Paradise Gray's Words Of Wizdom

I'm Dreaming of a White..... (Christmas Poem By Paradise Gray)

2011-12-23T22:29:00.000-08:00

Ohhh, You better watch out, you better not cry
Christmas is a lie! I'm telling you why,
Give the gift of Christmas, give your woman a gift of ice,
Never mind that the customs of Christmas pre-date the birth of Christ!
Where did it all come from? What's the origin of this scene?
You have to go back to the days before Constantine.
December 25th is a date that comes from Rome,
When they celebrated the rebirth of the Sun God and Saturn in every home.
The Saturnalia celebration was a week long festival of un-punished sin,
Rape, human sacrifice, consuming human-shaped biscuits now known as gingerbread men.
The evergreen tree was a symbol of the essence of life,
It was the phallic symbol of fertility worshiped by every husband & wife.
Red holly was a symbol of the menstrual blood of Diana the queen of haven,
As it was regarded by the Witches and other Pagans.
The holly wood was used by witches to make their wands,
Now Hollywood is serving Miracles to all you pawns.
The white berries of mistletoe represented droplets of the semen of the sun god,
Now you can see men & women kiss under mistletoe, isn't that odd?
And let us not forget Jolly Ole' Saint Nick,
You take your kids to the Mall and you sit them on his Dick.
The God Woden and Saint Nicholas merged,
Re-named by Washington Irving to create Santa's Claus
The "Knickerbocker History" begot the Santa Claus Mystery
Dr. Clement Moore added more to the story for sure,
With his "Twas the night before Christmas" lore.
Thomas Nast gave Santa the North Pole, Elves and a list of good and bad children to make the story last
Haddon Sundblom gave us a coke-drinking, Red suited, Santa with a big fat ass.
Don't forget Sin-terklaas's homie - "Zwarte Piet" aka Black Pete,
Black Devil, Minstrel, Slave That Santa Keeps At His Feet.
Oh you better watch out, for the Krampus with your Santa's,
They'll throw you in a pitt, they may be visiting your campus,
So you better not be naughty, you better be nice,
You'll find everything in Christ-mas, Except For Christ!
Christmas isn't about God, it aint' about God's Son,
It's all about making Cash Money and having lots of fun.
It's about commercialism, marketing and promotion,
Spinned into a World wide web of tradition and consumer devotion.
It's all about sins, it's all about skins,
How many gifts you can squeeze out your family and friends?
It's all about lies and greedy old white mens, Ends,
Be good Americans, fools, Spend, Spend, Spend!
Who cares about the truth? There's none so blind as ye' who refuse to see,
Santa ate all the cookies and drank the milk with glee,
He got the munchies from smoking all the Christmas trees.
And them depressing Christmas Carols is starting to get me,
The kids want all the crap that they see on TV,
Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii,
or Ebay all your money for a Playstation 3
Are you kidding me, I aint' rich, What's in your wallet?
Left up to me, kids aint' getting no expensive bull-shit!
No, No, No, I'm not your Hoe, Hoe, Hoe!
If It's hard out here for a pimp,
Imagine how hard it is for a Hoe.
Christians please read Jeremiah 10 verse 2-4
I wonder do they know that it's Christmas in Darfur?
Forget about the ecology, it's all about the economy
Do-the-math yourself', it's not about Deuteronomy

Twas' the night before Christmas what a night, what a night,
Good VS Evil what a fight, what a fight,
Sweep all the little white lies right under the rug,
Merry Christmas, Bahh, Hum-bug!

May your days be mellow and bright,
And May all your Christmas's be White!

Claude Paradise Gray
12/24/2006 (Edited 12/24/2011)

No Thanks! 11/23/2006

2010-11-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

No Thanks!

The so called Indians gave the Pilgrims the gift of life
John Rolfe, got Pocahontas a gift of wife
The pilgrims paid back the so called Indians with a gift of strife
Small Pox in the blankets took away their life
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
From Wampanoag to Whompin' on international trust
We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us!
Fire water from Pittsburgh do you want some?
Rum, pa pum, rum pa pum, rum pa pum pum,
No recovery from the "Doctrine Of Discovery"
No miracles on my street,
34 Police feet, kick down the wrong door
Everybody on the floor!
What the Fuck did yall' shoot Kathryn Johnston for?
What the Fuck did yall' shoot Eleanor Bumpers for?
Four score and who knows how many days ago
The natives saved the white man when it started to snow
The natives saved the white man when his food wouldn't grow
The white man paid them back by killing all the Buffalo
You cannot buy land that was never meant to be sold
Never meant to be stole, God save your soul
Fast forward to the present, you can keep your pleasants
Turkey, Dressing, Chitterlings and Pheasant
Spend all your money on presents
So some one else could build an empire
while your chestnuts is roasting on an open fire
You think you're the King of Rock
and we should call you sire
But you really aint' nothing but a fucking vampire
Christopher Columbus was a Pirate, a thief and a lair
You don't rock well, just because you rock sale
Who you think put the crack in the liberty bell?
Same ones who feed you in school, feed you in jail
Same ruler from Mayflower, to Yay Powder
They stole this Nation,
Deny immigration to a Haitian,
While Europeans float through Ellis Island like Grand Central Station
On TV all they talk about is the new Playstation
Do you really understand the situation that we facing?
The Constitutions in Danger
Our Neighbors are strangers
The Country's been taken over by White Power Rangers
Mexicans did not cross the border, the border crossed Mexicans
Is it a sin for Mexican's to be my next to kins?
Ask not what Brown can do for you,
What can you do for Brown?
Justice aint' blind, justice aint' mine
Be blind, controlled mind, well planned and designed
As we root for the Cowboys to defeat the Redskins
Steal their land, rape their women and scalp their dead skins
Hang them from pine trees like ornaments, pass the after dinner mints
At what point did we buy into the lie
Fuck it, pass me another piece of that sweet potato pie

Paradise Gray 11/23/2006

All Charges Dropped - Jordan Miles Finally Gets His Day In Court

2010-03-06T17:10:00.000-08:00

All Charges Dropped - Jordan Miles Finally Gets His Day In Court

After 2 postponements Jordan Miles and the 3 Pittsburgh policemen, Officers Michael Saldutte, Richard Ewing and David Sisak, who brutally beat him during an arrest on January 12th, 2010, finally faced Magisterial District Judge Oscar Petite Jr.

Officer Michael Saldutte stood head and shoulders over Jordan Miles as attorney Kerry Lewis stood between them and successfully argued that the charges against Mr. Miles should be dropped because the affidavit that led to the arrest was defective as it may contain perjured information.

Witness Monica Wooding testified that she was never asked whether she knew Jordan Miles or not, nor was she asked if he was allowed to be near her house in direct opposition to the testimony of Officer Michael Saldutte.

Officer Saldutte also testified that he did not pull Jordan miles hair nor did he notice anyone else pull it even though photographs taken by Mr. Miles mother shortly after the arrest clearly show that his hair was violently ripped from much of his scalp on the right side of his head.

Mr. Saldutte also denied being a trained martial Artist even though he trains other police officers in self defense, and he testified that he did not remember what style he was trained in nor what the name of the Karate school he attended was until reminded by attorney Kerry Lewis.

The officers credibility was further damaged when questioned by attorney Kerry Lewis as to the reason that they did not retain possession of the bottle of mountain dew for evidence. Officer Saldutte repeatedly said that he didn't keep it because it was not evidence. Attorney Kerry Lewis countered that he didn't keep it because it didn't exist. Jordan Miles maintains that he never even had a bottle of Mountain Dew in his possession.

Terez Miles (Jordan Miles Mother) speaks after court decision:

Jordan Miles Attorney Kerry Lewis:

Upcoming community action:

Paradise Gray, One HOOD MEdia
http://www.1hood.org

More links:

Judge dismisses charges against CAPA student

Attorney: CAPA Student Claiming Police Brutality Passes Lie Detector

Mother of Jordan Miles, teen beaten by Pittsburgh police, speaks out:

As hearing for Pittsburgh teen beaten by police is postponed, story fades from headlines

Spinning the Bottle in Jordan Miles case

Pittsburgh cops put on paid leave during beating investigation

City high school students rally to demand an investigation into the arrest and alleged beating of a classmate

FBI looking into CAPA student's police beating claim

Mayor 'troubled' by police brutality claim in Homewood

CAPA student claims Pittsburgh cops beat him

Jasiri X Nominated for 7 Pittsburgh Hip-hop Awards, Vote for Jasiri X To WIN.

2010-01-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

Jasiri X Nominated for 7 Pittsburgh Hip-hop Awards

http://fs19.formsite.com/hhawards/form648012017/index.html

BEST MALE ARTIST: Jasiri X
LYRICIST OF THE YEAR: Jasiri X
TWITTER USER OF THE YEAR: @jasirix
CD OF THE YEAR: American History X - Jasiri X
SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Dear Debra - Jasiri X
BEST HIP HOP VIDEO: Dear Debra - Jasiri X
BEST INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST: Jasiri X

We would like to thank everyone who voted for Jasiri X in the nominating round, please help us finish the deal and vote for Jasiri X to WIN!

http://fs19.formsite.com/hhawards/form648012017/index.html

Download your FREE copy of Cd Of The Year: American History X by Jasiri X

http://www.mediafire.com/?tvwzhhtjuiy

Single Of The Year/ Video Of The Year: Dear Debra by Jasiri X, Directed By Paradise Gray

Oh Snap Guess What I Saw? The best commercials this season are "Golden Era" Hip-hop! (Latin Quarters style).

2009-12-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

"Golden Era" Hip-hop artists Biz Markie and KRS-1 are killing it right now commercials that are the best this Christmas Season.

This joint right here played numerous times during The Pittsburgh Steelers Big Game Win over The Green-bay Packers. It will be forever remembered by me as the "Oh Snap Guess what I Saw" game. With Big Ben passing for over 500 yards and navigating a game winning drive featuring a last touchdown pass to Wallace with time running out: http://www.wpxi.com/sports/22021962/detail.html

This Nike Joint is HOTT Featuring KRS-1 & The MVP Puppets!

Big up to all Latin Quarter "Golden Era" Hip-hop Artists & fans! - Paradise Gray
Http://www.pghhiphop.com

Ballers and Rappers featuring President Barack Obama

2009-12-02T19:15:00.001-08:00

President Barack Obama looking to boast his sagging approval rating teams up with conscious rapper Jasiri X on a song designed to change the media's negative portrayal of Black men. Ballers and Rappers-the Season Finale of This Week With Jasiri X, was produced by Black Czer and directed by Paradise the Arkitech of X-Clan

"Can't" Knock The Hustle! - (Ignorant Blogs VS Jasiri X)

2009-11-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

The real steroid abusing snitch Jose Canseco got embarrassed by being knocked out in the first round. Black Canseco knocked himself out with this lame attempt at journalism: http://www.hustleknockin.com/hustleknockin/2009/10/dear-debra-lee-open-letter-to-bet-song.html

What is going on nowadays with black blog spots who claim to be for a positive change in our community, but given an opportunity to support an artist who is the epitome of everything that they claim to promote, they choose to try to disrespect the effort while ignoring the obvious fact that Jasiri X is bringing positive change to the coon inspired, drug dealing, buffoonery that is being broad-casted as entertainment by today's music industry.

