Facebook Pastor Only Plans to Leave Post Temporarily

Cedric Miller is known nationally as "the Facebook Pastor," after telling his congregation to ban Facebook in order to save their marriages. Miller went as far as telling his church leaders that if they didn't give up their Facebook accounts, he would remove them from their posts.

It turned out that Pastor Miller may have had his own reasons for fearing Facebook. The popular social-networking site may have been linked to the affair the pastor had involving his male assistant and his wife. Whether it was swinging, bisexual activity or something else, most of us know that a preacher shouldn't be "getting freaky" at bible study (which is where much of the sex allegedly took place, according to court testimony).

Pastor Miller took his humiliation like a man. In a public display of what seemed to be sincere contrition, the pastor told his church that he would step down in response to his being exposed for living a double life. The problem was that his reaction was only temporary: Rather than giving up his post permanently, the pastor plans to leave for just a little while and return in 90 days. In other words, it seems that he plans on stepping down long enough for the controversy to cool itself off, and then it may be back to business as usual.

Miller, who is the pastor at the Living Word Christian Fellowship Church in Neptune Township, N.J., received a vote of confidence as the church's spiritual leader before making his decision public. He also said that he came to his conclusion after "prayer and thoughtful consideration" by the members of the board, according to the church's spokesperson.

Miller must be given credit for attempting to take a stand against something that does play a role in undermining the sanctity of the marital bond in quite a few families across America. There is nothing wrong with a person learning from his mistakes and using that as credibility when admonishing the actions of others. It would have been better had Miler "fessed up" from the beginning, rather than trying to appear holier than thou.

The challenge for Pastor Miller, however, is that he can't stop people from using Facebook. Facebook, and sites like it, are never going to go away. The only thing we can do is learn to live in a world where human beings are interconnected. Telling people to stop using Facebook and other sites is like telling men to stop going to work because women are going to be there.

As for his own personal choices, I openly wonder if Pastor Miller might be perceived to be a hypocrite for having a zero-tolerance policy toward members of his church who possess flaws that are not nearly as dramatic as his own. I also fear for the black community, which puts a tremendous amount of faith in quite a few spiritual leaders whose spirits are not nearly as pure as we are led to believe. Rather than being told what to believe by our so-called spiritual leaders, perhaps it makes sense for us to simply think for ourselves.

6 Things Your Dry Cleaner Won't Tell You

We got the best cleaning experts to air all their dirty laundry. Find out secret ways to save, which clothes you can really just wash yourself, and why organic is the most misleading word in the business.

1) Women Are Charged Substantially More
The automated machinery that most dry cleaners use is made to fit men's clothing only. "Putting in a smaller woman's blouse with all of its ornamentation would make it look like it was run over by a steamroller," says Wayne Edelman, President of Meurice Garment Care in New York City. Also, women's clothing often requires additional work — such as removing all the buttons and embellishments by hand before the cleaning process, according to John Mahdessian, President of Madame Paulette, another renowned dry cleaner in New York City. So that’s why having your stuff cleaned tends to cost you more. But if you're bringing in a standard wool suit without pleats or fancy buttons, you shouldn't be charged more than your boyfriend would for his suit.
Related: 5 Things a Fashion Stylist Won't Tell You

2) Organic Dry Cleaning Isn't Really Green.
There are no government standards for green dry cleaning yet. "Organic is the biggest misnomer in terms of cleaning," says Edelman. Most cleaners who advertise "organic" services use hydrocarbon, an "organic" substance only because it comes from the earth. And hydrocarbon is still considered toxic (and only slightly less so than PERC, short for perchloroethylen, which is used by about 85% of dry cleaners). "The only true organic clean is using water," he says. "But unfortunately not all garments can be cleaned using a water-based process."
Related: Top 10 Cheap (and Easy) Ways to Save the Planet

3) Bring Clothes in the Off-Season for the Quickest Turnaround.
The busiest time of year for dry cleaners is April through June, so bring your summer and spring outfits in during January and February — traditionally the slowest months of business. Some dry cleaners may even offer a 20-30% discount to fill the gap for work that they're not getting in that time frame.
Related: 5 Things Your Hairstylist Won't Tell You

4) Most Clothes Don't Need to Be Dry-Cleaned...
"We advise our clients to wash their cotton, solid color sweaters at home if they have time," says Edelman. He suggests using Johnson's baby shampoo or Woolite in cool water. Once you're done, roll them in a towel to remove excess water, and lay them out on a new towel to finish air drying. If you're unsure if you should wash a shirt yourself, Mahdessian says to wet a q-tip and dab it on an unseen area of your clothing, like under the armpit. If color comes off on the q-tip, bring it to the cleaners.
Related: The Sexiest Jeans for Your Body

5) How You Store Your Clothes Is As Important As How You Wash Them.
Don't keep your clothes in the plastic bags the dry cleaner puts them in. The polyethalene in the plastic begins to break down as soon as it's exposed to light, which causes discoloration on garments, says Edelman. Another way to avoid yellowing is to always clean clothes before putting them in storage: stains that might not be apparent will oxidize and become potentially permanent while hidden away.
Related: 4 Things Your Husband Won't Tell You

6) Treat Stains Right Away, Even if You're in a Pinch
"The longer a stain goes untreated, the more likely it becomes oxidized and sets into the fabric," says Mahdessian. If you stain your new LBD while out with your friends, put a stain remover on it as soon as you can and then hand wash. If you can't go to the cleaners or do laundry until next week, try pre-treating it with a stain remover (Edelmen recomments Shout Wipes), but don't apply laundry detergent directly on the stain. You can also buy Madame Paulette's professional stain removal kits to keep in your clutch in case of emergencies.

Can You Sue McDonald's For Making You Fat? Yes You Can!

Anyone who's worked in a job that involves food can probably tell you that such occupations are both a gift and a curse. The good is obvious: working at a restaurant usually means either free or discounted meals. I worked at various fast food places from Subway to Burger King before I graduated to The Day Job, and all that free food came in handy. It was basically one less item on which I needed to spend what little money I had. I could also hook up my friends at will. This probably wasn't exactly ethical, but hey, pay a guy $3.35 an hour, and the definition of "ethical" tends to change a bit.

The flip side of working fast food is you likewise develop some terrible eating habits. Most of these jobs are pretty sedentary as well, with little activity involved beyond standing up and washing an occasional pot. Combine lack of movement with foods swimming in fat, and you've got a pretty lethal combo on your hands. I also smelled like fries when I got off, which wasn't too cool either.

Anyways, common sense would dictate that a long-term career as a McManager would come with its own share of obvious occupational hazards. A Brazilian employee of the franchise lawyered up and recently won a judgment against the company for this very reason:

Black Unemployment Drops Slightly, Still Remains High

How one analyzes the black unemployment numbers for the month of October really comes down to whether you see the glass as being half empty or half full. On one hand, most of the indicators of black unemployment went down, but they still remain remarkably high relative to the numbers for white Americans.

