Hoops For Change

by Ben. on Apr 29, 2008 12:53 AM PDT in News Comment 21 comments

Last Friday, the Oregonlive Blazers Blog made note of an Obama campaign voter registration event, Hoops for Change. The event was held tonight in NE Portland at Self Enhancement, Inc., an organization started by former hoopster and Jefferson High teacher Tony Hopson. If you're new to SEI and its work, I recommend checking out the following profile here for a quick introduction.

Pictured, from left: Oregon State University Basketball Coach Craig Robinson, Oregon State Senator Margaret Carter, James Jones, Antonio Harvey, Channing Frye, Obama for Oregon Organizer.

The connection between the Obama campaign and the hardwood has been made repeatedly throughout the campaign (most recently in this video). Tonight's 3 on 3 event featured teams "coached" by James Jones and Channing Frye; the game was reffed by Obama's Brother-in-law and new OSU Coach Robinson. The event turned out 100 or so basketball fans and community members who cheered on the mostly high school players and enjoyed some face time with two of the most likeable Blazers.

Dave asked that I keep a close eye on Channing's coaching ability. I've got to say: given his performance tonight, Channing makes a better politician than a coach. He was too busy smiling and posing with babies to escape a pretty handy defeat at the hands of James Jones' squad. Jones, for his part, made sure Channing knew the score, taunting him good naturedly throughout the two short games.

Here's Channing celebrating a rare 3 by his team.

The goal of the event, of course, was to encourage attendees to register to vote. There are certainly better places than a sports blog to express personal political opinions, but I also encourage you to register to vote if you haven't already.

For some reason, however, I expect that most BEdgers express their opinions as forcefully in the voting booth as they do in their FanPosts.

We now return to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

How 'bout those Hawks?

Josh Smith for President?

-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)

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Thanks Ben

I haven’t voted since I moved to Hawaii. Our votes don’t matter.

I'm a man without a signature. Like a cassette without a player.

by tominhawaii on Apr 28, 2008 11:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Are you even legally a state?

I always thought “Hawaii” was some Club Med type resort, created by Hallmark to sell greeting cards.

Huh? I don’t get what I said.

Mortimer…?

by Mortimer on Apr 29, 2008 1:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heck Yeah

I think we even have our own quarter. We’re actually here to support the US military, the club stuff is just to supply ladies for the military guys.

I'm a man without a signature. Like a cassette without a player.

by tominhawaii on Apr 29, 2008 1:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing I like about the first picture

Is that the lady and the dude on the far right look like midgets, when they are probably near 6 feet tall.

I enjoy hearing about the Blazers in the community.

Obama’s wife is hot.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Apr 29, 2008 1:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: The Hawks

I loved watching Zaza Pachulia getting up in KG’s grill. I just read Bill Simmons’ thingy from Friday and he sounded like the series was already over. You would have though he learned not to speak too soon after his Super Bowl arrogance.

I'm a man without a signature. Like a cassette without a player.

by tominhawaii on Apr 29, 2008 1:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

GOBAMA

BTW, I am actually going to try and help volunteer for Obama’s campaign if time permits.

Yes, me, Damir, the most apathetic and self-centered BEer around.

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

by damir on Apr 29, 2008 1:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd be more excited about Obama if...

If he wasn’t promising the same thing every other candidate has promised since who-know’s-when. Everyone promises change. No one delivers. But, it is good rhetoric. I mean, who is going to have a chance saying “I’ll keep Washington exactly the same as it is!” But as far as Obama’s change is concerned (or any other candidate’s for that matter!) it sounds exactly like the old party line. I have a hard time getting excited about the same old ideologies I have heard for the last twenty years. But on the positive side, he is a good orator, and knows how to work a crowd.

I’m going to go with the old campaign slogan from Brewster’s Millions and say “None of the Above!” In this broken two-party system, it’s the only sensible thing I see left to do.

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on Apr 29, 2008 8:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice comment Darkstar

I agree. The more promises made, the more skeptical I get about a candidate. The fact is, there will be change no matter who wins the Oval Office..however it’ll most likely not be the change that was promised during the campaign.

More power to those who want to be involved in the process by volunteering, etc..that’s great and good learning experience.

As an staunch Independent (I bow to no political party), Obama is a bit too far to the left for me in the political realm.

Nice win by the Hawks last night. Both the Celts and the Pistons have shown they are mortal so far in these playoffs…it keeps things interesting.

I love the new site design, I can now actually log in without any site weirdness..

by SloppyJoe on Apr 29, 2008 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As long as I'm here,

there will be plenty of site weirdness.

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on Apr 29, 2008 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Proportional Representation and IRV

We eventually need to create a multi party system using proportional representation and Instant Run-off Voting. If a politician is not advocating for basic reforms such as Instant Run-off Voting then I tend to conclude that he/she is benefiting from a rigged system. Unfortunately, not voting at all or voting “none of the above” does nothing to change that system. The real solution is to investigate and prosecute the people who are doing the rigging, who are benefiting from the rigging. At least half the things done in this country to manipulate the electorate and influence elections are illegal. It’s a wonder we have survived as a society, given how tricked and misled we are by our government and by the corporate hucksters who keep selling us the same crappy politicians. Noam Chomsky calls it manufacturing consent. The people who are doing these things - selling dangerous lies to the public - should be thrown in jail.

