11-Year Old Allegedly Gang Raped in Texas: What We Can Learn

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Eighteen men (thirteen adults, five juveniles) have been charged in the rape of a young girl in Texas, according to CNN. Darrell Broussard, the assistant police chief in Cleveland, Texas told CNN that "There have been leads during our investigation that have alerted us to other possible persons of interest.  The investigation is ongoing."

The men being charged are between 18 and 27 years old and the victim is age 11.  Many of the men are reportedly students at Cleveland High School.  The incident allegedly occurred last year and has led to a racial divide in the community.   Those who were arrested are being charged with first-degree felony sexual abuse of a child and face 25-to life if convicted.

I am not one to say whether or not these men are guilty of the crime for which they are being accused (seeing their joint mug shot makes me sick to my stomach, since I’m sure the racist Texas Republicans are having a field day with this), I’ll let the courts handle that.  I do worry about whether a state like Texas, which incarcerates and executes more black men than any state in America, has the ability to provide a fair trial.  At the same time, I feel an incredible amount of sympathy for the young girl if she was indeed harmed in this way.

 

Click to read.

Your Black Education: NCAA = Black Student Athlete Pimps

The Sports MCs Present: The Saturday Huddle

By: The Sports MCs

BASN

The approach of autumn leaves and pom – poms can mean only one thing: college football is back for another season of Pigskin Pimpin’.

And the prognosticators and perpetrators will, no doubt offer their take on which institution will get paid the most BCS money come January.

But what always seems to get lost in the sauce is the fact the machine that is college football keeps it crack – a – lackin’ for everyone; except those most responsible for its success – the student – athletes.

Enter the MCs.

In our endeavor to flip the script, we plan to show some of the inner workings of this machine – and hopefully address some big – picture issues that will get some of the capitalist pigs to move over in the trough — or least think twice before they oink [...]

More At Your Black Education

Your Black Hip-Hop: Jasiri X Weekly Newscast — Hip-Hop Style!

Hip-Hop Emcee/Journalist, Jasiri X, returns with his weekly Hip-Hop newscasts. This week’s current events include: Gov. Palin’s incompetence, the “Ashley Todd hoax,” Robocalls, Jennifer Hudson’s tragedy, Black-on-Black violence,” lynching in Texas and more:

For the week of October 19 – October 25:

Your Black Politics: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Stands Up To The Madness

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, representing the 18th congressional district of Texas, says no to the financial bailout deal. Amongst other things, she cites the ambiguous help (if any) offered to homeowners who lost their homes – or happen to be on the verge of losing it – as a reason to remain firmly opposed to the deal: