Florida Courier - May 09, 2014

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MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

VOLUME 22 NO. 19

DRONES – BUT NO MISSILES America will help Nigeria search for girls kidnapped by a terrorist group, but won’t provide special forces or military attack drones – for now.

Protests in US

FROM WIRE REPORTS

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration will send military, intelligence and law enforcement advisers to Nigeria to help the beleaguered government find and rescue more than 270 teenage girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram terrorist group last month, the White House said Tuesday.

The team will share U.S. intelligence and provide investigative help, not military force, in the search for the students, who were kidnapped April 14 from a rural high school in Nigeria’s Muslim-dominated northeast.

The deployment will mark the first public American assistance in a case that has sparked international outrage. The U.S. announcement came after the leader of Boko Haram vowed in a video to sell the girls as slaves, and after gunmen reportedly took at least eight more girls from another village overnight.

An unprecedented surge of gatherings and rallies across America and abroad sparked by the kidnappings has made plain the growing anger and frustration of Nigerian women and others over inaction

by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration. After three weeks, little more than a call for a Nigerian investigative committee had been accomplished.

Since the rallies May 3, photos of the impromptu events have appeared on Facebook and on blogs, widely exposing a story that received little press attention when the crime in the town of Chibot, Borno State was first reported.

From Union Square in New York City to Oakland, Calif., women filled public plazas with handwritten signs that read “Bring Back Our Girls,” “Nigeria the World OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/MCT is Watching,” and “200 Too Many,” among others. Most of the women wore head- President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria met with President Obama in advance wraps, or “geles,” which have a spiritu- of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in 2010. Jonathan is being critiSee NIGERIA, Page A2

cized for the Nigerian government’s slow reaction to the kidnappings.

JET MAGAZINE IN PRINT, 1951-2014

‘Beauty of the Week’ goes online

What passed and what failed Report on the 2014 legislative session THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – Florida lawmakers ended the 2014 legislative session late last Friday after passing a budget and a flurry of other bills dealing with issues such as child welfare and school vouchers.

But hundreds of bills died as lawmakers headed home to gear up for re-election campaigns. Here are notable issues that passed and failed during the session.

PASSED Budget: Buoyed by a surplus topping $1 billion, lawmakers passed a $77.1 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The spending plan is the largest in state history and includes additional money for public schools, child-protective investigators and protecting and restoring the Everglades and other waterways.

Child welfare: Lawmakers approved a package of changes to the child-welfare system after highly critical reports about children dying because of abuse and neglect. The bill includes steps such as trying to bolster investigations of child deaths and increasing transparency and accountability at the state Department of Children and Families and at privatized community-based care agencies.

Guns: The Republican-dominated Legislature passed a series of bills backed by gun-rights advocates, including a measure – dubbed the “warning shot” bill – that would allow people to threaten to use force, including showing guns or firing warning shots, in self-defense. Another bill seeks to prevent schoolchildren from being disciplined for simulating guns while playing or for wearing clothes that depict firearms.

Juvenile justice: Lawmakers approved a bill that seeks to bring Florida in line with two U.S. Supreme Court rulings about life sentences for juveniles who commit murders and other serious felonies. The bill calls, in part, for judicial hearings and sentencing standards that would vary depending on the nature of the crimes.

School vouchers: Lawmakers approved a plan to expand eligibility in the state’s de facto schoolvoucher system. Additional families would be eligiSee SESSION, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

NATION | A6

Black bodyguard stands by ‘racist’ farmer

Voters express support for medical marijuana COURTESY OF JET MAGAZINE

After 63 years, Jet magazine will stop printing and move completely to the Internet. Initially named “The Weekly Negro News Magazine,” Jet in its printed form was a required reading in Black America for more than six decades.

ALSO INSIDE

HEALTH | B4

FOOD | B6

Questions about Medicare answered

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 GUEST COMMENTARY: CHARLES STEELE JR.: LET SOME GOOD FLOW FROM NBA’S BAD NEWS | A5

Lamb is the new grilling superstar

FOCUS

A2

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

Does America care about Black hostages?

The government that you love, currently led by Commander-inChief President Barack Obama, is often referred to as “the world’s policeman.”

Yes, the United States was quick to send troops to Grenada to fight Cuban soldiers. They were quick to send troops to Kuwait, and to stop Iraq from taking land that allegedly belonged to Iraq.

Moved quickly They were quick to send soldiers to Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction that were never found – because there were none. They were quick to launch bombs in Libya to try to kill the duly elected leader and all of his family. They wasted no time in sending weapons to Syria to arm terrorist members of Al-Qaeda

So why hasn’t the president sent drones to attack Boko Haram terrorists? Why hasn’t the U.S. sent in Navy SEALs, Green Berets or CIA assets to rescue the girls?

Friend and ally Well, Nigeria has oil fields to protect that have Bonny Light crude oil, which is just as good as Saudi Light oil (meaning it has fewer impurities, like sulfur). Nigeria also has iron ore, gold, diamonds and other commodities that American companies like to exploit. And Nigeria is no enemy to the United States.

But America is treating Nigeria like a handicapped stepchild that is a long way from home, rather than as a friend and ally!

President Barack Obama has Black African blood running through his veins and through the veins of his daughters. But he is being dilatory about helping Nigerian schoolgirls get freedom from Al-Qaeda-related terrorists!

If you can send drones to kill light-skinned terrorists originally from Saudi Arabia and other

What about Nigeria?

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

that are fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. military forces rescued a female soldier held by insurgents in a hospital. They rescued American Embassy staff held in Iran. They even sent Navy SEALs to kill Somalian pirates that had hijacked a merchant ship off the coast of the Motherland.

Some of you paid money to go to the movies to see U.S. troops rescue “Captain Phillips.” You paid to see “Zero Dark Thirty,” about SEAL Team Six that killed Osama bin Laden.

But what did U.S. troops do to stop genocide of Black people in Sudan? And what has the United States, the world’s policeman, done to rescue 200 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Al-Qaeda-related terrorists, Boko Haram, in Nigeria?

Don’t act like the United States hasn’t sent bombs to Africa.

Where in the hell do you think Libya is? Have you ever seen the movie “Blackhawk Down,” about U.S. troops in Rwanda, where some American soldiers had their helicopter shot down from the sky and some soldiers were dragged through the streets of Rwanda?

I said all of that to say this.

President Barack Obama has two daughters about the same ages of the kidnapped Nigerian girls.

Terror group Boko Haram torments Nigeria Since 2009, the Islamic terror group Boko Haram, which violently opposes Western-style education, has waged a campaign of bombings and mass killings across northeast Nigeria. They have claimed responsibility for abducting about 276 teenage schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, April 14.

• The world’s largest Black nation (177 million people) • Africa’s most populated country • Africa’s largest economy ($502 billion) • America’s 8th largest oil importer • More than 250 different ethnic groups • More than 500 indigenous languages (English is main language) • Religions: 50 percent Muslim, 40 percent Christian, 10 percent other SOURCE: CIA FACTBOOK; U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION

NIGERIA from A1

al significance for Yoruba women.

Repercussions from the spontaneous gatherings were felt in Nigeria as the wife of President Jonathan tearfully took to the airwaves to accuse the grieving mothers of the missing girls of embarrassing her husband and to order the detention of two of the protesting mothers.

She also pledged to march to the governor’s office of Borno State to demand the release of the girls – although it is widely believed that the girls were spirited away to be sold as brides of men in neighboring Chad or Cameroon, or to members of Boko Haram.

Assaults, bombings attributed to Boko Haram since September 2010 AFRICA 200 km

Major attacks BURKINA FASO

4. June 17, 2012 More than 130 corpses found in two mostly deserted villages in the Barkin Ladi area of Plateau state; attributed to Boko Haram 5. Oct. 3, 2012 Gunmen kill at least 46 people, mostly students, at Federal Polytechnic in Mubi, Adamawa state 6. March 18, 2013 Suicide bomb attack is aimed at Christian students waiting for buses in Kano 7. May 7, 2013 At least 55 killed in attacks on barracks, a prison and police post in Bama 8. July 6, 2013 Gunmen kill 42 people, mostly students, in an attack on a secondary school in

Kaduna

1 4

Port Harcourt

from A1

ble to take part in the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which provides tax breaks to companies that donate money to nonprofit entities that pay for children to go to private schools.

Sexual predators: Lawmakers passed a package of bills aimed at keeping sexually violent predators locked up so they cannot attack again. This came after an investigative report by the South Florida Sun Sentinel found that hundreds of sexually violent predators had been released, only to be convicted of new sex offenses.

Tax and fee cuts: Gov. Rick Scott and Republican legislative leaders made a priority of cut-

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

CAMEROON

Yaoundé

Mamudo town, Yobe state; some victims reportedly burned alive Sept. 2013 More than 160 civilians in Borno state killed in two roadside attacks thought to be in response to government offensive against Boko Haram 9. Sept. 29, 2013 Raid on male dormitory at College of Agriculture at Gujba, Yobe state, killing 44 students and teachers

Izghe, rounding up men and shooting them, then going door-to-door, eventually killing an estimated 108 villagers 11. Feb. 25, 2014 Raid on rural boarding school leaves at least 29 teen boys dead in Buni Yadi town, Yobe state April 14, 2014 Almost 300 girls kidnapped in Chibok; some escape May 6, 2014 Reports surface of another 11 girls kidnapped in northeast Borno state

ed last year as a terrorist organization.

The Los Angeles Times reported in March, however, that U.S. troops were helping the Nigerian army establish a special operations command to combat the group. U.S. and French air forces fly unarmed Reaper surveillance drones over northern Nigeria, from Niamey in neighboring Niger, to collect intelligence.

Nigeria ashamed The abduction has embarrassed oil-rich Nigeria, which is hosting the World Economic Forum on Africa in the capital, Abuja, this week. The theme: “Forging Inclusive Growth, Creating Jobs.”

Jonathan has given assurances of the safety of the guests, including Pre-

ting $500 million in taxes and fees. The bulk of the cuts, ultimately totaling nearly $400 million, will come from rolling back vehicle-registration fees that were increased in 2009.

Tuition: Lawmakers largely went along with Gov. Rick Scott’s calls to hold down higher-education costs, including by dramatically scaling back a “differential tuition” law that has allowed universities to request annual tuition hikes of up to 15 percent from the Florida Board of Governors without legislative approval. Also, lawmakers approved changes that will hold down costs for families in the Florida Prepaid College Program.

Undocumented immigrants: Lawmakers approved allowing undocumented immigrant students to qualify for in-state tuition rates at Florida colleges

5

May 5

Gulf of Guinea

Source: ESRI, DeLorme, IPC, NAVTEQ, NRCa, online nigeria, The Daily Trust, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, BBC, AllAfrica.com, AP, The Guardian, Reuters

SESSION

7

Chibok

NIGERIA

PortoNovo

10. Feb. 16, 2014 Gunmen raid town of

N’Djamena

10 4

9

2

Lome

President Obama spoke out on the abductions for the first time Tuesday, calling them “heartbreaking” and “outrageous.”

“You’ve got one of the worst regional or local terrorist organizations in Boko Haram in Nigeria,” he told ABC News. Obama said the Islamist group had been “killing people ruthlessly for many years now” and that the mass abduction of the students might help “mobilize the entire international community to finally do something against this horrendous organization.”

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the U.S. was not considering providing military resources “at this point” to help battle Boko Haram, which the State Department list-

11

Bauchi

Abuja

Speaking out

CHAD

Maiduguri Kano

Lagos

200 miles

8

6

BENIN

Dec. 25, 2011 Bomb attacks kill dozens at multiple sites 3. Jan. 2012 More than 180 killed in bombing attacks in Kano

3

Niamey

1. Dec. 2010 Militants bomb Jos, killing 80 2. Aug. 2011 Suicide bombing at U.N. building in Abuja kills at least 21

Borno state

NIGER

TOGO

ABOUT NIGERIA

• 2009 Founding leader Mohammed Yusuf killed while in police custody; he is succeeded by Abubakar Shekau

• Boko Haram leader Shekau claims in a video that his group abducted the girls, who had gathered at Chibok April 14 for exams • He said he would “sell them in the market” • Unconfirmed reports suggest possibility some of the girls have been moved into Cameroon and Chad

Graphic: Robert Dorrell

© 2014 MCT

mier Li Keqiang of China and 11 African heads of state and government expected to attend. The BBC is reporting that schools and government offices are to be closed and arrests are being made.

Asked for help Jonathan finally requested help Sunday from the U.S., Britain, France and China. Secretary of State John F. Kerry said the U.S. Embassy in Abuja was prepared to form a “coordination cell that could provide expertise on intelligence, investigations and hostage negotiations, and to help facilitate information-sharing and victim assistance.”

“We remain deeply concerned about the welfare of these young girls, and we want to provide whatever

and universities. Also, lawmakers approved a bill that will allow an undocumented immigrant to be admitted to the Florida Bar. The immigrant, Jose Godinez-Samperio, was brought to the country by his parents at age 9 from Mexico and later graduated from law school.

FAILED Stand your ground: Like Medicaid expansion, Democrats called repeatedly for changes in Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” self-defense law.

But Republican leaders rejected the idea, with House Criminal Justice Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, somewhat famously saying before the session started that “not one comma” in the law should be changed.

Medicaid expansion: Democrats railed throughout the ses-

places, why can’t U.S. spy satellites beam down and locate Boko Haram terrorists and send drones to kill Black terrorists that are terrorizing Nigerian schoolgirls?

If the president doesn’t want to assist in freeing innocent, kidnapped children from Nigeria, I don’t want to receive any more Democratic e-mails asking me to contribute to Democratic devils running for office in 2014 elections!

If the U.S. government uses tax dollars to fund extractions and rescue attempts to free White people from terrorists, the government needs to also help in freeing Black people held hostage by Black terrorists!

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants.net. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

assistance is possible in order to help for their safe return to their families,” Kerry said.

On Capitol Hill, all 20 women in the Senate signed a letter asking Obama to pressure the United Nations Security Council to acknowledge Boko Haram’s ties to alQaida and to ask the U.N. to consider international sanctions. The group has already been cut off from U.S. financial institutions.

Vicious leadership Boko Haram’s shadowy leader, Abubakar Shekau, has a $7 million U.S. bounty on his head. He said in a video that surfaced Monday that God had commanded him to sell women in the market, adding that girls should marry, not go to school.

Shekau took over as leader after Boko Haram’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed while in Nigerian police custody in 2009.

An April report by the International Crisis Group think tank said Boko Haram “has grown more ruthless, violent and destructive” since Shekau became leader. The group’s fighters are dispersed in northeastern Nigeria and in nearby Cameroon and Niger.

Education ‘sinful’ The sect opposes secular education and Western culture and says Nigerian schools are turning young people away from Islam. Its name translates from the Hausa language as “Western education is a sin,” and the group is bitterly opposed to democracy.

Described as a religious zealot of few words, Shekau occasionally releases video statements that appear designed to terrorize the country’s fearful northern population.

“I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill, the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams,” he said in a video released in 2012 after an assault on the city of Kano left at least 180 people dead, many of them military men and their families.

Taliban as model The

group,

modeled

sion about the state’s refusal to accept tens of billions of dollars from the federal government to expand access to health coverage through Medicaid or a similar program. But House Republican leaders made clear in 2013 they wouldn’t accept the money, which would be available under the federal Affordable Care Act, and they largely ignored the issue this year.

Pensions: House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, spent two years trying to overhaul the state employees’ retirement system. He wanted to spur employees to move from the traditional pension plan to 401(k)-style investment plans.

But Weatherford could not gain enough support in the Senate, where a coalition of Democrats and Republicans joined to block the proposed changes.

Red light cameras: Senate

on Afghanistan’s extremist Taliban movement, mounted an insurgency in northern Nigeria in the early 2000s, targeting symbols of government authority such as military barracks, police stations and politicians.

But it switched to civilian targets in recent years, leaving the country’s north in military lockdown. The group is blamed for attacking churches, a bus station, school dormitories and villages. In February, gunmen believed to be from Boko Haram killed dozens of students at a school in Yobe State, slitting the throats of some and locking others in dormitories that were then set ablaze.

Just noticed abroad Despite staging major assaults that left hundreds dead in two towns, Boko Haram gained widespread international notice only after last month’s mass abduction of the schoolgirls. Fear of further attacks has led to the shuttering of schools in the region.

The abducted girls had gathered from many district schools so they could take exams, but the gunmen easily overpowered two security guards, forced the girls onto trucks and drove them into the forest.

In November, Human Rights Watch accused Boko Haram of abducting scores of women and girls, some as young as 12, to traffic them as sex slaves or to force them to become combatants.

“Witnesses described Boko Haram laying siege to towns, villages and highways; looting and burning houses, shops and vehicles; and executing and decapitating people,” the report said. They particularly targeted members of civilian vigilante groups that have sprung up in response.

Christi Parsons and Robyn Dixon of the Tribune Washington Bureau (MCT) contributed to this report. Information from the Trice Edney News Wire and Global Information Network was also used.

Transportation Chairman Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Rep. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, made a splash early this year when they called for repealing the state’s red-light camera law or at least making substantial changes in the local programs.

But motorists should still be prepared to come to a complete stop, after those ideas stalled during the session.

Gambling: Lawmakers spent months studying potential changes in Florida’s gambling laws, including the possibility of allowing resort casinos in South Florida. But the heavily lobbied issue did not advance during the session, in part because lawmakers said the state needs to resolve negotiations on a gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

FLORIDA

A3

Poll shows widespread support of medical marijuana 88 percent of Florida voters now support use for medicinal purposes

BY JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – Florida appears ready for medical marijuana.

A poll released Monday shows that 88 percent of Florida voters support allowing adults to legally use marijuana for medical purposes, bolstering the arguments of advocates who have placed a constitutional amendment on the November ballot seeking legalization.

The poll, conducted by Quinnipiac University, indicates widespread support across political and demographic lines – Republicans and Democrats, men and women, young and old – for legal medical marijuana if it is prescribed by physicians. The constitutional amendment needs approval from 60 percent of voters to pass.

“If Vegas were giving odds on medical marijuana becoming legal in Florida, the bookies would be betting heavily,” Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, said in a statement re-

leased with the results.

‘Coloradofication of Florida’ Support for the idea has grown slightly since a Quinnipiac poll in November 2013 indicated 82 percent of voters approved of legalization. Since that poll, a group spearheaded by prominent Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan finished gathering enough petition signatures to place the issue on this year’s general-election ballot and also received a sign-off from the Florida Supreme Court.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Republican legislative leaders wanted the Supreme Court to block the constitutional amendment, contending that the proposal was far broader than billed.

For example, House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, described the proposal as being “about the Coloradofication of Florida, where the end game is a pot shop on every street corner.”

But the Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling, allowed the amendment to move forward, finding that the wording of the ballot title and summary would not mislead voters.

Results of poll Despite the criticism of the ballot proposal, the GOP-dominated Legisla-

ANTHONY SOUFFLE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

Dunn Ericson refills a jar of medical marijuana at the River Rock Medical Marijuana Center in Denveron May 16, 2013. Support for legal medical marijuana in Florida has grown slightly since a Quinnipiac poll in November 2013 indicated 82 percent of voters approved of legalization. ture last week approved a bill aimed at making available a strain of marijuana that supporters say will help children who have a form of epilepsy that causes severe seizures.

The substance, known as

“Charlotte’s Web,” is low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, so users do not get high.

The Quinnipiac poll found that legal use of medical marijuana was supported by 93 percent of

Judge rules for state in teacher evaluation case NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Though raising questions about the fairness of the system, a federal judge Tuesday rejected a constitutional challenge to policies stemming from a 2011 state law that tied teacher

evaluations to student performance.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker dismissed part of the case last month and issued a broader order Tuesday backing the state and school boards that were named as defendants.

The lawsuit, filed last

year and spearheaded by the Florida Education Association, raised constitutional due-process and equal-protection arguments. It took issue with part of the law that has allowed some teachers to be evaluated based on the test scores of students who

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success;

were not in their classrooms.

Evaluation system Similarly, teachers could be evaluated on student test scores in subject areas they didn’t teach. Walker wrote that the “unfairness of the evaluation system as implemented is not lost on this court.” But he also wrote that the case is

Democrats, 89 percent of independents and 80 percent of Republicans. It was supported by 92 percent of voters ages 18 to 29 and 84 percent of voters ages 65 and older.

Connecticut-based

Quinnipiac frequently conducts polls in Florida and other states. It surveyed 1,413 registered Florida voters from April 23 to April 28, and the poll’s margin of error was 2.6 percentage points.

not about the fairness of the evaluation system but whether it is constitutional.

“The legal standard for invalidating legislative acts on substantive due process and equal protection grounds looks only to whether there is a conceivable rational basis to support them,’’ Walker wrote.

“For reasons that have been explained, the state defendants could rationally conclude that the evaluation policies further the

state’s legitimate interest in increasing student learning growth. The same can be said of the district defendants.”

FEA President Andy Ford issued a statement after the ruling that expressed disappointment and said the union is “evaluating what further steps we might take in this legal process.” The school boards named as defendants in the case were from Alachua, Hernando and Escambia counties.

Attorney General finds money for drug database NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Attorney General Pam Bondi will underwrite the state’s financially troubled prescription-drug database for the next four years after lawmakers failed to deal with the issue during the session that ended on May 2.

Bondi announced Monday that her office will use $2 million from a settlement with Caremark to fund the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. The program, aimed at cracking down on “pill mills” and curbing doctor-shopping, requires pharmacists to enter pain-medication prescriptions into a database. The state Legislature authorized the program in 2011 but also prohibited any state money or money from drug companies from being used to operate the database, which costs about $500,000 a year to maintain.

Bondi was instrumental in getting the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott to sign off on the program.

“Since 2010, Florida has experienced a 52 percent decline in oxycodone deaths.

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is one important tool in the battle against prescription drug abuse, and by funding it for four years with this settlement money, we can ensure that it con-

tinues to be an effective tool,” Bondi, who is seeking re-election this year, said in a statement.

Footing the bill Pharmacists had agreed this year to foot the bill for the database with money left over from licensure fees. Senate Health Policy Chairman Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, included the pharmacistbacked funding in a proposal that also addressed privacy concerns.

Last year, a Volusia County prosecutor released the prescription drug histories of more than 3,300 people to defense attorneys as part of the discovery process following a federal drug sting.

The release of the records raised questions about whether the records of individuals who weren’t suspected of breaking the law should have been made public.

Compromise reached Bean and others, including the American Civil Liberties Union, had wanted to require a court order before the records could be accessed, something opposed by prosecutors and sheriffs.

Later, Bean reached a compromise that would have required the state Department of Health, which oversees the database, to enter agreements with local law enforcement agencies but would not require court orders.

The bill was folded into a health-care omnibus “train” that died on the last night of the 2014 session.

• Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

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

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for info on speeches, workshops, seminars, book signings, panel discussions.

Twitter @ccherry2

Guard paralyzed in explosion at Escambia jail ASSSOICATD PRESS

PENSACOLA – Family members say a Florida Panhandle jail guard is paralyzed from the waist down following an explosion at the facility.

The Escambia County Jail was rocked by an explosion on April 30 after a major rainstorm caused the basement to flood.

Two inmates died and nearly 200 inmates and prison guards were injured. The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

The Pensacola News Journal reported that Christopher Hankinson worked in the property room, directly above the blast. He was thrown through a hole in the floor, into the flooded basement. The impact crushed a vertebra, multiple ribs and a shoulder blade.

Hankinson's wife, Shannon, who also

worked at the jail, said her husband is recovering from surgery at a hospital in Birmingham, Ala.

Harrowing ordeal Shannon Hankinson also thanked fellow corrections officer Kelley Bradford who held Hankinson's head above water for nearly an hour while they waited for help to arrive.

Bradford's daughter said her mother was recovering from numerous bruises. Kelley Gonzalez said her mother went through a harrowing ordeal.

"She was sitting at her desk one minute," Gonzalez said, "and the next, she's coming up out of the water in the basement. It was completely dark except for one fluorescent light that was kind of hanging from the ceiling."

She said her mother's legs were black and blue but that she is recovering. "It looks like a gang of folks went at her with a baseball bat on her legs," Gonzalez said.

"She's bruised up real bad, but she's alive."

EDITORIAL

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MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

The stagnant state of Black America I recently attended the release of the National Urban League’s Annual State of Black America Report at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The Report is an extremely important document because it provides key indicators of Black progress in a number of social and economic areas in relationship to White Americans. This year’s report, "One Nation Underemployed: Jobs Rebuild America," focuses on the critical issues of joblessness, the wealth gap and economic inequality in Black America.

The data explodes the myth that, because the United States has a Black president, we now live in a “post-racial” society — “race still matters” in America. According to the report, the

Talk about a gap DR. RON DANIELS TRICEEDNEYWIRE

Even more alarming is the persistence of an enormous wealth gap between Blacks and Whites.

According to a study co-authored

by Dr. Thomas Shapiro, who spoke at the release of the State of Black America Report, the median wealth for White families in 2009 was $113,149 but only $5,677 for Blacks! The study defines wealth as “what we own minus what we owe.” Dr. Shapiro and his associates draw a direct correlation between homeownership and wealth accumulation.

median household income for Whites is $56,565 compared to $33,764 for Blacks; 11 percent of Whites live below the poverty line, 28.1 percent for Blacks; unemployment among Whites is 6.5 percent, 13.1 percent for Blacks; and, the critical “wealth-building” indicator of home ownership, Whites own their homes at ‘White privilege’ a rate of 73.5 percent compared The cold fact is that Africans to 43 percent for Blacks — stun- in America never received a subning disparities for a “post racial” stantial stake in terms of land or society. capital for the generations of free

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: COURTSIDE SEATS

NATE BEELER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 210 Seabreeze Senior High class reunion, Part 1 – The Sandcrabs (yep, that’s my school mascot) of the Class of 1974 celebrated graduation, which occurred 40 years ago in Daytona Beach.

We were all in the initial wave of racial desegregation of Florida schools. I was a “jock” (basketball and track); a “nerd” (I took typing and home economics classes; I was in the Audio-Video Club and student government); and a “militant” (large Afro, headbands and sweatbands in Black liberation colors on the basketball court).

There were boycotts (Black jocks refused to play until the school allowed Black girls to compete in open tryouts for the cheerleading squad), and racial quotas (football and basketball teams could never have a majority-Black starting team, no matter how good the Black players were.)

There was fear. White girls were as afraid of us (“Stay away from those Black boys; they’ll rape you,”) as we were afraid of them (“Stay away from those White girls; you’ll get lynched.”) In the cafeteria, only the rebellious White kids, the “hippies,” or White jocks would generally eat with Black students.

There were bright spots. Seabreeze football player David Lee’s mom made a point to host her son’s Black teammates

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

for meals at her home. My track coach, the late, great Richard Edson, refused to abide by the athletic quotas, and coached Seabreeze’s only Olympic track and field medal winner, Walter McCoy – who is Black. Those “hippies” went home to their racist parents, and told them they were wrong about us. (But Black mothers still warned their boys about White girls – and still do.)

So when your humble writer arrived with my basketball point guard, Percy Williamson, Sr., it was like LeBron arriving with D. Wade. My White female classmate who were too shy (or too afraid) to say “hello” 40 years ago were grabbing me, gushing over me, and giving their poor husbands their phones to take pictures with me. Fabulous!

What’s your ‘desegregated’ reunion experience? Send it and we’ll print it.

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.

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.

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labor that produced incredible wealth for plantation owners, the shipbuilding, textile manufacturing, whiskey distilleries and a range of related industries and occupations — industries and occupations that thrived off the European slave trade and cash crop production, e.g. cotton, rice, sugar, indigo.

In addition, there was the “Jim Crow” system in the South which “set-aside” certain jobs for Whites and paid higher wages to Whites in jobs where Blacks and Whites did the same work. These material incentives were designed to ensure that White poor and working people would always fare better than their Black counterparts. In modified form, this system of “affirmative action” for Whites existed all across the nation well into the 20th century. The benefits of “White privilege” were intended to drive a permanent wedge between Black and White poor and working people to prevent unified opposition to the manipulative, self-serving White ruling elites.

The question is, how is it possible to ever erase the income and wealth gap between Blacks and Whites without dealing with the root cause of persistent inequality – the failure to provide compensation to the formerly enslaved Africans for the centuries of free labor and cultural, spiritual and physical destruction that have severely hampered the quest for justice, socio-economic equity/parity, freedom and self-determination.

The answer is clear: reparations for the damages done to the sons and daughters in America are imperative if we are to achieve justice, equity/parity in the U.S. and the world for that matter. So, as we mobilize/organize to overcome the stagnant state of Black America, it is imperative that the demand for reparations be an integral part of the agenda!

Dr. Ron Daniels is President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

Sotomayor's dissent a voice of reason Race matters…because of the long history of racial minorities being denied access to the political process…because of persistent racial inequality in society - inequality that cannot be ignored and that has produced stark socioeconomic disparities.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court of the United States.

Recently, in a disturbingly lopsided 6-2 vote, the United States Supreme Court once again became a willing accomplice in the recent onslaught of attacks on 50 years of civil rights progress. On the heels of last year’s decision by the Court to dismantle the Voting Rights Act of 1965, on April 22, the Court ruled that Michigan voters had the right to ban race, i.e. affirmative action, as a factor in college admissions.

The Court’s decision undermines a landmark 2003 ruling that affirmed the use of race-sensitive admissions policies at the University of Michigan Law School because of a compelling interest in fostering diversity in higher education.

About the case In 2006, opponents of that ruling successfully campaigned and passed Proposal 2, a state constitutional amendment that gave voters the right to su-

MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY WIRE

persede elected University Trustees and the right to ban the consideration of race as one of many factors in admissions. It is important to note that only race was singled out for the ban. Other factors, such as alumni status, athletics and geography remain in place. A federal appeals court subsequently ruled Prop 2 unconstitutional as it violated the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case made its way to the Supreme Court, and in last week’s egregious decision in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, the 2006 amendment was allowed to stand.

