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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
VOLUME 25 NO. 19
HAIL B-CU’S NEWEST WILDCAT Bethune-Cookman University’s Class of 2017 commencement ceremony will be long remembered.
Read related commentaries on Page A5. BY THE FLORIDA COURIER STAFF
DAYTONA BEACH – If Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) President Edison Jackson was attempting to build bridges between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the Trump administration by selecting Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to be the Class of 2017’s commencement speaker, his efforts may have blown up spectacularly. As the Florida Courier reported last week, confirmation of DeVos’ appearance quickly spiraled into a political battle that at-
Dr. Edison Jackson
Dr. Joe Petrock
tracted national media attention. What followed was a tension-filled graduation week, climaxed by a commencement ceremony for the ages.
Fast-moving events Since last week, Jackson has been castigated for favorably comparing DeVos to the school’s revered founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and casting op-
position to her appearance at B-CU as an issue of free speech on the university’s campus. His administration has been accused of threatening retaliation against students and faculty who disagreed with DeVos’ appearance. The allegation was taken so seriously by the Florida State Conference of NAACP Branches that the NAACP gathered a group of South Florida lawyers who volunteered to legally defend students and faculty against B-CU if necessary. The state organization also demanded that Jackson and Joe Petrock, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, both resign immediately. See B-CU, Page A2
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR. / HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos gamely plows through her commencement speech as Bethune-Cookman University’s anguished trustees and leadership team look on.
FLORIDA COURIER / OUT AND ABOUT
Presenting Earth, Wind & Fire
Blacks at risk Urban League says progress is fragile FROM THE TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and a Republican-dominated Congress have shifted power and priorities in Washington and brought a “dire risk” to Black economic and social progress, according to the National Urban League’s annual State of Black America report released last week. “A little more than three months since President Obama has left office, much of the economic and social progress we saw under his watch is under imminent Marc threat,” said NUL Morial President/CEO Marc Morial in a statement upon the release of the report. “Recovery from the Great Recession has been slow, but it has been real…. During the Obama era, the economy added 15 million new jobs, the Black unemployment rate dropped and the high school graduation rate for African-Americans soared. Now that progress, and much more, is threatened.” KIM GIBSON / FLORIDA COURIER
Florida Courier photojournalist Kim Gibson attended the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival held from April 27 and May 6, and had his camera with him as “the elements of the universe,” Earth, Wind & Fire took the stage there. Lead vocalist Philip Bailey celebrated his 66th birthday on May 8.
Specific threats The report, which has a 20-page executive summary and voluminous addenda and essays by numerous policy experts, outlines speSee RISK, Page A2
SNAPSHOTS WORLD | A3
Boko Haram releases 82 girls FLORIDA | A6
Trump administration seeking Haitians’ criminal history Canceled flights lead to chaos HEALTH | B3
Heart disease and NSAIDS HISTORY | B4
Marshall’s wife keeping his legacy alive
ALSO INSIDE
Scott urged to veto the education bill TALLAHASSEE – After lawmakers ignored their calls to vote down a sprawling education bill, opponents of the wide-ranging measure have turned to Gov. Rick Scott as their last hope to stop the proposal from becoming law. It is not clear when the bill (HB 7069), which covers everything from charter schools and teacher bonuses to school uniforms and sunscreen, will hit Scott’s desk. It could be weeks before the Legislature decides to forward the budget-related bill to the governor.
Immediate opposition But within hours of its passage Monday night through the Senate by the narrowest possible margin, 20-18, opponents were already beginning to urge Scott to use his veto pen on the measure. “Sold as a way to help struggling public schools, the money was earmarked as incentives to lure out-of-state private charter companies with no evidence required of turnaround success,” Senate Minority Leader Perry E. Thurston, Jr. wrote in an op-ed. Perry E. “It doesn’t require Thurston, Jr. the charters to service the schools they take over, and allows them to hire non-certified teachers. A provision that would
have banned owners and others from personal financial enrichment was conveniently stripped from the measure.”
