What would Jesus do about Africa?

Mike Huckabee, the GOP candidate for president, now a front runner among the republican candidates recently said this: “Jesus was too smart to run for public office”. He made the statement in response to a question about evolution during a CNN/YouTube Debate featuring other GOP presidential contenders. What would Jesus do about evolution was the question all the GOP candidates scrambled to answer.

Rudy Guliani, a fellow republican, also trying to claim the GOP ticket, when the cameras turned on him during Huckbee’s response, was seen cheering and smiling as was the audience that felt excited about the comment from Mr. Huckabee. It seemed a smart response from the man who political analysts now think is the GOP’s best chance in the November 2008 US Presidential race. Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, has received strong endorsement from other Baptist ministers around America. Now, if you believe the polls, the conservative movement is also said to be rallying behind him as their man for the primaries.

But as we celebrate Christmas, the challenge many have is to figure out the role of religion in dealing with social issues like Abortion, Immigration, poverty and much more. Akin to this, as in previous election cycles, remains the issue about the separation of Church and State, a tenet enshrined in America’s constitution. Is Huckabee now going to wear his “religiosity” on his sleeves and act like Jesus when he becomes President? That is the question that political bloggers are muscling from left and right.

Also, the talk in America is how the so called "anti-Christ" movement is employing Machiavellian machinations to strip Jesus Christ out of Christmas. We all have heard it and perhaps practice it too; advertently or inadvertently. Instead of wishing everyone a “Merry Christmas”, critics say, we now prefer “Happy Holidays” in order not to offend non Christians. The big question is, “who are these non Christians that we don’t want to offend?” Everyone is scratching their heads. As they say, “America is a free country and everyone is welcome to do or say whatever they like, so long as it fits within the bounds of US laws” Everyone, including CNN, now running a Christmas special called "What would Jesus really do", has gotten into the debate.

Now that it has been announced that President Bush plans another trip to Africa in 2008 as he finishes eights in the white house, i like to shift the focus from Jesus in America to Jesus in Africa. With this, a new set of questions arises. What would Jesus do about Africa?

What would He do about poverty and debt relief in Africa? Would Jesus live in a place like Zimbabwe where there is 1000% inflation, according to recent press reports? Would Jesus help raise funds for anti-retro viral drugs for Aids patients all over Africa? Would Jesus attend an African Union conference to debate the expansion of the African Union to a 21st century style European Union? Or, would He rather say "we should adopt African solutions to African problems and not copy western style capitalism?"

Would Jesus mediate in the Bakassi Peninsular dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria? Would Jesus even think about letting an African president be in power any longer than eight years? Or would He say “for the sake of peace, I rather have one person be in charge until we can find someone qualified enough to take over?

Or, would Jesus say, “forget that a British teacher came close to being flocked or killed in Sudan because she allowed one of her students to name a teddy bear Mohammed” Would Jesus say “forget that there is genocide taking place in Darfur for which the Sudanese government has been called the most brutal regime in recent memory”

Would Jesus rather not focus on the Bad and Ugly about Africa and pay more attention to a democratic revolution taking place since most African nations gained independence in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Would he say “I don’t care what everyone is saying about Africa and that Africa has a better chance at development if Africans stop talking and blaming their governments for their failures and start listening and acting to the ideas being proposed as solutions to problems in the continent?

What would Jesus do about thousands of Africans who have fled Africa and are now living in America and enjoying the American dream? Would Jesus say that such a move is good or bad for Africa?

Would Jesus focus on the “Good, Better and Best” of today’s African leaders and use them as shinning examples for the rest of Africa and the world? What would Jesus really say about Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu? Would Jesus make a comment about the trial of Charles Taylor or about the Tanzanian stock Exchange?

Would Jesus encourage Africans to learn leadership better skills and prepare their younger generation who would take over leadership of the continent ten years from now? Or would Jesus say, “I am too smart to run for public office”, or “I rather stay home because I am too tired of Africans who talk too much and do nothing about their problems”

Would Jesus say, “I don’t want to be called all kinds of names, so I am going to take a pass on this African thing” What would He do for Africa?

How about one last question, “When will the debate about Jesus ever end?” I really don’t know because I am not a religious nut, nor am I interested in liberal or conservative bashing. All I know is how to ask these questions.

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas!
George Bamu

Free Photoshop CS3 Class -- Today!

