DURHAM, N.C. — Russell
Simmons, the founder of Def Jam
Records and an advocate for youth
voting, is schettuled*to visit North
Carolina Central University Thurs-
day, October 28, 2004, to talk with
students about financial literacy and
the importaiice of youth voting,
During the. NCCU Business
and Industry Cluster mecting,
Simmons will serve asa panelist for
4 session on Student Financial Lit-
on * Fi
GREENVILLE, NC - On October
30, 2004 the public is invited to come
out to the grand opening celebration
of the new Domestic Violence Uni-
fied Community Resource Center, Inc
of Eastern North Carolina located at
400 Watagua Avenue here in
Greenville, NC, where the Honorable
Elect Judge Evelyn J. LaPorte of New
York City will be the keynote speaker.
She will be talking on such issues as
domestic violence in communities and
in families
Judge LaPorte was born and
raised in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. In
1973, Evelyn came to New York
City to pursue her legal career. In
1974, with limited skills in the En-
glish language, Evelyn enrolled in
college to complete her education. She
received a Bachelor of Science De-
gree in Criminal Justice from John Jay
-ollege of Criminal Justice in 1979
“Tr t961; she recetved-a Masters
Degtee in’ Criminal
same college In 1986 Evelyn received
a Juris Doctor Degree from the
Antioch School of Law in Washing-
ton, D.C. and upon her graduation
from Law School, Evelyn returned to
New
York City and began her many
years of public service. Evelyn has
worked in the New York City and
State court systems. She has gained a
wide range of experience working in
civil court, by initiating civil lawsuits
under the Nuisance Abatement Law
of the New York City Administrative
Code, obtaining permanent injunc-
tions and civil penalties against own-
Iraq: Bush wa
WASHINGTON (IPS/GIN) - The
ush administration's failure to accept
advice on Iraq from its military and for-
eign service officers has led to policies
that have fuelled the insurgency against
U.S.-led forces in the occupied nation,
says a letter signed by some 500 na-
Platoon Said ‘No...’
By Edgar Brookins
Shockwaves teverberated throughout
Iraq when word filtered out that a pla-
toon had refused orders to transport fuel
to the battlefield,
It was reported on Oct. 13 that 19 sol-
diers from the 343rd Army Reserve
Quartermaster Co., based in Rock Hill,
S.C., refused to make a7 a.m. formation
to prepare for a convoy several hours
tet, according to a military statement.
Their orders were to transport fuel to
Taji, Iraq, but, according to ublished
reports, the soldiers said they didn't want
to “deliver tainted helicopter fuel in
poorly maintained vehicles traveling a
US Wealth
By Suzanne Goldenberg
GuardianCorrespondent
WASHINGTON, DC - The
wealth gap between white households
and Hispanic and African-American
families in the US has widened signifi-
cantly, with che last recession inflicting a
vy toll on minority households, a new
study said yesterday,
An analysis of US census data by
the Pew Hispanic Centre revealed that
the 2001 economic downturn deep-
ened a legacy of economic discrimina-
tion, with Hispanics and African-Ameri-
cans harder hit and taking longer to re-
cover,
By 2002, that produced a further
deterioration of the economic divide,
te minorities 6wn only a fraction of
¢ wealth enjoyed by whites. The me-
dian nef oa of white households was
$88,651], or 11 times greater than His-
panic families ($7,932) and 14 times ©
Greaterthan African-American families
}
i
\
ers and operators of premises using
such premises, as storefronts for drug
violations. In housing court handling
residential non- payment holdover
and licensee trials, and in family court
tice from: the |
conducting hearings on ne ected and
abused children. Evelyn so has ex-
erience in handling administrative
hearings for social security and medi-
care benefits. As an Assistant District
Attorney for approximately twelve
years, Evelyn has conducted numer-
ous suppression hearings, grand jury
presentations and has prosecuted hig
profile cases. Evelyn has prosecuted
numerous felonies and misdemeanor
cases in particular cases of sexual abuse
and domestic violence. The prosecu-
tional security specialists,
Released Oct 12 by a group called
Security Scholars for a Sensible oreign
Policy (S3FP), the letter calls the 2003
invasion and subsequent occupation of
Iraq the United States, “most mis-
guided” policy since the Vietnam War.
_. $trumental in brin
~~ every facet of business and media
_. Since its inception in the late 1970s.
a7
ON
ee
astern N
notes Fall Cluster and
eracy and keynote the Cluster lun-
_ cheon. Later in the day, Simmons
will speak to students during a “Get
Out to Vote” forum at 1:45 p.m.
that will be open to the general pub-
lic in McLen on-McDougal
| nasium. The NCCU Lyceum Com-
mittee is sponsoring his visit,
Russell Simmons has been. in-
ing Hip-Hop to
In music, hé developed the im-
| mensely successful Def Jam Record-
_ ings, In the film industry, he has had
_ , Success with Simmons Lathan Me-
ia Group and in television, with
‘HBO's “The Def Comedy Jam” and
“Russell Simmons Presents Def Po-
etry.”
His success also extends to
aker will focus on
tion of sex abuse and domestic vio-
lence cases do not involve the typical
Ptosecution of criminal cases, because
of the victim and perpetrator’s rela-
tionship, the victims often do not wish
to press charges, Evelyn has success-
fully prosecuted both types of cases
where the victim has cooperated with
‘the prosecution and based p rosecution
cases where the victim did not coop-
erate. Regularly, Evelyn speaks on do-
mestic violence and sex abuse issues at
police precincts, senior citizen centers,
churches, hospitals, high schools, uni-
versities and community organiza-
tions, to mention only a few. She is
also a frequent speaker at conferences
workshops and seminars. Evelyn par-
ticipates in street fairs, health airs,
lock parties and concerts educating
the community on issues of domestic
violence and child abuse Additionally,
she is involved in training law enforce.
on issues
— to
victims of domestic violence, prosecu-”
tion of criminal cases, criminal court
orders of protection, family court or-
ders of protection, etc.
The opening celebration will
commence with a breakfast feast from
8:30 to 10:30 at the Golden Corral
Restaurant located at 504 SW
Greenville Boulevard. Later, Starting
at 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the Center
will be sponsoring a delightful fun
filled day in the parking lot of Selvia
Chapel Church. Some of the activi-
ties planned for the day will be pony
tides, face painting, performances by
policies spur rebel act
“The results of this policy have
been overwhelmingly negative for U.S,
interests,” according to the group, which
called for a “fundamental reassessment”
in both the U.S. strategy in Iraq and its
implementation.
“We're advising the administration,
‘nent petsoinne! and service providers: ~
Broadway with the Tony Award
winning stage production of
“Russell Simmons ef Poetry Jam on
Broadway” and in the fashion in-
dustry with the red-hot Phat Farm,
Baby Phat, Run Athletics, and Def
Jam University clothing lines. In the
financial services industry, Simmons
has created the RushCard and Baby
Phat RushCard. He has a beverage
business, Russell Simmons Beverage
‘Company that promotes the Def
Con 3 healthy energy drink; and the
Rush Philanthropic Arts Founda-
tion and the Hip-Hop Summit Ac-
tion Network.
The 47-year-old Russell
Simmons is a native New Yorker who
attended City College of New York.
His interests extend far beyond the
business world, and he spends a
different step teams, and singing
Broups. There will also be vendors on
ocation.
LaPorte has been a resident of
Brooklyn-Fort Greene for the past 18
Seating up to 1,000
Cornerstone
Life
GREENVILLE, NC - Recently the
Cornerstone Missio Baptist Church
dedicates $3.5 milion doll Family Life
and Community Center,
The 33,000 square foot facility lo-
cated at the corners of Stantonsburg and
Allen Roads in Greenville is built to pro-
vide for the physical, mental and spiri-
ivity say 500
which is already in a deep hole, to stop
digging,” said Barry Posen, the Ford in-
ternational professor of political science
at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech-
nology. (MIT), one of the organizers of
S3EB which includes some of the most
eminent U.S. experts on national-secu-
/
dangerous supply route without an
armed ¢scort.”
The army has launched an investigation
into the incident, which was first reported
by the Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jack-
son, Miss.
Relatives of soldiers assigned to the fuel
platoon received calls from the soldiers
reporting that their refusal of the convy
assignment was based in part on the poor
condition of their vehicles.
An Army spokesman said that the com-
manding general of the 13th Corps Sup-
port Command has appointed an officer
to look into the incident. The spokes-
person said recommendations about the
readiness/maintenance status of the ve-
hicles would be made, and they would
also determine if any acts of misconduct
occurred on the part of the soldiers in
their failure to comply with the assigned
mission. If so, appropriate disciplinary
action and proceedings would be initi-
ated under the Uniform Code of Mili-
red ee
ditionally, the commanding general
has ordered a 100 percent maintenance
stand down of the unit in order to con-
duct a vehicle-by-vehicle inspection to
determine the readiness status and safety
of each vehicle before any more missions
are assigned.
According to the Army, on any given
day in Iraq, there are approximately 250
convoys involving ovef 2,500 vehicles,
More than 5,000 soldiers deliver sup-
Gap Grows For Ethnic
($5,988.)
“We have always known about the
wealth gap, but what is new and dis-
turbing is that the gaps are increasing,”
said Roderick Harrison, a demogra het
at the Joint Centre for Political and
nomic Studies, “What you are seeing here
are the historic disadvantages of Black
and Hispanic populations from genera-
tions ago being carried over,”
The Pew study focuses on the dam-
age caused to Hispanic and African-
American aspirations during an eco-
nomic downturn.
Between 1999 and 2001, risin
unemployment reduced the net aaa
of Hispanics and Aftican Americans by
27%, That left minority families with-
out a financial cushion, and far more
vulnerable to economic reversals than
white households. ’
“Many of them are living on the edge
and more than one quarter have zero or
negative wealth,” said Rakesh Kochhar,
author of the report. “They don't have
the cushion, and that makes recovery
harder.” Mr Harrison argues that minor-
ity families are also the last to benefit from
times of economic expansion.
Employers are more likely to hire
whites, and whites also move more
quickly to take advantage of a buoyant
stock market.
That intensifies the effects of a 30%
wage gap between white and minori
workers, making it that much more diff
cult for Hispanics and African-Ameri
to overcome traditional disadvantage,
Crucially, minority families are far
less likely to own their own homes - in
white households, ownership rates are
74%. Instead, a legacy of discrimina-
tion and other barriers have conspired
to help keep African-American and His-
panic families as renters,
Home ownership rates among both
groups is at 47%, Some families cannot
even aspire to home ownership; more
plies and materials to the frontline sol-
diers. With that much movement of ve-
hicles, maintenance becomes a major
roblem.
p. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has
submitted inquiries to the Department
of Defense and the U.S. Army about
the incident. Several soldiers from his
Congressional district are members of the
fuel platoon, including Sgt. Larry
and Sgt. William Butler.
In a press statement, Thompson said:
“Ofeven a greater concern is the ques-
tion whether the [Bush] administration
is neglecting our servicemen and
setvicewomen serving oversees,”
A full report of the investigation is ex-
pected in the coming weeks,
Minorities
than a quarter of black and Hispanic
households Own no assets beyond a car.
“A young white couple might have
the advantage of inheritance, their par-
ents may give them a down payment for
house, or the bank will look on them
more kindly, but a young black family
doesn't have that. It is just a little harder
to enter the mainstream, and home own-
ership is the key,” Mr Kochhar said.
¢ Hispanic population has also
been concentrated in areas with high
housing costs, like New York City and
Los Angeles, making it more difficult to
get on the property ladder.
But the report suggests the outlook
for the Hispanic population could
brighten, as the immigrant community
puts down roots in America,
A younger generation of Hispanics
is becoming better educated and mov.
ing inito better paying jobs; the commu-
nity is also dispersing to other towns
around the country, where housing is
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orth Carolina's Minority Communities
domestic violence
DESLZ
Vol, 17
great deal of his time and consider-
able energy working for social, po-
litical, and philanthropic-causes,
and pushing hip-hop on to new
plateaus of power and relevance. In
1995 he, sine with his brothers
Danny and Joseph Simmons (Rev.
Run of Run DMC), founded Rush
Philanthropic Arts Foundation, The
organization is dedicated to provid-
ing disadvantaged urban youth
with significant exposure and access
to the arts, as well as offering exhi-
bition opportunities ° to
underrepresented artists and artists
of color.
Following the historic Hip-Hop
Summit Russell organized in June
2001, he founded the Hip-Hop
Summit Action Network (HSAN) to
harness the cultural relevance of hip-
years and has worked in Brooklyn a
reat number of those years. Brook-
Brn, is Evelyn's home and she is very
proud to be part of this great commu-
nity. Evelyn is hard working, dedi-
ry
tual development of individual families
and the broader community.
Pastor Sidney A. Locks, Jr. advises
that non-profit organizations as well as
for-profit organizations are invited to use
the bigh-scheol sized gymtorium, which
seats 1000 and converts into an audito-
rium. There are banquet facilities, small
national sec
tity policy and on the Middle East and
the Arab world.
Among the signers arc six of the
last seven presidents of the American
Political Science Association (APSA) and
Professors who teach in more than 150
colleges and universities in 40 states.
esides Prof. Posen, the main or-
ganizers included Stanley Kaufman of
the University of Delaware; Michael
Brown, director of Security Studies at
Georgetown University; Michael Desch,
who holds the Robert M. Gates Chair
in Intelligence and National Security
Decision-Making at the Bush School of
government at Texas A&¢M University;
and Jessica Stem, at the Kennedy School
of Government at Harvard University,
who also served in a senior counter-ter-
rorism post in the National Securi
Council during the former Clinton ad.
ministration.
“I think it is telling that so many
specialists on international relations,
who rarely agree on anything, are uni-
fied in their position on the hi h costs
that the U.S. is incurring from this wat,”
said Robert Keohane of Duke Univer-
sity in North Carolina.
Their critique mirrors an unprec-
edented statement released by 27 re-
tired (op-ranking foreign service and
military officials in June, many of whom
said they had voted for Pres, Bush in
the 2000 election.
The 27, called “Diplomats for.
Change,” accused the administration of
leading the country “into an ill-planned
and costly war from which exit is un-
certain.” As their name suggested, they
called for Pres. Bush to be defeated in
2004.
The new statement’ signatories also
include a number of retired governmens
officials, some career military and foreign
service officers, and political appointees in
Democratic and Republican administra.
tions, who are currently working at col-
leges and universities,
Much of their critique echoes ar-
guments voiced by Democratic presi-
ential candidate John Kerry who, in
recent weeks, has pounded away at al-
leged failures in the way Pres, Bush has
prosecuted the “war on terrorism,” par-
ticularly with respect to Iraq,
Miésionary’s New
Center Opens To e Public....
‘a
{Complimentary Issue
Please Take One
Retail Value: 50 Cents)
Issue 13 - October 16 - 31, 2004
get out the vote forum
hop music as a catalyst for educa-
tion advocacy and other societal con-
cerns fundamental to the well be-
ing of at-risk youth throughout the
United States.
Among HSAN’s major initia:
tives is Hip-Hop Team Vote, a 50-
city grassroots force that worked
throughout 2Q04 to register and
mobilize young voters across the
country.
Russell and his ventures are
driven by a personal and corporate
belief that hip-hop is an enormously
influential agent for social change,
which must be responsibly and
proactively utilized to fight the war
on poverty and ignorance.
Russell and his wife Kimora Lee
have two daughters, Ming Lee and
Aoki Lee.
at DVUCRC
cated and committed to public service.
For a complete intenienary, refer
to the ad on page 12.
Family
meeting room, 4 bookstore, commercial
kitchen and an executive board room
available for community use at most rea-
sonable costs,
This facility is being booked for re-
ligious convocations, family reunions,
large birthday parties, music concerts
and other public and private gatherings.
urity expert
“We judge that the current Ameri-
can pol- icy centred around the war in
Iraq is the most, misguided one since
the Vietnam period, one which harms
the; cause of the against extreme
Islamist terrorists,” S3FP writes, *
“One result has been a great dis-
tortion in me terms of public debans on
foreign and national security policy—
anemphasis on speculation instead of
facts, on mythology instead of caleula-
tion and on misplaced moralizing over
considerations of national interest.”
The letter noted that “many of me
justifications” provided by the adminis-
tration for the Iraq war, including charges
of an operational relationship between al-
Qaeda and former Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein and his p for weapons of
mass destruction D), have proven
“untrue” and that North Korea and Pa-
kistan pose much greater risks of nuclear
proliferation to terrorists,
“Even on moral grounds, the case
for war was dubious: the war itself has
Killed over a thousand Americans and
unknown thousands of Iraqis, and if
the threat pf civil war becomes reality,
ordinary Iraqis could be even worse off
than they were under Since the inva-
sion, policy errors “haye created a situa-
tion in Iraq worse than it need-ed to
be,” adds the letter, which said the ad-
ministration ignored advice from the
Army Chief-of-Staff on the need for
many more U.S. troops to
tovideSecurity and from the State
partment and other U.S, ies on
how reconstruction could be carried
out.
“Asa result, Iraqi popular dismay
at the lack of security, iobe or reliable
electric power fuels much of the violent
ificeee to the U.S. military presence,
while the war itself has drawn in terror-
ists from outside Iraq.”
While Saddam Hussein's removal
was “desirable,” according'to the schol-
ars, the actual benefit to the United
States was “small,” particularly because
IraqPosed far less of a threat to the
United States or its allies than the ad.
ministration had asserted,
Could Clarence
by Jeste Jackson
‘ Aaron ’McGruder’s Boondocks
got i igi A recent cartoon strip
‘showed Donald Rumsfeld talking
about how an “election in only
three-fourths or four-fifths of the
reason” would be “better than not
having an election at all.” “And
now, “Russfeld says, “ I'd like to
switch and talk about Iraq.”
