Let Them Eat Kwanzaa Cake

Food Network might not have any black TV chefs, but that hasn't stopped them from giving props to Kwanzaa. This video came across our desks today ... let's just say the apple pie filling and acorn garnish will have you saying "Kujichagulia" in a completely different way.

Geoffrey Bennett

7:12 PM ET | 12-31-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Thanks to Our Bloggers ... and You!

Hey folks:

One of the most fabulous aspects of 2007 has been presiding over the News & Notes bloggers' roundtable. We have, as our commentator Michael David Cobb Bowen shouted out, helped put black bloggers on the map.

It's been a real joy to see the black blogosphere flourish. When I started the blog PopandPolitics back in 1995, "blogging" wasn't a common term and that blog was so unusual that it got a small profile in The New Yorker.

Now everyone and their grandmother has a blog, but what still needs to happen -- and here's where N&N comes in -- is building more of an alliance between bloggers. Some people compare bloggers to cats. It's hard to herd 'em. And that's not a bad thing, exactly, but what sometimes happens is that people haphazardly refer to other conversations as opposed to building a critical mass around key issues.

The OPPOSITE of that happened this year, however, with the blog buzz around the Jena 6 case -- and black bloggers led the way. The continued and concerted effort by people who had never met each other raised a debate over race and justice that ultimately brought people out into the streets. Part of our mission here at N&N is to reverb those conversations both within the blogging community and to a wider audience.

So, on that score, more in 2008! More bloggity blogging, more discussions, more verbal smackaroonies and smoocharoos.

Props to everyone at News & Notes and NPR who has pushed hard to make this work, particularly our Web producer Geoff Bennett and the people who've booked our bloggers roundtables, including Devin Robins, Anthea Raymond, and Jenee Darden.

Looking forward to more in 2008!!!!!

(And check out today's conversation on R. Kelly and the sexualization of black girls. It's important.)

Thank you all for listening and blogging with us. Don't forget to eat those black eyed peas for luck!

Peace,
F

Farai Chideya

2:38 PM ET | 12-31-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

What's In Store for 2008?

iStockphoto.com

As we close the door on 2007, take a look ahead into 2008.

What are your predictions for the coming year?

Here's what some news watchers predict:

Media | Music | Entertainment

Business | Politics | Technology

What do you think will be the big stories of the coming year?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:27 PM ET | 12-31-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Will Iowa Muddle the Campaigns' State of Play?

Democratic presidential hopefuls stand on the stage before the Des Moines Register Democratic Presidential Debate.

Rodney White-Pool, Getty Images

Talk About It:
New York Times: What if Iowa Settles Nothing for Democrats? -- "What if at the end of Thursday, the three leading Democrats -- John Edwards, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Senator Barack Obama -- are separated by a percentage point, or even less, leaving no one with the clear right of delivering a victory speech, or the burden of conceding? A number of polls going into the finals days that of have suggested that after all of this, the Democratic caucus on Thursday night will end up more or less as a tie."

Can any of the front-runners survive a third place finish? Who are you pulling for and why?

Nation:
AP: Bush Signs Sudan Divestment Bill

Washington Post: Newark's Revival: It's No Joke

The Kansas City Star: Race Emerges As Death Penalty Issue

L.A. Times: Activist Fails to Rally Blacks on Immigration Issue

The Mercury News: Arrests Lacking at Black Muslim Bakery

People:
Boston Globe: After Soaring Entry, Mixed First Year for Deval Patrick

AP: Chelsea Clinton Guards Her Words

Washington Post: Obama Tries New Tactics To Get Out Vote in Iowa

AP: Blues Vocalist 'Weepin' Willie Robinson Dies

World:
Detroit Free Press: Bhutto's Son to Lead Party | New Questions Arise

New York Times: Disputed Vote Plunges Kenya Into Bloodshed

AP: Sydney Kicks Off Global New Year Celebrations

Arts & Culture:
AP: 'Baldwin's Harlem' Focuses on Harlem Life

Dallas Morning News: 'Great Debaters' Sparks Wiley College's Hopes

Op-Ed:
George Will: Obama Transcends Racial Confinements

Geoffrey Bennett

11:32 AM ET | 12-31-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Meet the Iowa Voters

An Iowa crowd listens to Republican presidential hopeful and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Talk About It:
Detroit Free Press: Meet the People Who Will Be First to Choose -- "Michigan Democrats, Sen. Carl Levin chief among them, have long decried the status Iowa and New Hampshire share being first, and, in several of the crowds, the complaints about a lack of diversity have been dead on. Practically the entire crowd is white, and most attendees are middle age or older."

What do you think about Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus?

Nation:
L.A. Times: Obama Catches Clinton in N.H.; Iowa a 3-Way Contest

Seattle P.I.: Housing Group Continues Mission of Black Developer

World:
Reuters: Foreign Observers Praise Kenyan Election

Arts & Culture:
New York Times: Chris Rock Hard at Work on New Year's Eve

New York Times: Jacob Lawrence: Visions of a People in Motion

Op-Ed:
Sporting News: Black Coaches Overlooked in College Football

Geoffrey Bennett

11:46 AM ET | 12-28-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Bhutto's Death and Assassinations' Tolls

Today on the show, we talked to Melissa Harris Lacewell about the psychological impact of assassinations of leaders -- elected leaders like President John F. Kennedy or unelected ones like Martin Luther King.

Lacewell said, in part:

What political leaders like Martin, Malcom, and John F. Kennedy do is that they provide a focal point for our political hopes and dreams. If we think about Martin Luther King, for example, it's not as though the tactics and strategies that Martin King was using in the 1950s and 1960s were brand new. ... So why was Martin so important? He became a focal point, a way for us to say, here, this man, this charismatic, brilliant loving, young man represents all of what is best of us as a country, the best of us as a race, as a people. His assassination was a way of indicating that the country was unwilling to put its very best to the front, and instead was willing to cut down its future, its promise, its youth. In many ways, this is a similar kind of thing that is going on right now in Pakistan.