First www.Bossip.com embarrassed themselves by totally missing the point Jasiri X's song and video "Dear Debra" almost started a revolution on their website by posting Jasiri X's video with the caption: Random Ridiculousness: “Dear Debra Lee” Video http://bossip.com/173449/random-ridiculousness-dear-debra-lee-video

Their arrogance and lack of research backfired with a fierce backlash from readers who pounded the site with support for Jasiri X - http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/random-ridiculousness-bossip-urban-gossip-site-tries-to-clown-jasiri-x-video-get-backlash-from-their-readers/

That same day hustleknockin.com knocks Jasiri X for daring to Knock BET's Hustle:

"The only downside of this joint is that it comes from Jasiri X, an artist that almost no one outside the eastcoast underground’s ever heard of and probably never will". Black Canseco

Really? I guess that we should immediately go back in time and delete history:

Jasiri X and President Barack Obama

Jasiri X and Russel Simmons

Jasiri X and Public Enemy #1 Chuck D

Had Mr. "Black Canseco" troubled himself to "Google" "Jasiri X" he would have found more than enough information for him to at least not play himself by exposing his lack of journalistic credibility.

This single post would have been enough to save his reputation as a credible blogger, instead it now makes his lame attempt to de-fame Jasiri X null and void and if he has a shred of integrity should send him into some serious soul searching:

Hip-hop Pioneers and taste-makers comments about Jasiri X’s new song/video Dear Debra

http://paradisegray.blogspot.com/2009/10/hip-hop-pioneers-and-taste-makers.html

Professional journalists and writers do research before they write ridiculous, opinion based, void of fact articles. That's what gives them "credibility", but I guess since hustleknockin.com is just a self published "blog" and not a respected source of legitimate news, "you get what you get".

What bugs me out about these lapses of journalistic judgment, is that these are the same people who rant and rave against the very same music industry and artists that Jasiri X's lyrics are attempting to balance out, but somehow they don't value artists who are not enslaved/ bought and sold by the same system that they claim to fight against.

"If you want Debra Lee or anyone part of the hiphop music media establishment to hear this, you’ve gotta be either part of the establishment".

The success of this song/video has nothing to do with someone from BET hearing it, BET is a corporation owned and operated by Viacom. One song no matter how great will not change them. However it is part of a on going movement of music by a larger group of artists who offer consumers an alternative to the offerings of the artists that you named.

"This would be a much more powerful message if it came from Rawse, The Roots, or Lil Wayne or Gucci Mane".

Would the book "Knock the Hustle" be a more powerful message if it was written by Jeff Chang, Kevin Powell or Davey D?

As if the only way people should respect good music and new artists should be if they have the "stamp of approval" from the very same people who sponsor the "death-style" that has been rammed down our throats as Hip-hop for decades.

Sorry Mr. Canseco, I come from a time before A&R's and labels dictated what Hip-hop was, if that is the only downside that you see in Jasiri X, I can live with that because that leaves plenty of upside!

Please hate on our new video "Beware Young Girl"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LXaAuC3Yr8

It explores the disturbing trend of horrific violence and injustice towards women. You wont see your industry boys make one like this either:

More people who according to Black Canseco will probably never hear of Jasiri X:

And More:

Jasiri X and The Legendary Carlos Santana

Jasiri X and The father of Hip-hop Africa Bambataa

--
Paradise Gray
One Hood
Http://www.1hood.org
Http://www.facebook.com/paradisegray
Http://www.realtalkxpress.com

Blackface 2009 Halloween Edition.

2009-11-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Blackface By Jasiri X

"This Week With Jasiri X" Episode 22-tackles the issue of Racism in a supposedly "Post Racial" society, highlighted by the recent high profile incidents of blackface. "Blackface" was produced by Diesel and Directed by Paradise the Arkitech Gray of X-Clan.

A white Dallas Cowboys cheerleader decided to dress up as a black person for Halloween http://bossip.com/174078/what-is-wrong-with-this-picture-68/

Aubrey O ‘Day posted this picture on Twitter of one of her friends dressed as Kanye West

Blackface costume of Aunt Jemima gets L.I. teen tossed from school

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/11/01/2009-11-01_blackface_costume_gets_teen_tossed_from_school.html

Northwestern Students In Blackface Spark Outrage
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/blackface-northwestern-un_n_347745.html

Tyra Banks LOVES blackface!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsQRTQ2cVl8

Blackface: Officially A Trend
http://jezebel.com/5393819/

Bamboozled: All Up in Your Black Face with Blackface
http://bryanthomas.com/writing/bamboozled.html

Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before

http://jezebel.com/5383411/fashion-photographer-steven-klein-has-done-blackface-before/gallery/

Particularly disturbing is the fact that they are on on the floor submissive and kind of depicting slavery.

Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
http://jezebel.com/5384938/madonna-i-did-a-photo-shoot-with-steven-klein-and-i-painted-my-face-black

They make their mark in mug shot history
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/29/iowa.marker.disguise/index.html

More videos by Jasiri X

It's Helloween night - A Poem By Paradise Gray

2009-10-31T07:43:00.000-07:00

It's Helloween night, it's a Hell of a sight
In the hood when the freaks come out at night.
Monsters and ghouls embodied by fools
In the shadows and the alleys of shut down schools
Doing the Devils work carrying the Devils tools
In waist bands "Glocks", to protect Hell's rocks
Snaps and fiends are like zombies as they walk the blocks
The Vampires don't suck necks here, they suck c*cks
A buck fifty to your face, snatch your jewels that's fake
looks like Freddie Kruger slashed you, and you was wide awake
or so you thought, the American dream has turned into a nightmare,
Nobody fights fair, you have no rights here
Haunted crack houses missing windows and stairs
Helloween is one long night, 365 days of fear round here
Devils night, Devils night, What A Hell of a night
Get money, get money, there's no wrong or right
Our morals get lost when the money gets tight
Razor blades in the apples, poison the candy
They give to the children, Devils night how dandy
Sweet treats to rot teeth or Turn tricks for nose treats,
If you run to the church you'll have to run from the priests
Run to your bedroom, hide under the sheets
But you'll never escape the evil that's under your bed
Redd up Pittsburgh, Red, Red, Red!

Paradise Gray Oct. 31, 2006

Hip-hop Pioneers and taste-makers comments about Jasiri X's songs /videos

2009-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Debra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWIaJ35ZyCo

"My favorite underground rapper DOES IT AGAIN" - Fab 5 Freddy (Yo MTV Raps, VH1 Hip-hop Honors)

"Name the topic and Jasiri X has covered it.. This time he out did himself.. Dear Debra is incredible .. Please pass this along to Debra Lee of BET" - Davey D (www.daveyd.com)

This is great...very timely...congratulations. - Faith Newman-Orbach - (Former Vice President of A&R for DEF Jam, Vice President of A&R for Jive Records & Director of A&R of Sony Columbia Records).

"@jasirix I love what I do! And every now & again an artist like u pops up & makes me thankful I do what I do", "you are an amazing mutha%#@! Wendy Day loooooves you!!!!!!!!! That letter to BET? brilliant", Wendy Day (RapCoalition)

Jab...jab...right hook to the snot box! Nice one soldiers...let's fight back! - Jorge "Pop Master Fabel" Pabon (Rocksteady Crew)

Bangin. Fam .I love thoroughness of the production. Jasiri is applying the soldier lean with flows and no profanity. Intelligent. And movin. I feel informed and the beat is dope too. Jasiri is One of the top candidates for the X Clan 2010 tour. I'm checkin out the Debra joint next .Peace - Brother J (X-Clan)

"This is not just CLASSIC Hip Hop, but CLASSIC ACTIVISM! To all students of resistance, this is how you control the terms of the discourse! Never let your opposition dictate the terms of the debate!", "This is by my humble assessment the MOST intelligent move I've seen on this issue yet!" - Wise Intelligent (Poor Righteous Teachers)

"I Love it Dise, what more can I say... the Truth is the Truth!" - Lin Que (aka ISIS)

"Deep!" - Roxanne Shante

"Dear Debra, The letter so many of us want to write but can't find the words to shape it with!", This is probably the very BEST Jasiri X song I've had the pleasure of hearing.. I'm actually a lil jealous!! The beat is sick and his flow and content was FIRE!! - NYOil (UMC's, www.NyOil.com)

"Moving, powerful, thank you jasari, will be using this for my radio show that premiers on wbai 99.5fm on sat nov 14th, 2009" - Rosa Clemente (Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate 2008)

At this point, I think Jasiri is prolly the most consistent MC in the game. Come on, who else has dropped so many “good” viral videos on such a regular basis? - Biko Baker (www.99Problems.org)

Jasiri X's commentary is outside the idiot box, BET needs to listen up! - Momowilly (www.itsmomowilly.com)

"Everybody’s favorite conscious rapper is doing it again" – Jasiri X wrote an open letter to Deb Lee of BET…Peep it!" - illseed (Allhiphop.com)

This Episode is dedicated to BET and their CEO Debra Lee. Dear Debra is a critical but loving letter exploring the possibilities of Black Entertainment Television. Episode 23 was produced by Kai Roberts and directed by Paradise the Arkitech of X-Clan.

--
Paradise Gray
One Hood
Http://www.1hood.org

Just A Friendly Game Of Football - A Poem by Paradise Gray

2009-10-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

There's a new team in town that kills the blacks & browns,
We got a new black coach he's the best around,
even though we run the rock on every down

The cheerleaders are fine but they have no minds,
they only date the players with the bling and shine.
So stay on your grind and pay attention to the time,
cause players round here lose their careers in their prime

It's a high scoring team that get's extra points for hating,
Security will pull you over and shoot you in the parking lot while you're tailgating,

And the defense is dirty, they have a tactic deal with the sideline judges,
They don't even throw the flag when the home team pull a mag,

Don't get jammed up and hit with a death penalty,
They'll send you to the belly of the beast,
No jersey's, The whole league wears white T's with rest in peace.
In the pen, you better watch for Big Bad Ben who's looking for a wide receiver
so he could go deep in his tight end.

If you look closely in the stands you would see some real life heroes
But the cameras keep focusing on Dinero and Pacino.

