Miracle Streams News

Happy New Year from Miracle Streams News

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:13:00 GMT

Happy New Years Folks, Thank you for 6 years of support. 2012 is going to bring some great new items for our readers. From the staff at Miracle Streams news we wish you and your family a AWESOME 2012 ! Best Regards, Kevin B. Humphrey

With young knuckheads like this, who needs enemies !

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:00:00 GMT

In his latest and most interesting act of what I shall refer to as an Ã¢ÂÂon-going masterpiece of unadulterated ignorance,Ã¢ÂÂ the rapper Soulja Boy wrote some lyrics that were clearly disrespectful of American troops risking their lives fighting overseas. In his song, Ã¢ÂÂLetÃ¢ÂÂs Be Real,Ã¢ÂÂ the rapper says: Ã¢ÂÂ the FBI and all the Army troops/ Fighting for what? be your own man,Ã¢ÂÂ Of course the lyrics didnÃ¢ÂÂt win Soulja Boy too many new fans. There are groups calling for a boycott of his music and also asking that he be banned from military bases. It also led him to issue an immediate apology: Ã¢ÂÂSometimes there are things that we feel, things that we want to express, and when we put them on paper and speak them out loud, they can come out wrong,Ã¢ÂÂ he said. In fact, I think that we should hear him out: As an artist, I let my words get the best of me. Sometimes there are things that we feel, things that we want to express, and when we put them on paper and speak them out loud, they can come out wrong. When I expressed my frustration with the US Army, not only did my words come out wrong, I was wrong to even speak them. So, I write this to give my sincerest apology to all members of the United States military services, as well as their families that were offended by my most recent lyrics. As a young man who grew up in the post-9/11 era, I have watched our country fight two wars that seem like they are never going to end. I have seen thousands and thousands of our brave men and women get killed in battle and often times, I think for what? A lot of people in this country are struggling to make ends meet and I think a lot about what if we had never gone to war. Where would our economy be? Our schools, our after-school and work programs, our streets? I mean, damn, 48 people got shot in New York City just this past weekend Ã¢ÂÂ¦ in 3 days Ã¢ÂÂ¦ IÃ¢ÂÂm not saying that it is just because of a bad economy, but at a certain point we have to take care of our own people. In no way would I ever want to offend those who are protecting our freedoms Ã¢ÂÂ¦ a lot of homeboys who I grew up with, a lot of people who come from the neighborhoods we live in Ã¢ÂÂ¦ In no way do I want to hurt any of our honorable soldiers who put their lives at risk, regardless of how they feel about the two wars we fight in. I am just frustrated that we havenÃ¢ÂÂt been able to bring you all home quick enough and my frustration got the best of me. I am deeply sorry. I love the fact that with all of his ridiculous behavior, Soulja Boy is smart enough to have a publicist who can write statements in clear English. His peer Bow Wow issued a far more interesting statement after the birth of his daughter, using phrases like Ã¢ÂÂWith out yall i wudda been left the game. For the past 3 years i been batteling life.Ã¢ÂÂ Statements like these serve as clear reflections of where young black men are headed today Ã¢ÂÂ I really hate having to Ã¢ÂÂgo Bill Cosby,Ã¢ÂÂ but some would say there are a slew of non-racial reasons that we have the highest unemployment rate in the entire United States. Yes, that last statement might get me into trouble with those who think that white folks are the only reason that we choose to do some of the silly things we do, but weÃ¢ÂÂd be lying to ourselves if we didnÃ¢ÂÂt admit that some of us have bought into the recipe for our own self-destruction. Now, we canÃ¢ÂÂt quite correlate intelligence with grammatical skills, at least I canÃ¢ÂÂt. I found myself on the struggling end of far too many English classes during high school. But we have to take a moment of pause when we see brothers embracing ignorance in a world where the cost of ignorance is slavery, humiliation and death. Yes, the school system, modern media and American racism serve to glamorize a life of marginalization, hoop dreams and incarceration, but we also have the opportunity to decide if we are going to make ourselves into the clowns of our society. With that said, it has been Soulja BoyÃ¢ÂÂs commitment to ignorance which leads me to continuously shake my head in exasperation. It started with his statement in 2008 glorifying slave masters for bringing his ancestors to America. Then, there was the remote control, diamond-encrusted car that he bought a couple of years ago. Oh yea, the car also doubles as a massive chain that he can put around his neck. Soulja Boy is clearly a living, breathing manifestation of the counter-productive, anti-intellectual behavior that has come to characterize an entire generation. We have Bob and Sheila Johnson at BET to thank for much of that. But IÃ¢ÂÂll admit that I see potential in Soulja Boy. During his public feud with the rapper Ice-T, Soulja Boy had been accused by older artists (perhaps correctly) of helping to degrade the value of hip-hop in American society. Personally, I felt that it was a bit harsh to blame a 17-year old kid for the destruction of hip-hop. I also sought to remind folks that just a year earlier, Soulja Boy was a struggling young man trying to feed his family. After receiving his attacks from Ice-T, Soulja Boy actually defended himself quite well, and even explained that older artists should spend their time mentoring young rappers rather than chastising them. My point is that in spite of what others may think, Soulja Boy is not dumb. However, like so many other young men in black America, Soulja Boy has chosen deliberate buffoonery, because being an intelligent black man has simply gone out of style. In fact, I would argue that you have to be a genius to act as ignorant as Soulja Boy does on a daily basis. This is a sad and pathetic waste of energy. But in keeping with Soulja BoyÃ¢ÂÂs request that older men supplement their criticism with sound advice, I thought I would share a few thoughts with the annoying little kid that some of my adult friends kids seem to love so much. <ol> <li>DonÃ¢ÂÂt say things that make white people mad. They have a lot of power, and can destroy your career. Black people might get upset, but they even forgive artists like R. Kelly, so their attention span tends to be incredibly short. Angering white folks, on the other hand, might put you in the poor house. By speaking against the troops, you are really hitting a very sensitive issue, like when Michael Vick killed some puppies and a host on Fox News wanted to give him the death penalty. Also, you may have all the fans and some of the money, but like other hip-hop artists, there is some white man out there who owns you. Unfortunately, many of us so-called Ã¢ÂÂpowerful black public figuresÃ¢ÂÂ think we have independence, when the glaring reality is that we do not. </li><li>Go pick up a book and take on the responsibility that God has given you with your public platform. You are shaping millions of minds with your repetitive, artistically-weak, yet incredibly catchy music. If you are affecting so many minds, it is up to you make sure you are influencing them in the right direction. Important issues such as mass incarceration, poverty and educational inequality are destroying black families across America, and the last thing they want is for you to rap about bling that most black people canÃ¢ÂÂt even afford. I understand that being young creates a natural inclination toward social devianceÃ¢ÂÂ¦.so, use that social deviance to change the world for the better and to liberate your people from the bondage of oppression. In fact, go make up a corny song about it; it could be your next hit. </li><li>Stop wasting all your money on airplanes, jewelry and other stupid stuff. Most rappers donÃ¢ÂÂt last very long in the industry, and itÃ¢ÂÂs hard to go back to Burger King after being one of the hottest artists in the world. Find a way to make better decisions and stop embarrassing yourself and your family in public. You, my brother, are becoming the new Flava Flav. ThatÃ¢ÂÂs not cool, and itÃ¢ÂÂs not even Ã¢ÂÂgangsta.Ã¢ÂÂ ItÃ¢ÂÂs just stupid. Do you really want to be like Flava Flav when you get older? I didnÃ¢ÂÂt think so.</li></ol> OK, IÃ¢ÂÂm done with my tough love lesson for Soulja Boy. But in the event that Soulja Boy isnÃ¢ÂÂt hearing this (money tends to make us deaf, dumb and blind), I encourage other young black men to reclaim and reshape their destiny into an image of their choosing, and not some manifestation of corporate-created coonishness. Just like Soulja Boy, our potential is infinite. But it doesnÃ¢ÂÂt mean a thing if we donÃ¢ÂÂt wake ourselves up collectively. . Kevin B. Humphrey <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a> <a href="http://www.lunartext.com/">www.lunartext.com</a> The Humphrey Group Ltd

