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Lawrence R. Greenberg’s Question:

“KW: I told my readers I’d be speaking with you, and they sent in a lot of questions. Larry Greenberg asks, do you think we should be having a dialog about making Haiti the 51^st state or a commonwealth of the United States?

SO: No, I think what Haiti needs is to not be continually screwed by the forces around it, whether that be American forces, meaning political, not military forces, or French forces. The history of Haiti, as I’m sure you’re well aware, has been one of never giving Haiti a chance. What it really needs is an opportunity. I’m not sure that there would be an upside to the country becoming a state. Nor do I think America needs for Haiti to become a state. Haiti has a president and leadership elected by the people. It just needs some real infrastructure. ”

The Full Interview…

Soledad O’Brien

The Haiti Relief Effort Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Soledad’s Eyewitness Report on the Haitian Relief Effort

In the wake of the Haitian earthquake, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien rushed to the region to deliver the same sort of high-quality, eyewitness coverage that she has dependably broadcast in the past on location after location from such disasters area as the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Because of her seemingly effortless style and herPeople Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People List looks, what tends to get lost about this intrepid, Emmy-winning reporter is that she’s also a Harvard grad with a keen intellect, a razor sharp wit, a great sense of humor and an ever-inquiring mind.

I’ve interviewed a bunch of bright people in my day and, trust me, Soledad might very well be the brightest. You’ll instantly see what I mean, if you ever have the pleasure of engaging her in conversation one-on-one. Until then, I hope that this revealing tete-a-tete about the Haiti relief effort effectively conveys the essence of her brilliant mind and very likable spirit.

Soledad is never one to shy away from a difficult or probing question, but is rather refreshingly frank and forthcoming in addressing in considerable depth whatever issue she’s asked to address. That’s the reason I sought her out in the first place to get the scoop on what’s really happening in Haiti.

Keep in mind that this interview was conducted soon after her return to the States, while she was cooking for and frequently distracted by a house full of rambunctious kids, and she even paused briefly from our conversation to pull one of her 5 year-old twin’s baby teeth, all without ever missing a beat.

Kam Williams: Hi, Soledad, thanks again for the time.

Soledad O’Brien: Hey, how’re you doing? I hope you don’t mind but the kids are running around so we might have some interruptions. The conversation’s definitely going to be like that from my end. That was Charlie [one of her 5 year-old twins] who answered the phone.

KW: Of course, I understand. The kids missed mommy while she was away, and now they come first.

SO: Cool!

KW: Well, I guess my first question is, how’s Haiti?

SO: Haiti’s a mess for a host of reasons: because it’s historically never been given a chance, because it currently has no real infrastructure, and because, of course, in the wake of the earthquake those factors combine to make for a country that’s going to have a very slow recovery. These conditions don’t exist in a vacuum but are correlated to how fast Haiti is going to be able to recover. There’s a reason why people aren’t getting food and other resources quickly, even when supplies have arrived to hand out, namely, that it’s really hard to get to folks in the absence of an infrastructure.

KW: I told my readers I’d be speaking with you, and they sent in a lot of questions. Larry Greenberg asks, do you think we should be having a dialog about making Haiti the 51^st state or a commonwealth of the United States?

SO: No, I think what Haiti needs is to not be continually screwed by the forces around it, whether that be American forces, meaning political, not military forces, or French forces. The history of Haiti, as I’m sure you’re well aware, has been one of never giving Haiti a chance. What it really needs is an opportunity. I’m not sure that there would be an upside to the country becoming a state. Nor do I think America needs for Haiti to become a state. Haiti has a president and leadership elected by the people. It just needs some real infrastructure.

KW: You also covered the tsunami and Katrina. How do these disasters compare to each other?

SO: To me, the scope of Katrina was so much bigger than where I was in Thailand. In Thailand, after a couple of days everyone could kind of get their act together, except for in the affected area which they needed to continue working on rebuilding. By comparison, Katrina was just giant, space-wise. As for Haiti, the damage caused by the earthquake is even more widespread than Katrina, and they have much less infrastructure. I found the same sort of devastation I saw in Port-au-Prince, when we drove to Jacmel and beyond. Plus, the population density in is so much greater in Haiti where they build homes right on top of each other into these hills. So, there was a domino effect when they collapsed, especially because of the substandard construction work.

KW: I write for a Haitian publication, Heritage Konpa Magazine, whose publisher, Rene Davis, is from a place called Petit-Goave located 30 miles outside of Port-au-Prince. He emailed me to say that still nothing in the way of help has reached his hometown.

SO: Part of the problem is just the logistics. Some of those places you can’t reach simply because the roads are physically impassable. The other issue involves the challenge of delivering supplies to Haiti. Is the port open? How do you get shipments in? So, even right in Port-au-Prince, where you have such population density, you have a real problem just figuring out how to hand out stuff.

KW: Tony Noel wants to know, to what extent this is an international relief effort? Are there other countries contributing that might not be mentioned by the American mainstream press?

SO: Oh, yeah. Absolutely! What I found interesting from the getgo, when we went to the hospital in Jacmel, was that the first people I encountered were Cuban doctors. They already had a longstanding, joint project with Haiti, so they were the ones who immediately set up the outdoor, triage hospital. Those were Haitian and Cuban doctors. And at that hospital there were also medical teams from Costa Rica, Canada, Sri Lanka and the United States. It was truly an international response. No question. It was strange to be yelled at in so many different languages.

KW: After both 9/11 and Katrina, the Red Cross solicited donations but later admitted that it only distributed a small fraction of the funds raised during those ad campaigns. You were down there in Haiti. Laz Lyles asks, what’s the most effective way people can help?

SO: From my perspective, I would wait now. They have a lot of immediate money in. And people have started bringing in supplies. The initial first phase of the crisis is over. The rebuilding effort is going to take so much time that whether I wanted to send $1,000, or $5,000 or even $50,000, I’d hold on and wait to see what’s coming down the line, because that money is really going to be needed later. You might, for instance, be able to help rebuild a school, or some other project that nobody’s thinking about right now. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to help? But still, if you’re not going to send any money when the hoopla dies down, then send it now. Otherwise, wait to see what projects emerge, because the initial response has been tremendous, financially.

KW: Jimmy Bayan asks whether there’s any truth to the rumor that they’retaking Haitians survivors to Guantanamo Bay?

SO: No, I never heard that.

KW: How did it feel to be in the midst of the continuing crisis?

SO: It’s sort of the same feeling you get at any of these disasters. You don’t have a 500 lb. bag of rice to feed people who are really hungry, or a dump truck to remove cement from a spot where someone might be trapped. It’s frustrating, but I think I’ve sort of reconciled in my own head that my job is to bring notice to the world of these people’s plight. And if I try to get involved in rescuing, too, I’ll end up not doing either job very well. Although at one point, I helped out at an orphanage when an overwhelmed doctor pointed out a dehydrated baby that basically had about a couple of hours to live unless she got an IV. At that point, I was wishing that Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with me or somebody who could do it well, because I didn’t know how to put an IV in. And I knew that two doors over, there were another half-dozen kids in the same situation. She was so dehydrated, it was obvious that she wasn’t going to make it. And she hadn’t even been injured in the quake. She was just dehydrated. Babies who don’t have water will die. Dehydration kills them. After I got the IV in, I had never been so relieved in my life, because the risk had been so high. I kept thinking, “God, if this needle doesn’t get in, that’s it.” Fortunately, once we did get the IV running in her, she was fine. A lot of these infants would be just fine, if we could only get a bottle of formula to them.

