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{"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Great job on what I've been warning the Obamafreaks about months ago about showing your hand too early. Thanks to the press (aka the Obama Campaign Staff) there is the false scene of security when it comes to the General Election. Don't these people understand we are a long way from November and if you look at the polls McCain and Obama are at the margin of error for being tied... yes even in this so called Democrat Year the Presidential Race is tide in the polls...<br><br>... You know what I dont get: With Congress at %9 approval rating how in the (bleep) they are going to win all these so called seats in the fall?<br><br>Please keep up this smug bitterness Democrat Voter. Take it all the way to Denver and act a (bleeping) fool. All these moonbats in one city in the \"so called\" biggest election of our life times there is going to be some drama. Sen Obama has flipped on key issues like FISA, Gun Control, Death Penalty, Iraq, Iran, NAFTA (and i named all of those off the top of my head) his moonbat lefty base is going to try HARD to pull him back to the left while the needs of the Black Community (with is what I dont even know this time around) will just show up wanting full blown reparations and more government programs (a young black male is the most programed person in the world) and the open border crowd will be there to make sure good ole Illegal Immigration will be rewarded while lower my wages but Sen Obama will give out more of the governments money in the form of a stimuli check pt II. I wonder will be a coupon for pep boys for my tire rotation and tune up because according to the Harvard Law grad this will save gas. Looks like the Euro Trip did not work out so well as everyone hope for. Oh well so much for the transitional candidate. The Rev Wright was right, \"he is just a politician\"<br><br>And all of this the press is trying to cover the tracks of the fallen Messiah but Ludacris thinks this guy can pull off a landslide victory. Oh and someone needs to get Chuck Todd of MSNBC and official Obama Brown Nose wipe rags. You moonbats will see this and think everything is A OK and keep believing your hype but while you have the chance look up the Bradley Affect", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:06:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "JibreelRiley", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 12, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087979": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Barack's Chief Counsel is also African-American", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_20:00:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "9ac84ca9dc7dce9b1307cc21cdd39f45", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079963": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well by your tone, I would hope that you'll vote for the former POW. Its your option, have at it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:37:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079933, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079813": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "My feelings exactly!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:07:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081862": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I just watched that too the other day.  NCLB is a crime.  I was really disturbed that the act included military recruitment....what a peculiar thing to include in an educational act!!   My, even the name \"No Child Left Behind\" is miliaristic, as in \"No Soldier Left Behind\".   To turn over the precious children to the military industrial complex...... I wonder if minority parents don't see the conspiracy.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:52:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081826, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083911": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You all are criticizing Obama for his positions, but you let CPL get away with this post?  Go figure.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:55:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081352": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "OOPS!!  <br>                              I did NOT see that coming!  Oh my!!!!<br>Lawd really he'p!!! :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:08:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080627, "depth": 11, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083402": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I would have a better time understanding the argument of the Author had all your facts been in order.<br><br>Obama's chief foreign and domestic policy advisers are African American. There were a few others but it's hard to focus on an argument when you see glaring mistatements.<br>I dont mean to offend, and this isn't a statement really on the substance of what was said Just as a reader I cant follow you when I think you dont know what you are talking about.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:48:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "1a503669888354f681dcd395a6cb7b35", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079308": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "His tone could have been matter of fact.  As I said they could have shown respect toward the Senator.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_08:00:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 15, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079259, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080333": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Miranda:  co-sign!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:47:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079603, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084504": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Thank you for your comments.  As I said, I expected to get flamed and many of you did not disappoint.<br><br>I will continue to demonstrate my own independence of thought, and I expect all of you to do likewise.  But is there any reason for name calling because someone doesn't agree with your opinion?  That saddens me, in that we have all been victimized by demonstrating independence of thought and we're either anti-Obama, pro-McCain.<br><br>McCain can't do shyt for me.  Period.  The End.  <br><br>As for holding Obama accountable.  I think, as a member of Congressional Black Caucus Monitor, an organization that has been in business of evaluating the Congressional Black Caucus for the last four years, I am the one person on this blog you won't find holding back on them and giving them a free pass.  But I am going to throw this question out there:<br><br>Let's say Obama gets elected and the honeymoon period is over.  We already know he's not taking Black people to the promised land, but little-by-little, we see the same old shyt; only he's presiding over it.  And the race card can't get played here.<br><br>Gas goes up to $8 a gallon.  Food prices skyrocket.  The corporate masters continue to get fat, while Congress passes legislation that all but abdicates their responsibility for oversight of the other two branches of the government.  Nothing that the Bush Administration has implemented been reversed or overturned.  And Barack Obama is POTUS over all of IT.  <br><br>And issues in ethnic communities are not addressed AT ALL.  <br><br>What are all of you flaming me going to do then?  Are you going to hold his feet to the fire, should that occur?<br><br>At this point for me, I know McCain is not an OPTION for me, but I get disturbed that criticism of Barack Obama is interpreted as being Pro-McCain?  Why is that?<br><br>Besides, I challenge any of you to point out any of my posts that indicate I'm supporting McCain in any way,shape, form or fashion.  Because I damned well haven't done so.<br><br>I've grown up here in America - my family can boast of a grandfather who served in World War I; a father that served two tours in WWII and the Korean Conflict; two brothers who went to fight in Vietnam for this country.  And yet, when they returned home, they got spit upon and called Nigger for their trouble.<br><br>I call BS on anyone who tries to say because I criticize Obama's platform that I'm pro-McCain.  Because that's what I've read here.  But my history demands I know what Obama's selling before I buy.  For far too long, we have longed for a Black Face in a High Place that we are willing to overlook, excuse and flat out ignore what is in front of us, and then we blame the White guy for holding us back.<br><br>The White guy does so when there are those of us who help them.  I'm not saying Barack Obama is doing that - I actually fear for the man, because his margin for error is narrow and he can't please everyone, but y'all know how hard the public is going to come down on his ass if he steps on a crack in the sidewalk.<br><br>He is the better option than McCain, but I reserve and exercise my right to call him on BS when I see it.  That's it and that's all.  We aren't kool-aid drinkers at JJP; if that's what you want, head over to DailyKos, and then get pissed on and flamed when you demonstrate independent thinking.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_05:04:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "189cfefdc1b6f99ecf3ea93859ec6c73", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 8, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081875": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "99%:  MAJOR CO-SIGN!!!!  PASSIONATE WISDOM in operation!!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br>Thank you!!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:55:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081546, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082388": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Love your site, <b>ruth</b>.  I've added it to my blog - <a href=\"http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Global Ghetto</a>, on which I'm posting about the same thing.<br><br>Yesterday I posted about pieback, lily-livered, weak kneed Obama supporters.  Check it out.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:43:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082010, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085351": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "but that AINT saying much.  McCain is a poor-pissed on old man.  Is that what you'll say eight years from now.  \"At least BO was better than Bush?\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:18:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083888, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079897": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "In a national poll you have to consider Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney - but since the msm doesn't care to analyze the polls with those names included (per state where the names will be on the ballot), why even pay attention to the daily polling? $68 per donor is better barometer than poll numbers.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:24:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079871, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083416": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Craig,<br><br>The CBC is a joke.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:53:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083306, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079833": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Maybe if we had been holding Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2's feet to the fire we wouldn't be so inclined to throw Obama's entire body in it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:11:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 8, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079714, "depth": 2, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079834": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TRW:  Co-signing on ALL POINTS!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:11:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079691, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079983": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "If you saw Obama's response to the hecklers, it was pretty clear he addressed each and every issue that brother raised specifically and by the numbers. To say he has not addressed our issues as black people is dead wrong, and he offered the proof  in his response to the heckler.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:41:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "kaoblues", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081885": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Miranda:  Humorous and POINTED Imagery!  LOL  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:56:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080474, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082913": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Some of you people make me sick!!!     Black people pissing on Black people what else is new.     He should have asked that guy( who heckeled him)  if he had a damn job !    Reparations???  what you need to be talking about is the number of blacks killing blacks.  HIv in the black community.    Reparations??  Guess what ? we got screwed on that by the white man but  it's time to move on. <br><br>IF you stay home  and don't vote  for Obama or if you vote for Mccain then  it won't be the white man that's calling you a dumbass it will be me!<br><br>Who am i ?  Just one black man with his head screwed on straight.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_20:48:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "2e32e05c481cee907ede2f5d768d5fb0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080923": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "And then there's that.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:42:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080688, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082010": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "totally agree with you 99, which is essentially what I said on my blog this afternoon.  <a href=\"http://ilivetoshop.typepad.com/vibrant_life/2008/08/obama-is-right---keep-your-apology---give-us-quality-schools-small-biz-opportunities.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ilivetoshop.typepad.com/vibrant_life/200...</a> <br><br>I disagreee TruthSeeker, is it something all citizens are entitled to yes.  But it will do a lot more to improve our community then a check or a stupid apology.  WTH???  Besides they ain't giving to OUR students today, which just imprisions them in a modern slavery of low paying hourly jobs.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:23:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081758, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083050": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I was a <i>'Jail-House'</i> attorney many years ago, but the <i>'Free-World'</i> requires a license which I don't have. <br><br>Stay out of trouble, is my free advice to you.  ;-)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_21:24:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081401, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081692": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I know...right?", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:18:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "pcmadison", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081529, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080874": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You know what . . .  I must say that everyone needs to understand that yes Obama wants to run for President and yes, he isn't perfect.  But no one can argue that he has more desire to improve the lives of all (to include folks from all ethnic backgrounds) Americans than John McCain.  Some are upset stating that Barack isn't looking out enough for other black folks.  I bet if I were to take a poll from that same subset of people who feel that way and asked the question -- what substantial contribution have you made to blacks in America?  I bet I can guess what 80% of the responses would be.<br><br>If Barack loses this Presidential race -- Barack will be just fine.  I hope you get that.  He will be making big money doing whatever he wants, his wife will be alright and so will his kids.  WE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL LOSE OUT.  <br><br>Someone on this post asked, who do you think will have more invested in the lives of minorities -- Barack Obama or John McCain?  If you think this through carefully and decide to vote McCain  -- you are a doggone fool and deserve everything you get for the next four years.  One more point, it burns my butt to hear people dissect just how \"black\" Barack is.  Some attribute his intelligence to his lack of \"blackness\"  because he is well spoken, educated, pushes for self empowerment etc.   We are now holding Barack to standards that we are not holding McCain.  Where is the outrage from minorities as McCain pushes out those ads regarding Barack and Michelle?  Where is the outrage that this man voted against MLK holiday, and where is the outrage in his lack of response about affirmative action?  <br><br>I just have to shake my head . . . .", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:35:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 12, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082924": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"My question is: Why hasn't the CBC moved to pass reparations legislation and pushed for a formal apology?\"<br><br>Craig,<br><br>This is a rhetorical question, right? <br><br>There will never be sufficient consensus to pass reparations legislation if the primary beneficiaries are black Americans. And, no, it makes no nevers if we as a nation were one week or 150 years past chattel slavery. It will never happen. No more than the 40 acres and a mule. <br><br>BTW, from where I stand Obama's Fathers Day speech and other instances of so-called tough love speeches he has delivered to black folks makes him fair game for what happened yesterday in Florida. A lot of black folks might roll over for what he says but not all of us. We just won't do it and there is no reason for anyone to expect that we would. We are all descendants of people who survived the Middle Passage. Those were uncommonly strong people and we carry their tough mindedness within us. Obama should just get ready because some black folks don't think the sun rises and sets in his behind. Y'all know that too.  <br><br>We need to refrain from allowing our aspirational desires blind us to the complexities of black Americans and the black electorate.  Regular, everyday black folks (Drylongso) who are jamming Obama should not be seen as traitors or instigators. They are as much a part of us as he is a part of us.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_20:51:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 14, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081901": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "99%:  CO-SIGNING!!  What you said!!!   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:00:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081808, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085998": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>My real fear is what will people say when Obama doesn't do what they expect? </i><br><br>::<br><br>Why do you fear that? What does it matter what they will say? People will be disappointed. And so what. What's the worse thing that could happen if people are mad at Barack because he doesn't do what they expect? And how would it affect you personally? Politically?<br><br>This post provided reasons why Black folks are skeptical of Barack. A lot of folks are skeptical of Barack. I see no purpose in pointing that out except to show that Black people are like everybody else, Barack isn't perfect and isn't a race man for those who appear to wish that he was.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_12:45:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085951, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086000": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You can't be serious.  If you owe a debt and the person dies, you still owe to their estate, their descendants.  As for checking backgrounds, it's fairly easy to tell who's a non-imigrant African American from census data, etc; it's done in Canada for First Nations people.   You may have a point about how far to take it, for example, what happens for biracial children to several generations etc.  Those are logistic concerns that have no bearing on the fact that a monetary debt is owed.<br><br>Recent immigrants would not be paying as such.  The debt is owed.  Part of being a citizen is collective responsibility, in addition to collective rights.  Why should you benefit from infrastructure built and paid for before your arrival in America?  Why should you benefit from the labour of slaves?  That is the mother of all welfare systems.  If you are childless, why should your tax dollars go to public schools?<br><br>The soldier argument is absurd....reparations are not about gratitude, but a monetary debt owed for labour.  The soldiers who fought in the <br>Civil War received wages.  I didn't say lack of reparations was the cause of economic problems in the black community.  I was wondering if the national economic problems are due to so many people being left behind.<br><br>What is a distraction, is the sense that a debt is owed.  It's a distraction that justice has not been served.   While I don't think reparations should be central to our discussions, it doesn't mean the debt is not still owed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_12:45:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 10, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085113, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083441": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hey now!<br><br>Everybody knows that John McCain is down as far as reparations is concerned.<br><br>Yeah, uh-huh.<br><br>(snark OFF)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:57:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "Admiral_Komack", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082589, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083874": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "CPL are you saying that black people (who were probably paid to do so) heckling Obama is causing other black people to question him?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:45:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085497": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I don't think that your criticism of BHO has anything to do with your being pro-McCain, but as others have pointed out, you made inaccurate statements in your criticism (i.e. his position on reparations, his view on the apology for slavery, and his supposed lack of African Americans that work for his campaign).  It bears repeating.  Criticize Obama all you want, but make sure it's legitimate.  Your criticism was not legitimate and not supported by the facts.  You should and have been called out on it.  <br><br>Furthermore, I reject the fact that anybody who doesn't necessarily agree that BHO is \"ignoring\" \"Black issues\" are excusing BHO or looking the other way.  I happen to agree with a lot of his positions, most but not all.  And I happen to think he is right, about reparations and slavery.  But in your mind, I guess because I agree with BHO that makes me a kool-aid drinker.  <br><br>So I ask you, what BS are you calling BHO out for?  Because surely it can't be that because he doesn't agree with you about the effectiveness of reparations or the need for an apology for slavery he must be full of shit.  Group think is dead (or at least I hoped it would be in 2008).  You might disagree with his viewpoint, but the man is entitled to his own opinion.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:50:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083452": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Amen!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_23:00:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083279, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081866": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Nelly's singing in the background - \"It's getting hot in here....\"<br><br>Eh hee.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:53:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081800, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079871": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "In a national poll you have to give Sen Obama a  -10 at least. I'm already betting the under when it comes to the EC for Obama when he only wins 6 states.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:19:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "JibreelRiley", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079849, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1098817": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hi Truth,<br><br>I am good sis. <br><br> It just bothers me when people are not informed about the process of reparations.  Every other group that the American govt has done harm to has gotten reparations and grants specifically SET- ASIDE for that group. <br><br>A few years ago the US government had to give 1000\u2019s of Jewish people money for some shit they said some soldiers took back in WWII. You did not see a bunch of Jewish people protesting, saying that the people that brought the lawsuit should just move on and let the past be the past.<br><br>I am bewildered at black folks that don\u2019t read and do not understand how things work.<br><br>There are perfectly well maintained legal records documenting just who owned my great-great grand mother and great-great grandfather. My family has good genes and we live long (God willing) <br>Anyway, my great grandmother Hattie Newkirk just passed away in 2003; she was 103 years old and picked cotton for peanuts.  My great grand father Willie Newkirk was born in 1896. This shit was not sooo long ago.<br>So it would not take but a quick minute to give their descendants what\u2019s DUE. (Excuse my ebonics) Grandma Hattie aint got but two children left.  Don\u2019t worry about me, but give my grandmother and her sister what is owed to them.<br><br>And another thing, affirmative action never had a chance to do what it was set-up to do, because within a few years they expanded it to include everybody damn else. And none of the \u201ceverybody else's\u201d picked any cotton or went through the hardships of slavery and Jim Crow.<br><br>But of course you know this...I am done.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-05_02:12:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "kenyaw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1087814, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079931": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Why is it not construed as just plain annoyed though?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:31:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079896, "depth": 7, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080390": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "When did reparations become a goal for black people as a whole? Did we vote on it and I missed it? Why is this even an issue? As for the apology, they can keep that too. It's way too late for that crap. An apology doesn't put food on the table, gas in the car, or get anybody a job.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:59:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "d693cd2cc614be3748f6a027674cb54c", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079882": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Micheline:  I'm going to \"just ask\" how does \"a tinge of annoyance\" translate into \"sound arrogance\"???<br>That word[\"arrogant\"] has been bandied around with much discussion and, in my humble opinion, but  with little accuracy, especially,  as to how this will affect the MAJOR political issues that this country is facing.  Additionally, it was INTRODUCED by the \"OPPOSITION\"!  <br>I'm, really, just askin' . . .", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:21:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 7, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079530, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081931": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "No, minority parents don't see the conspiracy, and neither do their elected members of congress who whole-heartedly passed this sham. However, after watching the Douglass High documentary, really, what difference does NCLB make when you have parents who don't even know what grade their child is in?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:06:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081862, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079374": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>It makes you wonder why he won\u2019t address our issues, and yet, McCain is actually using that against him.</i><br><br>Please give examples of \"our issues\" that Obama won't address. <br><br><i>It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it.</i><br><br>Obama hasn't denounced the apology. What is said is this per the article you referenced in your piece: <br><br><b>\"Obama says an apology would be appropriate but not particularly helpful in improving the lives of black Americans. \"</b><br><br>That's not a denouncement. <br><br>You must also take into account that everyone doesn't have the same definition of reparations. According to that same article, Obama says this:<br><br><b>\"I have said in the past \u2014 and I'll repeat again \u2014 that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed,\" the Illinois Democrat said recently.</b><br><br>The NAAC's  position: <br><br><b>The NAACP says reparations could take the form of government programs to help struggling people of all races. Efforts to improve schools in the inner city could also aid students in the mountains of West Virginia, said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP's Washington bureau.</b><br><br>The National Urban League's position:<br><br><b>The National Urban League \u2014 a group Obama is to address Saturday \u2014 avoids the word \"reparations\" as too vague and highly charged. But the group advocates government action to close the gaps between white America and black America.</b><br><br>Those positions don't differ with Obama's position, so I fail to see how he's denouncing reparations. <br><br>Obama also said:<br><br><b>\"I fear that reparations would be an excuse for some to say, 'We've paid our debt,' and to avoid the much harder work.\"</b><br><br>Guess what? A LOT of blacks feels this way. <br><br>I'm not saying that we shouldn't question Obama on the issues, but it seems to me that some in the black community have targeted their questioning solely on him, ignoring other candidates in this race, as well as other black politicians.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_08:19:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 27, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 5, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082125": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well said Craig!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:46:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082448": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Thanks for your kind words and I did check out your site.  You are laying down the wisdom girlfriend - you are now in my google reader.  thanks!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:55:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082388, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087057": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "My fragile ego?<br><br>Oh my.<br><br>What is \"Free Republic type of snark\"? <br><br>Educate me, because I am stupid. My ego, fragile.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_16:34:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1087001, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1089115": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Sometimes when I read Karmi's posts they seem like they fell into a black hole, traveled through a worm hole and landed on this site.<br><br>They seem very other dimensional.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_23:28:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "29f6805818d1f575c4b8e2182a2ac4ce", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1089022, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080919": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Anti-Africanism? What does that mean? And I'm not African, I'm American.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:41:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "Muzikal203", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080712, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079896": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It can be construed as arrogance.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:24:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079882, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085529": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "1-FISA<br>2-Off Shore drilling<br>3-Public Finance of Election<br>4-The Cuban Embargo<br>5-DC (and perhaps Illinois) Gun Ban.<br><br>Those are just five that come to mind.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:58:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085437, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079899": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TRW and Miranda:  Co-signing!!  and I'm going to keep my television on 24/7 [and hold my breath] to see if they go to a \"MCANCIENT\" campaign stop - \"SIGN AND ALL\"!!!<br><br>\"WAITING TO EXHALE\" !  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:25:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079771, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079901": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you, Sepia,  for injecting some factual information here.  The people who have been addressing solely black issues can only go so far.<br><br>I've posted on forums with majority white members the statement that this will be a test of white America.<br><br>It will be a test of us too - the things we want, like racial equality and economic parity, are things we've never seen happen, so how do we know what we will have to go through to get there?<br><br>If trading the hope of reparations gets more of my black brethren employed, and gets those of us who are employed more opportunity to succeed, then we got what we wanted anyway, just without the wrapping paper.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:25:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "BrownManATL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079903": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "THANK YOU!<br><br>It's so annoying when folks get confused about Hawaii, which is the 50th state. And it's really annoying when folks try to make it that somehow people from Hawaii are not authentic enough, whether it be Americans, or black Americans.<br><br>And, there are many blacks in his inner circle. They may not have the lights shining on their faces but they are there and giving guidance, counsel, and a whole lotta necessary stuff. Just because the traditional media may not notice these folks does not negate nor diminish their presence and their roles.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:25:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "goldenstar", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082464": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think those people ARE STUPID!<br><br>When is BEST to press Obama on anything?<br><br>He is NOT the president!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:59:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "ochyming", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080930": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Co-signing on every single sentence Craig.:)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:44:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "Anovelista", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083492": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "wow.  just read this.  YES!!!!!!!   <br><br>this bullshit has got to stop.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_23:08:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "99bcec632769e483ead5faa515e84132", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081546, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079915": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "More on Obama's thoughts about reparations: <a href=\"http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/28/news/story05.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama Notes Tragic US past</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:27:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080430": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"Because with Obama\"?? Why?? What is he doing that  makes it unique to him?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:05:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079980, "depth": 9, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080432": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it.</i><br><br>::<br><br>This question, for me, represents the crux of the matter. <br><br>Why is this coming up now? So Cohen can win a race against a Black woman? Is Cohen using this issue for politics or because he believes it? Is Cohen race baiting in a way so slick that Black people don't even see it because we want their official apology for slavery? Because we want our 40 acres and mule too late for it to even matter? <br><br>Why are all the most controversial issues coming up in the year where we have our first legitimate Black candidate for the presidency?<br><br>If folks aren't comfortable electing Barack because he doesn't \"understand the Black diaspora\" so be it.<br><br>But they should be informed by the facts, not by propaganda.<br><br>And which presidential candidate in 2008 candidate understands the Black diasopora better? John McCain? Hillary Clinton? Joe Biden? Mitt Romney? Mike Huckabee? John Edwards? Rudy 9/11?<br><br>It's all politics to me. The only way to undermine Barack's support among Black people is to make him appear out of touch with Black people's concerns.<br><br>I haven't seen any evidence of that and reparations and an apology by Congress are simply symbols.<br><br>Perhaps Barack doesn't care for political symbolism passing itself off as policy.<br><br>I sure as hell don't.<br><br>If both candidates get their party's nomination officially, then it will be John McCain, Barack Obama. None of the other candidates can win. It will be John or Barack.<br><br>Faced with that choice, do Black people stay home or vote for John because he understands Black people more than the Black man who isn't a direct descendant of slaves?<br><br>Do we choose the status quo or the possibility of something different?<br><br>I know who I'm voting for, but I'm pretty clear that there are so many political games going on in order to undermine Barack Obama because he threatens the status quo that it makes me want to spit bullets.<br><br>But that's me.<br><br>My question is: Why hasn't the CBC moved to pass reparations legislation and pushed for a formal apology? <br><br>Barack isn't a camel. There's only so much he can carry on his back.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:06:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080947": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The Clintons were going to win most of the Black vote in the primary or the general election if Barack didn't run..<br><br>Nevermind how even before this primary there was more proof than anyone needed that they don't care much about Black folks, and care even less about Black men.<br><br>And yet, the Clintons were going to win a majority of the Black vote in the primary or the general election if Barack didn't run.<br><br>I'd venture a guess most of the contributors of this blog would have voted for the Clintons if Barack didn't run.<br><br>So, no, I don't find the criticism voiced in this entry to be valid.<br><br>But that's me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:47:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 9, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080874, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085048": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "My thoughts exactly.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:05:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083107, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079418": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "His tone could have been matter of fact? Are you talking about the stuttering?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_08:32:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "Muzikal203", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 14, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079308, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080443": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Bless you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:07:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081980": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"I know the CBC has pissed him off, and whether or not he\u2019s petty enough to engage in tit-for-tat payback (I hope his ego is beyond that kind of strategy), even though in some cases, they may well deserve it, but, think on this:  the CBC may actually resume engaging in standing as a caucus and return to influencing legislation on the floor of the House, as a result of Obama\u2019s actions.  Make no mistake; whether Obama likes it or not, he\u2019s going to have to make peace with the CBC at some point; even if they can\u2019t do jack for him - but if they decide to stand together as a caucus, they could do some major damage to his agenda.\"<br><br>-The CBC better make peace with Obama as well; if Obama is elected President, and the CBC can't get past the fact that Hillary is NOT President and Obama IS, well...FUCK THEM.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:18:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "Admiral_Komack", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079933": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney and friends is like watching tee ball. To them \"everybody wins for just showing up\" now lets stick to the real match up: Sen Obama vs Sen McCain. The Press want Barr to (bleep) with McCain like Nader \"so called\" (bleep) with Gore in 2000 (however Gore lost his home state) so go figure. Sen Obama is running so fast to the center right I dont know his campaign will have enough time to mail out the box of straws to his moonbat supporters to say \"SUCK IT UP, I wanna win\" Sen Obama still has a chance because McCain is sorta lame and has too many RINO's running around with him but I'm still vote for the Naval Aviator.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:31:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "JibreelRiley", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079897, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084542": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "How would you qualify?......you qualify the same way you qualify for not catching a cab in New York City.  Every New York cabbie can tell a black person from a kilometer away.  <br><br>Funny how there's no question of blackness when it comes to discrimination.  It's also funny how the only time I ever hailed a cab in New York, I had absolutely no problem....maybe it's 'cause I'm a woman?<br><br>The debt is not to \"black people\" to say sorry, really.  The debt is monies owed for services rendered.  It is a debt for unpaid labour.  It is a contractual obligation.<br><br>Every worker is entitled to pay.  America benefited from an industry of unpaid labour. Those dollars earned are tied up in the infrastructure of the USA.<br><br>I don't know if it's ever been studied, what the economic benefit of reparations would be.  Could the economic problems be partially due to all the people of colour left behind in poverty or languishing in jail.  If these people were educated and made upwardly mobile,  were more involved in business, wouldn't that stimulate the economy?<br><br>America can use hundreds of billions fighting unjust wars on foreign soil and in foreign aid; why not pay what they OWE?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_05:30:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 12, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082657, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079937": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "ITA! Why haven't those who are so intent on holding Obama accountable held other black politicians accountable? I'll tell you why: Because they're under the delusion that those black politicians (the Jesse Jacksons, Stephanie Tubbses, Jackson-Lees....etc.) past this ridiculous \"Authentically Black Test\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:32:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079833, "depth": 3, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084546": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It's a problem, because O is seen by whites as speaking FOR the black community; however, he avoids that official designation(black spokesperson) in other areas.  It's a problem then, when he makes statements like this that may not jibe with the feelings of the black community at large.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_05:34:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082616, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086083": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I guess we can agree to disagree then.  I honor what my ancestors have gone through and their work in building up this country, but I don't think anyone owes me anything. I also think the reparations argument is too tangential and is extremely divisive.  Instead of focusing on payback, and getting what is \"owed\" to us, I would much rather focus on realistic goals here and now.  But that's just me.  <br><br>And I'm sorry, \"the sense that a debt is owed\" does not keep me up at night.  But you know what does?  The drop out rates in inner city schools, the fact that even the minorities that graduate can't compete with their colleagues.  The teenage pregnancy rate, the HIV infection rate, the disproportionate number of minority men and women that are being supervised under the criminal justice system, the fact that some Black people are willing to sell poison to and shoot down other Black people without a second thought.  These are the issues that need to be focused on, and I just don't understand how fighting for reparations because the government supposedly  \"owes\" Black people something is going to solve or alleviate any of these problems.  I just don't.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:05:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086000, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081476": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "And you wouldnt have heard \"boo\" from any-damn-body on \"black issues\" or \"what are you gonna do for us\" or anything remotely like it....all you would see is skinnin and grinnin knee-grows stomping for Miss Hillary with nary a care in the world.....(cue banjos and spoons).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:31:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080947, "depth": 2, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081482": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What <b>LynnDee</b> and <b>Val</b> said.<br><br><blockquote><em>Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.</em> ~ Philippians 4:8</blockquote>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:32:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080970, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080459": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>And finally, as I said yesterday, I don't have a problem with legitimate BHO criticism, but some of it hasn't been legitimate. </i><br><br>::<br><br>Say it again.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:10:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079691, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079948": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Are you suggesting that America should pay \u201creparations\u201d for slaves not ever owned by America, i.e. slavery before America even gained independence<b>?!?!</b> <br><br>Perhaps America should also pay \u201creparations\u201d to the descendants of slaves in Brazil (largest population there...more than double America's), since Brazil and the US are on the same continent. Also, perhaps America should also pay \u201creparations\u201d to the descendants of slaves in the Middle East...well, there may not be many of them since Muslims castrated most of their male slaves.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:34:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 12, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079781, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080461": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>My only question: Would he have told Jewish, or evangelical Christian questioners that they didn't have to vote for him if they didn't want to?</i><br><br>::<br><br>The answer is YES. And he has.<br><br>Do your research.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:11:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079658, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081486": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "LynnDee,   but even in your context (which I fundamentally agree with, by the way)<br><br>WHERE DOES THE $$  COME FROM??   Who writes the checks?    <br><br>That's why I think effort is better spent on spending war $$  and an increased SS cap  to improve public education, provide adequate access to health care, rebuild national infrastructure, creation of American jobs, etc.     All instead of killing people, imagine that....<br><br>Oh yeah, and a clean, fresh food supply!  Nobody wants to work a farm anymore.  There is a reason why we, as a nation, are ridiculously obese (as in a bunch of fat-asses!!)     Yes, I said it, yes I did.   <br><br>All of the above will benefit black folk than figuring out how much $$ will be enough to 'right the wrongs'  <br><br>And besides, even if all of that was figured out and folks got 'they  40 acres and a mule'   would that do it?    Would everything be equal then?   <br><br>Somehow, I'm thinkin'   not.   Just sayin'<br><br>That would be like saying, \"Damn, Barack Obama is president,  WHAT ELSE  do want?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:33:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "isonprize", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080970, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079951": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Here's another reason why Obama needs to be very careful about the reparations issue: <a href=\"http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=71043\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama Suggests Reparations to Blacks and Native Americans</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:34:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083025": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Which <i>\"point that Sen. Obama makes\"</i>? He changes it so often that it's difficult to tell what his point is. <br><br>Example: <i>\u201cI consistently believe that when it comes to whether it\u2019s Native Americans or African-American issues or reparations, the most important thing for the U.S. government to do is not just offer words, but offer deeds.\u201d</i> He sounds like Bill Clinton parsing and defining words there, except it ain't about sex. Deeds sounds like a code word for reparations.<br><br>Another example: <i>\"If we have a program, for example, of universal health care, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because they're disproportionately uninsured. If we've got an agenda that says every child in America should get \u2014 should be able to go to college, regardless of income, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because it's oftentimes our children who can't afford to go to college.\"</i> So, giving \"people of color\" free healthcare and free college isn't reparations?<br><br>What good is college when the public school system doesn't work? Are we going to <i>dumb-down</i> college also?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_21:18:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080090, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085891": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_12:21:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079896, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083855": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama's position on reparations has no place in this campaign for several reasons, but the most striking one is that it ain't going to happen.  It's been made an issue to generate strife..<br><br>I'm shocked that the majority of folks can't see what all this \"blackness\" is about.  By the time we finish Black in American, reparations, race cards, ludicris, and on and on an on, Obama will look lik the black man you see hanging around the liquor store.  All of this brought to you and spoon fed to you by MSM, Camp Hillary, and the McCain camp.<br><br>Now dislike Obama if you so choose, but please, please don't believe the hype.  Don't be a specimen in this mind control experiment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:40:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087001": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "And what's the matter, Craig?  You don't remember the words that came out of your own mouth?  In the Heckler thread you thought you were being cute with this snark you directed directly to me:<br><br>_________________________________________<br><i>You've proven your point beyond all reasonable doubt.<br><br><b>Barack is a fraud who will sellout Black people without batting an eye.</b><br><br>Thanks for showing me the truth.<br><br>Now that I know it, I retract all my support, will demand my money back, and won't vote for him in November.</i><br>_________________________________________<br><br>So when I said, \"...you like to snark and act like people (myself) see Obama as a sell-out\" I got you 100% right.<br><br>But, go ahead and explain why your support for Obama is such that legitimate criticism Obama's words/actions have you erecting straw man after straw man and engaging in (and like) what them White folks in blogs and boards call the \"whataboutery\" fallacy because you can't defend Obama on the merits.<br><br>See, I got you right but you got me wrong and there is no way you can get me right by \"quoting\" someone else to \"describe\" my opinion of Obama which is what, Craig??<br><br>What's my opinion of Barack??<br><br>Even worse, you were WRONG to publish the anxiety that goes on in your fragile ego and even more fragile position.  I don't give a damn about \"proving\" anything to you or anybody.  I don't post to try to persuade people and you of all people know I don't care whether anyone agrees with me or not but, apparently, to you what I did post must have been compelling.  So compelling that you felt like voting or not voting for Obama was something to talk about when I never said anything about that; never said anything about I'm not voting for Obama or anything to the effect that \"we shouldn't vote\" for Obama.<br><br>So leave that Free Republic type of snark bs alone and make sure you don't get me wrong just because you have problems with Obama being legitimately criticized.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_16:26:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085147, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080984": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Any self-'confident black man or woman can be misconstrued as arrogant by society. Rachel Maddow nailed it when she said that what the media really meant by \"arrogant'' and \"presumptuous\" was \"uppity\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:53:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "087bd40eb76076d0ffb16a67d8a9c1aa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084570": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Indeed!  Not another equivocator.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_05:51:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081517, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086107": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It's become central to our discussions because the issue is on the table thanks to a certain confluence of events and a corporate media that is seeking to help a politician lose an election.<br><br>This is the first presidential election that I can recall where the issue has been on the table.<br><br>And that for me makes it a distraction no different from (the intent is the same) Britney Spears and Paris Hilton when it comes to presidential politics", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:11:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086000, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079965": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "LMAO, LMAO.  Miranda, please stop being so on point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:37:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079833, "depth": 3, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081504": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "99%:  \"virtual dap!\"  This is my FAVORITE verse!   Amen!!  [I know, this is a political blog.  :&gt;)  :&gt;) ]", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:36:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081482, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080486": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama's response was, as always, cool, calm and firm. He didn't order them arrested, like the McCain campaign did with protesters in Denver. He let them speak their mind, and then he responded on the merits. That's the definition of respect.<br><br>::<br><br>Say it again.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:14:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080156, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081514": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Val:   MAJOR CO-SIGN!!!!!!  and  \"virtual dap\"  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:38:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080874, "depth": 1, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082311": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Oh, I'm with you on that.  And the AP has had something against Obama for a while.  They ran some hit job last year (I think) that was outrageous.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:27:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081170, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079980": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Because with Obama anything can be construed as such.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:41:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079931, "depth": 8, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081517": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This is a double-edged sword. First off, if the CBC actually got it together and stopped selling out their constituents [us] for chicken and champale I'd be very happy. Two, they were ardent Clinton supporters no matter what they did and did not do for us and have proven to be easily bought. Donna Edwards has not been tested yet and as happy as I am for her being elected she is not perfect and will certainly disappoint at some point. Cohen has done a great job but he is facing a challenger regardless so everything he's done is under scrutiny. The test will come if he retains his seat and still does a great job - which he probably will because he knows he'll be challenged. Which brings me to the other point: those CBC members who's records scored them below C on the BAR need to be challenged. They need the feel the heat on the back of their necks. Heck all politicians need a reminder. Which brings me to Obama. He definitely knows he's not getting a free ride from Black people now! That's a good thing. I see how his outright support of reparations in theory would be problematic as it would feed into the fears of white people. That's not his fault this country STILL won't deal with race though I know he's trying to navigate through difficult and emotional issues. Since he is not the descendant of slaves and raised by whites his views are slightly different. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing though. Too many carry this burden of stigma that holds them back or makes them overcompensate. There are so many other Black people that live here who were not descended from slaves as well. Or who were adopted. Or have lived in other countries. I have personally had to fight against being put in a \"Black\" box where not speaking ebonics, wanting to be educated, being proud of my history, not hooking up with the first guy who smiled at me, controlling my reproductive choices, listening to Depeche Mode and being financially prudent are seen by some Black people to be weird and not the norm of how 'Black people' are supposed to be. So what does it mean to be Black? And when other people who do criticize Obama admit that they haven't voted/engaged politically I'd wonder what their agenda was and why they'd be coming to me when they have not done their part in any way. People died for the right to vote. I doubt the Klan would differentiate whether you were from Mozambique or Memphis when lynching you. And I don't think I'm going to get everything I want out of an Obama administration. I certainly haven't from any other administration. I do expect to not be set further back from where we are now. And with more people engaged we will be in a position to fix things and move further along. I think back to the Clintons and how Rwanda, higher prison sentences, weakening of the FCC, the Telecommunications Act, NAFTA and a lot of crappy things went unchecked...but we had a balanced budget. It was all an illusion. A weak deck of cards. I was too young and inexperienced to understand it at the time. So we do need to stay on Obama for every little thing now, but for me it's not personal. He doesn't need to understand what it's like for a woman to pass legislation beneficial to me. He's not McAncient and he's not a Clinton. That's good enough for me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:38:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "heartsandflowers", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 3, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081007": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Any self-confident black man or woman can and will be misconstrued as \"arrogant\" by society. Rachell Maddow nailed it when she said that what the media meant when they called Obama \"arrogant\" and \"presumptuous\" was that he was being \"uppity\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:59:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "087bd40eb76076d0ffb16a67d8a9c1aa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080090": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "These issues speak directly to the point that Sen. Obama makes.  Nobody can agree on one formula for who would get paid,  how the payments would be calculated, where the $$ would come from, etc.<br>It ain't gonna happen.    <br><br>YOU CANNOT UNSCRAMBLE SCRAMBLED EGGS.  <br><br>Or as my daddy would have said,  \"Once it's Ff#$% , you can't un-F#$% it\"<br><br>The only way to accomplish anything resembling reparations for the horrible things done to enslaved Africans and others  is to provide <br><br>Education,  health care, jobs,  and a solid infrastructure for everyone now.<br><br>Folks can acknowledge it, apologize for it, feel bad about it.   There will always be people who just don't get it.      Actions (deeds) are the only thing that will help us all do better.   <br><br>Oh, and yes,  Sen. Obama DOES need to get elected first for any of this to happen.   In my opinion, regardless of any disagreements I may have with some of his positions,  he is the last best hope for black folks RIGHT NOW.    <br><br>If McCain is elected, we are done.  DONE for a very long time...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:01:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "isonprize", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 7, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079948, "depth": 3, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080395": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It sounds like you're coming in here trying to inject the \"arrogance\" talking points the right wing is injecting into the media.<br><br>You wouldn't be doing that, would you?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:00:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079530, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081526": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Miranda:  Check his web site.  Almost everything that he does is there!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:40:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081468, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086135": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "when he makes statements like this that may not jibe with the feelings of the black community at large.<br><br>::<br><br>Does the black community at large believe we need reparations?<br><br>Like I said, I haven't thought reparations through, but I don't know a single Black person in life who thinks reparations are owed to us.<br><br>Is there a poll I can find?<br><br>I'm not being sarcastic either. I just want to know since we're having the conversation.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:17:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084546, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085624": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "So you completely disagree with Obama's stance on those five issues and you don't think compromise or bipartisanship should play a role in Obama's decision-making...well, since you believe you know what you're getting in McCain, I don't understand you issue.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_11:19:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085529, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085113": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But most of the slaves who actually did that work are dead, so Congress would have to check the background of each and every Black person (and biracial, and white person for that matter) to figure out if they are actually descendants from slaves if the process were to be considered fair.  I think it would be highly suspect if all that was required to receive reparations was brown skin.  <br><br>And again, why should people who have nothing to do with slavery, who came here after the slave trade, have to pay for reparations?  And why should my tax dollars go to reparations?  And as I was reading about this issue on other sites, you know what the counter argument to this issue is?  That since it was White soldiers that helped freed the slaves during the Civil War that they too should receive reparations. <br><br>And I don't think the lack of reparations has anything to do with the economic problems that are plaguing certain segments of the Black community.  Post-slavery, Black people faced impossible odds compared to how easy we have it now, yet there were many who were able to get an education and start their own businesses despite those odds.  <br><br>Reparations is not the answer, and it is certainly not a cure for what is going on in the Black community.  It is merely a distraction.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:25:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 11, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084542, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084090": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Arab slave trade did not take place in America, idiot.<br><br>The states exsisted New York, Virginia, etc. were around long before the US and they owned slaves.  Stop playing semantics idiot.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_01:55:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "fbbed7abaebde84922bda9960b2d38aa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079620, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079997": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Ding! Ding! DIng!  The \"Authentically Black Test\"....lol...you ain't lyin.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:44:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079937, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081529": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "How are you defining \"Anti-Africanism\"?<br><br>I am an American of African descent, though it is quicker to say African-American.  <br><br>But Africa is a continent, (as I'm sure you know...)  with as many, if not more, varieties of Africans as Europe has Europeans.   <br><br>A bit more specificity would be helpful... Just sayin'", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:41:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "isonprize", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080712, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084607": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I think I responded already.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_06:11:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083267, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082561": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Divide and conquer.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:19:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081758, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082562": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "As well he should.  And I think it's a good thing to highlight the difference between the way Obama dealt with the \"hecklers\" and the way McCain was stomped and resorting to lying when the Townhall Meeting struck back.  lol", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:19:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079983, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083589": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>I don't use the word traitor when it comes to stuff like this</i><br><br>Yeah, but you like to snark and act like people (myself) see Obama as a sell-out.<br><br>Sabotaging his candidacy??<br>******** Drink much??<br><br>Ya'll JJP regulars are cardiac.  Every little think that happened in the primaries were attempts to \"sabotage\" Obama.  Oh, ye Negroes of little faith.<br><br><i>I wanna know why the CBC hasn't pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome</i><br><br>How did you say??  Do the research.   Oh but I'll help you out:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">2007-2008</a><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">2005-2006</a><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h108-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">2003-2004</a><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h107-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">2001-2002</a><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h106-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">1999-2000</a><br><a href=\"http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h105-40\" rel=\"nofollow\">1997-1998</a><br><br>I don't know how H.R. 40 routinely has 30 or more co-sponsors most of who are CBC members and the fact that they've done it year in and year out somehow constitute them not \"pushing\" reparations legislation.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_23:29:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083306, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081546": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Right on, <b>fanita</b>.  We're so easily distracted by bull feathers, and we're always so easily mistrustful of another black person, never mind the constant dirty pool always being played against us by Caucasians.  We're always so ready to sacrifice the brother when white folks stir up the bs, and we never, ever hold whites to the same excessively high standards that we hold our own.  It is a pity and a shame, really. Obama is the best politician this country's seen in decades, yet we're ready to throw him under the bus for a pie-in-the-sky handout that will never, ever happen.<br><br>We're always up for the feces that the white boy instigates against black men like Obama - dissect, parse, and weigh every word, every paragraph, every phrase, every promise of the black guy because he's not running to be the president of the US; he's only running to be president of Black America, even if it is a country that doesn't exist. <br><br>Yet neither Jimmy Carter, Billy Jeff Clinton or the Emperor Dim Son got even one letter or phone call demanding reparations and/or getting special treatment from any of y'all.  In Billy Jeff's case, most black folks were too busy designating him the first black president and extolling his liking collard greens and corn bread and how he operates on CP time, thus proving how black he really is.  I have been guilty of joking about him in this manner myself so I know about it. Now that we have a chance to have the first black president of the WHOLE United States, we're nitpicking him just like the white folks are doing.<br><br>Now, I learned my lesson about Billy Jeff in 1996, and I already knew Shrub is a sociopath of epic proportions who loves putting black folks to death.  So I ain't about to get on the <em>'Obama doesn't identify with black folks because he doesn't agree with reparations train'</em>, and I'm not about to play into the white boys' hands - again - and betray Obama's trust by looking cock-eyed at him because he doesn't believe in reparations for slavery.<br><br><em>Because I don't believe in reparations either</em> and, like someone else posted above, I don't want or need the apology because it isn't worth the air it took to say it.  We're always looking for something for nothing, and we're always falling into the white man's trap, betraying our own because we've got these inferior neuroses.<br><br>We need to be keeping our eyes on the prize, and not getting distracted by the dumb junk thrown our way by white folks who see their power slipping away.  Take your ADD/ADHD meds, if you need to, because we need to stay focused and not get so easily distracted by the bull feathers that's going to rain our way as Obama continues to show how shoddy and cranky and evil and incompetent the white boy is to be president.  We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted, even by those who look like us.<br><br>Hold on to your 40 acres and a mule because it's going to be a bumpy ride, but we'll do well if we keep the main thing, the main thing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:44:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080390, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085133": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'll look. I feel like this is a repeat conversation. ;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:32:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084607, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082577": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm still laughing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:22:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081785, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082066": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I wonder at what kinds of pressure poor black parents are under that prevents them from paying attention.  I can't forget that woman on \"Black in America\" who said that being black was the equivalent of having a felony conviction with regard to finding work..  If white families are pressured, maybe blacks are more pressured by a factor of 10.  To have the feeling that you're not wanted or liked, maybe there's untreated chronic depression as a result of that.  Even professional AA's struggle with insecurity, let alone the ones with few defenses.  Do poor AA's have access to psychiatric therapy and medication when and if they need it.  What of the stigma associated with \"mental illness\"?<br><br>That young man on \"Black in America\" who showed up at the store for his interview....I could hear the \"smallness\" in his voice.  That man at the Urban League who was asking a question of McCain...he was in a suit and tie, a fullly grown man...but he seemed so unsure of himself in asking his question....like he felt like less.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:35:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081931, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081010": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I don't think that CPL's post was Anti-African, but I think I get what anon is talking about. <br><br>The idea that African parents mean that racism in America doesn't affect you. That you're not African American/black enough and you can't relate...<br><br>I've seen hints of it at several places. It's annoying and overly divisive imo.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:59:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "a1899513a93684ede4e06b6dbe9d702a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080919, "depth": 2, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082072": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This is all a trap that we are falling for hook, line, and sinker. \"Reparations\" is a code word that riles the rightwing \"bitter\" demographic up. It is a wedge issue that is working so well, that valid or not, it's even causing a split in Black America. It is a false issue. Slavery is a debt that America will NEVER be able to fully repay. We as Afro Ams need to come to grips with that. It is time to move on. We have bigger issues to focus on for our children's sakes.  Besides, I not hearing anything from US about all of the slavery, horror, and AIDS riddled rot going on in our so-called \"motherland\"  TODAY, even as we blog it out while sipping our coffee in our air-conditioned houses. As to Obama, He is not nor can never be one of us. His background has nothing to do with being an Afro American. He does not not cannot understand our struggle. I support him because of his message of change, not his color. Though he is black in skin color, his soul, his inner being is something else. Maybe that is why he has such appeal. We as black folk cannot look at Obama as ours. He might look like us, but he is not \"of\" us.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:36:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "c28dc7013c085520ea2576acee4ccc3b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081789, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082586": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>\"Nobody can agree on one formula for who would get paid...\"</i><br><br>All Rep. Conyers has asked for is a commission to study the issue just like there was a commission regarding Japanese internment reparations.  That, too me, seems like the venue for all the information coming in and a decision being made on what's feasible, etc.  All the stuff you're talking about is putting the cart before the horse and the only people confused about who gets what are White people who want the number to be as limited as possible.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:24:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080090, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085147": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Sorry, Nquest, but you got me wrong. I haven't ever used the word sell out (unless quoting someone else) to describe your opinion of Barack.<br><br>I know what sabotage looks like and I haven't accused you of sabotage unless you're one of the members of the CBC who's currently on record in various media trying to sabotage Barack.<br><br>That's all.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:36:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083589, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086172": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Sigh....<br><br>Craig, I said it MAY not jibe.  It is within the context of whites considering him a de-facto spokesperson for all black people.  What if he said he doesn't speak for the black community as a whole, however, in HIS judgement, reparations are not a good idea.  I get the feeling that he is not only offering his opinion, but lecturing the black community again...telling them what they OUGHT to want, rather than asking.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:28:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086135, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082589": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Wow.  I really have no words.  Scratch that, yes I do.  Did people ever stop to think that one of the main reasons our (i.e. Black people) standing in this country hasn't changed in ways that we would have liked in the past couple of decades  is because of our own willingness to tear down our own people and view them with suspicion.  I mean really, Obama is not one of us because he doesn't share your views on reparations?  Are you freakin' kidding me?    <br><br>Is this 2008?  <br><br>This comment made me want to vomit.  I'm done.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:24:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082072, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080032": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "TRW....please tell me how Barack Obama will make black parents with kids in the public school system, return the phone calls from teachers, make sure their children are doing their homework and prepared for school each day...just tell me how he's single-handedly gonna make that happen.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:51:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079965, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080546": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I find it hilarious that McCain is getting plaudits from the pundits for talking in \"enemy territory.\"<br><br>He's running for President. He has to.<br><br>But he saw no need to appear before the NAACP or the Urban League last year, because, well, you know, he wasn't sure he'd still be standing in the presidential race.<br><br>So if folks wanna allow John McCain to hold Barack's feet to the fire on issues that affect Black Americans, then those folks are bigger fools than I could've ever imagined.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:30:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083107": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "reparations???  LOL!    can we grow up?  we have seriously pressing issues in this country right now.  education equity could repair a lot, for starters.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_21:40:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "99bcec632769e483ead5faa515e84132", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086184": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well then, lucky for him that he already said he doesn't support it.  This way he gets to restate his position.   Though, I do know what you mean.  It is an illegitimate wedge issue.  At some point though, O will have to start using some legitimate \"wedge\" issues of his own, instead of just reacting to McCain's dirty tricks.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:32:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086107, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081468": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I had to step out, but I just saw on CNN that Obama got like 30 applauses during this speech and a standing ovation - I'm sure the text of the speech is online somewhere.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:29:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080696, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079530": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I felt that there was a tinge of annoyance that made the statement sound arrogant.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:09:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 11, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079418, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081585": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well Said!!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:52:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "pcmadison", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080874, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1088758": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Karmi:<br><br>The point of reparations is acknowledging that, in this country, founded on the  principles of self-determination the very thought of slavery was contradictory to those ideals and to continue the  practice for even one day after independence from England was unacceptable.<br><br>Slavery in other countries and in cultures isn't even important to the discussion.  The United States was the first country founded with the thought that all men are created equal but it was a damn lie in practice.  It was a lie at the founding and the lie continues.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_22:23:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "5f0086bbe0862eea8a5332ef936f4538", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079948, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079849": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Yeah, the Bradley effect really played itself out during the primaries...wait...no", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:14:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079808, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082616": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama should be or act like he's better educated on the issue instead of saying \"the best reparations\"... is stuff Reparations advocates have advocated themselves.  It's a insult.  <br><br><i>\"A LOT of blacks feels this way.</i><br><br>And that's because they are as ignorant as Obama on the issue and, like Obama, too damn focused on how White people are going to act.  Thank God for the ancestors who didn't cop out like that.<br><br>And, really, what \"much harder work\" is Obama talking about?  He's responsible for the f-cked up ideas he has about Reparations, his tortured definition of it and his less than fluid response to it.  He's had plenty of time to polish up on the issue.  It's been a while since he was put on the spot in that debate when Dennis Kucinich tried to win some Brownie (or Blackie) points for saying he was for Reparations but even he knew he had to chase that down with a quick, stiff drink of \"poor Whites too.\"<br><br>lol", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:31:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079252": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Ah, Obama did grow up in the U.S. Hawaii may not be part of  mainland USA but it is still part of the US.    I can see what you mean by his answer being arrogant. He did not have to answer that way. Even though the content was fine. As for his staff people, his inner circle does include blacks like Valerie Jarrett. I must also say that they could have shown a modicum of respect as well.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_07:40:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 18, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082618": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think reparations are  HORRIBLE idea for a number of reasons, but just look at where we are as a country right now?  We face serious issues on all front in the next couple of years and I do not want Congress spending its time \"investigating\" reparations.  I would prefer if they concentrate on education, energy, health care, housing, and the situation with the middle east.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:32:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080090, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085181": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "CPL, Sepia called you out for twisting Barack's position on reparations to fit your argument.<br><br>Have independent thoughts, but tell the truth.<br><br>You did not do that, as Sepia pointed out so clearly.<br><br>And I really wish we could retire the phrase \"kool-aid drinkers.\"  It references tragedy and death. Just saying.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:44:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086208": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>I get the feeling that he is not only offering his opinion, but lecturing the black community again...</i><br><br>::<br><br>Really?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:38:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086172, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087233": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Excellent instructions. I'm looking into it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_17:11:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083866, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1089178": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Life in the Flesh can seem like that at times...<br><br>;-)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_23:45:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1089115, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086220": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I feel you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:40:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086184, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086221": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I hardly think anyone is \"focused\" on reparations.  No one said any African Americans are \"up at night\" worrying about this, that's absurd.  I suppose you could write off your portion of any debt owed.  Nothing you said changes the fact that a debt is owed.  No one said anything about reparations solving social problems, that is irrelevant.  <br><br>AA's shouldn't want reparations to solve their problems or as a handout; it is a debt, money earned..cold, hard, rational.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:41:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086083, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081389": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "isonprize:  Co-signing!!  :&gt;)<br><br>p.s.  That is one of my favorite pics of Mr. Obama!!  Keep posting!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  As she walks slowly to sit down in front of her air-conditioner, again!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:16:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080090, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086224": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Really.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:42:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086208, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081105": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "BoyWonder:  As in \"UPPITY N****R\".  This was discussed B4 and I did ask if any other race/ethnic group/clan/socioligical unit of some name was EVER referred to as UPPITY.  Answer:    CRICKETS******<br><br>The OPPOSITION has introduced this \"code word\" into this race[though it has been used in other arenas].  I don't plan to perpetuate it in any form in reference to Mr. Obama!  He is CONFIDENT!!!  <br>Whew!  Querulous Deep Breaths!!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:18:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081007, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082643": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm with you on this one!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:38:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081517, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082644": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TRW:  co-sign.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:39:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082589, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085209": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It is your opinion of what is bullshit that is being questioned.  Does Obama (and others)  need to think, feel and hold the same positions as you in regard to issues affectitng the entire black community to be considered not bullshitting?  It concerns me that you would take him to task as a candidate regarding a matter that has not come to fruition in ethe years proceeding his emergence on the scene, and a matter that in all reality will not materialize until the masses (which are the majority) come to terms with the reality of effects of Slavery and Jim Crow.  I personally believe they don't want to talk about it, not now, and possibly not ever.<br><br>You have every right to hold a candidate's (every) feet to the fire on matters you determine important, I just think you hold Obama's to the fire on matters and not others because he is black - that, I have a problem with.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:51:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081626": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Miranda:  Do they \"HOMEWORK???\"  Are you kidding me??<br>Please - no one start the litany of all the sociological pressures which prevent doing homework!   As a teacher - inner city - I've heard them.   :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>That' all.  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:01:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080032, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082140": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "are you a typical Democrat Voter because being a Democrat (Liberal) is easy, very easy", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:49:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "JibreelRiley", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081800, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087775": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Craig, I posted your Free Republic type of snark.  Like ignorant and scrupulous white conservative partisans, you found it useful to lash out and announce how you were not going to change your mind -- or in this case your vote --  despite the obvious cognitive dissonance you were experiencing with a critique you obviously found to be compelling.  So lashing out at me instead of attacking whatever point I \"tried to prove\" you acted like:<br><br>(1) My feelings were going to be hurt by any your pretenses in the post, like I was trying to prove a point in hopes that you would not vote for Barack -- an idea you will never find support for.<br><br>(2) Trying to put that \"Barack is a fraud/sellout\" rhetoric on me actually functions as counterpoint to what I said<br><br>(3) Your very lame attempt to be snarky or sarcastic didn't tell the truth about what you really thought -- i.e. that whatever I said was, indeed, the truth and my point \"proven beyond all reasonable doubt.\"<br><br>That's what them White folks, Freepers for example, do in discussion where they find themselves on the wrong side of 'race' issues... they lash out because they don't know what else to do with the cognitive dissonance and anxiety they feel... So they commence to speaking gibberish and nonsense -- exaggerating stuff that doesn't even begin to relate to the reality and trying to paint someone they disagree with some idea they have about \"what them Black people\" they despise think instead of dealing with what the actual Black individual they have a difference with actually said.<br><br>My bad, though...  I just keep thinking Black people, per most of my experience, have a different and most substantive type of discourse when it comes to such issues no matter how many times my idea has been proven naive or wrong.<br><br>That aside... notice how you've stopped trying to assert that the CBC \"hasn't pushed for reparations.\"  You asked that question like you knew that for a fact.   That or you thought you could paint that picture of the CBC trying to use the Reparations issue to hurt Barack because you thought no one would actually challenge your ignorance.<br><br>Oh, ye Negroes of little faith...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_19:13:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1087057, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086240": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Okay.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:45:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086224, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082657": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The more I think about the reparations issue, the more incensed I become.  Where do people honestly think the money is going to come from?  Where?  If its coming from taxes, won't Black people basically be paying for reparations to ourselves?  Who will receive reparations?  How would you qualify? How much of our resources should we spend investigating reparations?   If by some miracle the government actually comes up with reparations, shouldn't they in fact get rid of all programs that are giving consideration to race, since the government has paid its debt to Black people.  <br><br>It is a HORRIBLE idea.  It is extremely shortsighted, and does nothing to move us forward.  As I said in my previous post, Black people do not need a handout from the government.  the concentration should be on education, job training, and job skills and financial empowerment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:42:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 13, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081122": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Double CO-SIGN!! The \"camel\" imagery is powerful!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:20:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079771": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But \"these people\" admitted they don't vote, so they really didn't have any reason to question a political candidate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:59:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079658, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083690": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The whole reparations thing is a farce,being touted by two groups of people.The first is the race hustler political baron running every poor Black ward in America.Since they cant find real solutions or they know real solutions would alienate the ignorant constituents that keep them in power it is easy to holler reparations.Now the first thing I've learned is that America was built on the commerce that the slave trade fueled.Now when slavery was ending we the descendants of slaves had an option to leave this land then reparations could be forced on the government by a sovereign people.Because most of us were illiterate self hating and naive we were misled to believe that we could one day become citizens like other groups coming here.The evidence inspite of all the success we've done we still are not full citizens.The second people to argue for reparation are these criminal turned activist who refuse to work,hold a decent job or learn how to build wealth.They walk around thinking some payday is owed to them from our ancestors.They will never see ONE RED CENT.OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL THESE COONS WHO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE TRAITORS IN OUR COMMUNITY PUSHING DRUGS,CRIME,MATERIALISM,SELF HATE,IGNORANCE BUT DARE DISRUPT THE GREATEST MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE HELL WITH THOSE ENEMIES AMONG US,WHERE WERE THEY WHEN R KELLY WALKED FOR RAPING TWO LITTLE BLACK GIRLS!!!!MANY OF YOU SAME SICK WELFARE USING SCUM ONLY WANT REPARATION TO BUY MORE CARS,CLOTHS ECT.HOW MANY OF YOU EVEN HAVE A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY FOR YOUR KIDS?AN INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO?WE NEED TO EXAMINE OURSELVES AND LOVE WHAT WE SEE IN THE MIRROR THAT WILL BE ALL THE REPARATIONS I NEED!!!!!!!!!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_23:53:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "kalagenesis", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082668": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "In truth, we actually deserve some form of equity which would be ours exclusively!  Something which would level out the playing field.<br>Everyone is entitled to public education, jobs, healthcare,etc......<br>I would be thrilled if it took the form of free college education for<br>black students!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:45:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081486, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082158": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sepia:  The ABT - huh?  Is that like the  \"A.T.P.F.B. Scale??  Oh, Attempting To Pass For Black Scale??  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br>My understanding - some of them have had to re-take the test!<br>I'm jes sayin' . . . .   :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>Speaking of tests. have you seen the [I know -\"Old School\"] <br>B.I.T.C.H.  [Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity].  It was developed in 1970 [updated on occasion] as a reaction to the \"cultural bias\" asserted to be inherent in S.A.T/A.C.T. Tests. It's funny!<br><a href=\"http://www.susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=170\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php...</a><br>Title:  B.I.T.C.H. Test.  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:52:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079937, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085149": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Say it again.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:37:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083888, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079603": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Oh he was annoyed....and rightfully so. A couple of friends translated Obama's response, we call it the \"southside\" version...LOL  Its not fit for public consumption, but I bet its pretty close to the way Barack described the incident to Michelle last night.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:25:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079530, "depth": 5, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084082": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "you're an idiot", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_01:52:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "fbbed7abaebde84922bda9960b2d38aa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083025, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080970": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I don't automatically disagree with reparations. In fact, I think they could be an important indicator that any apology wasn't simply empty politicking. But I would want to know who the reparations got paid to and how that was determined. The impact of slavery on our culture is, of course, profound. But it is also at this point so intertwined that (it seems to me) it no longer matters anymore if you can actually trace your lineage to a former slave or not. To feel the impact of slavery it may simply be enough to be black. Or black and poor. Or black and poor and not newly arrived in this country from another country.<br><br>The original notion of reparations is that the payments would go to those who could actually trace the harm back to their own ancestors. But, given the broader impact discussed above, that would be an almost artificial distinction. On the other hand, if payments were to be made more broadly, in response to the broader harm, wouldn't it make more sense to direct the payments to fixing the harms that remain than to individuals?<br><br>And isn't that kinda what Obama was saying?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:51:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "LynnDee", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085152": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "That's a wrap.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_09:38:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083855, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079619": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "i find this type of sceptism on obama almost unctuous... i rather obama address educational and health reform bcos those are the issues that affect blacks most... those hecklers should take obama's advice and run for office if they are not happy with his positions", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:30:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "922a329ccaaea37c8b8efc2e3f406df5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081668": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I agree.  I love Black people, but our willingness to tear down other Black/African people if they haven't passed the \"Black authenticity\" test is scary.  Why does BHO's heritage/upbringing disqualify him from having an opinion about this issue?  I agree with him, and I am pretty sure that my ancestors are slaves.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:11:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081010, "depth": 3, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087814": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Hey Kenya,<br><br>How's it going.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_19:20:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1087643, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081159": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "fanita:  To my knowledge, there is NO legislation, referendum, policy, bill, passed motion, creditable survey, local bond measure, board resolution,  church vote, etc. that addresses the matter of reparations.  And all of a sudden it's on the \"TABLE\"!  Heck, I didn't even know that there was a table!!<br><br>So I missed it too!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:28:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080390, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082699": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>\"I don't think the government should give Blacks reparations in the form of a huge check\"</i><br><br>Then this just shows how you (and Obama, perhaps) are ignorant on the issue.  Running your mouth, guns a-blazing and you don't know what you're talking about.<br><br>Huge check??<br><br>What the hell are you talking about?<br><br>Re: Obama.  It's like he never went to Harvard.  It's like he doesn't know Charles Ogletree.  It's like the brother is stuck on stupid and stereotypes once again when Reparations advocates like Ogletree got all the stuff Obama calls \"the best reparations\" faded.<br><br><i>we shouldn't be handicapping the best option we have in this election either for dumb pride</i><br><br>Really that's a dumb comment.  How is Obama being handicapped?  And if he's \"the best option we have\" then what's the problem with us exploring that option and expecting something out of it?<br><br>Your point just doesn't make sense.  <br><br><i>Black people need to get over \"reparations.\"</i><br><br>No wonder why you support Obama talking like he's a racist White conservative.  You engage in the rhetoric yourself.  <br><br>Anyway, as I said, Obama can be against Reparations all he wants, for person or political reasons.  But he definitely won't get a pass trying to blow smoke up our azz by calling the basic freedom and equality that was supposed to happen after Brown vs. Board and the rest of the modern Civil Rights Movement reparations.<br><br><i>do you HONESTLY think John McCain would do ANYTHING to really help the African American community?</i><br><br>Do you honestly think that's an intelligent question like people here taking Obama to task, not giving him a pass are saying \"Vote McCain\"???  You have got to be smarter than that and I hope you have more tools on your tool-belt than saying \"is McCain better.\"<br><br>BTW, both of my parents are Black and I've live in America all my life and I find things I disagree with Obama on and things I agree with and insist that he consistently speaks on them.  But I will not abide Obama or any Black person stereotyping Black people the way he has, etc., etc.<br><br> <b>\"No person is your friend who demands your silence...\"</b> - Alice Walker", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:52:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079254, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082700": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mine too.  BO is tremendously better than McCain.  I don't even understand<br>the point you  (CPL) are trying to make.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:52:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080788, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081826": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I would like to be sympathetic, but I can't be....I just took a look at the vote for the No Child Left Behind Act.....I'm just thoroughly pissed with the CBC. No doubt the level of my anger probably has to do with the fact that I finally watched all of \"Hard Times at Douglass High\"....and my parents are both retired teachers who have railed against NCLB from day one....I (and my siblings) have gotten a lecture on it every Xmas for the last 6 years.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:46:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081747, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086286": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "1) \"I hardly think anyone is 'focused' on reparations.\"  Really?  because the last time I checked there is a bit of a movement going on with regards to reparations and there have been several lawsuits filed against companies that supposedly benefitted from slavery.  So at least some people, including members of the CBC, are focused on reparations.  <br><br>2)   My \"up at night\" comment, was in response to your comment: \"What is a distraction, is the sense that a debt is owed. It's a distraction that justice has not been served.\"  My response is that it is not a distraction for me.  Reparations are the least of my worries, other more prevalent issues directly effecting the Black community right now are.  <br><br>3) And I never said reparations would solve social problems, although arguments have been made in support of that theory.  My argument is that focusing on reparations when we face so many other hurdles within the Black community is myopic.  <br><br>4)  And again.  I think we view reparations differently.  You view it as something that can be passed on through several generations.  I view it as something that if it was going to be paid, should have gone directly to the slaves, who actually did the work, if not, let's move on.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_13:53:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086221, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081170": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Here's something to be skeptical about:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/2/134356/2273/348/553935\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama quote: Corporate media omissions. A deliberate decision?</a><br><br>So the AP is pushing a story with a crucial quote edited out and then paraphrased by the writer to make it appear as though Barack believes something he doesn't actually believe.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:32:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081683": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I disagree because I know that I am not the only one in the Black community that is an independent thinker.  I will never choose to be included in this monolithic single-minded thinking stereotype that MSM media likes to place on the Black community!<br><br>When this election process began I was ready...looking at ALL candidates to see what they had to offer!  Yes...I was happy to see a viable Black candidate but I was also happy to see a woman and a Hispanic candidate as well!<br><br>The bottom line is...I want someone in office that I feel is about getting America back on track for ALL of us and despite some of the differences that I have with some of Obama's recent choices he is the better choice by far!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:15:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "pcmadison", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080947, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079950": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Yeah, I'm not getting where he says a) reparations are stupid, or b) an apology to Blacks for slavery is lame.  But maybe its just me.<br><br>Oh, I did like the line where he said that he would prefer deeds over words.  But again, that's just me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:34:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079915, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081401": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This is a very creative thread right here.  Karmi--are you an attorney?  I would definitely want you representing me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:18:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "Webb", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080090, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081935": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I've noticed that as well....", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:08:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "Texas_Girl_in_LA", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081882, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080156": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"I know Obama has good staff, but there are strong indications that there are no Blacks with influence on his staff, because if there were, he could have avoided stepping into the muck on the slavery reparations issue, and he would have been better equipped to silence that \u201checkler\u201d with a more comprehensive answer.\"<br><br>Um, I can think of one key Black staff member with influence.  Obama wrote his Philadelphia speech, remember?  He doesn't have a tin ear on race.<br><br>The protesters yesterday might have been real, but they might as well as been sent by Karl Rove himself.  Right after Rick Davis goes ballistic with contrived anger about Obama \"playing the race card from the bottom of the deck\" (a nice dog whistle to OJ), African American protesters yell at Obama about racial issues.  They were high-fiving at McCain headquarters in Arlington when that video hit the cable news nets yesterday, I guarantee it.<br><br>Obama's response was, as always, cool, calm and firm.  He didn't order them arrested, like the McCain campaign did with protesters in Denver.  He let them speak their mind, and then he responded on the merits.  That's the definition of respect.  <br><br>What would you have preferred -- he let them hijack his event and make it an even bigger drama for the cable nets to jump over?  If so, I'm glad you're not one of his key campaign advisers with influence.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:15:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "38c49e2ee2ce46bf31a9db5a2bbcd327", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082725": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TruthSeeker:  Maybe Shrub should think up his OWN name for an educational intiative, 'cause he STOLE the title NCLB from Marian Wright Edelman who has HER COPYRIGHT on the term \"LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND\".  It represent HER mission for Head Start, etc.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/mental-health-support-mak_b_115569.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-ede...</a><br>Title:  \"Mental Health Support Makes More Normal Life For Teens Possible\".<br><br>Shrub used the title, tweaked it and NEVER gave the sister credit for it!!  And NEVER fully funded it!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:58:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081862, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083238": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Amen TRW...Amen", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:11:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082589, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083752": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Added to Google Reader? <br><br>*Stupidly looks around* <br><br>Eh, ruth? How does that work?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:09:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082448, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079658": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "My only question: Would he have told Jewish, or evangelical Christian questioners that they didn't have to vote for him if they didn't want to? That's my problem with his response--that seemingly Blacks don't deserve like consideration, or that he's too AFRAID of the \"majority\" to admit they do. <br><br>These people have a right to ask him about their concerns, but I guess because they did it more confidently/loudly/in-your-facely than is *allowed for who they are* they are wrong. Mistakes about his track record of labor on those very issues notwithstanding, his tone in dealing with them disappoints, especially in comparison to how restrained and gracious he is when responding to detractors of other persuasions. Sorry, I'm not with the crowd on this.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:37:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "94a20ab57c9c3209af3c67874efdaccd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 14, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080173": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it.\"<br><br><br>Tim Wise would have an answer for that -- and he'd be right.  <br><br>This isn't a fair criticism of Obama, in my opinion.  Obama is playing chess.  He knows what he's doing.  As for 'let's get him elected first' -- I completely agree with that as well.  What exactly is expecting perfection of Obama going to do, if it just gets John McCain elected?  Give folks the security of a battle lost before it'd begun?<br><br>I won't flame you, you bring the noise and the science daily, on multiple websites.  Please enjoy your trip, can't wait to read about it when you get back.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:18:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "735a3659b98d4c0e40e78d40d7ee34da", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080688": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Did anyone see McCain at the Urban League?  I thought he was trying out O's tough talk to black people with the \"eye of the beholder\"comment.  The report said the crowd was unresponsive and the mood softened only when McCain started the question and answer, and cracked a few jokes.  He was as paternalistic as O was in the Father's Day speech.  It seems whites are not the only ones who underestimate black audiences as routine.  Unfortunately, we jump through hoops to appear polite or knowledgeable to people who don't even deserve the consideration.<br><br>No doubt, the Repubs have been studying O's tactics and are trying out a few....on black audiences.  The \"takes a man to raise a child\" paternalistic lecture feels like the \"Affirmative Action in the eye of the beholder\" tough talk.    Or, maybe these politicians are just bastards of differing degrees,  and need to be taught a lesson.   <br><br>I feel McCain was not there for the black community - having already written them off as lost to Obama - He was there to get his white, blue collar street cred by playing racial politics.  He was appealing to the worst in humanity.  He was selling blacks out to resentful bigots.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:00:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080177": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You are absolutely right.  He won't.  He can't.  And let's just keep this between me and you, but that is exactly what he has been saying.  That even if we can get more money and more resources to some of these dilapidated schools, it won't do a bit of good if parents are not involved in their child's lives and are not reinforcing good habits at home.  Money will not solve all of our problems, and the government sure won't.  <br><br>But yes, let's get our pitchforks and stones ready to \"hold Obama's feet to the fire\" and curse him for not curing all ills of the world  instead of organizing with people in our own communities to get stuff done.  <br><br>It just frustrates me because this is what he has been talking about repeatedly.  \"We are the ones we have been waiting for.\"  The line may be cheesy, but its true.  Some Black people need stop thinking that they are powerless and have to rely on the government or politicians for solutions.  We can find ways to make changes ourselves.  Its just a matter of organizing and planning.  <br><br>Sorry, I didn't mean to go off on a rant.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:19:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080032, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080696": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I watched his speech, but turned it off when Q&A started because I felt my blood pressure rising. Obama is going to give his speech today at 2.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:02:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "Muzikal203", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080688, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079679": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Nah...Dont tell me that BO denounced the House's Apology for Slavery? What did he say? It's TOO divisive? Come on Barack.  It seems like he wants to have the cake and eat it too.  Take a stand; a firm one that is.  One that no matter what the white electorate, white media, and the GOP may say you wont backtrap.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:42:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079252, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086849": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "How the hell are you going to QUOTE SOMEONE ELSE to describe my opinion then hold out some special privilege for yourself that since you don't use certain words...  I didn't use the word SELL OUT so, by your own standard, you should never use a word I didn't use to describe anything about \"my opinion of Barack.\"<br><br>Re: Sabotage...   Quit trying to confuse the issue.  You raised a stupid azz point, posed a stupid azz rhetorical question about the CBC's support for and pushing Reparations.  <br><br>You didn't do the research and now that the facts are right here in your face you don't want to talk about...<br><br><b>why the CBC hasn't pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome</b>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_15:58:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085147, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081218": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "keith:  Co-sign!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:42:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079983, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083267": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I haven't thought this through. <br><br>What do you suggest?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:17:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081789, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082499": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yeah, Cohen just all of a sudden started supporting Black programs/policies.<br><br>(roll eyes)<br><br>I guess a two or three weeks before November would be a better time, huh Craig?<br><br><br>(Can people come up with something better than the run of the mill \"it's the timing of it\" bs??   I mean, damn....)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_19:05:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081733": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well Said!!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:28:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "pcmadison", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080712": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The anti-Africanism around this place is really astounding.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:04:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "41d09de4e69d4fa478a1c7bc73a7cbc2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079691": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Co-sign.  I am bewildered by the fact that people are giving McCain credit and a pat on the back for just now, and I repeat just now, really paying attention to the Black community, when BHO has dedicated his career to these types of issues.  BHO has addressed the exact same forums that McCain has (i.e. the NAACP and the Urban League this Sunday), so where is the beef?  Is it that people want him to speak out more forcefully about racism?  People may disagree with me on this, but I don't think racism is the biggest obstacles in Black peoples' lives.  It just isn't.  I also think he is right, that the same issues that are effecting our community, are effecting other communities as well.  He is not going to cure racism, and even by acknowledging it, racism is not going to go away.  Instead of looking to him for a solution, why not find a solution yourself?    <br><br>And I happen to agree with his position on reparations.  I don't feel Black people should get reparations.  That does not mean that I am anti-Black or that I am selling out Black people.  I just think that ship has sailed.  I think instead of reparations, Black people need to focus on the issues like education and economic empowerment.  The drop out rates for our children in school is beyond ridiculous, and one of the reasons, but not the only reason, that predatory lender swent after people in our community, is because of ignorance.  I am not trying to put down people who were taken advantage of, but we need to be more smart with our money, and some people weren't.  They didn't understand the nature of their mortgage, and they didn't appreciate the obligation that they were taking on.  How will reparations in the form of a check from the government solve this problem?  Where would the money come from, because I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but the government is in shambles right now and for years to come.  Who will get it exactly?  How do you prove who are descendants from slaves?  And why should I get reparations?  I haven't been oppressed.  I have been able to take advantage of several opportunities.  So yeah, I am definitely not on the reparations train.  I would much rather prefer if people in communities would come together to find ways to improve schools and take more initiative in financial empowerment.  <br><br>And I view the belated apology for slavery, the same way I view the belated apology for lynching.  It's too late.  People have lost their lives, and their family members while the government did nothing.  How will an apology change this fact?  Again, instead of an apology, I would really like Congress to spend its times passing laws that would benefit our everyday lives.  The apology is a nice gesture, but honestly, I could care less.  These people had nothing to do with slavery and didn't sanction it.  So basically, they are just acknowledging the wrongdoing of others.  <br><br>And finally, as I said yesterday, I don't have a problem with legitimate BHO criticism, but some of it hasn't been legitimate.  The hecklers criticism yesterday.  Not legitimate.  They had not done their homework, were extremely disrespectful, were using the forum for their own personal gains, and don't even participate in the political process.  <br><br>And can I please get a list of what the \"Black issues\" are.  I feel like people through this phrase around much too freely.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:44:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079254, "depth": 1, "points": 4, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082397": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Re: Obama's position on Reparations.<br><br>The brother is entitled to whatever position he holds, political or personal.  And I'd be okay with his position if he didn't act like Reparations was a bad word and if he wasn't insulting Black people's intelligence when giving his bs response to questions on it.  <br><br>TruthSeeker said it best, \"Schools and jobs are the entitlement of citizens. To suggest this is enough to repay a debt is insulting...\"<br><br>Had the brother just gave the \"it's divisive\" line he did at UNITY, said that Reparations is just one of those issues that he doesn't feel there is any political life to it, I'd accept his answer as reasonable given his pragmatism.  <br><br><i>\"The fact is that dealing with some of the legacy of discrimination is going to cost billions of dollars, and we're not going to be able to have that kind of resource allocation unless all Americans feel that they are invested in making this stuff happen.\"</i><br><br>Now that's a reasonable position.  Not one that I agree with because, especially after his race speech (not to mention the EMPATHY DEFICIT speech or the QUIET RIOT speech), Obama should be preparing White America to deal with all American problems.  Instead, he chose the \"personal responsibility\", <i>talking down to n*ggas</i> route.  The Change Man is such a lover of convention.<br><br>Anyway, I can respect Obama just saying he doesn't think Reparations is going to get any traction but it's the fact that he acts like the idea buts a bad taste in his mouth is what upsets me.  <br><br>I told a White guy who was filled with Obama-mania that Obama doesn't have to \"pathologize\" Black people to distance himself from Rev. Wright or to show when and where he doesn't agree with things chunks of Black people support and the same thing applies here.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:45:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083279": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I keep getting this feeling some people in the \"black community\", whatever that means, expect Obama to jump through hoops for them. And if he doesn't do or say as you wish he needs to be schooled an lectured to, re programed to follow the line established by  the few with access to talk about the issues. How about let the man be a man and run his campaign and think for himself. Enough with the lectures.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:21:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "245857794a8d4da90a73fbb64352b916", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079960": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually a political scientist said that his polling is quite reasonable given the conditions we are in.<br>For more details click on this link:<br><a href=\"http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=08&year=2008&base_name=more_on_obamas_predictably_ane\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_ar...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:36:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079871, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085330": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Welcome to my world for the past two months.  I even have more questions.  What happens if Israel pre-empts Iran? WWBOD? I havent seen ANYTHING in him that leads me to believe he'd do the right thing.  Or will BO's CIA continue to stage coups,  and/or steal elections in Latin America? Has BO shown anything that he'll be different than GHWBUsh? the answer to that one has to be NEGATIVE.  If the brother is willing to throw away previous positions for the sake of \"compromise\" and \"bipartisanship,\" then friends, BO may be the biggest gamble in the history of US elections.  I say that because we know what we're getting with McCain or any other Republican out there.  But with Barack? What are we getting? I know he says one thing (and says them with eloquence), but what about his positions? That's what's scaring me.  <br><br>Again, as I said in the past: I want to be able to rejoice at the prospects of the first NON-WHITE POTUS.  I do.  But if he's just about putting a nonwhite face on america's hegemony and imperialism....then damned be him.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:13:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081747": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Banjos and spoons...HA!<br><br>Maybe this is the first time blacks feel like they can actually ask for something.  I am both irritated and sympathetic.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:29:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081476, "depth": 3, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082295": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "That explains it all.  The hearing and vision loss included.<br><br>Un-freakin'-believeable.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:24:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "Nquest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080919, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086360": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm not aware of any \"focus\" by my definition.  From what I can see, AA's are going about their lives.  I don't know of any large scale marches or monolithic movement.<br><br>I should clarify that by distraction, I don't mean conscious preoccupation.  What I mean is that it is part of the unspoken resentment between the races.  Whites are terrified they will be asked to pay for a past wrong.  Blacks are still hurting over the injustice. <br><br>It's sort of like if there are 2 friends and one defaults on a debt to the other...things are just not the same until the issue is dealt with.  The person who owed to debt may even become angry at the lender...because they're guilty.<br><br>You cited social problems as a reason not to be \"focused\" on reparations...as if the one impacted on the other.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_14:12:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086286, "depth": 8, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079620": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Declaration of Independence - July 2, 1776. Treaty of Paris - September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War.<br><br>American Civil War \u2013 1861 to 1865. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865, effectively ending slavery in America. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially abolished slavery \u2013 approximately December of 1865.<br><br>Proponents of \u201creparations\u201d like to claim that the United States of America allowed slavery to exist for some \u201c300 years.\u201d <b>Simply not true.</b> Do the math, i.e. 1865 minus 1776 equals 89 years. Less than 89 years if the Treaty of Paris date of 1783 is used. <br><br>Proponents of \u201creparations\u201d also ignore the history of the <a href=\"http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/arab-islam-slave-trade/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Arab-Islam Slave Trade</a> and the involvement of Africans (both Muslim and non-Muslim) on slavery\u2026a history that covers 14 centuries of slavery and slave trading.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:30:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 16, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079450": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Cohen is a white man representing a majority black district and he's up for re-election...lets not get it twisted, the \"apology\" is a political maneuver.<br><br>I also need to know what the \"black\" issues are. I honestly don't know at this point what is being referred to as \"black\" issues by those who keep saying those issues are not being addressed. <br><br>As far as the group that interrupted Obama's speech, by their own admission, they don't \"participate in the political process\"...so quite frankly I could care less about their concerns because in my eyes they are just knee-grows without a cause looking for a spotlight. Obama's answer wasn't arrogant, it was just truthful - you don't like what I say or how I say it, you've got options. I guess though since they don't participate in the political process, they actually don't have any of the options Obama pointed out...oh well, too bad for them.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_08:40:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081758": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The whole apology for slavery/reparations thing is a ploy to distract and divide not only black folks from Obama thus decreasing the number of black votes going to Obama, it is an attempt at decreasing Latino votes for Obama, as well.<br><br>Divide and conquer is an old political strategy that's worked time after time, particularly with black folk.  But not this time - we ought to be politically savvy enough to see this for what it is and not get sucked into giving McCain what he wants.  For the first time in the history of America, with Obama, we have a chance to change the way we see ourselves and the way the world sees us in a polished and positive way.  Don't let them trick you into thinking Obama isn't for blacks because he doesn't believe in reparations. <br><br>Don't fall for the okey-doke - again.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:33:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 8, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080225": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "A World Nut Daily hyperlink LOL alright. That's cool. Every source counts. The folks who would slam him for that, and for this:<br><br>\"\"There's no doubt that when it comes to our treatment of Native Americans as well as other persons of color in this country, we've got some very sad and difficult things to account for,\" Obama told the convention.  He has told Hawaii reporters he supports a federal plan to recognize native Hawaiians. He was asked for his thoughts about a formal U.S. apology to American Indians.\"<br><br>are just looking for excuses not to vote for him, since they weren't going to anyway.  As for reparations for Native Americans -- aren't they already getting paid?  Or is Indian Country money different from 'reparations' as discussed for black people?  But  that whole situation is screwed up, so many tribes are so desperate to keep the federal money rolling in they're allowing anybody in......... unless they're black.  I think it's a damn shame so many white people are getting paid for having a great-grandmother who was the lone Amerindian, while also enjoying white skin privilege.   Meanwhile, 'real' Indians live the worst lives on those reservations and the money doesn't do a damn thing to help Indian Country out of poverty. If it did, the money would stop rolling in. And the Indian Councils can't have that.<br><br>That entire system needs a complete overhaul.  That complete overhaul will never happen.  Indian Country will continue to stagnate because keeping the federal money rolling in (and keeping 'real' Amerindians on the reservation and in abject poverty) is more important than an improvement.   That situation is part of the reason why I continue to be mystified over the reparations for African-Americans issue.  Is it because everyone else has gotten paid, and blacks should be paid, too? or something else.  I firmly believe a check from the government is not going to solve Black America's problems.  Social and cultural change will.  You can't buy that, at least you can't buy the positive version of that.  It has to come from the soul and the heart.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:31:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "735a3659b98d4c0e40e78d40d7ee34da", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079951, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079714": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "That seems to be his favorite line nowadays.  What are you going to do? Vote for McCain? Just late last night BO changed his position on off shore drilling.  He's wavered on Iraq (though he had to backtrack on that one); he's called for an escalation into Afghanistan (war with no end in sight), All of the sudden he's against any type of gun restriction, he flip-flopped on FISA......And what can we do? Vote for McCain? <br><br>I'm all for getting BO elected. However, the moment he becomes POTU, we'll going to hold the fire near his feet.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_09:50:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 9, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079658, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087643": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Truth,<br><br>\"If you owe a debt and the person dies, you still owe to their estate, their descendants. As for checking backgrounds, it's fairly easy to tell who's a non-imigrant African American from census data, etc; it's done in Canada for First Nations people.\"<br><br>Well put.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_18:44:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "kenyaw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1086000, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081767": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Back at you....", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:34:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081504, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083306": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>Regular, everyday black folks (Drylongso) who are jamming Obama should not be seen as traitors or instigators. They are as much a part of us as he is a part of us.</i><br><br>::<br><br>PT,<br><br>I don't use the word traitor when it comes to stuff like this, but that doesn't mean there are no instigators among them. <br><br>And while I certainly don't expect all Black folk to get behind Barack, I don't admire those who find it necessary to undermine him.<br><br>Criticism is one thing. Sabotaging his candidacy is quite another.<br><br>My question was not rhetorical. I wanna know why the CBC hasn't pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome, if it's something so important that many of its members now want to lamblast Barack for being skeptical about their effectiveness.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:27:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 8, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082924, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080747": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you TRW.  Deeds over words that is me too.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:11:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079950, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080627": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Racism", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:48:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080430, "depth": 10, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080733": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO.  Thank you Craig.  I agree 100% with your words.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:09:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080432, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082292": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yes, particularly neo-con trolls who come on sites like this to raise folk dander.<br><br>As my M'Dear used to say, God rest her soul, \"it's not what you are called, it's what you answer to.\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_18:23:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081882, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083831": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<blockquote><b>He should have asked that guy( who heckeled him) if he had a damn job !</b></blockquote>Well, they had one that day courtesy of the neo-cons.  Yesterday they were day laborers for McCentury.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:32:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082913, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081785": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Amen heartandflowers...AMEN.<br><br>However I will never forgive you for the outbursts of laughter I'll be having at work and anywhere else, everytime I think of \"selling out their constituents for chicken and champale\"....................ROFLMAO!! That is a CLASSIC!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:38:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081517, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081789": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Barack on reparations:<br><br>\"I have said in the past _ and I'll repeat again _ that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed,\" the Illinois Democrat said recently.<br><br>I think he's wrong on this. Schools and jobs are the entitlement of citizens. To suggest this is enough to repay a debt is insulting to the price paid by slaves.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:39:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 9, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085375": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Then stay home or vote for somebody else.<br><br>I don't have the problems with Barack that you do.<br><br>It's a free country. Do what you will.<br><br>It's my belief that Barack will be a better President than every one in my lifetime. I was born after 1960.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:23:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085351, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080769": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Co-signing here as well.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:13:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080770": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thanks.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:13:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "Texas_Girl_in_LA", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081163": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "AMEN!!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_14:29:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080486, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081799": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "99%:  MAJOR co-sign!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:40:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081758, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081800": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Who the hell are you calling \"Democrat voter\"?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:41:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079808, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083337": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sure, like since folks whose ancestors were slaves walk around with a sign on their foreheads...  And the ones without have been able to skate on thru....  <br>Other than &lt;&lt; Slavery is a debt that America will NEVER be able to fully repay&gt;&gt;  and the closely related comments...    YOUR WHOLE POST IS SUSPECT!    What the hell are  you talking about?     <br><br>Obama is not one of 'us' but prior to that foolish statement, you chastise  \"us\" for not caring about AIDS in Africa?    Given your definitions and logic,  don't count me as one of your \"us\"  either.    I don't need the pressure.   <br><br>As for the horrific things that are happening on the continent, that is a whole different subject.   In order to help others, one must be capable of helping oneself.   You know, like on the airplane, when they tell you to grab your oxygen first, THEN hook up the children.   <br><br>And if you have never visited Africa, particular west Africa, you might want to.   If, after you return, you don't view as the 'real' motherland, you are hopelessly lost...   <br><br>From a paleoanthropological view, Africa is the MOTHER OF CIVILIZATION.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_22:33:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "isonprize", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082072, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081882": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Don't Repubs compulsively say \"Democrat\" as opposed to \"Democratic\"?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:56:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081866, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080782": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "the stuttering is when he is pissed off and tries to hold on to control.  Barack did very well in his response.  I would have told them to go ***** themselves.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:15:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079418, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1087951": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Me 2!  :&gt;)<br><br>All EXCEPT for the year of birth part!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  Waaaaaaaay B4 1960!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_19:55:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085375, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081808": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Just shaking my head...debate is fine, questioning Obama's stand on some issues is fine but nitpicking his most excellent response to the paid hecklers makes me sad.<br><br>\"Stuttering?\"  Huh.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:42:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1084882": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>\"Arab slave trade did not take place in America, idiot.\"</i> I never said that it did. However, the Arab-Islam slave trade had been going on for <b>EIGHT Centuries</b> before Columbus discovered the Americas, and it was mostly Arab Muslims and African Muslims who later sold slaves to the Americas (Brazil in particular) and to Europe. <br><br><i>\"The states exsisted New York, Virginia, etc. were around long before the US and they owned slaves.\"</i> Looks like you may have a reading problem, huh. Well, you have at least mastered the word \"idiot.\" The US had slavery for about 82-89 years...during those years, the US fought two wars for freedom: 1) War of Independence - 1775-1783. 2) Civil War - 1861-1865. <br><br><i>\"Stop playing semantics idiot.\"</i> Do you know what the words \"colonial\" and \"colony\" mean?", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_08:20:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1084090, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083811": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Right on, <b>caligirl</b>.<br><br>Anyway, the American Indians should get first dibs on any reparations starting with getting their land returned to them.  <br><br><blockquote><b>we have seriously pressing issues in this country right now.</b></blockquote>The main issue being WE AIN'T GOT NO MONEY!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:27:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083107, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080788": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "To Christian Progressive Liberal - i am not going to flame you because you are entitled to your opinion.  My response though is -- bullshit.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:17:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079254": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I don't think legitimate criticism of Senator Obama is off limits. The problem I had with the hecklers at yesterday's town hall was that they went in there sign waving and \"guns\" blazing to confront him about his record, without knowing his record. Senator Obama is no the only \"Black leader\" out there, and while he's the only one to ever get this close to the presidency, we should all understand and respect the fact that he's really not that far to the left. He's not going to come out like Al and Jesse on issues. He responds, just not necessarily in the way we want, but he's always consistent. <br><br><br>I watched the town hall live on CNN and saw the hecklers, they were being very rude and disruptive, Obama was very respectful of them, but they continued to cause a ruckus. Had it been John McCain, those hecklers would have been arrested, and they damn sure wouldn't have been able to ask their question and get an answer. There's a way to go about doing things, and what those guys did was just classless and rude. It was a total publicity stunt to get their names out there, they didn't actually care about Obama's positions. <br><br>Also, Black people need to get over \"reparations.\" Obama said something about reparations that I agree with and have said myself for years, I don't think the government should give Blacks reparations in the form of a huge check (or the \"40 acres and a mule\"), I want reparations in the form of fixing our education system so our youth can compete with other nationalities. There is no way for the government to give \"reparations\" to the descendants of slaves because there's no way to know which Black people in America actually ARE descendants of slaves. <br><br>As far as the apology goes, it's a nice gesture, but it's not going to change anything as far as the gaps in America go. I'd rather Congress spend its time figuring out how to offer us relief from the gas prices, some affordable health care, and a way to pay for school that won't result in what amounts to two house payments upon graduation.<br><br>Not all Black people are in line with the \"Black Diaspora\", in fact, I think a lot more of us are actually in line with Obama's positions. Both of my parents are Black, and I've lived in America all my life, and I largely agree with Obama's positions on issues relating to the Black Community. <br><br>And finally, let me ask you this. While I too have my concerns about Obama's campaign at this point with regard to African American outreach (they seem to think all they have to do is get us registered and we'll all vote for him, which is admittedly a pretty safe assumption), do you HONESTLY think John McCain would do ANYTHING to really help the African American community? He didn't do anything for us while he was in Congress, so what makes you think he'd do something for us as President?<br><br>So should Obama get a pass? No. But we shouldn't be handicapping the best option we have in this election either for dumb pride.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_07:41:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Muzikal203", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 3, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083866": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I sort of compare it to building my own little news network.  if you type in google reader you will find the opening page to google reader. once there and you set up an acct so to speak- if you find a blog of interest, then you click add subscription and paste in the url for the site.  You can assign the blog to a category. Then when that site has a new post, it will show up in your reader.  <br><br>For example, I have a category called Black Folk [I know I am bursting with creativity] I subscribe to hundreds of African American blogs.  So when I log in, I can scan the whole category or I can just look at say all of the posts from JJP.  If I see a headline of interst, I click on it and read it in expanded view or click further and go to the website.  I also have categories such as News [where I dumb all my election related sites outside of the blackblogsphere], Dallas TX related sites, design, gardening, financial, fashion, photography, etc. <br><br>Finally, your more tech savy sites, such as JJP have a subscription button [look in the right corner] when you click on it, you will see readers such as google, pageflake, etc.  they are all supported by feedburner I believe, it is simply a matter of choice as to which reader you choose. Once you choose your reader, you again have a choice of assigning it to category.<br><br>I forgot to mention if you look at the headlines and decide - dont want to read any of them, just choose mark all read.  I sub to way too many so occassionally when I allow work, friends, etc --- otherwise known as life --- to interfer then I just mark everything as read and start over.<br><br>I am in no way a tech writer so that is the best I can do - hopefully someone will clear things up a bit.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:43:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083752, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079259": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What was arrogant about his answer? I think his tone was a direct reflection of the tone of the people who interrupted his speech and asked that question later in the Q&A. They were wrong and out of line. I have no problem with questioning Obama, but if you are going to confront him about his record or his stance on something (and it was a confrontation, it wasn't merely \"information gathering\" at least KNOW his positions).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_07:43:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "Muzikal203", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 16, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079252, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080797": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "and there you have it kai", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_13:19:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079619, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081822": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<blockquote><b>\"selling out their constituents for chicken and champale\"</b></blockquote>Eh hee!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_16:45:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "99PercentSure", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081517, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079776": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually he has said the exact same thing to all of his supporters.  When he was responding to his critics about the whole FISA issue, in his letter to his supporters, he explicitly said (and I paraphrase) \"that I realize that some may not accept my justification for my vote, and that will mean that you won't vote for me.  And that's okay.  But what I have said repeatedly is that I think we have more in common than we don't.\"  etc, etc.  He has said the same thing to pro-lifers.  That he realizes they don't agree with his views on abortion, and that may mean they vote for someone else.  So to bring up the fact he wouldn't have said the same thing to other groups is a straw man argument, because he has.  <br><br>And when has he said that Blacks don't deserve his consideration?  If he really felt that way, did why did he respond to them at all?  And when he was trying to respond, they were still yelling at him instead of listening, which was disrespectful, since he listened and quieted the whole crowd so that they could say their piece.  So i am not seeing how his response demonstrated that he doesn't think Blacks deserve his consideration.  <br><br>And I agree, everyone has a right to address their concerns, but if you are going to use a stunt to disrupt a town hall meeting to get attention, why shouldn't you also be taken to task for not being informed?  Because if they had, they would have realized that BHO has spoken about all of the issues that they mentioned.  But as he said, it might not be in a way they would have liked or they might not agree with his perspective.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:01:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079658, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079778": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Miranda:   Co-signing!!!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:01:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079450, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1086971": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>I say that because we know what we're getting with McCain or any other Republican out there. But with Barack? What are we getting? I know he says one thing (and says them with eloquence), but what about his positions? That's what's scaring me.</i><br><br>Who sent you?<br><br>Because you just showed your hand.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_16:21:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085330, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079781": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "So you're suggesting that the slaves George Washington had before the Revolutionary War should be discounted because he had them before America was a country? I'm having a hard time following.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:02:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "ad542cf2c65831a9613ac42cca4c9845", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 13, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079620, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079782": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sepia:  Co-signing!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:02:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079374, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082855": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "There are two things currently going occurring w/ regard to the Obama campaign. The first has to do w/ the fact that the Obama campaign has put African Americans as a whole coming to grip w/ a range of issues on a grander scale than we even imagine in beauty/barber shop. The second is a sense that Obama is acting like a punk in not responding to McCain's racist attacks. Or if he is it appears he is caving to McCain's other points(offshore drilling) as if this will stop the racist attacks.<br><br>Most of us are not and often have little contact w/ the likes of Ken Chenault of American Express,  John Rogers of Ariel Capital,  in the financial field; Colin Powell, Brigadier General Clifford L Stanley, Lt Gen Lloyd Austin III, number two in Iraq; Clarence Otis of Darden restaurants, Arthur Harper @ GE Equipment services, et al. These men and women(yes I know I didn't cite any) converse w/ the world and Americas role in it everyday. They see and assess threats to their country, their company, their job and their families. They have that hoity toity conversations about the price of tea in China, steel in India, soybeans in Brazil, AIDS in Mozambique, palm oil futures in Malaysia and the Baltic freight Index prices for dry or wet goods overseas. At home they discuss marketing plans for Cedar Rapids, Iowa and  Boise, Idaho, voting patterns in West Texas vs Eastern New Mexico, the effects of illegal immigration on housing costs in Reston VA, whether or not the Post Office should be nationalized and turned over to UPS and drop out rates in East LA vs the Bronx NY and why don't African Americans purchase Whole Life Insurance?<br>And now because of Barack Obama  the vast majority of us  are seeing how convoluted, confusing and Machiavellian politics on this level really is not just what we have thought in our wildest imaginations. It is not just our community's interest but every community and sub community(think pro reparations vs no reparations, affirmative action vs no affirmative action)interest demanding to be heard. That demand to be heard can be for no other reason than to act out so as to be noticed.<br>So everybody strap yourself in, learn as much as you think you can absorb about American Presidential politics and then reach for more.<br>As to Obama being a punk. After the defeat of the Clinton's and their pyscho/sociopathic desire to regain Presidential  power, many of us thought we had seen the end of racial slime tactics given McCain's background. Well it ain't so. Unlike in the Democratic Party primaries where there were people within the party willing to call it what it was(and no enough of them did not call it soon enough) this time it he cannot be brush it off of his shoulders as though it was merely an inconvience. So it rankles that Barack Obama keeps ignoring these hits and not fighting back.<br>My suggestion is how Barack Obama  can remind John McCain of how he has been on the end of racial politics, how he can end that as a theme in this election now, how craven John McCain is for using them and at the same time diminish his attributes as a protector of the nation. <br>During the 2000 Republican Primaries John McCain had the lead in the polls going into the South Carolina primary. A series of fliers and phone calls began appearing all over the state. They accused John McCain of having an illegitimate \"nigger\" bastard child with a black crack whore. These were shots at his adopted Bangladesh daughter(she was originally sponsored for a surgery she could not receive  in Bangladesh and adopted after the successful surgery) and his current wife whom had an addiction to pills at the time. John McCain seethed but said nothing. He later admitted to excepting the current presidents apology for those actions.<br>A simple speech might go like this:<br>John do you remember the South Carolina primaries of 2000? Do you remember how your daughter was called names I can not use in public? Your own daughter whom you extended an act of love that must of us have not. The daughter you adopted into your own family out of love.Do you remember how viscously Cindy McCain was attacked by another addict for her addiction? Do you remember how you said so little publicly to defend your own family? <br>Now John you claim to be the best one to defend the country. How can that be when you are not even prepared to defend your daughter and your wife? How can you protect the nation from hatred and evil when you do not recognize it being used against your own family?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_20:34:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "RobM", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1082097": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TRW:  Co-signing.  Rant on!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br><br>The last 7.5 years should give CAUSE for the formation of the \"Rant - in Choir\"!!  And the last half of the concert should be devoted to performing an \"Ode To the C-O-N-F-U-S-E-D One\"    - - - \"MCANCIENT\"!<br><br>Let the music begin  - maestro!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_17:41:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080177, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085417": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Amen.  I actually began the primary season with one thought: ANYBODY BUT HILLARY.  Then, the second litmus test I had was: Who voted for the war? That disqualified Biden, Dodd, and Edwards right off the bat.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:32:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1081683, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080231": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "CPL -<br><br>Good post! Black folks should not let their aspirational desires prevent them from thinking critically about politics and public policy issues.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:32:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085437": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What \"previous positions\" are you referring too? Who decided these positions? Are these some types of formal positions or some kind of intangible thing?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_10:35:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1085330, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083888": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Aspirational desires aside, Obama remains a far better candidate than McCain.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:47:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1082924, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079795": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Muzika1203:  Co-signing!!    :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>And adding:   \"mcancient\"  -  \" WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY???\"<br>[and this is an \"old school\" song -Janet  J. :&gt;)  ]  But this question doesn't seem to make it to the press as much.   The vet [with all due respect and appreciation], doesn't seem to be undergoing any VETTING!!!   Hmmmmmm???<br><br>Whew!!! and curious Deep Breaths!!!! :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:04:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079254, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1081332": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Val:  ABSOLUTELY!!  :&gt;)  He's try to decide how BEST/WHAT TONE, etc, to use - of the myriad of choices that his brain considers in such a short amount of time!!  <br>Think about it.  I recall taking my children [no reference to the \"gentlemen\"] to the store and they tried \"show out\" on me by trying to throw that TANTRUM which I had just told them they \"better not do!!  Some very QUICK response strategies flooded my mind, among which were:  (1.)  promise them \"time out\" when they got home; (2) tell them that I'm going to \"tell Daddy\"; (3) say the, what I thought was the \"magic bullet\" - \"look how everyone is looking at you\" or (4) Whip that butt until someone called 911!!  This is a lot to think about in a short amount of time!<br>So what did I do?  The \"politically correct\" thing - gently but firmly, and with soothing words and a smile picked them up and took them to the ladies room.  Then -used #(4)<br><br>I belie'e that Mr. Obama used a variation of #(4) -gently, but firmly answered the questions.  But, I am so sure that the full #(4) came to his mind!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_15:03:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080782, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080474": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "No you didn't miss a vote, this is just some knee-grow \"weapons of mass distraction\" bull.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_12:12:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "c22bbad359677d681692848d5775fd8b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080390, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1080314": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "kai:  co-signing!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_11:44:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079619, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1083899": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Black folks can keep screaming about issues related to them and them only, but until they're the majority - the shit just aint happening.  The CBC knows it too, they just don't tell their constituents that.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_00:51:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "msmartin", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1083589, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1079805": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I wholeheartedly agree!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-02_10:06:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1079254, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1089022": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Monica,<br><br>We\u2019re talking 82-89 years of slavery, and two Wars that combined for 12 years during that time (both fought for freedom). <br><br>1) 1776 \u2013 Declaration of Independence. <br>2) 1775 to 1783 - War of Independence (NOTE: 8 years of War, but 7 years if at 1776. <i><b>\u201cMore than 20,000 black soldiers fought on the British side\u201d</b></i>). <br>3) 1783 - Treaty of Paris.  <br>4) 1861 to 1865 -Civil War (NOTE: 4 years of War).<br><br>Where is the need or reason for reparations?!? There is none. Sorry, but you statement \u2013 <i>\u201ceven one day after independence from England\u201d</i> is preposterous.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_23:04:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1088758, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "1085951": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "PT Cruiser:<br><br>That is ALL I was trying to say.  My real fear is what will people say when Obama doesn't do what they expect?  I always hear the \"tearing another Black person down\" comments, but big cheers for going after the Congressional Black Caucus for legislative performance.<br><br>Am I being asked to adhere to a double standard regarding Obama?  Because if people read posts like this one:<br><a href=\"http://getridofthedlc.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://getridofthedlc.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_a...</a><br><br>I refuse to be painted into a corner.  I like having freedom of expression.  Thanks for your comments.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-03_12:35:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "189cfefdc1b6f99ecf3ea93859ec6c73", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 1080231, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}}, "integration": {"receiver_url": "", "theme": 4, "reply_position": true, "disqus_logo": false}, "timer": {"timer_url": "http://localhost:8005", "thread_id": "2389447", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "21630", "hash": 7295625711877441510}, "thread": {"days_alive": 0, "slug": "this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10", "paginate": false, "num_pages": 1, "num_posts": 242, "per_page": 0, "total_posts": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 2389447, "queued": false}, "reactions_limit": 10, "context": {"show_reply": true, "use_fb_connect": true, "forum_facebook_key": "bd6a8bc56f8eb204984f34b6fefe228d", "use_yahoo": false, "subscribed": false, "use_twitter_signin": true, "use_openid": false, "realtime_speed": 5000}, "reactions_start": 0, "settings": {"debug": false, "disqus_url": "http://disqus.com", "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"}, "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"};
	/* */ this.jsonData.cookie_messages = {"user_created": null, "post_has_profile": null, "post_twitter": null, "post_not_approved": null}; this.jsonData.session = {"url": null, "name": null, "email": null}; /* */

