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Blacks Are 'Hard to Control,' Says Sheffield
By Aysha Hussain
June 04, 2007
Blacks Are 'Hard to Control,' Says Sheffield
Not since Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play professional baseball, have there been so few blacks playing in Major League Baseball. Last season, a mere 8.4 percent of major-league players were black, the lowest level seen in two decades, according to a study by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. Gary Sheffield, hitter for the Detroit Tigers, says the reason is because Latinos, one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States, are "easier to control," according to a recent interview in GQ magazine. In the interview, Sheffield says that, at the end of the day, an equally talented black player is more likely to be sent home over a Latino because you can't tell black men "what to do." Read more.
Legalize Assisted Suicide? Kevorkian Says 'Yes'
Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who spent eight years in prison for the second-degree murder of Thomas Youk in 1998, may be walking away as a free man, but according to his first interview after being released from jail with CBS' "60 Minutes," Kevorkian says he doesn't "feel free." Kevorkian, who is said to have assisted the suicides of more than 130 people, still is bound to a parole sentence for two years with firm restrictions.
Kevorkian is not allowed to assist anyone in committing suicide, nor can he counsel anyone or give advice on how to help someone commit suicide. But Kevorkian says being on parole won't prevent him from trying to get assisted suicide legalized. "I'm going to work with activist groups trying to get it legalized," says Kevorkian. When asked how he would respond to someone in terrible pain, Kevorkian said it would be painful to refuse them. Read more.
(See also: Dr. Kevorkian Getting Out as Assisted-Suicide Poll Infuriates Disability Activists)
Why Can't Female Rap Artists Sell Records?
Female rap artists including Eve, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Trina, Shawnna and Remy Ma, who all are scheduled to release new albums by the end of the year, will have to make up for the 2006 loss where female rap artists sold just 59.5 million albums. Their appeal has grown so dismal, the recording academy did away with the "best female rap artist" category of Grammy Awards in 2004 due to a shortage of eligible entries. University of Pennsylvania humanities professor Michael Eric Dyson says the reason women rappers have struggled to sell records is because it's a male-dominated industry, states Yahoonews.com.
Gay Conjugal Visits for Calif. Prisoners
The state of California, one of six states to allow overnight family visitation, has decided that all prison inmates have the right to conjugal visits regardless of their sexual orientation. Up until now, no other state permits conjugal visits by same-sex partners. The privilege, however, only applies to domestic partners registered under the 2005 New California Domestic Partnership Law that was signed by former Gov. Gray Davis. The law requires that state agencies give the same rights to domestic partners that straight couples receive, including state benefits. In order to receive conjugal visits, domestic partnerships already must have been established before one of the prisoners went to prison. Read more.
Black Women Less Likely to Survive Breast Cancer
More women with advanced breast cancer are living longer, but the outlook remains bleak for black women. Researchers at the University of Texas say the racial difference only appears to be widening. Although the study did not look at factors that could be causing the gap, researchers believe biological differences may be the reason breast cancer is more deadly for black women. Sharon Giordano of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center says the next step is to determine the reasons for this increasing disparity. Read more.
Couric's Low Ratings Draw Sexist Comments
For all the women with prominent roles in TV, on and off camera, one would think sexism was a thing of the past. This, however, is not the case. Instead it seems that how one looks still plays a large part in how a woman is perceived regardless of her news-reporting ability. Shows such as Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is one example of this kind of sexism. The program recently aired a segment with a young, attractive woman reporting the news, whereas a seasoned news anchor like Katie Couric of "CBS Evening News" can't get anyone to pay attention to her. Couric, the first solo female anchor for a network nightly news show, not only has twice set records for having the smallest "CBS Evening News" audience in at least 20 years, she has been a major source of contention for CBS because she has failed to draw the attention from viewers. Recent comments have included mention of Couric's wardrobe and lack of makeup while covering the Virginia Tech shooting story, comments that would not normally be made about male anchors, reports The Associated Press.
'Homosexuality Can Be Cured,' Says Bush Nominee
Last week President Bush announced his nomination of James W. Holsinger as the new Surgeon General of the United States. As America's chief health educator, Holsinger will be responsible for providing the best scientific information available on how Americans can make smarter health choices that will reduce their risk of illness and injury. In a statement, Bush expressed his confidence in Holsinger as a leader of both science and reason. Even though Holsinger may be a medical health professional with the knowledge base to cure people of illness, he also believes "homosexuality can be cured." According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Holsinger said he sees homosexuality as "an issue not of orientation but of lifestyle." Holsinger is also the founder of Hope Springs Community Church, a church that ministers to people who no longer wish to be gay or lesbian. Read more.
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