TheGrio.com – Black News – 8/22/09
First black NFL official dies at 81
1:55 PM on 08/21/2009
CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Burl Toler, the first African-American official in NFL history who went on to work one Super Bowl in a distinguished career, has died. He was 81.
Female boxers will get a chance at Olympic gold
By theGrio
12:38 PM on 08/21/2009
For anyone who doubts a woman can hit or ever score a knockout punch, look no further than these women. Some are college students on scholarship and they all fight to win.
Urban farming may save the hip-hop generation
By John Baiata
12:21 PM on 08/21/2009
When Darren ("The Human Beat Box") Robinson was at his improvising best, rapping for "The Fat Boys" during the 80’s and early 90’s, fat was phat.
Naked man arrested for assault on plane
By theGrio
9:01 AM on 08/21/2009
VIDEO — Authorities say a flight was forced to return to Oakland International Airport after a male passenger stripped, hit another passenger and fought with crew members.
Poll: Americans losing confidence in Obama
8:01 AM on 08/21/2009
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll says that Americans, concerned over the future of health care reform and anxious about the growing federal budget deficit, are losing faith in President Barack Obama.
Burress’ teammates saddened by plea deal
3:24 PM on 08/20/2009
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Plaxico Burress’ decision to plead guilty to a weapons charge and accept two years in prison surprised his former New York Giants teammates
2 teenagers charged as adults in hate crime against elderly black fisherman
2:39 PM on 08/20/2009
Two teenagers were arrested Thursday and charged as adults in what police say was the racially motivated beating of an elderly black fisherman.
Same-sex couples stage ‘kiss-in’ to protest treatment at diner
By theGrio
12:15 PM on 08/20/2009
VIDEO – Dozens of same-sex couples locked lips inside a popular Maryland diner Wednesday to protest the treatment of a lesbian couple there.
Rev. Al Sharpton Teams up with Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr Boyce Watkins, Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition is now slated for a weekly segment on "Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton." The show is currently syndicated in 18 cities across the nation and adding new affiliates each week. Every Monday from 1:15 – 2:15 pm EST, Dr. Watkins and Rev. Sharpton will discuss political issues of the day and matters affecting our nation. To find out more about the show, please visit www.SharptonTalk.net or www.BoyceWatkins.com.
To see Dr. Watkins’ latest articles with MSNBC’s "TheGrio.com", please visit this link: http://www.thegrio.com/author/dr-boyce-watkins-1/
To see Dr. Watkins’ latest work with AOL Black Voices, please visit: http://blogs.blackvoices.com/bloggers/boyce-watkins-phd/
To listen to Dr. Watkins’ last conversation with Rev. Sharpton, please click here.
In light of President Obama’s recent announcement that African American education should be a top priority for Black leadership, Dr. Watkins will be speaking with Rev. Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and other African Americans on ways to directly challenge the astronomical dropout rates for African American students. Many of these issues are addressed in Dr. Watkins’ book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About College." To start the academic year, Dr. Watkins will be distributing free e-copies of this book to members of the Your Black World Coalition during the month of September, 2009. We will also be reaching out to President Obama to offer support in solving this problem, for we firmly believe that managing the dropout rate is one of the keys to saving our great nation.
For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.
Dr Boyce Money: What’s Going on with the Economy?
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
The economic downturn has hurt us all. Black unemployment has been nearly 70% higher than that for white Americans, and the blow is even greater for people of color, since there is less black wealth to fall back on during tough financial times. We must remember, however, that the global recession has literally led to starvation around the world, as there were many citizens who could barely buy food even during the good times.
The IMF’s chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, says the global recession had "left deep scars, which will affect both supply and demand for many years to come." Blanchard also makes the additional point that economic models used to understand past recessions cannot be used to understand this one. When attempting to understand the cyclical nature of African American wealth, the models are even sketchier than they are for the rest of the world.
If you want to understand what happened to our economy, imagine you have a friend who appears to have the flu. The standard flu recovery time is going to be just a few days, so you expect to see them back at it within a week. They then go to the doctor, and it turns out that they have a sinus infection, extending the recovery period at least another week. But instead of coming back to work in 1 – 2 weeks, they are sick for an entire month. Well, this warrants another trip to the doctor, where you find out that the person actually has HIV. This changes the entire treatment strategy, since the short-term problems were nothing more than symptomatic triggers of serious long-term health issues. What’s worse is that with or without serious intervention, the patient may never be completely healthy again.
