culture
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Cartoon Portrays President Obama With Apelike Features
Cartoonist Ted Rall is dealing with the backlash he created after he posted a controversial cartoon depicting the president with seemingly apelike features to the Daily Kos site, a liberal political blog. According to The Grio, the Daily Kos pounced on the artist, slamming him for the drawing and threatening to rescind his publishing privileges.…
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Is Kanye West Losing It?
The colossally egocentric self-proclaimed genius who subjects concertgoers to his “visionary stream of consciousness” rants during his performances may be wearing his audience thin. On Tuesday, Kanye West’s roadside attraction of a hip-hop concert played to fewer than 4,500 people at the Sprint Center in Kanas City, a venue that holds 19,000. It’s a paltry…
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2 Men May Face Death Penalty in Beating Death of Black Teen
Two Ohio men accused of beating a 16-year-old black boy to death in an apparent drug robbery gone bad were arraigned Tuesday and could be facing the death penalty, WHIO reports. Michael A. Geldrich, 36, and Michael J. Watson, 39, were charged with aggravated robbery and murder. Judge Rupert Ruppert set the bond at $1…
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The Day Alice Walker Said ‘It’s Me or the KKK’
Did you know that Alice Walker (the female face of African-American literature in the 20th century, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple) married a white Jewish man in the 1960s? Their relationship drew so much ire from local Ku Klux Klan members in Mississippi that she turned to her husband one day…
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If You Stand Up Your Man, Don’t Be Surprised When He Replaces You
“I had huge fight with my boyfriend over the phone and told him I wouldn’t go to his annual work gala that night. After I said it, I regretted it and felt bad so I made steps to make things right. I got dressed for the event and finally went to his place. I get…
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Michelle Obama Quotes From Will Ferrell Comedy Sketch
Imitation is the highest praise, and comedian Will Ferrell was certainly flattered by the attention one of his videos garnered from the first lady, Michelle Obama. According to Ferrell, while he was attending a White House Christmas party, the first lady complimented one of the Internet videos he shot with director and screenwriter Adam McKay,…
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Martin Bashir Resigns From MSNBC
Martin Bashir, an MSNBC host known for his blunt and controversial commentary, has resigned after fallout over some unsavory remarks he made about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. MSNBC President Phil Griffin released a statement confirming Bashir’s resignation, calling Bashir a “good man.” “Martin Bashir resigned today, effective immediately. I understand his decision and I…
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Credit Card Debt Is Worse for African Americans
Although African-American households are in less debt today than they were in 2008, during the Great Recession, they still face unique financial strain and more severe consequences from their credit card debt, according to a new report (pdf) by the NAACP and Demos, a public policy organization. The report, “The Challenge of Credit Card Debt…
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Texas Middle School Principal on Leave After Forbidding Students to Speak Spanish
A Texas middle school principal has been placed on paid administrative leave for allegedly forbidding the entire school to speak Spanish in order to prevent “disruptions,” KHOU reports. According to the news site, students at Hempstead Middle School have accused Principal Amy Lacey of telling them over the intercom on Nov. 12 that they could…
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Morgan State Fraternity on Probation for Rejecting Gay Student
A Morgan State chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi has been placed on probation until fall 2015, university officials said Tuesday for discriminating against a gay student who wanted to join the fraternity, the Baltimore Sun reports. Senior Brian Stewart filed a formal complaint with the university, in late October claiming that the fraternity rejected…