Ask Roland

@Amajid Rajiq...I agree that Americans need to heal from prejudice and racism to all people...unfortunately I know very little about Muslims, faith, culture etc....but I ask everyone to forgive my ignorance, blame it on my head and not my heart. Since age 3 I alwys dreamed of a world full will love and brotherhood. I dare not claim to know anything for certain than what is in my heart. These matters have plague mankind from the begining. I do know that all we have on this planet was given freely to us from God to share with each other, yet we profit at the expense of others...the expense of great possibilities we all are capable to achieve if only we knew how great the power of Love can heal and rebuild. It saddens me to know that there are so many people, all over the world who genuinely want peace, happiness and prosperity for all, and yet the few who do not, controls the powers that be. I wish it was possible to celebrate all cultures, and I could travel the world without fear. We all must address the same issues of hate, prejudice, greed, corruption and fear within our own races and cultures....it truly starts there. Stay encouraged my brother...do what you can on a daily basis to promote love, peace and brotherhood...and with all my heart...so will I. Your Christian Sister, Angela.

Read your article on the Mosque issue. I am from Pakistan and studied in US in 89-92. reading the public comments under your article on CNN really made me worried. Is this a true reflection of US mind set now days on Muslims ? if so then God help us. Extremism begets extremism. If Americans do not take a deep breath and review the global situation calmly, they will become extremist themselves thus giving success to the extremist of other side who intend to throw the world in chaos of extremism.

I think it will a shame if Park 51 is relocated. If I were brokering the deal for relocation I would ask that (1) it is moved and constructed on state-owned property and (2) the government pays for all construction costs and maintenance for the building. You want tolerance, then pay for it. Let's see how the opposition swallows that bit of hate.

Who's next, the Muslims in New York, The Hispanics in Arizona, or even perhaps Blacks all over the nation all over again. Now I am just as american as an American can be. It's always been that chevrolet, apple pie and baseball has been the american way. I will add one unspoken ingredent to the mix in the minds of many, and that be Christianity. But that don't make it exclusively right. That being said, I could be just as wrong in saying that all white people live by the creed of the Klan. All muslims are not terrorists,did not innocent ones die in the towers also ? All mexicans are not illegal, but many are exploited for cheap labor by the rich. All blacks are not slackers, most I know are productive tax paying law abiding citizens. And all whites are not owners of the mindset of superority, but enough are, if it were not, it would be no need for me to pen this message. Thanks for listening, Abdulaoblagodta.

Dr Laura's comment on black comedians on HBO using the "N" word being ok but what if a black person call someone a "REDNECK" would that be ok? I've heard white people call each other redneck even use redneck to title their songs or programs so blacks using the "N" word
towards each other they know what they mean.

Hello,

Please aire my story to help prove and show, Racism is still Alive! Bigger than ever..

On August 10, 2010 between 2:30pm MST and 2:45pm MST, I called Dr Laura, to discuss a issue I was having with my husband and the fact that he is white and let's his friends and family talk bad about black people.

Dr Laura, proceeded to say the word "n*****, n*****, n*****, n*****!" She then put me on hold, when she came back to the line. She asked me what I thought about that...I told her I didn't not agree with her using that word. Dr Laura continued to use the word "n*****" at least four more times during our conversation. Dr Laura, then proceeded to tell me how black people voted for Obama because he was half white and half black, and that we wanted it. Dr Laura goes on the bash the NAACP, and said we were on a "power trip." Dr Laura, said they say the word N***** is frequently used on HBO so why could she not use it. Needless to say I was "flabbergasted and still am!"

I contacted the station manager at the local radio station her 105.5 KRDO, whom also admitted that they had heard Dr Laura make "nigger comments" and said they have contacted her already about this. I went on Dr Laura website to try on retrieve this when I noticed it was conveniently deleted. Luckily I recorded some of the conversation, but not all of it. Now Dr Laura, is trying to cover her tracks and it is not fair. I am terrible disturbed that this woman thought it was okay to use this word, like it was water dripping down her back!! She is a coward hiding behind the microphone.


Someone needs to find these tapes!!!! Dr Laura is worse than Mel Gibson. Please help me.....


"Jade"

I would like to know if there were any African American female candidates that were potentials for the spot of the Supreme Court Judge? Were there no African American female Judges that fit the requirements. I'm a little in despair with President Obama... I can't understand his reason for the choice in this last selection. I hope I wasn't misguided and voted for the wrong person for the wrong reasons.

Ang.

Outlawing guns will not make us a safer nation.

I am appaled by the lack of respect accorded our president, by calling him bam or O,bama, i have never seen this level of disrespect shown any president in my lifetime and i am in my 60's, we
should all be up in arms, not only about the disrespect to our president, but to us as a race as well.

Mckey Shawn Johnson Mckey Shawn Johnson/ MR.BALLIN_BROKE message to PRESIDENT OBAMA:
how to fix the Economy:
IF ALL EMPLOYERS/ALL COMPANIES/RESTAURANTS/MALLS- from 1st year businesses to major fortune 500k companies IN EVERY STATE-every city-small country towns:
IF ALL OF THESE BUSINESSES WOULD JUST HIRE 2 PEOPLE_2 APPLICANTS-that would end this RECESSION..
People aren't spending any money because they don't have any money.
and LISTEN TO THIS:
IF SOMEONE TAKE A JOB FOR LESS $..OR LESS THAN THEIR WORTH(BEING THEIR TRADE, AGE,EDUCATION, WHAT HAVE YOU), AND THEY ARE ALREADY RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENIFITS, THE UNEMPLOYEMENT COMMISSION NEEDS TO FORK UP THE REST TO GET THAT PERSON/OR PERSON'S FAMILY BACK ON THEIR FEET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN SUPPORT THEMSELVES.
THE UMEMPLOYMENT COMMISSION SHOULD BE PLEASED BECAUSE NOW THEY AREN'T PUTTING UP ALL OF MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE FAMILIES. AND WHATEVER BUSINESS AGREES TO THIS IDEA SHOULD GET SOME KIND OF TAX BREAK.

Mr. Martin, can you name the news director? Because even if you don't receive justice, his priors and his futures will have a time stamp, and he will receive a public viewing which might help him correctively attend to his hiring practices.

For someone who purports to present an objective, reasoned view of the news, I find it odd that you have been unusually quiet about this video from a recent NAACP event. Why the double-standard?

http://www.breitbart.tv/video-proof-the-naacp-awards-racism/

Ms. Foster states that Black people will not take the jobs that the people that I refer to as illegal immigrants perform. First, they are illegal immigrants. This is an accurate definition. The fact that she has a problem properly defining their status is telling. It appears that her opinion is not factual, but is emotional. It appears that Stephanie had bought into to the self degrading and self hating myth that black people are lazy. What she misses is the fact that Black people historically did those jobs and were able to make enough money to support their families on the wages. Black people were able to put their children through college working as porters, landscapers, farm workers, etc. I grew up in the seventies and had black teenage friends who excitedly looked forward to doing seasonal labor. They bragged about the good money made doing those jobs. The problem is that “illegal immigrants” were willing to undercut the wages paid so that is hard in some case to even make minimum wage. That is why the jobs often pay $7.25 per hour or less. History proves that the issue is not that black people are not willing to take the jobs, it that black people (and most Americans) are not willing to take the jobs at the low wages for paid illegal labor. Black people, like everyone else will work where there is real money. We are not willing to work for slave wages or under the inhuman conditions created by illegal labor. In modern time, the hospitality, agriculture and other industries are run by large corporations who are simply looking to replicate in America the slave labor found in places like China and India. The illegal immigrant market is driven by greed. Black people have already had that slavery and sharecropping gig and simply want to be paid the true market value of the labor. Illegal immigrants often live in third world conditions and send home 40% percent of their earning back home. This money is not circulated in the local economy. Illegal immigrants are participates in an illegal conspiracy to undercut American labor. It not blaming others for our problems, it is accurately pointing of the consequences of the actions of illegal immigrants. Maybe illegal immigrants should stop blaming other for the problems caused by their illegal immigration. I don’t see illegal immigrants protesting the stringent illegal immigration policies of their home countries. Truth is truth and some of us just want to put legal Americans first

Roland, after seeing you twice this week on CNN, including just moments ago on Reliable Sources, I can tell you right now that people like you played a huge role in my decision to switch over to Fox News as my main source for 24/7 news coverage**

You're disrespectful and highly childish in the way you discredit people you debate with. It sickened me to see you bash Fox News, saying they have an objective by reporting this story and having members of the New Black Panther Party as guests. NEWSFLASH ROLAND: If it wasn't for Fox News, people like me would hardly know this story even existed and that's what's disturbing.

This was a highly credible case with video evidence and testimonies from people there that day and you've got this absolutely horrid Attorney General Eric Holder who won't answer questions as to why the case was mostly dropped. The same guy who called us a nation of cowards when it comes to race. Damn hypocrite. Thank God for Fox News continuing to push this story, because Lord knows it won't be CNN or hardly any other news org. trying to get some answers. Because in your view, since they are a fringe group, we should just ignore what they did and give this story minimal coverage. Um, yeah, real responsible journalism right there.

**I'm a 22 year old white male from Indiana who was a big Obama supporter during the campaign when, at the time, CNN was my one and only source of news I relied on. After being disappointed time and time again with Obama's agenda after being elected, I started watching Fox News and it was clear to me who wasn't afraid to do some real and serious reporting, regardless of the historic nature of the first black president. All the signs were there during the campaign, but I missed them largely due to my reliance on CNN for unbiased coverage.

So Roland, every time you show up on CNN with YOUR AGENDA, remember that it's people like you that are the reason Fox News has much better ratings and people like me switch from CNN to Fox for much more reliable fair and balanced reporting.

Mr. Martin, Since you, Stephen A. Smith, April Ryan and others seem to think you have all the answers why don't one of you run for president? I have watched your show since it stated to air on TV One mainly because I want to show support for a black owend TV station and the shows it promotes. But I will not continue to support a TV show that continues to blame Barack Obama for all the ills in this country. I know losing my support will not harm your ratings or make any difference to you but I will not turn my back on our president. No one man can correct all the trouble inside the black community. How to you start to cure some of these issues? Get off drugs, take advantage of the education system that is free of charge, eat collards, green beans, lima beans anc chicken. Not neck bones and fatback. Be responsible for yourself.

Roland! First I would like to say I enjoy your commentary. I would like you to look in to a very interesting Story the Scott sisters of Mississippi. I have sent Jesse Jackson emails and called his office and Al Sharpton and his office as well. here is the link to the case / story. I think you will find it interesting enough to comment on and bring to the attention of any leader that will listen http://freethescottsisters.blogspot.com/ As an African american man I couldn't believe that this happen in the country we call the home of the free. I humbly ask that you take 5 min to read !

J. Bates

In the article you wrote about how James going to Miami, you said that James didn't owe the people of Cleveland anything and in some respects I can see how you are right, but at the same time I can see how he short changed those fans because he did not have class. I'm from Minnesota and when Kevin Garnett left Minnesota he did so because it was the best decision for himself and his family and although fans were sad to see him go, most of them were happy for him and cheered for Boston in 2008 because he went out and gave it his all throughout his career in Minnesota. I dont think anyone would say that about James in the 2010 post season.
I would like to know if you think that James should or could have organized his departure from Cleveland differently.

Roland would you happen to know the number of black elected officials throughout America?

Hello Mr. Martin: I watch Washington Watch every Sunday. My question and my primary concern is what is going to happen to the young future Native Born Black American, (not the blacks that speak with an accent, or the blacks who came to America whether by plane or by ship but black people whose ancestry goes back into slavery? We as a people have no leader, the youth of today not only is not aware of our history and what we contributed to this country they don't care. They don't even realize that we (they) are continually being exploited whether by drugs and guns in our communities or by so-called disrespectful hip-hop produced by corporate America and that the government had failed them, when they took the black fathers' responsibility away from the black family; by not reinforcing laws and employment opportunties and training for men (black men mostly) to take care and be there for their children but instead gave us females welfare and Section 8 ; they still or putting self-destructing weapons (i.e. drugs, guns, television, music etc.) in our communities, which has caused the black man to get too complacent and ignorant, wanting the easy out causing them to get killed, die or incarated. The other issue that's annoying me is the immigrants they are in this country legally or illegally stating falsely that they so-called built this country and are an asset, which in reality they are on the native American Black bandwagon. They are taking advantage of what Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X died for; equal opportunity and fairness for all people. Soon, if not this weekend you will probably discuss President Obama's position on immigration reform? My feeling is oh-well, I don't think it will be on his to-do list for too long", he has to much on his plate; the Gulf and BP, the country is still in a recession; the very nasty and disrespectul Republicians, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the overall state of this country and most important the overall safety of his family and his self. I wish you a lovely and safe weekend. We are not yet independent so I will not wish you a happy 4th.
K. Layton, New Jersey.

Roland what are all the Haters of Obama saying now that a federal judge has block his moratorium to stop drilling in the golf for six months this shows all the B.S. that goes along with what is really going on. Know doubt in my mind what this all about but maybe this needs to be spelled out to all the Haters who do not understand and can not comprehend.

Mr. Martin, I have a question. Do the Bushes' have any ties with BP?

Roland,
How do we, the real people, out in the hinterlands, begin to " push" for you to get a network "high" profile anchor spot? We need a fairer-more-down- to- earth-person to fairly critique President Obama.? Roland , the President is doing everything he can humanly possible do and it just does not seemed to be enough. I understand the "need" for the media to be the watchdog. However, this treatment is a "blood sport". If he does not "scream and jump up and down", then he does not care; if he utters a stronger statement, he is playing for the camera and he is submitting to the "media " pressure. What is this man suppose to do? I do believe the next general election cycle, there should be "hundreds" of candidates. These "candidates" seem to know how and what the presidency is all about and would certainly know "what to do" and "how to do" in every situation. These TV/cable shows need to hear from real people.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/troosevelt.asp,
This has been emailed around Kuwait, and I just need your opinions(all who read) on this statement. This is coming from the "the good ole boys(contractors) here.