KW: What about the reports of crime and violence? The U.S. news networks said there was sporadic looting and gang violence, and that 4,000 prisoners had escaped from prison and were crawling all over the streets. How much of that did you witness?

SO: There was a case where people broke into a candle store, stole the candles, and then set up shop selling candles on the street. That’s not the same as stealing a loaf of bread to keep from starving. There’s an incredible desperation there. One night, a couple hours after I left one of the orphanages, about 20 armed gunmen climbed over the wall, because they know that the orphanages have some food and supplies. I don’t think threatening children with a shotgun is okay by any means, but I can understand that they acted out of desperation.

[Attending to her son] Hey Charlie, one hard-boiled egg at a time. No two-handed eating! And anybody who’s eating needs to sit. Sorry, Kam.

KW: Did you ever feel threatened while you were in Haiti?

SO: I never felt unsafe. When I first arrived, literally 20 feet from our hotel on, there were about 20,000 people camped out on the Champ de Mars. Everyone was sitting calmly. That number must have swollen to 50,000 or more by the time I left. The plaza was just packed, but no one ever tried to climb into the hotel, where there was plenty of hot water and hot food. No one ever threatened me, or rushed me, or tried to grab my backpack, or attempted to break into our car to steal our cameras or gear, even 10 days in to the disaster. They were still all patiently waiting for food and water trucks to arrive. To me, that was the real story.

KW: What do you attribute their patience to?

SO: In part, it’s cultural. In part, Haitians don’t have the same expectation of help coming that, say, Americans had after Katrina. [Distracted by Jackson, Charlie’s twin brother] Jackson! Don’t torture your sister! Go get a toy from the other room and bring it here. That bouncy thing, or your red car. Sorry. Haitians have experienced a lot of natural disasters and have almost a sense of resignation.

KW: Yale grad Tommy Russell asks what percent of Haiti’s political infrastructure is intact?

SO: I’m not sure. I never covered that story, although I know that CNN did a report on finding the government. But I never had a sense that the Haitian government was there. I was just in lots of places where people were trying to help, like this little town where a French medical team suddenly appeared, set up a tent and started taking x-rays and treating the wounded.

KW: I remember seeing a spokesperson for Doctor without Borders complaining on TV about how most of their planes were not being allowed to land. And that the U.S. military was in control of the airport and was focused more on bringing in 13,000 soldiers than on the medical supplies that were so urgently needed.

SO: I understand, but, they needed so many things, honestly: medical supplies, food, water, excavation machines, doctors, nurses, rescue personnel, engineers, etcetera. Part of the reason they couldn’t land all their planes is that there was simply no space to land. The planes were all stacked up. That’s why we went to choppers. Getting in and out by helicopters was just so much easier. So, Doctors without Borders complaint was right that they definitely need more medical professionals, but if you’re going to try to distribute, you also need infrastructure. Haiti’s just a very messed up place right now.

KW: Where are people gravitating in Haiti, to the city or to the country?

SO: Initially, people basically moved right to open spaces because they were terrified and wanted to sleep outdoors. Then, as fuel became available and the buses began running again, you’d see them leave to live in the country, if they had relatives there. What’s complicating matters are the massive numbers of people. If you’re walking through a city with a half-million people living in tents, it’s very challenging, logistically.

KW: Mirah Riben, author of a couple books on adoption asks, what you think of the people rushing to adopt Haitian babies?

SO: I think anybody who is willing to adopt a child in any situation is amazing. That’s really a very selfless thing to do. However, I agree with those who say that adoption should not be rushed. The adoption process in Haiti normally takes several years, and it should. It would be terrible to risk an adoption by someone who should not be adopting a child. Still, what I find frustrating is that so many people see it as an either/or situation. You can do an airlift for kids who are dying, feed them, and return them without adopting them out. It doesn’t have to be either snatching babies out of their parents’ arms or leaving them there to die. There’s a middle ground in there, and what’s made me really angry is how the question has been posed as one or the other. Plus, there are plenty of orphanages that don’t offer kids for adoption, but just take care of kids for people who can’t afford to raise them. In a way, those kids are currently the most desperate, since they’re totally under the radar. You get a sense that their situation is very dire and that no one is keeping track of them. So, it sort of annoys me that there isn’t a sense of urgency about trying to save them, too.

KW: Mirah also feels that people inclined to adopt on impulse ought to be encouraged instead to donate money so the kids can be raised right there by relatives and grow up in Haiti in their own culture.

SO: Yeah, the impulse to adopt is coming from a great place. I felt the same way when I encountered a truck with about 25 babies lying in the back. I wanted to grab as many as I could hold and run for the border. They had diarrhea and started puking all over me. I can’t tell you how many of my personal friends have asked, “What do I have to do to help one of those babies?” Their thinking is, if they’re going to die, it’s worth trying to save them, no matter what’s involved. That’s a wonderful impulse. But I think there’s a vast middle ground between adoption and doing nothing. I’ve spoken to bureaucrats who say, “Well, you know, we don’t want to rush anything,” and I’ve responded, “But human beings are literally dying, and it really disturbs me that you’re waiting.” I had parents handing me their kids. They were like, “Please take this child and educate him.”

KW: This reminds me that Mirah was wondering whether you’re aware of the controversy suggesting that children are being taken out of the country before their relatives can be located.

SO: Absolutely! That’s not a controversy. It’s a fact. You should never want to adopt children out and give them a new set of parents before you’ve done your due diligence to find their biological parents. What I would suggest is that instead of adopting them out, you make sure they’re safe and fed. You just take care of them. We certainly have the resources to do it in Haiti, once the infrastructure is fixed.

KW: Marcia Evans asks, why isn’t anyone talking about the lack of support from Santo Domingo? She says that one Dominican hospital on the border only belatedly opened its doors to Haitian refugees.

SO: That’s not true. That hospital was open from the getgo. I was there. That hospital on the border was open very early on, and the Dominicans were flying in a lot of supplies. I saw Dominican trucks and Dominican soldiers, too. The Dominicans were not dragging their feet. They were triaging people and flying the more seriously injured to other hospitals that could take better care of them.

KW: Marcia further suggests that Dominicans might have racist feelings about their darker-skinned Haitian neighbors.

SO: Has there been a long mutual distrust and animosity between Haiti and the Dominican Republic? The answer definitely is “Yes!” In fact, I interviewed the Dominican President about that. His take is that at one point Haiti and the Dominican Republic were at war with each other, and that the Dominican Republic won its freedom from Haiti. So, the history of those countries is of not getting along. But in terms of the earthquake, I haven’t seen anybody who’s said, “We’re not going to help.”

KW: We’re you afraid when that 6.0 aftershock hit?

SO: Yes, that was very scary. I grabbed my Blackberry and sneakers, and ran like hell out of my hotel room. It was the craziest thing to see the entire hotel empty out of people who were running for their lives. After all, we’d been spending our entire days examining the aftermath of what happens when entire buildings collapse on people. And who knew how structurally sound our hotel was?

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

SO: Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. It’s a biography of Dr. Paul Farmer which focuses on Haiti and the history of medical care there. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s amazing!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812980557?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0812980557

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod?

SO: Well, my nieces loaded my iPod with Lady Gaga, everything Beyonce’ and Ne-Yo.

