Ted "Epic Failure" Hayes

The anti-immigration rally held this past Saturday provided me with 2 hours of flavorful entertainment. None of the acts performed by the clowns who participated in the rally were more entertaining than that of Theodore Hayes.

Researching and reading about Hayes’ previous work, the 58-year-old has an impressive resume. Since the 1980s, he has centered most of his energies as a homeless activist. One of his biggest achievements was founding Dome Village, a project to reduce homelessness in L.A. while at the same time offering a community for people to “learn how to live in the real world.” [*]

But when he took the microphone at the rally, you wouldn’t think he was, according to The Wall Street Journal, “a totemic figure in L.A. who has long emphasized problem-solving and individual responsibility.” [*]

He was an unfocused, incoherent, inarticulate, barren and futile speaker who was apparently only invited to speak because of the color of his skin. After listening to his speech, the only reason I can think of why the Minutemen and the Save Our State folks invited this guy out was to prove to everyone that they truly aren’t racists. This effort failed since the majority of Hayes’ speech – if you want to call it that – was focused on the issue of race. Was this necessary after the Minutemen, Save Our State folks, Councilman Bob Kellar and other supporters spent the past few weeks defending that their cause has nothing to do with race?

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but the purpose of speaking at any rally is to address the issue at hand. Speakers should offer an argument pertaining to the rally, supported by facts, data and evidence.

Hayes’ lacked every thing the Minutemen/SOS needed to help their cause. Hayes essentially went on an incoherent rant for about 10 minutes just to hear himself through the PA system.

After thinking about how to respond to Hayes, I decided that he could do most of the talking, which he probably prefers anyway:

Fail #1

Wrong vocabulary: After a brief introduction of him and his friends, he thanks the March and Shaw family for attending and supporting the anti-illegal immigration rally, claiming that the loss of their loved ones has grown life.

Wait, what?

“Yet out of their loss, has grown life. Many more people have been helped now because of what happened to David March. They are exporting, deporting – what do you call it? –extraditing criminals, murderers back to the U.S. for justice. Because of the Shaw family, more people are more aware.”

So, the deaths of two individuals at the hands of illegal immigrants have grown life in the way that more people are now aware of the illegal immigrant problem? That’s an interesting way of putting it. I also loved how he started with David March and then ended the same story referring to the Shay family. Way to be focused, Hayes.

Fail #2

Someone didn’t do his homework: I have a suggestion for those organizing any future rallies (no matter what they’re protesting): Make sure your speakers are familiar with prominent individuals involved in your protest.

“I want to also acknowledge the councilman.” (a man in the crowd yells “Yea!”) “Mr. Sellars. David Sellars. Mr. Selars. White dude. The white dude. Hey white man. They say you are a racist, Mr. White Man, because you said – (various people scream out “Bob Kellar”) BOB KELLAR! BOB KELLAR. Yea, the white guy. Bob Kellar.”

David Sellars? Who the hell is David Sellars? This is why you don’t invite people who do not live in the Santa Clarita Valley to speak at rallies in my town. They don’t understand the community. They don’t understand who is who. And they don’t deserve to have a voice on a podium.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that no one knew who Hayes was referring to until he said, “They say you are a racist.” Then everyone in the crowd yelled out Bob Keller’s name. Seems to me the term “racist” and “Bob Keller” are now synonymous. His mother should be proud.

“They said that Bob Kellar is a racist because he stands against illegal immigration. Because he stands for the truth. He stands for our country. He stands under the flag, they call him a racist. From what I heard … if standing for the truth, standing for my country, standing against illegality makes me a racist, then I am a proud racist. Well guess what Bob Kellar, I’m with you! I’m a proud racist too!”

Well, there goes the past few weeks of Bob Kellar supporters claiming he’s truly not a racist.

Fail #3

You can’t rewrite Webster’s Dictionary: Hayes, who is a self-proclaimed “Western Ghandi,” also apparently feels like he has the authority to redefine words.

“I am against illegal immigration. Let me tell you who the racists are. The racists are people who call themselves, these so called, (ugh ugh ugh) what we call illegal aliens. So called immigrants. They are not immigrants, they are criminals. They are breaking the law. And anyone, particularly socialists and Marxists, who are behind that movement and using those people, those people, they are the racists. They are the racists.”