Violation of equal protection Her dissent is based primarily on the Court’s untenable allowance of a change of rules that nullify the authority of elected University governing boards and now permit a majority of voters to end affirmative action in higher education – a clear violation of the Equal Protection Clause. Justice Soto-

mayor writes, “The effect of [the Court’s ruling] is that a White graduate of a public Michigan university who wishes to pass his historical privilege on to his children may freely lobby the board of that university in favor of an expanded legacy admissions policy, whereas a Black Michigander who was denied the opportunity to attend that very university cannot lobby the board in favor of a policy that might give his children a chance that he never had and that they might never have absent that policy.”

We may have lost this battle for affirmative action, but as long as there are voices as clear and strong as Sonia Sotomayor’s on the Supreme Court, we are confident that in the end, equal opportunity, equal protection and equal justice will prevail.

Nonetheless, six other justices clearly demonstrated that our fight for civil rights is still not over – even in 21st century America.

Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Another tale of two cities As I sat and emotionally reviewed the issues and events of the week, I was tempted to classify this past week among the most starkly contrasting weeks we’ve had to experience recently. In terms of societal revelations, it was, most certainly, an interesting week.

My evaluation of the week was obviously shaped by having to listen to, on both radio and television, the non-stop broadcasting of the audio ranting of an ignorant, elderly racist billionaire. By a large margin, this was the most publicized story of the week.

Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, was given the media platform to spew-forth vile, rhetorical vomitus that left no doubt about the low status of Black and brown people in his world.

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICE EDNEY WIRE

ers provide to his team.

Uncomplimentary allegations exist asserting that Sterling would visit his team’s locker room and examine/fondle his player’s musculature in the fashion of the slave market customer examining the latest victims of kidnapping that would be sold into slavery.

The fact that he would comfortably discuss his feelings with his paramour was also clear evidence of the arrogance of his racism.

After all, his girlfriend is the product of a bi-racial relationship between an African-American and Mexican American. One wonders how he can condemn her for having Black and brown acquaintances or forbid her What’s done from bringing “them, esin the dark pecially Magic Johnson,” to What made his venom- any of his games. ous statements hyper-hypocritical was the contrast of Natural privilege his personal involvement How can he justify adwith the people he deni- monishing her for postgrated and the negative ing photos taken with her personal feelings about Black and brown friends them that his words con- on Instagram when he “alfirmed. Like the historical lows” her (my emphasis) slave owner, Sterling’s vile to join him on his ownpejoratives describing how ers bench? In this regard, he feeds, clothes, provides his behavior is no differhousing and gives money ent than the “Massa” who to his players negates the would rationalize his late PAID services that his play- night conjugal visits to the

slave quarters as a part of his “natural privilege.”

Naturally, I was more than pleased when Adam Silver, the basketball commissioner, announced the punishment he imposed upon Sterling. you had the opportunity to read the press release I issued for the National Congress of Black Women, you will know that I felt his actions to be appropriate and timely.

After full consideration, however, I realized that this debacle of the basketball world was, ultimately, in the province of a few hundred millionaires and billionaires. Without regard to income, most of us find blatant racism unacceptable, but, when resolved, this problem will be resolved by and for the wealthy.

By contrast, although important to a larger number of Americans, the issue of the minimum wage took a back seat to the NBA. Again, this week we saw the actions of Republican legislators that have been solely instrumental in denying an increase in pay to countless Americans who are cavalierly called “working poor.”

Dr. E. Faye Williams is Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, www.nationalcongressbw.org. Write your own response at www. daytonatimes.com.

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

Billion dollar debt buying and collection abuses Are you or someone you know being pursued or harassed late into the evenings and on weekends by debt collectors? If so, research shows that you are among one in seven Americans being pursued by debt collection agencies.

In a newly-released chapter in its State of Lending series, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) found that debt buying and debt collection is big, big business.

Among publicly-traded debt buyers’ income grew from $582 million in 2009 to more than $1 billion in 2012.

And amid these billion dollar deals, scant regulation allows profiteers to take advantage of financially-distressed consumers, often securing court judgments for debts that may not even be owed. A 2009 Federal Trade Commission analysis of 3.9 million consumer accounts, found only 6 percent of the accounts came with any documentation.

The new report also cites a disproportionate impact on lowand moderate-income communities. Black communities were also found to have higher rates of debt buyer lawsuits and default judgments.

“The sheer lack of accountability in this industry is astonishing,” said Lisa Stifler, CRL policy counsel and co-author of the report.

“There is no requirement to verify debt information or inform a consumer about the transfer of debt.

Sometimes a consumer learns about a debt only after an on-

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

slaught of collection attempts – or worse – a judgment is entered and wages are garnished or a bank account is seized.”

Plethora of choices Debt buyers, specializing in purchasing delinquent debts and charged-off accounts, pick from a range of products and services: credit cards, auto loans, utility and phone bills, tax liens, medical services and more. Often, the only information transferred in debt transactions are a name, last known address, and purported amount owed. Lenders that typically sell charged-off debts, offer these accounts “as is’ without any assurances or guarantees to the data’s accuracy of amounts owed or collectability of the debts. Over the past few years, the 19 largest banks sold about $37 billion in charged-off debt each year.

The result is that many times, debt buyers attempt to collect from or sue the wrong people, overstate the amount, or even collect illegitimate debts.

The financial gain for the debt buyer is a purchase of accounts often for only cents on dollars owed. From 2006-2009, the na-

EDITORIAL VISUAL VIEWPOINT: KIDNAPPED NIGERIAN GIRLS

tion’s top debt buyers purchased $143 billion in consumer debt; but paid only $6.5 billion, approximately 4.5 cents on the dollar purchased. Then they are able to turn around a significant profit by collecting the full amount of the account.

Time to pay Unfortunately, consumers are often unaware that their accounts have been sold to third parties.

Usually, it is only after consumers begin receiving phone calls, letters, and correspondence from firms they do not know that they learn their accounts were sold.

Some do not learn of the debt buyer until after a judgment is entered against them, and they find their wages garnished or bank accounts seized. Other consumer abuses include collection tactics that include offensive language during collection attempts, illegal threats to sue, and misrepresentation on amounts owed or the legal status of a loan.

As more debt buyers turn to the courts to sue consumers for debts owed, many obtain default judgments in their favor when consumers fail to appear in court.

Missing a court appearance can happen for a variety of reasons, including that no notice of a lawsuit was ever received, a lack of understanding of the court process or the inability to secure legal representation.

PAT BAGLEY, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Info for debtors When courts order a default judgment in the debt collector’s favor, collectors gain an extension on the life of the debts and also the legal right to collect in a variety of ways including bank account seizure, wage garnishment and property attachment. All too often, default judgments are based on inaccuracies, incomplete or outdated personal information or questionable claims.

“What we’re seeing is a pattern of predatory practices when it comes to some kinds of debt buying and collection – and that’s what is concerning,” said Mike Calhoun, CRL president.. “Just as a lender has the right to collect debts owed, borrowers should

Let some good flow from NBA’s bad news From time to time, we are presented with what is called a “teachable moment.” Often they come when we least expect as is the case of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling. We have heard his vile words with our own ears: “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people. Do you have to?…” After Sterling told his mistress not to bring Blacks to “my games,” he also instructed her not to bring Magic Johnson, either.

The controversy provoked by Sterling’s raw racism – expressed to a mistress who is part Mexican and part African-American – erupted like a tornado and shook our very foundation of soul.

Present-day racism While we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and still basking in the memory of the 1963 March on Washington, Sterling remind-

CHARLES STEELE, JR. NNPA GUEST COLUMNIST

ed us that rather than being fixated on the past, we need to address present-day racism. We do not see Bull Connor ordering police dogs on innocent, unarmed school children in Birmingham, Ala. or witness powerful fire hoses knocking elderly African Americans to the ground, but make no mistake: Racism is still alive and kicking in 2014.

We must address racism whether it is the spoken words of an NBA owner or the written words of a conservative U.S. Supreme Court majority that is chipping away the foundation of the Voting Rights Act, affirmative action and anything that comes close to bringing about a fair and just society.

To his credit, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, with strong backing from present and former NBA players – some speaking up on race for the first time – moved swiftly in banning Sterling from the NBA for life. With a league that is 76 percent African American, it was the right moral, political and business decision.

But we can’t let this forced and fleeting conversation on race end there. As many have said, slavery was America’s birth defect. Our Founding Fathers fought for their freedom from Great Britain while denying African descendants “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

‘Unresolved dilemma’ Bill Bradley, a Rhodes Scholar and an NBA player from another era, put it this way: “Slavery was America’s original sin and racism remains its unresolved dilemma.”

And it will remain our unresolved dilemma as long as we re-

Can the Democrats lose the Senate in midterm elections?

It is now 2014, and President Obama does not want a repeat of 2010. In 2008 the Democrats held both Houses, and in the midterm election the Democrats were handed a crashing defeat in Congress. Many pundits and political experts argue that this is the president’s greatest setback to date in his presidency.

Midterm elections usually favor the party that does not hold the presidency, but many folks place the defeat in the 2010 midterm election on the president. Many charge the president with overconfidence, and he did not utilize the campaign infrastructure that was organized in the 2008 campaign.

President Obama somehow dropped the ball, and he was not engaged in campaigning for the party in 2010.

Retake Congress Now in 2014, the president would like to achieve something no other president has ever done, and retake full control of both Houses in a midterm election. In all probability, this will not happen, but the president cannot make the same mistakes he made in 2010. As the leader of the party, in 2014, the president must get the Democrats who don’t vote in midterm elections, to come out and vote.

The Republicans know their favorability ratings are at an all-time low, but they think the young and the minorities usually don’t vote in a midterm elec-

ROGER CALDWELL GUEST COLUMNIST

tion. They believe if they can mobilize their base, they may be able to win in close races. Republicans face branding problems, but the chairmen of the party is trying to do a facelift.

Chairmen Priebus is trying to make the party inclusive, and he is inviting all minorities and women into the new Republican Party. Everyone knows that this is just a talking point that sounds good, but it will probably fool some women and minorities to vote for the party.

