Florida Courier - April 28, 2017

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

VOLUME 25 NO. 17

CAN DEMOCRATS TAKE ADVANTAGE? A profane rant from a South Florida Republican senator gives Florida’s Democrats a chance to test their new leadership.

Read a related column by Clarence V. McKee on Page A5.

COMPILED FROM WIRE AND STAFF REPORTS

TALLAHASSEE – Calling his presence a “distraction” days after apologizing for a public tirade that included racially charged and vulgar expletives uttered in the presence of two experienced Black legislators, Miami Republican Frank Artiles resigned from the Florida Senate on April 21.

Artiles’ exit just two weeks before the scheduled May 5 end of the legislative session will lead to a special election in District 40, a heavily Hispanic seat that leans Democratic. With his

resignation, his constituents will have no Senate representation for the last two critical weeks of the annual lawmaking session.

Gov. Rick Scott will announce details of the special election in the coming weeks.

The winner will serve Artiles’ remaining Senate term, and the special election will test the ability of the new leadership of the Florida Democratic Party to turn out voters who elected a Hispanic Republican state senator, but voted decisively for Democrat Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.

Apology, resignation Artiles – a tough-talking, U.S. Marine veteran who

earned the moniker “Frank the Tank” from fellow lawmakers – stepped down amid a Senate investigation into reports that he had insulted two Black colleagues, and others, last week at a members-only club in the shadow of the Capitol.

Artiles has faced widespread condemnation for a rant that reportedly included calling Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, “girl,” a “bitch,” and a “f---ing ass---.” Artiles also reportedly used the word “niggers” or “niggas,” though he contended that he did not direct the word at anyone in particular.

‘Very sorry’ “It is clear to me my reSee ARTILES, Page A2

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

The Florida Legislature was abuzz with the prospect that a state senator who went on a racist tirade against Black legislators would tell the world that such talk is “business as usual” in its hallowed halls.

BACK IN THE MIX

Obama talks about service to others

Trump backs down Obamacare subsidies stay for now

BY LESLEY CLARK MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU / TNS

WASHINGTON – Two days before the federal government would run out of money, lawmakers remained at odds Wednesday night – the Florida Courier’s press time – over some details, although one major sticking point between the White House and Democrats was resolved, reducing the likelihood of a shutdown on Friday.

Chiefly, the White House confirmed that payments owed to health insurers under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act will continue, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who spoke twice Wednesday with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

‘Good news’

ZBIGNIEW BZDAK/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS

Former President Barack Obama led a panel discussion on civic engagement on April 24 at the Logan Center for the Arts on the University of Chicago campus. It was his first public event since leaving the presidency and taking a threemonth vacation. See Publisher Charles W. Cherry II’s related ‘No Chaser’ column on Page A4.

Trump had threatened to withhold the payments to force Democrats to the bargaining table on a health care bill. They hailed his retreat.

“Like the withdrawal of money for the wall, this decision brings us closer to a bipartisan agreement to fund the government and is good news for the American people,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The break came after Pelosi and White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney clashed over the measure in a call Tuesday night, an aide familSee TRUMP, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

NATION | A6

Justices approve initiative on felons’ rights

TPS termination for Haitians recommended

Teen’s Black Lives Matter dress goes viral

PERSONAL FINANCE | B4

How to reduce credit card fees

ALSO INSIDE

Three named to Civil Rights Hall of Fame SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

TALLAHASSEE – A former state lawmaker, an NAACP leader and a prominent civil-rights activist were named last week by Gov. Rick Scott to the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

Scott announced the selection of Dr. Arnett Girardeau, Willie H. Williams, and Patricia Stephens Due. They were chosen from a list of 10 nominees select-

ed by the Florida Commission on Human Relations for making significant contributions to the improvement of life in Florida.

• Dr. Arnett Girardeau, 88, of Jacksonville, led civil rights efforts in the Florida Legislature. After serving in the military, Girardeau earned a dental degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and returned to Florida. In 1976, Girardeau was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, serving un-

til he was elected to the Florida Senate in 1982. Girardeau became the first African-American Florida Senate pro tempore (the Senate’s third-ranked office) and was a founding member and chairman of the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators. He was also involved in civil rights activism in the Jacksonville area.

• Willie H. Williams, 85, of Orlando, was the first African-American hired in the engineering depart-

ment of Martin Marietta Aerospace (now Lockheed Martin), in Orlando. Following his service in the United States Air Force, Williams pursued a bachelor’s degree at Florida A&M University. Williams has served as president of the Orange County NAACP and vice president of the NAACP Florida State Conference of Branches.

(Florida Courier Founder Charles W. Cherry, Sr., See HOF, Page A2

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: CLARENCE V. MCKEE: BLACKS, HISPANICS OVERDUE FOR INTENSE DIALOGUE ON RACE | A5

FOCUS

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

Let me tell you about America’s Black sheep so-called greener pastures!

During his final days, the Lord Jesus Christ was perhaps at the lowest point in his life.

If you know the story – Jesus was marked for death before he was born, so his life wasn’t a bowl of chocolates or cherries.

Time to die As the end approached, Jesus informed his so-called friends, much like the Facebook friends and Twitter followers of today, that the end of his time on earth was near. When he took the news to his best boys, he told his apostles and disciples that the biblical “5-0” – the crooked law enforcers – were out to get him.

What did his most loyal followers do that memorable night to help and protect him? They all went to sleep.

Not too long afterwards, Jesus was apprehended, arrested, whipped, beaten, spat on and ultimately crucified, killed, and placed in a tomb. It was guarded by soldiers and closed, by a very large immovable boulder, to family and friends that loved him.

But Jesus arose and came back to the life as he said he would.

Peter, one of his followers that wouldn’t help him or protect him – and then denied him – asked Jesus what he could do now to

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

show his love for the Lord.

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep!”

The figurative sheep in the Biblical days needed a shepherd.

We need a shepherd I believe that today, more than ever before, America’s Black sheep, citizens of African descent living in the United States, need a modern-day shepherd that they can depend on!

Nowadays, Black people don’t really have a leader anywhere in the world that is recognized and accepted by the masses as a true leader or shepherd of the “Black flock!”

If you know what a shepherd is, you know that a shepherd herds the sheep, or brings them together. He guards or protects the sheep, he feeds the sheep or nourishes them diet-wise, physically, mentally and spiritually.

He educates and informs the sheep and he guides the sheep in the right direction – the righteous direction and toward the

It ain’t easy But in Black communities, it’s hard being a shepherd. Pimping ain’t easy and being a good leader ain’t easy!

You’ve heard people talk and read people’s writings about “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” But there are also snakes, serpents and wolves in shepherd’s clothes.

There are fake and devilish people pretending to be shepherds that try, try and try to lead Black people down the wrong path. These imposter shepherds are usually people of color, just as the Black sheep are.

Led astray When our people can’t recognize the voice of a true shepherd, it won’t take long for many of us to be misguided, distracted, run amuck or led astray!

Once Black sheep are led astray, they don’t want to unite.

They don’t want to work together. They don’t want to eat together. And they don’t want to live together.

A misguided Black sheep will think he or she is better than other Black sheep and wrongly believe they can do better on their own, by themselves. Well,

guess what? It’s a mean, old and dangerous world we live in for a Black sheep to leave his flock and roam around the world alone.

When a sheep hates his brothers and sisters in his flock and turns on his kind, abandons his kind and hates his own kind, the bloody-jawed evil, wicked, biased, exploitative and racist wolves will have a field day.

The wolf pack will feast on lamb chops for days – and perhaps for 400 years!

Sheep aren’t warriors Biblical sheep of yesterday and Black sheep of today fuss and fight with each other, but they are not known as fierce warriors that seek to battle anyone that mounts an attack on them.

If sheep don’t have a shepherd that they trust and will follow, all the sheep can do is try to run. Or they may give up when an oppressor, a colonizer, a predator or other attacker comes into their community or pasture.

A good biblical shepherd carried a staff that comforted the sheep and protected the sheep.

The Black sheep of today need shepherds, or leadership, that will protect them, too.

America’s Black sheep don’t need a shepherd that is afraid

of the police, afraid of the judge, afraid of the bad boss or supervisor, afraid of the gang member, abusive pimp or the drug dealer, or any other wolves or enemies of the Black sheep!

The staff of today’s shepherd may be a sharp tongue or a hard fist, backed up with a weapons permit and an underground army like the old Underground Railroad.

I just don’t know. But I know America’s Black sheep need to be protected, fed and led!

Pray for a shepherd Pray for God to send us another Nat, Denmark, Marcus, Martin, Malcolm, Medgar, JoAnne or some other man or woman that can lead us to a better place and a better life!

Baa, baa Black sheep, have you any wool? No! The fake shepherds are advising us to give everything we have to wolves and snakes!

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing,” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere.

“Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants. net.

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iar with the conversation said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss negotiations.

It also came after House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday that the spending bill wouldn’t include the Obamacare language that Democrats wanted in exchange for their support of the measure.

was NAACP state president at the time.) Williams helped strengthen NAACP relations with local and state government and corporations. He was also recognized by Martin Marietta for his advocacy for employment equality within the company.

• Patricia Stephens Due, (1939-2012), formerly of Quincy, is a pioneer of the civil rights movements in Florida. While attending Florida A&M University, Due and her sister Priscilla established a local chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality.

Due spent 49 days in one of the nation’s first jail-ins after she refused to pay a fine for sitting in at a “White only” lunch counter at a Woolworth’s in Tallahassee. Her eyes were damaged by tear gas used by police during a protest march, and she wore dark glasses for the rest of her life. She led nonviolent civil rights demonstrations throughout the South.

Her efforts were noted by other leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and she has been recognized with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Outstanding Leadership, the Gandhi Award for Outstanding Work in Human Relations, and the NAACP Florida Freedom Award. In 2003, Due and her daughter Tananarive wrote “Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights.” She died in 2012 after battling cancer.

from A1

from A1

Mulvaney castigated Pelosi told Mulvaney that Democratic negotiators want the payments in the short-term spending resolution. But the aide said Mulvaney had made it clear that, absent congressional action on the measure, the administration would cease making payments. In a statement earlier in the day, Pelosi pointed out that Mulvaney was a “chief architect” of the last government shutdown.

“Our country would be damaged by another Republican government shutdown, and given that Republicans hold the White House and have majorities in both the House and Senate, it is their responsibility to avert such a crisis,” Pelosi said.

