Why Barack Obama Is Suddenly Noticing Black People

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Politicians chase votes the way a frat boy chases women.  Also like the frat boy, politicians can have selective memory when it comes to creating a respectable and reciprocal relationship.  They beg for your votes, promise you the world and then promptly disappear until it’s time for re-election.

That’s a bit of what we’re seeing right now from the Obama Administration.  The Obama camp has rarely used the words “black man” or “black woman” in public for the last year, yet they are suddenly hanging in the hood more than the barber and the local drug dealer.  They are holding forums to rally black voters for the mid-term elections and telling black folks to vote as if Obama were on the ballot.

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Allen Iverson Will Be Playing in Turkey? What?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I never thought I'd see the day that Allen Iverson, one of the most talented players in the history of the NBA, would be pushed out of the league like a loaf of moldy bread. "The Answer" left us all full of questions, as most of us really wondered what in the heck happened to his stellar career. This week, Iverson signed a deal to play for a Turkish team called Besiktas (I haven't heard of them either). The 35-year old veteran is likely going to be the star of the team and was given a two-year deal worth $4 million.
"There are a lot of things that I'm not proud of," Iverson said. "I came into this league 21 years old, never having nothing in my whole life and then given everything in the world. I met a lot of people that were bad people that I had around me. I met a lot of people that were good people. I had to at a young age distinguish who were good and who were bad. And I made a lot of mistakes along the way thinking I knew things that I didn't know. A lot of times I was a fish out of water, I thought I was in the biggest ocean in the world. I made mistakes, so me not being on an NBA roster, and me being bad-mouthed throughout the league, a lot of things I have to own up to. A lot of those things were true. I made a lot of mistakes. And obviously it cost me."

 

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Award-Winning Filmmaker Makes a Movie About the N-word

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

I had a chance to chat the other day with award-winning filmmaker Dorian Chandler. Chandler is the author of the film "Nigger Nation," which explores the use of the n-word, and why people might think it's O.K. I've always been impressed with Chandler's work and consider her to be the best young filmmaker in America today. Her film has won several awards, including The Emerging Filmmaker Award from the "Women Make Movies," organization and the 2005 Flicker Film Festival Jury Prize.

The n-word is an interesting and perpetually controversial topic within and outside of black America. It is also misunderstood by most of us. First of all, I've never thought of the n-word concept in a singular sense, as there are multiple variations of the word used in casual conversation. There is the word that ends with an "r" and the other version that ends with an "a." Yes, I do believe that the version of the word being used makes a difference. Also, there are a long list of voice inflexions that can change the definition on the spot: If I say "What's up my n*gga!" in a high pitched, enthusiastic voice, that's very different from me twisting my lip, cocking my head to the side and saying "What's up n*gger" in a low, grumbling voice. In the first case I want to hug you, but in the second, you're about to get knocked out.

 

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KANYE WEST POSING NUDE: WTH

*In the wake of rumors that a photo of Kanye West’s privates was being shopped to online outlets, Media Take Out has just posted what it claims is the money shot.

Click here to see the NSFW image.

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TINY MAY RECIEVE TIME WITH T.I

*Tameka “Tiny” Cottle has been charged with drug possession in the same case that is sending her husband, T.I., back to prison.

TMZ is reporting that the L.A. County District Attorney has charged Cottle with possessing the drug ecstasy when the couple was arrested on Sunset Strip last month. If convicted, the singer/reality show star could face up to a year behind bars.

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NFL Star Lawrence Taylor Begins Quest to Fight Rape Charge

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Lawrence Taylor took his first steps into a courthouse yesterday to deal with allegations of sexual assault. Taylor is being accused of third-degree rape and soliciting a prostitute after he allegedly had sex with a girl under the age of 17. Taylor, who is now 51-years old, is accused of paying $300 to have sex with the girl, who was a 16-year old runaway.
Taylor's attorney, Arthur Aidala, says that his client didn't have sex with anyone and that he didn't rape anyone. He also said that he was not likely going to take a plea on the third degree rape charge. A plea on that charge would mean a mandatory 10-year probation, which Aidala says is "ridiculous."

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Kohls Sells a “Ghetto Fab Wig”: Yes, This is Racist

 

Written by Dorian Chandler

 

With Halloween approaching Kohl’s department store rolled our their latest available costumes and wigs. What the hell where they thinking when they decided to roll out this hot ghetto mess entitled “Ghetto Fab Wig.” Kohl’s claims you can “dance the night away in this disco inspired Afro style wig.

