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Bishop Henry
Brown
Celebrats at
What You See Is What You Get, What Y ou IK What Know And Save
Free
November
hat T
Serving Eastern North Carolina Since 1981
Queens, N.Y., where
both men grew up.
Ja Rule claims
that there was a
brief encounter
between the
two and 50
Cent took
offense to what
he perceived as
a snub, or a
odiss, ? by Ja.
50 Cent. whose real name is Curtis Jackson, says the
beef started when a member of his crew snatched a neck-
lace from Ja Rule's neck.
What ensued was a verbal onslaught by 50 Cent on wax in
the form of odiss records ? aimed at Ja Rule, his record label.
Murder Inc., and others. That escalated into at least two reported
brawls between the rappers.
However, in May 2000, words and fists morphed into bullets
when 50 Cent was hit with nine slugs as he sat in a car outside his
grandmother's house.
From the beginning, 50 Cent has insisted the shooting was the
work of a man named Kenneth oSupreme ? McGriff, one of New
York's most notorious drug dealers in the 1980s. McGriff
allegedly supplied Ja Rule's record label with some start-up
capital and that allegation has led to a federal criminal inves- y
tigation of McGriff and Murder Inc., with charges ranging
from money laundering to murder,
Several others besides 50 Cent have allegedly been
By Sean Yoes
Special to the AFRO
That's the question the late, great
Christopher Wallace, better known as the a
Notorious B.I.G.. asked on his classic hi +
hop album. Life After Death (Book 1).
And Biggie answered as only Biggie:
could. oBeef is when you need two gats
to go to sleep / Beef is when your
moms ain't safe up in the streets. ?
Biggie was prophetic, because
obeef ? is what got him killed in 1997.
oBeef ? is what got his nemesis/brother
in life and death Tupac Amaru Shakur
-killed in 1996. oBeef ? is what made thei
both modern-day martyrs. Now, there's a new beef brewing. ;
Earlier this week, Black Entertainment Television aired a discussion
between Min. Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, and rap ~
star Ja Rule. The dialogue was an effort to defuse the bitter and volatil
conflict between Ja Rule and multi-platinum rapper 50 Cent.
oHip-hop is being threatened today, the future of it. And I don Tt j
want to see you lose your life or 50 Cent lose his life. or any of the
rappers lose their life. ? stated Farrakhan. .
Music mogul and entrepreneur Russell Simmons, who asked
0 Barrakhan to sit down with the two feuding entertainers, arranged the
B Meeting three weeks ago. 50 Cent was reportedly on tour during
the discussion between Ja Rule and Farrakhan and couldn Tt :
attend; however, he has tentatively agreed to sit down with the
- Islamic teader in the near future. } ! lly be
: How this latest feud between hip:hop titans was sparked shot at, shot and/or murdered In connection with this
% depends Upoii Ty vhom you ask, Agcording to Ja Rule, whose. _, Sonflict between the two hip-hop, icons. 7
S, real fame ws deltrey , the ongoing hostility between o*~--~Perhaps whattsso-disturbtitg-in-the eyes Or Matiy-
% him and 50 Cént was triggered during a video shoot in (C ontinued on page 9)
Black prison rate not right
v
$
yy
&
z.
Greenville, promotion to Bish
Bishop Henry Brown (far left
for our camera duririg the banquet which took place at the
s Bishop In The House... .. . The week leading up to Pastor Henry Brown of Mount
Pp was a week of spirtual services of God'
Hilton Hotel in Greenville.
Photo by Jim Rouse
Calvary FWB in
S blessings and joy. Shown here is
) and his lovely wife with Bishop Brown's brother and wife as they stop
By Earl Byrd
AFRO STAFF
"Race and Incarceration in
Maryland," a new Justice Policy
Institute study; reports Blacks
are imprisoned disproportion-
ately, and has shocked members
of the Maryland Legislative
Black Caucus with this startling
revelation: African Americans
make up 90 percent of the state
prisons T drugoffender popula-
tion.
"I'm astounded and outraged by
the racial inequities," says Dei.
Obie Patterson, (D-26), chair of
the Black caucus, which com-
missioned the study, when he
learned that Maryland ranked
third nationally in incoming
prisoners, behind New Jersey
and New York.
oWe knew the numbers were
bad," he said on Nov.. 4-"but not
astounding. Ninety percent of all
drug offenders in Maryland pris-
ons are African Americans?" His
voice is exasperated. "That's 9
out of 10. Something is not
right. We're only 28 percent of
the population in Maryland, but
account for 68 percent of the
drug arrests and 90 percent of
the prisoners."
And it's not just in Maryland.
The problem, along with drugs,
has swept the country.
With 1.2 million of America's
2 million prisoners convicted for
non-violent offenses, Patterson
says that diverting drug abusers
into treatment is essential for the
future.
But there are many causes, he
i]
run free." he said,
.
says, "from inappropriate behav-
ior being taught in the African-
American community to Blacks
not having networks or the
money for competent legal rep-
resentation and White judges not
being sensitive to African
Americans in court.
"I don't mean to let everybody
"but the
non-violent drug offender we
can bring back through treat-
ment, hope and the development
of job skills."
As a lawmaker, he knows states
are cutting education and health
care to the poor. He proposes to
help ease one financial burden of
the criminal justice system when
the General Assembly convenes
on Jan. 15 by proposing legisla-
tion that offers treatment options
to the comparatively astronomi-
cal cost of housing a non-violent
drug offender in prison.
Patterson said that the money
saved could be used for. treat-
ment.
State Sen. Verna Jones (D-44),
said she agrees and gave this
statement through her spokes-
man, Jamie Kendrick:
"Clearly,the rate of prosecutions
for African Americans is incon-
sistent with the known patterns
of drug abuse throughout our
region and state. While enforce-
ment efforts must continue, they
must be targeted more fairly
throughout all segments of soci-
ety."
Department of Justice statistics
on July 27 showed that the 2002
incarceration-rate increase in
America was equal to an addi-
4
yy ya
Maggs ahaa 4 a oni,
¥
tional 700 prisoners being added
every week during the year.
The report says that more than
50 percent of Black male school
dropouts in their 30s have a
criminal record.
So while trying to ofund
education, health care and stave
off spending cuts," Says Jasen
Ziedenberg of JPI, omany legis-
lators are continuing to choose
to pay for an expensive justice
_ System that damages communi-
ties and does not produce safe
and healthy neighborhoods."
Baltimore City State T Attorney
Patricia Jessamy has long been
aware of the problem, says her
spokesperson, Mary Burns,
"Pat Jessamy's had a three-
pronged approach to the prob-
lem since 1996 when she started
the first drug court that holds
offenders accountable with fre-
quent testing to monitor drug
abuse," Burns said. She also
believes in early intervention: to
change delinquent behavior and
feels that a number of offenders
can benefit from treatment. ?
Finally, Burns Says, Jessamy
believes, "Violent repeat offend-
ers need the stiffest penalty to
put them out of the community
for as long as possible."
Patterson said the study was '
commissioned as a continuation
of the "profile data we gathered
a couple years ago. So we looked
at prisons, and now the Prince
George's Hospital is in trouble,
D.C. General has closed, it's
impacted us, and we think the
next thing to look at is health
care in the Black community."
AREY
Ke
Mil
4
Uk IA
7. . + «+» Snow Hill ow has it's own community building where they can rally to answer to the
nace affecting the black populaton. Shown above getting ready for election year 2004 pictured. from left to
right is.one of the participants at the event along with activist Bro Britt, Christine F itch, mayor of Snow Hill
* Don Davis and his wife. (see also faces and places pictorial) photo Jim Rouse
To fully. understand how
extreme the California Supreme
Court judge is, one needs to
remember that she sits on a
court where six of the seven
members were appointed by
Republican governors. Even in
that setting, Brown is a lone dis-
Senter.
The Web sites of the
Leadership Conference on Civil
Rights _(www.civilrights.org),
People for the American Way
(www.pfaw.org) and Alliance for
Justice (www.afj.org) carry
detailed examinations of
Brown's opinions, so I will not
try to duplicate them in this lim-
ited space. At Brown's confirma-
tion last month, Sen.
Richard J. Durbin. (D-IL)
reminded her, oIn case after
case, you come down on swore
to the downtrodden and disad-
vantaged. Oftentimes you
to
housing discrimination victims.
" oIn a disability discrimina-
tion case, you were the only
mber of your court to con-
clude that due to a technical
ifort ___ legislature.
" oYou were the only member of
the California Supreme Court
who dissented in a case involv.
ing the sale of cigarettes to
minors. All the other justices.
ruled that a corporation can, on
behalf of the public, sue a retailer
competition law. " oYou were
the only member of the
California Supreme Court who
would strike down a San
Francisco law that provided
housing assistance to displaced
low-income, elderly, and dis-
abled people. " oYou were the
only member of the California
Supreme Court who concluded
that there was nothing
about requiring a criminal
defendant to wear a 50,000-volt
ostun belt ? at his trial. " oYou
were the only member of the
California Supreme Court who
Voted to overturn the rape con-
viction of a 17-year-old girl
because you felt that the victim
gave mixed messages to the
rapist. " oYou were the only
member of the California
Supreme Court who dissented
in two rulings that permitted
counties to ban guns or gun
tive ruling ( oHi-Voltage Wire
Works, Inc. v. City of San Jose ?),
said her written opinion in the
case minimized the existence of
racial discrimination:
oThe general theme that runs
through the majority opinion Ts
historical discussion "that
there is no meaningful distine-
tion between discriminatory.
racial policies that were
imposed for the clear purpose of.
establishing and preserving
. Facial segregation, on the one
hand, and race-conscious affir-
mative action programs whose
aim is to break down or elimi-
nate the continuing effects of
such segregation and discrimi-
nation, on the other hand "rep-
resents a serious distortion of
history and does a grave disser-
vice to the sincerely held views
of a significant segment of our
populace, ? he wrote.
_ Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
argues that Brown ois a conserv-
ative African-American woman,
and for some, that alone disqual-
ifies her nomination to the D.C.
Circuit. ? No, she is unqualified
because she has demonstrated
that she is unable to put aside
her conservative political views
and fairly uphold the law.
George E. Curry is editor-in-chief
of the NNPA News Service and
BlackPressUSA.com. His most
recent book is oThe Best of
Emerge Magazine, ? an antholo-
&y published by Ballantine
sales on fairgrounds and other Books. He can be reached
public property. " oAs an appel-
late court judge, you ruled that
paint companies could use
through his Web site, georgecur-
ry.com.
udos to Sister Jennifer
K Parker and, of course, .~
Staff of volunteers, for conduct-
ing one of the best economic
empowerment conferences |
have ever attended - and I have
attended quite a few. Jennifer is
the brainchild of The Black
Capital Network (www.the-
ben.com) and has diligently
labored to bring her vision of
economic prosperity for
African-Americans to fruition.
