http://nnpa.org/obama-lets-finish-the-unfinished-work/
http://nnpa.org/justice-department-urged-to-stay-focused-on-police-killings-by-freddie-allen/
| |
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By Cash Michaels
MSNBC LETS
GO OF GOLDIE – If any of you are avid MSNBC
watchers, like me, then you know that Goldie
Taylor was one of the most effective commentators on the news channel. She
is black, intelligent, a military veteran, a writer, and certainly someone who
came across as clear and sincere in all of her commentary that I saw.
Plus Goldie
was bad to look at either.
For a
channel that has more black viewers that CNN
and FOX combined, MSNBC having
Goldie Taylor on its roster. With the plethora of black issues that have come
to fore, including, obviously, the election of a black president, Taylor proved
to be solid in her ability to express a bread-and-butter point-of-view.
And I was
extremely impressed with her of being a battered woman during recent coverage
of the Ray Rice controversy. Goldie
spoke from the heart about her own experience, and what she believed the NFL
should have done in punishing Rice had it not been so interested in covering
its own tail.
So when
word came this week that MSNBC, which is currently treading water in its
ratings race with Fox and CNN, did not renew Goldie Taylor’s contract for
commentary, the words, “how stupid” crossed my mind, as in, “When you’re trying
to fix what’s broken, do NOT break what doesn’t need fixing.
Goldie
Taylor is an asset, not a liability by any stretch of the imagination, to
MSNBC, or any other media outlet looking to have best commentary in its fold.
Quite frankly, unless there’s something wrong that has not been made public, I
don’t understand MSNBC’s thinking on this.
So all I,
and her many fans across the nation, can do for Goldie Taylor is to wish her
well. She tweeted that she would probably spend more time writing now, so I
look forward to her work.
Someone
asked her if she might be seen on Fox News in the future? Goldie’s response –
“Only if they cover my wake.”
Amen to
that, Sista Goldie, amen to that. Be well, and be blessed.
BLACK-ISH –
By the time you read this, the second episode of the new ABC-TV situation
comedy, “Black-ish” will have aired. Given that this is being written before it
does, let me first say that any show (but not necessarily every show) deserves
at least three episodes to get in a groove in order to be its best ultimately.
My feeling
is that if the producers and writers can’t figure out their path by episode 3,
then they probably never will, and that show won’t be on the air for long.
So as far
as “Black-ish” is concerned, that rule should apply, cause what I saw in the
pilot episode was iffy, at best.
Starring
the talented Anthony Anderson, Tracy Ellis
Ross and Lawrence Fishburne as a
middle-class black family that struggles to maintain their cultural identity in
a predominantly white world, ABC has wisely scheduled the comedy to air right
behind its Wednesday night powerhouse “Modern Family,” which is a comedy about
a white household struggling with the challenges of everyone in it being off
their collective rocker.
So the
mission for “Black-ish” automatically is to be both “black” and inoffensive at
the same time. In otherwise, for the middle-class white families (who are the
majority of viewers) who watch and enjoy “Modern Family,” lets not scare
them away afterwards.
That might
explain the hyper-craziness I witnessed in the “Blackish” pilot last week. It
was the height of silliness, with the plot being that Dre, the black father,
was afraid that his oldest son was veering more towards traditionally non-black
activities, like field hockey and bar mitzvahs, than those of his community.
Here was
the problem with that – because this is a comedy, the danger lied in the
traditional black activities Dre tried to expose his son to being trivialized
and mocked. Cultural traditions – I don’t care who they belong to – should
never be trivialized by those outside of that culture because they all hold
deep meaning to somebody. On network television, on a “black” show playing for
laughs, that’s a very real possibility that’s bound to get “Black-ish” in
trouble at some point, if it hasn’t already.
Indeed,
some folks on Facebook have blasted
the show just on its name alone, even though both Fishburne and Anderson serve
as producers.
Based on
what I saw from the pilot, “Black-ish” has its moments. But I have questions
about exactly how skilled its writing staff is in pulling this show off
successfully. I understand what they’re trying to do. Question is, can they do
it?
