Fear Of A Black President?

The legendary rap music group Public Enemy once produced an album entitled: Fear of a Black Planet back in 1990. Today, are we experiencing fear of a black president? That just might be the case if a summer poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post has much truth in it. According to a June poll, three in 10 Americans confessed to some form of racial bias in their thinking. That is especially important this summer as we are in the midst of an historic presidential campaign that could see the first black American become president of the United States should Sen. Barack Obama's bid be successful. Now, that is still a big "if" at this point. And, if this poll has any truth to it ... the size of that "if" could be bigger than we could possibly have imagined. If three in 10 admit to bias, it makes me wonder how many others were perhaps unwilling to so openly admit to their bias (the silent majority of people thinking in such a fashion). This is part of the hill Obama must climb if he expects to make history and become president of the United States.

The Washington Post poll on race relations:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/21/AR2008062101825.html

A Deeper And More Amazing Look At Race

This video is almost amazing. Just when I thought I had seen it all, as far as videos go, I found this one and my jaw just about dropped and hit the floor. This video was filmed in 2008, but you would have thought it was shot in during the Jim Crow era in this country. This is one of the reasons I continue to have doubts about whether Sen. Barack Obama can really win the presidency ... in spite of how progressive on race issues some people like to believe they are. This country still has a long ways to go. When you combine the false and highly-discredited view of Obama as being Muslim with the outright refusal of some people to want to consider a black man or any individual of color for the presidency you can see that we still have a long way to go. Imagine how many more people feel the way that this woman does, but do not have the guts to go on television, CNN no less, and express these kinds of opinions.

CNN video on race in South Carolina:
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/25994-cnn-s-suzanne-malveaux-reports-on-race-in-south-carolina

Pushing The Arguably Racist Myth Obama Is A Muslim

Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the presidency, continues to fight the ridiculous myth that he is not Christian, but is a Muslim. The ridiculous myth persists in spite of efforts by Obama to prove otherwise and in spite of the fact that he has and continues to attend Christian churches, he leads the Pledge of Allegiance in the United States Senate ... and so on and so forth. Many blogs, blogs from all around the world, continue to spread these vicious lies about Obama to try and prey upon American fears of people of color, Muslims and of blacks. Notice all of the people who insist on believing that Obama is some kind of Muslim and then pay close attention to how foolish they look when you used reasoned and creditable proof to dispute their beliefs. They looked sometimes dazed and confused, but stubbornly refuse to accept reality and would instead choose to believe some blogger (like me) who could in theory right anything and have it published on the Internet. We are all entitled to our opinions, but when our opinions are about someone and there is substantial and creditable evidence that proves us wrong we should be reasonable. The problem is there are many people who want to vote against Obama for racial reasons, but need some other excuse beyond that to use against him. This is one of the reasons so many people cling for dear life onto the discredited notion he is a Muslim. Fear drives these beliefs ... fears of Muslims and fear of people of color.

This video is from Fox Attacks:
http://foxattacks.com/blog/49099-the-obama-muslim-myth

Softball (And Baseball) To Be Booted From Olympics

I wonder if maybe our United States softball team was just a little too good for its competition at the Olympic level. It's a reasonable point to ponder with the elimination of softball from the Games beginning in 2012. It is so disappointing to think of these two sports being eliminated when they are now being played all around the world. Baseball clearly is strong outside of the United States. While softball is being dominated by the United States, other countries are sure to begin closing the gap. In all honesty, there are other countries who already are closing the gap in spite of the fact the U.S. is still the best. Baseball and softball appear to be done for the London games in 2012, but could reapply for Olympic status for 2016. There are Olympic sports that some of us might have a difficult time bringing ourselves to appreciate. That is especially true when you consider the growing worldwide popularity of baseball and softball. It makes you wonder what people who are involved with the International Olympic Committee are thinking. Baseball and softball are too important not to be reinstated and should have been important enough not to be eliminated at all.

