 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
President Bush A Combination of Arrogance and Ignorance
By A. Peter Bailey
Some conservative propagandists have been praising President Bush for what they describe as his
 remarkable self confidence as he plows ahead undaunted with his Iraq adventure I beg to differ. What the President exhibits is not so much selfconfidence, but instead the deadliest combination that a leader can possess: arrogance and ignorance. Either one would pose a problem, but when combined, as they are in Bush, havoc is the result. He was most likely completely ignorant of the existence of people known as Sunni and Shiite Muslims before he sent troops from overwhelmingly low
income and workingclass families into Iraq.
Black Journalists
For five Sunday mornings  June 18 July 15  , I monitored five publicaffairs programs Fox News Sunday, This Week With George Stephanolopus, The Chris Matthews Show, Meet The Press and The McLaughlin Report to see how many black commentators were participants. To see that none of the programs hosts were black and only one black journalist was a regular panelist during that time, Juan Williamson on Fox News Sunday, was revealing, if not surprising. The others Gwen Ifill,
Eugene Robinson and Tavis Smiley Meet the Press Cynthia Tucker and Michele Norris The Chris Matthews Show Clarence Page The McLaughlin Report, and Donna Brazille This Week were all occasional guest panelists.
There was never more than one black journalist on any individual program. The National Association of Black Journalists, now over 30 years in existence, needs to be more effective in challenging the blatant disregard for the talent of black journalists exhibited by the program directors of major stations. Hopefully, when the NABJ gathered in Las Vegas the first week in August for its annual convention, it took the time to develop a campaign to rectify the situation. On the other hand, it is a given that when an organization schedules a convention in Las Vegas, nothing too serious is going to happen.
Republicans or Democrats
On occasion, certain colleagues of mine will lecture me on the perceived deficiencies of the Democratic Party in its dealings with black folks. You are absolutely right, I respond as they cite deficiency after deficiency, now what should we do about it Their response Switch to the Republican Party. To which I reply
Are you crazy, Negro
From 1867 to approximately 1936, Blacks were among the most fervent members of the Republican Party, a period of seven decades of loyalty . Since then, they have become equally fervent members of the Democratic Party. We have given both parties ample opportunity to show their commitment to equal rights, equal opportunity and equal justice in the end, we have found both parties lacking in several important aspects. It is now time to take on the arduous challenge of organizing a blackled political party that will look out for our interests. This is a more productive strategy than constantly arguing with each other over whether to attach ourselves to white Republicans or white Democrats to white conservatives or white liberals.
W.E.B DuBois
Anyone wondering why integrationoriented black organizations and individuals have shied away from making a serious effort to maximize our economic potential in the struggle for civil and human rights should pay close attention to an analysis made by professor Harold Cruse in his thoughtprovoking book, Plural and Equal. In it he says, The integrationists have always said that a separate Negro economy in the United States is a myth. But is it really The reason that the debate on black economy has gone back and forth for years is that the idea is closely linked with nationalism
the integrationists would rather be tarred and feathered than suspected of a nationalist taint.
This was the great weakness of W.E.B DuBois the only real flaw in the mans intellectual equipment. DuBois upheld the idea of a separate black economy as not so easily dismissed because ... In the first place, we have already got a partially separate economy in the United States. Yet, he remarked in 1940 that his economic program for Negro advancement can easily be mistaken for a program of complete racial segregation and even nationalism among Negroes ... this is a misapprehension.
DuBois neglected to consider that any thorough economic reorganization of Negro existence imposed from above, will not be supported by the popular masses unless an appeal is made to their nationalism.
|
|
 |
BlackBallot.com Partners with Reuters
We are proud to announce our new partnership with Reuters. Together, we will bring you daily video coverage of the hottest news stories from around the globe.
|
|
|
 |
Is HipHop Really Dead
By Sheree Campbell
By 1979, hiphop had become a commercially viable music genre, and had fully started to enter the American musical mainstream. In the 90s, a form of hiphop called gangsta rap became a major part of American popular music. Hiphop went from battle rap into beef in 1995, from the late rappers Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. I interviewed several Five Towns College students about the state of hiphop today. I think hiphop is dead, said Shakina Cherry.
