AFP: US private sector sheds 23,000 jobs in March

"Where are all these jobs being promised by this Congress and the Obama Administration?" - Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US economy shed 23,000 private-sector jobs in March, a payrolls firm said Wednesday in a report that was dramatically worse than market expectations.

Non-farm private payrolls fell 23,000 in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, payrolls firm ADP said.

Investors had expected around 40,000 jobs to be created this month.

March's job losses eased slightly from February, when 24,000 jobs were shed according to a revised figure also published on Wednesday.

Despite the apparently bleak picture, ADP cautioned that the figures may distort the true state of the economy.

The firm said severe winter weather may have again weighed on hiring levels.

"The lack of improvement in employment from February to March is consistent with the pause in the decline of initial unemployment claims that occurred during the winter," ADP said in a statement.

"The March employment decline was the smallest since employment began falling in February of 2008," it added.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100331/ts_alt_afp/useconomyunemploymentadp;_ylt=ApbvMdaQoaDEMzLclQtARyRv24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTNlZmpyaGxiBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMDMzMS91c2Vjb25vbXl1bmVtcGxveW1lbnRhZHAEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDdXNwcml2YXRlc2Vj

Is ObamaCare Constitutional?: 38 states say No

"I have a feeling, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide this interesting piece of legislation after Obama signs it into law tomorrow." - Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

Dr. Boyce: Clarence Thomas' Wife and Ethical Issues

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

•         When I heard that Clarence Thomas' wife Virginia was launching a Tea Party group, I wasn't really shocked. I was, however, confused that the Thomas family would allow for such a blatant revelation of their political biases. Not only is Clarence Thomas seen as a profound disappointment to the African-American community, he has now further embarrassed the legal profession and undermined the integrity of the bench. When you sleep next to someone who has openly admitted that she wants to undermine the president's "hard-left agenda," you can hardly call yourself impartial.
  In Virginia Thomas' words, "I have come to know and love the Tea Party patriots. It has been a privilege to become a bit of an ambassador of sorts for the national board."
• 
  NYU Law Professor Stephen Gillers says that Virginia breaks no rules by becoming a Tea Partier, "Ideological issues, as opposed to monetary ones, are not a subject of concern." A judge's spouse, he said, "can have a full political life, and take positions on political issues and legal issues, even ones that come before his or her spouse."

Click to read

Black Social Commentary from TheGrio - 3/15/10

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University

Democrats' crack-cocaine compromise is still 'racist'

9:00 AM on 03/15/2010

OPINION - While some might call this political pragmatism, others might describe this outcome as the modern-day version of the Three-Fifths Compromise...

> MORE

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Journalist, author and broadcaster.

California police stop proves racial profiling is alive and well

8:37 AM on 03/15/2010

OPINION - In an address to a joint session of Congress in 2001, then President Bush blasted racial profiling, "It's wrong and we will end it in America." It hasn't...

> MORE

Talia Whyte

Journalist & Activist

Is the average single black woman really worth just $5?

9:02 AM on 03/12/2010

OPINION - If this disturbing new study doesn't prove once and for all that America isn't 'post-racial' I don't know what does...

> MORE

Christopher Chambers

Professor of Journalism at Georgetown University

Prison shouldn't be a publicity stunt for Lil Wayne

8:22 AM on 03/12/2010

OPINION - If Lil Wayne regards his cell as an extension of his studio or his label's offices, he will suffer...

> MORE

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University

'March Madness' isn't amateur, it's big league exploitation

8:17 AM on 03/12/2010

OPINION - The amount of money made during March Madness exceeds that which is earned in the playoffs for the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball...

> MORE

Dr. Janet Taylor

Psychiatrist

Too many Tigers, not enough Trojans

7:05 AM on 03/12/2010

OPINION - What's notable is reportedly not only did Woods not wear a condom, but his partner's didn't insist upon it...

> MORE

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University

Why African-Americans are more optimistic despite fewer jobs

11:10 AM on 03/11/2010

OPINION - A new study shows that blacks are more economically optimistic than whites, with 36 percent stating that we expect our financial future to improve...

> MORE

Dr. Janet Taylor

Psychiatrist

How black women can combat genital herpes crisis

10:42 AM on 03/11/2010

OPINION - According the Center for Disease Control nearly half of all African-American women are infected with the HSV-2 virus...

> MORE

Marcus Vanderberg

Sports and social commentator

Torii Hunter is right about blacks in baseball

8:57 AM on 03/11/2010

OPINION - By associating Dominican players with blacks, it disguises the fact that MLB has a long way to go in competing with the NFL and NBA in urban communities...

> MORE

AP: Half of Kansas City's Schools to Close by Fall

Mar 11 12:48 PM US/Eastern
By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas City's school superintendent said Thursday the plan to shutter nearly half the district's schools, while "painful," will move forward quickly so that all the closures will be complete by fall.

The school board narrowly approved the plan Wednesday night to close 29 of the district's 61 schools to try to stave off bankruptcy. The closures have angered many parents, students and teachers, but administrators say they had no choice because without them, the district would have been in the red by 2011.

....

Although other districts nationwide are considering closures as the recession ravages their budgets, Kansas City's plan is striking. In rapidly shrinking Detroit, 29 schools closed before classes began this fall, but that still left the district with 172 schools. Most other districts are closing just one or two schools.

To continue reading, follow the link below:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9ECIPS00&show_article=1""

Commentary: President Obama v. U.S. Supreme Court

Commentary: Roberts Not Sure Why Justices at State of Union Address

By James Joyner

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Chief Justice John Roberts says he’s not sure why the Supreme Court still attends the State of the Union address, indicating that perhaps it was time for that tradition to end.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Obama’s State of the Union address was “very troubling” and the annual speech has “degenerated to a political pep rally.”

Obama chided the court, with the justices seated before him in their black robes, for its decision on a campaign finance case.

Responding to a University of Alabama law student’s question, Roberts said anyone was free to criticize the court, and some have an obligation to do so because of their positions. “So I have no problems with that,” he said. “On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum. The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling.”

Breaking from tradition, Obama criticized the court’s decision that allows corporations and unions to freely spend money to run political ads for or against specific candidates. “With all due deference to the separation of powers the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said in January. Justice Samuel Alito was the only justice to respond at the time, shaking his head and mouthing the words “not true” as Obama continued.