KW: Last time I asked, you said you don’t cook, that you’re mother did a lot of cooking for your family. Instead, let me ask what is your favorite dish to eat?

SO: Yeah, I don’t do much cooking, but my favorite meal to eat is black beans and rice.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

SO: It’s not very early, but I remember being dropped off at kindergarten for the first day of school.

KW: The Mike Pittman question: Who was your best friend as a child?

SO: In elementary school, it was a girl named Shevoy Onley. In high school, it was probably Patricia Cotthaus, and then Margo Schatz a little bit later

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite fashion designer?

SO: Oh God, I have a zillion. I love Carolina Herrera… I love David Meister… I love Carmen Marc Valvo… Hold on, we have a loose tooth emergency. [attends to son Charlie] Here it comes… It came out. There you go, Charlie! Jackson, that means you’re going to continue to be a good whistler, but your brother won’t be whistling for a little bit. Twins!

KW: How did the kids feel about your being in Haiti and how were they affected by the disaster?

SO: They want to help. They want to adopt a baby, or a village. My daughter had a long conversation with me. She feels that we, meaning all of America, could make a difference, and make some real, structural changes in Haiti, not just short-term change that will only last six months.

KW: Wow! That’s wonderful! Well, thanks again for taking the time to share what you witnessed in Haiti with me and my readers.

SO: Thank you.

To see a video of Soledad O’Brien reporting about orphans in Haiti, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1UKha9yoEw

The “Rescued” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Soledad’s Follow-Up Report about the Haitian Relief Effort

Since Haiti’s no longer front-page news, it’s very easy to forget about the fact that there’s an ongoing crisis there in the wake of the devastating earthquake which hit the island on January 12^th. Fortunately, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien stands out as a journalist who has remained very committed to keeping the story of the country’s recovery on the front burner.

She recently returned to the region to investigate the plight of the disaster’s most vulnerable victims – the kids. Interviewing locals, missionaries, aid workers, bureaucrats and children themselves, Soledad discovered not only that Haiti now has about 380,000 orphans, but that many have been sold into slavery. Their perilous predicament is the focus of Rescued, Soledad’s shocking special report which is set to premiere on CNN on Saturday May 8^th at 8 PM.

Here, she talks about the riveting documentary, which will be voiceovered by Wyclef Jean and Edwidge Danticat and told from the perspectives of 6 year-old orphan Candy Jeune and a freed slave named Marc Kenson Oliphi.

Kam Williams: Hi, Soledad, thanks again for the time.

Soledad O’Brien: You bet.

KW: How are the kids? Last time we spoke, they played such a big role, demanding your attention periodically during the interview.

SO: [Chuckles] They’re fine, thanks. When I go back to Haiti in June and Sofia’s out of school, I’ll take her with me, which will be an interesting trip. And, from there, we’ll go to New Orleans, because she’s getting old enough to start touring some of the places I’ve worked.

KW: What interested you in covering this story?

SO: I don’t think you can walk around reporting on Haiti and be on the ground there, and not feel compelled by the story of the orphaned and abandoned children. When I was there immediately after the earthquake, there was certainly nothing as heart-wrenching as seeing the condition of many of the kids, because it’s such a massive problem. So, I was eager to cover the story for CNN with a potential global audience of two billion people.

KW: Two things that shocked me watching an advanced copy of the special: the sheer number of Haitian children without parents, 380,000, and the fact that about 300,000 of them are enslaved.

SO: It’s incredible, isn’t it? And that estimate is conservative. Some people put the number at around 1.5 million on the high side. That’s what I heard yesterday, but it’s just an educated guess at this point.

KW: What is the Haitian government doing about the fact that they have a situation where people are being enslaved?

SO: It’s such a hard thing for those of us in this country to get our minds around, but it’s completely legal. I’m sure you saw in the piece how the boy named Matthinson’s father sold him for about $12 dollars to go and be a slave for a complete stranger. But it’s an indication of just how devastating the poverty is in Haiti that that’s a viable option. It’s pervasive throughout the country. And unfortunately, it’s perfectly legal.

KW: Another segment I found compelling was the one about the missionary work of Bill and Suzette Manazarro. Why did you decide to include them?

SO: It was such a great story in a lot of ways, starting with Suzette and Bill’s philosophy of taking in children not to send them overseas for adoption, but to raise them right there so they can grow up to become productive, standup citizens and help rescue Haiti. The “Rescue” in our title refers not only to the Manazarros’ work but also the hope that the children might, in turn, rescue their own nation. I thought that was a very interesting strategy for a nation that’s just been through a devastating earthquake. It also helped that we came across a young man who had been shooting at their orphanage for a few years. His videotape enabled us to tell their story from 2007 to the present.

KW: You also said that about three-quarters of Haiti’s schools are in ruins. So, are the children being educated?

SO: In some cases, yes. I’m not sure of the latest status on that, because the situation is changing very rapidly. But the official schools have been ruined. They collapsed in the earthquake. In fact, the entire infrastructure of the children’s lives have pretty much collapsed. So many people, like Bill and Suzette, have set up their own schools for the kids in their care.

KW: What does Haiti need right now?

SO: Well, Kam, how much time do you have?

KW: Then answer this, how can someone who wants to get involved help Haiti?

SO: There are so many churches that have missions in Haiti. I’d say reach out and find an organization whose work you like and get connected through them.

KW: Dr. Karanja Ajanaku asks: What outcomes do you hope to have as a result of this special?

SO: I think one goal is just to keep the story of Haiti in the news, to keep people exposed to what’s going on in order to help them recognize the depth of the problem for orphans in a really cohesive way.

KW: I understand, because I was torn between interviewing a movie star this week and this opportunity to talk to you about Haiti again. I’ll be honest, I seriously debated it.

SO: I won the toss-up, then. [Laughs] I love to be able to get out an important message so that another journalist asks himself, “Hmm? Should I interview a starlet with a new hit movie or do an interview about this important story that still needs to be told?” I love that you wrestled with that. And that I won. So, journalism lives! I’m excited about that.

KW: Dr. Ajanaku has a follow-up: Did your reporting detect a relationship between skin color and poverty? And if so, how does that factor into the situation/condition/plight of the orphans?

SO: No, not really. But I’m not sure if he’s talking about black versus white or nuances in skin color, so I can’t say I totally understand the question.  

KW: Larry Greenberg says that you previously mentioned the need for “opportunity” and “real infrastructure” in Haiti. He says, “I know it has not
been long and it may be just a few starfish back in the sea but have
you seen any improvements?”

SO: Yes, I did see some minor improvements, but it’ll be more interesting to look at the answer to that question when I go back next month.

KW: Daryle Lockhart wants to know if you think that a new, stronger Haiti will be a valuable ally to the US military. He says that the island’s location would seem to make it incredibly important strategically.

SO: I think the answer is, yeah, probably, but that’s not the big problem right now. What Haiti needs is infrastructural repair, not a new military base or a great jumping-off point for U.S. Armed Forces. They need jobs for the people and care for the children, and a movement to address the child slavery issue. In my mind, all that stuff comes way before any questions about whether Haiti’s well-position to be a viable military base for the United States.

KW: Publisher Milton Allimadi says that he’s been inundated with calls and e-mails since they honored you at the Black Star News’ annual dinner last November. He says thanks again and he was wondering whether it might be possible for you to address his journalism class about Haiti.

