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DV Commentary
The Gantt Report - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- I enjoy watching Rush Hour 1,2 and 3 movies starring Cris Tucker and Jackie Chan but the recent “Rush Hour 4” episode starring leaders of the NAACP and at least one celebrated Black journalist were shocking and not silly like the theatrical versions. Leaders of the NAACP and one of
America In Red, White and You - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- During the past two weeks, Americans has once again been forced to confront our intractable issue of race—live and in living color. Regular readers of my column are well aware of my writing modus operandi. My job is not to make you agree with what I write, but rather to
GA Coalition of Black Women supports Shirley Sherrod & calls for conversation on gender equity -- Rita Jackson Samuels , founder of the Georgia Coalition of Black Women (GCBW) issued the following statement about the forced resignation of Ms. Shirley Sherrod who served as Georgia State Director for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture: “The Georgia Coalition for Black Women would like to publicly
The N.A.A.C.P. Has Racism Down To A Tea (Party) - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Every time the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) raises its head, somehow they seem to find a new way of embarrassing themselves (and the Black community). They are currently having their national conference in Kansas City, MO. And they have made a media splash this year
We Don't Need Another Hero - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report As hard as it may be for some readers to believe, Lucius Gantt is a very spiritual person. I try to attend worship services every Sabbath Day at a little church in North Florida. Almost every Sunday morning someone feels the need to pray for President Barack
Who Is John Locke? - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I am willing to wager my house that not one of my son’s seventh-grade classmates could identify John Locke in a photo. I am then willing to let that wager ride on another gamble that less than one percent of the seventh or eighth-graders in the Los Angeles Unified School
No More Doubting Thomas - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Last week I wrote about the need for Blacks to become more politically sophisticated. Blacks are way too emotional about things they can’t control. We tend to get emotional after the fact, when nothing can be done to change a situation. In politics, it’s far easier to stop something from
Independence and the Right to Private Property - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The right to private property was one of the central issues involved in the American Revolution. The colonists’ cries of “taxation without representation” were but protests of what they saw as an unjust taking of private property. The Declaration of Independence charges the King of England with engaging in 10
Silence Can Be So Loud - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- What is amazing about the confirmation hearing of Elaine Kagan for the Supreme Court is not the loud rancoring coming out of the Republican Party, but the deafening silence coming from the radical left—especially within the Black and Latino communities. Their silence speaks so loud. When will the Black community
Frederick Douglass’ 4th of July Speech: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” - Commentary by H. Lewis Smith -- In Frederick Douglass’ July 5, 1852, Fourth of July speech, he told the audience: “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the
The Leadership Deficit - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Appearing on CNN with Anderson Cooper, film director Spike Lee implored President Obama to infuse his handling of the Gulf oil spill with more emotion. Demonstrating the astute analysis we have come to expect from the director, Lee implored Obama to “one time, go off.” Perhaps he is of the
Alvin Greene, My Kind of Guy - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Pardon me if I don’t get it but I can’t understand why so many people are upset because African American Alvin Greene won a Primary Election in South Carolina. Haters are saying that Greene is mentally deficient but I never saw any psychological test results for
Dads and Coaching - Commentary by Joseph E. Phillips -- I am an assistant coach on my middle son’s youth football team. Football practice begins in August and I have spent the last two weeks reading up on defensive alignments, surfing coaching websites, and sending e-mail to some of the high school coaches in the area begging for coaching tips
The Sestak Affair Will Not Go Quietly - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- If the Obama White House believes the controversy surrounding the administrations engagement with Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) will “go gently into that goodnight,” they are sorely mistaken. The more we Americans learn of the affair, the more questions we have. In February of this year, cable talk-show host Larry Kane
Amnesty is a “Terror-ble” Idea - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Am I the only who is sick and tired of illegals telling me what their rights are in this country? Am I the only one who is sick and tired of pro-amnesty groups trotting out all the sob stories from illegals—“their mother brought them here when they were little kids
Rand Paul is on the Wrong Side of History - by National Urban League President & CEO Marc H. Morial -- "I am, therefore, asking the Congress to enact legislation giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public -- hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments. This seems to me to be an elementary right." - President John F. Kennedy, June 11
Political Independents - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Now, more than ever, African American voters across the country are declaring their “independence” from the Democratic and Republican parties. Political registration figures reveal that the fastest growing group of newly registered voters have registered as having “No Party Affiliation”. Well, we are always late in
God in Our Classrooms - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Such was our founder’s belief in the preeminence of God that when the First Continental Congress convened in 1774, Massachusetts delegate Thomas Cushing suggested to the assembly that together they pray for divine guidance and protection. The historical events that would forever change the world were preparing to unfold: war
More Black Political Loses - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - After the election of President Barack Obama, many African Americans said to themselves, “If Barack Obama can win an election, I can too!” That comment was ambitious, but unrealistic. Most of the African American seeking victories in 2010 elections in the cities where Black-owned newspapers are
The A-Pauling House of Pain - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- The last week has provided a riches of embarrassments within the political arena. I sometimes wish I had a daily column, but somehow I will attempt to consolidate these embarrassing events into a coherent piece that will adequately do justice to each issue. Let’s start with Republican senate candidate, Rand
Government to the Rescue - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In politics, the crisis game works like this: pet issues are turned into national concerns, which then become the object of study for social scientists. The media then substantiate the concerns by publishing the opinions of social scientists, and thus elevate the issue to the level of a crisis. Once
Political Self Destruction - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - “Self destruction, you’re headed for self destruction. Self destruction, you’re headed for self destruction”! Those are some lyrics from an old school rap song about Black on Black violence but those same words could be used to describe what is going on in politics today. In
Reflections on Dr. Dorothy Height - Melanie Campbell, Evelyn Lowery, Felicia Davis -- "Today we mourn the passing of our beloved leader, teacher, mentor and guide, Dr. Dorothy I. Height. Dr. Height dedicated her life to civil rights, human rights and women's rights in our nation and around the world. Dr. Height was a founding board member of The National Coalition on Black
