Why Is Black History Segregated?

Does a dedicated month stifle integration of our contributions in all aspects of U.S. society?

It's February--time for teachers to assign reports on Rosa Parks, create dioramas of the Underground Railroad in action, and have their students read chapters of Ralph Ellison’s "The Invisible Man."

Few could have imagined, when historian Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week 87 years ago, that today, millions would celebrate the contributions of black Americans for an entire month, in schools, churches, offices and homes throughout the country.

But is Black History Month enough, and does segregating our celebrations to one month let the nation off the hook for integrating the story of blacks into the broader narrative? In an ideal world, American—and world—history as taught in our schools would reflect the full picture, representative of the rainbow of peoples and cultures that contributed to it. There's something about black history being separated and discussed only during one short month that seems to diminish the achievements of African Americans.

“Our documentation of our cultural achievements and history are a way to prove our very humanity when so many are invested in dehumanizing black people," says Janell Hobson, an associate professor of women’s studies at The University at Albany, who also lectures about black history.. "There is a racial ideology that says ‘These people have no history, no culture, therefore they are not quite human.’”

It took almost 30 years after the first observance of Woodson's Negro History Week before the mayors of several major cities issued proclamations making the week official. The first U.S. president to acknowledge the significance of black history to Americans of every hue was President Gerald Ford, who, during the 1976 bicentennial celebration, urged the nation to “seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That same year, the association Woodson created to carry out his mission, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), expanded the celebration to a month-long affair, following the lead of young celebrants on college campuses who had long dedicated February to the celebration of black history and culture, and updated the vernacular to refer to it as Black History Month.

In the years since, events in black history have been infused in everything from lesson plans to pop culture, with our contributions getting the Hollywood treatment on the big and small screen in films such as "Red Tails," "The Great Debaters" and HBO's "Something The Lord Made." But despite such inroads, black history and the accomplishments of African Americans are still too often segregated when it comes to larger discussions of U.S. history in school curricula or with regard to media images of racial norms in pop culture.

[ALSO READ: OBAMA'S 2ND TERM: IT'S NOT OVER]

“I cannot tell you how many times students—white, black, Latino, Asian—express gratitude that I’ve exposed them to new narratives and new histories and how they wished they had been given this information elsewhere," says Hobson. "While I take it as a compliment that they feel they’ve learned so much from me, I also feel that too many of us who are faculty of color are burdened with being the ones to provide the ‘diverse’ perspective in colleges and universities. How do we diversify this education so that all faculty are teaching from a multiracial perspective of history and society?”

Perhaps a more comprehensive and integrated view of history would better achieve Woodson's mission. When he first celebrated Negro History Week during the second week of February 1926—he chose the second week of the month because it included the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and emancipator Abraham Lincoln, and was already a time of celebration in the black community—he theorized that teaching black history would, “besides building self-esteem among blacks, help eliminate prejudice among whites.”

But the focus during February is typically on the same African Americans--Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass--as if African American history is limited to the accomplishments of these notable few.

“Textbooks have done a better job of including African Americans into U.S. history texts, but this is usually confined to the most famous leaders who have been validated by the U.S. historians and the political establishment. Some leaders are not mentioned because they are considered too radical or controversial,” says V.P. Franklin, a history professor and editor of The Journal of African American History at University of California, Riverside. “Black History Month provides the opportunity to focus on leaders who are often missing, such as Henry McNeal Turner, Marcus Garvey, Ida Wells-Barnett, W. E. B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, and Malcolm X.”

[ALSO READ: A POST-RACIAL SOCIETY?]

For some, the very existence of Black History Month helps feed the notion that African American history isn't American history. Lloyd Marcus, chairman of the Conservative Campaign Committee certainly thinks so:

“I think it is time for Black History Month to end. Rather than focusing on contributions by blacks, educators, the media, and the Democratic Party chose to focus on promoting the lie that blacks are eternal victims of an eternally racist America," says Marcus. “Am I saying to ignore the mistreatment of blacks in American history? Absolutely not. I am simply saying tell the whole story.”

However, the consensus among pundits, activists and historians seems to be that there is yet work to be done in educating not only blacks, but all Americans, about the contributions of people of African descent across the spectrum of life in the U.S. and abroad, and this annual celebration is key to the struggle.

"Black History Month is needed now more than ever because there is a need for the younger generations to be informed about history in general, and African American history in particular," Franklin says. "It allows exposure to past events that shaped the nation and focuses attention on the numerous and varied contributions made to the nation's development by people of African descent."

Michael Coard, a Philadelphia-based attorney and founding member of the Avenging The Ancestors Coalition agrees that dedicating February to our past is still important. 

Poverty On College Campuses

From homelessness to food insecurity, college students are increasingly becoming the hidden face of poverty

The Top 4 New Year's Resolutions for Black America

Black leaders provide their wish list

Despite worries that December 21 would mark the world’s end, 2013 has arrived, and with it, the tradition of making resolutions for the new year. In homes around the country, people are vowing to eat better, exercise more, and spend less—all admirable, personal pursuits. But what if you could use the new year as an opportunity to make changes that could collectively improve the lives of black Americans?

Good news: You can. We went to some of our biggest advocates and asked where you should start. Each provided their number one resolution for African Americans. Read on to be inspired and find out why each resolution is important to having not just a happy new year, but a happy generation.

