<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	xmlns:ione="http://www.interactiveone.com/rssnamespace/">

<channel>
	<title>MyBaltimoreSpirit - Spirit 1400 Baltimore&#039;s Home for Inspiration</title>
	<atom:link href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com</link>
	<description>Baltimore&#039;s Home for the Gospel Community</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:03:24 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.6</generator>
<image><title>MyBaltimoreSpirit - Spirit 1400 Baltimore&#039;s Home for Inspiration</title><url>http://your-img-here.com/</url><link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com</link></image>		<item>
		<title>&#8216;King&#8217; Eddie Long Apologizes To Jewish Community</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anti-Defamation League]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bishop Eddie Long Scandal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Birth Missionary Baptist Church]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ralph Messer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/" alt="'King' Eddie Long Apologizes To Jewish Community"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/eddie-long-crowned-king-643-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="'King' Eddie Long Apologizes To Jewish Community" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>In the wake of a loud outcry throughout the Jewish community, Bishop Eddie Long has apologized to the Anti-Defamation League for last Sunday's service at New  Birth Missionary Baptist Church during which Rabbi Ralph Messer crowned him a king,  <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the wake of a loud outcry throughout the Jewish community, Bishop <strong>Eddie Long</strong> has apologized to the Anti-Defamation League for last Sunday&#8217;s service at New  Birth Missionary Baptist Church during which Rabbi <strong>Ralph Messer</strong> crowned him a king, <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/bishop-eddie-long-apologizes-1333271.html" target="_blank">reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.</a></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong> <strong><a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/ask-demetria-1" target="_blank">Sexually Assaulted: Am I To Blame?</a></strong></p>
<p>&#8220;The ceremony was not my suggestion, nor was it my intent, to  participate in any ritual that is offensive in any manner to the Jewish  community,&#8221; Long wrote in a letter sent to <strong>Bill Nigut</strong>,  Southeast Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League.</p>
<p>After footage of the service went viral &#8212; drawing an estimated 600,000 view on YouTube, the ADL spoke passionately against the wrapping of Long in a scared Torah scroll while being carried high upon a throne:</p>
<p>&#8220;For the ADL it&#8217;s a real wake-up call that a lot of people do not understand our liturgies and practices,&#8221; Nigut said. &#8220;Guys like Messer are troubling to us because they appropriate real ritual or, in this case, make one up.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AVkoQHCXSK8" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Messer, who serves as Rabbi of Simchat Torah Beit Midrash in Parker, Colorado, proclaimed during the service that Long was royalty due to the blessing of God and insists that there was no disrespect intended by his actions:</p>
<p>&#8220;It was simply a way of bringing  honor to a man who had given his life to  the Lord and had given so much  to his church, the Atlanta metro area  and throughout the world,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Long was extremely humble in his letter to Nigut, stating that he neither suggested nor encouraged the service; in fact, he doesn&#8217;t view himself as a king at all:</p>
<p>&#8220;I denounce any  action that depicts me as a king, for I am merely just a servant of the   Lord,&#8221; Long wrote.</p>
<p>Nicole Martin, a pastor at Messer&#8217;s synagogue, told their congregation that they should be proud of Messer for crowning Long:</p>
<p>&#8220;You&#8217;d be incredibly, incredibly proud of your rabbi,&#8221; said Martin. &#8220;I&#8217;m so excited about what happened [at New  Birth]. The spirit was so thick, so tangible.&#8221;</p>
<p>The &#8220;spirit&#8221; in New Birth has been tangible &#8212; and questionable &#8212; for quite some time.</p>
<p>In September 2010, Long was sued by four former church members for manipulating them into sexual relationships. The young men alleged that Long took them on trips and bought them expensive gifts, before ultimately demanding sexual repayment. The suit was settled in May. Long never admitted fault, saying only that the dismissal was the quickest way to &#8220;move forward with the work of God.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, none of that seemed to concern Messer, who claimed that the incidents were merely God&#8217;s way of getting Long&#8217;s attention:</p>
<p>&#8220;God wants to get your focus,&#8221; said the Rabbi. &#8220;Crisis produces opportunity. You have to go through a descent before an ascent.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://main.aol.com/2012/02/01/man-adopts-girlfriend-_n_1250149.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000022" target="_blank"><strong>Sick And Twisted? Man Adopts Girlfriend In Florida</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://newsone.com/entertainment/dcharnas/five-ways-soul-train-changed-america/" target="_blank"><strong>5 Ways “Soul Train” Changed America</strong></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/king-eddie-long-apologizes-to-jewish-community/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Video Pick Of The Day: Da&#8217;T.R.U.T.H. -&#8221;The Whole Truth&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:13:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Elev8</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Elev8 Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Da'T.R.U.T.H.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gospel hip hop]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/" alt="Video Pick Of The Day: Da'T.R.U.T.H. -"The Whole Truth" "><img src="http://cdn.elev8.com/files/2012/02/datruth-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Video Pick Of The Day: Da'T.R.U.T.H. -"The Whole Truth" " hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>

Da' T.R.U.T.H. is one  of the best rappers in the game! He just so happens to be a Christian rapper. His word are inspiring! Check out what he said on twitter:
@truthonduty If you are heart broken over a relationship, dont wallow in ur hurt,cast your cares on God, get up and do something! Your healing will come!
