Toni Talk

A change is a coming

2008-11-20T09:23:00.001-05:00

HOPE Takes on a new meaning

2008-11-16T23:18:00.000-05:00

For years I have lived by the motto: “Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.” My cynicism kept me from keeping faith in anyone or anything without concrete evidence. Evaluating the odds and the circumstances with a fine toothcomb was preferable over blind belief and yes, even hope.
There are many people who had no hope for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team because history had proven the odds were against them.
Many even believed in a mysterious curse on the city. But recently, against the statisticians odds and against many who had lost faith, the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series igniting a fire throughout our region. It made people finally believe again that anything is possible. Everyone hoped for the best and it happened!
This led me to examine the power of hope. It is an emotional feeling based on dreams. Those without any hope become desperate. Those without any hope become dangerous.
I saw another monumental thing happen this year with the concept of hope in hand, the first black democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama.
Studying in school about the Civil Rights Movement, I always questioned my mother if she thought there could be a minority president or even a woman president in her or my lifetime. She would always say, “I hope so.” That answer was never good enough for me. To me, it was a “yes” or “no” question.
In my mind, hope had nothing to do with it. It was the same as me asking to do something or get something and her saying, “We’ll see.” It was the candy-coated “no.”
But now we have amongst the liars and crooks in politics a man who has restored my faith in the power of hope.
In the past few months, I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak in person and I know why people are so passionate about his campaign and message.
Sen. Barack Obama has restored the concept of hope and power of faith. He has made me and so many others excited about the political process. No longer will we accept the batch of lies fed with greed through deceit that we have all become accustomed too.
After awhile, so many people had lost faith and hope in leaders to the point where we have become numb and indifferent.
With Obama’s message and his dream for what America can be - it is impossible not to listen to his speeches and be reminded of the man who inspired so many to accept those who were different.
That man I am referring to is one of the most influential people in our nation’s history. He changed the face of America with his courage. His name was Martin Luther King, Jr. The man who dared us to dream big and who had hope for the future.
Recently, a group of friends from the Reading area took the concept of “hope” and applied its power to baseball with a deliberate nod to Obama. They took the inspiration planted by King and nourished by Obama and out of it sprung a fun idea.
These guys took the word Hope and put it on t-shirts except the “P” wasn’t any “P.” It was the Phillies logo “P.” They added “08” on the back because having hope in 2008 was not a fluffy hippie concept but was made real by this political campaign.
They took their shirts, not having any idea if anyone would buy them, and went down to Philadelphia for the first game in the World Series. Hundreds of fans converged on Penn’s Landing to see the game on the big screen they erected. Braving the bitter cold, these guys sold some shirts with a little bit of hope.
Before they knew it, the shirts exploded. Everyone from networking websites- like Facebook and Myspace- were so excited and requested the t-shirts. Friends and family were buying them, but many strangers in local pubs were impressed with the idea and believed in the concept.
The country gave up on hope for a long time under the George Bush administration and many became indifferent because they felt powerless. Obama has made so many people stop and listen and believe that our votes do count and we could bring about change.
Living through a time when I can explain to my son how change is possible, faith is not unrealistic and hope is not naïve is more than I could ask for.

Obama must win Pennsylvania

2008-11-04T17:44:00.004-05:00

As the polls will soon come to a close, the anxiety builds inside of me. History will be made today and I will have helped with my one vote. My son said to me, "You will be part of history." His social studies teacher explained to him that the events of this past year and this election will be in written about in future text books that children like him will be reading someday. This excited him and he literally couldn't wait to tell me something I already knew. Today is a new time. A time for change. A time for Obama.
Hope is all I have until the polls close . . . sigh

