http://www.artipot.com/authors/8260/todd-a-smith/ Latest articles by Todd A. Smith from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/472177/is-church-on-wrong-side-of-same-sex-marriage-debate.htm Over the last few years, and especially in the last few months, I have read countless editorials that have asked the question "Is the church on the wrong side of the same sex marriage debate" Many critics of the Christian church have used history to state that the stance of many congregations on the same sex marriage debate is wrong, comparing it to the stance of many... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:03:39 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472177/is-church-on-wrong-side-of-same-sex-marriage-debate.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/463439/review-spike-lee-tackles-african-american-stereotypes-in-film.htm What does it mean to be Black This question has been asked throughout the African American community for generations Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:45:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/463439/review-spike-lee-tackles-african-american-stereotypes-in-film.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/462738/obamas-presidency-not-given-same-respect-as-predecessors.htm The date November 4, 2008 will live in the history books forever Somewhere in this great nation, a young boy or girl is sitting in a classroom dreaming that they can achieve greatness in their life because of Barack Obama's presidency and what it represents for our country Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:10:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/462738/obamas-presidency-not-given-same-respect-as-predecessors.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/443465/students-say-african-american-achievement-equals-expectations.htm The numbers are sometimes dismal The African American achievement gap that almost disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s has widened again between White students and people of color Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:24:43 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/443465/students-say-african-american-achievement-equals-expectations.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/443461/wealthy-african-americans-the-double-standard.htm The breaking news was a total surprise Football fans who had tuned in to ESPN to see a preseason game between last year's two Super Bowl teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, were immediately transfixed with the news that Michael Vick was the newest Philadelphia Eagle Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:17:12 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/443461/wealthy-african-americans-the-double-standard.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/432755/obama-weathering-the-storm-of-the-presidency.htm It was inevitable The honeymoon that President Barack Obama, and all other presidents, experienced has officially given way to criticism of his policies on the economy and health care to false rumors that he may not be a natural-born U Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:30:02 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/432755/obama-weathering-the-storm-of-the-presidency.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/418336/100th-anniversary-celebrated-at-naacp-convention.htm On March 9, 1892 in Memphis, Tenn three successful African American businessmen were brutally lynched and accused of raping White women, when their actual "crime" was the competition they represented to their White counterparts Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:51:12 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/418336/100th-anniversary-celebrated-at-naacp-convention.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/418276/paris-texas-residents-say-racial-equality-nonexistent.htm In the same year that we celebrated the historic inauguration of the nation's first African American president and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) celebrated its 100th anniversary, the dream of racial equality in America seemed to have come true However, as many debate the relevance of groups such as the NAACP, instances that prove true... Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:51:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/418276/paris-texas-residents-say-racial-equality-nonexistent.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/409388/athletes-as-role-models-is-it-a-good-idea.htm The recent deaths of former NFL co-MVP Steve McNair and pop icon Michael Jackson has been overshadowed in mainstream media by the apparent flaws and mistakes the two made throughout their lives Instead of celebrating the lives of these two great men and the contributions they made to society, media outlets such as CNN and ESPN have ridiculed their mistakes and criticized... Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:30:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/409388/athletes-as-role-models-is-it-a-good-idea.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/407928/can-singer-be-advocate-for-domestic-violence-prevention.htm Chris Brown had it all The award-winning singer and blossoming actor seemed to be on top of the world Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:37:21 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/407928/can-singer-be-advocate-for-domestic-violence-prevention.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/397996/kobes-perseverance-pays-off-with-fourth-title.htm He was once one of the most reviled athletes in the entire country Accused of rape and severely criticized by former teammates, especially Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant faced obstacles and challenges that would have forced many to give in and give up Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:46:53 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/397996/kobes-perseverance-pays-off-with-fourth-title.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/387927/are-tyler-perry-films-demeaning-to-blacks.htm Tyler Perry films and television shows have revolutionized Black entertainment Characters like the gun-toting granny Madea, played by Perry, and the fun-loving Mr Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:37:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/387927/are-tyler-perry-films-demeaning-to-blacks.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/384337/supreme-court-nominee-rises-from-humble-beginnings.htm Throughout Barack Obama's historic run to the White House, his journey from humble beginnings to the highest office in the land was an inspiration to many minorities across the globe As a result of his success, many began to realize that their dreams could in fact come true, despite their race or gender Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:09:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/384337/supreme-court-nominee-rises-from-humble-beginnings.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/360468/is-there-really-a-decline-in-christianity.htm Occasionally, I come across great leaders in the African American community that have dedicated their existence to improving the lives of everyone, not just our community, but all underrepresented groups that have struggled to have their voice heard within mainstream media and society Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts is one of those stalwarts who deserves all the... Fri, 29 May 2009 02:34:09 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/360468/is-there-really-a-decline-in-christianity.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/354726/obama-approval-rating-in-first-100-days.htm Whether you voted for him or not, few Americans can honestly say that on January 20th, they were not anxious to see how the first Black President of the United States would perform as leader of the free the world After recently completing his first 100 days in the Oval Office, the Barack Obama approval rating is extremely high for a leader faced with so much adversity from a... Thu, 21 May 2009 16:48:52 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/354726/obama-approval-rating-in-first-100-days.