Make sure to Read the following great interview with <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-1rs8NZdeAE" width="610" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Da&#8217; T.R.U.T.H. is one  of the best rappers in the game! He just so happens to be a Christian rapper. His word are inspiring! Check out what he said on twitter:</p>
<blockquote><p><a title="Da' T.R.U.T.H." href="https://twitter.com/truthonduty">@truthonduty</a> If you are heart broken over a relationship, dont wallow in ur hurt,cast your cares on God, get up and do something! Your healing will come!</p></blockquote>
<p>Make sure to Read the following great interview with<a href="http://elev8.com/elev8-original/orethawinston/james-fortune-wants-you-tostay-encouraged-exclusive/"> James Fortune </a>and  view Yolanda Adams <a href="http://elev8.com/gospel-music/orethawinston/yolanda-adams-be-still-world-premiere-video/">new music video</a>.</p>
<p>Be sure to follow <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Elev8official">Elev8 </a>on twitter and share the good news and great stories on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/Elev8official"> facebook</a>!</p>
<p style="text-align: center"></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/elev8-health/elev8health/video-pick-of-the-day-dat-r-u-t-h-the-whole-truth/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Arizona Lawmaker Proposes &#8216;White Appreciation Day&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cecil Ash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Appreciation Day]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/" alt="Arizona Lawmaker Proposes 'White Appreciation Day'"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/Cecil-Mesa-Arizona-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Arizona Lawmaker Proposes 'White Appreciation Day'" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>On the House floor Monday, state Representative Cecil Ash (R-Arizona), suggested that Arizona create a White Appreciation Day when White Americans are no longer the majority in the United States, reports CBS5A... <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>On the House floor Monday, state Representative <strong>Cecil Ash</strong> (R-Arizona), suggested that Arizona create a White Appreciation Day when White Americans are no longer the majority in the United States, <a href="http://www.kpho.com/story/16656530/state-representative-suggests-holiday-for-white-people" target="_blank">reports CBS5AZ.com.</a></p>
<p>Ash made the oddly <em>not</em> surprising statement &#8212; as it&#8217;s coming from the land of Governor <strong>Jan Brewer,</strong> revisionist history books and the most repellant immigration laws in the nation &#8212; after State Rep. <strong>Richard Miranda</strong> voiced his support for a Latino Appreciation Day:</p>
<p>&#8220;I wanted to speak to you all about Latino Americans here in Arizona,&#8221; said Rep. Miranda on the House floor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After contentious debate on the floor, Rep. Ash stepped to the microphone and said that he was in definite support of the proposition &#8212; on one condition: </p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m supportive of this proposition. I just  want them to assure me that when we do become in the minority you&#8217;ll  have a day for us,&#8221; Ash said.    </p>
<p>Meeting with laughs on the House floor, the sentiment was supported by at least one Arizonian <a href="http://www.kpho.com/story/16656530/state-representative-suggests-holiday-for-white-people" target="_blank">asked by CBS5</a>:   </p>
<p>&#8220;Good idea. Like they have Cinco de Mayo for Mexicans. We need something for whites.&#8221;    </p>
<p>Ash claims that even though he was honest in his statement that White Americans need an appreciation day, he was not trying to be inflammatory; he just wanted to lighten the mood on the House floor:  </p>
<p>&#8220;There was a little contention there so I was just really trying to lighten things up a little bit,&#8221; Ash said. &#8220;I think it was appropriate. It was appropriate for the mood that was in the House and I think that if and when the Caucasian population becomes a minority, they may want to celebrate the accomplishments and the contributions of the Caucasian  population the same way.&#8221;    </p>
<p>Apparently, Ash wants this &#8216;Appreciation Day&#8217; to happen sooner rather than later.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-06-23-Census-babies-minority_n.htm" target="_blank">According to the 2010 Census</a>, White children made up the minority of children being born for the first time in United States history.  Still, considering that White Appreciation occurs in this country 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, I don&#8217;t think we&#8217;ll see any affirmative action holidays in the near future.    </p>
<p></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/arizona-lawmaker-proposes-white-appreciation-day/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pats vs. Giants: Rematch Made in NFL Heaven</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:05:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eli Manning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New England Patriots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york giants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Superbowl 2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Brady]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/" alt="Pats vs. Giants: Rematch Made in NFL Heaven"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/GiantsvsPatriots1-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Pats vs. Giants: Rematch Made in NFL Heaven" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>INDIANAPOLIS      (AP) -- MVP quarterbacks on marquee franchises. A rematch of a  nail-biter from four years ago, featuring many of the same key  characters. Madonna and plenty of Manning - Eli, and Peyton, too.

SEE ALSO:  <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>INDIANAPOLIS      (AP) &#8212; MVP quarterbacks on marquee franchises. A rematch of a  nail-biter from four years ago, featuring many of the same key  characters. Madonna and plenty of Manning &#8211; Eli, and Peyton, too.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong> <a href="http://theurbandaily.upickem.net/upickem/contest/bracketvotes.asp?contestid=47582" target="_blank"><strong>Try The NFL Bracket Challenge!</strong></a></p>
<p>This  Super Bowl certainly has all the makings of another thriller, the  perfect finish to a season that began in turmoil and wound up the most  successful in league history.</p>
<p>The NFL couldn&#8217;t have planned it any better.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s  actually been a very fun week here,&#8221; said Patriots quarterback Tom  Brady, seeking his fourth Super Bowl ring in 11 seasons, and doing it in  the city where archrival Peyton Manning has worked for 13 years &#8211; if  not for much longer, given his health issues and disagreements with  Colts management. &#8220;It&#8217;s a bit surreal to be playing in Indy&#8217;s home  stadium and to be practicing at their facility.&#8221;</p>
<p>It&#8217;s  been even weirder for Eli Manning to have led the Giants here, only to  find his superb season and chase for a second championship overshadowed  by big brother.</p>
<p>The most popular storyline  this week has been Peyton&#8217;s pain in his neck. Or, rather, his status  following three neck surgeries in 19 months; whether the Colts will keep  him around, at the cost of a $28 million roster bonus due in March; and  whether he&#8217;s truly feuding with owner Jim Irsay&#8217;s rebuilding  organization.</p>
<p>Eli, who will surpass his  brother for NFL titles with a victory Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium &#8211; yes,  Peyton&#8217;s Place &#8211; claims his sibling&#8217;s issues are irrelevant to this  game, in which New York (12-7) is a 3-point underdog.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m  proud of Peyton. I&#8217;ve talked to him this week. None of that comes up,&#8221;  Eli said. &#8220;When I talk to Peyton, he does a great job of trying to keep  me relaxed. (We) talk a little football and talk about New England some.  He&#8217;s supported me this week. I know he&#8217;s just working hard trying to  get healthy and I&#8217;m going to support him on that.&#8221;</p>
<p>While  Eli would own two championships with a victory, to one for Peyton,  Brady could tie his childhood quarterbacking hero, Joe Montana, and  Terry Bradshaw with four. Coach Bill Belichick would equal Chuck Noll  with the same number.</p>
<p>To get it, the Patriots  (15-3) must protect their crown jewel. Four years ago, Brady was banged  around so much by New York that it turned the Super Bowl in the Giants&#8217;  favor.</p>
<p>Yes, they needed David Tyree&#8217;s miracle  pin-the-ball-against-the-helmet catch, then Plaxico Burress&#8217; touchdown  reception to shatter New England&#8217;s perfect season. But that victory was  built on the relentless pressure applied to Brady.</p>
<p>The formula hasn&#8217;t changed.</p>
<p>&#8220;We  feel that we certainly have a very strong group of men in the front,&#8221;  Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. &#8220;It&#8217;s just the way we play and prefer to  play. It&#8217;s a pressure group, and we have played better in the back end  as well, probably as a result of the ball having to come out faster than  it has at certain times during the year.&#8221;</p>
<p>Brady certainly remembers the pain, physically and emotionally, from the beating he took on the field and the scoreboard.</p>
<p>&#8220;Any  time you lose, it&#8217;s a tough thing,&#8221; Brady said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve lost one Super  Bowl. I remember waking up in Arizona the next morning after an hour of  sleep thinking, `That was a nightmare, that didn&#8217;t happen.&#8217; After time,  you learn to move on and get over it.&#8221;</p>
<p>The  Giants got all over Brady again during their regular season 24-20 win at  Foxborough, the last time the Patriots lost. That victory preceded a  four-game slide, and New York eventually slipped to 7-7 before turning  it around.</p>
<p>Adding to the juicy potential of a  down-to-the-wire reprise of 2008, both teams barely made it to Indy. The  Patriots needed backup cornerback Sterling Moore stripping the ball  from Baltimore receiver Lee Evans in the end zone in the final seconds,  then for Billy Cundiff to miss a 32-yard field goal that would have  forced overtime.</p>
<p>The Giants went into overtime in San Francisco, using two botched punt returns by the 49ers to advance.</p>
<p>&#8220;We  feel very fortunate to be here, and I&#8217;m pretty sure they do, too,&#8221;  Patriots Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork. &#8220;But we also know we  deserve to be here, and they know they deserve it. We are two very good  and very confident teams.&#8221;</p>
<p>Teams owned by two  of the key figures in solving the 4  1/2-month lockout of the players  last year. New England&#8217;s Robert Kraft shuttled back and forth from the  meetings to his dying wife&#8217;s bedside late in the negotiating process.  Myra Kraft passed away days before the lockout was resolved.</p>
<p>His players wore a patch with her initials MHK on the left side of their jerseys this season.</p>
<p>&#8220;The  fact that she was so dear to me and all of our players are wearing her  initials above their heart is an endearing thing,&#8221; Kraft said. &#8220;What she  represented is important and I hope that special sense of spirit comes  through.&#8221;</p>
<p>Giants owner John Mara played an  equally important role in the labor negotiations, and when both teams  reached the Super Bowl, Kraft mentioned &#8220;a certain karma&#8221; about the  matchup.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not necessarily happy to be  playing Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, I&#8217;ll tell you that,&#8221; Mara joked.  &#8220;But yeah, I&#8217;m very happy for Bob because he put his heart and soul into  those negotiations during a very difficult time for him and his family,  so I think the success they&#8217;ve had is well-deserved.&#8221;</p>
<p>When  they finally kick off Sunday, the two biggest stars will be Brady and  Manning &#8211; yes, Eli. Not halftime performer Madonna, but the quarterbacks  on whose arms, wits and leadership this Super Bowl will turn.</p>
<p>&#8220;They  are both leaders on the field,&#8221; Wilfork said. &#8220;I think that position  you have to be smart, you have to be intelligent. I think you have to  understand what&#8217;s going on around you. I think both those guys have  that.&#8221;</p>
<p>On Sunday, we&#8217;ll see which one adds to his championship legacy with another Super Bowl ring.</p>
<p><strong>RELATED:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://newsone.com/newsone-original/eblount/super-bowl-2012-drinks/" target="_blank"><strong>Try These Specialty Drinks For Your Super Bowl Party</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://newsone.com/newsone-original/eblount/jarvis-green-superbowl-2012/" target="_blank"><strong>Jarvis Green Gives Tips To Giants And Patriots</strong></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/pats-vs-giants-rematch-made-in-nfl-heaven/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Do You Prefer Black or African-American?</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:07:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[african american]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[black]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[racial identity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/" alt="Do You Prefer Black or African-American?"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/Black-and-Proud-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Do You Prefer Black or African-American?" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>The labels used to  describe Americans of African descent mark the movement of a people from  the slave house to the White House. Today, many are resisting this  progression by holding on to a name from the past: "black."

