Dr. Boyce Watkins: Barack Obama and Black Men – What has he done for us?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Your Black World 

I did a recent CNN appearance along with the actor Hill Harper and Dr. Alvin Poussaint at Harvard University. The series was a one-year anniversary segment featuring political issues within the African American community. for the entire week, the primary focus was on the impact that President Barack Obama has had onAfrican American men. Given that I’ve been a black man for quite a while now, I found this conversation topic particularly interesting, so getting to speak to Richelle Carey again wasn’t the only perk of doing the job that day.

It must be made clear that the president should not be expected to save the entire world in one swoop. His job is difficult, and he can’t give everyone what they want all the time. But to the extent that President Obama has been positioned to trump pre-existing black leadership (remember that some say we now live in a post-racial America), one can argue that President Obama’s rantings in black churches come with some degree of accountability from the Oval Office. Obama has spoken at NAACP meetings, telling black men to take responsibility for our families (as if none of us do) and to engage in more personal responsibility (as if we don’t do that already). Such tough talk should be backed by meaningful policy, since structural incentives play a dominant role in the ultimate choice of the individual. For example, when companies get tax incentives to invest in new projects, they almost always do.

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President Obama Gets Low Support Among Whites

 

approval among white Americans has fallen to 39 percent since taking office in January, Gallup Daily poll results indicated.

Overall, Obama’s approval rating slipped below 50 percent for the first time in his presidency, a 16 percentage point drop since the 66 percent average he enjoyed during his first full week in office, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said of its results released Tuesday.

Support among blacks for Obama averaged 93 percent during his time in office, and has been at or above 90 percent since he was sworn in, accounting for the reason Obama’s support among non-white respondents didn’t drop as much, Gallup said.

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Why We Don’t Need Sarah Palin: Wilmer Leon

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, Howard University 

With the release of her new book Going Rogue: An American Life, former Alaskan Governor and Republican party VP nominee Sarah Palin is once again being given a spotlight she does not deserve. Under normal circumstances Palin would have drifted into obscurity by now; a political has-been who never was. Instead, a sub-par politician with no substantial constituency; no command of relevant issues, and no solutions to substantive problems, is being given air and face time as though she really matters. The simple reality that few are willing to articulate is, if she were not relatively attractive, of European ancestry and a woman, Sarah Palin would be day old bread.

Former Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) did not select Palin as his running mate because she was a “rogue”, innovator, or had demonstrated intellectual heft. McCain simply pandered to the Conservative Right, tried to siphon off some of the disgruntled Senator Clinton supporters, and gave America more of the same ole’ politics. From that point until now, Sarah Palin has continually tried to reinvent herself, but continues to give Americans more of the same; “all sizzle and no steak”.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: KKK Rally at Ole Miss University

By Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

I was intrigued by recent reports that the Ku Klux Klan had a rally on the Ole Miss Campus recently. It might surprise you to know that I am essentially unconcerned by their presence on campus. Don’t get me wrong, Klansmen are incredibly ignorant. Also, we cannot deny their historical reign of terror over people of color in America. But I can also give you a list of reasons that we should stop paying attention to the KKK.

1) They thrive off of attention: The KKK has very little power. They don’t do very much anymore, and even in this rally, it appears that there were only a few members present. The truth is that the klan only has power because we give it attention. They are like a grease fire: The more water you put on it, the more it grows. But if you starve the fire of oxygen, it eventually dies out. The klan must be starved of attention, and then they will go away. They only remain relevant because we want them to be.

 

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Jesse Jackson Gets into it with the CBC

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Black Planet 

I love speaking with Rev. Jesse Jackson.  He walks and talks like a man who has seen and heard nearly everything.  Our civil rights leaders are social hubs through which many members of our society must travel in order to reach their destinations.   You can’t call yourself a black man and not know the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rev. Jackson took things a step further by stating recently at a Congressional Black Caucus function that,”You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”

RELATED: Jesse Jackson Says To CBC You Can’t Be Black And Be Against Health Care

This comment was aimed at Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, the only member of theCongressional Black Caucus who does not support health care reform.   What is most interesting about Jackson’s comment is that he is right, but not quite.  You can certainly argue that Davis’ lack of support for the plan implies  that his interests are not in line with the majority of African Americans in this country:  Most of them love Barack Obama and are willing to support anything that he supports.  The other sad truth is that health care reform is so complicated that most Americans don’t have a clue about what’s going on.   In that regard, we can argue that it is difficult for Davis to say that he represents the black community when he votes in a direction that is not correlated with the majority of African Americans in the state of Alabama.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins – The Heather Ellis Case: All About Racism

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

My mother raised me to believe that black men are supposed to stand up for black women. Heather Ellis is the woman who now faces 15-years in prison for an incident deriving from her being accused of cutting line at a Walmart. Based on my knowledge of the Heather Ellis case (and seeing the Walmart surveillance video that has not yet been released to the public), it seems difficult to argue in favor of a conviction.

I accompanied Dr. Christopher Metzler (Georgetown University), Dr. Wilmer Leon(Howard University), King Downing (Attorney with the Sean Bell Justice Project) and Elliot Millner (Legal Advisor for the Your Black World Coalition) to Kennett, MO. The trip was long, but rewarding. You can visit TheHeatherEllisCase.com to read more about the rally and how it all happened. The town shut down and took notice because they’d never seen black people come together to fight for their rights, at least not in that way.

There are some who seem to believe that if Heather cut the line, cursed at the cashier or kicked one of the officers, she should go to prison (The officer’s allegations can’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and don’t appear on any video that I’ve seen. Police reports here have questionable credibility, since King Downing has data which shows that the Kennett police are systematically biased when arresting and convicting black defendants). But after witnessing egregious and illegal behavior on the part of many non-black college students for the past 16 years (ever been to a campus frat party?), it’s interesting that most of them are let go with a slap on the wrist, but some think it’s ok to send a black woman to prison over a minor incident. If I came to most universities (including my own), had a raid on a fraternity house and chose to send students to prison over whatever contraband I found, there would be outrage.

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The Truth About Obama’s Health Care Plan

By

Dr. Elaina George, MD

The health care reform bill (HR 3962) that just passed the House of Representatives is bad on so many levels it is difficult explain. As it stands, it will destroy both the doctor patient relationship and change the practice of medicine as we know it.

We have one of the finest health care systems in the world. It has been built on a foundation of choice. Doctors were free to choose the care that they deemed necessary to treat their patients, and patients were free to seek the medical care of their choice. Initially, the foundation was shaken by the rise of the managed care system with capitation. However, over the past 10 years, capitated plans which limit access to specialists have given way to the rise in power of insurance companies. They have used their anti-trust exemption to craft a system that has used monopoly to increase profits on the backs of both doctors and patients.

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What to make of the punch by the Columbia University Professor – Dr. Boyce

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

When I heard that black Columbia University professor Lionel McIntyre punched out a white university employee, I was obviously taken aback. I was even more intrigued by the fact that the two were having a heated conversation about white privilege when the alleged punch took place. Given that the fight was in a bar, I immediately thought about the Jamie Foxx excuse: "blame it on the alcohol." My goddaughter is an athlete at Columbia, but I had no idea that Columbia University professors could be so athletic in their free time. Although professor McIntyre’s actions are obviously inexcusable, the truth is that our actions "under the influence" tell a deeper story about our psyches, so there is more to this incident than meets the eye.

1) Call me crazy, but I understand how Lionel McIntyre felt. I would never punch out anyone from the frustration I’ve felt when dealing with white privilege, but then again, that is probably why I chose not to drink alcohol, since I am genuinely concerned about how I might react to the stinging pain of consistent racism. What is also true is that although some black scholars are afraid to admit it, many of us have felt incredibly angry and irritated by the arrogant nature of white privilege within academia. It’s not that black scholars dislike their white colleagues, it’s that many of us are tired of being thought of as second-class citizens. If any black Ph.D. student or professor says they haven’t thought about jumping over someone’s desk and "whooping ass" at least once, they’re telling a lie. Some of us hold in the frustration until we die of heart disease. Some of us submit ourselves to the system and become groveling Sambos, while many black scholars simply leave academia altogether. Either way, there is as much frustration for black scholars in America as there is within nearly every other profession dominated by whites. So as the comedian Chris Rock once said in a skit about O.J. Simpson, "I’m not saying he should have done it, but I understand."

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News: African American students told to pick cotton in front of white classmates

A history lesson that asked black elementary students to act like slaves has sparked protests from parents and teachers at a North Carolina school Wednesday.

During a field trip to Latta Plantation, three students from Rea View Elementary in Waxhaw were chosen by tour guide Ian Campbell to wear bags and mimic picking cotton while their white classmates looked on, WSOC-TV, Charlotte, reported Friday.

Many of the teachers and parents from the elementary school said they plan on writing the leaders of the plantation regarding the racially insensitive history lesson.

 

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News on the Heather Ellis Trial: New Prosecutor Has Confederate Flag on His Book Cover

Should we be concerned about this?  Our rally is in Kennett, MO on November 16 at 11 am.

Visit www.TheHeatherEllisCase.com for more information.

Black Preachers and Elections: What Gives?

A few weeks ago, the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, the influential pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, came to a difficult decision, one he had wrestled with all summer.

Daniel Barry for The New York Times

"What could I say to a man who was mayor, and was supportive of a lot of programs that are importan to me?" said Rev. Calvin O. Buts III, the pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Manhattan.

He would not endorse William C. Thompson Jr., the city comptroller and a longtime friend and ally, for mayor, as he had promised Mr. Thompson last spring. Instead, he would endorse Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Mr. Thompson was furious at the betrayal. But what he did not know was that Mr. Bloomberg gave a $1 million donation to the church’s development corporation — roughly 10 percent of its annual budget — with the implicit promise of more to come.

“What could I say to a man who was mayor, and was supportive of a lot of programs that are important to me?” Mr. Butts said in an interview before he endorsed Mr. Bloomberg.

In his quest for a third term, Mr. Bloomberg has deprived Mr. Thompson of what many once regarded as his political birthright: the blessings of the city’s most powerful black ministers, who together preach to tens of thousands of congregants each week. And to win them over, he has deployed an unusual combination of city money, private philanthropy, political appointments and personal attention, creating a web of ties to black clergy members that is virtually unheard of for a white elected official in New York City.

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Black Women, 15 Years in Prison for Cutting in Line at a Walmart? Where’s the Constitution in all this?

Dr. Wilmer Leon, Howard University, Sirius/XM Satellite, Your Black World

One of the things that make America unique is its Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights. In its original form, the Constitution did not include a list of basic civil liberties or guarantees to the individual. Many prominent Americans, including Thomas Jefferson insisted that a list of fundamental protections be included to restrain the national government from tampering with the fundamental rights and civil liberties of its citizens. The intent of the framers of the Constitution was to level the playing field. They felt it necessary to restrain the very powerful government, prosecutors, and police from arbitrary and capricious action against the less powerful individual. Over time these protections have been passed down to the state level.

The case of Heather Ellis is a perfect present day example of why individual American citizens need to be protected from over zealous capricious prosecutors and police. For a young woman to be facing up to fifteen years in prison for trespassing, disturbing the peace, and two felony counts of assaulting a police officer, all for allegedly cutting a check-out line at a Wal-Mart is unconscionable.

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Dr Boyce Watkins: Obama’s Fed Chairman Makes Racially Embarrassing Remarks

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Your Black World 

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. I feel that he is better than the previous chairman, Alan Greenspan, but the Fed Chairmanship (like the presidency) is almost never given to the right man. Just the fact that it is almost always given to a man is problematic enough, and the truth is that only white men need apply for the job.
Well, when you are limited in your option pool for the top job, bad leadership and flat out ignorance can sometimes be the result. While Fed Chairman Bernanke might know some nuts and bolts about economics, he appears to be shockingly misinformed about economic disparities between blacks and whites. His embarrassing and highly inappropriate statements at Morehouse College serve as a significant case in point.
In a recent interview at Morehouse, the Fed Chairman was asked what he felt to be the reason for the wealth gap between blacks and whites. In response, Bernanke said that the gap was due to a lack of "financial literacy" and "financial education" on the part of African Americans. That’s all he mentioned.

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Black News: Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke Needs a Lesson in Racial History

• Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke listens to businessmen following an address in Chatham, Mass., Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Last spring when Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke visited Morehouse College, an undergraduate student asked him what accounts for the enormous racial disparity in wealth. Bernanke responded that the source of the problem was the lack of "financial literacy" and "financial education" on the part of blacks, particularly with respect to savings decisions.

