UPDATE, August 5, 2010: Ieshuh Griffin, independent Wis. candidate, loses bid to have 'not the whiteman's b**ch' on ballot
A federal judge threw out a case brought by a fringe candidate for the Wisconsin state Assembly who wants to describe herself on the ballot as "NOT the whiteman's bitch."
...Griffin decided to appeal and went to the U.S. District Court in Milwaukee to file a writ of habeas corpus.
Problem is, habeas corpus is used to test the legality of a prisoner's detention and normally requires the person bringing it to be in custody.
"Griffin is not a prisoner," the federal judge wrote Thursday, adding that the rejection of her ballot slogan "does not restrict her physical sense of liberty."
Griffin, 34, who doesn't have a website but posted a long screed to her YouTube account about why the word "bitch" is protected under the First Amendment, told reporters she would appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
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Ieshuh Griffin is a Milwaukee Democrat, running for the state Assembly.
She's running as an Independent. On the ballot, Griffin wants this line printed under her name: "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch.'"
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
State elections officials narrowly rejected a Milwaukee Assembly candidate's attempt to run with the slogan "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch' " under her name on the ballot.
Ieshuh Griffin, a Milwaukee independent running to replace retiring Rep. Annette "Polly" Williams (D-Milwaukee), said in response she would sue the Government Accountability Board for infringing on her freedom of speech.
"I'm not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not," Griffin told board members. "It's my constitutional right to freedom of speech."
...Unlike candidates from the established Democratic and Republican parties, independents are allowed a five-word statement of purpose on the ballot to explain to voters what their candidacy is about.
Shane Falk, a staff attorney for the Accountability Board, said that the board had the ability to restrict obscene or derogatory candidate statements from the ballot.
The board staff ruled that the statement should not be allowed. With one member absent, the board voted 3-2 in favor of reversing that ruling and allowing the wording. Under board rules, however, four votes are needed to overturn a staff decision.
As a result, Griffin will be on the ballot with "independent" by her name and nothing else.
Board member Thomas Barland, who voted to allow Griffin to make the statement, said he thought it was not obscene and "not racial." But Roxanne Dunlap of Sussex, a citizen attending the meeting, told the board that she found the statement offensive and believed that a white person making the opposite statement - "not the black man's bitch" - would be sharply criticized.
Griffin, who describes herself as a "30-ish" community activist, said she had attempted unsuccessfully in the past to run for a position as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge. She said she will appeal the board's decision in federal court.
A "community activist"? Is that like a "community organizer"?
What's troubling to me about this story is not that Griffin wants it known that she's not the "whiteman's bitch."
What bothers me is that the Government Accountability Board narrowly ruled to disallow Griffin's "statement of purpose" on the ballot.
Griffin's "statement of purpose" is extremely offensive.
I know Wisconsin's elections are a joke but this is too much. It's not a free speech issue. There are standards and her statement of purpose does not meet them.
The language is inappropriate. The racial reference is completely unacceptable.
How can Thomas Barland say that Griffin's statement is not obscene or racial?
Does he understand English?
What's sick is that statement probably would have boosted Griffin's vote total dramatically in her district.
I know he's not running as an Independent, but I wonder if Tom Barrett would like to have "NOT Jim Doyle's bitch" under his name on the ballot. Maybe he'd prefer "Doyle's bitch" or "Teachers unions' bitch."
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Watch video of Griffin's statement before the Government Accountability Board.
Griffin argues that "the whiteman" refers to the government.
How lame is that?
Obama holds the highest office in the land. He's the leader of the Free World. Using "the whiteman" to refer to the government is very outdated.
I guess Griffin really should say "NOT the 'blackman's bitch.'"
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UPDATE, September 15, 2010: State Assembly Contender Outside District
Independent Ieshuh Griffin finally knows who she'll face for the 10th District assembly seat. Just hours after the primary, she's on the streets, armed with literature against her opponent, Democrat Elizabeth Coggs.
"Her residence is outside the district and she's not aware of the issues affecting the district," said Griffin.
While Coggs lives in her county board district, she's a few blocks south of the assembly district. She's within the law to run for the seat and she technically does not have to live there until taking office. However, Griffin and her supporters think Coggs, from a big political family, is just trying to move up the ladder rather than serve the constituents.
Griffin stated, "I think the people are ready for a change and not just someone who's going to be a token for the private interests."
"Most politicians like to do what I call an easy pick," said David King, 10th District constituent, "They look for something that they think is easy, plus they've got name recognition in here."
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UPDATE, September 16, 2010: "New Booty"
Ieshuh Griffin got a lot of attention as a candidate for the Wisconsin state Assembly. She fought to declare that she's "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch'" on the ballot.
Even after Tuesday's election, Griffin was still enjoying national attention, thanks to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show.
On the show, Griffin says she had originally considered a different statement of principle - "New booty," meaning "not the same old ass."
IESHUH GRIFFIN: My statement was two words, but I thought that this statement might be offensive to the people. 'New booty.'
'New booty' means that this is not the same old ass that's in office. You know, fresh and new. 'New booty.'
Video.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Slogan's Hero | ||||
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11 comments:
This statement may be offensive to some, perhaps especially to white men. However, as a candidate for a seat in a largely African-American district of a city that is among the most racially segregated in the nation, Griffin is confronting what is perceived to be, and in many senses may be, a fact. Whether we have a black president or not, the government is certainly controlled by "white interests:" multinational corporations and Western traditions and culture.
