Anna Ciriani May Need a Mortgage Calculator

It is so difficult to figure out what to do when you make the decision to buy a home. Traditional Fixed Rate Mortgage? Adjustable Rate Mortgage? 5/1 ARM? 3/1 ARM? Negative or Option ARM? You have to wonder which kind of mortgage is best. The simple answer is: There is no right loan.

I figured that Anna Ciriani needs to sell her current home in Italy and buy a new one ... probably in Hollywood. She is slowly becoming the most well-known teacher in the universe and she needs to decide which which type of mortgage will best serve her individual needs.

I suggest that Madameweb spend a little time understanding the advantages and disadvantages of various mortgage programs. With a little effort she can save thousands by choosing the right mortgage.

Anna (and anyone else that is in the real estate market), please get a Free Mortgage Calculator and a free copy of your credit report. Anna, if Italy doesn't declare your home a national monument ... then you may want to see what it would take to get out from under your current debt.

* Anna's Video
* Official Madameweb Site

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Books or Bullets: The Choice is Ours

Drumbeats from Blackonomics pointed us to the Books or Bullets blog. Here I discovered a program that I encourage all Villagers to consider. Do you believe that we are experiencing not a generation gap but an information gap and we will work towards raising the consciousness of the Black community, especially our youth. We have talked about ending Black-on-Black violence ... but, are we willing to take steps to stop youth violence and replace bullets with books?

We understand that during slavery, Black people were not allowed to read and we are still suffering from that legacy today. Later, Black schools were separate and unequal giving Black children an inferior education. Even today, Black children are taught a Euro-centric education that downplays the contributions of African people. This coupled with an entertainment industry that promotes and glamorizes ignorance is the reason that our youth are in their current condition. Since information about Black history has been stolen and information about current events has been hidden, the Books or Bullets Movement says "Stick em up!"

The program suggested for Villager consideration is as follows:


The Program

1. We must return to the "each one teach one principle."
2. We must develop study groups in communities across the country that will meet regularly to discuss Black history and how it applies to current events.
3. We must aggressively develop a more informed Black community by any means necessary.

How you can help?

1. Make a point to buy at "least" one book a month to give to a young person.
2. Clean out your closets and donate your old books dealing with Black history/issues to the Books or Bullets Movement.
3. Always keep information in your posession that you can pass on to a young person, whether it be a book, CD, DVD or a news clip.
4. Develop a syllabus of reading material that you can give to others either hand to hand or via email.
5. Use http://www.booksorbullets.com/ for an information clearing house to post news stories, book reviews and announcements about current events.
6. Encourage radio DJs to become involved by featuring at least a weekly segment discussing a book that gives the historical basis for current events.
7. Encourage barbershops, beauty salons and other places where our people gather to have a small library of conscious reading material.

Villagers, are you interested in following up on this program? If so, you can get more information by phone (919.451-8283) or email (info@nowarningshotsfired.com) .

Mukasey Releases Hate Crimes Report

Attorney General Michael Mukasey didn't take much time to get active once appointed to his new gig. His Justice Department indicted Barry Bonds within about a week, while the past Justice Department leadership had the case without any action for over four years. Muskasey experiences a Washington DC march calling for his department to do more in addressing hate crimes and racial injustice ... and three days later his FBI releases a report showing that hate crimes rose nearly 8 percent last year.

The problematic thing is that the noose incidents reported in the last half of 2006 at Jena High School are not included in the report. It makes you wonder if the statistics are understated.

An analysis of the data shows that hate crimes increased by 8% in 2006 with anti-gay hate crimes up by 15.5%. The information was collected from police departments across the country (which might explain why the Jena statistics aren't in the report ... Jena legal system isn't known for doing the right thing). Police departments reported 7,722 incidents targeting people or property because of race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin and mental or physical disability.

More than half of those crimes were motivated by racial prejudice, the report stated.

"The FBI report confirms what we have been saying for many months about the severe increase in hate crimes," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who organized the Washington DC march. "What is not reported, however, is the lack of prosecution and serious investigation by the Justice Department to counter this increase in hate crimes." Sharpton called for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders to discuss this enforcement.

African American Women: Where They Stand

Drumbeats from Blackfolks blog tell us that throughout the week of November 26, "NBC News With Brian Williams" will take a look at the issues facing African American women across our nation in a new series "African American Women: Where They Stand." The series will cover a wide-range of issues from their role in the '08 Presidential race, to the increased health-risks that they need to be concerned about.

Monday's installment will discuss African American women's progress in the education field. Nearly two-thirds of African American undergraduates are women. At Black colleges, the ratio of women to men is 7 to 1. And that is leading to a disparity in the number of African American women who go on to own their own businesses. Rehema Ellis will talk to educators, students and businesswomen about why this disparity exists.

Tuesday, Ellis will look at relationships within the African American female community. Many agree the gender disparity in education and business among African Americans is having an effect on relationships that African American women have. Some even say the implications could redefine "Black America's family and social structure." In the past fifty years, the percentage of African American women between 25-54 who have never been married has doubled from 20% to 40%. (Compared to just 16% of white women who have never been married today). Ellis sits down with the members of a Chicagobook club and talk about this difference and how it impacts them.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman will discuss the increases risks for breast cancer for African American women on Wednesday. Mortality rates for African American women are higher than any other racial or ethnic group for nearly every major cause of death, including breast cancer. Black women with breast cancer are nearly 30% more likely to die from it than white women. Premenopausal Black women are more than twice as likely to get a more aggressive form of the disease. And, not only are African American women more likely to die from breast cancer, but they're less likely to get life-saving treatments. Dr. Snyderman will profile one of the only oncologists in the world who specializes in the treatment of African American women with breast cancer.

