W-ed
THANK YOU, COMMUNITY
If
there are two things that we absolutely believe in here at the Wilmington
Journal, it’s serving our community to the up most best of our ability, and
thank those who help this African-American newspaper do exactly that.
Thus,
a word of thanks to all of our sponsors, supporters and staff of the Fourth
Annual Wilmington Journal Southeastern North Carolina African-American Heritage
Festival, once again held last weekend in Robert Strange Park.
Started
in 2003, the festival is a two-day community festival of music, poetry and
crafts that celebrates the best of Wilmington.
It
is also when we come together, not only to celebrate who we are as a proud
people and community, but also take time to remember those of us who have made
a difference for all of us, who
have passed on.
This
year, the opening day of the festival was dedicated to Wilmington Ten member
Connie Tindall, and the second day dedicated to community activist Anthony
Jinwright.
The
entire heritage festival was dedicated to the memory of our beloved Mrs. Willie
E. Jervay, publisher emeritus of the Wilmington Journal, who passed earlier
this year after many, many years of valiant service to our city, state and
nation.
All
of at the Wilmington Journal still feel her loss, and we will always miss her,
and her devoted husband, our founder, publisher Thomas C. Jervay, Sr.
Of
course, you can’t have a successful African-American Heritage Festival without sponsors,
and, as always, we are so grateful for all of ours.
Special
thanks to the City of Wilmington (and Mayor Bill Saffo for coming out), Coast
97,3 Radio, WECT TV, Upperman African American Cultural Center at UNCW, New
Beginning Christian Church, Progress Energy,
Time Warner Cable, The Home Depot, R. A. Jeffreys, Krispy
Kreme Donuts, The Wilmington Sportsmen's Club, Country Inns and Suites,
and McDonalds.
The
community so appreciates the continued support of all of our sponsors for the
festival and this newspaper, and look forward to them coming back again next
years.
To
our many, many supporters, like Pastor Mary Nixon of Speakes A.M.E. Zion
Church, and to our fantastic vendors, thank you for being there. The spirit of
service was something that was shared throughout.
To
our valiant staff at the Wilmington Journal, who more than enough to do each
and every week to make sure that a new edition hits the streets, chock full of
the news and information our community desperately needs, thank you. To add
managing the festival to those duties and responsibilities reflects your
individual devotion to the community.
And
finally, to our community.
All
of us have a shared history of struggle. We have stood side-by-side to fight
for equal rights, and speak out against injustice. More than most, our
community has paid an awesome price throughout history for what we believe in,
and we continue to do so.
But
through it all, we take comfort in knowing that GOD has been, and continues to
be on our side.
That’s
what makes Wilmington special. That’s why we work so hard to ensure that this
community can be one that we’re all proud of.
And
that’s why we at the Journal are so eternally proud of our community, and our
readers, and thank each and every one of you for your loving, and continued
support.
Until
next year.
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AGAINST WOMEN, BLACKS
By Cash Michaels
An analysis
In
the Republican Party’s America, the rich pay less while the poor pay more;
blacks are more likely to vote repeatedly on Election Day; and unless a rape is
deemed “legitimate” by some unknown governmental entity, a women must carry the
offspring of her rapist to term because everyone knows if she was really raped,
her body would have secreted a spermicide to prevent the pregnancy in the first
place.
Add
the rants and musings of conservative entertainers like country singer Hank
Williams, Jr., - who believes that President Obama is a “Muslim who hates
farmers, the military” and America - rich industrialists like Donald Trump who
still doesn’t believe that Barack Obama was born in this country, or former Fox
News pundit Glenn Beck who went on national television and called America’s
first African-American president “ a racist” who “hates white people,” and you
have a conservative movement and Grand Old Party that seems not to be able to
control its true feelings about why some of its most vocal minions want to
“take the country back.”
For
anyone thinking that conservative Republicans here in North Carolina have been
immune to some of the questionable pronouncements and behaviors of their
national brethen, only have to look as far as the recently ended legislative
session. Comedy Central satirist Stephen Colbert had a field day after the
Republican-led NC General Assembly considered a measure, “that would prevent
scientists from using modern, scientific models to accurately predict what
might happen to sea levels if climate change continues unabated,” wrote Care2
online last June.
Scientists
say the sea level rise at the NC coast will be five feet.
State
lawmakers say the official estimate is more like eight inches, and passed a law
prohibiting any projections that differ until 2016.
