How Farrakhan Could Undermine Obama’s Black Base on the Libyan Issue

Quick Note from Dr. Boyce Watkins 

I noticed a couple of things this weekend:  First, Louis Farrakhan’s attack on President Obama’s decision to bomb Libya became one of the most amazingly viral videos I’ve seen in quite a while.  In just a couple of days, the video had over half a million views, which is rare and powerful for a video of that nature.  Farrakhan is not like, say, Lady Gaga or Kanye West (who might get a lot of views from non-black folks).  He fits into a niche of black leadership, receiving views from only a particular segment of the population.

Click to read more.

Dr. Boyce Spotlight: Carlos Thomas – Father, Husband, Scholar, Leader

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

Professor Carlos Thomas is one of the sharpest, most powerful black men on earth. Sitting on two PhDs (not one), Thomas has built a career that embraces the essence of the black academic warrior. Not only is he typically the sharpest man in the room, he is a living personification of the essence of what it means to be a black man in America: To love your family, teach the children around you (not just your own), and to stand a stand for what is right. It is because he has chosen to live a life full of power and purpose that Dr. Thomas is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

 

Click to read.

17-Year Old Honor Student Bailed Out by Church after Gun and Drug Charges

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

Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem has taken a very active role in securing the legal rights of one of their parishioners. Afrika Owes is a 17-year old girl who will soon be on trial for felony charges related to gun and drug trafficking. What makes her unique is that she was also a top student, bound for an Ivy League University. The theory among those who support Owes is that her involvement with the gun and drug trade came largely from undue influence from her boyfriend, Jaquan Layne, who was allegedly running the gang from Rikers Island Prison.
Judge Edward McLaughlin of the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled that it is legal for the church to post bail, but only if the church gets permission from the board of directors.

"They can do if they chose to in the manner set out in what the board of directors can do or not do on their behalf," said the judge.

Click to read.

Did Wyclef Lie about Being Shot in Haiti?

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

Wyclef Jean is now in a hospital recovering after allegedly being shot in his hand. Jean's publicist, Cindy Tanenbaum, said that the artist was shot Saturday in Port-au-Prince, the day before the runoff vote for the Haitian presidential election. According to Tanenbaum, Jean is doing well.
Gerry Andre, Jean's spokesperson in Haiti, also said that the artist was shot in the hand when getting out of a car to speak with him.
"He heard a gunshot, then he saw his right-hand palm was bleeding," Andre told CNN.

Click to read.

Tips for Black Fathers: 10 Things Every Black Dad Must Do

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

1) Tell your kids you love them every single day

Love not only makes the world go round, but every person needs to feel loved in order to have the balance necessary to be truly successful. If you love your kids, don’t just show it with your actions, say it with words. It will keep them from seeking love in all the wrong places.

2) Set an example for other fathers

The black male gets a bad rap for allegedly being an irresponsible father. We know that this stereotype is a misguided reflection of America’s historical hatred of the black male, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t encourage each other to do a better job. Demand that other brothers in your circle stand up as good fathers to their children, in spite of their circumstances. It can be tough to be a good parent with sky high unemployment and incarceration rates, but that doesn’t give you an excuse not to try. Those of us who ignore our children should be shamed into realizing how harmful such irresponsibility is to our community.

3) Always find a way to show respect to their mother

Even if you can’t stand the woman you had a child with, you should always give her as much respect as you possibly can. Kids don’t enjoy watching their parents fight, no matter whose fault it is. Also, in spite of your differences, you must always find a way to show appreciation toward the woman who gave life to your offspring.

4) Prepare them for the bullsh*t

We know that being black isn’t easy. You have to be twice as good to get half as much and life sometimes kicks you in the butt when you don’t deserve it. Prepare your kids for life as an African American, letting them know that they are going to have to be tough, smart and courageous to succeed in a world where the odds can be stacked against them. We all know that life isn’t fair, and it’s important to make sure your kids are prepared for the coming disparities.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: The Death of Nate Dogg Presents the End of a Disturbing Era of Hip-Hop

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

This morning I woke up to find out that Nathaniel D. Hale, better known as Nate Dogg, died last night (March 15).  The cause of death has not been announced.  But its easy to connect Nate Dogg’s death to the health problems that came from the massive strokes he suffered in 2007 and 2008. 

Nobody sang hooks like Nate Dogg.  Most of us can go back to Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” album in the early 1990s as well as “Regulate” by Warren G to see where this brilliant artist set the game on fire.  I loved Nate Dogg, and I am going to miss him.  Nobody could run the chorus the way he could, for he had a voice that hip-hop will remember for the next 50 years.

On another note, I wonder how Nate Dogg’s early death was related to some of the self-destructive habits

 

Click to read.