According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, black unemployment dropped by .4 percentage points, from 16.1 percent to 15.7 percent. The number is still nearly double that of white unemployment, which lies at 8.8 percent.

Black male unemployment actually saw the steepest decline among all race/gender groups, dropping from 17.6 percent to 16.3 percent. The number is still 83 percent higher than white male unemployment (which is 8.9 percent).

Black women saw a slight increase in their unemployment rate, which went from 12.6 percent to 12.7 percent. The unemployment numbers for black women are 74 percent higher than those for white females (at 7.3 percent, lower than any other group in America).

Black teens saw mild relief from their unemployment crisis, but not very much. The unemployment rate for black teenagers dropped from 49 percent to 48 percent, but still remains more than double that of white teens (23.6 percent).

The numbers on black unemployment at least appear to be holding steady, but can be misleading due to the fact that quite a few Americans have simply stopped looking for work. Also, improvements in the black unemployment numbers must be balanced against the reality that black Americans are consistently unemployed at a rate that is nearly double that of the white American population. As I mentioned in my open letter to President Obama, this state of affairs cannot be allowed to exist much longer.

Facing Stiff Competition, Tyler Perry's 'For Colored Girls' Does Well At Box Office

Facing his toughest competition ever when opening a film, Tyler Perry's latest outing, 'For Colored Girls,' came in third place at the box office with $20.1 million.

The 3D animated film, 'Megamind,' topped the box office with an estimated $47.7 million, followed by the Robert Downey Jr./ Zach Galifianakis dramedy 'Due Date' with $33.5 million from 3,355 theaters.

"'Colored Girls' averaged a stellar $9,450 from 2,127 locations and like the filmmaker's prior work played heavily to black adult women. According to studio data, 82% of the crowd was female, 87% was over 25, and 81% was African American. Based on Ntozake Shange's 1975 play 'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf,' the film covered disturbing subject matter but brought out a large targeted audience thanks to the brand names of the director and the play, plus starpower from cast members like Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Phylicia Rashad, and Whoopi Goldberg. The gross was just somewhat below the $23.4M bow of Perry's last fall release 'I Can Do Bad All By Myself' from last year," said boxofficeguru.com.

While the number is lower than what box office experts had predicted, it's actually remarkable, considering that this was his first R-rated film that he's released.

According to the Wall Street Journal , it's also the third drama film, outside of horror films, to make over the $20 million plateau during its opening week behind Martin Scorsese's 'Shutter Island' and Ben Affleck's 'The Town.'

This is Perry's second film released this year. The PG-13 rated 'Why Did I Get Married Too?' grossed a total of $30.2 million in its opening weekend placing second behind 'Clash of the Titans.'

With the exception of 'Daddy's Little Girls' ($31 M) with Gabrielle Union and Idris Elba, and 'Meet The Browns' ($41.9M) with Angela Bassett, the rest of Perry's films have grossed over $50 million.

Coming in fourth place was the Bruce Willis-Morgan Freeman action film, 'Red,' with $8.9 million. The film has taken in a total of $71.9 million. After opening up number one last week, the horror film, 'Saw 3D,' dropped 66% to $8.2 million to round out the top five. It's total gross is $38.8 million, which is disappointed considering the inflated prices for a 3D film.

Gospel Music's Brian Courtney Wilson Back Again With More 'Love'

Brian Courtney Wilson has been having an incredible year. His Music World Gospel debut 'Just Love,' has held steady in the top 15 on the Billboard Top Gospel Album chart for over 76 weeks since it debuted #2 and the album's lead single 'All I Need' broke the all-time record for the longest-running current single ever in the history of the Billboard Gospel Charts.

Now, the Dove Award nominee is readying the album's re-release on Oct. 5.
"We have been very successful with the first release and we thought this was a great opportunity to re introduce who I am and what I am doing as well as put some new music on there for people who are supporting us," he shared with us.

'Just Love Deluxe Edition' will include five brand-new songs, including his new single, 'Awesome God.'

The University of Illinois graduate said that 'Awesome' is one of the first songs he recorded and that he's happy to re-record it especially since he wasn't the first choice to sing the song.

Music World head Mathew Knowles, who also manages the careers of his superstar daughter, Beyonce and recently signed Dr. Juanita Bynam II to his gospel imprint, couldn't be more pleased with Wilson's success and how quickly his new single is catching on.

"[He]is one of those rare talents to come along and earn the praise of gospel fans and who will certainly have a long term career," the black music maverick told BlackVoices.com. "We are proud of the accomplishments and the history making achievements that Brian and the Music World Gospel family have made. This is only the beginning."

Wilson said he's been most grateful to have such a supportive label boss.
"He's been very supportive from the start and allowed me to be myself in a way that's unique to any other label and to allow me to find my voice," the married father of two said. "Even with the re-launch he's put his money where his mouth is in support of what I am doing."

On Oct.8, he will join Marvin Sapp on the 'Most Powerful Voices Gospel Tour' sponsored by the American Heart Association/American Stoke Association's 'Power to End Stroke' initiative.

Wilson, who resides in Houston, Texas, is looking forward to learning from the 'Never Would've Made It' crooner on the trek.

"He's been doing this for years and from what I've seen from him he's been steady and not allowed the notoriety and the fame that comes with doing this type of work keeping him from keeping the main thing the main thing which has always been his family and God."

Wilson continued, "More than learning from him, just showing my love and support to him," given the recent loss of Sapp's wife.
In the midst of his success he's staying grounded, though.

"It's been great. Just getting an opportunity to find out that people can connect with your music universally is very inspiring to me," the ex-pharmaceutical salesman revealed.

And, that music is sure to continue inspiring gospel music lovers for a long time to come.

Black People and the N-Word: Filmmaker Dorian Chandler Explores

had a chance to chat the other day with award-winning filmmaker Dorian Chandler. Chandler is the author of the film "Nigger Nation," which explores the use of the n-word, and why people might think it's O.K. I've always been impressed with Chandler's work and consider her to be the best young filmmaker in America today. Her film has won several awards, including The Emerging Filmmaker Award from the "Women Make Movies," organization and the 2005 Flicker Film Festival Jury Prize.

The n-word is an interesting and perpetually controversial topic within and outside of black America. It is also misunderstood by most of us. First of all, I've never thought of the n-word concept in a singular sense, as there are multiple variations of the word used in casual conversation. There is the word that ends with an "r" and the other version that ends with an "a." Yes, I do believe that the version of the word being used makes a difference. Also, there are a long list of voice inflexions that can change the definition on the spot: If I say "What's up my n*gga!" in a high pitched, enthusiastic voice, that's very different from me twisting my lip, cocking my head to the side and saying "What's up n*gger" in a low, grumbling voice. In the first case I want to hug you, but in the second, you're about to get knocked out.

