Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Rashad Walker: 20-Month Old Baby Murdered in Car Seat

Rashad Walker (Photo Provided)

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Rashad Walker Jr. was just 20 months old when he died. The young child was killed in the back of his mother's minivan in Syracuse, NY. when he was shot by up to 10 bullets that hit the vehicle at 4:30 pm this past Sunday. The child was asleep at the time, according to the Syracuse Post Standard.
Walker died at 6:45 pm, in the hospital and he was not the intended target. His mother was holding him when paramedics arrived on the scene.
The story of Rashad Walker is clearly one of the most tragic incidents we've read about all year. It takes us back to the police shooting of Aiyana Jones, the 7-year old in Detroit who was shot while sleeping during a police raid. This story is also personal to me because I live in Syracuse, a city that (like so many others) continues to be plagued by gun violence.

Click to read.

Four Loko Represents the Bad Side of Capitalism

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

After witnessing the deaths of innocent citizens all across America, the FDA took a second to realize that perhaps the energy drink craze should be regulated a bit more than it has in the past. One of the most interesting drinks on the market is Four Loko, a caffeinated alcoholic beverage that is being gulped by the gallon. The government has forced the removal of the drink from store shelves, reminding us that sometimes, the presence of Big Brother can be a good thing.

Those in the Tea Party who want to see smaller government might want to take a moment of pause to realize that government intervention can be helpful when it comes to protecting citizens in a capitalist society. Many Americans are tempted to buy into the idealistic notion that a completely free society works all the time for everyone, but it is sobering to remember just how harmful unregulated capitalism can be.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Laura Not Punished for her Racist Remarks

Is Dr. Laura's return a reward for racist rant?

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

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is the esteemed radio host who made the wise decision to use the n-word on the air so many times that it would put a gangster rapper to shame. Sure, she had an explanation for using the word so many times, but she also had a dictionary full of words she could have used instead. As a consequence for her infamous tirade, Schlessinger is going to receive the most daunting punishment known to man: She is being sent over to Sirius/XM Satellite in order to take a new job. Yes, that really taught her a lesson.

The "venerable" Dr. Laura, the woman who has no problem insulting the black community at every possible turn, has now been given a multi-year gig on XM Satellite Radio. Terms were not disclosed, but she was able to land the gig faster than you could say, "I don't care what black people think." The treatment of Dr. Laura presents a very telling lesson for those of us who are attempting to understand the nature of white privilege. According to the rules of a post-racial society, the expression of hatred toward people of color not only goes without punishment, it is actually rewarded.

Let's be clear: If Dr. Laura were a black person spewing insults of this nature toward whites, she would find herself in the unemployment line, along with millions of other capable black people. This kind of double standard explains why black unemployment is nearly double that of white Americans, and why the National Association of Black Journalists is forced to constantly fight for the crumbs that people like Dr. Laura leave behind.

 

Click to read.

Monday, November 29, 2010

NY Daily News vs. Al Sharpton: Politics and Propaganda

Al Sharpton

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action

It’s not easy fighting for civil rights and running organizations that stand up for the freedoms of the oppressed. If you’re good at what you do, your enemies will try anything to take you down. On top of that, many of the people you are fighting for, via self-hatred, may be skeptical of your efforts and willing to partner with oppressive forces to undermine your work. Even worse, your constituents may not have the means to help you face the massive financial responsibility that comes with serving your community. Freedom damn sure ain’t free, and most leaders have the receipts to prove it.


I don’t get as many calls for help as Rev. Al Sharpton, but I get my fair share. The most difficult thing about receiving these requests is that you want to help everyone, but are constantly struggling to find the resources to get the job done. If you ask for help to pay the cost of the trip, people think you’re somehow trying to swindle them or earn an unnecessary profit from the work you do. The truth is that everybody’s got bills to pay and the bigger your name, the more people think you’re made of money.

Click to read.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Toddler Dies from Drinking Methadone in Sippy Cup

Toddler Dies After Drinking Methadone from Sippy Cup

Two-year-old Masia Wright died after ingesting a lethal amount of the drug methadone from his sippy cup. Investigators in Jacksonville, Florida say that the toddler managed to get his hands on a sippy cup with methadone inside after his dad's girlfriend, Dana Anderson, left it on top of her four-foot-tall dresser.