	
	this.curPageId = 'dsq-comments';

	this.frames = {};
};

var disqus_popup_reference = null;

if(typeof DsqLocal == 'undefined') {
	DsqLocal = {};
}



/**
 * Dsq.Strings: UI strings
 */
Dsq.Strings = new function() {
	this.ADD_NEW_COMMENT = "Add New Comment";
	this.LOG_INTO_DISQUS = "Log into DISQUS";
	this.USE_MEDIA = "Use Media";
	this.LOGOUT = "Logout";
	this.SHARING_OPTIONS = "Sharing options";
	this.SHARE_ON = "Share on";
	this.TWEET_THIS_COMMENT = "Tweet this comment";
	this.SHARE_ON_NEWSFEED = "Share on news feed";
	this.SEND_UPDATE_TO_YAHOO = "Send update to Yahoo!";
	this.REBLOG_ON = "Reblog on";
	this.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS = "Configure options";
	this.POST_AS = "Post as";
	this.SORT_BY = "Sort by";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe by email";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS = "Subscribe by RSS";
	this.POPULAR_NOW = "Popular now";
	this.BEST_RATING = "Best Rating";
	this.NEWEST_FIRST = "Newest first";
	this.OLDEST_FIRST = "Oldest first";
	this.HIGHLIGHTED = "Highlighted";
	this.UNSUBSCRIBE = "Unsubscribe";
	this.REQUIRED = "Required";
	this.OPTIONAL = "Optional";
	this.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A = "You are commenting as a";
	this.LOGIN_BELOW = "Login below";
	this.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT = "Please login below to comment.";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe to all comments by email";
	this.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS = "Do not subscribe to comments";
	this.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS = "Real-time updating is";
	this.ENABLED = "enabled";
	this.PAUSED = "paused";
	this.PAUSE = "Pause";
	this.RESUME = "Resume";
	this.SHOW = "Show";
	this.JUST_NOW = "Just now";
	this.REPLY = "Reply";
	this.EDIT = "Edit";
	this.FLAG = "Flag";
	this.MODERATE = "Moderate";
	this.CANCEL = "Cancel";
	this.REPLYING_TO = "Replying to";
	this.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS = "Report missing reactions";
	this.POST_A_COMMENT = "Post a comment";
	this.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT = "Flag inappropriate comment";
	this.FLAGGED = "Flagged";
	this.NO = "No";
	this.YES = "Yes";
	this.NEVER_MIND = "Never mind";
	this.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR = "Are you sure you would like to report this comment to a moderator";
	this.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION = "This will flag comments for moderators to take action";
	this.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN = "To rate, please log in";
	this.JUST_A_MOMENT = "Just a moment...";
	this.GUEST = "Guest";
	this.NAME = "Name";
	this.EMAIL = "Email";
  this.WEBSITE = "Website";
  this.SETTINGS = "Settings";
  this.MODERATOR_OPTIONS = "Moderator options: ";
};
// Dsq.Strings

/**
 * Dsq.FmtStrings: functions that return interpolated UI strings
 */
Dsq.FmtStrings = new function() {
	// Seems we have to use named interpolation for Django to translate. Investigate more.
	this.LOGGED_IN_AS = function(username) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logged in as %(username)s', {username:username});
	};

	this.LOGOUT_FROM = function(disqus) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logout from %(disqus)s', {disqus:disqus});
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL = function(total, num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comment", {num:num, total:total});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comments", {num:num, total:total});
		}
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION = function(num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comment", {num:num});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comments", {num:num});
		}
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s comment'
				: '%(num)s comments'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_LIKES = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s like'
				: '%(num)s likes'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_POINTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s point'
				: '%(num)s points'
			), {num:num});
	};
};
// Dsq.FmtStrings





Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN = '3a1994e3330279e78957da82fb64f754';
Dsq.COMMENTS_RE = /(<li.*?id="?dsq-comment-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/li>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_RE = /(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-header-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/div>)\s*(<div.*?class="?dsq-comment-body"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_BODY_RE = /\s*(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-message-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
// HACK: Safari ends with "-->" while other browsers end with "--&gt;" as expected.
Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE = /&lt;!--\[(.*?)\]--(?:>|&gt;)/gim;



var FragmentPacket = function(reader, writer, writer_url, is_child, receiveCallback) {
	var that = this;
	this.reader = reader;
	this.writer = writer;
	this.writer_url = writer_url;

	this.is_child = is_child || false;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;

	this._lastHash = null;

	this._accumMsg = '';

	this._lastSeqno = 0;

	this.MAX_DATA_LEN	= 1024;

	this.WAIT_TIME		= 10;

	this.READY		= 0x1;
	this.WRITING	= 0x2;
	this.FIN		= 0x4;
	this.ACK		= 0x8;

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;
	var listener = function() {
		that.recv();
	};
	return window.setInterval(listener, 10);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.log = function(msg) {



};

FragmentPacket.prototype.recv = function() {
	var hash;
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {

		hash = this.reader.name;
	} else {

		var hashIndex = this.reader.location.href.indexOf('#');
		if (hashIndex == -1) {
			return;
		}
		hash = this.reader.location.href.substring(hashIndex+1);
	}
	var flags = parseInt(hash.substring(0, 4), 10);
	var seqno = parseInt(hash.substring(4, 24), 10);
	var data  = hash.substring(24);

	if (this._lastHash !== hash) {
		this._lastHash = hash;
		this.log('recv: ' + hash);

		this.log(' flags: ' + flags);
		this.log(' seqno: ' + seqno + ' len: ' + hash.substring(4, 24).length + ' (' + hash.substring(4, 24) + ')');
		this.log(' data: ' + data + ' len: ' + data.length);

		this._lastSeqno = seqno;

		if (flags & this.WRITING) {
			this._accumMsg += data;
			this.sendFlag(this.ACK, seqno);
			if (flags & this.FIN) {
				this.log('recv finished: ' + decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));
				this.receiveCallback(decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));

				this._accumMsg = '';

				this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
			}
		}
	}

	return {
		flags: flags,
		seqno: seqno,
		data: data
	};
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendRawPacket = function(packet) {
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
		this.writer.name = packet;
	} else {

		this.writer.location.href = this.writer_url + '#' + packet;
	}

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendFlag = function(flag, seqno) {
	this.sendRawPacket(this._zerofill(flag, 4) + this._zerofill(seqno, 20));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {
	this._send(0, encodeURIComponent(msg));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._send = function(packetNum, msg) {
	var that = this;
	var recvBuf = this.recv();

	if (packetNum === 0) {

		if (!(recvBuf.flags & this.READY)) {
			this.log('client is not ready, waiting...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		}
	} else {

		if (!( (recvBuf.flags & this.ACK) && (recvBuf.seqno === this._lastSeqno) )) {
			this.log('waiting for ack from client...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		} else {
			this.log('received ack: ' + this._lastSeqno + ' ' + recvBuf.seqno);
		}
	}

	var flags = this.WRITING;
	var num_packets = Math.ceil(msg.length / this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	this.log('num_packets: ' + num_packets);

	if (num_packets === packetNum) {

		this.log('message successfully sent!');
		this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
		return true;
	}

	this._lastSeqno++;

	if (packetNum == num_packets-1) {
		flags |= this.FIN;
	}

	var data = msg.substring(packetNum * this.MAX_DATA_LEN, (packetNum+1) * this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	var packet = this._zerofill(flags, 4) + this._zerofill(this._lastSeqno, 20) + data;

	this.log('sending raw packet: ' + packet);
	this.sendRawPacket(packet);

	return this._send(packetNum + 1, msg);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._zerofill = function(num, width) {
	var retval = num.toString();
	var retval_len = retval.length;
	for (var i = 0; i < width - retval_len; i++) {
		retval = '0' + retval;
	}
	return retval;
};

var PostMessagePacket = function(receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId) {
	var that = this;
	this.receiver = receiver;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;
	this.id = id;


	this.receiverId = receiverId;
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;

	var listener = function(e) {

		if (!that.id) {
			that.id = e.data;
			return;
		}


		var id = e.data.split(';')[0];
		if (id !== that.id) {
			return;
		}
		var data = e.data.substring(e.data.indexOf(';') + 1);

		that.receiveCallback(data);
	};

	if (typeof window.attachEvent == 'function') {
		window.attachEvent('onmessage', listener);
	} else if (typeof window.addEventListener == 'function') {
		window.addEventListener('message', listener, false);
	} else {
		throw new Error('No method found to create event listener for PostMessagePacket.');
	}
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {



	var needs_reget = false;
	try {
		if (typeof this.receiver.id == 'undefined' || typeof this.receiver.postMessage == 'undefined') {
			needs_reget = true;
		}
	} catch(e) {


	}
	if (needs_reget && typeof this.receiverId != 'undefined') {
		this.receiver = document.getElementById(this.receiverId).contentWindow;
	}

	var packet;
	if (!msg) {

		packet = this.id;
	} else {
		packet = this.id + ';' + msg;
	}
	this.receiver.postMessage(packet, '*');
};

PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = null;
PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id = function() {
	var id = (new Date()).getTime();
	if (id == PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id) {
		id++;
	}
	PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = id;
	return id.toString();
};

var JsonRpc = function() {

	this.ids = {};

	this.objectToJSON = function(obj) {
		var json = '';
		var results = [];

		if (obj === undefined || obj === null) {
			return 'null';
		}

		switch (obj.constructor) {
			case Object:
				for (var property in obj) {
					if (obj.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
						results.push(this.objectToJSON(property) + ': ' + this.objectToJSON(obj[property]));
					}
				}
				json = '{' + results.join(', ') + '}';
				break;
			case Array:
				for (var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
					results.push(this.objectToJSON(obj[i]));
				}
				json = '[' + results.join(', ') + ']';
				break;
			case Number:
			case Boolean:
				json = obj.toString();
				break;
			case String:

				var specialChars = {'\b': '\\b', '\t': '\\t', '\n': '\\n', '\f': '\\f', '\r': '\\r', '\\': '\\\\'};

				json = obj.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\\]/g, function(match) {
					var ch = specialChars[match];
					return ch ? ch : '\\u00' + match.charCodeAt().toPaddedString(2, 16);
				});

				json = '"' + json.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
				break;
			default:

				json = 'null';
				break;
		}

		return json;
	};

	this.createHandler = function(send_func, registered_funcs) {
		var that = this;
		var handler = function(message) {

			try {
				var rpc = eval('(' + message + ')');
			} catch(e) {
				alert('bad JSON: ' + message);
				return;
			}
			if (rpc.method) {

				if (!registered_funcs[rpc.method]) {
					return;
				}

				var retval = registered_funcs[rpc.method].apply(null, rpc.params);
				if (rpc.id) {
					var response = {
						result: retval,
						error: null,	// TODO
						id: rpc.id
					};
					send_func(that.objectToJSON(response));
				}
			} else if(rpc.result) {

				if (!that.ids[rpc.id]) {
					return;
				}

				that.ids[rpc.id](rpc.result);
				delete that.ids[rpc.id];
			}
		};
		return handler;
	};

	this.execute = function(send_func, method, params, response_callback) {
		response_callback = response_callback || null;
		var id = (response_callback) ? (new Date()).getTime() : null;

		var request = {
			method: method,
			params: params,
			id: id
		};

		send_func(this.objectToJSON(request));

		if (id) {
			this.ids[id] = response_callback;
		}
	};
};
JsonRpc = new JsonRpc();

var ParentMessenger = function(childUrl, receiverUrl, container, receiveCallback) {


	if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') >= 0 && parseInt(navigator.userAgent.substring(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Version/') + 8), 10) == 3) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	} else if (window.opera) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}



	if (!receiverUrl &&
		navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Gecko') >= 0 &&
		parseFloat(navigator.userAgent.slice(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 3, navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 6)) < 1.9) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}


	if (/msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {


		if (document.domain == window.location.hostname) {
			receiverUrl = '';
		}
	}

	var that = this;
	this.childUrl = childUrl;
	this.receiverUrl = receiverUrl;
	this.container = container || document.body;

	this.packetHandler = null;


	this._ready = false;
	this._error = false;


	var _createReceiverForFragmentPacket = function() {

		that.receiver = document.createElement('iframe');
		that.receiver.src = receiverUrl;
		that.receiver.id = 'receiver_' + (new Date()).getTime();
		that.receiver.name = that.receiver.id;

		that.receiver.frameBorder = '0';
		that.receiver.frameSpacing = '0';
		that.receiver.style.borderStyle = 'none';

		var receiver_onload = function() {
			var receiver = document.getElementById(that.receiver.id).contentWindow;

			try {
				receiver.document.body.innerHTML = '';
			} catch(e) {

				that._error = true;
			}
			receiver.document.body.style.padding = '0px';
			receiver.document.body.style.margin = '0px';

			var child = receiver.document.createElement('iframe');
			child.id = 'child';
			child.name = 'child';
			child.src = that.childUrl;

			child.frameBorder = '0';
			child.frameSpacing = '0';
			child.style.borderStyle = 'none';
			child.style.width = '100%';
			child.style.height = '100%';
			receiver.document.body.appendChild(child);

			that.child = receiver.document.getElementById('child').contentWindow;
			that.receiver = receiver;

			that.packetHandler = new FragmentPacket(that.receiver, that.child, that.childUrl, false, receiveCallback);

			that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();

			that.packetHandler.sendFlag(that.packetHandler.READY, 0);

			that._ready = true;
		};

		that.receiver.onreadystatechange = function() {
			if (this.readyState == 'complete') {
				receiver_onload();
			}
		};

		that.receiver.onload = receiver_onload;







		if (Dsq.Utils.ie) {
			if (that.container.clientWidth === 0) {

				var _waitForWidth = function() {
					if (that.container.clientWidth > 0) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					} else {
						window.setTimeout(_waitForWidth, 100);
					}
				};
				_waitForWidth();

				that._once = false;
				that.receiver.onresize = function() {
					if (!that._once) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					}
					that._once = true;
				};
			}
		}

		that.container.appendChild(that.receiver);
	};


	var _createReceiverForPostMessage = function() {

		var receiver_onload = function() {

			that.packetHandler.send();
			that._ready = true;
		};

		var id = PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id();
		var receiverId = 'child_' + id;


		ParentMessenger['_receiver_onload_' + receiverId] = receiver_onload;

		that.container.innerHTML += '<iframe ' +
			'src="' + childUrl + '" ' +
			'id="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'name="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'onload="ParentMessenger._receiver_onload_' + receiverId +'();" ' +
			'></iframe>';

		that.receiver = document.getElementById(receiverId).contentWindow;
		that.packetHandler = new PostMessagePacket(that.receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId);
		that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();
	};

	if (typeof window.postMessage == 'function') {
		_createReceiverForPostMessage();
	} else {
		_createReceiverForFragmentPacket();
	}

};

ParentMessenger.prototype.sendMessage = function(message) {
	var that = this;
	if (!this._ready) {

		window.setTimeout(function() { that.sendMessage(message); }, 10);
		return;
	}
	this.packetHandler.send(message);
	return true;
};

Dsq.NewFrames = function(url) {
	this.url = url;
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype.init = function(onFailure) {
	var that = this;

	try {
		this.messenger = new ParentMessenger(this.url, Dsq.jsonData.integration.receiver_url, this.container, this.receive_callback);
	} catch(e) {
		if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
			onFailure();
		}
	}

	if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
		var iId = window.setInterval(function() {
			if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				return;
			}
			if (that.messenger._ready) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
			} else if (that.messenger._error) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				onFailure();
			}
		}, 10);
	}
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype._execute = function(method, args, callback) {
	var that = this;
	if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
		return false;
	}
	JsonRpc.execute(
		function(msg) { that.messenger.sendMessage(msg); },
		method,
		args || [],
		callback);
	return true;
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame = function(container, parent_post_id) {
	var that = this;
	this.container = container;
	this.parent_post_id = parent_post_id;

	var sendFunc = function(msg) {

		Dsq.Debug.log('Dsq.ReplyFrame.sendFunc');
		that.messenger.sendMessage(msg);
	};


	var postComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		Dsq.jsonData.posts[response.message.id] = response.message.post_meta;
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key]) {
			Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key] = response.message.user_meta;
		}


		var reply_position = (typeof(disqus_insert_wrt_sort) == 'undefined' 
			? (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reply_position ? -1 : null) 
			: (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? null : -1));
		
		if (response.message.post_meta.approved) {
			Dsq.Post.insert(response.message.post_meta.parent_post_id || reply_position, response.message.id, response.message.post_meta.message);
		}

		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var postComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(response.message, 'Error');
		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onFailure(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var editComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);
		
		message.innerHTML = response.message;
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
	
	var editComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('Sorry, there was an error editing this comment.', 'Edit Error');
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	var getUserByEmail_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var msg = response.message;
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(parent_post_id);

		if (msg.username) {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'login', {
				'username': msg.username,
				'display_name': msg.display_name,
				'avatar_url': msg.avatar_url,
				'verified': msg.verified,
				'email': fields.email.value
			});
		} else {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'register');
		}
	};

	var validateAuth_onSuccess = function(response, auth_choice) {
		Dsq.Templates.postComment(parent_post_id, null, true, auth_choice);
	};

	var validateAuth_onFailure = function(response, auth_choice) {
		var pid = parent_post_id ? '-' + parent_post_id : '';
		var msg = response.message;

		if (auth_choice == 'register') {
			var fields = ['email', 'username', 'password'];

			for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
				var field = fields[i];
				var errorDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-' + field + '-errors' + pid);

				if (msg[field]) {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = msg[field];
				} else {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = '';
				}
			}
		} else if (auth_choice == 'login') {
			Dsq.$('dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid).innerHTML = '<p>We couldn\'t log you in. Please verify your login.</p>';
		}
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.receive_callback = JsonRpc.createHandler(sendFunc, {
		'postComment.onSuccess': postComment_onSuccess,
		'postComment.onFailure': postComment_onFailure,
		'editComment.onSuccess': editComment_onSuccess,
		'editComment.onFailure': editComment_onFailure,		
		'getUserByEmail.onSuccess': getUserByEmail_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onSuccess': validateAuth_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onFailure': validateAuth_onFailure,
		'reload': function() { window.location.reload(); }
	});

	this.url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY +
		'?' + (new Date()).getTime() +
		'&f=jackandjillpolitics' +
		'&t=this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10' +
		'&ff=' + Dsq.Thread.ff +
		'&default_text=' + disqus_default_text +
		'&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
	if (this.parent_post_id) {
		this.url += '&parent_post=' + this.parent_post_id;
	}
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype = new Dsq.NewFrames(Dsq.ReplyFrame.url);

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.post = function(author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe) {
	this._execute('postComment', [author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.edit = function(post_id, message) {
	this._execute('editComment', [post_id, message]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.setState = function(parent_post_id, depth) {
	this._execute('setState', [parent_post_id, depth]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.getUserByEmail = function(email) {
	this._execute('getUserByEmail', [email]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.validateAuth = function(auth_choice, email, username, password) {
	this._execute('validateAuth', [auth_choice, email, username, password]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.authenticateFacebook = function(session, forum_url) {
	this._execute('authenticateFacebook', [session, forum_url]);
};

	Dsq.Facebook = function() {
	var that = this;

	var handleSessionData = function(session) {

		var forum_url = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;




		if (typeof disqus_facebook_forum != 'undefined') {
			forum_url = disqus_facebook_forum;
		}
		Dsq.frames.reply_0.authenticateFacebook(session, forum_url);
	};

	var onLogin = function() {
		FB.Connect.getSignedPublicSessionData(handleSessionData);
	};

	this.login = function() {
		FB.Connect.requireSession(onLogin, true);
	};
};
Dsq.Facebook = new Dsq.Facebook();


	






Dsq.Themes = {};

