Politics. On Point.

President Obama met with Faith and Civil Rights leaders Thursday at the White House where the group discussed issues important to the African American community. Attendees included Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Attorney Benjamin Crump of the National Bar Association and members of Black Lives Matter. Representative John Lewis and civil rights activist C.T. Vivian, who received a  Presidential Medal of Freedom  from President Obama in 2013, also attended the meeting. The president said the group discussed criminal justice reform, the work of grassroots organizations like Black Lives Matter, and creating a schools-to-college-to-jobs-pipeline in an effort to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline. (Today, the administration launched two campaigns, in partnership with MBK , to address and eliminate chronic student absenteeism).   After their meeting with the president a few attendees met with reporters along the White House driveway. Reverend Al Sharpton of The...

President Obama, in a Friday afternoon daily press briefing shocker, stood at the podium and finally spoke to America about the George Zimmerman verdict. The president spoke to the history of disparity in the justice system, as it relates to African Americans,  and how African Americans are treated in society as a whole.  Speaking on a personal note he said he, too, had been profiled as a young African American male. He also stated that he "could have been Trayvon Martin some thirty years ago." It was time for the president to speak out on this issue that has Americans taking yet another look at race in this country. On why African Americans feel as they do about the verdict, the president said, "African Americans have a set of experiences and history [in this country] that doesn't go away." And he is right. Question, again, continues to be, how do we make it go away? The president ( and we agree ) doesn't believe having talks and town...

In 2013, Still Two Worlds: One Black. One White. Today's White House press briefing started out with press secretary Jay Carney telling reporters how he spent his weekend.   After telling reporters he hoped their weekend was good, he offered an unsolicited take on his own. "Since you asked", joked Carney who described his weekend as "great" and "unbelievable", "I had a great weekend". "I took my son to see Paul McCartney Friday night", Carney said, calling the experience "fantastic". "It’s just a fantastic experience because he’s amazing and his songs are amazing, but to be there with an 11-year-old who also knew all the words is pretty special." Good for you, Mr. Carney. Good for all fathers who still have their sons in their lives and can take them to baseball parks, basketball games, the movies, and Paul McCartney concerts. For one father, and for one family, those events will never happen agai...

Democracy Now has reaction from Latinos on President Obama's latest effort to shield the Latino population from being deported from U.S. soil. The report also has a Washington Post reporter speaking out, actually coming out, about his illegal status and also working and going to school in the United States. Watch below as Representative Luis Gutierrez, head of the Latino Democractic Caucus  speaks on the subject of immigration.  Gutierrez represents a district in Chicago the hometown of the president where the city has shown an increase of Black on Black crime this year. Last weekend nearly 8 people were killed , and scores of others wounded in a deadly display of random gunfire across the city. While many Latinos take to the street to celebrate what many see as a victory for the Latin American community, the African American community, again, take to the streets to have their concerns addressed, protesting in New York against the city's...

Outrage, shock, and dismay continues to spill out over the senseless death of 17 year old promising high school student Trayvon Martin, who was killed on February 26, 2012 in Sanford, Florida by wannabe vigilanty George Zimmerman (may he rot in some place unpleasant). Zimmerman, disguising himself as some sort of vigilanty neighborhood watch patrol official followed, chased down, and killed Martin and claimed self defense as he stood over the deceased Martin with a nine millimeter weapon in his hand. Zimmerman has not been charged, and is free to come and go as he pleases while the Martin family is left fighting for justice for their deceased son. Congresswoman Fredericka Wilson vows to speak from the floor of Congress until Martin's murderer is brought to justice.  It has been 25 days without an arrest of George Zimmerman who has been set free without charge. While President Obama has yet to speak out on the matter, or give a phone call to the Martin family, (even...

While America gears up to celebrate Thanksgiving and President Obama traditionally pardoned ‘Liberty’ and ‘Peace’, two Thanksgiving turkeys who were spared  from ending up on a family's Thanksgiving dinner table, one local family saw both their liberty questioned and their peace interrupted. "Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American", said President Obama today at the White House.  "It’s a day to count our blessings, spend time with the ones we love, and enjoy some good food and some great company." For one Prince Georges County family their   holiday will be marred by the resounding sounds of Prince George’s county police officers   banging at their door. Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee and established attorney for more than two decades and her family, were met early Monday by the sounds of swat and police raiding their home at 5:30 am. “They held us a gunpoint for three hours”, said Arnwine, ...