Guess Who?

Lee Hill, here ...

This will be quick. We're hard at work here on tomorrow's program. As I type, Michel's recording tomorrow's Barbershop. And I'm here going through clips -- your clips, that is -- for tomorrow's BackTalk segment.

So get ready for another spicy mix tomorrow.

Surprise!

Later this afternoon, we're expecting a very special visit from a huge figure in the literary world.

Hints: Lorain, Chloe, Howard.

Guess who? Tune in next week for the actual interview.

Gotta go. He/she will be here any moment!

-- Lee Hill

3:13 PM ET | permalink

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Exploring The Aftermath Terrorism

Lee Hill, here ...

If you caught today's broadcast, you heard an extended conversation on the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. TMM producer Arwa Gunja helped shape the focus of that discussion and, herself, has a personal connection to the region. Here's a page from her notebook:

Thanks, Lee ... Arwa Gunja, here.

Thanksgiving dinner in New Jersey didn't come with its usual family drama. This year, for the first time in as long as I can remember, we actually paused before we ate to give thanks. Maybe it's because we all recognize how much many Americans have lost because of the economy, or because some of us know people who are fighting --- or even just living --- in Iraq and Afghanistan. But I'm pretty sure it's because while we were eating, my family's home city was under siege.

My father's family is Muslim and from Mumbai, India. Many of his siblings moved to the States, but a good number of them still reside in the same apartment building he grew up in, located in perhaps one of the poorest districts of the city.

After learning of the attacks, ensuring the safety of our family in India was first priority. But after confirming all friends and family were OK, our relatives here in the U.S. spent the remainder of the Thanksgiving weekend trying to understand what had just happened to their city, and making their own predictions of what would come next.

Violence is not new to Mumbai. My cousin tells me stories of growing up during the 1992-93 riots, when more than 900 were killed and more than 200,000 Muslims fled the city. And though the death toll last week was much lower (estimated around 170 were killed), it was interesting to observe that last week's attacks attracted 24-hour news coverage around the world, and seemed to shake some of my relatives even more.

I think it's because this was so unexpected. And because it quickly looked like the perpetrators came from Pakistan, a country with which India has always been at odds.

Back to the predictions...

Within my family, discussion about what could happen next became heated at times. My uncle (along with what seemed to be many from an older generation) feared years of work at building strong Hindu-Muslim relations in the city would now be compromised. His son, my cousin, worried more about the possibility of riots or, even worse, a war with neighboring Pakistan. Other family friends who joined us for Thanksgiving dinner said they hoped Indians would see this as an opportunity to unite and send a message that terrorism will not prevail.

I didn't quite know what to think, but I did know that I would be coming back home to Washington, D.C., where there would be many differing opinions about what the lasting impact of the attacks.

I also knew that only a few of those perspectives would likely make it to national or international media airwaves.

We hoped the conversation we aired today on "Tell Me More" would bring you some of the diverging opinions about what the bombings mean for the fragile social, religious and ethnic relationships in India and Pakistan. We wanted to offer a combination of perspectives from journalists -- whose job it is to be professional, composed and emotionally UNinvolved -- and from ordinary people who live this reality as a part of their every day life.

We hope we delivered.

Thanks, Arwa.

And our condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, and to the many injured.

-- Lee Hill

Tags: Mumbai bombings

4:36 PM ET | permalink

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Trouble in Nigeria

400 people dead, in just over the course of a few days? The violence between Muslims and Christians in the Nigerian city of Jos had us all wondering what our approach should be. Do we talk to someone on the ground, who was there during the fighting? Or do we go for the bigger view, asking WHY and WHAT next? Since a relative calm had settled in the Nigerian city, we thought it best to unpack just what had led to the eruption of violence. We invited two people who are knowledgeable about the roots of religious strife in Nigeria. Constance Okokwu is the Washington bureau chief for the Nigerian newspaper This Day. And Roxanne Lawson is the Director of Africa Policy for the Washington based group TransAfrica. They offer some useful - and revealing - insights.

