tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75878062223769433112024-03-13T12:56:31.446-07:00Anatomy of a HustleAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411717086743141369noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587806222376943311.post-69647397288058643882012-11-27T12:49:00.002-08:002012-11-27T12:49:18.065-08:00Whose Image?<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">WHOSE
IMAGE<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Clinton Galloway</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The actions
that we take on a daily basis are defined by who we believe we are. This is
known as our self-image. The question becomes how our self-image is defined.
While each of us have some control over the image that we define ourselves as,
the bulk of our self-image is defined by others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The others
may consist of friends, peers, family, and neighbors. The most powerful
external source of our self-image is media. The power of media to identify our self-image
is unprecedented. The advent of electronic media has altered how we see
ourselves as opposed to print media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
increasing power of the video medium known as television has become the single
most powerful defining aspect of the self-image of most young Americans. This
is especially true in inner-city minority communities who watch more television
than any other group in society. In addition to watching more television than
any other groups in society urban minority youth and their leaders have less
influence over that medium than any other segment of our society. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
television has morphed from broadcast networks to the cable television industry
over the past 25 years the ability of African-Americans and other minority
groups to become involved in this industry have been limited, with a great
assistance of African-American politicians. The negative images which continue
to be portrayed of urban minority youth serve to deteriorate the self-image of
those youth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The effects
of that deterioration can be seen in the crime statistics, the educational
statistics and economic statistics which bear out that urban youth are being
left behind in a continually growing and changing world. The continuing image
of violence against their neighbors has left many people without trust within
their neighbors and their neighborhoods. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many seek to
blame hip-hop music, rap music and the violent themes of many music videos as
the chief culprit in this situation. All of these forms are merely expressions
of people’s feelings and observations. The chief culprit is that there is no
competition for alternative ideas within the system which allows the portrayal
of the negative images. Lack of competition for the minds of our youth
continues because of the lack of competition in the number of distribution
outlets that are available. When six corporations control 90% of all media the<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>n the thought of competition is greatly reduced. These conglomerates have been allowed to rise
and prosper with the assistance of government corruption and malfeasance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In urban
communities this corruption and malfeasance has been led by elected officials
who seek to benefit themselves at the expense of the communities they have been
sworn to serve. When the opportunity existed for significant participation in
the cable-television market and thereby the video distribution market
African-Americans were locked out of the industry, in violation of the United
States Constitution, with the direct assistance and complicity of
African-American elected officials and bureaucrats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now the same
media conglomerates that control the video medium seek to control access to the
Internet by determining what speed you may receive your information at. The
concept of net neutrality has become a major issue. Cable television will speak of the free
market and its right to limit the speeds at which information is distributed at
its choosing. The underlying truth however is that cable television was created
with large political contributions and the corruption and malfeasance of local
government officials throughout the United States. This is not merely an issue
in urban minority communities but is an issue in all of America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The concept
that an industry was created by paying government officials to limit
competition within that industry and thereby the free market should now claim
the benefits of free markets is little more than hypocrisy. Only by having input into the information and
images that are projected regarding ourselves can we improve the quality of the
self-image of our youth both in urban and rural areas. This cannot come when a
corruption created industry is allowed to limit access to information based
upon its own self-interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All cable
television companies use public right of ways to deliver the service they
grosses them approximately $100 billion a year. The use of the public right of
ways should be for the benefit of the public not for the benefit of
corporations who buy politicians like commodities. You can be sure that the
cable television industry will be making large contributions to political
figures in order to achieve their goals. As citizens we must make it our priority
to assure ourselves that those politicians who have been purchased will no
longer remain in office. The price of failure to regain control of the right of
ways that the public owns shall be devastating. Each of us has an interest in
that which is owned by the public. How we protect this interest and allow this
interest to be used will determine who we are in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are
satisfied with the deteriorating values of our youth and lack of morals
demonstrated within our society and do nothing then surely you shall get the
results. If, however, you believe you have an obligation to protect the rights
that are guaranteed by the United States Constitution you must make an effort
and take a stand against those politicians who would allow our resources to be
used exclusively by their large political contributors. The answer lies in the
hands of the American public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411717086743141369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587806222376943311.post-23055316523150751872012-10-25T14:02:00.002-07:002012-10-25T14:02:21.068-07:00Judge, Jury and Executioner<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You would think that when the United
