THE CASH STUFF FOR 11-19-15

NNPA STORIES - 
http://nnpa.org/nnpa_newswire/hundreds-celebrate-as-nations-african-american-museum-nears-completion/

TRICEEDNEYWIRE - 

http://triceedneywire.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6050:can-ben-carson-help-gop-attract-black-voters&catid=54&Itemid=208

CASH IN THE APPLE FOR 11-19-15

By Cash Michaels

            THE MEDIA AND TERROR – Once again the world is rocked by a ghastly and cowardly terrorist attack, this time by ISIS in Paris, France, where last week 129 people were killed and over 350 people were injured (many of them seriously).

            As is always the case, the cable news media is going wall-to-wall with coverage since then. Many of you complain any time this happens, but when you have a cable channel that is 27/7 news operation, that’s the business you’re in, and you’re going to compete with everything you have to show that yours is the best. Turn it off if you’re sick of it, or watch some of your old DVDs or HBO.

            But for the rest of us, the coverage from Paris, and the pressing questions about what the United States is doing to protect against a similar attack here on the homeland, has been worth watching. No, it hasn’t all been high quality coverage, but I can tell that the news operations are being aggressive in getting the story, and getting it right.

            It’s all we ask.

            THIS IS NOT ISLAM - Have you even heard of “The Army of God,” or “Eastern Lightning” or “The Lord’s Resistance Army”? Most likely not. But you have heard of the Ku Klux Klan and Timothy McVeigh and the White Patriots Party. The thing that all of the above have in common is that they are so-called “radical Christian” terrorists – extremists who have used the Bible and the Christian faith to justify their violent, hate-filled and even racist activities.

            But you never, and I do mean NEVER, hear anyone calling them “radical Christians.” Even when the group names itself “The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan”, it doesn’t register with folks that these are a group of white supremacists who are acting in the name of a religion, the majority of whom do not subscribe to their actions.

            So why do many folks insist on calling the actions of those who say they are acting in the name of Islam, “radical Muslims,” when they wouldn’t dare say the same when so-called “Christians” are involved in similar acts? In the case of ISIS (or “ISIL” as Pres. Obama refers to them), they consider themselves the only “true” Muslims, and justify their terrorist activity accordingly. But the majority of Muslims in the world do not subscribe to ISIS’s terrorism. In fact, the average Muslim follower condemns the violence, terrorism and bloodshed.

            Indeed, ISIS has no problem even killing Muslims. To broadbrush an entire religion based the actions of a deranged few is wrong. The terror that ISIS and Al Queda is perpetrating is not Islam. It is criminal. It is terroristic. But it is no more Islam than  what the Ku Klux Klan does is Christian.

            Remember that the next time you hear some conservative invoke the label “radical Muslim.”

DEBATES – Thus far during this presidential election season, the debates on both sides have been wildly entertaining, but for different reasons.

On the Republican side, that clown show has so much mystery to it as to who will indeed win the GOP nomination after all of the foolishness is over, folks are tuning it, especially to see the likes of Donald Trump and Ben Carson say some of the most outlandish things. So is there is any question that those sessions have had unusually high ratings.

On the Democrat side, the ratings have been lower because there’s little mystery about will triumph there. Plus all three candidates at least act like they have some common sense. Unless some unforeseen challenge emerges, it is likely that Hillary Clinton will be victorious and proceed to the primaries unscathed by either Bernie Sanders or Martin O’Malley.

I submit that debates provide a useful function in at least putting the leading candidates to the test constantly, so that by the time they reach the general election, they’re ready to fight for the ultimately crown – presidency.

If you want to get some clear idea about who says what about the future of this country, watch the debates. And then, when the time comes next year, vote! It’s too important not to.

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.

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FOR THE CAROLINIAN -

RPD SPONSORS “FACE-TO-FACE” MEETINGS

Special to The Carolinian

Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown this week announced four upcoming "Face to Face" meetings that will provide opportunities for community members to sit down with Raleigh police officers to ask questions and make suggestions about policing in the city.

 Community members will also be able to get information about police practices and programs.

“The Face to Face meetings will give everyone a chance to have a conversation about ways the community and the police can work together to build an even stronger relationship,” said Deck-Brown. “The meeting series is an essential piece that’s being added to our community involvement efforts."

The four scheduled meetings will take place between Dec. 2 and Jan. 5. Each of them will be held between 6:30 and 9 p.m., and RSVPs are requested to ensure adequate resources are on hand for attendees.