Then, in our weekly parenting segment, the moms talk about President-elect Obama's cool-factor. Will the president-elect offer a new aspiration for young black men to aspire to? Will his cool and sharp style redefine what it means to be hip?

And ... have you heard? The country is officially in a recession. The reality most of us have known for months has finally been accepted into 'officialdom.' Our beloved Money Coach Alvin Hall weighs in on the issue ... and the surprising news that despite the economic slowdown, retail sales were higher than expected on 'Black Friday'. Alvin and John Simons, Senior Personal Finance Editor at Black Enterprise, talk about what could be motivating people to open their pocketbooks. Are the bargains that good?

Finally, Michel shares her thoughts about the violence over the weekend. Not just in Mumbai, India and Nigeria. But right here in the US, where a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death during last weekend's spending frenzy. Tragic story. Michel brings it home in a powerful commentary.

And share your thoughts. How tight are you gripping your wallet this holiday season? Are you feeling pressured to spend more than you have? How are you coping?

-- Douglas Hopper

3:54 PM ET | permalink

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Six People You Should Hear Today

Douglas here ... Lots to say about our show today. Six great guests you should hear before your day is over. But first, our fearless host Michel Martin is back! Michel, how's it going?

I'm back after taking a short break last week. My thanks for Korva Coleman for sitting in so I could do so. Although I'm kind of annoyed. How much did you love Gayle Danley and the Moms conversation about having Nana move in? I hate it when they have so much fun without me ... but now of course I am swamped trying to catch up. So I'm going to turn it over to Douglas.

I hope everyone had a peaceful and enjoyable Thanksgiving, those who were able. Needless to say we are mindful of the fact that many people around the world did not. Obviously we are trying to figure out if there is more we can add to the coverage of the terrible situation in Mumbai. And we also learned over the weekend that clashes between Christian and Muslim "gangs" may have left as many as 400 people dead In Nigeria. We're trying to figure out what that's all about too.

But one thing we are surely thankful for is that all of our colleagues in Baghdad survived the attempt on their lives when a bomb attached to their vehicle exploded. Yes, we are thankful about that.

Thanks Michel. Nice landing.

Barack Obama announced his national security team today. He tapped his former rival Senator Hillary Clinton to be the Secretary of State. And in a move that has ticked off some democrats, he asked Bush appointee Robert Gates to stay in his position as Defense Secretary. Obama introduced a few other people as well, including Susan Rice for the UN Ambassador slot and Jim Jones as a foreign policy adviser. NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin and BET Washington Bureau Chief Pamela Gentry discuss Obama's latest picks and reaction to how his future administration is shaping up.

It's World AIDS Day. We're kicking off a week of coverage with a conversation about the plight of children with HIV. Some 15 million children are living with HIV. Pamela Barnes, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, has her say about what needs to be done to curb the epidemic and care for children already living with HIV.

Caitlin Schroeder is a freshman in high school this year. In many ways she's just like all the other teenage girls. But Caitlin just finished what for many people would be an unimaginable endurance. She underwent a painful and long-term procedure to add some five and half inches to her stature. An amazing story featured this week in the Washington Post Magazine. Caitlin and her mother Jennifer Anduha explain how they made the decision -- and how they survived the challenge.

And finally ... Malia and Sasha Obama are about to move into the White House, becoming America's newest 'First Children.' What kid wouldn't want to live at 1600 Pennsylvania ... right? Hear what Curtis Roosevelt has to say abut the experience. He's the grandson of President Franklin Roosevelt and wrote about growing up in the White House in his new book Too Close to the Sun. For Curtis Roosevelt, it wasn't just the actual White House that intimidated him as a child, it was living in the limelight of his grandfather. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

Did you grow up in someone's shadow? And how did you cope?

And be sure to tune in tomorrow. Money Coach Alvin Hall dishes out some advice for those of us tempted by the holiday spending frenzy.

-- Douglas Hopper

2:44 PM ET | permalink

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Signing Off...