Interesting blog on Olympic softball:
http://savesoftball.blogspot.com/

ESPN story about elimination vote:
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=2103234

Story from SI.com
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/richard_deitsch/10/26/the.rant/

Story from Columbus Dispatch:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/07/23/softball.html

Expect Michigan Republicans To Eventually Link Kilpatrick With Obama

It's just a matter of time and, quite frankly, I am surprised it has not already happened. It's no secret that embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is in all kinds of legal troubles (yet refuses to step aside for the greater good of the people of Detroit and the people of the state of Michigan). I think it can be reasonably assumed that it will not be long before Republicans in Michigan will try to find ways to use Kilpatrick's legal troubles to somehow discredit Sen. Barack Obama and his bid for the presidency of the United States. It seems that Republicans in Tennessee (look at their ad and it will tell you a lot about what some Republicans in Tennessee are willing to try to win the presidency) are already testing out ways to use Kilpatrick against Obama with some ads generated. Obama, in the past, has said some good things about Kilpatrick (a lot of people said good things about Kwame when he appeared to be a rising star in the Democratic Party). Kilpatrick's many legal problems have nothing to do with Obama anymore than Republican Sen. Ted Stevens' troubles have something to do with Sen. John McCain, the other major party nominee for the presidency.

USA Today on Republicans trying to link Kilpatrick and Obama:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-14-obama-kilpatrick-response_N.htm

CNN article on Stevens:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/29/stevens.indictment/

Hats Off To Michael Phelps For Winning His Record-Setting Eighth Gold Medal In These Olympics

American swimmer Michael Phelps is, simply put, the man. His performance during these summer Olympics has been nothing short of phenomenal and has helped him to cement his place among the greatest Olympians in history. One of the most amazing things about Phelps is that his success has been in blowout fashion, in heart-stopping fashion, as an individual and as a team. It's difficult to comprehend the true greatness of an athlete while we are watching him or her perform. Generally, it takes historical perspective, perhaps months or years down the line, to true appreciate the greatness of an individual. I hope all people, not just Americans, will take the time to appreciate this greatness and remember it as we remember and honor past Americans who have performed well in the Games. It was amazing to see the people in his hometown of Baltimore, Md. applaud him (fans who stuck around after watching a preseason National Football League game) in large numbers as he continued his quest to make history.

CNN report:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/16/bc.oly.swm.phelps.medley.relay.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Obama's Middle Name: The Test Of Real Racism

I've noticed a particularly disturbing trend that continues to rear its ugly head in this year's presidential campaign. Democratic Party presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama continues to face a form of racism that is doubly racist. As some of you may or may not know, Obama's middle name is Hussein. Now, and this might come as a shock to you, a number of right-wing Republican extremists have insisted on using his middle name in references to the Illinois senator. Are they using it because it's his name? Uh, no they are not. Quick quiz, what is presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain's middle name? I don't know what it is or if he even has one. How many people have brought that up about McCain relative to how many people have brought up the issue with respect to Obama? The answer is: not very many people have brought it up. The use of Obama's middle name has a singular focus: Capitalize on the fears many citizens of the United States have for Muslims. In other words, Obama's middle name is used to paint him as some sort of black Muslim extremist (which he is not ... Obama has said and proven time and time again that he is a Christian and even if he wasn't it shouldn't matter to people who are not racist). The design is to tie black Americans to Muslims to paint blacks as radicals and to paint Muslims as radicals. Both are reprehensible stereotypes. I encourage people not to buy into the hate you've seen coming from conservatives who are pulling out all of the stops in their win-at-any-cost and obsessive desire to win the presidency.

Interesting Article On Different Interracial Relationships

An interesting article, about interracial relationships, definitely caught my attention this evening. It's an article that is a little bit different from the typical ones we generally see about interracial relationships: the different kinds of interracial relationships. In addition to discussing the types of interracial relationships the article also has some information about the acceptability factor with regards to some relationships. The article mentioned the 10 most prevalent types of interracial relationships in the headline. I was shocked to think we had so many combinations of interracial relationships.