Shavon Arline-Bradley, Director of Health Programs for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
“In this new year, black America has to commit herself to strive for total health and wellness for a better future for generations to come. Start with the ABCs of physical screenings: hemoglobin A1c (diabetes), blood pressure and cholesterol. To add to this list, persons between the ages of 13 and 64 should get an annual HIV test regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or marital status. Black women, please remember to schedule pap smears and do breast exams. It is also important for black men to get annual prostate exams starting at 40 or earlier with a family history. These screenings are critical and can be the difference between life and death. The black community should also tackle key strategies to support healthy lifestyles, including increasing physical activity, improving nutrition choices, reducing stress, and addressing mental health with professional counseling and therapy. Become an advocate and support issues like equal access to health care through the Affordable Care Act and sound the alarm to build healthier schools and community environments for our children and families to live active and productive lives. The choice is yours: Will we continue down the dismal road of elevated health disparities, or will we conquer our ills and live long, healthy lives?”

[ALSO READ: New Year’s Resolutions]

If ever there was an area where black America needs an intervention, it’s wellness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all black women age 20 and over have high blood pressure, and 54 percent are obese. And blacks are 20 percent more likely to report psychological distress than whites. This is an area where it’s easy to change your trajectory. Start by using this tool to receive a personalized checklist of health screenings you need, including detailed information on each. Then check out this list of preventive services covered by Obamacare, and find out where you can get free or low-cost care. For help with local advocacy, join your local NAACP chapter, or partner with the American Public Health Association.

Kenneth Braswell, Sr., Executive Director of Fathers Incorporated and Director of the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse
“The stability of, and commitment to, family must be our number one priority in 2013. Both of those begin with a focus on our children. More than ever it will be critical that black families place children first in our priorities. In 1965, the Moynihan Report prompted America to pay attention to the formation of black families. Much of what it predicted has come to pass—73 percent of our children being born into out-of-wedlock households is proving that Black men and women are less likely to commit to each other. We are losing our sense of collective purpose and family, and because of it, the well being of our children is suffering. We need a 100 percent commitment to ensure that our children receive everything they need from both parents.”

A full 59 percent of Black kids live in homes that don’t include their fathers, versus 27.6 percent of the total population, and they are suffering for it. Children who don’t live with daddy are 54 percent more likely to be poorer than he is. Fatherless children are twice as likely to be high school dropouts, and are at 77 percent greater risk of being physically abused than kids living in two-parent homes. Take President Obama’s Fatherhood Pledge, and visit Fatherhood.org for tips for connecting with your kids and mentoring other children in need of role models.

Garrick Davis, Legislative Director of Economic & Financial Policy for the National Urban League Policy Institute
“The single largest economic issue confronting black America is the rapidly widening wealth gap. A study conducted by the Pew Center for Research shows that the average black family has a net worth of roughly $5,700. By comparison, the average white family in America has a net worth of roughly $113,000. To put it another way, when one subtracts all that they owe from all that they own, the average family in America has twenty dollars for each one dollar owned by a black family. As municipal budget, state revenues, and federal appropriations decline, and non-profit operating costs rise, black families will find themselves increasingly alone in seeking solutions to the most persistent conditions caused by a lack of financial resources. Periodic savings to build cash reserves is of critical importance: whether $5, $10 or $50 per paycheck. Once this habit is established, longer-term savings vehicles must be employed—savings certificates, equities and other forms of investment. Finally, debt reduction is not only a prescription for our nation’s economy; it should also play a critical role in our personal finances. The reduction of credit card debt adds monthly purchasing power in the form of money saved, as opposed to money being spent on purchases of long ago. With these simple resolutions turned healthy habits, black America will end 2013 in a much better position than where we begin.”

[ALSO READ: Why The Environment Is a Civil Rights Issue]

Remember the housing bubble? Studies show that it significantly impacted black America, and is the main cause of plummeting net worth, leading to the highest white-to-black wealth ratios since the Census Bureau started publishing wealth estimates by race in 1984. But getting in the saving habit can benefit us today and tomorrow. First, create a budget to see how much you can afford to save. Then head over to Bankrate.com to find a high-yield savings account, and set up automatic transfers for each payday, so you don’t have a chance to miss your money.

Quentin James, National Director of the Sierra Student Coalition at the Sierra Club
“My resolution is that black America will continue to embrace the natural beauty of the world around us, as a family. Whether it is feeding our children healthier, organic foods, taking public transit versus driving or unplugging those appliances we aren’t using, everyone can contribute and respect Mother Earth. With the departure of Lisa Jackson from the Environmental Protection Agency, we need African Americans to call for cleaner air, water and food more than ever. If our nation doesn’t make significant progress on climate change in 2013, we will continue to see extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy devastate our communities, and major droughts run up food prices throughout the world. Ordinary folks are developing resilient solutions like urban organic gardens, clean technology companies and efforts to connect black folks to the outdoors. This year, step it up. Start small, but be bold and decisive in your commitment to be greener.”