Biden will lead with his head and heart

2008-11-04T17:44:00.001-05:00

By Antoinette Colón
Connection Editor

Being able to identify, connect and fight for the everyday people you represent is my idea of a good vice president. As second to the highest-ranking office in the country, one must have experience in and out of Washington.
He/she must have knowledge of the current state of the country and world and identify ways to further the progress of this failing country. Sen. Joe Biden has these qualities hands-down in my opinion.
He has an enormous amount of experience in world affairs and doesn’t hide behind empty rhetoric and rehearsed statements drilled into him by others. He speaks from his experience as an accomplished Senator, father and human being.
Coming from Scranton and overcoming the loss of his wife and mother of his children has made him a stronger man who appreciates the value of life. I, as many other Americans, know how hard it is to lose a loved one and still push on and be successful.
I particularly have respect for a candidate who can speak clearly and doesn’t get flustered when asked a direct question. When someone is a good person and has confidence they don’t stumble and draw a blank every time a camera is put in their face.
After all, political positions rely on public opinion and media know-how. If you can’t answer a direct question in public, then you need to find a new job. Biden knows the American people want answers not anecdotes and pageant-perfect winks into the camera.
It really floors me how Gov. Palin could try to impress crowds with her flirty winks. Many retirees have lost thousands of dollars of their 401k retirement savings in the past few weeks and she thinks it is cute to wink.
Biden has more respect for the people of this country than to make a mockery of this very important election. We are in the midst of a war and facing another great depression it isn’t time for forced winks.
The joke is her lack of knowledge and skills to be a vice president. She needs to recognize that motherhood and a communications degree doesn’t prepare anyone for politics. She needs to stop relying on her hockey mom references and finally say something that qualifies her for the job she clearly wants.
Biden’s relaxed yet confident demeanor is refreshing from the arrogance that we seen with McCain. He is a tough man that sticks to the facts. He doesn’t have to resort to condescending rhetoric to inflate public opinion like that of McCain.
He knows his place and isn’t trying to outshine Sen. Barack Obama. He is ready to be the best wingman possible in order to offer strengths that Obama will need in his cabinet while sharing the same family values and work ethics necessary for the most important jobs in the world.
Biden knows how serious the country’s vice presidency is and vows to fight for the shrinking middle class, while Palin doesn’t even know what the vice president does!
In the recent debate Biden said, “The economic engine of America is the middle class.” Being fair and acknowledging that the economy needs some real help here at home is vital in the next 10-20 years. The mess Bush has left the next president is horrendous.
Biden wants to slow down on foreign assistance because Iraq has an $80 billion surplus and we have a deficit. We (the tax payers) are spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. It is common sense to shift those funds elsewhere! Feed your own family before you feed the neighbor’s family.
Biden is in favor of eliminating wasteful Washington spending that now caters to big corporations with their unnecessary tax breaks meanwhile the American people can’t even afford to pay for healthcare and gas to go to work.
Investing in alternative energy and the jobs it could create are important today and the Republicans want to waste time bickering about the causes.
Biden said, “If you don’t understand what the causes (of the environmental crisis) are than it is impossible to come-up with a solution.”
Palin’s only idea is to drill. There are more efficient immediate answers to this global problem. How could she ignore the imminent polar bear extinction when she lives in Alaska? She needs to open her eyes!
Biden has been supporting clean coal for 25 years. Palin can’t touch that experience if she tried.
Biden supports spreading Democracy without having to make tons of enemies along the way- unlike Palin and the Republicans. Supporting diplomacy is crucial now that so many of our allies are fed up with us. Concentrating on the real threats in Pakistan and Afghanistan are critical.
Doesn’t she want her own son out of harm’s way in an unnecessary costly war? Palin follows others and doesn’t speak from experience or knowledge, she agrees with McCain who is one of Bush’s most loyal supporters on this costly war that has destroyed our surplus, our foreign reputation, and the lives of so many innocent people.
As a mother, Palin should show some compassion for people. Example: the mass genocide in Darfur. Biden said, “I’ve seen the suffering. I don’t have the stomach for genocide.”
Biden doesn’t see violence as the only answer to problems. He especially cares about women and children. That’s why he wrote the violence against women act and supports equal pay for women.
Biden will lead with his head and heart and Palin won’t be able to lead at all.

