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Nadir Omowale

Detroit Rebellion 1967: Forty years later

Originally published in The Michigan Citizen

For the last 40 years, the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and the United States as a whole have struggled to come to grips with the week of anger and violence that ravaged the city on those hot summer days and nights in July 1967. Was it riot or rebellion? Why did it happen? Who is to blame? What has changed and what hasn’t?

These questions and many others have been asked and answered for decades now, but somehow the questions remain. The answers begat more questions. The frustration and fury of that time linger for many, mostly lying dormant, but rearing their ugly heads from time to time. Continue reading

The Lions’ Fords Aren’t the Worst?

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

William Clay Ford and Bill Ford, Jr. weren’€™t named the worst NFL team owners in Sports Illustrated’€™s ranking this year, but that’s probably because the list seems more based on writer Michael Silver’€™s mood than on the owners’ record and lack of productivity. The pair did drop from #22 last year to #29 this year, which is a little closer to reality. Continue reading

The Lions’ Fords Aren’t the Worst?

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

William Clay Ford and Bill Ford, Jr. weren’€™t named the worst NFL team owners in Sports Illustrated’€™s ranking this year, but that’s probably because the list seems more based on writer Michael Silver’€™s mood than on the owners’ record and lack of productivity. The pair did drop from #22 last year to #29 this year, which is a little closer to reality. Continue reading

Cheney’€™s ‘Tortured Logic’ and America’s Apathy

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/syndicated_player/index.jhtml

What is it going to take for Congress, the media and the American people to wise up and impeach Dick Cheney?

Obviously it isn’t enough that he lied us into an illegal, unjust and immoral war. It doesn’t matter that he ignored a Congressional subpoena and still refuses to release details of his energy task force that may have outlined the administration’s imperial oil-grabbing tactics pre-911. It makes no difference that the vice president ordered the outing of the undercover CIA operative in charge of finding Iraq’s “weapons of mass destruction” because her husband publicly refuted the administration’s falsehoods about said wmds.

The fact that he lead the military in its use of interrogation tactics that amount to torture (until Congress allowed the administration to change the definition of torture), is apparently irrelevant. No one seems to care that Cheney was in charge of war games on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 that may have slowed military and air traffic control response to plane hijackings. And shooting that guy in the face? Well, it could have happened to any experienced hunter shooting caged quails.

Now it is revealed the vice president hasn’t been complying with an executive order that requires executive branch employees to report on the nature of the classified documents they create. The VP justifies his noncompliance by claiming that his role as President of the Senate separates him from the executive branch. Who cares what the Constitution says, right?
Continue reading

Cheney’€™s ‘Tortured Logic’ and America’s Apathy

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

What is it going to take for Congress, the media and the American people to wise up and impeach Dick Cheney?

Obviously it isn’t enough that he lied us into an illegal, unjust and immoral war. It doesn’t matter that he ignored a Congressional subpoena and still refuses to release details of his energy task force that may have outlined the administration’s imperial oil-grabbing tactics pre-911. It makes no difference that the vice president ordered the outing of the undercover CIA operative in charge of finding Iraq’s “weapons of mass destruction” because her husband publicly refuted the administration’s falsehoods about said wmds.

The fact that he lead the military in its use of interrogation tactics that amount to torture (until Congress allowed the administration to change the definition of torture), is apparently irrelevant. No one seems to care that Cheney was in charge of war games on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 that may have slowed military and air traffic control response to plane hijackings. And shooting that guy in the face? Well, it could have happened to any experienced hunter shooting caged quails.

Now it is revealed the vice president hasn’t been complying with an executive order that requires executive branch employees to report on the nature of the classified documents they create. The VP justifies his noncompliance by claiming that his role as President of the Senate separates him from the executive branch. Who cares what the Constitution says, right?
Continue reading

Mr. Omowale Goes to Washington

This is the image of a man making a pained and impassioned plea to his government.

Every US citizen should go to Congress in Washington D.C. and lobby for a cause they believe in.

On June 18 and 19, I met with congressional staffers to tell my story and advocate for the revision of Internet radio royalty rates – a cause that could change the very nature of my business and my life. For more background on the issue click HERE.

By walking through the House and Senate office buildings, and participating in the lobbying process, I got a much better understanding of what really goes on at the Capitol. I also understand why those of us who DON’T have lobbyists working on our behalf are constantly beaten by those who do.

Here’s how it works. Continue reading

Mr. Omowale Goes to Washington

This is the image of a man making a pained and impassioned plea to his government.

Every US citizen should go to Congress in Washington D.C. and lobby for a cause they believe in.

On June 18 and 19, I met with congressional staffers to tell my story and advocate for the revision of Internet radio royalty rates – a cause that could change the very nature of my business and my life. For more background on the issue click HERE.

By walking through the House and Senate office buildings, and participating in the lobbying process, I got a much better understanding of what really goes on at the Capitol. I also understand why those of us who DON’T have lobbyists working on our behalf are constantly beaten by those who do.

Here’s how it works. Continue reading

Operation Eight Mile

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

21 area law enforcement agencies have just completed Operation Eight Mile, three days of military-style police maneuvers along the 8 Mile Road corridor from the Detroit area suburbs of Harper Woods to Farmington Hills, Michigan. This unprecedented show of force – complete with tanks and helicopters – netted 289 arrests.

Police impounded 109 vehicles, made 122 arrests for narcotics and morality crimes, seized 1,460 grams of marijuana and 187 grams of cocaine, 19 guns and $20,375 in cash. Officers also arrested 22 fugitives who were wanted on warrants.

Police officials said the operation resulted in the most arrests, perhaps in history, of any regional sweep.

The campaign didn’t just target the hardened criminal element. Officers wrote 512 tickets the first day of the operation, just to show the average area resident that they meant business. Continue reading

Operation Eight Mile

Originally posted by Nadir at LastChocolateCity.com

21 area law enforcement agencies have just completed Operation Eight Mile, three days of military-style police maneuvers along the 8 Mile Road corridor from the Detroit area suburbs of Harper Woods to Farmington Hills, Michigan. This unprecedented show of force – complete with tanks and helicopters – netted 289 arrests.

Police impounded 109 vehicles, made 122 arrests for narcotics and morality crimes, seized 1,460 grams of marijuana and 187 grams of cocaine, 19 guns and $20,375 in cash. Officers also arrested 22 fugitives who were wanted on warrants.

Police officials said the operation resulted in the most arrests, perhaps in history, of any regional sweep.

The campaign didn’t just target the hardened criminal element. Officers wrote 512 tickets the first day of the operation, just to show the average area resident that they meant business. Continue reading

Fight to Save Internet Radio

Next week I’ll travel to Washington D.C. to meet with my congressman and senators in an effort to Save Internet Radio.

I will be working with the SaveNetRadio Coalition to make sure our already limited music choices don’t dwindle even further. On May 2, 2007, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) dramatically increased the amount of royalties that Internet radio services must pay record labels and recording artists.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I would be concerned that the government is telling the Internet radio stations who have been playing my music that they should pay me more money.

The reality is that the major record labels and their royalty collecting agency, Sound Exchange, convinced the CRB to increase royalty rates by 300-1200%. This will increase broadcasting bills for net radio broadcasters to levels that will put many of them out of business. The Internet radio broadcasters who have supported artists like me would be eliminated by the major corporations who have lost their monopoly on the distribution and promotion of music largely because of the freedom of the Internet. Continue reading

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