Red Tails - George lucas does the Tuskegee Airmen

Back during WWII tens of thousands of Americans fought bravely to preserve American ideals and defeat Nazi rule. Since that time, literally hundreds of films, video games, and books – plus a few television shows – have been created to celebrate and honor those men and women. Except if they were people of color.

Just like in high school, where there was never a word spoken about people of color fighting in any conflict, battle, or war America was involved in, the contributions of African Americans, Latinos and Asians was an unknown in the media depicting WWII (or any conflict up to Viet Nam really). Essentially the history books most were given their basic education upon passed over the concept that anyone else was in America. Until around 1995.

It was about that time that we finally got something both real and worthwhile. That is not to say that there were no films on African American contributions or that Hispanics were never seen on screen. But there is a major difference of having an African American in Force 10 from Navarone, Dirty Dozen, or giving Desi Arnaz a bit part in a war film (Bataan), and telling a true story of Americans of color fighting like every other American.

Thus we saw in the HBO film The Tuskegee Airmen, the real and courageous actions of the first Black fighter pilots – who never lost an escort bomber to enemy fire during the entire war, and the only unit to claim such to my knowledge. It only took some 40 years to get this story out.

Now, slightly more than a decade later, it is going to be revisioned in the motion picture Red Tails [a reference to the insignia of the fighter group].

Well that is unfair I suppose. George Lucas is not known for his remakes, nor for a lack of originality. I believe that he definitely is educated enough to have learned about the Tuskegee Airmen on his own, or in college. I believe that he is fair-minded enough to want to see this honorable part of American history discussed and celebrated. And I believe that he is talented enough to ensure that such a film, depicting the battles these men fought in the air and on the ground with the American military of the time, will be worthy of these men.

It’s just that HBO has already done this film. With Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Allen Payne, Courtney B. Vance, Andre Braugher, and Mekhi Phifer. It was nominated for 12 Awards and won 6. Including Emmies for casting, camera production, sound; an Image Award for acting – Laurence Fishburne; and a Peabody Award. Because the film was done that well. [Though the DVD was not. It lacks any really meaningful additions most DVD’s have – like commentary from any of the actual Tuskegee airmen.]

Still I am glad that Lucasfilm and George Lucas are making a push to have a major motion picture made about these men. The cast has some exceptional members, including Gooding, who is the only member from the HBO film to be in this re-telling of the actions of the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/Tuskegee_Airmen_History.html.

Other cast members include: Terrence Howard, Bryan Cranston, Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Tristan Wilds, Cliff Smith (aka Method Man), Kevin Phillips, Rick Otto, Lee Tergesen, Andre Royo, Ne-Yo and Elijah Kelley.

And in this new cast I am confounded by several choices. Cliff Smith and Ne-Yo. A rapper and R&B singer/rapper. Ne-Yo (Shaffer Smith) has been in blockbusters like Save the Last Dance 2 and Stomp the Yard. Method Man (Cliff Smith) has a slightly better resume with his appearances in the cable television shows Oz, The Wire and CSI. He also was in the mega-wonder How High and Soul Plane.

Suffice to say that I find them to be incredibly weak. In fact they make me recall an old saying that I made on this blog years ago.

“The quality of a film degrades in exponential proportion to the number of rappers that are in it.”

I can’t recall a film where this though has not been proven. Thus in a major film, about incredibly important and honorable men, the inclusion of 2 rappers bodes poorly. I can only hope that their characters are minor and die off in the film quickly.

Can Red Tails do justice to the Tuskegee Airmen? It should. Will it be as good as the HBO film? That’s hard to say with a cast that is mostly unknown and less experienced than the HBO original. Plus the inclusion of rappers (that should help to pull in the hip hop audience, most of which likely know little about this part of history) makes for many doubts.

Are there so few stories of African Americans and other people of color that fought in WWII that this is the only story to be told over and over? NO.

