Quote of the Day

"In fact, my whole life has largely been one of surprises. I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements of this kind if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life - that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living." - Booker T. Washington

LA SHAWN BARBER COMMENTARY: Africa Town?

Argues the D.C. conservative about the Detroit City Council's efforts to create this enclave using tax dollars, calling it illegal and racist: "Frankly, if blacks want to self-segregate, that is fine by me, as long as they don’t use taxpayers’ money to do it. If and when they decide to go through with this inane scheme, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves when it inevitably fails."

We disagree. Detroit is 86% black, so self-segregation ain't an issue. Tax dollars have been used to develop Detroit's other ethnic enclaves. Hence why we have mixed opinion about the project.

Angela Winters on Tonight's Debate: "Temperature Control Says Bush Wins"

The black moderate blogger is disappointed in the structure of the presidential debate series, which she argues resembles a prenup contract. “In the end, it's the viewers that suffer. No, nobody wants a Presidential debate to turn into Jerry Springer and the tone of the campaigns suggest that it isn't out of the realm of possibility. Still, they don't want a controlled commercial.”

We agress re: debate silliness, which takes away from the project's seriousness.

Democracy Website of the Week: New Republicans

New Republicans is a fiscally conservative but socially moderate blog that seeks to alter GOP politics. One of its quotes? "Righties with attitude are abundant. We are different - refreshing."

COMMENTARY: Fishbone, Monk, and Mingus

"To the extent that one's identity comes from this modern sense of affiliation and fan loyalty, not to mention inspiration, it has always been somewhat disconcerting to me that we black rockers were dipped in the buttermilk. It wasn't that we minded our company, but that we were alienated from our homes and homeboys. Then again, isn't that what much music is all about?"

We are hard rock fans, although not Fishbone fans. We once fell asleep at a Fishbone concert because they were too soft for us. We'd argue that Living Colour was the black rock band.

Netherlands: Ayaan Hirsi Ali Demands Action on Domestic Violence

The moderate parliamentarian says that one agency dedicated to the issue should be created by 2007. Ms. Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born former Muslim who is a member of the center-right ruling party, recently made global headlines with her film "Submission," an indictment of the treatment of women under Islam. She regularly receives death threats due to her views.

U.S. Census: Florida Only Behind New York in Black Population

Florida had the 4th-highest black population in 2000. The state has now moved past California and Texas. Many of the 292,100 blacks who moved to Florida over that period are from the Caribbean or are of Caribbean descent. The decade-old trend of native-born blacks returning to the South has now extended to Florida and also contributed to the black population boost.

Jesse Jackson Joins Kerry Campaign

As senior adviser. Rev. Jackson will "energize" voters in battleground states and work to "protect" Americans' voting rights, calling it "one of the campaign's highest priorities." "I am very happy that Reverend Jackson has agreed to join us in our efforts to get America back on track," says Sen. John Kerry.

Translation: get Sen. Kerry's campaign back on track, since polls show that Bush's black support doubled (to 12%) over the past month.

Update: Check out The Black Informant's "Crowinator" image of Rev. Jackson.

No Child Left Behind Act: Reports Show Student Progress

State progress reports under the No Child Left Behind Act show that at least half of USA's public school students made reading and math achievement gains in the 2003-04 academic year. Racial gaps narrowed too. More than two-thirds of schools in a dozen states jumped an average of 12 percentage points in reading and math learning achievement.

So when expectations are raised, students rise to the challenge? What will liberals whine about now, in their bigotry of low expectations?

Bookerista Profile: Mayor Ray Nagin

Elected in 2002, the black moderate Democrat and former Cox Communications cable exec seeks to turn around New Orleans's reputation for old-boy politics, corruption and inefficiency, and bad fiscal policies. He is cleaning up the city's image, attracting new businesses, and improving workforce development.

The Democratic Leadership Council touts him as a "New Democrat" to watch. In a surprise move, last year he endorsed a conservative Republican over conservative Democratic Lt. Governor Kathleen Blanco for governor (Ms. Blanco won). Then again, he donated to Dubya's 2000 campaign so he breaks partisanship rules. Mayor Nagin earned an MBA at Tulane University.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Part of Patriot Act

Declaring unconstitutional the section that allows the FBI to demand a company's confidential records without court approval, siding with the ACLU that it violates free-speech rights and unreasonable search-and-seizure protections. It made it legal for the FBI to obtain records from Internet service providers or phone companies, without a customer's permission.

We say: good ruling for civil liberties.

ROGER CLEGG COMMENTARY: Role of Black Culture

Part II of a review/essay that Mr. Clegg sent us for our readers, “Black Culture and Black Conservative Thought: Toward an Anthology,” which appeared in the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy. This is where we take the most issue with his essay, and have put our response in green.

How can we remove these remaining obstacles to achieve our goal of an unbiased nation? Most conservatives would say that the principal remaining obstacle is private bias. Affirmative action aside, official discrimination by the government is now aberrant, the isolated exception rather than the rule. The Constitution and federal laws ban such discrimination. Official segregation no longer exists. Indeed, most private discrimination is illegal as well. The remaining problem is the bias of individuals. While there is much less of this than there used to be, it is still present.

Most liberals, while agreeing that private bias is still a problem, would add that good race relations require that there be a higher percentage of blacks in high-income, high-wealth, high-education brackets and, likewise, in the more prestigious professions, jobs, schools and neighborhoods. What is interesting is that, either way, both the superficially obvious and the fundamental solutions are identical. Yes, legal and moral efforts to discourage the use of racial stereotypes by whites ought to be continued. Private bias is objectionable on its own and it no doubt helps explain blacks' failure to climb the socioeconomic ladder.

But the underlying reason for white bias and for the disproportionate under-achievement of African Americans in school and at the workplace is black culture. The principal impediment to continued progress for African Americans and improved racial relations is no longer discrimination; it is black culture or, at least, the culture that pervades a great deal of the black community. Having written that, let me immediately take a big chunk of it back. Much of black culture is wonderful. Moreover, I do not think that the term "black culture" can really mean anything. There exists nothing so monolithic. The parts of black culture to which I am referring--disproportionately high illegitimacy, crime and substance abuse rates and the view that studying and working hard is "acting white"--are rejected by millions of African Americans. However, they are embraced, or at least accepted, by millions more. Indeed, I am not even sure that the key elements of black culture to which I refer are rejected by more blacks. The overwhelming majority of blacks are not criminals or drug addicts, but the overwhelming majority are being born out of wedlock. The high rates among African Americans of crime and drug abuse and their lagging academic performance are also stubborn facts. According to John McWhorter, anti-intellectualism among blacks is not limited to the ghetto; it characterizes middle-class and well-to-do blacks, too. This is also true, writes McWhorter, of two other self-inflicted wounds impeding black progress: separatism and a victim mindset.

Racism and white superiority mindset among some whites isn't a significant underlying reason for white bias? The testers cases come to mind here. While Booker Rising argues that internal community challenges account for 2/3 of the issue, there's a big difference between black culture and what's being passed off as black culture. The U.S. Census shows that 52% of black families are single parent (43% female, 9% male) and 48% are two parent. Saying 70% of black kids are born out of wedlock is not equivalent to 70% of blacks have illegitimate kids, because you're not accounting for unmarried women's significantly higher birth rate. The fact that the vast majority of blacks don't commit crimes, abuse drugs should be evidence that "millions more" reject the elements of what you call black culture. You say black culture isn't monolithic, yet you group everyone into the same category?

Changing these aspects of black culture is more important than anything else in improving race relations in this country. There really is no long-term problem with the assimilation and success of Asian Americans or Latinos; their intermarriage rates with whites are too high and their work ethics too impressive. However, African Americans lag and black culture is the fundamental reason. (It is implausible to blame discrimination, but even if we do, the main reason for whatever remaining discrimination exists, is black culture.)

Booker Rising doesn't view intermarriage and assimilation (vs. integration) as a primary or necessarily even worthy goal for blacks. It ranks about 5,000th on our to-do list. What would also help race relations is if more whites don't group all blacks together, but recognize the diversity within black America and judge us as individuals. After all, that's a key tenet of conservativism. Basing views on an individual because of their group affiliation - which could be separate from "culture" - violates that tenet. Conservatives can't argue individualism, but then practice collectivism when it comes to their views of blacks. Especially given USA's fractured race history, all the onus ain't on black folks.

How do we change black culture? While forces outside the African-American community can try not to encourage bad behavior--by lowering standards through affirmative action, subsidizing illegitimate children and decriminalizing drugs--they will probably not be effective in encouraging an improved culture. That is, the outside, dominant culture can try to keep from making matters worse by, for instance, insisting on high standards, removing incentives for women to bear out-of-wedlock children and stigmatizing rather than glorifying drug use and crime. Culture can also play a limited positive role, for instance, by allowing churches to save lives through faith-based initiatives and through improving the education available in black communities with initiatives such as school choice.

Ultimately, however, it will be difficult or impossible to improve black culture from the outside. It will have to be improved from within, through the leadership and initiative of African Americans. For that, we must look to black leaders. In other words, black leaders must lead the way in addressing the pathologies of black culture and in rejecting the victim mindset and liberal bromides of the "civil rights establishment." As the sometime-conservative African American, Glenn Loury, wrote in 1985:

It is now beyond dispute that many of the problems of contemporary black American life lie outside the reach of effective government action, and require for their successful resolution actions that can only be undertaken by the black community itself. These problems involve at their core the values, attitudes, and behaviors of individual blacks . . . .

. . . The undertaking which I advocate--centered, as it is, on the behavior of individuals--will necessarily involve a discussion of values, social norms, and personal attitudes. Such an undertaking is a difficult matter at best, and especially so in recent years for black Americans. Black leaders and intellectuals have, on the whole, sought to avoid public discussion of the role that such normative influences might play in the perpetuation of poverty within the group. This is understandable but unfortunate, because there really is no other way in which such matters can effectively enter public discussion. For government to attempt in the name of public policy to mandate, or even to discuss, what the values and beliefs of any segment of the society should be, is to embark on a course fraught with political, constitutional, and moral pitfalls. Moreover, in today's political climate, concerned external observers of the black community are in no position to raise such issues if they desire to maintain their credibility as "liberals." Only blacks can talk about what other blacks "should" do, think, or value and expect to be sympathetically heard. That is, only blacks can effectively provide moral leadership for their people. To the extent that such leadership is required, therefore, it must come from within.

We agree with Mr. Loury that blacks are the main drivers of black progress (although we dislike his "they" rhetoric, which makes him aloof from the solution). Emphasizing black culture - vs. what's being passed off as black culture by many white conservatives and black liberals - is a key start. Also building upon black strengths - our history of triumph against seemingly insurmountable odds, our growing prosperity, our $728 billion a year GDP, the educated class, that as a percentage of our income we donate more to charitable causes than any other Americans, working with centralized institutions such as black churches and HBCUs to promote an alternative vision, that the younger generation is getting restless. It would've been nice had you discussed it, when discussing black culture and steps on how to move forward.

This is a daunting task because the left, which is reluctant to either criticize illegitimacy or substance abuse or insist on high moral and academic standards, now dominates the black elite. Yet, there are dissenting voices and there have long been strains of black thought that bear a conservative stamp. Although one need not be a conservative to take these positions, it helps, in that the conservatives' stance on social issues is the most persuasive and would be the most valuable to intra-black discussions.

As we've argued here many times, liberal blacks dominate the discussion because black moderates and conservatives are often missing in action. Black conservatives and moderates - regardless of party or no party affiliation - must be on the ground in black communities, building and reforming institutions instead of only launching verbal grenades. Get in the trenches and go toe to toe with liberals. Discuss and implement our alternative vision, like Booker T. did in his day. When folks call, the liberals are there. Where are moderates and conservatives?

Roger Clegg is vice president and general counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity. From 1987 to 1991, he was a deputy in the U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights division. Here's Part I of his essay.

Group Puts Blacks in Cockpit

Brown Condor promotes aviation careers among blacks, via affordable flight training. Only 2% of USA's commercial pilots are black. The group's name comes from John C. Robinson, a U.S. pilot nicknamed "Brown Condor" for flying with the Ethiopian Air Force during Italy's invasion in 1935. The backbone of the nonprofit group is an 84-year-old Tuskegee airman.

Housing Chief: "Democrats Get Blacks in Victim Mode"

Black liberal leaders spread a victimization message that leads most blacks to vote Democratic, Secretary Alphonso Jackson said yesterday. "They have made a living telling black people they are victims. As long as they keep them in victim mode, they have liberals who will take care of them." He says he had advised President Bush's campaign to focus on younger blacks

Ahem, "them"? We somewhat agree with him. However, common blacks fuel these 'leaders' victimology talk and thus ain't victims.

GOP Postpones Votes

Congress' Republican leaders are postponing politically thorny votes on overtime pay, imported prescription drugs, highway spending, and outsourcing civil-service jobs to private companies until after the election. Yet they claim there's no motivation to sidestep difficult showdowns. They say they're simply out of time, since they adjourn soon for the autumn campaign season.

Who is House Majority Leader Tom DeLay tryin' to fool?

Preemptive Diplomacy

(Big up to Cox & Forkum)

Liberal Activist: "Black Voters Afraid of Electronic Voting Machines"

Joanne Bland of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute says they'll suppress black votes. "We are not as technically savvy, and we are afraid of machines like that, and they (African-Americans) probably won't go [to the polls] and they probably won't ask for assistance." When asked if she preferred punch-card ballots that produced the controversial hanging chads in 2000, she responded, "Now that was low technology to who? People that have been privileged to learn technology?"

How hard is it to punch a ballot, check it, give it to the poll clerk, and make sure it's put into the machine? Or punch a screen, that provides instructions for the next step? These machines are similar to an ATM machine, the airport screens, what you see at DMV, a microwave. What should be her concern is that there's no paper trail for the electronic vote.

Quote of the Day

"Right after the sixties' civil-rights victories came what I believe to be the greatest miscalculation in black American history. Others had oppressed us, but this was to be the first 'fall' to come by our own hand. We allowed ourselves to see a greater power in America's liability for our oppression than we saw in ourselves. Thus, we were faithless with ourselves just when we had given ourselves reason to have such faith." - Shelby Steele, Harper's, November 2002

A Black Leftist Challenges Our 'Why Blacks Should Vote for Bush' List

Prometheus 6 says that "Kerry has no record with the Black communities" but intrigued us with his response to our Bush list. Even though we cited sources - unlike him - in our comments section in our Kerry Challenge he claims that “if reasons to vote for Kerry are held to the same loose standard, we can just list his every progressive vote.” His critique is in italics, our response is in green.

1. black child poverty hit all-time low (30%), and remains near the low. Not attributable to Bush because the groundwork came prior to his term in office, unless you want to claim Black people made this staggering advance while the rest of the country suffered through "The Clinton Recession," and the general replacement of outsourced jobs with lower paying service industry jobs.

The black child poverty rate was 36% before President Bush took office - and the low hit in 2002 - so which groundwork do you mean? Or does a six percentage point difference for black kids mean absolutely nothing to you? Or the fact that more blacks entered the middle class during this period of time, thus reducing this rate? By the way, USA's unemployment rate is lower now than it was in Clinton’s first term. Perhaps because of insourcing as well? You may want to diss the #1 outsourcing problem that hurts blacks: illegal immigration.