No ‘wall’ money The agreement to continue the payments is the second apparent concession made by the White House, as Trump prepared to mark his 100th day in office

GARY FRIEDMAN/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

In this file photo, Fremont High School students in Los Angeles filled out health surveys and gathered information about Obamacare in September 2013. on Saturday. Earlier this week, Trump suggested he’s willing, for now, to step back from his controversial bid for money to start construction of a wall at the border with Mexico.

Republicans are likely to need Democratic help to pass the bill, as many conservatives have traditionally declined to vote for similar spending measures.

Republicans have 238 seats in the 435-member House of Representatives, meaning they can afford to lose only 23 GOP votes.

Other issues Though the Affordable Care Act payments have been re-

moved from the debate, several other issues remain, including abortion restrictions and money to prop up a pension fund for coal miners.

Senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., support a permanent fix for the miners’ benefit program, but Ryan prefers a 28-month remedy. A dispute over the timeline almost derailed the December deal to keep the government running.

Talks are continuing.

Obamacare, meanwhile, continues to come under attack by Republicans seeking to revive their faltering effort to repeal and replace the health care law.

Puerto Rico suffers Also still outstanding: Democrats’ desire to help Puerto Rico, which is dealing with an economic crisis. The financially troubled island badly needs help to fund its Medicaid program, and the money is a key Democratic priority.

“We agree on in our caucus to make certain that we are taking care of the coal miners and their health care benefits, to also make certain that we have a provision in there to help the people in Puerto Rico with Medicaid,” said Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill.

ARTILES from A1

cent actions and words that I spoke fell far short of what I expect for myself, and for this I am very sorry. I apologize to my friends and I apologize to all of my fellow senators and lawmakers. To the people of my district and all of Miami-Dade, I am sorry I have let you down and ask for your forgiveness,” Artiles wrote in a resignation letter to Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart.

Artiles earlier admitted to berating Gibson at the Governors Club. Gibson said he also used the word “niggers” when referring to Republican senators who backed Negron in a leadership race, although Artiles later said he referred to the president’s backers as “niggas.”

Gibson and Sen. Perry Thurston, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who heard most of Artiles’ remarks at the club, said Artiles also used a derogatory term to refer to Negron.

Resignation ‘appropriate’ “He made the right decision. As he has noted, both on the (Senate) floor and in his letter, all of us are accountable for our actions and comments. I think it is an appropriate resolution,” Negron told reporters at a press conference.

Negron ordered the investigation after Thurston, who serves

Frank Artiles

Audrey Gibson

as chairman of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, filed a formal complaint seeking Artiles’ expulsion from the Senate.

Similar comments?

Artiles’ resignation was a marked reversal from a stance taken less than a day earlier by his lawyer, Stephen R. Andrews.

Andrews argued that the senator’s remarks were protected by the First Amendment and raised the specter of detailing similar comments by other senators if the matter were sent to the full chamber for a vote on possible sanctions.

Gibson issued a brief statement following Artiles’ announcement.

“This has been an ordeal that no one should have to endure.

I wish him well in all of his endeavors,” she said.

Thurston, who withdrew his complaint against Artiles after the senator resigned Friday morning, said that seeking the ouster of a fellow senator was

Perry Thurston

Joe Negron

something neither he nor Gibson relished.

“So it’s hard to say ‘victory’ when you don’t want to do something like this, but at the same time it’s something that has to be done so all of society knows we’re moving beyond where this is acceptable,” Thurston told The News Service of Florida.

A rising star Artiles – who garnered national news coverage for sponsoring a measure in 2015 that would have banned transgender people from using bathrooms that don’t match the gender on their birth certificates – defeated former Democratic Sen. Dwight Bullard in a bitter election fight in November.

Artiles’ resignation completes a stunningly swift fall from grace. After six years in the state House – in his first year he was forced to admit he didn’t live in his district – Artiles ran for the Senate last year and was considered an underdog in a Southwest Miami-Dade district that strong-

Dwight Bullard

Stephen Bittel

ly supported President Barack Obama in 2012.

But the district, which includes Kendall, South Miami and Westchester, also is 67 percent Hispanic. That favored Artiles, a Cuban-American, against Bullard, an African-American, who struggled to compete with the Republicans’ fundraising apparatus.

Backed by the Republican Party and by political committees controlled by key GOP senators, Artiles overwhelmed Bullard in fundraising. He raised $850,000 compared to Bullard’s $199,000 and won easily, with 51 percent of the vote. Bullard had 41 percent, and an independent candidate got the rest. Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the district by 57-40 percent.

Dems to be tested The Florida Democratic Party, which has been under withering criticism for years for its inability to win state elections, is now under new leadership. Stephen Bittel, a Miami-Dade party activ-

Sally Boynton Brown

ist, beat Bullard and other candidates after a spirited campaign earlier this year.

On Wednesday, Bittel hired Sally Boynton Brown as the state party’s president (formerly known as the executive director).

An Idaho native, Boynton Brown has a degree in communications from Idaho’s Boise State University and managed political races in the state before becoming the executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party. She ran for the Democratic National Committee chair and lost last month to current national chair Tom Perez.

Boynton Brown has no experience in Florida electoral politics.

And according to various press reports, Bullard is undecided as to whether he will run for the District 40 Senate seat again.

Dara Kam of The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

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Justices approve initiative on felons’ voting rights Gambling expansion amendment also could appear on 2018 ballot

BY JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – In a pair of high-profile issues that could go on the ballot next year, the Florida Supreme Court last week approved proposed constitutional amendments that would restore felons’ voting rights and restrict the expansion of gambling in the state.

The court’s approval of the measures is a critical initial step, but supporters still face the task of collecting hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to get the proposals on the November 2018 ballot.

Groups backing both initiatives quickly said they will move forward with collecting and submitting the required 766,200 signatures to reach the ballot. Supporters of the gambling measure had submitted 74,626 signatures as of April 20, while backers of the felon-voting initiative had submitted 71,209, according to the state Division of Elections.

“We are pleased that the Supreme Court has approved the language of this amendment and we can move forward with our efforts to ensure that Florida voters – not gambling industry influence and deal making – are the ultimate authority when it comes to deciding whether or not to expand gambling in our state,” said John Sowinski, chairman of Voters In Charge, a group spearheading the gambling measure.

Unanimous vote The Supreme Court does not rule on the merits of proposed constitutional amendments but looks at issues such as whether ballot titles and summaries would be clear to voters and whether initiatives comply with a single-subject requirement.

The court unanimously signed off on the proposal that would automatically restore the voting rights of many felons after they have completed the terms of their sentences. The amendment would not apply to people convicted of murder and felony sexual offenses.

The issue of restoring felon rights has long been controversial in Florida, with critics of the

The Florida Supreme Court unanimously signed off on a proposal last week that would automatically restore the voting rights of many felons after they have completed the terms of their sentences. state’s process comparing it to post-Civil War Jim Crow policies designed to keep blacks from casting ballots.

A system approved in 2011 by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet required felons convicted of nonviolent crimes to wait a minimum of five years to have their rights restored, while others could wait up to 10 years before being eligible to apply.

Campaigning begins Attorney General Pam Bondi and other supporters of the process have argued that the restoration of voting rights for felons should be earned and only after a sufficient waiting period.

But the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which is helping lead efforts to pass the ballot initiative next year, said the proposal would bring Florida in line with other states.

“Now the work of gathering

signatures and mounting a successful campaign to change the Florida Constitution begins in earnest,” Kirk Bailey, ACLU of Florida political director, said in a prepared statement on April 20.

“We look forward to Florida voters being given a chance to bring our state’s voting rules out of the 19th century and into the 21st.”

4-2 on gambling The Supreme Court was more divided about whether the gambling-related initiative should move forward. The measure was approved in a 4-2 decision, with Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and justices Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince and Charles Canady in the majority and justices Ricky Polston and R. Fred Lewis dissenting. Justice Alan Lawson, who joined the court at end of December, did not take part.

If the amendment is approved in November 2018, it would give

voters the “exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling” in the state. It would require voter approval of casinostyle games.

Polston: It’s misleading Polston, in a dissenting opinion joined by Lewis, argued the proposal is misleading and violates the single-subject requirement.

He contended, in part, that the proposal would not fully inform voters about its possible effects on a constitutional amendment passed in 2004 that authorized slot machines in MiamiDade and Broward counties. Under that amendment, local voters also had to approve the slot machines.

“The initiative is placing voters in the position of deciding between a preference for controlling the expansion of full-fledged casino gambling and Florida’s

Florida teen’s dress depicting Black Lives Matters goes viral

BY NY MAGEE EURWEB.COM

It’s prom season and a Florida teenager’s prom dress went viral on April 21 because of its Black Lives Matter message.

Seventeen-year-old Milan Morris rocked a floorlength gown, designed by Florida-based Terrance Torrence, and it featured black and white images of Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, and others who died in recent years to police brutality.

Morris shared a photo of the dress on Instagram, and said it took four days to make. She credits the idea of the dress to Torrence.

“He was the mastermind behind this whole thing honestly,” Morris told Essence.

Torrence added: “It was powerful and a movement and I knew people would respond to it.”

Majority’s statement But the majority rejected arguments that it should block the measure from going on the ballot.

“The opponents primarily argue that the initiative should not be placed on the ballot because it is unclear whether, if passed, the amendment would apply retroactively and what effect, if any, the amendment would have on gambling that is currently legal in Florida –- including gambling that was previously authorized by general law rather than by citizens’ initiative,” the majority wrote.

“However, as the sponsor points out, the opponents’ arguments concern the ambiguous legal effect of the amendment’s text rather than the clarity of the ballot title and summary.”

Fallen officers remembered at Capitol THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Hundreds of law-enforcement officers from across Florida gathered Monday at the state Capitol to remember seven of their colleagues who died in the line of duty in 2016, along with three officers who died decades ago.

Bagpipes played “Amazing Grace” while survivors placed roses on a flower-covered memorial to honor loved ones, as each name was read aloud.

The event, hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police, included a 21-gun salute, and helicopters flew above the Capitol courtyard.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. John Kotfila lost his son, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy John Kotfila Jr., John Kotfila last year. The depJr. uty was killed in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver near Tampa in March 2016.

Heading to college Morris is a senior at Cardinal Newman High School, where she is an “all-area player” on the school’s basketball team, according to the Palm Beach Post. She will attend Boston College in the fall, the paper reported.

She plans to become an orthopedic surgeon after her basketball days are done.

