on the black hand side

FAMU Marching 100 Photo Used in Article on Hazing at Dartmouth

Roland Martin Reports published an article on hazing at Dartmouth University, “Dartmouth Hazing: Faculty Condemn ‘Moral Thuggery’ In Letter To Administration.” So why is the accompanying graphic for the article a photograph of the Florida A&M University Marching 100? The article does not address the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion.  

Screen shot of Roland Martin Reports. Article on hazing at Dartmouth. Photo of FAMU Marching 100 used.

 

The Huffington Post website, referenced in the article on Roland Martin Reports,  includes a photograph of a building one can assume is on the Dartmouth campus.

Screen shot of The Huffington Post website on same article.

 

Note this article was originally posted in early February 2012. I came to know of it only tonight via a friend. 

I make no secret I am a  Florida A&M University alum. I do not condone the brutality that lead to the death of Robert Champion. I fully understand my alma mater will be portrayed in a negative light for quite some time. Some criticisms will be justified and must be addressed by the University administration and the entire FAMU family. 

Yet other situations may arise that are controversial, sensationalistic and unfair such as the use of an unrelated photograph of the Marching 100 with an article on hazing at Dartmouth.

 

Tyler Perry, Racial Profiling and the Disappearance of Felipe Santos and Terrance Williams

As a subscriber, I received a message from Tyler Perry today. It was a harrowing description of his personal experience with police officers who puuled him over one night. It also goes into the Trayvon Martin situation in Sanford, Florida and two missing men from Naples, Florida --- Felipe Santos and Terrance Williams.

I thought someone had hacked Tyler Perry's e-mail account and blasted a cruel and un-funny April Fool's Day joke. Could the police stop Perry described really have occured? Well, yes. Could the missing persons story be true? I didn't think so because I live in South Florida and I'd never heard of these cases.

A quick Google search proved me wrong. It seems Perry is drawing attention to the missing persons cases of the two men who lived in Naples. Perry asked, "What's Going on in Florida?"

 

With the controversy surrounding the Trayvon Martin incident dominating mainstream media and comparisons of his fatal shooting to other civil rights cases, it's easy to see how Florida is earning a horrible reputation when it comes to black and Latin males. Tyler Perry's celebrity status, will generate more media coverage of these two missing persons cases. The question remains... What's going on in Florida?

 

Related Links:

Facebook Page: Disappearance of Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos 

 

Calkins says he 'didn't do anything wrong'

The Laurie Roth Show: Missing Men - Felipe Santos - Terrance Williams

Mitt Romney Doesn't Care About Poor People

The “Mitt Romney Is Not Concerned About the Very Poor” video has gone viral. It is reminiscent of the Kanye West inspired video mash-up — “George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People” by the Legendary KO.  

*PARENTAL ADVISORY - EXPLICIT LYRICS*

 

Surely someone is creating a remix spotlighting Mitt Romney. He has provided enough material to make a very informative and thought-provoking video. Remember his very cavalier $10,000 bet with Rick Perry during the December Republican debate; his statement that he likes being able to fire people; describing the more than $370,000 in income he earned for speeches as not that much money; characterizing people as envious if they questioned the economic disparity in the U.S.; and the fact that his 2010 income tax returns indicate he pays less than 15% in taxes while sheltering millions in offshore accounts. 

You already know the title of the new video mash-up — “Mitt Romney Doesn’t Care About Poor People.” Just make sure the video accurately reflects the demographics of the very poor in the United States. 

 

 

The Curious Case of Troy Davis: Too Much Doubt [VIDEO by Jasiri X]

On August 19, 1989, off-duty cop Mark MacPhail was shot and killed in Savannah, GA. Troy Davis was arrested and sentenced to  death. There was no physical evidence linking him to MacPhail’s murder. There were nine witnesses who said that Davis was the killer. Seven of those nine witnesses have recanted their testimony citing coercion by law enforcement. One of the two remaining witnesses is the original prime suspect.

Based on these facts, one has to wonder why the State of Georgia insists on executing Troy Davis on September 21, 2011. There is just too much doubt in the case of Troy Davis.

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed petitions asking that Troy Davis not be executed. Several former government officials and celebrities have also asked that Troy Davis not be executed. However, Michael MacPhail’s mother is looking forward to the execution of Troy Davis. She thinks it will bring her some peace. My heart goes out to her. I know the pain she feels. I know the feeling of having a child’s life taken in such a violent manner.

The truth, however, is that there is too much doubt that Troy Davis murdered Mark MacPhail. Family and friends want someone to pay for Mark’s murder. If Troy Davis is executed, their desire will still not have been honestly satisfied.   

