Dr. Wilmer Leon: The Heather Ellis Case Reminds us to Refer to the Constitution

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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What are the Ingredient in the Swine Flu Vaccine?

 

by Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World Medical Correspondent

There has been a lot of confusion about what ingredients are in the H1N1 Vaccine. In order to distill the information to make it easier for you to make an informed choice, here is a brief synopsis of the information provided by the manufacturers in their package inserts.

There are 4 manufactures who have been approved to sell H1N1 vaccine in the US. They are: Novartis, CSL, Sanofi/Pasteur and MedImmune

1. Novartis makes an injectable vaccine for ages 4 and above

Ingredients: Thimerosal (Mercury) both in the single dose and the multi dose vials

Antibiotics – polymyxin and neomycin (can be neurotoxic)

Manufactured with phenol (the chemical used on skin in cosmetic face peals to remove wrinkles)

Note: They recommend that children ages 4-9 get 2 injections one month apart. This would increase the risk from a reaction to the mercury (e.g, neurological damage such as Gullain-Barre or possibly Autism)

 

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Barack Obama’s Fed Chair Makes some Unfortunate and Possibly Racist Remarks

• 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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Black News: Texas Southern University Removes Tavis’ Name from Building

A long-simmering disagreement between broadcaster Tavis Smiley and Texas Southern University ended Friday when the university’s governing board agreed to strip Smiley’s name from its communication school.

Smiley promised in 2004 to donate $1 million and to raise another $1 million for TSU. The school later created the Tavis Smiley School of Communication in his honor.

In return, Smiley made one $50,000 donation in mid-2005 and raised $250,000 from three corporate donors.

But he said Friday that he had intended to fulfill his personal $1 million pledge.

“Any institution that turns away a $1 million gift in this economy, I think ought to have good reason for doing that,” he said in a telephone interview.

He also said former university President Priscilla Slade offered to name the school for him before he pledged any money.

“I even made a joke, how much is this decision going to cost me?” he said. “She said, ‘This decision has already been made.’”

“It doesn’t feel good,” he said of the board’s decision. “My intentions were to help the students.”

 

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Marching for Heather Ellis – Why We Need to Do it Now

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

On November 16, 2009, the Your Black World Coalition, NAACP, National Action Network, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference plan to converge on the small town of Kennett, Missouri to fight for justice in the case of Heather Ellis, a 24-year-old college student who faces 15 years in prison for cutting line at a Wal-Mart.

When Justin and Journi, my assistant’s children, brought this case to my attention, I was heartbroken. Their passion about the charges pushed me to action, so I reached out to others to form the "Journey for Justice" to honor the two young children who inspired us to take action in Heather’s case.

I have spoken with the Ellis family extensively, and I’ve also spoken with those who are familiar with the case. It is my opinion that this trial represents one of the greatest travesties of justice imaginable. The greater concern is that Heather’s dilemma is not the root of the problem – it is merely a symptom of broader systemic patterns of civil injustice.

In nearby Poplar Bluff, MO, a 15-year old boy, Walter Currie Jr., was doused with gasoline and set on fire by his classmates, with the perpetrator allegedly yelling racial epithets as he did it. Heather’s case is just the tip of the iceberg when referring to the ultra-conservative Bootheel area, less than 100 miles away from the town where Rush Limbaugh was born.

Here are the 5 reasons why we will march on Kennett and why we are not going to stop:

Click to read.

Black Health Tips from Dr. Deborah Stroman

by Dr. Deborah Stroman, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Your Black World 

Do you need a simple rule to begin a smart nutrition routine? Try to make a change in your diet by “avoiding the whites” – those additives that supposedly will make your food taste just right or have the right consistency. To live well and be healthy, we need to make changes that may feel uncomfortable at first and possibly illogical to friends and family.

Salt, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, accounts for nearly 150,000 premature deaths every year primarily due to complications from high blood pressure. We do need ~ 6g of salt per day to live. Sadly, the average intake of salt is between 9g and 10g a day! Salt is a commonly occurring mineral, the technical name of which is sodium chloride. It is the sodium part of salt that is important. Sodium helps to maintain the concentration of body fluids at correct levels. It also plays a central role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves, and helps cells process nutrients.

Click to read.

Your Black News – Racism? Boy Gets Set on Fire by His Classmates

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 5:23 am
By: Denise Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com

A black Missouri teen, who last month was doused with gasoline and set afire by two white schoolmates, now faces charges himself as he recovers from burns over most of his body.

Walter Currie Jr., a 15-year-old in Poplar Bluff, Mo., was burned on June 13 after an exchange with two teens with whom he reportedly had a previous altercation.

The youth who allegedly doused him with the gasoline and lit the fuel has been charged with assault as a juvenile, Currie’s parents said. 
On July 6, several weeks after the incident, authorities gave Currie and his parents notice that he is being charged in connection with another incident where a teen related to the youth who set him afire was hit in the face, said Winonia Currie, Walter’s mother.

“All of a sudden, they decided to charge him with something that happened on June 10, but Walter said he didn’t have anything to do with it,” she said.

Because all of the people involved are juveniles, court officials in Butler County, Missouri said they can give only limited details on the incidents and cannot discuss names.

“I can tell you that there are charges against everyone involved,” Lesi Smith, chief juvenile officer for Butler County, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Click to read.

News: The Campus Accountability Project (CAP)

To sign up for the Your Black World Coalition, please visit www.YourBlackWorld.com.

Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

Hello to the Your Black World Family,

Think for one second and ask yourself:  How many Black professors did you have in college outside of those who taught African American studies?  Have you ever wondered why other students get to have professors who look like them, but Black people don’t expect to have that same right?  Imagine how much more comfortable your college experience would have been if you’d had a few more professors who looked like you.  That is what I am here to discuss.

I am working in conjunction with the National Action Network on "The Campus Accountability Project."  The goal of this initiative (which is going to last for no less than 10 years) is to directly confront the fact that most American campuses (HBCUs included) have a horrifically low representation of African American faculty, especially at the tenure level.  As we know, America has a very twisted history when it comes to diversity and treatment of people of color, and this history shows itself in the present every single day.  I remember being personally frustrated during my collegiate experience, given that I attended 4 years of college and another 7 years of graduate school without having ONE SINGLE AFRICAN AMERICAN PROFESSOR in any department, in any class, at any time.

This is WRONG and our students should not be forced to attend college within the confines of such an uncomfortable reality.  Personally, the experience can be traumatizing for our children and obviously leads to high drop out rates of Black college students. The acceptance of this way of life relegates Black people to second class citizenship status in many of America’s colleges and universities. Our children deserve better than this.

So, rather than just complaining about it, we are going to do something about it.  We are engaging in a national campaign for campus accountability, to encourage campuses to become more diverse.  We plan to conduct a series of meetings with university leadership, state legislators, legal counsel and community activists to ensure that our voices are heard.

The ideology is very simple: Diversity matters and campuses are ignoring it.  Additionally, diversity should not be laced with cosmetic tokenism, athletic scholarships and polite little King Day Celebrations.  It should be about respecting diverse ideas and ending the academic imperialism which disrespects Black scholarship and Black students, putting the needs of the African American community solely on the back burner.  Black athletes give nearly a billion dollars a year to the NCAA on the football fields and basketball courts; well, it’s about time we start to get a return on our investment.

If you believe in this cause, I hope you will forward this email to as many people as you can.  This affects any American wishing to go to college (even if you didn’t graduate), those who went to college and those who have children that they expect to send to college (which should be all of us, since education is crucial for success in this economy).  I personally plan to push this initiative at least until the year 2020, and I believe that by engaging in firm, direct and aggressive action, we can make a tremendous difference on this issue. 

There is a role for everyone here, since we are all hurt and affected by this problem.  So, I encourage you to call your own campuses and alma maters and hold them accountable.  IT IS NOT NORMAL for you to never be allowed to learn from a Black Professor.  We deserve the same privileges received by the White students, and universities must be pressed to explain why there are tens of thousands of qualified Black professors that they reject for hire or promotion every year.  Some will try to tell you that they can’t find qualified minorities to hire, but that’s simply a lie.  The problem is that the powers that be tend to believe that those who are different are inferior, which is reflective of the White Supremacist foundation of the decision-making infrastructure of most American campuses (notice there were no Black people on most of these campuses for the first 80 – 100 years of operation.  When Black people arrived, they certainly had no decision-making rights).  There’s no point in tap dancing around the issues and change will only be made if we are willing to fight for it. 

Below, there is a very short survey to help us collect data on your college experience.  It will only take 1 minute to fill out (it’s very short) and it sorts you into HBCU and non-HBCU categories for the 4 questions provided.  We also ask that you join the Campus Accountability Project to help us make America’s campuses into trust worthy incubators of Black intellectual development.  We know that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but brilliant Black minds will always be wasted without the presence of high quality Black mentorship.  Had I not met Dr. Tommy Whittler (the only Black professor in the entire Business School at The University of Kentucky), I never would have become a professor.

To fill out the survey, please click here.  To sign up to join the Campus Accountability Project, please click here.

Be blessed, be strong and be intelligent.  DO NOT spend one second being afraid.  Life is too short for that.

Sincerely,

Dr Boyce Watkins

Syracuse University, Your Black World

The Latest from Dr Boyce Watkins on AOL Black Voices

Pregnant 12-Year-Old Found: Father Accused of Incest

• A few weeks ago, we reported on the story of two sisters, one of them a pregnant 12-year-old, who … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (21)

Eddie Griffin: Going for Broke – and Getting There

• I had a lot of fun watching the new Vh-1 show, "Going for Broke," starring comedian Eddie Griffin. … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (21)

Dr. Boyce and Keith Murphy Discuss Economic Empowerment

• In this interview below with the great radio legend Keith Murphy, we discuss the power of high … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (0)

What Do Obama’s Death Threats Say About America?