“Just being around sports my whole life — not only basketball, but football with my brother and baseball and softball — and seeing those injuries,” Morris said, “and trying to figure out how I can make it better, how can I make the recovery process faster, all played a big role (in wanting to be an orthopedic surgeon).”

current legal gaming landscape,” Polston wrote.

‘A bittersweet day’

Milan Morris’ prom photo posted on Instagram has gone viral. Morris is a high school senior in West Palm Beach.

The elder Kotfila said ceremonies like the one held Monday help families heal, while also serving as a morale booster for law enforcement.

“It’s a hard day,” he said. “It’s a bittersweet day. The amount of respect that you are seeing now, it kind of makes it worthwhile being a police officer.”

Monday’s ceremony was the 35th-annual event honoring fallen officers. So far in 2017, three law-enforcement officers have died in the line of duty. Over the years, nearly 800 police in Florida have died while on the job.

EDITORIAL

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

Time for Black Greek organizations to lead Remember the scene from “New Jack City” when Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) told Scotty (Ice-T), “This ain’t personal.

This is business”? And at the end of the movie, Scotty said to Nino, “This IS personal,” as he proceeded to give him a beatdown.

Well, this article is both personal and business. It’s a call to the Alphas, Omegas, Kappas, Sigmas, Deltas, AKAs, Zetas, Thetas, Iotas, known as the “Divine Nine,” and the fraternity I was a part of back in the 1960s at North Carolina College at Durham (now North Carolina Central University), “Groove Phi Groove.”

Tremendous power The latent collective power within these organizations is mind-boggling. Their members are conscientious, which is demonstrated by their friendship and loyalty to one another. They rally around their members during crises; they support one another when they get married and have children; they work together, locally and nationally, on community projects across this country.

They even formed a national collective organization, The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. The group’s stated purpose and mission is “Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations.”

JAMES CLINGMAN TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Hard question I especially like the part about “mutual interests.” I know it’s a hard question to answer, based on our individualistic and proprietary approach to solving many of our problems, but what are the mutual interests among not only sororities and fraternities, but all Black organizations? Is there one thing that all of us can and should do together without compromising our various missions and such?

I believe there are several things we can do together, but reality tells me that all Black people will never do any one thing together. So in light of that reality, we must come up with something that is simple, yet powerful, and will demonstrate our collective resolve to the world, to ourselves, and to our children. Keep in mind the word “simple.”

On the business side of things, this is a call – a challenge – to each member of the abovementioned Black, proud, historic, and venerable organizations to purchase at least one bag of Sweet Unity Farms Tanzanian Gourmet Coffee. The coffee is grown by family co-ops founded 20 years ago by Jackie Robinson’s son David. (In case you didn’t know, Jackie Rob-

Lessons from FOX and O’Reilly Former FOX News anchor Bill O’Reilly, the man whose lofty ratings were responsible for the growth of the network, is no longer on the air.

“The O’Reilly Factor” dominated the 8 p.m. weekday hour, drawing more viewers than any other cable network. The O’Reilly program was the highest revenue-generator in cable television, bringing in about $120 million in the first nine months of 2016.

Revelations that $13 million had been paid, either by O’Reilly or the network, to women who said they had been sexually harassed repelled millions – some of whom protested outside FOX headquarters and took to the airwaves with their complaints.

Advertisers fled But it is unlikely that protests or complaints moved FOX to separate themselves from O’Reilly.

Instead, it is most likely that the network severed connection with O’Reilly because advertisers did not want to be associated with a program anchored by a man who seemed to find nothing

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

wrong with sexual harassment.

More than 52 advertisers did not want to be connected with the O’Reilly program. They included Advil, Mercedes, BMW, Jenny Craig, Hyundai, Allstate, Lexus and H&R Block.

Don’t cry for Bill O’Reilly. He is leaving FOX News with “tens of millions of dollars” in a settlement.

The real concern Be concerned, instead, for the women who have had to put up with his odious behavior. Be concerned for those who didn’t come forward to get paid because they were afraid for their jobs, or because they feared they would not be believed.

Be concerned for the Black woman that O’Reilly allegedly called “hot chocolate,” grunted

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 296 Getting what you pray for – You want something (or somebody) SO BADLY. And when you finally ‘win,’ you’re in hell, or you don’t know what to do with what you’ve got. It’s like a dog chasing a car that finally stops – or marrying somebody who’s truly nuts.

Now what?

I’ve seen that happen with America’s last three presidents: George Dubya Bush, Barack “Bro. Prez” Obama, and now King Donald Trump.

By the end of their second terms, both Bush and Obama couldn’t run fast enough toward the Marine One helicopter that

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

flew them away from Washington for the last time as president.

The job drove Bush into a retirement in which he paints pictures of his dogs (and, ironically, portraits of soldiers wounded during his disastrous ‘War on Terror’ still

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: DONALD TRUMP AND ‘THE WALL’

inson went to work for a coffee company when he left baseball.)

April 15, 2017 was the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. We can break the economic barrier by collectively propelling his son’s company to unimagined heights by purchasing his coffee.

It’s personal On the personal side, Black folks are taking an Ice T beatdown like Wesley Snipes received. Ours is an economic beatdown, much of which we are doing to ourselves by not supporting one another more than we do presently. What could be more personal than family?

Again, one simple solution is for our Black sororities and fraternities, comprising millions of members around the world, to take this challenge personally and buy at least one bag of David Robinson’s coffee, a fitting tribute to his father’s legacy.

By doing so, the world would witness a Black-owned company, operating in Africa and the US, become a billion-dollar firm virtually overnight, all because a group of conscientious Black folks individually spent a very small amount of money on a Black-owned product. A veritable Black economic renaissance.

After accomplishing that simple goal, we could repeat it hundreds of times with other Black companies, thus creating larger firms that have so much business they

RJ MATSON, ROLL CALL

would have to hire more employees. In the words of the soul group Atlantic Starr, “Am I Dreaming?”

Maybe I am, but it’s a great dream.

I pray it will come true.

From what I observe among our social organizations, members of sororities and fraternities are the most conscientious.

Therefore, I am calling on the presidents of the Divine Nine to spread the word to their members to take this simple action step toward economic empowerment. In addition, I want all HBCU student associations, Greek letter organizations, and individual students to insist that their cafeterias serve Sweet Unity Farms Coffee.

Yes, they can I truly believe that our Black

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.

James E. Clingman is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. His latest book, “Black Dollars Matter!

No critical mass

We learn that advertisers are controversy-averse. They don’t want to be associated with an ac-

cused sexual harasser, especially when the accusations are persistent and are backed up with numerous settlements to women who have experienced harassment.

Advertisers saw their brand tarnished, and their consumer base angered, by O’Reilly’s behavior. Too many of the companies that abandoned the O’Reilly show have increasing numbers of women in senior management, in advertising, and on their boards.

While Roger Ailes, now himself dismissed from FOX for his harassing behavior, excused O’Reilly’s antics with “Bill will be Bill,” increasing numbers of women (and some men) in charge find Bill’s behavior not only odious but also illegal. Increased sensitivity to issues of sexual harassment helped make it clear that O’Reilly’s behavior was simply unacceptable.

What would it take for advertisers to draw the line on racial discrimination and/or discrimination against African-American women? Racial discrimination does not cause the same repugnance that sex discrimination does. Indeed, companies that engage in widespread race discrimination might even get high-fives from consumers who might like to practice racism themselves.

being waged.) It drove Obama into an immediate 90-day vacation.

After just 100 days, King Don already looks and sounds like he’s had enough, which is why he’s spending almost every weekend (and millions of our taxpayer dollars) in Palm Beach County instead of staying in D.C., and doing his damn job. He probably considers the White House “slum and blighted” …

And speaking of the former “Bro. Prez” (what should I call him going forward?)

Obama’s back! I know some of y’all missed him. I REALLY didn’t. Early in his second term, I was already sick of seeing his various ‘lectures,’ i.e., news conferences, speeches, and interviews.

He reminded me of some of my University of Florida law school professors. They were more effective than either NyQuil or

sleeping pills.

Every time I see Obama, I think of squandered opportunities to help move Black America (yep, us) forward, and how he bamboozled Black voters who waited.

And waited. AND WAITED…for him to do SOMETHING for them other than sing an occasional Al Green song and tune up at Black funerals and annual ‘lectures’ to the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP. But I digress. Now Obama’s gonna try to help the Democratic Party – which he helped wreck by focusing solely on his election and re-election campaigns – resuscitate itself? He and his ace boon coon, former Attorney General Eric Holder, are gonna try to make it possible for Democrats to win state elections by attacking the process of “gerrymandering” voting districts – when they

refused to push to enshrine the right to vote in the Constitution, and the 1965 Voting Rights Act was gutted on their watch? Man, get outta here with that foolishness! He’s about to make me cuss in print.

Best thing for the Dems is for Obama to walk the well-trod ex-presidential path of writing big-money books, making bigmoney speeches, and GETTING PAID. Enjoy yourself, bruh. You’re relatively young and healthy.

Make them dollars to pay for Malia and Sasha to go to college and grad school. Build houses or cure tropical diseases like Jimmy Carter does. Go give some Men’s Day speeches at a Black church and work on your “hack” and your “moan.” But step away from the politics…

when he saw her, and behaved so badly that she was frightened for her safety. Why didn’t she leave?

She valued her job. She didn’t know if she could find another one.

An African-American woman who heads a household has, on average, just $4,400 in liquid assets (compared to $20,519 for White women). With such a tiny cushion, an African-American is likely to think twice before airing a sexual harassment complaint.

African-American women are also less likely to be believed than White women are, at least partly because of the way the world views Black women. So, right on, to the sister who called the FOX Hot Line to report her harassment. She and many of the other Black women who have protested the culture of sexism at FOX, need to have champions that are as vocal as the champions Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson had.

Indeed, one might look at the fact that Megyn Kelley pushed Tamron Hall off her perch as the only Black woman anchor at the “Today” show as evidence of how much more highly valued White women are than Black women.

What do we learn?

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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

sororities and fraternities can make it happen. With a little bit of money from a lot of people, we can accomplish a very personal and business milestone, one that our youth can look upon as an example of Blacks utilizing our latent power rather allowing it to sit on the shelf and eventually expire.

Order your coffee at www. iamoneofthemillion.com. (Click on the products tab.) No excuses, y’all. If you don’t drink coffee, give it as a gift to someone who does.

Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager

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The only way that AfricanAmericans could spark an advertiser exodus would be to either work with partners who would put their feet down strongly, or boycotting the goods and services that a discriminating company provided. But there are few African-Americans who would emulate those who boycotted busses for 381 days in Montgomery during 1955 and 1956. It seems unlikely that a critical mass of African-Americans would inconvenience themselves to punish a discriminator.

