The Future Of Unions And The Fate Of Our Children
As the battle lines appear to be drawn and re-drawn in Wisconsin, a larger debate is brewing across the nation: the relevance and future of unions. RELATED: Top 5 MLK Speeches Previously questioning the concept of monitoring the performance of teachers, National Action Network and I have worked with President Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and various mayors around the country trying to raise the notion of education reform. And as such, I take particular notice of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and their recent innovative breakthrough proposal. With an increasing number of politicians and opportunists wrongfully attacking labor unions, one of the most harshly scrutinized has decided to take matters into its own hands. The AFT, comprised of more than 1.5 million educators, recently thwarted unjust opposition thanks to its president, Randi Weingarten, and her newly proposed evaluation plan. Tackling the issue of tenure head-on, this groundbreaking idea emboldens both the strength of the AFT and simultaneously protects students from ill-performing teachers. Let the critics now be silenced. Read more at HuffingtonPost RELATED: Sharpton: Beck’s rally goes against King’s vision Sharpton wants equality for missing women of color
The Future Of Unions And The Fate Of Our Children
As the battle lines appear to be drawn and re-drawn in Wisconsin, a larger debate is brewing across the nation: the relevance and future of unions. RELATED: Top 5 MLK Speeches Previously questioning the concept of monitoring the performance of teachers, National Action Network and I have worked with President Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and various mayors around the country trying to raise the notion of education reform. And as such, I take particular notice of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and their recent innovative breakthrough proposal. With an increasing number of politicians and opportunists wrongfully attacking labor unions, one of the most harshly scrutinized has decided to take matters into its own hands. The AFT, comprised of more than 1.5 million educators, recently thwarted unjust opposition thanks to its president, Randi Weingarten, and her newly proposed evaluation plan. Tackling the issue of tenure head-on, this groundbreaking idea emboldens both the strength of the AFT and simultaneously protects students from ill-performing teachers. Let the critics now be silenced. Read more at HuffingtonPost RELATED: Sharpton: Beck’s rally goes against King’s vision Sharpton wants equality for missing women of color
The Future Of Unions And The Fate Of Our Children
As the battle lines appear to be drawn and re-drawn in Wisconsin, a larger debate is brewing across the nation: the relevance and future of unions. RELATED: Top 5 MLK Speeches Previously questioning the concept of monitoring the performance of teachers, National Action Network and I have worked with President Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and various mayors around the country trying to raise the notion of education reform. And as such, I take particular notice of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and their recent innovative breakthrough proposal. With an increasing number of politicians and opportunists wrongfully attacking labor unions, one of the most harshly scrutinized has decided to take matters into its own hands. The AFT, comprised of more than 1.5 million educators, recently thwarted unjust opposition thanks to its president, Randi Weingarten, and her newly proposed evaluation plan. Tackling the issue of tenure head-on, this groundbreaking idea emboldens both the strength of the AFT and simultaneously protects students from ill-performing teachers. Let the critics now be silenced. Read more at HuffingtonPost RELATED: Sharpton: Beck’s rally goes against King’s vision Sharpton wants equality for missing women of color
Steele Tells Sharpton “We’ll See How It Goes…†As To Whether He Will Keep Republican Chair
On Revernd Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated radio show “Keeping It Real,†Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was less than confident when asked about his future as the Republican chair. “Well…we’ll see how it goes,†Chairman Steele responded to a direct question. “I’ve told them that they will get used to my leadership.†To the idea that if Steele does lose his post, he will be the first African-American in government or elsewhere to lose a position after doing a good job, Sharpton offered jokingly to “march for him,†to which Steele responded with a nervous laugh: “Well, that would be very interesting.†RELATED: McCain hints Steele should resign as RNC chair Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: 4 things people need to understand about Black women [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bow Wow rates Amber Rose a 5 of 10. [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bad Girls Club Catya Washington Arrested [from HelloBeautiful.com] Oprah interviews Michael Jackson’s family [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Steele Tells Sharpton “We’ll See How It Goes…†As To Whether He Will Keep Republican Chair