Can you help a brother out ? You better help yourself out first !

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 21:15:00 GMT

Can you help a brother out? You better help yourself first! Hey Folks, We need to not depend on the 9-5 JOB! You know that the MAN does not care about our own personal situation. We need to handle our own business. However we need to start creating generational wealth. There is a book that I think every black person in this country should read. The book is called Ã¢ÂÂThe Jewish PhenomenonÃ¢ÂÂ It should be required reading for every black person in the country. It will blow your funky mind! Regards, Kevin B. Humphrey <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a> Can you help a brother out? No, you better help yourself first! The first decade of the new millennium brought a lot of things that the world didnÃ¢ÂÂt expect: the ability to order a pizza on your home computer, cell phones that allow you to talk to your friends face-to-face, and our nationÃ¢ÂÂs first black president. One other unexpected event of the last decade is the disappearance of a centuryÃ¢ÂÂs worth of progress in reducing the wealth gap between black and white Americans. AsRex Nutting at Market Watch so accurately notes, wealth levels of the black family in America have declined dramatically during the past decade, and they show no evidence of getting better any time soon. According to Nutting, "In a country where access to capital is everything, most blacks have nothing." First, Nutting mentions that African Americans have the highest unemployment rates in the country, which stand at an average of 16.5%, compared to 9% for whites. What is most daunting is that soaring black joblessness, combined with higher foreclosure rates, bankruptcies, and declining home values have seriously cut into the wealth of the black family in America. In other words, we are the first to lose our jobs, have the least wealth to protect our families when times are tough, and a greater reliance on declining home equity as a source of economic security. This economy has provided the perfect storm of black economic destruction. According to Nutting, the median net worth for black households dropped from $9,300 in 2007 to $2,200 in 2009, much lower than the years before. First, Nutting mentions that African Americans have the highest unemployment rates in the country, which stand at an average of 16.5%, compared to 9% for whites. What is most daunting is that soaring black joblessness, combined with higher foreclosure rates, bankruptcies, and declining home values have seriously cut into the wealth of the black family in America. In other words, we are the first to lose our jobs, have the least wealth to protect our families when times are tough, and a greater reliance on declining home equity as a source of economic security. This economy has provided the perfect storm of black economic destruction. According to Nutting, the median net worth for black households dropped from $9,300 in 2007 to $2,200 in 2009, much lower than the median wealth of $98,000 for white households. He also mentions that incomes dropped in black homes by 7.2% between 2007 and 2009, much greater than the 4.2% decline for white families. NuttingÃ¢ÂÂs article reminds us that the United States has a long way to go when it comes to wealth distribution. Over 80% of the nationÃ¢ÂÂs wealth is controlled by just 20% of its citizens, and the richest 1% of Americans controls one-third of the nationÃ¢ÂÂs wealth. Roughly 40% of Americans have no wealth at all. African Americans are disproportionately represented in the group of Americans with zero or negative wealth, which is a problem that most of our elected officials are inclined to ignore, and something that our nationÃ¢ÂÂs citizens donÃ¢ÂÂt spend much time getting upset about. Nutting is correct to mention that most Americans have their wealth end up in their home values. So, when home prices dropped so dramatically during the economic downturn, this led to the wealth of many black families disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. Most of the economic disparities in the United States donÃ¢ÂÂt exist because whites are more responsible with their money or possess economic intelligence that black people donÃ¢ÂÂt have. The primary reason for the gap is that for hundreds of years, African Americans added to our nationÃ¢ÂÂs net worth, but were not being properly compensated for it (similar to how the NCAA operates). Being left out of the growth of AmericaÃ¢ÂÂs economic engine has kept African Americans at the bottom of the ladder of institutional opportunity: Our school systems are not well-funded, we canÃ¢ÂÂt find jobs because we donÃ¢ÂÂt own the businesses that take applications, and we continue to be utilized as for-profit commodities by the prison industrial complex. According to NuttingÃ¢ÂÂs research regarding the Survey of Consumer Finances, black families were three times wealthier (in real terms) in 1983 than they were in 2009. As white families saw their net worth grow from $124,000 in 2001 to $143,600 in 2007, blacks actually saw their net worth drop from $12,500 to $9,300. By 2009, white families saw their wealth levels drop to $94,600, but African AmericanÃ¢ÂÂs levels dropped even more to $2,200. So, between 2001 and 2009, African American families went from having a disgraceful one-tenth of the wealth of white families to an even more horrific ratio of one-fiftieth. I am not sure how to process the Obama AdministrationÃ¢ÂÂs blind, deaf and dumb response to the persistent wealth and opportunity gaps in America that pertain to race. While the president continues to be popular among African Americans, I would encourage members of his administration to remember that leading with courage is an important part of making African American history (not just holding a fancy title that adds almost nothing more than symbolic value for the black community at large). Courage means sometimes doing things that are not popular and working to make America better. Given that I havenÃ¢ÂÂt heard the president or his team use the words "black man," "black woman," or "black families" in public over the last two years, I am concerned as to whether or not our first black president has been or is willing to do much to fight on issues that matter to black people who didnÃ¢ÂÂt go to Harvard University. For example, itÃ¢ÂÂs interesting that President Obama would speak up for Henry Louis Gates in a meaningless and ambiguous scuffle with a police officer, but wouldnÃ¢ÂÂt say a word about Kelley Williams-Bolar, a black woman who was sent to jail for trying to get her kids into a good school. The latter case was far more significant in the fight against inequality, but KelleyÃ¢ÂÂs housing projects were apparently not close enough to Harvard Yard. There is the added complication that perhaps, because of being a black man, President Obama could "get in trouble" with white voters for advocating on issues that matter to African Americans. This argument has been used by supporters of Hillary Clinton, who might be far less sheepish or self-conscious about advocating for women and minorities. IÃ¢ÂÂm not sure if the Clinton supporters are correct, but the last two years have made many African American families wonder if it even matters who sits in the White House I personally like President Obama, but I will tell you something, he is never going to be mistaken for being a member of the Black Panthers either! I am like look bruh, they are already dogging you anyway, you might as well go ahead and really give them something to talk about. Can you imagine all of the prior white presidents not hooking up their main voting support group? No you can not! And guess what, Mr. Bruh President is still hooking THEM UP! Where is H-Rap Brown when you need him!

