Should Ebonics Be Taught in School?

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

I wrote recently about how the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is now seeking to hire Ebonics translators to help them to apprehend drug dealers. The group seems to believe that by learning the underpinnings of urban language, it can find a way to bring down "Pookie nem" on the corner. The website Newsy.com covered the article that I wrote, with a few other scholars providing their own insights into how and why this decision might be implemented. While I am certainly listening to the discussion, I am not sure what it would mean to establish Ebonics as it's own language or to try to teach it in school.

Does the teaching of Ebonics mean that we treat urban dialect as a class? If the kids and teachers acknowledge the language structure of Ebonics, do we continue to reinforce the use of what some might consider broken English? If the language is acknowledged in school, does that mean Employers and universities will accept graduates who speak and write in Ebonics? If not, is there any sense in solidifying a student's desire to speak in a way that doesn't match the rest of us? I'm not so sure.

 

Click to read.

Black Politics, President Obama and Hurricane Katrina

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University Scholarship in Action 

I still remember when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans five years ago. I'd just attended the Essence Music Festival the year before, only to hear that the very same streets I'd visited were now flooded with water. It was also the week of my first confrontation with Sean Hannity on the air. Donald Rumsfeld had come on the show right before me, and Hannity and I were arguing about why it seemed that the government spent more time planning to shoot "looters" than actually saving the people in the flood. Rarely before Katrina had we witnessed such a gross dehumanization of our fellow American citizens.
President Obama sought to commemorate the anniversary of Katrina by speaking in New Orleans this weekend. He told the students at Xavier University that he plans to stand with the community when it comes to making sure they know the Federal Government is behind them in the on-going quest for full recovery.
"My administration is going to stand with you, and fight alongside you, until the job is done," Obama said.

 

Click to read.

Black Student Helps Invent Electric Car that Goes 400 Miles Per Gallon

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

 

Kansas City, Missouri is one of my favorite places in the world. I have friends there that I respect, and I've grown an appreciation for the African American community in that city. One of the things I noticed about Kansas City is that there are both reasons for despair, and rays of light that provide tremendous promise. One of those lights is a student by the name of Kelvin Duley.
Duley was part of a team at De LaSalle High School, which invented an electric car that can travel 300 miles per gallon. Last month, Dooley said he wanted to grow up to be a professional basketball player. Now, he says he wants to become an engineer. This experience has changed him for life.

 

CClick to read.

Black Valedictorian Gives Shocking Diversity Speech

by Lawrence Watkins – Great Black Speakers

When Justin Hudson gave his valedictorian speech at his Hunter College High School graduation, he made it one that people will remember for decades. In the speech, Hudson went beyond providing vague advice or encouragement for his classmates. Hudson instead chose to use his opportunity to push his high school school to end a flawed admissions policy that keeps Hunter College High School from developing adequate racial diversity.
"I feel guilt because I don't deserve any of this and neither do any of you," Hudson said in his speech, as reported by Diverseeducation.com. "We received an outstanding education at no charge based solely on our performance on a test we took when we were 11-year-olds or 4-year-olds."

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University of Alabama Huntsville Shooting

U. Alabama Huntsville is confirming that three people were killed in a campus shooting.  The suspect was a female.  Another student was injured, and the woman is in custody.  Another student was injured as well.  The shooting took place in the science building.

Black Student News: Diddy Weighs in on the Howard Student Protests

Diddy has tweeted his way into the fold of the protests going on with students at Howard University.  Here is a sample of what he has released:

 "NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE!!! Let me know if yall need me to come down there yall! I got yall BACK! Let's go!!!"
And just to be clear he's not encouraging violence, Diddy then wrote, "Do what we did and take IT OVER!!!! Let's go! And do it in a peaceful way but DO IT!! ... If your at HU go to the A building now and make sure they feel you!!! And send me updates!!! Let's go!"

Dr. Boyce: Why Black Professors Need to Shout

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

Professor Larry Moore at The University of Memphis is on a mission. The African American professor has decided to take on his campus for not being diverse enough. Dr. Moore has done what black professors and students across America are doing, which is holding their campuses accountable for their lack of desire to recruit, promote, and reward faculty of color. This issue affects everyone, since most black college students never have the chance to be taught by an African American without taking courses in the African American Studies Department.