If you are looking to enhance your career through digital imaging and multi-media productions, here is a free opportunity for you. Please come attend a free Career Development workshop at Colorado Technical University. Specifically, it is a free Digital Imaging Workshop using Adobe's latest digital Imaging tools(Photoshop CS3). The things to do include learning the ins and outs of photoshop, image restoration and graphics editing, image modification, photo effects, size and scale and much more. Again, this is a free workshop on Saturday December 8th, from 10 to 2 PM. Lunch is Included. Please call 888-287-0555 to reserve a seat(limited seating)

You can attend either at the CTU Denver South Campus or CTU Denver North Campus.
For directions, go to www.coloradotech.edu .

Good Luck to everyone!


George Bamu

World Aids Day: Bland Rhetoric about Africa does not help anyone.

We'll, I thought that when we celebrate World Aids Day it is supposed to be about how people and communities around the world are surviving the throes of death and suffering in the face of a new world order. Also, I thought World Aids day was supposed to be World Aids Day and not Africa Aids Day. Don't dare you tell me that it is because Africa accounts for the bulk of folks suffering from the disease for which the media now spends hours showing citizens in shams and slums all over the place. True, the vast majority of infections and deaths from Aids today are taking place in Africa. India and China come next to Africa Vis a Vis the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. I have not seen anything about India since i started watching the Aids commemoration events on TV, between November 30th and December 1st. naturally, the world's attention should be focused on Africa. It is there that things, sometimes, don't look so good.

On the same score, isn't it time that we look seriously at what causes poverty, illiteracy and other factors which engender the climate that breeds diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria etc. Does anyone know the answers to unemployment, illiteracy, the suppression of the press in Africa? Does anyone know that you can take education to a place where none exists? Does anyone understand that Cameroon is a democracy and that it is currently engaged in a dispute with Nigeria over a tiny oil rich territory called the bakassi peninsular? Is someone going to get involved, report these stories to the world and really help before the next war ensues in that part of the world.

You can only fight problems with solutions and not empty media coverage and bland responses from a few well place sources. I watched a CNN interview with Magic Johnson and how he is fighting the disease since going public in 1991 and it was inspirational. Can Africa learn from Magic's story? Certainly YES. Africa needs more stories of inspiration and not stories of slums and desperation.

How about we ask the media to focus on tourism and activities which might invite investors to pump money into Africa and help with unemployment issues. Don't dare you tell me that Africans are corrupt and that they will mismanage every cent put at their disposal. The time for negative rhetoric about Africa has come and gone.

How about someone starts to show that Africans are capable, that Africa is about 53 independent nations and not represented only in Zimbabwe, Somalia and Darfur. Does anyone in the US media know this?

How about we look at a thriving tourism industry in Tanzania, the rising stock market in South Africa, Tunisia, Kenya and Nigeria. How about someone takes their digital cameras and blackberries and go down to lecture halls around African universities and see what students are doing to change their lives and their countries. How about someone goes to an African restaurant and savor some real home made African dish and forget about the images of "Feed the Children" that we see on US television each day. Isn't that the kind of progress that we all want?

George Bamu

IMO: Gen-Next Taking the Reins

Blog Editor's Note: The following was submitted on Oct. 2. Unfortunately, the blog was down for a while due to technical issues. CABJ Straight Talk apologizes for the delay.

As a member of CABJ, I am so proud the "next generation" is taking the reigns of activism. I'm NOT "anti-Sharpton" or "anti-Jackson" but I am "anti-do-or-say-nothing." I'm talking about the students of the Black Student Alliance at the University of Colorado in Boulder walking out today in support of the Jena 6 and to protest how they were treated down in Louisiana.

The good part of the new injustices (if there is such a thing) being witnessed is that it is spurring a whole new generation of activists who refuse to go away. They will be heard!


The walkout is in conjunction with the National Walk-Out Movement created by rapper, Mos Def.

Glo
Gloria

Resuming Normal Blog Frequencies!

We've been down for a while due to technical difficulties. Please pardon the delay.

We're coming back with a vengeance, though.

First up, a long overdue post by Gloria Neal. Then an update on a new PBS-affiliate program hosted by CABJ member and former CABJ president Tamara Banks. Then an interview with Gina McCauley, creator of the What About Our Daughters blog. Gina has some interesting thoughts about 21st Century journalism and about the performance of journalists overall and about black journalists specifically. That post should be up early next week.

Flash News: Online Science Quiz for Kids

Is little Junior or tiny Pun'kin a genius...or, um, just a little geeky?

Thanks to an online test posted by the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), parents and teachers can now use web-based tools to assess children's interest in and understanding of scientific concepts.

Although the site offers two test levels, adults may quickly discover that "Easy" isn't that easy, and "Hard" is really, really tough.

