Florida Courier - March 03, 2017

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MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

VOLUME 25 NO. 9

FIVE YEARS LATER COMPILED FROM WIRE AND STAFF REPORTS

SANFORD – In 2012, Francis Oliver took to the streets of Sanford with more than 8,000 other people at a rally demanding the arrest of the man who killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black 17-year-old.

Martin was gunned down on a rainy night by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch coordinator in a gated community in Sanford. Feb. 26 was the fifth anniversary of the tragic homicide.

Martin was visiting his father and was walking back from the store when, despite requests by local police not to do so, Zimmerman began following Martin because he appeared “suspicious.” The two ended up in a physical confrontation, and the unarmed Martin was shot in the chest and killed.

On the fifth anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s killing, the struggle to make Black lives matter continues.

Black firm retained

firm of Parks and Crump as the family’s attorneys. They went on national television with their story: An unarmed Black high school kid who was doing nothing unlawful was fatally shot, and Sanford police wouldn’t arrest the light-skinned Hispanic man who did it.

Zimmerman went into hiding, but cooperated with police. He told them that he shot Trayvon Martin in selfdefense after the Miami Gardens teenager punched him, knocked him to the ground then climbed on top and begun hammering his head against a sidewalk.

Photos showed him with a swollen nose and blood coming from the back of his head.

Story picked up

A few days after the shootAttorney Benjamin Crump ing, Tracy Martin and Syb- was concerned that Trayrina Fulton, Trayvon’s fa- von’s killing was not getting ther and mother, retained the Tallahassee-based law See TRAYVON, Page A2

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

Cemetery visitors take pictures of Trayvon Martin’s crypt at a mausoleum at Dade Memorial Park North in Opa-Locka. The inscription on his grave reads, ‘Rest my son, job well done.’

POMPANO BEACH

Closing out Black History Month

Praise – but no cash Trump meets with HBCU leaders

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS AND ANITA KUMAR TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to increase support and oversight of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) within his administration – but stopped short of providing the federal money the schools badly need.

Nor did administration officials hold the in-depth meeting that some presidents and chancellors of the Black schools had sought. And Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education secretary, ignited firestorms.

Time-consuming photos

COURTESY OF ETA NU CHAPTER

The Eta Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the City of Pompano Beach presented their Fourth Annual Black History Festival last week. Participants enjoyed food and music, got health screenings college information, and viewed Black history exhibits.

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

Controversial law helps free Miami teens NATION | A6

Dems elect new leadership Public tired of President Trump’s tweets HEALTH | B3

New diagnosis: ‘Postelection stress disorder’

ALSO INSIDE

Bethune statue proposed for US Capitol THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, would replace a Confederate general as one of Florida’s representatives in a set of statues at the U.S. Capitol, under a proposal filed Wednesday by state Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale.

Thurston’s proposal (SCR 1360) came after measures were filed in the House and Senate (HCR 507 and SCR 760) that call for a statue of environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who wrote “The Everglades: River of Grass” and campaigned tirelessly for environmental protection, to replace Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith in the National Statuary Hall in Washington.

Statues of Smith and John Gorrie, widely considered the father of air conditioning, have long represented Florida in the hall.

Committee favorite The Florida Legislature voted last year to replace Smith’s statue amid a backlash against Confederate symbols following the 2015 shooting deaths of nine AfricanAmerican worshippers at a historic Black church in Charleston, S.C. Last June, Bethune appeared to be the favorite to replace Smith, Dr. Mary getting the votes McLeod of all the members Bethune of the Great Floridians Committee. The committee was charged with helping pick Florida’s new figure.

Bethune, Douglas and George Washington Jenkins Jr., founder of the iconic Publix grocery stores that dot Florida’s cities, were the committee’s finalists for the honor.

In addition to being the only nominee to get the votes of all

four members of the committee, Bethune was also the runaway leader among members of the public who submitted names to a website last June. She received 1,237 recommendations, more than a third of the total. Jenkins was third with 418 recommendations and Douglas was fourth with 270.

The Douglas statue resolutions are sponsored by Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, and Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami.

Another ‘first’ Bethune was born in 1875 in South Carolina and was the child of formerly enslaved Africans, according to the website of Bethune-Cookman University. She died in 1955.

If selected, Bethune would be the hall’s first African-American woman commissioned by a state.

Rosa Parks was added by Congress.

Bethune is also honored at Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C.

Nearly 90 HBCU presidents and chancellors came to Washington seeking $25 billion in the upcoming budget to help their schools improve their infrastructure and ability to provide financial aid for students.

Walter Kimbrough, president of Dillard University in New Orleans, said scheduled time to engage administration officials in a listening session about the challenges HBCUs face blew up when it was decided to take the large group of college presidents and chancellors to the Oval Office for a group photo with Trump.

“Needless to say, that threw the day off and there was very little listening to HBCU presidents today.

We were only given about two minutes each, and that was cut to one minute, so only seven of maybe 15 or so speakers were given an opportunity today,” Kimbrough said in a statement.

DeVos created a social media explosion with her statement about HBCUs on Monday. She called the institutions the “real pioneers when it comes to school choice,” glancing over the fact that government-enforced segregation laws for decades prevented African-Americans from attending many majority-White colleges and universities.

‘Like no other’ Trump’s administration was eager to stress the president’s order moving the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which pushes the federal government to do more business with the colleges, from the Department of Education directly into

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: RAYNARD JACKSON: WHY IS TRUMP’S TOP BLACK STAFF A DEMOCRAT? | A5

See HBCU, Page A2

FOCUS

A2

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

Let’s talk about feeding the ’hood Malcolm X once said, “Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate.”

In an economic sense, ever since the first person of African descent stepped off a slave ship and set foot on an American shore, Black people have never been properly fed!

We have worked, and didn’t get paid. We have contributed, and didn’t get recognized. We have supported, and we ended up getting used and ignored!

About the money There is no society in the world that is more capitalistic than the American society.

According to The Last Poets, “Selfish desires are burning like fires among those who horde the gold and they continue to keep the people asleep and the truth from being told!”

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

It is not so much, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” It is more of, “If you can’t kill them, trick them!”

Many of the people in the ‘hood that don’t die a natural physical death will surely die an economic death if they don’t ever learn that in a capitalist society, capital is the primary motivating factor.

Hmmm…

Today, news reports indicate that Negro scholars are as happy as a hog in a sloppy pig pen because that great genius Omarosa, a boot-licker for Trumpty Dumbty, has recommended a “Make America Great” plan to

take Historically Black Colleges and Universities out of the federal Department of Education and create an office for them in the White supremacist-controlled White House.

Cornell, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Georgia Tech and other so-called prestigious schools don’t have tons of money because they get government grants and Black schools do not.

No. Those schools teach their students how to become entrepreneurs and how to make large sums of money so they can contribute back to their places of learning and graduation.

Follow me now. No disrespect to HBCUs, but there is no huge effort to get all Black students additional monies. Black scholars in college, or outside of college, are not getting their share of government assistance.

The devil wants Black institutions of higher learning to be dependent. They want us to think we can’t operate schools without government involvement or help from the tricky education devils.

Educationally, politically, economically and in every other way, we must depend on our-

selves, on each other, for our survival!

Doing it their way Our leaders, including educational leaders, have encouraged us to get better the White man’s way.

“Yes,” they say, “Build, create and operate wonderful colleges for Negroes, but do it the way WE want you to!”

What happened when Marcus Garvey’s Universal Improvement Association created great educational institutions? Soon Garvey was discredited, jailed and virtually exiled.

What happened to Black Muslim schools? Well, they are not what they used to be, even though some are struggling to stay open.

What happened to Yahweh Ben Yahweh’s schools in South Florida? Regardless of what you think or thought about Yahweh, his students were smart enough to make money, start businesses and improve economically without assistance from the wicked!

Black people in America have never been fed the economic food that they deserve. No eco-

HBCU

Small percentage The nation’s 100-plus Black colleges and universities, which enroll nearly 300,000 students, receive money from the federal government through grants, contracts, appropriations and financial aid. They received $4.7 billion in federal financial assistance in 2013, according to the latest annual report available. The money accounted for 2.8 percent of the federal funds

Big jokes If I was a comedian, I could probably make a good living, because I know the best jokes are on Oprah, MJ, Jay-Z and people like that – the richest Black people on earth – and they all go to work almost every day for people with lighter skin than they have!

Teach our people how to make money. Then encourage them to give much of what they generate back to the less fortunate in our communities!

Let’s feed each other! Let’s feed the ‘hood!

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing,” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www. allworldconsultants.net. his administration made to loan programs.

“Frankly, the attention we’ve received in the last 45 or so days exceeds not just this past administration, but the last three or four administrations,” said Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a nonpartisan advocacy group for 47 publicly supported HBCUs.

from A1

the White House. The president will name a director to oversee the effort.

Trump was effusive as he spoke in the Oval Office before signing the order.

“Historically Black colleges and universities are incredibly important institutions, woven into the fabric of our history, just about like no other,” he said.

“They have played such an important role in achieving progress for African-Americans and in our nation’s march for justice.

HBCUs have been really pillars of the African-American community for more than 150 years, amazing job, and a grand and enduring symbol of America at its absolute best,” he added.

Trump’s order directs federal agencies to boost the ability of HBCUs to compete and get federal contracts worth billions of dollars. But it doesn’t mention specific funding levels for HBCUs or establish specific targets for the amount of contracts or grants the campuses should receive.

nomic food; no baby food; no health food; no brain food; no kind of currency-building food at all!

What African-Americans have been fed, however, is a plate full of lies, misconceptions and misdirections!

Some students opposed

AUDE GUERRUCCI/ABACA PRESS/TNS

On Tuesday, President Trump signed the HBCU Executive Order to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities. awarded to all higher education institutions.

The United Negro College Fund urged Trump to set in his order “an aspirational goal that HBCUs be awarded 5 percent of total federal grant, internship and cooperative agreement funding and 10 percent of total federal contract funding to colleges and universities.” That would nearly double federal support to HBCUs.

Could spur funding While the administration could set goals for contracting and grants, Congress ultimately decides funding. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who organized Tuesday’s

congressional GOP-HBCU meeting with Rep. Mark Walker, RN.C., said Trump’s order could spur agencies and Congress to find new funding.