In an open letter written to state legislators, Dr. Moore has made his issue clear to the American public and put his university "on blast" for problematic recruitment and retention procedures. As a fellow business school professor myself, I say to Dr. Moore, "Way to go brother."

Click to read more.

More Chris Brown and Rihanna Details Emerge

New details are emerging about Chris and Rihanna's domestic dispute that happened during Grammy Night! According to what Rihanna has said in a police report Chris has been abusive before! Read below for the juice via hollyscoop:
According to Police reports, Rihanna claims that Chris has hit her in the past and she referred to it as an ongoing and escalating abusive relationship.
When Rihanna first spoke to LAPD she refused to tell them what started the argument that night. We’ve now learned that it was the result of another woman sending Chris a text message about meeting up later on in the night.
During the argument, according to the police report, she ordered him to drive her home and “faked a call” to someone, saying things like, “He’s dropping me off. Make sure the cops are there,” reports TMZ. This enraged Chris.
He then said something to the effect of “You are really fu**ed up now. I’m going to kill you.” That’s when Chris allegedly began his violent attack with his fists.
At some point during the attack Rihanna took the car keys out of the ignition and threw them outside. He reportedly went outside to look for them, and returned back to the car and allegedly choked her. That’s when she lost consciousness and a witness called 911.
Based on Rihanna’s statement and her injuries Chris will definitely face a felony domestic battery charge, but it’s unclear at this time whether or not that’s the only charge he’ll get because evidence that he made criminal threats against Rihanna is kind of thin.
Damn hate to say I told ya so but damn I TOLD YA'LL ASSES he had to have hit her before for it to escalate to this! I blame publicity for trying to make these kids seem perfect! SHIT happens! I'm also hearing Chris' music is being yanked from airwaves due to his recent legal issues! Damn just when we thought no one could f*ck up their career more than R.Kelly or Kobe Bryant, Chris comes along and does this :-(

posted by Lady Drama @ 1:44 PM 0 comments

Technorati Tags: chris brown,rihanna,chris brown domestic violence,black news,african american news,black celebrities,african american celebrities

Black Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin is Youngest Ever to Win Super Bowl

Never ever pretty. Never perfect.

That's head coach Mike Tomlin's mantra for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But after Sunday night's come-from-behind 27-23 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl, Tomlin's found something pretty to add to the team's trophy case.

A record-breaking sixth Lombardi Trophy.

ROONEY RULE: Goodell stops short of calling for its end

THE HUDDLE: Tomlin was prepared to take intentional safety

It didn't come easy. The Steelers surrendered a 20-7 fourth-quarter lead with a safety and two touchdowns by Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. But Tomlin calmly rallied his troops for a championship-winning drive in the final minute.

"We have a team that doesn't blink in the face of adversity," Tomlin said. "It's never going to be pretty or perfect."

Tomlin kept his emotions in check when Fitzgerald, in a very un-Steelers-like way, scored a spectacular 64-yard touchdown with 2:37 left to give the Cardinals a 23-20 lead.

"I actually was thinking that if they were going to score, that's how you want them to — extremely quickly," Tomlin said.

 

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: mike tomlin,black coaches,black athletes,african american coaches,african american athletes

Your Black College: The "Miseducation" of Black Youth

Going to a prestigious university, and having come from a well recognized series of primary and secondary education is a blessing that I never take for granted. My high school’s graduating rate was about 90% my senior year, and moved up to 94% the year after. Out of about 500 seniors, less than 100 are not continuing on to higher education or vocational options.

A fifteen minute metro train ride from my high school in Maryland will take you to the D.C. public school system, where everything is the complete opposite. Washington D.C. public schools have received and/or tied for the lowest rankings in the country as far as basic learning skills, test scores, drop-out rates, poverty make-up, and safety issues are concerned. The Washington Post featured an article about whether or not the District schools are fixable. Noting that

“After decades of reforms, three out of four students fall below math standards. More money is spent running the schools than on teaching. And urgent repair jobs take more than a year…”

Washington Post article

There is a deeper issue than this. I think the most important thing that contributes to the success of students in any school system, is the attention paid to the racial make-up of these students and their needs, their economic backgrounds, the lack of motivation, and the unfortunate plight of using property taxes to pay for the upkeep of schools in cities where property tax is low or properties are not owned.