She ostayed the course, ? as
George Fraser would Say, and
presented their second annual
Black Capital Network confer-
ence. She and her husband,
Mel; held on to their commit.
ment, continued to make the
sacrifices necessary to accom-
Plish their goals, and they
brought an outstanding event
to the people of Buffalo, New
York, on November 1, 2003.
I had the honor and pleasure
to conduct a Blackonomics
workshop during the confer-
ence, but my excitement. is
grounded in three other aspects
of the BCN: I was thrilled to see
the turnout of participants; |
was impressed at the variety of
The Black Capital Network C
vendors and, not only their
willingness to support the BCN
but also their reciprocal com-
mitment to recycling Black dol-
lars; and I was especially
pleased with the outstanding
speakers Jennifer brought to
the conference. I often talk
about how even I need an eco-
homic empowerment obooster
shot ? from time to time to keep
me going. Well, I certainly got
that and more at the Black
Capital Network Conference.
Being in the company once
again of Brooke Stephens,
financial author (Wealth
Happens One Day at a Time)
and lecturer, listening to
Brother Melvin Gravely, entre-
Preneur, author (When Black
and White Make Green), and
lecturer, hearing real solutions
for
Anyway?) in person, and just
being in close proximity to so
many accomplished entrepre-
heurs and fantastic brothers
and sisters was, indeed, a privi-
lege and an honor for me.
Then there was Simon T
Bailey. The author of Simon
Says...Dream - Live a
Passionate Life, Bailey took the
conference by storm, or should
I say a oWhirlwind ?? This
brother delivered one of the
best speeches I have ever heard.
If you have not heard Simon or
read his work, somewhere
down the line there is a treat
waiting for you; sooner or later
you will come in contact with
this brother, who is one of the,
nation Ts most sought-after
speakers. Weaving metaphors,
life-lessons, homespun yarns,
common sense, metaphysics,
and stark realities into a tapes-
try of positive, results-oriented,
and very practical Strategies
for success, Simon T Bailey
was a joy to behold. He is a
: and
Kentucky, but that should have a
| Surprised no one. After all, |
Mississippi 17 Percent and.
| Kentucky by 15 percent in the
elections. That gives
Republicans control of 29 state. "
California | houses to 22 for Democrats, a ~ : _
ed] Republicans as the 2004 presi-
} Gential elections come into view.
Agaim we have to be careful in
| our assessments. There were 3]
Republican governors serving
when Bill Clinton was first elect-
ed, two more than serving now.
Former Republican National
Committee Chairman | Haley
Barbour Ts defeat of incumbent
Democrat Ronnie Snows -in
Mississippi spoiled the chances
of State Sen. Barbara
Blackmon, an African.
American, becoming _Lt.
Governor. It was a race that was
marked by charges of the intim-
idation of Black voters.
Barbour is a Washington lob-
byist for tobacco and pharma-
ceutical interests who parlayed
millions of dollars to outspend
the incumbent. He also refused
to take his picture off of the
Web site of the Council of
Conservative Citizens, a racist
organization that was a succes-
sor to the White Citizens
Councils. Apparently, he woke
up this segment of the elec.
torate as turnout approached
record levels, overcoming a
strong back turnout in the
process.
In any case, statewide elec-
tions tend to be a bell-weather of
how voters feel about national
issues and therefore, one sur-
prise in this result is that in
recent public opinion polls,
George Bush's numbers have
been slipping badly because of
his handling of the Iraq war.
for
undoubtedly
recent visits into those states
and the star power of a presi-
dent no matter what the circum-
stances. There may also be a
serious disconnect here between
the voters in those states which
have strong military back-
grounds as one of their histori-
cal characteristics. and the rest
of the country,
In the other races of interest,
Mayor John Street swept to a
strong victory over challenger
Republican Sam Katz, who
accused him of corruption. The
strong Street victory was seen
as a referendum on the FBI
investigation launched on the
office of Street shortly before
the election. Apparently, there
was some question about a $13
million contract that the
Mayor's office let that was con-
nected to an associate of his
brother. .
- Although the FBI initially
said that Street was not the tar-
get of the investigation, the sub-
poena of his office records
shortly afterward lent strong
credence to the view that he
was, in fact, the target and that
the investigation timing was
controlled by John Ashcroft Ts
Justice Department.
_ Pennsylvania has a popular
Democratic Governor, Ed
Rendell, who was former Mayor
of Philadelphia and who called
for accountability from the
indoubtedly take this to be a
_ minor referendum on the war. it
oMay also be a result of his
November, 2003,
control of the largest city in the
State by Democrats in a, place
where Al Gore won by 200,000
votes in 2000. Although Street
may not be out of the woods
with the Justice Department
_ . bearing down on him, this isone "
~ hurdle that he successfully over-
came.
For the sake of nostalgia, let's
look at former Virginia. gover-.
nor Doug Wilder, who is stilla
major force in politics both in
the state and in the city of
Richmond. He recently champi-
oned a measure to make the
Richmond mayor, who is now
appointed by the City Council,
elected at large by the voters. It
was a resounding defeat for
Blacks who had lined up against
Wilder such as Congressman
Bobby Scott, the venerable
Black organization, Virginia
Crusade for Voters and the
NAACP.
lacks in the City fear that
electing the mayor at large
would reduce the voting power
of Blacks and thus, the measure
might be subject to challenge on
the grounds that it violates the
Voting Rights Act. So. it may be
subsequently challenged by the
Justice Dept. .
Overall, this is not great news
for the Democrats, but will be
trumpeted as for Republicans. I
tend to think that it gives us lit-
tle perspective on what will
occur in the months ahead.
Ron Walters is
Distinguished Leadership
Scholar, director of the African
American Leadership Institute
in the Academy of Leadership
and professor of government
and politics at the University of
Maryland-College Park. His lat-
est book is oWhite Nationalism,
Black Interests ? (Wayne State
University Press).
Make YOUR VOICE heard ...
write a letter to the editor
fresh face on the scene and
~asurely someone. to watch as he
ohambly makes His way to the
top, but reaches back to help
someone else as well. We
should listen to what Simon
says.
All in all, the Black Capital
Network .was a veritable pot-
pourri of excellence, compris-
ing local business owners and
corporate representatives with
national authors and entrepre-
neurs. The event ended with a-
book forum, sponsored by local
attorney, John Elmore, and The
Weddings of Color Expo and
Fashion show. The forum fea-
tured local authors and was
moderated by Yvonne Rose, co-
owner and Editor of Amber
Books, Phoenix, Arizona, the
nation Ts largest African
American self-help and career
guide publishing house. The
Weddings of Color Expo and
Fashion Show highlighted wed-
ding gowns by New York
designer, Therez Fleetwood.
Ms. Fleetwood is also the
author of the new best-seller,
The Afrocentric Bride, which
features the most beautiful and
culturally sensitive wedding
onference |
gowns ever made. Check out
Ms. Fleetwood's gowns and her
book; you will'be very pleased
with what your see.
Now whet is the bottom line
of: all of this? Meetings and
conferences are held by and for
Black people in this country
virtually every week. But, as I
told my audience, it Ts not just
the meeting that's important,
it Ts what happens. after the
meeting. My challenge is
always centered on the odoing, ?
the positive action T that
emanates as a result of the
many meetings we have. As far
as economic empowerment
conferences are concerned, it Ts
one thing to practice it during
the conference, at the vending
tables, in the workshops, and
during the book Signings, but
it Ts a different thing to leave the
venue and really get involved in
day-to-day economic empower-
ment. It's another thing to
make it a habit to support Black
owned businesses, to grow and
expand our businesses via
Strategic partnerships, cooper-
ative purchasing, and mergers.
In other words, it Ts one thing to
talk about it and another thing
to do it.
While I thank Jennifer
Parker and everyone else who
attended the conference, |
encourage us as all to follow up
and follow through on what we
learned there. | pray that we
will do what we Say, practice
what we preach, and walk our
talk when it comes to economic
empowerment and entrepre-
neurship. We cannot afford to
keep going to meetings only to
return home and do nothing
with the information we
gleaned from those meetings.
Let Ts get busy y'all.
James E. Clingman, an
adjunct professor at the
University of Cincinnati's
African-American Studies
department, is former editor of
the Cincinnati Herald
Newspaper and founder of the
Greater Cincinnati African
American , Chamber of
Commerce. He hosts the radio
program, o'Blackonomics, ? and
is the author of the book,
oEconomic Empowerment or
Economic Enslavement- We have
a Choice. ? He can be reached at
(513) 489-4132, or by e-mail at
jclingman@blackonomics.com,
STARRING
Continued from Page 4
othere's enough talent among
minority coaches throughout col-
lege sports to begin making a dif.
ference immediately. It is short.
sighted to assume that the coach-
ing staff at the top historically
black colleges and universities
could not improve the win-loss
records of most programs in
Division I. And yet, the names of
those individuals rarely appear
on the lists of candidates many
athletic directors begin carrying
around this time of year. ?
Brand says that much of the
problem is rooted in the hiring
process for these positions, which
now is heavily dependent on a
limited, old-boys network and is
often done oin a week or a week-
end from a short list of candi-
dates known only to a closed cir-
cle of confidants. o
College presidents, he says, are
the ones to change that process.
They omust not yield to the pres-
First flu case of the season co
sures of making quick decisions,
even when media coverage is
intense, if that haste excludes a
full and fair hearing for qualified
minority candidates. ?
His proposal is that the hiring,
for example, of a head football
coach should involve a search
committee representing the ath-
letics department, faculty, admin-
istrators, and perhaps alumni
and others from outside the insti-
tution. Its job would be to devel-
op a diverse pool of candidates,
and recommend the three or four
best qualified to the president.
The president would then inter-
view the finalists and, in consul-
tation with the institution's ath-
letics director, either make the
final decision or recommend that
candidate to the institution's
trustees.
This process, Brand sflys,
shouldn't. take more than a few
weeks to complete.
Brand also supports the five-
part evaluation system to judge
hiring practices in Division 1-A
football being developed by the
Black Coaches Association as
part of its effort to expand the
competition for collegiate coach-
ing positions.
The NCAA itself now funds a
total of 16 programs to help
minority men and women gain
the skills to assume leadership
within college sports. But. of
course, the association is not
involved in hiring decisions at
the campus level.
Brand readily acknowledges
that there's no guarantee that his
proposal would guarantee a sig-
nfirmed:
high risk individuals urged to see
The first laboratory-con-
firmed case of influenza for
the 2003-04 flu season has
been reported to the state
Division of Public Health.
The lab results show the
patient, a Pitt County resi-
dent tested positive for
influenza Type A.