Roberts told the students he wonders whether justices should attend the speeches. “I’m not sure why we’re there,” said Roberts, a Republican nominee who joined the court in 2005.
Justice Antonin Scalia once said he no longer goes to the annual speech because the justices “sit there like bumps on a log” in an otherwise highly partisan atmosphere. Six of the nine justices attended Obama’s address.

Roberts and Scalia are right. It’s not so much that Obama’s dig at the Court was improper but that the nature of the address has gradually evolved over the years into a more partisan, overtly political affair. Perhaps that’s to be expected, since American politics has similarly changed. But it may well be time for the Justices to stop attending, lending the impression that the SOTU is some sort of national unity moment. Ditto, incidentally, the Joint Chiefs.

UPDATE: Via the comments, I see that Glenn Greenwald has an interesting alternative viewpoint:

It’s not actually a unique event of oppression or suffering to have to sit and listen to a speech where someone criticizes you and you can’t respond that very moment (but are able, as Roberts just proved, to respond freely afterward). Even in the State of the Union Address, it’s completely customary for the President to criticize the Congress or the opposition party right to their faces, while members of his party stand and cheer vocally, and — as the reaction to Joe Wilson’s outburst demonstrated — “decorum” dictates that the targets of the criticism sit silently and not respond until later, once the speech is done. That’s how speeches work. Only Supreme Court Justices would depict their being subjected to such a mundane process as an act of grave unfairness (and, of course, Roberts’ comrade, Sam Alito, could not even bring himself to abide by that decorum).

What makes Roberts’ petty, self-absorbed grievance all the more striking is that this is what judges do all the time. It’s the essence of the judicial branch. Federal judges are basically absolute tyrants who rule over their courtroom and those in it with virtually no restraints. They can and do scold, criticize, berate, mock, humiliate and threaten anyone who appears before their little fiefdoms — parties, defendants, lawyers, witnesses, audience members — and not merely “decorum,” but the force of law (in the form of contempt citations or other penalties), compels the target to sit silently and not respond. In fact, lawyers can be, and have been, punished just for publicly criticizing a judge.

[...]

The very idea that it’s terrriby wrong, uncouth, and “very troubling” for the President to criticize one of their most significant judicial decisions in a speech while in their majestic presence — not threaten them, or have them arrested, or incite violence against them, but disagree with their conclusions and call for Congressional remedies (as Art. II, Sec. 3 of the Constitution requires) — approaches pathological levels of vanity and entitlement.

All fair points.

But here’s the thing: The president, the Congress, and the Supreme Court are theoretically equals. Judges and those appearing before them are not.

In reality, though, the president and the Justices aren’t equals. The former presents himself as the leader of the country and gets to lecture everyone else. There are no comparable venues where the president comes and sits quietly while judges berate him.

It’s true that presidents criticize Congress in these speeches and outburts such as “You lie!” are considered poor form. But it’s not true that Congress is expected to sit there and take it; they cheer and jeer as a matter of course. The Justices, meanwhile, are supposed to present the illusion of impartiality.

Further, unlike the president and Congress, the Court is not an elected, political institution. They’re supposed to be impartial arbiters separate from politics. That’s a transparent fiction, of course, but one that must be maintained. If the Supreme Court is finally revealed to be nothing more than a band of partisans, their authority will vanish.

Finally, Roberts isn’t arguing that the Justices should get to shout “You lie!” when they’re insulted. He’s merely questioning whether they should attend political speeches where they’ll be scolded.

Source: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/roberts_not_sure_why_justices_at_state_of_union_address/

So what are your thoughts on the lively discussion between President Obama and the U.S. Supreme Court and the role of the President's State of the Union? - Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

Is the NCAA a Billion Dollar Sweatshop?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

I was invited this week to speak to the Stanford University NAACP about whether or not college athletes should be paid.  When I am asked whether I think college athletes should be compensated for their labor, I simply respond to the question with another question:  “Why shouldn’t they get paid?  Did they not earn the money?  Is someone else earning money from their labor? Is the labor of the athlete essential to the revenue-generating process?”  Answers to these questions help us to understand how insane it is that athletes earn billions of dollars for coaches, but aren’t entitled to any of that money for themselves.  I’ve seen race horses get better deals than that.

Click to read.

 

*******************************************************

Please join Your Black World to get the latest in black news from Dr. Boyce Watkins and leading black scholars.

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Gov David Paterson Accused of Ethics Violations

The state Commission on Public Integrity charged Gov. David A. Paterson on Wednesday with violating state ethics laws when he secured free tickets to the opening game of the World Series from the Yankees last fall for himself and others. The announcement came as the governor, already mired in scandal, met with his cabinet and insisted he would stay in office.

In addition to violating the state’s ban on gifts to public officials, the commission found that Mr. Paterson falsely testified under oath that he had intended to pay for the tickets for his son and his son’s friend. The commission determined that Mr. Paterson had never intended to pay for the tickets and only did so after inquiries from the media, after which he submitted a backdated check as payment.

The commission had referred the case to the Albany County District Attorney, P. David Soares, as well as Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, for further investigation. Mr. Cuomo is already investigating Mr. Paterson’s role in allegedly trying to suppress a domestic-violence case involving a close aide, David Johnson.

Mr. Johnson also attended the Yankees game in question and was involved in soliciting the tickets from Yankees officials. The tickets, with a face value of $425 each, seated them a few rows behind home plate.

Click to read.

 

********Join Your Black World for the latest in Black News and commentary from Dr. Boyce Watkins! 

Your NewsA: OJ Simpson’s Suit Rejected by the Smithsonian

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices 

Remember the suit that OJ Simpson wore when he was acquitted of murder in 1995? I'm sure you do. The images of OJ breathing a sigh of relief after his acquittal were viewed all around the world. You probably remember exactly what you were doing at that precise moment, similar to the 911 attacks. Well, the Smithsonian Institute has announced that they do not want OJ's suit, claiming that it is "inappropriate for their collection."