2. Small Business Administration loans to black entrepreneurs up 75%. Up numerically? In dollar value? In any event, not attributable to Bush because the groundwork came prior to his term in office, unless you want to claim Black people made this staggering advance while the rest of the country suffered through "The Clinton Recession," and the general replacement of outsourced jobs with lower paying service industry jobs.

Up numerically. In fact, blacks now start businesses more often than do whites - yet you diss great news for black folks, preferring to mire in negativity.

3. black homeownership rate at all-time high (49.3%). Not attributable to Bush because the groundwork came prior to his term in office, unless you want to claim Black people made this staggering advance while the rest of the country suffered through "The Clinton Recession," and the general replacement of outsourced jobs with lower paying service industry jobs.

The black homeownership rate will reach majority status for the first time ever. Clearly monetary policies - low inflation, tax cuts, FHA loan expansion, and marriage penalty relief - the latter two of which disproportionately benefited blacks - play no role to you.

4. increased funds to historically black colleges 30%. Never heard of this. Don't believe it.

That you don’t believe it is your issue, not ours.

5. increased AIDS in Africa funds. Promises of increases, yes. Yet he can't get them through Congress, which shows he is NOT the leader.

Actually, liberals complain that only 1/3 has been doled out (and we agree that more should flow). Even this beats what President Clinton did on the issue.

6. increased funds for diabetes research (diabetes disproportionately affects blacks). This is not done for Black folks. It's done for humans, which is to say there's no way not include Black folks if it's done at all. Just as Dixiecrats tried to add every conceivable human subdivision to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for selfish reasons, it's more than possible no thought of Black folks ever crossed the mind of anyone arranging for funding.

Disproportionate benefit to black folks helps blacks. Especially on an issue like diabetes. In fact, the black diabetes rate is so high that how could black folks not cross folks’ minds?

7. faith-based initiative provides grants to community-based churches to run social services. Grants to community-based churches to run social programs were always available. The only change Bush made was to allow churches to discriminate in hiring based on the candidate's adherence to a set of beliefs.

Not quite. Grants to churches were allowable if it was a separate entity from church activities. There were certain categories that were off limits. Bush’s plan now enables churches to compete directly with public and private groups for federal funds to run programs, in a slew of areas. And many black churches use these funds to run social programs in our communities. Where are these lawsuits claiming hiring discrimination?

8. expanded Africa Growth and Opportunity Act to increase African goods access to U.S. consumer market. Show me who this has helped and I'll tell you if it's a good thing.

Again, you should’ve read our citations. We produced African articles documenting AGOA benefits. Two-way trade with USA under the Act is now up 36% from 2002 and past $33 billion. It’s produced more than 100,000 jobs in Africa, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

9. More blacks appointed to Cabinet positions - many in non-traditional roles - than any president in U.S. history. Makes no difference if these Blacks have no impact on how the administration deals with the Black constituencies.

You mean like how the Bush administration calls the situation in Sudan genocide - the first U.S. administration to do so? How it’s been trying to pass a resolution - blocked by the racist Arab League - to crack down on Sudan? And the Sudan mess has gone on since 1983. Thank Secretary Colin Powell. Who pushed No Child Left Behind legislation, which has a school vouchers option that poor black kids can use to have school choice like liberal elites do for their kids? Secretary Rod Paige. Who got on the horn and called various Congressfolks to help push through the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act expansion in quick time? Secretary Powell and Dr. Condi Rice. All black folks.

Beyond these issues, blacks shouldn’t care about anyone else? We shouldn’t care if, oh say, India and Pakistan - longtime nuclear rivals - are on the road to peace (and thank Brotha Colin for this one)? How anti-intellectual and uncompassionate.

10. school vouchers options in No Child Left Behind legislation (last Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies survey shows 57% of blacks support school vouchers). Show me a voucher program that will fund education as broadly as the current public education systems. Hell, show me a voucher system that will fund education for 57% of Blacks.

Funding ain’t the issue for public education. USA spends far more on education than any industrialized nation, yet we’re slipping big time in achievement. The national average per-pupil cost in U.S. public schools is $12,000, it’s almost 7,000 in public schools and the latter does a much better job. Market competition is what public education needs, where parents - not the government - choose schools that are best for their kids. That's why so many blacks support it, while liberals typically want black kids to remain in piss-poor schools.

11. eliminated marriage penalty tax (which disproportionately affected married blacks because each spouse was likelier to earn similar income). It affected every married couple Black or white.

You should’ve read our sources before you commented. It disproportionately benefited married blacks - quite a bit too. Or is disproportionate benefit to black households’ economics unimportant to you? You support affirmative action, of which white women are often the beneficiaries. Yet you support it due to disproportionate impact on blacks?

ANGELA WINTERS COMMENTARY: Who Needs to Get Elected If You're Already King?

The moderate blogger on Barack Obama: "Style over substance? That question was answered when we heard his life story. Leadership in person and not just on paper? The DNC Convention answered that one. How he lifted himself up, how he stood by his principles and how he has represented the state of Illinois, black Americans and Americans in general has left little doubt."

Leonard Pitts Jr. On A Question for Muslim Leaders

Argues the moderate-liberal columnist: "But it occurs to me that maybe we're debating the wrong question. Maybe it isn't why don't American Muslims condemn terrorism. Maybe it's why should they have to."

ROGER CLEGG COMMENTARY: Race Relations in the United States

Mr. Clegg sent us a review/essay for our readers that he wrote, “Black Culture and Black Conservative Thought: Toward an Anthology,” which appeared in the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy. The essay is divided into four parts - Race Relations in the United States, Role of Black Culture, Conservative Black Thought, and a review of Dimensions of Black Conservatism in the United States - so it’ll be a four-part series on our site. The series will generate a ton of discussion - even we disagree with portions of Mr. Clegg’s essay - but we love controversy.

Before we can choose a path, we must know where we want to go. Before we can set public policies, we must know what kind of a public order we want. Defining our goal is a particularly instructive exercise with respect to race relations because agreement is easy in some respects, but difficult in others. Most people, left and right, would agree that, ideally, we would like the United States to be an unbiased nation. That is, we would like Americans not to be bigoted and we would like our government--federal, state, and local--to be unbiased as well. Even those who might favor the use of preferences in the short term would agree that eventually we would desire a nondiscriminatory country.

To achieve our goal, it is not necessary for individuals to be literally colorblind. People will still notice skin color, just as they notice hair color or eye color. But it should matter less. People will still be proud of their ethnicity, but blackness should be no more important than perhaps Irishness is today. The cultural differences will be minor and interracial marriage rates will be high.

While this is a consensus ideal, it is not unanimous and is rejected by some on both sides. There are still those, black and white, who dislike intermarriage. There are those who are reluctant to criticize racial profiling by the police and those who will be reluctant to give up identity-group politics in favor of assimilation. Nonetheless, the society described above is one that an overwhelming majority of Americans want to have. This ideal society is largely, but may not be perfectly, integrated. Certainly there is no place for government-mandated integration. If individuals are free to choose where they live, go to school and work, then we would expect over time for there to be a fair amount of integration. But, we would not expect every neighborhood, school and profession or workplace to mirror precisely the demographic makeup of the local town, let alone the entire country.

How close are we to achieving this society, and what are the remaining obstacles to our doing so? By most measures, we have made enormous progress. Racial bias in particular is now illegal in just about any public transaction. There are federal laws on the books (and usually state and local ones as well) that ban racial and ethnic discrimination in voting, housing, education, employment, public accommodations, credit and contracting. Personal attitudes have also been transformed. The overwhelming majority of Americans do not discriminate in the overwhelming majority of their decisions.

This is not to say that discrimination no longer exists; it does, more frequently in private than in public spheres. In addition, for a variety of reasons--including, but not limited to, the effects of past and present discrimination--there are still racial and ethnic imbalances that favor whites over blacks with higher income, wealth and education levels. As a result, many professions, workplaces, schools and neighborhoods have racial and ethnic imbalances as well. Moreover, there are still many people who are uncomfortable with people of another race, even if they do not intentionally discriminate against them.

Finally, while segregation and anti-minority biases have become socially and politically unacceptable among whites, there is a rise in identity-group and anti-assimilationist politics among racial and ethnic minorities.

Roger Clegg is vice president and general counsel of the Center for Equal Opportunity. From 1987 to 1991, he was a deputy in the U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights division.

Enterprise Website of the Week: USEBOBO

Launched last summer, Use Black Owned Black Operated is a directory that seeks to bring black-owned businesses to consumers. You can search for black-owned businesses in your area: by state, city, business category, or business name.

Netherlands: Moderate Politician's Film Draws Blasphemy Cries

A few weeks ago, we blogged about the uproar in Holland about "Submission," a 10-minute film shown on Dutch prime-time TV that was written by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born member of Dutch Parliament. The controversy still brews, with Muslims calling the film "blasphemous" for highlighting and protesting abuses against Muslim women.

"Police say they want to avoid stigmatizing a group," Ms. Hirsi Ali, a former Muslim, says. "I say, we have to know the truth." Spoken like a bookerista, even while local radio stations play a song by a Moroccan-Dutch rap group calling for her death. Her next project is "Submission - Part Two," which will feature men's point of view.

Black Voter Support for Bush Doubles

From Juan Williams' commentary yesterday on National Public Radio: "While these poll numbers still indicate a close election, the closeness hides some other surprising trends among voters that bode ill for the challenger. For example, if the election was limited to black Americans, Kerry leads the president 73 percent to 12 percent, according to Pew [Research Center]. That is a noticeable drop from August, when Kerry led by 83 percent to 6 percent."

If Dubya gets even 15% of the black vote, Sen. Kerry goes down in flames. Dubya's latest radio ad, "Values", targets black female voters in battleground states touting his record on various issues. 60% of black voters are female.

Refreshing "Kevin Hill" Courts Diverse Viewpoints

Argues Kay McFadden, a Seattle Times columnist who gives the new TV drama starring Taye Diggs a thumbs up. "The artful blending of new and old, of wide-eyed emotional manipulation and wink-wink modern touches, makes 'Kevin Hill' among this fall's best and most refreshing new dramas."

Democrats Upset Over Conservative Ads Targeted at Blacks

They claim that America's PAC ads, running on urban radio stations in several states, seek to suppress black votes. One ad says Democrats support "abortion laws that are decimating our people." Another argues that Democrats "preach tolerance but practice discrimination."

The ads are within the realm of arguability, so why the drama? Dissing Dems doesn't equal black voter suppression, when black voters can instead choose to vote GOP, for Ralph Nader, Green, Libertarian, Constitutional, or write in a candidate. The Black Informant argues that liberal Democrats dislike political choice for blacks: "I guess Blacks only speak Democrat."

WALTER WILLIAMS COMMENTARY: American Despotism

The economics professor discusses how the feds and state governments misuse their eminent domain power - where private property can be taken for public use, with compensation - to undermine individual property rights because "public benefit" is subject to wide interpretation.

'American Taliban' Asks for Shorter Sentence

John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban," yesterday asked President Bush to commute his 20-year prison sentence for aiding the Taliban. His attorney argues the sentence should be reduced because Yaser Esam Hamdi, another U.S. citizen captured in Afghanistan on suspicion of aiding the Taliban, is being released (to Saudi Arabia, his birthplace) after three years' detention.

We thought it was ridiculous that he only got 20 years, so this is even more ridiculous. And unlike Hamdi, Lindh pled guilty.

Poll: Debates Key to 18% of Voters

Who say they may very well change their vote based on how well the two candidates do. The candidates meet for the first time tomorrow (9pm EDT), when the focus is on foreign policy and homeland security.

Debate silliness is in effect, with both campaigns trying to downplay their performance and hype the opponent. Never mind the debate's rigid format, and that third-party candidates are shut out. This debate will affect Sen. Kerry more than President Bush. Why? Because Sen. Kerry is slightly behind in polls and the first debate - the debate that Americans are significantly likeliest to watch - is on foreign policy, his weakness as polls show.

Thomas Sowell on Privatizing Social Security, Part II

"More total wealth through privatization offers some hope of solving the problem of inadequate wealth to pay the pensions that Social Security promised to the baby boomers. Otherwise, the government will have to welsh on its promises, because the amount of tax increase needed exceeds what is politically feasible. That is where so-called 'mandatory retirement' comes in. That concept is as fraudulent as calling Social Security 'insurance' when it has in fact always been a pyramid scheme, where each generation depends on the next generation to pay its pensions."

COMMENTARY: From CBS to the Slammer

The National Review editor argues that the Rathergate masterminds should be prosecuted. "The First Amendment, however, should not shield the person or people who forged government 'papers' in Rathergate, CBS notorious use of now-discredited 'documents' to impugn Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard. Mocking or cruelly degrading Bush is one thing. Tailoring records from whole cloth to libel him is altogether different."

Quote of the Day

"I have always had more of an ambition to do things than merely to talk about doing them." - Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (1901)

STAR PARKER COMMENTARY: An Amendment to Stop Moral Decay

Ms. Parker argues that a federal amendment banning gay marriage will help black families. "Leaders of the black church are beginning to grasp that the welfare state and the politics of the liberal left damaged character in the black community. They know that the first order of business in these communities is the reconstituting of its spiritual and moral base. In this context, for these pastors, the idea of our society formally abandoning traditional standards of sexual behavioral and traditional concepts of marriage and family is outrageous."

Gay marriage - a contract between two consenting adults - doesn't hurt heterosexual marriage, unlike infidelity and divorce. No amendments there? Why aren't these pastors worked up over illegitimacy, black communities' top issue? And tinkering with the U.S. Constitution to take away rights sets up a bad precedent. Government should stay out of economic and social affairs. That's a conservative argument, not a traditionalist argument as Ms. Parker puts forth.

Stirring 'African American Chicken Soup'

The latest in the popular, 80-book inspirational ''Chicken Soup for the Soul'' series is ''Chicken Soup for the African American Soul.'' Presale orders top 300,000 copies, putting it in the lead of the previous books that targeted other niches. It also has its own website. Sounds like an upcoming bestseller!

Bush Lead Narrows Slightly in New Polls

President George W. Bush leads Sen. John Kerry by 8 percentage points among likely voters, the latest USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll shows. Bush 52%, Kerry 44%, and independent candidate Ralph Nader at 3%. President Bush's lead is smaller than in mid-September but still shows a durable edge in a race that was tied for months.

DoubleSpeak and Character Assassination

Black Media Watch takes aim at Tom Joyners' news site, with its series "Eight Reasons Why Blacks Should Vote." "What BlackAmericaWeb did was took the 'Get Out and Vote' message, bundled it with the message 'vote for Kerry', and labeled it as 'just commentary', but highlighted as news." BMW also examines the site's headlines coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions and sees blatant liberal bias posing as objective news.

There's more. BMW also outlines Black Entertainment Television's "attempted character assassination" of Secretary Colin Powell. Great to see this valuable new source in the mix!

A Black Supporter Touts Kerry

Continuing our Kerry Challenge. Yesterday, we put up Shep's list. Today TVD explains why he is in the 90% of blacks who plan to vote for the Senator. Our response is in green.

I'll note at the outset that comparing Bush's policies with a Senator's "promotion of black progress" is a little disingenuous: it'd be like comparing the Clinton legacy to what Bush, as governor of Texas, did to promote black progress, and even more skewed, b/c I think we can agree that a senator has less autonomy re: setting policy than a governor. Additionally, I don't know that all of the economic benefits you've laid out are solely attributable to Bush, as opposed to the natural progression of black folks' working to improve their lot in life. I know that you know correlation ain't causation, and some of the reasons posted (the faith-based initiatives, for instance) are a little sketchy.

