Quote Of The Day

"There can be few spectacles more amusing to a Black person than to observe the rogues gallery of white commentators ~ complete with their fake tans, breast implants, dyed hair and multifarious surgical modifications to their own appearance ~ pontificating about the late Mr. [Michael] Jackson’s alleged 'discomfort' with his. And to do so with no apparent sense of irony." — Xyborg, British black liberal blogger

CAROL M. SWAIN OP-ED: Famed Actor Alec Baldwin's Poor Advice To Serial Adulterer Mark Sanford

The law and political science professor at Vanderbilt University and moderate-conservative argues that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford must resign for going missing for five days due to trans-Atlantic booty call on taxpayers' dime, and that liberal actor Alec Baldwin was wrong to argue the governor should remain in office: "I am sure that Mr. Baldwin means well. His position highlights the values difference between Hollywood and mainstream Americans, some of whom, expect their elected officials to serve the public good while exhibiting high moral standards. This is especially true if the elected official is a conservative Republican who spent much of his life preaching traditional family values while pointing accusatory fingers at other people. In the case of Governor Sanford, he and Newt Gingrich called for President Clinton's resignation in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky affair. Sanford is a Southern Baptist, and he like others place their faith in God's abiding grace. The Bible, itself, is pretty hard on hypocrites and Jesus, himself, comes to the rescue of the woman caught in adultery, telling her accusers let he who is without sin cast the first stone. As the story goes, the accusers drop their stones and fall by the wayside. Jesus tells the woman to go and sin no more. Some of us can agree with Governor Sanford that all men are fallen and in need of a savior. To his credit, Sanford tearfully apologized to the public, and, once caught, confessed his sins to man and, presumably, to God."

Professor Swain continues her commentary: "Now, Governor Sanford needs to go that extra step and remove the stench from his office. It will require more than a simple repayment of taxpayers' money. While defending himself, the Governor made a comparison to the Biblical King David who committed adultery with Bathsheba, and had her husband killed in battle to cover his crime. Nevertheless, David remained a man after God's own heart. The Governor would like us to draw the implication that he did nothing nearly as bad as David. Consider that King David paid a high public price for his sin. So should Governor Mark Sanford. The Bible warns us that leaders and teachers are called to a higher standard. In Luke 12:48, we are told that to whom much is given, much is required. The actions that are required, now, from Governor Sanford and any Christian caught red-handed are confession, repentance, and, I add, resignation."

Honduras: Black Conservative Perspectives

As readers know, Honduran military forces ousted President Manuel Zelaya last Sunday and exiled him to Costa Rica hours before an illegal constitutional referendum vote that he was pushing to change the constitution to allow him to run for a second term. Roberto Micheletti, who is head of the Honduran Congress, is now president. Much of the world, including U.S. President Barack Obama, is crying foul in favor of President Zelaya's actions. The United Nations today voted on a resolution condemning the action and agreeing not to recognize any other government but President Zelayas' administration. Meanwhile, Honduran officials threaten President Zelaya with immediate arrest if he returns to the Central American country. What do bookeristas think?

DarkKnight, a conservative Republican, writes on Twitter: "Wondering what has O's support for Zelaya done for pro-democracy movements in places like Cuba and Venezuela."

Demetrius Minor, a conservative Republican and college student in Augusta, Georgia, writes on Twitter: "Obama has 2 more allies...Chavez & Castro. How can you support democracy when you align yourself w/ people who don't even know what it is?!"

Riplawe, a conservative Republican in Florida, argues that President Obama is siding with Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez "and throwing his lot with Zelaya who tried to ignore the Honduras's institutions (court, [C]ongress, his own party) for his own personal political gain." In response to President Obama's argument that the democratic process wasn't followed, he writes: "Fine, stand with democracy but overlooking Zelaya['s] role in this complicated event is naive and makes Obama look desperate to prove what a differ[e]nt American President he is from the rest. Say a short terse statement not agreeing with the overthrow but at least be fair to both sides instead of taking the side of a Chavez lapdog."

RoSiTa08, a conservative Republican in New York who is originally from Honduras, sees a dark side: "Dear Obama your support of Honduran Prez confirms your true plan for the US".

News Tidbits

Norm Coleman Concedes U.S. Senate Race To Al Franken: In Minnesota, clearing the way for Democrats to hold a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate. The Minnesota Supreme Court today unanimously ruled Mr. Franken the winner by 312 votes out of 2.9 million cast.

Wimbledon: Sister Slam? Serena Williams and Venus Williams are both in the semi-finals, with predictions that they'll both make the finals for the fourth time.

Fans Gather For Apollo Theater's Jackson Memorial: Thousands of Michael Jackson fans gave the late pop star a raucous yet respectful send-off during six hours of public memorial services celebrating his life and music at Harlem's Apollo Theater. Mr. Jackson's ties to the theater go back to 1967, when The Jackson 5 won the Apollo's Amateur Night contest.

Chicago Mixed-Income Building Has Class Clash: Hat tip to reader Mama Helena for this one. Low-income apartment dwellers and middle-class condo owners have shared Westhaven Park Tower since the building opened in 2006 -- a setup that the city hoped would unite residents and exemplify Chicago's $1.6 billion overhaul of public housing. Proximity, however, has not led to harmony. The building is part of a movement to house poor families near working professionals instead of segregating them in ghettos but lifestyle differences have led to clashes.

Cynthia McKinney Aboard Boat Seized In Gaza: Israeli naval forces blockading Gaza have intercepted a ship whose passengers include the former Congresswoman. The U.S.-based Free Gaza Movement claims the ship was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. It is the second encounter between Israeli forces and the leftist politico. Ms. McKinney called the boarding “an outrageous violation of international law against us.” Israel’s consulate general accused her and her allies of a “reckless political stunt” in restricted waters.

Political Leanings Drive Car Choice: A map of U.S. car ownership - produced by R.L. Polk & Co. - overlaid on the electoral map reveals the surprising extent to which how Americans vote corresponds with what car they drive. In some blue states - where a Democrat has won at least three of the last four presidential contests - foreign cars have as much as 60% of the market, as measured by vehicle registrations. It is mostly in red states - Republican strongholds - where domestic cars have 74% of the market or more. This pattern holds in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The three politically purple states - those that have evenly split the last four elections - strongly prefer domestic cars. However, one species turns the car-buying political spectrum inside out: conservative Democrats, who have the strongest commitment to buy American cars.

Justice Is Served And A "Dream" Lives On.

Tyrone, a black conservative Republican blogger, discusses the U.S. Supreme Court's decision yesterday to overturn an affirmative action case: "The ruling yesterday by the Supreme Court in favor of the white New Haven [f]irefighters represents a great day for Civil Rights in America. I can't wrap my mind around how liberals think on the aspects of 'equal justice' in America. What they view as 'equality' is anything but 'equality'. In reality, their concept of equality is to discriminate against one group 'whites' in favor of another 'non whites'. It is in essence 'robbing from Peter in order to pay Paul'. At the end of the day, someone still got robbed. The people that were robbed in the New Haven Fire fighter's [sic] exam were white firefighters and one Hispanic firefighter Yesterday in a five to four ruling, The Supreme Court ruled that the City of New Haven Connecticut was wrong in denying the promotion of white firefighters that scored higher th[a]n other black firefighters on the promotional exam. Liberals do not see non whites as 'equals' in society, especially white liberals. They see blacks and Hispanics as nothing more then 'oppressed victims' that some how can't do for themselves without their help. This is the sole purpose why liberal activists 'dumb down' tests to begin with. They want to achieve an 'equal outcome' by 'lowering the bar'. I guess in their delusion of good intentions, they can't see that their actions are actually hurting blacks and Hispanics more so th[a]n helping them."

Tyrone continues his commentary about the legal case: "If liberals truly believed in the potential of blacks and Hispanics as 'individuals' regardless of their race and economic backgrounds, they would be telling them to study harder and apply themselves, but they don't do that. The white firefighters in the New Haven case played by the rules, and they rightfully deserve their promotions. This is a great day for those that still believe that a person should be 'judged on the content of their character and not the color of their skin'."

Where Is The $420 Billion In Tithes And Offerings The Black Church Has Received Since 1980?

