From HotAir.com:

Yesterday, Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce challenged the city of Los Angeles and its mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, to put their money where their mouths are by ending their purchases of electrical power generated in Arizona.  In a letter exclusively provided to Hot Air, Pierce questioned how a city-wide boycott of Arizona would work while LA continues to light the city with Arizona electrons.  In response, Villaraigosa bravely … ducked the question entirely:

Mayor Villaraigosa is in Washington D.C., meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, but his deputy chief of staff issued the following statement: “The mayor stands strongly behind the city council and he will not respond to threats from the state that has isolated itself from an America that values freedom, liberty and basic civil rights.”

But Pierce wasn’t threatening anything.  The ACC doesn’t have the authority to cut Los Angeles off from Arizona power, although it has enough influence with utilities in the state to have them rethinking their sales policy.

Click here to read more, including Arizona Commissioner’s official threat.

Click here to view photos.

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Chuck D. Calls For Boycott Of Arizona

From the New York Times:

A group of Harlem protesters is calling for a boycott of the American Apparel outlet on West 125th Street in Harlem, asserting that the store failed to abide by a request made of Harlem merchants to close for three hours last Tuesday, in observance of Malcolm X’s May 19 birthday.

Malcolm X, the civil rights activist who was assassinated in Harlem in 1965, at age 39, would have turned 84 this month. In his memory, a group called the Malcolm X New Millennium Committee held a march and requested that businesses along 125th Street, Central Harlem’s main thoroughfare, close from 1 to 4 p.m.

“It’s really like a moment of silence,” said Omowale Clay, a member of the committee. The group makes a point of alerts businesses ahead of time, he said. “We hand-delivered the letter.”

The American Apparel store opened within the last year, and a spokeswoman for the clothing chain, Emily Nerad, said that the management of the store was not aware of the request. “We want to apologize for any offense taken by marchers who thought American Apparel was not in support of their rally for Malcolm X,” she wrote in an e-mail message. “Unfortunately, we did not receive advance notice about closing. Once the marchers reached our store in Harlem, the manager immediately closed the store.”

Click here to read more.

OPINION: Obama & The Racism Conference: Blacks vs. Jews?

The United Nations opens its first global racism conference in eight years on Monday with the U.S. and at least five other countries boycotting the event out of concern that Islamic countries will demand that in denounce Israel and ban criticism of Islam.

The administration of President Barack Obama, America’s first black head of state, announced Saturday that it would boycott “with regret” the weeklong meeting in Geneva, which already is experiencing much of the bickering and political infighting that marred the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa.

The Netherlands declared its boycott Sunday, while Australia, Canada, Israel and Italy already have said they would not attend.

“I would love to be involved in a useful conference that addressed continuing issues of racism and discrimination around the globe,” Obama said in Trinidad on Sunday after attending the Summit of the Americas.

But he said the language of the U.N.’s draft declaration “raised a whole set of objectionable provisions” and risked a reprise Durban, “which became a session through which folks expressed antagonism toward Israel in ways that were often times completely hypocritical and counterproductive.”

“We expressed in the run-up to this conference our concerns that if you adopted all of the language from 2001, that’s not something we can sign up for,” Obama said. “Our participation would have involved putting our imprimatur on something we just didn’t believe in.”

Some European countries are still deciding whether to attend the U.N. conference.

U.N. spokesman Rupert Colville said Germany informed the global body on Sunday that it would boycott it. In Berlin, the German Foreign Ministry refused to confirm that, but said the government would announce its final decision on Sunday night.

Britain said it will send diplomats, despite concerns the meeting could become a forum for Holocaust denial or anti-Semitic attacks.

At the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI said the conference is needed to eliminate racial intolerance around the world. Asia News, a Catholic news agency that is part of the missionary arm of the Vatican, said of the pope’s comment: “The Holy See is distancing itself from the criticisms of some Western countries.”

“I am shocked and deeply disappointed by the United States’ decision not to attend,” said U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay, who is hosting the conference.

She conceded some countries were focusing solely on one or two issues to the detriment of the fight against intolerance, but said it is essential that the issue of racism be tackled globally.

