Rand Paul backtracks on Voter ID comments

Whew! Rand Paul scared me over the weekend. It sounded as if he was having a rationale discussion over voter ID laws. But never fear Paul reverted back to his party's disenfranchising ways today! George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) continues to believe voter identification laws should be left up to individual states, an adviser to the senator said Monday.

Paul's senior adviser, Doug Stafford, downplayed remarks Paul made Friday when he advised Republicans not to go "too crazy" about voter identification laws because they are "offending people."

Stafford signaled that Paul's comments to The New York Times did not mark a change in view and said it is a point he has made many times before.

"In the course of that discussion, he reiterated a point he has made before that while there may be some instances of voter fraud, it should not be a defining issue of the Republican Party, as it is an issue that is perhaps perceived in a way it is not intended,” Stafford said in a statement Monday. “In terms of the specifics of voter ID laws, Senator Paul believes it's up to each state to decide that type of issue.”

Read more: Paul's office clarifies voter ID remarks

AAReports is now officially African American Reports!

Hey all just wanted to let you know that after a long two year wait I was finally able to get the domain AfricanAmericanReports.com. So that means that AAReports is now officially African American Reports. But I will still shorten it at times to AAreports can I can be extremely lazy..LOL. And don't worry nothing is changing but the name.

George Cook AAreports Oops I mean African american Reports.

Associated Press was wrong to use escaped Nigerian girl's name in story

I understand that the story of the 200 plus missing Nigerian girls is a major world wide news story. I understand that everyone is trying to come at it from as many angles as possible and that reporters want to interview the girls. I understand all that. But can anyone explain to me why an Associated Press story written by Haruna Umar and Michelle Faul used one of the escaped girls names?

Can someone explain to me why you would endanger a young girls life for a news story. Now that her name is out there what's to stop Boko Haram from coming to her village and retaking or killing her? Certainly not the Nigerian Army or local police. They have already shown themselves to be both incapable and unwilling to fight Boko Haram. The men of her village can't defend her against machine guns and RPGs of Boko Haram with machetes.

I not only blame the reporters but also the editors who in my opinion should have removed the girls name. Even if the girl had given her permission or asked that her name be used her name should not have been used. She's only 19! Boko Haram has shown that they will do whatever they want whenever they want and it seems that no one in Nigeria can do a thing to stop them. I pray nothing happens to this girl but the AP article just put a target on her back.

I know legally the AP has done nothing wrong but what about morally?

What do you think?

George Cook PoliticsandPolitricks.com

Larry Wilmore Will Take Over For Stephen Colbert

What comes after “The Colbert Report”?

On Comedy Central it will be “The Minority Report” and the host will be the “senior black correspondent” from “The Daily Show” — otherwise known as Larry Wilmore.

Comedy Central has concluded a deal with Jon Stewart’s production company, Busboy Productions, to create the follow-up show to the Emmy-winning “Colbert Report,” which will be coming to an end in the next year when its star, Stephen Colbert, leaves to succeed David Letterman on CBS’s “Late Show.”

The idea for “The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore,” as the show will be known, came from Mr. Stewart himself, who proposed that the 11:30 p.m. time period behind his nightly “Daily Show” was the ideal place for a new format, one that would “provide an opportunity for the underrepresented voices out there,” as Michele Ganeless, the president of Comedy Central said in an interview.

The idea is to have a panel of those voices led by Mr. Wilmore, commenting on the issues of the day — but in a comedic, scripted format, Ms. Ganeless said. “We are so excited to have a fresh idea for late night.” She emphasized that the panel would not simply address minority issues, but any and all issues, except from minority points of view.

Read more here:

Jet Magazine to Stop Printing, Change to Digital App

[ SOURCE ] Jet magazine, which first hit newsstands at the dawn of the civil rights era, is ceasing regular print publication and transforming into a digital app.

Johnson Publishing Co., which owns Jet along with Ebony magazine, says the switch will occur at the end of June. The Chicago-based company says the move is a proactive effort to adapt to its readers' growing desires for quicker and easier access to information.

Desiree Rogers, Johnson Publishing's CEO says the change will take the magazine back to its roots. She notes that Jet, which was founded by John Johnson in November 1951, was originally intended as a newsweekly digest for African-Americans living in an increasingly faster-paced world.

At that time, the magazine cost 15 cents and was small enough to be carried in a purse or a pocket, perfect for on-the-go information, just like today's smartphones and tablets.

"I think if Johnson were here today, I think he would say 'what took you so long?'" Rogers says.

The app will launch on June 30 and cost $20 a year. It will contain shorter, more mobile-friendly, articles and return to a weekly publishing format, with breaking news updates on a daily basis. The print magazine currently publishes every three weeks.

The app, which will be available for all smartphone and tablet platforms, also will allow for new features such three-dimensional photography and more video, with the potential for adding new features such as movie and music clips that can run alongside reviews, Rogers says.

There will be an abundance of entertainment and celebrity news, along with coverage of politics, pop culture and social issues that impact African Americans. The company also will publish an annual special print edition.