Who will replace Obama in the U.S. Senate?

Now that Sen. Barack Obama is President-elect Obama, the big question is who will take his place in the United States Senate.

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr has been outfront pushing his name as a replacement. He has made a number of media appearances since Nov. 4, and he clearly would like Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to choose him.

But then you have Valerie Jarrett, a close confidant of Obama who has a long history in Chicago's political, social and business community.

A wildcard in this is the man who is Obama's political godfather and a chief rival of Jackson Jr.: Senate president Emil Jones.

Jones, who paved the way for Obama's path to the U.S. Senate, is 72-years-old and is retiring as leader of the Illinois Senate.

Obama owes him a lot, but his age could be a barrier. The one advantage he has is that Blagojevich owes Jones big-time. He has been the governor's biggest backer on a multitude of issues.

Blagojevich has made no indication as to who he wants to fill the final two years of Obama's term, and the decision is all his.

So all we have to do is just wait for him to make a move. Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeed

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[The ICE INSTITUTE]

An OPEN LETTER TO THE CULTURE…

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN BEGINS WITH MORAL CLARITY

THE INNER CULTURAL EXCHANGE INSTITUTE

No two greater social movements impacted and altered the history of America these past 50yrs. as did the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements of the 60’s and 70’s. It is with this selfsame “voice”, committed to social change and reform we believe the beginning of the 21st century here in America will be defined by the ‘REBIRTH” of the culture of Hip Hop into a ‘MOVEMENT’ of serious and affective social activism and reform. The last two decades witness a radical shift in the subculture commonly referred to in America as Popular Culture. What began as a regional artistic expression of disaffected urban youth has become at the dawn of the 21st century the most dominate, recognized and influential American cultural expression. Hip Hop Culture, it is also the most ineffective, impotent and powerless “VOICE” for social activism due primarily to its moral bankruptcy and the larger societies ‘view’ of the culture as a vehicle for only entertainment and consumerism.
We at the INNER CULTURAL EXCHANGE INSTITUTE are committed to giving back ‘voice’ to the culture through moral rebirth with a vision towards the culture evolving into “A MOVEMENT “for effective change and historic social activism. Before this evolution can take ‘root’ there has to be a “collective shift” in the consciousness of the youth and young adults who dominate the culture.
To date, most young people who identify and take influences from the culture do so through cultural imagery and it is these powerful IMAGES that until recently ‘defined’ Hip Hop Culture. However, disaffection is rampant in the body of Hip Hop especially with respect to its continued Moral Degeneracy in its music, fashion and overall cultural matrix whether intended or unintentional. Enough has been said and more than enough examples have been cited, all too recent relative to its very offensive messages of misogynistic, homophobic, nonconformist, alcohol and drug condoning and as someone recently said: pornification of American culture. Our stated purpose is a commitment to “Enjoining the Social Good and Eradicating the Social Ills” as defined by the larger society in fostering a ‘collective shift’ in the consciousness and behavior of the youth and young adults who have chosen Hip Hop as a cultural expression and to some extent away of life.
We at the INNER CULTURAL EXCHANGE INSTITUTE are committed to doing in and for the Hip Hop Culture what the ‘Moral Majority’ did for Christian Conservatism in America in the latter part of the 20th century. Many will find that statement Radical we here at the ICE Institute find it no more Radical than the notion of a BLACK PRESIDENT of the United States. Change we can believe in begins with moral clarity; we will galvanize the masses on a platform that ‘enjoins social good and forbids social ills’® and all that that entails, in the INDIVIDUAL, in the FAMILY, in the COMMUNITY and finally in the CULTURE. The first step in this process begins with the culture evolving into a realistic avenue through which Moral Values can realistically be taught to the masses. Traditionally the transference of Moral Values in America took place through four (4) primary sources, the HOME, the CHURCH, the SCHOOL and finally the ENVIORNMENT. We here at the ICE Institute believe there can be no meaningful change and development in neither Hip Hop Culture nor a realistic transition towards a MOVEMENT until there takes place GENUINE MORAL REFORM. Likewise, we believe this moral reform must be presented in a multicultural, multiethnic all inclusive context which draws its AUTHORITY from the three (3) dominate Moral Cultural Traditions in America. The Abraham Traditions (the Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions). The national media labeled President Bush’s reelection in 2004 ‘a moral shift’ in the countries collective response to global affairs. We here at the ICE Institute view this year’s election as a ‘MORAL SHIFT’ in the Cultures response to DEOMESTIC AFFAIRS. A new Cultural Door is about to be open in the history of this country and the Hip Hop Culture and its followers will be the eyes and ears through which the rest of the world will view America as we begin this second decade of the 21st century.
It is a common theme in Hip Hop Culture that the ‘old school’ (baby boomer’s) generation has failed in its duty to teach and pass on ‘ that legacy of social and moral responsibility’ which were the corner stone of the feminist and civil rights era. The culture has failed to produce morally-upright leaders, visionaries, individuals and or groups who can affect collective shifts in the masses thinking, approach and views on REAL ISSUES, to wit: Jena La. was in fact a death blow to the ideology of the civil rights era. We failed to be that bridge, we failed to ‘pass the torch’ we somehow let the ‘DREAM’ die. We here at the ICE Institute concede none of the above, we however take full responsibility and shamefully admit we failed to develop morally decent human beings out of our children. We have turned our moral trust, our moral authority over to our children and their culture in the home, schools, communities and to some degree the larger America society. It is therefore with a sense of deep shame and commitment that we here at the Ice Institute appeal to all associated with the Culture to support us in our efforts to reclaim in ourselves and our children, our youth and our young people that most precious of all human values, MORAL DEGINTY.
The message of ‘enjoining social good and eradicating social evil’ in Hip Hop is an enormous challenge to undertake. We intend to use every means at our disposal as it will take a monumental plan and equal amount of effort and expense to move the Culture from stagnation to a movement of significant social reform. Our leaders today speak of ‘DEFINING MOMENTS IN HISTORY’ we view the Culture as being in and apart of this defining historic shift in American history. What we need as much as your support is your confidence in the ability of the culture and people in it committed to changing lives, there’s their families, communities, their country. We need your commitment to the Moral Rebirth of our children, our youth, and our young adults in shaping the Moral Ideal we believe in called America. Finally, we ask for your ‘voice and activism’ in making history, being apart of history and yes! Writing this continued legacy we call America.

