Today Is Jackie Robinson Day! But,Where Are All The Black Baseball Players At?

Today is the day when baseball players across America will be sporting the number 42 on their backs.That was baseball player Jackie Robinson's number.And he was instrumental in changing society by breaking the color barrier.But,there is a question that many black fans of baseball have asked.Where have all the black players gone? Here's more on that from The Seattle Times:

"Ken Griffey Jr. was instrumental in the way baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day, suggesting to commissioner Bud Selig more than a decade ago that players for this one day a year be allowed to wear No. 42, which has been retired by MLB. This year's celebration, taking place today throughout the majors, has been expanded to all players wearing No. 42.

" I just wanted to say thank you in my own little subtle way, and that was it,'' Griffey said Wednesday of his original proposal. " That's what it's about: Giving back to the people that helped you.

"I knew the (Robinson) family. It was just my way of saying thank you. I had no idea it would be something like this. I think this is a great cause. There's a lot of people in here that wouldn't be in here if it wasn't for him. The family deserves this. You never know how long it would have been if he would have failed.''

Griffey said he was steeped in the history of Negro League Baseball as well as Robinson's struggles by his father, Ken Griffey Jr., as well as some baseball pioneers he encountered.

"Well, I had Joe Black, Brooks Lawrence, Chuck Harmon Sr., who all were good friends wth my dad. They figured I should know a little about baseball history, or just history itself. They proceeded to drill me on certain things. Then getting to play in pro ball, I had a guy named Willie Mays pull me aside every year. They didn't tell you like they were drilling it into your head. It was more them telling stories like a grandfather would tell their grandson. That's how I learned about certain things. "

Griffey has strong opinions on the decline of African-American players in the major leagues, and how baseball can began attracting more African-Americans to the ball fields and ball parks.

"First of all, they've got to start off with better commercials,'' he said. "The commercials are (bad). Think about it. You look at the NBA, NFL, their commercials, and they make you want to go out and play basketball, go play football. They show the excitement of the game itself. In baseball, it's come to the bleeping All-Star Game. And that's it. They don't show the excitement of the game."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

Are You Celebrating Confederate History Month?

On an annual basis,some people pay tribute to the Confederacy during the month of April.It is called "Confederate History Month".Personally,I find the whole concept to be very distasteful.Whether the descendants of Confederate soldiers want to admit it or not,the Confederacy will forever be associated with slavery.

That is why I find it offensive when I see someone toting a Confederate flag.I,for one,take no pride in America's racist past.And that is exactly what comes to my mind when I hear that word.Confederate is almost like a bad word to me.Because I cannot imagine what would have happened to folks like me had they won the Civil war.I shudder to think!I will never be able to honor the Confederacy or its history.

Here's an article from a 2004 edition of the Washington Times:

"However, some lawmakers and the state NAACP are criticizing the efforts to commemorate the Confederate half of the war, and called the resolution "offensive."

"When the state starts getting in the business of honoring the Confederacy, whose goal was African-American enslavement, we feel that has no place in the public domain," said King Salim A. Khalfani, executive director of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "It brings to light the cause of the Confederacy and they were clear they wanted to maintain the institution and even expand it."

Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, Fairfax County Democrat, said the resolution was flawed, and asked it be renamed Civil War History Month. His efforts were unsuccessful.

"I'm not saying we should close the door on history," Mr. Saslaw said. He said he couldn't support celebrating a group of people who would have enslaved 20 percent of Virginia's population.

Mr. Saslaw, Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, Arlington County Democrat, and Committee Chairman Thomas K. Norment Jr., Gloucester County Republican, voted against the resolution. No blacks sit on the committee.

However, the Rev. Wilson E. Shannon, a black minister from First Baptist Church in Richmond, said issuing the proclamation could stop the polarization of races.

"It's time we celebrate history in a way that shows parity," he said, alluding to the Black History Month that begins tomorrow. "There is pain when we investigate the past but also pride."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

This Is A Picture Of The Ethiopian Princess That Count Alexandre de Lesseps Has Fallen For!!

This is the beautiful Ethiopian princess that the Countess from "The Real Housewives Of Ny" got dumped for.I told you that Princess Kemeria Abajobir Abajifar was going to be a sight to behold.Look at how right I was.Count Alexandre de Lesseps sure has spectacular taste!

Here's more from Ethioplanet:

"Last week, EthioPlanet.com revealed the name of the mysterious woman who until then was only known as the “Ethiopian Woman” Count Alexandre de Lesseps had apparently fallen for.

There were some disputes in the blogosphere as to the veracity of what EthioPlanet revealed. To avoid unnecessary defamation, we’ve now released a picture to go along with the name.

The featured photograph was taken in a limousine during a recent trip to Addis Ababa (capital of the AU), Ethiopia."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.