MLK’s niece to speak in DeLand SEE PAGE 2
EE FR
EVIN COSBY: DON’T RUSH TO JUDGMENT ON MY FATHER PAGE 4
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
POLICE, KIDS CONNECT DURING DAYTONA 100 BIKE RIDE SEE PAGE 2
MAY 4 - MAY 10, 2017
YEAR 42 NO. 18
www.daytonatimes.com
Putting the pressure on B-CU Choice of DeVos as graduation speaker riles up residents, students, alum BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Their message was loud and clear: “Say hell no to DeVos!’’ Led by the Volusia County/ Daytona Beach NAACP, local residents and community leaders as well as some Bethune-Cookman University alumni and students marched in front of the campus on Wednesday, urging the school to rescind an invitation for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to give the address at next week’s commencement. The invitation to DeVos to speak at the May 10 graduation at the Ocean Center has sparked national attention. DeVos is a strong proponent of school choice.
‘Slap in the face’ “The local NAACP does not support B-CU’s decision to invite Betsy DeVos as commencement speaker because of her views on public education,” Cynthia Slater, president of the Volusia branch, told the Daytona Times Tuesday. The NAACP hosted a meet-
ing Tuesday night at New Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Daytona Beach. About 100 people attended, including B-CU alumni, faculty and students. The Volusia branch is supported by the state NAACP, which sent a letter this week calling the choice of DeVos “a slap in the face to minorities, women and all communities of color.”
Why DeVos? Slater said DeVos – a wealthy businesswoman who doesn’t have experience with classrooms or public schools – doesn’t have “the experience, skills or knowledge to head the department responsible for this country’s education. Her values and beliefs are not in line with the U.S. State Department of Education,” Slater said. She added, “Graduation is a joyous occasion where the speaker should provide words of encouragement to graduates. DeVos speaking at this event, I believe only raises concerns after hearing other concerns that she has made about education.”
Compared to founder B-CU President Dr. Edison Jackson also has been roundly criticized for a statement he made in a press release about the
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
A unified group of community residents marched Wednesday near Bethune-Cookman University. They were urging the university to reconsider Betsy DeVos as next week’s graduation speaker. commencement, comparing DeVos to the school’s founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. “Much like Dr. Bethune, Founder of Bethune-Cookman University, Secretary DeVos deems the importance of oppor-
tunity and hope for students to receive an exceptional education experience. Her mission to empower parents and students resonates with the history and legacy of Dr. Bethune,” Jackson stated.
‘They welcome everyone’
A ‘revolutionary’ action At Wednesday’s march, some B-CU students and alum were among those who chanted, “This is what democracy looks like’’ See B-CU, Page 2
Oklahoma businessman to address NAACP banquet next month BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF
PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Clifton Taulbert, an author, entrepreneur and business consultant, will be the speaker at the Volusia County-Daytona Beach NAACP’s 44th Annual Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet. It will be held Saturday, June 10, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Resort, 100 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. Clifton The banquet is Taulbert the local NAACP’s premier fundraising event. This year’s theme is “United We Stand!’’ The event is being planned to honor individuals.
A diverse crowd attends the Muslim Women’s Association’s annual community event at the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach.
Author and CEO
Local Muslims provide entertainment, education at annual community event
Taulbert, based in Oklahoma, is perhaps best known for his books “Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored’’ and ”Eight Habits of the Heart: Embracing the Values that Build Strong Communities.’’ Taulbert was born on the Mississippi Delta during the era of legal segregation where he completed his secondary education. According to his website, although “opportunities were few and barriers were plentiful,’’ he dreamed of being successful. He is the president and CEO of the Freemount Corporation (a human capital development company) serving clients nationally and internationally Fortune 500 Companies, small businesses, federal agencies, professional organizations, community colleges and K-12 leadership. Additionally, he is the president and CEO of Roots Java Coffee, an African-American-owned national coffee brand, importing coffee from Africa.
BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
The local Muslim community got together with the Greater Daytona community last Saturday for a day of fun and dialogue. The Muslim Women’s Association (WMA) of Daytona Beach held its annual Community Outreach Program on April 29 at the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach. It was the fifth straight year that the event took place. “We just want people to know Islam in a positive way,” said Linda McGee, chair of the Muslim Women’s Association.
Answers from imam The event included an open
ALSO INSIDE
house of the Islamic Center. It also informed the community on services the center provides and the things that members do in the community. There was free food, giveaways and an outdoor festival with activities for children. There also was a questionand-answer period with the center’s spiritual leader, Imam Belal Shemman. “We also do this event to bring all people of all religions together to spend a day in unity together as one community,” McGee noted.
Local leaders speak Local civic leaders and community activists were on hand for the event. See EVENT, Page 2
A train ride was part of the activities for local children attending the April 29 event.
COMMUNITY NEWS: FLAGLER COUNTY’S CENTENNIEL INCLUDES HEALING, RECONCILIATION | PAGE 3 SPORTS: DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE’S SOCCER STADIUM TO OPEN THIS YEAR | PAGE 7
7 FOCUS
R2
MAY 4 – MAY 10, 2017
Kids hang out with officers at Daytona event The Daytona Beach Police Department and the City of Daytona Beach held its first Daytona 100 Bike Ride and Community Day on April 29 at the John H. Dickerson Center. According to the police department, its purpose was “to foster positive interaction’’ between the youth and law enforcement.’’ Kids of all ages participated in the bike ride, which started at the Dickerson Center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Along with a bike ride, local kids were treated to a carnival at the Center, which included games, free food and other giveaways. DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
MLK’s niece to speak in DeLand Lighthouse Christian Preparatory Academy will present Brunch with Alveda King on Saturday, May 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will discuss building unity in the community though education service. The former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, is also an activist, author Rev. Alveda and evangelist. King The brunch will be held at the DeLand Sanctuary, 401 E. Taylor Road, DeLand. Tickets for the Building Unity with Alveda King Brunch are available via Eventbrite. Tickets are $50 each.
Retired federal employees to meet
spoke out. “We could have gotten a better person. I don’t think she understands what an HBCU is and what it stands for. It has to be political,” Boyd said. “I don’t understand why they got her. She doesn’t stand for our kids getting an education. She is all for charter schools. Where does that leave our kids? There are plenty of Black millionaires who could come speak and donate money to the school,’’ she added.