On Thursday, Ron Allen will take viewers to South Carolina -- the first southern primary state -- and ask the question: Will race trump gender or gender trump race? In South Carolina, Black women made up nearly 30 percent of all democratic primary voters in 2004. This year, polls show a significant number are undecided, torn between choosing the first African American or first female Presidential candidate. Allen talks with the undecided, as well the state directors for the Clinton and Obama campaigns, who happen to be African American women.

To close the series on Friday, Dr. Snyderman will raise the frightening statistic that African American women are 85% more likely to get diabetes, a major complication for heart disease. And, like breast cancer, more Black women die from heart disease than white women. Dr. Snyderman will profile a leading expert and a unique church-based outreach program in South Carolina that seeks to spread the word about heart disease risks to black women congregants.

Mara Schiavocampo, Digital Correspondent for "Nightly News," will address two hot topics in the African American community: interracial dating and the impact of hip hop music on Black women. Interracial dating is a growing trend in the African American community. An Essence.com poll found that 81% of participants approved of Black women dating non-Black men. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2000, 95,000 Black women were married to white men. In 2005, that number increased to 134,000. Schiavocampo will talk to experts about the trend and discuss how this defines the "Black family" of the future. Schiavocampo will convene a panel of leading Black men and women from the hip-hop industry for an engaging discussion on whether hip hop lyrics and videos positively or negatively affect Black women. The roundtable also will address how these portrayals are affecting relationships between Black women and Black men.

Villagers, I look forward to seeing your comments on this NBC news reporting. Do you plan to watch it?

Judge Backpedals, Opens Jena Trial to Public

UPDATE: Judge Mauffray has been pimp-slapped by another judge who ordered that the entire Mychal Bell hearing should be open to the public and the press. Click here for the full story.

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Villagers, there was some positive news for those of us concerned about justice in the Jena Six trials that are still ongoing down in Louisiana. Judge J.P. Mauffray, the judge overseeing the trial of Mychal Bell, one of the teenage defendants in the racially charged Jena 6 case in Louisiana, reversed course and agreed to open Bell's upcoming juvenile trial to the public.

The lawsuit asserts that the judge's earlier decision to close all the proceedings in Bell's case runs counter to Louisiana juvenile laws and provisions of both the Louisiana and U.S. Constitutions.

"Judge Mauffray does acknowledge that [sections of the Louisiana Children's Code] permit or require adjudication, disposition and modification hearings in those specified cases to be public, and he intends to comply with applicable law," Mauffray's attorney, Donald Wilson, wrote in response to the lawsuit.

Bell, 17, is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 6 on charges of aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy for his alleged part in an attack on a white student at Jena High School last December. Bell was initially tried and convicted of the charges as an adult, but an appellate court threw out the conviction, ruling that Bell should have been prosecuted as a juvenile.

Kudos to Howard Twitt (Chicago Tribune senior correspondent) for continuing to share his drumbeat on the Jena Six story.

Cops Still Investigating Killing of David Willis in Savannah, GA

Villagers, we shared information with you in mid-August about the shooting of David Willis, who authorities said was attempting to run down officers. Later, Al Sharpton traveled to Savannah to comfort the family of the young man killed by the police. I have been wondering about the news blackout on the internal investigation of this police shooting case.

"Some investigations are cut and dry and move quickly through the system, but others are not," police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wilson said. "We want to examine everything carefully and thoroughly. It gives officers an opportunity to really review the strategies, tactics, policies and procedures and to look at how we can better serve the community. That's what we do."

Willis family representatives, however, contend some crucial details surrounding his death have not been fully disclosed. Moreover, they have pointed to what they call contradicting evidence. Attorney Lennie Darden thinks the Pontiac sedan Willis was driving was disabled at the time of the shooting, and deploying airbags put occupants of the car in a state of confusion. He said his law firm is conducting an investigation of its own.

"The family is still heartbroken, and they're still asking for answers," he said. "There's been no direct response from the city or the police department to the family, so they're distraught over that."

We will keep the drumbeats coming on this story until we know the final results.

Wordless Wednesday: Demore Barnes

I'm a fan of a weekly television show called, The Unit. One of the five warriors on this show is a brother, Hector. Hector's character was falling in love with a white woman. He also saw his commanding officer in a compromising position with another member of The Unit. As a result, I wasn't surprised when that ol' wives tale about the Black guy being the first one killed became real last week. My man, Hector, was killed by a sniper. We wish Demore Barnes the best of luck in his future acting career.

NAACP Economic Reciprocity Initiative Gives F-grade to Target

It is no secret that I think that the NAACP hasn't been relevant in many years. When their national president resigned earlier this year I questioned whether the NAACP, with it's 64-person board of directors, could ever become relevant again. I served as a national president of a large association of Black IT professionals in 2004-2005. I know how difficult it is to move a national organization.

That being said, I was pleased to hear the drumbeats from the Wichita NAACP Blog about the NAACP Economic Reciprocity Initiative (ERI). This is a sustained effort on the part of NAACP to measure Corporate America's financial relationship to the Black community. Our Black spending power is over $700 billion. It is helpful that the NAACP provides a booklet with information that helps us spend more wisely.