Environmentalism is about more than saving whales—it’s about saving ourselves. Blacks disproportionately make our homes near hazard waste sites, and 90 percent of black children ages three to five years have elevated lead levels, which is associated with behavior and attention problems, reduced IQ, academic trouble, hearing trouble and kidney damage. Do something about it: Join your local Sierra Club chapter, or check with the National Resources Defense Council to find an environmental justice organization near you.

What resolutions will you make to help black Americans get ahead in 2013? Share in the comments.

How Tobacco Companies Are Killing Our Black Teens

Here's what we can do to help

You would have had to have been born yesterday to not know that cigarettes are terrible for you. So it makes sense that, increasingly, the folks who turn to cancer sticks are, in fact, minors who have never known a time when pagers were the height of on-the-go technology, or Tupac wasn’t a martyr.

According to the American Lung Association, 90 percent of all smokers take their first puff before the age of 18, and 99 percent light up by the age of 25.

Rashe Warren is one of those young smokers. The Baltimore native had his first cigarette at 15; just one of the 3,800 teenagers who try cigarettes for the first time each day. Seven years later, he’s still hooked.

“I saw it around me—home, school, outside, everywhere—and wanted to try it," said Warren, now 22 years old. "I kinda liked it, so I just went with it."

[Cig Co.'s Don’t Have to Show Graphic Warnings]

Warren says cigarettes seemed like a better alternative to illegal substances like marijuana, but he knows they are dangerous. “I wouldn’t say smoking isn’t gonna kill me, ’cause I know that it can. So I try to lighten up on it, and smoke less than I used to,” he said. He currently smokes 11 cigarettes each day.

He’s right. According to the Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, 1,200 smokers die each day. And cigarette manufacturers are working overtime to replace the dead; each day they entice at least two young people to become regular smokers.

Nationwide, about 20 percent of adults smoke cigarettes; that percentage jumps to 23.1 percent for African Americans. More than 600,000 middle school kids smoke, along with 3 million high schoolers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 43.5 percent of black teens have smoked a cigarette at some point in their young lives, and three-quarters of them continue smoking as adults.

It’s not by chance that they try them. United States tobacco companies spend more than $100 million an hour marketing their products. And it works; upward of 80 percent of underage smokers choose the three brands that are the most heavily advertised. The average young person is exposed to 559 tobacco ads annually; African American adults see 892 ads each year.

A 2011 study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine found that in California neighborhoods with high schools, as the number of black students increased, the amount of local advertising for menthol cigarettes jumped, and the price of said cigarettes dropped—a combination that entices young folks to purchase mentholated cigarettes in increasing numbers.

“Menthol cigarettes serve as a starter product for youth smoking. We need to protect our youth from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and findings from this study further support a ban on menthol flavor in cigarettes,” said study coauthor Amanda Dauphinee from the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee found that “menthol cigarettes are marketed disproportionately to younger smokers” and “disproportionately marketed per capita to African Americans.” Indeed, more than four out of every five black smokers ages 12 and older reach for mentholated cigarettes, compared to just a quarter of whites.

Warren smokes Newport Menthols. “Those are the ones I started out with," he said. "I'm not trying to fix something that isn’t broken. Menthols taste better. The other ones are nasty; I take a puff of one and put it down."

But menthol cigarettes do more than provide a minty taste. "Some think that by reducing the irritation to the airways by smoke, the menthol promotes deeper breaths and thus allows delivery of more toxins per breath, although this remains a theory. But according to FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, menthol cigarettes increase the number of children who experiment with cigarettes and the number of children who become regular smokers,” said Norman H. Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association (ALA).

[ALSO READ: Exercise Helps Teen Smokers Quit]

Regardless of the brand, cigarettes deliver a dangerous drug, one that causes permanent damage in teens. Young smokers can actually end up with lungs that never reach full capacity, which puts them at increased risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, and among teens who continue to smoke as adults, a third die prematurely. Black men who smoke are more likely than other smokers to develop and die from tobacco-related cancers, too. This is compounded by the impact of second- and third-hand smoke, which cause cancer and other diseases in those who share space with smokers, especially children.

So it’s important that we encourage the youngest among us to step away from cigarettes. The best way to prevent an addiction is to keep them from starting in the first place. Have frank conversations about the health impacts at an early age, and don’t let family or friends smoke around your children. When you see advertisements, discuss why they are inaccurate and detail how the company is trying to hook them for life.

About half of all young smokers have tried to quit. Warren is among them, but it didn’t stick. “I didn’t want to be addicted to anything, so I tried to quit after a year," he said. "I did it for like a month, and then I found myself smoking another one. I was craving them. I’m definitely addicted."

But there are resources that can help. NotOnTobacco.com and Teen.Smokefree.gov are great places to start for free smoking cessation programs; they can also sign up by texting “QUIT” to iQUIT (47848). And researchers say that students who combine a smoking cession program with an exercise regimen are more likely to kick the habit.

Erika Sward, assistant vice president of national advocacy for the ALA, suggests that change must also come from the top: “States and the federal government are not doing enough to prevent kids from starting such as funding prevention and quit-smoking programs; making all public and work places smoke-free; and increasing tobacco taxes. Time will tell if the government takes that step.

Started smoking as a teen? Kicked the habit young? Share your story in the comments.