The major sticking points regarding the proposed final U.N. declaration are its implied criticism of Israel and an attempt by Muslim governments to ban all criticism of Islam, Sharia law, the prophet Muhammad and other tenets of their faith.

OPINION: Obama & The Racism Conference: Blacks vs. Jews?

Some eerie historical dates coincide with the conference, which is supposed to examine the various manifestations of racism, intolerance, discrimination and xenophobia around the world. Tuesday marks this year’s day for Holocaust remembrance, while Monday’s opening of the conference falls on the birthday of Nazi Germany’s leader Adolf Hitler.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — who repeatedly has called for the destruction of Israel and denied the Holocaust — is slated to speak on the first day. He also meets Sunday evening with President Hans-Rudolf Merz of Switzerland, the country which represents the diplomatic interests of the United States in the Islamic republic.

A British Foreign Office spokesman said Britain doesn’t want to see countries such as Iran debating about whether the Holocaust occurred. The official spoke on customary condition of anonymity.

The pullout of Germany would be significant as it has played a leading role in U.N. anti-racism efforts as a result of its troubled historical legacy. In recent meetings, it has expressed dismay about some governments’ attempts to downplay the significance of the Holocaust.

The bland U.N. draft statement does not mention Israel by name, but it reaffirms the Durban statement and its reference to the plight of Palestinians. That document was agreed after the United States and Israel had walked out over attempts to liken Zionism — the movement to establish a Jewish state in the Holy Land — to racism.

Israel and Jewish groups have lobbied hard against Western participation in the meeting, arguing that the presence alone of American and European negotiators would give legitimacy to an anti-Semitic gathering.

Still, after years of contentious preparations there appears little evidence to validate these fears. The statement of 2001 that is so contentious now was cheered in Israel at the time, as it recognized the Jewish state’s right to security. Then-Israeli President Shimon Peres called it “an accomplishment of the first order for Israel and Israeli democracy.”

Pillay said, “I fail to see why, given that the Middle East is not mentioned in this document, that politics related to the Middle East continue to intrude into the process.”

Washington could easily have opted out of any language reaffirming the 2001 Durban Declaration, while taking part in the new agreement, she said. “And then we could have all moved on together, and put the problems of 2001 behind us,” Pillay added in a statement.

Regarding its boycott, the Obama administration said it could not endorse any statement that singled out Israel or included passages demanding a ban on language considered an “incitement” of religious hatred. Such calls “run counter to the U.S. commitment to unfettered free speech,” said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

Many Muslim nations want curbs to free speech to prevent insults to Islam they claim have proliferated since the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. They cite the 2005 cartoons of Muhammad published by a Danish newspaper that sparked riots in the Muslim world.

European countries also have criticized the meeting for focusing heavily on the West and ignoring problems of racism and intolerance in the developing world.

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OPINION: Obama & The Racism Conference: Blacks vs. Jews?

The Obama administration is reconsidering its planned boycott of a controversial U.N. racism conference that is deeply opposed by Israel and Jewish groups and will be attended by Iran’s president, the State Department said late Monday.

In a move likely to upset its staunchest Mideast ally and its supporters, the department said the administration was pleased by a diplomatic push to revise an objectionable document that the meeting will adopt and suggested it could attend the meeting if the efforts succeed.

“We hope that these remaining concerns will be addressed so that the United States can re-engage the conference process with the hope of arriving at a conference document that we can support,” spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement.

The announcement came as the administration reviews its policy on Iran with an eye toward engaging the Islamic government and as Iran’s official news agency reported that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will attend the April 20-25 World Conference Against Racism in Geneva.

In February, the Obama administration said it would not attend the U.N. meeting unless its final document was changed to drop all references to Israel and the defamation of religion.

Although specific references to Israel subsequently were deleted, the document retained language affirming the findings of the first World Conference Against Racism, held in Durban, South Africa, that many believed were anti-Semitic.

The United States and Israel walked out of the 2001 conference in Durban over a draft resolution that singled out Israel for criticism and likened Zionism — the movement to establish and maintain a Jewish state — to racism.

In February, after attending preparatory meetings for the follow-up conference, the Obama administration said it would not attend “Durban II” unless the meeting’s final document was changed to drop references to Israel, defamation of religion and demands for reparations for slavery.