African-American leaders would do well to study the O’Reilly case and to ask what it would take for us to send as strong a signal about race discrimination as the O’Reilly dismissal did about sexual harassment.

Many thought O’Reilly was invincible, but he wasn’t. Race discrimination isn’t invincible, either. We just must decide what we want to do about it!

Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. Her latest book, “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy,” is available at www.juliannemalveaux.com.

Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Florida Courier on Fridays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com.

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

Blacks, Hispanics overdue for intense dialogue on race Thanks to former Florida State Republican Sen. Frank Artiles, DHialeah, the scab covering BlackHispanic tension in South Florida has been ripped off.

Artiles, a Cuban-American, was bold, arrogant and dumb enough to launch a racist and sexist tirade in the presence of two Black senate colleagues at a favorite watering hole of the power elite in the state capital of Tallahassee.

Before he finished ranting, he had called Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville “girl” and “bitch” and, referred to Republicans who had elected Senate President Joe Negron – who is White – as “niggers.”

Quickly resigned His remarks led members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus to seek his expulsion. Before that could happen, he resigned.

The dirty little secret that you won’t get from mainstream media, the Black and White Democratic liberal and Republican establishments: the resentment that many Blacks feel to having their problems, needs, interests often relegated to second place in favor of Hispanics who are considered the new favored minority by both political parties, the media and businesses.

In South Florida, after the fall of Fulgencio Batista, and into the 1960s and 1970s – when Blacks were fighting for civil rights in historically segregated Florida – Blacks saw Cuban refugees receive preferential treatment over Black immigrants from Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean as

African slavery returns Now come reports from media and the International Organization for Migration that African migrants are being openly bought and sold in Libya. This practice would not be taking place

CLARENCE V. MCKEE, ESQ. GUEST COMMENTARY

well as immigrants from Central and South America.

‘Protected class’

Missed opportunity Therefore, you’d think Trump would seize this opportunity to demonstrate the strong leadership he boasts about, which he repeatedly accused Obama of failing to demonstrate throughout his presidency.

Instead, Trump is making a mockery of America’s much-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: BILL O’REILLY LEAVES FOX NEWS

Mandela boycott Tension between Blacks and Cuban-Americans in South Florida reached a peak in 1990. Nelson Mandela was snubbed by the Cuban-American leadership in Miami when Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, later joined by four other Cuban-American mayors, demanded that Mandela denounce Fidel Castro as the price of being welcomed and being given a proclamation. When Mandela refused, the proclamations were rescinded and the Cuban-American leadership withdrew from all appearances and ceremonies.

That led to a boycott of Miami

by Blacks and Black groups which lasted three years – 1,000 days – at an estimated cost to the region of up to $50 million.

Those events of nearly three decades ago have not been forgotten and are recalled in discussions of Artiles’ outburst and Cuban-American’s relationship with and attitudes toward Blacks – including Black Cuban-Americans.

When I discussed this issue with a well-respected Black businessman in South Florida, he said, “Where are the Black Cubans, and why do they remain virtually invisible in the Miami power structure? I see no Black Cuban-American elected officials in Miami-Dade County or the legislature. Why?”

During that period, they were able to take advantage of civil rights and affirmative action laws originally meant to rectify hundreds of years of racial discrimination and violence against Blacks because they, as Hispanics, became a “protected” class under federal, state and local civil rights laws, policies, and government programs.

“White” Cubans particularly benefited from these, causing some Blacks to refer to this as “the complexion connection.” This lead to an undercurrent of resentment, which few will publicly admit.

A Black woman recently said to me, her voice rising as she added forcefully, “Why should we have to learn ‘their’ language in order to get or keep a job in our own community?” She added, “I bet he wouldn’t dare call one of the Cuban female legislators a bitch!”

Breaking into a huge grin, she also said, “Just think of how many of his colleagues and buddybuddy power brokers up there (in Tallahassee) use the same words Playing both sides about Blacks in private. They are It should be noted that, to their just mad at him because he was credit, South Florida’s Cuban-

Obama’s evil success in Libya set off an endless trail of disasters.

Libya is a hotbed of ISIS activity, along with Iraq and Syria. It is not a coincidence that all three countries were targets of American regime change. Even the American ambassador in Libya fell victim to his government’s machinations in Benghazi.

Obama and Clinton hoped to continue their victory in Syria, but President Assad was stronger than they anticipated. When MARGARET the Russians proved to be fickle KIMBERLEY allies who were willing to push Assad under the proverbial bus, GUEST COMMENTARY Obama and Clinton wouldn’t take yes for an answer. They inAmerica’s first sisted that Assad had to go and they didn’t care how many SyrBlack president is ians they killed or turned into refugees in the process. Now the responsible for slavery bloodshed continues under a new administration.

European countries struggle to taking place in a once- contend with the flow of people from Syria and Libya who would prosperous African be in their homelands – were it not for America’s designs on that part of the world. Yet the corcountry. His role is porate media say nothing. They report on the refugee crisis covered up by people may and the migrant crisis without ever stating what is easily provable: who once would have that the United States is entirely responsible for the suffering.

There can be no plan for recondemned his actions. viving the peace movement that doesn’t include a reckoning of reif Muammar Gaddafi not been sponsibility for the disasters that murdered by American-backed Obama and Clinton brought to the world. “We came, we saw, he jihadists in 2011.

Trump, depending on China, leads from behind Here’ an excerpt from an April 21 newspaper story in the Asia Times: “President Obama reportedly warned President-elect Trump that dealing with a belligerent North Korea will be his most urgent and vexing foreign-policy challenge.

“Sure enough, the consensus among world leaders today is that North Korea poses an existential threat not just to its neighbors but even to the United States.

“The Kremlin has sent Russian troops to the border of North Korea as a precautionary measure should armed conflict break out.

The move apparently follows Beijing’s deployment of 150,000 soldiers to the China’s frontier with the rogue state.”

A5

stupid enough to do say it in public and in front of Blacks!”

How Obama and Clinton brought slavery to Libya Nearly every day there is a new report of desperate migrants rescued at sea in the Mediterranean.

Some are less fortunate and are among the estimated died there in the last three years alone. Their point of embarkation is Libya, a nation now a haven for human traffickers because of President Barack Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton.

Their deliberate destruction of Libya was a war crime by all standards of international law. That country was just one victim of the American plan to eliminate secular governments in the Middle East. Under the guise of a phony “responsibility to protect” and with cover from organizations such as Human Rights Watch, American propaganda gave an atrocity the appearance of a humanitarian act.

EDITORIAL

ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST

vaunted leadership by bartering with Chinese President Xi Jinping to ensure the safety and security of the mighty United States.

Here is a little of the word-salad response he gave to a question about dealing with North Korea during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the White House last week: “As far as North Korea is concerned, we are in very good shape, we’re building our military rapidly, a lot of things have happened over the last short period of time, been here for approximately 91 days we’re doing a lotta work. … I can’t answer your question [about Kim Jong-un’s mental stability], I hope the answer is a positive one not a negative one, but hopefully that will be something that gets taken care of.

“I have great respect for the president of China … we got to know each other and I think like each other, I can say from my stand point that I liked him very much, I respect him very much and I think he’s working very hard. …

‘Better deal’ “I actually told him, I said, ‘You’ll make a much better deal on trade if you get rid of this menace or do something about the menace of North Korea, because that’s what it is, it’s a menace right now.’”

Now just imagine the torrent of criticism if this were Obama offering China trade concessions to protect the United States from a North Korean nuclear attack.

Hell, Republicans were accusing him of treason for merely forging an agreement with other nuclear powers to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. And unsurprisingly, Trump was in the vanguard of those tweeting damning criticisms.

But really, what kind of profile in leadership would JFK have demonstrated if he had tried to solve the Cuban Missile Crisis by offering the Soviet Union trade concessions to remove those nukes?

So where’s the outrage?

Frankly, I’m beginning to feel

SEAN DELONAS, CAGLECARTOONS.COM

Americans have historically had the political wisdom to be in both parties and, as a result, hold many powerful positions in the leadership of Florida’s Republican legislature, including president pro tempore of the Senate and speaker pro tempore of the House, as well as chairing many key Senate and House Committees. They also have one of their own, Marco Rubio, in the U.S. Senate.

Hats off to them and their constituents for not putting all their political eggs in the Democratic basket as is the case with Blacks.

Unfortunately, Artiles epitomizes the stereotype which many Blacks have of White CubanAmericans. That is sad, because I personally know many who do not harbor such views and consider Artiles’ comments disgusting and not reflecting South Florida’s Cuban-American communi-

ty or leaders.

I would recommend that, given the Artiles debacle and embarrassment, members of the CubanAmerican legislative leadership and the legislature’s Black Caucus should have a closed, off-the-record meeting, or series thereof, to have frank discussions of these issues, and to bridge the Black-Cuban-American ethnic/racial divide in South Florida. It could be a model for Blacks and Hispanics at the national level.

Will it happen? Time will tell!

died,” is one of the more memorable Hillary Clinton statements – memorable for all the wrong reasons. Obama knew better than to be so crass, but he privately called Libya a “shit show,” as if he were a bystander and not the perpetrator.

tatorial and mentally ill. Black Americans were unanimous in their support whenever he was attacked, whether militarily or even rhetorically. But that support ended when he fell under Obama’s crosshairs.

Nothing from media While the corporate media make hay out of very dubious evidence of atrocities allegedly committed by the Syrian government, the atrocities caused directly by the American government go unmentioned. Or rather they are reported absent of any context of American responsibility.

Even press reports of slave trading in Libya follow the same proscribed language. They will say that Gaddafi was an autocrat and a dictator, but omit that the humanitarian disaster was carried out by the United States, NATO, and Gulf monarchs. The dismemberment of Libya is one of many crimes that are conveniently shoved down the memory hole.

Now we see the supreme and awful irony. America’s first Black president is responsible for slavery taking place in a once-prosperous African country. His role is covered up by people who once would have condemned his actions.

Black people defended Muammar Gaddafi if no one else did.

American presidents made a show of castigating Gaddafi, calling him crazed, fanatical, diclike the proverbial John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness about Trump’s hypocrisy in this respect. One of my columns entitled, “Trump ‘Leading from Behind’ as World Reacts to (Latest) North Korean Nuclear Test,” posted February 14, 2017, is a testament to my abiding outrage.