The
Winston-Salem Journal put it this way:
Tea-party Republicans put the environmental movement
and climate science on the wrong side of the culture war that is gripping the
United States. Therefore, they refuse to recognize that the planet is getting
warmer, seas are rising accordingly, and man is playing a part in both. It
matters not that the vast majority of real scientists provide hard data to support
their projections. To the tea drinkers, facts and science don't count, only
anger at the left does.
And yet, thanks to Missouri Republican Congressman
Todd Akin, the nation got a further gander at that “anger at the left” this
week when the arch-conservative went on local television, talking about
possibly repealing the 1965 Voting Rights Act that secures the voting rights of
African-Americans; ending funding for student loans and school lunches for poor
children, and then the big comment about victims of legitimate rape not getting
pregnant because their bodies won’t let it happen - a scientifically asinine
and factually baseless remark that has had everyone from the chairman of the
Republican Party to conservative cheerleader Sean Hannity, to even Republican
presidential candidate Mitt Romney to demand that Akin, who is in a tight race
with Democratic US Senatorial incumbent Claire McCaskill, abort his candidacy.
Akin,
who is known for his strong religious views, has refused, saying he’s putting
“principle over politics.”
The
Missouri congressman embarrassed the Republican Party this week with his
ignorance, until it was determined that he wasn’t the only Republican to share
such beliefs.
If
the party standardbearers, and many of the GOP rank-and-file believe likewise,
not only about women and rape, then what do they really think of
African-Americans, Latinos, and others?
The
plethora of voter ID laws in at least 34 states where Republicans rule either
the state legislature or the governor’s mansion, is clear indication that
despite all evidence to the contrary, the GOP holds firm that there is
“rampant” voter fraud among black voters, thus their justification to cut early
voting, demand birth certificates, and curtail voter registration drives.
The
question is how will the black community respond to the GOP culture war come
the November elections? It did not respond well at all during the November 2010
midterm elections, that saw the virtual takeover by the conservative Tea Party,
which almost brought the government down during the debt ceiling debacle last
summer.
The
answer is far from clear.
-30-
WakeUP Wake County, League of Women Voters of Wake County Set Dates for Candidate Forums
Special to The Carolinian
Growth
planning, public schools, transportation, water supply, and budget priorities
are among the topics for questions and debate at five candidate forums to be
held this September and October around Wake County. Co-hosted by WakeUP
Wake County and the League of Women Voters of Wake County, four of the forums
will feature candidates running for three Wake County Board of Commissioners
seats on the November ballot. A fifth forum will feature candidates
running for NC Superintendent for Public Instruction, a state-wide race.
All forums will start at
7:00pm. Voter registration will be available beginning at 6:00pm at the
Board of Commissioners forums.
Candidates will be asked questions
by the organizations as well as the audience and will be allowed to make
opening and closing statements. Voter education is an important objective
of both the League of Women Voters and WakeUP Wake County. Both
organizations are non-partisan, and all candidates have confirmed participation
in the forums. The public is encouraged to attend these free public
forums. Registration is not required but encouraged. To register
and for more information, visit: www.wakeupwakecounty.org.
Elections are Tuesday, November 6th.
WAKE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FORUMS:
Garner - Sept. 20, 2012
Garner Performing Arts Center
742 W Garner Rd, Garner
SE Raleigh - Sept. 27, 2012
Martin St. Baptist Church
1001 East Martin Street, Raleigh
Cary - Oct. 4, 2012
Kirk of Kildaire Church
200 High Meadow Drive, Cary
N. Raleigh - Oct. 11, 2012
Temple Beth Or
5315 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh
NC SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FORUM - October
15, 2012
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh
3313 Wade Ave, Raleigh 27607
Cutline - HUBERT
POOLE HONORED - The US Marine Corp honored
the late Hubert Poole this week. Read more in Triangle New Briefs. [Photo
courtesy of Poole family]
TRIANGLE NEWS BRIEFS
HUBERT POOLE HONORED POSTHUMOUSLY BY US MARINE CORP
Mary
Poole, the widow of long time Southeast Raleigh community leader Hubert Poole,
proudly received a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal August 19
from representatives of the US Marine Corps in honor of her late husband. Mr.
Poole, who died six months ago, was one of the first black Marines to train at
the segregated Montford Point near Camp Lejeune during the 1940s. Poole said
though he had to suffer racism there, the experience made him a better man.