Obviously, you cannot disconnect variants of the n-word from hip hop. Starting with the group NWA (Ni*gaz Wit Attitudes), the use of the n-word has been relatively consistent within the genre. In fact, at a house party, you might hear an artist refer to "n*ggaz" and "b*tches" as synonyms for "men" and "women." Chandler's film does a wonderful job of using hip hop and young people to help us gain perspective on how our language has been twisted through time.

The n-word debate reminds me of when I began the long and grueling process of learning to speak Chinese. The Chinese language, in all its complexities, gives you the ability to change the meaning of simple words like "ma" by adjusting the tone of your voice. I can't imagine why this same linguistic complication can't exist in Ebonics.

There are some who think that the n-word, and all variants, should be banished. The NAACP even had a funeral for the n-word, as many of its older members associate the word with terrible racial oppression. You can hardly blame them for the move, since there are clearly more productive ways for us to communicate with one another.

The other side of the story is that the n-word is simply a word. Words have power, sure. But they only have power if we give them power. It cannot be denied that, for right or wrong, the n-word (with an "a" at the end) has been transformed into a term of endearment for some, and that young people are going to continue using it, whether we like it or not. So, when we attack young people for using language we don't quite understand, perhaps we should be attacking ourselves for not addressing the fact that nearly half of all black teens can't find a job. We can also address the fact that inner city schools are woefully underfunded, destroying the futures of our kids. Changing the language of their suffering is not going to undo the suffering itself, so we must make sure we know the difference.

LeBron James Addresses Critics in New Nike Commercial

Should NBA superstar LeBron James be who we want him to be? That's all the Miami Heat guard wants to know in a new Nike commercial that features him questioning his critics and taking a direct shot at Charles Barkley.



Should he have stayed with the Cleveland Cavaliers? Gotten his "Chosen One" tattoo removed? Admitted he's a failure because he teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh? Given up on hoops altogether and focused on something else? Ignored the advice his friends gave to him about his free agency, his brand and his life this summer?

In the 90-second clip released earlier today, LeBron takes aim at each and every columnist, blogger, NBA analyst and talking head that took shots at him after he made his decision to join the Heat in July. He addresses them, not through answers, but by questioning what they would have done if they were in his shoes (a nice touch, considering the spot was paid for by Nike). And he finishes by posing one simple question: "Should I be what you want me to be?" It's nothing if not effective.

Here at TheBVX, we've thrown plenty of stones at King James' throne. We've laid out all of the different ways NBA teams could have lured LeBron, pointed out how much the city of Cleveland hates him and listed the ten things LBJ did to ruin his reputation. We've criticized his decision to broadcast The Decision, questioned his motivation for taking his talents to Miami and admonished him for saying stupid things on Twitter. We've launched an all-out LeBron-a-Thon since July to drag the guy's name through the mud, simply because we haven't agreed with how he's handled the last six months of his career.

But even we have to give it to LBJ: This new Nike ad? It's a W. Not because it'll help him sell sneakers or turn him back into the beloved superstar he once was or make us any less upset that he bolted to MIA. Rather, it's because it's the first time LeBron himself puts everything -- from The Decision on -- into perspective. It's the first time LBJ gives us a real, albeit dramatic, look into the questions he had to answer before deciding to skip town and start his career in another city.

And through that, we realize that LeBron is not what we want him to be. He's flawed. He's imperfect. He's -- dare we say -- human. But, you know what? There's really nothing wrong with that. And even though we think everything he's doing is wrong for his life, wrong for his career and wrong for his legacy, he's ultimately the one that's going to have to live with it. So, it doesn't really matter what we think, now does it?

We haven't said it in awhile, but we'll say it here: Good job, LeBron. Well played.

Does LeBron's new ad change your opinion of him -- or reinforce the fact that he's arrogant and selfish? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Rising Death Toll During Economic Crisis Signals Need for Mental Health Care

Las Vegas Police recently announced that murder-suicides are on the rise because of "a bad economy."

Last month, a 29-year-old unemployed South Carolina mother, sent shockwaves across the nation when she confessed to committing filicide when she killed her two sons because she had no means of taking care of them.

And the mayor of an affluent Dallas suburb reportedly killed her 19-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself in the face of financial distress, including almost losing her home to foreclosure.

Indeed, these are tough economic times. And mental health professionals report that people are growing increasingly desperate and calling hotlines for help.

Terrie M. Williams, author of 'Black Pain: Real Talk For When There's Nowhere to Go But Up' and a licensed clinical social worker, told Black Voices that today's economic environment is when people vulnerable to depression or those who are depressed need to take the extra steps to seek mental health treatment.
Equally as important, Williams said, is for family and friends to reach out to those who are depressed to ensure they are okay. Looking for signs of trouble and knowing the right questions to ask may help, she said.

"Ask a probing question,'' Williams said. "'I heard you say such and such. I was really wondering what you were thinking or feeling.' Sometimes that just gives a person a license to initiate a conversation that that they wouldn't have because they have always been thought of as the strong one. I've seen it so many times.''

Sometimes all a person needs is an opening.

"Sometimes we think it's none of our business," she said. "If you see something, call it. You could really be a lifeline for that person.''

Some signs of depression include: insomnia; weight loss or gain; forgetfulness; lack of concentration and never wanting to go anywhere or do anything. If a person is experiencing economic problems, her or she should seek help from reputable credit counselors and lawyers.

Carl Bell, Ph.D., a renowned Chicago-based psychiatrist, suggests that the economy is not responsible for the death toll. He says people who commit these crimes are already suffering from a major psychiatric illnesses.

"If you have a major psychiatric illness, it causes people to catastrophize,'' he said. "You tend to think, 'Oh, my God, this will never end.' That is not helpful. You feel hopeless and nobody needs that.''

Dr. Bell suggests seven things that people need:

Create a village of friends and family for moral and emotional support.

Eat a proper diet that includes Omega III fish oil and read spiritual texts, which help people keep hope.

Connect to something good and of value, such as yoga, exercise, book and movie groups.

Develop a strong sense of self-esteem, which is defined as a sense of power. It leads to positive ways of thinking, such as "I may not be able to pay my bills, but I'm with my family."

Nurture good social and emotional skills. If people know how to regulate their tempers that is an emotional skill. If a person knows how to talk to a bill collector without upsetting them and getting themselves into deeper trouble, that is a social skill.

Develop a strong safety net. Have people check in on you to help keep track of your bills, clothes and phone calls.

Minimize trauma. So, a person is broke, but started a garden at the beginning of the summer. They can sell or eat those fruit and vegetables. It's called mastering your destiny.

In other words, don't allow friends and relatives to give up. Help them to "stay strong," as Williams often says.

Robbing God: Should Harlem Churches Have Side Hustles Selling 'Church Tourism'?

While the rest of the world is focused on a small dust up at a certain megachurch in Atlanta, Slate, the journal of record for white people fascinated with black culture, just published a new expose on black church tourism in Harlem. Apparently 60 of the 338 black churches in Harlem are offering tours of their churches to foreign tourists with the help of the Harlem Chamber of Commerce. Slate reports: "As the summer tourist season draws to a close in New York, so too winds down the high period for one of the more peculiar attractions the city has to offer: Sunday church services in Harlem, which bring in thousands of foreign travelers each week." And it's not just nice tours of the buildings. Church tourism includes observing the service itself, receiving a "blessing" and a very special welcome from the pastor.