For  this group - some descended from U.S. slaves, some immigrants with a  separate history - "African-American" is not the sign of progress... <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The labels used to  describe Americans of African descent mark the movement of a people from  the slave house to the White House. Today, many are resisting this  progression by holding on to a name from the past: &#8220;black.&#8221;</p>
<p>For  this group &#8211; some descended from U.S. slaves, some immigrants with a  separate history &#8211; &#8220;African-American&#8221; is not the sign of progress hailed  when the term was popularized in the late 1980s. Instead, it&#8217;s a  misleading connection to a distant culture.</p>
<p>The  debate has waxed and waned since African-American went mainstream, and  gained new significance after the son of a black Kenyan and a white  American moved into the White House. President Barack Obama&#8217;s identity  has been contested from all sides, renewing questions that have followed  millions of darker Americans:</p>
<p>What are you? Where are you from? And how do you fit into this country?</p>
<p>&#8220;I prefer to be called black,&#8221; said Shawn Smith, an accountant from Houston. &#8220;How I really feel is, I&#8217;m American.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I  don&#8217;t like African-American. It denotes something else to me than who I  am,&#8221; said Smith, whose parents are from Mississippi and North Carolina.  &#8220;I can&#8217;t recall any of them telling me anything about Africa. They told  me a whole lot about where they grew up in Macomb County and Shelby,  N.C.&#8221;</p>
<p>Gibre George, an entrepreneur from  Miami, started a Facebook page called &#8220;Don&#8217;t Call Me African-American&#8221;  on a whim. It now has about 300 &#8220;likes.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We  respect our African heritage, but that term is not really us,&#8221; George  said. &#8220;We&#8217;re several generations down the line. If anyone were to ship  us back to Africa, we&#8217;d be like fish out of water.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;It  just doesn&#8217;t sit well with a younger generation of black people,&#8221;  continued George, who is 38. &#8220;Africa was a long time ago. Are we always  going to be tethered to Africa? Spiritually I&#8217;m American. When the war  starts, I&#8217;m fighting for America.&#8221;</p>
<p>Joan  Morgan, a writer born in Jamaica who moved to New York City as a girl,  remembers the first time she publicly corrected someone about the term:  at a book signing, when she was introduced as African-American and her  family members in the front rows were appalled and hurt.</p>
<p>&#8220;That  act of calling me African-American completely erased their history and  the sacrifice and contributions it took to make me an author,&#8221; said  Morgan, a longtime U.S. citizen who calls herself Black-Caribbean  American. (Some insist Black should be capitalized.)</p>
<p>She  said people struggle with the fact that black people have multiple  ethnicities because it challenges America&#8217;s original black-white  classifications. In her view, forcing everyone into a name meant for  descendants of American slaves distorts the nature of the contributions  of immigrants like her black countrymen Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay.</p>
<p>Morgan  acknowledges that her homeland of Jamaica is populated by the  descendants of African slaves. &#8220;But I am not African, and Africans are  not African-American,&#8221; she said.</p>
<p>In Latin, a  forerunner of the English language, the color black is &#8220;niger.&#8221; In 1619,  the first African captives in America were described as &#8220;negars,&#8221; which  became the epithet still used by some today.</p>
<p>The Spanish word &#8220;negro&#8221; means black. That was the label applied by white Americans for centuries.</p>
<p>The  word black also was given many pejorative connotations &#8211; a black mood, a  blackened reputation, a black heart. &#8220;Colored&#8221; seemed better, until the  civil rights movement insisted on Negro, with a capital N.</p>
<p>Then, in the 1960s, &#8220;black&#8221; came back &#8211; as an expression of pride, a strategy to defy oppression.</p>
<p>&#8220;Every  time black had been mentioned since slavery, it was bad,&#8221; says Mary  Frances Berry, a University of Pennsylvania history professor and former  chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Reclaiming the word &#8220;was a  grass-roots move, and it was oppositional. It was like, `In your  face.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
<p>Afro-American was briefly in vogue in  the 1970s, and lingers today in the names of some newspapers and  university departments. But it was soon overshadowed by  African-American, which first sprouted among the black intelligentsia.</p>
<p>The Rev. Jesse Jackson is widely credited with taking African-American mainstream in 1988, before his second presidential run.</p>
<p>Berry  remembers being at a 1988 gathering of civil rights groups organized by  Jackson in Chicago when Ramona Edelin, then president of the National  Urban Coalition, urged those assembled to declare that black people  should be called African-American.</p>
<p>Edelin says  today that there was no intent to exclude people born in other  countries, or to eliminate the use of black: &#8220;It was an attempt to start  a cultural offensive, because we were clearly at that time always on  the defensive.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We said, this is kind of a  compromise term,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;There are those among us who don&#8217;t  want to be referred to as African. And there also those among us who  don&#8217;t want to be referred to as American. This was a way of bridging  divisions among us or in our ideologies so we can move forward as a  group.&#8221;</p>
<p>Jackson, who at the time may have been the most-quoted black man in America, followed through with the plan.</p>
<p>&#8220;Every  ethnic group in this country has a reference to some land base, some  historical, cultural base,&#8221; Jackson told reporters at the time.  &#8220;African-Americans have hit that level of cultural maturity.&#8221;</p>
<p>The  effect was immediate. &#8220;Back in those days we didn&#8217;t talk about things  going viral, but that&#8217;s what you would say today. It was quite  remarkable,&#8221; said the columnist Clarence Page, then a reporter. &#8220;It was  kind of like when Black Power first came in the `60s, there was all  kinds of buzz among black folks and white folks about whether or not I  like this.&#8221;</p>
<p>Page liked it &#8211; he still uses it interchangeably with black &#8211; and sees an advantage to changing names.</p>
<p>&#8220;If  we couldn&#8217;t control anything else, at least we could control what  people call us,&#8221; Page said. &#8220;That&#8217;s the most fundamental right any human  being has, over what other people call you. (African-American) had a  lot of psychic value from that point of view.&#8221;</p>
<p>It  also has historical value, said Irv Randolph, managing editor of the  Philadelphia Tribune, a black newspaper that uses both terms: &#8220;It&#8217;s a  historical fact that we are people of African descent.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;African-American  embraces where we came from and where we are now,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We are  Americans, no doubt about that. But to deny where we came from doesn&#8217;t  make any sense to me.&#8221;</p>
<p>Jackson agrees about  such denial. &#8220;It shows a willful ignorance of our roots, our heritage  and our lineage,&#8221; he said Tuesday. &#8220;A fruit without a root is dying.&#8221;</p>
<p>He  observed that the history of how captives were brought here from Africa  is unchangeable, and that Senegal is almost as close to New York as Los  Angeles.</p>
<p>&#8220;If a chicken is born in the oven,&#8221; Jackson said, &#8220;that doesn&#8217;t make it a biscuit.&#8221;</p>
<p>Today,  24 years after Jackson popularized African-American, it&#8217;s unclear what  term is preferred by the community. A series of Gallup polls from 1991  to 2007 showed no strong consensus for either black or African-American.  In a January 2011 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 42 percent of  respondents said they preferred black, 35 percent said African-American,  13 percent said it doesn&#8217;t make any difference, and 7 percent chose  &#8220;some other term.&#8221;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a record number of black people in America &#8211; almost 1 in 10 &#8211; were born abroad, according to census figures.</p>
<p>Tomi  Obaro is one of them. Her Nigerian-born parents brought her to America  from England as a girl, and she became a citizen last year. Although she  is literally African-American, the University of Chicago senior says  the label implies she is descended from slaves. It also feels vague and  liberal to her.</p>
<p>&#8220;It just sort of screams this  political correctness,&#8221; Obaro said. She and her black friends rarely use  it to refer to themselves, only when they&#8217;re speaking in &#8220;proper  company.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Or it&#8217;s a word that people who aren&#8217;t black use to describe black people,&#8221; she said.</p>