Statement by Rep. Fudge on the Passing of Civil Rights Matriarch Dr. Dorothy Irene Height -- WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Representative Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH) issued the following statement on the passing of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, Civil Rights advocate and humanitarian: "Today Civil Rights icon and humanitarian Dr. Dorothy Height passed away. She was my friend, my mentor, and my predecessor as national president of Delta
Haley’s Comet - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Just like Halley’s Comet only comes around every so often, so does a politician like Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour. He is completing his second term as governor and is term limited from seeking another term. Barbour, a lawyer by training, has one of the most impressive backgrounds of anyone on
Race Is the Least of the Problems - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The people of Mississippi have not been angels. The history of the Magnolia State and segregation invites the kind of scrutiny and criticism that has recently been visited upon the state. Media reports that the Walthall County School District has been ordered to stop segregating its schools raised the ire
Conservative or Conservationist? - Joseph C. Phillips -- A little bit of wisdom that was shared with me not too long ago. “God gave us a Powerful gift – your mind. As you look around at any object, it began as an idea in some one’s mind. Any change of situation begins as a thought.” Indeed there is
Fear Factor - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- I originally had no intention of commenting on the recent controversy surrounding the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) most recent foray into racial politics. But, because of the volume of phone calls and emails asking me to give my take, I have decided to oblige my followers. Let me state this
I’ve Got Your Deficit Commission Right Here! - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Even as a bloodbath looms in the November distance, the Obama administration continues to push healthcare because they know that Americans love their entitlements like winos love wine. They are betting the farm that once that fiery warmth begins running through the National body we will not only love national
Business As Usual: President Obama Meets with Black Leaders - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Can you imagine Michael Jordan seeking advice on basketball from a ping pong player, or Tiger Woods seeking advice on his golf swing from a rugby player, or Bill Gates seeking advice on technology from a Buddhist monk? Even Hollywood, with all its creative energy, could not have come up
The Wisdom of Massachusetts Voters - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Following the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrats in the Massachusetts state legislature rushed to change a procedural rule thus allowing Democratic Governor Deval Patrick to replace Kennedy with an interim and Democratic Senator. During the 2004 Presidential election this same august body had taken that power away from Republican
The Browning of America - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- The stunning win of Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate race Tuesday has sent shock waves throughout the political world. But, as usual with tectonic shifts like this, everyone is totally misreading what happened. Republicans have every reason to be crowing today and Democrats have every reason to be depressed
Statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano Regarding the Situation in Haiti -- As part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to assist Haiti following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, I am announcing the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow
Harry Reid is not a Racist - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Harry Reid is not racist and Republican calls for his resignation are misguided. There I said it. The senate majority leader has recently come under fire for remarks attributed to him in the new book “Game Change.” Authors Mark Halperin and John Heilemann say that in 2008 Reid described then
New Years Pessimism - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- To the common definition of pessimist – one who anticipates the worst -- I plead guilty. Yes, I know that it is the start of a New Year and I ought to be looking forward to the new decade with -dare I say it- “hope” and anticipation, but I can’t
The Palin Thing - Commentary bu Joseph C. Phillips -- The Sarah Palin Thing If indeed former Alaska Governor and Vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is the joke the new left claims her to be, one wonders why they don’t simply ignore her. On the contrary, they devote an unusual amount of energy into making her the butt of their jokes
Alpha Phi Alpha partners with “Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program” Effort aims to screen half million men for hypertension and diabetes -- LOS ANGELES—Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. announced today that it will partner with the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program in over 100 barbershops in Los Angeles County on Saturday November 7, 2009. Los Angeles-area chapters of the fraternity will offer manpower, logistics as well as medical assistance to the outreach
Black Women’s Roundtable Statement on Confirmation of Regina Benjamin and Election of Bernice King -- Melanie L. Campbell, the executive director and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and convener of The Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR), made the following statement on behalf of BWR regarding the confirmation of Dr. Regina Benjamin as US Surgeon General and the selection of Dr. Bernice King
Obama's Coat Tails More Like A Halter Top - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - United States President Barack Obama spent a considerable amount of time traveling across America trying to drum up votes and support for Democratic candidates seeking victories in the recent 2009 elections. Obama is given credit for a record-breaking voter turnout in 2008 however his 2009 “coat
Sound Bites of Protest Ushers in Obama Era - Reviewed by Jack Moscou -- With the transformational election of President Barack Obama and the introduction of Michelle Obama as First Lady, Sound Bites of Protest, by Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich, is the must- read book of 2009. Particularly for White Americans interested in a greater understanding of the long, but little known, African-American tradition of intellectual
Playing for Keeps - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I was an innocent – not pure as the driven snow, but certainly unwise as to the level of the stakes at which we were playing. I entered the debate believing it would be an intellectual exercise; we would joust with each other and after it was all over shake
What is Pornographic? What is Hip? What exactly does “affordable” mean? - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- A very good friend of mine has lately taken me to task for my opposition to a single payer, universal medical coverage. She argues that she is one of those the president speaks of when describing Americans that do not have “affordable” health insurance. She has a pre-existing condition and
Moden Day Bullies - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - No matter where you live in the world or where you are, someone is attempting to order you around! You can live in a big city, a small town or a little village, if you were born, you’ve experienced a bully that only wants you to
Financial advisor, Patrick Lyons, gives an update on the economy -- September 2009 Economic Recap US The Federal Reserve has upgraded its view of the economy signaling the recovery has started. It now believes the downturn has ended and we are starting to see growth, but they are tempering their enthusiasm by saying it is at a slow pace. The housing