He said nothing about the lack of access to inherited wealth, such as inheritances and other intergenerational transfers. Most wealth acquisition today takes place by such asset shifts. Even more astonishing, Bernanke never mentioned the notorious history of white violence that included the seizure, destruction and appropriation of black property.
Acknowledging this unfairness is not an excuse but a powerful truth; remedying it requires straightforward government action, rather than lectures on the value of saving. In fact, the racial wealth gap can be decreased – and without using a race-specific strategy of wealth redistribution.

We propose Children’s Development Accounts, an expanded and non-incremental version of what Manning Marable of Columbia University has called the "Baby Bond" plan. It would provide an endowed trust fund for all children born into families with a net worth below the national median, progressively rising to $50,000 to $60,000 for children whose families are in the lowest wealth quartile. The program could be structured like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which uses a benefits phase-out schedule.

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What is Your Purpose?

by Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President: Bennett College

Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, the first woman President of Lincoln University, has a name that reflects her reality. Niara means woman of high purpose, and that she is, indeed. After leaving Lincoln University in 1998, she traveled and consulted, and has recently been scholar-in-residence at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Last week, she donated her papers and personal library, including more than 3800 books, 4100 issues of journals and periodicals, plaques and other collectibles, including the outfit she wore when she was enstooled as a chief in the Ife Kingdom of Nigeria. This is a sister and scholar whose name ought to be spoken frequently among African American people, especially those who have concerns about the African American family, and those who have interests in things African. We are more likely to know entertainers, however, than we are to know scholars. This is a scholar certainly worth knowing.

I had the honor of traveling to Fort Lauderdale to help salute Dr. Sudarkasa on the occasion of her very generous gift (valued at more than $270,000) to the library. In thinking about Niara’s life and career, I was especially focused on the work she has done as an Africanist and anthropologist, long before it was fashionable for African American people to look at our African roots. Indeed, Niara learned Yoruba as part of her doctoral work and studies the work that women did in African society for her dissertation. Her early work lays the foundation for contemporary work on linkages between Africa and the United States.

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Now that’s a Shocker: President Obama Wins the Nobel Peace Prize

While we at Your Black World love President Obama, we have a hard time figuring out exactly what he’s done to earn this.  His work has been tireless, but his achievements are still yet to come.  Do we smell heavy politics in this?  Does this undermine the credibility of the Nobel Prize itself?

Doctors Can’t Afford to Give Vaccinations

Parents who bring their kids to Dr. G. Andrew McIntosh for the chicken pox vaccine are out of luck.

The family physician, who has a solo practice in Uniontown, Ohio, doesn’t offer that shot because he can’t afford it. Most insurers won’t sufficiently cover the cost.

"It doesn’t do me any good. I am losing money on [them]," he said. The chicken pox vaccine runs about $115, but insurers only cover between $68 to $83 of that.

McIntosh has also cut back on a handful of other critical childhood vaccines for the same reason — including the measles, mumps and rubella, known as the MMR vaccine.

It costs him about $58 to buy an MMR shot, he said, while insurers pay about about $40.

 

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Dr. Wilmer Leon’s Remarks about the Pending Sale of Ebony Magazine

Quick comments from Dr. Wilmer Leon, Political Science Professor – Howard University 

 

In this challenging time for print media, the historic jewel of African American periodicals, Ebony (like so many of our ancestors) is on the auction block. What was once a staple in so many African American homes is now struggling for its survival as many question its relevance.

During segregation Ebony and Jet magazines were key sources of information for the African American community about the community. With integration, too many of us left our communities, churches, and culture behind in order to assimilate into the dominant culture. With that, for too many, Ebony no longer reflects the community they live in; aspire to live in or a lifestyle that they see as relevant.

I have always felt that Ebony needed to incorporate more relevant political/economic/business information, analysis, and content to appeal to the growing African American middle and upper class. Life style and entertainment is great but that needs to be supplemented with the relevant information to maintain that life style. It’s a difficult mix to maintain but necessary.

Selling Ebony/Jet does not mean that those magazines will cease to exist but with ownership comes control. The sale of Ebony/Jet goes back to the question of who will be left to define and interpret the issues that are relevant to the African American community and who will control its imagery. I don’t know that Viacom has that mission or interest.

John H. Johnson said that Ebony was founded to "project all dimensions of the Black personality in a world saturated with stereotypes. We wanted to give Blacks a new sense of somebodiness, a new sense of self-respect. We wanted to tell them who they were and what they could do. We believed then–and we believe now–that Blacks needed positive images to fulfill their potentialities." The world continues to be saturated with those stereotypes and the community still needs positive images in order to fulfill its potential.

Dr. Wilmer Leon is the host of the Sirius/XM Satellite Show “On with Leon.”  To contact Dr. Leon for media requests or speaking engagements, please click here.

East Cleveland Mayor in the Middle of Controversy

Mayor Eric Brewer has to regret the day that he came out of the closet so to speak, lambasting a local television station for airing out his sequin-laced dirty laundry.

Coming less than a week before he faces poll goers via a voting booth, the mayor of East Cleveland has been sited in rare form; looking fabulous in an amber wig and Jimmy Choo’s.

In a move lambasted by Brewer, WKYC’s Channel 3 was the first media outlet to shed light on the startling revelation, sending the picture and subsequent mayoral race into the stratosphere.

Reading a statement outside his campaign headquarters, the incumbent mayor vented his frustration with the event via a statement that left more questions than answers.

“I had not seen any of the pictures until WKYC’s broadcast yesterday evening.” To date, he has refused to say or deny whether the person pictured is him.

Members of Brewer’s campaign have named his opponent, City Council President Gary Norton, as their chief suspect into their search to find whomever leaked and circulated the photos.

Mayor Brewer is also looking into whether police involvement may have played a part in the affair due mainly to the firing of multiple officers during his freshman term.

Former Mayor of East Cleveland, Saratha Googins, says that she knew of the picture for years.

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Ebony and Jet May Be sold to a Buyer Soon

 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com, Your Black World, AOL Black Voices 

 

The black journalism students here at Syracuse often come to me to find out how the industry works. They sometimes instinctively wonder if their professors’ stories about being in a CBS newsroom in 1982 are going to help them survive in a world run by Twitter, Myspace and Facebook. The answer is a resounding "probably not."

While respecting the journalism professors teaching their classes, I simply use examples like Ebony Magazine to help them realize that black media is changing, and sites like theGrio.com, BlackVoices.com, and TheRoot.com, are examples of how black media has evolved. In fact, a journalist who doesn’t understand technology and business models is in danger of starting his/her career as a dinosaur.

When it comes to recent reports about Ebony Magazine being offered for sale, I admit that I was saddened, but not surprised. The Ebony Fashion Fair has become one of the most celebrated events in black America, and the magazine has been nothing less than a tremendous source of national pride since its creation in 1945. But in the age of the web, oversized bureaucracies can be crushed under the weight of their own arrogance. Bloated payrolls, pompous corporate functions and a sense of entitlement make them easy prey for quick, hungry and rapidly evolving competition.

In spite of the tremendous love we have for Ebony/Jet, the truth must be confronted when realizing that it is what radio was to TV or what the train was to the airplane. Like radios and trains, there is still a place for print media, but that role is no longer dominant. The current economic climate only accelerated the inevitable, since advertisers were eventually going to stop spending $50,000 for magazine ads when they can buy the same number of eyeballs for $5,000 or less.

I present the following 5 questions I’d like to ask out loud about both Ebony Magazine and the state of African American media:

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Obama’s Losing His Approval, but All is Not Lost

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices, Syracuse University, TheGrio.com 

In an appropriate show of respect, President Barack Obama addressed theCongressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference this weekend. His speech focused primarily on healthcare, which has become the latest battleground for our challenged new leader. In the eyes of the public, Obama is no longer the cool, hip politician he was a few months ago. He is now the guy considered to be too moderate to be liberal, too socialist to be conservative, too black to be white and too white to be "down." Obama can’t quite be anything to anyone, which is the price he must now pay for trying to be everything to everyone.
Michelle Obama, as lovely as she is, arrived to the event with the president by her side. The couple, when appearing together, present an inspiring portrait of successful black love. Every black woman in America looks at Michelle and dreams of having her own political Mandingo accompanying her and her children to important social events.

Click to read more at AOL Black Voices

If the link doesn’t work, click here to find Dr. Watkins’ articles on AOL

What We need to Know about the G20 Summit

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, AOL Black Voices 

From MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

Uncle Ben from Spiderman made the most prophetic statement of the entire film series in his dying days (I almost cried, but don’t tell anybody): "With great power comes great responsibility." Most of us understood what Uncle Ben was trying to say, and that includes Barack Obama.

Uncle Ben should have been the keynote speaker at the latest G-20 Summit, taking place this week in Pittsburgh,PA. The G-20 Summit is a gathering of the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the world’s 19 wealthiest countries, plus the European Union. These countries encompass 85 percent of the world’s gross domestic product, so they would probably meet Uncle Ben’s qualification for "great power," at least when it comes to money.

The G-20 Summit’s primary objective is to achieve broad cooperation on the preservation of international financial stability. The motivations of the group, created in 1999, are seemingly noble and make perfect sense in light of the fact that the global economy has reached an unprecedented level of integration. If large nations do not work together, the world’s financial system will be subject to alarming amounts of volatility.

Not everyone can see the vision behind G-20 ambitions. Usually, the gatherings of the G-20 are as out of control as a frat party, as protesters have made a game out of disrupting the meetings as much as they possibly can. To prepare for this year’s economic fiesta, the city of Pittsburgh has brought in 4,000 police, 2,000 National Guard troops and 11 Coast Guard vessels.

Police, in an overwhelming show of force, declared Thursday’s march illegal almost as soon as it began, firing rubber bullets and canisters of pepper spray and smoke after small bands of anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling huge metal trash bins, throwing rocks and breaking windows. As of Friday morning, reports said nearly 70 people had been arrested and police were bracing for scattered protests around downtown.

President Obama, being the conflicted capitalist/black man/ex-community organizer that he is, made some telling comments about the demonstrators.

Click to read more on MSNBC’s TheGrio.com.

Black News: Census Worker Lynched in Kentucky

A U.S. Census worker found hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery had the word "fed" scrawled on his chest, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, and the FBI is investigating whether he was a victim of anti-government sentiment.

The law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity, did not say what type of instrument was used to write the word on the chest of Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and teacher. He was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural southeast Kentucky.

The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation. An autopsy report is pending.

 

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Your Black World

Black News: Magic Johnson, Cornel West Make a Stop at the CBC Weekend

Preview ’09 A Red Carpet Affair

Washington, DC – On September 24^th, 2009, IMPACT will bring together the most influential young politicos and professionals of color to honor emerging leaders during Preview ’09—a Red Carpet Affair.  This exclusive reception, held just blocks away from the White House at the St. Regis Hotel, will celebrate the contributions young professionals make to their communities and nation.

Each month IMPACT highlights young leaders excelling professionally while transforming their community.  The “IMPACT Leader of the Year” will be honored at Preview ’09 during the Annual Legislative Conference (ALC).  As these young African American professionals come to honor IMPACT leaders, new relationships will be forged and connections made to ensure that the pathway to excellence is available for every young African American to make an IMPACT.  More details below:

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

To RSVP your attendance, please visit: www.impact-dc.com

Where:             St. Regis Hotel

16^th and K Street NW

Washington, DC

Who: Hosted by BET’s Jeff Johnson

Young African American Politicos

Honorary co-chairs include:

Senator Roland Burris

Congressman Gregory Meeks

Congressman Andre Carson

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke

Congressman Keith Ellison

To find out about more CBC events hosted by IMPACT, please click here.

Black News: Shock Jock Michael Baisden gets with Dr. Elaina George to Ask Obama Hard Questions

from AOL Black Voices, Your Black World

Although many Americans have seen and heard the insane debate over healthcare, almost no one understands what’s going on. This is doubly true for the African American community, who is affected greatly by this debate and its outcomes. Most black bloggers aren’t talking about it and black doctors are too busy to inform the community.
Michael Baisden got with Dr. Elaina George, a prominent black physician in the Atlanta area, to break down the public option, healthcare and all related issues in the interview below.During the interview, Dr. George and Baisden answer some important questions:

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Dr Wilmer Leon: Serena Williams Can Teach Joe Wilson a Thing or Two

 

By

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Your Black World 

Howard University Political Science Professor

On Saturday September 12^th, at the U.S. Open semifinals, Serena Williams was caught in a “human moment” that she wishes she could change. After being called for a foot fault by a line judge Ms. Williams launched into an “f-bomb” laden tirade saying in part, “If I could, I would take this @#$#ing ball and shove it down your @#$#ing throat…" The resulting unsportsmanlike conduct penalty cost Ms. Williams the match.

