Do we live in a society that is a bit too ready to accept domestic violence? Are there women being abused who are afraid to speak out?
From The New York Daily News
WASHINGTON – President Obama remains committed to comprehensive immigration reform despite the incendiary nature of the issue.
Participants at a White House meeting with Obama on Tuesday reported he’s determined to keep the issue alive – and asked for help forging a bipartisan consensus behind reforming an immigration policy he often calls "broken."
It turns out that Oprah Winfrey is partnering with CharityBuzz to auction off her quality time. The expected running price is going to be $50,000. Would you pay that much to meet with Oprah if you had the money?
The money is being raised for human rights and Oprah is auctioning off four tickets to her show in Chicago and the chance to meet her backstage. Perhaps since it’s for charity, it all makes sense.
BOSTON — The Harvard University Police Department passed over a black officer for a number of promotions and superiors routinely made racist remarks about blacks and Latinos, according to a federal lawsuit.
The complaint by Officer George Pierce, a veteran patrolman who is black, said he applied for open sergeant positions a number of times only to be passed over for less-qualified, non-black employees. The reason Pierce didn’t get promoted was his race, the lawsuit alleged, citing various instances when Pierce sought a sergeant spot but was turned down.
“Throughout Pierce’s employment at Harvard, Harvard and the department have created and maintained a pervasive racially-biased environment within the department,” the lawsuit said.
from Mlive.com
Port Huron native Terry McMillantweeted in the early hours today that a script for "Getting to Happy," the film adaptation of her newest novel, is complete and it should be on screen in 2012.
"Getting to Happy" is the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale," the groundbreaking 1992 novel about four African-American women balancing love and life.
The 1995 film starred Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon and was directed by future Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Its Babyface-produced soundtrack spawned a number of hits including Houston’s "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," Brandy’s "Sittin’ Up in My Room," and Mary J. Blige’s "Not Gon’ Cry." Detroiters CeCe Winans, who spoke about her contribution to the soundtrack to MLive last month, and Aretha Franklin also appear on the album.
Reporting from Washington—
With gas prices rising nationwide, the Obama administration said it will investigate the energy markets for any evidence of manipulation of oil and gas prices.
With the average price of a gallon of gas at about $3.84 nationally this week, almost a dollar higher than a year ago, the U.S. Attorney General’s office formed the Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group to root out cases of fraud and collusion, as well as price manipulation.
"We are going to make sure that no one is taking advantage of the American people for their own short-term gain," President Obama said Thursday at a town hall meeting in Nevada.
The group will consist of representatives from nine federal organizations including the Justice, Treasury, Agriculture and Energy departments, the Federal Trade Commission, theFederal Reserve Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each will have its normal investigative powers, aJustice Department spokeswoman said.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Given the importance of the critical theme of black relationships (which we’re hitting from various angles this week on YBW), I had to get another perspective on some of the things that folks are quoting from the bible as it pertains to how black relationships need to be structured. What does it mean for a black man to “lead” in his relationship? What does it mean for a woman to “submit?” One thing that many of us can agree on is the fact that black relationships have been falling apart for a very long time. The majority of our homes are being run by a single parent, and far too many children are growing up without their fathers in shouting distance. What some don’t acknowledge is that there is a direct correlation between the break down of the black family and the growth of the prison industrial complex. Locking up men for decades for the sale of drugs that were brought into our communities has devastated many of us, and urban decay in the 1980s led to job losses with few viable alternatives to illegal activity. A recent study in The Economist showed that a one percentage point increase in the incarceration rate leads to a 2.4 percent decline in the percentage of black women who eventually get married.
Your Black World reports
The Michigan State Police are planning to use a gadget that works with a “Universal Forensic Extraction Device,” that can copy all of the contents off someone’s cell phone. This includes all texts, emails, phone calls, pictures and videos. The device works on 3,000 cell phone models. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is asking a lot of questions about the device. They speculate that it can be abused to violate the civil rights of countless American citizens.
Police are arguing that the device can be used to keep important evidence before trial, but the ACLU wonders if the devices are being used to get private information from citizens who are not under suspicion. They also wonder if the information is being gathered without the consent of the motorist or a search warrant. Civil Rights advocates argue that the device violates the Fourth Amendment, which forbids illegal search and seizure. When the ACLU wrote a letter to the police department, the department asked for over $500,000 for the release of the information.