A Political Warranty - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In his first year in office former president Bill Clinton, who had run as a centrist, was drawn into the new left vortex of socialized healthcare, which led to a resounding defeat for Clinton and the Democrats in the 1994 mid-term elections. Current President Barack Obama too is attempting to
Health Care Analogies - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- It is good that the President has ceased attempting to sell his public option health care initiative on the strength of a comparison to the United States Postal Service. Americans will not soon be convinced of the economic viability of an expansion of public healthcare when it is compared to
Racial Schizophrenia - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Speaking to NBC News Anchor Brian Williams former president Jimmy Carter (taking a breather between having tea with dictators and lunatics) proffered that not only was South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson’s inappropriate outburst during President Obama’s speech before a joint session of congress fueled by racism, but the wider opposition
Feel Good Policy - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The message began to pop-up all over my Facebook page: “No one should die because they cannot afford health care or insurance and no one should go broke or bankrupt because they get sick.” Let us set aside the fact that no one in need of emergency life-saving medical care
Be Careful What You Tweet - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Be careful what you “Tweet”, it might not be discreet! White House African American employee Van Jones resigned his post recently after conservative pundits called for his removal from office when excerpts from Internet and other messages rose from the shadows. Appointed as a special adviser
Revolution Anyone? - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Barack Obama hired Anthony “Van” Jones as a special adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Jones is an admitted “rowdy Black nationalist” and “communist” who was also a co-founder of the communist revolutionary organization STORM: Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary
The Real Myth of Health Care - Commentary by Joseph C. Scott -- One of the more pernicious myths surrounding the debate over health care is the oft repeated claim that conservatives do not want reform. Nonsense! What we do not want is the warm bucket of snake oil currently being sold to the American people by this administration. Conservatives have long argued
Town Halls on Race - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- What would a town hall on race look like? I do not mean the aesthetics – the color of the carpet or where panelists would sit, but the guts of it – the substance. I am pondering the question because I was recently asked to help organize and participate in
Learn From Vick Protests - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Black people around the world should learn a lesson from the ongoing protests against football player Michael Vick. Predominately white protesters are enraged that Vick was signed by the National Football League Philadelphia Eagles to resume his career as a professional athlete. I’m not mad at
Passing the Healthcare Smell Test - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The narrative currently being written by the new left posits that opposition to their attempts to reform health care is fueled by political impotence, crackpot extremism and racism. Alas, elected officials demonstrating contempt for the people they represent has sadly become the rule rather than the exception. Calling the American
The Wall Street Devil Dance - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Recent news reports say the devils are dancing in the streets! America’s economic satans are prancing and dancing up and down Wall Street. They are partying on Biscayne Boulevard, Peachtree Road, Central Avenue, Lakeshore Drive and everywhere else after hearing that the American economy is getting
Healthcare and Cynicism - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The current philosophy of governance – and this includes governance of the democrat and republican variety—is that there is tremendous capacity in government to better the lives of average folks; it is the power of administrative policy that can end poverty, cure disease, and ultimately save the planet. It is
Michael Is A “Vick-tim” - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- Michael Vick has become the “Vick-tim” of his own choices and at the same time a victim of America’s hypocrisy. Vick (the Vick-tim) put himself in the position where he had to do time in prison. He was always made to feel above the law from his days at Virginia
Other Than That Professor Gates, How Was Your Trip? - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In the age of Obama, the arrest of a prominent Black Harvard Professor on the steps of his own home was sure to ignite a discussion about the state of race relations in America. Upon his return from an overseas trip Henry Louis Gates and his driver were attempting to
The Same Enemies - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I feel sorry for any person that is arrested for paltry or undeserving reasons but I have to laugh when people get civil rights religion the moment they get in trouble. If you don’t know, there are no Black Nationalist revolutionary Black people, former inmates or
Comedian/ Satirist Shang Signs Deal with CodeBlack Entertainment -- Los Angeles - Comedian/satirist Shang has been venting across stages in America and beyond for almost two decades. Politically irreverent at times, cutting edge, insightful and inciting, his humor is known to cut like a sharp knife, revealing budding truths hidden just below the surface of what is seemingly real
In 2010, No Justice, No Votes - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - If you are a beast banker, an insurance scammer or a predatory mortgage lender looking for a gangster’s paradise, Florida wants You! Florida’s Chief financial Officer (CFO) is attempting to make political history by being elected in 2010 as the Sunshine State’s first female Governor. I
Jenny Sanford for Senate - Commentary Joseph C. Phillips -- The schadenfreude of the new left over the public unraveling of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford suggests that when it comes to the issue of public officials and private morality, they are possessing of a particularly twisted logic, to say nothing of a rather short memory. It was not long
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin—“Pallin’” Around with Incompetence - Commentary by Raynard Jackson -- During last year’s presidential election, Alaska governor Sarah Palin infamously accused Barack Obama of “pallin’ around with terrorists.” Of course this was an outright lie. So, after last Friday’s press announcement that she was resigning her position as governor, one might rightly conclude that she has been “pallin’ around with
Free From Jail But Not Free To Work - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - On the day of his crucifixion, Jesus Christ forgave the people that nailed him to the cross. Martin Luther King Junior forgave the people that beat him and jailed him for participating in non-violent civil rights protests and every day spouses, family members and friends forgive
Michael Jackson: A Big Star with a Big Heart - To Be Equal Column by Marc Morial -- New York, NY - One of the most interesting things about Michael Jackson is that even though he died at the young age of 50, so many of us seemed to have grown up listening to his music and trying to copy his dance moves. I guess that is what
Put Family First - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - The Gantt Report would like to send condolences to the wife, children and family members of slain former pro quarterback Steve “Air McNair” McNair. I’m going to let the other editorial columnists parrot what they read about the tragedy in white newspapers or saw on white
Michael Jackson Performing at the Concert in the Sky - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - “All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us” is a line from my favorite Michael Jackson song. Another excerpt from the same tune is, “If Martin Luther was living, he wouldn’t let this be!” I don’t care what the news reporters and