In the United States, we are les
than two away from the elec-
tion and already it is clear that
strenuous efforts are being made’ to
intimidate, impede and , the
vote of minorities, ey Af-
rican Americans. If the intimida-
tors have their way, we'll have a
vote in which as much as a fourth
of the country’s citizens will have
to Overcome barriers in order to
vote. Iraq will have nothing on us.
Voter suppression has been a
technique Sel both parties. But
today, the Republican Party, which
built its majority by becoming a
whites-only party across the South,
has a particular stake in su press:
ing the minority vote. Repub icans
know that if African Americans and
Latinos vote in large numbers, their
race-bait politics becomes a liabil-
ity, not strength. So they are un-
lashing the modem version of Jim
Crow voter suppression tech-
niques. Consider the following:
In Florida—yes Florida once
more— Governor Jeb Bush and his
partisan election commissioner
tried to enforce a biased list of fel-
Iwasa bold move even ieee
Hill standards; the Republican led House
of Representatives voted on October 5
to break up the 9th Circuit U.S. Court
of Appeals. In a 205-194 vote, the GOP
a vote to split the more pro-
gressive circuit as part of a larger
ships The bil cals free ee
ships. The bill calls for separating ifor-
niaand Hawaii into a separate circuit. The
seven other states that make up the 9th
Circuit would be split into two new juris-
dictions: one to hear appeals from Ari-
zona, Idaho, Montana and Nevada; and
a for cases coming out of Alaska,
Oregon, and Washington, =
| The 9th Circuit has been a consis-
nation under God.” Many Republicans
claimed the House bill was simply an
‘ fo ease a growing court ari load
ue to the circuit's growing tion.
It was clear, however, that ‘ideological
differences was what was driving sup-
porters of the bill.
Though the bill was o posed by
California Cox Arnold Sch :
and a majority of the sitting judges on
the 9th Circuit, the simple fact that it
was put up for a vote, and passed, dem-
onstrated the degree to which control of
the federal judiciary is a critical issue in
the presidential election. The fact that
such a blatantly political maneuver was
orchestrated suggests that filling vacan-
Dear Editor:
Is North Carolina ready for a cata-
strophic event related to a terrorist attack
Upon state government? Lately, we have
scen plans for medical evacuations for mass
casilalties and hospitals computerizing co-
ordination of disease and clinical informa-
tion (for possible biological attacks?). These
Tons of e
By Louis Charbonneau
VIENNA (Reuters) - Nearly 380
tons of explosives are missing from a site
* near Baghdad that was part of Saddam
Hussein's dismantled atom bomb
programme but was never secured by
the U.S. military, the United Nations
says.
The head of the U.N.’s nuclear
Mohamed ElBaradei, will im-
iately report the matter to the U.N.
S il, a spokeswoman for the
said om Monday,
ives could po-
n
tentially be used to
weapon or in conventional
He Bade has decided to inforti
the Security Council aor spokes-
woman Meli !
The New York Times, which broke
_ tobe another meltdown
ons to exclude voters, including ©
thousands Py Aftican Americans panes seters bap sh
werent felons while having vir- from voti en they 't pro-
no Cuban Americans of the vide 0 1Ds, which they wang |Z
tee They ot Ame Republican). uired to present under state or -
Bush has also insisted on using vot- federal law. :
ing machines that have no aper *In Kentucky this Jub, even
record, and are easily manipulated. Black Republican officials jected
Former president Jimmy Carter said _ to their State GOP party chairman's
he Not serve as an election ob- _ plans to place “vote challengers” in
server in Florida because ’ the
Governor's system failed to meet
minimal international standards for
free elections. The Civil Rights
Commission reported thatsin 2000,
Black voters in Florida were 10.
times more likely than non-Black
voters to have their ballots rejected
and were often prevented from vot-
ing because their names were erro-’
fo purged from registration
ists.
In the rawing state of Michi-
an this summer, Republican state
Rep. John Pappageorge was quoted
in the Detroit Free Press as saying,
“If we do not suppress the Detroit
vote, we're going to have a tough
time in this election.” African
Americans comprise 83 percent of
Detroit’s population.
*In the critical state of Ohio,
the Republican election official, fac.
ing a record wave of voter registra-
tion in minority communities, ruled
that no registrations would be ac-
cepted if not printed 09 thick, 80-
und stock paper. Registrars now
ave a backlog of thousands in try-
ing to mail new registration forms
cies on the federal bench will be an ex-
contentious process in the 109th
Congress under the next president.
There are currently 28 vacancies and
21 nominations pending for seats on
the federal bench.
Supreme Court and the Shadow
of Florida
With the presidential election just
about a week away, risyoe is once
in turning toward the United States
Supreme Court as its role in determin-
ing the eed the tye is
in dispute. Judging number
of states that are already ing vot-
ing issues, the introduction of electronic
ces ofthe high Coun mayne
again be at the center of determin ini
ms “hil the next White House.
or Diack voters in particular it is a
potential outcome that would only fur-
ther undermine confidence in the
cratic process. While there is legitimate
reason to hold the Gore campaign in
contempt for its feeble defense of Black
voting rights after the 2000 vote tally,
the manner in which the Court inter.
confirmed the suspicions of many
Blacks that the federal judiciary had be-
come hostile territory. That opinion is
still held by many Blacks despite the
Supreme Court's split ruling on affir-
mative action in the University of Michi-
gan cases.
And while Florida casts a large
shadow over'the Court, the composi-
tion of the nation’s highest court is at
stake in the election. Presently, as con-
Is NC State Go
are excellent steps for dealing with an inci-
dent -AFTER the fact, but what are we do-
ing to prevent an incident - BEFORE the
- fact?
NC Government has a vulnerability that
is not being addressed. Because ou state
government, including Departments of Rev-
enue, Motor veh Insurance, and Edu-
cation, is centralized in Raleigh, we are wide-
open for major problems should there be a
terrorist “dirty bomb”, a biological microbe
release, or a nuclear incident at Sharon Har-
ris Nuclear Plant. Many state offices would
not be able to be staffed, due to casualties
and fear of employees to report to work. In
addition to the human toll of such an at-
tack, there would be a long term, crippling
disruption of povernment services
tions that include health, education, safety,
and commerce. One answer: Disperse our
government offices from the mountains to
the coast. As a military commander would
spread out his or her troops and equipment
xplosives
the story on Monday, said U.S. ns
experts feared the explosives could be
used in bombing attacks against U.S. or
Iraqi forces, which have come under in-
creasing fire ahead of Iraq's elections due
in January.
The U.N.’s nario sama
E (IAEA n barred
fromenos of lng since the war and has
watched from afar as its former nuclear
sites have been systematically stripped by
Fleming said ElBaradei informed
Washington of the seriousness of the
matter on October 15 after learning
about the di ¢ of the explo-
‘istrars refuse to set up regis-tration
Thomas Be the
the file
to those
*In hotly contested South
Dakota's June 2004 primary, Native
African-American precincts during
the coihing elections. — .
*In 2003 in Philadelphia,
voters in African American areas
were systematically challenged by
men carrying clipboards, driving a
fleet of some 300 sedans with mag-
netic signs designed to look like law
enforcement insignia.
*In elections in Baltimore in
2002 and in Georgia last year, Black
voters were ilies saying any-
one who hadn't paid utility bills or
had outstanding arking tickets or
were behind on their rent would be
arrested at polling stations. .
*In majority Black colleges
across the South, students are too
often told erroneously that they can’t
vote where they go to school, Reg-
and voting booths on campus, hop-
ing to discourage student turnout.
Earlier this year in Waller Coun j
Texas, a local district attorney to!
students at a majority Black college
in the county where the school is
located— the same county where 26
years earlier, a federal court order
that they were not cligible to vote i
structed, the Supreme Court is precari-
ously balanced by the unpredictable
posture of Associate Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor. All but two of the sitti jus-
tices were appointed by Republican
residents; with Justice Ginsburg and
ustice Breyer appointed by President
Clinton. Three members of the Court,
Chief Justice Rehn uist, Justice
O'Connor and Justice John Paul Stevens
could conceivably retire during the next
presidential term. If O’Connor steps
down the balance of the Court will be at
stake. Should Chief Justice Rehnquist call
it quits the next president will have the
opportuni to appoint the next head of
Court. Thar could mean, if Presi-
dent Bush is elected, the elevation of ei-
ther Justice Scalia or Justice Thomas, to
the position of Chief Justice. The presi-
dent pointed out the two
judges, the Court's two most conserva-
tive jurists, as role models for the indi-
viduals he would prefer on the bench.
Both men have been vociferous oppo-
nents of tive action.
The appointment of Thomas to
head the court would be a masterstroke
for President Bush in a second term, By
neutralizing the issue of race in Thomas
initial appointment to the Court,
licans set up the possibility for the Black
conservative to eventually serve as Chief
Justice. As the youngest member on the
bench, Thomas presents conservative
Republicans with the o rtunity to put
someone at the helm of the court who
could conceivably be there for close to
two decades. It would also allow Mr.
Bush to gain credit for appointing a Black
to avoid massive injury, North Carolina
should adopt a survival mentality in its plan-
ning. The 9/11 Commission report, re-
leased in early August, suggested the Num-
ber | problem was “lack of imagination’ -
not realizing that a terrorist attack was pos-
sible. We need to imagine BEFORE the
attack, not AFTER.
The necessity of dispersing govern-
ment can also be used to the state's advan-
tage. How? DOT personnel who handle
automobile titles could be located in two
locations outside Raleigh, same for the trea-
sury personnel, who handle tax returns. State
personnel offices in every branch of state
government, who are deemed vital to con-
tinuation of services, would be relocated
in counties with high unemployment and
low per capita income. Offices should be
relocated in downtown areas in leased build-
ings. Reallocation of jobs would give de-
pressed downtown areas economic activity
and help the tax base of those poorer coun-
already +. sencredd before —
deadline
was required to prevent discrimi-
nation against the students.
he Justice Department
should be aggressively investigating
these outrages under the oring
ts Act. But Attorney Gene
ohn Ashcroft is a rabid right-wing
epublican partisan who is no
stranger to voter suppression. As
to the ultimate judicial post whiledeny- a Patriot Act II, ifenacted by Congress.
ing that race layed a role in the selec- Continued issues revolving around
tion. It would also put many Blacks in voting rights makes the composition of
the awkward, albeit not al st diffi- the judiciary under the next president
cult, position of opposing the nomina- critical. The Florida debacle in 2000,
tion of the first African American Chief and in other states such as Illinois, re-
Justice, = vealed the vulnerability of the nation’s
Issues at Stake: Affirmative Action, election infrastructure. The disputed vote
Civil Liberties, and Voting Rights count exposed the many ways in which
The Supreme Court term undera the ballot can be invalidated, and the,
second Bush administration could pose degree to which Black and Latino voters
some serious chall to the mainte- are di ised. The onset of electronic
nance of policies affording Blacks oppor- voting in many states could send many
tunity. The near-death Se, elections to the courts for resolution. A
University of Michigan affirmative ac- more conservative judiciary might be less
tion cases, 9a reconstituted bench enthusiastic in the enforcement of the
during a Bush second tetm might be
more Ekely to put a nail in the eta to
p designed to level the playi
eld. This scenario could particularly
prove true if Justice O’Connor were to
eave the bench and be replaced by a
conservative jurist. «
Equally of concern are cases involy-
ing abuses of civil liberties in the new
anti-terrorism environment. President
Bush's calls for the extension of the USA
Patriot Act is raisi concerns among civil
rights advocates who fear certain provi-
sions of the controversial law encroach
upon the rights of Americans. The courts
have given the administration some lee-
way in the implementation of the Pa-
triot Act but concerns remain that its use
far exceeds its stated Purpose of combat-
ing terrorism, and ventures into creati
a police state in the nation. Should Mr
Bush win, and he has the opportunity
to further shape the federal judiciary, it
could become more difficult to challenge
ties, thus increasing income revenues for edu-
cation, etc., and decreasing the amounts of
funds the state has to sup t.
An advantage for Raleigh? Yes, through
property taxes, that the state does not cur-
rently pay, Raleigh could gain from private
ownership of these properties. The state
should be able release itself ofp ies gen-
erating one time monies, and Raleigh weld
acquire revenue-productive properties.
The state would not have to appropri-
ate some of the monies for maintenance prop-
erties, as dispersed government offices will
be leased. Landlords will be responsible for
the infrastructure of those buildings.
Would this course of action solve all
roblems? No - however, this plan seems to
Ee prudent, which will help on many differ-
ent levels by alleviating several problems at
the same time. One or two jobs in
the right locations would make a huge dent
in the poverty levels of many NC counties,
Winstoa Churchill tried to warn the
missing from Iraq
device as a detonator”.
Prior to the March 2003 invasion
of Iraq, the HMX had been sealed and
t with the [AEA emblem while
being stored at Al Qaqaa.
Faq was permitted to keep some of
its explosives for mining purposes after
the completed its dismantling of
Saddam's covert nuclear weapons
programme after the 1991 Gulf war,
Fleming said HMX also had civil-
ian and conventional milita applica-
tions. In the months prior to the second
Gulf war, the IAEA was.certain that
none of the dual-use materials were be-
ing used in a nuclear weapons
, Diplomats at the IAEA have
warned that materials useable in nuclear
weapons could easily be shipped out of
i
Iraq and sold to countries like Iran or
terrorist groups believed to be interested
in acquiring nuclear weapons,
Us. FAILED TO SECURE
KNOWN NUCLEAR SITE
The New York Times report cited
White House and Pentagon officials —
as well as at least one Iraqi minister — as
acknowledging that the explosives van-
ished from the site shortly aher the U.S.-
led invasion amid widespread looting,
The minister of science and technol-
ogy, Rashad M. Omar, confirmed the ex-
plosives were missing in an interview with
lhe Times and € BS Television in
Baghdad.
A Western diplomat close to the
IAEA, who declined to be named, cai's
was difficult to understand why the U.S.
military had failed to secure facility
despite knowing how sensitive the site
was,
De os
mo
Governor of Missouri, he vetoed
two efforts to correct biased regis-
tration provisions between St Louis
County (then mostly white) and St
Louis City (half African American).
The Kerry campaign and out-
side groups are organizing voter
rotection efforts and batteries of
Lawyers to help those who have their
Voting Rights Act, in areas of voter pro-
tection and legislative redistricting.
The Appointments Process: Expect
an All-Out Brawl
The election of the next president is
certainly critical to the issue of the compo-
sition of the federal judiciary but equally
important is the question of the Senate
majority in the 109th Congress. As the
house of Congress that vets judicial ap-
pointments, the control of the Senate will
drive the type of j appointed to sit
is expected to have a paper- jority
on the Court; should Republican 2 main-
tain control and President Bush is reelected,
the appointment of so-called “strict con-
structionists” to the a old be ex-
pected. These are j 0 hold a very
narrow and pies view of the Con-
rights, affirmative action,
while restricting rights in
vernment Vulnerable?
British government in the 1930s of the po-
tential danger of inaction in the face of a
rising storm in Germany. It would be wise
for NC government to consider the conse-
quences of inaction now. It would be in-
cumbent of citizens to ask their Chamber
of Commerce, politicians (mayors, county
and city commissioners, State Representa-
tive and Senators, and candidates) what js
their position of decentralizing state gov-
ernment? Have you thought about conse-
quences of no plan? In the realm of imagi-
nation, these are valid, serious, pertinent
questions to ask, given the world we live in
today. In this writer's opinion, the clock is
ticking. Will North Carolina be ready if
the fire bell rings? I hope so.
Jerry Williford
Oxford, NC
Mr Williford is a career Transpotation Spe-
cialist and a recent candidate for the US
Housee of Representative, District 8
“This was a very well known site. If
you could have picked a few sites that
you would have to secure then ... Al
Qaqaa would certainly be one of the main
ones,” the diplomat said,
.S. national security adviser
Condoleezza Rice was informed about
the missing explosives only within the
last month, the Times said, addin that
it was unclear whether U.S. President
Compe W. Bush was aware.
‘ ee officials said on
y : roup, the Cen-
tral Intelli =e Agency tas force that
searched for unconventional weapons,
had been capri to investigate the dis-
appearance, r said.
Vienna diplonvecs a said the IAEA
had suaioned Soy ied States =~
0 osives before
tight to vote challenged. But Jim
Crow tactics only get reversed when
their victims organize and move
together. We need a new movement
for voting rights in this country,
Those who seek to tamper with this
basic right are unfit for office.
SOURCE: The Los Angeles
Sentinel |
Next Chief Justice Under t Bush II
The control of Congress will drive
the composition of the Senate Judiciary
Committee, the panel that approves
presidential judicial appointments. In
recent years the path of court nominees
more resembled a tawdry wrestling
match, akin to the type on television fea.
turing grown men in outlandish outfits,
than a legislative process. This has par-
ticularly been the case when Republi-
cans have controlled the White House
and the sitting president put forth nomi-
nees to the right of the political spec-
trum. President '§ unsuccessful
attempt to elevate Ju Robert Bork to
the Supreme Court set off a nasty and
divisive partisan battle on Capitol Hill
that set the stage for the fight over
Clarence Thomas under the current
president's father.
If Democrats can capture the Senate
they will have an opportunity to use the
Judiciary Committee to prevent the most
conservative j from bei
Should the COBces mee ere
Vative judicial nominations will probably
make their way to the Senate floor and
Democrats will | be forced to use legislative
maneuvers to prevent their approval.
However, ari ae ; their own in-
ternal struggle ping “Blue Dog” con-
servative Democratic
from southern states, from jumping ship
That
and voting with the
was the case with the vote on the appoint-
ment of Justice Clarence Thomas to the
Court as Democratic senators cast favor-
able votes for President George H.W, Bushis
appointee.