Walker, chair of the conservative Republican Study Committee, sent a letter to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and top committee Democrat Elijah Cummings of Maryland, calling for hearings on federal grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for HBCUs. The HBCU presidents met with Scott, Walker, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and other GOP lawmakers Tuesday during

TRAYVON

Rallies, resignation After three weeks of mobilizing on social media; more mass rallies that were organized locally, but were attracting protesters from multiple states; keeping the story alive in Black newspapers and African-American radio – mounting pressure forced Sanford officials to release the 911 tapes.

Those tapes – which show that Zimmerman disobeyed the 911 dispatcher’s directive that he not follow Trayvon – along with the decision not to arrest Zimmerman, eventually forced Police Chief Bill Lee to step down as police chief. Lee said at the time that there wasn’t enough evidence to justify an arrest, but that his investigators were still working the case.

Ese Ighedosa, 29, now an attorney for the NFL, was a protester and a student at

Hadn’t met for years Scott and several HBCU presidents and officials said the meetings this week was the start of a dialogue between the schools and the Republican power structure that hadn’t occurred for years.

It was also a discussion largely absent during President Barack Obama’s tenure, say some HBCU officials who were disappointed in Obama for not making the schools a priority and, in some cases, harming their financial health and contributing to declining enrollment with changes

von Martin, so Trayvon Martin energized a renewal of civil rights activism in the 21st century like Emmett Till energized it in the 20th century,” Sharpton said.

from A1

national attention. He called Florida Courier Publisher Charles W. Cherry II – who was in West Africa at the time – to ask for coverage in the state’s largest Black media outlet.

Eighteen days after Trayvon was shot to death, the Florida Courier wrote the first of what was to be many front-page stories on Trayvon’s death and the aftermath.

Soon thereafter, Crump, the Rev. Al Sharpton and former New York Gov. David Patterson participated in an exclusive one-hour telephone conference call with Black journalist George Curry and more than three dozen publishers from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade group of Black-owned newspapers in America.

Trayvon’s death was then widely publicized in Black-owned media and on Black Twitter before going ‘mainstream.’

According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, for two weeks, when the people it polled were asked to name the most important story in the news, the No. 1 answer was the Trayvon Martin shooting.

a daylong meeting at the Library of Congress.

Prosecutors pressured George Zimmerman

Sybrina Fulton

Tracy Martin

the Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando at the time of the shooting. She was at Sanford City Hall with Martin’s parents the night city officials played the 911 call that captured cries for help – and then a shot.

“This was really the resurgence of the civil rights movement,” Ighedosa said.

Skittles, the type of candy Martin had in his pocket when he was shot dead, became one of the symbols of a wide-ranging protest movement calling for justice in the tragic shooting.

Not ‘post-racial’ When Zimmerman shot Martin, Barack Obama had been in the White House for three years and, “Many Americans … felt that we were in a post-racial era,” said Sharpton, who came to Sanford twice in March 2012 to participate in rallies calling for Zimmerman’s arrest.

Sharpton got involved, he said, because “I realized how vulnerable we were, that this guy wasn’t even a policeman, and he could just kill this kid and not even be arrested. … That’s what outraged me.”

Sharpton said he doesn’t think young Black men are better off now than they were when Martin was shot, but there is one big change: The movement led to accountability. He said people now demand answers when police kill young Black men, and they’re willing to take to the streets in protest.

“The demonstrations, the rallies that many of us came and started led into what later happened two years later around Ferguson (Mo.), around Eric Garner; but it started, the seeds of that started in Tray-

On March 19, 2012, Ighedosa, the NFL lawyer, and about 75 other protesters marched outside the Seminole County Criminal courthouse. They insisted upon – and got – a sit-down meeting with the county’s lead prosecutor.

The shooting and protests surrounding it were “life-changing. … That showed me how powerful my voice is and also what my responsibility is to speak out.”

On March 22, 2012, Gov. Rick Scott appointed a special prosecutor – Angela Corey of Jacksonville – and three weeks later she charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder.

Zimmerman hired Orlando lawyer Mark O’Mara to defend him. The experience changed his life, O’Mara said. He got a national reputation, and CNN hired him as a legal expert, a contract now in its fourth year.

Cooked for parents When Zimmerman went on trial in 2013, Francis Oliver cooked meals for Trayvon’s parents and let them take naps at her home.

“Black Lives Matter was not created before Trayvon Martin,” Oliver said. “Black Lives Matter was created after Trayvon Martin.”

Specifically, the phrase was coined on July 13, 2013, the day a Seminole County jury acquitted Zimmerman. The verdict unleashed a firestorm of public protest, not just in Sanford, but in major cities across the United States and beyond: in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and London.

No comment Zimmerman, 34, would not comment to the Orlando Sentinel about the anniversary of Martin’s death. He was also cleared of federal civil rights charges following a grand jury investigation.

Still, students on several HBCU campuses voiced opposition to their presidents meeting with the Trump administration, whose policies and rhetoric they regard as hostile towards African-Americans.

Tashni Dubroy, president of Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., said she had consulted with her campus community before coming to Washington.

“There were some of our stakeholders that were hesitant because what they did not want was an embarrassment for HBCU presidents,” she said. “They did not want us to be used in terms of a photo opportunity, and then no tangible outcomes would be received from the meeting.”

A good start James Clark, president of South Carolina State University, said he was pleased with the discussions with Republican leaders.

“What’s critical for us is we’re sitting at the table, having a very specific dialogue for which we will bring more clarity to the needs,” Clark said. “The fact that the presidents are being listened to, will be listened to, is critical.

It’s an important beginning for all of us.”

Curtis Hierro, 29 of Orlando, took part in a 31-day sit-in at the state Capitol in Tallahassee shortly after Zimmerman’s acquittal.

“I see the murder of Trayvon Martin as an awful moment that I think stirred many folks to action,” he said.

Law strengthened He and other protesters were calling for the repeal of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which provides immunity to anyone who uses deadly force as long as they have a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily injury.

Their efforts failed. This year a measure is moving through both houses of the Legislature that would strengthen the law and make it harder for prosecutors to win Stand Your Ground hearings.

Uneven progress Government data indicates that in Central Florida, life has improved for young Black men in some ways but gotten worse in others since Martin was killed.

Their unemployment rate in Orange County is down 38 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the rate at which they graduate from high school is up sharply in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties, as it is for all students, according to the Florida Department of Education.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity had no unemployment numbers for Black men ages 15 to 25 in Seminole County in those years. But the poverty rate for Black males, ages 15 to 25, is 3 percent higher in those same six counties, the census bureau reported.

The number of Black males ages 15 to 25 who are the victims of homicide in Central Florida has seesawed since 2012, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. That year, Martin was one of 31. In 2015, the most recent year for which data is available, the number was 35.

Rene Stutzman and Gal Tziperman Lotan of the Orlando Sentinel / TNS contributed to this report.

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

FLORIDA

A3

‘Stand Your Ground’ law helps free two Miami teens

BY DAVID OVALLE MIAMI HERALD/TNS

MIAMI — Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law has helped free two teens of allegations that they took

part in a gun battle that wounded eight people at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in Miami.

Prosecutors on Feb. 23 declined to file charges against Gerrel “Woo”

Brownlee, 18, and Robert “Bob” Britt, 17, in the Jan. 16 shooting that caused panic and a stampede at the annual celebration in Liberty City.

In arresting the pair, Mi-

ami-Dade police originally said that Brownlee and Britt were part of a gun battle that broke out between two rival street gangs at the event meant to honor the iconic civil rights leader.

Difficult to prove The firefight left five teens and children and three adults with bullet wounds, while videos and social media posts captured the chaos of the aftermath.

Gerrel Brownlee

Robert Britt

The outrage surrounding the case was sufficient that Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez announced the arrests during a county commission meeting.

Some witnesses remained cooperative, a State Attorney’s Office spokesman said, but a “conflict in the evidence” and legal issues surrounding “mutual combatants” under Florida’s self-defense law made proving the case to a jury difficult.

Brownlee remained in jail early this week awaiting trial on allegations of illegally carrying a weapon and auto theft.

Britt was released from custody. His lawyer, Antonio Valiente, said police “rushed to judgment” because of the pressure created by publicity surrounding the shooting.

“Robert was innocent, period,” Valiente said. “So many videos circulating on social media, but not a single one showed Robert doing anything illegal. In fact, it showed him being shot at — and never in possession of any gun.”

Probe continues

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Miami-Dade prosecutors said the case will continue to be investigated.

Critics say Florida’s 2005 “Stand Your Ground” law has made prosecuting people involved in public gun battles difficult, with each side asserting they had no duty to retreat in the face of a threat.

The law — which received worldwide scrutiny after the 2012 killing of Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin by an armed neighborhood watchman — also gave judges greater leeway to grant immunity to people they believed acted in self-defense.

Florida lawmakers are also considering changing the law making it more difficult for prosecutors to prove someone did not act in self-defense, a measure being decried by law enforcement and gun control critics.

SeaWorld Orlando to offer $5,000 scholarships to Florida Students

This advertising is paid for by FPL shareholders, not our customers.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Environmental Scholarship Program is accepting applications from Florida high school seniors who share the organization’s passion for protecting and preserving the natural world.

If selected, students will receive a one-time award of $5,000 to use at any college or university they plan to attend.

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The video must be uploaded to YouTube and submitted on the SeaWorld website by Friday, March 31.

The applications will be evaluated by representatives of SeaWorld’s Education & Conservation Department.

Judges will consider originality, creativity, content, organization, neatness and the general presentation of the application.

For more information and to submit an application, visit https://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworldorlando/educational-programs/scholarships.

EDITORIAL

A4

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

EZ Pass starts the road privatization vacuum cleaner A toll is the extraction of revenue from users of a road or bridge. Unlike manufacturing buses or serving up burgers, extracting tolls is a purely parasitic economic activity which produces no benefit for anybody except the toll collector.

Until recently, the problem with toll extraction was that you had to stop the traffic. In recent years, the introduction of electronic toll extraction systems, in which vehicle RFID stickers echo transmissions from roadside transponders along with unique identifiers has largely solved that problem for the toll collectors.

Now everywhere Now EZ Pass lanes are now springing up like summer weeds on the interstate highways in and out of every US city. Where is all this EZ Pass money going?