Wood said Monday that there had been “substantial improvements” to the draft but that there were elements that “continue to pose significant concerns,” including the affirmation of the Durban declaration and a portion on incitement to religious hatred that the U.S. sees as “suggested support for restrictions on freedom of expression.”

Israel and Canada already have announced they will boycott the meeting.

Israel, which was deeply concerned when the administration sent a delegation to the preparatory meeting, has lobbied hard for the U.S. to stay away from the conference.

There is  a bitter irony in America’s first black president continuing to boycott the UN’s international conference on racism scheduled for this month.

President Barack Obama’s position on attending the conference translates roughly into: Do it our way or we won’t play. He has already gotten all references to Israel, to reparations for slavery, and to a proposed ban on speech defaming any religion dropped from the conference’s draft document. Yet, he is still unwilling to have the United States attend. Even if the administration bullies its way into getting its final points, it is not really a win for the United States.

Obama’s foot dragging and threat of a boycott will begin to deplete whatever goodwill he has created for himself and America in the nations of color. People in those countries, like many Americans, hoped he would head up the fight for racial justice, not become one of the obstacles to it.

The president’s decision to boycott will undercut his attempt in Turkey to reach out to the Muslim world. It has been reported that the boycott was urged by members of the Jewish community in both the United States and Israel. If he continues to cave to that pressure, it will be seen in the Muslim world as more proof that America cannot be counted on as an honest broker in any peace process.

Read the Rest of the Boston Globe Story

Tell Obama to Attend the Racism Conference

A while back, Rush Limbaugh attempted to divide the party lines between democrats for Hillary Clinton and those for Barack Obama. Limbaugh prayed for riots in the streets. As much as I wished that the recent CPAC conference would turn to riot between racist Rush supporters and decent Republicans who were not racist but believed in conservative principles and values, there weren’t enough of the latter to start a confrontation.

After the Barack the Magic Negro controversy, I wrote an article on why the GOP Must Denounce Limbaugh and why we should boycott his parent companies.

The Republican party must choose if its principles is it fiscal responsibility and family values, or racism, sexism and a desire to see our country fail.

Top 10 Racist Limbaugh Quotes

Here Are Some Ways We Can Take Out Rush the Evil Bigot

1. Get Him Off Armed Forces Radio

Not only does Limbaugh have the support of hundreds of GOP politicians, but he is also one of the voices of Armed Services radio. That means all soldiers, whether they be female, Black or Latino, three groups who Limbaugh continually offends, have no other options on the radio than Limbaugh. Everybody should write in to their elected officials and demand that Limbaugh be taken off Armed Forces Radio. There is no reason tax payer money should go to Limbaugh while minorities and women soldiers are forced to listen to that bigot. Radio.

2. Force the GOP to address him.

The media has been doing a good job asking Republican officials to address Rush Limbaugh and let the country know what side they’re on. We as citizen journalists can do the same thing. Elected officials are public servants and must listen to the concerns of the public. The officials must be asked the question Pete Seeger posed, “Which side are you on?” Here is an example of how we can act locally to take down Rush.

Make Republicans Address Rush

3. Boycott Clear Chanel

Clear Channel is Rush Limbaugh’s parent company. Not only do they distribute Rush Limbaugh but they also own many Urban Radio stations which play corporate sponsored negative Hip Hop. If the black community were to boycott these stations(I assume they are already boycotting Rush), it would force Clear channel to address Limbaugh and we would hit them in the pocket and force them to tell us “Which Side Are You On?”

Here is a List of Rush’s Sponsors

4. Boycott CPAC Sponsors

CPAC chose to back Limbaugh and make him their keynote speaker, legitimizing his political beliefs. We should also try and boycott their sponsors as well. Some of their sponsors are BMW, AT&T and Google as well as several questionable Right Wing neo-cons racists and imperialists. These sponsors must address why they are sponsoring a neo-conservative thinktank that uses a bigot as their spokesman.

Here are CPAC’s sponsors

5. Protest Stations that Cover Limbaugh
Rush must be given the same treatment as the New York Post’s Sean Delonas. THe center of Rush’s power is WABC 770 AM in liberal New York. 770 not only carries Rush but also other right wing bigots like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham. A nice protest outside 770 would call attention to the hate and bigotry the station spews daily.