Dr Boyce Watkins on Education: 5 More Things College Students do to Ruin their Lives
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
Yesterday, I posted a list of 5 things college students do to ruin their lives. Now, I am going to give you 5 more things. This is an excerpt from my book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About College." Education is one of the most important things for our people, and we need to make sure our kids are prepared.
6)Choosing a major you hate or one that doesn’t make as much money as you would like
You should not choose a major just because it makes money. You also should not necessarily choose a major just because it is exactly what you want to do. The best way to choose a major is to figure out what combination of things are going to make you happy in the long-run. I LOVE playing basketball, but I would not enjoy playing basketball for a living, since I am not good enough to make money at it. So, I play basketball in my spare time and I work as a finance professor, which I enjoy, but also pays the bills. You should choose a major based upon the ability of the major to take care of your long-term financial needs, as well as provide you with a job you can enjoy. So, don’t pick something just because you love it, and don’t pick it just because you have money or prestige. Find out what is going to be important to you in the long run and let that be the basis for your choice. You should also factor in what kind of life you want to have when you are older, say, 30, and how this job fits into that plan. Do you want to have a family? Well, they are going to need time and financial support. Does your future job give you that? Also, you should never let anyone choose a major for you. That is usually the world’s quickest way to unhappiness. Instead, you should listen to the advice of others and then use that information to make a decision that works best for you. It is silly to not listen to your elders, but it is also silly to let them control your life.
Your Black News: Al Sharpton Speaks with Boyce Watkins
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse university will be appearing with Rev. Al Sharpton on “Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton” from 2 – 3 pm EST on Tuesday 8/18/09. They will discuss Obama’s educational plans, Michael Vick and Healthcare reform. Dr. watkins and Rev. Sharpton have appeared together on several other shows, including “Keep Hope Alive with Rev. Jesse Jackson”, “The Wendy Williams Experience”, “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch” and more.
President Obama’s New Healthcare Commercial
President Obama just bought a great deal of ad time to push his healthcare reform bill. What do you think?
Dr Boyce: Why Racism is not good for Business
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
I received a call from CNN today about a major corporate mistake. We talk about such marketing issues in our Finance and Business Management classes at Syracuse University, and this was surely one that will be analyzed in many case studies for years to come.
In an apparent slip of intellect, someone with the Costco Corporation decided that it might be a good idea to put out black dolls with the words "Lil Monkey" on the top of the doll’s forehead. Alrighty then, that makes sense.
I don’t think that any executive with the Costco Corporation woke up this morning saying, "How do I offend as many black people as possible today?" But this does not excuse the fact that this move will be interpreted as a racist one, as it should be. The world is no longer plagued as much by good old fashioned racism, where a klan member shows up on your porch and calls you the n-word. We now have corporations and other institutions with white male dominated power structures that have not embraced diversity of ethnicity, thought or perspective. Racial ignorance remains acceptable and economic imperialism over people of color becomes the rule of the day. The point is simple: Someone should have caught this error before those dolls left the door, but no one cared enough to try.
Barack Obama Gets Feedback from Howard Dean on Healthcare
Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role.
Dean urged the Obama administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change, saying that Medicare and the Veterans Administration are "two very good programs that have been around for a long time."
Dean appeared on morning news shows Monday amid increasing indications the Obama White House is retreating from the public option in the face of vocal opposition from Republicans and some vocal participants at a town-hall-style meetings around the country.
The former Vermont governor was asked on NBC’s "Meet the Press" about President Barack Obama’s statement over the weekend that the public option for insurance coverage was "just a sliver" of the overall proposal. Obama’s health and human services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, advanced that line, telling CNN Sunday that a direct government role in a system intended to provide virtually universal coverage was "not the essential element."
Oprah Puts Out a Women’s Power List
Forbes has theirs, why shouldn’t the most powerful media maven in the world have hers? In the September 2009 issue of ‘O’ the magazine, Oprah Winfrey names 20 of some of the most powerful contemporary and legendary women in her first-everPower List. There is no chronological ranking. This is an opportunity to celebrate some of the well-known as well as unsung heroes who inspire, educate and advocate in various arenas.