Dec. 2 – North Raleigh Hilton, 3415 Wake Forest Road

Dec. 7 – Hilton Garden Inn Crabtree, 3912 Arrow Drive

Dec. 15 - Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S. Salisbury St.

Jan. 5 – McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman Street

The sessions will be formatted to provide community members and police officers an ability to interact in groups that will be small enough to allow everyone to actively participate. Key questions and points stemming from those group discussions will then be brought before the meeting as a whole and will be answered or addressed by the chief. An independent party has been retained to facilitate the meetings.

Residents are welcomed to attend as many of the meetings as they wish. After the conclusion of the series, the Police Department will provide a report summarizing the community input it received and presenting ideas for moving forward.

                                                   STATE ATTY . GEN. ROY COOPER

                                              ATTY KEN SPAULDING

SPAULDING, COOPER ALMOST FACE-OFF

By Cash Michaels

contributing writer

            The closest state Atty. General Roy Cooper and former State Rep. Ken Spaulding have come to a debate thus far was last Saturday morning in Chapel Hill during the Bi-Annual Convention of the African-American Caucus of the Democratic Party. Indeed, caucus members from across the state passed a resolution urging both Democratic candidates for governor to schedule debates prior to their March 15^th primary date next year.

            Spaulding, a successful Durham attorney from a prominent African-American family, has been running for the opportunity to be the party standard-bearer to unseat incumbent Republican Gov. Pat McCrory since he began his candidacy two years ago. He’s also been challenging Cooper to debates since the attorney general announced his candidacy over a month ago.

            Thus far, Cooper has ignored Spaulding’s challenges, so after he addressed caucus members at the Sheraton Europa Saturday morning, with Spaulding sitting right in front of him at a table, Cooper said ‘Thank you” and immediately headed for the door.

            But not before Spaulding, who followed with his remarks, opened with a rhetorical jab, publicly challenging the attorney general to stand and debate.

            “Well I see that the attorney general is leaving,” Spaulding quipped before Cooper could leave the room, as many in the room chuckled. “The true meaning of…run and hide,” later adding, “Run right out of this meeting…hide from a debate, will not debate me. I wonder why?”

            During his earlier remarks to statewide caucus members, Cooper reiterated how North Carolina’s gubernatorial race in 2016 will be “the most watched” in the nation, given the state’s high political profile. He blasted Gov. McCrory and the state Legislature for helping rich people at the expense of the poor, and how that had to change. Cooper also talked about his upbringing in Eastern North Carolina, and the values of hard work and fairness that he learned then, and still carries on today.

            He made no acknowledgment of opponent Spaulding, who was sitting right in front of him as he spoke, and asked for the statewide caucus’ support.

            During his remarks, however, Spaulding immediately sought to distinguish himself from the attorney general, calling him the “establishment candidate” of the state Democratic Party who already had the support of most prominent black elected leaders across the state.

            “Let me say to you that I’m not a politician. I’m not going to [stand] here and say the politically correct things to say,” Spaulding declared. “I want to be a public servant, and in the process of that, I think you want a candidate who’s going top be his true self, and tell it like it is. This is not a beauty contest.”

            Noting that Cooper had said that he was the “best candidate to beat McCrory,” a defiant Spaulding disagreed, noting that Copper’s campaign has deliberately acted as if Spaulding doesn’t even exist.

            “We are having a Democratic primary. Before he can get to any Pat McCrory, he has to come through Ken Spaulding!”

            The former lawmaker reiterated that he is not a career politician “like Cooper,” who Spaulding said spent at least 30 years in public office, some in the NC General Assembly, and at least the last 15 as state attorney general. Spaulding portrayed himself as “one of the people,” a black businessman who has created jobs and has to meet a payroll. As an attorney for 45 years, Spaulding said the contracts he’s negotiated during that time have brought “over two billion dollars of private investment” to the state, also creating “thousands of jobs.”

 As a state representative, Spaulding spent six years in the legislature, and on the state board of transportation for four years, but in the private sector for the past 30 years.

“So no, I have not been privileged or entitled,” Spaulding said, then immediately blasting the attorney general for allowing his office to represent the state in arguing to defend the 2013 voting rights restrictions passed by the Republican legislature; and defending Republican efforts to do away with teacher tenure and establish private school vouchers that threaten public school funding and promote school resegregation.

“This is what these politicians do, make you believe that they are on top of these issues,” Spaulding said.