• What do you make of the chaotic environment surrounding President Barack Obama? In the CNN … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (8)

Dr. Boyce Money: Lost Your Job? Senators Might Help You

• The Senate has been mingling with the idea of extending jobless benefits for those who’ve lost … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (1)

Is the Swine Flu Scare Nothing But Hype?

• Swine flu season is coming and the world is ducking for cover. Media coverage of this phenomenon … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (0)

Dr Boyce Money: Five Ways to Know You are a Credit Card Crackhead

• Sometimes your finances can get so out of whack that you can only laugh in order to keep from … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (0)

DC Budget Cuts Can’t Overcome a Mother’s Love

• My mother gave birth to me when she was 17-years old. As a teen mother who didn’t have a lot of … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (1)

Judge on Trial for Allegedly Sodomizing, Spanking Inmates

• Alabama Judge Herman Thomas has a problem. The Mobile County Circuit Judge was accused of checking … Read More
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Dr. Boyce Money: Is a Lack of Sex Grounds for Divorce?

• I live in New York, so I get the chance to meet a lot of interesting cab drivers. I love listening … Read More
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Think Nike’s Done With Michael Vick? Think Again

• I was excited to hear that Nike signed Michael Vick again after his dogfighting ordeal. You can … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (7)

Are Prescription Drugs America’s New Addiction?

• Most of us think that drugs which come out of a legal manufacturer are going to be safer than those … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (6)

Financial Lovemaking: Managing "Baby Mama Drama"

• Most of us know about "baby mama drama," since some of that drama may occur within your own home. … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (2)

Did Obama Deserve the Nobel? Black Scholars Respond

Marvin Lynn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Curriculum & Instruction
Faculty Affiliate, African American Studies
University of Illinois at Chicago

 

I think he deserves the award because, as they said, he has established a different tone in the world. Two years ago, America was despised around the world. This is not the case today. Of course people still have criticisms of our policies etc but our global neighbors hated Bush so much that it was making global travel a frightening experience for Americans. There has been a shift in how people see us. That is directly tied to President Obama’s diplomatic stance on a variety of issues.

 

 

 

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon

Political Science Professor at Howard University

Host of “On with Leon” – Sirius/XM Satellite

 

This is an incredible personal accomplishment for the Obama’s, a wonderful international recognition of the shift in American foreign policy, and a compliment to the intelligence of the American electorate The Nobel committee is acknowledging the positive shift away from the unilateral exclusionary foreign policy of the Bush 43′ administration to the multilateral inclusionary foreign policy direction of the Obama administration. The illegal invasions of sovereign nations, torture, and the ignoring of ecological issues of the Bush 43′ administration only brought instability and insecurity for America and the rest of the world. President Obama offers hope through honest diplomacy and open dialog. This is the true path towards peace and security for all.

 

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Dr Elaina George: More Reasons I am not Taking the Swine Flu Vaccine

by Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World 

I have had several patients ask me whether or not they should get the swine flu (H1N1) vaccine. My response has been the same. I will not be getting the vaccine because I don’t think it is safe.

I am an MD who was trained to practice medicine the old fashioned way. My education was based on understanding and treating disease. As a surgeon, I was taught that in some cases surgical correction is the most efficient and expedient way to fix a problem or cure a disease. In short, I have a healthy respect for the standard medical care that is practiced in this country.

However, over the past 10 years since I have been in practice, I have seen a disturbing trend that has become increasingly more common. Although we have the most advanced medical system in the world, the best trained physicians, and access to new and ever evolving medications, we as a nation and particularly the minority population are getting sicker at a younger age, and our quality of life is suffering. There are more people suffering from depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities than at any time in our history. Unfortunately, we have learned to manage diseases by taking a pill everyday instead of doing what it takes to prevent the illness in the first place. It is past time to look to good nutrition and prevention as a means of preventing and curing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and some cancers which have risen to epidemic levels.

When I made the personal decision to ask questions about the Swine flu vaccine, the answers that I discovered contradicted the mantra that has been championed by the media, government officials, and the vaccine manufacturers. What we are being told simply does not make any sense. The most important question that I have learned to ask (from the politics of healthcare to every other facet of our society that affects us as individuals) is – who stands to gain?

I will not be getting the swine flu vaccine because:

1. The vaccine makers have been given immunity from being sued for any bad outcome

After the deaths and injuries associated with the Swine flu vaccination campaign in 1976, the vaccine manufacturers lost billions of dollars in civil suits. That cannot happen this time around. Congress has since passed two bills that shield vaccine makers from civil suits. The first in 1986 protects vaccine makers from civil suits filed by people who have been injured by a vaccine due to ‘unavoidable side effects’. In 2006 another iteration of the shield law (The Epidemic Preparedness Act) was passed as part of the Patriot Act and extends the shield to include protection if the drug maker has ‘no willful knowledge’ that a vaccine may cause injury. In short, a maker of the Swine flu vaccine simply has to say they didn’t know the vaccine was going to cause harm then they cannot be sued. This won’t be hard to do since they have not fully tested the vaccine.

1. There are many ingredients in vaccines called adjuvants that are put in to stimulate the immune response

Click to read.

Your Black Health: 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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Black Sports: Nike’s Black Politics in Dealing with Michael Vick

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, MSNBC’s TheGrio.com and AOL Black Voices 

Dick’s Sporting Goods recently made a decision that is bad for business. Taking one of the boldest, and perhaps silliest, stands of any corporation in recent memory, Dick’s decided not to sell Michael Vick jerseys in any of their stores.

Perhaps they earned a few dog-loving customers, but they lost the support of any shareholder who cares about making money. It’s one thing for lynch mobs to embrace vigilantism, but another for a corporation to engage in the same irrational behavior. Vick paid his debt to society; it’s time to move on with our lives.

The top brass at the Nike Corporation are smarter than the management at Dick’s Sporting Goods, but they too understand the need to stay away from Michael Vick, at least for right now. When asked to respond to rumors that Vick had signed a deal with Nike, the company gave an immediate and resounding "no." After the Nike denial, Michael Vick’s agent, Joel Segal, had to backpedal faster than an NFL defensive back to kill any indication that his client has re-signed with the "big swoosh." However, the confidence with which the signing was announced indicates that the relationship might be deeper than we think.

The truth is that I don’t believe a single word of the Nike dismissal. Like the big egos in Beyonce’s song, Nike’s swoosh is " too big, too wide, too strong" for them to sit idly by as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL makes his return to the game. Nike executives have seen Vick grace the cover of Xbox games and sports magazines and often refer to him as the man who "revolutionized the quarterback position." They know that Vick is not washed up, and that some of his best years may still be ahead of him.

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Obama Death Threats – CNN: Dr Boyce and Jamal Simmons

Click here to watch!

 

Dr Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and Resident Scholar with AOL Black Voices

Dr Elaina George: College Students are Chasing Prescription Drugs

by Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World Medical Correspondent

According to a recent CNN report 7% of college students admit to using Adderall without a prescription. It is an amphetamine-like stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorders (ADD) and attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This drug, come to known as ‘vitamin A’, is taken by students to improve their grades. It is believed to help them study more efficiently by increasing the ability to stay awake and concentrate longer. It is more potent than caffeine or the old standbys No-Doze and Mountain Dew.

When prescribed by a physician for an individual with ADD or ADHD, Adderall is an effective and safe drug. Unfortunately, like many other prescription drugs such as Xanax, Valium, and Oxycontin, which have become easy to get on the Internet and on the black market, its ubiquitous use has taken away the fear factor. There is little regard for the potential side effects such as heart problems, stroke, tremors, and addiction.

In fact both prescription drugs and over the counter drugs have been reduced to quick fixes that are used to ‘make a problem go away’. There is a pervasive feeling that if it is a prescription drug or if it is sold over the counter, then it must be safe. This has been encouraged by the aggressive direct to patient marketing by the pharmaceutical industry.

Click to read.

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The latest from Dr. Boyce Watkins on AOL Black Voices – 10/2/09

 

Dr Boyce: Think Nike’s Done with Michael Vick? Think Again

• I was excited to hear that Nike signed Michael Vick again after his dog fighting ordeal. You can … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (0)

Financial Lovemaking: Managing "Baby Mama Drama"

• Most of us know about "baby mama drama," since some of that drama may occur within your own home. … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (0)

Dr Boyce and Farai Chideya Discuss Life as an African American

• In the video below, Farai Chideya and I are on NPR "News and Notes" discussing the economy of the … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (0)

Dr. Boyce: Black Scholars Speak Out on the Sale of Ebony Magazine

• I’ve always felt that the role of black scholars is to speak up and out on issues of relevance to … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (0)

Senate Finance Rejects the Public Option on Health Insurance

• Liberal Democrats chose not to inject the widely debated Public Option into the healthcare … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (0)

Dr Boyce Money: Learning Entrepreneurship from Madam CJ Walker

• The other day, I caught up with Fenorris Pearson, CEO of Global Consumer Innovations. Fenorris is … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (0)

The Cheapest Car in the World, but you can’t buy it in the US

• At $2500, the Tato Nano is the cheapest car in the world. But you can’t buy it in the US and some … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Auto Insurance | Comments (0)

Financial Lovemaking: Who Keeps the Ring if the Engagement is Called Off?