The average fans are so full of hate,
that they witness murders in the end zone and never cooperate
To the dismay of the new chief of the po po,
who seems concerned but his team moves in slow mo
Unless you injure one of their team or they're seeking a promo,
They'll run a saturation sweep and it's adios amigos.
No Officer friendly, ,just tazers and cold stares,
If you get out of line they'll run up on your with the Bears.
They're above the law, around here they're like gods,
They shoot 12 year old kids for their pokeman cards,

God forbid you're in traffic and they pull you over,
make one wrong move and your life is over,
50 shots in your car, choke you out, to keep you in your place
They'll even put the gun in your baby girl's face,

But no one's at fault, nobody's to blame
It's getting too real, let's get back to the game.
Forth quarter, no score, games almost done
No terrible towels, just terrible guns
Terrible attitudes everybody's ballin,
they just called another time out, the Raven's are Stahl'in

No D-Fence to tackle our problems,
no big offensive line to protect our leaders,
The Pirates and Stealers are colder than Penguins,
Maybe that's why everyone's carrying heaters.
The stands are full of pain and hurtin,
swept up and hidden behind a steel curtain
No Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, no immaculate reception
Welcome to Clipsburgh Pistalvania the immaculate deception.
The land of flagrant fouls where no referee, no judge is ever gonna make the call,
It's just a friendly game of Football

Paradise Gray
January 30, 2009

Take Back America Conference 2008 - Davey D Confrontation with Fox News

2009-09-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

Davey D is a trooper! This is a blast from the past of him rolling up on FOX News Griff Jenkins:

Take Back America Conference 2008 - Confrontation with Fox News

By Paradise Gray

This years "Take Back America Conference" in Washington D.C. was much more exciting and energetic than the one I attended just a year ago. There were more young people of color present and everyone seemed to have extra pep in their step.

I began the weekend with The League of Young Voters, taking their empowering "Tunnel Building" leadership training program at the offices of The People For The American Way. The training sessions were good, and included veteran and aspiring organizers from all across America, some as young as 17 years old. The new National Director of the League Rob "Biko" Baker and National Political Director Khari Mosley handled many of the training workshops personally. It was a pleasure to work with these brothers and I learned some great new ideas and concepts to use for organizing effective actions and successful campaigns. I was happy to contribute by helping to teach a workshop on using new media and the internet (Myspace and Facebook) as organizing tools.

On Monday March 17th we headed over to the The Omni Shoreham Hotel where Van Jones the President and founder of "Green For All" brought the heat to the take Back America Conference at this morning. Speaking to an overflowing room full of progressive Democrats Mr. Jones passionately explained the benefits of an emerging Green Economy. His inspiring speech informed the diverse crowd about policies and initiatives that could create jobs, efficient energy, reduce carbon emissions and improve local economies.

Mr. Jones received thunderous applause when he noted that by retrofitting American cities with renewable energy sources such as wind, solar panels and other alternate sustainable energy sources it would ensure that we would never have to wage war for oil again! In the crowd I noticed the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Davey D as well as members of the League Of Young Voters, One HOOD, the National Political Hip-hop Convention, Reverend Yearwood and The Hip-hop Caucus and members of The Gathering. Keep your eyes on Van Jones and the concept of a Green Economy and Green-Collar Jobs. Van Jones is a dynamic speaker with a great plan, his final words "I am not here to "Take America Back, I’m here to take America forward" connected and resonated well with this large progressive crowd.

Things got kind of heated on Tuesday morning March 18 when the Rev. Jesse Jackson was scheduled speak on a panel "Progressive Movement In A Democratic Era: The Lessons Of King And The Civil Rights Movement".The energy was already elevated as everyone was anxiously awaiting 10:30 when Barack Obama was scheduled to give his historic speech on race relations in America. As I approached the Regency Ballroom I noticed the Rev. Jesse Jackson being interviewed by Griff Jenkins from Fox News. Griff Jenkins was being very aggressive as he demanded that Rev. Jackson answer the question: "Do you or do you not condemn Barack Obama’s former Pastor Rev. Wright?" When Rev. Jackson refused to answer in the way that Mr. Jenkins was asking, the FOX reporter would interrupt him and ask the same question over and over. Rev. Jackson then accused Mr. Jenkins of using divisive tactics instead of covering the issues that are important to this election, and the American people such as the war in Iraq, health care and the economy, once again Mr. Jenkins rudely pushed his microphone towards Rev. Jackson’s face and forcefully reiterated "Do you or do you not condemn Rev. Wright?"

I did not appreciate the way Mr. Jenkins was treating Rev. Jackson and loudly voiced my opinion as Rev. Jackson (annoyed by Mr. Jenkins un-professionalism) walked away.

Mr. Jenkins then interviewed me and and when asked the same question of whether or not I condemned Rev. Wright, I responded that when you are face down in a mud puddle with someone’s foot on the back of your neck, you should not be judged by the words that come out of your mouth at that moment, anger is the appropriate natural human response to oppression!

I argued that Rev. Wright’s sermons were based on real feelings within the black community and had foundations in fire and brimstone preaching directly from the bible. Mr. Jenkins attempted to cut me off in the middle of sentences but I continued that I could quote him hundreds of statements from the bible that he would not agree with and he would not even recognize that I was quoting the bible unless I told him in advance. I commented on the fact that although we have named a holiday after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and we have renamed streets after him and put his image on postage stamps, America did not exactly love him nor his message while he was living nor did America have a love affair with Malcolm X. In my opinion after seeing the aggressive way that he was coming at Rev. Jessie Jackson, if Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and EL-HAJJ MALIK EL-SHABAZZ (Malcolm X) were alive today, FOX News would have microphones and cameras rudely shoved into Senator Obama’s face, demanding that he condemn and reject them both!

I also questioned Mr. Jenkins about why he was interrogating Rev. Jackson so hard when Barack Obama would be addressing the situation in his own words in less than 2 hours, I suggested that Mr. Jenkins that we should all wait until we have given Senator Obama the opportunity to address it personally before we form our opinions.
I guess that wasn’t enough for Griff Jenkins because as soon as the panel was over, his FOX News TV crew pushed past other journalists on the stage who were asking Rev. Jackson questions about the 5th Anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Davey D happened to be one of the journalists who was patently waiting for his turn to ask Rev. Jackson some questions, when Griff Jenkins barged in and started dominating the conversation, repeatedly demanding Rev. Jackson to answer, and diverting from the questions that others were asking about the war Davey had seen and heard enough, he began asking Griff Jenkins why are you here? Aggressively pushing his mic in Griff Jenkins face as he had done Rev. Jackson, and stepping in front of a retreating Griff Jenkins asking, why are you here?

Davey encouraged others to flip the script on aggressive TV reporters that come in and try to set a tone that is contrary to the way that you are coming from, "you have a right to stop them from dominating the conversation and regain control. Fox News has declared war on people of color and puts them in a defensive position, has not given them a fair chance to answer back to salacious charges and assertions. They have one sided conversations by asking you questions and cutting you off before you have a chance to answer them. Fox News creates an agenda and then places people of color within that framework to underscore what they are trying to say.

Davey D said that what they tried to do to Rev. Jessie Jackson was a perfect example of "ambushing someone with the cameras" they kept asking Rev. Jackson over and over "why don’t you denounce Rev. Wright?" ’ And as Rev. Jackson tried to answer they would interrupt him with "why don’t you denounce Rev. Wright?" Davey D thought that it was disrespectful, not as much towards Rev. Jackson (who Davey says can handle himself) as much as it is towards millions of people who can discern what is outrageous or offensive on their own without aid from someone who doesn’t go to the church so they don’t know how to put things in the proper context.

Here is online video of the incident: (Spinned FOX News)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4rznd_foxguy_news

"Use The Force Luke" - Storm Troopers Occupy Pittsburgh, PA

2009-09-24T23:03:00.001-07:00

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said that the level of security that we are seeing in the streets of Pittsburgh is normal for the G20 and these type of events, however I am from New York and have never seem a city locked down like Pittsburgh is locked down right now. The city is like a ghost town right now. Boarded up businesses and residents afraid to leave their homes for media driven fear of the protesters or intimidation from the massive display of military power by an occupying force that looks like a scene from "Clone Wars" in the Star Wars Universe. It's ironic that with the amount of metal cages surrounding the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and Downtown Pittsburgh our city can once again can make the claim of "Steel City". Way to run "The Steel Curtain Defense" Pittsburgh!

I was at a March in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh today and I saw one of the largest gatherings of Police/troops that I have ever seen domestically, I saw nothing like what I saw today at the The United Nations, The Million Man March, The Millions More Movement, nor President Obama's Inauguration. I haven't seen anything like this in Post 911 New York. Sheer numbers of heavily armed officers in full riot gear, complex tactical crowd dispersal maneuvers, flash bangs, tear gas and cutting edge audio technology were used to totally smash the un-authorized protest.

Police also fired rubber bullets and teargas in Oakland area of Pittsburgh. Mostly at University Of Pittsburgh Students! According to Councilman Bill Peduto Cathedral of Learning surrounded, police giving dispersal orders, helicopters flying low w/ searchlight most of Fifth all Forbes Ave. closed.

Black Hawk and Chinook Helicopters, Gunboats, Armored Humvee's, at least two Lenco Bears, Secret Command Posts, The Secret Service, The National Guard, Coast Guards, Swat Teams, State Troopers, National, City and County Police, Transit Cops, Security Guards and I swear that I heard the Darth Vador Music play when these guys marched by:

Talk about "Star Wars Defense" Systems!

I can't wait to see the numbers of lost money by the downtown business's that the city begged to stay open during the G20 summit only to see their customers "fenced off".

$20 Million for G20 security, nothing for the "Woman's Walk For Peace" on Oct. 3rd on the North Side. http://www.womenswalk.org

More Photos:

G20 Summit 2009 Pittsburgh, PA Album 3 - Military Zone!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114075&id=507894491&l=dccf843881

Pittsburgh Welcomes The World! Good Morning Vietnam!!!!!

2009-09-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh Welcomes The World!

Good Morning Vietnam!!!!!

Media Fear Tactics, Steel Cages, Blackhawk & Chinook Helicopters, armored Humvees, & Secret Command Posts. Just another day living in the hood.

With three successful non violent G20 protests under our belts Jasiri X and I venture out into the streets of Pittsburgh today to cover the G20 from our perspective with a little more concern. I went to bed last night to the comforting sounds of sirens and helicopters. The site of fresh razor wire on The North Side, steel cages being erected downtown, Black Hawk & Chinook Helicopters overhead, armored Humvees and Thousands of Police Officers, State Troopers, Homeland Security Officers, The National Guard and the Secret Service gave Pittsburgh the feel of a city under occupation.

Media reports of the Secret Service's "Secret Command Center" (http://www.wpxi.com/politics/21069145/detail.html) add to the fear and intrigue: According to Channel 11 "It's A War room" and "Channel 11 was sworn not to reveal its location". The heavy Military and Police presence combined with dire Media reports have spread fear and confusion throughout Pittsburgh. Despite peaceful protests so far local folks are afraid and angry at the prospect that today's un-permitted protest "March on the G-20" and Friday’s “Day of Action” will be violent and unruly.

