Politics. On Point.

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, ...

America lost the greatest social and political activist of our time, Gil Scott-Heron, last Friday, May 27.  He was 62. Such an icon is worth mentioning by the current Administration if only for Scott's brilliant poetry, genius, intelligence, insight, and lyrical ability to express through song what America's people have and still are, going through. In this piece, Did You Hear What They Said , Scott speaks to war and the men (in this case) who have died in the U.S. military. The images in the video production portray a very grim, but poignant reminder of the conditions of U.S. veterans returning home from war. "Did you hear what they said", sings Heron.   "They said another brother's dead.  They said he's dead, but he can't be buried.  They said he's dead, but he can't be buried. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon.  This can't be real.  Did you hear about his mother and how she cried?  They said because her only son was dead." ...

Yesterday at the White House, media and students from around the country were treated to a workshop and forum on Motown Legends as part of the White House's celebration of Black History Month . In attendance:  Smokey Robinson, Motown founder Barry Gordy, and artist John Legend.  Mrs. Obama speaks to high school students during Motown student workshop. The event was not only an oral history lesson for the students, but for the media as well.  Where else could you learn that Smokey Robinson credits shows like American Idol for helping today's talented individuals live their dreams?  "When I was starting out, we didn't have that.  Thankfully, I had Berry Gordy", said Robinson.  "He was a man that I could trust." Gordy, who created Motown because he "wanted to be heard, wanted to make money, and wanted to get girls", created his empire with a $800 loan from family members that helped catapult the universally indelible Motown sound....

**Update** View coverage of this event on our sister pages  here . _________________________ On September 7th, First Lady Michelle Obama will invite world renowned dance companies to perform at the Administration’s first event celebrating dance. The White House Dance Series: A Tribute to Judith Jamison will honor Jamison for her outstanding career as an American dancer, choreographer, and Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for the past 20 years. The event, featuring American dance from ballet, modern and contemporary dance, hip hop and Broadway will be held in the White House’s East Room. Alvin Ailey during his early years. The evening event will feature performers from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Billy from Billy Elliot the Musical, The Washington Ballet, Super Cr3w, and New York City Ballet. It will be directed by Damian Woetzel, former principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and member of the...