Jason Toney

Let it Burn (The Fire. Inside Ya.)

“Can you blame my generation?” - NaS and Damian Marley, My Generation

Troy Davis and Lawrence Brewer were executed earlier today. I watched it unfold via the tweets of friends and news organizations via Twitter. I watched the emails stream in from progressive organizations that I’ve allied myself with (at least via email subscription if not monetarily or through real action) and…

And I did nothing.

I guess that’s not true. I did do some small part in advocating for Troy Davis. I did sign an online petition a few days ago. I did send a letter to my congresspeople and to the State of Georgia. I did spread the word via social media.

But, on the real? That’s not enough. Not nearly enough.

“I heard change start with the man in the mirror.” - Lil’ Wayne, My Generation

Last week, the universe was talking to me. 

Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote this

If you don’t like the current iteration of America, you need to remember that you are America. The failure to build a more progressive America isn’t merely a testimony to dastardly evil, it’s a testimony to the failure of progressives.

It was in response to something Matthew Yglesias had written

If you’re a progressive and you feel that the political system isn’t doing what you want, it’s misguided to look at this as a personal failure of elected officials. It’s, if anything, a personal failure of you and people like you. Justice and equality doesn’t just happen because it’s nice, people need to make it happen. If it’s not happening, then its advocates are failing.

And then, my dad made it plain with some well known words of wisdom in an email he sent

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Right. I’ve been frustrated. Angry, really. If I was asked one of those key political pollster questions, “Is America on the right track?” I’d have to answer in the negative.

The wealth gap. The poverty numbers. The rhetoric. The policies.

And, yet, I go about leading my idyllic life being mad at the politicians and the talking heads instead of questioning my own lack of activism.

Jon Stewart, last year, when Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin were rallying all over the place, said something to the effect that reasonable people are too busy going to work and taking care of their kids to be out doing the same thing.

Maybe that’s true but, you know what, it’s not good enough.

Not for me, anyway.

“If we all come together, they can’t divide one.” - Lil’ Wayne, My Generation

But the question is, what to do? What do I care about? Where do I fit in?

It isn’t the rallies and the public displays of outrage. That’s not my thing.

No, I think it’s policy. It’s really defining for myself what the issues are that I truly, passionately care about and working to make those changes happen whether with the organizations who align with my world view or on my own.

Someone on Facebook posted earlier that politics and such are really no different than religion. They are acts of faith. It’s about what you believe.

I believe in the ability of government to improve people’s lives.

I believe in the social contract and social safety net.

I believe a civilized society should establish laws that appeal to it’s citizens best selves.

I believe everyone should feel welcome, equal, valued, and protected.

This is what I believe.

Troy Davis and Lawrence Brewer were executed today.

I failed them.

What am I going to do about that?

"I hate losing. I refuse to make the same mistakes." - Black Thought, The Fire

Nothing Better - The Postal Service

"It will all be clear, if I wake up and you're still here with me in the morning." - The Postal Service, Be Still My Heart (Nobody Remix)

The kind of service I get from USPS:

• My mail finds me even though I've moved a few times over the last 7 years.
• I can send things to people for less than a dollar most of the time and it usually arrives in a couple days.
• We get all kinds of packages delivered to the house and 99% of the time they arrive uninjured and right on time.
• There's a post office everywhere I need one to be. Right now, there's one walking distance from my house (as in less than a block) and there's one walking distance from my office. But, better than that, there's another one halfway between my house and my office as well as mailboxes just about everywhere I need them to be. It's like Disneyland where there's always a trash can right where and when I need one.

This is the kind of service I get from Federal Express:

This is a gift from a friend sent via Fed Ex by another friend who is our favorite clay thrower. It was packed well in paper, and bubble wrap in a box filled with packing peanuts. If this had been delivered by our neighborhood postal worker, he or she would've known to put it on the window sill outside our kitchen. It's well hidden from the street by a large bush and our packages remain there even when we've been away from the house for more than 24 hours. Or, because we aren't a high crime area and have lots of lookie loo neighbors on this street, you can even leave large boxes at the front door. 

