Artist/activist Nadir rants and raves about politics, culture and life.
"Ain't nothin' but The BLUES doin' the TALKIN', baby.
Conspiracy's all up inside your mind.
But I find it don't get better for my people.
It's just a theory but conspiracy keeps f*ck!n' with me all the time."
Although there is still no plan to seat their delegates at the Democratic National Convention, Democrats across the state of Michigan convened on April 19 to elect their delegates. The uncertainty of their status created some dramatic moments at Michigan's 14th Congressional District Convention in Detroit. Nadir was there to catch the action.
“In retrospect, this entire thing seems like a bizarre sociological experiment.”That’s what Michigan State University (MSU) student Robert Frisk wrote on the Facebook group he founded called I Got Gassed At Cedarfest 2008.
Frisk was referring to the “riot” that developed in East Lansing, Michigan on April 6, when he and 3000 to 4000 of his fellow students gathered for a block party at Cedar Village Apartments.What began as good natured fun on the first warm night of the year, ended with a few bad apples ripping up street signs and throwing beer bottles at East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) officers.
The ELPD responded with tear gas canisters, and 52 arrests, including 28 MSU students.The University has suspended six students so far.MSU officials and the police suggest that more punishments may be doled out as authorities review video of the incident.
The police have the luxury of reviewing their own footage as well as the evidence collected by dozens of partygoers with camera phones who have preserved the event by posting video online.YouTube videos show students anticipating, even provoking the inevitable as they taunted the police with cries of “We want tear gas!We want tear gas!”
East Lansing has endured a series of alcohol induced civil disturbances since the late 1980s, and according to Frisk, the legend of campus riots past fueled the frenzy this time.The Michigamme, Michigan native and I discussed the events during an online chat.
UAW workers have been on strike at American Axle plants in Michigan and New York since February 25. The work stoppage has forced General Motors to stop or slow production at 30 North American factories, and an estimated 40,000 people have been laid off.
We talked to striking workers about why they walked off the job.
More bad news from Michigan this week, and this is probably the worst in a recent streak of negative press.Detroit’s high school graduation rate is dead last among the 50 largest U.S. cities at 24.9 percent.
The findings of the report, issued by a group called America’s Promise Alliance, weren’t particularly surprising to me.I still can’t forget the Detroit Public School (DPS) billboard that shocked my wife, Akanke, and I when we first moved to Michigan from Nashville in 1999.
The billboard said:“‘C’ IT NOW, OR WE’LL SEE YOU THIS SUMMER – Sponsored by Detroit Public Schools.”