The online test is free and available 24/7.

News Angles
(Education, Science, Parenting, Technology)

• Parents and kids can test their knowledge of science facts and trivia with an online quiz posted by the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChe).
• The quiz is divided into categories: Easy (ages 8-12) and difficult (ages 12-16).
• NOBCChe (pronounced No-be-shay) has more than 30 student chapters and more than 20 professional. No chapters are located in Colorado.
  
• NOBCChE Web site: www.nobcche.org
  

IMO: Enough, Jesse. Enough.

The Chicago Tribune headline says it all. "Did Jackson call Obama 'White' on Jena 6?" the paper asks. It doesn't lead with the latest news on the Jena 6 students or the civil rights march through the town. It doesn't highlight what Barack Obama said about this issue or update his standing in the race for the Democratic ticket.

No. The headline is all about Jesse Jackson. The article that follows has Jesse Jackson in its opening and, in 10 paragraphs, cites Jackson by name nine times.

The controversy, of course, concerns whether or not Jackson said Obama was "acting like he's white" in his comments and with his approach to Jena 6. According to various news sources, Jackson says he doesn't recall making the statement...but he doesn't deny that he did. And that, at least in my opinion, is a problem.

In a matter of moments, the spotlight moved to Jesse Jackson. In the blink of an eye, attention was deflected from the Jena 6.

What bugs me about this is that Jesse Jackson is a talented orator. His ability to turn a phrase is legendary. His prowess with the English language is exceptional. His vocabulary is huge.

If he doesn't agree with Obama's approach then, by all means, he should say it. But guess what? He can come up with something better than "acting like he's white."

Senator Obama deserves that.

The Jena 6 deserve that.

The thousands of people marching, writing, calling and demanding action deserve that.

And, frankly, Jesse Jackson's legacy deserves that too.

At least that's my opinion.

Jan
Jan Thomas

IMO: More O.J., Anyone?

O.J.Simpson returned to Miami after posting bail in a Las Vegas court. Is this situation LIVE or is it MEMOREX?

Re-winding the tape back to a little over a decade ago, we saw the same blank stare, the same huddle of lawyers, the same "I understand what you are saying your honor, but I really didn't do nothing" expression on his face. Simpson, the most vilified man in America, seems to be his own worst enemy.

The law says you are innocent until proven guilty, and the court did find him not guilty in a couple of cases (with the exception of pirating satellite service in which he had to pay a reported $60,000.) However in today's society, the court of public opinion seems to overpower the justice system, and some say he's being tried for murder all over again.

Basically, what they want is for O.J. to go away, and the Nevada Corrections Department is not a bad place for him to hang his hat for the rest of his life. Depending on which legal pundit you listen to or watch, the case could either go to trial or have a settlement in place before the trial start date. The one thing that is definite is that "Juice" and his gang of thieves are a stumbling, bumbling bunch that presents a picture of an imploding train wreck.

We need another O.J. trial like we need a pack of cigarettes. Although he is a cancer that affects everything wherever he goes, was he set up? Was he pushed to move in as though he had gangsta type of qualities when in reality he had no clue? Can he get a fair trial? Do we care?

What should we really do with O.J.?

Amani
Amani Ali

Career Boost: Get Recognized by Your Peers

Sometimes a little recognition from your peers can go a long way to raising your profile in the newsroom, snagging a plum assignment or being considered seriously for a coveted lateral move or promotion.

Here are few awards -- some large, some small -- to consider.

• Award for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, sponsored by the Association of Health Care Journalists. Contest information should be posted in October.
  
• Annual Awards Competition, sponsored by the North American Travel Journalists Association. Deadline: Oct. 15, 2007. Prizes donated by: Guam Tourism, Hotel Balzc (Paris), Palm Beach Gardens Marriott and more.
• Samter Journalism Award, sponsored by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Categories: consumer/trade print, radio, television. Deadline: Oct. 31, 2007.
• IRE Awards, sponsored by Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. Recognizes "the best in investigative reporting by print, broadcast and online media." Deadline: Jan. 7, 2008.
  
• National Headliner Awards, sponsored by the National Headliner Club. Categories: paid circulation print, broadcast. Deadline: Jan. 11, 2008. Prize: $1,500
• Dorothea Lange-Paul Taylor Price, sponsored by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Awarded annually "to a writer and photographer in the formative or fieldword stages of a documentary project." Any topic eligible for consideration. Deadline: Jan. 31, 2008. Prize: $20,000
  
• NIHCM Foundation Journalism Awards, sponsored by the National Institute for Health Care Management Research & Educational Foundation. Recognizes excellence in print and broadcast journalism. Deadline: Feb. 29, 2008.
• Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism, sponsored by the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families. Deadline: March 3, 2008. Recognizes "exemplary reporting on U.S. children and families, particularly the disadvantaged."
  