Being an American today

2008-10-01T01:49:00.003-04:00

"All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway."
Harry S. Truman

So we are about to choose our next pr man, right? I think Obama is smarter, younger and more pleasant to look at- sooooo in the real business world, he would get the job.
How historic of a time that we live in where we can have a senior citizen running with a soccer mom or an Ivy League grad with a diverse background including experience with real people- the common folk- and an experienced man with true family values and isn't afraid to express it like Mr. Biden. Then- we have the almost nominee Hillary who frankly surprised me with her down and dirty political candor- just like them boyz. Finally! Some lines have been blurred (whether I agree with the choices or not) when it comes to race, gender and age. What an exciting time to be an American!

Stop being naive: There is a need for sex-ed

2008-09-02T22:38:00.002-04:00

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than three million teenage girls have a sexually transmitted infection (STI.) This emphasizes the need for real comprehensive sex education. The national policy of promoting abstinence-only programs is a $1.5 billion failure, and teenage girls are paying the real price.
The latest casualty to the religious-based cause is the daughter of the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee! Are you kidding me? The same people who don't believe in science- like global warming, evolution, and stem-cell research and preach so many hypocritical concepts can add sex ed to the list.
She has 5 kids, one of which has Down Syndrome. Maybe if she spent more time raising all of the kids she chose to have- her daugher wouldn't be out practicing that "abstinece-only" practice of hypocrisy.

Obama makes history tonight

2008-08-28T08:32:00.001-04:00

On the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il) will accept the democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.
This full-circle moment for those who witnessed the historic civil rights speech will be and can be defined as another pivotal moment in the history of this nation. With the struggle for equality still waging on in the background rather than in the foreground, those who have resisted change will have no other choice but to recognize it.
Having a dream can come true if you work hard, believe in yourself, and never back down in the face of adversity. These are the ideals the American dream was built upon, and these are the values I pass down to my son.
God bless America.

No to off-shore drilling!

2008-07-28T15:24:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen those compelling Dawn liquid detergent commercials? Perhaps, you haven’t so I will explain. There is slow music playing while images of ducks covered in oil are being carefully cleaned and nursed back from the dead using the cleaning product.
There are animals that suffer as a result to man’s mistake when we mess with our big important oil. The detergent helps to save their lives because their bodies can no longer function while being covered in oil. Destroying marine life and ducks doesn’t seem like the best solution for energy independence.
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline have caused an average of 409 spills annually on the North Slope since 1996 (Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation spill database.)
The countless amount of animals killed by the spills is too many to imagine but the money we waste with our mistakes is even greater. Oil is the crutch of this century. It has become necessary for survival for most yet unaffordable.
Now as the unreliable resource has become less available people think we can revert back to the 70s when it was ok to destroy coastlines. The latest technology has been discovered to offer other cleaner alternatives. Yet, we want to take a step backward?
The hybrid car is a great example of technology at it best. You see the advertisements for the vehicles almost daily on television. That is why there is a huge waiting list for the Toyota Prius.
There is such a huge demand for the Hybrid vehicle that Toyota has recently announced a new one billion factory under construction. Not in Japan mind you, but Blue Spring, Mississippi. There are also Toyota Camry Hybrids that are being produced currently in Kentucky. These plants should generate much-needed jobs in an area that normally is a Bush stronghold.
Although it is now very over priced because of supply and demand, it is a simple way to break the addiction to foreign oil and help our economy. There are waiting lists to get these highly coveted cars because not everyone is ready to tear their own engine apart and convert it to cooking oil.
I rode in a car that ran on cooking oil and a tiny bit of diesel and it still got me from point A to point B. However, us proclaimed do-it-our-selfers should beware. That is the kind of project you need to research before diving in on your personal quest for energy-efficiency. But- it is a way for those who can’t afford a hybrid to begin to save money today.
The internal combustion engine has been obsolete for over 50 years. The technology for alternate energy sources isn’t ten years from being developed it is already here.
There are also other ways to keep us warm and cozy in our homes like solar power and further exploration of wind power. It is all very doable with just a fraction of the money we spend fighting a war that was declared: missing accomplished a long time ago by our good pal President George Bush.
There is no way to deny it. Almost every American has been uttering a few choice words when filling up at the pump in the past year. Everyday the headline on the evening news seems to be that oil is setting a new price record.
Then the stories about how prices of everything from food, to checking a bag at an airport are going to cost everyone more as a result of oil. It seems that everyone is reaching the boiling point when it comes to the price of oil.
Everyone except the Bush administration and the current republican candidate for president John McCain because they can afford the skyrocketing price of gasoline. The solution that they have placed their stamp of approval on is one that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that remembers that our current president is an oilman from Texas. The proposal is that we are going to drill our way out of the current energy crisis.
Not only can we break our addiction to foreign oil, but we can also become the model for other countries, which could repair our already tarnished image by showing the world what a global player we can be.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in their Annual Energy Outlook 2007, reported:
“The projections in the OCS (Offshore Commission Solutions) access case indicate that access to the Pacific, Atlantic, and eastern Gulf regions would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030.”
I personally don’t want to imagine how much a gallon of gas will cost by 2030. It’s ridiculous to continue to ignore scientific evidence that offshore drilling is not a feasible answer to our energy crisis.

