Mychal Bell gets bail

The site of seeing Jena 6 defendant Mychal Bell walk out of a jail after spending nine months behind bars was a sight to see for those who have been fighting his legal battle in Jena, La.

But with District Attorney Reed Walters still trying to charge him in juvenile court, those following the case need to brace for the fact that there will be virtually no information regarding his trial.

First, the judge in the case  has issued a gag order, preventing the lawyers from discussing any aspect of the case. Second, juvenile cases are cordoned off from the public. Unlike the first trial, there will be no jury. The judge will render a final verdict. Third, juvenile hearings are closed to the public. So instead of supporters and critics being able to analyze who said what and the various witnesses, all of that will be closed off from the public.

The saving grace in all of this for Bell's family and supporters is that the mistakes committed by his public defender in adult court will be prevented. He will now have a competent attorney who can handle his defense, and yes, it's very likely that witnesses will be called this time around.

Mychal Bell is now free, but that doesn't mean that his legal battles are over. Supporters should brace themselves for the reality that he could still be found guilty, but unlike as an adult, he wouldn't be sent to jail for up to 22 years.

What should we take away from all of this? If you don't have competent attorneys and committed people behind you, there stands a good chance the legal system could run over you and send you to a prison, vritually destroying your life. This is happening to many people across the nation, especially African American.

What I hope will happen as a result of all this is that those who went to Jena will recognize that their voices must be heard on a daily basis in their city.

In the Bible, Nehemiah worked to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He told the people of Israel that he needed them to focus on rebuilding the wall right in front of their home. Don't worry about what's happening down the street or across the country, your priority should be what's happening in front of your house.

The legal system for our young people in Oakland, Chicago, Houston, Louisville and other cities has proven to be imbalanced. What is needed is for each person to not necessarily make Jena the sole focus of what's wrong. There is a need to look at your own city, your own house.

You clean that up, and your neighbor does what they are supposed to do, then we won't need any additional marches in Jena. Or anywhere else.

Mychal Bell to be tried as a juvenile

Massive rallies don't matter, huh?


Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco announced late yesterday that the district attorney in Jena, La., Reed Walters, would not appeal a state court decision, and will re-try Jena 6 defendant Mychal Bell in juvenile court.


Suporters of the Jena 6 have long argued that the black teens, accused of beating a white teen, should never have been tried as adults. The decision represents a huge setback for Walters, who argued in a Wednesday editorial in the New York Times that his prosecution of Bell and the other defendants was proper based on the seriousness of the crime.


The rally in Jena attracted anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 people, depending on who you want to believe. Some critics blasted it as nothing but a futile exercise, but it's clear that the national outrage that has resulted over the case is playing a huge role.


On one hand, Walters tried to go after the six teens by filing attempted capital murder charges, alleging that their tennis shoes were a deadly weapon. When that didn't work, he tried to keep them hemmed up on conspiracy charges. The just tossed that out, and then the appeals court decision.


What people of any color must understand that when the legal system operates in the shadows, then we never know the type of injustices that take place. It took a full year for this story to turn into an international firestorm, but people are getting screwed by district attorneys every day.


Columnist Jason Whitlock has criticized blacks who led the rally for hiding the fact that Bell's public defender was black. Not true. We discussed it many times on WVON-AM in Chicago. But even if his lawyer was black, the fact that he was terrible is the real issue.


The only problem that will result from Bell being tried in juvenile court is that the proceedings will be closed. That will keep the media from reporting on the day's developments, and we'll never get to hear if there is contradictory testimony or the behavior of both lawyers in the courtroom.


Then again, I'm sure Bell doesn't mind. After spending nine months in jail, any possibility of freedom is good.

Michelle Obama looks glamorous, dowdy in Vanity Fair

Can a sister get a break?

When I got my September issue of Vanity Fair, it was good to see Michelle Obama listed on their International Best Dressed List. Other than the dresses, there wasn't much color on the pages/

But then in the back of the book (that's what the magazine folks call it), they had a listing of each of the spouses of the presidential candidates. In each of the photos, the candidates wives - and one husband, former President Bill Clinton - were looking all snazzy with big smiles on their face.

Except for Obama.

Man, they grabbed the fuzziest photo of the sister not smiling and looking rather plain. It wasn't flattering, and set alongside all the other spouses, it looked horrible.

We all know she's a well-dressed woman, and Vanity Fair acknowledged that. But my goodness, pimp slap the photo editor for choosing that one!

9.27.07 Quote of the Day

"We can embrace our diversity, find strength in it, and prosper together, or we can focus on our differences and try to restrict access to resources by members of ethnic and racial groups different from ours and limit prosperity for all."


Andrew Young, 1996


Source: "And don't call me a racist!" A treasury of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America. Selected and arranged by Ella Mazel

Bail amounts in various show uneven justice

$60,000. That's the bail amount for the young man accused of wounding two people on the campus of Delaware State University. He also was ordered to stay away from the people he shot.


$100,000. That's the bail amount of the six whites in West Virginia accused of kidnapping a black woman in West Virginia, raping her, beating and stabbing her, forcing her to eat rat and dog feces, to drink out of a toilet, who had hot water and hot wax poured on her, and who was forced to perform oral sex on another woman.


$125,00. Bail given to O.J. Simpson after being charged with 11 felonies in connection with an armed robbery at a Las Vegas casino.


$70,000 to $138,000. That's the bail range for the six young men involved in the beating case in Jena, La.


Folks have called into my show and expressed outrage for the differences in bail, and I understand their confusion.


This is the craziness with our legal system. Different rules apply in different states, and there are different standards.


This is why I suggested that what's happening in Jena is a matter of equal justice. I don't believe someone who committed a crime should get off. But there should be some standard in cases.


But hey, they say Lady Justice is blind. I think she's got her eyes open clearly. Yet simply looking the other way.

Michael Vick in more trouble

One day after being indicted on dogfighting by the state of Virginia, a federal court confirms that the Atlanta Falcons quarterback has failed a marijuana test.


Vick, who will be sentenced in federal court on Dec. 10 after pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges, failed the test on Sept. 13, and the judge has tightened the rules that allow him to remain free until his sentencing.


I was talking to one guy about Vick's latest setback, and he said the guy is under a lot of pressure and just gave in.


B.S.


He stood in front of a packed news conference and suggested that he found Jesus during his dogfighting crisis, and was going to do better.


So was he thinking smoking a blunt would make Jesus appear? This ain't "How High" and he's not Method Man.


With the state of Virginia now on his butt, all of you Vick fans had better save as many of your VCR tapes featuring his highlight reels. It's a good bet that we will never see Vick take to the football field again.


And he has no one else to blame but himself.

My reaction to O'Reilly

OK, now you have read for yourself exactly what Bill O'Reilly had to say. Here is my take.


It speaks directly to the fundamental problem that some people have who don't have a full understanding of people of color.