When you google EZ Pass, you’ll find the EZ Pass Group.

“The E-Z Pass Group is an association of 38 toll agencies in 16 states that operates the extremely successful E-Z Pass electronic toll collection program. E-ZPass enjoys tremendous brand recognition and high levels of customer satisfaction, and is the world leader in toll interoperability, with more than 30 million E-ZPass devices in circulation.”

It seems that EZ Pass board members all quasi-governmental toll collection agencies, from the Skyway in Chicago to the Maine & Pennsylvania Turnpikes, the Indiana Toll Road, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and so on. Apart from bragging about how much they collect in tolls nationally, and how “interoperable” their system is, you can find no financial information whatsoever on this site.

BRUCE A. DIXON BLACK AGENDA REPORT

Just the tip It turns out that EZ Pass is just the tip of the vacuum cleaner. The EZ pass technology is operated

by Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), a Xerox acquisition since 2010. ACS handles all the EZ Pass administrative details, for which it collects a healthy rake-off. The rest goes to the toll agencies.

The toll agencies themselves have a D.C.-based trade group.

It’s called IBTTA, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association. Here’s what it says on IBTTA’s government advocacy page…

“IBTTA is THE advocate for the toll industry. IBTTA’s government affairs and advocacy efforts are focused on educating public officials and elected representatives. Our objective is to create a political environment that fosters the growth and widespread adoption of tolling as a viable means to fund and finance surface transportation...”

An example of what this outfit wants to see is in their “Key Issues, Policies and Positions, which include the implementation of something they call Road Use Charging, a scheme to charge drivers for the miles driven on roads and streets. The technology already exists to do this.

Tolls everywhere?

Imagine EZ Pass-networked cameras and computers on your street and every street between here and your school or workplace, and a legal requirement

American liberals have exposed themselves George W. Bush vowed not to criticize Barack Obama. “He deserves my silence.” He added for good measure, “I love my country more than I love politics. I think it is essential that he be helped in office.” If anyone needed additional proof that Obama was a servant of the ruling classes, Bush certainly provided it.

But Donald Trump is getting less love from his fellow Republican. Bush could have exercised the same self-imposed silence regarding Trump, but instead he made a thinly-veiled critique of his remark that the press are enemies of the people.

“I consider the media to be indispensable to democracy. That we need the media to hold people like me to account. I mean, power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive and it’s important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power, whether it be here or elsewhere.”

Sounds good Fine words. But they don’t mean much to a man who used a compliant corporate media to wage war and attack our civil liberties.

MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT

Media were certainly indispensable to Bush. They wouldn’t even use the word torture when describing American brutality. “Harsh interrogation techniques” and other such weasel words appeared to keep the press in his good graces. Bush and Obama certainly knew the media were essential in helping to normalize their agenda of American aggression and the enactment of neo-liberal schemes at home.

Liberals immediately joined in praising Bush’s simple statements, even though they always said they hated him. Just a few sentences directed against Trump were enough for them to say they respected him, or that maybe he wasn’t so bad, or that Trump made him look better than they recall.

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 293 QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

HBCUs in D.C. – Great! They’ll get more love from King Don than they got from Bro. Prez…

“They lost Ryan”– So said King Don after a Navy SEAL, William “Ryan” Owens, was killed last month in a botched military raid in Yemen. I guess “personal responsibility” ap-

that you pay up or lose your driving privileges.

IBTTA lobbying convinced the Obama administration to allow toll lanes on more and more existing interstate highways, which accounts for some of the recent growth in toll lanes. Assuming IBTTA is like every other “trade association” it bribes government officials, conducts programs of public disinformation, makes self-interested “charitable” contributions and is funded by the dues of its member organizations, the same crowd on the board at EZ Pass.

So far, so good. But the EZ Pass rake-off and trade association dues are only a small fraction of toll revenues. Where do the rest go?

I live in Georgia, so I checked SRTA the State Road and Tollway Authority. And there, right under “About,” I found a page called “Investor Relations.” You can find an investor relations page for the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Florida Turnpike and many other key roads connecting important US transportation corridors.

Not universal Some smaller tolling entities are self-financing and their tolls actually cover operations. Some others, like the Indiana Toll Road, are wholly owned outright by private investors. But if you live in a big city, and there are EZ Pass lanes sprouting up, you can pretty much bet they’re either wholly privately owned, or financed with money borrowed from the one-percent via the device of bond issues.

Directly taxing the rich to maintain the roads or for any other purpose is pretty much impossible in the US. Directly taxing the rest of us is not impossible, but it’s politically unpopular, especially since a

Looks matter In this country, presentation is everything. The corporate media play their role in making sure that no one gets into office who isn’t committed to the status quo.

Trump upended that arrangement and has exposed the shallowness and perfidy of the liberal classes.

Donald Trump’s policy on the deportation of undocumented people will surely result in great suffering. Ramping up the U.S. police state is always dangerous.

But it should not be discussed without pointing out that more than 2.5 million people were deported during the Obama administration, more than under any other president.

He may have talked a good game and said “Sí se puede,” but it didn’t keep anyone from being kicked out. Obama proved that if the presentation were slick enough, anything would be acceptable to the media and to the masses they deliberately misinform.

No protests The same can be said for other Trump pronouncements that have caused so much angst. He may post a tweet about increasing America’s nuclear arsenal, or calling the most recent agreement with Russia a “bad deal.” But Obama spent $1 trillion on a nuplies only to poor Black folks who constantly play “the race card” to make excuses for their sorry lives. Haven’t heard a Republican say a mumblin’ word criticizing King Don for dumping on his generals and taking the coward’s way out. The buck obviously doesn’t stop at his desk…

Uber no more – I like to keep my dollars. I’ve cut the cost of trips to the airport in half by using Uber rather than taxis.

I’ve known about Uber’s scorched-earth, disruptive

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: THE PRESS AND DONALD TRUMP

WOLVERTON, CAGLE CARTOONS

whole school of politicians run for office claiming they ought to lower everybody’s taxes.

So in the United States, the traditional thing to do is to borrow from the rich, often at interest rates that would make pawn shop operators blush. This borrowing is called a “bond issue,” and bond issues are frequently though not always issued with the “full faith and credit” of a state, which means the state will pay the loan if the tolls from the road cannot.

Payments on these kinds of bonds are often tax-free, and the bonds are negotiable instruments which can be sold and resold.

The business of issuing bonds is deliberately complicated and obscure, to conceal the fact that they great deals for the bond buyers and the law firms that handle the business, and bad business for everybody else. It’s not uncommon for a bond repayment with ancillary fees to be double the amount supposedly borrowed.

government, which in the name of “fiscal responsibility” must be paid before employee wages, pensions and benefits, and other matters. Debts to the rich are always more important than debts or services to the poor.

So that’s where, in many cases, your EZ Pass money goes. Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan will give us lots more toll roads, many directly owned by private investors. Get ready for it.

You can expect the openingup of more and more interstate and state highways to tolls as well.

Get ready for a toll road between you and work, between you and school, between you and medical care and your ordinary business.

This is the 21st century, and in the US, roads are no longer public things built and maintained by public dollars for the public good.

They are investment opportunities, owned and operated for absentee one-percenters. EZ Pass is the tip of their vacuum cleaner.

Fiscal priority

Bruce Dixon is managing editor of BlackAgendaReport.com.

Contact him at bruce.dixon@ blackagendareport.com.

Worse still, if the bond is guaranteed by a state, it becomes a sacred priority obligation of state clear weapons upgrade, all with little protest from people who think themselves leftists.

Trump says he will request a 10 percent increase in defense spending, a shocking figure given that the military budget is already insanely large. But he also said that he won’t consider Social Security or Medicare for any budget reductions.

Obama declared more than once that entitlement programs would be “on the table” for budget cut consideration. He opened his first 2012 debate with Mitt Romney by declaring that they agreed on cutting these programs that Americans need to survive. Only Republican intransigence prevented him from making good on these plans.

They were once called the “third rail of politics,” dooming anyone who suggested cutting back on the safety net to political defeat. But it is Trump, the rightwinger, who announces protection for programs that were once identified solely with the Democratic Party.

Dems exposed Talk of resisting Trump is useless without exposure of past and present Democratic Party treachery against their voters. Smoothtalking Democrats have given cover to one monstrous plot after another. Bill Clinton ended the business practices worldwide that has put driver-owned taxis out of business. I’ve learned of widespread sexual harassment allegedly embedded in their “frat boy” corporate culture.

But the sight of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick literally cussing out a driver who complained about making less money and going bankrupt because Uber cut fees to drivers was too much.

“Some people don’t like to take responsibility for their own shit,” Kalanick yelled at the guy.

“They blame everything in their

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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right to public assistance. Barack Obama bailed out the financial sector with trillions of dollars.

Now liberals have nothing to say for themselves except attacking Trump’s low-hanging fruit and never asking themselves about what Democrats have done. They continue a ceaseless attack on Russia, a country which has done no harm to the United States, and act in concert with Democrats and Republicans in the war party.

They go so far as to quote dubious sources in intelligence agencies and now vouch for the credibility of George W. Bush.

Cast them away Opposition to Trump, the “resistance” as it is called, will be useless without a wholesale rejection of the Democratic Party. There can be no resistance, no resurgent progressive movement, if the Democrats and their wretched history aren’t cast away for good.

Liberals have exposed themselves as being weak at the very least, and phony lovers of empire and the elites at worst. They were never very different. Having a right-winger in the White House has just exposed them all.

Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@BlackAgendaReport.com. life on somebody else. Good luck!” Did Kalanick – who was formerly on one of King Don’s business advisory councils – lecture his friend King Don about “personal responsibility?”

We can teach lessons to the Silicon Valley and Wall Street “gods of the universe” who personify entitlement because they are filthy stinking rich. Uber app deleted…

I’m com.

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MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

Why is Trump’s top Black staffer a Democrat?

Republicans haven’t shown any serious efforts of making Blacks an integral part of their party since the Nixon administration of the 1960s and ‘70s.

As former Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan stated in one of his columns, “In 1956, as vice president, Nixon went to Harlem to declare, ‘America can’t afford the cost of segregation.’ The following year, Nixon got a personal letter from Dr. King thanking him for helping to persuade the Senate to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Nixon supported the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, 1965, and 1968.