The announcement came after a 13-year legal fight over what to do with the suit. Since that time, it has been in the possession of Simpson's former sports agent, Mike Gilbert. Fred Goldman, father of one of the men Simpson was accused of killing, has been fighting for the suit since the 1990s. Simpson told authorities that the suit was stolen from him.

The suit was also part of the reason that Simpson is in prison right now. OJ was arrested and convicted for an incident in which he robbed men in Las Vegas in order to reclaim memorabilia that he believed to be stolen. He'd been told that the suit was among the list of things being offered for sale.

The Smithsonian used these words on its website:

 

Click to read.

News: Anita Baker Barely Misses Going to Jail

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

Singing great Anita Baker barely missed going to jail Friday in a dispute with her ex-husband over music royalties. The 52-year old Baker found herself in a heated battle with Walter Bridgforth, her ex-husband, over the details of their divorce settlement.
"I'm so happy. ... I have never been in such a position before," Baker said in the hallway outside court. "And we don't intend to ever be in such a position ever again. I just wanna go home,and I'm happy to go home. ... As horrific as it could have been, it was lovely to feel supported, though, on the other end."
Baker was faced with a deadline Wednesday to sign documents that empower court-appointed music contract expert Howard Hertz to obtain information from record labels regarding how much Baker owed her ex-husband. The deadline passed and Baker still had not signed. This led to the Wayne County Chief Family Court Judge Lita Masini Popke ordering Baker to either show up in court on Friday or go to jail.

Click to read.

Dr. Michael Fauntroy Speaks on Felon Voting

by Dr. Michael Fauntroy

“I don’t want everybody to vote.  Elections are not won by a majority of the people.  They never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now.  As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.”
– Conservative activist Paul Weyrich, at a 1980 training session for Christian conservatives
    While there are a number of very worthy issues that need to be addressed in this area, I propose that we include the issue of felon disenfranchisement in our deliberations.  Felon disenfranchisement is critical as it impacts the outcomes of elections throughout the country.  Too often, conservative, anti-minority candidates are elected because of the disproportionate removal of African Americans and other minorities from the election rolls.  As the policies that disenfranchise felons disproportionately impacts African Americans (both those caught up in the criminal justice system AND the larger Black public which does not get the policies that it could because supportive people are not elected to office), we must understand it undermines the policies that we believe to be helpful to our community.

Click to read.

Black News: Officers Won’t Be Charged in Sean Bell Shooting

Federal authorities will not pursue charges against the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell, the unarmed bridegroom who died in a hail of police bullets outside a Queens strip club just hours before his wedding.

Prosecutors said there was "insufficient evidence" that Bell's civil rights were violated when undercover officers unloaded on a car carrying Bell and two friends on a Jamaica street in November, 2006.

Three officers were acquitted in 2008, including Michael Oliver, who police said reloaded while firing 31 of the 50 shots that filled the vehicle and surrounding streets.

 

Click to read.

U.S. Foreclosure Filings Surpass 300,000 for 11th Month in Row

By Dan Levy

Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) — U.S. foreclosure filings rose 15 percent in January from a year earlier and exceeded 300,000 for the 11th consecutive month as modification programs failed to keep delinquent borrowers in their homes, RealtyTrac Inc. said.

A total of 315,716 properties received a notice of default, auction or bank seizure last month, or one in 409 households, the Irvine, California-based seller of default data said today in a statement. Filings fell 10 percent from December.

Bank seizures, also known as real-estate-owned or REOs, may rise to a record 3 million this year, RealtyTrac said last month. About 66,000 delinquent loans out of a targeted 4 million by 2012 were permanently modified as of Dec. 31 under the Obama administration’s Home Affordable Modification Program, according to the Treasury Department. About 787,000 mortgages are in trial programs that change loan terms, the Treasury said Jan. 19.

“It’s almost inevitable that modifications will fail,” Michelle Meyer, New York-based U.S. economist for Barclays Capital Inc., said in an interview. “Over the next several months, we should see REOs increase at an accelerated pace.”

Foreclosure filings also fell in January of last year from December, only to rise in subsequent months, RealtyTrac said.

“If history repeats itself we will see a surge in the numbers over the next few months as lenders foreclose on delinquent loans where neither the existing loan modification programs or the new short sale and deed-in-lieu of foreclosure alternatives works,” James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’s chief executive officer, said in the statement.

To continue reading, follow link below:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-11/u-s-foreclosure-filings-surpass-300-000-for-11th-month-in-row.html

Black Legal News: Michael Jackson’s Doctor Pleads Not Guilty

Hours after Dr. Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Michael Jackson's 2009 death, the embattled physician pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon (February 8) during an arraignment hearing at a Los Angeles courthouse, according to The Associated Press.

Murray's bail was set at $75,000, three times greater than the bail usually set for such crimes. Without being handcuffed, Murray was then taken into custody for booking. He must surrender his passport, allowing him to travel within the United States but not out of the country. Prosecutors had been seeking bail of $300,000, but Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz rejected that amount. The involuntary-manslaughter charge carries a maximum jail sentence of four years.

 

Click to read.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: McCants Stewart, Black Lawyer of the Urban West

By Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

“In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1). Since biblical creation, the spoken word has always manifested itself. For a lawyer, our mastery of the spoken word is highlighted in our ability to be an advocate for our clients and seek truth, fairness and justice in the U.S. judicial system. Many lawyers, especially those of color, must go through certain obstacles to enter into this prestigious profession. As lawyers, we know that practicing law is a privilege, not a right. To begin our weekly black history month’s spotlight series, I would like to recognize the accomplishments of McCants Stewart, pioneering black lawyer of the urban west.

Biography of McCants Stewart

McCants Stewart was born on July 11, 1877 in Brooklyn, NY to T. McCants (a respected nomadic Black southern leader) and Lottie P. Harris Stewart. McCants Stewart attended public schools in Brooklyn, NY and Clafin University, SC. He graduated from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama Normal Department in 1896 after a number of run-ins with Booker T. Washington. Later that year, he attended University of New York and attended University of New York Law School. After a series of mastering his law craft in his father’s law practice and other odd jobs to make ends meet, he was admitted to the bar of Oregon in 1903, becoming Oregon’s first black lawyer.