Click to read.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Study: 1/3 of South African Men Admit to Committing Rape

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

A study commissioned by the Medical Research Foundation, a group funded by the South African government, has wielded some disturbing findings about violence against women. According to the study, more than 1-in-3 men of Johannesburg have committed rape at some point in their lives. Roughly seven percent of the men sampled admitted to participating in a gang rape.
The study also found that over 51 percent of the 511 women surveyed had been victims of violence from men. Also, 78 percent of men admitted to committing a violent act against a woman. One fourth of the women in the survey said that they'd been raped, but only about four percent of these rapes are reported to police.
These findings are similar to a 2008 study that found that 28 percent of the men in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces had committed rape against a woman or girl. Also, one-third of the men said they did not feel guilty for what they'd done. Two-thirds of the men claimed to have committed rape out of a sense of entitlement, and others raped out of boredom or a desire to punish women who'd rejected them.

Click to read.

President Obama Needs Stitches After Basketball Hit

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

It's hard to imagine the deep national security implications of being the man who elbowed President Barack Obama in the face on the basketball court. But that's what Ray Decerega will be talking about for the rest of his life. Decerega is the Director of Programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and also the man who issued a public statement after it was determined that he was the one who busted the president's mouth wide open.
"I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport. I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I'm sure he'll be back out on the court again soon," Decerega said.
The men had gathered to play five games of five-on-five when the incident took place. The games reportedly included Obama's nephew Avery Robinson, his assistant Reggie Love and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Obama's Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had this to say:

 

Click to read.

The Michael Brea Murders: What To Do with the Criminally Insane

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

"Ugly Betty" actor Michael Brea did an interesting interview with the New York Daily News this week, after being sent to jail for allegedly murdering his mother with a samarai sword. The actor argues that he was "doing the work of God" when he continuously chopped at his mother's body. He also says that he believes there was a demon inside her.

"I was slashing my mom and I heard the police knocking on the door yelling, 'Michael, open up, Michael, open up,' but I knew they wouldn't open the door and stop me because the spirits were protecting me ... I just kept cutting her. No one could stop me. I was doing the work of God," he said.

Click to read.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Michelle Obama Gets Attacked by Sarah Palin

"Take her anti-obesity thing that she is on. She is on this kick, right. What she is telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat.  And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions and then our country gets back on the right track." – Sarah Palin, Huffington Post

Congressional Black Caucus Under Attack from Other Lawmakers: What Does That Mean?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Last week, I found myself speaking about Rep. Charlie Rangel more than ever before. In case you haven't noticed, the future of the seasoned lawmaker has come into question in light of investigations alleging him to be involved in a slew of ethical violations. Sunday, I had a conversation with Rev. Jesse Jackson on the air regarding exactly what's going on with Rangel and his political career. Then Monday, Rev. Al Sharpton and I talked about the broader scenario as it relates to black lawmakers. Just when I thought we were done speaking about investigations against black people in Congress, the conversation turned toward Maxine Waters and the slew of other CBC members currently being investigated.


Defending (or not defending) one black lawmaker after another led me to a moment of pause, where I asked the question that's been asked before, but perhaps not vocally enough: Why are so many black lawmakers being targeted for investigations anyway? According to the late Ron Walters, the most respected black political scientist in the country, "it is curious ... that in over 30 of the probes the new Office of Congressional Ethics was considering, the only active investigations were on black Congresspersons."

 

Click to read.

Sarah Palin Says that North Korea is Our Ally

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That's the question being debated afterSarah Palin said in an interview withGlenn Beck Wednesday that North Koreawas a U.S. ally.

When asked by Beck how she would handle a situation like the one that was developing in North Korea, Palin responded: "This is stemming from, I think, a greater problem when we're all sitting around asking, 'Oh no, what are we going to do,' and we're not having a lot of faith that the White House is going to come out with a strong enough policy to sanction what it is that North Korea is going to do."

It is unclear whether Palin is talking about sanctions against North Korea, or U.S. sanctioning -- i.e. approving or supporting -- its actions.

Palin continued: "Obviously, we gotta stand with our North Korean allies," when Beck interrupted and corrected her to say "South Korea."

Click to read.

 

Visit Your Black World for more black news!