We also talked about how Barack Obama's presidential candidacy carries with it the specter that yet another African-American leader could be assassinated, something I asked Obama about directly in July.

Senator Obama said:

I don't spend all my time obsessing about safety issues. We take precautions and this is a risk that all presidential candidates face. Obviously it's a little more prevalent if you're an African-American candidate, but Michelle and I -- my wife and I -- talked about this before we got into this race, the sacrifices that were involved -- being away from the kids, not having as much privacy as we once had --- and our conclusion was that it was worth it, because we're in one of these moments where I truly believe we've got an opportunity to reshape the political landscape right now in a way that we haven't had maybe since Ronald Reagan did it for conservatives back in 1980.

If, as Melissa Harris Lacewell argues, that the assassination of Martin Luther King represented the country's willingness to cut down its best, what did Benazir Bhutto represent to her people?

In an op-ed in the Washington Post, author Ahmed Rashad wrote:

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has left a huge political vacuum at the heart of this nuclear-armed state, which appears to be slipping into an abyss of violence and Islamic extremism. The question of what happens next is almost impossible to answer, especially at a moment when Bhutto herself seemed to be the only answer.

He goes on to say "Bhutto was a giant of a politician in a land of political pygmies and acolytes of the military."

The article notes Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist, is the author of "Taliban" and "Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia."

Not everyone was convinced Bhutto had such stellar leadership qualities.

In an article on MSNBC.com titled "Be Careful of Pakistan's 'Ms. Liberty'," Middle East Bureau Chief Richard Engel wrote:

While the Harvard- and Oxford-educated Bhutto is the leading opposition politician in Pakistan, she is still more popular in the West than at home. Bhutto's regime is remembered for having one of the worst human rights records in Pakistan's history, and her government did not allow the media freedoms she criticizes Musharraf for crushing. Bhutto could also still face corruption cases in Britain, Spain and Switzerland.

Engel also argued, "Bhutto and Musharraf also have a common interest in keeping the courts here weak." The undermining of the Pakistani court system under the state of emergency was one of the most highly criticized aspects of General Musharraf's recent policies.

As we look at the death of Benazir Bhutto, the question that comes to mind for me is: what happens to an already politically bruised people when politics become death?

It's a question that African Americans have faced; and ones that not only Pakistanis but many people across the globe face today.

Farai Chideya

6:09 PM ET | 12-27-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto Assassinated

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto sits on stage at a campaign rally minutes before she was assassinated.

John Moore, Getty Images

Talk About It:
CNN: Benazir Bhutto Assassinated -- "Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated today outside a large gathering of her supporters where a suicide bomber also killed at least 22, doctors and a spokesman for her party said."

Related: Candidates React | Timeline | Photos

What's your reaction to this news? What will be the impact on Pakistan's elections and on the U.S. primary elections coming up? Put in a Civil Rights-era context, what is the impact of such assassinations on people and cultures?

Nation:
Washington Post: For Black Candidates, the Steepest Climb

Detroit Free Press: In Detroit, More Killers Go Uncaught

L.A. Times: Authenticity is the Word for Republican Hopefuls

Washington Post: Grading Disparities Peeve Parents

Chicago Sun-Times: Katrina-Devastated Louisiana Rebounding

USA Today: Georgia Town Opens Archive of Forgotten Community

People:
Vanity Fair: Michelle Obama, First Lady in Waiting

New York Times: Thomas Morgan, a Journalist and Activist, Dies at 56

World:
AP: 8 Years Hard Labor for French in Chad

AFP: World Powerless to Stop Darfur's Killing and Carnage

New York Times: A Global Trek to Poor Nations, From Poorer Ones

Arts & Culture:
New York Times: A Teen Auteur Finishes His First Feature

AP: Kennedy Center Honors Ross, Scorsese

Geoffrey Bennett

11:30 AM ET | 12-27-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

What Was Your Favorite 'N&N' Story of 2007?

Based on input from our producers and you [judging by online performance], we've assembled a list of our best and most memorable reporting and interviews from the previous year.

What was your favorite?

Maybe it was our interview with literary great Chinua Achebe, or the Q&A with two of The Family Stone's original members. Our reporting on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Division? Or Farai's interview with Russell Simmons ... when the conversation turned volatile? ["Did they tell you why I came here?"]

Take a look at our "Best Of" list and weigh in.

Geoffrey Bennett

12:19 PM ET | 12-26-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Jurors Say They Were Pressured to Convict Father

Talk About It:
New York Post: LI Slay Juror: I Sobbed in Regret -- "The final holdout juror to convict a black Long Island dad in a racially charged killing revealed yesterday that she felt such regret over caving in to pressure from fellow jurors that she pulled over on the way home -- and broke down in tears."

More: "The Rev. Al Sharpton expressed outrage at the verdict and promised a Jan. 5 protest march in the largely white Suffolk County community. 'It's almost like they're sending a signal that they are allowing white mobs to reign in Suffolk County,' said Sharpton yesterday."

Related: First Juror Says He Was Pressured Into Verdict

Nation:
Chicago Tribune: After Racial Injustices Exposed, Some Wounds Healed; Others Festered

L.A. Times: Cigna Stands by Decision on Transplant Delay

The Detroit News: African-Americans Celebrate Kwanzaa, 7 Principles

L.A. Times: L.A. Homicide Rate Drop Due to Gentrification?