To learn more about McCants Stewart, please view the link below:
http://www.aaregistry.com/detail.php?id=2030

Source:
African American Registry,
Minnesota Historical Society,
Oregon Historical Society

NY Times: Justice Thomas Defends Ruling on Finance

WASHINGTON — In expansive remarks at a law school in Florida, Justice Clarence Thomas on Tuesday vigorously defended the Supreme Court’s recent campaign finance decision.

And Justice Thomas explained that he did not attend State of the Union addresses — he missed the dust-up when President Obama used the occasion last week to criticize the court’s decision — because the gatherings had turned so partisan.

Justice Thomas responded to several questions from students at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., concerning the campaign finance case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. By a 5-to-4 vote, with Justice Thomas in the majority, the court ruled last month that corporations had a First Amendment right to spend money to support or oppose political candidates.

“I found it fascinating that the people who were editorializing against it were The New York Times Company and The Washington Post Company,” Justice Thomas said. “These are corporations.”

The part of the McCain-Feingold law struck down in Citizens United contained an exemption for news reports, commentaries and editorials. But Justice Thomas said that reflected a legislative choice rather than a constitutional principle.

He added that the history of Congressional regulation of corporate involvement in politics had a dark side, pointing to the Tillman Act, which banned corporate contributions to federal candidates in 1907.

“Go back and read why Tillman introduced that legislation,” Justice Thomas said, referring to Senator Benjamin Tillman. “Tillman was from South Carolina, and as I hear the story he was concerned that the corporations, Republican corporations, were favorable toward blacks and he felt that there was a need to regulate them.”

It is thus a mistake, the justice said, to applaud the regulation of corporate speech as “some sort of beatific action.”

Justice Thomas said the First Amendment’s protections applied regardless of how people chose to assemble to participate in the political process.

“If 10 of you got together and decided to speak, just as a group, you’d say you have First Amendment rights to speak and the First Amendment right of association,” he said. “If you all then formed a partnership to speak, you’d say we still have that First Amendment right to speak and of association.”

“But what if you put yourself in a corporate form?” Justice Thomas asked, suggesting that the answer must be the same.

Asked about his attitude toward the two decisions overruled in Citizens United, he said, “If it’s wrong, the ultimate precedent is the Constitution.”

To continue reading, follow link below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/us/politics/04scotus.html?hp

Youtube of President Obama's State of the Union Address at Issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k92SerxLWtc

IRS: Haiti Relief Donations Qualify for Immediate Tax Relief

IR-2010-12, Jan. 25, 2010

WASHINGTON — People who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti can claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxpayers who itemize deductions on their 2009 return qualify for this special tax relief provision, enacted Jan. 22. Only cash contributions made to these charities after Jan. 11, 2010, and before March 1, 2010, are eligible. This includes contributions made by text message, check, credit card or debit card.

"Americans have opened their hearts to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman." This new law provides an immediate tax benefit for the many taxpayers who have made generous donations."

Taxpayers can benefit from their donations, almost immediately, by filing their 2009 returns early, filing electronically and choosing direct deposit. Refunds take as few as ten days and can be directly deposited into a savings, checking or brokerage account, or used to purchase Series I U.S. savings bonds.

The new law only applies to cash (as opposed to property) contributions. The contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. Taxpayers have the option of deducting these contributions on either their 2009 or 2010 returns, but not both.

To get a tax benefit, taxpayers must itemize their deductions on Schedule A. Those who claim the standard deduction, including all short-form filers, are not eligible.

Taxpayers should be sure their contributions go to qualified charities. Most organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible donations are listed in a searchable online database available on IRS.gov under Search for Charities. Some organizations, such as churches or governments, may be qualified even though they are not listed on IRS.gov. Donors can find out more about organizations helping Haitian earthquake victims from agencies such as USAID.

The IRS reminds donors that contributions to foreign organizations generally are not deductible. IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, provides information on making contributions to charities.

Federal law requires that taxpayers keep a record of any deductible donations they make. For donations by text message, a telephone bill will meet the recordkeeping requirement if it shows the name of the donee organization, the date of the contribution and the amount of the contribution. For cash contributions made by other means, be sure to keep a bank record, such as a cancelled check, or a receipt from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Publication 526 has further details on the recordkeeping rules for cash contributions.

This year’s special Haiti relief provision is modeled on a 2005 law that, in the wake of the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami, allowed taxpayers to deduct donations they made during January 2005 as if they made the donations in 2004.

Source: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=218678,00.html?portlet=7

AP: December home sales down nearly 17 percent

Home sales plunge nearly 17 percent in December after tax credit deadline extended

By Alan Zibel, AP Real Estate Writer , On Monday January 25, 2010, 12:32 pm EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sales of previously occupied homes took the largest monthly drop in more than 40 years last month, sinking more dramatically than expected after lawmakers gave buyers additional time to use a tax credit.

The report reflects a sharp drop in demand after buyers stopped scrambling to qualify for a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homeowners. It had been due to expire on Nov. 30. But Congress extended the deadline until April 30 and expanded it with a new $6,500 credit for existing homeowners who move.

"It's 'exit stage left' for first-time homebuyers," wrote Guy LeBas, an analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott.

December's sales fell 16.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million, from an unchanged pace of 6.54 million in November, the National Association of Realtors said Monday. Sales had been expected to fall by about 10 percent, according to economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

The report "places a large question mark over whether the recovery can be sustained when the extended tax credit expires," wrote Paul Dales, U.S. economist with Capital Economics.

To continue reading article, follow link below:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/December-home-sales-down-apf-2729493334.html?x=0&.v=6

The Atlantic: State Unemployment Data Darkens Jobs Picture

by Daniel Indiviglio

Jan 22 2010, 12:34 pm

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released December's state-by-state unemployment data. It isn't pretty. Even though the national rate was unchanged last month, most states saw their unemployment rates worsen. 43 states and the District of Columbia saw their unemployment rates increase from November to December, many significantly. This is a major change-in-direction from November's good news, when 36 states saw their unemployment rates decline.

to read more and view chart, follow link below:

http://business.theatlantic.com/2010/01/state_unemployment_data_darkens_jobs_picture.php#comment-370506

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Ordered to Pay Over $300K in Restitution

JANUARY 20, 2010, 7:19 P.M. ET

By ALEX P. KELLOGG

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ.Com)

DETROIT—A Michigan judge on Wednesday ordered former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to pay more than $300,000 to taxpayers in the next three months to avoid returning to jail, including nearly a quarter million in loans from a trio of prominent businessman that he hadn't previously disclosed.