Where have all the black fathers gone ?

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:03:00 GMT

Hey Folks, This is the last Miracle Streams News letter for the year 2010. The following is a subject I have talked about before, but I hope going into the new year this topic will get greater exposure from our people. This is a internal issue with in the black experience, and this is becoming the norm in our community. We have all heard the term"Affirmative Action" related to job hiring and equal opportunity. I call this problemÃ¢ÂÂ Dysfunctional Action" You see, Brothers want to be "Mack Daddies/Puff Daddies " and Sisters are Macking as well! But the real question here is who is really being MACKED ? I know all of us had our MACKING DAZE! (Ladies included) But, the key words here is USE TO! Macking now is a way of life among our folks. The whole "Baby Mama" mind set is killing us big time. I hate to say this, but it seems common place for a sister to be with her kids in public, and I rarely see a brother around. Unless it is that time of the month when that goverment check comes in the mail. And oh yeah, getting married! Oh yeah that thing, there is no need to do that. I will mack you, and you will mack me. Maybe my timing is real bad, but start checking things out when you are out there running around doing your day to day thing. Happy New Year! Kevin Humphrey/CVO 'Raising Him Alone: Things Black Women Can Do to Raise Boys to be Men' was written by myself and Matt Stevens, who handles business for us in Newark, N.J., and other greater New Jersey communities. The book speaks to the alarming number of single mothers, grandmothers and other female care givers who struggle to reduce the likelihood that their sons will be killed on the streets or eventually serve prison time. It estimated that 72% of Black babies are born out of wedlock. And a staggering percentage of them will go to bed tonight without receiving any love or comfort from their fathers. The book provides a blueprint for women who are raising boys to create a success paradigm in the lives of their sons. Creating a means for success is critical because we know from statistics and personal observations that fatherlessness in America accounts for a large percentage of the chaos and confusion that occurs in black and brown communities daily. According to The National Fatherhood Initiative's report "100 Billion Dollar Man," the federal government spends $99.8 billion dollars annually on fatherlessness in America. This includes money spent on child support enforcement, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 'Raising Him Alone: Things Black Women Can Do to Raise Boys to be Men' provides a series of recommendations and best practices that are focused on improving the life chances of African American boys. After all, we have all witnessed African American male children going from middle school to prison. The book and ULI's Raising Him Alone Campaign are among a number of innovative practices designed to reduce the school-to-prison pipeline that is removing too many African American men and boys from the community. The book clearly outlines the power and spiritual essence of being a parent while giving an array of strategies to mothers, grandmothers and other caregivers that range from the importance of monitoring your son's technology to teaching about the power of money (financial literacy strategies). Other key sections of the book provide step-by-step instructions for African American males on how to respond to police stops. "10 Rules of Survival if Stopped by the Police" is a series of actions that parents teach sons to help them survive a frequent phenomenon. The book, along with a comprehensive Web site and a growing virtual resource via Face Book (Single Mothers Raising Boys), allows us the ability to disseminate large amounts of information. Parents can also sign up to get a bi-weekly eblast that goes out to more than 13,000 mothers and grandmothers who are raising boys. What would you consider to be the two greatest hurdles of the black male in America? First, we must redefine the images of black men and boys. I consider that a major hurdle that must be addressed. The lens through which most people in society view us is a very negative one that portrays us as uneducated criminals and gangsters. These images are perpetuated by major media outlets, Hollywood and popular culture. These messages and images are shaping generations of children globally. Black males in America have developed an image problem. More organizations must be willing to create ways to create narratives that highlight and promote positive images of black men and boys. In November 2010 we launched a new Web site, Changing Fatherhood, in an effort to help fathers and men become masters of our own media. Through the site we are creating and developing our own stories to provide people with a more comprehensive lens through which to view young black males. Second, we must address the parenting calamity that is handicapping young black males. A growing percentage of our children are angry because they are being raised by parents who are ill-equipped to parent. This issue doesn't have anything to do with class or community demographics but instead has to do with parental accountability and a willingness to learn strategies necessary to support healthy child rearing. This void has produced a culture of narcissism that equates to epidemic arrests and incarceration rates, apathy and a general disregard for human life. Most days we can pick up a newspaper and read horror stories about young black men involved in violent acts, many that often result in death. What is it going to take for us to change the outcomes for black boys and black families? We must develop a sense of urgency that encourages all people to get involved. Getting involved means everything from donating money to credible organizations that are working with young black males to serving as mentors in communities. The key is institution building. In other communities people have created life-giving and life-sustaining organizations that support families. When I was growing up we could rely on the church as one of the larger messengers of hope. This has dramatically changed over the last couple of years, but we must revert to that if we are to once again thrive as a race of people. Also, we need transformational leadership in black America. Far too often we have leaders who hold offices but are unable to create a legacy of change. Our leaders historically are reactionary and devoid of any kind of strategic plan or vision. The new brand of leadership will need to devise ways by which we are able to raise money to help us fund our own freedom. Why do we continue relying on organizations outside of our community to fund our survival? It is illogical and keeps us in a position of weakness versus a position of strength. Bold and innovative leadership is needed to implement policies and practices that will directly impact the lives of African American males. This kind of leadership will require us to forge ahead and focus greater energy on creating economic centers of excellence for the black community. Much of this will be predicated on our ability to create sustainable family businesses which create generational wealth. What is the role that black women can play in helping to reshape the experience of the black male in America? Our women are a critical variable in helping to resurrect black men and re-tooling the black community. Much work is needed in encouraging and supporting black men to become better fathers, husbands and change agents in the community. Often our women have become our biggest critics and send very destructive messages about the state of black men. Black men desperately need to live in a world where we believe that our women support us, value us and want to work with us to reclaim our families and communities. What can black men do to help save our black boys? We need black men to be fathers and role models to black boys. Young black males are in desperate need for sober, responsible and productive role models. While a growing percentage of fathers and men are committed, we still have a large group of black men who are not connected to their sons and other young black males in their community as they should be. In order for us to stem the tide of apathy and dysfunction, adult black men must become a critical part of the solution. This begins with increasing the levels of accountability with black male organizations and fraternities. Additionally, religious-based and civic groups that are focused on issues related to black men and boys must become more visible and active. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our AOL Black Voices audience? When you look at our current situation it is beyond time for us to get our act together. Massive incarceration, staggeringly low school completion rates among young black males and increasing apathy among parents continue to handicap our children. We know that fathers are critical. Father absence accounts for the following: -63 percent of youth suicides are from fatherless homes -90 percent of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes -85 percent of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes -80 percent of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes -71 percent of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes -75 percent of all adolescent patients in chemical-abuse centers come from fatherless homes -85 percent of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes It is time for us to step up our game and reclaim our families and our communities. If we don't do it, we will have no one but ourselves to blame for our demise. Black men are the envy of the world. Our families need our leadership. If not us than who! Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy.