The
Minority Voice
Newspaper
is Published by
The Minority Voice, Inc.
Jim Rouse Publisher/
Founder
Managing Editor
Gaius 0. Sims, St.
Home Office
405 Evans Sr,
P.O. Box 8361
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Phone: (252) 757-0365
Fax: (252) 757-1793
The Minority Voice is
affiliated with
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Greenville NC.
Wm. Clark. Gen. Mgr.
and WTOW Radio,
Washington, NC.
Our Subscription
Rates Are A
$40/year or
$20/Half Year
by George E. Carry and Hazel ‘Trice
‘WASHINGTON (NNPA) - avi
Support, President George W. is
expected to appoint three or four Right-
wing judges to the Supreme Court, a
evi | teed to eventually
move
programs to
offset the $1.9 trillion tax cuts over the
next decade and a $422 billion deficit
from his first term, political experts and
“He won't have any reason to do
“anything for Black »” explains Ron
faltets, a political scientist at the Uni-
“versity of Maryland. “There was a mas-
sive Black vote against him. However,
, (incumbents) don’t face any competi-
: tion. He doesn‘ really have to play games
* in Order to get re-elected, so it’s conceiv-
able that he might, although I don’t ex-
yo. Former m id F Ican-
pton doesn't think there is
.a remote ikeli oving be-
-yond his tight circle of conservative ad-
~visers,
“ “Letsall head to the airport and get
-out of the country,” Sharpton says, face-
~tiously. “T think we are in for some seri-
cous times. He will appoint judges to the
«Supreme Court that I think will try to
“erode some of the gains we made under
-the Civil Rights Movement and he
»clearly will have economic policies that
‘will reward the rich. If there ever was a
~time that we had to gear up activism and
put pressure on Congress like we've never
done before, now is the time.”
In an all-night electoral vote
enger ohn Kerry in Ohio, gainin
enon votes eo clbach his recone
4 ite a Joint Center for Political
and Economic Studies poll purportedly
2 Pe =
Me
GPT spat meni
: out
nine ursewie
“and why speak out now? Well, in these
crilous times, it's time for all of us to
“come clean and address the behind-the-
scenes of this hidden world that no civil-
_ian knows about unless they sign their
“name on the dotted line.
' [served in the military for eight
“years. I went into, of all branches, the
“N Nou figure, afer the last boat ride
Affikan were forced to take, what
in the world would me to join
the Navy? Well, I had a better chance at’
travel and I hate DIRT! Yeah, the Na
has planes like the Air Force. I still don't
like planes.
I need to make a few things very
clear:
When you take the oath once all
The Black Top 10: Black
By Darryl James
‘ One of
— — the most
arin
problems
ing Afri-
can Ameri-
cans is the
media’s love
affair with
Blacks, nal
ially Blac
men Th
love having
us on the
news, but
. largely relegaed the coverage
is ted to perpetual poverty,
“crime and other “bad behavior W ile
we are neither the dominant nor the
majority tion, the negative media
‘corenge bdo high when
it comes to us,
__ Many of our other difficulties stem
from that poor media coverage, which
‘leads many to believe that there are more
of us doing bad things than there really
. are. It also leads many to the belief that,
accordingly, there are less of us doing
Bruins Rest things excep for thos
laughing Negroes on UPN.
. __ Ttis no secret that African Ameri-
‘Cans have an image problem. It is also no
+’ Secret that the media misrepresents Afri-
- can Americans. What is ostensibly a se-
cret is that man of the most egregious
“things being said about Black pork
being perpetuated by Black e.
n another Black Top Fen lise, I'd
“Tile to dispel some of those myths.
‘ Sanne these are the top ten
, nar. deen people should stop say-
Ang about Black people:
The Top Ten Black Myths
—_ are more Black men in
prison than in :
ee a
versus O ng Black men
Prec htie freed. b men
late teens
a comparison of
of college age, which
“to the early twenties. .
thre ar actualy more Back mesic
4
LE Ae eee ate | ae oa ar
A Black vete
Ppen. right’ Well, I wasn't always
vipa
*
showing George Bush enjoying 18 per
and Republican Party Chairman Ed
Gilg of 25 percent of
the Black vote, exit polls showed that
oly ard y sane
of the Black vote, up o percent
from four : ‘
rlling ev-
branch of government’- executive,
legislative andjadicial- Buch eal
more of a conservative legacy than
Ronald Regan’scight years in the White
House during the 1980s.
Nowhere will that be more evident
than on the U.S.
Bush is d to fill three or four
vacancies on the United States Supreme
Court. Of the nine justices, only
Clarence Thomas, 56, is younger than
65 years old. ion about possi
retirements from the court has
on Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist,
80, who has been treated for thyroid
cancer, and Justices John Paul Stevens,
84, and Sandra Day O'Connor, 74,
Seven of the nine justices were ap-
pointed by Republican presidents and
most civil rights victories, such as last
year’s University of Michigan law school
mative action case, have beensde-
cided by 5 to 4 votes, with Justive
O’Connor usually being the swing vote.
Bush has ledged to appoint judges in
the mold of Clarence Thomas and
Antonin Scalia, two of the most conser-
vative members of a conservative court.
Because federal judges are given life-long
appointments, the court can rebuff, pro-
Sressive initiatives for another half-cen-
tury.
“Expect more Right-wing hostili
toward civil ri papi justice,
warns Jesse Jackson, who ran for presi-
dent twice in the 1980s, “Expect more
attempts to buy our leadership. We must
resist at every level attempts to stack the
courts with Right-wing judges, when
they seek to use FC tulings to mo-
nopolize the media, when they seek to
court decisions against our inter-
our physicals are done, the SECOND
TIME youtake theouhrohor one
NOT the first time. For those of you in
ig school, when you sign up, you have
Seize the time! os
Secondly, the Montgomery GI bill
does NOT pay for all of your college
education. It does you, but it doesn’t
cover bi entire bill. You rites com
out of your pockets and living on other
scholarships and loans in oie to pay for
your education.
ROTC is the only way your educa-
tion is paid for in full. In return for that,
you must give back time. In other words,
after four years of education, you must
_SPmaimit to at least four to six years of
active service time.
If you do not complete school, you
must pay all of that money back. Yes, all
of it! If you fail a class, you have to pay
that money back as well. For those of
you who want an education through the
military, do your research!
of co » than in prison, and of
pel ane more Black men out of
prison than in prison.
The misleading “evidence” comes
from studies such as the one conducted
in 2000 by the Justice Policy Institute
(JPI), a Washington-based research
roup. JPI found that there were
91,600 Black men in jail or prison and
“only” 603,032 of them in colleges or
universities, also presented the find-
ings as “evidence’’ as that there were more
Black men in prison than in college.
Any of us can do the math: Out of
the 33.7 million African Americans that
the 2000 census found, less than one b
million are in jail or prison (.792 mife “\ program. For example,
lion).
The reality is that while there are
too many of us in prison and more of us
isthere then aches, there are NOT more
of us on the inside than on the outside.
2. Black people, particularly Black
men are lazy.
False. How can a people who built
Py suddenly
this nation and did it
me the laziest people in the nation?
According to the US Census Bu-
reau, 68.1% of all Black men over the
age of 16 are in the civilian labor force,
compared to 73% of white men. With
more of us are still working than sitting
at home.
Here's something else that’s inter-
i Cecording to the same stats from
the US Census, 62.3% of Black women
over the age of 16 are working, while
only 59.9% of white women are,
ile the majority of poor people
in America are Black, the majority of Black
Of the 3
le are NOT poor. 3.7 mil-
foe Blaha inthis een a million have
incomes below the poverty line.
Now, what we do with our money
is another story...
3, Black people abuse the Welfare
system and are swelling it beyond capac-
ity.
¥ False. First, the actual number of
Black families on Welfare has been de-
ing since the early 1970's, when
46% of the recipients were Black, By the
“ARY: Bush is
+ ests. We must be more vigilant, more
ad and more resistant than ever.
This will be a difficult period, but we | / aamnan
still have resourceful people. We have a
lot to fight back with.”
P ives will need that and
more. Although Bush complained
about the Senate rejecting some of his
conservative nominees for judges - in-
cluding some considered too extreme
by fellow conservatives on the bench -
Bush got his nominees confirmed at a
higher rate than Bill Clinton. And there
is no doubt that by the time he leaves
office, the Supreme Court and every
ee ceniela
nat -appointed j
likely to be bo ana poate
civil and human rights. .
term that he doesn't mind
“compassionate conservative” while
firmly opposing even mild affirmative
action p Such as the one prac-
ticed by the University of Michi
Law School. Before it was upheld bya
conservative Supreme Court, Bush sent
his solicitor general into court to
Michigan’s undergraduate an law
school: :
The é curt, ona5-4 vote, upheld |
the law school’s admissions process and
rejected the undergraduai
a statement issued after the rulin Bush
praised the Supreme Court for uphold-
ing the concept of diversity, even
though his administration argued
against the program approved by the
court.
Instead of favoring affirmative ac-
tion, Bush will continue to back what
he calls race-neutral approaches to di-
versity,
He told a group of journalists on
August 6, “...in terms of admissions
policy, race-neutral admissions policies
ought to be tried. If they don't work, to
achieve an objective which is diversifj-
cation, race ought to be a factor.” Bush
has made it clear throughout his presi-
dency that he believes race-neutral ap-
proaches have been effective.
Thirdly, the military tells you that
you can belie be, Not true!
You will be all THE GOVERNMENT
wants you do be, What do they want
it and complacent, Th
you to remain quiet about issues
ih oHfct you. In English, protesting is
OUT! It took the Armed Forces until
1994 to allow Black women to wear
It's not just a job; it’s an adventure,
huh? It’s a job to manipulate you into
inking that civilian life is worthless. In
for three meals a day and free
room and board (depending on where
you are stationed), you get free clothing
too. Damn, sounds like jail, right?
The recruiters have to a quota
each month in order for the military to
thrive. They tell you anything to get
you in. They will say anything to you
to keep you in. If you're a young, naive
high school kid thinking this is thie way
to go because school can get paid for,
end of the 20th century, that number
was down to 39%, as compared to 38%
whites who were non-Hispanic. If the
comparison were strictly based on race
without ethnic identification, whites
clearly outnumber Blacks on the Wel-
fare rolls,
In addition, 40% of the families
on Welfare have only one child, while
the number having five or more is only
4%. And, by the last decade of the
20th century, Welfare accounted for just
over 2% of the Federal Budget, while
defense accounted for 24%,
Benefit programs for farmers and
ig businesses far outweigh the Welfare
S Airways was
recently given permission to tap into a
$718 million federally guaranteed loan
package to fund daily operations while
in, bankruptcy proce ings. Who is
abusing welfare?
4. Most Black men are married to
white women.
False. As of 1998, interracial mar-
riages composed of a white person and
a Black Person accounted for only .6%
of all marriages in the nation. Of all in-
terracial marriages, only 16% are Black
male to white female.
5. Affirmative Action unfairly pro-
vides opportunities for Blacks,
False. First, Affirmative Action is
inappropriately used to define Black
seheeetl treatment and “quotas” but
it was actually designed to benefit a
number of groups who have been dis-
criminated crea ity in the
workplace. Rice the 1970, Atirns
tive Action has benefited white women
more than any other group. Secondly,
no one who perpetuates this myth ever
talks about other of Affirmative
Action, which bencht other races, For
example, the Japanese descendants in
erica, who were each rewarded
$20,000 in 1988 as reparations for in-
ternment during WWil or the legacy
programs which benefit people such as
the current dimwit in the white house.
6. Let's kill two ignorant rumors
with the pursuit of truth: Poor Blacks
would be better off if they stopped us-
te program. In
iknglikes |i.
However, the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights and other groups have con-
ducted studies showing that the so-
called race-neutral approach used by
public universities in Texas and Califor-
nia, for example, are not as effective as
race- and nder conscious remedies,
At the University of Michigan,
which now operates an affirmative ac.
tidn un uate admissions p
less rigid than last year's, Black student
enrollment has declined in the wake the
court decisions. This year's freshmen
class, the first admitted after the Supreme
Court forced Michigan to change its un-
ran speaks out
think again. When you go to boot camp,
the best mind games are played there.
They break you down into what you were
and mold you into somebody else. Pro-
military. That's afact aan
Most importantly, to all you veter-
ans out there: if you are not aged 55 and
Over, you served in the military, and you
have a necessary skill that they might need
in this war, get this quick! The potential
to call you is still there! I just found this
out from a non-profit organization called
Black Veterans for Social Justice. I can
verify this information, too!
Am I proud that I served in the mifi-
tary? Am I bragging about being a vet-
eran? The answer is a unanimous NO to
both of those questions. I am informin
you of this so that you are better informed
about this hidden world that no one
wants to discuss openly.
this in mind: most military
eerpel once they are in the service full-
time, really do not know what's really
ing drugs and took better care of their
Se on Blacks need re stop
ushing drugs to their own people.
, Fake. This one always contuses me,
because Blacks can't even distribute their
own movies or music, yet still get blamed
for importing and distributing ILLEGAL
drugs. Ifa Black man can’t drive down
the street without bein racially profiled
and stopped, what makes anyone think
that he could fly a planeload of drugs
into the nation and distribute them from
state to state and city to ci? The drug
dealers in the ‘hood make a lot of money,
but nowhere near the cash generated by
the true drug lords who import it and
distribute it to inner cities across the na-
tion.
7. Blacks suffer from Black on Black
crime.
True, but misleading. Whites also
suffer from white on white crime. Many
crimes, including murder, rape and rob-
bery are crimes o location, not color, Ac-
cording to the Bureau of Justice Statis-
tics, 85% of African Americans report
another Black person as the perpetrator
of the crime and 80% of white murders
were committed by other whites. How-
ever, when race does play a role in crime,
the victims of violent crimes are more
likely to be Black, while the perpetrators,
are more likely to be white.
lacks commit more crimes than
whites.
False. Neo-Conservative Whites and
self-hating Blacks notwithstanding, the
reality of racism in the justice system has
to be understood in order to get into the
reasons for the high number of Blacks in
prison.
In an assessment of the impact of
crime on minority communities, the Na-
tional Minority Advisory Council on
Criminal Justice rena inti that “America
is a classic example of heavy-handed use
of state and ee power to control mi-
norities an a oe their continuing
Opposition to the hegemony of white rac.
ist ideology,”
Further, according to “The Real War
on Crime,” a report by the National
Criminal Justice Commlaion, “African-
- dergraduate admissions policy,
{
OE AOR LT SEITEN AEG tans scetes
fell by 14
percent, from 410 in 2003 (7.4 percent
of the enrollment) to 350 this year (5.8
percent).
Because of last year's ruling, some
universities are eliminating or radically
tering programs designed to increase
enrollment.
Unless he makes a radical change,
Bush will continue to circumvent legiti-
mate African-American leaders, relying
on Blacks with conservative credentials
but no recognized standing in the larger
k community.
“Expect four more years of benign
neglect,” says Donna Brazile, Manager
of Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaion,
“Expect four more years of a host re.
tionship, four more years of not havin
anybody inside the White House to tall
to. The White House has made it abun-
dantly clear that if you're not with the |
president, you're against him, whether
it's terrorists or Democrats in Washing-
ton. That's a sad position.
“We're not looking for any changes
with George Bush because George Bush
has made it clear that he doesn't want
CONTINUE ON PAGE 6
ing on out here. When I left for Desert
torm in 1990, they fed us the pro-
American BS that goes with being a ser-
vice person. They also did not involve
themselves in the real politics of what
was happening. They told us: “You are
here to serve your country fighting this
war.” They never talked to us a out
fpemnical warfare.or.none of the things
at
rich man’s war,
Hnverestingly enough, I was watch-
ing a press conference with that puppet
Colin Powerless, If he is nota puppet, I
have no idea what he is, He spoke and
claimed that the purpose of the war was
to rid Iraq of oppression and fear in the
lives of Iraqi people. Um, excuse me, Mr.
Powell, what about the war on.your own
people right here in Amerikkka? Any so-
utions how to stop the oppression here?
Maybe he should ask Massa Bush so he
can pull some more strings to make him
ce some more.
As an Afrikan woman, I don’t ap-
Plaud the decision for anyone to goin. I
really had a hard time fi ting their men-
tality because I didn’t know any better.
Once I began to rebuild what I had lost
are of concern with this upcoming
and become conscious, I became a threat
to them and dangerous in the Process, |
was almost dismissed off a vessel because
I was waking up the lost minds of my
brothers eee who wanted to wake
up like me. I couldn't see the politics,
but I was able to relate it to our history
andall the trials and tribulations we en-
__ Today, Ican shout what Chairman
Fred Hampton said: “Everything is po-
litical.” I thank so much those who po-
liticized me to where I can have the
strength to talk about this on an open
platform. It took alot of discussion and
Venting to get this out, but I don’t want
to see anyone of you make the mistake
that I did: and think that Amerikkka has
such a fine military. It doesn’t,
I challenge all my Black veterans
Out there to speak out, We must save
our people by any means n . You
Want to join an Army? Join the People's
Army and help fight the war and terror-
ism on Afrikan people on a daily basis!
UHURU! Power to the People!
Email Monique at
moniquecode@hotmail.com
American arrest rates for drugs during
the height of the ‘drug war’ in 1989 were
five times higher than arrest rates for
whites even though whites and African-
Americans were using drugs at the same
rate.
- Finally, by 1990, according to the
Federal Judicial Center, the average sen-
tences for African Americans for weap-
ons and drug charges were 49% longer
than for whites who had been convicted
of the same crimes. .
The simple truth is, more of “us”
may be in court, but more of “them” are
actually committing crimes,
9. Women outnumbering men in
college is a Black phenomenon,
False. According to the US Depart-
ment of Education, male undergradu-
ates account for 44 percent of student
population, while female undergradu-
ates account for 56 percent. This is not
race specific. There are some real reasons
for it and I will deal with it in an upcom-
ing column.