Becoming Post Racial - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- “Race has no place in American life or law.” President John F. Kennedy spoke these words the evening of June 11, 1963 following the desegregation of the University of Alabama. In the speech Kennedy delivered that evening he chose not to appeal to legal arguments; rather he asked Americans to
The Racist History of The War On Drugs -- (Taylor Media Services) According to the Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org), African Americans constitute 13 percent of all users of illegal drugs but they make up 35 percent of those arrested for drug possession, 55 percent of those convicted, and a whopping 74 percent of those sent to prison. The government
Jacksonville Jags Should Sign Michael Vick - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I would like to buy two season tickets to see the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars this fall……..if they sign former Atlanta Falcon QB Michael Vick. Vick, nearing the end of his federal jail sentence for “dog fighting”, is now available to sign with any team
Resetting Our Moral Clocks - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The fact that those of us opposed to abortion find the work of late term abortionist George Tiller perverse and immoral does not mean that we give sanction to his assassination – either overtly or privately. Scott Roeder, Tillers alleged killer, is misguided -- and according to the New York
Having Your Racial Cake and Eating it Too - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- John C. Calhoun, father of the confederacy, said about the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence: “there is not a word of truth in the whole proposition, as expressed and generally understood.” These sentiments were echoed by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Roger B. Taney. Writing the majority
The Breath Tax - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The rationale for the “Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009," otherwise known as Cap and Trade, is that environmental catastrophe awaits us if we do not control the amount of carbon dioxide (co2) flowing into the atmosphere. This hysteria has been propelled by alarmists using computer models
The Right-Wing Tango - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Quiet as its kept Hollywood is filled with conservatives. I am not speaking of republicans. You can turn over any rock and find an Arlen Specter waiting to crawl out. I am talking about real dyed in the wool constitution loving, God-fearing conservatives. I meet them all the time: at
Resuscitating the GOP 2: The Brand - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- "And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Mark 3:25 It is both reasonable and fair to ask reformers of the Republican Party – those suggesting that we jettison the right wing and seek the gooey center of American politics -- exactly
Rich Getting Richer at Poor's Expense - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - President Barack Obama has made an American economic rebound a priority in the early days of his term. He has infused the economy with borrowed dollars to stimulate both lending and spending. My view is, of course, an uneducated view but it appears much of the
Resuscitating the GOP - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- A popular topic of conversation these days is what ails the Republican Party. Everyone from barbershop pundits and opinion writers to former Bush administration officials have waded in with opinions and cures. More than a few have proffered that the problem with the Republican Party is that it has moved
Changes - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Every year or so a politician comes along and says, “It’s time for a change!” Preachers, teachers, employers and others also love to talk about changes. But I don’t want change for myself or my people unless it is a change for the better. The change
Don't Hate, Celebrate: Inauguration will Unfold in Divine Order -- by Edrea Davis We all want the last word, to be the final act, to close the deal. It makes you wonder why mainstream media and gayrights activists focused so much on the opening act of the inauguration and failed to pay tribute to the man who will deliver the
The Nuclear Option - by Joseph C. Phillips -- I decided to take my number two sons’ football coach up on his request and join his “staff” as an assistant coach. The team had a rough year. Our boys played hard and our team managed to get into the playoffs where we were promptly run over by a team
Election Result Shows The Nature Of The Beast - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - If you feel that violence may be approaching, don't worry about the ones that run their mouths, watch out for the ones that are quiet! Devilish behavior has increased tenfold since President-Elect Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States. Crosses are
Other Than That Mrs. Lincoln, How Did You Enjoy the Play? - by Joseph C. Phillips -- If, as the essayist wrote, ‘irony gives birth to a deeper and less friendly understanding’, then here is a real mother for ya. In the days following the election of Barack Obama as our nation’s 44th president, my email in box was filled with notes proclaiming "another bold step for
Voting Is Great But Voting Stupidly Is Disastrous - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - The campaign of President Barack Obama was extremely successful in registering voters and encouraging them to vote. It was so great to see thousands of Blacks that had never voted before lined up at polling places to cast their ballots. I really loved it when it
Walking the Walk - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The catch phrase for this political season is “change.” Voters want it though they are often at pains to describe exactly what that change is. They are tired of business as usual and desirous of a new politics in Washington, an end to partisan bickering and the beginning of a
Today's News Brought to You By The Black Clown - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Is it just me or does it seem to you also that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are being pushed to the curb a little bit? Once upon a time, so-called civil rights leaders and community activists were often called on to talk about issues that
Liberal contempt: A Hard Habit to Break - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Following the thumping George Bush and company gave John Kerry in 2004, the new left groused in unison that the reasons were clear : Kerry, like most of the left, was simply too nuanced and too smart, while the Bush campaign succeeded in framing every issue in moral black and
Modern Day Bank Robbers - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - The financial crisis currently going on in the United States appears to have created an opportune moment for many Blacks and Jews to unite! The same con men and hooligans seeking a $700 billion bailout at the hands of American taxpayers have a sordid corporate history
Today's News Brought to You Black talk show hosts - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Is it just me or does it seem to you also that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are being pushed to the curb a little bit? Once upon a time, so-called civil rights leaders and community activists were often called on to talk about issues that
Some Democrats Are Still Dixiecrats - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Malcolm X delivered his historic political speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” about 40 years ago and one message in the speech appears to be more relevant today than it was back then. To many in America’s Black community, elections come and elections go but it
Give ‘em the old Razzle Dazzle - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- A poster that used to hang on my mother’s office wall proclaimed, “If you can’t dazzle ‘em with brilliance, baffle ‘em with baloney.” Or something to that effect. It is an adage apparently taken to heart by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden. During a campaign stop in Columbus, Missouri
Follow Your Heart - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I received a rather rude email from a local minister who took umbrage with my failure to support Barack Obama for president. I was disappointed that rather than do what Jesus would have done and offer a reasoned and well-thought out rebuttal to my column, this man of the cloth