Boyce Watkins: Choosing Not to Run Away from Your Destiny

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

I went to see “The Adjustment Bureau,” the new film starring Matt Damon and Anthony Mackie. Mackie has become one of my favorite actors as of late after taking some very bold and promising stands on how black Hollywood can address the racism they are constantly facing from the white Hollywood establishment. Rather than standing around moaning about the inequities of their profession, Mackie has simply said that we need to stand up and start creating our own films. I love what Mackie had to say, because you can never gain anyone’s respect by begging.

 

Click to read.

Our World with Black Enterprise: Dr. Marc Lamont Hill Discusses the Black Male Incarceration Crisis

 

One of my very good friends, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, speaks to a panel about the mass incarceration crisis that is affecting black males.  Take a look.

New Research Finds that Those with Strong Racial Identity Tend to be Happier

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

Researchers at Michigan State University have just found that those who identify with their race more strongly than others tend to be happier. The study, which is set to appear in the journal Cultural Diversity and Ethic Minority Psychology, is the first empirical study to document such a relationship.

"This is the first empirical study we know of that shows a relationship between racial identity and happiness," said Stevie C.Y. Yap, who is the lead researcher on the project.
While there have been studies linking racial identity to higher self-esteem, none have actually connected it to happiness. The study surveyed black adults in the state of Michigan. They found that the more the subject identified with being black, or the more important their blackness was to them, the happier they were with life in general.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: Rush Limbaugh Says that Obama is Not Really a Black Man?

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

It appears that the “great” Rush Limbaugh doesn’t believe that Barack Obama is black.  On his show, Limbaugh responded to Obama’s suggestion during a meeting that some of the animus being shown toward him was driven by race (which we all know plays a huge role in the unprecedented attacks he’s been facing from his political opponents).  On his radio show, Limbaugh had this to say:

"Let me ask you a question. How many people really think of Obama as black? ...One of Obama's parents is black. Undeniable. But he was raised by a white mother, by white grandparents. He went to a highly exclusive private school in Hawaii with rich, white students and white teachers. He went to exclusive colleges that were practically lily-white. Barry Obama is from a very white, albeit radically left, cultural background. He's not from the hood. He's not from the movement...I'm telling you, there is a chip on this guy's shoulder, and it is a factor in every policy decision that he makes."

What’s interesting is that Rush Limbaugh’s statement is a powerful reminder of the kind of racism he embodies with his typical rhetoric.  Somehow, Limbaugh was made to believe that being black means that you are “from the hood” or “from the movement.”  The truth is that being black can also mean that you were born middle/upper class, attended elite universities, or are a sociopolitical conservative.  By confining blackness to mean that a person must have had a specific background or be confined to a particular economic or social class, Limbaugh comes off as the standard sort of racist who remains hell-bent on disrespecting our humanity.

 

Click to read.

Does Rahm Emanuel Have White Privilege that President Obama Can’t Get?

 

A reader on the Black Agenda Report said this about Rahm Emanuel as Mayor of Chicago, comparing him to President Barack Obama.  What do you think?

While I cannot predict exactly what Rahm will do in while he holds office, I can predict what he will NOT do. He will NOT appear in front of a Black audience and brag about how much he upset some members of the Jewish community by paying too much attention to "Black" interests. He will NOT repeat over and over and over again that he is not the "Jewish" or "White" mayor of Chicago. He will NOT make a grand show of avoiding being seen around or with Jewish people or with other White people.

Click to read more.

Alexis Marie: Former Stuyvesant HS Student Posts Video in Response to Racist Rappers

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

Alexis Marie, the girl who posted the video of the white students at Stuyvesant HS who rapped about their disdain for black people, issued a statement regarding why she posted the video. 

In her remarks, Alexis states clearly that she was seeking to use the video to encourage “elite” high schools to have conversations about race relations.  Her statement is very intelligent and effectively delivered, especially for a young woman her age.  I personally applaud Alexis for having the courage to speak up and take a stand on issues like this one. 

 

Click to read.

Afrika Owes: Ivy League Bound Student Busted for Dealing Drugs for her Boyfriend

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

I spoke this weekend to a group of aspiring college students in a group called "Black Achievers." The group invited me to speak because I talk regularly about the value of education, as well as confronting the structural obstacles that make it difficult for our kids to find success. But one thing I brought to the table that the students and their parents might not have expected is the need for us to confront the destructive elements of hip-hop culture, which teach our good kids that "keeping it real" is something that should be done at all costs, even when it causes them to lose their lives.

The reason I brought this issue to the forefront of the discussion was because of young women like Afrika Owes. Afrika is a 17-year old who was once headed to an Ivy League school. But rather than going to anyone's university, she will be spending most of her adult life in prison. Afrika was recently arrested for being part of a drug ring run by her boyfriend in prison. "Head shots only," he would tell her from behind bars, as he detailed how he wanted people to be executed.