So, you’re telling me that all the businesses and corporations that hire illegal immigrants for cheap labor are racist? That socialists and Marxists are racists? And illegal immigrants themselves are racists, too?

According to Dictionary.com, racism is “a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.” Looks like the only racist here is Hayes himself.

Fail #4

Lack of manners: But to further prove his new definition of a racist, he graces those in attendance with a personal story:

“Do you know how many times – now I am going to use some words up here that you may not appreciate, but they’re the truth. When we marched on Broadway … (and Hollywood? It was hard for me to understand him here) and when those people (who?) came out to protest, they had a right to protest. But what did they call us? Niggers! Honkies! Crackers! Every derogatory word in the book, they used those names against us!”

First of all, screaming the word “nigger” on a speaker system … in front of a library… in public … is never appropriate. I don’t care if you invented the word (which he didn’t), there is no place for that word, especially during a rally. I don’t care what the context is.

Fail #5

Wrong vocabulary. Again. The terms “honkie” and “cracker” are disparaging terms used for white people.

Fail #6

Lack of a coherent argument.

“I grew up in Jim Crow, Maryland … Where blacks and whites were separated by law. … In my whole life time I’ve been called a nigger 10 times to my face, whole lifetime. … (He then raised his voice) In one day alone, by these so called immigrants, I was called a nigger over a 100 times!”

Can someone please tell me what his point was here? How does this support the idea behind the rally? How does this support any idea, really?

Fail #7

Lack of focus:

“I found out, in Mexico, black people are not appreciated (light laughter from crowd). If you are black and get caught in Mexico, you will probably go to jail.”

How did this turn into a black thing? And again, what is the point? He continues to run his mouth about how his son went to Tijuana, got arrested, and then got robbed. They didn’t arrest him and rob him because he was black. The first mistake that was made was going to Tijuana. Everyone knows that place is shady. I could pull a hundred stories of people I know who have had bad experiences in Tijuana. How does this have anything to do with illegal immigrants in the United States? Hayes is simply being a racist and spreading negative propaganda about Mexico and the people that live there.

What happened to attacking policy and not individuals?

Fail #8

Unpatriotic Patriot: The following concludes his speech. I apologize in advance if it’s hard to understand. His stream of consciousness was hard to transcribe and I tried to distinguish his sentences as best I could. (Note: There are no spelling errors in the following paragraph either. I phonetically spelled out words the way he pronounced them.)

“Illegal immigrants are taking away my civil rights. That white people gave their lives for to free my people from slavery, and then thought that we may have equal footing in this country as citizens. These folks are coming and taking that away from me. That is racism (there he goes redefining the definition again). According to the Constitution of the United States, anything that denies the emancipated slaves to full equal opportunity at the bounties of America is racism. That’s not you. (I’m assuming he’s referring to us white people) That’s them (I’m assuming he’s referring to illegal immigrants). I’m calling on my white brothers and sisters. I’m calling on my brothers and sister, my patriotic brothers and sisters. Please get the attitude of David Kellar. No longer be intimidated because of the color of the wonderful color of your skin (multiple people trying to correct him on the name. He doesn’t even notice). White is beautiful. Stand for who you are. Stop being guilt tricked. Guilt tricking you, and me, and our country will get us nowhere. That’s why we got Barack Obama in The White House as President. Because white Americans were guilt trip-ted. It’s time we stop that. (In July 2007, he wrote: “I tend to be supportive of all Presidents despite their party affiliation” on his Myspace.) And I’m here to let you know that, as a black man, dressed in my white (laughter from crowd), I’m with you. Not because you’re white. Not because I’m black. Not because she’s brown or red or yellow, but because we are red, white and blue! We are the United States of America! We are Americans! I am not an African American. I am an American who happens to be from Africa… exiled out of Africa by West Africas. I am Americas (?) God bless America. God bless you. God bless the rain. God bless America.”

Fail #9

And then, to top it all off, he busted out singing the National Anthem.

Some call him a character. Some call him a great man with a great personality who has a refreshing approach to problems.

I prefer to call him an embarrassment.

