Lots of Studies...Information

Hi everyone, lots of interesting studies made today's show -- like the report on Latinos and binge eating, and another study which suggests that it's our friends who help us gain weight the most...can I say "help?!!"

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been controversial ever since its inception and today's discussion was no exception. Under a provision of NCLB legislation, Maryland is one of a handful of states that identifies schools as "persistently dangerous." As a result, five Baltimore schools now hold that dubious distinction. The designation kicks-in when incidents like a student hitting a teacher are documented over a three year period, for example. But city officials say they've been working aggressively to resolve problems and that the designation doesn't help.

So should schools bear the "dangerous" moniker? Is it fair?
And what really makes a school "dangerous?"
We'd like to hear from you.

And last, could you do without your e-gadgets? We heard from a journalism professor who put her students on a techno-free diet. No cell phones, computers, TV radios or anything electronic for 24 hours. Some thought it was sheer torture while others found out that reading a newspaper isn't so bad after all.

Have you ever tried anything similiar? Think you could make it?

Tell us more...

Cheryl Corley

6:17 PM ET | 07-30-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Hasta

Hey, it's Cheryl Corley here with you again. Whew! It's the end of a busy week -- Sports fans could you keep up?
Our Barbershop guys believe Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick might be able to pull through all the tough times battling dog fighting charges if sports scandals of the past are any indication. That's certainly not the opinon of animal lovers who've already started a campaign to keep Vick off the football field and are urging his corporate sponsors to drop him as well.

What do you think?

Vick was just one of many troubles that kept our sports gurus busy debating -- the NBA betting referee debacle, the "should we celebrate or should we not?" quandry over home-run slugger Barry Bonds and the continuing controversies of the Tour-de-France.

It was almost enough to overshadow politics! Almost.

The Congressional battle with the White House conitues over the federal prosecutors controversy continued as does the presidential debate train -- from YouTube to the National Urban League's presidential candidates' forum which featured the top Democratic contenders. Our political pundits say most people outside the beltway (that is, Washington, D.C.) aren't paying much attention to the debates yet. You tell us, are they right?...

And... Not much was resolved, but it was fascinating that evangelical Christians and Muslim leaders held a meeting earlier this month in an effort to foster some common ground. Richard Cizik, with the National Association for Evangelicals and Aziz Mekouar, the Moroccan ambassador to the United States continued the discussion in our studio. They say, still, more meetings will be held. It was a far cry from the tension of five years ago when the late Jerry Falwell and others were very vocal in their criticism of Islam and the prophet Muhammad.

It's time to wind down...party a little...So we ended the week with a visit to Soul Summer '67. Can't go wrong with a little Stevie and Aretha. Have a great weekend...

You can tell us more next week and of course you can always catch us online.

Hasta

Cheryl Corley

9:40 PM ET | 07-27-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Hey, It's Cheryl...

Hey everyone, it's Cheryl Corley...I'm sitting in for Michel while she takes some time off...so let's chat.

We've all heard about those studies that try to determine whether race is a factor in the type of medical treatment patients receive. Some researchers at Harvard say they have actually devised a way to measure a person's preference for African-Americans, people of European descent and other races. It's maybe a wakeup call for the medical profession. Dr. Mahzarin Banaji says the test is fairly simple -- it just takes a few minutes of your time and a few clicks on the computer.

So what type of preference may you have? Go ahead and take the test yourself...I did. Let's us know your ranking.

Here's another question for you: how big is your closet? I ask because one of our guests today, Dr. Pietra Rivoli, said we buy clothes like crazy and when we pass along our old clothes to a charity, most often they end up for sale in a foreign country. She should know...she tracked a t-shirt for five years and saw how its journey impacted the global economy. It's all in her new book The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy.

...For Macy's department stores, it was less of journey and more of a blooper after it pulled some T-shirts off its shelf. The tagline on the T-shirt, "brown is the new white" didn't sit too well with some Latina shoppers.

What were they thinking?

Macy's says it didn't mean to offend; it was just looking to put out some hip merchandise. So that got US thinking...have you ever worn a T-shirt with a slogan that some considered offensive? What did it say?

Tell us more...and if you have a photo...direct us to that, too.

Nice chatting with you.

Cheryl Corley

5:43 PM ET | 07-26-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Taking a Breather...

And drum roll, please...I am actually taking OFF for a few days. The wonderful Cheryl Corley, from NPR's Chicago Bureau, will be here.

I'll let Cheryl tell you more about herself...

