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…
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…
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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…
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…
July 30, 2009
Black News: What Black Thinkers are Thinking
July 29, 2009
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
July 28, 2009
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
Deborah Stroman: Is Higher Ed a Right or a Privilege?
by Dr. Deborah Stroman
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Get Real! That’s my kind response to the critics of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) recent academic reform policy that eliminates the minimum SAT and ACT scores for admission. This well-thought out and crafted course of action finally gives colleges the academic freedom and independence to do what they do best – make decisions as to which students they want on their particular campus. Not the NCAA, the athletic leagues, or any other sport-related governing body has the right to tell an academic institution who is most deserving of the opportunity to sit in their classrooms and learn. Although our country promotes a spirit of education for all, the reality is that higher education is for the privileged. And those with the financial resources receive more access and resources. With a wink and a nod though, the student-athlete can oftentimes bypass this necessity if one possesses the talent to throw a tight spiral or shoot a silky-smooth jumper.
July 27, 2009
Anderson Cooper Speaks with Dr. Boyce – 7/25/09
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and Anderson Cooper discuss the case of Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates. Click here to watch the video!
Dr. Peniel Joseph on the Gates Case
With the Gates fiasco, the rosy glow has faded
AP Photo, Cambridge Police Department
My first reaction to watching the unfolding Saga of Skip Gates’s Cambridge Arrest was that America’s postracial bubble, like its recent economic troubles, was about to pop. The fact that some observers had never bought into the story of a race-free America purged of its past sins by a watershed presidential election had done little to diminish either that narrative’s moral resonance or political weight.
Since America’s racial disparities remain as deep-rooted after Barack Obama’s election as they were before, it was only a matter of time until the myth of postracism exploded in our collective national face. That they would rear their ugly head in the form of an intellectual and racial cause célèbre is fitting, since black scholars and activists have been engaged in a robust debate over the meaning of race in the Age of Obama.
Suddenly Obama’s recent declaration before the NAACP—that American blacks have come farther than at any other time in our country’s history—seems suspect, our national progress undone by the fact that Gates’s predicament has become a metaphor for the nation’s legacy of racial discrimination.
Henry Louis Gates 911 Tapes Released
Just out. Listen to the audio from the 911 call on Henry Louis Gates’ Arrest by clicking here.
African American Group Attempts to promote marriage
Group holds a conference to promote Black Marriage. Click here to watch the video trailer! You can learn more by visiting their website at HappilyEverAfterTheMovie.com.
Black News: Montel Williams and Dr. Boyce Watkins Discuss Henry Louis Gates
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University spoke with TV and radio show host Montel Williams on Monday. The conversation focused on race and racial profiling. They are going to also speak on financial advice in the future.
July 26, 2009
Your Black News: Black Republicans Concerned about Party’s Future
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Sarah Palin’s resignation from her role as governor of Alaska has prompted new questions about the GOP’s leadership and future. While Michael Steele made history by becoming the first black chairman of the Republican National Committee, where do African Americans stand in helping to redefine the party?
TheGrio sat down with a group of black Republicans to discuss their feeling on their political party and its future.
"What does it mean to be a black man that agrees with the Republican party’s agenda, the Republican party’s message?" said hiphoprepublican.com’s Brandon Brice. "That is, reducing the size of government, giving people real opportunities to excel from any circumstance or situation."
According to a report released in May by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, Africans Americans make up two percent of the nation’s Republican party, compared to 22 percent of the democratic party. The study also found that during the 2008 election, 95 percent of blacks voted for Barack Obama, while just four percent voted for Republican candidate John McCain.
Dr Boyce Watkins: Supporting the NCAA Lawsuit
I’ve written extensively about the NCAA and what I perceive to be their consistent efforts to exploit the black community. They spend millions on public service announcements to protect their deception, but eventually the athletes and the public are going to wise up to what they are doing. The truth is that college athletes should be paid for the same reasons that any actor in a Hollywood blockbuster film would expect to receive compensation. The problem is that the families of athletes don’t quite know how to organize and fight for their power. So, when I read about the recentlawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly misusing the images of athletes for videogames, I was a very happy man.
