Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
President Obama reaches an all-time Low
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
President Obama received some bad news this week: A recent Gallup Poll foundthat the approval rating for the president has dropped below 40 percent for the first time ever. A full 54 percent of Americans disapprove of the job the president is doing. This puts President Obama into George Bush territory. Bush’s approval rating dropped below 40 percent in early 2006 and never recovered after that.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Duchess Harris: Kathryn Stockett Is Not My Sister and I Am Not Her Help
by Professor Duchess Harris, PhD, JD
I did not attend Wednesday’s movie release of “The Help” from DreamWorks Pictures, based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Kathryn Stockett. Why, you ask? Because I read the book.
Last week New York Times op-ed columnist Frank Bruni saw an advance screening of the movie and referred to it as “…a story of female grit and solidarity — of strength through sisterhood.” He wrote, “The book’s author, Kathryn Stockett, told me that she felt that most civil rights literature had taken a male perspective, leaving ‘territory that hadn’t been covered much.’” What neither Bruni nor Stockett acknowledge is that the real territory remaining uncovered is civil rights literature written by the Black women who experienced it.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Van Jones Speaks Up on Debt Ceiling Debacle
Van Jones, former White House “Green Jobs Czar,” is on to bigger and better things.
Former White House environmental adviser and “Green Jobs Czar” Van Jones, who resigned in September of 2009 amidst Tea Party controversy that labeled him a “reverse racist” because of his activism against environmental racism in the black community, has launched Contract for the American Dream. Says Jones “Many of our best workers are sitting idle, while the work of rebuilding America goes undone. Together, we must rebuild our country, reinvest in our people and jump-start the industries of the future. Millions of jobless Americans would love the opportunity to become working, tax-paying members of their communities again. We have a jobs crisis, not a deficit crisis.”
NCAA Athletes Start a New Season with No Labor Rights, No Compensation and No Help for Their Families
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
NCAA athletics has become the new prohibition – the illogical construct that creates a destructive underground economy because leadership is being guided by an illusion of what should be, rather than confronting the NCAA for what it really is: a professional sports league. Some of our most highly educated figures within academia are forced to convince themselves that a multi-billion dollar sports entertainment behemoth should be able to get away with not paying its primary employees.
Are For Profit Universities Doing a Disservice to Minorities?
By JasmineHughes
Selected for their potential to succeed or for their potential to become indebted? Many are now questioning the targeted recruiting practices of for-profit colleges.
Home Ownership Hits Lowest Levels Since 1965
By JasmineHughes
According to a recent Morgan Stanley report, the United States is fast becoming a nation of renters. As the foreclosure crisis continues to gain momentum homeownership is reaching its lowest numbers in almost 5 decades.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Cornel West and Tavis Smiley Start Their Poverty Tour
Media personality Tavis Smiley and Princeton professor Cornel West made Chicago one of the first stops on their Poverty Tour, fueling more debate about President Obama’s economics policies and whether those policies have or have not done the current jobs disparity in black communities any justice. There are two factions of thought in the early Smiley & West town hall talks.
A Doctor Now Gives the Services She Once Receives
by Ayvaunn Penn, Your Black World
Some studies show that a significant number of people remain in the social class they grow up in. That does not mean, however, that it is impossible to rise above one’s situation, and Dr. Carey McDade is a prime example.
Martin Luther King is Getting a Monument, Let’s Now Build Something for Malcolm
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
As we prepare for the unveiling of the Washington memorial for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it is important that we take a second to contextualize this extraordinary event. Dr. King deserves to be celebrated next to other great heroes of American history, and it is a proud testament to the growth and maturity of our nation that Dr. King has been honored in this way.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Black Man Killed by Campus Police
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
An 18-year old student at the University of Cincinnati was killed this weekend after being stunned by a police taser. Everette Howard, a student in a summer program preparing him for college, died after the attack. Friends say that Howard was trying to break up a fight in front of a dorm when campus police arrived on the scene.
The Arrogance of Being President While Black
The author of this piece is unknown, but many believe that he is a white male. It’s interesting, please take a look.
I don't think anyone was under some real illusion that the election of Barack Obama actually means the end of racism in America . I'm pretty sure that the president-elect knew it better than anyone. After all, he saw it every day, from the moment he announced his candidacy. To some degree, he saw it within his own party during the primaries. And he saw it in all ugliness during the general election. For half of this country, he was "That One". No matter how big and clear his victory was. No matter how smart he is. No matter how decent he is. No matter what a true patriot he is. No matter how optimistic and positive his vision for America was. All that didn't matter. Because at the end of the day, he was still black.
Dr. Ron Daniels: The Huff, Puff and Bluff of the Obama Administration to the GOP
Once again Liberals/progressives and a large sector of the electorate have witnessed a dismal and disappointing performance by President Obama and the Democrats. In the face of staunch opposition by conservatives and fanatical determination by the Tea Party Caucus, the Democrats and Obama abandoned the “principle” that legislation to lift the Debt Ceiling must include “revenues” as well as cuts in spending.