Thanks, Michel. I typically cover the Midwest, and New Orleans. I guess it would be best to say that I report on the central part of the U.S.! For those of you who are regular NPR listeners, you've heard me before. I've been around for a while reporting, as well as occasionally hosting. For the next few days, I'll be bringing Chicago's "windy city" sensibilities to Tell Me More. And we will all be working to keep Michel's standard intact -- intriguing conversation...with some great blog notes, too. She's a hard-working woman, y'all. So Michel, enjoy those sweet, sweet days off!

Thanks Cheryl.

I will be back in a week -- just in time to take the program to the National Association of Black Journalists' (NABJ) convention in Las Vegas. It's only the first of what I hope will be more broadcasts produced outside of our Washington studios (we like to call them "remotes"). We have all kinds of places we want to go...all over the world. NABJ is going to be the first. We'll be hosted there by our NPR member stations, and we hope we'll do you proud.

I'll keep the spa treatments to myself...

Michel Martin

9:57 PM ET | 07-25-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

N*W*C

As in the "N" word, the "W" word and the "C" word...all racial slurs. You've heard 'em. So there's no need for me to spell them out, is there?

Well, the guys at SPEAK Theater Arts happen not to agree with me. They are three young men who all met at community college and have gone on to form a theater piece organized around racial epithets and all that they invoke -- slurs and stereotypes.

It's a subject we've covered a fair amount on this program. I know that some people think this stuff is trivial (I had an E-mail from a congressman to that effect not long ago. His point -- and I don't take it lightly -- is that people are dying in Iraq every day and that's a big deal...not some verbiage). But I also think culture is what defines us. It's one of our most significant exports; it tells us who we are.

The young men -- Miles Gregley, Rafael Augustin and Allan Axibal -- have their own interesting, amusing argument about why we need to hear...uh..those words.

You can listen for yourself, and tell us what you think.

Warning: they do spell it out. But you knew that...

Michel Martin

7:30 PM ET | 07-25-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Send Us Your 'Wonders'

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was voted among the "New 7 Wonders" of the world.

renatapereira

Lee, here.

We're working on a story this week about the "New 7 Wonders" of the world. The contest, a project of Swiss filmmaker Bernard Weber, dubbed itself as the "first ever global election." Weber's troop asked citizens from around the globe to submit their ideas on which sites should be recognized as the world's most treasured.

Of course, the idea for the contest was inspired by the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Those selections, written about by the Greeks as theamata (meaning "things to be seen"), were mainly noted for artistic splendor and religious significance. They were chosen long before anyone reading this post was even thought of...

The results of the worldwide callout for the "New 7 Wonders" were revealed earlier this month with much fanfare (see the final seven for yourself).

But our idea to cover this story came in the days that followed. A listener, Robert, who lives in San Francisco, wrote to us about why he's reserving his applause:

Dear, Tell Me More, & Michel Martin, I'm a huge fan, of Tell Me More, & wanted to know why Africa, a whole continent, was overlooked in creating a new 7 wonders of the world?...this got me to thinking, why or how, this could be? Africa as huge as it is, could not get even one, on the list, except honoree status...? This is something that I can't shake off, so I thought maybe it would be something you & Tell Me More could explore further on one of your shows. Sincerely, Robert

We thought: who else is thinking about the "New 7" in this way?

Help us out on this story. Can you think of an international "must-see" that didn't make the cut? Another "special" place?

Tell us where it is and why you think it's so...splendid.
Or, if you've never been there, tell us why it looks so...splendid.

Hurry!

...And thanks Robert.

Lee Hill

8:35 PM ET | 07-24-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

For the People, By the People

Looking backward, Looking forward...journalists do both. That's why we decided to start the program with a discussion about the impact of the 1967 Detroit riots (or rebellion or urban uprising, as some prefer). It's hard to describe, if you haven't been there, how the violence scarred the city. Just like it's hard for people to understand how the 1968 riots affected Washington, D.C. The affected parts of these cities almost seem like museum exhibits, frozen in time. One of our guests thinks the relationships in Detroit have been stuck in time, too, and hopes that if discussions about the riots accomplish anything, it will help people focus on what needs to be done, instead of what hasn't been.

And...the CNN/YouTube presidential debate. Did you watch? Tell the truth. Ok, if you don't have cable, you get a pass (although it was also broadcast live on the web), but if you're interested in politics, how could you resist? Here's a question, about education, that didn't make the cut last night:

Interesting one. But I did get a little tired of people talking about how "fresh" the questioning was compared to that of journalists (you know I participated in one of the previous forums, right?) because, let's face it, journalists have different jobs, different responsibilities. No one wants to hear our problems...no one wants to hear a journalist say, "what are you going to do about what I care about? My kids' school, etc." You have to take that outside-in perspective. But, having said all that, there is definitely value to both questions posed by a journalist and those by citizens who "just want to know..."