On Monday September 14^th Ms. Williams offered a written apology. In it she said, "I want to sincerely apologize first to the lineswoman, Kim Clijsters, the US Tennis Association and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst … I really wanted to apologize sincerely…I think the lady was doing the best she could. She was just trying to do her job.”

Some have questioned Serena’s sincerity and others have questioned the timing of her apology. These questions may be valid but at the end of the day Ms. Williams did the right thing. She took responsibility for her behavior and apologized directly to all of those whom she attacked and offended.

On Wednesday September 9^th, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) had his own “human moment.” During President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress on health care, Wilson shouted at the President “you lie”. Shortly after his outburst Congressman Wilson called the White House to offer his apology to the President. President Obama did not take his call. It was accepted on his behalf by Chief of Staff Rhom Emanuel.

Congressman Wilson has been asked by members of his own party as well as Democrats to formally apologize on the House floor. He has refused to apologize on the floor of the House saying, "I’ve apologized one time. The apology was accepted by the president, the vice president. … I am not apologizing again … I believe that is sufficient."

As a result of Congressman Wilson’s failure to apologize on the floor, the House passed a “resolution of disapproval” by a 240-179 vote. Congressman Wilson has now been duly punished for his outrageous and childish behavior.

Even though polls show a strong majority of American’s oppose Congressman Wilson’s actions, Republican Party leadership stands behind him. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said the House Democrats are guilty of “stunning…. Hypocrisy.” GOP leader John Boehner (R-OH) said that the action initiated by Wilson’s fellow South Carolina colleague, Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) — is "patently partisan." Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) circulated a letter of support for Wilson.

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Dr. Elaina George Breaks down the healthcare debate

 

In this episode of Medicine on Call, Dr. Elaina George interviews Jason Rosenbaum from The Seminal, a healthcare publication.  What is wrong with healthcare?  What is the state of healthcare reform?  What are the goals for healthcare?   Why is it taking so long to fix?

 

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Your Black News: Jimmy Carter Says Racism is driving attacks on Obama

Former President Jimmy Carter said in an interview Tuesday that Congressman Joe Wilson’s "you lie" outburst to President Obama was "based on racism" and that many of the critiques leveled against the president have been made because of his black heritage.

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter said in an sit-down with NBC’s Brian Williams.

Carter specifically said that Wilson’s comment was "dastardly" and part of an "inherent feeling" held by many Americans — particularly Southerners — that African-Americans "are not qualified to lead this great country."

"It’s an abominable circumstances and grieves me and concerns me very deeply," Carter said.

Click to read.

Black News Hot off the Grio – 9/15/09

Craigslist prostitution bust caught on tape

By theGrio

12:40 PM on 09/15/2009

VIDEO – Dozens of women have been busted by Florida authorities in a prostitution sting centered on Craigslist postings. The arrests were part of Operation Hot Date…

> more

City workers suspended for hanging nooses

By theGrio via AP

12:15 PM on 09/15/2009

Three city employees in Springfield have been suspended for 60 days without pay for separate incidents in which nooses were hung at their workplaces.

> more

Condoleezza Rice joins exclusive, formerly white-only golf club

By theGrio via AP

11:00 AM on 09/15/2009

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined two exclusive golf clubs in Alabama…

> more

Dr. King’s children fight in court over parents’ estates

By theGrio via AP

5:30 PM on 09/14/2009

ATLANTA (AP) — Two children of slain civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. were back in court Monday in a wrangle with their brother over their parents’ estates…

> more

Obama calls for recovery and reform of financial sector

By theGrio

2:38 PM on 09/14/2009

VIDEO – A year after Lehman Brothers collapsed, starting the tsunami that crashed over the U.S. economy, President Obama is pushing for tougher financial regulation — and he’s doing it from Wall Street…

> more

Caught on tape: Customer pummels clerk over $20

By theGrio

12:30 PM on 09/14/2009

A Pennsylvania woman is asking for forgiveness after violently attacking a gas station clerk during an argument over a $20 bill.

> more

Oprah is still the queen of daytime, despite waning viewership

By theGrio via AP

11:23 AM on 09/14/2009

Winfrey is still the queen of daytime television, but the aura of invincibility is gone…

> more

Obama kickstarts his drive for regulatory reform on Wall Street

By theGrio

11:15 AM on 09/14/2009

VIDEO – Not a single new law has been enacted to prevent a repeat, but the president will say the economy’s better off.

> more

Major Protests of Obama’s Plan in the Capitol

USA Today, AP

Tens of thousands of fiscal conservatives packed streets in the nation’s capital Saturday to protest what they consider the federal government’s out-of-control spending.

Demonstrators filled Freedom Plaza and Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington. They waved U.S. flags and held signs reading "Go Green Recycle Congress," "I’m Not Your ATM" and "Obamacare makes me sick."

Some men were dressed in colonial costumes with tri-colored hats.

The protesters were marching to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

FreedomWorks Foundation, a conservative organization led by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, organized several groups from across the country for what they’re calling a "March on Washington."

The Washington march took place on the same day President Obama was headed to Minneapolis to rally support for his heath care reform plan. The plan, which also was the topic of his weekly raido and Internet message, has come under fire from fiscal conservatives who consider it too costly.

 

Click to read.

Zimbabwe Leader is Angry at “Bloody Whites”

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has condemned "bloody whites" for meddling in his country’s affairs and attacked the West for trying to impose its rule on the southern African nation.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe met with a delegation from the European Union.

Mugabe’s comments on Friday came a day before he met a delegation of European Union representatives who are in the country to ease relations and push progress on Zimbabwe’s political reforms.

Mugabe, 85, welcomed the delegation Saturday "with open arms," news outlets reported.

Addressing his ZANU-PF party’s youth conference in the capital of Harare on Friday, Mugabe indicated a tougher stance.

"We have stood firm, and we have refused to let go," Mugabe said. "Sanctions or no sanctions, Zimbabwe remains ours."

The European Union imposed travel bans onMugabe and his representatives in 2002. The bans followed Mugabe’s accusations of violations of human rights and rigging of an election.

Click to read.

Black Commentary: The Grio Speaks – 9/12/09

Mark Anthony Neal

Author and Professor of African-American Studies at Duke University.

Tyler Perry reflects black culture but some hate what they see

9:34 AM on 09/11/2009

OPINION – Tyler Perry has placed a mirror up to our collective image and if we don’t like what we see, we need to move beyond simply complaining about what Perry is doing……

> MORE

Rinku Sen

Executive Director of the Applied Research Center & publisher of ColorLines magazine

Post-9/11 immigration debate needs shift in focus

8:38 AM on 09/11/2009

OPINION – September 11th marked a shift in the politics of race and immigration that prevents us from adopting a plan for legalization, much less overhauling our very broken……

> MORE

Rev. Al Sharpton

President of National Action Network

Obama puts health care back on track

6:30 AM on 09/11/2009

OPINION – Single-handedly shifting the debate, President Obama has once again silenced doubters and brought the focus back on the real issue – an inadequate system that is failing the nation….

> MORE

Gender Testing about Races, not Race

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com

6:20 PM on 09/10/2009

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

The world is now talking about Caster Semenya, the South African athlete who has been subjected to gender testing after dominating the field in the 800-meter run at the 2009 World Championships. Recent reports by the Daily Mail of London and the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia state that the test has revealed that Semenya "is a hermaphrodite with no womb or ovaries." Some have argued that Semenya was the target of the investigation because she is black, but I am not sure if I am on board with that presumption.

If the reports are true, I am not surprised. Race issues to the side, I too found myself wondering if I was seeing things, as I watched Semenya thump her chest in victory and speak with a voice that could bring Barry White back from the grave. I was disturbed, but open-minded, for I considered Semenya’s case to be an opportunity to explore cultural variations in gender perception.
Another use of the word "race" applies when analyzing Semenya’s time in her race of choice, the 800-meter run. Not only did this 18-year old come out of nowhere to run a time which instantly dominates the world’s most highly trained 800 meter runners (1:55.45), but her time was nowhere near the world record (1:53.28), set by Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia in 1983. Like Semenya, Kratochvilova could easily be mistaken for a man.

Click to read more.

Brothers May be First Twins to Hit Death Row

Two 25-year-old brothers from Orlando, Fla., could become the first twins in the nation to be sentenced to death. They are accused of killing two people during a robbery. Dante Hall is currently on trial. His twin, Donte, has been convicted and a jury recommended that he get the death penalty.

> Full Coverage

News: Republican Outburst May Help Obama

All eyes were on Barack Obama entering Wednesday night’s address to Congress, but a little-known South Carolina Republican may have done more than the president’s combative speech to unify besieged Democrats around health care reform.

The night’s defining moment — which Democrats hope to transform into a turning point – came when Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted "You lie!" as Obama claimed his plan wouldn’t offer free care to illegal immigrants.

Wilson’s boorishness — for which he quickly apologized — enraged audience members on both sides of the aisle.

It also overshadowed a speech that included some of Obama’s harshest attacks on his GOP critics to date, including a denunciation of "death panel" alarmists as liars — a veiled swipe at Sarah Palin — and a warning to Republicans who want to "kill" reform.

"What we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government," Obama said. "Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

"Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed," he added, to Democratic cheers.

The president’s combativeness, coupled with Wilson’s behavior, clearly energized Democrats — to the point where few were in a mood to criticize Obama’s lack of specifics or the fact that he offered no ironclad commitment to inserting a robust public option in the final legislation.

 

Click to read.

Black News: A Doctor Speaks on Obama’s Speech

by Dr. Elaina George, YourBlackWorld.com

The suspense is over. For weeks we have been holding our collective breath to see if there would be real insurance reform. Now we know. President Obama’s speech this evening incorporated a lot of different ideas, but what was most striking was his statement that the public option was just one of the avenues that could be travelled to achieve an expansion of insurance coverage. Besides the demotion of the public option as an important tool to reign in the all powerful insurance companies, I noticed that there was no mention of universal health care. Wasn’t that the point of this whole exercise?

To be fair there are some good things. Under the President’s proposal there will be:

§ Coverage for pre-existing conditions

§ A cap on out-of-pocket expenses

§ People can no longer be dropped from insurance companies when they get sick

§ No further cap on what insurance companies will pay out

It is a good start, but it doesn’t go far enough.

Click to read.

Your Black News from TheGrio – 09/09/09

Couple gets married at 7-year-old son’s funeral

By theGrio

6:01 PM on 09/08/2009

VIDEO — The parents of a 7-year-old boy who died after an upstate New York car crash have fulfilled his wish that they get married, and they did it at the child’s funeral.

> more

Noose left in front of black family’s house

By theGrio

4:00 PM on 09/08/2009

VIDEO — The holiday weekend was marred by racial threats in one Cleveland, OH suburb. Kids heading back to school would routinely be the talk of West 223rd Street in September but not this year…

> more

Line up for international Jackson tribute announced

By theGrio

1:49 PM on 09/08/2009

VIENNA (AP) — Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and Natalie Cole will be among the top artists performing at a Sept. 26 Michael Jackson tribute concert in Vienna, organizers said Tuesday.

> more

Obama challenges students to take pride in their education

By theGrio via AP

1:25 PM on 09/08/2009

VIDEO — In a pep talk that kept clear of politics, President Barack Obama on Tuesday challenged the nation’s students to take pride and ownership in their education…

> more

Your Black Politics: President Obama Needs to Channel Michael Jordan for Congress Speech

By Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com.

• Related News

Obama prepares for pivotal health care speech

Michael Vick warns students about the dangers of peer pressure

Welcome to the age of "No Child Left Un-Politicized"

 

This week, Michael Jordan will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. He will always be remembered for his many accomplishments and record-breaking achievements in the sport. However, as President Obama prepares to put on a full-court press for health care reform in a speech to Congress tonight, he needs only to look back at one performance from "His Airness" to gain inspiration.

Twelve years ago, in the NBA Finals, Michael Jordan was going to lose. Sick with the flu, he could barely walk, and his aura of invincibility had been shattered in the eyes of the American public. Mike was going to finally relinquish one of his many titles and Karl Malone was going to get the championship that we all now know he never received.