THE ICE INSTITUTE

Note: Please post all comments:
innerculturalexchange@gmail.com
iceinstitute@lycos.com

[The ICE INSTITUTE]

Draft for print and internet media submission

A Hip Hop Manifesto©

From: THE INNER CULTURAL EXCHANGE INSTITUTE

WORDS ARE THE TRUE POWER OF

HIP HOP

…And God said: let there be light…
The Torah of Moses

…In the beginning was the word…
The Gospel of Jesus

…Read! In the name of your Lord who created…
The Qur’an of Muhammad

HISTORIC TRADITIONS:

Contrary to public perception and or popular opinion the above three traditions are in fact the very foundation upon which rest both the problems and solutions to what has become the greatest political, military and social crisis mankind faces today. The world can no longer remain indifferent (silent) to and or ignorant (in denial) about the reality of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions and their decedents Zionism, Democracy and Islamic Shari a. The 21stCentury and its dazzling array of technology has blinded the world to the reality that WORDS and the response of people to them, written, spoken etc. have just as much power. Just as in the beginning, so throughout this march of human history it is and will remain the ‘Power of Words’ that lead people bind them, unite them, and or sever them. It is through the power of words that laws are established boundaries and national borders are fixed, people are set free or enslaved, wars are declared and the peace is made. It is the sound each human makes at birth and the cry of every soul at death. Words are the most powerful of human expressions. And today no other group of people on the face of the earth has the ear of the human family through the power of words, speech and has captured the hearts and minds the very souls of the masses of humanity like the Culture of Hip Hop.

