Closing the Racial Digital Divide

Dr. Robert Johnson, shared with us a few of the statistics that supports the fact that there is a racial digital divide, and cited what must be done to narrow the divide. This must be a threefold action plan. We must out selves have access to a computer, learn to use it for efficient production. Computer knowledge is required in all professions. We must lobby our political figures to have them realize that there is a racial divide and get them to fund programs that will address this phenomena, and thirdly, partitioning our social institutions to include steps to address this, i.e. schools, computer training must be required in schools, churches, social organizations.

The longer we delay to take action, the greater the divide will become.

Reducing the Digital Divide ---- Is it Possible?

This week (7/30/07), Reducing the Digital Divide ---- Dr. Robert Johnson, Instructor at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, stops by the newsroom --- locale of the Called2Action radio program. Is it possible to reduce the great digital divide? If so, how?

Next Week, author of the book, You Can Have It All, Arnold Patent.

You can listen to Called2Action via the internet each week. See the link on the left.

Does The Christian Religion Empower or Imprison African Americans?

Guns loaded and ready to fire, my guests came out shooting right from the hips tonight. Some disagreement among them on the subject matter. One viewpoint was that the religion has always been a tool to imprison us. Another viewpoint Churches have accomplished much. Though we are not where we can be, "the glass is half filled from a spiritual point of view. My guests, the loquacious and colorful Adhim Deveaux, (bottom left) Julius Thompson, (bottom right) and soon to be best selling author Jimmy Dumas, author of the book 24 Reasons Why African Americans Suffer, were dynamic and knowledgeable in their presentation.

A Taste of Good Etiquette

Good Etiquette is the acceptable practices within a culture/group etc. ---- my own definition. Betty Collins, retired Home Extension public servant share with us a few examples of good etiquette. Here are a few examples, you always introduce the person of a lower "rank" to a person of a higher rank, i.e. Mr. President, I'd like to introduce you to Ms. Sallie Mae. When having a mulitple course dinner, always start with the folks on the outside and work your way in towards the plate. Do not begin to eat until everyone at the table is ready to eat, and eat at the same pace as everyone else. Be on time. Though my guest says this changes in different cultures, I say be on time all the time.

The Coming Haitian Revolution

Mr. Habacuc Pepion, of our Haitian Community, talked about the many complications Haitian immigrants face in coming to this county. Haitians come to America for a financially better way of life. Challenges with communications and interacting with the larger African American community is a major problem. Unlike the Hispanic community, who have been rallying together under the guidance of Salisbury University, the Haitian community remains unsupported by any primary group. A plea was made to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, (an HBCU), to provide similar support to the Haitian community. I have offered my assistance to Mr. Pepion. We briefly layed out several strategies to help them to get going. Mr Pepion and other members of the community will join me the first weekend in October 2007, to discuss their progress. We're going to make this thing happen ---- Are you on-board?

Coming Called2Action

Tonight 7/8/07 The Coming Haitian Revolution
Week of 7/15/07 The Power of Knowing Good Etiquette.
Week of 7/22/07 Religion Does It Empower or Imprison? (Business Unfinished)

A Look At Unequal Justice

Is it still just-us? Well.....well.....well. Former 25 year State Police Officer ---- former because of his retirement status ---- Bill Harden stopped by to discuss the facts, visions for addressing, and a few thoughts we should be aware of. Bill shared with us the statistic of disparities in sentencing along racial lines for drug usage. In particular, cocaine and the derivatives thereof. The statistics are indicting of our whole society, in particular African Americans. A number of factors, poor legal representation, non-familiarity with the working of our judicial system. We talked about the numbers in prison, for eg. in a prison site in Delaware, census about 3,000, 90% of the confined inhabitants are Black men.

There's been information circulating that says the CIA was instrumental in having cocaine traverse our communities --- reason not discussed ---- don't know if that's important. Regardless, we do not have to give our minds to anything that will control it, whether it be drugs or diabolical ideas clothed in nuances of sophistication. Thanks Bill.

Editorial Update

Our July 1, 2007 discussion with Arnold Patent has been postponed. No fault of Mr. Patent or myself. I was informed late last night (6/30) that some of the equipment in the Clear Channel's holdings were hit by lightning, resulting in our phone lines being scrambled. Mr Patent was joining us via telephone. Though the lines may be unscrambled by air time, I could not take a chance that it would be and had to move to an alternate plan. A rescheduling date of the interview has not been set, ----- as of yet. Stay tuned. ----- I'll get it in within a few weeks.