The full list of honorees includes: Venus Williams, Sarah Silverman, Anna Deavere Smith, Donna Brazile, Mayda del Valle, Terry Tempest Williams, Lauren Ambrose, Pema Chodron, Lateefah Simon, Shirley Ann Jackson, Dambisa Moyo, General Anne E. Dunwoody, Kara Walker, Sheila Bair, Mary Gaitskill, Cleopatra (YES, Queen of Egypt of yesteryear), Michelle Rhee, Lilly Ledbetter, Anne Mulcahy, Melanie Sloan. –O, The Oprah Magazine
Dr Boyce: Congratulations Michael Vick
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
He’s back. After a 2 year saga that kept my head spinning, the young man who made a terrible mistake is finally being allowed to make a living. I have supported Michael Vick all along, but not because I felt that he was innocent. I’ve supported him because I do not believe that dog fighting is the kind of crime that deserves a lifetime punishment. So, to the extremists at PETA who want to see Michael Vick burn in the hell of unemployment and incarceration for the rest of his life, I only have one thing to say: grow up.
Michael Vick’s reinstatement to the NFL and recent signing by the Philadelphia Eagles unleashed a plethora of thoughts within me. On some level, his return is a bit of an "Athletic Juneteenth" for those who tire of seeing our country make African American athletes into public enemy number one whenever they screw up. To this day, we act as if Marion Jones is the devil, Barry Bonds is a monster, and Terrell Owens is some kind of criminal. This treatment is nothing new, as black athletes have been getting villified for decades, and their molehills are consistently turned into mountains, ripe for high-tech lynchings. This is the tradition of America.
It only seems appropriate that Michael Vick sign his contract in a city like Philadelphia, the place that I love and fear at the same time. I love the city because they’ve supported me in my work with the great Wendy Williams, Dom Giordano andCharlamagne Tha God. But there is a dark side of "Killadelphia" that shows itself in the way they support their sports teams. They are the fans that cheered when it appeared that Michael Irvin may have broken his neck, so they sure as heck aren’t going to pay much attention to animal rights protestors blocking their path to a Super Bowl. In a city like Philly, the slogan is simple: "If you win, we forgive all sin." Vick will be right at home.
Black Politics: Al Sharpton Critiques the Prison Industrial Complex
- (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)
by Rev. Al Sharpton
As the battle lines for health care reform are being drawn – and redrawn – a silent segment of the population is strategically left out of the conversation. It’s a group of individuals who have been deemed enemies of society, and cast away behind iron bars to fend for themselves. In California’s 33 prisons, healthcare is so inadequate that one unnecessary death takes place per week, as inmates are often stacked in triple bunk beds in hallways and gymnasiums. With nearly twice the number of prisoners than they were designed to hold, California prisons will have to reduce at least 40,000 prisoners in the next two years – and it’s about time.
Federal judges just released a 184-page order demanding that California’s inmate population be reduced by 27%, and gave the state 45 days to come up with a plan. In what they termed an "unconstitutional prison healthcare system", the three-judge panel concluded that disease was spreading rampantly and prisoner-on-prisoner violence was all but unavoidable. Forced to close a $26 billion dollar budget gap, California will now have to look at mechanisms to reducing its extensive prison spending, which in 2007 topped out at nearly $10 billion (approximately $49,000 for each inmate).
Whether it’s for pure economic reasons or for an actual concern over the well being of prisoners, California will hopefully serve as an example for a reversal of the ever-growing prison industrial complex. A system that unfairly profiles and detains minorities, American jails produce a vicious cycle of recidivism and community breakdown. Last year, the Pew Center on the States released a scathing report stating that one in every 100 American adults was in jail, and that an astonishing one in 15 black adults was behind bars. According to government reports in 2007, there were three times as many blacks in jail than in college dorms, with Latinos not far behind at 2.7 times more behind bars than in secondary schooling.
Why Was a Man With a Gun Allowed to See the President?
Earlier today MSNBC aired a segment showing a man with a loaded gun waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive at a town hall on health care reform at a high school in Portsmouth, N.H., and reportedly the local chief of police had no problem with it.
The man is carrying a sign that says, "It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty." That’s a reference to a Thomas Jefferson quote: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." It was a favorite slogan of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was wearing a T-shirt when he was arrested with a picture of Lincoln on the front and a tree dripping with blood on the back.
