Free Republic

Trayvon Martin’s father led the FAMU football team onto the field before the Rattlers’ season opener Sunday at the Citrus Bowl, embracing his role as honorary captain this season. .. “It feels good just to be a part of that, man. I had a son that used to go to FAMU and Trayvon wanted to go to FAMU,” Martin said immediately after taking the field.

It's been said that any publicity is good publicity. But Florida A&M University was not amused when the name of its teams — the Rattlers — the FAMU log and the school colors appeared in a video featuring what appeared to be eight students having an orgy. On Wednesday, the Tallahassee university settled a lawsuit it filed last month in U.S. District Court against the operator of a sexually explicit Web site that posted the video. In the settlement, the company acknowledges that people in the video were not students and they were not filmed on campus.

I do not remember another time when an American president was so unpatriotically maligned by Americans and the millions of Joe and Judy plumbers who would disown Jesus if they knew he was African, and Obama if he were the Second Coming.........Apostle Paul wrote, " ... there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." Hence, Obama is the U.S. president and leader of the Free World because he was appointed by God..The far right and its right-wing brethren's most recent ... attacks against President .. Hussein Obama has led me to conclude...

"Think big. Feel good about yourselves. Think positive, and encourage others to do likewise," retired Army Maj. Gen. Eugene R. Cromartie advised students during the Defense Department's African- American History Month observance luncheon here at Florida A&M University. Cromartie was commissioned through the university's ROTC program, and is the first inductee into FAMU's ROTC Hall of Fame. He is the only FAMU graduate to become a general officer. He is deputy executive director and chief of staff of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. His last military assignment was as commander of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command. "I came...

The speaker quoted late Air Force Gen. Daniel "Chappie" James, who said his mother told him, "Don't stand there banging on the door to opportunity, then when someone opens it, you say, 'Wait a minute, I got to get my bags.' "You be prepared with your bags of knowledge, your patriotism, your honor -- and when somebody opens that door, you charge in," Charles Abell recited from James' account. Abell, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, was giving opening remarks at an African-American History Month reception here at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Feb. 18. The reception...

Ex-regents say they coddled FAMU Education leaders acknowledge the historically black university used race to seek and receive special treatment, and the school is suffering for it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TALLAHASSEE - Any time a red flag was raised about a problem at Florida A&M University - and it happened a lot - there was a good chance race would become an issue. FAMU administrators and supporters often complained that the historically black school was singled out for criticism. They invoked past inequities, broken promises and special needs. Such arguments were understandable, but not in FAMU's best interests, say many of the...

It was called the College of the Year just six years ago. Today, unbalanced books and halted paychecks have inspired lots of finger-pointing, but few answers. [Times photos: Jamie Francis]The Eternal Flame burns at FAMU, which was Time magazine's College of the Year six years ago.  FAMU president Fred Gainous, left, was a target of scalding criticism over finances by trustees, who have hired a consultant to evaluate him.  Jim Corbin, center, chairman of the FAMU board of trustees, was dismayed by the state of FAMU finances. "We ought to be able to handle it like every other school,"...