Over the last week the Don Imus fiasco as brought out a plethora of emotions, comments, and discussion. The one that was most prevalent is the issue of the "Double Standard".

Why is it OK for someone black to say it but not Imus? Well first as an African American I do not think its OK for anyone of any background to make such comments. Not all of Black America agrees with the music(rappers) and media(entertainers) that promote and portray the language such as what Don Imus said. Black America is as diverse as America itself on issues and ideas including this one. I do believe however with the fall of Don Imus we must turn our attention to hip hop music and other media outlets. This is the fight that will be fought long and hard on all sides.

First dealing with music. Hip Hop Music is a multi-million dollar industry. In particular "gangsta" rap and music with sexual content. This is what sells. So you now must ask not only the people who make the music to change but the people who give them millions to stop promoting it. Are these people willing to lose money to help stop the culture of violence, hate and sexism to save the children who listen to this music of all ages and ethnic backgrounds? Of course not.  read more »

According to this post in The Huffington Post

Few, if any, will lament the loss of the OJ book and interview, but make no mistake, unprecedented media, and newspaper consolidation poses the gravest threat to freedom of expression, and the First Amendment.

Newspaper consolidation has been going on since I was born. I vaguely remember when there were nine newspapers in New York; now I don't really know how to count the papers, but basically there are three big ones, with The Times being the only one of "substance." And like The Wall Street Journal which I didn't count, it has become more a national paper, and I believe has suffered greatly for that.

Regan's OJ mixed media event was unconscionable. I hate agreeing with Rupert Murdoch, but it was shady to begin with. Who goes through a third party for payment? I would be wary just for that.

As a blogger who has been fighting the radical right since I began to blog, I am scared for the future of The First Amendment. Let Regan self-publish the book if she believes that it will be a cathartic experience for abused women. But she probably wouldn't put her own money into it, because she knows in her heart that this is pure exploitation.  read more »

FOR PHOTOGRAPHS
If you have not voted yet, take a camera with you and photograph your vote.

Here's what you need to do : If you use a service like Flickr or BUzznet, make sure you include The Daily Gotham as one of your "Post to blog" options. Even though you are not going to directly post to our blog, this will tell the services not to block us when we link to your images. Then just send us the link, and we're all ready to go.

If you don't have an online photo album, send us the image as long as it is:

(1) Not more than 450 pixels wide
(2) 20k in file size
(3) PNG, JPG and GIF only

FOR VIDEOS
You have to use either YouTube or Video Google for your vlogcast. Just send us the link to that.

FOR PODCASTS
If you don't have a blog, use Odeo or PodNova to host your podcast and send us the link.

Do you want to the a photoblogger, vlogcaster or podcaster for The Daily Gotham? Give us a hollaback!

Since we've decided to use YouTube and not host these ourselves, the process becomes a bit slow (it's not just as easy as dropping the file into a server). Check this post all throughout the day for clips of Beth Elohim Temple's CD-11 Candidates' Forum.

On greatest international threat to U. S.

On greatest environmental threat

How this...

...became this:

The German newsmagazine Der Spiegel has the scoop on a cartoon that Danish imams shopped across the Near East, presumably with the goal of inciting the ongoing riots. The "cartoon" in question purports to show the prophet Mohammed with a pig snout; an inflamatory picture, no doubt, if that were indeed the intent. However, it is not.

Der Spiegel quotes the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet in detailing the origin of the lower image. It is culled from a 43-page dossier that Danish imams showed around the Near East to illustrate supposed offenses against Muslims in the Danish press.

Here's the backstory: the image at top was taken during a yearly carnival in the French town of Trie-sur-Baise, a small farming hamlet in the Départment of Hautes-Pyrénées about 80 miles from Toulouse. The main industry of the town is, other than tourism, the raising of what must be rather delectable pigs – hence, their celebration in local folklore and at carnivals. The gentleman pictured above with the pleasing snout is one Jacques Barrot, who went on to win the contest he was taking part in. The goal of said contest was to produce the loudest, most natural oink.

In other words, whatever the "caricature" may be, it does not show Mohammed. Perhaps someone should inform the 'spontaneous mobs' running around in that bastion of free expression and liberality, Damascus. And the Danish imams should apply for positions at Faux "News" or other reactionary organs that value just such expertise – the term 'swift boat veterans' comes to mind - as they seem to possess.