Phil's Seminal Jazz Rock and Politics Videoblog

I see that Jenn Jannon, Karen Nussbaum and Working America have failed to meet the challenge. How predictable.

Labels: Jenn Jannon, Karen Nussbaum, Working America

Related: How do I know how tough it is to get a job as a black male? Well, I happen to be a black male. I'm currently involved in a civil rights dispute with Working America and Jenn Jannon, one of their employees, still. You can read more about her here and here. Our previous dispute is public record. As always, if there's something that 's not factual about what I write or even if there's something that sticks in yer craw, wherever that is, we have a comment section here and at Mirror Universe where I'll be posting this later tonight. I guarantee the comments of Working America, Jenn Jannon or representatives thereof won't be censored in any way. In fact, there might be a screen save or two. I certainly reserve the right to offer "constructive assessment" or "critique" in response to their statements. I might also note that an EEOC investigation of a labor group for racial and age discrimination can be defined as "news".

So, anyway, now that all that legal mumbo jumbo is out of the way, let me go to a statement that was made by Working America during the EEOC's current investigation. I've already made it public record because an EEOC investigation of a labor group can be defined as "news". And I'm sure people want to "read all about it" as they say in the biz.

Now, I applied for the humble job of "canvasser" at Working America. Working America's counsel claimed that I was "unqualified" for the job. This is after, by the way, I came in with the second highest number of members ever achieved for an observer at that time. The record was 18 and I got 16 and I didn't really have the full two and a half hours but its all there in the statement. I get angry just writing this. These are white folks by the way. Can you tell?

So, here's my experience and qualifications as a canvasser. After you've read them, as Dennis Hopper says to Chris Walken in "True Romance", you can ask me: "Am I lying?" This is taken from my statement to the EEOC which is news and is now public record.

Here’s where my jaw literally hit the floor when I read this statement by Working America:

2.) As we now show, Working America did not in any way discriminate or retaliate against Shropshire on the basis of his race, his prior EEOC complaint, or any other protected basis. Working America did not hire Shropshire for the job for which he applied (Canvasser) because he was not qualified for the position


Let’s for a moment forget that at the time of my observation day I had the second highest number of members ever attained and I didn’t even get the full two and a half hours to canvass. Let’s take a look at my qualifications and experience for canvassing. My experience includes but is not limited to this:

Summer of 1982: Recruited by Jeff Blum in 1982. Canvassed for three months in the summer for what was then called PENNPIC, or the Pennsylvania Public Interest Coalition. Used money to help pay for college. Quota was 80 dollars a night plus signatures. I think Jenn Jannon was walking around in diapers then and filling them up with the same kind of arguments she’s giving to the EEOC.

Summer of 1985: Canvassed again for PENNPIC. Quota, and this is a little sketchy, was 92 dollars a night plus signatures.

Early months of 1986: Again canvassed before I took a position as a reporter with the New Pittsburgh Courier. Quota was $100 dollars a night plus signatures.

1988: Canvassed for almost five months for PENNPIC. Quota was $110 a night. Somewhere in the 80s or early 90s PENNPIC transformed into Pennsylvania Citizen Action.

1990: Canvassed almost two years with Indiana Citizen Action. Quota was $120 dollars per night plus signatures. I can not begin to tell you how hard that is to do and how talented you have to be to do it.

1992-1995: I ran my own field canvass for three years. I think our quota was only $90 per night. Or as I state on my resume which was given to Jenn Jannon. “I ran my own non-profit business called the Campaign for Consumer Rights. I was the executive director of the organization and was the reason why it continued running. My duties included, but were not limited to: Accounts and Payroll, Hiring and Firing, Issues Development and Fundraising. We worked on insurance reform, against NAFTA and for lower cable bills.” I might add that I never declined to hire anyone based on things like “attitude” or “demeanor”. I determined their attitude and demeanor by their performance in the field.

But wait there’s more:

1996: Canvassed three months for ACORN. I didn’t have a quota then but I shot for $80 dollars a night. I was considered the best money canvasser in the office and I ran at least one training session.

May 2004 to the Nov. 2004: I worked for America Coming Together. We worked to maximize voter turnout in the 2004 presidential election. I led the Pittsburgh office in voter registrations. I hope I get called back for 2008. (One odd point here: two of the people that I worked with at ACT, Tom Hudyma and Dave Ninehouser (both white men), were hired by Working America. In fact, Dave encouraged me to apply and he thought, and I quote: “That I would be an asset to the organization.” I might also note that my voter registration numbers were better, week in and week out, than Tom’s or Dave’s, although they gave me great competition!)

September – November 2006: I also did voter contact for the Young Democrats of Allegheny County. No I’m not that young but they were paying and I’ve always liked the work. I was immediately offered a promotion my second day because I was the only person on staff who knew the rights of canvassers in shopping malls. (Quick answer: it varies from state to state.)

I estimate, and this is an estimate on the lower end, that I have knocked on over 20000 doors for political causes. I have spent, literally, about five and a half years knocking on doors over a three decade span including the 80s, 90s and the aughts. I might also note that I have canvassed in every kind of weather (0 degrees to 100 degrees plus). I have canvassed not just for money and signatures but also voter identification while I was raising money. I have canvassed for voter registrations. I have trained almost 30 to 50 canvassers while I made my 120 a night quota for Citizen Action. I sometimes had to train more than one person at a time while I raised 120 a night. I was threatened with guns at least three times when I knocked on doors while canvassing. I was once physically threatened by the Klan while knocking on doors in one southwestern Indiana town. Not only did I not stop canvassing I had raised $135 dollars by 7:30 pm before the police stopped me for my “protection”. Little did they know that had the Klan laid a hand on me, the Klan would have needed “protection”. I consider fighting against people who discriminate a worthy death.