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Rape on Campus

One in five female students has been sexually assaulted

For most students, college is a dream, full of promise, ripe with new experiences for academic and social growth. But for too many women enrolled in undergraduate school, college ends up being a waking nightmare. One in five female students experience either attempted or completed sexual assault during their tenure, according to a study in the Journal of American College Health, making rape the most common violent crime on college campuses nationwide (6 percent of men are assaulted). Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) may be a bastion of opportunity for black women, but nearly one in seven have reported assault there, too.

Beyond campus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey found that women are four times more likely to be violated between the ages of 18 and 24 than at any other time. And while 17.7 percent of all white women experience some type of sexual assault in their lifetime, that rate is 18.8 percent for black women, and 24.4 percent for those who identify as mixed race.

But these numbers don’t tell the whole story—the U.S. Department of Justice estimates that just 27 percent of all rapes were reported last year. On college campuses, that report rate drops to a mere 5 percent.

There seems to be a perfect storm of issues that make students especially vulnerable to sexual assault during their college years. “College campuses can foster a false sense of security. Rapists look to exploit vulnerabilities that can arise in these environments, as students let their guards down in social situations. The majority of these assaults are committed by someone known to the victim,” says Katherine Hull, spokesperson for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

That’s the case at least 80 percent of the time, whether they are currently in an intimate relationship or casual acquaintances. Women (and men) are less likely to report assault when it’s at the hands of someone they know for many reasons, including fear of retaliation, concern that the school won’t help them, uncertainty as to whether it was rape, worry that they won’t be believed, and feelings of guilt and shame.

[ALSO READ: Republicans and Their Obsession with Rape]

Alcohol and drug consumption are also tied to an increased risk of assault. Nine out of 10 campus cases involve alcohol, according to the Center for Problem Oriented Policing, with both offenders and victims imbibing before the attack. Drinking is associated with heightened aggression, misreading of cues, and a decreased ability to protect oneself.

The job of protecting students naturally falls to the universities where the assaults are happening. But recent high-profile cases, like one at Amherst College that resulted in suicide, have left some wondering if they are doing enough. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) research shows that nearly half of all college students ages 18 to 24 have five or more drinks in one sitting at least once a month. Yet six years after NIAAA issued evidence-based recommendations to colleges to reduce student drinking, a follow-up study found that only 3 percent of colleges had implemented all of them (just 39 percent had executed some of them). The National Institute of Justice found that only 40 percent of schools offer sexual violence prevention programs, and less than one-third of those programs include information on reducing acquaintance rape, despite the fact that it is the most common type.

Things don’t look much better when it comes to prosecuting rapists. The Center for Public Integrity’s yearlong probe found that even when students are deemed “responsible” for a sexual assault, they don’t meet with consequences that victims and advocates consider adequate. In fact, they discovered that among approximately 130 schools included in the U.S. Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women’s database, only 10 percent to 25 percent of perpetrators found to be at fault are expelled. Schools say they treat the assaults as teachable moments, choosing not to deter the men from earning their education, instead opting for social probation, counseling, research assignments about sexual violence, letters of apology and short-term suspension in hopes of reforming them.

The problem with that? A 20-year study found that most men who commit rape in college aren’t guys who accidentally crossed the line in a drunken case of misunderstanding. They are often serial rapists—more than half of them are repeat offenders, responsible for, on average, 5.8 offenses. “Colleges and universities must take action on all incidents and work with local law enforcement, rather than handle cases internally,” Hull says. “Schools need to clearly convey that sexual assault is a crime that they take seriously. This will not only make survivors feel supported, but it will convey to perpetrators that this crime will not be tolerated.”

The consequences of those crimes can extend far beyond a woman’s college career. In the United States, 32,000 women are impregnated each year as a result of rape. Survivors are more likely than other women to experience depression and post traumatic stress disorder. They are 26 times more likely to use drugs, 13 times more likely to drink, and 4 times more likely to consider suicide.

[ALSO READ: Rape Kits Go Untested]

Last year, the U.S. Department of Education provided new guidance to schools in response to criticism, making it clear that to receive federal funding, schools must follow all tenets of Title IX, which requires that they respond effectively to sexual violence that occurs both on and off campus. “Our first goal is prevention through education. Information is always the best way to combat sexual violence. Our larger goal is to raise awareness to an issue that should have no place in society and especially in our schools,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, during the official announcement. The Administration’s guidance outlines prevention tactics and rules for response, which include ending “hostile environments” for survivors, which could include expulsion. Guidelines do not require schools to involve local police unless it is requested.

But the best remedy is prevention. While rape is never the fault of the victim, there are things students can do to lower their risk. “Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in any situation, go with your gut and leave. Also, it’s important to make people earn your trust. Just because you recognize someone from class, or s/he is in your social group, doesn’t mean that they’ll look out for your best interests. Get to know people first and then decide whether to trust them,” Hull says. Find more tips on the RAINN website.

For those who have already survived an assault, there is help. Take Hull’s advice:  “It’s never too late to begin the recovery process. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) to be connected with your local rape crisis center, or chat online with a RAINN staff member.”

Are you surprised that the rate of campus sexual assault is so high? Tell us in the comments.

