Wyclef Jean Contemplating Presidency

Did someone say President Wyclef Jean? Reports are floating around the net that the ex-Fugee singer is considering a bid for the Haitian presidency. Jean has been a strong supporter of his homeland and its youth for several years. He founded the Yele Haiti Foundation in 2005 to help raise funds for Haitian youth putting almost 7000 children in school, and informing over 2000 young people a month about AIDs and HIV. Rumors of Jean’s aspirations could be traced back to when the singer was appointed ambassador-at-large in 2007, by the current president, Rene Preval. In an e-mail to the media, the Jean family stated, “Wyclef’s commitment to his homeland and its youth is boundless, and he will remain its greatest supporter regardless of whether he is part of the government moving forward … If and when a decision is made, media will be alerted immediately.” (Huffington Post) In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Jean reports he intends on being apart of the election on Nov. 28, whether his name will be found on the ballot is still unsure. Most candidates are expected to publicize their bids by Aug. 7,2010.

This is a tough decision for the artist to make. The impoverished Caribbean nation’s elections are often combative and violent. If Jean does decide to run, he would then have to prove that he has resided in the country for the past five years, own Haitian property, and has never been a citizen of any other nation.

Posted by:

Conan

Fresh Daily ft. Theo Martins- Pastelz

01 Pastelz feat. Theo Martins by 99problemsdotorg

Posted by:

Conan

Nelly- Trippin’ in the Club

Nelly – Trippin’ In The Club by 99problemsdotorg

Posted by:

Conan

Los – “Next Black President”

Los – Next Black President by 99problemsdotorg

Posted by:

Conan

Pittsburgh Enacts Reforms to Curtail Police Brutality

Earlier today, Pittsburgh’s city council approved new bills designed to help curtail police brutality. One bill will place video and audio devices in the cars of marked vehicles, as well as finding a separate means of storage for the video and audio footage. Another aspect instructs the police chief to inform the Office of Municipal Investigation of any use of excessive force that may be in violation of regulations.

These reforms, introduced by Pittsburgh councilman Ricky Burgess, are in the wake of the Jordan Miles controversy.

Earlier this year, three officers approached Miles in an unmarked car. They claim that Miles demonstrated suspicious behavior – walking briskly in the middle of the night – and appeared to be concealing something heavy within his jacket, presumably a weapon, which actually was revealed to be a soda bottle. The officers claim they flashed their siren and Miles proceeded to run.
Miles states that there was never any siren or any other type of warning. He was walking when the officers exited their vehicles after him.

“Where’s the money?” one shouted, according to Miles. “Where’s the gun? Where’s the drugs?” the other two said. “It was intimidating; I thought I was going to be robbed,” Miles stated to Ramit Plushnick-Masti at Huffingtonpost.com.

Miles then took off running towards his mother’s house but fell on the slippery sidewalk. By the time he regained his footing, the officers were on his back and advanced to beating him.

Miles, a student at Pittsburgh’s prestigious Creative and Performing Arts High School, is described as a quiet studious teenager. His mother goes on to tell Huffingtonpost.com, “I feel that my son was racially profiled… My son, he knows nothing about the streets at all. He’s had a very sheltered life, he’s very quiet, he doesn’t know police officers sit in cars and stalk people like that.”
These bills can help prevent future police brutality.

“The new bills are a step in the right direction, but still not enough,” stated Paradise Gray, organizer of One Hood, stated during an interview with 99problems.org. “The new changes would not have prevented what happened to Jordan Miles because the police were in unmarked cars,” Gray states. “They have to systematically change the way the police profile African-American males.”

While officers work undercover, there is no video or audio to monitor their behavior. The officer can only rely on their best judgment and often times they instinctively have every black male, in a bad neighborhood, pegged as up to no good. If Paradise Gray’s words were taken to heart, then tragedies like Jordan Miles story could be prevented.

Posted by:

Conan