Let me break it down for you:
Based on my 16-years of experience as a college professor (I currently teach atSyracuse University, a school that earns millions off black families every year), collegiate athletics is not, in my opinion, about amateurism and it’s not about education. It’s about making money. Period. Many athletes are admitted to college every year and they would not be granted admission were it not for their ability to play sports and make money for the campus. Making money is not a problem, but the problem comes with the fact that universities do not share this revenue with the families of the players.
Dr Boyce Watkins, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Charles Ogletree Talk About Gates
Tomorrow morning, July 26, 2009 at 8:30 am EST, Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University will appear on the Jesse Jackson Show with Rev. Al Sharpton and Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree. The conversation will center around the recent arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates.
July 25, 2009
Dr Boyce Watkins: President Makes a good move for the Poor
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
I am a curious professor, a compassionate capitalist and the owner of a small business. All of these hats create a complex perspective on whether or not it is a good idea to increase the minimum wage. After all, we are in a recession, and one might be tempted to argue that any sort of pay increase would slow down our nation’s economic recovery, eliminate jobs, and significantly reduce corporate profitability.
Sorry to burst those bubbles, but the data don’t validate most of the above concerns.
First of all, the minimum wage was introduced during the Great Depression, the mother of all economic downturns. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was designed to ensure that the most vulnerable Americans were no longer going to be exploited by the power of big business. The Great Depression came to an end shortly thereafter, and there is no evidence that it slowed down the economic recovery in any significant way.
Secondly, the budgetary implications of minimum wage increases are not very large. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2 percent of all men and 3.6 percent of all women currently earn the minimum wage. But while the impact on our national budget is small, the gains for those affected are tremendous: there are nearly 5 million children in families who earn the minimum wage, and nearly all of these children are going to have better lives in the advent of an increase.
Your Black News: E. Lynn Harris Dies at 54
John Bazemore/Associated PressThe author E. Lynn Harris.
Updated | 2:48 p.m. E. Lynn Harris, the best-selling author of novels that addressed questions of identity and sexuality among black men, has died, his publicist told The Associated Press. He was 54.
According to his official biography at his Web site, Mr. Harris was born in Flint, Mich. and raised in Little Rock, Ark. At the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he was the school’s first black male Razorbacks cheerleader and was a lifelong fan of the team. He sold computers for a living until he self-published his first novel, “Invisible Life,” in 1991; it was picked up by Anchor Books in 1994, spawning a prolific writing career spanning ten more novels, from “Just As I Am” in 1994, to “Basketball Jones,” published in January, as well as a 2004 memoir, “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.”
In a review of Mr. Harris’s 2006 novel “I Say a Little Prayer” in The New York Times Book Review, Troy Patterson wrote that Mr. Harris “has helped bring taboo topics — like closeted black men indulging their sexuality ‘on the down low’ — into mainstream conversation.” From his debut with “Invisible Life”, Mr. Patterson wrote that Mr. Harris offered a writing style that “was smoothly paced, and the prose occasionally opened up on Fitzgerald-lite moments of sparkling sentiment.”
Henry Louis Gates, Boyce Watkins and the “Teachable Moment”
Boyce Watkins
Professor, Syracuse University
I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are infected with a disease. The disease that has infected you is called racism. The disease is a silent killer, not of our bodies, but of our society. It also deteriorates the brain and makes us delusional, as we sometimes see things that are not really there or refuse to see things that are actually right in front of us. What’s worse is that we know the disease is in the fabric of our institutions, but it is difficult to pinpoint the exact location. This leads to sloppy missteps, embarrassments and damaging accusations.
