Top Ten Black Blogs (Apr 2008)


I continue to be amazed at the growing number of Black-owned & operated blogs out in the afrosphere. Many of you recall how perturbed I was last year when I saw a list of so-called influential bloggers with no people of color included. Frack it (as us Battlestar Galactica fans are known to say) ... if others won't give props to Black-owned & operated blogs ... then we must do it for ourselves.

Today we announce the Villager's Black Blog Rankings (BBR) for April 2008 with 1,045 blogs in the mix. We began tracking the Top Ten Black Blogs in September 2007 with only 75 blogs listed. The number of blogs on the list grew to 602 by the beginning of the year. Last month the BBR had 850 Black blogs on it.

We have no idea where this ranking will take us. However, Prometheus 6 (BBR #44) sat down with me over a pizza and Sam Adams beer in New Jersey last week and I anticipate that there will be some new twists and turns over the next 30 days. In the meantime, I encourage you to post a comment below if you are a Black Blogger interested in supporting our efforts in some manner this month!

We need your help! First, please share a link to this post so that your blog readers can learn about the diversity of thought and talent in the afrosphere. Second, we still need one of you to be creative and help us create a nice button or banner that folks can place on their own website or blog pointing folks to the Villager's Black Blog Ranking (perhaps with a visual of a rhino on it). Any creative folks out there with ideas?

Finally, I encourage you to visit Vanessa's On The Black Hand Side (BBR #286) as she shares more insightful details and nuances from Black Bloggers with her '20 Questions With' interviews. This is outstanding opportunity to learn more about talented brothers and sisters that you see listed in the Villager's Black Blog Rankings.

Anyhow, with no further ado, here are the Top Ten Black Blogs for April 2008:

  1. The Bossip: Bossip.com (Authority: 1,194 / Rank: 1,962) - [Entertainment] Bossip.com holds down the BBR #1 slot for the third month in a row. It is worth noting that Bossip.com is the first Black blog that we've seen break into the top 2,000 blogs in the world ranking! Bossip.com is a fast growing urban-focused new media property that draws a loyal following of young and influential trend setters who are up to date with what’s hot in society. Top tags for this blog appear to be Quote of the Day and Fill In The Blank. I encourage villagers to give 'em a tip that they are the #1 Black blog in the universe.

  2. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,163 / Rank: 2,057) - [Politics] This is a prolific blog averaging over 110,000 hits per month. Top tags for this blog appear to be Race, Politics, Feminism, Gay and Lesbian. Pam participated in the Take Over America conference with some candid comments on what we can expect for bloggers and blogging after the 2008 election cycle is over.

  3. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop (Authority: 1,036 / Rank: 2,519) - [Entertainment] This is a Black celebrity entertainment blog with gossip, music, celebrity interviews, pictures and such. Angel Laws, a 23-year-old college student in Jacksonville, NC, started this blog as a hobby. Top tags for this blog are Candids, New Music Review and Brian's Music Posts. OK, I'll bite ... who is 'Brian'?

  4. ESKAY: Nah Right (Authority: 787 / Rank: 3,938) - [Entertainment] This is another Black blogger that is steadily moving up in the rankings. Personally, I like the eye candy that has been on this blog since it started in May 2005. However, the top tags for the blog right now are Miscellaneous, Music and Movies. Are there any Nah Right fans out there?

  5. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 633 / Rank: 5,608) - [Politics] Oliver moved into the Top 5 this month! Oliver has been taking flak about his views since he began his blog in April 2005, however, I hope that he will visit our Electronic Village and leave a message at some point as he moves up the list. I guess he's mad that I took the New York Giants in the Super Bowl (seeing as Oliver is a manic Redskins fan)! Anyhow, his top blog tags are 2008 election, conservatives and republicans.

  6. Fresh Crunkjuice: Crunk & Disorderly* (Authority: 626 / Rank: 5,691) - [Entertainment] This gossip blog was created in August 2004. Recently, Fresh Crunkjuice decided to make the move from a Blogger.com site to one that he owns himself, so we anticipate that this entry will begin to fall down the ranking as the readers move over to the newer blog. This blog has admirers in some unusual places. The top tags are 'Finally Some Good News' and 'Why Must I Cry?'

  7. Natasha Eubanks: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 603 / Rank: 6,020) - [Entertainment] Natasha is a 25-year old law student in Washington DC. Her blog has been one of the hottest Black celebrity gossip sites on the net since it was created in June 2005. I hope that I have a chance to meet Sis. Eubanks when I travel to Washington DC later this year! Top tags on her blog are Candids, Parties and Rumor Control

  8. La Shawn Barber: La Shawn Barber's Corner (Authority: 486 / Rank: 8,705) - [Social Commentary] La Shawn continues her transition from being a political blogger. Her blog, born in Nov 2003, now writes about faith, culture, digital technology and, occasionally, how these three things intersect. Sis. Barber is an entrepreneur who consults with interested bloggers. I 'met' Sis. Barber during NPR Blogger Roundtables that we did in Nov 2007 and Jan 2008. Top tags on her blog are Faith, Pop Culture and Technology.