Def Comedy Campaigns - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - The major party political conventions are going on right now and America’s General Election will take place in November. Nowadays, several states are holding their Primary Election contests and Black folks are running…..for their lives! I know The Gantt Report is read around the world but
How Things Work - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In a 2007 interview with the editorial board of Washington Post, Senator Joseph Biden offered these thoughts on the racial achievement gap in education, "There's less than one percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than four or five percent that are minorities
Above my Pay Grade - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- During Barack Obama’s underwhelming performance last week at the saddleback forum hosted by Pastor Rick Warren, the presidential hopeful managed to fill the shoes of another son of Illinois – not Abraham Lincoln, but Stephen A. Douglas. To the question: “at what point does a baby receive human rights.” Obama
What A Friend We Have In Democrats - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - This is a column about 2008 politics. Before I write about anything political, I have to repeat that I intend to vote for Barack Obama. But Obama or not, I’m still going to tell the truth! What a friend we have in Democrats! All of our
Why Obama Can’t Win - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In spite of fawning media coverage, an unpopular Republican president and economic challenges, Democrat Barack Obama has not managed to build a very substantive lead over his Republican rival John McCain. Recent polls show McCain closing the distance in key states and one national poll even had the Republican candidate
Slaying Cynicism and Offering Hope - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Few things are as satisfying as proving a common sentiment false. Whether in the media or in barbershop discussions, we are often led to believe that the priorities of our young people are askew and that Black men do not take an interest in their communities. It is little wonder
Barbershop Politics - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - If you want to do some professional political work this year, go to the barbershop! Non-Black political consultants have convinced more than one African American seeking election to public office that the best way to reach and register Black voters is to set up tables in
More old fashioned marriage: Keeping it Together - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Fourteen years of marriage! Even when I really take the time to study it, I have no clear answer as to how we made it this far. I have asked my wife and frankly, I don’t care for the way she laughs before answering me. After all is said and
Obama's White Media Advisors Causing Black Problems - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Some white folk are causing Barack Obama some very big Black problems! While Obama is criss crossing the United States and the world he has left his white campaign staff to figure out how to deal with Black voter education and Black vote generation. Bad move
The Master of My Fate - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Prior to the recent Supreme Court decision rolling back the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine, the punishment for possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine was a minimum 5 year prison sentence. "Simple possession of any quantity of any other substance by a first-time offender-including powder cocaine- was
"Black in America" Little More Than Pity Party - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Most of my friends watched at least a portion of the CNN series “Black in America”. Reporter Soledad O’Brien should be applauded for her effort and broadcast journalism expertise but the true “American” aspect left little to be desired. If America is a melting pot, all
Off Plantation Housing - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - A good friend of mine recently gave me a unique perspective about most of America’s African American communities. He said Black neighborhoods in 2008 were little more than modern-day “off plantation housing”! New millennium economic chains have replaced the iron and steel chains that bound us
Listening to Obama - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- After months of being transfixed by empty slogans, supporters of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama are finally listening and many do not like what they are hearing. Critics have charged him with flip flopping on a number of issues most significantly his stance on the war in Iraq. During
Wrong Answer - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has promised Americans a new kind of politics – “change we can believe in.” Who could’ve suspected that the change he was referring to was a reversion to the failed policies of 30 years ago? In response to the rising price of gasoline
Does The Cat Have Their Political Tongues? - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - When I was a child, my mother always had a question for me when I was reluctant to speak. “Has the cat got your tongue?” she would ask. If Mom was alive today she would be asking that same question to many of the opportunists of
Our Obama Hopes Far Too High - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I like Barack Obama and just like the majority of other African Americans, I will probably vote for him in the November elections. However, I, unlike my brothers and sisters, will not depend on the Democratic nominee for President of the United States to save me
Liberty and justice for ALL is finally a reality in California -- LOS ANGELES - The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Chief Executive Officer, Lorri L. Jean, issued the following statement today regarding the California Supreme Court's ruling regarding marriage: "Liberty and justice for ALL is finally a reality in California. For the first time in the history of our state, lesbian
Pardon me if I don't throw rice - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- This past Monday at 5:01 p.m., homosexual marriage became legal in California. Pardon me if I don’t throw rice. Last month, the California Supreme Court rode rough shod over the will of California voters, the California legislature, which failed in its attempt to legalize homosexual marriage, the clear will of
Should Barack Obama drive Miss Daisy? I think not! - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Minutes after Illinois Senator Barack Obama obtained enough delegates to become the Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States, talk turned to who would be Obama’s November running mate as Vice President. At the end of the Presidential Primaries, Hillary the Dreamer dreamed of
Let the Games Begin - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In his book “Fatheralong”, John Edger Wideman writes that when we play race, we play a game in which “the fix is in…the inventor of race always holds the winning cards because he can choose when to play them and name their value.” Those of us that placed hope in
The Race Deck, Not Card - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Right before the 2008 Presidential Primary in West Virginia, candidate Hillary Clinton proclaimed that she was the candidate for white voters, or something to that effect. Well, it sounded like Clinton was playing the race card but, in reality, West Virginia is a state with a
NC Black Youth Under Attack Please Help - Letter from Minister Paul Scott -- Shalom Shalom Brothers and Sisters, As some of you may know, my city Durham NC, has been portrayed in the national media as being "gang infested." While we do face the same challenges as other cities with youth violence, this issue has been overblown and exploited by politicians, the media
The Birds and the Bees - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The reality of how brief childhood is recently hit me with the force of a hammer. My wife and I received a permission slip for our fifth grader son to attend his elementary school’s sex education program. The curriculum consisted of a film followed by discussion with a nurse and