Click to read.

Some Trying to Say that the Oprah Winfrey Network is a Failure

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

 

I’m not sure if this is the right time to pass judgment on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), since it just began.  But Alexis Stodghill at AOL Black Voices, the New York Times and others are beginning to wonder if the magic is going to last.   According to the Times:

OWN, her two-month-old channel, is attracting fewer viewers than the obscure channel it replaced, Discovery Health. At any given time this month, there have been about 135,000 people watching OWN, according to the Nielsen Company, and only about 45,000 of those people are women ages 25 to 54, the demographic that the channel is focusing on.

Those ratings levels, down about 10 percent from Discovery Health’s levels last year, are being carefully watched by people who would like to rebuild cable channels around other celebrities, and by investors who worry that OWN is a drag on Discovery’s stock.

 

Click to read.

George Desdunes: Cornell University Student Found Dead in a Frat House

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

George Desdunes, a 19-year old freshman at Cornell University, was found dead outside a fraternity house on Friday, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. Desdunes was from Brooklyn and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
The cause of death has not yet been specified and is expected to be released after the autopsy.

Click to read.

Should Black People Be Offended by the Obama Motown Event?

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

I have the interesting privilege of being on an email list owned by the White House. Whenever the administration holds an event that they believe to be of interest to African Americans in media, they shoot out an email to all of us. This week, at least two times in my email inbox, there was a message from the White House bragging about the administration's Black History Month celebration of Motown music.

I saw news of the event everywhere. Most interesting was the image of President Obama dancing with Michelle and his kids with Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson, Jamie Foxx and John Legend crooning in the background. The president, who appeared to be doing his best, had the stiffness of a corpse, and the posture of a 92-year old woman, but the nation appreciated his effort.

Click to read.

Dave Duerson: Said Something was Wrong with His Brain when he Killed Himself

 

This video interview with the wife of former Bears star Dave Duerson who killed himself says that Dave was having problems with his brain before he died.

Click to watch.

Good News: All Black Male School in Chicago Sends 100% of It’s Students to College

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

Well, they've done it again. Urban Prep Academy of Chicago, an all-male charter school with kids from the "worst" parts of Chicago, is sending 100% of its graduating seniors off to college. The school, founded in 2006, has stated that its continuous objective is to see to it that all of its students go to college. They are succeeding with flying colors.
The school started with kids whose futures had been left for dead by their public schools: Only four percent of the school's incoming freshmen were reading at grade level when they arrived on campus. But by sending all of their graduating seniors to college, they've not only gotten these kids up to speed, they've allowed them to zip past every other public school in the entire United States.
"No other public [school] in the country has done this," said Tim King, the founder of Urban Prep.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: Michael Vick Cancels on The Oprah Winfrey Show

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

Football superstar Michael Vick initially made plans to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. But it's just been announced that Vick is not going to appear on the show, citing personal and professional conflicts that have made the appearance impossible.
"Mike postponed the taping because of the timing of the interview for personal and professional reasons," said Michael Vick's spokesman Chris Shigas. "He does not have a reschedule date at this time."

Some speculate that Vick may have canceled because other groups have been sending emails and letters to the Oprah Winfrey Show, asking that the voices of Vick's critics be heard. One of Vick's strongest critics has been Richard Hunter, a stand-up comedian who also adopted one of Vick's dogs. Hunter claims that he and others who agree with him have been harassing Oprah's producers since it was announced that Michael Vick might appear on the show.

 

Click to read.

Oprah Winfrey and Iyanla Vanzant: The Breakdown of their Economic Beef

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

I watched with extreme curiosity as the great Iyanla Vanzant emerged again on the Oprah Winfrey show after being gone for a full 11 years. I wasn't entirely connected to the feud between Winfrey and Vanzant, primarily because we don't think much about people that we haven't seen in over a decade. Of course Oprah is on everyone's mind, and even those who don't follow her seem to know everything she has been up to.

As the guest came to the stage, even a man from Mars could tell that there was latent mega-beef between Oprah and Iyanla. Both women seemed to overcompensate when it came to doing all they could to prove that the past was the past and that everything was OK. But the tension was so thick that it seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room.

click to read.

Dr. Boyce: OJ Simpson Reportedly Beaten in Prison by Skinheads

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

OJ Simpson has, according to the National Enquirer, been having a hard time in prison. The magazine is claiming that some White Supremacists have been targeting Simpson for bragging about his sexual conquests with white women.
"Inmates cheered as a muscular young skinhead knocked him to the ground, punching and kicking him to a bloody pulp and inflicting injuries so severe he secretly spent nearly three weeks in the infirmary before he recovered."
While the Nevada Department of Corrections is denying that any such incident took place, I know enough about corrections departments to know that their words have as much credibility as Sarah Palin at a Mensa convention.