The execution of Troy Davis would be a terrible miscarriage of justice. Here are three steps you can take to help him before the Georgia Parole Board meets on September 19. 2011:

1. Send a message of support to Troy as he fights for justice on what may be the final days of his life: http://action.naacp.org/LettersOfSupport

2. Sign the name wall, if you haven't already. And if you have, send it to your friends and family. Each name means a more united front for justice: http://action.naacp.org/Name-Wall

3. Make sure everyone knows about this injustice. Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter (using the hashtag #TooMuchDoubt) so that Troy Davis's story can be heard. We still have a chance to save his life, but only if people are willing to speak out against injustice.

  

Free Audio Download http://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-troy-davis-t-r-o-y

Tallevast, FL: Environmental Racism, Corporate Greed and Waiting for People to Die [VIDEO]

This is another instance of environmental injustice in the United States. I know all of the residents in the video. They deserve better treatment than that shown to them thus far. Where is the outrage and support from environmental and civl rights organizations? It seems as if the powers to be are waiting for the residents to die so the problem will go away. I think not.

Carolyn House Stewart Installed as International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

ST. LOUIS, MO — Carolyn House Stewart of Tampa, Florida was sworn in as the 28th International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority during the Sorority's weeklong convention that was held in St. Louis. In ascending to the international presidency, she becomes the first lawyer to head the organization. She also makes history as the first president to serve a full term in the Sorority's second century.

As international president Mrs. Stewart will serve a four-year term from 2010-2014. She will guide policy, develop programs and set the leadership tone for Alpha Kappa Alpha, which was founded in 1908 at Howard University and is the largest and oldest organization of primarily African-American college-educated women in the world. Today, it boasts a diverse membership of 260,000 college-educated members in 975 chapters in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan and on the continent of Africa.

Attorney Stewart's ascension to Alpha Kappa Alpha's chief leadership position caps a 38-year record of commitment and service to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority that began when she was initiated at the University of South Florida. On the national arena, she also served as Chairman of the Sorority's Program Committee, International Secretary and First Vice President.

Mrs. Stewart, who has enjoyed a 32-year career as an attorney, is a shareholder in the law firm of Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, one of Florida's oldest law firms. She received her juris doctor degree from the University of South Carolina Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida.

Under her administration, Alpha Kappa Alpha will launch a comprehensive program that will continue the Sorority's 102-year legacy of "providing service to all mankind."

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest and first Greek-letter organization founded by Black women and one of the world's leading service organizations. The Sorority's mission to "serve all mankind," is achieved through a comprehensive array of programs and advocacy initiatives. Its membership includes Dr. Mae C. Jemison, Alicia Keys, Eleanor Roosevelt, the late Coretta Scott King, the late Rosa Parks a host of political leaders and other luminaries.

For more information, log on to www.aka1908.com.

Get Counted! Mail in Your Census Form!

Census information affects the numbers of seats your state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives. And people from many walks of life use census data to advocate for causes, rescue disaster victims, prevent diseases, research markets, locate pools of skilled workers and more.

When you do the math, it's easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for your community. Better infrastructure. More services. A brighter tomorrow for everyone. In fact, the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like:

• Hospitals
• Job training centers
• Schools
• Senior centers
• Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects
• Emergency services

Participation isn't just important—it's mandatory.

 

Haiti Earthquake Relief Song: Are You Listening [VIDEO]

Roland Martin Keeps it Real

Much has been said about the latest political gaffe involving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He's a racist and should resign….he's not a racist…double standard…blah…blah…blah. Regardless of your take on this situation, let's not allow a crucial issue to go unacknowledged by mainstream media and thus far it has.

Political commentator Roland Martin was very clear, bold and courageous when pointing the plethora of black faces in the media addressing the Harry Reid situation and the dearth of black presence on any other issues as if race is all black folks can talk about. Now I can't write what Brother Martin said verbatim. I can tell you it was concise, clear and on point. Let's hope the folks making decisions about the perspectives allowed on the air didn't miss that message.

America's racial issues can be diminished if more perspectives are shared with a greater, more diverse audience. People are a lot more alike than they are different. It's my experience that talking with folks who are different from me breaks down barriers. It also diminishes the power of the few to control the many and maybe that's why we're so disconnected in the first place.

Roland Martin, thank you for speaking the truth.

Power to the People.

Ikea's heart of darkness: A tale of racism, lies and Swedish meatballs -- DailyFinance

A new book is out that purports to tell the truth about furnishings and household giant, Ikea. It is not pretty with reports of anti-semetic and racist comments by management and limitiations on growth for miniorities in the company.

Check out Ikea's heart of darkness: A tale of racism, lies and Swedish meatballs -- DailyFinance. Unfortunately, the book has not been translated into English just yet but it is sure to be a bestseller.