Dsq.Themes.narcissus = new function() {
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-form-area';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-textarea-wrapper';



	
	this.header = function() {
		var comments_count, total_posts, num_posts;
		var html = '';
		var missing_perm_tmpl;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.missing_perm) {
			missing_perm_tmpl = Dsq.Templates.missingPermissions();
			if (missing_perm_tmpl) {
				html += '<div class="dsq-missing-permissions">' + missing_perm_tmpl + '</div>';
			}
		}

		total_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.total_posts;
		num_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_posts;

		if (total_posts) {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL(total_posts, num_posts);
		} else {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION(num_posts);
		}

		html += ' \
		<div id="dsq-comments-title"> \
			<h3>' + comments_count + '</h3> \
		</div> \
		';

		html += ' \
		<div class="dsq-options"> \
			<span class="dsq-item-sort">'
				+ Dsq.Strings.SORT_BY + ' \
				<select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);"> \
					<option value="hot" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 4 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.POPULAR_NOW + '</option> \
					<option value="best" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 3 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.BEST_RATING + '</option> \
					<option value="newest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.NEWEST_FIRST + '</option> \
					<option value="oldest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 1 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.OLDEST_FIRST + '</option> \
				</select> \
				&nbsp; \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<span id="dsq-subscribe">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.subscribed
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.UNSUBSCRIBE + '</a>'
						: '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL + '</a>')
				+ '</span> \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-rss" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png" alt="" /> \
				<a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/latest.rss">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS + '</a> \
			</span> \
		</div> \
		';

		
		

		return html;

	};
	
	this.footer = function() {
		var html = '';

		html += Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
		
			html += Dsq.Templates.realtime();
			html += Dsq.Templates.showThreadSettings();
			html += Dsq.Templates.postBox();

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		


		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) {
 			html += ' \
				<div class="dsq-global-moderator-extras">'
					+ '<strong>shortname:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url
					+ '<strong>thread id:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.id
					+ '<strong>thread slug:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.slug
				+ '</div> \
			';
		}

		return html;
	};
	
	this.realtime = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			html += '<div id="dsq-realtime-options" class="dsq-options">'
					 + Dsq.Strings.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS + ' <strong id="dsq-realtime-status" style="text-transform: lowercase">' + Dsq.Strings.ENABLED + '</strong>. \
					 <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-toggle" style="text-transform: capitalize"></a> \
					</div>';
		}

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
			html += ' \
				<div style="display: none" id="dsq-realtime-alert" class="dsq-realtime-alert"><span id="dsq-realtime-queued"></span> <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-show"></a></div> \
			';
		}
		
		return html;
	};

	this.showThreadSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '<div id="dsq-thread-settings" class="dsq-thread-settings">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATOR_OPTIONS;
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showSettings(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.SETTINGS + '</a>';
		if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled && Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.reportMissingReactions(); return false;">'
						+ Dsq.Strings.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS
						+ '</a>';
		}
		html +='</div>';

		return html;
	};

	this.postBox = function(post_id, use_fallback_iframe) {


		var html;
		var display_sharing_options = Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated;

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post) {
			return '';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.hasOwnProperty(Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain)) {
				display_sharing_options = false;
			}
		}
		
		if (post_id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];				
		}
		
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		var _requestUserInfo = function() {
			var html;



			var user_has_email = false;

			html = '<div class="dsq-request-user-info"> <!-- // If authenticated --> \
				<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT + '?ctkn=' + Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN + '" class="dsq-request-user-logout">' + Dsq.Strings.LOGOUT + '</a> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td rowspan="2">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '')
								+ '<img src="' + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR + '" width="48" height="48" class="dsq-request-user-avatar">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-name">'
								+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
									 ? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '">' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '</span>'
									 : (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_verified
											? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span>'
											: '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span>'))
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '') 
								+ Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username 
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
							+  (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && user_has_email ? ' <small>(<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.remoteAccountSettings(); return false;">change settings</a>)</small>' : '')
							+  (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <small>(<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/info/" target="_blank">change name</a> or <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/avatar/" target="_blank">picture</a>)</small>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-stats"> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count == 1 ? 'comment' : 'comments') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count == 1 ? 'like' : 'likes') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.points + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.points == 1 ? 'point' : 'points') + '</span> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		var _loginOptions = function() {
			var html;
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-authenticate"> \
				<p class="dsq-autheneticate-copy">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
					? Dsq.Strings.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A + ' <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. ' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.LOGIN_BELOW + '.'
					: Dsq.Strings.REQUIRED + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT + '.')
				+ '</p> \
				<ul class="dsq-login-buttons">'
					+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-disqus.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Facebook.login(); return false;"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-facebook.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-twitter.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL(); return false" ><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-openid.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_yahoo ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Yahoo.startYahooConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-yahoo.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
				+ '</ul> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {



				return '<div id="dsq-form-area" style="display:none"><div id="dsq-textarea-wrapper"></div></div>' + _loginOptions();
			} else {
				return '';
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<div id="' + (post_id 
			? 'dsq-reply-post-' + post_id
			: 'dsq-new-post')
		 	+ '" class="dsq-post-area"> \
			<div class="dsq-dc-logo"> \
				<a href="http://disqus.com/comments" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/disqus-logo.png"></a> \
			</div>'
			+ (post_id 
				? '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.REPLYING_TO + ' ' + userData.display_name + '</h3>'
				: '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT + '</h3>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated 
				? _requestUserInfo()
				: _loginOptions() )
			+ '<div id="dsq-form-area' + pid + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-textarea"> \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper" id="dsq-textarea-wrapper' + pid + '"></div> \
			</div>'
			+ (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated
			? ' \
			<div class="dsq-post-fields"> \
				<form action="." method="GET" onsubmit="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false); return false;"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-name' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_name ? disqus_def_name : (Dsq.jsonData.session.name ? Dsq.jsonData.session.name : Dsq.Strings.NAME + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-website' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (Dsq.jsonData.session.url ? Dsq.jsonData.session.url : Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')" class="dsq-placeholder') + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" /></div></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-email' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_email ? disqus_def_email : (Dsq.jsonData.session.email ? Dsq.jsonData.session.email : Dsq.Strings.EMAIL + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"> \
							<div class="dsq-subscribe"> \
								<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.chooseSubscribe(' + post_id + '); return false" class="dsq-subscribe-menu"><span id="dsq-subscribe-select' + pid + '">' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post ? Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL : Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS) + '</span> <small>&#9660;</small></a> \
								<ul class="dsq-panel" id="dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid + '"> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(2, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">Subscribe to all comments by email</a></li> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(0, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">Do not subscribe to comments</a></li> \
								</ul> \
								<input id="dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid + '" type="hidden" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post + '" /> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
				</form> \
			</div>'
			: '')
			+ '<div class="dsq-post-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-sharing-options" ' + (!display_sharing_options ? 'style="display:none;"' : '') + '> \
					<button class="dsq-button-small" onfocus="document.getElementById(\'dsq-post-button' + pid + '\').focus();"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.SHARING_OPTIONS + ' <small>&#9660;</small></span></button> \
					<div class="dsq-panel"> '
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '"'
								  + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Twitter</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook
								&& (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.enabled === true ||
										(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'facebook'))
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Facebook</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Yahoo!</label> \
								</div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Tumblr</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Wordpress</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Movable Type</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
								  <label for="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' TypePad</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ '<div><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections/" target="_blank" class="dsq-configure-options">' + Dsq.Strings.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS + '</a></div>'
					+ '</div> \
				</div>'
				+ '<button class="dsq-button" id="dsq-post-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.POST_AS + ' '
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					? Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					: Dsq.Strings.GUEST)
				+ '</span></button>'
				+ (post_id
					? '<button class="dsq-button" id="dsq-cancel-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.CANCEL + '</span></button>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
			+ '</div>' // end dsq-form-area
		+ '</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};




	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-append-post-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		html = ' \
		<table> \
			<tr> \
				<td id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-avatar" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
					<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
					? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
					: '')
				+ '</a> \
				</td> \
				<td class="dsq-comment-header-meta"> \
		';

		
		return html;
	};
	
	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var html;
		var parent_display_name = '';
		
		if(_meta.parent_post_id) {

			var _parent_meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[_meta.parent_post_id];

			if (_parent_meta) {
				var parentUserData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_parent_meta.user_key];
				parent_display_name = parentUserData.display_name;
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/moderator.png" class="dsq-moderator-star" title="Moderator" /> \
		<span class="dsq-comment-header-time"><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')" title="Permalink">' + (_meta.is_realtime ? Dsq.Strings.JUST_NOW : _meta.date) + '</a></span> '
		+ (_meta.parent_post_id && parent_display_name
			? '<a href="#comment-' + _meta.parent_post_id + '" title="Jump to comment">in reply to ' + parent_display_name + '</a>'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		<td id="dsq-like-pts-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-comment-header-likes">'
		+ (_meta.points
			? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		</tr> \
		</table> \
		';
		return html;
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		var html = '';
		return html;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed || !_meta.approved) { return ''; }
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
					? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.moderateOptions(' + post_id+ '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>'
					: '')
				+ '<a href="#" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG + '</a> \
			</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right">'
				+ (_meta.votable 
					? '<span id="dsq-like-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-like">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1)" >Like</button>'
						: 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;')
					+ '</span>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<button class="dsq-button-small dsq-post-edit" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + ')" >' + Dsq.Strings.EDIT + '</button>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<span class="dsq-comment-footer-reply" id="dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"> \
						<button class="dsq-button-small">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button> \
						<button class="dsq-comment-footer-reply-tab">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button><span></span> \
					</span>'
					: '')
			+ '</div> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};



	
	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		var item = '<li class="dsq-comment dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-header"> \
			<table> \
			<tr> \
			<td class="dsq-header-avatar"> \
			';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'" class="dsq-avatar">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {

			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar92.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== ''
				? '</a>'
				: '')
			+ '</td>'
			+ '<td><cite class="dsq-comment-cite">' + reaction.author_name + '</cite> <span class="dsq-comment-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</span></td>'
			+ '<td class="dsq-comment-header-likes"></td>'
			+ '</tr></table></div>' // end dsq-comment-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header" \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-reaction-header-left">'
							+ '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png" />'
							+ ' From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
							+ 'via ' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? '<a href="http://backtype.com/">BackType</a>' : '<a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">UberVU</a>')
						+ '</td>'
						+ '<td class="dsq-reaction-header-right">';
			
			if(reaction.retweets) {
				var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
				if (num_retweets > 0) {
					if (num_retweets == 1) {
						item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
					} else {
						item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');
						item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
						var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 3) ? 3 : num_retweets;
						item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);
						if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
							item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
								+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
						}
					}
				}
			}	
			item += '</td></tr> \
			</table> \
			</div>' // end dsq-reaction-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-body"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left"> \
				</div>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator 
					? ' \
					<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right"> \
						<button class="dsq-button-small dsq-hide-reaction" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + ')">Hide</button> \
					</div>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 id="dsq-reactions-title" class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-container"> \
			<table> \
				<tbody> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-tl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-tr"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-body"> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
								<div class="dsq-popup-title"> \
									<button class="dsq-button-small" style="float:right" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)">Close</button>' 
									+ content['header'] 
								+ '</div>'
								+ content['body']
							+ '</div> \
							<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
						</td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-bl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-br"></td> \
					</tr> \
				</tbody> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
	};



	
	this.chooseSubscribe = function(post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		menu.style.display = menu.style.display == 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';
		
	};
	
	this.setSubscribe = function(value, el, post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var input = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid);
		var select = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-select' + pid);
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		select.innerHTML = el.innerHTML;
		input.value = value;
		this.chooseSubscribe(post_id);
	};
	
	this.getFormFields = function(post_id) {

		var fields = {};
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var name = Dsq.$('dsq-field-name' + pid);
		var email = Dsq.$('dsq-field-email' + pid);
		var website = Dsq.$('dsq-field-website' + pid);
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid);
		var password = Dsq.$('dsq-field-password' + pid);

		fields = {
			'name': name,
			'email': email,
			'website': website,
			'username': username,
			'password': password
		}
		
		return fields;
	}
	
	this.validateFields = function(post_id) {
		
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) { return true; }
		
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		
		var nameField = fields.name;
		var websiteField = fields.website;
		var emailField = fields.email;
		
		websiteField.value = (websiteField.value == Dsq.Templates.placeholder['website']) ? '' : websiteField.value;
		
		var v = [{

			validator: Dsq.Validators.name,
			value: nameField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.email,
			value: emailField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.url,
			value: websiteField.value
		}];
		
		return Dsq.Validators.validate(v, function(e) { Dsq.Popup.popModal(e, 'Oops...') } );
	};
	
	this.checkExistingUser = function(post_id) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);		
		Dsq.Popup.loading(post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		}
	};

	this.validateAuth = function(el_clicked, post_id, auth_choice) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		var email = fields.email ? fields.email.value : '';
		var username = fields.username ? fields.username.value : '';
		var password = fields.password ? fields.password.value : '';
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		}
	};

	this.lightboxUpdateEmail = function(post_id, new_email) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		fields.email.value = new_email;
	};

	this.lightboxAuthenticate = function(post_id, auth_choice, auth_data) {
		var title, body;
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		if(typeof(auth_data) == 'undefined') {
			var auth_data = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		}

		d = auth_data;

		switch(auth_choice) {
			case 'register':
				var suggestedUsername = d.name.value.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9-]/g,'').toLowerCase();
			
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Register a <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';

				body = ' \
				<ul class="dsq-lightbox-register-reasons"> \
				<li>Verify your comments</li> \
				<li>Edit and delete comments</li> \
				<li>Manage comments and replies</li> \
				</ul> \
				';

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Email</td> \
							<td><input type="text" value="' + d.email.value + '" onchange="Dsq.Templates.lightboxUpdateEmail(' + post_id + ', this.value)" /><div id="dsq-email-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + suggestedUsername + '"/><div id="dsq-username-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /><div id="dsq-password-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'login\'); return false">Login instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Register and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			case 'login':
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Login to your <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';
				body = '';
				
				if(d.avatar_url) {
					body += '<div class="dsq-lightbox-recognized"><table><tr>';
					body += '<td><img src="' + d.avatar_url + '" alt="" /></td>';
					body += '<td><span class="dsq-badge ' + (d.verified ? 'dsq-badge-verified' : 'dsq-badge-registered') + '">' + (d.verified ? 'Verified' : 'Registered') + '</span></td>';
					body += '<td>Hey <strong>' + d.display_name + '</strong>, is that you? Login below to claim this comment.';
					body += '</tr></table></div>';
				}

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username or Email</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (d.avatar_url ? d.username : '') + '" /></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password <a href="http://disqus.com/forgot" target="_blank">(cannot log in?)</a></td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'register\'); return false">Register instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Login and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
		Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid).focus();
	};
	
	this.buttonsToRestore = [];
	this.setLoadingButton = function(btn, post_id) {
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		if (btn) {

			var loadingBtn = document.createElement('button');
			loadingBtn.id = btn.id + '-loading';
			loadingBtn.innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-lite.gif" alt="" /> Just a moment...';
			loadingBtn.className = btn.className + ' dsq-post-loading';
			btn.parentNode.appendChild(loadingBtn);
			btn.style.display = 'none';
			var cancelBtn = Dsq.$('dsq-cancel-button' + pid);
			if(cancelBtn) { cancelBtn.style.display = 'none'; this.buttonsToRestore.push(cancelBtn); }
			this.buttonsToRestore.push(btn);
		} else {

			var buttons = this.buttonsToRestore;
			for(var i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
				buttons[i].style.display = 'inline';
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$(buttons[i].id + '-loading'));
			}
		}
		
	};

	this.postComment = function(post_id, el_clicked, force, auth_choice) {
		var append_id = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);

		if (Dsq.Templates.validateFields(post_id)) {

			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && !force &&
				((!Dsq.Utils.readCookie('skipped_auth') && !disqus_skip_auth && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled) || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post)) {
				Dsq.Templates.checkExistingUser(post_id);
				return false;
			}
			var params = [];
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
				params.push(fields.name.value,
					fields.email.value,
					fields.website.value);

				if (auth_choice == 'login' || auth_choice == 'register') {
					params.push({
						auth_choice: auth_choice,
						username: fields.username.value,
						password: fields.password.value,
						email: fields.email.value
					});
				} else {
					params.push(null);
				}

				params.push(null /* sharing options */, Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + append_id).value);
			} else {
				var service_checked = function(name) {
					var el = Dsq.$('dsq-sharing-' + name + append_id);
					return (el !== null && el.checked === true) ? '1' : '0';
				};
				params.push(null, null, null, null, {
					tw: service_checked('twitter'),
					fb: service_checked('facebook'),
					tr: service_checked('tumblr'),
					wp: service_checked('wordpress'),
					mt: service_checked('movabletype'),
					tp: service_checked('typepad'),
					yh: service_checked('yahoo')
				});
			}

			var frame = Dsq.frames['reply_' + (post_id ? post_id : 0)];
			frame.post.apply(frame, params);

			if (el_clicked) {
				Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
			}
			
			if (force) {
				Dsq.Utils.createCookie('skipped_auth', true);	
			}
			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	};

	this.editComment = function(el_clicked, post_id) {
		var edited_message = Dsq.$('dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id).value;

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].edit(post_id, edited_message);
	};

	this.toggleEdit = function(post_id) {
		var body = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-body-' + post_id);
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);

		if (!Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id]) {


			message.style.display = 'none';
			if (Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {

				var edit_area = document.createElement('div');
				edit_area.id = 'dsq-edit-' + post_id;
				edit_area.className = 'dsq-edit dsq-textarea';
				edit_area.innerHTML = ' \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper"> \
					<textarea class="dsq-edit-textarea" id="dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id + '">' + message.innerHTML + '</textarea> \
				</div> \
				<div class="dsq-save-edit"> \
					<button onclick="Dsq.Templates.editComment(this, ' + post_id + ')" class="dsq-button-small">Save Edit</button> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id + '" style="display: none"></div> \
				';

				body.appendChild(edit_area);

				if (!Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id), post_id);
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].init();
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
		} else {

			message.style.display = 'block';
			Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id] = !Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id];
	};
	
	this.edit = function(el, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(post_id, button) {
		
		if(!this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

			if (Dsq.$('dsq-reply-post-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id);
				var container = Dsq.$('dsq-textarea-wrapper-' + post_id);
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] && container) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(container, post_id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].init(function() {

						Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id, true);
						Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id).innerHTML = '';

						var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
						Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id), post_id, {theme: theme});

					});
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-append-post';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply-active';
			
		} else {

			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = '';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply';
		}
		
		this.stateReplyToggled[post_id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[post_id];

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie && this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

		}

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: post_id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]
		});
	};
	
	this.moderateOptions = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		if(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) { return false; }

		var html;
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-moderate-options"> \
		<table>'
		+ (_meta.email ? '<tr><td>Email</td><td>' + _meta.email + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ (_meta.ip ? '<tr><td>IP address</td><td>' + _meta.ip + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ '<tr> \
			<td>Actions</td> \
			<td><ul>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
				? '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
				: '')
			+ '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Delete Comment</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li> \
			</ul></td> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		html += '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
		
		return Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Moderate Options', post_id);
	};
	
	this.placeholder = {
		'class': 'dsq-placeholder',
		'name': Dsq.Strings.NAME,
		'email': Dsq.Strings.EMAIL,
		'website': Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')'
	};
	
	this.handlePlaceholder = function(evt, el, key) {
		var placeholder = Dsq.Templates.placeholder[key];
		var className = Dsq.Templates.placeholder['class'];
		
		switch(evt.type) {
			case 'focus':
				if(el.value == placeholder) {
					el.value = '';
					el.className = '';
				}
				break;

			case 'blur':
				if(el.value == '') {
					el.value = placeholder;
					el.className = className;
				}
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
	};
	
	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked) {

		var extra_params = '';

		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked);
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};
	
	
	this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {


		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
			}
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/vote.js'
				+ '?post_id='    + id
				+ '&vote='        + vote);
		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login('To rate, please log in');
		}
	};

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {

		Dsq.$('dsq-like-pts-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.';

		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;';
		}
	};




	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {
		var approved = response.message.post_meta.approved;

		if (parent_post_id) {
			Dsq.Post.toggleReply(parent_post_id);
		}

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
		
		if (approved) {
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		} else {			
			var unapproved_msg = 'Thanks for posting!\
	 Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.\
			';
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(unapproved_msg, 'Comment awaiting approval', post_id);
		}

		var sharing_results = response.message.sharing_results;
		var sharing_errors = '';
		for (var service in sharing_results) {
			if (sharing_results.hasOwnProperty(service) === true) {
				if (sharing_results[service].error === true) {
					sharing_errors += service + ', ';
				}
			}
		}

		if (sharing_results.facebook && sharing_results.facebook.callback) {
			FB.ensureInit(function() {
				FB.Connect.streamPublish('', sharing_results.facebook.attachment);
			});
		}

		if (sharing_errors !== '') {
			var message = 'Your comment was posted, but there were errors sharing with the following connections: ';
			message += sharing_errors.replace(/,\s$/, '');
			message += '<p><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections" target="_blank">Configure your connections here</a></p>'
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sharing options');
		}

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.postComment_onFailure = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
};




// TODO: It might be faster to use string methods to find all <li (...) </li> blocks and pass to Dsq.PostHandler manually.
Dsq.CommentsHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_post = Dsq.Templates.prependPost(post_id);
	var append_post = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(post_id);

	content = content.replace(Dsq.POST_RE, Dsq.PostHandler);
	Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter++;
	head = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContainer(post_id, head);
	return prepend_post + head + content + tail + append_post;
};

Dsq.PostHandler = function(str, h_head, post_id, h_content, h_tail, b_head, b_content, b_tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_header = Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader(post_id);
	var append_header = Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader(post_id);
	var prepend_body = Dsq.Templates.preBody(post_id);
	var append_body = Dsq.Templates.postBody(post_id);
	var append_footer = Dsq.Templates.postFooter(post_id);

	b_content = b_content.replace(Dsq.POST_BODY_RE, Dsq.PostBodyHandler);
	return h_head + prepend_header + h_content + append_header + h_tail + b_head + prepend_body + b_content + append_body + b_tail + append_footer;
};

Dsq.PostBodyHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	content = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContent(post_id, content);
	return head + content + tail;
};

Dsq.MediaPostHandler = function(str, args, offset, s) {
	args = args.split(' ');
	if(args[0] == 'seesmic') {
		return '<br />' + Dsq.Templates.mediaSeesmic(args[1], args[2]);
	}
	return '';
};


/**
 * Shorcuts
 */
Dsq.$ = function(element) { return document.getElementById(element); };
Dsq.$b = document.body || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];


/**
 * Dsq.Debug: Logging functions.
 */

Dsq.Debug = new function() {this.log=function(s){};this.profile=function(f){if(typeof f == 'function')return f();else return eval(f);};};


/**
 * Dsq.Urls: URL paths
 */
Dsq.Urls = new function() {
	this.LOGIN = '/profile/login/';
	this.LOGOUT = '/logout/';
	this.REPLY = 'http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/reply.html';
	this.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE = '/AnonymousUser/';
	this.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR = 'http://media.disqus.com/images/noavatar92.png';
};
// Dsq.Urls

/**
 * Dsq.Validators: Validation for form fields
 */
Dsq.Validators = new function() {
	this.VALID_EMAIL_RE = /^[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*\@(([a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*)+\.[a-z]{2,}|([0-9]+\.){3}[0-9]+)$/i;
	this.name = function(name) {
		var error = false;

		if(typeof Dsq.Templates.placeholder !== 'undefined' &&
		   name == Dsq.Templates.placeholder.name) {
			error = true;
		}
		if(name.length <= 1) {
			error = true;
		}

		if(error) {
			return "Please enter a name to comment.";
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	};
	this.email = function(addr) {
		if(Dsq.Validators.VALID_EMAIL_RE.test(addr)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please enter a valid email to comment.";
		}
	};
	this.url = function(addr) {
		if(!addr || addr.indexOf('.') != -1) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please check your website URL (this field is optional).";
		}
	};

	this.validate = function(bulk_validation, failure_callback) {
		failure_callback = failure_callback || function(e){ alert(e); };

		for(var i = 0; i < bulk_validation.length; i++) {
			v = bulk_validation[i];
			ret = v.validator(v.value);
			if(ret !== true) {
				failure_callback(ret);
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	};
};

/**
 * Dsq.Utils: Generic utility functions.
 */
Dsq.Utils = new function() {
	this.ie = /msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
	this.ie7 = (document.all && !window.opera && window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true : false;
	this.ie6 = (!window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true: false;
	this.webkit = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') >= 0;
	this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = {};
	this._styleSheet = null;

	this.gebiFromElement = function(el, id, tag) {
		// This only method only helps IE.
		if(!this.ie) {
			return Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var cacheKey = el.id + '-' + tag;
			tag = tag || 'div';
			if(typeof this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] != 'undefined') {
				collection = this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey];
			} else {
				collection = el.getElementsByTagName(tag);
				this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] = collection;
			}

			for(var i = 0; i < collection.length; i++) {
				if(collection[i].id == id) {
					return collection[i];
				}
			}
			return null;
		}
	};

	this.execOnReady = function(func) {
		var node = document.createElement('document:ready');
		try {
			node.doScroll('left');
			func();
			node = null;
		} catch(err) {
			setTimeout(function() { Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(func); }, 10);
		}
	};


	// Courtesy of http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
	this.createCookie = function(name,value,days) {
		if (days) {
			var date = new Date();
			date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
			var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
		}
		else var expires = "";
		document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
	};

	this.readCookie = function(name) {
		var nameEQ = name + "=";
		var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
		for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
			var c = ca[i];
			while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
			if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.eraseCookie = function(name) {
		Dsq.Utils.createCookie(name,"",-1);
	};

	this.deleteNode = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			this.deleteChildren(node);
			if(typeof node.outerHTML != 'undefined') { node.outerHTML = ''; }
			else if(node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); }
			delete node;
		}
	};

	this.deleteChildren = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			for(var x = node.childNodes.length-1; x >= 0; x--) {
				var childNode = node.childNodes[x];
				if(childNode.hasChildNodes()) { this.deleteChildren(childNode); }
				if(typeof childNode.outerHTML != 'undefined') { childNode.outerHTML = ''; }
				else node.removeChild(childNode);
				delete childNode;
			}
		}
	};

	this.findPos = function(obj) {
		var curleft = 0;
		var curtop = 0;
		if (obj.offsetParent) {
			do {
				curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
				curtop += obj.offsetTop;
			} while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
		}
		return [curleft,curtop];
	};

	this.getWindowSize = function() {
		var windowWidth = -1;
		var windowHeight = -1;

		if(typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number') { //Non-IE
			windowWidth = window.innerWidth;
			windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
		} else if(document.documentElement) { // IE 6+ in 'standards compliant mode'
			windowWidth = document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;
			windowHeight = document.documentElement.clientHeight || document.body.clientHeight;
		}

		return [windowWidth, windowHeight];
	}

	this.getScrollPos = function() {
		var scrollWidth, scrollTop;

		if(document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollWidth)) {
			scrollWidth = document.documentElement.scrollWidth;
			// IE is weird here.  If no doctype is provided, document.body.scrollTop is 0,
			// otherwise document.documentElement.scrollTop is 0.
			scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
		} else if(document.body.scrollTop && document.body.scrollWidth) {
			scrollWidth = document.body.scrollWidth;
			scrollTop = document.body.scrollTop;
		}

		return [scrollWidth, scrollTop];
	}

	this.addEventListener = function(instance, eventName, listener) {
		var listenerFn = listener;
		if (instance.addEventListener) {
			instance.addEventListener(eventName, listenerFn, false);
		} else if (instance.attachEvent) {
			listenerFn = function() {
				listener(window.event);
			};
			instance.attachEvent("on" + eventName, listenerFn);
		} else {
			throw new Error("Event registration not supported");
		}
		return {
			instance: instance,
			name: eventName,
			listener: listenerFn
		};
	};

	this.removeEventListener = function(event) {
		var instance = event.instance;
		if (instance.removeEventListener) {
			instance.removeEventListener(event.name, event.listener, false);
		} else if (instance.detachEvent) {
			instance.detachEvent("on" + event.name, event.listener);
		}
	};

	this.fixIframesIE = function(id) {
		var disqusThread = Dsq.$(disqus_container_id);
		var iframes = disqusThread.getElementsByTagName('iframe');

		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-content');
		}

		for(i = 0; i < iframes.length; i++) {
			if (container) {
				iframes[i].style.width = container.offsetWidth;
			}
		}
	};

	this.getElementsByClassName = function(oElm, strTagName, strClassName) {
	/* Credit: Jonathan Snook [http://www.snook.ca/jonathan], Robert Nyman [http://www.robertnyman.com] */
		var arrElements = (strTagName == "*" && oElm.all)? oElm.all : oElm.getElementsByTagName(strTagName);
		var arrReturnElements = new Array();
		strClassName = strClassName.replace(/\-/g, "\\-");
		var oRegExp = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + strClassName + "(\\s|$)");
		var oElement;
		for(var i = 0; i < arrElements.length; i++) {
			oElement = arrElements[i];
			if(oRegExp.test(oElement.className)) {
				arrReturnElements.push(oElement);
			}
		}
		return (arrReturnElements);
	};

	this.postToUrl = function(url, post_data, opt_redirect) {
		var form = document.createElement('form');
		var iframe_container = document.createElement('div');
		var id = 'dsq-temp-iframe-' + (new Date()).getTime();

		form.method = 'POST';
		form.action = url;
		if (!opt_redirect) {
			form.target = id;
		}
		iframe_container.innerHTML = '<iframe style="display:none" name="' + id + '" id="' + id + '"></iframe>';

		for(var key in post_data) {
			if(post_data.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var input = document.createElement('input');
				input.name = key;
				input.type = 'hidden';
				input.value = post_data[key];

				form.appendChild(input);
			}
		}

		Dsq.$b.appendChild(iframe_container);
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(form);
		form.submit();
	};

	// Strips integer id from id of element in the form ('some-id-###')
	this.extractId = function(e) {
		var chunks = e.id.split('-');
		if(chunks.length <= 1) {
			return 0;
		} else {
			return parseInt(chunks[chunks.length-1]);
		}
	};

	this.getStyle = function(el, styleProp) {
		if(el.currentStyle) {
			var y = el.currentStyle[styleProp];
		} else if(window.getComputedStyle) {
			var y = document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(el, null).getPropertyValue(styleProp);
		}

		if(y == 'transparent' || y == '') {
			this.getStyle(el.parentNode, styleProp);
		} else {
			return y;
		}
	};

	this.execScript = function(url, append_qs, container) {
		var script = document.createElement('script');
		append_qs = typeof append_qs == 'undefined' ? true : append_qs;
		container = container || Dsq.container;

		if(append_qs) {
			var j = (url.indexOf('?') >= 0) ? '&' : '?';
			url += j + (new Date()).getTime();
		}
		script.type = 'text/javascript';
		script.charset = 'UTF-8';
		script.src = url;
		container.appendChild(script);
		return script;
	};

	this.pluralize = function(num, singular, plural) {
		return (num != 1) ? plural || 's' : singular || '';
	};

	this.getRequestParams = function(queryString /* optional */) {
		var pairs, tuple;
		var params = {};

		queryString = queryString || window.location.search.substring(1);
		pairs = queryString.split('&');

		for (var i = 0, pair; pair = pairs[i]; i++) {
			tuple = pair.split('=');
			params[tuple[0]] = (tuple[1] || true);
		}

		return params;
	};

	this.addCssRule = function(selector, styleText, index) {
		var stylesheet;
		index = index || 0;

		if(!this._styleSheet) {
			var styleEl = document.createElement('style');
			document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(styleEl);
			this._styleSheet = styleEl.sheet;
			if(!this._styleSheet) {
				// IE does not like our newly created stylesheet.
				this._styleSheet = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length-1];
			}
		}
		stylesheet = this._styleSheet;

		if(stylesheet.insertRule) {
			var ruleText = selector + ' { ' + styleText + ' }';
			if(index == -1) {
				index = stylesheet.cssRules.length;
			}
			stylesheet.insertRule(ruleText, index);
		} else if(stylesheet.addRule) {
			stylesheet.addRule(selector, styleText, index);
		}
	};

	this.forEachIn = function(obj, callback) {
		for(var key in obj) {
			if(obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				callback(key, obj[key]);
			}
		}
	};

	this._interpolateGlobalContext = {
		// values that get used a lot and are global to the request
		'profile_url': Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE,

		'disqus_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url,
		'media_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url,
		'request_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.username,
		'request_display_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username,
		'forum_name': Dsq.jsonData.forum.name
	};

	this.renderFromContextStack = function(key, contexts) {
		// Returns the first instance of `key` in the array of objects `contexts` or else ''
		for (var i=0; i<contexts.length; i++) {
			if (contexts[i][key] !== undefined) {
				return String(contexts[i][key]);
			}
		}
		throw new Error('key ' + key + ' not found in context');
	};

	var that = this;
	this.interpolate = function(fmt, opt_localContext) {
		// Interpolate `fmt` named-format string with an assumed global context.
		// Based on `interpolate` in django.views.i18n
		var contextStack = [opt_localContext || {}, that._interpolateGlobalContext];
		return fmt.replace(/%\(\w+\)s/g, function(match){
			return that.renderFromContextStack(match.slice(2,-2), contextStack);
		});
	};

	this.stripTags = function(s) {
		// Removes HTML tags from `s`
		return s.replace(/(<([^>]+)>)/g,"");

	};

	this.assert = function(b) {
		if (!b) {
			throw new Error('Assertion error.');
		}
	};

};
// Dsq.Utils

/**
 * Dsq.Popup: Popup helper functions.
 */
Dsq.Popup = new function() {
	this.timeHide = new Array();
	this.timeShow = new Array();
	this.activePopup = {};
	this.profileCache = {};
	this.statusCache = {};

	this.showTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the hide timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeHide[post_id]);

		// start the timer
		if(!Dsq.Popup.profileIsOn && !Dsq.Thread.adminIsOn) {
			this.timeShow[post_id] = setTimeout("Dsq.Popup.popProfile(\"" + post_id + "\")", 400);
		}
	};

	this.hideTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the show timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeShow[post_id]);
	};

	this.updateProfile = function(username) {
		// Callback from /embed/profile.js
		if (this.statusCache[username]) {
			var statusEl = Dsq.$('dsq-profile-status-' + username);
			statusEl.innerHTML = this.statusCache[username];
			statusEl.style.display = 'block';
		}

		if (this.profileCache[username]) {
			var _cache = this.profileCache[username];

			var _genhtml = function(text) { return '<span><big>' + text + '</big></span>'; };
			var _no_comments = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS(_cache.comments_count));
			var _no_likes = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_LIKES(_cache.likes_count));
			var _no_points = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_POINTS(_cache.points));

			var statsEl = Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + username);
			statsEl.innerHTML = '';

			if (Dsq.jsonData.users[username].registered) {
				statsEl.innerHTML = _no_comments + _no_likes;
			}
			statsEl.innerHTML += _no_points;

			var activeSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.active_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.active_sites[i];
				activeSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (activeSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = activeSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = 'This site.';
			}

			var moderatedSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.moderated_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.moderated_sites[i];
				moderatedSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (moderatedSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + username).innerHTML = moderatedSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + username).innerHTML = '';
			}
		}

		// Reposition popup after full HTML is rendered
		if(Dsq.Popup.activePopup && Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el) {
			Dsq.Popup.initPopup(Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.type);
		}

	};

	this.showCookieMsgs = function() {
		var title = '';
		var message = '';
		var numAlerts = 0;

		Dsq.Utils.forEachIn(Dsq.jsonData.cookie_messages, function(k, v) {
			if (!v) return;

			switch(k) {
				// Cookie: Twitter
				case 'post_twitter':
					if (v === 'error') {
						title = 'Twitter Error!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-error">Oops, we couldn\'t tweet this comment. Please check your <a href="http://disqus.com/account/services">account settings</a>.</li>';
					} else {
						var _msg = v.split(':');
						title = 'Tweeted!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-success">Your comment was successfully tweeted. <a href="http://twitter.com/' + _msg[0] + '/status/' + _msg[1] + '">Click here to view the tweet</a>.</li>';
					}
					break;
				// Cookie: Unapproved Post
				case 'post_not_approved':
					title = 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-not-approved">Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.</li>';
					break;
				// Cookie: Profile Found
				case 'post_has_profile':
					title = 'Use your existing commenter profile';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-has-profile">You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a></li>';
					break;
				case 'user_created':
					var _data = v.split(':');
					title = 'Profile created!';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-user-created">You have just created a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, the best way to claim, manage, and track your comments all over the web. \
					<br /><br />A confirmation is being sent to <strong>' + _data[1] + '</strong>. Please check for this email in order to verify your profile. \
					<ul class="dsq-list-tick"> \
						<li>Your username is <strong>' + _data[0] +'</strong>. <a href="http://disqus.com/people/' + _data[0] + '/" target="_blank">Click here to view your public profile</a>.</li> \
						<li>Be sure to set your profile picture, as well as connect your <span class="dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> and <span class="dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> accounts. <a href="http://disqus.com/account/" target="_blank">Click here for account settings</a>.</li> \
					</ul> \
					</li>'
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
			numAlerts++;
		});

		if(numAlerts > 1) {
			message = '<ul class="dsq-list-bluebullet">' + message;
			message += '</ul>';
			title = 'Thanks for posting!';
		}
		if(numAlerts > 0) {
			if(typeof(disqus_cookie_msgs) == 'function') {
				disqus_cookie_msgs(message, title);
			} else {
				Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
			}
		}
	};

	this.helpBadges = function(post_id) {
		var html = ' \
			<ul class="dsq-popup-help"> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile with a confirmed email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, but has not yet confirmed his or her email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span> is not logged in with any account and has not claimed his or her comments.</li> \
				<li class="dsq-help-otheraccts">Other accounts</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> is using his or her Facebook profile via Facebook Connect.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> is using his or her Twitter profile via Twitter Sign-in.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-openid">OpenID</span> is using his or her OpenID.</li> \
			</ul> \
		';

		this.popModal(html, 'Help: Types of Commenters', post_id);
		return;
	};

	this.permalink = function(post_id) {
		var header = 'Link to this comment';
		var body = '<strong>You are anchored to</strong>:<br />' + document.location.protocol + '//' + document.location.host + document.location.pathname + document.location.search + '#comment-' + post_id;

		this.popModal(body, header, post_id);
	};

	this.login = function(header, body) {
		var h = header || 'Login or Register';
		var b = body || '';
		b += Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: 'dsq-popup-login'});
		b += '</iframe>'; // HACK: Sometimes there is something funky with the IFRAME SRC that causes no end tag
		this.popModal(b, h, null, true, 'dsq-popup-login');
	};

	this.blacklist = function(id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		var title = 'Add to Blacklist';
		var message = ' \
		Adding this person to the blacklist will block him or her from commenting on this site. Check the following types that you would like to add to the blacklist:'
		+ (userData['registered'] ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-username" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-username"><strong>Username</strong>: ' + userData['username'] + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ (_meta.email ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-email" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-email"><strong>Email address</strong>: ' + _meta.email + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ '<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
			<input id="dsq-blacklist-ip" type="checkbox" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-blacklist-ip-warning\').style.display=\'block\'"> \
			<label for="dsq-blacklist-ip"><strong>IP address</strong>: ' + _meta.ip + '</label> \
		</div> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p id="dsq-blacklist-ip-warning" style="display:none">	\
				Note: Blocking this person\'s IP address may also unintentionally prevent others, who share his/her IP address, from commenting on this site. \
				This may include people who are sharing the same computer, living in the same house, or using the same Internet provider. Only block an IP address as a last resort. \
			</p> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p style="text-align:center"><button onclick="Dsq.Post.blockUser(' + id + '); this.disabled=true; this.innerHTML=\'Just one moment...\'">Add to Blacklist</button></p> \
		';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
	};

	this.remoteAccountSettings = function() {
		var body = '';
		// Set up IFrame.
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/_auth/embed/remote_settings/';
		var attributes = {id: 'dsq-popup-account-settings'};
		if (typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}

		body = Dsq.Templates._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
		this.popModal(body, 'Account Settings', null, true, 'dsq-popup-account-settings');
	};

	this.popModal = function(message, title, post_id, use_listener, extra_classes) {
		var container = document.createElement('div');
		var header, body;

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);

		if(typeof(title) == 'undefined') { title = ''; }
		if(typeof(use_listener) == 'undefined') { use_listener = true; }

		if(post_id) {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message-' + post_id;
		} else {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message';
		}

		header = title;
		body = message;

		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupModal(header, body);
		Dsq.Popup.initPopup(container, post_id, 'message', extra_classes);
		if(use_listener) {
			Dsq.Popup.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', Dsq.Popup._closePopup);
		}
	};

	this.popAlert = this.popModal;

	this.loading = function(post_id) {
		var title = Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
		var body = '<div style="text-align:center; padding: 5px 0 10px 0"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif" alt="" /></div>'
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
	};

	this.lightbox = function(message, title, post_id) {
		// Wraps Dsq.Popup.popModal

		var overlay = document.createElement('div');
		overlay.id = 'dsq-overlay';
		overlay.className = 'dsq-overlay';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(overlay);
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, post_id, false, 'dsq-lightbox');
	};

	this.popProfile = function(post_id, userKey) {
		var post = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id];
		if (post && post.has_been_anonymized) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('This message was anonymized by its previous owner.', 'Anonymized', post_id);
			return;
		}

		if(post_id) {
			userKey = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id].user_key;	
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][userKey];
		var elId = 'dsq-popup-profile-' + userKey;
		var container = document.createElement('div');

		if(this.activePopup.el) {
			this._closePopup(null, true);
			if(this.activePopup.linkClicked) {
				this.activePopup.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		container.id = elId;
		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupProfile(userKey);

		this.initPopup(container, post_id, 'profile');
		this.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._closePopup);

		if(!this.profileCache[userKey]) {
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/embed/profile.js'
				+ '?username=' + userKey
				+ '&anon=' + (userData['registered'] ? 0 : 1)
				+ '&f=' + Dsq.jsonData['request'].forum);
		} else {
			this.updateProfile(userKey);
		}
	};

	this._closePopup = function(e, force) {
		var activePopup = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el;
		var id = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id;
		var link = 'dsq-avatar-' + id; // HACK: Specific to profile toggle target

		// HACK: This event should be gone if there is no active popup.
		if(!activePopup) {
			return;
		}
		if(force || !Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, activePopup.id)) {
			// TODO: This is breaking iE?
			if(Dsq.Popup.popupListener) {
				Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Popup.popupListener);
			}
			
			// Kill overlay
			var overlay = Dsq.$('dsq-overlay');
			if(overlay) { Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(overlay); }
			
			try {
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(activePopup);
			} catch(e) {
				// HACK: IE6 throws an error when using deleteNode() with a node containing a <table> in the html.
				activePopup.parentNode.removeChild(activePopup);
			}
			Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {};
		}

		if(!force && Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Popup.activePopup.linkClicked = true;
		}

