YourBlackScholar

Why are Black Couples Not Staying Married?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:54:00 +0000

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Are black men or black women the ones to blame in the decline in African American marriage?

Should Black Preachers Be Preaching about Money?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:20:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Your Black World

Nearly every African American knows just how important the black church is to our community. We also know about "prosperity gospel," the act of preaching about God within the context of wealth building. I admit that this form of faith is a bit odd to me. I am a Finance Professor and I become confused when my pastor talks about money more than I do. The saddest truth is that it's hard to tell the difference between a pastor and a pimp: Most pastors aren't pimps, but any pimp could be a pastor. The same skill set is required in both professions.

My father is a preacher, but he almost never preaches about money. I've never heard him asking for money on the pulpit, or mentioning that giving money to him is one of the keys to gaining access to heaven. But I don't presume that my father is right about all things, and given that I write about money on a regular basis, I have gained an appreciation for what financial resources can do to enhance your life. Also, one must be aware of the pragmatic realities of running a church: You have the building fund, bills to pay every month and any community service initiatives that the church chooses to pursue. The proper use of money can certainly enhance your ability to do God's work.

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Obama’s Security Threatened by White Privilege

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

On the evening of Tuesday, November 24 a young couple from Virginia made their way into one of the most secure events in the country, President Obama’s state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh and his wife at the White House. Like the other 300 plus invited guests, Tareq and Michaele Salahi went through multiple layers of Secret Service security, took photos with Chief of Staff Rom Emanuel and mingled with Vice President Biden and other invited guests. The problem is that the Salahi’s were not invited to the dinner. Their names were not listed on the official guest list or any other list that would have allowed them entrance into the White House. They crashed the party!

All that this couple needed to gain entrance into a state dinner at the White House was a tuxedo, traditional Indian evening wear, attitude, and white skin. When they arrived at the Secret Service check point without a printed invitation and without their names on the official guest list, they were not detained or questioned. No telephone calls were made; no further inquiries were needed; just white skin, blond hair, the expectation of admittance, and a pretty smile. Had this occurred at an airport the Salahi’s would have never made it past airport security.

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Dr Boyce talks Financial Lipo on ABC News

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:28:00 +0000

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President Obama Gets Low Support Among Whites

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:09:00 +0000

President Obama's approval among white Americans has fallen to 39 percent since taking office in January, Gallup Daily poll results indicated.

Overall, Obama's approval rating slipped below 50 percent for the first time in his presidency, a 16 percentage point drop since the 66 percent average he enjoyed during his first full week in office, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said of its results released Tuesday.

Support among blacks for Obama averaged 93 percent during his time in office, and has been at or above 90 percent since he was sworn in, accounting for the reason Obama's support among non-white respondents didn't drop as much, Gallup said.

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Dr. Boyce and Richelle Carey Discuss Heather on CNN

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:10:00 +0000

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Why We Don’t Need Sarah Palin: Wilmer Leon

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, Howard University

With the release of her new book Going Rogue: An American Life, former Alaskan Governor and Republican party VP nominee Sarah Palin is once again being given a spotlight she does not deserve. Under normal circumstances Palin would have drifted into obscurity by now; a political has-been who never was. Instead, a sub-par politician with no substantial constituency; no command of relevant issues, and no solutions to substantive problems, is being given air and face time as though she really matters. The simple reality that few are willing to articulate is, if she were not relatively attractive, of European ancestry and a woman, Sarah Palin would be day old bread.

Former Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) did not select Palin as his running mate because she was a “rogue”, innovator, or had demonstrated intellectual heft. McCain simply pandered to the Conservative Right, tried to siphon off some of the disgruntled Senator Clinton supporters, and gave America more of the same ole’ politics. From that point until now, Sarah Palin has continually tried to reinvent herself, but continues to give Americans more of the same; “all sizzle and no steak”.

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Dr. Wilmer Leon: It’s time for a New Social Agenda

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Your Black World, Howard University

Early on the campaign trail, presidential candidate Barack Obama said, "This country is ready for a transformative politics of the sort that John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt represented." Socially, President Obama is beginning to move in such a positive transformative direction.

After 12 years of languishing in Congress, on Wednesday, October 28, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard / James Byrd Hate Crimes Bill. By signing this bill, the president expands the federal definition of hate crimes to include those motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. It also allows federal authorities to pursue hate-crimes cases when local authorities are either unable or unwilling to do so. This law was named after Matthew Shepard, a gay man murdered in Wyoming in 1998, and James Byrd, the African-American man dragged to his death behind a pickup truck in Texas that same year.