Sen. Kerry has been in the U.S. Senate for 20+ years, and wants to be our president. So comparing what he and President Bush have done to promote black progress is justifiable - especially given Kerry's 9-1 advantage with black voters. We agree that black folks work to improve ourselves, yet policies aid or inhibit progress for Americans. If folks give credit to President Clinton for policies under his administration - as I do, as I voted for him twice - then folks must give credit to President Bush as well. No selectivity. And if you believe our Bush list is sketchy, you need to bring the stats and show why.

1) The Supremes: I think the biggest threat of a second Bush term is tipping the balance towards conservatism on the Court, which would lead to an overturning of Roe and/or Grutter (less likely, but possible). I'm not exactly pro-abortion, but the clinics do a nice job of disseminating reproductive health information to blacks, and I don't know that those services would exist at the same level w/o Roe. Say what you will about AA (and I have some reservations), but more young Black people admitted to colleges is a good thing. Additionally, a more liberal Supreme Court will have a stricter standard for applying the death penalty, which still disproportionately affects Blacks.

I am pro-choice, but fail to see how a Roe v. Wade overturn would undermine reproductive health info. That is, if private groups do the work with private funds - which is how it should be in the first place. Our college graduation rates would be even higher without affirmative action, since there would be a better fit between student and college. The "Yale or jail" argument ignores the mid-range colleges where many students attend. And what about the black victims of those on death row, which would increase if a laxer standard were applied?

2) Kerry's against amending the Constitution to disallow same-sex marriages, which is a good thing, and if the issue's on the table as a matter of national discussion, it'll promote Black tolerance, if not progress. A president who supports certain parts of gay rights will do a lot to help the intolerance our community has towards gays.

I oppose the Constitutional amendment banning gay marriages, as it's not the government's job to regulate consenting adults. However, how does this directly or disproportionately benefit black folks? Gay folks who are black, yes. Black folks in general, no.

3) The Kerry/Edwards plan of raising taxes on unearned income and lowering them on wages. Supply-side economics will work for the Black community in perhaps a generation or so, but I don't buy it as a general proposition when there's a checksmart on every corner and many of us don't even have bank accounts.

Then why is Sen. Kerry attacking the recent extension of the Bush tax cuts to the middle class? Mind you, there are twice as many middle-class blacks than poor blacks? Why does he oppose privatizing Social Security, which would disproportionately benefit blacks? 1 in 3 black men doesn't even live long enough to collect it, and subsidize other folks. 2/3 of blacks get 2/3 of our retirement dollars from Social Security, with its meager 1.5% return on investment vs. the stock market's historical 8% return.

4) Kerry will at least address the NAACP. This is a big deal to me, because of the historical nature of the organization. The idea that he can't even give a hat tip to the NAACP is a little shocking. While I'd like Senator Kerry to continue some of the things you mentioned (except maybe for NCLB and the faith-based stuff), the above give me enough reason to vote Kerry.

Since when does the NAACP = black communities? If the NAACP leadership hadn't accused Dubya of being everything from a Nazi to prostituting black folks, perhaps he'd have met with them. The NAACP shot itself in the foot there! You fail to mention that President Bush has addressed the National Urban League several times during his presidency. He has met with a slew of black church leaders at the White House, has his own African Americans for Bush outreach, and has a $3 million ad campaign targeting black voters.

In all you've told me what Sen. Kerry plans to do, not what he has done to promote black progress.

Coming up: we respond to Prometheus 6's critique of our Bush list

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: Privatizing Social Security

"Some liberals may actually believe that politicians know what is best for you better than you know yourself. That is, after all, the philosophy behind many other government programs. Another reason for liberal opposition to private investment of Social Security payments is that it deprives them of control of billions of dollars that they have been spending from the Social Security trust fund for years. They can buy a lot of votes with all sorts of giveaway programs, financed by money taken from Social Security."

Al Qaeda Seeks Tie to Local Gangs

A top al Qaeda lieutenant has met with leaders of a violent Salvadoran criminal gang with roots in Mexico and USA to seek help infiltrating the border. Authorities say terrorists hope to take advantage of a lack of detention space within the Department of Homeland Security that has forced immigration officials to release non-Mexican illegal immigrants back into USA, rather than return them to their home countries.

If we militarized our border, then this wouldn't happen. How can we protect South Korea's border but not our own?!

J.A. FOSTER BEY COMMENTARY: Not Black and White

The former Urban Institute scholar argues that who qualifies as “African American” misses the deeper point: black immigrants' success supports Booker T. Washington's model and shows the limitation of public policies backed by W.E.B. DuBois' political heirs. "If race is the real issue, then why are black immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean gaining an advantage over native-born blacks in employment and in access to prestigious educational institutions?"

We'll go even further. How about differences among native-born blacks, between those who succeed and those who do not?

Mychal Massie on Sen. John Kerry: "Nothing to Offer But Lies, Fear"

Mr. Massie highlights Sen. John Kerry's campaign tactics to scare voters into voting for him, particularly threat of a draft. "The reasons for these tactics are easily discerned....President Bush is ahead not only in key battleground states, but he continues to gain momentum despite the relentless distortions, Rathergate and the best lies and flip-flops Kerry and his minions have to offer."

Not according to the latest polls.

Quote of the Day

“The tragic truth is that the language of ‘victimization’ is the true victimizer - a great crippler of young minds and spirits. To teach young people that their lives are governed - not by their own actions, but by socio-economic forces or government budgets or other mysterious and fiendish sources beyond their control - is to teach our children negativism, resignation, passivity, and despair.” - Louis W. Sullivan, former Secretary of Health and Human Services

Black Youths Set Pilots Records

Jimmy Hawwood, 11, became the world's youngest black pilot to make an international flight. Kenny Roy, 14, passed Canada's flight test to become the world's youngest black pilot licensed to fly solo. A certified flight instructor acted as the boys' chaperone but did not fly.

How wonderful! Big, big ups to Jimmy and Kenny!

KERRY CHALLENGE: 'Why Blacks Should Vote for Kerry'

Last week, we did a 'Why Blacks Should Vote for Bush' list and challenged Kerry supporters to produce lists on what Sen. John Kerry has down to promote black progress. Several big blogs linked to our Challenge.

Shep’s list as he submitted it on the Queen of All Evil blog, which we’ve categorized below to make it analogous to our Bush list and the other Kerry list. Of the two lists we received (of the other two received, one was an anti-Bush list and the other a response to our list), his list makes the stronger case.

1. Protects civil rights: (a) Received a 100% ranking in the NAACP’s latest report card on Congressional votes. (b) Helped to override President Reagan's veto of a bill to provide broad coverage of four civil rights laws by making clear that, if one entity of an institution receives federal funds, the entire institution must abide by the anti-discrimination laws.

2. Prominent African American economists endorse his economic plan. Booker Rising note: this is about what Kerry plans to do, not what he has done

3. Promotes health care and family leave for all: (a) Helped to pass Family and Medical Leave Act. (b) Voted to kill an amendment to an amendment [and thereby pass the emergency supplemental appropriations bill] to provide $8 million for the Health Care Financing Administration to enforce the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. (c ) Voted against a provision that uses $75 million of the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program to fund abstinence education programs to help reduce teenage pregnancy. The bill failed. (d) Voted to provide $1.5 billion for low-income Medicare recipient premium assistance through the Medicaid program, and not the bill's state block grant program. (e) Voted to restore Medicaid coverage to severely disabled children who lost Medicaid eligibility under 1996's welfare law.

Booker Rising Note: abstinence is bad for blacks?

4. Fought to retain or extend unemployment benefits: (a) Two votes to provide $5.7 billion to allow for the processing of claims for federal extended emergency unemployment benefits. (b) Helped pass a Conference Report that would give an estimated $6.4 billion for up to 20 additional weeks of unemployment benefits based on a state's unemployment rate.

5. Helped pass an amendment that President Clinton should immediately release a substantial portion of available emergency funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program [LIHEAP] for FY 1996

6. Veterans: (a) Helped pass a bill that provides $99.5 billion for the housing and veterans programs, as well as other agencies, in Fiscal Year 2000. (b) Voted to exempt veterans' compensation from a proposal to cap entitlement spending. (c) Voted for a military pay raise of 4.8% in 2000 and annual pay increases through 2006 of 0.5% above the inflation rate. The bill also provides additional incentives to certain enlisted personnel who remain on active duty for an additional year, provide additional pension options and benefits, and establish a $180 per month allowance for members eligible for food stamps, among other provisions. (d) Voted to add $13 billion to the president's budget for veterans benefits and services between 1997 and 2002, paid for by making changes in corporate tax law. (e) Voted to transfer $329 million from the Defense Department to the Veterans Affairs Department for veterans' health care programs.

7. College education access: Helped to raise the basic Pell Grant from $3,300 to $3,700 in 2001.

8. Fought to raise minimum wage: Cast four votes to raise the minimum wage, from 1996-2000.

9. Job & vocational training: (a) Helped to pass a bill to combine about 70 job training, adult education and vocational programs into block grants to the states and local governments. (b) Voted to increase the period in which vocational education training counts towards welfare work requirements from one year to two years. (c) Voted to allow states to give welfare recipients the option of meeting work requirements through enrollment in vocational or post-secondary education.

10. Businesses: (a) Helped to pass a bill to provide $19 billion in business tax breaks, including provisions to increase write-offs for the purchasing of equipment; extend the research and development tax credit and other tax credits; simplify pension rules; increase the amount non-working spouses can place in tax-deferred IRAs from $250 to $2000 yearly; and extend tax breaks for employer-provided education through December 31, 1996. (b) Voted to kill an amendment to repeal the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise [DBE] Program, which requires no less than 10% of highway construction projects funded by the federal government to be contracted to 'disadvantaged business enterprises'. The bill failed.

Booker Rising note: How does (a) directly or disproportionately benefit blacks?

11. Expand child care access: (a) Voted for an amendment to create a reserve fund to improve the affordability, availability and quality of child care. (b) Voted for an amendment providing a tax credit for companies that provide childcare for their employees. (c) Voted to expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, allow child care providers to deduct credentialing expenses, and allow mixed use of a home office for child care, among other provisions.

12. Special education programs: Vote to to increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides federal funds to states for special education programs

13. Juvenile justice: Voted to kill an amendment to increase the amount of money appropriated for Juvenile Justice block grants from $100 million to $150 million. The increased funding would go towards increased law enforcement of juveniles. The increase would be offset by a decrease in juvenile crime prevention programs, from $95 million to $45 million. The bill failed.

14. Welfare & food stamps: (a) Voted to kill an amendment to allow states to withhold welfare benefits from parents of children who don't attend school regularly. Passed the Senate. (b) Voted against a proposal to prohibit welfare recipients who move to a state to get higher benefits from receiving those benefits for one year. The billed failed. (c) Voted against a provision that would prohibit additional cash assistance for children born to families already receiving cash welfare assistance, unless a state chooses not to accept that provision. The bill failed. (d) Voted to kill an amendment that would require all able-bodied food stamp recipients to work or be in a work program for at least 20 hours a week in order to be eligible for food stamps. The bill failed. (e) Voted to allow states to use federal funds to provide non-cash assistance to children whose families have used up their welfare eligibility. (f) Voted to allow states to use block grant funds to provide non-cash vouchers to families that have used up their welfare eligibility. (g) Voted for an amendment to require the Secretary of HHS to make recommendations for legislation if the Secretary determines that the 1996 welfare reform bill has increased the national child poverty rate. (h)Voted against prohibiting states from using federal money to provide cash welfare to any underage mother who is living with an adult relative who has been receiving welfare for three years.

Booker Rising note, re: (a): Rewarding truancy is a good thing? And your most extensive reason why blacks should vote for Sen. Kerry is about welfare?!

15. Fought for school meals: Voted against eliminating the School Breakfast Startup and Expansion Program, a program that makes startup grants for initiating or expanding school breakfast or summer food programs.

16. Fought to increase minority representation in federal contracts: Voted against disallowing any funds in the Legislative Appropriations bill from being used to award any Federal contract, or to require or encourage the award of any subcontract, if the contract is being awarded on the basis of the race, color, national origin, or gender of the contractor or subcontractor. The bill failed.

17. Urban development: Voted to shift $30 million from NASA to the Urban Development Action Grant [UDAG] program. The program, designed to spur private investment in distressed urban areas was created in 1978.

18. Voted to strengthen hate crimes laws

Shep also argues re: our Bush list: "Kerry deserves more credit than Bush for items 1, 2, 3 & 11, because he actually helped to create the policies that created the benefit. Bush just showed up to the party." We’d argue that GOP policies did it, for which Dems try to take credit.

Shep’s list gives us ideas for more stuff to add to our Bush list. We’d argue whether some of these policies help black folks progress. The two lists also imply very different things about blacks. Our Bush list emanates upward mobility: blacks as homeowners, college attendees, business owners, keeping more of our hard-earned dollars, helping Africa's economic growth. Shep’s list focuses mostly on poor blacks (and only 24% of blacks are poor) and emanates blacks as welfare recipients, blacks as special ed folks, blacks as unemployed, blacks as juvies, blacks needing government to hold our hand.

Coming up: TVD's list and Booker Rising responds to a black leftist’s critique of our Bush list.

Remedy or Racist? Detroit Council Plan Aims to Increase Black Businesses

By creating a controversial black business district called African Town. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a moderate Democrat, distances his administration from the plan. The feds argue that federal money can't be used for race-specific projects.

The outcry stems from a council report that examines ways to improve poor blacks' economic state. The report also rails against immigrants for taking opportunities away from blacks, calls integration a failure, and warns officials about nonblacks moving into the city. Proponents argue that previous city administrations have used tax abatements, free land and other incentives to help build Greektown and Mexicantown.

The report's language sounds quite strident, and I oppose the district's name unless it's mostly African immigrants with stores there. However, if city tax money was used for other ethnic enclaves then I see no problem with the project per se. It may even put Detroit back on the positive map. And the suburban mayor equating it to a hypothetical "Honky Town" is talkin' crazy.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: “Our Vote Similar to Harpers Ferry”

Yes, Tyrone and Imani! The younger Jackson compares this year’s presidential election to John Brown’s attack at Harper’s Ferry to free U.S. slaves in 1859. ``We (don't have) to go to the local arsenal to break in and round up some weapons. All we've got to do is show up on Nov. 2 and vote...President George W. Bush out of office,'' Rep. Jackson said in Ohio, a battleground state.

Sen. John Kerry is no John Brown. Mental slavery remains though - and that’s with folks who harp on “social responsibility” but ignore how common black folks can build up our own communities. Puhleeze!

Mexican Official Seeks Open Border

Mexico's newest border czar wants to begin building additional travel lanes at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border and to increase the number of border crossings into USA — the first steps, he hopes, toward an open border with no checkpoints as in Europe.

Of course! Mexico wants to push its massive poverty problem - caused by its crap socialist policies - onto us and we suffer the repercussions. Low-income black and Hispanic workers will bear the brunt of this invasion. Both political parties pander to Mexican-Americans on this issue, and the Congressional Black Caucus is utterly missing in action.

Pearl Suspect Killed in Pakistan

Pakistani forces have killed a suspected top al-Qaidaist wanted for his alleged role in the 2002 kidnapping and beheading of Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter. Amjad Hussain Farooqi, also accused in two attempts on President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's life, died in a four-hour shootout yesterday.