Dr. Julianne Malveaux’s New Book on Surviving and Thriving

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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is second-to-none. One of the most respected and prolific scholars in the history of black America, she is truly an intellectual soldier. With a PhD in Economics from MIT, Dr. Malveaux has produced scholarly work that serves as nothing less than a guide book for overcoming the prodigious number of problems being faced by black America today. She is also a champion for women's rights and issues that uniquely impact African American women.
AOL Black Voices had the chance to catch up with Dr. Malveaux to discuss the release of her new book, "Surviving and Thriving: 365 Facts in Black Economic History," and she had this to say:

1) What is your name and what do you do?
I am Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist, author and President of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina.
2) What motivated you to write your book, and what can people learn from it?
When people think of the economy, they rarely think of African American people as important contributors, as thivers instead of simply survivors. There is such inspiration in our economic history and I was passionate about lifting it up.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: President Obama Has Granted Zero Pardons Since His Election

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

This week, the president made me laugh. That was saying a lot at the time, given that I was exhausted from traveling across the country for Thanksgiving. The source of my entertainment was the president's annual turkey pardon, in which he pardoned four turkeys, thus saving them from the fate that typically befalls turkeys at this time of the year. Being endangered and running from extinction, I figured that this is one thing that turkeys and black men have in common.


One of the things that got my attention was a very telling statistic about our president. After being in office for 22 months, the president has not granted or denied a single pardon. The only other president in recent history to have granted such a small number of pardons this deep into his presidency was Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

Click to read.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

CBC Picks Up Power After the Mid-terms: What will they do with it?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

While the mid-term elections were a blood bath for the Democrats, one group that came out surprisingly unscathed was the Congressional Black Caucus. Members of the CBC and the Hispanic Caucus will hold roughly one-third of all Democratic seats in Congress (61 out of 190), increasing their power within government. They also plan to use this influence to focus on job creation.
The Democrats who took the greatest drubbing during mid-terms tended to be the centrists of the party. The Black and Hispanic caucuses, however, only lost four out of 60 bids for re-election. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, a member of the Hispanic caucus is now the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, and Maxine Waters will be the second leading Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. Their increases in power came largely because of the defeats of other Democrats.

Click to read.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Al Sharpton Discuss Charlie Rangel, Feminism and More

Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton Discuss Black Women and Feminism

Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton Discuss Black Women and Feminism

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Video: Terrie Williams, Depression and the Black Community

Dr. Boyce Video: Terrie Williams, Depression and the Black Community

Dr. Boyce Watkins: It’s Time to Confront Deadbeat Parents….All of Us

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

My entire life, I've seen the costs and consequences of parents who don't want to pay to take care of their own kids. My father abandoned me when I was child, and to my knowledge, paid zero or close to no child support. Over the years, I had two relationships with women who had children with men who'd had forgotten that their kids existed. That led to me paying child support for my own child, in addition to the children of other people who were ignoring their responsibility. In fact, to this day, most of my "adopted children" need money from me every other week to pay for things that their parents should be paying for. I admit that sometimes, it's draining.
I'm not the only one who goes through the challenge of paying for deadbeat parents. All across America, quite a few people have either been abandoned by deadbeat parents, paid the price for deadbeat parents or become a deadbeat parent themselves (you know who you are). It occurs in every community, so we cannot pretend that black people are the only ones who do this. But for some reason, there is a code of silence when this kind of behavior occurs in the black community, especially when the father is the perpetrator of this heinous crime. I say it's time for this to stop.

 

Click to read.

Black Scholar News: Schomburg Center Chooses Elijah Muhammad’s Great Grandson to Lead

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Khalil Gibran Muhammad appears to be a great choice to head the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. A 38-year old assistant professor of African American History at Indiana University, Dr. Muhammad has already achieved a great deal in the world of black scholarship. His book, "The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America," has done quite well, and he is respected by quite a few black scholars across the nation.
Muhammad also has pedigree: He is the great grandson of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, legendary leader of the Nation of Islam. Therefore, his scholarly work with a predominantly white institution (Indiana University, which is no stranger to racial problems, I went to graduate school there) is supplemented by his connection and deep commitment to issues that affect real people in his community.