Like I said, I give this show three
episodes to pull it together. And if stuff doesn’t tighten up shortly, they may
be the only three episodes ABC give it, if the ratings (which were good for the
pilot last week) drop hard.
SHONDA
RHIMES and the NYT – By now you may have heard about the controversy
surrounding the recent New York Times article that was
critical of “Scandal” producer Shonda
Rhimes, calling her an “…angry black woman.”
So let me
get this straight…the white female writer of the NYT article about television’s
most powerful black female producer, thinks it was justified to call her an
“angry black female” just because Rhimes now owns Thursday night on ABC with
“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” and Rhimes’ newest,. “How to Get Away with Murder”
starring Oscar nominee Viola Davis.
Isn’t it
amazing how when someone not part of the traditional power structure is so
successful they can command a whole evening of television, that traditional
institutions have a tendency not to like it? Outside of how black men are
treated on “Scandal,” I have no qualms about her success, and she certainly
doesn’t deserve personal attacks from the NYT or anyone else.
Last time I
looked, Shonda Rhimes’ ABC lineup on Thursday night is doing well against CBS’
NFL broadcast. I’m certain that the last thing that should make Sista Rhimes is
“angry.”
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.waug-network.com.
And read more about my thoughts and opinions exclusively at my blog, ‘The Cash
Roc” (http://thecashroc.blogspot.com/2011/01/cash-roc-begins.html).
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-
Editor's Note - the deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 4th election in North Carolina is Friday, October 10th. It is also the deadline to make sure, if you are already registered, to make sure that you are properly registered where you live. Early voting begins Oct. 23rd.
US ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER
BLACK DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUS CHARGES
RIGHT-WING GROUP WITH
“VOTER FRAUD”
By Cash Michaels
Editor
Editor's Note - the deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 4th election in North Carolina is Friday, October 10th. It is also the deadline to make sure, if you are already registered, to make sure that you are properly registered where you live. Early voting begins Oct. 23rd.
With the
Nov. 4th mid-term elections just four weeks away, the African-American
Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party is charging a right-wing
conservative group with “voter fraud” for its erroneous voter registration
efforts, and is supporting the state Democratic Party’s formal complaint to the
NC Board of Elections over what the AAC-NCDP calls an effort of “…misleading North Carolina’s voters.”
Willie
Fleming, president of the AAC-NCDP, issued a statement this week “strongly” supporting
the formal complaint filed by NCDP Executive Director Casey Mann with the NC
Board of Elections against the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, an offshoot
of an Arlington, Va.-based conservative nonprofit “political advocacy” group
funded by the right-wing industrialists, the Koch Brothers.
“This is something that needs to
be investigated. Why would Americans For Prosperity do this,” Fleming asked.
“Obviously, they are trying to set the stage for fake voter fraud allegations
because they know the GOP cannot win on its platform or ideals. They have to
convince Republicans that Democrats cheat. What they cannot do is convince most
Republicans to vote for the GOP based on their own platform, because the GOP
platform hurts most Republicans. We support NCDP and will do anything in our
power to stop GOP-encouraged voter fraud. Democrats win with our votes. Not
their lies.”
The national AFP was responsible
for Republicans taking over the US House in 2010, and is a prime source of
opposition to President Obama’s policies.
The state
AFP chapter has been strongly supportive of the current Republican-led NC
General Assembly, and Republican Gov. Pat McCrory.
At issue
are recent voter registration mailings sent out by the AFP Foundation to
thousands of potential voters across the state reportedly containing false and
misleading information about voting requirements in the upcoming election.
According
to published reports, many of the mailers were addressed not only to foreign
immigrants, but also to a deceased child, and even someone’s pet cat. The
mailers also contained false information of where to send the completed forms,
and false answers to questions.
The goal,
many critics suggest, is to perhaps get people who are not qualified to vote to
attempt to cast ballots so that Republicans can point to that as “proof” of
their claims of massive voter fraud, thus justifying the new voter ID laws
currently being challenged in federal court.