What do you think?

I loved the questions, and can't wait to see the Republican debate. OK, maybe I can wait (that would mean that summer is officially over and it's already going fast). But I do like the format and am eager to see what people come up with next...

Michel Martin

5:15 PM ET | 07-24-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

A Full Monday...

There was a lot going on in today's show...would you agree? Especially for a Monday when some of us haven't quite shaken off the weekend cobwebs.

The health care conversation. Important. Every now and again we just have to check-in on the big policy debates of our time...even when they are disguised as fights over (relatively) small programs.

And then Gustavo! If you haven't read Ask a Mexican, you have to check it out. I must warn newcomers: he is NOT everyone's cup of tea -- his bluntness, his refusal to give quarter, his sense of humor. Some people think he's playing into stereotypes. I think there's something cutting-edge there; a freshness that makes me wonder if that's what it was like to be black during the Harlem Renaissance, and for folks were proclaiming the era of the "New Negro," throwing off the shackles of a subservient past. (It was never quite that simple, and analogies are never perfect). But check Gustavo out and tell me what you think. He's also available in the Village Voice now.

And abstinence...

We're going to talk more about this in tomorrow's program. But if you saw the Washington Post article over the weekend, you'll see there are some interesting findings about whether these abstinence education programs really make any difference.

Where do you find yourself in this debate?

Also today, we just wanted to know: what's it like to be a teenaged boy and just...say...no?

Michel Martin

5:46 PM ET | 07-23-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Let Your SOUL Glow...

Aretha Franklin

Getty Images

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You know you know the rest!

Yes, there's a lot going on in the world (Don't I know it!). But, please, it's summer, it's Friday...Don't you want to hear some great tunes? You know you love Aretha (or as we'd say "Aretha and them"...actually, it's more like, "Aretha 'N 'dem"). It's the SUMMER OF SOUL (love, whatever...) retrospective. Forty years later.

Yea, yea we got the idea from Rolling Stone...don't hate.

And because it's our job to inform and enlighten, as well as entertain, we are going to visit every Friday for the next few weeks with Mark Anthony Neal professor extraordinaire at Duke University, and some other commentators on the Summer of Soul. We'll explore why it mattered musically, what the songs and the artists were trying to say, politically, and what it means to us now.

Do you have a favorite song or artist from that summer? I am notoriously terrible at remembering song titles, so don't ask me. But I do find it very funny that I know all the lyrics to all of Aretha's songs (they must have been playing them in the operating room when my mother gave birth).

Have a great weekend. And don't forget, tell us YOUR song. And if your favorite isn't from 1967, don't despair. We still want to hear from you...

Michel Martin

5:20 PM ET | 07-20-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Latinos and Sex Abuse

For those of you who listen to the program in the morning, I know this probably wasn't the wake-up call you were hoping for but the abuse of children by the Catholic Church is a major story...and maybe because I live on the East Coast and followed the sex abuse scandal in Boston (and also Dallas -- covered that, too), I had never seen Latino victims represented until the L.A. settlement was announced and I saw their faces and started to hear their stories. It's tragic, but it's only logical -- a third of American Catholics are Latino. How could this community NOT have been affected? Yet, I had not heard many Latino voices speaking about this and wondered whether the additional element of being minority, (and in some cases) new immigrants, language barriers, or community connection made this a different story...

I can't say we were "happy" (seems wrong to say under the circumstances), but we did benefit, I believe, from the perspectives of our two guests. Manny Vega is a police officer who says he came to grips with being abused when he applied to the academy. Asked whether he had ever been the victim of abuse, he decided it was time to come clean and has made it his business to speak out about what happened to him. He is a plaintiff in the L.A. case.

Father Allen Figeroa Deck is soon to be working on cultural diversity for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he is interested in and has written about the relationship of Latinos with the Church. He added this thought after the program:

I wrote an article in Theological Studies (June 2004) tilted "A Latino Practical Theology: Mapping the Road Ahead" in which I said: Timothy Matovina in an article published in America titled "A Fundamental Gap" (March 17, 2003) observes that the reaction given by Hispanics to the priestly abuse scandals is notably low-key. It is not that the people condone the abuse or the irresponsibility of some bishops in not properly dealing with these scandals. Rather, the difference in reaction between Euro Americans and Latinos/as is due to the fact that Latinos/as, having lived under the fist of Constantinianism, have been well aware of the potential and actual abusiveness of the clergy for centuries. Latino/a culture long ago shed any pretensions of innocence about that. Nor is the culture sympathetic to any kind of Puritanism. In this contrast, perhaps, one can intuit how the Latino/a presence represents an interesting new ingredient for the U.S. Catholic Church and for the famous "melting pot." Feel free to put this on your webpage, etc. Fr. Allan

It might interest you to know that the conversation between the two men lasted much longer than the actual interview...they spoke for some time.