He then further blasted Cooper for being in charge of the State Bureau of Investigation when it had a major controversy several years ago in its crime lab not properly processing evidence, possibly leading to false convictions of innocent people.

“This is what happens when you do not do your job as attorney general,” Spaulding charged.

Then Spaulding criticized Cooper for deciding not to retry the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer that fatally shot an unarmed black man, Jonathan Ferrell in Sept. 2013, after a jury deadlocked on the case. The attorney general had said that based on the jury leaning towards acquittal, he felt it would have been fruitless to try the case again.

“If North Carolina wants someone to be straight with them, to care about them, to deal with the issues that impact their lives, not for political reasons, but because you want to serve the public…then you will have the next governor of North Carolina be Ken Spaulding,” he said.

Then Spaulding ended his remarks by declaring, “ If this man [Cooper] will not debate Ken Spaulding, what in the world do you think he’s going to do against these Republicans when it comes to…Pat McCrory in that race? Don’t be afraid of me. Don’t be scared of me.”

The African-American Caucus elected Linda Wilkins-Daniels as its new state president, and Jaymes Powell Jr. as the new first vice president.

                                                -30-

TRIANGLE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 11-19-15

NAACP PANEL ON “STAND YOUR GROUND” SUNDAY, NOV. 22

            The Raleigh-Apex branch of the NAACP  and the Raleigh Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will present a community panel titled, “Stand Your Ground: What Does it Really Mean?” this Sunday, November 22, beginning at 4:30 p.m. right after the general session meeting at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 East Martin Street in Raleigh. This is open to the public and free of charge.

WAKE SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, OFFICIALS MEET ABOUT PAY RAISE

            Drivers of Wake County Public School buses hope that officials got their message loud and clear – either they get paid more money, or expect a repeat of drivers going on strike as they did on Oct. 30th, leaving thousands of children stranded. Drivers and WCPSS official met Tuesday to discuss improving pay, working conditions, and handing disruptive students on buses. Officials reportedly promised that a 3 percent raise in drivers’ salaries, and also said they were working on putting cameras on buses for discipline.

FORMER NCCU COACH LOSES APPEAL OF 2013 FIRING

            Henry Frazier III will apparently not get his head football coaching job back at North Carolina central University. On Tuesday the NC Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s dismissal of Frazier’s 2013 wrongful termination lawsuit against NCCU. He was fired after he was arrested for allegedly violating a protective order to stay away from his estranged wife. Frazier was later found not guilty. The appellate court agreed that the former coach did not exhaust all of his legal remedies before filing suit. Frazier was arrested twice during his tenure as Eagles’ coach. He was warned after the first time.

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STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 11-19-15

FORMER SEANC LEADER PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED TO PRISON

            [RALEIGH] Dana Pope, the former executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, will be seeing the inside of a prison cell for next 58 to 82 months, after he pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of obtaining property under false pretense over $100,000. Pope, who led SEANC for over 14 years, told the court “I am a thief…” after admitting to using over $500,000 of the organization’s money for personal trips and luxuries, including landscaping for his home. Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens called it a “sad day for everybody.”

SHAW UNIVERSITY REACHED $1 MILLION IN FUNDRAISING

            [RALEIGH] Shaw University has more than tripled its fundraising amount from the previous year, University officials announced this week. To date, the University has raised more than $1,020,000 in private support donations. This compares to just over $300,000 raised during the same time last year. In the last two months, the University has raised more than $770,000 and reports a 100% giving rate this year from its board members. “Tripling the amounts we have received in private support within our first two quarters is a tremendous achievement and a true testament to our alumni’s and community’s support of our historic University,” said Shaw President Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy.

ATTORNEYS FOR THREE DECEASED EUGENIC VICTIMS’ FAMILIES ARGUE IN COURT

            [RALEIGH] Attorneys for three state sterilization victims who died before June 30, 2013 argued in state Court of Appeals this week that their heirs should not be disqualified from the special eugenics compensation program the Legislature setup. That date was the cutoff established, but victims who lived past that deadline, but died afterwards, are still able to have their heirs claim compensation, which isn’t fair, the attorneys argued. They wanted that aspect of the law establishing compensation to be struck down. Attorneys for the state argued that the law had to be limited, and the heirs haven’t suffered to be entitled to anything. Eugenics victims were forcibly sterilized by the state from the 1930s to the 1970s. North Carolina apologized in 2002. The three-judge state appellate panel will rule in a few weeks.

                                                            -30-