The Price of Passion: A Review of The Agitator’s Daughter

John Cashin’s death in March has renewed interest in Sheryll Cashin’s 2008 memoir The Agitator’s Daughter. It is the story of her father’s political fortune, his rise and fall and the price of passion as told by a precocious daughter coming of age in Huntsville Alabama during the height of the civil rights movement. She shares how family wealth dissipated with the moderate success of John Cashin’s political commitment. In the early 70s as a student at Fisk University I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Cashin speak. At the time uninterested in his subject, politics, I remember being struck by his energy. He had an almost larger than life presence, confident, boastful and driven. Sheryll Cashin’s story bears out this impression.

John Cashin and brother, Herschel, during their Omega partying days at Fisk made a pledge to continue the work of their great grandfather Herschel V. Cashin a radical Republican legislator in Reconstruction Alabama. The legislator’s political career like most African American office holders ended with Reconstruction and the disenfranchisement of African Americans sweeping the South.  Brother Herschel studied law unable to earn a living in Alabama when the State enacted Jim Crow legislation depriving those studying out of state the right to practice leaving John Cashin alone to fulfill their fraternal pledge.

John Cashin became a dentist joining his father in a successful Huntsville Alabama practice. After military service and a tour in France he would return home to finish grand father Herschel’s work founding the National Democratic Party of Alabama in 1968. The Party became a prominent voice for Black voting rights and an important player in local politics in Black-dominated communities. It began the process of dismantling the segregationist chokehold on Alabama’s political process.

The Party in the name of Black voting rights would enjoy successes and suffer defeats until its demise in 1976 at a time when John Cashin’s reversal of fortune and personal calamities would mount. Sheryll Cashin laments the price her father paid for his commitment.  A bitterness evolves to acceptance enabling the Georgetown law professor to no less carry on a family tradition of service and good works. Her memoir is an inspiring historical account delving into morality and the price of passion.

If Obama Were White

Republicans have two goals in mind. Obstruct and prevent the reelection of Barak Obama and to prevent the raising taxes on the wealthy. Whether the American voters go along with the plan remains to be seen. In any event it’s become increasingly clear the GOP is playing a dangerous game willing to destroy the economy rather than raise taxes. And when Mitch McConnell stated his number one goal was to make Obama a one term president he meant what he said. It’s never been about what’s good for the country but what’s good for the Republican Party. Much of their opposition to Obama’s presidency can be laid at the feet of the Tea Party faction. The Republicans co-opted this partner in destruction hoping to harness the movement’s energy opposing Barak Obama and Democratic policies. Unfortunately the Tea Party has shown itself to be untameable.

Never before has raising the debt ceiling been linked to spending. This strategy laid down by the Republicans isn’t working and may well backfire. The Tea Party leaders including Bachmann and Palin are steeped in ignorance surrounding Economics and International Finance among other matters affecting Americans. As we watch the debt ceiling fight unfold let’s not forget how the Republican Party has led us down this road to perdition with two wars and tax breaks for the wealthy. Nothing good can come out of this fight for the Republicans.

Under President Obama, taxes are at the lowest level in 60 years but Republicans either fail to admit or are too stupid to look back in history. Experts agree that if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2, the country–indeed the world–would face a “huge financial calamity.” No big deal the Tea Party. Most Americans are in agreement, the Republican stance is unfair and reasonable yet they continue marching toward that cliff.Unfortunately the rest of country is tied to their safety harness and likely to go down behind them.

One wonders if Obama were White would there such outrageous bitter caustic vitriol?  The Republican’s double barrel destruction may backfire. Let’s hope.

Social Media a 21 Step Program for Entrepreneurs

A review of Crush It! Why Now Is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion

For those looking to launch a business or increase brand visibility a good primer for using Social Media as an effective business tool is Gary Vay ner Chuk’s Crust It! Why Now Is The Time To Cash in on Your Passion. The internet has crushed traditional forms of media particularly the print and rapidly encroaching on turf occupied by the film and electronic media. Social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkIn and Flickr are ever present in our lives and the challenge of today’s entrepreneur is harnessing the power found in this new frontier called the Internet. Vay ner Chuk outlines a plan of action using his own story.

The braggadocios Vay ner Chuk’s success isn’t so much his story as it is that of a first generation American building on the success of his immigrant father. The elder came to the U.S. when the author was only three taking a job as liquor store clerk parlaying it into his own self-made Spirits retail fortune. Van ner Chuk gives proper credit to what he calls your DNA. He believes he inherited that entrepreneurial wherewithal from his father. But unlike this author many of us are not the heir apparent of such good fortune.

The author’s premise is learning to navigate the digital waters of social media to build a business and promote a personal brand based around what you love most, and you will only be limited by how far you want to sail. He lives by three rules: love your family, work super hard, and live your passion. Publishers Weekly criticized the book as nothing new, and I have no argument there but found value in his building instructions. It’s a 21 step-by-step program for achieving a greater internet presence and building your brand. It is the same program I have followed long before I heard of this author. So indeed there is nothing new, but helpful to the neophyte in laying out a tried and true structured plan of action.  He details in 21 steps from where to launch your voyage and how to sail to business success.

It’s now a given, social media has evened the playing field, destroying the “gate-keepers” who had previously dictated the distribution of content. Applying a social media strategy can help turn you turn your business into money.