On to a happier subject -- BOOKS! If you're younger than I am (ok, everybody) you might not remember what it was like to never have a book with a character in it that looked like you...unless the subject was slavery...but I do. That's one reason we wanted to do today's segment. Maybe you don't think it matters but I do. I'm not saying every book character needs to match the ethnicity of the reader -- far from it (and, besides, where would that leave Thomas the Tank Engine?). But I have loved sharing books with my kids with characters from around the world. I loved the suggestions Loriene brought us. She has an interesting background. Check out her bio...and check out her list.

Happy reading!

Michel Martin

6:30 PM ET | 07-19-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Politics: What Really Matters?

Since we're talking politics, in case you haven't seen New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's "job interview" for President of the United States...

Telling some family business here: when I worked at Nightline, the ABC News program anchored by Ted Koppel, the show generally only covered one issue each night. Thus, we would often have these "debates" over which story was most important, interesting, etc. "Debates" is a nice word ...but sometimes we would have real brawls. My old boss Ted (a term he hated by the way -- he preferred "friend and colleague" -- but I digress) usually just listened, or he might ask a few pointed questions, because he knew if, and when, he did weigh-in the conversation would usually be over. Everybody would just do whatever he wanted. I always liked that he just let the staff kind of duke it out a while (not that I emulate him...).

One of the other things I liked was how, when we'd get all high and mighty about how we were not going to go tabloid...we were not going to talk about X,Y, or Z just because cable was all over it...he might raise an eyebrow and say, "Well, just because everybody else is talking about it doesn't mean we can't."

Well alrighty then!

That brings me to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whose affair with a TV newscaster is all in the papers. Boy, what a soap opera!...Talk about your business in the street!

Now some of you may be saying, "what do I care if he's handling the city's business?" But maybe some of you do care. Maybe some of you subscribe to the "if his wife can't trust him, why should I?" school of voting. The point is, nobody can tell you, as a voter, what your mayor may not care about. This is why we're so interested in this stuff, because you never can tell.

Does it matter? And what does it say about us, as a country?

Our roundtable today kicked it around. Now, how about you?
Do these issues matter to you when you cast your vote?
Does it matter who it is or what the circumstances were?...Man or woman?

Here's a brainteaser: I can't think of any high profile woman politician that has EVER admitted infidelity and retained her seat. Can you? (Ken Rudin, help!)
So let us know...

P.S. Speaking of shameless, here's a shameless pitch for Wisdom Watch suggestions: you heard from Gen. Wilma Vaught, USAF, ret. today. Who else would you like to hear from? Someone who is not just smart, but wise...

Michel Martin

2:02 PM ET | 07-18-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Why Waukegan?

So, if I told you we were going to do a piece about conflicts over immigration, would you think we'd go to...Waukegan, Illinois? Me neither.

That's why I love stories like this, because they help us understand the way America is changing, the places it's changing most and how those changes affect those who live there.

Waukegan is in the middle of a clash over illegal immigration -- but some would also say it's really about immigration, period. City Council members there want their police department to enforce immigration law in the case of "serious" crimes, but local Latino leaders think this is just an excuse for harassment and profiling. We hear from both sides...and both are Latino/Latina, which makes for another interesting dimension.

We have been following immigration closely because it is just one of the most compelling INTERNATIONAL dramas, let alone national ones. All over the world, people are on the move. Why are they leaving home, country, family, the familiar? Where they are going?...What's the reception they find when they get there? It is all interesting to us.

We want to hear more...

Is your city or town changing? How?
It doesn't all have to be about conflict -- although we don't mind conflict.

Who knows? A TMM team might just show up on your doorstep (preferably in a beach town, with excellent clam strips...kidding)

AND...it's still not too late to climb aboard the money train. If YOU are interested in advice on buying a home, reducing a debt or starting a small business...and you're willing to be profiled on Tell Me More...let us know. We plan to start in AUGUST, so the doors are closing.

Michel Martin

5:51 PM ET | 07-17-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Colorism: To Be or Not to Be

Lee, here...

A new week, a new day. We think we're off to a good start. But you tell us...what did you think of today's program?

Depending on how you look at it, I think it's fair to say we actually had two Behind Closed Doors conversations -- a look into the decline in African-Americans joining the military (and the increase in Hispanic enlistment) and the more obviously branded conversation with writer Frances Robles about the sub-culture of "color-coding" in the Dominican Republic.