When I first read about Harlem church tourism, I was outraged -- outraged for all the wrong reasons. I grew up in a church where selling things in church was a sacrilege. I remember the response to other churches selling catfish and chicken dinners. It. Just. Wasn't. Done. Whenever this subject would come up, blatant selling of wares in the church house, there would be some vague reference to money changers in the temple. We know how that worked out! (P.S. I also went to a church were women couldn't stand in the pulpit, enter the pastor's study or walk inside the sanctuary wearing pants -- but let's stick to the money-changing in the temple stuff today.)

I was taught that the church should be able to survive on the tithes and offerings of its members and that God would provide. And just in case the congregation forgot their biblical obligation, every Sunday right before offering we were treated to a recitation of Malachi 3:7-10:

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

I didn't know what all that meant as a child and fixated on "cursed with a curse!" The message was clear: Give God his 10 percent or an extra head would grow out of the side of your neck! The God of my childhood was a lot scarier. Everything is scarier in the King James Version.

But in the middle of my internal dialogue about how unseemly it was for people to offer tours of black churches in Harlem, I had a vision of all of the photos I have from my church tours of Europe. Me standing in the front of Notre-Dame, me sticking my head out side of one of the spires from the Sagrada Familia, and how could we forget the churches of all churches, the basilicas of Vatican City. Now I know how the folks in Europe must feel about us traipsing through their churches.

However, it's one thing to show off the historical significance of your edifice and an entirely different thing to turn praise and worship into entertainment. After all, the building isn't "church," it's the people in the church. Is that what these churches are selling in the form of Harlem church tourism? The people?

Shreveport Republican Mayoral Candidate Offers Chicken and Limo Rides for Votes!

Shreveport, Louisiana elected its first African-American mayor, Democrat Cedric Glover in 2006. After that historic election, one may have thought that the Southern city had put its legacy of racial division behind them.

Not so much.

Republican candidate Bryan Wooley, who is running for mayor of Shreveport, has sparked anger among African-Americans in the Louisiana town.

It began with a "Freedom Rally" event reportedly sponsored by the mayoral candidate.

The event, which was planned for this past Wednesday and Thursday, advertised free chicken and limo rides to voting polls. Now, it IS the South and chicken wings and limo rides are beloved by most citizens, regardless of color.

However, these fliers were reportedly only placed in Shreveport's Cooper Road area. Cooper Road is a predominantly black neighborhood also known as the Martin Luther King neighborhood.

Needless to say, the flyers were seen offensive and racist to many of Shreveport's black residents. Fellow mayoral candidate Parker Ward told the Shreveport Times, "Words can't express my anger over this racist move. I am calling on Bryan Wooley to send a public apology to the African- American community."

According to the Times, calls to Wooley's campaign spokesperson to verify the authenticity of the flyer and event were not immediately returned this morning.

Someone call Bryan Wooley, and tell him he needs more people.

Why Bishop Long's Wife Shouldn't 'Stand By Her Man'

From The Grio: There she stood right beside her man: an attractive, God-fearing and loyal middle-age woman holding the hand of her fallen pastor husband. He walked her out ever so gently, held her close and kissed her lips for all to see as he ushered her back to her seat on stage, before he took to the lectern to speak to his flock.
Bishop Eddie Long, a self-proclaimed prophet of God has been accused of coercing four male parishioners into sex. This Sunday, in his first public comments on the scandal, Long never once said, "I am innocent of what I

have been accused of doing with these young men in my care." Instead he vowed to fight the charges and in doing so he did what all guilty defendants do (in my experience as an attorney): He used careful language, such as "I am not a perfect man," parsed his words and hid behind his lawyers admonitions, something that a man of God likely would not do if he was in fact innocent.

As I watched the Bishop Sunday morning, images of other pastors (Ted Haggard) and politicians before him (Bill Clinton's emphatic: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky") came to mind. But the person I was most intrigued by was Vanessa Long and the hell she must be living through right now.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church: Bishop Eddie Long Addresses His Congregation

I woke up early to go to the website for the New Birth Missionary Baptist church. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew that Bishop Eddie Long would be convincing. Every bit of his charisma and experience would be needed to manage the complex set of allegations against him for sexually abusing some of his members.

I'll lay out some notable quotes by Bishop Eddie Long this morning and let you judge much of it for yourself. What I can say, though, is that Bishop Long seemed to say a great deal without saying much:

"I'll be here next week."



Perhaps that means that he's not going to resign. I look forward to seeing if he is going to be preaching next Sunday.

"[This is] probably the most difficult time in my entire life. I want to talk to you for a moment about how to handle painful and difficult situations."

He seemed to want to make this into a teachable moment for his congregation, but he didn't spend a great deal of time teaching, since his address was only about 15 to 20 minutes long.

"We will not allow the present pain to cause us to abandon our righteous commitment and stand."

This sounded like he was going to lay down some bad news for the congregation. Perhaps he's asking the church to stand with him during this difficult time, which they seemed ready and willing to do.

"There have been allegations and attacks made on me. I have never in my life portrayed myself as a perfect man. But I am NOT the man that's being portrayed on the television. That's not me."

This statement was incredibly vague, implying that he may or may not be guilty of the allegations against him. To say that you are not the man being portrayed in the media doesn't mean you're innocent. It simply means that you may be slightly different from the way the accusers are describing you. Nearly any guilty or innocent person can make this statement.

"By the counsel of my lawyers, they have advised me not to try this case in the media. I will not try this case in the media. It will be tried in the court of justice."

This statement was expected. Again, it says nothing about guilt or innocence.

"I've been accused, I'm under attack....but this thing, I'm gonna fight."

This statement means that the situation is far from over. I expect an interesting battle behind the scenes as attorneys squabble over the amount of the settlement. I would be surprised to see this get as far as a jury trial, especially if other accusers continue to step forward. This may open up a Tiger Woods -like can of worms for Bishop Eddie Long in the event that he actually has engaged in wrong-doing.

"I feel like David against Goliath. But I'll tell you what, I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet."

As you can see, Bishop Eddie Long has made it clear that he's going to fight the charges. He does not, however, go in to any detail about his guilt or innocence. So while he must be given credit for addressing his congregation, he cannot be given credit for being innocent of the charges against him. Perhaps the court of law can help us to sort these things out.

Instead of Jobs, Dept. of Labor Gives Unemployed Another Jobs Website

The Department of Labor recently launched a website aimed at helping unemployed Americans find work. The website, entitled My Skills My Future, allows job-seekers to enter areas in which they have work experience to find listings for those types of jobs.