SO: It’s always possible. Certainly, one of the things that’s the most fun for me, even though it takes up a lot of my time, is talking to aspiring journalists. Yeah, there’s certainly ways to arrange that.

KW: William Cooper and Troy Johnson both asked essentially the same question. What did you put down on her census form? William pointed out that Obama checked off “black” when he is just as black as white. How do you self-identify?

SO: I find the question really ridiculous. All the schooling I have to do on this topic is wearing me out. Obama is black. His mother was white. I am black. My father is white. I’m going to give everybody a History 101 lesson. Some black people have white blood in them. This has been going on for many generations, people. Look at any family of black people. They run a range of colors. This is why.

KW: You and all five of your siblings graduated from Harvard, so I have to ask you what you think about Stephanie Grace, the Harvard Law student who recently sent out an email stating that she believes black people are genetically inferior to white people. Were you shocked by her statement?

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2010/04/29/stephanie-grace-racist-harvard-emailer/

SO: My first reaction was, “Well, who’s the dumb one?” If you’re going to talk about innate intelligence, maybe sending out that email is not the smart thing to do. That would make me ask, who’s the stupid one in this equation? But am I shocked? Sadly, no. I’m not even surprised.

KW: Well, Soledad, thanks again for another fun interview.

SO: Thank you so much for doing this story. We’re hoping that lots of folks watch Rescued, because it’ll be an indication that people want continued coverage of Haiti.

KW: I’ll certainly do my best to spread the word.

SO: Thanks, Kam, bye.

To see the trailer for Soledad O’Brien’s CNN Special Report “rescued,” visit:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2010/04/16/rescued.wyclef.cnn?iref=allsearch

or: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPdXZkeWQPY

Larry Greenberg says: On Celebrity Ghost Stories, you appeared with one of my favorite young ancestresses, Leila Jean Davis, and you shared some very personal experiences. How did you like being on the show? 

Sugar Ray Leonard: I enjoyed it. I never thought in a million years that I would tell people that I saw a ghost. And I’ve seen a lot of ghosts. [Laughs]

The whole shebang…

“The Big Fight” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: The Main Event

One of the most prodigious pugilists of all time, Sugar Ray Leonardwas born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on May 17, 1956 to Cicero and Getha Leonard. The fifth of seven kids, his family moved to Washington, DC in 1959 before settling down seven years later in Palmer Park, Maryland where his father was employed as a supermarket night manager and his mother as a nurse.

Though shy as a young child, Ray followed his brother Roger’s footsteps into boxing, ultimately eclipsing his elder sibling in terms of potential and finding fame by capturing the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He went on to become the first fighter to earn over $100 million over the course of an enviable career, winning world championship titles in five different weight classes while squaring-off in classic showdowns with such formidable opponents as Roberto “No Mas” Duran, Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Wilfred Benitez.

Ray retired from the ring in 1997 with a record 36-3-1, with 25 of those wins coming by knockout. Today, he lives in California with his wife, Bernadette, and their children, Camille and Daniel. Here, he discusses his moving memoir, “The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring.”

Kam Williams: Hi Sugar Ray, I’m honored to have this opportunity to speak with you. How’re you doing, champ?

Sugar Ray Leonard: I’m alright, Kam, how’re you?

KW: Great! I understand our mutual friend, filmmaker Janks Morton, Jr., the son of your first boxing coach, gave you a call on my behalf.

SRL: Yeah, man, this kid was so special, although he’s not a kid anymore, obviously, but he was there from day one of my rise through boxing. You know how the years go by and then, when you stop to reflect, you realize that someone was a part of your whole evolution as an individual? That’s what I share with Junior.    

KW: Yeah, he told me you guys go way back. I have a lot of questions from fans who sent in questions for you. Editor/legist Patricia Turnier says: I am from Montreal where you won your gold medal at the ’76 Olympics. What is your best memory of the city?

SRL: My very best memory of Montreal was the moment inside the Olympic arena when I was waiting under the stadium and those majestic gates opened up. It was a whole other world. Kam, I was just a youngster from the ghetto. I suddenly felt like a star. It was emotionally overwhelming. It was something I’d wanted, but it was also something I didn’t understand. It was a whole different world, and Montreal was an absolutely beautiful setting unlike anywhere I’d ever been before. So, Montreal in ‘76 was an encompassing experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.  

KW: Patricia also says: It is widely known that it is very difficult for men to talk about sexual abuse. What made you decide to go public with your story, and was it a cathartic and healing experience to write about it?

SRL: It was cathartic, Patricia. I only wish that I had had the courage and the knowledge to have gotten that out of my system, out of my mind or my heart years earlier. But there is no book, there is no manual to tell you how to deal with sexual abuse. I saw Todd Bridges talk about being abused on Oprah. Something that he said, or an expression that he made that gave me that little boost I needed to be open about it and to talk about it as transparently as I did. When I told my wife, she couldn’t believe it. She was petrified, because it’s such a no-no, taboo, a hands-off subject. But I’d have to say hearing Todd Bridges on Oprah was my watershed moment.   

KW: Kate Newell says: I saw you on Stephen Colbert and loved it. She was wondering why a movie hasn’t been made about your life?

SRL: Being on Colbert was a real treat for me, too. I didn’t quite know what to expect, but it turned out to be pretty cool. In terms of a movie, we’re talking about it. It’s on the table but, as you know, Kam, that type of thing doesn’t just happen overnight, unfortunately. But I do look forward to seeing the story of my life onscreen someday. 

KW: Yyou should talk to Tyler Perry.

SRL: I would love that.

KW: Or better yet, Janks, if you could get him to switch over to drama from directing documentaries.

SRL: Janks could do it justice, and I’m not being facetious. You know why? Because he knows the story. He’s been in the story. And it’s real. It’s raw. Maybe a little too raw for people at times. But this generation raised on reality-TV might be ready for it.

KW: I agree. Boxing fan Mike Ehrenberg asks: Was Wilfred Benitez the best pure boxer you ever faced?

SRL: Yes, without question. He was a mirror image of what I considered myself as a boxer. That was one of my toughest fights, by far. It’s sad that he’s not mentioned in the same breath as Hearns, Hagler and Duran. It always bothered me that he wasn’t considered in our league, the reason being that he never beat any of us. But he should be right up there.  

KW: Mike also asks: Was the Dicky Eklund knockdown, highlighted in the movie “The Fighter,” legit?

SRL: It was legit that I was knocked down, or pushed down. [Chuckles] But I remember that fight like it was yesterday because that guy, Dick Eglund, was so unorthodox. And it was the first time in my life I really experienced racial hatred from the fans. We’re talking about Boston back in ’78. 

KW: I lived in Boston from ’75 to ’78. It’s the most racist city I ever experienced before or since. You couldn’t step foot in white neighborhoods… they wouldn’t serve you in some restaurants… and you couldn’t go to Fenway Park or the Boston Garden.

SRL: I can believe it. When I arrived at the airport, I had a priest or a pastor greet me with, “Hey boy, welcome.”

KW: I could go on and on about Boston.

SRL: I could, too. That’s what it was like back then.

KW: When I interviewed Governor Deval Patrick last year, I told him I never would’ve believed that Massachusetts would ever elect a black governor after my experiences in his state. Mike has one more question: Do you regret coming out of retirement past your prime to fight Terry Norris and Hector Camacho?