Most of the students that attended my high school come from middle-class, single family homes and townhouses, decent paying jobs, and safer-than-most neighborhoods. At a glance I would say the school is about 56% white, 26% Black, 10% Asian, 6% Hispanic, and the rest a combination of smaller populations.

In the cities where most Black and Hispanic families are, the Black population can sometimes be as high as 98% and the poverty level beyond belief. Even the city of Syracuse, where I attend the university, sees similar results to those of the D.C. public schooling systems. The problems are repetitive. More attention is given to thriving schools that have enough money coming in from their property taxes to pay for newer and better facilities and equipment. More parents in these thriving schools are actually involved with the schooling of their children. More teachers and guidance counselors are helpful to students that don’t pose as threats to their safety.

My younger sister is the president of her high school’s NAACP Youth Leadership Chapter, so when I am home, I attend some of the meetings with her. In almost every meeting, the topic has been about how to get the Black students of Maryland and D.C. public schools motivated enough to come to school, stay in school, and graduate to higher learning.

Too many of our youth are “miseducated” about their chances of success. The guidance counselors and teachers in these schools of urban areas suggest these students consider working after high school instead of going to college. The parents either did not go to college and don’t tell their children they should, or are not home enough to really be involved with their child’s education (although, I do understand that some parents have no choice but to work- sometimes multiple jobs, sometimes for single parent families).

Too many children drop out and follow lives of crime or become pregnant. Those that drop out are often times not given any reason or motivation to go back. Too many children believe that rappers and athletes are the only moneymakers, and therefore see no point in school for those talents ( what about doctors, lawyers, journalists, businessmen/ or women…?), and finally, too many children are not informed about the MANY scholarships, programs, fee waivers and resources that can help them succeed regardless of their race, gender, family, and economic standing.

The problems are repetitive. The initiative has been taken, but the results are far from where they need to be. I do not think it is Obama’s job to come to the rescue of the Black community. What he can maybe do for the school systems, is see to it that the governors of each state make sure that funding is equalized for all of their areas.

Kanye West said in his song “Champion”:

“‘Cause who the kids gonna listen to, huh?/ I guess me if it isn’t you”

I take that as a personal challenge. Whether or not you have children, it is our duty as members of the Black community to see our kids succeed. Better yet, it is our duty as members of the human race to see all kids succeed. They at least need to know that they have options, because success does not only mean going to college, it means living up to their fullest potentials- whatever that may be.

Black Female May have been Murdered in Army, but ruled a suicide

19 year old Lavena Johnson was murdered in the army and brutalized. The military has ruled her death a suicide. People don't agree.

African Americans Protest Fox News Racist Attitudes toward Black People

Black people are getting tired of fox. It's time for their racism to end. This video expresses the concern that many people are having about Fox and encourages people to do something about it.

Things We’re Thankful Our Parents Aren’t In College With Us to See

While I’m away at college I often find myself saying “Thank God my mom isn’t here to see this”. When I heard my close friend say the same thing one day, I decided to ask around and compile a list of the top 10 things we are so thankful that our parents are not there for. Here are some of the funniest, and best reasons why black kids have so much fun in college.


Things We’re Thankful Our Parents Aren’t In College With Us to See:

1. Our “sex-capades” (the sexual behavior). Obviously. It may not be your precious little angels, but “that girl” or “that boy” that we know down the hall definitely doesn’t want his/her parents to find out what they’ve been doing.

2. Our morning classroom naps. Maybe you will understand why we sleep through some classes (or don’t even go at all) when you sit through one of those boring writing or statistics lectures at 8:25am.

3. Our laundry habits. We don’t separate the colors. Some of us don’t even know the difference between detergent and fabric softener.

4. Our ears. Cleaning the ears was something for the parents to do, since they could see them. They don’t really bother us, out of sight…out of mind. Cue-Tips are now widely used for removing nail polish or make up.

5. Our eating habits. So pizza can be breakfast, cereal can be dinner, and wings are usually fourth-meal (2am snack). Most of us only get fruit servings through Gushers’ candy, and the only veggies we see are the celery sticks that come with the wings.

6. Our parties. Well…we just don’t dance like you do. That’s all.

7. Our procrastination. Actually, some of us might benefit from having our parents to remind us about those papers. It would save us from pulling the all-nighters!

