May 24, 2013

Between the Lines: It’s Really Not About Kevin James Racism; It’s About Garcetti Not Being Obama

anthony asadullah samad

*In the Los Angeles mayoral race, the Kevin James “racial comments” that the Garcetti Mayoral campaign has tried to ignore, despite calls for repudiation, tells us a lot about who Eric Garcetti is. This is really not about what Kevin James is. Obviously he has a base and when you’re running for office, you try [...]




Between the Lines: After the Gun Control Filibuster, the Immigration Debate Just Got More Complicated

anthony asadulla samad

            The Republican’s success, in the intentional blocking of gun control legislation, has some very significant ramifications for the Obama policy agenda. It was painful to watch our president have to publicly scold Congress for failing to do something the whole nation wanted and needed, gun control legislation. When you can shoot a Congresswoman, shoot [...]




Between the Lines: America on ‘Tip-Toe’ Stance Since Boston Bombing

Anthony Asadullah Samad

*We send our prayers to the people of Boston, and the victims, of what our President called an “act of terror,” after two bombs exploded during Monday’s Boston Marathon. Tragedy, like terrorism, is colorless. We should have compassion for any and all persons in times of tragedy, and we should rebuke terrorism, in all its [...]




Between the Lines: Why Jackie Robinson Still Matters

jackie robinson

*There are some things in our society that matter and need not be explained. We live in a society where we have forgotten about the things that matter. We find ourselves explaining things that shouldn’t have to be explained and paying attention to things that we should give absolutely no attention. Nonsense now makes the [...]




Between the Lines: Congress’ ‘Moonwalk’ on the Assault Weapon Ban: All The Rhetoric was for Naught

anthony asadulla samad

*From the time the tragic school massacre occurred that killed 20 young children (and their teachers) on December 14th, 2012, the national debate shifted to what could be done. For the past three and a half months, all we heard from Congress, the pundits and the media was that, “It was time!!!” Time for what? [...]




Between the Lines: The School Dropout to Prison Pipeline: Just How Long Do We Ignore It?

anthony asadullah samad

*There has been another raging discussion to take place over the past couple months, the school to prison pipeline. How many different ways can we say that the absence of investment in America’s intellectual capital causes, even promotes, devastating social consequences? And how many different ways can we access the racial consequences of misapplied forms [...]




Between the Lines: ‘Lincoln’ Movie: Inaccuracies May Have Contributed to Poor Showing

anthony asadullah samad

*It’s been a month now since the Academy Awards, enough time to process why the most heralded movie since “The Twelve Commandments” didn’t command the type of recognition most thought it would. “Lincoln,” which was supposed to be the biggest thing since…Lincoln himself, didn’t quite measure up to the industry award expectations. Nor the public’s. [...]




Between the Lines: Save ‘Negro’ – Really??

anthony asadullah samad

*I read a commentary recently lamenting the elimination of the designation of  the term, “Negro” for American born Africans, now commonly referred to as “African Americans,” from the U.S. Census form. I just shook my head, said “Good-bye, Negro and turned the page. I didn’t pay much attention to it Then one of my more [...]




Between the Lines: Black Comedians, Dresses and Kevin Hart on SNL

kevin hart (wears dress on 'snl')

*The latest episode in the perpetual discussion about black male emasculation occurred this past week when the latest rising star in comedy (not just black comedy), Kevin Hart, hosted Saturday Night Live (SNL). Kevin Hart’s career is peaking right now. After two successful movies in the past couple years and a sold-out nationwide tour, Kevin [...]




Between the Lines: Ode to Jerry Buss: NBA (and Los Angeles) Gamechanger

anthony asadulla samad

*We take a break from the serious stuff to give propers to a man who changed our lives and changed our culture in the city of Los Angeles. The passing of Los Angeles Lakers owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, requires that we take pause and reflect on a man whose charisma changed the face of a [...]




Between the Lines: The Dorner Episode May be Over – but the Questions He Raised Remain

anthony asadullah samad

*One of the most tragic and horrifying episodes in the recent history of our city, state and nation has come to an end…or has it? The national manhunt for ex-LAPD officer, Christopher Dorner, came to an end in a fiery shootout on Big Bear Mountain. There was nothing pretty about this at all. It started [...]




Between the Lines: The Best Thing About The Second Obama Inauguration

Anthony Asadulla Samad

*Returning from President Obama’s Second (and last) Inauguration, there was a lot of things to take away as the country continues to struggle with its identity, prosperity and its humility. National pride can be a great thing, and we have a lot of it. But it can also be a bad thing when pride is [...]




Between the Lines: The Radical King: The Absence of Tension or the Presence of Justice?

anthony asadullah samad

*The observation of the King Holiday is our annual engagement in romanticizing the life of a 20th century prophet and martyr that is troublesome, at best, sacrilege, at worse. How have turned a day of observation into a day celebration is puzzling to me. Exactly what does black America have to celebrate? The re-election of [...]




Between the Lines: (Fiscal Cliffing in America) The Dramatic Realities of Insincere Politics

anthony asadullah samad

*The “fiscal cliff” drama, that threatened across the board cuts to all government spending if a budget reduction solution by December 31st, 2012, took the nation to the brink of emotion. Some suggest, needlessly. Playing a shameless game of chicken, the Republican Party showed they hadn’t learned a damn thing in the spanking they took [...]




Between the Lines: Djustifying (the D is silent) Django: Satirizing America’s Deepest Scar

django unchained poster (dicaprio foxx waltz)

*The Christmas opening of Academy Award winner, Jamie Foxx’s, new motion picture, “Django Unchained,” has all of America talking. That could be a good thing, if we were talking about something serious. But we’re not. We’re talking about a movie of something serious. Black America been waiting a looonngg time to talk about slavery. White [...]