Back-room deal In addition to complaints about individual policy issues in the bill, critics have seized on the fact that the measure – which includes pieces of roughly a dozen separate bills considered during the legislative session – emerged from budget negotiations Friday afternoon. “Where’s the government transparency that the leadership promised this session?” Florida Education Association President Joanne McCall asked in a statement issued by the union demanding a veto. “Floridians expect a fair process, not backroom deal-making.”
COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: GLEN FORD: TRUMP, DEVOS DON’T CARE THAT VOUCHERS HURT STUDENTS | A5
See BILL, Page A2
FOCUS
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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
It’s getting hot in here It’s getting hot in here and I’m not talking about the Nelly rap song. When I write “in here” in this column, I’m talking about in the mean old world we live in. It’s spring 2017, and not even summer yet. But temperatures are rising and tempers are rising! It’s hot in England. It’s hot in France. It’s hot in Germany. It’s hot in Canada. And no other country that I know is beginning to feel the heat like it is felt in the United States! You see, the devil in hell will never be cool. And it seems like the devils where you are may be the same way. The devils on earth really love a good fire. Some people won’t dream about cooking on an electric stove because they want to see flames when they boil their pork salad or warm up their possum stew. To some people, a luxury home is not a luxury home if it doesn’t have a “hot” tub and a fire pit in the backyard.
Think about it Some people love a good campfire where they can sit around and
LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT
reminisce about the good old days of slavery, or a bonfire where they can burn images of school mascots and images of all the people of the world that they dislike, demean and hate with a passion! Some people even like it and think it is beautiful when lightning sparks a fire in the forests and woodlands that burns for days and destroys the homes and habitats of innocent, harmless animals! And who wears a sheet and a pointed hat that doesn’t absolutely love a burning cross fire?
Don’t like this There is one kind of fire that fire lovers despise and do not like at all. They holler, scream and curse at the top of their lungs when their warehouses go up in flames, when their offices catch on fire
and when retail stores, shops and malls are set on fire and the flames light up the sky! No, they don’t ever like riot fires! And that last type of fire is exactly what’s going to happen if they keep treating Black, Brown, and other people of color badly and with devilish intentions! One day, enough will become enough! Exploited, oppressed, colonized, abused, rejected, scorned and victimized people will respond with a book of matches and a little bit of gasoline or some other accelerant.
Tired of it Black people, Hispanics, Native Americans and others with melanin in their skin are tired of getting falsely accused, over-prosecuted, fired from their jobs, profiled by law enforcement, beaten, tasered, choked and shot down in broad daylight just because they are Black or have a skin color that is not White! I know you don’t like for me to write like this, but it’s true. The moment when Donald Trump was elected United States president; and when racists, fascists and believers in White nationalism and White supremacy begin winning elections in Ameri-
RISK from A1
TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
National Urban League CEO Mark Morial issued the organization’s annual State of Black America report last week.
B-CU from A1
Disputed petition An online petition against DeVos’ speech started by Class of 2010 alumnus Dominik Whitehead garnered more than 60,000 signatures – a number the university disputes. “Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s legacy means so much to this community, the education community, African-Americans and all people,” Whitehead said while leading a protest and march on Tuesday. “I am public school-educated. She (DeVos) stands for charter schools. Many of the students at B-CU attended public schools before B-CU. What DeVos and her family have done as far as dismantling public education across the country…the vision of Dr. Bethune and Secretary DeVos are two total separate visions.”
Proud to protest Graduating senior Jasmine Johnson was proud to protest with Whitehead on Tuesday and on Wednesday, graduation day. “Yes, I protested both days. I want my voice to be heard,” she said. The school also has taken a beatdown on social media and has generated mostly negative coverage in national news outlets, including USA Today, Politico, HBCU Digest, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, BET, the Grio, and Huff Post, among others. Johnson and Whitehead also voiced their opinions on the NAACP’s calls for resignations. “I love the NAACP letter. I don’t think they have the power to have them resign or be fined. There were a lot of students who actually thought the president did resign. I definitely would support
Dr. Petrock resigning, but I think that Dr. Jackson has been doing a great job up until this decision,” Johnson remarked.
