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END OF THE ROAD: Jawn Murray Signs Off From Black Voices
A Look Back At Black: 'Real Housewives' Bring The Drama
A Look Back At Black: SWV, En Vogue, Brownstone, Groove Theory, Commissioned & more
A Look Back At Black: My Two Cents on Oprah Winfrey, Vanity Fair, Regis Philbin, 'American Idol' and more
A Look Back At Black: Professional Wrestling Makes A Comeback
A Look Back at Black: Sherri Shepherd Makes Headlines
A Look Back at Black: Star Jones A Mainstay In BV Buzz
Final Score: The Return of 'The Game' on BET a Ratings Success
Anthony Mackie: Actor Talks Vanity Fair & Overcoming the Hollywood Blackout
Gladys Knight: Soul Icon Making Las Vegas Return
VaShawn Mitchell: 'Nobody Greater' Singer Hits the Road & Shoots a Video
Amber Riley: 'Glee' Star Talks Being Plus-Sized in Hollywood


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The Birds
Only in America can you receive money for “practicing” something. Depending on your definition of what you could call “practice” – repetition, rehearsal,... More | View all
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Boards in brief: Van Buren shares codes officer
BÂ’ville Rotary hosts Pride of Workmanship Awards Dinner
B'ville: Palmer firefighter visit
BPL Friends present: New York StateÂ’s Water Thruway
BÂ’ville Volunteer Center receives donation
Seminar on ‘Living with Celiac Disease' in B'ville
Movers and shakers: BÂ’ville residents promoted
Baker seniors named commended students
F-M grad takes command
Marriott to Deliver Madden Lecture at Le Moyne
Tyburn Academy Benefit Banquet
Hornets beat Corcoran, win AA-2 league title




Opinion Columns

Image to go with the Editorial: Embracing Principles of Non-Violence  cover storyEditorial: Embracing Principles of Non-Violence



As we segue from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to Black History Month some have simply reduced the Civil Rights Movement to several acts and then poof! Like a truncated version of Roots, “We Shall Overcome” and then suddenly “Oprah”. Now with the election and re-election of Barack Obama a common phrase is repeated, “You have a black President, what else do you want?” African-Americans and other minorities have been targeted by as many as 18 states with the advent of new voter identification laws, cancellation of Sunday voting, decreasing voter access leading to lines that in 2012 lasted as long as 6 hours. The result was a large non-violent protest that was shown on cable and network news as African-Americans and others stood in long lines despite being targeted by new... Continue



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In Response to Walt Shepperd's Q & A with District Attorney, William Fitzpatrick
"I do not agree with District Attorney Fitzpatrick that our community is reluctant to be outraged by the prevalent gang violence. He seems to downplay our anti-violence efforts, but I have not... More

City Scuffle:Finally bi-partisanship Opposing Paladino
Samadee and Stella pledged eternal friendship, then didn’t see each other for a year, except at Pasta Steve’s spontaneous memorial schmooz, the Media Unit’s Movin’ on Up, where she sang with the... More

What's wrong with Whoopi Goldberg?
The annoyingly amoral Whoopi Goldberg is at it again, with what seems to be her mantra: "You can do whatever offensive thing you like, as long as you're famous." First, there was the defense of a... More

Professor Shoots Two Black Scholars at U. Alabama-Huntsville
Professor Amy Bishop, 42, recently shot and killed three of her colleagues in the Biology Department at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. The professor is charged with capital murder and more... More

Tea Partiers Portray Barack Obama as a Pimp
TeaParty.org, a Houston-based group founded by Dale Robertson, has decided to go further with the race card by sending out an e-mail portraying President Barack Obama wearing a pimp hat, with a... More

Teddy was a lion for civil rights
Many of us once joked that Bill Clinton was the "first black president" (which he wasn't). We had it wrong. If such a title were to be given to any white man, that should have to be the late Senator... More

Rally around the Flag: The Resurrection of Otis Jennings & the Black Community of Syracuse in the 2009 Mayoral Election
The struggle for improving the community has historically been a lonely journey. Those who stand up for important issues often do so without the full support and backing of the group they are... More

