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Showing posts from May, 2009

The Bush legacy: The apples don’t fall far from the tree

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George W. Bush is relaxing in his new spread in Texas knowing he pulled a fast one on the American people. Bush managed to ride off into the sunset after destroying this country. I guess if you knew the Bush family legacy and how they operated you’d likely conclude the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree. In 1966 George W. Bush’s grandfather Prescott Bush, stated the following, “There's three things to remember: claim everything, explain nothing, and deny everything.” Did you know Prescott Bush was indicted under the Trading with the Enemy Act for funding Adolph Hitler and the Nazis in 1942? Bush, along with business partner W. Averill Harriman funneled money to Hilter from 1926-1942 while his son, George H.W. Bush,fought against the Germans in World War II while in the Navy. As a result the government seized all of Bush’s and Harriman’s business assets. Obviously Prescott Bush wholeheartedly embraced his 1966 quote because it enabled him to serve in the Senate from 1952 to 196

Has President Obama duped the African American community?

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Get wind of this. Did you know part of the stimulus package President Barack Obama signed in February called for nearly 200 million dollars to be distributed to Philippine veterans who fought with alongside US soldiers in World War II? If President Obama can provide Filipino soldiers back pay he can produce dollars for African Americans whose forefathers endured bitter cruelties during slavery? I don’t know about you but this rubs me the wrong way. Is President Obama duping the African American community? In my world actions speak louder than words: rhetoric is only relevant unless constructive action results from them. The rhetoric with respect to the African American community has been empty. President Obama is living in a mansion that was built by slaves. Institutionalized slavery was a profit-making machine. Slavery thrived off the free labor African slaves were forced to render by oppressors. For over four centuries Africans were subject to the most heinous crimes every committed

Kentucky Derby: How African American dominance was derailed

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On May 2nd the 135th Kentucky Derby concluded. This one of the biggest sports spectacles in the world. Race horse Mind That Bird won the race despite being a 50-1 underdog. As many African Americans were watching Kobe Bryant and LeBron James continue their journey towards a showdown in the finals I was thinking about the Kentucky Derby. I’m one who attempts to look beyond the obvious to secure deeper significance. Like usual I came up with following. Did you know 20 years after the Emancipation Proclamation African Americans dominated Americas’ first favorite pastime? Back in the day the Kentucky Derby was like the Super Bowl today. It was the marquee sporting event of the day. In 1875 the inaugural Kentucky Derby was won by 19-year old African American Oliver Lewis while sitting atop Aristides. Also, 13 of the 15 riders were African American. Matter of fact of the first 28 Kentucky Derby’s run 15 races was won by African American riders. The great Isaac Murphy was the first jockey to

Does Notre Dame have issues with African Americans in leadership positions?

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Four years ago Notre Dame unceremoniously fired the first African American football coach in the schools history in Tyrone Willingham. Currently conservative Catholics are irked because President Barack Obama was selected to speak at Notre Dame’s commencement ceremonies in May. What’s the problem with Notre Dame and African Americans in positions of authority? The institution seems to have issues dealing with African Americans in leadership positions. First, coach Willingham was treated like dirt. Willingham was the first African American head coach in any sport in the schools history when he was hired in 2002. After playing one of the toughest schedules in college football Willingham was fired after posting a 6-5 record after the 2004 season. What made the firing controversial was he was the first football coach in Notre Dame’s history not finish his contract and skin color. So the Irish found themselves a “Great White Hope” in Charlie Weis to restore the program. In Weis’ third year