“During Nixon’s presidency, the civil rights enforcement budget rose 800 percent. Record numbers of Blacks were appointed to federal office. An Office of Minority Business Enterprise was created. Small Business Administration loans to minorities soared 1,000 percent. Aid to Black colleges doubled.”

‘Credible’ Blacks Nixon surrounded himself with “credible” Blacks like Bob Brown and baseball legend Jackie Robinson. President Trump seems to be satisfied with surrounding himself with Black Democrats like Omarosa Manigault, who have no standing in the Black community, nor any institutional knowledge of Black Republicans or the Re-

No help The host comedians do little to relieve the boredom of the interludes between these carefully spread-out moments. That’s why the show would be much better if it were limited to one hour. Failing that, presenting at least one of the six major awards every half-hour would make it far more bearable.

Unfortunately, producers invariably present one of them within the first half-hour. They then in-

RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST

publican Party.

President Trump, would you hire a carpenter to do electrical work on one of your development projects? Hell, no! So why, Mr. President, do you think it is okay to hire a liberal Black Democrat to be the highest-ranking Black staffer in your White House?

We get it. Manigault is an alumna of your hugely successful reality show franchise. You have a personal relationship with her. You trust her.

So what?

I have a personal relationship with my physician, but I don’t go to him for tax advice.

President Trump, if your goal is to build the Republican Party into a quasi-independent party, then having Manigault around makes sense. But if your goal is to build the Republican Party relative to the Black community, then your decision doesn’t make sense.

You have told the American people incessantly that you like to hire “very successful” people, but it seems when it comes to

ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST

flict hours of ancillary presentations and GRAMMY-envy entertainment, before relieving pentup frustrations – in an orchestrated frenzy – by presenting the remaining major awards in the last half-hour. That’s like drug pushers giving users a free hit to get them hooked, knowing full well that they will be longing for that next hit – no matter how long it takes.

The way Hollywood stars telegraphed their intent to turn this show into a presidential roast of Donald Trump would have been enough for me to tune out – if I were not already intent on doing so. CNN and MSNBC serve us

Doing for self The main ingredient is understanding the importance of entrepreneurship. The bluecollar world is being taken over by machinery or robotic applications. Those who do not understand this demand of the modern world will be lost.

They must understand the importance of “Optimistic Vision.” The smart ones will identify a need and come up with the solution. They will take that solution, patent this “dream” into reality, sell it, and prosper from the innovation – all the while creating jobs and economic vitality for their communities.

These millennials will form new “Wall Streets” throughout our great nation. This isn’t fashion or a trend – it is a means of survival. Diversity will prevail over all other models of society.

I’m pleased to invite you to participate and support the National Black Chamber of Commerce’s (NBCC) Business Innovation for the Next Generation initiative.

We’ve collaborated with

HARRY C. ALFORD GUEST COLUMNIST

Humble Impact, a 501(c)(3) that educates, accelerates, and invests in underserved communities to create and support an ecosystem where entrepreneurs learn from each other and experts.

Makes connections Our project connects entrepreneurs to each other and the bigger business ecosystem to share their lessons broadly, ensure that the best ideas and tools spread, and to deliver more timely and greater impact.

The economic strength of Black consumers is on the rise, accounting for a $2.5 trillion in annual purchasing power (an increase of 77 percent from 2000–2013). Fifty percent of the Black population are millennials or younger. We’re challenging the forces at play by tackling why such a highly attractive consumer market has so far been technologically underserved.

If the investment community continues to invest in companies whose founders look the same as they always have and focus on solving the problems of the people that they always have, results (and returns) will not hold up to the coming changes…because the world is shifting under their feet.

Our goal is to launch and grow sustainable and scalable businesses, cultivate a cooper-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: DONALD TRUMP

‘Gross negligence’ If you had one of your tax lawyers or your personal physician doing the masonry work or laying the rebar on one of your construction sites, you would be sued for gross negligence. Yet you have a Black Democrat in your White House who ignores the very people who were part of getting you elected.

You received less than 10 percent of the Black vote. Those votes came from Black Republicans who thought you would shake up the party establishment and finally pay attention to those who have been Black Republicans for decades, not fair-weather Republicans or recently converted Democrats.

It’s offensive to Black Republicans who have put their blood, sweat, and tears into getting more Blacks in the Republican Party.

Manigault has no idea who the real credible Black Republicans are.

Mr. President, there are only four Blacks on the Republican National Committee: Ada Fish-

PARESH NATH, THE KHALEEJ TIMES, UAE

er (North Carolina), Glen McCall (South Carolina), Robin Armstrong (Texas), and James Evans (Utah). They have little to no contact with you or your administration. How is that even possible when they are basically members of the party’s board of directors?

to me why you and your staff are bending over backwards to meet with Blacks who have called you a racist, incompetent, and stupid, just to name a few?

When will you show your loyalty to “real” Black Republicans who have party credentials, and know what the hell they are doSupported Hillary In 2014, Manigault tweeted, ing when it comes to politics? Mr. “I’m Ready for Hillary. Are you? President, what the hell do you #Hillary2016.” On April 12, 2015, have to lose? she tweeted, “So proud to know her and support her! Run Hillary Raynard Jackson is foundRun! #HisStoryisNowHerStory!” er and chairman of Black Two months later, you make your Americans for a Better Future famous announcement to run for (BAFBF), a federally registered president and she switches over Super PAC established to get to you.

President Trump, you say you more Blacks, especially entreare a man of results and one who preneurs, involved in the Repubis loyal. Can you please explain lican Party.

a political diet every day. To Hollywood’s credit, though, most presenters and winners treated Trump like an orange elephant in the hall.

Meanwhile, host comedian Jimmy Kimmel reportedly did little to ease viewers’ frustrations. To be fair, he followed a slew of far more talented comedians, including Steve Martin, David Letterman, and Jon Stewart, who bombed at this self-sacrificing gig.

I also suggested in 2008 that the only suitable host for this show is one who is as skilled at song and dance and sight gags as he or she is at emceeing and stand up.

With all due respect to Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, and Hugh Jackman, the only host to ever truly fit the bill was Billy Crystal.

Monday night’s three-hour doldrums would probably have been a little more tolerable if Jimmy Fallon instead of Jimmy Kimmel were hosting.

My pick was Mahershala Ali in “Moonlight.” He won, making him the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar. But it also makes for a dramatic antidote to Trump’s poisonous anti-Muslim policies.

• Actress in a Supporting Role: My pick was Viola Davis in “Fences.” She won.

• Actress in a Leading Role: My pick was Ruth Negga in “Loving.”

The winner was Emma Stone in “La La Land.”

• Actor in a Leading Role: My pick was Denzel Washington in “Fences.” The winner was Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea.” This proves that Trump has normalized sexual harassment/assault…but only if you’re a White guy.

• Directing: My pick was Damien Chazelle in “La La Land.” He won.

• Best Picture: My pick was “La La Land.” The winner was “Moonlight,” but only after Faye Dunaway caused epic confusion when she mistakenly announced the prohibitive favorite, “La La Land.” Its List of winners producers and cast members were All that said, the Oscar goes to: already accepting the award when • Actor in a Supporting Role: they were informed. I’m sure Steve

Investing in America’s diversity Our children are at a crossroads. If they don’t get a handle on technology, they are going to be lost. It is very important that we don’t let them become the “left behind” entity of our population.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) has decided to provide avenues for them to speed up their technical knowledge so that they may compete in this capitalistic world. We and other organizations must not let them slow their growth and intellectual development.

A5

the Black community, you have a lower standard.

How can you have a Black History event in the White House with not one Black media outlet being invited? Why were a majority of the Black attendees Democrats?

‘And the Oscar goes to…

Since 2008, I’m on record stating how much I dislike the annual Academy Awards show (the Oscars).

I have little regard for preening, pampered poseurs showing off their borrowed frocks and blingbling as a prelude to a nearly fourhour show. Six minutes – the time it takes to present Oscars for actor and actress in a leading role, actor and actress in a supporting role, best director, and best picture – is what anyone really cares about.

EDITORIAL

ative ecosystem for technological innovation, and build national brand awareness about the entrepreneurial thought and action within the AfricanAmerican community.

Pitch competition NBCC’s yearlong acceleration programming starts with a three-round pitch competition where hundreds of entrepreneurs will compete for one of 10 spots in the semifinals located in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. The top two startups from each city will be flown to the NBCC annual conference, where they will compete for placement in a 12-week salesfocused acceleration program with services and support from AWS, Microsoft BizSpark, eShares, and others valued at $150,000. The winner will also receive $5,000 in cash.

In addition, more than 250 entrepreneurs from across the country will be selected in to receive industry-leading lean startup and designing thinking instruction, created in collaboration with Ash Maurya, author of “Running Lean and Scaling Lean.” Included in the program is an online seminar on financial literacy, infrastructure growth based on maturity, and how to master the pitch.

We are hoping this NBCC initiative will be of interest.

Harry C. Alford is the cofounder and president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Contact him via www.nationalbcc. org.

Harvey was happy to pass the “Goat” baton to Dunaway for the onstage mix-up. It was an ending clearly worthy of, er, La La Land.

We’ll see Blacks made history by winning half of the six major awards (and a couple of the many ancillary ones, too). This validates the cynicism I expressed in my “#OscarSoDiverse…?” column last year, when I feared this would be the all-too predictable response to last year’s protest, #OscarSoWhite.

Frankly, it’s a wonder the show did not end with the entire audience joining hands and singing “Kumbayaa,” which would have served as a palliative to racism in Hollywood and Trump’s White House in equal measure.

Let’s see how many Blacks the Academy features in next year’s presentations …

Anthony L. Hall is a Bahamian native with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com.

Things African-Americans must do now The election of Donald Trump has brought about mixed emotions ranging from anger to worry. It’s through the expression of emotions that things get done. Suppressing our emotions leads to more frustration and aggravation.

Because Trump is president, it’s time for us as Black Americans to get busy. We cannot allow ourselves to feel defeated. And we cannot compromise our morals and standards to the ills of the Trump Administration.

No surprise

DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

Don’t let other people or the economy stop you from going into business for yourself.

• Get more involved in local politics. While the presidential election will always garner national and international attention, local elections cannot be forgotten. What happens locally has a way of affecting what happens nationally. If you care about your community and where your tax dollars are going, GET INVOLVED. If possible, run for public office so that fair and just public policies can be written and implemented for all people.