Asks Livesteez, a liberal website arguing that Black America doesn’t have much beyond "inspiration" and "big churches" to show for over $420 billion given to black churches since 1980: "LiveSteez research shows that Black churches, in aggregate, have collected more than $420 billion in tithes and donations since 1980. With a Senate investigation into the finances of several mega churches underway, the 'Prosperity Movement' has been the target of mounting criticism from inside and outside the Black Church. Specifically, the affluent ministries of The Reverend Creflo Dollar, Bishop Eddie Long and others have drawn the attention – and ire – of some clergy and laypeople alike. Researcher Henry E. Felder’s study of Blacks’ donation habits demonstrated per capita spending of $508 per year in 2009 dollars. Another source, Tyler Media Services, estimated that Black Church revenue approached $17 billion in 2006. One church, the Reverend Dollar’s World Changers, reported $69 million in 2006 income, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Mainstream politicians and Black community leaders are demanding a better accounting of the 'return on investment' offered by churches to the communities that fund them. Meanwhile, legions of faithful churchgoers defend their pastors and accuse their detractors of applying a double standard that ignores the largesse of wealthy, white televangelists, while underplaying the economic development and social service functions provided by the Black Church. 'The church has gotten caught up in materialism and greed, a lifestyle. Many ministers today want to live like celebrities and they want to be treated like celebrities. In other words, instead of the church standing with the community, the church has become self-serving. It has strayed away from its mission' according to Dr. Love Henry Whelchel, professor of church history at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta."

U.S. Completes Pullout Of Combat Forces From Iraq Cities

Iraq officially took control of its fate today as the U.S. pulled out its combat troops, handing over security responsibilities to Iraqi forces. The withdrawal completed the Status of Forces agreement signed last November, and touched off celebrations in Baghdad and other cities.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declared today to be "National Sovereignty Day," complete with a military parade to display to Iraqis — and a still stubborn insurgency — its ability to maintain order in a nation ravaged by six years of war. However, the dangers facing Iraq were brought into stark focus after a car bomb exploded on Tuesday, killing at least 24 people in the city of Kirkuk. Yesterday, U.S. military officials reported that four American soldiers were killed in combat on the eve of the withdrawal.

But these violent incidents do not diminish the achievements in Iraq, according to the White House. "General Odierno's confident in (the Iraqis') ability to move forward. He's said it's not surprising we've seen high-profile incidents in which seek to kill innocent civilians to convince followers that what's happening today is result of their actions, which it's not," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who called the U.S. troop removal "a step forward."

Queen Michelle The First?

Jeremy Mayer - the director of George Mason University's master's program in public policy and a liberal - argues that it's a very bad idea for U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to become a bigger policymaking player: "Michelle Obama wants a bigger role in her husband’s administration, according to The Washington Post. Unlike Laura Bush, who focused on a few peripheral issues, Obama wants a seat at the table when key policies are made. Obama’s new chief of staff, Susan Sher, is part of the crucial 8:15 a.m. White House staff meeting. The first lady’s team of more than 20 has been told to think 'strategically' about how to make her a player on policies she cares about. This could be a very bad idea. Washington insiders haven’t seen a first lady this ambitious since Hillary Clinton, without question the most powerful holder of that unofficial office. Clinton put herself in charge of her husband’s plans to radically reform health care, and the nation is still paying the price for her mistakes. While the failure of the Clinton administration’s health care agenda had many causes, she made some missteps that a more experienced Washington policymaker would not have made. And because she was the spouse of the president, it was very tough for anyone to tell her husband that things were going badly."

He continues his commentary: "Yet even if Obama is a natural and immediately grasps how Washington works, there is something troubling about the whole concept of a presidential spouse with a multimillion-dollar staff. Being the spouse of the president didn’t always get you a seat at the policy table. It wasn’t until the Carter years that first ladies got taxpayer-financed staffing. It has become so embedded in our system that it seems almost natural today. But constitutionally, the first spouse has no more right to wield power than does the spouse of the chief justice. Imagine the uproar if Chief Justice John Roberts announced that his wife, Jane, would take the lead role on any abortion questions that came before the court and would participate in deliberations with the other justices. She is, after all, a very bright attorney with an Ivy League degree who has impassioned views about abortion. Or if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided that her husband, Paul, would write our health care legislation. The only reason that these comparisons seem farcical is that the media have granted the family of the president an oversize role in American public life in the past 80 years. There is no doubt that first ladies have done great good on issues such as literacy and freedom in Myanmar. Yet it is, at its core, anti-republican and nepotistic for a citizen to gain access to formal power via blood or marriage."

More commentary from Mr. Mayer: "Over time, we have adopted a 'serial monarchy' in which the family — and particularly the spouse — of the president has the potential for enormous influence. Ironically, in European democracies, where monarchies were once powerful, spouses of leaders are not given formal power over policies. One prospect for this changing is a first spouse abdicating the role. In 2004, Howard Dean’s wife had already suggested that if he were elected president, she would go on working as a physician, as she had when Dean was governor of Vermont. The key turning point could come with the election of a woman to the presidency. The newness of a 'first gentleman' could cause us to re-examine this odd accretion of power via marriage. For now, the White House knows that Obama is an extraordinarily popular voice for the president’s policies. It would be foolish not to deploy her, now and on the campaign trail in 2012. We can only hope that she avoids a HillaryCare fiasco with her policy input. Personally, I think Obama is going to be a good 'queen' for America during the next four years. But the problem with monarchical power is that you never know what you are going to get next."

VIDEO: James Cleverly on Youth Crime In Britain

James Cleverly, London Assemblyman and the city's Youth Ambassador and conservative, discusses how to fix youth crime. I have no desire to be British, but I do want the accent LOL:

Politik Ditto: "Obama Insults Blacks Again, Compares Gay Wants To Civil Rights Movement"

The black conservative blog takes issue with U.S. President Barack Obama's comments yesterday at a White House reception honoring Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month: "Proof once again of how much Barry and his mostly white, liberal staff continues to take the black vote for granted. Despite the fact that homosexuality is an immoral and unhealthy lifestyle choice, Barry still insults Black Americans in this country by equating the two. The 'Stonewall Riots' vs the Middle Passage? No comparison. Continued discrimination faced by blacks in regards to access of income, education, housing, healthcare and criminal justice vs. that for gays? Again, no comparison. Blacks going back-n-forth on race vs. gays going back-n-forth on their sexuality? Funny that. If Barry's going to let the mostly white, male, liberal gay movement bully him into passing their wayward agenda, fine. Just don't insult the history of blacks and racial oppression in this country while you do it."

Get Used To Torture

Elizabeth Wright, a black paleo-conservative blogger, opines about the War On Terrorism: "Imprisoned for life, without a trial? For centuries, this was the norm in many countries around the world, and is still in some places. However, the New World's America was blessed with a Constitution designed to prevent any such travesty from taking root on these shores. Yet every now and then a despot comes along, an Abraham Lincoln or a George W. Bush, who decides that, not only does his bountiful wisdom place him above all law, it also grants him the right to contrive his own laws. Today, the major enablers of those who would deny due process to American citizens are the people who call themselves 'conservative patriots.'"

BISHOP COUNCIL NEDD II OP-ED: Enlightened Intolerance An Enemy Of Democracy

The conservative Republican pastor, on liberal intolerance towards people who disagree with their views: "Californians can legislate by voting on referendums. Last November, many of those who voted for Obama also voted for Proposition 8 to amend the state’s constitution to reserve marriage for heterosexual couples. It won with over 52 percent of the vote. According the polling cited by the Washington Post, seven in 10 blacks voted for Proposition 8. Among Hispanics, 53 percent supported it. Opponents of Proposition 8 were furious. Unlike 2000, however, there were no complaints of voter suppression, people turned away at the polls or faulty voting machines casting doubt on the results. The fact it passed was the sole reason for the outrage. In a state where residents pride themselves on inclusiveness, tolerance and enlightenment, proponents of gay marriage decided the will of the people must be overruled. Angry crowds marched. Threats were made against supporters. Efforts were made to find and punish those who funded the pro-Proposition 8 campaign. The Mormon Church was particularly demonized, with Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks calling Mormons 'un-American' for their support of Proposition 8. Mormon churches and Mormon-owned businesses were targeted for vandalism and boycotts. A legal appeal to overturn the results was promptly filed. The California Supreme Court overwhelmingly backed Proposition 8, but let existing gay marriages remain legal. A few days after that ruling, a federal lawsuit was filed. All this because people voted for what they thought was in their own best interest."

