The 65-year-old Russian man was diagnosed with hepatitis C and cancer, and would have died if he didn’t get the liver transplant. He traveled to the United States and paid $500,000 for the transplant. The liver came from a 38 year old black man. What happened next left everyone, including doctors, perplexed.
“I noticed that his skin was getting darker,” said Igor Atamanenko, life-long friend of 65-year-old, Semen Gendler. “When he told me they had given him the liver of an African-American man, I guess that was probably the reason for the color change.
“I have known my friend for years, and he has always been if anything extremely pale, and now for the first time ever he is becoming dark-skinned.”
Gendler does not mind the change.
“I could end up much darker than this, to be honest,” he said. “I don’t care. The main thing is that the liver works and I am healthy.”
Gendler says doctors are at a loss as to what is causing the color change.
“It’s incredible,” he said. “I am now so full of energy and living between two cities in New York and Krasnodar, and if my skin ends up dark, who cares? I certainly don’t.”
According to the 12 year old boy, it was a staring contest and the girl was “laughing” the whole time. But when the girl’s parents found out that a black boy was staring at their daughter, the boy was suspended from school the next day.
“I never knew she was scared because she was laughing,” the boy wrote in an apology letter. “I understand I done the wrong thing that will never happen again. I will start to think before I do so I am not in this situation.”
The incident happened at a school in Glendale, Ohio. The boy’s parents files a lawsuit against the school claiming their child was denied due process, but a judge dismissed the suit and the suspension was upheld.
According to a statement from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati:
Judge Patrick Dinkelacker listened to the plaintiff’s arguments yesterday, rejected them, and dismissed the complaint against the school. We aren’t going to comment any further on particular issues concerning our students.
Donald sterling recently made news for telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to his basketball games. The owner of the Clippers was quickly rebuked by the NBA find, and is now being forced to sell his team.
Last Sunday, Sterling, known now for his racist statements and actions against minority, went to Zion Missionary Baptist Church – a predominantly black church in South Los Angeles. The invitation came from the pastor of the church and reports say Sterling was warmly welcomed by the congregation.
When asked what he thought of the service, Sterling said it was “beautiful.”
Although God works miracles, converting this lifetime racist may be a lost cause.
President Obama continued his personal tradition at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner, of being the funniest man on the room.
Watch, as even Boehner’s color got a laugh with this remark, “These days, House Republicans are giving [Speaker John Boehner] a harder time than they give me – which means orange really is the new black,”
The President even went after Chris Christie when he spoke about the partisan gridlock in Washington, saying that partisan gridlock “has gotten so bad in this town – you’ve got to wonder, ‘What did we do to piss off Chris Christie so bad?”
It starts early. A new report issued by the Education Department shows a troubling trend – Black students are more likely to be suspended from U.S. public schools – even as tiny preschoolers.
The racial disparities in American education, from access to high-level classes and experienced teachers to discipline, were highlighted in a report released Friday by the Education Department’s civil rights arm.
The suspensions — and disparities — begin at the earliest grades.
Black children represent about 18 percent of children enrolled in preschool programs in schools, but almost half of the students were suspended more than once, the report said. Six percent of the nation’s districts with preschools reported suspending at least one preschool child.
Advocates long have said get-tough suspension and arrest policies in schools have contributed to a “school-to-prison” pipeline that snags minority students, but much of the emphasis has been on middle school and high school policies. This was the first time the department reported data on preschool discipline.
Earlier this year, the Obama administration issued guidance encouraging schools to abandon what it described as overly zealous discipline policies that send students to court instead of the principal’s office. But even before the announcement, school districts have been adjusting policies that disproportionately affect minority students.
Overall, the data shows that black students of all ages are suspended and expelled at a rate that’s three times higher than that of white children. Even as boys receive more than two-thirds of suspensions, black girls are suspended at higher rates than girls of any other race or most boys.
The data doesn’t explain why the disparities exist or why the students were suspended.