With all the negative publicity that hiphop has received,
what can be done to turn it around Rapping about guns, sex, and money is what sells, says John Harris. The urban youth of today follow what they see on television and what they hear on the radio.
Many people believe that hiphop is dead, but in the late 80s, hiphop faced many of the same negative connotations that it does today perhaps it was less violent, and some of the illegal activity that took place in the music drugs, for example couldnt be talked about as much because it was considered snitching, and a hint to the police. Hiphop became more alive and less violent when its focus was taken
back to dancing. It is said that dances associated
with hiphop like Chicken Noodle Soup and Walk it Out are supposed to pave the way to a different sound a form of hiphop often known these days as south music. But most people in the East Coast are not buying it. Thats south music, said Melissa Hayes.Although I listen to it, I want the East Coast to come back with our type of  hiphop music.
Hiphop can be considered a message, a story told but the question is who is the story told toThe story of hiphop is told to the government, not just the urban culture... if politicians would listen to rap and not just classify it as noise, then maybe they could understand the reason why the urban community suffer, said James Feimster. Hiphop
will continue to change according its own sort of rhythm we can only wait and see what
comes in the musics future.
The question has become Is hiphop really dead Nas, a revered name in hiphop , is the one responsible for the hiphop is dead movement although fans of the music have mourned for years, Nas caused a stir by publicly stating it. In his opinion,
... basically, America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead. Our way
of thinking is dead, our commerce is dead. Everything in this society has been done. That's where we are as a country. Voices want to be heard, but with all the violence going on in hiphop, its hard to make a positive statement. What many emcees talk about today is basically what has talked in hiphop for many years south music is believed to be changing that, and putting the fun back into the music. But as Melissa Hayes stated, gangsta rap is what sells , and what most hip hop fans want to hear.
|
|
|
 |
Where Have All the Black Players Gone
By Omar Youssef
If youve read between the lines of the sports pages in the past few months, you may have noticed a buzz in the baseball world. That is, the game is essentially suffering from a lack of black players. Is it conspiracy or coincidence, natural occurrence or tragedy It may be hard to say at this point. Its no secret that earlier in its existence, Major League Baseball MLB went out of its way to omit blacks. Let us not forget the overt exclusion of men of color from the game of baseball early in the last century.
Nevertheless, times have changed. A more liberal attitude has, to a certain extent, infiltrated both the game and American sports. For decades, MLB has admired and celebrated black players and their contributions to the game. Take the example of Hank Aaron and Willie Mayes, both famous black players regarded as two of the greatest players the sport has ever seen, period.
In the current makeup of big league ball, the number of black players is staggeringly low, the lowest its been in quite some time. According to a report from CNNMoney.com, black baseball players total a meager 8 percent of all the leagues players many people involved in baseball have speculated as to why this is so, players and analysts alike. Gary Sheffield of the Detroit Tigers suggests that the rise in the number of Latino players has a direct correlation to the drop in the leagues overall percentage of black players. He was quoted as saying,
... Its about being able to tell Latin players what to do being able to control them ...Where I'm from, you can't control us... So, if you're equally good as this Latin player, guess who's going to get sent home The Twins Tori Hunter also suggested that it makes more economic sense to pay for a Hispanic player that
costs  2,000 than a black player that cost 2 million.
This issue perhaps best relates to the perception of black players in the eyes of the media some of the more prominent black baseball players arent always shown in the best light. Barry Bonds is demonized solely on steroid allegations and his unwillingness to oblige the media. Gary Sheffield is often looked upon as a malcontent, simply because hes opinionated. Tori Hunter may have been viewed as culturally insensitive for his shortsighted comments regarding Hispanic players and baseball economics.
All of this may have an unintended consequence, as it would appear that the black youth of America could someday be lacking appropriate black male athletes to emulate. If black ball players are portrayed as deviants then black kids are uninterested in becoming ball players in the future, simple.
There is the argument that major league clubs can get equal value at a lower cost. By bringing in players from places such as the Dominican Republic and offering them the opportunity to earn enough money to support their families back home, the league has a surefire way to recruit submissive and content athletes. That being said, its quite foolish to simply blame Latino players, as their rights are as germane as anyone elses. Baseball has let blacks into the game over half a century ago, and now its time for Hispanic players to fully enter the game as well. They should be afforded the same rights and benefits that black players receive rights that took quite some time to materialize.