From MTV.com
It’s almost a given. An artist scores a major hit that sells millions of records and a short time later is sued by someone either claiming he or she actually wrote the song or worked on it and didn’t get a fair slice of the pie.
Cue the lawsuit from the producer Darius Harrison (a.k.a. Deezle), who has filed a court action against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records, claiming that he has not gotten his paper from the sales of Lil Wayne’s smash hit "Lollipop" and the album it was featured on, Tha Carter III.
From USA Today
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice said Thursday that he does not think race is a factor for NFL teams when evaluating top draft prospect Cam Newton.
Fellow Hall of Famer Warren Moon said last month that hethought racial biases were coloring the perception of Newton, who is black. The QB from Auburn won the Heisman Trophy last year.
Rice, speaking on ESPN Radio (via PFT) disputed that. He and Moon are both black.
Click
Your Black World Reports
Donald Trump is still pushing his birther agenda against President Barack Obama. The real estate mogul recently told CNN that Americans will be “very surprised” by the results of his investigation into President Obama’s birthplace.
"We’re looking into it very, very strongly. At a certain point in time I’ll be revealing some interesting things," Trump said.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
A 7-year old special ed student became upset while decorating an easter egg, and ended up being handcuffed by the NYPD as a result. Joseph Anderson, a first-grader, was taken to the hospital in metal handcuffs by the police, in spite of the fact that his mother said she was on her way to pick him up.
"He was crying and saying, ‘I want Mommy,’" said his mother, Jessica Anderson. "Why handcuff him? Why get the cops involved? He’s only 7."
According to his mother, Joseph has been wetting himself and vomiting since the incident, which took place on April 13.
"If he hears an ambulance, he runs under the bed and screams, ‘They’re going to get me,’" said his mother. "He’s really traumatized. I don’t let him watch the news anymore, because if he sees cops, he cries."
NORWALK — When Tanya McDowell enrolled her son in kindergarten at Brookside Elementary School last year, she didn’t expect she’d be facing a possible 20-year jail sentence and having to repay more than $15,000 to the city.
"I had no idea whatsoever that if you enroll your child in another school district, it becomes a crime," said McDowell, 33, after she was arrested by Norwalk police last week on a first-degree larceny charge for allegedly stealing her son’s education.
McDowell’s case has prompted an educational advocacy group to lead a fundraiser on her behalf and sparked a debate among some current and former Norwalk officials over whether criminal prosecution is appropriate.
From the New York Daily News
A former producer for Black Entertainment Television says the network canned her when she complained about working with a pervy cameraman during an interview with rapper Nicki Minaj.
Tameika Dorman says BET camera operator Derek Clarke repeatedly showed her footage he shot of her backside while she walked up stairs in a mini-skirt in Feb. 2009, according to a suit filed in Bronx Supreme Court.
When Dorman asked why he was replaying the video, he "grabbed and repeatedly rubbed his crotch, began to moan, and said it was because he loved her butt, that she was sexy and that she did not know what he was going to do to her," the suit claims.
Your Black World reports
Diamond Breland gives her take on Mo’Nique’s assertion that black women need to “submit” in order to keep their men. Mo’Nique’s statements on the matter have led to a great deal of controversy, with men and women going back and forth over the age old issue of making our relationships work. She also discusses the couple that was on Mo’Nique’s show and argues that they appear to be swingers, and not real relationship experts.
By Peter Nicholas, Washington Bureau
April 20, 2011, 8:05 p.m.
Reporting from Palo Alto—
Hoping to rekindle excitement among younger voters, President Obama spoke at a town-hall meeting hosted by Facebook on Wednesday and asked for help in beating back "radical" Republican budget proposals.
He sat on a stage next to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who served as moderator and funneled largely friendly questions to a president who makes extensive use of social media in reaching out to voters.
Zuckerberg confessed to being nervous, but the two bantered easily. Obama made a light reference to the 26-year-old’s billionaire status. In describing his tax plan, Obama said that he and "frankly, you, Mark," can afford to pay "a little more in taxes."