One of the outgrowths of this effort is the creation of the NAACP Diversity Best Practice Guide. This guide highlights the diversity and inclusion practices of the highest performing companies in each of the categories noted in the ERI. The Best Practices Guide is meant 1) to provide corporate executives, diversity practitioners, and human resource professionals with information to begin a dialogue about diversity and inclusion in corporate America, and 2) to be used as a mechanism to highlight what works as corporations continue to evaluate their current corporate diversity programs.

There is some good news in terms of advancements in employer diversity and community reinvestment. But, there is still significant ground to cover to advance economic opportunity for African Americans. Here are the specific reports on companies in the following industries:

• Automotive
• Financial Services
• General Merchandising
• Telecommunications

For the third year in a row, one of the nation's largest retailers, Target, has flat-out refused to participate. What are they hiding? Villagers, my hope is that you will tell Target to take the NAACP Survey. African Americans contribute more than $700 billion a year to the economy--and a substantial amount of those hard earned dollars are spent in stores like Target. We are serious about holding companies accountable for respecting the value of African American consumers.

Economic empowerment isn't just a financial issue, it's a civil rights issue. African American consumers want fairness in the marketplace, just as they do in all other aspects of their lives. We must demand economic diversity and transparency from corporate giants like Target. Tell Target to clarify its position on economic opportunity for African Americans by answering the NAACP's survey and supporting the Economic Reciprocity Initiative.

Villagers, we need to use information such as this to advance our belief in the principle of Ujamaa. We simply must learn how to better use our income and spending power to create wealth. I think that this is an issue that we will address more in the future.

Obama Pulls Ahead in Iowa Polls

Villagers, did you see the recent polls in Iowa? Barack Obama now has 30% of likely Democratic caucus voters express interest in Iowa. Clinton poll number is now 26%. This is the first poll in quite awhile that shows that Hillary isn't the inevitable Democratic party candidate.
Personally, I think that Hillary is at her peak in Iowa with about 25% of the vote ... while Obama still has room to grow ... especially as other candidates such as Edwards begin to fade. Barack Obama is the favorite second choice for most other candidates. In other words, he benefits when the others begin to drop out of the race.

It seems that those of us that want change and fresh ideas are being heard, especially when we realize that Hillary's honesty and character keep coming into question. Most Democratic likely voters in Iowa, 55 percent, say they're more interested in a "new direction and new ideas" than in strength and experience, compared with 49 percent in July -- a help to Obama, who holds a substantial lead among "new direction" voters. Obama beats her by 2-1 as the most honest and trustworthy candidate. Her advantage on experience, while substantial, has softened since summer. She has notably less support in Iowa than nationally in trust to handle a variety of specific issues -- on Iraq, for example, Obama now runs evenly with her.

I think that the other results from this Washington Post/ABC News poll that should interest folks is how women in Iowa are trending in this primary. Obama is running even with Clinton among women in Iowa, drawing 32 percent to her 31 percent, despite the fact that the Clinton campaign has built its effort around attracting female voters.

Click here for more ABC News polls
Plenty of open questions remain -- including where preferences wind up at the caucuses six weeks from now and whether or how Iowans' choices resonate elsewhere. Clearly there's room to move: Forty-three percent say there's a chance they could change their minds by the Jan. 3 caucuses; 20 percent say there's a good chance of it.

I must admit that I'm glad to see positive news for Obama. Hopefully, there aren't any more televised debates for the brother. He simply doesn't do well in those debates.


Villagers, have you decided who you want to see as our next President of the United States?

Jay-Z is a Punk

We heard the drumbeats from UltravioletUnderground about this video clip with a nationally known celebrity.

Villagers, does it appear that Jay-Z is pimp-slapping a young girl (pony-tail and all)? What could cause him to do something like this to a young girl in front of his posse? Any why didn't any of them come to her defense? Villagers, what say u?

Help Katrina Survivors Come Back Home

UPDATE: My Private Cabash blog shared information about other serious public housing issues impacting on New Orleans. Click here to see the full story on destruction of public housing in that city.

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Villagers, There were a number of public housing residents impacted by Hurricane Katrina. They have been blocked from returning home for over two years. New Orleans leaders are concerned that The Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 (HR 1227 / S. 1668) is being stalled in the US Senate.

This bill would help Katrina-impacted public housing residents come home by repairing and opening thousands of minimally damaged public housing units. The bill passed in the House of Representatives, but some senators are standing in the way of the bill, supporting the interests of those who would like to see a richer, Whiter New Orleans and Gulf Coast.




Villagers, is Katrina still on our minds and hearts entering into this thanksgiving season? If so, sign the online petition to help these brothers and sisters out.

AfroSpear Blogger Named One of 25 Most Influential African Americans

Villagers, share some love with Gina McCauley, What About Our Daughters blogger, for being recognized as one of 25 distinguished African Americans who have made a difference in 2007. Senator Barack Obama received the most votes in an online poll on essence.com, earning recognition as the "Readers' Choice" for the year's most influential African American. You will find Gina in the opening pages of the current issue of the magazine right across from Barack Obama in a half-page piece that features a very nice picture of our sister in blog.

"Some of the most poignant moments in African American history took place in 2007, from the unified stance that was taken in support of the Jena Six and the Rutgers University Women's Basketball team to the triumphant victory made by Barry Bonds," says Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief, ESSENCE. "Making their voices heard on essence.com, the overwhelmingly positive response from our 8 million readers for Senator Obama as African American of the Year is noteworthy, as African American women are predicted to be the tipping point for the Black vote in the 2008 election."

The melange of influencers, ranging from actors and advocates to moguls and students, were compiled in a compelling feature of rarely seen photos and biographical profiles.