8. Our video game habits. Without parents there to tell us to stop playing and come for dinner, we don’t.

9. Our outfits. Sometimes looking nice and presentable is too much of a hassle. Other times showering and wearing clothes at all is too much of a hassle.

10. Our Facebook profiles. Thank goodness for privacy settings.

Some parents reading this might find this compilation quite comical. Others are probably concerned and wondering about what their kids are doing. But, think about your own college experiences. It is the same script, different cast. For the most part, these behaviors are not life threatening. Most of the above is all part of the fun of college no matter what graduating class you are, they never change. Besides, if we’re not failing out of school, there’s no need to worry! Parents ought to give their college students a lot of credit. We somehow manage to survive and figure things out for ourselves, and that is how you know you’ve done a good job in raising us.

The fascinating parallels between two 20th century geniuses: Martin Luther King and Albert Einstein

by Kevin D. Johnson, Your Black World Contributor and Publisher of AUC Magazine

As I learn more about the great minds of the 20th century by reading in-depth biographies, I realize that popular culture often has the unfortunate effect on shaping the ideas and thoughts that we have about our country’s most important heroes. From a financial company that carelessly uses the image of penny-pinching Ben Franklin, to a brewery that peddles images of American patriot Samuel Adams to gain more loyal customers, it seems as if such desecration is becoming more common. As a result, we begin to recognize American icons in the most simplistic and incomplete ways. Such is the case with Martin Luther King, Jr., the charismatic leader of oppressed black people, and Albert Einstein, the spike-haired scientist responsible for the most famous equation in modern science: E = mc2.



With a closer look, the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Albert Einstein reveal much more than the watered-down and sometimes sacrilegious portrayals of both men found in modern media. Martin Luther King, Jr. represented so much more than black civil rights in the 1960s. Likewise, Albert Einstein was so much more than a brilliant theoretical physicist. After exploring the lives of these individuals and their true passions, I stumbled upon the fascinating parallels between the two; something that because of my cursory understanding of them, I never thought was possible. My discovery –though nothing extraordinary– was at the least inspiring.



Of the many parallels I found, three stood out as the most interesting and lesser-known. The first commonality is that both men believed in absolutism. In his sermon entitled “Rediscovering Lost Values”, King speaks unequivocally about his belief that there are moral absolutes just as there are physical absolutes. “There are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws… Because we unconsciously know that there is a final law of gravitation… even if we don't know it in its Newtonian formulation…we just don't jump off the highest building in Detroit for the fun of it… Some things are right and some things are wrong. Eternally so, absolutely so.”



Similarly, Einstein believed in the absolute physical world. His amazing theory of relativity was one of the most misinterpreted theories in scientific history. The Relativity Theory does not purport that “everything is relative”, especially in a moral sense. Instead it posits, in the realm of science only, that spacetime remains invariant in all inertial frames. In fact, Einstein considered calling his creation the Invariance Theory. Later in life, he struggled to find a unified field theory that would further prove the invariance and structure of the physical world. He would search for the answer unsuccessfully until his very last breath.



Second, both men were outspoken pacifists and supported the idea of democratic socialism. Though in the 1960s it was unpopular to protest the Vietnam War and by doing so directly challenge the policy of the United States , King vociferously denounced all forms of war and violence. His adversaries believed that criticizing the military policy of the United States was un-American and that he should stay within his lot: civil rights for Negroes. King had a bigger vision for his movement and proceeded to broaden his message to include advocating equal distribution of wealth on behalf of poor people. King paid the ultimate high price for his democratic socialist beliefs, provoking even more public ridicule and intrusion by the FBI. Some would argue that not until King preached a message of “reconstruction of society itself” was he doomed.



Likewise, Einstein had a strong aversion to militarism and jingoism from an early age, so much so that he renounced his German citizenship at the age of seventeen. Growing up a Jew in Europe during the early part of the 20th century shaped Einstein’s political ideology. He witnessed first-hand the effects of the First World War that eventually led to Hitler coming to power in 1933 and the expulsion of millions of persecuted Jews from Europe . Many criticized Einstein for meddling in international political affairs, but his sincere passion for establishing world peace equaled that of his scientific aspirations during the latter portion of his life. His much lesser-known passion was evinced by his unwavering support of antiwar organizations and numerous public speeches against war. Like King, Einstein admired Ghandi (he hung a picture of him in his office) and urged the use of civil disobedience to resist war and injustice. As a result of Einstein’s support of pacifist ideas, he too fought false accusations of being a communist. Einstein’s FBI dossier contained 1,427 pages, none of which recorded any incriminating evidence. Though not a supporter of pure socialism, he did believe that the combination of democratic and socialist ideas was the ideal political system.