• Protest economically. When injustice shows its ugly face, marching in the streets brings media attention, but an economic protest demands something must be done. When those in Congress and/ or those in organizations commit injustices, they listen to protesters when their bottom line is impacted.

• Getting too emotional over the election of Donald Trump and the people he chooses can be draining.

Does that mean we should not care?

No. Does that mean we shouldn’t do our research on the people he chooses? We must do as much research as possible.

As people who care about justice, fairness, and equality, we must come together and be solution-oriented. It’s through planning that things will get better.

Trump has chosen people with little to no experience to lead departments and agencies. That’s no surprise, because Trump is more concerned with catering to those who have shown unwavering loyalty to him throughout his campaign. His administration continues to demonstrate how divided this country is and will be during his presidency.

As African-Americans, we can no longer be party loyalists. More than 90 percent of African-Americans identify themselves with the Democratic Party. This must stop.

Am I saying it’s time to switch to the Republican Party? No. What I am saying is that it’s time for us to call out both political parties. No longer must we allow the Democrats to assume we will vote for them, or to pander to us for a vote.

Whenever African-Americans become so attached to a political party, it’s easy to be misled. Not every Republican is a racist and not every Democrat has the best interest of the Black community in mind.

Here’s what we need to do: • Start a small business. Because the Trump administration can’t Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a minispromise they will increase the federal minimum wage, it’s imperative ter, speaker, author, and success that entrepreneurship be explored. coach.

NATION

TOJ A6

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

New Dem chair reacts to Trump’s ‘rigged’ assertion

BY LAURA KING TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed on Feb. 26 that the race for Democratic National Committee chairman had been “rigged”—drawing a quick response from Tom Perez, who narrowly won the party’s leadership race.

Trump insinuated that Perez’s election as chairman on the second ballot at a party conference in Atlanta on Feb. 25 was because Hillary Clinton had backed Perez, a former labor secretary in the Obama administration who was seen as representing the party’s establishment forces.

Clinton did not make an endorsement. Perez’s main rival, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the party’s more liberal wing.

“Bernie’s guy, like Bernie himself, never had a chance,” Trump posted on Twitter Sunday morning. “Clinton demanded Perez!”

MIKE THEILER/POOL/SIPA USA/TNS

Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was elected as head of the Democratic National Committee on Feb. 25.

WASHINGTON – Nearly two-thirds of American voters find President Donald Trump’s use of Twitter is reckless and distracting, according to a new nationwide McClatchy-Marist poll.

The poll found that 65 percent of registered voters nationwide disapproved of Trump’s Twitter use, while 25 percent found it effective and informative.

And despite Trump’s frequent criticisms of news media, which he terms the enemy, the poll found that most voters trust their favorite news sources over Trump, 67 percent to 29 percent.

The findings suggest that Trump has a credibility problem, said Lee Miringoff of the McClatchyMarist Poll.

“Typically presidents either enjoy a honeymoon or they reach out beyond their base,” Miringoff said. “This has been an administration that despite not winning the popular vote has put the pedal to the floor and has pushed as quickly and as hard as they can with limited public support behind it. Their actions and style suggest a huge mandate which wasn’t there in the vote.”

Only 18 percent of voters said they trust Trump and his administration “a great deal” to deliver accurate and factual information to the public.

Forty percent said they don’t trust the president at all, and 17 percent don’t trust him very much.

Among Democrats, 61 percent distrust Trump completely. Among independents, 45 percent don’t trust him at all.

‘An ego thing’

A Russian reference In his CNN interview, Perez sarcastically suggested that Trump should address questions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign rather than concerning himself with the Democratic leadership contest.

“Frankly, what we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin,” he said.

BY LINDSAY WISE AND SEAN COCKERHAM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Credibility problem

Role for Ellison Perez, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union, said he and Ellison “got a good kick out of that,” adding: “Donald Trump, up in the morning tweeting about us.”

Sanders, appearing on the same show, said Trump “doesn’t have a point” about the Democratic committee vote.

Moments after Perez beat Ellison by 35 votes out of 435 cast, he named Ellison deputy chairman of the party.

Perez is the first Latino to lead the Democratic Party, and he faces the challenge of trying to rebuild a party that suffered devastating losses in the 2016 elections. Republicans now control not only the White House and Congress, but also 33 governorships and dozens of state legislatures.

Poll: Public has had enough of Trump’s tweets

AARON LAVINSKY/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE/TNS

Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota lost to Tom Perez but was named deputy chair of the party.

It’s not surprising that the administration is leaving a trail of bad numbers, both in terms of Trump’s approval ratings, but also in communications, Mirigoff said.

“He’s using political capital with the public that he hasn’t really invested and developed,” he said.

The McClatchy-Marist poll asked voters whether they think Trump is too tough on the media or the media is too hard on Trump.

Thirty-eight percent of voters said the media is too hard on Trump, compared to 45 percent who think Trump is too hard on the media.

“I think with him it’s just an ego thing,” said Dannette Tucker, a 37-year-old independent voter from San Jose, California. “He doesn’t like to be talked about poorly” by the media.

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“Soul food can be prepared in a healthy manner.

I encourage people to never overcook their vegetables, substitute olive oil for butter, and when cooking greens add carrots or yams for sweetness versus sugar.

Greens should be green when they are done.”

Chef Amadeus

Chef Amadeus, a celebrity chef from Jacksonville and host of the podcast radio show “The Southern Passion Lounge,’’ offers practical and healthy alternatives to traditional soul food preparation.

Editor’s note: This is the second installment on the legacy of soul food. Part 1 appeared in the Feb. 17 issue of the Florida Courier.

BY PENNY DICKERSON FLORIDA COURIER

Soul food has taken center stage in the millennium as both a Southern indulgence and palate pleaser.

Restaurants boasting the original recipe of elderly relatives have opened throughout the Southeastern region of the country, and the ubiquitous food genre is even the focus of the reality television show, “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.”

According to Adrian Miller, author of the James Beard award-winning book, “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time,’’ “Traditional (soul food) places are having a generational moment. The people who started them are retiring, or dying off, but the kids in the family and other employees are still interested in carrying on the business.”

A NEW ERA FOR SOUL FOOD Some African-Americans have adapted new approaches to cooking, which leads to better health and living longer.

Soul or Southern?

Originated by the resourcefulness of enslaved African-Americans, soul food remains controversial for its heritage and its high sodium, fried foods and bountiful sugar content, which contributes to debilitating diseases. Included are hypertension, diagnosed arthritis and diabetes, all types of heart disease, and cancer.

“Southern food is the mother cuisine that soul food claims heritage to, but soul food is distinct unto itself,” Miller said.

“Part of the confusion surrounding soul food is that it stems from cultural stiff-arming that occurred in the 1960s.

“Around this time, AfricanAmericans start distancing our food from others, claiming it as our own. So you get this gulf between Southern and soul food and we’re still living with that legacy today,” Miller added.

Healthy change Demonstrating the good sense to cut back on salt and sugar in-

Chef’s advice Chef Amadeus is best known for winning the title, “Extreme Chef” on the Food Network’s “Mexican Showdown,’’ in 2011.

The Jacksonville native outwitted the competition by ultimately preparing skirt steak with Dulce de leche. He seared it to create a textured crust and then served his required “one-bite” to the judges on a spoon spread with a ground mustard base. That single serving won him $10,000.

“Some African-American’s culture consists of cooking the way generations before them have always done. They are accustomed to using salt pork, cooking the nutrients out of veggies, frying food, using seasoning salts, and then eating big portions,” said Chef Amadeus.

“Soul food can be prepared in a healthy manner. I encourage people to never overcook their vegetables, substitute olive oil for butter, and when cooking greens add carrots or yams for sweetness versus sugar. Greens should be green when they are done,” he added.

He also endorses baking chicken on a rack vs. frying.

“Baking on a rack will allow the fat to drain away, so your chicken will not be sitting in those oils during the cooking process,” said Chef Amadeus, who further advised to bake or steam fish and prepare gravy using oatmeal flour instead of all-purpose flour.

Heart and healthy souls J.B. FORBES/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH/TNS

Soul food is highlighted on “Sweetie Pie’s’’ a show on the OWN network Sweetie Pie’s owner Robbie Montgomery, center, greets Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey on March 25, 2012, at her St. Louis restaurant where they ate a fried chicken dinner. take while embracing new cooking methodologies [and diets] has proven to be a game changer for elderly African-Americans, many of whom have helped to keep both the soul food legacy and themselves alive.

The Administration on Aging reports that along with general trends for America’s population growth, the Black population is

living longer. In 2014, there were 8,582 African-Americans age 100 years and over (1,558 men and 7,024 women). They comprised 12 percent of all centenarians.

“I eat collard or turnip greens at least once a week,” said 82-year-old Lillie May Turner.

“I used to cook ‘em slow until all the meat fell off my smoked

neckbones.

“After my husband died of heart trouble, I started cooking different. I bought me a pressure cooker that can cook up a bunch of greens with rutabagas in one hour and they taste great, added Taylor, who says she remains in good health save for a set of dentures that alleviates her ability to chew most meat.

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) reports that the rate of heart failure among African-Americans is much higher than among Whites and other races.

Heart failure means that the heart rate declines and the organ becomes unable to pump blood as it should. Before age 50, the heart failure rate for African-Americans is 20 times higher than for Whites, according to the NEJM. This is attributed to several reasons, but a key one is that African-Americans receive less quality health care, such as

“Southern food is the mother cuisine that soul food claims heritage to, but soul food is distinct unto itself.”

Adrian Miller

Author of “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time”

See SOUL FOOD, Page B2

B2

CALENDAR

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

STOJ

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Jacksonville: R. Kelly’s After-Party Tour stops at the Veterans Memorial Arena on March 11. The show is at 8 p.m.

Fort Lauderdale: Catch Taj Mahal at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on March 9 or at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on March 10.

LEELA JAMES

Leela James and Daley will perform April 9 at the House of Blues Orlando. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Orlando: Katt Williams’ Great American Tour stops at the CFE Arena on March 18.

LL COOL J

Tickets are on sale for Jazz in the Gardens.