  9. Jack Turner and Jill Tubman: Jack and Jill Politics* (Authority: 471 / Rank: 9,111) - [Politics] - JJP offers a Black bourgeois perspective on American politics. This is a blog that posts multiple times per day with some unique and accurate analysis of the 2008 election cycle. This is one of the fastest moving blogs in our rankings ... they moved from BBR #31 in Sep 2007 rankings to current BBR #9. Top tags for this blog are 2008 Democratic Primary, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This is one of three daily reads for me here in the Top 10!

  10. Wayne Bennett: The Field Negro* (Authority: 380 / Rank: 12,092) - [Social Commentary] I should start by saying that I'm not an unbiased observer. In my view, this is the best blog ever written. Period. The Los Angeles Times said it better than me when they interviewed Field last year. Simply stated, I think that you should read this blog every day. Period. NPR News & Notes recently included Field on their blogger roundtable to discuss Obama's Farrakhan Dilemma. Top tags on this blog are Barack Obama, Pursuit of Happiness and Killadelphia.
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.

Those blogs with an asterisk after their name are members of The AfroSpear.

Black Blog Rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority figure includes a number of factors including 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.

We do think that these Black blogs are important spheres of influence. Let them know that you appreciate the work they have put in over the past few months and years to get on this list. My vision is that many of the brothers and sisters on this month's BBR will join us later this year at the Blogging While Brown conference in Atlanta, GA on July 25-27, 2008.

Finally, I encourage you to provide some link-love to this post so that others can learn about the Villager's Black Blog Rankings! Next step is yours ... what say u?

NAACP Issues Weak Response to Dunbar Village Protest

Drumbeats from What About Our Daughters blog provide us with a statement from the NAACP in response to the email accountability campaign launched following their joint press conference with Rev. Al Sharpton regarding bail for the suspects in the Dunbar Village rape and torture case.

E-mails misrepresent NAACP's position on Dunbar Village case. A series of viral e-mails circulating the Internet the past several days distort and misrepresent the NAACP's stance on the Dunbar Village gang rape case that began last June in south Florida.

The NAACP does not condone violence against anyone. Any suggestion to the contrary is not credible in light of the Association's long history of opposing violence against all persons.

In fact, it was the West Palm Beach Branch NAACP and area churches, among others, that provided assistance in the relocation of the victims in this horrific and inexplicable criminal matter.

"The NAACP cares deeply that justice be applied equally, without regards to race, but cares just as deeply that guilty parties be held accountable for their actions," said Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida State Conference, NAACP.

The NAACP National Office nor the Florida NAACP have taken any formal position on the case and both believe this situation will benefit from well meaning, interested parties allowing the facts to become further known and letting defense lawyers do their work.

"The lives of the victims in this case are irrevocably altered in the worst way," said NAACP Interim President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes. "While we respect the judicial process and implore that equal justice be rendered for all involved, we must also focus on ending the continuing plague of violence in our communities.

"The NAACP and its affiliates will continue to closely monitor the proceedings and details of this case," said West Palm Beach Branch NAACP President Maude Ford Lee, who added, "Earlier reports that my remarks support the heinous acts of the guilty parties could not be further from the truth."
Villagers, there was no misrepresentation. It was quite clear that the Ford/Sharpton press conference called for more lenient bail for the Dunbar Village rapists.

Rev. Sharpton backtracked on his poor judgement in advocating for the Dunbar Village rapists earlier this week. I don't see that Maude Ford Lee or other NAACP leaders at state or national level accepted responsibility for their mistake in advocating for the Dunbar Village rapists. Has Ms. Lee backed away from her foolhardy misadventure? If not, I don't see any reason for Black bloggers and others to continue working to discontinue further funding and volunteer hours for the NAACP.

Perhaps we will learn more later this week when Adora Obi Nweze, NAACP Florida State President joins the Black Women's Roundtable to answer questions. The podcast takes place on Thursday, April 3rd @ 9:00 pm EST.

In the meantime, I'm curious as to your take on the situation. What say u?

Sentencing in Megan Williams' Case


Drumbeats from Sudy and WOC PhD reminded villagers of the sentencing decisions in the rape and torture case of Megan Williams. Prosecutors dismissed charges against several defendants which would have carried with them mandatory life sentences in exchange for guilty pleas. They claim such pleas helped them obtain as much as evidence as they could in a case that many actually started to question on the basis of a prior relationship between Williams and one of her attackers, as well as ensuring all seven people were charged.

The two oldest defendants in the case received maximum sentencing for the crimes in which they were charged. Three others received less and two await trial.

Karen Burton, 46, and Frankie Brewster, 49, both pleaded guilty to the crime last month. Burton received two consecutive 2-10 year sentences for assault and assault during the commission of a felony. Brewster received 10-25 years for second degree sexual assault.