Article about interracial relationships:
http://www.fiyastarter.com/fs-pages/fs-socgen-interrelation10.html

Praise For Fox News ... Well, Sort Of

It's not often I find myself in a position to say anything even remotely positive about Fox News Channel, a network that has historically been less than welcoming of and fair to Democrats, mainstream-thinking Americans, and - most obvious of all - minorities (particularly black Americans). But, I must commend Alan Colmes, who is sort of the co-host of the Hannity and Colmes program on Fox News. Colmes is generally put in a role of Robin to Batman (Hannity) in the extreme right-wing topics and perspectives and overall conservative theme of the show. Colmes seems like a good man and I think he showed that during a recent episode of the show when he was in the minority (pun intended) on the show as he battled a host of conservatives on what is a typically unbalanced and right-leaning Fox News panel. Sean Hannity, the man the show is clearly built for, was on his soapbox running his trap about how hard it would be to trust a candidate who has cheated on his wife and lied to his wife (this is of course in reference to the now overly-publicized infidelity of former presidential candidate John Edwards). Hannity, as is typically the case, ignored the fact that McCain has a major infidelity blemish on his record that strained relationships with in his family and ended his first marriage. Hannity made all kinds of excuses for McCain while trashing Edwards in a blatantly hypocritical stance. I can't bring myself to praise Fox News, but for one night I commend Colmes for pointing out a ridiculous double standard and for one instance breaking free of the shackles of conservatism that has infected Fox News to the point of being virtually incurable.

Fox News Hounds on Colmes:
http://www.newshounds.us/2008/08/13/a_firestorm_erupts_as_colmes_compares_mccains_infidelity_to_edwards.php

Colin Powell Has A Major Decision

Many people have mixed emotions with respect to former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell seems to fit the profile of a centrist Democrat, but he has been involved with the Republican Party (granted he does lean closer to the middle than most hardcore conservatives would like to admit). Powell, who is black, finds himself in a bit of a strange position: deciding whether or not he should endorse (and presumably vote for) Sen. Barack Obama (who is black) the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States. I have always had a lot of respect for Gen. Powell and that was true even as he became involved in President George W. Bush's presidency. Powell spoke eloquently and powerfully about the virtues of affirmative action, to a crowd of conservatives at a Republican national convention, and he has always stuck to his principles (maybe that is why he left the Bush Administration and has seemingly put distance between himself and the current President of the United States). I think Powell will do the right thing and realize that Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, is simply more of what we've experienced during the last seven-plus years with W. I would hope that Colin Powell would come out with a strong endorsement of Obama. It seems clear Powell has far more in common with Powell than with McCain. Endorsing McCain would do this country no good and I suspect (or hope) Powell understands this and knows better.

Michael Phelps Run At The Olympics Has Been Amazing!

I must confess, I can't say I've always been a huge fan of Olympic swimming, but during this year's summer games I'm particularly interesting in the historic push of American swimmer Michael Phelps, a University of Michigan student. Phelps has won three gold medals through his first three events. I was particularly riveted as I watched his dominating performance in the 200-meter freestyle Monday night in Beijing. Phelps' historic quest to become the owner of the record for most career gold medals. He currently is tied for that honor with nine with five more opportunities to win gold medals before this year's Games are finished. Records are falling like crazy (Phelps has been a big part of that) and I am looking for this history-making trend to continue as the Games themselves press forward. I can't honestly say I have always been the biggest fan of swimming (although I can remember watching a few Games ago when Amanda Beard was younger and doing some impressive things), but I am a fan of the U.S., Michigan natives and a fan of history. Phelps represents all of those. I'll be keeping an eye on the dominating Michael Phelps as he continues his push toward history for the United States.