It’s March 18 and 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Performers will include LL Cool J, Jill Scott, Will Downing and Common. Full lineup: jazzinthegardens.com.

STEEL PULSE

Reggae Rise Up Florida is March 4 and 5 at Vinoy Park. Performers include Slightly Stoopid, Dirty Heads, Protoje and Steel Pulse. Details: reggaeriseup.com.

Teens win computers for their ‘Big Idea’ The Blue Team won the Team Business Challenge last month hosted by Computer Mentors Group of Tampa.

Book tells what it took for Blacks to get and keep land DR. GLENN C. ALTSCHULER SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Long after the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished, Paul and Jim Hargis continued to work on the plantation near Greensboro, Alabama owned by Paul Cameron, their former master.

Remarkably, in 1875 Cameron sold plots of land to Black farmers. The Hargis brothers bought 100 acres for $800, with Cameron agreeing to be paid over five years. Members of the Hargis extended family (including the son of Confederate General and Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest) have remained on what they continue to call “Cameron Place” for over a hundred years.

One family’s account In “A Mind to Stay,’’ Sydney Nathans, an emeritus professor of history at Duke University, draws on plantation records, Cameron

BOOK REVIEW Review of A Mind to Stay: White Plantation, Black Homeland. By Sydney Nathans. Harvard University Press.

313 pp. $29.95 family correspondence, and interviews with descendants to tell the story of one African-American family who opted not to join The Great Migration – and against all odds made a go of it in the segregated South.

Nathans does not challenge the conventional wisdom among professional historians about slavery and Reconstruction in the United States.

His up-close and personal account, however, illuminates the experiences of Blacks and southern Whites and “the contrasting views of freedom that played out on the Cameron place.”

Plantation life Nathans documents the bru-

Chef Amadeus offers three no-salt spices that add “umph” to soul food and any meal.

SOUL FOOD from Page 1

Lillie Mae Taylor is an elder who broke a soul food cycle by purchasing a pressure cooker.

visiting a primary care physician without seeing a cardiologist.

“I have a few health issues, so cutting down on salt is a very big part of my lifestyle,” stated Chef Amadeus. “I do a lot of cooking at home instead of going out, and when I do go out to eat I go to restaurants that have chefs or restaurants that don’t use processed foods,” he added with the suggestion to learn to make your fa-

tality of “the peculiar institution.”

After a fight in which Zack attacked William Lamb, wounding the plantation overseer with an axe, and Ned joined the fray, Cameron hired the best lawyer in the region to represent the slaves, who had been accused of attempted murder. And he got one of them off.

“For some,” Nathans writes, the episode demonstrated that Cameron cared about his slaves.

“For others,” Zack’s hanging, the subsequent sale of Ned, Cameron’s zeal to protect his property, and “the presence of an overseer whose demands and whip could fall on anyone else who got behind confirmed their worst fears” about what plantation life held in store.

The ‘home place’ Most of all, however, “A Mind to Stay’’ is about the indomitable will, ingenuity and courage of African-Americans, who never wavered from their goal: “hold on to the soil and sustain family members on it.”

Throughout his long life, Nathans reveals, Paul Hargis made his living in his “home place” in Alabama. Along with other small

vorite dish at home, that way you know what you are eating.

NEJM also recommends the following to ensure your heart remains strong: • Maintain a healthy weight. It will help you avoid risks for heart disease.

• Eat a healthy diet. Choose healthful meals and snacks, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber. They can help prevent high blood cholesterol.

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps maintain healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

• Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease.

• Limit alcohol use. Too much alcohol causes high blood pressure.

• Get regular checkups.

• Limit salt or sodium in your diet. That can also lower your blood pressure.

The sodium saga Soul food and salt have survived a complicated relationship for as long as each has existed.

Pompano Beach: Billy Ocean is scheduled March 17 at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater for an 8 p.m. show.

Cocoa: Flo Rida and DJ Nasty make a stop at the Cocoa Expo Sports Center on March 18.

St. Augustine: Earth Wind & Fire performs March 9 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. The show is at 7 p.m.

Gleason Theater in Miami Beach.

Pembroke Pines: Kool and the Gang will perform March 10 at the Pembroke Pines City Center.

Fort Lauderdale: Catch Patti LaBelle on March 14 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

Tampa: Catch Charlie Wilson’s “In It to Win it Tour’ with Fantasia and Solero on March 23 at the USF Sun Dome.

Jacksonville: Audra McDonald performs March 12 at the Times-Union Center Performing Arts Center.

Tampa: The Festival of Laughs featuring Mike Epps, Sommore, Bruce Bruce and Arnez J will be at the USF Sun Dome on March 11.

Fort Lauderdale: Smokey Robinson is scheduled March 7 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

Orlando: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic are scheduled March 3 at the House of Blues Orlando and March 5 at the Jackie

Orlando: The Autism Society of Greater Orlando will host its 12th annual 12th Annual Autism Space Walk and Family Fun Night on March 18 at the Orlando Science Center from 6 to 9 p.m. Register at www.asgo.org.

Computer Mentors Group of Tampa held its annual Teen Business Challenge Feb. 18 and 19 at the Ybor City campus of Hillsborough Community College.

The challenge is an annual event where teens challenge themselves over a weekend of creation, competition and community. Teens submit applications for entry and are then nominated by their mentors, guided by instructors and coaches, motivated by each other and empowered with skills and tech to compete.

The teens were placed into one of four teams of five teens each. They competed in four challenges, which included

“The Big Idea,” “The Biz Model,’’ “MVP” (Minimum Viable Product), and “The Pitch.’’

The winning team was made up of Bruce Wilson, Hamza Chouaibi, John Walton, Joseph Gutschmidt and Odette Del Valle. They led the “Big Idea” challenge with an idea that would save lives by encouraging safe teen driving.

Each winning team member received a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablet and keyboard worth over $1,000 each. But all of the students left as winners because they received a Windows 10 tablet computer they used throughout the competition.

farmers, he occasionally accepted “advances” from merchants, pledging his corn and cotton crop, two cows (named Rose and Strawberry), a mule named Buck, a horse named Bill, farm wagons, plows and other tools as collateral.

But he never defaulted.

er,” Alice Hargress (the name was changed, for reasons no one remembers) advised Back kids to keep their distance, with “no big mouth,” and “be better than them.”

That said, Alice did participate in the voter rights drive in Greensboro in the mid-1960s, when she saw Alabama registrars toss the applications of Blacks into the trash and heard 99 yearold Forrest Hargress say he had never thought about voting because, “you know, black people was brought up inferior, they don’t deserve what the next man have.”

Nathan Hargress died two months before President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. But Alice’s mother cast her first ballot.

And, along with millions of other African-Americans, Alice Hargress, who spent most of her life on land made free by her ancestors, came to recognize that the vote was just the beginning.

‘Hallelujah times’ For this reason, Nathans speculates, Hargis referred to the late 19th century, a nadir for race relations in the United States, as “hallelujah times.”

In 1912, with taxes to pay and supplies to purchase, the old man, now widowed, childless, and an amputee, deeded portions of his land to nine blood kin on the condition that they pay him $10 a year.

The arrangement, Nathans points out, allowed Paul to secure an income and his beneficiaries “to gain a home place.”

According to Nathans, Paul’s kin also tried to cope with the forces arrayed against them by avoiding either acceptance or open resistance.

Resisting change Because “whites have the pow-

According to a report published

by AARP, Americans aren’t even quite sure how to cut back on the salty stuff.

A 2010 survey showed that more than half think that using less salt at the table is an effective way to reduce sodium, even though the salt we add while cooking or eating represents only 10 percent of our daily intake.

AARP notes this is particularly troublesome for people who are salt-sensitive, meaning older Americans, African-Americans and those with high blood pressure.

Chef’s no-salt spice line An abundance of salt forces the body to excessively retain fluid and additionally causes blood pressure to rise and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Chef Amadeus found a solution by creating his own no-salt, special blend spices: • Chino 5 (Asian cinnamon flavored. Great for lamb, steak and dessert.)

• Lil’ Bump (All-purpose Cajun blend).

• Dos Maria (Curry powder named for his mother and grandmother).

Dr. Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies at Cornell University.

“When I really got into cooking, I wanted to have my clients taste what food really taste like versus being masked with salt,” said Chef Amadeus. “I use my spices and other herbs, spices, roots and citrus to flavor my cooking which is fusion cooking with emphasis on Japanese, Southern, Puerto Rican and Caribbean cuisine using traditional spices like scotch bonnet peppers, coconut milk, and, of course, my own spices,” he added.

Rice is a soul food staple, but Chef Amadeus reminds that it has no flavor so you can add whatever flavor you desire including star anise, Sofrito, ginger and citrus.

“If you insist upon salt, use kosher salt, sea salt or Himalayan salt as a finishing salt. It’s all about the flavor,” said Chef Amadeus. “Also, the more colored veggies you have on the plate the better. Cook the rainbow.”

This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from New America Media, the Gerontological Society of America and AARP.

S

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

HEALTH

B3

New diagnosis: ‘Post-election stress disorder’ Mental health professionals report a stream of patients coming in with anxiety and depression related to — or worsened by — the blast of daily news on the Trump administration.

publican thinks exactly as Trump does, and support every single thing he does.”

She says some of her patients are particularly concerned about maintaining civil relationships with friends and loved ones who have different political opinions. “People are walking on eggshells,” DuCharme said.

Different view

BY JENNY GOLD KAISER HEALTH NEWS/TNS

Wally Pfingsten has always been a news junkie.

But since President Donald Trump was elected, he’s been so anxious about the political tumult that even just having the TV news on in the background at home is unbearable.

“It’s been crippling,” said the 35-year-old San Mateo, Calif., resident and political moderate who has supported both Democratic and Republican candidates in the past. “I feel angry, really, really angry — far more angry than I expected to be.”

He’s tried hard to quell his anxiety. First, he shut down his Facebook page to limit his exposure to the daily soaking of news from Washington. But not knowing the goings-on made him anxious, too. He found himself sneaking onto the Facebook account he made for his dog. “I felt like I was cheating,” he said.

Depressing news Pfingsten is not alone in his politics-induced anxiety — it’s so common it’s been given an unofficial name: post-election stress disorder.