Bishop Nedd II continues: "My father, born in a very segregated South Carolina in 1925, was fond of saying, 'meet the new boss, the same as the old boss.' The behavior of these cultural terrorists in California, I am saddened to say, illustrates his point. One needs only to Google a few words to reveal the venom of Proposition 8’s supposedly enlightened and tolerant opponents. Searching terms such as 'Proposition 8,' 'terrorists' and the n-word shortly after Election Day, I read disturbing first-hand accounts of racial slurs. I also read diatribes I might assume came from white supremacists rather than those claiming to be from a persecuted class. While these people were likely delighted with overwhelming black support for Obama, their true feelings apparently slipped out when people they always took for granted voted their conscience. Six states currently allow same-sex marriage. But, in 30 states where it has been brought up for a public vote, traditional marriage prevails. Most recently, the government of the predominantly black District of Columbia rejected a marriage referendum because it would allegedly violate anti-discrimination laws. When the people can’t be trusted, take away their vote? This minority-liberal schism, and the nasty liberal response, shows what happens when blacks leave the liberal plantation. Contempt is not reserved just for Michael Steele and Clarence Thomas anymore."

DEMETRIUS MINOR OP-ED: America's Much-Needed Liberation From Government

The conservative Republican blogger and college student opines about Big Government in the United States: "Americans must liberate themselves from the shackles of government expansion. The government does not have the right to tell you what doctor to go to, what car to drive or how to spend your money. If Americans do not speak up and let their voice be heard, they will continue to live in political Egypt, slaving thems[el]ves only to see the government deepen their economic woes. My fellow Americans, it is foolish and ignorant for us to be sit back and be complacent. You have seen your taxpayer money wasted to bailout CEOS and companies who are not performing, only to see them file for bankruptcy. You have seen the government spend money that it simply does not have, and as a result, it has deepened our national debt. You have seen a government who refuses to behave fiscally. Instead of spending your money wisely, government has wasted it on insurance for honeybees, an airport for Congressman John Murtha, and other wasteful projects. We are seeing Congress in the process of passing the largest tax increase in years with the cap-and-trade bill. America -- it is time to liberate yourself from the idea that the government will take care of you. The question during the 2008 Presidential Campaign was 'Are you better off than you were 8 years ago?' I ask you this: Will you be better off 10 years from now? What will you give to your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren?"

Davis Seeks Ideas: Legalizing Pot No. 1, But Nixed

Legalizing marijuana turned out to be the top single vote-getter when Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) used his gubernatorial campaign Web site to solicit ideas for moving Alabama forward. It didn't rate that high with the moderate Democrat, however, and he didn't even mention it when thanking contributors after the Web vote was taken down last Friday.

The marijuana idea was posted by Loretta Nall of Alexander City, an independent candidate for governor in 2006 and a longtime advocate of decriminalizing marijuana. She was incensed that he didn't acknowledge the idea even though it came in first.

When the campaign took the ideas off the campaign Web site, it posted a video of Rep. Davis thanking more than 2,300 people for voting for 80 ideas. Rep. Davis, who opposes legalizing marijuana, mentioned several of the ideas in his video, but not marijuana.

Ms. Nall was delighted that her idea drew 118 votes, but she was outraged when Rep. Davis took down the ideas after hers won and did not mention her idea in his video. "He says everybody is invited to the table, but apparently that's not the case," she said.

More traditional political topics, like creating a state lottery or removing the state sales tax on groceries, trailed Ms. Nall's idea in votes. Several people posted different ideas for rewriting Alabama's lengthy constitution. If all those postings had been combined into one, constitutional revision would have had 38 more votes than Ms. Nall's idea.

From Walkman To iPod: A Tale Of Two Eras

Bob Parks, a black conservative Republican commentator, writes about advances in music technology: "I remember my first Walkman. Talk about a status symbol, taking the time to find record cuts to tape (the record industry didn't seem to have a problem with 'pirating' then), looking for Chromium Dioxide tapes that would sound brighter (and wear down the tape heads faster), and seeking out those illusive 120 minute cassettes for a longer and more enjoyable listening experience. And now I have my iPod and can appreciate the difference in sound quality (CDs are practically obsolete), choice of songs, and even digital video (for those us who remember the tech leaps from Betamax to VHS to .wmvs). I think it would be fun to give a young person a Walkman and see what they'd do with it, and if they could figure out [what] 'eject' meant and what that big button with the single arrow did….

Booker Rising response: I still remember when my young cousin commented on his grandfather's (my uncle's) record collection: "all those big CDs in the basement" LOL.

MYCHAL MASSIE COMMENTARY: America's Money-Grubbing, Racial Extortionists

The conservative Republican commentator wallops black lawmakers and leaders who claim that the U.S. Senate's recent apology for slavery is not enough: "They want money, and the apology is simply the viscous lubricant that greases the machinations of their intent. Even more egregious is the fact that most of the black citizenry, being overcome with their own dreams of what reparation dollars will buy – are too blind and/or jaundiced to understand that they are the useful idiots in a much larger and more complex shell-game. First of all, America has apologized – often and repeatedly. America apologized when over 700,000 men, women and children died fighting a war that ultimately led to the end of slavery. America apologized by being a country with the good sense and decency to abolish slavery and Jim Crow. America apologized with equal rights, civil rights, Great Society initiatives, race-based affirmative action programs, Act 101, race-based contracts and set-asides, race-based business loans and mortgages, the permitting of segregated dormitories, graduations and proms to placate race mongers, color-coded jobs, and the list goes on and on. But the cry is for more – and those who profit from white guilt, coupled with corrupt opportunity, are working diligently to extort trillions of dollars based on a debt that has already been paid. The Congressional Black Caucus is upset because contained in the Senate version of the apology resolution is a disclaimer that reads in part, 'Nothing in this resolution authorizes or supports any claim against the United States.' In common parlance that means, 'You get a written apology, but not one penny in addition to same.'"

More commentary from Mr. Massie: "NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous, in a prepared statement, said, 'The apology for slavery and the era of Jim Crow is long overdue and is the first step toward healing the wounds of African-American men and women throughout this country.' Note the language, 'first step toward healing.' Anyone care to bet on what the second step is? The wounds of Jim Crow and slavery have been healed for black families – but these entrepreneurs of racial discord and immiseration don't want that to be understood – because there is no financial quid-pro-quo in that scenario for them."

THOMAS SOWELL COMMENTARY: Alice In Medical Care

The conservative economist writes: "A cynic is said to be someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. If so, then it is political cynicism to point to other countries that spend less on medical care, including some countries where there is 'universal health care' provided 'free' by their governments. Just as medical care, houses and cars were all cheaper when they lacked things that they have today, so medical care in other countries is cheaper when they lack many things that are more readily available in the United States. There are more than four times as many Magnetic Resonance Imaging units (MRIs) per capita in the United States as in Britain or Canada, where there are government-run medical systems. There are more than twice as many CT scanners per capita in the United States as in Canada and more than four times as many per capita as in Britain. Is it surprising that such things cost money? The cost of developing a new pharmaceutical drug is now about a billion dollars. Neither political rhetoric nor government bureaucracies will make those costs go away."

Mr. Sowell continues his commentary about health care in America: "We can, of course, refuse to pay these and other medical costs, just as we can refuse to buy air-conditioned homes with built-in microwave ovens. But that just means we pay attention only to prices and not to the value of what we get for those prices. We can even refuse to pay for so many doctors. But that just means that we will have to wait longer to see a doctor -- as people do in countries with government-run medical systems. In Canada, 27 percent of the people who have surgery wait four months or more. In Britain, 38 percent wait that long. But only 5 percent of Americans wait that long for surgery. Surgery may well cost less in countries with government-run medical systems -- if you count only the money cost, and not the time the patients have to endure the ailments that require surgery, or the fact that some conditions become worse, or even fatal, while waiting. A recent report from the Fraser Institute in Canada shows that patients there wait an average of ten weeks to get an MRI, just to find out what is wrong with them. A lot of bad things can happen in 10 weeks, ranging from suffering to death. Politicians may talk about 'bringing down the cost of medical care,' but they seldom even attempt to bring down the costs. What they bring down is the price -- which is to say, they refuse to pay the costs."

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Derek Luke, USA

Reader D In Sactown recommended this fella. Derek Luke was born in Jersey City, N.J. The 35-year-old actor is the son of pianist Marjorie Dixon and Maurice Luke, a native of Guyana and former actor in London. The couple divorced when Mr. Luke was in the third grade, leaving his mom to raise three boys on her own in a tough environment. After high school, he studied acting at Jersey State College for a semester, and then moved to L.A. to start his career.

Mr. Luke was discovered while working at the Studio Emporium gift shop on the Sony studio lot and given a role in "Antwone Fisher" (2002) which was directed and produced by Denzel Washington. Mr. Fisher won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film. You've also seen him in films like "Glory Road", the World War II film "Miracle At St. Anna", portraying Sean Combs in "Notorious", and "Madea Goes To Jail". You've also seen him as Alicia Keys' love interest in her video "Teenage Love Affair", as well as Monica's love interest in the her video "So Gone".