New York Times: Georgia School as a Laboratory for Getting Along

New York Times: A Question of Blame When Societies Fall

World:
USA Today: Custom Tour Spotlights Black Americans in Paris

Reuters: Aid Workers Abducted in Somalia

AP: Over 30 Killed in Nigeria Fuel Pipeline Fire

New York Times: Food Scarcity and H.I.V. Interwoven in Uganda

Health & Science:
New York Times: Hospitals Look to Nuclear Tool to Fight Cancer

HealthDay: Gene Mutation Prevalent Among Younger Black Women

People:
L.A. Times: Jay-Z Leaving Def Jam

Washington Post: Not Relevant? Sharpton Scoffs at the Idea

Boston Globe: Oscar Peterson, 82, Interwove Power With Swing

Geoffrey Bennett

10:55 AM ET | 12-26-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Open Thread: 'Tis the Season

iStockphoto.com

"News & Views" is taking time off for Christmas and will be back on Wednesday.

News & Notes, however, returns Monday, featuring an interview with Three Mo Tenors and Tuesday, with Farai talking to Kirk Franklin.

In the meantime, use this space to share what's going on in your world. What are some of the issues and topics you are your friends are talking about?

Read something online and want to share the love? Post it.

And if you develop a bad case of holiday stress, feel free to vent about that, too.

Until then ...

Geoffrey Bennett

6:39 PM ET | 12-21-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Do You Know Someone Who Exemplifies Triumph?

Today, you got to hear our conversation with Denzel Washington, who directed the new Golden Globe-nominated film The Great Debaters. He plays a real person, Mel Tolson, who led the Wiley College debate team to victory over a prominent white college in the 1930s.

It was a groundbreaking moment in race relations. And Tolson also put himself at great risk doing labor organizing of sharecroppers, both black and white.

Tolson, who's now passed, is a perfect example of the kind of people we're looking for for January's special series: Triumph. So, in a different way, has Denzel Washington -- who's triumphed by pushing against the countervailing winds sweeping over the Hollywood Hills that push many black actors into obscurity rather than success.

So, what do we mean by Triumph?

Who has transcended the circumstances of their birth or childhood?

Who has put themselves at great risk to succeed?

How did someone overcome a setback to re-dedicate themselves to their dream?

How does this person's success inspire others; or how does their work lift up communities?

We want your input -- your nominations for people who exemplify Triumph. We're talking about transcendent success in any field -- from finance to education -- or a personal story of surmounting adversity.

Is there a family member or local hero who comes to mind, or a national figure whose story you've always wanted to hear?

We want to know.

Let us know on our blog, and we'll be sure and take some of these stories and put them on our air.

And, of course, the happiest of holidays!

Farai Chideya

2:06 PM ET | 12-21-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Ron Paul Keeping White Supremacist Donation

Rep. Ron Paul, (R-Texas), speaks during the Des Moines Register Republican presidential debate.

Andrea Melendez-Pool, Getty Images

Talk About It:
AP: Paul Keeps White Supremacist Donation -- "Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has received a $500 campaign donation from a white supremacist, and the Texas congressman doesn't plan to return it."

More: "'Ron is going to take the money and try to spread the message of freedom. And that's $500 less that this guy has to do whatever it is that he does,' Paul's spokesman added."

What do you make of that reasoning?

Op-Ed: "Paul's approach is certainly unorthodox, like so much about the man."

Nation:
AP: Police, Protesters Clash at NO City Hall

New York Times: Obama's Vote in Illinois Was Often Just 'Present' | Clinton Launches Attack Web Sites

Washington Post: Huckabee Takes Lead in Iowa Over Romney | Tancredo to Drop Out

AP: T.O. to Jessica Simpson: Back Off Romo

World:
Reuters: Kenya's Christmas Comes Early In Election Cash Blitz

Health & Science:
AFP: Uganda Chimps at Forefront of Pharmaceutical Research

Science Daily: Insurance Status Linked To Cancer Outcomes

Arts & Culture:
The AJC: Usher Becomes Family Guy

Chicago Sun-Times: No Debate: Teens Love Denzel Flick

AP: R. Kelly Appears in Court

Health:
Science Daily: Insurance Status Linked To Cancer Outcomes

Op-Ed:
San Francisco Chronicle: Of Dogs and (Black) Men

Newsday: Why Are More Blacks Jailed for Drug Offenses?

Geoffrey Bennett

11:58 AM ET | 12-20-2007 | permalink | comments (14) | e-mail post

White Separatist Group Suing Jena, La.

A water tower stands in the town of Jena, La.

Brent Stirton, Getty Images

Talk About It:
AP: White Separatist Group Sues Town of Jena -- "A white separatist group planning a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Jena is suing the town, claiming officials are violating the Constitution by asking participants not to bring firearms, changing the parade route by one block and requiring the posting of a bond."

Just when we thought we'd heard the last from Jena ...

Nation:
Washington Post: Iowa Poll Spotlights Importance Of Turnout

AP: Sharpton Seeks Hate Charge in W.Va. Case

Washington Post: In the Fruit Aisle with Magic, the Clintons

New York Times: In New Orleans, Bulldozers Are Ready

World:
IHT: Zuma Is Chosen to Lead A.N.C.

New York Times: In Marseille, Rap Helps Keep the Peace

Reuters: 100 Ugandans Arrested for Not Having Toilets

Arts & Culture:
AP: Washington Gives $1M to Wiley College

AP: Sweet Louie Smith, 68, R&B Singer, Is Dead

Variety: African-American Critics Pick 'Debaters'

Geoffrey Bennett

11:34 AM ET | 12-19-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Programming Note: Denzel's Dropping By 'N&N'

Brad Barket, Getty Images

Later this week, Denzel Washington will swing by News & Notes to talk with Farai about his new film The Great Debaters.