That said, a key feature of Trump’s “art of the deal” seems to be stroking egos and begging for favors. This was on full display during Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s recent visit to the White House. Bear in mind that Obama found this president’s human rights abuses so abhorrent that he refused to invite him.

No scruples Trump showed no such scruples. In fact, he lavished so much praise on al-Sisi, you’d be forgiven for thinking Trump regarded him as a latter-day Winston Churchill.

Of course, Trump would argue that this was all part of a deal to get al-Sisi to do things, including redoubling efforts to combat ISIS and releasing American aid worker Aya Hijazi from an Egyptian prison. Significantly, she languished for three years as alSisi snubbed Obama’s self-righteous overtures to secure her release.

Clarence V. McKee is a government, political and media relations consultant and president of McKee Communications, Inc., as well as a Newsmax.com contributor. This article originally appeared on Newsmax. com. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

Eight-year curse Barack Obama’s ascendancy to the presidency was a curse on Black America’s political heritage.

That curse is unlikely to be lifted anytime soon. There was never a great willingness to point out his wrongdoing, and now that the despised Trump is president, the selective amnesia grows worse.

The corporate media do not fulfill their most basic obligations.

They repeat lies if they are told by people they decide to protect.

They hide the truth if it is told by the people they decide to disappear from discourse and from history. But that dissembling should not silence people who put themselves in the anti-war camp.

When they read, or hear about refugees and migrants dying or being sold as slaves, they must state loudly and clearly that Obama and Clinton are the villains in the story.

Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@BlackAgendaReport.com. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

Trump could argue further that every president has sacrificed a settled democratic principle for an expedient political goal at one point or another. And the Faustian bargain successive US presidents, including Obama, struck with the constitutionally undemocratic leaders of Saudi Arabia would support his contention.

There’s a difference The difference with Trump, however, is that there seems to be no principle he would not sacrifice to strike a deal with any foreign leader – no matter how lofty the principle, insignificant the deal, or unsavory the leader. The all-too-foreseeable consequences of his willingness to do so are untenable.

That is especially so in this case – given that Xi is playing him for a fool with hollow promises.

Jong-un is adding danger to this mockery by ramping up his nuclear brinkmanship.

Anthony L. Hall is a Bahamian native with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

NATION

TOJ A6

APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

TPS termination for Haitians recommended Thousands could be sent home if Trump agency has its way

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD/TNS

MIAMI – The Trump administration is recommending sending tens of thousands of Haitians back to their homeland because it believes conditions have significantly improved in the disaster-prone, povertystricken nation.

But the move comes as more than 40,000 Haitians continue to call makeshift shelters and tents homes — seven years after Haiti’s devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake — and as severe hunger and housing crises plague the country’s southern region six months after a deadly Hurricane Matthew wiped out roads, home and farmland.

“If they send everyone back to Haiti, they might as well be sending us to die,” said Cadeus Chaleus, 70, who after 16 years of living as an undocumented immigrant in Miami has spent the last seven years living without fear of deportation.

“Despite what they say, things have not improved at home.”

TPS recommendation James McCament, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Services, said Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the immigration relief that has allowed Haitians to live and work freely in the United States, should be terminated.

The Obama administration granted the status following the earthquake, which left more than 300,000 dead, 1.5 million injured and an equal number homeless.

“Conditions in Haiti no longer support its designation for TPS,” McCament said in a memo to U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary John F. Kelly obtained by the Miami Herald.

McCament’s recommendations came as a surprise to many, including Haitian and immigration advocates who have been pushing for the extension of TPS before July 22, when it is up for renewal.

Bill refiled Last month, 10 members of the South Florida congressional delegation wrote to Kelly urging for renewal, and Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski asked Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo to include language on TPS in a bill he refiled that would allow individuals brought illegally as children to remain in the country.

McCament is recommending renewal, but only for an additional six months so that there could be “a period of orderly transition.”

PATRICK FARRELL/MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Marie Louse Valentin weeps in front of her shattered home in Morne la Source, Haiti, on Oct. 9, 2016, after the area was hit Hurricane Matthew. Activists say Haiti is ill prepared to handle 58,000 returnees from the U.S. – the number of Haitians currently enrolled in TPS. “This is very, very distressing to the community,” said Marleine Bastien, executive director of FANM, or Haitian Women of Miami. “We’ve been fielding calls all day from families with children in school, college students, people with businesses.”

Appeal to Trump On April 21, Bastien and others concluded that Haiti is ill prepared to handle 58,000 returnees — the number of Haitians currently enrolled in TPS. Activists are planning to appeal directly to members of Congress, Kelly and President Donald Trump, who told Haitian voters during a Miami campaign stop last year: “I want to be your greatest champion.”

“If any country qualifies

for TPS right now, it’s Haiti. If the Trump administration goes through with this, it will be the most distressing, anti-family, anti-Black and racist decision any administration can take,” Bastien said.

“People are still dying as a result of the imported cholera epidemic and Hurricane Matthew destroyed the southern peninsula, where we have people eating dirt and living in caves.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer refused to comment on McCament’s recommendation.

He directed inquiries to Homeland Security, whose spokeswoman, Gillian Christensen, also declined to comment.

fear the end of the status for Haitians would have consequences beyond Haiti, which elected new president Jovenel Moise in February, and will see an end to its 13-year United Nations peacekeeping mission on Oct. 15.

“TPS beneficiaries contribute greatly to our economy,” said attorney Cheryl Little, whose Americans for Immigrant Justice organization also represents some of the estimated 300,000 Central Americans who have been enjoying the special status since 1999.

“They are growing our economy and to suddenly say, ‘There is a new sheriff in town, pack your bags,’ it’s heartless and it’s stupid.”

‘Heartless,’ ‘stupid’

First TPS ‘test’

Immigration

advocates

The Immigration Policy

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Center for American Progress had been closely monitoring the decision on Haiti because it’s the “first test of this administration’s commitment to handle TPS determinations in an apolitical manner that respects human rights and the letter of the law,” said Tom Jawetz, the center’s vice president.

Jawetz notes that in December 2016, the State Department recommended extension based on ongoing conditions in Haiti. He said the new recommendation suggests the Trump administration is “putting politics and ideology over human lives and regional security.”

Miami Democrat Rep. Frederica Wilson, who visited Haiti with Miami Republican Rep. Ileana RosLehtinen after Hurricane Matthew left $2.8 billion’s worth of damage, said Haiti’s government has to push back on the recommendation.

Wilson responds Along with Ros-Lehtinen and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, she also reiterated a call for Kelly to renew the benefit.

“The only thing that is going to stop this is for the Haitian president to say he cannot accept 50,000 people,” Wilson said of Moise, whose government did not respond to the Herald’s inquiry for comment.

“He has to say, ‘There is nowhere for them to go; we have a crisis that we have not settled from the earthquake, we still have people in tent cities.’”

Wilson called McCament’s recommendations “nuts.”

McClatchy Washington Bureau correspondents Anita Kumar and Franco Ordonez contributed to this report

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Rodney King looks at a picture of himself from May 1, 1992, the third day of the Los Angeles riots, which was in the living room of his home on March 25, 2012 in Rialto, Calif. King died on June 17, 2012, in an accidental drowning at his home.

JAY L. CLENDENIN/ LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

‘It will continue’ L.A. residents see little change upon 25th anniversary of L.A. riots

BY ANGEL JENNINGS AND MATT HAMILTON LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

the streets, she said people had forgotten the complex forces that drove the city to explode.

LOS ANGELES – When an angry mob erupted in violence across Los Angeles 25 years ago this week, two names were commonly invoked by those in the streets.

One is well-known: Rodney G. King, the Black man beaten by a group of baton-wielding police officers whose acquittal in a Simi Valley courtroom sparked the riots on April 29, 1992.

King survived his 1991 beating.

Latasha Harlins, the other person invoked by lootLatasha ers, did not surHarlins vive her injuries.

Harlins, a 15-year-old Black girl, was shot in the head by a South Koreanborn shopkeeper. A jury convicted the shopkeeper of manslaughter, but a judge imposed a light sentence without prison time, fueling rage and racial tension in the city.

Show of unity

Where it started

On the night of March 3, 1991, King had been drinking when officers pulled him over on a dark stretch of Foothill Boulevard in Lake View Terrace. He was acting erratically when he stepped out of the car.

A group of L.A. Police Department officers surrounded him, shot him with Tasers and struck him more than 50 times with solid aluminum batons.

A neighbor, awakened by the helicopters, rushed to capture the scene with his camera. Once the grainy video hit the airwaves, the beating thrust King into the spotlight.

Four officers — all White —

On Monday, residents and community activists gathered at Florence and Normandie avenues, the notorious South L.A. intersection that was ground zero of the 1992 unrest, to commemorate King, Harlins and the 54 people who died in the riots.

The event was among the first recalling the riots, which left about 2,000 people injured and $1 billion in property damage across the city.

“It’s important to remember what started it,” said Latasha’s aunt, Denise Harlins, one of a dozen at the candlelight vigil. In the quarter-century since buildings burned and throngs took to

“Rodney King and Latasha Harlins and many social ills that was going on at the time brought April 29, 1992, about,” Denise Harlins said.

Najee Ali, who organized the small vigil, said the prayerful gathering was meant to show unity.

“We are here for all the victims,” Ali said. “We are here today to say you are not forgotten.”

But the memory of the riots remains a point of division.

Some recall when columns of smoke filled the sky during days of insurgent anarchy and a breakdown of order.

Others eschew the term “riot” and call it an uprising or rebellion, emphasizing the deep sense of injustice that powered a raging and destructive mob.

For many, King embodied that sense of injustice, particularly at the hands of law enforcement.

PHOTOS BY MEL MELCON/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

David Bryant, foreground, left, and his ex-wife Denise Harlins, the uncle and aunt of Latasha Harlins, gather in a prayer circle with South Los Angeles civil rights clergy leaders and members of the community on April 24 at the intersection of Florence and Normandie in South Los Angeles.

King’s beating

See RIOTS, Page B2

Timothy Goldman, Najee Ali, political director of the National Action Network, and K.W. Tulloss, Western Regional director of the National Action Network, light candles during a prayer vigil and moment of silence at the vigil. Goldman took video on the night of April 29, 1992, moments after an angry mob turned into a riot at the intersection of Florence and Normandie.

“We are always going to have a Florence and Normandie popping up every now and again.

We can go to Ferguson, Baltimore and Charlotte and Baton Rouge.

Timothy Goldman • Recorded L.A. 1992 riots

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CALENDAR

APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

STOJ

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR

GUCCI MANE

The hip-hop artist performs May 2 at Miami’s Jackie Gleason Theater.