“It is clear that the United States has a great distance to go to meet our goal of providing opportunities for every student to succeed,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a news release.
Considering her recent past, you’d think Paula Deen would be advised against using certain colors in her public statements when referring to other people. If she cannot remember Michael Sam’s name, you’d think she’ll use another descriptor instead of “black” when comparing herself to the man. But, no…
“I feel like ‘embattled’ or ‘disgraced’ will always follow my name,” Deen reportedly told People. “It’s like that black football player who recently came out. He said, ‘I just want to be known as a football player. I don’t want to be known as a gay football player.’ I know exactly what he’s saying.”
Unlike Sam, however, Deen wasn’t called “embattled” or “disgraced” until after she lost her show and several endorsements following the revelation that she regularly used a racist slur regarding Black people during the course of her work.
Though discrimination charges against her were later dismissed, Deen lost her show. Earlier this month, however, she secured an investment worth between $75 million and $100 million to be used for a new company fueling a comeback bid.
Jason Collins, a 12-year N.B.A. veteran, has come out as the first openly gay male athlete playing in a major American team sport.
“I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m black and I’m gay,” Collins writes in the May 6 edition of Sports Illustrated. The magazine published the article online Monday morning.
The announcement makes Collins a pioneer of sorts: the first player in the N.B.A., N.F.L., N.H.L. or Major League Baseball to come out while still pursuing his career. Other gay athletes, including the former N.B.A. center John Amaechi, have waited until retirement to divulge their sexuality publicly.
Collins, who split this season between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards, will become a free agent on July 1. He intends to pursue another contract in the summer, which may serve as a test for how N.B.A. teams respond to the announcement.
Jodi Kantor of The New York Times points out that a little history is about to happen in American politics. With President Barack Obama running for reelection as a Democratic and Mitt Romney of the Mormon faith running as a Republican “extremely Conservative” Republican, this would be the first time neither party’s candidate is a white Protestant.
” Both sides face the specter of longstanding prejudices that no ad, slogan or speech may be able to dispel. In a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey conducted last week, 27 percent of those polled said that having a Mormon president raised concerns for them or someone they know, and 12 percent said the same for a black president. Some voters say outright that they will not vote for Mr. Obama because he is black; others make jokes about Mr. Romney belonging to a cult.”
“…After one successful campaign and three plus years in the White House, Mr. Obama and his team’s painful early internal debates on how to handle race have given way to more settled patterns. But Mr. Romney’s camp is divided on the question of how much he should speak about his personal faith. Some in his circles, including many Mormons, argue that his religion is nothing to hide and helps mitigate the caricature of him as a cruel capitalist. Mr. Romney’s political advisers, few of whom are Mormon, are more cautious, arguing that religion should be off the table.
“We as a society have decided to judge people on their actions and not based on where they go to church or the color of their skin,” said Stuart Stevens, Mr. Romney’s top strategist. “It’s true when you apply for a job, it’s true when you apply for a driver’s license and it should be true when you run for president.”
Pat Robertson has never heard of “Mac and cheese,” and it took two black people to bring him into the light. The famous right-winged tele-evangelist from The 700 Club, in his effort to learn something new everyday, asked his co-host Kristi Watts about a recent interview she did with former Secretary of State in the Bush administration, Condoleezza Rice.
In the interview, Watts asked Rice, “What is your favorite Thanksgiving meal?” Rice answered “It’s Mac and Cheese,” to which Watts replied, “Sister, that is my dish, that is the one thing I can rock!”
With Kristi Watts back in the studio with Pat Robertson, Robertson wanted edification on the “Mac and Cheese” discovery. “What is this Mac and Cheese,” Pat asked, “is this a black thing?”
Any black person could see the shock on Watts’ face, and her first reaction was to put Robertson in his place. But as she opened her mouth to get ghetto on Robertson, she remembered the need for a paycheck, especially in this economic downturn. She replied;
“It is a black thing, Pat. Listen, and you guys, other people, the world needs to get on board with macaroni and cheese.” said Watts. “Seriously, I just… ok, Christmas and Thanksgiving, we have to have macaroni and cheese and it trips me out that you don’t.”