ESSENCE Magazine's 25 Most Influential List

1. Senator Barack Obama - US Senator and Presidential Candidate
2. Gina McCauley- Blogger, whataboutourdaughters.com
3. Tyler Perry - Writer, Producer, Director
4. Majora Carter - Environmentalist, Founder, Executive Director, Sustainable South Bronx
5. Victoria Lanier- Former Youth Director, NAACP, Northeast Region
6. Reverend Jesse L. Jackson - Civil Rights Activist, Minister
7. Reverend Al Sharpton - Civil Rights Activist and President, National Action Network
8. The Jena Six
9. Beyonce Knowles - Singer, Songwriter, Actress
10. Oprah Winfrey - Media Mogul, School Founder
11. Timbaland - Music Producer, Recording Artist
12. Cory A. Booker - Mayor of Newark, New Jersey
13. Lovie Smith - Head Coach, NFC Champions, Chicago Bears
14. Tony Dungy - Head Coach, Super Bowl Champions, Indianapolis Colts
15. Deval Patrick - Governor, Massachusetts
16. Don Cheadle - Actor, Activist
17. Shonda Rhimes - Creator, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice
18. Venus Williams - Tennis Champion
19. Charles Rangel - Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means
20. Barry Bonds - "Home Run King"
21. Cynthia Tucker - Syndicated Columnist, Editorial Page Editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
22. The Scarlet Knights - Rutgers University Women's Basketball Team, NCAA Finalists
23. Kiri Davis - Filmmaker, Youth Activist
24. Bishop T.D. Jakes - Founder, Senior Pastor, The Potter's House of Dallas
25. Steve Harvey - Radio Personality, Comedian, Actor

Do any of the other folks on this list have a blog? If so, we should encourage them to join The AfroSpear!

Focus on Hate Crime is Far Too Narrow

Villagers, we shared information about the onsite conversation that Shane Johnson organized in conjunction with the Al Sharpton rally in Washington DC yesterday. In another example of the mainstream media picking up on stories reported first in the afrosphere we see that nationally-syndicated columnist Clarence Page picked up on the story:

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Here's one from the "Taste of His Own Medicine" department: When the Rev. Al Sharpton led a recent Washington rally to protest what he called lax federal prosecution of hate crimes, at least one local black resident was waiting with a protest of his own.

Amid recent reports of noose hangings and other racial incidents, Sharpton, Martin Luther King III and other activists rallied outside the Department of Justice Friday to call for tougher federal prosecutions of hate crimes.

Shane Johnson, 32, a social worker by day and Weblogger on the side, staged a nearby dissent with a few sympathizers. He supported the prosecution of hate crimes, he said, but thinks Sharpton's definition of "hate" is too narrow. Johnson didn't draw much attention and he wasn't surprised. "Most people view me as taking on the black establishment," he told me in a telephone interview. "They think I am going to embarrass our leaders. My view is that they should be embarrassed."


Click here for the rest of Clarence's column

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Any thoughts on the two events held at the Justice Department in Washington DC yesterday?

NPR Blogger Roundtable Invites Villager Back Again

Villagers, I learned today that I will be back on the blogger roundtable hosted by NPR News & Notes in January 2008 to discuss the evolution of The AfroSpear as well as the recent ranking of influential Black blogs.

We ran out of time to discuss this segment during the Nov 14 NPR Blogger Roundtable ... so, we rescheduled that segment for January 9. Villagers, did you have a chance to listen to the 13-minute roundtable discussion with me, La Shawn Barber and Yobachi Boswell? If so, what did you think?

Is Barry Bonds a Fallen Hero?

One of the top sports stories of 2007 will be Barry Bonds breaking the all-time home-run record. However, a bigger story is likely to be the 4-count indictment of Barry Bonds for perjury and obstruction of justice. Bonds is facing many years of imprisonment if the government case is strong enough. You be the judge. Villagers are encouraged to download or read the indictment yourself.

Click here for copy of Barry Bonds indictment
What do you think? Should his baseball records be erased? Should there be an asterisk next to his records? Should his records be left alone? Are there any Barry Bonds' fans outside of the San Francisco area?

Dunbar Village Protest Against Al Sharpton Hits USA Today

The counter-protest to Al Sharpton's march on the Justice Department made national headlines in the mainstream media today. Villagers, we told you about this counter-protest called by Shane Johnson (shown in the photo to the left) and Gina McCauley in an earlier post. This is an example of the evolving influence of the afrosphere.

The USA Today article provides a quote from Al Sharpton acknowledging the Dunbar Village victim. However, I found two other things to be most interesting. First, I was surprised to learn that the leader of the National Urban League was unaware of the Dunbar Village rape of a Black woman and her young son. Second, I was disappointed that the focus of the headline was "Black-on-Black crime". I simply don't like that overt racial slant on crime in our country. We never called the IRA conflict with England "white-on-white crime". We never talk about the fact that over 90% of crime committed against white people in our country occurs from other white perps/criminals.

In my view, the issue is crime against Black women that appears to be accepted ... regardless of whether the perps are Black, white or purple. Anyhow, the key point is that the counter-protest reached a national audience by being published in the USA Today.

Field Negro Asked a Good Question...

Field won his bet. I never heard of Asia Adams until I read about her in his blog. Truth to tell, I learned about Megan Williams and Dunbar Village via bloggers in The AfroSpear network.

