Project 21: New Visions

Drivers of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) have recently been called gas-guzzlers, had their faith and religion questioned and even been called terrorists (the poor gas mileage of some SUVs helps put money in Osama's pocket, you see). Why are SUV drivers being demonized? What's the motivation of those trying to drive these vehicles off our roads? SUV opponents claim the reason they are lobbying so hard for people to stop driving them is to preserve the environment. I, on the other hand, have a reason for more people to purchase SUVs - taxes. First, let me give you some numbers ...
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A New Visions Commentary paper published April 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. Regarding America's war against the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein and those who oppose U.S. and Allied efforts to remove him from power, all I can ask is: If we don't do it, who will? If not now, then when? And, if Saddam isn't evil, then what is evil? Consider this shocking report filed during the first weekend of fighting by United Press International ...
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Sundays in my family meant church. It was the center of our lives. In segregated black Birmingham of the late 1950s and early 1960s, the church was not just a place of worship; it was the social and civic center of our community. Throughout my life I have never doubted the existence of God, but, like most people, I have had some ups and downs in practicing my faith. After I moved to California in 1981, there were a lot of years when I was not attending church regularly. Then something happened that I will always remember. One Sunday morning, ...
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  A New Visions Commentary paper published March 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. I've made a new friend on the Internet over the past few months. He's an officer in a U.S. Army infantry unit. As I write this, he is stationed in Kuwait - right in the heart of the storm. I don't wish to name this fine American hero for two reasons. One, I don't want to embarrass my new friend. Furthermore, he isn't ...
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  A New Visions Commentary paper published March 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. Warning: The following statements made by the author will be construed by some as judgmental. Tough. Some liberals, especially educators, are cowards. They take advantage of their positions of authority and influence over the more impressionable to perpetuate an ideology that becomes more illogical with the gradual addition of rational thought. They "indoctrinate" college students using the usual liberal code words and lack ...
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 A New Visions Commentary paper published March 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-54-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. Conservative African-Americans, we aren't alone. With the liberal campaign against the judicial nomination of Miguel Estrada to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals operating at full force, we can see that conservative African-Americans are not the only minority group criticized for being successful. The ongoing protests of Estrada - and now the filibuster of his confirmation vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate ...
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  A New Visions Commentary paper published March 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. The vast majority of people don't know Jack Frazier. Frazier now lives in Nevada, but he knows first-hand the painful truth about how the Iraqi government operates. Last week, he appeared on the Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" to tell his story. Frazier was working for an American company building oil refineries in Iraq when the Gulf War started in 1991. He ...
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After expending so much time and effort in the pursuit of civil rights, it's outrageous that the government itself is now infringing our freedoms through overreaching regulation. The problem lies in the one-size-fits-all approach through which many of our regulatory laws are enforced. The process of making new laws is almost always grounded in good intentions, but some regulations cause more harm than good. For example, environmental regulations have the admirable goal of cleaning up pollution and protecting plants and animals from extinction. Asset forfeiture laws that confiscate property involved in criminal acts seeks to send a strong message that ...
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We can all agree that gold has been a valuable commodity throughout history. So what is the rationale behind the statement "a good name is as good as gold?" Even if you comprehend its value, why link names to gold? A more direct question is "Is your name valuable?" Although you may not be an etymologist, you know that "words make people." Reinforce in the mind of a child that he or she is intelligent, and there is a strong probability that child will exhibit intelligence. Likewise, being recognized and reinforced by an unpleasant name - one that describes a ...
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  A New Visions Commentary paper published February 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. Being a pioneer in anything has always been a risky proposition. Throughout history, those who have dared the seemingly impossible have had to endure everything from doubters and ridicule to hardship and unforeseen dangers. Christopher Columbus, the Wright brothers and Lewis and Clark are just a few examples of the numerous pioneers who risked everything - even their very lives - to create ...
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  A New Visions Commentary paper published February 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. I figure most people don't give adoption much thought. They probably don't think it's an option they need to consider. I would have agreed a few years ago, but things have happened since then that have changed my mind. When we married in 1988, my husband and I assumed we'd have children right away. He thought two would be nice, while I secretly ...