A majority… united by a common interest or a passion cannot be constrained from oppressing the minority, what remedy can be found… -James Madison

Prop 8 is an example of The Tyranny of the Majority explained by James Madison

Let me begin by stating that I am a firm supporter of equality for the gay, lesbian and transgender community. I am not homophobic and I voted no on Prop. 8. Out of principle and love of liberty, I vote no on anything that starts with the phrase, “initiative to eliminate the right of …” I believe gay and transgender people have the same unalienable rights endowed by their Creator to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as heterosexuals, as well as the freedom to “sin” in the eyes of their fellow Americans . I believe the passing of Prop. 8 was a prime example of what James Madison referred to in the Federalist Papers as the “tyranny of the majority.” Historically, when have Americans voted on whether a certain segment of the population should receive equal recognition? What if a populous vote was held to end slavery? Or segregation? Or women’s equality? I dare say they wouldn’t have passed. These freedoms only exist today because principle-centered American leaders took a hard stand for our Constitution.

The Obama Administration has taken criticism from all sides. One side claims he has a radical agenda. The other side claims he isn’t implementing the changes he promised. The gay community has been one of these voices of criticism publicly stating its anger over President Obama’s delay on his campaign pledge to end the “don’t ask-don’t tell” policy banning openly gay people from serving in our military. According to a 2007 New York Times article, the United States has dismissed 58 much needed Arabic linguists and 11,000 regular service members since 1998. It is estimated the repeal of “don’t ask-don’t tell” would add an additional 41,000 soldiers to our fighting force. According to a 2005 report by the Government Accountability Office, it cost our military about $20,000 a head to discharge one gay individual. The report concluded the military spent about $190.5 million from 1994 to 2004 due to this policy. With the military experiencing difficulty recruiting, it’s opting to extend 12-month deployments to 15 months, extending the age limit to 42 and even enlisting felons. It just seems foolish to delay nullifying this policy much longer.

All that said, I must bring criticism to the Obama Administration for its appointments of Kevin Jennings – the founder of Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) – to Safe School Czar and, more recently, Amanda Simpson – a transgender individual and board member on the National Center for Transgender Equality – who appears to have been appointed as the Senior Technical Adviser of the Department of Commerce.

Gays need Liberty not Jobs

I find nothing inherently wrong with a gay or transgender presidential appointee. I do, however, have some problems with Mr. Jennings and his groups’ involvement in what is commonly known as “fistgate” — the scandal involving a Massachusetts Department Education employee at a GLSEN sex education event explaining what the extreme act of “fisting” is and how it gets a bad rap. This event was attended by approximately 200 teens, some as young as 12 to 14. I can think of no context where this subject manner is appropriate to talk to teenagers about. I respect GLSEN’s stated purpose and goals, I just question its methods. Just because a person is born gay does not mean his or her identity and self esteem should be grounded in his or her sexuality. I believe GLSEN is over emphasizing sex to young children with recommending sexually explicit books to kids as young as kindergarten. This shows poor judgment on the part of Kevin Jennings as a leader in education, who should know better.

The appointment of Jennings also makes me question the Obama Administration’s motives behind the appointment of Simpson. Was Ms. Simpson the best person for this job or was this another attempt to appease the gay, lesbian and transgender community? Is the President just trying to put a transgender in his cabinet while passing up on more qualified heterosexual candidates? The Obama Administration seemed to have quietly appointed Ms. Simpson to this position. If President Obama is going to take a principled stand by putting the best possible candidate in this position who just happens to be transgender, then by all means, do it proudly and don’t play politics.

Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. – Thomas Paine

Responses

People aren’t born gay By Nan Taylor

“That I am not a member of any Christian Church, is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular.” ~Abraham Lincoln

This blog is my full unedited response to a local conservative commentator named Lynn Vakay who lives in Acton, California and is a Santa Clarita Valley school teacher and a member of the 38th Assembly District’s Republican Central Committee. Her Commentatary titled “Lynn Vakay: To whom should Americans be giving thanks?” which was written in my local newspaper the signal. http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/21079/

Enjoy

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Hey Norman, You Forgot to Paint Jesus!

Isn’t it refreshing that Mrs. Vakay saw it fit to use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to push her political and religious propagandas while simultaneously launching a preemptive strike against the Obama White house? She does not know what President Obama is going to say, but she has already determined she does not like it. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone. Bravo. It takes a lot of practice to type 753 words and not say much of anything.