Miracle Streams News Message

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:40:00 GMT

Hey Folks, Well this issue is getting as bad as Crack, Meth, and Brett Farve's retirement act ! Where is Jesse and Al on this issue my peeps ! You know what, I am going to cut them a little bit of slack because " It's a Black Household Thing" and guess what ? No body else wants to understand ! But most of all, the BLUE EYED BROTHER'S don't care because there is too much bank to be made. You see, the young-bloods that drop out are either going to try and be Mac-Daddy's/Drug Dealer or Runner's, or go to the Big House/Jail. The man loves that because he can house some more young Negro's in the cling, and that also keeps the drug trade rolling as well. It also keeps our people talking about what needs to be done, and they know very few of us are going to do ANYTHING ! I boycotted BET(Black Endangered TV) two years ago. I only watch TV1 which is not perfect, but far more responsible ! I run into all of these AAU basketball kids all the time, and they are already shooting their (Oh baby I going to xyz you tonight) video already in South Beach in their own mind ! And the brother can't put a sentence and chew Bubble Gum at the same time. And you wonder why things are where they are. The days of blaming WHITE FOLKS are done ! Because they are going to do what they have to do ANYWAY folks. The big question is, are we going to do what we usually do ? Later, Kevin B. Humphrey <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a> <a href="http://www.lunartext.com/">www.lunartext.com</a> The Humphrey Group Ltd A new task for civil rights activists: Educate black boys 2:33 pm September 17, 2010, by ctucker WASHINGTON ï¿½ The cover photo for a new report on black boysï¿½ educational attainment is sunny and optimistic, showing a boy of about 11, dressed in shirt and tie, beaming as he meets the president of the United States, Barack Obama. But the news that follows the photo is, in the words of a leading educator, ï¿½nightmarish,ï¿½ with few rays of sunshine. The research from the Massachusetts-based Schott Foundation on Public Education shows that more than half ï¿½ 53 percent ï¿½ of black male students drop out of high school without a diploma, compared to 22 percent of white males. Itï¿½s a stunning statistic that foretells a permanent underclass, forever stuck outside the American mainstream. If I ran the NAACP, the National Urban League or the troubled Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Iï¿½d make my single priority hammering away at that awful statistic and working to change the fate of those young black men. Nothing is more important to the future of black America than reclaiming 53 percent ï¿½ more than half ï¿½ of its young black men from educational failure, which will lead, inevitably, to unemployment, irresponsible fatherhood and the temptations of crime. If you wanted to guarantee the decline of a community ï¿½ or a nation ï¿½ in the 21st century, you could hardly do better than to impose academic failure on half its young men. But the depressing drop-out rate is not the result of malice directed by outside forces; itï¿½s not the culmination of a campaign of racism or the inevitable result of centuries of oppression. Black boys are failing even in public school systems with black superintendents, black principals and black teachers. According to the Schott Foundation, which tracked black boys who entered high school in 2003 to find whether they had graduated by 2008, some of the worst graduation rates are in school districts, such as New Orleans and Detroit, which have, in recent history, been led by black administrators and predominantly black school boards. The reports says that only 34 percent of Atlantaï¿½s black male students graduated between 2003 and 2008, while in Gwinnett County, 58 percent received diplomas. Schottï¿½s president, John Jackson, suggests that the cure lies in more money for failing schools. He points to the experience of New Jersey, where graduation rates for black males have soared since a court settlement forced the state to increase spending in poorer schools. Still, I doubt crimped finances are at the heart of black boysï¿½ educational failure. For decades, urban districts have spent taxpayersï¿½ money freely ï¿½ with little to show for it. (Jacksonï¿½s recommendation that states spend more on early childhood education, however, is backed up by extensive research, which shows gains for kids with good pre-school teachers.) Educational experts would undoubtedly point to a host of factors that have kept black boys on the road to jail, rather than Yale. They would also point to the rare programs which have turned the tide, such as Geoffrey Canadaï¿½s Harlem Childrenï¿½s Zone. But there is also a bit of mystery about black boysï¿½ academic failures: on the whole, black girls are doing much better in school, overcoming family dysfunction and poverty that have sabotaged their brothers. Why? And why donï¿½t more educational leaders and civil rights activists care that weï¿½re losing so many young black men to stunted prospects? Why isnï¿½t this the subject of sermons in black churches, speeches by black politicians and protests by black activists? In fact, President Obamaï¿½s proposals for education reform havenï¿½t been greeted with enthusiasm by his black constituents. And the District of Columbiaï¿½s mayor, Adrian Fenty, was defeated in Tuesdayï¿½s Democratic primary ï¿½ largely because his reform-minded schools chancellor, Michelle Rhee, is so unpopular. Never mind that she has raised test schools in a school system whose student enrollment is overwhelmingly black. Perhaps thatï¿½s the bigger mystery: Why havenï¿½t the adults who profess to care about them done more to help black boys succeed?