But Mike was Mike, and Karl wasn’t. Mike found a way to win and Karl Malone found a way to become "posterized" as yet another footnote in the astonishing legacy of the great Michael Jordan. Every great man or woman has an opportunity to build his or her legend, and it comes during the most trying of times. It is how we respond to these moments that make the difference between becoming Michael Jordan or just another Charles Barkley.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Does Obama Have to “Get Gangsta” to Win this Fight?

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

I once saw a documentary by filmmaker Byron Hurt called, "Barack and Curtis," comparing President Obama to the rapper 50 Cent. Such a comparison might seem silly, given that one of these men is the leader of the free world and the other is a wealthy "gangsta" with more business sense than a Harvard Professor. But in this case, Barack might want to learn a bit from Curtis in order to get a little "gangsta" with the Republican Party, because the right wing has already gotten incredibly "thugged out" with him.

Through a web of lies, unfair attacks and orchestrated campaigns to discredit the president, the right wingers have been relatively successful in slowly eroding Obama’s base of support. While President Obama once rode the wave of 60% approval ratings and amazing popularity, the numbers are now hovering around 45% and morale within the Obama camp has been dramatically weakened. Let Obama lose an additional 10% of his supporters, and you’ve got another President Bush.
I’ve been critical of President Obama when he was wrong, and that won’t ever change. But I stand by my assertion that Barack Obama is the most intelligent and capable leader our nation has had in a very long time. He is certainly better than John McCain and Sarah Palin, whose intellectual and professional flaws make a mockery of our political system.

Click to read more.

Afghanistan/Pakistan, a New Vietnam? – Asks Wilmer Leon

By

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

Under the pretext of responding to the September 11, 2001 attacks in America, the United and States and Great Britain invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom. President Bush 43’ told the American people that the US strikes were,

“…designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime… As we strike military targets, we will also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan… ”

Read More

So What’s the Big Deal About Talking to School Kids?

On April 15, 1907, Republican president Theodore Roosevelt issued a strong "Message to School Children" addressing the need for conservation and the importance of our environment. At the end of his message, President Roosevelt asked the youngest citizens to go out and help the president – by planting trees. Here’s an excerpt:
We of an older generation can get along with what we have, though with growing hardship; but in your full manhood and womanhood you will want what nature once so bountifully supplied and man so thoughtlessly destroyed; and because of that want you will reproach us, not for what we have used, but for what we have wasted… Source: New York Times Archives – Roosevelt to Children
Can you imagine what the right’s reaction would be if President Obama said something even remotely similar? "He’s turning our kids against our Constitutional right to consume at will!!!" "He’s trying to make our kids green Commies!!!" Yeah, right.

Click to read.

News: Eric Holder to Change Civil Rights Focus

Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division by pushing it back into some of the most important areas of American political life, including voting rights, housing, employment, bank lending practices and redistricting after the 2010 census.

As part of this shift, the Obama administration is planning a major revival of high-impact civil rights enforcement against policies, in areas ranging from housing to hiring, where statistics show that minorities fare disproportionately poorly. President George W. Bush’s appointees had discouraged such tactics, preferring to focus on individual cases in which there is evidence of intentional discrimination.

To bolster a unit that has been battered by heavy turnover and a scandal over politically tinged hiring under the Bush administration, the Obama White House has also proposed a hiring spree that would swell the ranks of several hundred civil rights lawyers with more than 50 additional lawyers, a significant increase for a relatively small but powerful division of the government.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins on African American Scholars

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

Professor Larry Moore at The University of Memphis is on a mission. The African American professor has decided to take on his campus for not being diverse enough. Dr. Moore has done what black professors and students across America are doing, which is holding their campuses accountable for their lack of desire to recruit, promote, and reward faculty of color. This issue affects everyone, since most black college students never have the chance to be taught by an African American without taking courses in the African American Studies Department.

In an open letter written to state legislators, Dr. Moore has made his issue clear to the American public and put his university "on blast" for problematic recruitment and retention procedures. As a fellow business school professor myself, I say to Dr. Moore, "Way to go brother."

Click to read more.

NY Gov. David Paterson Says Racism is Alive and Well in Politics

ALBANY – Gov. Paterson blamed a racist media Friday for trying to push him out of next year’s election – launching into an angry rant that left even some black Democrats shaking their heads.

"The whole idea is to get me not to run in the primary," Paterson complained on a morning radio show hosted by Daily News columnist Errol Louis.

He suggested that Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, the country’s only other African-American governor, also is under fire because of his race.

"We’re not in the post-racial period," Paterson said.

"The reality is the next victim on the list – and you can see it coming – is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than trying to reform a health care system."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/08/21/2009-08-21_gov_david_paterson_blames_call_for_.html#ixzz0PLb4GcM7

Black News: Dr. Wilmer Leon Analyzes Obama’s Position on Afghanistan

by Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

Under the pretext of responding to the September 11, 2001 attacks in America, the United and States and Great Britain invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom. President Bush 41’ told the American people that the US strikes were,

“…designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime…we will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans. Initially, the terrorists may burrow deeper into caves and other entrenched hiding places…At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, we will also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan… ”

During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidate Obama promised to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq in order to bolster the forces in Afghanistan in order to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda. “It’s time to refocus our attention on the war we have to win in Afghanistan.”

I believe that this tactic was taken by the Obama team in order to placate the anti-Iraq contingent of the American electorate on the left while not leaving himself vulnerable to the “soft on defense” hawkish argument on the right. As a campaign tactic this approach proved to be successful. In reality, this may prove to be one of the greatest miscalculations President Obama has made. The real question here becomes, what’s the best tactic to accomplish this end?

Click to read.

The Amazing Legacy of Ted Kennedy

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University  – MSNBC’s TheGrio.com

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, FILE)

Many of us once joked that Bill Clinton was the "first black president" (which he wasn’t). We had it wrong. If such a title were to be given to any white man, that should have to be the late Senator Ted Kennedy. He was never president of the United States, but he was certainly one of the kings of his generation.

As a member of the Senate since 1962, Senator Kennedy had a long career fighting for those forced to live in the underbelly of a capitalist society. Over the last 47 years, he has done it better than nearly any politician in American history. African-Americans were among the many beneficiaries of his passionate life’s work, and for that, we will always be appreciative.

In a multitude of areas including housing, income, civil liberties, and equality, Ted Kennedy has been on the front lines. His brother John introduced the Civil Rights Act of 1964, considered to be one of the most impactful pieces of legislation ever produced by our government. After John’s death, Ted and his brother Robert were instrumental in seeing that the bill was passed.

Senator Ted Kennedy then went on to help pass one law after another to support the rights of the elderly, the sick, the poor and the incarcerated. He introduced the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Civil Rights Act of 1991, The Civil Rights for Institutionalized Persons Act, among others. He also helped to amend the Fair Housing Act, and has fought relentlessly for those who’ve never known the comfort of attending an Ivy League University.

Senator Kennedy’s political compassion, as well as his complicated coping mechanisms, may be linked to the tragedy he experienced during his life. As a young child, he watched his sister Rosemary endure a failed lobotomy, saw his brother Joseph die in World War II and then witnessed his older sister Kathleen’s death in a plane crash. This tragedy was compounded by the assassinations of his two brothers, Robert and John during the 1960s. This kind of pain doesn’t heal easily, and few families endure such an amazing amount of personal tragedy. It is quite possible that the weight of his psychological pain gave Senator Kennedy the ability to empathize with the struggles of others, as well as the strength to fight through hurdles presented by his adversaries.

Click to read.

Julianne Malveaux: African Americans Should Fight for Healthcare Reform

By Julianne Malveaux

Congress seems to be putting the final touches on health care reform legislation, arranging to provide health care, especially, for the uninsured. Anyone who has made the summer rounds of civil rights conventions understand that African American policy makers care about this issue. Still there seems to be no passion in advocacy for heath care reform.

Our presence in this debate is much needed – we have a dog in this fight. African

Americans are more likely than others to be uninsured, so the many ways our new legislation will make insurance available is important. And even when we are insured, the way that health problems hit us are most different. According to the Centers for Disease Control, African Americans and Hispanics "bear a disproportionate burden of disease, injury, and disability." African Americans, in particular, are more likely to be killed or to die of HIV than others are.

Click to read.

Black News: Glenn Beck Paying a Huge Price for Obama Insult

Glenn Beck returns to Fox News Channel on Monday after a vacation with fewer companies willing to advertise on his show than when he left, part of the fallout from calling President Barack Obama a racist.

A total of 33 Fox advertisers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., CVS Caremark, Clorox and Sprint, directed that their commercials not air on Beck’s show, according to the companies and ColorofChange.org, a group that promotes political action among blacks and launched a campaign to get advertisers to abandon him. That’s more than a dozen more than were identified a week ago.

While it’s unclear what effect, if any, this will ultimately have on Fox and Beck, it is already making advertisers skittish about hawking their wares within the most opinionated cable TV shows.

The Clorox Co., a former Beck advertiser, now says that "we do not want to be associated with inflammatory speech used by either liberal or conservative talk show hosts." The maker of bleach and household cleaners said in a statement that it has decided not to advertise on political talk shows.

 

Click to read.

Black News off TheGrio – 8/22/09

First black NFL official dies at 81

By theGrio via AP

1:55 PM on 08/21/2009

CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Burl Toler, the first African-American official in NFL history who went on to work one Super Bowl in a distinguished career, has died. He was 81.

> more

Female boxers will get a chance at Olympic gold

By theGrio

12:38 PM on 08/21/2009

For anyone who doubts a woman can hit or ever score a knockout punch, look no further than these women. Some are college students on scholarship and they all fight to win.

> more

Urban farming may save the hip-hop generation

By John Baiata

12:21 PM on 08/21/2009

When Darren ("The Human Beat Box") Robinson was at his improvising best, rapping for "The Fat Boys" during the 80’s and early 90’s, fat was phat.

> more

Naked man arrested for assault on plane

By theGrio

9:01 AM on 08/21/2009

VIDEO — Authorities say a flight was forced to return to Oakland International Airport after a male passenger stripped, hit another passenger and fought with crew members.

> more

Poll: Americans losing confidence in Obama

By theGrio via AP

8:01 AM on 08/21/2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll says that Americans, concerned over the future of health care reform and anxious about the growing federal budget deficit, are losing faith in President Barack Obama.

> more

Burress’ teammates saddened by plea deal

By theGrio via AP

3:24 PM on 08/20/2009

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Plaxico Burress’ decision to plead guilty to a weapons charge and accept two years in prison surprised his former New York Giants teammates

> more

2 teenagers charged as adults in hate crime against elderly black fisherman

By theGrio via AP

2:39 PM on 08/20/2009

Two teenagers were arrested Thursday and charged as adults in what police say was the racially motivated beating of an elderly black fisherman.

> more

Same-sex couples stage ‘kiss-in’ to protest treatment at diner

By theGrio

12:15 PM on 08/20/2009

VIDEO – Dozens of same-sex couples locked lips inside a popular Maryland diner Wednesday to protest the treatment of a lesbian couple there.

> more

Marion Barry’s Issue with His Wife

This week’s Loose Lips column delves into the background behind Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s move to evict Cora Masters Barry and her Recreation Wish List Committee from the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center—a beautiful eight-year old facility in Congress Heights.

Some questions remain unanswered: For one, why did this happen in the first place? When the story initially broke, Attorney GeneralPeter Nickles explained that the city discovered that RWLC’s corporate registration had lapsed through “random checks of nonprofit organizations that do business with the city.”

LL finally connected yesterday with Nickles to ask him about the origin of the probe. He says the random check was part of a Fenty administration effort to review city arrangements with nonprofit organizations in the wake of misconduct allegations against Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry.

Click to read.

Rev. Al Sharpton Teams up with Dr. Boyce Watkins

Dr Boyce Watkins, Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition is now slated for a weekly segment on "Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton."  The show is currently syndicated in 18 cities across the nation and adding new affiliates each week.  Every Monday from 1:15 – 2:15 pm EST, Dr. Watkins and Rev. Sharpton will discuss political issues of the day and matters affecting our nation.  To find out more about the show, please visit www.SharptonTalk.net or www.BoyceWatkins.com.

To see Dr. Watkins’ latest articles with MSNBC’s "TheGrio.com", please visit this link: http://www.thegrio.com/author/dr-boyce-watkins-1/

To see Dr. Watkins’ latest work with AOL Black Voices, please visit: http://blogs.blackvoices.com/bloggers/boyce-watkins-phd/

To listen to Dr. Watkins’ last conversation with Rev. Sharpton, please click here.