God and Percocet - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I have three words to say: “Per-Co-Cet!” I have been laid up the last several weeks with a pinched nerve in my neck. If you have never experienced it, God bless you. It is pain I would not wish on anyone. It is pain that quite literally had me calling
Senator Barack Obama's Philadelphia Address - Part 2 -- Throughout the first year of this campaign, against all predictions to the contrary, we saw how hungry the American people were for this message of unity. Despite the temptation to view my candidacy through a purely racial lens, we won commanding victories in states with some of the whitest populations
Senator Barack Obama's Philadelphia Address -- Remarks of Senator Barack Obama “A More Perfect Union” Constitution Center Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.” Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and
The Rules by any other Name - Commentary by Joseph C Phillips -- It is truly a testament to the ego and tenacity – both admirable qualities in a president – of Hillary Clinton that she and her campaign continue to press for the recognition of the delegates from Florida and Michigan. Speaking at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Democratic presidential hopeful
Presidential Health Care Hoaxes - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Clinton, McCain and Obama are lying about health care! I know you don’t like for me to be honest about some things but it is true! One of the biggest issues of the 2008 Presidential Primaries is affordable health care. Every candidate left in the race
Sammy Davis Jr. Enterprises, Inc. And Laroda Group File Lawsuit Against Mrs. Sammy Altovise Davis, Jr. and Burt Boyar -- Los Angeles, CA - In response to a lawsuit filed in Dallas last month by Mrs. Sammy Altovise Davis, Jr., Sammy Davis, Jr. Enterprises, Inc., The LaRoda Group, Barrett LaRoda and Anthony Francis have filed their own lawsuit against Mrs. Sammy Altovise Davis Jr. and Burt Boyar, et. al., in
State of the Hood - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Did you see Tavis Smiley’s “State of the Black Union” show on the C-SPAN TV network? Every year I try to watch it and every year I turn it of after about fifteen or thirty minutes. It seems that the “Union” I live in is very
Building Better Communities - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- There we were with rubber gloves and plastic bags picking up trash in two parks in our neighborhood. It was not my idea of the perfect family outing. The two eldest boys were working to earn a badge for their karate school. The sour looks on their faces reflected my
A Matter of Honor - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- My wife and I were privileged to be in attendance at “A Celebration of Freedom Gala” honoring recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military honor. Established in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln, the MOH is awarded to service men who exhibit extraordinary gallantry, valor and selflessness
Maryland Result Shows Black Politicians Will Be Punished for Supporting the Bush War in Iraq - By Robert N. Taylor -- It has long been held (or assumed) that African American voters tend to be single issue people focused almost exclusively on racial or civil rights concerns. Thus, many Black politicians have long assumed that as long as they did not violate certain racial norms, they could safely take non-progressive or
New Book Explores How America Built Prosperity on “the Backs of Blacks” -- (Taylor Media Services) PublishAmerica last week announced the release of Fruits of Our Labor: America's Prosperity on the Backs of Blacks by Fayton L. Washington of Damascus, Maryland. In a press release, the book was defined as “a motivational tool dedicated to inspiring African-Americans through empowerment, realization, and self-gratification of
Analysis: What the Economic Stimulus Package Means for You: $300 to $1,200 -- (Taylor Media Services) Congress has passed and President Bush has signed into law the much discussed $168 billion economic stimulus package designed to prevent the nation from falling into a job-destroying recession. Here is what that package will most likely mean for the average citizen. First, you will need to
A different view of Fidel Castro - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Cuba’s Fidel Castro recently announced his retirement from his position as leader of the Caribbean island country. Cuban-Americans far and wide have expressed mixed reviews of the sudden announcement, which comes on the heels of an extended illness of Cuba’s fiery leader. Many Florida politicians were
A Global War of Ideas - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- One of my frustrations in listening to the campaign rhetoric of the various candidates vying for our nation’s highest office is their repeated use of the phrase “global war on terror.” The description is grating, rather like fingernails on a chalk board. Moreover, the use of this tired and inaccurate
Laurence Fishburne to Star as Thurgood Marshall in Broadway Play -- (Taylor Media Services) Laurence Fishburne, perhaps best known for the role of Ike in the Tina Turner bio-drama “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, is set to star in a one-man Broadway play based on the life of civil rights legal giant, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall
Black Churches Unite to Help Blacks Caught Up in Current Housing Crisis -- (Taylor Media Services) The National Black Church Initiative and thirteen historic African American denominations have come together with industry and government officials to create a guide designed to assist families while they are going through foreclosure and to help others avoid it altogether. The effort is in response to the
Miasha, The Writing Diva, Drops Fourth Novel "Sistah For Sale" A Sizzling Tale Of Survival -- Philadalphia, PA - When 26-year old "Writing Diva" Miasha puts pen to paper, the publishing world takes note. Just two years ago, at the age of 24, the literary phenomenon incited a heated bidding war between powerhouses Avon Books, St. Martin's and Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, Inc. Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, Inc
Obama Pulled Their Sheet Off - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Some of my best friends are “Democrats” so I don’t want to hurt any feelings with this column but the truth must be told. The best candidate for United States President currently running in the 2008 primary elections is Illinois Senator Barack Obama. He has taken
No Change in Waller County Texas -- Prairie View Student Government Association and Black Youth Vote! announce a march and rally to protect students’ right to vote Prairie View, TX – As the historic turnout among young voters continues to have a major impact on an election that marks a turning point in America, students at Prairie
NAACP Challenges Attorney General Mukasey's Misguided Position on Crack Cocaine Sentencing Reductions -- The NAACP was both saddened and offended by Attorney General Michael Mukasey’s call for Congress to override the decision by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to apply their May 2007 decision to reduce the recommended mandatory minimum sentencing range for conviction of possession of crack cocaine retroactive to those already in
New Black Leaders - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - In my opinion, too many of our current so-called Black American heroes are essentially zeros in disguise! Before integration, we had more of a say in who led us and whom we would follow. Nowadays, anybody with a job with the white man, a contract with
Me and my Wii - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I blame my mother-in-law. Prior to Christmas, my wife’s mother announced that she was going to purchase a Wii (pronounced we) for our boys. For the uninitiated, the Wii is a video game console made by Nintendo. Unlike many other video gaming systems, the Wii is interactive. Rather than sit
Stop The Police Violence - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I recently read a story in The New York Times about how Lima, Ohio police officers, allegedly looking for a drug dealer, shot a woman and her infant child. The woman, who was not a crime suspect, was killed and the baby suffered serious gunshot injuries