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Racists Let Loose After Obama's Reelection

Computer screens are the new white hoods as folks take to the web to trash the president

Remember after President Barack Obama was elected the first time, and the media was pushing the idea of a “Post-Racial America”? One where no white person could possibly be racist, because, look, 43 percent of white folks were suddenly colorblind and gracious enough to vote for the junior Senator from Illinois? One where black folks could no longer complain that they were being held back because of their race, because, hey, there’s one of them leading the nation? One where reverse racism was the new thing holding folks back, as white people were increasingly discriminated against in favor of black folks?

What a difference four years makes. This time around, when the election was called for President Obama, there was no pretense of civility, or of a connectedness that extends beyond the very real barriers of race in this country. In fact, the race-baiting was in place long before the president’s acceptance speech. This time around, it seemed as if “Be as racist as you can” was point three of the Republican strategy, right behind “Be as vague as possible” and “Have no regard for people who have less money than you.” From “Invisible Obama” chairs hanging from trees in Virginia, to the Birthers, who continue to demand proof that Obama is American, the racist language took on both overt and coded forms.

[ALSO READ: Obama Hangs in Effigy Outside Church]

It’s the coded stuff that aggravates me the most, the (not at all) sly suggestions from some Conservative whites that he is not “one of us,” that he can’t possibly be that intelligent, that well-educated, that well-spoken, that there must be some type of fraud going on for him to be in the position he’s in. Donald Trump is the bad-haired, big-mouthed personification of this attitude: “I have a deal for the president… If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications, and if he gives his passport applications and records I will give to a charity of his choice—inner-city children in Chicago, American Cancer Society, AIDS research, anything he wants—a check immediately for $5 million.”

Jason Thompson, son of Tommy Thompson, who lost his race for Senator of Wisconsin to Tammy Baldwin, stomped all over the line at a campaign event when he said, “We have the opportunity to send President Obama back to Chicago—or Kenya.” And former presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich didn’t even bother to veil his intention when he said, “President Obama is the best food-stamp president in American history.”

Other phrases in the coded racism dictionary include: Paul Ryan’s “urban areas” (black neighborhoods), Bill O’Reilly’s “traditional America” (an America where the will of white men is the only one that matters) and Mike Huckabee’s “Christians” (Conservative whites).

[READ MORE: Pro vs Con: A Post-Racial Society?]

So I’m not even a little bit surprised at the vitriol that we’ve seen both in the media and online following last week’s election. From the woman who tweeted: “And another 4 years of the n-----. Maybe he will get assassinated this term..!!” to Karl Rove, who refused to admit that the president had won reelection even after his beloved Fox News called it, things have clearly descended to new lows.

Glowing computer and smart phone screens are the new white hoods, providing a tantalizing feeling of safety that makes racists as bold as a shot of Jäger. Social networking has given some folks a platform that is simultaneously public enough to draw attention, and private enough to provide a sense of security that leads to tragically ignorant posts like those on the White People Mourning Romney Tumblr, which include greatest hits like this: “To my friends and family members in facebook. You won’t be seeing me on here for a while after this, as I try to wrap my head around the fact that, for the first time in my life, I’m no longer proud to be an American. I wake up this morning to find I’m living in a country that values image over substance, sloth over hard work, and socialism over capitalism. I find myself now contemplating the idea finding another country in which to live, and letting the scum-sucking leaches and parasites, which now outnumber people like me who still value Liberty, Freedom, and an honest day’s work, have this once-great country. Texas, if you’re contemplating secession, count me in!” [sic]

He’s not the only one who wants to flee the scene. Residents in more than 40 states have filed and signed petitions to secede from the union on the White House’s We The People site in the days since the election, including 86,000+ in Texas, and nearly 8,000 in all-important Ohio.

[ALSO READ: President May Respond to Secession Requests]

Twitter is especially rife with hate. Cool site FloatingSheep.org created a map that plots the states where the largest concentration of hate tweets originated, and found that Alabama (where Romney won 60.7 percent of the vote) and Mississippi (55.5 percent) had the greatest number in the nation.

The one good thing about this vomiting of hate is that the media has moved on from telling this false post-racial narrative of an America where minorities have ascended to a favored status and white men are persecuted for their skin color. And perhaps once the right stops going on cable news shows perpetrating that lie as the reason they lost this election, we can have real discussions about how our leaders can meet the needs of all Americans.

Or maybe not.

Are you surprised by the outpouring of racism during this election cycle? Tell us in the comments.

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Where Were You?

Will you ever forget the moment President Obama was reelected?

History is littered with terrible “Where were you?” moments: There’s the moment you found out Tupac had been shot (in my room, listening to my boom box), when you watched O.J. flee the police in a white Bronco (in my auntie’s front room), and, of course, when the first tower was hit on 9/11 (in my dorm room at Howard University, getting ready for class). But we don’t get many positive ones.

So when, at 11:12 p.m. on Tuesday night, MSNBC called the election for my president, I was beside myself, much as I was four years ago. This time, I was blessed to share it with my 16-month-old daughter, who, like her mother, was too wound up to sleep.

[READ MORE: "The Best is Yet to Come"]

It wasn’t just that the guy I was rooting for won, or that the other guy lost. It’s the fact that, despite having voted in every presidential election since 2000, this president is the first one I’ve ever felt was mine. And it’s not, contrary to what conservatives will have you think, because of his skin color. Sure, I love that he’s black; I’d be a liar if I said any different. But the deeper truth of it is, I appreciate the significance of his ascendency in a country where, in my father’s lifetime, people who looked like us where unable to exercise the rights granted to them by the 15th Amendment.

