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Sable Verity Commentary

Sable Verity is a reporter and commentator based in Seattle who covers social and political issues for KBCS Community Radio and a number of online and print news outlets.

Sable is one of few journalists of color in the Pacific Northwest addressing issues that impact minorities. You can find her KBCS interviews here.

If you have any comments or feedback for Sable, you can email her at sable [at] sableverity [dot] com.

To listen to the files below, just click the player button.

To download the mp3 file, right click on the link, choose "Save Target As," decide where on your computer to save the file.(Your desktop is a good choice.) Once the file has finished downloading you can listen to it.

Date	File	Description
		Sable is out sick this week.
08/19/10	The Importance of Critical Pause	In this bonus commentary, Sable Verity is joined by KBCS producer Jacob Galfano. They talk about the importance of “critical pause” and why we need to keep the Internet open and free.
08/19/10	What is so special about Belltown?	Sable is crying foul over a special Mayor McGinn created cleanup team just for Belltown in downtown Seattle. The team deals with people using the neighborhood’s alleys and streets as a bathroom. This, while other South Seattle neighborhoods continue to deal with youth shootings, violent crimes, and police brutality. Where is the neighborhood equity?
08/18/10	In defense of Huck Finn	In the wake of the controversy from Dr. Laura’s N-word laced on-air rant, some are calling for official resolutions against the N-word. While others are saying we should even take it out of the dictionary. Sable completely disagrees and explains why. She also talks about why historical books excessively using the word need to be studies and celebrated.
08/17/10	Real advice for Dr. Laura	Recently, syndicated radio host and relationship advisor Dr. Laura once again caused on-air controversy. Advice to a Black listener about her White husband’s racist friends turned into an on-air N-word laced rant. Sable who is much more qualified than Dr. Laura on issues around use of the N-word, has her own advice not only to the host, but also to her hapless caller.
08/11/10	And then there were none	For over 40 years, Essence magazine has been covering fashion, lifestyle and beauty for Black women by Black women…until now. In a controversial decision that has shocked many, Essence has hired a White woman to fill their long vacant position of fashion director. In this deeply personal commentary, Sable weighs in on the debate.
08/10/10	Harm Reduction 2.0: Free Crack Pipes	One of the newest additions to the University District’s needle exchange program is offering free clean pipes to smoke crack cocaine. The harm reduction philosophy behind the new program is once again in the spotlight with both supporters and detractors. What side is Sable on? Tune in to find out.
08/04/10	The Safeway Incident Resolution	Remember a few weeks ago, Sable had a harrowing experience at her local Safeway when store employees mistakenly thought she had shoplifted her groceries? This week, Sable has a follow-up on the faulty security system that erroneously tagged her as a shoplifter and the rude behavior she had received from the employees.
08/03/10	Building peace begins at Ground Zero	Sable has her own reaction to the criticism, resistance, and fear mongering pointed at the proposal of building a mosque close to the site of the 9/11 attacks. For Sable, just and lasting peace needs to begin at home, especially close to Ground Zero.
		Sable is off this week.
07/21/10	Does enjoying an air show mean selling out?	You know Sable Verity as a social justice crusader, relentless commentator on race, and prolific Northwest blogger, but how about diehard Blue Angels fan? It’s true and she is unapologetic. On today’s commentary, hear why you’ll find her and the family cheering them on come Sea Fair.
07/20/10	Still waiting for that apology…	Recently, Sable had an unpleasant experience at her local corporate grocery store. She believes she was wrongly accused of shoplifting. The store says it is business as usual. Listen to the commentary and you decide.
07/14/10	After 100 years, just who is the NAACP really advancing?	This year the historic civil rights group the NAACP turns 101-years-old. While their annual conference will focus on social media and making the organization more relevant to youths, Sable believes the NAACP needs to work on their relevance to Black people everywhere.
07/13/10	Oscar Grant III	On January 1, 2009, 23-year-old Black man named Oscar Grant III was fatally shot in the back by transit officer Johannes Mehserle. At the time, Grant was lying face down on the ground with an officer’s knee on his back. In last week’s criminal trial against Mehserle, the jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter which carries a maximum sentence of four years. Has justice been served?