Others involved in the case pleaded guilty and were sentenced earlier this year. Alisha Burton, 23, and George Messer, 27, received 10 years each for kidnapping and assault. Linnie Burton, 21, did not plead guilty but was charged with misdemeanor battery.

The final two defendants are still awaiting trial for felony sexual assault and kidnapping charges. Bobby Brewster, 24, instigated the week long torture by luring his ex-girlfriend across state lines and locking her in his mother, Frankie Brewster’s trailer. Both he and Danny Combs, 21, are accused of repeatedly raping and torturing her along with the aid and abuse of the other defendants. They have both denied “wrongdoing.”

Damn You Barack Obama!




Much love to Jack and Jill Politics for beating the drums about this slam poet originally broadcast over a year ago!

Can Civil Rights Organizations and Black Bloggers Work Together?


Villagers, we've introduced you to Howard Witt earlier this year. He is a reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Witt wrote an article this week about our online activism. Many of you know that this blog joined with two dozen others to protest decision by NAACP West Palm Beach branch president Maude Ford Lee and National Action Network president Al Sharpton to support lower bail for the Dunbar Village rapists.

Rev. Sharpton reversed course on his radio show earlier this week. We still await a response from NAACP's Maude Ford Lee.

Mr. Witt's article accurately notes that Web-based activists are not seeing eye-to-eye with old-guard leadership as it relates to the Dunbar Village torture, terrorism and rape. Click here to read the full article.

What say u? Are you ready to support efforts to stop NAACP support of the Dunbar Village rapists?

Hillary Clinton's Former Pastor Defends Jeremiah Wright

Hillary Clinton simply couldn't leave well enough alone. She didn't get engaged in the flap over Rev. Jeremiah Wright's controversial sermon snippets for over a week ... until she needed to change the subject from her big lie on her Bosnia sniper experience. "You know, we don't have a choice when it comes to our relatives. We have a choice when it comes to our pastors and the churches we attend," she said.

That was a political mistake. She forever lost respect and future support from a wide range of folks. Field Negro's heart was broken. Keith Boykin, former member of the Clinton White House feels that Hillary owes an apology to Obama.

Perhaps the most compelling repudiation comes from Hillary's former pastor, Dean Snyder. Rev. Snyder chastised Hillary and others for demonizing Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Rev. Snyder shared the following statement on his church website:

The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. He has been a vocal critic of the racism, sexism and homophobia which still tarnish the American dream. To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African American church which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear.
Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize. This is a critical time in America's history as we seek to repent of our racism. No matter which candidates prevail, let us use this time to listen again to one another and not to distort one another's truth.

Dean J. Snyder, Senior Minister
Foundry United Methodist Church
March 19, 2008


I guess we know why Dean Snyder is Hillary's former pastor! Do you agree that Hillary Clinton should concede the nomination now? If not now, when do you think it should happen?

Stop NAACP Support of Rapists

In the past week, a rapidly-moving viral email campaign was launched, and thousands of concerned Black citizens spread the word about crimes against nature committed in the Dunbar Village complex against a Black woman and her 12 year old son.

This email, entitled “Stop Al Sharpton and the NAACP from endangering Black Women,” described a stunning betrayal in which the NAACP and Al Sharpton held a press conference and demanded bail consideration for three suspects in custody for the crime.

Concerned Black citizens all around the country were outraged by the actions of the NAACP and Al Sharpton, and many vowed to withdraw volunteering and financial support from these agencies “until they make the safety of Black women and children a priority.”

On March 24, 2008 an NAACP memo that attempted to defend this betrayal was sent to Beverly Neal, who is the Director of the NAACP’s Florida State Conference. The memo claims that the NAACP was brought into this fray by Rev. Al Sharpton. Moreover, the memo was written by Maude Ford Lee, who is President of the West Palm Beach Branch of the NAACP.

On March 27, 2008, activist Al Sharpton went on the air to clarify his position on the treatment of the Dunbar Village Suspects. He invited writer Tonyaa Weathersbee and blogger Arlene Fenton to his show, to discuss the matter. Rev. Sharpton claimed that he never said that the Dunbar Village suspects were being treated unfairly, and that he did not want bail for the suspects in question.

Ms Weathersbee and Ms Fenton said that their research indicated otherwise, as indicated by video footage, eyewitness accounts, and the reporting from the Florida Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post.

At the end of the radio show, Al Sharpton strongly condemned any activity that would promote bail consideration for the suspects in question. Rev. Sharpton admitted that “if the suspects were white, he would have been there sooner.” He stated that this is a problem with many Black civil rights organizations. He apologized and vowed to uphold his prior promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village. He also challenged all activists, bloggers, and writers to be accountable to each other.

To date, the NAACP has not made an official statement denouncing the Dunbar Village Atrocity, nor have they officially expressed regret to the victim. The NAACP also has not officially retracted their statement requesting bail consideration for the alleged rapists/torturers. To our understanding, neither agency has contributed to the Victim’s Assistance Fund or created a reward program geared toward the apprehension of the remaining rapists/torturers.