The flamboyant former mayor has been in and out of court in recent months after being accused by local prosecutors of trying to avoid payment of $1 million in restitution he owes the city stemming from multiple felony convictions, including perjury.

To continue reading, please follow link below:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703405704575015481178092158.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5

CNBC: Many Firms Reluctant to Hire Because of New Taxes, Rules

By: Albert Bozzo

Senior Features Editor

CNBC

A potential wave of new regulation and higher taxes may be scaring many businesses from

hiring, prolonging any rebound in employment, say business groups and economists.

The prospect of increased federal and state regulation and taxes has been particularly disruptive to the hiring plans of small- and medium-sized businesses, which have historically generated about two-thirds of the nation’s jobs.

“I don’t really see the private sector hiring much in the next few months,” says Brian Bethune, an economist at Global Insight. “For the small-business sector there is just too much uncertainty about what happens beyond 2010."

Not only is the Obama administration seeking to push through major overhauls of energy and health care policy, it is also expected to impose dozens of new workplace rules and raise income taxes.

As Washington and Wall Street grow increasingly restless about the unusually slow pace of job creation and the risk of a so-called jobless recovery, key business groups have begun to bang the drum more loudly.

In reporting that its small business optimism index fell for the second straight month in December, the National Federation of Independent Business Tuesday said members' No. 2 reason for not expanding payrolls was the prospect of government policy initiatives.

Twelve percent said it was not a good time to expand because of the political environment. Over the next three months, 15 percent said they plan to reduce employment, while eight percent plan to create new jobs.

“We're hearing it more and more from our membership,” says Bill Rys, the NFIB's tax counsel. "At the federal level, there’s uncertainty about tax rates, health care costs, energy costs. You also have what’s going on at the state and local levels, with new fees and taxes. They're reluctant to jump back in.”

To continue reading, follow the link below:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/34825943

NY Times: Law School Admissions Lag Among Minorities

By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: January 6, 2010

While law schools added about 3,000 seats for first-year students from 1993 to 2008, both the percentage and the number of black and Mexican-American law students declined in that period, according to a study by a Columbia Law School professor.

What makes the declines particularly troubling, said the professor, Conrad Johnson, is that in that same period, both groups improved their college grade-point averages and their scores on the Law School Admission Test, or L.S.A.T.

“Even though their scores and grades are improving, and are very close to those of white applicants, African-Americans and Mexican-Americans are increasingly being shut out of law schools,” said Mr. Johnson, who oversees the Lawyering in the Digital Age Clinic at Columbia, which collaborated with the Society of American Law Teachers to examine minority enrollment rates at American law schools.

However, Hispanics other than Mexicans and Puerto Ricans made slight gains in law school enrollment.

The number of black and Mexican-American students applying to law school has been relatively constant, or growing slightly, for two decades. But from 2003 to 2008, 61 percent of black applicants and 46 percent of Mexican-American applicants were denied acceptance at all of the law schools to which they applied, compared with 34 percent of white applicants.

“What’s happening, as the American population becomes more diverse, is that the lawyer corps and judges are remaining predominantly white,” said John Nussbaumer, associate dean of Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s campus in Auburn Hills, Mich., which enrolls an unusually high percentage of African-American students.

To continue to read, follow the link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/education/07law.html

Federal Reserve Sees High Unemployment as Key Concern

Federal Reserve members expressed concern at a policy meeting last month that unemployment would "remain elevated for quite some time," and limit economic growth, minutes released Wednesday showed.

Source: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=TX-PAR-SMV57&show_article=1

Baltimore Mayor Dixon resigning post

Wednesday, January 6, 2010, 2:55pm EST
Baltimore Business Journal -
by Robert J. Terry Staff

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, convicted last month on one count of embezzlement, is stepping down.

WBAL AM-1090 reported Wednesday afternoon Dixon would leave office Feb. 4.

The decision by Dixon, a Democrat, was revealed Wednesday as her lawyers were set to argue in court that the mayor deserved a new trial because of juror misconduct. She was scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 21.

Under the state constitution, Dixon would have been required to step down as mayor upon her sentencing, with City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake assuming Dixon’s mayoral duties. Speculation had run rampant in recent weeks that city leaders were pressing Dixon to resign.

Dixon’s conviction stemmed from her use of gift cards given to the city by developer Patrick Turner. Turner claimed they were intended for the needy.

The trial offered a window into what critics have long derided as a pay-to-play mentality at City Hall that tarnished Baltimore’s reputation.

Dixon was the former president of the Baltimore City Council who became mayor in January 2007. She ascended to the top job after then Mayor Martin O’Malley became governor, defeating Republican Robert Ehrlich.

Source: http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2010/01/04/daily31.html

Al Sharpton Calls for Us to Fix Our Prisons

by Rev. Al Sharpton 

As the battle lines for health care reform are being drawn – and redrawn – a silent segment of the population is strategically left out of the conversation.  A group of individuals who have been deemed enemies of society, and cast away behind iron bars to fend for themselves.  In California, health care in the state’s 33 prisons is so inadequate that one unnecessary death takes place per week, as inmates are often stacked in triple bunk beds in hallways and gymnasiums.  With nearly twice the number of prisoners than it was designed to hold, California prisons will have to be cut by about 40,000 in the next two years – and it’s about time.

Federal judges just released a 184-page order demanding that California’s inmate population be reduced by 27%, and gave the state 45 days to come up with a plan.   In what they termed an ‘unconstitutional prison health care system’, the three-judge panel concluded that disease was spreading rampantly and prisoner-on-prisoner violence was all but unavoidable.  Forced to close a $26 billion dollar budget gap, California will now have to look at mechanisms to reducing its extensive prison spending, which in 2007 topped out at nearly $10 billion (approximately $49,000 for each inmate).

