Al Qaeda Leader's Anti-Obama Racial Slur Denounced by Black Conservatives Members of the Project 21 black leadership network are denouncing the racial slur made against President-elect Barack Obama by al Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, and hope al-Zawahiri's crude action is a sobering reminder for the President-elect and his supporters about the harsh attitudes of our nation's enemies.   "While no fan of Barack Obama, I am a proud American.  I find this terrorist's remarks directed at our nation's incoming ... MORE >>

Elites Denying Affordable Energy to Average Americans by Deneen Borelli Failing schools, crime and single-parent households are just a few of the challenges facing urban communities.  Now, thanks to "Club Green" - radical environmentalists and their supporters - soaring energy prices join the list.   Club Green fights against oil exploration in Alaska and off our coasts.  A moratorium on offshore drilling was removed from a temporary spending bill, ending a 26-year ban on new leases at th... MORE >>

What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander by Ak'bar Shabazz National rules for bankruptcy were overhauled by federal legislation in 2005.   The new law means that bankruptcy is no longer a guaranteed path to a fresh start and relief from heavy financial burdens.  To declare bankruptcy, one must now meet more rigorous standards to prove one's inability to deal with debt and wipe one's slate clean.  There are even stricter guidelines covering confirmed victims of identity theft.  &nb... MORE >>

Don't "Change" Religious Freedom by Bishop Council Nedd II As the nation waits with great anticipation for President-Elect Barack Obama to begin unveiling his policies for rescuing our economy and managing our two wars, the real indicator of his presidential success may be how well he handles his most ardent supporters.   While Americans may have voted for "change," the Pandora's Box of extreme political interests supporting Obama's candidacy could end up shocking many of his supporters.... MORE >>

Black Leader to Bush: Commute Sentences of Jailed Border Agents by Mychal Massie Washington, D.C. - After a federal judge last week refused to reduce the sentences of incarcerated U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, Mychal Massie - chairman of the Project 21 black leadership network - is calling on President George W. Bush to use his executive power to commute the agents' sentences before he leaves office in January.   Massie said: "At this juncture, whatever penance demanded fr... MORE >>

Black Backing of Barack Should Not Be Unconditional by Deneen Borelli Barack Obama's election is a capstone on black Americans' struggle for equality.   While isolated racial intolerance can be expected to continue, Obama's electoral landslide and victory in majority-white states such as Iowa and southern states such as Virginia put to rest concerns about a so-called "Bradley effect," in which whites allegedly publicly support - but secretly vote against - black candidates.   Presiden... MORE >>

Letter to the Editor Dear Mr. President Dear Mr. President: Congratulations! It has been a long campaign season, one that has made us all dream and hope for a better future. Now the real hard work starts: It is time to act on all the promises made. In your first 100 days, we ask you to provide the leadership necessary to move the following key issues forward. Comprehensive immigration reform: Immigrants are part of this country's fabric. We are hardworking, committed members of our communities. We deserve a fun... MORE >>

Historic presidential election brings hope Dawn of a Brand New Day, by A. David Dahmer and Ray Allen Dreams do come true. Any worry of a "Bradley effect" or an "October Surprise" for the Barack Obama Presidential Campaign was put to ease with an overwhelming Electoral College win of 349 to 147 over Republican Sen. John McCain on Tuesday night. Locally, Barack Obama did not merely win Wisconsin; he swept the Badger state — 56.5 percent to 42.5 percent — with a popular vote majority unseen here since President Lyndon Johnson's 1964 victory. ... MORE >>

The Madison Times choice: Obama America is at a historic crossroads. A failing economy, an unpopular war, rising energy prices, and an eroding middle class are some of the problems that await the next president of the United States. Disasters have characterized the current Bush administration: incompetence in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, massive loan failures that jeopardize the financial futures of millions of American families, and the virtual collapse of the stock market. And to enhance the crisis, as CNN r... MORE >>

Letter to the Editor by Dr. John Y Odom Dear editor, The excerpts below are from a speech titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" delivered by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1967.  Beyond Vietnam may be Dr. King's least well known speech. Nonetheless, these excerpts hold a vital and prophetic message for us all on the eve of the 2008 election. I am convinced that … we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thin... MORE >>

History is Always the Final Judge "A wolf wrapped in monk's robes. A devil with a human face and a beast's heart.", by Ak'Bar A. Shabazz That's how Tibetan Communist Party Secretary General Zhang Qingli recently described the Dalai Lama, Tibet's traditional political and spiritual leader.   It almost makes me laugh.  How can someone really believe this?  As I am very familiar with the work of the Dalai Lama through his books, articles, interviews and speeches - and his Nobel Peace Prize - it seemed natural for me to find humor in this Chinese puppet leader's assessment... MORE >>

Congressional Liberals Having Their Cake and Eating It, Too "Let them eat cake", by Kevin L. Martin It's a phrase attributed to Marie Antoinette, the excess-addicted wife of French King Louis XVI, after being told the poor didn't have enough bread to eat.  While some scholars think someone else said it, there is no disputing that it highlights a disconnect found between the elite and the poor.   Marie was a victim of the guillotine in 1793 at the height of the French Revolution, and yet her lesson still seems unlearned today. &nbs... MORE >>

"Juneteenth" Civil Rights Holiday Observed by Black Conservatives "Juneteenth" is the oldest and most recognized commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.  Members of the Project 21 black leadership network suggest the Juneteenth holiday - observed every June 19 - be used as a day for reflection on the struggle for freedom and the ongoing quest for self-empowerment.   Project 21 members, who have called attention to Juneteenth since 1999, urge black Americans to use this day to... MORE >>

Black Activists Rap Cesar Chavez Earmark Bill President Bush to Decide if Taxpayer Funds Will Honor Militant Activist Whose Followers Used Violence as "Organizing" Tactic Black activists with the Project 21 black leadership network are highly critical of legislation that would open the floodgates for taxpayer spending to honor the questionable legacy of the late labor activist Cesar Chavez.  Project 21 members oppose spending taxpayer funds to honor Chavez as well as other irresponsible spending provisions found in the bill.   The legislation has been adopted by Congress and needs just a presidential signat... MORE >>

Everybody Pays for Single Parenthood - In More Ways Than One by Darryn "Dutch" Martin As a product of a poverty-stricken single-parent home, I know first-hand about the negative baggage that growing up poor and fatherless can breed.   Numerous studies note that children born and raised in fatherless, single-parent homes are much more likely to live in poverty, experience depression, have trouble in school and get in trouble with the law than are children raised in married, two-parent households.   Unfortunatel... MORE >>

Black Churches to Participate in Day of Prayer for Jailed Border Patrol Agents Contact: Ryan Balis at (202) 543-4110 x19 or rbalis@nationalcenter.org Washington, D.C. - Project 21, the black leadership network, has recruited the support of black churches across the United States to participate in a special day of prayer declared by a member of Congress to call attention to the plight of incarcerated U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.   "To many Americans, the radical beliefs and comments of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright have come to falsely perso... MORE >>

A Charity Bill That Would Keep People from Giving by Deneen Borelli Despite our society's significant strides in accepting blacks and other minorities, supporters of race and gender preferences continue to try to perpetuate 1950s attitudes by creatively developing new concerns.  Their goal: to expand preferential treatment policies.   In California, private, public and corporate charitable foundations are now being targeted for allegedly not doing enough for minority-run groups.  "The Foundation ... MORE >>

Why No Black Faces on Greenbacks? by B.B. Robinson, Ph.D Since before we were a nation, blacks have contributed mightily to the development of what is now the United States.  From mining to the space program, black Americans today serve integral roles in our society, leading in fields such as education, politics, religion and sports.   One cannot pick up a newspaper, turn on the radio or television or surf the Internet without seeing the contributions of our community.   But b... MORE >>

Wright Comments Hurt Black Churches by Deneen Borelli Black churches are facing a threat to their very existence.   A few years ago, there were unsubstantiated fears of a campaign of physical destruction by arsonists.  There is also the danger every election year of liberal politicians using black pulpits as soapboxes in violation of tax law.   This time, however, the problem comes from within and is more dangerous.   "Black liberation theology"... MORE >>

The Separate But Equal News Network by Mychal Massie There's a conservative joke poking fun at liberal media that predicts coverage of an impending apocalypse would have the headline "World to End: Poor and Minorities Hardest Hit."   Despite his tenure as a Republican congressman, it seems J.C. Watts never heard that joke. Then again, maybe he did and just didn't understand why it's funny.   Watts recently announced his intention to start the Black News Television Cha... MORE >>

Supreme Court Gitmo Ruling Called "Chilling" Will Cost American Lives Washington, D.C. - Responding to today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Boumediene v. Bush that allows suspected terrorists to challenge their incarceration, Project 21's Kevin Martin is criticizing the Court, saying this decision puts national security at risk and sends a confusing signal to the military. "As a Navy veteran who supported and defended our Constitution at home and abroad, today's Supreme Court ruling... MORE >>

Jesse Jackson Outrage Strategy: No Dough, No Go? by David Almasi and Justin Danhof Remember when Jesse Jackson challenged XM Satellite Radio for its racist advertising? Probably not, since it never happened.  Why he didn't is the question.   In 2006 and 2007, XM ran television commercials that were blatantly racist, at least under a definition set by Jackson five years earlier.  In the commercials, cartoon characters' musical tastes were personified by the radio waves featured in the XM logo.  For example, they... MORE >>

Supreme Court Endorsement of Photo ID Election Rule Hailed by Black Activists Today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Indiana's photo identification election law is hailed by black activists from the Project 21 leadership network as a positive move toward ensuring that future elections are less likely to be corrupted by vote fraud.   Project 21 and the Center for Equal Opportunity had presented an <i>amici curiae</i> ("friend of the court") brief to the Supreme Court in this... MORE >>

N-Word as Term of Endearment by Mychal Massie Would a proud father call his daughter the b-word or a "ho"?  Would a loving husband call his wife a sloppy, dirty slut to show his affection?   Not likely.   Why?  Because people who respect themselves and honestly respect others don't show affection and respect with such loathsome and baneful language.  Sadly, there is a growing cacophony of black voices who think calling one another by the n-word, ... MORE >>

Black America is Still Not Free by Reece Epstein Black America is still not free.  Despite the abolition of slavery and passage of civil rights laws, something still holds people back - themselves.   That's the view of psychologist Dr. James Davidson, Jr., who says a major problem facing black America is an attitude of self-defeat.  He explains his views in his new book Sweet Release: The Last Step to Black Freedom (Prometheus Books).   Raised in a poor community ... MORE >>

District of Columbia v. Heller Supreme Court Second Amendment Decision Hailed by Black Activists Today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the ban on most gun ownership in the nation's capital in the first major Second Amendment case in almost 70 years is being hailed by black activists of the Project 21 leadership network.   Project 21 Fellow Deneen Borelli says the decision supporting an individual right to use firearms is a loud and clear declaration that the government cannot pick and choose what constitutional protections are hono... MORE >>

Food Crises and Restrictive African Trade Practices by Thompson Ayodele Food prices have skyrocketed internationally.  In my own Nigeria, rice has epitomized the crisis after doubling in price since last year.   Riots happening around the world over food supplies are prompting panicked governments to find solutions to stem the crisis.  Whether they will bring about an abundance of food is debatable.   Nigeria, for example, is considering increasing rice imports and disbursing loans to d... MORE >>

Racial Bias Is What Some People Want Us to See... No Matter What by David Almasi Comedian Chris Rock used to play a recurring character on "Saturday Night Live" named Nat X. During the humorous, nonsensical rants of this Black Nationalist talk show host, Nat X would sometimes be chased by his studio's "white-man cam." When it caught him, bars would appear on the screen and Nat X would yell "That's what you wanna see!"   April's cover of Vogue magazine, featuring an Annie Leibovitz photo of bask... MORE >>

Black Activists Speak Out on King Assassination Anniversary and a Re-Commitment to Black Empowerment Today the world commemorates the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   On April 4, 1968, Dr. King's storied civil rights career was cut short by an assassin's bullet at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.  While Dr. King's legacy lives on and is still strong today, members of the Project 21 black leadership network are asking people in the black community to use this solemn anniversary to reignite a commitmen... MORE >>

Haters Didn't Hurt the Hip-Hop Mayor, He Did by Tara Setmayer Pride goeth... before a fall. Proverbs 16:18, King James Bible   I wonder if any of the 60 Detroit pastors supporting embattled Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick are reminding him of this Biblical principle?  As the drama unfolds in Detroit, it makes me wonder about public integrity.  Are our leaders so drunk with power that honesty, character and respect for their offices and the people they represent now secondary nuisances? &nbs... MORE >>

Project 21's Massie to Receive "Conservative Man of the Year" Award Career of Activism to be Honored in New York Mychal Massie, chairman of the Project 21 black leadership network, will receive the "Conservative Man of the Year" award from the Suffolk County (New York) Conservative Party for his many contributions to advancing conservative principles.   "The members and staff of Project 21 are extremely proud of Mychal," said Project 21 staff director David Almasi.  "Mychal has earned more than his fair share of criticism fro... MORE >>

EPA Sludge Tests a "Modern-Day Tuskegee Experiment" Children in Poor Black Neighborhoods Potentially Imperiled by EPA Studies Washington, D.C. - Revelations that the federal government conducted potentially dangerous sludge-related experiments on children in Baltimore is condemned by Project 21 black leadership network fellow Deneen Borelli, who is demanding more answers about the origins of the experiment and wants to know how much other reckless policymaking is permeating federal agencies. The Associated Press reported April 13 that researchers usi... MORE >>

When Good Intentions Go Bad, Or Worse by Bob Parks Despite sensational rhetoric, very few people actually want to pollute.  It's not good business, and we all want clean air and water.   When we get sucked into eco-panic, however, cooler heads seldom prevail - sometimes costing jobs and even lives.   Consider the eco-panic over alleged global warming.  One legislative solution is to phase out traditional light bulbs because they use too much power and supposedly con... MORE >>

Black Activist Says Drug Smuggler's Guilty Plea Reason to Revisit Presidential Pardon for Ramos and Compean A Mexican drug smuggler whose testimony under a grant of immunity helped American prosecutors convict and jail two U.S. Border Patrol agents has now pleaded guilty to charges that he conspired to smuggle marijuana into the United States twice after he was granted immunity.   In light of this new development, Project 21 Chairman Mychal Massie is renewing his demand that President George W. Bush pardon or commute the sentences of incarcerated Bor... MORE >>

Green Politicization of Iwo Jima Photo Condemned by Black Veteran Kevin L. Martin, a member of the Project 21 black leadership network and a U.S. Navy veteran, is joining fellow veterans in denouncing the Earth Day-related cover art on the April 21 issue of Time magazine.     Time altered the famous flag-raising photo from Iwo Jima is altered to show Marines raising a tree rather than the American flag to highlight an article promoting activism favoring increased regulation to fight ... MORE >>

Secure Their Livelihoods; Secure Their Votes (New Visions) by Reece Epstein Imagine not having a bank account.  Imagine all your money is hidden in a sock drawer.   Imagine arriving home one day to find the door ajar.  You've been robbed!  You run to the sock drawer, but your savings are gone.   An estimated 22 million U.S. households - 22 percent of minority households, according to a Federal Reserve Board survey - did not have bank accounts in 2001.  Some people claimed they did... MORE >>

Letter to the Editor by John A. Matthews On Tuesday evening, I attended a debate between current Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler and challenger Michael Gableman, as regards next Tuesday's election for our Wisconsin Supreme Court.  Several times, instead of answering the question by the debate moderators, Mr. Gableman described his personal philosophy, as the criteria which the electorate should consider, when casting their vote.  Gableman repeatedly referred to himself as a "judicial conservative". Gableman i... MORE >>

Will Black people ever control major cities? By James Clingman Every time I think of what should be the norm in cities like Atlanta, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, and several others that have majority-Black populations or nearly so, I am grieved. You ... MORE >>

Candidates must be accountable to Black issues by Ron Walters Down to the last second of this election for President of the United States I will expect that candidates hoping to secure the Black vote must do as they would do with other groups — especially t... MORE >>

Blacks in France are invisible by Harry C Alford ... MORE >>

Kwanzaa: Celebration or practice? Once again we have reached the point in the year when we celebrate Kwanzaa. Each of the seven social and spiritual principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa will be held in veneration, and we will see many African Americans setting aside certain times in their homes to stress Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. Since 1966, when the first celebration of Kwanzaa was held by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Black people in this country ... MORE >>

CBC offers partial solution for Jena 6 by George E Curry... MORE >>

Making room at America's Inn for all God's children by Marian Wright Edelman  ... MORE >>

Young, Black and locked up by Marian Wright Edelman If you were asked where the United States ranks among industrialized countries on low birth weight, infant mortality, or child poverty, a guess much higher than the bottom on any of these social indicators would be wrong. But if you were asked where America stands on imprisoning its citizens, you would be correct in answering that we surpass everyone else. Our nation incarcerates more people — over 2.3 million in 2006 — than any other country. Because justice is not e... MORE >>

A litany of Thanksgiving By Mirian Wright Edelman In this season of Thanksgiving, I wish you wealth in the things of true value: family, friends, health, and peace of mind and spirit. For those of us with plenty, it's a time to stretch our waistbands with customary comfort food — turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. This is a joyous indulgence, because it's shared with loved ones. Thanksgiving is also the day when we watch televised parades, usually punctuated by the arrival of Santa Claus and the... MORE >>

NYC bonus pay gives hope for middle ground by Marc Morial In the words of Marc Fisher, a columnist for the Washington Post, there are no two words together that “strike such fear and loath... MORE >>