Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote

Just how big an effect do celebrities have on American politics? Certainly they can make a big impact financially if they choose. But Rick Ross has no intention of being a financial factor in either candidate’s campaign. In an interview for the August issue of VIBE magazine, Ross said a little leverage would be necessary first.

“VIBE: You can probably make campaign contributions now, yes?

Ross: I’m going to support Barack Obama, but I’m not going to straight be a contributor in the campaign because of the way I conduct business. I’ma need some political leverage. And if a president ain’t willing to get at me, where I can call you at the White House, or where I can come to the White House and get me some Lewinsky- if I need -then I can’t really do that.”

Was he joking?! I sincerely hope so. What kind of model is that setting for You(th) Voters? It’s like….teaching them to contribute with negative ulterior motives in mind. Obviously Ross has an influence on American youth, (his music didn’t become popular without help), but is this the right kind of influence?

I’m not saying that contributing to either candidate’s campaign shouldn’t be a little about personal gain. Because I’ll agree with him on one point, I want leverage too, just a different kind. I see leverage as Americans being able to go to the gas pump and not having to decide between gas and food. I see leverage as being able to enroll in college without being in debt before you’ve even started. So the whole ‘if I do something for you, you’ve got to do something for me’ mentality is there. It’s just focused on the issues affecting our communities.

What do you think of Ross’s comments? Is “the biggest boss” out of line for this statement? What do you see leverage as? You tell me.

–Ashley

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Posted by: Travers Johnson for BET’s YOU(TH) VOTE 

Apollo Braun should’ve added the following warning label to his “OBAMA IS MY SLAVE” t-shirt:  “WARNING—- If you step out of the house with this shirt on, don’t be surprised if you catch a beat down!” 

According to Livesteez.com, a New York City graduate student is suing the Manhattan boutique owner because when she wore the controversial t-shirt that she bought at his store earlier this week, four teenage girls jumped her, “shoving her, pulling out her earphones, and spitting in her face.” WOW!

A Jewish-American, Apollo Braun, pictured above, argues that the shirt is just a reflection of how “ordinary WASPs” see Obama.  He said, “For a lot of people, when they see Obama, they see a slave.  People think America is not ready for a black president.”   

But he contends that he’s not racist.  Although he admits that he “can’t stand Obama,” he says that the only thing he does like about Obama is his race because “He opens the door for other minorities.”

Umm, okaaaay.  

So, what do you think about this t-shirt?  Do you buy his argument that this is how white people view Obama?  Would you ever be brave enough to wear something like this out on the streets?

Hit me up to break it down.

And if you’re into the whole “I hate Obama” t-shirt trend, you might like some of Braun’s other t-shirts that read “Jews Against Obama,” “Who Killed Obama,” and “Obama=Hitler.”

What a mess,

—TRAVERS

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Posted by Angel Elliott, BET News for YOU(th) Vote!

Posted by: Travers Johnson for BET’s YOU(TH) VOTE  

So after the news broke on Wednesday that Rev. Jesse Jacka** used the n-word in between segments of a FOX News interview, the ramifications of the word were discussed by the ladies of the morning talk show The View yesterday and, unsurprisingly, it got pretty heated.  

It all started when Barbara Walters asked Sherri Shepherd if it is okay, essentially, for black people, (particularly black comedians) to use the n-word.  Shepherd responded “Yeah I have no problem with them using it.  It’s something that means something way different to me than it does to you.”  Then Barbara started to ask so, “If I used it” and Sherri cut her off saying, “I don’t wanna hear it come out of your mouth.”

Then ultra-conservative co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck chimed in, and all hell broke loose.   She and Whoopi Goldberg got into a tense discussion that left Hasselbeck crying at the end.  After using the word n**** at least 8 times, Whoopi then gave Elisabeth an explanation of how the world isn’t peachy keen for black people and how it is acceptable for blacks to use the n-word and not whites.  But while I don’t agree with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on many things, I felt her when she said, “how are we supposed to then move forward if we keep using terms that bring back that pain?” 

So tell me:  How CAN we as black people/Americans in general progress if we keep using the n-word?  

Isn’t it hypocritical for US to use the word, but when a white person does they immediately get protested against?

Exactly why CAN’T any other races say n*gga (not n*gger), when it seems to be a pop culture word?