Chatting with the Maker - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- There is an old joke that everyone talks to God, but only crazy people hear God answering them. What then is one to make of television evangelist Pat Robertson and his annual end of the year chats with our maker? It has become something of a New Year’s tradition that
Clinton, Clinton, Hill No! - Commentary by Felicia M. Davis -- I voted early for Barack Obama in Georgia and it felt so good that I couldn’t resist traveling to South Carolina to participate in history in the making. I spent about two hours standing on a corner adjacent to the Capitol helping to out-chant Hillary supporters before gathering for the
Audacity & Hope – by Felicia M. Davis -- DogonVillage.com - Think back before the Iowa Caucus…a time when we were challenged to dare to hope for a better America. When Iowa responded it inspired the rest of us to reach for a bold new vision and we began to believe in our collective ability to do better, to
The Presidential Wolf - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - God will rise up whom He pleases! Despite the race baiting and hating by the Clinton Campaign, Barack Obama raced to victory in the South Carolina Presidential Primary. Soundly defeating all other Democratic candidates, Obama got 24 percent of white votes cast with two other major
Becoming an Obamacan - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama recently found himself in some hot water when he was heard to compliment former President Ronald Reagan. During an interview, the Illinois senator said, “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way
Internet Love - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - The once was a popular song that went, “I found love on a two-way street and lost it on a lonely highway”. Nowadays, you can find love on an information highway and lose it in a parking lot! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Internet
Chatting with the Maker - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- There is an old joke that everyone talks to God, but only crazy people hear God answering them. What then is one to make of television evangelist Pat Robertson and his annual end of the year chats with our maker? It has become something of a New Year’s tradition that
OUR POLITICS, OUR PROGRESS: How Our Children Should Be Actively Involved in Our Struggles -- Our children- we feed them, we clothe them, we provide shelter for them, and make sure that they are healthy and get to school each day. So shouldn’t our collective progress and current struggles for liberated economics, justice, and unity heavily involve them? Just as many times in the past
The King Influence - Commentary by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report -Happy Birthday Dr. King. You were born on this date, January 15th, and no matter how much the devil likes to change the calendar and distort the dates that are important to us, the real players honor you on the date God blessed us with your birth
The Health Care Pillow - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- In “The Scarlet Letter” Nathanial Hawthorne writes “…The American eagle, with outspread wings, a shield before her breast, and, If I recollect right, a bunch of intermingled thunderbolts and barbed arrows in each claw. With the customary infirmity of temper that characterizes this unhappy fowl she appears, by the fierceness
Obama's On A Roll - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Who are the “we” that Presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks about in his most memorable campaign phrase, “Yes we can”! Time will tell, but right now is the time to recognize Obama’s limited success in America’s Presidential Primary Elections. Obama won the Iowa caucus and placed
People Say the Dumbest Things - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- File this under “people say the dumbest things.” During a Golf Channel telecast of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, announcer Kelly Tilghman and co-host Nick Faldo were discussing young players who could possibly challenge Tiger Woods. Faldo jokingly said perhaps the youngsters should "gang up (on Tiger) for a while." The pair
Class War Is Being Waged against New Orleans Blacks - Commentary by Robert N. Taylor -- Last month’s scenes from New Orleans caught on video and posted on the Internet were racially horrifying: Police using electric tasers and tear gas to suppress protesters who were trying to enter a City Council meeting to block a federal plan to demolish thousands of homes in low-income housing projects
Why Don't Blacks Buy American? by William Reed -- The American economy is declining. Are you a part of this problem, or its solution? In a Capitol Hill briefing, the head of the nation’s oldest black business organization said his National Business League (NBL) is addressing the problem with a focus on “creating more well-paying jobs for African Americans”
Hope and Death in Health care - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Recent events illustrate how hope and death hang over our discussions of health care like shadows whose influence is ever present though seldom seen. Two competing specters: one so intensely focused on the present moment that it occasionally reeks of desperation; the other smugly confident that no matter how many
That Special Person - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - African American women and men oftentimes have so many relationship scars it is very difficult to believe in a healer. When a good person comes along, the tendency is to believe the worst as opposed to the better. In seeking a meaningful relationship, one cannot lose
Lessons Learned - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never know the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 Every now and again, a child says or does something that fills a parent with pride and lets them know that all the talking, the lecturing, the
How Can We Stop Young Black Males from Killing One Another – A Few Ideas! - by Robert N. Taylor -- The recent tragic shooting death of 24-year-old Washington Redskins football star Sean Taylor in his Florida home once again forces us to confront a distressing fact of modern Black life in the United States of America. After surviving slavery, the Ku Klux Klan, lynching, Jim Crow, Black codes, family destruction
Beast Bank Mortgage Crisis - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - There’s a number that you can call if you are in the midst of a mortgage crisis. The number, I’m told, is 1-888-995-HOPE, a government sponsored telephone number. The government, as usual, makes the people hurt by mortgage bandits look like the criminals and the wicked
Hard Headed Hip-hop - by Joseph C. Phillips -- It is often jarring when the cleanliness of theory meets the messiness of reality. Such was the source of the recent smack in the face I received when I purchased one of my sons a MP3 player for his birthday. All of my neat theories about keeping the evil rap
I Know How The Dog Feels - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I’m sorry to say but I had a “Dog The Bounty Hunter” moment! If you’ve been keeping up with it “Dog” was tape recorded using the “N” word. His excuse, he said, was the word was just casually used sometimes in his business and his home
Old Fashioned Marriage Part 10: Marriage for Children - Joseph C. Phillips -- I am always amused to hear baby boomers applaud themselves for being so much more in touch with their sexuality than were their parents. For them, prior generations were uptight prudes that just didn’t know how to get their groove on. Seemingly lost on these free spirits is that the
Would deracializing current events help fight abuse of power epidemic? - by Edrea Davis -- America is in a state of chaos and the problem is bigger than racism. In addition to the enduring wars in the Middle East and on our city streets, recently publicized incidents reveal widespread violence against citizens perpetrated by officials under the cloak of authority. The myriad of videos circulating
Yellow Fever - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Call 911! Get the Life Flight Helicopter airborne because many of the country’s most prominent African Americans are sick! If they are not quarantined, the whole community will be sick as a dog! Why? Necessary steps must be taken because large numbers of so-called Black leaders
