life experience to know what you are wanting or do not want.

And refuse to accept any guilt about it. If someone tries to make you feel bad or guilty for not following their advice, it is more important than ever for you to remember who has to live with the consequences – you or them.

With practice you will find that making your decisions based on your own happiness will bring you an incredible feeling of freedom. And after awhile others will also start to know you as a person with your own mind who can not be swayed to do anything you do not want to do.

And they will either respect you for it and stop trying to change you, or move on and find someone else they can try to mold in their image. Either way, you end up living the life you truly desire to create.

If you would like to read about more ways to purposely create your dream life please visit http://www.theveryhappyhuman.com

Happy Creating!

Fire Your Boss Now

John Vespasian asked:

Anyone who tells you that you should always be yourself under any circumstances does not have your best interest in mind. On the contrary, placing yourself in difficult situations for no good reason will prevent you from enjoying life and leave you little energy to develop your talents. Being authentic is great, but not at any cost.

When it comes to pursuing your dreams, you will be much better off if you do it the right way. Minimizing your psychological and financial dependence on other people’s opinion is a prerequisite for being able to make your own choices without fearing dire consequences. My point is that it is perfectly rational to avoid confrontation in situations from which you cannot walk away.

Increasing individual independence from third parties’ opinions is such a fundamental skill that it should be taught at school. The idea that only millionaires possess the means to speak out their mind is false, although unfortunately, such an argument is frequently invoked to favour conformism. The truth is that everyone can take steps to protect his privacy and integrity. In my experience, the following two strategies are particularly useful:

1.- DO NOT VOLUNTEER PERSONAL INFORMATION. There is little advantage in providing details of your private life to strangers, colleagues at work, employers, suppliers, or anyone who does not belong to your circle of close friends. Why should you give anyone the opportunity to use that information against you or the power to manipulate you in anyway?

Rudeness is unnecessary to protect your private life and, to prying questions, it is often wise to give a vague reply. In most cases, people will accept your reluctance to provide personal details and change the subject.

2.- SAVE REGULARLY, IF POSSIBLE, EVERY MONTH. Accumulating a financial cushion will do wonders to protect your peace of mind and personal freedom. The temptation to engage into doubtful business or professional practices can hardly tempt a man who possesses enough savings. He will be able to used those to quit his job and spend a couple of months searching for a new position.

Nobody needs to be a millionaire to be able to do that. The real bedrock of self-confidence is not magic or make-belief, but financial foresight. If you save regularly every month, it should not take you too long to accumulate a financial cushion that can take you through a rough period in your professional life.

Make the decision to bring your dependence on other people’s opinion down to a negligible level. Find polite ways to show your determination to protect your private life. It is easier than you think and it will save you lots of problems down the line.

Establish a reasonable monthly savings goal for yourself and stick to it until you reach your desire level of safety. By adopting these simple measures and implementing them consistently, you can substantially enhance your well-being, peace of mind, and happiness.

JOHN VESPASIAN writes about rational living. He has resided in New York, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance, and self-reliance. See John Vespasian’s blog about rational living.

http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com/

Failed Experiment Main Site

Ernie Fitzpatrick asked:

Aren’t you a bit tired of the two-party rants. Whay must we have eight years of Democratic demagogery and then eight years of Republican imperialism followed by eight years of the Clinton dynasty, which is followed by eight years of a Bush dynasty! How about a new alliance? A political trifecta?

In horse racing terminology, a trifecta is a parimutuel bet in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. The word comes from the related betting term, “perfecta”. So, here’s my proposal since black women are having a hard time deciding who to vote for: Obama or Mama?

We can’t change anything in 2008, but in 2012, let’s talk Condi Rice into running on a third party ticket. That way, we’d have a third-party black woman and all the angst would we taken away. Let’s just look at 2008 as a precursor to this 2012 trifecta! Obama has some good symbols for unity, but he’s a Democrat!

A new poll just out from CNN/Opinion Research tied to Martin Luther King Day today finds blacks and whites optimistic and pretty much in agreement — 84% whites, 78% blacks — that a lot or moderate progress has been made toward the civil rights leader’s dream of equality in American society.

But hidden near the bottom of the survey of nearly 1,400 adult Americans Jan. 14-17 is some disturbing news for Sen. Hillary Clinton heading into tonight’s Democratic debate in South Carolina and the party’s primary there Saturday. The survey’s numbers show that Americans are more ready for a black president than a female president.

In Saturday’s Nevada caucuses, Clinton beat Barack Obama in the total vote, but Obama captured something more than 80% of the black vote from the wife of the president sometimes called “the first black president.” That already augured ill for her fortunes heading into South Carolina where half the Democratic vote is African American.

And for those that are fed up with Democrat vs. Republican, Bloomberg will jump in the ring in March and show us just how powerful a third party can be when it’s head doesn’t have a squeaky high-pitched voice with the last name of Perot!

But the CNN poll shows that 72% of whites and 61% of blacks believe the country is ready for a black president. That’s up from 65% and 54%, respectively, two years ago. When asked if the country is ready for a female president, blacks and whites both are in agreement; they’re less sure — only 63% of both whites and blacks answer yes. That’s up slightly (from 58%) for whites but down among blacks from 67% since December, 2006.

