GUEST COLUMN: The Trayvon Martin Case

WHY THE TRAYVON MARTIN TRAVESTY IS THE BLACK MAN'S REALITY IN 2012
By: Brian Green

Some of my friends and associates have asked me, why have I been so silent about the Trayvon Martin case?  The honest to goodness truth is that I am embarrassed.  I am embarrassed that I live in a society where a 17-year old black kid cannot walk to the store and buy his little brother candy.  I am embarrassed that an alleged killer is not charged or even arrested or held for questioning, and that evidence is not harvested but instead, he is sent home with a proverbial pat on his back for killing someone wearing a hoodie.

So yes, I've been pretty silent about this the whole time. There has been a lot of talk about the hoodie and that there is no such thing as clothes that can get you killed; a lot of talk about the rights of people to wear what they wish and even talk about cities that cite and charge young men a fine for wearing saggy pants (Albany, GA).

I have been silent because I have lots of friends of every color-- and I do not think this is an indictment on white people, it isn't-- but it is an indictment on racism and how it is alive and well in our country.

NABJ Seeks Entries for 2012 'Salute to Excellence' Awards

College Park, MD -- The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is now accepting entries for the 2012 Salute to Excellence Awards competition.  The NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards recognize exemplary coverage of people or issues in the African/African American Diaspora.

The competition is open to all professional journalists in print, broadcast, new media or photojournalism nationwide.

Only work originally published or broadcast during the judging period of January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 is eligible for consideration. The deadline to submit entries is January 9, 2012.

Entries will be disqualified if they fail to follow the rules and eligibility requirements of their designated category.

Award winners will be announced at the 2012 NABJ Convention and Career Fair in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tre' Tailor to appear on WIS News 10's "Awareness"

Media personality and TWG client Tre' Tailor will appear on this Sunday's edition of Awareness on WIS-TV in Columbia, SC.  Tailor, a former host of the program, was invited to sit with Columbia attorney and former state lawmaker I.S. Leevy Johnson to discuss this week's "Hot Topics" with host Chelsea Washington.  Among the subjects covered are the GOP presidential race, the recent sexual abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse universities, and the controversy over voter identification laws.