 

Click to read.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Things We Do at Church: Facebook Pastor Had an Affair with His Male Assistant

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

Apparently, the words "thou shall not use Facebook" don't quite trump the words "thou shall not have a three-way sexual relationship with your wife and a male assistant." The Rev. Cedric Miller became a national name last week after demanding that his entire New Jersey congregation delete their Facebook pages. The move was thought to be an incredibly bold statement about the impact that Facebook has on relationships, where old boyfriends/girlfriends never quite go away.
To the surprise of many, it turns out that Rev. Miller may have his own reasons for wanting Facebook out of his life. There are reports that the pastor had a three-way sexual relationship with his wife and a male assistant at the church. Rev. Miller, who heads the Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in Neptune Township, New Jersey, confirmed the information, which had been printed in a local newspaper.
The 48-year old pastor also demanded that all 50 of his married church officials delete their Facebook pages or quit their leadership posts. He told married members of his church to share their login information with their spouses. He said that he plans to leave Facebook this week himself.

 

Click to read.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Why Would He Accuse Obama of Having Only One Testicle?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Political analyst James Carville, known for being a man who doesn't hold back on his words, made a comment about President Barack Obama that was heard around the world (well, at least they heard it on CNN). At a breakfast event recently, Carville said, "If Hillary (Clinton) gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he'd have two."
Of course Carville was asked if he would apologize for his remarks, which he may or may not have expected to end up on national news. Instead, he refused, saying that his comment was a joke and that there was no need for further analysis. He didn't seem willing to elaborate on what he meant when disrespecting the president's manhood, but his decision not to back off sends a signal that he's not always happy with the president's policies.
Carville, an Obama supporter (well sort of), is a highly progressive and well-respected political consultant. He has helped to anchor the success of campaigns in all areas of politics, going back to the 1986 gubernatorial win of Roberty Casey. He achieved national prominence after helping Bill Clinton become President of the United States in 1992.

 

Click to read.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Study: College Basketball Players Have Lower Graduation Rates than other Students

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

A new study by The College Sport Research Institute at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has revealed disturbing information about the academic hurdles of college basketball players. According to the study, the graduation rates for NCAA Division I men's basketball players is 20 percentage points less than the average for full-time male students.
The study goes on to show that the gap grows even further in top-ranking conferences. The authors present evidence that there is a 30.8 percent graduation gap when leading conferences are considered separately.
Women are better off than men in the study. Female basketball players find that their graduation rates are still worse than their peers, but the gap is not as great as it is for the men. For women, there is a 6.2 percent differential overall and a 14.6 percentage point differential in top conferences.

Click to read.

Jack Johnson, DC County Exec and Wife Arrested for Corruption: What Can We Learn from This?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I was saddened to hear about the recent arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife Leslie. Both Jack and his wife are well-respected in the DC area. Both have served their communities for decades, and both of them represent the essence of Prince George's County, the most affluent county in the United States with an African-American majority population.
Johnson was once an important ethical and legal protector of the county, serving as its lead Prosecutor. His wife has served the community for over 30 years in numerous capacities. He was also the first African American to become County Executive in the DC area. So, why are Johnson and his wife facing up to 20 years in prison for evidence tampering and destruction of evidence, among other charges? In fact, the story is quite bizarre, with reports of the FBI allegedly recording Johnson telling his wife to put nearly $80,000 in her underwear.

 

Click to read.

Charlie Rangel Gets His Decision: More Black News

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Shooting of Three Football Players Speaks to The Choices We Must Make

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

This weekend there was a fight in a bar in Hattiesburg, MS. Three football players from Southern Mississippi University were involved in the fight, and all three were shot. The three players are in fair condition at a local hospital.
Martez Smith, Tim Green and Deddrick Jones were shot shortly after 3 a.m. There have been no arrests and police say that the shootings may have been gang related.

Allen Murray, spokesperson for the Hattiesburg police, said that the fight started inside the club and spilled out into the street. That's where the players were shot. The incident occurred a few hours after the team defeated Central Florida.

 

Click to read.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Kanye West Should Never Have Apologized to Bush

kanye_west_bush

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

One of the proudest moments in my life as a political observer was when Kanye West did something that almost no other artist or entertainer would be astute or courageous enough to do.  In 2005, as people were dying in the streets of New Orleans, West used the powerful platform provided to him during a Hurricane Katrina telethon to make the statement heard around the world:  ”George Bush does not care about black people.”

Click to read.