The Fed Ex person must not have known this. They decided, instead, to toss it over our side gate, an over 6 foot tall wooden door, to the concrete walkway below and leave a note. When I saw the note, I wondered how the Fed Ex person had gotten the box behind the door. Then when I opened the lock and saw the box I was filled with dread. Unless it was something soft or something sturdy, it was going to be broken.

And, well, you see.

Why is this important? Because the Postal Service is said to be on the verge of collapse.

Read that again. An institution older than our constitution could close this winter if Congress doesn't act.

When others talk about our "bloated, do-nothing" government, I often think of the Postal Service. It is one of the most effective services we have in our daily lives. So effective even, that we hardly think about it. It's a service, one that every American (even those without an address) take advantage of. It's a service that takes incredible care of it's workers (to the point that it actually accidentally overpays them) and one that has no mandate to make a profit. No mandate to be a vicious business. It only has to do this: send and deliver mail to every American, no matter where they are, in all conditions, whenever possible.

As Allison Kilkenny points out in this article (h/t Maurice Cherry):

UPS and FedEx aren’t required to do what the Postal Service does and that is deliver the mail to every place, even if the recipient is located in hard-to-reach rural terrain, or an inner-city neighborhood deemed too “dangerous” for other services, like taxi cabs, in which to travel. If the USPS falls, it will be another strike in the class war where poor people are yet again cut off from a service that used to belong to everyone.

So, Congress, do something you haven't done much of this session: Act. Do something for a part of our government that works but don't screw it up. Don't change it's mandate. Don't pretend it's a corporation. Don't forget that it serves the people. All of us. Even the ones who don't vote for you. Even the ones who don't live in your district. Even the ones whom you might forget (or hope to forget) exist.

Do something that stems this tide of backwardsness we've been on this past decade. Or maybe you just like boxes filled with shards of broken promises.

*Thanks for the thought and the hard work, Sho and Cheryl. We appreciate it greatly even if it didn't make it here whole.

The America Some of Us Live In

"The world is mine can't you see, I'm just trying to be all I can be." - The Notorious B.I.G. (featuring Too $hort & Puffy), The World is Filled (Life After Death) 

Humiliated, Angry, Ashamed, Brown. Just read it. I have no words. (found via punkassbitch.com)

Crazy for Kerry?

"I know you're pissed cuz all your shots even miss the back board." - Rae & Christian w/ The Pharcyde, It Ain't Nothing [buy the album] Okay, while trying to figure out what I was going to do with my recent windfall of cash, a friend made the suggestion that I could donate some funds to Kerry/Edwards. The mere thought filled me with dread. There are a hundred things I'd rather donate money to than a political campaign this year. Then, the next day, a friend told me she was going to a moveon.org event. "There's a request for donations. I'll give if it's going to the MoveOn PAC but I don't know what I'll do if it's directly for the Kerry/Edwards campaign. I don't like Bush but I don't know about Kerry." And, you know what? I completely understood the sentiment. I'm voting for Kerry come November but I'm not at all excited about it. I'm resigned to the fact that this is the best option I have. I'm trying, though. To that end, I jumped at the opportunity to get MoveOn's The Kerry Kit: Reasons to Believe and Tools to Win and learn why I should be all about the new JFK. Yeah, it doesn't do the trick. The DVD features a featurette from Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry, a biographic film about Kerry and the Vietnam War. It's incredibly boring. Can't we license a little music for this puppy? The first part deals with the heroism that the swift boat ads are trying to crap all over. I don't know how you can make war action uninteresting but George Butler manages to. Then we are told about the greatness of his speech before congress and, well, I'm still bored to tears. If that is the watershed moment for us to connect with Kerry as a leader, it's not nearly enough. Besides that...it was 32 years ago. With all the things to talk about that have happened in the last 4 years, why are we talking about Vietnam? Then we get John Kerry's speech at the Rainboy/PUSH Coalition from 2 short months ago. Reverend Jesse Jackson introduces him with less than inspired oratory. He does have a cute joke about a lo-CARB (Cheney-Ashcroft-Rumsfeld-Bush) diet with just a little bit of Rice that I smiled at and then John Kerry arrives to put us all to sleep. He starts talking about Vietnam again almost immediately but what I'm struck by is how sunken in his eyes are in his skull. Every time he looks down, his eyes disappear and are replaced with dark holes of death. He looks like a zombie and it's creeping me out. He makes mention of Danny Davis and how articulate he is (and I groan audibly wondering why we can't use other words like eloquence or outspoken or advocate or something other than marvelling at how well the man speaks. He's an elected member of the federal government, I sure as hell hope he speaks well) and then goes on forever and ever with a speech with no passion . I'm sure he's saying some very smart things but, my god, I could go into a coma listening to him tell it. I can't even finish the speech. The droning is making me violent. So, we jump to the MoveOn.Org Ads and I'm thinking, "Here we go. The good stuff!" as I've watched much of the artistic, clever, and timely ads that they have put online. These ADs however? I'm not impressed. The first deals with Kerry vs. Bush and their Vietnam records. Take a drink every time someone mentions Vietnam. And maybe because I live in California and both candidates already know how we're going to vote as a state so I never see any national political ad campaigns but is this really what gets people? Someone imitating George Bush's voice and saying corny stuff while there's a giant "George Bush's voice being intimidated" and at the end of the ad, after Richard Clarke is quoted heavily, it says, "Richard Clarke doesn't endorse this message." Do these really change people's minds or help them decide? The "Round Table" Ad did have it's moments though. So, now I'm left with the print materials, and these are actually damn good. They highlight the differences between the two candidates platforms. They give the 10 things Kerry wants to accomplish in his first 100 days and I agree with all of them. They also provide two powerful articles about why Kerry is a great candidate for president. Which has me thinking that John Kerry should just never make another tv appearance because obviously there's a disconnect somewhere between the TV John Kerry and the actual John Kerry. But, still, I'm not excited. I'm still sitting here as an "Anybody but Bush" Kerry Supporter.