Before I even clicked on the link for the website, my first thought was that there must be something unique about this site that separates it from all the other job boards and employment Web sites out there. Otherwise, this would really be a waste of money and a smack in the face to those people who have been out of work for extended amounts of time. Instead of jobs, we'll give you... another employment Web site, to find jobs that either don't exist, or that you've already applied for. Thanks Department of Labor!

And basically, that's what this site is. Other than a video from the Secretary of Labor, there's not much new here. It's basically the Department of Labor's version of Monster, or CareerBuilder, just not as good.

After his weak "Summer of Recovery," I can't believe President Obama signed off on something like this. Keeping in mind that much of the inability to pass legislation to create jobs has been due to Republican obstructionism, President Obama should have done a lot more than create this Web site to create jobs while he still has the votes in Congress. Now, given the upcoming elections in November, it is highly unlikely that he'll be able to do anything much more significant. And if November goes as badly as some anticipate for Democrats, the rest of his first term as President could be in serious trouble if he has to fight Republicans even harder to enact jobs programs. This likely means even more trouble for those out of work.

Catching Up With .. Michael Jai White

It's been a few weeks since Tyler Perry's 'Why Did I Get Married Too?' was released on DVD and while the reviews were mixed when the film was released in theaters, one of the bright spots of this sequel to 'Why Did I Get Married?' was the constant laughs audience got from seeing Michael Jai White and Tasha Smith as the bickering couple Marcus and Angela.

While White has been seen in numerous films, including the hilarious 'Black Dynamite,' Smith's recognition stems from her work with Tyler Perry in 'Daddy's Little Girls' and both 'Married?' films.

As the couple that are always arguing and breaking up to make up, Angela and Marcus were never lost for words in communicating with each other.

In promoting the DVD release of the film, White spoke to BlackVoices.com about doing the sequel and his chemistry with Smith.

You have a lot of funny moments. Did you see yourself as a comedian?

Michael Jai White: Well, my friends that know me, they always say that. I actually have a lot of friends who do stand-up who have really been trying to get me to do stand-up for like the last ten years. In fact, sometimes I write jokes for my friends. When I come up with things I just send it to them. Tyler is a friend of mine. So Tyler knows how I am normally with the whole comedic type of thing. So that's why he cast me in this even thought the public mostly identify me as the guy who beats up people.

Tasha is mostly associated with Tyler's films and is downright hilarious. Had you known her before this movie and how was the chemistry?

MJW: Tasha and I used to date. We were an item before the movie, like ten years ago. So it's funny because in all the years that we've known each other, we've never had as much as an argument. We get along really well. She's one of my favorite people on the planet. So it was kind of funny because Tyler knew us separately and then put us together as a couple without having any idea that we used to date. We were going to keep it secret until I think Tasha let the cat out of the bag one day. I think that it was interesting because we so much kind of historical things to talk about. We clearly got along really well, and so I think people were probably scratching their heads a bit.

If there was any moment in making this film that you were the most proud of, what would it be?

MJW: I mean, I get so proud of just when it's completed and I see the work of my friends. I was really proud. In the first one of course Tasha did her thing. She's amazing. I thought it was just outstanding and in this one everyone is outstanding. I was so proud of what Malik (played by Yoba) did; in particular, the depth that he went with his character. Then Janet [Jackson], with Malik and Janet in those scenes, I thought, "Wow." I was really proud to be a part of this whole thing and it was great to see them do this kind of work and bring that to the screen.

Is there enough material for the project to come back with a third film?

MJW: I believe so. You know how talented Tyler is. Personally, I'm one that would love to explore the Marcus and Angela thing beyond the bickering. I think if you see the times where that couple might be watching a football game together, you may see the things that are special about them, in addition to the other craziness. I think that would be something that Tyler could bring to another movie only because it's giving this other side that's not seen.

What have you been up to lately? Is there going to be a sequel to 'Black Dynamite' or are you working on other projects?

MJW: Currently, I'm in my office right now and I'm directing a movie for Sony Pictures. It's an action film. We're going to be doing another 'Black Dynamite' and we have the 'Black Dynamite' cartoon coming out and I've been doing voice work for that. I did a movie recently with Mario Van Peebles that he directed that's really pointed at the youth. It's a movie with some really strong moral values. It's called 'Where The Party At' and I was very, very proud to be a part of that. I'm keeping busy and I've got this movie and a few others afterwards. It feels good to be in a director's chair. I think there are a lot of tremendous stories out there and there's only a handful of people who know how to tell them and I think I'd be remiss if I didn't do what I can to be one of those people.

With God I AM Victorius

On the journey of life I may have pain, sickness, sorrow or other negative experiences. I take sacred comfort in knowing that all such conditions are temporary. They only come to pass. However, God, as Spirit, is forever. Today, turning to the eternal Spirit of God within me, I overcome all adversity. With God, I Am victorious. How blessed and grateful, I Am!
Wishing you victory over any and all challenging circumstances today,
 
Asa Pritchard
 
 

Wright Criticizes Those Who Think Obama is Muslim

President Barack Obama's former pastor is coming to his defense and attacking those who falsely call the president a Muslim.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright delivered a fiery sermon Sunday at New Millennium Church in Little Rock, Ark., defending Millennium's pastor who has also come under criticism for questioning the Iraq war. Wright said:

"Go after the military mind-set ... and the enemy will come after you with everything," Wright told the packed church. "He will surround you with sycophants who will criticize you and ostracize you and put you beyond the pale of hope and say 'you ain't really a Baptist' and say 'the president ain't really a Christian, he's a Muslim. There ain't no American Christian with a name like Barack Hussein,'" he added.

Obama and Wright have not had a relationship since the 2008 election, when Wright's controversial comments on some topics became public.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye... and now we are indignant, because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought back in to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," Wright said in a clip from one sermon.

Obama did not abandon Wright but made a well-received speech about race. Afterward, Wright came out and made more controversial comments, and the Obamas withdrew their membership from the church of the man who married them, baptized their children and was very influential in Obama's development.

Maybe this is a sign that Wright realizes he should have left well enough alone after Obama's race speech.



Amazingly, a decent percentage of Americans believe that Obama is Muslim. Eighteen percent of those in a recent Newsweek poll thought Obama was Muslim, an increase from 11 percent during a poll last year.

That is frightening given that Obama is a Christian. Another 43 percent of Americans did not know Obama's religion.

But why is being a Muslim such a slur?

There are radical practitioners of Islam who commit evil acts just like there radical practitioners of Christianity who commit evil acts.

There is no legitimate reason to think Obama is a Muslim other than the crazy rantings of people like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. But these crazy rumors are hard to dispel. Obama's birth certificate has been made available to the public, but there are still a considerable number of people who follow the Birther Movement and question Obama's place of birth.

"The facts are the facts," Obama said in an interview.

"I'm not gonna be worrying too much about whatever rumors are floating on out there," Obama said Sunday. "If I spend all my time chasing after that, then I wouldn't get much done."

Obama contributed the rumors to "a network of misinformation that in a new media era can get churned out there constantly."