The real reason I was screaming like a maniac is that I knew President Barack Obama would continue to fight for everyone, even those who were angriest about his reelection. There would be no 47 percent left to fend for itself, no class warfare waged to shut out those who didn’t support his candidacy. When he said, during his acceptance speech, “We are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people,” I felt it keenly. Whether or not you think of yourself as patriotic, it’s hard to argue with that notion when you only have to look around to see the impact of the recession.

[READ MORE: What to Expect if Barack Obama is Re-Elected Nov. 6]

That feeling of solidarity is the root of why I didn’t vote for He Who Must Not Be Named. To me, he represented an idea that’s scarier than any tax cut or global warming denial. It’s the notion that self-interest is everything, that taking care of each other is a bad thing, and taking away the rights of others is the American way (even if history shows us that it is).

While I’m realistic in my view of what the president can accomplish with a divided Congress and views that don’t always mesh exactly with mine (thumbs down on drilling and drones), I’m hopeful that we’ll be better off in 2016 than we are today. And as big a deal as this week’s win was to me, I hope that when I remind my daughter where she was during that moment one day, it will be old hat her. As a toddler, she has only lived in a world where it’s not just possible for a black man to run the show, but a reality, and that’s the very best thing of all.

Where were YOU when Barack Obama was reelected? How do you feel? Tell us in the comments.

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Barack Obama's Education Grade

What the president has done on education gets high marks.

Pro vs Con: Should We Immunize Our Children?

Two powerful arguments for an issue dividing the nation

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of vaccine reactions, can help parents identify vaccine reaction symptoms that may require immediate medical attention and help parents work with their doctors to make sure more vaccinations will not cause more serious reactions or permanent health problems. Parents should be aware that it is the legal duty of pediatricians and all vaccine providers to:

• Provide written vaccine benefit and risk information to the parents of a minor child or adult before a federally recommended vaccine is given;
• Keep a permanent record of all federally recommended vaccinations administered, including dates and doses of vaccines given; the manufacturer’s name and vaccine lot number; and the name, title and address of the vaccine provider;
• Record in the permanent medical record symptoms of serious health problems, which occur after federally recommended vaccines are given to a child or adult, many of which are described in the law’s Vaccine Injury Table;
• Report symptoms of serious health problems, which occur after a federally recommended vaccine is given, including hospitalizations, injuries and deaths, to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).

It is a good idea to ask the person giving your child vaccines to give you a copy of this information the day vaccination takes place so you will have a permanent record.

Loop 21:Are alternate schedules that spread out or skip vaccinations a safe compromise? Why or why not?

Snyder (PRO): The timing of the vaccines and the schedule of doses is designed to confer the highest degree of protection to infants and children when their risk is greatest. It takes into consideration both safety and efficacy, and is informed by the best available scientific evidence. This data is constantly reviewed and changes are made when warranted by new evidence. When parents make changes to this schedule, whether by delaying or spreading out immunizations, or by avoiding certain immunizations all together, children are put at risk for contracting serious and preventable diseases. Many parents have been led to believe that a spread-out vaccination schedule is somehow “safer” than the one recommended by the CDC. Some of this comes from “how-to” style books, even some written by pediatricians. If there are parents out there who are considering altering the schedule, I recommend they read my review of one such popular fear-spreading book.

Fisher (CON): There are many biological, genetic, environmental and other co-factors that may raise or lower vaccine risks for an individual child. As a consumer-led organization, NVIC does not give advice about vaccine schedules but encourages well-informed vaccine decision-making, which also includes a discussion about the pros and cons of vaccination for a child with one or more trusted health care professionals. If a doctor refuses to discuss vaccination with you or respect the vaccine decisions you have made for your child, it is important to search for a doctor who will work with you and respect your choices. At the end of the day, it is you and your child, not your doctor or state health official, who will personally live with the consequences of the decision you make.

[ALSO READ: Benefits of Young Motherhood]

Loop 21:Is there anything else our readers need to know about immunization?

Snyder (PRO): As the diseases that were once commonplace causes of childhood suffering and death have faded from memory, fear of the vaccines themselves have taken their place. These fears, however, are unwarranted. Though we can trace the complex routes of these fears, they are not based in scientific fact. The truth is that immunizations remain an extremely safe and hugely important preventive health measure. They are perhaps the single most important and effective way of protecting your child from harm that we have. I plead with parents to let reason and level-headedness prevail when confronted with the onslaught of information they encounter about this subject. Speak with your doctor, and let the experts inform on this critical issue.

Fisher (CON): There is a national Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that was created under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, that parents should be aware of in the event their child suffers a permanent health problem related to vaccination.

Do you support childhood vaccinations? Tell us in the comments.

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Binders, Malarkey: Funny, But Not Enough to Win This Election

We have to do more than repeat the candidates' catch phrases come Nov. 6

As a child of the ’80s, catch phrases have played a prominent role in my life. From Mr. T’s forceful “I pity the fool!” to Scarface’s terribly-accented “Say hello to my little friend,” some cats are still using some of the biggest ones at (in)appropriate times.

