Activism
‘Change The Mascot Movement’ Scores A Major Win: U.S. Patent Office Cancels Washington’s NFL Team Trademarks (Video)
June 20, 2014
Aha! So we’re seeing some real movement on the ‘Change The Mascot’ movement since we posted about it here.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled six trademarks belonging to the football team on Wednesday, saying they are offensive to Native Americans…If the decision is upheld, it will be hard for the team to claim ownership of its brand, a crucial step in going after the makers of unlicensed merchandise…The decision came in response to a suit brought by five Native Americans.
It’s been time Washington; and the U.S. Patent Office obviously agrees. Change The Mascot. JayForce suggested ‘Washington Warriors’ as an alternative. See? Still bad ass, yet not offensive.
– @ojones1
The National Congress of American Indians Says It’s Past Time To ‘Change The Mascot’ For Washington D.C.’s NFL Team (Video)
June 16, 2014
“Native Americans call themselves many things. The one thing they don’t…”
Powerful point made with lots of eyes watching. Above is the commercial the NFL would not let air. The National Congress of American Indians went for another ‘big game’ viewing audience though.
After the jump, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation leaders speak on why they got involved with the Change The Mascot movement.
Katie Couric Interviews Lupe Fiasco (Video)
June 12, 2014
Lupe Fiasco sat down with Katie Couric to speak on the fallout from his Obama-is-the-worst-terrorist comments, his Chicago upbringing, first linking with Kanye West and Jay Z, and to get Couric’s recorded testimonial to add to his efforts on the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. Her story will be part of Lupe’s forthcoming track “Re-Mission.” Dope interview.
Posted in Activism, Hip-Hop, News, Videos | 
Tags: Katie Couric, Lupe Fiasco, Yahoo News | 
No Comments »
Throwback: A 1995 Tupac Phone Conversation With Sanyika Shakur (Video)
June 11, 2014
Whoa! Lots of good content and insight from the late rap artist, actor, and Thug Lifer on this audio. Listen for the name drop of director Antoine Fuqua before he was a name… and a reference to Tupac’s working on “All Eyes On Me.” Unheard 1995 phone conversation with Tupac (RIP). Play the ‘tape’ above.
Posted in Activism, Celebrity, Hip-Hop, Throwback, Videos | Tags: Sanyika Shakur, Tupac Shakur | No Comments »
‘What Would YOU Do’ If You Witnessed Racial Profiling In A High End Retail Store? (Video)
June 5, 2014
Yes! This “What Would You Do?†episode is not as much a test of racial profiling store owners and staff…we know they are out there. This is a test of bystanders’ willingness to call them on their bullsh!t.
When you see injustice… people have to step up!
– Patron at the High End Store…who stepped up
Weighing in on this episode (and going undercover as a customer being harassed for ‘shopping while Black’), Daymon John (Founder Of FUBU clothing, ‘shark’ on ABC TV’s “Shark Tank”). Great clip!
Posted in Activism, Business, Celebrity, Hip-Hop, Human Interest, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: ABC, ABC TV, Daymon John, FUBU, FUBU founder, racial profiling, Shark Tank, Sharktank, shopping while black, What Would You Do? | No Comments »
Koch Brothers Exposed (Documentary)
June 5, 2014
David and Charles Koch (pronounced like ‘Coke’), the oil industry’s billionaire brothers that pretty much powered the Tea Party Movement and the recent emergence of the Republican Party’s ‘return to true Conservatism.’ You’d think that most Republicans would position themselves in the ‘it is what it is’ or say ‘I approve this message’ camps. Most do. But viewer-supported news network says “Koch Brothers Exposed” is “The Chilling New Documentary Republicans Don’t Want You to See.” So [per Democracy Now], at least some Republicans would prefer to not be linked to the Kochs. And those would certainly not want a film evidencing the Kochs’ influence (and naming politicians who are being ‘influenced’) to come out. Congressperson Candice Miller (Republican Representative from Michigan) tried to block an unveiling event for the documentary at the U.S. Capitol, claiming it could violate House rules (being debuted at taxpayer-funded facilities) and “cross the line into partisan politics.”
The documentary shows how the Koch brothers have used their vast fortunes to oppose government programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, as well as obstruct efforts to raise the minimum wage, tackle climate change and expand voting rights. Democracy Now talks to the film’s director, Robert Greenwald, founder and president of Brave New Films, in its writeup (linked below). The full original release is embedded above.
Deep. Check it out. And considering that the film, and Democracy Now, are fighting the rich and powerful to bring real issues and news to light… maybe consider donating to the cause and/or getting some friends together to watch, discuss, and empower yourselves.
READ/DONATE: THE DOCUMENTARY REPUBLICANS DON’T WANT YOU TO SEE (DEMOCRACY NOW)
VICE: Exposing The ‘Backyard Exotics’ Trade (Video)
May 27, 2014
Insanity. Inhumanity. And we call them animals… but the folks involved should be in cages. What’s worse: A lot of these ‘backyard exotics’ dealers and buyers, in it for the money and/or novelty, have no idea how dangerous the trade and care of these wild animals can be.
A lot of these animals are incredibly friendly. But that doesn’t mean they’re safe. These animals will kill you because they like you. ‘Hi. Let’s play… Oh. You broke…”
VICE covers the story and goes undercover to give us an inside look at a business working the inhumane, dangerous, but lucrative, $19 billion wildlife trafficking industry.
