Opinions & Editorials
Ain’t Nobody Gon’ Save Us, But Us!
By Barney Blakeney I had been thinking of writing about education for some time. I had a rare Facebook discourse recently in which I said quality education might positively impact crime in Black communities. One guy responded that what happens in our schools won’t change the dynamics that plague Black communities. I agree. But education…
Read MoreAnother Day at the Office
By Hakim Abdul-Ali We all are living in this present moment while existing in the only arena that I know of that’s called life. Some of us cherish this pristine opportunity with spiritual significance, and some others obviously take it for granted that they are blessed to be in the here and now. In my…
Read MoreCulture Shock and Change
By Barney Blakeney I recently ran into an old friend, a white guy, who just moved to Charleston’s Eastside. I’ve known the guy for years. We share a lot in common, but grew up in different environments, different parts of the country, different socio-economic backgrounds and different cultures. And now he lives in my old…
Read MoreThere’s No Need to Complain
By Hakim Abdul-Ali The living experience is full of tests, ordeals, disappointments and unimaginative upheavals for every created “hue-man” soul in the universe, including me and you. There’s no denying that in any shape, manner or form. To further illustrate that point, something occurred on my watch last week where I had to reflect on…
Read MoreDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & Rosa Parks
By Beverly Gadson-Birch As the nation prepares to celebrate the birthday and reflect on one of the greatest civil rights leaders and orators of our time, I am reminded of Rosa Parks who served as the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott Movement that lasted for a year and resulted in the desegregation of the…
Read MoreIf You’re Gonna Criticize, Get It Right
By Barney Blakeney A friend recently sent me a link to a story noting that a Charleston Chronicle story led to the hiring of a local Black owned firm to do business with one of the presidential candidate’s campaigns. I’m low tech/no tech so when I pulled up the link I found myself on a…
Read MoreFeeling Awesome
By Hakim Abdul-Ali I just thought about something and that’s it’s okay to feel mellow in the present moment. Some folk in “hue-manity” may not comprehend that reality, but it’s healthy to be existing in a sound mental frame of mind while living in an equally positive living space. That may not always be the…
Read MoreFinding Stuff To Write About For The Last Time In 2019
By Barney Blakeney This likely will be the last column I write in 2019 and I haven’t got the slightest idea what to write about. I try to write columns that offer information, not just my opinion. What’s that they say about opinions – like buttholes, everybody’s got one. I try never to forget I’m…
Read MoreMoving Ahead in the New Year
By Hakim Abdul-Ali Greetings and Happy New Year to one and all and, of course, that includes you, the reader. It’s a another select moment in time and space for all of us in “hue-manity” to be so very thankful for just being alive in the here and now. You don’t have to be cordial…
Read MoreThe Significance of the Emancipation Proclamation Festivities
By Beverly Gadson-Birch What we don’t know could hurt us! I have no idea who coined the phrase, but it is so relevant to the annual Emancipation Proclamation parade and church services held each year on January 1 to commemorate the freeing of slaves. The celebration is a longstanding tradition. The true origin and purpose…
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