10. Black people are incapable of
sustaining businesses in their own com-
munities,
False. We had great success before
integration. In fact, by 1900, the num-
ber of African-American businesses na-
tionally, totaled 40,000, includin the
Greentield Bus Body Company, which
manufactured automobiles, and a hotel
in New York City valued at $75,000.
By 1908, we had 55 privately owned
banks. By 1912, there were two million-
aires, Madam C.J, Walker (hair care) and
R. R. Church (real estate),
By 1923, Tulsa, Oklahoma was
home to The Black Wall Street, an Afri-
can American community of 11,000,
Which featured nine hotels, nineteen res-
taurants and thirty-one grocery stores
and meat markets, ten medical doctors,
six lawyers, and five real estate and loan
insurance agencies, complete with five
private planes,
Okay, now there are the m and
the real stats to dispel them. Ue thon
to stop the spread of ignorance, even if it
has been spewing out of your very own,
mouth.
Darrly Jones columns a -
larly in the Los Angelos Sentinel, “
The
Minority Voice
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Susie Clemons
One could ask, who is Mr. Jeff Sav-
age, former Pitt County Commissioner,
to boldly proclaim on the WOOW morn.
ing call in show- on two occasions and in
as many weeks- “President Bush ain't
done nothing to the Black commani
equivalent to the Black Church, with
whom 1,000,000’s (millions) of dollars
have disappeared without charge of ac-
countability- WHERE THE MONEY
AT?” | thought to myself, “Now that’s
a hard one to swallow, he’s talking about
Black folks one last remaining symbolic
presence of Righteousness.” Goodness
this was major, Huge, BIG, sone kind of
UGLY and worthy of additional expla-
nation, facts, figures or something. With
my mind racing to and fro at arming
speeds, I surmised that our former
county commissioner had to be talking
about the gentrification of West
Greenville, and similar communities like
itacross the United States, right? I was
still waiting on Mr. Savage to announce
some numbers or some
trucker behind me behind began to blow
his horn and shout obscenities, Ad-
vancing into the traffic pattern I made a
mental note to look up the definition of
Gentrification for greater understanding
and clarity as I often confuse it with the
plight of the Negro share cropper- |
mean community cropper. I most defi-
nitely wanted to know if Savage's
“WHERE THE MONEY AT?’ state-
ment held water. | was still waiting for
Mr. Savage to give additional details,
numbers, facts or something to evidence
his remarks, when I heard a sizzling ra-
dio signal followed by Mr. Williams an-
nouncement that the morning show was
Over-on to gospel programming. Not
mach later, with re erence book in hand,
I had located the definition for
gentrification. According to the Con-
cise Columbia ia:
Gentrification: the re-
habilitation and settlement of decaying
urban area by middle- and high-income
people. Increasingly in the 1970’s and
80's, higher-income professionals drawn
by low cost housing and easy access to
downtown business areas, began to reno-
vate deteriorating city buil ings. This
Black Wealth in a
Forget the hoopla and ballyhoo cel-
ebrating Black faces in high places. The
median net worth of an African American
household i about $6,000, while white
households wield 14 times as much
wealth: more than $88,000. The disas-
trous details are contained in a report on
wealth disparities by the Pew Hispanic
Center, “The Wealth of Hispanic House-
holds: 1996 to 2002,” but the worst news
is for Blacks, one-third of whom have no
assets or a negative net worth.
The bottom fell out of Black wealth
accumulation in the deep recession of 2000
~ 2001, a downturn that hurt all ethnic
groups, but from which whites and His-
panics rapidly rebounded. Whites te-
couped their losses from the recession and
fattened their holdings by 17 percent be-
tween 1996 and 2002. Hispanics boosted
their meager household wealth to about
$7,900 during that period — stil only one
eleventh of white households, but almost
tully recovering the 27 percent loss they
suffered at the turn of the 21st century.
Blacks also lost 27 percent of their net
worth in 2000 - 2001, but got back only
5 percent in 2002. These Aftican Ameri-
can losses appear near-permanent, the re-
sult of the deindustrialization of the United
States’ the destruction of the Black blue-
collar workforce.
Hispanics, clustered in the low w
service sector, suffered less lasting effects.
However, for African Americans, the worst
Hews just keeps on coming, the legacy of
slavery and Jim Crow discrimination. As
Roderick Harrison, a researcher at the Joint
Center for Political and Economic Stud-
tes, told the Associated Press: “Wealth is a
measure of cumulative advantage or dis-
advantage. The fact that black and His-
NC Black Leadersh
by Peter Grear
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The NC
Black Leadership Caucus PAC endorsed
the following candidates in the upcom-
ing November 2nd general elections.
Ralph Campbell for North Carolina State
Auditor Wanda G. Bryant for the North
Carolina Court of peals and James A.
Wynn, Jr. for the North Carolina Su-
preme Court.
Special attention must be given to
the mechanics of voting. A voter must
vote separately for the president, the
othe vandidates in either party and for
|
\
| it also caused (es)
ing when the”
hoods and a rise in pro rty values, but
displacement rob-
lems among the area's poor Sti
many of them elderly and unable to
afford higher rents and property taxes.
If that ain't share cropping with a
hew name community cropping then
_ whatisit? Then it all made sense, for I
ve on too many occasions observed
folks riding through West Greenville
mentally locating spots for later excur-
ed renovated bungalows
and. These are faces and cars very much
absent from the normal dwellers on such
streets as Bancroft or Vanderbilt Lane
[save those regulars riding through the
hood” pimpin’ or picking up those dis-
eased looking steal who in full
regalia add to the eyesores of the prop-
erties held by slumlords]. Bungalow
living at its planned best can be found
in, 5 Points a quaint and historic section
, and no less lo-
of Raleigh, N
cated in the middle of Glenwood Ay-
enue and close to downtown. In that
area older bungalows are purchased and
renovated or torn down and rebuilt be-
cause the lots are generally nicely sized.
Selling prices before renovation or tear
down is often no less than 100,000 and
that’s on a bad day. No doubt land is at
a premium everywhere and the average
bungalow sits on enough property for
increased land value and increased house
value when both work for and not agai
the property owner, unlike West
Greenville In the middle of Raleigh’s 5
Points neighborhood are the cutest lil’
coffee shops and like businesses- not any
thing remotely similar to what we find
littered up and down -what we fought
to have named MLK Dr. here in
Greenville. So what would we rather
have in West Greenville slumlords and
raggedy prostitutes, or quaint lil’ bun-
zalows ued far more than are at present
with a Starbucks (with outdoor seating)
in the middle of the neighborhood? But
why do we have to sacrifice our homes,
our families, our friends, our history and
our collective selves to have a piece of
Greenville’s future? Must we always suf-
fer such a tragedy to move us as group
from one place to another? The oddi
of it all is that gentrification very much
like share crop ing is characteristic of
what occurs in larger northern Ghetto’,
Yet it was somehow summoned to west
Greenville and stayed till the job was
done- no matter the police sub stations,
roving patrol cars and the churches seem.
ingly scattered from block to block. No
doubt it’s about to pick up its spirit and
Move on to its next target. Thus the
Plight of the Withering Negro Commu-
“nity just as Mr. Savage sai calls for an
explanation about the whereabouts or
isappearance of collected community
charitable dollars. Is it safe to say a spiri-
tual battle of principalities and authori-
ties in high places was waged within this
45-block area of West reenville, for
which our community was ill prepared?
I just as you have heard much talk about
Sunday morning being one of the most
Panic wealth is a fraction of white wealth
also reflects a history of discrimination,”
It is a “reflection” in the American
mirror that whites don't want to see, be-
lieving in the vast majority that their privi-
lege and wealth has been earned — and at
no one else's expense. In truth, as Harvard
social demographer Dr. Michael A.
Dawson puts it, The racial structures in
the United States continue to this day to
produce wealth disparities,” Today, these
structures are working feverishly to dis-
lodge Blacks from their precarious perches
in the middle class. Yet whites remain im-
placably opposed to engaging in even a
iscussion of reparations, while continu-
ing to profit from “the inherited gift that
keeps on giving” (see , May 8, 2002).
Surfin through the recession with their
assets largely intact, white America pre-
tends that some malady of “culture” —
rather than the crimes of a nation — is what
holds African Americans back. And some
a fools believe pa laces
omfoolery in
‘There were epee of the
ional Black Caucus who took the
Position that the racial wealth dispari
was he othe misbehav ior of Black lks
says Dr. William “Sandy” Darity, recalling
events at the 2003 Black Caucus Week,
in Washington. Several silly Black lawmak.
ers theorized that wealth disparities could
be eliminated if only African Americans
would engage in less impulse buying and
save more money, said Darity, a Professor
of Public Policy Studies, African and Afti-
can American Studies and Economics at
Duke University. He continued: “In fact,
if you control for income, the Black sav.
ings rate is at least as high as the white
savings rate. There is some evidence to
the judicial candidates, THIS IS AT
LEAST A THREE STEP PROCESS.
Special attention must be given to the
judicial candidates to ensure that Wanda
G. Bryant and James A. Wynn, Jr. are
not overlooked.
In the judicial races the Republican
Party has endorsed a slate of Republican
judicial candidates. Although many of
us think that the Democratic Party should
have endorsed a slate of Democratic ju-
dicial candidates, with James A. Wynn,
Jr. endorsed for the Supreme Court, that
was not done. This puts the entire slate
of Democratic judicial candidates at risk
of th
7 led to the rebirth of many neighbor-
, phiaN
White
segregated mornings in America, is this
true of West Greenville? Can one there-
fore assumé that the disproportionate
number of churches located within its °
borders was all the invitation the spirit of
Gentrification needed.
Historically the question of how the
Black church is organized or prioritizes it
collections is nothing new. Which means
that Mr. Savage or others like him were
not the first ones to put it out there,
W.E.B Dubois was! Did you know that
in 1899 a young and internationally
educated sociologist named
William E. B. Dubois havi already
made quite a name for himself added yet
another accomplishment to his vita (re-
sume), the publication of “The Philadel-
” This body of work detailed
the quality of life fora roup of Negro
citizens living in Philadelphia's seventh
ward in 1896. What unfolds between
its 520 pages is a fascinatin rtrayal
detailing N egro attitudes nk work,
family life, the church, crime, education,
health and environment or living condi-
tions - at such time the N egro Church
was in its infancy and growing strong.
Dubois, without the help of a team of
research assistants, gathered information
by walking the neighborhood and talk-
ing to Black folk directly. The result of
his extensive research revealed, with ac-
curacy, our patterns, habits, current cir-
cumstances and foretold or predicted
future events; a body of published find-
ings that modern sociologist are quoted
as saying, are being made today. (New
York, 1996).
Of the many external bearings on
Negro life in the late 1890's, Dubois
wanted to know if the institution of the
church was doing all that it could to raise
the standard of Black life, in as much as
his research revealed that it held itself as
the center of which. However, before
disclosing specific information on the role
of the Newo Church, as called during
that era (including examples on mem-
bership, collection drives and other data)
the following quote is taken from the
chapter entite » The Organized Life of
Negroes
“Among most people the primitive
sociological group was the family or at
least the clan. Not so among American
Negroes; such vestiges of primitive orga-
nization among the American Negro
slaves were destroyed by the slave ship.
In this country the first distinct volun-
tary organization of Negroes was the
Negro Church, The Negro church came
before the Negro home, it antedates their
social life and in every respect it stands
to-day as the fullest, broadest expression
of organized Negro life. The Negro
Church is not.simply an organism for
the propagation of religion; itis the cen-
ter of sock i and religious life
of an organized group of individuals. It
Provides social intercourse, amusements
of various kinds, it serves as a Newspaper
and intelligence bureau, it supplants the
theatre; it directs the picnics (shopping,
gambling, vacation and other excur.
sions). It furnishes the music, it intro-
suggest that it might be higher,”
ey Darity eee African
Americans would have to go without food,
shelter, clothing and all other expenses en
masse “for well over a decade’ to save
enough to achieve wealth parity with
whites. “So I would say, there is no way
t you can catch up by systemic and
careful savings. If African Americans saved
all of their income —thatis, if we didn't eat,
pay any bills, but saved every cent of in-
come—we could not close the wealth gap,”
said the professor, who also teaches eco-
nomics at the University of North Caro-
lina, Chapel Hill.
In economics, the past is present; itis
the cushion on which some folks arrive in
this world. In the United States, those white
cushions were likely embroidered by no-
and low-wage Black folks whose descen-
dants are i to the pave-
ment with no buffer of any kind,
African American households earn less
than 60 percent of median white income.
At the pace of catch-up since 1968, ac-
cording toa report issued earlier this year
by United for a Fair Economy (UFE), “it
would take 581 years” to achieve income
parity with whites. But wages are not
wealth. For most Americans, home own-
ership is the major asset. Seventy-five per-
cent of whites own their homes, while more
than half of Blacks rent. At the rate of
“Progress” recorded since 1970, UFE esti-
mates “it would take 1,664 years to close
the ownership gap — 55 generations,”
The roots of this unbridgeable gap —
unbridgeable, that is, by the conventional
mechanisms of capitalism — are much
nearer, Duke University’s Dr. Darity fol-
lows the path the mule never took to ex-
amine the value of the 40 acres most ex-
ip Caucus PAC Endorsements
because the competition for Supreme
urt negates a unity campaign and cre-
ates the unfortunate probability of
“Single Shot" voting by the democratic
supporters and voting a slate by repub-
lican voters, THEREFORE, itis impera-
tive that everyone makes sure that they
support Wanda G. Bryant & James A.
ynn, Jr. in the judicial contests,
Sample Ballots are essential for this elec-
tion, if we're to succeed at the polls.
Peter Grear, Chairman
NC Black Leadership Caucus PAC
1/800-222-8009
Because whateve:
Eevousiteer Black America first...
e Withering Black Community
duces the stranger to the community, it
serves asa library and lecture bureau; it is
in all of its parts the central organ of the
organized life of the American Negro.” =
(New York, 1899)
But what if anything does Dubois’s
research on Negro life in 1896 have to
with West Greenville in 2004 and the
former county commissioner asking the
church for a show of the money? Well,
Dubois’s work allows some degree of
measurement in terms of dollars and
membership growth between the 1890's
and 2004. ‘To be sure the Negro Church
has been having regularly Sunday meet-
ings two years shy of one hundred years
come 2006. Most recently the teams of
Lincoln and Mamiya have published a
ground breaking work which follows in
tha path of Dubois’s The Philadelphia
Negro, entitled The Black Church in the
African American Experience, only
Dubois’s work provides the historical
framework needed to begin to answer
Savage's question...
Dubois, collected responses from
10,000 Negroes-whom he asked the
question, “Where do you get your enter-
tainment?” To which, seventy-five per-
cent or 7500 answered, “The church.”
To further evidence this large response
for conclusive accuracy (engaging simi-
lar questions to smaller populations to
see if the response will change), he asked
257 colored domestic workers where
206 were women and 51 were men the
question, “how is your leisure time
spent?” They responded:
(a) 69 women and 4 men reported lei-
sure time spent between church, church
entertainment and home.
(b) 22 women and 11 men reported lei-
sure time spent at church and visits to
friends.
(c) 15 women and 4 men women __fe-
pone leisure time spent at church and
ome (New York, 1899)
On the question of “church affilia-
tion or membership” Dubois drew re-
sponses from 548 persons 400 women
and 148 men, to which they responded
as follows:
Methodist: 42% men, 46% women
Baptist: 35.1% men, 40% women
Episcopal: 9.4% men, 6.0% women
Presbyterian: 3.4% men, 1.7% women -
Catholic: 6.8%men, 4.5% women
Attending all churches: 1.4% men,
1.5%women
Attending no church: 1.3% men,
0.3% women (New York, 1899)
On Church Growth
and ions;
of Phila-
urch grew by
In the Negro communi
delphia, the (A.M.E) ch
eaps and large measure during the
1890's. Its roots began with regular
meetings in the blacksmith shop of Ri-
chard Allen, later to become Bishop Ri-
chard Allen. In 1890 the national
growth of A.M.E's resulted in 452,725
members, 2,481 churches and
$6,468,280 million dollars worth of
Nation: S
inking D
slaves never got. “We were Supposed to” towhites dwarfs current Black reparations
get 40 million acres, we mie to accu-
mulate 15 million by dint of our own ef.
forts, and now we're down to about one
million acres,” said the professor, “I think
people tend to deem hasize the impor-
tance of land as wealth. The areas desig-
nated by Union General William
Shermans [1865] field order are now
some of the most valuable land in Ameri-
can.” He is referring to the coastal regions
of South Carolina and Georgia, now home
and playground of the rich.
Of the 15 million acres of land accu-
mulated by Blacks throughout the South
in the aftermath of the Civil War, most
“was fairly systematically taken away
through terror, taxes and fraud. There were
instances of the wholesale destruction of
Black deeds by arson,” said Darity. The
African American teal estate patrimony was
all but wiped out through white private
and public lawlessness — crimes that led
irectly to today’s racial wealth disparities,
Had the post-Civil War federal gov-
ernment honored and expanded upon
Gen. Sherman's 1865 promise, or passed
Congressman Thaddeus Stevens’ 1867
Reparations Bill for the African Slaves in
the United States, which would have al-
lotted 40 acres “to each [formerly enslaved]
male person who is the head of a family,”
ican Americans might actually have
gotten an economic leg up on the waves
of European immigrants that poured into
the country during the latter decades of
the 1800s.
Trillions lost
What would an 1865 plot of 40 acres
be worth to Black America today? Accord-
ing to economist Darity’s numbers, about
$1.6 million dollars to every African Ameti-
can ~ not counting the mule. “That
"Should be the anchor for reparations,” he
said.