While I am glad this is a story being done bigger than ever before, and it is finally starting a trend of honoring men that the American Government failed to honor for some 40 years, it is not the only thing that can be said. Much like the film Glory touched on a fact of African Americans involvement in the Civil War, there are many stories based in fact that can be told. Like the recent Spike Lee WWII film.

African Americans and other people of color have been a part of every aspect of America since before this nation existed. As such, we deserve to be celebrated in films as much as any group of Americans. And that celebration does not need to be, nor should it be, the same story told repeatedly.

Movie Preview: Miracle at St Anna

Spike Lee has a new movie coming out and I’m sure it will bring its share of controversy. In fact the movie, or more accurately Lee, drew media attention earlier this year. The reason was because director/actor Clint Eastwood found it unimportant to show a single African American soldier in either of his critically acclaimed movies based on WWII.

Miracle at St. Anna is the first film that I am aware of besides A Soldier’s Story and The Tuskegee Airmen that depicts African Americans involvement in World War II. I recommend both movies strongly.

There were over 1.1 million African Americans that served in WWII. These soldiers fought and many died even though America maintained segregation and Jim Crow laws, because they agree that the threat to America was too great to be ignored. They served as bravely and fiercely as any other American or Allied soldier. And in all the movies dedicated and based on the war I can only name 5 (including this upcoming film) that feature or include Blacks. That’s just insulting and ignorant.

Obviously Spike Lee agreed with me.



Miracle at St. Anna is based on the novel of the same name and the Sant'Anna di Stazzema massacre where 560 Italian women, children and old men were killed by retreating SS soldiers. The soldiers in the movie are part of the 92nd Infantry Division which was a real division in WWII that fought in Italy.

The 92nd was called the Buffalo Soldiers, were segregated, fought alongside Black Africans, Morrocans, Algerians, Indians, Gurkhas, Jews and Palestinians as well as with exiled Poles, Greeks and Czechs, anti-fascist Italians and the nonsegregated troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

The 92nd Infantry Division had the slogan Deeds not Words, suffered 5,000 casualties, and had members receive Medal of Honor-2; Distinguished Service Cross (United States Army)-2; Distinguished Service Medal (United States)-1; Silver Star-208; Legion of Merit-16; Soldier's Medal-6; Bronze Star -1,166; Purple Hearts-1891; Orders of the Crown of Italy-8; Military Crosses for Military Valor (Italian)-17; Military Crosses for Merit in War (Italian)-22; Military Cross for Merit in War (Italian) 92nd Division Colors; War Medal (Brazil)-1.

The 2 men that received the Medal of Honor - John R. Fox and Vernon J. Baker – were given this honor in 1997. That was 48 years after their service, which I think is an absurdly long time to wait to recognize the actions of these men. But it is also common as the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen had to wait a similar amount of time to be recognized as well.

Given the history of these men, the valor they displayed during the war, and the massive and unjustifiable disrespect America showed these men before, during, and long after WWII I expect this movie to be very well done. Anything else would be an insult to their memory.

Considering that Spike Lee has 2 uncles that served in the war, I have every reason to believe that he did the best job possible which means a phenomenal movie. If I am correct that also means that Hollywood will likely ignore the film and if it has the luck to gain attention for any awards, it will lose.

Go see this movie. It’s a homage to men that American history has ignored, that served their nation even when it did not serve them. Making this film successful is literally the least that we can do.

And here are Spike Lee’s own words about why you should see the film (and I have to add I don’t agree with his political thoughts).

Dave Winfield remembers what Major League Baseball and WWII movies forget

Today is the anniversary of D-Day. The invasion of Normandy. And the major media barely takes notice. I mean in an environment where ultra-liberals are screaming that America turn tail and run away from Iraq, and cities slap insult after insult on our military – refusing to allow recruiters to do their jobs and hiding our Armed Forces in the back doors of airports if they let them into the ports at all [look up San Fransisco or Marines at VASS]– how do we expect more?