Villagers, WE ARE SATISFIED with Al Sharpton’s qualifying statements that he made on his March 27th radio show. We will watch to see if he fulfills his promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village, and we are willing to assist any effort that promotes safer Black neighborhoods in West Palm Beach, FL.

WE ARE NOT SATISFIED with the reckless, irresponsible actions of the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter). We continue to urge all Black people, women especially, to refrain from volunteering or giving financially to this organization until they take our safety seriously.

WHAT WE WANT

  1. We want law enforcement to make a concerted, sustained effort to apprehend the remaining suspects. We want to see a genuine reward system in place to encourage members of the community to come forward with the knowledge of the whereabouts of the remaining suspects.

  2. We want the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter) to reverse their position that the alleged rapists/torturers of this case should be considered for bail.
  3. We want both the NAACP and the National Action Network to cease downgrading the gang rape/torture/atrocity of the Dunbar Village by comparing it to an unrelated gang rape, in which guns, maiming, and forced incest were not involved.

  4. We want to see genuine victim advocacy in the form of financial support for the relocation, medical expenses, and mental therapy for the true victims in this case.
The Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund

Individuals who would like to donate money to the victims can go to any Wachovia Bank and donate to the St. Ann’s Victim’s Assistance Fund. Donations will go directly to the mother and her son.

St. Ann’s Catholic Church will also accept donations. Checks can be made payable to the "Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann’s". Mail your donation to: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 310 N. Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

For more information about this Dunbar Village Campaign, you can visit any of the following 24 blogs:

  1. Dunbar Village Blog
  2. A Different Story
  3. Anonymiss Blog
  4. A Political Season
  5. Aunt Jemima's Revenge
  6. Black Fire, White Fire
  7. Black Sapience
  8. Black Women Vote
  9. Character Corner
  10. Electronic Village
  11. Episcopalienne
  12. Essential Presence
  13. Focused Purpose
  14. H-Essays
  15. Never Say Never to Your Traveling Self
  16. Privy Concepts
  17. Ravenelven Lady
  18. Roslyn Holcomb's Blog
  19. The Sowing Circle
  20. Tribute to Black Women
  21. What About Our Daughters
  22. What Tami Said
  23. Yanmommasaid
  24. Something Within

Next step is yours! Do you support this growing effort to Stop NAACP West Palm Beach Chapter's Support of the Dunbar Village rapists? What say u?

NAACP's Maude Lee Responds to Online Allegations About Her Support of Dunbar Village Rapists


Maude Lee is the president of the NAACP West Palm Beach Branch. Her NAACP branch is under tremendous pressure for joining with National Action Network to ask for reduced bail on the four Dunbar Village rapists. This decision to support release of these four gang rapists is wrong on so many levels ... not the least of which is the lack of support given by Ms. Lee's NAACP branch for the Black woman and her child victimized by these gang rapists. It should be noted that there is a formal campaign ongoing to discontinue financial contributions and volunteer support to NAACP or NAN as a result of the decision to support these Dunbar Village rapists.

Ms. Lee wrote a letter to explain her actions. Click here to read the letter. Ms. Lee claims that her NAACP branch participation was "... simply to call for fair and just treatment in all phases of the criminal justice system for the Dunbar Village defendants..."

The odd thing is that Ms. Lee claims that the NAACP responded to call from Rev. Sharpton and the folks from the NAN Florida chapter. NAN tells a different story. NAN indicates that they were at the press conference at the request of Ms. Lee and the NAACP WPB branch. It appears that the two organizations are turning on one another as the pressure continues to mount. Personally, I think that Ms. Lee saw the opportunity to get her face and her branch into the limelight by introducing Rev. Al Sharpton to the media and she didn't really care about the content of the press conference.

This is not a 'due process' issue. The four rapists had due process. They each have lawyers. They simply didn't get bail because of the heinous nature of their crime. The fact pattern for these four rapists who terrorized, raped and tortured a Black woman and her child wasn't the same as the five white rapists in Boca Raton. This is not a 'due process' issue. This is a 'poor judgement' issue. Maude Lee (NAACP WPB Branch) and Al Sharpton (NAN) showed incredibly poor judgement. It is costing them goodwill, volunteer hours and donations from the Black community.

You can reach out to Ms. Lee by phone (561) 655-9798 or e-mail if you are so inclined. My suggestion is that Ms. Lee reach out to those of us in the Black community who question her judgement. Sending a letter to her state NAACP leader ain't gonna get it done. What say u?

Video: Hillary Clinton Should Concede Now!




Villagers, do you realize that Hillary Clinton has absolutely no chance to win the Democratic nomination? If so, do you accept that the best chance for us to end the 8-years of George Bush policies on the economy and Iraq War is to unify the Democratic Party behind a single candidate as soon as possible?

If you answered yes to either question, then you should sign our online petition requesting that Hillary Clinton concede the nomination in the best interests of her party and our country.