CHAPEL HILL IN TOP 10 ON MONEY MAGAZINE LIST
According
to Money Magazine, Chapel Hill is number 10 on the “Best Places to Live in
America” list. The magazine wrote, "Locals
aren't exaggerating when they refer to Chapel Hill as a "town within a
park." The roads wind through tunnels of arching trees, and the area has a
rain forest-like charm.
But Chapel Hill isn't just a pretty face. It's part
of the state's Research Triangle, which boasts one of the highest numbers of
Ph.D.s per capita in the U.S. The town also houses the nation's oldest public
university, and interesting educational opportunities abound."
NCDOT CHOOSES TO NAME BELTLINE REBUILD “CRAWRALEIGH”
Remember
that NC Dept. of Transportation contest where you got to come up with a name
for an 11-mile I-440/I-40 Beltline rebuilding project that will take 3-years to
complete? Well the results are in,
and the NCDOT folks have chosen “Crawleigh” for the moniker. That may be
because the project is expected to take three years to complete. It starts next
summer and won’t be completed until 2016.
-30-
STATE NEWS BRIEFS
NC STUDENTS SCORES BETTER THAN NATIONAL ON ACT TESTS
[GREENSBORO]
More good news for North Carolina when it comes to academics. High school
students here taking the ACT college entrance exams last spring scored better
than the national average, state officials say. The average NC senior composite
score for math, reading, science and English was 22 on a scale from 1 to 36.
That was about the same as the NC score in 2011 for the Scholastic Aptitude
Test (SAT). Only one in five high school seniors choose to take the ACT.
Approximately 100,000 NC students took it last spring.
NC APPELATE COURT RULES AT-RISK CHILDREN MUST BE ADMITTED
TO PUBLIC PRE-K
[WINSTON-SALEM]
At-risk children must be allowed to attend pre-kindergarten programs and the state
can’t stop them, ruled the NC Court of Appeals this week. The decision flies in
the face of the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly, which changed
requirements to early childhood education that forced parents to pay part of
the cost, and limited the number of at-risk children enrolled. Republican
lawmakers say they will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.
FORMER COACH PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULTING PLAYERS
[WILMINGTON]
A former Hoggard High School assistant football coach has pleaded guilty
assaulting six students. Coach Joseph Brown Jr. admitted to beating one
students, punching three others, grabbing another by the throat, and
threatening the last with a stick. He was ordered to attend anger management
classes, and do 36 hours of community service.
-30-
CASH IN THE APPLE
By Cash Michaels
GETTIN’
READY - The Democratic National Convention
is just two weeks away in Charlotte, and everybody in the news business is
getting ready for special coverage, including yours truly.
This
is history, after all. It’s the first time that North Carolina will be hosting
a convention of a major political party, and it is certainly the first…and
perhaps the last time, that a major political party will re-nominate an
African-American to be president of the United States.
Ok,
I’ll add “…in our lifetimes.”
Feel
better?
I
will be reporting for The Carolinian
and Wilmington Journal on the newspaper side, and on the radio on Power 750
WAUG/www.myWAUG.com, filing hourly special “Make It Happen” reports daily from
Charlotte, plus a special edition of “Make It Happen” Thursday, February 6th,
the evening that President Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination to
once again run for the nation’s top office in November against Republican Mitt
Romney.
So
summer is just about over. After Labor Day Sept. 3rd, the serious
business about who lead our nation really begins (no offense to the
Republicans, but they have their political convention in Tampa, Florida during
the last week in August, when people really don’t pay attention).
So
don’t worry. The Black Press is on the job.
WILMINGTON
- Many thanks to everyone who came out to the Wilmington Journal
African-American Heritage Festival. Even
though Sunday was rained out, Saturday at the Robert Strange Park was great
with fantastic poetry, rap and music. We all look forward to next year’s.
REPUBLICAN
TROUBLE - For the past week, we’ve been hearing about nothing but Republican
bad behavior. If it isn’t a GOP congressman in Missouri trying to qualify which
rapes are “legitimate” or not, we then hear of a group of freshmen Republican
congressman who reportedly got drunk, disrobed (one completely), and jumped
into the Sea of Galilee in Israel last year.
When
Politico.com released
the story earlier this week, they reported that some of the GOP congressmen
said they jumped into the sea because they believed in its biblical healing
powers.