Jerk Boy vs. Good Guy

What are the qualities of the jerk that make him more appealing to women than the good guy who cares and seems to have his head on straight? I did a little preliminary searching on the Internet and found some interesting characteristics of the jerk that makes him more attractive to the woman than the good guy. Now, some of it I've already considered, but some of it I had not and all of it was interesting to hear from the perspectives of other people.
So, why do women like jerks: 1. Women see guys who are jerks as somehow having more confidence and being more aggressive and smooth than the nice guy who steps to her with a more respectful approach. 2. Women want to play amateur psychologist and convert jerk boy into a respectable man in some kind of social experiment. 3. The jerk is usually a high-profile sort of cat who draws a lot of attention to himself and the woman he is with. This guy is a good showpiece in spite of what he might lack in actual substance. 4. One person suggested that women like the emotional roller coaster of being with a guy who satisfies something she needs even if it comes at a cost, emotionally. 5. The nice guy is not a challenge the way that the jerk is. I don't know how much of this is true and how much of it is B.S. I guess, between the two extremes, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. And, the above does not factor in looks which is important to a lot of people (men and women). I'm going to keep digging.

Women And Dating ... Oh, It Must Be My Bad

I am in my early 30s, but women and dating continue to perplex me ... obviously, since I'm still single. Honestly, I've been burned so many times I don't think sunscreen could have helped me one bit and I probably need to head to the nearest emotional burn unit. OK, maybe I don't really need the burn unit, but I need something else pretty damn close - or so I feel like I need from time to time. I could rattle off the name of so many guys I've met in my lifetime who have the ability to pull some of the most amazing women I've ever met in my entire life. I've watched these guys in action. I didn't take any notes, but perhaps I should have. Where some of these cats succeed, and with flying colors, I fail - and apparently badly so. And, as much as I would like to say a lot of these dudes are good men who treat women with the utmost dignity and respect, the truth is something else, something far worse. Many of these men are guys who use women like tissues, discard them, and go back to the tissue box for the next that pops right up ready to be used. Me, on the other hand, I treat women with the high levels of dignity and respect. I can make women laugh, I treat them like women, I am fiercely loyal and yet I find women wipe their feet on me like a cheap K-Mart rug you just dispose of rather than even try to wash. One woman I recently dated seemed to be the right one in a lot of ways. She and I seemed to be in a nice groove; we were getting along and getting to know each other. The chemistry was not perfect, but it seemed solid enough to explore. We talked to each other about our hopes and our dreams. We talked to each other about past mistakes and how we had both been burned. Well, to make a long story short, she burned me in just the way I told her I had just previously been burned. I know that, to some extent, I make some bad choices, but it seems I have so few options. Somehow, some way, I fail. I see worthless jerks score woman after woman - the kind of women who would thumb their nose at me and not even give a good guy the right time of day. These are the same women who cry their eyes out or go crazy stalker banging on doors after they're played. Can a brotha get a girl off the rebound ... uh, NOPE! Still, I try to understand and study - and still I bomb out. I feel I am getting closer and closer to understanding, but then something happens to make me realize I am not nearly as close to understanding as I thought.

