Sara Haile-Mariam

“You’d think that Coburn’s got some ’splainin’ to do, but as Washington etiquette has it, we spent the week learning every last footnote about Sotomayor while acres of press coverage shed scant light on the shoddy records of those judging her. The public got the point anyway about this dying order and its tired racial and culture wars. With Sotomayor’s fate never in doubt, it changed the channel.”

Great Op-Ed by Frank Rich. Read the rest here.

Councilman Yassky has a great piece on Huffpost that focuses on reforming the City pension system.

“A few weeks ago, the four candidates for City Comptroller met for a debate. The moderator asked if we would support changes in the City pension rules to reduce the cost of the system to taxpayers. This comes as the New York Times reports today that pension costs to local governments like New York City may triple if we don’t enact certain reforms.

The other three competitors flatly ruled out any pension reform; I responded that in light of the City’s severe budget problems, we can’t take any option off the table.”

Full piece here.

Yeah…I’m not sure I want to comment on this much more than to say that I find the media frenzy, while at times entertaining, to be really extravagant. Obviously, as a political junkie I appreciate the discourse and speculation as much as the next person– but at the same time, given everything else going on in our country, now isn’t the time for politics. So while I sincerely wish we were at a point where Sarah Palin’s resignation was the most dramatic thing happening in the world- it’s not, and we can’t forget that. So, I figured, I could (A)write about Sarah Palin(from a social commentary point of view, there’s certainly a lot to dissect)….or (B)I could write a piece where I point out everything else that actually warrants our attention. I went with option B.

“It’d be easy to talk about Sarah Palin—but those conversations won’t bring us closer to reforming an education system that leaves children, and in some cases entire districts, behind. Those conversations won’t bring us closer to reforming our immigration system or to giving every young person who wants a college education a way to afford it. I get it, she resigned, her decision has sent the political world in a frenzy. But c’mon- how much more is there to say?”

Full Global Grind Piece here.

“Friend –

This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let’s also remember the remarkable story that led to this day.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the proposition that all of us were created equal.

Our country began as a unique experiment in liberty — a bold, evolving quest to achieve a more perfect union. And in every generation, another courageous group of patriots has taken us one step closer to fully realizing the dream our founders enshrined on that great day.

Today, all Americans have a hard-fought birthright to a freedom which enables each of us, no matter our views or background, to help set our nation’s course. America’s greatness has always depended on her citizens embracing that freedom — and fulfilling the duty that comes with it.

As free people, we must each take the challenges and opportunities that face this nation as our own. As long as some Americans still must struggle, none of us can be fully content. And as America comes ever closer to achieving the perfect Union our founders dreamed, that triumph — that pride — belongs to all of us.

So today is a day to reflect on our independence, and the sacrifice of our troops standing in harm’s way to preserve and protect it. It is a day to celebrate all that America is. And today is a time to aspire toward all we can still become.

With very best wishes,

President Barack Obama

July 4th, 2009

P.S. — Our nation’s birthday is also an ideal time to consider serving in your local community. You can find many great ideas for service opportunities near you at http://www.serve.gov.”

Happy Independence Day.

Latest piece on Huffpost

“The assumption that our abilities are determined by our make up, and our futures limited by conventional wisdom, has been denied traction by people like Michael Jackson. We are indebted to those who have confronted these limitations and destroyed them, who acknowledged societal expectations and exceeded them.”

Read the rest here.

Also posted on VampedNY.com

While on the subject, checkout the following articles.

The first is from CNN, and it’s a piece on the “gayby boom” generation, a generation of children raised by gay parents.

“O’Leary says she doesn’t personally know any same-sex parents or their children. That’s the problem, some children of same-sex children say. So many people are talking about them; not enough are talking to them, they say.

Some gayby boomers say they are tired of hearing that their family isn’t legitimate. It’s an argument many have heard since they were children. They learned that they didn’t fit the definition of the “right” family, and worried how others would react if they found out about their parents.”

Read the rest here.

And here, Frank Rich’s Op-Ed on the progress of the gay rights movement, and the obstacles that we, gay and straight, must still overcome.

I Spent the day walking in the Manhattan Gay Pride Parade with Team Yassky. Gay and straight, young and old, every race and ethnicity, people from all walks of life came out to celebrate the 40 year anniversary of the Stonewall riots and the progress that’s been made since. Part of me wants to comment on the sheer size and diversity of the crowds- but in truth, I don’t find it all that remarkable. Perhaps it’s a consequence of spending 4 years living in New York City, perhaps it can be attributed to the generation that I hail form, a generation that has made it all too clear that gay right’s isn’t a wedge issue, it’s a non-issue.

In any event, it was truly a wonderful experience.

Happy Pride Day everyone.

Just responded to the Daily Beast piece by Benjamin Sarlin in my latest Global Grind Piece.

“Jackson was the King of Pop, and while his life was comprised of trials and turmoil, his legacy is in his music, and it is there where we saw an awareness that went beyond his celebrity and instead focused on people, on the condition of humanity. While we grieve and reflect on his life, we must remember that we continue. With each day that passes, we might insist that the best way to pay tribute to our fallen icon is by living out his declaration that it us who must heal the world.”

Read the rest here.

I was born in 1987, well after a young man named Michael Jackson broke down the abc’s and 123’s of you and me.

As an artist, and a person, he evolved. Not having known the MJ of the 80s, it was hard to reconcile the fact that the youngest of the Jackson 5 was also the young man from Thriller as well as the grown man who resided at Never land.

Nonetheless, his music was, is, and always will be timeless.

I had a conversation with a friend once on how music should be categorized as a form of public service. It’s obviously different than giving food or clothes or serving in office– but that shouldn’t dismiss the fact that it still has the potential to serve the people. To make people smile, and feel, and yes, to make people dance.

So the media will probably focus on the man behind the music. On the controversies of his career and personal development. I’d rather not go there. I’d rather not pick a part the man but rather reflect on what he achieved.

He lives on through his music, and it’s his music that I intend to celebrate.

I hope he rests in peace and I offer my condolences and thoughts to all who knew him, and all who grieve him.

Long live the king….