On Revernd Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated radio show “Keeping It Real,†Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was less than confident when asked about his future as the Republican chair. “Well…we’ll see how it goes,†Chairman Steele responded to a direct question. “I’ve told them that they will get used to my leadership.†To the idea that if Steele does lose his post, he will be the first African-American in government or elsewhere to lose a position after doing a good job, Sharpton offered jokingly to “march for him,†to which Steele responded with a nervous laugh: “Well, that would be very interesting.†RELATED: McCain hints Steele should resign as RNC chair Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: 4 things people need to understand about Black women [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bow Wow rates Amber Rose a 5 of 10. [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bad Girls Club Catya Washington Arrested [from HelloBeautiful.com] Oprah interviews Michael Jackson’s family [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Steele Tells Sharpton “We’ll See How It Goes…†As To Whether He Will Keep Republican Chair
On Revernd Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated radio show “Keeping It Real,†Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was less than confident when asked about his future as the Republican chair. “Well…we’ll see how it goes,†Chairman Steele responded to a direct question. “I’ve told them that they will get used to my leadership.†To the idea that if Steele does lose his post, he will be the first African-American in government or elsewhere to lose a position after doing a good job, Sharpton offered jokingly to “march for him,†to which Steele responded with a nervous laugh: “Well, that would be very interesting.†RELATED: McCain hints Steele should resign as RNC chair Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: 4 things people need to understand about Black women [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bow Wow rates Amber Rose a 5 of 10. [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bad Girls Club Catya Washington Arrested [from HelloBeautiful.com] Oprah interviews Michael Jackson’s family [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Steele Tells Sharpton “We’ll See How It Goes…†As To Whether He Will Keep Republican Chair
On Revernd Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated radio show “Keeping It Real,†Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was less than confident when asked about his future as the Republican chair. “Well…we’ll see how it goes,†Chairman Steele responded to a direct question. “I’ve told them that they will get used to my leadership.†To the idea that if Steele does lose his post, he will be the first African-American in government or elsewhere to lose a position after doing a good job, Sharpton offered jokingly to “march for him,†to which Steele responded with a nervous laugh: “Well, that would be very interesting.†RELATED: McCain hints Steele should resign as RNC chair Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: 4 things people need to understand about Black women [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bow Wow rates Amber Rose a 5 of 10. [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bad Girls Club Catya Washington Arrested [from HelloBeautiful.com] Oprah interviews Michael Jackson’s family [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Steele Tells Sharpton “We’ll See How It Goes…†As To Whether He Will Keep Republican Chair
On Revernd Al Sharpton’s nationally syndicated radio show “Keeping It Real,†Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was less than confident when asked about his future as the Republican chair. “Well…we’ll see how it goes,†Chairman Steele responded to a direct question. “I’ve told them that they will get used to my leadership.†To the idea that if Steele does lose his post, he will be the first African-American in government or elsewhere to lose a position after doing a good job, Sharpton offered jokingly to “march for him,†to which Steele responded with a nervous laugh: “Well, that would be very interesting.†RELATED: McCain hints Steele should resign as RNC chair Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: 4 things people need to understand about Black women [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bow Wow rates Amber Rose a 5 of 10. [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Bad Girls Club Catya Washington Arrested [from HelloBeautiful.com] Oprah interviews Michael Jackson’s family [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Keli Goff Talks Midterm Elections: “The Democrats Failed Us†[Podcast]
![Keli Goff Talks Midterm Elections: “The Democrats Failed Us†[Podcast]](http://www.kulturekritic.com/wp-content/themes/city-desk/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fkulturekritic.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F02%2F51d6osi-obama-split-cropped-proto-custom_2-150x150.jpg&q=90&w=160&h=106&zc=1 "Keli Goff Talks Midterm Elections: “The Democrats Failed Us†[Podcast]")
