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MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

VOLUME 22 NO. 13

OBAMACARE DEADLINE? NOT SO MUCH The time is now. If you haven’t signed up for health insurance by Monday, March 31, be prepared to pay a penalty – maybe.

sure that Americans who start the enrollment process by Monday but fail to With a March 31 dead- complete it will still be able line to sign up for insurance to get health coverage. under President Obama’s health law approaching, Limited extension more than a million people The administration isa day are visiting Health- sued formal guidance Care.gov, administration Wednesday that indicatofficials said Wednesday. ed the federal government The site – the main portal would provide consumers for insurance marketplaces a “limited amount of addiin 36 states, including Flor- tional time to finish the apida – got 1.2 million visitors plication and enrollment Tuesday and 1.1 million vis- period.” To qualify for the itors Monday, according to extension, consumers will the administration. only have to attest that they The surge in consumers started the process before comes as the administra- the deadline. But consumers who have tion is taking steps to en-

BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS FLORIDA COURIER

not started the process by March 31 would have to wait to get coverage on the marketplace during the next open enrollment period, which starts in November. A response to questions fielded to White House officials inquiring about an exact deadline date was not received by the Florida Courier’s Wednesday night deadline. After April 1, consumers who lose their job, get divorced or otherwise lose their insurance through a change in life circumstances will still be able to enroll in health coverage through the marketplace.

Fight on the House floor

JOE BURBANK/ORLANDO SENTINEL/MCT

President Barack Obama delivered remarks at Valencia College in Orlando last week.

Local efforts As of March 1, 442,087, Floridians have selected a plan in the marketplace, according to the latest en-

rollment numbers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Daytona Beach, Mayor Derrick Henry is pushing

for residents to sign up. On May 23, he joined with the city of Daytona Beach, local “navigators” – enrollment See DEADLINE, Page A2

2014 SONY OPEN

Going home early

Thurston tries to end ‘stand your ground’ FROM STAFF REPORTS

TALLAHASSEE – In a rare procedural move, supporters of repealing Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law forced a vote on repeal on March 20. The House debated and then voted down an amendment that would have led to the elimination of the stand your ground law by a vote of 83-31. The amendment was introduced by Minority Leader Perry E. Thurston, Jr. (D-Fort Lauderdale) as a response to the “warning shot” bill introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach). The day before, Gaetz responded to a question by saying the objective of his bill was to “strengthen” stand your ground.

Wouldn’t discuss it “The Republican legislature did not allow the bill to repeal stand your ground to come to the floor of the full House,” said Thurston. “If there is going to be a debate on expanding stand your ground, I thought there should be a debate about the real solution – repealing it.” Florida was the first state to pass a stand your ground law in 2005. Under the law, defendants can claim they felt threatened as part of a defense against criminal prosecution. The current statute does not require a real threat to exist.

Creates conflict Defenders of the law claim that it has removed a burden from law-abiding citizens trying to defend themselves.

KIM GIBSON / FLORIDA COURIER

Palm Beach Gardens resident Venus Williams was beaten by #10 seed Dominika Cibulkova in the early rounds of this year’s Sony Open pro tennis tournament in Miami-Dade. Her sister, No.1 seed Serena Williams, is the favorite to win the tourney again this year.

See FIGHT, Page A2

Black business owners descend on the Capitol

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

WIC Program goes from checks to cards

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TALLAHASSEE – Black business owners from around the state traveled to the state capital on March 21 to meet with legislators, participate in a town hall meeting, and articulate the issues of Black businesses. Members of the Florida Consortium of Black Businesses (FLCBB) sponsored a “Black Business Day” recognizing and advocating for the 187,000 Black businesses across the state. The organization’s leadership says this is the first step in affecting policy and administrative changes by political and business

ALSO INSIDE

NATION | A6

More veterans taking advantage of GI Bill

COURTESY OF FLCBB

Members of the Florida Consortium of Black Businesses traveled to Tallahassee last week to advocate for the state’s Black entrepreneurs.

ENVIRONMENT | B3

leaders throughout Florida.

List of priorities FLCBB presented an 11-point list of priorities. The first is for the state of Florida to objectively as-

sess Black business participation over the past five years by initiating what’s known as a “disparity study.” The study is legally required if the state is to use race as a con-

sideration in awarding state contracts. It would identify gaps in the award of state contracts and would increase the participation of Florida-based minority busiSee BUSINESS, Page A2

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: HARRY ALFORD: RULE THROWS BLACK STUDENTS FOR A LOSS | A5

ExxonValdez spill 25 years later

FOCUS

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

Five reasons why ‘March Madness’ is a racist, exploitative lie Here are five reasons that the NCAA should be burned to the ground by Congress, the IRS and the athletes’ families themselves: 1. Players do the work, but someone else gets the money. The NCAA earns more ad revenue during March Madness than does the Super Bowl and the World Series. When I participated in a CBS Sports special regarding whether or not college athletes should be paid, I noticed that every single person arguing that the players shouldn’t be paid was himself earning at least a million dollars per year from athlete labor. If the athletes’ families were to get a cut of the money they’re earning, then this reduces the financial rewards from those who maintain this exploitative system. Most of those who support the current NCAA system are those who stand to benefit financially. 2. Even the free education part doesn’t actually exist. I once had a student in my class who was on the football team. I kept getting messages from one of the assistant coaches telling me that the student was going to miss the first week of class, then the second week of class. I then asked the coach, “Why are you emailing me instead of the

DR. BOYCE WATKINS GUEST COLUMNIST

student? Why is he missing two weeks of class to prepare for games that he’s not being compensated to play in? Do you realize that, you’re effectively guaranteeing that he’s going to fail?” After that conversation, the student was taken out of my class. They never sent another player to my class again. I think they even told him to change his major, since finance was too difficult for an athlete’s schedule. Hence, this young man’s future was permanently altered so he could participate in an EXTRACURRICULAR activity. Extracurricular my azz…this was his JOB. I’ve seen athletes get all the way through college without learning how to read better than an 8-year old. In many cases, the professors and administrators are fully aware of these blatant violations of academic integrity. Unfortunately, faculty are too frightened to speak up since the financial pressures provide in-

centives for campuses to get rid of whistleblowers rather than reward them. 3. The NCAA’s massive propaganda machine. The NCAA is great at running ridiculous ads creating a fairytale illusion that its athletes are being provided with a high-quality education. Some students in non-revenue-generating sports are given a chance to actually learn something, but most of the basketball and football players are being shuffled around like cattle. Most campuses aren’t going to give up millions of dollars for the chance to educate a bunch of Black men. Just ask the North Carolina Tarheels, an “extraordinary academic institution” that spent decades putting athletes through school with the education of 12-year olds. 4. Athletes are only amateur because the NCAA says they are. I’ve heard many coaches on numerous occasions say that they expect their athletes to behave like professionals. The athletes keep the schedules of professionals. They are on television as much as professionals. The NCAA makes more ad revenue than most professional sports leagues. So why are they amateurs? Because the NCAA says

they are. Even Walter Byers, the man who created the false amateurism model that the NCAA worships to this day, said that college athletes should be paid. That’s like Jesus telling his disciples that God really isn’t his dad. 5. The players don’t have much of a life outside of sports. When you’re practicing early in the morning, again at night and then having video sessions in the afternoon, it’s almost impossible to really dig into the academic experience. Most Division I athletes at major revenuegenerating schools are in a constant state of mental and physical exhaustion. The idea that sports is merely an extracurricular activity is part of a fantasy world that was created by those who want to believe that the NCAA engages in humane treatment of its animals athletes. At the University of Kentucky, even the athletes’ dorms surround them with sports imagery all the time. This might be helpful for the brainwashing process.

probably wouldn’t enroll in a plan if she didn’t. “We should have a choice. Some people don’t care about insurance, which is sad, but you should still have a choice,” she said. “And I’m a college student. I have tuition and books and that is an added expense that I can’t afford.” Simmons isn’t by herself. A push for young people to sign up for health care is apparent in television commercials, print ads and even the president, who took to social media and appeared as a guest on the “Funny Or Die’’ web video series “Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.”

In 2016, it increases to 2.5 percent of income or $695 per person, whichever is higher. If you’re paying under the $95 per person method, in 2014 the payment for uninsured children is $47.50 per child. The most a family would have to pay under this method in 2014 is $285. You make the payment when you file your 2014 taxes, due April 2015. The IRS will hold back the amount of the fee from any future tax refunds. There are no liens, levies, or criminal penalties for failing to pay the fee.

No chance The NCAA annually engages in one of the biggest wealth extractions from the Black community outside of the prison industrial

complex. Many of the Black men who dedicate their lives to college sports aren’t given the chance to be head coaches at the same universities that were happy to use them up for their athletic ability. Also, most of them don’t go pro and many of them aren’t given the time to get a good education. By educating the public and the parents of these athletes, we can slowly chip away at the sinking ship called the NCAA. The massive anti-trust lawsuit filed by Sonny Vaccaro and former NCAA athlete Ed O’Bannon is pushing the envelope and helping the highlight the gross inequities being perpetuated by this system. It’s only a matter of time before equity is achieved, and it is only then that we can all sit down and enjoy a college basketball game without wondering if we are contributing to a form of athletic prostitution.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a professor of finance at Syracuse University. Read his columns and weblog at www.boycewatkins.com. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

FIGHT from A1

Critics, like Thurston and Rep. Alan Williams, chair of the legislative Black Caucus in the House, say that it encourages people to be unnecessarily aggressive and creates conflict where it otherwise might not have existed. Thurston has launched a petition on his website to increase support for repeal. So far, more than 3,500 people across Florida have signed it. The petition can be found at thurstonforflorida. com.