Forty Years Later Smith And Carlos Are Heroic To Many, Controversial To Others

United States Olympic athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, 40 years since their historic and highly-controversial protest against racial discrimination in the U.S., remain as controversial to some people as they are beloved by others. Today, in a nation that is far more open to and accepting of our many racial differences, it is next to impossible to imagine the cultural climate of the United States in the turbulent 1960s. It was hardly the more harmonious melting pot we live in today. In the summer of 1968, a year that witnessed the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Smith (a 200-meter gold medalist in a world-record time of 19.83) and Carlos (a bronze medalist) stood ready to take a stand on a worldwide stage as they prepared to accept their medals. As the U.S. national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, played inside the stadium in Mexico, Smith and Carlos (each wearing one black glove), bowed their heads, closed their eyes and held their gloved fists in the air to protest ongoing racial injustice in the United States. It still remains, four decades later, as one of the most iconic and powerful salutes in history. Smith and Carlos, along with silver medalist Peter Norman (a white Australian who like Smith and Carlos wore a Human Rights badge) were booed as they left the podium by the crowd. The protest made worldwide news headlines and upset the International Olympic Committee which ultimately brought pressure to bear against the United States Olympic Committee as well as Smith and Carlos. The IOC wanted Smith and Carlos banned. The USOC initially refused, but caved in after the IOC threatened to ban the entire U.S. track team. The two men were booted from the games and the Olympic Village. Upon returning home, Smith and Carlos were largely met with anger and resentment by the predominantly white media. The men and their families were subjects to various kinds of abuse as well as death threats coming from all angles. Work was difficult to come by as the men were ostracized. Norman also was criticized by his fellow countrymen as he returned to Australia. He suffered a heart attack in 2006 and died after suffering through bouts of depression and heavy drinking as his athletic career suffered. In the last 20 years, Smith and Carlos have been more fondly remembered by the mainstream media and the public - the public beyond the black community. While some people are illogically bothered by the Black Power salute, more people remember the racial hatred and violence of the era and how this brave salute brought attention to the racial atrocities taking place within the United States. No one has ever claimed Tommie Smith and John Carlos were perfect men, but they are indeed heroes. But, it took guts and bravery for the men to stand and protest racial inequities and poverty when it would have been easy to stay quiet and accept their medals while people back home in the United States continued to suffer. In July, Smith and Carlos were recognized by ESPN with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs. It was a well-deserved honor for two men who took a brave stand in a time when such actions could get you killed. It might be easy for some people to look back, now, and criticize them. This is not to say that the athletes who did not protest were wrong or any less committed to racial equality. I commend Smith and Carlos, who at the time were teammates at San Jose State University in California, for taking a stand when it was not easy. The heavy price both men played, as they returned to the United States, is all the evidence I need to see to know how brave the stand truly was. For the most part, we are more open to understanding the protest of Smith and Carlos today than we were 40 years, 30 years, 20 years or maybe even 10 years ago. Still, some of us do not get it. Some of us are so caught up in the details about what the Black Panther Party was all about and ignore the more important aspect of this display: The need to spark real change in race relations in the United States.

Lions Give Loud-Mouth Fan The Boot

I am a firm believer in the rights of fans to be able to go to watch professional athletes perform and have a good time in the crowd. There is nothing wrong with a little talking to athletes and coaches, but there is a line (fuzzy as it may be to some people). Apparently, one of the fans at a Detroit Lions football practice was escorted to the exit after he got into a verbal confrontation with star receiver Roy Williams. I will put a link, but apparently he was dogging Roy for taking plays off during the action. He and Williams exchanged words. Apparently the other fans were not happy with the fan, booed him, cheered Williams, and watched as the trash-talking fan was ejected from the practice. Fans need to have a level of respect for athletes. Saying something like that once is fine, but to keep it going and then to saying it again and then argue with Lions personnel is just too much. Maybe the guy did not use any profanity, but professional athletes are still human beings and deserve a level of respect in spite of the jealousy some people feel about the amount of money they make. Apparently the Lions gave the man an opportunity to change his behavior, but he elected not to and was sent on his way. Sounds like the other fans, the Lions and Roy Williams handled this well. As the article states, Roy has always been good to the fans and likewise. Roy played hard and has been good for the franchise since his arrival.

Detroit Free Press article on ejected fan:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080811/SPORTS01/80811033