O'Reilly "couldn't get over the fact" that Sylvia's is like any other? Give me a damn break. He says that his points are taken out of context. But what formed his opinion? What did he think the experience was going to be like?


See, lots of people walk around making assumptions about African Americans, and when presented with the truth, they are so stunned.


But what really pissed me off was this statement: "I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. They're getting away from the Sharptons and the Jacksons and the people trying to lead them into a race-based culture. They're just trying to figure it out: "Look, I can make it. If I work hard and get educated, I can make it."


I'm 38-years-old and for a long time, I have been thinking for myself. And so many have. Guys like O'Reilly are so damn fixated on Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. They want to discredit them, and carry all of us along with him.


Then he suggests that what would make us better is if we focus on our education and work hard, we can move ahead.


Hello?!


That's what we have ALWAYS done. What the O'Reillys of the world should know is that African Americans get this, and we know this. And his words offer nothing. We didn't just start thinking. We have always used our brains.


It's just time we call people out for such nonsense, but also try to expand the conversation.


Many Americans must leave their narrow spaces and see the rest of the world. Then they can lose the stereotypes.

O'Reilly's black restaurant comments drawing fire

The idea of Bill O'Reilly making comments that tick people off would come as a surprise to no one.


But his statements regarding a black soul food restaurant, and the abiility of black folks to think for themselves, are rather insulting.


OK, this post will be a bit long, but I think you need to read the full transcript. Then I will post my reaction.


From the September 19 edition of Westwood One's The Radio Factor:


O"REILLY: Now, how do we get to this point? Black people in this country understand that they've had a very, very tough go of it, and some of them can get past that, and some of them cannot. I don't think there's a black American who hasn't had a personal insult that they've had to deal with because of the color of their skin. I don't think there's one in the country. So you've got to accept that as being the truth. People deal with that stuff in a variety of ways. Some get bitter. Some say,
[unintelligible] "You call me that, I'm gonna be more successful." OK, it depends on the personality.


So it's there. It's there, and I think it's getting better. I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. They're getting away from the Sharptons and the Jacksons and the people trying to lead them into a race-based culture. They're just trying to figure it out: "Look, I can make it. If I work hard and get educated, I can make it."


You know, I was up in Harlem a few weeks ago, and I actually had dinner with Al Sharpton, who is a very, very interesting guy. And he comes on The Factor a lot, and then I treated him to dinner, because he's made himself available to us, and I felt that I wanted to take him up there. And we went to Sylvia's, a very famous restaurant in Harlem. I had a great time, and all the people up there are tremendously respectful. They all watch The Factor. You know, when Sharpton and I walked in, it was like a big commotion and everything, but everybody was very nice.


And I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same, and that's really what this society's all about now here in the U.S.A. There's no difference. There's no difference. There may be a cultural entertainment -- people may gravitate toward different cultural entertainment, but you go down to Little Italy, and you're gonna have that. It has nothing to do with the color of anybody's skin.


[...]


O'REILLY: No, no, I mean, I like that soul food. I had the meatloaf special. I had coconut shrimp. I had the iced tea. It was great.


WILLIAMS: Well, let me just tell you, the one thing I would say is this. And we're talking about the kids who still like this gangsta rap, this vile poison that I think is absolutely, you know, literally a corruption of culture. I think that what you've got to take into account that it's still a majority white audience -- young, white people who think they're into rebelling against their parents who buy this stuff and think it's just a kick. You know, it's just a way of expressing their anti-authoritarianism.


O'REILLY: But it's a different -- it's a different dynamic, though.


WILLIAMS: Exactly right --


O'REILLY: Because the young, white kids don't have to struggle out of the ghetto.


WILLIAMS: Right, and also, I think they can have that as one phase of their lives.


O'REILLY: Yeah.


WILLIAMS: I think too many of the black kids take it as, "Oh, that's what it means to be authentically black. That's how you make money. That's how you become rich and famous and get on TV and get music videos." And you either get the boys or the girls. The girls think they have to, you know, be half-naked and spinning around like they're on meth in order to get any attention. It really corrupts people, and I think it adds, Bill, to some serious sociological problems, like the high out-of-wedlock birth rate because of this hypersexual imagery that then the kids adapt to some kind of reality. I mean, it's inauthentic.
It's not in keeping with great black traditions of struggle and
excellence, from Willie Mays to Aretha Franklin, but even in terms of academics, you know, going back to people like Charles Drew or Ben Carson here, the neurosurgeon at [Johns] Hopkins [University]. That stuff, all of a sudden, is pushed aside. That's treated as, "You're a nerd, you're acting white," if you try to be excellent and black.


O'REILLY: You know, and I went to the concert by Anita Baker at Radio City Music Hall, and the crowd was 50/50, black/white, and the blacks were well-dressed. And she came out -- Anita Baker came out on the stage and said, "Look, this is a show for the family. We're not gonna have any profanity here. We're not gonna do any rapping here." The band was excellent, but they were dressed in tuxedoes, and this is what white America doesn't know, particularly people who don't have a lot of
interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is
dominated by Twista, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg.


WILLIAMS: Oh, and it's just so awful. It's just so awful because, I mean, it's literally the sewer come to the surface, and now people take it that the sewer is the whole story --


O'REILLY: That's right. That's right. There wasn't one person in
Sylvia's who was screaming, "M-Fer, I want more iced tea."


WILLIAMS: Please --


O'REILLY: You know, I mean, everybody was -- it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."

9.25.07 Quote of the Day

"It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important."


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin on CNN's 'Out in the Open' tonight

We'll be discussing some recent comments made by Bill O'Reilly concerning a recent visit to a black New York restauarant.


it airs at 8 p.m. EST.

Finally, national media puts spotlight on missing black Chicago woman

Lacie. Chaundra. And insert any other white woman. And it's a good bet that if she was missing, we would know all about her.

Media execs are always perplexed when jammed up about a white woman going missing, and throwing wall-to-wall coverage on the story, and say nothing when a black woman is gone.

Today marks the sixth day in the disappearance of Nailah Franklin, a Chicago pharmaceutical representative, and over the weekend, several national TV shows dedicated airtime to her case.


I was channel flipping and saw stories on MSNBC and CNN, and I know Nancy Grace dealt with it on her show on CNN Headline News.


Franklin, 28, has not been heard from since Tuesday, when she called and text messaged friends, as well as her boyfriend, who lives in Milwaukee.


This from today's Chicago Sun-Times:
"The Chicago Police Marine Unit has been performing "surface searches" on all 27 miles of local shoreline for a missing Chicago woman whose car was found in Hammond, Ind. over the weekend.


"The police Marine Unit has been using boats to perform "surface searches" from Evanston to Calumet Harbor, Ind. on and near the Lake Michigan shoreline, about 27 miles, according to Marine Unit Sgt. Robert Fitzsimmons on Monday morning.