With the advent of this first
flu case, Dr. Jeffrey Engel,
state epidemiologist in the
N.C. Division of Public
Health, is encouraging all
North Carolinians over 50
and those considered to be
high-risk individuals, to be
vaccinated against the flu as
*
f
soon as possible.
oFlu is a serious health
risk to older adults and to
people who have problems
like chronic heart and lung
conditions, kidney disease,
diabetes and suppressed
immune systems, ? Engel
said. oThey should get their
annual flu shot in the next T
couple of weeks. The flu shot
is available at local health
departments and other health
care providers. - It is free to
those who have Medicare Part
B ?
oThe following persons are
at the greatest risk of compli-
cations from flu and should
Start getting their vaccina-
tions now, as recommended
by the Advisory Committee
on [mmunization Practices
(ACIP): adults aged 50 or
older: infants and children
aged 6 months through 23
months; anyone aged 2-49
years who is at increased risk
for influenza-related compli-
cations; children under 9
years old who have not had
their first. influenza vaccina-
tion; healthcare workers; and
all household contacts of per-
Sons at high risk of influenza.
All children under 9 who
are being vaccinated for the
first time will need. to receive
a second dose a month later.
As in any flu season, Dr.
Engel urges everyone to take
basic precautions to help
influenza. Avoiding contact
with ill persons and frequent-
ly washing your hands can
reduce risk of infection,
People who cough or sneeze
should cover their nose and
mouth with disposable tis-
sues or a handkerchief to
limit spread of the virus,
Flu symptoms begin sud-
denly and may include fever,
severe headache, body aches,
é
sore throat and cough. Flu
can make a person more sus.
ceptible to pneumonia, an ill-
ness that puts a severe strain
on the heart and lungs, which
can be especially dangerous
to people who already suffer
from heart and lung disease.
Those who develop flu-like
Symptoms should drink flu.
ids, rest and Stay home to
avoid spreading the infection,
Flu-sufferers may also take
over-the-counter drugs such
aS acetaminophen and
ibuprofen, but aspirin should
be avoided because taking it
for some forms of flu has
nificantly more diverse group of
head coaches and athletic direc.
tors than exists now.
But his point is that something
must be tried now. African
American$Tave long shown they
can star on the playing fields.
They deserve the chance to star
on the sidelines, tov.
As he says, oThis is not a prob-
lem to be addressed next year. It
is a problem for each campus to
address now. We've waited far
too long. ?
K vaccination
been associated with Reye's
Syndrome, a Serious diseases
in children that can occur fol-
lowing a viral illness and that
Causes swelling of the brain.
Prescription drugs are avail-
able to treat flu; they are most
effective if taken within two
days of developing symp-
toms. Antibiotics are not
effective against Viral dis-
eases like flu.
For information regarding
local-area fly vaccinations,
contact
department or the state
Immunization Branch at (919)
733-7752,
the .
verstated
Justice Department for the
investigation of Street. This vic-
tory by Street solidifies both
at
your local health ©
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November, 2003
_ Pastor's Birthday With A 70' Thane T
?
le ee ee ae en
Pastor James Corbett celebrated his birthday Oct. 29
included an Afro wig, Afro pick, an old bottled Coca-Cola pink
record albums. Pastors James and Delores Corbett and their family would like to thank every
of WOOW and The Minority Voice Newspaper would like to wish Pastor Corbett many happy returns.
Photos By Faith May/Staff Photographer
~~)
1900 South Pitt Street
Greenville, NC 27835
( 252 ) 321-699]
Listen to Joy 1340 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for
The Bev Smith Show. Brought to you by the
American Urban Radio Networks, Tlie Bev |
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tackling top politicians, examiniry health care pe we
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crying and sharing joy nightly, Monday Mon-Sat 9
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JOY | 3 40 AM our sales department at 252.757.0365
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Page 4 | | | Oo November, 2003
(i NATIONAL
4 and
INTERNATIONAL ~
More Blacks are Enrolling in College |
SALNOW2
The number of Black students attending college has increased by 56 percent since 1981, but sti}]
trails the rate of Whites, a new study says. A report by the American Council on Education
(ACE) found that although Black enrollment increased to 1.5 million students over that Period,
only 40 percent of college-age African-American high school graduates go to college, compared:
2 Th A to 46 percent of Whites. The most dramatic increase in attendance occurred among Black
ALSO F EAT URED women..In 1980, only 28 percent of African-American women attended college. Now, that figure
a has increased to 42 percent. Meanwhile, the participation rate by Black male high school grad-
: i DY BROWN EYE S uates increased at only half the rate of African-American women, from 30 percent to 37 percent.
wy ! The ACE study, the annual oMinorities in Higher Education Status Report, ? observes that
altheugh progress has been made in the percentage of African-Americans now attending col-
lege, the participation gap between Blacks and Whites has increased during that period.
Black | en are Smoking Less |
- The smoking rate for Black men has fallen close to the level of White men for the first time in
history, a federal study says. Black women still smoke less than their White counterparts.
MELVIN "GUITAR" -
_ WILLIAMS -
= fo . | UNCF Head to Retire
UT RROWN EYES Ns :
(Special to the NNPA)-William H. Gray III will retire as president and CEO of the United Negro
ALS O FE AT URED College Fund next March after serving 12 years. The Baptist minister and former congressman
from Philadelphia raised $1.54 billion for UNCF approximately 70 percent of the $2.2 billion the
organization has raised since it was established in 1944, he College Fund/UNFC Serves 39 pri-
" VOC AL DON aM vate Black colleges and offers financial assistance to other African-Americans enrolled in high-
; . ereducation. .
New Beginning ¢Johnny Boy Next Pope Could Be a Nigerian
Lady K
"SUPER
=~
LAGOS, NIGERIA-IPS/GIN)-Senior Officials in the Nigerian Roman Catholic church say there
is a chance that the next pope will be from Nigeria. .
When Pope John Paul IT dies, his successor will be selected from a conclave of 135 cardinals,
oNigeria now has two candidates to vote and be voted for the position of pope, ? states Rev.
JEFF"
have, the brighter your chances at the conclave. ? The two Nigerian cardinals are Francis
oNIGHT OF THE SHOW" Deluxe Rooms Available / Discounted Rate Arinze, who was made cardinal in 1985 and now the fourth-highest Vatican official, and
" ¢ | Anthony Okogie, who was appointed a cardinal just three weeks ago.
; Hamilton Inn & Conference Center . The current pope, from Poland, is now 83 years old and is extremely frail. He has to be trans-
HWY 11 NORTH e Greenville, NC 27834 Ported in a chair with wheels attached to it, and at one recent public even he was unable to read
Advance Tickets $1 3.00 . At the Door $15 00 : his entire speech and an aide had to read for him.
Ticket Information: (252) 830-4800 or 75 7.0365 Sudanese-born Doctor Wins oGenius Award ?
' WE ACCEPT MASTERCARD o VISA ¢ AMERICAN EXPRESS
BOSTON IPS/GIN)-A Sudanese-born doctor has won a $500,000 award for her work with vic-
' tims of female genital mutilation.
Open 9am - 5pm | Since 1949 Dr. Nawal M. Nour, 37, is one of two dozen people who will receive half a million dollars this
Mon - Fri S AAD RENTALS . __ | year from the John D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation fellowships program, She is the.
: AJ md. . wi , J aid of the eo women's pears dijaiorat howe cs in 1999 at Brigham aind
. . omen Ts Hospi Boston. Most of her work involves elping women who are Victims of
Call Steve Johnson If You Would Like To Rent A | | female genital mutilation, a practice common in some parts of Africa and the Middle East. After
1 ; 2, or3 Bedroom Housing Unit learning that she had won the prize, Nour told oThe New York Times, ? oI Tm SO excited, I had
what we call palpitations. ? .
: These MacArthur Fellowships, called ogenius awards, ? come with no strings attached. and
a State are intended to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own Creative, intellectu-
Section 8 al, and professional inclinations. Although the Harvard Medical School grad has lived in the
U.S. since 1980, she was born and reared in Sudan. ~
907 Dickinson Ave. Greenville, NC (252) 787. 3191 Accepted |
students & parents
want to learn more about financial aid? we can help.
bey
Some companies offer ofree ? financial aid presentations and then ask you to pay a fee or buy a product.
College Foundation of North Carolina provides all the information you need at no cost!
CFNC can help you:
o
» Understand the college financial aid process
College 7
Foundation
of North Carolina
» Find information on scholarships and grants
» Find low-interest student and parent loans with benefits
to save you money
» And our services and help are free
Helping You Plan, Apply, and Pay for College
Visit our website or call our toll-free number today to speak with
4 financial aid specialist.
*
www.CFNC.org " 866-866-CFNC (toi:-free) Se Habla Espa
A service of the State of North Caroling
© College Foundation, ine. 2003
{
November, 2003
Suejette Jones
Thurmond: A
Segregationist Ts Final
Secret
The late senator James Strom "
, Thurmond, the longest-serving
senator in American History, may
», be taking a shameful secret to his
-, grave, said Diane McWhorter in
~ Slate dot com. It seems that the
_ fire-eating Dixiecrat---who spent
decades fighting the omongreli-
ozation ? of the races----fathered a
o black child out of wedlock. Her
name is Essie Mae Washington
Williams, a widowed former
schoolteacher who lives in Los
Angeles. In their 1998 biogra-
phy Ol T Strom, Jack Bass and
1 Marilyn Thompson make a com-
-, pelling case that the young
».: Thurmond apparently had an on-
- going affair with Essie oTunch ?
, Butler, a black house servant.
Williams, born in 1925, was the
tpn wd Ring
result. While governor of South
Carolina, Thurmond gave
Williams money and frequently
visited her at the black South
Carolina college owhere she was
a high yaller T sorority girl. ?
Some say this all shows that
Thurmond was not osuch a racist
bastard after all. ? On the con-
trary: It only underscores the hy-
pocrisy that animated his entire -
political career.
In 1948, Thrumond ran-for presi-
dent en a platform that was al-
most entirely based on opposition
to orace. mixing. ? In 1957, he
tried to stop the Civil Rights Act
with an infamous, 24-hour fili-
buster. Like his slave-owning
forebearers, in other words, the
private Thurmond had sex with
the household help, and the pub-
lic Thurmond contended that the
Negro was unfit for white com-
pany. Now that he Ts gone,
Thurmond is being remembered
as an honorable Southern gentle-
man who changed with the
times. But for most of his life,
he fought any social progress by
oa race that included members of
his own family. ? Where Ts the
honor in that?
From: Best Columns: U.S.
Note: The book Ol T Strom was
first published
* in 1998.. The 2003
edition is available
at Barnes and Nobles
Of Mother Erther Mat Portenn
eevee eeasecesceees!
Alga: dly 7, 1936
YT &
THE MINORITY
VOICE
NEWSPAPER
Omiya November 1, 2003
Faith May
THE CALLING OF A
HUSBAND
Prior to a son going out on his
first date, parents should talk to
him about his responsibility to the
one who was going out with him.
The word, honor should be im-
pressed upon him. If he honored
his date, he would give her-reason
to feel safe and protected by his
strength, and he would grow
stronger because of her trust.