Bakari Kitwana speaks with political analyst Keli Goff about mid-term elections results around the country. Goff responds to what she sees as surprising and not so surprising in key elections from Delaware and Nevada to West Virginia and Kentucky. Goff also shares insight on the problem that the Tea Party movement now poses from Republican establishment—rather than for President Obama. She makes a strong case that we will see establishment Republican Party insiders attempting to tone down the hateful rhetoric that targeted immigrants, Muslims and African Americans leading up to Nov 2. Kitwana asks Goff, “What’s the take-away message for the Black community from last night’s results?†She responds: “It was a mistake for Democrats to assume that a vote for Barack Obama was a long-term vote of loyalty for the Democratic Party. Not only can you not take the Black vote for granted, but also you have to work for their vote beyond the election year. It has to be a long-term ongoing process.†Goff adds, “Because of what happened last night, starting today the Democrats will begin laying the ground work for turning out the Black vote for the 2012 Election.†Keli Goff is a writer and political analyst whose comments regularly on youth and minority voters. A contributor to the Loop21.com, she’s the author of Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence. Bakari Kitwana is CEO of Rap Sessions, Editor at Large of Newsone.com and author of the forthcoming Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama Era. (Third World Press, 2010) RELATED: Midterm Elections: What’s at stake for the Black community [Podcast] Share this post on Facebook! CLICK HERE: MC Hammer disses Jay-Z on “Better Run Run†[from TheUrbanDaily.com] Just how drunk was Kid Cudi? [from TheUrbanDaily.com] Chelsea Handler and 50 Cent go on another date [from HelloBeautiful.com] I’m a good man and I don’t know what’s wrong with women today [from HelloBeautiful.com]
Rev. Al Sharpton: It’s Time For Us To Confront Homophobia
When the now infamous allegations against Bishop Eddie Long first surfaced, the world – and specifically the African American community – paused for a seemingly endless moment. Attempting to cope with the complexity of the situation, we began questioning everything from faith and leadership, to sexuality and civic responsibility. Accountability and Responsibility An ongoing issue within the Catholic Church, this was the first time that we within the Black Church were faced with the troubling notion of pedophilia and abuse of power. And though nothing has been confirmed nor denied at this point in time, this difficult period should serve as the quintessential teachable moment on a plethora of levels for everyone who cares about the future of our community, the Black Church and our children. To be clear, let’s first remind ourselves that Pastor Long is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Our constitution affords all of us a just trial within the judicial system, and we should honor it no matter what the views in the court of public opinion may be. That being said, we can however highlight the need for growth within leadership, and the duty upon all of us to assess our own shortcomings and potential hypocrisy. Text continues after gallery: Public figures – myself included – must be more committed to our cause than our own attractions or distractions in life. Throughout the years, I have learned that public figures must live and function to a higher standard or else they run the risk of getting in the way of what they represent. Whether that cause is political reform, immigration law or civil rights as is the case with me, all leadership must adhere to a greater code of excellence if we are to witness the progress we wholeheartedly champion in our day-to-day struggles. Next, it’s time that the Black Church and the African American community begin engaging in an open and frank conversation over the issue of homophobia. For far too long, we have dodged the bullet on this reality, and the end result has been catastrophic for all of us. Because of a massive stigma and fears of castigation, many live dual realities – on the one end pretending they are fathers and husbands, and on the other, living on ‘the down-low’. Not only has such an existence denied people the opportunity to live openly and freely as they choose, but it has greatly contributed to the skyrocketing number of HIV/AIDS cases among African American women who may be unaware of the activities of their husbands/boyfriends. As we continue discussing Pastor Long’s alleged crimes, we must ask ourselves, would this have been such a big issue if it were a heterosexual allegation? And finally, we must keep in mind that Clergy, like all other human beings, are imperfect and will make mistakes. But we cannot and will not allow for them to be hypocrites. When a man or woman assumes the role of religious leadership, or any leadership for that matter, we must ensure that they are leading by example and not by mere verbiage. Pastors and those who choose to guide others must be held accountable for what they preach and what they espouse from the pulpit. Their actions must coincide with their teachings, and if they do not, then the responsibility rests upon all of us to call them out on it. As the legalities of Pastor Long’s case will eventually reveal the truth, in the meantime, we must ensure that we begin tackling some of our own half-truths and shortcomings. Public figures like myself must continue living and functioning to a higher standard, and the public must be ready to hold us liable if and when we do not. The African American community must begin to grapple with the very real existence of homosexuality, and it is the responsibility of everyone to hold our Clergy and leadership accountable to their words and actions. Out of the turmoil, pain and shock of the Bishop Long situation, if we can master these challenges, then we in effect have mastered the teachings of this very real and very grave moment. Click here to join the 2011 Black History Month contest