We proved how successful protests can be with the recent action taken against the New York Post cartoon. Now we must take out Limbaugh. If Black people can unite with Latino groups and women’s groups, both of whom Limbaugh has offended in the past we could make the Post protest look miniscule.

Here’s a List of the Republicans Who Are On Rush’s Side

George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Sarah Palin, Condoleezza Rice, Clarance Thomas, Tony Snow, and Matt Drudge. All of these people either appeared on Rush’s show or hosted his show for him.

Here’s a List of Republicans Who Are Scared of Rush

John McCain (despite the fact that Limbaugh bashed him in the primaries, he has never uttered a disparaging word about the evil bigot), Michael Steele(criticized Limbaugh and then apologized), Phil Ginney(same as Steele). Bobby Jindal(called Limbaugh a conservative leader)

Here’s a List of Republicans Who Stand Up for Their Conservative Principle and To Limbaugh’s Bigotry and Negativity.

None so far

Anti-violence advocates are taking a stand against a video game in which players stalk and rape a mother and her two daughters.

Amazon and eBay have already banned the sale of the game, called Rapelay.

But New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said Monday that the game is available on other Web sites.

Quinn and the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault called on all video game distributors in the U.S. to refrain from selling Rapelay.

Rapelay is made by a company called Illusion, based in Yokohama, Japan.

The company’s Web site says its products are not available for sale outside of Japan. The company did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Check Out An Article on How the Internet Fuels Teen Anger

Watch an Expose on the Rapelay Video Game

7,000+ Members Stand Against Racism

BP Member Rosko_24_7 says, “The recent issue with the NY Post and their cartoon was just the tip of the iceberg. Racism is rampant in the US and all over the world. We need to stand up against it.”

BP Member Rosko_24_7

To add your name to the Member Petition Against Racism (NY Post Chimp/Stimulus Cartoon) click here. For our editorial on the NY Post Cartoon situation click here. For the latest updates on this controversy click here. To add your comments and on the situation click here.

David Peart
I support this petition because the time has long come to say enough. It has never been acceptable to engage in this sort of blatant disrespect, but it does appear that there is an element out there who believes that they deserve a free pass on such behavior. They are wrong, and maybe the now unfortunate necessity of this papers demise will educate the last stubborn vestiges of such bigoted ignorance that their lack of self control is not a birthright the nation are obligated to endure absent rebuke.

Yvonne Jackson
The placement of the cartoon is irrelevant. The simple fact that it is a chimp and it references the “stimulus bill” identifies the chimp as Obama. Together with the long history racist of equating black people with animals makes the cartoon utterly inexcusable as merely “free speech.” It is hate speech plain and simple, so full of hate in fact that its author fails to realize that it doesn’t even rise to cleverness.

Shani Porter
I support this petition to fullest because the cartoon made me very sick to my stomach. Also it made me very disturbed by people having the audacity of publishing this racist drawing. If it was any other president, this picture would’ve never been created.

Gary Shaw
I support this petition. I suggest also that we boycott Fox 5 and the NY Post and push for their financial sponsors to yank their support from them.

Malcolm Mccormack
I support this petition.Because the New york Post has being doing this for a Long time & geting away with it… Time to shut them Down.

Lillie May Jackson
I support this petition It’s the same song, different verse, Why can’t we ( Americans) be like children, accepting of everyone!

Richard Packard
I support this petition. I have continued to spread the message about FOX news and the way they have historically treated black people. This is good work. Truly, Rick Packard, Chicago

Carmen Pullen
I support this petition. the idea that something like this still occurs in 2009 is absolutley ridiculous. This needs to stop.

Chicago Rounder
I DO NOT support this petition. I am not offended by the cartoon and believe that the time and energy of Black men and women in this country is better spent on real atrocities such as addressing violence and drugs in our neighborhoods, educating our children and ourselves, and promoting high moral values in our community. A so-called “racist cartoon” is the least of our worries.

W. Parham
I completely support this petition. And would like nothing better then to see The New York Post, The Boston Herald as well as the Fox Network boycotted from now on because this is not the first racist or insensitive comments either of those Newspapers have made and it won’t be the last unless something is done.