While such honor is founda-
tional to the relationship between
a man and a woman, God requires
more of a husband. Accordirfg to
the New Testament letter to the
Ephesians, a husband Ts distinct
role and responsibility is to love
his wife the way Christ loves the
church. This is how he submits
his own will to God-to care for her
and to protect her.
Christlike love (Eph. 5:25). Paul
told husbands to olove your wives,
just as Christ loved the church
and gave Himself up for her/ ? By
this clear and direct statement, we
learn more of what Jesus taught
about leadership. The Lord who
sacrificially died for the church
gave His disciples a profound
pattern for leadership when He
said:
The king of,the Gentiles lord it
over them; and those who exercise
authority over them call them-
selves Benefactors. But you are
not to be like that. Instead, the
greatest among you should be like
the youngest, and the one who
Saturday, November 8, 2003
12:00 Noon
Nn Calvary FWB Church
400 Watauga Avenue
Greenville, NC 27835
Bishop Henry Brown, Sr., Pastor
Officiating
Acknowledgments
The family of Mother Porteur are deeply
grateful to their many friends who by their
presence, cards, other messages, and loving
care shared with them in the "homegoing" of
a great spirit.
¢ Church Loans
¢ Special Rates (Limited
_ Time Only)
° New Church Construction
rules like the one who serves (Lk.
22:25-26). : :
When this principle of servant
leadership is applied to the mar-
riage relationship, it helps us see
that husbands are not called to
rule over their wives but to lead by
the way they love. And how did
Christ love the church? He
patiently cared for her-even to the
point of dying for her.
A man is called to use his
strength to provide a safe relation-
ship in which a woman will not
face the fear of abuse or abandon-
ment. As a husband gives his
wife reason to feel secure and
deeply loved, her true beauty will
be enhanced. She will feel more
trusting, and they will feel close.
Every woman longs to feel
nourished and cherished by her
man. To nourish means that he
provides her with with what she
needs to flourish as a woman. He ~
wants her to grow strong, so he
feeds her hunger for communica-
tion, attention, time, and touch.
A husband should take the initia-
tive to provide a relational and
spiritual greenhouse environment
that consistently encourages his
wife to engage in acts of love and
good deeds (Heb. 10:24)( as she
lives out of her call to reflect
beauty and tenderness in nurtur-
ing relationships.
To cherish means that a husband
treats his wife in ways that make
her feel highly valued and deeply
loved. Actions and words that
take her best interests and desires
into account make a woman feel
cherished. Knowing that she Ts -
not only heard but also listened to
communicates to a wife that she Ts
significant in her man Ts life. His
appreciative comments not only
praise her in private but honor her
in public. By taking initiative to
courageously draw out her inner
feminine beauty, a man provides
his wife a taste of the very first
marriage.
Resource: Discovery Series When
The Flame Flickers
IN THE MOVIES
Vw bh FF ws &
Olds Friends
Rev. & Mrs. Thigphen and son, Sister Sharon who worked for the
Minority Voice Newspaper & WOOW a year ago. She stopped by
to pose for our cameras. Rev. Thigphen is an author a new book
and the pastor of his own church in Chapel Hill, NC.
Photo by Jim Rouse
oO ?
New movie to feature Brother Mark Olds from Snow Hill. Brother
Olds stopped by WOOW radio station with a movie producer who
will feature Brother Olds in a movie about his life story
Photo by Jim Rouse
"What You See
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November, 2003
November, 2003"
Is this Sad or What
Blacks Don Tt Read
This message was read on A New
York radio station, April 30, 2003
(by a Caucasian) oBlacks Don Tt
Read ?,
They are sill our slaves. Look at
the current methods of contain-
ment (control) that they use on
themselves: Ignorance, greed, and
selfishness. Their ignorance is the
primary weapon of containment.
A great man once said, oThe best
way to hide something from Black
people is to put it in a book ?,
We now live in the Information
Age. They have gained the
opportunity to read any book on
any subject through the efforts of
the fight for freedori, yet they |
refuse to read. There are numer-
ous books readily available at
Barnes & Nobles, Black
Bookstores (and may | add (our
NAACP HONORS BLACK MAYORS.
local libraries, whether school
or public) that provide solid
blueprints to reach economic
equity but few consistently, it at
all.
Greed is another powerful
weapon _of_, containment.
"Blacks, since the abolition of
Slavery, have had large amounts
of money at their disposal. Last
year they spent 10 billion,
dollars during Christmas, out of
their 450 billion dollars in total.
yearly income (2.22%). Any of
us can use them as our target
market, for any business ven-
ture we care to dream up, no
matter how outlandish, they
will buy into it. Being primar:
ily a consumer people, they
function totally on greed. They
continually want more, with
little thought for saving or
_ investing. They would rather
buy some new sneaker than
invest in starting a business.
Some even neglect their. chil-
dren to have the latest Tommy
or FUBU. They still think that
having a Mercedes, and a big.
house gives. them ostatus ? or
they have achieved the
American Dream. They are
fools! The vast majority of
their people are still in poverty
because their greed holds them
back from collectively making
better communities. oWith the
help of BET, and the rest of
their black media that offen
broadcasts destructive images
into their own homes, we will
continue to see. huge profits like
those of Tommy and Nike, They will.
continue to show off to each other
while we build solid communities with
the profit from our businesses that we
market from them. Selfishness, Tin-
grained in their minds through slavery,
is one of the major ways we can
continue to contain them. One of their
own, Dubois said that there was an
innate division in their culture, a
oTalented Tenth ? he called it. He was
correct in his deduction: that there are
segments of their culture that has
achieved some oform ? of success.
However, that. segment missed the
fullness of his work. They didn Tt read
that the oTalented Tenth ? was then
responsible to aid the Non-Talented
ninety percent in achieving a better life.~
instead, that segment has created
another class, a Buppie class that looks
down on their people or-aids them in
condescending manner. They will
never achieve what we have. Their
selfishness does not allow them to
work together on any project or
endeavor of substance. When they do
get together, their selfishness lets their
egos get in the way of their goal. Their
so-called help organizations seem to
only want to promote their names
without making any real change in
their community. They are content to
sit in conferences and conventions in
our hotels, and talk about what they
will do, while-they award plaques to
the best speakers, not the best doers. Is
there no end to their selfishness? They
steadfastly refuse to see that
TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES
MORE (TEAM)! They do not
understand that they are no better than
each other because of what they own,
in fact, most of those: Buppies are but
one or two paychecks away from
poverty. All of which is under the
control of our pens in our offices
and our rooms. Yes, we will
Continue to contain them as long as
they refuse to read, continue to buy
anything they want, and keep
thinking they are ohelping ? their
communities by paying dues to
organizations which do little other
than hold lavish conventions in our
hotels. By the way. don Tt worry
about any of them reading this
letter, remember oTHEY DON TT
READ!!!
Common Bad Habits
in the Workplace
1.One is distraction. Making
personal calls that drag on too
long.
2. Another is excuses.
3.A third is being on time. Arrive
at work a half hour early and get
all of your social conversations out
of the way, getting your coffee
poured so that when the workday
Starts you are ready.
4. Another bad habit is wasting
too much energy on things in the
workplace that you cannot control,
whether it Ts being envious of
coworkers or being critical about
them. Gossip is a common
practice in virtually every work-
place there is, and it Ts not only
self-defeating, it Ts a waste of time.:
5. A fifth common bad habit is
allowing your personal life to
come into the workplace. This
happens all the time, and it's
potentially very destructive.
That's the trouble with bad habits.
They spread. They get noticed like
the guy who comes to work with
two different-colored socks. Bad
habits get harder to correct the
more entrenched they becothe.
Successful people develop good
habits. Good habits also are a
safeguard against under-achieving.
They prevent laziness. They
prevent flounderinig. Good habits
create Organization and discipline
in our lives
Lessen the Stress
Learn to live simply, focusing
on what Ts truly important
Beatrice Maye
1. Don Tt answer the telephone
during dinner.
2. Stop trying to please everybody.
Start pleasing yourself.
3. Carve out an hour a day for
solitude.
4. Set aside one day a week for
rest and renewal.
5 .For every oYes ?, let there be a
oNo ?.
6..Don't squander precious re-
sources: time, creative energy,
emotion.
7, Never make a promise you can Tt
keep.
8 Allow an extra half-hour for
everything you do.
9. Always carry something "
interesting to read.
10.Drink pure spring water -
lots of it. °
11. Always opt for comfort.
12.. Exchange -security for se-
renity.
13 .Luxuriate in your senses.
14. If you don Tt love it, live
without it.
15. Let Mother Nature nurture.
16. Go to bed at 9 o'clock twice
a week.
17 .Move - walk, dance. run.
find a sport you enjoy.
18. Begin and end the day with
prayer, meditation, reflection.
19. Strive for realistic dead-
lines.
20. Approach problems as chal-
lenges.
21 .Nurture friendships.
22 .Honor your aspirations.
23. Savor beauty.
24 Don Tt be afraid of your
passion.
25. Search for your authentic
self until you find her/him.
a)
The Pitt County Chapter of the NAACE President Calvin Henderson host: the state convention that honored Black Mayors. Hats off to President Henderson and the great.
accomplishments of the NAACP | . oe - ! )
want to learn more about financial aid?
Photo by Jim Rouse
we can help.
Some companies offer ofree ?
College Foundation of North Carolina provides all the information you need at no cost!
CFNC can help you:
Understand the college financial aid process
Find information on scholarships and grants
Find low-interest student and parent loans with benefits
to save you money
And our services and help are free
Visit our website or call our toll-free number today to speak with
a financial aid specialist.
financial aid presentations and then ask you to pay a fee or buy a product.
a |
www.CFNC.org
866-866-
CFNC (toll-free)
College 7.
Foundation
of North Carolina
Helping You Plan, Apply, and Pay for College
ping ppl \ iu
Se Habla Espatiol
Venwe of the State of North Carolina
© College Foundatian. Ine 2004
~
C ongratul ljons:
ations To Bishi
| ish
of Mt. C alvery ¥ oer
\» Page 8
ry Brown
i Beef...
B Cont. fi ont pg
Perhaps what is so disturbing in the eyes of
many hip-hop observers and fans is how eerily
similar this is to the circumstances that led to
_the murders of Biggie and Tupac.
During his conversation with Ja Rule.
Farrakhan made that connection crystal clear.
oYour disagreement with 50 [Cent] and his
disagreement with you could ignite something
that has the potential of becoming so violent
_ that even hip-hop itself seems threatened by
two giants going at each other, not Just in lyr-
.ics, not just in words, but it Ts coming down
now to should one or both end up like Tupac
and Biggie? ? -
Unfortunately, in 1996, just before
Tupac Shakur was murdered, there was talk of
bringing Farrakhan in to negotiate a truce be-
tween Tupac and Biggie, but tragically the ef-
fort was so late.
, Ow, In a very purposeful twist of
sfate, the leader of the Nation of Islam has in-
serted himself directly between 50 Cent and Ja
Rule before more blood is shed.