Another possible reason for the drop in participation is that baseballs own popularity has been in steady decline for some years now. Consider a few things here football has been cited as being Americas new favorite pastime basketball has the richest history of black players among major American sports and both football and basketball are far more accessible sports for children to play. This last point is key Its easy to see why a black child from a lowincome neighborhood without easy access to a baseball field or
other players might shy away from baseball.
If you can unearth the easy answer as to why baseball has seen such a steep decline in black participation, then by all means, share it with us. Otherwise, anticipate on seeing two phenomena persist the rhetoric on this matter will become louder and louder and the number of black baseball players will keep dropping further.
|
|
|
 |
Older Woman vs. YoungerMan Survivor
Tips To Help an Older Woman Sustain a Relationship with a Younger Man
By Afrika Brown
Ladies, in spite of our constant complaints about not wanting to play games when it comes to love, it seems that most relationships are a series of mental and emotional armwrestling matches. A relationship with a man of any age is certainly a challenge, yet any woman that has a relationship with a younger man would concur that the word challenge would be an understatement. Your chess skills would have to rival those of Bobby Fischer to be able to sustain a relationship with a younger man and maintain your mental capacity.
I have gained much knowledge as a veteran of a long and committed relationship with a twentysomething man. In that time, I have learned that a relationship with a younger man is truly a private game of Survivor without the exotic locale, disgusting cuisine, and physical challenges. This is a game that is purely mental and emotional there is no immunity. The goal of this Survivor is to outclever, out
sport, and outlast your younger lover. Based on my threeyear scrimmage with my younger partner, I have devised a few tips that will assist an older woman entering into a relationship with a younger man.
Tip 1 Remember the childhood story of the Tortoise and the Hare.
The hare has the physical strengths and is fully aware of his physical attributes, thus he becomes narcissistic. The hare is quick, maybe too quick for his own good. His arrogance makes him annoying yet venerable. The tortoise is physically slower than the hare, but what she lacks in physical prowess she more than makes up for in brains.
Yes, ladies, when it comes to being involved with a younger man, time is on our side. We are more mature, and so, like the tortoise, we are able to see the proverbial race in its entirety, and know what we need to do to come out ahead, or at least with our sanity intact.
Tip 2 Dont become hypnotized by the sex factor.
Sex is an important component of any relationship. When you find a lover that speaks to your body the way you want, the feeling can be intoxicating and addicting be sure to not let the feeling sweep you away. As stated before, he is the hare, and his physical abilities are one of his more attractive qualities. Nothing is more gratifying than knowing you have a rabbit at home ready to please your every sexual command with very little recovery time Energizer who
Just dont get lost in the fog of great sex, for it is in this fog that a woman can lose herself. She ends up making compromises that are not beneficial to her, but only to her mate. She can also begin to accept and make excuses for behavior that she would normally deem unacceptable. If a young man knows that he is handling his business in the bedroom, he will become even cockier than he already is no pun intended. It is important for him to understand that while he may take the lead in the bedroom, a relationship involves two people
the decisions made in a relationship must benefit both parties.
Tip 3 Beware of immaturity.
Remember This version of Survivor has no immunity, but it will certainly have plenty of immaturity it is a known fact that women mature at a faster rate than men. An older woman who is in a relationship with a younger man is herself young at heart, but we have the best of both worlds youthful exuberance and wisdom. Keep in mind, ladies, that your man is fully aware that he is at a disadvantage his immaturity will often appear in the form of arrogance.
Oftentimes a younger lover is less sexually experienced, makes less money, and is less worldly than their older counterpart. Anyone in this position would feel somewhat intimidated. When your lover acts in a way that reeks of immature arrogance, remember to keep a cool, level head. Try to remember that you were his age before, so you are well aware of the emotions he is experiencing even if you have moved past them. To his immaturity, reply in a tone that is stern but not mothering. It is important to play the role of politician to prevent a discussion from escalating into a fullblown argument. After the heat simmers down, talk offer gentle, loving guidance. Trust me, he will be looking for it one of the appeals of an older woman is her experience.
Tip 4 Let him be the man.