Taking questions submitted through Facebook and from an audience of company employees, Obama advised listeners not to get frustrated by protracted debates in Washington. He conceded that some of his 2008 voters might be asking why progress on many issues hasn’t come sooner. But he urged them not to give up on his agenda.
Black / White Achievement Gap, 2009 NAEP 8th Grade Reading (shown in Years)
Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Connecticut leads the nation in the achievement gap between black and white students. This might explain why Tonya McDowell, the homeless mom who was recently arrested for sending her child to a school in the Norwalk, CT School district, had to go the extra mile to get her child into a situation where he might have a chance at educational success.
COREY WILLIAMS,Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Former Michigan and NBA player Jalen Rose told authorities he hadn’t been drinking and performed poorly on several tests to determine if he was intoxicated after rolling his Cadillac Escalade on a snowy Michigan road, according to a police report.
The report from the West Bloomfield Township police, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information request, also said Rose registered a 0.088 blood-alcohol level two hours after the March 11 crash. Michigan’s legal limit is 0.08.
Rose, 38, was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
He was driving the 2004 SUV along Walnut Lake Road when it veered off the roadway about 2:10 a.m. and rolled over just east of Middlebelt, about 20 miles northwest of Detroit. Neither Rose nor his female passenger was hurt in the crash.
Your Black World Reports
It appears that film director Tyler Perry has had it with Spike Lee’s criticism. In a recent press conference for his upcoming film, Madea’s Happy Family, Perry had this to say:
“I’m so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee,” Perry announced to press Monday. “Spike can go straight to hell!”
“I am sick of him talking about me,” Perry said. “I am sick of him saying, ‘This is a coon, this is a buffoon.’ I am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. This is what he said: ‘You vote by what you see’ — as if black people don’t know what they want to see.”
Your Black World Reports
In the video below, President Barack Obama is in an interview with a Texas reporter who seems to test his patience. This is not surprising, since Texas is likely the most hostile state toward the president. They’ve been vocal about actually leaving the United States in protest to Obama’s election. One can’t help but to connect the state’s anger toward Obama with the fact that Texas also happens to be arguably the most racist state in America, with black male incarceration rates that can be described as nothing less than a holocaust.
by Rev. Jesse Jackson
Donald Trump has risen to the top of the Republican presidential candidate ratings while campaigning on the nutty charge that President Obama isn’t American, that he is not legally qualified to be president.
The Trump effect has led others, like Sarah Palin, to start hedging their dismissal of these absurdities. If this continues, the Republican race could turn into a race for the muck.
America deserves better. Jobs are short; wages aren’t keeping up; home values keep falling. The banks are doing fine, but people are still losing their homes. The rich are paying fewer taxes while the poor pay more fees. The middle class is getting crushed. Good jobs are still shipped abroad, replaced, if at all, by lower-wage work. There is now more student loan debt owed in America than credit card debt.
We need a serious debate about what we do to get out of this hole.
From Dr. Boyce Watkins:
As you know, the Your Black World Coalition is seeking justice for Tonya McDowell, the single mother who was arrested for sending her child to the “wrong” school district (similar to the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar a few months ago).
I just spoke yesterday with Gwen Samuel from the Connecticut Parents’ Union. She has informed me of the situation on the ground in Connecticut with regard to educational inequality. As in many other cities across the nation, the schools in Norwalk, CT (where Ms. McDowell sent her child) are far superior to the schools in Bridgeport, CT (where she was legally expected to send her little boy). Therefore, while we can’t say for sure exactly why Ms. McDowell broke the law to send her child to the Norwalk school system, it is clear that there is a strong incentive to break the law to get access to a quality education.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
It’s a year after the start of the infamous BP oil spill that stole the attention of the nation for several months. One year ago today, the oil giant began the process of spilling five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, killing everything in its grasp, starting with 11 oil workers who were near the initial explosion. After taking out the workers, the spill generated an unprecedented genocide on local wildlife, killing thousands of fish, birds and other species that lived within the ocean. The BP beast also murdered local businesses that depended on the Gulf for their livelihoods, with almost none of those businesses being able to restore their full economic value.
Tourists are no longer interested in swimming in water that was so heavily polluted just a few months ago.