Mental health professionals around the country, especially those working in

LUIS SINCO/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Marchers raise clenched fists in downtown Los Angeles during a Feb. 18 protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Therapists are reporting an uptick in anxiety since the presidential election.

Democratic strongholds, report a stream of patients coming in with anxiety and depression related to — or worsened by — the blast of daily news on the new administration.

In the past, therapists say it’s been fairly uncommon for patients to bring up politics on the couch. “It is big money to talk about politics with me — that is not what we do,” said Maria Lymberis, a psychiatrist in Santa Monica, Calif.

But that was before “fake news,” “alternative facts,” “repeal and replace,” contested confirmations, travel bans, protests and suits over travel bans, suspicions about Russian influence and the departures of the acting attorney general and the new national security adviser, among other things.

Impact on health Requests for therapy appointments to Talkspace, an online therapy portal based in New York City, tripled immediately following the election and have remained high through January, according to the company. In particular, Talkspace has seen a steady increase in requests from Muslim Americans, African-Americans, Jews, gays and lesbians.

“In my 28 years in practice, I’ve never seen anything like this level of stress,” said Nancy Molitor, a psychologist in the Chicago suburbs.

She says the vast majority of her patients — from millennials to those in their 80s — are bringing up politics in their therapy sessions. “What we’re seeing

now after the inauguration is a huge uptick in anxiety.”

Many of her patients say they are having trouble sleeping and focusing at work or are fighting more with family members, she said.

“I have people who’ve told me they’re in mourning, that they’ve lost their libido,” Molitor said. “I have people saying the anxiety is causing them to be so distracted that they’re blowing through stop signs or getting into fender benders.”

Nationwide issue The anxiety appears to be widespread. Fifty-seven percent of Americans report that the current political climate is a very or somewhat significant source of stress, and 40 percent say the same about the

outcome of the election, according to an online survey of 1,019 adults conducted by the American Psychological Association after the inauguration.

Between August 2016 and January 2017, the overall average stress level increased significantly for the first time since the Stress in America survey began 10 years ago.

And it’s not just Democrats: A quarter of Republicans report that the outcome of election is a significant source of stress for them.

“I’m seeing lot of anxiety and anger on both sides,” says Elaine DuCharme, a psychologist in Glastonbury, Conn. “People who are Republicans are afraid to tell anyone.

They’re afraid that everybody thinks that every Re-

Of course, in some parts of the country, especially those that are overwhelmingly Republican and outside big cities, people seem relieved if not uplifted by the new president’s flurry of executive orders and appointments.

Nancy Cottle, a Trump supporter in Mesa, Ariz., has been riding high since the election. “We got to go to the inauguration, and, oh, it was a wonderful experience. We got to go to the Trump hotel and have breakfast and then lunch there, and it was just great.

The inauguration itself was very inspiring.”

Cottle, 64, has been struggling to understand the public outcry about Trump. “It’s like the sky is falling — but a lot of that is just drama,” she said. “I feel encouraged, I feel hopeful.

I can’t wait to wake up and see what the day’s going to bring and what else is going to happen.”

That same daily dose of news — and the uncertainty of what will happen next — rattles many Trump opponents. But, like Pfingsten, they can’t seem to quit their news consumption cold turkey.

Molitor recommends patients stay engaged but limit the time they spend on Facebook or watching the news. Focus instead on other things you enjoy, she advises — calling a friend, taking a walk or reading a book.

Helping you is what we love to do.

At your Publix, there’s always someone nearby to answer your questions.

Or walk you to an item on your list. You chose us, so we choose to go above and beyond for you, every time you’re here.

See how we serve you at publix.com/service.

TOJ

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

HEALTH

B3

New diagnosis: ‘Post-election stress disorder’ Mental health professionals report a stream of patients coming in with anxiety and depression related to — or worsened by — the blast of daily news on the Trump administration.

publican thinks exactly as Trump does, and support every single thing he does.”

She says some of her patients are particularly concerned about maintaining civil relationships with friends and loved ones who have different political opinions. “People are walking on eggshells,” DuCharme said.

Different view

BY JENNY GOLD KAISER HEALTH NEWS/TNS

Wally Pfingsten has always been a news junkie.

But since President Donald Trump was elected, he’s been so anxious about the political tumult that even just having the TV news on in the background at home is unbearable.

“It’s been crippling,” said the 35-year-old San Mateo, Calif., resident and political moderate who has supported both Democratic and Republican candidates in the past. “I feel angry, really, really angry — far more angry than I expected to be.”

He’s tried hard to quell his anxiety. First, he shut down his Facebook page to limit his exposure to the daily soaking of news from Washington. But not knowing the goings-on made him anxious, too. He found himself sneaking onto the Facebook account he made for his dog. “I felt like I was cheating,” he said.

Depressing news Pfingsten is not alone in his politics-induced anxiety — it’s so common it’s been given an unofficial name: post-election stress disorder.

Mental health professionals around the country, especially those working in

LUIS SINCO/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Marchers raise clenched fists in downtown Los Angeles during a Feb. 18 protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Therapists are reporting an uptick in anxiety since the presidential election.

Democratic strongholds, report a stream of patients coming in with anxiety and depression related to — or worsened by — the blast of daily news on the new administration.

In the past, therapists say it’s been fairly uncommon for patients to bring up politics on the couch. “It is big money to talk about politics with me — that is not what we do,” said Maria Lymberis, a psychiatrist in Santa Monica, Calif.

But that was before “fake news,” “alternative facts,” “repeal and replace,” contested confirmations, travel bans, protests and suits over travel bans, suspicions about Russian influence and the departures of the acting attorney general and the new national security adviser, among other things.

Impact on health Requests for therapy appointments to Talkspace, an online therapy portal based in New York City, tripled immediately following the election and have remained high through January, according to the company. In particular, Talkspace has seen a steady increase in requests from Muslim Americans, African-Americans, Jews, gays and lesbians.

“In my 28 years in practice, I’ve never seen anything like this level of stress,” said Nancy Molitor, a psychologist in the Chicago suburbs.

She says the vast majority of her patients — from millennials to those in their 80s — are bringing up politics in their therapy sessions. “What we’re seeing

now after the inauguration is a huge uptick in anxiety.”

Many of her patients say they are having trouble sleeping and focusing at work or are fighting more with family members, she said.

“I have people who’ve told me they’re in mourning, that they’ve lost their libido,” Molitor said. “I have people saying the anxiety is causing them to be so distracted that they’re blowing through stop signs or getting into fender benders.”

Nationwide issue The anxiety appears to be widespread. Fifty-seven percent of Americans report that the current political climate is a very or somewhat significant source of stress, and 40 percent say the same about the

outcome of the election, according to an online survey of 1,019 adults conducted by the American Psychological Association after the inauguration.

Between August 2016 and January 2017, the overall average stress level increased significantly for the first time since the Stress in America survey began 10 years ago.

And it’s not just Democrats: A quarter of Republicans report that the outcome of election is a significant source of stress for them.

“I’m seeing lot of anxiety and anger on both sides,” says Elaine DuCharme, a psychologist in Glastonbury, Conn. “People who are Republicans are afraid to tell anyone.

They’re afraid that everybody thinks that every Re-

Of course, in some parts of the country, especially those that are overwhelmingly Republican and outside big cities, people seem relieved if not uplifted by the new president’s flurry of executive orders and appointments.

Nancy Cottle, a Trump supporter in Mesa, Ariz., has been riding high since the election. “We got to go to the inauguration, and, oh, it was a wonderful experience. We got to go to the Trump hotel and have breakfast and then lunch there, and it was just great.

The inauguration itself was very inspiring.”

Cottle, 64, has been struggling to understand the public outcry about Trump. “It’s like the sky is falling — but a lot of that is just drama,” she said. “I feel encouraged, I feel hopeful.

I can’t wait to wake up and see what the day’s going to bring and what else is going to happen.”

That same daily dose of news — and the uncertainty of what will happen next — rattles many Trump opponents. But, like Pfingsten, they can’t seem to quit their news consumption cold turkey.

Molitor recommends patients stay engaged but limit the time they spend on Facebook or watching the news. Focus instead on other things you enjoy, she advises — calling a friend, taking a walk or reading a book.

BE THE COMEBACK STORY OF THE YEAR. Cancer hates courage. At Moffitt Cancer Center, courage keeps us asking questions cancer doesn’t want answered.

Can we personalize a treatment to a patient’s unique genetic profile? Can we use evolutionary biology and mathematical modeling to actually predict a tumor’s development and direct its path? Courageous thinking changes the rules. And cancer hates that. Because when you’re free to apply courage to solving cancer’s toughest challenges, amazing things can happen. Like they do every single day at Moffitt. To find your courage, schedule an appointment today at moffitt.org and see how we’re relentlessly innovating so our patients can continue to #BeCourageous.

YOUR COURAGE INSPIRES OURS.

MoffittCourage.org

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

B4

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

STOJ

By Alex Kline/McClatchy-Tribune

As March is now upon us, we celebrate Women’s History Month and commemorate the amazing ladies who took women from having no legal existence to being political leaders.

The field is as vast as it is diverse, with martyrs, astronauts, poets and first ladies filling the outspoken — and at times shocking — role as revolutionaries. The memorable women said some incredible things and paved a solid road to equality, all while proving they were so much more than their necessary and important roles as wives, mothers and caregivers.

The changes wrought by these women are best expressed through their own words. Read on for a brief history lesson on the important women of our past and for some inspiration to continue their work.

“The air is the only place free from prejudices.”

— Bessie Coleman (top), Aviator lll

“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

— Abigail Adams, first lady lll

“As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold the person down, so it means you cannot soar as you thought otherwise.”

— Marian Anderson, singer lll

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.”

— Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer lll

“We rely upon the poets, the philosophers and the playwrights to articulate what most of us can only feel, in joy or sorrow. They illuminate the thoughts for which we only grope; they give us the strength and balm we cannot find in ourselves.”

— Helen Hayes, actress lll

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.”

— Julia Ward Howe, social reformer and author lll

“Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”

— Zora Neale Hurston, anthropologist and author lll

“If they want to hang me, let them. And on the scaffold I will shout ‘Freedom for the working class!’”

— Mary Harris Jones, labor organizer lll

“I have no power of submitting tamely to injustice inflicted either on me or on the slave.

I will oppose it with all the moral powers with which I am endowed. I am no advocate of passivity.”