Black Caucus responds
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
The New Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Daytona Beach was the site of a meeting Tuesday night and a rally on Wednesday after the march.
B-CU
from Page 1
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 2247 Ormond Beach will meet on Monday, May 15, at 11:30 a.m. at Stonewood’s Grill 100 S A1A Ormond Beach. The speaker will be Jay Cassens, director of Business for the Daytona Beach Airport with the latest updates. Elections and Installation of Officers for the 2017-2018 Chapter year will be held after the program. For further information, call 386-586-0253 or visit the website at www.narfe.org/site/chapter2247.
VFW auxiliary to host yard sale
and “Say Hell No to DeVos.’’ The students who participated said others backed out, fearing retaliation from school officials. During the march, students looked on from in front of dorms and other buildings on campus as the marchers passed by. “This was a start of revolutionary actions to take place. We want more to happen after this. It shows that we do have concerns and student leaders who don’t approve of DeVos speaking,” said freshman Ashlyn Denson, who did march.
‘We are angry’
The Palm Coast VFW Auxiliary, 47 Old Kings Rd, N., will have a yard sale on May 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. rain or shine. It will be inside the main hall and outside on the pavilion. A boutique area will be set up for special items. More information: 386-446-8696
B-CU students also urged the school’s brass this week to rescind DeVos’ invitation. The students held their own meeting on campus about the issue. “We do have a plan of action, but we are not disclosing it. It’s been brought to my attention
‘Educational ignorance’ The Volusia County/Daytona Beach NAACP, led by Cynthia Slater, organized the rally and march. that everyone here that looks like us aren’t for us. They have sent spies,” said Taylor Durrant, a B-CU senior. Durrant and her twin sister, Tyler, attended Tuesday night’s meeting at the church and participated in Wednesday’s march. They are scheduled to graduate next week. Tyler Durrant added, “We are not indifferent. We are angry. We are motivated and organizing. We are very passionate
EVENT
‘Open mind and heart’ Susan Maini was one of the attendees who enjoyed the fellowship, dialogue and festivities of the event. She told the Daytona Times, “I am a Christian, but I always come to these open house events. I come with an open mind and heart. Here they are always gracious and generous.” Carolyn Smithson has attended the event regularly with her daughter. “I think this is a great event. It is very nice. We come to this every year. It’s open to the communi-
about this issue. We appreciate what you are doing for us and for you having our backs. She continued, “We have felt overwhelmed as students but welcomed here to your community. … This is bigger than us. It’s about those students that come after us.”
Other choices Deborah Boyd, a retired educator who graduated in 1986, was one of the alums who
“Her words reveal an educational ignorance that is an affront to all people of color. HBCU leaders have called her out for whitewashing this nation’s history of racial segregation. When HBCUs were founded, people of color had limited choices on where they could get an education and were almost entirely shut out from White schools.” He continued, “Can any good come from someone completely void of understanding the struggle of HBCU’s? We ask BCU President Edison O. Jackson to reconsider.”
An open letter to the students, friends and supporters of Bethune-Cookman University
from Page 1
They included Volusia County Council Member Joyce Cusack, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry, Zone 1 Commissioner Ruth Trager, Zone 5 Commissioner Danette Henry, Daytona Beach/Volusia County NAACP President Cynthia Slater, Campbell Middle School Principal Dr. Jerry L. Picott, Black Clergy Alliance President and Master’s Domains Church of God in Christ Pastor Derrick Harris, the Revs. Kennedy Jacobs and Victor Gooden as well as Dr. Evelyn Bethune representing the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune family. Cusack, both Henrys and Bethune all gave remarks.
The Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus also released a statement urging Jackson, president of B-CU, to reconsider the invitation. Dr. L. Ronald Durham, president of the Black Caucus said, “We express our concern with the selection of Mrs. DeVos to address the students given her unsettling February statements that HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice.” After HBCU leaders visited the White House in February, DeVos referred to HBCUS as “pioneers when it comes to school choice.” Critics pointed out that HBCUs were born out of a lack of options for Blacks after the Civil War.
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Community leaders were among the guests at the Islamic Center’s community event. ty. They welcome everyone and they feed everybody. The Islamic Center does a lot in the community. They treat us with respect and we treat them with respect.”
‘Get to know us’ Community outreach is a big goal for the Muslim Women’s Association. All of its members are connected with the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach. Board Member Aalia Panja expressed, “We open up the mosque to the community so that people can get to know us and ask questions. We are a part of the community. We want to know how we can help the community and work together with the community to better our community.” The Islamic communi-
ty has been plagued with negative images in the media relating to terrorism and other issues. Many area residents have been affected by or know someone who has been impacted by the Trump administration’s executive order immigration travel ban. “We have been here for years. Muslims are everywhere in this community, nation and world. We are your doctors, engineers, police, nurses, educators, etc.,’’ Panja added. “There are a lot of negative attitudes out there towards Muslims because of images that people have seen in the media. This event is a chance for people to come ask questions and get the information from the source as well as get to know us for yourself.”
My alma mater Bethune-Cookman, a historically black university in Florida, has invited U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to deliver the commencement speech and receive an honorary degree. But the policies DeVos pushes would have terrible consequences for future generations of Bethune-Cookman students -- and for Historically Black Colleges and Universities themselves. Bethune-Cookman historically serves students from challenged backgrounds, the lion’s share of these students graduate from public schools throughout America. But DeVos is no fan of public education, calling our public schools a “dead end,” and using millions of dollars of her family fortune to promote private-school vouchers; unregulated, for-profit charter schools; and other policies that defund, destabilize and privatize the public schools our communities rely on. DeVos’ ideology and advocacy are especially harmful to students of color -- the very students Bethune-Cookman and other HBCUs were created to serve. And the budget proposed by President Trump and Betsy DeVos would slash billions of dollars in federal funding for programs that help students of color reach, attend and graduate from college. Graduates of Bethune-Cookman’s school of education understand the value and importance of public education, and overwhelmingly return to teach in public schools -- a path I took myself after graduation. And it’s not just DeVos’ antipathy to public education that raises concerns about this invitation, but DeVos’ seeming indifference to the history and role of HBCUs in the first place. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman to provide African American students with the opportunity to receive the highest level of academic quality at a time when black students were refused entrance into colleges and universities across America. On February 28, 2017, DeVos released the following statement after meeting with presidents and chancellors of HCBUs at the White House: “HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice. They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality. Their success has shown that more options help students flourish.” At best, this is an outrageous assertion that black students had opportunities to study where they chose; at worst, this is a failed attempt to use HBCUs to push an educational reform movement that continues to disenfranchise children throughout this country, especially in her home state of Michigan and specifically Detroit. The students graduating this year and their families deserve to celebrate their achievement without controversy -- and future generations deserve the opportunity to attend high-quality public schools and reach for their dreams at institutions like Bethune-Cookman. Inviting Betsy DeVos creates an unnecessary and unwelcome distraction for students who have worked hard to earn a degree, and elevating DeVos and her radical ideas threatens the future of public education and the vision and mission of Bethune-Cookman and all HBCUs nationwide. Please join me in asking university President Edison O. Jackson to reconsider and rescind DeVos’ invitation. In Unity, Fedrick C. Ingram Proud Alumnus of Bethune-Cookman Vice President, Florida Education Association
3 7
M A YNEWS OR
MAY 4 – MAY 10, 2017 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
COURTESY OF FLAGLERLIVE.COM
Flagler County’s Black leadership were present as the county’s proclamation was read, recognizing equality for all citizens.