Mrs. Vakay starts off by repeating the outrages seen on conservative news outlets, about President Obama’s comment on how, America is not being just a Christian nation only. She neglects to ask herself why the President would make such a comment? Could it be that he is aware the Muslim world as well as the Christian world view the two occupations as Holy Wars? Don’t believe me? Just look at the comments Republican VP Candidate Sarah Palin said June 2008 while addressing a local graduating class: “Our national leaders are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God.” Former President Bush also stated in June 2003: “I’m driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.’ And I did, and then God would tell me, ‘George go and end the tyranny in Iraq,’ and I did.”[*] Add Donald Rumsfeld putting Bible verses on Presidential War Briefings[*] and the 700,000+ Arab Civilians who have perished as a direct result of our military operations[*] and it is no wonder the Muslim world is a little annoyed at us. Mrs. Vakay’s beloved conservatives do not even attempt to hide their real motivations. They act as if Al Queda does not know how to read the newspaper. Muslims of the world read the above quotes and get their “jihad juices” flowing. Obama has the wisdom enough to try and temper these notions and make it clear that he is not waging war against any religion.

Mrs. Vakay goes on to support her belief that America is a Christian Nation by citing a poll from Pew Research Center, which I was unable to find or verify. Either way, I am not sure what it really proves, especially since a recent University of Minnesota study put Atheists as the most hated and distrusted minority in the country, even hated more than the dreaded Muslims & Homosexuals. [*] A Gallup poll done in 2008 showed that only 40 percent of people surveyed said, “Yes” when asked “Would you describe yourself as a “born-again” or evangelical Christian?” [*] Not quite the 79% that Mrs. Vakay claims, although 92% believe in at least a vague form of God or a Universal Being, which really doesn’t hold much significance as far as religious commitment goes. In fact, Evangelical Christianity has been on the decline for the past 20 years, falling nearly half a percent every year since 1989. [*] Mrs. Vakay is trying to label and put people in the same category that would say “Well, my family is Catholic”, but I have not been to mass since Reagan was President and those hardcore evangelical people that never miss a church service, then gather together to rally against gay marriage at their local intersection.

Republican continually force feed Americans a believe that we were founded on christian principles. They forget Thomas Jefferson, who had such disdain for Christianity that he said in 1782, “Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.” Ben Franklin said “I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies.” & “Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.” John Adams said “Can a free government possibly exist with the Roman Catholic religion?” and “God is an essence that we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is got rid of, there never will be any liberal science in the world.” I can go on forever!

The point is President Obama, like most Presidents and politicians of the past including the founding fathers who would pay homage to a vague concept of God and religion, just to satisfy the religious zealots of the land, give the impression they are trust worthy. This does not mean any of them were overtly religious men. Even if it were true that most of the founding fathers were religious men, what does that really matter? They also believed bleeding people with yellow fever would help cure them.[*] They were wrong. It is amazing what a little education and science can do.

So Mrs. Vakay made a premature assumption that President Obama would not uphold the foundational belief that, “All men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” I make the assertion that President Obama’s statement, which Mrs. Vakay is so upset about, actually holds more to the meaning of the constitution than what she is asserting. President Obama’s statement when taken in context essentially said America is a melting pot of religions, all of which are Created Equal in the eyes of the constitution. Mrs. Vakay’s entire argument, that somehow Christianity should get some kind of preferential treatment in our country, is completely opposite of the constitution core concept she is claiming to love so much. She has quite the cognitive dissonance on her hands.

The end of Mrs. Vakay’s attack of Obama was reserved for more Republican Talking points, where she claims that freedoms are being stripped of Americans. She might have more creditability in her charge, if she wasn’t a supporter of the Bush administration that stripped more liberties away from American then any period of time in HISTORY. Just look at their so-called Patriot ACT! Here is a list of freedoms that were striped from Americans with little to no resistance!

1. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigations.
2. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records questions.
3. FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of any other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed information related to a terror investigation.
4. RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers to Americans accused of crimes.
5. FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize Americans’ papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror investigation.
6. RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.
7. RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them.