Rumors asserting that Obama is an illegitimate president or lying about his religion are incredibly dangerous, because they may spur mentally unstable people into action.

Despite what you may think of Wright, he's correct that those who call Obama Muslim are using it as a slur.

Gun-Toting Granny Shoots Intruder During Robbery

It was 3 a.m. on Monday morning when Ethel Jones, a 69-year-old grandmother, heard some noises outside her Decatur, Ga., home.

"I heard somebody at the back door and then around at the front door," Jones told the Decatur Daily. "I said to myself, 'Somebody's fixin' to break in.'"

Jones, a mother of four, sleeps with a .38 pistol under a pillow that is next to her when she is alone in her home.
Since the sexagenarian does not own a car, Jones thinks that the intruder probably thought no one was home.

The robber proceeded to remove an air-conditioning unit from a window in a back room before entering the home. When Jones walked out of her bathroom, she saw the suspect, who was holding a pen light near her bedroom. "I shot three times," Jones said, "and he ran away hollering."
Jones, who used to go target practice with her former husband, immediately dialed 911, and even though the dispatcher kept coaxing her to put the gun down, Jones was so shaken by the incident that she simply could not release her grip on the weapon. She was terrified that the robber was still lurking outside of her residence.

Police investigators cracked the case quickly and determined that a nearby neighbor, 18-year-old Michael O'Neal Bynum, had been the perpetrator. He was reportedly in stable condition after going to a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Bynum, who was on probation for a prior burglary conviction, will go to a county jail upon his release from the hospital. He will be charged with second-degree burglary and held without bail.

The Hottest Droid and iPhone App Ever: Layar - Augmented Reality

What is Layar?
The Layar Reality Browser shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of the real world as seen through the camera of your mobile phone. This technology is called Augmented Reality. We augment the real world as seen through your mobile phone, based on your location.
How does Layar’s Augmented Reality work?

The idea is simple: Layar works by using a combination of the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data to identify the user’s location and field of view, retrieve data based on those geographical coordinates, and overlay that data over the camera view.

I have this on my HTC Evo 4G from Sprint and it is the Bizness!
Asa

T.D. Jakes Teams with Universal Music

Prominent pastor and author Bishop T.D. Jakes has signed a distribution and marketing agreement between his imprint Dexterity Sounds and Universal Music Christian Group. The first project to be released under the new agreement will be Sacred Love Songs II, the much-anticipated follow-up to its nearly gold-selling 1999 predecessor that featured R&B diva Shirley Murdock and Marvin Sapp. In addition, the team at Dexterity Sounds has begun work on the soundtrack for Jakes' latest film titled Jumping the Broom. Produced by Jakes and Tracy E. Edmonds, the film tells the story of two families from totally different socioeconomic backgrounds who meet for the first time at a weekend wedding on Martha’s Vineyard. (August 16, 2010)

Cop it or Drop it: Nike Air Max LeBron VII Custom 'Los Angeles'

As the "More Than A Game" promo tour continues, so do the custom versions of the yet-to-be-released Nike Air Max LeBron VII. The Los Angeles model is doubly interesting, as it was done by legendary Southern California artist and photojournalist C.R. Stecyk III. Back in the '70s, Stecyk helped introduce to the world to a band of skateboarders and surfers from a place known as Dogtown. For his version of the LeBron VII, Stecyk juxtaposed palm trees and telephone poles against a clear blue sky, offset by the rich bronze of the soil. [Via Nice Kicks]


Would you Cop it or Drop it?
 

Lasonic's iPod Boombox

The iPod has certainly become the primary option for listening to music. But some of us miss the good ol' days when we used to pop in a cassette and haul a boombox down the block while listening to "Fight The Power." For those of you that are too young, just watch Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" and check out the legendary Radio Raheem. Lasonic was one of the first to blend the digital advancements of the iPod with the nostalgia of the boombox with their i931 model. Originally released back in 2008, the Ghetto Blaster may have flew under the radar but its unique style is something worth noting. It has an iPod dock, AM/FM radio, alarm, supports SD and USB flash, EQ adjuster, and uses AC power or batteries. The company also announced that they will be releasing a new model this year that is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. You can cop the older model now at Lasonic's online store for $129. More models after the jump.

Cop it or Drop it: adidas Originals by Originals Jeremy Scott 'Tuxedo'

Yes, people have worn sneakers to the prom before -- even been married in them -- but this is ridiculous. Then again, it's not like American designer Jeremy Scott is any stranger to ridiculousness. Remember the Wings? Or Mickey? Allegedly inspired by The Penguin, these tuxedoed-out adidas are the epitome of formal shoes. Er, sort of. Available now at select adidas Originals retailers. Detail shots follow.

Study: Attractive Women Are Discriminated Against for Certain Jobs

Most of us think that pretty women get all the benefits of in life, whether in the personal or professional realms. It turns out that this isn't always the case. A recent study conducted at The University of Colorado Denver Business School showed that attractive women face discrimination when applying for jobs where looks are not important, like positions in security, prison guarding and tow truck driving.

"In these professions being attractive was highly detrimental to women," said Stefanie Johnson, one of the researchers on the study. "In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn't the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender." The study is set to be published in the prestigious Journal of Social Psychology.

In the study, participants were given a list of jobs and pictures of applicants. They were then asked to sort the applicants based upon their suitability for each job. There were 55 men and 55 women whose images were used in the analysis. Although attractive women were typically pushed out of certain jobs, the same was not true for men. Attractive men were "given opportunities" by study participants in a variety of professions and were not judged based on their looks.


This doesn't mean that we should start to feel sorry for attractive people. Good-looking people are still granted significant advantages in the workplace, including more promotions and higher salaries. Most of us know that how you look can change everything in terms of your career. It appears that this study provides tremendous support for that notion.


Yet there are other important business decisions to learn from it. Those who hire solely based on a person's looks are not engaging in a very profitable way of doing business. Just because a woman is pretty, does not mean that she is not the best person for a "masculine" job. Employers who judge based on looks may also be subject to discrimination lawsuits, which can be costly in the long-run.

Has this ever happened to you or someone you know? Have you ever felt that you were kept out of certain positions for being "too attractive," as allegedly happened to banking employee Debrahlee Lorenzana?

Recently Married? 5 Tax Tips For Newlyweds: Tax Advice

If you tied the knot this past spring or summer -- or are thinking about marriage -- the IRS has some important tax tips you should know. Here are five things any of you newlyweds should do after you walk down the aisle:

• Notify the Social Security Administration
So now that you've found Mr. Right, you're changing your name, huh? Or maybe you plan to hyphenate, keeping your existing name, but adding on your honey's last name too. Either way, be sure to report that name change to the Social Security Administration (SSA). You want your new name and Social Security Number to match when you file your next tax return to avoid any potential problems.
It's easy to let the SSA know about a name change. Just file a Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, at your local SSA office, get it online from the SSA's website, or call 800-772-1213.
 