We’ve seen a surge of new catch phrases in the last few weeks of this election cycle. While slogans have long been election mainstays—Hoover’s “A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage” in 1928, Eisenhower’s “I like Ike” in 1952, Obama’s “Yes we can” in 2008 come to mind—the candidates’ off the cuff remarks have quickly become more widely known than the phrases the campaigns spend millions plastering on bumper stickers, T-shirts and online adds. Blame the combination of televised debates and real-time second screen commentary on social networks like Twitter and Facebook; we don’t even have to wait for the media to tell us what’s resonating with viewers. Before the closing statements are delivered, we know exactly what the latest catch phrase will be (at least among those who actually watch debates).

Joe Biden created several new memes during his performance at last week’s vice presidential debate. Thanks to him, I’ve shouted, “That’s a bunch of stuff!” and “Malarkey!” at least 270 times, mostly at my (slightly annoyed) husband. And after watching the second presidential debate on Tuesday, we have a few new catch phrases to add to the lexicon. The first came from Mitt Romney, who in response to a question about workplace gender inequality, spoke about “binders full of women” he requested when looking to fill staff positions. Of course, #bindersfullofwomen began to trend on Twitter almost immediately. The second came when Romney thought he had President Obama’s back against a wall about the attack in Benghazi, and the president essentially told him to go sit down. I promise you, “Get the transcript” is not only the latest catch phrase, it is the new black.

But as folks create new Twitter handles (@RomneyBinders had 32K followers just three hours after the debate closed) and testify about how awesome their candidate is on FB, I can’t help but wonder if this digital fervor will translate into actual votes. I’m not just talking about the folks who are watching and typing; I’m fairly sure that most of them will actually head to the polls. No, while the faithful watchers among us are trying to work “Get the transcript” into the conversation (it’s only slightly easier than “That’s what she said”), it’s the folks who won’t get our oh-so-cleverness who concern me. I don’t yet have the numbers for this week’s matchup, but 67.2 million people watched the first debate. Sounds like a lot, but it’s actually less than half of the 146 million people who were registered to vote in the last presidential election. That’s a whole lot of people who aren’t engaged in what some consider the most interesting nights of this drawn out process. I wonder how many of those who didn’t tune in will make it to the polls on Nov. 6?

There may be just 18 days to go until Election Day, but that’s still plenty of time for us to do our part to get everyone to the polls. Registration deadlines have passed for many states, but more than 20 states are still signing up folks (including 10 that allow registration on Election Day). Use Rock The Vote’s tool to check in with folks in your networks to see if they’re registered, and pick up the phone to check on your offline friends and family. Then get them to the polls; you don’t even have to call them yourself on Election Day, just send them a link to TurboVote.org, which not only helps them register, but sends text and email remainders to prod them to go exercise their rights.

These days, when our reproductive rights and soldiers are in harm’s way, it’s not enough to be funny on the Internet. We have to let our enthusiasm spill from the computer screen and into the streets. Don’t believe me? Get the transcript.

What are you doing to win the election for your candidate? Tell us in the comments.

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Debating the Truth

From Big Bird to boldfaced lies, the first presidential debate proves we need to educate ourselves during this election cycle.

Watching debates are always more than a little stressful to me. I get wrapped up in the rhetoric, angry with ineffective moderators, and pissed off by the half-truths and straight up lies. So of course last night’s debate had me turned up to eleven. Here are my top takeaways:

Folks really love Sesame Street. When GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that he would wipe out the deficit by getting rid of the famous kids’ show, which has been running on public television since 1969, the Internet lit up. Facebook was immediately populated with pics of the show’s famous Muppets in angry stances, and Big Bird suddenly had several new Twitter accounts, including one that already has nearly 17,000 followers and spouts missives such as “Tonight’s Sesame Street was also brought to you by the numbers 4 and 7.” But I’m not surprised Romney has beef with Sesame Street. It’s clearly a bit hood (um, Oscar the Grouch, anyone), hella integrated (Black folk, white folk, Hispanics, and monsters, son), and full of lessons about doing right by the community—all things that haven’t exactly been hallmarks of the Republican candidate’s campaign. Romney had better pray he doesn’t win this election; the toddlers I know would cut him for messing with their show.

[ALSO READ: Romney Bullies Past Obama]

Undecided voters are ridiculous. I watched the debate on CNN, and they had a panel of “undecided” voters watch and weigh as the candidates spoke. I probably spent way too much time watching the squiggly lines jump around at the bottom of the screen, but I spent even more time thinking about a skit on last week’s SNL that had me dying laughing. In it, undecided voters were portrayed as idiots who ask questions such as, “Can women vote?” and “What are the names of the two people running, and be specific?” and “How long is a president’s term in office? One year? Two years? Three years? Or life?” With just 32 days to go until November 6, I just find it hard to believe that there are folks who are waiting until after the debates to pick a side. Who the hell are these people? Are they the people who pop up in my Facebook feed posting pictures of what they had for dinner when everyone else is talking about the debate and inventing new Twitter hashtags (#imaginaryundecideds)? I’m beginning to think they just want to be on television; stranger things have happened for 15 minutes of screen time.