Click to read.

Rapper Sent to Jail for Child Support on a Baby that Wasn’t His: What’s Wrong with the System

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

Hip Hop News 24-7 recently interviewed the rapper J-Kwon about his interesting child support situation. During an interview with Miss Georgia, J-Kwon informed listeners that he'd been paying $2,500 per month in child support for seven years for a child that was eventually determined to not be his.

The artist goes on to say that he was jailed for not making the child support payments, which derailed his entire career, killing his ability to earn income. He also said that when it was determined that he wasn't the child's father, the courts provided no remedies whatsoever for him to retrieve the tens of thousands of dollars he'd paid over a seven-year period.

J-Kwon is now saying that he plans to start a foundation for fathers who are having their rights violated by the child support system. I support his initiative, because many of us forget about the millions of fathers out there who are doing all they can to have access to their kids and trying to do the right thing, but are left alienated by deceptive mothers and a court system that would rather see a man in jail than with his own children.

Click to read.

White Coach Uses the N-word toward His Players

Click to Play

Coach may be fired for using inappropriate language toward players. ;

Grandma with 20 inch nails - Is this normal?

Click to Play

Who told this woman that 20 inch nails is a good fashion statement? ;

Dr. Jennifer Caudle Talks about the Dangers of Bullying

Click to Play

Dr. Jennifer Caudle on the dangers of bullying. ;

Jamail Johnson, the Omega who was shot, Died a Hero

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

Jamail Johnson, the Youngstown State University student who died at an off-campus party Saturday morning, has been reported to have died trying to save his friends from gunfire. Jamail was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
The Trumbull County Conservative Examiner says that when the gunmen began to shoot, Johnson ran toward them and pushed them out of the house. This, according to observers, saved the lives of dozens of other students. He even fought with the gunmen after being shot.

The two alleged shooters, Columbus Jones Jr. and Braylon Rogers, 22 and 19 years old respectively, are facing charges for aggravated murder.

click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins and Ed Gordon Discuss Kelley Williams-Bolar

Click to watch Dr. Boyce Watkins and Ed Gordon talk about the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the Ohio mother who was sent to jail for sending her kids to the wrong school district. 

What’s the Deal with Being “Ghetto Fab”?

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

I watched a video the other day about a woman named Jazz Ison Sinkfield and couldn't help but laugh. For some reason, Jazz thought it would be a good idea to start growing her fingernails for almost a quarter of a century without ever cutting them. Now, the woman is stuck with a set of peculiar monstrosities hanging from both of her hands that keep her from typing on a computer, tying her own shoes and perhaps even wiping her own behind. I'm not necessarily one to judge another human being so harshly, but I found it most interesting that Jazz truly believes that other women are jealous of her fingernails.

Jazz is not the only person in our community who has gathered a set of habits that some might consider to be a "ghetto fab." I am not sure where all of these habits come from, and when I see them, I try to process things without becoming a hater. But when I put it all together, I can't help but quote someone whom I disagree with regularly by the name of Bill Cosby, who once made this simple comment: "Come on people."

When one rolls through "the hood," they will usually see a few interesting things. First, we see the pants sagging down below the butt, with a brother who has to use one hand to constantly keep his pants from falling to the ground. You might then see someone else with tattoos up and down both arms, and maybe some additional tattoos on the neck. Actually face tattoos have become all the rage among rappers who don't seem to remember that these things are difficult to remove.

 

Click to read.

Cortae Diaz Kelly: 17-Year Old Stabs Girl After Hearing that She was Pregnant

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

A 17-year old boy is in custody after allegedly stabbing a girl repeatedly after she told him that she was pregnant. Cortae Diaz Kelly, a student at Ypsilanti High School in Michigan, is accused of stabbing the girl in a nearby wooded area. The girl is now in intensive care after getting surgery at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
County assistant prosecutor Arianne Slay is saying that Kelly stabbed the girl 12 times in her head, back and hands. She played dead to get him to stop the attack. She also says that Kelly confessed to trying to kill her. He is being charged with assault with intent to murder and being held on a $1 million bond.

 

Click to read.

Please Respond to Survey: Are the NAACP and Urban League Still Relevant and Effective?

The survey below asks if the NAACP and Urban League are still relevant and effective for African Americans in the 21st Century.  It will only take 30 seconds.

Please click here to take the survey.