But America is not just forgetting to remember the sacrifices of the old and current soldiers that ensure the freedoms we enjoy without a second thought. In our luxury of sitting in our homes and the only bomb blasts occurring on our HDTV screens, we forget that 2302 days have passed without a single terrorist attack in America. If anyone thinks this is not because of our brave men and women, and their sacrifices, they are in my opinion fools and willfully ignorant.

America loves to forget the things in our past that don’t match with what we want to think of today. Like past wars and the soldiers that fought them. Like the decades it took for the Tuskegee Airmen to get the recognition they deserved, or the fact that beyond Spike Lee’s upcoming film I cannot name another major (or minor) movie that recognizes that African Americans served in WWII. Then again you would be hard pressed to find Hollywood mentioning that Blacks have served in ever war or conflict America has ever had including the American Revolution.

Along those same lines of forgetting selected parts of our past, there is an example of someone that is remembering. Dave Winfeild, former NY Yankee, has not forgotten those that came before him and enabled him (and every other non-White pro team athlete) to enjoy being the pinnacle of American major league sports. Who has he remembered that was forgotten? The players of the Negro Leagues.

The original National Association of Base Ball Players, formed in 1867, banned black athletes. In 1920 the Negro National League was formed. It would be another 27 years before Jackie Robinson would break the barrier created 80 years prior. But Jackie Robinson was not a man in a vaccum, nor plucked from some street corner. He was one player among a league of hundreds, a number of which are believed to have been equal or superior to Robinson – each of them denied solely because of the color of their skin.

Today there are hundreds of players that are of virtually every race found on the Earth in American major league sports. Yet even the most avid fans in the nation’s preimer sport are hard pressed to name more than 2 players from the Negro Leagues – Jackie Robinson and Saitchel Paige. Such a shun and a desire to ignore the racist and ill-concieved past of the nation and baseball is maddening. And while it’s many years too late, Dave Winfeild has made sure something is done about it.

30 members of the Negro Leagues, people that I doubt most sports fans have ever heard of – because the history books and stadiums were closed to them – are to be recognized in a way that at least symbolically ensures their place in baseball history. These men will be drafted by the major teams prior to the MLB amateur draft. Emilio “Millito” Navarro, now 103 and the first Puerto Rican to play in the Negro Leagues, will be drafted by the New York Yankees.

In a country finally celebrating the potential of the first African American that may become the President of the United States, finally recognizing that African Americans fought and died as bravely in every war we ever fought, finally recognizing that Blacks have been as integral to the foundation and growth of this nation as any (and perhaps more) other group, I say that such recognition is beyond long overdue.

The major media may feel such events are cursory. They may feel that focusing on a fist bump by Senator Obama on the night he locked the Democratic Presidential nomination is more news worthy. But I will not allow my blog to miss these important facts. I remember those that came before me, I thank them. And I will share that acknowledgement. If nothing else, it’s the very least we can do.

Don’t you agree?

The History you weren't taught

In light of the unyeilding fervor over the various comments and meanings of soundbites and statements made by Rev. Wright, the less covered anger and bile by men like Rev. Manning, the repetition of legal imbalances in the Wesley Snipes, Sean Bell, and Megan Williams cases, and other items I wanted to ask a few questions.

This is not a test. This is simply questions to see what you know. It doesn’t matter what race you are, what country you come from, or what religion you believe.

Some questions I will answer, some I will leave for you to find out for sure. But I guarantee that one item on this post will be a blatant lie, though it is a lie that my readers have read in my posts before. That I will leave for the end to tell you.

Africans have been in America since at least 1619. In the 389 years since then can you name a war that Blacks have not fought in?

Today virtually all people of color with brown to black skin are called African Americans. 10 years ago we were known simply as Black. What were we called going all the way back in time to 1619?

How many songs made famous by Elvis Presly were not originally songs created and performed by Black singers/entertainers?

