African American Politics

Julianne Malveaux  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Oct 6 2011

“Pass the jobs bill.”

In the wake of President Obama’s address to the Congressional Black Caucus, there are those who are making much ado about nothing, including the accusation that, by dropping his “g’s” the President was talking down to African Americans. Can this President kindly get a break.

David L. Horne, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Oct 6 2011

Practical Politics

In 2010, State Senator Curren Price (D-26) authored a joint Senate Resolution to declare October as California’s Pan African Business and Trade Month. It was a great idea that got chewed up in the nasty state budget battles last year. Unofficially, however, we, the people, still see it that way—October is about the African Diaspora in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other parts of the state.

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Oct 6 2011

Between the Lines

The Republican Party, in all its iterations, held its breath this week in anticipation that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would enter the race for the 2012 presidential election. Christie, after taking conservatives to the brink of hope, has decided not to run. So, the search continues to try to find somebody, anybody, that can successfully disrupt the re-election of President Barack Obama.

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Sep 29 2011

Between the Lines

This time last week, the world was in shock that the United States had put Troy Davis to death.

Although he was convicted of killing a Georgia cop in 1989, Davis maintained his innocence the entire 22 years he was on death row.

David L. Horne, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Sep 29 2011

Practical Politics

Within most cultures, there are repeated patterns of behavior and character types that help to perpetuate those cultures. So it is with Black culture, which is at once a living crucible of the Black experience, in all of its finery, genius and foolishness. There is both exquisite beauty and profound ugliness in being Black in America and elsewhere, and that has been the case since our American origins.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.