SRL: Do I regret it? Yeah, I do, but it took that to wake up to the fact that my time was over, my time was gone. Sometimes it just takes that kind of beating, if you will, to wake up. It does. I didn’t want to take it. I took it in intervals. The first time was in ’91. I retired and came back in ’97. Woo! I mean, come on! I don’t know, man. A six-year layoff? That was crazy! My career was relatively short, whether you look at either its length in years or the number of fights I had. But it was brutal.

KW: That’s because it was the Golden Age in terms of welterweights and middleweights.

SRL: Exactly! You couldn’t mess around in that era there.

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles says: With mounting medical evidence that contact sports aren’t providing ample equipment to mitigate against cerebral concussions, how would you feel about boxing associations mandating protective headgear for fighters, not just for sparring, but also during bouts?

SRL: I’m not in favor of that because we learn as amateurs how to protect ourselves. And that’s why there’s a third man in the ring, the referee. And that’s why there has to be a very strong boxing commission that doesn’t allow guys in the ring who don’t belong there. Look at football, where you still have injuries no matter how much they improve the helmets and other equipment. Boxing’s a poor man’s sport. We can’t afford to play golf or tennis. It is what it is. It’s kept so many kids off the street. It kept me off the street. What’s my options?

KW: Harriet also asks: Is it true that once, when you were climbing between the ropes and entering the ring, a reporter put a microphone up to your face and asked, ‘Sugar Ray, are you going to win tonight?’ And, you replied, ‘I didn’t come here to lose.’ I hope it’s true because I’ve always loved you for that—it’s a great life lesson story. If it isn’t, I’m going to continue to attribute it to you anyway, because you’re a great life lesson guy.

SRL: Thanks, Harriet. But yes, I did say that.

KW: Yale grad Tommy Russell says: I really respect your admission about battling drug abuse during the tough times of your professional life. What is the most important thing you have learned from that experience?

SRL: I learned that I had character defects, that I was allergic to alcohol and drugs, and that I had an obsession with all the bad stuff. But thank God that I woke and that I had good people around me to support me. There’s not much more I can say about it. You have to want to be a better person.

KW: Larry Greenberg says: On Celebrity Ghost Stories, you appeared with one of my favorite young ancestresses, Leila Jean Davis, and you shared some very personal experiences. How did you like being on the show?

SRL: I enjoyed it. I never thought in a million years that I would tell people that I saw a ghost. And I’ve seen a lot of ghosts. [Laughs]

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

SRL: Yeah, how’s your day? [Chuckles]

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?

SRL: Yes, we all are afraid of something. We might not admit it, but we are.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

SRL: Extremely!

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

SRL: Just now. [Chuckles]

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

SRL: It used to be a pint of ice cream in bed.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

SRL: “The Big Fight.”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452298040/ref=nosim/thslfofire-20

KW: What inspired you to write the book?

SRL: To be honest, I don’t know. I started one back in 1982 or ’83 when I first retired. But I was only 25 or 26 and not ready to write my memoirs. 

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What music have you been listening to?

SRL: “Dance with My Father” by Luther Vandross.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000099J41/ref=nosim/thslfofire-20

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

SRL: I’m pretty good with oatmeal.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

SRL: Success. But not necessarily monetary success.

KW: Judyth Piazza asks: How do you define success?

SRL: Success is attaining your dream while helping others to benefit from that dream materializing.  

KW: Dante Lee, author of “Black Business Secrets,” asks: What was the best business decision you ever made?

SRL: Remaining conservative.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

SRL: At about 6, seeing my mom and dad kissing and understanding it. 

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

SRL: It made me realize how much I loved that person.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

SRL: You don’t play boxing. [LOL] You really don’t. You play golf, you play tennis, but you don’t play boxing. 

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

SRL: As someone who had an impact outside the ring.

KW: Thanks again for the interview, Ray, and best of luck with the book.

SRL: Thank you, Kam.

To order a copy of Sugar Ray Leonard’s memoir, “The Big Fight,” visit:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452298040/ref=nosim/thslfofire-20

Larry Greenberg asks: How did you develop your character, Jimmy Bobo?

Sylvester Stallone: I decided to approach it this way. I, Sylvester Stallone, am really not much like Rocky. Rocky is a much more ethical, moral person than I am. [Chuckles] He’s really a great guy. And Rambo is a much darker person than I am, and much more reserved and withdrawn. I thought, let me try something different. What if I, Sylvester Stallone, were transported into the world of hit men? In other words, what if I were the hit man but just played myself. So, that’s the way I approached this character. I wanted to be as casual and comfortable with the character as possible. I said, if Sylvester Stallone were a hit man, this is how he would be. So, pretty much what you see up there is Sylvester Stallone as a hit man. Rather than trying to create a character that was different from me, I tried to make the character the same as me, and just add the story. I don’t know if that makes sense to you. It’s like as if you were going to play a hit man and asked me, “What do I do?” And I went, “No, no, you Kam, you just have to play yourself.” It would be your personality, but you would play a hit man. That would be an interesting choice. That’s different. That’s unusual. So, this was the first time I’ve ever said, “Let me just be myself, but pretend I’m a hit man.”

Larry also asks: How did you go about create the father-daughter dynamic with Lisa [played by Sarah Shahi]?

Sylvester Stallone : Having children, they tend to be very angry, if you’re not there growing up. Of course, he was never there for her growing up, and she has done everything that’s rebellious. So, I tried to think how I would approach that in my own life. I decided that he would be a little remorseful, but he’d have a little resentment because she’d ask for a favor every time he came to see her. When she decided to be a tattoo artist and to cover herself in tattoos that weren’t exactly the most flattering, I realized she was doing it out of spite and for attention, and as a way of getting back at me. So, there are all sorts of possible approaches to developing that kind of relationship.

Kam Williams complete interview…

http://aalbc.com/reviews/sylvester-stallone.html

Back to Poni TV

Lawrence R. Greenberg’s Question:

“KW: After watching your acting studio video, [http://www.tsaw.com/actors_workshop_video.html] Larry Greenberg wants to know whether a white guy can enroll in your acting course.

TS: Tell him “Yes!” and please bring his whole family. I’m giving a $20 discount to anyone who brings along a white person to my class. Tell him I want white people in my classes and to send an email blast to every white person he knows to come and visit me. [Laughs]

KW: Larry also says he loved your work in “Glass House: The Good Mother.” He asks, “Is there any chance I could see you in another thriller?”

TS: Wow! Tell him to pray. I want to do another thriller. [Laughs] ”

The Full Interview…

Tasha Smith

The “My Black Is Beautiful” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Tasha’s Back, and Black and Beautiful as Ever!

Tasha Smith and her identical twin, Sidra, were born on February 28, 1971 in Camden, New Jersey. Being raised by a single-mom in a crime and drug infested neighborhood proved to be almost too much of a hurdle for Tasha to overcome as her life spiraled down a self-destructive path marked by promiscuity, Marijuana and cocaine addiction, chain-smoking and a stint as a stripper.

Fortunately, she eventually embraced Christianity, cleaned up her act and moved to L.A. where she tried her hand at standup comedy before settling on an acting career. The versatile scene-stealer has since appeared in such movies as Couples Retreat, The Longshots, Daddy’s Little Girls and Why Did I Get Married, to name a few.

