Why pro athletes should not get a pass on throwing gang signs.

There has been much talk lately about gang signs on the field and or court in pro sports due to the situation between the Philadelphia Eagles and DeSean Jackson. In fairness the Eagles have never publicly stated that any gang connections were the reason for waiving DeSean Jackson. the LAPD has also cleared Jackson of being involved in any gang activity.

But back to the gang signs. I believe that athletes whether, pro, college, highs school, AAU, etc should not be throwing up gang signs while playing. I believe that pro players have more of an obligation to set the standard here. Young players emulate everything they do. If Lebron James was shown drinking a glass of milk before every game there would be a milk shortage in the United States within months...LOL.

Players should not be throwing up gang signs for one very simple reason. Gang signs get people killed.

Example, a young boy could be emulating a sign he saw a player making after scoring a touchdown and that gets seen by a real gang member. That gang member confronts the boy to find out what set he reps. The young boy of course reps no set but is now open to a beat down or worse death because he doesn't know how to answer that question.

Pro players have to remember that the majority of youngsters that live in inner cities know of gang culture many or not involved in gang culture. Many learn what they think goes on in gangs from the media which includes rap music. ( not Hip Hop ). Pro players have to be conscience of what they are putting out there.

I don't believe that professional leagues should try to regulate this issue because it's hard to tell what's a gang sign and what's a message to a loved one. The signs could also be someone truly repping their hood although in a misguided wya.. When my friends and I were younger we all played football and basketball together we would throw up a "W" sign for Winans Ave anytime we scored or made a great play. There was nothing nefarious behind it. It's simply hard to tell in the picture accompanying this article the player is not throwing up a gang sign but a sign representing a music label ( okay some say the Illuminati ). In truth only a true gang expert would know what's a gang sign and what's not.

The solution is simple.

I believe players have to take a look inward and decide to do what's best for the young boys and girls that support them by buying their jerseys and sneakers. The players themselves have to stop throwing up the gang signs. By doing this they are not only setting a good example but not glorifying gang culture, they could be saving lives.

George Cook AAReports.com

Chiwetel Ejiofor Eyed for James Bond Villain

[ SOURCE ] After scoring big with Javier Bardem as its last Bond villain, MGM and Sony may be targeting another Oscar-nominated actor to play 007′s nemesis in the next James Bond pic.

Sources tell Variety that Chiwetel Ejiofor is the top choice to play the villain in the next installment in the Bond series. No offer has been made yet, and scheduling would still have to be worked out, but sources insist he is the front-runner for the job.

The studio had no comment.

Ejiofor may have been heroic in “12 Years a Slave,” but he’s no stranger to getting his hands dirty, having played the villain in “Children of Men” and “Four Brothers.”

Are New Army Hair Regulations Discriminatory Toward Black Women?

The Army earlier this week issued new appearance standards which included bans on most twists, dreadlocks and large cornrows -- but some black military women feel they have been singled out.

New Army regulations meant to help standardize and professionalize soldiers’ appearance are now coming under criticism by some black military women, who say changes in the hair requirement are racially biased.

The Army earlier this week issued new appearance standards, which included bans on most twists, dreadlocks and large cornrows, all styles used predominantly by African-American women with natural hairstyles. More than 11,000 people have signed a White House petition asking President Barack Obama, the commander in chief, to have the military review the regulations to allow for “neat and maintained natural hairstyles.”

Some black military women, who make up about a third of the women in the armed forces, feel they have been singled out with these new regulations.

“I think that it primarily targets black women, and I’m not in agreement with it,” said Patricia Jackson-Kelley of the National Association of Black Military Women. “I don’t see how a woman wearing three braids in her hair, how that affects her ability to perform her duty in the military.”

Read more here: Black Women Worried About Army Hair Regulations

"A National Crisis" Facing Black Children

[ SOURCE ] In every region of America, White and Asian children are far better positioned for success than Black, Latino and American Indian children, according to a new report appealing for urgent action to bridge this racial gap.

Titled "Race for Results," the report was released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which for decades has worked to improve child well-being in the United States.

At the core of the report is a newly devised index based on 12 indicators measuring a child's success from birth to adulthood. The indicators include reading and math proficiency, high school graduation data, teen birthrates, employment prospects, family income and education levels, and neighborhood poverty levels.

Using a single composite score with a scale of one to 1,000, Asian children have the highest index score at 776, followed by White children at 704.

"Scores for Latino (404), American-Indian (387) and African-American (345) children are distressingly lower, and this pattern holds true in nearly every state," said the report.

Patrick McCarthy, the Casey Foundation's president, said the findings are "a call to action that requires serious and sustained attention from the private, nonprofit, philanthropic and government sectors to create equitable opportunities for children of color."

The report described the challenges facing African-American children as "a national crisis." For Black children, the states with the lowest scores were in the South and upper Midwest — with Wisconsin at the bottom, followed closely by Mississippi and Michigan. The highest scores were in states with relatively small Black populations — Hawaii, New Hampshire, Utah and Alaska.

Read the report here: Race for Results

'Captain America' superhero role 'epic' for Anthony Mackie

For Anthony Mackie, landing the role of the Falcon in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" meant more than inking his dream deal with Marvel.

"When I heard I got the role I broke down in tears," said Mackie in a recent interview. "I realized two years from that date some little brown boy was going to be at my door in a Falcon costume on Halloween. When I was a kid I didn't have that. It wasn't like I could get asked, 'Who do you want to be for Halloween?' and say Shaft. Being the Falcon is monumental."

Roughly six months before filming began on "The Winter Soldier" in April 2013, directors Anthony and Joe Russo offered Mackie a role in the comic-book adaptation.

"It was epic," recalls Mackie, who admits he didn't know much about the character Sam Wilson, who becomes the Falcon, one of the first African-American superheroes in a mainstream comic.

"I read up on him and immediately got into the gym," he added with a laugh. "I thought if I am wearing that much spandex I have to be in shape."

When "The Winter Soldier" hits theaters Friday, it will likely become the role for which the 35-year-old Mackie is most known. But it was his portrayal of a bomb disposal team sergeant in Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning war thriller "The Hurt Locker" that paved the way for mainstream success.

Read more here: 'Captain America' superhero role 'epic' for Anthony Mackie