Movie Reviews- Red Tails, Kill List and more

Red Tails

Ok, first things first about Red Tails, because this has been going around the blog-o-sphere a bit. There are no black women in Red Tails. A few are shown in photographs. One man has a relationship with a local white (actually more olive) woman. They kiss and apparently (it is after all a PG-13 film not R) do the do. Imagine that!! A man away from home and a woman with no men around actually find each other attractive. If that bothers you enough to make you clutch your pearls in shock and not want to see the movie then that's that. To each their own.  Keep your race pure, fight the power, skip the movie.


Red Tails is not a great movie. It has some rather serious pacing and script problems. This was the director's (Anthony Hemingway) big screen debut. It's not overly surprising that the dialogue is stilted with a decidedly small screen feel. Many actors are people you will recognize from The Wire, which is where the director was from.
As you already know from the hype, reaction and criticism Red Tails tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, African American fighter pilots of the WW2 AAF who had to battle segregation, an intensely hostile officer brass and media scorn to be able to make a contribution to the war effort.

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Free Birth Control!!! (Whether you want it or not)

Conversation between Federal Government and citizen.

Maybe I should use a different finger to make my point

Well hello there subject citizen! I’m here to help you. From now on all of your birth control pills are gonna be free!! No co-pays or deductibles. Isn’t that special? You can thank me later.

What’s that friend? You say you don’t need or use birth control pills? Hmm. Well that’s no problem because future HIV screenings, breast pumps, sterilization procedures, domestic violence counseling and screening, well-woman tests, and STD counseling are gonna be free!!! Isn’t that wonderful? Aren't you just quivering with joy and gratitude? I know I would be. 

Oh. You say you’re an XY human being and not an XX human being. Well see I’m afraid these benefits apply only to people with XX chromosomes.  You XY's will just have to continue to pay on your own for gender specific issues. I think that’s fair. Since I’m the Federal government, what I say goes. I got your equal protection right here pal.

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Join The Urban Politico Team: Live Chat - GOP Presidental Debate on CNN

LIVE CHAT with The Urban Politico Team TONIGHT @ 8PM EST

GOP South Carolina Presidential Primary Debate Hosted By:
CNN, CNN en Espanol, The Hispanic Leadership Network and the Republican Party of Florida

CNN will broadcast the debate starting at 8 p.m. EST.

Live Stream @ live.cnn.com

Join us this evening for a live-chat via http://www.theurbanpolitico.com/ and logging into our Chat Feature.

President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address: Full Speech and Synopsis

President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address

Presidents have long used the State of the Union address to highlight their accomplishments, and layout their vision and plans for the upcoming year. This year was no different. 2012 is unique because it's an election year.  A year where the siting President is seeking a second-term and his policies are under attack by his opposition. Exemplifying the essence and persuasiveness of his oratory skills, President Obama took everyone to class giving a lesson that included a much needed walk down memory lane.  He detailed a list of his accomplishments, (ensuring to highlight the policy decisions that have worked and produced significant results, which are currently under scrutiny by GOP Presidential contenders) and provided an analysis of policy matters where both parties have been in agreement in past political climates; a quick preview into the issues he will tackle as candidate Obama. 

Ladies and Gentleman, He's Back!!!!  Class in in session.... 

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Join Us Tonight - Live Chat: State of the Union Address

2012 State of the Union Address

Join us again for a LIVE CHAT TONIGHT during the President's State of the Union Address at 9:00 pm EST.

The White House will live-stream the video here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

The Open Politico

Open forum for any of our readers to discuss issues, drop links to articles or videos, or just voice your opinion about whatever is on your mind out there in Urban or Political news.

Sound Off........

Red Tails, Black in Hollywood, What's Next

After heavy promotion and a well constructed sob story for George Lucas's Tuskeege Airmen opus Red Tails, the film took the number two spot at the weekend box office. Raking in $19.1 million in its opening weekend. The Black action history flick was second only to Underworld Awakening, the vampire thriller starring Kate Beckinsale. This isn't the first time a predominantly Black film has finished its first weekend in the top three spot. But it is the first time that it's happened with a White Executive Producer begging people -- Black and White alike -- to go out and see a film or else we never get another colored picture ever again.