In light of President Obama’s recent announcement that African American education should be a top priority for Black leadership, Dr. Watkins will be speaking with Rev. Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and other African Americans on ways to directly challenge the astronomical dropout rates for African American students.  Many of these issues are addressed in Dr. Watkins’ book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About College."   To start the academic year, Dr. Watkins will be distributing free e-copies of this book to members of the Your Black World Coalition during the month of September, 2009.  We will also be reaching out to President Obama to offer support in solving this problem, for we firmly believe that managing the dropout rate is one of the keys to saving our great nation.

For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.

Your Black Money: IMF Chief Says Economic Crisis is Complex, Slow to Recover

Olivier Blanchard, the IMF’s chief economist

August 19, 2009

(RFE/RL) — According to a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the world has begun to recover from recession but the process will not be simple. And sustaining any recovery will require refocusing the United States toward exports and Asia toward imports.
The IMF’s chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, says the global recession had "left deep scars, which will affect both supply and demand for many years to come."
In a study released this week by the IMF, Blanchard describes the current economic difficulties as not a “run-of-the-mill recession.” He notes that models used to understand past recessions cannot be applied to this economic slowdown. 
Blanchard writes that there are two elements central to a sustained global economic recovery.
First, economies must move beyond their dependence on fiscal stimulus by national governments and inventory building by private firms. Such expenditures must sooner or later come to an end.
Second, international trade patterns should be rebalanced. The United States must export more and Asia must import more. This sought-for equilibrium would lower the enormous U.S. current-account deficit and the Asian current-account surplus. But rebalancing world trade flows is not going to be easy and will depend on a reordering of consumption patterns.

Click to read.

Health – Dr. Elaina George Analyzes the Healthcare Debate

 

by Dr. Elaina George

The debate on healthcare reform is in full swing, but no one is paying attention to the long term effects.

I am for universal healthcare in theory. As a physician, I believe that it is a fundamental right. Unfortunately, the way the debate and pending legislation has been crafted, the outcome will result in unintended consequences.

As a physician in solo practice, I am in a unique position to see the outcome if we continue on the path that Congress is proposing in HR 3200.

1. A single payer system that pays the same rate as Medicare or as the bill stipulates (5% above Medicare) will lead to LESS choice. People are overlooking the fact that most private physicians are currently NOT accepting new Medicare patients because they can’t afford to do so and stay open. There will be no reason for this to change if the reimbursement scale is adopted.

Unintended consequence: The network of private physicians would be smaller and more patients will be placed in a system of fewer physicians, less choice and longer waiting times to be seen. This would have the opposite effect – what is the point of universal healthcare if you don’t have quality physicians to provide it?

2. The proposed healthcare bill sets up a bureaucracy run by a National health insurance commissioner and sets up an insurance “self regulatory agency” – made up of national insurers, national agencies, and insurance producers. There are no physicians or patient advocates.

Click to read.

Dr. Wilmer Leon: The Post-Racial Problem – Is it Real?

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Howard University

In 1903 W.E.B. DuBois wrote in The Souls of Black Folk, “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line, –the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea.” In 1968 the Kerner Commission determined "Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—-separate and unequal."

In 21^st Century so-called “post racial” America the problem is still race. African American’s like Derryl Jenkins are still being brutalized by the police in north Minneapolis, MN; shot in the back of the head while handcuffed like Oscar Grant in Oakland, CA; and mistaken for perpetrators and killed by fellow officers like Officer Omar Edwards in New York City.

Many questions still need to be answered about these latest tragedies. What leads these officers to perceive people of color as a threat? Why do the police feel the need to use excessive force first and ask questions later? This takes me to the continual discussion about racism (white supremacy), its perceptions, and emotional responses that people of color deal with all too often.

Click to read.

Health News: Basics of Healthcare Reform

Walter Gaines Jr., left, who supports health care reform, confronts a man who opposes health care reform in Alhambra, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

 

Dr Tyeese Gaines Reid – TheGrio.com.

 

With the bombardment of speeches, commentaries and rowdy town forums, many Americans are struggling to decipher the current state of health care reform. Understanding the ins and outs of over 1,600 pages of proposed law is daunting. Unfortunately, there is no politician or any crystal ball that can predict either plan’s success at this stage.

To date, two bills have been proposed – the 1,017-page House bill (H.R. 3200) and the 615-page Senate Health Committee bill. A third bipartisan bill is said to be in the works from the Senate Finance Committee. Until September, when Congress reconvenes, we will continue to wait and debate on the limited information we do have.

Here is a summary of those bills, commonly-raised concerns and the debate as it now stands.

1) Problem: The Uninsured
Millions are uninsured and falling ill without insurance can be financially catastrophic. Many of these are working people, or recently unemployed, who can’t afford to buy insurance plans. Others are self-employed or small business owners who also can’t afford insurance. Some are between the ages of 55 (retirement age) and 65 (Medicare-eligible age), and thus have no coverage. In 2008, the Kaiser Commission reported that 41 million were uninsured, while another 35.8 million people had no insurance during part of the year.

Proposed Solution: "Health care for all." Both bills have outlined strategies to include all Americans in some form of a health insurance plan – whether Medicaid, Medicare, the private or the public/community option.

2) Problem: Pre-existing conditions
People with any history of medical problems ("pre-existing conditions") can be denied coverage by certain insurance plans because their condition makes them too high-risk.

Proposed Solution: Ban the pre-existing condition clause for all health insurance companies, including those in the private option. The hope is that as more young and healthy Americans have insurance and pay their premiums, that money will offset the costs of taking care of the sicker Americans.

3) Problem: The under insured
Some people with health insurance have plans that don’t cover all basic health care needs (the "under-insured").

Proposed Solution: All health insurance plans will cover hospitalizations, outpatient hospital and clinic care, physician fees, equipment, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, maternity care, child care, preventive care, mental health, and marriage and family therapy. The addition of coverage for mental health and counseling is an added benefit not often covered currently.

 

Click to read.

Black News: Barack Obama Protestors Starting to Carry Guns

About a dozen people carrying guns, including one with a military-style rifle, milled among protesters outside the convention center where President Barack Obama was giving a speech Monday — the latest incident in which protesters have openly displayed firearms near the president.

Gun-rights advocates say they’re exercising their constitutional right to bear arms and protest, while those who argue for more gun control say it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday’s event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn’t need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.

The man with the rifle declined to be identified but told The Arizona Republic that he was carrying the assault weapon because he could. "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.

Phoenix police Detective J. Oliver, who monitored the man at the downtown protest, said police also wanted to make sure no one decided to harm him.

 

Click to read.

Black News: Obama Pushes Healthcare on the Airwaves

Obama just bought a great deal of ad time to push his healthcare reform bill.  What do you think?

Click to watch the ad.

Your Black News: Obama Gets Push Back from Howard Dean

Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role.

Dean urged the Obama administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change, saying that Medicare and the Veterans Administration are “two very good programs that have been around for a long time.”

Dean appeared on morning news shows Monday amid increasing indications the Obama White House is retreating from the public option in the face of vocal opposition from Republicans and some vocal participants at a town-hall-style meetings around the country.

The former Vermont governor was asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about President Barack Obama’s statement over the weekend that the public option for insurance coverage was “just a sliver” of the overall proposal. Obama’s health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, advanced that line, telling CNN Sunday that a direct government role in a system intended to provide virtually universal coverage was “not the essential element.”

Click to read.

News: Black Farmers are Losing their Land

Black Farmers are losing their land to interests that want to use the land for industrial purposes.

Dr Wilmer Leon interviews Monica Davis about the plight of Black Farmers“.  Click here to listen!

News: Dr. Wilmer Leon Speaks on Michael Vick

by Dr. Wilmer Leon

www.WilmerLeon.com

On December 10, 2007 suspended Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a dog fighting ring. He was also found to have been involved in killing pit bulls that did not demonstrate sufficient fighting prowess.

Michael Vick, once one of the highest paid players in the NFL with a 10 year $130 million contract that provided him with an $11.4 million salary in 2006 and $6 million salary in 2007 made 12 cents an hour in his job at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. He filed for bankruptcy; claiming assets of $16 million and liabilities of $20.4 million. Vick is on the hook for judgments of $2.4 million to the Royal Bank of Canada and $1.1 million to Wachovia Bank, both because of loan defaults, and $4.5 million for a sports agent who sued him and won.

On July 20, 2009, after serving 18 months of his 23 month sentence, Michael Vick was released from Leavenworth Federal Prison. After having served his time, on August 13, 2009 signed a two year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Click to read.

Black Social Commentary from TheGrio – 8/15/09

• 

  Lola Adesioye

  Deputy Editor

  Is Clinton’s Africa visit about power or partnership?

  9:27 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION – As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wraps up her tour of Africa, many in Africa are wondering about the real reason behind her visit… …

  > More

• 

  Courtney Young

  Writer

  Why do we need white faces to sell black books?

  8:01 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION — Controversy has erupted this week due to the cover image of Liar, a novel written by Australian author Justine Larbalestier. A piece of young adult fiction…

  > More

• 

  Lenny McAllister

  Author of “Diary of a Mad Black PYC (Proud Young Conservative)"

  Liberal hypocrites should remember their own rage

  7:26 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION – Protests by conservatives are just as ferocious as the ones liberals put up against the Bush White House for ‘treasonous’ activities. These ‘acts against the country’ included……

  > More

• 

  Dr. Boyce Watkins

  Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University

  The return of the prodigal quarterback

  6:40 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION — I was as shocked as the rest of America to hear that Michael Vick has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. Although I’ve always supported Vick’s human right to fairness……

  > More

• 

  Roland Laird

  Author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans"

  Congressional Black Caucus needs a new media face-lift

  8:05 AM on 08/13/2009

  As the Congressional Black Caucus holds its annual policy meeting this week, the group will undoubtedly face the question……

  > More

• 

  Cheo Tyehimba

  Author & Activist

  Townhall SmackDown!

  10:10 AM on 08/12/2009

  OPINION – What do well-intentioned town hall meetings on health care reform and the WWE’s "Friday Night SmackDown" have in common? Sadly, more than you might think….

  > More

• 

  Milton Kent

  Reporter & Commentator

  Black men can coach

  9:08 AM on 08/12/2009

  OPINION – Right about now, Mike Locksley and DeWayne Walker are handing out the helmets, dusting off the whistles……

  > More

• 

  Dr Pamela D. Reed

  Assistant Professor of English composition & African-American literature at Virginia State University

  A better look at the rift between black Americans and Africans

  7:55 AM on 08/12/2009

  …her sister "hated" African American women because they try to take their men. I was stunned….

  > More

• 

  Dr. Rebecca Lee

  Director of the Texas Obesity Research Center

  Where you live can affect what you weigh

  3:00 PM on 08/10/2009

  No two communities are alike and it is unreasonable to approach the obesity epidemic with a one-size-fits all model focused entirely on personal dietary habits……

  > More

Black News: Former Agent Says Obama Gets Less Secret Service Protection Than other Presidents

As a journalist, I believe the unquestioned right to freedom of speech and expression is one of our most important gifts living in America.
But every now and then, I see something said or written that is so irresponsible and potentially dangerous, it gives me second thoughts on the whole freedom of speech thing.
The latest example is a new book by author Ronald Kessler, ‘In the President’s Secret Service,’ on the inner workings of the agency that paints a troubling picture of an overworked, underfunded agency assigned to protect our president. …
For the record, the Secret Service denies Kessler’s allegations that it is cutting corners in guarding the president. But the stakes are so high, its hard to dismiss this issue without further investigation.

 

Click to read.

Black News: Marion Barry Documentary Coming Out Soon

Try as he might, Marion Barry, 73, cannot erase the fact that most people know him as the mayor videotaped smoking crack in a 1990 sting operation – the same year DC had the dubious distinction of being the murder capital of the world.

Yet, today, and despite this humiliating and seemingly career-ending circumstance, Marion Barry is as beloved in chocolate city as ever, most recently elected as a city council member for DC’s poorest area, Ward 8. He also provokes a vehement vitriol in the city as well.

Barry’s phoenix like political career, and his fascinating and flawed personal life is chronicled in the documentary ‘The Nine Lives of Marion Barry’ which premieres tonight on HBO. It highlights not only a politician rocked by scandal but a brilliant young man who overcame bitter early circumstances to work in the civil rights movement and to serve in public office.