And hip-hop hopes this time it Ts not
p JaCKSON
y TROUBLES
Jacko Lawyer on Case for
~ Months
Thursday, November 20, 2003
By Roger Friedman
too late.
Forget all these stories that Mark
Geragos was hired to represent
| Michael Jackson just yesterday. Or
the day before. Were we all born
yesterday? Geragos has been on the
case since last March.
That Ts right. Jackson has known for
most of the year, even if he didn Tt
want to acknowledge it, that trouble
was brewing at Neverland. The child
Mark A. Ward
Attorney at Law
BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALIST
IN STATE CRIMINAL LAW
105 Commerce Street.
Greenville. NC 27858
Office (252) 752-7529
" Cell (252) 347-1175
Fax (252) 752-8556
E-mail mward@ mark-ward.com
Website wwu.imark-ward.com
James R. oJimmy ? Streeter
LAW OFFICEOF Taw
\ttornes \tl alWw
PO Box 30927 Office: 252.327.4698
Greenville, NC 27833-0927 Heme: 252.353.2307
Ian: 252.353.0061]
Iematk jimmy zstrecter@ yahoo.com
Office: (252) 752-4538
Fax: (252) 758-8392
Res: (252) 758-8392
NORTH CAROLINA MUTUAL
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY "
JOYCE HUNTER
Sales Representative
\
1209 W. 14th Street, Greenville East District
Greenville, North Carolina 27834
Hlby; BerkerShop B&
Omar Jurnaye
UN bths Bethe
1005 A. . Hamilton SI.
Children Is There Concern |!
Pg 9
These lovely ladies are Board Members of the Outdoor Festaval, that took place last Saturday
at the West Greenville Regional Development Center located at Tom Foreman Park. Shown
above(pictured from left to right) Miss Minnie Chairwoman of the event, Sister Mary Williams,
and Greenville City Councilwoman Rose Glover.
Photo by Jim Rouse
Who is now the subject of this
| tholestation allegation began to raise
questions about their relationship
late last winter. Jackson -- who is not
completely out of touch with reality
-- responded by bringing in an expert
| defender.
Jackson Ts camp, | am told, is more
| than, ready to do battle with his
' accuser and his family. | am told that
| the mother of the child involved will of"
' be held up to severe scrutiny. In fact,
Jackson Ts side will likely argue that
when he tried to break off his
involvement with helping the boy and
his family financially, the mother
became, and I am quoting a Jackson
insider, oa scorned woman. ?
oShe Ts very screwed up, ? said one
source. oThere Ts videotape of her
acting weird, too. And Michael was
yery kind to her, even getting an
apartment for her boyfriend. ?
But the argument will be that when
this woman, who is financially so.
dependent that she claimed to have
lived in a barn, was told by Jackson Ts
people that the party was over, she
tan to a lawyer to see what she could
get out of it.
Remember, everyone in this country
ls guaranteed a defense, even if you
don't agree with it.
But as I wrote in this space yester-
day, a lot of the evidence in the
Jackson case will come down to
videotape. There is lots of it, too,
some of which may show the boy and
his family singing the praises of
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Jackson, defending and explaining
his odd lifestyle. If so, they will be
hard-pressed to explain their own
havior now. For example: In one
interview last winter, the mother of
the boy told a reporter: "Michael has
et names for all of my children, and
on of then] even calls him Daddy.
Te is the father they never had." She
said all her children were ohoping to
spend a lot more time with him in the
future."
The sudden change in Jackson's
schedule, by the way, throws a
monkey wrench into his promotional
lans for his new greatest hits album.
ichael and his entourage were three
days away from leaving for Paris and
Berlin, ee enthusiastic fans would
have greeted him. Here in the U.S.,
the album has so far not made any of
the early top 10 of the week lists at
major retailers like Tower, Virgin or
HMV.
And here Ts one big P.S. for all you
Jackson watchers: Steer clear of
on-camera commentators who are
hustling their own gig on Jacko Ts
back. I am talking about folks like
Shmuley Boteach, Uri Geller and
Brian Oxman, all of whom are
quick to quip when the red light goes
On, but know nothing about the case,
Jackson or his alleged victitn,
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Certification & Recertification
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Tel: 252 757-3571
Cp: 252 916-2210
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Instructor
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(252) 757-1692 or (252) 757-] 162
Fax number: (252) 757-0018
(A Taste of Heaven!
Christian Bookstore and Music Gallery
Hours: MonsFhurs 10:30am - 7pm
Fri-Sat 10:30am-7pm
Sunday 1-Spm
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3400 Memorial Drive, Greenville. NC
(252) 321-2021
c
November, 2003
" TIDBITS:
NAACP hosts financial
planning workshop
The NAACP is inviting everyone
to a free financial aos Beak the
workshop, sponsored by 0
Hiacaneig is designed to help individ-
uals and families save for the future.
The Seminar will be on Wed., Dec.
3, 2003 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
at the Community Foundation of
Greater Memphis, 1900 Union Ave.
Seminar topics include investing
?,?ven small amounts of money, estab-
lishing financial goals, saving ? for
college, and other investment topics.
Investment products offered by
Bank of America Investment Ser-
vices, Inc. are not FDIC insured,
may lose value and are not bank
guaranteed. .
For registration information, call the
Memphis Branch NAACP at (901)
526-4663.
Time Warner to launch
new business service |
Time Warner Cable and Road Run-
ner Business Class are the exclusive
broadband internet sponsors for
Memphis ITEC. Memtphis ITEC,.a
series leader of business-to-business
IT events, is set to be previewed
Nov. 19-20 at the Memphis Cook
Convention Center.
Road Runner Business Class will
Showcase broadband internet con-
neetivity for small to enterprise busi-
nesses and introduce what Ts new to
Road Runner Business Class includ-
ing dedicated fiber connectivity,
point-to-multipoint and branch of-
ficeAeleworker aggregation, remote
storage, managed security and -virtu-
al private networking, commercial
dial access and hospitality broad-
band solutions. .
Road Runner Business Class was
specifically developed by Time
Warner Cable for commercial cus-
tomers in vertical markets such as
medical, financial, law, advertising,
legal, architectural, real estate and
all other commercial organizations
looking to increase efficiencies for
business owners and employees.
Black FedExForum
contracts at 18.6 %
According to figures released by
the New Memphis Arena Public
Building Authority, as of Nov. 7,
2003 overall contracts awarded for
the . FedExForum project _ total
$142,356,170. Of that amount,
$118,284,913 has been awarded for
construction contracts. In addition to
construction costs, the ooverall con-
tracts ? category include architectur-
al, legal, accounting and a variety of
other administrative or osoft costs ?.
Overall contracts held by minorities
and women-owned businesses for the
FedExForum basketball arena con-
tract totaled $37,490,604 or 26.3 per-
cent of the total contracts awarded. Of
that amount, $32,674,392 or 27.6 per-
cent of the total construction contracts
have been awarded to minority and
women-owned businesses.
African American-owned compa-
nies have received $26,466,776 or
18.6 percent of the overall contract
amount and $2] 879,690 or 18.5 per-
cent of the total construction con-
tract amount awarded.
Local construction companies have
been awarded 67.5 percent of the
Construction contracts and 65.2 per-
cent of the overall project contracts
awarded. )
Weekly effective formula
rate of interest
Chapter 464, Public Acts of 1963,
the legislation regulating interest
rates in Tennessee, requires that the
Commissioner of Financial Institu-
tions make an announcement weekly
of the formula rate of interest.
Tennessee Department of Financial
Institutions Commissioner Kevin P.
Lavender announces that the maximum
effective formula rate of interest in Ten-
nessee is 8.00 t per annum.
The rate is based on a ceiling of 4
Percent over the weekly average
prime loan rate of 4,00 percent as
published by the Federal Reserve on
Nov. 10, 2003.
Lavender said the rate remains in
effect until the average prime loan
rate as announced by the Federal Re-
serve Bank changes.
The Big One T is back
at the fairgrounds
The Memphis Flea Market, the
oBig One ? will be at the Mid-South
Fairgrounds on Sat., Nov. 15 & Sun.,
Nov. 16, 2003 in all four buildings
plus outside.
Approximately, 800-1 000 vendors
from all over the region will sell
such items as Elvis memorabilia, an-
tiques, collectibles, computers, sil-
ver and gold jewelry, crafts, leather
oods, framed prints and clothing.
Those wanting to browse or s
will also find NASCAR items, furni-
ture, wicker, T-shirts, candles, rugs,
pet supplies, sewing machines, floral
arrangements, shoes, cell phone ac-
cessories, dolls and toys. Accordin
to spokespersons for the oBig One ?,
there's something for everyone.
The Mid-South Fairgrounds is lo-
E
" the third weekend of
er The Black ?,?o
Read The Minority Voice Newspaper wa gh he natal eg
cated on Central Ave. at Parkway.
Parking is $2 per car, admission is
free. The oBig One T is open Sat. and
Sun. from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Memphis Flea Market is held
twice in December. There are two
oBig One T flea market sales following
this one in December: the oBig One
Christmas Show ? (in all four build-
ings plus outside) Dec. 6 and 7 and
the oBig One ? Dec. 20 and 21, 2003.
U of M Engineeri
Open Howse
The Herff College of Engineering is
~ hosting an open house at the Universi-
ty of Memphis on Fri., Nov. 21, 2003
from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on the U of M °
campus. The engineering building is
located at 3795 Central Ave. near the
Zach Curlin intersection,
Persons in attendance will. be af-
forded the opportunity of being in the
cockpit of a U.S. Navy Blue Angels
F/A-18 Hornet. The event is free.
The simulator offers realistic, su-
personic flight and cutting-edge en-
tertainment technology. Rides pro-
vide a pilot's perspective, with all
the sights, sounds, and experiences
of up-close flying. The 65-foot,
000-pound vehicle carries a cus-
tom-built, 15-seat motion pod with
State-of-the-art digital projection
and audio systems. :
In addition to the flight simulator,
visitors can learn more about the im-
pact that engineers have on society
and about research being conducted
at the Herff College. Tours may be
arranged for groups. Faculty, staff
and current students will be on hand
to answer questions and discuss spe-
cific engineering programs. .
Hilton Hotels sponsors
JA Bowl-A-Thon
For the eighth consecutive year,
Hilton Hotels Corporation is serving
as the title sponsor for Junior
Achievement of Memphis and the
Mid-South Ts (JA) annual oBowlin T
on the River ? Bowl-A-Thon.
The 2004 event will take place
Feb. 21-22 and Feb. 28-29, 2004 at
area bowling centers. JA Ts largest
fund-raiser, Bowl-A-Thon proceeds
help support programs, activities and
in-school classes dedicated to edu-
cating more than 50,000 young peo-
ple about business, economics and
free enterprise in grades K-12.
James E. Holthouser, senior vice
president, brand management, Hilton
Hotels Corporation will chair this
year's event. As chairman, Holthouser
will lead efforts to attract new busi-
Ness participants to Bowl-A-Thon.
anizations seeking more infor-
mation or wanting to bowl should call
Junior Achievement at (901) 366-
7800 or visit www, jamemphis.org.