Questions to answer Whitehead replied, “I think the NAACP is looking for some transparency and accountability. That is the route that they are. I want to take the route of questions being answered. Students and their families deserve to have questions answered. “I won’t say that Dr. Jackson and Dr. Petrock should resign. I do say they must answer questions and be held accountable. The university has yet to answer the voices, phone calls, emails and petitions on why this is happening.”
Jackson responds Initially, Jackson issued a bland statement in response to the NAACP demand. He then followed up with a more pointed response co-written with Petrock as a commentary in the Daytona Beach News-Journal daily newspaper. After praising the NAACP and taking credit for a list of accomplishments at B-CU under their leadership, Jackson and Petrock dismiss the criticism. “…(W)e find it disheartening that the NAACP is calling for our immediate resignations,” Jackson and Petrock wrote. “With much respect for the valuable work that the NAACP does, we must humbly share that the Board of Trustees of Bethune-Cookman University is the only entity that can make decisions regarding our tenures. The board has fully endorsed our leadership, and we look forward to serving faithfully and fully into the future. “…(Far from what has been falsely claimed by the NAACP, Bethune-Cookman University has not threatened its faculty, staff or students.” They also went on to say that the reason for inviting DeVos was
cific issues where NUL studies have found threats of imminent rollbacks. Among them: • “The federal budget currently under consideration would slash the budget of the Departments of Health, Education, Housing, and Labor – a blueprint for a sick, uneducated, homeless and unemployed America. Suggested double-digit cuts, or the outright elimination of funding for vital programs and services, would devastate already vulnerable citizens and working families.” • “During his confirmation hearing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions surprisingly expressed his doubt – and disregard – for consent decrees secured by the Obama Justice Department in cities where policing patterns revealed ingrained racial bias, systemic civil rights violations and the regular use of excessive force… Sessions…(is) signaling a retreat on common sense police reform that endorses constitutional policing in all our communities. We believe he must continue to enforce these vital consent decrees.” • “…(T)he social cancer of hate continues to metastasize, thriving in a climate conducive to hos-
to “advance an agenda for all of the nation’s 105 HBCUs.” “It confounds each of us as to why certain members of the community appear disinterested in advancing the cause of HBCUs, but very interested in promoting dissention and issues that further divide our community,” they wrote. The commentary ends with another list of their accomplishments while at the university.
It didn’t take long At Wednesday’s commencement ceremony, things got ugly quickly. More than 200 protesters set up a raucous picket line at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center, the site of the commencement ceremony. Omarosa Manigault, one of Donald Trump’s top White House staffers, was booed during the introduction of dignitaries. Audience members booed DeVos as an honorary degree was bestowed upon her. There was a song, then she spoke and was booed unmercifully through most of her 20-minute speech as approximately half of B-CU’s 2017 graduates stood and turned their backs to her. Not long after she began speaking, Jackson interrupted her and stated that people who were being disruptive, including graduates, could leave. At least one member of the graduating class was escorted out. Jackson warned that if the behavior continued, the students could leave and their degrees would be mailed to them. “Choose which way you want to go,’’ he said. He urged graduates to be seated. They ignored him and continued to stand throughout DeVos’ address.
‘Hear each other’ At one point during her speech, DeVos said, “…And while we will undoubtedly disagree at times, I
ca, in England and began running for office in countries like France and Germany; the people with devilish intentions in your city, in your town, in your neighborhood and around the world began to get bolder! Don’t take my word for it. You heard the pickup trucks honk their horn at you at the intersection while drivers are giving you the finger. You’ve seen the social media posts that talked about your children, your culture, your music or your religion that were totally ignorant and made you sick to your stomach. Obama lovers, more than anybody else, can’t go a day without hearing a non-Black person criticize, accuse or blame America’s only Black president for one thing or another.