<p>Or  it&#8217;s a political tool. In a Senate race against Obama in 2004, Alan  Keyes implied that Obama could not claim to share Keyes&#8217;  &#8220;African-American heritage&#8221; because Keyes&#8217; ancestors were slaves. During  the Democratic presidential primary, some Hillary Clinton supporters  made the same charge.</p>
<p>Last year, Herman Cain,  then a Republican presidential candidate, sought to contrast his roots  in the Jim Crow south with Obama&#8217;s history, and he shunned the label  African-American in favor of &#8220;American black conservative.&#8221; Rush  Limbaugh mocked Obama as a &#8220;halfrican-American.&#8221;</p>
<p>Then there are some white Americans who were born in Africa.</p>
<p>Paulo  Seriodo is a U.S. citizen born in Mozambique to parents from Portugal.  In 2009 he filed a lawsuit against his medical school, which he said  suspended him after a dispute with black classmates over whether Seriodo  could call himself African-American.</p>
<p>&#8220;It  doesn&#8217;t matter if I&#8217;m from Africa, and they are not!&#8221; Seriodo wrote at  the time.  &#8220;They are not allowing me to be African-American!&#8221;</p>
<p>And so the saga of names continues.</p>
<p>&#8220;I  think it&#8217;s still evolving,&#8221; said Edelin, the activist who helped  popularize African-American. &#8220;I&#8217;m content, for now, with African and  American.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;But,&#8221; she added, &#8220;that&#8217;s not to say that it won&#8217;t change again.&#8221;</p>
<p></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/do-you-prefer-black-or-african-american/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Teen Football Star Killed In Home Invasion</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:36:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nicholas Jackson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Norcross home invasion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Norcross teen killed]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/" alt="Teen Football Star Killed In Home Invasion"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/Nicholas-Jackson-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Teen Football Star Killed In Home Invasion" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>Six men are charged in the murder of Nicholas Jackson II, 15, of Norcross, Georgia, who was killed Thursday while playing Play Station in the basement of his home, reports the  <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Six men are charged in the murder of <strong>Nicholas Jackson II</strong>, 15, of Norcross, Georgia, who was killed Thursday while playing Play Station in the basement of his home, reports the <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/football-star-valedictorian-killed-1328994.html?bigName=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigPhotog=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigCap=Nicholas+Jackson+played+football+at+Norcross+High+and+planned+to+go+to+Alabama+State+University%2c+his+grandmother+Sherry+Reid+told+Channel+2+Action+News.&amp;bigDeclCap=&amp;bigCred=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ajc.com%2fmultimedia%2fdynamic%2f01280%2fnorcross_0202A_1280831c.jpg&amp;superSizeImage=y" target="_blank">Atlanta Journal Constitution</a>.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://www.theroot.com/young-futurists-2012" target="_blank">Young Futurists Of 2012</a></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.theroot.com/young-futurists-2012" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p><strong>Anthony Bernard Lumpkin</strong>, 32,  <strong>Rico Dehaven West</strong>, 19, <strong>Eddie Lewis Green</strong>, 46, <strong>Michael Davis</strong>, 23, and <strong> Timothy Lamar Johnson,</strong> 34, and <strong>Jason Dozier</strong>, 36, broke into the Jackson home Thursday at approximately 6:30 p.m. while Nicholas and his sister Nikia Jackson, 17, were home alone.</p>
<p>Dozier, who has served four different terms in Georgia prisons dating back to 1993 for robbery and aggravated assault, was just recently released from Telfair  State Prison.</p>
<p>Nicholas Jackson, Sr. told the <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/football-star-valedictorian-killed-1328994.html?bigName=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigPhotog=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigCap=Nicholas+Jackson+played+football+at+Norcross+High+and+planned+to+go+to+Alabama+State+University%2c+his+grandmother+Sherry+Reid+told+Channel+2+Action+News.&amp;bigDeclCap=&amp;bigCred=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ajc.com%2fmultimedia%2fdynamic%2f01280%2fnorcross_0202A_1280831c.jpg&amp;superSizeImage=y" target="_blank">AJC</a> that he believed that his son, who was shot in the heart before dying at a local hospital, startled the intruders when they kicked in the door:</p>
<p>&#8220;He got up to see what the ruckus was,&#8221; Jackson said. &#8220;The shots seemed to be fired as the suspects retreated.&#8221;</p>
<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://newsone.com/files/2012/02/Norcross-Home-Invasion.png"></a></div>
<p style="text-align: center"></p>
<p>Older sister, Nikia, was emotional when talking about Nicholas. She witnessed the intruders fleeing in a mini-van and soon discovered her brother trying to roll over. &#8220;[The crime] seems so senseless; [He] is the best brother anybody could have.&#8221;</p>
<p>The former junior high valedictorian played football at Norcross High School and had plans on attending Alabama State University, his grandmother, Sherry Reid, told Channel 2 Action News.</p>
<p><object width="486" height="500"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1430757075001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="name" value="flashObj" /><param name="flashvars" value="videoId=1430757075001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="486" height="500" src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" name="flashObj" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="videoId=1430757075001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true"></embed></object></p>
<p><strong>Dr.  Burrell Pope</strong>,  principal at Hopewell Christian Academy where Nicholas attended for three years, said that he was a &#8220;model  student&#8221; who was known for his helpful, friendly nature as well as his football skills:</p>
<p>&#8220;[Jackson] was the type of kid who stayed away from trouble,&#8221; Pope said. &#8220;That was  his motto, he wanted always to stay away from trouble.&#8221;</p>
<p>“He was a young man of integrity, a mentor to a lot of the students  who  were younger than him,” he continued. “He was always willing to   help out when needed.&#8221;</p>
<p>Norcross Police Capt. B<strong>rian Harr</strong> said that the mini-van was located about a mile from the scene and several other weapons were found inside of the vehicle.</p>
<p>Counselors were on site at Norcross High as students struggled with the violent lose of one of their shining stars. Maribel Arellano, a junior at the school, said that although she just recently met Nicholas, he would leave a lasting imprint:</p>
<p>“It’s sad how he got shot,” Arellano <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/football-star-valedictorian-killed-1328994.html?bigName=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigPhotog=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigCap=Nicholas+Jackson+played+football+at+Norcross+High+and+planned+to+go+to+Alabama+State+University%2c+his+grandmother+Sherry+Reid+told+Channel+2+Action+News.&amp;bigDeclCap=&amp;bigCred=Channel+2+Action+News&amp;bigUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ajc.com%2fmultimedia%2fdynamic%2f01280%2fnorcross_0202A_1280831c.jpg&amp;superSizeImage=y" target="_blank">told the AJC</a>.  “It’s  scary to know that someone can be in your life one day, and then  the  next day not be there.”</p>
<p>According to his father, Alabama State University&#8217;s football program has already said that they plan on sending equipment to place in his son&#8217;s casket.</p>
<p>Funeral arrangements for Nicholas will be planned next week.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://main.aol.com/2012/02/01/man-adopts-girlfriend-_n_1250149.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000022" target="_blank"><strong>Sick And Twisted? Man Adopts Girlfriend In Florida</strong></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/ask-demetria-1" target="_blank">Sexually Assaulted: Am I To Blame?</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/teen-football-star-killed-in-home-invasion/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mitt Romney Forms Strategic Alliance With Ron Paul</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:36:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mitt Romney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ron Paul]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/" alt="Mitt Romney Forms Strategic Alliance With Ron Paul"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/Romney-Paul-debate-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Mitt Romney Forms Strategic Alliance With Ron Paul" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>While they may differ on foreign policy, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have formed a strategic alliance. Reports claim that Mitt Romney's aids are in close contact with Ron Paul and that the two campaigns coordinate events with each other.

