Archive
Julius Kane: The Black Press Took It’s First Stand in 1827 and Has Been Fighting Ever Since
By Julius Kane
In 1827 a group of black businessmen were fed up with the negative depictions of African-Americans in their local newspapers, so they decided to start their own. A few months later America’s first, ‘race’ newspaper was born. At the helm were two young black men; 28 year old college graduate John Russwurm and 32 year old preacher Samuel Cornish. Freedom’s Journal, as it was called, made certain every article and editorial had a deliberate slant that showed blacks in a positive light with dignity and class. Cornish and Russwurm knew they not only had to report the news but they had to inspire as well. Any news worthy item involving "Africans" was to be included.
Fox News Calls President Obama’s Birthday Party a “Hip-Hop Barbecue that Didn’t Create Jobs”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It appears that Fox News is at it again. The same network that has commentators like Eric Bolling, who asked why President Obama was "inviting so many hoods to the hizzy" referenced his 50th birthday party as a "Hip-Hop Barbecue."
Renee Greene: In Spite of the Downgrade, Gotta Give Obama Credit
by Renee Greene, Your Black World
Vote: It’s what our ancestors fought, and died, for.
…even if we take away America’s credit rating. He stays on message, even if he has to shift gears from time to time.
The one thing we’ve seen is that he maneuvers very well in opposition traffic. Though some of his moves have been about as frightening as jumping on a roller coaster while it’s moving, especially considering all of those who keep trying to derail him and get him off-message, the one thing I’ve notice since I jumped on the campaign coaster in mid-2007 is that he keeps saying the same thing over and over, ad nauseum. And the opposition? Well, they apparently are threatening to make the President look bad in the public eye, even to the point where they will kill themselves to get it done. It’s very personal for them, and he’s not letting them go there, and it’s driving them mad. With the President, I noticed, as long as you don’t mess with his wife, his girls, his aunt, his grandma in Kenya, his mother-in-law, or with Bo-bama, he’s fine. That gets his dander up and he’s not so Mr. Cool any more.
The White House Issues a Statement about the Historic Downgrade of Federal Debt
Your Black Politics received this message from the White House today. It is President Obama’s first response to recent reports that for the first time in U.S. history, federal government debt has been downgraded from AAA status.
Were African Americans Thrown Under the Bus During the Debt Ceiling Debate?
Dr. Wilmer Leon and Dr. Boyce Watkins ask whether or not African Americans were harmed disproportionately by the latest debt ceiling debate.
The White House’s Progress on Civil Rights: Laying Out Some Facts
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
Below is a direct cut and paste of the White House’s most recent work on Civil Rights. I obtained the information from this link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/civil-rights. I was inspired to visit the page after receiving an email from Michael Blake, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement (he was on the panel with myself, Al Sharpton and Ben Jealous at the Measuring the Movement forum this year in New York City). They are working hard to get African Americans enthusiastic about the 2012 elections and Blake is the man on the job.
MSNBC Reporter Accidentally Tweets “Obama Killed”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Yes class. This is why we double check and proofread our work. MSNBC reporter Norah O’Donnell, in an effort to get the news out ahead of the competition, sent this message out on Twitter, citing NBC Chief Pentagon Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski as her source. You can imagine that she probably got more than a couple of tweet backs as a result. The killing of Osama Bin Laden was the big news of the day, but some would speculate that the killing of President Obama would make for a more shocking headline.
Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson Speak on the Death of Osama Bin Laden
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
I was on the radio today with Rev. Al Sharpton. Of course the topic of discussion was the death of Osama Bin Laden. The Reverend had some interesting guests on the show, including a woman who was in the building when the towers went down in 2001. Sharpton, as a New Yorker, had some interesting thoughts about the situation, especially as it pertains to the Obama presidency.
Chisholm Commission on presidential Accountability Gives Its Assessment of the 2012 Budget
The Shirley Chisholm Presidential Accountability Commission
Assessment of President Barack Obama’s 2011 Budget Address
Institute of the Black World, 31-35 95th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11369
www.ibw21.org Email: info@ibw21.org 718-429-1415
President Obama’s recent address concerning the budget and fiscal crisis facing our nation has been the focus of much reflection and thought. After extensive discussions among members of the Shirley Chisholm Presidential Commission (SCPAC) and consultations with national organizations and agencies keenly interested in the interest and aspirations of Black America the Commission has formulated the following response.
President Obama Meets with Participants in the 1968 Sanitation Strike
“The President invited the living participants in the Memphis Sanitation Strike to honor their courage, and their fight on behalf of all workers for safe conditions, respect in the workplace and a better life for themselves and their families. As workers across the country continue to face challenges to their rights, the issues for which these men fought continue to be relevant and the President remains committed to the causes for which they marched.” – from the White House
Malcolm X’s Interpretation of Fox News Racism
Watch the video below to understand the nature of Fox News Racism. There’s a historical context to all of this, whether we’re talking about the Birther Movement, the Tea Party or any of the other activity coming from the Right Wing. Check it out below or click here to watch.
GOP Rep Says Black People Don’t Work as Hard as Whites
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
Republican State Rep from Oklahoma Sally Kern seems to think that black people don’t work as hard as whites and that we are more likely to go to prison because we think the government will take care of us.
