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Affirmative Action Assumptions
The New Haven firefighters’ case just decided by the Supreme Court has raised the issue of affirmative action again. Which got me to thinking about how certain people assume that if you’re a person of color, you must be where you are because of how you look. I have talked with black students who are,…
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New Haven Was Wrong, the Court was Right, and Affirmative Action is…Still Important?
The Supreme Court has spoken today, in a 5-4 ruling in favor of the firefighters in the controversial New Haven case (Ricci v. DeStefano), and they have once again opened up a serious Pandora’s box. This case has always troubled me on the merits because it smacks of “well intended “affirmative action policy that does…
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Jackson Family Values
Katherine Jackson has filed for guardianship of Michael Jackson’s three children, which would be fine if at least two of them didn’t have a biological mother. Debbie Rowe, his ex-wife and the mother of the children, just recently revealed that she was inseminated with someone else’s sperm—-which black people have long suspected—-so there isn’t even…
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Obama’s Perfect Pitch on Iran
More than two weeks after the disputed Iranian elections and the beginning of a brutal government crackdown on those protesting the result, the unrest continues. Just this past weekend, Iranian police used tear gas and clubs to disperse a crowd of at least 2,000 demonstrators and detained British Embassy staff members whom they accused of…
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BET Awards: A Big Disappointment
On Sunday I decided to celebrate the music and the man by seeking out a MJ Dance Party in Brooklyn. I went to Brooklyn’s trendy The Yard and was beyond disappointed. Not only was the place swarming with non-diverse urbanites with strollers and beers and who couldn’t dance if somebody moonwalked on their face, but…
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BREAKING: Justices Rule in Favor of White Firefighters
From the New York Times: “WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge. New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans…
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Money and Mood Swings
Initially, I found this report to be oxymoronic, but that was me giving into stereotypes that Britain is full of pubs, paps, and pissy attitudes. I know: Shame on me. However, these days you will find an influx of Brits who are indeed moving around in a perpetual sour mood. According to a new survey,…
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Transformers: No Racism or Plot
I went to go check out Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen not just because I’m a geek, but all the talk about racist sambo robots really piqued my curiosity. Seems that there was this meme going around some circles about The Twins, two characters written into the script—most likely by the white man!—to undermine and…
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Still Do or Die in Bed-Stuy
With his gold-plated knuckle rings—“love” on the right hand, “hate” on the left—the large, loud, boombox-blasting Radio Raheem was a perfect big-screen personification of Spike Lee’s Bedford-Stuyvesant. Two decades later, so much still rings true about Spike’s adoring portrait of the neighborhood in his 1989 film Do the Right Thing. When I tell folks I…
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DTRT@20 Compatibility Quiz
Photo illustration of the Obamas, Bed-Stuy 1989 style by Kristen DiFate. Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Take this test online! ______________ Finish planning your own Do The Right Thing @ 20 house party with these free downloads! How to Rock it like it’s 1989 African Medallion coasters! LOVE/HATE four-fingered rings!…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