Other steps you can take include:

  1. Did you sign the petition, yet? (smile)

  2. Call the Democratic National Committee on (202) 863-8000 to express your opinion.

  3. Contact the Democratic National Committee with a link to the petition to let them know your position on this matter.

  4. Contact superdelegates that have not committed
  5. Contact Hillary Clinton directly with a request for her to concede the nomination in the interests of party unity and our nation's future.

The next step is yours! What say u?

Witness Says Taser-Cop Lied About Darryl Turner


Villagers, a witness from the Food Lion store gives a very different account than police. The attorney for the family claims that he has a witness who says 17-year old Darryl Turner did not threaten the officer before being killed by 50,000 volts from the officer's taser gun. A statement from the witness reads, "The officer told Darryl to ‘step back!’" The witness said Turner simply obeyed the officer's command to step back and was then hit with the Taser. He later died. [SOURCE]

The police are working overtime to find justification for this taser killing ... going so far as to say that the young man suffered from 'Excited Delirium Syndrome'. Personally, I never heard of this syndrome before this week, although I see others were hip to it earlier. Imagine my surprise to learn that there is a blog devoted to this syndrome!

What do you think about these recent taser deaths?

This Week in BDPA (Mar 25-31)


I provide executive leadership services to one of my clients, BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. This foundation seeks to support programs and services that advance the careers of African Americans in the information technology industry from the 'classroom to the boardroom'. Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the BDPA CollectiveX Calendar and elsewhere:
I encourage villagers to take advantage of these upcoming events if they are in your area! I'm looking forward to meeting with any villagers that will be in New Jersey while I'm there later this week. If you like what you are seeing ... please consider making an online donation to the BDPA Foundation so that we can continue to fund these events in the future.

Taser Death: James Garland (Florida)


Another Black man died as the result of being attacked by a policeman welding a taser gun. This time it occurred in South Florida when 41-year old was spotted naked wandering through traffic waving his shirt. Cops are supposed to apply the 'use of force continuum' when they want to subdue someone. The taser should only be used if earlier levels of force are not successful.

Anyhow, these officers pulled out their taser and zapped Mr. Garland so that they could take him into custody. It blows my mind that the police are afraid to deal with a naked man waving a shirt. No weapon. No knife. No gun. It was a SHIRT for goodness sake.

They took him in a marked patrol car to a local hospital where he died. Another death by taser. Since when does strolling through the street buck-naked equal the death penalty in America?

The other common occurance is that the media, at the urging of law enforcement officials, always want to ensure we know about the criminal record of the person that they taser to death. In this case, we learn that Mr. Garland was a registered sex offender with 10 arrests over the past six years, mostly for cocaine-related charges.

Villagers, let's stipulate that James Garland was an irresponsible person with some serious problems. Even if that is the case ... did he deserve to die last week at the hands of a taser-happy policeman?

Taser Death: Darryl Turner (North Carolina)

UPDATE: Cops say his death might be 'Excited Delirium'. WTF?

Drumbeats from Pam's House Blend gave us the sad news about a 17-year old tasered-to-death by Charlotte police for shoplifting his lunch from local grocery store. Turner had worked as a cashier and bagged groceries at the Food Lion at 3024 Prosperity Church Road, where the incident happened.

His mother, Tammy Fontenot, indicates that Turner graduated from Crossroads Charter High School last year. He had wanted to go to Central Piedmont Community College and be a personal trainer. He didn't have any health problems and had never been in trouble, she said.

Around lunchtime on Mar 20, Turner had come home to eat and told his mom that he had stolen a couple of Hot Pockets from the store. A supervisor planned to get a district manager involved and he feared disciplinary action, she said.

She said she told him to go back to the store and face up to what happened. A few hours later she was informed that her son was dead.

Villagers, since when do our young people get the death penalty for shoplifting? What were the police thinking? It is hard for me to understand how the force continuum calls for using a taser on a young man without a weapon (...believe me, if he had a weapon, we would know about it!).

Tasers may have a place in law enforcement, however, it is becoming evident that law enforcement officers in Charlotte and elsewhere need better training on how to use the dayum things. What say u?

Kwame Kilpatrick Indicted; He Should Resign


I was very pleased to bring a national convention to Detroit in 2005. We tried unsuccessfully to get Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to drop by and participate in the event. We thought he would be a great role model for the young people and IT professionals at the event. I guess it was a good thing that he didn't get featured at the conference. Today, I watched Kilpatrick, a one-time rising star and Detroit's youngest elected leader, get charged with perjury and other counts after sexually explicit text messages surfaced that appear to contradict his sworn denials of an affair with a top aide.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also charged the popular yet polarizing 37-year-old mayor with obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. Former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, 37, who also denied under oath that she and Kilpatrick shared a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.

"This case was about as far from being a private matter as one can get. Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything. That is what this case is about," Worthy said at a news conference. "Just when did honesty and integrity, truth and honor become traits to be mocked, downplayed, ignored, laughed at or excuses made for them? When did telling the truth become a supporting player to everything else?"

