Independent since 2002 Issue No. 1102 Week of November 7, 2026 Get the free email dispatch →

Home Issue: 183

Issue: 183

May 11, 2006

Cover Story

The Black Stake in the Internet: Net Neutrality is an African American Issue

By Bruce Dixon Editor

America’s black misleadership class, which is nearly indistinguishable from its black business class, has struck again. In a stunning coup, a mainline African American voting rights group has been enlisted on the side of AT&T and other telecom monopolies in their legislative push to privatize the Internet and roll back hundreds of agreements with local…

America’s black misleadership class, which is nearly indistinguishable from its black business class, has struck again. In a stunning coup, a mainline African American voting rights…

Continue reading 13 min

Commentary

BC Survival – What can you do?

By Peter Gamble and Chief Technical Officer Publishers

For better viewing and printing: As the effort continues to garner enough financial support to keep BC going strong, many readers have written to us asking how they can help out. We have six suggestions: We’re serious about needing your financial support. We accept very few ads, and never with any editorial strings. You won’t…

For better viewing and printing: As the effort continues to garner enough financial support to keep BC going strong, many readers have written to us asking…

Continue reading 2 min

Commentary

Freedom Rider: Shelby Steele Loves White Supremacy

By Margaret Kimberley Guest Commentator

Shelby Steele is a well known black conservative, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, a leading right wing think tank. Steele has made a lucrative career for himself by lambasting black people and praising white people. He says that racism is all in the past, that all is right with the world and it is…

Shelby Steele is a well known black conservative, a fellow at the Hoover Institution, a leading right wing think tank. Steele has made a lucrative career…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Bruce’s Beat

By Bruce Dixon Editor

Editors like to think they know their audiences, but it’s not always true. We were surprised by the volume of email answering Michel Martin’s open letter taking to task poet Ishmael Reed, the “Black left” in general and BC in particular for our alleged lack of civility. Here’s what Janet Brown of Oakland CA had…

Editors like to think they know their audiences, but it’s not always true. We were surprised by the volume of email answering Michel Martin’s open letter…

Continue reading 3 min

Commentary

Radio BC: The Passing of A Great Black Organizer

By The Black Commentator Guest Commentator

Listen Now: Windows Media Format or MP3 Format Radio BC Master Page Last week saw the passing of an exemplary member of a rare and dwindling breed of humanity: the Black organizer. Damu Smith, born LeRoy Wesley Smith in 1952, in St. Louis, was the consummate organizer, the man who made things happen. You may…

Listen Now: Windows Media Format or MP3 Format Radio BC Master Page Last week saw the passing of an exemplary member of a rare and dwindling…

Continue reading 3 min

Commentary

CBC Monitor Report: Caucus Members Scrubbed from Voting Rights Bill

By Leutisha L. Stills Guest Commentator

In the unkindest cut imaginable, more than 20 Congressional Black Caucus members last week discovered that they were to be “scrubbed” from the list of co-sponsors of the Voting Rights Act Extension bill. Bowing to pressures from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), CBC Chairman Mel Watt (D-NC) informed selected Members about the purge at…

In the unkindest cut imaginable, more than 20 Congressional Black Caucus members last week discovered that they were to be “scrubbed” from the list of co-sponsors…

Continue reading 10 min

Commentary

Think Piece: RNC Attack on John Conyers Demands Action from Democrats

By David Swanson Guest Commentator

This article originally appeared in AfterDowningStreet.org The Republican National Committee (RNC) has launched an aggressive campaign to smear Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Here’s the background: It is accepted common wisdom among reporters, pundits, congressional staffers, and a majority of Americans that Bush and Cheney lied us into…

This article originally appeared in AfterDowningStreet.org The Republican National Committee (RNC) has launched an aggressive campaign to smear Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), a founding member of…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Exploitation Without Borders

By Eisha Mason

I am waiting to board the train in San Diego when I notice the Border Patrol agent making his way down our line. He stops by each person who looks “Latino” and asks them to present their legal documents. As the people standing next to me rummage for their identity papers, I stand by, angry,…

I am waiting to board the train in San Diego when I notice the Border Patrol agent making his way down our line. He stops by…

Continue reading 6 min

$ $ Contribute $ $