Fort Lauderdale: Victor Wooten will be at the Culture Room on May 11 and the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on May 12.

Hollywood: Charlie Wilson and Fantasia will perform on May 11 at Hard Rock Live.

Miami: John Legend’s Darkness & Light Tour stops at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on May 12 and St. Augustine Amphitheater on May 14.

Jacksonville: Diana Ross is scheduled at 8 p.m. June 28 at Daily’s Place.

LUENELL

The Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival is May 28 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. Performers The singer’s Legend of the Fall tour stops at Tampa’s Amalie Arena on May 12. include Bruce Bruce, Bill Bellamy and Luenell.

THE WEEKND

Miami: The Urban Collective, producers of the Art Africa Miami Arts Fair will host a free IAMART Miami for youth in Historic Overtown May 18-20.

More information: 786-897-8854 or email

info@harrispublicrelations.com.

Daytona Beach: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert featuring artist J. Dubose is May 12 at the Peabody Auditorium.

Miami: Spice it Up! Miami, featuring the food, dance, music and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean, begins April 29 at the Caribbean Market Place in Little Haiti, 5925 NE Second Ave. More details: www.spiceitupmiami.com Clearwater: Tickets are on sale for a John Legend show May 13 at Coachman Park.

Miami: On Call Mechanics is hosting a free car care clinic for women on April 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Terrace. Information: 786-529-7188 or ocmechanics@gmail. com.

Poets, authors participate in literary event in Orlando Milton McCulloch, a poet and author, presented the second event in his Literary Series on April 22 at Three Masks Inc., an African gift store in Orlando.

The evening featured Donna M. Gray-Banks, author of “Ila’s Diamonds’’ and poet Selina Sanchez. Also presenting poetry were Johnty Love, Eddie DTS Figures and Michael Brown.

Klassy Kouture Fashions, located in Orange City, provided a fashion show featuring elegant evening wear.

The emcee for the evening event was Dr. Primrose Cameron.

A bountiful spread of Jamaican cuisine was provided by Chef Putus.

The next Literary Series event will be held in July.

For more information about the venue, visit threemasks.com.

Milton McCulloch hosted the event at Three Masks Inc.

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Poet Selina Sanchez addresses the crowd.

RIOTS

from Page 1 stood trial for the beating. After seven days of deliberations in a Ventura County courthouse, a jury with no Black jurors acquitted them all. Shortly afterward, the anger over the verdict spilled into the streets, as throngs set fire to entire blocks and stormed police buildings.

Batten | Shaw Construction is currently seeking bids for the Fawcett Memorial Hospital Renovation Project from qualified Port Charlotte, Florida and surrounding area Subcontractors and Suppliers interested in procurement opportunities associated with the upcoming project.

Denny next At Florence and Normandie, a White truck driver, Reginald Denny, was grabbed out of his vehicle and bashed by four Black assailants with a brick and other objects.

His beating was documented by helicopter news crews overhead — footage that would later help secure convictions in the case.

Denny survived his beating and like King and Harlins, became another symbol of the massive upheaval in L.A.

More tragedies Timothy Goldman, who recorded the early hours of mayhem at Florence and Normandie and was credited with shielding some people from harm, joined Monday night’s vigil.

But Goldman’s focus was as much on the events of 25 years ago as recent history, when crowds were galvanized by the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and the death of Trayvon Martin, a South Florida teen.

“We are always going to have a Florence and Normandie popping up every now and again,” said Goldman, sounding resigned to the view that police use excessive force more commonly in encounters with black people. “We can go to Ferguson, Baltimore and Charlotte and Baton Rouge. It will continue.”

MEL MELCON/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

People join hands at the intersection of Florence and Normandie in South Los Angeles, where a prayer vigil and moment of silence was held on Monday.

How Latasha died Latasha Harlins’ death still disturbs many across L.A. Latasha walked into a convenience store on 91st and Figueroa streets on March 16, 1991, put a bottle of orange juice in her knapsack and walked toward the counter.

The owner, Soon Ja Du, claimed the girl was trying to steal the juice.

Witnesses said Latasha told Du she intended to pay and revealed two dollar bills in her hand; police later concluded that there was “no attempt at shoplifting” by Latasha.

But Du grabbed the teen’s sweater and as the two struggled, Latasha struck Du in the face and broke free. Latasha tossed the juice on the counter and walked toward the door. Du picked up a handgun and fired a shot into the back of Latasha’s head, killing her.

Lenient sentence The deadly confrontation was captured by fuzzy security footage.

A jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter,

with a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. The judge gave her probation, 400 hours of community service and a $500 fine.

Feeling wronged by the judge’s lenient sentence, Latasha’s family helped launch a campaign that called on the judge to step down, and lobbied for the district attorney to appeal the sentence.

A state appeals court upheld the sentence in April 1992, just a week before the four officers were acquitted in the beating of King.

Little progress Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the riots, Denise Harlins sees little progress.

“When you look at the news and social media and police brutality, it hasn’t gotten better,” she said.

As the vigil closed on the corner of Florence and Normandie, Ali lit the wicks of candles and placed them on the curb.

His hope: for the message of reconciliation and healing to resonate.

The project will consist of approximately 30,000 SF of renovation to be utilized as Med-Surg Rooms, Physical Therapy, Dialysis, & Human Resources, and a 5,000 SF addition to be utilized as a Cath Lab. Bid packages associated with the project include the following: Demolition• Site Work • Utilities • Paving • Landscaping • Concrete • Masonry • Steel • Rough Carpentry • Casework • EIFS • Caulking • Waterproofing • Roofing • Doors • Glass & Glazing • Drywall & Framing • Flooring • Painting • Acoustical Ceilings • Specialties • Signage• Fire Suppression • Access Control.

Batten | Shaw Construction and HCA are strongly committed to the development and implementation of initiatives which promote the inclusion of local, minority and women-owned businesses. We believe we must work in a way that ensures that business relationships work profitably for both diversity businesses and the corporation.

The bid due date is May 12, 2017 at 5:00 PM. Interested bidders should contact; Mike Ford, Project Estimator at (615) 292-2400; Email: mford@battenshaw.com

STOJ

APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

CULTURE

B3

Miami arts center honors ‘Moonlight’ cast

BY FLORIDA COURIER STAFF

Hundreds attended an April 22 celebration honoring Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, creators of the award-winning film “Moonlight’’ and the movie’s cast, crew and producers. Jenkins and McCraney are both from Miami’s Liberty City.

The event was held at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami. It included a surprise unveiling of an actual “Moonlight’ street sign that was permanently placed at NW 22nd Avenue, on a street on the side of the center.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson was on hand to honor the “Moonlight’’ staff.

Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and Vice Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson led he crowd the unveiling site.

“They made us proud, so we want to make sure that we show our token of appreciation for making us proud,” Gimenez said.

$40,000 donation During an outdoor stage presentation, “Moonlight’’ director Barry Jenkins and McCraney presented ceremonial checks to youth on stage in the amount of $40,000 donation to start a cinematic arts program at the center, “Moonlight’ won the best film from the Academy Awards.

It’s based on a play he wrote, “In Moonlight Black Boys Look

Blue.’’ He received an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.

“We know, in Liberty City, that life doesn’t fix itself overnight, it takes hard work and dedication to get to the places we get to,” he said. “A movie about that, representations about that, I hope, give permission for people to be themselves.”

McCraney also thanked the center’s director, Marshall L. Davis Sr., for finding the funds that gave him access to center pro-

Above: Congresswoman Frederica Wilson is flanked by Barry Jenkins, left, and Tarell Alvin McCraney. With them are "Moonlight'' cast and crew members as well as young men from Wilson's 5000 Role Models program.

grams as a child from an impoverished home.

April 29 event A performance was presented by Entourage, the center’s apprenticeship program. Entourage’s annual showcase is April 29 at 7 p.m. at the center.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students with an ID. All proceeds will benefit the center.

Call 305.638.6771 for more information or visit www.ahcacmiami.org.

Left: McCraney holds up the street sign.

Fatherhood organization rolling out nationwide Real Dads Read for RDR,’’ Braswell continued.

“Fathers Incorporated is now working on building the RDR infrastructure to support broader and more intentional programmatic activities.’’

BLACKNEWS.COM

Fathers Incorporated has announced an inaugural National Real Dads Read Day on June 9.

This day is designed to encourage individuals, groups, businesses, etc., to plan reading activities in support of fathers/ male caregivers and their children.

It wasn’t too long ago that Fathers Incorporated, a leading national nonprofit for the promotion of Responsible Fatherhood, launched its new initiative, Real Dads Read (RDR), in Atlanta.

The initial project objective was to create literacy centers in barbershops with the goal of encouraging father-child involvement through reading and improving literacy for young children. Today, with help from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, RDR has established 26 libraries in barbershops around metro Atlanta and nine in Columbus, Ga.

Aims of initiative

Fathers and mentors around the country are encouraged to participate in the June 9 program.

Great response In addition, 45 barbershops and partners engaged in a citywide book drive, collecting 2,245 books, which included a large donation from the Atlanta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

“We are encouraged that so many organizations have come on board to celebrate and sup-

FC

FLORIDA COURIER

port the effort of Real Dads Read,’’ says Kenneth Braswell, executive director of Fathers Incorporated.

“The inquires to bring the project to other cities around the country are overwhelming.

“We have had to temper the excitement because we are still building our capacity to meet the tremendous need and requests

June 9 tips National Real Dads Read Day will take place each year on the second Friday of June.

FLORIDA’S ONLY BLACK STATEWIDE NEWSPAPER More than 182,000 readers weekly

A Shea Moisture ad has created a firestorm on social media.

WWW.FLCOURIER.COM

Owners of Shea Moisture apologize for ad

Ranked by Google as Florida’s #1 Black newspaper website 1 of only 5 ethnic papers worldwide selected by the Poynter Institute for Obama election front-page coverage and design TO ADVERTISE STATEWIDE OR IN A SINGLE ZONE call 877-352-4455 or email Sales@flcourier.com

While RDR is designed to encourage all fathers to read to their children, there is a focus on children of color, particularly in lowincome communities.

Real Dads Read is aimed at elementary and middle school aged children (K-8) and their fathers/ male caregivers with the goals of 1) encouraging children to develop a love of reading, 2) improving children’s literacy skills and educational outcomes, and 3) strengthening bonds between fathers/caregivers and their children.

