Obama's 'Green the Block' Sept. 11: Fun, Music, Block Parties, Bubble Gum and Dumpster Diving

Thursday, September 10, 2009 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Matthew Vadum recently reported that Barack Obama was operating under the radar to subvert observances of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks by using anti-American leftists Van Jones and Lennox Yearwood to hijack the day with a radical environmental agenda under the guise of Green the Block, a joint project of their respective groups Green for All and the Hip Hop Caucus.

Sure enough, the project has been pretty much ignored by the media, even by the conservative media that covered the Van Jones saga.

Below are examples of events listed at Green the Block for this Friday, September 11, 2009--the eight anniversary of the attacks.

Bowling Green:

Bowling Green, KY
September 11, 2009 03:30PM to 05:00PM
Hosted by Carrie Barnette Event Description:
Featuring a concert by hip-hop sensations, "Nappy Roots" and an Energy and Job Fair, Green the Block - Bowling Green will let people know about the importance of energy efficiency, how they can do it and how they can find jobs that do it!

Kalamazoo:

Kalamazoo, MI September 11, 2009 05:00PM to 10:00PM
Hosted by Joe Orchanian
Event Description:
Every year western michigan university host bronco bash, a festival that draws hundreds of organizations and thousands of patrons. Last year, we launched the first ever WMU green team. With the efforts of only a handful of people, we were able to reduce the waste produced by the event by 70%. We advertised recycling containers, and sorted through garbage looking for cans and bottles.
We need to do this again, and we need people to help make it happen for the second year in a row!

Nashville:

Green The Block with Gateway 2 Heritage
Nashville, TN
September 11, 2009 12:00PM to 02:00PM
Hosted by Sizwe Herring
Event Description:
Join the teams at Tennessee State University's Gateway 2 Heritage and EarthMatters Tennessee with music on the courtyard. Come learn about sustainability, environmental justice and how to green up our community and campus life.

Charlotte:

Charlotte, NC September 11, 2009 05:00PM to 10:00PM
Hosted by Jonathan Nazeer
Event Description:
Green the Block Charlotte will be held in the Hidden Valley Community and feature * Community Giveaway ** Clean the Block * Community Cook-out** Retrofit the Block * Green the Block Rally featuring local Celebrities, Politicial and Business Leaders ** Green Collar Job and Job Training Information * Green Business Showcase. (co-sponsored by Rib Palace and Powerade)

Newark:

Say It, Spray It, Recycle It Too
Newark, NJ
September 11, 2009 10:00AM to 04:00PM
Hosted by Pamela B. Daniels
Event Description:
Help design and paint a 'Green the Block' mural at the Hunterdon Street Community Garden. The Working Green Youth Employees have spent the summer training in landscape design in City Parks. The Community Garden at 288 Hunterdon Street is their final project, and we want you-the Newark community to add the finishing touches to the spot. Can't paint? That's okay too! Come out and show your support as we collect recyclable materials from neighboring businesses and homeowners to deliver to the West Orange Recycling Center, the local Newark depot.
Join Working Green, Building Green Solutions, and fellow Newarkers as we encourage the Hunterdon Street Community too 'Green the Block!'
Food, drinks, and music dependent upon sponsorship.

This event is the rare one that mentions our troops:

Vallejo:

Vallejo, CA
September 11, 2009 11:00AM to 07:00PM
Hosted by Janna Besh
Event Description:
Community Picnic. Solano Green Alliance will be having a old fashioned Picnic in City Park in Vallejo. Families and other Community members are encouraged to bring a picnic and celebrate with us to honor the troops that risk their lives everyday for our Country. We will be also doing a park clean up that day. The City Park playground was built by the community. Time: 11:00am to 7:00pm

Bethlehem:

Bethlehem, PA
September 11, 2009 12:00PM to 02:00PM
Hosted by Jerz E. Brown
Event Description:
As the third largest market in the state of PA the Lehigh Valley aka ABE MSA has long been slept on for its spirit of community, art, entreprenu8erialism, and most importantly hip-hop culture! Join Jerz E Brown aka Grand Master IRON FiST and the Hip-Hop Culture Foundation in a effort to unite with our people from across the country and represent for mother earth!

(Bethlehem will also have an open mic and 'community gathering' 6-9:30 p.m. on 9/11)

Los Angeles:

Green Neat Angels Los Angeles , CA
September 11, 2009 12:00PM to 02:00PM
Hosted by Todd Roberts
Event Description:
To help cleanse the community In environment from trash droping and dumping demonds . Also to wash alway gum thats has been harden on the cement And to educate the younger generation of green neat angels .