The Proclamation
PHOTO BY JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY/DAYTONA TIMES
Jerusha Logan, Flagler County NAACP membership chair and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson entered the commissioners’ chambers for the 100th-anniversary ceremony.
County reflects on 100th year with words of racial healing and reconciliation Flagler County commissioners began to bridge the racial divide during the county’s 100th anniversary amidst commemorative events opened to the public April 29. The program rendered nostalgia to what it was like in 1917 during the shaping of the county. Among the 100th-anniversary festivities were a run/walk, photo contest, classic car show and a kids’ zone. Other aspects were reenactments, bringing to life Henry and Lily Flagler and the first Flagler County Commission and School Board. The occasion was the highlight of train rides, musical entertainment, and plenty of food to go around and enjoy. Isaac I. Moody was the leader of the delegation attending the 1917 session of the Florida Legislature and requesting the creation of a new county.
Reflections from senator U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) reflected on how his grandparents eked out a living under the old Homestead Act across from Titusville, working the land for four consecutive years, and granted a deed by the U.S. government in 1917. The land today is at the north end of the space shuttle runway, where young Congressman Nelson orbited Earth on a six-day mission in the space program. Sen. Nelson affirmed that,
Volusia County Fire Rescue issues burn ban Volusia County Fire Rescue has issued an outdoor burn ban due to the ongoing dry conditions. The ban, which took effect on April 28, applies to the county’s unincorporated areas, Oak Hill, Lake Helen and Pierson. Under the burn ban, all outdoor burning, unless authorized by the Florida Forest Service, is prohibit-
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
“This is a great celebration and 100 years for you to appreciate the history of the east coast of Florida. This indeed is a red-letter day.”
‘Come a long way’ Another takeaway was the rereading of a proclamation at the May 1 County Commissioners’ meeting, initially read during the April 29 celebration. Flagler County Commission Chair Nate McLaughlin said: “Flagler County is 100 years old this year, and we’ve come through quite a trail, and, for some, a bit of a trail of tears. “We’ve struggled through a lot of things. We were born into a mindset of inequality in our community, in our country, and in the world, and we’ve come a long way. We’ve overcome a lot of obstacles, and we feel that it’s time to acknowledge those obstacles and reconcile ourselves with our neighbors and with each other. And so, I think this proclamation pretty much says the rest of it, so I’ll go ahead and read this now,”
ed. This includes the burning of yard trash, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires and cooking fires. Outdoor cooking done with a contained gas or charcoal grill (excluding a fire pit) is the only exception. Violations of the ban are punishable by a fine up to $500 and/or imprisonment in county jail for up to 60 days. Personnel from Volusia County Fire Rescue will issue violation notices to any person violating the burn ban and also will extinguish any fire not authorized by the Florida
McLaughlin continued. Members of Flagler’s Black leadership came forward to bear witness to the proclamation drafted by Commissioner McLaughlin in the proudest moment of his public life. “I want to thank you, Mr. McLaughlin, and the rest of the County Commissioners for reading this proclamation on today and on last Saturday,” said Flagler County NAACP President Linda Sharpe Matthews.
Remembering the ancestors “Though we think it is way overdue, we appreciate it in its entirety. As we go forward, I only hope that when we talk about Flagler County, that we do make sure we include all of the sacrifices and all of the contributions that people of color have made to the betterment of this community past and present,” said the branch president. “… That history is being written every day, in this room, on the descendants of people who suffered and died with their sweat and determination to help build and carve out an economic future for Flagler County,” said John Winston, president emeritus of the African-American Mentoring Program for Boys in Flagler County.
“Somehow, in the annals of the records, they’ve been left out. You don’t see it in the papers, you don’t see it in the historical society. There’s something seriously wrong. It needs to be corrected. I thank you that you’re taking this first step, but let the work begin. Let it begin today,” added Winston.
Ministerial reflections The Rev. Daisy Mae Henry, former Bunnell City Commissioner, said: “I’d just like to say as a native, for the wheels that have been set in motion, I thank God because I’ve seen a lot of changes, and even though our hearts still reflect time; it’s time like Paul said (to), ‘Forget those things that are behind us and press toward the mark of the most high calling.’ “And the only way we are going to do it is unity,” Rev. Henry continued...“Sisco (Deen) is the historian for the Holden House, but he always has reached out to me, and asked me, ‘Daisy, what have you to offer?’ “I’ve given him names. He has
Forest Service. Fire officials urge residents to be cautious with outdoor activities and offer these wildfire safety tips.
cooking outdoors, and never leave fires unattended.
Practice wildlife safety
• Design and landscape your home with fire safety in mind. Allow a 30-foot buffer of non-combustible material around your home. • Use non-combustible materials on the roof and clean the roof and gutters regularly. • Teach family members how to use a fire extinguisher. Test smoke detectors regularly.