Henry Louis Gates, the Prominent Harvard University Professor who was arrested this week at his home by Cambridge Police Officer James Crawley, may have been a victim of the disease of racism. Even he has gotten to the point of stating that this story is no longer about race and his buddy, President Obama, has been back-peddling faster than a free safety in the NFL. In the midst of letting go of his allegations of racism against Sgt. Crawley (which I thought was a very good idea) Professor Gates has stated that we should use this situation as a “teaching moment.” It is also my hope that Dr. Gates understands that the first step toward being a good professor is to learn how to be a good student. As a professor myself, I am hopeful that he will allow me to teach the first class.
July 24, 2009
Wilmer Leon Asks: When Is Racial Profiling Not Racial Profiling?
When is racial profiling not racial profiling? When the facts or circumstances fail to fit the accepted definition.
In 1999, the Oxford American Dictionary (OAD) provided a definition of racial profiling for the first time. “Racial profiling: an alleged police policy of stopping and searching vehicles driven by people from particular racial groups.” In 2005 the ACLU provided the broader definition as follows, "Racial Profiling" refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Criminal profiling, generally, as practiced by police, is the reliance on a group of characteristics they believe to be associated with crime… Racial profiling does not refer to the act of a law enforcement agent pursuing a suspect in which the specific description of the suspect includes race or ethnicity in combination with other identifying factors.” Intent is a key element in evaluating this circumstance. It does not appear by any of the facts as stated that Sgt. Crowley focused on, targeted or arrested Dr. Gates based upon his race (human), ethnicity, religion, or national origin.
One unfortunate outcome of the Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. arrest in Cambridge, MA has been a rush to judgment by many who should know better. To immediately place Dr. Gates’ unfortunate arrest into the category of “racial profiling” does a great disservice to the volumes of cases that fit the accepted definition.
July 23, 2009
The Obama Press Conference: Mistakes the President Might Have Made
10:00 PM on 07/22/2009
Obama responds to questions during a news conference Wednesday, July 22, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
I found myself enjoying President Obama’s Healthcare pitch to the nation on prime time television, as he explained (as most politicians do) why the world will come to an end if we don’t adopt his policies. His arguments were strong and valid, and he made it clear that he was out to help the middle class by letting rich folks pay the bill. I’m all for that.
I noticed how the president used the words "middle class" about 20 times through the night, and allowed nine different reporters to ask questions, none of them African American. But then again, it might have been tough for President Obama to find black people in the room, since there sure as heck didn’t seem to be very many around.
Less predictable was the racial bombshell that President Obama saved for last on Wednesday night. After being asked about the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, a prominent Harvard University professor, Obama spent just a few minutes reminding the world that he was not only a black man, but that that he was also an alumnus of Harvard University.
The man who some feel embodies the essence of a post-racial America was suddenly willing to candidly discuss race on behalf of his wealthy Harvard associate. What is incredibly ironic is that these were probably the most post-racial comments Obama has ever made, since they further opened the door to class warfare in America.
Boyce Watkins speaks on AOL – 7/22/09
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July 22, 2009
Don’t Feel Sorry for Henry Louis Gates: Be Intelligent
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
I am not Al Sharpton. In fact, I never could be and I don’t want to try. I am also not Henry Louis Gates, a man with an undeniable contribution to the legacy of Black Scholarship in America. I am simply Boyce Watkins, the son of a 17-year-old mother and a father who happened to be a high-ranking police official for the past 28 years. I’ve argued with my father for decades, as his Bill Cosby-like views of the world have often made my face twist with confusion. But I listen to my father, because there is value in seeing other points of view.
When I hear about a Black man being mistreated by police, I take a moment of pause. I think about the horrific statistics on Black males in the criminal justice system, in which we are more likely to be arrested for the same crimes, more likely to be convicted, more likely to be incarcerated and expected to get more prison time than our White counterparts.
Sometimes Even When You’re Right, You’re Wrong
On Thursday July 16, 2009 after returning from a trip to China, Harvard University scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. had difficulty opening the front door of the home he leases from Harvard. After he and his driver struggled with the front door Dr. Gates gained entry through the back door of the home, shut off the alarm, opened the front door, and the driver left.