"'With the boat we run a couple hundred yards off shore, by the bricks and boulders, where you can’t see," according to the sergeant. "We haven’t done actual dives.'"


"The process has been made "a little harder" because searchers don’t have an exact address of where the woman was last seen. Fitzsimmons could not confirm a report the woman’s purse was found in Chicago."


Franklin's car was found Saturday, and police searched a retentino pond at a golf course.


Friends and family held a prayer service Sunday at her church, Trinity United Church of Christ.


Police say Franklin had filed a report shortly before she disappeared, stating that a former male acquaintance had been making harassing calls to her.
>

Bigots target Jena 6 families

A white supremacist website has been taken offline after its users posted personal information on the Jena 6 families, calling on those interested to mete out "justice" if they saw fit.


Supporters of the family consider this to be an outrage and a solicitation to harm the family, and are calling for federal officials to intervene.


The FBI announced over the weekend that it is investigating the website, and on Sunday, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. called on the Justice Department to assign federal marshals to protect the families.


We should not be shocked that such behavior exists. America may have taken down the "colored only" signs from buildings, but hate continues to reside in the hearts of many.


Several years ago I did a story for Honey Magazine and a white woman who fought white supremacists had to move across the country - and continues to live in hiding - after her personal information was published on a website, and an order to kill her was called for.


People shouldn't assume that this is no big deal and it can be business as usual. With anyone having access to a personal computer, and so much of our private information being online, this is how hate groups do their work in the 21st century. A burning cross in a yard has turned into burning up the World Wide Web with such venom.


But this should not deter those who seek justice. Remember, many of our parents and grandparents put their lives on the line in order for us to taste the true meaning of being American.


Stay strong. Stay vigilant. Never be intimidated.

9.24.07 Quote of the Day

"Actively we have woven ourselves with the very warp and woof of this nation - we have fought their battles, shared their sorrow, mingled our blood with theirs, and generation after generation have pleaded with a headstrong, careless people to despite not justice, mercy, and truth, lest the nation be smitten with a curse. Our song, our toil, our cheer, and warning have been given to this nation in blood-brotherhood."


W.E.B. Du Bois, 1903


Source: "And don't call me a racist!" A treasury of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America. Selected and arranged by Ella Mazel

Bell judge will stay on case

Attorneys for Jena 6 defendant Mychal Bell went to court today to try to get the original judge in his case removed, but another judge hearing the case denied the request.


A hearing is going on right now that could lead to Bell being given bail, and released today.


More updates to follow.

Jena 6 rally was about equal justice, not race

As I watched thousands of people gather in Jena, La., via CNN and CNN.com, tears were streaming down my face.

Even though I was doing my radio show on WVON-AM in Chicago at the time, it was truly emotional watching the display.

It was reminiscent of the Million Man March in 1995, when 1 million Black men marched gathered in the nation's capital in a mass show of unity.

As a 38-year-old African American man, I have no memory of the Civil Rights Movement. I was born Nov. 14, 1968, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated seven months earlier. His death, in many ways, signaled an end to that long but peaceful resistance against America's systemic and deeply rooted oppression of African Americans.

It was great seeing so many people exercising their free speech and right to protest, but to also demand a change to what they felt is an unjust legal system.

Many people have commented on what is taking place in Jena, with some suggesting that the six black teens accused of beating a white teen deserve years in prison, while others say they should be freed.

It is true that Justin Barker, a White teen, was beaten and left unconscious. The disturbing photos clearly show that. Yet the question as to whether a school fight, one that sent Barker to the hospital, only to see him released the same day and attend a party that night, warranted the teens to be charged with attempted murder.

Folks, that's the primary reason for the outrage that you have seen and heard.

Much of the reporting and commentary on this has been shallow, choosing to see it as a Black-White issue, as opposed to the various views of how do you define equal justice in America.

Let's try this exercise for a moment. We can remove all racial tags and ask ourselves some critical questions.

----  If you heard that six teens had beat up another teen leaving him unconscious, would you think that those accused deserved to be tried as adults and face upwards of 80 years in jail?

---- If a group of teens hung a noose on a tree, and the principal recommended to expel them, and then the school board overruled them, what would you say about that?

---- Prior to Justin Barker being beaten, another teen (who was black) was beaten, and no charges were filed against the (white) students in that case, would you question the DA's action in Barker's case?

Lady Justice in America is supposed to be blind. We all want to have confidence in our legal system that when someone is prosecuted, it is fair and just. But so many people know that is not the case.

Look at O.J. Simpson. Thirteen years later, people are still mad that he got off.

Fine. So if you're mad about O.J., are you equally offended about Jena?

Frankly, I wish the crowds in Jena were far more integrated. I was hoping more Whites would show up to express their displeasure with this justice system. And I am hoping that those who see this case - and O.J. - as wrong will look at the case of former Chicago police commander Jon Burge, who has been accused of leading the torture of upwards of 200 Black and Hispanic me over nearly two decades.

Many of them went to prison based on beaten confessions, and when they were freed, the city has paid millions in settlements.

But what happened to Burge? He's sitting in his Florida home, collecting a big pension, while the city spends millions defending him (because he was a city employee when the torture took place). He has never been charged.

We can travel all across America and find case after case after case of men and women who have been wrongfully imprisoned, some sitting on the doorsteps of the death chamber.

What should we take away from Jena? We must all be vigilant in demanding that our legal system is fair and just. We must not be silent and say it's not in our backyard, so therefore it doesn't matter.

It might be the Jena 6 today, and it just might be your household tomorrow. Write. Call. E-mail. Petition. Protest. If all of that leads to more fairness and equality, then the march was valuable.

Watch video of me discussing the Jena Six rally on CNN

Bishop T.D. Jakes' Jena 6 statement

I received this email this morning. As you'll see, he's contributing $6,000 to the Jena 6 Legal Defense Fund

Like most of America, I had never heard of this small town of a little less than 3,000.

A few months ago, had you asked anyone outside of Jena if they ever heard of it, you would have been greeted with blank stares.

Today, the question is not if you have heard of Jena, La, the question is if you haven't.

Jena, La. is at the center of a heated controversy fueled by allegations of racism that carry an unpleasant reminder that the events and actions that brought so much shame to the South during the 50's and 60's still exist today.

The Jena 6, as dubbed by the media, has ignited a fierce debate over racism in America and has motivated busloads of Americans, from all across the country to make the journey to Jena, La and to do as our fathers and mothers did during the civil rights movements of the 60's; to march, to protest, and to demand justice.

While I am a firm believer that marching and protesting, raises awareness, our parents and the previous generation took that route because for most, that was their only option, their only way to voice their displeasure, their only way to fight. It is effective at raising awareness and showing support.

Today, many of us have the financial resources to support the fight against injustices by exploring other options. It is equally important that we help the families fight this very expensive battle. Helping can be done many ways ....Those who have no resources can give time or volunteer to help. Most of us can do something.