It's hard to believe, but commerce is actually bustling in Goma, the provincial capital in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our Gwen Thompkins, who's seven hours ahead of eastern time, cranked up her phone after lunch to talk to us about the busy life there. Before we started recording, we promptly lost our phone connection but were able to get her back, thankfully. Gwen, a born story-teller, described what life can be like as a refugee:

You can get hard hearted if you are carrying all your possessions on your head, you don't know where your children are and you have been separated from all your loved ones.

It doesn't get much clearer than that.

There's a very civil dustup today among Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist William Raspberry, Columbia Law Professor Patricia Williams, and award-winning author and history professor, William Jelani Cobb. Initially, our conversation focused on what personal responsibility Barack Obama might have to African Americans, but we segued to different views of personal and societal responsibilities of and to African Americans. Recently, Mr. Raspberry discussed the topic in a Washington Post column; we hear contrary views today from our other two guests. Like our panelists, not everybody is going to agree with him on this, so make sure you catch Mr. Raspberry's original column here. You can find Prof. Cobb's blog here, and here's a link to the Nation Magazine, where you can find several of Prof. Patricia Williams' columns.

There are a lot of things to be thankful for, including our delightful conversation today with Chef Daniel Young, former personal chef to NBA star Carmelo Anthony (the REAL reason you want to make it in pro sports). We get a different taste of thankfulness from some of our listeners. It's just an appetizer, because there's more to come tomorrow.

And, we loved her so much we had to bring her back. Slam Poet Gayle Danley returns with a holiday poem on gratefulness. Don't forget to check out her work earlier this week, and you'll see why we fell so hard for her.

That's it for me this week -- what a wonderful break from tight deadlines and strict time limits. It's obviously not possible for me during our regular newscasts to spend a long time talking about classical music and poetry or even to make light of scary economic news, such as deflation. But that's the joy of working with Tell Me More. The long-form interviews are the draw for any journalist, and we love that you love them too. We know that asking you to stick with us for a lengthy interview is an investment of your time, and the creative team here at TMM is focused on making every minute worthwhile. (Who knew Alvin Hall enjoyed shopping for handbag sales?)

I'm happy to have been here, and hopeful we'll talk to each other again. Be sure to stick around for tomorrow's program! Michel returns, bringing a wealth of Thanksgiving goodies, including more of your thoughts on gratitude.

-- Korva

-- Michel Martin

12:33 PM ET | permalink

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Grandma, What is Deflation?

Korva Coleman here ...

You knew it. Lower prices are just too good to be true. Our regular financial guru, Alvin Hall and NPR's David Kestenbaum spell out the latest bad thing that could happen to us in a slowing economy. It's deflation, and here it is in a nutshell: falling prices, like we're seeing in stores today, make people wait for even lower prices in the future. So nobody buys anything. Retailers drop prices even lower to encourage shoppers. People continue to wait for even lower prices. Nobody buys anything. So retailers drop prices even lower....and nobody buys anything. Stores then go out of business because - nobody buys anything. People who worked in these stores lose their jobs. And then they join the ranks of people who don't buy anything. Ouch.

Our segment today on parenting focuses on grandmothers: I grew up with a grandmother who divided her time between my home and that of a nearby cousin. When she changed houses to stay with each of us children I used to tease her about getting "bed-lag", similar to jet-lag, because it always took her a few days to get comfortable. Many of my friends had some similar kind of arrangement. So I really hadn't thought much of the news that Michelle Obama's mother will accompany the First Family to the White House next year. I've found it interesting to eavesdrop on chatter about whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for the Obamas. I figured it was their thing, and not something that needed attention. Our guests today talk about why it is worth our attention and why kids can benefit.

Finally, Pat Lewis' CD crossed my desk earlier this year and I've been listening to it ever since. It caught my eye because I had my first full time radio job in Tucson, Arizona, the city that the Rillito River flows through. Or used to flow through, before the it mostly dried up. The river is now an arroyo, running only during the summer monsoon season, generally between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. There even used to be a group of dirt buggy drivers called the Rillito River Yacht Club; they met regularly to race along the arid river bottom. Pat's CD is part of a larger environmental and artistic effort in Tucson, to broaden awareness of the danger the Rillito and other southwest rivers face. The website - www.rillitoriverproject.org - is chock full of photos, videos and features Pat's music.