Kym Worthy has been in the national spotlight before from a police beat-down given to citizen named Malice Green shortly after the Rodney King riots.

A perjury conviction could bring up to 15 years' imprisonment and force Kilpatrick to relinquish the mayor's office. It appears he won't be giving up the office without a conviction. No Spitzer-like resignation from Kilpatrick ... which is too bad for the city of Detroit. I lived in Detroit for 8 years and my eldest daughter still lives there. As such, I think that Kilpatrick should resign in the best interests of the city and its citizens.

Sheesh, didn't any politician learn from Bill Clinton? His issues didn't come from putting stains on Monica's dress ... they came when he lied about it afterwards. Mayor Kwame, was it worth it?

Manic Monday: Egg


Morgan selected egg as the Manic Monday meme word this week. Of course, I imagine most folks are going with the traditional tie-in of Easter eggs. I imagine someone will tell us the origin of Easter egg hunts and that big bunny rabbit. Seems out of step with the whole crucifixion and resurrection storyline from the Bible. Anyhow, I'm going in a different direction. Did you know that there are a shortage of African American egg donors?

Not the Easter egg variety ... more like the fertility vs. infertility variety. At many donor egg agencies, infertile couples looking for African American egg donors are often encouraged to place themselves on waiting lists and to sign up at more than one egg donor program. The emotional challenge of dealing with infertility must be rough from the start ... so the dearth of African American egg donors must truly try the patience of aspiring African American parents in need of this service.

Turns out that there is a company called F. Williams Donor Egg Services that specializes in African American egg donors. I'm told that they have over 30 smart, attractive donors in their database. This company helps Black couples find racially diverse egg donors so that they might end up with a baby in their arms. And, after all ... as those of us that are parents can attest ... the joy of having children is worth any investment of time or money.

Finally, since I know how some villagers are curious --> click here to learn how you can become an egg donor!

NAACP Supports Dunbar Village Rapists





Kudos to What About Our Daughters for creating this video. The next step is ours. Have you contacted your local branch of the NAACP to ask them about the support being given to these Dunbar Village rapists? If we cannot protect the Black women and children in our own community ... what good are we?

Jamiel Shaw's Killer Might Be Illegal Alien


I was very disappointed to learn that the suspected street gang member charged in the shooting death of a high school football star, may have been in the country illegally [SOURCE]. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will detain and investigate Pedro Espinoza, 19, for possible deportation once his current murder charge has run its course. It turns out that Espinoza was released from jail in an assault case the day before the March 2 killing of 17-year-old Jamiel Shaw Jr., a standout running back at Los Angeles High School.

Espinoza, a suspected member of a street gang called 18th Street, was charged last week with a single murder count with a special-circumstance allegation that could make him eligible for the death penalty. Police are looking for a second suspect.

The way that leaders of the African American and Latino communities deal with this issue of gangs, murder and illegal immigration could set the tone for Black-Brown political relationships for many years to come. Is there anywhere in our country where our two communities are operating in harmony? Is there any hope to find a solution for illegal immigration that we can support nationwide? What say u?

Is It Time for 'Clinton Myth' to End?


The Afrosphere Action Coalition announced that Tuesday, March 25, 2008 would be a Day of Blogging for Voter Justice. Politico.com agrees with us as evidenced by their recent post on 'The Clinton Myth' where they wrote,

One big fact has largely been lost in the recent coverage of the Democratic presidential race: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning.

Her own campaign acknowledges there is no way that she will finish ahead in pledged delegates. That means the only way she wins is if Democratic superdelegates are ready to risk a backlash of historic proportions from the party's most reliable constituency.

Unless Clinton is able to at least win the primary popular vote -- which also would take nothing less than an electoral miracle -- and use that achievement to pressure superdelegates, she has only one scenario for victory. An African American opponent and his backers would be told that, even though he won the contest with voters, the prize is going to someone else.

Click here to see the rest of 'The Clinton Myth'
Do you agree that it is time to unify the Democratic Party? If so, we ask that you sign our online petition. If you are a blogger, we ask you to identify yourself with the AAC so we can provide link to your blog on Tuesday.

It appears that Daily Kos sees the writing on the wall as well. What say u?

Pat Buchanan Asks Black America: 'Where is the Gratitude?'


UPDATE: Eddie Griffin provides a great response to Pat Buchanan. Check it out!

A villager recently wondered what the conversation about race looks like when only white people are talking about it. Pat Buchanan decided to let us peek behind the curtain in his column entitled, 'A Brief for Whitey'. Buchanan's response to Barack Obama's historic speech on race: "We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?"

Discussing Sen. Barack Obama's speech addressing race and controversial comments by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, Pat Buchanan wrote in his syndicated column: "Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American." Buchanan then asserted that "no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans,"

Buchanan asserts, "America has been the best country on earth for Black folks. It was here that 600,000 Black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity Blacks have ever known." Buchanan continued, "Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American." Buchanan then asserted that "no people anywhere has done more to lift up Blacks than white Americans."