According to Cambridge Police Department Incident Report #9005127, a neighbor called the police and reported a possible breaking and entering at the residence. The woman “…observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch…” Her suspicions were aroused when, “…she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry.” The uniformed police officer went to the front door, saw Dr. Gates standing in the foyer and asked him to step out onto the porch. Dr. Gates refused.
According to the Incident Report, after identifying himself as Sgt. Crowly and explaining that he was “investigating a report of a break-in in progress” at the residence, Dr. Gates opened the front door and stated, “why, because I’m a black man in America?” After supplying the officer with Harvard University identification, the officer radioed for Harvard University Police.
One thing that is not discernible from the Incident Report is the demeanor of Sgt. Crowly. All too often police officers introduce “attitude” into a situation with an aggressive or condescending tenor and tone that can quickly escalate an already naturally tense situation. When the element of race is injected into the equation, all too often a simple traffic stop or investigation by the police can escalate into confrontation. It has not been indicated by any of the reported statements made by Dr. Gates’ attorney, Charles Ogletree that Sgt. Crowly injected any “attitude” into the situation.
This gets to right to the heart of my point. As an African American male I have always been taught to show respect to the police, even when or if I feel that the officer is wrong. As a survival technique, I am teaching this to my son and I convey this to my students and all of the other young people that I engage in my lectures. My parents and other elders have always taught me, “an argument with a cop is an argument you will always loose…if you don’t get along with the police; you will probably go along with the police and that’s a trip you do not want to take. Even when you’re right, if you fail to comply you’re wrong. You’re objective during an encounter with the police is to leave that encounter in the same manner in which you entered it, in one piece. You can challenge the officer later in court. ” That’s “Black Man – 101.”
Instead of simply and calmly complying with the officers request, showing proof that he lived at the residence, and thanking the officer for protecting the neighborhood; Dr. Gates decided to follow the police officer outside and berate him in front of a gathering group of people. According to the report, “As I descended the stairs to the sidewalk, Gates continued to yell at me, accusing me of racial bias and continued to tell me that I had not heard the last of him.”
Even after the officer warned Dr. Gates that he was becoming disorderly, according to the officer, Dr. Gates continued to yell. “Gates ignored my warning and continued to yell, which drew the attention of both the police offices and citizens, who appeared surprised and alarmed by Gate’s outbursts…It was at this time that I informed Gates that he was under arrest.” Once Dr. Gates embarrassed Sgt. Crowley, in Sgt. Crowley’s eyes, he was left with few options. Sgt. Crowly may not have been right, but that was real!
If Dr. Gates ignored the warning and continued to yell, there are very few police officers that would allow themselves to be humiliated in front of their co-workers and the public. The police operate from legal as well as perceived authority. Once the perception of authority is challenged, in their minds; they have difficulty being effective.
With the number of people who had gathered at the scene, it should be fairly easy to determine who is telling the truth. I am sure that this will all come out in court or through another fact-finding process.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a 58 year old African American male. He is the director of Harvard’s W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research. As a Harvard University professor he failed “Black Man – 101” don’t argue with the police unless you want a beating and to go to jail! Has he not seen the arrest data? Has he not seen the incarceration data? Has he failed to learn the lessons from his elders that I have learned from mine?
Some of Dr. Gates’ African-American colleagues are saying that this is part of a pattern of racial profiling in Cambridge. Some believe that the arrest would not have happened if professor Gates was white. These points may very well be true and we all wish for and are working towards the day when racial profiling is no longer a reality in America.
In 2009 in Cambridge and in most other towns in America, even with his Ph.D., Henry Louis Gates Jr. is still an African American male in America. The lesson to be learned from this; if you don’t get along with the police; you will probably go along with the police and that’s a trip you do not want to take. Even when you’re right, if you fail to comply you’re wrong. Is this fair? No, but it’s real!
Dr. Wilmer Leon is the producer/host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program "On With Leon" and a Teaching Associate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University in Washington, DC. Go to www.wilmerleon.com or email wjl3us@yahoo.com.
© 2009 InfoWave Communications LLC.