And what of free and devalued Black
labor? In a 2000 paper, Professor Joe R.
Feagin, of the University of Florida, at
Gainesville, reviewed a number of labor
reparations calculations. He concluded:
“Clearly, the sum total of the worth
of all the black labor stolen by whites
through the means of slavery, tion,
and contemporary discrimination is stag.
gering — many trillions of dollars, The
worth of all that labor, taking into account
lost interest over time an putting it in
today’s dollars, is perhaps in the range of
$5 to $24 trillion.”
Feagin also tackled the land issue, to
demonstrate that historical federal largess
October 16 - 31, 2004 The Minority Voice Newspaper Page 3
Property. It is also documented in this
chapter the acknowledgment that col-
lected tithes and others funds collected
duri these times did not reach the poor
and destitute leaving them alone with
their sorrows and troubles. As for the
Black Baptist organizations, “there were
in 1896 seventeen Baptist churches in
Philadelphia, holding property valued
at more than $300,000, having six thou-
sand members, and an annual income
of, probably, $30,000 to $35,000. One
of the largest churches has in the last five
years raised between $17,000 and
$18,000.” Dubois’s research further
noted that, “the Episcopal churches re-
ceive more outside help than others and
also do more general mission and rescue
work. They hold $150,000 worth of
Property; have 900-1000 members and
an annual income of $7000 to $8000...
they represent all grades of the colored
population.” * On the subject of mon-
etary contributions after the tithe and
collection plate is passed Dubois made
the following observation, “voluntary
contributions by members, roughly
gauged according to ability, are ed,
and a strong public opinion us y com-
pels payment.. Another large source of
revenue is the collection after the sermons
on Sunday, when, amid the reading of
notices and a subdued hum of social in-
tercourse, a stream of givers walk to the
pulpit and place in the hands of the
trustee or steward in charge a contribu-
tion, varying from a cent to a dollar or
more. To this must be added the steady
» revenue from entertainments, suppers,
socials, fairs, and the like. In this way the
Negro churches of Philadelphia raise
nearly $100,000 a year. They hold in
real estate $900,000 worth o roperty,
and are thus no insignificant clement in
the economics of the city.” (New York,
1899) ,
Today, the collective body “Negro
church” membership has since become
recognized as the “Black Church.” It is
the case that I was presented with minor
delays while gathering current on our
institutions. Such data is often difficult
to locate as the statistical information
concerning our centers of worship is not
readily shared today as it once was. In
fact, at the American Religion Data
Archive website the churches reporting
of these data begins to show a lack of
Participation around the year 1990, |
was able to find, however, in my efforts
the following which does allow one to
pain some insight into our present mem-
ership numbers and monetary dona-
tions. In 2004 census estimates that there
are an estimated 36.0 million blacks liv-
ing in America, the majority of us live in
ins south. Nationall fe an of us
ive in poverty, 17.4 have a four
college ‘degree, 82% of all Black are
church members, a good number of
whom are no doubt tither’s- donating
10% -more or less- of their income to
the good of the church. In North Caro-
lina, according to 1990 estimates from
the ARDA or the American Religion Data
Archive, they were approximately
*
claims:
"Passed under the Abraham Lincoln
administration, the Homestead Act pro-
vided access to productive land and
wealth, mostly for white families, from the
1860s to the 1930s. Some 246 million
acres were provided by the federal gov-
ernment, at minimal cost, for some 1.5
homesteads. Research by Trina
iams. . estimates that — ding on
calculations of mmf crerhip, mor-
tality, marriage, and chi bearing patterns
— somewhere between 20 and 38 million
jumericans ate now the beneficiaries of this
crating program over sev-
enn Willie, (2000) Suggests
that the most likely Figure isin the middle
range, pethaps 46 million, a figure equal
0 about one quarter of the current popu-
lation. Almost all of these beneficiaries have
been white, as only 4,000 Aftican Ameri-
cans made entries under the Homestead
A »
Thus, white folks, many of them
immigrants, received multiples of the acre-
age promised to Blacks — 246 million vs.
0 million — yet their descendants laugh
out loud when African Americans bring
up “40 acres and a mule.”
Not one cash dollar
Reparations supporters may tally the
bill by any number formulas, ee
erica isn't hearing any of it. Data from
astudy of racial divisions under the George
W. Bush administration, conducted over
the past four years by Harvard University
Professors Michael C. Dawson and
Lawrence Bobo, reveal no support among
whites for cash payments to compensate
Blacks for slavery and Jim Crow. ‘None,
no support, not any,” Dawson empha-
sized. “It’s a different world, in terms of
how different groups see reality. There's
a different moral universe.”
Within that morally challenged uni-
verse, only 4 percent of whites favored
reparations for Black slavery in surv
conducted in 2000 and 2003. Two-thirds
of ee respondents favored reparations
for .
This year, Dawson and Bobo, both
professors of African and African Ameri-
can Studies, sought to clarify Black and
white er toward three reparations
proposals: cash payments to African Ameri-
cans as individuals; scholarship funds for
Sprig 9 African American youth;
or the establishment of a Communi
Trust, to be used to rebuild Black sch
and community infrastructure and fostet
ns to Americ;
. 10,722 worshipping Black Baptist liv-
ing in Pitt County alone, and that was
14 years ago; the number of A.M.E
anion same year and also in Pitt
County, 843. The last I read the me-
dian salary for Blacks in North Carolina
is suppose to be around 27,000. (Me-
dian means that half the population has
a salary higher than the 27,000 and half
below it. Nationally the average salary
_ ways be the largest number of drop-
outs)? Where are our families (with all
this church going on’s, how can we as
men and women not be GETTING
ALONG, but increasing our down low
activity)? Where have communities gone
(are we still share croppin)? Where are
our children (hungry, poor, no insurance,
toting guns, killing each other)? Who's
minding home (where’s moma and
where's daddy...grandma got to be
tired)?
Perhaps Dubois, the county com-
missioner and other trail blazers expect
and want too much, more perhaps, than
entitled. After all, having such passion
for his people -the plight of the Negro-
led to his disillusionment with Negro life
in America. In the end Dubois left be-
hind his people in America settling for
life in-Ghana instead, where he died in
1963. His death occurred just as our
nation of people came together for the
March on Washington. While Dubois
left behind a published le acy of cul-
tural history from which all men could
benefit, I do wonder if he'd be happy
with our progress were he still alive to-
day. Dubois believed and stated in his
ually monumental work The Souls of
Black Folks “the problem of the twenti-
eth century is the problem of the color
line...” Well, Ion the other hand, am
moved to say that the problem of the
twentieth and twenty -first centuries was
neither then nor is it now one of color
but of how we refuse to examine our
traditions, in the absence of slavery, for
Validity, strategy, meaning, accountabil-
ity and worth . Was it that King, Harriet
Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, Malcom
X, and so many others went through so
much “hell” that a question of “where is
the money” aimed at the Black Church
€ exist in our minds today? I remain
Yours in the struggle,
Susie Clemons
E-mail: Let_em_talk@yahoo.com
John 14
15 If ye love me, keep my command-
ments. 16 And I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter
that he may abide with you for ever; 17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world.
cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you.
Ms. Clemons, a Freelance writer; has a
BS Degree in Sociology from East Caro-
lina University and works asa Job De-
the Hole
small business,
Whites unanimously rejected the idea
of cash payments to Bae we asked
to assume that reparations were necessary,
and to choose some form of compensa-
tion, whites favored a Community Trust
over scholarships. African Americans fa-
vor both cash payments and the Com-
munity Trust ide » but are more likely to
apper the Community Trust framework
three proposals enjoy some degree of
support among African Americans.
A question from the Dawson-Bobo
2003 survey may provide the best mea-
sure of general white moral obtuseness on
issues of race. When asked if reparations
should be paid to the survivors i the white
destruction of the Black comm unities of
Tulsa, Oklahoma (1921) and R, ,
Florida (1923), 84 percent of Blacks said
“yes.” Only 11 percent of whites agreed,
an indication that widespread white feel.
ings of guilt over racial oppression isa myth.
Professor Dawson noted that “even
when presented with a demonstrable sur.
vivor of a contemporary event, whites op-
Pose any reparations to the Black victims.”
t's because most whites consider
themselves to be, somehow, victims of Af-
rican Americans, just as they feel set upon
and victimized for no good reason by dark
Islamic forces in the world, and for the
same reasons that they constructed a na-
tional mythology of victimization at the
hands of “savage” Indians. The Dawson.
Bobo statistics tell a tale of racism in the
raw.
So deep is the collective sychosis,
that the current and histori reality of
enforced Black economic instability, as
detailed in the Pew wealth disparity study,
seems to affirm many whites in their dehy.
sions of superiority. Against all facts and
reason, white America rejects redress of
Black grievances, because it refuses to rec-
ognize its own bloody | cy, as described
by University of Florida Professor Joe
"White privilege is ubi uitous and
imbedded even eal tout whites can-
not see it; it is the foundation of this soci-
ety. ws in early ne Bains from sla-
very persisted under segrepa-
tion and con yen Na
of this system of white privileges and black
avanenges as ‘normal’ has conferred
advantages for whites now across some fif-
oe Feeemione 7
re will bea reckoning,
is
&
Page4 The Minority Voice Newspaper October 16 - 31,
2004 .
P Diddy takes voter drive to swing states
NEW YORK — (AP)
Sean “P Diddy” Combsis the lead
of President Bush and Sen. John by
~ taking his get-out-the-vote campaign to the
ap mogul
are going tw play the
needintyinad txt C wide
¢ interview Saturday. “And if you
taling about flexing your power, and you
aint flexing in the swing states, then you ain't
flexing your power.”
BASERVILLE, PA — The leaders of
many of the nation’s black farmers’ orga-
nizations today announced their en-
dorsement of Senator John Kerry for
President of the United States. For more
than a decade these groups, represent-
millions of other Americans, have been
fighting to preserve the oldest black pro-
ion in Amer; forjus-
tice in the case of discrimination by the
US. t of Agriculture against
black farmers. NC Farmers from
Warrenton, Oxford, Manson, and Ra-
igh Join Endorsement
“Lam very pleased to have the sup-
of our country’s black farmers,” said
Jon Key emeoyee ar a
i civil rights problems
langush ed inde, this Bush Adminis-
tration and working to help African
American farmers compete and suc-
ceed.”
John Kerry and John Edwards un-
derstand that owning land is a critical
part of building wealth and providing
an inheritance for future generations.
They will make sure that African Ameri-
can farmers have full and fair access to
USDA programs. In addition to work-
ers, John Kerry and John Edwards will
work closely with those who help Afri-
can American farmers and communities
such as historically black colleges and
universities and community organiza-
tions that provide important outreach
“I feel strongly that a Kerry-
inistration will provide
the leadership needed to preserve our
nations black farmers by supporting ef-
forts to rebuild our rich heritage of work-
ing the land through supporting mi-
nority farm aid programs and by remov-
ing to ent payments to
thousands of black farm families across
the nation,” said John W. Boyd, presi-
dent of the National Black Farmets As-
sociation (NBFA) and a long-time civil
rights activist. “I believe Jo Kerry is
committed to fixing the problems at
Man Arrested on
Chemical Weapons
JACKSON, Tenn (AP).—Amanwho —
authorities say hated the federal govern-
ment was charged with attempting to
uire chemical weapons, explosives
and weapons of mass destruction with
the intent to attack official buildings.
Demetrius “Van” Crocker, 39, was
characterized by U.S. Attorney Terrell
Harris as having “hatred for the govern-
ment, and anti-Semitic and racist views.”
Crocker is accused of attempting to ob-
tain sarin nerve gas and ch explosives,
according to a federal complaint filed
Monday.
Crocker was arrested Monday after
an undercover federal agent met him to
iver fake explosives and what Crocker
believed were ingredients for sarin, con-
sidered one of the world’s deadliest
ical agents.
His arrest ended a seven-month in-
vestigation.
Crocker was chargéd with attempt-
ing to obtain chemical weapons, at-
tempting to receive explosives in inter-
state commerce with the intent to dam-
age and destroy a building and real prop-
erty, and receiving stolen explosives. He
more than 20 years in prison if con-
victed on all charges, and
$750,000.
Letter To The
Edi
tor
SAFE PARTYING FOR THE
HOLIDAY SEASON
Halloween is the third -
lar adult party occasion, just behind Neg
nes totaling
Year's Eve and the Super Bowl. If you're
a party, remember these key tips
were make it safe and enjoyable. When
serving alcohol beverages, serve food,
and remember to have non-alcohol bev-
erages on hand, too, for the designated
drivers. Serve cach guest one drink at a
time and encourage them to space their
drinks throughout the party. top serv-
ing alcohol at least one hour before your
party ends. And most importantly, help
your friends get home safely, either wi
a designased drives, call them a cab or
ask them to spend the night. And what's
the best costume this year? Going as the
designated driver! More than 122 mil-
lion American adults “do the ride thing”
by either being a designated driver of
getting a safe ride home with one. Re-
member, a
uke all adults to do their part to keep
ts
safe, as well as fun. Si
i minority and ur-
ban voters he says are overlooked politi-
Leaders of Nation’s Black Farmers
USDA beginning from day one.”
The stakes in this election for black
farmers are enormous. The failures of the
last four years have set back the cause of
justice for black farmers. The current
Administration has obstructed justice by
spending millions of dollars on lawyers
charged with blocking payments ro black
farmers that were already agreed to by
USDA in arbitration.
Black farmers need leadership in the
White House that will provide full ac-
cess to USDA programs and a strong civil
rights program to enforce program de-
livery at USDA. A recent study shows
that of the 94,000 black farmers in the
class action lawsuit against the USDA,
litigants have received less than 10% of
the settlement due them. Today, after
years of discrimination and nel falure of
superficial support ; -
aa than | 06 of our nation’ farm-
ets.
USDA leadership under the Bush
Administration has done little to address
these issues while black-owned farms
continue to collapse. Every month a
black-owned farm is foreclosed upon
even as its owners await payments from
the USDA.
The organizations, leaders and in-
dividuals endorsed Kerry/Edwards were:
Land Loss Prevention Project
National Black Farmers Association
Operation Spring Plant
United Farmers USA
John W. Boyd, President, National Black
Farmers Association, Baskerville, Virginia
Tom Burrell, Black Farmers and Agricul-
turalist Association, Covington, Tennes-
see
Earl Davis, President, Oklahoma Black
Farmers, Choctaw, OK
Philip Haynie, Vice Pres., National Black
Association, Heathsville, Virginia
gone wo college campuses, urban aco st
dog fas mile maps
- has recorded phone m
435,000 new voters across the country.
The initiative also is ing street
wemns to mnbine von, istributing litera-
ets before the Nov. 2 election.
young and urban voters on issues such as
/
Will Scott, President, African American
in California, Fresno, California
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congress-
man G. K. Butterfield is urging a newly
appointed Conference Committee to
clminat funding for the proposed Out-
lying Landing Field in Wa ington and
Beaufort Counties until the legal issues
are settled.
“The issues could tie up the pro-
cess for some time to come,” Butterfield
said. “Given the many immediate needs
the country is facing right now, it only
makes sense to hold off funding until
the issues surrounding the OLF are re-
solved.”
Butterfield said the House yester-
day appointed 30 members to join their
Senate counterparts in a Conference
Committee which will resolve differ-
ences between the respective versions of
the National Defense Authorization leg-
islation. The House eliminated fundin
for the OLF while the Senate included
$95.7 million in its version of the bill.
Butterfield said that he’s written to
the Conference Committee members to
urge them to support eliminating the
funding specific to Washington and
Beaufort Counties.
Butterfield yesterday met with
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
for Installations and Facilities Wayne
Arny, who is overseeing the process for
the Navy, to discuss the Navy’s plans
and voice the concerns of the commu-
nity. On Monday, Butterfield was in
Washington County and met with Ply-
Wen
roups Endorse
jobs, health care and education, Combs said.
“Tose one day when (the candidates)
peopl, we have n malesuretharwe put
ages 18 and 35, s said, a
potent bloc that he says
ciding factor in a close race,
“The sleeping giant has awoken and the for-
4 .
ones, this of 40 million voters,
Sing bee desde factor, becatise
Shonnetta Ammons, farmer, Raleigh,
North Carolina
Phillip Barker, farmer, Oxford, North
Carolina :
Thornes Bullock, farmer, Manson, North
Id Conti
has been
ed in polls and could be the de-
nues Fi 44
. \ Eddie Ken far . Oak C
Bets lor Presid ent Lang Ok Ge
urkett, farmer, Petal, Mississippi Henry W. Ki 7 Mins
James D. Davis, farmer, Brinkley, Adon: - South Cain Jr., farmer, anning,
a \ arily in ; , farm 4 i
Rodalton Hart, farmer, Lexington, Mis- SoutC ngeay, farmer, Lake Ci ,
er en Robert Williams, farmer, Roscoe, Texas
sissippi |
George Heldebrandt, farmer, _
ton OLF
s cilities, includin
24, all African Americans are urged to
elected officials Congress G.K. Butterfie
some of his supporters. From left to ri
>»
_ is concerned tha
mouth Mayor Brian Roth, Roper Mayor
Bunny Sanders and Washington
County Commissioner Billy Corey to
hear their concerns about the proposed
LE
“I share the of community's con-
cerns about the potential long-term im-
pacts the OLF could have on Washing-
ton and Beaufort Counties,” Butterfield
said.
Specifically, Butterfield said that he
t the OLF would dis-
Once again we need to remind everyone that not only is it your right to vote, but
it's your duty to vote as well. This coming Tuesday on Election Day, November
d was in Williamston last standing with
ght flanking Butterfield, is the wife of
Beaufort County SCLC President, Mrs. Boston, Walt Morehead and his wife,
DD Morehead and a friend of the Bostons. This year the Presidential is a heated.