After several starts and stops filmmaker Dana Flor and her partner Toby Oppenheimer spent at least eight years on this project, and Flor belives that the film is not only about the history of DC but a spring to open up a very necessary dialogue about race and perception of reality based on race.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Michael Vick’s Return is Good for Animal Rights

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

He’s back. After a 2 year saga that kept my head spinning, the young man who made a terrible mistake is finally being allowed to make a living. I have supported Michael Vick all along, but not because I felt that he was innocent. I’ve supported him because I do not believe that dog fighting is the kind of crime that deserves a lifetime punishment. So, to the extremists at PETA who want to see Michael Vick burn in the hell of unemployment and incarceration for the rest of his life, I only have one thing to say: grow up.

Michael Vick’s reinstatement to the NFL and recent signing by the Philadelphia Eagles unleashed a plethora of thoughts within me. On some level, his return is a bit of an "Athletic Juneteenth" for those who tire of seeing our country make African American athletes into public enemy number one whenever they screw up. To this day, we act as if Marion Jones is the devil, Barry Bonds is a monster, and Terrell Owens is some kind of criminal. This treatment is nothing new, as black athletes have been getting villified for decades, and their molehills are consistently turned into mountains, ripe for high-tech lynchings. This is the tradition of America.

It only seems appropriate that Michael Vick sign his contract in a city like Philadelphia, the place that I love and fear at the same time. I love the city because they’ve supported me in my work with the great Wendy Williams, Dom Giordano andCharlamagne Tha God. But there is a dark side of "Killadelphia" that shows itself in the way they support their sports teams. They are the fans that cheered when it appeared that Michael Irvin may have broken his neck, so they sure as heck aren’t going to pay much attention to animal rights protestors blocking their path to a Super Bowl. In a city like Philly, the slogan is simple: "If you win, we forgive all sin." Vick will be right at home.

Click to read more.

The latest black news from thegrio – 8/13/09

• 
  

  Con-artist dupes 2 fiancées out of $400k

  By theGrio

  12:46 PM on 08/13/2009

  VIDEO – A Florida man is facing charges after allegedly bilking $400,000 from two women that he was engaged to at the same time.

  > MORE

• 
  

  Marriage eludes high-acheiving black women

  By theGrio

  10:56 AM on 08/13/2009

  Michelle Obama may have become an archetypal African-American female success story — law career, strong marriage, happy children — but the reality is often very different for other highly educated black women.

  > MORE

• 
  

  Police find disabled woman locked in van

  By theGrio

  8:11 AM on 08/13/2009

  VIDEO — Dallas police have found a mentally disabled woman locked in a van in 100-degree heat. They said she may have died if she was in the van for even one more minute.

  > MORE

• Judge defends school’s ban on Confederate threads

  By theGrio via AP

  8:10 AM on 08/13/2009

  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge says a Tennessee school’s ban on Confederate clothing was a reasonable attempt to prevent disruptions because of previous racial threats at the school.

  > MORE

• 
  

  Birmingham mayor backs refunds for Jim Crow fines

  By theGrio

  5:54 AM on 08/13/2009

  VIDEO – The mayor of Birmingham now wants the city to give refunds to people who paid fines for violating segregation laws decades ago. Civil rights leaders came out to speak on the decision…

  > MORE

• 
  

  Caught on tape: Off-duty officers encounter bar bandit at local pub

  By theGrio

  2:37 PM on 08/12/2009

  VIDEO – An alleged bar bandit was stopped in his tracks after attempting to rob a bar filled with off-duty police officers.

  > MORE

• 
  

  Caught on tape: Shoplifter maces security guard

  By theGrio

  2:30 PM on 08/12/2009

  VIDEO – Pennsylvania State Police are looking for a woman who maced a clerk at a Hempfield Township Target store when he tried to stop her from shoplifting DVDs.

  > MORE

• 
  

  1500 uninsured find free health care at makeshift hospital

  By theGrio

  1:41 PM on 08/12/2009

  VIDEO – A group of doctors who started out providing free services in third-world countries has also been working in this country, and they’re seeing record numbers of Americans needing their help.

  > MORE

Glenn Beck Loses Sponsors Over Obama

Glenn Beck has excused murderous rampages as an understandable result of ‘political correctness’ and joked about poisoning a United States senator.
And to top it all off, Beck diagnosed bi-racial President Obama as being infected with a psychological bias against white people: "This president has exposed himself as a guy over and over and over again who has a deep-seated hatred for white people … this guy is, I believe, a racist."
Many of us complained to Fox and nothing changed. Until now. …

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: black celebrity gossip,black gossip,black celebrities

Is Health Care Reform on Life Support?

By

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

According to 2008 U.S Census Bureau data approximately 47 million or 15.8 percent of the U.S. population, were without health insurance during 2006 — a 4.9 percent increase. In 2005, census figures showed that 44.8 million people, or about 15.3 percent of the population, lacked health insurance coverage. According to a report released by the Institute on Medicine, the average cost of family health-care coverage more than doubled from 1999 to 2008, from $1,543 to $3,354.

Based upon these realities, presidential candidate Obama made health-care reform a central theme of his campaign. He promised to achieve universal health care in his first term and to cut the average family’s health care health-care costs by $2,500. In the on-going health care reform debate it is very important to remember that as a result of this and other campaign promises, President Obama won the 2008 presidential election with 53% of the popular vote to Senator McCain’s 46% and 68% of the Electoral College vote to McCain’s 36%.

According to a New York Times/CBS News poll taken in June, 85 percent of respondents said the health care system needed to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt. According to a June poll conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute 83 percent of respondents favored and only 14 percent opposed “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase.” These numbers indicate that health care reform is very important to the American people.

In spite of these numbers indicating overwhelming support for reform, recent Rasmussen polls indicate that only 42% of Americans support the healthcare reform plan spearheaded by President Obama and the Democratic Party. A record 53% of Americans are opposed to the plan.

What is at the heart of this disconnect? How is the Obama administrations message and health care reform plan seemingly so out of sync with the public’s perception of reality? Is health care reform on life support?

The opponents to health care reform, particularly those opposed to the Obama administrations plan are taking control of the public debate by force, distortions, and partisan politics. They are changing the debate on health care into a debate on health care for illegal immigrants, abortion, and other wedge issues.

According to the Associated Press, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called President Barack Obama’s health plan “downright evil”. She posted on her Facebook page that he would create a “death panel” that would deny care to the neediest Americans.

“The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panel’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care…Such a system is downright evil.”

According to McClatchy news papers, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has vowed to make health care Obama’s "Waterloo" and urged conservative activists to help "break him.." DeMint has compared the United States under Obama to the 1930’s Nazi Germany under Hitler; and cast the heated health care fight as "a real showdown between socialism and freedom…This is a battle I’ve been waiting for and hoping for, for years…We’ve got to stop the socialization of medicine . . . . We’ve stirred up a fight."

Recently conservative talk show host and republican spokesman and operative Rush Limbaugh compared President Obama to Hitler: "Adolf Hitler, like Barack Obama, ruled by dictate." This serves no positive interests and has no place in intelligent and informed public discourse.

The public debate on health care reform is becoming contentious at best. At many town hall meetings people are doing more shouting than listening. In Tampa, FL a crowd began to loudly chant and scuffle with organizers posted at doorways after the auditorium filled to capacity. In Mehlville, Mo., St. Louis police arrested six people, some on assault charges, outside another forum that was billed as a meeting on aging but was attended by activists on both sides of the health care debate. In another incident, protesters surrounded Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) and forced police officers to have to escort him to his car for safety.

A lot of the outbursts at the health care reform town-hall meets appear to be coordinated. PolitiCo.com reports that much of the decent, “… is being encouraged by Washington-based groups that are devoting considerable online resources to encouraging turnout. Some of the groups even supply supporters with scripts and “talking points.”” This is one reason why so much of their rhetoric sounds the same. They are reading from the same talking points. This tactic is similar to what was used by Enron Corp. in 2000 when the “Brooks Brothers Rioters” were paid and flown into Florida to protest and disrupt the vote recount.

These types of distortions, rhetoric, and diatribes are counter productive to bringing about real reform and do the American people and democracy a great disservice. Democracy works best when individuals with opposing views engage in open and honest debate in the public square, not contrived debate based on lies and distortions.

Is health care reform on life support? Right now, yes. The Democrats are loosing the patient because they have allowed the opposition to control the debate. To move health care reform from the ICU Democrats will need more voices than the Presidents, STAT!

Dr. Wilmer Leon is the Producer/ Host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program “On With Leon,” on Sirius/XM Satellite radio channel 169 and a Teaching Associate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Go to www.wilmerleon.com or email: wjl3us@yahoo.com.

© 2009 InfoWave Communications, LLC.

Wells Fargo Gets Sued by the State of Illinois

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit on Friday against Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), accusing the second-largest mortgage lender of steering blacks and Latinos into high-cost subprime loans.

"As a result of its discriminatory and illegal mortgage lending practices, Wells Fargo transformed our cities’ predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhoods into ground zero for subprime lending," Madigan said in a statement.

High foreclosure rates resulted from the illegal sales practices, the state’s attorney general said.

Meanwhile, white borrowers with similar incomes received lower-cost loans from Wells Fargo, the fifth-largest U.S. bank, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

Two black Chicago homeowners sued Wells Fargo on Monday in federal court in the Northern District of California, accusing the San Francisco-based lender of racial discrimination in how it sets rates and fees. Their lawsuit seeks class-action status.

The Illinois suit charged that a subsidiary, Wells Fargo Financial Illinois, misled borrowers in the state about their mortgage terms, misrepresented the benefits of refinancing, repeatedly refinanced or "flipped" loans, and used deceptive mailing and marketing tools to confuse borrowers.

Click to read.

Your Black News: Man with Gun Gets into Obama Event

Earlier today MSNBC aired a segment showing a man with a loaded gun waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive at a town hall on health care reform at a high school in Portsmouth, N.H., and reportedly the local chief of police had no problem with it.

The man is carrying a sign that says, "It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty." That’s a reference to a Thomas Jefferson quote: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." It was a favorite slogan of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was wearing a T-shirt when he was arrested with a picture of Lincoln on the front and a tree dripping with blood on the back.

Click to read more.

Your Black News: Black Joblessness Not Getting Much Better

Unskilled labor jobs in the retail sector have been particularly hard hit. (Courtesy Photo/coastal.com)

(August 9, 2009) – President Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan to save or create thousands of jobs appeared to be working this summer when the country’s unemployment rate began to stabilize. Unemployment fell in July for the first time in more than a year, according to the latest national job data – an indication the weakened economy might be on the rebound. But because more data is needed to determine the economy’s path, how soon the recession ends remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, "We won’t rest until every American that is looking for work can find a job," President Obama said Friday in comments at the White House.
He added that, "The worst may be behind us," and that "we’re pointed in the right direction."
Overall, the labor market has shed 6.5 million jobs since the start of the recession nearly two years ago.
The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also reported the jobless rate plunged to 9.4 percent from 9.5 As a result, the economy lost 247,000 jobs in July rather than the 325,000 that had been expected. However, the jobless rate among African Americans stands at 14.5 percent compared to 8.6 percent for Whites and 12.3 percent for Hispanics.
In March, unemployment among Blacks was 13.4 percent.
Although some reports list college-educated African Americans as having been the hardest hit, David R. Jones, president of the Community Service Society in New York City – where Blacks have tended to suffer the heaviest unemployment – said he did not think the recession has played out equally.

Click to read.

Your Black News: President Barack Obama’s Approval Rating Drops

President Barack Obama’s approval rating is falling on concern unemployment is rising and the budget deficit will grow, a Quinnipiac University poll shows.

Exactly half of the registered voters surveyed from July 27 to Aug. 3 by Quinnipiac said they approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 42 percent who disapprove. That’s down from 57 percent approval and 33 percent disapproval in a poll taken in late June, according to results released today.

Americans are upset about rising unemployment and worried that health-care plans making their way through Congress will add to the U.S. budget deficit, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Hamden, Connecticut-based polling institute. The combination has helped drive down the president’s ratings.

 

Click to read.

Black News: Black Educators Plan to Challenge Obama

Leaders from the nation’s 105 historically black colleges have complained privately that President Barack Obama has allowed deep cuts in funding to black universities at a time when many of these institutions are struggling to survive.

At a meeting in Atlanta this summer, where presidents and senior administrators from more than 30 black colleges gathered, sources told BlackAmericaWeb.com that many participants grumbled about an $85 million reduction from the 2010 budget, funds that were specifically earmarked for historically black colleges.