Some tidbits about Mr. Luke: He used to sell cologne out of the back of his car and ushered at the studios to make ends meet. He made his television debut in 1999, as an orderly on "The King of Queens". In 2002, he appeared in a series of Gap commercials.

He is married to Sophia Adella Hernandez, a singer and actress.

JOHN MCWHORTER OP-ED: The Supreme Court Finally Gets Real On "Disparate Impact"

The moderate-liberal Democratic commentator and former college professor argues that today's U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Ricci v. DeStefano affirmative action case isn't a "rolling back" measure on racial equality, but represents true progress in America: "The Supreme Court’s decision in favor of the New Haven firefighters whose test results were discounted is welcome news indeed for making our discussions of race and racism clearer and more honest. It’s high time the Title VII stipulation on 'disparate impact,' based on a 1971 addendum to the Civil Rights Act’s banning of intentional discrimination in 1964, was revised. In itself, it makes sense – but mission creep has led to a distorted sense of what it means, or should mean."

Mr. McWhorter continues: "The creeping assumption that where there is disparate impact the cause must be discrimination is just that, a meandering and sloppily reasoned assumption. At the very least, it is worth investigation and assessment as to whether that assumption is true. That is, to do so, and possibly to revise that assumption as the Supreme Court just has, cannot be dismissed as backwards, racist, a sad day, and so on. For example, there are reasons, as I have written in this space, as to why black applicants are often not as good in the aggregate as white ones in taking standardized tests. The reasons have to do with history and culture. The idea that the solution in New Haven was to throw out the test – or engage in aggrieved rationalizing as to whether the test corresponds perfectly to the job itself, as if anyone ever thought it did -- is ultimately based on a sense that it is somehow vaguely unfair, not quite 'the thing,' to require black people to really kick ass on tests, especially if it turns out that they are not great at them at first. How dare we suggest that black people do more prep beforehand (as lead defendant Ricci did) and do so as early as many of the white ones did, as described here?"

More: "It’s one thing to state that those defending New Haven have done so on the basis of the precedent of ruling on the basis of disparate impact. That in itself is true, although the sheer brevity of the decision that Sonia Sotomayor participated in is still unsavory, as if the disparate impact argument were utterly transparent and logically unassailable. In that light, it is logically indefensible to insist or imply that a decision made on the basis of the disparate impact precedent is no longer subject to re-evaluation by moral people. And in 2009, when racism, while existing, is a different thing than it was in 1964, a decision to pull back on the disparate impact argument could be one conducted in illogical fashion. However, it could equally well be a coherent argument – and the decision today would appear to be of the latter kind."

Bernard Madoff Gets Maximum 150 Years In Prison

Bernard Madoff, the 71-year-old former Nasdaq chairman who perpetrated the largest Ponzi scheme in Wall Street history, today received the maximum sentence of 150 years in federal prison. Madoff's $65 billion fraudulent scheme wiped out the assets of thousands of investors, many of them from the Jewish community, around the world. His victims ranged from movie mogul Steven Spielberg and many Palm Beach millionaires to countless numbers of small investors whose lifetime retirement savings were funneled into his operations through so-called "feeder funds," frequently unbeknown to them.

Prosecutors had requested the maximum 150-year prison term suggested by federal guidelines. Madoff's lawyer, Ira Sorkin, had sought a term of 12 years.

Madoff pleaded guilty in March to 11 felony counts, including securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, multiple counts of money laundering, wire fraud, false filings and false statements. He has been residing in a federal jail since his guilty plea in March.

Just weeks before Madoff admitted the massive fraud late last year, his customers had been told they had as much as $65 billion in the collective investment accounts that he managed. Prosecutors have identified more than 1,300 investors who have lost more than $13 billion from Madoff's Ponzi scheme. That tally is expected to rise significantly. Over the years, $170 billion flowed through the bank account that Madoff used to perpetrate his scheme.

The investigators looking into Madoff's operations said the scheme dates back at least to the early 1980s. In March, Madoff said the scheme began during the 1990s. Countless millions of dollars were used to finance Madoff's luxurious lifestyle, which included an $11 million estate in Palm Beach, Fla.; a $7 million Manhattan apartment; a $4 million home in Montauk, N.Y.; a $2.2 million boat; and $1 million memberships at high-end country clubs.

Booker Rising response: The court kills me with this "150 years" sentence. Just say life imprisonment, no parole possibility. We all know he ain't living for 150 years! Mr. Sorkin should be slapped for even suggesting only a 12-year sentence for his 72-year-old client! I read that his wife Ruth Madoff cries herself to sleep every night. Poor thing will have to live off "only" $2.5 million, while her husband's clients leave with nothing. Dude was consistently claiming double-digit annual returns, when others had more modest success and regardless of the condition of the economy and stock market. That alone should've raised red flags after some years. While the SEC certainly should've been on the case, am I the only one wondering about the personal responsibility of investors (and these ain't regular folks, but high-net-worth folks who knew something about the stock market) to not let greed override common sense?

News Tidbits

Fireworks Over Baghdad As Iraqis Take Over Cities: Iraqi forces assumed formal control of Baghdad and other cities on Tuesday (it's already Tuesday in Iraq) after American troops handed over security in urban areas in a defining step toward ending the U.S. combat role in the country. A countdown clock broadcast on Iraqi TV ticked to zero as the midnight deadline passed for U.S. combat troops to finish their pullback to bases outside cities. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declared a public holiday and proclaimed June 30 as "National Sovereignty Day." Midnight's handover to Iraqi forces filled many citizens with pride but also trepidation that government forces are not ready and that violence will rise. Shiites fear more bombings by Sunni militants; Sunnis fear that the Shiite-dominated Iraqi security forces will give them little protection.

Supreme Court Reconsiders McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Bill: In a sign that the U.S. Supreme Court is seriously considering overturning one of the underpinnings of modern campaign finance rules, Chief Justice John Roberts today announced that justices would rehear a case challenging restrictions on corporate-funded campaign ads. The result of the argument, which is scheduled for September 9, could reshape the way American political campaigns are waged on the precipice of the 2010 midterm and the 2012 presidential elections.

Michael Jackson's Mother Wins Custody Of Children: Michael Jackson’s mother has been granted temporary custody of his three children after she asked a court in Los Angeles to declare her the legal guardian. The singer's three children, Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael, 7, have been staying with their grandmother Katherine Jackson since their father's death. Court documents show that Ms. Jackson, 79, is also petitioning to take over the children's estate. The value of their estate is listed as "unknown". The attorney for Debbie Rowe, who is the mother of the eldest two children, has hinted the star's former nurse is not looking for custody. The mother of the youngest child is listed in court documents as "unknown".

Obama Still Looking For Church Home: The White House said that a Time.com claim that U.S. President Obama has stopped his search - and would make his primary place of worship the Evergreen Chapel, the non-denominational church at Camp David - is erroneous.

VIDEOS: Rev. James Manning Discusses President Obama

This dude is a trip! I remember Rev. James Manning from last year, with his diss video of U.S. President Barack Obama's mother and his "Obama is a long-legged mack daddy" mantra. I had thought he was doing parody, but Rev. Manning actually pastors a church in Harlem. Booker Rising highlights black moderates and black conservatives....including over-the-top ones. Besides, Rev released two hilarious videos today. Let's just say that he ain't Barry's biggest fan:



Rev. Manning is correct about one thing: that President Obama isn't telling the truth about his smoking habit. Barry isn't verbal-body congruent as he makes his claim about not being a "daily smoker, constant smoker". He shakes his head both yes and no while making that claim. He does the same, albeit more slightly, when claiming that he is "95% cured". That suggests to me that President Obama is not a daily smoker, but he does smoke more regularly than he publicly wants to admit. However, he is verbal-body congruent when he says that he doesn't smoke in front of his kids or his family. Oh, and Barry is trying to conceal a contemptuous facial microexpression (expressed on the left side of his mouth) several times behind his smile, because he is so not liking this reporter's question. Y'all, Barry is sneaking them smokes more than he is revealing behind Michelle's back (he promised her that he'd quit as a condition for her approval for him to run for president). While I can't stand smoke around me, folks need to leave Barry alone. Dang, can't a brotha enjoy a little Marlboro and blacken his lungs on his down time? LOL



Now we all know President Obama ain't attending Michael Jackson's funeral. Political reasons. Just quit already. Oh, this Rev has me rolling LMBAO. Too funny... But stop. No, ol' boy did not just say that "Gary, Ind., Chicago is the same ghetto", when mentioning Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Whoa! This Negro actually lumps Chicago, a world-class city, with crappy Gary?! WTH?! Rev. Wright lives in Tinley Park, a Chicago suburb that is hardly the ghetto. Chicago is pretty big, dude. Is New York City all the same? LOL

Interim Honduran President Roberto Micheletti Defends Military Action

Yesterday, Booker Rising mentioned the coup in Honduras over an illegal referendum. Well, Interim Honduran President Roberto Micheletti (pictured) defended the actions of Honduran military officials in booting President Manuel Zelaya from power. ''We can't allow that this government take us to communism or socialism,'' said he said.