• Tell the IRS
Are you moving in with your spouse or will the two of you be getting a new place together? If so, advise the IRS of your new address by submitting Form 8822, Change of Address. You may download Form 8822 from IRS.gov or order it by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800–829–3676).


• Advise the U.S. Postal Services
While you're taking care of the whole address change thing, don't forget to also notify the U.S. Postal Service when you move. That way, they'll forward any IRS correspondence -- as well as other mail you might get. Like that $50 check your great Aunt Helen might send as a wedding gift.


• Inform Your Employer
Next up on your things to do list: Inform your employer about your name and address changes. You want your employer to have the right information on file when they send out your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement next year.


• Check Your Withholding
If you and your spouse both work, your joint income may put you in a higher tax bracket. Use the IRS Withholding Calculator to figure out the proper amount of withholding needed for your new filing status. That IRS Calculator will even give you a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. Print that form and give to your Human Resources department, so your employer can withhold the right amount of taxes from your paycheck.


Marriage isn't just about love and happiness. It also means joint commitment at many levels, including shared financial responsibilities. So even though you might be basking in newlywed heaven, don't overlook tax-related issues even at this early phase of your union. Look at it this way: With financial problems contributing to so many divorces, you can do yourself a favor by taking the five steps listed above. A little time spent now will help keep your marriage strong by minimizing financial stress later.

Jesus Walks: Rapper Common Talks Putting Faith First

He's a Grammy-winning hip-hop veteran and a Hollywood superstar on the rise, but rapper Common told BV Buzz that without his faith, none of the accolades would mean anything.

"I think that's the foundation for me. That's how I am able to exist in the industry," he said from his hotel suite in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City.

"You have to bring who you are and what you are and your spirituality and the things that you believe in have to exceed and go beyond anything that you do," he continued. "Any work that you do and accolades that you get, you have to know that God is more important and family and love that you have for others. I just put that first and wake up in the morning like this is who I am. That allows me to function more in the music industry and the Hollywood world."

The 38-year-old entertainer said when he's home in Chicago, there's no place like his church home, Trinity United Church.

"When I'm in Chicago and its Sunday, I'm going to Trinity for sure. That's the church I grew up in since I was 8-years-old. I definitely stop and go to church. If there's a church in another city that I am aware of I might go there, too. I found a church in L.A. that I like going to on and off, but I need that sometimes," he shared.

Common, who recorded a song called 'Geto Heaven' with Macy Gray, said the fellowship with other Christians inspires him and is part of the reason why being in church in a priority for him.

"It's the whole communion with people and knowing that we're all focused on God and doing some good for ourselves. It really becomes a community thing, too, so I love going to church and Trinity in particular," he said.

5 Facts You Don't Know About Student Loans But Should

In the current economic environment, one impact of the credit crunch is that it's getting harder than ever to obtain loans of all kinds, including student loans. Unfortunately, millions of Americans rely on loans to pay for a college education. That's why roughly $730 billion in federal and private student loans are outstanding, and only 40 percent of it is currently being repaid, according to FinAid.org, which tracks student loans.

If you require loans to pay for your education – or your child's – you need to arm yourself with information to be a smart borrower. Here are five facts you should know in order to do just that.

Fact #1: You can eliminate or reduce student loans by squeezing more free financial aid out of a school

Slash your need for student loans by getting your college to give you a better financial aid package – especially scholarships, grants or work-study awards. You may be able to do this if your family situation has changed substantially since you applied for aid (i.e. a divorce among the parents, a death of the family's main breadwinner, serious illness, etc.).

At your request, a helpful financial aid counselor may also reconsider your initial financial aid award if you can demonstrate that the package offered is significantly less (at least $2,000 or so) than the cost of attending the school.
Fact #2: Student loan rates and terms are negotiable

Every July 1, Congress adjusts the interest rate caps charged on federal student loans. However, contrary to popular belief, Congress doesn't "set" the rates for federal student loans. Instead, the feds impose a "maximum" interest rate that lenders can charge, then lenders set their own rates based on what the market will bear.

Therefore, if you're willing to negotiate and ask for more favorable rates and loan terms, you can find many lenders that will agree to charge a lower rate than the federal maximum interest rate. Ask for lower interest rates based on:

a) Having payments automatically deducted from your checking/savings account.
b) Making a set number of 'on time' payments (24 to 48 months of on-time payments often qualifies you for a rate cut, and a few lenders will give you break even sooner).
c) Earning good grades or qualifying for any other incentive programs a lender offers.

Fact #3: If you must borrow, always seek federal loans first – not private loans

Federal student loans have better loan forgiveness, forbearance and deferment options than do private loans. They're also much cheaper loans – and they'll be even less costly in the near future. Right now, the federal cap on Stafford Loans, the most common type of federal student loan, is fixed at 6.8 percent for undergraduates. It's 8.5 percent for PLUS Loans – loans awarded to graduate students or parents to pay for their kids' education.

The good news is that any student taking out new, subsidized Stafford loans will have progressively lower interest rates now and in the future, thanks to the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. Subsidized loans are the ones where the government pays the interest on the loans while the student is in school.


For the 2010-11 school year, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford Loans gets cut to 4.5 percent. In 2011-2012, rates on subsidized federal loans drop again to just 3.4 percent. By comparison, private loans currently have variable interest rates and can average about 10 percent, depending on a student's credit and whether or not he or she has a co-signer.

Fact #4: Your employer can help eliminate your student loans

A little-known way to get rid of college debt is to have your boss pay it off. Many employers will do so if you sign an employment incentive contract. This means that as a "bonus" or "perk" to you, your job pays your student loans. In turn, you agree to be a loyal employee and remain with the company for a given time period, say at least two to three years.

So the next time you're up for a raise or performance appraisal, raise this subject with your boss. If you follow this advice, you may not have to pay your student loans at all – your employer will!

Fact #5: The federal government will pay up to $60,000 of your college debt

The government's Federal Student Loan Repayment Program can be a huge windfall to anyone with federal student loans. Administered by the Office of Personnel Management, this program allows any federal agency that you work for to pay off up to $10,000 annually of your student loans, up to a maximum of $60,000.

What's the catch? You simply have to agree to be employed by a federal government agency for a set period of time, usually at least one or two years.

For detailed advice about managing student loan debt, pick up a copy of my book 'Zero Debt for College Grads: From Student Loans to Financial Freedom.'

Packers' Al Harris Aims to Spread Christian Message with Rap

While sports fans and pundits are having a great time riding and clowning on Denver Bronco Tim Tebow and his Christian beliefs, Green Bay Packers' cornerback Al Harris is taking his evangelism a step further – he's making a rap album.

Harris connected with childhood friend Kevin Soto to create a rap album with a Christian influence. Harris says that he plans to drop the album later this year on his recently launched label, 31 Entertainment.

"We're trying to start a movement with this music," Harris told the Sun-Sentinel. "We're trying to say that you don't have to cuss, or have to sell drugs or whatever, to be cool. You can still be cool and fly, and love the Lord."