Black Coaches Make Hiring Strides in the NCAA….Sort of

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

A new report released by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at The University of Central Florida presents a mixed bag of evidence when it comes to the progress of people of color within college football. The report found that 15 college football head coaches of FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools are African American (out of 120), but that there is still a great deal of room for improvement in other important positions within athletic departments. To date, 100 percent of conference commissioners, 93 percent of college presidents and 88 percent of athletic directors are white. Also, quite a few universities that earn millions from black athletes are reluctant to hire or tenure African American professors, especially in business and the sciences.
From 1979 - 2002, a total of 19 full-time head coaches were hired in college football. But in the last two years, 10 have been hired. This shows that there are some campuses making some effort to hire more black coaches. The numbers represent progress in the NCAA, a league that is less interested in hiring African Americans than it is in exploiting them. As it stands, most of the thousands of black athletes in college football are never going be head coaches. Also, the vast majority of those athletes will never reach the NFL. Therefore, the greatest crime of collegiate athletics is that most of these universities are not educating the players properly.

Click to read.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A lot of Black Fathers are Like Joe Jackson

Joe-Jackson

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I watched previews of the recent interview that Oprah Winfrey did with Joe and Katherine Jackson, parents of the late Michael Jackson.  In the interview, Oprah asked the Jacksons a probing question that sits on the minds of millions of people:  Did you beat your children?  Mr. Jackson had to answer the question truthfully, since everyone knows that he did engage in the act of physically disciplining his kids.   Before his confession, Joe did a  little Bill Clinton-like wordplay with Oprah over exactly what she meant by the word "beat." I understood what Joe was talking about, since there is a big difference between "beating" your kids and "whoopin" them.

Click to read.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Dr. Boyce Video - How to Raise Mentally Healthy Black Girls

Dr. Boyce Video - Women's Health

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

What does it take for a woman to be healthy? This issue consistently presses upon my mind as I think about my own daughters and how to teach them what they need to know about the world. While I am critical of films like 'For Colored Girls,' which seems to root every black female problem into the hands of black men, I am also sympathetic to the struggles experienced by black women like my mother, grandmother, sister and others.


Related:
+Dr. Boyce Video: Why is the Black Man Always a Suspect?
+Dr. Boyce Video: Black Men Need to Mentor One Another
+Dr. Boyce Video: Terrie Williams, Depression and the Black Community
+Dr. Boyce Video -- What Makes a Celeb Trashy vs. Trendy?
+Dr. Boyce Video --The Importance of Owning Your Own Business

Click to read.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Tyler Perry, Colored Girls and the Portrayal of Black Men

For-Colored-Girls-When-The-rainbow-is-enuf-3-9-10-kc

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I went to see "For Colored Girls," the exciting new film made by the great Tyler Perry.  I love Tyler's work, most of the time, and I've defended him on multiple occasions when he's come under attack for the nature of his films.  Spike Lee is one particular Tyler Perry hater that I've taken issue with, primarily because I think that Tyler does more good than harm in the industry.

But as much as we love Tyler Perry, all voices must be portrayed when responding to his style of film making.  My own voice became amplified after seeing "For Colored Girls," primarily because the film made me damn near embarrassed to be a black male.  Let's go down the list shall we?  The black men in the film consisted of a rapist, a thief, an abuser who murdered his own kids, a pimp, and a brother on the down low.  Now, Hill Harper had the distinct honor of being the knight in shining armor, but he was the only ray of goodness in the terrible rainbow that represents the experience of the black woman in America.

I wonder what I would think if I were a non-black person watching this film to get a sense of what happens in the African American community.  Well, first I'd conclude that most black women are well-balanced, fair and emotionally giving to men who simply don't deserve it.  I would then think that a small percentage of black men have the capacity to do good things, but that most of them will steal from you, deceive you, rape you, cheat on you and do all they can to provide irreversible and unthinkable pain to those who love them the most.  I can just hear one of the white women in the theater saying,  "Those poor black women.  Why in the world do they remain loyal to those horrible men?"

Click to read.

Soledad O’Brien vs. Jesse Jackson: She Claims Jackson Tried to Question Her Blackness

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Below is an excerpt from her book “The Next Big Story.”