Online Training: Breaking into Sports Journalism

Let's face it. Sports journalism is one of those dream jobs almost all of us would like to try. Whether it's covering the Super Bowl, the World Series or a triple axel/triple toe/triple salchow at the Olympic Games ice skating finals, reporting sports news just sounds like a lot of fun.

And it is.

But guess what? It's also a lot of work.

If you're considering making the switch to sports journalism -- or if you're a seasoned sports journalist interested in a little refresher -- check out Breaking into Sports Journalism, a panel discussion about covering sports for television, newspapers, radio and blogs.

Panelists include Will Leitch, editor of Deadspin.com, Sam Walker senior special writer and sports columnist for The Wall Street Journal and several editors from ESPN The Magazine.

Since the seminar is an on-demand video, you can download it to your computer and watch it anytime. Cost: $20.

NOTE: To see a preview, click on the Breaking into Sport Journalism link in the body of this post. The picture above is a static image. You can't access the preview from there.

Your CABJ

Press Passes Available for Sunday Play

Stories on Stage has made a limited number of press passes available for second reading of Rendition, a play about wartime torture written by local playwright and Iraq War veteran Ryan Kelly.

The reading will be held at 2 pm on Sun., Sept. 16 at the DCPA Jones Theatre downtown. Tickets are usually $22.

To attend for free, either call Stories on Stage in advance at 303-494-0523 or present your press credentials at the ticket table when you arrive.

For More Information
Contact: Jan Thomas at 303-506-0198

Flash News: Local Playwright Scores Big

Denver Playwright "Scoops" Hollywood

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2007 – You wouldn’t expect Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon to have to play catch-up, but that’s exactly what she’s doing, thanks to the playwriting efforts of a local writer.

Witherspoon’s new film, Rendition, doesn’t debut until October, but last May, Denver theater audiences had an opportunity to see a play on the same subject – and with the same name.

Both the movie and the play address the serious issue of using torture to elicit information from prisoners of war — but there, the similarities end.

The film has all the advantages of the full Hollywood treatment: extensive advertising, splashing premieres and an all-star cast that, in addition to Witherspoon, includes Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar winners Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep. The play, penned by Iraq War veteran and Denver-based writing instructor Ryan Kelly, boasts local actors and a local director, and continues to search for a financial boost.

“Potential backer response has been slow,” Kelly says. “I’m still looking for people who would like to back the show and get it on its feet. I’m hoping that we can attract some of these types to the second reading this weekend.”

That second reading will be held on Sun., Sept. 16, at the DCPA Jones Theatre at 1050 13th Street in downtown Denver. The reading is open to the public; tickets are $22. Norma Moore, artistic director for Stories on Stage, will direct.

Details:
WHAT: Rendition
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 16, 2 pm
WHERE: DCPA Jones Theatre, 1050 13th Street, downtown
HOW MUCH: Tickets cost $22
Content appropriate for audiences 16 years and older

For Tickets or More Information
Contact: Stories on Stage at 303-494-0523 or www.storiesonstage.org

Flash News: "Our Health Matters" Is Back

Free Health Expo on Oct. 6

DENVER, Sept. 14 -- The Montbello/Green Valley Ranch Leadership Coalition (MGVRLC) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is pleased to announce the second annual “Our Health Matters” Community Health Expo (formerly the Family Communication Fair) to be held from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 6, 2007, at Rachel B. Noel Middle School (5290 Kittredge Street, Denver, CO 80239).

More than 300 people (elementary, middle, and high school students, and their families) are expected to attend the Fair, which will address health and safety issues affecting the residents of Montbello and Green Valley Ranch.

FREE and open to Montbello and Green Valley Ranch families (as well as others who may want to attend), the Fair offers a unique opportunity to stress the importance of honest, open and proactive family dialogue as the first step to addressing issues during workshops that will address protection from sexually-transmitted diseases and hepatitis, proper nutrition and diet, eating disorders, body development, teen pregnancy, the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke, gang and domestic violence, bullying, hypertension, diabetes, prostate, breast and colon cancer, peer pressure, self-esteem, the effects of TV/music/media and hip-hop culture, and the hazards of drug abuse.