What group of people were the ones to find the means to cure the Bubonic Plague and to realize its source?

Where is the cradle of civilization found?

Who was Thurgood Marshall, and what did he do?

What year did the military stop segregation?

Who has done more for African Americans, Republicans or Democrats?

Have Blacks always voted Democrat?

Name 2 groups of Americans that the Constitution did not cover initially?

What is the original meaning of Cowboy?

What does Jim Crow represent?

How many Black colleges exist today? How many were started? When was the first?

Did Africans ever control Europe?

How many communicable diseases did the original American Indian tribes have?

How many treaties did the American Government break with the American Indians?

How many nuclear bombs have ever been used against people?

Name 3 Empires of the world that did not involve Europe?

Who created the 0 and thus all modern math?

Who are the Tuskegee Airmen?

What is my name?

Who founded Chicago?

Where was the city of Rosewood and how many were in it?

How many years was the South Carolina House run by a Black majority?

How much was the largest donation ever made by a Black American?


Now the point of all these questions is not to embarrass anyone. Nor is it to condemn any nation or people.

The purpose is to highlight the lack of knowledge that exists in America. I have no doubt that while most of these items are known historical facts, most are not taught in American classrooms, and I would bet not in European ones either. So how can so many believe they can have a realistic conversation about race in America when I doubt most can answer half these questions without going to Google?

In case you were wondering, here are some answers you may or may not have known (and I don’t profess that these are the only facts available or worthy of knowing – in fact they are the tip of an iceberg of information). Not every question is answered though. Some things need to be sought out to be learned best.


There has never been a war in America (even when it was a colony) that Blacks did not participate in. While history classes, movies, and popular books may overlook the fact African Americans have always fought for America, even when we were not recognized by the nation as people.

Prior names for African Americans go back to Black, Colored, and Negro (beyond the repulsive and ignorant N-word). That covers just the last 50 years. Only 339 more to go.

Elvis stole all his early songs (to my knowledge), and his manager advertised in newspapers to only buy the Elvis version. Or did you really think he wore blue suede shoes and knew about hound dogs back in the 1950’s?

The Moors, an African Empire, were the first to discover that cutting the blisters helped to increase the survival rate of plague victims, and that the cause was infected rats living in the squalid conditions of European cities.

The Euphrates River is known as the cradle of civilization.

Thurgood Marshall was a lawyer and Supreme Court Justice from 1963 to 1991. He was the first Black Supreme Court Justice (there has only ever been 2).

1948. That’s after WWII where African Americans did serve with honor.

For about 100 year Blacks voted with the party of Lincoln, Republican.

The Constitution did not cover women, Native American Indians, or anyone with more than 3/5ths African blood. Proving 3/5ths was harder to prove than you might imagine.

A cowboy was originally meant as a derogatory term to describe African Americans that worked with cattle in the field. As the number of Americans moving west increased and the need for cowhands rose the term grew to encompass Whites, and was later romanticized to exclude the Black it originally meant to describe.

After 1861, 20 Black colleges and equivalent institutions were created.

The Moors conquered and controlled Spain, Italy, Sicily and several other parts of Southern Europe and Northern Africa. This says nothing of the control and influence of Ancient Egypt over the Mediterranian countries.

To my knowledge there were no communicable diseases in the Americas until after European explorers arrived. Once they were here these diseases spread like wildfire.

The American Government broke every treaty ever made with a Tribe during the Wild West expansion and well after.

Only 2 nuclear bombs have ever been used against people. Both were in Japan. Hiroshima is the most famous, but Nagasaki was also bombed. At the time it was believed that use of nuclear bombs would be the only alternative to fighting WWII right up to the steps of Japan’s Emperor. 2 bombs were used to prove that the first was not just a luck invention and that we could reproduce the results at will.

While not the only Empires, better know ones are the Ottoman, the Mongol (of either Khan), and the aforementioned Moors.