Crisis of Conscience

"I've got a feeling, it's automatic" - Zoot Woman, It's Automatic [buy the album] 

Now it's entirely possible that I'm feeling especially grrr arrgh today after reading Birth of a Nation, almost completing Where You're At?, watching the Hawk & Dove episode of JLU, and getting ready to watch The Weather Underground but something's been in my craw this evening and I don't think I'll be able to sleep unless I get it out. I don't begrudge you your political choices. Truly I don't. I might think you're out of your ever-loving mind but, you know, that's what makes America great or so I've been told. 

What I do begrudge is this: I don't understand how in one breath you can praise the wonders and joys of our mutual lovely gay friends deciding to join hands in non-matrimony (because there are some rights still not afforded to them) and in the very next breath say, "I'm supporting George Bush and Dick Cheney for election this year." I don't like to equate different movements because it muddies thing but it would be analogous to young Harry Burn, a legislator in 1920 Tennessee, an anti-suffragist who had voted against a woman's right to vote in the past, waking up on the day when Tennessee would vote on whether to ratify the 19th Amendment and maintaining his anti-suffragist attitude despite his mother's desire to vote. 

He'd essentially be saying, "I love you, Mom, but fuck you, I'm going with the folks that don't think you should have the same rights as me." 

 On that day, he couldn't give his mom the middle finger. And yet here we are, driving down this virtual street -- together, I thought -- and you're flipping off all these people I love. What kind of shit is that?

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

"Walk with me reminisce in my life" - Estelle, 1980 (courtesy of said the gramophone) 

That Estelle joint up there is the jam. THE JAM. You can talk about your Welcome Back's and your Lean Back's all you want, I'm going back to 1980 with Estelle. 

I lied yesterday. Bill Clinton was the magick. Barack Obama is the magick! Read the speech. I was listening on the radio as I drove home from work and had to pull into the grocery store parking lot and just sit and pay attention. Mr. Obama coupled with Howard Dean's real talks (not that convention stuff, let's Take Back America) was some inspiring, moving oratory. If Mr. Obama is the future of the party and Dean is driving the bus then maybe I can stick around for awhile. 

Lurch better come correct, though. Both the old blood and the new have been on point when they got their chances to speak this week. The real question for me is whether or not John Kerry can take this chance to really define himself, his party, and his Vision for America in real terms? The opportunity is right there for him. 

The Afro-Netizen was finally moved while blogging the convention. I think this kind of writing is what bloggers should be doing while at the DNC. Don't try to be journalists or the quirky web pundits or the bored with nothing to say. Be the everyman or woman who is getting to experience something first hand that few get the chance to. Blogs are about feelings and perspective and voice.