Your Black News: Dr Wilmer Leon Interviews Suzanne Simons
Dr Wilmer Leon interviews Suzanne Simons about her book “Master of War: Blackwater USA’s Erik Prince and the Business of War". Click here to listen!
Dr Boyce: Why We Should Never Take Financial Advice from a Rapper
by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
In his video called "Rich N*gga Sh*t" (I can’t even write the title, since I don’t want to pollute the eyes of my readers. Maybe you can fill in the missing letters, like in the TV gameshow "Wheel of Fortune."), the rapper Soulja Boy has worked overtime to set an all-time record for massive hip hop buffoonery. But he’s only 19-years old, so I am going to give him a pass in hopes that he will choose to wise up at some point.
Showing off his new diamond chain that doubles as a remote control toy Lamborghini, the young brother proceeds to wow his audience by pushing the limits of financial extravagance. I’ve seen rappers with chains shaped like the state of New York or jewels that have their names on them, but I have never seen a chain that doubles as a remote control car. When I saw his latest "achievement," I truly felt that he’d lost it. I am not here to say that Soulja Boy has not planned for his financial security, I really hope he has. At the same time, I’ve seen a ton of rappers get wads of dough, only to find themselves broke and spending their lives in the studio trying to create their next breakout hit. Let’s be real: the industry is not here to empower the rappers – it is here to enslave them. Soulja Boy’s comments about giving "big ups" to slave masters (for bringing black people to America) should have been saved for the slave masters in the recording industry who control his destiny right now.
Dr Boyce: Don’t Rethink the Decision to go to College
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
The following is an exerpt from the book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about College."
Before I tell you all the great things about college, and all the things that are going to happen before, during and after, we should start with a very basic question: why do you want to go to college anyway? I mean, you could be doing a lot of things: playing in the NBA, bustin rhymes with your boys on stage, acting in Hollywood, or just plain old "kickin it". More realistically, you could also just jump right out and get a job after high school. There was a time when that wasn’t such a bad thing. My grandmother always tells me stories about the days when a high school diploma went a long way, when a house cost 8 cents, when dogs didn’t bite and you could leave your front door open at night. But a lot of things have definitely changed since then, and a person must adjust to the times.
If you want to increase your chances to getting a good job one day, then getting a solid education under your belt is a great place to start. Once, I asked a friend if she was going to college. I think that she was the kind of person that wanted to make the quick money, rather than spend 4 years investing in her education. In her mind, it was all about making money right away, and college would be a waste of 4 years for her. When I asked her if she was going to go to college, she said "I like money too much to go to college". I said to her "I like money too much not to go to college!" So the fact is this: you need degrees to get to the cheese! To lay it down in concrete terms, a census bureau survey showed that college graduates earn nearly one million dollars more during their lifetime than people with high school diplomas. What would you do with your extra million?
Sure there are exceptions. I went to college with guys who never graduated and left early for the NBA to make more money than most of us will ever make. However, this is clearly the exception. For every Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson, there are literally millions of other students who are not quite good enough to make the big money. For every Vivica Fox or Jenifer Aniston, there are a lot of women out there in Hollywood with roaches crawling across the bathroom floor. I am not saying this to stamp out the dreams you may have, it’s a reminder that you should pursue higher education no matter what you decide you want to do. This guarantees that you will have something to fall back on in case your plans don’t turn out quite the way you thought they would.
Dr Wilmer Leon: Listen to Callers Describe their reaction to the “Teachable Moment”
On this episode of “On with Leon,” Dr Wilmer Leon talks with listeners who have strong opinions on Henry Louis Gates, Barack Obama and the “Teachable Moment.” Click here to listen
Politics: Sotomayor Confirmed
Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession, made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.
Sonia Sotomayor, 55, will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court.
Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote. Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination.
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness.
Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge, will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice.
She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday.
President Obama, who selected Sotomayor on May 26, said he was "deeply gratified" by the Senate vote.
"This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it’s a wonderful day for America," Obama said at the White House. 
Watch Obama’s remarks »
Dr Boyce Watkins Speaks on the Banana Eating Jungle Monkey Comment
Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
I did some commentary on CNN last week about Justin Barrett, the cop who referred to Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates as a "Banana eating jungle monkey" in an email. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that the officer is suing the city of Boston, claiming that they violated his civil rights.