Taking on CNN and DL Hughley
The response I received from you guys on the new CNN show, “DL Hughley Breaks the News” was overwhelming. Within 20 minutes of sending out the email statement, we had an entire inbox full of messages... More

Why I am proud of President Obama
I recall endorsing Barack Obama back when it was simply wishful thinking to hope for a Black President. During a CNN appearance over a year ago, I mentioned that his backing by Oprah Winfrey would... More

Rules of the Game
For those who are graduating from high school (or have relatives graduating next may), here is a quick rhyme I wrote about kicking butt in college. It is my firm belief that EVERY CHILD IS COLLEGE... More

WHY I AM BOYCOTTING THE NCAA
A Note to my Friends – WHY I AM BOYCOTTING THE NCAA www.BoyceWatkins.com Last year, I engaged in a short campaign on CNN, CBS Sports, ESPN and the LA Times to highlight major problems with... More

Rapper 50 Cent and Nobel Prize Winner Expect Barack Obama to be Assassinated
When 50 Cent says something, most of us don't listen. As a hip hop fan, I don't even listen to his music anymore, since it has gotten extraordinarily whack. But when a Nobel Prize Winner agrees with... More

Lil Wayne and Heath Ledger: Drugs, Young People and America
Shortly before Lil Wayne's arrest, I'd become reacquainted with him. I've met a lot of artists through time, and even when I met Wayne a couple of years ago, I wasn't impressed. I honestly... More

Three Very Bad Reasons for Not Saving Money
I was talking to my uncle, who is not exactly Donald Trump. He earns a pay rate that is not indistinguishable from minimum wage, lives in an apartment that requires rent by the week, and spends a... More

Five Reasons Black People Don’t Listen to Bill Cosby
My questions for Dr. Huxtable, as he engages in his ego-maniacal "reign of terror", completed in celebration of his latest cure for 400 years worth of social ills would be listed below. Of course,... More

Why I called Juan Williams a “Happy Negro” on CNN – And why He and Bill O’Reilly Are Not Happy About it
A friend (Valencia Roner) called me one night to ask if I watch "The O'Reilly Factor". I said "No, I don't watch silly, racist television programs." She then informed me that I might want to watch... More

Rules of the Game
Education is your vehicle, it’s kinda like your first car Here are tips from the top on how to live like a star You think school’s not important and you let your grades slide? Well, buckle up my... More

My position on Michael Vick
I’ve been asked by some to clarify my position on Michael Vick. The Today Show interview may or may not get it right tomorrow, but I thought I would let my friends have the 411. I also share some... More

Nifong, Duke and the dirty, dirty south – why we still just don’t get it
I was taken aback yesterday by the volume of hate mail I received in response to the last article I wrote about Mike Nifong, the prosecutor in the Duke LaCrosse case. Apparently, a few folks had... More

Note to Oprah – 50 Cent is going straight to the bank with this
Those who think rappers' brains are not worth a nickel might wish their own brains were worth 50 cent. Recently, in a deal for the sale of Glaceau (makers of Vitamin Water) to Coca-Cola, 50 Cent (aka... More

Our (wel)fare city
The numbers are in and as usual the Syracuse City School District doesn't have enough money. It's not just the schools, officials hailed new funds from Washington to demolish dilapidated homes... More

Using Financial Liposuction to work your way out of debt
Black women, as beautiful as they are, are not usually the first ones to line up for any form of cosmetic surgery. God made you the envy of the world and it’s going to stay that way. But being the... More

The Big Brown Baller
I turned the TV on ESPN I saw the Big Brown Baller again The one who can jump straight out of the gym Who scores 50 points and hangs on the rim The latest great athlete of the NCAA The... More

What’s Love got to do with it? – Michael Jordan, Britney Spears and the peculiarities of marriage
I was the best man in my good friend’s wedding. It all seemed right, since he and his girlfriend had been getting naked together for about 2,438 years. Over the following 9 months, I watched their... More

Financial Liposuction 101 - Slicing the financial fat from the holidays
You are hung over from a highs of financial gluttony caused by the Christmas Holidays. Your kids have more toys than Santa, your wallet is in the the Intensive Care Unit of the local hospital, and... More