The answer? Condi Rice in 2012! After all isn’t the year 2012 about a new CONSCIOUSNESS? So, December 21, 2012 would be right in line with such a trifecta!

Fire Your Boss Now

Shadow Eternal asked:

Answer to my prayers?

If you are anything like me you have questions but no answers, concerning racial issues,I know I do. For instance why do black guys always grab their, you know? I really want to know that, I don’t know why I want to know, but I know I want to know.And I have another question that can’t be asked, but I am dying to know the answer to.Its not like I can ask anyone, if I ask African American I get to be racist, may even be beaten up, when in fact I am only curious.

I had a disagreement with a woman from my job who thought I disrespected her because she was black, to this day I don’t completely understand what it is I did. I was obsessed with finding out so it would not happen again. But there was no information on the internet and I don’t have many African American friends.

I mean it’s not intentional that I don’t have many African American friends, I just don’t.It’s coincidental. Grew up in a small Midwest city that had 1 African American family and they only came in the summer. So I had no one to ask advice of. And man did I need advice. And I had questions. But if I ask them aloud, oh man was I going to get it. I might lose my job or worst, be labeled as a bigot, when I am not, not even a little.

I admit that everything I know about African Americans is learned at work or on television. If the African American culture is anything like the white American culture,Television is not actually how it is. Lord knows not many white women are killed by monsters because they were dumb enough to look for their shoe, even as the monster is gaining on them. And I’m sure all white guys don’t stop and say, “What was that noise over there in the bushes and go check it out when it sounds just like a person being killed by a space alien. And if most white families came home and the living room was filled with evil ghosts or bloody wall holes, we would not stay in the house that night, no matter what the media leads you to believe.

I just want to know the real truth, for no other reason than to know. I figure if I learn more I can understand more and not have to feel “closed in and self conscience around African Americans” I am always afraid I will say something wrong. I am not ****** so anything I say wrong is due to ignorance or misunderstanding, none the less it will be seen as prejudice. Wouldn’t that leave you self conscience? I can’t be the only one.

Well last night I was” surfing the web” as my 14 year old says, who by the way doesn’t give a cat pattoty about race or economic stature and has a bunch of African American friends, who we see regularly, and interact with their parents, but while known to us are not close enough to be considered good friends. We’ve had them over for bar b ques and other occasions, but never went past the acquaintance stage, seemingly in mutual agreement. I can see me walking up to the father and saying hi Robert, why do some black guys grab their you know, so much? And I can’t see it going well, in fact I can’t see it going any way other than me being labeled a racist, and that would ****.

Anyway I was on the internet and I came across the weirdest/funniest thing I have seen (besides pop up **** that occasionally invades my 3 year old pc, dam you bill gates)I came across a site named racialdebate.com, yea you heard it right. Of course I was shocked, standing there with my jaw on the floor and laughing at the same time.Of course I clicked it; don’t give me that you would have too, how can you deny that?I mean it has both words in the title. I get on the site and low and behold, it a racial debate forum. Now I’m really weirder out, but I continue on to the forum. There actually was a post that answered the question about the, you know grabbing. I actually read a few posts and learned a little. There were posts from everyone about everything.

One guy, an African American had posted the question; do white people really think African Americans are killing themselves in the ghetto because of inbreeding? I was struck dumb for a full minute, but after that I read on. Apparently there are African Americans who think whites think this. We even though I had no intention of posting a reply, I did, didn’t even have to register, though I did later. I told him I had never heard anything like that in my life, and he had gotten bad information. He posted a reply to my reply and a friendship was born.

Now I am sure that political correctness is unhealthy and unnatural, when I had no opinion before the site. I just wanted to write this little article to try and help the forum stay open, it sure helped me, I am no longer scared I will say the wrong thing around African Americans, If I have a problem like the one I had a work with an African American girl who was sure I disrespected her, I just leave my question on the forum, check back and Jamal has it answered or some one else. And I also try to answer as many as I can. I understand the sites motto now, if it can’t be asked, it can’t be addressed.Go there don’t let the name fool you.

Uncle Vic (forum name)

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Ruchi Thaker asked:

Eligibility for Seeking Asylum in the US

A person physically in the United States, who expresses a fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, is eligible to apply for asylum. While some of these categories are clear, others, such as what constitutes a “social group,” is subject to significant litigation in federal courts. If a person receives a grant of asylum, he or she will subsequently be able to apply for adjustment of status (green card).

To seek legal protection from being deported, asylum seekers must:

Be outside their country of nationality. Asylees are by definition in the United States and thus necessarily outside their country of nationality. The law expressing this is INA § 101(a)(42)(A).

Be afraid of persecution by the government in the native country. Torture, for example, is persecution recognized under the law, while harassment or discrimination is almost never found to be a kind of persecution. However, the cumulative effect of various types of harm can be persecution when added together, such as economic disadvantage (unable to obtain gainful employment), interference with one’s right to privacy, substandard living conditions, deprived of higher education, and/or ostracized by society. Where these lines are drawn is different in each case.