The latter conversation reminded me of a guy my sister once dated. We'll just say his name is Mark (of course, I won't use his real name here). Mark was from the Dominican Republic with darker brown skin and distinct features, from which one could easily surmise that he was, if only partially, of African descent. His features were so distinct in this way that upon coming to the United States, he was almost immediately perceived and embraced as a black man living in America -- by those both in and outside of the culture, whether he wanted to be or not. Mark did not. He was adamantly against embracing his African roots (although I believe he did acknowledge them).

He and my sister are no longer an item.

I've never been swift to compartmentalize. I can sometimes be that guy in the conversation who's the first to declare "it's all relative." But this one left me scratching my head.

So maybe you can help us here...

We heard from Roble on her observations. By reading to this point, you've been subjected to a chapter of my sister's romantic life (she has plenty of stories to tell). But what about you?

Have you ever known anyone to have this complex?...or identity puzzler?
It would, arguably, be more puzzling to you than it would be to them.
How would you describe their reasoning?
Is this modern-day "passing?"

Or, if you are a person in or from the Caribbean, Latin America, or the U.S. who chooses not to recognize (or emphasize) your own African heritage, talk to us.
What's your thinking behind this?
Why is this principle of significance to you?

(You can always blog namelessly, or with a pseudonym -- like "Mark" -- if you're not comfortable revealing too much about yourself under your real name.)

Lee Hill

9:19 PM ET | 07-16-2007 | permalink | comments (39) | e-mail post

Sports...and Freedom

Sometimes you talk about things you want to talk about (sports), and sometimes you talk about things you think you have to talk about (the whithering of the civil rights movement)...and the happy surprise comes when the thing you thought you had to talk about challenges your thinking in unexpected ways.

I'm talking about our conversation with Marc Morial, of the Urban League, and John Trasvina of MALDEF, about what direction the civil rights movement should take.

I learned some things: John Trasvina's comments about how the group is taking on more at the state and local levels was news to me. Marc Morial's remarks that each group has to educate its members about why it can't be all things to all people was also interesting to hear.

And sports...

The home run chase is ON. Where do you stand on Barry Bonds?
Do you care if he gets the record?
Do you want him to get the record?
Why, why, why does anything involving a spherical object cause us to have opinions?

And...from earlier in the week, my convo with WNBA president Donna Orender caused me to pull out my high school yearbook. I'm going to see if Lee dares print my team pictures. (figure I'll "out" myself here before someone else does!)

Can't find any pics from college. I must have burned that yearbook...

Have a great weekend.

Michel Martin

7:53 PM ET | 07-13-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Are You _____ Enough?

Lee, here...

Last night, as Michel mentioned, there were two stories we considered leading the program with for today -- one on Congressional hearings happening in the U.S. House and the other on ex-offenders being granted a "second chance" at making a positive impact on society.

We chose neither of them.

As it turns out, early this morning, we were alerted to a story coming out of Prince William County in Virginia. It's an unusual crackdown on immigration that adds a new texture to the ongoing debate about just who deserves to call America "home." (Given the nature of a particular resolution that passed, some might argue that the texture feels a bit coarse). To our crew, the story was crying...Tell Me More. Much more.

So, we switched up our game a bit, bookmarked the other ideas (for now), and decided to bring this story to your ear. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

And now...Is He Black Enough? (cue theme music from SHAFT)

The question seems to resemble an eternal flame for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) in his quest for the U.S. presidency. It doesn't seem to be going away.

I'm a black male (you should know this from my previous post...I'm not telling you again). But I'm also a Midwesterner -- a northern Midwesterner at that -- representing the great dairy state. Moving to Washington, D.C., also known as "Chocolate City USA," and then enrolling at a historically black college, brought an interesting experience. I can remember the questions, the whispers...the stares. Especially from folks "up there" in Michel's territory -- the "N-Y-C" and other largely black populated metro areas such as ATL, Houston and Detroit. They would say:

"They have black people there?"
...Or, "listen to how he talks...He says, Wis-CON-sin."

No, I'm not bi-racial as Sen. Obama is. But my geographic origin, among "my people," has often lent itself to questions about the authenticity of my cultural experience...and questions about, say, even my "loyalty." (let's not even talk about perceived dating preferences...that's another blog post.)

But, really. Is he black enough?

The larger issue here seems to more one of acceptance. Is it really about about being black enough? Is "black" really synonymous for "good," "loyal...?"

So, maybe this is the real question: Is Obama good enough to represent, and loyal enough to advance, the interests of the community to which he claims to belong?

And, best believe this, an entirely different legion of folks is asking:
"Is he too black? Might he (and Michelle, his wife) be too down for the...or their...cause?"