Make your voice. PHOTO EDITORIAL -— Jim Rouse.
0 vote in record numbers. One of our
place 74 property owners, take 30,000
acres off the local property tax rolls, and
could have a negative impact on the qual-
ity of life. Butterfield said he is also con-
cerned that the project could reduce the
potential for tourism and economic de-
velopment.
Butterfield said that Arny told him
that the OLF process and Base Realign-
ment and Closure (BRAC) process are
“absolutely independent,” and that the
_ ooeunitys opposition to the OLF has
unique bird
no bearing on whether North Carolina
el bases are closed or relocated,
Butterfield said that fully Arny answered
alll of his questions and said that Arny
__ Offered to provide any information that
may be needed throughout the process,
The Proposal includes an
8,000-foot runway igned with the pre-
vailing wind direction and anci fa-
an air traffic contro]
tower, airfield lighting and navigational
and communications aids, Ar, OLF
would be used as a support facility for
__ Navy and Marine Corps aircraft con-
ducting operations, such as Field Car-
rier Landing Practice (FCLP) and other
practice approaches, away from the
omebase airfields.
Washington and Beaufort Coun-
ties, along with environmental oups,
are in litigation to avoid the OLF. devel-
opment. They were successful and the
federal courts have ordered the Navy to
cease all OLF development activity,
pending the outcome of| legal challenges
to the Washington County site. More
recently, the federal district court rejected
a plea by the Navy to reverse or narrow
the scope of the injunction
The Washington County OLF site
is strongly opposed by many elected of-
Icials, citizens groups and by major
North Carolina agricultural, property
rights and conservation organizations.
Refuge and its significant and
|
be there or yO p
n Washington...
Erskine Bowles has a plan to put
North Carolina first again —
VY Stop companies from Sending good American
jobs overseas.
Y Combat unemployment by creating good paying jobs
here in North Carolina.
Cheaper prescription drugs.
S
Affordable and accessible health insurance.
Smaller class sizes, better-equipped schools and
well-trained teachers.
Promote and expand our community college job
training programs.
Help for towns and communities torn apart by bad
trade deals.
It's time to put politics aside and start
putting North Carolinians first again. ?9
— Erskine Bowles
Bowles
www.bowlesz004.com
Voting is power. It’s time to use it.
On November 2, come together to elect Erskiné Bowles to the U.S, Senate.
If you need a ride to the polls, call 919-834-7080 or toll free at 866.549.9992.
L Paid for by Erskine Bowles for U.S, Senate |
October 16 -31,
Survival Is At
A 2004 Election Issue Brief
HIV/AIDS and STD's
One of the most telling responses
during the debate between Vice Presi-
dent Dick Cheney and Sen. John
__ Edwards was the vice president's revela-
tion that he was not aware of the AIDS
crisis among Black women. It was a so-
bering acknowledgment of the neglect
of the African-American community by
federal policy makers in regard to the
AIDS epidemic. According to data from
the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention (CDC), African Americans make
up 12% of our nation’s population but
represent more than hall of all new HIV
infections in the U.S. each year and just
about half of all new AIDS cases, The
degree to which the disease has deci-
mated the Black community can best be
understood when taking into account
that as of 2000 HIV is the number one
_ cause of death for African-Americans
between the ages of 25 and 44, and more
Blacks are living with the disease than
any other racial/ethnic group in the
country.
So the notion that the vice presi-
dent of the United States is unaware of a
public health crisis of this magnitude
raises serious
questions regarding the de-
ee to which public policy does not re-
ect reality. Mr. Cheney's ignorance re-
garding the threat of HIV/AIDS to Black
women is that much more troublin
when reviewing statistics detailing the
impact on gender from the disease. In
1991 Black women were 22% of new
AIDS cases among all African-Americans;
ten years later they represented 34% or
one-third of all new cases. In contrast,
white women represented 15% of new
African-Am
As the newly elected board chair-
man of the Service Corps Of Retired
Executives, James W. Pyles is expected
to expand the organization’s service
to entrepreneurs, recruit more volun-
teers and improve the
vices currently rendered.
quality of ser-
He is the first African-American
to lead the organization in its 40-year
history.
COANDT :. . nas eennninnall..
2004 The Minority Voice Newspaper Page 5
Stake For Blacks
AIDS cases reported among whites in are wreaking havoc on the Black com-
2001.
The statistics provided by the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) regarding HIV/AIDS points to
the need for pubic policy that confronts
issues of education and prevention:
African-Americans account for
39%, more than 347,000, of the more
than 886,000 estimated cases of AIDS
since the beginning of the epidemic.
ican-Americans have the poor-
est survival rates of all racial and ethnic
groups, with 55% surviving after 9 years
compared to 61% of whites.
In 2000 HIV/AIDS was among the
top three causes of death for African-
Americans men ages 25-44 and women
ages 35-44,
African-Americans are almost 1]
times more likely to be diagnosed with
HIV/AIDS than whites.
The leading cause of HIV infection
among African-American men is sexual
contact with other men, followed by in-
jection drug use, and heterosexual con-
tact.
' The leading cause of HIV infection
among African-American women is het-
erosexual contact, followed by injection
g use.
Compounding the HIV/AIDS cri-
sis is the general health care crisis in
America. Blacks generally do not have
access to the same quality of health care
as whites; the result of many factors in-
cluding lack of health insurance, pov-
erty, and lack of primary care providers
in Black communities, The outcome is a
much higher risk of infection and death
given the failure to exercise preventive
measures. And HIV/AIDS is but one of
several sexually transmitted diseases that
erican Heads
funded program dedicated to helping
small business succeed.
Pyles, originally from Elkhart,
Ind., has more than three decades of
experience, including a position as
manager of consumer promotion with
the Bayer Corp.
“I believe in the American dream
of owning a small business and
SCORE helps small business owners
anid
arene nnn hd. wenn eb ate de. D os
enna
*
munity.
Recently, Men’s Health Magazine
issued a National Report Card on sexu-
ally transmitted diseases (STD's) and
ranked the nation’s cities. The report ex-
amined the rates of gonorrhea, syphilis,
and chlamydia, and HIV mortality rates
according to CDC data. The top ten cit-
ies, where the magazine suggested you
“might as well get your shots now”, were
Detroit, Newark, Baltimore, Atlanta,
Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Mem-
phis, New Orleans, Richmond, and
Chicago. All of these cities are major Black
population centers.
All of these statistics point to the
need for a concerted effort at the federal
level to provide the necessary funding
and resources to initiatives at the na-
tional, state, and local level to combat
the HIV/AIDS and STD crisis in the
Black community. While demands for
greater personal responsibility have
merit, clearly the prolonged indifference
to the needs of those currently afflicted
with the disease. will have dire conse-
quences on our nation’s fragile health care
system and Black mortality rates.
The next presidential administra-
tion will inherit a public health crisis that
will only worsen unless immediate at-
tention is given to possible remedies to
stave off the spread of HIV/AIDS in Af.
rican-American communities. A major
consideration will be reform of the
nations health care system, rat
access to quality pri care for many
Blacks, ee public education ini-
tiatives, and non-traditional approaches
such as needle exchanges for intravenous
drug users.
Prepared by The NorthStar News Staff
Up SCORE
Pyles.
He joined SCORE in 1996 and
has remained active in his chapter of
the organization. His last position
within the chapter was board vice
chair.
Pyles has his work cut out for him
in expanding on SCORE’s impressive
national network of 10,500 volun-
teers and over 350-thousand aspiring
Late nanan
Page The
t
Minority Voice Newspaper October 16 -31, 2004
Bedmates Who Snore
A Dallas woman was so distraught
by her partner's roaring snoring she took
Out a gun and shot him five times as he
slept. Anyone who has been denied deep,
comforting sleep, night-after night can
understand the woman's wild-eyed frus-
tration, if not her homicidal solution.
know that snori
the snorer, and when they're really an-
) now snoringcan gry,avideo.
take an extraordinary toll on those who The denial rate among snorers is
snore—and on those who lie awake lis- 5 Thy Some Pal these er _
tening to them. Texans are not,of course, clueless say, "I don't snore” or “She's
the only ones who snort, rumble and the one with the problem—she’s dverly
rattle the windows Sensitive =r
Chrough the night. ar : ing, whether
Asw Fobra This is no laughing mat- fiat orcaeepks-
section of Ameri- ter. Significant others have ting, occurs
cans ages 30-60 j Moved across the hall, down when airflow
jane fot 45per- | the stairs and into the base- through the pas-
cent of the men | Ment to escape a really annoy- at the back
and 25 percent of |1Mg snorer of the mouth
women snore. and nose is ob-
When the doors are . structed. Several
closed, the lights are out and aman and conditions can trigger it—excess tissue
a woman are in bed together, then, “there _in the throat, or aller problems or al-
is a 70 percent chance someone is snor-
ing,” says one professor of medicine.
er age 60 the figure is even
higher, especially among women. Snor-
ing is one of the most significant sleep
disorders, affecting health and quality of
life. As science links heavy snoring to
serious medical conditions such as heart
disease and stroke, new and improved
rocedures are helping combat the prob-
em. But getting snorers to the doctor
can bea ¢, because they can't hear
themselves snore and famously deny
they do anything of the kind. Doctors
say spouses often bring in recordings of
cohol and sedatives, which can relax the
tongue or throat muscles enough to
block the airway. This is no laughi
matter. Significant others have mov
across the hall, down the stairs and into
the basement to escape a really annoy-
ing snorer, so it makes sense that slee
experts tend to measure the magnitude
of the snore by how far away it can be
card. One professor of medicine says, If
you can hear the snoring from another
room with the door closed, as a rule of
thumb, that is enough to warrant some
medical attention.”
Extrated from: Your Health
What Thanksgiving
- , Mean
There are so many things we, as
Americans, can be thankful for, And we
shoold never become so sophisticated or
indifferent that we stop being thankful
for who and what we are, and fos the
land in which we live.
Notall but most Americans are not
. only big in their minds, they are also big
in their sotuls ‘We embrace all humanity;
and open the doors of this country to
the poor and oppressed. And so, people —
flow to these shores from every country
in the world. Because of this we havea
population different from any to be
found anywhere under the sun.
When the President of the United
States talks about the violation of hu-
man rights, we become concerned and
indignant because we believe that no
one, anywhere in the world, should be
mistreated as a human being and as a
child of God. This is a country which,
when insulted, heeds the admonition
to practice great restraint, and even pray
in love for the misguided.
Asa black race, we have come a long
way, however we still have a long way to
go in some areas. Ouir forefathers weren/
t weak people; they were strong. They
had a lot of faith in the great, good God,
and they knew that with His help they
could handle their problems. They
didn’t whine and whimper and crawl
through life on their hands and knees,
They stood up on their feet, handled
their problems, and built the greatest
economy and the greatest civilization
in the history of manki bey bui
it on the rock eternal, They based it on
their faith in God and Jesus Christ, our
Savior. The question is: .
Do we have the same built-in
strength that our forefathers had? | be-
lieve we do.
“Finally, and more than all else, we
give thanks for our Savior named Jesus
Christ.
There are plenty of people who
could bear witness to how Jesus has
helped them in their lifetimes, and what
N OF A GENERATIO
WITH FAITH MAY
life would have been had they never
found Him. This country is still basi-
cally a religious country because the ma-
jority of people know that in the harsh
difficulties of life, it is Jesus who supplies
the strength and the power. This is our
greatest heritage for which we are pro-
foundly thankful on this Thanksgiving
Day. :
Your Voice,
Your Vote
Sponsored by ;
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORITY, INCORPORATED
lota Kappa Omega Chapter ;
Greenville, NC
Vote Nov. 2nd
For Free
{a Chapter 7 or 13 Bankruptey? “
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lation.
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is a part of a $200,000 commitment
cing sponsored by the.
Rag Copier ye
from Kellogg to support Tom Joyner
‘toenhance educational opportunities at _
| these institutions, The event is being ©
~ endorsed by NCCU alumni i, business, -
who will bein attendance. hn
=... “Our objective:is to establish the
~~ Legacy Gala on an annual basis a5 as a ae
Reni Coun cease “CU%s signature event,” said Chan- Banks ,
DURHAM, N.C. +~Tom Joyner, na- ellor James H. Ammons. “We view the doing what we're'suppose todo to save
tionally syndicated radio personality and Gala'asan effective means to raise criti- our schools and help produce produc-
Philanthropist, will co-host a major fund cally needed scholarship funds and pub- tive citizens. .it's Our way of investing in
raising event with renowned artist and licly recognize the achievements, sacri- Americas future.”
distinguished North Carolina Central _fices and contributions of those who For more information regarding the
University (NCCU) alumnus Ernie continue to play'avital role in our rapid purchase of corporate tables, individual
Bames. This event will be The First An- growth and development.” tickets or donations to North Carolina
nual Legacy Gala, to be held October “Historically Black Colleges and Central University, please contact Susan
29, 2004 at the Sheraton Imperial Ho- —_ Universities are justa part of my DNA,” Hester at (919) 530-7400. For media
tel located in Durham's Research Tri- said Joyner, whose Tom Joyner Morning _ inquiries and scheduling interviews of
angle Park at 7 p.m. Show is aired in 120 markets and reaches the participants, please contact Sharon
The Gala will bea black-tieevent more than seven million listeners, “We're Saunders at (919 530-6295,
by Pledges $1 Million for Slavery Museum
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Comedian “We need history,” ‘Cosby told an au- ~ committee. |
and actor Bill Cosby pledged at least $1 mil- dience in Fredericksburg, where museum Former Gov, L.Douglas Wilder, the
lion for a planned U.S, National Slavery is planned to open in 2007. “We need . nations first Black elected governor, hasesti-
Museum, ___ forour children... tosce thestrength of their mated the museum Project will cost $200
Cosby announced Friday he would ancestors.” a .
donate proceeds from 10 concerts to the -The museum Plans fund-raising activi- Construction on the five-story,
museum effort, orcbetween $1million and ties in conjunction with each concert and 250,000-square-footbuildihe is scheduled to
$1.5 million, museum officials estimate. hopes to raise $20 million, said Ed Wegel, begin later this year.
Cosby sits on the museum's board. chairman of the museums capital campaign .
POWER WHEELCHAI AVAILABLE ™Wibeon Whee ame main
A Deed purpose and goal sto dew lope public
October 2004-Wishes on Wheels makes Prope! a manual wheelchair in their home awatness there are assistance options
available Power (Electric) Wheelchairs to ori ivng quarters and who that allow senior citizens (aswell as
non-ambulatory Senior Citizens (65 years meet the additionai qualifications of the permanently disabled) to remain indepen-
old & up) usualy ano out-of pace, Propram. This service may aso be available dent in their own homes. Without this
expense if they qualify. No deposit to uy disabled of any age. awareness and assistance, the family may
required, Please call 1.800.823.5220 br visit our web prematurely choose a nursing home, or
The electric wheelchairs are provided to site at www. ishes2.com for more essary retail
make an ui
information onthedewasofthisprogram. power mobi
Even Heroes Need Heroes
Like other girls her age, Sara Lynn plays volleyball, loves music and likes to hang out
with friends. Sara Lynn also has Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. Unlike her friends, she
must check her blood Sugar Six times a day and live with an insulin pump surgically
‘attached to her belly. The insulin keeps her going, but it's not a cure. With your
support, researchers may find the answers to juvenile diabetes within her lifetime.
You can be a hero to Sara Lynn and others in eastern Carolina. It’s easy. Just. join her
at this year’s JDRF Walk To Find A Cure on October 23 at the Pitt County Fairgrounds,
Sign up or make your donation online at www. jdrf.org; or call us at (800) 377-0476,
WALK 10 CURE DIABETES
JDRF
dedicated to finding a cure
Juvenile
Diabetes
Research
Foundation
International
oak Aneto.
NE eta ct neon een steno
From the
Tips on Making in
Meetings Run Smoothly
Does the job get done at meetings, or
as going to meetings turned:into a
job? Meetings are supposed to be a
forum for Information gathering,
problem solving and decision-making.
Some suggestions for leading and par-
ticipating in meetings:
1. Have a goal in mind before you call
Alex Rivera Exhition
DURHAM, N.C. — An exhibition -
of the works of Alexander “Alex”
Rivera, Jr., nationally acclaimed
Photojoumalist, will be on display
October 17 through November 3,
2004 at the North Carolina Central
University Art Museum.
“Tbelieve it will be one of the most
historically important exhibitions we
have had at the university,” said Ken-
neth Rodgers, director of the NCCU
Art Museum. “We have an opportu-
uni
a meeting.
2. Many meetings could be avoided
by using the telephone.
3. Prepare an agenda. Do not let the -
meeting get sidetracked.
- Set a time limit. Most things can
get done in half an hour. 5. Invite the
right people.
6. Follow through. A memo that out-
lines what transpired and who's as-
signed to what help to keep business
on track.
7. Meetings fall apart because the
eader loses control,
These suggestions are from Stephanie
Winston, a time-management consult-
ant and author.
Some facts;
1. Build up a support system of fam-
ily and friends.
2. People who have a close-knit net-
work of intimate personal ties avoid
disease, maintain higher levels of
health, and, in general, deal more suc-
cessfully with life’s difficulties than
people who don't.
3. Keep your relationships with whin-
efs and pessimists to a minimum; seek
out those who like to laugh and know
how to enjoy life.
nity this time to honor one of our
own.”
The exhibition, “Alexander
“Alex” Rivera: Picturing Black America”
includes photographs taken during
the civil rights movement and photo-
graphs of celebrities who visited
Durham including tennis great
Arthur Ashe, Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall, Singer Marion
Anderson and the Emperor of
Abyssinia Halle Selassie. A reception
Imayine how hard it would be ro make dinner w
Or run the circular
it makes life easier. And we try to make it even casier still bh
directly to your home, 24 hours g clay. Re
We do our part to help out around the house.
ces
on pi
,»Carolina Co
in Norfolk.
military service in Naval Intelligence
ithe electricity, Or do the laundry.
saw. That's the beaury of electricity,
¥ delivering electricity
liably and dependably.