After a brief chuckle, Robertson concluded, “I really don’t, I don’t, and I have never.”
With a 16.7% unemployment figure looming over the black population, President Obama, the nation’s first black president, has heard much criticism from black leaders in Congress and leaders in black communities across the country. On Saturday, President Obama was invited to speak at the Congressional Black Caucus annual dinner and urged African-Americans to stand with him and “press on.”
To encourage his audience, President Obama quoted from Martin Luther King Jr., saying;
“Before we reach the majestic shores of the Promised Land, there is a frustrating and bewildering wilderness ahead. We must still face prodigious hilltops of opposition and gigantic mountains of resistance. But with patient and firm determination we will press on.”
The President told the Caucus that he’s heard and listened to their criticisms, but argued that he needs their help to get his $447 billion jobs bill passed. He told the audience that the jobs bill will “put our people back to work doing the work America needs done. Let’s pass this jobs bill.”
With patient and firm determination, I am going to press on for jobs. I’m going to press on for equality. I’m going to press on for the sake of our children. I’m going to press on for the sake of all those families who are struggling right now. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I am going to press on.
Recently, I wrote a article on this blog titled ‘Why Blacks Left The Republican Party’ which sparked a discussion between a co-writer here at EzKool.com, Son Of Man and I. I’ve posted it here:
Son Of Man: Yes, the vast majority of black people in the United States have been loyal to the Democratic party since the days of Roosevelt. It has become quite clear that the democratic party is taking the black vote for granted. Black people in the U.S. have not shown the political savvy necessary to extract the possiblities of what America has to offer, politically & economically speaking. In this 2 party system, the black population’s relationship with the Republican party is so cold that its taken for granted that the black vote will be cast for the percieved ‘lesser of two evils’ in the Democratic party. The black vote shouldnt be automatically Democrat or Republican. The black vote if political savvy were in play would be cast for the party who’s candidates addresses the “black agenda” as presented to them by the black community.
Amy: Well—I’d wager to think that the idea of casting your vote for a presidential candidate that pointedly addresses the “black agenda”, especially if he or she is the first Af-Am president of the the US, or any other ethnicity that campaigns on any particular race’s issue is not very savvy. I think a big problem with many Blacks–like Smiley and West for instance who openly dissed Obama cuz they felt he wasn’t campaigning enough on black issues–should have had the savvy to know that white Democrats were not going to pitch in and help elect him if he had done so. And he couldn’t win with the Black vote alone, obviously. Yes, I know that white candidates do it all the time, but our POTUS is not white. And with a country that’s 15% Black, Obama had to be the adult in the room and show that he was going to be the President for All The People–as corny as that sounds. I think he’s hoping that Blacks will understand this and also understand that he knows the history leading up to him, his beautiful Black wife and kids being in the Whitehouse, and that he hasn’t forgotten who and what was responsible for that. Working on a more “universal agenda” can’t help but include Blacks, right?
Please check out this video on Youtube: “Black Intellectuals Pour Hate on Obama’s Speech!“
Son Of Man: Of course running a campaign as a “black candidate” is not only not savvy, its not right. That type of thinking is not fit for the office of the presidency. Utilizing broad, general tactics to resolve issues that are unique will not work. The economic woes for people of color are far worse than the general population and unemployment numbers for people of color are more than double that of the general population. Would the prescription for a common cold be the same as the prescription for walking pnumonia? is there a difference between an economic recession and an economic depression? The unemployment rate for blacks in the country put the black population at depression status. This needs to be addressed specifically while tending the needs of the countries economic woes in general. Your point seems to be that of an abused wife thats so used to being mis-used, mistreated and overlooked that she herself makes excuses for her abuser. The president must be held accountable to do the right thing, not just whats acceptable to whites. He himself said that he wouldnt govern to be re-elected, that he would govern to effect change. Well the Mr.President act on behalf of whats right and let those who need to catch up, catch up. You don’t digress backwards, you move forwards. If having a blackman in office means we have to continue being the dirty little secret, then put Bush back in office and lets get this thing over with.