“We have a high percentage of blacks in prison, and that’s tragic, but are they in prison just because they are black or because they don’t want to study as hard in school? I’ve taught school, and I saw a lot of people of color who didn’t study hard because they said the government would take care of them."
President Obama, Appeasement, and The Birth of a Nation
by Frank Igwe – Your Black World
"Appeasement is like feeding the crocodile, hoping that it will eat you last.” -Winston Churchill
As Hitler’s Third Reich expanded across Europe, and leader after leader sought to placate and temper his appetite for war by surrendering territory in the hope for peace, Winston Churchill took a stand, and stated: "Appeasement is like feeding the crocodile, hoping that it will eat you last.”You see, Churchill understood a basic truth that has been around since the beginning of time: A bully will continue to be a bully, until you take a stand and fight. Hitler’s aggression was built on a platform of racial superiority, of dividing the world into “in-groups” and “out-groups”, the chosen and “the others”, slaves and slave masters. He may have succeeded in his quest for world domination, and global ethnic cleansing had it not been for one courageous leader who said, ENOUGH!
The Obama’s Stop to See Oprah on their Way to NY
CHICAGO — President Barack Obama flew home to Chicago on Wednesday to help his pal and supporter Oprah Winfrey close out her syndicated talk show with a “big get” – an interview with him.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, took turns answering Winfrey’s questions during a taped interview at her studio, her first in 25 years with a sitting president and first lady.
President Obama Releases His Official Birth Certificate
Your Black World reports
President Barack Obama has officially released the long form of his birth certificate in response to the questions about whether or not he was born in the United States. Originally, the president had only released the short form copy, which led to speculation that he was born abroad.
Donna Brazile Reaches YBW to Set the Record Straight on Cornel West
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
I can personally confirm that Donna Brazile, the well-respected Democratic strategist, is a really nice person. When I say a “nice person,” I mean really nice. Not, the fake, polite kind of “nice” that people use to reference those in power, but the honest-to-goodness “nice” that you get from a guy (me) who doesn’t care much about keeping famous or unethical friends.
Donna once did something very kind for my brother years ago, long before anyone knew who he was. I respect any big shot who is willing to help a young black man trying to achieve his goals. I don’t think Donna knew that my brother was related to me at the time, which makes her kindness all that more special.
Donna is on my mind, because she reached out to Your Black World the other day to give me some clarifying points about her meeting with Cornel West at Princeton University. I’ve written a bit about the meeting between Brazile and West, particularly as it pertains to the perception that the meeting was structured in response to the well-known blow up on MSNBC that occurred between Prof. West and Rev. Al Sharpton. In seeming contrast to my personal interpretation of the meeting, Ms. Brazile let me know that the meeting had been planned back in February and not in response to the events that took place on MSNBC. I’ll admit that even though I take Ms. Brazile at her word, it’s hard to imagine that she wasn’t happy to use this meeting as an opportunity to deal with Prof. West’s vehement opposition to the most recent activities of the Obama Administration.
With that said, Ms. Brazile also made a point that I found to be quite accurate and noteworthy.
"We have to have an inside, outside strategy. We have to do defense and offense,” she said. “The fact that Brother West is on the outside makes my job easier.”
This is the point that should be remembered by every Obama loyalist who somehow thinks we are helping the president by squashing anyone who is remotely critical of the administration. The fact is that by surrounding the Obama Administration with “yes” men and women, we are going to find our community ignored by political insiders who only give oil to the squeakiest wheel. So, by speaking up on behalf of the black community and making sure that our issues are placed firmly on the table of discussion, we are helping President Obama do his job better.
In the video conversation below, Dr. Wilmer Leon and I discuss the Brazile/West/Obama dynamic and what it means for black America. Enjoy!
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
Quick YBW Note: The Obama Family Enjoys Easter Sunday
The Obamas celebrate Easter Sunday at the historic Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
Rep. Allen West’s Sloppy Words about President Obama
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Below you can watch the video of Allen West, a black Republican, engaging in a highly-disrespectful attack on President Barack Obama. West seems to swim like a happy little pig in the attention he is receiving from Fox News for his willingness to undermine the credibility of another black man in ways that would be maligned if he were white. Because he’s black, it’s hard to accuse West of racism. But he can certainly be accused of being a tool for racists to promote an agenda built on sloppy, malicious rhetoric feeding on white American fears of black men in true positions of power.
Az Governor Vetoes the “Birther Bill”
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.
Survey Says that Most Black People Believe Nation of Islam Leaders Ordered Assassination of Malcolm X
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.
Democrats.com Campaigns to Support Obama’s Budget for 2012
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.
What? Rush Limbaugh Says that Obama is Not Really a Black Man
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It appears that the “great” Rush Limbaugh doesn’t believe that Barack Obama is black. On his show, Limbaugh responded to Obama’s suggestion during a meeting that some of the animus being shown toward him was driven by race (which we all know plays a huge role in the unprecedented attacks he’s been facing from his political opponents). On his radio show, Limbaugh had this to say:
"Let me ask you a question. How many people really think of Obama as black? …One of Obama’s parents is black. Undeniable. But he was raised by a white mother, by white grandparents. He went to a highly exclusive private school in Hawaii with rich, white students and white teachers. He went to exclusive colleges that were practically lily-white. Barry Obama is from a very white, albeit radically left, cultural background. He’s not from the hood. He’s not from the movement…I’m telling you, there is a chip on this guy’s shoulder, and it is a factor in every policy decision that he makes."