Junior Achievement of Memphis
and the Mid-South is part of the
world Ts largest organizations dedi-
cated to educating young people
about business, economics and free
enterprise.
Charming Shoppes,
Inc. donates coats
Oakhaven Elementary School stu-
dents will receive an unexpected gift
that is sure to make their holiday sea-
son warmer. Charming Shoppes, Inc.
will donate 850 coats to students at the
school on Wed., Nov. 12 from 8:30
a.m.-11:00 a.m. Oakhaven Elementary
is located on 3795 Bishops Bridge.
oThe excitement for this day has
been building since the announce-
ment was made that we had been se-
lected to participate in this wonder-
ful event, ? said Evelyn Willis, prin-
cipal. oWe can Tt wait to see the faces
of our students, some of whom have
never owned a new coat of their
own, ? she said.
The donation is part of Charming
Shoppes, Inc.'s Keeping Kids Warm
program. Charming Shoppes, Inc. op-
trates more than 2,300 retail special-
ty stores in 48 states under the names
Fashion Bag, Fashion Bag Plus, Lane
Bryant and Catherine's Plus Sizes.
Crye-Leike publishes
home buyer Ts guide
Crye-Leike, the nation Ts 10th
largest real estate company, recently
launched its new Buyer's Guide to
Premier Homes, a monthiy publica-
tion showcasing 90 of Crye-Leike T's
most prestigious residential proper-
ties for sale within Crye-Leike Ts four
principal market areas: West Ten-
nessee, Middle Tennessee, South-
eastern Tennessee and Arkansas.
The guide features houses with an
sales price exceeding
and is being distributed
monthly by direct mail to more than
50,000 homeowners who reside in 49
zip code areas within West and Mid-
dle Tennessee. Recipients are princi-
pal residents over the age of 35 whc
currently own their own homes and
have a total household income equal
Q or greater than $150,000 per year.
Another 25,000 distribution to South-
eastern Tennessee and Arkansas is
planned to be added in the first quar-
ter of the new year.
The company has trained more
than 450 sales associates in the past
three years on marketing premier
Properties valued at $400,000 or
more through its Crye-Leike Premier
ies Division.
munity
Blackonomics: The B
by James Clingman -
Special to the Tri-State Defender.
Kudos to Sister Jennifer Parker and.
of course, her excellent support staff
of volunteers, one °
ferences I have ever attended " and |
have attended quite a few. Jennifer is
the brainchild of The Black Capijtal
Network (www.theben.com) and has
diligently labored to bring her vision
of economic prosperity for African-
Americans to fruition. She ostayed the
course, ? as George Fraser would Say,
and presented their second: annual
Black Capital Network conference.
She and her husband, Mel, held on to
their commitment, continued to make
the sacrifices necessary to accomplish
their goals, and they )
standing event to the people of Buffa-
lo. New York, on November 1, 2003.
I had the honor and Pleasure to
conduct a Blackonomics workshop
during the conference. but my ex-
citement is grounded in three other
aspects of the BCN: I was thrilled to
See the turnout of Participants; | was
impressed at the variety of vendors
and, not only their willing to support _
the BCN but also their reciprocal ?
commitment to recycling Black dol-
lars; and | was especially pleased
with the Outstanding speakers Jen-
nifer brought to the conference.
Being in the company once again
of Brooke Stephens, financial author
(Wealth Happens One Day at a
Time) and lecturer, listening to
Brother Melvin Gravely, entrepre-
neur, author (When Black and White
Make Green). and lecturer, hearing
real solutions for accessing capital,
seeing the New York activist and
legend, Dorothy Pittman Hughes,
(Wake Up and Smell the Dollars
"Whose Inner City is it Anyway?) in
person, and just being in close prox-
imity to so many accomplished en-
trepreneurs and fantastic brothers
and sisters was, indeed, a privilege
and an honor for me.
Then there was Simon T. Bailey. The
author of Simon Says. .. Dream " Livea
Passionate Life, Bailey took the confer-
ence by storm, or should | say a oWhirl-
wind ?? This brother delivered one of
the best speeches I have ever heard. If
yams, common sense,
you have not heard Simon or read his
work, somewhere down the line there is _
_ a treat waiting for you; sooner or later
you will come in contact with this
brother, who is one of the nation Ts most
sought-after speakers. Weaving
metaphors, life-lessons, homespun
metaphysics,
and stark realities into a tapestry of pos.
itive, results-oriented, and very practi-
cal strategies for success, Simon T. Bai-
ley was a joy to behold. .
All inall, the Black Capital Network
was a veritable potpourri of excel-
lence, comprising local business own-
ers and corporate representatives with
national authors and entrepreneurs.
Now what is the bottom line of all of
this? Meetings and conferences are held
by and for Black people in this country
Virtually every week. But. as | told my
audience. it's not just the meeting that's
important. it Ts what happens after the
Meeting. My challenge is always cen-
tered on the odoing. ? the Positive action
that emanates as a result of the many
Meetings we have. As for as economic
empowerment conferences are con-
cemed. it's. one thing to practice it during
the conference, at the vending tables. in
the workshops. and during the book
Signings, but it Ts a different thing to leave.
Page 10
lack Capital Network
the venue and really get involved in day-
to-day economic empowerment. It Ts an-
~ other thi to make it a habit to support
Black owned buses inesses, to grow and
_ expand our bysinesses via strategic part-
; ; hi ; ative o | ing, and D
Mergers. In other words, it Ts one thing #
talk aboitt it and another thing to do it
(Clingman,'an adjunct professor at.
the University of Cincinnati's
African-American Studies depart-
oment, is former editor of the Cincin-
nati Herald Newspaper and founder
of the Greater Cincinnati African
American Chamber of Commerce) '
brought an out-
your
home
Many of us-will at some time find |:
Ourselves motivated to sell our |
home. Sometimes the decision to f-
do is simply a part of our longterm J
plan. At other times it may be a de- |
cision that comes about because of f
circumstances beyond our control.
Regardless of what the reason,
selling a home requires that we em-
ploy the same planning, and care
we exercised when the home was
tion when we purchased the home
must be considered when the home
is to be sold.
Of course, the primary considera-
tion will probably be is ohow much
can the house sell for? ? If you will
notice, | am no longer referring to
anyone else.
By Dr. Reginald M. Peyton
purchased initially. In fact, many of F-
the things we took into considera-
the house as your ohome. ? The reason is that if you
continue to view it as such, you will likely have great
difficulty in being comfortable with a realistic selling
Price. Our home is worth more to us than it will be to
Aside from that, you as a seller will want to be sure
you put the house in the best shape possible. be sure
to make needed repairs. A new
and free of rubbish, debris and un- .
sightly growth.
oyour roof
4 you might be willing to leave with '
- drapes and other window treatment "
equal, it all boils down to Price. and a willing seller
and a willing buyer can usually come to agreement
(Dr. Peyton is owner and founder of one of Mem-
Phis* most successful real estate firms, The Peyton Co.
Inc., Realtors and a professrin the Business School at
Christian Brothers University.)
Paint coat both inside and out is a
must. Be sure the grounds are neat °
§
expensive as it might be, if .
needs repair or replace-_
ment don Tt hesitate to do so. Most
lenders will require it anyway. Be- |
sides that, it Ts better to do this be- ;
fore potential buyers see the house .
than after.
Decide what items or appliances "
the house as an added incentive to |
buyers particularly first-time buy-
ers. If you think you'd prefer a new '
or different refrigerator and range "
in your new home by all means let
your agent know that you're will- ?
ing to let your old ones stay with "
the house. You can also leave your
" they probably won Tt fit at your ©
new home anyway.
Most important! Get an appraisal.
ven if it Ts an informal one. An
Overpriced house won't sell! In ad-
dition, the longer a house stays on
the market the more people will be-
lieve something is wrong with it.
Finally, be willing to negotiate.
Remember, all other things being
The Minority Voice Newspaper
Wishes Everyone A Ver
Thanksgiving
More Blacks Are
Enrolling In College
The number of black students
attending college has increased by 56
Percent since 1981, but still trails the
rate of whites, a new study says. A
report by the American Council on
Education (ACE) found that although
black enrollment increased to 1.5
million students over that period, only
40 percent of college-age African
American high school graduates go to
college, compared to 46 percent of
whites. The most dramatic increase
in attendance occurred among black
women. In 1980, only 28 percent of
African American women attended
college. Now, that figure has
increased to 42 percent. Meanwhile,
the participation rate by black male
high school graduates increased at
only half the rate of African
American women, from 30 percent to
37 percent. The ACE Study, the
annual oMinorities in Higher
Education Status Report, ? observes
that although progress has been made
in the percentage of African
Black Men Are
Smoking Less
The smoking rate for black men
has fallen close to the level of white
men for the first time in history, a
federal study says. Black women stil
smoke less than their white
counterparts
The Centers for Disease Contro|
and Prevention in Atlanta reports that
27.7 percent of African American
men smoked in 2001, compared to
25.4 percent of white men, A decade
earlier, the black male rate was 35
Percent and the rate for white men
Was 27 percent, .
In 2001, less than 18 percent of
women
ican men and women had a
Smoking rate above 30 percent, which
Happy
H4 ryhead y
rf
Hard workers are part of our electric CO-op.
Work doesn Tt seem to fit into
North Carolina's
electric cooperatives
to
ee
" " " Touchstone Energy T " " "___ eee
a 40-hour week any longer,
That's why you can count on us 24/7, for all kinds of powerful connections.
. November, 2003:
Che Mri Doe
fi
L
cUSpOe
Ves Yo apy Chars
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
. Asa student and now gradu-
ate student of the university,
' T think it would behoove our
administration to bring in people
who embody characteristics that
| the university holds dear.
In short, we need good ol T
honest people, who like to call a
spade a spade, and do not muid
.doing things by the book-the
Good Book or answering to some-
one else about their decisions.
Our university is T sorely
in need of a purification, and
unfortunately if our top level
of administration has suffered
such catastrophic events, surely
this is only the obvious macro-
cosm of the numerous hidden
microcosms occurring in other
departments.
The corruption that we have
seen in the head of our univer-
Sity is only indicative of deficien-
;cies within the systems of our
body. In a few short months
we said goodbye to our athletic
director, and reassigned our
chancellor, and provost. |
I hope that much time,
effort, and money if necessary
has been allotted to delve fur-
ther into the chain of events
that caused these necessary
transitions to take place. | have
always been taught that the best
way Not to repeat a mistake is to
learn from the last one.
I pray that this is the aim of
-your search committee.
In a world that is bent on
microwaveable success, it would
be helpful to us as a university
to remember the qualities that
made ECU special in thg first
place.
We must stop the cosmetic
Surgery on our university to
look more like our other state
institutions and recognize the
value in our own backyard. We
as students are unique. Our
faculty and staff our unique
and we need an administration
that can recognize and foster
this uniqueness.