I have decided to make a $6,000 donation to the Jena 6 defense fund. Additionally, I will continue to monitor the case and will make additional financial contributions as I am led to do so.

I reach out and challenge those of us who can, to contribute financially to the defense of these young men. Perhaps you are unable to be there physically. Your schedule like mine may not always allow you to show up on a particular day or time.... However, I challenge those of us who can to give financially, not for publicity, not for fame, not for notoriety, but because it is the right thing to do.

There is an old saying, when you are searching for something, "It is better to light a candle and see, than to scream blindly into the darkness." Financial support combined with raising the awareness of an injustice by protest, is a powerful resource that can yield incredible results. I implore you to, after we have so vividly pointed out the injustice's that still haunt our country, to provide the financial backing to allow them to fight the good fight.

It is our responsibility to ensure that justice is served and I challenge each one of you who can, to make a financial contribution so these young men will have the chance to stand up and defend themselves. If all of us do what we can, the job will get done.

Bishop TD Jakes

People Having Difficulty Getting Into Jena For March

I just spoke with CNN anchor Tony Harris and he said they have a massive problem in Jena and even Alexandria, which is 45 minutes away. Watch me discussing Jena Six on CNN today.

The road leading into Jena is so jampacked, a fleet of buses are idling in Alexandria, unable to leave the city because of the traffic problem.

Harris said the Rev. Al Sharpton and radio host Michael Baisden had to get off their bus and get in cars to come into the city. But the problem is there is no place to put the cars and buses.

Harris said many people thought they could drive to Monroe or Alexandria and take buses into the city. But there is no shuttle service. As a result, they are taking their personal cars into the city, making the situation worse.

Have you heard anything from people you know about the problems getting into Jena? Post your comments below.

Read the latest from Essence's Cynthia Gordy who is reporting from Jena, Louisina all-day.

Get more from Roland

CNN anchor: Jena DA did threaten students

One of the disturbing aspects of the Jena 6 case was the allegation that the town's district attorney, Reed Walters, went to the local high school, flanked by police officers, and told the students assembled that he could end their life with the stroke of a pen.

Walters has steadfastly refused any interviews, but CNN's Kyra Phillips staked him out and when he was approached in the parking lot, she asked him several questions.

Phillips, who relayed the story this morning on my Chicago radio show, said that she asked him if he did say what white and blacks students accused him of and he didn't deny the allegation.

Phillips said the black students she interviewed felt like he was targeting them, and the white students found his comments confusing.

Yesterday, Walters gave a news conference flanked by the parents of the white teen beaten - and all whites standing behind him - asserted that race was not a factor in the prosecution.

That clearly is not the view of the thousands who are flocking to the small Louisiana town.

Phillips' special, "Judgment in Jena", airs tonight at 8 p.m. EST on CNN.

9.20.07 Quote of the Day

"The Army was living the democratic ideal ahead of the rest of America. Beginning in the fifties, less discrimination, a true merit system, and leveler playing fields existed inside the gates of our military posts than in any Southern city hall or Northern corporation. The Army, therefore, made it easier for me to love my country, with all its flaws, and to serve her with all my heart."

Colin Powell., 1995

Source: "And don't call me a racist!" A treasury of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America. Selected and arranged by Ella Mazel

No release for Jena 6 defendant Bell

One day before an estimated 40,000 people are expected to descend on Jena, La., a Louisiana appeals court that it is too early for them to rule on releasing Mychal Bell from jail.


"The motion for release from custody, filed by the defendant in this court, is premature," the panel ruled, according to the Associated Press.


Now it's time for Reed Walters, the district attorney who initially charged Bell and five others with attempted murder charges in the beating of Justin Barker, to decide if he will refile the charges in juvenile court.


That is necessary after an appeals court determined that Bell should not have been tried as an adult, but as a juvenile.

Roland on CNN today regarding Jena 6 and O.J.

Sorry, folks, for not posting. It has been a wild day!


I did my radio show from CNN in Atlanta, and then did two live hits on the network before noon. And then did another hit at 2:15 p.m. Got some stuff coming down the pipeline with CNN.com that I'll let you know about in a couple of days.


Now, I'll be on CNN Headline News at 5 p.m. EST, and Showbiz Tonight on Headline News tonight at 11 p.m. EST. You can also catch me Sunday on Reliable Sources.

9.19.07 Quote of the Day

"My God, what do we want? What does any human being want? Take away an accident of pigmentation of a thin layer of our outer skin and there is no difference between me and anyone else. All we want is for that trivial difference to make no difference."


Shirley Chisholm, 1970


Source: "And don't call me a racist!" A treasury of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America. Selected and arranged by Ella Mazel

9.18.07 Quote of the Day

Oops! Forgot to post yesterday!

"Some...turn away from competition and pull back in the face of opportunity. Some even mess up their lives deliberately in order to force themselves out of the game."


Clarence Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist


Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations

America, admit it. You love O.J.

There was a scene in the gangster movie, "Hoodlum," where a mortician looks at Bumpy Johnson, played by Laurence Fishburne, and tells his son, "That man is good for business."


Martin: "We love nothing more than watching another fool make a mess out of his life."


Of course, that's because Bumpy went to war with another gangster, Dutch Schultz, leading to a bunch of dead bodies. The mortician didn't sweat hearing gunfire. For him, the "cha-ching!" meant money from funerals.


And that's what I'm hearing right now as we deal with O.J. Simpson's arrest in an alleged armed robbery in Las Vegas.


Right now, as I type, lawyers across America are dusting off their resumes and DVDs, firing them off to talent heads at all the cable networks, looking to make their mark by cashing in on O.J. mania.


Oh, yeah, don't think for a second that I'm stretching here. Everybody saw how many lawyers are now TV hosts, commentators and pundits. O.J. is a living, breathing reality show.


Anybody and everybody who has written a book or a documentary related to O.J. will be on radio and TV, expounding on a man many of them really don't know. But hey, they've got books to sell!


You don't think this is a big deal?


When Clark County Judge Nancy Oesterle -- the appointed Las Vegas "media" judge -- approached the microphone yesterday, she commented that she had never seen such a spectacle.


Yeah, I'm sure some will say, "It's you, the media!"


But show me one media executive that ignores the O.J. saga, and I'll show you a guy or gal without a job by the end of the week.


Remember all of the righteous indignation we witnessed when O.J. was going to publish his book, "If I Did It"? People howled, protested and blasted Rupert Murdoch and ReganBooks for days. And Judith Regan, who orchestrated the deal, which included a TV show, was ousted in the wake of the scandal.


And when the Goldman family got the rights to the book and promised to publish it, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble treated it like a skunk, saying they would not promote it, and some demanded they not carry it in their stores.


Guess what? Over the weekend, the book hit No. 1 on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.


So, who exactly is buying the book?