AFP
Foundation calls the erroneous voter registration mailers – some of which
wrongly cite Oct. 5th as a registration deadline, when in fact the
correct date is Oct. 10th – a honest mistake.
"We have identified a few
minor administrative errors in our mailers and some old information
in our data, and we'll be addressing those,” said Donald Bryson,
AFP-NC executive director. “Any large mailing even with 99.9% accuracy is going
to have a few inaccurate recipients.”
Bryson continued, “"Here at
AFPF we know that voting is a civic duty of paramount importance and that our
political process is stronger when more people cast their ballots. We are
entirely committed to encouraging more and more citizens to participate in our
democracy by helping them register to vote."
The state Board of Elections,
which is now run by Republicans, is required to investigate, and NCDP Executive
Director Mann lodged the formal complaint Monday, charging that among other
things, the AFP-NC Foundation mailings are an attempt at “voter suppression.”
“[The AFPF
mailers] …reflects a decision to attempt to utilize misleading, incorrect and
confusing voter registration mailers as a means of discouraging or intimidating
voters in the 2014 General Election,” Mann wrote to Kim Strach, Executive
Director of the NC Board of Elections.
Mann raised
the possibility of the AFPF mailers to be a deliberate attempt to violate North
Carolina state laws governing elections. State law classified such violations
as a Class I Felony.
“I
respectfully request that the State Board of Elections open an immediate
investigation, and if proper, turn the matter over to the Wake County District
Attorney for prosecution,” Mann concluded her complaint.
Willie
Fleming, president of the African-American Caucus of the NC Democratic Party,
echoed the party executive director’s sentiments.
“The African-American Caucus of
the North Carolina Democratic Party is appalled by the actions of North
Carolina’s GOP, but is committed to making sure the hoax of voter fraud never
actually occurs,” Fleming said. “The GOP is determined to make Democratic
victories look tainted, when it is AFP lying to citizens trying to create voter
fraud.”
“The AAC-NCDP stands with NCDP in asking the GOP to not only play
by the rules, but stop misleading North Carolinia’s voters. AFP’s decision to
induce voter fraud shows the GOP’s chief benefactor is willing to lie to
Republicans to keep wealth and privilege in the hands of a few while making-up
falsehoods to produce said results. It’s disgusting and dramatic, but AFP has
truly crossed a line in all North Carolina communities with the intention of
somehow blaming others.”
-30-
BOX - REMARKS BY US
ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER
ANNOUNCING HIS
DEPARTURE
Editor’s
Note – On Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, after six years in office, and over 40
years of public service in the criminal justice arena, US Attorney General Eric
Holder, with Pres. Barack Obama at his side, announced that he would be stepping
down. As the first African-American US attorney general, Holder is credited
with reinvigorating the Civil Rights Division, standing up for voting rights, and
paying particular attention to police brutality.
These were his remarks.
--------------
I come to this moment with very
mixed emotions. Proud of what the men and women of the Department of
Justice have accomplished over the last six years and, at the same time, very
sad that I will not be a formal part of the great things that this department
and this President will accomplish over the next two.
I want to thank you, Mr. President,
for the opportunity you gave me to serve and for giving me the greatest honor
of my professional life. We have been great colleagues, but the bonds
between us are much deeper than that. In good times and bad, in things
personal and professional, you have been there for me. I am proud to call
you my friend. I am also grateful for the support you have given me and
the department as we have made real the visions that you and I have always
shared. I often think of those early talks between us and our belief that
we might help to craft a more perfect Union. Work remains to be done –
but our list of accomplishments is real. Over the last six years, our
Administration has made historic gains in realizing the principles of the
founding documents, and fought to protect the most sacred of American rights:
the right to vote. We have begun to realize the promise of equality for
our LGBT brothers and sisters and their families. We have begun to
significantly reform our criminal justice system and reconnect those who
bravely serve in law enforcement with the communities they protect. We
have kept faith with our belief in the power of the greatest judicial system
the world has ever known to fairly and effectively adjudicate any cases that are
brought before it, including those that involve the security of the nation we
both love so dearly. We have taken steps to protect the environment and
make more fair the rules by which our commercial enterprises operate. And
we have held accountable those who would harm the American people either
through violent means or the misuse of economic or political power.