Miracle Streams News Message

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:08:00 GMT

Hey Folks, This is an article from Russell Simmons. Regardless of what your point of view is, he makes some very good points on some issues. Regards, Kevin Humphrey/CVO The Humphrey Group Ltd <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a> Dear Mr. President, Yesterday, was a sad day in America. One of our nation's heroes was told he was not allowed to do his job of protecting our country because of his sexual orientation. Lt. Dan Choi honorably served this nation at war in Iraq and now, at great misfortune, has become a casualty of war that still rages in our homeland; the war for equal rights for all Americans. For the sake of your legacy and the legacy of one of our nation's greatest attributes, its tolerance of diversity, Mr. President, it is now the time to put the security of our nation first over the intolerance of others and re-instate Lt. Choi to his National Guard duties. One day we will look back and realize how incredible your accomplishments have been. We will look back, as we have done on the abolition of slavery, the women's right to vote, the civil rights movement, the mission to put a man on the moon, and so many other critical moments in the history of our country and realize that your compassion for all of humanity was a gift we fully appreciated. We will look back at these first eighteen months of your presidency and recognize the sacrifices you have made to ensure that every Americans' future is bright, not just those that voted for you on November 4th, 2008. We will say that we cannot believe that we passed health care reform. We cannot believe that we passed financial reform. We cannot believe that we appointed the first Latina Justice to the Supreme Court. We cannot believe that we gave cash for clunkers! Ok, we can believe that. But, in all seriousness, Mr. President, your accomplishments are tremendous and when we look back, we will be proud of the work that we have done. However, Mr. President, despite these accomplishments there are still many people who do not want you to succeed and have done everything they can, including dirty media tricks, to stop you from being the President we all want you to be. We will not accept only legislative victories during your presidency, as we know you have a lot more to offer than that. We will not accept the continuation of the destruction of our planet and the abuse of our animals, as we know you have compassion for all that is living. We will not allow you to be any ordinary President, as there is nothing ordinary about you. As it is important to focus your attention on delivering your legislative promises, you must retain a watchful eye on the most vulnerable Americans. We expect you to protect people like Lt. Dan Choi, Shirley Sherrod and Van Jones, even when they might seem like distractions during your efforts to reform our government and policies. It is this compassion that you have for humanity that inspired us all during your campaign. And it is your intellect and strength to stand-up to all of the negative noise that allowed us a victory on election day. Mr. President, the time has come for Barack Obama to be Barack Obama. When you know things are not right, we expect you to fix them. We have already lost Van Jones. We might lose Shirley Sherrod. Let us not lose Lt. Dan Choi. If you don't come out fighting, and take the fight to the right, you'll not only lose elections, but respectfully, also your soul. Follow Russell Simmons on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/unclerush">www.twitter.com/unclerush</a>