What’s interesting is that Rush Limbaugh’s statement is a powerful reminder of the kind of racism he embodies with his typical rhetoric. Somehow, Limbaugh was made to believe that being black means that you are “from the hood” or “from the movement.” The truth is that being black can also mean that you were born middle/upper class, attended elite universities, or are a sociopolitical conservative. By confining blackness to mean that a person must have had a specific background or be confined to a particular economic or social class, Limbaugh comes off as the standard sort of racist who remains hell-bent on disrespecting our humanity.
President Obama’s Speech at Miami Central High School
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO STUDENTS AND FACULTY OF MIAMI CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Miami Central High School
Miami, Florida
4:00 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Rockets! (Applause.) Thank you! (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Everybody, have a seat, have a seat. Have a seat. It is good to be here today! (Applause.) I’m excited! I am thrilled to be here, Rockets. Bonswa. It is good to see all of you.
I want to, first of all, thank somebody who I think is going to end up being one of the best Education Secretaries that we’ve ever had, Arne Duncan, for being here. (Applause.) We also have — your congresswoman, Frederica Wilson, is here. Give her a big round of applause. (Applause.)
Barack Obama First Dem Prez Since Truman To Not Mention Poverty in State of the Union Address
by Charles M. Blow, New York Times
President Obama made history on Tuesday.
It was only the second time since Harry S. Truman’s State of the Union address in 1948 that such a speech by a Democratic president did not include a single mention of poverty or the plight of the poor.
The closest Obama got to a mention was his confirmation for “Americans who’ve seen their paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear” that, indeed, “the world has changed. The competition for jobs is real.” I’m sure they appreciated that.
The only other Democrat not to mention poverty in the speech was Jimmy Carter in 1980, but even he was able to squeeze in one reference to at least a portion of the poor and disenfranchised, stressing the continuation of jobs programs to “provide training and work for our young people, especially minority youth.” (Carter did mention the poor in a written version that he submitted to Congress.)
What to think of Obama’s State of the Union Address? Dr. Wilmer Leon Analyzes
by Dr. Wilmer J. Leon
President Barack Obama was under pressure to satisfy many different constituencies in his second State of the Union address last night. Some liberals wanted the president to support government-matching 401(k) contributions in order to promote saving; others wanted him to address gay-rights legislation; still others urged a ban on large gun clips, or deep cuts in the defense budget.
Instead the president chose to set a tone rather than an agenda. Other presidents have been able to unveil sweeping policy initiatives in the annual address. But President Obama is faced with an ideologically driven opposition that has made clear its intention to oppose him at every turn. At the same time, the president is also facing a historic shift in technological and global economic realities that is remaking the world as we have come to know it.
Obama’s State of the Union Speech: What Black Folks Might Want to Hear
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Next week’s State of the Union Address to be offered by President Barack Obama comes at a time when our nation is especially divided, and our future as a country is foggier than it has been in recent memory. The event that will be on everyone’s mind is the attempted assasination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who is recovering from an assassin’s bullet in the hospital right now. The Giffords shooting has slowed down the most extreme Republican rhetoric for the moment, but it certainly has not ended the animosity shown toward President Obama.
While President Obama must contend with the Republicans, he must also deal with a wide variety of special interest groups, all expecting something in return for their loyalty. With well over 90 percent approval ratings, no group has been more steadfast and committed to President Obama than the African American community. Therefore, as we seek to determine what our community should expect from the State of the Union address being given this week, we have every right to demand what is best for us.
President Obama Speech in Tucson Hits a Homerun
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
President Barack Obama has done it again. Like Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals with 10 seconds left on the clock, the president sank the speech that would help to shape his presidency for much of 2011. Utilizing his opportunity to address the nation after the unfortunate shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the Obama speech in Tucson was reflective of the decency that allows our president to transcend the pettiness of his adversaries. He stood his ground without fighting his enemies, and reminded the country that "we can all do better."
The president encouraged those listening to communicate "in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds." The Obama speech also conceded that there is no way to know who was responsible for the shooting that killed six and injured 13 others. But he did say that our nation’s polarized political conversation can be handled in a way that is respectful and productive.
Dr. Boyce on NPr to discuss the obama Presidency
Click the link below to listen to Dr. Boyce Watkins on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” addressing what President Obama must do for the African American community as it pertains to education, economic inequality and mass incarceration.
Dr. Boyce on NPR: What Obama Needs to do For Black Peopl- Click here
Three Things President Obama Can Do for Black People
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I was shaking my head over and over again in preparation for a conversation we are going to have on NPR tomorrow about President Obama. The show is called "Talk of the Nation," and I had the esteemed honor of being the resident black guy, as the other two guests are set to discuss various elements of foreign and domestic policy. I’m just joking about the "black guy" thing, since I’m just happy they didn’t choose someone like Juan Williams.
At any rate, my brain started spinning on how President Obama can best use the remainder of his first term as it pertains to people of color. I thought carefully about what he’s done, what he’s doing, what he’s up against and what matters to us. In my course of thought, I came to a few conclusions.