Amy: If your expecting one Blackman to rectify an entire race’s indignation in this country for over 400 yrs in just 4 short years–a man who’s American nationality is being challenged everyday, adamantly, by his political opposition, a man who stepped into two wars and a major economic recession his first day in office, a man who’s own party shows division against his policies, a nuclear disaster in Japan, major earthquakes in Haiti,the worst oil spill in the Nations history and a pervasive racism that still beats strong in the heart of this country—than I think you might be a bit delusional. I imagine the changes Obama is setting into motion are of a more tumultuous nature. Like a pebble rolling down a hill and picking up mass and size and speed as it rolls along. Jobs, healthcare reform, education…are these not our issues? What do you propose he do differently? The ball is rolling. You wanna see it get bigger–get him into office for another 4 years.
Son Of Man: Your point is well taken. President Obama’s magnificent steady hand in the face of all that he has inherited has been just that, magnificent. I am not delusional at all. I believe that our president has THE most difficult job of all time. Only a fool would discount what another has accomplished of good. Allow me to share some clarity from the smoke screen provided for you by the circus parading as news. This is INsight from outside the box; If America is going to solve her current woes, she MUST consider the specific issues that plague a significant portion of her population. Issues that America herself had no small hand in creating and perpetuating. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, have you forgotten that its within YOUR lifetime that blacks faced lynch mobs for daring to attend a decent school to be educated? Have you forgotten the counter intelligence programs launched in YOUR lifetime against any black individual or organization that dared to inspire the disinfranchised population? Have you forgotten that the hundreds of years of black chattel slavery made America the richest most powerful country in the world? In the game of politics, its convenient to forget. But in the world outside of the one provided by the ‘powers that be’, know this.… universal law which we are ALL under, does not forget. Guess what. We matter. WE MATTER. We are here. What would I have him do differently you ask? for starters id ask our dear brother president to stop these ludicris wars which are costing tens of billions monthly. Can you imagine what can be done to rebuild and restructure the cities of America in general and the black population in particular? Or dont we matter? The banks certainly mattered when it was time to bail their asses out. How about using the justice dept to investigate why over 50% of the prison population is black males of which the vast majority are incarcerated for drug related offenses when theres not one statistic available that doesnt tell you that white men are the overwhelming majority illegal drug users. How about using some of that military testosterone to stop the atrocities in the Sudan and across Africa? Or dont we matter? Hey, black president must be held accountable by his base, black or not. Busy or not. We matter.
.
Amy: I will concede this SOM: That just as our Africans ancestors have said, “It takes a village to raise a child”, so will it take “our village” to raise this President to be OUR President as well as the rest of the country’s. Hopefully, with constructive criticism, skillfully applied pressure tempered with solid support and confidence, Black folks can strike the balance. And what America does, the world will follow.
As Ezra Grant, our publisher, says: “Obama said yes WE can, not yes I can!“
Peace.
Son Of Man: Just constructive criticism to our dear president and the American family… with love, peace and blessings. Son of Man
———————————————————
Don’t worry, SOM and I are still friends lol!
AND COINCIDENTALLY, one of my favorite writer’s of several genres from science fiction to political discourse, Walter Mosley, appeared on GritTv last night covering a similar topic of discussion with it’s host, Laura Flanders.
In his new book, ‘Twelve Steps Towards Political Revelation’, Mosley says that ordinary people must begin to use politicians as the tools that they are–just as corporations do–and demand what we need from them in an organized, conscientious and informed agenda. It will be the People who will make politicians into the heroes we expect them to be…and that includes our President.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By agreeing to this, we can analyze browsing behavior and unique IDs on this site. Declining or revoking consent may affect certain features.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