Florida House Democratic Leader Perry E. Thurston, Jr. forced fellow legislators to debate Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law in an unsuccessful effort to appeal the law. DUANE C. FERNANDEZ, SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

DEADLINE from A1

assistants – and hospitals for an enrollment event. “We have thousands in our city and millions across the nation who have yet to sign up for what is a basic human right – affordable healthcare,” Henry shared on his Facebook page before the enrollment event held Sunday at Halifax Health Medical Center. “Do not Derrick let money scare Henry you away – there are tax credits and other incentives that will likely make it much cheaper than you think.” Dr. Melissa Chester, the coordinator of the event, explained that so many people came out to sign up for coverage that the hospital tacked on extra days to accommodate area residents.

Northwestern football players can unionize, NLRB rules BY ALEJANDRA CANCINO CHICAGO TRIBUNE /MCT

Northwestern University football players are employees of the school and are therefore entitled to a union election, Peter Sung Ohr, the regional director of the National Labor Relations Board, said in a ruling released Wednesday afternoon. The decision is “revolutionary for college sports,” said Robert McCormick, a professor emeritus at Michigan State University College of Law who focuses on sports and labor law. McCormick said Ohr’s decision could influence other state and federal agencies. For example,

FLORIDA BY THE NUMBERS Floridians eligible for ‘Obamacare’: 990,455 Floridians eligible for Obamacare with financial assistance: 621,139 Floridians eligible for Medicaid/CHIP: 124,363 Floridians who have signed up for Obamacare: 442,087 SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Fees summed up “We had navigators from Jacksonville, Enroll America and Get Covered America. We saw over 240 people,” Chester remarked.

Not enthused Kim Simmons, a 21-year-old student at Bethune-Cookman University, says she has insurance through her parents but if college players demand compensation for injuries sustained during training or a game, Ohr’s opinion could come into play in the question of whether the players are employees under the state Workers’ Compensation Act. Northwestern’s football players are the first in college sports to seek union representation. Behind the effort is the College Athletes Players Association, (CAPA), a union funded by Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA linebacker. The United Steelworkers is covering the group’s legal expenses. CAPA is also seeking financial coverage for former players with sports-related medical expenses, independent concussion experts to be placed on the sidelines during games and the creation of an educational trust fund to help former players graduate. Northwestern will appeal Ohr’s decision to the NLRB in Washington. If Ohr’s decision is upheld, the case would likely make its way through federal appellate court and could reach the Supreme Court.

If you can afford health insurance but chose not to buy it, you must pay a fee known as the individual shared responsibility payment. However, you can get an exemption in certain cases. The fee in 2014 is 1 percent of your yearly income or $95 per person for the year, whichever is higher. The fee increases every year.

BUSINESS from A1

nesses and Black businesses. Other priorities include the streamlining of the minority business enterprise (MBE) certification process; revising and requiring the implementation of diversity goals; better forecasting of state contracting opportunities to allow companies more time to prepare bids; greater transparency in reporting contract awards; and greater MBE access to affordable investment funding. FLCBB members also advocated for increasing the resources for the state’s Office of Supplier Diversity to conduct outreach; increasing contract awards to Black-owned businesses; and requiring ethnic diversity in appointments to state regulatory boards.

Partial exemption list According to Healthcare.gov, under certain circumstances, you won’t have to make the individual responsibility payment. This is called an “exemption.” Here’s a partial list: You’re uninsured for less than three months of the year. The lowest-priced coverage available to you would cost more than 8 percent of your household income. You don’t have to file a tax return because your income is too

low. You’re a member of a recognized religious sect with religious objections to insurance, including Social Security and Medicare. You’re incarcerated, and not awaiting the disposition of charges against you. You may qualify for a “hardship” exemption if you are homeless; were evicted in the past six months or faced eviction or foreclosure; received a shut-off notice from a utility company; experienced domestic violence, the death of a close family member, or a fire, flood, or other natural or human-caused disaster that caused substantial damage to your property; if you filed for bankruptcy in the last six months; or had medical expenses you couldn’t pay in the past 24 months. The full list of exemptions can be found on the Marketplace website.

Noam N. Levey of Tribune Washington Bureau (MCT) contributed to this report.

Lagging behind

More Florida jobs

“Florida’s Black businesses lag behind Black businesses nationally in both average sales and employees. The percentage of Black Florida businesses is 7 percent less than the percentage of Black individuals residing in Florida. The time has come to proactively strengthen and sustain Black business in the state,” said Veronica Anderson, FLCBB chairman. FLCBB wants to address the absence of voices on a statewide level and advocate for more business opportunities in the private and public sectors. “Anecdotally, it seems that the economy, business practices, lack of access to capital and other factors have resulted in the slow growth or the demise of some Black-owned businesses, but no one is actually documenting this observation,” said Anderson.

“A good goal for the Black community is to continue to strive to get business ownership percentages equal to the population percentage…We know that Black companies are more likely to hire Black workers, thus employing and sustaining more Florida jobs and families. “Sowing these seeds now will make for a stronger Florida tomorrow because entrepreneurship provides opportunities for greater intergenerational wealth transfer,” Anderson added. Membership in FLCBB is open to all Florida Black businesses and partners who want to “open business opportunities to Florida’s Black businesses,” according to Anderson. A full listing of the FLCBB Top Priorities can be read online at www.flcbb.com.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

FLORIDA

Tax collector urges caution on registering vehicles NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Florida lawmakers last week gave Gov. Rick Scott one of his top priorities of the session – a rollback of vehicle-registration fees that were increased in 2009. But the reductions won’t take effect until Sept. 1. As a result, former lawmaker Mike Fasano, now the Pasco County tax collector, is urging motorists to be cautious if they have to renew registrations before September. Fasano issued a news release Tuesday advising motorists to only renew their registrations this summer for one year, because savings will not be available to people who pay for two-year renewals. “It is imperative that those who decide to renew their auto registration between now and the end of August strongly consider not renewing for two years,” Fasano said. “If you do you will not be eligible to receive the benefits those who renew for one year starting September 1 will receive.” Motorists who don’t heed Fasano’s advice wouldn’t be able to receive any savings from the new legislation (SB 156) until renewal time in 2016. The actual savings vary depending on vehicle type, but they will total $20 to $25 for many motorists.

COURTESY OF USDA

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk.

State’s WIC Program goes from checks to cards Florida is first to implement new data system and EBT SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

The Florida Department of Health’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program announced this month the completion of its statewide implementation of a new data system that supports clients receiving WIC food benefits. The new system uses an electronic card much like a credit or debit card rather than the paper checks used previously. Florida is the first state to simultaneously implement a new WIC participant data system and bring Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) services online. “Connecting Florida’s families with nutritious and affordable food options allows parents to make healthier food choices for their children,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “The implementation of the new WIC data system and EBT services demon-

‘Connecting Florida’s families with nutritious and affordable food options allows parents to make healthier food choices for their children. The implementation of the new WIC data system and EBT services demonstrate innovative steps toward better health for Florida.’ State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health

Reduction in payment time WIC EBT will provide participants with greater flexibility in redeeming benefits and increase benefit security. The WIC vendor community anticipates a decrease in paper-based errors that result in banking fees and loss of payment,

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.” – Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat! • How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

www.excellencewithoutexcuse.com Download immediately as an eBook or a pdf Order softcover online, from Amazon, or your local bookstore ISBN#978-1-56385-500-9 Published by International Scholastic Press, LLC Contact Charles at ccherry2@gmail.com

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220 sites statewide Dr. John Armstrong

strate innovative steps toward better health for Florida.”

with greater shopping flexibility to obtain prescriptive foods throughout the month. It eliminates extensive manual reviews and settlement procedures necessary under the paper check system garnering strong support from WIC grocers. The WIC Program and the taxpayer is to realize significant benefits through improved WIC program integrity by enabling efficient detection of fraud and abuse.

automated recognition of WIC items at the point of sale, and a reduction in the time it takes to receive payments for WIC EBT purchases. The WIC Program anticipates greater accuracy and detail in transaction information. Implementation of WIC EBT realizes significant benefits for about 450,000 WIC participants, 2,000 WIC grocers, the WIC Program, and the taxpayer. WIC EBT is supposed to provide the participant

WIC is a federally funded program that provides healthy food as well as breastfeeding education and nutrition counseling to needy families. Florida’s WIC Program operates 220 sites throughout the state where families improve their diet and food choices with the assistance of licensed nutritionists and nutrition educators. WIC aims to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and their children from birth to five years of age by providing the best nutrition possible to help them learn and be successful in school and society.

Florida A&M acquires 26.8 acres, research facilities SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

Florida A&M University (FAMU) has reached another milestone in its continued successes in research and development. Last week, Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., and FAMU administrators met with Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier, chair of the Leon County Research and Development Authority (LCRDA) and LCRDA members to sign an agreement that names FAMU as the new owner of the Centennial Building, a research facility, and 26.8 gross acres of developed and undeveloped land at Innovation Park. Seventeen acres of the land are ready for development. “This agreement represents a significant moment in FAMU’s rich history. Acquiring ownership of the Centennial Building and the 26.8 acres of land transferred from Leon County and the LCRDA will allow us to expand our research, business development and community outreach activities,” Robinson said. “It also better enables faculty to compete successfully for research awards and allows us to attract top students and faculty from around the nation. Providing state-of-the art facilities to conduct world-class research and engage in entrepreneurial activities will lead to positive economic impacts in Leon County and the state of Florida.”