July 21, 2009
“Black Man – 101” Don’t Argue With the Police
By
On Thursday July 16, 2009 after returning from a trip to China, Harvard University scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. had difficulty opening the front door of the home he leases from Harvard. After he and his driver struggled with the front door Dr. Gates gained entry through the back door of the home, shut off the alarm, opened the front door, and the driver left.
According to Cambridge Police Department Incident Report #9005127, a neighbor called the police and reported a possible breaking and entering at the residence. The woman “…observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch…” Her suspicions were aroused when, “…she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry.” The uniformed police officer went to the front door, saw Dr. Gates standing in the foyer and asked him to step out onto the porch. Dr. Gates refused.
According to the Incident Report, after identifying himself as Sgt. Crowly and explaining that he was “investigating a report of a break-in in progress” at the residence, Dr. Gates opened the front door and stated, “why, because I’m a black man in America?” After supplying the officer with Harvard University identification, the officer radioed for Harvard University Police.
One thing that is not discernible from the Incident Report is the demeanor of Sgt. Crowly. All too often police officers introduce “attitude” into a situation with an aggressive or condescending tenor and tone that can quickly escalate an already naturally tense situation. When the element of race is injected into the equation, all too often a simple traffic stop or investigation by the police can escalate into confrontation. It has not been indicated by any of the reported statements made by Dr. Gates’ attorney, Charles Ogletree that Sgt. Crowly injected any “attitude” into the situation.
This gets to right to the heart of my point. As an African American male I have always been taught to show respect to the police, even when or if I feel that the officer is wrong. As a survival technique, I am teaching this to my son and I convey this to my students and all of the other young people that I engage in my lectures. My parents and other elders have always taught me, “an argument with a cop is an argument you will always loose…if you don’t get along with the police; you will probably go along with the police and that’s a trip you do not want to take. Even when you’re right, if you fail to comply you’re wrong. You’re objective during an encounter with the police is to leave that encounter in the same manner in which you entered it, in one piece. You can challenge the officer later in court. ” That’s “Black Man – 101.”
Instead of simply and calmly complying with the officers request, showing proof that he lived at the residence, and thanking the officer for protecting the neighborhood; Dr. Gates decided to follow the police officer outside and berate him in front of a gathering group of people. According to the report, “As I descended the stairs to the sidewalk, Gates continued to yell at me, accusing me of racial bias and continued to tell me that I had not heard the last of him.”
Even after the officer warned Dr. Gates that he was becoming disorderly, according to the officer, Dr. Gates continued to yell. “Gates ignored my warning and continued to yell, which drew the attention of both the police offices and citizens, who appeared surprised and alarmed by Gate’s outbursts…It was at this time that I informed Gates that he was under arrest.” Once Dr. Gates embarrassed Sgt. Crowley, in Sgt. Crowley’s eyes, he was left with few options. Sgt. Crowly may not have been right, but that was real!
If Dr. Gates ignored the warning and continued to yell, there are very few police officers that would allow themselves to be humiliated in front of their co-workers and the public. The police operate from legal as well as perceived authority. Once the perception of authority is challenged, in their minds; they have difficulty being effective.
With the number of people who had gathered at the scene, it should be fairly easy to determine who is telling the truth. I am sure that this will all come out in court or through another fact-finding process.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a 58 year old African American male. He is the director of Harvard’s W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research. As a Harvard University professor he failed “Black Man – 101” don’t argue with the police unless you want a beating and to go to jail! Has he not seen the arrest data? Has he not seen the incarceration data? Has he failed to learn the lessons from his elders that I have learned from mine?
Some of Dr. Gates’ African-American colleagues are saying that this is part of a pattern of racial profiling in Cambridge. Some believe that the arrest would not have happened if professor Gates was white. These points may very well be true and we all wish for and are working towards the day when racial profiling is no longer a reality in America.