• This video below answers an important question that many of us may end up confronting at some … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (3)

Dr. Boyce and Rev. Al Sharpton on the Death of Derrion Albert

• I spoke with Rev. Al Sharpton in our weekly meeting on his radio show, which you can listen to … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (13)

Company Makes Money from Deadly Urban Trend: "Sipping Syrup"

• You’ve probably heard the phrase "sippin syrup," used in reference to the act of mixing cough … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (1)

What you MUST Know About Your Property Insurance

• Nippets of insurance news you can use: Things your property insurance doesn’t cover: In our last … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (1)

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian Get Married: Questions I’d Like to Ask

• Today, we are going to use an interesting story in black celebrity news to teach a short lesson … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (30)

Dr. Boyce and Rev. Al Sharpton Discuss Barack Obama, Black Politics, David Paterson

• This week, Rev. Al Sharpton and I discussed President Barack Obama’s racialized fight with the … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (2)

President Obama Talks Health Care at Congressional Black Caucus Conference

• In an appropriate show of respect, President Barack Obama addressed the Congressional Black Caucus … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (9)

Don’t Let Your Spouse Control All of Your Finances

• Financial News Blast for the week of September 26, 2009 – Click on the link for the title to read … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (1)

 

These articles are written by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Resident Scholar for AOL Black Voices

Dr Boyce Watkins, Jamal Simmons on CNN discussing the Obama Facebook Death Poll

Your Black World, AOL Black Voices, Syracuse University  

 

Transcript from CNN.com: Dr Boyce Watkins speaks with Jamal Simmons, former DNC Communications Advisor

This morning the Secret Service and the FBI are investigating a threatening poll that was posted on Facebook. It posed the question, should Obama be killed? Hundreds of people responded before the social networking site took it down.

Joining us to talk more about what may be behind it, from Syracuse, New York, Boyce Watkins — he’s a Syracuse professor and resident scholar for AOL black voices — and from Washington, Jamal Simmons, former DNC communications adviser now with the Raben Group, a communication consulting firm.

Let’s take a look, gentleman, first of all, at what the poll said posted on Facebook. And again, it was only for a few hours. It said, "Should Obama be killed?" The responses, yes, maybe, if he cuts my health care, and no.

It was put up by a third party application. More than 700 people responded before it was taken down. Boyce, what did you think when you saw that?

BOYCE WATKINS, PROFESSOR, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: Well, obviously, I was sickened by it.

What’s interesting, though, is that this poll in itself is really more of a symptom of a bigger problem that exists in our country. We know this president gets more death threats than pretty much any president in recent history.

And so if we really just focus on this issue and don’t focus on the broader problem, we’ll really miss the point, because we have to realize that America is a country that’s sick with the disease of racism.

And the disease of racism has its greatest impact on those who think who think they’ve been cured. So I’m not so angry about this incident as much I am about the environment that’s been created around our president.

Click to read.

Your Black News from theroot.com – 9/29/09

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  Blair Underwood Opens HIV/AIDS Clinic in DC

  The clinic looks to help hundreds in the District with free HIV/AIDS care…

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  VIDEO: Chicago Honor Student Fatally Beaten

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  Loves School, Hates Freedom: Obama Wants Longer School Days

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  Just in Time for Elections, Al-Bashir Lifts Media Censorship in Sudan

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  Obama, Others Set to Put Shoe in Iran Over Its Nuclear Program

  Iran’s newly unveiled uranium enrichment facility "is inconsistent with a peaceful (nuclear) program," President Obama said today…

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  Black Lawmakers Adjust to Post-Inauguration Politics

  Some believe the president must work from a centrist position for change while others see his presidency as an opportunity to push through Democratic initiative beneficial to the Black community…

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  Something to Shout About: Serena Williams Pens Book

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  The (No) Nuclear Option: UN Rez Aims for Nuke-Free World

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  Vaccine Shows Promise in HIV Prevention

  Researchers found that people who received a series of inoculations of a prime vaccine and booster vaccine were 31 percent less likely to get HIV, compared with those on a placebo…

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• Federal Worker Hanged, ‘Fed’ Scrawled Across Chest

  The FBI is investigating the hanging death of a U.S. Census worker near a Kentucky cemetery. A law enforcement official says the word "fed" was scrawled on his chest…

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  Complexion for the Rejection: Philly Swim Club Fined for Racism

  The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission issued a finding of probable cause Tuesday that racism was involved in the decision last June by a suburban Philadelphia swim club to revoke privileges of a largely minority day care center…

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  Obama to World: America’s Awesome, Still Can’t Fix Problems Alone

  "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility," Obama said in a passage from a speech he was delivering Wednesday to the United Nations General Assembly…

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  Ghosts of Timberlake: White Cop Told to Lose Cornrows

  And just when he was getting set to record a "21 Jump Street" track with Lil’ Wayne…

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  Going for Two: Plaxico Burress Sentenced to 24 Months

  Defense lawyer Benjamin Brafton said, "This is a very real tragic case in many, many ways."

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Black News: Facebook Poll Asks Users If they Think Obama Should be Killed

The Secret Service is investigating a Facebook Poll asking people if they would like to kill President Obama.

"We are aware of it and we will take the appropriate investigative steps," said Darrin Blackford, a Secret Service spokesman. "We take of these things seriously."

The poll asked Facebook Users "Should Obama be killed?" The choices: No, Maybe, Yes, and Yes if he cuts my health care.

Facebook has made it clear that they did not create the poll, and that it was created in an application used by a third party.

"The third-party application that enabled an individual user to create the offensive poll was brought to our attention this morning," said Barry Schnitt, Facebook’s spokesman for policy.

"We’re working with the U.S. Secret Service, but they’ll need to provide any details of their investigation," Schnitt said.

Black Commentary from TheGrio – 9/26/09

 

• 

  Kristen Clarke

  Co-Director of the Political Participation Group at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund

  Local elections count as much as presidential ones

  8:00 AM on 09/28/2009

  OPINION – Turnout statistics from recent state and local elections around the country paint a rather bleak picture that is squarely at odds with the political energy and momentum witnessed last November….

  > MORE

• 

  Sala Udin

  President and CEO of the CORO center for civic leadership, Pittsburgh

  Black Pittsburgh struggles in the shadow of the G-20

  9:27 AM on 09/25/2009

  OPINION – For the most part, African-American Pittsburgh seems to be invisible, not only to the public relations hucksters who tout Pittsburgh’s successes, but we are equally invisible to the protesters….

  > MORE

• 

  Roland Laird

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

  Broad attacks on ACORN are just plain nuts

  9:30 AM on 09/24/2009

  OPINION — Let me be clear, ACORN’s actions deserved to be exposed, and they deserve to be punished. But let me be equally clear, ACORN is not a big American problem……

  > MORE

• 

  Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

  Religion Contributor

  Racism’s roots in the Bible

  8:11 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION – Everyone in power had been raised in a religious environment that taught that blacks were the descendants of Ham who was cursed by his father….

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• 

  Talia Whyte

  Journalist & Activist

  African-Americans need to ‘raise hell’ about climate change

  8:10 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION – Right here in the United States, there are serious climate issues that need to be addressed, and these problems disproportionately affect African Americans……

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• 

  Cheo Tyehimba

  Author & Activist

  Spare the rod, save your child

  7:42 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION – A study of more than 2,500 toddlers found that, for poor children as young as one, spanking is not only commonplace but promotes more aggressive behavior by age two……

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• 

  Charlton McIlwain

  Professor, Author & Co-Director of the RaceProject.org

  Shift in race discussion needed for our kids and our media

  8:50 AM on 09/22/2009

  OPINION – Even the youngest among us recognize and realize the utility in making racial distinctions. Should we be concerned? If so, by what, exactly? …

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Dr Elaina George on How to Stay Healthy: 5 Tips

by Dr Elaina George, Your Black World Medical Correspondent

Instead of waiting for the outcome of the healthcare debate to decide your fate, use some simple common sense strategies to take back the power to control your own health.

1. Start exercising

An increase in activity of as little as 20 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference in your risk of heart disease,

diabetes and obesity. You don’t have to get fancy with a gym membership. Try taking the stairs at work instead of the

elevator, or park further from the entrance when you go to the market or mall.

2. Eat Smaller portions

You may not want to give up your junk food or fried food, but try to limit your portions. Instead of buying a six pack

of soda, buy a two liter bottle. You can better control the portions along with your intake of calories.

Click to read.

Read more at Your Black World, the top black news website in America

Dr Boyce Watkins: Did BET Go Too Far with Skank Robbers?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Your Black World, Syracuse University, AOL Black Voices, TheGrio.com 

During the BET Awards, Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx did a skit called "Skank Robbers," which you can watch below. Some have argued that the video goes over the top, producing stereotypical images of black women to the point of being offensive. Referring to them as "skanks" was enough to draw the ire of many African Americans, but there was also a point in the video in which the narrator says, "From the producers of ‘Planet of the Apes’."

This video leads to the following questions as it pertains to BET:1) Who’s making the decisions? I’d love to see what thought process goes into deciding to make R. Kelly your keynote performer right after he is accused of creating child pornography, or having Lil Wayne sing about wanting to have sex with every girl in the world while underage girls are dancing on stage. I don’t hate BET, and I’ve done a great deal of work with them in the past, but I would like very much for them to explain to the public exactly how they operate.

 

Click to read more.

If this link doesn’t work, then please click here.

