(NNPA)—My friend George Curry reminded me of something in his article on “Being True to Black Historymakers” when he said that in this year when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro Sit-in that we must remember “they were not alone.” It is true that these students were not alone, because in August 1958, those of us in the NAACP Youth Council of Wichita, Kansas targeted the lunch counter at the Dockum drug store in the heart of town for a sit-in demonstration because they, like so many other establishments, did not let Blacks eat there. After about six weeks of sit-ins that drew 20-40 young participants, we successfully desegregated not just Dockum Drugs, but the Rexall chain of drug stores in that state.

(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.

Even as a bloodbath looms in the November distance, the Obama administration continues to push healthcare because they know that Americans love their entitlements like winos love wine. They are betting the farm that once that fiery warmth begins running through the National body we will not only love national health care, but will fight to defend it. We will also be too glassy eyed to notice that we have suddenly signed away our liberty, becoming slaves to those that serve us. But I digress.

Like wine, entitlements cost money. Sadly the more addicted we become the less money we have to spend on more important and often essential things. The wino lacks food, housing and clothing; the entitlement addict lacks employment, savings and luxury.

(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.