(NNPA)—Although President Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan created or saved enough jobs over the past year to prevent the United States from plunging into the second Great Depression, most Americans grossly underestimate what the package has accomplished.

“One year later, it is largely thanks to the Recovery Act that a second depression is no longer a possibility,” Obama said at an event marking the bill’s anniversary. He said the stimulus package has saved or helped create 2 million jobs.

Not surprisingly, Republicans disagree.

by Akwasi Evans

(NNPA)—Many Black-owned newspapers across the country recently ran a scathing criticism of the NAACP by the National Black Church Initiative. NBCI President Anthony Evans (no relation) said that during the Congressional Black Caucus weekend he “cornered Mr. Jealous,” and told him “the ministers will not stand for the oldest civil rights organization to be used by the gay community to justify their unethical sexual behavior.”

Evans’ letter to NAACP Board Chair Julian Bond warned that there was no way the Black church was going to allow the NAACP or anyone “to utilize these institutions that African Americans have put their lives on the line for to be prostituted for a contribution from the White, gay community.” Evans claims the NAACP “has no business in the issue of marriage.” “Marriage,” said Evans, “is a church matter.” But, in reality marriage is more of a state matter than a church matter. Applicants for marriage must seek a license from the government, not from the church. Couples can marry in the church, but they can also marry in the courthouse or even their parent’s house.

(Real Times Media)—Joseph Andrew Stack’s decision to fly his plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas last week is going to be interpreted along two main camps. There will be those that look at Joe Stack’s life, read his extensive suicide note and see a great deal of themselves in the story that he tells. Hard working, played by the rules they were taught and yet still seem to be thwarted at every turn by a federal government singularly focused on the uber-rich. Then there are those that will look at Joe Stack’s life, read his extensive suicide note and see precisely what is wrong with America in general, self absorbed, lack of values and paint him as the epitome of the whining baby boomer generation. Of course, neither side is entirely wrong, but no one is going to give much credence to the main truth. Joe Stack was just one crazy individual who had the same problems as a lot of people; he just handled them in a spectacularly deadly way. Of course, that story is much less sexy narrative than making Joe Stack a sign of our recessionary times.

Dear District Attorney Zappala:

On behalf of the Black Political Empowerment Project  Planning Council, the Coalition Against Violence and B-PEP’s Regional Monitoring Project I respectfully request that the charges against CAPA High School student Jordan Miles be dropped. In our opinion this honor student, violinist and viola player has been damaged enough, both physically and psychologically from the brutal beating he received at the hands of three undercover Pittsburgh police officers while going between his mother’s home and that of his grandmother in Homewood on the evening of Jan. 11.