Renewed partnership Innovation Park is a hub for economic development, scientific research and commercial development activities in Leon County and North Florida. The signing ceremony completed a transaction that restructures the Park, including a provision that

Dr. Larry Robinson of FAMU and Kristin Dozier of the Leon County Research and Development Authority, sign an agreement. also provides 17 acres of developable land to Florida State University (FSU) and allowing the Authority to retain an approximate total of 68 acres of land. The three entities will form a development review committee to coordinate further development of the park and the LCRDA will continue to manage it. The university previously utilized the Centennial building for physics research under a lease agreement. “This restructuring creates a clear path forward for the Authority and the Park, and will position the Authority to be a key partner in the economic development future of Leon County,” said Dozier. “This agreement is only the first step and all the partners have begun planning for new developments and programs at the park. I’m excited about what the future holds for the Authority and I believe our renewed partnership with FAMU and FSU is stronger than ever.”

Part of main campus The newly acquired space and land will become a part of FAMU’s

main campus and will be used to assist the university with carrying out its mission of advancing knowledge, resolving complex issues and empowering citizens and communities through research and development. “The acquisition of the Centennial Building and the undeveloped land at Innovation Park by FAMU will go a long way in relieving our institution’s shortage of research spaces for now and many years to come. The acquisition of these premium properties sends the right message to our researchers that FAMU is committed to handson research activities onand off-campus,” said Ken Redda, Ph.D., interim vice president for research. Proposed space usage includes laboratory space for teaching and research; housing FAMU’s Research and Development Centers of Excellence, developing a facility that can accommodate large research-related groups for training, education and conferences, offering additional computer labs for graduate, postdoctoral and faculty research and developing space for technologically innovative start-up companies.

EDITORIAL

Still fighting for the right to vote I wanted to focus my column once more on the issue of voting, as the 49th anniversary approaches of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Ala., that I touched on last week. It’s worth discussing once more. After 246 years of slavery, Americans fought a brutal Civil War — the bloodiest in our history — to end slavery and preserve the union. Three amendments were added to the Constitution: the 13th abolished slavery; the 14th guaranteed equal protection under the laws, and the 15th outlawed discrimination in voting on the basis of race or prior servi-

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

ing lost the military battle in 1865 and the legal battle in 1965, the Confederates did not give up. They continued to argue for states’ rights. And since the 15th Amendment only Act passed to enforce outlawed denying a citizen his right to vote based on amendment race or color, voting proceIt took another half centudures remained under the ry of struggle to re-establish control of states and localithe reach of the civil rights ties. amendments. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed to enforce the 15th Amend- New obstacles Once more as the federment’s guarantee against discrimination in voting. al authority was weakened, States, counties and munici- the Confederates churned palities in the South contin- out new obstacles to voting ued to invent new obstacles — strict photo ID requireto voting, but for areas with ments, elimination of samea history of discrimination day voter registration, re— largely Southern states ducing early voting periods, — the Voting Rights Act re- eliminating early registraquired pre-clearance of any tion for young people, outchanges in voting laws. This lawing use of student IDs enabled the Justice Depart- and more. Within two hours of the ment to prevent significant voter suppression. But hav- Shelby decision, Texas At-

in the shameful decision of Plessey v. Ferguson in 1896, the Supreme Court gave approval to state Jim Crow laws, endorsing the oxymoron of “separate but equal.”

REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR. TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

tude. But although they surrendered on the battlefield, the Confederates did not give up. They waged a fierce rear-guard battle over state sovereignty, also known as “states’ rights.” They sabotaged the post-war reconstruction, unleashing a wave of terror across the South. Several states began to enforce segregation against the newly freed slaves. And

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: OBAMA CARES

STEVE SACK, THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 206 For-profit corporations may have religious rights? – The U.S. Supreme Court just heard a case involving ‘Obamacare’ that may allow them to rule that a corporation has the constitutional ‘right’ to exercise its religious beliefs. This is the same court led by smart right-wingnuts like Antonin Scalia that decided that corporate money was “free speech,” which has allowed a handful of billionaires to take over American politics. Corporations will soon have more “rights” than the organic human beings that created them. If Americans don’t wake up, we’ll all be cogs maintaining a gigantic system of multinational corporate conglomerates that control worldwide commerce. They’ll allow us to eat, drink, procreate, and stay in mortgage debt so we are forced to work for them. We’ll go to church, watch pro sports and youTube, and keep up with the Kardashians to distract ourselves from reality. Sounds like “The Matrix” to me… And rather than “fight the powers that be,” as Franklin Delano Roosevelt fought the Wall Street monopolies and oil companies of his day (he “reveled in their hatred” of him, he said), Bro. Prez tries to make nice with the banksters and large corporations that are buying America and destroying America’s middle class in the process…

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

College jocks may unionize – Northwestern University football players convinced a National Labor Relations Board judge that they are “employees” under federal law, and can therefore unionize. Ironically, the decision, if it withstands appeal, may affect private HBCUs receiving federal funds more that it would publicly-funded schools like Florida, FSU and FAMU. But if football players from Bethune-Cookman unionized and got paid a piece of the Florida Classic revenue, how could FAMU not pay their Rattlers? How could UF and FSU refuse to pay their players a piece of their annual showdown? Would an athlete who’d be sitting on UF’s bench with a scholarship and no hope of going pro now consider attending B-CU and getting paid?

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com; holler at me at www.facebook.com/ ccherry2 and ‘like’ the Florida Courier and Daytona Times pages.

Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.

THE CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

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Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Chief Executive Officer Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Linda Fructuoso, Marketing Consultant/Sales, Circulation Angela VanEmmerik, Creative Director Chicago Jones, Eugene Leach, Louis Muhammad, Lisa Rogers-Cherry, Circulation Andreas Butler, Ashley Thomas, Staff Writers Delroy Cole, Kim Gibson, Photojournalists MEMBER National Newspaper Publishers Association Society of Professional Journalists Florida Press Association Associated Press National Newspaper Association

torney General Greg Abbot — now running for governor — announced that the Texas’voter identification law, previously rejected by the U.S. Justice Department and a federal court (which said it was the most discriminatory measure of its kind in the country), would immediately be implemented. North Carolina followed shortly. Now some 34 states have erected new obstacles to voting. The absence of a constitutional guarantee to the right to vote remains the source of continuing injustice. If the fundamental individual right to vote had been constitutionally guaranteed in 2000, Al Gore would have been elected president over George W. Bush because all the individual votes of Floridians would have had to be counted, as felons in Florida were not allowed to cast their votes. The indi-

vidual right of Florida’s citizens would have taken precedence over Florida’s state laws. If there were a constitutionally guaranteed right to vote, we would not have different laws for 50 different states and 13,000 election jurisdictions. We’d have a federal law that would govern voting rights for all. Congressmen Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Keith Ellison, D-Minn., have introduced House Joint Resolution 44 to amend the Constitution to guarantee the right to vote. It is not a partisan question. It should not be left to changing legislatures or biased Supreme Court majorities. It should be clearly guaranteed in the Constitution.

Jesse Jackson Sr. is President/CEO of the Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Health care signup: Time is running out! Almost anyone striving to accomplish any significant goal or achievement will tell you that the challenges you face and the effort you dedicate to a successful completion are greatest near or at the end of the task, program or project. Academicians, artists, musicians, athletes and anyone who endeavors to overcome the routine challenges of life will agree. In less than two weeks, the single most important milestone in a comprehensive and improved healthcare system will be reached. Wait no longer. March 31, 2014 is the final day for initial enrollment for health insurance under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare.

Citizens reluctant to sign up Although recent numbers of enrollees have reflected an uptick in participation, I have had major difficulty understanding the reluctance of greater numbers of citizens to enroll. Before I admonish you to jump on board this moving train, it might be prudent for me to review what I feel to be the most practical and important benefits that have been obscured by political rhetoric and ridiculous opposition-group propaganda. • Expanded and better

Not perfect

DR. E. I won’t argue that ObamFAYE acare is the perfect plan, WILLIAMS, nor does the President ESQ. make that claim. I am, TRICE EDNEY WIRE

however, sure that the future will hold modifications that will refine and improve it as we do with other new programs. After more than onehundred years of legislative debate and wrangling, Obamacare will work to improve healthcare for all citizens and remove the hidden tax that all must pay to support the pattern of emergency room primarycare for those unable to afford the cost of treatment. It will restore the dignity and certainty of being able to assure personal and familial wellness based upon the best that medical technology has to offer. It will move us down the path of rejecting the status-quo that has determined that an individual’s health and well-being must be determined by the size of her/his bank account. Why wait? If You Have Not Yet Enrolled, Please Do So Immediately at Healthcare.gov! It’s a Matter of Life or Death!

healthcare coverage provided to millions of uninsured Americans. • Reduced uninsured health events - significant numbers of personal bankruptcies are linked to substandard or no medical insurance. Obamacare will significantly reduce these events, and in many cases eliminate them. • Pre-existing conditions would not prevent healthcare coverage. Type 1 diabetes and disabilities are examples of conditions no longer excluded from insurance coverage. • Ending gender discrimination in insurance cost and coverage. Pregnancy and other conditions unique to female physiology are no longer subject to premium “up-charges” or exclusion. • Removal of life-time limits and insurance benefit caps. • Insurance of adult-children through age 26 under their parents’ health plan. • Establishment of Health (Insurance) Exchanges enDr. E. Faye Williams is courages marketplace competition and competitive National Chair of the Napricing for health insurance tional Congress of Black policies. Women, Inc.

‘Gainful employment’ rule throws Black students for a loss Last week, the Obama Administration declared war on 1 million underserved students pursuing higher education throughout the United States. While the president and first lady launched their campaign to make it easier for low-income minority students to access college, the Department of Education has launched an unprecedented assault on this same community through a new proposal that will cut thousands of college programs that disproportionately serve poor communities, single working mothers, veterans and other atrisk populations. At a time when American employers desperately need an educated, skilled workforce to sustain economic recovery, a confused and conflicted White House is hurting the underserved communities it claims to support.