Hip Hop Artist Introduces New ‘N-Free’ Standard

Hip-hop artist Omega Johnson (a/k/a OJ) has introduced a new musical standard: N-Free. It excludes usage of the words "nigger", "nigga", or similar terms except in their original context. Says his record company’s press release: “The N-Free standard is not a further attempt to censor artistic expression, but rather a challenge for artists that currently use the word, and a consumer choice for those that prefer to enjoy music without the need for the use of this race-sensitive term.” Here is more info.

Black folks solving stuff on our own, providing an option for fans who have enough dignity to not need vulgarity in our music every two seconds. Love it!

Ethiopianism’s Influence on Black America

Ethiopundit examines black Americans’ fascination with independent Ethiopia - viewed as a black Zion - decades before Italy’s invasion in 1935. Even in the 1880s, there were “Ethiopianist” churches and ideology linking folks to Africa.

Colonel John Robinson (aka “The Black Condor”) helped establish the nascent Ethiopian air force to fight fascism. Where did he train? At Tuskegee Institute in 1920. Colonel Hubert Fauntleroy Julian (aka “The Black Eagle of Harlem”) was a Trinidadian immigrant who was the first black person to fly coast to coast in USA. He also helped Ethiopia fight fascism.

Quote of the Day

"Historically, the Black church has been very responsive to the earthly needs of its parishioners....However, I think that as time progressed, particularly through the 20th century, people from without, particularly people with secularist and humanistic worldviews, came to regard the church merely as a social institution, ignoring its central mission, which is spiritual." - Avery Tooley, Stereo Describes My Scenario blogger

On Adapting to the Mix

"We as African-Americans have a lot to offer the world (and I think that has been proven). But, you know what? The world has a lot to offer us as well....In addition to hip-hop, other bridges should be explored. Not all African-Americans that appear to 'act white' are abandoning their race. Maybe they are just adapting to the uncharted world that is around them."

LA SHAWN BARBER COMMENTARY: Patronizing Piece of Pulp

Lady B. tackles the mainstream media's elitist response to the rise of bloggers in uncovering its gross mistakes and fraud. "There is no such thing as objectivity in the media, especially with liberals — most of whom cannot hide their distain [sic] for George Bush — covering, writing and editing news stories. Admit the bias! Bloggers are not hiding who we are and what we do. I’m an unabashed conservative, and thank goodness there are a lot of good conservative bloggers who stay on top of this stuff hourly."

Martin on a Mission to Wake Up Chicago Defender

One of USA’s few daily black newspapers, and once one of USA’s best in general. However, the paper struggles to find its voice and fiscal stability. Roland Martin’s mission is to prove that the black media is still relevant. And yes, he's the brotha from "America's Black Forum" TV show.

It still has a role, but must enter the 21st century to reach us younger blacks. A website would help, given that ¼ of blacks now get our news this way. A compelling and attractive newspaper with in-depth stories about various black community issues, with different angles from what we can get in the big dailies? “How-to” pieces on upward mobility? I.e., news that we can use?

Leftist Illogic, Exhibit 3

The highest-ranking 'African-Americans' in President Bush's administration are Secretary of State Colin Powell and national security adviser Dr. Condoleezza Rice. The highest-ranking 'African American' on Sen. John Kerry's side is Teresa Heinz Kerry, the daughter of white colonizers in Mozambique. This speaks volumes...

Moderate Democratic Congressman: "Bush Has Failed Blacks"

Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) yesterday told a Minneapolis group that Dubya's administration has hurt black employment and health insurance rates, and his re-election would mean more divisiveness. The President "doesn't see us, and we see right through him," he said.

We like Rep. Davis, and have blogged about him. However, we disagree. Black unemployment is higher than under Clinton - as is the case for all Americans, with the 9/11 attacks and stock market burst. The black health insurance rate has slipped from 89% to 85%. Yet does this list show that Bush doesn't "see" blacks? The gap between the haves and have-nots is higher than "ever before" - including the slavery era?

Website Highlights Black Moderates

We’ve gotten letters wondering why Booker Rising isn't only a black moderate website. We’re fiscally conservative but socially moderate, hence our focus. Yet Politopics comes to the rescue! A D.C. metro freelance journalist, Angela Winters’ blog focuses mostly on black moderate views. Y’all go check out the sista’s website.

Bookerista Profile: Star Parker

Ms. Parker is the founder and president of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE). Talk about an American Dream. Ms. Parker is a former welfare mother. After becoming a born-again Christian, she returned to college, got a marketing degree, and launched an urban Christian magazine. The conservative activist's goal is to take the free market and self-help message to low-income blacks, to show folks how they can improve their lives.

Star has testified before Congress, appears on TV and radio shows, and writes op-eds. She even co-produced a welfare reform documentary with the BBC. She's the author of Pimps, Whores & Welfare Brats: From Welfare Cheat to Conservative Messenger (1997) and Uncle Sam's Plantation: How Big Government Enslaves America's Poor and What We Can Do About It (2003).

Rightist Illogic

Many Christian conservatives travel 10,000 miles to minister in Africa, but won’t travel 10 minutes to minister in a poor U.S. neighborhood. Why?

DICK ARMEY COMMENTARY: 10 Candles for the 'Contract'

Says the former House majority leader about Contract With America's 1oth anniversary tomorrow: "Today, after 10 years, the Contract's success sets the scene for conservatives to present another platform of big, bold ideas to move the nation forward. President Bush began this dialogue with his recent call for creating an 'Ownership Society.' Basic tax reform, tort reform and Social Security personal retirement accounts are the big, bold ideas to again create cohesion and a unified agenda for congressional Republicans."

Too bad Republicans no longer promote Contract values, preferring to spend our tax dollars like drunken sailors.

GREGORY KANE COMMENTARY: Gangsta Stupidity Mocks Civil Rights Struggle

"[Medgar] Evers didn't take a slug in the back from a high-powered rifle in 1963 so that some of today's black youths could run around bragging about being thugs or pimps. The equal right for young black men to be gangstas isn't what King was fighting for when he was shot to death in Memphis in 1968. All [Bill] Cosby and [a local parent] - and the rest of us old fogies - want is for black youths to uphold their end of the bargain. The sacrifices have been made."

We agree, but a question. Shouldn't their parents - i.e., many folks in Mr. Kane's generation - take responsibility for not instilling good values in their kids?

Quote of the Day

"No race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the world is long in any degree ostracized. It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercises of these privileges. " - Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (1901 bestseller)

Person of the Week Awards

Bookerista of the Week: Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele

For the second time. Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. says his top long-term political goal is to make sure the lieutenant governor gets elected. Governorship is a key avenue towards the presidency.

Foul Shot of the Week: Alfre Woodard, actress

With her over-the top comment calling Bush’s administration “like 1965.” Never mind that the black middle class is four times larger, all-time-high black homeownership, growing numbers of black businesses, and entertainment opportunities that she wouldn’t have had 41 years ago. Puhleeze!

U.S. Willing to Support Sudan Peace Mission

Secretary Colin Powell says the U.S. will give financial assistance to African Union troops on a proposed mission to end genocide in western Sudan."I think the international community understands the importance of this effort and the money will be forthcoming, but we have to have a good handle on how much is needed, what capabilities are needed, and what it will take to put this force into the field and to sustain it," he said.

Hop to it, folks! The sooner, the more lives can be spared.

COMMENTARY: Cosby Calls for Personal Responsibility

The liberal Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor discusses the growing Cosby Consensus, where middle-class blacks applaud comedian Bill Cosby's campaign to draw attention to the poor choices that limit black achievement. "But black parents ought to note this, as well: The success of black immigrants [most of whom are also the descendants of slaves] strongly suggests that race is no great barrier to achievement."

We mostly agree with her piece. Ms. Tucker fails to note that our predecessors were resourceful strivers - in education, business, and democracy. She also fails to credit black conservatives and moderates for discussing personal responsibility for decades. More liberals are finally getting the message though!

Black Faith-Based Political Group Formed

The National Faith Based Coalition has been formed as a "527" political organization, to unite various black religious congregations and leaders behind the compassionate conservative banner. NFBC intends to target black communities through a speaker's bureau, door-to-door canvassing, a referral network, phone solicitation, and personal networking.

A Cause for the Cos

Bill Cosby said last night that he will do 10 performances to raise millions for the U.S. National Slavery Museum for his ancestors, for today's children, and for his friend for Virginia Governor Doug Wilder. He hopes other entertainers will follow his example to help raise money for the $100 million museum scheduled to open in 2007 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

I am glad that Mr. Cosby will raise funds for this project. The museum will help showcase black accomplishments up from slavery and remind America of this tragic institution's history.

Website From the Frontlines

Demond Hunter is currently in the U.S. Army in Iraq, and blogs when he ain't dodging mortar attacks. Check out this conservative brotha's website, Hunter's Herald. With Iraqi 'insurgents' now targeting black soldiers for their jihadist butchery, let's hope he safely returns.

(Big up to La Shawn Barber's Corner)

Nevada Commissioner: "Democratic Party is America's Last Plantation"

Which is drawing howls from Democrats statewide, who call the comments "divisive," "self-hating," and "intended to suppress black votes." They demand that she apologize. Lynette Boggs McDonald, a Republican running for county commissioner in Las Vegas, says she regrets having once been a Democrat.

A University of Nevada black studies professor argues that Ms. Boggs McDonald's statement is "extreme" but raises a legit question about how the Democratic Party treats blacks. The sista speaks the truth! That's why younger blacks are leaving the party and becoming independents (as I am) or even Republican. We believe black folks can do for ourselves. And this sista wants to suppress votes that she seeks to win?

BET Announces Fall Lineup

Black Entertainment Television's new season premiere on Monday, October 4. The critically claimed drama "Soul Food" joins the network, as does the sassy comedy "Girlfriends." Late-night talk increases with the premiere of the "L-Bow Room," hosted by actor/singer Leon. Smokey Robinson will be honored with a star-studded tribute on October 25.

Quote of the Day

"Ask Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton this question. Which causes more difficulty and creates more pain - the presence of white racism, or the absence of black fathers?" - Larry Elder, Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests That Divide America (2002)

Business Booms in Bronzeville

A parade of black-owned enterprises are starting up or moving into the once-booming, then-failing, now-booming-again Chicago black neighborhood. Median home values have skyrocketed 170%. The South Side neighborhood is culturally rich in jazz, blues, and black business history, but fell on hard times when middle-class blacks fled in the 1960s.

Living in Chicago metro, I can vouch for Bronzeville's transformation. Dicey parts remain. However, buppies are renovating gorgeous turn-of-the-century brownstones on the main Dr. King Drive. Condos sell for $200,000+. Great to see black folks building up more of our own neighborhoods, instead of chasing white folks everywhere.

Comic Strip Raises Class Issues for Blacks

Aaron McGruder, creator of "The Boondocks" comic strip, has created controversy this week with his satirical reality-TV show strip, "Can a Na get a job?" A college researcher says the class division is a result of a larger black middle class that grew during the civil rights movement and no longer lives alongside or has much contact with poor blacks.

Because of enhanced opportunities and equality, so blacks are no longer mostly poor as in the 1960s? We've argued here that many folks ignore the Tales of Two Black Americas: one upwardly mobile - where the vast majority of blacks reside - and the other struggling and vastly responsible for our bad statistics.

Congress Extends Tax Cuts for Middle Class

The House overwhelmingly passed the measure by a vote of 339-65. The Senate promptly followed suit, passing the bill by a 92-3 vote. The bill totals $146 billion in tax cuts. President Bush pushed for the day when his tax cuts will be made permanent.

Great! Now where are the spending cuts so we don't drive up the deficit? Has Dubya met a spending bill that he didn't like?

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: Green Versus Black

The conservative economist discusses how regulations by rich environmentalists affect blacks, both in Kenya and in San Francisco. "Far more often, green zealots want the government to deprive other people of the right to use land or resources for their own purposes, rather than for the recreational or other purposes preferred by the green zealots."

New Hollywood 'Black' List

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson targets black entertainers who've been critical of U.S. foreign policy. "I'm sickened by black entertainers who drive $350,000 Bentleys and still cry 'racism,'" he says. "Americans of all colors pay to see their movies, and they have the nerve to bash the U.S.? American servicemen and woman watch their shows; yet, they travel to foreign lands and bad mouth our forces? Enough is enough!" The Black List Campaign includes Spike Lee, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Harry Belafonte, P. Diddy, and Will Smith.

Our question: why only black entertainers? The confluence of Black List and blacklist also disturbs us. While we disagree with most of these entertainers, they do have the right to voice their opinions (and we have the right not to buy their products or services).

Ambra Nykol on Why She Ain't Republican, Part IV

The Seattle conservative says: "Deep analysis and statistics aside, I'm not entirely convinced political parties are doing the best job at fostering the critical thinking and independence of thought needed to carry us into the next millennium."

Congressional Budget Office: 10-Year Deficit to Reach $3.5 Trillion

Requested by Democrats, the report is criticized by Republicans for politicizing the CBO. Republicans argue the estimate assumes that all of President Bush's tax cut proposals for 2005 will be enacted, along with other tax breaks and spending assumptions.

Either way, the deficit is way too high. Where is Republicans' fiscal conservatism? Although we ain't convinced that the Democrats would do better.

Kerry Challenge

On Monday, we issued a challenge to Kerry supporters to produce lists of what Sen. John Kerry has done to promote black progress. Several big blogs have linked to our challenge. We've seen three lists so far: A list of Kerry's votes that the contributor believes benefits blacks, the only list that meets the test. An anti-Bush list, disqualified for not telling us about Kerry. The third is from black leftist blogger Prometheus 6, who admits that "Kerry has no record with the Black communities" but intrigues us with his response to our Bush list. We're putting up the lists on Monday.

GOP Efforts to Attract Minorities Falls Short

President Bush has a $3 million media campaign to reach black voters. But the Republican Party itself hasn't caught on, asserts Richard Nadler, a GOP consultant. He says the GOP misses the mark on when, where, and how to reach black voters - if it decides to communicate with them.

It's not working because the ads only diss Kerry. They don't outline why Dubya is better for blacks. Don't waste your time with older blacks, who are staunchly Democratic. Target black independents, 18% of whom plan to vote for Bush (double his general black support). Blacks under age 45, who are trending independent. Black stockholders, business owners and homeowners. And build relationships with black voters between elections.

Sudan: Rebel Group Favors Sanctions

It urges the United Nations to enact them, and warned it would resume fighting in Darfur if attacked. "The government is using this oil revenue to buy weapons, guns, Antonovs (planes) to kill our people. So I have to support it," said Adam Shogar, a Sudan Liberation Army leader.

Most liberals believe Iraq is more important than the genocide of 2 million Sudanese blacks at the Arabized Muslim government's hand since 1983, but no surprise. These "niggas" don't help their real goal: anti-Americanism.

DNC Taps Young Blacks for New Money

Something New's events have raised $1.7 million so far. This is the first time that the Democratic National Committee has directly appealed to blacks' pocketbooks. The Clintons, Barack Obama, OutKast, and the Black Eyed Peas have made appearances.

Good strategy. We want to see black folks on both sides of the aisle becoming more influential within their parties, both in votes and in financial contributions.