Dr. Stroman Grades President Obama
In terms of President Obama’s ability to articulate and take action on his vision for America in one, year, I would issue a grade of B+. He has motivated millions across the globe to be more charitable, considerate, and reflective on our personal and national interests. Contrastingly, I would personally give him a grade of a C to mark the more free-thinking, activist, and liberal political stance that I thought and hoped he would bring to the White House. Mr. Obama is clearly a centrist and that is a dangerous position to have if his desire is to serve an additional four years. While his pit crew (the people that elected him) are screaming “Open it up! We’ve got your back,” he’s driving his Ferrari 35 mph. Is it a lack of political skill or political will for this seemingly gentle posture? Time will definitely tell. Nonetheless, many Americans remain hopeful for real change with his ideological path of appeasement and consensus-building.
Medgar Evers Prosecutor Goes to Prison
JACKSON, Miss. — Bobby DeLaughter, a former Mississippi prosecutor and judge whose legal conquests became the subject of books and a movie, is set to report to federal prison Monday for lying to the FBI in a judicial bribery investigation.
The next chapter of DeLaughter’s life, as inmate No. 12930-042, marks a long fall from the height of his legal career in 1994 when he was a prosecutor who helped convict a civil rights-era assassin for the 30-year-old murder of NAACP leader Medgar Evers.
The 55-year-old DeLaughter (deh-LAW’-ter) was to report to a federal prison camp in McCreary, Ky., by 2 p.m.
DeLaughter’s lawyer, Thomas Durkin of Chicago, told The Associated Press on Monday that he didn’t know exactly what time DeLaughter would report to prison, but that he wouldn’t be late. A prison official said he was not in custody as of about 10:45 a.m.
We Must Fix Our Prisons Right Now
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. A group of individuals who have been deemed enemies of society, and cast away behind iron bars to fend for themselves. In California, health care in the state’s 33 prisons 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 it was designed to hold, California prisons will have to be cut by about 40,000 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 health care 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.
Dr. Wilmer Leon: The Power of Privilege
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
On the evening of Tuesday, November 24 a young couple from Virginia made their way into one of the most secure events in the country, President Obama’s state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh and his wife at the White House. Like the other 300 plus invited guests, Tareq and Michaele Salahi went through multiple layers of Secret Service security, took photos with Chief of Staff Rom Emanuel and mingled with Vice President Biden and other invited guests. The problem is that the Salahi’s were not invited to the dinner. Their names were not listed on the official guest list or any other list that would have allowed them entrance into the White House. They crashed the party!
All that this couple needed to gain entrance into a state dinner at the White House was a tuxedo, traditional Indian evening wear, attitude, and white skin. When they arrived at the Secret Service check point without a printed invitation and without their names on the official guest list, they were not detained or questioned. No telephone calls were made; no further inquiries were needed; just white skin, blond hair, the expectation of admittance, and a pretty smile. Had this occurred at an airport the Salahi’s would have never made it past airport security.
Your Black News: The Politics of Healthcare Reform
Listen up as Dr. Wilmer Leon speaks with Dr. Pearl Ford about President Obama’s Healthcare Reform Plan. Click here to listen to the latest exciting episode!
Both are graduates of Howard University’s Political Science Program
Black Politics: 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.
Obama Might Have to “Get gangsta” to defeat the Republicans
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.
Your Black News: Eric Holder to Change Civil Rights Focus
Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department’s Civil Rights
Division by pushing it back into some of the most important areas of American political life, including voting rights, housing, employment, bank lending practices and redistricting after the 2010 census.
As part of this shift, the Obama administration is planning a major revival of high-impact civil rights enforcement against policies, in areas ranging from housing to hiring, where statistics show that minorities fare disproportionately poorly. President George W. Bush’s appointees had discouraged such tactics, preferring to focus on individual cases in which there is evidence of intentional discrimination.
To bolster a unit that has been battered by heavy turnover and a scandal over politically tinged hiring under the Bush administration, the Obama White House has also proposed a hiring spree that would swell the ranks of several hundred civil rights lawyers with more than 50 additional lawyers, a significant increase for a relatively small but powerful division of the government.
Dr. Wilmer Leon Analyzes Obama’s Position on Afghanistan
Under the pretext of responding to the September 11, 2001 attacks in America, the United and States and Great Britain invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom. President Bush 41’ told the American people that the US strikes were,
“…designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime…we will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans. Initially, the terrorists may burrow deeper into caves and other entrenched hiding places…At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, we will also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan… ”
During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidate Obama promised to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq in order to bolster the forces in Afghanistan in order to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda. “It’s time to refocus our attention on the war we have to win in Afghanistan.”
I believe that this tactic was taken by the Obama team in order to placate the anti-Iraq contingent of the American electorate on the left while not leaving himself vulnerable to the “soft on defense” hawkish argument on the right. As a campaign tactic this approach proved to be successful. In reality, this may prove to be one of the greatest miscalculations President Obama has made. The real question here becomes, what’s the best tactic to accomplish this end?
Dr Boyce Talks Ted Kennedy’s Legacy for MSNBC
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.
Wilmer Leon: The Post-Racial Problem in America
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 21st 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.
Dr. Wilmer Leon: Is Health Care Reform on Life Support?
By
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.