According to Tim Schooly of The Pittsburgh Business Times: http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/09/21/daily42.html An independent threat assessment report by a Dallas-based firm called The Densus Group ranks today’s March on the G-20 and Friday’s “Day of Action” as having the highest risk for disorder for the Pittsburgh Summit.

Called the G-20 Pittsburgh Report, the Densus research rated the threat of disorder for the Thursday march from Lawrenceville to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center as “high” and described it as “likely to be the most violent event of the week.”

Mike Boda sent me great link to listen in on radio scanners during the G20: (Pittsburgh City Fire and G-20 Police Operations:) http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=2242

G20 Summit 2009 Pittsburgh, PA Album 3 - Military Zone!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114075&id=507894491&l=dccf843881

We're going in....

--
Paradise Gray
One Hood MEdia
Http://www.1hood.org

Presidents, Movie Stars, Shoot-outs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Homeless people living under the bridge

2009-09-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Presidents, Movie Stars, Shoot-outs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Homeless people living under the bridge and in actual holes in the wall, just another day living in the hood, with Jasiri X and Paradise Gray!

An amazing past few weeks in Pittsburgh, PA had Jasiri X and I in full media mode:

Speaking on Panels at the Netroots Nation Conference, Video

Later we watched Ex President Bill Clinton lay some serious smack-down during his Keynote speech.

We went to Michael Moore's Press Conference at the AFL-CIO Conference: Part One:

Part Two:

Then we marched downtown Pittsburgh with Michael Moore and the Nurses Unions.
And sat with him at The American Premier of his new movie "Capitalism, A Love Story".

The next day we watched President Obama address the AFL-CIO Conference live at the David L Lawrence Convention Center

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

We interviewed the people living under the bridge on the North Side. They said that the Pittsburgh police have told them to move for at least 10 days beginning near the G20 start date. And for them to stay away from downtown.

They also said that Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu has been coming by and looking out for them with food and cash as just after they said it Troy pulls right up and checks on them.

Then last but not least!

We just missed a shoot out between two African American youths, 3 blocks from where we were filming.

Just another day living in the hood, with Jasiri X and Paradise!

Michael Moore debuts his new film "Capitalism: A Love Story" in Pittsburgh

2009-09-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

Michael Moore debuts his new movie "Capitalism: A Love Story" for the first time in front of a American audience at the Byham Theater in Pittsburgh 9/14/2009.

After 6:00 PM press conference at the AFL-CIO Convention at The David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Michael Moore led an enthusiastic crowd of union members on a march through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh on the way to the Byham Theater.

Jasiri X and Paradise Gray took the opportunity to film Jasiri X's new video "The Only Color That Matters Is Green" during the event.

The movie is off the hook! Must see, Michael Moore has outdone himself! Speaking truth to power, he uncovers the heart breaking stories of Americans who's homes have been foreclosed and the politicians/con-men on wall street and bankers who have created the mess.

The movie also features a long buried, never before seen speech by President FDR about the direction he wanted America to take after the World War II that should end the debate on whether President Obama's Health Care plan is socialism.

See first hand what has happened in Washington that caused the crash on Wall Street, The Housing crisis, The loss of jobs and the economy crash. This movie will get you fired up and can't take no more!

Well done Michael Moore!

Full press conference:

Part 1

Part 2

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=111974&id=507894491&l=bdb1de3086

Jasiri X's review of "Capitalism: A Love Story":
http://www.lyricsincorporated.com/realtalkxpress/?p=1609

40 Years In The Wilderness

2008-04-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

By Paradise Gray

A diverse group of Freedom Ryders from Pittsburgh, PA members of The League Of Young Voters, Teens Against Senseless Violence, (T.A.S.K.), Healcrest Farms, Student Conservation Association (S.E.A.), GTECH, the Millions More Movement and One HOOD loaded up vehicles with young people and joined thousands of other committed and aspiring young people from across America on a mission of organizing, information gathering, networking and leadership training. As guests of Van Jone's/Green For All "A Dream Reborn" Conference, Elder Harry Belafonte's "The Gathering" and Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network 2008 National Convention it was a very busy and informative weekend.

We have seen the image of Dr. King laying on the balcony of The Lorraine Motel in Memphis Tennessee with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams and Rev. Ralph Abernathy pointing in the direction that the fatal bullet was fired from many times. In magazines, documentaries and in history books, it is the image of one of the most tragic moments in American history. Noting however, prepared me for the emotions that I would be overcome (no pun intended) with by standing at the very spot on April 4th, 2008, the 40th Anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination. The Lorraine Motel is now the site of the National Civil Rights Museum.

Friday morning April 4th, thousands of people came together in pouring rain and marched to the Lorraine Motel, Davey D walked with one of the original sanitation workers that Dr. King came to town to help.He told Davey that Dr. King was not in Memphis discussing civil rights, he was in Memphis helping sanitation workers who were on strike for better wages and benefits when he was shot and killed, 40 years later the sanitation workers of Memphis Tennessee still don't have a pension. We also found out that African-American's who make up over 50% of the population of Memphis only control 1% of the business's.

"It seemed that most of the preachers and leaders of organizations who spoke from the balcony were trying too hard to be King like, some even copying Dr. King's cadence and voice, like they were trying to make the media's high-lite reel by delivering the definitive speech of the day. The subject of racial issues was not handled well after it had been brought up, there are some serious problems in Memphis between Black and Brown people that no one touched upon. I'm also disappointed that no one from the Hip-hop generation was offered an opportunity to speak. Especially after noticing that in 1967 Dr. King spoke of the important role that music played in bringing different races together and the Hip-hop generation has done that very well."
- Davey D

Davey D was not alone in his disappointment of the days activities as there were multiple marches and separate events instead of one organized, unified voice and movement. There was grumbling and people were noticeably upset that 3 people who were on the balcony with Dr. King: Jesse Jackson, Dr. Wyatt Walker and Billy Kyles did not get a chance to speak during an event organized by Rev. Al Sharpton at the Lorraine Motel. And prior to the National Action Network's event the founder of the Civil Rights Museum Judge Bailey had his microphone cut off in the middle of his speech. The struggle was divided during the life of Dr. King between different factions and organizations, you had The Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X and The Nation Of Islam, The Black Panthers, The U.S. Organization and others who were played against each other by government sponsored COINTEL-PRO and similar programs. Those divisions are obviously still present as we have seen recently with the mis-handling of the marches and legal cases in Jena, Louisiana and now with the 40th Anniversary of Dr. King's assassination.

Thankfully, there are many organizations who are willing to work together in our struggles to keep the dream of Dr. King alive, we have to continue to keep the pressure on and fight against oppression and poverty for the sake of all people. We also have to hold each other accountable, not just leaders of organizations, elected officials and spiritual leaders but every individual citizen of this nation.

There was a great speech by Elder Harry Belafonte during the April 4th Foundation's 8th Annual Awards Gala where he received The "I AM A MAN" Award: "Mr. Belafonte used his speech to articulate the true "Dream" of his close friend Dr. King and explained to the audience that if Dr. King were alive he would be in the streets where our children are dying and being incarcerated everyday. He said Dr. King told him for just 50 brothers from the streets he would trade 5000 preachers. Mr. Belafonte also defended Rev Jeremiah Wright, saying the only problem with what Rev. Wright said was that more preachers are not saying it. He ended his speech by introducing the young leaders from the Gatherings Executive Committee and informing the crowd he would be helping us to develop an new movement to save America" - Jasiri X

After being introduced by Van Jones, President and Founder of "Green For All" as the Dr. Martin Luther King of the Hip-hop Generation, Rev. Yearwood of The Hip-hop Caucus brought the house down at the Dream Reborn Convention with a fiery speech, letting everyone know without doubt, that "We Are The One's That We Have Been Waiting For" and it was our responsibility to continue the struggles of our elders and ancestors. Rev. Yearwood preached that Dr. King was watching our efforts from heaven and he approves of what was going on to the left of the spot where he was assassinated.

I asked Khari Mosley about his experiences in Memphis: "I spent this past weekend in Memphis with the country's emerging progressive leaders discussing the next phase of the civil rights struggles: connecting the social justice movement to the environmental movement. We can no longer afford to exist in silos, the planet is in peril. We can save the planet and shift the global economy in ways that ensures wealth, natural resources and access clean land, water and air is available to all 6 billion members of the human family. This is our moral obligation of the 21st century. I am convinced that the future of our human existence depends on the next 100 years. I am convinced we have much more in common, than we have differences. I am convinced we share a common destiny. We shall either prosper or perish together. In these coming days embrace your "higher angels", if not for yourself, do it for those who await us in the next world. Do it for those who have yet be born. Dr. King once said: I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." - Khari Mosley

It is obvious that a time has arrived for new voices, new tactics and new opportunities, a time for this generation of leaders to stand up and take up the struggle for Freedom, Justice and Equality for all people going forward. New voices carrying an old message that America has not taken heed to for much longer than 40 years. We have the opportunity to frame our struggle in more inclusive ways, tying our struggle to the struggles of other's in areas that we all have a stake in. 40 years after the death of a man of God who was not afraid to let his "voice cry out from the wilderness", a man who had been to the mountain top and seen the promised land, a man who's eyes had seen the glory of the coming of the lord.

His voice still cries out to us from the grave with a message of Peace, Unity, Hope and yes, of Dreams, in his words:
"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

--
Paradise Gray
One Hood
Http://www.myspace.com/onehoodorg
Http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

Judge orders court for Pamela Lawton

2006-12-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

By: Paradise Gray

Police Officer Eric Tatusko
Photo: Paradise Gray

- Pamela Lawton stood before Municipal Court Magistrate Charles McLaughlin Jr. accompanied by the diverse group of supporters that have been with her from the beginning including: The One HOOD Coalition, B-Pep, The Blackwatch Movement, Disciples of the Village, The League of Young Voters, The Millions More Movement and The Thomas Merton Center. Ms. Lawton bravely retold the emotional story of the events that took place on August 26th 2006 when a routine traffic stop turned into a terrifing crisis as Ms Lawton testified under oath that Officer Eric Tatusko lost control of himself and pointed his weapon at the head of her 7 year old daughter Joshalyn and threatened to "Blow her brains out" if she didn't stop moving around and making noise.

The first thing that I noticed is that there were many more Officers in the courtroom that morning than usual (they certainly got the memo), and they were real agressive, telling people to take their hats off and be "Quite" in the court. Politeness was out of the question as they barked loud orders at people like they were talking to children rather than adults. Officer Eric Tatusko and Lt. Cindy Windsor showed up with at least 5 other officers. The DA only allowed testimony from Officer Eric Tatusko and Lt. Cindy Winsor who in spite of having since August to prepare, didn't seem to have their story straight.