Jamail Johnson: Student Murdered, 11 Injured at Omega Psi Phi House Party

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

Two men opened fire after an argument occurred at an Omega Psi Phi fraternity house in Youngstown, Ohio this weekend. The two men shot multiple rounds into a crowd of people, killing a student and critically injuring a 17-year old with a head wound. The student who was killed was shot while trying to break the two disputing groups apart. The university said six of the injured were students.
The murder victim was 25-year old Jamail E. Johnson of Youngstown. Most of the 11 injured were shot in the foot. The men were arrested and charged with aggravated murder, shooting into a home, and felonious assault, according to Chief Jimmy Hughes of the Youngstown Police Department.
"These guys were in the location for a little while before the shooting occurred," he said. "Something happened that they became unhappy. They had some type of altercation."

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: Pepsi Max Super Bowl Ad and the “Angry Black Woman”

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

There is no bigger corporate money-maker than the Super Bowl. That's when potential sponsors are lining up to pay amazing amounts of money to advertise, primarily because they know this is the only televised special of the entire year when consumers actually enjoy watching the ads.
In addition to being able to promote their wares to the world, advertisers often find themselves caught in the middle of controversy. Sometimes, the controversy is hilarious, like the little black boy who slapped the man dating his mother for taking one of his Doritos. This year's most interesting ad may have come out early in the game, and it has been brought to you by Pepsi Max. You may want to call this ad "The Angry Black Woman."
In the commercial, a black woman is keeping her husband on a diet. When he eats the wrong food, she gives him an evil look and kicks his leg hard under the table. When she sees him standing over a pie about to eat it, she angrily slams his face into the pie. When she catches him sneaking a bite of fattening food in the bath tub, she violently grabs the food from his hand and stuffs a bar of soap into his mouth.

Click to read.

Where are the Black Professors at White Universities?

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

During a four-year college career, most students take roughly 40 courses. Personally, I went to graduate school for another 7 years after college, taking an additional 40 - 50 more classes. During my entire undergraduate, masters and doctoral experience, I never had one single African American professor.
This experience made the educational process incredibly uncomfortable for me. I never experienced the privilege of my white classmates, who had teachers they could relate to, work with and connect with on a meaningful level. I did meet one African American professor (I never took his class) named Dr. Tommy Whittler. He is the sole reason I became a professor today because he was the first faculty member who'd ever taken time to mentor me as a human being.

Click to read.

White Man Threatens Black Boys for Talking To His Daughter: Should He Go to Jail?

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

Millry, Ala., is a town where racial tensions have allegedly been running high for a very long time. The boiling point was hit recently, when a white father came to the town's high school and threatened one of the black players on the basketball team.
The infuriated parent told one of the boys that if any of them made contact with his daughter, he would "kill him and his black friends," at least that's what was reportedly told to Latisha Mitchell, the step-Mother of one of the players.

81Share

Mitchell claims that her son was only friends with the man's daughter and that they would text message each other. TheNAACP took notice of the man's racial threats, and the town is in an uproar. There is even conversation about the Ku Klux Klan planning a retaliation against local residents who held a meeting to discuss what had occurred.
Since the incident, the father has been banned from school property, but some parents are saying that the father should be arrested for his public threats.

Click to read.

What We Must Consider in the Police Beating of Chad Holley

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

The video-taped beating of 16-year old Chad Holley had me fuming. It's one thing when police use excessive force, but this video was startling for at least a couple of reasons. First, the kid is only 16-years old, and kids that age don't deserve this kind of treatment. While he appears to be a viable suspect for burglary (he was convicted of his crime), the truth is that we must move beyond a society that believes that any child who makes a mistake is beyond redemption. Black children tend to be the ones most likely to be sentenced as adults, and those kids who are lost at an early age can be thrown to the wolves as if they are worthless commodities with abolutely no long-term potential value. Secondly, it appears on the video that Holley does nothing to warrant any form of physical retaliation by officers. He has his hands behind his back and surrenders to the police immediately when they surround him. Yes, Holley might have broken the law, but police officers should not be the judge and jury of this young man, as well as the ones to administer his (cruel and unusual) punishment.
Here are a couple of other things to consider as the nation thinks about the Chad Holley beating by police:

Click to read.

Chad Holley Videotaped Beating Getting National Attention

 

Chad Holley is brutally beaten by police, although he’d clearly surrendered before the beating.  Click here to see the video.

Diddy Speaks on Behalf of the Kelley Williams-Bolar Case, Governor Vows to Investigate

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

It appears that the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar is getting the kind of traction that can make a difference. Since we first wrote about Kelley on AOL Black Voices, the entire nation has taken notice. Change.org and ColorofChange.org have launched petitions that have garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures. Also, the story has gained national attention as a clear example of all that's wrong with the educational system in America.
In case you haven't seen the story, Kelley Williams-Bolar is the single mother of two who was sent to jail for sending her children to a school outside their district. In addition to being sent to jail, Williams-Bolar would have a felony record and not be able to ever teach again in the state of Ohio.