Coming out Yes, the “grand dragon” supervisor on your job has come out of his cave to chastise you in your workplace. The Ku Klux Klansmen in your neighborhood don’t hesitate to knock over your mailbox or drive their trucks across your freshly-mowed lawn. And the skin heads and neoNazis at your school are quick to hang nooses on a tree or spread
tility towards religious and racial minorities, permeating even at the highest levels of national discourse and threatening to further crack our fractured nation…. Incendiary language about immigrants, Muslims, women and people of color has translated into discriminatory public policy, including an immigration ban that gives preference to one religion over another; baseless accusations of voter fraud…and efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in parts, or as a whole, that would have the inevitable outcome of disproportionately burdening communities of color.”
Trailing, dropping Also included in the report are the annual “Equality Indexes” which compare the economic status between Blacks and Whites. Even the area with the best Black-White income equality revealed Black America woefully trailing and even dropping. The detailed report states that the highest median household income for both Blacks ($68,054) and Whites ($112,177) was in Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria, Va. areas. The lowest median Black household income ($23,693) was in Toledo, Ohio. It notes, “Even though Toledo had one of the lowest median White household incomes in the country, the White household
hope we can do so respectfully. Let’s choose to hear each other out.” The audience booed and tried to drown her out. She was cheered only when she mentioned three students by name, and described their “incredible personal hardships to reach this day.” Her speech devoted significant time to the story of Dr. Bethune. Her final piece of advice, “a call to grace,” included a quote from the New Testament.
Issues statement On Wednesday evening, DeVos issued a press statement. “One of the hallmarks of higher education, and of democracy, is the ability to converse with and learn from those with whom we disagree,” it read. “I have respect for all those who attended, including those who demonstrated their disagreement with me. While we may share differing points of view, my visit and dialogue with students leaves me encouraged and committed to supporting HBCUs. “B-CU’s class of 2017 has many remarkable students, and their strength and leadership make me optimistic for America’s future.”
‘Trumpian reply’ Education historian Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s graduate school of education, told the Los Angeles Times the protests didn’t help the students get their points of view across. “This is a Trumpian reply to Trump’s secretary of education,” he said in a statement. “As president, he has flouted norms of civic exchange and democracy at every turn. Now his enemies are imitating him.”
Andreas Butler of the Daytona Times and Joy Resmovits of the Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.
hate leaflets across campus without fear of discipline, because they know school administrators support their activities 100 percent! How long will people of color sit back before they clap back? Not too long, because we have a new generation of young people of color that don’t like what’s going on and are not as timid, not as afraid and not as scared as their frightened and reactionary parents.
Things can improve It doesn’t have to be a long hot summer in America and in other parts of the world. All people must do is respect each other, give everybody equal rights and justice, and realize that the color of a man’s or woman’s skin has no more significance than the color of their eyes! If you don’t, one day soon there will be fires that world doesn’t want! No one should want it to get too hot in their city, county or country!
Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing,” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www. allworldconsultants.net.
income in Toledo was still more than double the Black household income.”
List of solutions As a remedy to some of the direst problems, the SOBA presented “The Main Street Marshall Plan: From Poverty to Prosperity,” described as “a sweeping proposal for economic and social revitalization of America’s cities and struggling neighborhoods.”
The plan calls for: • National investment of $4 trillion over the next 10 years: $2 trillion for physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges and buildings and $2 trillion for human development, such as education, job training and health insurance. • A comprehensive infrastructure initiative, with inner cities being the major beneficiary, including a strong jobs-building component that guarantees minority business participation and employment for workers in highunemployment neighborhoods. Other highlights include universal pre-K education; a $15 minimum wage with increases indexed to inflation; reforms to financial and educational institutions and programs; criminal justice and police reform; and expansion and protection of voting rights.
BILL from A1
Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat who also serves as CEO of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, said Monday night it was too early to say what position his group would take. But around the same time, some school superintendents were already calling for a veto. The bill could prove to be an inviting target for Scott. It was pushed by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who fought Scott over economic development incentives and tourism marketing.