The number zero can be traced to the Babylonians. But use in mathematics in Europe is traced from the Middle East and the Islamic religion.

As stated often in various posts, Vass is not my birthname. This is the one outright lie on this page or any post I have ever made. Vass is my legal alias though. Did you catch this?

Chicago was founded by Jean Baptiste Point DuSable.

6 years.

$20,000,000 by Bill Cosby to Spellman College.

Moment in time 40 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - 4.4.2008.1

Today, 40 years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 2 days before my birthday I pause to reflect on what has happened and what could have.

I’ve read a lot on Dr. King in the recent days, far more than what was written during this past Black History Month. And I’m reminded of comments made by Jeff Johnson when I saw him at Ithaca College this year. I consider what Dr. King was moving forward to do at the time he was killed, and how he has been frozen in time. I look at the society of America and of African Americans.

I am a child of the Civil Rights era. I have benefited in numerous ways from the struggles and strife made by those before me. And there are numerous things today that have gone backwards in time or have wasted the efforts made. Those children beyond my generation have no idea of what has changed, and seemingly few have an appreciation that they don’t know things have changed only recently.

If Dr. King had not been killed 40 years ago, do you think there would be a BET today? Perhaps there would be, and a TV One as well – but not the only 2 and not in the manner that we see now on Black Entertainment Television I imagine. I doubt that Bob Johnson would have been the first with a national cable channel, and it would not have been built upon the back of scantily clad Black women gyrating to lyrics promoting drugs and violence.

If Dr. King had lived, he honestly would have diminished in some of his stature – as all great leaders do as they age. Yet his voice would hold more power than all the so called Black leaders of today combined and then some. He would long ago have questioned the infusion of drugs into our communities, the ridiculous face value actions of “Just say no”, and the promotion of money over education values that have integrated into our communities via music videos, video games, and other genres.

If Dr. King had lived, there would be a voice to speak with fanatical Muslim extremists. Perhaps there would never have been a 9/11, nor a war in Kuwait, nor a bombing in Lebanon. And even if these events did happen, there might have been a voice to provide an alternative just a step short of war.

If Dr. King had lived unions would be far different than they are now. There would have been a powerful voice questioning America’s involvement in Viet Nam, and questioning how the Government ran the war.

I imagine that television networks and movie studios would have rushed to integrate the big and small screens for fear of boycotts. Today there would not be worlds of imagination segregated to a virtually uniform racial make up of the world. There would not be just 2% of the entertainment industry representing every person of color combined. Spike Lee would not have to be heralded as a unique and groundbreaking director (based on his color), but just a great director among others.

I imagine that the African American middle class would not be a ghost, but a viable and growing community. I imagine that I would not have been able to get through high school with a college preparatory physics class textbook that was 3 years older than me. I imagine that a better alternative to Affirmative Action may have been found.

I would hope that had Dr. King lived, America would have come to terms with the need to apologize for slavery, something that I think still festers in the background causing separation and ill-will. I would hope that America could realize that reparations are part of that contrition and the fact that every American today benefits from the 246 years of work that built the foundations of everything that exists today. I would hope that we all would further realize that another 100+ years of segregation and prejudice were instead built upon the back of slavery with Jim Crow laws and that the cycle of judgment based on skin color needed to be broken.

I believe that as some of these things came to pass the history of the nation, the full history, would be revealed. Men like the Tuskegee Airmen and every other African American that has fought in every war America has ever had would not be new revelations to our children today. That the innovations and inventions that make life modern would be attributed to the Blacks that created them. That no person in America would wish to use a word like the N-word because it had no relevance and its meaning is too vile to repeat.

I believe that there would be no need to be distinguished by skin color when being described as an American. I would not need to be African American or Mexican American and so on. We could simply be Americans, one and all.

I believe that the Tuskegee Experiment would not have lasted until 1972, and that the Government would have been smitten for such actions. That there would not need to be a question of whether the government had made AIDS and brought it into communities of people of color because we could be sure they would never act in such a manner again.