The history of what we call Western Civilization has at its very roots the above three traditions and unbeknownst to most of those in the culture the true reality of these same traditions (political and social) and their overwhelming influences of each and every one of our lives. The Judeo/Christian twist of the 10 Commandments of Moses is the foundation upon which rest the entire judicial and legal system in Western Civilization. The Christian tradition’ render unto Cesar that which is Cesar’s and unto God that which is God’s’ lay the seeds of what we in the West call secularism, the separation of church and state. From these
Traditions evolved the foundation of the Constitution of this country. WORDS! Words spoken by humans that forever altered the destiny of mankind.

WORDS-HUMAN RESPONSE-MOVEMENTS:

History tells us that mere words alone however eloquent and or soul stirring, all too often have fallen on deaf ears. History also teaches us that words that galvanize the masses of people often plant the seeds that spark Movements and it is these shifts in human thinking that translate into Movements that alter and change the course of history. History and the echo of spoken words (ETERNAL TRUTHS) have left a lasting impact on the course and destiny of mankind. From Moses’ cry of ‘let my people go’ we have witness the continued struggle of oppressed people for thousands of years. Jesus said: ‘no greater love that this, that a person gives his life for his brother’. Today the world calls suicide side bombers. Muhammad said: NO GOD but ONE GOD and the forces of idolatry (money, fame, lust, power etc.) still wage war against this most profound of all truths. And so to our passage into history is not unlike those before us. The 20thCentury has added its VOICE to the march of human development. We’ve heard the voice of a diverse group of people here in America and across the globe the past 100 years and it has altered, changed and touch all of our lives no matter race, gender or economic standing. Perhaps no two forces greater than the Communist movement in Russia and the Nazi movement in Germany altered the geo/political landscape of the world these past 100yrs. and so to the collapse of both. While here in America the Civil Rights movement and the Feminist movement forever changes the political and social fabric of this country. Each found its VOICE in human speech as a reaction to social conditions, and each galvanized the masses into a shift in the “COLLECTIVE COUNCIOUSNESS” the collective thinking, collective approach to change. Social, political and economic movements that challenged confronted and ultimately replaced existing status quo. The voice of the masses ALWAYS begins with the words of a few.

THE CROSSROADS AND HIP HOP CULTURE:

Just as the two most influential political and social movements of the past 50yrs. here in America the Civil Rights and Feminist movements faced a crossroads in direction and approach so too the “ Movement of Hip Hop “ as a social and political force has reached a crossroads. For the culture to view the recent Presidential Elections as anything more than a response to the Cult of Personality in relation to Hip Hop as a MOVEMENT is a joke. As there exist to date no fundamental measurable growth and or directional movement in the culture (no national or international vision). And if Hip Hop is to evolve into a Movement of real social and political reform, then Hip Hop too must under go a “collective shift” in consciousness, thinking and approach. This shift can only take place once we separate the “IMAGE of HIP HOP from the VOICE”. The future of Hip Hop as a social and political Movement lies in understanding the past (the roots) and how the VOICE became a slave to a manufactured Image.

The past 25yrs. in the evolution of Hip Hop ‘consciousness’ has saw no greater shift in directional content than that of corporate and individual materialism over pure social and political expressionism. What began as a voice for social and political dissent (urban political, social and economic stagnation) has succumbed to naked materialism and unchecked immorality. The door to this disintegration in content and message was open when Corp. America (The Image Maker) saw an opportunity to make huge amounts of money as the market for those ‘tales from the HOOD’ captured Johnny and lil-Suzie’s attention in white America.
Once the Fresh Prince proved ‘SAFE’ i.e. entertaining and profitable “IMAGE OVER CONTENT” became the blue print. And what is true of all great social movements so too in Hip Hop. The established order (record industry and corp. America) could never accurately predict its next ‘shift’ and hip hop’s next shift took a violent and addictive turn in expression and image. Gangster Rap (glorification of non-conformist behavior as a direct result of spiritual and moral desecration) was and remains the most addictive social drug of American youth. It is but an offspring of the larger societies overall spiritual and moral collapse. This IMAGE of the THUG had become the new hero in American folklore. The late 80’s and throughout the 90’s saw ‘tales from the hood’ become reality T.V. shows on local late night news and Corp. America made Billions selling , promoting , and repackaging that IMAGE. What Tupac and Biggie did economically for Hip Hop can never be fully understood by the masses, (new heroes for mass consumption). What corporate America did too Tupac and Biggie may go down as the biggest economic PIMP PLAY in human history even bigger than the African/Euro slave trade. Before they made money ‘off of you’, now you pay’em to enslave you morally, spiritually, politically, socially and economically.
Before you WORSHIPED HIS IMAGE (Eurocentric interpretations of reality), now he has ‘SOLD’ you on the worship of your own.