Popular items But there are also politically popular parts of the bill that could make it difficult for Scott to veto, particularly as he weighs a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2018. The most notable parts of the legislation were a proposal known as “schools of hope,” which would encourage charter schools to locate near academically struggling public schools, and an expansion of the “Best and Brightest” teacher bonus program. It also moves to limit standardized testing of students in an attempt to answer widespread complaints about the practice and would allow districts to ignore a state formula based on those tests when doing teacher evaluations.
Brandon Larrabee of The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017 This Boko Haram video shows girls who were seized from their school in northern Nigeria in 2014.
WORLD
A3
Boko Haram frees 82 kidnapped schoolgirls GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORK
Boko Haram militants who used kidnappings, bombings and the torching of whole villages during an
eight-year insurgency in northern Nigeria last week released 82 of nearly 300 schoolgirls taken in a brazen late-night raid at a government secondary school in April 2014.
The girls were released in exchange for six Boko Haram fighters held by authorities, according to one report. After a stop at a military base in Banki near the border with Cameroon,
the girls were flown to the capital Abuja for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
113 still missing The handover took place early Sunday, May 7, ending negotiations of several months in which the government of Switzerland and the International Red Cross were involved. Parents of the missing girls carefully scanned an unofficial list with names and photos to see if their child was among those freed. Many of the girls from the school in Chibok, state of Borno, were Christian but were later photographed in Muslim dress by the militants. Of the 276 girls kidnapped in April 2014, 113 are still missing. Reports of the disappearance of young girl students sparked international outrage and a massive social media campaign led by Nigerians in which former First Lady Michele Obama took part, tweeting a picture of herself holding a placard which read #BringBackOurGirls.
Second release
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This was the second release of schoolgirls since the electoral defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan, scored for his failure to lead an immediate and thorough search for the students, many of whom were forced to take militants as husbands and bear their children. While the kidnapping of schoolgirls gained notoriety worldwide, the actual number of kidnappings by Boko Haram in Nigeria is estimated at 30,000 with some young people used as suicide bombers.
Link to president Observers and local media link the release of the girls to the president’s almost immediate departure for the UK where he recently spent almost two months receiving unspecified medical treatment. Little is known about his ailment and officials deny that the president is ill although he appeared to be gaunt and unwell. Rejoining their communities will not be easy for the girls after the trauma of abuse by their captors, inadequate food, shelter and medical attention. Some have even been rejected as collaborators with the militants by their villages.
Mexico second to Syria in global armed conflicts TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
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LONDON – The battle between criminal gangs and Mexican government forces made the country second only to Syria for deaths in armed conflict last year, a London-based think tank has reported. Some 23,000 people died in 2016 in Mexico’s fight with criminal cartels, while some 50,000 people died in the conflict in Syria, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in an annual “armed conflict survey.” But unlike the conflict in Syria, Mexico’s fight against organized crime received “scant attention” from international media, said the report, which recorded 157,000 deaths in conflict last year, down from 167,000 in 2015. “The death toll in Mexico’s conflict surpasses those for Afghanistan and Somalia,” said John Chipman, the institute’s director general. “This is all the more surprising, considering that the conflict deaths are nearly all attributable to small arms,” Chipman said. “Mexico is a conflict marked by the absence of artillery, tanks or combat aviation.” Syria and Mexico are followed by Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, South Sudan and Nigeria.
EDITORIAL
A4
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
Advisers treating Trump like that crazy uncle Since Day One of his presidency, we’ve been treated to the spectacle of Donald Trump blurting out outrageous and erroneous statements of policy only to have one or another of his advisers correct him. This was the case, for example, when he said he would kick out NATO members who “can’t pay their bills”; rip up the nuclear deal with Iran; name China a currency manipulator; abolish the ExportImport bank; get Mexico to pay for his border wall; and defund Planned Parenthood.
Made him flip In each case, his advisers prevailed upon him to flip-flop in favor of the more sensible policy. Incidentally, Trump had pundits across the political spectrum in a state of utter bewilderment this month after he declared that he would be “honored” to meet with North Korea’s menacing dictator, Kim Jong-un. But I have maintained for years that any president who meets with the repressive leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey cannot stand off on principle when it comes to meeting with the repressive leaders of other countries.