07/08/10	Parenting advice from a guest commentator, part II	A few weeks ago, Sable Verity shared the mic with her elementary school-aged son who talked about what every parent should know from his generation. For this commentary, she shares the mic with her daughter who will be entering high school this fall. She too, will be talking about what you should know from her peer group.
07/06/10	Fixing Seattle Public Schools	Soon, the Seattle School Board will vote on whether to extend school superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson’s contract to 2013. While many believe the board will vote to keep her, a growing community of parents, educators, and activists are saying the status quo has got to go.
06/30/10	Better policing for all communities or just Belltown?	Seattle’s newest police chief John Diaz has a long list for Seattle’s finest, embattled by recent videos depicting officers behaving inappropriately. Sable believes Diaz’s first step is already one in the wrong direction.
06/29/10	One punch divides a community	By now you’ve seen the newest controversial Seattle Police video showing an officer punching a 15-year-old girl in the face as she repeated yells and pushes him. While many community organizations are touting this as the latest in a string of SPD brutality incidents, Sable thinks people need to take a step back on focus on inappropriate behavior on both sides.
		Sable's editor is off this week.
06/16/10	When Time is Never Enough	In this deeply personal commentary, Sable expresses her own condolences to the mother who lost three children in the deadly weekend fire in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. Sable too lost her own child a few years ago and talks about how time is never enough.
06/15/10	As Seattle Turns, Episode 3: Who will be the next Top Cop?	Sable presents the latest episode in Seattle City Hall’s continuing soap opera. This show focuses on the mayor’s seeming indecision regarding Seattle’s future police chief, now down to only two candidates.
06/10/10	For some, the magnitude of the B.P. Oil Spill is an everyday reality	The continuing environmental damage from the B.P./Deep Horizon oil spill is staggering. But in other parts of the world, this kind of damage from fossil fuel extraction is an everyday reality. Sable wonders how much we truly care about the environment.
06/09/10	When an Apology is Not an Apology	From politicians to entertainers to pundits, the “non-apology apology” seems to be du jour for the offensive and the gaffe-prone. Sable analyzes the rhetoric behind the public apology that is anything but an apology.
06/08/10	Standing Up for Helen Thomas	Helen Thomas is a longtime veteran of reporting on the White House. Her resume and extensive experience in the White House Press Corps make her one of the most respected reporters alive today. And now she is experiencing rebuke from pundits and politicians on both sides. Sable shares her thoughts on why all of us, from journalists to readers, should be standing up for Helen Thomas.
06/03/10	Parenting advice from a guest commentator	Aside from her duties as blogger and radio commentator, Sable Verity is also a parent. And out of all her duties, this one may be the most challenging. So for this commentary, she shares the mic with her son about what it means to be a good parent.
06/02/10	Obama’s “Katrina?”	Conservatives and administration opponents have been rallying to officially label the B.P./Deep Horizon oil spill as President Obama’s “Katrina.” But Sable sorts through the comparisons and finds a pretty weak argument.
06/01/10	Net Neutrality: A Struggle Affecting All People	Recently, all three of Washington State’s Republican representatives in Congress signed a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, asking them to go back on their commitment to an equal and open Internet. Sable talks about why their recent decision has far reaching effects for low income and people of color communities.
05/25/10	Welcoming the Tea Party to the Table	Some believe the victory of ultra-conservative, Tea Party supported Rand Paul in the Kentucky Senate primary race is a game changer. However, after publically expressing disagreements with the 1964 Civil Rights Act, many are calling for the son of U.S. Texas Representative Ron Paul to step out of the race. Sable thinks we should welcome this newest addition to the conservative spectrum with open arms.
		Sable is off this week.
05/12/10	Oops, We Did It Again…Media Fails in Its Duty	In Sable’s earlier commentary, she called out Seattle Police Department Detective Shandy Cobane for what she thinks is a disingenuous apology for kicking a man in the head as he lie on the ground and then using a racial slur. In this segment, Sable cautions us to not be distracted by the brouhaha over who owns the video of the SPD beating and calls out the true failure of the media in this specific case.
05/11/10	Oops, We Did It Again…Seattle Police Brutality Caught on Video	Sable calls out Seattle Police Department Detective Shandy Cobane for what she believes is a disingenuous apology for kicking a man in the head as he lie on the ground and then using a racial slur. An isolated incident? Sable Verity thinks not.