As part of my assignment for media work I was doing on the topic, I read through the email by officer Barrett very carefully. The email was not written by a disciple of David Duke, a man with gallons of racism flowing through his veins. Rather, it was written by a man who seemed to hold a great deal of anger and resentment toward almost everyone. In one sentence, he was critiquing the grammar of the journalist who wrote the original Gates article. In the other, he was degrading Professor Gates in ways that a police officer should never degrade the citizens he/she is sworn to protect.
I am not angry with Barrett, I feel sorry for him. In fact, when it comes to Barrett, I offer the following thoughts:
1) There is the broader constitutional issue of whether or not Officer Barrett has a right to say what he said. We do have the First Amendment, and no one seems to clearly understand the great social price we must pay to uphold these rights. Personally, I feel that Barrett has the right to say whatever he wants, but revealing such bias while serving as a police officer becomes a completely different issue. At the same time, should it be ruled by a court that Barrett has the right to say what he says, then I would stand behind his rights as well. I guess if someone calls you a "banana eating jungle monkey," you should just say, "ya mama."
Scholar News: Dr Boyce Watkins on MSNBC – 8/1/09
What’s Dr Boyce been up to?
Click here to watch Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University with Pastor Eugene Rivers on MSNBC.
Black News: Dr Boyce Watkins explains the meaning of “consumer confidence”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
Beyonce has a song about how she loves men with "big egos." This might imply that she likes men with confidence. Confidence matters a great deal in terms of male/female attraction, but believe it or not, it actually impacts our economy. Every month, the University of Michigan measures consumer confidence, to determine if Americans are willing to spend money and how they feel about their current and future economic security.
But you might ask, "Why would I care about confidence, since it’s only psychological and imaginary?" Good question. Actually, confidence is a psychological phenomenon which leads to very real impacts on our choices and behavior. A confident man who asks out every girl he meets will probably have more mating opportunities than a good looking guy who doesn’t open his mouth. A confident consumer is someone who feels good about his/her economic situation and therefore decides to spend money, which is always good for the economy. Confident companies make investments and hire new employees, but insecure companies put projects on hold and don’t hire anyone. Confident banks make loans, but nervous banks hold onto their capital, thus slowing down economic growth for the nation.
Black News, Black America – 8/1/09
Madea goes to Disney World with Philly pool kids
By theGrio
3:05 PM on 07/31/2009
A group of kids from Philadelphia who said they experienced prejudice firsthand arrived in Orlando, Florida on Friday for an all-expense paid trip courtesy of actor Tyler Perry…
Donated animals bring wealth to Africans
By theGrio
1:57 PM on 07/31/2009
Beatrice Biira fosters educational partnerships between the US and Africa. The Ugandan is currently studying at the Clinton School of Public Services in Arkansas, and it all began with the gift from Heifer International.
NFL player battling leukemia halts comeback
1:07 PM on 07/31/2009
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Kenechi Udeze’s comeback from leukemia served as an inspiration to his Minnesota Vikings teammates. The announcement of his retirement will not diminish that.
Boston cop says he’s "not a racist" for Gates slur
12:47 PM on 07/31/2009
BOSTON (AP) — A Boston police officer who was suspended for using a racial slur to describe black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. apologized for his comments and declared he is not a racist.
Reverend Ike dies at 74
12:46 PM on 07/31/2009
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, who preached the gospel of material prosperity to millions nationwide as Reverend Ike, died Tuesday. He was 74.
87-year-old woman lives in leaky shack, prays for help
By theGrio
9:21 AM on 07/31/2009
An 87-year-old woman, living alone, in a 160-year-old shack about three miles south of Lena, Mississippi says she has no one to help her get out of the deplorable conditions. Every room in her shack leaks, except for the living…
Black cop at Gates arrest: I’m not an Uncle Tom
8:11 AM on 07/31/2009
A black sergeant who was at the home of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. when he was arrested says he’s been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of the white arresting officer.
Black Scholar News: AKA President’s Dirty Allegations
Members of the country’s oldest black sorority are suing to remove their president, alleging that she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the group’s money on herself — some of it to pay for a wax statue in her own likeness.
In the suit filed in Washington, D.C., the Alpha Kappa Alpha members also alleged that international President Barbara McKinzie bought designer clothing, jewelry and lingerie with the sorority credit card. She then redeemed points the purchases earned on the card to buy a big-screen television and gym equipment, the lawsuit said.