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Mississippi Governor Wants to Merge All of It’s HBCUs

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Gov. Haley Barbour’s plan to merge Mississippi’s three historically black universities has created a tense atmosphere in a state saddled with a violent civil rights past and a decades-long legal battle over the historic underfunding of those schools.
At Jackson State University, students have turned to Twitter and Facebook to gather signatures on a petition to block the move proposed by the Republican governor. A half-dozen students attended a state College Board meeting Thursday expecting some discussion about the proposal, but there was none.
“I personally believe they undermined the uniqueness of the black colleges and how far we’ve come with the little resources we have,” said Marissa Simms, a 20-year-old JSU student.
Many of the nation’s public historically black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs, were founded more than a century ago. Mississippi’s own Alcorn State University in Lorman was the country’s first land-grant black college.
The state’s other historically black campus is Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena.
Nationwide, there are 40 four-year public HBCUs, and dozens more two-year colleges and private institutions. White House officials and representatives of national organizations say the colleges play a vital role in an initiative by the Democratic Obama administration.

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News: Klan Rally Held before the Ole Miss-LSU Game

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:33:00 +0000

Members of the Ku Klux Klan protest on the steps of Fulton Chapel at the University of Mississippi (AP Photo/The Clarion-Ledger, Ryan Moore)

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- About a dozen hooded Ku Klux Klan members rallied briefly at the University of Mississippi before Saturday's football game with No. 10 LSU.

The members of the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan spent about 10 minutes waving flags, displaying Nazi-style salutes and occasionally gesturing at a group of about 250 hecklers that included young children. They were protesting the school's decision to drop a pep song that included "Dixie."

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Health News: Another Hurdle Jumped for Healthcare Reform

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:32:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – A bruising debate on health care awaits the Senate after Thanksgiving now that the historic legislation has cleared a key hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama.

The bill would extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.

In the final minutes of a daylong session, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans of trying to stifle a historic debate the nation needed.

The Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said the vote was anything but procedural — casting it as a referendum on the bill itself, which he said would raise taxes, cut Medicare and create a “massive and unsustainable debt.”

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Heather Ellis Finally Speaks: Listen to her Side of the Story

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:13:00 +0000

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Here is an interview that Heather Ellis did for AOL Black Voices - it appears that her side of the story is very different from the prosecution and she may have reason to sue the police department.

CNN Video on the Heather Ellis Plea Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +0000

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Here is more CNN coverage, including final statements from Heather Ellis.

News: Heather Ellis’ First Statement Since the Trial

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:18:00 +0000

"I didn't break the line, she actually broke in front of us. We also found out that I was shoved first and that I didn't yell or curse. I was speaking in a loud tone as I do always. And i still think that it's important that my story got out and that people understood the truth and heard it. If I would have signed a plea bargain or anything before, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to let the world know now and let the jurors know what actually happened."

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Jesse Jackson Gets into it with the CBC

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:01:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Black Planet, Your Black World Coalition

I love speaking with Rev. Jesse Jackson. He walks and talks like a man who has seen and heard nearly everything. Our civil rights leaders are social hubs through which many members of our society must travel in order to reach their destinations. You can’t call yourself a black man and not know the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rev. Jackson took things a step further by stating recently at a Congressional Black Caucus function that,”You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”

This comment was aimed at Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, the only member of theCongressional Black Caucus who does not support health care reform. What is most interesting about Jackson’s comment is that he is right, but not quite. You can certainly argue that Davis’ lack of support for the plan implies that his interests are not in line with the majority of African Americans in this country: Most of them love Barack Obama and are willing to support anything that he supports. The other sad truth is that health care reform is so complicated that most Americans don’t have a clue about what’s going on. In that regard, we can argue that it is difficult for Davis to say that he represents the black community when he votes in a direction that is not correlated with the majority of African Americans in the state of Alabama.

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Heather Ellis Claims She was Assaulted – There was blood in her Jacket Pocket

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:51:00 +0000

KENNETT, Mo. (AP) -- Closing arguments ended Friday and a jury took up the case of a black school teacher charged with assaulting white police officers, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace at a Southeast Missouri store.

A jury of 10 white women, one black woman and one black man began deliberating Heather Ellis' case late Friday. One of the last to testify in the three-day trial, Ellis maintained Friday that white police officers had attacked and abused her.

Prosecutors said Ellis, a Louisiana school teacher, cut in line at the Kennett Walmart in January 2007, then became belligerent and attacked officers called in to quell the scuffle. The 24-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison if she is convicted of the felony charges against her.

The racial overtones of the case have drawn national interest. Prosecutor Morley Swingle said Friday the defense was trying to portray Kennett as "some racist Hooterville."

The customer who accused Ellis of pushing in line, the assistant store manager and arresting officers are all white.

Police said Ellis used obscene language and kicked and bit officers as they led her out of the store.

In nearly two hours of testimony, Ellis denied cursing or attacking anyone. Instead, she said, it was police who assaulted her in the parking lot after she was led outside.

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Heather's Attorney is Ripping Witnesses Apart

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:30:00 +0000

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It appears that Heather's attorney, Scott Rosenblum, actually knows what he's doing - the trial is getting interesting.

Heather Ellis Walmart Video Released on CNN

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:13:00 +0000

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Does anyone see a smoking gun in this video?