Old Fashioned Marriage Part 9: A Testing - Joseph C. Phillips -- My buddy is raising his two daughters to be perfect ladies. He is teaching them to demand not that they be treated as delicate flowers that must be handled with care less they crumble, but strong women that delight in their femininity. To that end he has instructed his girls
Thanksgiving Soul - by Joseph C. Phillips -- When a meal is especially enjoyable, diners will often comment that the chef put his foot into a meal. It is a way of saying that in addition to the herbs and spices, the chef added a bit of his soul. Thanksgiving dinner is like that for me. I have
Black Political Puppets - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - “Pinocchio”, “Lamb Chops” and “Howdy Doody” would be proud! Every time members of the Democratic and Republican Parties claim to be seeking support from Black voters, they roll out their crews of political puppets! To generate support from other groups of voters, the political parties have
Barack Obama: Whites’ Great Hope? - Commentary by George E. Curry -- Usually, I don’t write columns about stories that appear in a single publication, but one that appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 10 really got my attention. The story about Barak Obama was headlined, “Whites’ Great Hope? Barack Obama and the Dream of a
Getting Serious About Global Warming - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I am concerned about global warming. I have heard and read repeatedly that we are in the midst of a planetary emergency and I am distressed that we may not be doing enough to address the current environmental crisis. I am distressed about the legacy this generation may be leaving
Democratic Backbone - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- Kudos to Bill Clinton. At a recent fundraiser for his wife presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Bill confronted a couple of hecklers in the audience shouting that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were an inside job. When the hecklers persisted the former president responded with a forceful, “Inside job? How dare
Hating on Cosby - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- The release of Bill Cosby’s new book “Come On, People: On the Path from Victims to Victors,” has revived charges from progressive corners that he is just a big, rich “meany-pants” picking on the poor and down trodden. Contrary to this critique, Cosby and those that agree with him are
Reconciling Faith - Commentary Joseph C. Phillips -- Why do bad things happen to good people? It is the eternal philosophical question. Why is there sadness and suffering in the world and heartbreak and frustration in our lives, though we fall on our knees in prayer? The answers to these questions are not easy and in fact are
Panama Injustice - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - Don’t act surprised. The Panama City jury that found boot camp law enforcers not guilty in the brutal death of 14-year-old Martin Anderson is not the first jury to acquit police officers of obvious misconduct. In a society where Black youth and adults are seen as
The Values Dance - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- I watched Antonio Villaraigosa do a dance that has alas become all too familiar. After it was revealed that the mayor of Los Angeles had been involved in an extra marital affair, he held a news conference to “take full responsibility for his actions,” reaffirm his commitment to the people
The NACCP's New White Hope - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - News reports indicate that the Florida State Branch of the NAACP is jumping on the Charlie Crist bandwagon. Crist, if you don’t know, is the Republican Governor of the State of Florida. Crist spoke at the recent NAACP’s Freedom Fund dinner and commented on his role
Deaf to Race - Commentary by Joseph C. Phillips -- For several years now, we have been hearing about the renewed efforts on the part of the Republican Party to bring black voters back into the fold. If the GOP is to be successful in that endeavor, I am of the opinion that they must take every opportunity presented to
‘Billary’ Clinton is Condescending to Blacks By George E. Curry -- Clinton is condescending to African-Americans. Which one? Billary. Translation: Both of them – Bill and Hillary. I am sick of it and even sicker over how Blacks respond to what should be perceived as a slap-in-the face. I suspect much of this nonsense began with Toni Morrison proclaiming that Bill
A Thank You to Black People From All Other Americans - By James Clingman -- Dear Black Americans, After all of these years and all we have been through, we think it's appropriate for us to show our gratitude for all you have done for us. We have chastised you, criticized you, punished you, and in some cases even apologized to you, but we have
New Jack Affirmative Action - by Joseph C. Phillips -- Fifty years ago one thousand armed national guardsmen escorted 9 Black Little Rock, Arkansas teenagers through an angry mob to the doors of Central High School. No doubt Ernest Green, Melba Beals and the rest of the Little Rock 9 did not face a mob screaming for their blood in
The NACCP's New White Hope - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - News reports indicate that the Florida State Branch of the NAACP is jumping on the Charlie Crist bandwagon. Crist, if you don’t know, is the Republican Governor of the State of Florida. Crist spoke at the recent NAACP’s Freedom Fund dinner and commented on his role
Old Fashioned Marriage Part 8: Walking Together - by Joseph C. Phillips -- Women tend to get a bit disagreeable surrounding issues of communication, selfishness and finance. As much as I love the fairer sex, there is little to like about a woman with a funky attitude. Of course, they say the same thing about men. Married life may be the best life
Michael Vick - by Joseph C. Phillips -- January 4th 2000. The date stands out in my memory because it was the first time I saw Michael Vick play football. Despite being a red shirt freshman, it was clear that Vick was a man playing a sport with boys. He dazzled! Virginia Tech was overrun by a much
How to Keep Jena-type Protests Going - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - It was good to see all of the old folks at the recent protests in Jena, Louisiana about the malicious and racially motivated prosecution of six teenagers. However, it was better to see the throngs of youth voice their opinions and show their faces at the
Juice Justice - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - About 500 years ago millions of Black people complained that they were kidnapped and stolen from the shores of Africa and brought to America to serve as slaves for white slave masters. In 2007, no one has been arrested or has spent any time in jail
America's Conservative Negro Opinion Columnists - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - I was talking with one of my friends recently about how scholarly studies indicate that most American newspapers seek to publish opinions by conservative writers. Editorial pages are some of the least read sections of newspapers but editorials are a gauge of community perspectives. If it
Rolle-ing to the Top of Pro Tennis - by Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report-You can’t keep a good Black woman down! African American Miami native Ahsha Rolle stepped up to the plate recently in the world class US Open Tennis Tournament and did her thing beating the 17th-ranked and the 57th-ranked women tennis players in the world in the first and
Don't Blame Vick, Blame Vick Haters - By Lucius Gantt -- The Gantt Report - After pleading guilty to dog fighting recently in a federal courthouse, football player Michael Vick gave a heartfelt apology to everyone hurt by his involvement in illegal activities. Minutes after Vick pleaded guilty, the Atlanta Falcons football team owner Arthur Blank couldn’t wait to call a
Jena Six Mirrors American Justice -- The Gantt Report - Los Angeles police Officers Wynn, Koon and others did not brutally beat Rodney King in the early 1990s. New Orleans Police Officers also didn’t brutally beat a Black man in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. Videos were taken of police misconduct and the officers still said
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