Vendors and exhibitors from Denver’s health community will also host booths offering literature, screening tests and other products and services to attendees.

Denver City Council President Michael Hancock will welcome the families who attend, most of whom are his constituents.

“It is important that we, in District 11, take the lead in confronting the issues that disproportionately affect our neighborhoods,” he says. “Montbello and Green Valley Ranch families are hit hardest in the city when it comes to some of these issues that affect our health and well-being, so the solutions must begin with us.”

Also on hand will be Denver-based stand-up comedian Sam Adams who will open the event with his clean and clever brand of humor.

For More Information
Contact: Tracy Williams at 303-671-0499.

IMO (In My Opinion)

Want to support the Jena 6? Here's what to do if you:

• Have a few hours
  Learn more...and act! Research the issue then write an article, discuss on the radio, write an op-ed or discuss the topic online.
  
• Have a few minutes
  Sign this online petition to ask the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice to review the events surrounding the prosecution these high school students.

Tracy
Tracy Williams
Principal | TradeWinds Communications

Flash News

Comedians Unite to Fight Lupus

DENVER, Sept. 13, 2007 — Comedian Phil Palisoul (Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend) headlines the third annual Laughs for Lupus on Wed., Sept. 19; 7:30 pm at the Comedy Works downtown.

The event doubles as a fundraiser for the Colorado Lupus Foundation. Joining Palisoul on stage are local comedians Sam Adams, Lori Callahan and Steve “Mudflap” McGrew.

Laughs for Lupus is one of the best ways Coloradoans have to combat an illness that afflicts as many as 1.5 million Americans, including about 20,000 people statewide.

“Here’s the bad news: There isn’t a cure, and no new, major treatment for lupus has been approved in 40 years,” says Debbie Lynch, the Lupus Foundation’s director development and administration. “Now here’s the good news: Colorado is poised to change all that. Some of the newest research is taking place at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center and at National Jewish Hospital. I believe we can make major strides against this disease during our lifetime.”

News Angles
(Science)

• About 1.5 million Americans -- including approx. 20,000 Coloradoans -- have lupus. More Americans have lupus than have cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell and cystic fibrosis combined.
• Women 15-44 and people of color are more likely to contract the disease. No one knows why.
  
• There hasn't been a major research development or treatment for lupus in 40 years. What's more, lupus-related deaths are increasing.
  
• When a breakthrough does come, it could very well be the result of work under way at two Colorado hospitals.
  * At the University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center, Susan Boakle, MD, is researching a gene marker that could be the lupus trigger.
  * At National Jewish Hospital, Elizabeth Kozora, MD, is investigating brain and kidney involvement in lupus patients.
  

(Entertainment)

• National and local comedians are teaming up to support lupus research in Colorado.
• Phil Palisoul (Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, Comedy Showcase, opening act for Jerry Seinfield, Dennis Miller and Howie Mandel) will be joined on stage by local comedians Sam Adams, Lori Callahan and Steve “Mudflap” McGrew.
• Palisoul watched lupus exact a toll on one of his wife's best friends. “It’s with her in mind that I do this show. Whether to bring some laughs to someone afflicted or to someone who knows someone who knows someone, I hope that is some way my contribution helps,” he says.
• Adams learned of the disease from a sports figure. “I first heard of it when my favorite basketball player, Julius Erving, spoke of losing a brother to the disease,” he says. “Being involved in sports, I have heard professional athletes — including former major-league baseball star Tim Raines, who has been diagnosed with the disease — speak of being touched by lupus.”
  

What You Need to Know
Event: Laughs for Lupus
When: Wed., Sept. 19, 7:30 pm
Where: Comedy Works downtown (15th & Larimer)
How Much: $35. Call 303-333-2300 to buy tickets

For More Information
Contact: Jan Thomas, 303-506-0198

Welcome!

You've reached CABJ Straight Talk, the Colorado Association of Black Journalists' official blog. Our goal is to offer CABJ members -- and the public -- timely information about journalism and public relations.

Here are some of the regular features you can expect to find:

• Flash News -- On deadline and looking for a filler? Check here for topics submitted by CABJ's PR members.
  
• IMO (In My Opinion) -- Your opportunity to sound off about news...and newsmakers.
• Mentor Moment -- Expert career advice from seasoned journalism and public relations professionals.
• PR Corner -- Tips, trends and topics specific to PR.
  
• Your CABJ -- Association events, member announcements and meeting reminders to help you stay current with the latest CABJ developments.
  

Visit often! There's always something of interest here.

Best,
Amani
Amani Ali
President-CABJ