It was great to finally hear Officer Eric Tatusko and Lt Cindy Windsor's side of the story and in my opinion Pamela Lawton came across as a much more credible person than both Eric Tatusko and Lt. Windsor. Who's credibility is already in question after telling Debbie Todd (The New Pittsburgh Courier Writer who broke this story) that she wasn't even on duty the day August 26th when Ms. Todd first started investigating Ms. Lawton's story. A clear lie as Lt.Cindy Windsor's name was all over the original paperwork. Officer Tatusko said that he noticed that Ms. Lawton's stickers were bad as he drove past her as her vehicle was stopped at a red light, he turned around and followed her in traffic for a few blocks without alerting her by turning on his lights or sirens. He said that he thought that she was speeding but he had no instrument to determine her exact speed and that he had a hunch that she was trying to flee. After a few blocks he was able to catch up with her after Ms. Lawton stopped behind a moving van that was blocking traffic. He then said that he turned on his lights and pulled Ms. Lawton over after approximately 50 feet. He said that he got out of his car and could immediately hear Pamela Lawton screaming at him to "Get Over Here" pointing at the street next to her out of her window, he then called in and reported that he had made a traffic stop and made a request for backup. He said that she continued to scream at him and ignored all of his commands to give him her license and registration and kept demanding that he come over to the drivers side window. He said that she identified herself to him as a police officer so he suspected that there was a weapon in her purse and he then unholstered his gun and pointed it at the ground and made a second call requesting for backup. Officer Tatusko said that when backup arrived at least 3 or 4 officers (including him) had their weapon unholstered.

Lt. Cindy Windsor said that she did not notice that any officers had they're weapons out when she arrived, and that she was attempting to calm Ms. Lawton down and asked her to sit down on the back of the moving truck. She admitted that she threatened to send Ms. Lawtons children to CYF if Ms. Lawton didn't calm down. Mr. Williams asked her what made her think that threatening to take away a mothers children would calm her down? Ms. Lawton answered that Lt. Windsor didn't ask her to sit down on the back of the moving van, Lt Windsor grabbed her by the arm and threw her down against the back of the van.

If I were Nate Harper (the new Pittsburgh Police Chief) or the Pittsburgh DA , I would do everything within my power to drop the charges against Pamela Lawton and charge Officer Eric Tatusko for his crime immediately! Ms. Lawton's Attorney Joe Williams did a great job of exposing doubt in Officer Eric Tatusko and Lt. Cindy Windsor's stories. They tentatively answered his questions and paused at great lengths before answering many times. Eric Tatusko stumbled often by answering questions that the DA objected to before the Judge could even respond to the objection.

Joe Williams also did a great job of breaking down the "Disorderly Conduct" charge, he argued that Pamela Lawton did not break the law as defined by Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes CRIMES AND OFFENSES (TITLE 18) CHAPTER 55.

* § 5503. Disorderly conduct.

a) Offense defined.--A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he:

1. engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;
2. makes unreasonable noise;
3. uses obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or
4. creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor.

(b) Grading.--An offense under this section is a misdemeanor of the third degree if the intent of the actor is to cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, or if he persists in disorderly conduct after reasonable warning or request to desist. Otherwise disorderly conduct is a summary offense.

(c) Definition.--As used in this section the word "public" means affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to which the public or a substantial group has access; among the places included are highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places of business or amusement, any neighborhood, or any premises which are open to the public.

The DA charged Pamela Lawton with additional charges of § 1376 (another traffic/vehicle related charge) and offered Attorney Williams the opportunity to delay to prepare. Ms. Lawton suggested to Mr. Williams that she wanted no further delays and wanted to continue on with the proceedings.

Mr. Williams argued that the charges should be dropped as Pamela Lawton had no "intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, nor recklessly created a risk thereof". Her actions were consistant with one of the most primal instincts of a Mother, and "served the legitimate purpose" of defending her children who were put at risk due to the actions of Officer Eric Tatusko who was pointing his weapon at her 7 year old daughter threatening to "Blow her brains out".

** "What is appropriate behavior for a mother with a gun drawn on her child? Is it a contrived response without a legitimate purpose," questioned Williams. "No, it isn't because there was no intent to cause inconvenience, no fighting or threatening or violent behavior. There was no unreasonable noise. There is no basis for a disorderly conduct." - Joe Williams

In response to Officer Tatusko's testimony that he felt that Ms. Lawton was attempting to flee, Mr. Williams questioned Officer Tatusko that if he had not alerted her with lights or sirens and was so far behind her in traffic how could he make that assumption?

Attorney Williams pointed out for the record that Officer Eric Tatusko was driven from the scene and not allowed to drive himself from the scene in the vehicle that he used to stop Pamela Lawton, suggesting that he had lost control of himself and had to be removed from the scene by the other officers. Mr. Williams also noted that Ms. Lawton lept into the arms of the first backup officer to arrive at the scene and felt that she was being saved from Officer Tatusko.

The DA refused to drop the disorderly conduct charges and reminded the Judge (Municipal Court Magistrate Charles McLaughlin Jr) that Officer Tatusko and LT. Windsor are an employee's of the Commonwealth and that means that the evidence presented "must be taken in a light favorable to the Commonwealth". Magistrate McLaughlin approved the DA's request to send the case to trial on Febuary 22nd, 2007.

This is another example of why the police are unable to investgate themselves, with just a few simple questions Mr. Williams was able to show inconsistancies in the officers stories. Mr. Harper the new chief of police is asking the community to cooperate with the police, however we never get the police to cooperate in cases of police brutality - Minister Jasiri X

*References: Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes CRIMES AND OFFENSES (TITLE 18)

**Lawton hearing held over for trial By Debbie Todd

Additional Info:

The New Pittsburgh Courier
Original Story in The New Pittsburgh Courier

Lawton hearing held over for trial

D27023908755>Citizen Review Board Hears of Pittsburgh Police Misconduct

Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
Woman faces trial for confrontation with police

Woman faces charges after confrontation with police

Mother tells review board about traffic stop, officer pointing gun at child

http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray
http://www.myspace.com/onehoodorg

Midget Pro-Bowl seeks ‘One Hood’

2006-11-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

Event promotes unity among all players.

By Deborah M. Todd

Full Story In The New Pittsburgh Courier

The tensions that arise on game day for Pittsburgh's midget football teams often have less to do with team rivalries than ongoing beefs between the team's neighborhoods. With that in mind, organizers decided to use the All-Star game to bring everyone on the same team.

The Housing Authority of Pittsburgh and the One Hood Coalition came together to host the first annual "One Hood Midget Football Pro-Bowl" Nov. 19. While the purpose of the game was to recognize the accomplishments of roughly 320 young athletes from Southwestern Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Midget programs, the event was also meant to promote unity among all players.

"It's important they stress the fact that we're all from one community and we need to begin breaking down barriers between us," said Richard Morris of the Housing Authority.

"We hope some kind of bond or friendship will come about," said Bob Poston, president of the Midget Football League. "Hopefully, through this, we can stop some of the violence."

Understanding that it would take more than a single football game to unite young people used to being adversaries on and off the field, Morris reached out to the One Hood Coalition to help spark a dialogue between them.

"They asked us to come in to do a workshop to engage young people in conversation about popular culture and how (it) influences daily decisions," said Paradise Gray of One Hood.

The Nov. 17 workshop invited young people from throughout the community to join the more than 400 youth football attendees to a community forum on violence prevention. As the youth were encouraged to create alliances with one another despite being from different teams and communities, they were lead by example through moderators from the One Hood Coalition and the violence prevention initiative One Vision, One Life.

"It's always positive when all types of organizations from all the different communities can be represented at one table," said Khari Mosley of One Hood. "It's really important to have groups like "One Vision, One Life" involved, who have been doing a lot of work on the ground for the past couple years. Now there's new organizations like "One Hood" coming into the fold as partners trying to assist a lot of the good work that's been going on."

To pay homage to their efforts in bringing the community together, One Hood was promised a $500 check from the Housing Authority. But for all parties involved with the Midget Pro-Bowl, the true reward came from seeing kids from Homewood to Beltzhoover form bonds that may not have existed otherwise.

"I think it's a wonderful thing that they brought everyone in the communities together," said Marilyn Stubbs of Beltzhoover, whose son Keenan played for the Southwest All Stars. "This last week, his experience has been so wonderful that he's been coming home from practice talking about "Mom, I played with this team and that team I was playing against. We all came together and became as one."

By Deborah M. Todd

Full Story In The New Pittsburgh Courier

http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

The First Annual “One HOOD” Midget Football Pro-Bowl

2006-11-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

The First Annual “One HOOD” Midget Football Pro-Bowl

In the wake of the increase of youth violence in our community, a group of leaders from different organizations have come together in unity to address the challenges by providing outlets to bring young people from different communities together using sports and recreational activities.

The Housing Authority of Pittsburgh is honoring “The One HOOD Coalition” this year by naming the pee-wee All-Star game: The First Annual “One HOOD” Midget Football Pro-Bowl. The games will feature the largest assembly of young talent that our city has ever seen.

The activities begin on Friday Nov. 17th From 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The One HOOD Coalition and One Vision One Life will host a Violence Prevention Youth Seminar at the Presley Street High Rise 601 Presley St.
(on the North Side behind the Giant Eagle Market).

The All-Star games are scheduled for November 19th at Oliver High School Stadium from 10 am to 5 pm and will include teams from two city leagues and will showcase as many as 320 players from throughout the city. There will be four games featuring players in the age ranges of 7–14 years old and there’s sure to be a future NFL player in the bunch. These children are to be commended for the hard work and dedication it has taken them to become “2006 One HOOD All-Stars”. Please join us in celebrating players from the following areas:

Allegheny County Midget All-Stars The Clairton Bears, Garfield Gators, Hill District Disciples , Homewood Bulldogs, Kingsley Knights, Lincoln-Larimer Big Cats, North Shore Stallions, and The Wilkinsburg Hornets.

South West Midget Football All Stars The Beltzhoover Browns, Braddock Falcons, Hazelwood Cobra’s, 6th Ward Seminoles, and the West Pittsburgh Steelers.

Participating Organizations;

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh:
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh is the highest quality provider of affordable housing in the city.

Our agency is committed to providing our residents with top notch sell sufficiency programs and youth recreational opportunities. – A. Fulton Meachem Jr. - HACP Executive Director.

One Vision One Life
One Vision One Life Is a violence prevention initiative whose goal is to reduce violence by offering an opportunity to a better life.

Bringing communities together is our goal. Being involved with the midget football league gives us the opportunity to do that. – Taili Thompson

One HOOD:
A pro-active grassroots alliance of young leaders from faith based organizations, community activists, political groups and concerned citizens, “Putting the Neighbor Back into The Hood”.