Miracle Streams News Message

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:33:00 GMT

Hey Folks, I know everyone has their own opinion regarding BET. Me personally, I could find some of these characters on their shows they have at your local crack house ! But that's just me ! Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Diddy and Rick Ross perform at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 27, 2010. Most decent, educated, hard working black Americans have their own particular reason for disliking the BET Awards. All the while, it must be acknowledged that there are some Americans who love the show. Finally, there are those who love to watch the show so they can talk about how much they hate it My personal anti-love affair with the BET Awards began when the singer R. Kelly was accused of having sex with an underage girl and videotaping the act. But even then, I heard black folks saying" You know she should not have even been there! That is like someone saying "The reason I got drunk was because he kept that bottle of XYZ on the table too long ! " Now that's a black Einstein for you ! This occurred during a time when people were under the mistaken assumption that most African-Americans actually care about young black girls. Of course, this silly notion was quickly dismissed by BET, who not only continued with the planned R. Kelly performance, but gave him the longest segment on the show. The segment was the only one to actually include video and even ended by honoring him with an award. Sure, we know that R. Kelly had been technically acquitted of his crime, but I hold to the reality that being found not guilty is not the same as being found innocent. Also, my friends who've watched the video "for research purposes" (no, I didn't watch that video, I have daughters the same age as the young girl allegedly involved in the incident) report that the man on the video has a striking resemblance to R. Kelly. Either way, BET had an opportunity to take a stand on principle, and they did: They proved that they are incredibly principled about the idea of making money at any cost. When BET founder Bob Johnson reminded us that the "E" in BET stands for "Entertainment, not education," that is when the network officially became similar to the purely capitalist entities who exploit poor, black Americans for financial gain. The difference is that you can get away with an extraordinary amount of exploitation if you disguise it with a blackface. The R. Kelly/anti-black girl trend of the BET Awards continued years later as Lil Wayne rapped about wishing he could "f*ck every girl in the world" all the while, having underage girls dancing on the stage behind him. Finally, along with every other person who grew up admiring Michael Jackson's talent, I wasn't happy to see BET's botched and hastily-designed tribute to the singer last year. But of course the execs at BET could care less, since the show was one of their most highly rated in history. Through the years, the BET Awards have become a staple of unhealthy and counter-productive broken black family fun. The show is as dysfunctional as those of who love to watch it, and the ratings turn out to be a major money maker for BET, who continues to line up the best artists in America. The problem for BET is that long ago when being founded by Bob Johnson, their soul was sold to the devil of modern American capitalism. Therefore, nearly every BET employee, executive, producer, and writer goes to bed wondering what damage he did to black America that day.Through the years, the BET Awards have become a staple of unhealthy and counter-productive broken black family fun. The show is as dysfunctional as those of who love to watch it, and the ratings turn out to be a major money maker for BET, who continues to line up the best artists in America. The problem for BET is that long ago when being founded by Bob Johnson, their soul was sold to the devil of modern American capitalism. Therefore, nearly every BET employee, executive, producer, and writer goes to bed wondering what damage he did to black America that day. Like our broken financial system, I don't blame BET employees for the problematic choices of the network, I blame the system and culture that has been established within BET over the past 30 years of its existence. Any employee who tries to fix the problem would surely be replaced by one who is willing to go along with the program.When it's all said and done in black America, making money seems to justify any and every activity utilized to make that money. This, my friends, is wrong. When I reflect on the ups and downs of the last millennium, I think about Jim Crow, the introduction of crack cocaine, the spread of HIV, and the growth of BET to be among the great black disasters of the 20th century. Later, Kevin B.Humphrey The Humphrey Group Ltd <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a>

Miracle Streams News Message

Sun, 30 May 2010 02:06:00 GMT

Dropping some knowledge on you folks ! White Families Are $95K Richer Than Black Families, on Average By Lawrence Watkins The Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University just released a new study revealing startling information about the gap between black and white families when it comes to wealth. According to the study, the wealth gap between white and black American families has increased fourfold since 1974. Over a 23-year period, the authors of the study found that the wealth gap rose from $20,000 to $95,000. They define wealth as the dollar value of your assets minus your debts. Thomas M. Shapiro, Tatjana Meschede and Laura Sullivan worked on the study and found other results that were equally revealing: 1) Middle-income white households saw greater increases in wealth than high-income African American households. Middle-income whites have seen a $74,000 increase in wealth during this time period, while high-income black families saw only an $18,000 increase. 2) In 2007, one in 10 African Americans owed $3,600, doubling their debt since 1984. 3) At least 25 percent of all African American families had no assets to turn to during tough economic times. Blacks in Business The new generation of African Americans going the entrepreneurial route are well equipped and more knowledgeable than ever before. Despite facing many obstacles unparalleled to other races many African Americans have aspired to receive equality and the right to ownership since the ending of slavery. Now, in the 21st century we are able to see their successes as they become business moguls and CEOs of major companies. Black Progress Digital Divide Narrowed The divide between African-Americans and the rest of the population has been practically eliminated. In recent years the number of blacks online and with high-speed internet has doubled. This gives our community more access to jobs, networking, and inexpensive goods and services. Today, more than 68 percent of African Americans report they are online, compared with 71 percent of all Americans. At one point, that divide was closer to 20 percent. Black Progress Race Relations Overt racism and bigotry have been shunned and pushed to the margins of American life. Inclusion and equal opportunity have been embraced as key principles in America as well. Discrimination, while not eliminated, is no longer humored or tolerated in the larger society the same way it was 50 years ago. Black Progress Education In recent years black graduation rates have been on the rise. School standards, charter schools and the no child left behind act have been cited as reasons for black students' progress in test scores for reading, writing skills, math, and social sciences. Consequently, the number of black men in women enrolling in college is increasing and in many states, the number of African Americans in or heading to college is actually on par with the region's overall population. Black Progress Hip-Hop Culture What started as musical expression in the slums of the inner cities has turned into a $4 billion-a-year industry. Some say hip-hop is the most important contribution to the American cultural landscape since blues, jazz, and rock and roll. Now that's progress! Hip-hop literally forced the important melding of black and white and Latino cultures after the 1960s and 1970s. Today, hip-hop is not one thing, it is every thing: fashion, language, music and movies. Black Progress The Black Athlete Michael Jordan, the Williams sisters, Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds, and Jerry Rice. These names have revolutionized the sports industry. They have collectively made a mark for black athletic talent in the minds and hearts of people around the world as household names. Those names became synonymous with the games they dominated and with talent unmatched by any other person in history. Love sports or not, the black super-athlete has been an important part of our progress in the last 25 years. Black Progress Blacks in Hollywood History was made at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002 when Halle Berry became the first African American woman to win Best Actress. Denzel Washington continued the legacy of greatness when he was awarded Best Actor for Training Day 39 years after Sidney Poitier was the first black man to win the award. They have helped open the door even more for a new generation of leading black men and women in film, not to mention Oscar winners. Black Progress Political Power Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell are just a couple of examples of how African-Americans have advanced in the world of politics and government. In the last 25 years more black lawmakers, mayors and politicians have come on the scene. It is estimated that in the last 25 years nearly 9,000 blacks have been elected to public office. Powell and Rice have been influential in the advancement of black women and men in the U.S. government by their presence and success at the highest levels. Black Progress Empowered Black Women Call it the Oprah effect if you want, but since this media mogul hit the scene, she has had an impact on all women, not just black women. Oprah Winfrey became America's first black female billionaire, and as inspiring as she is, she certainly won't be the last. She is a potent personality and a cultural phenomenon. Even though Oprah never depended on a black consumer base, her business activities reflect certain aspects of the expansion of black business activity in last 20 years. For instance, black women are more likely than black men to secure a small business loan. Black Progress A Black President As Barack Obama continues on his path as the first African-American President of the United States, history and progress is being made. It was monumental when Barack defeated Hillary Clinton in the primary to lead the Democratic Party, but before him there was the Rev. Jesse Jackson and others, who can not be discounted for helping pave the way. Black Progress The results of this study bolster the move for reparations, paying back the black community for wealth losses during slavery. Part of the gap in wealth between whites and blacks comes from divergent community structures that give whites more power than blacks to control economic decisions. One example is the 16.5 percent unemployment rate for black Americans, which is about double the rate for whites. Danielle Douglas, an expert on small businesses and wealth building, said that even though there are reasons that the community deserves reparations for the wealth gap created through slavery and Jim Crow, we are probably going to be waiting forever for that inequality to be addressed. "We tend to still come from a victim mentality and while we are deserving of our 40 acres and a mule, we aren't getting it. So we need to learn to navigate the system and find ways to create our own destiny. It's a mindset." Douglas, who trains small-business owners to find the resources they need, says that African Americans have to ensure that they and their families are financially literate and empowered to increase their own economic prospects. Also, the government can take steps to create economic opportunities for small businesses in urban communities to allow black families to have a share of the economic pie. Do you have any ideas for how the black community can address the crisis of this wealth disparity? It's clear that no one is going to help us but ourselves. As even the Latino community is beginning to outpace us in terms of employment, now is the time for us to take complete control of our economic destinies. Later, Kevin B. Humphrey/CVO The Humphrey Group Ltd <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a>