Click here to listen to Dr. Boyce and Rev. Al Sharpton discuss the incident in which President Obama’s face was place on the body of a chimp in an email that was distributed by a Republican leader in California. They also discuss the assassination of Malcolm X and the result of a YBW poll on the black perception of the Nation of Islam’s role in his death. Many have speculated that
Your Black World reports
Three kindergartners were wounded today in a Houston elementary school after a loaded gun fell out of the pocket of one of the children. The school district is reporting that none of the injuries were fatal or life-threatening, according to CNN.
The weapon went off one time and according to Jason Spencer, the spokesperson for the school district, the children might have been hit by bullet fragments. Jarneshia Broussard, a five year old who witnessed the incident, said that the gun “fell and then it shot.”
"We were by each other and then it shot and the little girl started crying," Jarneshia also said.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
A South Carolina jail has ruled that all inmates in the jail are not allowed to have any books whatsoever, except the bible. The jailers in Moncks Corner, South Carolina are receiving national scrutiny for passing the rule, which some claim to be a violation of freedom of speech and patently disrespectful to those who are not Christian. There is also the concern that inmates are not given any opportunity to expand their minds or better themselves during their incarceration.
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a complaint against the jail, and joined the American Civil Liberties Union in its lawsuit. In an email quoted by the Associated Press, one of the jail officials by the name of First Sgt. K. Habersham said: “Our inmates are only allowed to receive soft back bibles in the mail directly from the publisher…. They are not allowed to have magazines, newspapers, or any other type of books.”
Washington (CNN) — A plane carrying Michelle Obama had to abort its landing on Monday after it came too close to a military C-17 cargo plane, according to a senior administration official and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The planes were three miles apart, when they are supposed to be five miles apart, the official told CNN. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what went wrong, as it is believed to be an air traffic controller mistake, the official said.
The White House does not believe the first lady’s life was ever in danger, the senior official said.
Your Black World Reports
Earlier this week, respected journalists Soledad O’Brien and Gwen Ifill were inducted as honorary members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to say, ‘hey sorors!’” O’Brien said on Twitter. “To have a sisterhood that supports you is heartening…Before I would say that service is what you do, now I say it’s what we do.”
Your Black World reports
It looks like Orange County Republican Committee member Marilyn Davenport has finally apologized for the email she sent out with the picture of President Obama as a monkey. Davenport has continued to deny that she’s a racist and has said that she won’t resign from the party.
"I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth," she wrote in an email. "In no way did I even consider the fact he’s half black when I sent out the email."
Your Black World reports
In this audio clip, Dr. Boyce Watkins and conservative Amstrong Williams debate on “Open Line” on Kiss-FM in New York City.
Dr. Watkins and Mr. Williams stand on different sides of the ideological fence as it pertains to how to cut the national debt. Williams argues that deep cuts in government spending are necessary, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. He says that the United States government is at risk of default within the next 10 years, which could send our country into an economic tailspin.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Shei’Meka Newmann just won a major victory for herself and for everyone who has ever been victimized by the system. The 33-year old Oregon woman won an $82,000 judgment against the Portland police after she was arrested for simply asking for a police officer’s business card.
The incident occurred in February, 2009 when the woman noticed a questionable and seemingly brutal arrest of a fellow citizen. This led her to walk up to one of the officers, Aaron Dauchy, who’d grabbed a 29-year old black man off a train and handcuffed him on the ground. When Ms. Newmann asked why the officer was dealing with the man with so much force, he told her to mind her own business.
Your Black World Reports
The shooting of 18-year old Andre Pitts in Brooklyn is nothing short of a tragedy. In order to find the killer of Pitts, the NYPD has released the video of the teen being shot as he enters into an elevator. To date, gun violence is the number one killer of African American males, and efforts to slow down the manufacture and sale of guns have failed.
by Urban League President Marc Morial
The continuing resolution that averted a shutdown of the federal government contains a potentially disastrous provision that would eliminate all funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Counseling Program. To scrap this valuable program in the midst of the foreclosure crisis is incomprehensible. Since 2009, HUD-approved housing counseling agencies have more than 4 million families with individual housing counseling. These programs have worked to prevent mortgage delinquency for 2.6 million households, helping more than 800,000 avoid foreclosure.
