My Right to Vote

Tomorrow my county has an election and today we've been told that there has been a change in our qualifications to vote.

According to Don Plummer of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "The U.S. Justice Department on Friday approved House Bill 244, which created one of the most restrictive voter identification laws in the nation...the rules for a Gwinnett County special election to be held Tuesday are changing in midstream due to last-minute approval of Georgia's controversial voter ID law. Voters will have to carry photo identification and will not be able to vote by absentee ballot on Monday, though they earlier received notices that they would, Gwinnett election officials said Saturday."

These changes offend me for two reasons. (1)I'm disabled, so I often use absentee ballot, and (2) having to have two forms of ID seems racially suspect.

Why racial, Dee? Please don't pull out the race card, Dee. Well...maybe I should pull the new immigrant card(as I am not a new immigrant, so I can appear non-biased. wink wink.) In order to vote tomorrow, you must show a state-issued photo ID. I have a drivers license, a state ID and an old GSA tag, if need be. But most non-drivers(Atlanta is the kind of town when you don't need to drive, because of the MARTA transportation system and you can walk or ride your back. It's that kind of city, so everyone has a driver's license. And some who do, may have lost theirs and had it taken away for driving, while taking Zyrtec. And there are some that aren't supposed to be in the states, but get free medical care and free public school education just like any citizen. So there are some georgians/hiding out georgians walking amongst us without state ids. You know...And then there are some who don't have state I, because they can't afford the ten dollar charge. Yes. In America, particularly in rural Georgia or project Georgia or college Georgia that can't spare ten dollars. If you've been in college, you know what I mean. ten dollars is the difference between a twelve pack of Top Ramein, a 2 liter sprite, a week of laundry, and 2 gallons in the tank. Ten dollars for a voter loving college student is hard. And you don't have to have state ID to use the college bank just your college id. Now if you attend state college--smile--then your id constitutes as a state id. But if you were like me and you attended a private ivy league institution(that's why you don't have ten dollars to spend) then your id is null and void outside of the campus walls. An old friend, Tyrone Brooks wrote a scathing opposition letter to this new law. But, of course, our justice department doesn't care about our justice. Thank goodness, I can vote. I hope you can, too.

A Bishop, A Bentley & Bad Taxes

A jaw dropping article about one of Atlanta's most beloved religious leaders, Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Bishop's charity generous to bishop
New Birth's Eddie Long got $3 million

By JOHN BLAKE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/05

"I'm worried that a few people are confusing the ringing of a church bell with the ringing of a cash register," Grassley said in a statement in response to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's inquiries about the charity. "When I hear about leaders of charities being provided a $300,000 Bentley to drive around in, my fear is that it's the taxpayers who subsidize this charity who are really being taken for a ride."
-Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)

"In general, an individual(s) salary and benefits should not be excessive and must be approved by the majority of board of directors who are unpaid and not related to the individual(s)," said IRS spokesman Mark Green in a statement.

"We touch a lot of people," Bishop Long said in his defense. "This is a world-impacting ministry, and I personally get a little offended when my integrity is questioned."

To read the entire article-- which is a mammoth of an article that includes BISHOP EDDIE LONG'S compensation breakdown, incorporation papers for Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc., Quitclaim deed for house purchased by Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc. and Bishop Long (address omitted) and so much more-- click on the link to read the entire article.

Right now. I don't have an opinion on this article until I get more information. I was a former accountant so I may look through the tax documents. Other than that, I hope you can leave comments here either for or against this investigation.

Do you think megaministers should receive large compensation from non-profits?
What would be a more ethical way for these ministers to receive a deserving salary without costing tax dollars?

Christian author's eletter to Grieving Protest Mother

Best-selling Charisma House author Stephen Mansfield, who recently wrote The Faith of the American Soldier and the New York Times best-seller, The Faith of George W. Bush, is drawing national media attention for writing “an open letter” to the mother of a slain soldier who has kept a vigil outside President Bush's home in Crawford, Texas, this month to protest the war in Iraq.

On Aug. 16, Mansfield posted a 502-word letter to Cindy Sheehan on his blog, www.mansfieldgroup.com . Sheehan, whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed in Iraq in April 2004, has generated a media firestorm since Aug. 6, when she camped outside Bush's ranch in hopes of meeting with him.

Mansfield, who read his letter to Sheehan on National Public Radio's All Things Considered last Thursday, said he does not want to diminish her grief, but he is concerned that she is detracting the heroic death of her son through her demonstration.

Whirlpool buys Maytag

From the BBC...

US home appliance firm Whirlpool has signed an agreement to takeover smaller rival Maytag for $1.7bn (£944m).

Georgia Mourns Fallen Soldiers in Silent Tribute Today

Flags will be lowered to half-staff and Georgians will be asked to pay silent tribute for two minutes Thursday at 1 p.m. to honor the memory of the state's war dead.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue will lead an hour-long public prayer vigil at the state Capitol Thursday. The governor has also ordered all state flags be flown at half-staff in tribute to those Georgians who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Kindergarten Writing Diva Mom

This morning I jumped up, put on my Mommy MuMu and made my sweetie pie some sausage and waffles for her first day of school. She woke up around seven. Smiled. Beamed actually. I wanted to cry. Prayed over her. We ate and talked about how fun today would be. She would go to Kindergarten and be a big girl; And I would go to my computer and write 2000 words of novel. We both did what we were supposed to do. I feel like a superhero now--Kindergarten Writing Diva Mom and Selah, my trusty smiley faced sidekick.