John McCain can't use a computer

2008-06-24T18:26:00.001-04:00

No really, he seriously can't use a computer. True I think he is a dinosaur in every sense of the word- but I saw a video clip where he admits he lets other people handle his technical stuff because he is too incompetent to do so.
And you people want to elect him as pres??!! LOL

Habeus hooray

2008-06-24T18:20:00.000-04:00

On June 12th, 2008 the Supreme Court came to a monumental decision in the Boumediene vs. Bush case. The Supreme Court Justices came to a decision by a margin of 5-4 that prisoners held at U.S. Navy’s Guantanamo Bay were entitled to protection by the US Constitution’s habeas corpus rights. Almost immediately there was a cry of outage and exaggerated scenarios that were heard from almost all members of the Republican party.
Rudy Giuliani quickly went on record stating, “The remarks yesterday by several people in the Obama campaign that if bin Laden were taken to Guantanamo he would be given habeas corpus rights, is startling.”
Mr. Giuliani failed to describe why this was something that was so “startling” and implied that if Bin Laden was taken to Gitmo that he would be released due to this ruling by the bi-partisan Supreme
Court. In all actuality all this ruling would mean is that the United States would have to justify why he was incarcerated under rule of law. I don’t think anyone in the United States could say with a straight face that even the greenest prosecuting attorney couldn’t easily come up with enough evidence to detain Bin Laden legally.
Yet the Republicans used the Supreme Court ruling to attack Senator Obama and insinuate that due to his support of the Supreme Court decision he was more concerned with the rights of terrorists than keeping Americans safe.
The fact is that we again are being subjected to the calculated campaign of fear that we all have had the treat of experiencing for nearly the past 7 years in the hopes that the nation will be scared into electing a Republican to the White House yet again. The fact is that the United States Military currently has and has had for quite sometime the authority to kill Bin Laden if they found him so Mr. Giuliani’s “startling” scenario really doesn't make too much sense.
In the case that he was apprehended alive and taken to Guantanamo Bay
(however unlikely that may be), the right of habeas corpus only would give him the right to ask for a hearing. McCain’s argument is that there may be sensitive information that is released to the public in
the case that there was a trial regardless of the fact that habeas corpus does not allow the detainee the right to a particular venue
for the hearing. All this ruling has done is state that if a person is wrongly being detained the federal courts now have the power to request their release. Doesn’t that sound like a reasonable ruling?
Why is there so much concern that there has to be evidence presented to detain a person on American soil regardless of what country they come from?
I’m quite certain that there are detainees that deserve to be detained at Guantanamo Bay. I’m quite sure that there are detainees there that were involved in actions that took the lives of Americans.
If they are terrorists then they should be charged as terrorists and handled as the court deems fit. What I also am sure of is that there probably are a few that have nothing to do with terrorism being held
there. I’m sure that there are a few that are being held on American soil that have no evidence that indicates that they were involved in any terrorist activities. If there is even one detainee that is being held in Guantanamo Bay or any other facility of detention on U.S. soil without evidence or reasoning as to why then they should have to the right to go before the court to plead their case. That is one of the crucial rights that we have that make us a civilized and democratic society. It is a basic human right that is the cornerstone of the United States Constitution. The document that democracy is built on.
The very idea that we are trying to push into the hearts and minds of the people of Iraq. What Mr. McCain and the members of the Republican party need to remember that defending America is more complex than relying on military force. America was founded on the idea that all men are created equal and have the right to be treated as such.
Losing sight of that idea and not defending it is a disgrace to our founding fathers and is the first step in the very wrong direction toward hypocrisy for the sake of a presidential election campaign talking point.