In 2009 in Cambridge and in most other towns in America, even with his Ph.D., Henry Louis Gates Jr. is still an African American male in America. The lesson to be learned from this; if you don’t get along with the police; you will probably go along with the police and that’s a trip you do not want to take. Even when you’re right, if you fail to comply you’re wrong. Is this fair? No, but it’s real!
Dr. Wilmer Leon is the producer/host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program "On With Leon" and a Teaching Associate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University in Washington, DC. Go to www.wilmerleon.com or email wjl3us@yahoo.com.
© 2009 InfoWave Communications LLC.
Dr. Marc Lamont Hill Says No More No Homo
Fox News political contributor Dr. Marc Lamont Hill wants to put an end to the pop culture catchphrase "no homo."
"No homo" was originated by rap star Cam’ron, who had an affinity for wearing anything pink but didn’t want it to be perceived as "gay."
Since being made popular by Cam’ron and his Dipset hip-hop crew, the expression has evolved into a ubiquitous slang term used to chase any phrase, action or idea that could be perceived as linguistically gay.
July 20, 2009
Your Black News: Black Scholar Henry Louis Gates Arrested
Harvard University’s Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African & African American Studies, was arrested July 16 on a charge of disorderly conduct.
Gates, 58, a resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Harvard’s main campus is located, was arrested after “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior,” according to a report on the Cambridge Police Department’s Web site. Cambridge police officials declined to comment and said the case was under investigation by Office of the Middlesex District Attorney. A call to the DA’s office wasn’t immediately returned.
Your Black News: President Obama Losing His Cool?
AFP – US President Barack Obama has called on Congress to pass his health care reform, arguing that the stability …
Finally, we’re starting to see him sweat.
President Barack Obama made his personal icy cool the trademark of his campaign, the tenor of his White House and the hallmark of an early run of successes at home and abroad. But as the glamour wears off and a long, frustrating summer wears on, he is being forced to improvise — stooping to respond to political foes and adjusting his tactics and demeanor for the trench warfare of a legislative agenda.
The root of the change is one that faces every president: Economic and international realities that resist political charm. Iran and North Korea have shown no interest in the president’s outstretched hand. The economy has delivered a double-whammy, with rising unemployment stirring voters’ concerns while sluggish growth deprives the government of tax revenues Obama would like to spend on new programs.
Health care reform, which once appeared flush with momentum from earlier congressional victories, is now on a slog through no less than five committees, which include Democrats who either aren’t sold on Obama’s expansive vision or can’t figure out how to convince voters to pay for it.
July 19, 2009
Your Black News: Obama Taps Black Woman for Surgeon General Post
President Barack Obama nominated an Alabama country doctor who has three times resurrected her clinic in a fishing village after disasters to be U.S. Surgeon General on Monday and help him advocate for healthcare reform.
Dr. Regina Benjamin promised to advocate for Obama’s healthcare agenda as “America’s doctor” if she gets the job as chief public spokesperson on health issues, saying her own family and patients have been victims of the failing U.S. system.
“Through floods and fire and severe want, Regina Benjamin has refused to give up. Her patients have refused to give up,” Obama said in a White House Rose Garden announcement.
U.S. surgeons general in the past have issued influential reports on topics including smoking, AIDS and mental health. Benjamin said she not only wanted to serve in the traditional role of surgeon general, encouraging healthy habits, but press to make medical care more easily available.
July 17, 2009
Wilmer Leon Says “So Much Progress and Yet So Far to Go”
On February 12, 2009, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) marked its 100th anniversary. The NAACP is America’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots–based civil rights organization.
The NAACP is an organization with a unique vision and mission. As stated on their website, its vision is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination. Its mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
July 12, 2009
Black News: Marion Barry’s Complicated Life
Marion Barry, Washington’s embattled city council member and former mayor, dodged another bullet last week when a District prosecutor declined to prosecute him on charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend. Barry was arrested and briefly detained by U.S. Park Service police July 4th after the woman, 40-year-old Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, complained that he was "bothering" her.