See you tomorrow,
Korva

-- Douglas Hopper

4:27 PM ET | permalink

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Blog Notes From Today's Program

Hi. Korva Coleman, here. I'm sitting in the chair for Michel Martin while she takes some time off before the holiday.

Today we discuss what the incoming Obama Administration will need to review when it considers the detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Should detainees stay in the military legal system devised by the Bush Administration, or not? Our guests today suggest we need an alternative legal method. Take a listen and see if you agree. The New York Times editorial pages say our existing federal criminal system is more than sufficient to manage the terrorists. Over the weekend, it published an editorial highlighting recommendations by Human Rights Watch. Take a look.

It was startling to me to come out of a conversation on torture and turn to Slam Poet Gayle Danley who brings her love of words to kids in elementary schools and juvie lockups. We can't seem to leave the topic of detention centers.

I wonder what would happen if we sent Gayle to work with the detainees at Gitmo. I wonder what the detainees would talk to her about. Sheepherding? Darkness? Thugs?

"Run to the school, Run from the thugs, I'm just like you, let this be the day that I say something that's gonna save a life."

I get scared, too, Gayle.

And, what you didn't get to hear after the mics were turned off on our conversation with Dr. Ro, Chef George Stella and Giant Food consumer advisor Andrea Astrachan was the plotting. These guys are really committed to getting the word out about healthy eating. I have no idea what they're up to, only that they want to work some more together. Only Dr. Ro was present with me in the D.C. studio. Andrea was in Boston and George way down in central Florida. There's something ironic about the interviewer leaving the studio so the guests can get down to the real conversation.

Finally, about rapper Q-tip's music selection: I love the Beatles. I am old.

-- Michel Martin

5:08 PM ET | permalink

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TMM's Active Week Covered Lots Of Ground

I think back over this week and the word that pops into my head is INTENSE.

We had conversations about public and private school, and especially what it means for middle class minority parents -- like the Obamas -- to have that choice.

We talked about the role of the auto industry in lifting minorities into the middle class.

We talked about what we expect of Michelle Obama and what we see in her and, naturally, what we see of ourselves in her.

... Intense conversations with former Weather Underground leader William "Bill" Ayers, with filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles, with former civil rights attorney-turned Washington, D.C., powerbroker Vernon Jordan, as well as our panel of regulars: Leslie Morgan Steiner, Jolene Ivey, Rebecca Walker, and Anna Perez (who in her other life was former First Lady Barbara Bush's press secretary).

I found my head spinning, especially trying to keep up with all the threads our guests brought to us. I sat up until 1:00 a.m. one night finishing Bill Ayers book, and until 2:00 a.m. a couple nights later reviewing Melvin van Peebles' films.

As we close out this year and think ahead to the next. It all makes me think about that balance between the internal world and the external one, and how one influences the other.

Which matters most?

Writing it down doesn't capture how it felt; the emotion that surfaced, sometimes from surprising quarters. Real life, but concentrated. But these times are bringing out deeply felt experiences. Of course, some people don't want to hear about all that, which is fine. But as I say all the time: just because something does not interest you doesn't mean it has no reason to be heard.

And speaking of what needs to be heard, or what does not ...

Those of you who heard our conversation last month with former Ku Klux Llan leader David Duke may remember that he cited some statistics. The statistics referenced by Duke compared how many white women were raped by black men in the course of a year, versus how many black women were raped by white men. Now, you may ask (as did I) why he doesn't care about how many white women are raped by white men, and how many black women may have been raped by black men.

David Duke is a white supremacist (although he does not think he is). We thought it important to check on his facts, and so we have. We've updated the original Web page for the Duke interview with an audio statement by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Thanks for your patience.

-- Michel Martin

Tags: barack obama | bill ayers | david duke | melvin van peebles

3:42 PM ET | permalink

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From Today's 'World Roundup'

Lee Hill, here ...

We featured a number of stories from around the globe in today's World Roundup. But one story in particular prompted TMM producer/director Rob Sachs to share from his personal experience. I'll let Rob take it from here.

