Dr. Jynona Norwood is on a lifelong mission. The mission is one that is written in the blood and spirit of her own relatives, many of whom died in the infamous Jonestown Massacre 32 years ago. I'll let Dr. Norwood tell the story in her own way, but the massacre went down in history as the largest group of African Americans to die in one incident since slavery. Whites died in the massacre also, but most of those who died were black. Dr. Norwood is seeking to erect a memorial to remember the scores of children who died alongside their parents in this horrific incident, but is encountering resistance. Among the most insulting requests that have been made is that the name of Jim Jones be put right alongside the victims. Personally, I find this to be simply unacceptable. The interview with Dr. Norwood is below:
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Black Hollywood’s Continuous Disrespect from the Oscars: Why We Need to Just Let It Go Right Now
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I don't watch the Oscars, the Academy Awards, or whatever you like to call it. But then again, I never have. While I spent years thinking that perhaps I was the only person not sophisticated enough to appreciate what I deemed to be the most boring night of the year, I then saw data showing that viewership fell again this year, implying that perhaps I am not alone in my disdain. While there are some who watch the show religiously, the truth is that many Americans (especially black folks), would rather watch old MC Hammer videos at the dentist's office than endure the psychological tragedy of being both insulted and bored senseless, all at the same time.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton Get into a Heated Exchange Over Obama’s Motown Event
Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton don’t quite agree over Obama’s Motown event, but good debate is always a healthy thing. Click here to listen.
Should Parents Encourage Their Kids to Play Football? The Rocky Clark Story
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
When I read about the case of Rocky Clark, the former high school football player who is now paralyzed from the neck down, part of me cries on the inside. His accident makes me think about my own uncle (who was like an older brother and very close to me), who was paralyzed after a car accident two years ago. I also think about the countless young men who hit the football field every year, rolling the dice in hopes that they don’t end up like Rocky.
Dr. Boyce: How NFL Players Can Avoid Going Broke During the Lockout
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The pending lockout of NFL players is expected by some to be a matter of history repeating itself. Team owners, hungry to earn an even larger profit from their business ventures, are going to keep the players off the field until they get what they want. Some might naively believe that the NFL Players Association has the bulk of the negotiating power in this battle of egos. After all, they represent our favorite athletes and the famous guys that we all want to see on Sundays, right? Sorry, that's just not the case.
The truth is that the players are going to take a financial beating unlike any other. Team owners can go years without income, so although they stand to lose money when the league shuts down, they are not sitting around wondering how they will pay their car notes. Players, on the other hand, are notoriously under-educated and horrifically bad at managing their money (some of us have been misled into believing that athletic success is a replacement for academic achievement). If history tells us anything about how the lockout is going to go, I expect players will give in after about three weeks.
Alexis Marie: Former Stuyvesant HS Student Posts Video in Response to Racist Rappers
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Alexis Marie, the girl who posted the video of the white students at Stuyvesant HS who rapped about their disdain for black people, issued a statement regarding why she posted the video.
In her remarks, Alexis states clearly that she was seeking to use the video to encourage “elite” high schools to have conversations about race relations. Her statement is very intelligent and effectively delivered, especially for a young woman her age. I personally applaud Alexis for having the courage to speak up and take a stand on issues like this one.
Black Scholars Give Their Take on the Obama State of the Union Address
Preface
The principal mission of the Shirley Chisholm Presidential Accountability Commission is to continuously monitor and evaluate the policy priorities and legislative proposals of presidential administrations in relationship to the needs, issues, vital interests and aspirations of people of African descent in the U.S. and globally. Drawing from policy priorities of various constituencies, organizations and agencies within the Black community, the objective of the Commission is to assess how presidential administrations respond to or implement a Black Agenda. The Commission asserts its prerogative to perform this function within the context of an American body politic where a wide range of interest groups mobilize, organize and lobby to advance their goals. This function is particularly important given the long history of the “color line,” prejudice, bigotry and structural/institutional racism, as a major impediment to social, economic and political progress of Black people in the country. The Commission certainly acknowledges the significance of the election of the first African American President as a milestone in the history of the United States. However, the virulent, negative reaction to President Obama by segments of our society is symptomatic of a racial subtext to some of the fierce policy debates raging in Washington. In this regard, the “State of Emergency” afflicting millions of Black poor and working people, strongly indicates the urgent need for vigilance in monitoring how this and future administrations devise policies designed to achieve justice and full equality for people of African descent in America.