WHAT YOU DON’T “SEE”/WORSHIP:

The culture needs to understand this eternal truth. The ACCEPTANCE of and ‘willing submission to’ an ‘imposed life style’, way of life governed by and obedience to rules, laws, customs, traditions of permissible and impermissible etc. that goes against fundamental Human Nature and Moral Conscience is in fact WORSHIP. The masses worship an Image i.e. life style and this image(this life style) has established moral and ethical STANDARDS approved and accepted as proper and correct by us, What we SEE as representative of Hip Hop culture millions of our youth and young adults are being taught is a morally and ethically acceptable life style. There exists no balance or counter weight to this IMPOSED life style. Modern day IDOLATY has replaced spirituality and any moral value systems. THIS IS WORSHIP. Silence total and absolute in the face of this CALL to the worship of this IMAGE (LIFE STYLE) is proof of a people’s willing submission. What we see, promote, support, inculcate in our lives, allow our children and youth to idolize, our home environments to nurture, that which we imamate in our speech, dress mannerism etc. That which reflects our social and interpersonal relationships THIS IS WORSHIP. “ Have you seen a person who has taken his/her own vain desires as a God?”

The Image Maker has seduced the masses in Hip Hop Culture into the Glorification and Worship of Images (A LIFE STYLE) that appeals to human desires which promote moral and spiritual destruction. “REALITY” has been defined for the people in direct proportion to their decent into moral and spiritual Self-destruction. When 11 and 12 year old sons ask their father’s to go to strip clubs for birthday presents, when 9 and 10 year old little girls wear thongs beneath hip hugger jeans and we think its cute. When sexual intercourse and its many suggestive layers becomes the visual narcotic used to seduce the youth and strip them of their moral decency. When alcohol and drug usage are promoted as socially acceptable, pushed literally as ‘being cool to do’. When ‘REALITY’ says: gun toting and senseless violence are the normal problem solving solutions. When prison sentences are glorified as rites of passage and the drug game is the aspired to choice of career occupation. When womanhood is defined as mutable childbirths before one finishes high school. When poverty and literacy are ‘CHOICES’ made “COLLECTIVELY” for us(from forces outside the Culture).When death is no longer an end to life but a legacy of a generation of lives cut short. One must ask; who taught you this? Who has said to you: this is REALITY? “ There are those whose SPEECH BORDERS on MAGIC”.

No human form of expression is more powerful than the Spoken Word. The ESSENCE of Hip Hop
from its inception has been rhythmic manipulation of the Spoken Words. The Power of verbal communication and its effects on people is incomparable to any other human expression. “ WORDS’” that can and do uplift the human sprit are WORDS that can also debase its very nature. Human speech has the capacity to at once generate the highest of human emotions(love) as well as the lowest of human sicknesses(hate). Words have freed the human soul and enslaved body, mind and soul. Human emotions find there truest expression in WORDS, while mental and psychological perceptions(the ‘I’ and ‘me’ we SEE ourselves as) are made-up “ CREATED” from WORDS. The world we see and the reality we call ‘LIFE’ are defined by the words. Each and every human characteristic has ‘WORDS’ that define it. Love, hate, family, friendship, trust, loyalty, justice, injustice, freedom, slavery, poverty and wealth. God, good, evil. Righteousness, unrighteousness, life and death. War, peace, right, wrong, light, darkness, beauty, ugliness. “ WORDS’” words that can and do possess the POWER to LIVE to come to life through human expressions. And it is through this human expression also that words seduce, charm, enchant, dazzle, mesmerize, captivate, enthrall and in some cases enrapture. All of the above Hip Hop has cast over the masses through SPOKEN WORDS, most call it an ART FORM what most don’t know is there are many “ ART FORMS” that use spoken words. And: THERE ARE THOSE WHOSE SPEECH BOARDES ON MAGIC.