— Lucretia Mott, feminist and abolitionist lll

“Loosen your girdle and let ’er fly!”

— “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias (above), athlete “Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.”

— Susan B. Anthony, suffragist lll

“Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.”

— Rachel Carson, marine biologist and author lll

“I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.”

— Amelia Earhart, aviator lll

“Energy rightly applied can accomplish anything.”

— Nellie Bly, investigative journalist

“I can truthfully say I know of no other recreation that will do so much toward keeping a woman in good health and perfect figure than a few hours spent occasionally at trap shooting.”

— Annie Oakley, markswoman lll

“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say — I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”

— Harriet Tubman, slave, liberator of slaves and spy lll

“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.”

— Nancy Willard, poet and writer lll

“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power.

You just take it.”

— Roseanne Barr, actress

SOURCES: BIOGRAPHY.COM, WWW.GREAT-INSPIRATIONAL-QUOTES.COM; HTTP://WWW.LOC.GOV/TEACHERS/ CLASSROOMMATERIALS/PRESENTATIONSANDACTIVITIES/PRESENTATIONS/WOMENS-WORDS/ALTERNATIVE.HTML

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

— Dolly Parton, singer lll

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

— Peace Pilgrim, teacher, spiritual leader and peace prophet lll

“Never let a problem to be solved become more important than the person to be loved.”

— Barbara Johnson, best-selling writer lll

“I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady lll

“I am not afraid… I was born to do this.”

— Joan of Arc, Catholic saint and martyr

“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.”

— Janis Joplin (above), singer

lll

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”

— Harriet Beecher Stowe, American abolitionist and author lll

“The soul should always stand ajar.

Ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.”

— Emily Dickinson, American poet lll

“Though I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn’t changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I’m just wearing better shoes.”

— Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and producer lll

“We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.”

— Anne Frank, Holocaust victim lll

“I am prepared to sacrifice every socalled privilege I possess in order to have a few rights.”

— Inez Milholland, suffragist lll

“I was born to swing, that’s all.”

— Lil Hardin Armstrong, bandleader lll

“We are coming down from our pedestal and up from the laundry room.”

— Bella Abzug, lawyer and congresswoman lll

“I do not know the word ‘quit.’ Either I never did, or I have abolished it.”

— Susan Butcher, Iditarod winner lll

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady lll

“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”

— Mae Jemison, astronaut lll

“In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

— Margaret Thatcher, British politician lll

“Life is too large to hang out a sign: ‘For Men Only.’ ” — Barbara Jordan (left), politician ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAEL HOGUE/ DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS

TOJ

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

B5

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Tarell Alvin McCraney won an Academy Award on Feb. 26 for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Moonlight.’’ He and the movie’s director, Barry Jenkins, co-wrote the 2016 film, which is based on McCraney’s play, “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. He also is the incoming chair of playwright at the Yale School of Drama.

Naomie Harris didn’t win an Oscar on Feb. 26, but she deserves recognition for her first Academy Award nomination at age 40. The London-born Harris was nominated in the best supporting actress category. In “Moonlight she plays Paula, the crack-addicted mother of a boy struggling with his sexuality while growing up in the Miami housing projects.

JAY L. CLENDENIN/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

JAY L. CLENDENIN/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

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Black actors make history at the Academy Awards

BY YESHA CALLAHAN THEROOT.COM

Mahershala Ali literally set the tone for the evening as he walked onstage to accept the first award of the night. Ali, who won for best supporting actor in “Moonlight,’’ made history as he became the first Muslim actor to ever win an Academy Award.

“I want to thank my teachers, my professors,” Ali said. “One thing they consistently told me … was that it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you, it’s about these characters, you are a servant. You’re in service to these stories and these characters.”

PHOTOS BY JAY L. CLENDENIN/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

‘O.J.’ film wins

Mahershala Ali won the best supporting actor award at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar. Viola Davis’ best supporting actress Oscar win makes her the only Black woman to have won an Emmy, Oscar and Tony.

Another winner of the evening was producer and director Ezra Edelman for “O.J.: Made in America,’’ and there was some heavy competition in the best documentary feature category that included Ava Duvernay’s “13th,’’ Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro,” the film “Life, Animated’’ by Roger Ross Williams, and Gianfranco Rosi’s “Fire at Sea.’’ In his speech, Edelman remembered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, but he also got political.

“It is also for others, the victims of police violence, police brutality, racially motivated violence and criminal injustice,” he said.

“This is their story, as well as Ron and Nicole’s.”

Davis became the first Black woman to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony for acting. (Whoopi Goldberg is an EGOT; she also has a Tony, but it is for producing. Goldberg also has a Grammy.) Davis’ speech reflected the historic win.

“You know, there is one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered and that’s the graveyard,” a teary-eyed Davis began. “People ask me all the time— ‘What kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola?’ And I say exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories—the stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition, people who fell in love and lost.”

Historic Davis win

Kudos for Denzel

Viola Davis probably gave the best speech of the night as she accepted her award for best supporting actress for her role in “Fences.’’ Even before her name was announced as the winner, Oprah Winfrey put that good juju out there on Twitter.

“I became an artist and thank God I did,” she continued, “because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.”

In her speech, she also thanked Denzel Washington.

“Oh captain, my cap-

tain,” she told Washington, “thank you for putting two entities in the driving seat: (playwright) August (Wilson) and God. And they served you well.”

‘Moonlight’ shines Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney of “Moonlight” took home the award for best adapted screenplay and their acceptance speech was a call for marginalized voices to be heard.

“I told my students, be in love with the process, not the result. I really wanted this result. All you people who feel like there’s no mirror for you, the academy has your back, the ACLU has your back, we have your back, and for the next four years, we will not forget you.,’’ Jenkins stated.

And, of course, the biggest moment of the night came when “Moonlight’’ took home the best picture award, but, of course, not without the drama and a little more pomp and circumstance.

B6

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

S

Official Court-Approved Legal Notice

Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche 3.0-Liter Diesel Emissions Settlements Settlements with VW/Audi/Porsche Diesel Vehicle Owners/Lessees, the Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, California Attorney General, and Federal Trade Commission

Cash Payments, Vehicle Buybacks, Early Lease Terminations, Potential Emissions Modifications & Extended Vehicle Warranties, Environmental Remediation, Promotion of Zero Emissions Vehicle Technology

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2009-2012

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2009-2012

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Modifications require approval from the EPA and CARB.

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2013-2016

EMISSIONS COMPLIANT REPAIR* To comply with emissions standards and a comprehensive extended emissions warranty and cash. *You will have other options if an Emissions Compliant Repair is not approved for your vehicle by the Settlement deadline.

Former Owners and Former Lessees who sold their vehicles or ended a lease after September 18, 2015 may also be eligible to receive cash payments.

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www Visit www.VWCourtSettlement.com for Information and Registration.

$ File Claim & Schedule Remedy.

www.VWCourtSettlement.com

At scheduled time, your Settlement transaction will be completed at an authorized dealership.

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FOOD

B6

MARCH 3 – MARCH 9, 2017

TOJ

A blended take on family favorites MIGHTY MUSHROOM BLENDED BURGER Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 1/2 pound any variety mushroom 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 buns Finely dice mushrooms or gently pulse in food processor.

In skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add mushrooms, cooking 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Transfer cooled mushrooms to medium bowl. Add ground beef and salt, mixing until combined. Make four patties.

Add remaining olive oil to pan and cook burger patties on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches at least 160 F. Plate and add desired toppings to bun.

Recommended toppings include: pickled red peppers, crumbled blue cheese and watercress greens.

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

It’s not always easy to create meals that are both nutritious and satisfying. Managing intake of added sugar and saturated fat takes effort and planning, but transforming your favorite recipes into more nutritious family meals can be simpler than you imagined.

The nutrient-dense mushroom masterfully bridges that divide, offering rich and meaty flavor while still being fat-free, low-calorie and low-sodium. All mushrooms contain vitamin D at various levels, which helps build strong bones. Additionally, mushrooms are a source of B vitamins, including riboflavin and niacin, which help provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

“Mushrooms are an incredibly versatile ingredient,” said Mary Jo Feeney, MS, RDN, nutrition research consultant for the Mushroom Council. “They can be the meaty star of a vegetarian dish or a nutritious complement to burgers and other hearty recipes.”

For a healthy weekday lunch, consider building a salad bowl around the earthy mushroom. Pair roasted or marinated mushrooms with crunchy vegetables and nutty grains, beans and pulses, and top with a simple vinaigrette or squeeze of citrus.

For lightened-up versions of classics such as burgers and meatballs, try adopting a culinary technique known as “The Blend.”

Simply chop any mushroom variety to match the consistency of ground meat, blend the mushrooms into the meat and cook the mushroom-meat blend to complete the recipe. Substituting at least 25 percent of the meat for mushrooms can enhance the taste of your favorite meaty meals, deliver an extra serving of nutrient-rich vegetables and trim calorie and fat intake.

For additional mushroom recipes that incorporate the blending technique, visit mushroominfo.com.

ROASTED MUSHROOM AND WHEAT BERRY SALAD WITH ORANGE CURRY VINAIGRETTE Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 8 ounces white button mushrooms, halved 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt 1/4teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups cooked wheat berries, warm 2 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped Dressing: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt Heat oven to 400 F. Place mushrooms on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Bake 10 minutes. Carefully stir mushrooms and bake 5 more minutes, until tender.

Transfer mushrooms to medium bowl. Add wheat berries, green onions and cranberries.

In small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss to mix all ingredients. Serve warm.

MARINATED MUSHROOM BOWLS WITH LENTILS AND WILD RICE Prep time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 Mushrooms: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 1 teaspoon chili oil 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice pinch of salt 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 cups cooked French lentils 1 cup cooked wild rice 1 cup chopped cucumber To marinate mushrooms: In shallow bowl, whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil.

Stir in green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Add mushrooms and gently toss in marinade. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

Place cabbage in bowl and toss with lime juice and pinch of salt. Set aside.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to both lentils and wild rice.

To serve, arrange equal amount of mushrooms, cabbage, lentils, wild rice and cucumbers in each bowl. Drizzle with remaining marinade and garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced green onions and black sesame seeds.

Serve with lime wedges.

Note: Can be served at room temperature or cold.