I was hoping to have this really great post about what happened in Tucson, Arizona yesterday and how we, as Americans, need to stop this hate speech that has enveloped our politician process.  However, I am truly at a loss for words.  This incident has made me realize that this country’s is really on a downward spiral. What can I do to stop this madness? How can I help?  My heart is breaking for the families of those who lost their lives due to some madman’s rampage. I pray for us as a nation.  This cannot happen again.

Our show kicked off with a short discussion of how we spent our holiday breaks. Melette spent her holiday with her family and I spent my holiday with mine. Everybody had a wonderful time and a blessed Christmas. I loved her story about how her father’s excitement over his Christmas presents. Not much has been going on in the Pacific Northwest, but lots has been going on in the Research Triangle.

The Wake County Public School System has hired a new Superintendent, who has no education experience, but sometimes maybe that is a good thing.

Melette also mentioned this year’s Women’s Empowerment Conference, Radio One Raleigh’s largest and most anticipated event. Each year it is presented at the RBC Center. Women attend the conference to network and glean inspiration. Then she announced the key note speaker – Steve Harvey. I had to catch myself, because when I think of Women’s Empowerment Conference, I usually imagine a woman delivering the key not address. Melette said that past speakers have included Queen Latifah, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad and women of that caliber, so why Steve Harvey? I think his first book said a lot that needed to be said about dating and the way some women navigate their relationships, and he has done great community service, but I would not want to see him as the key note speaker at a women’s empowerment seminar. Melette agreed wholeheartedly.

We talked about the reading of the constitution, and how the republicans objected to a full reading of the constitution, which would have included things like the three fifths clause, which stated that vote of slaves constituted three fifths of one vote of whites. After the reading was under way, a classless person in the gallery felt the need to heckle the president in the house of representatives. I know that some republicans and tea partiers pride themselves on being coarse and uncooth, but it does get old.

Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice, came up. While I was happy about his opportunity and the fact that he has been clean for two years. I sort of wondered about his nine children and the impact that his life choices had upon them.

We took a moment to acknowledge the 100th anniversary of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, which is a laudable achievement, indeed.

While we were on our hiatus, we got the sad news of Teena Marie’s passing. While it was announced on Twitter that Chuck Berry had died, he is recovering from an on-stage collapse.

We closed the episode in tribute of Teena Marie with “Portuguese Love”.

The nation’s young Black males are in a state of crisis. They do not have the same opportunities as their male or female counterparts across the country. Their infant mortality rates are higher, and their access to health care is more limited. Theyare more likely to live in single-parent homes and less likely to participate in early childcare programs. They are less likely tobe raised in a household with a fully employed adult, and they are more likely to live in poverty. As adults, Black males are less likely than their peers to be employed. At almost every juncture, the odds are stacked against these young men in ways that result in too much unfulfilled potential and too many fractured lives.

What a way to start a report on the state of black males in our school system. Black males make up 5 percent of university students, but 36 percent of inmates. By fourth grade, only 12 percent of them are reading at or above grade level. Melette and I talked about why these dismal statistics are a fact of life, what role schools and the community play in the situation and what can be done to aid the situation. We were joined by Pianki, George, Vince in the Bay and a few other guests in the chat and on the show. Everybody agrees that things are at a critical juncture, but there were many constructive solutions from increased parental involvement to mentoring and increased local involvement in minority school districts. It was a really great show. If you missed it, check it out at the link.