Third and most importantly, both men defied conventional thinking, and by doing so greatly expanded the limits of our social and physical world. As a world watched peaceful organizers march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Alabama only to suffer at the hands of a violent mob of policemen, many questioned the non-violent tactics employed by King and his followers to fight the evils of segregation. Not until the civil rights movement of the 1960s was civil disobedience used on a mass scale in the United States . Though the idea of civil disobedience was not his creation, King was able to utilize an unconventional tactic to successfully fight against racial injustice and precipitate the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



In the same way, Einstein’s genius can be found in the way his mind worked, not necessarily in the end result. For example, Einstein imagined what it would be like to race beside a beam of light. His creative thought experiments served as the basis for his theories including the Theory of Special Relativity and the Law of the Photoelectric Effect. Such radical thinking based on a deductive approach formed the theoretical basis that enabled the development of several technological breakthroughs such as the atom bomb and laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). Einstein’s ability to conjure up the most creative thought experiments, which eventually were verified through mathematical and empirical proof, was revolutionary. All throughout his life he was a nonconformist, and therefore advocated tolerance of free thought.



Finally, I do not know if Martin Luther King, Jr. and Albert Einstein ever had the opportunity to meet each other. However, I am sure that the two Nobel Prize winners would revel in each other’s company. Perhaps King would thank Einstein for hosting contralto Marian Anderson at his house because the Nassau Inn refused her a room when she visited Princeton for a performance. Maybe Einstein would commend King for his fight for human rights and engage him in a conversation about the most effective means to prevent nuclear proliferation. Regardless of how that meeting would have gone, I am sure of one thing: it would have been a beautiful fusion of genius. Simply put, the individual accomplishments of King and Einstein will forever secure their names in history, but when compared to one another reveal an unexpected commonality of unabashed resolve, social consciousness, and intellectual genius that is ever more inspiring.

WTF: Why Don't McDonald's Workers Wear Gloves?

It's 5 in the morning in beautiful East St.Louis, Illinois


1. Lisa, a stripper, takes her night's worth of salary home and counts it.

2. Most of the dollar bills have been saturated with vaginal juice, alcohol, sweat and possibly various forms of communicable diseases.

3. Lisa is hungry after a 10 hour shift, so she decides to fulfill her hunger at McDonalds. She takes 3.50 of her $500 worth of work and buys an Egg McMuffin Value Meal.

4. Ernest, the McDonalds morning crew manager, takes these storied bills and places them in his register.

5. Ernest proceeds to make the Egg McMuffin Value Meal with NO GLOVES ON.

6. Lisa devours the Egg McMuffin Value Meal that was prepared with NO GLOVES ON.

7. Daunte (me) orders 2 Sausage, Egg and Cheese Value Meals.

8. Ernest, the McDonalds morning crew manager, takes my money and places them in his register and gives me back 3 dollar bills. (The same 3 bills Lisa gave him)

9. Ernest prepares my 2 Sausage, Egg and Cheese Value Meals with NO GLOVES ON.

10. I quickly scarf my meal that was prepared with NO GLOVES ON.

11. Daunte’s sick


The End


This story sounds very far-fetched and possibly outlandish, yet at least 2 or 3 of those gross things occur at McDonalds every time you go.


Every time I go to McDonalds I see one or more of the following:

-workers preparing food with NO GLOVES ON

-managers taking money from customers and then preparing my food with NO GLOVES ON

-workers using the bathroom and not washing their hands


When I was around 6 0r 7, I distinctly remember food service being cleaner; workers used gloves, there was a distinct system of duties that didn't allow people to handle money and prepare food. Where has all of that gone? I'm sorry but hand sanitizer isn’t good enough for me, people need to wash their hands with HOT water and used gloves. I don’t mean to just point out McDonalds because Popeye’s, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and many other fast food places don’t use gloves. I'm glad restaurants don’t have a visible kitchen because I'm sure there are worse.