Click to read.

Terrie Williams, Dr. Boyce Watkins Talk about Black Depression

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

Many of us are familiar with author Terrie Williams and her popular book "Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting." I decided to bring Terrie back into the studio last month to discuss the black community's denial when it comes to dealing with mental illness, specifically when it comes to managing the spike in depression during the holiday season.
The video was shot before the holidays, but was delayed due to production problems. But the holiday season will always be here, and so will depression. The video is below, enjoy!

Click to read.

Bishop Eddie Long Goes to Youtube to Talk about Financial Fraud within New Birth

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

Bishop Eddie Long has made yet another public appearance, this time on Youtube. Rather than discussing his own legal issues, Long spoke about an investment company that allegedly left many of his members on the brink of financial ruin. In the video, Long discussed a dispute that his church is having with City Capital Corp, a company that came to the church to convince members to invest money with their firm back in 2009.
In the video, Long said that since City Capital Corp. came to visit his church, some members have faced bankruptcy, foreclosure, or significant losses in their retirement accounts. Bishop Long made a public appeal to the company's former CEO, Ephren Taylor, and the rest of the company to do the right thing and return the money to those who've been hurt.
In a press release issued on Monday, Bishop Long informed the media that several members of his church alerted him to concerns they had about City Capital. Roughly 20 members of the church invested with the company, according to published reports.

 

Click to read.

An Update on the Kelley Williams-Bolar Case: She Meets with Jackson and Sharpton

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

I figured that I would share an update to the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the mother of two who was given jail time for sending her kids to a school outside of their home district.  This week, Williams-Bolar met with both Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev.  Al Sharpton about her case, appearing with me and her attorney on Rev. Jackson's show this past week.  Rev. Sharpton and I are planning a rally for Kelley in Ohio soon, but the rally is not focused on just one person.  Instead, the focal point is on the educational system in its entirety and why there are millions of moms across America being forced to break the law in order to help their children get access to a quality education.

I heard about Kelley's case through one of my Facebook friends.  Her case had been in court for years with no resolution, and not enough people had heard about what this woman was going through.  I wrote about Kelley's case in a few venues and called national media contacts, hoping that this important issue could be brought forth for public discussion.  I am not in the business of doing individual crusades when it comes to the criminal justice system, since I don't have the resources to help with every case that comes across my email inbox.  I get several cases in my email every single day, and while I wish I could help everyone, it's impossible without significant amounts of funding (I still have my day job, so I'm certainly not in this game for the money).  I chose to grab Kelley's case because it has clear national implications about a failed public school system that continues to destroy the futures of our children on a regular basis.  In fact, I dare say that if the only person who is helped in all this is Kelley Williams-Bolar, then we have failed ourselves, our children and our country.

Click to read.

DJ Henry Shooting: Family Files $120 Lawsuit Against the Police

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

The shooting of Pace University football player DJ Henry has set off a great deal of controversy in the town of Pleasantville, New York, where Henry was shot outside a nightclub. According to police, Henry drove his car toward one of the officers, who claims that he had to fire on the athlete in order to save his own life. Accounts of what happened that night are varying, and DJ's family has filed a $120 million lawsuit against the Pleasantville Police Department over the incident. Attorney Charles Oglegree from Harvard University is representing the family of Brandon Cox, a friend of Henry's who was also shot that night.

The incident began on the night of October 17, when police were called to investigate a disturbance outside a bar in the suburb of Thornwood, which is located right near the Pace University campus.

 

Click to read.

National Media Gets Involved in the Kelley Williams-Bolar Case

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

Most of us at Black Voices are familiar with the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the Ohio mother of two who was sent to jail for sending her children to the "wrong" school district. Williams-Bolar was sentenced to 10 days in jail, three years probation and community service for using her father's address in order to avoid sending her kids to the school she considered to be dangerous and inadequate. At AOL Black Voices, we were one of the first to hit the issue nationally, and fortunately, other media outlets are starting to take notice.

In addition to being sent to jail, Williams-Bolar and her father are being charged with fourth degree grand theft of school services. As a consequence of her conviction, Williams-Bolar can never use the teaching degree that she is working on right now. The judge also made it clear that she was sending Williams-Bolar to jail as an example to be shared with any other parents thinking about doing the same thing.
The case sparked a firestorm of national controversy and conversation about educational inequality and the notion that a mother had to break the law in order to give her daughters access to a quality education. Millions of parents around the nation expressed support for Williams-Bolar, for they too could recall their own parents making the same sacrifices for them. There have been Facebook groups created to support Williams-Bolar and change.org has created a petition on her behalf to have her record expunged. The petition drew nearly 20,000 signatures over a three day period, and is growing by the second.