• Do not discard cigarettes from moving vehicles. • Do not park a hot car or operate all-terrain vehicles on dry grass. • Check lawnmowers and farm equipment for properly working spark arresters. • Extinguish fires when
Protect your home
pictures...I thank the commission today for coming forward, to mend the fences...where we’ve been wounded and charred down...but our history needs to be told,” continued Rev. Henry. McLaughlin stated, “We are doing a time capsule and (if ) you get a hold of me with whatever you want in that time capsule, it’ll go in. This proclamation is going in as part of my contribution...I know that things have been left out so whatever it is that needs to be written - photographs - whatever it is that we need to be put in that box, let’s include that and make it part of the record.’’ ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted, the prodigal son, or daughter, and the bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Gloria Benjamin, Shirley Day, May 4; Cleveland Gaddis, May 8; and Louise Huesner, May 9. Happy anniversary to Lloyd and Deborah Freckleton, May 9.
• Rake leaves and dead limbs and twigs. Clear flammable vegetation. • Have a garden hose long enough to reach any area of your home and property.
When wildfire threatens • Listen to the media or a weather radio for civil emergency messages about where the danger is. • Prepare your family, pets and supplies in case you have to evacuate. • If told to evacuate, do so immediately. • If evacuating, tell someone you are leaving and where you are going. Drive away from fire hazards and listen to public safety officials.
Flagler enacts countywide ban The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners enacted a burn ban at its regular meeting on Monday and declared a state of local emergency to do so. ‘I think we need to get the word out to our residents that things such as charcoal barbecues are not allowed to be used,” Commissioner David Sullivan said. The burn ban prohibits the following: • The sale, use and discharge of fireworks • Open burning, includ-
ing the use of fire pits and containers • Charcoal-burning barbecue grills – including those at Flagler County Parks and Recreation facilities • Throwing matches or cigarettes (or other burning materials) from car windows • Parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas “The real danger there is to take those charcoals when you are done at put them in the crunchy bushes,” Chair Nate McLaughlin said. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.
Hospice needs meal prep volunteers Halifax Health - Hospice seeks caring, supportive and dedicated volunteers to provide assistance with patient meal preparation at its Care Center locations in Orange City, Edgewater, Port Orange and Ormond Beach. Those interested in volunteering must complete an orientation and a Level 2 background screening. More information: Tammy Dunn at 386-425-4701 ext. 66127, tammy.dunn@ halifax.org or Pattie Lax at 386-425-4701 ext. 66478, patricia.lax@halifax.org.
R4
7 EDITORIAL
MAY 4 – MAY 10, 2017
Don’t rush to judgment on Bill Cosby I am the youngest of five. I remember our family trips and moving to New York City just so we could be closer to my father, Bill Cosby, as he worked. He always wanted us to be a part of his whole life. I felt loved and remembered loving the moments that my parents shared with us by exposing us to all types of people from all walks of life. We grew up appreciating my father’s success because we knew the prejudice and racism he endured getting to where he got, and how hard he worked for our family.
Family and friends Because I loved my childhood, I couldn’t wait to have a family of my own. I have two amazing children who love their grandfather. I already work hard as a single mother with no full-time help and a career in fashion design. I am lucky that I have supportive friends because my children and I need that support. The public persecution of my dad and the cruelty of the media and those who brand my father a “rapist” without ever knowing the truth – and who shame our family and our friends for defending my dad – makes all of this so much worse for my family and my children. When people are so quick to cast hate, and make accusations of horrific violence against
EVIN COSBY GUEST COMMENTARY
my dad, they are callous in their carelessness about the harm they are causing to others. I thought when my brother Ennis was murdered, that was the worst nightmare of all time. It’s so hurtful to this day. I try to block out the day he was killed, but that pain has only worsened in these last years.
Our pain triggers others For some reason, my family’s pain has been a trigger for people to seize upon us harder. On the same day that Ennis was murdered, a woman came out claiming that my father had a “love child.” She was arrested for extortion. She was not my father’s daughter. On the day I gave birth to my son, another woman came out, but that case was dismissed, too. The district attorney investigated her claims and didn’t press charges. Two years ago, and more than 10 years later, several women came out. They claimed to have been raped and drugged. Their stories didn’t match up. Instead
Jeff Sessions is rolling back basic rights After Donald Trump’s first 100 days, media commentary focuses primarily on how little he has achieved in comparison to other presidents. It’s a mistake, however, to discount the threat that the Trump administration poses to our fundamental rights. His attorney general, former Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, is a case in point. Sessions is transforming the Department of Justice into a Department of Injustice. He’s been hindered by the incompetence that characterizes this administration.
Empty offices He’s home alone in his department, with no nominations offered for the heads of top DOJ units – the Civil Rights, Criminal or National Security divisions. His deputies – Nos. 2 and 3 in the DOJ – have been nominated but
REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR. TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM
not confirmed. That has slowed but not stopped Sessions’ efforts to rollback basic rights. He’s reversed the Justice Department’s position of challenging voter identification laws; he deems the Voting Rights Act too “intrusive.” Now the DOJ will intervene in favor of states that pass discriminatory measures to restrict access to the ballot. The right to vote – the fundamental right of a democracy – will now depend on the willingness of judges to stand up for the truth, as U.S. District Court Judge
Will Trump respond to famines in Africa? Our world stands at a crossroads. Twenty million people stand at risk of starvation at the hands of what has the potential to become the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II; famine in South Sudan and impending famine in Northeast Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. Our country has a moral responsibility to address this issue head-on. For famine to be declared, two children younger than five years old in every 10,000 people have to die due to malnutrition, and one in five families have to have insufficient food to sustain themselves. Waiting for famine to be declared to act means you’re already too late.
Man-made famine Famine has already been declared in South Sudan, where hunger is expected to spread to 40 percent of the country’s population in the absence of hu-
REP. KAREN BASS TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE
manitarian aid. The country’s man-made famine is a result of violent conflict in vast swaths of the country. Despite promises of access for relief efforts to these areas by the South Sudanese government, humanitarian organizations remain unable to gain access to provide urgent vital assistance in the form of food, water and shelter in many locations. Somalia, Nigeria, and Yemen are all on the brink of having famine declared. More than half of Somalia’s total population of 12.3 million are experiencing acute food insecurity and are on
of going through the criminal justice system, these stories never got investigated and just got repeated. They have been accepted as the truth. People were constantly reaching out to me about why doesn’t your dad say something. I kept saying, “He’s trying,” but the media is only interested in the stories of the women. Friends of ours tried to help, but the media wouldn’t print what they said or knew. Our friends that spoke up were pressured to shut up. No one wanted to print their supportive words. We live in a scandalous country where the more sexualized and provocative the story, the more attention it gets. We are told that we have fundamental rights to be innocent until proven guilty. But if enough people think you are a bad person, you are branded a bad person and the media just reinforces that.