Posted in Activism, Nature, Series, Videos | Tags: Backyard Exotics, VICE, Wild animal trafficking, Wild animals, Wildlife, Wildlife trafficking | No Comments »
Shots Fired: Rush Limbaugh Disses #BringBackOurGirls And Jon Stewart Slams Him For It (Video)
May 16, 2014
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, pressured into action by ‘hashtag activism’ on Twitter recently, now has help from several nations to save more than 200 schoolgirls held hostage by Boko Haram terrorists. #BringBackOurGirls our girls has been trending worldwide, bringing and maintaining attention on the issue. Good, right? I mean, the terrorists are the bad guys; but you MUST be a genuine azzjack of a bad guy to hate on the movement, right?
Enter Rush Limbaugh, azzjack. On his radio show, the conservative host ripped the effort, even calling a photo of First Lady Michelle Obama with a #BringBackOurGirls sign “pathetic.”
Oh…my…damn! Did Limbaugh just slam a humanitarian movement AND diss our beloved First Lady? Sure did. But don’t worry. Jon Stewart got him; as you’ll see in the Comedy Central ‘Daily Show’ clip above. In fact, by the show’s end, Stewart had set off a Twitter trend of his own – a message for Limbaugh: #F*@KYOURUSH.
(Even more important, Jon had some heartfelt words for the real G’s caught up in this horror story; the captive Nigerian girls who knowingly risked life and everything daily to get educated and empowered.)
READ: #F*@KYOURUSH (HUFFINGTON POST)
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Opinion, Politics, Shots, Television, Videos | Tags: #BringBackOurGirls, #F*@KYOURUSH, Daily Show, Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh, The Daily Show, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | No Comments »
Smart Technology: A Solar-Powered ‘Liter Of Light’ (Video)
May 15, 2014
“It is possible to do this without being an electronic engineer.”
Two things the less fortunate among us can appreciate, master and share… to make a lot from a little AND to make treasure out of what we’d call trash. Magnifying a bit of solar light bright enough to light a room at night… a little to a liter… using a plastic bottle otherwise destined for a landfill.
The low-tech technology that enables this is refined constantly. Practitioners build some, use them, improve the design, and build better ones. See a how-to video of one of the latest versions for a basic ‘Liter of Light’ after the jump. Awesome stuff!
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Technology, Videos | Tags: Liter Of Light, OFF GRID, OFF GRID LIGHTING, solar, Solar Bottle Bulb, Solar-Powered | No Comments »
Bill Nye Battles CNN Crossfire Host On Climate Change (Video)
May 14, 2014
Okay. In truth, renown scientist Bill Nye (aka “Bill Nye The Science Guy”) was invited to hold down the “for” side in a discussion about whether climate change (e.g. ‘global warming’) is a problem… that man caused. Not really a battle; UNLESS you consider a grown man square his shoulders and spit fiery truth in the direction of an opponent in a war of words.
“I will look anyone in the eyes and remind them that climate change is the most serious problem facing human kind…This is serious business.”
– Bill Nye
On second thought, the show is called ‘Crossfire’… It’s a battle. And Bill is schooling ’em! Watch.
Posted in Activism, News, Opinion, Science, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: Bill Nye, Climate Change, CNN, CNN Crossfire, CrossFire, Global Warming, Science Guy, The Science Guy | No Comments »
Activism: Sad Truth…The Homeless Are Invisible, To All Of Us. This Proves It! (Video)
May 12, 2014
In America, the homeless are invisible to us. That’s a problem; because we cannot (or will not) address a problem we do not acknowledge. Like most problems, we (Americans) believe that homeless will have to hit closer to home before we find the will to truly do something about it. Well, New York City Rescue Mission has conducted a social experiment that showed me… that will show YOU… that even if the problem hit home we would would walk right by it.
In this social experiment, unsuspecting people walked by relatives pretending to be homeless. Would they notice their family members? Or have the homeless become invisible? http://MakeThemVisible.com
Wow. Just wow. You SAY you wouldn’t leave fam on the streets… but you (and I) probably wouldn’t even know them if we encountered them in that situation. POWERFUL commentary. I was convicted by this video. I will admit it. I also admit that change will be hard, but necessary. First step: Stop laying all the blame on the 1% (e.g. the uber-wealthy in the U.S.) and check myself… (at least) looking people in their eyes when I walk by. And before I move on, like it’s someone else’s problem, know that that person could very well be one of MY loved ones out here!
Compelling mini-documentary. A must watch! And to find out more about the New York City Rescue Mission visit http://nycrescue.org/
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Human Interest, Videos | Tags: APATHY, Have the Homeless Become Invisible, homeless, homelessness, New York City Rescue Mission | No Comments »
Jeremiah Camara Says ‘Blacks Screwed Up’ In Handling The Controversy Surrounding Former NBA Owner Donald Sterling (Video)
May 6, 2014
“As usual, Blacks were left with nothing but a moral victory…Donald Sterling was never the problem in the first place.”
After banning Donald Sterling from the NBA for life, there was much celebrating, specifically amongst African Americans, but in reality what was actually accomplished? As usual, Blacks were left with nothing but a moral “victory.†Black leadership, in an outside of the NBA blew perhaps the greatest opportunity to advance the conditions of African Americans since the so-called Civil Rights Movement.