I believe that Dr. King would never have become a politician, but other people of color would have been inspired, supported and welcomed as such. That there would be no place in America that could still herald the fact an African American ran for or was elected to a political office. That the first viable Black Presidential candidate would have ran, and possibly been elected long before the 21st century – 388 years after the first recorded slave was sold, 235 years after creating America, 142 years after abolishing slavery, 85 years after lynchings became a crime, 42 years after Jim Crow and segregation laws were declared illegal, 23 years after the first Black Miss America, 8 years after the first Black Secretary of State, 7 years after the first African American President of an Ivy League College and first Black billionaire, and 1 year after the first Black American (and youngest person) that flew around the world solo [which went virtually unreported].

There are many things I think that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could have done had he lived, and others that he would have influenced that would have benefited America. But I am left with one other thought.

Why haven’t these things happened even without him?

What if they took away Black History Month? - 2.29.2008.1

What if Black History Month was removed? Would anyone have noticed? Would anyone complain?

It seems not.

Why would I say this? Because I just learned that the school system in Endicott New York has removed all Black studies in the curriculum. There was nothing discussed in this past month about Black History, not even Dr. Martin Luther King, because the entire subject was deemed unimportant.

Hello, stop and read that again. Unimportant and having no place in the minds of any of the children, including those that are African American. And this was all done without a single word to the parents, a single complaint from ANY of the students. It was just wiped out without a concern as if it was no more than a piece of errant string found on a piece of clothing.

Why am I upset? What if the school decided not to discuss the Holocaust, or Native American history? What if all the history about England was removed, or France, or Ancient Rome? What if history in schools forgot about President George Washington, just not ever mentioning what he did, or the Constitution?

People would be up in arms. Parents would be inflamed. Jewish communities would claim its anti-Semitic, Native American Indians would say it’s a slap in the face. Whole communities would demand a reason why their rich pasts were being denied their children. Cries that the fundamental based of what is America was being corrupted.

And I ask, in what way is this different? How are the lives and blood of the African Americans that helped build and shape this nation any less important than anyone else? I am not just talking about the Slaves that literally built the foundations of the nation, but the inventors that created thousands of items we use every day, like the stoplight, or save millions of lives, like blood transfusions. How can we value the lives of soldiers like the Tuskegee Airmen, or those that fought in the Civil War, or the American Revolution with any less honor than every other American.

I don’t know how we can equate those lives and contributions as less, but obviously this town in Upstate New York has. I’m willing to bet that they aren’t the only ones. What are the odds that kids in Montana, or Florida, or Ohio, or any other State have no idea about these inventions or people? How many believe that being a slave, less than a dog or piece of furniture, was no different than having trouble getting a job? I know there are more than a few as I’ve read comments that insist that the trouble the Irish had in getting a job was the same as working 20 hours a day for your entire life, with no days off or concern for your health, without pay, and with the reality that at any moment your entire family may be sold away from you and that you can be killed for no more than amusement or the crime of looking at the wrong person.

If we can allow these schools to just toss away a piece of American History, a history of an essential people that helped found and defend this nation, what will go next? Dr. Martin Luther King’s Holiday? A holiday that over half the nation fought from coming into existence, and many still ignore? Maybe the laws dealing with segregation could be next. And if we get that far, why not restate Jim Crow? Hell, just bring slavery back and make it national.

It’s not that crazy. Slavery was just 5 lifetimes ago for some families. Jim Crow was just 2 or 3. Segregation was just 1. And a people without a history aren’t really a people are they?

And this was so important an issue, that not one child mentioned it. Not one parent noticed. Not one meeting was held. It was just understood that it was ok. As long as no one spoke about it, and no one asked why.

So as long as no one asks you if you are Black, or Hispanic, or whatever color, religion, or background you claim, you are nothing. And you can’t hurt nothing. You can’t defend, offend, steal from, brutalize, rape, murder or anything to nothing. And in Upstate New York, that’s what they are equating being African American with. Perhaps the Jews will be next?