Why not meet? Indeed, propagating the notion that US presidents only meet with leaders who have committed no human-rights abuses is as patently disingenuous as propagating the notion that the Olympics only permit athletes who have never taken steroids to compete.
ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST
This is why I took exception when these same intellectually dishonest pundits excoriated Barack Obama for declaring his willingness to meet with the repressive leader of Iran. Mind you, Obama wasn’t so stupid as to say he would be honored to do so. But stupid is as Trump does. (Just call him Forest Drumpf!)
‘Dictator envy’ Then, of course, there’s the way Trump has his surrogates continually scrambling to clarify the stunningly stupid and often reckless things he says. This is especially the case with remarks that betray what I call his dictator envy. It refers to his untenable fondness for dictators, despots and demigods – like Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the aforementioned North Korean President Kim Jong-un, respectively.
Only dollars matter I have unbridled contempt for TV commentators who are “making bank” by spinning into specious points the outrageous and erroneous things Trump says. Frankly, they are nothing more than political hired guns who
Obama getting paid is really a payoff Barack Obama will be paid $400,000 to speak to a group of finance capitalists. The only thing shocking about the announcement was the reaction from his horrified worshippers. The Obama campaign marketing team should be proud that their salesmanship is so long-lived. There were millions of people under the illusion that Obama would represent their interests. He didn’t, of course, and for one very simple reason: he wasn’t hired to work for them. The ruling classes, the One Percenters, the Lords of Capital – call them what you will – make the hiring decisions and keep giving out bonuses to the men who do their dirty work.
It makes sense Of course Obama is getting paid. Wall Street and the banks got their bailouts, and then some. They weren’t prosecuted for their crimes which led to loss of jobs and homes. Obama kept giving and they kept taking, and now it is payback time.
MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT
Obama is just the latest president to get his unjust reward. The speech at a Cantor Fitzgerald event typifies what former presidents do. So do former prime ministers and presidents of other countries. The capitalists move their capital around the world driving cities into bankruptcy (Detroit) or even nations (Greece) without fear of any hindrance. In return, the compliant politicians are well cared for. Cantor Fitzgerald describes itself as a “capital markets investment bank.” Its chairman and chief executive supported Jeb Bush in the 2016 Republican campaign and John McCain in 2008. The payout to Obama proves that the big-money people ultimately can live with Republicans or Democrats. Why shouldn’t they?
Why the constant criticism of ex-presidents? Dear Editor, I am a White male with an AfricanAmerican partner, and neither of us can fathom your editorial page contributors’ seemingly unending criticism of all things Obama or Clinton. It seems that every issue of the paper contains a new negative critique. Perhaps African-Americans in this country will fare better under the Trump administration? I read in your current issue that the new administration is cancelling the Obama imposed ban on fatty high salt foods in the school diet for the nation’s children. Of course, I am sure you must be aware that African-American people
couldn’t care less about the truth and consequences of their spin. Of course, if the producers of cable news had any concern for the integrity of public debate, they wouldn’t put these commentators on air to shoot their crap. Unfortunately, the zeitgeist today – in which the superficial and mercenary trends of social media predominate – is such that crap sells. This explains why Trump is president of the United States, after all. More to the point, everyone in politics seems interested only in making bank. This explains why only a handful of politicians seem bothered that Trump is turning nepotism into a virtue and the White House into a clearinghouse for his family businesses.
Checks and balances work Last week, I hailed his “First 100 Days” as “mainly the feat of an idiot, full of lies and hypocrisy, accomplishing nothing.” Now, many commentators are suddenly parroting the crazy-uncle allusion. Beyond this, the world should thank God for the constitutional checks and balances that limit the damage a crazy president like Trump can do. But, to be fair, it bears stressing that he was sensible enough to appoint smart advisers to correct his congenital blunders.