Many of the Green the Block events promise fun! For example, Sacramento:

Green Oak Park! Sacramento, CA
September 11, 2009 05:00PM to 08:00PM
Hosted by Charles Mason
Event Description:
Date/Time: September 11, 2009, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Host: Ubuntu Green, Oak Park Neighborhood Association, Oak Park Weed and Seed, Oak Park Business Association
• Green the Block is a national movement to have Green the Block events in communities nationwide on September 11th (National Day of Service). www.greentheblock.net This is a partnership of Green for All and the Hip Hop Caucus in coordination with the Obama Administration.
• The Oak Park event will have partner organizations set up educational/food tables and educate visitors on green lifestyles.
• Community members will participate in creating a green community art project.
• Musical performances, food and other fun activities for the entire family

I'll close out this report with the only event (out of several dozen, but not all, of the Green the Block events I looked at) that pays tribute to those murdered on Sept. 11 and those who tried to save them:

Houston:

Houston, TX
September 11, 2009 01:00PM to 07:00PM
Hosted by Mamie McGowan
Event Description:
Green the Block activities include:
The coming together to memorialize the fallen victims and heroes of “911” in a way that will allow us to proactively build on their sacrifice, the event will be held at The Church At Bethel’s Family, Friday 9/11/09 from 1:00p.m. ‐ 7:00p.m. An opening service will honor those lives lost during the tragedy of 9.11.01 and to pay tribute to those who continue to proudly serve today. Afterward the youth of the neighboring areas will arrive and be treated to a day of educational games, interactive sessions and have an opportunity to plant their own crop in our new Vegetable Garden located on the church’s property.SNIP

[mojitojoe]

GET HIM OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ReneeLynn]

The hip-hop culture of Bethlehem, PA?

Imagine if they’d tried to do this on the 8 year anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Politicians would have been run out of office. They want the kids to forget. When the generation comes up that forgets...forgets a free America, forgets 9/11 or never knew it in the first place, then they win.

[444Flyer]

[444Flyer]

[thecodont]

I’ve kept my copy of that day’s paper as a souvenir.

[444Flyer]

“SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND HIP HOP: CREATING A NEW URBAN BEAT”

http://thecityfix.com/sustainable-cities-and-hip-hop-creating-a-new-urban-beat/

“Yesterday, on his 48th birthday, Pres. Barack Obama announced the Green the Block campaign “to ensure that low-income communities and communities of color have the resources and platforms needed to access the benefits and opportunities of the growing clean-energy economy.”

Launched in partnership with Green For All and the Hip Hop Caucus, the nationwide campaign will rely on a coalition of organizations to educate and mobilize young people about how to take action on things like installing energy-efficient light bulbs in neighborhood homes, planting a community garden, and writing letters to local officials asking them to promote the use of more fuel efficient vehicles.

Green the Block is just one example of how youth culture — and in particular, hip hop culture — is transforming the way we advocate for sustainable cities and transportation. And it’s not just in the United States.
Take, for example, the events planned for the World Urban Forum in 2006, where artists like Curtis Clearsky and other UN-HABITAT Messengers of Truth performed at the Global Hip-Hip Mainstage to inspire young people to change their cities for the better. The United Nations recognized that “Hip-Hop is more than a genre of music or dance. It is a social movement.”

It’s about mainstreaming the idea of safer, cleaner and more accessible urban communities, and you can see it happening through what’s commonly referred to as “the five elements:” emceeing, breakdancing, deejaying, beat boxing, and the art of graffiti. Here’s a few examples from around the world:

MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Obama, himself, is the quintessential emcee for America’s youth, supporting the power of hip hop as a vehicle for change:

“I love the art of hip hop; I don’t always love the message of hip hop. The thing about hip hop today is that it’s smart, it’s insightful, the way that [rappers] can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable. A lot of these kids are not going to be reading The New York Times. The question, then, is, what’s the content? What’s the message?

Art can’t just be a rear view mirror; it should also have a headlight out there pointing to where we need to go.”

Barack “B-Rock” Obama meets with Ludacris. Photo via Snicka.