President Obama is certain that he does not want a repeat of 2010, and in 2014 lose the Senate to the Republicans.

There are 35 Senate seats up for re- election in 2014 and 21 are now held by Democrats.

In order for the Republicans to take control of the Senate, they would have to win 6 of the seats held by Democrats.

Time will tell

A5

tion. Along with raising money, the Republicans have also initiated a new strategy and go into diverse communities, and tell their story of why conservative principles are good for the country.

Chairmen Priebus and the leaders of the Republican Party understand the demographics in the country has changed, and the minority vote will determine which party will win in presidential elections. In midterm elections Republicans are counting on minorities and the youth to stay home, and by going into minority communities with people who look the same, they can win new voters.

The Republicans are serious about winning more seats in 2014, than the Democrats, in local state and federal elections.

The Democrats appear to have lost their passion in midterm elections, and they are not sure of what they want or what they are fighting for.

President Obama will be the key to the midterm election by mobilizing the grassroots with his speaking excitement and gifts. He must bring consistency and clarity to the importance of voting for Democrats, and why we must win. If the Democrats are going to win in 2014 elections, President Obama must campaign the same way he did in 2012.

It is very unlikely that the Republicans can gather up enough votes in these strong Democratic districts, but Republicans will raise and spend money. Once the Republicans realized they Roger Caldwell is the CEO had lost the presidential race in 2012, the next month they were of On Point Media Group in starting to raise money for the Orlando. Write your own re2014 campaign midterm elec- sponse at www.flcourier.com.

fuse to talk honestly and openly about race until there is a crisis, such as the one created by Donald Sterling.

Malcolm X reminded us that we are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose shoes I am walking in as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) gave his life while searching for solutions that would bind people together, not tear them apart.

Forty-six years after his assassination, Dr. King’s teachings are offered around the world by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) – in communities and countries where people are eager to learn the Kingian theory of non-violence.

Accordingly, we in SCLC have created an online petition called “We Won’t Go Back.” The purpose of this online petition is to recommit ourselves to standing up against racial inequalities, ra-

have the right to information about their debt and how it’s being handled and collected.”

It should be noted that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission share regulation of this industry. Further, CFPB recently began the process that will likely to lead to the firstever rules overseeing debt collection.

“With prudent oversight at the federal and state levels, there’s no reason why this problem can’t be fixed”, concluded Calhoun.

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com. cial hatred and discrimination of any type. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor eloquently argued in her recent affirmative action opinion, we can’t just wish racism and bigotry away – we must do something to make that a reality.

And that’s the challenge Dr. King’s organization is making now to America. You can join us in this campaign by signing our petition at www.sclc.org (click the recommit button). It’s not intended to be an end, but a start.

As Dr. King urged us: “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

Will you move forward with us?

Charles Steele, Jr., a former Alabama state senator, is president and CEO of the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Yes, ‘apartheid’ describes Israel I was struck by how quickly Secretary of State John Kerry backed down when he was chastised by anti-Palestinian critics for suggesting that Israel might be on the road to becoming an apartheid state.

What was so unusual about such a statement? Israeli media commentators, including some political officials, use that term to either describe the current situation or to warn of impending disaster. Here in the U.S, however, we have to fret over using such a term because it, allegedly, might offend someone.

If I am critical of anything, it is precisely that Kerry did back down, added to the fact that Israel is not on the road to becoming an apartheid state: it is already such a state. Apartheid is a term that was both used by the White South Africans to describe their system of racial separation and oppression from 1948-1994, as well as an officially recognized term by the United Nations that describes the broader system of racial suppression that can exist in any country and is not restricted to South Africa.

As a result, the term “apartheid,” describing a system of racial categorization and suppression, can and should be applied to what we have seen unfold in Israel since its founding, quite ironically, in 1948.

Land seized from underfoot Palestinian land has been seized, allegedly for security reasons, never to be returned. Palestinian refugees have been refused the internationally right of return to the homes and land that they

BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

left in the midst of the 1948-49 war.

An educational system exists in Israel in which there is a differential in the resources available for Jewish Israelis vs. Palestinian citizens of Israel. And, of course, the Israelis continue an illegal occupation of Palestinian territory that commenced in 1967 whereby the Palestinians have only nominal control of a portion of their own land. ​Secretary of State Kerry, out of apparent frustration with the antics of the Israeli side in negotiations, correctly noted that if/when negotiations break down, the permanent occupation of the West Bank along with Israel’s policies towards its own Palestinian citizens, will shatter any idea that Israel exists as an alleged democratic state. Kerry was, more than likely, trying to appeal to the Israeli establishment to awaken and smell the coffee. Instead, opponents of Palestinian justice threw the coffee in Kerry’s face.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a racial justice, labor and global justice writer and activist. This past January he led an African American fact-finding delegation to Israel and Palestine. Subsequent to the trip he wrote “Traveling through Palestine While Black.” Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

NATION

TOJ A6

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

Bodyguard would ‘take a bullet’ for Bundy Black sticks by rancher who quickly went from admired ‘patriot’ to ‘hateful racist’

Reid also said it was irresponsible for Republican leaders to “romanticize such a dangerous individual” and called for a public condemnation of Bundy’s remarks.

TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Blacks weigh in

When racist statements made

by Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher and conservative heroof-the-month, hit the airwaves, his Republican boosters abandoned him like rats fleeing a sinking ship. But he has at least one stalwart supporter — his African-American bodyguard, Jason Bullock.

“I would take a bullet for that man if need be,” Bullock told CNN. “I look up to him like I do my own grandfather. I believe in his cause and after having met Mr. Bundy a few times, I have a really good feel about him and I’m a good judge of character. He’s shown me nothing but hospitality and treats me as his own family.”

Bullock may be the only Black person in America willing to give Bundy a pass on his insensitive remarks, including Bundy’s suggestion that Blacks were government moochers who were better off in slavery.

‘Negro’ rantings Propelled by robust Fox News coverage, Bundy shot into the public spotlight following his armed standoff with Bureau of Land Management rangers, who, with court order in hand, tried to confiscate his 500 cattle. Bundy owed the federal government some $1.1 million in fees for illegally grazing his herd on public land for more than 20 years, according to The New York Times.

The defiant 67-year-old became a hero of the right-wing’s fight against government overreach — until his unfiltered remarks about African-Americans became public.

Bundy recalled passing public housing projects in North Las

CHRIS SMITH/HIGH DESERT ADVOCAT

Jason Bullock is bodyguard to Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.

Vegas and seeing Blacks sitting around with “nothing to do.”

“I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro,” Bundy told his supporters, as reported by the Times in an April 24 article. “They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.”

Then they were gone Bundy’s most prominent political supporters immediately began to distance themselves.

Nevada Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who has previously hailed Bundy as a “patriot,” said he “completely disagrees with Mr. Bundy’s appalling and racist statements, and condemns them in the most strenuous way,” according to Heller spokesman Chandler Smith.

Libertarian and potential presidential nominee Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was quick to follow, say-

ing in a statement: “His remarks on race are offensive and I wholeheartedly disagree with him.”

Democrats also spoke out against Bundy, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (DNev.), who had previously called Bundy and his supporters “domestic terrorists.”

“Today, Bundy revealed himself to be a hateful racist,” Reid said in an April 24 statement.

“But by denigrating people who work hard and play by the rules while he mooches off public land he also revealed himself to be a hypocrite.”

Some prominent Black Republicans agreed, saying Bundy’s statements — and the somewhat tepid GOP response — further hardens minorities’ apathy toward the party.

“It undermines the broader, more important goals to rebrand and reestablish a conversation with a community that looks suspiciously upon most of the things you say,” Michael Steele, the former and first African-American Republican National Committee chairman, told The Washington Post.

Crystal Wright, a conservative commentator, who runs the blog ConservativeBlackChick. com, wrote in a CNN opinion piece that Republicans should not have embraced Bundy, and his defiant disregard for the U.S. Constitution, in the first place and decried those that continue to defend them.

“I don’t know what’s more offensive: rancher Cliven Bundy telling Blacks they’d be better off as slaves picking cotton or conservatives who continue to defend him,” she wrote.

“The entire Bundy affair just makes the Republican Party look bad…. We have old White men saying offensive things to women and minorities, and I’m tired of it,” she added. “At a time when the GOP needs to bring more minorities into our tent — along with women for that matter — embracing fools like Bundy doesn’t help and certainly will put us farther down the path of losing in 2016.”

This story is special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper.

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IFE/FAITH HAPPY

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

Boxer Jimmie Ellis dies at 74 See page B2

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

‘Belle’ explores life of Black British aristocrat See page B5

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA WWW.FLCOURIER.COM

The Florida Courier staff pays tribute to their moms with personal photos and narratives

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DAY

Dear Grandma Julia, This Mother’s Day, we want to appreciate you for all you have done for us. You brighten the visits to Daytona in a snap. You’d never know how much we love you through words!

Love, Chayla and Wig

To our Wonderful Mom and Granny Mamie Gooden-Lee, Thank you for many years of love.

You are truly a blessing to all of us. Your unconditional love has been shown continuously.

May God continue to bless you and give you favor for all of your good works. We love you!

Lisa, Chayla and Charles III

To a wonderful Mom and Grandma who deserves recognition every day. On this Mother’s Day we just want to say “thank you” for your unconditional love and support.

Your love of the Lord and family shines brightly for us to follow!

We love you!, Valerie and Jamal

Dear Grandma Julia, Just wanted to take the time this Mother’s Day to say I love you and hope you know that I think about you often.

Happy Mother’s Day! Jamal

To the chairwoman of our board: Thanks for being our anchor in the stormy seas of life.

We love you!

Chuck, Glenn, Cassandra

To our family’s phenomenal First Lady – Mrs. Josephine Griffin.

Thanks, Mom, for your godly words of wisdom, your unwavering faith, amazing strength, and your peace that surpasses all understanding.

Jenise (left) with sister Cynthia

Happy 87th Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day to Alma Barlow Jones.

We love you!

Chicago, Rebecca, Annette and Valerie

She was my Mama, my friend, my confidante.

Thanks for leaving so many gems to live by.

I love you, Julia

My mother is strong, dependable. Her insight and love is the rock I stand on. One of eight, she helped raise her siblings, being the first in our family to graduate from Florida A&M University.