Raine Stefens
I support this petition. This is not acceptable for a brighter future. Let these hurtful hateful thoughts go. Thing about racists is that if they got their way and all other races disappered … they would start killing each other off

C. Henderson
I support this petition and the view that the cartoon may have been created with different intent then received BUT I do not accept the cartoon. The cartoon by itself is acceptable. The words by itself is acceptable. Placing them together is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Blackman Whoaint Bitter
This is coming from a black man… Get over it! Nothing is worse than black people who have no clue of what those before them went through, getting on their high “dats racist” horse every time they sense a HINT of racism. If you ever expect things to get better in this country, you need to start being part of the solution, and not part of the problem!

CHERYLL MARTIN
I support this petition. I am totally outraged with this cartoon. There is no way the post can clean this up, it pure unadulterated racism.

Terrance Perry
I support this petition. After all the comradery that was displayed at the signing in of our new president. It shows that ignorance is still ramped in our country. It goes to show that we still have a long way to go, when people can still get away with showing racism in a public venue. Im very dissappointed in but not angry. I still expect this behavior from some people.

Maurice Russell
I support this petition.I can’t believe that anyone would think this is funny. Shame on anyone who does. Blacks, Whites, Asia,Hispanics, and everyone else voted Obama in..Not just one race. People Grow UP!!!!!

shawn white
I support this petition.And further decry the notion that an apology is enough.Fire those involved or shut them down enough is enough.

RON HARRELL
I support this petition. SO LET ME GET THIS RIGHT. SOMEONE ALLOWED THIS 2 REACH THE PAPER’S…THE EDITORS ALLOWED IT THREW..AND THE PRESIDENT OF WHATEVER JOURNALIST COMPANY LET IT HAPPEN…TELL’S YOU ALOT ABOUT THE WAY THEY RUN THERE BUISNESS!!!SEEM’S 2 ME LIKE THEIR THE MONKEY’S AND THEIR BUILDING IS THE CIRCUS..LOVE A TICKET TO THAT SHOW!!..LOL

Destiny N
I support this petition. That is a nasty message to the young people and to everyone out there that sees this. There was no need for this cartoon. If the creator wanted a significance to the actual chimp that got shot, he should not have added that specific quote. Adding the quote is what made it racist, and i am white.

James Modeste
I support this petition in its scope. My outrage extends to the mainstream media that considers this type of freedom of speech acceptable.

Sterling Williams
I support this petition. In light of the fact that President Obama just signed the stimulus bill I find it to be of very poor taste and not funny at all with the inferences that can be drawn from the comments in the caption.

Devon Dassaw
I support this petition because the time is now for a major change on race across this entire country. Accept the diversity or get out. Remember your ancestors are mixed with black, white, latin roots, and more.

Amirah Wint
I support this petition and feel very outraged and hurt by the ignorance we as a Black people have to face. There is a fine line between “freedom of speech” and hatred. The NY Post definitely crossed it.

David Ortez
I support this petition. This is a racially charged cartoon aimed directly at president Barrack Obama and African-Americans everywhere. There is no way to justify this the image drawn by the racist N.Y Post and we will not stand for it. A public apology is in order by all parties involved in this disgusting show of bigotry. There is a thin line between freedom of speech and prejudice…and has been crossed.

Ivan Gainous
I support this petition. That cartoon is apalling and insensitive. It shows the underlying thoughts of some people’s prejudice and hatred.

Alysia Orengo
I support this petition. I can’t believe this type of behavior and to think a newspaper actually allowed this to be printed. Are you kidding me?

avonia taylor
I support this petition. Not only is the said cartoon a disgrace to President Obama the said cartoon is a disgrace towards the entire country. If a News paper company can disrespect our president so the world can see, other people outside the U.S can feel the exact same way, but possibly go further with their hate. America is suppose to be the Land of the free and the home of the brave , but the only thing i see within the post and others since the election is that they’re free to say whatever and brave to do it without any care. With that being said I as a young female feel we should do the same, but in a classy and a well manner as when Our President ran for Office. There I am more than grateful I was able to take part in signing this petition. Yes we can, Yes we did, and Yes we’ll rise!!!!!