Freedom

"I'm Talkin' about Freedom, ya'll/Oh what a wonderful world this would be/If everyone could live free" - Syl Johnson, I'm Talkin' Bout Freedom 

Hmmm. It's coming. I'm not quite sure what I want to say on this Independence Day. There's a lot that's been weighing on my mind as we look toward November. I'm still mulling it over. Maybe I'll have thoughts tomorrow. For now, It's the 4th of July. Eat something grilled outside. We're cookin' with gas, ya'll.

altered states

"You'd left me waiting here...a long long time ago." - The Beatles, Long and Winding Road (Let it Be...Naked) The State of the Union

It's a completely different experience listening to the State of the Union vs. watching it. I sat in my car after I got home after work yesterday and was able to focus on the words. It was a weird speech. I thought the listing of the countries who have committed troops to Iraq was a nice touch (and was done much better than Dean's creepy speech of listing the states the night before in Iowa...and maybe I shouldn't call it creepy anymore. The more I see that video, the more I like it and like him. Sure he's a little unhinged but he's fun.) and that most of the rest of it was kind of crazy and didn't really say anything. And the President cares about Steroids in Sports? Now, I still haven't seen any of the footage but you can tell me...did like 70% of the audience go, "What the fuck?" 

Keith provides his list of lies in the speech. Natalie provides the commentary. 

 My recent answering of Selectsmart's Presidential Selector (via George. Note that Jessica's trying to Vote Smart as well) tells me I should be voting for Reverend Al Sharpton (because, apparently, I've gone über-progressive in my old age) but most of the democratic candidates bunch up pretty close together as far as their policy claims and my sensibilities are concerned. I might jump on the Dean bandwagon just because I dig crazy and think it would be a shame if we couldn't see more of his gutteral yelps, his inability to smile like a normal human being, and his reporter-bashing beyond this year. 

The State of my Mixed Media

This really should be at Time Wastin' but I have other stuff that needs to go there. 

Michelle thinks we should have a book club. She even provided some of the possible reading material. I'm more than happy to host the online discussion if anyone's interested. Let me know. I'm currently reading the Best American Non-Required Reading of 2003 but I don't know what's going to come next (I have some ideas but...) if we Book Club it, though, I don't have to decide on my own (okay, I will because I'm sure I'll be reading two books at the same time because I'll think of the Book Club book as homework and then will want a second book for "fun" no matter how "fun" the book club book actually is.) Maybe the Natalie Wood biography? That's the 4th or 5th black and white pic I've seen of her in the past 2 weeks. She's ridiculously attractive. 

But back to them thangs... I'm going to be writing about the goodness that is Prefuse 73 as well as the goodness that is the California garage band, The Thrills, at Time Wastin' soon. 

I'm going to have a headset and Top Spin for the Xbox by the end of the week if anyone wants to challenge me on Xbox Live. Trust me...I suck. I've never been good at video game tennis but we can still play. Diddy told me that it's good to play together. 

Coachella is going to kick your ass. The Cure is going to headline the 2nd night. Radiohead and The Pixies are on the main stage on Day 1. I'm going to be there. It will be delicious. Air will be there, too. Check out the new video. Talkie Walkie drops next week. 

This year, I'm going to put together a list of my favorite tracks for each month. Essentially, make a CD's worth of songs for every 30 days of 2004. That way, by the end of the year, I'll really know what I loved. Sadly, this month, there's very little rap infused hip hop that I'm loving. Encore off of Jay-Z's Black Album is nice and I loved Slow Jamz early, but it's getting stale now. There's a lot of New Edition, some Alicia Keys, the Lost in Translation soundtrack and sprinklings of Kelis but not much else has my attention. What's hot to death for you this month? I'll be posting my monthly mix cd on the 31st.

State of ME

It's been a good work week and I can't tell you about any of it.

quick, what's important about monday?

"Free to run around all day/Free to do it all my way." - Jason Weaver/Rowan Atkinson/Laura Williams, Just Can't Wait to be King (The Lion King Soundtrack) I was going to do an all MLK edition of Peripheral Vision but this picture (and the persuasive commentary at Body and Soul):

had me really thinking about everything I was reading and it's context in the state of things right now.