Starla My best friend and confidante: I wish you were still here to share my thoughts.

Looking forward to our reunion in heaven.

Love ya, Jerry

This is my favorite photo of my mom, my grandma and myself. We aren’t in our Sunday best but it is a candid photo of generational love. Grandma stepped on that “morning train” two years ago on May 28 and even though she is no longer with us the love she had for her family carries on. Love you granma, love you mom!

Ashley

This is our mother and matriarch Ethel M. Jones. She is a pillar of strength and caretaker to grands and greatgrands. We salute you with an abundance of love and appreciation.

Your daughters: Linda, Natalie and Penny Dickerson

To My Dear Mother, Josephine Taylor Allen: When I was young, I adored you because you are pretty.

When I grew older, I admired you because you raised five successful children on your own. Now I respect you because you volunteer at your church and you are making a difference. Happy Mother’s Day to the best mother anyone could ever ask for! I love and respect you greatly.

Daphne Taylor

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EVENTS & OBITUARY

B2

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

TABOU COMBO

The Haitian Compas Festival is May 17 featuring Tabou Combo, Carimi, T-Vic & Harmonik and others. The 3:30 p.m. show will be at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.

‘GHOST THE MUSICAL’

FANTASIA

Jaheim, Fantasia and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly are among the artists for the May 9 and 10 Funkfest in Jacksonville at Metropolitan Park.

More info: www. funkfestconcerts. com.

Carla R. Stewart and Steven Grant Douglas star in “Ghost The Musical.’’ The tour is at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale through May 11 and at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando starting May 13.

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ways to Mind and Body Building Summer Program for children in grades 3 to 6.

Call 772-607-2628 or 772807-7771 for details.

Miami: Tickets are on sale now for the seventh annual Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival on May 25 at the James L. Knight Center.

Coral Gables: A Mother’s Day Experience concert is scheduled May 11 beginning at 6 p.m. at the BankUnited Center. The show will feature Monica, Deniece Williams and Jagged Edge.

Miami: An Old School Throw Back Hip-Hop event is May 17 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami featuring Slick Rick and Rob Base. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Miami Beach: Tamar Braxton will perform May 16 at the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater.

Margate: Broward County Expo takes place May 22 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at JM Lexus, 5350 W Sample Road.

Cost: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Exhibitor info: www.

BrowardCountyExpo.com.

Port St. Lucie: Scholarships are available for Christian Cultural Cathedral’s Path-

Sunrise: Tickets are on sale for Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, which takes place May 23 and May 24 at the BB&T Center.

Naples: The national NAACP Leadership 500 Summit will convene at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel May 22-25. Details: www.1500.org.

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

More information: www. ilovesoulfood.com.

Tampa: A Mothers Day Gospel Celebration is scheduled at 7 p.m. on May 10 at the

Straz Center. Artists will include Tamela Mann, Deitrick Haddon and Deleon.

Jacksonville: Edward Waters College’s graduation is May 10 at the Adams/ Jenkins Community Sports & Music Complex. The Class of 1964 also will be honored.

Guests need a ticket to be admitted. Call 904-470-8000 for tickets and more information.

Daytona Beach: Julianne Malveaux, former president of Bennett College, will be the keynote speaker at Bethune-Cookman University’s commencement at 2 p.m. May 14 at the Ocean Center. More information: www.cookman.edu.

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Heavyweight boxing champ Jimmy Ellis dies, 74 ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Jimmy Ellis, a heavyweight champion who sparred with an up-andcoming Muhammad Ali and later fought some of the era’s best boxers, died Tuesday. He was 74.

Ellis died at a Louisville hospital, brother Jerry Ellis said. Jimmy Ellis had Alzheimer’s disease in recent years. Ellis, the son of a preacher who loved singing gospel music, held the WBA heavyweight title from 1968 to 1970.

He lost to Joe Frazier in a fight to unify the world heavyweight championship in 1970. In 1971, Ellis was stopped by Ali in the 12th round.

He retired in 1975.

Ali remembered his longtime Jimmy friend as a “master in the ring.” “In Ellis the world of heavyweights, I have always thought that Jimmy was one of the best,” Ali said in a statement in which he and his wife, Lonnie, expressed condolences. Ali said his friendship with Ellis began as both rose through the ranks as amateurs in their hometown of Louisville.

“As a former champion, Jimmy was known for exceptional hand speed and a strong chin,” Ali said.

Trained by Dundee Both boxers fought under the tutelage of Angelo Dundee. The great trainer often said that Ellis packed more punch than he was given credit for, Ali recalled. But Ali said Ellis’ greatest qualities were his “gentle manner and the compassion in his heart.”

“I had a kinship with Jimmy and felt like he and I were of the same cloth,” Ali said. “He was a great athlete and a caring man. Great competitors who happen to be great friends are rare. Jimmy Ellis was that to me and I will miss him.”

Ellis defeated Jerry Quarry to win the WBA crown in 1968. It was at a time when Ali had been stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Ellis defended the title by defeating Floyd Patterson before losing to Frazier.

After leaving boxing, Ellis spent years training fighters and later worked for the Louisville parks department.

Ellis was preceded in death by his wife, Mary.

They had six children together.

THE COMEDY OF THE SuMMER!

”

Ain’t it Cool news

“The

Funniest Thing I’ve Seen This Year!”

GAmerFitnAtion

“one of the highest compliments i can pay to any film is to say

I Can’t Wait To See It Again and that is absolutely true of ‘neighbors’.”

HitFix

“‘Neighbors’

From left to right are Dr. Paul, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Dr. Marvin Dunn, Rosetta Vickers, Fredrick Ingram, Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall and Dr. Robert Morris.

Camillus House recognizes contributions of Black educators Nearly 100 people gathered on May 2 in the Community Room of the newly built Norwegian Cruise Line campus of Camillus House to celebrate Black culture. An annual celebration, this year Camillus House recognized the role and contribution of Black educators.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson was the first of six to take the podium and told a story of how Dr. Paul Ahr, president and CEO of Camillus House, helped her through a tough time in her life – the passing of her brother and father within a short time span. She praised Ahr and the work of Camillus House.

The non-profit Camillus House provides a variety of services in Miami-Dade County, including direct care for homeless individuals, treatment programs and job training for individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues, emergency, transitional, and permanent housing for individuals and families, and health

care for the homeless and uninsured.

Established in 1960

Six honorees

Each year, Camillus House seeks to chronicle and showcase various aspects of the African-American experience in Miami Dade County. The 2012 celebration honored Black women; in 2013 Black clergy was honored.

For 2014, Camillus House honored educators for their support, dedication and strengthening of the Black family, often by being the first to help individuals realize their potential and self-worth. In 2015, Black athletes will be honored.

Camillus House has provided humanitarian services to the indigent and homeless populations for more than 53 years. Established by the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd in 1960, it has grown steadily over the years from a small overnight shelter into a full service center.

The 2014 honorees were U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, founder of 5000 Role Models of Excellence; Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, School Board Member, Miami Dade County Public Schools; Dr. Marvin Dunn, Camillus House Scholar in Residence; Fredrick Ingram, president, United Teachers of Dade; Dr. Robert Morris, Florida International University professor; and Rosetta Vickers, executive director, Zeta Community Educational Center.

Proud family and friends were on hand to see the honorees speak about their careers and those that helped them achieve success.

To kick off the celebration, Ahr spoke of the progress being made at Camillus House. The previous night at Camillus House, more than 1,000 people were fed and sheltered.

For more information, visit www.camillus.org.

Delivers A Film Worthy Of Constant Laughter.” stAsHed

“Totally

Laugh Out Loud!”

BlACkFilm

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A POINT GREY/GOOD UNIVERSE PRODUCTION A MUSIC NICHOLAS STOLLER FILM SETHCOSTUME ROGEN ZAC EFRON “NEIGHBORS” ROSEPRODUCTION BYRNE CHRISTOPHER MIDIRECTOR NTZ-PLASSE DAVE FRANCOEXECUTIVEBY MICHAEL ANDREWS DESIGNER LEESA EVANS OF EDITOR ZENE BAKER DESIGNER JULI E BERGHOFF PHOTOGRAPHY BRANDON TROST PRODUCERS NATHAN KAHANE JOE DRAKE BRI A N BELL ANDREWJAY COHEN BRENDAN O’BRIEN PRODUCEDBY SETH ROGEN EVANDIRECTEDGOLDBERG JAMES WEAVER WRITTENBY ANDREWJAY COHEN & BRENDAN O’BRIEN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE

BY NICHOLAS STOLLER SOUNDTRACK ON ATLANTIC RECORDS

© 2013 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

LOCAL LISTINGS FOR STARTS FRIDAY, MAY 9 CHECK THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

STOJ

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

B3

MOTHER’S DAY

Thank you, Mom Tips and tidbits to help celebrate Mother’s Day

MOVIES Many mothers just want a day of relaxation, so pop in a DVD of one of these mother-daughter related flicks.

BY SALLY DADISMAN MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

■ “Steel Magnolias” (1989): Sally Field and Julia Roberts play a mother and daughter at the center of a tight-knit group of friends in Louisiana.

■ “Terms of Endearment” (1981): This Oscarwinning movie chronicles the often difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, played by Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger.

■ “Anywhere But Here” (1999): Susan Sarandon plays a mother who is tired of her small-town existence and decides to drag her less-than-willing daughter to Beverly Hills in hopes of a more glamorous life.

■ “Stepmom” (1998): Roberts and Sarandon play the future stepmom and dying mother, respectively, of Ed Harris’ children.

■ “Freaky Friday” (1976) or (2003): Take your pick, Jodie Foster (the 1976 version) or Lindsay Lohan (2003) plays the ungrateful child who switches bodies with her busy mom.

■ “Mommie Dearest” (1983): The perfect portrait of a nightmare mom, this campy film will make you appreciate that your mom didn’t have such an aversion to wire hangers.

She helped you learn to walk, taught you about the birds and the bees, and drove you to soccer practice, scout meetings and birthday parties. Mother’s Day gives you a chance to show Mom how much you care.