Quote of the Day

"When persons ask me in these days how, in the midst of what sometimes seem hopelessly discouraging conditions, I can have such faith in the future of my race in this country, I remind them of the wilderness through which and out of which a good Providence has already led us." - Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (1901 bestseller)

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: A Blank Resume

"Incidentally, have you noticed how both the Democrats and the liberal media avoid referring to him as 'Senator'? Using that title would raise the awkward question of what John Kerry has actually done in the Senate. Not much."

Congressional Black Caucus to DNC: 'Don't Court Us, Then Snub Us'

The Democratic National Committee’s program to parachute Congressional Black Caucus members into battleground states is skipping Missouri - which has picked the winner in every presidential race since 1904 - and is not soliciting the expertise of hometown lawmakers, some key caucus members complain. They say it's symptomatic of a bigger problem in the Kerry campaign, where support is demanded from black politicians who are then denied either a seat at the planning table or control over how resources are spent. And oh, they question Sen. John Kerry's commitment to black voters.

Kerry knows that no matter how badly he messes up, he'll probably get 90% of the black vote. Why work for black votes? If the mostly leftist CBC was politically savvy and had self-respect, it would've courted Ralph Nader. That would've gotten Kerry's attention. Instead, it attacked Mr. Nader and thus removed its alternative option. Given that no Kerry supporter has submitted even one item that Sen. Kerry has done to promote black progress in our Kerry Challenge, then why are folks surprised that he lacks a black voter strategy?

AMBRA NYKOL COMMENTARY: Namby-Pamby Christianity

"A good 50% of Americans can call themselves ‘Christian’ without any visible fruit. Moreover, these days, there are people who even believe they were ‘born’ into Christianity, as though it were some gene or bloodline trait. Contrarily, calling oneself a ‘Follower of Christ’ certainly raises the stakes and the standards. This is not merely a title, but a lifestyle that requires action, proof, accountability, and moral standards for living. To put it simply, being a true 'Follower of Christ' is neither easy nor popular.”

GREGORY KANE COMMENTARY: If Other Ethnic Epithets are Taboo, So Should ‘N-Word’

The black conservative takes on black usage of "nigger" (or "nigga"): "Imagine, if indeed you can, Jews having a discussion among themselves about why certain members of their ethnic group referred to themselves as kikes. They won’t, of course, because they don’t do it. They have something these hip-hop Negroes don’t: it’s called pride and self-respect."

He also takes issue with white folks who weigh in on the issue. "But when it comes to us, some white folks feel they can just waltz on into our discussion. So our first order of business, when it comes to this N-word thing, is to put all other ethnic and racial groups on notice: this is our affair, not yours. "

No surprise. Black liberals will harp on black conservatives far more than these vulgar entertainers, who are running our rich culture into the gutter. This is merely symptomatic of how liberalism has warped black cultural values. So much so that too many of us call ourselves out of our name. And white folks saying that using "nigga" instead of "nigger" means they ain't offensive? Puhleeze, cut the nonsense!

La Shawn Barber on the Immorality of Race Preferences

“Skin color preferences bestow undeserved advantage on some and undeserved burdens on others. Such an idea is anathema to democracy and freedom. Why should people be compensated for a wrong they did not suffer? Why should some be penalized for a wrong they did not commit?"

People are not only individuals, but members of various social groups. We oppose affirmative action for very different reasons - primarily its toll on black attitudes towards achievement - but we ask: what happens when most group members are discriminated against because of race? Where’s the dividing line?

Democracy Website of the Week: CenterFeud

CenterFeud is a moderate blog, whose motto is "ideas left and right for the politically ambidextrous." Current topics include bloggers' role in uncovering the fraud in CBS' false memos about President Bush's National Guard service, the myth of Red and Blue states, how most voters are centrists, etc. It also has links to other moderate websites.

Zarqawi's Mentor Said to be Killed by U.S. Hit

The Muslim cleric responsible for the practice of beheading hostages in Iraq — including two Americans this week — has been killed in a U.S. air strike, a newspaper and Islamic clerics said yesterday.

Finally USA is starting to play hardball with these 7th century butchers.

Rosa Parks' Dementia Could Raise Greater Awareness

Civil rights icon Rosa Parks, 91, has dementia, say her doctor and lawyers. Ms. Parks’ severe memory loss could prevent her from answering questions in her trademark and defamation lawsuit over an OutKast rap song named for her. Medical experts hope her condition will raise awareness about the 2.5 million elderly blacks who suffer from dementia.

Nigeria Leader: 'Troops Ready to Help Sudan'

The African Union can quickly mobilize up to 5,000 troops to help end the looting and killing in western Sudan but it needs hundreds of millions of dollars to deploy the force, claims Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. Canada contributed $20 million yesterday. The AU currently has about 80 military observers in Darfur - a region about the size of France - protected by just over 300 soldiers.

Given Nigeria's notorious history of corruption, we're skeptical about the dollar amount for only 5,000 troops and want to see an independent cost analysis. And African nations - Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Senegal - can't pool their resources?

LARRY ELDER COMMENTARY: Rathergate is a 'Sign' of the Times

"Bernard Goldberg, author of the books Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News and Arrogance: Rescuing America From the Media Elite, spent 28 years at CBS. He called Rathergate 'inevitable,' a product of liberal groupthink and a predisposition to believe the worst in Republicans."

Leaders Focus on Fight Against Global Poverty

Developing nations contend that U.N. policies pushed by their wealthy counterparts have blocked efforts to fight poverty and warn that the failure to improve life for the world's poor only perpetuates terrorism.

So in typical socialist mindset, these leaders expect others to do the work that they should be doing in their countries. Key ways that developing countries can reduce poverty: lower trade barriers, reduce red tape that inhibit business formation and citizens' innovation, and rule of law. I.e., government stay out! And how do these leaders explain that many terrorists are from the educated, middle classes? Or that most countries are far poorer than the Muslim world, but ain't pumping out terrorists? Puhleeze!

NATHAN TABOR COMMENTARY: Alan Keyes - Inner Battle Over Reparations

Sent to us via email, by The Conservative Voice writer:

The Honorable Alan Keyes is known as a man of conscience and formidable intellect, one whom I have long admired because of his uncompromising support for the conservative principles that so many Americans hold dear.

Twice a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, Keyes time and again has energized conservative citizens all across the country with his passionate articulation of individual responsibility, limited government, and moral righteousness. His heartfelt message so resonates with the common man, that someone recently tried to sell a handkerchief soaked with Keyes’ sweat on E-bay.

First and foremost, Keyes has been a tireless advocate of the right to life for unborn children. Through his Declaration Foundation, he has promoted renewed respect for the inalienable rights guaranteed to all men by America¹s founding documents.

During the Reagan Administration, Keyes served with distinction as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. His experience there convinced him that in a world where America has many enemies and few friends, our national interests require preserving American sovereignty and defending our venerable Constitution.

During the recent crisis over the Ten Commandments in Alabama, Keyes stood shoulder to shoulder with other prominent Christian leaders like Dr. James Dobson and Dr. D. James Kennedy, in his staunch defense of Judge Roy Moore's right to honor God in the public square.

That fact makes the liberals on the left hate him all the more when he stakes out conservative positions on controversial issues like affirmative action. You see, Keyes takes seriously the dream of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said that all men should be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.

For all these reasons and more, I have looked to Alan Keyes as a shining example of principled conservative leadership.

So like millions of Americans, I was thrilled when Keyes heard the pleas of the Illinois GOP and consented to enter the Illinois senate race at the last minute as a morally unimpeachable replacement for the morally discredited candidate who had withdrawn from the race.

It's a high profile, closely watched contest with far-reaching implications. There, in the historic land of Lincoln, the father of the Emancipation Proclamation, two very articulate black men with two very different political visions are locked in a struggle that could decide the fate of the U.S. Senate.

Keyes’ opponent is Barack Obama, the smooth-talking darling of the pro-abortion left, whose widely acclaimed speech at the recent Democratic National Convention painted radical gay and lesbian activists as being roughly the moral equivalent of parents who coach Little League Baseball teams.

The contrast between the two candidates is equally stark across the board. But Keyes has now staked out a public policy position that has shocked conservatives nationwide, because it is such a radical departure from his elegantly reasoned core principles. Keyes has joined the ‘reverends’ Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton in calling for reparations for black descendants of former slaves.

Calling slavery "an egregious failure on the part of the federal establishment," Keyes has called for federal income tax exemptions for one or two generations of African-Americans of slave heritage. Keyes told blacks that this policy will help to "compensate for all those years when your labor was being exploited."

In so doing, Keyes has repudiated not only the core convictions of his many devoted followers, black and white, but also his own previous position. When the issue of reparations first surfaced, Keyes - a devout Roman Catholic - wrote a nationally syndicated column distributed at Easter 2002, in which he said:

"Holy Week is a season for reflecting on a great price paid, once and for all, and the life that arose in triumph over sin and evil once that price was paid. And what an unfortunate season, indeed, for some to renew their efforts to extort 'reparations' for slavery from their fellow citizens. Yet, lawsuits have been filed. Those responsible propose to settle the accounts of slavery leaving the Civil War out of the equation complete and utter nonsense. The price for the sin of slavery has already been paid, in blood."

But now, sadly, it appears that Keyes has succumbed to the temptation to play on liberal white guilt and to paint blacks as the perpetual victims of white exploitation.

Here Keyes has parted company with many other noted black conservatives, like economics professor Walter Williams, who says the race reparations rhetoric "simply covers for another hustle similar to the $6 trillion dollar War on Poverty hustle." Williams has roundly rebuked the "race hustlers like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the Black Congressional Caucus [who] spew their anti-American venom and call for quotas and reparations for slavery."

By choosing to play the 'race card' so transparently in this heated political contest, Keyes has joined the Johnny Cochranes of America in pandering to the latent hostility and resentment in the black community.

Will the handful of black votes he gains in this race be enough to compensate for his loss of credibility with millions of principled conservatives nationwide? I doubt it.

And what of the ongoing social impact, when the nation's pre-eminent black spokesman for moral righteousness joins the ranks of those who want to divide America along the lines of hyphenated ethnic identity and class envy?

I sincerely hope, for his own sake as well as America’s, that the Honorable Alan Keyes will revisit his own words on ‘extortion’ and reconsider this ill-advised position.

COMMENTARY: Kerry the Emissary

The moderate Republican argues: "Here, Candidate Kerry is doing a Clarence Thomas. He is suggesting that he is eminently qualified to occupy the highest office in the land, but is not giving any clues as to his strategic position on critical issues he will inevitably handle. Kerry refuses to answer hypotheticals on Iraq. All he says is that GWBush was wrong, wrong, wrong. This is shady."

House Democrats Unveil 'New Partnership'

A "New Partnership for America's Future," broad goals that include creating 10 million new jobs, providing strong national security and expanding homeownership. They want to cut taxes only for the middle class, ensure affordable health care for all Americans, preserve the government-run Medicare and Social Security programs, allow access to cheaper prescription drugs from other countries, invest more in education, and force Congress to be fiscally responsible by paying for new or expanded programs as they are created.

Translation: more socialism. Never mind that Social Security privatization would boost black wealth since 1 in 3 black men doesn't live long enough to collect the meager 1.5% return on investment. USA spends out the wazoo on education, but standards decline or stagnate due to little market competition. And that socialist health would hamper innovations, where USA is the leader. And oh, outsourcing our national security to the socialist U.N. However, I do agree with the fiscal responsibility and homeownership provisions.

Quote of the Day

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

COMMENTARY: ‘Shameful and Irresponsible’

The National Review editor argues: “Bush — agree or disagree — embraces his defeat of Kabul's al-Qaeda-loving Taliban and Baghdad's terrorist-nurturing Baathist regime. Bush also can highlight the Patriot Act, the Department of Homeland Security, and — by Heritage Foundation scholar Ed Meese’s estimate — some 40 terrorist acts stymied by cops, spies, and soldiers before anyone got blown to pieces. Kerry can point to...what?”

on Ashcroft

"It struck me suddenly that [Attorney General] John Ashcroft has not been a political liability to GWBush at all. I had considered for a moment that John Kerry, if he had any sense, would make hay of the political liability of John Ashcroft. But there is none.”

Black Americans to Gain Automatic Liberian Citizenship?

If Concerned Afro-Americans for Liberia has its way. The group seeks reinstatement of Article IX of Liberia's first constitution (1839). It argues that for Africa's first black republic to advance, Liberians must tap black Americans' skills. AAFL also cites the historical ties between the west African nation and USA.

Liberia was partly founded by freed U.S. slaves (through the American Colonization Society, in a scheme to send free blacks back to Africa so they wouldn't give slaves any freedom ideas). Until the 1980s, it was one of Africa's most prosperous nations but has had a slew of dictatorships.

I'm not opposed to automatic dual citizenship. Ghana considered it a few years back, but Liberia makes more sense. If Irish Americans can be dual citizens of Ireland, why not black Americans and Liberia (especially since few blacks can directly trace lineage to a west African nation)? Yet the deep historical strain between the tiny Americo-Liberian elite (5%) and the indigenous population means it's gonna be a fight. Thoughts?

WALTER WILLIAMS COMMENTARY: Productive Inequality

"Income inequality is a result, and it's productive inequality that mostly explains that result rather than some insidious plot afoot. Whether it's individuals or countries, one seldom sees highly productive people poor or highly unproductive people rich unless there are government restrictions and subsidies at play. Making people more productive is the challenge."

Al-Zarqawi Group Beheads American Hostage

More 7th century butchery by jihadists. A group loyal to terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed Jack Hensley a day after a Muslim terrorist website posted a beheading video of compatriot Eugene Armstrong. The captors have demanded the release of female prisoners held by the U.S. military in two Iraqi prisons. U.S. officials say there are no women in the prisons, but two 'high-value' female prisoners are being held at an undisclosed location.

Update: One of our readers alerts us that three Kurds were also beheaded. Check out these posts from the Kurdistan Bloggers Union. Kurds are a Sunni Muslim minority who've made great strides toward democratization in northern Iraq, and seek independence. We've blogged in support of their efforts.

Public Schools No Place for Teachers' Kids

A Fordham Institute study finds that public school teachers are almost twice as likely as other parents to choose private schools for their children. Some cities:

Philadelphia: 44%
Cincinnati: 41%
Chicago: 39%
Baltimore: 35%
San Francisco Bay Area: 34%
New York City 33%
D.C.: 28%

Of course, the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers union declined to comment on these stats. Public school teachers say private and religious schools impose greater discipline, have higher academic achievement and offer a better atmosphere.

So it's OK for teachers' union folks to send their kids to private school, but they want to deny Shaniqua Johnson the right to do the same for her kids via school vouchers? Elitist and shameful.

Bush Demands U.N. Help for Iraq

President Bush yesterday demanded that the United Nations step up to help rebuild Iraq, telling foreign leaders "the liberty that many have won at a cost must be secured." His speech also scolded the world body for failing to confront dictator Saddam Hussein for his repeated violations of U.N. resolutions.

Dubya is wasting his time. He burned bridges when he implicitly argued awhile back that we didn't need the U.N. Too many nations have ties to the U.N. food-for-oil scandal, so they ain't lifting a finger. Dubya should've put more troops there, and not play footsies with the 'insurgents.'

New Museum Opens Important Chapter for American Indians

20,000 American Indians led an opening procession yesterday to the new National Museum of the American Indian, dedicated to showcasing cultures, history, and art. The $220 million building is the 18th museum in the Smithsonian Institution complex.

Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), a chief in the Northern Cheyenne tribe, notes that our nation's capital has hundreds of monuments and statues, but none was dedicated to the American people who came first. Until now. Long overdue.

Kerry Camp Denies CBS Link

Sen. John Kerry's campaign says it doesn't think that contacts between senior adviser Joe Lockhart and Lt. Col. Bill Burkett - who leaked fake memos about President Bush to CBS News - were wrong or show that Mr. Lockhart helped disseminate the documents.

Looks shady to us. Bloggers did a good job of uncovering this mess, although we're still miffed that both campaigns are discussing 30-year-old stuff.

GOP Crafting Tax-Cut Package

To extend President Bush's most popular middle-class tax breaks, which expire at year's end. The roughly $145 billion bill would extend the $1,000 per child tax credit, the broadened 10 percent income tax bracket and marriage penalty relief tax for five years. It also would provide a one-year freeze on the number of middle-class taxpayers who have to pay the alternative minimum tax.

Great! Now where are the spending cut? Attacking government pork?

Black Media Watch Website to Debut

D. Sterling Brayboy, resident blogger at The Black Informant, has been doing a series of posts on the issue. Well, now he's creating a website - BlackMediaWatch.com - "to expose the overt liberal bias that is seen today’s African-American media." Launch date is sometime next week, so check it out!

AMBRA NYKOL COMMENTARY: The ‘Job-less’ America Hype

Looking at many immigrants’ work and entrepreneurial ethic, the Seattle conservative says being productive is our job and not a government mandate. “…the perceived ‘lack of jobs’ should be examined in light of the fact that the average American lives beyond their means, refuses to take the work that is available, and the middle-class only thinks it needs to make more money because of the burden of consumer debt.”

Nations Lobby to Expand U.N. Security Council

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have joined forces to lobby for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat and pledged to work together to reform the United Nations. Proponents say broadening the 15-nation council, which includes only five permanent members with veto power, would strengthen its moral authority. President Bush supports Japan (the U.N.'s second largest funder after USA) in its drive for a permanent seat. India got a boost from British Prime Minister Tony Blair earlier this week.

Feds: 'Big Tobacco Knew Nicotine Risks'

Said Justice Department lawyers yesterday. The government wants new industry restrictions and seeks $280 billion it claims the companies earned through fraud, a record amount for a civil racketeering case. Tobacco lawyers charge that such an amount would bankrupt the companies, and the government isn’t entitled to any money.

Sword of Injustice

(Big up to Cox & Forkum)

Education Website of the Week: ReformK12.com

Done by a teacher, ReformK12.com focuses on elementary and secondary education reform. It discusses teacher training, charter schools, homeschooling, school vouchers, math education, demographic issues, etc. If it's about education, the topic is here.

Michael Steele: America's Next Black Governor?

Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. says his top long-term political goal is to make sure the lieutenant governor gets elected. Lt. Gov. Steele, the former state Republican party chairman, plans to run for governor in 2010 or earlier if Gov. Ehrlich leaves office.

Possible in the mostly Democratic state, since the Ehrlich-Steele ticket got about 30% of Baltimore's black vote. Now why don't we read about Democratic Party efforts to elect black governors - a key avenue towards the presidency - especially given lopsided black support for the party?

Iraqi Thinking

The New Republicans website has a rare agreement with Sen. John Kerry: Iraq is a mess. "We thought Saddam had powerful WMD that he couldn't be trusted with. We've looked and we can't find them; Saddam's out of power. Looks like mission accomplished to me. Democracy building? Good idea! Abdul, I think you take over from here."

Afghanistan President Trumpets Progress

Speaking to the U.N. about two weeks before its first popular presidential election, Afghan President Hamid Karzai discussed accomplishments unthinkable under the Taliban: 3.5 million returning Afghan refugees, 10 million Afghans have registered to vote, demobilizing former combatants, and collecting heavy weaponry from the capital city. However, he cited poverty and illiteracy, terrorism and security, and drug trade as huge remaining problems.

Had President Bush listened to liberal worshippers of Islamic jihadism, there would be no zero progress. The Taliban would still rule Afghanistan, with its ultra-oppression of women and freedom in general.

Actress Alfre Woodard: "Bush Administration is Like 1965"

At a voter rally in Wisconsin. SCLC's founder also made a similarly outrageous statement awhile back, and here's our response.

Bravenet Web Journal, a fellow bookerista, handles it: "Alfre please. How in the world can you compare today to 1965?...We have a growing black middle class, a growing number of black homeowners in this country, a growing number of black business owners, increasing numbers of blacks in the entertainment industry in which she excels in, job opportunities that weren't even open to blacks back in 1965 and plenty of educational opportunities that unfortunately some blacks refuse to take advantage of."

(Hat tip to Larry Elder's site for the victicrats logo)

Charity Bill Gets Another Push

Congress passed the $13 billion in tax breaks last year, allowing deductions for charitable donations by taxpayers who don't itemize deductions and allowing rollover of individual retirement accounts directly to charities without paying a penalty. However, there is partisan debate over provisions enabling religious groups to receive federal grants and contracts.

Armstrong Williams on the CBC Weekend Aftermath

He discusses the Congressional Black Caucus's invitation of R. Kelly - who faces 17 counts of child porn charges - to headline its benefit concert for needy kids (billed as an evening with another R&B act). "Thankfully, the leadership doesn't always speak for the people. Half the attendees at the CBC weekend concert walked out the moment R Kelly came on stage. That unfortunate silence you hear is no one talking about it."

Quote of the Day

"There is no logical reason why conditions today, so obviously very much better than they were for our forebears, somehow call for Victimology where conditions for people two steps past slavery did not. Victimology is, ironically, a luxury of widened opportunities." - John McWhorter, Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America (2000 bestseller)

STAR PARKER COMMENTARY: Blacks Gaining New Political Vision

"The real news is taking place in black churches. Black pastors are waking up to what politics such as [Sen. John] Kerry's have done to their communities. They are beginning to understand that freedom and ownership, family and values are the formula for African American revival and survival - not factors driven by politics but factors that should drive politics."

True. However, folks should look at younger blacks - who are trending away from the Democratic Party towards political independence and even slightly toward the GOP. Change is slowly but surely afoot!

Challenge to Kerry Supporters - No Takers?

We're still taking lists from Kerry supporters on what he has done to promote black progress, versus our "Why Blacks Should Vote for Bush" list. Haven't received anything yet, so email us and we'll compile the list on Monday, September 27. Don't be shy! Or can no one name even one thing that Sen. John Kerry has accomplished in his 20+ years in the U.S. Senate?

We're being quite generous in our request. Sen. John Kerry is polling 9 times better than Bush among blacks (90% vs. 10%). Kerry supporters' list should technically contain 99 items vs. our 11 items for Bush, if Kerry is so much our man. However, we'll take 20 Kerry accomplishments on black progress.

JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS COMMENTARY: Social Insecurity

"For more years than I can count I have heard voices in the black community cry out for economic empowerment. They've stressed the need for transferring an economic legacy from one generation to the next, in order to build real wealth in the black community. There is no better opportunity to put the rubber to the road, so to speak, than ownership of our social security benefits in the form of private retirement accounts."

Tell it, brotha! 1 in 3 black men doesn't even live long enough to collect Social Security, thus transferring our communities' potential wealth to other folks. With Social Security privatization, heirs could buy a house, go to college, or start a business with the funds. And no more meager 1.5% return on investment under the government system!

U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Libya

President George W. Bush has signed an executive order lifting a 1986 U.S. trade embargo against Libya, a move that is expected to trigger the release of more than $1 billion to families of victims of Pan Am flight 103. The order is intended as a reward to Libya, whose leader, Moammar Gadhafi, agreed to dismantle the nation's weapons program. Libya had threatened to pull the compensation payment if sanctions were not lifted by Wednesday.

American Captive Beheaded in Iraq

More 7th century barbarity from the "religion of peace." Yesterday an Islamic terrorist website showed video of civil engineer Eugene Armstrong being beheaded by members of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group. The video said a second hostage — either an American or a Briton — would be killed unless the U.S. government met its demand to release all Muslim women from U.S. military jails in Iraq. USA says it's not holding any women.

Leftist Illogic, Exhibit 2

Leftists often complain about how companies outsource jobs to other countries. However, they are the staunchest advocates of the form of outsourcing that hurts low-income workers - who they claim as their constituency - the most: illegal immigration. Why?

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: An Old War and a New One

Mr. Sowell defends Michelle Malkin's controversial new book, which argues that internment policies were valid during World War II - and valid again in the war against terrorism.

We ain't down with Ms. Malkin's support of internment policies, which is an abuse of government power against citizens' civil liberties. However, we agree that nationality should be taken into account in our immigration and visitation policies, when deciding which foreigners present the highest risks to USA.

JULIETTE OCHIENG COMMENTARY: Fair Trade?

The California conservative and former military servicewoman - who is of Kenyan descent - ain't surprised to read that Iraqi 'insurgents' are targeting black American soldiers and express profound racism towards them. Ms. Ochieng says: "But those blacks who would repudiate both Europe and America for their sins would do well to note that the Arab world doesn’t even acknowledge that it has sinned against blacks. In fact, a million dead black Sudanese voices—Animist, Christian and Muslim—cry out from their graves; not just from the seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth centuries or even the twentieth century but from right flocking now."

Amen, sista. Yet few liberals will discuss how rabidly racist their beloved "freedom fighters" are toward blacks.

Online Chat With Rod Paige

Tomorrow on the Bush-Cheney '04 website, 10:00am-11:00am EDT. The Education Secretary will discuss the No Child Left Behind Act and other education reforms.

A Fading Culture's Controversial Keeper

Check out this article about controvery over Virginia Mixson Geraty (white) being one of the premier scholars and defenders of Gullah, the Southern creole passed down through generations of descendants of Sea Island slaves between North Carolina and Florida. Many Gullah-Geechee find her dogmatism regarding "proper" Gullah to be patronizing.

The focus should be on the soundness of her scholarship, not her race. However, we do have a problem with white folks who believe they're gatekeepers of black subculture more than the subculture members themselves. Then again, black folks should be knee-deep in cataloging the Gullah heritage or don't complain when others do it.

Quote of the Day

"Affirmative action tends to undermine the spirit of individual initiative. Such is human nature; why struggle to succeed when you can have something for nothing?" - Arthur Ashe, Days of Grace

Star Parker on Societal Standards

Concerned about the toll that rap is taking in many black communities and USA in general, Ms. Parker wonders: is our only challenge now to guess how deep the values cesspool can get? "Now that the sacred has been banished from our public life, we leave these matters to the whim of any child from any broken home."

She might've added the anti-social rock bands, like Marilyn Manson. Otherwise, she has a point.

CBS Fesses Up: "We Were Misled by Bush National Guard Memo"

After days of expressing confidence about the documents used in a "60 Minutes'' report that raised new questions about President George W. Bush's National Guard service. Network officials say they may open an internal inquiry.

We believe Dubya got special favors. Yet we're troubled (but not surprised) that a mainstream liberal media outlet would resort to fraud, despite various experts’ skepticism about the documents. And then diss bloggers for doing the research that it should've done.

LEONARD PITTS JR. COMMENTARY: CBS Story Hurt Journalism

“CBS' failure represents another body blow to journalistic credibility, which can hardly afford new hits. In recent years we've seen more people abandon mainstream news outlets, choosing instead those fringe outlets that reliably validate a preferred worldview. Nowadays, people want their opinions echoed, not questioned."

The moderate-liberal columnist makes good points re: CBS' rush to judgment, but we disagree with his claim that objective journalism is possible. Which stories are covered and how they're covered depend upon journalists’ perspectives. Media elitists no longer control news sources - the blogosphere democratizes the arena and keeps elitists on their toes - they wanna holler about diverse sources.

More Poison From Our Own Cabinet: Black Media Watch

Argues The Black Informant: "How is it then that black media, which prides itself in telling it like it is, and being the voice of African-Americans fall short of listing all of the reasons that African-Americans should vote for John Kerry? These individuals/groups have no problem of listing hundreds of reasons why Bush should not be re-elected, but in many cases fall short of just giving Kerry a clear endorsement."

We're to the rescue, Bray! Check out our challenge to Kerry supporters. We listed reasons why blacks should vote for Bush, based on what he has done. Can folks do the same for Kerry?

Self-Help Website of the Week: National Fatherhood Initiative

Founded in 1994, NFI focuses on father absence. Its programs target young fathers, incarcerated dads, and military dads, among others. It does public awareness campaign and has an information clearinghouse. It trains leaders of national, state, and community fatherhood initiatives. It also forms partnerships with private and government groups to tackle the issue.

Jason Steck on the Free Speech Movement's Unfreedom

The moderate blogger is concerned about how leftists at the University of California / Berkeley - where the movement began 40 years ago - recently tried to censor Michelle Malkin's controversial lecture about national security and internment. "These are not isolated cases -- this is a widespread cultural problem on the left. Liberals need to look in the mirror and ask whether they are really taking personal actions to protect the free speech rights they personally hold dear or whether they are, by neglect and misplaced loyalty, allowing those rights to become meaningless next to the power of the mob."

Foreign Election Observers Arrive in U.S.

To observe the presidential elections, invited by Secretary Colin Powell. Yet in addition to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe delegation, Global Exchange - a liberal group - has invited 20 independent “democracy experts” from 15 countries.

Good cause, wrong folks. Ain't this the job of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and private groups like the NAACP, ACLU, etc.?

Compassionate Conservatives Revisited

By The Moderate Republican, who focuses on health care: "It doesn't have to mean big government, but it does mean that we have to have a compassionate government that is serious in finding ways to make sure that there is a safety [sic] net to soften the blows that come from time to time from our dynamic economy.”

Folks should save their money for down times. Target the collusion between the American Medical Association and state legislatures, which limit doctors' licenses far below our society’s needed number - artificially inflating doctors' salaries and thus health care costs. Or the crazy cost of malpractice insurance, which has doctors fleeing the profession. Most folks also have health problems because of bad lifestyle choices. How compassionate is it for taxpayers who've made good lifestyle choices to reward others' bad behavior? That’s the purpose of private, voluntary organizations.

A Challenge to Kerry Supporters

Below is a list of things that President George W. Bush's administration has done to promote black progress. Things that an average black voter will like. Every time I rattle off this list to a Kerry supporter - like an uncle of mine this past weekend - they duck and dodge how Sen. John Kerry would be better. I understand why folks voted for President Clinton - I did it twice - but can't fathom why Sen. Kerry is worthy.

So here's the challenge: email a list of what Sen. Kerry has done to promote black progress, and we'll put up the list next Monday. Don't send us an anti-Bush list, as that doesn't tell us why we should vote for Sen. Kerry and why he's the better guy. Don't tell us what Sen. Kerry is gonna do, but what he has done to promote black progress.

Why Black Folks Should Vote for Bush
1. Black child poverty hit all-time low (30%), and remains near the low

2. Small Business Administration loans to black entrepreneurs up 75%

3. Black homeownership rate at all-time high (49.3%)

4. increased funds to historically black colleges 30%

5. increased AIDS in Africa funds

6. increased funds for diabetes research (diabetes disproportionately affects blacks)

7. faith-based initiative provides grants to community-based churches to run social services

8. expanded Africa Growth and Opportunity Act to increase African goods access to U.S. consumer market

9. More blacks appointed to Cabinet positions - many in non-traditional roles - than any president in U.S. history

10. school vouchers options in No Child Left Behind legislation (last Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies survey shows 57% of blacks support school vouchers)

11. eliminated marriage penalty tax (which disproportionately affected married blacks because each spouse was likelier to earn similar income)

Sen. Kerry is currently polling 90% of the black vote, Bush is polling 10% (but 18% of the black independent vote, where we reside). If Sen. Kerry is 90% better for black folks, then his supporters should easily come up with a much longer list.