Christopher Chestnut JD – Why You MUST Have Property Insurance

Christopher Chestnut (pictured above)

Your Black World, AOL Black Voices 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

Most of us know very little about the ins and outs of property insurance. Christopher Chestnut is not in that category. As a prominent attorney out of Florida, Mr. Chestnut has taken on multi-million dollar cases and handled some of the most complex lawsuits imaginable. As one of the leading young black attorneys in America, Chestnut has been recognized by President Obama for his outstanding accomplishments.

I spoke to Chris this week about Property Insurance and what it can do to make your life a little simpler. Here is what he had to say:

1) If you rent, make sure you have renter’s insurance. Also, make sure your landlord has homeowner’s insurance, since renter’s insurance only includes the contents that are INSIDE the house

2) Check your landlord’s insurance regarding injuries on your rented property. Most people are unaware of the fact that the homeowner is liable in the event that someone is injured on their property. Even if the children across the street climb the fence to get into your yard, you are liable if one of them gets hurt. Find out how your landlord’s homeowner’s insurance would cover you if someone has an accident.

Click to read more.

ACORN Not Going Down Without a Fight

 

From USA Today

LOS ANGELES — Millicent Hill says God put her in her stucco home on East 92nd Street, but she believes she would have lost the house without ACORN.

Hill’s home is a center of after-school activity for kids in the Watts neighborhood in gritty South-Central Los Angeles. Children in her church-supported program can avoid the street, get a snack, work on a computer or get a hug.

LAST WEEK: House votes to defund ACORN

When "Mama" Hill, as she’s known, faced foreclosure, ACORN members showed up at a public auction to protest, prompting the lender to cancel the sale. ACORN then found a buyer who rents it back to Hill. "I wouldn’t be here without ACORN, and all of the kids would have to go somewhere else," says Hill, 69. "And they’ve got nowhere else to go."

Here and in other states, ACORN focuses on helping people with housing issues, supporting changes to health care and immigration policies, and registering voters.

ACORN — which has received about $53 million in federal funds since 1994 — has long been a target of conservatives because of its ties to Democrats. Attacks increased after its aggressive voter-registration and get-out-the-vote efforts for President Obama last year. Now, videos showing ACORN workers giving advice to conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute are raising questions about its tactics and finances — and whether it can survive.

Click to read.

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Dr Boyce Watkins: Obama’s Stuck in a Racial Twilight Zone

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

A few years ago, Dr. Cornel West wrote an outstanding book called "Race Matters." In the book, he explains why a post-racial America is not yet a reality. Race certainly matters in our nation, and we don’t need to look any further than the anti-Obama lynch mobs to find evidence of this fact.

What is most interesting is that the people who hate Obama for being black don’t even realize that this is the reason they hate him. That’s how the social sickness called "racism" sneaks into the very fabric of the social infrastructure on which our country operates.

President Obama’s recent experience is yet another reminder that the disease of racism has its greatest impact on those who think they’ve been cured. In spite of his continuous efforts to "just get along" with those on the right wing, they have insisted upon engaging in some of the most pathetic, thug-like behavior imaginable, creating a climate unlike anything our country has seen in the last 30 years.

If you think this has nothing to do with Obama being black, you need to open a history book. Lynch mobs rarely attacked a black man just for being black. They attacked him for being black and doing something that white people found to be unacceptable.

Click to read on MSNBC’s TheGrio.com.

Black News: Dr. Marc Lamont Hill Debates Ann Coulter over Obama

from Your Black World 

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill debates Ann Coulter on Fox News about Obama’s appearances in national media.  Click here to watch!

Dr Boyce: University of Michigan’s “Optional” Football Practices

by Dr. Boyce Watkins , Syracuse University 

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

The University of Michigan football team has a storied tradition when it comes to winning. The program is equally storied when it comes to making money by putting athletes on the field no matter what. This football factory rivals the other bastion of athletic exploitation down the road: my alma mater, The Ohio State University.

It was recently unearthed that The University of Michigan has been using "optional" practices as a way to push athletes against their will. Players and their families have reported that any athlete who doesn’t attend the "optional" practices has a strong likelihood of being punished by the team.

I have just one question: why is anyone surprised? The only thing surprising to me about the University of Michigan case is that someone is actually willing to testify against the university. I am simply stunned that the players are bold enough to stand up for their rights in light of the fact that there are extreme penalties for athletes who have the audacity to think for themselves.

For college athletes, loyalty to the NCAA is not a choice. The officials who run college sports serve as the judge, jury and executioner in all cases related to athletic conduct. Like Michael Vick’s pit bulls, athletes within the NCAAsystem are domesticated, indoctrinated and brainwashed from the minute they set foot on a college campus.

The same way that many major retailers look the other way when five year olds are employed in third-world factories, the NCAA doesn’t do a very good job of enforcing the standards within its very own rulebooks. The only standards that seem to be applied strictly are those that keep the athletes and their families away from the multi-billion dollar revenue-generating machine that pays for the massive salaries of college football coaches. This is nothing less than a slap in the face to the players and their families, who give so much on the field.

 

Click to read.

Black News: Tavis Smiley Accused of Helping Wells Fargo Milk Black People

 

from AOL Black Voices, Your Black World 

Did Tavis Smiley help Wells Fargo herd black people into subprime loans? Yes, according to information contained in a lawsuit filed recently by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The suit alleges that Smiley was the hook used to draw in potential customers for subprime mortgages.
You might be familiar with the "Wealth Building" seminars that Wells Fargo conducted beginning in the year 2000. Smiley was the headline speaker at these events, held in Baltimore; Chicago; Richmond, Va.; and San Francisco. The seminars were advertised aggressively in black media and aimed directly at black communities. They were a huge success. Often, standing room only audiences would hear Smiley speak about how he mostly disliked banks while strongly urging attendees to invest in real estate as a sound strategy to build wealth. …

Click to read.

Your 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:

Click to read.

Dr. Elaina George: Things to Know Before Getting a Flu Shot

by Dr. Elaina George, Medical Correspondent, Your Black World 

Although the Swine flu virus has been identified in over 70 countries, it has not been as deadly as expected

• The world wide number of swine flu cases currently is 209,500 with 2,185 deaths

The common flu is more deadly

• In the US there have been 40,000 cases identified with 1,876 deaths. This is quite low when you compare the death rate to the typical flu virus which kills over 30,000 people per year.

Most cases of Swine flu have been mild

• Most people have had mild self-limited symptoms that resolve without any medical intervention.

Click to Read.

Dr. Wilmer Leon on Joe Wilson, Serena Williams

 

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.

Click to read.

News: Serena Williams, Kanye West, Public Outbursts and Race

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Your Black World 

From AOL Black Voices and TheGrio.com 

Were there any racial implications to the recent outbursts by Serena Williams and Kanye West? Yes, there were. In my latest conversation with Rev. Al Sharpton, we break down these interesting events, all of which occurred during the past week. We can agree, however, that there are certainly things more important than worrying about Serena Williams and Kanye West. But these situations, in light of the backdrop of Obama’s comments about Kanye, might provide true teachable moments regarding America’s tattered racial history.As I’ve written before, Serena and Kanye have a lot in common, but nothing in common, all at the same time. Serena’s actions were justifiable, given the intensity of the situation and the fact that the line judge made the wrong call. At the same time, most of us can agree that Serena went over the line by threatening to "shove the ball down the f**ing throat" of the line judge because of her mistake. Yes, Serena, you are from the hood. But you don’t need to take it back to the hood to make your point to a U.S. Open line judge.

Click to read.

Dr Chris Metzler: Obama Presidency in Trouble?

September 16, 2009 · 2 Comments

By Christopher Metzler

President Obama’s presidency is in peril for two primary reasons. The first, his inability to be a transformational leader to an American public hungry for it is of his own making. The second, the thinly veiled demonstration of racism unskillfully disguised as “concern for country” is both to be expected and not of his own making. 

First, President Obama came into to office promising “change that we can believe in.” However, on the signature issue of change, health care reform, he has not led; choosing instead to send a litany of mixed messages as to whether  he would turn the Byzantine labyrinth that is the American health care system on its head. A transformational leader takes bold, decisive, innovative action if he or she believes that it is right for the country. Thus far, on health care, the President has not demonstrated transformational leadership; he has pledged fidelity to the status quo.

Click to read more.

Dr. Elaina George: What’s Wrong with Healthcare?

 

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?

 

Click here to listen!

News: Jimmy Carter Gets Radical on Race and 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.

Howard U. President Responds to Student Protests

In an effort to address the student demands raised during the Sept. 4 protest , President Sidney A. Ribeau and Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer Alvin Thornton sat down  with The Hilltop to go through each presented demand.

Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau

Demand:  Hours of the  Financial Aid office should be immediately extended until 7 p.m. until the set purge date with staff (i.e. certified financial aid officers and managers) in place to render quality customer service and to serve the unusually large number of students who have yet to be validated.

Response: “That’s something that I agree with and will, in fact, do,” Ribeau said.

Thornton said even before students raised the concern, this issue was a priority. He said that the office will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. until the set purge date. He said additional staff people will be needed, but they have agreed to move a substantial part of the operation back to the Amour J. Blackburn Center. Ribeau said this move will be completed by Friday. “It’s not easy, but that’s what we’re going to do.”

Demand: 24-hour, 7-day a week access to the Undergraduate Library and Founders Library, as well as significant capital improvements and renovations to Founders Library and Undergraduate Library.

Click to read more.

The Masculine Perceptions of Black Women

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

Black women are too aggressive. They are vicious, nasty, neck-swinging, over-sexed, amazons who utilize every available opportunity to tell off anyone in their path. They hate black men and they even manage to find creative ways to hate one another. We’ve now come up with a one-dimensional way of describing an incredibly diverse group around the world. That is what the world does to black women, and it is the same thing they do with black men. Personally, I’m getting sick of it.

