Letter: Failure To Allow Commencement Speaker Demonstrates Bias Against African American Civil Rights

The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog:


Dear Editor,

The civil rights of African-Americans were trampled when Kean University caved into demands from extremists in the law enforcement community by dropping hip-hop recording artist and actor, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, also known by his stage name, Common, as commencement speaker.

Common’s right to speak was attacked over a song he recorded 15 years ago, which supported the innocence of Assata Shakur, godmother of late rapper Tupac Shakur (born Joanne Chesimard), a Black Panther activist who bravely escaped a New Jersey prison in the 1970s and has since lived in Cuba after she was wrongly convicted of shooting a state trooper in a highly controversial trial that many view as part of the FBI’s clandestine COINTELPRO targeting of Shakur.

Kean University has demonstrated a lack of commitment to freedom of expression and a bias against African American civil rights along with the free speech rights of all minority students, staff and faculty in this decision.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Congressional Black Caucus and many other supporters of African-American civil rights share Common’s sentiments on the Shakur case. So does the evidence that shows Shakur had no gun power residue on her hands and had her hands in the air when the other trooper shot her. Around the same time period, Shakur had been acquitted 7 times of unrelated charges in different cases. Someone was clearly trying to set her up. This is why Cuba has granted her political asylum.

Kean University should restore Common as the commencement speaker and invite Angela Davis to come to Kean University to lead a symposium on persecution of civil rights leaders.


Eric Hafner
Toms River

Congressma​n Frank Pallone's Statement on the Passing of Congressma​n Donald Payne

WASHIGNTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), released the following statement on the passing of Congressman Donald Payne (NJ-10):

 I am deeply saddened to learn of the loss of my dear friend and colleague, Congressman Don Payne. Don and I came to Congress together in 1988 and I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to not only serve with him, but to develop a long-lasting friendship.


Don was a pioneer. He was the first African American elected to Congress from New Jersey, and as a Congressman, Don was a tireless champion for the disadvantaged, poor and underserved both in New Jersey and throughout the world.

I offer my sincerest and most heartfelt sympathies to Don's family and friends.

PALLONE STATEMENT ON THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statement today after the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

"I felt so proud to be an American today. Every inauguration is special as it signifies the peaceful transfer of power that makes our nation so unique. Today, however, was a celebration as history was made on the steps of the U.S. Capitol when Barack Obama became the first African-American sworn in as our president.

"I was also awed by the enthusiasm that brought millions of Americans to the National Mall at a time when our nation faces enormous challenges. In his inaugural address, President Obama outlined those challenges and charged each of us with helping to rebuild our nation so that every American can once again live the American dream.

"In the coming months, I pledge to work with President Obama and my colleagues in Congress to begin the difficult and long process of rebuilding our nation. I hope that the civility and the bipartisan spirit that we witnessed today will continue as we work to address the extraordinary challenges ahead."

Analysis: Republicans struggle with race issue

By Reid Wilson- the Hill

As minority voters abandoned the GOP in droves this past cycle, those who will vote on the next chairman of the Republican Party are struggling with the difficult issue of race.

The Democrats are seen as having advantages: Traditionally they have won more minority voters, and now the party will be led by the first African-American president. And, for Republicans, race proves to be a particularly thorny issue that can cause problems for even the most adept political operators.

The most recent example came when former Tennessee GOP chairman Chip Saltsman, a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent a CD with a parody song called "Barack the Magic Negro" to RNC members. First reported by The Hill, the CD set off a wave of criticism and elicited sharp rebukes from several prominent voting members.

That incident came on top of a number of gaffes throughout the 2008 election. In September, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) told The Hill he thought then-presidential candidate Barack Obama was "uppity," a racially tinged word. Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ken.) apologized in April for referring to Obama as a "boy."

At rallies held for the Republican presidential ticket, media focused on attendees who called Obama a "terrorist" and emcees, most famously Cincinnati radio host Bill Cunningham, who frequently invoked Obama's middle name to rile up a crowd.

Finishing Reid Wilson's article >>> Here

Blagojevich makes appointment to Obama Senate seat

By Kevin Bogardus
Leading the News- the Hill

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich plans to appoint former state Attorney General Roland Burris to the Senate seat of President-elect Obama, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The announcement could provoke a fight with Senate Democratic leaders, who have warned they would seat no one to the Senate appointed by Blagojevich.

An official announcement is expected at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday. Burris, 71 and African-American, is a former state comptroller and attorney general of Illinois. He also was Blagojevich’s Democratic primary opponent in the 2002 governor’s race.

Burris was not on the list of preferred candidates that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s White House chief of staff, sent over to Blagojevich’s staff. However, Obama endorsed Burris in his primary battle with Blagojevich.

Read more >>>Here

Obama's true colors: Black, white ... or neither?

Does it really matter what color a person is anymore? According to a story at Yahoo News it seems so.  People are arguing over whether or not Barack Obama is really the first "Black" president.

Is he really half-white or half-black, mixed-raced or multi-racial. Why should we even care? As long as he is not referred to as a "N" word, why should people get all worked up over his ethnicity? 

Why don't just get use to calling him Mr. President!

"A perplexing new chapter is unfolding in Barack Obama's racial saga: Many people insist that "the first black president" is actually not black.
Debate over whether to call this son of a white Kansan and a black Kenyan biracial, African-American, mixed-race, half-and-half, multiracial — or, in Obama's own words, a "mutt" — has reached a crescendo since Obama's election shattered assumptions about race.
Obama has said, "I identify as African-American — that's how I'm treated and that's how I'm viewed. I'm proud of it." In other words, the world gave Obama no choice but to be black, and he was happy to oblige..."