States Supreme Court rules<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> unanimously in your favor that
the issue is resolved. I was soon to find out that even the Supreme Court can
only do so much when you're trying to fight City Hall. The book Anatomy of Hustle: Cable Comes to South Central L.A. details the
story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the spring of 1986 the United
States Supreme Court had ruled unanimously in the case of Preferred Communications,
Inc. vs the City of Los Angeles as we sought to break the cable television monopoly. The case was returned to the US District
Court for final resolution. US District Court judge Consuelo Marshall would
hold the case for six more years after the ruling and refused to allow a jury
trial as is customary in such proceedings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We knew when the case was originally
filed, in 1983, with judge Marshall that she was good friends with Mayor Tom
Bradley and his good friend Johnnie Cochran. . She dismissed the case in less
than 45 days without allowing any evidence to be presented. I did not believe
that she would have the audacity to ignore the ruling and intention of the
United States Supreme Court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Judge Marshall would establish a new
judicial system that would allow her to become judge, jury and executioner in
our case.. Her appointment by President Carter was done with the assistance and
support of Mayor Tom Bradley and the Los Angeles Democratic Party machine,
including Johnny Cochran. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They say that you can’t fight City
Hall. What they mean is that you can’t win when the game is rigged. While we
did not expect the politicians of City Hall to act in an independent or honest
manner we certainly had an expectation that the federal courts would at least
give us an impartial analysis of our case against the city of Los Angeles. That impartiality certainly did not occur in
the US District Court which is located two blocks from City Hall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">According to Wikipedia "the judge
is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in open court". We not
only did not receive a trial but all hearings were conducted secretly behind
closed doors in the judge's chambers to limit the exposure to the general
public. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">By refusing to allow a jury trial the
judge effectively became the jury. Clearly it was not a jury of our peers nor
was the jury impartial. A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an
impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) submitted to them by a
court, or to set a penalty or judgment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">While we spent five years in the
discovery phase, in preparation for trial, the judge was fully aware that there
never would be a trial and that the discovery phase was nothing more than
another delaying tactic. Trial dates were set on several occasions but always
changed at the request of the City. The
delaying tactic would effectively eliminate all competition within the cable
television industry within the city of Los Angeles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411717086743141369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7587806222376943311.post-52381779216185411472012-08-30T11:17:00.001-07:002012-08-30T11:17:23.831-07:00On Freedom of Speech and the Instruments of Justice<br />
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If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.</div>
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-George Washington</div>
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Our power to speak and express ourselves is what separates us
from the animal kingdom. Before
agriculture, prior to technology, and even earlier than the written word it was
speech that allowed us to communicate ideas about ourselves and the type of
community we would like to form. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The freedom to speak our minds - and listen to others who do
the same - is the first and last line of defense for a nation of free
people. It is the sole force capable of
regulating the conduct of public officials who are torn between their duties -to
those they swore to represent- and their personal ambitions -such as their
quest for career, power, fame, or wealth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet our words are not only a defensive shield against the
injustice that stems from the abuse of power. They are the carpenters’ tools which fashion
raw materials into ever more beautiful and inspiring forms -- forms built upon
the strength and stability of an idea spoken sincerely and in good faith. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Words are the vehicles of manifestation for our ideas</b> and - just
as an architect's blueprints exist as a potential but in themselves are not
actualized - it shall always be the many, the builders, acting upon these plans
and laboring together who bring about this reality so that it may last;
applying the instruments of their craft so that future generations may see what
is possible when principle and effort are made real. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>We are the builders</b>,
and our freedom of expression is the tool with which we create the society we
are meant to have. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is unfortunate and unavoidable that occasionally
individuals in positions of power, acting with the aid or under the influence
of special interests, seek to actively extinguish the living ideals of a free
press and a public with free speech. This
behavior is not difficult to understand once we accept that such individuals
believe that 'their' message --and only their message-- is worthy of dominance
over all others; that 'their' plan is superior to all others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet, just as a free marketplace thrives on the competition
of ideas and operates without a centralized command, so, too must the will of
our nation come from all of us, from every voice, and never a centralized power
figure, or corporate entity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the end, for speech to protect us, we must protect it…
first and foremost and above all other rights and privileges. Our future -- should we succeed in defending
this most precious gift -- is almost certain to be brighter from generation to
generation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is a world equipped with an ever more perfect instrument
of justice. </div>
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And<b> justice is the highest
form of beauty. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11411717086743141369noreply@blogger.com0