With the news of the Cotton Bowl game moving to Jerry World in Arlington, critics have again placed the blame at the feet of Laura Miller and the City of Dallas. The mayor and the council are easy targets. I mean it has to be somebody's fault that the new stadium wasn't built in Dallas....right. But the Cowboys, the Cotton Bowl, and one day maybe Texas/OU will all be in Arlington for one reason: a penny It's as simple as that. Anyone who makes it more complicated is trying to sell more newspapers, solicit more listeners, or they are out and out lying. Arlington will finance the new Cowboys stadium the same way that they paid for The Ballpark in Arlington: with a 1¢ sales tax. Many local cities offer citizens public transit with their penny, Arlington builds stadiums for billionaires. This is America, that's their right. Arlington, Texas (the country's 50th most populous city) is the largest city in the U.S. that does not offer its citizens public transportation. In May of 2002, Arlington residents voted against the creation of the Arlington Transit Authority, and effectively voted yes to the new Cowboys project. DART operations are funded by a one-cent sales tax levied by member cities on all ...

Anyone who has followed this blog for a while knows that I have championed the UNT-Dallas campus from the jump (see Education/Salvation or UNT-Dallas opens).  But there's already an institution of higher learning that calls Southern Dallas home. Lately there has been a lot written about the future of Paul Quinn College.  Between the UNT-Dallas campus and the recent resignation of President and CEO Dr. John K. Wadell, there is definitely room for concern.  Paul Quinn relocated from Waco to its current location on Simpson Stuart Road in 1990.  The site was formerly occupied by Bishop College, which moved to Dallas from Marshall in 1961.  Bishop filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1987, and closed its doors in 1988. I interviewed Paul Quinn alum Andre Williams about the school's current status.  He offers passionate and personal insight from a perspective that's been overlooked thus far.  He also suggests an interesting partner to help secure the school's future. Mr. Williams was captain of the 1990 Paul Quinn basketball team that won the National Small School Athletic Association Championship.  He finished his career as Quinn's all-time leader in assists.  He also became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity during his time on campus.  Andre graduated in 1990 and currently works ...

The 7th Annual Texas Karate Heatwave was held on Saturday at Duncanville High School.  The 'A' Rated A.O.K. (Amateur Organization of Karate) tournament is produced by Kristi Shawky of Dale and Kristy's American Karate Academy.  The competition attracted over 450 participants from all over Texas, as well as Louisiana and Arkansas.  The open form event featured Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kung Fu, and other fighting styles. Ms. Shawky is a 5th Degree Black Belt, and has studied martial arts for 21 years.  American Karate Academy, located in Duncanville,  has operated for 15 years with students ranging fro three years old, up to a 70 year-old black belt.  The facility has a full sized boxing ring that accommodates full contact kickboxing.  They also offer a weight room, cardio mat, after school program, and a summer camp. In attendance at the Texas Heatwave was A.O.K. president Barry Guimbellot.  Mr. Guimbellot praised the 'A' rated tournament as one of the state's best.  There are 28 A.O.K. sanctioned tournaments held throughout Texas.  The A.O.K., started in 1978, counts Chuck Norris among its alumni.  Participants in three regions (North, Central, and East), compete all year to earn a birth in the state championship to be held December 8th in Austin.            ...

                                                              The serpent of slavery was wrapped around the legs of the table on which the Declaration of Independence was penned. -  Dr. Eddie Glaude, Princeton University It was that kind of night at Friendship-West Baptist Church Thursday, when Tavis Smiley brought is Covenant in Action Tour to Dallas.  From the quote I used to start this post, some may erroneously assume that the town hall meeting was the normal finger pointing/blame game session that has too often characterized these types of event.  But like the Sankofa bird, The Covenant Movement has its feet firmly planted in the present while facing the future, but with a keen eye glancing at the past to ensure it's not forgotten.  Mr. Smiley and Dr. Eddie Glaude walked the 2,000-plus attendees through some of the issues in the black community that The Covenant With Black America is designed to address. One of the themes that Tavis opened with, and came back to throughout the night was the need for the African-American community to reformulate and redefine its concept of leadership.  He made a distinction to the audience between Black Leaders and Leading Blacks, noting that some of American's ...

Don't forget about the Covenant In Action Tour happening tonight!!! Covenant In Action Tour Tavis Smiliey, Dr. Eddie Glaude, and Dr. Cornell West Thursday February 22, 7pm - 9pm Friendship-West Baptist Church Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Senior Pastor 2020 Wheatland Road, Dallas Texas http://www.covenantwithblackamerica.com/

The North Texas Liberal posted a great clip from You Tube on their site a few days ago and they gave credit to Right of Texas for turning them on to this great local story (maybe we all can just get along).  I actually watched this video when it aired on ABC World News Tonight while visiting my in-laws a few weeks ago.  The story details the efforts of Bert Brady, a local man who has made it his business to ensure that the soldiers returning home from Iraq are greeted with a handshake, a smile, and a heartfelt "thank you".  The soldiers and their families were very grateful for the welcome they received from he and others who travel to DFW Airport week after week. I was inspired by Mr. Brady, and wrote down his name immediately after the story aired.  I called DFW to find out about their Welcome Home A Hero Program, but have yet to act upon the information that I received.  In the coming weeks I plan to join Mr. Brady at DFW, and will let you know about my experience.  I hope you enjoy the following clip as much as I did.

Person of the Week - Bert Brady - Welcome Home - ABC News

MSN has an article today drudging up the annual debate on the relevance of Black History month. (see Americans Divided Over Black History Month).  The article cites an MSN-Zogby poll of 10,000 Americans where surveyed about their feelings on the observance. The survey found that 43% of Americans felt that Black History Month is a token gesture and 39 percent said that it is an opportunity to raise awareness of African-American history and accomplishments.  64% of African-Americans polled said the observance is a good way to raise awareness of African-American history and accomplishments. I think this is a poorly worded survey, but the results are not shocking.  Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that suggests African-American's be singled out is shunned in this country.  The day that all black folks become fully assimilated into "American" culture and history is the day that history can be more easily rewritten and absolve America from the shame of slavery and Jim Crow semi-slavery. And why would anyone claim that black history month is a token gesture?  To claim that this is a token gesture is to credit the dominant culture with creating the celebration.  The article fairly points out that Black History Month sprang from ...

Looks like there will be a positive conclusion to the Adult Video Store fiasco in Oak Cliff.  Scott Goldstein wrote a thoughtful well-researched article in Saturday's Dallas Morning News where he reported the owners of the proposed New Fine Arts were willing to leave the area.  In Sunday's Morning News, Scott reports that a meeting has been scheduled between storeowners and community leaders. This effort has shown what is a continuing trend of increasing organization in Southern Dallas.  Three or four years ago, this effort may not have been pulled together so quickly.  But over the course of 4-weeks, local churches, advocates, news outlets, city and state officials, as well as hard working citizens all made contributions to what should eventually be a positive solution. According to the articles, the owners want to be compensated for the money that they have already invested into the project.  What???  They made a poor decision to move to a neighborhood without checking with the residents first, and we have to pay them off?  Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.  Had they just done a little due diligence, they would have realized a long time ago that this wasn't the time or place for this ...

Bob and Donovan Get Tricky!