:: Down From the Tower

Why We Don't Care About OJ

Last Friday, OJ Simpson was convicted of kidnapping and robbery after a bizarre scuffle in a Las Vegas hotel last year. Despite the existence of an all-white jury and questionable evidence, the Simpson verdict has provoked little response from the black community. Unlike his first trial 15 years ago, there has been relatively little interest. No 24-hour news coverage. No over-analysis. No community outrage. There are a few reasons for this deafening silence within the public sphere.

:: The Hardline

Leave kids off Reality TV

I DON'T USUALLY GET DOWN with Keith Sweat, but I can ride with him on this one.

:: Seeds

The Last Debate: What Makes a Man?

I care about the issues, and I personally think Obama is right on most, if not all of them. But as a mother, woman, human being, and member of what I hope will be a time we can call the future, the debate was about more than issues, it was about masculinity. I've written about the need to transform contemporary masculinity--and last night I think we saw a good of example of how it's happening and why it's so important.

:: On The Dig

THE ECONOMIC BAIL-OUT AND OUR DOOMED HEALTH

A few days ago the New York Times published an article about this country's future health by blogger Tara Parker-Pope. In the article Parker-Pope discusses the impact a recession will have on this country's murder rate, suicide rate, heart disease and cancer. From her findings, she concludes that if people lose jobs it can create a larger gap between the poor and the rich and the poorer folks won't have access to cleaner eating and certainly not health care. She also concludes better-off families will find an increase in health and well-being: a laid-off parent will have the luxury of spending more time with their children and their needs while the other parent continues to work and bring in at least 100,000 smack-a-roos.