Your Black News: Detroit Man Shoots His own Son in the Head!

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Jamar Pinkney, Sr. of Detroit is accused of shooting his 15-year-old son
in the head execution style. The shooting occurred after his son, Jamar Jr., confessed that he'd done something inappropriate to his 3-year-old sister. Jamar Sr. came home, stripped his son naked, took him outside the house and shot him in the head.

Lazette Cherry, Jamar Jr.'s mother, said she wanted to get help for her son when he confessed to what he'd done with his sister. She claims, however, that there was no rape. She says that her son admitted that he knew that lying down on top of the little girl was wrong.

"He got on his knees and begged, 'No, Daddy! No!' and he pulled the trigger," she said. "There wasn't nothing that my son wouldn't do for his father. He loved his father so much."

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Dr. Elaina George: How Does Depression Affect the Black Community?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Medicine on Call with Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World

Dr George and Delores Jones, a correspondent for AOL speak about dealing with depression and change through inspiration and spirituality.

Click here to listen!

The Heather Ellis Case is Not the Only Injustice in Missouri

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Supporters of Heather Ellis gather on the Dunklin County Courthouse steps on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in Kennett, Mo. (AP Photo/Daily Dunklin Democrat, Deanna Coronado)

by Brenda L. Jones – MSNBC’s TheGrio.com

When hundreds of people rallied outside a Wal-Mart in Kennett, Missouri Monday, they did so to protest the treatment by police and local prosecutors of Heather Ellis, the now infamous 24-year-old African-American college student who three years ago made a routine trip to that very same Wal-Mart to run some errands and ended up leaving in handcuffs after being accused of cutting a checkout line.

Led by civil rights activist Dr. Boyce Watkins and a coalition of civil rights organizations including the ACLU, the protesters marched to the Dunklin County Courthouse where, beginning today, Ellis, a Kennett native whose father still serves the Church in God in Christ congregation in town, will find herself fighting for her freedom after being charged with multiple felonies that could land her up to 15 years in prison. They were there to decry what Ellis has said was the abhorrent treatment she received from both her fellow shoppers and police. In a complaint she filed with the NAACP, Ellis says she was pushed by a white customer, hassled by store employees and called racial slurs by police who physically mistreated her. The police were called to the scene after Ellis and her cousin got into two separate checkout lines, and after Ellis joined her cousin when one line started moving faster than the other.

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Dr. Elaina George: The Problems with Obama’s Health Care Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Dr. Elaina George, MD

The health care reform bill (HR 3962) that just passed the House of Representatives is bad on so many levels it is difficult explain. As it stands, it will destroy both the doctor patient relationship and change the practice of medicine as we know it.

We have one of the finest health care systems in the world. It has been built on a foundation of choice. Doctors were free to choose the care that they deemed necessary to treat their patients, and patients were free to seek the medical care of their choice. Initially, the foundation was shaken by the rise of the managed care system with capitation. However, over the past 10 years, capitated plans which limit access to specialists have given way to the rise in power of insurance companies. They have used their anti-trust exemption to craft a system that has used monopoly to increase profits on the backs of both doctors and patients.

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Your Black News: Memphis Benefit Planned for Heather Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Listen to Dr. Boyce, Roland Martin and Tom Joyner Discuss Heather Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:25:00 +0000

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Given that Tom Joyner's Show is sponsored by Walmart, this leads to a relatively awkward conversation!

YourBlackScholar

Why are Black Couples Not Staying Married?

Should Black Preachers Be Preaching about Money?

Obama’s Security Threatened by White Privilege

Dr Boyce talks Financial Lipo on ABC News

President Obama Gets Low Support Among Whites

Dr. Boyce and Richelle Carey Discuss Heather on CNN

Why We Don’t Need Sarah Palin: Wilmer Leon

Dr. Wilmer Leon: It’s time for a New Social Agenda

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Your Black World, Howard University

Mississippi Governor Wants to Merge All of It’s HBCUs

News: Klan Rally Held before the Ole Miss-LSU Game

Health News: Another Hurdle Jumped for Healthcare Reform

Heather Ellis Finally Speaks: Listen to her Side of the Story

CNN Video on the Heather Ellis Plea Deal

News: Heather Ellis’ First Statement Since the Trial

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Jesse Jackson Gets into it with the CBC

Heather Ellis Claims She was Assaulted – There was blood in her Jacket Pocket

Heather's Attorney is Ripping Witnesses Apart

Heather Ellis Walmart Video Released on CNN

Your Black News: Detroit Man Shoots His own Son in the Head!

Dr. Elaina George: How Does Depression Affect the Black Community?

More Video Footage from Our Rally in Kennett

The Heather Ellis Case is Not the Only Injustice in Missouri

Dr. Elaina George: The Problems with Obama’s Health Care Plan

Your Black News: Memphis Benefit Planned for Heather Ellis

Listen to Dr. Boyce, Roland Martin and Tom Joyner Discuss Heather Ellis