"This is extraordinarily shocking if not illegal conduct," Edward W. Gray Jr., an attorney representing the plaintiffs suing the Chicago-based sorority, said Wednesday.
McKinzie denied what she called the lawsuit’s "malicious allegations," saying they were "based on mischaracterizations and fabrications … not befitting our ideals of sisterhood, ethics and service," according to a statement issued this week by the sorority.
The lawsuit also accused the sorority’s board of directors of signing off on spending funds on McKinzie without the required approval by the group’s membership. For example, the lawsuit says the board approved a monthly "pension stipend" of $4,000 for four years after she leaves office and purchased a $1 million life insurance policy for her. The suit demands McKinzie be fired and return money to the sorority.
Your Black News: What Black Thinkers are Thinking
Writer & Novelist
Young black voters came out for Obama, but may not return
8:12 AM on 07/29/2009
During last year’s presidential campaign, the second-most talked about aspect of Barack Obama’s historic candidacy was the fervor with which…
Cultural Critic
Brewski diplomacy won’t wash down racism
12:59 PM on 07/28/2009
Unemployment among African Americans, which some may partly attribute to racism, is now at Depression-era levels. Racial profiling and police…
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We’ve learned enough from Obama’s "teachable moment"
8:00 AM on 07/28/2009
(AP Photo/Seth Perlman, file) Despite (or perhaps because of) President Obama’s rare White House press room visit Friday, the racial…
Associate Professor Political Science Department – City University of New York
Sotomayor may pass ultimate one-size-fits-all test
7:43 AM on 07/28/2009
Judge Sonia Sotomayor admits she’s an affirmative action baby. She stated in an interview that she did not have high…
Boyce Watkins and Roland Martin going at it on CNN
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University speaks with Roland Martin and Rick Sanchez of CNN. The conversation gets quite heated. Click here to watch the video!
Black News: Dr Boyce Watkins on CNN American Morning – 7/29/09
Click here to watch Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University on CNN American Morning with Dr. Michael Fauntroy
Rev. Jackson, Rev. Sharpton, Watkins, Ogletree Meet to Discuss Gates
Click here to listen to Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Dr. Boyce Watkins (Syracuse University) talk with Harvard Law Professor, Charles Ogletree
Dr. Debby Stroman: Should Higher Ed Be a Right or a Privilege?
by Dr. Deborah Stroman
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Get Real! That’s my kind response to the critics of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) recent academic reform policy that eliminates the minimum SAT and ACT scores for admission. This well-thought out and crafted course of action finally gives colleges the academic freedom and independence to do what they do best – make decisions as to which students they want on their particular campus. Not the NCAA, the athletic leagues, or any other sport-related governing body has the right to tell an academic institution who is most deserving of the opportunity to sit in their classrooms and learn. Although our country promotes a spirit of education for all, the reality is that higher education is for the privileged. And those with the financial resources receive more access and resources. With a wink and a nod though, the student-athlete can oftentimes bypass this necessity if one possesses the talent to throw a tight spiral or shoot a silky-smooth jumper.
Anderson Cooper Speaks with Dr. Boyce Watkins – 7/25/09
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and Anderson Cooper discuss the case of Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates. Click here to watch the video!
Listen up: The Police Dispatch on the Gates Case
Just out. Listen to the audio from the 911 call on Henry Louis Gates’ Arrest by clicking here.
News: Montel Williams Speaks with Dr Boyce
Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University spoke with TV and radio show host Montel Williams on Monday. The conversation focused on race and racial profiling. They are going to also speak on financial advice in the future.
The Latest: Dr Boyce Watkins, Roland Martin, Anderson Cooper: Transcript
COOPER: Professor Watkins, do you believe this is an issue about race, or do you think this is an issue of two people with — with big egos or clashing egos?
WATKINS: I think that the answer is that we don’t know.
And that is the problem, that we were making bandwagon assumptions based on things we didn’t know. Look, either Sergeant Crowley violated procedure or he didn’t. If he did violate procedure, he either violated it because Skip Gates was black or for some other reason.
But the truth is that we can’t read this man’s mind. And, so, the truth — the reality is that this could have happened to someone of another ethnicity, potentially, particularly when you look throughout Sergeant Crowley’s record.
And I assume that he wouldn’t be teaching classes on racial sensitivity if he had a record of arresting black men for no reason. Now, I’m not trying to say that this did not happen in this case. I’m not anybody is a liar.