Gainfully employed On March 14, the Department of Education published its new proposed “Gainful Employment” rule. The rule is a rehashed patchwork of regulations concocted several years ago in an attempt to prevent abuse of the federal financial aid system. Rejected through legislative process and shot down in federal court only a few years ago, the administration has nonetheless resurrected the

HARRY C. ALFORD NNPA COLUMNIST

policy and repackaged it in an 841-page proposal that will decimate college programs and career-focused vocational training currently serving one million students. The proposed regulation, which applies primarily to proprietary (for-profit) colleges and universities, would make academic programs ineligible for federal Title IV financial aid if they fail to meet arbitrary formulas primarily related to student debt and earnings a few years out after graduation. Put more simply, students who don’t command high enough starting salaries relative to their student loans will find their programs eliminated without any solution for continuing their educational career. If the rule is enacted as proposed, thousands of vocational training and educational programs will disappear, creating an $8 billion shortage in the higher education market and many aspiring students left out in the cold. Students pursuing careers in public service, which often pay lower starting salaries, like teachers, social workers, nurses and other allied health ca-

reers will be barred from receiving the same federal aid as their peers seeking high paying jobs. Perhaps the biggest problem with the ill-conceived Gainful Employment rule is that it discriminates against programs that are sought primarily by low-income minorities and other nontraditional students. From poor working families, to single mothers to veterans and other special needs communities, there are millions of Americans who don’t fit the mold or plainly weren’t accepted for a typical college experience. The Obama administration’s current rule will immediately and unfairly targets 1 million underserved, at-risk college students throughout the nation, and ultimately discriminates against the communities it proposes to serve. This will hurt employers, vulnerable students and our economy. If the president truly seeks to protect and expand low income access to college while addressing the issue of student debt, he needs to start by rethinking his misguided Gainful Employment crusade.

Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, president/ CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

Blackonomics: When elephants and donkeys fight The Kenyan Proverb, “When elephants fight the grass suffers,” is very apropos to us, the grassroots. Only in our case, we are fighting over elephants and donkeys, but we are still the ones suffering. We watch the two parties fight every day, and then we take sides and jump in. Who is hurt by that? Certainly not them; it’s always us who are hurt, us who are left behind, and us who are ignored and taken for granted. They get rich while the grassroots suffer. Is the term “political hypocrisy” redundant? Don’t worry, that’s a rhetorical question; I know the answer, and I am sure you do as well. In follow up to my previous article on “Voting,” I could not help but stay on the political subject a little while longer. After all, the mid-terms are coming up and, as usual, Black pundits are telling us this will be the “most important election of our time,” – again. How many times have you heard that?

Cast wisely

JAMES CLINGMAN NNPA COLUMNIST

can ticket. Protect your vote by being informed and casting it wisely. The road to political power is paved with hypocrisy – on both sides of the aisle. We can look back and recall many things that have been said relative to a position taken and later that position was switched to the complete opposite side of the argument. One egregious example is the continued insistence by the warmongers to “get to the bottom” of the Benghazi situation. They use the “four” lives that were lost to justify their ire and outrage against Hillary Clinton; but the same crowd, led by Chaney, Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice, was responsible for some 5500 lives lost in that unnecessary war in Iraq. What hypocrites! All life is sacred, but politicians only value the lives of our soldiers when it’s convenient for them and fits their agenda for reelection.

I must reemphasize, don’t mistreat your precious vote by giving it away to someone or some issue that is not in your best interests. Don’t be swayed by the talking heads that would have you walk lock-step with one politi- Hypocrisy in action cal party or the other and vote a A similar example of hypocri“straight” Democrat or Republi- sy is the President’s use of drones

that have killed innocent people. Railing against the killing of innocents in Iraq and then killing more innocents in Afghanistan and Pakistan is hypocrisy. How about raising the debt ceiling? Many politicians are for it when their guy is President, but against it when the other guy gets in. Hypocrisy reigns among the elephants and the donkeys as they fight each other. The rancor and hate-filled speeches and remarks by party sycophants on socalled television “news” shows are disgusting and hypocritical as well. We have dueling networks, Fox and MSNBC, who make no bones about showing us how much they hate and love President Obama, respectively. Fox vilifies Obama and MSNBC holds him up like he is a god. Both are wrong, of course, but we take sides and suffer even more from their fight.

EDITORIAL

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: OBAMACARE SANCTIONS

RICK MCKEE, THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE

and then we regurgitate it to our own people like it’s the Gospel itself – suffering all the more for our lack of inquisitiveness, critical thought, and knowledge. Here’s the bottom-line: We must stop falling for the hype and being used and abused in the process. While the elephants and donkeys fight, and as we take sides, our children’s futures are going down the drain; our hope of economic empowerment is waning; our status and position in this country are diminishing; our gravitation toward politics and aversion for economic empowerment continue to push us further down the ladder; and as we

continue to follow self-aggrandizing mis-leaders we will slowly but surely die, and our children will end up being permanently dependent and at the mercy of those in control of this country. Let the elephants and donkeys fight, just get out of range and off the field of battle so you will not be trampled under their feet.

ty among us is nearly 50 percent), giving too much, and taking care of self not at all. Who takes care of these women and reminds seen as attacking Black men. Ac- them that it is okay to stand up for tually, we are simply standing up themselves? for ourselves and for our communities. Stand firm on feminism African-American people can’t That’s why through it all, I fight the war against racism if half of the army is disabled. We can’t stand firm on my feminism. I fight for our boys and, yes, our want women to know that they girls unless more of us speak up, are enough. I tell young women stand up, and surround our ba- that men are like icing, and wombies with tender loving care. We en like cake. You can have cake can’t build whole and healthy without icing, but not icing withcommunities unless the needs out cake. Nobody is kicking our of both women and men are ad- brothers to the curb, and womdressed. President Obama has en need the affirmation that they addressed “My Brother’s Keeper”, are okay, partner or not, child or but who will be my sister’s keeper. not. And that we, women, can When African-American wom- lean on our sisters, and ourselves en, and especially our young girls, when other support is not there. During this women’s histosee attention focused on Black men, won’t they wonder, “what ry month, I write in the name of about me?” All of our young peo- Maria Stewart, a sister who, in the ple are under attack, but while early 19th century, spoke about Black men explode into rivet- women’s rights and supported ing headlines, Black women im- the anti-slavery movement. She plode by eating too much (obesi- was the first American woman

who spoke to a mixed audience of men and women (according to Wiki and other internet sources) and the first African- American woman to speak about women’s rights. She started her professional life as a maid, and ended it in Washington, DC as a teacher and a matron at Freedman’s hospital. In the middle she shook it up, earning both the respect and the ire of her colleagues. If you stand on the shoulders of Maria Stewart, you are undergirded by this amazing feminist who took to the stage before the White Grimke sisters did. What price did she pay? How was she affected? Even as we passionately support Black men, we must - in the name of Maria Stewart - embrace and support Black women. We lift as we climb. Let’s lift us all!

Stop falling for the hype I am sickened by the shameful acts of various politicians and the parties they blindly support. But even worse is the grassroots crowd and how we relate to so-called leaders who are supposed to be concerned about our wellbeing and this nation’s future. We eat up anything they and their lap-dog mouthpieces say,

Firm in my feminism In a world that is dominated by men, especially White men, feminism is, for me, an empowering concept. It is a movement, which in the United States - according to Wiki, is aimed at “defining, establishing and defending equal social, economic and political rights for women.” It is certainly possible to argue that women have come a long way, but while we out-enroll men in college attendance, we don’t out earn them, no matter our level of education. We don’t out-represent them in elected office, or even in the higher echelons of employment, such as the Fortune 500 corporations. Women are doing better than we ever did and we still have a long way to go.

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

American community. Our nation’s antipathy toward Black men suggests that men of African descent are not the same oppressors that White men are, bearing the burden of oppression themselves. At the same time, who rapes and beats Black women? Dare I say that the oppressors of African-American women are likely to be African-American men? Do I dare say that sisters need to step up and raise their voices without risking the inevitable backlash that comes Stand up for women from Black men? When AfricanThe feminist movement shows American women embrace the up differently in the African- title “feminist” we are somehow

Chavez Day: Unite to end poverty, honor dignity of work “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” – Cesar Chavez

Common struggle

While it is commonly thought that the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was by, of, and exclusively for the benefit of African-Americans, the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez remind us of how much it touched the lives of our Hispanic brothers and sisters and oppressed people everywhere. A Mexican-American who was born March 31, 1927 on a farm near Yuma, Arizona, Chavez and his family moved to California in 1938 to eke out a living like thousands of other overworked and underpaid migrant farm workers in his community. But rather than tolerate the daily injustices heaped upon them, which also included forced child labor, sexual harassment of women workers and the use of pesticides harmful to both workers and consumers, Chavez devoted his life to organizing and improving the lives of migrant workers. In 1962, he and Delores Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers Union. Inspired by the non-violent examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Chavez embraced the philosophy of non-violent protest and employed such tactics as marches, boycotts and hunger strikes to garner mainstream support for the rights of migrant workers.

In 1968, he fasted for 25 days for better wages and working conditions in the fields of California’s San Joaquin Valley. Upon ending that strike by breaking bread with Senator Robert Kennedy, Chavez addressed his supporters, saying, “We are gathered here today, not so much to observe the end of the Fast, but because we are a family bound together in a common struggle for justice. We are a Union family celebrating our unity and the non-violent nature of our movement.” Chavez’s work and sacrifice inspired millions of people around the world, including Dr. King and National Urban League President Whitney M. Young, Jr. In 1969, towards the end of a five-year strike and boycott for the rights of Mexican and Filipino grape workers, Young met with Chavez and his supporters in Delano, California. Young was moved to write a To Be Equal column in which he said, “I was inspired by their spirit and their faith in the face of the odds against them.” He added, “Labor, by organizing the poor and the friendless, can help end poverty by protecting low-wage workers, and it can give the lie to those who happily proclaim the selfishness and prejudice of some unions.” Cesar Chavez died on April 23, 1993. Following Whitney

MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY WIRE

Young’s example, subsequent National Urban League leaders, me included, have continued to work in solidarity with the goals of the United Farm Workers and numerous other Latino civil rights organizations.