Deserves fairness My dad, like every American, deserves to be treated fairly under the law. On “The Cosby Show” and on “A Different World,” he took on then taboo subjects like menstrual cycles and rape, and even did a show on AIDS before anyone else would bring it up. I am his fourth daughter. He raised me to go to college, start
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: TRUMP AND THE PRESS
DARYL CAGLE, CAGLECARTOONS.COM
my own business, and be my own woman. He is helping me raise my children and teach them family values. I know that my father loves me and loves my sisters and my mother. He loves and respects women. He is not abusive, violent or a rapist. Like many celebrities tempted by opportunity, he had his affairs, but that was between him and my mother. They have worked through it and moved on, and I am glad they did for them and for our family.
Family punished The harsh and hurtful accusations of things that supposedly happened 40 or 50 years ago, before I was born, in another life-
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Evin Cosby is Bill Cosby’s youngest child.
the glories of states’ rights. Luckily, Sessions wasn’t at Herod’s side when Mary and Joseph sought sanctuary in Egypt with the baby Jesus.
Sessions scorns these agreements as “political expediency” that will “handcuff the police.” In Baltimore, the judge ignored the
DOJ’s efforts to impede reform. But despite the outcry at the killings of young black men and women, Sessions is clearly telling police they can act with impunity once more. And Sessions is the point man for the administration’s efforts to ramp up deportation, terrorize immigrants and defend the president’s unconstitutional Muslim ban. He expressed amazement that a “judge sitting on an island in the Pacific” could overturn the president’s order. That judge was a federal district court justice in the state of Hawaii, part of the union for 58 years. Sessions has issued letters to nine sanctuary cities, counties and states, threatening to deny federal grant funds – largely funds for local law enforcement – unless they commit to cooperating with the administration’s sweeping assaults on immigrants. The sanctuary jurisdictions have vowed to resist Sessions edicts. This arbitrary assertion of federal power is particularly remarkable from Sessions, who as a senator declaimed endlessly about
the brink of death from starvation as a result of drought. Due to conflict with Al-Shabaab terrorists, humanitarian access remains an obstacle in providing the country’s 6.2 million people experiencing acute food insecurity with the aid that they desperately need. In Northeast Nigeria, terrorism by Boko Haram has resulted in widespread displacement and a growing humanitarian crisis. Over 50,000 people in the region are at risk of famine. In addition, counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram by the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states have led to population displacement, limited access for relief efforts and have prevented farmers from accessing their fields, leading to significantly below-average harvests.
of escalating conflict have left 18.8 million Yemenis in need of some kind of humanitarian or protection support. Seven million women, children, and men could risk famine in 2017. In each country, whether it’s existing famine in South Sudan or the brink of famine in Somalia, Nigeria, or Yemen, the particularly disastrous characteristic is that these situations are either caused or exacerbated by man-made crisis. Other than a lackluster statement about South Sudan on “Face the Nation” in early April by Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, the Trump administration has been quiet. When asked about the implications of the administration’s budget proposal, Haley called for “smarter spending” when it comes to foreign and humanitarian aid.
aid and assistance will be provided to the four countries. At a fundamental level, President Trump’s “America First” budget would forego international diplomatic leadership and ignore the impending crisis. Foreign aid is an investment, and it makes our country and those overseas fighting for us, dramatically safer. With leadership comes responsibility. Providing aid is a moral imperative. Despite the lack of coverage in TV media on the issue, we are at a crossroads. Congress has the decision before them to either continue America’s legacy in ending famine now, or forgo our diplomatic leadership in the area entirely.
Millions could die
Aid cuts will hurt
In Yemen, agriculture production has drastically declined due to conflict, insecurity, high costs, and sporadic availability of agricultural inputs. Two years
In the face of the president proposing cuts of nearly 30 percent to foreign aid and diplomacy efforts, it’s hard to imagine that the appropriate amount of
Nelva Gonzales Ramos did in ignoring the DOJ intervention and ruling that the Texas ID law was “passed, at least in part, with a discriminatory purpose.” Sessions has issued orders to revive the old, failed war on drugs. The promising bipartisan efforts to reform sentencing provisions to end the mass incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders are to be abandoned. Sessions wants to revive private prisons and insure them a steady stream of prisoners. People of color, particularly young AfricanAmerican men, will be the greatest victims of this injustice. Sessions has called for a “review” of all the reform agreements that Obama’s Civil Rights Division has reached with police forces. His DOJ sought to delay implementation of a consent decree reached in Baltimore in the wake of the Freddy Gray killing.
Ignored by judge
Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
time, and that have been carelessly repeated as truth without allowing my dad to defend himself and without requiring proof, has punished every one of us. They have punished the talented people who were still earning money and feeding their families from my dad’s shows and work. I am pleased that finally we are seeing the whole picture and seeing cases and claims dismissed from court. I just hope that those who prejudged my dad are now willing to admit that they were wrong.
Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager
W W W. DAY T O N AT I M E S .C O M
Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources
Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members
Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Cassandra Cherry Kittles, Willie R. Kittles, Circulation Andreas Butler, Staff Writer Duane Fernandez Sr., Kim Gibson, Photojournalists
MEMBER
Florida Press Association
National Newspaper Publishers Association
Society of Professional Journalists
National Newspaper Association
Associated Press
We must resist The assault on rights – for the LGBT community, for people of color, for women, for immigrants – is clear. Efforts to rollback voting rights, civil rights, police reform and sentencing reform have already begun. The resistance – from courts, from decent public officials, from activists and citizens of conscience – has been and will be fierce. Sessions’ Department of Injustice is measure of the damage that Trump can do. Instead of making America a more perfect union, Americans will have to mobilize to defend their rights from the very department that is tasked with protecting them.
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is president and CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Congresswoman Karen Bass represents California’s 37th Congressional District; she is the 2ndVice President of the Congressional Black Caucus and she is co-chairs the CBC’s Africa Taskforce. Follow her on Twitter at @KarenBass.
Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Daytona Times on Thursdays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com. Subscriptions to the print version are $69 per year. Mail check to P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, Fl 33646, or log on to www.daytonatimes.com; click on ‘Subscribe.’