Whether it’s for pure economic reasons or for an actual concern over the well being of prisoners, California will hopefully serve as an example for a reversal of the ever-growing prison industrial complex.  A system that unfairly profiles and detains minorities, American jails produce a vicious cycle of recidivism and community breakdown.  Last year, the Pew Center on the States released a scathing report stating that one in every 100 American adults was in jail, and that an astonishing one in 15 Black adults was behind bars.  According to government reports in 2007, there were three times as many Blacks in jail than in college dorms, with Latinos not far behind at 2.7 times more behind bars than in secondary schooling.

Click to read.

News: Community Outraged as Black Man Shot in the Back

Witnesses say the man was surrendering, but officials in Rockford, Ill., near Chicago dispute that version of events, saying that Mark Anthony Barmore grabbed for an officer's gun after they cornered him in the church.

 

This Aug. 25, 2009 photo shows onlookers, including Mark Anthony Barmore's father, Anthony Stevens, second from right, watching as police investigate the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Mark Anthony Barmore, inside the Kingdom Authority International Ministries Church in Rockford, Ill. The NAACP is renewing a call for federal standards on police use of force after what it describes as the police killing of an unarmed man inside a church as day-care children watched. (AP Photo/Rockford Register Star, Amy J. Correnti)

Both sides do agree, however, that Barmore fled when officers approached him in the church parking lot, which highlights the suspicion and fear that can poison relationships between police and minority communities across the country.

"There are no national standards for the use of force (or) training for use of force," Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Friday.

The issue "is not primarily about racism," Jealous said, citing the recent case of a 72-year-old white woman tasered by a white Texas officer during a traffic stop. "We want to make sure the standards are the most modern and appropriate ones possible."

The NAACP scheduled a rally Saturday in Rockford and a march Oct. 3. Jealous was planning to attend both; it would be his first march since taking the NAACP's helm a year ago.

The NAACP is seeking the reintroduction of the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, first offered by John Conyers, D-Mich., in 2000. It was co-sponsored by 34 legislators but was never voted on by the full House.

Click to read.

Glover v. Obama: Who is Right? Maybe Both of Them.

Elliot Millner, J.D.

Danny Glover recently directed some criticism at President Obama, regarding his lack of action in dealing with issues disproportionately impacting the Black community. President Obama fired back, saying that he was not neglecting Black issues, and that the issues he was being asked to address could not be fixed in one term, much less one year.

So, who is right? I'm not a fence-rider, however in many instances there is truth on both sides of a dispute or issue, and that is the case here. To be accurate, Danny Glover didn't call out President Obama for simply not paying enough attention to Black people; he called him out for his overall policy approach, and it's similarities (in Glover's opinion) to the policies and approach of the Bush administration. This is a fair criticism, for a couple of reasons. Despite the conservative media's protests to the contrary, Obama ran as a moderate, and that is basically what he is on most issues (if you don't think so, compare Obama's campaign platform to that of Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards). Former President Bush, although a Republican, was also considered a moderate (too moderate for many Republicans) on many issues. So, it is no surprise that President Obama may look similar to President Bush in his views and actions on some issues (most obviously in his war policy). I'm not saying I like it, but that is the reality. This is not an issue new to our current President, or to politics as a whole. Many (especially those who argue for the need of a strong third-party in American politics) have made the argument that there is little difference between Republicans and Democrats (often calling them "Republicrats") in general, especially when dealing with higher offices, such as the House, Senate, and presidency.

Glover went on to critique President Obama for bailing out Wall Street, yet neglecting to offer significant assistance to "Main Street". This is a common criticism made by many across the political spectrum, and is equally valid. Continuing with the "Republicrat" theory, President Obama, whether out of a desire to or not, did cave to the interests of Wall Street, by not only giving them billions in bailout money, but by placing very little regulation on what those companies receiving bailout money ultimately did with it. The rhetoric may be different, however the result for Wall Street (and Main Street) is the same.

Although other aspects of what he said may receive more attention, to me, the most significant point that Glover made was regarding the systemic issues affecting the ability of any politician who wants to make change to do so. People need to understand the political system and the political process, and that includes understanding not only how to register to vote, but more importantly, how campaigns are funded and how the legislative process works. As presently structured, the campaign finance system allows far too much input from large corporations and unions, and any interest with large sums of money. The cost of running for elected office is so high (especially for President) that it requires that a candidate cater to some form of corporate interests. Although the corporate interests may be different depending on party or candidate, they do still both depend a great deal on that financial support, and once elected, they are expected to show thanks for that support with legislation that serves the interests of those who put them in office.

Now, given this landscape, we get to President Obama's reply. He stated that he had not forgotten about the issues affecting Black people; however, as President, he could not "pass laws that say I'm just helping Black folks." As a politician, President Obama understands how things work. We are not talking about how things "should" work; we are talking about how they "do" work presently. President Obama could propose legislation to directly deal with the issues affecting Black people, however to do so would be political suicide. Not only does any legislation have almost no chance of passing through both houses of Congress (especially given the increasingly blatant racially-hostile environment in the U.S.), it would result in an incredible backlash to Obama from the many white voters (and money-givers) who helped put him in office. President Obama knows where his political loyalty lies, and it is not with Black people. President Obama is a politician, and his focus is not only on getting elected and enacted legislation, but getting re-elected. It's a numbers game, and to ask a politician (any politician) to go against the people and interests that got him elected, is as absurd as asking a corporate CEO to not make moves to increase the profitability of his or her company, because it may cause American workers to lose jobs. A politician (including Obama) and a CEO are both about the bottom-line; for one (the CEO) it is about increasing profits for shareholders; for the other (politician) it is about getting elected and re-elected.

So, Danny Glover is not necessarily wrong in his criticisms of President Obama, and ultimately the system as it is presently structured. And President Obama is not necessarily wrong in his reply. The root issue that they both address, either directly or indirectly, is the problem with the system. As long as corporate interests take priority over the needs of the people (even if that means addressing needs specific to Black people), then making changes that are necessary will continue to be a difficult process.

Black News: Tiger’s Wife Wants Half

TIGER Woods' wife Elin Nordegren wants a divorce, sole custody and half his estimated £370 million ($671 million) fortune, according to a newspaper report.