Sheffield Unhappy With His Role As Tigers' Designated Hitter In Detroit

It seems the Detroit Tigers have a disgruntled player in its midst. High-priced designated hitter Gary Sheffield is upset because he doesn't feel like a real baseball player since he is just a designated hitter and not an every-day player making a contribution in the field as well as at the plate. Now, full disclosure, I am a fan of Sheffield and I have been for quite some time. I think that, in his day, he was a fine all-around baseball player and was one of the game's most feared hitters. Sheffield apparently discussed his displeasure with a reporter from the Boston Globe who caught up with Sheff. Sheffield has been hitting poorly most of the season (striking out, popping up and grounding into double play after double play). His batting average is fluctuating in the neighborhood of .220 to .230 or so. That is not the Gary Sheffield that most of us remember. To be fair, it's not just Sheffield who is in the twilight of his career with the Tigers. Pitcher Kenny Rogers is no longer the same player, shortstop Edgar Renteria has been a disappointment, Dontrelle Willis has been a major disappointment who has yet to deliver anything, etc. Sheffield, who is nearing the end of an excellent professional baseball career, needs to stop complaining about his role and play better. His strength is not playing in the field and his contribution to the team is swinging the bat and driving in some runs. There is no one reason the Tigers knocked themselves out of the race during the first few months of the season (although the bullpen is a good place to start). The Tigers' star players have failed to deliver the goods.

McCain Has Experience Edge, But ...

I am becoming more and more convinced that the American people are ready for a fresh start in this upcoming presidential campaign. The choices are fairly clear and in contrast. Sen. John McCain is not exactly joined at the hip with President George W. Bush, but he is pretty doggone close to endorsing so many of the policies of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. McCain's label as a maverick is fast becoming an old-school tag that is far less relevant today than it was back in 2000 when he ran against Bush for the Republican nomination for the presidency. When people see Sen. Barack Obama, they see a fresh start and someone who is going to come to Washington with some new ideas. I think a good number of people see Obama as politics the way it used to be: People coming from people and serving the people and not career politicians who have been in there for 20 or 30 years and gotten fat off people. This is not to say that Obama will not continue to be a politician after this is all said and done, but he is a fresh face and he does bring so new ideas and he carries the hopes and dreams of younger Americans who feel disillusioned. These people do not hate their country, in spite of what some right-wing extremist talk show hosts will tell you, but they know the country is challenged. The country is challenged to reach its full potential of greatness. This is the greatest country in the world and most of us could not imagine living anywhere else on this planet. People sacrifice and die all the time trying to get into this country. Obama represents the hopes and dreams of many people who love the United States and believe the country can continue to do more to help the citizens who make this the greatest country in the world. I do believe McCain could possibly be a better president than George W. Bush, but I now believe Hillary Clinton would have been better than either Bush or McCain. I think Barack, however, is the best choice of them all at this stage of our country's history. We need change and Barack brings that change. As a side note, I hope Barack is strongly considering Hillary for the vice presidency.

Pew Research Poll Says Obama Getting Too Much Coverage, McCain Too Little

A recent Pew Research poll indicates there is a growing level of concern that Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president, is getting too much media coverage while Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, is getting too little coverage. Now, I could go into great detail about a simple fact: Obama is simply more interesting to cover than McCain and the historical ramifications of a possible Obama win are unmistakable. News coverage is a business. Lets be real about this. News organizations want ratings and Obama coverage gets them those ratings. But, I wonder if the McCain people felt Obama was getting too much coverage when networks like Fox News were obsessing over the Jeremiah Wright story and the Michael Pfleger stories in efforts to falsely try and paint Obama as some kind of Muslim extremist who hates white people. I wonder if the McCain people felt they were getting too little coverage when McCain's associations with Rod Parsley and John Hagee were virtually ignored by the media as they obsessed over Obama, Wright and Pfleger. I agree that Obama has gotten more coverage and, to some extent, has gotten too much. But, some individuals only want to focus on the "too much" aspect of Obama's coverage when they see the good and ignore the "too much" coverage when the heat was on the Illinois senator. The bottom line is this: If the media feels there is too much coverage on Obama then they are the ones who need to change it. Fox News has been the biggest whiner about too much Obama coverage by the mainstream media. Ask Fox News how much time they devoted to coverage of Wright and Pfleger vs. how much coverage they devoted to Parsley and Hagee. They will give you all kinds of excuses for the discrepancies (more excuses than a person in handcuffs going to jail). We've seen more negative coverage of Michelle Obama than we have of Cindy McCain, people are talking about John Edwards' lying and infidelity, but ignoring McCain's past lying and infidelity. If news organizations want to keep it fair then keep it fair. Report on Parsley and Hagee like Wright and Pfleger, nitpick McCain's associations the way Obama's are nitpicked, scrutinize McCain's flip flops the way Obama's are hammered, investigate McCain's misstatements the same way Obama's are checked into ... and so on and so forth. Keep it fair. it seems silly for the media to complain that the media is unfair.