The money is needed in large part to help keep some black colleges from possible foreclosures and others from considering staff layoffs, so representatives from black colleges say they will turn up the heat on Obama starting this month.

"They plan to lobby the White House in a more concerted effort," said one black educator who attended last month’s meeting of black college presidents.

 

Click to read.

Money: Finance Professor Boyce Watkins on Consumer Confidence

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

Beyonce has a song about how she loves men with "big egos." This might imply that she likes men with confidence. Confidence matters a great deal in terms of male/female attraction, but believe it or not, it actually impacts our economy. Every month, the University of Michigan measures consumer confidence, to determine if Americans are willing to spend money and how they feel about their current and future economic security.

But you might ask, "Why would I care about confidence, since it’s only psychological and imaginary?" Good question. Actually, confidence is a psychological phenomenon which leads to very real impacts on our choices and behavior. A confident man who asks out every girl he meets will probably have more mating opportunities than a good looking guy who doesn’t open his mouth. A confident consumer is someone who feels good about his/her economic situation and therefore decides to spend money, which is always good for the economy. Confident companies make investments and hire new employees, but insecure companies put projects on hold and don’t hire anyone. Confident banks make loans, but nervous banks hold onto their capital, thus slowing down economic growth for the nation.

Click to read.

President Obama’s “Teachable Moment” What Should We Learn?

By

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

This afternoon, President Obama, Sgt. James Crowley, and Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. will sit down at the White House to “clear the air.” The President’s objective is to bring the parties together and through their personal interaction move the national dialogue on race forward. In the President’s “Teachable Moment” what should we learn? We should learn how one’s perceptions can color their reality. We should also learn the danger of trying to contort a non-race based issue into a dialog or valuable lesson on race.

In all of the accounts of Dr. Gates’ arrest there has never been any indication that Sgt. Crowley used racial slurs, epithets, gestures or any other means to inject “race” into the arrest. Even Dr. Gates’ attorney, Charles Ogletree, when asked about racial profiling during a CNN interview said, “I’ve never said anything about racial profiling; you’ve never heard those words from me, it’s a case of bad judgment…we won’t know about the race element until all of the facts are in.”

Read More

Black Thinkers Speak on Obama and More

• 

  G’Ra Asim

  Writer & Novelist

  Young black voters came out for Obama, but may not return

  8:12 AM on 07/29/2009

  During last year’s presidential campaign, the second-most talked about aspect of Barack Obama’s historic candidacy was the fervor with which…

  > MORE

• 

  Rashod D. Ollison

  Cultural Critic

  Brewski diplomacy won’t wash down racism

  12:59 PM on 07/28/2009

  Unemployment among African Americans, which some may partly attribute to racism, is now at Depression-era levels. Racial profiling and police…

  > MORE

• Robert George

  We’ve learned enough from Obama’s "teachable moment"

  8:00 AM on 07/28/2009

  (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, file) Despite (or perhaps because of) President Obama’s rare White House press room visit Friday, the racial…

  > MORE

• 

  Noel Anderson

  Associate Professor Political Science Department – City University of New York

  Sotomayor may pass ultimate one-size-fits-all test

  7:43 AM on 07/28/2009

  Judge Sonia Sotomayor admits she’s an affirmative action baby. She stated in an interview that she did not have high…

News: Dr Boyce Watkins and Roland Martin going at it on CNN

Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University speaks with Roland Martin and Rick Sanchez of CNN.  The conversation gets quite heated.  Click here to watch the video!

News: Michael Fauntroy and Boyce Watkins on CNN – 7/29/09

Click here to watch Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University on CNN American Morning with Dr. Michael Fauntroy

Black News: Radio/TV Host Montel Williams Speaks with Dr Boyce Watkins

Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University, NBC and AOL Black Voices spoke with TV and radio show host Montel Williams on Monday.  The conversation focused on race and racial profiling.  They are going to also speak on financial advice in the future.

News: Roland Martin, Boyce Watkins, Anderson Cooper Talk Henry Louis Gates

Anderson COOPER: Professor Watkins, do you believe this is an issue about race, or do you think this is an issue of two people with — with big egos or clashing egos?

WATKINS: I think that the answer is that we don’t know.

And that is the problem, that we were making bandwagon assumptions based on things we didn’t know. Look, either Sergeant Crowley violated procedure or he didn’t. If he did violate procedure, he either violated it because Skip Gates was black or for some other reason.

But the truth is that we can’t read this man’s mind. And, so, the truth — the reality is that this could have happened to someone of another ethnicity, potentially, particularly when you look throughout Sergeant Crowley’s record.

And I assume that he wouldn’t be teaching classes on racial sensitivity if he had a record of arresting black men for no reason. Now, I’m not trying to say that this did not happen in this case. I’m not anybody is a liar.

But what I’m saying is that we can’t use this case as a — some sort of poster child for racial-profiling issues across America, because there is real racial profiling that goes on, on places other than Harvard University, because I guarantee you this much.

MARTIN: Anderson…

WATKINS: Skip Gates is a guy who knows he is Skip Gates.

And being a black professor at Harvard, with all the money that Skip has, I guarantee you he has probably got more privilege than most white Americans have anyway.

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: Anderson, race — race is involved, because you all — look, when you step back and say, here, you have an African-American professor in his home. The cop comes there.

The black officer said, I think it may have been — differently if it was an African-American cop with this actual black male here. What we have to learn here is, what is going through a black man’s mind when this kind of thing is happening?

Again, people say, well, it needs to be overt. Well, people all self-perceive things differently. What is implied? What is inferred? And, so, here, he is standing here saying, this is how I am interpreting this.

We cannot dismiss that and say, well, that is not relevant. It is relevant, because it happens every day. People make assumptions. Women make assumptions based upon, well, is this happening to me because I am a woman? Is this happening to me because I am Hispanic? COOPER: But some assumptions are correct and some assumptions are not.

MARTIN: Absolutely. But that’s why we can’t…

WATKINS: Right. Absolutely.

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Black News: Huh? Parents blame 8-year old Child for her Rape

Just when you think you’ve heard all there is to hear about the horrors of child abuse and neglect in this country, there’s this horrifying report: An eight-year-old girl is allegedly gang-raped by four boys — one of them her cousin — and then rejected by her parents for shaming them.
You heard me.

The victim hails from a Liberian enclave in Arizona, and all of the children involved are refugees. Her 23-year-old sister, who was supposedly babysitting when four boys attacked the youngster in a storage shed (pictured), told KTVK in Arizona, "She always bring trouble…I came to her and said it’s not good for you to be following guys because you are still little." If the girl, who is now in foster care, were to come home, her sister says she would be scolded. "She’s just bringing confusions among us," she said.

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Your Black News: Black Republicans Speak Out

 

• Watch black Republicans discuss the party’s future

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Sarah Palin’s resignation from her role as governor of Alaska has prompted new questions about the GOP’s leadership and future. While Michael Steele made history by becoming the first black chairman of the Republican National Committee, where do African Americans stand in helping to redefine the party?

TheGrio sat down with a group of black Republicans to discuss their feeling on their political party and its future.

"What does it mean to be a black man that agrees with the Republican party’s agenda, the Republican party’s message?" said hiphoprepublican.com’s Brandon Brice. "That is, reducing the size of government, giving people real opportunities to excel from any circumstance or situation."

According to a report released in May by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, Africans Americans make up two percent of the nation’s Republican party, compared to 22 percent of the democratic party. The study also found that during the 2008 election, 95 percent of blacks voted for Barack Obama, while just four percent voted for Republican candidate John McCain.

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Players Sue the NCAA Over Illegal Use of Images

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Syracuse University

I’ve written extensively about the NCAA and what I perceive to be their consistent efforts to exploit the black community. They spend millions on public service announcements to protect their deception, but eventually the athletes and the public are going to wise up to what they are doing. The truth is that college athletes should be paid for the same reasons that any actor in a Hollywood blockbuster film would expect to receive compensation. The problem is that the families of athletes don’t quite know how to organize and fight for their power. So, when I read about the recentlawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly misusing the images of athletes for videogames, I was a very happy man.

Let me break it down for you:

Based on my 16-years of experience as a college professor (I currently teach atSyracuse University, a school that earns millions off black families every year), collegiate athletics is not, in my opinion, about amateurism and it’s not about education. It’s about making money. Period. Many athletes are admitted to college every year and they would not be granted admission were it not for their ability to play sports and make money for the campus. Making money is not a problem, but the problem comes with the fact that universities do not share this revenue with the families of the players.

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Wilmer Leon Asks: When Is Racial Profiling Not Racial Profiling?

By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

When is racial profiling not racial profiling? When the facts or circumstances fail to fit the accepted definition.

In 1999, the Oxford American Dictionary (OAD) provided a definition of racial profiling for the first time. “Racial profiling: an alleged police policy of stopping and searching vehicles driven by people from particular racial groups.” In 2005 the ACLU provided the broader definition as follows, "Racial Profiling" refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Criminal profiling, generally, as practiced by police, is the reliance on a group of characteristics they believe to be associated with crime… Racial profiling does not refer to the act of a law enforcement agent pursuing a suspect in which the specific description of the suspect includes race or ethnicity in combination with other identifying factors.” Intent is a key element in evaluating this circumstance. It does not appear by any of the facts as stated that Sgt. Crowley focused on, targeted or arrested Dr. Gates based upon his race (human), ethnicity, religion, or national origin.

One unfortunate outcome of the Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. arrest in Cambridge, MA has been a rush to judgment by many who should know better. To immediately place Dr. Gates’ unfortunate arrest into the category of “racial profiling” does a great disservice to the volumes of cases that fit the accepted definition.

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Even When You’re Right, You’re Wrong

By Wilmer Leon

On Thursday July 16, 2009 after returning from a trip to China, Harvard University scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. had difficulty opening the front door of the home he leases from Harvard.  After he and his driver struggled with the front door Dr. Gates gained entry through the back door of the home, shut off the alarm, opened the front door, and the driver left.

According to Cambridge Police Department Incident Report #9005127, a neighbor called the police and reported a possible breaking and entering at the residence. The woman “…observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch…”  Her suspicions were aroused when, “…she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry.”  The uniformed police officer went to the front door, saw Dr. Gates standing in the foyer and asked him to step out onto the porch.  Dr. Gates refused.

According to the Incident Report, after identifying himself as Sgt. Crowly and explaining that he was “investigating a report of a break-in in progress” at the residence, Dr. Gates opened the front door and stated, “why, because I’m a black man in America?”  After supplying the officer with Harvard University identification, the officer radioed for Harvard University Police.

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“Being A Black Man – 101” Don’t Argue With the Police

By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

On Thursday July 16, 2009 after returning from a trip to China, Harvard University scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.  had difficulty opening the front door of the home he leases from Harvard. After he and his driver struggled with the front door Dr. Gates gained entry through the back door of the home, shut off the alarm, opened the front door, and the driver left.

According to Cambridge Police Department Incident Report #9005127, a neighbor called the police and reported a possible breaking and entering at the residence. The woman “…observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch…” Her suspicions were aroused when, “…she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry.” The uniformed police officer went to the front door, saw Dr. Gates standing in the foyer and asked him to step out onto the porch. Dr. Gates refused.

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Marion Barry Works His Way Out of Another Pickle

Marion Barry, Washington’s embattled city council member and former mayor, dodged another bullet last week when a District prosecutor declined to prosecute him on charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend. Barry was arrested and briefly detained by U.S. Park Service police July 4th after the woman, 40-year-old Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, complained that he was "bothering" her.

But Mr. Barry may not be completely out of the woods yet. The controversy kicked up by his arrest led reporters to dig out the fact that Mr. Barry had put Ms. Watts-Brighthaupt on his payroll by awarding her a $60,000 contract to study "poverty reduction," to be paid out of taxpayer dollars. That proved too much for current D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and others, who demanded the city council open an ethics probe of Mr. Barry. On Friday, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray announced the council would hire an independent law firm to look into the matter.

 

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Black News: GOP Stands in the Way of Michael Jackson Resolution

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee may have trouble keeping the promise she made at Michael Jackson’s public memorial for a House resolution that “forever” honors the late pop star.

Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, took the stage Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and hoisted a framed copy of the resolution, embossed with a gold seal. The measure will be debated on the House floor, she said.

For that framed, embossed resolution to be completely legit, it must first get past some opposition.

Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who called Jackson a “pervert, child molester, pedophile” in a video he posted on YouTube this week, vowed Tuesday to do “whatever I have to do” to oppose honoring Jackson.