Paul has a strong following but is unlikely to win the nomination and Romney is hoping that Paul supporters will help him defeat Pres... <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While they may differ on foreign policy, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have formed a strategic alliance. Reports claim that Mitt Romney&#8217;s aids are in close contact with Ron Paul and that the two campaigns coordinate events with each other.</p>
<p>Paul has a strong following but is unlikely to win the nomination and Romney is hoping that Paul supporters will help him defeat President Barack Obama in the upcoming election.</p>
<p>The Washington Post reports:</p>
<blockquote><p>The Romney-Paul alliance is more than a curious connection. It is a strategic partnership: for Paul, an opportunity to gain a seat at the table if his long-shot bid for the presidency fails; for Romney, a chance to gain support from one of the most vibrant subgroups within the Republican Party.</p>
<p>Romney’s aides are “quietly in touch with Ron Paul,” according to a Republican adviser who is in contact with the Romney campaign and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss its internal thinking. The two campaigns have coordinated on minor things, the adviser said — even small details, such as staggering the timing of each candidate’s appearance on television the night of the New Hampshire primary for maximum effect.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-paul-and-romney-a-strategic-alliance-between-outsider-and-establishment/2012/01/20/gIQAf8foiQ_story.html" target="_blank">Read More At The Washington Post</a></p>
<p><strong>See Also</strong></p>
<p><a title="E-mails Show Meetings Between Ron Paul And White Supremacists" rel="bookmark" href="http://newsone.com/nation/casey-gane-mccalla/emails-show-meetings-between-ron-paul-and-white-supremacists/">E-mails Show Meetings Between Ron Paul And White Supremacists</a></p>
<p><a title="“Anonymous” Reveals Close Ties Between Ron Paul And Neo-Nazis" rel="bookmark" href="http://newsone.com/nation/casey-gane-mccalla/anonymous-reveals-close-ties-between-ron-paul-and-neo-nazis/">“Anonymous” Reveals Close Ties Between Ron Paul And Neo-Nazis</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/mitt-romney-forms-strategic-alliance-with-ron-paul/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Black Slave Assisted Explorers Lewis And Clark In Trek Across America</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:26:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black History Month 2012]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/" alt="Black Slave Assisted Explorers Lewis And Clark In Trek Across America"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/clarke-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Black Slave Assisted Explorers Lewis And Clark In Trek Across America" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>The tale of American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their epic transcontinental journey has long been a fixture in history books. A little known fact behind the pair’s adventure was that a Black slave helped the men bridge cultural gaps between themselves and American Indian they encountered along the way.

SEE ALSO: <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The tale of American explorers <strong>Meriwether Lewis</strong> and <strong>William Clark</strong> and their epic transcontinental journey has long been a fixture in history books. A little known fact behind the pair’s adventure was that a Black slave helped the men bridge cultural gaps between themselves and American Indian they encountered along the way.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.theroot.com/buzz/asking-if-help-racist-loaded-question" target="_blank"><strong>Is &#8220;The Help&#8221; Racist?</strong></a></p>
<p>Terra Hall of Fox4 Kansas City <a href="http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/02/museum-black-slave-helped-lewis-and-clark-explore-america/" target="_blank">recently reported</a> that a slave named <strong>York </strong>helped Lewis and Clark gain access with American Indians during their trudge through the Midwest. American Indians saw York’s dark skin as a sign of strength and power.</p>
<p>“He’s [York] the first known African American known to make it all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back.  So he’s one of the greats as far as the explorers are concerned,” said Richard Edwards of the National Frontier Trials Museum in Independence, Mo.</p>
<p>For the entire month of February, Edwards will be sharing tales of York and other Black Americans who were instrumental in shaping America’s place in history.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:<br />
</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.theroot.com/buzz/asking-if-help-racist-loaded-question" target="_blank"><strong>Can Crazy Talk Run Off?</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/black-baking-gurus-compete-cupcake-wars" target="_blank"><strong>Black Baking Gurus To Compete In &#8220;Cupcake Wars&#8221; </strong></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/black-slave-assisted-explorers-lewis-and-clark-in-trek-across-america/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Obama Flip-Flops On Church and State, GOP Rep Walks Out</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:13:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barak Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Prayer Breakfast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Phil Gingrey]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/" alt="Obama Flip-Flops On Church and State, GOP Rep Walks Out"><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/Obama-Prayer-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Obama Flip-Flops On Church and State, GOP Rep Walks Out" hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>Representative Phil Gingrey (R-Georgia), walked out of President Barack Obama's address at the annual National Prayer Breakfast after becoming offended that the president insinuated politics into what is supposed to be a non-partisan event,  <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Representative <strong>Phil Gingrey</strong> (R-Georgia), walked out of <strong>President Barack Obama</strong>&#8216;s address at the annual National Prayer Breakfast after becoming offended that the president insinuated politics into what is supposed to be a non-partisan event, <a href="http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/02/02/phil-gingrey-walks-out-of-barack-obama%E2%80%99s-prayer-address/" target="_blank">reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.</a></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://www.theroot.com/young-futurists-2012" target="_blank">Young Futurists Of 2012</a></strong></p>
<p>﻿﻿﻿﻿“He was glad that the president attended, but he felt that there were  364 days in a year to give a speech on your policies or campaign  rhetoric,” said Gingrey spokeswoman <strong>Jen Talaber</strong>.</p>
