DDDB sent me a link to some pictures from Saturday's "Put Up or Shut Up Ratner" Rally (as I call it). Once again, I am struck at the politicians that have come together to oppose Ratner.

The iconic picture for me is Chris Owens and David Yassky, on the same stage to demand accountability in all aspects of the Atlantic Yards project:

How times have changed since 2006. And Ratner brought them together.

This picture gives a good impression of the turnout:

Though I think this might be facing only one way from the stage and so show about half the crowd. A was the far end of the crowd in this picture, so I couldn't see to the other end. This seems to give an impression of the crowd facing the other way:

Not a bad turnout for a dreary Saturday.

Today was the rally calling for Bruce Ratner to put up or shut up. Brooklyn is getting tired of Ratner making promises then breaking those promises even as he demands more taxpayer money. The rally was well attended, though we came slightly late and were way at the back, so didn't really see the whole crowd.

Chris Owens, President of Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and Brooklyn Progressive Activist, led the rally. Three groups organized the rally: Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, The Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, and Brooklyn Speaks. MANY local politicians attended, including some who had previously been pretty solidly behind Ratner. Ratner has worn out his welcome even among his supporters.

Here are some excerpts from the press release from the three organizing groups:

Chris Owens, son of my former Conrgessman and friend of the Daily Gotham editors, has landed a great sounding job and one he seems well suited for. He is NY Regional director for Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL), an organization that provides after school programs for children. BELL describes their work as follows:

BELL, founded in 1992, is one of the nation’s leading providers of quality after-school and summer educational programs. It is committed to enhancing the educational achievements, self-esteem, and life opportunities of children living in low-income, urban communities. BELL serves more than 10,000 children annually in public schools throughout Baltimore, Boston, and New York City.

Heard some time back Chris had landed a great job for an educational organization, but didn't get the details until DG got a press release from BELL. From the BELL press release:

There's a gulf opening between the black elected leadership and black voters over the question of whom to support in the Presidential sweepstakes; in a sense, this gulf parallels the rift between much of the larger official party and the party base. The question is, simply put, whether Hillary's home state advantage gives her a higher claim on the support of New York Democrats than what the other candidates might expect.

In normal times, and with a more conventional cast of candidates, there probably wouldn't be much debate. However, given that this race features the historical breakthrough of an African-American candidate with a real chance at winning the nomination, the deck has been reshuffled.

In evidence of this, Chris Owens emails over the announcement of Brooklyn for Barack, a grassroots online effort to organize the borough on behalf of the Illinois Senator.

You won't have to miss 24 to catch Chris Owens’ TV show. At least for now.

Owens, a former Democratic Congressional Candidate and son of former Congressman Major Owens, is the host and executive producer of Inside the Congressional Black Caucus (iCBC, the lower case "i" is intentional and part of the show's logo) which was originally to premiere at 9 PM on Monday April 30 on the Black Family (BFC). That's the same time slot as 24, that addictive TV show that glorifies torture.

However, BFC is now being acquired by the Gospel Music Network and will cease programming next week.

But iCBC won't be homeless long. Owens is close to a deal with a cable property owned by one of the world's largest media companies.

Stay tuned for more info.

mole333 mentioned Chris Owens's TV show, Inside the Congressional Black Caucus (iCBC, the lower case "i" is part of the logo and intentional), in a December blog, but the launch was delayed until now.

iCBC airs Mondays 9 PM and Midnight Eastern Standard Time on the Black Family Channel (152 on Time Warner in NYC, see your local listings elsewhere). iCBC is scheduled to premiere on April 30 with footage of California Congressperson Maxine Waters and Michigan representative John Conyers and an interview with the Rev Jesse Jackson.

Chris Owens, the Harvard and Princeton educated son of former Brooklyn, NY Congressperson Major Owens and a 2006 Congressional Candidate himself in the frequently discussed in the Daily Gotham 11th CD race, is the co-host and executive producer. Chris isn't the only Owens with a TV career, brother Geoffrey played Elvin on the Cosby show.

iCBC is a joint production effort of the Black Educational Network (BEN, Which he co-founded) through iCBC Productions LLC and historically black college University of the District of Columbia, UDC). UDC is also provides production facilities for Washington DC Cable Channel 98.

Chris is also negotiating with ION Television, the new name for the Pax Network, and CoLoursTV to broadcast the show.

