Free Republic

John McWhorter is right to say that we ought to pause and remember the Watts riots of 40 years ago and ponder their implication for America's present and future ["Burned, Baby, Burned..." FR post here]. I take strong issue, however, with the conclusions he draws from his review of the events in Watts and South Central Los Angeles in 1965. I think the difference between McWhorter and me arises in large measure from our profoundly different perspectives on the event. He writes that he was born two months after the riots occurred and that his conclusions are based on his...

Washington, DC - Democratic Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today announcing the launch of his new website - A Word to the Faithful: ”As Democratic Leader, I’ve made outreach to the faith community a top priority and have had the great privilege of meeting with leaders of many faiths. I’ve talked with Protestant ministers about the immorality of a budget that cuts programs for the neediest among us while rewarding those with the most. I’ve discussed immigration and poverty with Catholic Bishops, and I’ve met with Jewish leaders to discuss ways we can help hardworking families across this...

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Former Black Panthers are hoping the phrase "Burn Baby Burn" will help their nonprofit organization market a new product - hot sauce. The Huey P. Newton Foundation, named for the co-founder of the 1960s militant group, is seeking to trademark the phrase that for many brings to mind the racially charged 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles that left more than 30 people dead, at least 1,000 wounded and hundreds of buildings in ashes. The new line of hot sauce, called "Burn Baby Burn: A Taste of the Sixties Revolutionary Hot Sauce," is aimed at "anyone...

A handful of the remaining members from the original Black Panther Party—in an effort to preserve their legacy—have retained a trademark lawyer to stop the use of their name by the New Black Panther Party. Bobby Seale, David Hilliard, Elaine Brown and Huey P. Newton’s widow, Fredrika, claim that the New Black Panther Party tarnishes their controversial legacy. They condemn the new group as a racist and anti-semetic nuisance. “They have hijacked our name and are hijacking our history,'' Seale told reporters. “We have to claim it back.” The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization, includes the New...