05/05/10	His name is Alajawan S. Brown	Sable has this eulogy for the latest 12-year old victim of gun violence in the Puget Sound. His name is Alajawan S. Brown and perhaps even worse, no one is talking, which means the police has no suspects.
05/04/10	What do we really value?	From big corporations to individuals, donations from all over the Puget Sound poured in to save this year’s cancelled July 4th fireworks display. But fireworks aren’t the only thing in danger of cancellation. What about much needed domestic violence services? Sable questions Seattle’s values.
04/28/10	“By the Time I Get to Arizona.”	The state of Arizona has enacted one of the strictest immigration enforcement laws ever. Sable understands the issues on both sides of the argument. While she doesn’t have any solutions, Sable does know that Arizona’s new law spells major trouble for people of color in Arizona as well as victimized undocumented immigrants.
04/27/10	Who will speak up for our youth?	Mayor McGinn has listed youth issues as a top priority for his administration. But with an expanding city deficit, will it remain high on the list? Sable has a simple idea about how you can keep youth issues a priority for Seattle.
04/21/10	Black Pro-Lifers call abortion "womb lynching"	A increasing number of prominent African Americans, including Martin Luther King’s niece are speaking out against abortion calling it a genocidal tool against Black people. It may sound crazy, but their rhetoric is based in historical fact. Sable wades through the hype and the reality around this deeply contentious conspiracy theory.
04/20/10	On this episode of "As Seattle Turns…	Sable has a review of this week’s latest episode of the soap opera within Seattle’s City Hall. Though previously, Sable has had harsh words for Mayor Mike McGinn, this time she actually has some praise for hizzoner. At issue is Councilman Tim Burgess’ aggressive panhandling ordinance and the most recent development of what McGinn plans to do about it.
04/15/10	Racism 2.0	We may have elected the first African American president and major healthcare reform may have passed, but we still live in very frightening times. How frightening? How about a U.S. Senate candidate publically espousing white supremacist values who got on the ballot from a write-in campaign? How about a governor celebrating Confederate history without mentioning slavery? Sable believes we’re in for worse…much worse.
04/14/10	"Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up."	Recently, the Pioneer Square Community Association attempted to prevent homeless advocacy group Real Change from moving to the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Sable calls PSCA out on trying to block the group’s move. If you prevent service providers from moving into your neighborhood, why stop there? Why not block homosexuals, low-income folks and Blacks too? Hear how PSCA may just be carrying on a Seattle neighborhood tradition of restrictive covenants that’s as recent as the 1960s.
04/13/10	Time for a food revolution	This week, Sable Verity has a huge problem…with breakfast pizza, a staple in school cafeterias all over the nation. For many breakfast pizza has become a symbol of institutions promoting unhealthy eating habits for kids everywhere. But Sable cautions us against blaming the schools. The real problem lies elsewhere.
		Sable is off this week.
03/31/10	Where do the "Bodies" come from?	The provocative and educational "Bodies: The Exhibition" has closed its doors in Seattle for now. But questions still linger. The traveling exhibit consists of real human bodies dissected, skinned, plasticized, and arranged in various action stills. Sable digs into the controversy around just where the bodies for the exhibit are from.
03/30/10	Reading the fine print on reproductive health for minors	Last week the mother of a Ballard High School 15-year-old claimed to the media that Ballard High staff arranged for her daughter to have an abortion while at school. Sable brings you the real facts and fine print of the accusations.
03/25/10	The Plight of Barry Massey Continues...	At the age of 13, Barry Massey was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility for parole. But if the case had happened today rather than 1987, Massey likely would not have received such a harsh sentence. In this case, does the punishment fit the crime?
03/23/10	A Separate Prom is Not an Equal Prom	A Mississippi school district would cancel prom altogether rather than allow a lesbian student take her girlfriend as a date. Many have offered to pay for a special prom for the all students. However, Sable doesn’t think this is right. Tune in to hear why.
03/17/10	The Whitewashing of Texas Education	Did you hear about what is going on with the Lone Star State’s Board of Education? They’re rewriting history...literally. Sable presents her take on the future of Texas’ textbooks.
03/16/10	The Plight of Barry Massey	Barry Massey is the youngest person in our country’s history to be tried as an adult for first degree murder. What do you think about locking up a 13-year-old and throwing away the key?