In our natural aversion to such blatantly biased characterizations like the one presented in the first paragraph, we then go to the other extreme: Black women are all perfect, beautiful, loving, enlightened creatures who can do no wrong. All the problems of the black family belong solely to those "trifling brothers who just can’t get it together," and even when black women appear to be wrong, it’s just because the rest of us "are too weak to handle strong and intelligent sistuhs." Sorry my friends, stereotyping is wrong, even when it works in your favor.

Serena Williams’ tirade during the US Open on Saturday was offensive and sad to watch. She embarrassed herself and her family by threatening to "shove the ball down the f***ing throat" of a line judge during an internationally televised event. At the same time, Serena was in an extremely tense situation, the judge made a horrible call, and this was one of the biggest matches of her career. The judge had no business making that kind of call at that time, especially one that was ultimately incorrect. Serena simply said exactly what I certainly would have been thinking myself.

Click to read.

Wilmer Leon: Serena Needs to Learn to Play by the Rules

 

By

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

This past Saturday evening, on a second serve at 15-30, 5-6 in the second set at the U.S. Open semifinals, Serena Williams was called for a foot fault by the line judge. Based upon the judges call, Ms. Williams walked towards the judge, pointed her racquet at the judge and launched into an “f-bomb” laden tie raid saying in part, “If I could, I would take this @#$#ing ball and shove it down your @#$#ing throat…"

This exchange resulted in Ms. Williams being penalized a point for unsportsmanlike conduct. This penalty resulted in the match being awarded to her opponent, Kim Clijsters. Some are now questioning the chair umpire and tournament referee Brian Earley’s decision. With Ms. Williams being African American, many are crying foul based on race. Others are objecting to what some believe to be a ticky-tack call, especially at such a key point in a match.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: The Financial Cost of Tirades: Serena and Kanye

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

When Kanye West stood on NBC four years ago and said "George Bush doesn’t care about black people," I applauded. When he acted a fool on stage after not receiving some award he deserved, I laughed. When he came out with that really weird CD after dealing with personal crises involving the loss of his mother and break up with his fiance, I sincerely felt for him (but never bought the album).
But after Kanye’s stunt last night on the MTV Video Music Awards, I wanted to slap him. Damn brother, that was just pathetic. When Beyonce told you she liked men with big egos, you surely put that theory to the test.

Kanye West’s decision to bum rush the stage and yank the mike out of the hand of Taylor Swift, a 19-year old woman winning her first award has finally certified him as the jackass that everyone thought he might be. I have been a big supporter of West, and I still support him to a point. He brings some degree of intelligence to hip hopthat the industry has needed for a long time. But the truth is that his actions last night were rooted in extreme selfishness and horribly arrogant behavior. Not good for Kanye, nor anyone else.
This must have been "The weekend the black folks went wild," because Serena Williams had an equally problematic outburst at the US Open. After a very bad call by one of the judges, Serena felt the need to offer to shove the ball down the "f*cking throat" of the woman for making her mistake. OK sistuh-girl, does the judge really need to have the ball shoved down her throat?

 

Click to read.

Oprah Stands by Barack During His Tough Time

In the midst of all the drama surroundingPresident Barack Obama’s speech to schoolchildren on Tuesday, there’s one Chicago resident who will support the commander-in-chief through thick and thin.
The one and only Oprah Winfrey admitted that she was stunned by the amount of backlash the president was receiving after encouraging students to rise above their challenges to succeed in school.
In an exclusive interview with ‘Access Hollywood’ on Wednesday, the multitalented media mogul professed her frustration over the recent events.
"I’m just really stunned by people who feel that the president, the leader of our country and of the free world, saying to your children it’s important for your success, the success of your families and our country, for you stay in school, that education is vital to your well-being. … I don’t understand it. I do not understand it," Winfrey said.

Click to read.

Big Punch Heard Around the World: Did Race Play a Role in Player’s Suspension?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

When I saw the video of the punch out by LeGarrette Blount of The University of Oregon, I was shocked and disappointed. This knock out blow that the athlete laid on Byron Hout of Boise State certainly has no place in the game of football – at least after the clock has struck zero. The University of Oregon acted immediately, suspending Blount for the entire season, effectively ending his career with the team. This incident is also going to likely hurt his chances of having an NFL career.

Here are some reasons that Oregon State was dead wrong in their decision.

1) The the university has no right to be judge and jury on this case. Where’s the union for college athletes? Oh yeah, they don’t have one. This incident is a reminder and sick reflection of the fact that college student athletes should have the same labor rights as the rest of us. Instead, they are subject to the harsh decisions of universities who care more about their revenues and reputations than the athletes themselves. Before you destroy a young man’s career, there should be hearings and a full investigation by a trustworthy panel of individuals who consider his well-being as part of the process. The idea that someone moved so quickly without knowing all the facts is absolutely ridiculous.

2) He is young. Since when can’t one 22-year old football player punch out another one and not pay for it for the rest of his life? Does it really make sense that the university feels that this man’s years of hard work are so disposable that they can simply throw them in the trash without consequence? Coaches are arrested for DWIs, commit crimes and do all kinds of egregious things, and are simply expected to go find another job. Blount, because of NCAA restrictions, can’t simply join the team at another university. His career is over.

Click to read.

They Continue to Fight Obama

 

How much do they hate Obama?

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.

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

Wilmer Leon: A conversation about the Economy

 

Dr. Wilmer Leon Speaks to Dr Danny Boston, an Economist at Georgia Tech University about the state of the economy.  Click here to listen!

Dr Boyce Watkins: The President Absolutely Nailed It

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

The other day, I mentioned that it was time for President Obama to get tough with his critics. Their below-the-belt attacks on the Beltway were getting to the point of embarrassing our great nation. We were reverting to 1920s lynch mobs and watching behavior that fell short of the threshold of human decency.
Well, when you’re confronted with a monster, you sometimes have to become one. And last night, the president was a monster.I applaud his firm approach when dealing with his critics. President Obama stood tall and strong, showing the vision of a great president. He also confronted Republican lies and misinformation directly. From a political standpoint, the speech was a mobilizer, which is called for when the opposition refuses to work with you and consistently pushes to dismantle your agenda. The right wing does not like this president, and they are using dirty tools of American racism and distrust of black men to win their fight with Obama.

The battle was further energized by the ridiculous outburst by South Carolina Republican Jim Wilson, who shouted "You lie!" in the middle of the President’s speech. Sorry Joe, bad move. Sometimes your enemies can be your greatest allies, and in this case, Obama needs to send Wilson a Thank You card. His actions were yet another spread of icing on the cake of energy that the president created with his stellar performance before Congress.

Click to read.

Your 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.

A Doctor’s Take on Obama’s Speech to Congress

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.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Obama Needs Your Help

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.

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An Insider Goes After BET

So Andreas Hale, former Executive Editor of Music at BET.com, has been let go.
But instead of simply gathering up his pencils, Rolodex and the favorite coffee mug, Hale took to the web to lay out many of his trials and tribulations during his time at BET.
Hale then hit ’send’ on an explosive email that landed in our in-boxes Tuesday. The dysfunction that Hale describes is startling, but if we’re honest, I think Hale verifies what many of us have long suspected:
As someone who has been critical of BET for many years, it surprised many that I would leave my post at HipHopDX last year to take a position at BET. But it was an opportunity I absolutely had to take. I could no longer be critical of this company without accepting the opportunity to change it when given. …
Although I was hired to bring about change, I was systematically shut down. I wasn’t hired to make noise, I was hired to be silenced. The truth of the matter is that everything that you thought was wrong with BET is true.

Click to read.

Black College Sports: Oregon Athlete’s Punishment Too Harsh

Oregon not only lost the battle of their opening game against Boise State, but they also lost a general, in standout senior running back LeGarrette Blount.

Following a disappointing performance against Boise State in which the Ducks suffered a 19-8 defeat, Blount was walking off the field when he decided to sucker punch BSU player Byron Hout. Prior to the right straight to Hout’s jaw, Hout ran over to Blount antagonizing and instigating confrontation by yelling in Blount’s face and tapping him on the shoulder pad.

Once the skirmish was broken up by Boise coaches and Oregon players, Blount was escorted off the field, but a sports fight would not be a fight until the fans were involved.

 

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins: How Obama Can 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 Dr. 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

Black News: Dr Boyce Watkins supports Howard University Student Protests

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

Howard University has a problem. Apparently, the school’s students have taken lessons on freedom of speech to heart and actually believe they have a voice in running the campus. That problem is magnified by the fact that they are finally speaking up on issues of mismanagement and incompetence that plague many universities around the nation, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

We all know that HBCUs can be amazing places to get an education. But we also know that many HBCUs are as slow as molasses when it comes to adopting the necessary administrative adjustments to keep up with the demands of college students. We also know that many HBCUs are not even hiring very many black professors, particularly in business and the sciences (Howard University is one of them). Not having the funds to engage in sound administrative policy is almost understandable. But ignoring calls for appropriate change because it undermines your quest to maintain power….well, that just makes you a black version of the Bush Administration.

Click to read.

The Civil Rights 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.

Dr. Elaina George Explains What We can Learn from the Death of MJ

The following is a statement made by Dr. Elaina George, an Otolaryngologist out of Atlanta and advocate for physicians.

‘Michael Jackson did not have a chance’ was my first thought when I read the report that just came out about what caused his untimely and tragic death. I was unprepared for the absolute disregard for the first tenant of the doctors’ Hippocratic Oath – First do no harm.