That's right. You. It's you, America. You buy the books about O.J. You watch these TV shows that go wall-to-wall O.J. You buy the magazines that feature him on the cover. And yes, we in the media churn this stuff out like clockwork. We are all rolling around in the slime of celebrity justice.


People need to stop with their high and mighty attitude and own up to the fact that we love to scream on the roller coaster O.J. takes us on and that includes my friends in media. He is a riot, always getting into trouble, and we love nothing more than watching another fool make a mess out of his life.


So, let the games begin. Let's pop some popcorn, grab some snacks, and watch another wild and crazy trial. Sure, this isn't a double-murder trial. But we'll go through every detail of that trial. Someone will drag Kato Kaelin out from under a rock -- likely someone else's -- that he's been living under. Maybe that barking dog will be interviewed on a cable TV show.


Enough with our pretend indignation. We might as well own up to the reality that we can't get enough of O.J. Simpson. So let's enjoy him as long as he's here to kick around ... and make a buck off of.


Question: Will you buy the book, "If I Did It"? Do you own any books related to O.J. Simpson?

O.J. is back!

Don't you know all the legal shows are salivating at the return of O.J. Simpson to the police blotter?


Nancy Grace. Jim Abrams. Greta Van Sustern. All cable TV hosts. All made their bones covering O.J.'s double-murder trial 13 years ago, and now that he's in trouble with Las Vegas police, expect wall-to-wall coverage.


I can bet you that any number of lawyers looking to land a TV gig are shooting off their resumes and tapes, hoping to strike it rich with a TV gig.


But we should have known this day was coming. O.J. is a big seller. Of course, no one wants him to profit off his shenanigans. But book authors, TV networks and others have been cashing in for some time.


Now he's accused of storming a Las Vegas hotel room with his own crew - their guns blazing - and taking back some sports memorabilia that he said was his. After much back and forth over the weekend, he's been slapped with six felony charges.


It's already giving me a headache the kind of coverage we will see with O.J.'s latest legal run-in.


Please, someone pass me an aspirin.

Jena 6 case overturned; supporters say rally will go on as planned

Jubiliation was the word Friday for the parents and supporters of Mychal Bell, one of the six black teens known nationally as the "Jena 6" after a Louisiana appeals court threw out his conviction, saying he should have been charged as a juvenile.


The ruling comes less than a week before a massive rally is planned in the city on Thursday. Some 30,000 people are expected to descend on the Louisiana town to protest the actions of Defense Attorney Reed Walters, who initially tried the six young men with attempted murder for their alleged involvement in the beating of a white teen.


This morning on my radio show (WVON-AM/Chicago), Louis Scott, Bell's lead attorney, said his legal team is trying to get the judge in Bell's first trial recused, saying he should not be the same judge to hear his case if he's tried as a juvenile.


He also said Bell is happy that his conviction was overturned, but he won't have full satisfaction until his feet hits the ground as a free man.


Despite the satisfaction with the ruling, supporters of the Jena 6 says the massive rally planned for Thursday will go on as planned.


Jesse Muhammad, staff writer for the Final Call and Minister of Information for the Houston Millions More Movement, said on my show this morning that it is not true, as some have been suggesting, that anyone driving will not be allowed to enter the city.


He said they have received correspondence from the Louisiana state police making it clear that anyone exercising their constitutional right to freedom of protest will be allowed to do so.


The Rev. Al Sharpton told me on Friday that his National Action Network will have at least 80 buses traveling to Jena for the rally. Student leaders at Spelman College have gotten in on the act, writing letters to officials involved in this case, and pushing HBCU students across the country to do the same.


Muhammad said those rallying with gather at 7 a.m., and at 7:30 a.m., the march to the courthouse will begin, where the program will commence.

9.17.07 Quote of the Day

"It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and be prepared."


Whitney Young, the late president and CEO, National Urban League


Source: "The Soul of Success" by Janet Cheatham Bell

9.16.07 Quote of the Day

"You cannot be successful and continue to be a victim."


Rep. Maxine Waters.


Source: "The Soul of Success" by Janet Cheatham Bell

9.15.07 Quote of the Day

"Knowledge can be obtained (even) under difficulties." Frederick Douglass.


Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations

Weeks: I didn't lay a hand on Bynum

OK, somebody is lying!


At a Friday news conference, Bishop Thomas Weeks said that on the night he allegedly beat the heck out of his estranged wife, Prophetess Juanita Bynum, he walked away from a parking lot confrontation.


In a story reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Weeks said: "I want to be clear in saying I do not condone in any way, shape or form violence of any kind towards women. My role has always been to operate as a protector and not as an aggressor. I have walked away from many situations between the two of us, just like I walked away that night."


Despite Weeks claims, Bynum produced pictures of her bruised neck and torso, but they were taken by her sister. On the day of the attack, Bynum went to a local hospital, but by the time the cops arrived, she had already been whisked away by her family.


A bellman at the hotel where the two met told investigators that he had to pull Weeks off of Bynum after seeing him beat and kick her.


I don't know what Weeks' strategy is, but if there is a witness, his credibility further goes out the window. And that's not a good thing for the pastor of a multiple-church ministry.


By the way, he says he still loves his wife and doesn't want to get divorced. She's already filed the paperwork.
Stay tuned!

Drama over Jena 6 defense funds

Last week, the father of one of the Jena 6 black teens called the Rev. Al Sharpton's show to say that he had issues with the website, ColorofChange.org, raising funds to assist with the defense team.


If you aren't aware, six Black teens are facing long jail terms for their alleged involvement in the beating of a white teen. This has led to a lot of people pointing their cameras at justice in the small Louisiana town. The district attorney initially filed attempted murder charges against the six, which would have led to massive jail terms.


Now others have taken up their cause, and even a massive protest is being planned in the city for Sept. 20.


This allegation of problems with defense funds troubled me, so I reached out to the co-founder of ColorofChange.org to get his take on the comments. Here is what he wrote me back in an email:


"Thanks for contacting me. The accusations made by Marcus Jones on Sharpton's show are very disturbing to us, and I'm glad to have the chance to clear this up.


"We have solicited donations from our members with the following language on our website: "We are raising money to support the legal defense of the Jena Six. Every dollar raised goes directly to a fund set up to hire private attorneys that the families of the Jena Six simply cannot afford."


"We receive funds in two ways, by check and through credit card donations. Funds received by check get recorded by us and sent directly to the Jena 6 Defense Committee PO Box in Jena. To date, we have sent around $13,000 in checks to the Defense Committee. Decisions about spending that money are made solely by the families.


