Uncategorized
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White Women Will Decide
Sen. McCain’s vice presidential pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has injected some much-needed energy into the Republican campaign. The risky but potentially game-changing selection provides a choice to the white and Hispanic female swing voters who may be decisive in this year’s election. Will they make Sen. Barack Obama the first black president? Or…
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High on Art
After 1968: Contemporary Artists and the Civil Rights Legacy High Museum of Art June 7–October 5, 2008 Contemporary art isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but, if there was ever a moment when museum-grade contemporary images for/by/about black people could have particular crossover appeal, this would be it. Many of the headlines from this increasingly chaotic…
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Must-See TV
Sen. John McCain’s selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate is like The Jerry Springer Show at its smarmiest. Her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant. The state legislature is investigating her for firing a state official who refused to dismiss Palin’s ex-brother-in-law from his job as a state trooper after…
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All in the Family
The Internet was buzzing with rumors that Gov. Sarah Palin’s 4-month-old son is actually the child of her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol. To silence these rumors, Camp McCain-Palin released this bombshell: Bristol couldn’t have had the infant because she is five months pregnant. Whew! This is the stuff of Access Hollywood. McCain claimed he knew about…
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Obama and the Suicidal Left
During the Democratic National Convention in Denver, I sat on a panel about hip-hop and politics with a number of well-read and highly regarded thinkers in the black community. At one point a fellow panelist commented that it was impossible to criticize Barack without being considered a sellout. That statement inspired a thread of commentary…
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The Grand Old Bait and Switch
John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as the GOP vice presidential nominee has re-inserted the “woman” question into the presidential debate. By choosing the second white female vice presidential candidate, McCain is trying to fashion himself, Sarah Palin, and, by extension, the entire Republican Party as more committed feminists than the Democrats. But what is…
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From Piyush to Bobby
The story of Piyush “Bobby” Jindal reads like an assimilation fairytale: A son of immigrants rises through the ranks to become the first Indian-American governor at 36, overcoming racial boundaries in his home state of Louisiana. As Hurricane Gustav threatened his state, Jindal took center stage to preside over what was shaping up to be…
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Who's Racist Now?
Republicans are trying to get their national nominating convention underway after deep worry about the effects of Hurricane Gustav, but the Grand Old Party faces other significant challenges, including an unpopular president and a country frustrated with both the economy and foreign policy. And a Democratic ticket—led by a charismatic African American that has enthralled…
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Back to School Fitness for Grown-ups
YEEEEHAW! It’s back to school time. All across the country parents are doing the happy dance as their precious offspring are finally getting out from under them and returning to that godsend of an institution that houses them for seven or so blissful hours a day. Back to school means getting things in order, tightening…
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Ending 'The Clone Wars'
A couple of minutes into the midnight opening screening of Star Wars: The Clone WarsinCincinnati this month, I took a moment to survey the other members of the audience. The four or five dozen people occupying the theatre came from all over the geek spectrum, from the hopelessly anti-social to the more lovable (like Eric…