The ‘MARRIAGE’ of spoken(lyrical)words and melody are what we call in Hip Hop Rap Music(the most profound influence in all of hip hop’s cultural expressions). This marriage has TRANSFORMED Western Popular Culture, socially, politically, and economically. And it is this same transformative power in Hip Hop that has spawned a World-Wide following. The HIP HOP CULTURE: music, fashion, business investment, activism, educational study, innovations in entertainment, trends in marketing, the arts, literature, film etc. All these are the by-product of the movement, culture, consciousness we call Hip Hop. Millions of people all over the world embrace the Hip Hop life style as an alternative to traditional life styles, and whether or not we chose to SEE it as such the fact , the unquestionable TRUTH remains. The acceptance of and ‘Willing Submission to’ an IMPOSED LIFE style that goes against human nature and moral conscience IS worship.

WHAT YOU DON’T “KNOW”/ SLAVERY:

Slavery is generally defined as the suppression and or capture of a people or person physically or mentally against their will. Most of us view freedom as the opposite of the above two (2) conditions. And most of us likewise have absolutely no idea nor can we conceptualize slavery of ‘The Human Will’. Physical freedom has never been an obstacle to slavery of the will (ex. Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism). As a matter of fact physical freedom as ‘DEFINED’ by Western Civilization and feed to the masses is the ‘KEY’ to mental, emotional and psychologically slavery. How so? At its base level, it’s most primitive nature; humans have three (3) overwhelming primary natural drives (desires). Hunger, shelter and physical gratification. Most humans never evolve beyond ‘seeking satisfaction’ of these three human desires, not on a conscious level. All other human development with the exception of ONE (1) can be traced back to one of these three primary human desires. Money, wealth, careers, jobs, family, relationships, politics, class struggles, societal structure, education, science etc. Power, fame the entire spectrum of human endeavors springs from these three (3) primary Natural Drives. Simply put: control the satisfaction of these natural drives by “DEFINING HUMAN ENDEVORS WHICH SPRING FROM THEM” and the acceptance of these ‘DEFINITIONS’ slowly kills the human WILL to seek its TRUE IDENITY. ‘Hip Hop’ as defined by the Image Makers is slowly killing the ‘Human Will’ to SEEK its TRUE IDENITY in millions of people all over the world. ‘Hip Hop Culture’ as defined by the Image Maker feeds and promotes, sells and ‘IMPOSES’ on the masses a way of life(life style) that appeals to and satisfies those primary ‘Base Levels of Human Existence’. At its core this culture thrives because it destroys and suppresses at an early age in adolescence and young adulthood any chance for the GROWTH of ‘MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS or any sense of a BALANCED HUMAN NATURE’ What hip hop culture claims as ‘IDENITY’ in reality is submission(self-imposed) to IMAGES ‘IMPOSED’ on it through satisfaction of its desires. Money, fame, power, the illusion of control of one’s destiny have all been DEFINED not by the Culture( Conscious expression of the human will) but by those who TRULY made, make and control the Culture. The masses ‘FOLLOW’ chase, enrich and pay HOMAGE to, WORSHIP the Image of Hip Hop. The few ‘PROJECT’ and act out these Images and as so many like to say “ eat off the GAME” while the Image Makers continue to ‘SEE’ the big picture. How WORDS and the people’s response to them create movements in human development and in turn shape and alter the course and destiny of human history.