I challenge Working America to name anyone they’ve hired, either locally or nationally, who has experience across three decades canvassing, has run a canvass for three years and has knocked on 20000 doors. Anyone.

So, with a straight face, I've been told that the above doesn't make me qualified. You might as well say you're not hiring me because of my lack of height and my petite build. And for the record I have not been provided with anyone "either locally or nationally, who has experience across three decades canvassing, has run a canvass for three years, and has knocked on a minimum of 20000 doors. Anyone." I am still bugging my somewhat lax EEOC caseworker (more on that later) for some more information but so far none has been made available despite repeated requests. The truth of that matter is that I would be shocked if they found anyone who was as experienced as I was, with a college degree to boot.

Why bring this up? It certainly isn't to garner pity. Jenn Jannon and Working America have given me a half million dollar discrimination case. I've suffered worse from jobs. But I consider this, and this gets back to the whole Tonya vs. lack of good jobs for the community debate: if I have this hard a time getting employment what about the black male who has a criminal record, doesn't have a high school diploma let alone a college degree, or any work experience worth noting? He probably doesn't get a job. Ever...at least not in Pittsburgh. We won't get another shot at the Stimulus jobs and if it isn't too late we need somebody other than Tonya to make that fight.

Update to this: One of the funnier aspects to this is that many of their workers weren't out of their late 20s. I know one of them was only 19 years of age. I'm trying to figure out how she was more "qualified" than me other than being a white girl who didn't threaten Jenn Jannon. If I recall, this girl seemed to have had a vague idea about what the two political parties did. Something for the discovery process I suppose...

Labels: Jenn Jannon, Karen Nussbaum, Working America

ITEM: You know, there just has to be a primary challenge for Arlen. By the way, Arlen's track record so far: He won't switch on his vote on EFCA, he voted against the president's budget, he's helping block Dawn Johnson--one of the few progressives that Obama has even nominated--and today we find out that Arlen is still rooting for his good pal Norm Coleman of Minnesota. It would be one thing to do that before the race. It's quite another now that we now that Norm has lost and that the only way he could win would be yet another Supreme Court appointment/coup. Of course, why should some privileged senator actually have to deal with the bother of an election of and by the rabble anyway. It fits Arlen's privileged "Shouldn't I always be a senator?" viewpoint.

I guess the question is who could make the best run against Arlen. Joe Sestak seems to have gotten the most heat and the most mention, perhaps even not so subtle endorsements from the Daily Kos frontpage and even Atrios. Bad news about Sestak: he's against the public option on healthcare reform. Here's the short version of what that means: there is no real healthcare reform without the public option. Nothing changes.

There is another challenger, again out of the Philly area, and his name is Joe Torsella. He doesn't have a website and we don't know a lot about him. We think he was Rendell's boy which means he's center/right, or at least a guy who doesn't mind selling off public highways to rich people just like the governor. He has managed to raise a half million dollars. That makes him serious. Related: Early polling not looking good for Sestak vs. Specter, according to Open Left. Bowers does point out that its early. Observation: This is the kind of race where a well funded independent or Hollywood "Al Franken" liberal with significant resources should consider getting in. More Related: Funny line from my close and personal friend Markos:

I think Markos has learned a very important lesson: just having a big "D" doesn't make you a decent democrat. We really have to take a close look at the people running for office.

The artists here include: George Bensen, Bjork, Boards of Canada, Brazilian Girls, Broadcast, Cat Power, Chomsky, Cinematic Orchestra, Larry Coryell, Dining Rooms, Sam Harris, Jaga Jazzist, Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Flora Purim, Gil Scott Heron, Steely Dan, Stereolab, Sugarcubes, Sun Ra, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Frank Zappa. And many other artists.

Labels: acid jazz, acid jazz channel, Broadcast, chillout, dreampop, Frank Zappa, nu jazz, trish keenan

Labels: able mable, the future

I've been using this new video search engine called Truveo. With it, I found these very rare Mahavishnu Orchestra tunes posted by a girl from Belgium. What kind of woman is into the Mahavishnu Orchestra? The woman I would like to marry that's who.



And:

Labels: birds of fire, female mahavishnu orchestra fan

I actually kind of don't have a bank account right now. Of course, the reason I don't have a bank account right now is that my cousin's stupid ass half brother wrote me a 300 dollar check that bounced all the way to high heaven.

But if had an account, or as I dream in my sleep, then I would want photo checks that I could put my favorite photos on. These would be the kinds of checks that would have my personal artwork on them or Ansel Adams or the Jim Starlin Warlock era kind of pics on them. Have I mentioned that my dreams are vast and will fill up the night sky? Or I would prefer personal checks that came customized with really cool designs on them Perhaps, say, crayons or a picture of a violin. That would show those fancy people at the fancy Target store that I had some class. Tell me when my dream has become all too surreal and Salvador Dali for you. Tell me when you would be forced to spurt out: "Phil, that's just crazy talk. Cut it out before your mad dreams compromise our very reality itself...!" But I wouldn't stop. I would continue my mad and dangerous Lathe of Heaven like dreaming. I would add a couple of cats, a loving perky gymnast wife and a job I liked that paid decently. Go ahead. Call me mad.

Oh, and I would to make sure I could find such a site that made such checks online. That's my quixotic dream of the day.

Labels: quixotic dream no. 235

It's about time. Good job Brad Mehldau.

Labels: black hole sun, brad mehldau

Labels: coryell, guitar