Field gave us a pass on our ignorance about Asia Adams when he wrote:

"Because when she was murdered three years ago in her Germantown home, it didn't make national headlines, and there wasn't a cadre of bloggers focusing on her brutal and tragic death and calling for the equal and proper treatment of Black women. No marches, no wall to wall commentary, and no moral outrage from all the usual suspects."

Field wondered out loud "what it is that makes a story news worthy? Why are some stories worth our outrage and our righteous indignation, and some like Asia Adams....well, we never even hear about?"

In my view, there are three things that we can do now. First, we need to keep one another informed through drumbeats, email listservs or blogs. We can not depend on the mainstream media (MSM) to have the interests of the African American community at heart. We must look out for our own interests by keeping one another informed. We must take advantage of this technology to maintain and increase the flow of information and dialogue.

Second, it is my view that we need to control our own family first. Each of us must ensure that we are spending appropriate time, talent and energy in raising OUR OWN CHILDREN. If you father a child ... you need to step up and be a man .... you need to be involved in raising that child so that they can grow into a productive member of our village (society). Perhaps if each of us simply took responsibility for our child then we would have less young people like Asia or the Haitian mother in Dunbar Village being victimized.

Finally, I accept that there are killers among us that will take another life ... stone-cold, no-remorse killers. However, there are an equal number of young men that will kill tonight who wandered into the killing zone by taking path of least resistance (gangs, drugs, etc). These young people will be forever changed in their soul because of the life that they took. I wonder if there isn't an answer beyond lock 'em up when it comes to rehabilitating these accidental killers?

Field, the marching and blog-writing won't change the mindset that causes a killer to take the life of another human being. Perhaps we can change their mindset before they get in that killing zone? Perhaps we can bring down the number of killings in Philadelphia, Cincinnati and elsewhere. One brother (or sister) at a time.

Villagers, read Field's blog post on Asia Adams ... do you have an answer to his question?

Chris Smitherman Makes NAACP Cincinnati Branch More Relevant

We shared with you news of a new president for the NAACP Cincinnati branch earlier this year. It appears at the people are speaking with their checkbooks about the effectiveness of the new leadership. The branch reported a 100% increase in membership in the six months since Chris Smitherman took office as president.

Smitherman said of the increase, "The increase in membership is based on citizens in our community viewing the Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP as relevant and engaged in issues that impact their daily lives.".

Smitherman successfully led a coaliton of groups to defeat a county 'jail tax' issue that had the support and momentum of big business and major politicians in the city. Last night he ended a hunger strike protesting the ridiculous bond that held a Black man in prison for over 60 days for what appears to be a minor transgression. The bail set by a Cincinnati judge in this case was more than the bail OJ Simpson had to pay to Las Vegas judges for release on 11 charges of armed assault.

NAACP is bringing their national conference to Cincinnati next year and it appears that the local branch may be worthy of the honor. Do you see similiar resurgence by the NAACP branch in your town? More importantly, are you a NAACP member?

Dunbar Village Supporters Question Al Sharpton and Other Silent Black Leaders

I attended the Million Man March in October 1997. I recall that there were a number of other marches scheduled in the following weeks and months. It is impossible to put lightning in a bottle twice. I didn't attend the Jena Six march in September 2007, however, I'm proud to be part of the process in the afrosphere that led to that successful march. There have been a number of marches called since September ... the latest is one called by Al Sharpton to protest the inaction of the Department of Justice on hate crimes.

The story that you may not have heard is that Al Sharpton will be greeted by counter protesters on November 16. The counter protesters want to know why he and other African American leaders have refused to publicly comment on a horrific crime against humanity committed against a Black woman and her child in a housing project called Dunbar Village located in West Palm Beach, FL.

The Dunbar Village tragedy is the horrific story of the brutal gang rape, sodomy, and torture of a 35 year old black Haitian immigrant and her 12 year old son. 10 black teens forced their way into the victim's home at a public housing complex in West Palm Beach, Florida. The mother was forced to perform fellatio on her own son at gunpoint. The teens then cut and stabbed the mother and her son, poured cleaning solvent on their skin and in their eyes, and would have set them both on fire, but as one teen suspect reported, no one in the gang had matches. Currently, only four suspects are in custody. During the 3 hour rape and torture, not a single neighbor called 911.

The counter protest was organized by Shane Johnson. "How is it that practically every social justice organization from the ACLU to the NAACP to the SCLC knows something about Dunbar Village but refuses to speak out about it?", asks Shane Johnson who is a blogger and the author of Black Sapience...My .02. Johnson adds, "This protest is not to request that Sharpton and his allies march in West Palm Beach, but simply an inquiry regarding Rev. Sharpton's peculiar silence on this issue."

For over three months, Gina McCauley, who created the blog, What About Our Daughters? has been asking why prominent African Americans have failed to make any public comment about the Dunbar Village crime. "This type of crime happened on our watch and our "leaders" are still silent. They are silent because they are indifferent. Their indifference is immoral." McCauley says. She posted the names and contact information of prominent African Americans and organizations on her blog and despite numerous calls, emails and letters from readers, not a single person on the list has issued a public comment on the crime. She describes their refusal to publicly comment 'Immoral Indifference'.

"It is the height of hypocrisy that Black leaders have remained silent for so long about the Dunbar Village Rape tragedy. Black leaders remain silent about victims of Black on Black crime." McCauley noted on her blog that several prominent African American issued statements on the humane treatment of animals during the controversy surrounding Michael Vick. "We can get a statement about dogs, but not about two human beings."

