Jada Pinkett Smith's real life role: education provider

I know that when most people think of Jada Pinkett Smith, they think of the Matrix, or Will Smith her husband. Some might even recall her in early movies like A Lowdown Dirty Shame. But such thoughts only scratch the surface of what this actress mother and entrepreneur is.


Last year, without much national fanfare the Smith’s opened the New Village Leadership Academy. Located in the Los Angeles area, this school has 60 students ranging from pre-school to 6th grade. The goal of the school is to have each child attain 100% mastery, meaning they re-take tests until they achieve 100%. It’s a different approach, but when compared to the quality and results of public education across the nation a different approach is definitely needed.

For those wondering, the school is not just a rich Hollywood celebrity school. It is diversified in both the economic backgrounds and ethnicity of the students.

This is a major achievement for any person or couple. The creation of a school that helps children further their minds, and in my opinion therefore their lives, is a task few can attain. But Jada Pinkett Smith is reaching further. Even with the economic crisis, which affects every American to some degree, she is planning to open a sister school to accept students in the higher grades.

“My plan is to eventually have a high school," Pinkett Smith said. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm just trying to make it through this year."

I love to discuss stories like this. Whether it’s a major celebrity, entertainer, or just someone that cares and makes an effort. We don’t hear enough about these kinds of acts.

Right now, the focus is on Chris Brown. Before that the news media was focused on the 'octomom', Coolio, or Snoop Dogg and so on. There is no end of the insignificant gossip and trash that fills the media airwaves these days. But the cost of such refuse is the paltry attention given to substance and class.

How many people were aware that the Smith family had started a school? Where else might you have heard about the potential of additional schools being opened? I truly doubt most entertainment gossip rags will cover it. And there is no good reason not to.

I know that my own blog is not perfect. On occasion I too delve into the bowels of what passes for information on entertainers and celebrities. But I try to stick to the important news.

I commend Jada Pickett Smith and the Smith family. Their commitment deserves more attention, especially as they are doing these things in a troubling economic time. If only more celebrities and entertainers could try to do half as much.

President Obama proposes action in Darfur

Finally it seems that America will be taking a stance on Darfur. After over 5 years of genocide, President Obma has given indications that he is willing to do something more than Congress or the prior Administration has ever bothered to do. And it's about time.

In the past 4 years, as some 400,000 people have died and 3 million have become refugees fleeing the violence, Congress has ignored the situation. In both Democrat and Republican led Congresses HR 180 IH - an Act to prevent American businesses from working with the Sudan and thus funding the murder of women and children - has never made it out of committee once. Effectively, America has shown the world that we don't care about those African lives.

But This should change, based on the comments of President Obama

"It is not acceptable to put that many people's lives at risk. We need to be able to get those humanitarian organizations back on the ground."

This comes as the President of the Sudan, recently charged with war crimes and acts against humanity by the International Criminal Court, has thrown out 13 humanitarian organization. This further places lives in the region at risk.

Sadly the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon seems to be willing to dilute this immediate need for a bit of polispeak and U.S. press coverage. Rather than focusing directly on the issue at hand, Ban slipped in the desire to see international support of global warming issues. Seriously, he thinks that is equivalent or superior a threat to humanity.

I suppose the Secretary-General had to bring up the issue of global warming. It may be the only way that America will pick up 1/4th the tab of the nearly $5 billion budget that the U.N. has. Since global warming is an issue that liberals like President Obama love (given that there is no proof that it is not a natural occurring effect, there is evidence that global cooling may be starting, and the whole argument is arbitrary since India and China are increasing their CO2 emissions as they become more industrial) his discussing it helps provide reasons why the U.S. needs to waste money on this issue rather than focusing on the banking and credit sectors.

Now as long as the global warming issue is a far second to helping the people of Darfur, I really don't care. There have been hundreds of thousands of lives that have been lost as Congress and America turned a blind eye. The rest of the world followed our lead, as they usually do. So if President Obama is serious, this could help turn the tide.

Polispeak and scientific debate are fun occupations, when lives are not at stake. America has allowed the media and it's own disdain to cover it's eyes for far too long. Hopefully this meeting and the words of President Obama will finally get a result from Congress and the world. The lives of children are counting on it.

Nickelodeon's Kid's Choice Awards tainted with Phelps and Brown

Ok, so maybe it’s just me. Perhaps I am one of the few people that have a problem with Nickelodeon’s decision making abilities. Rather I should say the apparent lack thereof. Though it could just be a lack of balls.

Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards are the subject of contention. Specifically the issue is with Chris Brown, and Michael Phelps. I believe neither should be in the competition for the categories they were nominated for. In fact I believe both should be publicly and vociferously pulled.

Michael Phelps does not deserve to be recognized, or available as a choice because he smokes marijuana. Pictures and his own admission to the fact are proof enough. It’s an illegal act, and detrimental to the health of children. The picture was taken after he won his gold medals in the Olympics – when it was clear that he had become a media figure and instant role model to children around the world.

Phelps had no problem accepting all that his instant fame provided, except when it came to a bit of self-discipline and an illegal drug. No matter what an individual may feel, as an adult, about illegal drug use I believe we all can agree that minors should be protected from such promotion. Phelps felt no such need, though he was happy to accept money from all sources, including those promoting him to children.

With every action is a consequence. With lack of self-discipline comes negative ramifications. Removing him from the Kid’s Choice Awards is the least that should happen to him.

In much the same reasoning is Chris Brown. While he is still only alleged to have battered and assaulted Rihanna, he has all but admitted his actions to the public. There is no question of his guilt. Which means he is a criminal of the worst sort.

Now I realize that when both men were nominated they had not committed the criminal acts yet. But once they did do so, and then publicly acknowledged their wrong-headed actions (actually let me get it right, criminal is the key word), they forfeited their place in this competition.

Are we saying to the youth of America that to break the law is without consequence? That drugs are in fact ok to use? That the vicious and unwarranted brutality against women is condoned? Because if that is what Nickelodeon believes they should just state that to us all.

If Nickelodeon does not believe those acts to be decent or lawfully then they must remove Chris Brown and Michael Phelps. There really is no other choice. And inaction in this matter makes one thing very clear. Nickelodeon would pimp children in any manner necessary to gain more ratings, and therefore money. Given they are a television networks and seeking a profit. But most would draw a line on profit at the potential expense of children. The longer Nickelodeon fails to act, the more they seem to admit that children are just an expendable means to get the dollars of parents everywhere.

The last thing about this that I want to note is the inclusion of Rihanna in a petition, signed by 4,655 so far, to have Chris Brown removed from the Kid’s Choice Awards. Rihanna is a victim. The fact that she is apparently forgiving the illegal, brutal, cowardly actions of Chris Brown are beyond anyone’s ability to know. Perhaps she is suffering from Battered Women’s Syndrome, Perhaps she is planning for the opportunity to get him to relax and sleep in her presence so she can smack him around with a frying pan. A really heavy one I would hope (as I would hope that is her reasoning).

But whatever the reason it does not change the fact that Rihanna is a victim. As such she does not need to be further penalized for actions she did not request or deserve. To remove her name is to add to the brutality she has already suffered.

Is it just me? Am I too sensitive to the thought of promoting criminals to children? Is it too much to ask a business to have a moral backbone and ignore profits when the potential damage is only the future abilities and actions of the most innocent and easily influenced group in America. Our children.

I really can’t believe it’s just me.