From CNN.com
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill late Monday that would have required President Barack Obama and other presidential candidates to prove they were American citizens, born in the United States, before their names could have been placed on the state ballot.
The so-called "birther bill" got final approval in the state House last week. Now that Brewer, a Republican, has vetoed it, the bill will not become law unless legislators vote to override her veto.
"As a former Secretary of State, I do not support designating one person as a gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate, which could lead to arbitrary or politically-motivated decisions," the governor wrote in a letter addressed to the Arizona House speaker.
Your Black World reports – From CNN.com
You may have seen this movie before: The Chicago Bulls trailed with 5:20 left, only to rally behind Derrick Rose (who scored 14 fourth-quarter points) to notch a 96-90 Game 2 victory and take a 2-0 series lead over the gutsy Indiana Pacers on Monday. Rose, led the way with 36 points, eight rebounds and six assists, as the 62-win Bulls once again struggled to overcome the 37-win Pacers.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Earlier this month, I participated in “Measuring the Movement,” a forum that brought together 10 leaders from the black community to discuss the issues that are pertinent to all of us. The forum was hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, and became a productive gathering that laid out a variety of visions for the African American community.
My goal in being part of this forum was to do what I could to best represent the 55,000 members of the Your Black World Coalition and to talk about what I consider to be the Holy Trinity of Black Oppression: The economic system, the educational system and the criminal justice system.
Your Black World Reports
It appears that the Obamas earned two-thirds less this year than they did last year. According to their tax returns, Michelle and Barack Obama earned “just” $1.7 million this year, after earning $5.5 million last year. The family also gave 14% of their income to charity.
The decline in income is due to the fact that President Obama’s books, “Dreams from My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope” are not selling as well as they did in the past.
Please click here to join our coalition to help Ms. McDowell
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
When Rev. Al Sharpton and I went to Ohio earlier this year to rally on behalf of Kelley Williams-Bolar, I thought I’d be done with cases like this for at least a little while. However, the Your Black World Coalition has been informed today that another mother in Connecticut has also been put in jail for enrolling her child in the wrong school district.
Tonya McDowell, a homeless woman from Bridgeport, CT, has been charged with grand larceny and conspiracy to commit first degree larceny after enrolling her son in Brookside Elementary, in Norwalk, CT. McDowell used the address of a friend, Ana Rebecca Marques, to get her 6-year old into the school. The district is accusing her of stealing $15,000 in services for her “deviant” behavior.
Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Mo’Nique and her guests seem to think that black women work too hard to take control in their relationships. In the video below, Mo’Nique goes into what women need to do in order to keep a man happy in a relationship. Her disposition seems to imply that black women have been taught to be too independent and this leads to the breakdown of their relationships.
(FinalCall.com) – A new report from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is critical of America’s “misplaced priorities” in overemphasizing and overfunding the prison industrial complex while underfunding education.
According to NAACP President and CEO Benjamin T. Jealous, excessive spending on incarceration undermines educational opportunities and destabilizes Black communities nationwide.
“Today, there is no greater threat to civil rights accomplishments than the state of our country’s education system and its impact on young African American youth. Failing schools, college tuition hikes, and shrinking state education budgets are narrowing the promise of education for young people all across the country. Meanwhile, we continue to invest billions of dollars into our corrections system, sending our youth a clear message that we value incarceration over education,” said Mr. Jealous introducing the report.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
The New York Post has revealed that CNN is once again considering bringing in a person of color to one of their night time anchor spots. The move is long overdue, since black and brown people have been subject to the “All-white, all-night” phenomenon, where none of the major cable news networks have granted any of their nightly branded news spots to an African American host. This is nothing short of insulting, given that black people are very good at showing loyalty to those who don’t feel compelled to return the favor.
As John King is being taken to the carpet for his disappointing ratings in the 7 p.m. slot, CNN’s leadership is considering Soledad O’Brien as his replacement. Sure, Soledad isn’t everyone’s first pick, but she’s professional, talented and quite intelligent. She deserves to have a shot. All the while, I’d be remiss not to mention my respected friend Roland Martin, and other talented CNN personalities, like Richelle Carey, Don Lemmon, TJ Holmes, and Tony Harris (who just left for Al Jazeera English).