03/11/10	Our Children Deserve Better	This week Sable wades into the contentious waters of the Seattle school system. While schools here are failing minority students, Sable highlights a charter school in the Midwest that is succeeding where everyone else seems to be failing.
03/09/10	Shut Up and Drive, Part 2	State legislators are so close to passing a new stricter law making it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving. But one lawmaker has derailed the process. All is not lost. Tune in to find out why.
03/02/10	Justice for all or just for some?	The plot thickens involving the 15-year-old girl beaten to unconsciousness in the downtown Metro tunnel as security guards stood by. Now that her own criminal past has come to light, some believe her beat down was just desserts. But whatever happened to "liberty and justice for all."
03/01/10	Our Northwest Soap Opera	Sable presents another chapter in the continuing Northwest soap opera: As Seattle City Hall Turns. She checks in with our main protagonist Mayor Mike McGinn on the status of his love affair with transit-only lanes on 520. And are we in for another town hall? Tune in for yet another indecisive episode of As Seattle City Hall Turns.
02/24/10	Might look racist, but it doesn’t mean it’s racist	Did you see the Russian and American ice dancing routines? Did you think that was racist? Sable doesn’t think so. Tune in to find out why.
02/23/10	Style, Substance, or ‘the Seattle Way’	We’re 2 months into the new Mike McGinn administration and Sable sees misstep after misstep. From the seawall to a new initiative for youths, she is wondering when the "town halling" stops and the real work begins.
02/17/10	No unhealthy children left behind	First Lady Michelle Obama recently announced her Let's Move campaign that encourages kids to do more physical activity and to eat healthier. Sable points out Michelle Obama can’t do this alone and encourages us all to help out in building a better future for our youth.
02/16/10	Public transportation, but no public safety	Last week, the Internet was a buzz with the video of a 15 year-old girl beaten unconscious by another teenager in the Metro Bus Tunnel while security guards did nothing. This has Sable wondering who is there to protect and serve while we wait and ride?
02/10/10	Is Ugly in the Eye of the Beholder?	A pair of British citizens were recently convicted of "publishing racially inflammatory material," among other offenses. This has Sable reexamining how we balance freedom of speech versus hate speech on the web in this country.
02/09/10	Dear Sarah Palin...	Sable Verity was inspired after watching Sarah Palin’s keynote speech at this past weekend’s National Tea Party Convention in Nashville. In fact, Sable was so inspired she, like many others, penned this fan letter to the right’s newest political celebrity.
02/02/10	Stop calling quake survivors "looters."	In the wake of yet another natural disaster effecting mostly black people, the mainstream media was at it again calling survivors of the Haitian earthquake, "looters." Sable wonders if we'll ever learn.
02/01/10	What do you think of Black History Month?	This week, Sable shares her thoughts on Black History Month. Her strong feelings toward the month may surprise some of you...or not.
		Sable is off this week.
01/20/10	A Regressive Tax Sable Can Support	This legislative session will see a showdown between gun control advocates and gun rights activists. At the center of the conflict is a bill banning semiautomatic weapons designed for military use. Sable thinks lying in this controversy may be a potential solution for Washington State’s budget deficit.
01/19/10	Rethinking American "Aid" to Haiti	Many cheered at the U.S. government’s immediate response to the Haiti earthquake. But judging from our recent history of aid for both foreign and domestic disasters, maybe U.S. aid should be more of a cause for concern.
01/13/10	Maybe Reid was just saying what everyone’s already thinking?	It came to light recently that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada made some pretty controversial remarks during the 2008 presidential race about then candidate Barack Obama. While the Republicans are calling him to step down and Democrats are accepting his apology, Sable is wondering, "What’s the big deal?"
01/12/10	Where is the outrage for Mikarah Sanders?	The New Year’s Eve murder of 15-year-old Mikarah Sanders leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Like, how is it that the alleged shooter who is a repeat offender and who had been officially deemed a "threat to community safety" allowed to walk the streets?
01/06/10	High, but Still Broke	One possible suggestion to get Washington State out of our current huge financial deficit is to legalize and tax marijuana. Sable is down for decriminalization, but thinks there is a better alternative.
01/05/10	Ceis v. McGinn	Before new Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn could even move into his new digs at Seattle City Hall, he ran into some conflict with the former administration. Maybe not a fortuitous way to start a New Year?