While Harris was making his way to the NFL, Soto was in and out of jail. He turned his life around and hope to send a message that there's another way to approach life:

"A lot of the album is about being a man," Soto said. "A lot of it is telling everyone what I've done, and this is what it can lead you to, and what [Harris] has done, and where that hard work can lead you to."

Robert Freeman, 13-Year-Old Boy, DEAD: Shot 22 Times While Riding Bike

Theresa Lumpkin was, until Thursday, the Mother of 13-year-old Robert Freeman Jr. of Chicago. Her tenure as his parent ended when the young boy was shot and killed on the South Side of Chicago in what many believe to be a case of mistaken identity.

Witnesses say, though, that the murder was deliberate, as the gunman shot the young boy multiple times.



"My baby was just lying there,'' said Lumpkin. "He tried to get up. He tried to fight for his mama. He tried to fight for his life.''

Neighbors who saw the incident did not want their names to be published.

"I was running out [of] the door to say, Stop shooting that baby," one neighbor said.

Robert had 22 bullet holes in his body, according to doctors. The people of the community say that he was apparently targeted because he had the same complexion, height and hairstyle of another boy who was the actual target. Police are investigating whether the shooting was due to a dispute over drugs or money.

This was the fourth teen shooting in the area this week.

The amount of violence occurring in Chicago over the past two years is shocking and simply disgraceful. The number of youth murders in Chicago over the past several years parallels the number of soldiers who've died in Iraq. If this does not call for a state of emergency, I don't know what does. The federal government must become involved, since young people should not have to endure such tragedy at any age, let alone at 13 years old.

The murder of Robert Freeman is also disturbing because it almost seems as if people would be less sympathetic if he were not a victim of mistaken identity. Let's be clear: No 13-year-old child should be the target of homicide. Kids that age should not have to worry about being shot on the way to school.

Have we become so insensitive as to forget the long-term psychological damage that this kind of trauma can cause to the children in this neighborhood? If four kids had been shot in my neighborhood in such a short amount of time, I would have seriously considered carrying a weapon to protect myself, even as an eighth-grader.

When I was younger, my best friend was shot in the head in a case of mistaken identity. Some people were looking for drugs and money and he was shot and killed in front of his 3-year-old daughter. Since he was a black man who lived in the poorer side of my hometown, the media overlooked his case and the police only worked part-time to find the killer. In fact, his family has known for years who the killer is, but neither the police, nor potential witnesses, have been willing to step forward.

That same week, a white woman was murdered in a wealthier part of the city. The public approach to her murder was dramatically different from that of my best friend. Her death was featured as the lead story on local news for several days. There was a $25,000 reward put out to bring her killer to justice. The suffering of her family was featured in the local newspaper, while my friend's death was mentioned in the bottom of the very last page, likely in the "Another ni**er died this week" section of the paper.

It was disheartening to watch the suffering of my best friend's family go completely ignored, primarily because he was a lower-class black man. It is equally disheartening to watch the public and the federal government ignore the deaths of scores of black and brown youth in the city of Chicago - all because they are not wealthy kids from Martha's Vineyard.

Hundreds of millions of dollars needs to be invested to provide additional resources to fight youth violence. Also, the neighborhood where almost no one will speak up publicly on who killed Robert Freeman must find unique methods to police their communities to ensure that predators are extracted from their cities. This murder was tragic, painful and shameful.

Stop and Frisk: What Racial Profiling Looks Like in Brooklyn

As progressives unite this summer to fight racial profiling of immigrants in Arizona, a New York Times investigation in July offered a stark reminder of how routine profiling has become in some black neighborhoods around the country. The Times reviewed data on stops over four years in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brownsville, a predominantly African American community that's dense with public housing. Reporters found police made nearly 52,000 stops in an eight-block radius over just four years. Just 1 percent of the stops yielded arrests and cops found only 26 guns.

ColorLines spent an afternoon last week in Brownsville. We visited the Brownsville Recreation Center to speak with the young men NYPD's stops have targeted. According to the NYT, cops use expansive authority for investigating trespassing in public housing as a pretext for many stops, often with the explicit goal of boosting stats showing enforcement actions. The Brownsville rec center we visited serves the nearby housing projects, and the young men who come there say stop-and-frisks are now a routine part of their lives. Watch them speak for themselves in the video above, then grab the embed code and pass it along.

New York Gov. David Paterson signed legislation this summer prohibiting the NYPD from keeping names and other information on the people cops stop but don't arrest or cite. He allowed the stops themselves to continue, however. Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers has introduced the End to Racial Profiling Act. The bill's not likely to see congressional action soon.

The stop-and-frisk debate is not a new one. Dr. Harry Levine, a Queens College researcher who recently published a study on racial disparities in California's marijuana-possession arrests, says police departments began using the tactic in the 1990s and it has increased over the years. The NYPD's stop-and-frisk campaign has garnered lots of attention thanks to criminal justice watchdogs like the NYCLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights. But the city is not alone.

Los Angeles, for example, is another city grappling with a deteriorating relationship between the police and people of color. In a report commissioned by the ACLU of Southern California, called "Racial Profiling & The LAPD: A Study of Racially Disparate Outcomes in the Los Angeles Police Department", blacks were three times as likely to be stopped as whites. As the report explains:

These disparities are not justified by crime rates in different neighborhoods where people of color live. In regressions controlling for both violent and property crime rates in the area where the stops occurred, the stop rates were significantly higher for people of color than for whites. Nor do the disparities arise because more police are assigned to black or Latino neighborhoods. In fact, there was a greater racial disparity in stop rates in predominantly white neighborhoods than predominantly non-white neighborhoods.

"Stop-and-frisk comes out of a Supreme Court case, Terry v. Ohio, which allowed police to do stops and frisks when they had reasonable suspicion that a crime had been or was about to be committed," explains Steven Zeidman, a CUNY School of Law professor and director of the Criminal Defense Clinic. "But now we allow police to stop people on virtually no information whatsoever." "Hunches" and "whims," says Zeidman, should not be enough to employ a stop-and-frisk.

Most academics agree that "Terry" stops, as they are sometimes dubbed, are used in police departments across country. Still, Jeffery Fagan, sociology professor and researcher at Columbia University, stresses that few "use this tactic as extensively as does New York" or with so little respect for the "reasonable suspicion" standard.

Guidelines put in place in 2001 compel the NYPD to report quarterly data to the City Council on who it stops and for what reasons. Those rule sprang from public outrage over police brutality after the 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo, thouh NYPD has often drug its feet in complying. The data reveals that, since Diallo's death, the number of stop-and-frisks has in fact gone through the roof--last year a record high of nearly 600,000 people were stopped.

"It's too easy to say, 'Well, that's where crime is,' " says Fagan of the stops being clumped in black neighborhoods like Brownsville. "Once you consider that the stop and frisks are being conducted on so little actual basis of any criminality, you realize it can happen anywhere."