From Your Black World News
Tiger Woods’ niece, Cheyenne Woods, just won the ACC Women’s Individual title by a total of seven shots this weekend, with a final score of 5-under par. Cheyenne is a junior at Wake Forest University and said that she “felt confident all day.”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the Republican Party does it again. Orange County Republican Committee member Marilyn Davenport is in hot water after distributing an email that features President Obama as the child of a family of chimpanzees. In the email, which was widely-distributed, the long-standing committee member sent out the picture with the caption, “Now you know why – No birth certificate!”
County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh has called for Davenport’s resignation, saying that the picture was "dripping with racism and is in very poor taste." He also referred the matter to the GOP Ethics Committee. But in spite of the backlash from many of her fellow Republicans, there are some in the leadership who are standing firm with Davenport.
Ms. Davenport, however, seems to think that the email has nothing to do with racism. She described the email as a “joke” and wanted to find out who leaked the email, writing “Anyone brave enough to come forward?” She also had this to say when contacted by reporters:
Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Rodney Stanberry was sent to prison for a murder that he didn’t commit. There is currently an international campaign to secure Rodney’s freedom, as the Your Black World Coalition is joining forces with Rodney’s other supporters to convince the District Attorney to re-open Rodney’s case. We’ll keep you updated on the situation as it evolves, but we encourage you to join the fight and find out the details for yourself.
by Patrice Johnson, Your Black World
Album cover of Chris Browns latest album: F.A.M.E.
Many people have already heard Chris Browns new album entitled“F.A.M.E.” and I must admit for myself that I think that the album is absolutely BANANAS (in a good way). The album has been successful since its release date on March 18, 2011, carrying the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 Charts and selling 270,00 copies in its first week.
From Politico.com
Ever since President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans reached an 11th hour agreement to keep from shutting down the federal government, interim Democratic National Committee chair and staunch White House defender Donna Brazile has been on the attack, using her Twitter account to blast what she calls a “shameful” deal.
Unlike other liberals, however, it wasn’t only the $33 billion in spending cuts that set off Brazile. She’s furious about an agreement in the deal allowing Republicans to stop the District of Columbia’s funding of abortions for poor women and forcing it to revive a private-school voucher program that city officials had ended. She and other “tax paying residents of the District of Columbia have every right to be upset at this new deal,” Brazile wrote.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53322.html#ixzz1Jmnc9xOA
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
“Uncle Luke” from 2 Live Crew has decided to become the mayor of Miami. At least he’s going to try. Luke, who is now 50 years old, claims that the run is a serious one, and not some kind of joke.
"My major hurdle is people taking me seriously, a lot of people think this is a joke," said Uncle Luke. "I call it a banana republic and I’m serious about it. You look at the commission and they make their own rules as they go, regardless of what the county attorney says, they make their own rules, just do what they want. They have no respect for the people."
Do I consider the campaign to be a joke? Well, I guess it depends on how Luke goes about trying to become mayor. Of course he probably won’t win the election, so perhaps my personal speculation is moot. But I have to at least give Luke credit for trying to become involved in his community. Luke interviewed me for his radio show about a year ago, and I’ll admit that the show was not a serious one. However, I could sense that beneath the wild, raunchy, comedic demeanor lies a man with a keen understanding of the world around him.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
According to a recent survey conducted by YourBlackWorld.com, three out of four African Americans (76.8%) believe that the Nation of Islam was behind the assassination of Malcolm X. Additionally, two-thirds of the respondents (63.3%) believe that the government played some role in the assassination, by either being directly involved or helping someone else to kill Malcolm.
The results of the survey are interesting in light of the book written by the late Manning Marable, the Columbia University Professor who died shortly before the release of his book. Marable goes into detail about the life of Malcolm X, elaborating on the role that was allegedly played by Nation of Islam leadership.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The Pleasantville Police Department in New York upset the African American community by giving an Officer of the Year Award to the policeman who shot a young black college student in a racially-volatile incident. Danroy “DJ” Henry was shot by officer Aaron Hess last year at a night club under questionable circumstances.
“The (Pleasantville Police Benevolent Association’s) Award is an expression of support for the dignified and professional manner in which Officer Hess has conducted himself throughout this ordeal,” wrote President Matthew Listwan in a statement.