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A New Visions Commentary paper published January 2003 by The National Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct., N.E., Washington, DC 20002, 202/543-4110, Fax 202-543-5975, E-Mail [email protected], Web http://www.nationalcenter.org. Reprints permitted provided source is credited. Black America needs to fasten its collective seatbelt. According to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), only 69 percent of African-Americans wore seat belts in 2000 as opposed to 74 percent of whites. That's just a five percent difference, but experts at the historically black Meharry Medical College estimate this percentage could equal at least 125 lives lost and approximately 2,500 ...
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Imagine this cinematic scenario: Superman, America's most famous superhero, saves a helpless baby in a perilous situation. Flying in at the last moment, our hero swoops up the helpless, adorable baby and places him safely in his anxious mother's arms. Scene Two: Trial lawyers sue Superman, saying his rescue of the baby at the last minute caused the baby's mother unnecessary emotional distress. Superman, they argue, was negligent. He should have rescued the baby sooner. Unbelievable? Not in Kansas City, where trial lawyers have set a new standard for the saying "no good deed goes unpunished." In the summer of ...
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It seems chic in liberal circles to elicit black support by telling us we can't succeed without their help. Liberal expectations of black students are obviously low. Their confidence in our natural abilities and intellect isn't strong by any means. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could redefine affirmative action programs that set de facto racial quotas in school admissions. Liberals liken this to the end of our world, but what does it say about their true opinions of our talents? Liberals sell us a pessimistic view of our potential. Unfortunately, those calling ...
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When Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) woke up on the morning of Senator Strom Thurmond's (R-SC) 100th birthday celebration, I'm sure he had no idea that he and his big mouth would be the biggest political story of last December. Lott, who was then the designated majority leader for the new Senate session, probably intended to say something sugary-sweet about an old man's extraordinarily long career. What came out, however, was a sour reminder of the past. It was a reminder both the Republicans and the country could have done without. "I want to say this about my state," Lott crowed ...
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 E-mail is a wonderful thing. These days, it's more efficient and reliable than the Post Office, and it's virtually free. I find it useful for keeping in touch with people I might not otherwise have the time to talk to and helpful for confirming details that sometimes seem too insignificant for a phone call. Through e-mail and the Internet, information about virtually everything has become easier to find and share. However, the Internet is also rampant with scam artists seeking to deprive the innocent of their hard-earned money. One of the biggest scams around is based in Central Africa. Black ...
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Even though the appeal of the "Barbershop" cannot be denied, controversy has a way of enhancing something's popularity. "Barbershop" first gained notoriety this past fall because Jesse Jackson demanded scenes he considered offensive be cut from the film and DVD. The DCD comes out on New Year's Day, and the creators have stuck to their convictions. "Barbershop" is one of the funniest flicks I've seen in a long time. I'm not saying it's a great movie. No one's going to confuse it with "The Godfather" or "Sophie's Choice," but it is entertaining. Underneath the laughs, it has a genuine message ...
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At a 100th birthday celebration for retiring Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC), designated Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) praised the centenarian's 1948 presidential campaign. Praise of Thurmond is permissible, but not the basis of the man's campaign. Lott's misguided honor brings his leadership into question. Then-governor Thurmond ran as a Dixiecrat on a platform supporting racial segregation. "We voted for him. We're proud of it," said Lott of his fellow Mississippians. "And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over the years." This isn't the first time Lott's made this ...
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On a recent visit to Stockholm, Sweden, I took a daylong bus trip for tourists. It featured some of the most important historical and cultural sites the nation had to offer. It also made me think about what may be lacking in America, particularly among African-Americans. My tour guide, who was extraordinarily knowledgeable, aided me in coming to this important realization. She took such joy and pride in describing her nation's culture and history that it made me realize that this is a missing ingredient in the African-American experience. African-Americans have worked to build the United States in almost every ...
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Today's burning question: You discover you are inhaling between 10,000 and 15,000 fibers of asbestos per day. Should you: a) head for the nearest emergency room, b) call your physician and schedule a checkup, 3) purchase a gas mask to wear outdoors, d) go about your business as usual. Given the huge asbestos scare that is fueling multi-million dollar class-action lawsuits across the country, it may surprise you to learn that the answer is "d." That's because everyone on the planet is inhaling between 10,000 to 15,000 fibers of asbestos every day of their existence. Asbestos, you see, is a ...
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