HIP HOP CULTURE A GLOBAL APPROACH IN THE 21stCENTRUY:

Center stage in world affairs (as opposed to Hip Hop’s existence which is a micros in the affairs of global Human Development) at the dawning of the 21stCentury are three(3) Cultural Traditions that have ROOTS in the three(3) Major Religious Faiths of the world, the Jewish, the Christian and Islamic faiths. Fundamentally the only remaining civilizations of any Geo/Political significance as we enter the 21st century are Western Civilization and Islamic Civilization. The most powerful and influential people of the Western block are the United States of America and Israel. The apparent claim to the leadership of the Islamic block is what Western Civilization has labeled Islamic Fundamentalism. As an aside, Communism as seen in China has a cancer call Capitalism (recent economic problems here in America point to many inherent defects in the Capitalist system) and the developing Euro-Union is in decline morally and spiritually and will be faced with tremendous Immigrations issues in the coming decades. The continued development of Western Civilization and Islamic Civilization as World Civilizations depends TOTALLY on how each of them remains TRUE to its “TRADITIONS”. The growth and development of Hip Hop Culture and here we mean the masses of people(once a SHIFT in CONSCIOUSNESS and THINKING takes place) into a GLOBAL MOVEMENT of true and significant geo/political influence rest in ‘ALLEGENCE’ to one of the above traditions. No matter how you do the math, when stripped naked and exposed in the ‘Light of History’ what drives each of theses traditions is their unquestionable belief (view of REALITY) in their traditions and BELIEF in their “GOD GIVEN RIGHT” to be the LEADERS (GOD’S CHOSEN RULERS of MANKIND ON EARTH).This is the heart and soul of what America and its leaders ‘BELIEVE’ about what they call Democracy.(see Barak Obama’s election night speech) The supreme reality of Israel is rooted in their ‘BELIEF’ as being the “CHOSEN PEOPLE of GOD” i.e. Jews v. Gentiles. All else in Jewish life flows from this REALITY. While the Islamic Tradition holds that none and nothing (No Governmental system, Nationalities, Human inspired way of life) is to be worshiped. followed, obeyed and or submitted to but GOD and the only acceptable way of life for mankind is TOTAL and COMPLETE SUBMISSION (ISLAM) to GOD. What we see in the world(no matter what we may call it or define it as) today is a struggle ideologically(war of WORDS or IDEAS) that has been ongoing for over 2000yrs. that has pitted these three(3) traditions against each other. The stakes being “RULERSHIP over the HUMAN FAMILY”. We can label Culture, Governments, Societies, Civilizations anything we like but the TRUTH, the REALITY of the Movement of Human Development since the dawn of Human Civilization has and always will have at its CORE this struggle for ruler ship on earth. This point of fact(world VIEW of human development) is non-debatable, to counter claim shows either ignorance and or continued attempts to ‘enslave’ the masses with falsehood, lies, definitions of reality as a TOOL to enslave i.e. His-Story, in one’s efforts to maintain control over the “ WILL of the Masses” in their search and struggle for true identity. And if we can keep it 100, don’t say S---! We done heard it all before, that’s the problem. It’s ALWAYS YOUR VERSION of His-Story and not the TRUTH of what really happened and more importantly what’s REALLY happening NOW! (see recent economic problems).