Inspired by a true story, the film tells the story of an underdog debate team from a small, black college in the deep South, which goes on to challenge Harvard in a national championship.

The movie, produced by Oprah Winfrey, features an ensemble cast (Forest Whitaker, Kimberly Elise) -- plus Washington's acting and directing talents. Debaters opens wide on Christmas Day, and has already won early industry awards and is a Golden Globe Best Picture nominee.

The interview is happening this Thursday, Dec. 20, and will air on Friday. If you'd like to submit a question for Washington, send it to us via the comment section below. Be sure to leave your name and an accurate e-mail address, so we can contact you if we use it on the air. Your e-mail address will not be made public.

Geoffrey Bennett

12:54 PM ET | 12-18-2007 | permalink | comments (16) | e-mail post

Robinson: Sports Fans Are Juiced, Too!

iStockphoto.com

Talk About It:
Eugene Robinson: Fans on the Juice -- "We, the paying customers, don't want normal-size athletes with normal abilities. We want to see supermen and superwomen performing super feats, and we're willing to pay these gladiators a fortune. Why should they disappoint us? Why should we expect them to?"

Do you agree? Can the steroids-in-sports scandal be reduced to athletes desperately trying to meet fan demand?

Nation:
AP: Black Farmers May Get Boost in Farm Bill

AP: Minority Families Sue Houston School District Over Bond Issue

New York Times: With Regrets, New Orleans Is Left Behind

Louisiana Weekly: Self-Esteem a Problem for Many Black Girls

World:
New York Times: Service Helps African Immigrants Combat Demons

Reuters: Castro Hints He Will Not Hold On To Power

BBC: Internet 'Necessary' to Africa's Growth

People:
New York Times: St.Clair Bourne, Filmmaker, Dies at 64

The AJC: Alice Walker's Archives Going to Emory Univ.

Chicago Sun-Times: Law Students Gave Obama Big Thumbs-Up

Op-Ed:
David Brooks: The Obama-Clinton Issue

Geoffrey Bennett

12:02 PM ET | 12-18-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Sharpton: Obama 'Never Came Off As a Fighter'

Al Sharpton and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton confer during the Ninth Annual National Action Network Convention in April 2007.

Stephen Chernin, Getty Images

News Headlines: Dec. 17, 2007

Talk About It:
New York Magazine: Al Sharpton's Three-Candidate Monte -- "It's a race to see which candidate can kiss Al Sharpton's ring the most, the fastest, and with the most sincere pucker. With a black candidate and the spouse of 'the first black president' in the race, the jockeying to secure the black vote in the primaries has never been more intense. All of which puts Sharpton in demand."

Assuming he was quoted correctly and in proper context, Al Sharpton lays out -- with candor -- his role in the current political landscape. At best, he portrays himself to be a savvy, political heavyweight with more sway than folks realize; at worst, he confirms his critics allegations that he is a race-baiting, self-interested phony. Give it a read and tell us what you think.

Nation:
AP: Voting Rights Chief Reassigned | Flashback: Official Apologizes

AP: Paper: Blacks Targets of Suburban Nuisance Laws

Via Huffington Post: Clinton, McCain, Obama Win Early Endorsements

AP: Obama Confronts Rumor He Is Muslim

Boston Herald: Romney Wells Up Over Church's Treatment of Blacks

World:
New York Times: Leadership Battle Grips S. Africa's Dominant Party

The East African: How a President Obama Would Fix Africa

Toronto Star: A Glimpse of Proposed African-Centered School

People:
CNN: Trailblazing Indiana Congresswoman Dies

L.A. Times: Will Smith Sets Box Office Record With 'Legend'

Sports:
BlackAthelete.com: The Complete History Of Black NFL QBs

Op-Ed:
Frank Rich: Latter-Day Republicans vs. the Church of Oprah

Dan Abrams: Changes in the Civil Rights Division

Geoffrey Bennett

11:15 AM ET | 12-17-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

A Mother's Choice: African War Zone or City Gang Life?

News Headlines: Dec. 14, 2007

Talk About It:

New York Times: Exiled to a War Zone, for His Safety -- "When Augustus Massalee walked through the arrivals gate at Kennedy International Airport, he seemed to have shrunk two sizes. His accent, which once identified him as a tough kid from Staten Island, was now unmistakably African. ... It was [his mother], a refugee from Liberia, who had made the extraordinary decision to send Augustus back to Africa."

More: Photos

Nation:
Wall Street Journal: More Blacks Lean Toward Obama

Washington Post: Suggested Baseball Solutions May Fall Short

World:
AP: Zimbabwe: Party Backs the Usual President

Arts & Culture:
AP: Washington Visits 'Great Debaters' Town

Ft.Worth Star-Telegram: Recent Black Films Focus on Family Values

Op-Ed:
Howard Fineman: Huckaboom and Hillabust

USA Today: Too Many Blacks Are Simply 'Stuck'

L.A. Times: Ike Turner's Music Shouldn't Be Forgotten

Geoffrey Bennett

11:48 AM ET | 12-14-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Sharpton Denounces Probe Into '04 Presidential Bid

The Rev. Al Sharpton arrives at the "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" in December 2007.

Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

News Headlines: Dec. 13, 2007

Talk About It:
New York Daily News: Sharpton Denounces Federal Probe -- "The Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday denounced the federal investigation into his 2004 White House bid, suggesting he was being targeted because of his vocal support for civil rights. Sharpton's remarks came the Daily News reported the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service are investigating whether he improperly misstated the amount of money he raised during his 2004 White House run to illegally obtain federal matching funds."

How do you think this will play out? Is Sharpton being unfairly targeted?