“This isn’t complicated; children do better on a host of measures, including reading, when fathers are actively involved in their care, so we simply want to earmark this day to encourage reading among dads and their children and remind the public of the important roles fathers play in the lives of their children,” Braswell added.

“We encourage whatever you can do as a dad, individual, group, business, or organization to help achieve this outcome. Let us know about your efforts and plans so we can let others know.’’

RDR is planning a twitter chat (@RealDadsRead), social media contest (#2017NATRDR), and other activities to support National Real Dads Read Day on June 9.

For tips on engaging fathers, barbershops, planning events and more information on National Real Dads Read Day visit the website at www.realdadsread.org, email incorporated@ gmail.com or call 770-804-9800.

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Winner of numerous journalism awards from Associated Press, National Association of Black Journalists, Florida Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/flcourier/ Follow us on Twitter @flcourier

GOT NEWS, EVENTS, OR COMMENTARY? E-mail to news@flcourier.com

The Black-owned hair company that produces the Shea Moisture hair product has apologized for using White women in an ad for a product primarily used by Black women with natural hair.

Black women compared it to Pepsi’s recent ad fail that used Kendall Jenner.

Shea Moisture first posted the ad on its Facebook page on April 21 with the caption “Break free from hair HATE. See how these women have finally learned to embrace hair LOVE.” The ad featured mostly White women who were giving their experience with hair hate.

Blacks with natural hair shared their frustrations on social media.

CEO explains One Facebook user wrote, “I just want to let you all know that

you have essentially lost the segment of the market that put you on top. Not another dime will I give to this company. Black women are sharing this video in natural hair groups and we are not happy.

On Tuesday’s “News One Now,” hosted by Roland Martin, Sundial Brands CEO Richlieu Dennis said the company’s formula for its core consumers won’t change.

Sundial Brands is the parent company of the product.

“We’re not changing any formulas – we’re definitely not doing that. We have a core consumer that we’ve serviced for 25 years. We continued to do that and we will continue to do that,’’ he said.

“As we innovate for different hair types we’re coming out with new collections and new products. It’s not changing the existing product in any way, shape, or form. I think that the biggest thing that we have stood for and will continue to stand for is for 25 years we’ve focused on serving Black women with natural products and we will continue to do that and that won’t shift.”

Information from Eurweb was used in this report.

PERSONAL FINANCE

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

STOJ

Wells Fargo boosts sham-account settlement Payout bumped to $142 million for affected customers

BY JAMES RUFUS KOREN LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

LOS ANGELES – Wells Fargo & Co. has agreed to boost its payout in a class-action settlement over unauthorized accounts to $142 million, up from the $110 million it announced weeks ago, according to documents filed late on April 20.

The scandal-rocked bank agreed to the larger settlement after an internal report showed that bank officials knew about unethical sales practices — including the creation of debit cards without customers’ authorization — as early as 2002.

The settlement as proposed last month would have covered customers who had unauthorized accounts opened for them in 2009 or later. The bank has added $32 million to the pot and agreed to pay customers affected by that practice going back to May 2002.

A federal judge must still sign off on the deal.

2.1 million accounts Settlement documents filed in federal court in San Francisco late April 20 did not make clear how many customers may be eligible for the settlement or how many additional customers will be eligible because of the extension.

The documents outline a process for how affected customers can make a claim for compensation, so the number of eligible settlement participants may grow.

RICHARD B. LEVINE/SIPA USA/TNS

Above is a Wells Fargo branch in New York. Earlier this month, the company reported a flat quarterly net profit. It also said new checking account openings were down in March from a year earlier.

The bank has said up to 2.1 million unauthorized checking, savings and other accounts were created, but that figure includes multiple accounts created for some individual customers.

Statement on trust Tim Sloan, the bank’s chief executive, said the expansion of the agreement was “an important

step to make things right for our customers.”

“On our journey to rebuild trust, we want to ensure our customers feel confident that we have heard their concerns about retail sales practices, which includes offering them numerous opportunities for remediation,” he said in a statement released on April 21.

‘Getting off cheap’ But consumer advocates and attorneys for other Wells Fargo customers say the revised settlement still isn’t enough.

“A class-action settlement has to be big enough to punish them.

I think, given the scale of the crime, the way they abused the public trust, it should be a bigger number,” said Ed Mierzwins-

Reducing credit card fees can be simple if you ask

BY PATRICIA SABATINI PITTSBURGH POST- GAZETTE/TNS

Getting your credit card company to treat you better may be easier than you think.

Nearly 90 percent of consumers who asked their card issuer to reverse a late fee were successful, according to a report by the credit card comparison site Creditcards.com.

The study also found that almost 70 percent of people who asked got their interest rate cut.

Perhaps most surprising, roughly half of cardholders with premium travel reward cards that typically carry a stiff annual fee were able to get that fee waived.

Another 30 percent got the fee reduced.

“People have far more power with their credit card company than they realize,” said Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst at Creditcards.com. “You need to wield that power. It can save you some real money.”

Most don’t bother Despite the high success rate, only about half of those surveyed asked for such breaks. Many people probably don’t bother to call because they assume they’ll be shot down, Schulz said.

People earning over $75,000 a year were more likely to be successful negotiating annual and late fee waivers, but income level did not appear to affect success in snagging a lower interest rate, according to the report.

“There’s no harm in asking,” said Bill Hardekopf, CEO at Lowcards.com, another card comparison site. “All they can do is say no. They’re not going to jack up your rates” as punishment.

Be polite, persistent In general, the best way to ask for better terms is to be polite, Schulz said.

“Rule No. 1 is don’t be a jerk,” he said. “Even if a company typically would give you a break, if

DREAMSTIME

A report by Creditcards.com revealed that the solution to reducing credit card fees is simple – ask the credit card company. you are a jerk or mean-spirited, they might not work with you.”

Persistence also pays, Hardekopf said.

If a request is denied, politely ask to speak to a supervisor, he said. “He or she may have the ability to grant the request whereas the first person answering the phone may not.”

Getting a late fee removed can be as simple as saying, “I was busy and forgot to pay.” That’s

Think twice before cosigning for student loan

BY ERIN ARVEDLUND PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/TNS

PHILADELPHIA – Though the biggest debt for older consumers remains home mortgages, student-loan debt is becoming more common.

It’s increasing because of the high cost of college and the growing number of parents and grandparents financing their children’s and grandchildren’s education, according to a January report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

From 2005 to 2015, the CFPB report said, the number of Americans age 60 or older with one or more student loans quadrupled to 2.8 million from 700,000 — making them the fastest-growing segment of the market.

Helping kids, grands Average debt roughly doubled from $12,000 to $23,500 over that period, the report said.

About three in four older borrowers with student loans used them to finance their children’s or grandchildren’s college costs, as opposed to, say, their own or a spouse’s education.

They owed a total of $66.7 billion in 2015, the most recent year for which data are available.

Before signing or cosigning a student loan, think long and hard.

“Often times, it’s better to just have your kid sign the loans

Senior student loan debt

From 2005 to 2015, the number of Americans ages 60 or older with one or more student loans quadrupled In millions 3

2.8

2

1

0.7

2005

2015

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel: Equifax Graphic: Philadelphia Inquirer

themselves and help them pay for it on the back end” after they graduate, said Kevin Norris, president of Univest Wealth Management in Souderton, Pa. That’s what he did with his own son.

Can impact benefits What happens if you’re a senior who defaults on a student loan? With federal loans, the government can garnish your Social

Security benefits. You can try to ask for a deferment or payment plan — assuming your loan servicer will help you.

A loan cosigner or co-borrower is held responsible for repaying the loan along with the primary borrower. Student borrowers often turn to their parents and grandparents to cosign their private student loans.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office found in 2015 that nearly 870,000 borrowers age 65 and older owed money on federal student loans. More than half of cosigners on private loans are age 55 and older.

Unlike federal student loans, private student-loan lenders routinely require that a student apply for a loan with a cosigner or co-borrower.

Seniors in default The CFPB estimates that 27 percent of individuals who are cosigners on one or more outstanding student loans are 62 and older, and 57 percent of all individuals who are cosigners are 55 and older.

Nearly 40 percent of federal student-loan borrowers age 65 and older are in default, and those who carry such debt later into their lives often struggle to repay.

A growing number of older federal student-loan borrowers have even had their Social Security benefits offset because of un-

because many card issuers will forgive a late fee occasionally as a courtesy, no questions asked.

“If it’s your first time in a long time being late, there’s a really good chance all you will have to do is call up and ask politely, and they will waive the fee,” Schulz said.

Reducing rates When it comes to asking for a lower interest rate, the best tactic is to come armed with other of-

paid debt from those loans, the CFPB found. In addition to garnishing benefits, a portion of tax refunds can be offset for nonpayment.

By contrast, private studentloan lenders cannot offset Social Security disbursements to collect the debt.

‘Rehabilitating’ loan Often, loan servicers are at fault, consumer advocates say: Older borrowers complained to the CFPB that account errors led to offsets of Social Security benefits, even though many of the borrowers would otherwise be eligible for payments based on their income.

When a borrower defaults on a federal student loan, he or she has the right to “cure” the default by “rehabilitating” the loan — a process through which the consumer makes a series of on-time, income-driven payments to a debt collector.

Once cured, the loan is out of default status, and the borrower is transferred out of collections and back to a student-loan servicer, thus regaining eligibility to enroll in an income-based repayment plan.

But if a borrower who has defaulted can’t make payment arrangements with the collector, he or she may become subject to wage garnishment or federal benefit offsets.

Agency complaint The bureau and state attorneys

ki, consumer program director at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

“For the amount of hassle and the amount of outrage Wells Fargo caused, they’re getting off cheap.”

The bank’s agreement to the new terms came just ahead of the company’s annual shareholder meeting, which was held at a Florida resort on Tuesday.

fers found online or in the mailbox.

“Say, ‘Hey, can you match this?’ If they don’t work with you, you can walk away and take that other offer,” Schulz said.

The average rate on a credit card is about 15.6 percent, Schulz said, up from 15.2 percent six months ago before the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates. With the Fed expected to continue boosting rates this year and into 2018, card rates are expected to keep moving higher, he said.

Boost credit limit The most common request in the Creditcards.com survey was for a higher credit limit, which was granted almost 90 percent of the time.

Schulz said getting a higher credit limit can help people raise their credit scores.

“Assuming you don’t go crazy with all that extra credit, the fact that you have a higher credit limit can help your utilization rate (total credit card balances as a percentage of available credit), which is a significant part of your credit score,” he said.

general recently filed suit against Navient, the country’s largest debt servicer, claiming that it incentivized employees to push student-loan borrowers into forbearance plans instead of helping them sign up for affordable repayment options.