Whether it’s watching a movie, serenading her with a song or serving her breakfast in bed, we offer a few suggestions for celebrating, along with a brief history of the day, how to say “mother” around the world and a short quiz.

HISTORY A celebration that began with the Greeks and Romans, Mother’s Day has been around for centuries in one form or another. The Greeks celebrated Rhea, the mother of the Gods, while early Christians had festivals on the fourth Sunday of Lent for Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. A religious order then created Mothering Sunday in Britain to celebrate all mothers, a tradition that was lost when British settlers formed the American colonies.

In 1907, however, Anna M. Jarvis, a schoolteacher from Philadelphia, went on a mission to create a day honoring mothers. She sought help from legislators and businessmen, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May a national holiday in honor of mothers.

‘MOTHER’ AROUND THE WORLD FLOWERS WITH FEELING Flowers are a popular gift for Mom. But what message are they really sending? Here is a list compiled by the Society of American Florists on flowers’ different meanings: FLOWER COLOR OR TYPE Carnation Pink

Red

Yellow Daisy --- Lily Calla

Casablanca

Day

Stargazer Orchid --- Rose Pink

Red

Red and white

Yellow Sunflower --- Tulip Pink

Purple

Red

White

Yellow

Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon in “Stepmom.”

SONGS Here are some songs, along with selected lyrics, for a melodically memorable Mother’s Day. Hey Mama

By Kanye West You work late nights just to keep on the lights Mommy got me training wheels so I could keep on my bike And you would give anything in this world Michael Jackson leather and a glove, but didn’t give me a curl And you never put no man over me And I love you for that mommy can’t you see?

A Song for Mama

By Boyz II Men Mama, mama you’re the queen of my heart Your love is like Tears from the stars Mama, I just want you to know Lovin’ you is like food to my soul You’re always down for me Have always been around for me even when I was bad You showed me right from my wrong Mom

By Earth,Wind & Fire Mom, pains and joy I love her more and more To her I’m still her boy Yeah yeah yeah And in my life I’ve always dug her And in my life I’ve always needed her The mom I know I love so well SOURCES: DAYFORMOTHERS.COM, INTERNET MOVIE

‘MOTHER’ AROUND THE WORLD

MEANING Gratitude Flashy Cheerful Innocence Regal Celebration Enthusiasm Ambition Delicate beauty Friendship Passionate love Unity Zealous Adoration Caring Royalty Declaration of love Forgiveness Hopelessly in love

QUIZ

A sweet treat for a sweet mother So you may not be the next Bobby Flay or Rachael Ray, but you can still make a simple meal for your mom.

Here is a recipe from “Coffee Cakes,”

by Lou Seibert Pappas (Chronicle Books, $18.95), to get you started.

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE Juicy berries nugget this easy-to-bake cake that flaunts a crunchy sweet topping of toasted walnuts and brown sugar streusel.

1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or mixed blackberries, blueberries and raspberries Streusel Topping 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

France Mère

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts, chopped To make the topping: In a medium bowl or a food processor, combine the butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter in with your fingers or process until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to blend.

Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk or yogurt in two increments.

Beat until smooth. Stir in the berries.

Turn into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the topping.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the pan sides and let cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.

Makes one 9-inch coffee cake.

Serves 10.

Germany Mutter

Greece Màna

Think you know about mothers? How many are there in the United States, what days and months are most popular for giving birth? Test your knowledge of these facts from the U.S. Census Bureau.

1. How many mothers are there in the United States?

A. 60.2 million C. 80.5 million

B. 70.4 million D. 90.3 million 2. How many children on average can a woman in the United States expect to have in her lifetime?

A. 1.7 C. 2.4

B. 2.1 D. 1.9 3. What U.S. state has the highest average number of births per year per woman?

A. Utah C. Illinois

B. New York D. Nevada 4. What is the most popular month to have a baby?

A. November C. May

B. February D. July 5. What is the most popular day of the week to have a baby?

A. Monday C.Wednesday

B. Tuesday D. Thursday ANSWERS: 1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4. D; 5. B

WORDS OF WISDOM Here are a few quotes on motherhood, from “Women Know Everything: 3,241 Quips, Quotes and Brilliant Remarks,” edited by Karen Weekes (Quirk Books, $16.95): “Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease.”

— Lisa Alther (1944-), American writer “Mothers are the most instinctive philosophers.”

— Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), American abolitionist “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”

— Oprah Winfrey (1954-), American television host, actress and magazine publisher

Japan Okaasan

Spain Madre

SOURCES: DAYFORMOTHERS.COM, INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE,MOTHERSDAYCELEBRATION.COM, ABOUTFLOWERS.COM, LYRICSONDEMAND.COM, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU. NARA.GOV, SARA BOSTWICK/ARCADE PUBLISHING

B4

HEALTH

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

S

requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant). Medicare coverage consists of Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) services. Most individuals pay monthly Medicare Part B premiums.

Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) are a way to get your Medicare coverage through a private plan.

They are managed-care plans and often referred to as HMOs and PPOs. Medicare Advantage Plans are run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies. They include all benefits covered under Medicare A and B, and may cover prescription drugs and extra benefits. Individuals pay monthly Medicare Advantage Plan premiums.

Medigap plans

JESSICA J. TREVINO/DETROIT FREE PRESS/MCT

Dr. Gwendolyn Graddy-Dansby talks to her patient and Medicare recipient Annie G. Watts after her dialysis treatment at the Henry Ford Center for Senior Independence in Detroit in 2012.

Clearing up Medicare mysteries

BY MEREDITH COHN BALTIMORE SUN/MCT

Since 1966, residents 65 or older have been able to sign up for Medicare, the federal government’s health plan for seniors. But there are now private plans available, as well as a drug plan, giving people more options — but also raising more questions for beneficiaries.

Michelle P. Holzer, program manager for the Maryland Department of Aging’s State Health Insur-

ance Assistance Program, offers answers to some of the most common questions people have about the program.

When to apply Question: When do you apply for Medicare, and if you work, do you still apply?

Answer: If you are retired, you have a sevenmonth initial enrollment period to sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B, which begins three months

before the month you turn 65, includes the month you turn 65, and ends three months after the month you turn 65.

If you are still working and are covered by an employer group health plan, then you may be able to delay the start of monthly Medicare Part B benefits (medical), but it is generally recommended you consider enrolling in Medicare Part A (hospital).

Check with your employer’s health benefits office and Social Security for the rules regarding the Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare Part B. If you miss the Initial Enrollment Period and are not entitled to a Special Enrollment Period, then you may face penalties and delays in getting your Medicare coverage.

If you are under age 65 and on Social Security because of a disability (SSDI), your Medicare cov-

erage will begin after you receive 24 months of cash payments.

What it covers Q: How do you get the most out of Medicare, such as accessing preventive and wellness care?

A: Medicare covers many preventive and wellness services, such as annual wellness exams, mammograms, and flu shots, for example, without co-payments. Check your Medicare & You 2014 Handbook for a complete list of preventive and wellness benefits available to all Medicare beneficiaries.

Q: What is the difference between Medicare and Medicare Advantage?

A: Medicare is the federal government’s health insurance coverage for people 65 or older, people under 65 with disabilities and people of any age with end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure

Q: What is a Medigap plan, and how do you know if you need one?

A: Medigap plans (Medicare supplemental plans) are sold by private insurance companies and help pay some of the health care costs that Medicare does not cover. … Medigap plans do not offer prescription drug coverage. Individuals pay monthly Medigap premiums.

It is very important to join a Medigap plan during your “open enrollment period” — that is, six months from the time your Medicare Part B begins. Different rules for open enrollment apply for Medicare beneficiaries under and over the age of 65 regarding which plans you may choose.

If you consider purchasing a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or buying a Medigap plan, then note that the start date for Medigap coverage or a Medicare Advantage Plan should coincide with the start date for Medicare.

Prescription drug coverage Q: Will Medicare cover all of my medications?

A: Medicare does not cover most outpatient prescription drugs. There is some limited specific coverage of medications under Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. Medicare offers prescription drug coverage to everyone with Medicare. A Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plans offer prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part D plans are run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies. Not all medications are covered by all the Part D or Medicare Advantage Plans. Visit the Medicare plan finder at the federal website Medicare.gov, and do a search to determine whether your medications are covered and to find out the plan cost.

About the premiums Q: Do Medicare Part A and B and Medigap supplemental plans have separate premiums?

A: Many people receive Medicare Part A (hospital) coverage free of charge if they have worked the appropriate number of quarters under Social Security.

Most people pay a monthly Medicare Part B (medical) premium ($104.90 monthly in 2014). Medigap, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D premiums are paid to the private insurance company sponsoring the plan.

There are several financial assistance programs available for people who meet specific eligibility criteria to help pay for Medicare Part A premiums, deductibles and copayments; Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles; Medicare Part D premiums and prescription drug co-payments; and Medicare Advantage costs.

STOJ

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

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.

Larry Ray aka Ray is a model, actor and dancer who has been featured in Miami Fashion Week. The native of Kansas City, Mo., also appeared in the series “Graceland’’ on USA as well as the movie “Caribbean Heist.’’

Trina is an aspiring model who currently works in customer service. She enjoys reading, traveling, and always finds time to work out. Connect with her on facebook. com/tee. powell.3 or at businessminded 2004@gmail. com

trina

ray

Union calls Wade a ‘groomzilla’ EURWEB.COM

Actress Gabrielle Union is talking about her upcoming wedding with Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat. But she might not be talking about it in the way most brides usually do. She’s calling out D. Wade as a groomzilla.

Union dished to VEGAS Magazine about the wedding and her new family.

“Well, it will be smaller than the one in the movie (Think Like A Man Too), but it’s definitely not toned down, per the wishes of my groomzilla,” she revealed.

“D’s very involved in every detail. My dude is having a princess moment.”

She’s more chill about the upcoming nuptials.

“Me? I did the wine tasting, and I’ve said yes to the dress. In fact, I’ve said yes to a few of them,” she added.

But motherhood might be a little more hectic than her wedding. But she’s enjoying the growth in her family.

“I went from no kids to D getting full custody, and the next day we had a full house. So it was instant. Our lives never skipped a beat,” she said.

