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Obama Names 1st Female Secret Service Chief
(The Root) — The man who made history by becoming America’s first black president just made history again by appointing the first woman to head the Secret Service in the agency’s 147-year history. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama swore in Julia Pierson, a 30-year Secret Service veteran, as head of the agency. Pierson’s selection is…
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Gay-Marriage Coverage: A Media Shutout?
(The Root) — Quick question: Who is the latest Democratic senator to come out in support of affirmative action? OK, another question: Who is the latest Republican senator to come out in support of affirmative action? How about this one: Do any Republican senators support affirmative action? Last question: Do you know the answer to…
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Tea Partier Shows Up Obama on Drug Policy
(The Root) — To the extent that he is known to minority audiences at all, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is likely best known for his controversial criticism of the Civil Rights Act. But he may soon emerge with a much higher profile among black Americans, and a much more positive one, thanks in…
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Are Black Americans Ignoring Congo Crisis?
(The Root) — A poll conducted just before the 2012 presidential election found that issues related to foreign affairs rank among the lowest priorities for Americans. For this reason it is not entirely surprising that media outlets rarely cover international stories, particularly conflicts and tragedies, with the enthusiasm and intensity increasingly reserved for stories about…
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Tiger Dating: Should Black Women Care?
(The Root) — A couple of years ago, I turned down an interview opportunity with a major network for the first, but not last, time. The reason was the topic. The producer wanted to know if I, as a black woman, was willing to weigh in on the fact that the Tiger Woods scandal that…
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Racist Tweets Rock NY Fire Department
(The Root) — Late Monday, news broke that an aspiring New York firefighter would resign from the city’s fire department, where he was working as an EMT, because of racially inflammatory tweets. Making the matter even more newsworthy and shocking is that the author of the offensive tweets is the son of the city’s fire…
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The 1st Black Republican President?
(The Root) — While Sarah Palin and her Big Gulp stunt generated the most laughs at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, the event made clear that she is no longer the GOP’s rising star. Only five short years after she burst onto the national scene, Palin was overshadowed by those perceived as representing the GOP’s…
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Have Blacks Forgiven Justin Timberlake?
(The Root) — With his appearance on Saturday Night Live last weekend, Justin Timberlake joined an elite club. Only a handful of others have hosted the legendary sketch-comedy program five times, among them such Hollywood icons such as Tom Hanks and Steve Martin. Of course, unlike most of them, Timberlake served as that evening’s musical…
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Why Mrs. Obama's Vogue Cover Matters
(The Root) — Every presidential administration has one or two moments it is best remembered for — some good, some bad. President Nixon will always be better-remembered for Watergate and his final farewell wave following his resignation than for any of his policies. President Obama will always be remembered for the night he made history…
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Why Liberals Are Wrong on Teen Pregnancy
(The Root) — There’s a scene in the wildly popular TV show Downton Abbey in which a single mother working as a prostitute to support her son is torn between giving him up for adoption by his wealthy grandparents or raising him herself. A well-heeled, well-meaning social activist encourages her to keep the child, saying…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