	};

	this.initPopup = function(popup, post_id, type, extra_classes) {
		popup.className = 'dsq-popup dsq-popup-' + type + ' ' + (extra_classes ? extra_classes : '');
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6 || Dsq.Utils.ie7) {
			// HACK: We can't modify the body before it's ready, so we need
			//       to use an IE-safe "DOMReady" workaround before loading
			//       our popup.
			Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(function() {Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup); });
		} else {
			Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup);
		}

		popup.style.display = 'block';

		var xPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[0] - popup.offsetWidth) / 2;
		var yPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[1] - popup.offsetHeight) / 2;

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
			yPos += Dsq.Utils.getScrollPos()[1];
		}

		popup.style.left = xPos + 'px';
		popup.style.top = yPos + 'px';

		Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {
			'el' : popup,
			'id' : post_id,
			'type': type,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};
	};

	this.isClicked = function(e, id) {
		var t = e.target || e.srcElement;
		while(t && t.parentNode) {
			if(t.id == id) {
				return true;
			}

			t = t.parentNode;
		}
		return false;
	};
};
// Dsq.Popup

/**
 * Dsq.Templates
 */
Dsq.Templates = new function() {
	/*
	 * Counter keeping track of the number of posts iterated over.
	 */
	this.postLoopCounter = 0;
	this.filters = {};
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-post-add';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-post-add';

	this.registerTemplate = function(name, func) {
		this['$$_' + name] = func;

		if(typeof DsqLocal.Filters != 'undefined'
		&& typeof DsqLocal.Filters[name] == 'function') {
			// Push filters to this.filters to unify code.
			this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
			this.filters[name].push(DsqLocal.Filters[name]);
		}

		this[name] = function() {
			var ret;

			if(typeof DsqLocal.Templates != 'undefined'
			&& typeof DsqLocal.Templates[name] == 'function') {
				ret = DsqLocal.Templates[name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(ret === undefined) {
				ret = this['$$_' + name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(this.filters[name]) {
				var args = [ret];

				args.push.apply(args, arguments);
				for(var i = 0; i < this.filters[name].length; i++) {
					ret = this.filters[name][i].apply(this, args);
				}
			}

			return ret;
		};
	};

	this.registerFilter = function(name, func) {
		this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
		this.filters[name].push(func);
	};

	/**
	 * Dsq.Templates.Filters
	 */
	this.Filters = new function() {
		this.commentContainer = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var classes = [];
			if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page > 1) {
				classes.push('dsq-append');
			}

			//
			// Extra classes used for custom themes
			//

			if(_meta.depth) {
				classes.push('dsq-comment-child', 'dsq-depth-' + _meta.depth, 'dsq-parent-is-' + _meta.parent_post_id);
			}


			//

			if(_meta.author_is_creator) {
				// TODO: We need to deprecate the "special" class since it is not properly prefixed.
				classes.push('special', 'dsq-special');
			}
			if(_meta.author_is_moderator) {
				classes.push('dsq-moderator');
			}
			classes.push(['dsq-odd', 'dsq-even'][Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter % 2]);

			s = s.substring(0, s.lastIndexOf('>'));
			return s + ' class="dsq-comment ' + classes.join(' ') + '" style="margin-left:' + _meta.depth*30 + 'px">';
		};

		this.commentContent = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			if (_meta.killed) {
				return '<em>Comment removed.</em>';
			} else if (!_meta.approved) {
				return '<em>This comment was flagged for review.</em>';
			}

			s = s.replace(Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE, Dsq.MediaPostHandler);
			return s;
		};
	};

	//
	// Thread
	//
	// TODO: These need to be stripped of all Django template tags.

	this.authPost = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			return '';
		}
		var result = [];
		result = result.concat([
				'<div id="dsq-auth"',
						Dsq.jsonData.integration.reply_position ? 'class="dsq-auth-bottom"' : '',
						'>',
					'<div class="dsq-by">',
						'<a href="http://disqus.com" target="_blank">',
							(Dsq.jsonData.integration.disqus_logo ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/by-disqus.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">') :
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/dsq-button-120x19.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">')
							),
						'</a>',
					'</div>',
					'<div class="dsq-auth-header">',
						'<h3 id="dsq-add-new-comment" class="dsq-h3-addcomment">',
								Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT,
						'</h3>',
						'<div id="dsq-login">',
						(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
								? '<p class="dsq-login-message" id="dsq-login-message">You are commenting as a <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. You may select one to log into:</p>'
								: '')
		]);
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			result = result.concat([
							Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
								'<a id="dsq-login-toggle" href="%(disqus_url)s%(login_url)s?next=article:%(thread_id)s" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsq-profile-btn.png" title="%(log_into)s" alt="%(log_into)s"/></a>',
								{login_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGIN, thread_id: Dsq.jsonData.thread.id, log_into: Dsq.Strings.LOG_INTO_DISQUS}
								),
							'&nbsp; ',
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ?
								'<div id="dsq-fbc-login" onlogin="DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin()" size="medium" background="light" length="short" style="display:inline; margin-right:7px"></div>' :
								''
							),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-twitter-login" class="dsq-twitter-login" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect();" style="display:inline; cursor: pointer"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/twitter-signin-short.png" style="margin-right:7px" /></div>', {}) : ''),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-openid-login" class="dsq-openid-login" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL();" style="display:inline; cursor:pointer;"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/openid-login-button.png"/></div>', {}
								) : '')
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
						'</div>', // dsq-login
					'</div>', // dsq-auth-header
					'<div id="dsq-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated" ',
						Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated ? 'style="display:block"' : '',
						'>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-pic">',
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">' +
																			'<img class="dsq-post-avatar" src="%(avatar_url)s" alt="" /></a>',
																			{avatar_url: Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR,
																			url: (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
																					 ? Dsq.jsonData.request.url
																					 : Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE) }),
						'</div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>', {url:Dsq.jsonData.request.url})
										  )
										: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(profile_url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>')
											)
									),
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">',
									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsqicon12.png" alt="%(logged_in_as)s"/>&nbsp',
											{logged_in_as: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username)})
										: ''),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="%(logout_from_disqus)s">',
											{logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN, logout_from_disqus: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('DISQUS')})
										: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'twitter')
												? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using Twitter (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
												 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
												: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'openid')
													 ? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using OpenID (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
													 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
													 : ''
													)
											)
									),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote ? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('<span class="logo-disqus">DISQUS</span>') : ''),
									'</a>',
								'</li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
		]);
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect) {
			result = result.concat([
					'<div id="dsq-fbc-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated">',
						'<div id="dsq-fbc-profilepic" class="dsq-authenticated-pic" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.ProfilePic" size="square" facebook-logo="true"></div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									'Logged in as <span id="dsq-fbc-name" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.Name" linked="true" useyou="false"></span>',
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">using Facebook Connect <a href="#" onclick="javascript:DisqusFbcParentController.logout();return false;">(Logout)</a></li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
				'</div>', // dsq-auth
				'<div id="dsq-toolbar-items">',
				'</div>'
		]);
		result = result.concat([
					//
					//
					//
				((!Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) ?
					// Needs to be translated:
					('<p id="dsq-no-anon-msg">Required: Please log into <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> ' +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? 'or connect with Facebook ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? 'or sign in with Twitter ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? 'or sign in using OpenID ' : '') +
					Dsq.Utils.interpolate('to comment on <strong>%(forum_name)s</strong>.</p>')) :
					''
				),
				'<div id="dsq-post-add"></div>',
				'<div style="margin:10px 0">',
				((Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media) ?
						'<a href="#" id="dsq-media-link" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, false, \'media\'); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.USE_MEDIA + ' <small>&#9660;</small></a>' :
						''),
				'</div>'
		]);
		return result.join('');
	};


	this.header = function() {

		var html = '\<h3 id="dsq-comments-count" class="dsq-h3-commentcount">\
	 <span id="dsq-num-posts">242</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/latest.rss"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png"></a>\
	 </span>\
	 </h3>\
	 <div id="dsq-options" style="margin:15px 0">\
	 <span class="dsq-item-sort">\
	 Sort by\
	 <select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);">\
	 <option value="hot" selected="selected">Popular now</option>\
	 <option value="best" >Best Rating</option>\
	 <option value="newest" >Newest first</option>\
	 <option value="oldest" >Oldest first</option>\
	 </select>\
	 &nbsp;\
	 </span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-cp"><a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/">Community Page</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-subscribe">\
	 <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle">\
	 <span id="dsq-subscribe">\
	 <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a>\
	 </span>\
	 </span>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-alerts">\
	 <p><a href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:2389447" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">You must log into your Disqus Profile in order to post comments.</a></p>\
	 </div>\
		';

		

		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) { 
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-alert-message dsq-upgrade-message"> \
				<strong>Disqus upgrade available.</strong> Hi ' + Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username + ', this message is being displayed to you because you are a moderator of this site. <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-upgrade-message\').style.display=\'block\';this.style.display=\'none\';return false">Click here for details.</a> \
				<div style="display:none; margin-top:10px;" id="dsq-upgrade-message"> \
					A new theme is available with added features. <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/settings/' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url + '/?p=customize">To change your theme, click here</a> and choose the theme Narcissus. \
					If you do not upgrade, you are missing out on features such as: real-time commenting, new sign-in integrations, and an upgrade interface. \
					<strong>This message will automatically go away in one week.</strong> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			' + html; 
		}
		return html;
	};

	this.footer = function() {
		var html = Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.authPost();
		

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		

		return html;
	};

	this.pagination = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) { Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = ''; }
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.thread.paginate) { return ''; }

		//
		// TODO: num_paginator still uses the template tag for pagination, 
		// 		while append_paginator does it all in JavaScript.
		//		This should all be in JavaScript.
		//

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages > 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.page < Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages) {
			html = ' \<a class="dsq-paginate-append-text" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this); return false">Show more comments...</a>\
	 <button class="dsq-button-small dsq-paginate-append-button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this);">Load more comments</button>\
			';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = html;
			return '';
		} else {
			return '<div id="dsq-pagination" class="dsq-pagination">' + html + '</div>';
		}
	};

	this.trackbacks = function() {
		var html = '';

		if(typeof DsqLocal != 'undefined' && DsqLocal.trackback_url && DsqLocal.trackbacks) {
			var trackbacks = DsqLocal.trackbacks;
			var trackback_url = DsqLocal.trackback_url;
		} else {
			var trackbacks = [
			
			
			];
			var trackback_url = 'http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/trackback/';
		}

		html += '<div class="dsq-item-trackback">Trackback URL&nbsp;&nbsp;<input class="dsq-trackback-url" onclick="this.select()" readonly="true" value="' + trackback_url + '"></div>';

		if(trackbacks.length) {
			html += '<ul id="dsq-references">'
			for(var i = 0; i < trackbacks.length; i++) {
				var trackback = trackbacks[i];
				html += '<li><cite><a href="' + trackback.author_url + '" rel="nofollow">' + trackback.author_name + '</a></cite> \
						<p class="dsq-meta">' + trackback.date + '</p> \
						<p class="dsq-content">' + trackback.excerpt + '</p></li>';
			}
			html += '</ul>';
			html = '<h3 class="dsq-h3-trackbacks">Trackbacks</h3>' + html;
		}

		return html;
	}

	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		/* Reaction HTML begins */
		var item = '<li class="dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-header-avatar">';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'">';
		} else {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="#" onclick="return false;">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {
			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar32.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png"/>'
			+ '</a></div>'
			+ '<cite><span>' + reaction.author_name + '</span></cite>'
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"><a class="dsq-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</a></span>'
			+ '</div><div class="dsq-reaction-body">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-footer">From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
			+ 'via ' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? '<a href="http://backtype.com/">BackType</a>' : '<a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">UberVU</a>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator ? '&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<a class="dsq-hide-reaction" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + '); return false;">Hide</a>' : '') + '</div></div>';

		if(reaction.retweets) {
			var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
			if (num_retweets > 0) {
				item += '<div class="dsq-reaction-retweets">';
				if (num_retweets == 1) {
					item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
				} else {
					item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');

					item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
					var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 15) ? 15 : num_retweets;
					item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);

					if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
						item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
							+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
					}
				}
				item += '</div>';
			}
		}

		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this.missingPermissions = function() {
		return '	<p><a href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:2389447" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">You must log into your Disqus Profile in order to post comments.</a></p> \n';
	};

	//
	// Post
	//

	this.prependPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="comment-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-comment-reply-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-header-avatar" id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
				<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
				? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '</a>'
			+ '</div> \
		';
	};

	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];

		return ''
			+ (_meta.author_is_moderator
				? '<img class="dsq-mod-star" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/bullet-star.png" title="Moderator" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"> \
				<a id="dsq-time-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-time" href="#comment-' + post_id + '" title="Permalink">' + _meta.date + '</a> \
			</span>';
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		return '';
	}

	this.postBody = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Deprecate flagging conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		return ''
			+ (_meta.edited
				? '<p class="dsq-editedtxt">(Edited by a moderator)</p>'
				: '')
			;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Use media should be conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed) { return ''; }

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
				<div id="dsq-points-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-likedtxt">'
				+ (_meta.points
					? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.'
					: '')
				+ '</div>'
				+ '<ul class="dsq-comment-options dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.votable
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first dsq-rate" id="dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id + '">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Like</a>'
						: 'You liked this.') + '</li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-report' + (!_meta.votable ? ' dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '"><a href="#" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">Report</a></li> \
				</ul> \
				<ul class="dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first"><a href="#" id="dsq-reply-link-' + post_id +'" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(this, ' + post_id +'); return false;">Reply</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<li id="dsq-edit-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-edit-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="' + (!_meta.can_reply ? 'dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-more-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-more-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'more\'); return false">More <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media
					? '<li id="dsq-media-el-' + post_id +'" style="display:none"><a id="dsq-media-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'media\'); return false">Use Media <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '</ul>'
				+ '<div id="dsq-reply-bar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar" style="display:none"> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-items-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-items"> \
						</div> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-auth-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-auth"> \
							 \
								 \
									<a href="#" class="dsq-help dsq-reply-req-opt" title="You must log into an account in order to comment on Jack and Jill Politics" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Required:</a> \
								 \
								<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/dsq-favicon-16x16.png" alt="" /> \
								<a id="dsq-reply-login-' + post_id + '" href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:2389447" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">Login</a> \
								 \
									&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img class="fb_login_image" src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/fbconnect/login-buttons/connect_light_small_short.gif" alt="Facebook Connect"/> \
									<a href="#" onclick="FB.Connect.requireSession(DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin); return false;">Connect</a> \
								 \
								&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/twitter-signin-icon.png" alt="" /> \
									<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false">Sign-in</a> \
								 \
								 \
							 \
						</div> \
					</div> \
					<div id="dsq-reply-' + post_id + '"></div> \
			</div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Iframes
	//

	this._makeAttributes = function(attributes) {
		// Makes a tag attributes string out of an object.
		// Caller is responsible for making sure nothing needs to be escaped.
		var result = [];
		for (key in attributes) {
			result.push(' ' + key + '="' + attributes[key] + '"');
		}
		result = result.join('');
		return result;
	};

	this._frameGeneric = function(base_url, params, attributes) {
		if(typeof(disqus_callback_params) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_callback_params = '';
		}

		var default_params = {
			// TODO: These should be moved to Dsq.jsonData.
			'f'				: 'jackandjillpolitics',
			't'				: 'this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10',
			// Do we need encodeURIComponent here?
			'ifrs'			: encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css),
			'to_redirect'	: encodeURIComponent(window.location),
			'cbp'			: disqus_callback_params,
			'ff'			: Dsq.Thread.ff,
			'fc'			: Dsq.Thread.fc,
			'ac'			: Dsq.Thread.ac,
			'default_text'	: disqus_default_text
		};

		base_url += '?' + (new Date()).getTime();
		// Add params to default_params.
		if(params) {
			for(var key in params) {
				if(params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					default_params[key] = encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
				}
			}
		}
		// Build querystring.
		for(var key in default_params) {
			if(default_params[key] && default_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				base_url += '&' + key + '=' + default_params[key];
			}
		}

		return [
			'<iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0"',
			(' allowtransparency="true" src="' + base_url + '"'),
			this._makeAttributes(attributes),
			'</iframe>'].join('');
	};

	this.frameLogin = function(opt_attributes) {
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/login.html';
		var attributes = opt_attributes || {};
		attributes['class'] = 'dsq-post-login';

		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameReply = function(post_id, extra_params, attributes) {
		// Returns the HTML for a reply iframe. Called by Dsq.Iframes.setReplyIframeToContainer
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY;
		var params = {
			'def_email'		: disqus_def_email,
			'def_name'		: disqus_def_name
		};
		if(extra_params) {
			for(var key in extra_params) {
				if(extra_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					params[key] = extra_params[key];
				}
			}
		}
		if(_meta) {
			params['parent_post'] = post_id;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			params['per_page'] = disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			attributes['class'] += '-authenticated';
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameEdit = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/edit.html';
		var params = {
			'p' : post_id
		};
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, {'class': 'dsq-post-edit', 'name': 'dsq-edit_' + post_id + '-frame'});
	};

	//
	// Menus
	//

	this.menuMore = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: "Remove post" button should hide menu.
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')">Link</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Profile</a></li>'
	+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
		? '	<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>' + (_meta.email ? '<li class="dsq-admin-email">' + _meta.email + '</li>' : '')
		+ '	<li class="dsq-admin-ip">' + _meta.ip + '</li> \
			<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>'
		+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
			? ' <li class="dsq-admin-edit"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
			: '')
		+ ' <li class="dsq-remove"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Remove Comment</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-report-spam"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-block-user"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li>'
		: '');
	};

	this.menuMedia = function(post_id) {
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(this, ' + post_id + ', \'seesmic\'); return false;">Record video</a></li> \
		';
	};

	this.dropProfile = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};


		var menu = '<li class="dsq-drop-showlnk"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Expand &#8663;</a></li>';
		var pointsMessage = '';
		if (userData['registered']) {
			pointsMessage = 'with ' + userData['points'] + ' points (more points are better).';
		}

		if (userData['is_remote']) {
			var domain = userData['remote_domain_name'];
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' is a ' + domain + ' user ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
			menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-' + domain.toLowerCase() + '">' + domain + '</span></li>';
		} else if (userData['registered']) {
			if (userData['verified']) {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a verified commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span></li>';
			} else {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a registered, but unverified, commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span></li>';
			}
		} else {
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has not claimed this commenter profile." onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()"><span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span></li>';
		}

		menu += _includeServices();
		return menu;
	};

	//
	// Popups
	//

	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-top"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-body" class="clearfix"> \
				<div class="dsq-popup-body-padding"> \
					<div class="dsq-popup-header"> \
						<a class="dsq-close-link" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/modal-close.png" alt="" /></a>'
						+ content['header']
					+ '</div>'
					+ content['body']
					+ '<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
				</div> <!-- padding --> \
			</div> <!-- body --> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-bottom"></div> \
		</div> \
		';
	};

	this.popupProfile = function(user_key) {
		var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(user_key, null);
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var html = '';
			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == 0
					? '<h4>Connections</h4><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li> \
					<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" title="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" /> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>'
				+ (i+1 == userServices.length ? '</ul>' : '');
			}
			return html;
		};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<table> \
				<tr> \
					<td> \
						<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><img class="dsq-popup-profile-avatar" src="' + userData['avatar'] + '" alt="" /></a> \
					</td> \
					<td> \
						<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user"> \
							<h3>' + userData['display_name'] + '</h3> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats" id="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + user_key + '">Loading...</div> \
						</div> \
					</td> \
				</tr> \
			</table> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-state"> \
				This is a&nbsp;<span class="'
					+ (userData['registered']
						? (userData['verified']
							? ' dsq-badge-verified'
							: (userData['is_remote']
								? ' dsq-badge-' + userData['remote_domain_name'].toLowerCase()
								: ' dsq-badge-registered')
							)
							: ' dsq-badge-guest') + '">'
			+ (userData['registered']
				? (userData['verified']
					? 'Verified'
					: (userData['is_remote']
						 ? userData['remote_domain_name']
						 : 'Registered')
					)
				: 'Guest')
			+ '</span>&nbsp;commenter profile.'
			+ '&nbsp;<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><strong>View more comments </strong></a>'
			+ (!userData['points']
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice">If this is you, <a href="http://disqus.com/profile" target="_blank">claim it now</a> to manage your comments.</p>'
				: '')
			+ ((userData['registered'] && !userData['verified'] && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username == userData['username'])) && !userData['is_remote'])
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice"><strong>Alert</strong>: You have not verified this account. <a href="http://disqus.com/verify">Verify it now.</a></p>'
				: '')
			+ '</div> \
			<div id="dsq-profile-status-' + user_key + '" class="dsq-popup-profile-status" style="display:none"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-snapshot"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td> \
							<div id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Most active sites</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
						<td>'
							+ _includeServices()
							+ '<div id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Moderator of</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupReblog = function() {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<cite><span>Reblog this comment</span></cite> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div id="dsq-reblog-form" class="dsq-reblog-form"> \
			</div> \
		';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupModal = function(title, message) {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<h3>' + title + '</h3> \
		';

		bodyHtml = message;

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.alertContent = function(name, post_id) {
		var alert = {
			'post_not_approved': {
				'title': 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator',
				'message': 'Thanks for posting. Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.'
			},
			'post_has_profile': {
				'title': 'Use your existing commenter profile',
				'message': 'You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> commenter profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a>'
			}
		};
		return alert[name] || false;
	};

	//
	// Actions
	//

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {
		// Update number of points
		Dsq.$('dsq-points-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.';

		// Update link text
		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.';
		}
	};

	this.subscribed = function(status) {
		var title, message;

		if(status) {
			title = 'Subscribed!';
			message = 'You have subscribed to this comment thread. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">Unsubscribe</a> \
			';
		} else {
			title = 'Unsubscribed';
			message = 'You have unsubscribed to this comment thread. New comments will no longer be sent to your email inbox.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a> \
			';
		}

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);

	};
	
	this.highlighted = function() {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('This comment has been highlighted.', 'Highlighted comment');
	};

	//
	// Media
	//

	this.mediaSeesmic = function(id, thumb) {
		return ' \
			<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_preview" class="dsq-seesmic-preview"><a href="http://www.seesmic.com/video/' + id + '" target="_blank" class="see_link">&nbsp;</a> \
				<div style="display:block;width:160px; height:120px; border:none; background-image:url(http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/' + thumb + ')"> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_hide" class="seePlayOverlay" style="display:none;"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',false)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/stopOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_show" class="seePlayOverlay"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',true)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/playOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; border:none; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			<div id="' + id + '_content" style="display:block; width:100%; padding-top:5px"></div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Callbacks
	//

	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(parent_post_id) {
		// Increment post count
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');
		
		if (num_posts) { 
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) { 
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
	};
};
// Dsq.Templates


/**
 * Dsq.Post
 */
Dsq.Post = new function() {
	this.openedMenu = {};
	this.menuEventListener = null;
	this.stateReplyToggled = {};
	this.stateEditToggled = {};
	this.stateRecordLink = {};

	/**
	 * Inserts a new post into the document.
	 *
	 * @param after_id {Number}	Insert a post before specified id.  If after_id
	 *							evaluates to false, then post in the front.  If
	 *							after_id is -1, post at the end.
	 */
	this.insert = function(after_id, id, message, author) {
		// Skeleton template from thread_posts.html.
		var skeleton = ' \
			<li id="dsq-comment-%(id)s"> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-header-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-header"> \
					<cite id="dsq-cite-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-cite"> \
						<a id="dsq-author-user-%(id)s" href="%(author_url)s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">%(author_name)s</a> \
					</cite> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-body-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-body"> \
					<div id="dsq-comment-message-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-message">%(message)s</div> \
				</div> \
			</li> \
		';
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var _user_meta = Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key];
		var markup = Dsq.Utils.interpolate(skeleton, {
			id: id,
			message: message,
			author_url: _user_meta.blog,
			author_name: _user_meta.display_name
		});
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		markup = markup.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
		div.innerHTML = markup;

		if (after_id === -1) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').appendChild(div);
		} else if (!after_id) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').insertBefore(div, Dsq.$('dsq-comments').firstChild);
		} else if (Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + after_id)) {
			// Get next node after "after_id", so we can insert before it.
			// If "after_id" is the last comment, the target node is the
			// last node.
			
			// var append_post_id = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(after_id).replace('<div id="','').replace('"></div>', '');
			var append_post_id = 'dsq-append-post-' + after_id;
			var node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			while (node = node.nextSibling) {
				if (!node || node.nodeType == 1) { // 1 == Node.ELEMENT_NODE
					break;
				}
			}
			if (!node) {
				node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			}
			node.parentNode.insertBefore(div, node);
		}
	};

	this.incrementPostCount = function() {
		
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');

		if (num_posts) {
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) {
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
	}
	
	this.outlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className += ' dsq-comment-outline';
		setTimeout("(function () { Dsq.Post.clearOutlineComment(" + post_id + ") })()", 3000);
	};
	
	this.clearOutlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className.replace('dsq-comment-outline', '');
	};

	this.showMenu = function(el, id, name) {
		var anchorPos = Dsq.Utils.findPos(el);
		var menu = document.createElement('ul');

		if(this.openedMenu) {
			if(this.openedMenu.linkClicked) {
				this.openedMenu.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		switch(name) {
			case 'more':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMore(id);
				break;
			case 'media':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMedia(id);
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}

		// Add menu to document body
		menu.id = 'dsq-menu-' + id;
		menu.className = 'dsq-menu';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(menu);

		// Position and show
		anchorPos[1] += 15;
		menu.style.left = anchorPos[0] + 'px';
		menu.style.top = anchorPos[1] + 'px';
		menu.style.display = 'block';

		// Set global reference
		this.openedMenu = {
			'el' : menu,
			'id' : id,
			'name' : name,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};

		// Set listener
		this.menuEventListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._hideMenu);
	};

	this._hideMenu = function(e) {
		var el = e.target || e.srcElement;
		var openedMenu = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el;
		var id = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.id;

		if(!id) {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link';
		} else {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link-' + id;
		}

		if(!openedMenu) {
			return;
		}

		if(!Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, openedMenu.id)) {
			openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Post.menuEventListener);
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(openedMenu);

		} else {
			// Hide the menu if a link was clicked inside the menu.  We can't
			// completely remove the menu until the onclick event on the link
			// fires, but the menuEventListener will prevent multiple menus
			// from polluting the DOM.
			if(el && typeof el.href != 'undefined') {
				openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el = null;
			}
		}

		if(Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Post.openedMenu.linkClicked = true;
		}
	};


	this.getUserServices = function(user_key, id) {
		if(!user_key && id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
			user_key = _meta.user_key;
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var userServices = [];

		// Keep a full list of supported services. This is the order they will display in the drop-profile.
		// Each service must have a corresponding case in _buildServiceUrl()
		var supportedServices = ['blog', 'twitter', 'facebook', 'tumblr'];

		function _buildServiceUrl(serviceName) {
			var data = userData[serviceName];
			var services = {
				blog:		function(d) { return d; },
				twitter:	function(d) { return d; },
				facebook:	function(d) { return d; },
				tumblr:		function(d) { return 'http://' + d + '.tumblr.com'; }
			};
			return services[serviceName](data);
		}

		for(var i = 0; i < supportedServices.length; i++) {
			if(userData[supportedServices[i]]) {
				var serviceUrl = _buildServiceUrl(supportedServices[i]);
				userServices.push({'name' : supportedServices[i], 'url' : serviceUrl});
			}
		}
		return userServices;
	}

	this.dropProfile = function(id) {
		var dp = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-profile-' + id);

		// IE6 needs JS to display/hide. All other browsers use CSS.
		if(dp) {
			if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) dp.style.display = (dp.style.display == 'inline') ? 'none' : 'inline';
			return false;
		} else {
			dp = document.createElement('ul');
		}

		dp.id = 'dsq-drop-profile-' + id;
		dp.className = 'dsq-drop-profile';

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) { dp.style.display = 'inline'; }

		var container = Dsq.$('dsq-header-avatar-' + id);
		dp.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.dropProfile(id);
		container.appendChild(dp);
	};

	this.dropProfileMore = function(el, id) {
		var hiddenItems = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-hidden-' + id);

		hiddenItems.style.display = 'inline';
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
	};

	this._updateReplyLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "reply / cancel" links based on state.
		var displayDict = {};

		if(id) {
			if(this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				el.innerHTML = 'Cancel';
				displayDict['media'] = 'inline';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'none';
			} else {
				el.innerHTML = 'Reply';
				displayDict['media'] = 'none';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'inline';
			}
		}

		for(var key in displayDict) {
			if(displayDict.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var	linkEl = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-el-' + id),
					spacer = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-spacer-' + id);

				if(linkEl) {
					linkEl.style.display = displayDict[key];
					if(spacer) spacer.style.display = displayDict[key];
				}
			}
		}
	};

	this._updateMediaLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "use media / cancel" links based on state.
		var appendId = (id) ? ('-' + id) : '';
		var link = Dsq.$('dsq-media-link' + appendId);

		if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			link.innerHTML = 'Cancel Media';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(link, id); return false; };
		} else {
			link.innerHTML = 'Use Media <small>&#9660;</small>';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.showMenu(link, id, 'media'); return false; };
		}
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(el, id) {
		// Create reply IFrame
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			if (!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				// Create IFrame if it doesn't exist.
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-frame-' + id), id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].init();
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].setState(id, _meta.depth);
				}
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
			}
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			if(!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				// Reply toolbar
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id), id);
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Iframes.hideAllInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id));
				if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
					// HACK: Cancel media before canceling self.
					this.toggleMediaReply(Dsq.$('dsq-media-link-' + id), id);
				}
			}
		}

		this.stateReplyToggled[id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[id];
		this._updateReplyLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-reply-' + id); }

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[id]
		});
	};

	this.toggleMediaReply = function(el, id, xtype) {
		id = id || 0;
		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(!this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id, {xtype:xtype}, 'dsq-post-video');
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id);
		}
		this.stateRecordLink[id] = !this.stateRecordLink[id];
		this._updateMediaLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};

	this.edit = function(el, id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.frameEdit(id);
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-comment-message-' + id); }
	};

    this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
                Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
            }

            Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/vote.js'
                + '?post_id='    + id
                + '&vote='        + vote);

		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login(Dsq.Strings.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN);
		}
    };

	this.report = function(id, confirmed) {
		if(confirmed) {
			Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10/post_report/', {'post_id': id});
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Thank you. This comment has been flagged for moderator attention.', 'Successfully flagged');
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$('dsq-post-report-' + id));
		} else {
			var title = Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT;
			var message = Dsq.Strings.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR + '? \
			<br /><br /> \
			<button onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.NO + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.NEVER_MIND + '</button>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<button onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + id + ', true);"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.YES + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT + '</button><br /><br />'
			+ Dsq.Strings.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION + '. \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, id);
		}
	};



	this.showAlert = function(id, msg) {
		var msgEl = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id);
		var alert = '<div class="dsq-comment-alert">' + msg + '</div>';

		msgEl.innerHTML = alert + msgEl.innerHTML;
	};

};
// Dsq.Post


/**
 * Dsq.Thread
 */
Dsq.Thread = new function() {
	this.fc = null;
	this.ff = null;
	this.ac = null;

	
	this.adminIsOn = false;

	
	
	

	this.hlComment = null;
	this.hlCommentClass = null;

	this.getNextComment = function(el) {
		var start_id = el.id;
		while(el = el.nextSibling) {
			if(el.id && el.id.indexOf('dsq-comment-') != -1 && el.id != start_id) {
				return el;
			}
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.getActiveCommentId = function() {
		if (document.URL.indexOf('#comment-') >= 0) {
			var anchor = document.URL.slice(document.URL.indexOf('#') + 1);
			return anchor.replace('comment-', '');
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.highlightAnchor = function() {
		var i = this.getActiveCommentId();
		if (i == null) return false;
		var id = 'dsq-comment-' + i;
		var hash = window.location.hash;

		// Toggle the hash incase the comment isn't available when the page loads
		// for WebKit-based browsers.
		if (Dsq.Utils.webkit) {
			window.location.hash = '';
			window.location.hash = hash;
		}

		this.hlComment = Dsq.$(id);
		// Adding this conditional guard pending #289
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlCommentClass = this.hlComment.className;
		this.hlComment.className += ' dsq-hl-anchor';

		setTimeout("Dsq.Thread.highlightClear()", 3000);
	};

	this.highlightClear = function() {
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlComment.className = this.hlCommentClass;
	};

	this.login = function(toggle) {
		// toggle id is #dsq-reply-login-[id]
		var postId;
		if(toggle.id.indexOf('dsq-reply-login') != -1) {
			postId = toggle.id.slice(16);
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + postId);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(toggle) {
			if(toggle.className == 'dsq-login-active') {
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(container, postId);
				toggle.className = '';
			} else {
				Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
				toggle.className = 'dsq-login-active';
			}
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
		}

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};


	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked, per_page) {
		// Use extra_params to pass any override parameters that we need to persist.
		var extra_params = '';

		// "Per page" can either be overriden by providing it as an argument
		// (per-call) or setting the disqus_per_page override variable (global).
		if(typeof per_page == 'undefined') {
			per_page = null;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined' && per_page === null) {
			per_page = disqus_per_page;
		}

		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}
		if(per_page !== null) {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + per_page;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			el_clicked.style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};

	this.sortBy = function(sort) {
		var disqus_script = document.createElement('script');
		var disqus_date = new Date();

		if (location.hash != '') {
			location.hash = '#disqus_thread';
		}

		if(typeof(disqus_url) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_url = disqus_href;
		}
		disqus_script.type = 'text/javascript';
		disqus_script.src = 'http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10'
			+ '&sort='	+ sort
			+ '&title='
			+ '&'		+ disqus_date.getTime();

		Dsq.$('dsq-comments').innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif">';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(disqus_script);
	};

	this.subscribe = function(status, email) {
		// `status` is an int -- 1 to subscribe, 0 to unsubscribe
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || email) {
			// If authenticated user OR anonymous email provided

			if(email) {
				Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
			}

			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/subscribe.js'
				+'?status=' 	+ status
				+ '&slug='		+ 'this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10'
				+ '&email=' 	+ encodeURIComponent(email));

		} else if(!email) {
			// If anonymous user and no email has been provided yet, prompt for email

			var title = 'Subscribe to this comment thread';
			var message = ' \
				New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox! \
				<div class="dsq-subscribe-submit"> \
					<p><strong>Enter your email address below.</strong></p> \
					<input type="text" id="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
					<button onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1, Dsq.$(\'dsq-subscribe-email\').value)">Subscribe</button> \
				</div> \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
		}
	};

	this.showSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return;
		}

		/* The form has to be re-designed when more options will come out. */
		var html = 'Automatically close comments after <input size="3" id="dsq-thread-days-alive" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.days_alive + '" type="text" /> days. Existing comments will still be displayed.<br /><br />(Using 0 days will disable this feature)<br /><br />'
								 + '<button onclick="Dsq.Thread.updateDaysAlive();" class="dsq-button-small"><span>Save</span></button>'
								 + '<span id="dsq-thread-settings-status" class="dsq-options-status"></span>';
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Settings');
	};

	this.updateDaysAlive = function() {
		var days = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-days-alive').value;
		var status = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-settings-status');
		Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/update_days_alive.js', {days:days,thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
		status.innerHTML = 'Saved!';
		window.setTimeout(function() { status.innerHTML = ''; }, 1000);
	};
};
// Dsq.Thread

Dsq.Events = function() {
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var handlers = {};
	var getHandlers = function(event) {
		if (handlers[event] === undefined) {
			handlers[event] = [];
		}
		return handlers[event];
	};

	// Public
	// Value keys : postId, node, xtype
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED = 1;
	// Value keys : postId, opened
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED = 2;
	obj.fire = function(event, opt_value) {
		if (!event) {
			throw new Error('Unknown event');
		}
		var value = opt_value || {};
		for (var i=0; i<getHandlers(event).length; i++) {
			getHandlers(event)[i](value);
		}
	};
	obj.addHandler = function(event, callback) {
		getHandlers(event).push(callback);
	};

	return obj;
}();

/**
 * Dsq.Realtime
 */
Dsq.Realtime = new function() {
	var initialized = false;
	var interval = null;
	var last_checked = Dsq.jsonData.request.timestamp;
	var new_posts = [];
	var ongoing_request = false;
	var prev_script = null;

	function updateNewPostCount() {
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-alert').style.display = new_posts.length ? 'block' : 'none';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-queued').innerHTML = new_posts.length
		+ ' new '
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, 'comment', 'comments')
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, ' was', ' were')
		+ ' just posted.';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.SHOW + ')';
	}

	function insertNewPosts() {
		var post_id = null;
		var after_id = Dsq.$('dsq-sort-select').value === 'oldest' ? -1 : null;

		for (var i=0; i<new_posts.length; i++) {
			post_id = new_posts[i];
			Dsq.Post.insert(after_id, post_id, Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id].message);
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		}
		new_posts = [];
	}

	this.enableInterval = function() {
		interval = setInterval(Dsq.Realtime.check, Dsq.jsonData.context.realtime_speed);
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.ENABLED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.PAUSE + ')';
	}

	this.disableInterval = function() {
		if (interval) {
			clearInterval(interval);
			interval = null;
		}
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.PAUSED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.RESUME + ')';
	}

	this.toggleInterval = function() {
		if (!interval) {
			Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
		} else {
			Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
		}
		return false;
	}

	this.initialize = function() {
		if (!initialized) {
			initialized = true;
			Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').onclick = this.toggleInterval;
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').onclick = this.show;
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
			if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.realtime_paused) {
				Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
			} else {
				Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
			}
		}
	}

	this.show = function() {
		insertNewPosts();
		updateNewPostCount();
		return false;
	}

	this.check = function() {
		if (!ongoing_request && Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			if (prev_script) {
				prev_script.parentNode.removeChild(prev_script);
			}
			ongoing_request = true;
			prev_script = Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/2389447/realtime.js?timestamp=' + last_checked);
		}
	};

	this.update = function(timestamp, posts, users) {
		ongoing_request = false;
		last_checked = timestamp;

		if (users) {
			for (var user_id in users) {
				if (users.hasOwnProperty(user_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id] = users[user_id];
					}
				}
			}
		}

		if (posts) {
			for (var post_id in posts) {
				if (posts.hasOwnProperty(post_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] = posts[post_id];
						new_posts.push(post_id);
					}
				}
			}

			if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				insertNewPosts();
			} else {
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
		}
	};

}();

// DEPRECATED
Dsq.Iframes = function() {
	// Different style of object from the above. Hoping to switch to this for some reason.
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var showIframeInContainer = function(container, id, markup) {
		// Look through container for iframes, hiding them, except show one that matches id
		// If none of them matched id, create a new iframe using markup and insert it.
		// Returns the iframe node if and only if it was newly created.
		var found = false;
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				if (child.id == id) {
					child.style.display = 'block';
					found = true;
				} else {
					child.style.display = 'none';
				}
			}
		}
		if (found) {
			return;
		}
		// The iframe wasn't found, so construct it and add it to the container.
		// Don't use innerHTML because it might reload iframes
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		div.innerHTML = markup;
		var iframe = div.childNodes[0];
		div.removeChild(iframe);
		container.appendChild(iframe);
		return iframe;
	};

	// Public
	obj.makeReplyIframeId = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var id = 'dsq-post-add-iframe';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			id += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			id += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return id;
	};
	obj.makeLoginIframeId = function(opt_postId) {
		if (!opt_postId) {
			return 'dsq-login-iframe';
		}
		return 'dsq-login-iframe-' + opt_postId;
	};
	obj.makeReplyIframeName = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var name = 'dsq-reply-frame';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			name += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			name += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return name;
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId, opt_extraParams, opt_className) {
		// Construct the id so we can check if it's already present.
		// Hide any other iframes we find, and show this one if it's found.
		var params = opt_extraParams || {};
		// use xtype in the id and name so we can distinguish media replies from text replies:
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeId(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var name = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeName(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var attributes = {
			'id': id,
			'name': name,
			'class': opt_className || 'dsq-post-reply'
			};
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameReply(opt_postId, opt_extraParams, attributes);
		var iframe = showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
		// It was newly created
		if (iframe) {
			Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED, {
				postId: opt_postId,
				node: iframe,
				xtype: params.xtype
			});
		}
	};
	obj.showLoginIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId) {
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeLoginIframeId(opt_postId);
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: id});
		showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed = function(container, opt_postId) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			obj.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, opt_postId);
		} else {
			obj.hideAllInContainer(container);
		}
	};
	obj.hideAllInContainer = function(container) {
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				child.style.display = 'none';
			}
		}
	};

	return obj;
}();

Dsq.Twitter = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startTwitterConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._twitterWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/twitter/begin/', 'twitterWindow', popupParams);
		that._twitterInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeTwitterConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeTwitterConnect = function() {
		if (that._twitterWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._twitterInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Yahoo = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startYahooConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._yahooWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/yahoo/begin/', 'yahooWindow', popupParams);
		that._yahooInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeYahooConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeYahooConnect = function() {
		if (that._yahooWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._yahooInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.OpenID = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.requestURL = function() {
		var message = '<table class="dsq-openid-form"><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="2"><img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url + '/images/openid-icon-100x100.png" /></td>';
		message += '<td><label for="dsq-openid-url">OpenID URL:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-url" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td><label for="dsq-openid-username">Display name:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-username" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td class="dsq-openid-submit" colspan="3"><input type="button" value="Sign in" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.startConnect();" /></td></tr>';
		message += "</table>";

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sign in using OpenID');
	};

	this.startConnect = function() {
		var isblank = function(str) {
			return /^\s*$/.test(str);
		};

		var openid_url = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-url').value;
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-username').value;

		if (isblank(openid_url)) {
			return;
		}

		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=500';
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/openid/begin/' + '?url=' + encodeURIComponent(openid_url) + '&username=' + encodeURIComponent(username);
		that._openidWindow = window.open(url, 'openidWindow', popupParams);
		that._openidInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeConnect = function() {
		if (that._openidWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._openidInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Reaction = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.hide = function(id) {
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/hidereaction.js?' + 'reaction_id=' + id);
	};

	this.reportMissingReactions = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled) {
			return;
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.queued) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Your report has been received. The system will automatically search for new reactions; if any are found, they will be displayed on this comment thread.<br/><br/>Thank&nbsp;you.',
												 'Reported missing reactions');
			return;
		}