His decision about “where to go” was made clear through the establishment of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, which proves his commitment to “promote strong cities as the backbone of regional growth.” This summer, the Office kicked off a National Conversation on the Future of America’s Cities and Metropolitan Areas, essentially convening a whole community of urban policy “emcees” who will be talking about “ways in which Washington can be a partner and catalyst for community-based solutions, instead of a bureaucratic obstacle.”

Another public figure who comes to mind as a hip-hop-inspired voice for a new generation of sustainable city advocates is Majora Carter, who wrote a $1.25 million federal transportation planning grant to conduct a feasibility study for the South Bronx Greenway. As an African-American woman who grew up in the South Bronx, Carter understands that some people think cleaning and greening a city will “kill” hip hop because it takes away from the suffering, which often fuels the art form. But, she said in an interview, “if we have industry that employs people and communities — that are beautiful — then hip-hop can just flourish. It will just be something new. It will be happy hip-hop!” Hence her motto: “Green the Ghetto!”, which is also the title of her organization’s blog, which recently posted this pic...”

[machogirl]

http://www.hiphopcaucus.org/issues

For anyone who hasn’t checked out their “issues” page, it’s “enlightening”.

For example: End policing of school hallways, Reward the creation of good jobs in the United States, Stop government funded abstinence only sex education programs, Single Payer Medicare for All, Expand the supply of federally assisted low income housing units and/or federal resources for affordable housing and/or access to housing by extremely low income people,Stop Big Media Consolidation and promote diverse, local ownership and a free press, Return the many roles and responsibilities to the State Department that were transferred to the Department of Defense under the Bush Administration, Rights for New Americans (illegals),Voting Rights and Election Reform Voting Rights and Election Reform (among their demands) Elect the President with the National Popular Vote......

[444Flyer]

"Official: 15 of 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi"

2/6/02 http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/02/06/saudi.htm

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, they want us to forget.

And remember that doozie when somebody one asked the Kenyan what he thought about V-J End of World War II VICTORY Day celebrations. He said he was not too much for it, because he was uncomfortable with the notion of absolute victory and unconditional surrender by our enemies.

I would start fanning out through all the VFW and American Legion halls right away and spread the word on this buzzard, over the next few days. Of course, those guys are probably already solidly opposed to the Imposter.

Yes, they want children to forget.

It is so deliberate you cannot even make this up.

One thing I WILL say is this is a PUBLIC RELATIONS DISASTER WAITING to happen, and the whole thing could (figuratively here) blow up in their faces. Republican Party? Can we hear from you? Rudy Giuliani? Widow of Todd Beamer? Many others from that day, attacked, but living?

[AmericanInTokyo]

I hear people sayin’. We Don’t need this war.
I say there’s some things worth fightin’ for.
What about our freedom, and this piece of ground?
We didn’t get to keep ‘em by backin’ down.
They say we don’t realize the mess we’re gettin’ in
Before you start preachin’ let me ask you this my friend.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten, when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin through a livin hell
And you say we shouldn’t worry bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

You took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it’s too disturbin for you and me
It’ll just breed anger is what the experts say
If it was up to me I’d show it everyday
Some say this country just out lookin’ for a fight
Well after 9/11 man I’d have to say right.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin’ through a livin’ hell
And we vow to get the ones behind Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I’ve been there with the soldiers
Who’ve gone away to war
you can bet they remember just what they’re fightin’ for

Have you forgotten
All the people killed
Yes some went down like heroes
In that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten
About our Pentagon
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don’t you tell me not to worry ‘bout Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?!

[444Flyer]

Darryl Worley - “Have You Forgotten”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_-x9kMPauc

[Talisker]

Why doesn’t Obama invite his Palestinian friends over and they can all just dance in the streets and celebrate 9ll.

[tina07]

Green The Block..how absolutely disgusting.

Damn right on the impeachment.

[LayoutGuru2]

Despicable

[tina07]

I have many papers from that day too...

[tina07]

I just sent the whole thread to Glenn Beck.

This is total insanity going on.

[tina07]

any of this crap planned in NYC? Do they dare?

[nutmeg]

Absolutely outrageous! Thank you, kristinn, for bringing this to our attention.

[Irish Eyes]

I just sent the whole thread to Glenn Beck.

This is total insanity going on.

Thank you, we all need to send this to him. He is the only one except for Rush who will expose this.

[tet68]

Imagine if they’d tried to do this on the 8 year anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Sadly you are right, but this isn’t the
same America. The foundation has been
eaten away by termites.