When not working, Tasha gives back to the community, dividing her time between making motivational speeches and teaching actor’s workshops all across the country. Here, she talks about reprising the role of Angela in Why Did I Get Married Too, as well as her new TV series, My Black Is Beautiful, a reality series premiering this month on BET. (Check local listings)

Kam Williams: Hey Tasha, thanks for the time again.

Tasha Smith: Hey, Kam Williams! [Shrieks] Whassup! How ya doing?

KW: Very well, and you?

TS: I am doing awesome! I was hoping to interview with you when I was in New York for the premiere [of Why Did I Get Married Too].

KW: This is probably better because I’m sure you were mobbed and I would have had to elbow my way just to get a few minutes one-on-one with you.

TS: Hey, you can have as long as you need now. How’s that?

KW: Tremendous, thanks.

TS: So, what’s happening? Hi!

KW: Nothing much, how about you?

TS: I have just been s busy, and I’m so excited. I have been doing soooooo much. Speaking engagements… producing… developing a half-hour sitcom… working on a movie… leading acting workshops all over the world…and hosting My Black Is Beautiful, an empowerment TV show I’m doing on BET for women. Do you hear me, Kam?

KW: Yeah, so what’s the new TV show going to be like?

TS: We’re doing makeovers, giving financial classes, answering questions about black women’s imaging in the media, and much more. It’s so good! We encourage women to become mentors within their communities in order to teach young girls how to thrive in this society. It’s a good thing, so, I’m excited about having the platform and this opportunity because you know me, I love my folk.

KW: Let’s talk a little about Why Did I Get Married Too. You were as phenomenal as you were in the original which led me to name you the best actress of 2007. How was it seeing everybody again?

TS: Thank you. It was fun. Honestly, we are like a family. We really are. The chemistry for the sequel was even better. It almost felt like we were actually on vacation together, organically. I got to tell you, it was like a family reunion. It was like, “Hey, girl!” and we just had us a good time.

KW: You can’t beat shooting in the Bahamas.

TS: To be honest, the Bahamas wasn’t fun. [Whispers] Kam, it was horrible. Not only was the shooting schedule insane, but there were so many bugs on that island that it was nerve-wracking. It was infested with these big moths called “money bats” Imagine if every time you walked outside hundreds of them were all over the place and landing on you. It was so stressful and irritating. I’m not exaggerating. They also had these mosquitoes called “no see ‘ems” because you couldn’t see ‘em.  Those things just ate us up. We had welts and bites all over our bodies. Ugh! I could go on and on. And then there were these other bugs like flying cockroaches that made a loud buzzing sound every time we tried to shoot a scene.

KW: Gee, that sounds very different from Couples Retreat, your previous film, which was filmed in Polynesia on Bora Bora, another exotic location.

TS: Let me tell you honey, they should have picked Bora Bora. Bora Bora was a dream! It was truly paradise.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks, who do you admire most in your profession and have you sought out that person as a mentor?

TS: Wow! Angela Bassett is a friend of mine and someone who I truly admire tremendously in terms of her work and her choices.

KW: Reverend Florine Thompson asks, how has your life changed as a Christian, and who in the scriptures speaks most to who you are and how you’ve developed spiritually?

TS: I’d say Paul. I just love how he went from being an unbeliever persecuting Christians to one of the most powerful people in the Bible. And how has my life changed as a Christian? Once you have the light of God within you, you see things within yourself that you did not know existed. Things that were hidden in darkness are now in light. I see myself as able to forgive… to love… I even see talents in myself that I didn’t see before.

KW: Reverend Thompson also asks, how do you express the Christ you serve in the glamorous Hollywood milieu in which you work?

TS: Your atmosphere does not change you, if are rooted and grounded in who you are. I do what I believe the Lord did, and that is walk in love with all mankind, which I don’t see a lot of Christians doing. Christians can be so judgmental, that it can turn off people who are considering converting. It makes me a little embarrassed, to tell you the truth, when I hear Christians criticizing others. I have to fight against being discouraged, because I don’t want to be connected with people who are so intolerant of much of mankind like that. God loves us all. He really does. And I want to walk in love with people.

KW: I know you’re from Camden, New Jersey, and your character Angela even brags about it in the film. Have you heard of the Center for Transformation [http://camdencenterfortransformation.org/about.htm], an organization that’s doing some tremendous charity work there, including overseeing a greenhouse, community gardens, neighborhood cleanups, a family resource clinic and other projects?

TS: No I haven’t.

KW: Their mission states “we area people called to be a Christian community and to stand on the side of life with all the struggling people of Camden and the world.”

TS: That sounds beautiful.

KW: I can get some information to you about it, if it sounds like a group you’d be interested in working with.

TS: Yeah, that would be great.

KW: I recently met someone from Camden who says he knew you as a child. Eric Lewis, the jazz pianist. I met him backstage after a concert promoting his new album.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003A54VFW?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003A54VFW

TS: Yes, isn’t he talented? I’m so happy for him.

KW: Laz Lyles would like to know what it was like for you to revisit the character Angela.

TS: It was exciting and empowering, because although Tyler always jokes around saying, “Tasha’s just like Angela,” I’m not really. I’m loud and I communicate, but I’d never think of doing half the things Angela does. She’s an over the top character who just lives and speaks honestly without worrying about being politically correct. So, playing her, you get a sense of freedom to do whatever you want and to live vicariously through her.

KW: Laz has a follow up question. What’s the most common feedback you get from your acting workshops?

TS: People come to my workshop expecting just to learn about acting, but at the end many say they’ve learned something about life. They leave as better mothers, better wives, better husbands and better siblings.

KW: After watching your acting studio video, [http://www.tsaw.com/actors_workshop_video.html] Larry Greenberg wants to know whether a white guy can enroll in your acting course.

TS: Tell him “Yes!” and please bring his whole family. I’m giving a $20 discount to anyone who brings along a white person to my class. Tell him I want white people in my classes and to send an email blast to every white person he knows to come and visit me. [Laughs]

KW: Larry also says he loved your work in “Glass House: The Good Mother.” He asks, “Is there any chance I could see you in another thriller?”

TS: Wow! Tell him to pray. I want to do another thriller. [Laughs]

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

TS: Hmm… I see a beautiful black woman who has overcome and who is pressing into her future and forgetting about the past.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

TS: Wow! I remember being 6 or 7 years-old and always begging my sister to act out scenes with me while we were in our bunk beds. I would be like, “Can you be Chaka Khan while I be Diana Ross? And let’s act like we’re at a party at Stevie wonder’s house and looking fabulous.” But she would always just fall asleep.

KW: How’s your twin, Sidra, doing?

TS: She’s great, thanks.

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who’s you’re favorite clothes designer?

TS: I love Catherine Maladrino, Angela Dean and Nicole Miller. Catherine Maladrino designs that beautiful, high-class red carpet stuff. Nicole Miller makes beautiful dresses you can wear everyday. And when you just want to go and shut it down, you turn to Angela Dean. She made my dress for this premiere, as well as for the opening of Tyler Perry’s studio, that red sequined number.

KW: Beautiful! If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

TS: Wow, I was just telling my boyfriend that I want to be like Solomon, and instead of asking for riches ask for wisdom and creativity.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

TS: I make a garlic cracked crab that will shut everything down. First, I roast fresh garlic in olive oil. Then, I sauté onions, peppers and basil in Old Bay seasoning with butter, heavy cream, wine and beer until it gets thick. Then, I let the fresh crabs cook in that sauce for about 10 or 15 minutes before roasting them. Woooo! Believe me when I tell you that my garlic cracked crab is soooo good. It’s dynamic!