I'd put money on it if I gambled (but I don't): Mr. Obama is not the first, the only, nor will he be the last to face such a question. Right or wrong, it seems to come with the territory of anyone striving to represent something...anything.

Look at W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, The Big "O" Winfrey, Antonio Villaraigosa, Bill Richardson...Rudy Giuliani ("Is he Republican enough?")

Is Pres. Bush...Texan enough?

And you...

Are you ____ enough?
Or, are you too ____?

Lee Hill

7:22 PM ET | 07-11-2007 | permalink | comments (31) | e-mail post

Our Cup Runneth Over...

We're working on a couple of different tracks for the rest of the week. We're interested in the NAACP convention happening in Detroit. They symbolically buried the "N" word, which garnered some headlines...and there were some great jokes on Tom Joyner. For example -- A JOKE HERE:

Dyson told me this joke. I said, Dyson I know you're sad that the NAACP buried the "N" word. To which he replied, "Me give up the N-word? Nigga please." He was sure the word would be back by Easter. There would be a "N"-resurrection, he told me.

But did it spark any new thinking about this old issue?

Plus, we're interested in the overall direction of the NAACP, one of the country's oldest civil rights organizations, after what appears to be a series of setbacks. Earlier this year, the much ballyhooed executive director and former telecom executive, Bruce Gordon, resigned. And the Supreme Court recently decided that schools can't use race to assign students. (The decision would seem to repudiate a half century of efforts toward desegregation made by the group and other civil rights activists.)

We're also following Congressional moves on a couple of different issues: executive privilege, student loans, and second chances for ex-cons.

We think this stuff matters and, hey, we're in the Nation's Capital. You'd be amazed, for all of the hundreds, maybe thousands of reporters working here in town, it's still possible to cover an issue and be one of only a handful of scribes there. It just goes to show you that everything is news to somebody. News is only news relative to what else is going on that day...and we all have different priorities.

We'll decide about tomorrow based on a number of factors, including guests and their availability (can you believe the nerve of some people?...They say they have more important things to do than to come on our show...puh-leese).

And on a lighter note, we plan to also talk race cars, WNBA all-stars and YOUR ideas about...well, we'll get to that.

So it's a great news week. Our cup runneth over.

What do you want to hear? Send us what's on your short-list.
We (including your fellow bloggers) will give it a read...

Michel Martin

9:51 PM ET | 07-10-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

MY Live Earth...OUR Live Earth?

Kanye West performs at Live Earth in NYC.

Getty Images

My big concert days are slipping behind me. But if I did have the patience to hang out with thousands of my closest friends in 90-degree heat, I'd have been right up there on the National Mall to check out the Live Earth concert this weekend.

Why? A former sociology major, like myself, is always intrigued by groups' mass gatherings -- whether it's Promisekeepers, the Million Man March, Anti-war rallies or a March for Life -- if it's happening in my city, I want to see it for myself. I want to know what brings people out. Is it the already convinced, or do the merely curious come to be intrigued and possibly persuaded?

I have a particular interest in the Live Earth issue because NPR, as many of you probably know, has committed to reporting on the issue of climate change for the year. Working in partnership with National Geographic, correspondents from NPR have been circling the Globe reporting on everything from coal to the Co2 gas emitted from sheep breath (the sheep thing really took me down).

As we have searched for our own voice on this story, I keep returning to one issue again, and again -- the issue of being black, brown...and green.

Needless to say, many people of color live close to the earth, whether by necessity or choice. But I am wondering how it is that one can persuade those who may feel they have only recently begun to experience the best of the western consumer society, whether it be electric lights, personal cars, or 6500 sq ft. mini-manses that they should do without (or do with less of so that the world might be better off).

The question intrigues me.

We had an interesting answer today from Norris McDonald, a man who has made it his concern to persuade African-Americans to embrace the environmental movement. He has an idea about why they haven't already. You may, or may not, agree.

Plus...who wouldn't want to talk to Angelique Kidjo? The lovely west African singer performed at Live Earth in Johannesburg this weekend. We caught up her in Milan (I feel very fancy just telling you all that..."Yes, why I was chatting up Angelique." "Oh, really? Where is she?" "Oh, Milan.")

She tells you why she thinks going green is particularly important for the developing world.

...So, how green are you?
Do you embrace the idea of reducing your carbon footprint? And if so, how do you plan to do it?
If not, what puts you off?
Do you not believe the science? Or do you just figure:

"Hey, it's the other guy's problem? 'Cause I just got my hummer?"

Fess up. That's what blogs are for...

Michel Martin

8:09 PM ET | 07- 9-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Politics: What Interests YOU?