United we stand I spoke at the National Council of La Raza conference last summer and attended part of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) conference last month. We are all united in many of our struggles, especially the fight to end income inequality and poverty. As an iconic labor leader and anti-poverty activist, Cesar Chavez would have likely also been an enthusiastic supporter of the National Urban League’s current petition to raise the minimum wage and all of our work for jobs with living wages and fair benefits. President Obama has proclaimed Chavez’s birthday, March 31, as Cesar Chavez Day “to remember a man who made justice his life calling.” We believe that the best way to honor Chavez’s legacy is through service and a renewed commitment to end income inequality and poverty. Congress can do its part by raising the minimum wage now. To sign the National Urban League’s Raise the Minimum Wage petition, visit nul.org – and do your part to help put millions of Americans on a path to a better life.

Marc Morial is president/ CEO of the National Urban League. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, DC. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

The call for the Black church to revive this country While in seminary, I had the privilege of reading Dr. James Harris’ book, Pastoral Theology from the Black Church Perspective in which he addressed why the Black church should get past the traditional yelling ‘Hallelujah’s’ and ‘Amens’ to addressing issues that plague our community. While Dr. Harris did not dismiss the importance of praise and worship, he did bring to light the purpose of the Black church. After reflecting upon his words while I pastored a church in Maryland for ten years, I can’t help but to draw on the need for the Black church to tackle the illness of poverty, health care, education, and community development, just to name a few in today’s culture. I’m concerned that many people in church leadership have adopted a financial prosperity theology, mentality, and ideology that the problems and issues that people of color face everyday has been overlooked and/or neglected. Too many televangelists (not all of them) are always asking money for this and money for that, that there is no sermon about ending violence in the home and on the streets. When was the last time you heard a televangelist address the prison industrial complex that is incarcerating young black men and women at alarming rates. That’s why it’s important for the black church to revive this country.

Purpose and mission Now, you may be asking how can the Black church revive this country? The first thing it needs to do is remember its purpose and mission. The black church should set people free (mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually) through the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. It can’t focus on musical programs so much that the people in the pews are not empowered and transformed to do better and live better. The second thing the black church needs to do in reviving this country is to speak up

DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

and speak out against injustice. This has to be done within as well as outside of the four-walls of the church. Unless the people who profess to be the representatives of God do something that’s revolutionary, the people of God will continue to follow the status quo. You cannot separate church and state when God is the center. The third thing the black church needs to do is remove the jealousy, envy, and hatred that so easily creep into spirits. What I mean by this is that if people within the church learn to do what they’re called to do (individually and collectively), there will be no need for ‘hating.’ Why? Because everyone is working towards a common goal.

Be consistent The last thing the Black church needs to do is to remain consistent, persistent, and dedicated towards the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality for all of God’s people. (Please note that I’m not dispelling or critiquing other churches, but it’s the responsibility of the black church to revive this country). With all of the struggles that African-Americans have faced and continue to face, it’s imperative that the Black church become relevant to what’s happening today and tomorrow. Push denominations aside. Let’s move the black church from being profitable to prophetic.

Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a speaker, activist, published author, life coach, and a committed advocate for change. Contact him at drgrey@ sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @ drsinclairgrey. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

TOJ A6

NATION

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

More veterans taking advantage of Post-9/11 GI Bill Since fully enacted in 2009, there has been a 67 percent nationwide increase

More using GI Bill for college The number of veterans eligible for education benefits rose after the enactment of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2009; veterans, service members and family members using their benefits by fiscal year, in thousands: 2012

BY LAUREN KIRKWOOD MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON — In the year since Clemson University launched its Student Veterans Success Center, its volunteer staff has worked to transform the small alcove in the School of Computing into a place where those transitioning from military to civilian life can connect with their peers. “It’s not just a physical space for vets, it’s a place they can come and relax, they can meet other vets, they can create that social support network,” said Benjamin Curtis, president of the Clemson Student Veterans Association in Clemson, S.C. “Coming back from a social network that’s so strong with the military, you kind of lose all that.” The need for such support centers has jumped in recent years as every U.S. state has seen a rise in the number of veterans using education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since the Post-9/11 GI Bill was fully enacted in 2009, South Carolina, for example, saw the number of such students increase 89 percent, according to an analysis of VA data. Nationwide, the increase from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2012 — the last year data was available — was 67 percent, from 564,487 students to 945,052.

73 percent increase in Florida Nearby states also saw increases: North Carolina, 71 percent; Florida, 73 percent; and Georgia, 76 percent. The Post-9/11 GI Bill was originally passed in 2008. It extend-

1,000

800

945,052

Post-9/11 GI Bill enacted

600

400

200

JERRY HOLT/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE/MCT

Kyle Jones, a veteran of the Marine Corps, goes through orientation at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., on Sept. 8, 2009. ed education benefits to service members who have been on active duty 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001, or who were discharged with a service-related disability after 30 days. It provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally payable for 15 years following release from active duty. A provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill also allows veterans and service members to transfer unused benefits to their children or spouses, but about 79 percent are benefits used by veterans or ser-

vice members themselves, according to VA data. Curtis Coy, VA’s deputy undersecretary for economic opportunity, called the Post-9/11 GI Bill the most generous veterans benefit program since the original 1944 GI Bill, which provided benefits for returning World War II veterans. He said the program’s generosity is likely fueling the big increases. The VA has recently created several tools designed to make it easier for veterans to pursue higher education.

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A new online complaint system, launched in January, allows student veterans to detail problems they’ve experienced trying to access benefits at certain universities; some schools have been accused of using deceptive tactics to boost veteran enrollment. An online “GI Bill Comparison Tool,” meanwhile, allows veterans to easily compare how they can use their benefits at different universities. On the state level, many colleg-

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es and universities have worked to improve student veterans’ access to crucial resources. Those schools play an important role in ensuring veterans get what they’re due, and they should maintain their efforts to assist veterans as more come back from overseas, said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of the advocacy group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “As we approach the 11th anniversary of the war in Iraq and as the war in Afghanistan winds down, our outreach efforts should intensify, not abate,” Rieckhoff said. “Colleges and universities need to better understand the different facets of GI Bill benefits and help raise awareness about veterans’ education benefits.”

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IFE/FAITH

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

Tips to make a great steak See page B4

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA

‘Anita’ revisits Hill-Thomas drama See page B5

WWW.FLCOURIER.COM

SECTION

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY PARKS

Steve Harvey addresses the students during a commencement ceremony held for the Class of 2014.

Dreams Harvey, Essence make

come true again 15 Florida teens in this year’s Dreamers Academy at Disney

Shown with Mickey Mouse, Steve Harvey and members of Essence Magazine is the Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2014.

BY PENNY DICKERSON SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

The seventh annual Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine was held March 6-9 at Walt Disney World Resort, but before the first high school teen arrived, mathematics were symbolic. A record 10,000 applicants wrote essays defining their dreams, but only 1 percent beat the odds to be counted among the 100 who comprised the class of 2014. They traveled from 27 states. This year’s group included 15 Florida Dreamers. Walt Disney World Resort has partnered with stand-up comedian and author turned talk-show host Harvey and Essence since 2007 to offer more than 600 teens an unheralded opportunity to receive an all-expense paid trip that defies the word vacation. It is “a once-inlifetime, innovative, outside-the-classroom, educational and mentoring program with a core mission to “inspire and fuel dreams.”

Prestigious judging panel According to Harvey, “Disney Dreamers Academy gives hope and inspiration and exposes youth to a world of possibilities. We are excited about another opportunity to transform lives and give students an inside look at what their future can hold.” Harvey leads a prestigious judging panel charged with narrowing the submitted essays to 100. They include Essence Communications President Michelle Ebanks; Mikki Taylor, Essence’s Editor-at-Large; Alex O. Ellis, CEO of Simply Ellis Custom Clothier; education advocate Dr. Steve Perry; gospel legend Yolanda Adams; sports analyst Stephen A. Smith; and a host of other celebrity notables who volunteer their time and, above all, share their own dreams.

Diverse group The 15 from Florida were racially diverse, proving no teen’s dream is limited by color. Four males and 11 girls from varied parts of the peninsula meshed to form a cultural mosaic of African-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Cuban-Arabic, Whites and Hispanics. The Florida

Florida Dreamers Jeremy March of Apopka and Tamara Lee of Jacksonville pose with Mickey. Tra’Vaughn Harrington of Tampa takes on animation during a special session called Deep Dive. His career goal is to be an engineer. Dreamers’ stories unequivocally confirm – they are about business and seek to change the world. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed Samantha Solberg from Longwood has a rare global connection to Kenya. The 16-yearold entrepreneur sends 50 percent of her profits from “Samantha’s Treasures” to “Girls with Vision in Africa” where the money is used for discipling, education, and wages. Further unique is the example of Pavlina Osta, whose radio show “Pavlina’s Kidz Place” airs on four Florida stations, giving airtime to a hotbed of social topics including depression, AIDS and bullying. A civic-minded 16-yearold, Osta is a former page for the Florida House and Senate. Matthew Young is a junior attending Jacksonville’s nationally acclaimed Stanton College Preparatory High School. Academically focused, he is on target to be pursue law or politics. Young is in the International Baccalaureate program, National Honor Society, National French

Honor Society and National Film Honor Society.