Miracle Streams News Message

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:50:00 GMT

Why Arenï¿½t Minorities Graduating From College? Last week, the American Council on Education issued a report on the state of black males in the higher education system. The report reveals some interesting and disturbing trends. It turns out that black men are graduating from college at a rate which lags significantly behind other ethnic groups. When determining graduation probabilities over a six-year period, black males were found to have a graduation rate of 35 percent. This compares with rates of 59 percent, 46 percent and 45 percent for white males, hispanic males and black women, respectively. In other words, black men are a little more than half as likely to finish college when compared to their white male counterparts. I have been a black man for my entire life now, and Iï¿½ve taught at the college level for the past 17 years. So, perhaps I can shed some light on the nature of these problems and how we might work to solve them. Some of the factors are institutional and some are cultural, so prepare to be offended by at least one of the things I have to say <ol> <li>Most American universities refuse to hire or retain African American professors, including many HBCUs: If your professors look like you, you are more likely to relate to that individual and enjoy the class. When I went to The University of Kentucky, Indiana University and The Ohio State University (where I earned my PhD), I didnï¿½t see one single professor who looked like me (and I took A LOT of classes). This made for an incredibly awkward and damn near traumatic educational experience. When I first noticed institutions like Morehouse College presenting images of black males in the front of the classroom, I was envious after realizing what Iï¿½d been missing.</li></ol> Rather than finding excuses for firing or not hiring black professors, most universities would be well-advised to stop lying to themselves and become serious about diversity. Yes, black professors are out there to hire if you are looking for them, but many academic departments find a reason to believe that they are not qualified. Just look at the experiences of myself, Cornell West and Michael Eric Dyson as cases in point. Each of us has received significant resistance in our careers because our work is connected to the black community. Our stories are just the tip of the iceberg, since there are thousands of black professors whoï¿½ve gone through the exact same experience when dealing with the entrenched racism of academia. Many HBCUs are not immune to this trend, as most of them donï¿½t have very many African American professors (Donï¿½t believe me? Go to the Computer Science Department or Business School at any random HBCU and count the number of African American professors). Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and author of the book, "Black American Money" Later, Kevin Humphrey/CVO <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a>

