Whole Foods exec must think we’re whole fools

There is a Whole Foods store about three blocks from my home, and around the corner from my gym. I am enamored by the displays of produce, the red peppers contrasting the yellow ones, the kale, chard, and collard glistening from their morning sprinkle. I love the way the fish gleams back at you, char and salmon, swordfish and tilapia. When I walk over to the prepared food, I grin at the ways the veggies are layered with cheese, crumbs, and so much more. They have sandwiches that I identify with, ingredients that I salivate about.

And now I must declare that I would rather drink muddy water or sleep in a hollow log than to indulge in whole foods.

Eat your veggies & be careful how you cook ’em

"Eat your vegetables" are words we have heard the majority of our lives. They came from grandparents and parents. We still hear those words today. However, the vegetables come to us in different ways now. They come in the form of processed foods, dried foods, and, in most cases, they aren't veggies in a package, just a picture on the box.

There are great benefits to eating vegetables. They are essential for a healthy lifestyle and provide needed nutrients. They also include vitamins and minerals, plus fiber and phytochemicals that are important to strengthening the body's overall immune system.

Obama gun photo a mistake

When then Sen. Obama was running for president, many of his critics accused him of being a Muslim – as if being a Muslim in a country that prides itself for its freedom of religion is a bad thing.

In fact a Pew Research Center poll taken October 2008 found 16 percent of voters who identified as conservative Republicans thought he was, despite numerous photos of him and his family attending a traditional Christian church.

Don’t get sacked by bad food choices

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it's time to move forward with the game of life. Each of us should focus on the things that are important to our overall health – such as exercising and eating healthy – to keep diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and stress from ravaging our bodies.

Some people may be looking for an oasis in the desert or a quick fix to their health problems. In reality, regardless of the problem, it's what you consume that can cause debilitating diseases to sack your body. In fact, it's the foods that you thought were good for you that are causing the problems.

10 no-nos for white people during Black History Month

As Black History month begins and we take pride in the ancestors that help make this country great, it's only fair that we ask white people to refrain from some of the things they have the nerve to say to us on a regular basis. Please give us a break for at least this month.

So here it is...10 things white people should not say and/or cannot ask you during African-American History Month.

Black Women’s Agenda group leads call for gun control

Like many Americans, I was horrified to learn that the National Rifle Association (NRA) has chosen to press its case for armed guards in the nation's schools with a commercial referencing President Obama's daughters. Haven't enough of our children been victimized by our inability to address gun violence?

Instead of lashing out and attacking anything and anyone who suggests there is a need for gun control legislation, The National Rifle Association should consider the model the Johnson & Johnson company provided during the 1982 Tylenol tampering scandal.

Relationships, listening & the ‘better’ factor

Building a case for better relationships through better listening, Florida A&M University professor Chandra Clark offers these tips for becoming "more active, engaged listeners."

CONSIDER THE COMMUNICATION CONTEXT. The physical setting, time and location of a communication exchange may well impact its reception. For example, if you have a sensitive message for someone, it may be better to speak in person or by phone rather than via text or email.

Obama slights loyal following

President Barack Obama has the opportunity, in this second term, to put his feet on history. He won an election that his opponent had essentially claimed, he has been firm about that which he would negotiate on, and he has offered a progressive inauguration speech that offers up a liberal agenda, embracing Social Security and Medicare, uplifting immigrants and gay rights, and embracing ways to address inequality.

One could not help but applaud the strong direction of President Obama's speech. But those of us in the African American community wonder why we could not get a shout out about high unemployment and poverty rates, inner city challenges, and income, economic and unemployment disparities.

Boy Scouts shouldn’t become ‘Gay Scouts’

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. This statement is the best way to express my thoughts and feelings about what the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is constantly going through.

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the U.S., with more than 2.7 million youth members and more than 1 million adult volunteers. It is estimated that more than 110 million Americans have been members of the BSA since in founding in 1910, including me.

Hillary as President: Better for African-Americans?

The same day that President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made headlines for their first joint interview, on "60 Minutes," NAACP President Ben Jealous delighted conservatives with his headline-making interview on another Sunday news program.

Appearing on "Meet the Press," Jealous said, "Right now when you look at joblessness in this country – the country is pretty much back to where it was when this president started. White people are doing a bit better. Black folks are doing a full point worse."

Want ‘black votes’ GOP?

For more than a year I've tried to get Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to make an appearance on my Sunday morning news show on TV One, the nation's second-largest black cable network.

He has also been invited to appear on my daily segment on "The Tom Joyner Morning Show," with 8 million listeners.

Although Priebus did tell me "yes" a year ago, on the day of the GOP primary debate in South Carolina, he has yet to show up and talk GOP politics to either of these audiences.

My life is a testament to Rep. DeBerry

In 1978 a New Jersey-born and California-raised kid landed in Tennessee. I was a deceitful, recovering heroin addict and a school dropout, thief and former childhood run-away when I met The Honorable Lois M. DeBerry in Crossville, Tenn. at the Annual Legislative Retreat of The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators.

Rep. DeBerry transformed this stranger through increased exposure and raised expectations.