HOW DID CALIFORNIA GET NAMED AFTER A BLACK WOMAN

The history of the state of California is intricately connected to the history of the Mali empire? Say what, how can that be?

At first glance they appear to be totally unrelated. However, on the examination of the history it has been revealed that they have a lot more in common than one would expect. We were taught in school that the year 1492 was the year that Columbus sailed the ocean blue. What we were not told is that it was also the year the king of Aragon was able to complete the expulsion of the Muslim caliphs from Al Andalusia (Spain), as well.

Mind you these Muslims were primarily from the African nations along the Northern Mediterranean, as well as West Africa proper. They came from the countries now known as Morocco, Mali, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Egypt and even Ethiopia. Therefore, from all historical evidence we know for sure that a large majority of them were of the African racial type.

The occupation of Spain lasted for 700 years. During that time Spainish culture was alive and vibrant, while the cultures of Europe, as a whole were stagnant and dead, hence the name we've that era, the Dark Ages, meaning there was no significant learning or serious thought going on during that time.

Spain or as the Muslims called it Al Andalusia was just the opposite, with lit streets, indoor plumbing, aquaducts, courtyard fountains and magnificient architectural structures that remain among the most popular tourist attractions in the world. The University of Salamanca was the most prestigious institution of learning in the known world. Under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate science and learning flourished, while the Dark Ages formed a cloud over Europe, where only the priestly class was even allowed, or enouraged to read. In fact, the same kinds of restrictions that were placed on African slaves in the U.S., following the rebellion of Nat Turner, were placed on the entire population of Europe, with punishments which were just as severe.

I'd like to note here that there was some evidence of the mechanical genius of the inhabitants of Europe that came out at that time, unfortunately, it seemed to be mostly in the area of torture. The implements of torture that were devised during this time for the use of the clergy in carrying out the Inquisition were truly ingenious. We've all heard of The Rack, thumbscrews, The Pear, The Iron Maiden, The Gibbet (gallows), The Whipping Post, Stocks, etc. Of course, we wouldn't want to forget the most humane instrument of death every devised, The Guillotine. These are inventions, which are wholly European and I believe unique in the annals of history.

The stated purpose of these Inquisitions as detailed in a 1578 handbook for inquisitors was: ... quoniam punitio non refertur primo & per se in correctionem & bonum eius qui punitur, sed in bonum publicum ut alij terreantur, & a malis committendis avocentur. [Translation from the Latin: "... for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit."] Note the use of the word terrified in describing the purpose of this practice.

TO BE CONTINUED

WHY POT COULD BE CALIFORNIA'S NEW CASH CROP

Former SF supervisor wants public to cash in on $13.8 billion pot crop

By JACKSON WEST

Updated 12:18 PM PDT, Mon, Mar 2, 2009

Besides raising revenue, marijuana decriminalization would save the state in enforcement and incarceration costs.

Tom Ammiano wants to effectively legalize-- and tax -- California's trade in cannabis.

AB 390 "would remove all penalties in California law on cultivation, transportation, sale, purchase, possession, or use of marijuana, natural THC, or paraphernalia for persons over the age of 21," Ammiano's press secretary Quintin Mecke told the San Francisco Weekly.

Ammiano, a rookie state legislator and former San Francisco supervisor, may have a unique opportunity to win support for the bill in the wake of the state's budget debacle.

"California has the opportunity to be the first state in the nation to enact a smart, responsible public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana," he said.

Mecke suggested taxes on the trade could amount to $1 billion according to advocates.

And I'd bet that's a conservative estimate.

"With the state in the midst of an historic economic crisis, the move towards regulating and taxing marijuana is simply common sense," Ammiano said at a morning news conference at the state building on Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco.

Estimates value the state's crop of marijuana at $13.8 billion, double that of the vegetable and grape markets combined. Nationwide, it may be the fourth largest cash crop, behind corn, soy and hay but ahead of wheat.

The proposed bill would allow Californians over the age of 21 to grow, transport, sell, possess and consume the plant, with state and local law enforcement professionals barred from enforcing the federal ban.

The tax would amount to $50 per ounce of marijuana, which retails on the black market for anywhere from $250 to $500 depending on the source and quality.

While it may sound like a pipe dream, with communities from the emerald triangle of Humboldt, Mendecino and Trinity Counties to liberal districts all along California's cost all strapped for cash, other lawmakers and voters might just tune in and turn on.

Frankly, I think they should sign an endorsement deal with Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps.

Jackson West figures libertarian stoners will inevitably complain about the tax.