One of the disturbing problems is how the media is over rating the Gulf spill. I watch the weather channel and they perpetuated a video of the oil under water spilling out in droves however when I notice the date and time of the video, it has been the same one since 5-6-10!!! The media plays on the ignorance of the people in order to stir up anger. Also the media attempts to get the President of the US to have emotion of anger so they can put him down just like they did Bush. They did not like the fact that he was a Christian and they always attacked his faith and also they attempted to prepetuate that He was ignorant. Recal the "Weapons of Mass Destruction? and also the Katrina disaster. Now they are using this Gulf spill to over shadow Katrina. So I would like to know how much of this is politics?

Why in HE.........l is CNN not broadcasting the Glenn Beck story????

They also had rock and roll bigot, Ted Nuggent, on a segment and there was not one word about his previous racist threats and vile anti-Obama vitriol. It's bad enough that they have that far right wing kook Erickson.
CNN needs to do an entire segment on Glenn Beck's latest outrage.

Whenever I hear Martin's bombastic comments and the gratuitous grandstanding preacher mannerisms that predictably come along with them, I now immediately mute the sound or change the station until that segment ends. Sorry to say, tent-revival rolly-polly Roland is typical of many American blacks that hate Jews and Israel, and have very little knowledge of Middle Eastern history, both past and present.

For example, Martin made an especially snide and antagonistic comment last year in which he found the need to repeat several times within one segment, that "Israel cannot have its own way," meaning that the nation doesn't have the right to assert itself, especially on land issues. Naturally, Martin probably doesn't know the intrinsic reasons as to why this dispute even exists, and he probably doesn't know whom the original inhabitants of Israel were who long preceded the Jews and Arabs.

By the way, I would still support Israel even if were not a democracy, which is certainly admirable, as that is not the germane basis for its existence. Moreover, I would additionally support Israel even if were a primitive backwater of tents and huts, rather than a pioneer of computer microchips and solar technology, simply because Israel's existence is solely based upon the historical claims more than amply supported by archaeology and demographics.

Notwithstanding, the expression "your own way" implies that an advanced nation like Israel, with over three millennia of Jewish intellectuality and scholarship as part of its resume, is immature, when the comments generated by the individual making the accusation denotes actual immaturity by failing to support his argument based upon historical evidence.

Where is all the millions donated to Haiti ????

Is numerical diversity more important than qualification? Do you think it's possible that if three white people are hired for three job openings it's because they were the most qualified, not because they were white? Do you think the color of someone's skin should take precedence over the content of their character?

You, sir, are a race-profiteer. You see everything through the prism of race. It's your stock and trade; your bread and butter.

I think you'd be a much better commentator and a much better person if you got off your Jesse Jackson soapbox and actually tried to use logic, reason, and fact in your commentary.

Dear Roland -------- Exactly why I am an independent. Today's GOP, with their Party Loyalty oaths, and partisan lockstep goosestepping, remind me of a similar group who were fighting against a Communist takeover, and all wore brownshirts in the 30s--- There is no room in today's GOP for anyone who bucks the Party line. --- That is disturbing beyond measure!! At least the Dems often vote against party lines.------ I see only conformity to propagandistic talking points in the current GOP/RNC......They are currently a 19% affiliation Party for just this exclusionary character---It is a party with the narrowest of demographics-- Minority affiliation under 5%--- So they don't speak for All Americans--- Not even close!!!!!! -- I am tired of them claiming they are (When their not) for their Obstruction,Misinformation/disinformation, and general lack of ideas!!! They Run as Conservatives but spend like liberals--- They are Social Conservative's who have no credibility as fiscal conservative's!!! I'm glad Crist is bucking the GOP -- with their fascist like, Party above Country loyalty oaths--- Extravagant First class RNC Spending machine-- Incendiary empty drums like Palin, Beck, Rush, Newt, Mitch, and Hannity!!! I'd rather there were no parties -- Dem. Or Rep.--Only Independents in the future!!!!

Roland --- Like your fire --- Don't you think the press as a whole are being patsy's to the GOP------ In the Past investigative reporter's wouldn't let Politicians get away with Misinformation/Disinformation -- Partisan Propagandistic, spin, like we get today on Fox News !!! Isn't it time someone called out the Republicons for their half /1/4 /1/8 /0 truths??-----This is exactly why I am an independent. Today's GOP, with their Party Loyalty oaths, and partisan lockstep goosestepping, remind me of a similar group who were fighting against fabricated Communist takeovers, and all wore brownshirts in the 30s!!! --- There is no room in today's GOP for anyone who bucks the Party line. --- That is disturbing beyond measure!! At least the Dems often vote against party lines.------ Today, I see only conformity to propagandistic talking points in the GOP/RNC......They are currently a 19% affiliation Party for just this exclusionary character!!! ---It is a party with the narrowest of demographics-- Minority affiliation under 5%---( By the way I'm white!!! ) They don't speak for All Americans --- Not even close!!!!!! -- I am tired of them claiming they do . I have grown weary of their Obstruction,Misinformation/disinformation, and general lack of ideas!!! They Run as Conservatives but spend like liberals!!!! --- They are Social Conservative's who have no credibility as fiscal conservative's!!! I'm glad Crist is bucking the Republican hierarchy -- with their fascist like, Party above Country loyalty oaths --- Extravagant First class RNC Spending machine-- Incendiary empty drums like Palin, Beck, Rush, Newt, Mitch, and Hannity!!! I'd rather there were no parties -- Dem. Or Rep.--Only Independents in the future!!!! But please let someone call them what they are a minority party with very few ideas!!!

I have been shot multiple times twice with a Shotgun once in the chest,I have been in and out of penitentiaries and other institutions since the 60's. I went homeless and uneducated to an involuntary rehab in 97. I began volunteering to speak at school's and jails by request of that rehab and a homeless shelter in Stockton Ca..I opened NA& AA 's at the homeless shelter. I got a GED and continued to speak.In 98 I went to college I took Psych. I learned about the responses and influences of drugs on the brain as well as the reasons we have Recidivism as addicts.I quit school and started training those that were socially challenged like me to understand the effect of drugs to the brain before and during addiction as well as truck driving. I opened a school for some people that heard of my success with entities such as the then Private Industry Council (PIC) now (work net) here in Ca.. I quit that co. because of issues regarding the length of time spent on substance abuse training and in 03 started opening my own school. I couldn't get help from banks so I went to family, friends and GOD, I didn't start with a lot but GOD made it enough, I got my Post-Secondary in 04 and opened for business 3-15-04. Every year I would grow by 30% I opened the main branch in Modesto Ca. and a Branch in Stockton Ca. I trained everyone but my passion was those like me that don't know how to live. I spoke at the Blk. & Brn. summit at the university of Ca. in 08 and in 09 at at the university of Stanislaus on the subject of drug addiction ( specifically 'crack' and 'crystal') and recidivism...I have successfully trained and put to work over 1000 men and women . This information is documented with the State of Ca.. 1-5-10 the economy took me out of business physically meaninig Ive lost my equipment and the buildings and I can't get loans because banks including the SBA won't help. So I'm reaching out for that help as well I did make a promise in Inglewood Ca. to return with FREEDOM'S TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOL Inc as soon as I was able; I believe that there are those that have issues learning from those that they feel they have nothing in common with and not only do I have alot in common with those like me I have a passionate love to get it done and I'm failing on that promise, I also want to volunteer for whatever support group that goes to Chicago Ill. I don't believe GOD will keep me from that. As far as that brain on drugs information that I said I UNDERSTAND try me. By the way yesterday 4-29-10, I heard Mr.Martin speak on something and it made me extremely proud to know that he has them kind of muscles. thanks,

Rome

Rome

Mr. Martin, I had a School FREEDOM' TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOL Inc.. This School was created to address a need,I, selfishly, began training people out of my neighborhood to drive trucks and as well, Substance abuse awareness. I was raised in California's institutions (from 60 to 96) I never really went to school and evaluated through prison aptitude tests as having a 3rd. grade education. I did alot of drugs that resulted in me being shot twice with a shotgun (once in the face and once in the heart) stabbed countless times and still I would return to drugs. In 96 I was arrested and given a chance to get a GED then I was given the opportunity to go to college...there I took psych. and once I understood addiction, all I wanted after that was to help people like me, homeless, uneducated socially challenged and on drugs. I have worked at 4 different truck driving schools' prior to opening FREEDOM'S, but at all of them I found a way to reach that segment of society that I felt needed me. I have a post secondary and documented I have successfully trained over a thousand men and women of all races but I have also successfully educated countless men and women on addiction that have not used again, I believe that the tiny bit of information that I have on neurotransmitters and the limpic system/nervous system and the way drugs manipulate the brain and how that information is delivered has a lot to do with those successes. I also believe that I was destined to loose my training instrument because of this and because of my history... even the 'SBA' wouldn't give me a loan, the Bank I dealt with no-matter how much money I made wouldn't give me help such as a line of credit. So now Mr. Martin, I have a post secondary but I don't have the equipment nor the buildings anymore and I'm being attacked. I probably sound ridiculous but if I could have someone to investigate this charge Ive made in an unbiased way I know I would be vindicated...
I was in business successfully in growth from 03 until 08 at that time I suffered like all people suffered but in 08 I spoke at an interracial meeting on recidivism ( addicts returning to institutions) I made the local newspaper twice on that issue Aug.2nd.-3rd.08 and I also spoke in Nov. 09 but since then Life has became harder and harder, it's true, the economy was also getting worse but it wasn't insurmountable I closed my doors 1-5-10. Mr. Martin I believe that I would be a great asset in Inglewood, Ca. as well as Chicago, Ill. I simply need help to get there and help those that are uneducated and socially challenged like me.
Rome

Roland, A friend just sent me a copy of the tribute for my soror Dr. Height. Can you tell me why
they didn't list the President's name in the program under "THe President of the United States" Barack H. Obama. Years from now, the young people won't know that it was President Barack Hl. Obama who attended this great lady's funeral. Everyne else name was printed out, but his. How disrespectful and if done on purpose, what idiot made that decision? This serves no historical value and disrespects Dr. Heights' work and the President's historical election..

Roalnd,

Thank you so so much for Telling Rick like it is. There is no way that the florida football player should have been asked such a question.. Great interview.. Keep up the good work.

Roland, I have been impressed by your straight forward, level headed approach to the issue you address on CNN.
I have a problem with what seems to be your bent toward putting all "Gun Owners" in the same box.
I collect guns. I do this not because I feel I need them, rather because I select and pick them as collectible items. Some I take to the range to shoot, more for the experience of a historic weapon than any other reason.
I hunt and fish. I wish that folks in your line of work would give those of us who own guns for the pleasure of owning guns a break. Don't vilify us for the action of those - like you pointed out - that are hell bent on breaking the law.

When is somebody going to start looking out for black people in this immigration? Al Sharpton and President Obama are pandering for votes and political clout. Black people are not served by influx of illegal immigrants. Black people had the highest rate of unemployment. Illegal immigrants take jobs desperately needed by black people and drive down wages. Anybody who does not know that is simply fooling themselves. Who cleaned the homes and picked the fruit before illegal immigrants? Black people. Black people need entry level jobs that do not require extensive skills. Additionally, many immigrants are taking construction jobs which not only inhibits black people’s ability to obtain employment, but drives down the wages for those who have jobs; black and white. Finally, there is some political clout in being the largest minority. Hispanics are displacing that political power held by black solely thorough illegal immigration. The racial profiling allegation is total nonsense. All the law states is that if, in the course of a legal stop, the officer had reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally, they can investigation that issue. This is law already. Who is looking out for the average black person? Nobody!

Black people will not take the jobs I see most people I think you refer to as illegal immigrants perform. I am 52 years old and I don't know a single black person under my age who would go and clean houses or pick fruit for $7.25 per hour. Wake up.. Our young men and women think having children, receiving ADIC and living in section 8 housing it living the american dream. Stop trying to find someone to blame for the short comings of black people.

When is somebody in Arizona going to wake up and take a step back and recognize Al Sharpton didn't vote GOP Tea Party activist into office. Black people need to step up more when immigrants have to stand down. We have to remember, Rep Joe Wilson, called Obama a lie! YOU LIE! YOU LIE wasn't shouted out at Secretary of the Interior Salazar. SB1070 was the GOP endgame, if they had kept the White House with a McCain victory. There is no political clout in America when it comes to immigration. Immigration was turned into the GOP new Human Economic Opportunity at the Southern Border aka the "Border Beat." Bush/Cheney had a plan, and all those people who put them into office had a plan too! SB1070 "Trespassing in the GOP America First Degree" So black people need to look out for themselves. The clocks were turned back, and the only displacing the political power of black people is the disconnect of racial profiling. It's not nonsense, because you are no different than the Professor who was trying to go through the backdoor! Keep the cars coming! Keep the cars coming! Even after "willingly" and "knowingly" yelling "keep the cars coming." We have a problem! SB1070 has been attempted over and over since 2001. One way or another, this too much "Chicken and Change" attitude was going to come to an end.
Because the GOP thinks America sold them out for some "Chicken and Change." SB1070 is the GOP TEA PARTY GOP "Get BACK, the GOP PAYBACK! So black people need step up and help "reform" and not just "enforcement" measures come about. Because Sarah Palin, and the Glen Becks of the world could careless about a immigrant! They're calling you a "lie" where's your papers! No Papers! 3/5th for him! 3/5th for him too! If you read the bill!

Cagedvoter's reply is a convoluted, incoherent, collection of catch phrases and slogans that in no way begins to address my factually correct comments. The fact is that black folks are hurt the most by the import of low skill labor. Out of kindness I won’t say much more because the plethora of lose associations made by Cadgedvoter are classic symptoms of someone who is intelligent, but suffering from schizophrenia.

What happened to barack Obama's plan to raise the iincome limits on Social Security?

What is your take on Louis Gates Jr.'s New York Times op ed article re: reparations, the idea that the descendants of American slaves should receive compensation for their ancestors’ unpaid labor and bondage. Do you think that Prof. Gates is a sell out and trying to profit by selling his theory by way of the profitable lecture and the inevitable book signing tour?

Roland, you are right; Americans are stupid. This country is filled with right-wing, reactionary moron nut bags. Very sad.

I am 55 years old Afro-American and I have been unfairly targeted/profiled by Police and without good cause too many times. I do know that there are Bad Apples in the Police Enforcement Agencies and that they do lie. I give credit to the Policemen who risk their lives to protect us and still can remain to be upstanding people with intigrity. My question is will this Bill apply to all illegals...even those who are not Hispanics and will the same rules apply if they happen to be of a European decent such as Russians...or cultures that have accents and dark skins? Will their rights be violated by the enforcement of this Bill?

Roland, I saw your 'stupid' comment on AC360. Although typically everyone considers it professionally a 'bad idea' to call the American Public, or the American Voters 'stupid' there are cases when no other term will do. This is one of those time!! I applaud your honesty, and your willingness to EMPHATICALLY stick your neck out, and when given a chance to backtrack, your willingness to stick to your guns. Good for you!

I also appreciated the comment from your colleague, who stated Swift: "People can't be reasoned out of something they didn't reason into." Rather than contradict you, this comments supports your assessment of stupidity. "What does 'reason' have to do with it? Don't bother me with the facts... My mind is made up."

As AC pointed out earlier in the day, there is incontrovertible evidence from official sources in Hawaii documenting the b.c. Even without this, BHO's birth was noted in the vital statistics section of the newspaper at the time. Did someone back then predict that a baby born in Kenya was going to run for president years later, and insert this notice fraudulently to provide a 'future cover'?

I'd like to believe most American voters are intelligent, but there are some that are unequivocally STUPID. I believe the quality of debate will actually be --improved-- by honestly stating this when the discussion cannot otherwise proceed rationally. GOOD JOB!!

I like you Roland Martin but I do not think it was very appropriate for you to call the Republicans from Arizona 'stupid' concerning the proposed birth certificate law. They may be doing stupid things but I think it is important to separate the act from the people. Sometimes just a show of plain respect to each other as human beings goes a long way to establishing respect for ourselves.
Well meant

Roland-Thanks for telling it like it is!! Birthers are STUPID! Someone finally had the guts to call it like it is--Good for you! -Pete N.-Jamestown NY

Hello Roland,
I have watched your shows and have really been informed and impressed with hearing from competent Black Americans. However, I am concern that as a Black-American Our political persons use inclusive words like our black/brown brothers. I live in Los Angeles California and the political point of view is to support Hispanic concern; legal, and illegal. Black families and children are getting lost in the politics. Even the Black representatives do not advocate for black concerns like many of our "brown brothers"

This Tea Party bashing is another form of hate mongering. The same tactics used by Republicans on the issue of patriotism. It's a joke, but that's what politics is about. The Dems see the party as a threat, so they inflate the "hate speech." Look, 80 percent of those who voted for McCain in the election will, without a doubt, vote Republican in 2012, and most who voted for Obama will vote democrat. Are there idiotic loons in the tea party? Of course there are, but no more so than any other major democratic movement that demonstrates. I know people in the party (if we really want to call it a party), and even though I disagree with them on a host of issues, they just seem like people who are passionate, and tired of politicians. That doesn't make you stupid. HALF of the people who voted for Obama couldn't tell you why? Many would say, "I agree with his economic agenda," but that same person had no clue exactly WHAT the agenda was. THAT's the definition of stupid. It's as idiotic as anything the tea party is doing. Many voted for McCain simply because he served in the military, as if that qualifies him to run a country. Also.....STUPID. When will people realize that politics has nothing to do with what's right for the citizens, but rather, staying in power. Both sides are often full of shite. And pundits such as Mr. Martin are PAID to submit partial ideological opinions. That's his job, and I have no problem with that. No different than Hannity (okay, okay..... Hannity does spew more BS than just about anyone with a mic and a camera). Leave the tea party alone. Whatever they deserve, they will get. But you liberals who bashed Bush (and rightly so, in many cases) want to squelch the speech of the tea party and conservative commentators who are invited to speak at universities..... well, you're the ones who really look stupid. Can we have one standard please? And to you conservatives: You do not have all of the answers to the economy. Things will not be "hunky dory" if you win in 2012. The economy is what it is, and there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties. Stop blaming Obama for everything. Look, Republicans, half of the country hates you. The sooner that people can stop clinging to an ideology (at any cost), the sooner we can really "move on." There are few independent thinkers in this country. More people should give it a try.

Roland Martin - In these bad economic times, CNN and yourself need to produce a special on t FOX news - specifically Glenn Beck and his inflammatory comments, Tea Party, and the rise of NSM - segregation started as a fringe idea, the Nazi Party started as a fringe idea - very timely. You must dismantle, confront, and crush those ideas of hate.

FYI - www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sQ7JCgbYc4

Roland,

Nice rant on how it's okay to beat your kids. You might want to rethink that "I got spanked and I turned out okay" defense. Had you not been spanked, I might be writing to President Martin.

Here's some research by a noted Duke psychologist on why it's okay to spank black kids, but not white. I don't agree with him, but I do understand his point:
http://www.committedparent.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/why-its-harmless-to-spank-your-kids-if-theyre-black/
See what you think.

~ Mark Brady

I would like to open by saying I listen to you, Tom Joyner, and Rev. Sharpten almost every day. Roland you are so on the money. We need to stop worrying about the Tea Party and other nonsense and put in to plan and act on what we need to do. Yes, we do not rally, picket, do petition campaigns, or anything to change things today. One of the problems is we have allow our so called leaders to do, say, and act for us. My feeling is that you can not represent me if you have not talked with me so we can make choices together. Most leaders today do not include the rest of us especially our younger and young adults in this process. Yes, we need to get back to doing for ourselves for the changes, help change, add and/or improve. I live in Boston and how do I connect with the who's in with doing, taking action. Roland you are so on point with your comments and I truly appreciate hearing them. If you ever come to Boston please sure that it is well advertised.

Hey Roland,
Read your article over at CNN regarding confederates as terrorists and I thought you had some interesting points. The only issue I had with the article was that although you did show some strong similarities between Nazi's and confederates I feel as if the use of the term "terrorist" is definitely misplaced. They simply weren't terrorists. They didn't randomly kill people to strike fear in a population. Although they brutally mistreated blacks in the south the goal was not to terrorize them rather it was merely for economic gains. Likewise I don't believe you could consider Nazi's terrorists. Again, I am not defending Nazi's its just that they don't really fit the definition. I know terrorism is a emotional word these days but we shouldn't lose sight of what it actually means.
~Drew Clark
Ann Arbor, MI

When talking about the economic slavery of the credit report. As you know a lot of Americans credit has plummitted because of the recession, especially African American. If you are applying for a job,
companies are running background checks and credit reports. I understand why a company performes background checks, but a credit check is hurting people who are seeking employment; especially minorities. It is the New Jim Crow Law.

Roland,
I heard you on the Tom Joyner Morning show this morning and I very much in agreement with what you said and it puzzles me on how African Americans can sit back and not support our President. The whites have started a "Tea Party", so why can't we start a "Coffee Party." I guarantee if McCain had won the Presidency there would be no Tea Party or Governors suing over Health Care. I am very mad because you are the only African American that we have in High places that is not afraid to speak out for the President. What can I do to make a difference besides voting? Let us, African Americans know what we can do to help and I am 100% behind you. Annie Gooding, Middle Grades Teacher in Thomasville, GA.

I've been following your comments about the observance of the Confederate Veterans. Here's the truth. You're biased and you're comparing Apples and Oranges. The Muslim Extremist were never any of our friends or neighbors. They didn't go to church or socialize with us in any way. They are terrorists and we never knew them. In fact we don't care for them or their ways.

The Civil War was fought, brother against brother. How can I say this? My great grand father was from Decatur, Alabama. He fought for the Union and then after the Civil War, lived another 34 years in the same community. He killed men whom he had known all of his life and they were his neighbors. You can't see beyond your own prejudices. You are Black. How can you speak? And how can you honestly compare Confederates to anyone? You're the one with prejudice not me or mine. Show me your history and I'll show you mine; but don't stand on solid ground in front of me and compare the Confederates to Muslim Terrorists unless you intend to defend you honor.

Were the confederates terrorists? - YES.Congratulations for your courage and honesty in saying so. Add to that a few civilian crimes like accessory (before or after the fact) to murder, kidnapping, rape, and assault. For the record my family members who fought in the civil war (Wi iron brigade) made similar statements in their letters home, describing their horror and shock at widespread abuses of what they as 1860's Norwegians just off the boat thought were basic human rights

I do not think that we should have a month dedicated to any organization or any ethnic group.

Everyone's heritage has had a negatitive impact at some point in time. I'm German-Mexican-Irish born here in the U.S.A. but why can’t I claim I am a German-Mexican-Irish-American? And do you consider me a NAZI then since I German? Do you consider me a Federale since I'm Mexican?

I’m simply an AMERICAN! Am I suppose to ge judge for my heritage even though I did not play a role in the terrible things they done?

Oh, that is like saying I'm racist because I do not agree with all of President Obama’s points of view because is he black but do agree with him becuase he is white. Come one he is our President....Grow up people because everyone has skeleton's in the closet.

So if I should become President what nationality may I use? Pshhhhhhh!

Everyone should be proud who they are. By the way I do not get any persk for being a minority since I was born in the U.S.A. Why is that?

Everyone's heritage has had a negatitive impact at some point in time. I'm German-Mexican-Irish born here in the U.S.A. but why can’t I claim I am a German-Mexican-Irish-American? And do you consider me a NAZI then since I German? Do you consider me a Federale since I'm Mexican?

I’m simply an AMERICAN! Am I suppose to ge judge for my heritage even though I did not play a role in the terrible things they done?

Oh, that is like saying I'm racist because I do not agree with all of President Obama’s points of view because is he black but do agree with him becuase he is white. Come one he is our President....Grow up people because everyone has skeleton's in the closet.

So if I should become President what nationality may I use? Pshhhhhhh!

Everyone should be proud who they are. By the way I do not get any persk for being a minority since I was born in the U.S.A. Why is that?

FINALLY SOMEONE ASKED HIM THE QUESTION!
ON "ABC-TV" DURING THE "NETWORK SPECIAL ON HEALTH CARE"..... OBAMA WAS ASKED:

"MR PRESIDENT WILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GIVE UP YOUR CURRENT HEALTH CARE PROGRAM AND JOIN THE NEW 'UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM' THAT THE REST OF US WILL BE ON ????"

THERE WAS A STONEY SILENCE AS OBAMA IGNORED THE QUESTION AND CHOSE NOT TO ANSWER IT !!!

IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF SENATORS WERE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS."WE WILL THINK ABOUT IT."

AND THEY DID. IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY ON THE NEWS THAT THE "KENNEDY HEALTH CARE BILL" WAS WRITTEN INTO THE NEW HEALTH CARE REFORM INITIATIVE ENSURING THAT THAT CONGRESS WILL BE 100% EXEMPT !

SO, THIS GREAT NEW HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND ME.. IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR OBAMA, HIS FAMILY OR CONGRESS...??

PERSONALLY, I CAN ONLY ACCEPT A UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL THAT EXTENDS TO EVERYONE... NOT JUST US LOWLY CITIZENS.... WHILE THE WASHINGTON "ELITE" KEEP RIGHT ON WITH THEIR GOLD-PLATED HEALTH CARE COVERAGES....REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE!

Amendment 28

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States .

I completely understand how you are offended by the honoring of Confederate soldiers. But to compare them to terrorists?... they fought on battlefields and didn't target civilians. You like to talk about how a radical can frame his argument, but you could write the book on twisting words to suit your claims.

Roland,
It is very apparent that your are extremely biased in your opinion as to the confederate side during the civil war. If you would read more about the atrocities committed by Sheridan's army, Wilson, Sherman, and even Grant, you would see the real terrorists. But apparently you sir are not a reader of history. That is what's wrong with the whole aspect of political correctness propagated upon our young students in the society of today. But I will say this sir, one day in the near future that will be corrected!

Roland Martin is nothing more than a Racist Bigot. His comments about the American civil war is nothing but pure bull. How dare he insult those who families fought in that war, doing what they believed was their right,. The man probably has never served in the US military. I don't think he has any right to make that kind of comment. It was in bad taste and in poor judgement.

So what are you saying, you support slavery and in-humane treatment of people based on the color of their skin? This is what the confederacy represents in American history, a group that sold my ancestors, beat them, killed them and received labors free, not to mention separation of family, they are the lowest of low. I am now starting to believe since people want to celebrate such a hideous group that it is time to pay reparations to Black American's who have a history of family members subjected to slavery. I think Black America deserves the money not received for free labor by our ancestors and 400 years of free slavery, from our ancestors oppressors. Please keep telling us how we should feel bad for the terrosists that enslaved our ancestors. Not feeling it...

How does one get to be on television and a syndicated columnist and flunk history? Your take on the civil war is so ignorant that it defies logic. Until those, like yourself, that have a soap box start acting as if you do have a few smarts you will soon find the loony will be the only ones that listen.
Slavery was a horrible institution but if there had been any other way to break the south Lincoln would not have done what he did. Keep in mind that he did not free all the slaves. Only those in the sough. The day after the proclamation was signed the slaves were still slaves in the white house. If you were really outraged about slavery you would use your soap box to help shut down the alive and well slave trade in Sudan. But then people like you are usually all talk and no action. Weak, cowardly and ignorant of history.

Just read your thoughts that Confederate soldiers were terrorists. Looks as though you have redefined terrorists to include someone who serves in the military of an organized nation state that fights for an immoral cause. Gee, I thought it just had to do with murdering noncombatants, kind of like the Nazis did and the 9-11 terrorists. It reminds one of the conservative arguements that now define progressives as communists: apply an absurd definition to circumstances in which you disagree with a principle and smear someone instead of responding to the real issue. Congratulations. You are now ready for a commentator spot with the Fox Network.

Hi Roland,

I read your article on the Confederate soldiers, and there are several things I saw there that I felt indicated a lack of background on the Civil War and it's origins. There were a lot of reasons for the war between the states, but one reason that is sometimes glossed over, and misunderstood was the economic basis for the war. In the early 1800's, and through the mid 1800's when the war finally came to a head, there were two separate economies forming in the states (not including the "wild west" economy based on land acquisition). In the North, industrialized manufacturing was beginning to develop, along with its need for capital investment. This is an economic engine that continues today. In the early 1800's, banks were beginning to operate, and were helping spur this economic engine. In the South, the economic engine was driven by the agricultural base and operated through direct barter. This barter took place with the North, England, and France. There was no currency or great need for banks. This system had as its underpinnings slavery, "free" labor. In the North, as the industrial economic engine started to develop, its complexity demanded that people not be paid with goods, but with some sort of negotiable currency, as everyone didn't need the materials being produced, and didn't always have something that they could trade for the manufactured materials. The result there was eventually cheap labor, child labor, etc., all paid for with currency. It's just my opinion, but I look at this as another form of slavery, and I feel certain that many Irish immigrants of the time would agree. The barter trade by the southern states with France was particularly irritating to the northern states, as it undermined the economy of the northern states by diverting goods to France that the northern states had rather trade to England, so that their trade balance would remain stable. (this is an oversimplification, but I don't want to get into all the complexities of trade of that time in this post) It was particularly irritating that the southern states basically refused to widely accept the use of currency, but insisted on the barter system (there are still very strong pockets of this kind of resistance and use of barter in the southern states). Lincoln, in support of the economic engine that was developing in the north, and to quell the further spread of this form of labor, issued the emancipation proclamation (in two executive orders) that declared that slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by 1/1/63 would be free. The second order named ten states in which this would apply. One interesting point in this was that this did not free slaves in the north, in states that did not return to Union control, or in border states. Lincoln was targeting the economic engine of those ten states that opted to form the CSA and continue with their own development of an economic engine separate from the north. During this time, and up until the 13th amendment was passed, slavery was not illegal, and was still practice in the north and in states where it was not a threat to the northern economic engine. It took three to four years for people to get used to the new way of compensating people (or not) for their labor, and many of the problems associated with this new way of compensating people (through payment using some form of currency) just pushed the problems off into the future, where they still plague us in many ways today.

I don't agree with the tenets of slavery in any way. During this period of time (early and mid 1800's) my ancestors owned slaves. My great great grandfather was a general in the CSA, and owned slaves. When Lincoln freed the slaves (through the two executive orders) the slaves owned at the time by my great great grandfather asked him if they had to leave (even though technically speaking they were not free, as they were in one of the states not covered by the executive orders, Tennessee). He said they were free to do what they liked, and they chose to remain where they were and to continue working. I have seen the house they lived in at that time. It was a two story house, fully insulated (with cotton), with a fireplace in every room, two kitchens, and private rooms for families. This house (from the mid 1800's) is nicer than many houses I have lived in. I do understand that my ancestor may have been an exception rather than the rule, as I have also heard many stories of people who were mistreated during this time. As I said earlier, I don't agree with slavery as an institution, and don't defend it in any way. I do feel that there is a widespread misunderstanding of why the Civil War was fought, and some of these misunderstandings came through in your article. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many historians, the Civil War was fought because of the economic differences between the northern states and the southern states, at least a selected group of them (10 altogether). Lincoln tried to stem the type of economic growth he saw occurring in the southern states, and at first simply tried to outlaw or prohibit slavery in any of the new western states then applying for statehood. When the CSA was formed and succession was a fact of life, he did what he could to arrest this. There were a lot of war crimes committed, unfortunately because of the nature of the war, they were all committed in the South, as that is where the battles were. The northern states were never really invaded, although there was one pretty close call for Washington. I don't believe labeling Confederate soldiers terrorists (in our present day definitions, as no definitions were in place at that time) is justified, any more than labeling the northern soldiers, who came to the south and did things as terrible as anything taking place in Iraq today, terrorists. Neither soldiers were terrorists in the effect that they had. There were not large groups of populations in either the north or the south that were "terrorized" by the actions of either of these armies. I know there are people in Georgia that would dispute this, but in my opinion, that was war, and not meant to terrorize people in the modern sense of the word.

I agree, as you stated, that Confederates as a group should not be honored and revered. That is much too bigoted and ideological of a stance for me to be comfortable with. I feel the same about the soldiers who are currently fighting in Iraq. However, I do feel that there are good people in all walks of life, and they deserve to be recognized, even if they happen to get caught on the losing side. Idealism and all of its shortcomings has been a problem we have struggled with for a long time in this country. If there were one thing I would ask to be removed from our human race, it would be greed. If I got the chance to ask for two things, the second would the be the tendency of humans to follow some ideal rather than being true to themselves and to the reality within them.

I don't believe there is any real comparison between the terrorists of today and the soldiers of the 19th century, particularly when it comes to the current Muslim terrorists. When it comes to domestic terrorism, I believe it is important to look at the definition of terror more closely, and not combine it with all the other forms of violence, including war, street gangs, domestic violence, etc.

I have just read through your article "Were Confederate soldiers terrorists?" and I have to whole heartedly disagree with you. I have never seen a Confederate solider strapping a bomb to himself and running at non-military civilians, with the intention of killing as many non-military people as possible in order to inspire fear. What fear, you ask? The fear that some idiot with a bomb under his clothes will randomly run at you with the intention to kill. Have you seen a Confederate Solider ever do that? I haven’t! What alternate reality have you been living in? Do you own a time machine and are the time periods you have visited bleeding together? Confederate soldiers SHOULD be honored, as they were American soldiers too. They fought for their homes, and for their way of life. Even though their way of life included enslaving a whole population of people with black skin color, it is still the American way to defend our homes and freedoms. We all agree that slavery is wrong, inhuman, and above all, absolutely disgusting, but let me ask you, Roland S. Martin, if somebody showed up to YOUR house with an army and said we don’t like they way you live because you eat dinner at 5:13pm and you blow your nose with green tissues and you work at CNN, what would you do? I would say “As an American citizen, I am entitled to living in any fashion I wish!” Wouldn’t you agree? After you say that, that whole army busts through your door and breaks everything and sets your house on fire. Personally, I would be quite enraged at that point, and I would get my friends together and we would fight them. We may be outnumbered, but we are defending our homes. And that’s why Confederates should be honored. They supported the American way. Without them, we would not be the freedom loving country we are today. I am glad the North won, because I never want to see ANYONE enslaved like the African American’s of old were.

You typed “If a Confederate soldier was merely doing his job in defending his homeland, honor and heritage, what are we to say about young Muslim radicals who say the exact same thing as their rationale for strapping bombs on their bodies and blowing up cafes and buildings?” There is a key difference between the two groups of people. The Muslim extremists are not fighting their brothers, they are fighting US. They are fighting a foreign invasion, which, in my opinion, would draw more of the key emotions that are needed to fight. Theoretically, if lets say, Russia was to invade us, (because apparently everyone wants to see Russia invade us, look at today’s video games!) wouldn’t you be drawn to fight against such an unnecessary invasion? Picture it for a moment. The Russian spetsnaz walking down your street like it’s theirs! Wouldn’t that draw you to fight them and kick them off your property? I like Russians, in fact, one of my best friends is Russian. I have nothing against them. I think the world would be a better place if we could all get along. But if you can understand the emotions involved when people walk into your neighborhood with guns, calling it theirs, and then your religion (which you absolutely adore either by choice or brain washing) telling you that this is wrong and the only way to solve the problem is to kill yourself for your god and your people, then you will understand where the Muslim extremists are coming from.

I wish I had more time to completely argue your article, but alas, I do not. I respect you as person and as a CNN Anchor, Ronald S. Martin, but I do not agree with your opinion on this topic.

- Dakota

Roland,
The Sons of the Confederates Veterans and The Daughters of the Confederacy have claimed our Great Grand Father,Silas Chandler, who was a Mississippi slave. His master took him off to the Civil War with him. He took a picture of the two of them dressed up in confederate uniforms. This picture was reacently presented on the Antique Road show by a decendent of his master for apraisal. The picture is all over the internet with so many lies that it is a real fairy tale. They put a Confederate iron cross and confederate flag on his grave in a black grave yard in West Point, Mississippi. Each time it is removed, the confederates replace it. I have a letter signed by an overwhelming majority of the decendents of Silas Chandler to have the cross and confederate flag permantly removed from his grave. We also want them to stop using his image for progaganda and financial gain. For more background, check this linkhttp://cwmemory.com/2010/03/

Terrorism is defined as violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians). No matter how reprehensible their cause, the south did not wage acts of terrorism against civilian targets in the north. it was a military conflict - soldier vs. soldier. As a black man, I am appauled and embarassed at your views on this issue and feel you have done significant damage to our fight for equality. You should apologize for your statements just as much as the governor for his idiotic actions.

As to the confederate army being terrorists. I fully agree that a rebellion against the US was illegal, and that fighting for the preservation of slavery was completely immoral. I'm not sure why we would use the latest buzz word for evil--'terrorist.' I think this word at some point meant indiscriminate killing, torture, threats, bombing, etc. in a effort to frighten another group into compliance with one's political, religious aims, etc. It occurs both in and outside of war time. As such, I think many Nazi's were using terrorism, some confederates, most slave owners, and some US solderers in war time, etc. These people and their actions may in fact make them 'terrorists.' But a confederate soldier may or may not have cared about the politics, and may have acted only to confront other uniformed soldiers. Some identifying themselves as confederates may have offered medical attention to wounded Union soldiers--not something we'd consider a terrorist act.
Though in some sense all war is just organized mass murder, we don't usually define soldiers shooting at other solderers as 'terrorists,' no matter how ignorant or evil their cause. I think we're best leaving 'terrorist and terrorism' to a description of a particularly despicable tactic and to individuals. Being overboard leads to impossible semantics like a 'war on terrorism...'

Just read your Civil War comments. May I ask YOUR military service history? [Yeah.........I thought so.] J. Craig Herman, LT, USN, 1110, 77-85, Pahoa, HI

Hey Roland... Confederate Solders were not terrorists, right or wrong in the modern view, they were defending a soverign state on behalf of that state...more than we can say for Osama & his Islamofascist ilk.

As someone who has generally admired your commentaries on CNN, I'm embarrassed for you regarding your Jihad and Confederate comments. Black on Black crime causes terror in our inner cities. Do you call inner city black Americans Jihadist? The US miiltary slaughtered Native Americans, interned Japanese Americans, went to war with countries for pure political agenda not because of an immediate threat to our safety. Where is your name calling regarding them? Anyone who truly understands our history knows slavery was the the by product of rich whites and blacks. The real issue was states rights which just happened to include slavery as one of those issues. The confederacy certainly was not made up of a majority of rich whites or blacks. Let us also not forget, as horrendous and unacceptable as slavery was, slaves were not citizens. Confederates were. Let us also not forget while it was a relative handful of whites who promoted slavery, it was thousands of whites who, like my first generation Irish-American blue collared parents, who fought for equality and civil rights for all.

Mr. Martin, I constantly hear sarah palin bashing president obama on issues that can effect the united states in a possitive way. But why is it that no one reports that while she was pregnant that she never told her family or friends. It was not until she went into labor while at a meeting and had to be rushed to the hospital that she was exposed. She didnt even tell her own kids. It is my theory that she and her husband was aware that their child would be born with dow syndrome. And that since her daughter was with child, that she would hide her pregnancy and I truely believe that she was going to give that child up for adoption and assume her role as happy grandmother, and no one would be the wiser. I know this is a touchy subject, but she needs to be exposed and deflated a bit.She called president obama a celebrity during the election. But look who deserted her job to coauthor a book and soak up the spotlight. hypocracy at its best.

I notice how everyone loves to use the slavery card. Funny how when it comes to the near extermination of the nativie indians under the hand of the federal government thats all under the rug. People out here calling the south terrorist only continue to show thier ignorance of US history and are openly racist and bigotted themselves towards southerners.

Dear Martin, I was at the gym today when I saw you up in arms about confederate history month. You called people sinners, terrorists etc. I was wondering how do you rationalize discriminating against gay people or gay rights. Don't you think it is wrong to use religion as a weapon to discriminate against others? Thats exactly what people that owned slaved did in the past.
Please let me know
Sincerely,
ED

You said today that black people in Virgina were offended by the proclamation from the Governor about celebrating Confederate history..You said that it didn't reflect all of Virginians, well I say to you sir that black history month doesn't reflect all Virginians or Americans for that matter!! It's just history of this country and for you to say that they were terrorists was offensive as well.. What if white people said that Malcom X and Barak Obama were terrorists, we would have a riot in the streets.. Give it a rest Roland you need to be concerned about our President running this country with his socialist agenda..Talk about real issues Mr.Martin and quit your whining... How about . Less taxes and less government..

