Politics
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Black Women Must Harness Their Political Power
Fannie Lou Hamer was a poor black woman with a sixth-grade education who spent much of her life working in the cotton fields. Her legacy, however, demonstrates that each of us has an important voice and role to play in our democracy, and as we near the end of Women’s History Month, it is a mighty reminder of…
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In the Ebony-GOP Twitter Beef, Republicans Need to Toughen Up
Right off the bat, let’s be clear: Insults don’t elevate the dialogue. So there’s no way to condone it when a black Republican gets called a “sellout” or an “Uncle Tom.” And by that same standard, it’s equally uncool when left-leaning African Americans are referred to as “low information voters” stranded on the Democrats’ “plantation.”…
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Black-Pathology Debate Ignores Black Reality
The specter of black cultural decline, or what might be called the “black-pathology hustle,” is once again making national news. Like a recurring nightmare, assertions (usually masked as allegations) of black cultural depravity periodically inspire national debates over the very meaning of race, citizenship and democracy in America. Paul Ryan’s criticism of “inner city” youths…
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Paul Ryan Insists He’s Not Racist
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is once again addressing the controversy behind his racially charged comments, which opined that “inner city” folk not having the desire to work, this time saying that he did not have “a racist bone” in his body. According to The Washington Post, Ryan acknowledged in the interview that he had spoken…
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Members of Secret Service Sent Home After Agent Is Found Drunk
A handful of members of the Secret Service have landed in trouble after enjoying a trip to the Netherlands, where they were supposed to be protecting the president, a tad too much. According to New York’s Daily News, three agents who were in the Netherlands ahead of President Obama were sent home after hotel employees found…
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Extra Time for Some to Finish Health Care Enrollment
The Obama administration announced Tuesday that extra time will be granted after the March 31 deadline for consumers to complete enrollment in an insurance plan under the health care law, the Associated Press reports. “We are experiencing a surge in demand and are making sure that we will be ready to help consumers who may…
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When Hobby Lobby Denies Individuals Contraceptive Care, That’s Not Religious Liberty
Separating a black woman’s reproductive life from her spiritual life isn’t always easy. Religiosity informs much of our lives—including our reproductive lives. Whether we look to our creator for guidance in pregnancy matters or to trusted faith leaders for advice on how to raise our children, it is a vital component prevalent in the larger…
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Breaking Down the Oprah Factor in Politics
If I were a betting man, I’d wager that Oprah Winfrey will run for political office at some point. And if I lost that bet, I’d mos def put a dollar straight on the possibility that she is—at the very least—figuring out how to be the progressive black female version of the Koch Brothers. Recent movements…
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Obama Starts 4-Country European Trip With Russia as the Main Topic
President Obama will be touring some of Europe this week and handling one of the more delicate diplomatic dilemmas of his presidency as he tries to convince America’s allies to stand up to Russia, New York’s Daily News reports. The long-planned trip starts on Monday in the Netherlands, and with Russia’s recent takeover of Crimea, the…
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Millions Remain Uninsured As Affordable Care Act Deadline Approaches
As the March 31 deadline to sign up for HealthCare.gov looms, millions of Americans remain uninsured, the Associated Press reports. The finding comes even as President Obama, scores of advocates and volunteers race to spread the word about the new health law. Most of the uninsured do not know much about the law and its…