		Dsq.Utils.execScript(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/forums/jackandjillpolitics/queueurl.js');
	};
};

Dsq.CNN = function() {
	var obj = {};

	obj.authenticate = function() {
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + "/saml/cnn/try/";
		Dsq.Utils.postToUrl(url, {'target': document.location}, true);
	};

	return obj;
}();


if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
	(function() {
		DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE = /<div class="dsq-header-avatar"(.*?)>/gim;
		Dsq.Templates.registerFilter('postPrependHeader', function(html, post_id) {
			// Add "onmouseout" for dsq-header-avatar for dropProfile
			// functionality since IE6 cannot use :hover.
			function _headerAvatarReplace(content, inner, _unused, html) {
				return '<div class="dsq-header-avatar" '
					+ inner
					+ ' onmouseout="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')">';
			}
			html = html.replace(DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE, _headerAvatarReplace);
			return html;
		});
	})();
}





	// TODO: Move Seesmic code outside of the main script.  Don't let this script clobber the global namespace.
	if(typeof seesmic == 'undefined') { var seesmic = {}; }
	seesmic.widget = new function () {
		this.callback = function (data) {
			playerVersion = data.disqusplayer;
		};
	};

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://seesmic.com/version.js?callback=seesmic.widget.callback');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://media.disqus.com/javascript/library/swfobject.js');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	function see_play_video(_videoUri, _add) {
		var swf = !!playerVersion ? playerVersion : 'http://seesmic.com/embeds/StandalonePlayer.swf';

		flashcontentDiv = Dsq.$(_videoUri + '_content');
		previewDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_preview');
		hideDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_hide');
		showDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_show');
		if(_add) {
			// push flash widget
			var so = new SWFObject(swf, 'sotester', '300', '270', '9', '#000000');
			so.addVariable('video', _videoUri);
			so.addParam('allowFullScreen', 'true');
			so.addParam('allowScriptAccess','always');
			so.useExpressInstall('swfobject/expressinstall.swf');
			so.write(_videoUri + '_content');

			previewDiv.style.display = 'none';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'block';
			showDiv.style.display = 'none';
		}
		else {
			flashcontentDiv.innerHTML = '';
			previewDiv.style.display = 'block';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'none';
			showDiv.style.display = 'block';
		}
	};





(function() {
	//
	// Load theme.  This overrides the base templates with template functions
	// from the respective themes.
	//
	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		var theme = 'narcissus';
		// HACK: Set variable on window to use post message.
		window.disqus_use_postmessage = true;

		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Themes[theme]) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Templates[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Post) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Post[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
	}

	//
	// Register templates.  This must be done after all themes are loaded.
	//
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('authPost', Dsq.Templates.authPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('header', Dsq.Templates.header);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('footer', Dsq.Templates.footer);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('trackbacks', Dsq.Templates.trackbacks);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('reactions', Dsq.Templates.reactions);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('prependPost', Dsq.Templates.prependPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('appendPost', Dsq.Templates.appendPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postPrependHeader', Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postAppendHeader', Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('preBody', Dsq.Templates.preBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBody', Dsq.Templates.postBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postFooter', Dsq.Templates.postFooter);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('_popupGeneric', Dsq.Templates._popupGeneric);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('voted', Dsq.Templates.voted);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('popupProfile', Dsq.Templates.popupProfile);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBox', Dsq.Templates.postBox);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('pagination', Dsq.Templates.pagination);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postComment_onSuccess', Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess);

})();