Where have all the flowers gone?

by bilingual octopus on Apr 29, 2008 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting conclusions.

You are right. Simply not taking action does nothing to change the system. However, I’m not sure I would classify half of what is being done as illegal. Mostly because the two parties have probably passed laws legalizing whatever it is that they are doing. Immoral, definitely. Illegal, doubtful.

So how do the people get motivated to change? Therein lies the problem. They all know that the government is full of corrupt hucksters, but keep electing them anyways. As long as life is working out alright, there doesn’t seem to be a need to do anything about it. That goes for me as well. The government considers my income level to be well below poverty, but my family and I are doing quite well, and have no complaints about our economic situation. It serves us quite well. And as long as my family and I are able to live comfortably, I have better things to do than try and get those in power straightened out.

I have heard Chomsky, and I’m not really sure how much of him I really believe. College students and philosophy majors seem to like him, but some of the things he said felt to me to be exaggerated, even politician-like. It’s been a while, so I couldn’t tell you specifics anymore, but the impression he left on me still remains.

Government will be government. Throughout the history of civilization, government has not worked well. But, on the whole, it has worked far better than anarchy. Despite the power-hungry politicians, despite the failings, despite the immorality and nepotism, it must be said that, so far, it has been a net good for mankind. The Republic, despite its flaws, worked. Feudalism, despite its flaws, worked. Imperialism, despite its flaws, worked. Despotism, despite its flaws, worked. Communism, despite its flaws, worked. Democracy, despite its flaws, worked.

Personally, I think having one dictator, dedicated to his (or her?) country, would make things run much more smoothy. The problem is that everyone wants to be the dictator. For more information on this, please check with Jscot.

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on Apr 29, 2008 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

After reading this again, I have realized what I did.

I have rationalized apathy.

If I cared, I might let it bother me.

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on Apr 29, 2008 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought what you had to say was pretty appropriate.

In fact I think you did a better job of it than I did below.

by timg56 on Apr 30, 2008 8:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maligned again

1. I do not want to be a dictator. It will be forced upon me because of my brilliance, kindness, toughness, superior eloquence, good looks, charm, and ability. The people will overlook my good points and focus on those areas.
2. Because of my magnanimous generosity, I will accept the position for the good of all mankind.
3. I will NOT be a dictator dedicated to my country. The good of all mankind will be my remit. The “good of all mankind”, of course, is defined as doing what I say.

Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo

by jscot on Apr 29, 2008 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry bilingual, but this is so much bs

We get the the politicians we deserve. The issue is not whether we have a two party system or a multi-party system. Plus, a multi-party, proportional system has it’s own set of drawbacks.

If you want change, try starting with who votes (or more precisely, who doesn’t). Voter participation barely cracks 50% in most states in presidential election years and that’s for registered voters. Something like half of all people eligable to vote are not even registered.

Next, check out who we vote for. Congress has had a trust ranking somewhere below that of car salesmen for a couple of decades now, and rightfully so. Yet Incumbents win something like 90% of the time. Why, because we keep voting for “our” guy. It’s always the other 48 Senators and 490 something Representatives that are the problem, not our guy. Besides, if we lose senority, then we don’t get as much of the tax dollars flowing back to our state are district.

People generally vote for their own self interest. When choosing between a guy who knows the system and one who is advocating change, most people who vote will go with the latter. Afterall, why vote for a guy that’s going to spend the first year on the job just finding out where his office is, where the House mens room is located and who he has to know to get a bill introduced and then spend most of his next year running for re-election, when you can vote for the guy you know will get that research grant for the local university or that new federal building.

Why do you think this country spends billions more on people over the age of 60, rather than investing those dollars in the young of our nation. Do you really think Medicaid – Medicare spends most of it’s money on child health care and prevention? Why don’t we offer college tuition grants to every qualified student in the country, instead of paying SS to people who have had their entire lives to save and invest their money? Which do you think offers the greater return? It’s because people over the age of 60 vote at a rate of 70 – 80 %. There isn’t a politician alive who isn’t aware of those numbers, which is why the issue of SS and Medicare reform is called the “third rail”.

Saying it’s the “system” that’s at fault is the easy way out. The truth is the fault lies with you and me and most of the rest of us.

by timg56 on Apr 30, 2008 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

tricked and misled by used car salesman

tricked into buying a car that is designed to break down, tricked into paying more $$ to the same crappy company that sold you the car in the first place.

and usually they know where the mens room is ‘cause that’s where they meet the lobbyists.

Where have all the flowers gone?

by bilingual octopus on Apr 30, 2008 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Josh Smith!!!???

Josh Childress maybe. He at least has a degree from Stanford.

(As politics, religion and sex all rank above sports as topics I like to discuss, I’ll leave aside any comments about Obama.)

by timg56 on Apr 29, 2008 7:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

:)

I’ll keep my Obama opinions to myself as well…

by jamon51 on Apr 29, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am so pulling for the Hawks.

As one who consistently roots for the underdog, the Hawks have been a team that I have cheered for often. I want to see those overrated Celtics fall in the first round, and realize that you cannot buy a Championship, it has to be earned.

That said, the Celtics probably win this in two more. And that will make me sad.

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on Apr 29, 2008 7:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs