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Home Issue: 169

Issue: 169

February 2, 2006

Cover Story

The Good, Mediocre and Ugly of the Black Caucus

By The Black Commentator Guest Commentator

The second biannual Congressional Black Caucus Monitor Report Card shows that a handful of “derelicts” in the CBC remain far outside of the African American political consensus – worthless to the Black constituents that voted them into office. Yet 81 percent of the 42 African American House members (34) scored 80 percent or higher on…

The second biannual Congressional Black Caucus Monitor Report Card shows that a handful of "derelicts" in the CBC remain far outside of the African American political…

Continue reading 7 min

Commentary

Freedom Rider: Bin Laden’s Wasted Warning

By Margaret Kimberley Guest Commentator

The most recent message from Osama bin Laden spoke directly to us, the American people. Most Americans either hate or fear bin Laden and with good reason. Like all New Yorkers, I take a very personal interest when bin Laden issues a threat. I think the next attack may have my name on it. Even…

The most recent message from Osama bin Laden spoke directly to us, the American people. Most Americans either hate or fear bin Laden and with good…

Continue reading 4 min

Commentary

Radio BC: The American Imperative to Steal

By The Black Commentator Guest Commentator

A recent poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times shows that a clear majority of Americans – 57 percent of them – would favor military action against Iran, if that country continues to produce nuclear materials that could be used to make weapons. Only a third of those polled say they would oppose military…

A recent poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times shows that a clear majority of Americans - 57 percent of them - would favor military…

Continue reading 3 min

Commentary

Bruce’s Beat

By Bruce Dixon Editor

Corporations are immortal, amoral externalizing machines. They exist above and outside the laws of man and God to rake in profits while making sure someone else pays the cost. When insurance companies lose billions in the stock market, they raise premiums and are awarded government bailouts. When electric utilities squander their monopoly profits on dangerous…

Corporations are immortal, amoral externalizing machines. They exist above and outside the laws of man and God to rake in profits while making sure someone else…

Continue reading 8 min

Commentary

Think Piece: Ray Nagin, White Rage and the Manufacturing of ‘Reverse’ Racism

By Tim Wise Guest Commentator

If you’re looking to understand why discussions between blacks and whites about racism are often so difficult in this country, you need only know this: when the subject is race and racism, whites and blacks are often not talking about the same thing. To white folks, racism is seen mostly as individual and interpersonal –…

If you're looking to understand why discussions between blacks and whites about racism are often so difficult in this country, you need only know this: when…

Continue reading 10 min

Commentary

Call for a Black Community Renaissance Movement

By Dr. Martin Kilson Editorial Board

The following is an address by Harvard political scientist Martin Kilson to the Fifth Annual Martin Luther King Day Community Breakfast, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on January 16, 2006. Let me try to say something of interest to you on the topic of my address. When that great mid-20th Century American leadership personality Rev. Martin Luther…

The following is an address by Harvard political scientist Martin Kilson to the Fifth Annual Martin Luther King Day Community Breakfast, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on January…

Continue reading 10 min

Commentary

Martin Luther King, Jr., Democratic Socialist

By Paul Street Guest Commentator

This article originally appeared in Znet. One of the many disturbing characteristics of dominant American ideology is the way it deletes radical-democratic beliefs from the official memory of certain acknowledged great historical personalities. How many Americans know that the celebrated scientist Albert Einstein (voted the “Man of the 20th Century” by Time Magazine) was a…

This article originally appeared in Znet. One of the many disturbing characteristics of dominant American ideology is the way it deletes radical-democratic beliefs from the official…

Continue reading 9 min

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