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Black News: Kids Kept Out of Swimming Pool for Being Black?

WHEN YOU call The Valley Club, in Huntingdon Valley, a recorded message by a chipper-voiced man says, "Things are really starting to heat up here in July!"

Things are heating up, all right, but probably not in the way that the club’s board would prefer. That’s because families of minority children enrolled in Creative Steps Day Camp, located inside Carnell Elementary School, in Oxford Circle, are alleging that racism is the reason their kids have been kicked out of the overwhelmingly white club.

The accusations are ugly.

In early June, Alethea Wright, founder and director of 13-year-old Creative Steps, registered her 65 campers – online – to use the pool on Monday afternoons from 3:30 to 5. The special arrangement, a first for the club, was approved by its board and was to run from June 29th through Aug. 10th.

 

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Obama Getting Criticized for Stimulus Plan

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Nearly five months after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a still-worsening economy has many wondering if stimulus is a bunch of baloney.

In February, the stimulus bill was passed with the promise that funds would be paid out quickly to save or create 750,000 jobs by early August. Without it, the Obama administration said, unemployment could rise to 9% in 2010.

With August quickly approaching, $56.3 billion, or 10% of stimulus funds have been paid out, and the unemployment rate has already risen to 9.5%.

As a result, there’s debate about whether stimulus has put the economy on a path to recovery or is merely a broken promise. Some economists are already calling for a second stimulus bill as the economy continues to falter, arguing the stimulus wasn’t strong enough and isn’t being paid out fast enough.

On the other hand, many Republicans and even some Democrats are saying that parts of the plan were a waste of money.

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John Conyers’ Wife Admits to Bribery

Prosecutors say there is no suggestion that U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., is connected to his wife’s bribery plea, but questions remain, analysts say.

Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers last month pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe from a prospective city contractor, and could face up to five years in prison. But even though investigators who probed the case say her 80-year-old husband is not facing any allegations, questions about what he may have known about his spouse’s illegal income continue to swirl, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

 

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President Obama Finally Acknowledges Michael Jackson

Loeb/Getty

President Barack Obama had kind words to say about the late Michael Jackson, who died last week at the age of 50.

The King of Pop is getting some love from the Leader of the Free World.

During an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, President Barack Obama revealed he was a fan of the late Michael Jackson.

He even has his songs on his iPod.

"I grew up on his music," Obama said, speaking personally about the legendary performer’s death for the first time. "Still have all his stuff on my iPod."

Obama had kind words for the music legend, who died last week at the age of 50. "I think that his brilliance as a performer also was paired with a tragic and, in many ways, sad personal life," he said. "I’m glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer."

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“Family Values” Republicans from 1994 and their Sex Scandals

AP – South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford talks during an interview with The Associated Press about his relationship …

• The sex scandals that have tarnished Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) don’t appear to have much in common. Yet there is one thread that binds them together: Both Ensign and Sanford were members of the famed Republican House class of 1994, as well as its latest casualties.

As it turns out, the pressures and demands of political life have inflicted devastating damage not only on the Ensign and Sanford families, but on the families of many of the 71 other freshmen who formed the vanguard of the Republican Revolution.

In the 14 years since that star-crossed class arrived in Washington espousing an agenda that placed family values at its core, no less than a dozen of its members have been caught up in affairs, sex scandals or in messy separations and divorces from their spouses that, in more than a few instances, led to their political downfalls.

The problems started almost as soon as they took office, and by the end of their first year in Congress, the marriages of at least four Republican freshmen had collapsed.

One of the first to see his marriage unravel was Rep. Jim Bunn (R-Ore.) who, not long after taking office in 1995, divorced his wife, married one of his political aides, and later elevated her to chief of staff. Bunn lost his 1996 reelection bid.

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Black Global News: Many Nigerians Dislike Foreign Oil Companies

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil rose to $70 a barrel on Monday after Nigeria’s main militant group said it attacked a Royal Dutch Shell oil platform, outweighing a fairly bearish report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said its fighters struck the Shell Forcados platform in the Delta state.

There was no immediate independent confirmation but Shell said it shut in some oil production at its western operations in the Delta while it investigated reports of attacks.

U.S. crude for August delivery rose to a high of $70.06 per barrel, up 90 cents, before slipping back slightly to $69.75.

"The Nigerian supply disruptions brought in some buying," said Christopher Bellew, broker at Bache Commodities in London.

 

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Your Black Gospel: Getting to Know Dr Jeremiah Wright

Rather than letting Fox News sound bites define Jeremiah Wright for you, take a look at his bio.

Life, Love and Legacy

Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.

The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. is a man of faith, a homiletic genius, a theological scholar and a pastor’s pastor. He is a family man who enjoys spending quality time with his wife, children, grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Steeped in Family Tradition and Educational Achievements

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Wright is a son of the parsonage and hails from a family steeped in educational achievements. A third generation family member to matriculate at Virginia Union University, Dr. Wright followed in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather, Dr. Hamilton Martin Henderson who graduated from Virginia Union with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the late 1800s and finished seminary at Virginia Union in 1902. His father, Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr., also graduated from Virginia Union with two undergraduate degrees and from the seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1938. The senior Wright also received a Master of Sacred Theology degree (S.T.M.) from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.

Dr. Wright’s mother, Dr. Mary Henderson Wright, also graduated from Virginia Union and earned her first master’s degree before age 19 from the University of Chicago. She also earned a second master’s degree and her doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Foundational Strengths

With four earned degrees, a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from Howard University, a Master of Divinity from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary, Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. grew up in a home where reading books was a daily way of life. Wright read a wide range of sources from the Greek philosophers and Shakespeare to African American authors such as Carter G. Woodson (the Father of African American History) to Sterling Brown (one of the Harlem Renaissance artists), as well as one of Dr. Wright’s college professors.

Click to read more about Jeremiah Wright

Black News: President Obama Says Nothing about Jackson’s Death

Al Sharpton said it best: "Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color. Way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama, Michael did with music what they later did in sports, in politics and in television."

If there is such a thing as ‘post-racial’, Jackson was probably the first and most visible international post-racial figure that this country has ever produced. He made history uniting not only Americans, but the world through his music, much in the same way Obama has done with his campaign.

It’s surprising therefore, that a day after the news of Michael Jackson’s death and with the nation deep in mourning, President Obama has not personally acknowledged a man who helped paved the way for his election.

Although the president released a brief statement through his press secretary Robert Gibbs on Friday afternoon, much was left unsaid. He was characteristically cautious, aiming to strike a political balance when he called Michael Jackson a "spectacular performer" whose life was "sad and tragic."

 

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Black News: ACLU To Deal with Michigan’s Expulsion of Black Children

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Schools are not using enough discretion under Michigan’s zero-tolerance expulsion law and are disproportionately kicking out black students who ultimately end up behind bars, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The study by the ACLU of Michigan was released Wednesday. It identifies a school-to-prison pipeline it says has been created by suspension policies, cultural stereotypes, referrals to law enforcement for school fights and factors such as not requiring expelled students to get an alternative education.

Michigan’s 1995 zero-tolerance law requires an expulsion for possessing any "dangerous weapon," and the ACLU says it is broader than required by federal law. The ACLU wants state law to be eased so only firearms possession is subject to mandatory expulsion.

The ACLU’s report says students were disciplined for bringing a toy gun, novelty lighter and eyebrow archer to school.

 

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The Disrespect of Black Fathers Across America: Why it needs to stop

by Santita Jackson

To paraphrase Caesar, as he stood over the gallant Marc Antony, I come not to bury our Fathers, but to praise them, on this "Father’s Day." Now, more than ever before, it is time to tell the truth about African American fathers.

I think of my own my father, who in my worst moments always made me feel as if I were the best thing that ever happened to him. He said it. I felt it.

I arrived in my parents’ lives when they were college coeds and, although little more than children themselves, they made the very adult sacrifice and decision to marry and have me as well as my two brothers who arrived less than two years later. Still a student our father waited tables, stood in the food line at our church—in short, he did all that he could to provide for his growing family. And he and Mother took us everywhere.
I can recall one morning, before my father stepped into the pulpit to preach, being beckoned from my seat to sit with him and, as he scribbled the final touches on his sermon, he leaned over and said, "I love you, Sandy Boogie." I smiled as he kissed me and waited for…well, something else. I could not wait to get back to my seat as I was mortified to be before the entire congregation. I looked at him and said, rather quizzically, "Daddy, is that all you wanted to tell me?" His reply, as he smiled was, "Baby, saying ‘I love you’ says an awful lot." I nearly cried, having felt ashamed of my own insensitivity, and he simply smiled, kissed me again and had the usher lead me back to my seat.

His expression, even in that most public of venues was no surprise—it was a given in my life. My experience, though, is not unique. It has been replicated countless times in the African American community. Yet, every day we are fed a laundry list of the shortcomings of African American men; rarely, however, do we tell the society, or each other, of their triumphs.

We are told from the loftiest perches and the lowliest assignations that they must "Step up!" and "take up their responsibilities as men." All the while these critics ignore the myriad ways in which they must and do swim upstream against the strongest of currents. Currents which threaten and, too often, do sweep them into the undertow of our society. By ignoring their reality we turn our backs on a history, which has treated them with contempt. They are incarcerated more frequently, fight longer odds and live shorter lives; and yet and still, they remain strong, willing to love, survive and thrive. And so, on this "Father’s Day", I’d like to expound upon their triumphs and contextualize their struggles. Any discussion which does neither, fails us all.

 

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Why The Troy Davis Case Must Be Studied

by Elliot Milner, JD.

" I have faced execution and the torment of saying goodbye to my family three times in the last two years and I may experience that trauma yet again; I would not wish this on my worst enemy and to know I am innocent only compounds the injustice I am facing."- Troy Davis, from Georgia’s death row, on facing a fourth possible execution date.

For those who are unaware, Troy Davis has been on Georgia’s death row for about 18 years, after being convicted of murdering police officer Mark McPhail(Mr. Davis has maintained his innocence from the very beginning).

It would take pages to give all of the details of Troy Davis’ case, however I will say that there was no physical evidence found(including a murder weapon) connecting Troy Davis to the killing of Officer McPhail; he was convicted largely on the basis of inconsistent and often contradictory eyewitness testimony. The vast majority of those prosecution eyewitnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony implicating Mr. Davis, and one of those who hasn’t is Sylvester Coles, the main alternative suspect presented by the defense during Troy Davis’ trial. In addition, there have been multiple allegations of police coercion and the usage of unethical interrogation techniques.

(For additional information on Troy Davis’ case, or to get information on how to act, check out www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/troy-davis and http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/.).

 

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Dr Boyce Watkins on Dyson vs. Obama: Why We need to Listen

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

When I heard the controversial and heated comments about President Obama that were made by my respected colleague Michael Eric Dyson, I felt like a 2nd grader running outside to see the fight between two middle school kids. Both Barack and Michael are men I’ve grown to appreciate, and I love them for their strengths as well as their imperfections. Michael was the reason I became a public scholar during graduate school, as I would watch the words flow out of him like an MC in the booth dropping his hottest album. The man is good, damn good.

Barack Obama needs to listen to the words of Michael Eric Dyson. In fact, he should give Dyson as much, or more respect than he gives me or any other black public intellectual in America. Dr. Dyson, no matter how you perceive his critique of President Obama, represents a form of insight that you are not going to find in politics, the pulpit or anywhere else. At the same time, I will confess that his words may also come from an impure place that lies within the darkest part of our souls. In other words, Dyson, Tavis, Barack, Jesse and every other ambitious man in America is always going to be tempted by the "Demon of Playerhaterology". Men are naturally competitive, and no man likes to be disrespected. Obama, as a condition for his employment, is often asked to disrespect other leaders across America who represent the essence of meaningful black thought. That’s going to create a long list of enemies.

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Al Sharpton Gets Sued

Kaczmarek/AP

Rev. Al Sharpton’s non-profit civil rights group National Action Network is being sued by the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

Southern hospitality only goes so far.

A grand Memphis hotel slapped theRev. Al Sharpton’s group with an $88,000 suit charging the nonprofit didn’t pay bills from its national convention.

The famed Peabody Hotel is suing the National Action Network for $70,300 and $17,000 in attorney’s costs and other fees, stemming from the April 2008 conference.

A complaint filed by the hotel in Shelby County Circuit Court did not clarify whether the charges relate to an unpaid final tab or other charges, according to the Memphis Daily News. The contract between Peabody and the National Action Network included a clause that the group would be charged for space it booked but didn’t use, the newspaper reported.

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