Hope you've enjoyed your weekend.

Ah...politics. Always something to talk about. Whether it's Obama's eye-popping fundraising numbers or L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's hanky-panky problem (he's kind of in some PR hot water because he fessed up to having an affair with a TV reporter), there's never a dull moment.

Our most recent program was fun because I got to talk politics both at the beginning and at the end of the show. First, with Democratic pollster Ron Lester and former GOP strategist (now Independent) Faye Anderson. Then, we listened to the guys kick politics around in the Barbershop.

...But I found myself asking Ron, whom I've known for years (he's worked for more candidates than we can count), if there is any way to ever break out of the same old pattern of always turning to consultants, focus groups, analysts, candidates on the fly, voters (when you can), polls (when you can't).

Just wondering. I'm not bored with politics, never have been. But (I'm thinking) if you don't already care, what would encourage you to pay closer attention? Some rely on snarky writing. I love to read it, but that's not what we do.

So, my point? Campaign 2008 is fully underway. This week, help us figure out how we can make it more interesting to you...and at the same time keep it real.

Michel Martin

2:32 PM ET | 07- 8-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Making News: Meet the 'Tell Me More' Interns

Addie Whisenant

Lee Hill, NPR

 

Tamika Smith

Lee Hill, NPR

Lee again...

Before going into your Independence Day "chill" and celebratory mode, meet our summer interns, Addie Whisenant and Tamika Smith. As Michel mentioned last week, they're wonderful -- intelligent, full of creativity and lots of fun.

But wait! There's more. Addie and Tamika are Tell Me More's first Summer interns, which means their names will go down in history...or at least our history.

So, meet the trailblazers...

Addie, Tamika, welcome to the Tell Me More blog. Start by telling our readers where you're from.

Addie: I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tamika: I'm from the M.I.A. (Miami). You know it is hilarious when I say where I'm from; people always have some wild story to tell me about what they did there for "fun." What also makes being from Miami great...my mom, Gani, is from the Bahamas and we fly there from time to time, it's only a 30 minute trip. Don't be jealous. :-)

Both of you are recent college graduates. Congratulations. What did you study? Where did you study?

Addie: I graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC (AGGIE PRIDE!), where my major was Journalism and Mass Communications, with a concentration in Electronic Media and Journalism. Whew...that's a mouthful!

Tamika: Didn't you know that only the greatest graduate from Howard University? There, I studied Broadcast Journalism and minored in Theater Arts.

Thanks for the subtle reminder, Tamika. What first attracted you to NPR's competitive internship program?

Tamika: I applied to NPR for three years straight! I was determined to be here. Each year that I didn't get the internship, I worked at other news organizations to better my skills (public radio's WAMU-FM, WTTG-TV and WTVJ-TV).

Addie: Doug Mitchell, project manager for Next Generation Radio (where "budding" journalists do radio projects for NPR), suggested that I apply. At first, I thought, "Nah...I've already had three internships (TBS, NASCAR, and CBS Radio), it's time for me to get a J-O-B!"

After INTENSE pressure from some of my professors (and DOUG), I applied.

Describe your experience, so far, with Tell Me More. Feel free not to sugarcoat things.

Addie: When I saw Tell Me More, which only had "The New Show with Michel Martin" on the application, I thought it could be interesting. I couldn't have made a better choice! Since I've been here I have learned sooo much. I'm not just saying that because Michel will be reading this (hi, Michel).

...And speaking of Michel, can I just tell you how WONDERFUL, GREAT, and FANTA-BU-LOUS I think she is? Just being here for four weeks, I have learned so much from her and I know that I will continue to learn from her (tears).

OK, enough of the mushy stuff. I am officially ON THE GRIND here at Tell Me More. I am working just as hard as the rest of the staff and you know what? I LOVE IT! Through the good times and the bad (there has already been ONE), I'm learning that this is what it's all about!

Tamika: I love being at Tell Me More. There isn't one day that goes by that I don't have fun. Wendy, the receptionist, makes my days here a blast.

Although we make room for fun, I definitely respect the hard work they exude in this office. I love working with Michel Martin! She is a very unique person and I learn a lot by watching her work. The staff is great, too. They help me on projects. I also get to contribute to the stories you (out there) hear on the air. It is a great experience.

Your first day, you both hit the ground running (as if you really had a choice). Since then, your plates have been full. Tell us what stories you're working on.

Tamika: I am working on a story about African-American and Latino enlistment in the military. I'm also helping to coordinate a multimedia project for NPR's Intern Edition about the Folklife Festival happening on the National Mall in D.C.