The League Of Young Voters:
A National organization that empowers 18 – 35 years olds in the civic process by making politics meaningful, relevant and fun.

Our organization always stresses that voting is just one aspect of being an active citizen. We must engage our communities using various forms of activism. Which includes mentoring young people to be positive and productive. - Khari Mosley Reginal Director

The Millions More Movement:
The Mission of the Milions More Movement is to gather the best, brightest and most willing minds to mobilize and organize our people, and to develop short and long range plans and programs for human development.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan teaches, "The more we unify, the more power we can generate to change reality." Our coming together is the first step of a movement that can and will change the conditions of our communities and our people. - Minister Jasiri X

Disciples Of The Village:
A faith based community organization that reminds us that “it still takes a village to raise a child”.

I am excited by the opportunity to provide this kind of outlet for the kids.
This is a great chance to celebrate positive efforts by our youth rather than focus on negative aspects of their lives. - Darnell Drewery

ISLah:
ISLah means the Initiative to Safeguard Life Assets and Honor- it is the outreach portion of
Masjid Nur Uz Zamaan (Light of the Age Mosque)

Organized sports has always been a means to create character in our community when it is not mistaken for personal gain and opportunity. - Luqman abdus-salaam

The BlackWatch Movement:
A National organization founded to fight for the rights of disenfranchised inner city youth, empowering them to use common sense, right reasoning and critical thinking to take responsibility for self.

You can’t just tell young people to say no to this and say no to that, at some point you have to give them something to say yes to. – Paradise Gray

Media contact info:
HACP Community affairs dept. 412-456-5058
rohrerc@hacp.org

One Vision, One Life – Tamera Miller – 412-434-1287

One HOOD Coalition – Paradise Gray – 412-537-1940
onehood@gmail.com

Allegheny County Midget Football - Bob Poston – President - 412-401-8439

http://www.myspace.com/onehoodorg
http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

HELLOWEEN

2006-10-31T14:47:00.001-08:00

It's Helloween night, it's a Hell of a sight
In the hood when the freaks come out at night.
Monsters and ghouls embodied by fools
In the shadows and the alleys of shut down schools
Doing the Devils work carrying the Devils tools.
In waitbands Glocks, to protect Hell's rocks
Snaps and fiends are like zombies as they walk the blocks
The Vampires don't suck necks here, they suck cocks
A buck fifty to your face, snatch your jewels that's fake
looks like Freddie Kruger slashed you, and you was wide awake
or so you thought, the American dream has turned into a nightmare,
nobody fights fair, you have no rights here.
Haunted crack houses missing windows and stairs
Halloween is one long night, 365 days of fear round here.
Devils night, Devils night, What A hell of a night
Get money, get money, there's no wrong or right
Our morals get lost when the money gets tight.
Razor blades in the apples, poison the candy
They give to the children, Devils night how dandy.
Sweet treats to rot teeth or Turn tricks for nose treats,
If you run to the church you'll have to run from the priests
Run to your bedroom, hide under the sheets.
But you'll never escape the evil that's under your bed
Redd up Pittsburgh, Red, Red, Red!

Paradise Gray Oct. 31, 2006
Http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

I wanna talk to the Mayor, the Governor, the Motherfuckin President

2006-10-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

"I wanna talk to the Mayor, the Governor, the Motherfuckin President
I wanna talk to the FBI, and the CIA, and the Motherfuckin Congressman
I wanna talk to you.

Mr. Mayor imagine if this was your backyard
Mr. Governor imagine if it was your kids that starved
Imagine your kids gotta sling crack to survive
Swing a Mack to be live, cart a Ack to get High" - NAS - (I Want To Talk To You)

In the past few weeks the members of the One HOOD Coalition left no stone un-turned while seeking justice for Pamela Lawton and her children. We reached out to the Mayor, the Govenor, Senators, members of the City Council, and even a future Presidential candidate. We have also reached out to Pastors, Ministers, Reverends, Imams, Elders and Community Leaders and everyone within ear-shot of us probably still has a ringing in the ear closest to where we were standing.

Khari Mosley and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

Minister Jasiri X, Khari Mosley, Bill Peduto, Paradise Gray

Senator Barack Obama, Minister Jasiri X

Bob Casey, Khari Mosley

Lynn Swann, Reverend Cornell Jones

We have demanded that elected officials be accountable to the people who vote for them and have asked them to have the testicular fortitude to step up and challenge a system of justice that is unjust and is attempting to criminalize our youth and railroad a mother who is seeking justice.

It all stems from a case of police oppression that occurred on August 26th, 2006 when Officer Eric Tatusko stopped Pamela Lawton and a van full of children, pulled his gun out, turned off his radio, cocked back the slide of his weapon and threatened to blow a 7 year old little girls brains out if she continued to move around and make noise.

Well Mr. Officer, we are not done making noise! We will continue to keep the pressure on.

On Friday The 13th, 2006 Ms. Lawton was treated like a criminal by being finger printed and photographed, she has had to appear in court again as she is still facing charges of Disorderly Conduct for yelling for help.

I asked sister Pam how she felt being finger-printed:

"I felt degraded, hurt and embarrased because I'm telling the children in the community and at the Shuman Center to obey God, the laws of the land and to get thier education, I tell them to pay attention to the instructions of thier teachers and family. And there I was being finger-printed like a criminal".

"I feel violated because of what that man did this to us, everytime I look across the table at my children I feel like they are still being terrorised and I can't protect them. I couldn't protect my own children from a man who is sworn to protect and to serve us, he has authority and took control over my children after taking it away from me" - Pamela Lawton

On October 24th, the Pittsburgh Civilian Police Review Board authorized a full scale investigation into The Lawton case.

At 7:45 the next morning (October 25th, 2006), Pamela Lawton's supporters braved the winter cold and crowded the Municipal Court Building in the Shadows of The Allegheny County Jail downtown Pittsburgh, PA.

When Pamela Lawton's name was called, nearly everyone in the room stood, approached the bench and stood behind Ms. Lawton and her Attorney Joe Williams. It was a powerfull showing of support that took the entire court by surprise.

In a questionable showing of respect for her peers, an obviously irritated Judge Katleen Bubash went against her own better judgement to throw the case out and allowed a postponement of the case until Nov. 30th, 2006 at 8:00 A.M. at the same Municipal Court Building on 1st ave. (downtown Pittsburgh).

She told us of an tacit (implied) agreement between the court, the DA and police bureau that she and her fellow judges honor, to allow postponements in cases where the police are not actually ready to prosecute. She acknowledged that this was a special case, but she would not treat this case any different than she does any other, in spite of the fact that she was angry that the DA and police were not ready to procede at the moment.

"For judges to have an implied agreement with the police, but no agreements spoken or unspoken with citizens, shows that the justice system is not blind and is biased against regular everyday people". - Minister Jasiri X

"They think that by delaying the case, we are going to give up or ease back. That's not going to happen. It's a state of emergency when our children are put at risk, we are going to continue to pack the courtrooms no matter how many times we have to do it until we see justice done. That's how much we support Ms. Lawton and her children". - Reverend Cornell Jones

"The wheels of justice roll oh so slowly at times. One of those times was October 25, 2006 when so many of us assembled to support our sister, Pamela Lawton. Unfortunately the legal system allows people like sister Lawton to be jerked around. I believe that the judge made the decision which she thought was appropriate, based on past practices of allowing the DA's office to ask for a continuance. The ruling did nothing to allay the fears, frustrations and outright pain being experienced by Pamela Lawton. This is why we CANNOT allow the system to intimidate us, to slow us down or to beat us. Let us rise up and make certain that at least as many people are present on Thursday, November 30th at 8 am, as were present on October 25th. We cannot allow those who are not our partners in justice to just "wait us out!!" - Tim Stevens

We demand that these bogus charges be dropped. We challenge the new "Police Chief Elect" Nate Harper to do the right thing also. Sir, if you truely want to help mend the relationship between the black community and the police dept. we ask that you begin by being a true agent for justice and get the charges against Pamela Lawton dropped immediately. Also suspend Officer Eric Tatusko pending the ongoing investigation, he is a danger to our community and to himself, he should not be allowed to patrol our community with a loaded weapon until it is proven that he is stable and in control of himself. We do not need "a token of racial diversity" Mr. Harper, We demand Justice! Don't tell us about justice, Show us.

Pamela Lawton is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 30th, 2006 at 8:00 A.M. We are calling for everyone who can get to the court to be there 15 minutes early. If you are thinking that you cannot make a difference, you should think again. We should all internalize this situation, you should treat it as if it were YOUR child, YOUR wife or YOU. If you live in the Pittsburgh area there is "NO EXCUSE" that is good enough that you should miss this court date! (Unless of course you are in a coma or ill).

Reverend Cornell Jones commented: "We will organize a Mini-Million Man March and walk up in there that deep if we have to".
Make no mistake about it, We have to.

Please continue to call and email Pittsburgh's Elected Officials and demand that the charges against Pamela Lawton be dropped:

Luke Ravenstahl
Mayor's Office Room 512
City-County Building
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-255-2626
Fax: 412-255-2687
luke.ravenstahl@city.pittsburgh.pa.us
mayorcompl@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Kathleen Kraus
Acting Director of the Public Safey Department
(OMI)
100 Grant St Room 732
Pittsburgh, Pa 15219
(412)255-2963
kathy.kraus@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Police Chief Elect Nate Harper
Police Bureau
1203 Western Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Phone: 412-323-7800

Len Bodack
Chairman of the Public Safety Services Committee
len.bodack@city.pittsburgh.pa.us
City-County Building
Suite 510/Floor 5
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Telephone: 412-255-2140
Fax: 412-255-2419

Paradise Gray
One HOOD
http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray
http://www.myspace.com/onehoodorg

The Coverup In The Pamela Lawton Case Is On - SPIN, SPIN, SPIN!

2006-10-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

Jill King Greenwood recently scribbled a story about the Pamela Lawton case in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_474307.html

It is to be expected that the "Right Leaning" Pittsburgh Tribune-Review would spin the story of Pamela Lawton, but Jill Greenwood could have at least been more creative!

Let's take a moment to dissect the hypocracy of Jill Greenwoods selective reporting and carefully chosen words written specifically to shape public perception in the case of Eric Tatuskco who aimed his gun at a 7 year old and threatened to "Blow Her Brains Out" during a traffic stop of Pamela Lawton and a van full of children on August 26th, 2006.

A sure indication of that the way that the media wants a story spinned is to look at the picture that they use of the subjects. The Tribune-Review published a picture of Ms. Lawton that is not very attractive, an old tried and true method used to "color" Ms. Lawton as an "Ugly" person. This tactic and many other dirty tricks that the mainstream media use to spread lies and propaganda are well documented in books such as:
"The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media: Decoding Spin and Lies in Mainstream News"
which is avaiable at: http://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Deceptive-Media-Mainstream/dp/1567511546

Then the tribune-review attempts to use Bill Peduto, who was the first public official to step up and deal with the situation in a professional and caring manner.