4. Let worries go and make the most
of life's moments. You can't be lazy and
have a good life. You must work at life
~ at marriage, at friendship, at
parenting, the works.
5. Negative emotions - fear, hate and
tage weaken the body to the point
where it can bring your defenses down
and make you more susceptible to
disease...Love, hope, faith, laughter
. and creativity are essential Parts of stay- .
ing well.
6. Listen to your body. It tells you
when it’s being pushed to the wall.
Your aching back or head urges you to
slow down.
7. A small change. A change is as good
as a rest. Variety is the spice of life.
Take small, frequent breaks. In the
long run they're as beneficial as len y
vacations - maybe more beneficial.
8. Menopause - Hot flashes - They are
armless.
9. The crepe myrtle is the city of
Greenville’s flower.
10. You get old fast if you just stay at
ome.
11. To look and feel young at 40+, eat
no meat but plenty of fish, beans, len-
til soup and some cheese.
12. Plenty of hugs, kisses and love re-
ally keep one happy and alive” inside.
iet - What You Can
Do Right Now
1. Say no to soda. A twelve-ounce can
of soda can pack 120 calories. Go with
eo.
is scheduled for Rivera at the museum
on Friday, 29, 2004 at 2:30
p.m.
Rivera, the oldest child of two
born to Alexander M. Rivera, Sr. and
Daisy Irene Dillard, grew up in
Greensboro, N.C. His father, a prac-
ticing dentist, was deeply involved
with leaders of the NAACP and their
crusade against injustice and segrega-
tion.
During his childhood and teen-
age years, Rivera was exposed to the
struggles for justice and equality for
African Americans. He attended
Greensboro public schools and gradu-
ated from Washington Street High
School. He enrolled in Howard Uni-
versity and during his freshman year
he worked part-time for the Washing-
ton Tribune, the largest black owned
printing business in Washington, D.C.
In 1939, Dr. James E. Shepard
offered the young fledgling journalist
an unusual invitation. The founder
and first president, of what is now
North Carolina Central University,
invited Rivera to organize the
institution’s first news bureau, while
working toward his baccalaureate de-
ree. After graduating from North
e lege in 1941, Rivera took.
a position with the Journal and Guide
Rivera completed World War II
a
Lillie M. Robbins
the motto of “I'd rather eat my calo-
ries” and you'll find yourself sippin
on water and diet sodas, both of which
have no calories,
2. Skip the chips. Having an attack of
the crunchies? Instead 0 reaching for
the potato chips, especially from the
ninety-nine cent bag, which adds at
least five hundred calories and seven-
teen grams of fat mostly to your thighs,
reach for pretzels which have little to
cturing Durham
from 1941 to 1945. After his military
service he returned to the journalism
profession as a reporter for the Nor-
folk Journal and Guide and the Pitts-
burgh Courier.
During the heightened racial con-
flicts of the 40’s and 50’s, Rivera over-
came substantial obstacles and threats
in his pursuit of the truth. In 1947,
€ investigated the last lynching in
South Carolina and in 1948 he inves-
tigated the last lynching in Georgia.
Rivera as a reporter also covered a
number of lawsuits that ultimately led
to the Brown v. The Topeka Board of
Education decision by the U.S. Su-
preme Court in 1954, striking down
the concept of “separate but equal”
no fat.
3. Eat your citrus don't slurp it. Down-
_ ing a glass of orange juice is quick way
to load up on calories. Instead, eat an
orange and save sixty calories per day,
and it will keep you feeling fuller
onger.
4. Substitute condiments. Substity-
tions that won't assault your taste buds
and have few to no calories: mustard
instead of mayonnaise on turkey sand-
wiches, salsa or hot sauce on a baked
potato instead of butter. If you must
dip into the Breadbasket, go Italian
and ask for olive oil instead of butter.
Lillie M. Robbins Endowed.
Scholarship Fund
Lillie, Supervisory Team Leader, U.S.
Department of Education, Atlanta Of.
fice, Southern Divisions, Office of
Civil Rights, presented a check for
$25,000, along with a Deed of Trust
form which outlined criteria that stu-
dents from Pitt County, North Caro-
lina and the Atlanta area must meet in
order to receive help in attendin
A&T. Because of matching Title II
funds, the University wil actually
have the benefits of $50,000 for schol-
arships. , OO
Lillie, the daughter of the late
McKinley and Ella Robbins, is one of
15 children who graduated valedicto-
rian from the now deleted Robinson
Union School, Winterville, and N.C.
facilities for the races. He was with
Attorney and later Supreme Court -
Justice Thurgood Marshall in the
Clarendon County South Carolina
case from beginning to the end. In
1955, Rivera received the Global Syn-
dicate Award for his coverage of the
Progress of public school desegrega-
tion following the Brown decision.
He was the first black journalist
to participate regularly in North Caro-
lina Governors’ press conferences. Vice
President Richard M. Nixon, in 1957,
invited Rivera to accompany him on
an historic trip to the continent of
Africa. This trip was extended to Eu-
rope and included an audience with
the Pope.
By landing women the
chikdren
The Minority Voice Newspaper Page 7
She stated that education was highly
valued in her home and with the hel
of a combination of a small scholar-
ship from a Pitt County organization,
de gfants, money from family
members, work study jobs, lots of hard
work, and teachers who cared, enabled
me to graduate with honor from A&T
& with a Bachelor of Science
Fe
eral
in 19
degree in Sociology. My record at
A&T enabled me to earn a Presiden-
tial scholarship to matriculate at At-
lanta University, earning a Master of
Arts, with honor.
Lillie’s experiences and achievements
are numerous; among them-the Na-
tional A&T Alumni President (1997
- 1999); Civil Rights Investigator for
more than 30 years and an active
member of Cascade United Method-
ist Church since 1978,
Lillie states, “I have come to know that
when you try to do the right thin
and put forth your best efforts, God
will open doors to make it ha pen.”
What a blessing for a little gitl born
and reared on a tobacco farm in Pitt
County. You never know where your
life will take you if you're willing to
say yes to the ride. The path of “giv-
ing back” from early childhood was
by the example of my parents.
Congratulations Lillie!
oming to Art Museum
He has been director of public re-
lations for five NCCU Chancellors:
Dr. Albert N. Whiting, Dr. Leroy T.
Walker, Dr. Tyronza R. ichmond, Dr.
Donna J. Benson, and briefly, Dr.
Julius L. Chambers. Upon his retire-
ment in 1993, Governor James B.
Hunt, Jr., conferred on Rivera the
State of North Carolina’s most presti-
gious award. The Order of the Long
Pine.
“Mother and Child” OUTLINE:
This photograph taken by Alexander
i a mother and child in Mont-
mi during the Jim Crow era. An
een ‘Alexane “Alex” Rivera: Pic-
ing Black America,” will be on display
October 17 through November 3, 2004
at the North Carolina Central University
Art Museum. “First Voters” OUTLINE:
This photograph taken by Alexander
Rivera shows Affican Americans voting in
Columbia, South Carolina for the first time
since Reconstruction. An exhibition,
“Alexander “Alex” Rivera: Picturing Black
America,” will be on display October 17
through November 3, 2004 at the North
Carolina Central University Art Museum.
Good News
Helping Children Out OF Poverty
(NAPSA)—With a little help,
more mothers will be able to
watch their children grow and
thrive. This is more difficult than
you might imagine in some devel-
oping countries where poverty and
diseaue unravel fragile economies,
Tn some places, women Trust pros-
money to
start businesses, one Christian
relief organization strives to save
trom poverty,
titute themselves or their children
to buy food and
World Vision, a Christian relief
and development organization, is
helping auch women ty transform
their lives through the WILFund
(Women’s International Loan
Fund).
loans to women in Africa, Asia,
Eastern Europe and Latin Amer
ica. Loans are issued to women
medical care.
The fund provides mieqo-
rting or expanding businesses,
bta
When the business ig up and run-
ning, the woman repays the loan
with interest, To
www. wilfund. ory
learn more, viait
*
a CP any
ol es
Tate
A Se a
Res <5 Ao kh a
: ware where fighting has been most intense re- searchers sai dren were killed by :
. tary wa techeirep which rates in the 15 months before the invasion vo ene the fighting was so severe coalition forces in the survey households. ”
Pend ead sp ray ta with those that occurred during the 18 there, the numbers from that location may Infant mortali rose from 29 deaths per ‘
issue, and Moe late for the Nov. 5 months after the attack and adjusted those have exaggerated the overall picture. 1,000 live births before the war to 57
issue, and possibly too . ‘” numbers to account for the different time When the researchers recalculated the deaths pet 1,000 afterward. |
se tececmanaipai ky diewierarinetcamcie ee
Even th the ‘size alluj at 7.9 per 1, ide death toll due to the conflict y Su
eae ave e timed te eathe small, this type of survey is considered ac- people per year — sil -5 times higher tracting the preinvasion death rate from
last-mi debane before the ection. curate and ble by scientistsand was _than before the war. the post-invasion death rate and multi-
Riche Pen rt on snedy used to calculate war deaths in Kosovo in Even with Falluja factored out, the plying that number by the estimated .
eat not inwhved with the the late 1990s. survey “indicates that the death toll associ- population of Iraq— 24.4 million at the ’
research, id thea roach the scientists The investigators worked in teams of ated with the invasion and ion of start of the war. Then thar number was
rr Jo mabe’ toinvestigate the _ three. Five of the six Iraqi interviewers were Iraq is more likely than not about 100,000 converted toa total number of deaths by
00 death coll one to investigate doctors and all six were fluent in English People, and may be much higher,” the dividing by 1,000 and adjusting for the
Iraq H it’s possible that and Arabic. report said. 18 months since the invasion. .
have zoned in on hotspoes that mi aoe In the households reporting deaths, The most common causes of death “We estimate that there were 98,000
he tative of the death toll across ‘he person who died had to be living there before the invasion of Iraq were heart at- extra deaths during the postwar period in
ad Peo a professor of medical sta- the tithe of the death and for more than __ tacks, strokes and other chronic diseases. the 97 percent of Iraq represented by all
Iraq, t Oxford Pinivers inEngland, | ‘Wo months before to be counted. In an _ However, after the invasion, violence was __ the clusters except Falluja,” the researchers
tistics i eae ly investigators _ ttemptat firmer confirmation, the inter- recorded as the primary cause ofdeathand said in the journal.
isited 33 ncighborkaod: reed ent viewers asked for death certificates in78 was mainly attributed to coalition forces \ ae for further confirmation
visi Ke ° Sepremer randomly households and were provided them 63 —with about 95 percent of those deaths by'an independent body such as the In-
seloctin dune, of 30 households to times. caused by bombs or fire from helicopter ternational Committee of the Red Cross,
sam le “OF the 988 households visited There were 46 deaths in the surveyed ps. . or the World Health Organization. .
3 08" ca isting of 7,868 people { households before the war. After the inva- Violent deaths — defined as those The study was funded by the Cen- .
» Consisting th , me © agreed sion, there were 142 deaths. That is an brought about by the intentional act of ter for International Emergency Disaster '
by eecket hey niche peo k livedin the iN¢rease from 5 deaths per 1,000 people others — were reported in 15 of the 33 and Refugee Studies at Johns Hopkins '
they and how cdl ais dd ths pet year to 12.3 per 1,000 people per year clusters. The chances of a violent death University and by the Small Arms Survey ~
there had been, ince f 3002
t
mi
Under the radar
October 16 - 31, 2004 The Minority Voice Newspaper Page 11
lumbia
| Mutts
Scotland Neck, NC
(252) 826-4406
Floral Creations
Scotland Neck, NC
(252) 826-5094
“Family Serving Families”
. Hemby
- Fountain, NC
(252) 749-3256
_ Hemby.
Tarboro, NC
(252) 823-5129
\
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L.
2.9. to double troop presence in Co
- Colombia makes few headlines in earlier, doubled the cap on U.S, mili lombia (FARC), the National Liberation est rotest in recent memory. Business nesty International report, “Colombia: Vio- _ what the group called “clear signs of tor-
the United States these days. But advisors in Colombiato 800, and raised Army (ELN) and the United Self-De- wat also paralyzed in Medellin, Call, lence Agai Women,” which finds that ture.” Arauca is one of the most violent
Washington's involvement in the W st- the cap on the number of U.S.civilian fense Forces of Colombia (AUC). But Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and rape other sexual crim of Colombia's departments, where nu-
em Hemisphere's longest, bloodiest war contract agents—pilots, intelligence ana- rights groups point to along record of Cartagen was b on penica mutilation—are tly used by merous campesino leaders have been
is rapidly escalating, as the world’s at- lysts, security personnel—from 400 to close collaboration between Colombia’ the Pan-American Highway in addi- th the paramilitaries ar me official se- _kilted by paramilitaries and the army in
tention is elsewhere. The latest signal of 600. The measure.came as a little no- . armed forces and the AUC, a rightist _ tion to protesting the war and FFAA curity forces against Communitiesaccused recent years.
increased U.S. embroilment comes just _ ticed part of the 2005 Defense ~ paramilitary group. And while U.S. _ plans, the strikers also 0 ased Presi- of collaborating with the guerrillas. The Rights advocates fear that, in next
asa vocal civil movement is emerging in ment authorization act, and wasadefeat troops are officially barred from actual dent Uribe’s scheme to alter the con- report says the guerrillas, in turn, have used years Defense Departments authoriza-
Colombia to demand an end to the war. for human rights group that were push- combat misions in Coleesbic many fear _ stitution to allow himself to seek an- similar brutal tactics against those thought tion act. Co ional hardliners will
The U.S. Congress recently ap- ing for a lower cap. The new 800/600 ° that Washington is on a “sl slope.” other term in office. to be collaborating with the army or again push to get Ihe cap on USS. troop
proved a doubling of the Pentagon's cap is exactly what the White House “This amounts to autherstion of The hardline Uribe, President nilitaries. - levels raised—or done away with alto-
-ptesence in Colombia, where a asked for. An earlier House version would _ increased involvement by U.S. in Bush's closest ally in South America, Women and girls are raped, sexually Bether, as Peapod by Rep. Duncan
week protest has erupted, assome 1.4 _ have seta 500 cap for military personnel _an internal armed conflict in Colombia,” has refused to negotiate with the abused and even killed, because they be- Hunter(R “A). |
million public-sector work-ers walked off and kept the cap for civilian contractors sa $ Kimberiy Stanton, deputy director FARC, Colombia’ biggest guerilla have in ways deemed as unacceptable to WOLA’ Stanton says the lack of
their jobs and took to the streets fora at 400, but this was rejected in joint of the Washington Office on Latin army. A negotiated settlement to the me combatants, or because women may media co of the vote-—and Co-
one-day srk, Organized by major trade — mmittee. A proposal establishing these America (WOLA). “And it was passed conflict . was among me __ have challenged the authority of armed lombiaenerliy—isabad ig.
unions, as well as civil organizations, the caps in the Senate—known as the Byrd without significant public debate. We _ strikersdemands. groups or simply because women are American People are not aware
Oct. 12 strike demanded an end both amendment for Sen. Robert Byrd (D- are sliding into a protracted civil war in An Oct. 11 New York Times story viewed as a use et on which toin- that we are increasingly involved, she
__ to PresidentAlvaro Uribe’s push to join W.V.)—was defeated in June by a vote Colombia.” on the troop cap authorization claimed flict humiliation on the enemy “ said Su- says, with all attention focused on Iraq.
President George Bush's Free Trade Area of 58 to 40. Among the two senators Strikes and protests numbers in that“Under Mi. Uribe’s administra- san Lee, director of Amnesty's Americas __ (Pacific News Service contributor
of the Americas (FTAA), and to the who abstained was John Kerry. hundreds of thousands.. tion, violence has ebbed in Colombia.” _ program. Bill Weinberg. author of “Homage to
. fights abuses and atrocities associated The authorization measure is osten- In the general strike, hundreds of But Colombia human rights groups The vote also came days after yet an- Chiapas: The ew
: with the governments counter-guerrilla _ sibly aimed at helping the Colombian _ thousands of workers, joined by peas- say mat atrocities have more than _ other peasant leader was assassinated.On in Mexico and editor of the online
war—which the United States has ernment fight “against narcotics traf- ants and students, shut down cities doubled since Pres. Uribe took office Oct. 6, the body of Pedro Jaime Mosquera War3 Report, is working on a book on
funded to the tune of $3.3 billion since Rcking and against activities by organi- throughout the country. Bogota’s cen- _ in 2002. Cosme, an Afro-Columbian leader of the Plan Columbia.
Plan Colombia was in 2000. zations desi as terrorists,’ naming _ tral square. Bolivar Plaza, was filled with The wri dap vote also co- Campesino Association of Arauca, was
The vote in Washington, two days _ the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Co- some 300,000 people—Colombia’s larg- _ incided with the release ofanewAm- found near the Venezuelan border, with ;
7 7 e o- ,
sodomy laws that mandated prison ment that render the idea of black fam- set off a frenzy of calls for a constitu- heir desire ta mar 7
Gay Ri ghts 9 Civil Rights terms, and forced treatment in pai ily life moot. The same people who are _ tional amendment and for state laws people, Put the ee eric whom
; _ atric hospitals. silent on these issues have no problem banning gay marriage. Without these Besides f their ability to stay married is
oy apa t Kimberley, 's contrary to the teachings of most reli- These risks were avoided by stay- finding a microphone to denounce gay _ laws, the rest of the 49 states would better than that i ey epeoniea
Freedom Rider gions and many see it as an affront to ing in the closet. Anyone passin for people. have to recognize gay marriages per- no t cof them straigh Peop:
Everyone wants to use our story. deeply held spiritual beliefs. Others who straight could live a comfortable life. A The sleaziest among them evenen- formed in Massachusetts. large nur = HEM WONT stay together
Everyone with a beef, advocacy issue or are not so religious are still uneasy at the Faustian bargain is not the equivalent dorse George W. Bush because he is ‘As these efforts move through the vole BY homoseanelay they might
pet project, invokes the image of black | prospect of such a tremendous changein of slavery, but it is difficult to claim that right on what they see as amoral issue, states the black clergy are immedi tely ciscourage he cheir ocai y :
oppression in order to le itimize their — the definition of marriage. The combi- it doesn't create discrimination. having defined immorality purely by ~~targetectanc too often succumb to the. ena t Ki atetley’s Freed ‘
case. In the second presidential debate nation of religious belief and the anger The very public coming out of sex activity. Waging war or kidnap- temptation to act out. They are able to Rider olen = eekly in Ms.