Addie: I'm working on stories about teenagers and sexual repsonsibility (yeah, it's going to be DEEP), NASCAR and diversity, and the 40th anniversary of Chick-Fil-A.

Where do you see your careers...say, five years from today?

Tamika: I would love to be reporting on television, telling phenomenal stories to broaden people's perceptions of the world. I would also love to work on documentaries. I would love to collaborate with a production company interested in doing a documentary in Haiti. My Father, Bo, is from Haiti. I always wanted to explore those roots. If someone offered to fund any project I wanted, I would start there. (This is not to say that I'm uninterested in other areas).

Addie: Hmmm...Let me look through my crystal ball (kidding). I see myself as a reporter in five years, after doing a little production work (hopefully, here at NPR).

Time to wrap this thing up. Any final thoughts?

Addie: To the WONDERFUL staff of Tell Me More, I say with every fiber of my being THANK YOU! And to those reading this, thank YOU, too! Keep supporting the show...just keep listening and we'll all be happy, capiche?

Tamika:I am trying to come up with a story to cover for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) in Las Vegas. If you think of any stories, you can submit them here.

Thanks, ladies.

When you get a moment, browse through the interns' story ideas that have already aired on our program...

Tamika's stories:
Don't Believe the (Organic) Hype
'Ballad for My Father': Dick and Ayanna Gregory
When She Was White

Addie's stories:
Genarlow Wilson's Mother Speaks Out on Case
The Religious Left Debates 'Moral Values' Approach
Stay or Go?: Residents Tell Their Stories

More questions, comments for our interns? Feedback from their stories? Pass them along. They'll be on the lookout.

Lee Hill

6:59 PM ET | 07- 3-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Coming up tomorrow...

What does it mean to YOU to be an American?

How often do we think about that question? At times of crisis (9-11, for instance)...at times of celebration (when a friend gets citizenship papers?), certainly.

We think Independence Day is a fine day to reflect on the issue. So, we asked a handful of former guests on the program -- and two of our brightest literary lights -- to offer their reflections.

Can I just tell you? I was so excited to speak to these women.

You're dying to know who, aren't you? Not telling. It's a secret...you'll just have to listen

OK, you twisted my arm!

Maya Angelou and Maxine Hong Kingston will be with us tomorrow...and they'll give us their thoughts on what it means to be an American...to them.

Michel Martin

6:51 PM ET | 07- 3-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

'Hey, Shorty...'

So, here's a question to ask yourself (feel free to make that "on the one hand, on the other hand" gesture when you do): what's more important? ...

The war in Iraq, or being yelled at on the street?

Immigration reform, or being yelled at on the street?

The fight against international terrorism, or being yelled at on the street?

You get the picture. Nobody's ever going to rank being yelled at, cat-called, cursed at, targeted by sexual remarks ... even groped ... on the list of the world's most important issues. But does it have to be to get our attention?

That's why I was so impressed with a group of young women who made a short film called Hey Shorty, and why I wanted to have them on the program.

They want us to know that, in their world, the street feels like a war zone, and they're tired of it. They're tired of feeling like they have to gird themselves for battle just to walk out the door.

I remember that feeling. I don't experience it that often any more because a) I work in the studio most of the day (cat-call me in my house? I don't think so...) b) I drive to work, and can avoid groups of men on the street if I choose and c) I can put my mean face on in a heartbeat. Seems to do the trick. And, I can defuse tension. I sometimes smile at people on the street just because they look like they could use a smile ... I can block out comments from people whose pathologies are obvious.

But there are times when, for whatever reason, you can't block it out.

I remember having dinner with two of my most accomplished journalist friends, both women, names you would know. We were having a lovely time -- a rare girls night out, sans kids -- with nobody looking at her watch for a change. Three big young guys came walking toward us; we weren't afraid, didn't think anything of it (except maybe, boy those guys are big), until they got right in front of us, blocked our path, looked us up and down and announced...

"I'd do all of them."

It was a bit more crude than that but you get the picture. It was like being spat on (I've had that happen, too) ... and while it didn't ruin the evening, it left it tainted.

Sticks and stones ... and all that. Sorry, that's bull. You can say words only have the power we give them, but my question is: why? What is this need to demean, defile, and put down? What is the point?

I am glad those girls took the time to remind us that they should have the right to walk the streets with safety and dignity -- whether in Brooklyn or Baghdad.

More on other hot news tomorrow: doings in health care and looking ahead to the 4th...

UPDATE: For a copy of the film Hey Shorty, call Girls for Gender Equity at 718-857-1393. Or, you can drop them a line at info@ggenyc.org.

Michel Martin

7:44 PM ET | 07- 2-2007 | permalink | comments (14) | e-mail post