Uncategorized
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Distract, Distort, Demagogue
f nothing else, the sycophants genuflecting to the McCain-Palin presidential campaign are experts at creating diversions. When things go bad, they call out the troops to fill the airwaves with misdirection. Or they heave Hail Mary passes, hoping to connect with their easy-to-anger supporters. In fact, they’ll do just about anything except admit to the…
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Can I Wear My Obama T-shirt to Vote on Election Day?
An ominous e-mail has been causing quite a bit of confusion for voters recently. With an urgent warning to recipients, the e-mail claims that election officials have the right to turn away any voters wearing campaign paraphernalia to the polls. So what’s up? Can you rock that “Obama Mama” T-shirt to cast your vote on…
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So You Wanna Be a Veep?
********** SOPHIA A. NELSON Gov. Palin, what is your experience working with civil rights groups, and the critical issues affecting African-Americans? ********** LENNY McALLISTER Sen. Biden, could you please explain some dichotomous statements that you and Sen. Obama have given about taxation, fairness, and unity within America? ********** STEPHEN A. CROCKETT JR. Gov. Palin, you’re…
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Eid al-Fitr — It's a Black Thang, Too
Oct. 1, 2008—For the past month, I have been dragging myself out of bed at 4 a.m. for a pre-dawn meal, usually yogurt and granola, to prepare for an all-day fast. At each sunset, I have been breaking my fast in the lively, and lovely, company of my fellow Muslim sisters and brothers fasting for…
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Black Star Power
Not since the civil rights movement, when stars like Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte and Sammy Davis Jr. led marches and protest rallies, have so many black Hollywood denizens actively engaged in the political process. In his bid for the presidency, Barack Obama has engaged a new cadre of African-American celebrities, drawn to his campaign’s themes…
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Eid al-Fitr — It's a Black Thang, Too
For the past month, I have been dragging myself out of bed at 4 a.m. for a pre-dawn meal, usually yogurt and granola, to prepare for an all-day fast. At each sunset, I have been breaking my fast in the lively, and lovely, company of my fellow Muslim sisters and brothers fasting for Ramadan. Before…
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Best Supporting Actor
The Obama campaign office in Hampton, Va., started buzzing the moment Hill Harper walked into the door. The cherub-faced actor and now political-activist worked the small storefront office on a recent Saturday, shaking every hand. He wore jeans and a t-shirt. As a semicircle formed around him, he pressed his palms together, prayer style, and thanked…
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Debate Results: McCain Down, White Women Up
Sept. 29, 2008—The Sarah Palin Effect is over. Palin and McCain joined forces last week to make sure that no one took them very seriously, and they did every thing they could to help Obama open up a small but increasingly solid lead on McCain. With the Palin bump neutralized, Obama’s still nagging concern are…
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Music for Grown Folk
More than a decade after their solo debuts, Eric Benet and Kenny Lattimore have managed to survive a recording industry hopelessly invested in the whims of young listeners and the apparent pursuit of ringtone sales. Years before “grown and sexy” became a marketing scheme to sell music to 30-somethings, Benet and Lattimore both made music…
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Running the Numbers
Despite its failure in the House yesterday, a massive taxpayer-financed bailout of the nation’s various financial institutions remains a near certainty. Black taxpayers in particular, who have been disproportionately affected by the housing crisis, have reason to be anxious about how they will fare in the rescue scenario. If only numbers runners held the kind…