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/346630/ten-years-later-columbine-massacre-shows-community-strength.htm Growing up, most young people felt a sense of security at school It was a place one could go to be around your friends, learn, and not worry about serious violence Mon, 11 May 2009 07:56:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/346630/ten-years-later-columbine-massacre-shows-community-strength.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/336226/is-there-interest-in-michael-vick-returning-to-nfl.htm Michael Vick was once one of the most electrifying athletes ever to play the game of football His speed and agility made him almost impossible for pass rushers to sack and he remained a constant figure on sports highlight shows every Monday morning during the National Football League season Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:05:01 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/336226/is-there-interest-in-michael-vick-returning-to-nfl.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/336220/hoops-hof-class-succeeded-by-overcoming-adversity.htm Every year at the Final Four, the Basketball Hall of Fame inducts new members into their illustrious club In any avenue of life, reaching the pinnacle of one's profession is a dream come true, but for the Hall of Fame class of 2009, the honor is even more rewarding as many of the inductees faced the challenge of overcoming adversity to make it to the top of their profession,... Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:58:06 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/336220/hoops-hof-class-succeeded-by-overcoming-adversity.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/329910/ryan-moats-incident-black-eye-for-dallas-police.htm Imagine getting a telephone call in the middle of the night, informing you that a family member was in the hospital with only minutes to live What would you do to be able to spend the final seconds of a loved-one's life at their bedside Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:28:22 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/329910/ryan-moats-incident-black-eye-for-dallas-police.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/327730/obama-still-catalyst-for-change-in-african-american-community.htm November 28, 2008 was one of those magical moments in world history Most people remember where they were when they heard the news that Barack Hussein Obama would be the first African American president in United States history Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:28:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/327730/obama-still-catalyst-for-change-in-african-american-community.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/324130/critics-say-nascar-diversity-not-a-priority.htm It was always Joe Henderson III's dream to become a successful NASCAR driver He entered NASCAR's Drive for Diversity (D4D) program with hopes of cracking a barrier that remains in place for most African American drivers Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:36:37 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/324130/critics-say-nascar-diversity-not-a-priority.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/321296/all-should-learn-from-chris-brown-and-rihanna.htm It is almost impossible to turn on the television or radio and not hear someone's opinion on the alleged violent incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna Unfortunately as a society, we have become obsessed with celebrity, and many blame everyone in the limelight (i Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:55:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/321296/all-should-learn-from-chris-brown-and-rihanna.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/317658/corporate-sponsorships-aid-nascar-diversity.htm Despite the popularity of the sport, NASCAR has often been described by critics as a White man's sport With the exception of a few trailblazers, such as ESPN NASCAR analyst and former NBA All-Star Brad Daugherty, most coverage of racing includes very few faces of color or women Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:56:23 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/317658/corporate-sponsorships-aid-nascar-diversity.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/308923/are-we-really-in-a-post-racial-america.htm The unity that existed after President Barack Obama's historic election has seemed to hit a reality check The notion of a post-racial America sounded good, but the reality that America is far from overcoming its turbulent racial history became very apparent with the recent New York Post cartoon by artist Sean Delonas that depicts a dead chimpanzee with a quote stating,... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:16:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/308923/are-we-really-in-a-post-racial-america.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/308916/remember-the-time.htm Do you remember the time when seemingly every music fan loved Michael Jackson The self-proclaimed King of Pop, who first captured the world's attention as the 11 year-old lead singer of the Jackson 5 in 1969, went on to sell 750 million albums and capture 13 Grammy awards Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:59:48 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/308916/remember-the-time.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/300249/what-to-do-before-saying-i-do.htm A couple's wedding is arguably the most important day in their life Two people joining together in holy matrimony is a dream come true for many people, especially for women Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:03:57 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/300249/what-to-do-before-saying-i-do.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/299707/parenting-from-prison.htm Most people can understand how prison can destroy one's life One mistake can put an end to one's dreams and alter their remaining years forever Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:07:20 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/299707/parenting-from-prison.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/295237/finding-mrs-right.htm Just mentioning a committed relationship is enough to make some men cringe The thought of turning in one's "playa card" and waking up to the same woman every morning is not something many men dream of Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:04:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/295237/finding-mrs-right.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/285782/president-obama-proves-america-can-overcome-trying-times.htm Barack Obama's presidential inauguration represents the best and worst of times for American people In a time filled with hope and optimism, after a country with a turbulent racial past inaugurated its first African American president, the mood became more somber immediately following President Obama taking the oath of office Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:36:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/285782/president-obama-proves-america-can-overcome-trying-times.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/280738/rolle-model.htm Every now and then an individual comes along that makes one proud of the kind of role models that still exist in today's society For too many American youth, the only role models one sees, which they can relate to, are only able to excel in the field of athletics and entertainment Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:03:34 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/280738/rolle-model.htm