Your Black Brothers: Is Obama the End of Black Politics? What a Ridiculous Question
Is Obama the End of Black Politics? What a Ridiculous Question
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Ph.D.
On August 10, 2008 The New York Times published an article by Matt Bai entitled Is Obama the End of Black Politics? The premise of the article is that in 2008, 60 years after Strom Thurmond left the Democratic Party over the issue of integrating the armed forces and 45 years after Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” the Democratic party is poised to deliver its nomination for the nation’s highest office to an African-American, and this some how signals the end of Black politics.
To equate Senator Obama’s historic campaign for the highest office in the land and presumed nomination by the Democratic Party with the end of Black politics demonstrates that the author does not understand either issue. The fact that The New York Times would publish such rubbish begs the same questions that were recently asked about The New Yorker magazine, “…are these editors serious….are they paying any attention to what they are publishing?”
All too often writers, journalists, reporters, and analysts, demonstrate their ignorance of African American people and the African American experience by trying to assign simplistic answers to very complex problems, events, and circumstances […]
More At Your Black Brothers
Your Black Scholar: President Elect Obama – America’s Struggle in Context
President Elect Obama – America’s Struggle in Context
By: Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
With the election of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States, Americans have taken a giant leap forward. It has taken this country 219 years to elect its first African-American president (George Washington was elected in 1789). It is imperative that this historic moment always be viewed within its proper historic context.
[…]
As I think about President-elect Obama’s defeat of Senator John McCain and bask in the comfort of this historic event, I must also fear its backlash. History tells us that white supremacy dies hard in America and its proponents will not take America’s victory lying down.
I think back to 1908 and Jack Johnson’s defeat of Tommy Burns to become the first African-American boxing heavyweight champion of the world. This led to the search for the “Great White Hope,” James Jackson Jefferies. Before Johnson fought Jefferies on July 4, 1910, the crowd chanted, “Kill the nigger.” Johnson’s defeat of Jefferies ignited numerous incidents of white violence against African-Americans. It set off some of the worst racial violence in American history […]
Full Article At Your Black Scholar
Your Black Scholar: The Illusion of Post-Racial America
The Illusion of Post-Racial America
By: Aman Gill
An Obama Victory Would be a Milestone, but Could Stall Struggles Against Racism
It’s increasingly popular to argue that the fuel for unrest has disappeared because the problem of racism has receded into America’s past. This idea has long held sway on the right, but, paradoxically, it’s taken Barack Obama’s candidacy to elevate this persistent right-wing myth into conventional wisdom.
CIVIL RIGHTS UNFULFILLED
“The history he [Obama] needs to know is the history he rejects,” says Lenore Daniels, editorial board member of the Black Commentator, a weekly online magazine. “He rejects the whole Black Power movement: ‘Just the civil rights were fine, we’ll leave it at that, there was progress.’ [But] the Black Power movement is still relevant. That was a movement talking about economic equality, where King left off.”
[…]
Obama’s view of a united, post-racial America is in the tradition of how the political establishment – Democrat and Republican – responded to heightened militancy […]
Full Article At Your Black Scholar
Your Black News: Is The Reparations Movement Dead?
Just a few years ago, at roughly the turn of the millennium, slavery reparations seemed the coming thing. A New York Times article in June 2001 reported that the movement to obtain compensation for slaves’ descendants had “taken on substantial force” and was “gaining steam” both in the nation’s universities and in the black community.
All the major black organizations had signed on, including the NAACP, the Urban League and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Randall Robinson’s book, “The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks,” had hit the bestseller lists in 2000. Many state and local Democratic politicians started to talk up the idea.
Then: nothing. Today, reparations seem to have completely disappeared from the national agenda. Few mention them anymore. What happened?
Your Black Scholar: Exclusive Interview With Dr. Cornel West On Obama, Colin Powell, Hip-Hop & More
STICKY POST — SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST ENTRIES:
Interview with Princeton Professor and acclaimed scholar, Dr. Cornel West, by Tolu Olorunda.
He is, perhaps, the most well-known public scholar the universe has to offer. Alongside that, Dr. Cornel West has also been celebrated as, America’s leading public intellectual. Judging from his scholarly work, dedication, perseverance, intellectual curiosity and diligence, one can certainly confirm the role he plays as a distinct leader of his peers. Dr. West has continuously proved to be a multi-generational force for good. Through the publication of books, Hip-Hop albums and television specials aimed at young adults, Dr. Cornel West has impacted and transformed a whole generation of love-starved and directionless people. His wit notwithstanding, Dr. West’s ability to interpret the harsh conditions of the financially-disempowered is parallel to none. I had the distinguished pleasure of engaging in dialogue with this esteemed scholar on a wide swath of issues affecting our daily lives. I spoke with him on issues including, the presidential campaign of Sen. Obama, Gen. Colin Powell’s endorsement, the role of progressives in an Obama administration, “Hope on a Tightrope,” Hip-Hop, the next generation of Black public intellectuals, and much more:
Thanks for joining us. What has Dr. West been up to lately?
Oh, I’ve been on the moon. I did 15 events for Brother Obama in Ohio, this past weekend. I did 12, the weekend before that. I’ve been to Seattle, Alabama; teaching full time. I’m blessed though, brother.
How does it feel being a surrogate for Sen. Obama’s historic presidential run?