Even though I am not sure what he is saying, I can tell he is angry. Today he is angry because CNN doesn’t have enough black anchors. It is political season. There are billboards up sporting Paula Zahn and Anderson Cooper. He asks after the black reporters. Why are they not up there? I share his concern and make a mental note to take it back to my bosses. But then he begins to rage that there are no black anchors on the network at all. Does he mean covering the campaign, I wonder to myself? The man has been a guest on my show. He knows me, even if he doesn’t recall how we met. I brought him on at MSNBC, then again at Weekend Today. I interrupt to remind him I’m the anchor of American Morning. He knows that. He looks me in the eye and reaches his fingers over to tap a spot of skin on my right had. He shakes his head. “You don’t count,” he says. I wasn’t sure what that meant. I don’t count — what? I’m not black? I’m not black enough? Or my show doesn’t count?

Click to read more.

Aimee Michael: College Grad and Her Mother Sent to Prison for Hit and Run Accident

Aimee Michael

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Aimee Michael (pictured left), for the most part, seems to be a lot like the rest of us. She's a 24-year-old black female college graduate with two parents who love her. Her parents have been married for 28 years, and her mother is a 52-year-old former school teacher. On Easter Sunday in 2009, though, Aimee found herself facing up to 50 years in prison. While she didn't get the entire 50 years, she did get 36 of them.

Click to read.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Dr. Boyce Watkins on CNBC: Cutting Taxes for the Rich is a Very Bad Idea

kudlow

 

Watch Dr. Boyce Watkins explain on CNBC that extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy is bad for America.   Click here to watch

Black Unemployment Numbers Reveal a Mixed Picture

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

How one analyzes the black unemployment numbers for the month of October really comes down to whether you see the glass as being half empty or half full. On one hand, most of the indicators of black unemployment went down, but they still remain remarkably high relative to the numbers for white Americans.
According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, black unemployment dropped by .4 percentage points, from 16.1 percent to 15.7 percent. The number is still nearly double that of white unemployment, which lies at 8.8 percent.
Black male unemployment actually saw the steepest decline among all race/gender groups, dropping from 17.6 percent to 16.3 percent. The number is still 83 percent higher than white male unemployment (which is 8.9 percent).
Black women saw a slight increase in their unemployment rate, which went from 12.6 percent to 12.7 percent. The unemployment numbers for black women are 74 percent higher than those for white females (at 7.3 percent, lower than any other group in America).

Click to read.

Sarah Palin’s Latest Stunt Reminds Us That She’s Not Fit to be President

Palin's 'Taliban' tweet antics prove she's unfit to lead

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Most of us know by now that Sarah Palin has as much chance of becoming president as Jesse Jackson has of joining the KKK. She has a tremendous following, but only a tiny amount of political credibility, making her a cross between Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and a kid who keeps failing ninth grade. In fact, rather than simply emulating Coulter, Palin is applauding her at her very worst moments, which is a very bad move for even the strongest conservative.

Recently, Palin put one of the final nails in her presidential coffin by "favoriting" a tweet by Ann Coulter. In the tweet, Coulter mentioned that she was excited about a sign outside a church that said:

"The blood of Jesus against Obama history made 4 Nov 2008 a Taliban Muslim illegally elected president USA: Hussein."

 

Click to read.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Boyce Watkins on CNBC: Why are Republicans Fighting So Hard for the Wealthy Already?

 

Dr. Boyce appears on CNBC to ask why the Republicans are already fighting to extend Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.  To watch the video, please click here.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Spike Lee Criticized for Selling Vodka: Yes, He Should Be

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

The New York Daily News is claiming that director Spike Lee has been getting bashed by New York teens for his affiliation with Absolut Vodka. Lee apparently designed a logo for the vodka company themed after Bedford-Stuyvesant, a well-known and respected neighborhood within the Brooklyn community. Apparently, some of the teens feel that it's a bit hypocritical for Lee to make films that uplift black people, while simultaneously working with major corporations to convince us to drink more liquor.
"I've seen his movies. I was a really big fan. But he lost respect from me," said Shenel Gunnis told the New York Daily News. "You're not supposed to be promoting stuff like that in areas that can barely afford food."

 

Click to read.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Why Marion Jones Is Not a Bad Person

Marion Jones Reminds Us That She's Not a Bad Person

11:59 AMNov 2

Source: BV on Sports

I saw an advertisement for the new Johns Singleton documentary, "Press Pause," set to air on ESPN. I was glad to see that Singleton, one of the greatest filmmakers in America, was taking the time to tell Marion's story without the goofy hypocrisy of ... Read More