There was no way that harm would not have come to Mr. Jackson. It was beyond negligent to give him a mixture of three different kinds of sedatives, a muscle relaxant, an antidepressant in addition to Propofol, a general anesthetic that is only used in an operating room setting (because it can stop someone’s breathing). Each of these drugs by themselves can be lethal, but together it is a recipe that will almost definitely kill someone. I can think of no medical scenario that would justify mixing these kinds of drugs. Hopefully, Mr. Jackson’s death will teach us that prescription drugs, though helpful are no substitute for doctors doing everything in their power to protect the health of their patients, including just saying no when it is appropriate.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins on Sports: John Calipari and Kentucky

Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

After reading about Kentucky Coach John Calipari being found guilty of cheating by the NCAA, I wasn’t surprised in the least. Calipari has never been known for producing the most highly educated athletes in the world (his graduation rate among African American athletes is 44 percent), and he seems to want to win above anything else. The idea that my alma mater, The University of Kentucky, would immediately step in to pay tens of millions of dollars to a coach that has been proven to be a cheater makes a powerful statement about the ethical disposition of this university. Kentucky is like many NCAA institutions in their mass pillage of African American athletes for the sake of their multi-million dollar fortunes.

John Calipari and his old school, The University of Memphis, have been charged with having an SAT exam taken for a player on the basketball team (believed by many to be Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls). According to several published sources, the SAT exam was falsified during the 2007 – 2008 season. The team has been required to give back 38 wins from that season, costing the school millions in revenue. These kinds of abuses don’t just occur at The University of Memphis. The University of Kentucky’s basketball program has nearly received the death penalty for its long list of violations in the past, so it is only fitting that they hire yet another arguably unethical coach to continue their storied tradition. Here are some quick thoughts about John Calipari and The University of Kentucky:

Click to read.

Wilmer Leon on the NCAA Lawsuit

 

Dr. Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and Dr. Wilmer Leon of Howard University speak about the NCAA class action lawsuit.  The NCAA is being sued for illegal use of player images. What do you think? Should the NCAA start paying players?

Click here to listen!

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

Prison Population Set to be Reduced in California

A controversial bill that California legislators say would allow the early release of more than 27,000 inmates from crowded prisons will be taken up by the state Assembly on Monday.

Inmates at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, interact in a gym modified to house them in August 2007.

The Senate on Thursday passed the corrections package 21-19, after Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, assured senators the changes would protect the public from the most violent offenders.

The legislation also would direct more resources toward parolees, he said.

Senate Republicans say the bill would undermine public safety. All 15 Senate Republicans voted against the measure.

Both houses of the legislature are controlled by Democrats.

Consideration of the bill comes as California faces a mid-September deadline for reducing itsprison population by about 40,000 inmates. A special panel of three federal judges issued the order, contending the crowded prison system violates prisoners’ constitutional rights.

The judges said they will make the reductions themselves if the state fails to act.

The measure would save the financially strapped state $524.5 million, according to a statement from Steinberg’s office.

When coupled with budget revisions that lawmakers made in July, the total corrections savings would be $1.2 billion, he said. That is the amount that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants as part of his efforts to cut state spending and balance the budget.

Click to read.

More NCAA Foolishness

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)—Memphis will be forced to vacate the record 38 victories from its Final Four season of 2007-08 under former coach John Calipari because of NCAA violations, The Commercial Appeal reported.

The newspaper, citing an unidentified source close to the situation, said on its Web site Wednesday night the NCAA will release findings of its investigation Thursday. The Commercial Appeal said it was unaware of any penalties beyond this season.

The NCAA investigated whether someone took the SAT exam for a player on that Final Four team. Memphis was notified of potential violations in January and met with the governing body in June.

The NCAA has said an unknown person took the college entrance exam for a player—with his knowledge—and that the player used it to get admitted. The governing body says the athlete played for the Tigers only in the 2007-08 season and the 2008 NCAA tournament. Just one person fits that description: Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls’ No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008 and its rookie of the year.

 

Click to read.

What’s Going on with the Economy?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

The economic downturn has hurt us all. Black unemployment has been nearly 70% higher than that for white Americans, and the blow is even greater for people of color, since there is less black wealth to fall back on during tough financial times. We must remember, however, that the global recession has literally led to starvation around the world, as there were many citizens who could barely buy food even during the good times.

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." Blanchard also makes the additional point that economic models used to understand past recessions cannot be used to understand this one. When attempting to understand the cyclical nature of African American wealth, the models are even sketchier than they are for the rest of the world.

If you want to understand what happened to our economy, imagine you have a friend who appears to have the flu. The standard flu recovery time is going to be just a few days, so you expect to see them back at it within a week. They then go to the doctor, and it turns out that they have a sinus infection, extending the recovery period at least another week. But instead of coming back to work in 1 – 2 weeks, they are sick for an entire month. Well, this warrants another trip to the doctor, where you find out that the person actually has HIV. This changes the entire treatment strategy, since the short-term problems were nothing more than symptomatic triggers of serious long-term health issues. What’s worse is that with or without serious intervention, the patient may never be completely healthy again.

Click to read.

Your 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.

Black News: lShot 59 Times: What are the Facts?

• BILL POOVEY, Associated Press Writer

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (AP) — Alonzo Heyward carried a rifle around his low-rent Chattanooga, Tennessee, neighborhood one day last month, ranting about suicide and ignoring the pleas of friends for hours before six city police officers surrounded him on his front porch and decided it had to end.

His father says Heyward told the officers, "I’m not out here to hurt anybody."

But the police, who tried unsuccessfully to disarm Heyward, fired 59 rounds to kill him on July 18. The medical examiner found 43 bullet wounds in his chest, face, arms, hands, legs, buttocks and groin. Police contend Heyward was a danger to others and threatened the six officers.

Chattanooga police spokeswoman Jerri Weary described the case as "suicide by cop."

As questions continue to surround the shooting, Heyward’s family and civil rights leaders take issue with the police response. Heyward, a 32-year-old moving company employee, was black. The six officers are white. They were temporarily placed on administrative leave but have since returned to work.

"We have a large concern about the amount of shots fired," said Valoria Armstrong, president of the Chattanooga branch of the NAACP civil rights group.

A Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial cartoon asked "IS THIS EXCESSIVE FORCE?" — spelling out the question with letters labeling the wounds in a drawing based on Heyward’s autopsy report.

His father, James Marine, 61, does not believe Heyward really wanted to kill himself or that he was trying to commit "suicide by cop."

"He just needed somebody to talk to," Marine said. … "I believe he was just depressed at that time."

Click to read.

Health Scholars – 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.

What’s with the so-called “Post Racial America?”

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.

Your 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.

Why Racism is not good for Business

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I received a call from CNN today about a major corporate mistake. We talk about such marketing issues in our Finance and Business Management classes at Syracuse University, and this was surely one that will be analyzed in many case studies for years to come.

In an apparent slip of intellect, someone with the Costco Corporation decided that it might be a good idea to put out black dolls with the words “Lil Monkey” on the top of the doll’s forehead. Alrighty then, that makes sense.

I don’t think that any executive with the Costco Corporation woke up this morning saying, “How do I offend as many black people as possible today?” But this does not excuse the fact that this move will be interpreted as a racist one, as it should be. The world is no longer plagued as much by good old fashioned racism, where a klan member shows up on your porch and calls you the n-word. We now have corporations and other institutions with white male dominated power structures that have not embraced diversity of ethnicity, thought or perspective. Racial ignorance remains acceptable and economic imperialism over people of color becomes the rule of the day. The point is simple: Someone should have caught this error before those dolls left the door, but no one cared enough to try.

Click to read.

Black News: Barack Obama Gets Feedback from Howard Dean on Healthcare

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.

At What Point is Michael Vick Fully Rehabilitated?

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.

Can Professional Black Women Find Husbands?

By Brian Alexander

msnbc.com contributor

updated 8:31 a.m. ET, Thurs., Aug 13, 2009

Brian Alexander

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.

They face a series of challenges in navigating education, career, marriage and child-bearing, dilemmas that often leave them single and childless even when they’d prefer marriage and family, according to a research study recently presented at the American Sociological Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco.

Yale researchers Natalie Nitsche and Hannah Brueckner argued that “marriage chances for highly educated black women have declined over time relative to white women.” Women of both races with postgraduate educations “face particularly hard choices between career and motherhood,” they said, “but especially in the absence of a reliable partner.”

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Michael Vick’s Return is Good for All of Us

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.

Black Opinion: Al Sharpton Critiques the Prison Industrial Complex

• (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

by Rev. Al Sharpton

As the battle lines for health care reform are being drawn – and redrawn – a silent segment of the population is strategically left out of the conversation. It’s a group of individuals who have been deemed enemies of society, and cast away behind iron bars to fend for themselves. In California’s 33 prisons, healthcare is so inadequate that one unnecessary death takes place per week, as inmates are often stacked in triple bunk beds in hallways and gymnasiums. With nearly twice the number of prisoners than they were designed to hold, California prisons will have to reduce at least 40,000 prisoners in the next two years – and it’s about time.

Federal judges just released a 184-page order demanding that California’s inmate population be reduced by 27%, and gave the state 45 days to come up with a plan. In what they termed an “unconstitutional prison healthcare system”, the three-judge panel concluded that disease was spreading rampantly and prisoner-on-prisoner violence was all but unavoidable. Forced to close a $26 billion dollar budget gap, California will now have to look at mechanisms to reducing its extensive prison spending, which in 2007 topped out at nearly $10 billion (approximately $49,000 for each inmate).