12/30/09	Healthcare Reform: Only a Bill?	Sable takes a walk down memory lane. She shows how the educational cartoons of yesteryear may have ignored a few dirty truths about how our democracy really works...or doesn’t work!
12/29/09	A New Bad Trend for a New Administration	While violent crime across the nation is going down, here in the Northwest, it is actually on the rise. Will the incoming Seattle administration both green in experience and green in political priorities be ready with new ideas on how to stop this disturbing trend? A new Seattle Police commissioner might be good start.
12/23/09	King County Musical Chairs	King County Council needs to fill the seat left vacant by Dow Constantine. The supposedly straightforward process has devolved into a long, confusing procedure no thanks to partisan politics. Who are the real winners in this weird political game?
12/22/09	Eatonville Makes 3	As this year draws to an end, the Northwest is hit by yet another horrible attack against police officers. Sable wonders what the hell is going on?
12/16/09	Tiger Woods...Who Cares?	No matter where you go, television, cable, the Internet, standing in line at the grocery store, yet another salacious article about golfer Tiger Woods. Sable is sick of the nonstop coverage and has a simple exercise for you to do before searching for the latest in Tiger Woods gossip.
12/15/09	The Reverse Racism Card	Sable responds to listener comments from her previous commentary calling out the Northwest for racist acts post Lakewood Police shootings. It doesn’t matter who is in the White House or the race of a particular criminal. Whether we like it or not, racism is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest.
12/09/09	NW Racism Post-Shootings	The recent murder of 4 police officers by Maurice Clemmons-a Black man-has led to many instances of the unfair condemnation of an entire race. Is it really fair to let one person's actions exemplify an entire race? Real talk about race from Sable Verity.
12/08/09	Have Crush, Make Website?	Thanks to the Internet and the availability of sites where just about anyone can create their own blog, webpage, etc., it is relatively easy for people to communicate their ideas and thoughts to the world. But what about letting someone you know you have a crush on them by creating a website? And what if both parties are just 8 years-old?
12/02/09	BMI or GPA?	Our nation’s first historically black college, Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania has decided a few dozen of its students won’t get to graduate this spring.
12/01/09	Again? How?	Another police killing, this time the worst in Washington State's history. Four dead Lakewood police officers. Two police standoffs. A zigzagging manhunt. A city on edge. Sable demands answers, especially from our dysfunctional criminal justice system.
11/26/09	The Revolution...is there an app for that?	A controversial cell phone application has Sable wondering about the ethics and legality of our rapidly growing mobile computing technology. The revolution may not be televised, but will it be available on your smart phone?
11/25/09	A Bonus for Making 20% of Goals?	Seattle Public School Board is awarding Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson nearly $5,300 as a bonus for her performance. This despite closing schools, failing infrastructure, and the district's huge budget shortfall.
11/19/09	Bring Back the 2 Paper Town	It has been more than 8 months since the demise of the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Sable presents her evaluation of Seattle's print media landscape, including a look at the online site which has arisen from its ashes, the seattlepi.com.
11/17/09	Bah, Humbug!	It's not even Thanksgiving and you can already hear Christmas holiday songs in the malls and stores across the U.S. Sable warns us all to not be taken in by the true meaning of the early holiday tunes.
11/12/09	The Pipeline...Myth?	Sable's great news about her son's excellent performance on the WASL standardized test resulted in some not-so-great comments. Listen as Sable dispells some myths regarding young Black men.
11/10/09	Shut Up and Drive!	Sable writes a letter to Washington State about a certain law with no teeth. Have you ever picked up your cell phone while driving? This commentary is for you.
11/05/09	King County Cuts	King County has a fiscal crisis on its hands, and it promises to take its toll in the 2010 budget. Thanks to a sharp decline in revenue, significant cuts must be made to offset an enormous deficit. Guess where they look to cut first?
11/04/09	"Tons of Guns"	For Seattle, Halloween night brought the city’s 17th homicide of the year-the 11th by gun violence. Only this one was different.
10/29/09	Tunnel Vision	Seattle Mayoral candidate Mike McGinn recently backtracked on what was a huge part of his platform. Huh? Sable shares why she believes McGinn changed his mind on Seattle's tunnel to replace the aging viaduct.
10/28/09	71 & 1033	In this, her inaugural KBCS commentary, Sable Verity breaks down the real issues behind Referendum 71 and Initiative 1033.