(NNPA)—Despite widespread global condemnation of Israel’s decision to attack a flotilla of boats carrying unarmed civilians attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, U.S. officials have refused to publicly criticize Israel and the American media has reported the conflict through what one media monitoring group called “Israel’s Eyes.”

For years, Palestinians have been unable to get their side fairly reported in the U.S. media and the latest international incident is yet another example.

If the Obama White House believes the controversy surrounding the administration’s engagement with Congressman Joe Sestak, D-Pa., will “go gently into that goodnight,” they are sorely mistaken. The more we Americans learn of the affair, the more questions we have.

In February of this year, cable talk-show host Larry Kane asked Sestak if the Obama administration had offered him a job if he would abandon his primary campaign against Sen. Arlen Specter. The story had apparently been floating around the Washington press corps for many months, yet no one had bothered to ask Sestak if it were true. Sestak responded, “Yes.” Kane followed up by asking if the job was “big.” To this question, Sestak also responded, “Yes.”

(NNPA)—Music has been an important piece of my life. As a political activist I have used music to motivate myself and inspire others. I have seen the power of the lyrics move people to great heights. Melodies backed by instruments have been a source of continuous encouragement and a vehicle which crystallizes ideas. Apart from humming to myself to a favorite tune or tapping on desk to a wonderful melody, music has also given me food for thought. This is why I join people all over the country in celebration of June as African American Music Appreciation Month a.k.a. Black Music Month.

(NNPA)—“I am, therefore, asking the Congress to enact legislation giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public—hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments. This seems to me to be an elementary right.” President John F. Kennedy, June 11, 1963

On Memorial Day the nation paused to remember the hundreds of thousands of American soldiers who fought and died in wars so that all of us could live free. One of the saddest ironies of American history is the fact that in spite of slavery and racism, African-Americans have given the last full measure of their devotion in every armed conflict since the Revolutionary War. That extraordinary patriotism, coupled with the civil rights leadership of Dr. King and others, was a major force in the movement to abolish legalized segregation culminating in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since its passage, hardly anyone, much less a candidate for the United States Senate, has questioned the legal and moral soundness of that law, until now.