I have loved the Department of
Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the
Civil Rights Movement how the department can – and must – always be a force for
that which is right. I hope that I have done honor to the faith you
placed in me, Mr. President, and to the legacy of all those that served before
me.
I would also like to thank the Vice
President, who I have known for so many years and in whom I have found great
wisdom, unwavering support, and a shared vision of what America can, and
should, be. I want to recognize my good friend Valerie Jarrett, whom I’ve
been fortunate to work with from the beginning of what started as an
improbable, idealistic effort by a young senator from Illinois who we were both
right to believe would achieve greatness. I have had the opportunity to
serve in your distinguished Cabinet and worked with a White House staff, ably led
by Denis McDonough, that has done much to make real the promise of our
democracy. And each of the men and women who I have come to know will be
lifelong friends.
Whatever my accomplishments, they
could not have been achieved without the love, support, and guidance of two
people who are not with me today. My parents, Eric and Miriam Holder,
nurtured me and my accomplished brother William and made us believe in the
value of individual effort and the greatness of this nation.
My time in public service, which now
comes to an end, would not have been possible without the sacrifices – too
often unfair – made by the best three kids a father could ask for. Thank
you, Maya, Brooke, and Buddy.
And finally I want to thank the
woman who sacrificed the most and allowed me to follow my dreams. She is
the foundation of all that our family is and the basis of all that I have
become. My wife, Sharon, is the unsung hero and my life partner.
Thank you for all that you have done. I love you.
In the months ahead, I will leave
the Department of Justice – but I will never leave the work. I will
continue to serve and try to find ways to make our nation even more true to its
founding ideals. I thank the dedicated public servants who form the
backbone of the United States Department of Justice for their tireless work
over the past six years, for the efforts they will continue, and for the
progress they made that will outlast us all.
And I thank you all for joining me
on a journey that now moves in another direction, but that will always be
guided by the pursuit of justice and aimed at the North
Star.
-30-
STATE NEWS BRIEFS
10-2-14
NCNAACP ASKS FOR TIPS
IN LENNON LACY HANGING
[BLADENBORO] With over 200 people there, the NCNAACP gathered First Baptist
Church Monday evening, asking for tips in the hanging death of high school
student Lennon Lacy. As The Carolinian
was first to report, Lacy’s body was found hanging by the neck from a swing set
at a mobile home park on August 29th. Lacy’s family says authorities
suspect suicide, which those who knew the young man don’t believe. Rev. William
Barber, president of the NCNAACP, says he has spoken with Bladen county
District Attorney Jon David, and says its essential that members of the
community come forward with any tip and information they have to solve the
case.
STATE INFANT MORTALITY
RATE DOWN, OFFICIALS SAY
[GREENSBORO]
The African-American non-Hispanic population of North Carolina registered 12.5
per 1,000live births - a decrease of 10.1 percent - the lowest infant mortality
rate in state history in 2013, according to officials with the Public Health
Division of the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Still, black
infants in the state are 2.3 times more likely to die than their white
non-Hispanic counterparts. Overall, researchers say North Carolina’s infant
mortality rate dropped to 7.0 per 1,000 live births, the lowest it’s been in
three years.
NORTH CAROLINA RANKED
WORST STATE IN NATION FOR TEACHERS
[CHARLOTTE]
According to a study by a personal finance website, North Carolina gets an
absolute failing grade when it comes to public education and teacher retention.
Based of statistics compiled from the National Center for Education Statistics,
the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, among other
sources, the website Wallethub determined that North Carolina ranked poorly in
public school funding per student; teacher wage disparity, school safety and
median annual salary. Republican lawmakers blame previous Democratic administrations,
but observers counter that the GOP-led General Assembly is responsible for the
bad numbers, based on their slashing the budget for public education statewide,
and manipulating teacher pay.