When I did an article a few months ago about the possibility of a black borough president in Brooklyn’s near future, it was because I had observed a trend in Brooklyn’s politics over the past five years, whereby blacks and Hispanics were winning borough-wide races for civil and supreme courts, on a regular basis. It started in 2002, when both Delores Thomas and Margarita Lopez-Torres won county-wide races in the same year; something unfathomable to many an old-timer in Brooklyn. Then Chandrya Simpson did it the following year, and it was repeated subsequently in 2004, 2005 and 2006, with blacks and Hispanics making it look mundane, if not simple.

In two years time, Marty Markowitz, the current Brooklyn Borough President will be term-limited out of office; this throws up a vacancy, and it also offers a historic opportunity for a female, or a black, or a Hispanic-or a person other than someone male and Caucasian-to ascend to this office. So, in this the year of Barack Obama (2007), no black candidate has officially declared for the race as yet, but some have made very public statements of their intentions. This group includes the cerebral Chris Owens, Jamaican-born Assemblyman Nick Perry and the controversial NYC councilman Charles Barron. It has also been brought to my attention that over the years State Senator Velmanette Montgomery has openly admitted an interest in this race. Some folks are saying that she is definitely running this time around. Other blacks whose names have been bandied around for this race from time to time, include State Senator John Sampson, Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, NYC council-woman Tish James and Assemblyman Darryl Towns, however, for various reasons, all four seem not inclined to pursue this particular race at present- albeit that could change over the next year or so.

Chris Owens commemorates MLK, and includes a charming story about his mom, tearing up his principal back during his school days. That silly man hadn't known, one would think, that having Chris' mom up in arms really is severely ill-advised.

DMIblog also turns to King, here and here and here.

What is it with Albany and horses? The Times-Union reports on Shelly Silver's member items, featuring an annual tradition of $250,000 going to a charity headed by the daughter of the chairman of the New York Racing Association. He, in turn, offers his Saratoga home to the Assembly Democrats for a fundraiser every year during the races. Note: it doesn't need to be illegal to look sleazy.

The New York Times: Governor Spitzer wants New York to take the lead on stem cell research. Standing in the way, as usual, is Senator Roadblock, Joe Bruno.

Rochester Turning looks at the positions taken by local Congressmen on the Bush-McCain escalation plan to kill more Americans.

Left Behinds dissects the immigration debate with the use of a fiendish, heathen construct known as "data".

Quinnipiac polls Mayor Bloomberg, who receives a 75% to 16% approval/disapproval rating. The fallout from the Sean Bell killing is confined to Ray Kelly and the NYPD, viewed negatively by 34% and 40%, with approval at 52% and 53% respectively. That's down from Kelly 70% to 16%, NYPD 72% to 20%. Among blacks, the numbers are, unsurprisingly, worse: Kelly 32% approval, 57% disapproval, NYPD 23% approval, 63% disapproval.

Lastly, since I just noticed – not paying attention here, I guess – that The Politicker has a feature called 'Elsewhere', we need a new title for the daily news roundup. Suggestions in the comments, please.

I get this from Chris Owens' website. It is a message from Kevin Powell about the 50-day vigil for Sean Bell. The issue of excessive use of force by police towards black men has to be one that is discussed on liberal blogs like this one. And vigils like this deserve the attention of progressive groups, particularly if those progressive groups want to be of relevence to the black community. Here's Kevin Powell's message:

Good day, everyone!

This is Kevin Powell, Brooklyn, New York based writer and community activist. I was just out at the 50-day Sean Bell Vigil in Jamaica, Queens, New York, last night, across from the 103rd precinct. In spite of the rain, the Bell family, friends, and folks looking for basic justice were there. It was incredibly moving, and it made me think of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, as well as those four college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960. In both instances, it was just a few dedicated individuals and their very simple acts of civil disobedience which brought attention to very serious human and civil rights violations. They made sacrifices to their own comfort and their own safety, and changes did happen, as manifested in the Civil Rights Movement.

Continued...

The New York Times on Governor Spitzer's 'sweeping array of new measures'.

Barack Obama on cleaning up the capital.

Chris Owens on Barack Obama.

The Albany Project on Joe Bruno being hearted by his caucus. You dance with them that brung ya, as they say.

Rock Hackshaw on the Clarkes, mother and daughter.

Politics on the Hudson on Cindy Sheehan.

Dana Milbank, also on Sheehan (disruptive), Rahm Emanuel (cornered), republicans (whiny and sniveling).

Tom Suozzi,His Hotness Himself, returns, but are we ready for him?

And lastly, Hillary Clinton is contemptuously ignoring the Progressive grassroots and running like it's 1992. Mistake.