SUBMISSIONS POLICY SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TONEWS@DAYTONATIMES.COM Deadline for submitting news and pictures is 5 p.m. the Monday before the Thursday publication date. You may submit articles at any time. However, current events received prior to deadline will be considered before any information that is submitted, without the Publisher’s prior approval, after the deadline. Press releases, letters to the editor, and guest commentaries must be e-mailed to be considered for publication. The Daytona Times reserves the right to edit any submission, and crop any photograph, for style and clarity. Materials will not be returned.
5 7
M ANATION YOR
MAY 4 14 – MAY DECEMBER - 20, 10, 20062017
late 2014; some of those accusations dated back almost 50 years. In 2015, according to CNN, Cosby was charged with three counts of felony aggravated assault in a case involving Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee. Earlier this year, CNN reported that Cosby’s, “criminal sexual assault trial will stay in Montgomery County Court in Pennsylvania, but the jurors will come from another Pennsylvania county.” In February, a federal judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against Cosby by accuser Katherine McKee, according to USA Today. “This marks the third defamation lawsuit against Cosby that was either withdrawn or dismissed recently, prompting some Cosby crowing,” USA Today reported. “However, another defamation case against him, filed by six accusers, is still pending in the same federal court in Massachusetts.”
Standing by him
PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL COSBY
Bill Cosby will turn 80 in July. He is facing criminal sexual assault charges in Montgomery County, Pa.
Cosby finally breaks his silence Entertainment legend talks to Black Press about health and career - but not legal battles BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA NEWSWIRE
It’s been more than two years since the embattled, television and film legend, who was once known as “America’s Dad,” has spoken out publicly. During a recent interview with NNPA News-
wire, Cosby revealed that he has lost his sight. Waking one morning about two years ago, he nervously called out to Camille, his wife. “I can’t see,” he said. Doctors later confirmed the worst – that there was nothing that could be done to repair his vision.
“When he would perform, we’d draw a wide straight yellow line from backstage to the chair on the stage and he’d rehearse the walk, hours before the show,” said Andrew Wyatt of the Purpose PR firm, a public relations agency in Birmingham, Ala. Wyatt has worked with Cosby for years. Wyatt said that his star client has decided that it’s time to talk. Together, Wyatt and Cosby said they grew comfortable that the NNPA Newswire would be more interested in “facts over sensationalism.”
The accusations Cosby has shunned most media inquiries since allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in
While the beleaguered superstar declined to address any of his legal cases, his youngest daughter, Evin felt compelled to speak out. In a statement, which can be read on Page 4, Evin, 40, questioned the veracity of the allegations against her father. “The harsh and hurtful accusations…that supposedly happened 40 or 50 years ago, before I was born, in another lifetime, and that have been carelessly repeated as truth without allowing my dad to defend himself and without requiring proof, has punished not just my dad, but every one of us,” Evin said. Dr. E. Faye Williams, president and CEO of the National Congress of Black Women, stated: “If the president of the United States can go on working in the White House after he has bragged about doing gross, sexually -explicit and abusive things to women, without their permission, then justice requires that Bill Cosby should not be punished, unless he is convicted of crimes.’’
Cosby on history Perhaps, the closest Cosby came to addressing his ongoing legal battles during the interview was when he opined about the true history of America. “The history about AfricanAmericans is a history of the United States, but the true histories, not the propaganda that is standard in our nation’s history books,” Cosby said. “The great writer, James Baldwin, said, ‘If you lie about me, then you lie about yourself.’ The revolution is in the home. There is something about someone saying, ‘I didn’t know that,’ that could cause a change in that person’s thinking.” Cosby said he thinks about his illustrious career that, at least for now, has been placed on hold because of the court cases. Few have achieved the legendary status enjoyed by Cosby. His career has spanned more than six decades and includes a host of best-selling comedy albums and books, gold and platinum records, and five Grammy Awards. With his role in “I-Spy” in the 1960s, Cosby became the first African-American co-star in a dramatic series, breaking TV’s color barrier and winning three Emmy Awards.
Misses performing After starring opposite Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier in the 1970s trilogy, “Uptown Saturday Night,” “Let’s Do It Again,” and “A Piece of the Action,” Cosby’s star soared even higher in the 1980s when he single-handedly revived the family sitcom and, some argue, saved NBC with “The Cosby Show.” “Darn right,” he said, when asked if he missed performing. “I miss it all and I hope that day will come. I have some routines and storytelling that I am working on. “I think about walking out on stage somewhere in the United States of America and sitting down in a chair and giving the performance that will be the beginning of the next chapter of my career,’’ he added.
New Orleans removing racist Confederate monuments BY LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE NNPA NEWSWIRE
Against a backdrop of death threats and under the cover of night, officials in New Orleans have begun to dismantle Confederate monuments honoring racists of the Civil War and Jim Crow eras of United States history. Workers removing the first of four monuments wore bulletproof vests, helmets and hid their faces. By 5:45 a.m. on April 24, the monument was gone. Three more monuments are set to disappear, but the city is not announcing publicly which statues will be next and what date the removals will take place. “The removal of these statues sends a clear and unequivocal message to the people of New Orleans and the nation: New Orleans celebrates our diversity, inclusion and tolerance,” said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu in a statement on April 24.
‘Not about politics’ At a press conference the morning after the first monument, the Battle of Liberty Place Memorial, was removed, the mayor stated that the other monuments would be removed, “sooner rather than later.” “Relocating these Confederate monuments is not about taking something away from someone else. This is not about politics, blame or retaliation. This is not a naïve quest to solve all our problems at once,” Landrieu said. “This is about showing the whole world that we as a city and as a people are able to acknowledge, understand, reconcile— and most importantly—choose a better future. We can remember these divisive chapters in our history in a museum or other facility where they can be put in context—and that’s where these statues belong.”
Honored White League The Liberty Place Monument celebrated an 1874 insurrection
of a group of all-White, mostly Confederate veterans calling themselves the Crescent City White League. The group fought against the racially integrated New Orleans Metropolitan Police. The monument honored members of the Crescent City White League who died during the battle. In 1932, a plaque was added to put an even finer point on the racist motivations behind the monument. The plaque in part read that the battle was fought to “overthrow of carpetbag government, ousting the usurpers” and that “the national election of November 1876 recognized white supremacy in the South and gave us our state.” According to The New York Times, “In 1993, the City Council voted to remove the obelisk, but instead the plaque was covered with a new one that read: ‘In honor of those Americans on both sides who died in the Battle of Liberty Place’ and called it ‘a conflict of the past that should teach us lessons for the future.’”