Dsq.container.className = "clearfix";
Dsq.container.innerHTML = ' \
<ul id="dsq-comments">\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079374">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079374" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079374" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079374">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079374" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079374" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>It makes you wonder why he won’t address our issues, and yet, McCain is actually using that against him.</i><br><br>Please give examples of "our issues" that Obama won\'t address. <br><br><i>It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it.</i><br><br>Obama hasn\'t denounced the apology. What is said is this per the article you referenced in your piece: <br><br><b>"Obama says an apology would be appropriate but not particularly helpful in improving the lives of black Americans. "</b><br><br>That\'s not a denouncement. <br><br>You must also take into account that everyone doesn\'t have the same definition of reparations. According to that same article, Obama says this:<br><br><b>"I have said in the past — and I\'ll repeat again — that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed," the Illinois Democrat said recently.</b><br><br>The NAAC\'s  position: <br><br><b>The NAACP says reparations could take the form of government programs to help struggling people of all races. Efforts to improve schools in the inner city could also aid students in the mountains of West Virginia, said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP\'s Washington bureau.</b><br><br>The National Urban League\'s position:<br><br><b>The National Urban League — a group Obama is to address Saturday — avoids the word "reparations" as too vague and highly charged. But the group advocates government action to close the gaps between white America and black America.</b><br><br>Those positions don\'t differ with Obama\'s position, so I fail to see how he\'s denouncing reparations. <br><br>Obama also said:<br><br><b>"I fear that reparations would be an excuse for some to say, \'We\'ve paid our debt,\' and to avoid the much harder work."</b><br><br>Guess what? A LOT of blacks feels this way. <br><br>I\'m not saying that we shouldn\'t question Obama on the issues, but it seems to me that some in the black community have targeted their questioning solely on him, ignoring other candidates in this race, as well as other black politicians.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080769">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080769" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080769" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080769">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080769" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080769" class="dsq-comment-message">Co-signing here as well.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080770">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080770" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080770" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080770">Texas_Girl_in_LA</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080770" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080770" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080443">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080443" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080443" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080443" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080443" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080443" class="dsq-comment-message">Bless you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079782">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079782" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079782" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079782">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079782" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079782" class="dsq-comment-message">Sepia:  Co-signing!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079813">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079813" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079813" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079813">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079813" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079813" class="dsq-comment-message">My feelings exactly!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079901">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079901" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079901" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079901" href="http://www.brownmanthinkinghard.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Brown Man</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079901" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079901" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you, Sepia,  for injecting some factual information here.  The people who have been addressing solely black issues can only go so far.<br><br>I\'ve posted on forums with majority white members the statement that this will be a test of white America.<br><br>It will be a test of us too - the things we want, like racial equality and economic parity, are things we\'ve never seen happen, so how do we know what we will have to go through to get there?<br><br>If trading the hope of reparations gets more of my black brethren employed, and gets those of us who are employed more opportunity to succeed, then we got what we wanted anyway, just without the wrapping paper.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082657">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082657" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082657" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082657">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082657" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082657" class="dsq-comment-message">The more I think about the reparations issue, the more incensed I become.  Where do people honestly think the money is going to come from?  Where?  If its coming from taxes, won\'t Black people basically be paying for reparations to ourselves?  Who will receive reparations?  How would you qualify? How much of our resources should we spend investigating reparations?   If by some miracle the government actually comes up with reparations, shouldn\'t they in fact get rid of all programs that are giving consideration to race, since the government has paid its debt to Black people.  <br><br>It is a HORRIBLE idea.  It is extremely shortsighted, and does nothing to move us forward.  As I said in my previous post, Black people do not need a handout from the government.  the concentration should be on education, job training, and job skills and financial empowerment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084542">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084542" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084542" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084542">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084542" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084542" class="dsq-comment-message">How would you qualify?......you qualify the same way you qualify for not catching a cab in New York City.  Every New York cabbie can tell a black person from a kilometer away.  <br><br>Funny how there\'s no question of blackness when it comes to discrimination.  It\'s also funny how the only time I ever hailed a cab in New York, I had absolutely no problem....maybe it\'s \'cause I\'m a woman?<br><br>The debt is not to "black people" to say sorry, really.  The debt is monies owed for services rendered.  It is a debt for unpaid labour.  It is a contractual obligation.<br><br>Every worker is entitled to pay.  America benefited from an industry of unpaid labour. Those dollars earned are tied up in the infrastructure of the USA.<br><br>I don\'t know if it\'s ever been studied, what the economic benefit of reparations would be.  Could the economic problems be partially due to all the people of colour left behind in poverty or languishing in jail.  If these people were educated and made upwardly mobile,  were more involved in business, wouldn\'t that stimulate the economy?<br><br>America can use hundreds of billions fighting unjust wars on foreign soil and in foreign aid; why not pay what they OWE?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085113">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085113" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085113" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085113">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085113" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085113" class="dsq-comment-message">But most of the slaves who actually did that work are dead, so Congress would have to check the background of each and every Black person (and biracial, and white person for that matter) to figure out if they are actually descendants from slaves if the process were to be considered fair.  I think it would be highly suspect if all that was required to receive reparations was brown skin.  <br><br>And again, why should people who have nothing to do with slavery, who came here after the slave trade, have to pay for reparations?  And why should my tax dollars go to reparations?  And as I was reading about this issue on other sites, you know what the counter argument to this issue is?  That since it was White soldiers that helped freed the slaves during the Civil War that they too should receive reparations. <br><br>And I don\'t think the lack of reparations has anything to do with the economic problems that are plaguing certain segments of the Black community.  Post-slavery, Black people faced impossible odds compared to how easy we have it now, yet there were many who were able to get an education and start their own businesses despite those odds.  <br><br>Reparations is not the answer, and it is certainly not a cure for what is going on in the Black community.  It is merely a distraction.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086000">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086000" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086000" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086000">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086000" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086000" class="dsq-comment-message">You can\'t be serious.  If you owe a debt and the person dies, you still owe to their estate, their descendants.  As for checking backgrounds, it\'s fairly easy to tell who\'s a non-imigrant African American from census data, etc; it\'s done in Canada for First Nations people.   You may have a point about how far to take it, for example, what happens for biracial children to several generations etc.  Those are logistic concerns that have no bearing on the fact that a monetary debt is owed.<br><br>Recent immigrants would not be paying as such.  The debt is owed.  Part of being a citizen is collective responsibility, in addition to collective rights.  Why should you benefit from infrastructure built and paid for before your arrival in America?  Why should you benefit from the labour of slaves?  That is the mother of all welfare systems.  If you are childless, why should your tax dollars go to public schools?<br><br>The soldier argument is absurd....reparations are not about gratitude, but a monetary debt owed for labour.  The soldiers who fought in the <br>Civil War received wages.  I didn\'t say lack of reparations was the cause of economic problems in the black community.  I was wondering if the national economic problems are due to so many people being left behind.<br><br>What is a distraction, is the sense that a debt is owed.  It\'s a distraction that justice has not been served.   While I don\'t think reparations should be central to our discussions, it doesn\'t mean the debt is not still owed.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086083">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086083" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086083" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086083">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086083" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086083" class="dsq-comment-message">I guess we can agree to disagree then.  I honor what my ancestors have gone through and their work in building up this country, but I don\'t think anyone owes me anything. I also think the reparations argument is too tangential and is extremely divisive.  Instead of focusing on payback, and getting what is "owed" to us, I would much rather focus on realistic goals here and now.  But that\'s just me.  <br><br>And I\'m sorry, "the sense that a debt is owed" does not keep me up at night.  But you know what does?  The drop out rates in inner city schools, the fact that even the minorities that graduate can\'t compete with their colleagues.  The teenage pregnancy rate, the HIV infection rate, the disproportionate number of minority men and women that are being supervised under the criminal justice system, the fact that some Black people are willing to sell poison to and shoot down other Black people without a second thought.  These are the issues that need to be focused on, and I just don\'t understand how fighting for reparations because the government supposedly  "owes" Black people something is going to solve or alleviate any of these problems.  I just don\'t.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086221">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086221" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086221" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086221">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086221" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086221" class="dsq-comment-message">I hardly think anyone is "focused" on reparations.  No one said any African Americans are "up at night" worrying about this, that\'s absurd.  I suppose you could write off your portion of any debt owed.  Nothing you said changes the fact that a debt is owed.  No one said anything about reparations solving social problems, that is irrelevant.  <br><br>AA\'s shouldn\'t want reparations to solve their problems or as a handout; it is a debt, money earned..cold, hard, rational.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086286">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086286" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086286" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086286">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086286" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086286" class="dsq-comment-message">1) "I hardly think anyone is \'focused\' on reparations."  Really?  because the last time I checked there is a bit of a movement going on with regards to reparations and there have been several lawsuits filed against companies that supposedly benefitted from slavery.  So at least some people, including members of the CBC, are focused on reparations.  <br><br>2)   My "up at night" comment, was in response to your comment: "What is a distraction, is the sense that a debt is owed. It\'s a distraction that justice has not been served."  My response is that it is not a distraction for me.  Reparations are the least of my worries, other more prevalent issues directly effecting the Black community right now are.  <br><br>3) And I never said reparations would solve social problems, although arguments have been made in support of that theory.  My argument is that focusing on reparations when we face so many other hurdles within the Black community is myopic.  <br><br>4)  And again.  I think we view reparations differently.  You view it as something that can be passed on through several generations.  I view it as something that if it was going to be paid, should have gone directly to the slaves, who actually did the work, if not, let\'s move on.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086360">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086360" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086360" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086360">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086360" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086360" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m not aware of any "focus" by my definition.  From what I can see, AA\'s are going about their lives.  I don\'t know of any large scale marches or monolithic movement.<br><br>I should clarify that by distraction, I don\'t mean conscious preoccupation.  What I mean is that it is part of the unspoken resentment between the races.  Whites are terrified they will be asked to pay for a past wrong.  Blacks are still hurting over the injustice. <br><br>It\'s sort of like if there are 2 friends and one defaults on a debt to the other...things are just not the same until the issue is dealt with.  The person who owed to debt may even become angry at the lender...because they\'re guilty.<br><br>You cited social problems as a reason not to be "focused" on reparations...as if the one impacted on the other.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086107">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086107" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086107" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086107" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086107" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086107" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s become central to our discussions because the issue is on the table thanks to a certain confluence of events and a corporate media that is seeking to help a politician lose an election.<br><br>This is the first presidential election that I can recall where the issue has been on the table.<br><br>And that for me makes it a distraction no different from (the intent is the same) Britney Spears and Paris Hilton when it comes to presidential politics</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086184">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086184" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086184" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086184">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086184" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086184" class="dsq-comment-message">Well then, lucky for him that he already said he doesn\'t support it.  This way he gets to restate his position.   Though, I do know what you mean.  It is an illegitimate wedge issue.  At some point though, O will have to start using some legitimate "wedge" issues of his own, instead of just reacting to McCain\'s dirty tricks.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086220">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086220" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086220" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086220" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086220" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086220" class="dsq-comment-message">I feel you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087643">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087643" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087643" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1087643">kenyaw</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087643" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087643" class="dsq-comment-message">Truth,<br><br>"If you owe a debt and the person dies, you still owe to their estate, their descendants. As for checking backgrounds, it\'s fairly easy to tell who\'s a non-imigrant African American from census data, etc; it\'s done in Canada for First Nations people."<br><br>Well put.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087814">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087814" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087814" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1087814">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087814" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087814" class="dsq-comment-message">Hey Kenya,<br><br>How\'s it going.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1098817">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1098817" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1098817" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1098817">kenyaw</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1098817" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1098817" class="dsq-comment-message">Hi Truth,<br><br>I am good sis. <br><br> It just bothers me when people are not informed about the process of reparations.  Every other group that the American govt has done harm to has gotten reparations and grants specifically SET- ASIDE for that group. <br><br>A few years ago the US government had to give 1000’s of Jewish people money for some shit they said some soldiers took back in WWII. You did not see a bunch of Jewish people protesting, saying that the people that brought the lawsuit should just move on and let the past be the past.<br><br>I am bewildered at black folks that don’t read and do not understand how things work.<br><br>There are perfectly well maintained legal records documenting just who owned my great-great grand mother and great-great grandfather. My family has good genes and we live long (God willing) <br>Anyway, my great grandmother Hattie Newkirk just passed away in 2003; she was 103 years old and picked cotton for peanuts.  My great grand father Willie Newkirk was born in 1896. This shit was not sooo long ago.<br>So it would not take but a quick minute to give their descendants what’s DUE. (Excuse my ebonics) Grandma Hattie aint got but two children left.  Don’t worry about me, but give my grandmother and her sister what is owed to them.<br><br>And another thing, affirmative action never had a chance to do what it was set-up to do, because within a few years they expanded it to include everybody damn else. And none of the “everybody else\'s” picked any cotton or went through the hardships of slavery and Jim Crow.<br><br>But of course you know this...I am done.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082616">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082616" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082616" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082616" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082616" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082616" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama should be or act like he\'s better educated on the issue instead of saying "the best reparations"... is stuff Reparations advocates have advocated themselves.  It\'s a insult.  <br><br><i>"A LOT of blacks feels this way.</i><br><br>And that\'s because they are as ignorant as Obama on the issue and, like Obama, too damn focused on how White people are going to act.  Thank God for the ancestors who didn\'t cop out like that.<br><br>And, really, what "much harder work" is Obama talking about?  He\'s responsible for the f-cked up ideas he has about Reparations, his tortured definition of it and his less than fluid response to it.  He\'s had plenty of time to polish up on the issue.  It\'s been a while since he was put on the spot in that debate when Dennis Kucinich tried to win some Brownie (or Blackie) points for saying he was for Reparations but even he knew he had to chase that down with a quick, stiff drink of "poor Whites too."<br><br>lol</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084546">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084546" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084546" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084546">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084546" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084546" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s a problem, because O is seen by whites as speaking FOR the black community; however, he avoids that official designation(black spokesperson) in other areas.  It\'s a problem then, when he makes statements like this that may not jibe with the feelings of the black community at large.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086135">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086135" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086135" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086135" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086135" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086135" class="dsq-comment-message">when he makes statements like this that may not jibe with the feelings of the black community at large.<br><br>::<br><br>Does the black community at large believe we need reparations?<br><br>Like I said, I haven\'t thought reparations through, but I don\'t know a single Black person in life who thinks reparations are owed to us.<br><br>Is there a poll I can find?<br><br>I\'m not being sarcastic either. I just want to know since we\'re having the conversation.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086172">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086172" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086172" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086172">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086172" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086172" class="dsq-comment-message">Sigh....<br><br>Craig, I said it MAY not jibe.  It is within the context of whites considering him a de-facto spokesperson for all black people.  What if he said he doesn\'t speak for the black community as a whole, however, in HIS judgement, reparations are not a good idea.  I get the feeling that he is not only offering his opinion, but lecturing the black community again...telling them what they OUGHT to want, rather than asking.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086208">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086208" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086208" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086208" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086208" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086208" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>I get the feeling that he is not only offering his opinion, but lecturing the black community again...</i><br><br>::<br><br>Really?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086224">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086224" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086224" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1086224">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086224" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086224" class="dsq-comment-message">Really.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086240">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086240" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086240" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086240" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086240" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086240" class="dsq-comment-message">Okay.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081517">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081517" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081517" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081517" href="http://www.actsoffaithblog.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Acts Of Faith Blog</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081517" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081517" class="dsq-comment-message">This is a double-edged sword. First off, if the CBC actually got it together and stopped selling out their constituents [us] for chicken and champale I\'d be very happy. Two, they were ardent Clinton supporters no matter what they did and did not do for us and have proven to be easily bought. Donna Edwards has not been tested yet and as happy as I am for her being elected she is not perfect and will certainly disappoint at some point. Cohen has done a great job but he is facing a challenger regardless so everything he\'s done is under scrutiny. The test will come if he retains his seat and still does a great job - which he probably will because he knows he\'ll be challenged. Which brings me to the other point: those CBC members who\'s records scored them below C on the BAR need to be challenged. They need the feel the heat on the back of their necks. Heck all politicians need a reminder. Which brings me to Obama. He definitely knows he\'s not getting a free ride from Black people now! That\'s a good thing. I see how his outright support of reparations in theory would be problematic as it would feed into the fears of white people. That\'s not his fault this country STILL won\'t deal with race though I know he\'s trying to navigate through difficult and emotional issues. Since he is not the descendant of slaves and raised by whites his views are slightly different. I\'m not sure if that\'s a bad thing though. Too many carry this burden of stigma that holds them back or makes them overcompensate. There are so many other Black people that live here who were not descended from slaves as well. Or who were adopted. Or have lived in other countries. I have personally had to fight against being put in a "Black" box where not speaking ebonics, wanting to be educated, being proud of my history, not hooking up with the first guy who smiled at me, controlling my reproductive choices, listening to Depeche Mode and being financially prudent are seen by some Black people to be weird and not the norm of how \'Black people\' are supposed to be. So what does it mean to be Black? And when other people who do criticize Obama admit that they haven\'t voted/engaged politically I\'d wonder what their agenda was and why they\'d be coming to me when they have not done their part in any way. People died for the right to vote. I doubt the Klan would differentiate whether you were from Mozambique or Memphis when lynching you. And I don\'t think I\'m going to get everything I want out of an Obama administration. I certainly haven\'t from any other administration. I do expect to not be set further back from where we are now. And with more people engaged we will be in a position to fix things and move further along. I think back to the Clintons and how Rwanda, higher prison sentences, weakening of the FCC, the Telecommunications Act, NAFTA and a lot of crappy things went unchecked...but we had a balanced budget. It was all an illusion. A weak deck of cards. I was too young and inexperienced to understand it at the time. So we do need to stay on Obama for every little thing now, but for me it\'s not personal. He doesn\'t need to understand what it\'s like for a woman to pass legislation beneficial to me. He\'s not McAncient and he\'s not a Clinton. That\'s good enough for me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081785">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081785" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081785" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081785">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081785" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081785" class="dsq-comment-message">Amen heartandflowers...AMEN.<br><br>However I will never forgive you for the outbursts of laughter I\'ll be having at work and anywhere else, everytime I think of "selling out their constituents for chicken and champale"....................ROFLMAO!! That is a CLASSIC!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082577">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082577" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082577" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082577" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082577" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082577" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m still laughing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081822">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081822" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081822" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081822" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081822" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081822" class="dsq-comment-message"><blockquote><b>"selling out their constituents for chicken and champale"</b></blockquote>Eh hee!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082643">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082643" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082643" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082643">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082643" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082643" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m with you on this one!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084570">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084570" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084570" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084570">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084570" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084570" class="dsq-comment-message">Indeed!  Not another equivocator.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079254">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079254" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079254" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079254" href="http://muzikalthoughts.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Muzikal203</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079254" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079254" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t think legitimate criticism of Senator Obama is off limits. The problem I had with the hecklers at yesterday\'s town hall was that they went in there sign waving and "guns" blazing to confront him about his record, without knowing his record. Senator Obama is no the only "Black leader" out there, and while he\'s the only one to ever get this close to the presidency, we should all understand and respect the fact that he\'s really not that far to the left. He\'s not going to come out like Al and Jesse on issues. He responds, just not necessarily in the way we want, but he\'s always consistent. <br><br><br>I watched the town hall live on CNN and saw the hecklers, they were being very rude and disruptive, Obama was very respectful of them, but they continued to cause a ruckus. Had it been John McCain, those hecklers would have been arrested, and they damn sure wouldn\'t have been able to ask their question and get an answer. There\'s a way to go about doing things, and what those guys did was just classless and rude. It was a total publicity stunt to get their names out there, they didn\'t actually care about Obama\'s positions. <br><br>Also, Black people need to get over "reparations." Obama said something about reparations that I agree with and have said myself for years, I don\'t think the government should give Blacks reparations in the form of a huge check (or the "40 acres and a mule"), I want reparations in the form of fixing our education system so our youth can compete with other nationalities. There is no way for the government to give "reparations" to the descendants of slaves because there\'s no way to know which Black people in America actually ARE descendants of slaves. <br><br>As far as the apology goes, it\'s a nice gesture, but it\'s not going to change anything as far as the gaps in America go. I\'d rather Congress spend its time figuring out how to offer us relief from the gas prices, some affordable health care, and a way to pay for school that won\'t result in what amounts to two house payments upon graduation.<br><br>Not all Black people are in line with the "Black Diaspora", in fact, I think a lot more of us are actually in line with Obama\'s positions. Both of my parents are Black, and I\'ve lived in America all my life, and I largely agree with Obama\'s positions on issues relating to the Black Community. <br><br>And finally, let me ask you this. While I too have my concerns about Obama\'s campaign at this point with regard to African American outreach (they seem to think all they have to do is get us registered and we\'ll all vote for him, which is admittedly a pretty safe assumption), do you HONESTLY think John McCain would do ANYTHING to really help the African American community? He didn\'t do anything for us while he was in Congress, so what makes you think he\'d do something for us as President?<br><br>So should Obama get a pass? No. But we shouldn\'t be handicapping the best option we have in this election either for dumb pride.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079691">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079691" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079691" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079691">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079691" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079691" class="dsq-comment-message">Co-sign.  I am bewildered by the fact that people are giving McCain credit and a pat on the back for just now, and I repeat just now, really paying attention to the Black community, when BHO has dedicated his career to these types of issues.  BHO has addressed the exact same forums that McCain has (i.e. the NAACP and the Urban League this Sunday), so where is the beef?  Is it that people want him to speak out more forcefully about racism?  People may disagree with me on this, but I don\'t think racism is the biggest obstacles in Black peoples\' lives.  It just isn\'t.  I also think he is right, that the same issues that are effecting our community, are effecting other communities as well.  He is not going to cure racism, and even by acknowledging it, racism is not going to go away.  Instead of looking to him for a solution, why not find a solution yourself?    <br><br>And I happen to agree with his position on reparations.  I don\'t feel Black people should get reparations.  That does not mean that I am anti-Black or that I am selling out Black people.  I just think that ship has sailed.  I think instead of reparations, Black people need to focus on the issues like education and economic empowerment.  The drop out rates for our children in school is beyond ridiculous, and one of the reasons, but not the only reason, that predatory lender swent after people in our community, is because of ignorance.  I am not trying to put down people who were taken advantage of, but we need to be more smart with our money, and some people weren\'t.  They didn\'t understand the nature of their mortgage, and they didn\'t appreciate the obligation that they were taking on.  How will reparations in the form of a check from the government solve this problem?  Where would the money come from, because I don\'t know if anyone else has noticed, but the government is in shambles right now and for years to come.  Who will get it exactly?  How do you prove who are descendants from slaves?  And why should I get reparations?  I haven\'t been oppressed.  I have been able to take advantage of several opportunities.  So yeah, I am definitely not on the reparations train.  I would much rather prefer if people in communities would come together to find ways to improve schools and take more initiative in financial empowerment.  <br><br>And I view the belated apology for slavery, the same way I view the belated apology for lynching.  It\'s too late.  People have lost their lives, and their family members while the government did nothing.  How will an apology change this fact?  Again, instead of an apology, I would really like Congress to spend its times passing laws that would benefit our everyday lives.  The apology is a nice gesture, but honestly, I could care less.  These people had nothing to do with slavery and didn\'t sanction it.  So basically, they are just acknowledging the wrongdoing of others.  <br><br>And finally, as I said yesterday, I don\'t have a problem with legitimate BHO criticism, but some of it hasn\'t been legitimate.  The hecklers criticism yesterday.  Not legitimate.  They had not done their homework, were extremely disrespectful, were using the forum for their own personal gains, and don\'t even participate in the political process.  <br><br>And can I please get a list of what the "Black issues" are.  I feel like people through this phrase around much too freely.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080459">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080459" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080459" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080459" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080459" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080459" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>And finally, as I said yesterday, I don\'t have a problem with legitimate BHO criticism, but some of it hasn\'t been legitimate. </i><br><br>::<br><br>Say it again.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079834">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079834" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079834" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079834">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079834" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079834" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW:  Co-signing on ALL POINTS!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079795">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079795" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079795" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079795">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079795" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079795" class="dsq-comment-message">Muzika1203:  Co-signing!!    :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>And adding:   "mcancient"  -  " WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY???"<br>[and this is an "old school" song -Janet  J. :&gt;)  ]  But this question doesn\'t seem to make it to the press as much.   The vet [with all due respect and appreciation], doesn\'t seem to be undergoing any VETTING!!!   Hmmmmmm???<br><br>Whew!!! and curious Deep Breaths!!!! :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079805">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079805" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079805" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079805">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079805" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079805" class="dsq-comment-message">I wholeheartedly agree!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082699">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082699" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082699" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082699" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082699" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082699" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>"I don\'t think the government should give Blacks reparations in the form of a huge check"</i><br><br>Then this just shows how you (and Obama, perhaps) are ignorant on the issue.  Running your mouth, guns a-blazing and you don\'t know what you\'re talking about.<br><br>Huge check??<br><br>What the hell are you talking about?<br><br>Re: Obama.  It\'s like he never went to Harvard.  It\'s like he doesn\'t know Charles Ogletree.  It\'s like the brother is stuck on stupid and stereotypes once again when Reparations advocates like Ogletree got all the stuff Obama calls "the best reparations" faded.<br><br><i>we shouldn\'t be handicapping the best option we have in this election either for dumb pride</i><br><br>Really that\'s a dumb comment.  How is Obama being handicapped?  And if he\'s "the best option we have" then what\'s the problem with us exploring that option and expecting something out of it?<br><br>Your point just doesn\'t make sense.  <br><br><i>Black people need to get over "reparations."</i><br><br>No wonder why you support Obama talking like he\'s a racist White conservative.  You engage in the rhetoric yourself.  <br><br>Anyway, as I said, Obama can be against Reparations all he wants, for person or political reasons.  But he definitely won\'t get a pass trying to blow smoke up our azz by calling the basic freedom and equality that was supposed to happen after Brown vs. Board and the rest of the modern Civil Rights Movement reparations.<br><br><i>do you HONESTLY think John McCain would do ANYTHING to really help the African American community?</i><br><br>Do you honestly think that\'s an intelligent question like people here taking Obama to task, not giving him a pass are saying "Vote McCain"???  You have got to be smarter than that and I hope you have more tools on your tool-belt than saying "is McCain better."<br><br>BTW, both of my parents are Black and I\'ve live in America all my life and I find things I disagree with Obama on and things I agree with and insist that he consistently speaks on them.  But I will not abide Obama or any Black person stereotyping Black people the way he has, etc., etc.<br><br> <b>"No person is your friend who demands your silence..."</b> - Alice Walker</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081170">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081170" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081170" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081170" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081170" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081170" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s something to be skeptical about:<br><br><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/2/134356/2273/348/553935" rel="nofollow">Obama quote: Corporate media omissions. A deliberate decision?</a><br><br>So the AP is pushing a story with a crucial quote edited out and then paraphrased by the writer to make it appear as though Barack believes something he doesn\'t actually believe.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082311">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082311" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082311" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082311" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082311" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082311" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh, I\'m with you on that.  And the AP has had something against Obama for a while.  They ran some hit job last year (I think) that was outrageous.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080874">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080874" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080874" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080874">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080874" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080874" class="dsq-comment-message">You know what . . .  I must say that everyone needs to understand that yes Obama wants to run for President and yes, he isn\'t perfect.  But no one can argue that he has more desire to improve the lives of all (to include folks from all ethnic backgrounds) Americans than John McCain.  Some are upset stating that Barack isn\'t looking out enough for other black folks.  I bet if I were to take a poll from that same subset of people who feel that way and asked the question -- what substantial contribution have you made to blacks in America?  I bet I can guess what 80% of the responses would be.<br><br>If Barack loses this Presidential race -- Barack will be just fine.  I hope you get that.  He will be making big money doing whatever he wants, his wife will be alright and so will his kids.  WE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL LOSE OUT.  <br><br>Someone on this post asked, who do you think will have more invested in the lives of minorities -- Barack Obama or John McCain?  If you think this through carefully and decide to vote McCain  -- you are a doggone fool and deserve everything you get for the next four years.  One more point, it burns my butt to hear people dissect just how "black" Barack is.  Some attribute his intelligence to his lack of "blackness"  because he is well spoken, educated, pushes for self empowerment etc.   We are now holding Barack to standards that we are not holding McCain.  Where is the outrage from minorities as McCain pushes out those ads regarding Barack and Michelle?  Where is the outrage that this man voted against MLK holiday, and where is the outrage in his lack of response about affirmative action?  <br><br>I just have to shake my head . . . .</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081514">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081514" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081514" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081514">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081514" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081514" class="dsq-comment-message">Val:   MAJOR CO-SIGN!!!!!!  and  "virtual dap"  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081585">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081585" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081585" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081585">BlackButterfly</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081585" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081585" class="dsq-comment-message">Well Said!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080947">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080947" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080947" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080947" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080947" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080947" class="dsq-comment-message">The Clintons were going to win most of the Black vote in the primary or the general election if Barack didn\'t run..<br><br>Nevermind how even before this primary there was more proof than anyone needed that they don\'t care much about Black folks, and care even less about Black men.<br><br>And yet, the Clintons were going to win a majority of the Black vote in the primary or the general election if Barack didn\'t run.<br><br>I\'d venture a guess most of the contributors of this blog would have voted for the Clintons if Barack didn\'t run.<br><br>So, no, I don\'t find the criticism voiced in this entry to be valid.<br><br>But that\'s me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081476">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081476" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081476" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081476">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081476" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081476" class="dsq-comment-message">And you wouldnt have heard "boo" from any-damn-body on "black issues" or "what are you gonna do for us" or anything remotely like it....all you would see is skinnin and grinnin knee-grows stomping for Miss Hillary with nary a care in the world.....(cue banjos and spoons).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081747">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081747" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081747" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081747">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081747" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081747" class="dsq-comment-message">Banjos and spoons...HA!<br><br>Maybe this is the first time blacks feel like they can actually ask for something.  I am both irritated and sympathetic.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081826">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081826" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081826" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081826">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081826" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081826" class="dsq-comment-message">I would like to be sympathetic, but I can\'t be....I just took a look at the vote for the No Child Left Behind Act.....I\'m just thoroughly pissed with the CBC. No doubt the level of my anger probably has to do with the fact that I finally watched all of "Hard Times at Douglass High"....and my parents are both retired teachers who have railed against NCLB from day one....I (and my siblings) have gotten a lecture on it every Xmas for the last 6 years.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081862">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081862" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081862" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081862">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081862" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081862" class="dsq-comment-message">I just watched that too the other day.  NCLB is a crime.  I was really disturbed that the act included military recruitment....what a peculiar thing to include in an educational act!!   My, even the name "No Child Left Behind" is miliaristic, as in "No Soldier Left Behind".   To turn over the precious children to the military industrial complex...... I wonder if minority parents don\'t see the conspiracy.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081931">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081931" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081931" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081931">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081931" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081931" class="dsq-comment-message">No, minority parents don\'t see the conspiracy, and neither do their elected members of congress who whole-heartedly passed this sham. However, after watching the Douglass High documentary, really, what difference does NCLB make when you have parents who don\'t even know what grade their child is in?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082066">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082066" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082066" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082066">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082066" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082066" class="dsq-comment-message">I wonder at what kinds of pressure poor black parents are under that prevents them from paying attention.  I can\'t forget that woman on "Black in America" who said that being black was the equivalent of having a felony conviction with regard to finding work..  If white families are pressured, maybe blacks are more pressured by a factor of 10.  To have the feeling that you\'re not wanted or liked, maybe there\'s untreated chronic depression as a result of that.  Even professional AA\'s struggle with insecurity, let alone the ones with few defenses.  Do poor AA\'s have access to psychiatric therapy and medication when and if they need it.  What of the stigma associated with "mental illness"?<br><br>That young man on "Black in America" who showed up at the store for his interview....I could hear the "smallness" in his voice.  That man at the Urban League who was asking a question of McCain...he was in a suit and tie, a fullly grown man...but he seemed so unsure of himself in asking his question....like he felt like less.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082725">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082725" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082725" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082725">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082725" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082725" class="dsq-comment-message">TruthSeeker:  Maybe Shrub should think up his OWN name for an educational intiative, \'cause he STOLE the title NCLB from Marian Wright Edelman who has HER COPYRIGHT on the term "LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND".  It represent HER mission for Head Start, etc.<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/mental-health-support-mak_b_115569.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-ede...</a><br>Title:  "Mental Health Support Makes More Normal Life For Teens Possible".<br><br>Shrub used the title, tweaked it and NEVER gave the sister credit for it!!  And NEVER fully funded it!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081683">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081683" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081683" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081683">BlackButterfly</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081683" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081683" class="dsq-comment-message">I disagree because I know that I am not the only one in the Black community that is an independent thinker.  I will never choose to be included in this monolithic single-minded thinking stereotype that MSM media likes to place on the Black community!<br><br>When this election process began I was ready...looking at ALL candidates to see what they had to offer!  Yes...I was happy to see a viable Black candidate but I was also happy to see a woman and a Hispanic candidate as well!<br><br>The bottom line is...I want someone in office that I feel is about getting America back on track for ALL of us and despite some of the differences that I have with some of Obama\'s recent choices he is the better choice by far!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085417">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085417" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085417" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085417">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085417" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085417" class="dsq-comment-message">Amen.  I actually began the primary season with one thought: ANYBODY BUT HILLARY.  Then, the second litmus test I had was: Who voted for the war? That disqualified Biden, Dodd, and Edwards right off the bat.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080546">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080546" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080546" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080546" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080546" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080546" class="dsq-comment-message">I find it hilarious that McCain is getting plaudits from the pundits for talking in "enemy territory."<br><br>He\'s running for President. He has to.<br><br>But he saw no need to appear before the NAACP or the Urban League last year, because, well, you know, he wasn\'t sure he\'d still be standing in the presidential race.<br><br>So if folks wanna allow John McCain to hold Barack\'s feet to the fire on issues that affect Black Americans, then those folks are bigger fools than I could\'ve ever imagined.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079450">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079450" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079450" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079450">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079450" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079450" class="dsq-comment-message">Cohen is a white man representing a majority black district and he\'s up for re-election...lets not get it twisted, the "apology" is a political maneuver.<br><br>I also need to know what the "black" issues are. I honestly don\'t know at this point what is being referred to as "black" issues by those who keep saying those issues are not being addressed. <br><br>As far as the group that interrupted Obama\'s speech, by their own admission, they don\'t "participate in the political process"...so quite frankly I could care less about their concerns because in my eyes they are just knee-grows without a cause looking for a spotlight. Obama\'s answer wasn\'t arrogant, it was just truthful - you don\'t like what I say or how I say it, you\'ve got options. I guess though since they don\'t participate in the political process, they actually don\'t have any of the options Obama pointed out...oh well, too bad for them.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079778">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079778" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079778" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079778">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079778" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079778" class="dsq-comment-message">Miranda:   Co-signing!!!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083690">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083690" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083690" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083690">kalagenesis</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083690" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083690" class="dsq-comment-message">The whole reparations thing is a farce,being touted by two groups of people.The first is the race hustler political baron running every poor Black ward in America.Since they cant find real solutions or they know real solutions would alienate the ignorant constituents that keep them in power it is easy to holler reparations.Now the first thing I\'ve learned is that America was built on the commerce that the slave trade fueled.Now when slavery was ending we the descendants of slaves had an option to leave this land then reparations could be forced on the government by a sovereign people.Because most of us were illiterate self hating and naive we were misled to believe that we could one day become citizens like other groups coming here.The evidence inspite of all the success we\'ve done we still are not full citizens.The second people to argue for reparation are these criminal turned activist who refuse to work,hold a decent job or learn how to build wealth.They walk around thinking some payday is owed to them from our ancestors.They will never see ONE RED CENT.OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL THESE COONS WHO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE TRAITORS IN OUR COMMUNITY PUSHING DRUGS,CRIME,MATERIALISM,SELF HATE,IGNORANCE BUT DARE DISRUPT THE GREATEST MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE HELL WITH THOSE ENEMIES AMONG US,WHERE WERE THEY WHEN R KELLY WALKED FOR RAPING TWO LITTLE BLACK GIRLS!!!!MANY OF YOU SAME SICK WELFARE USING SCUM ONLY WANT REPARATION TO BUY MORE CARS,CLOTHS ECT.HOW MANY OF YOU EVEN HAVE A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY FOR YOUR KIDS?AN INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO?WE NEED TO EXAMINE OURSELVES AND LOVE WHAT WE SEE IN THE MIRROR THAT WILL BE ALL THE REPARATIONS I NEED!!!!!!!!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083279">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083279" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083279" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083279">Diane </span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083279" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083279" class="dsq-comment-message">I keep getting this feeling some people in the "black community", whatever that means, expect Obama to jump through hoops for them. And if he doesn\'t do or say as you wish he needs to be schooled an lectured to, re programed to follow the line established by  the few with access to talk about the issues. How about let the man be a man and run his campaign and think for himself. Enough with the lectures.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083452">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083452" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083452" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083452">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083452" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083452" class="dsq-comment-message">Amen!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083402">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083402" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083402" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083402" href="http://alexspearman.com/blog" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alex</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083402" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083402" class="dsq-comment-message">I would have a better time understanding the argument of the Author had all your facts been in order.<br><br>Obama\'s chief foreign and domestic policy advisers are African American. There were a few others but it\'s hard to focus on an argument when you see glaring mistatements.<br>I dont mean to offend, and this isn\'t a statement really on the substance of what was said Just as a reader I cant follow you when I think you dont know what you are talking about.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083107">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083107" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083107" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083107">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083107" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083107" class="dsq-comment-message">reparations???  LOL!    can we grow up?  we have seriously pressing issues in this country right now.  education equity could repair a lot, for starters.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083811">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083811" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083811" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083811" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083811" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083811" class="dsq-comment-message">Right on, <b>caligirl</b>.<br><br>Anyway, the American Indians should get first dibs on any reparations starting with getting their land returned to them.  <br><br><blockquote><b>we have seriously pressing issues in this country right now.</b></blockquote>The main issue being WE AIN\'T GOT NO MONEY!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085048">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085048" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085048" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085048">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085048" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085048" class="dsq-comment-message">My thoughts exactly.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082913">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082913" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082913" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082913">john merrick</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082913" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082913" class="dsq-comment-message">Some of you people make me sick!!!     Black people pissing on Black people what else is new.     He should have asked that guy( who heckeled him)  if he had a damn job !    Reparations???  what you need to be talking about is the number of blacks killing blacks.  HIv in the black community.    Reparations??  Guess what ? we got screwed on that by the white man but  it\'s time to move on. <br><br>IF you stay home  and don\'t vote  for Obama or if you vote for Mccain then  it won\'t be the white man that\'s calling you a dumbass it will be me!<br><br>Who am i ?  Just one black man with his head screwed on straight.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083831">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083831" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083831" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083831" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083831" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083831" class="dsq-comment-message"><blockquote><b>He should have asked that guy( who heckeled him) if he had a damn job !</b></blockquote>Well, they had one that day courtesy of the neo-cons.  Yesterday they were day laborers for McCentury.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081980">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081980" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081980" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081980">Admiral_Komack</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081980" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081980" class="dsq-comment-message">"I know the CBC has pissed him off, and whether or not he’s petty enough to engage in tit-for-tat payback (I hope his ego is beyond that kind of strategy), even though in some cases, they may well deserve it, but, think on this:  the CBC may actually resume engaging in standing as a caucus and return to influencing legislation on the floor of the House, as a result of Obama’s actions.  Make no mistake; whether Obama likes it or not, he’s going to have to make peace with the CBC at some point; even if they can’t do jack for him - but if they decide to stand together as a caucus, they could do some major damage to his agenda."<br><br>-The CBC better make peace with Obama as well; if Obama is elected President, and the CBC can\'t get past the fact that Hillary is NOT President and Obama IS, well...FUCK THEM.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081758">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081758" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081758" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081758" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081758" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081758" class="dsq-comment-message">The whole apology for slavery/reparations thing is a ploy to distract and divide not only black folks from Obama thus decreasing the number of black votes going to Obama, it is an attempt at decreasing Latino votes for Obama, as well.<br><br>Divide and conquer is an old political strategy that\'s worked time after time, particularly with black folk.  But not this time - we ought to be politically savvy enough to see this for what it is and not get sucked into giving McCain what he wants.  For the first time in the history of America, with Obama, we have a chance to change the way we see ourselves and the way the world sees us in a polished and positive way.  Don\'t let them trick you into thinking Obama isn\'t for blacks because he doesn\'t believe in reparations. <br><br>Don\'t fall for the okey-doke - again.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081799">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081799" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081799" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081799">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081799" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081799" class="dsq-comment-message">99%:  MAJOR co-sign!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082010">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082010" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082010" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082010" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082010" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082010" class="dsq-comment-message">totally agree with you 99, which is essentially what I said on my blog this afternoon.  <a href="http://ilivetoshop.typepad.com/vibrant_life/2008/08/obama-is-right---keep-your-apology---give-us-quality-schools-small-biz-opportunities.html" rel="nofollow">http://ilivetoshop.typepad.com/vibrant_life/200...</a> <br><br>I disagreee TruthSeeker, is it something all citizens are entitled to yes.  But it will do a lot more to improve our community then a check or a stupid apology.  WTH???  Besides they ain\'t giving to OUR students today, which just imprisions them in a modern slavery of low paying hourly jobs.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082388">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082388" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082388" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082388" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082388" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082388" class="dsq-comment-message">Love your site, <b>ruth</b>.  I\'ve added it to my blog - <a href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Global Ghetto</a>, on which I\'m posting about the same thing.<br><br>Yesterday I posted about pieback, lily-livered, weak kneed Obama supporters.  Check it out.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082448">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082448" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082448" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082448" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082448" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082448" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks for your kind words and I did check out your site.  You are laying down the wisdom girlfriend - you are now in my google reader.  thanks!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083752">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083752" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083752" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083752" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083752" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083752" class="dsq-comment-message">Added to Google Reader? <br><br>*Stupidly looks around* <br><br>Eh, ruth? How does that work?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083866">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083866" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083866" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083866" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083866" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083866" class="dsq-comment-message">I sort of compare it to building my own little news network.  if you type in google reader you will find the opening page to google reader. once there and you set up an acct so to speak- if you find a blog of interest, then you click add subscription and paste in the url for the site.  You can assign the blog to a category. Then when that site has a new post, it will show up in your reader.  <br><br>For example, I have a category called Black Folk [I know I am bursting with creativity] I subscribe to hundreds of African American blogs.  So when I log in, I can scan the whole category or I can just look at say all of the posts from JJP.  If I see a headline of interst, I click on it and read it in expanded view or click further and go to the website.  I also have categories such as News [where I dumb all my election related sites outside of the blackblogsphere], Dallas TX related sites, design, gardening, financial, fashion, photography, etc. <br><br>Finally, your more tech savy sites, such as JJP have a subscription button [look in the right corner] when you click on it, you will see readers such as google, pageflake, etc.  they are all supported by feedburner I believe, it is simply a matter of choice as to which reader you choose. Once you choose your reader, you again have a choice of assigning it to category.<br><br>I forgot to mention if you look at the headlines and decide - dont want to read any of them, just choose mark all read.  I sub to way too many so occassionally when I allow work, friends, etc --- otherwise known as life --- to interfer then I just mark everything as read and start over.<br><br>I am in no way a tech writer so that is the best I can do - hopefully someone will clear things up a bit.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087233">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087233" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087233" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1087233" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087233" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087233" class="dsq-comment-message">Excellent instructions. I\'m looking into it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082561">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082561" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082561" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082561" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082561" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082561" class="dsq-comment-message">Divide and conquer.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081808">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081808" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081808" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081808" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081808" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081808" class="dsq-comment-message">Just shaking my head...debate is fine, questioning Obama\'s stand on some issues is fine but nitpicking his most excellent response to the paid hecklers makes me sad.<br><br>"Stuttering?"  Huh.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081901">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081901" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081901" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081901">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081901" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081901" class="dsq-comment-message">99%:  CO-SIGNING!!  What you said!!!   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080788">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080788" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080788" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080788">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080788" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080788" class="dsq-comment-message">To Christian Progressive Liberal - i am not going to flame you because you are entitled to your opinion.  My response though is -- bullshit.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082700">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082700" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082700" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082700">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082700" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082700" class="dsq-comment-message">Mine too.  BO is tremendously better than McCain.  I don\'t even understand<br>the point you  (CPL) are trying to make.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080970">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080970" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080970" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080970">LynnDee</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080970" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080970" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t automatically disagree with reparations. In fact, I think they could be an important indicator that any apology wasn\'t simply empty politicking. But I would want to know who the reparations got paid to and how that was determined. The impact of slavery on our culture is, of course, profound. But it is also at this point so intertwined that (it seems to me) it no longer matters anymore if you can actually trace your lineage to a former slave or not. To feel the impact of slavery it may simply be enough to be black. Or black and poor. Or black and poor and not newly arrived in this country from another country.<br><br>The original notion of reparations is that the payments would go to those who could actually trace the harm back to their own ancestors. But, given the broader impact discussed above, that would be an almost artificial distinction. On the other hand, if payments were to be made more broadly, in response to the broader harm, wouldn\'t it make more sense to direct the payments to fixing the harms that remain than to individuals?<br><br>And isn\'t that kinda what Obama was saying?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081486">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081486" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081486" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081486">isonprize</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081486" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081486" class="dsq-comment-message">LynnDee,   but even in your context (which I fundamentally agree with, by the way)<br><br>WHERE DOES THE $$  COME FROM??   Who writes the checks?    <br><br>That\'s why I think effort is better spent on spending war $$  and an increased SS cap  to improve public education, provide adequate access to health care, rebuild national infrastructure, creation of American jobs, etc.     All instead of killing people, imagine that....<br><br>Oh yeah, and a clean, fresh food supply!  Nobody wants to work a farm anymore.  There is a reason why we, as a nation, are ridiculously obese (as in a bunch of fat-asses!!)     Yes, I said it, yes I did.   <br><br>All of the above will benefit black folk than figuring out how much $$ will be enough to \'right the wrongs\'  <br><br>And besides, even if all of that was figured out and folks got \'they  40 acres and a mule\'   would that do it?    Would everything be equal then?   <br><br>Somehow, I\'m thinkin\'   not.   Just sayin\'<br><br>That would be like saying, "Damn, Barack Obama is president,  WHAT ELSE  do want?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082668">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082668" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082668" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082668">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082668" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082668" class="dsq-comment-message">In truth, we actually deserve some form of equity which would be ours exclusively!  Something which would level out the playing field.<br>Everyone is entitled to public education, jobs, healthcare,etc......<br>I would be thrilled if it took the form of free college education for<br>black students!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081482">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081482" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081482" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081482" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081482" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081482" class="dsq-comment-message">What <b>LynnDee</b> and <b>Val</b> said.<br><br><blockquote><em>Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.</em> ~ Philippians 4:8</blockquote></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081504">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081504" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081504" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081504">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081504" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081504" class="dsq-comment-message">99%:  "virtual dap!"  This is my FAVORITE verse!   Amen!!  [I know, this is a political blog.  :&gt;)  :&gt;) ]</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081767">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081767" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081767" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081767" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081767" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081767" class="dsq-comment-message">Back at you....</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080984">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080984" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080984" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080984">BoyWonder</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080984" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080984" class="dsq-comment-message">Any self-\'confident black man or woman can be misconstrued as arrogant by society. Rachel Maddow nailed it when she said that what the media really meant by "arrogant\'\' and "presumptuous" was "uppity".</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081007">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081007" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081007" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081007">BoyWonder</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081007" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081007" class="dsq-comment-message">Any self-confident black man or woman can and will be misconstrued as "arrogant" by society. Rachell Maddow nailed it when she said that what the media meant when they called Obama "arrogant" and "presumptuous" was that he was being "uppity".</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081105">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081105" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081105" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081105">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081105" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081105" class="dsq-comment-message">BoyWonder:  As in "UPPITY N****R".  This was discussed B4 and I did ask if any other race/ethnic group/clan/socioligical unit of some name was EVER referred to as UPPITY.  Answer:    CRICKETS******<br><br>The OPPOSITION has introduced this "code word" into this race[though it has been used in other arenas].  I don\'t plan to perpetuate it in any form in reference to Mr. Obama!  He is CONFIDENT!!!  <br>Whew!  Querulous Deep Breaths!!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080432">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080432" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080432" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080432" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080432" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080432" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it.</i><br><br>::<br><br>This question, for me, represents the crux of the matter. <br><br>Why is this coming up now? So Cohen can win a race against a Black woman? Is Cohen using this issue for politics or because he believes it? Is Cohen race baiting in a way so slick that Black people don\'t even see it because we want their official apology for slavery? Because we want our 40 acres and mule too late for it to even matter? <br><br>Why are all the most controversial issues coming up in the year where we have our first legitimate Black candidate for the presidency?<br><br>If folks aren\'t comfortable electing Barack because he doesn\'t "understand the Black diaspora" so be it.<br><br>But they should be informed by the facts, not by propaganda.<br><br>And which presidential candidate in 2008 candidate understands the Black diasopora better? John McCain? Hillary Clinton? Joe Biden? Mitt Romney? Mike Huckabee? John Edwards? Rudy 9/11?<br><br>It\'s all politics to me. The only way to undermine Barack\'s support among Black people is to make him appear out of touch with Black people\'s concerns.<br><br>I haven\'t seen any evidence of that and reparations and an apology by Congress are simply symbols.<br><br>Perhaps Barack doesn\'t care for political symbolism passing itself off as policy.<br><br>I sure as hell don\'t.<br><br>If both candidates get their party\'s nomination officially, then it will be John McCain, Barack Obama. None of the other candidates can win. It will be John or Barack.<br><br>Faced with that choice, do Black people stay home or vote for John because he understands Black people more than the Black man who isn\'t a direct descendant of slaves?<br><br>Do we choose the status quo or the possibility of something different?<br><br>I know who I\'m voting for, but I\'m pretty clear that there are so many political games going on in order to undermine Barack Obama because he threatens the status quo that it makes me want to spit bullets.<br><br>But that\'s me.<br><br>My question is: Why hasn\'t the CBC moved to pass reparations legislation and pushed for a formal apology? <br><br>Barack isn\'t a camel. There\'s only so much he can carry on his back.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081733">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081733" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081733" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081733">BlackButterfly</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081733" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081733" class="dsq-comment-message">Well Said!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081122">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081122" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081122" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081122">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081122" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081122" class="dsq-comment-message">Double CO-SIGN!! The "camel" imagery is powerful!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080733">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080733" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080733" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080733">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080733" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080733" class="dsq-comment-message">BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO.  Thank you Craig.  I agree 100% with your words.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080930">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080930" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080930" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080930" href="http://55secretstreet.typepad.com/anovelista/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Anovelista</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080930" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080930" class="dsq-comment-message">Co-signing on every single sentence Craig.:)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082125">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082125" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082125" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082125">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082125" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082125" class="dsq-comment-message">Well said Craig!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082499">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082499" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082499" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082499" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082499" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082499" class="dsq-comment-message">Yeah, Cohen just all of a sudden started supporting Black programs/policies.<br><br>(roll eyes)<br><br>I guess a two or three weeks before November would be a better time, huh Craig?<br><br><br>(Can people come up with something better than the run of the mill "it\'s the timing of it" bs??   I mean, damn....)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080156">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080156" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080156" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080156" href="http://roadkillrefugee.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">roadkill refugee</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080156" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080156" class="dsq-comment-message">"I know Obama has good staff, but there are strong indications that there are no Blacks with influence on his staff, because if there were, he could have avoided stepping into the muck on the slavery reparations issue, and he would have been better equipped to silence that “heckler” with a more comprehensive answer."<br><br>Um, I can think of one key Black staff member with influence.  Obama wrote his Philadelphia speech, remember?  He doesn\'t have a tin ear on race.<br><br>The protesters yesterday might have been real, but they might as well as been sent by Karl Rove himself.  Right after Rick Davis goes ballistic with contrived anger about Obama "playing the race card from the bottom of the deck" (a nice dog whistle to OJ), African American protesters yell at Obama about racial issues.  They were high-fiving at McCain headquarters in Arlington when that video hit the cable news nets yesterday, I guarantee it.<br><br>Obama\'s response was, as always, cool, calm and firm.  He didn\'t order them arrested, like the McCain campaign did with protesters in Denver.  He let them speak their mind, and then he responded on the merits.  That\'s the definition of respect.  <br><br>What would you have preferred -- he let them hijack his event and make it an even bigger drama for the cable nets to jump over?  If so, I\'m glad you\'re not one of his key campaign advisers with influence.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080486">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080486" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080486" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080486" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080486" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080486" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama\'s response was, as always, cool, calm and firm. He didn\'t order them arrested, like the McCain campaign did with protesters in Denver. He let them speak their mind, and then he responded on the merits. That\'s the definition of respect.<br><br>::<br><br>Say it again.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081163">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081163" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081163" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081163">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081163" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081163" class="dsq-comment-message">AMEN!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080173">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080173" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080173" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080173">Nita</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080173" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080173" class="dsq-comment-message">"It should make us wonder why a white man (Steve Cohen) got the formal apology for slavery, and the first Black Man with a legit shot at the White House (Obama) is oh-so-ready to denounce it."<br><br><br>Tim Wise would have an answer for that -- and he\'d be right.  <br><br>This isn\'t a fair criticism of Obama, in my opinion.  Obama is playing chess.  He knows what he\'s doing.  As for \'let\'s get him elected first\' -- I completely agree with that as well.  What exactly is expecting perfection of Obama going to do, if it just gets John McCain elected?  Give folks the security of a battle lost before it\'d begun?<br><br>I won\'t flame you, you bring the noise and the science daily, on multiple websites.  Please enjoy your trip, can\'t wait to read about it when you get back.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080390">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080390" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080390" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080390">fanita</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080390" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080390" class="dsq-comment-message">When did reparations become a goal for black people as a whole? Did we vote on it and I missed it? Why is this even an issue? As for the apology, they can keep that too. It\'s way too late for that crap. An apology doesn\'t put food on the table, gas in the car, or get anybody a job.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081546">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081546" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081546" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081546" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081546" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081546" class="dsq-comment-message">Right on, <b>fanita</b>.  We\'re so easily distracted by bull feathers, and we\'re always so easily mistrustful of another black person, never mind the constant dirty pool always being played against us by Caucasians.  We\'re always so ready to sacrifice the brother when white folks stir up the bs, and we never, ever hold whites to the same excessively high standards that we hold our own.  It is a pity and a shame, really. Obama is the best politician this country\'s seen in decades, yet we\'re ready to throw him under the bus for a pie-in-the-sky handout that will never, ever happen.<br><br>We\'re always up for the feces that the white boy instigates against black men like Obama - dissect, parse, and weigh every word, every paragraph, every phrase, every promise of the black guy because he\'s not running to be the president of the US; he\'s only running to be president of Black America, even if it is a country that doesn\'t exist. <br><br>Yet neither Jimmy Carter, Billy Jeff Clinton or the Emperor Dim Son got even one letter or phone call demanding reparations and/or getting special treatment from any of y\'all.  In Billy Jeff\'s case, most black folks were too busy designating him the first black president and extolling his liking collard greens and corn bread and how he operates on CP time, thus proving how black he really is.  I have been guilty of joking about him in this manner myself so I know about it. Now that we have a chance to have the first black president of the WHOLE United States, we\'re nitpicking him just like the white folks are doing.<br><br>Now, I learned my lesson about Billy Jeff in 1996, and I already knew Shrub is a sociopath of epic proportions who loves putting black folks to death.  So I ain\'t about to get on the <em>\'Obama doesn\'t identify with black folks because he doesn\'t agree with reparations train\'</em>, and I\'m not about to play into the white boys\' hands - again - and betray Obama\'s trust by looking cock-eyed at him because he doesn\'t believe in reparations for slavery.<br><br><em>Because I don\'t believe in reparations either</em> and, like someone else posted above, I don\'t want or need the apology because it isn\'t worth the air it took to say it.  We\'re always looking for something for nothing, and we\'re always falling into the white man\'s trap, betraying our own because we\'ve got these inferior neuroses.<br><br>We need to be keeping our eyes on the prize, and not getting distracted by the dumb junk thrown our way by white folks who see their power slipping away.  Take your ADD/ADHD meds, if you need to, because we need to stay focused and not get so easily distracted by the bull feathers that\'s going to rain our way as Obama continues to show how shoddy and cranky and evil and incompetent the white boy is to be president.  We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted, even by those who look like us.<br><br>Hold on to your 40 acres and a mule because it\'s going to be a bumpy ride, but we\'ll do well if we keep the main thing, the main thing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081875">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081875" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081875" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081875">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081875" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081875" class="dsq-comment-message">99%:  MAJOR CO-SIGN!!!!  PASSIONATE WISDOM in operation!!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br>Thank you!!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083492">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083492" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083492" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083492">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083492" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083492" class="dsq-comment-message">wow.  just read this.  YES!!!!!!!   <br><br>this bullshit has got to stop.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080474">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080474" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080474" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080474">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080474" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080474" class="dsq-comment-message">No you didn\'t miss a vote, this is just some knee-grow "weapons of mass distraction" bull.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081885">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081885" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081885" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081885">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081885" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081885" class="dsq-comment-message">Miranda:  Humorous and POINTED Imagery!  LOL  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081159">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081159" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081159" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081159">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081159" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081159" class="dsq-comment-message">fanita:  To my knowledge, there is NO legislation, referendum, policy, bill, passed motion, creditable survey, local bond measure, board resolution,  church vote, etc. that addresses the matter of reparations.  And all of a sudden it\'s on the "TABLE"!  Heck, I didn\'t even know that there was a table!!<br><br>So I missed it too!   :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079903">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079903" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079903" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079903">goldenstar</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079903" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079903" class="dsq-comment-message">THANK YOU!<br><br>It\'s so annoying when folks get confused about Hawaii, which is the 50th state. And it\'s really annoying when folks try to make it that somehow people from Hawaii are not authentic enough, whether it be Americans, or black Americans.<br><br>And, there are many blacks in his inner circle. They may not have the lights shining on their faces but they are there and giving guidance, counsel, and a whole lotta necessary stuff. Just because the traditional media may not notice these folks does not negate nor diminish their presence and their roles.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079915">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079915" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079915" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079915">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079915" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079915" class="dsq-comment-message">More on Obama\'s thoughts about reparations: <a href="http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/28/news/story05.html" rel="nofollow">Obama Notes Tragic US past</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079950">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079950" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079950" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079950">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079950" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079950" class="dsq-comment-message">Yeah, I\'m not getting where he says a) reparations are stupid, or b) an apology to Blacks for slavery is lame.  But maybe its just me.<br><br>Oh, I did like the line where he said that he would prefer deeds over words.  But again, that\'s just me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080747">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080747" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080747" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080747">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080747" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080747" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you TRW.  Deeds over words that is me too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079951">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079951" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079951" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079951">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079951" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079951" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s another reason why Obama needs to be very careful about the reparations issue: <a href="http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=71043" rel="nofollow">Obama Suggests Reparations to Blacks and Native Americans</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080225">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080225" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080225" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080225">Nita</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080225" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080225" class="dsq-comment-message">A World Nut Daily hyperlink LOL alright. That\'s cool. Every source counts. The folks who would slam him for that, and for this:<br><br>""There\'s no doubt that when it comes to our treatment of Native Americans as well as other persons of color in this country, we\'ve got some very sad and difficult things to account for," Obama told the convention.  He has told Hawaii reporters he supports a federal plan to recognize native Hawaiians. He was asked for his thoughts about a formal U.S. apology to American Indians."<br><br>are just looking for excuses not to vote for him, since they weren\'t going to anyway.  As for reparations for Native Americans -- aren\'t they already getting paid?  Or is Indian Country money different from \'reparations\' as discussed for black people?  But  that whole situation is screwed up, so many tribes are so desperate to keep the federal money rolling in they\'re allowing anybody in......... unless they\'re black.  I think it\'s a damn shame so many white people are getting paid for having a great-grandmother who was the lone Amerindian, while also enjoying white skin privilege.   Meanwhile, \'real\' Indians live the worst lives on those reservations and the money doesn\'t do a damn thing to help Indian Country out of poverty. If it did, the money would stop rolling in. And the Indian Councils can\'t have that.