The board was wrong to curtail Griffin's right to free speech in this case. I hope the media attention helps her efforts to get elected.
I would like to think that a blogger who writes under the title "Freedom Eden" would be so devoted to the principle that the title conveys that he would, without hesitation, extend that freedom to all, including Miss Griffin.
Freedom must be exercised responsibly.
Griffin's promotion of racial divisiveness is irresponsible.
Irresponsible or not, is your position that the government ought to make that determination?
I don't have a problem with standards of decency being enforced by the government, such as the regulation of profanity and obscenity by the FCC.
As a society, we come to a consensus as to what is acceptable speech and what isn't. We have standards. Thus, child porn is illegal. Then, there's the issue of hate speech. We are always dealing with matters involving our freedoms and limits.
Of course, I want political speech to be protected. But I think Griffin's statement of purpose veers beyond political. I think she should convey her message in a less offensive way.
I don't have a problem with Griffin challenging the board's decision at all. She can file a complaint in court. Let the court decide if it's appropriate to have on the ballot "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch.'"
everyone has an opinion about this issue thats politics. See i feel a person has every right to say what they feel thats the beauty of the first amendment(FREEDOM OF SPEECH)!Now if we start infringing on certain rights than the constitution might as well be wiped out.I admire her for speaking her mind.Ieshuh Griffin if you need any assistance with your campaign you can contact me at megganfears@yahoo.com
I cannot even imagine that this "narrowly" did not pass. This woman is a racist, pure and simple. She is already talking about slavery is back. This tells me that she is not smart enough to talk about issues, she just wants to run the race card. I sure hope that What a piece of trash.
This is BS. If I run my campaign with a statement backing "NOT the blackman's bitch" I'd be sued left and right. She is racist and she knows she is, but she's trying to hide it. The statement means I'm not a slave and I think you guys treat people like them.
Ieshuh is correct America is corrupt beyond comprehension.
HISTORICAL PROOF THAT TODAY'S COMMERCIAL LAWS, AND THE ENTIRE BANKING SYSTEM IS BASED UPON THE BABYLONIAN MASTE-SLAVE CONDUCT CODE
Meyer Amschel Rothschild said: "Permit me to issue and control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws . . . enforced unemployment and hunger, imposed on the masses because of the power we have to create shortages of food, will create the RIGHT of Capital to rule more surely than it was given to the real aristocracy".
A new union between Babylonian religions, Babylonian banking and Babylonian law is returning the world to serfdom [-Ed].
When the Romans Conquered the Nation of Israel, shortly before the time of Jesus Christ or Yeshuah Messiah; they set-up a "Puppet Regime" in Israel, so-as-to more effectively Mask the harsh reality that the Israelites were a Conquered People. And because "Law" was frequently administered by a "Priesthood" in these ancient cultures, a group of priests known as "Pharisees" thereunder Combined with the Romans to Deceive, Confuse, Plunder, and En-Slave the common Israelite People. And because Christ/Messiah Jesus/Yeshuah was a Threat to that Oppressive/Despotic system; both factions of these over-lapping "special-interest-groups" Conspired to have Jesus/Yeshuah Nailed to the Cross/Stake. The Pharisees were Direct Participants in this Lawless Conspiracy to Murder this Innocent Man; even tho is seems that it was Roman Soldiers who actually completed the execution.
These same Pharisees base their entire Religious Belief-System upon a body of Laws which is Not from the Ancient Jewish/Israelite Laws, which reach back to the teachings of Moses. Rather these Pharisees look to a body of so-called "Laws" which derive from "Slave-Trading Codes" in Ancient Babylon; and quite probably reaching back to Nimrod himself.
The fact that the religion of the Pharisees has never been recorded as having become extinct, indicates that they and their Slave-Trading practices continue on to exist to this very day. In their own literature, the modern practitioners of "Rabbinical Judaism" Admit (quietly) that they are decedents from those ancient Pharisees. In their own book entitled "The Jewish Encyclopedia", and "prepared by more than Four Hundred Scholars and Specialists", and published by the "Funk and Wagnalls Company", in 1905, Page 665; the following text is presented:
STOP
For more on the Babylonian Master-Slave Conduct Codes, which the state of Wisconsin used to call Ieshuh Griffin, to answer her masters on the government accountability board, and to improve your knowledge on what life is truly all about, please go to: http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/babelaw.htm
You will never think the same again!
If you say you are not racist, you're a liar. Everyone is, just a little somehow a racist. Even just by thinking something. I see "Little Miss Black Pageant's" and certain "Latin American" pageant's as well as Black only scholarships and minority scholarships. But if there were "White" only pageant's or scholarships, holy cow, there were would a cry of outrage. I hate to say it, but if you look at the census the Caucasian race is not the minority.
what bothers me most is the double standard of racial divisions . . . she feels she should be allowed to say "not the whitemans bitch" . . . but if a caucasian used the slogan "who cares about the blacks?" i'm pretty sure it would be considered "hate speech". i am so saddened by this racial divide that still exists in this country. on all sides of the spectrum. it's very sad. having said all of that . . . i haven't heard a word on what her stance on any issue is . . . except that she doesn't seem to care for white people.
Her REAL name is INEZ GRIFFIN.
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