Politics
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Michelle Obama Speaks at NAACP's 101st Annual Convention
First lady Michelle Obama spoke at the 101st NAACP Convention in Kansas City, Mo. She discussed the future of the NAACP and the African-American community, as well her key issue: childhood obesity. The first lady encouraged personal accountability to create change that starts at the individual level, expands into communities and, ultimately, results in a…
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Plantation Fantasy II: Bachmann Says Obama Is Creating a 'Nation of Slaves'
Oh, to be a pretty white woman in America, because you can say anything. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) believes that President Barack Obama is turning the United States into a “nation of slaves.” Really. Her basis for this is that the legislation that the Democrats in the White House and Congress have put forth amounts…
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Minorities See Little Green in BP Oil Spill Jobs
Ever since the BP oil spill disaster began, a glut of contracts and jobs has surfaced. But who is benefiting? If you got an oil spill contract from the federal government, more than likely you are white. If you’re not white, and you’re fortunate enough to be working in the oil cleanup, then you’re likely…
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NAACP Aims to Reclaim the American Dream
As it enters its 101st year, the NAACP continues to have its work cut out for it. High unemployment, racial conflict and partisan politics tear at the country’s fabric, and financial uncertainty ratchets up the tension underpinning everything. The civil rights group held its annual national conference in Kansas City, Mo., this past weekend, under…
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Say It Ain't So, Bill!
As the dirt settles on Robert Byrd’s grave, let us reflect on the wisdom of a former U.S. president offering a post-mortem alibi for the man who began his public service as the Exalted Cyclops of the murderous Ku Klux Klan. ”They mention that he once had a fleeting association with the Ku Klux Klan,…
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Why the President Is Simply Wrong on Civil Rights
When you look at it, it is hard to tell if the White House, the Department of Justice and the NAACP are merely a collective sign of the times or the reasons why the times are sadly changing. Over the course of the past week, all three iconic institutions have corrupted the legacy of civil…
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Is a Black Political Party Obsolete?
Trying to be a better son, I’m attempting to call my mother more regularly. And I couldn’t believe the doozy she laid on me during a recent conversation: Her Brooklyn church hosted the launch of a new political party. The New York Freedom Democratic Party. An all-black political party? Excuse me? Did I fall asleep…
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The Root Interview: Russell Simmons on His RushCard
Russell Simmons is seeing red. Caught up in the debate over the financial services reform bill now awaiting a Senate vote, the hip-hop-mogul-turned-banking-executive is on the defensive over media reports that he lobbied lawmakers for a sweet deal that would exempt his prepaid debit Visa RushCard from a cap on certain fees. His frustrations began…
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But What If I Don't Want to Be a Dad?
Consider this scenario: A 19-year-old man in Harlem is dating an 18-year-old woman, a friend of a friend whom he met in high school. Both have no plans to go to college, and both come from low-income backgrounds. Neither wants to get married anytime soon, and they make it clear to each other that, despite…