I believe the best way to fill
the voids left in our administra-
tion is to recruit people who do
not wave diversity flags only
in the front of video cameras,
microphones, and picture day.
We must seriously take
into consideration the role of
women and minorities in the
future of ECU, and create an
environment of exchange that
is welcoming and wholesome to
the university at large.
The 21st century is blending
rapidly into shades of brown,
yellow, and white, and our uni-
versity must take huge strides to
make up for lost ground. There
is still a pulse of excellence
reverberating throughout our
university, but in order to hear
it, | suggest we stop looking to
outsiders, and listen to those
within.
Our new ECU brochures
and literature boast the new
university slogan, oTomorrow
Starts Here ?. Indeed it does.
Let us keep this at the forefront
of our minds in choosing our
new chancellor and adminis-
tration.
Danielle D. Melvin
ECU Student
Letter to the
Dear Fuitor,
lam writing to tell the
Students of ECU that Mrs. Nel]
Lewis is probably not returning
to the Ledonia Wright Cultural
Center as its Director, because
she has become the victim of
what we in the African Ameri-
, can community call the
oCrab effect. ? This is the
act of another African Ameri-
can holding a fellow African
American down to keep their
,position.
I speak harshly, because
41am a student who is fed up
With the lies that the Office of
Student Life, mainly its leader
the Vice Chancellor has given
for the removal of Mrs. Lewis
Jrom the Cultural Center.
~ Mrs. Lewis T only fault may
ohave been to do more than
what her job required her to
do; to excel and transform the
Cultural Center into a T Mecca
for diversity, even when her job
description did not call for it.
Dr. Garrie Moore person-
ally told me that he spoke up
for Mrs. Lewis when she was
removed from her job.
So now that he is in position
fo put her back, why won Tt he
do so? .
He will not do so, because
he is probably responsible
for her remoyal himself. You
" "
Editor
ay ; wee
see people like him do not
like people like Mrs. Lewis
because they perform higher
than their job calls for, in turn
overshadowing their boss.
As an African American
male, | am also ashamed of
the lack of support Mrs.
Lewis received from
her fellow faculty and staff
members of color, they were
sO scared of the backlash
they were-going to get from
oMaster, ? they went back to
the work in the fields as if
nothing happened. This is the
kind of Black ofolk ? that hurt
our community the most,
They are the ones that
wanted to stay in slavery or
wanted to keep sitting on the
back of the bus.
Thank God for Martin
Luther King, Fredrick Douglas
and thank God for Mrs. Nell
Lewis. If it was not for Mrs.
Lewis, | would not be the man
that | am and the outspoken
Congressman | shall be.
It is my sincerest hope
that when I am ina posi-
tion to uplift people that do
g00d job like Mrs. Lewis |
~ will do so.
Dennis Mitchell
ECU Student
2 Phone:
Careenville Fin
3LOL SS,
x
Inc.
257-493-0110 FAX: 252-193-0115
Cia)
Greenville
Financial
Services
LOANS
mera.
AUTOMOTIVE
PERSONAL
PAYCHECK
HECK CASHING
SERVICES
«
Acknowledgments
We, the family wish to ex-
press our ___ sincere
appreciation to all who
were So kind during the
passing of our loved ones.
Without your individual
and corporate acts of love
toward us shown in nu-|
merous ways, we could
not have endured this mo-
ment of intense bereave-
ment. With God's help, we
ask your continued
prayers and may God con-
tinue to bless us all.
The Bullock &
Chadwick Families
BY CHARLES WALKER SR.
In Augusta, Georgia , the
African American communi-
ty has been violated. Our civil
liberties were trampled, our
freedom of speech threat-
ened. '
How else can one describe
an FBI raid into a Black news.
paper office? Wielding guns
and wearing bulletproof
vests, agents stormed the
offices of the Augusta Focus,
where the only weapons bran-
dished by the workers were
pens and notebooks. Of
course, the media was tipped
off to the events on August
18th, so the escapade was
filmed for the nightly news,
just as if it were another
episode of COPs.
But this was not a made for
TV movie. Sadly, this is
America in the year 2003.
Suddenly, we are a changed
_ Society. Freedom is in retreat.
The Patriot Act has estab-
lished an atmosphere in
discarding | Constitutional
rights. J. Edgar Hoover meet
John Ashcroft; and in
Georgia, meet Richard
Thompson, the staunch
Republican, Savannah-based
US Attorney, who has quickly
built a reputation for what
appear to be politically moti-
vated investigations of
Democrats. These so-called
authorities are a threat to the
treasured American way of
life.
At the core of our judicial
Process is fairness. That's
what separates our democra-
ancial Services,
Memorial Drive
Greenville, N.C. 27834
ae
Fat of the land
@ George Daniels, a 400-pound, 61 -year-
old man, told the manager of a trailer park
in Pasco County who found him that he had
been trapped in his mobile home for two
days after falling through the floor. Eight
rescue workers were needed to lift him out
- of the hole and onto a stretcher. Neighbor
Warren Conklin, 80, said he Td checked on
Daniels earlier that day. oI didn Tt know he
was stuck in there. It looked like he was
Just sitting there, ? he recalled, saying that
fie asked Daniels if: he needed help. oHe.
said, No, no, I'll get up myself. T T
@ The rising number of obese patients
has prompted the makers of medical equip-
ment to reinforce stretchers to carry the ad-
ditional weight, adding thicker aluminum
frames, bulkier connectors and extra spine
supports. The Associated Press reported that
the new stretchers could handle 650 pounds
instead of the standard 350 to 500 pounds.
Ambulance crews are switching to the
heavy-duty models to avoid injuries to
themselves and patients. Southwest Ambu-
lance, which serves Phoenix and Tucson,
Ariz., has also added wider ambulances that
have special hydraulic lifts and shock ab-
sorbers specifically to carry the obese.
Foiled again
When someone robbed an 88-year-old
man of 18,000 pennies and a few hundred
quarters in Elkhart, Ind., Detective Fred
Mock headed for the nearest grocery store,
where he found David Headrick, 19, dump-
ing the change into a coin-counting ma-
chine. oI got to thinking, If I was a person
who did this, I Td want to convert this to
currency as quickly as possible, T ? Mock
said after he'd arrested the suspect.
Way to go
After a 20-year-old man jumped out of a
car going 40 mph and died, authorities in
Jefferson County, Colo., reported that
friends told them he had heen saying for the
past month othat he needed to jump froma
moving car so he could have a traumatic in-
cident in his life so he could get a tattoo. T
r
cy from the oppressive
regimes abroad. There is
. nothing fair, however, about
what Mr. Thompson has done.
In the aftermath of the raid
on a newspaper office, neither
Mr. Thompson nor the FBI
have given the slightest hint
as to why they raided the
Augusta Focus. What federal
crime are they investigating?
They never answered that
question.
Without answers from the
authorities, it leaves us to
Piece the puzzle together. All
which federal authorities are-
Focus raid as another oseg-
ment in Mr. Thompson Ts
effort to ruin my political
career and discredit my busi-
nesses. Over the course of
the last 18 months, Mr.
Thompson has been on a mis-
sion to seek and destroy, and I
have been the target, with my
family and business associ-
-ates. I was also the first vic-
tim.
For 20 years, I served as a
State Senator, including six
years as the Majority Leader :
of the Senate, one of the most
influential public Officials in
the state. Asa public servant,
I brought jobs and economic
development to Augusta. Last
year, after Mr. Thompson Ts
high profile, no-results inves.
tigation began, I was defeated
in my re-election bid by 236
votes. Needless to say, I Tm
used to political fights, and
will likely run for office
again. Mr. Thompson, howev-
er, has elevated the partisan
battleground to a dangerous
level. Our justice System is
not a political toy. But he
made it one.
During an 18-month inves-
tigation, which has yielded no
hint of an allegea crime or
even a charge, Mr. Thompson
has harassed my family and
customers, Authorities have
arrived at my children Ts
offices, demanding personal
records, such as pay stubs. He
has subpoenaed m re than
300 of my advertisers, clients
and business associates.
This behavior is not isolated.
Other prominent Democrats,
such as former Gov, Roy
Barnes, House Speaker Terry
Coleman and State Sen. Van
Streats suffered similar
harassment.
This time, however, he has
miscalculated. The raid on
the Augusta Focus is as much
an attack on this community,
as it is on my business, And,
it is an attack on the Fourth
Estate. The media Ts role in
our society is that of an inde-
pendent voice; Mr Thompson
crossed the line with his boor-
ish act of intimidation.
At home, our community is
Sith
Page 11
FBI raid on black newspaper raises
freedom of speech questions
newspaper as a rallying cry.,
Our Constitution guarantees
freedom of speech. Just as we
_Marched together for the
right to vote four decades ago,
the Black community is com.
ing together to send a power-
ful message back to Mr
Thompson.
oOur community will not
stand around and allow our
rights to be trampled upon for
Partisan _ politics, ? _ said
Quincy Robinson, a retired
college educator. oThe
Augusta Focus is the informa-
tion provider for our commu-
nity. Mr. Thompson _ is
attempting to silence our
newspaper. The community
won't let him. We stand as one
in support of Mr Walker and
our newspaper. ?
Rev. Leonard Smalls, a
political _activist from
Savannah agreed, saying,
oThe US Attorney is abusing
his power and discrediting
his office. There is no expla-
nation that can justify why
the FBI raided a newspaper
Office. This is a blemish on
our Justice System, and a
scar on our society. Mr.
Thompson should be repri-
manded by his superiors in
Washington. ?
Moreover, our journalism
brethren are asking, how can
this be? There would be an
outcry if the FBI raided the
New York Times or
Washington Post? The
Fourth Estate will also
demand that Mr. Thompson
answer for his actions.
We will shine a spotlight on
Augusta, Georgia. Our com-
munity will send a message
that reverberates all the way
back to Mr. Ashcroft Ts Justice
Department in Washington,
and up Pennsylvania Avenue
to the White House. Our
rights will not be trampled;
our voices will be heard. The
Augusta Focus wil] publish.
(Charles Walker Sr. is pub-
lisher of the Augusta Focus
and a former State Senator)
Seas d otha VlOU in
Fathers and daughters are part of our electric co-op.
Whether the day is beginning or drawing to
We're there with the powe
North Carolina's
electric cooperatives
omit.
" Touchstone Energy T
a close, our story is the same.
r you need. The end.
anh
November, 2003 Page 12
Devastating effects of Jim
Crow continu
¥ . | he effects of
an abusive
and degrad-
ing system
of legal segregation
and Jim Crowism
were devastating. In
many situations those
effects, both socio-
economic and emo-
tional, remain until
; ® this day. For those
Arthur L. Webb = who never experi-
enced that system
first hand, one has only to take a look at the
current mind set of some Black citizens in
Richmond, Va. to gain an appreciation of
such a system's long-term negative effects.