Whether it’s for pure economic reasons or for an actual concern over the well being of prisoners, California will hopefully serve as an example for a reversal of the ever-growing prison industrial complex. A system that unfairly profiles and detains minorities, American jails produce a vicious cycle of recidivism and community breakdown. Last year, the Pew Center on the States released a scathing report stating that one in every 100 American adults was in jail, and that an astonishing one in 15 black adults was behind bars. According to government reports in 2007, there were three times as many blacks in jail than in college dorms, with Latinos not far behind at 2.7 times more behind bars than in secondary schooling.

Click to read.

Dr. Wilmer Leon on Stress Management

Two educated Alpha Men break it down for the world to see.  Dr Wilmer Leon and Dr. Robert Brown discuss how to cope with the stress of a changing environment.  Click here to listen!

Dr. Wilmer Leon on Healthcare Reform

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.

Click to read.

What? Why Was a Man With a Gun Allowed to See the President?

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.

Dr Wilmer Leon Interviews Suzanne Simons

Dr Wilmer Leon interviews Suzanne Simons about her book “Master of War: Blackwater USA’s Erik Prince and the Business of War”.  Click here to listen!

News: The Latest from Dr Boyce Watkins on AOL – 8/11/09

The Latest

Love Gone Bad: Scorned Women Krazy Glue Man’s Genitals

• OK, if you cheer when you read this story, then you need some serious help. If you squirm when you … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (0)

Black Professors, Black Scholars and Intellectual Suicide

• If you’ve ever attended college, you’ve interacted with a professor. If you were lucky, you might … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (16)

Dr. Boyce Money: Soulja Boy’s Bad Financial Advice

• In his video called ‘Rich N*gga Sh*t’ (I can’t even write the title, because I don’t want to … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (17)

Dr Boyce: Why Everyone Should Go to College

• The following is an exerpt from the book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College." … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (34)

Financial Lovemaking: Tiny, Toya, Weezy and TIP

• OK, was I confused when I found out that Tiny and Toya (TI’s "baby mama" and Lil Wayne’s ex-wife, … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (21)

Dr. Boyce: ‘Jungle Monkey’ Cop Sues City of Boston?

• I did some commentary on CNN last week about Justin Barrett, the cop who referred to Harvard … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (35)

Dr. Boyce: Jasmine Sanders Makes it Big in NYC Radio

• Jasmine Sanders is more than the woman who works down the hallway from Wendy Williams. She is a … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (2)

Dr Boyce Money: Is the NCAA Racist or Just Getting Rich?

• In a letter written to NCAA president Myles Brand, Chairman Bill Thomas of the House Ways and Means … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (17)

Financial Lovemaking: Should You Marry a Professional Athlete?

• Many of us remember the nearly $822,500 gambling debt and subsequent arrest of former NBA star … Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (3)

Black News: 2 Years in prison for Making a Song about Killing Cops?

A Florida rapper is sentenced to two years in prison for a song called ‘Kill Me a Cop’ that he produced as a teenager.

Authorities say 20-year-old Antavio Johnson raps about killing two Lakeland, Fla., police officers in the tune, which cops found on MySpace while surfing for gang-related activity.

Johnson pleaded no contest to two counts ofcorruption by threat of a public servant and was sentenced to two years in prison last month. He was already in jail on a cocaine charge at the time. …

Singing about killing a cop was not Johnson’s first mistake. Pleading guilty and not hiring a lawyer were. Just ask Ice Cube and N.W.A., who sang ‘%#@* tha Police’ as a form of police protest more than 20 years ago.

Back in 1988, N.W.A had everyone from the FBI to the Secret Service breathing down its neck and lawsuits galore. If someone could have figured out a way to charge the group with a crime, lock ‘em up and throw away the key, I’m sure it would’ve happened.

 

Click to read.

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.

Black News: Hunger Starts to Hit Detroit

On a side street in an old industrial neighborhood, a delivery man stacks a dolly of goods outside a store. Ten feet away stands another man clad in military fatigues, combat boots and what appears to be a flak jacket. He looks straight out of Baghdad. But this isn’t Iraq. It’s southeast Detroit, and he’s there to guard the groceries.

"No pictures, put the camera down," he yells. My companion and I, on a tour of how people in this city are using urban farms to grow their own food, speed off.

In this recession-racked town, the lack of food is a serious problem. It’s a theme that comes up again and again in conversations in Detroit. There isn’t a single major chain supermarket in the city, forcing residents to buy food from corner stores. Often less healthy and more expensive food.

As the area’s economy worsens –unemployment was over 16% in July — food stamp applications and pantry visits have surged.

 

click to read.

Going to College Should Not Be an “If”

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

The following is an exerpt from the book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College."

Before I tell you all the great things about college, and all the things that are going to happen before, during and after, we should start with a very basic question: why do you want to go to college anyway? I mean, you could be doing a lot of things: playing in the NBA, bustin rhymes with your boys on stage, acting in Hollywood, or just plain old "kickin it". More realistically, you could also just jump right out and get a job after high school. There was a time when that wasn’t such a bad thing. My grandmother always tells me stories about the days when a high school diploma went a long way, when a house cost 8 cents, when dogs didn’t bite and you could leave your front door open at night. But a lot of things have definitely changed since then, and a person must adjust to the times.

If you want to increase your chances to getting a good job one day, then getting a solid education under your belt is a great place to start. Once, I asked a friend if she was going to college. I think that she was the kind of person that wanted to make the quick money, rather than spend 4 years investing in her education. In her mind, it was all about making money right away, and college would be a waste of 4 years for her. When I asked her if she was going to go to college, she said "I like money too much to go to college". I said to her "I like money too much not to go to college!" So the fact is this: you need degrees to get to the cheese! To lay it down in concrete terms, a census bureau survey showed that college graduates earn nearly one million dollars more during their lifetime than people with high school diplomas. What would you do with your extra million?

Sure there are exceptions. I went to college with guys who never graduated and left early for the NBA to make more money than most of us will ever make. However, this is clearly the exception. For every Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson, there are literally millions of other students who are not quite good enough to make the big money. For every Vivica Fox or Jenifer Aniston, there are a lot of women out there in Hollywood with roaches crawling across the bathroom floor. I am not saying this to stamp out the dreams you may have, it’s a reminder that you should pursue higher education no matter what you decide you want to do. This guarantees that you will have something to fall back on in case your plans don’t turn out quite the way you thought they would.

Click to read.

Your Black Scholars: Changing Our Drug Policy: Why it must be done

by Dr. Byron Price, Texas Southern University

On his website, President Obama offers us a “seat at the table,” which is the equivalent of citizens offering policy prescriptions to his administration. This unprecedented effort to increase citizen participation in the policy making process has the added benefit of simultaneously empowering citizens in a way that our government has not done and has to be what the campaign meant by “change we can believe in.” The criticism of whom he has appointed misses the mark concerning what I believe his change mantra signifies. Since the president appears to be open to unsolicited advice, I offer the following criminal justice recommendations and justification for these suggestions.
President Obama and the 111th Congress should consider ending drug prohibition.
“Consider the consequences of drug prohibition today: 500,000 people incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails for nonviolent drug-law violations; 1.8 million drug arrests last year; tens of billions of taxpayer dollars expended annually to fund a drug war that 76% of Americans say has failed; millions now marked for life as former drug felons; many thousands dying each year from drug overdoses that have more to do with prohibitionist policies than the drugs themselves, and tens of thousands more needlessly infected with AIDS and Hepatitis C because those same policies undermine and block responsible public-health policies.”

As the preceding paragraph illustrates, “The War on Drugs” has been a dismal failure and has gifted nonviolent African Americans offenders, especially males a permanent handicap—a lifetime of limited opportunities. The collateral consequences of a drug conviction which limit African Americans opportunities are:
The denial of financial aid and work study .
Felony Disenfranchisement.
Lifetime ban on cash benefits and food stamps.
Lifetime ban on public housing.
Termination of parental rights and ban from becoming adoptive or foster parents.
Remove the felony conviction question on applications of employment.

Click to read.

Black News: Obama’s Daddy Initiative

(Shown: Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, left and Joshua DuBois, right, at a presidential debate in April 2008 at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. DuBois is now spearheading President Obama’s responsible fatherhood agenda ).
Despite a trenchant fight over health care reform, and grappling with an intractable recession, President Barack Obama on June 5 dispatched top White House staffers to Chicago to discuss another important matter on his agenda: Fatherhood.
The officials, including Joshua DuBois, director of the White House Office of Faith Based Neighborhood Partnerships (FBNP) and Michael Strautmanis, chief of staff to Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett), hosted a town hall meeting at the University of Illinois in Chicago. It drew an estimated 500 people to the South Loop, with Black Voices in attendance. Speakers included Rep. Danny K. Davis (D, Illinois), who reflected on growing up with his father, saying it was instrumental in his development.
"When you talk about responsible fatherhood, it gives us the opportunity to explore so many of the issues facing our society and our world," Davis said. "I’m just delighted. So again, I can’t commend the president enough."

Click to read.

Sotomayor Confirmed

Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession, made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Sonia Sotomayor, 55, will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote. Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness.

Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge, will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice.

She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday.

President Obama, who selected Sotomayor on May 26, said he was "deeply gratified" by the Senate vote.

"This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it’s a wonderful day for America," Obama said at the White House. Watch Obama’s remarks »

Click to read.

President 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 Congressman Convicted

Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana was convicted Wednesday on 11 of the 16 corruption charges against him in a case that included the discovery of $90,000 in his freezer.

Former Rep. William Jefferson arrives at U.S. District Court with his wife, Andrea, on June 9.