President Bush com the plight of by opportune comparisons to ra- New Jersey governor Jim McGrocvey is ping an elected head of state are appar- do so because there is no consensusin “A isa fren, wee ter living in
the “unborn” to D Scott’sattempt to cial oppression makes foracombustible a case in point. He believed that he ently not worthy of mention when mo- the black community in favor of gay New ¥ hes She ca ‘be ,.:
escape from slave | He isn't the only mix, but that should not prevent black could run for ublic office only if he rality is di One particularly fool- marriage, and because too many ga °-M. iT "ty. oe can a
guilty party. Animal tsactivistscom- —_ people from discussing the rights issues had a wife and kids by his side. If he ish reverend, Gregory Daniels of Chi- _ black people stay closeted, in church nan _
pars ihe lot of the lab rat with that of of other groups. hadn't lived a lie, he would never have » made this unforgettable statement: and out. What do they think when they yore sarin fMs. Kimberley .
victims, . Opposition to gay marriage inthe been elected. McGreevey achieved his “If the KKK would op gay mar- _sitin church and hear themselves called ‘tine : htt a }
Theres a tacit admission that black community tends to follow the nar- career goal but at a very high price. riage I would ride with them, sinners, if the pastor is generous, orde- W'!tings *, sep
people have suffered the worst human tative that discrimination against gays is It is imperative to discuss right is- Just as anti-abortion activists des- mon po , if he isn’t? or oe
rights in America. Yet no oneelse _ trivial or even acceptable. Therefore, 8AY sues without comparing the suffering ignate fetuses as the Harriet Tubmans Fhe other danger inherent in this PUR REETYNERES az
wants any connection with us. It — marriage cannot be a civil rights issue. It — ofone inst that ofothers.Oth- of the 21st century, the right wing have narrow debate is the assumption that MANAGING YOUR MONEY
would be nice if those who use us for is true that the demand for civil rights —_ erwise the olishness occurring in the been allowed to appropriate the history gay doesn’t mean black. That is obvi- whabanar obs athslbedebes il |
their own purposes would occasionally for gays is not the same as the demands black community because of the Bay of black oppression to fight against gay . ously untrue, but speaking of gay and A New Law Changes
advocate on our behalf. for civil rights for black people. Gay marriage debate will only worsen. rights. Their misuse of black istory is _ civil rights as separate issues allows the The Way Che Cam aay
The issue has emerged again be- people were not enslaved, segre or Too few black preachers appear to ‘no less offensive than anyone else’s and —_dece tion to continue. There are many e y aah state chads al
cause of efforts to legalize gay marriage. forced to live under the threat of death be interested in making their voices should not be accepted, least of all by McCreeveys in the black community :
The question of whether same sex mar- from mob rule. None of which means heard about the occupation of Iraq, the the clergy. - too.
riage should become legal can bea they haven't faced discrimination. Gays ings of an American police state, The recent decision by a Massa- Gay people have not suffered the
deeply emotional one, Homosexuality were subject tojob discrimination, anti- or rates 0 incarceration and unemploy- * chusetts court legalizing gay marriage same degree of oppression as black
“oie Cc... >: Th Shortening Your Path To A College Degree In An Uncertain Economy
Credit »~pecialist (NAPSA)-Its the higher education 8 Bj college. Kim recently retumed to schoo
Suk ee Mand AULL? Ue Sma t of the “perfect storm” -students because she felt her job chances were .
ni a A ¥eniCl 1a MET! oO all ages are seeking more education to Peing hurt by her lack of an Ue
_ help them weather the r economy "ate degree. “My goals were to get a de- |
ia. time tight state budgets are ree as quickly and economically as pos-
*e forcing co! to increase tuition and sible and CLEP helped me do that. I -
. cut back on financial aid. But help is earned 44 credit hours and saved -
4 as: prirpare’s ancia 5 se Bo it ars) 2 $33,000 itt ‘titition costs: ‘ if CREP!
~» through CLEP the College-. Lag Eo mi- | Because I finished early, T was able to 7
| » nation Program that saves students both Sart my job search that much sooner.”
CLEP prides thousand E sei “are beginning Boot eee Experts say a new law wi
Ter Gee provi housands of stu- are beginning second careers. ga ie Ne .
I) ens ofall apes with unique opportu- Karlatos Rankin was a Broadway actor qube trav, end pageriore by
hity to demonstrate academic achieve- when she decided, at age 55, to return speeding the check -clearing
, ment through a program of rigorous ex- ’ to the classroom for her bachelor’s de- process. inte
. co ronweae {ams in introductory college-level sub- gree. She passed five CLEP exams that .
. tm ff] iccts.The35 CLEP exams range in sub- she says saved her nearly $25,000 in (NAPSA)-Check it out. A new law is
BJ's Chicken BBQ & Seafood ject from English Composition to U.S. Taking a CLEP exam can pro- ‘ition costs. “I always wanted to return changing the way banks clear checks.
¢ sear cme .. | | History, and include Biology and Span- vide the boost needed te ertoice to school but never had the chance. the legislation-known as the Check
- . 711 8. Memorial Drive . . ish, among others. The exams are 90 min- ate from college. CAEP gave me the opportunity toearn Clearing for the 21st Century Act, or
so , we utes and are made up primarily of mul- = credit for all the things I had learned Check 21-will benefit consumers
— Monday-Saturday 10-9 tiple choice questions. throughout my life so I could spend time ugh faster check clearing,
a a a James Qwnby, 34, isavictim ofthe time so your skills don’t become out- concentrating on the essen Ineeded _ fraud, less paper and eee on
“Drive Thaw Today gl high-tech bust who used CLEP to ad- dated.” Ownby earned 35 credits and from er education. | The law makes it possible for
ee a: vance himself. For years, Ownby enjoyed estimates he saved $16,000 thtough There are 2,900 colleges that grant to send-and accept for clearing purposes-
Owned and Operated Da a successful career with a Fortune 500 CLEP Asa result of CLEP, he was able credit for CLEP exams. A student consid- digital images of checks ear |
; _' rx company even though he had never to finish a four-year degree program in ching taking a CLEP exam should first inates the need to hy
' és By Bobby Riggs ‘7 earned an undergraduate degree. But 18 months. “The CLEP exams are rig- check with ¢ college to learn more about transport checks between ee
Tee inorder expres oes ei tsdgeseicowers Secale bet antl matte in rae, kueititnd Gel
, . Se is lack of a as the reason he was too 0) student can earn . How- luce uncon le in
! call in order express (252)757-3046 ene fortermination. “Timewas ofthe themselves in my situation” ever, it is not necessary to be enrolled in porting checks caused by weather or
, seamamnecrnatnn = essence in getting a degree because in CLEP exams are offered at 1,300 college in order to take a CLEP test. wna disasters. 7
¢ _ . the computer inde > its crucial that college and university testcentersatuni- CLEP is administered by the Col- According to the American Bank-
——_ you dont stay away for any length of —_versities throughout the United States. _ lege Board, a not-for-profit membership _ ets Association, the law does not elimi-
Because the exams are computer-based, _otganization whose mission isto connect nate Paper checks, nor does it chat
mere students obtain instant score reports students to college success and opportu- the way consumers write checks, It sim-
~ Upon completion of the exam, The ex- nity with a commitment to ply requires banks and customers to ac-
ams cost $55 each and test centers usu- uity in 1. Sep pen opie of original checks, called
ally charge a small test administration fee. or more information about CLEP, substitute checks,
Passing a CLEP exam can save students exam descriptions and the col- A “substitute check” isa Paper copy
hundreds or thousands of dollars on col- lees a universities that accept and/or _ of the check, including the front,
lege tuition and fees. ister CLEP exams, visit the Col- back an all endorsements,
_. CLEP gave 27-year-old Jackie Kim lege Board’s Web site which is located at Supporters of this law that con-
the boost she needed to graduate from www.collegeboard.com/clep. sumers will benefit. Here's why:
: as They'll have earlier access to
their funds and more convenient access
to information online about the status
) of their checks, :
/ . «heck fraud wil be reduced
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In addition to the changes brought
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ing “a new and surprising human family album is | “The Flores fossils add anew and even today is off the beaten path. The Such adaptations are common
twig’ on the human family tree, scien-_ crowded. For most of the roughly . surprising twig to the hominin human) last time the island made news was in am many animals on islands, indud>
tusts report Thursday they've discovered 160,000. years chat modern humans family tree,” they said. 1992 when a seties of tsunamis struck ing Fo » which featured a miniature
the remains of a clan of tiny human rela- have been around, our species “seems to Brown and his colleagues believe the north shore, wiping out several vil- _ elephant, the Stegodon, that Flores Man
tives, standing about 30 inches tall, that have shared the planet with other bipe- that Flores Man evolved from larger ar- lages and killing more than 1,700 people. hunted and cooked, charred bones found
lived on an isolated island in eastem In- dal and culearal beings — cur chaic humans who may have reached the The scientists argue that the small _in the cave confirm.
donesia as recently as 18,000 years ago. dominance may be far more recent than island gn bamboo rafts from other is- size of the pecies came about over time While modern humans are known
Bones from seven individuals of the we ” obecrve Britshershegen lands as far back as 800,000 years ago, because natural selection favored dwarf. to have been in the area for tens of thou-
new species have been recovered from a ary experts Marta Mirazon Lahr and _ based on the age of stone tools found ing on an island where the selection of sands of years before Flores Man disap-
130- cave called Liang Bua on Robert Foley, in a Nature analysis of the elsewhere on Flores. . _ animals for food was limited to birds, _ peared, there's no évidence of interac-
the island of » a tropical island al- research. : Flores, a former Portuguese colony, reptiles and one large mammal. tio | |
ready renowned forbcinghomeromany Redefining Rights: ; se a
Date! ieee rua, LE Civil Rights Record of the
Flores Man, by the team of Australian ,
and Indonesian researchers who found | NYC Schools Underfunded If there is one issue that should _ on issues, and President Bush win, the Black voters as they head to the polls
them, the diminutive humans seem to NorthStar Network contributor drive Black voters to the polls on No- Supreme Court will most likely take on November 2. Aftican-Americans
have had the island'to themselves for at David R. Jones, president of the Com- vember 2 it is the fate of the federal. on a very conservative appearance. now account for over half of the new
least 100,000 years before they became munity Service Society examines the judiciary under the next president. There are currently 28 vacancies and HIV cases in the United States. Black
extinct, possibly victims of a volcanic issue of underfunded schools and There isa strong possibility that at least. 21 nominations pending for seatson women comprise one-third of all new
eruption around 12,000 years ago or —_ overcrowded classrooms in New York two, and as many as three, of the cur- the federal bench. ; cases. 7
pethaps done in by the arrival of mod- City. It is a timely subject as the New _ rent justices on the U.S. Supreme 2004 Issue: HIV/AIDS and STD’s - 2004 Joint Center National Opinion
ern humans. York Court of Appeals has ruled that Court may retire during the next Vice President Dick Cheney Poll
Evidence from the cave shows Flores the state must change its school fund- _ presidential term. These vacancies claimed he was unaware of the HIV/ The Washington D.C. based
Man walked upright, made stone tools, ing formula so that city schools can would give the niext president the op- AIDS crisis plaguing Black women, in Joint Center for Political and Eco-
built fires and worked together tohunt finally receive their fair share. The portunity to put his ideological stamp —_ fesponse to a question from modera- nomic Studies has released its 2004
large game, yet sported a grapefruit-sized court's tuling is the result of a lawsuit _ on the high Court for decades tocome. tor Gwen Ifill during the vice presi- National Opinion Poll, the most com-
brain about a quarter the size of the brains by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity Should Associate Justice Sandra dential debate. The vice president’s prehensive survey of Black political
of modern humans. Its brain capacity
and stature are more in line with a pre-
human species that lived in Africa more
than 3 million years ago, but other fea-
tures, like large eye sockets and small front
teeth, put the creature in the more mod-
ern Homo family.
Archaeological evidence shows
modern humans have been living prac-
tically next door in New Guinea for at
least 50,000 years, but scientists also
know that full-sized archaic humans,
Homo erectus, continued to live along
the Solo River in nearby Java until at
least 50,000 years ago.
Peter Brown, a professor of archae-
ology and paleontology at the Univer-
sity of New England in Australia and
lead author of one of two describ-
ing Flores Man published in the journal
Nature, says the discovery ts that
the human family has been a lot more
varied and adaptable than has been rec-
“ of this body size were sup-
posed to be extinct three million years
ago. Yet we missed them by so little in
time. This begs the question of what else
are we going to find?” said Brown.
» he and his colleagues plan
to look for signs of similar clans in other
caves the region.
= other abe who re-
viewed the papers before they were
lished are so puzzled by the jumtle of
features, some more ape-like than hu-
man, that they think it’s wrong to in-
clude the creatures in the recent human
ily tree at all.
existence of Flores Man, alo
with recent evidence that clusters of
N survived in Europe until
about 30,000 years ago, suggests the
ealth hints
a
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you can help maintain a healthy heart,
memory function, vision health, strong
bones and teeth and even lower your
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Experts suggest eating five to nine
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Serving sizes are probably smaller and
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1 medium-size fruit
3U4 cup (6 02.) of 100 percent
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1U2 cup of fresh, frozen or canned
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I cup of raw leafy vegetables
1U2 cup cooked dry peas or beans
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2004 Issue: The Federal Judiciary
The Minority Voice Newspaper October 16 - 31, 2004
elatives May
O’Connor step down, the justice that
currently most often is the swing vote
Add Laye
ignorance on such an important pub-
lic health issue raises the stakes for
r to Human History
thought in the nation. The annual poll
Provides an interesting snapshot of
{
|
Bones from ler, pigs and -
pide were op Hed Rees of the
cave _-but only in above where
the dwarf ~— fn ONS Were found
_ suggesti t the new spécies ar-
Fived with ahodern humana ,
Lying just below those bones on
the cave floor isa thin
laid down 12,000 by volcanic
ush Administration
Black prefere ces heading into the No-
vember 2 election. -
2004 Issue; DC Statehood
DC Statehood is an issue that
should remain high on the list of pri-
orities for Black Americans. District resi-
dents, including hundreds of thou-
sands of Blacks, are denied their full
citizenship rights because their repre-
sentative in the House of Representa-
tives, currently Del. Eleanor Holmes
Norton, is not afforded the same rights
and privileges in representing her con-
stituents as her colleagues in Congress.
Send Euros
Cuba Does Away With
US Currency
__ Cuba announced that dollars will
no longer be accepted in stores and
businesses, saying it is trying to re-
gain control of its economy as Wash-
ington cracks down on the flow of
the U.S. currency to Cuba. A con-
vertible peso will be put in circula-
tion. .
President Fidel Castro asks Cu-
bans to tell relatives abroad to send
them euros, British sterling or Swiss
francs instead of dollars.
The dollar has long shored up
Cuba's communist economy. Castro
legalized the currency in 1993 to co
with thé loss of Soviet aid and trade.
Timeline on Missing
Explosives in Iraq
1991: The International Atomic
Energy Agency placed a seal over stor-
e lis holding conventional ex-
plosives known as HMX and RDX at
the Al-Qaqaa facility south of
Baghdad as part of U.N. sanctions
that arial the dismantlement of
Iraq's nuclear program after the Gulf
War. HMX isa “dual use” substance
powerful enough to ignite the fissile
material in an atomic bomb and set
offa nuclear chain reaction.
* January 2003: AEA inspectors
viewed the explosives at Al-Qagaa for
the last time. The inspectors took an
inventory and again placed storage
bunkers at Al-Qaqaa under agency
seal.
* February 2003: IAEA chief
Mohamed E|Baradei told the United
Nations that Iraq had declared that
“HMX previously under IAEA seal
had been transferred for use in the
roduction of industrial explosives.”
This apparently did not include the
HMxX that remained under seal at Al-
Qagqaa.
* March 2003: Nuclear agency
inspectors visited Al-Qagqaa for the last
time but did not examine the explo-
sives because the seals were not bro-
ken. The inspectors then pulled out
of the country.
* March 2003: The U.S.-led coa-
lition invaded Iraq.
* After the invasion: The Penta-
gon said Monday that “coalition forces
were present in the vicinity at various
times during and after major combat
operations. The forces searched 32
bunkers and 87 other buildings at the
facility, but found no indicators of
WMD (weapons of mass destruction).
While some explosive material was dis-
covered, none of it carried LAEA seals. _
* Oct. 10, 2004: Iraq’s Ministry
of Science and Technology told the
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nuclear agency that 377 tons of ex-
plosives had disappeared from the Al-
Qagaa facility. The Iraqis said the ma-
terials were stolen and looted because
of a lack of security.
* Oct. 15, 2004: The IAEA in-
formed the U.S. mission in Vienna
about the disappearance. National se-
curity adviser Condoleezza Rice was
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