Well, it’s a good thing, because in the end, it’s really about empowering everyday people, and he’s a major vehicle for that. He’s got some genius and inspiring people that give him a sense of possibility and hope. So, it’s a beautiful thing. But there’s always a tension there because I still got to speak my mind. So, I got my criticisms of the brother; but the most important thing to do, is a full-court press to get people out to vote, and to make sure that we contribute to this democratic awakening that’s taking place. This greed out here is running amok, man.
On the subject of greed; you’ve often talked about the melting of the Ice-Age. Do you feel the Democratic platform addresses poverty in a substantive fashion?
Well, it doesn’t address it as much as I would like […]
Your Black Scholar: Exclusive Interview With Dr. Cornel West On Obama, Colin Powell, Hip-Hop & More
STICKY POST — SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST ENTRIES:
Interview with Princeton Professor and acclaimed scholar, Dr. Cornel West, by Tolu Olorunda.
He is, perhaps, the most well-known public scholar the universe has to offer. Alongside that, Dr. Cornel West has also been celebrated as, America’s leading public intellectual. Judging from his scholarly work, dedication, perseverance, intellectual curiosity and diligence, one can certainly confirm the role he plays as a distinct leader of his peers. Dr. West has continuously proved to be a multi-generational force for good. Through the publication of books, Hip-Hop albums and television specials aimed at young adults, Dr. Cornel West has impacted and transformed a whole generation of love-starved and directionless people. His wit notwithstanding, Dr. West’s ability to interpret the harsh conditions of the financially-disempowered is parallel to none. I had the distinguished pleasure of engaging in dialogue with this esteemed scholar on a wide swath of issues affecting our daily lives. I spoke with him on issues including, the presidential campaign of Sen. Obama, Gen. Colin Powell’s endorsement, the role of progressives in an Obama administration, “Hope on a Tightrope,” Hip-Hop, the next generation of Black public intellectuals, and much more:
Thanks for joining us. What has Dr. West been up to lately?
Oh, I’ve been on the moon. I did 15 events for Brother Obama in Ohio, this past weekend. I did 12, the weekend before that. I’ve been to Seattle, Alabama; teaching full time. I’m blessed though, brother.
How does it feel being a surrogate for Sen. Obama’s historic presidential run?
Well, it’s a good thing, because in the end, it’s really about empowering everyday people, and he’s a major vehicle for that. He’s got some genius and inspiring people that give him a sense of possibility and hope. So, it’s a beautiful thing. But there’s always a tension there because I still got to speak my mind. So, I got my criticisms of the brother; but the most important thing to do, is a full-court press to get people out to vote, and to make sure that we contribute to this democratic awakening that’s taking place. This greed out here is running amok, man.
On the subject of greed; you’ve often talked about the melting of the Ice-Age. Do you feel the Democratic platform addresses poverty in a substantive fashion?
Well, it doesn’t address it as much as I would like […]
Your Black Politics: FOX News Calls Obama Presidency “Unfortunate”
The common-sense bandits – also known as FOX News – are at it again. This time, the insinuation is loud and clear. In an interview with Sen. John McCain, FOX News host, Chris Wallace, asked the Republican Presidential Nominee what life would look like if he lost to Sen. Obama — come Nov. 4th. In the interview in which Sen. McCain descried Gov. Palin as a, “cold political calculation,” who is a “direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America,” Chris Wallace hinted at an Obama presidency being synonymous to the world tuning “an unfortunate way.” This was the exchange:
WALLACE: … Have you considered – have you even dealt in your mind with the possibility that you could lose, and could you live with that?
MCCAIN: Oh, sure. I mean, I don’t dwell on it. But look. I’ve had a wonderful life. I have to go back and live in Arizona, and be in the United States Senate representing them, and with a wonderful family, and daughters and sons that I’m so proud of, and a – and a life that’s been blessed.
I’m the luckiest guy you have ever interviewed and will ever interview. I’m the most fortunate man on earth, and I thank God for it every single day.
WALLACE: So if the world turns an unfortunate way on November 4th, don’t feel sorry for John McCain?
MCCAIN: Don’t feel sorry for John McCain, and John McCain will be concentrating on not feeling sorry for himself.
Reposted From Your Black Politics
Your Black Scholar: Race Has Affected The 2008 Presidential Election
Race Has Affected the 2008 Presidential Election
By: Prof. Michael Eric Dyson
Educated white voters followed suit, though Obama has had a far more difficult time effectively wooing working class white voters.
That has to do in large part with the effective, if cynical, effort of conservative activists to falsely paint Obama as an unpatriotic figure who pals around with terrorists because he is secretly a Muslim. The manipulation of the public image of Obama as a subversive presence who hates the nation rests on racially coded inferences about unreliable blackness as it tinges the face of American politics. Few quarters in American life have been tolerant of the complex black identities that constitute African American communities.