Against all odds Tra’Vaughn Harrington’s mother died when he was 5 years old. He doesn’t know his father. His 27-year-old sister serves as guardian and life-support for him and four siblings. At his core, Harrington is just an ordinary 15-year-old freshman from New Port Richey who loves football, wrestling, track and music. His own temperament is more even than his life’s odds. His favorite class is engineering and he defies circumstance to embrace hope: “My dream is to become an engineer who builds roller coasters,” declared Harrington. “I want to own a theme park and be the reason why millions of people smile.” See DREAMS, Page B3

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EVENTS

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

Author’s argument: Grant ‘full constitutional status’ to civil rights acts BY DR. GLENN ALTSCHULER SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

When we think of the mid-20th century civil rights movement in the United States, we tend to think, first and foremost, about Supreme Court cases. Brown v. Board of Education, the school desegregation case, overturned Plessy v. Ferguson. And a spate of decisions, including Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc. v. the United States and Katzenbach v. McClung, upheld the authority of the federal government to expand the scope of equal protection, under the 14th Amendment and the commerce clause, to public accommodations, employment, housing, and voting. The high court did, indeed, play a pivotal role in the civil rights revolution. That said, Bruce Ackerman, a professor of law and political science at

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Sunrise: Tickets are on sale for Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, which takes place May 23 and May 24 at the BB&T Center. Ponte Vedra: A concert featuring Robert Cray is April 4 at 8 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Miami Gardens: The Haitian Compas Festival is May 17 at Sun Life Stadium. Performers include Tabou Combo, Carimi, T-Vice & Harmonik. It starts at 3:30 p.m. St. Lucie: Christian Cultural Cathedral will host its third annual You’ve Been a Blessing Luncheon” on March 22 at 1 p.m. at the Council on Aging, 2501 SW Bayshore Blvd. Commissioner Kim Johnson will speak. More information: 772-607-7771 or via email at williams241@juno.com. Sebastian: The Original Wailers will be at Captain Hiram’s at 7 p.m. on April 3. Miami Beach: W. Kamau Bell will be at the Fillmore Miami

BOOK REVIEW Review of We the People: The Civil Rights Revolution. By Bruce Ackerman. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. 419 pp. $35. Yale University, claims that the “official constitutional canon” (the 1787 Constitution and the subsequent amendments, as interpreted by the Supreme Court) should be supplemented by “an operational canon” that assigns “landmark statutes” a central place in law. The product of a mandate from the people, as manifested in a series of elections, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights of Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, should therefore be granted “full constitutional status.” Since these landmark statutes and the transfor-

mative principles they expressed were hammered out through the collaborative efforts of presidents, Congresses, and Courts, “we should honor them more” than the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

Beyond Supreme Court decisions “We the People’’ is a sophisticated, sweeping, and searching reinterpretation of civil rights jurisprudence. Ackerman’s thesis hinges, at times, on apparently technical distinctions, such as whether the foundation for the “Second Reconstruction” should be grounded on the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment or the privileges of American citizenship. These distinctions, however, are very important. And, Ackerman demonstrates, the landmark stat-

utes went beyond Supreme Court decisions (and their “qualitative verbalisms”), using a “constitutional pragmatism” that imposed egalitarian obligations on private property owners; specified stringent requirements of equal treatment; endorsed “technocratic forms of government by number;” and created federal agencies to implement policies “in ways that revolutionized traditional notions of states’ rights.”

A work in progress Perhaps inevitably, Ackerman’s thesis raises questions. What distinguishes a “landmark statute” from an “ordinary” piece of legislation? What weight should the courts give to them (are they “legitimate substitutes” for amendments to the Constitution)? How can we connect “a decisive political mandate” to a particular poli-

cy (did the voters endorse “government by numbers” – or did they oppose quotas. Did the Fair Housing Act represent “a remarkable show of determination by the American people to sustain the promise of the civil rights revolution”)? Although “We the People’’ remains a work in progress, its publication is timely. According to Ackerman, Chief Justice Roberts’ decision (for a sharply divided Court) in Shelby County v. Holder to strike down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, singling out mostly southern states and localities, with a history of discrimination, for preemptive federal scrutiny of changes in their elective systems, demonstrates how a “court-centered canon” can be used to trump the wishes of the American people, expressed through their elected representatives.

Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater at 8 p.m. on April 3.

Dr. Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. He wrote this review for the Florida Courier.

BOOTSY COLLINS

Miami Beach: Mike Epps’ After Dark Tour starts at 10 p.m. on April 5 at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater.

The Kinfolks Soul Food Festival will be in West Palm Beach on May 23 and Lauderhill on May 24. Performers will include Bootsy Collins, Cameo, Morris Day & the Time, Confunkshun and Lakeside. More information: www.ilovesoulfood.com.

Boca Raton: The Freaker’s Ball featuring B.o.B., Redman and Method Man is scheduled at 8 p.m. on April 1 at Florida Atlantic University’s Student Union Outdoor Stage. Stuart: Catch The Original Wailers at Terra Fermata on April 9 for a 6 p.m. show. Tampa: The Ivory Club of Tampa will host its 10th annual “Evening in Africa” charity event on April 12 at the Holiday Inn Tampa, 700 N. Westshore Blvd. The speaker is Marcia Wiss, an expert in international business. Information: www.theivorycluboftampa.org. Orlando: The BethuneCookman University Concert Chorale will lead all three traditional worship services at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (4851 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando) on Sunday, April 27. The offering taking will benefit the chorale. More information: 407-8764991 ext. 302 or visit www. st.lukes.org.

His entire book, Ackerman emphasizes, “is one long argument against such acts of erasure.” Ackerman believes there is “zero chance” that the Roberts Court will take the lead in remedying the ongoing denial of equal protection. And so, he urges members of the legal community – and every American – to integrate the contributions of each branch of our government “into a larger doctrinal synthesis” that can sustain a commitment to the civil rights revolution. His book can be an important first step in a process that “will take a lot of work, and many different workers.”

DENNIS KIMBRO

TAMELA MANN

A Mothers Day Gospel Celebration is scheduled at 7 p.m. on May 10 at the Straz Center in Tampa. Artists will include Tamela Mann, Deitrick Haddon and Deleon.

Alabama prepares for 50th anniversary of voting march In March 2005, Rose Marie Davis of Salt Lake City holds the shoes her mother wore during the 50 mile march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. Her mother, Marie Foster, has since passed away, but Davis when photographed, “Had I been here I would have been right there with her.”

BY PHILLIP RAWLS ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march is a year away, and both cities are making plans to draw big crowds for commemorative events. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, County Commission Chairman Elton Dean and Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd announced Tuesday that Montgomery is planning two big weekends of events that they expect to draw thousands. Fifty miles away in Selma, a founder of the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee, state Sen. Hank Sanders, said next year’s celebration will be the biggest ever, with more than 50 events being planned. Officials in both cities are counting on a big economic boost from tourism. Montgomery is counting on a double boost because the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is later in 2015. ``It will be a banner year for us,’’ the mayor said at a news conference.

“If it wasn’t for voting rights, I wouldn’t be where I am and other Black politicians wouldn’t be where they are,’’ he said.

Sanders said the 2015 Jubilee will be March 5-8.

Commissioner was there

‘Emotional moment’

The Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march began on March 7, 1965, with 600 protesters being beaten by law enforcement officers on Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. The march ended peacefully in Montgomery on March 25, 1965, with 25,000 people converging at the state Capitol steps to hear the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The march led to passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which opened voting booths to millions of Blacks in the South and ended all-white governments. Dean was one of the marchers 49 years ago. He said he was a 10th grader at Carver High School in Montgomery and left classes to join the marchers on their way to the Capitol.

Boyd, president of the historically Black university, recalled being a 10-year-old in Montgomery at the time of the march and seeing signs saying ``whites only.’’ She got tears in her eyes as she, Dean and Strange placed a commemorative wreath on the Capitol steps where King spoke. “It really is an emotional moment,’’ she said. Montgomery is planning weekend events around the start and finish of the march. City officials are expecting more than 30,000 participants for the first weekend and about half that for the second weekend. Selma’s Bridge Crossing Jubilee already draws thousands that fill hotel rooms in several surrounding towns.

Past events have attracted President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Bidden and President Barack Obama when he was a presidential candidate. Sanders and Montgomery officials said they are trying to get the president to return to Alabama next year for the commemoration. Tourism focusing on Southern history is a big factor in both cities’ economies. In fact, a busload of tourists stopped to see the news conference by the Montgomery officials Tuesday. Sanders said attracting tourists next March will pay dividends for many years. “Once folks come, they come back and bring their children, their grandchildren and friends,’’ he said.

LARA SOLT/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT

Invite for Obama

Spann Development, Inc. will host “The Money Masters” Financial Seminar on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event, which will include Dr. Dennis Kimbro, will provide workshops offering approaches for business success and longevity, personal and professional development, and debt reduction, with wealth-building solutions. Register at www. themoneymasters.info.

STOJ

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

Oil spilled from Exxon Valdez still clings to lives, habitats BY SEAN COCKERHAM MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU/MCT

WASHINGTON — Andy Wills was sleeping on a friend’s couch in Cordova, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, ready to head out and harvest spring herring in Prince William Sound. “My buddy had just handed me a cup of coffee in the morning and we’re watching ‘Good Morning America,’ ” Wills said. “And there’s the Exxon Valdez on TV, spilling oil.” “We were like, ‘No!’ It was just the start of a nightmare,” Wills said. The herring of Prince William Sound still have not recovered. Neither have killer whales, and legal issues remain unresolved a quarter of a century later. Monday is the 25th anniversary of the disaster, in which the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef and spilled at least 11 million gallons of oil into the pristine waters of the sound. Prince William Sound today looks spectacular, a stunning landscape of mountainous fjords, bluegreen waters and thickly forested islands. Pick up a stone on a rocky beach, maybe dig a little, though, and it is possible to still find pockets of oil. “I think the big surprise for all of us who have worked on this thing for the last 25 years has been the continued presence of relatively fresh oil,” said Gary Shigenaka, a marine biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Not quite recovered The question of how well Prince William Sound has recovered from what at the time was the nation’s largest oil spill is a contentious one. Exxon Mobil Corp. cites studies showing a rebound. “The sound is thriving environmentally and we’ve had a very solid, complete recovery,” said Richard Keil, senior media relations adviser with Exxon Mobil. Government scientists have a different view.

