Etan Thomas slams the Bush administration (wow!)

[UpInArms]

I wish I had be there to hear him give this speech.

http://www.sfbayview.com/092805/etanthomas092805.shtml

Giving all honor, thanks and praises to God for courage and wisdom, this is a very important rally. I'd like to thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts, feelings and concerns regarding a tremendous problem that we are currently facing. This problem is universal, transcending race, economic background, religion and culture. And this problem is none other than the current administration which has set up shop in the White House.

In fact, I'd like to take some of these cats on a field trip. I want to get big yellow buses with no air conditioner and no seatbelts and round up Bill O'Reilly, Pat Buchanan, Trent Lott, Sean Hannity, Dick Cheney, Jeb Bush, Bush Jr. and Bush Sr., John Ashcroft, Giuliani, Ed Gillespie, Katherine Harris, that little bow-tied Tucker Carlson and any other right-wing conservative Republicans I can think of and take them all on a trip to the 'hood.

Not to do no 30-minute documentary. I mean, I want to drop them off and leave them there. Let them become one with the other side of the tracks, get them four mouths to feed and no welfare, have scare tactics run through them like a laxative, criticizing them for needing assistance.

I'd show them working families that make too much to receive welfare but not enough to make ends meet. I'd employ them with jobs with little security - let them know how it feels to be an employee at will, able to be fired at the drop of a hat. I'd take away their opportunities, then try their children as adults, sending their 13-year-old babies to life in prison.

I'd sell them dreams of hopelessness while spoon-feeding their young with a daily dose of inferior education. I'd tell them no child shall be left behind, then take more money out of their schools, tell them to show and prove themselves on standardized exams testing their knowledge on things that they haven't been taught and then I'd call them inferior.

...more...

[opihimoimoi]

1. I would help pay for the cost of those buses..git those idiots outta there

[Missy M]

2. I second that, I wish I had been there too. What a powerful speech!!!

[KG]

3. i was there for his speach - he really laid down the smack.

[enid602]

4. Etan

There was a time when I would have said that Etan did a good job in describing the plight of the poor in our country. The scary thing is that he's really describing what now threatens the broader middle class.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

5. Hey I just watched him on the Operation Ceasefire coverage!

I was re-watching the Steve Earle part, and Etan came on just after. Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

[neweurope]

6. Who is he? - Sorry, I'm German, never heard of him.

What I'm reading here sounds great, though. Recommended.

-----------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[tomg]

7. He is a basketball player for

the Washington Wizards. Drafted out of Syracuse in 2001. In the great tradition of Ali, John Carlos, Tommy Smith, and other athlete- activists. I heard him at Washington. Great speaker.

[neweurope]

8. Thank you. I find it unsual for a sportsman to deliver a sermon

like this one - but I love him for it :)

----------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[tomg]

9. Actually, it is pretty unusual around here too,

but there have been some standouts. As I said, Ali and the two great runners John Carlos and Tommy Smith at the 68 Olympics (made me proud to be a 1/4 miler). For the most part, I think professional athletes tend to be fairly apolitical, although a fair number ( mostly football players)seem to crop up at religious gatherings.

[neweurope]

10. Thank you for the information!

I shamelessly ask you to read the following:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4934050

It is so very important!

---------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[UpInArms]

15. thanks for linking that thread

there are no words.

[morningglory]

17. Lord, help us! Bin Laden took down the Soviet Union, and now he and

the chimp have taken us down. I don't know how we will ever get up out of this place. Thanks for posting. Bad news is we deserve all this bad stuff, by allowing sh*t-for-brains to steal TWO elections.

Edited to add a little ranting and correct a typo.

[Turn CO Blue]

18. Thank you for adding to the DU community.

Please tell your friends and family that there are still free-thinkers left in the USA.

[jbfam4]

11. Thanks for posting

This article gets my vote.

[texpatriot2004]

12. Isn't that the speech Etan gave at the rally? n/t

[otohara]

13. You Can Listen/Watch @ Democracy Now

site here: Enjoy

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/26/1434223

[GetTheRightVote]

14. I was at the rally and all the speechs were great, Etan was great too.

:kick:

[splat@14]

16. The message = "just get out and vote"!! Great post. n/t

[jarnocan]

19. He was great! dynamic and brilliant

I got to hear him, Ramsey Clark and many others but missed Cindy, Cornel West Al Sharpton etc. Great experience http:jarnocan.blogspot.com