Harvard Study Finds Charter Schools Outperform Traditional Public Schools

Charter kids do better on reading and math tests than their counterparts in traditional public schools. It challenges a recent American Federation of Teachers report claiming that charter students often do worse. The study author explains that the AFT report: (1) didn’t have a statistically significantly large sample of charter students; and (2) drew comparisons between demographically dissimilar children.

LA SHAWN BARBER COMMENTARY: Gates and Race Politics

The D.C. conservative takes aim at a recent op-ed piece by Professor Henry Louis Gates on why blacks still largely vote for Democrats. "Gates’s assessment that blacks vote on racial issues is correct, but he’s incorrect about the economic issues. What liberals mean by 'economic issues' is not more business ownership or lower taxes, but ownership of other people’s money in redistribution of wealth schemes….And I don’t think blacks as a group are any more socially conservative than any other group."

We disagree with Lady B that politicians shouldn't hype issues that resonate with black voters to black voters. No different than doing so for other ethnic / racial groups, religious groups, economic groups, or career groups. Yet we are concerned that the black bloc vote doesn't fluctuate, which undercuts our political clout.

An Aussie View About Kerry and Female Voters

Revenge of the Hamster, an Australian black conservative blogger, takes aim at a William Safire piece which offers this advice to Sen. John Kerry: "Above all, win back the women. Bush has them believing that the fighting in Iraq is for the security of their families. Too many women can't get it through their heads that Iraq is just a distraction from the global terror war."

Says Hamster: "God___ women. We are, like, so stupid. If men were the only ones who could vote, then they could keep us stupid can’t-get-it-through-their-heads women out of politics, and back in the kitchen."

Don't Make Me Count to Three

Says The Other Point of View, a black conservative blog: "How many times did [the U.N.] count to three on Iraq? Well, they are at it again with the Sudan and the mass killings going on....It amazes me how France, China and Russia is [sic] worried about what we do in Iraq and with the War on Terror, but mass genocide of Blacks doesn't seem to bother them (if it will interfere with their oil imports)."

Scott Wickham on the Anybody But Bush Crowd

The Blacks for Bush blogger tackles the lack of critical thinkers among the hate-Bush folks. "This year, like every year is a time of action. Vote Bush, Vote Nader, Vote Kerry but don't vote Anybody But Bush, its [sic] the wrong signal to send to the world. Pick a direction you want our country to go, instead of throwing out the map."

Quote of the Day

"Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough." - Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955), educator

Booker T's Great-Granddaughter Helps School

A century ago, black parents in Scotland County, North Carolina wrote educator Booker T. Washington for help (registration required for article): They wanted a school for their children beyond the elementary grades provided by the county. The prevailing white Southern view was that blacks should be kept uneducated and powerless. Mr. Washington was so moved by these parents he sent two recent Tuskegee graduates to start a school. A parcel of swampland became Laurinburg Institute. 100 years later, despite struggles for money and students, Laurinburg Institute remains open. Sarah Rush, Mr. Washington's great-granddaughter, kicked off the 100th anniversary celebration. This story is so good, here's an excerpt:

It started on Sept. 10, 1904, with Emmanuel, 18, and Tinny, 17 [McDuffies, teen newlyweds] setting out for North Carolina on foot. After five days of walking, hitching rides on wagons and cattle trains, and fleeing the KKK, they arrived in Laurinburg -- only to discover there was no school building, or money or land.

So Emmanuel put on his best suit and paid a visit to Billy McLaurin, an ex-Civil War colonel whose family had given the town its name.

We need land for a school, Emmanuel boldly told the colonel. McLaurin sold them the swamp parcel near downtown.

Tinny (pronounced Tiny) cried when she saw it; Emmanuel saw possibility.

With the help of parents, they cut down trees and built a shack where the first students learned carpentry so they could build a permanent school. When the shack opened in 1904, a long line of students waited.

And for the first 50 years, they came by the hundreds not only for the institute's academics, but for its agricultural science, carpentry and brick masonry, sports and music training.

That changed in 1954, following the U.S. Supreme Court's historic Brown vs. Board of Education ruling that ended segregation in public education.

By then, there were dozens of private black prep schools across the country. But after the ruling, blacks left the private schools and, one by one, they closed.

The state tried to shut down Laurinburg Institute, and when the McDuffies refused, officials condemned the brick dorm and classroom buildings."

Says great-granddaughter Frances McDuffie: "We have always felt we had a mission that educating black people couldn't all be turned over to others. Laurinburg Institute is a model of how people can educate their own selves."

Now that's determination! NBA greats, Dizzy Gillespie, and even a former premier of Bermuda are alumni. Spike Lee's grandfather taught the McDuffies and helped them launch the Institute. Yet liberals tell us that black folks can't do anything without government's help. Puhleeze! Look at our own great history. Here's more info about the Laurinburg Institute.

JERRY BROOKS COMMENTARY: The Malicious Obsession

The black conservative discusses why liberals hate the FOX News Channel. "In my observations, Fox News is the top cable news channel because it doesn’t treat conservatives like anomalies or lepers. All sides are respected and given a fair hearing, then the viewers can make up their own minds. All too often I’ve seen other networks treat conservatives with disdain and disrespect."

Despite his claims, FOX News Channel is a conservative network. Why lie? I admire sources that are honest about their biases - such as blogs or political magazines - more than mainstream media that poses as objective but have an underlying agenda. However, Mr. Brooks is correct that conservative visibility is a key factor in FNC's market success.

Black Congressfolks Hold 'Our Vote, Our Future' Tour

Hitting various battleground states to discuss the Democrats' agenda for urban communities and stress the importance of voting in the 2004 election. "George Bush has been an absolute disaster for the African-American community," says Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).

Really? We'd love for Rep. Conyers to read this post and outline how Sen. John Kerry has done better to promote black progress.

Avery Tooley on Barry Bonds

Ave is tired of folks sweating the baseball star for not being a friendlier star: "Baseball is his job. It's not his job to be ingratiating....What if, for one season, his friendliness increased but his stats decreased? What then? Just because we drop our little money to see a game, that doesn't entitle us to access to a person's personal life."

True, but Mr. Bonds can't show some class toward his fans?

Email From An Australian Bookerista

I just wanted to send you a big thank-you for the plug! This will sound corny but I do honestly feel very honoured that your blog would link to me. I will try to justify your plug through more blogging!

Revenge of the Hamster, Australia

No problem! Our goal is to spotlight black moderates and black conservatives, and that includes our colleagues in countries besides USA. So far, we've been able to find stuff from our counterparts in Canada, the Caribbean, Britain, Ghana, the Netherlands, and now Australia. Note to our readers: if there's a bookerista whose work we ain't covered, email us.

TUTAKAI COMMENTARY: Does Kerry Have a Moderate Foreign Policy?

Says the moderate blogger: "Kerry's multilateralism doesn't mean subordination of U.S. interests as much as greater use of what Joseph Nye has called 'soft power' -- the use of incentives and persuasion to encourage allies to climb on board....What incentives and arguments does Kerry believe could be put forward to U.S. allies that the Bush administration has been neglecting or undermining? Kerry holds his cards here close..."

What Tutakai doesn't discuss that a President John Kerry would have to answer to the Democratic Party's leftist wing, which does want to outsource our national security to France, Germany, and the corrupt U.N. We agree that Kerry hasn't outlined what 'soft power' motives that he will deploy that President Bush hasn't already tried to do. But that’s because there are none.

Black Personal Finance Company Launches Radio Series

Starting September 20, by Achieve Black Wealth LLC on XM Satellite Radio Channel 169 - the first 24-hour national black talk station. The Black Money Minute will be a radio series of 1-minute segments hosted by Moses Foster (pictured). Topics include managing debt, understanding 401ks, investing in real estate, how to save on taxes, and saving for college.

Kudos! The sort of stuff that we like to see.

Bob Parks on the Campaign Season

Sent to us via email from black conservative Mr. Parks:

It’s that time of year again, where the "R" behind certain people’s names stands for "racist."

The act of a desperate man, John Kerry has now insinuated that Republicans miraculously stopped black voters in Florida from going to the polls in 2000…in districts controlled by Democrats.

Please forgive the repetition, but again, there were many investigations of this bogus allegation with no evidence showing such had ever happened, but since Democrats believe blacks are stupid enough to fall for it yet again, Kerry and the Dems have unleashed some pitiful new radio ads.

"The Republicans want you to sit out this election and simply stay home. Who are they fooling? These are the same folks that are against affirmative action; oppose civil rights. These are the same people against raising minimum wage. Under Bush, 1.1 million more black folks live in poverty than they did before 2001."

Now enter attention-starved Bill Clinton who prior to his operation told the Weekly Australian that President Bush is deliberately using racist electoral appeals to win the White House. Talk about the pot belly calling the kettle black….

When Clinton assumed the presidency in 1993 he had a Democrat Congress and Senate to work with. He could have fixed everything Democrats have promised blacks for years. If memory serves, he did NOTHING. But yet he’s called the “First Black President.” Now just what does that say about black people…?

Republicans are against affirmative action because they don’t ascribe to the opinion that discrimination should be remedied with more discrimination. Republicans believe that blacks aren’t so dumb as to need special treatment. That is the belief of their beloved Democrats.

In some states, Democrats won’t allow black kids to take standardized IQ tests to determine if they qualify for Special Ed. It’s not just because black people’s feelings might be hurt, but because the results might show that the very public schools Democrats want mended, not ended, suck. In fact, those schools are so poor that no Congressional Black Caucus member dares send their own kid to one.

The good news is that not all black people are being duped anymore as eleven hundred kids in the nation’scapital jumped at the opportunity to escape public schools with the much-maligned voucher.

Although American History [sic] isn’t taught properly anymore, it can be found that a higher percentage of Republicans voted for the Civil Rights Act than Democrats. Al Gore’s father was one of the Dems that voted against the Act, and the longest serving US Senator is a Klan Democrat.

As for the minimum wage, if Democrats would agree not to tax the increase, I’m sure the GOP might entertain the idea. But an increase in the minimum wage means more tax money Democrats like Ted Kennedy WILL seize from the poor. John Kerry and his bunch won’t bring that up until after they’re elected.

So if black people are willing to be used again, don’t blame Republicans when neighborhoods are crime-ridden, the schools stink, and there are no good-paying jobs. If you have the guts, go ask the same Democrats you elect every two years why the things you’ve been whining about for decades haven’t been addressed.

By the way…that goes for poor white neighborhoods as well.

Election year race baiting of Republicans may be a proven tactical strategy, but it really shows what Democrats truly think about blacks.

Are ya proud…?

More Signs of the Conservative Crack-Up

Asserts The Moderate Republican, which takes issue with polls stating that President Bush is pulling ahead among voters. "The reason I wonder is because more and more I keep hearing voices on the Right that are denouncing the President and some have gone as far as to support Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry. The latest group Republicans for Humility."

These folks are typically moderate or liberal Republicans, so they aren't rightists anyway. However, we do agree that the Republican Party will soon have to decide its identity. Does it want to be a social traditionalist party? A big-government conservative one? Or a libertarian one (which would get us to sign up for the GOP)?

Report Warns of African Islamic Threat

The Center for Strategic and International Studies says Africa, home to more than 300 million Muslims, represents a major terrorist challenge to USA. The center's report says the U.S. intelligence community must increase its human assets and monitor such trends as the financing of al-Qaida as well as the smuggling of man-portable surface-to-air missiles. The center also said the United States must increase its diplomatic presence in Africa.

So Africa will become important to USA again. What have we been arguing here? This is part of Arab Islam's 1400-year-old battle in Africa, further encroaching upon our ancestral continent. Africa is at the frontlines to launch jihadist attacks not only in USA, but elsewhere on the globe.

Blacks Have Negative Attitude About Islam

According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center. That has the Muslim Wakeup! forum upset, since blacks are the plural majority of U.S. Muslims (but only 2% of black Americans are Muslim). 44% of blacks have an unfavorable view of Islam, while 37% are positive.

The forum topic writer cited some reasons. We'll add more: Sudan's Arabized Muslim government's genocide against blacks. How Arab Islam seeks to further encroach upon the African continent. How the Arabic word for black is the same as for slave and dirty. How the Mail & Guardian (South African paper) outlines how Iraqi 'insurgents' are targeting black soldiers. How only Islam still enslaves blacks. All with virtually no critique among Muslims, be they Arab or not. Islam has profound racism against blacks.

Quote of the Day

"The war on terrorism is not a figure of speech. It is an inescapable calling of our generation." - President George W. Bush

Black Conservatives Decry Advance Claims of Voter Suppression

Project 21 members charge that liberal groups are raising the specter of voter suppression to taint the presidential election before it happens. "It's a smear-and-fear campaign," says Kevin Martin. "The same forces we saw in 2000 - those speaking of a concerted effort to disfranchise minorities - are once again making ridiculous allegations to make up for their lack of substance. They speak of voter suppression and intimidation, but they say nothing about the lax voter registration and identification rules that could lead to voter fraud."

Project 21 argues that it may keep some voters away from the polls. Furthermore, it creates a climate where these critics can more easily challenge the integrity of the election if they do not approve of the results, even if such charges are groundless.

Working on a voter registration campaign, I can vouch here. Several folks have brought it up as an excuse for why they don't want to register to vote. Voter suppression is a real issue, where Project 21 should place some focus. Yet groups of all ideologies would be quite effective if they trained low-income voters on the voting process, how to properly punch the ballots, and what to do if a poll watcher challenges them at the precinct.

Society Website of the Week: Association of African American Museums

AAAM is a non-profit membership group serving the interests and needs of black museums and cultural institutions, and black museum professionals throughout USA. You can find out what exhibits and activities are being done at various black cultural and history museums.

LA SHAWN BARBER COMMENTARY: John Kerry's Racist Rhetoric

"From his political Scripture reading in black churches to his speeches touting government programs, this rich man’s contempt for true black progress makes me ill. In my view, white liberals betray their true feelings about the black race as soon as they open their mouths. My blood boils whenever I hear one of their ilk mentioning blacks and government programs in the same conversation. Blacks and dependency go hand in hand, you see, especially to men like Kerry."

Never mind that 76% of blacks aren't poor, and 'only' 15% are on welfare. But liberal blacks expect the rest of us to stay silent while our achievements get undermined by a presidential candidate.

Leftist Illogic

Over the past two days in downtown Chicago, a leftist coalition had 1,000 pairs of military shoes in a plaza and read the names of soldiers who died in Iraq. Great thing to do, in and of itself. Yet their real goal was to demonstrate against the war. These were the same folks who sneered when hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans gathered downtown three years ago to mourn the World Trade Center attacks. If 3,000 civilian deaths made them yawn, why are the deaths of 1,000 soldiers - who choose to put their lives in danger - so important?

Since people of color were most opposed to the war and disproportionately represented in it, why the absence? In Chicago?

Liberal Group: "New Conservative Shows Will Throw PBS Off Balance"

A liberal media watchdog group accuses PBS of "pandering" to conservatives through its introduction of three new programs. Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting complains that the shows are an attempt to balance out public television's "alleged liberal bias." They also claim that current PBS hosts have "no obvious ideology."