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

TS: “Understanding Your Potential” by Myles Munroe. That book is really, really, really good, and empowers you to appreciate your full potential, and God as the source of that potential.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0768423376?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0768423376

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod?

TS: Honey, I’m on Sade’s “Soldier of Love” right now. Loving it, loving it, and loving it! That whole album is just crazy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YIHO7I?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002YIHO7I

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

TS: Today. [LOL] You wanna know what happened? While I was filming “My Black Is Beautiful” I had my DNA traced and found out that I’m linked genetically to the Bubi people of Bioko Island. So, I eagerly asked, “Am I descended from kings and queens?” But I was told, “Sorry, your ancestors were definitely not kings and queens, but probably gatherers in the field.” [Laughs more] That was hilarious. I just laughed so hard.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

TS: Thanks for asking. A lot of times people don’t really seem to care about that. How do I sound?

KW: Elated, and you’ve got a boyfriend since we last spoke.

TS: [Shrieks] I got a man, baby! A man! He is so absolutely wonderful. I am so in love. And I’m planning on getting married and having a bay by the end of 2011.

KW: Congratulations! Who’s the lucky guy?

TS: His name is Keith.

KW: Best of luck to you both, Tasha, and thanks for another terrific interview.

TS: Thank you. It’s so good to talk to you.

KW: Same here.

To see a trailer for My Black Is Beautiful, visit:http://myblackisbeautiful.com/tv_show/#episode3

To see a trailer for Why Did I Get Married Too, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSONVGYiIHo

Larry Greenberg says: You have been so prolific as an actor and producer, is there any chance we will see you as a writer and director in the near future?

Terrence Howard: God only knows what we have in store. Man makes his plan and God laughs. I have aspirations to do many things, but I lack the constitution of discipline to follow all those things through. Time and unforeseen occurrences befall us all.

http://aalbc.com/reviews/terrence-howard-2013.html

Lawrence R. Greenberg’s Question:

Larry Greenberg says:  It seems like we are at a point now where books are moving from bound paper to digital media. How will this impact the study and reverence for the Bible?

Jimmy Carter:  You can already download any of the religious texts onto electronic mechanisms like a Kindle. But I think many people prefer to hold a book in their hands. We recently gave my daughter Amy a new electronic device, but since she used to work in a library, she still insists on reading exclusively from books. I take my Bible with me to church every Sunday to teach the Bible lesson. I do that whenever I’m in Plains, oh, about 35 to 40 times a year. So, I think that for many people, particularly when reading Holy Scriptures, a Bible you can hold in your hands is most appropriate.

Kam Williams: I still prefer the touch of paper. I still haven’t made the jump to reading books electronically.

Jimmy Carter: [Chuckles] I can understand that.

President Jimmy Carter

The “NIV Lessons from Life Bible” Interview

with Kam Williams

The Full Interview…

Headline: President, Peanut Farmer and Sunday School Teacher

James Earl Carter, Jr., the 39th President of the United States, was born on October 1, 1924 in the tiny town of Plains, Georgia. His father, James, Sr., was a farmer and businessman, and his mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a registered nurse.

Jimmy was educated in the public school of Plains, attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. On July 7th of that year, he married his childhood sweetheart, Rosalynn Smith of Plains.

In the Navy, he became a submariner, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and rising to the rank of lieutenant. Chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program, he was assigned to Schenectady, New York, where he did graduate work at Union College in reactor technology and nuclear physics while serving as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew of the Seawolf.

When his father died in 1953, he resigned his naval commission and returned with his family to Georgia. He took over the Carter farms, and he and Rosalynn operated Carter’s Warehouse, a general-purpose seed and farm supply company located in Plains.

He soon became a leader of the community, serving on county boards supervising education, the hospital authority, and the library. In 1962 he entered politics, winning election to the Georgia Senate, before becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on January 12, 1971.

Jimmy Carter was inaugurated President of the United States on January 20, 1977. Significant foreign policy accomplishments of his administration included the Panama Canal treaties, the Camp David Accords, the treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.

On the domestic side, the administration’s achievements included a comprehensive energy program conducted by a new Department of Energy; deregulation in energy, transportation, communications, and finance; major educational programs under a new Department of Education; and major environmental protection legislation, including the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. While in office, he also championed human rights throughout the world.

In 1982, he became University Distinguished Professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and founded The Carter Center to engage in conflict mediation all over the world. In addition, the Center has monitored 83 elections in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

The permanent facilities of The Carter Presidential Center include the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, administered by the National Archives. The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains, administered by the National Park Service, is open to visitors, too.

Jimmy and Rosalynn volunteer for Habitat for Humanity annually, helping needy people renovate and build homes. And on the Sabbath, they teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains.

For relaxation, President Carter enjoys fly-fishing, woodworking and swimming. The Carters have three sons, one daughter, nine grandsons, three granddaughters, two great-grandsons, and four great-granddaughters.

In 2002, President Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The author of 25 books, here, he talks about his latest, NIV Lessons from Life Bible.

Kam Williams: Hi President Carter, I’m really honored to have another opportunity to speak with you.

President Carter: It’s a pleasure for me, too, Kam. Thank you!

KW: Editor/legist Patricia Turnier asks: What message do you think people will take away from the Lessons from Life Bible?

JC: I think that what people will get out of these comments in the Bible, and also out of my previous book [Through the Year with Jimmy Carter: 366 Daily Meditations from the 39th President] is how pertinent, how important and how applicable the ancient texts are to our modern-day life. That’s what I try to emphasize in all my Sunday school lessons when I teach at Maranatha Baptist Church. So, I think the main message to remember is that we must accommodate changing times while clinging to unchanging moral values. That’s why I say the aim is to apply the text to modern-day life.

KW: Patricia also asks: Are you interested in writing a memoir focusing on your more recent accomplishments?

JC: I’ve already written a book about my more recent accomplishments. It’s called Beyond the White House. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003A02QU4/ref%3dnosim/thslfofire-20

KW: Leon Marquis says: You have done more good after leaving office than any other United States President, from traveling the world, to certifying free and open elections, to working with Habitat for Humanity, to traveling to North Korea. You have become the “Soul of American Diplomacy.” My question is: Why can’t the other ex-presidents get it right?

JC: Well, I wouldn’t say they’re wrong, Leon, because each one of us is an individual, just like talk show hosts are different from one another, and newspaper columnists are different from each other. So, former presidents are different from each other, too. Some have gone into relative seclusion. Some have decided to teach. In fact, I’m finishing my 30th year as a professor at Emory University. I’ve found it very enjoyable and very beneficial to me to keep active. But I wouldn’t criticize any president who has chosen to take a different route.

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles asks: Is there a personal moral tension between being a good Christian and being a good Commander of a nuclear submarine?

How can an officer–especially one of great faith—reconcile being asked to lead troops into battle with the Fifth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Kill?

JC: The most important Bible teaching that I remembered when I was in the Navy and when I was Commander-in-Chief, was that we worshipped The Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ is The Prince of Peace. So, I considered myself, as a submarine officer, as helping to preserve the peace. And I felt the same way when I was president. As a matter of fact, although we had some terrible challenges and temptations when I was in office, we never dropped a bomb… we never launched a missile… and we never fired a bullet. I think that one of the main requirements for a strong military, like a strong submarine force, is to prevent war, not to cause war.