"Funds we get via credit card donations go into a dedicated account here at ColorOfChange. We are working directly with the lawyers and individual families to disburse funds for legal expenses, such as lawyers, investigators, and expert witnesses. There is a clear process for disbursal of funds which all the parents (with the exception of Marcus) understand. Marcus has not been participating in committee meetings and refuses to speak with me personally, although I have asked Mellisa Bell (Mychal's mother) and other family members who have a rapport with Marcus to make sure he's aware. The first step in the process for existing and new counsel, before we distribute any money, is getting a retainer agreement from the lawyers and a projected statement of expenses. I have now been waiting for this for two weeks from Louis Scott, Mychal's lead counsel. I don't know if Marcus knows this.


"As the Director of ColorofChange I have a responsibility to our members. I must ensure that their generous contributions go directly to legal expenses. We feel we can best uphold this responsibility to our members by dispersing monies directly, in consultation with the legal teams and the families. No decisions will be made to disperse funds if families disagree with the decision. I want to stress that all family members except Marcus Jones are aware of this plan and support it. You could confirm this with the other families.


"We want everyone to know that 100% of the funds raised by ColorOfChange for the Jena 6 are going to the legal defense of the Jena 6. We are using other funds to pay for our staff time to work on the Jena 6 campaign. Not a penny of our members donations have gone or will go to our overhead."

9.14.07 Quote of the Day

"I believe that the most commercial element in music, no matter what the genre, is sincerity, that you really believe in what you're doing."


Quincy Jones

Update on West Virginia torture case

Federal officials have decided not to pursue hate crimes charges against the six whites charged with beating, sexually assaulting, kidnapping and stabbing 20-year-old Megan Williams.


Because the state charges carry a stiffer penalty - up to life in prison for kidnapping - they decided it was best to let the state take the lead on the case.

So should I have cursed him out or burned up inside?

Yesterday I played a round of golf at one of the top golf courses in the country. I was the guest of a big-time banker - a brother - and two other high-powered cats.


When we made the turn, we decided to grab a snack and head to the restroom. While standing at the counter, a white guy appearing to be in his 50s asks, "So, the Bears have the day off?"


Now the two of us immediately knew what his point was. Here were two black guys on a fancy golf course at 3 p.m. in the afternoon, and the only way we could be there is if we played or worked for the Chicago Bears.


The thought of being lawyers, doctors, bankers, journalists, or venture capitalists never came across his mind. He simply tossed it out.


Man, I was burning up! But I didn't want to blow homey up for fear of embarassing the guy who invited me out.


The brother I was standing next to - the one who invited me - replied, "Do you mean the bear market?" That was his attempt to make this white guy realize he knew the Wall Street language.


Still fuming, I said, "The only bear I have is CNN."


He says, "You work for CNN?"


"Yep. And WVON. And I have a syndicated column. And..." on and on and on.


When we headed to the 10th tee, I was still ticked. Sure, I know some folks would think I should have blown it off, but I never do that. I'm not going to let someone just disrespect me and get away with it!


We discussed this today on my radio show, and countless folks told their own stories of having to deal with people making assumptions or living on stereotypes.


I've written about this issue countless times, and it's critical to confront such nonsense. I do so because maybe if I jack 'em up, they won't mess around make the same assumption with the next brother or sister.


Today's question for you: What is your own personal story related to this? And, what was your response? How did you handle the situation?

Sadistic group of whites kidnap, beat, rape Black woman

The story line comes straight of Hollywood: Six sadistic individuals kidnap a West Virginia woman. They rape her, force her to eat rat and dog feces, make her drink from a toilet, stab her multiple times, and call her “nigger” every time they beat her.


No, this isn’t the storyline to “Silence of the Lambs” or a Morgan Freeman thriller. It is a true story.


Authorities in West Virginia have six whites in custody – and are searching for two others – in what is being described as a heinous hate crime.


Amazingly, a mother and her son, and a mother and her daughter, are among those arrested for their involvement in the case.


The 23-year-old woman was only saved when police received an anonymous tip, and saw the woman limp to the door pleading, “Help me!”


According to the Charleston Gazette, which published the story after the woman’s mother talked to them, they also doused the young woman with hot water while she was sexually assaulted.


"She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, 'Mommy,"' the mother told the paper. "What's really bad is that we don't know everything they did to her. She is crying all the time."


Now what is amazing is that the charges filed against the six range from sexual assault and malicious wounding to kidnapping and giving false information during a felony investigation. They all have bond set at $100,000.


So six Black youths are involved a fight where a white teen was beaten unconscious – but went to a party later that night – and they were hit with attempted murder charges in Jena, La.


Those young men faced life in prison before the charges were reduced.


So is this what they mean when they say justice is supposed to be blind?

9.11.07 Quote of the Day

"Some people will tear you down just to see you fall. They'll do it even if your loss is their own."

Walter Mosley

Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations

Shepherd makes for a Blacker 'View'

Ever since Star Jones got the boot from ABC's "The View," the show has been devoid of a much-needed perspective.


Rosie O'Donnell added some spice, but she got a bit grating with all of the bombastic rhetoric. When she couldn't come to terms with ABC, the show added the ultra-cool Whoopi Goldberg as the moderator of the all-female ensemble.


Now comedian Sherri Shepherd will bring her comedic touch to the show.


Praise the Lord!


Even Barbara Walters announced Shepherd coming on the show was "the worst kept secret." Shepherd had guest hosted 23 times, and it was clear that Walters, who co-owns the show with ABC, liked what she brought to the show.


Shepherd has appeared in a number of TV shows, and she told the audience, "People who don’t know who Sherri Shepherd is, I’m the black girl on all the white shows."


Now there's another black girl with a different "View" to share with the rest of the world.

Kid Rock smacks Tommy Lee. Where's the wall-to-wall coverage?

All the news this morning out of the MTV Video Music Awards was about the lackluster performance of Britney Spears.


But did you hear that Kid Rock smacked Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, and the latter was dragged out of the award show by security?


I'm not one of these folks who gets into a lot of the usual debates about what happens when Black folks do stuff compared to whites, but you have to ask yourself: Had Chris Brown walked up to Diddy - who was sitting next to Tommy Lee - and cracked him upside the head twice, would the whole world know about it?


Even Diddy commented to AP: "It's not just the hip-hop artists that sometimes have a problem."


Sure, it wasn't as dramatic as Dr. Dre getting suckerpunched at the Vibe Awards in 2004 that led to a melee and another cat getting stabbed.


Let's just hope the next mainstream journalists go off about hip-hop violence, they remember the Rock-Lee dust-up.

9.10.07 Quote of the Day

"I sought advice and cooperation from all those around, but not permission."

Muhammad Ali

Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations

Oprah's big bucks could help Obama in a big way

It's big news that the goddess of talk, Oprah Winfrey, is throwing a huge shindig for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama at her California estate that is expected to bring in $3 million.


That is more than what Hollywood honchos Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and others raised in separate fundraisers for Obama and his chief rival, Sen. Hillary
Clinton.


No one knows for sure what the effect will be with Oprah backing Obama because she has never thrown her full support behind a political candidate.