[ALSO READ: Young Minorities Look for Options]

There’s no such thing as unbiased media. I’ve always watched CNN because it seemed to be slightly less biased than the other cable news networks; MSNBC “Leans Forward” and Fox News is…Fox News. But the hosts (especially Wolf “the president was clearly on the defensive” Blitzer) annoyed the hell out of me last night, with their declarations of who “won” the debate. Never mind that making pronouncements is actually the job of the pundits, and, yes, I would have been annoyed no matter who they said “won.” As much as I love writing opinionated pieces like this one, as a trained journalist, I truly appreciate when someone examines both sides of an issue, rather than ram an opinion down my throat. It drives me nuts that they don’t even give folks a chance to digest how they feel about the debate before they start telling them exactly how they should feel. I move that we all turn off the TV immediately after the debates and talk amongst ourselves at home—or at least on Facebook. Who’s with me?

If you repeat a lie aggressively enough, somebody will eventually call you a winner. From claiming that there are currently 23 million people unemployed (the Bureau of Labor Statistics says it’s actually 12.5 million), to pulling the fear card with renewed talk of Obamacare death panels (despite the fact that the Independent Payment Advisory Board by law cannot ration health care), to saying the president wants to cut Medicare by $716 million (when the cuts actually occur over 10 years and will extend the program’s solvency), to stepping away from his own plan to cut $5 trillion in taxes for the wealthy, Romney repeatedly lied like his pants were on fire. But he said it with so much conviction, that he earned style points from people who clearly weren’t listening very closely. As President Barack Obama’s deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said after the debate, “He’s not being honest with the American people.” Now I’m not naïve enough to think that candidates, including the Democratic one, don’t tell their version of the truth. As one of the aforementioned undecideds said, “I’m looking to see who lies to me the least.” And it didn’t help, of course, that President Obama at times looked like he couldn’t believe he had to debate this cat, as his opponent interrupted everyone and generally mowed over the too-soft moderator. But to repeat lies forcefully was clearly the strategy; back in the spin room, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said, “I think he did exactly what he had to do.” “Yeah, he lied!” is what I yelled back at the man who reportedly stood in for the president during Romney’s practice debates. He also failed once again to give any specifics about how he would execute his plans, which prompted the president to say, “Part of being principled and part of being a leader is being able to describe exactly what it is you intend to do.” Sheesh.

[ALSO READ: Romney Policies 'Worse' for Blacks]

I know “hope” is a bad word these days, right up there with “change,” but the only thing that makes me feel better about the threat to Big Bird’s life and the audacity of Romney’s lies is the hope that we are all taking the time to educate ourselves on the issues and vote based on actual facts. #naiveKenrya

What did you take away from last night’s debate? Tell us in the comments.

Does The Occupy Movement Matter?

What has the Occupy Movement done for us lately?

While the nation buzzes over Mitt Romney’s leaked video about the 47 percent of the country he disregards as “victims,” this week also marks the one-year anniversary of a movement that brought another percent-in-the-name group to the world’s consciousness: The Occupy Wall Street Movement first emerged in New York City’s Zuccotti Park on September 17, 2012, with its rallying cry to promote and protect the interests of the 99 percent of us who are struggling to climb out of the income gap.

The world had never heard the cry of “We are the 99-percent!” before that day in the park, yet the battle of the 99 against the 1 percent is hugely symbolic—at least to liberals—of exactly what’s at stake in this year’s presidential election. Not necessarily as a reflection of the people who support each candidate—because let’s not get it twisted, the 1 percent held a fundraiser for President Obama just this past Tuesday for $40K a head—but as a reflection of the people whose interests are valued by each candidate’s platform.

Anniversaries just beg for reflection: “How effective has this movement really been, especially for Black folks?” is the first thing I thought when I realized it had been an entire year. As an outsider looking in, it appears that while it succeeded in bringing many people together—both in NYC and in cities around the world—to protest and practice civil disobedience in an effort to bring attention to their causes, it didn’t necessarily directly cause any change, largely due to the fact that folks seemed to have trouble outlining exactly what type of change they were advocating for. OWS also reportedly didn’t include many black people, though polling has shown that we generally view the movement positively. But any group that advocates for a financial system that bolsters the middle class is one that helps the brownest among us.

I would actually argue that the movement’s greatest strength hasn’t been how effectively it can make a decision democratically without a real leader, or how long they have been able to hold on before police break out the pepper spray to disperse their protests. What makes OWS matter, the reason why anyone even cares that it has been around for the last year, is that it is still influencing the conversation, both on and off the election trail. Let’s listen in.

On the left hand, we have a candidate who has worked to reform Wall Street and lower taxes on the middle class and small business owners, who speaks of an America that recognizes “that we have responsibilities as well as rights.” On the right hand, we have a candidate who thinks “middle income” earners pull down $250K annually, supports his VP pick’s budget plan that would reportedly tax his income just 0.82 percent (while in 2009, the average American paid income tax at a rate of 11.6 percent), and speaks of 47 percent of Americans “who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims…These are people who pay no income taxes.”

So has the Occupy Wall Street Movement been positive for Black folks? I’d argue that that this year’s election will be the final arbiter, as we decide between the rhetoric of the left and that of the right. I’ll tell you one thing, though: I learned a long time ago that people will always tell you who you are—it’s up to you to listen and act accordingly.

Do you think the Occupy Movement has had a positive impact on America? Tell us in the comments.