Thanks, Lee. Rob Sachs, here ...

Today's segment about the book 60 Years, 60 Voices got me thinking about my own experiences in Israel. Over my life I've visited the area four times. My last visit was two years ago when my wife and I led a group of 40 young adults who were participating in "Taglit Birthright," a program which sends Jews from all over the world to experience Israel, as well as reconnect with their religion. While it was an extraordinary feeling to meet with Jews from all over, one of the most poignant parts of the trip was actually when we learned about Arab customs while visiting the homes of the Bedouins and the Druze peoples living in Israel.

Learning about their foods, customs, and history made me much more aware of the deep connection to the land that Arabs feel as well.

My experiences in Israel also showed me first-hand how deep the divide runs between many Israelis and Palestinians. The constant presence of machine guns and barbed wires were a constant visual reminder of the endless cycle of violence that has entrenched feelings on both sides.

But there has been hope.

There are a number of organizations trying to build bridges of understanding between the two factions. One is in the form of Kids Create Peace summer camp, which brings together Israeli and Palestinian children. Another is Peace Players International, which brings together youth from both sides through sports.

By pairing the stories of both Palestinian and Israeli women, side by side, Patricia Smith Melton, 60 Years' editor, follows the example of those organizations by showing that the conflict is not just a dispute of "us and them" its about real people who happen to be from different backgrounds.

By placing their stories side by side, its clear that they often have much more in common than they might originally have realized.

Thanks, Rob.

-- Lee Hill

4:49 PM ET | permalink

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Mom-In-Chief: How It Really Is

So, now I can tell the truth.

You really want to know how the working mommy thing goes down? Here it is:

I'm supposed to be here at 6:30 a.m. This morning was especially critical since I was asked to do a quick interview on CNN that would be aired live, just about an hour and fifteen minutes before we ourselves go to air (our first broadcast feed is at 9 a.m.).

Normally, I would never even think of stepping out of the building -- not even for a few minutes -- while we were preparing to go to air. I'd fight you over a fire alarm (but I WOULD go, I would, I swear). But through the miracle of technology (and guest scheduling) all of our guests for today's show were actually recorded yesterday or, in one case, a couple of days before (as he was on the way to London). So, we thought, yes, we can. ... Get to CNN and get back here in time to do right by our show.

Why even bother? Well, they wanted to talk to us about yesterday's special collaboration with the online publication The Root, where we talked about Michelle Obama and what it means to be, and have, the first African American First Lady. We had four great guests who published four essays on The Root, and we talked about the essays in our regular MOMS segment.

So we were excited that CNN wanted to talk to me and TMM regular Jolene Ivey about our contributions. Marie Nelson (our executive producer) and I decided it was worth it to twist ourselves into a pretzel a little bit before our own airtime to make the CNN appearance work.

I picked my outfit the night before. I got the last minute hair lecture from Marie ("put some product in there, don't play no games"). I was ready. I was pumped. I was walking out the door, and ...

Both kids came flying out of their rooms, "Waaahhh!"

"Mommy, can you sit with me?"

"Mommy, where's my drink?" "Mommy, my dolly fell behind he bed."

"Waah."

I tried to take the practical way out. "Mommy is going to be late," I said.

Still, "Waah!!!"

I tried to be a diplomat. "Daddy is still in bed," I said. "Go get in bed with him."

Waaah!

So, yes, I caved.

I took off my shoes and went in their room cuddled with them both for a few minutes. Thankfully, my husband heard something going on, so he came stumbling out, did a quick assessment of the situation, set up the distraction, took up the cuddle position ... and I slipped out.

(Thanks, Billy!)

I raced out the door, tried to obey all laws and came careening into NPR. I dropped my bag and looked at my TMM scripts before CNN started burning up my phone to ask, why wasn't I in the car?

I said, "what do you mean?" (I pretended I already was, sorry CNN!)

But then, in a minute, I was in the car, so ...

I made it.

And that's how it really is.

I know it's not pretty, but it all worked out, right?

-- Michel Martin

1:43 PM ET | permalink

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