President Zelaya was spirited out of his home yesterday at 5am by the military, which flew him to Costa Rica. He was replaced by Mr. Micheletti, the head of Congress. It was Central America's first coup since military officials forced President Jorge Serrano of Guatemala to step down in 1993 after he tried to dissolve Congress and suspend the constitution.

A leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, President Zelaya found himself increasingly isolated over a nonbinding referendum that was to take place Sunday. The attorney general and the Supreme Court declared the poll illegal, because it asked voters whether they wanted a constituent assembly to modify the constitution to allow the president to seek reelection. The constitution prohibits changes to some of its clauses, including those that deal with reelection.

''We are abiding by the Constitution of our country and that's why we have national support,'' President Micheletti said. However, international support has been slim. Costa Rica, where President Zelaya is in exile, denounced what it called a coup d'état. Cuba and Venezuela also criticized the Honduran military's actions. On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was ''deeply concerned'' and released a statement asking Honduran officials to "respect democratic norms, the rule of law and tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.''

President Micheletti, a member of President Zelaya's party, refused to call it a coup. He said nations must accept the military's decision to defend Honduras' constitution.

Booker Rising response: I guess President Obama's "no meddling" ethic has been kicked to the curb. I'm just curious as to why U.S. President Obama thinks it's OK to "meddle" in this situation - boy, he sure hopped on this one - but not in Iran (mind you, I agreed with Barry not to meddle in Iran)? When even the Iranian government admitted to election irregularities? While I don't think Zelaya should've been ousted - he was democratically elected, and the Honduran Congress already had impeachment proceedings underway which should've been allowed to run whatever course - why is there no criticism from Barry regarding how Manny (1) went gangsta by pushing for the referendum when the Honduran Constitution is crystal clear that there can be no constitutional changes re: term limits; and (2) how Manny fired that army chief, because ol' boy refused to go against the Supreme Court ruling and press on with the referendum anyway?

Bookeristas respond: DarkKnight, a black conservative Republican, charges on Twitter that "Obama continues to be Chavez's spokesman in Honduras".

RoSiTa08, a black conservative Republican in New York: "Dear Obama you IMMEDIATELY back Zelaya BUT NOT the ppl being killed in Iran ...WTF!!! U NEED TO BE STOPPED!!!"

Sophia Nelson on New Haven Firefighter Case

The moderate Republican pundit argues that the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Ricci v. DeStefano is right in principle, but wonders how it will impact what she calls good affirmative action policies going forward: "However, by reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge, the court has set the stage for conservatives to attack Sotomayor in her upcoming confirmation hearings. I fear that her hearing will come down to 'race in America' and how she views application of the law on that issue alone. Not good. In a 5-4 decision the court said Monday, that New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results. It further said that the city had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities and that this was not an appropriate justification for its actions."

Ms. Nelson continues her commentary: The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities. This concerns me deeply, as for example, in my profession (law) -- black women and minorities make up only 3-4% of attorneys nationwide and in large law firms -- black women fare worst of all. It is the same in medicine, academia, and corporate America. Clearly, the nation STILL needs policies in place that advance women and people of color, but the question is how to do so in a way that balances the need of all persons in the workplace. It is a difficult task to say the least. But one that we must address, and do so in a candid and realistic manner."

More commentary from Ms. Nelson about the case: "I will write more later, when I have read the opinion, but I think this nation is going to be forced to discuss race, racism, affirmative action, and how we move forward. If we do not do so in a respectful and honest manner, I am concerned that we may be getting ready to set the racial progress we have made in this country in the last 40 years back at least a generation or two if we are not careful."

Jacko & Dysfunction: Two Black Conservative Perspectives

Sandra Rose, a British-born conservative blogger, discusses late entertainer Michael Jackson's strange obsession - and alleged pedophilia - with young boys: "Evidence shows that Jackson was not an aggressive pedophile. He was cautious, preferring to court his young subjects for months before making his move. And even then, Jackson seemed to be more obsessed with the boys’ masturbation techniques than he was with actually molesting them. Terry [George of Britain, who was only 13 when Michael Jackson befriended him and allegedly masturbated on the telephone with him], now a 42-year-old multimillionaire entrepreneur, said: 'Michael was a musical legend and genius. But what he did when I was a teenager was wrong.' There are rumors that Jackson’s 2nd victim, Jordy Chandler — the one who settled out of court for $22 million, has come forward to admit he lied. But that story may prove to be a hoax. The fact remains that Jackson was driven to Jordy’s home on numerous occasions where he spent night with the youngster in his bed. To be sure, that is bizarre behavior for any grown man, much less a superstar who lived under a microscope."

Ms. Rose continues her commentary: "We should stop making excuses and blaming Michael’s pathology on his lost childhood. Michael was not a solo star as a child. He was a member of the Jackson 5. If Michael lost his childhood then so did his brother Marlon who was only a year older than he. The two boys were inseparable and therefore shared the same childhood experiences. Yet Marlon grew up to be a stable productive member of society. For that matter, so did Janet and Randy. Actors Shirley Temple and McCauley Culkin were both mega child stars, on a larger scale than Michael was as a kid. And, as a result they were both under tremendous pressure. But both Culkin and Temple grew up normally."

Tara Wall, a political analyst for The Washington Times and conservative Republican, sees Mr. Jackson as having continued the Jackson family's dysfunction: "The 'King of Pop' was a talent beyond what this world may ever see. He was an abused child at the hands of his father. He was also a self-destructive drug addict whose narcissistic indulgences have now left his own children fatherless. Beyond the Hollywood story, it is a sad and telling story. One that further highlights the decline of the American family. Among the many great, loving, and nourishing homes in this country, one cannot disregard the broken ones. Those that aren't just in the inner city or urban centers but also in middle America and the upper echelons of society. Hollywood is hurting and those kids are also falling through the cracks, fostering another generation to continue the cycle. The Jackson tragedy not only proves that what appears on the surface is not always reality but what can happen when society ignores the warning signs."

Ms. Wall continues her commentary about the family: "It is my suspicion that the days and months (and court proceedings) to follow will only reveal just how dysfunctional the Jackson clan was and is. While most assuredly they are wrought with grief, they also can't be too surprised at the pop star's death (as most families dealing with addicted loved ones can attest.) A revealing Joe Jackson, Michael's controversial father, appeared to be in some kind of a drug stupor of his own when he told a reporter over the weekend: 'He's the greatest star in the world and too bad he had to be passed away the way he is.' When celebrity trumps sanity and the sanctity of a stable family is broken it is a sad state of affairs. Here's hoping that Michael's children will be the beginning of the end to that cycle for the Jackson family."

U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Ricci v. DeStefano: The Black Center-Right Reacts

Yet another Sonia Sotomayor ruling gets overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Even liberal justices criticized the appellate court judge and her colleagues for doing a summary judgment, and not even considering the constitutionality of the case. Folks comment:

La Shawn Barber, a conservative in California, writes: "Supreme Court sides with fairness. Rules in favor of white firefighters denied promotions because of race". More: "A developing meme is that the Supreme Court reversed Sotomayor. Will it make a difference during confirmation hearings? I’m not hopeful Sotomayor-reversed will generate much steam. I doubt Republicans have the heart to grill Sotomayor the way they should. They’re not of stout heart."

Politik Ditto, a conservative blog, argues that conservatives should beware: "As much as conservatives are literally jumping for joy over this decision, I really don't see what the big deal is, much less why this case should make any difference on whether or not Sonia Sotomayor gets on the Supreme Court. Sotomayor belongs on SCOTUS because she's more than qualified and David Souter siding with the minority here proves once again that Sotomayor's placement on SCOTUS will more than likely have little impact on the ideological balance on there. Considering too that most Americans feel that Sotomayor belongs on SCOTUS, the GOP needs to thread carefully about making this firefighters case an issue during confirmation proceedings for Sotomayor, as it could very well come back to haunt them."

Katrina Simm, a conservative Republican in New Jersey, writes on Twitter: "Kudos to the supreme court for smacking down that racist ruling from sotomayor."

