The Whole Delivery

Rest in Heaven Mr. Hooks (Photo from UPI) April 15th marks the expected and (sadly) unexpected celebration of the lives of two prominent African-Americans who have made indelible impacts on America throughout the 20th century. While baseball and many others celebrate the day that Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in the sport 63 years ago, it is also proper and just that we also display felicitations for the life of Benjamin Hooks. Hooks, as some of you may know, passed away earlier this morning at age 85. And the outpouring of love felt for this underrated figure in the black community has been felt on the rational online community's most recognizable black website and throughout Twitter. Now Brooks wasn't really the fiercest liberal around at all, as he was a supporter of Republican policies (before they really went off to the embarrassing state that they are now) and was appointed by Richard Nixon to the FCC in '72. In his 16 year tenure as executive ...

Photo from Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times Just like Yankees' hats and Blimpie's sandwiches, the Boys & Girls Choir of Harlem is a long time staple of New York City. But unlike those two other prime characteristics, the Boys & Girls Choir of Harlem now "was" a staple of the Big Apple. The choir is no more : But this year, the boys are nowhere to be found. Last week, Terrance Wright, a 39-year-old choir alumnus, picked up a microphone in front of the altar of Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, the choir’s last home, and delivered news that surprised few people but saddened many. “Tell the people. Let it be known,” Mr. Wright said, glistening and exhausted after leading a Christmas concert by former singers in the choir. “There is no Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem.” The choir’s last official performance was in 2007, around the time of the death of its founder, Walter J. Turnbull. But no one ever announced that it was gone. Board membe...

Another assailment on American's poor is transpiring in front of our eyes. And most of us, including myself until now, didn't realize this. There were a myriad of great things in Glenn Greenwald piece highlighted by the important shoutout by dissonantdissident , but this one though still showed restrain in fully defending a defenseless organization: As for ACORN, nobody is apologizing for them or suggesting that they've done nothing wrong. Like those few idiots, who were fired to again remind you, that got caught speak for all of ACORN? Those people did wrong, not the whole organization and its leaders . And that is a mindset that must be eviscerated from this if you ACORN is to be backed against the incongruous and bullying attack being placed on it. Just look at all of these SOP governor nuts fanning the flames on them with these investigations or cutting funding to them: That governor actor guy who destroyed California's economy is demanding one , new successionist...

So deep, it brought tears to my eyes . Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young took Steve McNair's children to their school's annual "Dear Dads Breakfast." Trenton, 11, and Tyler, 5, were reportedly thrilled that Young made the gesture for the children of his long time idol. Since McNair's shooting death earlier this year, Young has frequently invited the kids to join him at practice and training camp, and told them they could count on him. Young has a history with McNair, going back to his youth when he attended the late quarterback's training camp. One of the stories of the year, in my book.

From one of the better professors and human beings in this country, the Princeton pedagogue and MSNBC contributor gives an account of how we have to cherish the greatness of children and persevering the arts for them I spent last Friday night at a 4th grade poetry slam. I wasn't sure I wanted to go. As the mother of a first grader I know that sometimes parents and teachers simply have to smile widely and clap loudly so that our kids will feel supported even when their skills make us want to cover our ears and look for aspirin. But the teacher, Eric Thomas, had been asking me for months to come to Trenton, NJ and check out the students at Stokes Elementary School. His enthusiasm convinced me I should attend. I was not disappointed. The Stokes students did not recite the lofty words of other writers; instead they composed their own verse. In language that was precise, compelling, inspiring, and sometimes heartbreaking these 9 and 10-year-old children presented a surprisingly mature ...