Nation:
AP: Clemens, Pettitte Named in Mitchell Report

New York Times: Survey Points to Tensions Among Chief Minorities

AP: Hillary Aide: Think About Obama's Drug Use

AP: Protests Disrupt New Orleans' Proposed Redevelopment

World:
AP: At Least 17 Dead in Somali Unrest

AP: Study Says Fewer Lack Food, Health Care

New York Times: An Appeal for Calm After Suicide Bombings in Algeria

Chicago Tribune: Gore to Climate Delegates: Ignore Bush W.H.

People:
L.A. Times: Expert on African Oral Expression Dies

Chicago Tribune: Where Will Winfrey Stand After Election?

AFP: Music Legend Ike Turner Dead at 76

Op-Ed:
Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Mitchell Report Proves Bonds Is Baseball's Druggie Scapegoat

Geoffrey Bennett

11:53 AM ET | 12-13-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Ike Turner Dies at 76

Ike Turner at The MOJO Honours List Awards in June 2007.

Chris Jackson, Getty Images

News of Ike Turner's death had us in the News & Notes newsroom recalling those memorable What's Love Got to Do With It moments -- like Ike's character saying, "Eat the cake, Anna Mae!"

So much of what people know about Ike Turner has been colored by that movie and by his turbulent relationship with Tina Turner.

What do you remember about Ike Turner? His music? How do you feel about his passing?

And if you were wondering ...

"Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today," Tina Turner's rep told the entertainment Web site TMZ. "She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made."

Geoffrey Bennett

6:37 PM ET | 12-12-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

The 'Dirty Laundry' of Gay Life and Family

Maurice Jamal, Loretta Devine, and Farai Chideya, (left to right), photographed at NPR West studios.

Bettina Wiesenthal-Birch

We had a chance to have on the wonderful Loretta Devine to talk about her new film, Dirty Laundry. She gives an alternately hilarious and heartbreaking performance as a small-town mother whose son comes home from New York. The son gets a big surprise, learning about the son he never knew about ... and then has to tell his family that he's gay. Those are just the plot twists for starters.

Even if you don't know her name, you probably know Loretta Devine -- her face and the slight Texas twang left in her voice. You might remember her turn in the stage version of Dreamgirls, or in movies including Waiting to Exhale. In a town known for being unkind to "blacktresses," she works all the time. You can check out her filmography and see work on shows including Boston Public and Grey's Anatomy, as well.

Devine came into our studios with the film's director, Maurice Jamal, who was rocking a very neatly shaved fro-hawk. He's hardly the kind of person who hides that he's gay, or that he's bucking a number of assumptions about what a black man can be.

So: given the film's content -- and the fact that it was co-produced by black gay author and advocate Keith Boykin (Beyond the Down Low) -- is Jamal trying to say that black people are more homophobic than whites? In his opinion, not at all.

Here's what he said on-air during our interview today:

"I actually don't think that the African community is more homophobic than the mainstream community, the white community. What I think is that black folks are just more connected to our hometown, whether it be through sororities or fraternities ... we still go to church with our mom and dad. Coming out has a different implication. ... I'm not just coming out, my family is coming out around this issue. How does my coming out affect my grandmother, and my mom, and my brothers and sisters?"

On the way out the door, Jamal made an additional point: that gay black men and women are more likely to stay in their original neighborhoods, near old friends and family, than gay white men and women, who -- he says -- will often end up in neighborhoods like San Francisco's Castro district, places that are hubs of gay life.

Do you think he's right? What about your family? If you've come out or had a relative that's come out, how did it play out?

Oh, and another note: Loretta Devine sees great things ahead for black films. She says:

"I think a lot of doors are getting ready to open and are opening for African-American films. I'm in This Christmas, and it's No. 2 at the box office, which was a shock, I think, to established Hollywood. And it's the same thing as when Waiting to Exhale came out. There's such a tremendous need for what our writers and directors and actors have to offer. And I think there's money to be made and people are waking up to that truth.

Maurice did a little riff on what he called "urban garbage" films -- specifically saying that if he wanted an easy sell to film-funders he would have made something like (the mythical sequel) "Soul Plane 8." He didn't hold back.

So, is quality black film coming up? Or are films that tackle serious topics the exception to the rule?

Farai Chideya

6:37 PM ET | 12-12-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Martin: Black Men Must Reclaim Children

iStockphoto.com

News Headlines: Dec. 11, 2007

Talk About It:
CNN - Roland Martin: Commentary: Black Men Must Reclaim Our Children -- "We can spend all day talking about the ills afflicting urban America -- and there are plenty that are institutional -- but the decaying value of life in inner cities clearly can be traced to the exodus of fathers from the lives of so many young men. Excuses often are tossed about as to why black men leave their children (and their children's moms) to fend for themselves. But a lot of them are just sorry and refuse to accept the responsibility that comes with raising a child."

Nation:
Chicago Sun-Times: Police Torture Victims Deal Falls Apart

TIME: Inside Obama's Iowa Ground Game

Washington Post: In Poll, Huckabee Closes on Giuliani

Philadelphia Inquirer: Minority Contractors Lobby for a Bigger Slice

People:
New York Times: Marion Jones Stripped of 5 Medals

Arts & Culture:
Baltimore Sun: Films Show Broader Black Experience

New York Times: A Network for Blacks With Sense of Mission

The AJC: Babyface: Tour About 'Music ... Not Flash'

Op-Ed:
Denver Post: Lost Sports Stars a Sad Sign of African-American Plight

Chicago Tribune: Minority 'Crumbs' and Casinos

Geoffrey Bennett

12:28 PM ET | 12-12-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

The Tale of the Andy Young Tape

While folks are still talking about Amb. Andrew Young's views on Barack Obama's candidacy, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's political blog has more about how those comments were made public.