<p>In a puzzling move, President Obama decided do a little blurring of church and state by enumerating the many ways that Christianity influences his economic policy:</p>
<blockquote><p>If I’m willing to give something up as somebody who’s been  extraordinarily blessed, and give up some of the tax breaks that I  enjoy, I actually think that’s going to make economic sense. But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’ teaching that  ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.’ It mirrors the  Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use  those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and  consideration for others.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p><object width="500" height="412"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1429729409001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="name" value="flashObj" /><param name="flashvars" value="videoId=1429729409001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="412" src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" name="flashObj" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="videoId=1429729409001&amp;playerID=1620628511&amp;playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFAsZ1c~,8MkVRvW0DmbPOn4dw4SMaHgQrVsKm43k&amp;domain=embed&amp;dynamicStreaming=true"></embed></object></p>
<p>﻿Then, in a subtle jab at the current GOP front-runner, <strong>Mitt Romney</strong>, who &#8212; in addition to being Mormon &#8212; recently <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/mitt-romney-concerned-very-poor-jon-ralston_n_1252278.html" target="_blank">&#8220;mis-spoke&#8221;</a> when saying that the &#8220;poor aren&#8217;t [his] concern,&#8221; Obama seemed to pull Romney&#8217;s religion card by suggesting that his own Christian values ensured that he cares about those in poverty:</p>
<p>“[It's] a biblical call to care for the poor and to follow the responsibility  we’re given in Proverbs to ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for  themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute,’” said the president.</p>
<p>Oh, it get&#8217;s better. Obama, who has made it a point to surround himself with Wall Street heavyweights during his first term, such as Lawrence Summers, Michael Froman, Neal Wolin, William Daley and Tom Donilon &#8212; or as <em>National Review</em> writer, Kevin D. Williamson so brilliantly put it, <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286704/repo-men-kevin-d-williamson?pg=1" target="_blank">B.H. Obama &amp; Co. LLC: A Wall Street Cabinet Company</a> &#8212; then said that his Wall Street policy followed the commandment of God:</p>
<p>&#8220;The Wall Street reform [I] championed makes the economy stronger for  everyone and abides by God’s command to &#8216;love thy neighbor as thyself,&#8221; said Obama.</p>
<p>These remarks did not sit well with Gingrey. Going into further detail on what is sure to be viewed as another disrespectful action against the president &#8212; akin to Arizona Governor <strong>Jan Brewer</strong> losing her mind at pointing her finger in the president&#8217;s face like he was an errant school child &#8211;Talaber said that Gingrey was most upset at the president&#8217;s lack of reverence for the occasion:</p>
<p>“He was disappointed, because he wanted to know what was  in the president’s heart, and not just rhetoric,” the spokeswoman said.  “So he said that he decided to quietly get up and leave because he felt  that it wasn’t the time or the place, and that the president didn’t seem  to be aware of the meaning of the breakfast or why so many people came  to hear him speak. He was offended by the very tone of the speech.”</p>
<p><strong>I was too, Rep. Gingrey; though, I&#8217;m sure, that my reasons have very little in common with yours.</strong></p>
<p>My issue is that President Barack Obama has transparent pandering down to an exact science. Just in time for Black History Month, he managed to insult the intelligence of millions of Black Americans by<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=3&amp;ved=0CEsQFjAC&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsone.com%2Fnation%2Fkirstensavali%2Fpotus-launches-african-americans-for-obama-campaign%2F&amp;ei=yyksT4THMaqW2AXXvLCQDw&amp;usg=AFQjCNHn02-WZdstcUaNUAGU5ogc3tQHRQ&amp;sig2=pYvQJ06T_nr70Ur0H80Swg" target="_blank"> concocting an end-zone campaign</a> to ensure that the same voters he&#8217;s ignored for almost four years make it their mission to &#8220;Barack the Vote&#8221; in November. It&#8217;s amazing that he can&#8217;t <em>specifically</em> address the issues that plague our communities &#8212; because he&#8217;s the president for <em>all Americans</em> &#8212; yet, he has no problem <em>specifically</em> asking for our vote.</p>
<p>However it&#8217;s not just us; no &#8220;special interest group&#8221; is exempt.</p>
<p>He claims to be pro-choice, but then goes out of his way to symbolically <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/25/nation/la-na-obama-healthcare25-2010mar25">sign an executive order</a> in March of 2010 to show his unwavering support for the long-standing <strong>Hyde Amendment, </strong>which effectively bans the federal government from financing elective abortions.</p>
<p>He consistently shrugs his shoulder with that boyish grin when asked about his support of the legalization of same-sex marriages; veering hard to the right, the president repeatedly says that &#8220;he&#8217;s working on it.&#8221; In the mean time, as he continues to deny the LGBTQ community equal rights under the law,  he was proud to eradicate <em>Don&#8217;t Ask, Don&#8217;t Tell, </em>effectively &#8220;allowing  them&#8221; to fight and die for a country that finds suppression  of their civil liberties &#8220;fair.&#8221;</p>
<p>President Obama is passionate about green energy. If we don&#8217;t hear anything else, rest assured that we will hear about green energy. Ironically, when the president had the opportunity to stand firmly behind the Environment Protection Agency and a regulation that would ensure a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/obama-epa-regulation" target="_blank">dramatic decrease in smog production</a>, he caved to business and Republican protest and rejected the potentially life-saving measure. The American Lung Association was so disgusted that they threatened to pursue legal action against the current standards, which  were proposed by <strong>George W. Bush.</strong></p>
