In a recent fundraising email on behalf of congressional Democrats, former president Bill Clinton defended President Obama and his attempt to push healthcare reform through. The healthcare debate has been yet another tug-of-war; while many believe it’s a necessary step to ensuring healthier Americans, everyone else is afraid of the price tag that comes with it.

In the email, Clinton pointed blame at the Republicans for stalling the process, stating “…Simply put, they’re at it again.”  What is he referring to?  If you remember correctly, both Bill and Hillary led an unsuccessful campaign to reform healthcare in the ‘90s. Both Clintons have had their anti-Obama moments but universal healthcare is one they all agree on.

Do you think the Clintons are only supporting Obama because of healthcare or do you think they are truly onboard the Obama express?  Tell us here.

Image courtesy of google.com. 

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As President Obama, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Officer James Crawley prepare for a ‘peace-be-still’ session over beers tonight; the rest of America is tripping over the latest addition to the drama.  In an email that has recently surfaced, Officer Justin Barrett wrote that Gates acted like a ‘banana eating jungle monkey.’  Since then the Boston Police Department has taken quick action by placing the officer on administrative leave pending an evaluation that could result in termination.

So who is surprised?  Not Black America!  While America’s first African-American president is met with grace and open arms around the world,  the same respect hasn’t traveled down the lines to all of Black America many of whom are still seen through the lens of the worst stereotypes.

While it isn’t the job of President Obama to heal racism wounds overnight or cure the world of racism, at least he is doing his part to bring this ugly episode of racial strife to a close.  

With this latest turn of events, should race matters become an Obama Administration issue?  Tell us here.

Video courtesy of cnn.com

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Fight! Fight! Fight!  That was the chant from the modern ‘rumble in the jungle’ that has recently taken place between Professor Gates and Cambridge policeman James Crowley.  If you missed any of the fight, here’s a quick recap:

Round 1: Professor Gates was arrested in his own home by Cambridge policeman James Crowley
Round 2: Crowley refuses to apologize
Round 3: President Obama steps in and states ‘police acted stupidly’
Round 4: The media takes over for a brief intermission with racial profiling headlines
Round 5: President Obama steps in and calls for a truce meeting over beer
Round 6: What needs to happen next?

When Pres. Obama stood up and addressed the racial profiling issue that has been plaguing Black Americans for decades, people everywhere stood proud that the issue was being addressed.  However, President Obama caught heat from the policeman across America, White Americans and the media.  He in turn, stated that both Gates and Cambridge ‘overreacted.’

Its great that the President can call a truce between the two men, its great that he’s trying to show us how to talk out our issues rather than fight BUT as a Black person, should we feel some type of way about him giving-in to the issue.

Should Pres. Obama have stood by Gates, stayed out of the situation all-together or handled it the way he did?  What do you think?Video courtesy of youtube.com

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“There’s a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That’s just a fact.” That’s not someone from the NAACP, or Rev. Al Sharpton speaking, that’s the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES speaking plainly to something many of us have known for decades, but rarely have supported by the leader of the free world.

While giving one of his administration’s most important speeches — on supporting his huge healthcare reform project — Pres. Obama took time to speak about Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s controversial arrest last week.

Speaking further, the President said “I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that [Gates case]. But I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home.”

You can read more about the Gates case here, but how do you feel about President Obama’s statement?

TELL US: Do you think we would hear such a statement from previous administrations?

It’s hard to believe that the NAACP is celebrating 100 years of existence.  Founded on February 12, 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People remains the oldest, largest and most recognized civil rights organization.  From its first response in 1908 to a Springfield lynching and race riot to the march in 2007 for the Jena six, the organization continues to fight for racial equality for all.

Their mere presence through history is enough to celebrate and that they are doing in New York.   For three days, various speakers will not only celebrate the last 100 years of accomplishments, they’ll also announce plans for work undone.  Among those speakers, President Barack Obama will address the theme of Civil Rights.  After all, it was the Civil Rights movement that helped America vote for its first African American president. 

100 years is something that we should be proud of and something that we should celebrate all over.  100 years has seen a lot of change, yet even with President Obama in office, we are not blind to the fact that there is still much to change.  The NAACP is the backbone to President Obama’s ‘Yes We Can’ movement and now that we did it, its time to do even more.

What do you think?  What’s next for the NAACP and Black America?   Tell us here.

Image Courtesy of jackandjillpolitics.com

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)