Tanisha Mathis, who operates the Essential Presence blog adds, "African Americans are falsely led to believe the mainstream is not sensitive to their issues but its proven repeatedly that it is, in fact, Black leaders and Black news entities that are the most silent in regards to crimes against Blacks like the Dunbar Village gang rape."

I am unable to attend either protest march in person, however, I wish the counter protesters well as they gather in Washington, DC at the Justice Department on Friday, November 16, 2007. It should make for an interesting afternoon.

Villager Joins NPR Roundtable Hosted by Farai Chideya

Click here to listen to our 13-minute roundtable discussion!

Villagers, I am heading to local NPR station later today to participate in a weekly blogger roundtable on News & Notes hosted by Farai Chideya (shown in the photo to the right). I will be joined by La Shawn Barber and Yobachi Bowell. The show is pretty relaxed -- think of it as a conversation around the dinner table with friends and family, or at a coffee house or bar.

My understanding is that we will be talking about four topics (time permitting) during the show:

1. Growing influence of 'The AfroSpear - The history of AfroSpear is documented. This progressive section of the afrosphere stoked the fires that led to mainstream media coverage of Jena Six, Genarlow Wilson and Shaquanda Cotton situations. The group recently began to track the Top 10 Black Blogs with a list that is published monthly on both the Electronic Village and BDPA Foundation blogs.


2. Who speaks for Black America? Anyone?? - Personally, I think that this is a bugaboo of white powers-that-be resulting from their utter surprise at the response of Blacks all over the country to the news of MLK's assasination.


3. UC system considers using race for admissions - I think that affirmative action programs are valid responses to institutionalized racism. As such, I think that using race for admissions is a valid option for consideration.


4. HOTGIRLS - (Helping Our Teen Girls In Real Life Situations) uses rap music to start conversations with girls about the challenges they face growing up --- BUT rap is often blamed for promoting degrading images of women -- Is this what they call a conundrum?

Anyhow villagers, I hope that you will listen to the show live or via the taped audiocast! Let me know what you think about the four topics or the show itself!

Charges Reduced Against Jena Six Youth

Charges against Bryant Purvis, one of the Jena 6 youth, reduced to second degree aggravated battery. Purvis had faced attempted murder and conspiracy charges. Charges reduced against at least five of six Blacks charged in beating white youth last year. Charges against the sixth youth, Jesse Ray Beard, who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime, are unavailable because he's a juvenile.

Enhancing Education Through Technology

Villagers, the House of Representatives and the Senate are scheduled to take up the final version of the FY08 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations bill, which contains $272 million for Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program the week of November 5. Please email your Senators and Representatives immediately and urge them to support passage of the FY08 Labor, HHS and Education spending bill.

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Click Here to enter your zip code and send a letter with this important message.

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You need to know that President Bush vowed to veto the final version of the Labor, HHS and Education spending bill because it exceeds his budget proposals by nearly $11 billion, putting EETT funding into jeopardy. The House and Senate need to pass this bill by a two-thirds majority in order to show the President that Congress will override his threatened veto – so every vote counts!

Please make your voice heard and write your congressional representative asking for his/her support of the Labor-HHS and Education bill. Let Congress know the deep impact this funding has on the day-to-day lives of our nation’s students and teachers.

What do Butterbean, Mike Tyson and a Hanging Noose Have in Common?

There is never anything funny about the hateful imagery of a noose. However, I have to admit that I smiled a little when I heard that Mitch Green reported that a noose was hanging in front of his New York home earlier this week.

Do y'all remember Mitch Green?

He is best known for (a) beating a huge boxer named Butterbean and (b) getting beat down by Mike Tyson out in the streets one night (ala Rocky V).

Villagers, I have to admit that there is a small piece of me that thought Green might have planted the noose just to get his name in the paper. What say u? Legit or publicity stunt?

CNN Anchor Kyra Phillips Interviewed by AfroSpear Blogger

Drums beating from Amani Channel let us know that CNN's anchor Kyra Phillips took some time to talk with My Urban Report about race issues and recent documentaries she's worked on.

You may recall that Phillips covered the Jena Six march in September and hosted recent documentary on the hateful imagery of the noose. I encourage all villagers to take a moment to check it out.

Let us know your comments on either the noose documentary or the Kyra Phillips interview.

Bring The Olympic Dream to Darfur - Anheuser Busch

Villagers understand that it is important for us to stand up for one another all throughout the diaspora. This includes our brothers and sisters in Alkebulan. We are concerned about the ongoing genocide in Darfur. One of the levers of change is China. The Chinese government has immense influence with the Sudanese government. We want China to overtly use their influence to end the genocide.

How do we move China? The same way that we move anyone ... through their pocketbook. We need to deal directly with the sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. We need to encourage the sponsors to urge Chinese government to use their influence to end the genocide in Darfur. As such, I joined with a number of progressive bloggers to write the sponsors listed at the bottom of this post.

I received my second corporate response. The first came a few days ago from Staples. The second response came from Anheuser-Busch and read as follows:

Dear Wayne,

Thank you for contacting Anheuser-Busch. For nearly 25 years, Anheuser-Busch has been a proud sponsor of the Olympic Games. Over that time period, many organizations have used the high profile nature of this world-wide event to raise awareness for their causes. We respect the rights of these organizations to voice their concerns and appreciate your comments as well.

Our association with the Olympic Games is to support the athletes who bring the world together in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Sincerely,
Anheuser-Busch

Anheuser-Busch appreciates my concerns but doesn't even mention Darfur in the response. Ah well, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step as they say in Chinese folklore.