The superstar golfer has also reportedly reneged on a promise he made to his wife to go into rehabilitation to wean himself off the prescription drugs Ambien and Vicodin.

A close friend of Ms Nordegren told the News of the World: "Tiger was supposed to be working on getting better and he hasn't done anything. Instead he just went to stay with a friend and says he's 'trying to get better on his own'.

"Elin is livid he hasn't checked into rehab and gotten himself off his drugs. He's acting like a big baby," the source said.

"Now she wants 100 per cent divorce, 100 per cent custody of the children and half of everything. And she won't be changing her mind."

 

Click to read.

Jackson Estate Not Paying It’s Attorneys

If it is true, that any press is good press, then are quite a few folks in the music business who should be happy about the media spotlight shown on them this week.

The approach of year's end ushers in sadness as we remember the loss of the Michael Jackson, who died in June. Jackson's fans showed their support of his works, and spent a lot of money doing it.

According to reports, Jackson's estate is believed to have earned $100 million. While that is a good figure, there's a bit of an issue. The estate's administrators, lawyer John Branca and music business veteran John McClain, have reportedly not been paid

Click to read.

Black News: Government Illegally Spied on Nation of Islam

WASHINGTON — Homeland security officials improperly gathered intelligence on the Nation of Islam, a black Muslim group, but government rules were “unintentionally and inadvertently violated” and only publicly available information was collected, according to documents made public Wednesday.
Internal correspondence shows the 2007 report – titled “Nation of Islam: Uncertain Leadership Succession Poses Risks” – was created by an intelligence group working within the Homeland Security Department.
Hours after the report was issued, officials recalled it, deciding the report violated intelligence rules against collecting or disseminating information on U.S. citizens for an extended period of time. It had been disseminated widely over the Internet to numerous federal agencies, state and local law enforcement, several congressional committees, intelligence agencies and parts of the private sector, a reviewing officer found.

Click to read.

Wrongful Convictions: Another Obstacle in our Path

Elliot Millner, J.D.

While a large portion of the mainstream media focuses its energy on covering stories about Tiger Wood's personal affairs, or Chris Brown's twitter temper tantrum, or other gossip mag nonsense, multiple stories about wrongfully convicted men (all Black) being exonerated and released from prison were being overshadowed (For case details, see here, here, and here).

The fact that these travesties of justice did not receive the media attention that they deserved is not surprising, given the unfortunate frequency of cases such as these, and the general apathy and complacency that has developed to such blatant examples of injustice. It also doesn't help that these wrongful convictions disproportionately impact Black men, who everyone knows are all criminals and and belong in prison anyway (that is sarcasm). According to data from The Innocence Project:

Of the 247 post-conviction DNA exoneration's they reported, 148 were Black men, who served an average prison sentence of 13 years before being released; in addition, 18 of the men exonerated had confessed to crimes that they did not commit.

Keep in mind that these are only the exoneration's reported(the first DNA exoneration did not take place until 1989), and also that these are only DNA exoneration's, not including other exoneration's of innocent individuals not based on DNA. The Innocence Project and other organizations focus on cases involving DNA evidence because of the increased likelihood of successful exoneration; for the unlucky person wrongfully convicted without any DNA evidence involved, the chances of release from prison are very slim.

Any rational person who does not believe in the innate criminality of Black males, will likely acknowledge that for each of these DNA exoneration's, there are many more cases in which the wrongfully convicted person was not exonerated, and either died in prison, was put to death (17 of the 247 exonerated by DNA evidence were on death row), or served out a sentence for a crime they did not commit.

As with virtually all other aspects of the criminal justice system, race is proven to play a role in the disproportionate impact of wrongful convictions on Black men. The seven most common causes of wrongful conviction are considered to be eyewitness misidentification; unvalidated or improper forensic science; false confessions/admissions; government misconduct; use of informants/snitches; and bad lawyering (Source: The Innocence Project). Without writing a thesis on the subject, there is substantial evidence that demonstrates how each of these areas can and does frequently result in wrongful convictions generally, and specifically for Black men, who are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system for a variety of reasons beyond the simplistic argument that Black people commit more crimes.

There are multiple issues that need to be addressed pertaining to the excessive presence of Black men in prison for actually committing crimes, without having to worry about Black people being imprisoned for crimes that they didn't do.

Holder Joins Obama in Making Elitist Attack on Absent Black Fathers

Elliot Millner, J.D.

Attorney General Eric Holder recently spoke at a Black church in Queens, NY, and during his speech he gave Black fathers another talking to, stating that:

"It should simply be unacceptable for a man to have a child and then not play an integral part in the raising and nurturing of the child."

Sounds good on face value. Who doesn't think that any man who has a child should play a vital role in that child's growth and development? A.G. Holder is 100% right on that point, and I have no disagreement with him whatsoever.

However lets look beyond the truthfulness of the words. When communicating, there are many other factors to consider other than what is being said. So, let's consider the question: If a person is truly concerned about promoting the increased participation of Black father's in their children's lives, what would that person do? Seemingly, a person sincere about achieving that goal would go speak to the people most in need of that talk, in this case Black fathers who were not being responsible for the children they had helped bring into the world. Although I'm sure it may have been some people in Memorial Presbyterian Church who were being negligent in their parental duties, I doubt that A.G. Holder's message applied to the majority of them.

In fact, the people that Attorney General Holder was talking to in the church were his intended audience, but not for any noble intent of helping to increase Black father's participation in their children's lives. A.G. Holder, like President Obama and Bill Cosby before him, was gaining brownie points with mostly middle-class Black folks by disparaging a group of people that is admittedly easy to talk bad about: absentee Black fathers.

As stated before, I am not arguing the truth that there are large numbers of Black men who are not fulfilling their fatherly responsibilities. However, it is outrageous for A.G. Holder and President Obama, two pretty intelligent Black men, to make the sometimes complicated issue of absent Black fathers into a simplistic attack aimed not at improving the situation, but at increasing their political standing amongst the Black middle-class. It they truly cared about doing something about this important issue, they would first talk to the people in question. This may require some effort, because a lot of absentee fathers are absent for various reasons that neither President Obama or A.G. Holder have chosen to address, and they may not blindly come to a church to hear either Obama or Holder speak.