As a result, a punishing and narrow range of stereotypes have obscured the fact that black struggle for social equality and racial justice was never antithetical to the best interests of the nation […]
More At Your Black Scholar
Your Black Politics: When Your Eloquence Is Called Into Question, You Must Be Black
When Your Eloquence Is Called Into Question, You Must Be Black
By: Tolu Olorunda
Staff Writer – YourBlackWorld.com
They say they want you successful, but then they make it stressful
You start keepin pace, they start changin up the tempo
– Hip Hop Artist, Mos Def
If one was to pay close adherence to the words of Sen. McCain in Wednesday night’s presidential debate, such an individual would be led into believing that eloquence is not a gift, but rather a tactic of political expediency. Eloquence defined as, “the practice or art of using language with fluency and aptness,” took a new meaning in last night’s debate. In the debate, John McCain numerously chided his opponent, Sen. Obama, for Obama’s “eloquence,” which he suggested was nothing other than a tool for confusion, deception and manipulation. Arguing against the Democratic nominee’s stance on off-shore drilling, McCain retorted: “Well, you know, I admire so much Sen. Obama’s eloquence. And you really have to pay attention to words. He said, ‘We will look at offshore drilling.’ Did you get that? ‘Look at.'” Whether Sen. Obama is a skillful politician whose word-play misleads supporters is one thing; but for a nation with an obsession for castigating Ebonics-speaking Blacks, Sen. McCain’s remonstration against Obama’s ability to fluently articulate his proposals is a disturbing development […]
Your Black News: Rev. Jesse Jackson Under Fire For “Zionist” Comments
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is under fire again. This time, for making candid comments regarding “Zionists” who have “controlled American policy for decades.”The Obama & McCain camps have both released statements repudiating Rev. Jackson’s statements. It remains a mystery, however, what indeed is inaccurate or incendiary about the good Reverend’s comments:
The daily quoted the veteran civil rights leader on Tuesday as having said that although “Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades” remain strong, they will lose a much of their clout when Obama enters the White House.
Speaking at the first World Policy Forum event in Evian, France, Jackson promised “fundamental changes” in U.S. foreign policy. He said the most important change would occur in the Middle East, where “decades of putting Israel’s interests first” would end.
Jackson said that Obama “wants an aggressive and dynamic diplomacy.” He went on to criticize the Bush administration’s handling of Middle East diplomacy, telling the Post, “Bush was so afraid of a snafu and of upsetting Israel that he gave the whole thing a miss. Barack will change that,” because, as long as the Palestinians haven’t seen justice, the Middle East will “remain a source of danger to us all.”
Your Black Politics: The Law Of The Jungle – By Fidel Castro
The Law of the Jungle
By: FIDEL CASTRO
Trade, within a society and between countries, is the exchange of goods and services produced by human beings. The owners of the means of production appropriate the profits. As a class, they are the leaders of the capitalist state and they boast of fostering development and social wellbeing through market. This they worship as an infallible God […]
Racism is deeply-rooted in the United States where the mind of millions of people can hardly reconcile with the notion that a black man, with his wife and children could live in the White House, which is precisely called White.
It´s a miracle that the Democratic candidate has not met the same destiny as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and others who only a few decades ago dreamed of justice and equality. He is in the habit of looking at his adversary with serenity and of smiling at the dialectic predicament of an opponent gazing into space.
The Republican candidate, on the other hand, who likes to enhance his reputation as a belligerent man, was one of the worst students in his class at West Point. He has confessed that he did not know any Mathematics; it can thus be assumed that he knew less of the complicated economic science.
The truth is his adversary surpasses him in cleverness and composure.
Something McCain has aplenty is age, and his health condition is not safe.
I am bringing up these data to indicate that eventually -if anything went wrong with the candidate´s health, in case he is elected- the lady of the riffle, the inexperienced former governor of Alaska could become President of the United States. It can be noticed that she does not know a thing […]
More At Your Black Politics
Sen. Obama Partly Repudiates John Lewis’ Characterization Of McCain Camp
Sen. Obama has responded to the McCain camp’s demand that he denounce the words of Civil Rights’ Icon, John Lewis, in which Lewis condemned the recent occurrences of invective-filled rants at McCain/Palin rallies, as reminiscent of the climate fostered by 60s’ Alabama Governor, George Wallace. Rep. John Lewis, earlier today, remarked that:
“George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights.” Lewis added that “because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.”
In an attempt to ‘play safe,’ while acknowledging the verity of Lewis’ sentiments, the Obama campaign released a statement this evening. It is clear that the Obama camp is nether in direct repudiation, nor embracement, of Rep. John Lewis’ comparison:
“Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies. But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States ‘pals around with terrorists.’ As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together.”
In addition to acknowledged rants of “terrorist,” “traitor,” “off with his head,” “kill him,” and “bomb obama,” at McCain/Palin rallies, News Blaze is reproting that, at a Sarah Pallin rally today, an ‘Obama Monkey Doll’ was proudly showcased by an audience member. From the report:
As the crowd cheered at a Sarah Palin rally this morning in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a man in the audience grinned as he held up a stuffed monkey doll with a Barack Obama bumper sticker wrapped across its forehead.