Roland, sometimes I react to your intensity, but in this controversy about the South having a noble past, I agree with you completely! I am white, and my ancestors were killed on their plantation with slaves,& b/c of the Haitian uprising, and I have asked forgivness for them. I am a Christian woman that was a young woman in Georgia when my husband was in the Army and I had my own rebellion, I was 18 and raised in the CO mts. and I sat in the back of the bus b/c I knew it was wrong and that was in the 50's. I pray that people will wake up and admit they were terrorists then. God have mercy on all of us!!!

Refrence the governor of VA declaration ,"Confederate Month" all you have to do is read the Constitution of the Confederate States which clearly states the purpose of the constitution was to preserve slavery. Pure evil, that still exist today. Along with the governor's action , drive down Monument Ave. in Richmond and see all the statures honoring the Confederate traitors. Roland, if you read this, you should do a show about this with a trip to Richmond.

So when do we start calling those who committed genocide against the native indians terrorists? The government in power was in agreement that the only good indian was a dead one. How about that!

The Tea Party movement needs to change focus from candidates to Constitutional Convention as specified in the US Constitution (Article V - petition by 2/3 of the States)!

Potential Constitutional Amendments to consider:
* Term limits for all US Representatives, Senators and Federal Judges.
* Balanced budget amendment requiring that the Federal budget be in balanced except in time of undeclared war and even then that the part of the budget not directly related to fighting the war (including all interest costs for borrowed monies) be in balance.
* Ban on any spending mandate on states and their political subdivisions by the federal government UNLESS the federal government provides FULL funding for the mandate.
* Requirement that if restrictions are placed on private property by the Federal Government the the Federal Government MUST compensate the landowner for fair market value of any loss in value due to that restriction.
* Amendment requiring at least one parent of a person be in the US LEGALLY for a baby born here to be considered a Citizen.
* Amendment limiting social spending to Citizens and Legal Residents of the United States.
* Amendment recognizing the Judeo-Christian Heritage of the United States and clarifying that the establishment clause does not prevent citizens or the states, including their political subdivisions, from displaying symbols of this Heritage or from recognizing this Heritage in public buildings and institutions.
* Amendment(s) clarifying and putting some additional definition into the 10th amendment.
* Amendment placing Congress and their staff under all laws that they pass and ending special treatment for them on things like health care, pensions, etc.
* English as official language Amendment
* Other Amendments proposed, debated, and voted on at the convention.

Virginia and the Confederates: Thank god we have your voice on mass media to keep control of these illiterate right wing fanatics. Year 2010 and they just have not been able to overcome their white-world pathological delusion. I fully agree with you in denouncing Virginia’s Governor ‘blunder' (his colors were revealed…or his hatred for them I should say). I am ethnically Armenian, Sicilian, New Jersey (hahaha), Colombian mix: I am 46 and exhausted of living with bigotry and the reactionary view of this 'white' minority. They call themselves Caucasians!....my grandmother was Armenian, from the foothills osf the Caucasus mountains….she was truly Caucasian! unlike 99% of them. Thanks Roland for keeping them in check!

To Use Roland's Logic: George Washington is the same as a "nazi" and "domestic terrorist."
The quotes in the subject line are from Roland's recent Anderson Cooper debate about Virginia's governor.
Why do you celebrate the slave-holding, life-ruining, family-destroying George Washington? This is a Federal (not even state level) holiday celebrated on the third Monday of every February in case you do not know I'm talking about.

Just watched your discussion with Brag Bowling. I watched "How the States got their Shape" last night on PBS.They said that Virginia was part of Washington DC but became Virginia because they wanted slaves.

As a side note, the Virginia governor's mother (nee Emma Meiller) grew up here in Bryan. His grandfather was the minister of the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Kurten.

Gig'em

Roland...
I was just watching the video of Steele talking about how being a minority there is a smaller window for mistakes. I have no problem with this because America is still not use to the idea of ANY minority in charge. Women should understand this.

My problem is this term that in my opinion belittles racism: "Race Card"

The Presidents press secretary response utilized this term and I find it terribly disturbing especially considering America has labeled the Republican party as the Old White Mans party and not willing to accept Women or Minority in leadership roles. And no having a position does not prove otherwise if it is to be used as a token.

To claim racial issues as "race card" issues is very offensive to me, because I've stared racism in the eye growing up and in my professional career.

I've emailed the president. I will fax the president and I will call, though I know I won't get through, the president about this. This in my opinion with the Black Caucus claims about being ignored does not help when you have a press secretary pulling out a term or phrase that desensitizes the reality of racism in America that continues to exist.

Just because we have improved doesn't mean we are there.

Exercise,rally behind, and absorb President Obama's health care plan while you can,for the opposing powers that be just may want to take it away, just like the voting rights act (if they could). Abdulaoblagodta

Why doesn't someone call the tea partiers out for what they really are, KKK on cnn They are hate mongers and sarah palin is the grand lizzard{wizard}

So Tea Partiers are the KKK. Now you do realize that the KKK was created by democrats now right? KKK, comments like that only continue to show just how uneducated people are in this country.

Roland, Grown up reps in Congress DO NOT TAKE BRIBES AND PASS A BILL
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. Result is an 18% approval rating.
72 out of 100 angry. It will show up in the polls.

Roland, I am 77 years old and raised white in a New York black neighborhood.
My first friends I remember were "colored guys" Buster, Joe and Pop.
Your article Dems must go it alone was a disappointment as you never brought up
tort reform. Our doctors need protection from ambulance chasing lawyers.
You also didn't touch on the back room deals and bribes that have people giving
Gongress an 18% approval rating. You mention "grown up people".
Grown up reps DO NOT TAKE BRIBES. Looking forward to your next article including
Bribes and back room deals. Henry was better then Babe

Dear Mr. Martin:
A Mr. Dale Robertson appeared at the Houston Tea Party on February 27, 2010 with a sign which
read: "Congress = Slave Owner Tax Payer = NIGGAR." Being as many Reublicans, Tea Party
Members, and some Independants are saying "We are going to take back our country," a copy of Mr. Roberston's sign should be presented asking "Does your vote support the picture that
is verbally presented on this sign." If the answer is yes, be sure the ballot paint a word picture
that agree with the sign. Tea Party Members, Republicans, and Ind should respond to this
inquiry.

Mr. Martin I do not want to ask you anything because everything that comes out of your mouth is always about race. I do not consider myself racist, but I get so tired of hearing you state that all of the problems in regard to the Black community is because of whites. You state that we should all come together and address specific issues. That will not happen to you stop pointing your finger at certain individuals.

I admired Martin Luther King because he stated we had problems, but I never heard him accuse others as you do. Good luck with your book.

Thanks for allowing me to make my comment.

I have yet to hear discussion that the 2010 Census included the options Black, African American and Negro. There were several descriptive options for Latin Americans also. But for White, simply White. What's up with this. I crossed out Negro and circled African American, but would have certainly been comfortable with Black. Who reviewed this form? Am I the only one concerned given the climate in America. Tea Party members hollering "they want their country back"? Back to what? Jim Crow?

I realize that you do this for a living and I realize that you're a liberal. So I expect you to look at the world from a predictable point of view. I don't think it's well informed to assume that the anger and unrest in the country is simply partisan politics. When you tell the repbublicans to grow up it's good advice. Should apply it to democrats and conservative and liberal political analysts as well. We have just barely survived (I hope) a rather obvious major economic collapse. It was contributed to by conservatives and liberals and people of all persuasions. We will either stop this foolish notion of unlimited spending or it will stop us. You need to grow up for the sake of our children and grandchildren. A bankrupt country cannot help anyone.

Would you please let folks who can not afford insurance know very clearly and through many media sources (including facebook where this discussion has occurred) that if they are not able to afford healthcare, they will still get healthcare? Folks are saying that everyone has to buy healthcare. I am under the understanding that those who could not afford healthcare would still be provided healthcare unlike what some are saying about people who don't buy healthcare being turned away from hospitalsm fined, and would die as a result. I believe that those on Medicare, Medicade, and otherwise unable to afford to buy healthcare would not be required to try to scrape up the money from somewhere to buy healthcare. Because of insurance at work, I have great healthcare insurance. I just want to stop the rumors that are being spread. I am an African-American and the folks that are having this discussion are African-Americans. They are now very concerned about what I believe is mis-information. Can you get the information out clearly and straight to the point out in the media, Radio, Television (including CNN, MSNBC, and BET) so that folks are not unduly panicked over this and vote the wrong way in November and beyond based upon this? Maybe even musical communication...whatever you think will work.. Thanks

In regard to the Healthcare Reform Vote 219 to 212...The Republicans say this bill will destroy the United States. Are they saying that those 219 Democrats should not have been elected to Congress? Or, are they saying that only they know what is best for the people? Why was the vote so much on party lines? Is it true as I have often heard that Democrats are for the people and Republicans are for the money? In Washington, as in Albany, they can't seem to come together for the good of the people as a whole. Why did we elect any of them? Keep your personal issues to yourself and do what you know in your heart is best for the people. I'm tired of getting letters saying write to your elected officials about this and that! They all should know that is why we put them in office. After the bill is passed by Congress, and then signed by the President, the Republicans say the Law is unconstitutional. If so, why wasn't this issue addressed early on? WE MUST HAVE THE WRONG PEOPLE IN OFFICE!!!

Roland's latest piece on CNN.com may be his most moronic. I guess he just like to play the whole two-party game (it's a scam, Roland, please learn and educate everyone).

Where in the hell do you get off chastizing people for their inflammatory language when you yourself is spewing invectives such as "Homophobes" and "Racists"? You are no one to talk about the use of language. By the way, we Canadians do not need you talking to our CBC. If we want to see you we can just tune into that Liberal CNN and listen to you twist everything to make you look favourable. Guess what? You can't look favourable. Stay home, give us Ann Coulter.

Hello Roland Martin! I love you on tv because you keep it real and you focus on stories that need the attention. I would like to see you focus your attention on drug reform for those already incacerated. I'm pretty sure you are aware that a new drug law was passed to end the difference in sentencing for crack and cocaine offenders. It has not went into effect for those already incarcerated under the new law which are those who are hurting the most. Before this new drug law, drug dealers got the same time as murderers. I know everyone is tied up in the health care bill, but can you please please address this issue on TV. Please!

It is beside anyone comprehension that the Republican party all of sudden became the only party who speaks for all American People, they keep saying the American people do not want this bill, so let me get this 46 Million American who need this bill to pass are not American people their citizenship has been revoked , people that their family are going bankrupt because of health issues are not American people, the American people are all Republican who believe in those who are wearing ten thousand dollar Armani suits paid by those whose agenda is clear and want to keep the status quo, Republicans must think that Americans who are against their agenda are dumb and do not understand the strategy they are pushing forth.
it is amazing to see elected Republicans Public Servants who are telling Americans that Money is more important than people’s life and their health, whereas eight years of economic devastation is written off as Democrats guilty as charged, and not the Republican doing, this notion that Republicans took all Americans gullible and in possession of short memories collectively I may add, Is insulting the least.
This reminds me of Mussolini who said either you are with me or against there is no middle ground whatsoever this kind of mentality will ultimately be either the Republican party doom or the American people. The choice is ours to make. The Republicans do not speak for me or Millions of Americans; they need to rephrase this almost hypnotic mantra that American people do not want this health bill notion. And say the Republicans need this bill to fail. So they can defeat the Democrats.

I just want to thank you for having this forum. Health Care Reform is something that will turn this economy around. I often think about the statement made about our forefathers and the Constitution. I don’t recall anyone of those forefathers having pigment in their skin. The time for change is now. It has been over 100 years since we have seen America rising up against making changes to rules that were made before people of color was allowed to hold certain positions in government. For years we have been the minority, but thanks be to GOD that the day has come that we can all stand up tall with our head up high because with this Health Care Reform we will ensure that our children will have a road map that will include all people not just the ones who stole all the money from us all dated back 100 years ago. We are all more engaged in the politics and this nonsense about trying to scare people into doing the wrong thing is stupid. Spiting and calling people the N Word is stupid. Please let’s not start a war on our own soil because it will be a battle no one wants to fight. We will all stand together to fight for what is right for ourselves and our children. Don’t think we are not listening and watching what the Tea Party and the Republican are saying and doing. We will show up at the polls and we will elect President Barack Obama for a second term. It’s is time for men of color to take their place in America. Our forefathers endured too much to have you all sitting around waiting for the Women of color to make changes. Get up, get educated and get a job and let’s fight for our rights and stand on the shoulders of those who have fought so hard for us to have equal rights. Black men are the hardest working people on this earth. Remember what is not printed in our children text books about our culture, WE made America what it is today. We invented almost everything on this earth. They won’t print that in our text books but we can make sure what we do in the future is printed in all the text books in America and maybe the facts can be printed. The fact is that they could not do the work themselves that’s why they put us on the ships and brought us over to America to work because they were not intelligent nor strong or wise enough to do it on their own. We were not slaves until we came to America. We were in Africa free, strong and united and they came and stole us like cattle. It’s so strange how they can still pay men of color to go against one another. Fox News can always find some black man to go against his own people. Those days are long gone and will not go for the banana in the tail pipe no more.

STAND UP MEN OF COLOR and the women will back you 100%

What steps can I take to push a living wage in my area? How can we make members of congress secure job training for youth-Teenagers. How can we expect our disadvantaged you to be product in society if no one is willing to deposit funding and training into their lives?

You were on CNN today re student loans and the fact the government will be taking on the loans instead of private enterprise and that will save the government money to be used for students better. However, a point that never seems to be addressed is that when it is under government control there can be greater oversight as well. And since President Obama has advocated for greater transparency in government it could also give the public the opportunity through a website to inform the government when there are abuses, not only to the student program but other issues.