Miracle Streams News Message

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:40:00 GMT

Hey Folks, I remember what Richard Pryor use to say.Richard use to say" Yeah, the justice in this country is "Just us ! " Democrats' crack-cocaine compromise is still 'racist' When I was a teenager, a police officer explained to me how the "War on Drugs" took place in his hometown. The officer candidly described how every policeman in the city knew what boats contained drugs and when those boats would arrive in the city's major port. But he also knew that officers were not expected to show up on these boats to make arrests, and that they were not to deter the progress of the product when it hit the port. Instead, they were instructed to allow the drugs to get to the inner city, where they were given authorization to make as many arrests as necessary. In other words, his job was to arrest the small fish, not the big ones. The misleading, ill-conceived and terribly racist set of drug policies which defined the Reagan era has been absolutely devastating for the African-American community. The existence of gang warfare in South Central Los Angeles has left hundreds of thousands of youth with post-traumatic stress disorder, as the CIA was oblivious to the fact that drugs and guns were being openly delivered to a community that no one cares about. The Anti Drug Abuse Act of 1986 was the product of America's broad-stroke reaction to increased drug use of the 1980s. The law gave a sentence 100 times greater for possession of crack cocaine (more likely to be possessed by blacks) than the one given for powder cocaine (possessed in greater proportion by whites), creating a black incarceration rate of holocaust proportions. After sitting on the books for decades, the law was finally modified this year. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin and Republican Jeff Sessions did black people the "favor" of agreeing to reduce the sentencing disparity from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1. So, instead of getting a prison sentence that is 100 times longer for the same crime, we only get one that is 18 times longer. Gee thanks. I'm supposed to be happy about that one, huh? So, we're not good enough to demand true equality, and are instead forced to accept dysfunctional compromises with Republicans from Alabama? While some might call this political pragmatism, others might describe this outcome as the modern-day version of the Three-Fifths Compromise. With regard to addressing the disparity in sentencing, the White House had this to say: "While the President believes this disparity should be eliminated completely, he would like to thank Senator Durbin for introducing this important bill, as well as Chairman Leahy and Senators Graham, Coburn, Sessions and Hatch for their leadership on this issue." I am sure the president believes that a lot of things should happen, the same way I believe I should have lost 50 pounds last year. But there is a difference between believing something should happen and having the courage to actually make your expectations come to fruition. The Democrats have failed us miserably and don't consider this issue to be worth the political capital necessary to fix the problem. Translation of the White House statement: "We once had our foot on the necks of black people, so you should be happy that our foot is now on the crotch of your children. Black people should be happy with this adjustment, because you typically have low expectations anyway." Although 66 percent of crack users are white, African-Americans constitute 80 percent of the Americans who are serving prison time for selling the drug. Roger Clinton, the brother of President Bill Clinton, was arrested for selling cocaine in 1984. If he'd been arrested for selling the same amount of crack cocaine, he would have gotten ten years in prison. In 2001, Roger was pardoned by his brother and had the conviction removed from his record. The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act signed by President Clinton, was sponsored by Jack Brooks, a Democratic Congressman from the state of Texas, a place that loves to incarcerate and execute black people. So basically, the "first black president" was the one who not only co-conspired with his fellow Democrats to create a law that led to the "three strikes" provision, he also had the audacity to pardon his own brother for a drug crime. Yes, the Democrats can be just as racist as the Republicans, and that includes Bil l Clinton. One could argue that Abraham Lincoln and the founding fathers believed that black people belong in prison, at least if you look at what history tells us. The thirteenth amendment, which abolishes slavery, provides an exclusion stating that slavery is permitted when someone is convicted of a crime. These loopholes in the law not only reflect troubling problems within our government, they also remind us that there is an historical context to the fact that our lawmakers have been hardwired to forget about the ethnic underclass of America. Consider the U.S. Senate, which is now controlled by the Democratic Party. As an African-American male, should I be relieved or somehow empowered by the fact that the Democrats are running things? Not really. These senators begged for my vote and still think that I am only 1/18th as good as the white man down the hall. They are witness to highly disparate outcomes in drug sentencing laws, which destroy the lives of black men and ruin black families and do virtually nothing. In the eyes of Democratic lawmakers, the issues that black people are dying for are not even worth their time. When it comes to liberal issues, such as torture, gay rights, abortion or green jobs, African Americans drop our conservative values and walk in lockstep with the Democratic Party. But when it comes to issues which matter to us, such as employment disparities, inner city education and the extensive damage being done by the criminal justice system, we are told to take a back seat. Well, I'm tired of sitting in the back of the political bus, and I grow weary of watching my lawmakers sit quietly to the side while injustice is alive and well in America. We elected a black president with the hope and expectation that things are going to change for the better. I still think there is reason to be optimistic. But I truly believe that the Democrats supported President Obama in spite of his blackness, rather than because of it. I am quite tempted to believe that Barack Obama, the beacon of hope for the black community, was hijacked into becoming the latte-sipping liberal who would certainly close Guantanamo Bay, but who could only serve his community if he did so in private. The "don't ask, don't tell" policy of Democrats when it comes to Obama and African-American issues must end, because we deserve to also have our concerns on the table. Sentencing disparities must be completely eliminated, and the Democrats must be held accountable. Regards, Kevin B.Humphrey <a href="http://www.miraclestreams.com/">www.miraclestreams.com</a>

Miracle Streams News Message

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:55:00 GMT

Hey My Peeps, Young bloods need to "Get their pants off the ground" and understand what has always been true. And that is by the way "SMART is the NEW GANGSTER!" Check this out ! There is one public, all-male, allï¿½African American high school in the city of Chicago called "The Urban Prep Academy for Young Men," located in Englewood. The school recently got the attention of Mayor Richard Daley and Chicago Public Schools Chief Ron Huberman, when they were able to get all of their 107 seniors accepted in to 72 different colleges across the country. Huberman had this to say: "All of you in the senior class have shown that what matters is perseverance, what matters is focus, what matters is having a dream and following that dream." The school has a very strict dress code, consisting of black blazers, khaki pants and a red tie. The red tie is swapped out for a gold one once the student is accepted in to college. When one student, Rayvaughn Hines, was asked which college he was accepted to, he said, "Do you want me to name them all?" Hines, a student who once thought college wasn't made for him, has chosen to become a Morehouse man. He cherished the moment when he switched out his red tie for a gold one. "I wanted to take my time, because I was just so proud of myself," he said. "I wanted everyone to see me put it on." Urban Prep has a unique set of hurdles. It is in a troubled part of the city, and only 4 percent of the incoming freshmen could read at grade level. With hard work and persistence, the students who could not read at grade level four years ago are now on their way to college. "I never had a doubt that we would achieve this goal," said Tim King, the school's founder and CEO. "Every single person we hired knew from the day one that this is what we do: We get our kids in to college." From the day the students enter high school, they are prepared for the next step. They have a college counselor from day one, and their first field trip is a visit to Northwestern University. Their school day is longer than that of students who attend other schools. The school's voice mail has a student saying, "I am college bound," before the caller is able to dial an extension. It was hard to write about Urban Prep without my eyes filling with tears. When I think back to my days as a high school student, when I truly believed that I wasn't smart enough to go to college, I become petrified. The memories frighten me, because I almost missed out on the chance to become Dr. Boyce Watkins. When someone kills your spirit and willingness to try, they have given a death sentence to your destiny. Urban Prep certainly scores one point for charter schools. At the same time, President Barack Obama has a unique opportunity to learn lessons from Urban Prep and apply those lessons to every single school in the country. Urban Prep Academy should be given a massive budget to replicate its activities, since it has clearly shown a recipe for success. Additionally, the model of Urban Prep should be applied across the nation, because they are reminding us that when adults create an environment conducive for success, the children in the environment will always rise to the occasion. You can watch the Urban Prep's 2009 Convocation below and get a whiff of the spirit and dedication they are bestowing on their students. I'm sure it will touch you and remind you that we are all capable of greatness. Show this to your children, show this to your neighborhood kids. Urban Prep Academy is breaking mental barriers and prescribed capabilities with each graduate they usher in to this big, bold world.