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New Role: Vindication for Susan Rice?
(The Root) — Susan Rice, whose rumored nomination to succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state was torpedoed because of the controversy surrounding the September 2012 deaths of American foreign-service members in Benghazi, Libya, will become America’s next national security adviser. Rice will become the second woman, second black woman and, coincidentally, the second woman…
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Is the DNA Law Worse Than Stop and Frisk?
(The Root) — In a close (5-4) decision, the Supreme Court narrowly ruled on Monday that police may legally collect DNA from those arrested for but not convicted of a serious crime. According to the New York Times, the federal government already authorizes the practice, as do 28 states, but nevertheless, the ruling has sent…
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How DOJ Media Scandal Could Hurt Obama
(The Root) — John McCain once famously called members of the media his “base,” a statement on the fact that even when he was at odds with his own party, he could count on the media to give the “maverick” a fair shake. But according to reports, McCain felt that his base turned on him…
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Could First Lady End Hollywood Colorism?
(The Root) — Recently I had the pleasure of moderating a conversation hosted by New York Women in Film and Television and the Fox Broadcasting Co. on the issue of diversity in Hollywood, particularly in terms of casting. The panel included some of the industry’s leaders on the subject, among them film executive Zola Mashariki,…
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Where's Black Outrage for Mark Carson?
(The Root) — When James Byrd, a black man, was dragged to his death in Texas in 1998 by a group of men later identified as having white-supremacist tendencies, African Americans were outraged. Most Americans were. That same year, another horrifying hate crime captured the attention of the nation, when gay student Matthew Shepard was…
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Yes, Fried-Chicken Jokes Are Racist
(The Root) — When I heard that a golfer had made a “joke” about Tiger Woods and fried chicken, I had to double-check to make sure it wasn’t 1997 all over again. That was the year Frank “Fuzzy” Zoeller was asked for his thoughts about Woods’ impending success at the Masters, and he joked about…
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Child-Support Laws: A Boon for Gold Diggers?
(The Root) — Just when it seemed Charlie Sheen’s story couldn’t get any more depressing for him, his fans and his family, things have managed to take a turn for the worse. His estranged wife, Brooke Mueller, has been admitted to rehab for drug addiction, something she’s struggled with for years. Despite the fact that…
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Could Chelsea Hurt Hillary?
(The Root) — By all accounts the 2016 presidential election is Hillary Clinton’s to lose. It should be. After all, it is arguable whether there has ever been a more qualified candidate in terms of experience, since she has served in the Senate, the Cabinet and the White House — for two terms, no less…
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Did Michelle Obama Send Jay-Z a Message?
(The Root) — Celebrity commencement addresses usually follow a pretty predictable formula: a few jokes and a few words of wisdom, delivered by someone successful, rich or famous (often all of the above) in hopes of inspiring a new class of graduates to become equally successful (or rich, or famous) someday. Rarely do such speeches…
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Should It Be a Crime to Expose One to HIV?
(The Root) — It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. You raise your child to be cautious about strangers, only to discover that an adult you entrusted with his or her care is the one you should have feared most. A mother in Cahokia, Ill., is currently grappling with this harsh reality after discovering that a teacher’s…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