Quoting Jim Welcome, executive producer of Newsmakers Live, where the Young video was posted -- The AJC says Young actually made the comments on Sept. 5.

More from The AJC:

The clip wasn't put up until late October or early November, and even then the video was buried a couple layers deep on the web site, Welcome said.

But from what we can piece together, two things happened.

Continue reading "The Tale of the Andy Young Tape" »

Geoffrey Bennett

4:24 PM ET | 12-11-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

 

Supreme Court Allows Flexible Drug Sentencing

iStockphoto.com

News Headlines: Dec. 11, 2007

Talk About It:
Washington Post: Sense in Sentencing -- "For roughly two decades, federal trial judges have chafed under the constraints of federal sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimums that often forced them to hand down inordinately long sentences. Those injustices have been most pronounced in drug cases, particularly those involving crack cocaine."

UPDATE: AP: The U.S. Sentencing Commission has voted to make its recent easing of crack cocaine punishment guidelines retroactive.

[Listen to today's show for in-depth analysis of the Court's ruling.]

Nation:
New York Times: Harvard to Aid Students High in Middle Class

Reuters: Bible Belt State May Be Crucial In Election

The Plain Dealer: More Blacks Appear to Be Adopting White Children

Reuters: Civic Groups Slam U.S. for "Abysmal" Race Record

Chicago Tribune: Black Students at NIU Feel Unsafe After Threats

Newsweek: The GOP's Latino Problem

People:
UPI: Man Accused of Racism Has Black Genes

New York Post: Anucha Slam-Dunks Garden for $11.5M in Sex Suit

Chicago Sun-Times: Prosecutor: Nailah Stalked Before She Died

World:
New York Times: At Least 67 Dead in Algiers Bombings

Op-Ed:
Carl Jeffers: The Reverse Race Card and the Oprah Factor

Eugene Robinson: Oprah the Believer

Geoffrey Bennett

11:46 AM ET | 12-11-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Andy, Oprah and Obama

Bill Clinton, (left), talks with former Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, (right), prior to Clinton addressing the Opening Session of the National Summit on Africa in February 2000.

Stephen Jaffe, AFP/Getty Images

From NPR's Tony Cox:
It's not often that I hear things that make my jaw drop. But I did on today's bloggers' roundtable. The topic was Barack Obama's presidential campaign and the boost he got over the weekend by stumping with Oprah Winfrey through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

It was a lively conversation with varying opinions on whether Oprah's political endorsement carries the same cache and clout as her book recommendations. We'll see. It's certainly had an impact so far, providing a political hot button for her massive viewing audience.

But then we turned to Andrew Young, an African-American icon from the Civil Rights Era, whose admonition to Barack Obama to "wait" because he's too young to be president, has been the biggest blogger topic this week.

And that prompted one of my blogger guests today to opine that Young was a "has been" whose contribution to civil rights was no longer relevant in the context of this conversation, or something to that effect. Dumbfounded, I asked if I had heard him correctly that he called Young a has-been. "Yes" came the reply.

Another panelist added that Young sits on the board of Wal-Mart, the suggestion being that his politics are out of touch with the modern political sensibilities of African Americans. A little too "old school" for his own good.

That may be true. And the bloggers' roundtable is the appropriate place to hash out such opinions, as we did today. I welcome them.

But for the record, Andrew Young is no civil rights "has been."

You may consider him old, his ideas outdated, his choice of boards questionable. But to cast aside his contribution to the progress of blacks in this country, and his role in the political history that helped create opportunities for future political stars like Obama, is, well, jaw-dropping to me.

In fairness, perhaps that's not what was meant, exactly. But as a person who remembers when Young was the Obama of his day, so to speak, I'm saddened to think that we sometimes discard "old" black folks along with their "old" ideas. Let's disagree on what he said, but not on whether he's qualified to talk about black folks at the highest levels of political power in this country.

As we get older, and can see our own old age in the distance, our memories get longer and we appreciate what happened before.

So I told my guest today that Andrew Young's civil rights credentials don't need to be vouched for, no matter what people think about his opinion of Obama.

For the record, I also don't agree with Young. Barack is certainly competent enough to run for the presidency, and if he wins, to try to figure out a way to get the job done. Others have. What's age got to do with it?

Funny. That's the same message that applies to Andrew Young.

Tony Cox

4:40 PM ET | 12-10-2007 | permalink | comments (9) | e-mail post

Maya Angelou: Hillary Is 'My Girl'

Oprah's out stumping for Obama, but the TV queen's longtime friend and mentor, Maya Angelou, is endorsing Sen. Hillary Clinton in a new radio ad airing in South Carolina.

In it, Angelou says, "I am inspired by Hillary Clinton's commitment and courage ... a daughter, a wife, a mother ... my girl."

Listen to the audio here.

More: Maya Angelou for Hillary: New Radio Ad in South Carolina

Geoffrey Bennett

4:27 PM ET | 12-10-2007 | permalink | comments (16) | e-mail post

Can You Pass the 'Chitling Test'?

iStockphoto.com

Taken from today's news headlines ... this story from the Houston Chronicle -- 'Chitling Test' Stirs Emotion at School -- about how a Civil Rights Era relic is spurring drama at a Texas high school.

A teacher used the so-called "Chitling Intelligence Test," in an attempt to teach her students a larger lesson about cultural bias in IQ tests. The exam includes questions like this one:

Hattie Mae Johnson is on the County. She has four children and her husband is now in jail for non-support, as he was unemployed and was not able to give her any money. Her welfare check is now $286 per month. Last night she went out with the highest player in town. If she got pregnant, then nine months from now how much more will her welfare check be?

Should such a test be presented in a high school class? Or is nothing off limits in the name of education when presented in the proper context?