American citizens obsession with less government is baffling. So many aspects of their lives are under government to help the people they represent. Their pensions, Medicare, the military, taxes, firemen, police, border guards, etc. etc.

And if these people that don't want government involved, why are they representing citizens in the senate and the congress if they don't believe in it. Seems hypocritical to me. Yes, if people elect the wrong governments who are in it for themselves instead of the public they are supposed to represent then yes government can be bad.

Obama wants to make it transparent but it will take time and help from those individuals in the media that can educate the public how good government can work instead of straying off on so many bogus issues and stirring up emotions and perpetuating ignorance.

While watching the news this morning March 22, 2010, I over herd again the racial overtones being belted from the so called “Tea Party” in which two non-white Politian’s were belted with racial taunts and one even spit at and this group according to what’s being pumped in the headlines is getting larger and larger yet no-one is discouraging or even talking about the racial tones. People are going to these events with guns and other threatening things, yet again no one is really talking about this. Well it is mentioned but only slightly. Even John McCain is still backing these like he is proud to be backed by a group that is willing to do anything to make their point herd. If this was a group of none white citizens and they did this they would be ostracized-like Obama’s former pastor was and all he stated was the truth which is evident from what’s going on now. I do not have problem with people having different opinions but come-on and the minute a non white citizen says something then he will labeled as playing the famous “Race Card” which I find to funny. The fact of the matter is that race would not be a factor if those that are doing simply would not. In short this is what I see a massive race war about to happen all because people do not like the color of our president’s skin. I know this commentary probably will be overlooked, not mentioned or if it is it will be presented in a forum that is dominated by one group or two non-whites who do not want to really comment for the fear of losing their jobs. I just pray for us all and hope to see us all one day truly get along because no one can accurately predict what will happen tomorrow. The funny thing is that when Bush was in office things were crammed down out throats and if anyone went against the bush machine then they were dealt with in bushian Texas kind of way.

Dear Mr. Martin you are the best. I would like to know if I could be part of a panel of Black Folk that did not grow up poor and I truly believe while race is real the true problem lies in culture and not color. I really need a plat form to tell the truth as I see it from a woman not from the hood. My father was a retired Major and I lived a Cinderella life. My father told us about racism but I just did not understand. All of my friends were white and going to the pool or spending all day at the beach in Hawaii was a way of life for me. I was 21 before I realized everything that was going on in America was during my life time. I made it my work to understand racism and culture. We as a peolpe should be trying to embrace a different culture.

Good Morning , My name is Connie, I live in Chicago and I have a question for Mr. Martin. A couple of years ago on your WVON morning show, you played a speech by a past offical with the Chicago Housing Authority. The speaker's address was something about Entitlement and His Cousin Free. I was driving north on Lake Shore Drive and I had no pencil paper to jot down the name of the person delivering the speech or any of the details. However I shall never forget Entitlement and His Cousin Free they surely had a huge impact on the way I look at myself. I can't continue to use this without giving credit to the author. that's why I'm appealing to you for help on this. Can you please get back to me with some more information about the person who talked about Entitlement and His Cousin Free? It will be greatly appreciated.

America has so many important issues to address. Thank you President Obama & family for all that you do. The ones who are making the most noise about healthcare reform are those whose padded pockets will have to readjust. Get over it. Read the book, We Win. Amen. And for those who need a clear understanding who We are, We are the lawless. The law is for the lawless. Who are the lawless? Us, the middle class working, unemployed and poorer people who are the sponsors of political wealth and not the beneficiaries as we ought to be. All the adversity towards the current President is only because he is delivering the promise of equality for the rich and the poor and everyone in between. My message to President Obama is please grant me 15 minutes of your time and I promise you an accountable and viable solution equal for all who have suffered the effects of funding this war. I like so many others believe in change for the better and am able and willing to be the example that recovery is possible and that there is more to life. Thank goodness for a FAMILY in the White House that lives this every day and tiredlessly and continously fights for all to share a better quaility of life including affordable healthcare. So people after this becomes possible I guess we'll need competent doctors to adequately fulfill the needs of their patients. Now that is an issue that is just as complicated as making healthcare affordable and available. In closing, hopefully we can agree to a better way of living, perhaps restoring the sense of security, a necessary component of peace of mind. May peace and prosperity rain on us all.

To: Roland Martin.....Please know that I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for your willingness to say it the way it is. I wish that you could have your own show/program either before or after S Campbell's show. Nonetheless, I would greatly appreciate it if you would address something that disturbs me deeply. Would kindly call out those politicians (US Senator and Congressmen) that consistently hide behind the phase "The American People Want"... They don't have a clue as to what the American People want in general. They hardly know what the American Citizens in their respective States and Districts want, notwithstanding the fact that they don't know what the citizens want who are in different political parties than a particular US Senator or Congressman. These folks hide behind the term "The American People" because they are afraid to take a stand /position as an individual/independent legislator. No one State is made of of all republicans or democrats. With that said, the politicians couldn't possibly know what the American People want in general as they can't even speak, in general terms what their own constituents wants from their Sates and Districts. Call Them Out!! PLEASE!!

Dear Mr. Martin,
The breadth of topics on your show is always impressive, but it’s clear that one issue, education, is often the running theme in all that you do for the public. This is why I feel compelled to write you. One of America’s best and most diverse public school districts is being threatened and, if the current school board prevails, will set us back to an era of segregation.
I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina from the Northeast about fourteen years ago. What impressed me about Wake County Schools was their commitment to socio-economic diversity: that no school should have more than 40% of its students eligible for the federal free or reduced lunch program. As the county expanded very quickly it was hard to maintain this policy, but Wake County has been doing the best Wake County also has a wonderful magnet system, upgrading underused downtown schools into themed magnets. Many of our finest schools are in our poorest neighborhoods and it is something to see children from wealthier communities bused into the inner city—quite the opposite of what many of us witnessed growing up in the sixties and seventies.
Our public schools earn high marks across the board, outperforming school districts in our own state and in the nation in end-of-course and proficiency tests, SAT scores and other performance-measuring criteria. In fact, the Wake County Public School System is a national role model with its goal of having 95 percent of its students performing at or above grade level. According to the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the Wake County Public School System a gold medal rating as one of the best in the nation. And our schools do all this for significantly less money per student than the national average.
Of course when you have a huge school system trying to ensure academic excellence for ALL it’s children, there will be problems. But, I believe it is the low funding combined with huge and rapid population growth that has caused the problems NOT Wake County Schools’ diversity policy. Yet a majority of our newly elected School Board has decided that dismantling our policy of socio-economic diversity and replacing it with community based zone system* will solve parents’ grievances. The board’s new majority is working quickly, without listening to their more experienced fellow board members to dismantle one of the country’s most successful schools systems. Already our schools’ veteran and respected superintendent, Del Burns, has resigned in protest.**
I hope you can find the time to address this issue. As we’ve seen in many districts across the country, once a diversity policy has been abandoned, it’s almost impossible to bring it back.
Thank you for your time.
* http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/03/03/367017/wake-ends-diversity-policy-in.html
** The new majority's policies, Burns warned, if allowed to take effect, would balkanize Wake's schools, chopping the unified system into separate "have" and "have-not" subdistricts—some 20 in all. High-poverty areas, or zones, would have high-poverty schools, despite extensive research about how that hurts the children forced to attend them. "I could not in good conscience implement the majority's policies," Burns said.

Mr. Martin-

It comes as no surprise that a man that wrote a book about Obama would support the Palestinians over Israel in any discussion. I saw your piece today about the Obama Administration's rebuke of Israel and have the following thoughts.

Obama is no friend to Israel, no matter what lies he tells (typically liberal, so he should not have to buy votes with lies) Jewish voters to get their vote. He has always supported the causes of those he considers "downtrodden" through his entire climb to power so thus he will lean to the Palestinian's side 99 times out of 100. In your column you describe Israel's "wrongdoings" and yet use the term "dumb" to describe things that the Palestinians do. A tad bit lopsided, but coming from an Obama supporter it doesn't surprise me. I guess the Palestinians do dumb things like the Cambridge Police "acted stupidly", huh?

Israel is a friend to the US and is the only true democracy in that area of the world. We buy their products and they buy ours. They give us useful intelligence about threats we face that help save American lives. Contrast them with Palestinians who produce nothing, use terrorism and violence to get their way (think Martin Luther King but without the wisdom, courage and resilience to demand change and maintain the moral high ground while doing so) and use none of the billions of $ we send them every year to do anything remotely positive for their people.

Of course you don't like Israel, and it shows in your columns. So do us all a favor and jump on the Farrakhan bandwagon and be honest about he way you feel...

When discussing Israel and the Palestinians, we need a neutral party who can be objective. We will be here all day if we start trading tit-for-tat accusations on who did what to whom. I think the way it started was the following: the United Nations took a piece of land from the people who lived on it and gave it to another group of people to start a new nation. The new group of people laid claim to the piece of land from Biblical times, but the old group of people weren't convinced. The old group of people vowed to destroy the new nation/group of people. The new group responded with policies and force that rivaled that of apartheid South Africa to protect themselves. And the saga continued from there. To acknowledge this is not to be anti-Semitic or anti-Israel. In order to obtain peace in that area, we have to stop pointing fingers and come to some middle ground. Both groups of people have a right to occupy that area.

Your comments are far from neutral. The Jews lived on that land centuries before the U.N. ever existed, yet your foolish comment wrongly claims that Jews are the "new group" of people. Few Arabs lived there prior to the 19th-century, yet you are reticent to call Arabs living there the "new people." Your definiton of the "saga" is intrinsically absurd, since you fail to specifically define when it really began. Do you know who "occupied" that land before Jews and Arabs even existed?

I have the upmost respect for Mr Martin and his ability as a journalist, but I must say that he always has to throw the race card into everything he reports on. He is going to support anything that Pres Obama does simply because he is black. Mr. Martin and your CNN column regarding Israel being chastised by the US is simply ridiculous. When will all of these left wing nuts realize that we always must support Israel?

As a Canadian I can not believe that that so much effort is being put forth to stop any kind of health care reform, the most powerful nation on earth having a large part of their population with no health care and have you politicians convince the general public that it's a good thing. What needs to be done is cancel all government supported health care and the American dream will be survival of the fittest and look at all the money saved, wake up America before you sink to second world status.

We have the Black Caucus,Black Muslims, Black Agenda master blasters galore. Tavis, Jesse, Farrakhan, Sharpton but none like King and X.
With healthcare reform being dragged to the chopping block by the GOP and everyone else who holds stock in insurance companies, so called Black Leaders are chattering about "Black Agendas" and 40 acres and a mule not realizing that if we're too sick to take advantage of the benefits of such agendas and reparations that it will make little difference. Minorities, particularly African Americans, suffer disproportionately at a much higher rate over the same type of issues that other groups take on fewer casualties. So who will a failed attempt at healthcare reform hurt more??? Tavis, Jesse, Farrakhan, Sharpton? Anyone figure that out yet? Once it is established that we can AFFORD to get healthy physically we'll have more than enough opportunity to try and get that mule and 40 acres...whatever that translates into today.

mr. martin...i am not as savvy as i should be concerning the state of affairs with due respect to the country's medical controversy. why is there such a big fuss? i struggle everyday to make ends meet yet i would gladly give a day's wages to support national health care. i would live off 4 days a week to help make sure everyone has this benefit. so does a number of my friends agree with this. also, this national debt that we are growing, is it ethical or feasible that we as a people who should promote and protect our country by contributing to a designated bank to help pay for this debt and to make sure our children and their children don't inherit what we may have caused? i would surely do this and i think so would others if given the chance. i don't have the leisure to listen to you as i would like to but i respect you more than anyone else on the television and when i do get the chance to hear you i am all ears. also, i wanted to add it seems to me that the people want the president to fail..i don't and i will gladly do all the above mentioned things to help him succeed. i won't get the chance to hear the answers if this goes on your show but would you please let me know what you think...and what can i do to start this along? i don't have my space or facebook because i am not that into computers. thank you for your time and response.

Roland, Pres. Obama is not the person that should be pushing the passing of this health care bill; it should be "The Lame Dems - The Controlling party…" How is it that the Dems have a “Super Majority” and “Can’t pass gas…” History will leave on record that when given the opporturnity to “Pass the much need Health Care bill; The Dems couldn’t “Pass Gas!!!”
What is that about???

Hello Dr Roland Martin, over the past few years, I have been so consumed with politics and I want to thank you for your expertise on the matter. I am very thankful for all those who have worked hard to make things a little better for people of color. First I need to address the Democrats in NY, why are the rules so important now. I live in SC and we had an individual who cheated on his wife and spent tax dollars to romance his mistress. He still holds his position. Why then do we have Democrats in NY stepping down from their position for almost the same reason. I don't want to play the race card but something is not right with our system. Have we not overcome yet? Please Dr Roland, we need our leaders to stand up and change this twisted government system. Now that we are playing, some rules must change. We cannot conduct business as usual. Where is Jessie Jackson, I have not seen him since he cried like a baby when President Obama was announced President of this United States of America. I love everyone no matter what color they are or where they came from. Let's end the crab in the bucket mentality. I have been searching on the web and I cannot find out who started the crab in the bucket anyway. Please let's come together to save ourselves. I refuse to be a slave and I am ready to fight with my intelligence to maintain my freedom. GOD bless you Dr. Roland for this forum and GOD Bless our President, his family and his administration. Please GOD Bless America we need you NOW.