But what I’m saying is that we can’t use this case as a — some sort of poster child for racial-profiling issues across America, because there is real racial profiling that goes on, on places other than Harvard University, because I guarantee you this much.
MARTIN: Anderson…
WATKINS: Skip Gates is a guy who knows he is Skip Gates.
And being a black professor at Harvard, with all the money that Skip has, I guarantee you he has probably got more privilege than most white Americans have anyway.
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: Anderson, race — race is involved, because you all — look, when you step back and say, here, you have an African-American professor in his home. The cop comes there.
The black officer said, I think it may have been — differently if it was an African-American cop with this actual black male here. What we have to learn here is, what is going through a black man’s mind when this kind of thing is happening?
Again, people say, well, it needs to be overt. Well, people all self-perceive things differently. What is implied? What is inferred? And, so, here, he is standing here saying, this is how I am interpreting this.
We cannot dismiss that and say, well, that is not relevant. It is relevant, because it happens every day. People make assumptions. Women make assumptions based upon, well, is this happening to me because I am a woman? Is this happening to me because I am Hispanic? COOPER: But some assumptions are correct and some assumptions are not.
MARTIN: Absolutely. But that’s why we can’t…
WATKINS: Right. Absolutely.
MARTIN: That’s why there is no hard-and-fast rule to say, well, was race a role?
It could have been a role. And, so, we have to examine that. That is why the conversation is so important, so we can understand the give-and-take and what people feel and what they experience and what perception is.
WATKINS: And — and we — and we have to understand that — that racial healing is something that is going to require patience.
I think that Dr. Gates and all of us…
MARTIN: And work.
WATKINS: Let’s assume Dr. Gates is right about this. He needs to ask himself a question: What would Martin Luther King do? How would he handle this?
Would he say, I demand that he — he should beg me for my forgiveness, and I might give it to him?
(CROSSTALK)
WATKINS: Or would he say, look, I forgive you?
Because, remember, the disease of racism, Roland, it affects all of us. All of us are victims of this.
MARTIN: Oh, I agree, Boyce. I…
(CROSSTALK)
WATKINS: And, so, you know, when you’re…
(CROSSTALK)
WATKINS: … who may or may not do something wrong, you have got to at least approach that situation with strength and understanding at the same time.
COOPER: We have got to…
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: A final thought, Roland.
MARTIN: Well, you know, he’s also an African scholar. He also may say — for a look at how Malcolm X looks at it. Look, we can all try to hold Dr. King up, but the bottom line is, Skip Gates is not Dr. King. He is Skip Gates. He has to look at it from his perspective, and no one else’s.
COOPER: Well, we’re going to leave it there.
Roland Martin and Boyce Watkins, good discussion, as always. Thank you, gentlemen.
As always, a lot more to see online at AC360.com, including a new blog posting from Professor Watkins. It’s a good read, and a complete copy of the arrest report, which is also fascinating to read.
Black News: Black Republicans Speak Out
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Sarah Palin’s resignation from her role as governor of Alaska has prompted new questions about the GOP’s leadership and future. While Michael Steele made history by becoming the first black chairman of the Republican National Committee, where do African Americans stand in helping to redefine the party?
TheGrio sat down with a group of black Republicans to discuss their feeling on their political party and its future.
"What does it mean to be a black man that agrees with the Republican party’s agenda, the Republican party’s message?" said hiphoprepublican.com’s Brandon Brice. "That is, reducing the size of government, giving people real opportunities to excel from any circumstance or situation."
According to a report released in May by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, Africans Americans make up two percent of the nation’s Republican party, compared to 22 percent of the democratic party. The study also found that during the 2008 election, 95 percent of blacks voted for Barack Obama, while just four percent voted for Republican candidate John McCain.
Players Finally Sue the NCAA
I’ve written extensively about the NCAA and what I perceive to be their consistent efforts to exploit the black community. They spend millions on public service announcements to protect their deception, but eventually the athletes and the public are going to wise up to what they are doing. The truth is that college athletes should be paid for the same reasons that any actor in a Hollywood blockbuster film would expect to receive compensation. The problem is that the families of athletes don’t quite know how to organize and fight for their power. So, when I read about the recentlawsuit against the NCAA for allegedly misusing the images of athletes for videogames, I was a very happy man.