I know McDonalds has the best fries but just be mindful that you might be eating a Big Mac with cheese, influenza, yeast infection and ketchup. Just a thought.

Pimp C Was Killed by Over The Counter Overdose

Pimp C, a high-powered artist that was part of the group UGK, was found to have died from an overdose of over the counter cough medicine, according to the LA County coroner.

Pimp C, whose real name was Chad Butler, was found dead on December 4, but it took two months to determine his cause of death. The coroner's report stated that the death was "due to promethazine/codeine effects and other unestablished factors."

Ed Winter, the Assistant Chief of the Coroner's office, said that the levels of the medication were high, but not high enough for an overdose. However, the high levels of cough medicine, mixed with Butler's sleep apnea, created the deadly combination.

Pimp C was part of the hot hip-hop team UGK, along with rap artist Bun B. The group hit #1 with their last release "Underground Kingz."

Pimp C's cause of death led to some controversy after UGK recorded "Sippin on some Sizzurp", which some connect with cough syrup. The rap lyrics included one controversial line: "I'm choking on that doja sweet and sipping on that sizz-erp."

The medication that led to Pimp C's overdose has been considered popular in the south for young people who want to get high. Rap artist Big Mo even called Houston "City of Syrup", for being known for recreational cough syrup consumption.

Jose Martinez, a DEA special agent, said that the cough syrup is only available by pescription, but that it's recreational use is widespread.

"It is not uncommon to see large quantities of the controlled substance being sold and transported," he said.

The medication found in Pimp C's hotel room carries a warning against use by those with sleep apnea.

An Obama Nation: Are We Ready for Change?

by Kevin D. Johnson, Publisher of AUC Magazine

Depending on your political persuasion, the title of this piece connotes a change for the better or a change for the worse. To those Democrats who believe this country needs a new face in the White House, Barack Obama seems to be the clear choice, but to those who are staunch Republicans, Obama's unprecedented political success would be best described in homonymic terms: an abomination.



No matter what your opinion of Obama, one thing is certain: this country has never witnessed such a well-organized, awe-inspiring campaign such as Obama's presidential run. Regardless of race, gender, and socio-economic background, the charismatic senator has ascended, in a relatively short time, the political ranks to coalesce millions of Americans around a mantra of hope and change.



My fascination with the campaign of "hope and change" started in February of last year, two weeks after Obama's official presidential campaign announcement. Somewhat bitten by the political bug, I decided on a whim to attend an informal meeting at a Starbucks in a northern suburb of Atlanta . A group of about thirty diverse people gathered to meet one another, share why they support Obama, volunteer for tasks, and discuss how to recruit more people to the campaign. As an aloof spectator, I was amazed to see the dynamics of the enthusiastic meeting, organized and facilitated by the kind of diverse leadership that has become synonymous with Obama's campaign. I knew something was brewing after that meeting and decided to find out more.



I quickly read Obama's The Audacity of Hope, a beautifully written semi-autobiographical book that avoids delving too deep into policy, but gives the reader —regardless of the extent of their political knowledge— enough substance and fresh perspective to crave more. After doing my due diligence on all presidential candidates, I was convinced that Obama was a competitive candidate capable of winning the White House. I then decided to contribute to the campaign even though my complete allegiance to his cause was not decided.



Having had a few opportunities to meet and talk with the Obamas, both Barack and his wife Michelle, I can say firsthand that the hype is real; it is palpable. I was honored to walk beside him and the Clintons during the commemoration of Bloody Sunday in Selma , Alabama of March of last year. Later that month, I was honored to be the youngest co-host of Obama's first visit to Atlanta as a presidential candidate where alongside my co-hosts including distinguished Atlantans Lisa Borders, David Adelman and Sandra Baccus, we raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. My participation in the campaign continues in various ways. As a contributor, I have noticed that no matter where I am with or without Obama's presence, the excitement and mobilization of people to make change is astonishing; no other candidate has been able to engender such a response from the American populous, especially among the young.