Carol Swain, a law and political science professor at Vanderbilt University and moderate-conservative, writes on Twitter: "Expressing approval of the S.CT.'s wise decision in Ricci."

Dywan Washington, a conservative Republican in Tampa, Fla., writes on Twitter: "In your bigoted face Sotomayor. I am very pleased with the decision of the SCOTUS".

What Did You Expect? The Academy Awards?

Duane Brayboy discusses last night's controversial BET Awards, which was supposed to be a tribute to the late entertainer Michael Jackson: "I intentionally missed 99.9% of the BET Awards show last night because I simply do not watch award shows, period. After reading all the comments on Facebook regarding the show (folks were blasting it left and right), I thought that maybe I would give it a chance. The show had some good points, but it was still BET. Yup, the same BET that is regularly put on blast by the Black bourgeoisie for being a huge embarrassment to the Black race. Michael Jackson died and this group suddenly expected their favorite whipping boy (BET) to go from Mantan to Dennis Haysbert in a tux in one night. Heck, we can’t even pull off a miracle like that at some of our own funerals. The Black bourgeoisie must have higher hopes for BET than what they are leading us to believe. Moving on…"

Ambra Nykol, a black conservative in Seattle, Washington, wonders why folks would even bother to watch the awards show: "I have a hard time understanding why anyone would give 4+ hours of their time/life to the BET Awards foolery. LEARN the lesson people".

Ripclawe, a black conservative Republican blogger, argues that BET Awards = garbage: "Jamie Foxx was annoying and self promoting as usual, production values were below what you would expect on any big time award show, the older R&B, soul acts showed what talent really is compared to the newer 'hotter' acts of today. As for the Michael Jackson tribute, I will await an actual tribute show instead of whatever the hell they thought was a tribute to MJ."

Booker Rising response: I hadn't watched BET in a year, and it was only the "tribute to Michael Jackson" billing that attracted me. Where do I begin about last night's broadcast?! I only saw part of it, and I felt like my IQ dropped 10 points every half hour. First of all, where was the Michael Jackson tribute because I really didn't see it. Bobby Brown and the tongue flicker. Jamie Foxx hogging the spotlight, and jacking up my favorite Michael Jackson song ("Beat It"). Some folks tripped when I said that hip hop has been 95% trash for 15 years. Did you see the Drake & Lil' Wayne performance last night? How old were those girls on stage? They looked like 12 or 13! Lil' Wayne (pictured) needs to pull up his pants pronto. And BET had to bleep out seemingly half of their performance. And lest we forget, thug rap group Three 6 Mafia did win an Oscar three years ago for "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp", so the Academy Awards ain't great either...

Abuse Of Power

Devone Tucker argues that, unlike usual, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas deserves the heat he is taking for his dissent in a June 25 ruling concerning the rights of public school students. The black conservative Republican blogger opines: "Thomas was the only Justice who rejected the court’s logic in Safford Unified School District v. April Redding. The case concerned Redding’s daughter Savana, who was a 13-year-old honor student at Arizona’s Safford Middle School in the fall of 2003. Another student had accused Savana of distributing prescription-strength ibuprofen (Advil) in violation of school policy; the school’s assistant principal summoned Savana to his office and questioned her about the other student’s allegation. Savana denied the claim, and allowed the assistant principal and his female administrative assistant to search her backpack. After they failed to find any weapons of mass pain relief, the administrative assistant, acting on the assistant principal’s orders, took Savana to the (female) school nurse’s office; both women searched Savana’s outer clothing, but failed to find any Advil. 'Finally,' Justice David Souter wrote in his majority opinion, “Savana was told to pull her bra out and to the side and shake it, and to pull out the elastic on her underpants, thus exposing her breasts and pelvic area to some degree. No pills were found.' Humiliated by the strip search, Savana informed her mother; she sued the school district and the administrators involved in the search, arguing that Savana’s Fourth Amendment rights had been violated."

He adds: "While Thomas may have a point about the general need to limit the role of the courts when it comes to the establishment of public school policies and the enforcement thereof, he’s mistaken with regard to this case. If school administrators are implementing disciplinary policies that effectively violate students’ Constitutional rights, why shouldn’t judges second-guess those policies? Thomas incredibly claimed that school administrators '…had reasonable grounds to suspect that Redding was in possession of prescription and nonprescription drugs in violation of the school’s prohibition of the ‘non-medical use, possession, or sale of a drug’ on school property or at school events.' What reasonable grounds? The word of one student, a student who was apparently disgruntled with Savana? Why would that student have automatic, undisputed credibility? (Thomas noted that another student had accused Savana of serving alcohol at a party, a claim the girl disputed. Again, is this enough to justify a strip search?)".

More: "Thomas must have had a bad day. His dissent defends the concept of in loco parentis, but this concept is questionable when it comes to public schools. Do we really want public school administrators — some of whom may be motivated by prurience or prejudice — to have a unchallenged right to order strip searches for students based on unsubstantiated allegations of drug distribution? Thomas remains an underrated Justice and a role model for conservatives of color, but his wisdom went missing in this case. Savana Redding was essentially raped without force, treated like a third-class citizen by overzealous, clueless school administrators. I never thought I’d say this about a conservative judge, but Thomas should have shown some empathy."

PETER KIRSANOW OP-ED: Ricci And Sotomayor

The member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and conservative Republican writes about the U.S. high court's overturning of an affirmative action case: "The Supreme Court in Ricci held that before an employer can engage in intentional racial discrimination (i.e., throwing out the results of the promotional exam in which the highest scorers were white) for the claimed purpose of avoiding or remedying an unintentional disparate impact, it must have a strong basis in evidence to believe it will be subject to disparate-impact liability (not just sued) if it fails to take the race-conscious discriminatory action. Since [U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia] Sotomayor and her colleagues summarily dispensed with the white firefighters' arguments, the Supreme Court's opinion provides senators with a host of questions for Sotomayor during the confirmation hearings, starting with whether the nominee even considered arguments pertaining to the promotional exam's job-relatedness. Given that the Second Circuit affirmed summary judgment for New Haven in relatively cursory fashion, the Supreme Court's Ricci decision is a significant rebuke to how Sotomayor and her colleagues dispensed with the case."

COLLIN SPEARS OP-ED: Guantanamo And The Uighurs: The Story Of China’s Other Minority – Part II

The visiting fellow at the Center for New Politics and Policy (USA) and black moderate, writes about Chinese Muslims in the Xinjiang region. In this region, the Uighurs are increasingly clamoring for independence from China while the Chinese government considers them part of a Muslim terrorist network: "The Chinese government response has been four-fold. First, include Xinjiang in China’s general policy to develop its western provinces, which have fallen far behind the eastern coastal areas in economic prosperity. It is believed that enriching the Uighurs will partially pacify them. Second, marginalize the Uighur population socially and politically by promoting the immigration of Han Chinese. Currently Xinjiang is about 45% Uighur, Han Chinese are about 40 percent, with the remainder is composed of other Turkic groups, Mongols, and Hui (Han Chinese who converted to Islam centuries before). It is estimated that 55 percent of Xinjiang’s population is Muslim, which is primarily composed of Hui and Turkic groups. Third, use high-handed policies to control Islamic religious practices. Fo[u]rth, carryout [sic] strict security measures domestically and pressure foreign neighbors to suppress Uighur political activities in their nations."

How the Uighurs, who are a Turkic people, view things: "To say the conflict between the Chinese government and the Uighur people began with the communist ‘invasion’ of Xinjiang, after the Chinese civil war concluded, is somewhat specious. For many Uighurs it is an issue of historic ownership and identity. Most Uighurs believe Xinjiang is their country and, as such, should be governed independent from Chinese rule. They also do not see themselves as 'Chinese'. It is clear the Uighurs have not undergone the same level of sinicization as many minority groups in China, they are a distinct people, but does this preclude them from being Chinese? China is a multi-ethnic state. The land issue is not nearly is [sic] even more complex, the problem being that the Han Chinese and Uighurs have lived in close proximity for over a millennium. During that time, ownership of the land has changed hands many times, so both Uighurs and the Han Chinese have strong ownership claims. Although the Chinese claim the Uighurs entered the area well after Chinese control was established, the reality is that genetic testing shows the present Uighur population, as with most modern ethnic groups, is an amalgamation of various populations that have lived in the area since historic times."