Really Kohl’s?

Your wig inspiration came from disco and Afro styles but instead of calling it that you decided to call it “Ghetto Fab?” I’m confused Kohl’s. Can you clarify how this ghetto fab wig got past your production and PC lines? Does Kohl’s consider themselves experts in what’s deemed “Ghetto” Fab a.k.a Black Fab? Oddly enough the model shown wearing the “ghetto fab” wig doesn’t look ghetto or black for that matter (what constitutes “ghettoness” anyway?)

Did Kohl’s one size fits all mantra get them in over their heads?

UPDATE: Kohl’s via twitter was swift to respond to the matter and apologize to each an every person that tweeted them (see below). They did as they said and removed the offensive language and the product as a whole from their site.

 

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MARIAH CAREY IS EXPECTING : SHE CONFIRMED HER PREGNANCY

*Not only has Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon confirmed that they are indeed expecting a baby this spring, but the couple also revealed that Carey was pregnant two years ago, yet suffered a miscarriage.

This morning, NBC’s “Today” aired a portion of the couple’s sit-down with “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush. [Watch below.] The interview covered her current pregnancy as well as the devastation suffered in 2008 following her whirlwind wedding – which itself fueled rumors that the nuptials were of a shotgun variety.

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CAPTAIN SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY FOR PAYING LIL WAYNE A 45 MIN VISIT

*Lil Wayne is getting a little too much attention while he’s locked away. The New York Corrections Department is starting to get fed up with the controversy this one man is causing.

Most recently, Capt. Raphael Collazzo has been suspended without pay for 10 days for paying the rapper an unauthorized 45-minute visit, while he’s in an isolation unit.

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OPRAH BANS THE WORD ‘BITCH’ FROM HER NETWORK: YOU CAN DO THAT WHEN YOU OWN IT

In a speech at Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference, Oprah Winfrey said her new cable network, launching in January, will be “fun and entertaining without tearing people down and calling them bitches. Imagine that. Imagine.”

*Oprah also told the crowd she was destined to launch her own network.

“Growing up, I could never find my name on any of those license plates or lunch boxes,” she said. “Now, I know what it was for — to start my own network. A whole network, a whole channel that we’re designing to carry the Oprah Winfrey message.”

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LEBRON JAMES BROKE ANOTHER RECORD: CHECK OUT THE GAME’S RATING

Despite tons of criticism over his grandiose “Decision” to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, LeBron James demonstrated on Tuesday that he still can draw a crowd.

Tuesday night’s Miami Heat-Boston Celtics game just entered the history books as the most-watched regular season game in cable-TV history, attracting 7.4 million viewers and breaking the previous record set 14 years ago for a game between the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and the Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers.

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WAKA-FLOCKA-FLAME SAYS THE OBAMA REMIX TO HIS SONG WAS “DISRESPECTFUL”

*Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame is showing his … perhaps, mature side. A controversial parody of his song “Hard in the Paint” has been made into a parody video called “Head of The State” and performed by a Barack look-a-like: Baracka Flocka Flame.

The rapper told the NY Times the song/video is disrespectful.

If you haven’t seen it, the video shows The President and “Michelle Obama” hanging with gang bangers and smoking marijuana. Oh yeah, it’s that crazy. And you won’t believe how many times times the n-word is used.

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THE BOONDOCKS DVD: COMPLETE THIRD SEASON

*In the third season of the Boondocks cartoon show, Aaron McGruder takes not-so subliminal shots at Soulja Boy, Tyler Perry, and even President Obama.

And now people who are on McGruder’s satirical line of fire can enjoy their animated caricatures uncensored.

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YOUNG BUCK IRS AUCTION IS OFF

*So it looks like Young Buck’s possessions are off the market. An auction determined by the Internal Revenue Service to sell the rappers personal belongings was canceled. The sale was supposed to happen this week.

We presume he’s giving the IRS the old 2-finger salute in the photo above. (And you thought he was trying to get your attention, didn’t you?)

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Police Beating Caught on Tape

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

The beating of Chris Linton was sad to watch. A 16-year old black male being handled by Boston Police until his face was bloody, Linton soon found his incident plastered all over YouTube. When I took a look at the video, it had been viewed nearly 30,000 times, reminding us of the perils of doing your dirt in a world with cell phone cameras.
The event in question took place at Roxbury Community College, where Linton was inside one of the buildings charging his cell phone. He is not a student at the university, but had stopped to get the cell charged so he could take pictures of his new daughter at the hospital.
While it is not clear why police were following him, the story is that Linton had just escaped from a local youth detention center and had been tracked to the university. That's when the beating began.

