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Issue: 326

May 28, 2009

Cover Story

Sonia Sotomayor – A “Safe” or Visionary Pick

By Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad, PhD Columnist

President Barack Obama has made his imprint on the history of the federal judiciary with the nomination of the first Latina to the United States Supreme Court. Federal Appeals Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, was at the top of the President’s “short list” from the time Associate Justice David Souter announced his retirement. There had been…

President Barack Obama has made his imprint on the history of the federal judiciary with the nomination of the first Latina to the United States Supreme…

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The African World

The Devil in Dick Cheney

By Bill Fletcher, Jr. Editorial Board

It is fairly unusual for the immediate past President or Vice President of the United States to attack the standing Administration. Some pundits describe it as a violation of protocol. That is not of particular relevance to this commentary. Dick Cheney’s attack against the Administration needs to be understood at both the political / psychological…

It is fairly unusual for the immediate past President or Vice President of the United States to attack the standing Administration. Some pundits describe it as…

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Commentary

Proposition Hate Redux And Celebrating Our Queer Servicemembers

By The Reverend Irene Monroe Editorial Board

The California Supreme Court ruled again on same-sex marriage. This time it did to uphold Proposition 8, restricting marriage to one man and one woman. In a 6-to-1 decision the justices decided that Proposition 8 would remain part of the state constitution. And the 18,000 same-sex couples that ran to the altar to legally consecrate…

The California Supreme Court ruled again on same-sex marriage. This time it did to uphold Proposition 8, restricting marriage to one man and one woman. In…

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Commentary

A Review of The Autobiography of Black Panther Robert Hillary King

By Larry Pinkney Editorial Board

As your writer finished reading the chilling, fascinating, and powerfully informative (recently released) book by Robert Hillary King (aka Robert King Wilkerson) titled, From The Bottom Of The Heap: The Autobiography Of Black Panther Robert Hillary King (PM Press), I found myself incensed yet again at the U.S. judicial and prison systems responsible for framing,…

As your writer finished reading the chilling, fascinating, and powerfully informative (recently released) book by Robert Hillary King (aka Robert King Wilkerson) titled, From The Bottom…

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Commentary

What’s Not Being Said About the Obama-Netanyahu Talks

By Carl Bloice Editorial Board

The day after the White House talks between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the news agency AFP (Agence France-Presse) sent out an unusual story. It seems to have noticed what some of the rest of us did, that the story was being downplayed. The talks, it said, had “earned only…

The day after the White House talks between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the news agency AFP (Agence France-Presse) sent out…

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Commentary

The Recycling Torturers and War Criminals

By Dr. Lenore J. Daniels, PhD Editorial Board

In a world where governments operate under human rights laws, the naked child hugging the leg of a barely clad, homeless Ethiopian woman, would have a home, food, health care, school fees, and books. In a world operating under human rights laws, President Obama would have told his White House guest that he will not…

In a world where governments operate under human rights laws, the naked child hugging the leg of a barely clad, homeless Ethiopian woman, would have a…

Continue reading 13 min

Commentary

Colin Powell Fights Back – African American Leadership

By Dr. Ron Walters Editorial Board

“Face the Nation” was probably a favored TV venue on Sunday May 24 for most watchers of the Sunday talk shows, because former Secretary of State, Colin Powell defended his place in the Republican Party from charges by Rush Limbaugh and former Vice President Dick Chaney. On the same show a week earlier, Chaney said…

“Face the Nation” was probably a favored TV venue on Sunday May 24 for most watchers of the Sunday talk shows, because former Secretary of State,…

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Commentary

Trying to be Exclusive, but Acting like Everyone Else – From the Fringe

By K. Danielle Edwards Columnist

In recent times, a trend seems to have emerged. I call it the second wave of the not-always-so-Talented Tenth. This is constituted by an increasingly visible and vocal contingent; they are the crop of African-Americans, generally ages 23-40, who have christened themselves “professionals.” This isn’t necessarily professional in the conventional sense of careers – those…

In recent times, a trend seems to have emerged. I call it the second wave of the not-always-so-Talented Tenth. This is constituted by an increasingly visible…

Continue reading 4 min

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