News & Commentary
Through the Lens of History
May 17, 2012When race, equality, and fairness are taken into consideration, there is far too much to be outraged about in these United States of American. Just a few minutes ago I learned that Andrew Bloomberg, the 29 year old police officer whose participation in the brutal beating of Chad Holley was found not guilty of the beating. The video of the beating has gone viral, and few doubt that an actual beating took place. Actually, using the word “beating” severely misstates the case against Bloomberg and some of his fellow officers (who have not been tried yet). In the video that I saw, Chad Holley is lying face down in pavement, surrounded by five offers who are kicking him in the head, shoulders and legs, and then stomping him all over his body and near his head. Bloomberg says they had to stomp Chris Holley because he was resisting arrest! I …
Maintaining Malcolm’s Legacy: Practicing the Morality of Remembrance
Clearly, Min. Malcolm X was/is a giant in a generation of great leaders, a moral teacher that lifted up the light that lasts, and a leader who like the top of the mountain is unconsciously there, but mighty and enduring in its awesome majesty and meaning. His life and death, for Us, as an organization, was the noble witness he had hoped they would be. And we made a solemn commitment to study, teach, practice and expand that legacy and transmit it as a tradition of struggle for future generations.
Since the Sixties, when we met Malcolm, we of the organization Us have seen ourselves as heirs and custodians of his legacy, not only in the general way that all Black Power advocates lay rightful claim to his legacy, but also in a more comprehensive, depthful and sustained way thru the study, teaching and application of his most central ideas, …
We need smarter kids, not more smart bombs
May 15, 2012May 15, 2012
Chicago is girding for the opening of the NATO Summit on May 20. The ministers and heads of state will be greeted by a rich array of protests, marches, events and counter-summits. Security is already tight near the conference center, and tensions are building.
Why protest a meeting of U.S. allies? One major reason is that after the Soviet Union collapsed and Europe united, NATO became an organization in search of a mission. It was created as a defensive alliance to bolster the West against the Soviet threat. Now that threat is no longer. And NATO has slowly turned from a mutual defensive alliance to a mutual offensive alliance. In the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya, NATO has coordinated interventions into areas outside the alliance.
The summit will focus on Afghanistan. The allies will discuss how quickly to transfer authority over to the Afghans, and what kind of …
He did the Right Thing
May 10, 2012President Obama shows moral leadership in supporting gay marriage despite risk.…
A Rightful Reading of History: Culture, Consciousness and Struggle
May 9, 2012A rightful reading of history and the signs our times unavoidably evokes concerns and calls for a critical as- sessment of where we are and to what tasks we should direct our attention and efforts in our ongoing quest for a free and empowered community, a just and good society and a good and sustainable world. In our assessment we are of necessity directed toward the continuing struggle to free ourselves both socially and culturally. In fact, the two struggles are linked in an unbreakable bond. For in order to free ourselves socially, we must build a consciousness, cohesion and sense of specialness in community only our own culture can give us. But in order to bring forth the best of our culture, we must struggle to clear social space for its recov- ery, reception and development. It is in this context that our organization Us (Us, Afri- can people) …
Claim Your Destiny, Even in a Tough Economy
One hundred and nine Bennett College students shook my hand and received their diplomas on Saturday, May 5. With big smiles and a little swagger, they went through the time-honored ceremonies of baccalaureate and commencement. And, we were blessed to have phenomenal friends join us. Rev. Al Sharpton was our baccalaureate speaker, and the Hon. Alexis Herman was our graduation speaker. Wow! Between the two of them they offered lessons for graduates all over the world.
Rev. Sharpton is an exceptional leader, brother and friend. He made lots of accommodations (including taping his show) to get to Bennett on time. He was gracious, kind, and took pictures with all my folks. But most importantly, he brought an incredible message to the campus. He told our students to claim their crown, claim their destiny. He reminded them of the many ways that the rejected eventually prevail and asked them to claim …
Europe’s lesson: No time for austerity measures
May 8, 2012May 8, 2012
The defeat of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Sunday’s French elections provides a clear lesson to America. So does the fall of the conservative Dutch government, the rebuke of the British conservative government in local elections, the defeat of the establishment parties in Greece and the turmoil in Spain. Europeans are using democratic elections and demonstrations to send a message: Austerity is spreading unacceptable human misery.
For months, conservative pundits have criticized President Barack Obama for not forcing more deficit reduction. House Republicans boast that their Mitt Romney-endorsed budget would cut deficits faster by slashing spending — although they refuse to reveal what they would slash. Deficits are unpopular. They represent out-of-control government spending. Tightening our belts in hard times seems both responsible and inevitable.
For years, Greece’s soaring deficits have been the object lesson of the right: Run up deficits and investors won’t buy your bonds …
Remembering the 1992 L.A. Revolt: A Calculated Cautiousness
May 5, 2012If the possession and pursuit of money can change even the focus of faith from social justice to personal prosperity, we cannot wonder how concerns about funding and maintaining favor can contribute to redefining, not only the memories and meanings of the 1992 Los Angeles Revolt, but also those of our history and struggle, and even of our being Black. Clearly, it’s not just money, but also loss of the will and courage to confront and the funded and cultivated habit of seeking safety in compromise, cautiousness and ethnic self-erasure, spitting in the wind and waiting for directions from others.
In any case, the safe-sounding comments on what the Revolt meant and means and what people experienced and their evaluation of how far we have come from that event and its aftermath, clearly demonstrate the calculated cautiousness that now defines the dialog. In remembering the Revolt, we were told by
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Shackled by Debt
May 1, 2012President Barack Obama hit a home run when he traveled to three colleges last week, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Iowa. While Republicans called it a campaign trip to swing states, the fact is that, at the cusp of graduation season, President Obama did the right thing to share his feelings on legislation that would either increase the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans or take money from essential women’s health programs to maintain the 3.4 percent interest rate. In rallying students, President Obama is reminding them that their fate is in his hands. An increase in the Stafford loan program would affect 7.4 million students. Cutting $5.6 billion from women’s health programs would affect millions of women. Pitting women’s health against lower student loan rates makes no sense. We could make headway if we …
A Final KISS Farewell
April 28, 2012New York City’s KISS-FM to leave airwaves Sunday night and merge with longtime rival.…
- Through the Lens of History
May 17, 2012 - Maintaining Malcolm’s Legacy: Practicing the Morality of Remembrance
- We need smarter kids, not more smart bombs
May 15, 2012 - He did the Right Thing
May 10, 2012 - A Rightful Reading of History: Culture, Consciousness and Struggle
May 9, 2012 - Claim Your Destiny, Even in a Tough Economy
- Europe’s lesson: No time for austerity measures
May 8, 2012 - Remembering the 1992 L.A. Revolt: A Calculated Cautiousness
May 5, 2012 - Shackled by Debt
May 1, 2012 - A Final KISS Farewell
April 28, 2012
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