Now that Hill is out

2008-06-11T00:41:00.001-04:00

The cat and dogfight is over and now we can finally move on to the real race- the one to the White House. As a woman, yes I was proud to have a woman running for the democratic nomination. As a minority, yes I was proud to have an African-American running as well. Was I happy that it dragged on as long as it did? Absolutely not.
The mudslinging and business as usual mentality in regards to running a political campaign left a nasty taste in my mouth for Sen. Hillary Clinton. She clearly was using her husband’s popularity and then when that no longer worked- she played dirty like the rest of the Republican boys. And for what? Now she has embarrassed intelligent women with her negativity. Most of her support base was comprised of older women who lived through the Women’s Liberation Movement- which I understand. But do we just wasn’t any woman representing us- or a good woman.
A good woman would not fuel the fire of the Republican nominee for the November election just to make history. As a democrat who has voted in more than one election, I know how dirty the Republicans can play. For the good of the party (which is exactly what wise Nancy Pelosi wanted- she wants a united party) Clinton needed to take a step back and look at how damaging her rhetoric could be to the Democratic Party as a whole.
She needed to step down before now and unite her supporters with Obama’s supporters so we can take back the White House.
The fact is- the past decade has been horrible due in part to Bush’s daily foul ups that resulted in a record deficit and too many soldiers and civilians around the world dead before their time.
We needed to keep our eye on the prize and not distract the American people with nit-pickings that held no real bearing. The goal for the democrats is the White House- and that was lost with the almost daily reports about flag pins, fictitous sniper fire, and five-second sound bites of sermons given by pastors.
Senator John McCain has been getting away with not supporting the new GI bill, confusing the difference between Sunni and Shiites in Iraq and their associations with Al Qaeda, troop levels, as well as most recently claiming that he had supported ‘every investigation’ into the horrible response to Hurricane Katrina, when he had actually twice voted against creating a commission to investigate what went wrong.
All of these very serious errors by McCain have gone virtually unnoticed to the average American as Clinton’s campaign has struggled to keep its head above water with her dipping into her own pocket to keep the fight raging on.
Since March she has made every attempt possible to try and close the huge gap in delegates between herself and Obama to no avail. For months every political analyst in the business outside of her campaign had been stating that she mathematically couldn’t overcome the deficit in delegates to clinch the nomination.
But Clinton’s argument was that she was the stronger candidate against John McCain in the fall and that Florida and Michigan’s votes should be counted. The fact that she attempted to change the rules of the game that were set by the Democratic National committee just shows her desperation and is awfully arrogant.
It took the focus away from the fact that John McCain was making private and public appearances with George Bush. The same president who’s polices have given us a war that McCain vows to not end, meanwhile gas prices almost triple what they were when Bush took office and a tarnished global reputation leaves us on the outside looking in on our former friends. McCain shares the current president policies but the democrats haven’t had a chance to address it because of Clinton’s antics.
While it is true that every state should be given the right to vote that didn’t during the democratic primary, the focus and responsibility of every democrat and every American at this time in history should be making sure that we do not continue down the same disastrous path that President Bush has taken us down during the past 8 years.
The focus of every democrat and presidential candidate should be on what is best for the party and positioning the likely candidate to go on the offensive against a Republican candidate that has demonstrated that he represents a third Bush presidential term. Going on the offensive against a fellow democratic candidate at this time in history is something that was an extremely counter productive move.
A spirited debate is something that politics is built on, but debating and prolonging the inevitable while denying reality as Clinton has done does not benefit anyone except John McCain and the Republican party.
Its time to face reality.
Obama represents the change that is necessary for a better country and world. He has kept it clean because that is how politics should be- the facts, the policies, the vision. Uniting people from every ethnic group and class is something only Obama could have done. He came from a broken home, bi-racial background, and no wealth. He worked hard to become the man he is today and represents the American dream. No wonder he has inspired so many to vote for the first time in their lives.