The doom and gloom rhetoric surrounding the plight of Black actors, actresses, directors, writers, producers and any other positions in the upper echelons of the Hollywood machine have long been highlighted in the Black community: radio shows, websites, blogs like the one you're reading. But while the problem has been highlighted the attitude has always been, "We'll show Hollywood we can be a box office smash too. We'll show Hollywood our stories are worth telling."

Now we have Hollywood's golden boy blaring the same tune on his trumpet for cinematic justice. But the question remains.... Will it make even the slightest bit of difference?

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Willard's Tax Returns

It must be nice to be Willard and Ann Romney. I say this because they literally made money while they slept in 2010 and 2011. Neither Willard nor Ann had to punch a clock, report to an office or take direction from a supervisor. That says a lot about the man who wants to be the next President of the United States of America, a nation where 99% of the people MUST earn a wage.

Let's examine the wealth gap and look at the Romney's tax returns.

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Is Mitt's problem Region or Religion

To the chagrin of our president, there is still a red America and a blue America. A red America, that, in the past, represented a more intellectually conservative point of view, has dissolved into a party ran mostly by Southern social conservatives. Once Strom Thurmond and his Dixiecrats made the move to the Republican Party, they helped give a voice to the disaffected Southern white voters. Eventually, with growth of like-minded communities, the South came to be the geographical representation of the Republican Party. As the Party is forced further to the right, the likelihood of Mitt Romney becoming their nominee becomes more unlikely - though not impossible.

Romney started behind the proverbial 8-ball simply because of his religious beliefs. Romney is a Mormon. However, I’m under the impression that the ascension of President Obama to the White House made Romney’s Mormon pill a little easier to swallow. After all, if a Muslim, Buddhist, Communist, Socialist, Black Liberation Theology Christian without a legitimate birth certificate can be elected to the highest office, a Christian Mormon should be fine. This has more to do with the region he’s from than his religion.

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Don't Call it a Comeback, I Been Here for Years!

Ladies and gentlemen, we officially have ourselves a race!  What seemed like a foregone conclusion for Mitt Romney only a few days ago has now turned into an open 3-man contest with Rick Santorum winning Iowa, Romney winning New Hampshire and now Gingrich winning South Carolina.  And not only did Gingrich win South Carolina, but he won it walking away; he beat Romney by 13 points (over 75,000 votes).

Results for South Carolina Republican Primary (U.S. Presidential Primary)

Jan 21, 2012 (100% of precincts reporting)

1. Newt Gingrich	243,153	40.4%
2. Mitt Romney	167,279	27.8%
3. Rick Santorum	102,055	17%
4. Ron Paul	77,993	13%
5. Rick Perry	2,494	0.4%
Other	8,192	1.4%

Questions:
What does it mean that Gingrich won by double digits?
Does this give Gingrich the momentum to carry Florida?
Did the debates give Gingrich his boost?
Is this a testament to the "Southern Strategy?"

Music Reviews-Songs in the Key of Life, Hardcore Jollies and Etta James

Songs in the Key of Life

Stevie Wonder is often considered to be a genius. I can't call if but if he is then Songs in the Key of Life is the release that proves it. He had never created anything as fantastic before and would never do anything as sublime afterwards. This is without a doubt the best release Wonder ever created, a top ten seventies album and arguably one of the best albums of all time.
Growing up, I listened to this album obsessively. It was one of the few current pop albums that my parents also loved. There were many times that I would come home to hear this album playing. So it brings back a ton of good memories. Wonder's writing here is top notch. Listening to it makes you think why can't people write lyrics like that today? His love songs get the point across without getting lost in explicit descriptions. The blues and protest songs are angry and direct but don't slide off into pity or hatred. 