Pew Research story:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/920/obama-fatigue

Clinton Is No Racist, But He Risks His Status With Blacks And Democrats If He Keeps This Up

Former President Bill Clinton needs to let this all go. He needs to let go of the defeat his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, suffered in the Democratic Primary; he needs to let go his bitterness toward Sen. Barack Obama, who now is the most popular national figure among black people (a spot Clinton used to more or less hold); and he needs to give a rest all of this garbage about people portraying him as racist. First of all, Bill Clinton clearly is not racist - he knows that and everyone else knows it. Bill has made some controversial comments about Obama and he was surprisingly tough on him during the primary, but none of that rises to the level of considering him to be a racist. Obama has done nothing but praise Bill Clinton throughout this race and he has been mostly complimentary of Hillary throughout the race - before and after he secured the nomination for the presidency. Bill needs to put this all to bed or he risks further alienating his once rock-solid status in the black community and ruining his status as one of the statesmen of the Democratic party. He also risks ruining things for Hillary should she want to run for presidency again. He is right on the borderline of damaging her. It has been a tough campaign for Bill and Hillary because they did put so much into the campaign and must have felt like it was right there for the taking before Obama emerged seemingly from nowhere to capture the imagination of so many people in this country. Bill Clinton needs to put his ego aside, support the party and do what is in the best interest of the party. So far, it seems Bill has had a difficult time complimenting Obama who (regardless of whether you support his politics or not) sure seems like a good and decent man. It makes me wonder why Bill and Hillary are having such a time giving their flat-out and unquestionable support to Obama. You know, had Hillary won, Barack would be rallying to support her and black people would be rallying behind her with no hesitation. Blacks for years have been rallying behind the candidate who is the best choice among the two presidential candidates. Why are Bill and Hillary having to be dragged kicking and screaming to do what so many of us have done for decades ... fight long, fight hard, but in the end do what is in the best interest of the party and the country? Now, if Bill and Hillary feel Sen. John McCain is the best man for the job then they should come out and say it. If not, then they should support their party like they've always had their defeated Democratic opponents do when the chips were down.

Fox News Exploits Conservative Blacks/People Of Color

Fox News never ceases to amaze me. So boldly does this network proudly host conservative black guests to show their "diversity" in regard to issues of race that surface from time to time. This morning, I took an opportunity (as I usually do) to visit one of my favorite Web sites to thankfully do the dirty work for me and so many people (take the time to sit down, watch, and analyze Fox News broadcasts). This Web site is: http://www.newshounds.us/. One of the newer posts was in regard to Juan Williams, a conservative minority, who was on to assist ultra right wing conservative host Sean Hannity in his ongoing personal mission to tear down Sen. Barack Obama, his candidacy for president of the United States and derail this train ride to history. The point is less about Hannity, as this Newshounds article discusses, and more about some of the pawns in his game who are being used as weapons against people like Obama or any other black who is liberal, gets uppity, or is both. Time and time again, we see the Bill O'Reillys and the Hannitys drag out the Juan Williams and the Jesse Lee Petersons (Hannity's buddy and the most egregious and reprehensible of them all) to do their dirty work: attack black people and defend against most calls of racism). Men like Hannity and O'Reilly sit back, keep their hands clean, and watch the black on black crime unfold right in front of them without even taking a punch. Fox News buys off a few people of color (either with money or air time) and uses them as weapons. It's a shame so many people are willing to be used in such a blatant fashion. Let Fox News buy your services, if you wish, but don't let them buy your soul.

Fox News/Juan Williams article:
http://www.newshounds.us/2008/08/10/juan_williams_aids_and_abets_hannitys_bigotry.php