I know there’s a need for the NAACP, but I have not always been sure that the organization itself understands where it is needed in the times since the white-hot days of the 60’s and 70’s. Like many of my contemporaries, I have been frustrated with the NAACP’s slowness to embrace and utilize digital technology to get important work done. Further, I’ve sometimes perceived lack of a unifying focus. I let my membership lapse.
But my friend Kevin Myles, president of NAACP Kansas, has been steadfast in his commitment to the …

While some people are overly invested in the trial of former BART transit cop Johannes Mehserle who was convicted Thursday of involuntary manslaughter for shooting Oscar Grant, life will go on. It seems much of the outrage stems from those who have focused primarily on the race of the cop in question, making Oscar Grant the poster child for racism conspiracy theories.
What most do not realize is there is little “new” about cases such as these. While historically there has been an established pattern of aggression where innocent men were …

A reader, Charlton McIlwain wrote in to ask me to let y’all know about a survey he’s conducting.
Mcllwain says, “I am a professor of media, culture & communication at New York University and co-director of the Project on Race in Political Communication (RaceProject.org).
I am interested in the ways that children and parents talk about issues of race, ethnicity, racism, etc. and am conducting a survey primarily geared to collecting funny, interesting, alarming, or challenging anecdotes that parents have about a time when their child, themselves or other children they …

Please check out my response to Erica Jong’s racially insulting she wrote for The Huffington Post.
My answer is posted over at Aol. Here’s an excerpt:
Some people are blinded by their own racial arrogance. They are so convinced that their perspective is relevant on what life is like for people of color, that they regurgitate hackneyed perspectives on race as if they are revelations. Writer Erica Jong, famous for books including”Fear of Flying,” published a column in The Huffington Post that stands as exhibit A of this kind of annoyance.
Jong …

So it turns out that HP’s face tracking webcams only work with white folks. Bwahahahaha. “Technology is colorblind” in your face. Check it out via Current.com:

Make sure you watch until near the end. Turns out “Black Desi” has a surprise for his wife to boot.
HP responds:
“We are working with our partners to learn more. The technology we use is built on standard algorithms that measure the difference in intensity of contrast between the eyes and the upper cheek and nose. We believe that the camera might have difficulty “seeing” …

I have been bugging Andrew Padula to write the post that follows since he told me about his disturbing encounter on the DC metro last year. He was extremely hesitant to do so, but finally put it together in the wake of the Chicago beating-murder of the young honor roll student that was captured on cell phone video.
As the victim of violent bullies as a child, when I lived in New York I dreaded being on the subway at the time schools let out because of the overt aggression …

For the most part, my reaction to the Tiger trouser snake scandal has been a ‘Kanye shrug’. I certainly wouldn’t want the absolute worst moments of my marriage all over the tabloids. On the other hand, I conduct myself in such a way that even the worst moments wouldn’t be particularly interesting or considered outrageous by anyone other than my hubby.
I am perplexed as to why Gatorade hasn’t dropped Tiger Woods endorsement deal yet. But then again, it is an energy drink. I guess it all makes then since at …

If you only got your information about Taser from it’s several Facebook pages or blog, you would think that there was universal enthusiasm for this 50,000 volt forced compliance weapon. The glowing praise expressed in chatty accolades would be appropriate to discussions of the latest iphone iteration or Droid functionality.
Lingering on Taser Facebook pages, you’d think that it wasn’t very often that Taser related deaths related occur. And when they do happen? You could be persuaded that it’s always the fault of some drug addicted or genetically challenged skell whose …

Please join me and dozens of other concerned bloggers, passionate to stop the abuse of Tasers. Already this year, there have been 50 Taser related deaths.

One of my colleagues calls Taser deaths “extrajudicial execution”: judge, jury and executioner all rolled up into a handheld 50,000 volt electric apparatus that’s considered “non-lethal”.
There’s a lot of talk these days about the glory of our American democracy. And its ideals are glorious. But when the pillar of our justice system is cracked the whole damn dream is shaky.
I hope you’ll join us.

The FBI released its 2008 Hate Crime Statistics report yesterday. Overall Hate crimes were up 2%. That’s bad and it gets worse. In the wake of President Obama’s election, hate crimes against blacks rose 8%.
Hate incidents related to the election occurred in all parts of the country. An interracial couple in Apolacan Township, Pa., who supported Obama, found the remains of a burnt cross in their garden. In Madison County, Idaho, elementary school children allegedly chanted “assassinate Obama” on a school bus. In Mount Desert Island, Maine, black effigies …

Given discussions about health care reform and mental health care swirling around right now, I thought I would re-post this piece which first appeared here at All About Race in 2008. People love to cast me as an example of the American dream. And I love being an example. But I continue to examine what my success really means; and in large part it means I had a lot of help. Please share your thoughts in comments.

My conservative friends think I’ve gone and lost my mind. They think so because …

Many of you are kind enough to shoot me emails when you come across interesting stories I should see. I’m not always able to post about them, but I always read them. So I figured, everyone should have access to your suggestions. So, from time to time, I’ll post them here. Check out the first batch:
From big thinker with a wide world view, long time reader and friend JP:
Gold and Blood at Record Highs, from Wall Street to the Congo (11/3) Excerpt:
The soaring price of gold and the plummeting price …

Since AAR launched in March 2007, a whole lot has changed about the way we discuss racial issues in America. Two and a half years ago, the notion of a black president was most realistically relegated to Hollywood imaginings and the white knuckle reality of “24”.
But here we are. And after so much voice, heart and soul spent here in support of electing President Barack Obama, and the glorious too short afterglow of the 2008 election, racial talk is now razor sharp. I’m glad for it because I believe …

I have a bit of empathy for the “birthers”. Really. I understand that not all of us have the emotional maturity or mental capacity to deal with deep disappointment in a rational, non-self destructive manner. Instead, like a two year old infant reacting to the calamity of not getting a much desired new toy; some of us default to blind rage, shrill tantrums and stubborn self-righteousness when things don’t go our way.
Whether you support his policies or not, there is a new sheriff in town, and you get to …

Early appointments this morning, but check out this post from Black Web 2.0 for now:
BET Awards Dominate Twitter, Causes Racist Backlash
Here’s an excerpt:
While there was no shortage of haters on the outcome of the trending topics last night, most were related to the performances, many didn’t like the fact there was so much representation on trending topics. It seems like whenever African-American topics dominate media there are always some unhappy campers. Social Media is no different. Within hours it spawned a site on Tumblr, OMGBlackPeople.Tumblr.com. Tumblr …