Florida Courier - April 25, 2014

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PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BEACH, FL PERMIT #189

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APRIL 25 – MAY 1, 2014

VOLUME 22 NO. 17

THE MAJORITY MAKES THE RULES Will the Supreme Court’s latest anti-affirmative action decision allow White voters – who are the voting majority in every state except Hawaii – to use the state ballot box to legally oppress racial minority groups?

COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Tuesday accorded voters more leeway to challenge affirmative action, as justices upheld a Michigan measure that bans preferential treatment in college admissions based on race or ethnicity. In a highly anticipated but fractured decision, the court said it lacked the authority to interfere with the political decision made by Michigan voters in 2006 when they amended their state’s constitution.

10-year fight In 2003, the high court upheld

an affirmative action policy at the University of Michigan Law School. But three years later, the state’s voters adopted Proposal 2 by a 58 percent to 42 percent margin. The ballot initiative was pushed by Jennifer Gratz, who was denied admission to the University of Michigan and sued, and by Ward Connerly, a former University of California regent who backed a similar voter initiative in that state. (Connerly worked to get a similar measure on the ballot in the 2000 Florida election. State Republicans were concerned that Connerly’s initiative would increase Democratic turnout in a tight presidential campaign.

(Then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush incorporated parts of Connerly’s proposal in his “One Florida” initiative that effectively banned affirmative action in state schools’ admissions policies, as well as in government employment and state contracting in Florida, and Connerly stopped his anti-affirmative action activity in the state.) The Michigan initiative said public colleges and universities “shall not discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.” But two groups, including By Any Means Necessary, challenged

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

The current U.S. Supreme Court continues its assault on racebased remedies for past discrimination. that policy as discriminatory. The Voters rule U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati “Courts may not dis-empower declared it unconstitutional on the the voters from choosing which grounds that it took away a policy path to follow,” Justice Anthony that had helped minority students. See COURT, Page A2

EARTH DAY 2014

Celebrating our ‘blue marble’ Tuesday, April 22, was Earth Day, with more than a billion people in 192 countries participating in rallies, cleanups, and other activities to protect the planet. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite captured this view of the Americas at 7:45 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.

Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter dies at 76 Freed after protests, appeals of murder convictions BY RICHARD COWEN THE RECORD / MCT

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Rubin “Hurricane” Carter won 27 bouts as a middleweight boxer in the ‘60s, but his biggest fight played out over 19 years – his effort to free himself from prison after twice being convicted of a triple murder inside a Paterson, N.J., bar. The celebrat- Rubin ed case exposed ‘Hurricane’ racial prejudice Carter in New Jersey’s criminal justice system, transfixed a nation, and inspired both a song by Bob Dylan and a movie starring Denzel Washington.

A free man Carter, who battled prostate cancer, died April 20 at his home in Toronto. He was 76. At his bedside was his loyal friend and co-defendant, John Artis, who said Carter died a free man and unshackled by bitterness over being wrongfully ac-

NASA/MCT

See CARTER, Page A2

Justice Department sets new federal clemency guidelines BY TIMOTHY M. PHELPS TRIBUNE WASHINGTON BUREAU (MCT)

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced a new initiative Wednesday to encourage nonviolent prisoners who have served at least 10 years to apply for what is expected to be a large-scale grant of clemency in President Obama’s waning years in office. Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole announced that a new pardons attorney would take over a beefed-up office to handle requests that will be actively solicited throughout the federal prison system from thousands of prisoners who meet six criteria. “We are launching this clemency initiative in order to quickly and effectively identify appropriate candidates, candidates who

ALSO INSIDE

have a clean prison record, do not present a threat to public safety, and were sentenced under outof-date laws that have since been changed and are no longer seen as appropriate,” Cole said in remarks released by the Justice Department. The Justice Department gave no assessment of the number of people likely to receive clemency. Prisoners will be provided volunteer lawyers working free of charge.

See CLEMENCY, Page A2

FLORIDA | A3

Restrictions sought on medical marijuana NATION | A6

Georgia governor signs ‘guns everywhere’ law

Pushed by Holder The move to actively solicit requests for clemency from prisoners is unusual. It is also a departure for Obama, who until now has been reluctant to use his clemency powers grant-

SNAPSHOTS

ENTERTAINMENT | B5 MARK BOSTER/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Two inmates have a conversation at San Quentin State Prison in California. State prisoners convicted of violating state laws are not eligible for presidential clemency.

‘Bookdocks’ returns to air without McGruder

COMMENTARY: GLEN FORD: WHITE MAJORITY, WHITE SUPREMACY | A4 COMMENTARY: REV. JESSE JACKSON, SR: AMERICA NEEDS TO BUILD UPON WHAT LBJ GAVE US | A4


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