Hello Mr. Roland, I am concerned about the fact that Jessie Jackson has not been on the scene since President Obama has been elected. Not to make him a person who throws the rock and hide his hand but I find it strange for him not doing the things that Reverend Sharpton does when people of color need help and assistance from a strong leader. I personally believe Mr Jackson needs to show us more about what his organization is doing for people who need a leader to stand up for their rights. Maybe he needs to launch the Mountain Top Movement. According to the documentary that I have viewed, he was the first one on the scene when Dr Martin Luther King was assasinated. This type of movement will make Dr. King and other know that he is a true supporter of Dr King and the others that followed his movement. Since President Obama has been on campaign trail, I have been educating myself about the political process. After much studying, I have found that it is not easy being a politician. If we want our country to continue to be free for all Americans, we need to find some leaders to step up to plate and run for the offices in NY and around the country. I refuse to be a slave and I will support anyone who will stand up for the right of the people of this United States of Ameria. GOD Bless America.

Maybe it is because of that time ole Jesse made the comment about President Obama "acting like he is white" or when he said "See, Barack [has] been talking down to black people . . . I wanna cut his nuts out" If you need the support of a guy like Jesse Jackson, you really need to expand your circle of influence. Jesse Jackson is nothing but a two bit hustler and race baiter.

AS i sent home and whatch you guys and Washington go back and forth about this topic. I only here the two side, talk about the cost. We have a ever fading middle class. To which in my opinion this bill will help.
Why not take money out of medicade, lower EIC, benfits, those are the groups that dosen't pay any taxes. There is the true drain on the budget. I would rather my taxes go to some one that is paying taxes than those that aren't paying any taxes...

Roland Martin. I truly miss your presence on CNN. You were the voice of reason and intellectual brillance on that network. They truly needed to give you your own program. I was praying that Campbell Brown would not return. They DO NOT have one intelligent brother or sister hosting a show on that station. That DL Hughley situation was a disgrace when you were next in line to receive your own program. DL is a comedian and that was not the proper format for him. It was embarassing to have him on with his lack of intellect and those 'EARRINGS'. My lady and I had so many enjoyable nights watching you on CNN. You have such a sharp mind. I am pleased that you now have this site which allows many of us to have an additional voice in which to express some our thoughts.
I am pleased with most of the moves that our new President Barak Obama is engaged in. Boy, does he have his hands full of difficult issues! But he appears to have a good hand on most of these heavy issues. The fact that he was able to move healthcare this far is truly an amazing feat itself. He is centered directly inside the, 'belly of the beast'. FROM SLAVERY TO THE PRESIDENCY'. I am so happy that my mother who is 94 years old lived to see it. I remember segregation in the south during the '50's and '60's. God bless all of those beautiful African, European, Asian and human spirits that fought for justice.
My lady and I were disgusted when your role was diminished on CNN. I used to wait with baited breath for you to engage in a debate with some of the guests on CNN. I hope that you are happy with your personal moves regarding your career. You are truly A CREDIT TO HUMANITY AND BROTHA LUV, YOU ARE TRULY MISSED. PEACE AND TONS OF WARMTH TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.............................. DAVE

Roland, I know how much you enjoy genealogy. I wasn't sure if you had read this comment President Obama's election was no doubt historic, but in a sense, the presence of Michelle Obama in the White House is even more remarkable. She, daughters Malia and Sasha, and her mother, Marian (Shields) Robinson, are the first descendants of slaves to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as members of the first family.
"First Grandma" Marian's family lived in Chicago, so I don't know whether she ever met her Alabama-based great-grandfather Dolphus, but she would have been 12 years old when he passed away. I mention this because Dolphus was born into slavery, yet lived long enough to overlap the life of a White House-bound descendant.

I thought that the President himself was also the descendant of slaves.

Last night I saw Roland Martin on CNN finally tell it like it is. You're getting much better.
Now answer some questions from the public that really need to be addressed.
25-30% of all mortgaged homes are in default. By June there will be 50-60% of all mortgaged homes in default. By the end of the year the average median price of a home is projected to have lost another 29% in value. The recession is over?
The media is in the same Washington bubble as the politicians not even aware of the extreme tide of anger growing in the general populace against them and government. Tea Party - cut us a break!! Another group of self serving narcissists that bring forth the likes of Sarah Palin and other politicians.
And the public is going to create another political party, Really? The Tea Party and the rest are whack jobs who are running their own narcissistic agendas. They don't represent the anger movement of most of us. No, the public is long past fed up with all of the politicians and the spoon fed media. This country is collapsed beyond repair and what's growing is civil unrest and anarchy beyond the likes this Washington crowd has never seen. We've got Plan B and Plan C well in place. It will be about survival and those who are the most prepared and best adapted. It may be that many of us no longer wish to live in this country by the end of this year. The pundits point to Wall Street and think in the typical elite suburbia mindset. There's no relevance anymore to the masses and Wall Street. Wall Street only represents our anger and how the lousy politicians propped up the wealthy empires to which they owe their entire careers to.
You were right, many people want jobs and many more would like their houses back or to hold on to their existing homes. But there is no light at the end of this tunnel because the lousy bastards sold this country out and shipped all the jobs overseas in the name f "Free Trade".
While CNN and other media reporters and pundits still believe its all about government and politicians this country is too broke to fix.
So why not keep on telling it like it is? Ask the tough questions and put people on who are now radicalized and angry? And the survivalist groups that are popping up like dandelions in Springtime. They're forming in the Urbanites and the Suburbanites because we know there's no hope. And this is going to get ugly.
From one aspect it is an incredible time. One is unable to live to see the beginning and flourishing of a great civilization but we will all be witness to it's short time to collapse. Perhaps on it's reemergence rumor to us becoming smaller countries instead is enthralling as we've learned it is big government and big business which have been mainly responsible for this collapse.
So keep on hanging in there. You not only speak for blacks but for us whites too. Actually you speak for all colors and you speak real.
You however should feel some obligation to warning all of us that the end is coming and there are a number of things people can do to prepare themselves so they aren't just living in survival mode. Our group is about warning others and teaching them how to survive and also thrive through this upcoming nightmare.
And we'd like to ask the politicians why they don't address the pertinent issues of the devastating effect these continuing house foreclosures and job losses are going to play out. We already know why they instead talk about Wall Street, Iraq, Afghanistan, Health Care, Tiger Woods etc. because they know it's doom and gloom and there is no solution. They blew the wad financially and nobody explains how $1.9 trillion has grown to over $12 trillion. But we know why. We all wonder if the politicians have their Plan B ad Plan C ready too so their wealthy empire comrades have their private jets ready to take them to tropical islands or a paradise far away. Just like when Mexico's government went bankrupt in 1994 and Salinas took off with over 50 billion dollars to finally end up living in exile in Ireland.
There's only one rabbit left the politicians can pull out to try to forestall the inevitable and that's war. But if we say t first hopefully it won't happen.
But most notably last night you did something I've never seen any pundit ever do. You put the responsibility on the politicians across the board and the general public. In your business that's political suicide unless of course you know the end is coming too and it really isn't going to matter much longer. Before year's end this entire country will be consumed with civil unrest and anarchy. So why not pull that bell further and ring it like it is??
Great Job Yesterday!!
Dan Diehl

P.S. Why not interview more people like us who are setting up survivalist communities across the country. We're no longer whackos living in Vermont or Oregon. We're living in the urban and suburban communities of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. You'll find more of us in the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio communities. And we're nothing about white supremacist groups either. Talk to us.

Roland just caught the last few minutes on CNN debating Eric Erickson(?) about the bill to extend unemployment. My wife lost her job in Jan 2009 where she had been eight years. We live in a very small town in the West Texas Oil Field, unemployment 4.1%, some we are at full employment. She filed for unemployment and jumped thru all the hoops listing the places in our town where she might work. After a couple of weeks she was out of possibilities, did not want to have buy a car to drive to a job out of town. She told her case worker she was out of job options in our small town. She was told by the TWC worker just find names of businesses in Abilene, write their names in the contacts every week. She said that she was not willing to work in Abilene. Again the guy at TWC said that does not matter just fill in the contacts blanks and she would still get 13 or 14 weeks more unemployment. She said NO, that was lying. And she did not. We cut back just like the government does not know how to do and we still are alive and still have our self respect.

Mr. Martin,
I wonder why the black leaders so quick to jump are not addressing the "KKK", AKA Tea Party movement. Are they afraid or not willing to stand up to this movement. If a black organization arose to the level the tea party has shot would have been fired.

Dennis

Why is passing a health reform bill through reconciliation such a problem for Republicans? It's legal. Is the government so broken that they can't do something that will help save lives if the opposition is being paid hundreds of thousand of dollars by insurance companies to stop it from being passed?

Maybe because when the republicans tried to do it, the democrats whined and cried and moaned it was against the constitution, it was evil, etc etc. By the way, the republicans did it on an amendment, the dems want to do it on an entire bill. I suggest you do some education of the whole process before thinking reconciliation is such an ok thing.

Black folk think because they voted their job is done. If we let President Obama leave office with a watered down or no national health care plan at all it will be our own fault. I see the rich hold rallies against the health care plan our president wants, yet I dont see rallies supporting his health care plan. I see many of us bad mouth our President and just wonder if these same people know that the president is bound by laws of order and the rules of goverment structure. Do we not know the the president is limited somewhat by our apathy and or failure to let our congresspersons and represenatives know just how we feel. Thanks for your time and listening, Abdulaoblagodta

You havent read the health care bill have you. As far as rich holding rallies against the health care plan of President Obama, your only right that people are holding rallies, rich, not so much. Maybe just those of us who are not wanting to get screwed over more and more when people wont take responsibility and get insurance themselves.

I've heard your commentary the last 2 days on TJMS. Im apart of the generation you are talking to. We ask that when you call us out you also instruct. We are the first generation to go through OUR struggle & we are navigating it the best we can. Alot of it YOUR generation left us or sat by & watch happen. So, when you call us out about being lazy etc, please also provide SUGGESTIONS. There are no lunch counters anymore and a protest could lead to a criminal charge which might make me loose federal funding. We kinda feel like the president. We inherited this mess!

I have heard so much verbage about what President Obama could do for the county and black people, and would say he is but a mere human being, NOT GOD!!! Any person can be a talking head. Opinions are personal not a matter of timely truth. When will the action start to get us moving foward.

Mr. Martin, I need your help or at least your advice. A family member of mine that lives in Huntsville, AL was assaulted by the police in the summer of 2009 and I feel that they are trying to cover something up. We are not getting much cooperation from our lawyers. To make a long story short, he was racial profiled while driving through the bad neighborhood because he has very long dreadlocks. They pulled over in a Kroger's parking lot. They called back up and about 10 cars showed up. However, only two cops were involved in the assault. He was maced and beaten unconscious but no ambulance was called. We was taken to station & arrested and you can imagine the surprise when they found out my brother was a flight test engineer for the the Boeing Company with a squeaky clean record. In beginning, Krogers was cooperative with us about getting us the tape but after a week they said they didn't have it. Also the police say they don't have any tape or audio about the ordeal. It just seems strange. My brother has been cooperative the entire time and has made every court date but for some reason the arresting officers (one each time) have missed dates dragging the case out. My brother's lawyer told the department that when it's time for an arrest, he would turn himself in. However, they wait till Thanksgiving weekend and put him all over the news on Crimestoppers like he's a menace to society and ruining the holidays. Which I don't understand why/how you can be arrested twice and post two bails for the same event. This entire situation has caused a lot of stress and anxiety and I was wondering could you give any advice. It just sounds similar to the case a year or so ago down in Birmingham, AL. Thanks, I really really appreciate you reading this! I know this is a shot in the dark.

Bf
Byron Fields
MrByronL@yahoo.com

SAw you on the box today .. sounded good. Problem (in brief). If you had one side of town which was trying to overcome decades of predjudice and ignoreance. It is tough to vote if a percentage of your population is un able to because of an offence on their record. Then because of decades of this they do not own much land there because of the pay rates they were offered. Then to boot for a while they are subjects to outsiders because of the hiring process of hiring outsiders. Then because of the lack of education and true representation you are still "subjects " of a cycle you are trying to slow down. Then in order to make a foot hold you have to try to keep track of what the others are doing o top of working the crappy job ...and then they change voting times .....look it up. Wait hold up cant afford cable because the local chanel shows cats stuck in a tree. So I am stuck going to the library for my education. Next thing I know I am getting a little education and wait ... who is reference. Problem I learned when I had a lot was I had time for shit when You dont your time is spent on busses,lines,paperwork,social works, programs etc. Basically everything to keep others in business. Basically you are their customer. THey know how it is because they made their money from years of *#%&^ money and connections.Wait I am a subject of others and I cant afford much but I do pay taxes and wait why are the police bringing my sone home from the park at nine pm saying he is breaking the law. When back in your hay day the lights on the pole worked. ....To be long winded the healing process takes more than seven years and some of the powerfull HAVE to step down. Or we will still have people who have connections buying property for a penny. Wow what a legal advantage some have...

sorry buddy its not him.you are 1 of the few on the news i can stomach.its us. we asked for change.we got it.a new look.but whats behind him is not.same people same results.he needs to go to the people.not these hand pick town halls .but to the people on the streets.the news should do the same.they should try and get real people on.its allways the same people who try and tell me what i need.when they dont know my needs.

Roland, i what u had to say about Tiger, My question is that i am fan of Washington Watch. It would come on sunday morning and again on sunday evening? I am in church during the morning, so what happen to the evening?

Mr. Martin you seem to have the right way of looking at this Tiger situation, and for that I thank you. What needs to be done here, before anything else, and I know that I will get bashed over the head for this, is that Tiger needs to start playing. Tiger needs to save what's left of the PGA Tour. There are a lot of great golfers on the tour today, but we all have gotten spoiled to seeing Tiger Play and Win. Yes, Tiger needs to work on his family issues, but he could be playing at the same time. Tiger can fix the tour just by starting to play again, and who knows it might help him to sort things out in his life. Tiger's a good guy, that got ahead of himself. Let's all give the guy a break, he was always good to us when he was playing and we enjoyed watching him more than anyone else. I like all the Golfers that why I want him back in place. Certainly I wish him and everyone of his family members nothing but the best. I also hope his marriage goes the way they want it to. I don't know if you are like me, but when I think of golf I think of Mr."Let Me At Them" Palmer, Mr. "In Shape" Player, Mr."The Greatest" Jack, Strong Man "Slamming" Sam, and The Tiger. Isn't that a good group to be in. Let's all hope that Tiger starts playing.

