Elinor Tatum, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Amsterdam News, opposes hydraulic fracturing or "fracking," stating that access to clean water should not be a privilege for New Yorkers but a right. Tatum addresses the health and environmental issues associated with "fracking."

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The Casey Anthony trial is the latest case to highlight the role of race in instances of missing children. Had the Anthony's been a family of color, the end result would have been quite different.

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The passage of the gay marriage bill by Gov. Cuomo finishes the job that Gov. Paterson started, finally bringing a sense of justice to same-sex couples who had been denied thousands of civil protections.

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Thank you, Mayor Bloomberg, for telling us that parents without a formal education don't understand the value of an education. Thank you for telling us that the Norman Rockwell family is gone. Thank you for all your false and ignorant hypotheses on what is wrong with our communities. Your false allegations are abhorrent – to think that you are the one who has final say over how our children are educated scares me. more>

As the city lies frozen under an inch of frozen rain and what is left of a snowstorm that continues to haunt us, we now have to begin to dig out. Not just from under the snow and ice, but out from under the bitter pill that is the New York State budget. more>

For more than a generation, our community has had a love-hate relationship with Black Entertainment Television, BET. We were proud that such a large and originally Black-owned business became so successful, but we have often been less than overwhelmed with some of the program choices that we were given by the first large television network branded totally with our community in mind. more>

According to exit polls, Cuomo was able to draw 94 percent of the Black vote and 82 percent of the Hispanic vote. Now these communities look to the governor-elect to deliver. more>

Amsterdam News publisher's response to Ginni Thomas' call for an apology from Anita Hill: If anyone owes an apology, it is the Thomas family for betraying the American dream and acting as though the ascension to the Supreme Court was by divine right, and not the struggle of 400 years of Black people in America and affirmative action – which helped Thomas get where he is today. more>

Eight of the nine investigations in the past year have been against African-American members of Congress. With a House membership of 435 and just 42 African-American members, this is particularly troubling.

VIDEO :: In her report, former State Chief Judge Judith Kaye says Paterson did not break the law when he contacted Sherr-Una Booker, a woman who was allegedly abused by Paterson former top aide David Johnson. Erin Billups of NY1 reports. more>

For as long as I can remember, I have seen the media take incidents and statements out of context. The "mainstream media" has created racism where there is none and tried to shield racism when it was absolutely blatant. But now it has gone to another level.

VIDEO :: The Obama administration was forced to apologize to Shirley Sherrod after she was summarily dismissed from the USDA after an edited tape apparently depicting her making racist comments went viral on the internet. Jan Crawford of CBS reports. more>

In 1979 Eugene MacCabe and Randolph Guggenheimer founded North General Hospital on the premise that the people of East Harlem and Central Harlem deserved the highest quality healthcare within the boundaries of their communities. Now its services are about to disappear.

VIDEO :: Workers at North General Hospital in Harlem protested plans last Friday to replace the site with a Federally Qualified Health Care facility. NY1 reports. more>

A contrast in coverage: the majority media seems to be quicker to sympathize with the white victims of the preventable BP disaster, while years after Hurricane Katrina too many Blacks are still displaced and living in trailers, amidst an economy far from recovery. more>

African Americans waited more than a generation for the congressman Charlie B. Rangel to rise to the position where he could really affect change, and as soon as he attained real power, there were those who began to plot his demise.

VIDEO :: Hon. James David Manning, pastor of the ATLAH World Missionary Church in Harlem, explains why he believes Congressman Charles Rangel stepped down from the Way and Means committee. more>

Service cuts that affect neighborhoods is one problem, and cutting services to people with disabilities is a second disturbing issue, but cutting free MetroCards to students is just plain racist and an affront to public education and the students of our city. more>

Giuliani had his day and proved that he is insensitive and evil. America and the Republican Party were smart enough to reject his ridiculous presidential campaign last year, and he must not even be allowed to start a campaign for New York governor.

VIDEO :: PIX11, CBS-TV and CNN cover Republican Representative Peter King's statement that Rudy Giuliani is more likely than ever to run for New York Governor. more>

Today in 2009, there are many who say that they represent America, but what America do they represent? They show America as they see it. They show AmericaAmerica. through the lens of white

VIDEO :: CNN Series "Black in America" focuses on the Black Press. more>

In 1940, there were almost 1,900 daily newspapers in the United States; as of 2007, there 1,422 left. That number has decreased markedly in 2009. more>