The Washington Post made it plain as to her influence on the general public, courtesy of her massive media platform: "the television program that reaches 8.4 million viewers each weekday afternoon, according to the most recent Nielsen numbers. Her Web site reaches 2.3 unique viewers each month, "O, the Oprah Magazine," has a circulation of 2 million, she circulates a weekly newsletter to 420,000 fans and 360,000 people have subscribed to her Web site for daily "Oprah Alerts" by e-mail."


Although Winfrey is a billionaire, by law, all she can contribute to the Obama campaign is $4,600 - $2,300 for the primary, and if wins the nomination, he can use the other $2,300 for the general election campaign.


On CNN's Larry King Live, she said that her support is bigger than any check she could write.


Not quite.


Although the Post reported that Oprah is in talks with the Obama campaign about taking an active role - appearing at rallies or cutting campaign commercials - she could instead choose to launch her own 527 political group that wouldn't have any spending restrictions.


Imagine this scenario: Oprah chooses to create the "O for Obama" 527 group. She then seeds it with $5 million, and plans a series of radio and TV ads touting Obama in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Arizona.


In Iowa, she might shoot a commercial in a cornfield. In New Hampshire, the setting might be outside the state capitol. How about the Geechee islands in South Carolina? And for Arizona, the infamous (only because of its sheriff) jail in Maricopa County.


She could tailor each ad for residents of that state, and flood the airwaves as Obama is doing the same.


Now, the laws says the 527s can't coordinate their messages with the campaign, and there are other restrictions. But it could be a huge boost to a campaign lagging Clinton in national polls.


You don't think they matter? Ask Sen. John Kerry. The Swift Boat Veterans launched a 527 group that developed devastating ads that helped derail his message, and the campaign.


Oprah may get some heat for trying to buy the election, but many rich benefactors have used their money for partisan purposes.


The talk show diva has been on record that Obama is the first - and likely - last candidate she publicly backs. If that's the case, why not simply go all out?

BE's Butch Graves: Griffin broke agreement

DALLAS - As I sped down I-35 to appear on CNN to discuss the Eddie Griffin drama at the Black Enterprise golf and tennis gathering last week, BE CEO Butch Graves returned my call and shed some light on what took place.


Unfortunately, I couldn't take notes since I was doing nearly 100 on the freeway (had a speaking engagement at the University of North Texas), but here is the gist of the conversation:


Graves said that Griffin, known for his raunchy stand up, sent BE a DVD showcasing his clean show before he was hired to perform at the event. He said that BE put language in the contract stipulating that Griffin was to perform a clean show.


Shortly before taking the stage, Graves said BE officials, the sponsors of the evening, as well as Griffin's manager reminded him to keep it clean. But when he took the stage, that all went out the window, Graves said.


Graves, the son of BE founder Earl Graves, said that Griffin went on stage and instead of using the N-word, he would use m----rf----r instead. That led to a torrent of MF's that Graves says was beyond comprehension. He said Griffin then went on to talk about "killing white b-----s" and other language that was offensive.


It was at that point that BE officials cut off his microphone and proceeded to end his show.


Graves did acknowledge that BE was "culpable" for hiring Griffin, knowing full well that what transpired could take place since comedians are unpredictable.


But he made it clear that the kind of language Griffin used will not be tolerated by Black Enterprise because they believe in the upliftment of African Americans.

BE's Earl Graves takes stand against Eddie Griffin, N-word

Many Black comedians have thus far refused to adhere to the call to cease using the N-word in the wake of the Don Imus debacle.


So if they don't want to stop using the word, they face the possibility of being shut down.


Exhibit A: Eddie Griffin.


According to various media reports, Griffin was performing at the the Black Enterprise corporate golf and tennis retreat, and the brother was a bit salty with his language. He tossed out a few N-words, and F- and MF-bombs. That apparently didn't sit well with Black Enterprise founder Earl Graves.


Griffin found his microphone cut off. When he reached for another, that was also off. So he finished his jokes mic-less after an 8- to 10-minute set.


That's when Graves walked onto the stage and said that Griffin's conduct was unbecoming of the event. The racially-mixed corporate audience greeted that announcement with a standing ovation.


There are several critical points that need to be made here.


First, Graves was absolutely right to shut the show down because the language was offensive to his corporate clients. He was well within his rights to do so, and once he and others were offended by Griffin, it was over.


Second, an increasing number of African Americans have become more vocal on this issue of the N-word. The NAACP had a much-publicized burial of the word, and civil rights leaders have called for it to be removed from the marketplace.


Now, I've been trying to get some answers to a few questions, but have been unable to do so.


First, why did Black Enterprise book Eddie Griffin in the first place? What makes Eddie Griffin is Eddie Griffin. Anyone who knows him knows that's his act.


Now, was he asked to tone it down and do a clean show?


If BE wanted a clean show, why not book Ricky Smiley, Jonathan Slocumb, Bill Bellamy, Sinbad or the other clean comedians out there?


See, BE must accept some of the blame on this one. They knew who they were getting, and if they didn't tell him what they wanted out of his show, shame on them.


Black folks should stand up and take a stand. But they better be prepared for another comedian like Griffin to "do what they do."


Griffin is getting a lot of the blame here, and he deserves a lot. We're all told to know our audience. But those who booked him should also apologize it they didn't lay down the ground rules to him.

9.6.07 Quote of the Day

"I've always known where I wanted to go in life. I've never let anything deter me. This is my purpose. It will unfold."

Tiger Woods

Martin interviewed tonight on TBN by Bishop T.D. Jakes

Hey, folks! Check me out tonight on TBN when I'm interviewed by Bishop T.D. Jakes. The show airs from 9 pm to 11 pm tonight, and re-airs tomorrow from 4 pm to 6 pm.


Jakes, founder/senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, discusses my new book, Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith, available at www.rolandsmartin.com ($11.95).


Jakes also talks with me about being a mainstream journalist and discussing matters of faith in the secular arena.

Are black folks scared to get or stay married?

Shaq has said enough is enough and is filing for divorce after five years. Actor Tracy Morgan's drinking has led to the demise of his 25-year marriage. Whitney and Bobby are embroiled in marriage and child custody drama.


But you don't have to be a celeb to have married drama. A ton of folks who were so joyous walking down the aisle one day were in tears later as their marriage dissolved.


Unfortunately, marriage doesn't seem to be an issue that is on the minds of African Americans, In fact, U.S. Census data shows that African Americans have the lowest marriage rate out of all ethnic groups.


The data is pretty clear:


- 41.9 percent of black women in America have never been married.


- 43.3 of black men have never been married. For white women, 20.7 have never been married, and 27.4 of white men have never said, "I do."


An even more startling fact is that the marriage rate in the U.S. fell 17 percent between 1970 and 2001. For blacks, it has been 34 percent.


Over the past few years, I've participated in the National African American Healthy Marriage Initiative, an effort to address the importance of the issue in black communities.