Click to read.

Wilmer Leon Analyzes the State of the Union

by Dr. Wilmer J. Leon

President Barack Obama was under pressure to satisfy many different constituencies in his second State of the Union address last night. Some liberals wanted the president to support government-matching 401(k) contributions in order to promote saving; others wanted him to address gay-rights legislation; still others urged a ban on large gun clips, or deep cuts in the defense budget.

Instead the president chose to set a tone rather than an agenda. Other presidents have been able to unveil sweeping policy initiatives in the annual address. But President Obama is faced with an ideologically driven opposition that has made clear its intention to oppose him at every turn. At the same time, the president is also facing a historic shift in technological and global economic realities that is remaking the world as we have come to know it.

Even though some policy initiatives were proposed, President Obama had another objective. Faced with a Republican majority in the House; a Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whose stated goal is repealing health care reform and defeating Obama in 2012; and Sen. James DeMint (R-S.C.), who sees the overturn of health care reform as "Obama's Waterloo," President Obama shrewdly took the higher ground: appealing to all sides to work together on behalf of America. The president declared, "Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater -- something more consequential than party or political preference."

The world in which we live is changing rapidly. Advances in technology have rewritten the rules of engagement within one generation. As the president put it, " … revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business. Steel mills that once needed 1,000 workers can now do the same work with 100. Today, just about any company can set up shop, hire workers and sell their products wherever there's an Internet connection."

In the face of this new reality, President Obama is engaged in battles with people like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who once told the New York Times that he did not know how to use the Internet. It is difficult to move forward while dragging your opposition into the 21st century.

The speech did have its flaws, mostly by omission. The president did not mention any targeted programs to assist the poor in America and the long-term or chronically unemployed. As unpopular as it may be, providing education and job training for the least of us will prove to be a benefit for all of us. He also did not take the opportunity to acknowledge the innocent civilians who died in the Russian airport bombing or to call for greater international cooperation to ensure the rights of the world's oppressed people.

But President Obama was correct to focus on the big challenges. "At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country or somewhere else," he said. "It’s whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It's whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but a light to the world."

In order for America to win the future, it must discard the baggage of the past. The paradigm has changed, and America must adapt. Conservatives must stop being the party of opposition and become the party of alternatives.

At the same time, the Democrats should not be afraid to lead. They must take control of the narrative and clearly articulate to the American people more than ideas about winning the future; they must articulate a plan and explain how the future will be won. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." In the coming months, we will see if Obama's focus on tone pays off in a solid agenda that moves the nation forward.

Wilmer J. Leon III is the producer-host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk-radio program Inside the Issues With Leon, as well as a teaching associate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Follow him at wilmerleon.com or on Twitter.

Flava Flav and His Fried Chicken and Liquor Franchises

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

Last year, at the "Measuring the Movement" forum, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, I had a chance to sit next to Chuck D from Public Enemy. I found Chuck to be as impressive, interesting and intelligent as he is on television. He also didn't give off the mind-numbing, stomach-turning, arrogant celebrity vibe that I see all too much. I was thoroughly impressed.
While I feel that I have some understanding of Chuck D, I simply cannot say the same for Flava Flav. Flava almost seems to come out of a different time, place, and perhaps even another planet, from the rest of us. He would have been great in the 1920s, when black performers could make a fortune by embracing ignorant stereotypes and engaging in ridiculous behavior. Flava seems to relish his role as the cultural clown, reminding all of us of exactly what Dr. Martin Luther King did NOT want our children to become.

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Watkins Spotlight: Juan Gilbert Leads Black Scholars into Computer Science

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

While many of us know who the leading black basketball and football players happen to be, we are rarely exposed to the leading Computer Scientists, Mathematicians and Physicists. Most importantly, most of us don't know that there is an entire organization of African American male PhDs called "Brothers of the Academy" who do scholarly work in a multitude of important fields. The media would be quick to feature these men if they were committing crimes, busting rhymes or dunking basketballs, but black males should be more readily celebrated when we are hitting the books, working our butts off and establishing sustainable institutions within the black community.
Ladies and gentleman, meet Professor Juan Gilbert. I've observed Juan as President of Brothers of the Academy for the past several years, and I can say with complete certainty that he is one of the most focused, dedicated, reliable and capable leaders in black America today. Juan not only runs BOTA, but he has also raised millions to fund his own computer science lab at Clemson University and at even before the age of 40, has served as the "academic father" for a large number of black Computer Science PhDs. It is for that reason that Professor Juan Gilbert is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

Click to read.