A federal court jury convicted Jefferson on four bribery counts, three counts of money laundering, three counts of wire fraud and one count of racketeering. He was acquitted on five other counts including wire fraud and obstruction of justice.

Jefferson, a 62-year-old Democrat, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 4, 2007, about two years after federal agents said they found the cash in his freezer. Authorities said the cash was part of a payment in marked bills from an FBI informant in a transaction captured on video.

Jefferson had pleaded not guilty. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 150 years in prison, with sentencing tentatively set for October 30.

After the verdict on the fifth day of jury deliberations, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis turned down a prosecution request for Jefferson to be taken into custody, ruling that he posed no flight risk.

The verdict showed that "no person, not even a congressman, is above the law," said U.S. Attorney Dana Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia. Asked what might have turned the case in the prosecution’s favor, Boente said: "We always thought that a powerful piece of evidence in this case was $90,000 in a freezer."

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Analyzing the “Jungle Monkey” Lawsuit

Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I did some commentary on CNN last week about Justin Barrett, the cop who referred to Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates as a "Banana eating jungle monkey" in an email. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that the officer is suing the city of Boston, claiming that they violated his civil rights.

As part of my assignment for media work I was doing on the topic, I read through the email by officer Barrett very carefully. The email was not written by a disciple of David Duke, a man with gallons of racism flowing through his veins. Rather, it was written by a man who seemed to hold a great deal of anger and resentment toward almost everyone. In one sentence, he was critiquing the grammar of the journalist who wrote the original Gates article. In the other, he was degrading Professor Gates in ways that a police officer should never degrade the citizens he/she is sworn to protect.

I am not angry with Barrett, I feel sorry for him. In fact, when it comes to Barrett, I offer the following thoughts:

1) There is the broader constitutional issue of whether or not Officer Barrett has a right to say what he said. We do have the First Amendment, and no one seems to clearly understand the great social price we must pay to uphold these rights. Personally, I feel that Barrett has the right to say whatever he wants, but revealing such bias while serving as a police officer becomes a completely different issue. At the same time, should it be ruled by a court that Barrett has the right to say what he says, then I would stand behind his rights as well. I guess if someone calls you a "banana eating jungle monkey," you should just say, "ya mama."

Click to read.

Rick Sanchez Clashes with Dr Boyce Watkins on CNN – 8/1/09

Click here to watch Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University speak with Rick Sanchez of CNN.

News: “Jungle Monkey” Cop Sues Boston

A Boston police officer is suing the city after he was suspended for referring to a black Harvard professor as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" in an e-mail.

Boston police Officer Justin Barrett apologized for his e-mail about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

"If I’m charged with a crime I want a chance to answer. I want the chance for a fair hearing," Officer Justin Barrett told CNN on Tuesday.

Barrett has apologized and denied he is a racist.

His lawsuit claims his civil rights have been violated; Barrett’s lawyer said the words referring to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. were misinterpreted.

"The choice of words were poor; but they weren’t meant to characterize professor Gates as a banana-eating jungle monkey," attorney Peter Marano said. "They were meant in a response to behavior and characterizing the behavior. Not the person as a whole."

Marano said the city had effectively fired Barrett, though he is officially suspended with pay.

He said it was fair to hold Barrett to a higher standard than the general public because he is a police officer, but that he was still entitled to express his opinions.

"Being held to a higher standard shouldn’t eradicate his right under the First Amendment for free speech. That is part and parcel of the lawsuit," the lawyer said.

Gates was arrested at his house last month when a neighbor called police after she thought she saw a man trying to break into Gates’ home. The man turned out to be Gates himself, who was attempting to free a jammed door.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins Debates Obama on Anderson Cooper 360 – 8/1/09

Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and Anderson Cooper talk about the Obama Administration.

Click here to watch!

Making fun of Obama?

Someone made this poster of Barack Obama, mocking him and saying that he is the joker of socialism.  Does this look racist?  Not quite sure.

Rev. Eugene Rivers and Dr. Boyce Watkins on MSNBC

Click here to watch Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University with Pastor Eugene Rivers on MSNBC.

Shanelle Walker Presents Outstanding Political Poetry

Shanelle Walker is the former student body President at Kentucky State University. She wrote this amazing poem to encourage African American youth to get out and vote for President Barack Obama. Not only is she a political activist, she is a writer, leader and emerging media personality. Is she one of the dopest young black poets in America? You be the judge! Rather than reading the poem, I recommend that you watch her perform it. The performance is on the video link below.

Click to read more.

Questioning Black Leadership: While Barb’s In Charge — Should You Watch Your Wallet?

By Dr. Debbie Stroman

As a leadership scholar and proud member of the Black Greek Nation, I find it quite appropriate to comment on the sad state of affairs regarding the recently filed Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority lawsuit. President Barbara McKinzie and the executive director are being charged by eight sorority members of financial impropriety to the extent they want them removed immediately from leadership. Since the case has not been heard in a court of law, one should only share opinions (humor permitted) on the specifics of the allegations. However, since this latest announcement seems to suggest a pattern of inadequate leadership in some of our most cherished Black non-profit organizations, I write because I am very concerned about why our community continues to cling on to leaders who repeatedly demonstrate an inability to be accountable, effective and in touch with today’s reality. A few years ago another Barbara, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s president Barbara Moore, was charged with similar activities and the smoke has yet to clear on the internal damages inflicted on the organization. Moore did finally admit to using the sorority’s funds for her own needs though. Both sororities are purposed as charitable organizations to foster sisterly love and service to others yet find themselves dedicating dollars and time to legal matters and media hysteria. Sisters are blogging and posting vitriolic comments about who’s to blame, why the organizations are even relevant and necessary, other sorority options and even thoughts of why the lawsuit doesn’t even matter. If only we can generate this type of intense dialogue to find practical solutions to important matters like our educational needs in the Black community.

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Your Black News: Dr Boyce Watkins, Rev Jesse Jackson Talk Sunday Morning

Dr Boyce Watkins  of Syracuse University will be on Keep Hope Alive with Jesse Jackson Sunday morning at 8:30 am.  For a list of affiliates, please visit www.keephopealiveradio.com.

He will also be on Kiss FM in New York City at 10 am on Sunday.  For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.

Your Black News – 8/1/09

Madea goes to Disney World with Philly pool kids

By theGrio

3:05 PM on 07/31/2009

A group of kids from Philadelphia who said they experienced prejudice firsthand arrived in Orlando, Florida on Friday for an all-expense paid trip courtesy of actor Tyler Perry…

> more

Donated animals bring wealth to Africans

By theGrio

1:57 PM on 07/31/2009

Beatrice Biira fosters educational partnerships between the US and Africa. The Ugandan is currently studying at the Clinton School of Public Services in Arkansas, and it all began with the gift from Heifer International.

> more

NFL player battling leukemia halts comeback

By theGrio via AP

1:07 PM on 07/31/2009

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Kenechi Udeze’s comeback from leukemia served as an inspiration to his Minnesota Vikings teammates. The announcement of his retirement will not diminish that.

> more

Boston cop says he’s "not a racist" for Gates slur

By theGrio via AP

12:47 PM on 07/31/2009

BOSTON (AP) — A Boston police officer who was suspended for using a racial slur to describe black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. apologized for his comments and declared he is not a racist.

> more

Reverend Ike dies at 74

By theGrio via AP

12:46 PM on 07/31/2009

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, who preached the gospel of material prosperity to millions nationwide as Reverend Ike, died Tuesday. He was 74.

> more

87-year-old woman lives in leaky shack, prays for help

By theGrio

9:21 AM on 07/31/2009

An 87-year-old woman, living alone, in a 160-year-old shack about three miles south of Lena, Mississippi says she has no one to help her get out of the deplorable conditions. Every room in her shack leaks, except for the living…

> more

Black cop at Gates arrest: I’m not an Uncle Tom

By theGrio via AP

8:11 AM on 07/31/2009

A black sergeant who was at the home of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. when he was arrested says he’s been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of the white arresting officer.

> more

Roland Martin, Dr Boyce Watkins Fight it out 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!

Scholar News: AKA President’s Dirty Allegations

Members of the country’s oldest black sorority are suing to remove their president, alleging that she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the group’s money on herself — some of it to pay for a wax statue in her own likeness.

In the suit filed in Washington, D.C., the Alpha Kappa Alpha members also alleged that international President Barbara McKinzie bought designer clothing, jewelry and lingerie with the sorority credit card. She then redeemed points the purchases earned on the card to buy a big-screen television and gym equipment, the lawsuit said.

"This is extraordinarily shocking if not illegal conduct," Edward W. Gray Jr., an attorney representing the plaintiffs suing the Chicago-based sorority, said Wednesday.

McKinzie denied what she called the lawsuit’s "malicious allegations," saying they were "based on mischaracterizations and fabrications … not befitting our ideals of sisterhood, ethics and service," according to a statement issued this week by the sorority.

The lawsuit also accused the sorority’s board of directors of signing off on spending funds on McKinzie without the required approval by the group’s membership. For example, the lawsuit says the board approved a monthly "pension stipend" of $4,000 for four years after she leaves office and purchased a $1 million life insurance policy for her. The suit demands McKinzie be fired and return money to the sorority.

 

Click to read more.

Black News: What Black Thinkers are Thinking

• 

  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…

Black News: CNN American Morning Talks with Dr Watkins – 7/29/09

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

Jackson, Sharpton, Watkins, Ogletree Meet to Discuss Gates

Click here to listen to Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Dr. Boyce Watkins (Syracuse University) talk with Harvard Law Professor, Charles Ogletree