<br><br>That entire system needs a complete overhaul.  That complete overhaul will never happen.  Indian Country will continue to stagnate because keeping the federal money rolling in (and keeping \'real\' Amerindians on the reservation and in abject poverty) is more important than an improvement.   That situation is part of the reason why I continue to be mystified over the reparations for African-Americans issue.  Is it because everyone else has gotten paid, and blacks should be paid, too? or something else.  I firmly believe a check from the government is not going to solve Black America\'s problems.  Social and cultural change will.  You can\'t buy that, at least you can\'t buy the positive version of that.  It has to come from the soul and the heart.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079983">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079983" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079983" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079983" href="http://teamowens313.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Keith</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079983" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079983" class="dsq-comment-message">If you saw Obama\'s response to the hecklers, it was pretty clear he addressed each and every issue that brother raised specifically and by the numbers. To say he has not addressed our issues as black people is dead wrong, and he offered the proof  in his response to the heckler.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081218">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081218" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081218" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081218">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081218" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081218" class="dsq-comment-message">keith:  Co-sign!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082562">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082562" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082562" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082562" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082562" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082562" class="dsq-comment-message">As well he should.  And I think it\'s a good thing to highlight the difference between the way Obama dealt with the "hecklers" and the way McCain was stomped and resorting to lying when the Townhall Meeting struck back.  lol</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079619">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079619" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079619" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079619">kai</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079619" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079619" class="dsq-comment-message">i find this type of sceptism on obama almost unctuous... i rather obama address educational and health reform bcos those are the issues that affect blacks most... those hecklers should take obama\'s advice and run for office if they are not happy with his positions</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080797">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080797" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080797" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080797">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080797" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080797" class="dsq-comment-message">and there you have it kai</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080314">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080314" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080314" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080314">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080314" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080314" class="dsq-comment-message">kai:  co-signing!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079252">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079252" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079252" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079252">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079252" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079252" class="dsq-comment-message">Ah, Obama did grow up in the U.S. Hawaii may not be part of  mainland USA but it is still part of the US.    I can see what you mean by his answer being arrogant. He did not have to answer that way. Even though the content was fine. As for his staff people, his inner circle does include blacks like Valerie Jarrett. I must also say that they could have shown a modicum of respect as well.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079259">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079259" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079259" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079259" href="http://muzikalthoughts.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Muzikal203</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079259" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079259" class="dsq-comment-message">What was arrogant about his answer? I think his tone was a direct reflection of the tone of the people who interrupted his speech and asked that question later in the Q&A. They were wrong and out of line. I have no problem with questioning Obama, but if you are going to confront him about his record or his stance on something (and it was a confrontation, it wasn\'t merely "information gathering" at least KNOW his positions).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079308">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079308" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079308" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079308">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079308" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079308" class="dsq-comment-message">His tone could have been matter of fact.  As I said they could have shown respect toward the Senator.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079418">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079418" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079418" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079418" href="http://muzikalthoughts.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Muzikal203</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079418" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079418" class="dsq-comment-message">His tone could have been matter of fact? Are you talking about the stuttering?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080782">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080782" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080782" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080782">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080782" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080782" class="dsq-comment-message">the stuttering is when he is pissed off and tries to hold on to control.  Barack did very well in his response.  I would have told them to go ***** themselves.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081332">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081332" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081332" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081332">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081332" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081332" class="dsq-comment-message">Val:  ABSOLUTELY!!  :&gt;)  He\'s try to decide how BEST/WHAT TONE, etc, to use - of the myriad of choices that his brain considers in such a short amount of time!!  <br>Think about it.  I recall taking my children [no reference to the "gentlemen"] to the store and they tried "show out" on me by trying to throw that TANTRUM which I had just told them they "better not do!!  Some very QUICK response strategies flooded my mind, among which were:  (1.)  promise them "time out" when they got home; (2) tell them that I\'m going to "tell Daddy"; (3) say the, what I thought was the "magic bullet" - "look how everyone is looking at you" or (4) Whip that butt until someone called 911!!  This is a lot to think about in a short amount of time!<br>So what did I do?  The "politically correct" thing - gently but firmly, and with soothing words and a smile picked them up and took them to the ladies room.  Then -used #(4)<br><br>I belie\'e that Mr. Obama used a variation of #(4) -gently, but firmly answered the questions.  But, I am so sure that the full #(4) came to his mind!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079530">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079530" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079530" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079530">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079530" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079530" class="dsq-comment-message">I felt that there was a tinge of annoyance that made the statement sound arrogant.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079603">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079603" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079603" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079603">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079603" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079603" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh he was annoyed....and rightfully so. A couple of friends translated Obama\'s response, we call it the "southside" version...LOL  Its not fit for public consumption, but I bet its pretty close to the way Barack described the incident to Michelle last night.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080333">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080333" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080333" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080333">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080333" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080333" class="dsq-comment-message">Miranda:  co-sign!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080395">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080395" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080395" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080395">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080395" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080395" class="dsq-comment-message">It sounds like you\'re coming in here trying to inject the "arrogance" talking points the right wing is injecting into the media.<br><br>You wouldn\'t be doing that, would you?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079882">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079882" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079882" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079882">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079882" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079882" class="dsq-comment-message">Micheline:  I\'m going to "just ask" how does "a tinge of annoyance" translate into "sound arrogance"???<br>That word["arrogant"] has been bandied around with much discussion and, in my humble opinion, but  with little accuracy, especially,  as to how this will affect the MAJOR political issues that this country is facing.  Additionally, it was INTRODUCED by the "OPPOSITION"!  <br>I\'m, really, just askin\' . . .</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079896">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079896" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079896" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079896">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079896" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079896" class="dsq-comment-message">It can be construed as arrogance.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079931">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079931" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079931" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079931">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079931" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079931" class="dsq-comment-message">Why is it not construed as just plain annoyed though?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079980">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079980" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079980" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079980">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079980" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079980" class="dsq-comment-message">Because with Obama anything can be construed as such.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080430">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080430" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080430" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080430">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080430" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080430" class="dsq-comment-message">"Because with Obama"?? Why?? What is he doing that  makes it unique to him?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080627">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080627" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080627" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080627">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080627" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080627" class="dsq-comment-message">Racism</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081352">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081352" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081352" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081352">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081352" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081352" class="dsq-comment-message">OOPS!!  <br>                              I did NOT see that coming!  Oh my!!!!<br>Lawd really he\'p!!! :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085891">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085891" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085891" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085891">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085891" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085891" class="dsq-comment-message">?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079679">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079679" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079679" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079679">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079679" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079679" class="dsq-comment-message">Nah...Dont tell me that BO denounced the House\'s Apology for Slavery? What did he say? It\'s TOO divisive? Come on Barack.  It seems like he wants to have the cake and eat it too.  Take a stand; a firm one that is.  One that no matter what the white electorate, white media, and the GOP may say you wont backtrap.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079658">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079658" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079658" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079658">Belle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079658" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079658" class="dsq-comment-message">My only question: Would he have told Jewish, or evangelical Christian questioners that they didn\'t have to vote for him if they didn\'t want to? That\'s my problem with his response--that seemingly Blacks don\'t deserve like consideration, or that he\'s too AFRAID of the "majority" to admit they do. <br><br>These people have a right to ask him about their concerns, but I guess because they did it more confidently/loudly/in-your-facely than is *allowed for who they are* they are wrong. Mistakes about his track record of labor on those very issues notwithstanding, his tone in dealing with them disappoints, especially in comparison to how restrained and gracious he is when responding to detractors of other persuasions. Sorry, I\'m not with the crowd on this.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079776">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079776" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079776" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079776">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079776" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079776" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually he has said the exact same thing to all of his supporters.  When he was responding to his critics about the whole FISA issue, in his letter to his supporters, he explicitly said (and I paraphrase) "that I realize that some may not accept my justification for my vote, and that will mean that you won\'t vote for me.  And that\'s okay.  But what I have said repeatedly is that I think we have more in common than we don\'t."  etc, etc.  He has said the same thing to pro-lifers.  That he realizes they don\'t agree with his views on abortion, and that may mean they vote for someone else.  So to bring up the fact he wouldn\'t have said the same thing to other groups is a straw man argument, because he has.  <br><br>And when has he said that Blacks don\'t deserve his consideration?  If he really felt that way, did why did he respond to them at all?  And when he was trying to respond, they were still yelling at him instead of listening, which was disrespectful, since he listened and quieted the whole crowd so that they could say their piece.  So i am not seeing how his response demonstrated that he doesn\'t think Blacks deserve his consideration.  <br><br>And I agree, everyone has a right to address their concerns, but if you are going to use a stunt to disrupt a town hall meeting to get attention, why shouldn\'t you also be taken to task for not being informed?  Because if they had, they would have realized that BHO has spoken about all of the issues that they mentioned.  But as he said, it might not be in a way they would have liked or they might not agree with his perspective.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079771">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079771" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079771" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079771">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079771" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079771" class="dsq-comment-message">But "these people" admitted they don\'t vote, so they really didn\'t have any reason to question a political candidate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079899">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079899" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079899" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079899">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079899" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079899" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW and Miranda:  Co-signing!!  and I\'m going to keep my television on 24/7 [and hold my breath] to see if they go to a "MCANCIENT" campaign stop - "SIGN AND ALL"!!!<br><br>"WAITING TO EXHALE" !  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079714">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079714" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079714" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079714">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079714" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079714" class="dsq-comment-message">That seems to be his favorite line nowadays.  What are you going to do? Vote for McCain? Just late last night BO changed his position on off shore drilling.  He\'s wavered on Iraq (though he had to backtrack on that one); he\'s called for an escalation into Afghanistan (war with no end in sight), All of the sudden he\'s against any type of gun restriction, he flip-flopped on FISA......And what can we do? Vote for McCain? <br><br>I\'m all for getting BO elected. However, the moment he becomes POTU, we\'ll going to hold the fire near his feet.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079833">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079833" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079833" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079833">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079833" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079833" class="dsq-comment-message">Maybe if we had been holding Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2\'s feet to the fire we wouldn\'t be so inclined to throw Obama\'s entire body in it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079937">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079937" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079937" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079937">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079937" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079937" class="dsq-comment-message">ITA! Why haven\'t those who are so intent on holding Obama accountable held other black politicians accountable? I\'ll tell you why: Because they\'re under the delusion that those black politicians (the Jesse Jacksons, Stephanie Tubbses, Jackson-Lees....etc.) past this ridiculous "Authentically Black Test".</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079997">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079997" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079997" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079997">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079997" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079997" class="dsq-comment-message">Ding! Ding! DIng!  The "Authentically Black Test"....lol...you ain\'t lyin.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082158">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082158" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082158" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082158">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082158" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082158" class="dsq-comment-message">Sepia:  The ABT - huh?  Is that like the  "A.T.P.F.B. Scale??  Oh, Attempting To Pass For Black Scale??  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br>My understanding - some of them have had to re-take the test!<br>I\'m jes sayin\' . . . .   :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>Speaking of tests. have you seen the [I know -"Old School"] <br>B.I.T.C.H.  [Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity].  It was developed in 1970 [updated on occasion] as a reaction to the "cultural bias" asserted to be inherent in S.A.T/A.C.T. Tests. It\'s funny!<br><a href="http://www.susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=170" rel="nofollow">http://www.susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php...</a><br>Title:  B.I.T.C.H. Test.  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079965">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079965" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079965" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079965">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079965" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079965" class="dsq-comment-message">LMAO, LMAO.  Miranda, please stop being so on point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080032">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080032" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080032" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080032">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080032" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080032" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW....please tell me how Barack Obama will make black parents with kids in the public school system, return the phone calls from teachers, make sure their children are doing their homework and prepared for school each day...just tell me how he\'s single-handedly gonna make that happen.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080177">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080177" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080177" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080177">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080177" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080177" class="dsq-comment-message">You are absolutely right.  He won\'t.  He can\'t.  And let\'s just keep this between me and you, but that is exactly what he has been saying.  That even if we can get more money and more resources to some of these dilapidated schools, it won\'t do a bit of good if parents are not involved in their child\'s lives and are not reinforcing good habits at home.  Money will not solve all of our problems, and the government sure won\'t.  <br><br>But yes, let\'s get our pitchforks and stones ready to "hold Obama\'s feet to the fire" and curse him for not curing all ills of the world  instead of organizing with people in our own communities to get stuff done.  <br><br>It just frustrates me because this is what he has been talking about repeatedly.  "We are the ones we have been waiting for."  The line may be cheesy, but its true.  Some Black people need stop thinking that they are powerless and have to rely on the government or politicians for solutions.  We can find ways to make changes ourselves.  Its just a matter of organizing and planning.  <br><br>Sorry, I didn\'t mean to go off on a rant.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082097">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082097" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082097" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082097">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082097" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082097" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW:  Co-signing.  Rant on!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br><br>The last 7.5 years should give CAUSE for the formation of the "Rant - in Choir"!!  And the last half of the concert should be devoted to performing an "Ode To the C-O-N-F-U-S-E-D One"    - - - "MCANCIENT"!<br><br>Let the music begin  - maestro!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081626">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081626" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081626" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081626">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081626" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081626" class="dsq-comment-message">Miranda:  Do they "HOMEWORK???"  Are you kidding me??<br>Please - no one start the litany of all the sociological pressures which prevent doing homework!   As a teacher - inner city - I\'ve heard them.   :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>That\' all.  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080461">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080461" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080461" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080461" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080461" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080461" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>My only question: Would he have told Jewish, or evangelical Christian questioners that they didn\'t have to vote for him if they didn\'t want to?</i><br><br>::<br><br>The answer is YES. And he has.<br><br>Do your research.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080231">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080231" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080231" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080231">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080231" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080231" class="dsq-comment-message">CPL -<br><br>Good post! Black folks should not let their aspirational desires prevent them from thinking critically about politics and public policy issues.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085951">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085951" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085951" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085951" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085951" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085951" class="dsq-comment-message">PT Cruiser:<br><br>That is ALL I was trying to say.  My real fear is what will people say when Obama doesn\'t do what they expect?  I always hear the "tearing another Black person down" comments, but big cheers for going after the Congressional Black Caucus for legislative performance.<br><br>Am I being asked to adhere to a double standard regarding Obama?  Because if people read posts like this one:<br><a href="http://getridofthedlc.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html" rel="nofollow">http://getridofthedlc.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_a...</a><br><br>I refuse to be painted into a corner.  I like having freedom of expression.  Thanks for your comments.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085998">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085998" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085998" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085998" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085998" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085998" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>My real fear is what will people say when Obama doesn\'t do what they expect? </i><br><br>::<br><br>Why do you fear that? What does it matter what they will say? People will be disappointed. And so what. What\'s the worse thing that could happen if people are mad at Barack because he doesn\'t do what they expect? And how would it affect you personally? Politically?<br><br>This post provided reasons why Black folks are skeptical of Barack. A lot of folks are skeptical of Barack. I see no purpose in pointing that out except to show that Black people are like everybody else, Barack isn\'t perfect and isn\'t a race man for those who appear to wish that he was.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080688">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080688" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080688" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080688">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080688" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080688" class="dsq-comment-message">Did anyone see McCain at the Urban League?  I thought he was trying out O\'s tough talk to black people with the "eye of the beholder"comment.  The report said the crowd was unresponsive and the mood softened only when McCain started the question and answer, and cracked a few jokes.  He was as paternalistic as O was in the Father\'s Day speech.  It seems whites are not the only ones who underestimate black audiences as routine.  Unfortunately, we jump through hoops to appear polite or knowledgeable to people who don\'t even deserve the consideration.<br><br>No doubt, the Repubs have been studying O\'s tactics and are trying out a few....on black audiences.  The "takes a man to raise a child" paternalistic lecture feels like the "Affirmative Action in the eye of the beholder" tough talk.    Or, maybe these politicians are just bastards of differing degrees,  and need to be taught a lesson.   <br><br>I feel McCain was not there for the black community - having already written them off as lost to Obama - He was there to get his white, blue collar street cred by playing racial politics.  He was appealing to the worst in humanity.  He was selling blacks out to resentful bigots.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080696">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080696" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080696" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080696" href="http://muzikalthoughts.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Muzikal203</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080696" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080696" class="dsq-comment-message">I watched his speech, but turned it off when Q&A started because I felt my blood pressure rising. Obama is going to give his speech today at 2.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081468">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081468" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081468" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081468">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081468" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081468" class="dsq-comment-message">I had to step out, but I just saw on CNN that Obama got like 30 applauses during this speech and a standing ovation - I\'m sure the text of the speech is online somewhere.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081526">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081526" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081526" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081526">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081526" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081526" class="dsq-comment-message">Miranda:  Check his web site.  Almost everything that he does is there!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080923">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080923" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080923" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080923" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080923" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080923" class="dsq-comment-message">And then there\'s that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080712">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080712" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080712" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080712">Anonymous</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080712" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080712" class="dsq-comment-message">The anti-Africanism around this place is really astounding.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080919">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080919" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080919" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1080919" href="http://muzikalthoughts.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Muzikal203</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080919" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080919" class="dsq-comment-message">Anti-Africanism? What does that mean? And I\'m not African, I\'m American.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081010">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081010" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081010" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081010">lene</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081010" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081010" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t think that CPL\'s post was Anti-African, but I think I get what anon is talking about. <br><br>The idea that African parents mean that racism in America doesn\'t affect you. That you\'re not African American/black enough and you can\'t relate...<br><br>I\'ve seen hints of it at several places. It\'s annoying and overly divisive imo.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081668">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081668" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081668" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081668">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081668" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081668" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree.  I love Black people, but our willingness to tear down other Black/African people if they haven\'t passed the "Black authenticity" test is scary.  Why does BHO\'s heritage/upbringing disqualify him from having an opinion about this issue?  I agree with him, and I am pretty sure that my ancestors are slaves.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082295">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082295" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082295" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082295" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082295" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082295" class="dsq-comment-message">That explains it all.  The hearing and vision loss included.<br><br>Un-freakin\'-believeable.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081529">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081529" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081529" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081529">isonprize</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081529" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081529" class="dsq-comment-message">How are you defining "Anti-Africanism"?<br><br>I am an American of African descent, though it is quicker to say African-American.  <br><br>But Africa is a continent, (as I\'m sure you know...)  with as many, if not more, varieties of Africans as Europe has Europeans.   <br><br>A bit more specificity would be helpful... Just sayin\'</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081692">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081692" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081692" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081692">BlackButterfly</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081692" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081692" class="dsq-comment-message">I know...right?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081789">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081789" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081789" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081789">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081789" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081789" class="dsq-comment-message">Barack on reparations:<br><br>"I have said in the past _ and I\'ll repeat again _ that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed," the Illinois Democrat said recently.<br><br>I think he\'s wrong on this. Schools and jobs are the entitlement of citizens. To suggest this is enough to repay a debt is insulting to the price paid by slaves.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082072">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082072" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082072" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082072">MJ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082072" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082072" class="dsq-comment-message">This is all a trap that we are falling for hook, line, and sinker. "Reparations" is a code word that riles the rightwing "bitter" demographic up. It is a wedge issue that is working so well, that valid or not, it\'s even causing a split in Black America. It is a false issue. Slavery is a debt that America will NEVER be able to fully repay. We as Afro Ams need to come to grips with that. It is time to move on. We have bigger issues to focus on for our children\'s sakes.  Besides, I not hearing anything from US about all of the slavery, horror, and AIDS riddled rot going on in our so-called "motherland"  TODAY, even as we blog it out while sipping our coffee in our air-conditioned houses. As to Obama, He is not nor can never be one of us. His background has nothing to do with being an Afro American. He does not not cannot understand our struggle. I support him because of his message of change, not his color. Though he is black in skin color, his soul, his inner being is something else. Maybe that is why he has such appeal. We as black folk cannot look at Obama as ours. He might look like us, but he is not "of" us.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082589">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082589" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082589" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082589">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082589" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082589" class="dsq-comment-message">Wow.  I really have no words.  Scratch that, yes I do.  Did people ever stop to think that one of the main reasons our (i.e. Black people) standing in this country hasn\'t changed in ways that we would have liked in the past couple of decades  is because of our own willingness to tear down our own people and view them with suspicion.  I mean really, Obama is not one of us because he doesn\'t share your views on reparations?  Are you freakin\' kidding me?    <br><br>Is this 2008?  <br><br>This comment made me want to vomit.  I\'m done.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082644">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082644" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082644" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082644">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082644" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082644" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW:  co-sign.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083238">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083238" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083238" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083238">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083238" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083238" class="dsq-comment-message">Amen TRW...Amen</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083441">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083441" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083441" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083441">Admiral_Komack</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083441" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083441" class="dsq-comment-message">Hey now!<br><br>Everybody knows that John McCain is down as far as reparations is concerned.<br><br>Yeah, uh-huh.<br><br>(snark OFF)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083337">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083337" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083337" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083337">isonprize</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083337" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083337" class="dsq-comment-message">Sure, like since folks whose ancestors were slaves walk around with a sign on their foreheads...  And the ones without have been able to skate on thru....  <br>Other than &lt;&lt; Slavery is a debt that America will NEVER be able to fully repay&gt;&gt;  and the closely related comments...    YOUR WHOLE POST IS SUSPECT!    What the hell are  you talking about?     <br><br>Obama is not one of \'us\' but prior to that foolish statement, you chastise  "us" for not caring about AIDS in Africa?    Given your definitions and logic,  don\'t count me as one of your "us"  either.    I don\'t need the pressure.   <br><br>As for the horrific things that are happening on the continent, that is a whole different subject.   In order to help others, one must be capable of helping oneself.   You know, like on the airplane, when they tell you to grab your oxygen first, THEN hook up the children.   <br><br>And if you have never visited Africa, particular west Africa, you might want to.   If, after you return, you don\'t view as the \'real\' motherland, you are hopelessly lost...   <br><br>From a paleoanthropological view, Africa is the MOTHER OF CIVILIZATION.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083267">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083267" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083267" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083267" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083267" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083267" class="dsq-comment-message">I haven\'t thought this through. <br><br>What do you suggest?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084607">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084607" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084607" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084607">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084607" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084607" class="dsq-comment-message">I think I responded already.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085133">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085133" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085133" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085133" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085133" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085133" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'ll look. I feel like this is a repeat conversation. ;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082464">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082464" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082464" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082464" href="http://deoclicianocgiportfolio.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ochyming</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082464" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082464" class="dsq-comment-message">I think those people ARE STUPID!<br><br>When is BEST to press Obama on anything?<br><br>He is NOT the president!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082855">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082855" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082855" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082855">RobM</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082855" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082855" class="dsq-comment-message">There are two things currently going occurring w/ regard to the Obama campaign. The first has to do w/ the fact that the Obama campaign has put African Americans as a whole coming to grip w/ a range of issues on a grander scale than we even imagine in beauty/barber shop. The second is a sense that Obama is acting like a punk in not responding to McCain\'s racist attacks. Or if he is it appears he is caving to McCain\'s other points(offshore drilling) as if this will stop the racist attacks.<br><br>Most of us are not and often have little contact w/ the likes of Ken Chenault of American Express,  John Rogers of Ariel Capital,  in the financial field; Colin Powell, Brigadier General Clifford L Stanley, Lt Gen Lloyd Austin III, number two in Iraq; Clarence Otis of Darden restaurants, Arthur Harper @ GE Equipment services, et al. These men and women(yes I know I didn\'t cite any) converse w/ the world and Americas role in it everyday. They see and assess threats to their country, their company, their job and their families. They have that hoity toity conversations about the price of tea in China, steel in India, soybeans in Brazil, AIDS in Mozambique, palm oil futures in Malaysia and the Baltic freight Index prices for dry or wet goods overseas. At home they discuss marketing plans for Cedar Rapids, Iowa and  Boise, Idaho, voting patterns in West Texas vs Eastern New Mexico, the effects of illegal immigration on housing costs in Reston VA, whether or not the Post Office should be nationalized and turned over to UPS and drop out rates in East LA vs the Bronx NY and why don\'t African Americans purchase Whole Life Insurance?<br>And now because of Barack Obama  the vast majority of us  are seeing how convoluted, confusing and Machiavellian politics on this level really is not just what we have thought in our wildest imaginations. It is not just our community\'s interest but every community and sub community(think pro reparations vs no reparations, affirmative action vs no affirmative action)interest demanding to be heard. That demand to be heard can be for no other reason than to act out so as to be noticed.<br>So everybody strap yourself in, learn as much as you think you can absorb about American Presidential politics and then reach for more.<br>As to Obama being a punk. After the defeat of the Clinton\'s and their pyscho/sociopathic desire to regain Presidential  power, many of us thought we had seen the end of racial slime tactics given McCain\'s background. Well it ain\'t so. Unlike in the Democratic Party primaries where there were people within the party willing to call it what it was(and no enough of them did not call it soon enough) this time it he cannot be brush it off of his shoulders as though it was merely an inconvience. So it rankles that Barack Obama keeps ignoring these hits and not fighting back.<br>My suggestion is how Barack Obama  can remind John McCain of how he has been on the end of racial politics, how he can end that as a theme in this election now, how craven John McCain is for using them and at the same time diminish his attributes as a protector of the nation. <br>During the 2000 Republican Primaries John McCain had the lead in the polls going into the South Carolina primary. A series of fliers and phone calls began appearing all over the state. They accused John McCain of having an illegitimate "nigger" bastard child with a black crack whore. These were shots at his adopted Bangladesh daughter(she was originally sponsored for a surgery she could not receive  in Bangladesh and adopted after the successful surgery) and his current wife whom had an addiction to pills at the time. John McCain seethed but said nothing. He later admitted to excepting the current presidents apology for those actions.<br>A simple speech might go like this:<br>John do you remember the South Carolina primaries of 2000? Do you remember how your daughter was called names I can not use in public? Your own daughter whom you extended an act of love that must of us have not. The daughter you adopted into your own family out of love.Do you remember how viscously Cindy McCain was attacked by another addict for her addiction? Do you remember how you said so little publicly to defend your own family? <br>Now John you claim to be the best one to defend the country. How can that be when you are not even prepared to defend your daughter and your wife? How can you protect the nation from hatred and evil when you do not recognize it being used against your own family?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082924">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082924" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082924" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082924">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082924" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082924" class="dsq-comment-message">"My question is: Why hasn\'t the CBC moved to pass reparations legislation and pushed for a formal apology?"<br><br>Craig,<br><br>This is a rhetorical question, right? <br><br>There will never be sufficient consensus to pass reparations legislation if the primary beneficiaries are black Americans. And, no, it makes no nevers if we as a nation were one week or 150 years past chattel slavery. It will never happen. No more than the 40 acres and a mule. <br><br>BTW, from where I stand Obama\'s Fathers Day speech and other instances of so-called tough love speeches he has delivered to black folks makes him fair game for what happened yesterday in Florida. A lot of black folks might roll over for what he says but not all of us. We just won\'t do it and there is no reason for anyone to expect that we would. We are all descendants of people who survived the Middle Passage. Those were uncommonly strong people and we carry their tough mindedness within us. Obama should just get ready because some black folks don\'t think the sun rises and sets in his behind. Y\'all know that too.  <br><br>We need to refrain from allowing our aspirational desires blind us to the complexities of black Americans and the black electorate.  Regular, everyday black folks (Drylongso) who are jamming Obama should not be seen as traitors or instigators. They are as much a part of us as he is a part of us.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083306">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083306" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083306" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083306" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083306" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083306" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>Regular, everyday black folks (Drylongso) who are jamming Obama should not be seen as traitors or instigators. They are as much a part of us as he is a part of us.</i><br><br>::<br><br>PT,<br><br>I don\'t use the word traitor when it comes to stuff like this, but that doesn\'t mean there are no instigators among them. <br><br>And while I certainly don\'t expect all Black folk to get behind Barack, I don\'t admire those who find it necessary to undermine him.<br><br>Criticism is one thing. Sabotaging his candidacy is quite another.<br><br>My question was not rhetorical. I wanna know why the CBC hasn\'t pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome, if it\'s something so important that many of its members now want to lamblast Barack for being skeptical about their effectiveness.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083416">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083416" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083416" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083416">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083416" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083416" class="dsq-comment-message">Craig,<br><br>The CBC is a joke.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083589">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083589" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083589" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083589" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083589" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083589" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>I don\'t use the word traitor when it comes to stuff like this</i><br><br>Yeah, but you like to snark and act like people (myself) see Obama as a sell-out.<br><br>Sabotaging his candidacy??<br>******** Drink much??<br><br>Ya\'ll JJP regulars are cardiac.  Every little think that happened in the primaries were attempts to "sabotage" Obama.  Oh, ye Negroes of little faith.<br><br><i>I wanna know why the CBC hasn\'t pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome</i><br><br>How did you say??  Do the research.   Oh but I\'ll help you out:<br><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-40" rel="nofollow">2007-2008</a><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-40" rel="nofollow">2005-2006</a><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h108-40" rel="nofollow">2003-2004</a><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h107-40" rel="nofollow">2001-2002</a><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h106-40" rel="nofollow">1999-2000</a><br><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h105-40" rel="nofollow">1997-1998</a><br><br>I don\'t know how H.R. 40 routinely has 30 or more co-sponsors most of who are CBC members and the fact that they\'ve done it year in and year out somehow constitute them not "pushing" reparations legislation.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083899">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083899" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083899" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083899">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083899" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083899" class="dsq-comment-message">Black folks can keep screaming about issues related to them and them only, but until they\'re the majority - the shit just aint happening.  The CBC knows it too, they just don\'t tell their constituents that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085147">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085147" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085147" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085147" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085147" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085147" class="dsq-comment-message">Sorry, Nquest, but you got me wrong. I haven\'t ever used the word sell out (unless quoting someone else) to describe your opinion of Barack.<br><br>I know what sabotage looks like and I haven\'t accused you of sabotage unless you\'re one of the members of the CBC who\'s currently on record in various media trying to sabotage Barack.<br><br>That\'s all.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086849">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086849" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086849" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086849" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086849" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086849" class="dsq-comment-message">How the hell are you going to QUOTE SOMEONE ELSE to describe my opinion then hold out some special privilege for yourself that since you don\'t use certain words...  I didn\'t use the word SELL OUT so, by your own standard, you should never use a word I didn\'t use to describe anything about "my opinion of Barack."<br><br>Re: Sabotage...   Quit trying to confuse the issue.  You raised a stupid azz point, posed a stupid azz rhetorical question about the CBC\'s support for and pushing Reparations.  <br><br>You didn\'t do the research and now that the facts are right here in your face you don\'t want to talk about...<br><br><b>why the CBC hasn\'t pushed for reparations, no matter the outcome</b></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087001">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087001" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087001" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1087001" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087001" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087001" class="dsq-comment-message">And what\'s the matter, Craig?  You don\'t remember the words that came out of your own mouth?  In the Heckler thread you thought you were being cute with this snark you directed directly to me:<br><br>_________________________________________<br><i>You\'ve proven your point beyond all reasonable doubt.<br><br><b>Barack is a fraud who will sellout Black people without batting an eye.</b><br><br>Thanks for showing me the truth.<br><br>Now that I know it, I retract all my support, will demand my money back, and won\'t vote for him in November.</i><br>_________________________________________<br><br>So when I said, "...you like to snark and act like people (myself) see Obama as a sell-out" I got you 100% right.<br><br>But, go ahead and explain why your support for Obama is such that legitimate criticism Obama\'s words/actions have you erecting straw man after straw man and engaging in (and like) what them White folks in blogs and boards call the "whataboutery" fallacy because you can\'t defend Obama on the merits.<br><br>See, I got you right but you got me wrong and there is no way you can get me right by "quoting" someone else to "describe" my opinion of Obama which is what, Craig??<br><br>What\'s my opinion of Barack??<br><br>Even worse, you were WRONG to publish the anxiety that goes on in your fragile ego and even more fragile position.  I don\'t give a damn about "proving" anything to you or anybody.  I don\'t post to try to persuade people and you of all people know I don\'t care whether anyone agrees with me or not but, apparently, to you what I did post must have been compelling.  So compelling that you felt like voting or not voting for Obama was something to talk about when I never said anything about that; never said anything about I\'m not voting for Obama or anything to the effect that "we shouldn\'t vote" for Obama.<br><br>So leave that Free Republic type of snark bs alone and make sure you don\'t get me wrong just because you have problems with Obama being legitimately criticized.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087057">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087057" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087057" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1087057" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087057" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087057" class="dsq-comment-message">My fragile ego?<br><br>Oh my.<br><br>What is "Free Republic type of snark"? <br><br>Educate me, because I am stupid. My ego, fragile.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087775">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087775" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087775" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1087775" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087775" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087775" class="dsq-comment-message">Craig, I posted your Free Republic type of snark.  Like ignorant and scrupulous white conservative partisans, you found it useful to lash out and announce how you were not going to change your mind -- or in this case your vote --  despite the obvious cognitive dissonance you were experiencing with a critique you obviously found to be compelling.  So lashing out at me instead of attacking whatever point I "tried to prove" you acted like:<br><br>(1) My feelings were going to be hurt by any your pretenses in the post, like I was trying to prove a point in hopes that you would not vote for Barack -- an idea you will never find support for.<br><br>(2) Trying to put that "Barack is a fraud/sellout" rhetoric on me actually functions as counterpoint to what I said<br><br>(3) Your very lame attempt to be snarky or sarcastic didn\'t tell the truth about what you really thought -- i.e. that whatever I said was, indeed, the truth and my point "proven beyond all reasonable doubt."<br><br>That\'s what them White folks, Freepers for example, do in discussion where they find themselves on the wrong side of \'race\' issues... they lash out because they don\'t know what else to do with the cognitive dissonance and anxiety they feel... So they commence to speaking gibberish and nonsense -- exaggerating stuff that doesn\'t even begin to relate to the reality and trying to paint someone they disagree with some idea they have about "what them Black people" they despise think instead of dealing with what the actual Black individual they have a difference with actually said.<br><br>My bad, though...  I just keep thinking Black people, per most of my experience, have a different and most substantive type of discourse when it comes to such issues no matter how many times my idea has been proven naive or wrong.<br><br>That aside... notice how you\'ve stopped trying to assert that the CBC "hasn\'t pushed for reparations."  You asked that question like you knew that for a fact.   That or you thought you could paint that picture of the CBC trying to use the Reparations issue to hurt Barack because you thought no one would actually challenge your ignorance.<br><br>Oh, ye Negroes of little faith...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083888">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083888" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083888" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083888">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083888" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083888" class="dsq-comment-message">Aspirational desires aside, Obama remains a far better candidate than McCain.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085149">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085149" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085149" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085149" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085149" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085149" class="dsq-comment-message">Say it again.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085351">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085351" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085351" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085351">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085351" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085351" class="dsq-comment-message">but that AINT saying much.  McCain is a poor-pissed on old man.  Is that what you\'ll say eight years from now.  "At least BO was better than Bush?"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085375">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085375" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085375" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085375" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085375" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085375" class="dsq-comment-message">Then stay home or vote for somebody else.<br><br>I don\'t have the problems with Barack that you do.<br><br>It\'s a free country. Do what you will.<br><br>It\'s my belief that Barack will be a better President than every one in my lifetime. I was born after 1960.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087951">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087951" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087951" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1087951">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087951" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087951" class="dsq-comment-message">Me 2!  :&gt;)<br><br>All EXCEPT for the year of birth part!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  Waaaaaaaay B4 1960!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083855">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083855" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083855" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083855">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083855" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083855" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama\'s position on reparations has no place in this campaign for several reasons, but the most striking one is that it ain\'t going to happen.  It\'s been made an issue to generate strife..<br><br>I\'m shocked that the majority of folks can\'t see what all this "blackness" is about.  By the time we finish Black in American, reparations, race cards, ludicris, and on and on an on, Obama will look lik the black man you see hanging around the liquor store.  All of this brought to you and spoon fed to you by MSM, Camp Hillary, and the McCain camp.<br><br>Now dislike Obama if you so choose, but please, please don\'t believe the hype.  Don\'t be a specimen in this mind control experiment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085152">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085152" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085152" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085152" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085152" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085152" class="dsq-comment-message">That\'s a wrap.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083874">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083874" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083874" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083874">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083874" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083874" class="dsq-comment-message">CPL are you saying that black people (who were probably paid to do so) heckling Obama is causing other black people to question him?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083911">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083911" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083911" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1083911">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083911" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083911" class="dsq-comment-message">You all are criticizing Obama for his positions, but you let CPL get away with this post?  Go figure.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084504">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084504" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084504" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1084504" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084504" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084504" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you for your comments.  As I said, I expected to get flamed and many of you did not disappoint.<br><br>I will continue to demonstrate my own independence of thought, and I expect all of you to do likewise.  But is there any reason for name calling because someone doesn\'t agree with your opinion?  That saddens me, in that we have all been victimized by demonstrating independence of thought and we\'re either anti-Obama, pro-McCain.<br><br>McCain can\'t do shyt for me.  Period.  The End.  <br><br>As for holding Obama accountable.  I think, as a member of Congressional Black Caucus Monitor, an organization that has been in business of evaluating the Congressional Black Caucus for the last four years, I am the one person on this blog you won\'t find holding back on them and giving them a free pass.  But I am going to throw this question out there:<br><br>Let\'s say Obama gets elected and the honeymoon period is over.  We already know he\'s not taking Black people to the promised land, but little-by-little, we see the same old shyt; only he\'s presiding over it.  And the race card can\'t get played here.<br><br>Gas goes up to $8 a gallon.  Food prices skyrocket.  The corporate masters continue to get fat, while Congress passes legislation that all but abdicates their responsibility for oversight of the other two branches of the government.  Nothing that the Bush Administration has implemented been reversed or overturned.  And Barack Obama is POTUS over all of IT.  <br><br>And issues in ethnic communities are not addressed AT ALL.  <br><br>What are all of you flaming me going to do then?  Are you going to hold his feet to the fire, should that occur?<br><br>At this point for me, I know McCain is not an OPTION for me, but I get disturbed that criticism of Barack Obama is interpreted as being Pro-McCain?  Why is that?<br><br>Besides, I challenge any of you to point out any of my posts that indicate I\'m supporting McCain in any way,shape, form or fashion.  Because I damned well haven\'t done so.<br><br>I\'ve grown up here in America - my family can boast of a grandfather who served in World War I; a father that served two tours in WWII and the Korean Conflict; two brothers who went to fight in Vietnam for this country.  And yet, when they returned home, they got spit upon and called Nigger for their trouble.<br><br>I call BS on anyone who tries to say because I criticize Obama\'s platform that I\'m pro-McCain.  Because that\'s what I\'ve read here.  But my history demands I know what Obama\'s selling before I buy.  For far too long, we have longed for a Black Face in a High Place that we are willing to overlook, excuse and flat out ignore what is in front of us, and then we blame the White guy for holding us back.<br><br>The White guy does so when there are those of us who help them.  I\'m not saying Barack Obama is doing that - I actually fear for the man, because his margin for error is narrow and he can\'t please everyone, but y\'all know how hard the public is going to come down on his ass if he steps on a crack in the sidewalk.<br><br>He is the better option than McCain, but I reserve and exercise my right to call him on BS when I see it.  That\'s it and that\'s all.  We aren\'t kool-aid drinkers at JJP; if that\'s what you want, head over to DailyKos, and then get pissed on and flamed when you demonstrate independent thinking.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085181">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085181" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085181" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1085181" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085181" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085181" class="dsq-comment-message">CPL, Sepia called you out for twisting Barack\'s position on reparations to fit your argument.<br><br>Have independent thoughts, but tell the truth.<br><br>You did not do that, as Sepia pointed out so clearly.<br><br>And I really wish we could retire the phrase "kool-aid drinkers."  It references tragedy and death. Just saying.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085209">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085209" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085209" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085209">msmartin</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085209" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085209" class="dsq-comment-message">It is your opinion of what is bullshit that is being questioned.  Does Obama (and others)  need to think, feel and hold the same positions as you in regard to issues affectitng the entire black community to be considered not bullshitting?  It concerns me that you would take him to task as a candidate regarding a matter that has not come to fruition in ethe years proceeding his emergence on the scene, and a matter that in all reality will not materialize until the masses (which are the majority) come to terms with the reality of effects of Slavery and Jim Crow.  I personally believe they don\'t want to talk about it, not now, and possibly not ever.<br><br>You have every right to hold a candidate\'s (every) feet to the fire on matters you determine important, I just think you hold Obama\'s to the fire on matters and not others because he is black - that, I have a problem with.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085330">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085330" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085330" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085330">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085330" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085330" class="dsq-comment-message">Welcome to my world for the past two months.  I even have more questions.  What happens if Israel pre-empts Iran? WWBOD? I havent seen ANYTHING in him that leads me to believe he\'d do the right thing.  Or will BO\'s CIA continue to stage coups,  and/or steal elections in Latin America? Has BO shown anything that he\'ll be different than GHWBUsh? the answer to that one has to be NEGATIVE.  If the brother is willing to throw away previous positions for the sake of "compromise" and "bipartisanship," then friends, BO may be the biggest gamble in the history of US elections.  I say that because we know what we\'re getting with McCain or any other Republican out there.  But with Barack? What are we getting? I know he says one thing (and says them with eloquence), but what about his positions? That\'s what\'s scaring me.  <br><br>Again, as I said in the past: I want to be able to rejoice at the prospects of the first NON-WHITE POTUS.  I do.  But if he\'s just about putting a nonwhite face on america\'s hegemony and imperialism....then damned be him.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085437">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085437" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085437" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085437">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085437" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085437" class="dsq-comment-message">What "previous positions" are you referring too? Who decided these positions? Are these some types of formal positions or some kind of intangible thing?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085529">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085529" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085529" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085529">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085529" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085529" class="dsq-comment-message">1-FISA<br>2-Off Shore drilling<br>3-Public Finance of Election<br>4-The Cuban Embargo<br>5-DC (and perhaps Illinois) Gun Ban.<br><br>Those are just five that come to mind.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085624">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085624" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085624" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085624">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085624" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085624" class="dsq-comment-message">So you completely disagree with Obama\'s stance on those five issues and you don\'t think compromise or bipartisanship should play a role in Obama\'s decision-making...well, since you believe you know what you\'re getting in McCain, I don\'t understand you issue.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1086971">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1086971" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1086971" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1086971" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1086971" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1086971" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>I say that because we know what we\'re getting with McCain or any other Republican out there. But with Barack? What are we getting? I know he says one thing (and says them with eloquence), but what about his positions? That\'s what\'s scaring me.</i><br><br>Who sent you?<br><br>Because you just showed your hand.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1085497">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1085497" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1085497" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1085497">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1085497" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1085497" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t think that your criticism of BHO has anything to do with your being pro-McCain, but as others have pointed out, you made inaccurate statements in your criticism (i.e. his position on reparations, his view on the apology for slavery, and his supposed lack of African Americans that work for his campaign).  It bears repeating.  Criticize Obama all you want, but make sure it\'s legitimate.  Your criticism was not legitimate and not supported by the facts.  You should and have been called out on it.  <br><br>Furthermore, I reject the fact that anybody who doesn\'t necessarily agree that BHO is "ignoring" "Black issues" are excusing BHO or looking the other way.  I happen to agree with a lot of his positions, most but not all.  And I happen to think he is right, about reparations and slavery.  But in your mind, I guess because I agree with BHO that makes me a kool-aid drinker.  <br><br>So I ask you, what BS are you calling BHO out for?  Because surely it can\'t be that because he doesn\'t agree with you about the effectiveness of reparations or the need for an apology for slavery he must be full of shit.  Group think is dead (or at least I hoped it would be in 2008).  You might disagree with his viewpoint, but the man is entitled to his own opinion.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1087979">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1087979" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1087979" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1087979">Jeannine</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1087979" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1087979" class="dsq-comment-message">Barack\'s Chief Counsel is also African-American</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082397">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082397" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082397" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082397" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082397" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082397" class="dsq-comment-message">Re: Obama\'s position on Reparations.<br><br>The brother is entitled to whatever position he holds, political or personal.  And I\'d be okay with his position if he didn\'t act like Reparations was a bad word and if he wasn\'t insulting Black people\'s intelligence when giving his bs response to questions on it.  <br><br>TruthSeeker said it best, "Schools and jobs are the entitlement of citizens. To suggest this is enough to repay a debt is insulting..."<br><br>Had the brother just gave the "it\'s divisive" line he did at UNITY, said that Reparations is just one of those issues that he doesn\'t feel there is any political life to it, I\'d accept his answer as reasonable given his pragmatism.  <br><br><i>"The fact is that dealing with some of the legacy of discrimination is going to cost billions of dollars, and we\'re not going to be able to have that kind of resource allocation unless all Americans feel that they are invested in making this stuff happen."</i><br><br>Now that\'s a reasonable position.  Not one that I agree with because, especially after his race speech (not to mention the EMPATHY DEFICIT speech or the QUIET RIOT speech), Obama should be preparing White America to deal with all American problems.  Instead, he chose the "personal responsibility", <i>talking down to n*ggas</i> route.  The Change Man is such a lover of convention.<br><br>Anyway, I can respect Obama just saying he doesn\'t think Reparations is going to get any traction but it\'s the fact that he acts like the idea buts a bad taste in his mouth is what upsets me.  <br><br>I told a White guy who was filled with Obama-mania that Obama doesn\'t have to "pathologize" Black people to distance himself from Rev. Wright or to show when and where he doesn\'t agree with things chunks of Black people support and the same thing applies here.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079620">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079620" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079620" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079620" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079620" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079620" class="dsq-comment-message">Declaration of Independence - July 2, 1776. Treaty of Paris - September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War.<br><br>American Civil War – 1861 to 1865. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865, effectively ending slavery in America. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially abolished slavery – approximately December of 1865.<br><br>Proponents of “reparations” like to claim that the United States of America allowed slavery to exist for some “300 years.” <b>Simply not true.</b> Do the math, i.e. 1865 minus 1776 equals 89 years. Less than 89 years if the Treaty of Paris date of 1783 is used. <br><br>Proponents of “reparations” also ignore the history of the <a href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/arab-islam-slave-trade/" rel="nofollow">Arab-Islam Slave Trade</a> and the involvement of Africans (both Muslim and non-Muslim) on slavery…a history that covers 14 centuries of slavery and slave trading.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079781">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079781" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079781" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079781">bubbables</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079781" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079781" class="dsq-comment-message">So you\'re suggesting that the slaves George Washington had before the Revolutionary War should be discounted because he had them before America was a country? I\'m having a hard time following.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079948">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079948" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079948" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1079948" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079948" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079948" class="dsq-comment-message">Are you suggesting that America should pay “reparations” for slaves not ever owned by America, i.e. slavery before America even gained independence<b>?!?!</b> <br><br>Perhaps America should also pay “reparations” to the descendants of slaves in Brazil (largest population there...more than double America\'s), since Brazil and the US are on the same continent. Also, perhaps America should also pay “reparations” to the descendants of slaves in the Middle East...well, there may not be many of them since Muslims castrated most of their male slaves.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1080090">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1080090" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1080090" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1080090">isonprize</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1080090" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1080090" class="dsq-comment-message">These issues speak directly to the point that Sen. Obama makes.  Nobody can agree on one formula for who would get paid,  how the payments would be calculated, where the $$ would come from, etc.<br>It ain\'t gonna happen.    <br><br>YOU CANNOT UNSCRAMBLE SCRAMBLED EGGS.  <br><br>Or as my daddy would have said,  "Once it\'s Ff#$% , you can\'t un-F#$% it"<br><br>The only way to accomplish anything resembling reparations for the horrible things done to enslaved Africans and others  is to provide <br><br>Education,  health care, jobs,  and a solid infrastructure for everyone now.<br><br>Folks can acknowledge it, apologize for it, feel bad about it.   There will always be people who just don\'t get it.      Actions (deeds) are the only thing that will help us all do better.   <br><br>Oh, and yes,  Sen. Obama DOES need to get elected first for any of this to happen.   In my opinion, regardless of any disagreements I may have with some of his positions,  he is the last best hope for black folks RIGHT NOW.    <br><br>If McCain is elected, we are done.  DONE for a very long time...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082618">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082618" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082618" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082618">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082618" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082618" class="dsq-comment-message">I think reparations are  HORRIBLE idea for a number of reasons, but just look at where we are as a country right now?  We face serious issues on all front in the next couple of years and I do not want Congress spending its time "investigating" reparations.  I would prefer if they concentrate on education, energy, health care, housing, and the situation with the middle east.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081389">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081389" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081389" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081389">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081389" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081389" class="dsq-comment-message">isonprize:  Co-signing!!  :&gt;)<br><br>p.s.  That is one of my favorite pics of Mr. Obama!!  Keep posting!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  As she walks slowly to sit down in front of her air-conditioner, again!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081401">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081401" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081401" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081401" href="http://www.WEESeeYou.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Webb</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081401" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081401" class="dsq-comment-message">This is a very creative thread right here.  Karmi--are you an attorney?  I would definitely want you representing me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083050">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083050" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083050" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083050" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083050" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083050" class="dsq-comment-message">I was a <i>\'Jail-House\'</i> attorney many years ago, but the <i>\'Free-World\'</i> requires a license which I don\'t have. <br><br>Stay out of trouble, is my free advice to you.  ;-)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082586">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082586" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082586" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082586" href="http://nquest2xl.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nquest</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082586" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082586" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>"Nobody can agree on one formula for who would get paid..."</i><br><br>All Rep. Conyers has asked for is a commission to study the issue just like there was a commission regarding Japanese internment reparations.  That, too me, seems like the venue for all the information coming in and a decision being made on what\'s feasible, etc.  All the stuff you\'re talking about is putting the cart before the horse and the only people confused about who gets what are White people who want the number to be as limited as possible.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1083025">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1083025" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1083025" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1083025" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1083025" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1083025" class="dsq-comment-message">Which <i>"point that Sen. Obama makes"</i>? He changes it so often that it\'s difficult to tell what his point is. <br><br>Example: <i>“I consistently believe that when it comes to whether it’s Native Americans or African-American issues or reparations, the most important thing for the U.S. government to do is not just offer words, but offer deeds.”</i> He sounds like Bill Clinton parsing and defining words there, except it ain\'t about sex. Deeds sounds like a code word for reparations.<br><br>Another example: <i>"If we have a program, for example, of universal health care, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because they\'re disproportionately uninsured. If we\'ve got an agenda that says every child in America should get — should be able to go to college, regardless of income, that will disproportionately affect people of color, because it\'s oftentimes our children who can\'t afford to go to college."</i> So, giving "people of color" free healthcare and free college isn\'t reparations?<br><br>What good is college when the public school system doesn\'t work? Are we going to <i>dumb-down</i> college also?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084082">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084082" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084082" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084082">ac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084082" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084082" class="dsq-comment-message">you\'re an idiot</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1088758">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1088758" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1088758" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1088758">Monica</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1088758" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1088758" class="dsq-comment-message">Karmi:<br><br>The point of reparations is acknowledging that, in this country, founded on the  principles of self-determination the very thought of slavery was contradictory to those ideals and to continue the  practice for even one day after independence from England was unacceptable.<br><br>Slavery in other countries and in cultures isn\'t even important to the discussion.  The United States was the first country founded with the thought that all men are created equal but it was a damn lie in practice.  It was a lie at the founding and the lie continues.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1089022">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1089022" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1089022" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1089022" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1089022" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1089022" class="dsq-comment-message">Monica,<br><br>We’re talking 82-89 years of slavery, and two Wars that combined for 12 years during that time (both fought for freedom). <br><br>1) 1776 – Declaration of Independence. <br>2) 1775 to 1783 - War of Independence (NOTE: 8 years of War, but 7 years if at 1776. <i><b>“More than 20,000 black soldiers fought on the British side”</b></i>). <br>3) 1783 - Treaty of Paris.  <br>4) 1861 to 1865 -Civil War (NOTE: 4 years of War).<br><br>Where is the need or reason for reparations?!? There is none. Sorry, but you statement – <i>“even one day after independence from England”</i> is preposterous.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1089115">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1089115" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1089115" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1089115">Lily</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1089115" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1089115" class="dsq-comment-message">Sometimes when I read Karmi\'s posts they seem like they fell into a black hole, traveled through a worm hole and landed on this site.<br><br>They seem very other dimensional.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1089178">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1089178" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1089178" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1089178" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1089178" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1089178" class="dsq-comment-message">Life in the Flesh can seem like that at times...<br><br>;-)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084090">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084090" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084090" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1084090">ac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084090" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084090" class="dsq-comment-message">Arab slave trade did not take place in America, idiot.<br><br>The states exsisted New York, Virginia, etc. were around long before the US and they owned slaves.  Stop playing semantics idiot.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1084882">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1084882" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1084882" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1084882" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1084882" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1084882" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>"Arab slave trade did not take place in America, idiot."</i> I never said that it did. However, the Arab-Islam slave trade had been going on for <b>EIGHT Centuries</b> before Columbus discovered the Americas, and it was mostly Arab Muslims and African Muslims who later sold slaves to the Americas (Brazil in particular) and to Europe. <br><br><i>"The states exsisted New York, Virginia, etc. were around long before the US and they owned slaves."</i> Looks like you may have a reading problem, huh. Well, you have at least mastered the word "idiot." The US had slavery for about 82-89 years...during those years, the US fought two wars for freedom: 1) War of Independence - 1775-1783. 2) Civil War - 1861-1865. <br><br><i>"Stop playing semantics idiot."</i> Do you know what the words "colonial" and "colony" mean?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079808">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079808" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079808" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079808">JibreelRiley</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079808" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079808" class="dsq-comment-message">Great job on what I\'ve been warning the Obamafreaks about months ago about showing your hand too early. Thanks to the press (aka the Obama Campaign Staff) there is the false scene of security when it comes to the General Election. Don\'t these people understand we are a long way from November and if you look at the polls McCain and Obama are at the margin of error for being tied... yes even in this so called Democrat Year the Presidential Race is tide in the polls...<br><br>... You know what I dont get: With Congress at %9 approval rating how in the (bleep) they are going to win all these so called seats in the fall?<br><br>Please keep up this smug bitterness Democrat Voter. Take it all the way to Denver and act a (bleeping) fool. All these moonbats in one city in the "so called" biggest election of our life times there is going to be some drama. Sen Obama has flipped on key issues like FISA, Gun Control, Death Penalty, Iraq, Iran, NAFTA (and i named all of those off the top of my head) his moonbat lefty base is going to try HARD to pull him back to the left while the needs of the Black Community (with is what I dont even know this time around) will just show up wanting full blown reparations and more government programs (a young black male is the most programed person in the world) and the open border crowd will be there to make sure good ole Illegal Immigration will be rewarded while lower my wages but Sen Obama will give out more of the governments money in the form of a stimuli check pt II. I wonder will be a coupon for pep boys for my tire rotation and tune up because according to the Harvard Law grad this will save gas. Looks like the Euro Trip did not work out so well as everyone hope for. Oh well so much for the transitional candidate. The Rev Wright was right, "he is just a politician"<br><br>And all of this the press is trying to cover the tracks of the fallen Messiah but Ludacris thinks this guy can pull off a landslide victory. Oh and someone needs to get Chuck Todd of MSNBC and official Obama Brown Nose wipe rags. You moonbats will see this and think everything is A OK and keep believing your hype but while you have the chance look up the Bradley Affect</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079849">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079849" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079849" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079849">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079849" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079849" class="dsq-comment-message">Yeah, the Bradley effect really played itself out during the primaries...wait...no</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079871">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079871" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079871" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079871">JibreelRiley</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079871" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079871" class="dsq-comment-message">In a national poll you have to give Sen Obama a  -10 at least. I\'m already betting the under when it comes to the EC for Obama when he only wins 6 states.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079897">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079897" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079897" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079897">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079897" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079897" class="dsq-comment-message">In a national poll you have to consider Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney - but since the msm doesn\'t care to analyze the polls with those names included (per state where the names will be on the ballot), why even pay attention to the daily polling? $68 per donor is better barometer than poll numbers.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079933">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079933" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079933" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079933">JibreelRiley</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079933" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079933" class="dsq-comment-message">Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney and friends is like watching tee ball. To them "everybody wins for just showing up" now lets stick to the real match up: Sen Obama vs Sen McCain. The Press want Barr to (bleep) with McCain like Nader "so called" (bleep) with Gore in 2000 (however Gore lost his home state) so go figure. Sen Obama is running so fast to the center right I dont know his campaign will have enough time to mail out the box of straws to his moonbat supporters to say "SUCK IT UP, I wanna win" Sen Obama still has a chance because McCain is sorta lame and has too many RINO\'s running around with him but I\'m still vote for the Naval Aviator.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079963">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079963" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079963" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079963">Miranda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079963" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079963" class="dsq-comment-message">Well by your tone, I would hope that you\'ll vote for the former POW. Its your option, have at it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1079960">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1079960" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1079960" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1079960">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1079960" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1079960" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually a political scientist said that his polling is quite reasonable given the conditions we are in.<br>For more details click on this link:<br><a href="http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=08&year=2008&base_name=more_on_obamas_predictably_ane" rel="nofollow">http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_ar...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081800">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081800" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081800" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081800">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081800" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081800" class="dsq-comment-message">Who the hell are you calling "Democrat voter"?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081866">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081866" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081866" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1081866" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081866" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081866" class="dsq-comment-message">Nelly\'s singing in the background - "It\'s getting hot in here...."<br><br>Eh hee.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081882">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081882" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081882" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081882">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081882" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081882" class="dsq-comment-message">Don\'t Repubs compulsively say "Democrat" as opposed to "Democratic"?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1081935">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1081935" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1081935" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1081935">Texas_Girl_in_LA</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1081935" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1081935" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'ve noticed that as well....</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082292">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082292" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082292" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-1082292" href="http://peoplepowerforchange.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">99 Percent Sure</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082292" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082292" class="dsq-comment-message">Yes, particularly neo-con trolls who come on sites like this to raise folk dander.<br><br>As my M\'Dear used to say, God rest her soul, "it\'s not what you are called, it\'s what you answer to."</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-1082140">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-1082140" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-1082140" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-1082140">JibreelRiley</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-1082140" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-1082140" class="dsq-comment-message">are you a typical Democrat Voter because being a Democrat (Liberal) is easy, very easy</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
';