 

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Two Pastors Come After Eddie Long: Request HIV Test

Two pastors, Reuben Armstrong and Prophet H. Walker, have teamed up to plan a rally against Bishop Eddie Long. Both pastors are asking that Long resign from his church, and Armstrong has even gone as far as asking that Pastor Long take an HIV test.
Armstrong is a radio show host and Walker is the pastor of the True Light Pentecostal Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The two plan to rally this weekend in Atlanta. The event is set to take place on October 31 at the state capitol.
Armstrong is the author of the book, "Snakes in the Pulpit," in which he discusses fictional pastors who sleep with men. He now claims publicly that members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church came to him years ago to discuss Eddie Long's sexual behavior. According to Armstrong, they claimed that Long was sleeping with young men in the church. I am not sure why he's publicly requesting that Eddie Long undergo an HIV test.


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Chris Linton: 16-year old gets beaten by police

The police in Boston are caught beating a 16-year old on tape. ;

What Does the N-Word Mean to Black America?

 

Dorian Chandler (pictured above with Pras from “The Fugees”)  is my favorite filmmaker.  Her film “Nigger Nation,” is an award-winning exploration of the N-word and what it means in black America.  I highly recommend taking a look at the film, which you can view by clicking here.

Why Would Juan Williams Defend Fox Against Racism?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

Fox News commentator Juan Williams has been in the news quite a bit lately. It started when he was fired from NPR last week for going onto Fox and saying that Muslims on airplanes make him nervous. Apparently, in Juan's world, every Muslim he meets might want to blow him up. I've always wondered how Juan would feel if a white woman said that she believes that every black man she meets (including Juan) wants to mug her. I should probably stop speculating, since Juan might actually agree with that statement.
Fox News took the interesting step of rewarding Juan for his racist rant by giving him a three-year contract reportedly worth a cool two-million dollars. Apparently, racism pays in an allegedly post-racial society. Fox proves the value of racism every day with their record ratings and massive profitability. A small fraction of that dough trickles down to Juan, one of the few black men in America willing to stand up for the network that has rejuvenated racial terrorism in our country.

 

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Clarence Thomas’ Sexual Side Exposed by Ex-Girlfriend

Justice Clarence Thomas’s ex girlfriend comes forward after almost 20 years

Justice Clarence Thomas’s ex girlfriend comes forward after almost 20 years

Justice Clarence Thomas’s ex girlfriend comes forward after almost 20 years

Justice Clarence Thomass ex girlfriend comes forward after almost 20 years

The Latest from AOL - 10/27/10

Al Reynolds: The Racist Tea Party Candidate?

Al Reynolds, Tea Party Candidate, Says Black Men Prefer Selling Drugs to Education

1:40 PMOct 27

Source: BV Black Spin

Illinois State Senate candidate Al Reynolds (pictured) is in hot water, after making some comments about black men that even his fellow Republicans have found to be quite offensive. When asked about black men going to college, Reynolds had this to ... Read More

Baracka Flocka Flame Video: Ignorance at It’s Finest

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

When I was asked my thoughts about a YouTube video spoof of Barack Obama rapping the song "Hard in Da Paint," by Atlanta-based rapper Waka Flocka Flame, I didn't quite know what to say. Knowing what I know about Waka Flocka Flame, I figured that the spoof would be a reflection of the kind of ignorance that seems to breed itself in modern day hip hop. I also expected that the video might consist of insulting depictions of President Barack Obama in an environment that involved weed, liquor, half naked women and maybe a gun or two. For some reason, there are people who seem to think that this represents everything about being black in America.
After seeing the spoof, I can only say that I was right. The video throws together a bunch of twisted lyrics being recited by an Obama look-alike who keeps telling us that he's "the head of state n*gga." The lyrics aren't exactly creative and the video is short of inspirational to anyone. But it has gotten tens of thousands of views on YouTube, which means that somebody out there likes it.