"Peduto said he doesn't know whether the allegations are credible."

"Credible" means "believable" or "trustworthy."

We have met with Bill Peduto twice since this incident and he made no such statements to us. The Tribune-Review is attempting to do two things with this statement.

1. You are trying to convince the public that Ms. Lawtons story is not "beliveable nor trustworthy".

2. You are trying to say that Bill Peduto is telling us one thing and you another, which is an attempt to undermine our trust of Bill Peduto.

We have heard no statement from the Pittsburgh police who have historically proven that their stories are not believable and they are most definately not "trustworthy" in cases of police brutality and bulling tactics

Police misconduct in '95 shooting death

Pennsylvania state police cleared in killing of 12-year-old

Pittsburgh police lock up antiwar protesters for 30 hours

The Tribune Review never covered the original story. Never interviewed any of the witnesses (there are more than 6) and failed to mention that Ms. Lawton never received a citation at the time of the incident. She received a summons for disorderly conduct 3 weeks later by mail.

According to the "Trib" Police and OMI officials declined comment, and Tatusko could not be reached for comment.

I would love to hear how they expain the fact the Eric Tatusko never called for backup and why they had to remove officer Tatusko from the scene rather than have him drive his own car that was used to stop Ms. Lawtron.
And if Pamela Lawton was guilty of "Disorderly Conduct" why did 10 police cars worth of Pittsburgh Officers not charge her nor arrest her on the spot? Why did Lt. Cindy Windsor lie to Debbie Todd of The New Pittsburgh Courier when asked about the case, Lt. Windsor said she wasn't on duty that day?

A note to Jill Greenwood and The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

I am a D.J. and a former Break-Dancer, I know a good "SPIN" when I see one!

--
Paradise Gray
Honorary Chairman, Pittsburgh LOC
National Political Hip-hop Convention
Grand Arkitech Of The X-Clan/ BlackWatch Movement
Minister Of Arts And Sciences Millions More Movement
Director Of Almost Home Youth Ministries
Minister Of Information/ One Hood
Http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray
Http://www.myspace.com/onehoodorg

"One Hood" members meet with Councilman Bill Peduto

2006-10-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

"One Hood" members met with Bill Peduto on Friday morning September 29th at his office in the City/County building. We were concerned that no elected official nor spokesman for the Police department had made a public statement in regards to the case of Pamela Lawton and her children being detained by Police Officer Eric Tatusko who according to Mrs. Lawton and several documented witnesses; pointed his weapon at Mrs. Lawton's 7 year old daughter Joshelyn and threatened to "Blow her brains out" during a traffic stop in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh on August 26th, 2006.

"This happened in my district and I'm trying to find out what happened,
I don't know all the facts, but I think that people need to know what's going on. I will be a conduit to all concerned individuals from different communities. It doesn't help anyone for the city to be torn apart or divided because people don't have enough information." - Bill Peduto

Mr. Peduto said that he had spoken to Ex-Police Chief Costa (who just resigned). Mr. Costa said that the Police had started an internal investigation into the matter. Mr.Peduto said that he would also speak to the new acting Police Chief Paul J. Donaldson about the investigation and advised us to reach out to the new acting Chief as well and meet with as many elected City/County representatives as we could.

We made a few suggestions to Mr. Peduto of productive ways of creating more accountability from the Police department to the community:

1. Drop all charges against Pamela Lawton.

2. Suspend Officer Tatusko without pay until investigation.

3. Cultural Sensitivity training for all officers who serve the public in our communities.

4. Better training on de-escalating problems.

5. Give the Civilian police review board more power.

6. Video cameras in police cars.

7. Work with community based organizations to deal with drug situations, crime.

8. Re-establish Community orientated police.

We will continue to be dilligent and keep the pressure on to insure that Pamela Lawton and her daughters receive justice.

In other related Pittsburgh Police news:
According to The Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Allegheny County Sheriff Pete DeFazio confirmed that he was retiring on Oct. 31. The Sheriff's dept. has been under federal investigation for corruption since 2002 resulting in the convictions of Mr. DeFazio's former Chief Deputy Dennis Skosnik and 2 other top Officers for bribery, tampering with a witness, mail fraud, making false statements and money laundering.

Paradise Gray
"One Hood"
Putting the Neighbor Back into "The Hood"

Civilian Review Board Hears of Pittsburgh Police Misconduct

2006-10-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

An emotional crowd came out to the Pittsburgh City County Building on Monday September 18/2006, the same night that "Big Ben" Roethlisberger made his 2006 debut for the Steelers. But they didn't come out to swing "Terrible Towels" on this Monday night. They came out to ask questions about why Pittsburgh Police officer Eric Tatusko waved his "Terrible Pistal" in the face of Pamela Lawton's youngest daughter 7-year old Joshalyn, terrorising Mrs. Lawton her two daughters, and two other children aged 2 and 3 years old who were in her car on August 26th, 2006.

I greeted Minister Jasiri X of Pittsburgh's Muhammad's Mosque #22 outside of the City/County building. He introduced me to Mrs. Pamela Lawton, who seemed a little shy and intimidated that we had showed up with so many young people who were very enthusiastically greeting her with hugs and handshakes. We had made a bunch of phone calls and sent out emails making a passionate plea for people to come out and show thier support for the women and children of our community. A diverse group heeded the call and representatives of One Hood, The Disciples of the Village, The BlackWatch Movement, The League of Young Voters, The Millions More Movement, The Black Political Empowerment Project, The Nation of Gods and Earths, The National Political Hip-hop Convention, JPB Inc, IDI Productions, Brotha Ash Productions, The Soul Pitt, Al Nur, Royal Tribe Music, The Community Empowerment Association, Urban Youth Action, The Mental Health Association of Allegheny County and other concerned community members met in front of the City/County Building for a meeting organized by the Citizen Police Review Board.

I suggested that we jay-walk and cross the street directly to the City/County building from the parking lot, Mrs. Lawton said that we should obey the law and wait for the light and cross at the corner. After we crossed the street she pulled Brother Jasiri to the side and told him that she was uncomfortable being in the center of so much attention and controversy because her only intention was to save her daughters life. Minister Jasiri reassured her that all of the people were only there to offer her support, and show everyone that there were black men in Pittsburgh who cared about our women and children. She thanked Brother Jasiri and we proceded to go upstairs to the City County Chamber room.

Mrs. Lawtons supporters stood as she approached the podium and silence creeped across the room as she spoke before the review board about the terror of being pulled over and having her life and the lives of her children threatened at the intersection of Negley and Kentucky Avenue in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh on August 26th by Officer Eric Tatusko. She became emotional as she described how Officer Tatusko approched the passenger side of her car and drew his pistal and pointed it directly at her 7 year old daughter Joshalyn and told her to get her hands up. Scared by the gun pointing at them while the officer ignored the pleas of thier
mother, the young girls screamed and cryed causing Officer Tatusko to tell Mrs. Lawton that if she didn't tell the kids to stop moving around and screaming he would "Blow her brains out"! Mrs. Lawton explained that she literally begged the officer to come over to the drivers window and deal with her as she was the only adult in the car, but he was focused and continued to point the gun at her daughter and ignored her pleas to put down the gun and take her identification. Mrs. Lawton then began to scream for help with her hands in the air. There are witnesses who heard Mrs. Lawton's agonized screams for help and saw the officer with his gun drawn pointed at the passenger side of the car. Officer Tatusko held his gun on Mrs. lawton and her children for over 20 to 30 minutes and Mrs. Lawton said that she was so relieved when other officers arrived at the scene that she attempted to hug the first one that came close enough, who pushed her away. To make matters worst Lt. Cindy Windsor a female officer separated Mrs. Lawton from her children and told her to "shut up or you're going to jail and your children to CYF". Mrs. Lawton had committed no crime, had no drugs or weapons in the car and neither she nor her children did anything to provoke the Officer to pull his gun.

Mrs. Lawton was not the only person to tell a nightmare story involving misconduct by the Pittsburgh Police, many people black and white told stories of being disrespected, yelled at and in a few cases beaten by Pittsburgh Police officers one lady told of how her 13 year old daughter was beaten up by police and Ms. Tamecia Anderson told a sad story of being handcuffed, arrested, stripped, beaten and shocked with a taser in a holding cell (while 4 months pregnant) by "Zone 5" Pittsburgh Police Officers and Correction Officers at The Allegany County Jail in 2003. When she awakened from being knocked unconscious and held for 3 days, she went to the hospital and was told that she needed emergency surgery because the baby in her stomach was dead. When asked why it took so long to come forward with this information Ms. Anderson responded "I was young and I didn't know who to call or where to go to report the Police. When you get beat up by someone, you call the Police, who do you call when the Police are the ones that hurt you?" I didn't find out about this Police Review Board until today.

I am OUTRAGED! at the actions of the Pittsburgh Police department, I understand that they have one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in the world, but that does not excuse the kind of behavour that the people spoke of in front of the review board. I am equally outraged at the people who did not come out and support. Some people really had some good excuses, classes, practices, prior engagements, soooo whattt! Would these excuses be worth the words if this was your daughter? Your family? There are no excuses good enough to explain why any man who heard about this meeting and did not show up should not have come. We have been talking the talk forever. It is time to walk the walk.

Freedom is NOT FREE! My Elder Sonny Carson once told me: "Never ask for anything that you can't take". You cannot ask for Freedom! We are reponsible for our women and our children and everything else that happens in our community. Drugs in our community - We are responsible, violence in our communiuty - We are responsible. When are we going to stand up like men and handle our business? We have stood on the backs of our mothers and our women for too long, It is time for blackmen to stand up on our own two feet. Our women must be tired of holding us up. We defend our money with our life, we defend our jewelry, our drugs, our block, when are we going to defend our women and children? We have to clean up ourselves and our community and put the neighbor back in the
"Hood". It is the only way that we will be able to fix our family situations and our relationships with our women. What could possibly be more important than that?
--

Paradise Gray
Honorary Chairman, Pittsburgh LOC
National Political Hip-hop Convention
Grand Arkitech Of The BlackWatch Movement
Minister Of Arts And Sciences Millions More Movement
Director Of Almost Home Youth Ministries
One Hood

America's Original Domestic Terrorist's Are Still On The Job

2006-09-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

By Paradise Gray

America's Original Domestic Terrorist's Are Still On The Job

I watched Jonny Gamage killed in Pittsburgh by over-zealous racist Police officers.
I watched the most guilty of the officers who lynched him "Officer John Vojtas" get a promotion and a raise.
I have watched Jerry Jackson shot and killed in a hail of 51 bullets in Armstrong tunnel by a Pittsburgh police officers.
I watched them justify it with lies coverups and red tape.
I watched officers on the scene change their story and tell the truth only to have their boss say that he would not review the case.
I have watched the FBI ransack a local Mosque on they're day of prayer.
I have watched armoured vehicles rolled through Homewood.
There are many other horror stories involving Pittsburgh and surrounding areas racist police officers, some we have heard about, most we have not.
Like what happened in a recent case in which a Braddock man was killed by the police?
The local news is chosing not to cover many of these incidents which seems to be occuring all too often.
I have watched the people do nothing!