Let me break it down for you:
Based on my 16-years of experience as a college professor (I currently teach atSyracuse University, a school that earns millions off black families every year), collegiate athletics is not, in my opinion, about amateurism and it’s not about education. It’s about making money. Period. Many athletes are admitted to college every year and they would not be granted admission were it not for their ability to play sports and make money for the campus. Making money is not a problem, but the problem comes with the fact that universities do not share this revenue with the families of the players.
Dr Boyce Watkins, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton on the radio tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, July 26, 2009 at 8:30 am EST, Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University will appear on the Jesse Jackson Show with Rev. Al Sharpton and Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree. The conversation will center around the recent arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates. For affiliate information, please visit www.KeepHopeAliveRadio.com
Your Black News: Sgt James Crowley Denies Being a Racist
Senne/AP
Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley says that he’s not racist for arresting Henry Louis Gates, citing the CPR he gave the Celtics star Reggie Lewis (below) as proof.
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The cop who arrested African-American scholar Henry Louis Gates refused to apologize and denied he’s a racist, saying he once gave black basketball star Reggie Lewis mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
"I wasn’t working on Reggie Lewis the basketball star. I wasn’t working on a black man," Sgt. James Crowley told the Boston Herald. "I was working on another human being."
Crowley, 42, was referring to his actions after the Boston Celtics forward suffered a fatal heart attack in 1993 at Brandeis University, where he was a campus cop.
An 11-year veteran of the Cambridge Police Department, Crowley arrested Gates, a noted Harvard professor, last Thurdsay while investigating a reported break-in at Gates’ home.
Dr Boyce Watkins: Obama’s Pitch on Race and Healthcare
10:00 PM on 07/22/2009
Obama responds to questions during a news conference Wednesday, July 22, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
I found myself enjoying President Obama’s Healthcare pitch to the nation on prime time television, as he explained (as most politicians do) why the world will come to an end if we don’t adopt his policies. His arguments were strong and valid, and he made it clear that he was out to help the middle class by letting rich folks pay the bill. I’m all for that.
I noticed how the president used the words "middle class" about 20 times through the night, and allowed nine different reporters to ask questions, none of them African American. But then again, it might have been tough for President Obama to find black people in the room, since there sure as heck didn’t seem to be very many around.
Less predictable was the racial bombshell that President Obama saved for last on Wednesday night. After being asked about the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, a prominent Harvard University professor, Obama spent just a few minutes reminding the world that he was not only a black man, but that that he was also an alumnus of Harvard University.
The man who some feel embodies the essence of a post-racial America was suddenly willing to candidly discuss race on behalf of his wealthy Harvard associate. What is incredibly ironic is that these were probably the most post-racial comments Obama has ever made, since they further opened the door to class warfare in America.
Dr Boyce: Don’t Feel Sorry for Henry Louis Gates: Be Intelligent
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
I am not Al Sharpton. In fact, I never could be and I don’t want to try. I am also not Henry Louis Gates, a man with an undeniable contribution to the legacy of Black Scholarship in America. I am simply Boyce Watkins, the son of a 17-year-old mother and a father who happened to be a high-ranking police official for the past 28 years. I’ve argued with my father for decades, as his Bill Cosby-like views of the world have often made my face twist with confusion. But I listen to my father, because there is value in seeing other points of view.
When I hear about a Black man being mistreated by police, I take a moment of pause. I think about the horrific statistics on Black males in the criminal justice system, in which we are more likely to be arrested for the same crimes, more likely to be convicted, more likely to be incarcerated and expected to get more prison time than our White counterparts.
Dr. Boyce Watkins on MSN.Com
I am not Al Sharpton. In fact, I never could be and I don’t want to try. I am also not Henry Louis Gates, a man with an undeniable contribution to the legacy of Black Scholarship in America. I am simply Boyce Watkins, the son of a 17-year-old mother and a father who happened to be a high-ranking police official for the past 28 years. I’ve argued with my father for decades, as his Bill Cosby-like views of the world have often made my face twist with confusion. But I listen to my father, because there is value in seeing other points of view.
When I hear about a Black man being mistreated by police, I take a moment of pause. I think about the horrific statistics on Black males in the criminal justice system, in which we are more likely to be arrested for the same crimes, more likely to be convicted, more likely to be incarcerated and expected to get more prison time than our White counterparts.