Published in Signal - December 3rd

But remember you were either for us and a patriot OR against us and an enemy of the state. Amazing how quickly these Tea-baggers handed over their freedoms and started pounding the drums of war!

Mrs. Vacay goes on to say, ‘Remember, Man can take away your rights; God has graciously given them to you as a birthright.” I found this especially entertaining coming from a talking head of a political faction that had no problem eliminating same-sex couples of their right to marry. It didn’t even send up a red flag to this liberty loving Republican when she read the official title, “Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry”? That means they had the FREEDOM and their personal Freedom was voted away! Since when do AMERICANS vote on citizen’s civil rights? If Lincoln held a vote to free the slaves, it wouldn’t have happened! I can’t help but laugh every time I hear Republicans claiming a public OPTION is an attack on their freedom. How dare the Government give their people more choices! But it is ok to take choices away from Americans we view a “ICKY”

I think Mrs. Vakay needs to take a long hard look at what she really believes and start coming up with solutions to America’s problems rather than making an already difficult job for President Obama that much harder.

Nobel Peace Prize Award Winning President

Ok well it is coming… it is 2:15 am PST my Iphone Associate Press Application just popped up with Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.  This should be Emmy award winning drama from the Conservatives over this!  This will go way beyond socialism talk!  Get prepared for Nazi, Marzism, Communist and even Anti-Christ talk for this one!  They are going to pull out all the stops!

I have never been more giddy to hear from Glenn Beck and Company!

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.

Read More >>

All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field. ~Albert Einstein

President Obama Speaking to Wall Street

I will start this off by saying, I am an aggressive, INDEPENDENT progressive!  I am a true Independent, and not the Bill O’Reilly independent where I claim to be independent so my opinion seems less bias all the while pandering to my party of choice.

My voting record for the past 3 elections has been as follows.  2000 & 2004 – George W. Bush, 2008 – Barack Obama.  & Yes I voted for the Governator twice!  I will leave the “WHYS?” to my voting records for another blog, but know this I am an independent!  When I voted for Obama, I knew full well he would disappoint!  I think their are Democrats and Republicans in office right now that have failed AMERICA!  And need to be voted out of office!

This means that I can not in good conscience ignore some of the Bush like decisions that President Obama has been making!  Especially in the area of Agriculture.  I was heartbroken when I saw that President Obama nominated, Monsanto golden boy Roger Beachy to head the new National Institute of Food and Agriculture[*] For those that are not familiar with Monsanto they are the company that brought us lovely products like , Agent Orange, rBGH, PCB, Nutra Sweet, Round up, Gene Suicide and many more wonderfully toxic yet very profitable man made creations!

Monsanto was the company that said this…

“Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food,” said Phil Angell, Monsanto’s director of corporate communications. “Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA’s job.” [*]

Fair enough, till you find out that many Monsanto executives have weaseled their way into the FDA!  In the case of rBGH, which has been linked to cancer in humans.  Margaret Miller a Monsanto researcher put a report together on the safety of rBGH, she then left her job and took a new job at the FDA.  One of her first tasks was to approve the report that she wrote while at Monsanto!  Don’t believe me research it yourself!

Monsanto has been a leech on the ass of the American Farmer for years!  They even go so far as to sue farmers that don’t use their product but have some seeds accidentally cross pollinate with their seed!  They claim that those farmers need to pay licensing for their product, and are essentially stealing from their company!  Doesn’t sound very FREE MARKET CAPITALISM to me, sounds more like FORCED MARKET!  You will buy our products or else!

This is the company that President Obama has given yet another powerful position to over see the future of our FOOD!  I think it is great that first lady Michelle Obama has an organic garden on the white house grounds, so Michelle Obama wants to make sure her family isn’t eating unhealthy genetically modified food, but for the rest of America? Well just like under Bush, they will be forced to fend for themselves!

Are Monsanto’s products safe?  We will never really know because as you see from above, it isn’t their job to make sure their product is safe, and they do everything in their power to stop organizations who have the job of making sure their products are safe!  We are literally at the mercy of a Biotech Corporation that has shown little regard for the value of human life.

I would encourage everyone to watch the Documentaries, Future of Food & Food Inc.  They layout what has been happening to the America’s Farmers, food supply, and overall Health.

This isn’t the CHANGE that I voted for!

Millions Against Monsanto