DREAMS from B1

Kiana Favors was born with one kidney and a whole in her heart. At age 12, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, endured radiation and chemotherapy, and survived a radical hysterectomy. Her body will never give birth to a living dream. “My parents are the reason for my great attitude,” explained Favors. “They taught me to not let my illness be my crutch or define me. I am worth more than that [cancer]. I am here for a reason.” A vivacious high school senior, Favors now plays varsity basketball, runs track, and is one fighter who never looks back. Neijia Riley is an 18-year-old Tampabased senior with a 4.94 grade point average. She’s a socialite with discipline who is a “proud member” of the JROTC Drill Team, SGA, DECA, and Senior Class. Already a go-getter, this fall she’ll be a Florida Gator. “I saw DDA on Facebook and noticed people who look like me, with Steve Harvey and Mickey Mouse. I de-

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, a state-federal group set up to oversee restoration of Prince William Sound, considers the pink and sockeye salmon to be recovered, as well as the bald eagles and harbor seals. Several other species are listed as recovering but not recovered. Sea otters have had a rough time. Thousands died in the months following the spill, and the population has struggled to recover in the 25 years since. The U.S. Geological Survey reported earlier this month that the sea otters of the area had finally returned to their pre-spill numbers. Listed as still not recovering are the herring, a group of killer whales and the pigeon guillemots, a North Pacific seabird. Rick Steiner, an oceans activist and former professor at the University of Alaska, said the “spill is not over. The damage persists in quite remarkable ways.”

Looking back at the Exxon Valdez oil spill Twenty-five years after the Exxon Valdez accident caused what was then the largest spill in U.S. history, oil remains on some beaches and some fish and wildlife species have yet to fully recover.

Exxon Valdez

Herring fishing closed Researchers found lesions and larval abnormal-

Arctic Ocean Prudhoe Bay Arctic Circle

Exxon Valdez on Bligh Reef, leaking oil, on day of grounding

• Delivered Dec. 11, 1986; first of two Alaska-class tankers built for Exxon Shipping Company by National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., at its San Diego shipyard

Alaska

Prince William Sound

Anchorage

Bering Sea

200 miles

• Captain Joe Hazelwood ordered tanker out of shipping lane to avoid icebergs

Gulf of Alaska Spill-affected area

• Hazelwood gave control of tanker to third mate with instructions to steer back to shipping lane, then left wheelhouse

• Tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef, a well-charted hazard; later reports suggest a collision avoidance radar system onboard was broken at the time

Wildlife impact

Coastline oiled

• Killed by spill were an estimated 250,000 birds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, billions of salmon and herring eggs

• Heavily or moderately About 200 mi. (322 km) • Lightly or very-lightly 1,100 mi. ( 1,770 km)

Cleanup

• Hazelwood admitted he had been drinking before the ship left port

Pacific Ocean

After the spill • Exxon, Coast Guard reported 261,904 barrels as the spill size, based on the ship’s load at port minus oil recovered from its undamaged and wrecked tanks

Deformed larvae • Herring population in 1988 in sound estimated at 110,000 metric tons; when checked in 1997 it was 34,100

• State officials and independent experts suspected the spill was larger, perhaps 714,285 barrels, alleging Exxon padded the recovery by counting oily water

• Deformities seen in larvae

No oil, normal

• Techniques included spraying hot water, pressurized water; applying fertilizer to promote oil-eating bacteria; wiping oiled rocks with rags

Reaction

Low oil

• Congress required tankers in Prince William Sound to have double hulls

• Lasted for four summers after the spill

Bird caught in net so it can be given a cleaning

Valdez

Accident site

200 km

How it went aground • March 24, 1989, loaded with crude oil, tanker sailed out of the port of Valdez

CANADA

Fairbanks

Juneau

• Designed to meet standards of 1978 International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from ships

Suicides, health issues Wills, who fished salmon as well as herring, said the spill left a huge mark on those who made a living from Prince William Sound. Exxon compensation checks were too late and too little, he said. “A lot of people got real hurt. I know a lot of guys committed suicide and all that stuff. I got divorced, had an ulcer. It was rough,” said Wills, who now runs a bookshop and cafe in Homer, Alaska. Among the scientific puzzles of the spill, the fate of the herring is a particular mystery. It’s a vital species for the ecosystem, giving protein to whales, salmon, birds and others. Prince William Sound was home to a lucrative spring herring fishery that supported fishermen badly in need of cash coming off the long winter in between fishing seasons.

ENVIRONMENT

• At cleanup’s peak 10,000 workers involved, about 1,000 boats, about 100 aircraft

High oil, curved spine

• Escort vessels accompany tankers as they leave port • Coast Guard must track tankers in the area by satellite

• Exxon’s reported cost $2.1 billion Worker uses low-pressure hot water on an oil-soaked beach at Eleanor Island, April 16, 1989

Comparing spills Low estimate

High estimate

Exxon Valdez 261,904

Dead sea otter coated in oil, spotted April 2, 1989

Human effects

In barrels

714,285

• Commercial fishing, recreation and tourism, subsistence hunting and fishing by residents were all impacted

BP Deepwater Horizon spill

• Still recovering Clams, mussels, sea otters, killer whales, bird species

1.1 million

4.9 million

NOTE: One barrel equals 42 gallons

Estimates as of Sept. 11, 2011

• Not recovered Local Pacific herring population Source: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, NOAA, MCT Photo Service, Anchorage Daily News, Miami Herald Graphic: Robert Dorrell

ities in herring exposed to the oil. Then, four years after the spill, the herring population crashed dramatically. The reasons are a subject of intense debate, with suggestions that the effects of the spill could have made the herring vulnerable to disease. “No other stock in Alaska crashed in 1993, so that’s indirect evidence it is spillrelated,” said Jeep Rice, who studied the spill for more than two decades as a federal scientist. “That’s

A jury in Anchorage initially awarded plaintiffs about $5.3 billion in total damages, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2008 to cap punitive damages at $507.5 million

kind of weak, and yet it is about as good as we can get in terms of explaining why it happened in that year.” The herring never really recovered, and the current population is too low to overcome predators. Herring fishing, with a brief exception, has been closed for more than 20 years.

Impact on killer whales The killer whales of

Prince William Sound also have suffered. Two groups were hit especially hard. Scientists saw killer whales from one of the groups swimming through heavy sheens of oil. A Los Angeles Times photo showed whales from the other group swimming near the tanker as it gushed oil. Populations dropped dramatically in the year after the spill. “The evidence is pretty compelling that it was a spill-related effect on

those two groups of killer whales,” said federal marine biologist Shigenaka. One of the groups continues its slow recovery. The other numbered 22 killer whales at the time of the spill and is down to just seven. Scientists now expect it to go extinct, the end of a genetic line that researchers say has hunted in the area for thousands of years, maybe since the last Ice Age.

cided to apply,” said Riley. With aspirations to become a world-class event planner, Riley beat remarkable odds twice. She was one of only two 2014 Dreamers selected to serve as an intern when Harvey hosts the 2014 Ford Neighborhood Awards in Atlanta Aug. 7-10.

Words to dream by Beyond four days of motivation and celebrity mentoring, dreams were ignited by the weight of imparting words. Dr. Steve Perry assured, “Those people who see themselves as victims in their lives become victims all their lives,” while Harvey impressed, “The more people you help become successful the more successful you become.” Sought after speaker Jonathan Sprinkles offered the reflective, “Never adjust your expectations downward to compensate for your peer’s expectations. But perhaps the most poignant message was extended by Disney Dreamers Academy Executive Champion Tracey D. Powell: “…Everyone leaves this program inspired to live their best life.”

Above: Tampa Dreamer Neijia Riley, seated left, took home “lucky mouse ears’’ and a Steve Harvey internship. Left: Dreamers receive a photojournalism lesson during a session hosted by Essence Magazine. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY PARKS

F0OD

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

ANCHO CHILE RUBBED GRILLED T-BONES Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 4 Omaha Steaks T-bone steaks 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons Ancho Chile Rub (see recipe below) 12 grilled tri-color sweet baby peppers Preheat grill to medium. Thaw and blot dry steaks. Brush steaks with olive oil. Generously cover both sides of steaks with Ancho Chile Rub by dipping them in rub. Continue until steaks are completely covered. Place steaks on heated grill and grill to desired doneness. (For a medium-rare steak, grill approximately 8 minutes on first side and 6 to 7 minutes on second side.) Remove steaks from grill and garnish with grilled tri-colored sweet baby peppers.

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

Quite possibly the ultimate steak, the T-bone embodies the rich blend of varied beef flavors that steak lovers crave, from tender and mild to bold and beefy. On one side of the T-bone is the filet mignon. French for “dainty fillet,” the filet mignon is considered the most tender cut, with a mild beef flavor. On the other

side of the T-bone is the strip loin or New York strip, a firm, robust steak that is naturally marbled and offers a bold taste. The bone itself also provides additional flavor in the cooking process. With this pairing of tastes, it is no surprise that the T-bone is considered to be “the best of both worlds” by steak connoisseurs. For more steak recipes, visit www.OmahaSteaks.com.