And, while we're talking about it ... can you pass the "Chitlin Test"? Published in 1971, much of the lingo is dated, but try anyway and tell us how you scored.

Geoffrey Bennett

3:28 PM ET | 12-10-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Oprah, Obama Host Huge Political Rallies

Sen. Barack Obama gets a hugs from television host Oprah Winfrey.

Paul J. Richards, AFP/Getty Images

News Headlines: Dec. 10, 2007

Talk About It:
New York Times: Oprah Campaigns for Obama in SC and NH -- "The Oprah and Obama tour hit South Carolina Sunday, with the talk show host and medial mogul exhorting nearly 30,000 to ignore Barack Obama's detractors and help him capture the Democratic nomination and the presidency."

Plus: Video of the Event

Will Oprah be able to extend her influence into the realm of presidential politics?

[That's what our panel of bloggers debated on today's show. Take a listen.]

Nation:
New York Times: Court Says Crack Sentences Can Be Reduced

Chicago Tribune: Sharpton: Fight Police Brutality or Risk Olympics

Detroit Free Press: Colleges Find New Ways to Retain Diversity

Philadelphia Inquirer: Blacks Combat 'Stigma' of Mental Illness

Houston Chronicle: 'Chitling Test' Stirs Emotion at School

People:
CNN: Vick Faces 23 Months for Dogfighting | Photos of Home

Newsweek: Patti LaBelle, with Hot Sauce

World:
Washington Post: Wealth of Kindness Among Somalia's Poorest

Reuters: Europe and Africa Work to Smooth Divisions

AP: Farmers in Africa, West Rethink Subsidy

Op-Ed:
Ed Moore: More Minorities Choosing Graduate Schools

Les Payne: Mitt Romney's Faith Fails to Be Color Blind

Geoffrey Bennett

12:22 PM ET | 12-10-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Andrew Young: Obama's Time Will Come

Ambassador Andrew Young in an interview with "The Newsmakers Journal."

Courtesy The Newsmakers Journal

"I want Obama to be president," said former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, "... in 2016. It's not a matter of being inexperienced. It is a matter of being young."

In an interview with The Newsmakers Journal, Young explains with candor why he believes now is not the time for Obama to serve as president.

"There's a certain level of maturity," Young said. "You have to learn to take a certain amount of sh*t. ... Leadership requires suffering."

Saying, "Barack Obama does not have the support network yet to get to be president," Young added: "To put a brother in there by himself is to set him up for crucifixion. His time will come, and the world will be ready a visionary leadership. Now, somebody's got to clean up the mess."

Then Young offered this story about Bill Clinton: "Bill [Clinton] is every bit as black as Barack. He's probably gone out with more black women than Barack. [laughs] I'm clowning, but when they went to Nelson Mandela's inauguration -- there was a whole plane load of black folks who went down there. After the inauguration, there was a party. [Bill] Clinton was the one who said, "Let's start a Soul Train line!" All these middle class, bourgie folks looked around ... and Bill did the moon walk down the Soul Train line. And Hillary pulled her skirt up above her knees and she got down and went on through, too."

Watch the clip, and share your thoughts. Do you agree with Young? Taking the premise of Young's argument, does Obama need a "support network" like the one Young describes? Or have times changed? Is Obama too young?

Update: Obama Responds -- "I think a lot of folks have longstanding relationships with Bill Clinton," he said. "If you are a former president, you've got chits out there. Obviously, I disagree with [Young], or I wouldn't be running."

Geoffrey Bennett

6:02 PM ET | 12- 7-2007 | permalink | comments (51) | e-mail post

Dupri: New Generation Doesn't Want to Start at Bottom

iStockphoto.com

News Headlines: Dec. 7, 2007

Talk About It:
Jermaine Dupri (Op-Ed): Start at the Beginning -- "I find that this new generation of go getters doesn't really wanna start at the bottom. They wanna start in the middle, at the very least. But the last time I checked, the definition of "start" was to have a beginning. That's the time in your life when you'll do ANYthing to make it in the business, from driving all night to get to a music convention, to answering phones at a studio and picking up take-out for the engineers."

Do you agree with Dupri's position? Is there such a thing as being too ambitious?

Nation:
New York Times: C.I.A. Destroyed 2 Tapes Showing Interrogations

The AJC: Secret Service Racism Suit Gets Another Day in Court

New York Times: U.S. Agency's Slow Pace Endangers Foreign Aid

New York Times: Justice Dept. Numbers Show Prison Trends

Houston Chronicle: Economic Fair Gives Blacks Tools to Profit

New York Times: Group: 5 Percent of Minorities to Get Rate Freeze

AP: Bonds Pleads Not Guilty to Perjury, Obstruction

Politics:
L.A. Times: Bush Loses Ground with Military Families

Washington Post (Blog): The Line: For Obama, It Takes a Movement

Arts & Culture:
AP: Smith Says 'Legend' Not Yet OK'd in China

Geoffrey Bennett

12:40 PM ET | 12- 7-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

More On Our New Series: Blacks and the Military

I have been traveling a lot lately and everywhere I go, I meet people who are listening to the show. Most of them are happy; some (as you can tell from our letters segment!) have a bone or two to pick. But I love being able to circulate and hear people talking about some of the most important ideas and issues of our time ... and hear from you that you think we're bringing up and exploring those issues.

So, here's what's next... or what's now: African Americans and the Military. It's our new monthly series, and I'm incredibly excited.

I come from a long line of military folks. My grandmother's grandfather was a water boy in the Civil War. One of my grandmother's uncles enlisted (at the age of 15... lying that he was 18) and fought in World War I. His younger brother fought in World War II. Two of my uncles served in Vietnam. Another was a Marine who traveled the world. And my cousin Jake got back not too long ago from Iraq.