New report: Black doctors making less than White ones BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA NEWSWIRE
African-American physicians earn 15 percent less than White physicians—an average of $262,000 compared to $303,000— according to Medscape’s 2017 Physicians Compensation Report. Approximately 19,200 physicians across 26 areas of medicine were asked questions about annual compensation, race, gender, geography and job satisfaction. The report, detailed by CBS News, revealed that AfricanAmerican doctors are less likely to say they feel fairly compensated, with only half agreeing that they’re earning what they should.
‘Tons of factors’ “Fifty-percent of African-American physicians don’t feel fairly compensated,” the report’s editor Leslie Kane, a senior director of Medscape Business of Medicine, told CBS. Racial and gender discrimination may certainly be a factor, Kane said, but there are other fac-
tors as well. For example, if a doctor treats more Medicaid patients, their reimbursement is usually lower, since employer-insured patients tend to pay better. How many hours a doctor works and whether they’re in private practice or a clinic can also explain some inequities in pay. “Tons of factors play into how much a physician makes,” she said.
Age-gap difference The survey found that the gender pay gap is narrower among younger doctors. Male doctors ages 55 to 69 make 27 percent more than women, but the divide shrinks to 18 percent in physicians under the age of 34. Being a doctor pays well, but there are still major discrepancies when it comes to paychecks within the medical profession. For the first time, the annual report looked at race as well as gender and other factors, revealing some significant disparities in pay.
FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION/NNPA NEWSWIRE
This photo shows the inscription on the “Battle of Liberty Place” monument, 1936, as photographed by Dorothea Lange.
dics (average annual compensation: $489,000), plastic surgery ($440,000) and cardiology ($410,000). They earned well over twice as much as the average pediatrician ($202,000) and family physician ($209,000), the two lowest-paying categories.
Specialties matter
African-American doctors typically work in primary care rather than specialties, the survey showed.
Intense competition Physicians’ annual salaries averaged $294,000, with specialists earning about $100,000 more than primary care doctors. Overall, average pay has risen by $88,000 over the seven years Medscape has been conducting this survey—an increase attributed to intense competition for doctors among hospitals and health care systems. The three highest-paying specialties were orthope-
A deeper dive into the data shows male doctors take home bigger paychecks in both primary care and specialty areas such as orthopedics and surgery. Male primary care physicians made 15 percent more than women in 2016, while male specialists earned 31 percent more than their female colleagues. Part of the reason may be that women are more likely to choose lower-paying specialties, Kane said. “One of the things we look at is why there is this overall disparity. We look at what specialties women are going into and they go into less well-paying areas,” she said. “Fifty-three percent of pediatricians are women, one of lowest paid specialties. Thirty-nine percent of family physicians are women, also a lower-paying area,” Kane said.
First racial breakdown When it comes to the more highly paid medical specialties, only 9 percent of women are orthopedists and only 20 percent of general surgeons are female, Kane added. African-American doctors typically work in primary care rather than specialties, the survey noted. The annual compensation survey delved into race for the first time, said Kane, who has edited the report for seven years.
Supply and demand The report also revealed higher salaries in rural states. Doctors in North Dakota are the highest paid in the U.S. followed by Alaska, South Dakota and Nebraska. Washington D.C. counts as the lowest, while New York hovers toward the bottom of the list, which Kane and others chalk up to supply and demand; plenty of doctors cluster in big cities, while rural areas need to offer more money to attract staff. Patients may be glad to know that regardless of pay, most doctors like what they do: eight out of 10 physicians said they’d still choose medicine if they had the chance to pick a career all over again.
R6
7 CLASSIFIEDS
MAY 4 – MAY 10, 2017
This is personal. She was the cornerstone of our family. But my mother died of colon cancer when she was only 56. Let my heartbreak be your wake-up call.
Odds of a child becoming a professional athlete: 1 in 16,000 Odds of a child being diagnosed with autism: 1 in 110
Photo: Andrew Macpherson
Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cancer killer in the U.S., but screening helps prevent this disease. Terrence Howard, actor/musician
If you’re 50 or older, please get screened. Screening saves lives. 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) • www.cdc.gov/screenforlife Some signs to look for: No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months.
No babbling by 12 months.
No words by 16 months.
To learn more of the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org © 2010 Autism Speaks Inc. “Autism Speaks” and “It’s Time To Listen” & design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved.
TM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
dies of 1 in 3 women and stroke. heart disease e. man’s diseas a t s ju t o n s t’ I ent it. You can prev
make a change at
GoRedForWomen.org
make a change at goredforwomen.org TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
7
M ASPORTS YOR
MAY 4 14 – MAY 10, 2017 DECEMBER - 20, 2006
Daytona State Soccer program, stadium taking off The Daytona State Soccer Stadium Complex is slated to open in August. BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Daytona State College (DSC) is building an on-campus soccer stadium that’s scheduled to open in August. Construction on the Daytona State Soccer Stadium Complex started in December. The cost of construction is $3 million. “Soccer is another enhancement to a comprehensive student experience at DSC. The statewide and national excitement over soccer puts DSC on a bright playing field positioning our institution of higher education in the region and beyond,” Dr. Thomas LoBasso, president of the college, said in a statement. “We can’t wait until the gates open to the public for the first time in the fall. This new facility is going to take our program to the next level,” added Athletics Director Will Dunne.
New program The school began its men’s and women’s soccer programs in 2016. “They kind of happened simultaneously. While adding men’s and women’s soccer to our athletics, we wanted to have a home stadium at DSC,’’ said Shannon O’Neil, DSC’s sports marketing manager. “Embry-Riddle did a great job and allowed us to play our first season at their facility. We are looking forward to having everyone here this fall with us,” he added.
High-tech complex The complex will be a state-ofthe-art facility that will seat more than 800 spectators. It also will have an infrastructure to support live broadcasting of games and a 30-by-25-foothigh definition video scoreboard showing live games, instant replay and student interviews. The school is selling naming rights and sponsorships for the complex and various facility landmarks.