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of watching from the sidelines. I will not sit back and watch the Police or anyone else put guns in 7 and 8 year old little girls faces and threaten to blow their heads off! We demand justice. These officers may be above the law that we pay them to uphold, but they are still under God. They still have to answer for it when they step over the line. And the actions of Officer Eric Tatusko was way over the line on August 26, 2006.

If we don't stand up and do something about the conditions in our community how can we even look our women in the eye? Look at what we are allowing to happen to our women and children, we should be ashamed of ourselves. I am not asking that anyone do anything stupid, I'm just suggesting that yall do what men do when their children are at risk.
I'm not asking yall to blow up, just show up. We must organize! If you think things are bad right now in America for our people you aint seen nothing yet!

In the name of "Homeland Security" they are stepping all over "The Constitution" and the Bill Of Rights" daily. Passing mind boggling new laws, bypassing the Geneva convention and FEMA has built over 600 new concentration camps in America, who do you think that they are gonna fill them up with? I just read in the paper the other day that House Speaker John M. Perzel is proposing to spend 4 Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars to hire 10,000 new police officers in Pennsylvania. 1,000 new officers for Allegany County alone, does that make you feel any safer? The local jails are already over crowded and under staffed, where are they gonna put people arrested by 10,000 new Cops? Many of you may think ignorance is bliss, but unlike Cipher (the snitch from The Matrix) reality is gonna come to you no matter which pill you take.. Blue, Red, Ecstacy, Viagra or Eminem's Purple pills.

I am angry right now. I don't think yall feel me, I am mad as hell! But, I am not as angry at the police officer as I am at myself and everyone around me. We have been attempting to organize and motivate others around us, but we are not doing as good a job of putting good people together to combat problems in our communities as we should. I hate reacting to every bad thing that happens to our people, I long for a time when we have our shit together so well that we stop this from happening before it starts. A time that the police department would better screen their officers for drug addition, steroids, greed, corruption, racism and such things because they would fear the repercussions of letting these monsters loose in our communities. As it is they have no reason to fear us, they have physically kicked our asses for over 400 years and we still haven't figured it out yet! We are still trying to make them better, instead of doing for ourselves, patronizing our own businesses building our own schools. Instead we send our children to be educated by the enemy, and when the enemy educates you, you become like him. You become your own worst enemy.

Why am I using such a harsh word as "enemy"? The Government is having a hard time painting us as domestic terrorists, so they have come up with a new term: "Enemy Combatant" and passed a new law: "The Enemy Combatant Law" that will allow them to bypass the Constitution and treat American citizens as they have the inhabitants of Guantanamo Bay. They are now able to arrest American's without proper warrants, without reading them their rights, without giving them a phone call, without giving them acess to a lawyer, they can hold you indefinately without charging you with a crime or even admitting that they have you in custody. Do you understand yet?

Besides, anyone who shoves a gun in the face of a 7 year old child is definately not my friend. One thing I know is that Officer Eric Tatusko surely isn't Officer friendly! He should be suspended without pay immediately pending an investigation into this incident and a peek into his past. Then upon finding him guilty, he should be fired without a pension and arrested for brandishing a firearm, making terroristic threats and disturbing the peace. We should not reward him with a promotion and a raise.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area come out tomorrow!

There is a Civilian Police Review Board meeting:

Monday - September 18th, 2006 - 6:00 PM
City Council Chambers
510 City-County Building
414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Call: 412-765-8023 to reserve 3 minutes of speaking time.
cprb@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Everyone who is interested in justice should show up at this meeting, but it should be of particular interest to black men. It is time for us to be responsible for our families and community. So many of us should show up that they should have standing room only and a large crowd outside that can't fit in. All sinners and saints alike should be at this meeting showing our love and committment for the safety of our women and children.

This is what all the fuss is about:

Officer allegedly draws weapon on 7 year old girl By Deborah M. Todd

Full Story in The New Pittsburgh Courier

What was supposed to be a typical drive through a peaceful Shadyside neighborhood, turned into a standoff with a police officer threatening the life of a 7-year old girl, according one local mother.

Pamela Lawton of the Hill District said on Aug. 26, she was on her way to Homewood for a Pee Wee League football game with her two daughters, 7-year old Joshalyn, 8-year old Jasmine, and two other children ages 2 and 3. She said she was driving her green, 1998 Ford Windstar and was approaching the intersection at Kentucky Street and Negley Avenue when a Pittsburgh Police cruiser signaled for her to pull over.

"He was flying up behind me and I stopped immediately because I wanted to stay in view," said Lawton. "I felt like there was something wrong—why would he fly up behind me like that? Plus, I had my kids in the car so it kind of scared me."

What Lawton said happened next was beyond anything her initial fears predicted. "I said, 'What's the problem, officer?' and he said 'Get your hands up,'" wrote Lawton in a prepared statement. "He repeated, pulled out his gun and pointed into the passenger side of the window where my youngest daughter was trying to get her seatbelt off. So, I put my hands up."

According to Lawton, she and her children spent the next 20 to 30 minutes trying to convince Officer Eric Tatusko to put his weapon down or to at least go to the driver's side to address the problem with the only adult in the car.

"The children were in the car screaming and crying," she wrote. "My hands were still in the air and I was screaming 'Help, someone help!' over and over again."

Florence Williams, a resident at the Kitley House Senior Center on Kentucky Street, said she didn't see everything that happened that morning, but she knows she heard the cries for help.

"I happened to hear somebody screaming and I came to my porch," Williams said. "I don't know what the cop was doing because he was on the other side, but she had her arms out the door and she was hollering 'Please, somebody help me.'"

During this time, Lawton says Tatusko refused to take her identification, never told her why she was stopped and never left the passenger side of the vehicle. She said at one point the officer got so angry he cocked his gun and said if Joshalyn moved again he would "blow her brains out."

Full Story in The New Pittsburgh Courier

Remember, Remember, The 11th Of September!

2006-09-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Remember, Remember, The 11th Of September!

This Predictable Paradox, Previously Presumed Prepared in the wake of Pearl harbor's past. Perplexed Pedestrians Painfully Peeped People Plunge from buildings without Parachutes Prematurely plucked from the pursuit of peace and posterity for what purpose? Pigs packing pistols, protecting Presidents perfectly planned plots, Pundits and prognosticators puke at the preposterous price of gas and oil, Professors of public policy pontificate procedures for Constitutional rights pawned, Promiscuous punks posing as prominent priests and preachers posturing Predators that partake in the pleasures of petite playmates and pedophilia, Proudly I would passionately pound them into the Pitts of the pigs parlor until they perish, along with the prosperous persons who prepaid insurance policies that paid powerful politicians, and pissed on pacified peasants while a plane plummeted in Pittsburgh's perimeter plus penetrated the Pentagon's periphery, Prevailing un-preparedness of Ben Ladens pursuit Personifies the Problem, Perhaps it pleases partisan politics to put into play a plan to provoke Armageddon wars that will plague and perpetually destroy this Planet, Period!

V for Vanglorious!
P for:Paradise Gray 9/11/2006

(This poem was inspired by an idea by the name of "V" from the movie: "V For Vendetta". This movie should be seen by everyone, immediately!)

Http://www.myspace.com/paradisegray

The Prophecy of Hip-Hop

2006-08-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

"Government Intelligence" is a misnomer. With at least a 30 some odd Billion dollar budget, the pre 911 "Intelligence" Agencies didn't have a clue about what was going on. In spite of the reports of Arab men at flight schools asking to learn how to fly but not how to land. That was a clue that I would expect the lowest level security guard to alert on. How did they miss that? To borrow a line from Keith Sweat "Something Just Aint' Right". What I do know is that I'm very uncomfortable with the people who have their fingers on the red buttons. I'm no conspiracy theorist but Bush is looking more and more like Senator Palpatine to me
by the day.

Some people may think that rappers are no rocket scientists, but either someone's lying about what they knew or rappers are clairvoyant, because they sure did a heck of alot better job than the government, understanding the danger and possibilities for terrorist attacks on The World Trade Center.

Eric B & Rakim's song "Casualties Of War", released in 1992 on the "Don't Sweat the Technique" album, Rakim says:

"So now I wait for terrorists to attack,
when a truck back fires, I fire back,
I DUCK FOR SHELTER WHEN A PLANE FLYS OVER ME,
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR? NEW YORK WILL BE OVER G",
Kamikaze, strapped with bombs,
No peace in the East, they want revenge for Saddam".

Equally prophetic and kinda weird is this next one from Busta Rhymes who seems to stay in the news lately.
(Hip-hop Cointel Pro is on you Busta! Be very carefull, you are probably being set up for a big fall).

Busta rhymes song "Against All Odds" from the 1998 album: "Extinction Level Event (The Final World Front)"

Busta's prophecy is two-fold here, a combination of both of the other examples.

First Busta's E.L.E. cd cover features lower Manhattan (the area where the World Trade Center was located) going up in a large blaze of fire, then at 1.19 of the track (911 backwards) - Busta Says:

"DESTROY ANY ARCH RIVAL, OR ANY CHALLENGER,
MAKE YOU REMEMBER THIS DAY NIGGA, MARK IT ON YA CALENDER,
I'm showin' you somethin', you ain't sayin' nothin',
My niggaz make noise like a bunch of volcanoes errupting,
NONE OF Y'ALL NIGGAZ REALLY WANNA WAR,
THE TYPE OF NIGGA TO CRASH MY PLANE IN YOUR BUILDING IN THE NAME OF ALLAH"

No wonder they keep hunting him down like his name was Osama Bin Busta!

And last (but not least), The Coup, their CD cover never got released to the public, however it is still pretty easy to find on the internet:

The planned cover art created in June 2001 for The Coup's "Party Music" album depicts The Coup with an exploding World Trade Center in the background, Coup DJ Pam the Funktress conducts the proceedings with 2 batons as "Boots" Riley handles what looks like a detonator but is actually a guitar tuner. The Cd was released in November 2001 with a different cover after the actual attacks on the World Trade Center.

Could this all just be a coincidence?

--
Paradise Gray
Honorary Chairman, Pittsburgh LOC
National Political Hip-hop Convention
Grand Arkitech Of The BlackWatch Movement
Minister Of Arts And Sciences Millions More Movement
Director Of Almost Home Youth Ministries
One Hood
www.myspace.com/paradisegray