Exploring the relationship between black communities and the military is incredibly important to me on a personal level and a journalistic level.

So it's with great pleasure that I bring you today's launch of the series.

For an overview on African-Americans and the military, we spoke with John Sherwood -- a historian with the U.S. Naval Historical Center and author of Black Sailor, White Navy -- and Gregory Black, a retired Navy commander and creator of the Web site BlackMilitaryWorld.

Marine Capt. Vernice Armour

Courtesy Armou

Then we talked to Marine Capt. Vernice Armour. She is the nation's first black female combat pilot. Armour served two combat tours in Iraq and left the Marine Corps this past June.

Tomorrow, we're talking about black anti-war movements and participation. As you can see, it's going to be a critical and controversial month ahead.

So: we want to hear from you. If you've got an opinion on the war, bring it. If you've served and want to be on the air ... or if you have family in service ... or if you have strong opinions that are against the war or military service, and you want to speak to the world, let us know. We're here to broadcast to you, but also to broadcast you. Let us know what's on your mind.

Farai Chideya

6:53 PM ET | 12- 6-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Be on 'News & Notes': Mortgage Rate Freeze

iStockphoto.com

In a move that may spell relief for cash-strapped homeowners, President Bush has announced a five-year freeze of interest rates for those whose mortgages are scheduled to rise.

About 1.2 million people could be eligible for help under the plan, but not everyone will be eligible for the rate freeze. Bush said interested people should call a new hot line: 1-888-995-HOPE.

Read more about it.

Now here's where you come in: If you have been struggling with mortgage payments and think you'll benefit from the rate freeze, drop us a line.

We may invite you to come on the show and share your story. Please be sure to leave an accurate e-mail address so we can contact you. It will not be made public.

Geoffrey Bennett

4:18 PM ET | 12- 6-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Televangelists Snub Senate Probe Into Finances

Creflo Dollar is one of the TV ministers who is refusing to cooperate in a Senate probe into his church's finances and use of tax codes.

Courtesy World Changers Church International

News Headlines: Dec. 6, 2007

Talk About It:
The AJC: Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long Spurn Senate Probe -- "The Rev. Creflo Dollar of College Park's World Changers Church International refused to cooperate in a U.S. senator's probe into televangelists' finances and uses of tax-exempt status. The others -- Bishop Eddie Long of Georgia, the Rev. Binny Hinn and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Texas, and Randy and Paula White of Florida -- had not turned in records as of Thursday morning. Only Joyce Meyer of Fenton, Mo., has complied so far with Thursday's deadline looming."

When News & Notes initially covered this topic, five out of the six churches provided us with statements on the matter -- including New Birth's Bishop Eddie Long.

The statement read:

"Bishop Long has received a request for information from the United States Senate. He plans to fully comply. New Birth has several safeguards put in place to ensure all transactions are in compliance with laws applicable to churches."

To what would you attribute this apparent lack of cooperation on his behalf and these other televangelists?

Related: Are Big-Spending Clergy Abusing U.S. Tax Code? | Questions Surround TV Preacher Inquiry

Flashback: Senator Probes Televangelists' Finances

Nation:
AP: Black Pa. Lawmakers Walk Out in Protest

L.A. Times: 1 in 3 Would Deny Illegal Immigrants Social Services

Chicago Tribune: When Off-Duty Police Fire Their Weapons

Washington Post: Romney on Faith and History

The New York Sun: Hispanics' Tilt Left Could Hurt GOP: Study

Star Tribune: High-Ranking Black Cops Sue Minneapolis Police

Editor & Publisher: 'Boston Globe' Writer Entering Baseball HoF

World:
New York Times: Official Urges Arrest of 2 Darfur Suspects

Arts & Culture:
AP: Vivica A. Fox Booked for DUI

AP: West, Winehouse Favored for Grammy Nods

CBS News: Don Imus' New Sidekick Says She Is No "Sellout"

Geoffrey Bennett

12:24 PM ET | 12- 6-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Struggling With Racism, Tension on College Campuses

iStockphoto.com

This from The Boston Globe about students on college campuses across the country struggling with ethnic tensions and racist attitudes:

The subject of racial and ethnic tensions on college campuses has become so topical that a November episode of "Without a Trace" kicked off with a white student calling his black peer an affirmative-action "charity case" during class. Tufts University's conservative student newspaper, The Primary Source, generated controversy a year ago when it published a Christmas carol titled "O Come All Ye Black Folk." Asian students at Boston College complain of drunken alumni and students who shout racial epithets as part of their football game celebrations.

Read the rest of the article, and tell us: Did you face similar run-ins during your time in school? How did you deal with it?

Geoffrey Bennett

2:01 PM ET | 12- 5-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Supreme Court Considers Racial Bias

U.S. Supreme Court justices photographed in March 2006.

Mark Wilson, Getty Images

News Headlines: Dec. 5, 2007

Talk About It:
L.A. Times: High Court Considers Play of Race Card -- "The O.J. Simpson case made it to the Supreme Court on Tuesday -- not to review the double murder trial from Los Angeles but to consider how a white prosecutor used the outcome to play the race card with an all-white jury in Louisiana."

More: "At issue is a prosecutor who worked to exclude African Americans from a jury deciding the fate of a black defendant." What do you think will be the Court's decision?

Nation:
USA Today: Victim's Family Sues in 'Jena 6' Case

Washington Post: Lessons of Iraq Aided Intelligence On Iran

New York Times: For Struggling Black College, Hopes of a Revival

Chicago Tribune: The Rush to Clear Police in Shootings

New York Times: In Region Hit by Katrina, Team Brings Hope

L.A. Times: Huckabee Inches Toward Giuliani

AP: Suspect in Sean Taylor Death Due in Court

World:
BBC: Black