The stadium also will serve as a learning tool as students in the TV production program, who will work live broadcasts of Falcons home games on WDSC-TV. DSC offers an Associate of Arts degree in broadcast television production.
Financial benefit
COURTESY OF DAYTONA STATE ATHLETICS
Above is a rendering of Daytona State College’s soccer stadium, which will be located on its Daytona Beach campus. The Daytona State College men’s soccer team was ranked seventh in the nation and won the National Junior College Athletic Association Southeast District championship during the past season.
The on-campus stadium helps the soccer program and school financially. Instead of renting facilities to play games, the school can earn revenue. “The stadium sure is a good asset for the college. We want it to be a hub of athletic activity for the college and community,” O’Neil stated. The stadium could host youth sporting, high school and even semi-pro events in soccer in possibly football. “We are absolutely open to community and youth soccer and other tournaments at the soccer stadium,” O’Neil expressed.
Hosting 2018 tourney Daytona State is already reaping the rewards of a stadium. The new stadium will host the National Junior College Athletic Association (NCJAA) Division I Men’s National Championship in November 2018. “This could be an economic driver for our city and region. The stadium gives us the ability to host more national events like as well as important community events like youth soccer clinics and club matches. Fans are going to enjoy watching live sports on this field,” said Dunne. LoBasso noted, “This is exactly the type of national event we were hoping to bring when we first began plans for the stadium. The impact will go far beyond campus. It will benefit local retailers, restaurants and hotels. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our tourism industry and special moment for our institution to shine in the spotlight.’’
Successful season The Falcons women’s team went 11-3 with a 4-2 mark in the Mid-Florida Conference. They jumped out to an 8-0 mark. They finished with a No. 16 rank nationally. DSC made it to the National Junior College Athletic Association
The women’s team went 11-3 with a 4-2 mark in the MidFlorida Conference. They finished with a No. 16 national ranking. PHOTOS BY ALDRIN CAPULONG/ SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
Region 8 Championship Game. Head Coach Brittany Jones was named NCJAA Region 8 Coach of the Year and goal keeper Kristian Jones was named NCJAA Region 8 Player of the Year. On the men’s side, DSC went 17-3-1 with a 7-2 conference record. The Falcons finished as NJCAA Men’s Division I runner up. The team was ranked seventh in the nation and won the NJCAA Southeast District Championship.
Major national sport The United States now has a major professional league and semi-professional leagues. The Orlando City Soccer pro team is having success in Major League Soccer. The Lions opened a new 25,500 seat stadium in downtown Orlando this year. There’s also a semi-pro team, Orlando City Soccer B, playing in the United Soccer League. Orlando also has a profes-
Adam Jones is congratulated by Baltimore Orioles teammate Manny Machado after his tworun homer run on April 24 at Oriole Park in Baltimore. Jones received a standing ovation at Fenmore Park in Boston on Tuesday, a day after being hurled racial taunts at the Boston ball park.
ed to ethnic slurs, though more so earlier in his big-league career. “It’s happened to me in the past,” said Suzuki, who has been playing in the majors since arriving from Japan in 2001. “I’ve had ice and coins thrown at me, actually hit me in the head a couple of times. They say things that you don’t want to hear.” Gordon and Stanton said they’ve heard racial insults throughout their pro careers. “There was even more of it in the minors,” Stanton said.
Boston the worst Former major-league outfielder Preston Wilson, who is now a TV broadcaster for the Marlins, said he was frequently the target of racial insults during his 10-year career. And Wilson said that outside of the minor leagues, Boston was the worst big-league city for racial epithets from fans. “It’s not just a ‘you [stink]’ type of thing,” Wilson said. “It’s directed toward race. You can’t miss it. And it happens to the Latin guys, too. It’s not just the Black guys. I did my best to ignore it. But it doesn’t mean it doesn’t stink.”
LLOYD FOX/ BALTIMORE SUN/ TNS
Some Marlins players say they have been on receiving end of racial insults too BY CLARK SPENCER MIAMI HERALD/TNS
Taunts and jeers they can take. Racial and ethnic slurs are a different story. One day after Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said he was subjected to racial epithets by fans at Fenway Park in Boston, some players on the Marlins said they’ve endured the
sional women’s team called the Orlando Pride playing in the National Women’s Soccer League. Even Bethune-Cookman University now has a women’s club team. “I think we are seeing the sport catch on more in the U.S. because so many kids play and are being exposed to the sport at an early age. Our men’s and women’s team hosts a co-ed youth camp in July to teach basic skills and kick start the passion for the sport,” O’Neil added.
same, but just kept quiet about it. “There’s more of that stuff than you would think,” said Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon who, like Jones, was one of 62 African-American players on an Opening Day roster. Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton said he’s heard his share of racial insults, as well, while Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki confirmed that he’s dealt with
ethnic slurs from fans throughout his major-league career. “It’s not one isolated incident,” Gordon said of the circumstances involving Jones, an All-Star outfielder who spoke up Monday after he said fans in Boston called him the N-word and hurled peanuts at him.
apologized to Jones and the Orioles for the behavior of fans while MLB commissioner Rob Manfred condemned their actions as being “completely unacceptable.” “It’s unfortunate that people need to resort to those type of epithets to degrade another human being,” Jones said. But Gordon and other Marlins say it’s hardly uncommon. “It happens a lot,” Suzuki said. “But players don’t say anything. If everybody came out and said what was said from the stands, there would be an uproar.”
‘Happens a lot’
Minors to majors
On Tuesday, Red Sox officials
Suzuki said he’s been subject-
Didn’t complain Gordon said he hasn’t spoken up about the insults, figuring it was just better to keep his mouth shut and “brush it off.” “I’ve never complained,” he said. “I just try to put it in perspective. Us hearing it now is what our ancestors had to go through. Only they went through way worse.” Gordon said what bothers him most is the impression it may leave on children who witness it from the stands. “It’s just sad sometimes because kids see that,” Gordon said. As for Jones, he said: “I know how he feels.”
R8
7MAY 4 – MAY 10, 2017
Bring it to the table.
The food, the stories, the same old jokes and games. All the year’s happenings. Everyone and everything. Bring it all, because that’s what family is about. And this wouldn’t be a reunion without it.
Learn how Publix can help make it a family reunion to remember at publix.com/familyreunion.