Update: Rahm Emanuel Taken Off the Ballot for Chicago Mayor

News update

A state appeals court has ruled that President Obama's former Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, cannot run for mayor in the city of Chicago because he was not a resident of the city for a full year before running. The decision is shocking and significantly changes the mayor's race, where Emanuel had more than a 2-to-1 advantage over his closest competitor, Carol Moseley Braun.
Emanuel's exit from the race will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court, but until then, there are a lot of questions to be answered. According to a recent poll, over 54 percent of Chicago's white residents supported Emanuel, with only 7 percent supporting Braun. Another candidate, Gery Chico, had 25 percent of the support from likely white voters.

Another question in the election will be how Obama and Clinton administration officials will respond to Emanuel's exit. Former President Bill Clinton engaged in an act that some considered to be a betrayal of the black community of Chicago by coming to town to campaign for Emanuel. President Obama has not openly endorsed Emanuel but has stated that he would be an excellent mayor.
It turns out that the drama of the Chicago mayoral race won't ever come to an end. Last month, there was an agreement for Danny Davis to drop out of the race so that Chicago's black community could rally their support behind a consensus black candidate. Mosley Braun, by proving that she could pull together the funding necessary for a serious run, took the lead as the only black candidate.

At this point, it seems abundantly clear that Emanuel was not a resident of Chicago. He rented a house in the city, but lived in Washington DC during the time he spent working for President Obama. The Supreme Court doesn't have to hear his case, but some are hoping that they will make a political decision that reflects the favor that Emanuel has from the current Chicago Mayor, Richard Daley (whose son has taken over Emanuel's position in Washington) and President Obama. But the truth is the truth and we can't let politics override that which is legally and ethically correct. But then again, we are talking about Chicago politics, where the rules are bent all the time.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Condoleeza Rice Asked on CNN: “Why Are You Not Married?”

by Alexis Stodghill, AOL Black Voices

Condoleezza Rice, the first black woman to become a U.S. Secretary of State, was interviewed recently on the newly minted CNN show, 'Piers Morgan Tonight,' to be asked of all things: Why are you not married? That question no successful African American female can escape. The single, black (semi-successful) woman that I am couldn't help but shrink in insecurity as this ubiquitous puzzler was posed even to one of the most prominent black women alive. Why the embarrassment?
Yes, such questions make for great ratings. It's a question Piers Morgan might have asked any single V.I.P. Watching a woman who used to wield massive diplomatic and military power talk of cooking fried chicken was a hoot. But despite the innocence of the utterance, for black women everywhere that question is the articulation of aGreek tragedy-style family curse: An unsolvable source of suffering for black women that just keeps getting passed down. Piers may not have known that, but refering to it even obliquely is enough to make one's heart hurt.

 

click to read.

Was this really a “Suicide”? The Case of Frederick Jermaine Carter

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

 

The black community in Greenwood, Mississippi is on edge and angry after the death of Frederick Jermaine Carter. Carter, who was 26 years old, was found hanging from a tree in what authorities have labeled to be a suicide. But the community isn't buying the police's story and claim that he was actually murdered.
The Final Call is reporting on the death of Carter, and even Michael Pimbleton Jr., the mayor of Sunflower, Mississippi has said that there was more going on than meets the eye.
"This is 2010 and we still have Black people hanging from trees? They're saying he hung himself but I have doubt in my mind that he actually did that. That wasn't his character. This wasn't a suicide, this was a homicide," Mayor Pembleton said to The Final Call.
Carter was found on December 3, with his body hanging from an oak tree in North Greenwood, which is a predominantly white section of Leflore County. He actually lived in nearby Sunflower County, and North Greenwood is known as an area that black people are sometimes afraid to visit. Carter was with his stepfather, who said that he wandered off from an area in which they were both working.

 

Click to read.

 

Visit Your Black World for more black news and black politics!

Republican Michael Steele Says His Party “Needs a Few More Brothers”

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

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has continued to be outspoken in the name of the Republican Party. On a recent appearance on MSNBC, Steele went out of his way to note that he feels that he's helped to increase diversity within the ranks of the Republicans.
"What I tried to do [as chairman] was to broaden the landscape over which we could play, go into neighborhoods where we needed to be in, but hadn't been in generations, and I think it made a difference," he said. "I'm very happy with what we got done."
Matthews noted that he rarely sees African Americans gathering together at Republican conventions, and Steele responded by saying, "We could have used a few more brothers in the house, there's no doubt about that."
Steele was not reelected as the chairman of the RNC this week, being replaced by Reince Priebus after seven rounds of balloting. Steele believes that his fellow Republicans will work with President Obama if he leaves the door open to do so. "I really believe they will run with him on certain issues," Steele said.

Click to read.