Roland Martin and panel address the question “is Jason Collins a hero”?

Watch the clip and share your thoughts.

Michael Eric Dyson and Sophia Nelson Round 2- MSNBC Ed Show

Last week Michael Eric Dyson called out Roland Martin, Rev. Jamal Bryant and Sophia Nelson on the same sex marriage issue. He did it without giving them the opportunity to respond. Last night Sophia Nelson did get that opportunity to eloquently render her biblically sanctioned response. Dyson did apologize for the initial way he handled it, but he stood by his opinion. Dyson has evolved like the president and the evolutionists believe everyone should make the transition, but Nelson like many in the faith community have not.

Michael Eric Dyson calls gay marriage critics “sexual rednecks”…does he think name-calling is going to change hearts and minds?

President Obama took a bold stand last week when he endorsed gay marriage. He said that over the years his opinion has evolved. Some in the black community do not agree with the president and they have been equally verbal in their opposition. On MSNBC The Ed Show last week Michael Eric Dyson decided to call out three opponents by name: Sophia Nelson, Roland Martin and Rev. Jamal Bryant. I am sure Dyson’s comments were embraced by the gay community, but is this what we have come to? If you don’t agree with the president you are somehow backwards? You are worthy of disdain and public rebuke? This is not productive. Was the president a “sexual redneck” prior to his Wednesday statement? share your thoughts.

SOPHIA NELSON’S RESPONSE TO DYSON’S STATEMENTShttp://www.prlog.org/11873404-author-columnist-political-pundit-sophia-nelson-responds-to-msnbcs-prof-michael-dyson-rant.html

Why do we refuse to talk about black on black crime?

Last night Rev. CL Bryant and Roland Martin appeared on CNN to discuss the Trayvon Martin case, the conversation soon turned to Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson’s involvement in the Martin case. Bryant accused them of exploiting it and Martin defended their involvement in it, but when the subject of black on black crime came up Martin seemingly backed away. Why? Some say we should not discuss it in the same breath with the Trayvon Martin case, but sadly it might actually be the right time to put the spotlight on this issue. When do you actually get the national spotlight on a minority issue? Tell me what you think.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/27/former-naacp-leader-c-l-bryant-blasts-cnns-roland-martin-video/

Twitter is all in Fun, Until it Isn’t, great piece in the NYT

In light of Roland Martin being the latest victim of 140 characters via Twitter this New York times piece spells out the dangers of this quick mode of communications:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/business/media/twitter-is-all-in-good-fun-until-it-isnt.html

CNN Suspends Roland Martin for controversial tweets, was this the right decision?

CNN Roland Martin has been suspended from his CNN job for tweets he made during the Super Bowl. Some in the gay community particularly GLAAD called for CNN to fire him, but at this point they have not made that leap. Some say that mrtin has a history of offending the gay community. it is interesting that no one called for Martin to be released from his job at TV One, a network that caters to African Americans. Wonder why? Did CNN make the right decision? http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/02/cnn-suspends-roland-martin-for-super-bowl-tweets.html

CNN Roland Martin under fire for “anti-gay” tweet…should he be fired?

When will people learn that 140 characters can sink a career. The latest victim Roland Martin tweeted during the Super Bowl that any man hyped about the David Beckham underwear should have the___ smacked out of him. Some have interpreted Martin’s remarks to be homophobic and GLAAD is calling for CNN to fire Martin. What do you think. Is this an over reaction by GLAAD or is this tweet a fireable offense?

If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl—
  (@rolandsmartin) February 06, 2012

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/02/06/roland-martins-tweet-about-david-beckham-ad-angers-glaad/

Should we forgive Chris Brown?