(function() {
	
	





Dsq.Debug.profile(function() {
	if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page == 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.is_initial_load) {
		Dsq.container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.header() + Dsq.container.innerHTML + Dsq.Templates.footer();
	}
	Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML = Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
}); // Dsq.Debug.Profile

// HACK: Resetting cache because we're done with.
Dsq.Utils.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = null;


	
	
	var dsq_styleEl = document.getElementById(disqus_container_id);
	var dsq_anchorEl = document.getElementsByTagName('a')[0];
	
	Dsq.Thread.fc = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, 'color');
	if(dsq_anchorEl) { Dsq.Thread.ac = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_anchorEl, 'color'); }
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, (Dsq.Utils.ie || window.opera ? 'fontFamily' : 'font-family'));
	// For Safari / Opera: strip quotes.
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Thread.ff.replace(/['"]/g, '');
	Dsq.Thread.fc = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.fc);
	Dsq.Thread.ac = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ac);
	Dsq.Thread.ff = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ff);

	
	
	
	if(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer)) {
		// TODO: Check to see if theme uses postmessage.
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.textareaContainer));
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].init(function() {
				// Use fallback iframe
				Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer).innerHTML = '';
				var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer), null, {theme: theme});
				// if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
			});
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-post-add'));
		}
	}

	
	

	
	if(document.location.hash != '') {
		document.location.hash = document.location.hash.substring(1);
	}

	Dsq.Popup.showCookieMsgs();

	
	if(document.location.search != '' && location.hash != '#disqus_thread') {
		var reply_id = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams().dsq;
		if(reply_id) { document.location.hash = 'comment-' + reply_id; }
	}

	
	if((typeof OB_Script != 'undefined') && (typeof OB_versionNum != 'undefined')) {
		if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") != -1) {
			if(window.frames['dsq-reply-frame']) {
				window.frames['dsq-reply-frame'].location = Dsq.Urls.REPLY + (new Date()).getTime() + '&f=jackandjillpolitics&t=this_is_why_there8217s_skepticism_about_obama_10&to_redirect=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location) + '&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
			}
		}
	}

	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			Dsq.Realtime.initialize();
		}
	}

	



	window.ExecuteWhen = (function () {
	var obj = {}
	
	// Private
	var running = false;
	var timer = null;
	var pending = [];
	var startTimer = function() {
		running = true;
		timer = setInterval(obj.heartBeat, 100);
	};
	var stopTimer = function() {
		running = false;
		clearInterval(timer);
	};
	
	// Public
	obj.add = function (condition, code) {
		pending.push([condition,code]);
		this.heartBeat(); //!
		if (!running) {
			startTimer();
		}
	};
	obj.heartBeat = function() {
		if (!pending.length) {
			stopTimer();
		}
		var newPending = [];
		for (var i=0; i<pending.length; i++) {
			var cond = pending[i][0];
			var code = pending[i][1];
			// FIXME: if cond or code throw an error, they never get removed from pending
			if (cond()){
				code();
			}
			else {
				newPending.push([cond, code]);
			}
		}
		pending = newPending;
	};
	return obj;
})();

// also used in embed_thread.js:
window.fbIsReady = function () {return window.FB && FB.init;};
// NOTE: This script gets executed again without threadEl
//       set when we are loaded again as the fbc_receiver.
//       In this case, we don't need the hidden container.

if(!window.FB || !FB.init) {
	if(window.Dsq && Dsq.container) {
		// container is not present when init.js is loaded from an xd-receiver iframe; in this case,
		// we don't need the FB_HiddenContainer anyway.
		var fbDiv = document.createElement('div');
		fbDiv.id = "FB_HiddenContainer";	// Required or else FeatureLoader will execute a document.write.
		fbDiv.style.position = 'absolute';	// This is intentionally not setting display to none as this breaks
		fbDiv.style.top = '-10000px';		// Flash in Safari.
		fbDiv.style.left = '-10000px';
		fbDiv.style.width = '0px';
		fbDiv.style.height = '0px';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(fbDiv);
	}
	var fbJS = document.createElement('script');
	fbJS.type = "text/javascript";
	fbJS.src = "http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php";
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(fbJS);

	ExecuteWhen.add(window.fbIsReady,
		function () {
			// HACK: This is a workaround FBC's single domain limitation by
			//		 allowing sites to create multiple forums with different
			//		 Facebook API keys.  This must be used in conjunction with
			//		 disqus_facebook_forum (see authenticateFacebook).
			var facebook_api_key = 'bd6a8bc56f8eb204984f34b6fefe228d';
			if (typeof disqus_facebook_api_key != 'undefined') {
				facebook_api_key = disqus_facebook_api_key;
			}

			FB.init(facebook_api_key, window.facebookXdReceiverPath || null,
				{fetchSignedPublicSessionData: true});
		});
}


	


if(typeof(disqus_callback) == 'function') {
	var callback_params = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams()['dsq_cbp'] || null;

	// We don't care about any errors in third-party code
	try {
		disqus_callback(callback_params);
	} catch (x) {
		if (typeof(console) != 'undefined' && typeof(console.log) == 'function') {
			// But it would be nice to let developers know about them
			console.log(x);
		}
		// pass
	}

	// HACK: We don't know if the callback wraps our container, which may
	// possibly result in a new DOM element.
	Dsq.container = document.getElementById('dsq-content');
}

})();




