A Wilder question
The country's first elected black governor isn't necessarily backing Republican Donald Trump for president but believes Democrat Hillary Clinton may be taking the black vote for granted.
"For her to go out and say to the African-American community, 'I want you to elect me so that we can continue the legacy of Barack Obama,' what exactly is it that you want to continue?" former Democratic Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder asked in a Washington Post interview last week.
"You cannot win this election without the African-American vote," he said as if speaking to Clinton, " but tell me how what you've done relates to what [the black community] needs."
Wilder said he recently asked Sen. Tim Kaine, Clinton's running mate, "What makes you better? Because you're not considered the worst [of the two tickets,] but right next to it." Wilder didn't say what Kaine's answer was.
Wilder said Trump is at least engaging the black community.
"Whether it's genuine or legitimate or not, at least he's doing it," he said. "Either way, I think it's good."
Wilder also related a story from a friend who'd heard Trump speak in Detroit. Trump, at the rally, asked blacks, "You've been sticking with the Democratic Party all these years, and what has it gotten you?" To Wilder, the man said, "You know, Doug, I hate to say this, but he is right."
Offensive Uncle Sam
College Republicans at Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J., planned an American-themed barbecue last week, but two days before the event the school withdrew its sponsorship because it deemed the theme "offensive."
When the organization's president, Taylor Gilson, asked why the theme was offensive, even the responding staff member was at a loss.
"To be honest, I'm not sure," said Ariana Rivera. "I think it was administrative. I was told that [the] advertising was too 'military and recruitment-oriented' because [the group] had Uncle Sam saying 'I want you,' I think? However, we saw other posters with that same idea, so I don't really know."
Gilson said the only thing written on the Uncle Sam posters were the words "We want you to come to our BBQ." The theme was altered, and the barbecue went on, but American flags were plainly visible.
A spokeswoman for the university, who was asked why the group needed to change its theme, said there was a "miscommunication" but did not elaborate.
Club member Monica Lynn, who wrote an op-ed on the incident for The Odyssey, suggested a little more than miscommunication was at work.
"The issue was swept under the rug and to some it may seem quite trivial," she said, "but to me this spells out a larger message: that a lot of colleges and universities in today's society are willing to shut down students' opinions in fear of offending someone."
Come back! We're sorry!
The Dallas Morning News recently endorsed Hillary Clinton for president - the first time in 75 years its editorial board had endorsed a Democrat - and later admitted paying a price for it in angry comments, calls and dropped subscriptions.
The newspaper never admitted how many people dropped their subscriptions, but a customer representative did mention last week the paper is offering massively discounted subscriptions to those who did.
"[W]e are currently extending some of our online promotional offers here in the office for that reason," the representative told The Daily Caller News Foundation in an email.
Retired fighter pilot and combat veteran Keith Rosenkranz, who unsubscribed, said a representative called him, apologized for the endorsement and offered a 50 percent discount if he would return. He declined. She asked him again, and he declined again. Rosenkranz said he also received a letter from the head of the editorial board.
"It isn't about healthy debate or ideological disagreement," he told the Daily Caller. "[The paper] has shown a blatant bias in their reporting. They leave select quotes out or highlight/twist comments in an effort to influence uninformed voters. As I said, it's blatant and I, along with many others, finally had enough."
A little self-policing
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton likely would have been hounded until he gave his opinion on the tense racial climate in Charlotte following a police shooting, so he voiced his opinion at a news conference. And his opinion might not have been what those perpetuating the violence were hoping to hear.
While Newton said as a black man he understands the frustration many blacks are feeling, he challenged those in Charlotte and across the country to hold each other accountable in their reactions to polarizing incidents.
"I know from being a black person, it's a lot of black people that don't do right by black people," he said. "So you can't be a hypocrite and just say, 'Oh, well, a white man or a white police officer killed a black man.'
"Now, that's still messed up," Newton said. "I'm not saying it's OK. I'm just saying we just still got to be, you know, have a clear-eyed vision on both sides. It starts with everybody holding each other accountable and policing yourselves."