Navient has said the allegations are false and has said that “we will vigorously defend against these false allegations and continue to help our customers achieve financial success.”

“If true, this means that the company’s actions may be leading to excessive interest charges and unnecessary defaults,” Chopra said.

“For too long, the nation’s largest student-loan company has been running roughshod over student-loan borrowers,” he said.

“While it’s sat at the top of the list when it comes to consumer complaints, it’s been at the bottom of the list when it comes to customer service.”

Submitting a complaint You can contact the CFPB online at consumerfinance.gov/ complaint, by calling 1-855-4112372 (TTY/TDD: 1-855-7292372), or by sending a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Box 4503, Iowa City, Iowa 52244.

Contact the CFPB’s studentloan ombudsman by email at students@cfpb.gov.

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APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

B5

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.

Thousands of Caribbean culture lovers converge on South Florida every year on the Columbus Day weekend to attend the annual Miami Broward Carnival, a series of concerts, pageants, parades, and competitions. On Carnival Day, “mas” (masquerade) bands of thousands of revelers dance and march behind 18-wheel tractortrailer trucks with booming sound systems from morning until nightfall while competing for honors. Here are some of the “Finest” we’ve seen over the years.

Go to www.miamibrowardcarnival.com for information on this year’s Carnival.

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

Lamar, Solange among winners of Webby Awards

IMAGO/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

Kendrick Lamar performs last year at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas. His new album, titled “Damn,’’ opened at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.

EURWEB.COM

May 15 ceremony

Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga are among the winners of the 21st annual Webby Awards, announced Tuesday morning.

The event, which honors the best of the Internet, will award K.Dot the Webby for Best Video Remixes/Mashups for “Swimming Pools (Drank).”

Lady Gaga will take home three Webbys – one for Live Experiences (Branded) in the Film & Video category and two People’s Voice Awards for Integrated Campaign (Film & Video) and Branded Content (Advertising, Media & PR) for The Lady Gaga + Intel Performance.

The Webbys also will hand out special achievement honors to Solange (artist of the year), CNN’s Van Jones (special achievement award) and the Women’s March (social movement of the year), among others.

Webby winners were selected by a panel of judges that include Jimmy Kimmel, “Making a Murderer” co-creators Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, Instagram executive Eva Chen, Questlove and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

This year, National Geographic took home the most awards with 11 total trophies. The media company was followed by Google with nine wins, the BBC with eight wins, Vice with seven wins, the Onion with six wins and The New York Times with five wins.

A ceremony to award the winners will be held May 15 with host Joel McHale. It will be streamed online on May 16.

The Webbys is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS)—a 2000-plus member judging body.

For a full list of winners, visit webbyawards.com.

Tennis legend suspended after comment about Serena’s baby

BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Romanian tennis legend and Fed Cup captain Ilie “Nasty” Nastase is in hot water after allegedly making a racist comment about Serena Williams’ unborn baby, and the next day getting tossed from a Fed Cup match against Great Britain for yelling obscenities from his courtside seat.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has launched an investigation into Nastase’s behavior.

At the Fed Cup draw in lie Constanta on April 21, the Nastase 70-year-old former world No. 1 was heard speaking in Romanian about Williams’ baby.

“Let’s see what color it has. Chocolate with milk?” he was quoted as saying.

Probe underway Williams, who confirmed her pregnancy through a spokesperson last week, is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who is White. On Monday, she posted a photo on Instagram with a note she penned to her unborn child.

“The ITF does not tolerate discriminatory

and offensive language and behavior of any kind,” the Federation said in a statement.

“We are aware of alleged comments made

by Romanian Captain Ilie Nastase and have begun an immediate investigation so that we have the full facts of the situation before taking further and appropriate action.”

Suspension

By Sunday, the ITF had slapped Nastase with a provisional suspension after he asked British captain Anne Keothavong for her hotel room number during a pre-match dinner, and had a meltdown during the match during which he shouted profanities at the chair umpire, at British player Johanna Konta (the recent Miami Open champion) and Keothavong, calling them an expletive. Kontaq was in tears when the umpire briefly suspended play to deal with Nastase.

An ITF statement read: “The ITF’s Internal Adjudication Panel has issued Ilie Nastase with a provisional suspension under the Fed Cup regulations for a breach of the Fed Cup welfare policy at the tie in Constanta.”

(Williams, a 23-time major tennis champion, wrote on Instagram on Monday: “It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can make such racist comments towards myself and (my) unborn child.”)

“My Dearest Baby, You gave me the strength I didn’t know I had,” Williams wrote, in reference to January’s Grand Slam singles at the Australian Open. “You taught me the true meaning of serenity and peace. I can’t wait to meet you. I can’t wait for you to join the players box next year. But most importantly, I am so happy to share being number one in the world with you.”

FOOD

B6

APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2017

S

CACTUS CARVING Medium-large oval or oblong watermelon (seeded or seedless) Cutting board Paring knife Dry erase marker Kitchen knife Scoop Cactus cookie cutter Small flower cookie cutters Toothpicks Fire and Ice Salsa (recipe below) Wash watermelon under cool, running water and pat dry.

On cutting board, place watermelon on its side and cut off 1/4 inch-1/2 inch from stem end; this will provide a sturdy base. Reserve end piece to make into small cactus.

Stand watermelon upright on base. Use dry erase marker to draw simple outline of cactus shape.

One-third up from bottom of watermelon, draw straight line around back, being careful not to go through cactus outline; this will create a serving bowl for watermelon salsa.

Use kitchen knife to cut around outline, leaving just

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

There’s no better way to spice up a party than by using unexpected ingredients in fun, flavorful dishes and drinks. For your next fiesta, celebrate a star of the party with sweet and juicy watermelon.

Not only does versatile watermelon lend a unique taste to your menu, it’s a healthy ingredient that provides natural hydration with 92 percent water content, along with the antioxidant lycopene and the amino acid citrulline.

These recipes show how, with a little creative carving, you can use the whole melon, including flesh, juice and rind, for big value and zero waste.

Find more fiesta-ready recipes at watermelon.org.

BLENDED WATERMELON MARGARITA Makes: 2 margaritas 2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed and frozen 1/2 cup water 3 ounces silver tequila 1 1/2 ounces lime juice 1 ounce elderflower liqueur pinch of salt lime slices, for garnish In blender, combine watermelon, water, tequila, lime juice, elderflower liqueur and salt. Blend until smooth.

Pour into two chilled margarita glasses and garnish with lime slices.

WATERMELON MARGARITA ON THE ROCKS Makes: 2 margaritas Watermelon Simple Syrup: 2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed 1 cup sugar Watermelon Juice:

2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed 1/2 cup water Margarita: lime wedges coarse salt ice 4 ounces silver tequila 4 ounces watermelon juice 2 ounces lime juice 1 ounce watermelon simple syrup To make watermelon simple syrup: In small saucepan over medium heat, combine watermelon and sugar. Use potato masher to mash watermelon and sugar together, pushing out liquid and dissolving sugar. Simmer 5 min­ utes, stirring frequently. Pour mixture through fine mesh sieve set over bowl or jar, pressing watermelon to extract all liquid. Set aside to cool completely.

To make watermelon juice: In blender, combine water­melon and water. Blend until smooth then pour

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through fine mesh sieve set over bowl or jar.

To assemble margaritas: use lime wedge to line rims of two glasses with juice. Dip glasses in coarse salt and carefully fill glasses with ice.

Combine tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice and simple syrup in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds, and pour into prepared glasses. Garnish with lime wedges.

NACHOS WITH WATERMELON AVOCADO SALSA Makes: 8 servings 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 teaspoons lime juice 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 minced garlic clove 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies, drained 2 tablespoons diced red onion

bowl with cactus attached.

Scoop out base to form bowl.

From pieces of watermelon that were cut away, use cookie cutters to make cactus pieces and flower pieces to decorate with, and chop remaining water­melon to make water­melon salsa and watermelon margaritas, or juice.

Attach toothpicks randomly around cactus to make thorns and decorate with watermelon flowers. Decorate bottom rind scrap with toothpicks to resemble short, round cactus.

Fill bowl with Fire and Ice Salsa and serve with tortilla chips.

FIRE AND ICE SALSA Makes: 3 cups 3 cups seeded and finely chopped watermelon 1/2 cup finely diced green peppers 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion 1-2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno peppers Combine ingredients; mix well and cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

1 1/2 cups diced watermelon 16 ounces fat-free refried beans 11 ounces corn tortilla chips 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1/3cup fat-free sour cream Heat oven to 350 F. To make salsa: In medium bowl, com­bine avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, chilies and red onion; toss to thoroughly mix. Add watermelon and toss gently.

Set aside.

Over medium heat, heat beans until hot. Mash if preferred.

Place chips on flat, oven-proof plate or cookie sheet and top with beans and cheese. Repeat layers as desired. Heat in oven 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and chips are hot.

Top with salsa mixture and sour cream.

Tip: Reserve some salsa to place in bowl for dipping.

CACTUS CARVING Medium-large oval or oblong watermelon (seeded or seedless) Cutting board Paring knife Dry erase marker Kitchen knife Scoop Cactus cookie cutter Small flower cookie cutters Toothpicks Fire and Ice Salsa (recipe below) Wash watermelon under cool, running water and pat dry.

On cutting board, place watermelon on its side and cut off 1/4 inch-1/2 inch from stem end; this will provide a sturdy base. Reserve end piece to make into small cactus.

Stand watermelon upright on base. Use dry erase marker to draw simple outline of cactus shape.

One-third up from bottom of watermelon, draw straight line around back, being careful not to go through cactus outline; this will create a serving bowl for watermelon salsa.

Use kitchen knife to cut around outline, leaving just bowl with cactus attached. Scoop out base to form bowl.

From pieces of watermelon that were cut away, use cookie cutters to make cactus pieces and flower pieces to decorate with, and chop remaining water­melon to make water­ melon salsa and watermelon margaritas, or juice.

Attach toothpicks randomly around cactus to make thorns and decorate with watermelon flowers. Decorate bottom rind scrap with toothpicks to resemble short, round cactus.

Fill bowl with Fire and Ice Salsa and serve with tortilla chips.

FIRE AND ICE SALSA Makes: 3 cups 3 cups seeded and finely chopped watermelon 1/2 cup finely diced green peppers 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion 1-2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno peppers Combine ingredients; mix well and cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.