Janice Ellis’ Outlook

By Janice S. Ellis

The President and Congress demanding no bonus payments, pay cuts, and claw backs of some of the executives of  companies who received big government bailouts—and continue to benefit at the egregious exploitation of consumers, taxpayers, investors, and employees, alike—is just not enough.

Horatio Alger, most assuredly, is turning over in his grave with the “rags-to-riches” rise of the executives of some of the nation’s largest corporations and the greedy, fraudulent, and pernicious way in which they have gotten there.

Alger, certainly, cannot be resting in peace. 

By Janice S. Ellis

Many of us would like to believe that race, and interracial issues are no longer a major problem in this country. However, if we just look around us, we would witness incidents almost on a daily basis that not only whisper, but scream to us that bigotry, prejudice and racism are not just alive and well, but thriving.

What painful reminders that old habits, old ways of thinking, separatist traditions, linger, die a slow death, if indeed they taste death at all.

The Associated Press’ reporting of how a white Louisiana justice of the peace recently denied a marriage license to an interracial couple is just one small example of the racist and separatist practices that undoubtedly occur every single day in this great country whose very existence came about and still depends upon people of every shade and hue.

Keith Bardwell, the justice of the peace, who refuses to marry interracial couples, has taken it upon himself, and believes himself to be, the preserver of racial purity for the sake and well-being of any unborn children, and those whites and blacks who do not readily accept them. 

By Janice S. Ellis    

Despite the unprecedented turn out of new and young voters during the last presidential election which resulted in Barack Obama becoming the first African-American president, there is still pervasive cynicism among young people about our government and the political process.

From where does such entrenched cynicism come? 

By Janice S. Ellis

The election of President Barack Obama certainly was a giant step forward in America’s long struggle with matters of race. But the unprecedented reactions among some policymakers and protesting citizens alike, clearly show that the issue of race is alive and well. Whether it is openly discussed or not, it still remains — uncomfortably — the elephant in the room. While President Obama continues to deny and avoid making race an issue, on talk shows, in coffee shops, bars and barbershops, and around dinner tables across America, it continues be a topic of lively  even heated — conversation.