ANCHO CHILE RUB Makes: 4 tablespoons 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder 1 teaspoon brown sugar Combine all ingredients and mix well.

THICK STEAK, BONE-IN STEAK AND CHOP COOKING CHART Cooking times are in minutes and based on fully-thawed steaks. Gas grill: Preheat grill to high, reduce to medium heat prior to cooking. Charcoal grill: Sear over red hot coals, finish over indirect heat. THICKNESS

1”

1 1/4”

1 1/2”

1 3/4”

2”

2 1/4”

2 1/2”

Rare 120° to 130°F

First Side After Turning

6 3–4

6 4–5

7 5–6

9 6–7

11 7–8

13 8–9

14 10–12

Medium Rare 130° to 140°F

First Side After Turning

6 4–5

7 5–6

8 6–7

11 8–9

13 9–10

14 10–12

16 12–14

Medium 140° to 150°F

First Side After Turning

7 5–6

8 6–7

9 7–8

12 9–10

14 11–12

16 12–14

17 14–16

Well Done 160° to 170°F

First Side After Turning

9 7–8

10 8–9

12 9–11

14 12–14

18 14–16

19 16–18

20 21–23

GRILLED T-BONES WITH TABASCO AND ROQUEFORT CHEESE BUTTER Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 4 hours refrigerator time Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 4 hours and 30 minutes Serves: 4 4 Omaha Steaks T-bones Omaha Steaks All Natural Steak Seasoning, or salt and pepper, to taste 4 slices (1 1/2-inch coins) Tabasco and Roquefort Cheese Butter (see recipe below) 2 tablespoons minced chives Thaw steaks overnight in refrigerator or quick thaw by placing sealed steaks in sink with water for approximately one hour. Preheat grill to medium. Season both sides of steaks with seasoning, or salt and pepper. Grill steaks to desired doneness. (For medium-rare steak, grill approximately 8 minutes on first side and 6 to 7 minutes on second side.) Just before removing steaks from grill, place butter slice on each steak. The idea is to have butter half melted on top as you are serving steaks. Garnish each steak with sprinkle of minced chives. TABASCO AND ROQUEFORT CHEESE BUTTER 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened 4 ounces Roquefort blue cheese, crumbled 3 tablespoons Tabasco sauce 1/4 cup fresh chives, minced 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced 1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and diced 1 teaspoon kosher salt Whip butter slightly in mixer. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Transfer mixture to sheet of parchment paper. Roll into tube (approximately 1 1/2-inch diameter) and twist paper at the ends. Refrigerate

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for 4 to 6 hours. When ready to serve, slice into coins as needed. Unused butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. ROASTED PEPPER PESTO RUBBED GRILLED T-BONES Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 4 Omaha Steaks T-bone steaks 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup Omaha Steaks Private Reserve Seasoning, or salt and pepper 1 recipe Roasted Pepper Pesto (see recipe below) 4 fresh basil sprigs Preheat grill to medium. Brush steaks with olive oil and season with seasoning, or salt and pepper. Brush both sides of steaks with Roasted Pepper Pesto. Place steaks on grill and cook to desired doneness. (For a medium-rare steak about 8 minutes on first side and 6 to 7 minutes on second side.) When steaks are finished, brush both sides one final time with pesto. Serve steaks with dollop of unused pesto in center of each and garnish with fresh basil sprig. ROASTED PEPPER PESTO Makes: approximately 2 cups 1 cup roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped 1/4cup garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Next, add oil slowly in food processor until completely combined.

STOJ

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

D. Andre of St. Augustine and Jacksonville, back in the Florida Courier Finest by popular demand, loves fitness and bodybuilding. He says he’s a God-inspired athlete who is highly motivated to succeed. The current club promoter and bouncer enjoys spending time with family, friends, and, most of all, passionately pursuing bodybuilding competitions. He wants to someday become a champion in the sport. Contact Andre at trueimagephil@ aol.com. T I Photography by Phil

submitted for your approval

Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest? E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier. com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/ glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.

d. andre

candi

BY KENNETH TURAN LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Thomas, her former boss at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. When a statement she believed was confidential, detailing the harassment, was leaked to the news media, and when a reluctant Senate was pressured to take her testimony by enraged women serving in the House of Representatives, the stage was set for a piece of political theater that still has the power to make your blood boil.

Her credibility questioned

MCT

Anita Hill testified in 1991 at the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings of her former boss Clarence Thomas.

Political theater In an age when sexual harassment, whether at work, in the military or at school, is the stuff of almost daily headlines, “Anita” reminds us of what the world was like before society was ready to acknowledge how pervasive and devastating those circumstances

are. It also reminds us that it was Hill’s experiences that helped us understand the dynamics of the situation. Hill was teaching in Oklahoma in 1991, the first tenured African-American professor at its law school, when she was contacted as part of the normal Supreme Court vetting process about

The youngest of 13 children born to a farming family, Hill said she was “raised to do what’s right.” She thought the committee was full of patriots who were genuinely interested in having the best possible person on the court. She soon learned differently. Forced to recount in excruciating detail, and before a national TV audience, the sexual specifics of her story, Hill felt embarrassed and humiliated. Rather than Thomas’ suitability, it was her own credibility that became the issue. In this atmosphere the presence of other women who came to Washington willing to testify to Thomas’ behavior but were not called, not to mention other wit-

Study: Racism fueled by violent video games EURWEB.COM

“What happens when White video game players see themselves as Black characters in a violent game?” That’s the question asked in light of a disturbing new study that links racism with violent video games. Media sources report the study, conducted by Ohio State University, suggests that White players who adopt Black personas in video games are more likely to be racist toward Blacks. A news release on the finding references the study’s co-author, Brad Bushman, who stated that the video games “makes the White players act more aggressively after the game is over, have stronger explicit negative attitudes toward Blacks and display stronger implicit attitudes

Candi Ni’Chelle has done fashion shows, print work, independent films, commercials, and has hosted and been featured in music videos. The model, of Black/PuertoRican/Asian, descent, can be reached at nichmine@ gmail.com or Facebook.com/ JusLikeCandi. Credit: LEE MCDOWELL www. leemcdowell. com

‘Anita’ documentary revisits Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas drama LOS ANGELES — If the name Anita Hill means anything at all to you, you won’t need any encouragement to see a compelling documentary featuring this usually private woman talking with exceptional candor and insight about the events that made her an instant national figure. And if you can’t place the name, or want to know more, “Anita” is a splendid place to start. It’s been more than 20 years since Hill, then a tenured law school professor at the University of Oklahoma, testified for nine grueling hours in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about the sexual harassment she said she experienced years before at the hands of then-Supreme Court nominee, now Justice, Clarence Thomas. Veteran documentary director Freida Mock (Oscar winner for “Maya Lin: A Strong Vision”) takes us back to that moment as well as providing a contemporary analysis of how and why things played out the way they did.

linking Blacks to weapons. “These results are the first to link avatar race in violent video games to later aggression, said Ohio State professor of communication and psychology said.

Black character, violent character The study is the latest in a series of examinations on the effect violent video games have on gamers. The impact of the games seemingly crosses over into how people view and relate to each other. “The media have the power to perpetuate the stereotype that Blacks are violent, and this is certainly seen in video games,’’ Bushman said in the news release. “This violent stereotype may be more prevalent in video games than in any other form

of media because being a Black character in a video game is almost synonymous with being a violent character.’’ The research on violent video games was indirectly brought into a closing forum during Hampton University’s 36th Conference on the Black Family. Gun violence took center stage at the event as Wayne Dawkins, a writer for politicsincolor.com, referenced Josh Horowitz of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, who stated, “Of 30,000 American firearms deaths on average annually, 12,000 of them were murders, and, of those homicides, 48 percent of the victims were African-Americans.”

‘Black life is cheap’ Dawkins’ revelation also included a comment from Hamp-

ton University psychology professor Candace Wallace, who singled out reality TV shows for her reasoning behind mass media reinforcing perceptions that “Black life is cheap.” Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] was also mentioned by Wallace as she referenced a connection of PTSD being prevalent in violent urban areas in the same ways the condition is present in battle zones. Although the references make a case for “black on black” violence, ABC News correspondent Byron Pitts, the forum’s moderator, urged the public to avoid the phrase. “Statistically, violence in America,” he said, “often involves similar people living in close proximity, whether it is ‘white on white, black on black or midget on midget.”

nesses who confirmed that Hill had complained to them about his actions, mattered not. “She wanted it to be about truth, but it was about winning,” noted New Yorker reporter Jane Mayer, who along with Jill Abramson, now the executive editor of The New York Times, wrote a book on Hill called “Strange Justice.” The perils of “Speaking Truth to Power” (the film’s subtitle) were never more evident.

Glimpse into private life It’s disturbing to hear Hill relate these experiences in her poised, articulate way, but heartening to discover the way she has moved on. She is now an author and a professor at Brandeis University who works on issues of gender equality. In addition to the Hill interview, Mock has talked to other friends and supporters and even offers a glimpse of Hill’s private life with businessman Chuck Malone. What “Anita” does not offer is a platform for those who still believe that this woman made it all up. In truth, after spending this much time in her presence, not taking her side does not seem like the rational thing to do.

Woodard to play president in NBC drama EURWEB.COM

Alfre Woodard is moving straight from “12 Years a Slave” into the White House. The Oscar-nominated actress will play the role of President Roberta Payton in NBC’s “State of Affairs,” the drama starring former “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl. Heigl stars as Charleston “Charlie” Whitney Tucker, a CIA agent plucked from her job to become the president’s legal debriefer. The show has been described as “Scandal meets The West Wing,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Tucker is also the ex-girlfriend of President Payton’s late son.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2014

STOJ