Who are they tryin' to fool? PBS has been off balance for years. We guess only liberals pay taxes to fund PBS. This wouldn't even be an issue if PBS was forced to undergo market competition, and not be subsidized by taxpayers in the first place.

Quote of the Day

"Freedom to be your best is nothing unless you’re willing to do your best.” - Colin Powell

Black Voter Groups Lose $$$, Control to 527s

Division is growing between Democratic 527 political groups and community-based black civic groups over funding and message control targeting black communities in the upcoming election. Adding to the tension is that many 527 groups are run by bigwig white organizers, who black liberal activists charge don't know how to turn out black voters. There's also division over which states should be targeted for black turnout.

What white liberals are saying here: Y'all "niggers" are trippin'. You're getting too uppity. Damn! We know you better than you know yourselves. Just do what massa tells you, show up on November 2, and punch that ballot for the Democrats. We got y'all!

Rick James 'Took Nine Drugs'

A coroner has determined that the funk star died of an accidental heart attack brought on by at least nine drugs that were found in his system, including cocaine, methamphetamine and various prescription drugs. Mr. James died in his sleep in August at age 56.

Given his longtime history of drug abuse, no shocker here. Unfortunate that he went out like that, with a new CD and film in the mix.

Powell Rebukes Annan on Iraq

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday expressed strong disapproval of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's description of the U.S.-led war in Iraq as illegal. "What does it gain anyone? We should all be gathering around the idea of helping the Iraqis, not getting into these kinds of side issues."

We say: had the U.N. effectively monitored Saddam Hussein in the previous 12 years, the war could've been avoided.

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: Rather Not

"In today's memorandum forgery controversy, [CBS News anchor] Dan Rather says that he is not the issue, Bush is. This may be a clever tactic to deflect the growing criticism [about forged documents on President Bush's National Guard service], but half of his statement is right. It is not just Rather or CBS News whose credibility has been damaged. This exposes media bias in general."

Proud Purples

Says Tutakai, a "militant" moderate website. "Many moderates would very much like to see changes in the foreign policy, fiscal profligacy, and social narrowness of the Bush administration. But when we look at the foaming-at-the-mouth alternative, we have to ask, 'do we really want these people in charge?'

Person of the Week Awards

BOOKERISTA OF THE WEEK: BBC commentator Garth Crooks, for highlighting how gangsta rap culture is hurting black British boys' academic achievement.

FOUL SHOT OF THE WEEK: CBS News anchor Dan Rather. Even though we believe that Dubya got special favors in his National Guard service, basing an "exclusive" on forged documents is just plain fraud. And what was up with that way late press conference?

Bigging Up an Australian Black Conservative

Revenge of the Hamster lays into liberals when they show out, both in Australia and around the globe. Like this post, where she draws upon her family's immigrant experience to challenge liberals' claims about Australian racism. Y'all go check this sista's blog out. Very cheeky commentary.

(Hat tip to Dissecting Leftism)

COMMENTARY: Boston Brahmin Disses Our Allies

The National Review editor argues that Sen. John Kerry is far too willing to dismiss our coalition in Iraq. "The fact that any nation assigns even one citizen to fight shoulder to shoulder with U.S. GIs should elicit celebration and gratitude, not the sort of ethnocentrism that a sneering Boston Brahmin might expect to see gushing out of, say, Texas oil country."

Amen! And the racism in leftist Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which takes pot shots at developing countries who are part of the coalition. Both men believe that only white folks - er the "right" folks - can be our allies.

Barack Obama: "No More Head Negro in Charge Syndrome"

U. S. Senate candidate Barack Obama says black folks have moved past the need for a single national leader. “We’re beyond the point where we just have one messiah," the liberal Democrat from Illinois said. “What we need is collective leadership helping to move the ball forward. I think everybody’s got a contribution to make.”

Amen! Regardless of ideology, this seems to be an issue where we blacks under age 45 resoundingly agree. We are troubled by political scientist Ron Walter's comments though. He once questioned Obama’s "racial allegiance" because he thought Mr. Obama was a member of the moderate Democratic Leadership Committee (anyone perusing Mr. Obama's legislative record could easily see he ain't DLC). So only liberalism is authentic blackness?

"The Cosby Show"...Slovak Style?

Screenplay authors and Roma (aka Gypsy) politicians are campaigning for a similar show produced in Slovakia featuring Roma actors, to help the ethnic minority break stereotypes in the central European country. The series' premise is that a middle-class extended Roma family moves to a big city apartment surrounded by "white neighbours," and discusses their experiences.

Pardon our ignorance, but ain't Gypsies white (albeit olive-skinned)?

Democracy Website of the Week: African Americans for Kerry

The website won our random selection. It's got endorsements by black bigwigs, including moderate Democrat and Kerry campaign co-chair Rep. Harold Ford. It has press releases on issues that resonate with most black voters. It's got other info, like the group of black economists who've endorsed Sen. John Kerry and video of his NAACP speech. Tellin' it like it is: in terms of information (although we disagree re: accuracy) it beats the African Americans for Bush site.

KATHLEEN PARKER COMMENTARY: How the Bloggers are Revolutionizing Journalism

The Orlando Sentinel columnist argues: “The beauty of the blogosphere is that it is self-igniting, self-propelling, and self-selecting, a sort of intellectual ecosystem wherein the best specimens from various disciplines descend from the ethers, converge on an issue and apply their unique talents."

And it's a great and cheap tool for black moderates and black conservatives to trade information. It increases exposure to our viewpoints. The Black Informant has also started a Black Media Watch to track liberal excess there, helping to revolutionize mainstream black media.

Report Cites Syrian Chemical Hit in Darfur

Die Welt, a German newspaper, reports that Syrian special forces used chemical weapons in June to kill dozens of people in Darfur, Sudan. The attack came after an arrangement between Syria and the Sudan's Arabized Muslim government on joint chemical weapons development, and to test them on the black African residents of the war-torn region. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher casts doubt on the report, saying it would have been unlikely to happen without USA's knowledge.

We say: Brotha Colin better check it out, especially given jihadism and the racist Arab League knows no boundaries as far as black folks are concerned.

Bookerista Profile: Lord Taylor

At age 43, the Conservative Party's Lord John Taylor became one of the youngest and the only black member of Britain's House of Lords (akin to the U.S. Senate, except they're appointed by the Queen). Lord Taylor was previously an attorney and businessman. A fiscal and social conservative, he leads the charge to make the Conservative Party - which hasn't won in almost a decade - more appealing to black and Asian voters (which has caused tension among party members).

In addition to his parliamentary duties, Lord Taylor directs the Warwick Leadership Foundation to help young black Brits achieve their dreams. The child of Jamaican immigrants, Lord Taylor calls himself as an "Afro-Saxon" and cites Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as his spiritual hero.

ROBERT KLEIN ENGLER COMMENTARY: Repeal Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act

Says the Roosevelt University professor: "Foreign language assistance should not be needed at any polling place in the United States where citizens vote. This is obvious when you consider that one of the requirements to become a citizen of the United States is the ability to speak English."

We agree. This was a hijacking of the Voting Rights Act to serve other ends, other than its intended purpose. Then again, why are folks undergoing citizenship when they don't meet the basic requirements?

La Shawn Barber on Black Women and Abortion

Lady B takes issue with a Detroit Free Press article that says that black abortions are ignored. "That black women are three times more likely to have an abortion isn’t new information, by the way. I don’t like this article because race, and not immorality, is the focus. Race, or more precisely 'racism', is used as the standard excuse for immoral behavior."

We certainly agree that a more moral viewpoint would prevent abortions in the first place. Women and men, regardless of race, should control their actions far better. Yet a woman's right to own her body is fundamental to women's equality. It's women who primarily reap the repercussions, while men can cut and run (as far too many do). It ain't the government's issue to decide.

Quote of the Day

"There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public." - Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (1901 bestseller)

LARRY ELDER COMMENTARY: Rathergate

Elderado discusses how CBS News and anchor Dan Rather misled the U.S. public with fake memos about President Bush's National Guard service. We say: power to the bloggers for exposing CBS. Mainstream media ain't God, and may never get away with such unthinking nonsense with no mass response again.

Britain: Socialists Criticize Black Education Panelists for Focusing on Values

On Monday, we did a "British TV Personality: 'Gangsta Rap Culture is Deadly Virus'" news post (which is still generating strong arguments in the comments section). Now the UK Socialist Worker is criticizing many of the education panel speakers for daring to focus on old-school black family values and tackling gangsta rap culture. It even accuses BBC commentator Garth Crooks of saying that British black youth culture is a virus.

That's not what Mr. Crooks said. He said that gangsta rap culture is a deadly virus upon black youth and threatens their life chances. Or are these socialists claiming that British black youth culture only consists of gangsta rap? We ain't British, so we can't comment about government complacency in education. However, why are these socialists saying that the jobs market discrimination and police brutality at an educational achievement panel? Leave it up to socialists to undermine black folks seeking to discuss improving community values and academic achievement.

Good to see our colleagues across the pond showing out though. Check out Tony Sewell, who is Britain's John McWhorter (although unlike the moderate Mr. McWhorter, Mr. Sewell is conservative).

PETER KIRSANOW COMMENTARY: Separate and Unequal

The U.S. Civil Rights Commission member says about Sen. John Kerry: "Most candidates tailor their messages to appeal to the concerns of the particular audience....Much of Senator Kerry's message to black audiences, however, is drawn from negative and sometimes ugly stereotypes about putatively 'black' concerns. For example, while speaking before the Urban League in July, Kerry stressed the need for more Section 8 funding rather than stressing home-ownership, and stressed government programs more than entrepreneurship (because, you know, most blacks are either on welfare or otherwise dependent on the government)."

76% of blacks ain't poor, and 'only' 15% are on welfare. The Urban League convention is primarily middle class. Why black liberals don't challenge this racism is beyond us.

17,000 GIs Not Listed as Casualties

Nearly 17,000 service members medically evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan are absent from public Pentagon casualty reports. The Pentagon says most don't fit the definition of casualties - dying or being wounded in action - but a veteran's advocate at the American Legion says they should all be counted.

Rep. Ford Jr. Part of National Service Caucus

Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.), has joined a bipartisan group of congressmen to announce the creation of the National Service Congressional Caucus. Reps. Tom Osborne (R-Neb.), David Price (D-N.C) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) are also caucus members.

The moderate Democrat supports service-oriented groups such as Learn and Serve America, Americorps and the Senior Corps. Among his caucus and nonlegislative committees are the Congressional Black Caucus, the Blue Dog Coalition (moderate and conservative Democrats), Faith-Based Initiative Caucus, the House Centrist Coalition, and the New Democrat Coalition.

DAMON ROOT COMMENTARY - Bad Deal: How FDR Made Life Worse for Blacks

The New York writer reviews two books about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and argues that his mythic status as champion of the underdog is a lie. The liberal Democrat obstructed black progress in several ways: (1) he didn’t support federal anti-lynching legislation; (2) refused to integrate the military; (3) granted monopoly bargaining powers to racist unions; and (4) his New Deal economic and regulatory policies especially harmed poor blacks.

Sean McCray on Alternative Energy

The black libertarian discovers a new blog about alternative energy. He says: "We need to be as bold in this area as we were with going into Iraq. The old paradigm is failing, and we must push forward for a new one [using marketplace solutions]. If we believe in American ingenuity and creativity as much as we say we do, then it can be done."

Thomas Sowell on Choosing a College

"Selecting a college for a young man or young woman to attend is more than a matter of looking up the rankings and seeing where the chances of admission look good. How the atmosphere of the college matches the personality of the individual can mean far more than anything in the college catalogue or the pretty brochures."

U.S. Education Slipping a Little

The achievement gap between low-income students and the more affluent is having a negative impact on USA's standing among the world's Top 30 industrialized nations. USA is losing ground in numbers of high school graduates. The U.S. is 17th in average reading ability, the same for nearly 10 years. USA is second in college education rates, but with a narrowing gap between USA and the next group. ACT scores nationwide did rise for the first time since 1997.

Standards would go up if we injected market competition, with school vouchers. It would probably result in more schools diverging from our 9-month school year calendar, an outdated farming system model. Yet liberals block progress that would enable parents - instead of government - to choose the best curriculum for their children.

Film Fest Focuses on the Right

A conservative film festival was recently held in Dallas metro, with 24 films such as: "George W. Bush: Faith in the White House," "DC 9/11: Time of Crisis" and "The Peace Commies," which addresses "subversive radicals behind the peace movement." The most popular? A documentary entitled, "Michael Moore Hates America," turning Mr. Moore's techniques back on him.

Organizers hope to change pop culture. Diversity is much-needed in film.

Quote of the Day

"Something is wrong. We've become a nation of 'victicrats.' We demand government handouts, bailouts, loans, tax breaks, subsidies, special protections, and guaranties while refusing to accept responsibility for our own actions. We expect the government to do that which we could and should do ourselves." - Larry Elder, The Ten Things You Can't Say in America (2000 bestseller)

Lawmakers Give Selves Pay Raise

With little debate, House lawmakers yesterday included themselves as part of a pay raise that all federal employees will receive next year. The cost-of-living raise would be the sixth straight for House and Senate members, boosting lawmakers' salaries, now $158,100, by about $4,000. The pay raise also applies to the vice president, congressional leaders and Supreme Court justices.

Talk about conflict of interest. This should be put up for vote every four years, to induce better government service out of our 'public servants.'

COMMENTARY: John McWhorter and the Beginning of Blackness

Last week, the moderate linguistics professor and bestselling writer set off a firestorm with an op-ed piece arguing why he's Black and not African-American. Cobb picks up on an item - the capital 'B.' "It has to do with pride, and that must be the pride of accomplishment. In other words to be Black you have to claim the right accomplishment, you have to be proud of the right things. This is not the end, but the beginning of a new Blackness."

Martha Stewart to Do Time Now

Martha Stewart says that she'll start serving her five-month prison sentence as soon as possible in order to put her "nightmare" behind her. One of her attorneys says she'll continue to appeal her conviction on charges that she lied to investigators and obstructed justice during an insider stock trading probe.

We say: she should already be in jail, as Darrius and Mary Sue would be.

Country of the Week: Haiti

population: 7.7 million. Black 95%, 'mulatto' and white 5%

religion: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16%, none 1%, other 3%. About half of Haitians also practice Voodoo

per capita GDP: $1,600

what it‘s known for: The world's first black republic (1804), the Western Hemisphere's poorest country, vivid and colorful artwork, Voodoo

history: In the late 1700s, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'Ouverture and got independence from France. U.S. occupied it during the 1920s. Has had a series of dictatorships and coups d'etats, with 10-year democratic period.

famous Haitians: Toussaint L'Ouverture, general and founding father Jean-Jacques Dessalines, former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier. Americans of Haitian descent: rapper Wyclef Jean, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, author Edwidge Danticat

PBS, NPR Host Gives $1 Million

To Texas Southern University, to boost its communications school. The money will endow a faculty chair and create new student scholarships. Tavis Smiley, whose alma mater is Indiana State University, said he gave TSU the check because it is a historically black university located in a city [Houston] known for its size and diversity.

"Our media does not look like America, and this is the most multicultural and multiracial the country has ever been," Mr. Smiley said. "When we make black America better, we make all of America better." We say: kudos to Tavis!