More: "Xinjiang independence is only likely if the government in Beijing collapses, and even then, Chinese nationalism will likely lead them to try to reunify the nation when things stabilize. Even democratic Taiwan recognized Xinjiang as part of China and only recently recognized the independce of 'Outer Mongolia' (Mongolia). Most important, Xinjiang is far too strategic to be let go. It is a natural path for a ground invasion into China-proper from Central Asia, and this is critical considering it borders Afghanistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. In addition, Xinjiang is resource rich, containing about one-quarter of China’s oil and natural gas reserves, as well as significant deposits of iron and coal. Several nuclear testing facilities also reside in the province. In regard to U.S. foreign policy concerns, it is not in America’s strategic interest to destabilize China’s Central Asian border or to bring further upheaval to the Central and South Asian regions. Washington can continue to focus on human rights as a foreign policy objective, giving special mention to the Uighur issue as it does the Tibetans. Because this will alienate China, this small favor is also unlikely without significant lobbying. The Obama administration has signaled it is not interested in lecturing China on human rights if it interferes in other more pressing foreign policy matters."

Frances Rice: "Can Republicans Win Back The Black Vote?"

Asks the conservative head of the National Black Republican Association: "The Democratic Party's strategy of using handouts to garner the black votes, while working to keep blacks mired in poverty, was described as 'plantation politics' by President Barack Obama on page 147 of his book 'Dreams From My Father'. As a result of the politics of poverty practiced by Democrats, including Obama, the firm belief is now deeply rooted in the black community that the government must 'do something' for blacks. Democrats have been running black communities for the past 40+ years and turned those communities into economic and social wastelands with their failed socialist policies. Yet, Democrats have the gall to blame Republicans for the deplorable conditions caused by the Democrats. Democrats also accuse Republicans of doing nothing to help poor blacks – a charge that resonates with victim mongers. However, since the beginning of the so-called War on Poverty, over $9 trillion has been spent on poverty programs. According to the Washington Post, in one year alone under President George W. Bush, over $500 billion was spent on over 80 poverty-related programs, with little movement in the poverty needle. The problem with black poverty is not money – and it is not the Republican Party. Notably, only 25% of blacks are poor and living in those dilapidated neighborhoods run by Democrats. The remaining 75% of blacks are prosperous and living in the larger society. Shamefully, Democrats consistently fight efforts of Republicans to help poor blacks living in Democrat-controlled neighborhoods get out of poverty. Most egregious is the fight by Democrats to keep Republicans from providing school choice opportunity scholarships so that black parents can get their children out of failing schools. The money belongs to the people, not the buildings controlled by the teachers' unions that are supporters of the Democratic Party."

Ms. Rice continues her commentary about partisan politics: "The denigration by Democrats of blacks who identify with the Republican Party makes it nearly impossible for the Republican Party to attract blacks into the party, and for black Republicans to get elected to office in black communities. Yet, Democrats have the temerity to point a finger of blame at the Republican Party for there being so few blacks in the Republican Party and for there being so few black Republican elected officials. Notably, the few black Republicans who get elected to public office do so in largely white Republican districts. Those black Americans living in the Democrat-controlled neighborhoods who want to get out of poverty should seize control over their own destiny and stop voting monolithically for Democrats who use 'plantation politics' to buy their votes while keeping blacks in poverty. Democrats will forever maintain a 'lock' on the black vote, for as long as black Americans – including prosperous blacks who sympathize with poor blacks – continue believing the myth that the Republican Party is a racist party and clinging to the false notion that poor blacks are 'victims' who need government handouts to survive."

Booker Rising response: This article would've had a lot more punch had Ms. Rice focused on strategies that she and her fellow Republicans can use to attract more of the black vote that they desire to attract. If you don't like how the Democratic Party is portraying your party, then work harder to challenge them on that point. Start knocking on some black folks' doors and presenting your side of the story. It's not a one-way street, where black voters are just expected to cater to you. You've also got to cater to black voters. And can folks quit with the slavery imagery, which diminishes what our ancestors went through? Geez...

Star Parker: "Is This The End For Mark Sanford?"

Asks the conservative Republican commentator, about South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's decision to go missing for five days while being on a transcontinental booty call: "When I've been asked whom I thought could be the individual to lead the Republican Party out of the wilderness, my answer has always been Mark Sanford. His vision for his party and his country -- traditional values and limited government -- has always been clear, consistent, and, in my view, correct. And he has always pursued that vision, as a congressman and as a governor, with a boldness and courage rare among politicians. The Cato Institute publishes a bi-annual report card of the nation's governors, ranking them according to fiscal responsibility. In the most recent report, three governors out of fifty received an 'A.' Sanford was one of the three. So, like many others, I watched with disappointment his confession about his clandestine adulterous affair. Now what? No surprises that most predict the end of Sanford's political career. And, of course, we've got the usual, and gleeful, accusations of hypocrisy that another conservative Republican has been caught with his pants down. But if there is a crisis in America today -- and I think there is -- is it that leaders fall short of standards, or is it that our answers to human frailty increasingly tend to deny that any standards exist? The most strident accusations of hypocrisy come not from those saddened that Sanford fell short of the traditional values to which he subscribes. They're from those who want to de-legitimize and marginalize those traditional values."

More commentary from Ms. Parker about Gov. Sanford: "In a world in which there is sin, in which there is right and wrong, there is also repentance and redemption. Mark Sanford's world is that world. Let's pray that he can fix what is wrong inside of himself and that maybe we can still have a leader with the courage and vision that America needs."

Americans Seek Their African Roots

In 2005, Ms. Winfrey underwent DNA testing in an effort to determine her genetic makeup. Since then, thousands of other African Americans have followed suit, many of them household names in the U.S.

Comedian Chris Rock discovered that he descended from the Udeme people of northern Cameroon. LeVar Burton, who played the slave Kunta Kinte in the television drama "Roots", is genetically linked with the Hausa in Nigeria. Andrew Young traced his lineage to the Mende people of Sierra Leone. The civil rights leader is also believed to be a distant relative of one of the leaders of the 1839 Amistad slave ship mutiny.

DNA testing has also resulted in some honorary African titles. Forest Whitaker, who portrayed the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, was made an honorary chief of Igboland in southeastern Nigeria. He was given the title of Nwannedinambar of Nkwerre which means "brother in a foreign land", during a visit in April.

There are more than two dozen genealogy organizations in the U.S. selling genetic ancestry tests but African Ancestry is the only black-owned firm. It is also the first to cater specifically to African Americans. Of the half a million Americans who have purchased DNA tests, around 35,000 of them are African American. African Ancestry charges $349 to test either a person's maternal or paternal lineage. Swabs used to collect a DNA sample from the inside of the cheek are sent to the customer and then back to African Ancestry's laboratory. The DNA's genetic sequence is extracted and compared to others in the firm's database. The company claims this contains 25,000 samples from 30 countries and 200 ethnic groups, and is the world's largest collection of African lineages. African Ancestry say that they are very precise in tracing where a person's ancestors originate. A "results package" is then sent out, including a print-out of a person's DNA sequence, a certificate of ancestry and a map of Africa.

"What we need now is for people to get deeply involved in one particular country or region or culture," said Mr. Young, the civil rights leader whose consulting firm acts as a liaison for American companies wanting to do business in Africa.

There has been a change too in the way Africans see African Americans and claims of kinship that were once viewed with amusement are now embraced. This is partly due to the historic emergence of President Barack Obama. As a result, African politicians and businessmen want black Americans to lobby in the U.S. on the continent's behalf.

African countries hope African Americans' interest will lead to an increase in investment and a boost in tourism. Guinea-Bissau's Tourism Ministry encouraged comedian Whoopi Goldberg to visit when in 2007, DNA tests showed she was descended from the Papel and Bayote tribes of the country. Ms. Goldberg has not taken up the offer as she has a fear of flying and has not been in an airplane for 20 years. Unlike the Hollywood actress, as soon as Lyndra Marshall, a 56-year-old retiree from Maryland discovered her African heritage, she immediately boarded a plane for Ghana's Ashanti region. "We did not talk about where we came from when I was growing up," said Ms. Marshall. Since she found out she was of Ashanti descent, she has been trying to get other people to visit and invest in the country.

Professor Deborah Bolnick of the University of Texas is critical of African Ancestry. She says its database is too small to fulfill its marketing promise that it is "the only company whose tests will place your African ancestry in a present day country or region in Africa". "Consumers should know the limitations and complexities before they spend hundreds of dollars thinking they're going to find an answer to who they really are," said Professor Bolnick. "It's really much more uncertain than the testing companies make out."

Despite these limitations, African Ancestry customers like Ms Marshall are convinced her results are correct. "I have lots of family that look very Ghanaian, they are short like them, dark like them and I have a cousin that looks just like the Ashanti king."