Hit me up to break it down.

Let’s ALL just stop saying it,

—TRAVERS

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Posted by: Travers Johnson for BET’s YOU(TH) VOTE!

…rent a

DESERTED

ISLAND and LIVE

ON IT!!

At least for a few months, because every day over the past week has driven his name further and further into the ground!!  It’s now being reported that in the same not-so-private conversation that he had during a Fox News interview where he talked about CASTRATING OBAMA, Jesse also used the N-Word to refer to black people!

 Now, I’m not gonna act like it’s unheard of for black people to say “n****”, but this is the SAME guy who just a year ago was jumping in front of television cameras scolding the hip-hop industry for using the n-word and was walking around the NAACP convention with a casket talking about “burying” the word! 

SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT JESSE JACKSON’S COMMENTS?  HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HIM AS A PUBLIC FIGURE?  IF YOU COULD SAY ANYTHING TO JESSE, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM?

Hit me up to break it down.

Come ON, Jesse!  You’re killing us here!

It’s time for Jesse to get his Castaway on,   

—TRAVERS

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Posted by: Keisha Courtney for BET’s You(th) Vote!

Every community has its issues, but it seems this year the black communities’ issues have been unveiled more than others. So who do we have to thank for this? Barack Obama.

Jesse Jackson may say that Obama is “talking down” to blacks when he brings up issues of parenting, respect, body image, pregnancy and the like, but all I have to say is maybe it is LONG OVERDUE for someone within the community to bring these issues to the surface.

Here is what Mr. Obama said in a speech to the NAACP in Cincinnati:

“When we are taking care of our own stuff, then a lot of other folks are going to be interested in joining up and working with us and taking care of America’s stuff… Teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them a man is not the ability to have a child but to raise one.”

Powerful and true words indeed! Well at least in my opinion. So what do you think about this?

Should his words be limited to only Black parents or should parents of other races be included in the mix?

Should Obama calm down with this “down talk” or should Jesse Jackson just open up his ears and hear the truth? Will bringing up issues within the community help us or hurt us? You decide.

- Keisha

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Posted by: Travers Johnson for BET’s YOU(TH) VOTE

So I realize I might be burned at the You(th) Vote stake for this one, but here it goes:  I don’t think that this week’s Barack/Michelle New Yorker cover is that big of a deal.    Like many people, I was absolutely OUTRAGED when I first saw the cover.  “How DARE they?!?” I thought.  But then, I remembered what magazine I was looking at and it all made sense.  You see, The New Yorker is a smart a** magazine for “intellectuals”, with an “intellectually” smart a** sense of humor.  Every week it takes current events, current people in the news, and current ideas/beliefs, and straight CLOWNS THEM in cartoons on the cover and inside the pages. Satire is what The New Yorker is known for, and satire is what you saw on the Barack/Michelle cover…not racism, religious discrimination, anti-patriotism, terrorism, etc. 

But wait!  We actually DID see all of those bad things on the cover—and that was exactly the point!  According to dictionary.com satire is defined as “the use of irony, sarcasom, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.”  What The New Yorker cover did was to create a ridiculous, ironic, and sarcastic visual representation of all of the stupid rumors, beliefs, and stereotypes that surround the Obamas (the “folly”) to show just how RIDICULOUS they all are (and certainly to make fun of anybody that believes that crap).  I know it may not make sense at first, or if you’re not familiar with the magazine, but that’s just how they do it. (Check out some of their past covers below).

Americans aren’t dumb. The truth is that, 51% of people in a recent poll know that Barack Obama is not, nor never has been, Muslim.  And from that I would speculate that a large number of voters also reject the rumors that Barack is some kind of terrorist-in-disguise and that Michelle is some white-people-hating anti-American.  But there are still some poor souls out there that believe this stuff, and The New Yorker cover was crackin’ on them.

The people that read The New Yorker are smart enough to know who the Obamas really are, and the people that believe all the junk out there about Barack and Michelle probably can’t read anyway (Just kidding. Don’t get your blood pressure up).

                                                          So do you agree or disagree? 

Hit me up to break it down.