Your Black Politics: Dr. Cornel West Drives Out The Vote In Ohio
Perhaps the greatest intellectual genius of our time, Dr. Cornel West, makes a brief appearance in Columbus, Ohio to register early voters. He takes time out to remind voters of the crucial consequences of this historic election:
Your Black Politics: McCain Campaign Hopes To Paint Obama As Extremist, Street Thug, Drug User
At what point does the McCain Campaign come out forthrightly and acknowledge the degree to which they loathe the concept of a Black Man/Woman in the White House. In an appearance on the hard-right radio show of Laura Ingraham, Gov. Palin did not mince words in characterizing Sen. Obama as the epitome of a Black terrorist sympathizer:
“Barack Obama hasn’t told the American people the total truth about that, about his association with Ayers. Doggonit he fails to tell the American people with candor and with truthfulness what his associations are and we have to know… You know there are only, what, 26 days to go…”
She added that “Barack Obama is so far out of mainstream America,” and would diminish the prestige of the United States presidency:
“What does it say when Barack Obama says he would sit down unconditionally with Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il and others, unconditionally, and I guess sort of hand over some of the prestige of the United States presidency and validate, I think validate, some of the positions that these dictators have taken.”
This comes on the heels of a McCain Co-Chair accusing Barack Obama of being a extremist, who is both a drug user and a street thug. He suggested that Sen. Obama ought to admit:
“‘You know, I’ve got to be honest with you. I was a guy of the street. I was way to the left. I used cocaine. I voted liberally, but I’m back at the center.'”
Your Black Politics: Sen. McCain On Barack Obama: “That One”
Apparently, Sen. McCain’s memory herbal-supplements are as worthless as Howard Dean for President bumper stickers. For he must have forgot his campaign strategist’s many warnings to avoid any racially-stoked or condescending remarks toward Obama. In addition to referring to Obama as, “That one,” Sen. McCain stunningly informed the Black questioner, pictured above, that, “I’ll bet you, you may never even have heard of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before this crisis.”:
Your Black Politics: “First Black President” Confronts Reality: Will Black Folks Follow Suit?
By: Tolu Olorunda
Staff Writer – YourBlackWorld.com
“I tell you this much, it’s up to every one of you/
Learn from the past or the future will punish you/
Power flows to those who remember/”
– Hip-Hop artist and philosopher, Canibus, in his 2002 album, Mic Club: The Curriculum.
Perhaps at this very moment, Grand-Author, Toni Morrison, is recanting her 1998 words, suggesting that Bill Clinton was the embodiment of the “first black president,” because he displayed “almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald’s-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas.” For what good is it to be an esteemed culture critic, and have the memories of an ill-conceived statement lurking behind your every mention and declaration. But upon a moments’ reflection, Ms. Morrison is merely a mirror-image of the heartfelt conviction of millions of Black folks who, having being mesmerized by the allure of a president who went the extra mile in rendering unfulfillable promises, had become emotionally overdosed and dwarfed by political immaturity. One thing is for certain however: 99% of the Black population which believed Bill “Bubba” Clinton to be the first black president holds no such sentiment anymore. With Barack Obama’s emergence as the new Messiah, most of those Black voters have little need for the “counterfeit” Black president, when the possibility of a “real” Black president is more tangible than ever before…
Read Full Article At Your Black Politics
Your Black Life: FOX News & Greta Van Susteren Attack Gwen Ifill
FOX News’s Greta Van Susteren, who last week compared Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright to reputed Klansman David Duke, took a curious look, last night, at the folly-induced controversy brewing over legendary journalist/moderator Gwen Ifill’s status as the moderator for tonight’s V.P. debate. In a segment titled, “Fair and Balanced?” the FOX News tabloid queen went to unbelievable lengths in attacking the character, integrity and dignity of Ms. Ifill — all the while claiming to be doing otherwise. As most YBW readers are aware, FOX News is neither fair nor balanced to begin with, and when journalistic ethics are mentioned, FOX is nowhere to be found. This intentional chauvinistic and racist assault upon Gwen Ifill’s character confirms two things. First, that Black women are still subjugated to the consideration, analysis, preference and dictate of White men — a la Michelle Obama. Secondly, that the GOP is so fretful over the expectable disastrous performance by their V.P. selection tonight – Gov. Palin – and a preemptive strike against the moderator was strategically formulated to make an excuse for why Palin might not be able to answer questions in a coherent and decipherable format. Gwen Ifill, being the brilliant and elegant journalist that she is, responded in an AP interview yesterday, questioning her detractors if “they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?” As one might suspect, the silence was deafening. So I say more power to Gwen Ifill, for she is the embodiment of the great legacies of fierce Black Women such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Callie House. As for FOX News and Greta Van Susteren, they only furthermore proved to be the goose which lays a thousand retarded eggs:
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Your Black News: Where Is The Black Agenda For Barack Obama?
The first black president of the United States cannot credibly govern without a national black agenda. But don’t depend on him to front it.
For the last 22 months, Sen. Barack Obama had one priority: getting elected.
Black progressives have a different, urgent mission: to put meat on the bones of a black economic and social compact.
It’s payback time. […]
Obama knows that if black people allow parochial and self-interested operators to nibble away at his ankles, black America will be the biggest loser.
But the conversation is long overdue.
Obama’s dodge around race was exquisitely choreographed. Practically the only black concerns he has addressed are his weak nod to affirmative action and his stump-speech admonishments to wayward black fathers and that trifling “Cousin Pookie” — a name he often referenced in his speeches to black audiences. […]
Black progressives need to now lay out an agenda. Start with equitable educational opportunities for African Americans. Fifty-four years after Brown v. Board of Education, black schoolchildren are still relegated to the bottom of the educational opportunity barrel […]
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