Buchanan lets us know how right-wing white folks feel about race relations. There doesn't appear any room for an open discussion. Rather, Buchanan informs us that "...no people anywhere has done more to lift up Blacks than white Americans. Untold trillions have been spent since the '60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African American community into the mainstream. Governments, businesses and colleges have engaged in discrimination against white folks - with affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas -- to advance black applicants over white applicants. Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, retirement and nursing homes for blacks".

You think that I'm lying about Pat Buchanan's representation of the white response to Barack Obama's speech? Click here to see the full Buchanan column.


We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?

I guess this is where African Americans are supposed to bow our heads, get down on both knees and say 'Thank you Mr. Charlie ... Thank you sir for all the good things you done did for our peoples'. Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that Patrick Buchanan and his supporters would just assume see Black folks back in chains?

As for presidential politics, I wonder if this is what John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton think about race relations as well? Maybe that is why Team Clinton continues on in the race. Hillary and Bill must not feel the gratitude from Barack Obama for just being allowed to live in America in the first place.

Pat Buchanan appears to be pulling out every racist stereotype about African Americans that were ever uttered as part of the thesis in his column. But, perhaps I'm over-reacting. What is your take on Pat Buchanan's race relations column?

Do You Still Believe in Iraq War?


Sometime in the next few days the 4,000th American casualty in the Iraq War will take place. The official name of the conflict is 'Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.'.

Is there anyone who still believes that the United States should be engaged in this war? Is there anyone who wants to follow Bush/Cheney/McCain into another 100 years in this war?

We have not talked very much in our village about the Iraq War, however, I am very interested in what you think about it as we enter into the 6th year of the battle. What say u?

Did US Government Plant AIDS Virus in Black Community?


Have you heard commentators on television acting as if it was outrageous for Rev. Jeremiah Wright to insinuate that the U.S. Government planted AIDS in the Black community?


Perhaps Joe Scarbourgh, Tucker Carlson and Pat Buchanan can take a moment to remember that the U.S. Government conducted an experiment on 399 Black men in the late stages of syphilis from 1932 thru 1972. These men, for the most part illiterate sharecroppers from one of the poorest counties in Alabama, were never told what disease they were suffering from or of its seriousness. Informed that they were being treated for “bad blood,” their doctors had no intention of curing them of syphilis at all.


The data for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study was to be collected from autopsies of the men, and they were thus deliberately left to degenerate under the ravages of tertiary syphilis—which can include tumors, heart disease, paralysis, blindness, insanity, and death.

Perhaps we can bridge the chasm that is race relations in our country if we are willing to look deeper than the Fox News sound bite? Some 'urban legends' are based in fact.

Chris Wallace Points Out Bigotry at Fox News

Drumbeats from Pam's House Blend directed us to this video clip of Chris Wallace calling out the biased reporting on Barack Obama by the folks at Fox and Friends. Props to Chris Wallace for being an honest journalist.


Bill Richardson Endorses Barack Obama


One of the highest-ranked Hispanic politicians in the nation just endorsed Barack Obama. Bill Richardson, former presidential candidate and current governor of New Mexico had tremendous foriegn policy chops. He also was appointed twice by Bill Clinton to cabinet-level posts. Much of Richardson's political success is due to Team Clinton. Bill watched the Super Bowl earlier this year at Richardson's house. With all of that inside knowledge about Team Clinton ... Richardson chose to endorse Barack Obama.

Check out the enthusiastic endorsement he gave Obama earlier today:



It is good to see positive news coming from the Obama campaign again after such a negative few weeks. Obama needs to send Richardson directly after the 40 Hispanic super-delegates that are undeclared at this moment. I suspect that Richardson hopes to be considered for either Secretary of State or Vice President in Obama administration.

Heck, look again at that picture of Bill Clinton watching the Super Bowl. You can almost tell from Clinton's body language that he knew that he wasn't going to win Richardson's endorsement!

What is your take on this Richardson endorsement? Can endorsements from Al Gore, Joe Biden or John Edwards be far behind?

What Kind of Prophet? * United Church of Christ Response to Jeremiah Wright Issue

Rev. Jeremiah Wright recently retired from Trinity United Church of Christ after 36 years of pastoral service. However, in the past few weeks he has been demonized by a few snippets from his past sermons.

Rev. John Thomas is the general minister and president for the United Church of Christ. Rev. Thomas shared his reflections on the rhetoric of preaching in light of recent news coverage.

Click here to see the sermon entitled, 'What Kind of Prophet?'

I'm interested in your thoughts on Rev. Thomas' sermon. I'm also curious as to whether you think that the negative impact of Rev. Wright on Obama's presidential campaign bottomed out this week ... or if Rev. Wright will be an albatross around Obama's neck throughout the campaign?

Shawn Williams is an AfroSpear blogger who noted that Black pastors often speak truth to power. What say u?

Old School Friday: Tonight's The Night

I wonder how many villagers remember their first time? Betty Wright lays out the nervous energy that many had that first time. She tells the story from a sister's point of view, however, I think that the emotions flow on both sides of the gender aisle. Anyhow, enjoy the flow of this powerful soul music...