Protecting Black Women From Rape * Dunbar Village Gang Rape Update

Drumbeats from African American Opinion and What About Our Daughters keep us informed on the progress of the Dunbar Village case. As a result, the Electronic Village joins others in The AfroSpear in blogging for justice on the subject of Protecting Black Women (and their families) From Rape.

Four males — ages 14, 15, 16 and 18 — have been charged as adults in a 14-count indictment that could send all of them to prison for life. Defense attorneys have argued that the victims failed to identify the same suspects from photo lineups and that they identified fillers — people not involved in the case — as perpetrators. In some instances they identified different people as the same person.

Hoping to steal money and jewelry, Avion Lawson, 14, said he and someone else wore masks when they entered the 35-year-old woman's apartment that night, according to the documents. Once inside, Lawson said, he and his accomplice, whose name is blacked out on the report, encountered the woman in bed with three other masked males around her. Lawson told police he sexually assaulted her and stole two video games and a truck.

The victim returned home from her job delivering phone books about 9 p.m. the night of the attack, according to her statement to police. While fixing her son something to eat, a young male with braids knocked on her door to tell her the tires on her truck were flat. Once outside, she said, she saw a male with a large gun and two others armed with guns. They wore black clothing over their faces, she said, and ordered her back into the apartment, where they demanded money.

After being told there was no money, the attackers tore off the woman's clothes and raped her until five others arrived, according to the documents. The new arrivals took turns having sex with her and then sodomized her. The mother was then ordered into a tub filled with vinegar and water where they used hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, nail polish remover and ammonia on her. At gunpoint, the assailants forced the mother and son to have sex.

Throughout the attack, the victims suffered beatings, including having a bowl and light bulbs smashed over their heads. The encounter was recorded on a cell phone camera, according to the mother.

Before leaving, the males looked for a lighter to set the two on fire but couldn't find one, she told police. They ordered the pair to stay in the tub and took off. About 30 minutes later one of the males returned to sexually assault the mother one last time. Before leaving, he scribbled a man's name and 6-CO, a gang, on a piece of paper and told the woman he hangs out on Sixth Street and that's where he could be found. He grabbed a Sony PlayStation 2 before fleeing.

Click here to read more about this case.

How To Help:

St. Ann's Catholic Church will accept donations on behalf of the family. Checks can be made payable to the Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann's. The address is: St. Ann's Catholic Church 310 N. Olive Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

You can also call the church at (561) 832-3757.

Other ways to help: Blog About the incident to bring public attention to the horrors of rape of a Black women and her child by Black boys and a Black man. Discuss how these types of incidents although reported to police are not taken seriously when reported to police.

We can also join efforts to get Black "leaders" and faith groups to begin to address these issues within our community. For further information visit What About Our Daughters.

Villagers, what say u?

Police Force Unarmed Pregnant Woman at Gunpoint to Side of Busy Freeway

Villagers, we are joining with others in The AfroSpear to blog for justice and protection of our Black Women and families. Rape is a physical act of violence. However, you can violate a sister's soul without sex being involved.

Drumbeats came to us from The Whirlwind Listserv about a situation earlier this summer with Yvette Hayes, a pregnant Kansas City principal. It turns out that two white Independence Police officers stopped her on Interstate 70 after dark and made her lie on her belly alongside speeding cars. Click here to see 4-minute unabridged video of the police interatction with this sister.

Villagers, there is no way to defend forcing an unarmed pregnant woman to the ground AT GUNPOINT on the side of a busy road. No matter her race, social standing, criminal record. Period. Even ABC News recognizes that this was wrong on so many levels.

Yvette Hayes, 33, thinks she was a victim of racial profiling by police and employees at the J.C. Penney store. Tim Lyons, a spokesman for J.C. Penney Co. Inc., said the store's security staff notified police that they had seen a vehicle -- a green Jeep Cherokee -- resembling one observed in a series of car thefts and break-ins. Police suspected that the vehicle Yvette Hayes was driving was connected with a series of car thefts. It apparently was a case of mistaken identity. Hayes was driving a green Jeep Cherokee.

Hayes described the situation as follows:

On July 13, Hayes and her two daughters (4-year-old and an 18-month-old) were with her. They arrived at 9:56 p.m., and her sister already was inside. The store was closing, so Hayes stayed in the Jeep, listening to gospel music and checking e-mail. When her sister left, she followed. Hayes said she headed home on I-70. At 10:17, she said she saw a police car behind her, lights flashing. She said she immediately pulled over.

She said police put a spotlight on the Jeep and gave orders with a loudspeaker: 'Put your hands out so I can see them! Throw your keys out the window! Step out of the car with your hands behind your head! Walk backwards until I tell you to stop. Get on your knees! Lay on your stomach!'

Hayes said she complied.

'I did yell out I was pregnant,' said Hayes, who was six months pregnant at the time. 'I was horrified. It was very difficult. I was tossing and turning.'

She said she was on the interstate shoulder with cars zooming by. After two or three minutes, the officer told her to shift onto her back. She said she rolled over and saw officers aiming guns. They asked who was in the car.

'My kids!' she replied. Hayes said she was confused, and she feared for her life. She said an officer looked inside the Jeep and said she needed to calm the children. She said officers pulled her to her feet and told her she was stopped because the store said she was stealing cars.

One officer allegedly said, 'You must be a good car thief to be pregnant.' The sergeant came to the passenger door and apologized, saying, J.C. Penney needs to get 'their act together,' Hayes said. She said her 4-year-old daughter is traumatized, afraid of police and thinking they 'don't like her mommy.'