But Mr. Barry may not be completely out of the woods yet. The controversy kicked up by his arrest led reporters to dig out the fact that Mr. Barry had put Ms. Watts-Brighthaupt on his payroll by awarding her a $60,000 contract to study "poverty reduction," to be paid out of taxpayer dollars. That proved too much for current D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and others, who demanded the city council open an ethics probe of Mr. Barry. On Friday, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray announced the council would hire an independent law firm to look into the matter.
Black Men and HIV – Big Problems
A small survey of young black men from the South who tested positive for H.I.V. in their teens and early 20s found that most had engaged in risky sexual behaviors but thought it unlikely they would be infected, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than half of the 29 gay or bisexual men surveyed said they had engaged in unprotected anal sex in the year before they were infected and had had sex with slightly older men, the survey found. Both are risky behaviors, yet the vast majority of the young men said they had not thought that they would ever be infected.
Young black gay and bisexual men are becoming infected with H.I.V. at alarming rates, particularly in the South, and health officials are trying to analyze their risk factors in order to refine education and intervention strategies.
“We need to make sure that H.I.V. infection does not become a rite of passage for young black men who have sex with men,” said Dr. Alexandra Oster, one of the authors of the survey published last week in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
After the Mississippi State Department of Health notified the C.D.C. in late 2007 that the number of new H.I.V. diagnoses had spiked at a sexually transmitted disease clinic serving Jackson, Miss., , the agencies teamed up to do the survey. The number of newly diagnosed H.I.V. cases among all black men in the Jackson area had increased 20 percent between 2004-2005 and 2006-2007, but infections among those ages 17 to 25 had jumped 45 percent.
July 10, 2009
GOP Not Happy with Honoring Michael Jackson
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee may have trouble keeping the promise she made at Michael Jackson’s public memorial for a House resolution that “forever” honors the late pop star.
Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, took the stage Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and hoisted a framed copy of the resolution, embossed with a gold seal. The measure will be debated on the House floor, she said.
For that framed, embossed resolution to be completely legit, it must first get past some opposition.
Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who called Jackson a “pervert, child molester, pedophile” in a video he posted on YouTube this week, vowed Tuesday to do “whatever I have to do” to oppose honoring Jackson.
July 9, 2009
Black News: Kids Kicked out of Swimming Pool for Being Black
What is the economic cost of racism? Children from a predominantly black daycare were kicked out of a white country club pool for no apparent reason. Some argue that it was because they were black.
Dr. Wilmer Leon on Sarah Palin’s Sudden Departure
On July 3rd the democratically elected governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin announced that she will not seek re-election as Governor. Effective July 26th, she will “transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell.” Governor Palin is resigning. The woman who tried to convince all of America that she was capable of being just one heart beat away from being the leader of the free world has thrown in the towel. It’s one thing to decide that you will not seek re-election; it’s another to “transfer authority” before the end of your first term. Eighteen months before the end of her first term, the sledding began to get tough and the “musher” quit!
During her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Governor Palin tried to belittle then Democratic Party nominee, Senator Obama’s work as a community organizer by saying, “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.” Apparently, those “actual responsibilities” are no longer relevant. If she is unable to persevere and deliver on her commitment to her constituents in Alaska, how can she be expected to, as she said, “work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and life…?” The hypocrisy is nauseating.
July 8, 2009
Black Politics: Is Obama’s Stimulus Plan Working?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Nearly five months after President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a still-worsening economy has many wondering if stimulus is a bunch of baloney.
In February, the stimulus bill was passed with the promise that funds would be paid out quickly to save or create 750,000 jobs by early August. Without it, the Obama administration said, unemployment could rise to 9% in 2010.
With August quickly approaching, $56.3 billion, or 10% of stimulus funds have been paid out, and the unemployment rate has already risen to 9.5%.
As a result, there’s debate about whether stimulus has put the economy on a path to recovery or is merely a broken promise. Some economists are already calling for a second stimulus bill as the economy continues to falter, arguing the stimulus wasn’t strong enough and isn’t being paid out fast enough.
