Book Trailer: Black Masculinity in the Obama Era: Outliers of Society

UHCL--University of Houston - Clear Lake Political Science Program

COLLEGE MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER: DR. WILLIAM T. HOSTON, Podcast #1: "Aligning Yourself With Greatness."

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...

Thank you WSU for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you have provided me during the last three years. The time I have spent at the university has been most rewarding and helpful in my academic career, and I hope that my contributions to the university, and greater Wichita community have been appreciated.

MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER: DR. WILLIAM T. HOSTON, (866) 218-0315

IS MAYORAL CANDIDATE JAMES PERRY TOO "DARK" TO BECOME MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS?---William T. Hoston

The city of New Orleans elected its first black mayor, Ernest “Dutch” Morial, in 1977 and black candidates have won all mayoral elections thereafter. However, all the mayoral winners have been light/fair skinned blacks (e.g., Dutch Morial, Sidney Barthelemy, Marc Morial, and Ray Nagin to name a few). Skin tone plays an important role in "Black on Black" and "Biracial" mayoral elections in New Orleans. It was probably a major factor in two New Orleans mayoral contests, 1986 and 2002. For example, in 1986 darker skinned William Jefferson (former corrupt US congressmen), a then city council member ran against lighter skinned Sidney Barthelemy. In the general election, Barthelemy won 86% of the white vote and Jefferson won 60% of the black vote. In the 2002 mayoral election, Ray Nagin captured a hefty portion of the white vote as well, all 143 white majority precincts (not the same in 2006).

In the post-Hurricane Katrina period, many black voters have not returned to the city. And those currently residing in New Orleans have been turned-off with the antics of current mayor, Ray Nagin. Because black voter turnout may be relatively low in the upcoming election, this may potentially impact the outcome, compromise the black political leadership that New Orleans has enjoyed since the 1970s, and subsequently alienate James Perry from contention.

If James Perry is left in a run-off with another Black candidate, I would suggest employing a neo-conservative campaign strategy. If James Perry is left in a run-off with a White candidate, I would suggest employing a de-racialized campaign strategy. At the end of the day, the base of white voters that will determine the next mayor of New Orleans will "only" respond to a Black candidate that practices a neo-conservative brand of politics and totally deracializes their campaign. Other than that, he could bleach his skin since he was not born with the skin tone that black and white voters in New Orleans are accustom to.

William T. Hoston is a professor of political science at Wichita State University in the Department of Political Science (and New Orleans native).

Guilty Forever: Time Spent Is Not Good Enough For Some--William T. Hoston

WARNING: I "do not" support nor condone the behavior, actions of Michael Vick.

Please leave Michael Vick alone.  The man has served 19 months in Federal (not state) prison with the remaining being served in home confinement in Virginia.  Vick has been instructed by the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, to show remorse for his actions to be reinstated to the NFL.  How does he do that?!?!?

First, he will work on programs aimed at preventing urban youth from getting involved in dogfighting (I thought dogfighting was a rural problem...).  Second, I am sure he will make several appearances on TV talk shows to display his remorse (possibly even Oprah).  Third, he will meet with the NFL commissioner and for certain break down and cry on his shoulder (i.e., Rosewood, Mississippi Burning, Time to Kill, Amistad...catch my drift).  Finally, he will do construction work for a minimal wage of $10 an hour after once being the NFL's highest paid player.  The other "options" of remorse are out the door.  For example, him giving to charitable organizations because the creditors and the Atlanta Falcons have asked for their money back (and rightfully so!).  

The conservative in me says, "Michael Vick, you a big dummy, go hide under a rock!!!"  The liberal says, "he has paid his debt to society, give him another chance :-)."  The conservative says, "the world was your oyster, why would you participate in such a heinous and foolish act?"  The liberal says, "he was just trying to 'keep it real' with the fellas and still be true to the hood--for acceptance."  The conservative says, "keeping it real is knowing when to separate yourself from friends that will jeopardize your career."  The liberal says, "these were the people that he believed truly loved and cared about him, boy was he wrong."

Personally, I am of the opinion that, he has done the time so we (as a society) should move toward forgiving him (many already have and didn't think what he did was all that bad).  He has paid his debt to society.  So, the NFL commissioner should reinstate him to resume his playing career.  But hold up, the NFL is a corporation.  What happens to an employee in corporate America if they commit a heinous act that misrepresents the corporation?  Do they get to work there again?  Sorry, that's the conservative talking :-( 

So, let the liberal speak.  The NFL should reinstate Michael Vick, only allow a team to pay him the league minimum for the first 3 years, and in the off-seasons he should perform 5,000 community service hours (yes I know thats alot!) for NFL related programs that target youth achievement.

In the words of Malcolm X, I say to Mr. Vick, "If you have no critics you'll likely have no (post)-success."

William T. Hoston is a professor of political science at Wichita State University in the Department of Political Science.

The 2009 African-American Student Association Banquet (WSU)