My partner and I are seven years apart, and this age difference puts our relationship upsidedown from the start. You might find it natural to take the lead, because you are more worldly and have more to bring to the table but dont. Men are prideful creatures and the younger they are, the more pride they possess. If you and your mate live together, as my partner and I do, it is important that you let him be the king of the castle, or to at least make him feel that way. You may have a tendency to treat him more like the prince, as you are the breadwinner and he is younger again, dont.
Sometimes he may even expect you to take the lead, knowing that you are the breadwinner. Do not allow him to let you play mother a man must feel like a man and know that his woman sees him as one.
Trying to play the boss can sometimes be an emasculating experience for a man, especially one that may still be trying to find himself. You should not, in any way, stand by and play folly to his reckless decisions. As he is younger and less experienced, he may make decisions impetuously without thinking about future ramifications.
I have a saying that I always stick to in relationships I am the minister of the interior and he is the minister of the exterior. This means at home I make sure my opinion is heard, but outside I let it appear that he is the head of the household. When my partner and I went car shopping, we had a talk prior to going to the dealership about the questions we needed to ask, the type of cars we wanted to look at, and the car note we wanted. When we arrived at the dealership I allowed him to ask the questions and do the talking, but I didnt let him make the decisions. We went off to the side, talked about it, and I let him negotiate the sale. I made him feel like a man, and in the process ensured a decision
wasnt made that would hurt us in the long run.
Remember, ladies, that you cant let him run the show your opinion has to be heard in order to have a successful relationship. However, allow him to take the lead once in a while a man needs that.
Tip 5 Beware of the caveman.
While this version of Survivor will not have an exotic location, you may feel as if you have been transported back to prehistoric times if you are involved with a caveman. My definition of a caveman is a modern man who still subscribes to all the oldfashioned notions of a womans role in the home. A caveman believes a woman does the cooking, even if she is bringing home the bacon. He also believes that a woman does the dishes, the laundry, cleans the rooms, and does the windows, all while working a fulltime job. Men, find a clue.
In my experience, even a man who has lived out on his own will usually settle back into the traditional household roles once they begin living with a woman. It took my mother 20 years to break my father out of this type of thinking. Sadly, if a younger lover is coming directly from his mothers house, he is almost definitely a caveman so used to mommy doing everything that he automatically believes you will do the same. Face it ladies, the Madonnawhore mentality is alive and well.
Establish the ground rules early. Make sure your young partner understands that a relationship is a partnership and that includes household chores. Also remember that when you have these types of talks with him that you cant sound like mommy laying down the law again, you must be a constant politician. I realized my young partner was indeed a caveman himself when I heard him say, You dont see the dishes piled in the sink The dishes he was referring to were the same dishes he helped to dirty, but he had some asinine notion that it was my job to clean them.
My first instinct was to say, Fool, dont you see the dishes piled in the sink Who died and told you your name is Mister Cause my name is Afrika, and not Miss Celie.
Of course, I did not say that. A response like that would have only led to an argument. I simply told him that I work everyday just like him. I need help keeping the house clean and that a man who takes pride in his home will not gripe about helping to keep it clean. He understood, and now he does help with the household chores.
Tip 6 Bone up on your communicationchess skills.
As this game of Survivor is all mental, communication will be your greatest ally against being sent to breakup exile. Since you are the more experienced of the two, and a woman, you are always thinking, but you must think differently when dealing with someone younger.
Some say that chess is a game for kings. In history, kings played chess to develop strategies when going to war. However, chess can also a game for queens. You must use all of your life experience when developing a strategy for dealing with a younger man. You must remember what it was like when you wore his shoes, but you cant walk backwards. You must take those lessons learned, apply them, and help elevate your man. You also have to allow him to grow on his terms, which is why communication is so important. He will make mistakes, a lot of them it is part of the growth process. Knowing how to articulate your needs without sounding demanding or preachy will allow both parties to grow together, and you will run a better chance of him actually taking and applying your advice.
My relationship with my younger partner has certainly been a test of wills. I have been a contestant of this game, banished to breakup exile, only to return to play some more. If I had known some of these tips when I had first become involved with him, I could have saved myself a ton of screaming matches. Every relationship is different, as every man young or old is different. These tips will not make a relationship with a younger man any less challenging, but these tips can make a woman becoming involved with a younger man aware of how to become a youngerman Survivor. Look at me, I am still surviving and we are still in love.
|
|
|
 |
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]