DR. LEARY SPEAKS ON: POST TRAUMATIC SLAVE SYNDROME

I pulled this down from Youtube and was not only impressed, but enlightened by her analysis. What she talks about here is directly related to what I've experienced myself in my relationships. Check out the segment I've included. Double click the picture to go to Youtube and put all 11 segments together in one playlist so they can be played as one video.

She also has a book out that can be purchased at Amazon or Half.com, under the same title. Read the book or view the video and realize just how significant the impact of slavery is in our present situation.

Every year Congressman John Conyers reintroduces H.R. 40 in Congress. This bill calls for the establishment of a committee to study the need for reparations and a method of delivering them to the sons and daughter of Africa in America. Dr. Leary's thesis that we continue to suffer from Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome is powerful. She's been able to explain, in short order, why we react to certain situations and cues the way we do.

I lived in Los Angeles, CA for 10 years. I still refer to L.A. as "Hell A." I loved living in a place with a moderate temperature and a star studded background, but it took its toll on my psyche. The first five years I had very few valuables, other than my life. But, during those five years that primary valuable was always in jeopardy. When I first moved to the city I didn't know who to be more afraid of the police or the gangs. I figured the police could shoot you on purpose and call it justifiable homicide (legal lynching). The gangs might shoot you and they'd call it collateral damage. I didn't know anyone who got shot by the police in all my years in L.A., but I did see a drive by go down, when I lived in Compton and I did know of someone who got shot outside a party in a driveby. So, the possibility was there of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But, for me and many others, as well, the everyday threat was that my vehicles would be burglarized, vandalized or just broken into. That happened on a regular basis. It got to the point that I knew who was doing it, but was powerless to do anything about it, for fear of retribution.

I moved from Hollywood to Costa Mesa, in Orange County, CA. Life was sublime there, but the mother of my children would get pulled over by the police all the time. So, everything was not right. Finally, we moved out of state to Seattle, WA in the early 90's. We bought a brand new vehicle after selling our late model VW's and things began to feel "normal." It still took one year for me to realize that I was, in fact, suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. It dawned on me one day that the fear I had in L.A. of my vehicle being towed, or ticketed by the police, because we had to park on the street; the fear of the Cholos using my car as a drug drop; the fear of parts of my car, that would incapacitate it coming up missing, for no reason; the fear of my battery, headlights, car seat, etc. coming up missing, for no reason was unreasonable, because we had moved into a totally different environment.

That whole process took one year. Imagine if my wife had been raped! Imagine if I had been physically assaulted! Imagine if I had been torn away from my children as they were sold down the river. Imagine if many of the things that we came to experience during slavery had happened to us, not in secret, but right out in the open. I just read a tale description of one of the most barbaric punishments imaginable, where women would be stuffed with gunpowder and blown up in front of the slave community. This was domestic terrorism at its worst. Imagine the impact that would have on the children, born and unborn, the men and the women.

I've got a relative who lives in the north and refuses to return to Georgia, the land of her birth, because her mother was shot to death by a White man while she was in her arms. Now, this relative is more than grown, she's in her 70's or 80's, but the pain of that occurrence is ever present. How could slavery have been any milder. Certainly, the after effects continue to ripple like the waves, not on a pond, but on the ocean, because these incidents didn't end with the demise of plantation slavery. Following slavery we lived through reconstruction and the subsequent development of the Klan, The Knights of the White Camellia, The John Birch Society and numerous other groups of White Nationalists, so called patriots, who are still with us today.

We continue to read stories in the daily news of brutal acts committed by Whites on Black people from all across this nation. We continually see reports of white mobs, individuals and organizations perpetuating violent acts on members of our community for no other reason than they can do it and get away with it. So, the trauma of slavery, the stain of slavery still covers this nation like a pall.

Dr. Carol Swain claims that asking for reparations would be upsetting to whites and that really all we need is an apology. An apology would be a start, but it cannot be the end result, for an apology negates the fact that not only was harm caused in the past, but that we continue to be harmed in the present, because there were no long lasting consequences for the heinous crimes committed by the slave owners and their affiliates under color of law.

It wasn't just the acts that were grievous, it was the laws themselves, which is why we should, in all honesty charge the U.S. government with crimes against humanity and seek remuneration. They would have us believe that to pay such a price would be foolish, because we wouldn't know how to spend it. Bogus, that's never brought up when someone sues for real, psychological and emotional damages in court. They would have us believe that we're just a bunch of lazy nerdowells, negating the fact that we built this "great country" that everyone wants to immigrate to. They'd have us believe that our plight is due to our own lack of vision and planning, when they know darn well that they continue to place stumbling blocks in our path, at every turn.

At this point we'd love if the playing field could be leveled. But at the same time part of leveling that playing field should include reparations for damages that have been and continue to be done to the members of our community separately and collectively.