Without doubt the most eye opening event to reawaken the ‘CONSCIOUSNESS’ of the masses to this struggle as we enter the 21st century, were the events of Sept.11th,2001 and the subsequent War on Terrorism. What is more tragic than the event itself is the world and Hip Hop’s return to self imposed ‘SLEEP’ regarding this historic Shift in the realignment of the Players in this on going ‘WAR of CIVILIZATIONS’. Absent the cosmetic displays of outrage, horror, grief and the almost Broadway like produced tributes. The 9/11 ‘attaches’ were processed by the masses(worldwide in Hip Hop) and responded to in the same desensitized manor as the genocidal ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Rwanda in the mid-90’s. The mass starvations in Africa in the 80’s, the continuing worldwide HIV pandemic, Darfur and the list go on and on. Death, war, terrorism senseless killing etc, as programmed to us, has been “DEFINED” as valueless (of no benefit to us and so of no real concern) in our never ending quest to satisfy our PRIMARY HUMAN DESIRES (hunger, shelter. personal gratification). And so that part of our Human Nature that NORMALLY would rebel, revolt, and fight against such an assault against Human Dignity. Accepts, submits to, and remains SILENT about it and this SILENCE of “INACTION” is in an of itself a programmed response. It’s called Collective Condoning of an Action through SILENCE as SILENCE is a CHOICE too. When the masses of people however good their intentions remain inactive towards open social evil and injustice they then become a bigger problem than the acts themselves. The crossroads Hip Hop faces as we spoke of before has to do with the Culture making a historic ‘SHIFT’ in response to and activism involving greater issues, and global affairs with an eye towards historic consequences,(as one leader recently put it A DEFINNING MOMENT). The last few years have witness a growing dissatisfaction within the Hip Hop Culture. With the redundant messages and images of thugged out drug slinging’ gun popping, money stacking, Christial sipping, ghetto fab living, dime piece d---- sucking, Iced out sittin’ on dubs riddin’. Pimp, playa’ and Ho’s claiming, fake azz gansta’ portraying laced over slamin’ beats…message of reality, of what’s REAL. Listen-up NIGGA’!!!

We THANK YOU for your efforts, your hard work and your sacrifices. We feel your losses and we applauded your successes. You have POSITIONED THE MOVEMENT to step onto the BIGGEST STAGE of all; your VOICE now has reached a WORLDWIDE EAR. The DOORS are open to an unimaginable opportunity to affect and change the course of Human History. We “SEE” what you never saw, we “KNOW” what you were never taught and we have waited and prayed for this moment our whole lives

“YOU ARE THE BEST PEOPLE EVER RAISED UP FOR MANKIND”.

Every great Movement in human history achieved success through the committed efforts of the offspring’s of Adam (simply put: HUMANS MAKE HISTORY). The ruler ship over Mankind was a TRUST given to his seed in Abraham. (All three (3) traditions confirm this reality) and we are the BEST PEOPLE EVER RAISED UP FOR MANKIND, We are the TRUE VOICE of HIP HOP, we are the real future of the Hip Hop Movement and the future begins NOW!

THE FUTURE OF HIP HOP: It Always Begins And Ends With War

Change is inevitable in any movement and so too resistance to change. The forces that control the direction and definition of Hip-Hop as a Culture will be the first to resist any change as they stand to lose more so than the individual players involved. Nonetheless, change has appeared on the Hip Hop scene and the BATTLE for the very SOUL of the Culture has begun.*see notes. Very few people leave a legacy as endearing a message as profound, and lasting impressions on the WHOLE of HUMANITY as have these five (5) illustrious individuals. No greater WORDS were spoken by greater men. No reaction from the masses of humanity was ever recorded from words or works of greater men. No names remain embedded in the hearts and minds and on the lips of generations upon generations of humans as these rare souls. And finally, no people or persons in the history of human development has altered, shaped and made HISTORY as these have:

Say: We believe in that which was reveled to NOAH, ABRAHAM, MOSES, JESUS and MUHAMMAD…

Western Civilization has open the 21st Century with a “CALL” to humanity to approve of and support their belief in the principles and establishment of Democracy as the only ‘rule of governing’ mankind (see Bushes 2002 State of the Union address) As a subculture within the larger American Society Hip Hop has by choice in its silence given allegiance to Western Civilization attempts to seek ‘ruler ship’ over the human family. The 2008 Presidential Election and the election of Barak Obama as the first African American(with family and historic ties to ISLAM) becoming President now opens-up a Cultural Door unprecedented in American/Western Civilizations history. The dynamics of this historic ‘SHIFT in THINKING’ here in America will be discussed in depth in our second (2) discourse. We say here and now however, that your SILENCE neither speaks for us nor does your Image represent us. We say that the very foundation upon which Democracy rest the separation of Moral, Ethical and Spiritual affairs from the affairs of STATE are principles that the Culture of Hip Hop would OUT-RIGHT REJECT(if the dynamics and there subsequent results were Truly Understood by the masses in the Culture). As the Belief and the Truth of the doctrine of Secularism, the separateness of the Creator from the affairs of HIS creatures is Immoral, and contrary to Human Nature.