-30-
TRIANGLE NEWS BRIEFS
10-2-14
CAT BUS FARES RISE
With a new month comes new bus
fares for Capital Area Transit buses in Raleigh. To ride a CAT bus will now
cost $1.25, twenty-five cents more. A Day Pass is now $2.50, an additional
fifty cents; and say so long to the old five-day pass, because there is now a
new seven-day pass for $12.00. Passengers age 12 and under, and elderly
riders 65 and older still ride for free on the buses, and there are discount
rates for the disabled and young people with ID (age 13 to 18). There will now
also be CAT bus service on major holidays, and service on the South Saunders
and WakeMed routes will increase.
ST. AUG U FOOTBALL
PLAYER KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
Students
and faculty members in the Saint Augustine’s University family mourned the
untimely death of Falcon football player Matthew Mangram Monday. The
20-year-old junior offensive lineman and Criminal Justice major was killed in a
car accident near his hometown of Darien, Ga. A noontime memorial service was
held in the campus chapel later that day.
"It is always hard and
difficult to lose a family member, but to lose a young man in the prime of his
life like Matthew, who was an honor student and starter on the football team,
is almost unspeakable," Athletic Director George “Pup” Williams said in a
statement.
DURHAM BOARD OF ED
STARTS TEACHER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Approximately
20 percent of teachers in Durham Public Schools leave the classroom annually,
the source of an alarming turnover rate that the Durham Board of Education
decided last week it must address. A new plan was unveiled that promises to add
20 new mentors for the school system’s 600 rookie teachers, giving them the
added support and guidance they need to make it through their tough first years.
The board also moved to address the high number of principals throughout the
system who are retiring, adopting a strategy to also mentor new principals. The
cost of both programs will over $660,000, but the board believes the investment
to retain good teachers and principal is worth it, officials say.
-30-
Approximately 213 Qualify Under Eugenics Compensation Program, Initial Determinations Continue
RALEIGH – October 1, 2014
As of September 30, 2014, the Office for Justice of Sterilization Victims has forwarded 786 claim forms from potential Eugenics Board sterilization victims to the Industrial Commission. This number is the final count of all claim forms received by the Office. To date, the Commission has issued initial determination orders on 731 claims. Approximately 213 claims have qualified for compensation under the Eugenics Compensation Program.
The victims of North Carolina’s 1933 Eugenics Board Program had until June 30, 2014 to submit a claim form to the Office for Justice of Sterilization Victims to be considered to receive compensation under the Eugenics Compensation Program. From 2010 to present, the Department of Administration worked first to identify sterilization victims through the former NC Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation, and later to promote the Eugenics Compensation Program under the Office for Justice of Sterilization Victims. 176 living victims were identified as of early 2013 through the Foundation’s efforts.
Beginning November 2013, the Office for Justice of Sterilization Victims began promoting the compensation program and providing notice of the June 30, 2014 deadline. The Office sent more than 1,500 direct mail pieces to identified potential victims, placed and responded to hundreds of telephone calls and conducted media interviews on television, radio and print. In addition, the Office has partnered on general outreach with state agencies such as DHHS, DMV, Council for Women, Commission of Indian Affairs, Human Relations Commission, Governor’s Office of Community and Constituent Affairs, and the UNC Center for Civil Rights.
Fraternities Collaborate to Save Young Men
Special to The Carolinian
Over one month has passed since the widely publicized shooting of Michael Brown, but the echoes of that shooting still ring for four local fraternities. These organizations are concerned about the increasing accounts of police brutality, school drop-out and incarceration rates and other causes that disproportionately affect the quality of life of black youth.
Collegiate Black Fraternities and their membership have historically been a determining factor to lead many of the achievements in advancing opportunities for people of color. Local chapters, including Phi Lambda of Alpha Phi Alpha, Iota Iota of Omega Psi Phi, Raleigh Alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi and Eta Sigma of Phi Beta Sigma, vow to continue the legacy of leadership and service in Wake County. We are not waiting for another tragedy or another group to step up and fix this situation or other challenges in our community; we are going to handle this ourselves” says Glenn Thomas, president (Basileus) of Iota Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.