Amazing how the Republicans always talk the talk about respect for life in the abortion debate ... yet, they appear to be silent in this case of police brutality on an unborn Black child inside the woman's womb as she repeatedly pleaded to the officers to realize she was pregnant.

Some will say that I'm seeing race where it isn't involved.

However, all of us should know that the day before Ms. Hayes was humiliated and abused by the police the JC Penney security officers at the store directed police to another green Jeep. Police stopped its driver, who was white, politely asked him questions as he sat in the car and let him go.

That seems like different treatment by the police that is either race or gender-based. You do the math:

• White guy treated with respect.
• Black woman treated with disrespect.

Villagers, had you heard of this story already? What do you think about the facts as you now know them? What say u?

Top Ten Black Blogs (Nov 2007)

Welcome to our third month of posting the Top 10 Black Bloggers. This effort began after I noticed that none of the 50 most influential bloggers were of African descent. Instead of complaining about it ... I figured that we should simply publish our own list. We had 75 Black blogs in the Sept 2007 list. The nominees grew to over 300 when the Oct 2007 list was released. Today we have over 430 Black blogs on the list ... and it continues to grow.

The only qualification is that the blogger needs to be of African descent. The blogger does not have to be a member of The AfroSpear or the Afrosphere Bloggers Association, although we invite all Black bloggers to join either (or both) of those organizations. We do think that these Top Ten Black Bloggers are important spheres of influence. Reach out and let them know that you appreciate the work they have put in over the past few months and years to get on this list. Hopefully, they will share their village voice with us over on the BDPA Foundation blog or right here on the Electronic Village.

Anyhow, with no further ado, here are the Top Ten Black Bloggers for November 2007. The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority indicates the number of blogs that are linked to this blogger over the past six months. The rank number indicates how many blogs are between the person listed and the #1 ranked blog in the world.:

1. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,092 / Rank: 2,325) - [Politics]The blog won the 2006 Web Log Award as the Best LGBT Blog. Pam has an opinion about most anything in the political realm.


2. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop* (Authority: 1,033 / Rank: 2,526) - [Entertainment] This is a Black celebrity entertainment blog with gossip, music, celebrity interviews, pictures and such.


3. Natasha E: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 833 / Rank: 3,269) - [Entertainment] Natasha provides you with all the hot gossip in Black Hollywood. Her blog focuses on the fabulous side of Black pop culture, trends and music ... all from a young, Black, and fabulous perspective of course. Natasha currently has two blogs. This one is actually fading down the list as it has been discontinued in favor of her new one, which is currently #47 on the list.


4. Fresh Crunkjuice: Crunk & Disorderly* (Authority: 788 / Rank: 3,331) - [Entertainment] This blog was created in August 2004, however, it didn't get serious until May 2005. This is an active entertainment blog. The motto is simple and direct, "In Fresh We Trust".


5. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 734 / Rank: 4,414) - [Politics] Oliver began this blog in April 2005. His tag linke says that he is kryptonite to stupid. He posts regularly on politics.


6. Paula Mooney: Paula Mooney’s Tips (Authority: 622 / Rank: 5,746) - [SEO] Paula is a powerful source of ideas for any blogger looking to increase their visitor traffic. She is very enthusiastic about the power of blogging. She works on blogs with both her husband and her father and she was recently a featured speaker at BlogHer in Chicago, IL.


7. Sokari Ekine: Black Looks (526/ 7,797) - [Social Sciences] This blog began in June 2004. It is primarily about issues that impact our brothers and sisters in Africa. Sokari is currently in London. Her posts cover a range of issues such as gender violence, racism, sexuality, HIV/AIDS and cancer. Sokari and her guest bloggers are all progressives, Africanists and activists with a strong belief in the power of the pen to bring about change.


8. Darla Mack: Darla Mack News & Reviews (461 / 9,348) - [Technology] Darla is a sister with a technology blog that has a unique niche of Nokia devices, S60, Nseries, Eseries and Symbian. She focuses on mobile technology and nokia phone reviews.


9. Steve Spaulding: How To Split An Atom (447 / 9,757) - [Technology] How To Split An Atom is a blog about using, abusing, and surviving in the Web X.0 landscape. It's Internet culture, split open. Steve provides a sprinkling of life hacks, meta filtering, personal projects and journalism all at a break neck pace.


10. Patrice Yursik: Afro Bella* (379 / 12,130) - [Fashion] Patrice is a reformed tomboy from Trinidad. Her blog is dedicated to product reviews, ruminations about style, and interviews with women all shades of beautiful. Expect honest opinions about products, advertising, and entertainment specifically targeted to African American and Caribbean women.

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HONORABLE MENTION (11-25): Republic of T, Keith Boynkin*, Entre les Lignes de Jo Ann, Sandra Rose, What About Our Daughters*, Truth & Opinion, The Angry Black Woman, Rod 2.0:Beta, Stereohyped*, BlackProf.com*, The Field Negro*, Black In Business*, Angry Black Bitch, African Path and RaceWire

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Our rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. We figure that if your content is strong enough for others to link to ... that is a strong indicator of your influence. I am very open to hearing from you on other factors that should be considered in future monthly Top Ten Black Bloggers listings.

Those blogs with an asterisk after their name are winners in the 2007 Black Weblog Award contest held earlier this year.

Post a comment below if you are a Black Blogger interested in learning what your ranking is in this month's list!

I eagerly anticipate your comments on this list.