Are you nothing? Is your history, your family nothing? Are you sure?

“Don’t learn Black History because of what you know, learn it because of what you don’t know” – C. Miller

I don’t have children. I’m not a teacher or involved in the school system. Maybe that’s a cop out, maybe not. But I am now aware, and so are you. Part of my responsibility is to let you know, and ask for your comments. What will you do?

Why protest D L Hughley - 6.19.2007.1

Free Speech. African Americans. Comedy. Each of these are parts of the United States and the world at large. Take any one of these elements away from America and you may not have a nation today, even if you did it would not be nearly as grand, powerful or free. I feel this is a fact, and there is no questioning it.

Yet, when all 3 are combined the outcome can either be extraordinary or devastating. On the positive side is Mr. Bill Cosby, Mr. Richard Pryor, Mr. Dave Chappelle, Mr. Redd Foxx, Mr. Jaime Foxx, Mr. Eddie Murphy and many others throughout the decades. There is no question that each of these men, and women as well let’s remember, have helped advance Civil Rights, helped pave the path that every Black person in America walks today, and an integral part of forging the path the youth and unborn will be walking tomorrow. Such is the power of these combined forces.


On the other end can be seen other figures. Some have been influential others just known by the populace. The were centuries where Black Americans were considered the butt of jokes, performers like Al Jolsen using the right of free speech to demean and hold back millions. While much of that kind of action lives only in the past it still has not left the nation yet. In the 21st century, nearly 500 years after the first Africans were forcibly taken to America, after Civil Rights and riots, after having African American Secretaries of State and while we have a viable candidate that may become President of the United States, we have men like Mr. Don Imus that used the right of free speech that Blacks like the Tuskegee Airmen died to protect to attack innocent, unsuspecting, private African American college students under the guise of comedy.

While these are the extremes, the expanse betwixt is vast and mired in shadows and grayscale. And this is where Mr. D.L. Hughley falls. I mention him because of the recent protest that is being made over his remarks made on the Jay Leno Show about the Rutger’s Women’s Basketball team. Part of the comments made by Pastor Kyev Tatum of Servant House Baptist Church includes

“Imus’s comment was insulting and so was DL Hughley’s. He said it’s time to stop all black performers from such vile attacks - starting with DL. ‘It’s not only that comment,’ Pastor stop all black performers from such vile attacks - starting with DL. ‘It’s not only that comment,’ Pastor Tatum said. ‘He has a history of demeaning our community in such a way that it’s not funny anymore.’ Tatum said. ‘He has a history of demeaning our community in such a way that it’s not funny anymore.’”

Let me mention that I have heard some of the comedy of Mr. Hughley, and I’m not a great fan. He is funny at points, but it’s not really my cup of tea. His television show didn’t hold appeal for me, though friends of mine loved it. His late night show had some moments but overall did not grab me. Essentially I find him a middle of the road comedian, he hits and misses about evenly for me.

Continued in Part 2...

Spike Lee to direct film on 'hidden' heroes - 6.8.2007.2

As justice once again weighs heavily on the frail and spoiled shoulders of Ms. Paris Hilton, I will return back to the more important and interesting issues of late. One of the more important items I saw recently is the comments of Mr. Spike Lee.

Mr. Spike Lee will be working on a new film, to be made in Italy. The subject of the film is something that few are taught about in basic American history, yet was as much a factor in the existence of the nation as what is taught. I am speaking of the soldiers that fought in World War II. To be more specific I mean the African American soldiers, men that have been barely recognized and only recently discussed in depth.

Some have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all Black unit that flew support to American bombers and the only unit to never lose a single escort. Recently the surviving members were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal; 60 years after their historic and unmatched efforts took place. But they were not the only Black Americans to fight on behalf of America, even though as Mr. Lee states,

“Despite the fact that they had been slaves for more than 300 years and that they were still at the time subject to terrible forms of discrimination, black men fought like heroes. They behaved like patriots while their brothers were lynched or at best considered second-class citizens.”

It’s about time more is said on this subject. I am a former Marine, my father was a Marine fighting in Viet Nam (he volunteered), and my great-grandfather served in the Army during WWII. Each of us deserve the recognition and appreciation that every solider, during times of war or not, deserve. The blood sacrificed in defense and support of this nation is no less worth than that of ANY other American. That is something that needs to be acknowledged. Far too many movies and stories of WWII, Korea and other wars fail to mention the contribution Black Americans have made. There are far too many movies like Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers (both happen to have been directed by Mr. Clint Eastwood), and Saving Private Ryan as I recall that completely ignore or blow past the existence of Black Americans during the war.

Far too often movies, and classes in school, give an image of the past that is more similar to a Seinfeld or Friends image of the world. Too often little is said about those that helped pave the way, and secure the freedoms we enjoy now. For all of these reasons I’m glad Mr. Lee will have this new movie out. With luck the film will get the attention, and media dollars, that this subject deserves.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Reviewing Robin Roberts book From the Heart - 5.21.2007.1

I have recently finished reading the book, From the Heart by Ms. Robin Roberts, and I must say it was quite interesting. The book reads well, its 170 pages having the feel of a warm conversation more than anything else. Ms. Roberts comes off as genuine and caring, her re-telling of tales in her life adding a perspective most books of this genre don’t seem to convey well. At least to me.

Ms. Roberts’s book covers a great deal of her life, from early youth to recent times. The focus includes her life from high school to working at Good Morning America. There may be many Americans, and people across the globe, that might be familiar with Ms. Roberts from her time at ESPN. I can honestly say that I am not one of them. Being a fan of football, golf, and soccer I rarely watch ESPN. Even rarer is the number of times I’ve watched Good Morning America. As a result Ms. Roberts name was unfamiliar to me. Yet once I finished this book I felt as if I knew her for quite some time.


This book is not so much a “how to” book, as Mr. Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich can be, nor would I say the rules are exactly that. Rather this is an understanding being passed on that some may get.

Those that may get the most out of this book might be women, Black White or otherwise. That is not to say that men would feel left out when reading the book, I felt that sections of the chapters were targeted to, and could hold deeper meaning for, a woman reader. To the credit of Ms. Roberts even those sections were enjoyable for me to read. I think a similar statement could be made about sports fans. There are multiple sports events and personages mentioned through the book. While a fan might gain greater impact from them, the casual observer will not be overwhelmed.

Speaking of sports, Ms. Roberts has had a lot of contact with various noted sports figures in addition to celebrities and world renowned individuals. Ms. Roberts has no problem dropping their names either. I will say that though there are several names dropped; most are relevant to what is being discussed. I never felt overwhelmed or distracted by this.

The most prevalent names in the book are not celebrities or athletes though; they are in fact the family of Ms. Roberts. Her connection to her family is obvious and strong. Many of her examples circle around her mother, grandmother, and father. Their influence on her life and choices are apparent.

I want to detract for a moment. Ms. Roberts’s father was one of the Tuskegee Airmen. I have great respect for all military personnel, especially those that served in a war. The Tuskegee Airmen stand out for me though, and I suggest anyone not familiar with them to learn more about of what they did.

Going back to the book, I’ve mentioned I enjoyed it. I consider myself moderately successful and have no lack of self-motivation. So in a manner I lose some of the impact that the book provides. Equally I don’t agree with a few thoughts mentioned. We all have different experiences and goals, so that is to be expected. Of the points I agree with, I feel strongly on them. One such thought is that I think more parents should behave more like Ms. Roberts's, and my own.

So depending on how you live and where you are (internally) Ms. Roberts words may mean more or less to you. Given that I still feel this book should be read.

This is what I think, what do you think?