‘A package deal’ She revealed going from having no kids to a house full of them could be too much for some folks, but she loves her children.

“When you’re someone who goes from never having thought about birthing her own babies to a readymade family that has immediate needs and wants and desires, your life takes a back burner,” she said.

“If I were lucky enough to have one come out of my body, then great, I’d be totally open to that. But D’s kids are more than just part of the wedding. They are part of my life. They’re a package deal,” she added.

But with a family, an upcoming wedding and a successful career, Union still makes mistakes, but it’s how she handles them.

“Still, I make mistakes,” she admitted. “And my life is in process. But I know certain things. I feel a responsibility to the people I work with. So I don’t do late.

I don’t do bad attitude. I don’t do ‘Those eggs aren’t right.’ You don’t fall out. Come prepared. You be a decent human being. And it’s like Will Smith told me: ‘Family first.’ Nothing comes before family.”

Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade

MCT

Tom Wilkinson, left, is “Lord Murray” and Gugu Mbatha-Raw is “Dido” in Amma Asante’s “Belle.”

Movie explores 18thentury life of young Black British aristocrat

BY ROGER MOORE MCCLATHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Folding fans flutter, bosoms heave above Empire-waisted dresses and class distinctions get in the way of true love.

But in the 18th-century romance “Belle,” the young British aristocrat trying to find her place, in society, and in love, is Black, the daughter of a Black woman and a White sea captain of noble birth. Still, try to find a review of the new costume romance that doesn’t mention “Jane Austen.”

The comparison to the works of the author of “Emma” and “Pride & Prejudice” may be too obvious to avoid.

However, “Belle” is about something Austen rarely came close to addressing: Britain’s contemporaneous debate on the financially important but morally indefensible slave trade.

“It wasn’t something polite people talked about,” Amma Asante, the film’s director says, explaining Austen’s omission of the subject, itself the topic of Austen studies and scholarly debate.

“Austen’s world was more concentrated on the domestic,” adds Gugu Mbatha-Raw, the British actress of mixed race who plays the title role in “Belle.” “That’s what makes ‘Belle’ so new. We still have Austen’s world, that domestic, marriage market life.

It may have the familiar Jane Austen feel of it, but there’s something more at stake here than marrying well.”

The Zong Case Dido Elizabeth Belle grew up in the

home of a very famous uncle. William Murray (played by Tom Wilkinson in the film) was Lord Mansfield and Lord Chief Justice.

After raising Belle in his home, Lord Mansfield decided the pivotal case in the history of Britain’s early abolition movement — the “Zong Massacre” — in which an insurance company refused to reimburse a slave ship owner for the human cargo he tossed over the side in an effort to commit fraud.

“The Zong Case really does something that no Austen novel or film ever does,” Mbatha-Raw says. “It gives a political context, with the abolition movement as a big part of that.”

The title of Austen’s “Mansfield Park” may not just be a coincidence.

As the literary critic Edward Said has pointed out, Austen’s only direct mention of the slave trade comes in that novel, where character Fanny Price “reminds her cousin that after asking Sir Thomas about the slave trade, ‘there was such a dead silence’ that spoke volumes.”

But “Belle” wasn’t filmed as an anecdote to Austen’s concentration on the domestic rather than the worldly.

After all, Austen never mentioned the late 18th, early 19th-century Napoleonic Wars, any more than the slightly earlier “Belle” focuses on Britain’s losing efforts in the American Revolution, which was going on as the Zong Case was decided and Dido Belle was coming of age and being presented to British society. Asante saw the film as a chance to “blend politics, art and history” into an Austenesque romance.

Unusual scene The film depicts Belle’s life, growing up with a cousin the same age, a White woman also being raised by

her aunt and uncle. And its inspiration was a contemporaneous portrait of the two young women made by Johann Zoffany.

“The producer sent me a picture postcard of it, and it drew me in,” Asante says. “I knew how unusual that representation was. People of color were accessories in European portraits of that age. Pets, almost. They were always lower in the frame, looking up in awe to the white protagonist in the painting.

“Dido was higher in the frame, dressed in expensive clothes, grinning and pointing at herself. You ask questions when you see a painting like that.”

Not quite their equal There’s documentation of how Dido Belle was not exactly treated as an equal in the household — an American businessman’s diary noting how Dido wasn’t allowed to dine with guests, but then “he was ‘shocked’ to see ‘a Black’ emerging, after dinner, to socialize with the family,” MbathaRaw says, with a laugh.

But the Mansfields all left Dido money in their wills, “showing the degree of love and affection they had for her, “Asante says.

“She has the innate sense of grace that made her seem absolutely at home in this world,” Asante says.

The director and her star, both British and both Black, say they were, in the end, most moved by their love of period romances and the lack of roles for women of color in them.

As Asante puts it, “I made this for all the little girls like me, who love a costume drama, who get swept in the romance of it all, but never see themselves reflected on the screen as anything other than a servant.”

B6

F0OD

MAY 9 – MAY 15, 2014

STOJ

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

This grilling season, choose lean, tender lamb as the centerpiece for your summer entertaining menu.

Once served only for Easter, there’s no reason why lamb can’t be enjoyed all year long. Just as turkey has moved beyond Thanksgiving to become everyday fare, the same is true with lamb meat — it’s readily available for all seasons and easy to prepare, allowing for lamb kabobs, burgers, thinly sliced leg of lamb and chops to be a delicious addition to your grilling occasions.

Myths behind the meat “In my career as a cookbook author and cooking instructor, I have never seen a more misunderstood ingredient than lamb,” said Amy Riolo, award-winning author, chef, televi­sion personality and culinary educator. “While prized in most other places in the world, lamb remains a mystery to most Americans.”

If you haven’t tried lamb in a while, you may be surprised by this flavorful protein. While often confused for mutton, the tougher meat of older lamb, young lamb is tender. Others may shy away from this choice protein, believing it has a gamey taste. But modern lamb is raised differently than in the past, resulting in a sweeter, succulent taste.

Can lamb fit into a healthy diet? Sure! This richtasting meat contains, on average, 175 calories per 3-ounce serving. Lastly, people assume it’s expensive; but value cuts, such as the shoulder, leg and ground lamb can fit into any grocery budget.

A better-for-you selection Serve up lean lamb cuts — including the leg, loin and rack — for a protein- and nutrient-packed dish. In fact, on average, a 3-ounce serving delivers almost 50 percent of your daily protein needs and is a good source of iron. Also rich in zinc, selenium and vitamin B-12, a 3-ounce serving of lamb can provide nearly five times the amount of essential omega-3 fatty acids when compared to beef. Lamb is also raised without the addition of synthetic hormones.

Grill up goodness Chef Amy Riolo provides these tips for serving up the most scrumptious, savory lamb right from your own grill.

• In a hurry? Choose cubed leg of lamb for kabobs, rib chops or boneless butterflied leg of lamb — cuts which can be grilled in minutes.

• Aromatics are lamb’s best friends. Onions, garlic, spices and lemon juice enhance the natural sweet flavor in lamb.

• Grilling lamb with garlic, mint and olive oil is a great way to introduce lamb for first-timers. Cut slits into the lamb meat and insert pieces of garlic cloves, then rub with oil and dried mint.

• Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal tem­perature. Lamb will continue cooking after you pull it off the grill, so it’s best to remove it about 10 degrees lower than your target temperature.

• Lamb is best served medium rare (145°F) or medium (160°F). All ground lamb should be cooked to 160°F. For more lamb recipes and cooking tips, visit www.leanonlamb.com, www.pinterest.com/leanonlamb or on Twitter @leanonlamb.

KALE & POMEGRANATE SALAD WITH GRILLED LAMB Yield: 6 servings For marinade: 1 1/2 cup pomegranate juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 (4-pound) leg of lamb, deboned, butterflied and trimmed of visible fat For dressing: 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper For salad: 5 cups baby kale 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds or sliced red grapes 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted Combine marinade ingredients in large plastic zip top bag; add lamb and place in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

Remove lamb from marinade, pat dry and set on tray.

On gas grill, turn all burners to high, close lid and heat until hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grates clean and brush with oil. Grill lamb, fat side down, over medium-high heat 25 to 35 minutes total, turning half-way through cooking, depending on desired doneness, about 145°F for medium rare and 160°F for medium. Remove from grill and loosely cover with foil, let rest about 15 minutes and thinly slice. While resting, prepare salad.

In large bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Add kale, fennel, pomegran­ate seed or grapes and toss to coat. Arrange dressed salad on platter and top with sliced lamb, Gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 700, Calories from Fat: 410; Total Fat: 46g, 71%DV; Saturated Fat: 15g, 75%DV; Trans Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 165mg, 55%DV; Sodium: 520mg, 22%DV; Total Carbohydrate: 23g, 8%DV; Dietary Fiber: 4g, 16%DV; Sugars: 10g; Protein: 51g; Vitamin A: 170%; Vitamin C: 130%; Calcium: 15%; Iron: 35%

LAMB LOIN CHOPS WITH GREEN BEAN & POTATO SALAD Yield: 6 servings For salad: 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half 2 pounds small red new potatoes, larger potatoes cut in half For lamb: 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 1/2 pounds lamb loin chops (or 10 loin chops) In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, dill, chives, salt, pepper and cherry tomatoes; set aside.

In large saucepan bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and add to bowl with dressing. Add potatoes to already simmering water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to bowl. Toss to coat.

Combine garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in small bowl. Place lamb chops on large tray and rub garlic oil mixture all over lamb loin chops; set aside while grill heats.

On gas grill, turn all burners to high, close lid and heat until grates are hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grates clean. Grill lamb chops about 6 minutes per side or until cooked to 145°F for medium rare. Move to clean plate and let rest 5 minutes. Toss potato salad again and serve with lamb chops.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 660; Calories from Fat: 370; Total Fat: 41g, 63%DV; Saturated Fat: 13g, 65%DV; Trans Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 105mg, 35%DV; Sodium: 870mg, 36%DV; Total Carbohydrate: 36g, 12%DV; Dietary Fiber: 5g, 20%DV; Sugars: 3g; Protein: 34g; Vitamin A: 20%; Vitamin C: 90%; Calcium: 8%; Iron: 25%