Hess shot into Henry’s car on October 17 after the officer inexplicably landed on the young man’s hood. Henry, who was 20 years old on the night he died, is accused by officers of being drunk behind the wheel and speeding away without stopping according to the officers’ instructions. The family claims that Henry was following orders to drive away when Officer Hess jumped in front of the car. Henry’s family attorney, Michael Sussman, says that firing at a moving vehicle and jumping in front of it are violations of state law and department rules.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition are denying the allegations by a former employee that Rev. Jackson engaged in “harassment, retaliation and discrimination” as the result of his sexual orientation. Tony Bennett, who is gay, made a long list of disturbing accusations against the pastor, arguing (among other things) that he was treated unfairly for being gay.
Bennett originally filed a complaint with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. Rainbow Push issued a statement saying, in part, that "The organization does not condone or tolerate discrimination in any form….[Bennett's] inflammatory allegations are an attempt to malign Reverend Jackson and the organization, and are hurtful and harmful to the progressive community."
From USA Today
Thinking that reporters were out of the room, President Obama opened up Thursday night about the recent budget talks with Republicans and what he called their efforts to sneak in attacks on Planned Parenthood and his health care bill.
"I said (to Republicans), ‘You want to repeal health care? Go at it,’ " Obama told backers in a private meeting with an open microphone.
" ‘We’ll have that debate. You’re not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget.’ "
He said he added: "You think we’re stupid?"
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Donald Trump seems to appreciate black people, but doesn’t expect much of the black vote if he runs for president. His recent attacks on President Barack Obama have labeled Trump to be the face of the Birther Movement, causing him to lose favor within the African American community.
Trump’s most recent comments about African Americans are not likely to help him gain additional votes either. In an interview on Albany Talk 1300 radio, Trump said, “I’ve always had a great relationship with the blacks.”
A valet is suing the mother of NBA superstar LeBron James after she allegedly assaulted him both physically and verbally. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday and alleges “emotional distress, humiliation, mental anguish and lose of capacity of enjoyment of one’s life.”
The valet, Rock Feller Sorel, says that he was hit by Gloria James early in the morning on April 7 at the Fountainbleau hotel. He is seeking $15,000 in damages.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
LaShanda Armstrong, a 25-year old mother of four, drove herself and her children into the Hudson River this week. Armstrong was distraught after finding out that her boyfriend Jean Pierre, father of three of her children, was sleeping with another woman. Armstrong and three of her children drown, with the fourth child swimming to shore.
Right before killing her family, Armstrong wrote a Facebook message stating: “I’m sorry everyone forgive me please for what I’m gonna do… This is it!!!”
The river was just seven blocks from Armstrong’s home in Newburgh, New York. Leshaun, the 10-year old boy who escaped from the van, got out of the car by climbing over his mother’s leg. She grabbed at his leg as he was climbing out, and eventually let go. The boy told the woman who found him that his mother realized shortly after driving into the river that she’d made a mistake and tried to back out.
Dear Fellow Democrat,
On Friday, John Boehner’s House Republicans plan to ram through their rightwing TeaParty budget for 2012, which would destroy Medicare to pay for bigger tax breaks for billionaires.
But the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) fought for – and won – a separate vote on the "People’s Budget," which fights for the priorities we and most Americans support.
Tell your Representatives to vote for the CPC People’s Budget.
In a nutshell, the CPC People’s Budget:
1. Eliminates the Deficit by 2021 without devastating Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
The CPC budget targets the true drivers of deficits: the Bush Tax Cuts, the wars overseas, and the causes and effects of the recent recession. By implementing a fair tax code, by building a resilient American economy, and by bringing our troops home, it achieves a budget surplus of over $30 billion by 2021.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
The United States House of Representatives passed a budget deal that was reached between Democrats and Republicans. The deal helped legislators to avert a pending government shutdown that was bound to occur if an agreement had not been reached. House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid worked with President Obama to slice $38 Billion from the federal budget over the next six months.
The final vote on the deal was 260 – 167. Republicans were most favorable toward the deal, providing 179 votes. Only 81 Democrats supported the measure. Now, the bill is set to head to the Senate, where it is predicted that it will pass and then be sent to the White House for President Obama’s signature.