I don't believe that people who aren't in love should get married, but we should be assessing our hangups with marriage, and what the problem is.


Why?


Because other data shows that married couples are typically healthier and wealthier, and children who group up in such families are much better off than others.


Question of the day: Have you been married? And if not, why? What has been the biggest obstacle you've encountered?

Bynum speaks out on TBN

Don't know how many of you caught this, but Prophetess Juanita Bynum spoke out on TBN last night regarding the drama surrounding her marriage.


After holding an afternoon news conference, Bynum taped the show. It will air today from 5 pm to 7 pm EST.


Check local listings for channel info.

9.5.07 Quote of the Day

"Acting is just a way of making a living, the family is life."


Denzel Washington, actor


Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations

Bishop Jakes Op Ed on Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Domestic Abuse

As I have watched the events surrounding the Bynum - Weeks family, both people, as well as their families, I have known for many years, I like most am concerned and saddened at the recent turn of events. My wife and I, as well as the entire Potter's House family are deeply worried about all parties in the family and have expressed that concern through personal contact the moment we were made aware. Those most familiar with our ministry know that I have been a long time advocate and tireless fighter against domestic violence.


However pained as we all may be, perhaps this is a teaching opportunity to awaken us to the fact that thousands of women are beaten and many killed by someone who says he loves her. I have personally lost many women in my city, some in my church and several in my family to this heinous problem.


The statistics for women that are abused in this country today by “intimates” – a husband, boyfriend or someone they are intimately close to - are staggering. The National Organization for Women submitted the following summary details:


MURDER: Every day four women die in this country as a result of domestic violence, the euphemism for murders and assaults by husbands and boyfriends. That's approximately 1,400 women a year, according to the FBI. The number of women who have been murdered by their intimate partners is greater than the number of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War.


BATTERING: Although only 572,000 reports of assault by intimates are officially reported to federal officials each year, the most conservative estimates indicate two to four million women of all races and classes are battered each year.


As difficult and as painful as it is to realize, both the victim and the perpetrator are souls that God loves and we must realize that the churches job is not a judicial one, the courts will do that, but the church is the place where people can find redemption even when they have made bad choices or been victims by those who did.


We must go beyond this tendency we have to stop on the road and watch the accident, pointing and staring while the people who are injured in both cars hemorrhage without solution. Churches must be prepared to respond to the needs of all involved including the many children who are often left traumatized and endangered in this toxic environment.
Churches can do something to support families through this difficult time by giving them a safe and discreet place to come for counseling. Often we must be prepared to get the victim out of harms way even while we are working for a solution. However, what the Church cannot do is to say to the victim “Go home and believe God that things will get better.” Or lead them in prayer and leave them in danger.


Here are some guidelines that we use at the Potter's House that may be helpful to Pastors and church leaders who are often astounded by the times we face today. If Pastor’s or service providers do counsel the victim or perpetrator it is important that they do not allow privileged information to go public. Avoid making a public statement or sharing personal details across the pulpit beyond general concern and compassion without the expressed permission of the family. Sometimes the marriage is salvageable with counseling and support and counselors should never divulge or discuss private family matters just to appear in the know. People do not confide in leadership who talk.


Churches can also make referrals to social service agencies that can provide deep counseling to victims and perpetrators as well. The partnerships with social organizations in your city is a good union.


Either refer men and women to anger management classes or provide them if you have trained people to help in understanding what triggers outrage and how to develop family skills.


Churches can acknowledge domestic violence by doing plays, candle light services, develop support groups etc. Secrets thrive in silence and isolation causes many to remain silently and secretly abused.


Realize that while some women, have the resources to leave, many others stay simply because they feel they have no where else to go. A report released in 1990 stated that there were 1,500 shelters for battered women in the United States. Yet there were 3,800 animal shelters, almost double the number for women and their children (Schneider, 1990).


This must be fixed as some women go home or become homeless as they feel that they have no where to go but back in to harm's way with their children in tow!


The faith community has to come out of shock and realize that knowing the bible may make you a strong Christian or a great speaker but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is the only resource we can draw from or work with; to help those in our pews who suffer in silence. Many of our parishioner and even our clergy may not have good family skills, coping mechanisms, and conflict resolution training. We must realize that none of us are experts and excellent at everything. And encouraging people to change their lives and provide them with good information is vitally important.


Because so many of us look to our churches for guidance and direction for everything, churches must acquaint themselves with ways we can assist or refer them to help. Prayer is a good starting point but this is a problem where wise and fair action steps are needed. Remember that as the Apostle James said, Faith without works is dead being alone.


Bishop T.D. Jakes

R. Kelly trial postponed

Superstar singer R. Kelly was indicted five years ago, and folks have been stunned to explain why it has taken this long for him to go to trial on sex charges.


Now the Chicago Sun-Times says it will not begin Sept. 17.


“We are not going to be going to trial the 17th of September,” said Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan.


No word on when jury selection will begin.

Don't compare Tom Brady's baby drama to Travis Henry's mess!

Nine kids. Nine women. In four states. It seems like NFL running back Travis Henry has been far more productive in the bedroom than he has been on the football field.


A lot of folks have been talking about the Tennessee Titans starting fullback after it was reported last week that he has been having some trouble paying child support. It got so bad that he even had to borrow nearly $10,000 from the team to satisfy a debt, even while he was dropping $100K for jewerly and a car.


But do you know what has really ticked me off? The Black folks who see a double standard in the coverage of Henry's travails and that of New England Patriots QB Tom Brady.


Last month, Brady and his former girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan, had a baby boy. Brady has acknowledged the child and pledged to have a presence in the child's life. What we haven't heard is Brady refusing to take care of the child, or Moynahan having to take him to court in order to get him to pony up.


Unlike in the past, we've come to expect people to have children out of wedlock. It used to be that you married the woman, but all of that has changed. But Henry and his NINE children, by nine women? Now that's stupid and deserving of criticism.


Folks, I don't want to hear that it's-okay-when-the-white-boy-does-it-but-not-the-brother crap. This brother should be called out for his ridiculous behavior.


For far too long we’ve given these sperm donors a pass (And yes, the sisters who keep going to bed with them). These guys run rampant on the football field, then wield their penis like a sword. And what’s left? Children pining for a father to love them, hold them, and nurture them. So, Travis, how in the world are you going to legitimately raise nine children?


There is nothing the NFL can do to Henry; having sex – and children – isn’t against the league’s new code of conduct. But for every woman who comes across Henry, there should be a sign hanging from his neck: “Sleep at your own peril. Trifling man in your midst.”

9.4.07 Quote of the Day

"You can never get others to believe in you if you don't believe in yourself."

George Fraser

Source: "The Soul of Success: Inspiring Quotations for Entrepreneurs" by Janet Cheatham Bell, editor of Famous Black Quotations