“Wars Always Begin With WORDS”

The most dominate Culture in America today is Hip Hop culture. And yet Hip Hop Culture is also the weakest voice in the affairs of American governance. The last Presidential Election (2004) clearly manifested this weakness. Some have credited Bush’s reelection to a ‘Moral Shift’ in the countries collective response to global affairs.*see religion & politics This years elections have less to do with Moral Reform in young people and more to do with the ‘Marketing of Personalities’ and the true effects Image and the selling of an Image in Hip Hop as it shapes and defines its direction and growth.(more in our second(2) discourse).If in fact Moral factors did play a role in the 2004 elections as the Culture was unable to deliver John Kerry a victory are we to assume they played a factor in this years elections? If that be the case, what does this ‘shift’ in Moral Consciousness’ say about the Moral State of Hip Hop and where does Hip Hop as a Culture in fact stand morally?

Suffice to say Morality is best defined as generally accepted standards of Right and wrong, Character and or Conduct. Viewed in this light Hip Hop Culture’s moral position greatly differs from that of the larger society.*see notes And one may go so far as to say that Hip Hop’s Moral position “Clashes” with the larger society. Perhaps their ‘differences’ are nowhere more evident than Hip Hop’s “IDOLARTY” with regard to its Image’s (what the World SEES Hip Hop as ). And it is here that the first (1) battle for the soul of Hip Hop Culture will be fought. In the upcoming months through the gracious efforts of print and internet media and many other sincerely concerned organizations. We will continue our efforts to challenge, confront and SHAKE-UP the lethargy that has stagnated and threatens to kill the health and productive movement towards serious reform in the Culture. Our stated purpose will remain committed throughout, that being positioning the Culture to evolve into a Movement and a Platform from which a serious and effective message can resonate in our efforts to remove the tools of enslavement of the Human Will in its pursuit of its true identity.

THE ICE INSTITUTE

We welcome and encourage your responses visit our web site @innerculturalexchange@gmail.com
iceinstitute@lycos.com

[Avembe]

Well i think the gov. should pick a woman

[S. Blount]

I hope Jesse Jackson Jr. gets the spot. I believe this guy is razor sharp. Every time I hear him address the issues he is on it!!

[Lois]

We need to have an African-American in the Senate. Other than MA, no other state has produced one. But beause it is the only seat we have in the Senate, it needs to be a person of substance, not just someone who wants to be important. I don't know anything about Jessie Jackson, Jr., except he is the son of Jessie Jackson. One has to look at his performance in the House of Representatives; What committees did he sit on? Did he attend meetings regularly and was he a major player on the committees? What kind of voting record does he have? What issues has he taken a leadership role on? We can come up with a lot of questions for Obama's replacement, as we certainly don't need just a seat warmer. But at the end of the day, their Governor will make the call.

Oh, and Ice Institute, if you break up the text, we can read it.

[Char`den]

I agree that an African American should have the spot. And, there is none better or more ready at the moment than Jesse Jackson,Jr.

[Char`den]

Ummm...what is tha big wordy mess that is taking up so much space above? People, this board is for brief responses on the topic at hand, not for your dissertation on whats wrong with black people, America, Christians,etc... SMDH! Go somewhere and start your own blog. If you build it, somebody (not me) will come. This is not the place nor the time.

[Stonecipher]

Jarrett is out now with her appointment to the Obama Administration. Jesse Jr. seems to be losing his grip on the position and who knows what Blago is capable of with his 13% approval rating:

http://stonecipher.typepad.com/the_stonecipher_report/2008/11/the-latest-on-obamas-replacement-in-the-senate.html