Beyond the lip service, both President Obama and A.G. Holder are in positions to exert influence in areas that play a significant role in why many Black fathers are absent. It is absolutely disingenuous of both of them to repeatedly pile on absent Black fathers, without addressing:

-The role of poverty and underemployment in many of these situations(specific to the Black community, because the unemployment rate for Blacks is significantly higher, and influenced by a variety of unequal factors).

-The role of mass incarceration of Black men on the cyclical absence of many Black fathers.

-The role that Black women play in this situation.

-The role that sub par public schools plays in limiting employment opportunities for many Black fathers.

-The role that persistent racially discriminatory policies play on all of the items listed above.

This would demonstrate a genuine effort to address this issue that is of great importance to many Black people. Isn't it interesting that President Obama avoids the discussion of race like H1N1, yet when he does discuss race, it is to show support for Henry Louis Gates, a fellow Ivy grad(without knowing all of the facts, and after ignoring far more blatant examples of police brutality and profiling), and to repeatedly talk about absent Black fathers? And I know the Obama followers (different from rational supporters) will say that it's personal, because his father was not around, yet that does not provide a full explanation of this pattern. Having lived in the situation, President Obama knows that the issue is far more complicated than he and A.G. Holder have made it out to be.

If Pres. Obama and A.G. Holder are not willing to explain all of the variables at play regarding absentee Black fathers, and not only the ones that play well to Black middle-class supporters(and of course potential white voters as well), then maybe they need to stick to their usual pattern concerning racial issues, and remain silent.

From Cradle to Prison: The Battle for the Souls of Black Children

Elliot Millner, J.D.

As with the adult criminal justice system, a series of decisions are made during the process of a juvenile being arrested and charged with a crime. From the initial decision to observe/stop/search; to the decision to detain and then arrest; to the decision to prosecute; to the decision to decide to charge as an adult or juvenile; to the decision to detain the juvenile prior to trial; to the decision to offer a plea or take the case to trial; to the decision regarding sentencing and probation requirements.

Despite the fact that white youth report using and selling drugs at a rate significantly higher than Black youth(even once population disparity is calculated in), and are shown to commit delinquent acts at rates very similar to Black youth, it is Black youth who are:

26% of all juvenile arrests

31% of referrals to juvenile court

32% of youth judged delinquent

40% of youth in residential placement

46% of youth sent to criminal court

58% of youth admitted to adult state prison

(*Source: Building Blocks For Youth Initiative Report)

There is much statistical data that shows the impact of racially disparate treatment in the juvenile justice process, just as is the case with the adult criminal justice system. Those that claim that race plays no part in the juvenile and adult criminal justice process make the same argument, which is that Black youth and adults simply commit more crimes, which is why there are so many more Black people in prison. This argument is in many ways misleading, and a blatant distortion of the facts. To support the assertion of Black criminality, these individuals use the same covertly-racist "moral failings" argument; Black people simply lack proper morals and values, and therefore are more prone to commit crimes than white people. This argument would seem too absurd to require a reply, if not for its acceptance not only among many whites, but also amongst many gullible people in the Black community as well.

Like most arguments with deceitful motives, those who argue the moral inferiority of Black people ignore almost all additional information required to get an accurate picture of crime statistics. They ignore the disproportionate police presence in Black communities; they ignore the impact of persistent poverty and shortage of adequate employment and social service resources on crime rates in general; they ignore the impact of racially disparate sentencing, which not only sends Black people to prison for excessive and disproportionate lengths of time, but also erodes the community from which those individuals (who may or may not have been involved in criminal activity, but who may have also been breadwinners and fathers) came from; they ignore the pathetic school systems, with teachers who are shown to be far more likely to label Black children as problems, ADD, ADHD, or placed in special education programs;most obviously, they ignore the documented negative impact of racism and cultural ignorance throughout the juvenile and adult criminal justice process.

This ideology of forgetfulness and distortion is self-serving to many whites. It allows them to portray Black men as villains and deserving of any punishment they receive, and also to not accept any role in the continued destruction of countless lives, while they are able to wallow in unearned white privilege and all the benefits that come from it. It is also self-serving to many Black people who consider themselves to have "made it", because it allows them to deny any responsibility for the plight of other Blacks who are still struggling, and also to feel some foolish arrogance and superiority for being fortunate enough to have either not grown up in a hellish environment, or to have had a person or people to guide them in the right direction.

We cannot allow ourselves to continue to be shamed into silence. We have nothing to be ashamed about. Any group of people subjected to the conditions that many Blacks have lived in for generations will have problems, especially when those problems and the root causes of them are consistently ignored. The false arguments of moral inferiority and "choicism" are ideas projected onto us by whites who are reaping the benefits of generations of mass immoral behavior, which was largely supported(or ignored) by the government. The causes of the problems facing Black communities, which are ongoing, stem from the abnormal behavior of white people toward us; the effects that we continue to see are normal given the circumstances producing them, and have been replicated in numerous countries, by people of various backgrounds.

When a Black child is introduced into the criminal justice system, it places them on a de facto career path that few are able to escape from. It is no exaggeration to say that the fight to change the structure of the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, in addition to making ground-level change in our communities (including increasing community-based approaches to dealing with juvenile misconduct) , are the biggest issues we will face over the next several years. Virtually all of the other major problems facing the Black community in some way emanate from this central issue. Cowardice, inaction, and silence are not an option. Our continued existence is at stake.

If it is not clear to you already, when we begin to take things for granted, things get taken away from us. We must redevelop activist mentalities, whether we are community organizers, janitors, corporate attorneys, or elementary school teachers. This backlash of ignorance that has become more prevalent since the election of President Obama is not going away on its own. The foolish acts of individuals is disturbing, but it is not even close to our main problem. The problem is systemic and institutionalized, and has been the status quo for years. This status quo will not change by doing the same things we have been doing, or by doing nothing. Become educated about current issues directly affecting our communities( such as The Fair Sentencing Act of 2009); become aware of programs or people doing unique things for community development, (such as Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Children's Zone); become educated about issues and make your voice heard-blog; contact your representatives to let them know about your concerns about certain issues; become active in organizations doing things for the Black community, or start your own organization. The one thing that is absolutely inexcusable to do, is nothing.