Despite Obama's unique ability to bring together people from all walks of life, I often get asked (primarily from black people): Do you think we are ready for a black president? This question is ridiculous because it implies that the merit of Obama has little if any significance in his ability to take this country to the next level, that his blackness will always becloud his ability to lead and bring together this country, something that he has already done to an extraordinary degree. Such negativity cloaked with a tone of compassionate concern shows no faith in the American people to transcend race. In my opinion, the question reflects poorly on the person asking it and points to their own lack of self-esteem and vision. Perhaps these people are the posterity of those who asked Dr. King, "Do you think the country is ready for us to demand civil rights?" Or maybe they asked John F. Kennedy, "Do you honestly think we can put a man on the moon?" Or maybe they doubted the timing of Abraham Lincoln's agenda by asking, "Do you think the country is ready for the abolition of slavery?"



By no means am I a political pundit able to pontificate with the likes of George Stefanopolis or Sean Hannity. My attempt at passing National Government 251 in college was pathetic at best. I do, however, pride myself like most Americans on being able to follow along with the best political analysts and to determine what I think is the best vision for the future of the United States of America . Currently, this country needs a leader who can imbue an emaciated nation with hope, and not a kind of fraudulent hope that has been trumpeted by Obama detractors, but a kind of hope that inspires people to act and play a meaningful part in their government to improve their circumstance, the quintessence of American democracy. To me, the only candidate who has thus far proven his or her ability to do this is Barack Obama, who in his own words can "rally Americans from all walks of life around a common purpose, a higher purpose".



The nation is ready for change!

Lil Wayne Arrested for Drugs

Lil Wayne, the hottest rapper in America right now, was arrested for felony drug possession early Wednesday. The arrest occurred as the bus was being stopped at the California-Arizona border checkpoint.

Lil Wayne, actually named Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was arrested for alleged possession of cocaine and ecstasy, in addition to drug paraphernalia. He was being held in the Yuma County Jail on a $10,185 bond.

Other passengers on the bus with Lil Wayne included Curtis Stewart and Harold Johnson, who were both arrested for marijuana possession.

The bus was stopped by the Border Patrol agents at 11:30 pm Tuesday, after a dog smelled drugs on board. The amount of drugs on the bus included the following:

105 grams of marijuana
29 grams of cocaine
41 grams of ecstasy

Authorities also allegedly recovered a .40 caliber pistol. The gun was registered to Lil Wayne.

Lil Wayne is not the only hot rapper to be arrested recently. The rapper TI was also arrested for felony weapons possession. The rappers are not without support. Dr. Boyce Watkins argued in a recent column that the scrutiny of rappers can lead to excess incarceration at times.

"If anyone had the feds following them around the country all the time, many of us would end up in jail," says Dr. Watkins. "This does not imply that I think Lil Wayne is a good person, I am not sure of that. But the truth is that many Hollywood celebs engage in drug abuse, but they are not being followed around by the cops."

Noose Cover Draws Fire for Golfweek Magazine

Golfweek Magazine announced that it had fired editor Dave Seanor after Seanor agreed to put a noose on the cover of the magazine. The noose was in response to a recent event in which PGA tour commentator Kelly Tilghman jokingly said that Tiger Woods should be "lynched in a back alley."

Tilghman apologized on the air two days later, and the Golf Channel suspended the anchor. However, the light nature of the disciplinary action angered many black leaders.

Golfweek argued that it was seeking to create a debate over the issue. However, some have accused the magazine of sensationalizing a very sensitive issue.

“We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country,” William P. Kupper Jr., president of Turnstile Publishing Co., said on Golfweek's Web site.

“We were trying to convey the controversial issue with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic.”

Jeff Babineau was the editor chosen to replace replace Seanor. The magazine has claimed that the decision making committee had no African-Americans present when making the decision to place the noose on the cover.

Oprah Winfrey already has a top-rated talk show, Web site, magazine, XM satellite radio network and a number of TV movies, now she is stamping her name on a TV network.

It was announced Tuesday, that The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will debute next year as part of a deal with Discovery Communications, according to The Associated Press.

The new network will replace the Discovery Health Network which has been declining in popularity over the years.

The deal states that OWN will be a 50-50 partnership between Discovery Communications and Winfrey's Harpo Productions Inc.

Winfrey will be chairwoman of the new network, which will reach about 70 million cabel accesssible homes.

"This is an evolution of what I've been able to do every day," Winfrey said.

Furthermore, Winfrey plans to show programs that deal with issues such as health, raising children, wealth and relationships.