However, comments like this offend the editor of Asante magazine. "African Americans just want to be able to say they were once kings and once ruled the world," said Ofori Anor. He feels that African governments and traditional rulers should stop the practice of granting citizenship and chieftaincies to African Americans. "Just because your genetics show you came from a place, should that mean you can lay claim to that group of people or place now?"

Booker Rising response: Oprah Winfrey was trying to front. She knew she wasn't no Zulu LOL. I don't even believe that she got that first DNA test claiming such, because Zulus weren't part of the Atlantic slave trade. In 2006, I took a matrilineal DNA through African Ancestry. I had a 100% genetic match with three neighboring tribes - who've intermingled for centuries - in modern-day far northern Cameroon, southwestern Chad, and a sliver of northeastern Nigeria. What African Ancestry could not tell me was whether my matrilineal ancestor was from one of those tribes, two, or all three tribes. I also know that the test only represents 1% or so of my total genetic makeup. However, for a black American, 1% is better than nothing. The chieftancies are bogus, so I agree with Mr. Anor. However, I see no problem with the citizenship offers. Or has Mr. Anor forgotten about Africans' participation in the slave trade?

Booker Rising Is On Twitter & Facebook

If you haven't had a chance to do so, check out Booker Rising on Twitter and Facebook, where "Booker T. Washington" posts from his old-school perspective.

Stanley Crouch: "Boy Who Never Grew Up Became The Man Who Will Never Grow Old"

The moderate columnist for the New York Daily News discusses the late entertainer Michael Jackson: "As a man who was never able to be an actual child because he became too famous too soon, Jackson seemed to maintain a determined nostalgia for what he had not experienced. Part of his trouble was that he became wealthy enough to create his own world of perpetual childhood. A great danger of enormous wealth and power is delusion. Whether an entertainer or not, one can be deluded into believing that it is not only possible to remain an adolescent but a right. After all, once wealthy, the man or the woman who lives in a sequoia forest of bucks might begin to believe that the personal level of success grants them the right to remain immature. Why grow up if you don't have to act like a grownup? That is one of the reasons that Jackson seemed more interested in looking like a cartoon character than just another cute ethnic group member destined to become, like his brothers, a handsome man. I think that ethnic self-loathing was not a large part of what he came to want when he looked in the mirror. The character Michael Jackson often resembled as the plastic surgery operations continued to slice and remake him was actually the Walt Disney version of Peter Pan. That personally chosen look was periodically upgraded with one nip and tuck after another. That went on until Jackson's face began to deteriorate at such an alarming rate that at one time his nose seemed to be crumbling before our very eyes. That was as much a symbol of what he had become as anything else about him and it could be part of the reason that he is now dead. All of that surgery might have had more to do with his apparent overuse of pain killers than his public ever knew."

Booker Rising response: At death, Mr. Jackson weighed a pound less than I do, and he was male and three inches taller? 13 plastic surgeries? Damn....

Quote Of The Day

"Supreme Court Justice John Roberts and the US Supreme Court’[s] June 2009 ruling was absolutely wrong in noting access to DNA testing should be left for states to decide, thereby rejecting any federal right to evidence to try to prove one['s] innocence. Roberts and other judges 'acknowledge testing’s ability to prove innocence' but put the burden squarely on state laws to do what is right. This is wrong minded and judicial evil at its best. Constitutional due process of law should mandate that no evidence be unexamined which may prove the guilt or innocence of those citizens accused of a crime or brought before the courts for examination. Over thirty people have been executed in the United States of America who were later proven innocent. There is no way to bring them back to life or offer compensation which is adequate for such a loss....All men are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among them 'the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' This ruling of the US Supreme Court should shake the fabric of those of us who have supported the death penalty for if the possibility of innocence can be proven by DNA testing, society and the courts should have a moral as well as ethical obligation to get it done. This ruling could also preempt paternity testing for men falsely accused where states are not interested in relieving the misplaced burden of caring for children assumed by others and would have no interest in seeking out the real fathers of certain children. No costs can be too great or burden too heavy in our search for justice. The legislatures across the nation, as well as the US Congress should mandate that scientific testing available to determine a more accurate assessment of criminal guilt or paternity should be done if such information has a significant bearing on the case involved. If we can mandate what money must be spent educating children, building bridges or providing health care services, surely we can legislate that potentially innocent lives must be protected before being allowed to be destroyed." — Ada Fisher, doctor and conservative Republican

Michael Jackson Set To Dominate BET Awards Tonight

A host of special guest stars will appear at the BET Awards tonight in tribute to Michael Jackson, who died last Thursday. The awards ceremony, which will be held in Los Angeles, has been given a total overhaul in memory of the King of Pop. Beyonce and Ne-Yo will both perform special tributes, while other stars are flying in at the last minute to attend the event.

Stephen Hill, the show's producer, said artists and organizers have been working around the clock on the show, which has been extended by 30 minutes. "To change it up in three days is something that's not easy but they're all willing and looking forward to it," Mr. Hill said.

Debra Lee, chairwoman and CEO of Black Entertainment Television, said everything would be “geared toward Michael Jackson”. "There will be another awards show, so if this one changes, that's fine," Lee said. "There will not be another Michael Jackson."

Booker Rising response: The show starts tonight at 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT. Heck, I may even tune in to BET - which has been gutter trash for awhile now - for once to see the awards show.

News Tidbits

Honduran President Ousted By Military: Honduran military forces have ousted President Manuel Zelaya and exiled him to Costa Rica hours before a controversial constitutional referendum vote was set to begin . Honduran lawmakers named their leader, Roberto Micheletti, to replace President Zelaya. The expulsion came on the day President Zelaya had chosen for a referendum on whether to change the constitution to allow him to run for a second term in office. The president pressed ahead with the vote in defiance of Honduras' Supreme Court, which had declared the measure illegal. President Zelaya is a political ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Honduras is to hold presidential elections in November. The country's 1982 constitution bans President Zelaya's re-election.

Booker Rising response: Sounds to me like the military ain't the only one who is gangsta here.

Kenya: Controversy Over Inclusion Of Tribal Identity In Census: A spirited attempt to block a census question that would make it possible for Kenyans to know the number of people in each of the country's 42 tribes has been rejected even as it emerged that the government was planning to deploy monitors to help prevent rigging of the August national census. Donors wanted the question dropped from the official census questionnaire on grounds that it will frustrate efforts towards national healing after last year's bloody post-election violence. Ministry of Planning officials have decided to press on with the questionnaire bearing the tribe question, arguing that fears that it was too emotive were overblown.

Booker Rising response: Now, see, this is what our girl Dambisa Moyo has been decrying. Why the hell do Western donors have any say over how Kenya conducts its own census?

VIDEO: Kid Interviews Grandma About Great Depression

Oh, this young fella is too cute! Faith Ringgold, an artist, is interviewed by her six-year-old grandson Kason in the short documentary, "Hard Times For An American Girl: The Great Depression" (hat tip: BlackInformant.com):

Keeping It “Post-Racial” And In The Closet

Afrocity, a black moderate-conservative Republican blogger, sees some revisionism going down in Black American about the late Michael Jackson: "I am bringing this all up specifically because the recent approach by the African American community on Michael Jackson’s legacy is to erase the fact that man while talented and an American icon, demonstrated behavior that was incredibly bizarre. What I am hearing from the AA side is 'Oh, Michael was not taking drugs…let’s remember his accolades.' So that is what we are saying now about Michael Jackson. Is it just me or do anyone else recalled that most of the parodies an fodder made of Michael Jackson during his life came from African Americans like Eddie Murphy or African American shows like In Living Color…So now Michael is suddenly normal again and in the closet? Welcome to the Black Image Makeover Awards. I loved Michael Jackson the way he was and I will remember him for his talent as well as his faults. Perhaps if the African American community intervened more in his life and been helpers rather than turning their backs and making light of his personal situations, he would still be alive today."

Booker Rising response: So now it's Black America's fault that Mr. Jackson made the life choices that he made? No way. I'm reading and hearing the bad and the good regarding Mr. Jackson, on black websites and on television. You wanna see revisionism? Look at the media coverage of Farrah Fawcett's death. Many media reports fail to note that she had anal cancer (they tend to just mention cancer) which spread to the rest of her body. Ms. Fawcett had a history of drug abuse and promiscuity. Let's talk about how she ruined Ryan O'Neal's previous marriage. Yeah, I'm going there because I'm tired to reading some white folks whining about how Ms. Fawcett isn't getting her "due" (as if she ever had the contributions or global reach of Michael Jackson, and it's his fault that they both died on the same day!), and acting like Miss All-American-Beauty was innocent. Puhleeze....