On the other hand, many Republicans and even some Democrats are saying that parts of the plan were a waste of money.
July 7, 2009
Your Black Health: Black Infant Mortality a Problem
It’s an urgent question, posed in disparate corners of Palm Beach County:
Why are 16 of every 1,000 black babies dying before taking their first breath?
Some younger mothers are losing their babies after rough sex, fights and overly physical play. Other mothers battle depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and weight. Compounding those factors are the drag of poverty, a distrust of doctors, and a lack of education, foresight and proper nutrition.
The findings are part of a year-long, Legislature-financed effort to uncover the causes of high black infant-mortality rates in eight counties across the state.
One speaker at a Delray Beach meeting recounted the story of a pregnant, 16-year-old focus group participant who had lost a baby at 13 after a fight at school.
July 6, 2009
John Conyers’ Wife Admits to Bribery
Prosecutors say there is no suggestion that U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., is connected to his wife’s bribery plea, but questions remain, analysts say.
Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers last month pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe from a prospective city contractor, and could face up to five years in prison. But even though investigators who probed the case say her 80-year-old husband is not facing any allegations, questions about what he may have known about his spouse’s illegal income continue to swirl, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
President Obama Finally Acknowledges Michael Jackson
Loeb/Getty
President Barack Obama had kind words to say about the late Michael Jackson, who died last week at the age of 50.
The King of Pop is getting some love from the Leader of the Free World.
During an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, President Barack Obama revealed he was a fan of the late Michael Jackson.
He even has his songs on his iPod.
"I grew up on his music," Obama said, speaking personally about the legendary performer’s death for the first time. "Still have all his stuff on my iPod."
Obama had kind words for the music legend, who died last week at the age of 50. "I think that his brilliance as a performer also was paired with a tragic and, in many ways, sad personal life," he said. "I’m glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer."
July 5, 2009
Marc Lamont Hill Reflects on Michael Jackson
Last week, the world lost one of its most precious treasures. Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer to ever walk the earth, died tragically from cardiac arrest. While much of the media coverage has focused on the most salacious aspects of his life, Jackson has undoubtedly left a legacy that is bigger, broader and brighter than the words of his detractors.
To call Michael Jackson a superstar would be an extravagant understatement. In his early days with the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson demonstrated a level of childhood virtuosity unseen since the days of Mozart. Although he was only 8-years-old, Jackson channeled luminaries like Sammy Davis, Stevie Wonder and Sam Cook with the effortless grace of a veteran performer. As he grew into adulthood, Jackson moved from child prodigy to world-historical figure, selling more records and garnering more fans than anyone in human history. More important than numbers or money, Michael Jackson was the embodiment of the African-American cultural tradition, a living testimony to the creative imaginations of our gods and our ancestors.
Michael Jackson’s extraordinary success, however, was not purely self- serving. In pushing MTV to play his videos, Jackson opened the door for countless artists to be seen and heard on mainstream cable video networks. Decades later, Jackson’s songs, music videos and dance routines continue to provide the artistic foundations for everyone from Justin Timberlake to Chris Brown. His trans-racial appeal enabled contemporary prominent blacks like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to enjoy universal appeal. On a more personal level, Michael Jackson was the first pretend boyfriend, imaginary brother and cultural hero of an entire generation of global citizens. In his best moments, Michael Jackson was quintessentially American, undeniably black and universally loved.
July 1, 2009
Youth Pastor on the Down Low? How persistent is this problem?
Nearly two years ago, Ingrid Michelle was leveled by the shocking truth. Her then-husband of 12 years revealed that he had engaged in oral sex with a young man they both knew. The problem? Apart from being her spouse at the time of the “incident” her husband had been a youth pastor at a thriving church. And the young man? A former member of the flock. After recovering from the initial shock, Ingrid would be confronted with mounting evidence and eyewitness testimony that she had married not only a man who had been living life on the down low, but who was also an accused pedophile. Shocked and disgusted to her core, Ingrid would have to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and begin again. It would get much worse before it got better.
Below is her story in her own words:
