Do Most Whites Fib When Saying Yes to Obama?
Sen. Barack Obama's run for president may show us how we deeply we hide our prejudices. In past high-profile elections, when pollsters call to ask people if they'll vote for a candidate and that candidate is black, the polls have been wrong--people say they will, but once they enter the voting booth, they don't. Will that happen to Obama? Some pollsters say the problem is having black telephone interviewers asking whites whom they'll vote for because whites don't want to tell black interviewers they won't vote for the black candidate. When the Rev. Jesse Jackson ran for president, "the support for Jackson was less when white respondents talked to white interviewers," said Murray Edelman of CBS News to The New York Times. Read more.
New Immigration Bill Could Pave Way to Citizenship
"The agreement we just reached is the best possible chance we will have to secure our borders, bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said about the new immigration bill agreed upon Thursday by a bipartisan group of senators with indication that President Bush will sign it. But it's not yet a done deal. The bill goes to the Senate, and Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said he has "concerns with the principles outlined in today's announcement ... because specific legislative text has yet to be drafted on a number of key details." Subscribe Now to get the September issue of DiversityInc magazine, which will feature a panel of professionals and entrepreneurs--all immigrants--who lend insight into the current debate over immigration reform and tell their personal success stories. Read more.
L.A. Immigration Marchers Return to Park Where They Were Shot
Hours after the White House and U.S. lawmakers announced their immigration deal granting legal status to millions of undocumented workers if approved, about 2,000 immigration-reform demonstrators marched peacefully to the park where protesters and journalists were shot by police with rubber bullets during a May Day rally (See also: Bullets & Bottles at L.A. Immigration Rally, Peaceful Elsewhere). Organizers said the purpose of the demonstration was to strengthen the immigrant community's trust that they could exercise their constitutional rights according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Acts of Civil Defiance During Civil Rights Era Could Be Pardoned
While times have changed since blacks had to sit in the back of the bus, people who defied that segregationist law and were arrested still have the arrest on their records. Now some Southern states are planning to offer pardons to people convicted of acts of civil disobedience during the civil-rights movement. Last year, Alabama became first state to pass the Rosa Parks Act, which gives people the option of having their records expunged, and Tennessee's version won final approval in the Legislature on Thursday and awaits the governor's signature. A similar measure failed in Florida. Read more.
Too Few Blacks in Baseball Worries Hammerin' Hank
Baseball's greatest hitter, Hank Aaron, is concerned that there are so few black Americans playing baseball. Aaron plans to increase the number of black Americans in the sport by promoting it to youngsters. "The commissioner wanted me to come back," Aaron said. "Making baseball a more diverse sport is something we both agreed on and felt it was a need for the future." Reports The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Gay, Lesbian Youths Find Home in Specialty Shelters
Too many gay and lesbian children face abuse and are forced to run away and become homeless. In response, more than 25 shelters for gay and lesbian youths have opened around the nation in the past four years, reflecting the increasing awareness among child-welfare advocates of the disproportionately high number of gay and lesbian youths in the homeless population and the special problems they face. Experts say more than 20 percent of homeless youths under age 21 in many urban areas are gay or lesbian. Read more.
Black-Owned Broadcasting Company Bans Lyrics Deemed Violent, Sexist, Racist
"You won't hear bad language on our stations," says black-owned Roberts Broadcasting Cos., which owns and operates four TV stations and a hip-hop radio station. The St. Louis-based company said it is banning programming and music lyrics that it deems violent, sexist and racist following shock jock Don Imus' comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team and the public debate it sparked over rap lyrics. "We take tremendous pride in being African American and refuse to let anyone, white or black, strip us of that pride," said Steven Roberts, president and chief operating officer of the company according to The Kansas City Star.
Saying 'That's So Gay' Is Not Protected
She should have just said, "That's so stupid." In February, Rebekah Rice testified she said "That's so gay" as a response to other students asking her rude questions about her Mormon upbringing. Rice was punished by school administrators, and her parents sued, saying her first-amendment rights were violated. Tuesday a judge ruled that school administrators had not violated any law by punishing Rice. "Unfortunately, this is part of what teenagers endure in becoming adults," said Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Elaine Rushing. Read more.
Quincy Jones, Tommy Hilfiger, Russell Simmons Raise Money for King Memorial
The King Memorial being built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., costs $100 million to complete, but only $79 million has been raised. Coming to the rescue are Quincy Jones, Tommy Hilfiger and Russell Simmons, who are producing The Dream Concert, which will be held Sept. 18 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City to raise the needed funds. The memorial is slated for a space on the Tidal Basin between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. It will include a sculpture of King and 14 quotations from the slain civil-rights leader. The memorial is scheduled to be completed in 2008, tells Yahoonews.com.
U.S. Justice Dept. Under Fire for Lack of Diversity
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is coming under fire from a 33-year veteran of the department for its lack of diversity. Former DOJ employee Teresa Lynn says she left the job after 33 years because of the lack of diversity and what she felt was a hostile work environment. Listen to NPR's report.
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