Richmond has a population that is 60
percent Black, yet some of that city Ts Black
residents appear to think that if a White
mayor were to be elected there rather than
appointed by the City Council, adequate
and proper representation of their interest
would be diminished.
What prompted this current concern was
a referendum on last Tuesday's ballot to
have Richmond's mayor chosen in a city-
wide election. Currently, Richmond oper-
ates under a city council/city manager sys-
tem of government. Under such a system,
the city council is the elected body that
handles the legislative affairs of a city. To
handle the day-to-day operations, the coun-
cil hires a city manager.
Some Blacks in Richmond including the _
Virginia NAACP chapter claim such a
change would violate the 1965 Voting
Rights Act that helped Blacks get political
representation.
Two things are disturbing about this type
of concern. The first is that Blacks in Rich-
mond feel in the year 2000 that the only
way to receive parity from elected officials
is that those officials must be Black. The
second disturbing thing is that if the elected
official(s) must be Black why, with a 60
percent population majority, are Rich-
mond Ts Blacks afraid a Black mayor might
not be elected.
One answer could be that Richmond Ts
NAACP doesn Tt believe its Black elec-
torate will respond positively to a quali-
| fied Black candidate. This in itself
should be taken by the Black population
of that city as an insult. Reports say they
Why Gary Coleman isn Tt governor
Tall people are paid about $789 an inch
more than shorter co-workers, according to
a study by college professors Timothy Judge
and Daniel Cable. who analyzed four large-
scale British and American studies detailing
the working and personal lives of thousands
of participants from childhood to adulthood.
oThese findings are troubling in that, with a
few exceptions such as professional basket-
ball, no one could argue that height is an es-
sential ability required for job performance
nor a bona fide occupational qualification, ?
said Judge, a University of Florida manage-
ment professor who noted that over a 30-
year Career, owe're talking about literally
hundreds of thousands of dollars of earning
advantage that a tall person enjoys.
é to linger
(the NAACP) fear a well financed White
candidate would likely win a mayoral
election. ;
Above all, however, the mind set seen
here could easily be viewed as bigotry by
Blacks in Richmond that parallels the kind
of bigotry we fought so hard to eliminate.
On the other hand, the treatment of Blacks
by White politicians in the past could very
well have been so devastating that modern-
day Blacks would rather be labeled bigots
themselves than tb take a chance on being
subjected to discrimination similar to that
experienced in the past.
There are both advantages and disadvan-
tages to having a-City Manager appointed
by a city council versus an elected mayor.
Generally, city managers are chosen based
on their professional qualifications and ex-
perience. The areas of governmental man-
agement and financial management are two
categories of expertise that quickly come tc
mind relative to those qualifications and ex
perience. On the other hand, the presence o
an elected mayor brings a check and bal-
ance factor to the governing table that is at
sent in the case of an appointed city manag
er who operates at the pleasure of the body |
that hired him or her.
In any event, the best way to guard
against someone assuming office (includin;
city council members) not inclined to act ir
the best interest of a significant population
segment is to defeat that candidate at the
polls. No inferior candidate, regardless of
how well-heeled he or she might be, can
reasonably expect success against a good
candidate whose appeal is to an educated
and informed electorate.
What the NAACP in Richmond would d:
well to initiate is an ongoing voter educa-
tion program that is issue oriented and in-
clusive of instruction on how government
works, how to make government work for
citizens and what it can and cannot do. Th
not only should but must out of necessity
be combined with an ongoing voter regis-
tration program. By doing so, the citizens
of Richmond " all of them, both Black
and White " will be much better served.
(Noted for his perceptive commentary,
Webb is a journalist and internationally
recognized scholar and lecturer on the sub-
ject of American and African American his-
tory and socio-economic affairs.)
Week Ts inevitability
A German evangelical charity opened Eu-
rope Ts first school to treat teenagers who are
addicted to television and computers. oWe
had one girl here who arrived weighing 130
kilograms [286 pounds] and had never had
a single friend in her life, ? said Ute Gar-
new, director of Boltenhagen summer camp
on the Baltic coast. oHere, she lost a lot of
weight and made three new friends. ? Gar-
new noted demand for the 60 places in the
28-day sessions has been so high since the
government-funded, charity-run camp
opened in February that parents oreally
have to fight to get a place. ?
Kead |!
The
Newspaper
Publisher's
Association's
study revealed that
people would consis-
tently pay more for
and go out of their
way to find a local
newspaper aimed spe-
cifically at their ethnic
group.
What's even more at-
tractive to our readers
is that each biweekly
edition of the
Minority Voice con-
tains news and com- |
mentary of nationally
respected journalists.
There are numerous
popular _locations
throughout the area
where "_- consumers
regularly pick up their
copy at no charge.
Annual events & cele-
brations sponsored by
THE JIM ROUSE
COMMUNICATIO-
NS GROUP and THE
MINORITY VOICE
NEWSPAPER:
Call the Minority
Voice Advertising and
Sales Department
National
underdogs, the Bush admin-
istration has made it clear
that it stands with the ohaves
[: the world of top dogs and
oand have mores ? that the presi-
dent called omy base. ? So we
have otrickle down ? tax cuts -
with millionaires pocketing tens
of thousands of dollars every
year while most taxpayers get
less than $100. .
That was, perhaps, to be
expected. But amazingly, that
same lack of concern about
workaday people is on display in
Iraq - and the young men and
women whose lives are on the
line are paying the price.
Item: The White House wants
to paint the picture in Iraq as.
rosy, so the Pentagon has
banned photos of coffins and
body bags leaving Iraq or arriv-
ing in the United States.
Worse, the president hasn't
attended funerals or memorials
for the soldiers who have lost
their lives, breaking with tradi-
tion. President Bush apparently
doesn Tt want to draw attention
to the US. casualties.
Item: Reservists and National
Guard members were called up
for three months, and then told
their tour would be a year. Many
are now being told they won't
want to learn more about financial aid?
So
Lighting up has gotten
much harder for youngsters
in North Carolina, this
according to this year's sur-
vey of more than 800 retail
tobacco stores. Results of the
survey shows more than a
three percent reduction in the
overall rate of illegal youth
tobacco sales T in the past 12
months - down from 18 per-
cent in 2002 down to 14.8 per-
ti
_ and
' Services,
' machine
cent in 2003.
According to Margaret
Brake, state coordinator for
the Prevention of Underage
Tobacco Use with the
Division of Mental Health,
Developmental Disabilities
Substance Abuse
the reduction
oecurred for both vending
and _ over-the-
counter sales, which puts the
state ahead of this year Ts goal
of reducing tobacco sales to
20 percent or less. '
oWhile reducing sales to
minors cannot guarantee that
teens do not have access to
tobacco, it makes access more
difficult, which is one of the
factors that can ultimately
reduce teens T risk of becom-
ing life-long smokers, and
ultimately dying of tobacco-
related illness, ? Brake said.
State Chief for Substance
Abuse Services Flo Stein
credits ever-increasing coop-
eration and coordination
between state regulators,
local prevention programs
and the retail merchants for
the success.
oNorth. Carolina has made
great progress in reducing
youth access to tobacco, Much
of our success is due to the
efforts of the Department of
Crime Control and Public
Safety's Division of Alcohol
Law Enforcement in provid-
ing retailer training, active
enforcement of the Youth
Access Law and raising
awareness of this issue in
communities across the
state. ? she said. oI also credit
strong partnerships with
local law enforcement agen-
cies, retailers. state as well as
Annual survey shows success in
reducing youth access to tobacco
local substance abuse and
public health programs, local T
coalitions, youth groups, vol:
untary agencies and parerit-
groups such as North
Carolina Parent Corps as a: .
contributing factor to thié:
year Ts success. ? Ge
Reducing youth access is
one Component of the state's:
plan to prevent and reduce:
tobacco use among young ?
people. The Annual Synar:
Survey, named for .
Congressman Michael Synar, |
is required by federal law to °
ensure that all states are -
showing progress in reducing :
tobacco sales to minors. The °
survey has been done since
1996. and sales rates in North °
Carolina have fallen from 50 :
percent in 1996 to its current :
rate. Brake also credits a:
grant from the NC Health and °
Wellness Trust Fund
Commission's Teen Tobacco -
Use Prevention and Cessation
Initiative for enhancing this
year Ts effort.
Kead. Learn Become [_mpowered |
American troops suffer while Bush cronies prosper |
ef
BY JESSE L. JACKSON, SR.
return until 2005. Across the
country, traditional, pro-mili-
tary families are now petition-
ing the Pentagon to honor a one-
year tour of duty and bring the
troops home.
Item: If and when the soldiers
make it home, this administra-
tion isn't exactly on their side
either. The president promised
that we would oprovide the best
care for anybody who is willing
to put their life in harm's way. ?
But on the samie day, his adimin-
istration announced it was cut-
ting off access to its health care
system for 164,000 veterans.
When I reported on the
wounded and sick Reserves and
Guards on omedical hold ? at.
Fort Stewart, Ga., I was flooded
with letters describing similar
conditions elsewhere. At Fort
Knox, Ky, UPI reports on
wounded soldiers spending
eight weeks in dilapidated
World War II barracks with no
air-conditioning, leaky roofs
and primitive facilities while
waiting to see a doctor.
Item: Speaking to the
National Guard and Reserves,
the president thanked them and
their families for being owilling
to sacrifice for our country. ? But
less than two weeks later, the
administration opposed giving
National Guard and Reserve
members access to the
Pentagon Ts health insurance
system. This despite a recent
General Accounting Office
report that estimated one in
every five Guard members has
no health insurance.
Item: Bush promised to make
certain othat our soldiers have
the best possible pay. ? But the
oArmy Times ? reports that the
administration wants to roll.
back recent increases in month-
ly imminent danger pay and
family separation allowances
for troops getting shot at in com-
bat zones.
Given the soaring cost of the
war and the record budget
deficits, some might argue that
Bush has no choice but to make
these tough calls on resources.
But apparently the tough choic-
we can help.
es apply to the troops but not the
top dogs.
The Center for Public |
Integrity reports that the
ostench of political favoritism
and cronyism surround the con- |
tracting process in both Iraq
and Afghanistan. ? Politically -
wired companies with few or no °
credentials have landed multi-
million-dollar contracts.
Kellogg, Brown and Root, a
subsidiary of Dick Cheney Ts old -
company, Halliburton. is the top
recipient of contracts, with
more than $2.3 billion. This is
the same subsidiary that -
oNewsweek ? reports just paid $2
million to séttle a criminal
charge for overbilling the gov-
ernment. Then we learn that
Halliburton is charging $1.59 a
gallon to import fuel that the
Iraqi oil company says it can |
import for less than a dollar.
Top floor or shop floor, yacht
club or kitchen table, the
cronies or the troops -- one thing
about this administration is
clear: We know where it stands.
Jesse L. Jackson Sr. is founder
and president of the Chicago-
based Rainbow/Push Coalition.
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