I know it seems like it, but I promise it’s not that serious,

Posted by: Travers Johnson for BET’s YOU(TH) VOTE

 We’re all inspired by the reality that Barack Obama could be the first African-American president, but he’s not the only black candidate seeking the White House.  This past Saturday, the Green Party nominated former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as its presidential candidate.  McKinney beat out three other candidates to secure the nomination and chose Hip-hop activist Rosa Clemente as her vice-presidential candidate.

McKinney is in no way new to politics.  A former member of the Democratic Party, she represented a suburban Atlanta district of Georgia in the U.S. House for six terms and is the daughter of Bill McKinney, a former Georgia State Representative.

But as is usually the case, the longer you’re in politics, the more controversy you’ve been through…and Cynthia McKinney has definitely seen MORE than her share of drama.  When she was running for reelection in 2006, Ms. Cynthia made headlines for getting straight HOOD WITH IT and throwing them hands on a U.S. Capitol police officer.  Apparently, because of a new hairdo she had just gotten, the police officer didn’t recognize her when she came in the building, tried to stop her from entering without identification, and got knocked up side the head.  NUCK IF YOU BUCK, Cynthia! LOL.

 But even with her troubled past, and even despite the fact that I would probably NEVER vote for her because of some of her stances, I do respect her for her accomplishment, and wish her the best.  But by best, I don’t mean “Ralph Nader taking votes from Al Gore in 2000″ best.

So tell me: How do you feel about Cynthia McKinney being the Green Party presidential candidate?  Are you happy for/proud of her?  Do you think that her running could take votes from Obama or McCain?

Hit me up to break it down.

If pigs start flying and she does win the election, I just hope she doesn’t put her hands on the Secret Service.

Run Cynthia Run,

—TRAVERS

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Posted by: Keisha Courtney for BET’s You(th) Vote!

Okay well not yet, but she will soon rock those PINK and GREEN colors! Mrs. Obama has accepted an honorary membership into the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. This week the African-American sorority is celebrating its centennial in Washington D.C. where the sorority was founded.

Members of the organization already include Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Gladys Knight, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Jada Pinkett Smith and Alicia Keys just to name a few. Michelle Obama will soon be able to add her name to this list of AMAZING WOMEN.

Congrats to Mrs. Obama and the members of AKA!

- Keisha

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Posted by Ashley Slayton for BET You(th) Vote

These days it seems like I can’t tell the difference. Lately here the Obama camp has been reeling from a series of blows dealt from his own side. It reminds me of that old adage, “If you can’t find something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

Just look at Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright. The man is obviously a loose cannon at this point. Who can forget his fifteen minutes that became an hour during the primary season? (Or the short video clip the media kept circulating of the reverend shouting, “Barack Hussein Obama! Barack Hussein Obama!”) Chilling? Maybe. Weird? Borderline. Overexploited? Definitely.

And it’s not like Bernie Mac made the situation any easier. At a political fundraiser in Chicago the comedian made a lewd joke that managed to make headlines across the country. Mac said:

“My little nephew came to me and he said, ‘Uncle, what’s the difference between a hypothetical question and a realistic question?’” Mac said. “I said, I don’t know, but I said, ‘Go upstairs and ask your mother if she’d make love to the mailman for $50,000.’”

I’m a Bernie Mac fan myself. I love that he says what he wants to say when he wants to say it. But here’s a realistic question for him, ‘Is it really appropriate to tell that type of joke at a political fundraiser?’ Guess he’ll just have to endure the media’s endless scolding while Obama absorbs the effect of a joke gone wrong.

And the big whammy that the Obama campaign has received this month are the comments from Jesse Jackson:

“See, Barack’s been talking down to black people on this faith-based. I wanna cut his n*** off. Barack, he’s talking down to black people.”

As Travers said last week in his post on Jackson’s comments, maybe talking about castrating a presidential candidate isn’t such a great idea. In privacy or in public. (In fact, maybe you shouldn’t talk about castrating anyone at all.)

John McCain (the self-proclaimed “underdog” in this race) won’t have to do much to secure his spot as the next president if Obama supporters can’t keep their foot out of their mouths long enough for the election to be over.

What can the Obama team do to stop the wave of negative publicity from Jackson’s comments? Do these statements help the McCain campaign inadvertently? Will Obama supporters blow the election for him? You tell me.

–Ashley

P.S. Take a guess at what Obama’s thinking in this picture. I think he’s saying, “I wish these fools would shut up until November.”

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