Magazine
Eric Holder, Sean Bell & The Legacy of Al Sharpton
Written by C.B. Forde
On Tuesday, February 16th 2010, the Justice Department announced that there was not enough evidence to prosecute the New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers involved in the slaughter of Sean Bell for violating his civil rights. While many of my fellow African Americans are probably disappointed in Eric Holder, (America’s first Black Attorney General), I am not. After reading the official statement given by the Justice Department, I must say that I was impressed by the way the situation was handled. I was impressed that representatives of the Justice Department met with the family to explain why they could not move forward. While I feel strongly that the death of Sean Bell was a heinous crime and violation of his human rights, it was not a violation of his civil rights. The problem here is that people do not understand the difference and Al Sharpton is either incapable of or has no desire to articulate the difference.
The Cultural Culprit to Bipolar Disorder
Written by Nicole Murray
Although the cause of bipolar disorder is not 100 percent certain, there are several known factors that can contribute to its onset. This disorder is something that is not completely understood or accepted in the African American community, which plays a vital role in our lack of treatment or misdiagnosis. There is a common cultural predisposition in our community to emotionally rely more so on religion and family than health care professionals. Faith and family will always be a significant part of our culture but it cannot replace the medical attention required to properly manage this disorder.
Who’s Holding The Smoking Gun?
Written by Jecquea Howsie
Headline: As rapid gunfire broke-out a 12-year-old boy sought refuge inside a tennis shoe store; crouching behind shelves-so he wouldn’t be noticed, accidentally stood up just as the final bullet entered the store and shot him in the chest. The little boy looked at the intended target pleading, “Please don’t let me die,” instead, he looked at the boy and fled.
Its Tax Season: Need help with your refund?
Written by Ali Lawrence
The question of the tax season is: How do I increase my refund for tax year 2009? The answer? Based on the myriad of tax law changes, it is highly likely that you will get a bigger refund this year. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has made changes that affect from students to small business owners to single individuals. And as if that is not good enough news already, there is even an Economic Recovery Payment. The good news follows.
All Black Cops Needed In Inner City Black Neighborhoods
Written by A. Peter Bailey
Fifteen years ago, in response to a series of homicides by Black teenagers in Richmond, Virginia, I made the following suggestion in a column written for the Richmond Free Press. “I have a suggestion on how to more effectively combat street crime in Black neighborhoods in Richmond. Put all-Black police officers in our neighborhoods…. The use of all Black cops would eliminate race as a factor in crime control in our neighborhoods by taking this cover out of the hands of that minority of neighborhood residents who indulge in criminal behavior, mainly against their own people.” Many Black people, for legitimate historical reasons, just don’t trust White police officers. Black criminals are acutely aware of this situation and take advantage of it.
Social Media Pitfalls To Avoid
Written by Luis Cuneo, Marketing Manager, IBM Corporation
I recently attended the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Convention in Denver, CO. Prior to the conference, I took note of how the USHCC was taking advantage of social media to promote their event and encourage individuals to network prior to the conference. The communication I received came through the LinkedIn social media site. Social media marketing is a relatively new marketing discipline. I credit the USHCC for using this cost effective tool to drive awareness of their conference. However, there are pitfalls that can dilute the effectiveness of this marketing tool.. Based on my observation and analysis of the recent conference, I have identified five pitfalls that business professionals need to avoid when using social media.
Neo Liberal Reasons for Economic Regulation
Written by Sid Davis
As the banking economy accelerates into high gear thanks to the trillions of taxpayer dollars handed over without actual taxpayers having a say in the matter, executives in the industry are once again paying billions in bonuses and proceeding with business as usual. Not only has economic amnesia taken hold of the bankers and allowed them to forget the near-collapse they caused, but they have fought tooth and nail against any sort of meaningful reform to their destructive system. And as sure as the sun rises in the east, before long they will be clamoring for more deregulation of the sort that created the mess in the first place.