 

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DJ Henry: Slain College Student’s Family Calls for Federal Investigation

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse UniversityScholarship in Action 

The shooting of Pace University football player DJ Henry has been the source of tremendous controversy. Henry was shot by police ten days ago outside a local bar in Thornwood, NY. The 20-year old college student was parked in a No Stopping zone when an officer allegedly tapped on his window, telling him to move. According to police, Henry hit two police officers when moving his car, prompting officers to respond with gunfire.
At the time, police were responding to a fight that occurred outside the bar, and Henry was not involved in any illegal activity.
Henry's parents, Angela and Danroy Henry, are asking that Attorney General Eric Holder investigate the shooting, as they do not trust that local law enforcement has been unbiased in their investigation. Someone from inside the police force leaked Henry's blood alcohol level to the media, which was reportedly above the legal limit. This contradicts accounts by others that Henry was the designated driver for the group with whom he was traveling.

 

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SESAME STREET CREATES A NEW CHARACTER: I LOVE MY HAIR

*You’ve probably seen the sensational Sesame Street video “I Love My Hair.” It’s such a cute and touching message.

Well, the writer of the song and creator of the video, Joseph Mazzarino, told CNN what inspired him.

“I noticed that when she was four that she wanted to have princess hair and blond hair,” he says of his adopted daughter, who is from Ethiopia. “Then when Chris Rock’s ‘Good Hair’ came out I realized this was a broader issue.”

Watch video/ read more click here

OPRAH’S ANGEL NETWORK DONATES OVER 700,000 TO SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOL

*A charity affiliated with Oprah Winfrey has contributed at least $725,000 toward renovating a school in South Africa, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The refurbished Vele High School in South Africa’s Limpopo province will feature 16 classrooms and accommodate some 640 students when it is officially complete in January, Gregg Sherkin, program officer for Oprah’s Angel Network, said Thursday.

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IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE BRANDY HAS GOTTEN ANY SEX

Brandy: Claims She's Been Celibate For Years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I haven't been with a man seriously and in love in six years," said the 'I Wanna Be Down' singer. "And, honestly, I tend to abstain if I'm not in a relationship."
Oddly enough, Brandy was recently in a relationship with rapper Flo Rida and it was documented on her VH1 reality series, 'Brandy and Ray J: Family Business.'

Despite her recent situation with Flo Rida, the 31-year-old singer maintains "it's been a long time" since she's had sex.

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TYLER PERRY CATCHING HEAT FOR HIS NEW MOVIE

*Earlier this week, before his new movie, “For Colored Girls” was ripped by critics from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Tyler Perry wrote to his fans about the concerns regarding then film.

“If you know anything about the book or play, ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,’ which is what my film is based on, then you know that it is one of the most powerful literary works of this century. But, if you know it, you are also thinking like I was, ‘How can make this into a movie?,’” he continued.

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CHRIS ROCK COMING TO BROADWAY IN 2011

*Look who’s coming to Broadway. Comedian Chris Rock will make his debut on the Great White Way in a new play about love and fidelity with an X-rated title.

Rock will join Bobby Cannavale, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Annabella Sciorra and Yul Vazquez in a production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play “The Mother … With the Hat.”

(The title includes an expletive.)The 14-week gig starts with previews on March 22 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.

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STEVE HARVEY’S NEW DIET IS REALLY WORKING

Steve Harvey, Dr. Roni DeLuz and James Hester

*For those wondering how Steve Harvey’s 21 pounds in 21 days diet is going, columnist Flo Anthony sent word to us that Steve has now lost 13 pounds and all is well. Here’s what she wrote last week:

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OJ SIMPSON APPEAL REJECTED BY NEVADA SUPREME COURT

O.J. Simpson appears for the opening day of his trial at Clark County Regional Justice Center on September 15, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

*The Nevada Supreme Court refused Friday to overturn O.J. Simpson’s armed robbery and kidnapping convictions, rejecting a claim that prospective jurors were dismissed because they were black.

Simpson attorney Yale Galanter planned to take Simpson’s appeal to federal court after his 2008 conviction in the gunpoint heist in a Las Vegas hotel room was upheld.

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BLOGGER CATCHIN HEAT FOR HIS ‘NAPPY HEAD JOKE’

*According to publicist Patti Webster, entertainment columnist Jawn Murray, most notably known for his daily column in AOL Black Voices and as entertainment correspondent for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, offered, today, a public apology for his joke that many people feel offended Black women.

On Wednesday, October 20, 2010, Murray posted a comment on his twitter page which said, “all those militant-nappy headed #angryblack women who didn’t think Tyler Perry was worthy of doing For Colored Girls can kick rocks.” Murray’s joke didn’t sit well with a quorum of women who feel his comments were derogatory and offensive to Black women overall.

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