Obama, O-ba-ma

2008-06-10T23:38:00.000-04:00

Obama represents the change that is necessary for a better country and world. He has kept it clean because that is how politics should be- the facts, the policies, the vision. Uniting people from every ethnic group and class is something only Obama could have done. He came from a broken home, bi-racial background, and no wealth. He worked hard to become the man he is today and represents the American dream. No wonder he has inspired so many to vote for the first time in their lives.

Bush is ridiculous

2008-05-19T23:41:00.002-04:00

O.k, can we say embarassing!! Our pal Georgie starts ranting and raving about appeasment when I'm pretty sure he knows more than a thing or two about that himself. He's running around the middle east begging for more oil production to people that probably know exactly where Osama Bin Laden is. Apparently, Georgie now believes he is the shining example on foreign affairs now. Why? Got me! In his long 8years he has managed to alienate the U.S from almost every country with his Texas cowboy tactics of blindly bombing. If he had done his research properly and followed the rules of the United Nations, we wouldn't be in the whole billions of dollars for a war that hasn't solved a thing. Thank God it's almost over! I know he thinks speaking with countries instead of bombing the heck out of them is considered appeasing- I say it's smart. Keep your friends close but enemies closer. His way hasn't worked- time to try a new way of dealing with our known enemies.

So Hillary gets PA

2008-04-22T22:33:00.002-04:00

After storming PA and draining her campaign funds, Hillary wins by the skin of her teeth. Obama's camp didn't expect a win but also knew it wouldn't be a blow-out which is what the old gal needed. With all of her major contributors tapped out- she makes a plea at her "victory" rally for people to go on-line and give her more money. It is going to take a lot more mudslinging by her smear campaign to keep Obama down and that is what she is hoping the American dollars will help to do. Meanwhile, McCain's peeps are laughing in the wings gathering their amunition.
She said she would obliterate Iran if there was a nuclear threat. Bush obliterated Iraq and look where it got us. More old-school dirty politics that end up costing more than money- they cost people's lives.
The door to world peace will continue to close if we don't put down the weapons and approach life in a more civilized manner.

Democratic primaries in PA could decide our next pres

2008-03-18T12:54:00.002-04:00

With Pennsylvania becoming the main battle ground for the democratic candidate in this controversial presidential election, this week is extremely important. If voters do not register as a democrat before Monday, March 24, then they can't cast their vote in the upcoming primary. The close race is making everyone worried because it may take months before we know who will represent the democrats against Sen. John McCain. Its no wonder that the mudslinging is in full force with the Clinton camp giving ample amunition for McCain to use against the front runner Sen. Obama. As a former Clinton supporter, I am more and more disappointed everyday with her juvenile tactics in this race. She should be commended for running but dennounced for her inability to run a clean campaign. Perhaps she does have too much experience with the bad side of politics. She supported the war and I lost respect for her there- but I still had hope she would make us women proud. However, she is truly embarassing and I hope she doesn't get anywhere near the white house now. The race card and/or gender card should not be played- Just like religion should not play a factor. Stick to the issues people for god's sake! Somebody has to shovel us out of the . . .crap that Bush's peeps has buried us in.

Toni out