Roland the TV One show is a hit. However, do you know the we honored the victums of the Orangeburg Massacre this month and no news team covered it. Can you honor the people in this article on your show-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangeburg_massacre
What's ironic is the state of SC is honoring the SC State football team at the state house today-http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2010/02/20/bulldogzone/doc4b7cc442798e4245132306.txt

Hi Mr. Martin, I was reading the piece that you did with First Lady Obama on obesity. And I felt her concerns. My name is Diane Collins, I'm a Vegetarian Chef and Nutritionist. I was wondering if you were interested in doing a healthy eating/cooking demo and teaching.

I want to commend you on the article you wrote about Tiger Woods.... I wish the rest of your peers would do the same thing and not want to reap his head off. If he wasn't a popular golfer this would never be in the paper. Thanks for puttiing that article out. BRAVO

I totally agree that Tiger does not owe anyone anything. He got to where he is thru hard work and dedication and for the media and people to hound him is disgraceful. He still is and will always be the greatest golfer. I wish Tiger would get back to golf so that I can watch the game again. I love watching him win. All I have to say to Tiger is, if your personal life is going to affect your game then get rid of the personal life.

Toronto Ontario

I just read your article concerning Tiger Woods and I applaud your remarks.

Since you are pro-Obama, and I am not, we sit on different sides of the fence. As for your comments advising Mr. Obama to "gangsta" the GOP, I find this ludicrous at best, absurd at worst. The ":gangsta" mentality has done nothing but dessecrate this nation, this movement that has slandered women, glorified criminal activity, not to mention offered some of the most god-aweful music in history. It is looked on by many as another example of the ruination of this country. Now, you offer the President this type of advice? Say what you will about the GOP, the nation is speaking, and Obama is a one-term President.

Hi Roland, I've been searching for a full time position since October. I've probably applied for at least one hundred jobs. Several a week at least. All I've gotten is two part time seasonal positions. I've redone my resume four times and I've just written a very long cover letter that I'm ready to send with the resume. No one calls ever so I have wondered do they reach any one. It seems like you used to apply for a job and get a call or something in the mail. Now it's nothing. What in the world is going on? I'd really really want to know.

Change your skill set, do whatever you need to do to put food on the table. Some of us who went without work in our own fields took jobs well below what we used to earn and do. Some of us continued to educate ourselves, the best person to look after me is me, not the government.

Hi Roland -- I am in total and full agreement of your article on Sara Palin. As a 56-year old, life-long resident of DC, and a politically engaged citizen, I have been sickened by the media attraction to Sara Palin. We have John McCain to thank for her...will someone please tell her to exit the stage to the left. Every time she speaks publicly, I feel the need to cover my ears, and my 9-year old granddaughter's ears. No intelligence is being communicated, yet the media spend a suspicious amount of time discussing and analyzing an airheads's comments. I am so grateful that both McCain and Palin do not live at 1600 Pa Ave. My last point, I watched her speech full of empty content but full of criticisms of the President. Here for the first time in a very long time, intelligence is being respresented in the White House and Palin and her ilk would crticize that. It makes you wonder, how low do we have to go with accepting this type of rhetoric before a revolution occurs. What kind of country are we becoming... engaging in nonsensical conversation about an irrelevant Sara Palin, who is being made relevant by the fact that we have an African American President and despite her extreme lack of intelligence but attractive looks is being used to speak nastilty about our country's leader. SHAME ON THE MEDIA,,,I GIVE THEM AN OVERALL 'F'

I've missed seeing you on CNN, I don't watch CNN as I did during the two year run to the last election. I find the programming to be extremely biased and lacking prime time african american perspective or representation as hosts. I thought you did a great job replacing Campbell Brown...however since then, I simply cannot tolerate watching her. She is just so unappealing, in addition to not having a top lip with a lisp. (too much interruption that you cannot hear what she is saying). Keith Olbermann is my choice everyday of the week over Ms. Brown for the 8pm time slot.

Wishing you well...Jacque

To arlissholmes,
my, my,so much tension and bitterness. Do you have any answers to the problems we face today. If you would admit it you have a little gansta in you. Read back what you wrote listen to the tone.

After reading your article about "gangsta the GOP", I must say it is a bit ridiculous to make such ignorant remarks. When you consider the negative implications the "GANGSTA" mentality has done to this nation, it is a bit one-sided to offer such ridiculous solutions. The President will be voted out of office because he is not capable of running this country, people are disenchanted with his hallow and plastic promises, and the polls clearly reflect the way things are going and will go. Gangsta's belong in jail, but of course, they have been profiled or wrongly put there, right?
As a journalist, you should have an open mind and report the facts, not offer some silly, out of context resolution that is not even plausible. Obama talks a big game, and that's about it. To support this man only shows how out of touch with reality you really are concerning this matter.

P.S.- I normally agree with your wisdom and opinion. On this one, not so.

Mr. Martin, I am a big fan. I need ur help though. I'm a business student doing a paper on rent control in inner cities. What is your postion on it because all this media attacking the Presidet left and right isn't helping out those families that still need to have housing and food. It is amazing that those issues have been forgotten. I listen to you every morning on the TJMS show. And I know that the topics you discuss are right on point. We better wake up and realize that there is a much bigger plan going on than just healthcare. If they won't tell us what is in this healthcare bill, then what makes the people think that Congress is gong to tell us anything that matters to us? Seems kind of fishy to me.

12 Feb 10

Tea Party Movement………Where is the movement we had and need now when we were fired up about the election of Barrack Obama. The way things look now if we don’t find some leaders who are willing to work and we are willing to support, we might find ourselves as slaves again. Our forefathers have worked to hard for us to just sit back and talk about the Tea Partiers and how demeaning their movement has become. We need leaders to step up to plate and lead this nation to the promise land. We have not gotten there yet. President Obama needs our support. This county has been run by Tea Partiers long enough. Let’s stand for something and make this place a better place for ourselves and our children. The minority of this great country must stand strong and tall and start a movement that our ancestors will be proud of. We have too many intelligent people in our communities to sit back and let the Tea Partiers win the races. Let’s get out and vote in every election not just the Presidential race. We need leaders to put their names on the ballot and knock on doors and win the support of the people. The time is now. This is a call to action. Remember our right to be citizens in this United States of American is not a law it is an ACT. Let’s make a change. It’s not going to be easy, but we will never know the struggle if we don’t do anything. I am ready to work and I know there are more who are willing and able to work. Yes we do need leaders to lead us to the promise land. Stand up and we will support. WE must stop the Tea Partiers Movement. Let’s start the Mountain Top Movement. We can get there, and we need some leaders to go to work. GOD Bless you and GOD Bless America.

RLB

Please explain to me why the govt workers can take 4 plus days off work and still be paid for it? and no its not vacation time they are being paid...the govt is paying them out of my taxes. i simply cant understand this, i wish i could take 4 plus days off work for weather and be paid for it.
Diana Wiegand.......Salina Kansas 67401

Dear Roland, I heard your comments on the TJMS on Thursday. I sincerely believe that it is time for the Black community and culture to work harder to take care of their own as other cultures. For all the people in the music industry, sports, etc. it is time for them to give back more. Give back some of that money you made from all the kids and fans who have bought your products, bought you music, paid to go to your movies etc. Each of those millionaire blacks should adopt a group of black kids and sponsor them through college. As a single mother on disability who has a daughter who is a senior in high school and looking forward to going to college in the fall, I know how hard it is. When you see our millionaire blacks squandering money which is made from the hard work of us parents who have given money to our children, it is an insult. Our fortunate people should come to black neighborhoods and open businesses, clubs, hospitals, etc. to empower our people and children. We are the only culture who does not do this. There should be an all out effort to help our kids in this country who are unfortunate as there has been the big effort to help Haiti. We can not just depend on our government. President Obama needs help, not talk. I have not seen where the NAACP or any of those Black organizations personally come into our communities, our schools and work one on one with our children. We need to as a people, step up the effort to do a hands on to help our children and communities. There is no where for our teens to go and express themselves or even enjoy themselves.

Hello Mr. Martin
I have a question about the title president. I really did not keep up with politics very much before then Sen Barack Obama let it be known that he was going to run for president. Since President Barack Obama has taken office I very seldom hear people address him as such. Has this been the case in past presidents or just this one. It really angers me to the point that I correct people when they call his name around me and forget to put his title in front of his name. And on some of the talk shows they will say sen so and so, or rep so and so, and Barack Obama in the same sentence. I find myself yelling at my T.V. These are people who like him. I can see the ones who don't doing it. It might be a small matter to some, however, I see it as respect for the person in that office. Thank you for being our voice!

I noticed the same thing. They call him by his first name. Im fairly young. I have lived through 3 Presidents and I have rarely seen this done to them. I feel its a lack of respect. A lack ofrespect that Black men or men of color know all to well. They need to be corrected. I guess in the grand scheme of things it doesnt matter because it is coming from what is in their heart of hearts. Hate!

Mr. Martin,
I really enjoy watching your show. When I began watching the show I was impressed with how each panelist allowed the other to make their point. Lately some of your guests have
talked over the person speaking. I expect that from a particular show that airs on Sundays also. We must not emulate those screaming heads. Mr. Martin I will continue to watch your show because I trust what you say.

I agree with you totally, I was gonna post a similar message, thanks for doing so.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer of South Carolina, yes the laughing state in the nation right now, made a rather unique comment about people that depend on government aid. He thinks if welfare recipients fail a drug test, their benefits should be discontinued. In addition, he feels that if parents do not attend parent-teacher conferences and their child is receiving free or reduced lunch, then the adult should be punish.

While a lot of people took offense to his statement, I didn't. Grant it, he didn't use the best metaphors, as he described people receiving government assistance to stray animals, I think he made a good point. Governement assistance is definitely needed because many of us have no control over certain circumstances. However, too many making government assistance a lifestyle.

Well I suggest that Lt Gov Andre Bauer of South Carolina be the first one in line. Let's see if he passes the test.

if he's depending on goverment funding to live, then he should be put on the line as well. i don't think it should come to that at all, but something needs to be done.

oh..my..gosh.....well ...sarah palin is running her mouth again.....!!!!,,,,,saying this and that about the democrats...and the president.....lets be truthful....republicans ...love to have division...with all of the races....we still have the closet ...racists...and bigots...who wear different hats whenever they need to......cover themselves..for the moment......and this so- called 'tea party '...is whites....who hate the thought that president in office is a person of color....when our president...came into office...the..the debt was already out of control...( trying to blame him for that )....seems like a fight....good.....versus....evil....huh!!!....,,america will always be divided until all of the old trouble makers...gone......from what i can see....the trouble makers....are republicans.......oh...lest we not forget...rush limbaugh...sarah palin....fox news....glenn beck...etc........need i say more....evil....will not win out....but good eventually will.....!!!!

Dont foget Harry Reid and his negro comment now.

How are you doing Mr.Martin.My question is what do you think about children service,chid suport and equal father rights. I feel they are totaly bias towards males.

While living abroad I see the massive progress other countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China have made over the past 20 years and are making currently. They are surpassing the US in infrastructure, technology, and literacy rates. In some cases their government policies even grant their citizens more freedoms than US citizens have (i.e. ... See MoreSouth Korea). Why doesn't the U.S. get on board with the progress needed to stay competitive in the global community. Is the GOP that blind that they don't realize WE are falling behind at an alarming rate in comparison to other industrialized nations? Do people really believe the US is the best place on earth to live still when we can't even get health care reform passes? With an every growing China shouldn't the US be more eager to CATCH UP! Or do you believe that people are just in denial and would rather maintain the status quo to our countries ultimate detriment?

You talk about the GOP being blind but have you looked at the current administrations progress. For us to progress, we need less tax on business, take back the sciences. Did you know we used to export Engineers to the world, now we have so few we have to bring them in from other countries. Our education system is in shambles due to unions. Do you think countries like S.Korea put up with the poor quality of education we have to put up with, heck no. Countries like S.Korea, Japan, India, China are whooping us because they actually work for there education and value it more than we do. We also decided we wanted the bigger and better TV's but wouldn't pay for it so China stepped in, we wanted better cars that detroits unions wouldn't build and Japan stepped in. Blame the GOP, dont, look in the mirror and blame ourselves.

Hi Martin,

I would like to know if the Tea Party group is a modern day KKK? There's footage on the internet of a Black Woman being harrassed, having her picture of Rosa Parks torn up and then being thrown out of one of the Tea Party's meetings.

Wrong!!!! The media wants you to think that and buries stories like that of an August 2009 demonstration in Mehville, Missouri, Obamacare opponents were locked out of a town hall meeting before Union thugs viciously attacked patriot and Tea Party activist Kenneth Gladney, who was handing out Gadsen flags outside the stage-managed event, while hurling racist insults. Mr. Gladney is a black man. The men that attacked him hurled the N word at him asking what a man like him was doing there. Unbelievable. And really unbeliveable that mainstream media decides to bury the story.

And yet, when the Black Panthers intimidate voters during the 2008 election they are given a pass. Truly the hypocrisy is amazing.

exacty....you are so correct.....all that are gonna to be in the tea party are...white racists...and closet bigots.....i already knew that....some white americans would love to have the old america back...where people of color...have no right whatsoever...Well that is not going to happen...they all need to grow up... if that is possible...