<p>Noticing a theme here? Obviously, President Obama has perfected the art of the Beltway Two-Step as if he&#8217;s been dancing it his entire life<strong>. </strong>Still<strong>, </strong>in no arena is he as obviously awkward as when pouring on the <em>hallelujahs</em><strong>. </strong>His blatant merger of church and state is the antithesis of words spoken earlier in his career when he spoke eloquently against the very idea.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p>In one of the most intelligent explorations into the hypocrisy  and infeasibility contained within portions of the Bible, a little known  speech given by a young Senator Obama at turns ridicules the Good Book (see:  Leviticus, stoning and shellfish) and refers to religion as a hindrance to Democracy. He makes  it clear that America is not a Christian nation, and that if it ever  was, &#8220;it&#8217;s not anymore.&#8221; He quips that if Abraham (see: Genesis) had  attempted to slash his son Isaac&#8217;s throat in modern society, at the very  least, &#8220;police would be called and child and family services would be expected to take Isaac away from Abraham.&#8221; He convincingly  makes the point that faith has no place in politics, because we do not  share common spiritual eyesight, we can only share common laws. Most powerfully, he says that &#8220;religiously motivated [politicians] must translate their concerns into universal &#8212; not religious &#8212; values.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kdB1_KFOhnU" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Where was that Obama at the Prayer Breakfast?</p>
<p>The president&#8217;s injection of personal faith into politics &#8212; when he so clearly stands against it &#8212; was about as bizarre as <strong>Sarah Palin</strong> being anointed by a witch-hunter who  asked Jesus to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/the-witch-hunter-anoints_b_128805.html" target="_blank">fund her campaign</a> and as laughable as four GOP candidates, <strong>Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry</strong> and <strong>Herman Cain</strong>, claiming that God led them all to <a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-11-07/news/bs-ed-god-politics-20111107_1_god-church-and-state-man-and-one-woman" target="_blank">run for president</a> &#8212; he was clearly wrong about three of them because only Perry remains.</p>
<p>In Matthew 5:17,  Jesus says &#8220;Do not think that I came to destroy the  Law or the Prophets. I didn&#8217;t come to destroy them, but to fulfill  them.&#8221; Unfortunately, when it comes to conservative politics, Wall Street cronyism and  now his politically advantageous blurring of church and state, that is one verse in the Bible that Obama obviously takes to heart.</p>
<p>He doesn&#8217;t seem to understand that not everyone is going to like him, but we should be able to respect him. I&#8217;m not referring to that generic &#8220;respect the office of the president,&#8221; I&#8217;m speaking of literally respecting <em>him</em>. He can&#8217;t continue to say that the sky is blue at 8:00 a.m around blue lovers, then tell yellow lovers that it&#8217;s actually a lovely shade of saffron at noon. He needs to find a position that he&#8217;s comfortable with and play it, regardless of who tries to tackle him; if he doesn&#8217;t, he will continue to be viewed as ineffective and untrustworthy by many people who worked tirelessly to get him elected in 2008.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.thegrio.com/black-history/malcolm-x-artifacts-unearthed-police-docs-and-more-found-among-belongs-of-shorty-jarvis.php" target="_blank"><strong>Malcolm X Artifacts Unearthed</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/denzel-washington-safe-house-black-hollywood.php" target="_blank"><strong>Denzel Talks About Being Black In Hollywood</strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/denzel-washington-safe-house-black-hollywood.php" target="_blank"></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/obama-flip-flops-on-church-and-state-gop-rep-walks-out/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Oh, Lord. Kimmel Asks Whites To Name &#8220;Favorite Black Person&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/</link>
		<comments>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:07:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>News One</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jimmy Kimmel Live]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/" alt="Oh, Lord. Kimmel Asks Whites To Name "Favorite Black Person" "><img src="http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2012/02/white-people-150x150.jpg" align="left" alt="Oh, Lord. Kimmel Asks Whites To Name "Favorite Black Person" " hspace="5" vspace="5" border="0" /></a>Jimmy Kimmel wasn't sure of the best way to start off Black History Month. So he decided to hit the streets and ask white people who their favorite black person is, according to  <a href="http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/">Read more..</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Jimmy Kimmel</strong> wasn&#8217;t sure of the best way to start off <strong>Black History Month</strong>. So he decided to hit the streets and ask white people who their favorite black person is, according to <a href="http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/02/watch-jimmy-kimmel-celebrates-black-history-month-by-asking-who-is-your-favorite-black-person/" target="_blank">reporting by Clutch Magazine</a>.</p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blackatlas.com/city/storydetail/1592/413" target="_blank"><strong>2 Live Crew&#8217;s Ultimate Guide To Miami</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blackatlas.com/city/storydetail/1580/497" target="_blank"><strong>5 Fun Things To Do In Philly</strong></a></p>
<p>The responses were a mix of incredibly funny and, shall we say, disturbing insights into how out of it many white people are about black Americans. To give you a teaser, when a white couple was asked, &#8220;Who is your favorite black person,&#8221; the woman replied &#8220;We&#8217;ll that would require me to know a few personally. I know one at work. His name is Ray Ray.&#8221;</p>
<p>Oh, yes. She <em>did</em> say that.</p>
<p>And, if you want to hear more ridiculously hilarious answers on white people&#8217;s favorite black people, check out the video below.</p>
<p><strong>White People Say Who There Favorite Black Person Is</strong></p>
<p><object width="636" height="315"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EjwaIGthvLA?version=3&amp;feature=player_detailpage" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="636" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EjwaIGthvLA?version=3&amp;feature=player_detailpage" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blackatlas.com/city/storydetail/1579/218" target="_blank"><strong>Want To Follow Drake On Tour? Here&#8217;s How</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.blackatlas.com/city/storydetail/1578/408" target="_blank"><strong>Top 5 Artists Outta Memphis&#8230;Can You Guess Them?</strong></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://mybaltimorespirit.com/national/newsone/oh-lord-kimmel-asks-whites-to-name-favorite-black-person/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