Julius Kane: The Black Press Took It’s First Stand in 1827 and Has Been Fighting Ever Since
By Julius Kane
In 1827 a group of black businessmen were fed up with the negative depictions of African-Americans in their local newspapers, so they decided to start their own. A few months later America's first, 'race' newspaper was born. At the helm were two young black men; 28 year old college graduate John Russwurm and 32 year old preacher Samuel Cornish. Freedom's Journal, as it was called, made certain every article and editorial had a deliberate slant that showed blacks in a positive light with dignity and class. Cornish and Russwurm knew they not only had to report the news but they had to inspire as well. Any news worthy item involving "Africans" was to be included.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Bill Maher, Michael Eric Dyson Discuss Lost Confidence in Obama 2012
Your Black World reports
Just a few months ago, when President Obama authorized the killing of Osama bin Laden, there was little question about whether or not the president would win the 2012 election. Since that time, the economy has become more fragile and recent negotiations on the debt ceiling have led some to wonder if the Obama Administration has the ability to shore up its base.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Your Black Money: What the Downgrade in US Debt Means for You
Money Magazine — United States bonds are no longer officially rated Triple-A, at least in the eyes of Standard & Poor’s.
And while Moody’s and Fitch, the other leading rating agencies, have affirmed the top rating, they too have worried about the long-term prospects for the United States.
The White House Issues a Statement about the Historic Downgrade of Federal Debt
Your Black Politics received this message from the White House today. It is President Obama’s first response to recent reports that for the first time in U.S. history, federal government debt has been downgraded from AAA status.
Erin Harper: Language on The Morehouse vs. Howard Rivalry Fan Page is Getting Downright Embarrassing
by Erin Harper, YourBlackWorld.com
I did not graduate from Morehouse College or Howard University. Neither did Sean Combs or many of this week’s readers of the “Howard v. Morehouse: Nation’s Football Classic Trash Talk” group page on Facebook. However, while at Spelman, I DID take one psychology class at Morehouse, served on the Miss Maroon & White court, and strolled in front of Kilgore Hall to Juvenile’s “400 Degreez” album enough to earn me at least 36 credit hours in Drama and Dance. Thus, I attended Morehouse College and I have granted myself with the right and the privilege to defend the institution whenever there is a need.
Chuck D. Calls Out Jay-Z and Kanye West for Rapping about Materialism During Economic Hardship
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I met the rapper Chuck D at the Measuring the Movement forum, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton. I sat next to Chuck for a good 30 minutes during the panel discussion and got to appreciate his humility and intelligence as it pertains to the plight of black people. What I also noticed was that Chuck stands a far cry away from his peers regarding whether or not they give a damn about the people who are buying their albums.
Friday, August 5, 2011
In Monumental Move, S&P Set to Downgrade US Gov’t Credit Rating
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
According to CNN, the Standard & Poor’s rating agency has told the Obama Administration that it plans to downgrade the U.S government’s AAA credit rating. The ruling has not been announced to the public and it is reportedly being challenged by the White House. The move would be unprecedented, for the United States has long been considered one of the most credit-worthy financial entities in the world.
Black Unemployment Drops Slightly, Remains Steady for Black Men
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
The recent release of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that Black unemployment declined during the month of July. It had reached 16.2 percent and dropped over the course of the month to 15.9 percent. While the number is an improvement, it is still nearly double that of white Americans.
Disapproval Rating for Congress is the Lowest in History
Your Black World reports.
The recent debt ceiling debate brought the nation the closest its ever been to defaulting on the country’s debt. Also, Americans have shown that they would rather see their lawmakers focus on creating jobs than on cutting costs, at least according to a new New York T’imes/CBS News Poll.
The poll found that a shocking 82 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job. This is the highest disapproval rating in the history of the poll, which started in 1977. Four out of five Americans said that the debt ceiling debate was more about gaining a political advantage than about doing what’s best for the country. Nearly 75 percent of respondents claim that the debate did harm to the image of the United States around the world.
Somalia Famine Claims the Lives of 29,000 Children
Your Black World Reports
A reported 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the recent famine in Somalia, according to estimates by the U.S. government. The drought is the worst in Somalia in the last 60 years, and the United Nations estimates that there are over 640,000 small children who are acutely malnourished. They also predict that the number of dead children will continue to grow.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Pat Buchanan Refuses to Apologize for Calling President Obama a “Boy” on Television
MSNBC commentator Pat Buchanan refused to apologize for calling President Obama a “boy” on national television. Speaking to Rev. Al Sharpton on the network, Buchanan referred to President Obama as “your boy” to Rev. Sharpton, sparking an on-air fight that went viral on the Internet.
Dr. Boyce: Let’s Give Black America a Reason to Support President Obama
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Schoarship in Action
Respected commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson recently made a set of accurate remarks about the challenges that President Obama faces within the African American community. He cites a recentWashington Post/ABC News poll that shows that there are as many African Americans who are dissatisfied with the president's performance as there are who are happy with it.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Were African Americans Thrown Under the Bus During the Debt Ceiling Debate?
Dr. Wilmer Leon and Dr. Boyce Watkins ask whether or not African Americans were harmed disproportionately by the latest debt ceiling debate.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Nobel Prize Winning Economist Says that the Debt Ceiling Deal was a Disaster
Your Black World reports.
Princeton University Professor and Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman expressed his concerns about the recent debt ceiling deal between President Obama and the Republicans. Krugman said that the president effectively caved in to threats from the Republicans, and gave them what they wanted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