Be harmed or fear harm by parts of the government. The police and the army are parts of the government. Harm by right-wing or left-wing political groups or religious zealots that the government is “unable or unwilling to control” also meets the demands of asylum laws.

Be affected by at least one of several defined conditions. As suggested above, these conditions are: political opinion, race, religion, nationality, and social group. The last category, social group, usually refers to people with certain characteristics that a particular society might lump together and about which it generally has an unfavorable attitude, such as homosexuals. The law generally does not include people who fled their homes due to civil wars, generalized violence, or criminal prosecution. However, one of these reasons may suffice for asylum if it can be connected to one of the five listed conditions.

Not be a danger to the community. Finally, international law recognizes that countries have the right to exclude asylum seekers who may be a danger to society. Those excluded are those who have committed “particularly serious crimes,” including aggravated felonies as defined in INA § 101(a)(43), pose threats to national security, or who have committed war crimes or “crimes against humanity.”

Bars to Seeking Asylum

Even if you meet the above criteria for asylum, you may be barred from seeking asylum under certain circumstances. Some of the bars to asylum include but are not limited to:

conviction for a “particularly serious crime” (includes aggravated felony convictions)

committed a serious nonpolitical crime outside of the United States

poses a danger to the security of the United States

has engaged, ordered, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion

Warning Against Filing a Frivolous Asylum

If you file a frivolous asylum application, you will be PERMANENTLY BARRED from seeking any form of discretionary relief in the United States, including adjustment of status, cancellation of removal, or voluntary departure.

For immigration purposes, an asylum application is frivolous if any of its material elements is deliberately fabricated.

Remember, the credibility of your claim is at issue in an asylum case. What you write in your application, and what you say under oath in an asylum interview or in an immigration court, will decide whether you are a credible person and have a credible claim.

If the immigration judge finds that you have filed a fraudulent asylum application, not only will you have a deportation order that will be difficult to reverse on appeal, but you will never be able to apply for any other form of discretionary relief!

So, if you knowingly submit a fraudulent asylum application, you are subject to the harsh penalty of permanently becoming ineligible for other relief, regardless of sympathetic circumstances.

A frivolous finding is basically a “death sentence” for immigration purposes, so you should never file a frivolous application.

Withholding of Removal (INA § 241(b)(3))

The Attorney General may not remove a person to a country where his or her life or freedom would be threatened because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

To win a claim for withholding of removal, you must show that there is a “clear probability” that you will be subject to persecution if forced to return to the country of removal, or that it is “more likely than not” that you would be persecuted if you are removed to the home country.

Of course, this is a higher burden of proof than the showing of “past persecution or a well-founded fear of future persecution” required for asylum. However, unlike asylum, which is a discretionary form of relief, withholding of removal is mandatory once you establish that your life or freedom would be threatened in the proposed country of removal on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

If granted withholding of removal under INA § 241(b)(3), the applicant can remain in the United States, but can NOT be granted lawful permanent resident status (green card) on that basis.

Additionally, a grant of withholding of removal only means that you cannot be deported to your native county; if and when the United States government finds another country that will accept you, you will be deported to that country.

Convention Against Torture (CAT)

Article 3 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture protects aliens who fear torture in their native country. Unlike asylum and withholding of removal, CAT does not require that the alien be persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Convention Against Torture is a treaty that prohibits the return of a person to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing that the person would be in danger of being subjected to torture if returned to his or her native country.

“Torture” is defined in Article 3 of CAT. There are no bars to eligibility for Convention Against Torture, and those who do not qualify to seek asylum can nonetheless seek protection under CAT.

To win a Convention Against Torture claim, you must prove that it is “more likely than not” that you would be subject to torture if forced to return to your native country.

If you are granted protection under Convention Against Torture, you cannot be removed from the United States to the country from which you fear being tortured, but you can be removed to any other country if that county will accept you.

A grant of CAT relief does not entitle you to become a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). However, based on such a grant of relief, you can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD) and can reside and work lawfully in the United States.
Competent Representation is Key

As it is true about any other area of immigration law, competent representation of your asylum claim is key in putting forth the best and strongest possible application. If you wish to seek asylum, withholding of removal, or relief under Convention Against Torture you are required to file Form I-589. Form I-589 covers all of these forms of relief. There is no filing fee associated with an application for asylum.

Be careful of lawyers or representatives who “promise” you that you will win your asylum case and that you have “nothing to worry about”! You should consult competent attorneys prior to filing an application for asylum, because there are severe consequences for filing a fraudulent asylum application before an Immigration Court. While those who “promise” you a victory have nothing to lose if you do not win your asylum case, you have everything to lose! Do not take unnecessary risks!

If you believe you are eligible for asylum, withholding of removal, or relief under Convention Against Torture and would like to apply download Form I-589 from USCIS

If you wish to consult Thaker Berowitz LLP about your eligibility for any of these forms of relief, confidential asylum consultation.

Disclaimer:

While the information in this article is current at the time of writing, you should ALWAYS seek legal advice before you engage with the USCIS. Rules and interpretations change constantly and this article should not be considered legal advice. It it informational only. Asylees are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice as early as possible in the process.

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