These great organizations are collaborating to create sustainable solutions that ensure the educational, social and academic development of young men in Wake County. The fraternities agreed to jointly host a series of events that promote the success of youth in communities throughout Wake County. The first activity, slated to be a community forum, will not only address issues facing youth, but also serve as a resource to provide residents with information on youth engagement opportunities. The forum will also highlight the individual programs for youth that each fraternity provides to the community.
“We have always individually worked to help our youth, now we have a platform to provide support to young men in our community on a larger level remarked president (Polemarch) Christopher Young of the Raleigh Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. “With the state of African American youth, we felt that the issues are so large that it will take the collective efforts of all Black Greek Letter Organizations thinking together and working together to solve problems in our community” says president Kengie Bass of the Phi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
-30-
RALEIGH WAKE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION M-PAC CANDIDATE
ENDORSEMENTS
2014 GENERAL ELECTION
US Senate
Kay
Hagan
US House of Representatives District 2
Clay
Aiken
US House of Representatives District 4
David
Price
US House of Representatives District 13
Brenda
Cleary
NC State Senate- District 14
Dan
Blue (unopposed)
NC State Senate- District 15
Tom
Bradshaw
NC State Senate- District 16
Josh
Stein
NC State Senate- District 18
Sarah
Crawford
NC House of Representatives - District 11
Duane
Hall
NC House of Representatives - District 33
Rosa
Gill
NC House Representatives - District 34
Grier
Martin (unopposed)
NC House of Representatives - District 35
Brian
Mountcastle
NC House of Representatives - District 36
Lisa
Baker
NC House of Representatives- District 38
Yvonne
Lewis Holley
NC House of Representative- District 40
Margaret
Broadwell
NC House of Representatives- District 41
Gale
Adock
NC House of Representatives- District 49
Kim
Hanchette
District Attorney
Nancy
(Lorrin) Freeman
Board of Commissioners- District 1
Sig
Hutchinson
Board of Commissioners- District 2
Matt
Calabria
Board of Commissioners- District 3
Jessica
Holmes
Board of Commissioners- District 7
John
Burns
Clerk of Superior Court
Sam
Bridges
Sheriff
Willie
Rowe
Supreme Court Chief Justice (Parker)
Ola
Lewis
Supreme Court Associate Justice (Hudson)
Robin
Hudson
Supreme Court Associate Justice (Martin)
Sam
Ervin
Supreme Court Associate Justice (Beasley)
Cheri
Beasley
Court of Appeals Judge (Hunter)
Lucy
Inman
Court of Appeals Judge (Martin)
Lori
Christian
Court of Appeals Judge (Davis)
Mark
Davis
Superior Court Judge- District 10C
Paul
Gessner (unopposed)
District Court Judge- District 10 (Fullwood)
Craig
Croom
District Court Judge- District 10 (Gregory)
Keith
Gregory (unopposed)
District Court Judge- District 10 (Meyer)
Louis
Meyer
District Court Judge- District 10 (Rozier)
Vince
Rozier, Jr (unopposed)
Wake Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
(You may vote for 2)
Marshall
HarveyJennifer
Wadsworth
City of Raleigh Parks and Recreational Facilities Bonds
Shall the order adopted on
July 15, 2014, authorizing not exceeding $91,775,000 PARKS AND RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES BONDS of the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, plus interest, for the
purpose of providing funds, together with any other available funds, for
improving and expanding the existing parks and recreational facilities of said
City and acquiring and constructing new parks and recreational facilities of
said City, inside and outside the corporate limits of said City, including,
without limitation, the acquisition of land and rights of way and the
furnishing of incidental facilities
and equipment, and providing
that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the
principal of and interest.
For
NC Constitutional Amendment
Constitutional amendment providing
that a person accused of any criminal offense for which the State is not
seeking a sentence of death in superior court may, in writing or on the record
in court and with the consent of the trial judge, waive the person's right to a
trial by jury.
Against
End of Ballot
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