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Breaking News: Etta James, Dead at Age 73

Legendary Singer Etta James Has Passed Away At Age 73

From Eyewitness News:

Etta James, the legendary singer who mastered a range of styles from R&B and soul to jazz and blues, has died at the age of 73 from terminal leukemia.

The veteran singer, nicknamed The Matriarch of R&B and "Miss Peaches," had been hospitalized late December and for a time was on a respirator to handle her breathing for her. She died early Friday at Riverside Community Hospital.

James, who would have turned 74 on January 25, also suffered from dementia. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Her enduring hits include "At Last" and "Tell Mama."

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Reality for Black Women in Corporate America

Last week I came across an article that revealed "in-depth details" about US First Lady Michelle Obama and her relationship with White House Staff. The book titled "The Obamas" was written by New York Times Reporter, Jodi Kantor. In the book, Kantor reveals details about the First Lady's negative interactions with her husband's most senior advisers and attempts to label her as someone dictating US policy through the President. Kantor's sources are current and former white house aides. Without promoting this book and going into an in-depth report, basically Mrs. Obama is summed up as an "angry black woman" and someone who is overly ambitious of her husband's agenda and an overall force to be reckoned with in the West Wing. After reading through the various reports, it appeared to me that Mrs. Obama is simply supporting her husband (which is what a good wife is supposed to do), acting as a confidante and serving as a voice of outside reason to the President. As cited by Kantor through her sources, allegedly Mrs. Obama was unhappy with the line up of her husband's staff and often times felt they didn't have his best interests at heart with regard to certain policy matters.

Michelle Obama Debunks Kantor's Claims

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BREAKING NEWS: Perry out of Race!!

ZZ Flop, we hardly got to know you!

Texas Gov. Rick Perry will end his bid for the Republican presidential nomination today and is expected to endorse former House speaker Newt Gingrich, according to two sources familiar with his thinking.
Gingrich himself said via email this morning that all he knows is “not much. Rumors.”
Perry has called a press conference at 11 a.m. this morning in North Charleston to announce the news, which was first reported by CNN’s Peter Hamby.


Perry’s announcement comes just hours before the candidates will gather for their 16th debate of the Republican race and just two days before the South Carolina primary.
For the last several months, it had become clear that Perry would not be a major factor in the race — hamstrung by a string of lackluster debate performances that culminated in his inability to name the three federal agencies that he would eliminate if elected president.
One early Perry fundraiser, who soured on the campaign as the candidate repeatedly stumbled, said the decision “was a foregone conclusion to what has been quite possibly the worst-run presidential campaign of our lifetimes.”
Following a fifth place finish in Iowa, Perry said that he would return to Texas to reassess his candidacy. But, less than 24 hours later he announced — via Twitter! — that he would continue in the race.

STORY

QUESTIONS
1) Does this clear the field for a conservative alternative to Romney?
2) Why didn't Perry get more traction in the race?
3) Did the Texas accent remind voters of Bush too much?
4) Did you ever get the feeling that Perry's heart just wasn't in it? 

The US Military: Is it bereft of discipline?

There's a saying in the military that "There are no undisciplined soldiers.  Only untrained soldiers."  Well, if this is true, the military should immediately mandate sensitivity and ethics training across the armed forces.  Recently, a video surfaced showing four Marine snipers urinating on dead Taliban soldiers.  Now I know there are no classes entitled, "Don't pee on your enemy." But these soldiers' actions forces one to question whether these soldiers had any training at all on the laws of war.  These soldiers, who have performed one of the most disrespectful and disgusting acts possible to deceased humans, seem incomprehensibly undisciplined.  But this brings us a broader point: Why are US soldiers behaving in this manner?

Speak with any drill sergeant and they will tell you that the military has gone soft.  They'll tell you that training is less rigorous, shorter, and that current recruits are lazy and spoiled.  But that aside, shouldn't recruits come to basic training with a minimal respect of humankind?  Well apparently not.  Maybe video games and the lack of basic social and communication skills  really have corrupted our youth because they just don't give a damn.

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