KW: Larry Greenberg says: It seems like we are at a point now where books are moving from bound paper to digital media. How will this impact the study and reverence for the Bible?

JC: You can already download any of the religious texts onto electronic mechanisms like a Kindle. But I think many people prefer to hold a book in their hands. We recently gave my daughter Amy a new electronic device, but since she used to work in a library, she still insists on reading exclusively from books. I take my Bible with me to church every Sunday to teach the Bible lesson. I do that whenever I’m in Plains, oh, about 35 to 40 times a year. So, I think that for many people, particularly when reading Holy Scriptures, a Bible you can hold in your hands is most appropriate.

KW: I still prefer the touch of paper. I still haven’t made the jump to reading books electronically.

JC: [Chuckles] I can understand that.

KW: Troy John asks: Do you see any parallels between the lead-up to the 1980 Presidential Election and the 2012 campaign?

JC: Not really. Back in those days, we didn’t have massive sums of money pouring in. We never ran any negative advertisements. I always referred to President Ford during the 1976 campaign as “my distinguished opponent.” That was all. And I behaved the same way as an incumbent, when Ronald Reagan ran against me in 1980. And the amount of money we raised against each other from special interest groups and from lobbyists for the general election was zero. Neither President Ford, nor Governor Reagan nor I ever raised a single dollar from them to run against each other in the general election. Sadly, all of that has changed. What this massive infusion of more money into the political campaign has caused is a mammoth increase in negative ads. That’s a tragedy, in my opinion, and a step backwards for the political system of our country.

KW: Troy also says that he read in the Wall Street Journal that not since Herbert Hoover has a party out of power had such an opportunity to run against everything that troubles the American family—prices, interest rates, unemployment, taxes, fear of the future, etcetera. Do you think the Republican Party will employ that strategy against an Obama administration which seems vulnerable in terms of both foreign and domestic policy?

JC: Well, I’m not a political strategist, and I’m certainly not one for the Republican Party. [Chuckles] I will say that any incumbent president has to run on his record, and President Obama has had a very limited number of accomplishments so far. But he’s been handicapped by the lack of any cooperation on the part of the Republicans who serve in the House and Senate. So, Congress has been an obstacle to President Obama. I think the American people will be able to ascertain as the election approaches who is to blame for the stalemate and who deserves credit for the best proposals for the future.

KW: Lisa Loving asks: How should we as Americans and as voters work to overcome the sometimes hateful tone of our politics today?

JC: Unfortunately, every American citizen takes the same position as you do, Lisa, that we don’t like negative advertisements. But they work! And, as you see, many a candidate has prevailed by tearing down the reputation of an opponent in a more advantageous position. I think that the best approach would be if the American people ever insist that we cut down on the massive amounts of money that moves into the campaigns from special interest groups, and if we resist publicly by saying “No more negative advertisements that destroy the reputations of one’s opponents.” In the meantime, just don’t pay any attention to negative ads, if you can avoid them, and try to focus on the issues.

KW: Tracy Ertl, Publisher of TitleTown Publishing, says: I love Jimmy Carter! I was barely a teen when you took office. You were truly the first President that I recognized as such with any true understanding. Mr. President, what is something that every God-believing American could do this year to bring more stability and safety to the youth of the country?

JC: I think all of us could insist on preserving the truth and preserving the peace. We could insist that political candidates tell the truth about controversial issues. And secondly, we should be sure to encourage our political leaders, after they’re elected, to preserve the peace. My latest book, of course, is about the Bible. I worship as a Christian. I worship The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. He’s not The Prince of War. That’s why it really aggrieves me when I sometimes see fellow believers lobbying to start a war over something minimal when the peaceful approach might be the best. I was lucky enough to get through four years in office under very trying circumstances. We never dropped a bomb, we never launched a missile, and we never fired a bullet in anger. And we not only resolved our problems peacefully, but we promoted peace between adversarial nations. For instance, Egypt and Israel had been at war four times in the quarter-century before I became president, and I was able to negotiate a peace treaty between them that has held up for over 33 years. So, I think peace and telling the truth are the keys.

KW: Reverend Florine Thompson asks: Based on your Biblical worldview, should the US support Israel, militarily, at any cost?

JC: I tried to eliminate the need for Israel to strike out, militarily, by removing its major threat and attacker, and that was Egypt. I’ve written a few books on the subject. There’s no doubt that the best way to resolve Israel’s problems is to negotiate peace between Israel and its immediate neighbors, particularly the Palestinians. And that’s something that’s not going to be achieved, in my opinion, without the strong involvement of the American president. I hope that President Obama, during his second term, will insist upon a peaceful resolution of the issues that divide the Israelis from their neighbors, and bring about a two-state solution with the ’67 borders as modified by a common agreement that would let the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Jordanians and the Lebanese and the Egyptians live in peace.

KW: Reverend Thompson also asks: What is your favorite bible verse and why?

JC: As a Christian, like a lot of other Christians, my favorite is John 3:16, where it explains in the Bible that God loves us all so much that He gave His only son to die and save us from our sins. Another favorite verse of mine is the one that says, “Be ye kind one to another.” As I’ve already mentioned, I also like the ones that refer to Jesus promoting peace. And I like the one that Paul described to the Galatians which says that everybody is equal in the eyes of God: servants and masters… men and women… Jews and Gentiles… That every human being is equal to each other in the eyes of God.

KW: Cynique, a retired postal employee, and frequent contributor to AALBC.com’s Discussion Forum, says she really admires you and feels Ronald Reagan was a better actor than politician. She asks: Do you agree?

JC: [Chuckles] I’m pretty, highly prejudiced about that. I think that the way I ran the American government was good, and I’m not going to comment on the other presidents.

KW: Filmmaker Kevin Williams says: Mr. President, thank you for coming to visit my hometown of Trenton, NJ as you did back in the 1970s.  I was 8 years-old when you were elected, so you were the first president I had ever really known.  My question: How did your faith help you adjust to life after your Presidency?

JC: My faith has helped me to adjust to life whether I was a small farm boy, a submarine officer, governor, president or an ex-president. I’ve tried to remember the teaching that we have to accommodate change we can’t control in our lives, whether it’s disappointment, sorrow, loss or failure, while simultaneously clinging to principles that never change. And that’s what I try to emphasize in my writings and in my teaching of the Bible every week. There are moral values that are most important in life which never change and which enable us to handle setbacks and challenges in a much more equitable, peaceful and happy way.

KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks: What words of wisdom might you have for President Obama?

JC: Tell the truth and promote the peace.

KW: Thanks again for the time, President Carter. I really appreciate it.

JC: Thank you, Kam, I really enjoyed talking to you again.

To order a copy of the NIV Lessons from Life Bible, visit: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310950813/ref%3dnosim/thslfofire-20

To order a copy of the Through the Year with Jimmy Carter: 366 Daily Meditations from the 39th President, visit: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310330483/ref%3dnosim/thslfofire-20

Lawrence R. Greenberg’s Question:

Larry Greenberg recalls that in 1978, you declared a federal emergency at Love Canal. He asks: How would you characterize progress in our nation’s management of toxic materials since then?

My daughter Shelby and I went over to the old mill on Sugan Rd with our cameras.