This question is posed in the September issue of Ebony magazine. Roland Martin and Farai Chideya answer the question in the issue. On the cover Martin says “yes” and Chideya says “hell to the no.” This was a catchy way of getting someone like me to purchase the magazine, but what I found was two very thoughtful essays articulating similar viewpoints, not a contentious exchange. Chideya talks about holding Brown accountable for his actions, and not let our love of celebrity excuse him from his egregious actions. Contrary to the cover she said “if you love someone, you make that person step up and be accountable for his or her behavior”. This reasoned response is a far cry from “hell to the no”.  Martin defends Brown, but not his bad behavior. He said “There is the potential for good in every man and woman. Some make brutal mistakes and don’t deserve to be imprisoned for life with the invisible shackles we place on them.”  After reading the article I came away with two things: accountability and forgiveness, and that is the standard that we should not only use to judge Brown, but we should also use this same yardstick to measure our own lives.

Tea Party Express Leader Mark Williams’ “Letter” proves the NAACP Was Right

“On Tuesday, the NAACP passed a resolution denouncing racist elements within the Tea Party movement.  Responding to the resolution, Tea Party Express chairman Mark Williams lashed out against the civil rights group, claiming that “they make more money off of race than any slave trader ever.” Williams continued his assault last night on CNN, telling host Roland Martin, “Racists have their own movement. It’s called the NAACP.” So what does Williams do to refute the charges of racism in the tea party? He posts the following satirical letter on his website.  “Apparently Colored People are an entirely new race of people and one to which the title applies.   Here NAACP President Precious Ben Jealous explains to President Abraham Lincoln the reasons for the resolution in this newly discovered letter :”

Dear Mr. Lincoln

We Colored People have taken a vote and decided that we don’t cotton to that whole emancipation thing.  Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards.  That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop! In fact we held a big meeting and took a vote in Kansas City this week.  We voted to condemn a political revival of that old abolitionist spirit called the ‘tea party movement’. The tea party position to “end the bailouts” for example is just silly.  Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn’t that what we want all Coloreds to strive for?  What kind of racist would want to end big money welfare?  What they need to do is start handing the bail outs directly to us coloreds!  Of course, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the only responsible party that should be granted the right to disperse the funds. And the ridiculous idea of “reduce[ing] the size and intrusiveness of government.”  What kind of massa would ever not want to control my life?  As Coloreds we must have somebody care for us otherwise we would be on our own, have to think for ourselves and make decisions! The racist tea parties also demand that the government “stop the out of control spending.”  Again, they directly target Colored People.  That means we Colored People would have to compete for jobs like everybody else and that is just not right. Perhaps the most racist point of all in the tea parties is their demand that government “stop raising our taxes.”  That is outrageous!    How will we Colored People ever get a wide screen TV in every room if non-coloreds get to keep what they earn?  Totally racist!  The tea party expects coloreds to be productive members of society? Mr. Lincoln, you were the greatest racist ever.  We had a great gig.  Three squares, room and board, all our decisions made by the massa in the house.  Please repeal the 13^th and 14^th Amendments and let us get back to where we belong.

Sincerely, Precious Ben Jealous, Tom’s Nephew  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Head Colored Person

Yes this is proof positive that there is no racist element within the tea party. At least that is what Massa Mark would want us to believe. He has removed the letter from his site and apologized for using the word “massa.

Alvin Greene Reveals his “Platform” on the Tom Joyner Morning Show

Roland Martin attempted to interview Alvin Greene on the Tom Joyner Morning show today and it was what could only be described as a hot mess. Martin asked the Democratic senatorial candidate who did he talk to, where did he campaign and frankly how did people even know he was running for office. After all this guy got 100,000 votes. So how did it happen? Nobody knows and when you listen to Greene you are still left scratching your head. Greene said his issues are “jobs, justice and education.” Resident comedienne, Jay Anthony Brown said jobs is Greene’s issue because he does not have one, justice is his issue because he needs a lawyer for his obscenity trial which Greene refused to comment on. Rep. Jim Clyburn said this thing stinks like “elephant dung” and he will not support Greene, but my question is how did the Democrats let this happen? Who fell asleep at the wheel? Greene might be a plant or he might simply be lucky, but somebody in the party should have looked into this guy’s background, and somebody in the party should have put some muscle behind the party sponsored candidate. That obviously did not happen and now the party is saddled with a candidate that can not win and a candidate that refuses to step aside for the good of the party. And why should he because the party has already expressed their disdain for him.