Yeah,
if I had a bottle or two, I might try that excuse too.
Then
there’s Mitt Romney’s new Vice presidential dance partner, Rep. Paul Ryan, who now has to admit to seeking millions from
President Obama’s stimulus program, after blasting the program.
How
nice!
And
to top it all off, there’s a tropical storm headed towards the US that could
turn into a category one hurricane, and target the Republican National
Convention in Tampa, Fla. next week.
So
with all of this happening to the GOP while they’re moving heaven and earth to
get rid of President Barack Obama, I just have one question?
Do
you think GOD is trying to tell the Republicans something?
REAL
REPUBLICAN TROUBLE - Getting back to the extraordinary situation the GOP finds
itself in in the aftermath of Congressman Todd Akin’s beyond stupid, beyond ignorant remarks about
“legitimate rape” on a local Missouri TV show. Have you ever had a crazy uncle
or aunt you wanted so badly to hide from the neighbors or visitors, but no
matter how hard you try, they always end up showing their face when you least
need to see them?
I’m
not talking about Rep. Akin, who run for the US Senate was the GOP’s best opportunity
to take the Senate majority this November.
I’m
talking about the GOP’s neanderthal way of thinking about women, blacks,
Latinos, gays, the poor…you name it. They try to hide some of that stuff from
the public so that we won’t discover how truly racist and sexist and just plain
IGNORANT most of them really are. They try to hide that stuff behind “God and
country,” but every now and then, you get somebody like country singer Hank
Williams Jr. (formerly of “Monday Night Football”) who will get up on a stage
at some concert full of yahoos, and tell folks President Obama “is a Muslim”
who hates farmers, the military, and America.
Now
when you hear racist bull like that, combined with Rush Limbaugh’s attack on women; rocker Ted Nugent warning that he wants to kill the president, and
now a sitting US congressman saying there is “legitimate” and apparently
“illegitimate” rape out there, that should be more than enough for folks to
understand that the Republican Party wants to take us all back to 1950’s, before
a civil rights movement, before a women’s movement, before America stood up and
decided it would be a nation of the future.
That’s
why this election, more than 2008, is perhaps the most important in our
lifetime, and the lifetimes of our children.
Don’t mess around and not participate. When you see and hear
this level of stupidity running for office in the country, you need to make
sure you have your say.
There
are no excuses for not voting this year.
None.
PARDON THE WILMINGTON TEN - Since the death of Wilmington
Ten member Connie Tindall two weeks ago, more and more people around the country
are discovering the cause of the ten civil rights activists who were unjustly
convicted of crimes they did not commit 40 years ago. Approximately 540 people have
signed the Change.Org online petition. Have you? Sign our Change.Org petition
by going to our Wilmington Ten Pardons of Innocence page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheWilmingtonTenPardonOfInnocenceProject),
and clicking the petition link. But don’t stop there. Get your family and
friends to do it too.
This
is about justice during an historic year, and you can be part of it.
Please
join us. Thanks.
Also,
Connie Tindall was buried last week. He had
no life insurance. Because he was falsely convicted of a felony 40 years ago,
getting insurance would be prohibitive at best, and more expensive than
standard rates.
The Wilmington community,
led by Mary Alice Thatch, publisher of The Wilmington Journal, is doing what it can to help. A contribution fund has
been setup to help with the costs of the service and burial.
The Tindall family asks
that checks be made out to THE CONNIE TINDALL FUND, c/o FIRST CITIZENS BANK,
P.O. BOX 1619 WILMINGTON, NC, 28402. Contributions to the fund can be dropped
off at any First Citizens Bank branch.
Thanks again.
Make sure you tune in
every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. for my talk radio show, ''Make It Happen''
on Power 750 WAUG-AM, or online at www.myWAUG.com. And read more about my thoughts and opinions
exclusively at my new blog, ‘The Cash Roc” (http://thecashroc.blogspot.com/2011/01/cash-roc-begins.html). I promise it will be interesting.
Cash in the Apple -
honored as the Best Column Writing of 2006 by the National Newspaper Publishers
Association. Columnist Cash Michaels was also honored by the NNPA for Best
Feature Story Journalist of 2009, and was the recipient of the Raleigh-Apex
NAACP’s President’s Award for Media Excellence in Sept. 2011.
Until next week, keep
a smile on your face, GOD in your heart, and The Carolinian in your life. Bye,
bye.
-30-
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