1,000th Blog Joins Villager's Black Blog Rankings


We have a new tradition of highlighting every 100th blog added to the Villager's Black Blog Rankings (BBR). The tradition began with the 800th and 900th blogs added to the BBR. Today, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Renita Weems' Something Within is the 1,000th blog to be added to the BBR. Something Within (BBR #358) is a blog that "thinking women of faith" use to engage in conversations about faith, love, values, and inner wisdom, and other topics of interest.

Dr. Weems is a nationally-renowned theologian and an ordained elder in the African Methodist Church whose scholarly insights into modern faith, biblical texts, and the role of spirituality in everyday lives have made her a much sought after author and speaker. She is founder of Something Within, a consulting service providing guidance for women of faith interested in connecting with their inner wisdom as well as interested in balancing faith and work, and their values with their vocation.

I found her blog as a result of the weekly blog campaign started by SheCodes in opposition to Al Sharpton and the NAACP West Palm Beach Branch for their support of Dunbar Village rapists. I imagine that some villagers know Dr. Weems from her books on women's spirituality and wholeness such as Just A Sister Away, I Asked for Intimacy, Showing Mary: How Women Can Share Prayers, Wisdom, and the Blessings of God and What Matters Most: Ten Passionate Lessons from the Song of Solomon.

Dr. Weems lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. I wonder if the good Reverend Doctor has ever visited the Electronic Village? Perhaps this post will bring her village voice to our blog!

Al Sharpton and NAACP Are Wrong in Dunbar Village Gang-Rape Case

Important nubian women in my life, such as my former wife, my mom and my sisters often tell me that I have a 'hard head'. Usually, this is a result of me being slow on the uptake for an issue that they see clearly from the start. The impact of the Dunbar Village gang-rape may be yet another example of me ... and perhaps other brothers ... having a 'hard head'.

You see, the issues surrounding the Dunbar Village gang-rape that occurred last year continue to burn hot in our community ... especially with Black women. Many Black women look at the way that the Dunbar Village situation has been handled as an example of the way Black women are treated in too many situations from Corporate America to our neighborhoods.

Villagers remember the horrific story of ten youths that forced their way into a Black woman's home in Dunbar Village housing complex down in Florida. For several hours,they not only gang-raped her repeatedly and viciously beat her young son, but they forced her to have sex with her own child. The teenage boys then placed the two of them in a bathtub and poured nail polish remover in her son's eyes, blinding him for a period of time. They attempted to set them on fire, but couldn't find a match. So instead, they violated them with ammonia and threatened to kill her family if she told anyone.

Only four of the suspects have been apprehended, there are six others on the loose. There is conclusive DNA evidence on at least one of the boys. There is no manhunt for the rest of the criminals, they are running around loose as you read this.

In November 2007, Al Sharpton showed that he had a 'hard head' about this case as well. He was called on the carpet by a number of people concerned that he was not supporting the young woman and her son who had been victimized in this case. In fact, I went so far as to call Al Sharpton a 'punk' last month on this blog.

Fast forward to today. It seems that the NAACP and Al Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN) both refused to help this woman because it was 'outside the scope of their mission' ... however, both groups found time to send lawyers down to Florida IN SUPPORT OF THE RAPISTS. The lawyers are claiming that it is 'unfair' to not offer bail to these four rapists.

Barack Obama spoke on the rage that exists in Black America when it comes to race relations. That rage burns especially strong when sexual crimes are committed against Black women and children ... even if the criminals involved are Black!

I encourage all like-minded villagers to join in collective action against the NAACP and Al Sharpton's NAN as a result of their misguided criminal advocacy in the Dunbar Village case. Perhaps it is time for right-thinking villagers to stop fueling the NAACP and NAN with our money and our volunteer activism until they stop trying to hinder the successful prosecution of this heinous crime down in Dunbar Village.

Perhaps it is time to ensure that the safety of Black women and children are non-negotiable. Here are some specific steps you can take:

  1. Share this post with others so they might have their conscience and concern raised as yours as been today.
  2. Demand an explanation from your local NAACP and NAN chapter about the Dunbar Village case.
  3. Cancel your membership to these organizations
  4. Write a letter explaining that you will return when they prioritize the public safety needs of Black women and children.
  5. Stop donating your time or money to these organizations; instead invest in other organizations that take the lives of Black women and children seriously.

Even if you do not belong to these organizations, call or write them to express your displeasure:


NAACP National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore MD 21215
(410) 580-5777

National Action Network
Rev. Al Sharpton
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
(212) 690-3070

You can obtain more information about the direct action against NAACP and NAN from the Dunbar Village blog (BBR #494).

I am interested to hear your take on the Dunbar Village case. Is there any excuse for what Al Sharpton and the NAACP West Palm Beach Branch president are doing in this case as they defend the young rapists? Are you willing to take direct action yourself to protect our Black woman and children? Will you share this information with others in your personal network?
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