Jackson as hero As it happens, though, he had his beleaguered surrogates They get what they want, no matter who is in power.
Shallow defense Barack and Michelle Obama recently signed a $65 million book deal; some people are asking why that isn’t enough. That is a good and legitimate question, but as is always the case with Obama, the naysayers are shouted down as haters or racists. “White presidents get paid; the first Black president should get paid, too.” So goes the shallow and pathetic defense. “Grow up. Be realistic. Don’t be naïve.” If those words were a call for true understanding of how the world works, they might be worthwhile. Instead they are used to defend the indefensible – the fact that the people have no say in their sham political system.
An ‘errand boy’ The critics who clutch their pearls need to wake up. Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign was a thing of marketing beauty – that is to say, it was full of lies. All the talk of “movement politics” was a joke. Obama was and is the latest errand boy for big money, but he was hyped as a change agent working for our benefit.
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: THE US HOUSE PASSES ‘TRUMPCARE’
DAVE GRANLUND, POLITICALCARTOONS.COM
scrambling again yesterday. This, after he claimed that the Civil War would have been averted if only, instead of the “Great Emancipator” Abraham Lincoln, the “tough,” slave-holding, Indiankilling Andrew Jackson were president. As I wrote in 2015, “It’s fairer to honor Tubman by dishonoring Andrew Jackson, whose face now graces the $20 bill. …Jackson owned slaves. He also nearly wiped out Native Americans in the Southeastern United States, highlighted by forcing thousands of Cherokees on the ‘Trail of Tears’ – which makes the Bataan Death March look like a Sunday stroll – as the White man’s solution to their “Indian problem.” Trump has made quite a show of hailing Jackson as his historical mentor, much as Obama hailed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as his. Except that Trump appears to have nothing more than soundThe paychecks from book deals and speeches aren’t the only ways that ex-presidents make a fast buck. Bill Clinton’s “foundation” was an influence-peddling slush fund which made him very wealthy. Obama is subtler and probably won’t do anything so obvious. He’ll get big money for his presidential libraries and anything else he desires. But he’ll also be very serious about helping the Lords of Capital. That is why he has returned to public life as propagandist in chief, lecturing us about the evils of fake news. He must keep rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic that is capitalism and tell us to believe him and not our lying eyes. This pattern exists all over the world. Former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair has also enriched himself after leaving office. His current task is trying to undo Brexit and the inconvenience it is causing the One Percenters.
Something to discuss It is good thing IS that Obama was so obvious in genuflecting to the people who make everyone else’s life miserable. He may have provided an opportunity to change the level of discourse. The fact that his defenders so
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Anthony L. Hall is a Bahamian native with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com. casually shrug their shoulders and defend kleptocracy ought to be debated. The notion that elected leaders of a supposed democracy should so openly be on the take must be strongly disputed. The question should not be whether Obama ought to take money from his bosses. The question is why they are his bosses at all.
Not the last Obama will not be the last commodified candidate used to get popular support for a rotten system. There are more Obamas in our future. They will help the rich get richer, while sleight of hand gives the appearance of working for the needs of the people. That wouldn’t happen if those claiming to be in a state of resistance really meant it. But bringing down the house of finance capital is not a task for the faint of heart, or for those confused about how their country and the world really work.
Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@BlackAgendaReport.com.
Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 298
LETTER TO THE EDITOR seem to account for a great deal of the ill effects on one’s health of this style diet. Perhaps the critics of past administrations welcome this departure from established dietary wisdom? It’s very disconcerting to witness unceasing criticism of past presidents, while the current one seems hell-bent on furthering the White supremacist agenda and those contributing to your editorial page seem oblivious to the extreme danger posed by the agenda of the Trump administration. Is the Florida Courier fiddling while Rome burns? It’s beginning to seem than way to me. A Disappointed Reader
B-CU – So now the reason B-CU’s prez, Edison Jackson, and his ace boon, Joe Petrock, invited Betsy DeVos was to “advance an agenda” for all HBCUs. Really? Who designated them as HBCU “lobbyists?” Did any other HBCU presidents attend B-CU’s commencement? When and where was a meeting set up between HBCU leadership and DeVos while she was in Central Florida? Were representatives from the UNCF or the Thurgood Marshall Fund in Daytona? My thoughts are of the
QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER
CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER
institution (whose good name has been needlessly sullied) and the graduates (who Jackson and Petrock must now convert into generous alumni who will provide lifetime support to B-CU. Good luck with all that, fellas).
Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
bite interest in Jackson, which is the kind of interest he shows in most things. Just browsing the very entertaining Jackson biography, “American Lion (2008),” would have disabused him of such glaring ignorance. Especially given that it was written by Jon Meacham, one of the TV pundits Trump treats like political tutors. Going forward, resigned indignation with these dynamics of his presidency would spare us venting pointless outrage every time Trump acts like that crazy uncle –the one who is always speaking with absolute authority and complete conviction on things he knows nothing about.
Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager
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And in the process of single-handedly “advancing the HBCU agenda,” you made yourselves look clueless and out of touch, and your students be perceived as close-minded and reactionary. So what do B-CU, Jackson, Petrock, or all three get in exchange for the photo op of DeVos speaking at a podium with the B-CU seal? A big check? A large government grant? A future presidential pardon?
Me? ccherry2@gmail. com.
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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
Former B-CU student leadership oppose DeVos speech Editor’s note – This is the text of an open letter submitted to B-CU President Edison O. Jackson. We, alumni and former leaders of the Student Government Association, publicly denounce the decision to invite Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to deliver Bethune-Cookman University’s 2017 Spring Commencement address. The Secretary’s dismissal of the history and present day importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and her support of policies that do not serve the best interest of our institution, disqualify her as a speaker on this momentous day. Additionally, commencement is not an occasion for academic or social discourse. Students will have no opportunity to engage the Secretary or her staff in meaningful discussion. This choice has, instead, invited a one-sided platform for the Secretary and drawn a media circus and ridicule for our beloved university.
‘Protest openly’ Our esteemed founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, once said, “If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves. We should, therefore, protest openly everything...that smacks of discrimination or slander.” Earlier this year, Secretary DeVos released a statement glossing over the history of HBCUs. When speaking, Secretary DeVos declared, “HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice. They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality.” This statement was ill-advised, patronizing, and offensive.
History trivialized HBCUs were founded when African-Americans were denied access to higher education because of a race-based system of oppression. Our institutions were created out of resistance and necessity. Trivializing that history is unacceptable. We are aware that Secretary DeVos “clarified” her statement in a subsequent speech. However, we reject that to be
sure to different views, or discover mutual interests. In fact, this venue prevents the Secretary from ever having to answer questions GUEST COMMENTARY from or hear the voices of a constituency group that will depart to serve the very children and communities impacted by her education policies. merely a failed attempt to avoid further humiliation. Negative publicity It is disheartening that our alFurther, from the moment that ma mater has chosen to invite a speaker who supports policies B-CU announced Secretary Dethat serve to harm, not help, B- Vos as the speaker for the upcomCU. Secretary DeVos supports a ing commencement, there has proposed federal Department of been an onslaught of negative Education budget that would cut media coverage. Given her lack funding by 13.5 percent and roll of familiarity with the history of HBCUs and her views on policies back spending to 2008 levels. The budget gives a $1.4 billion that would actually bolster our inboost to charter school funding, stitutions, coverage has been less while cutting $3.9 billion from than forgiving. The acrimony that has risen bethe Pell Grant program. This is particularly disturbing when one tween those that support and opconsiders that 90 percent of the pose her invitation only serves to students who enroll at B-CU do so divert focus from the graduates from public schools, and 85 per- and their accomplishments. This cent of the students enrolled re- will undoubtedly be fueled by the media and carry over to Graduaceive Pell grants. tion Day. We remember our own graduations with reverence and Irrelevant example affection. The Class of 2017 deIn a May 1, 2017 letter explain- serves an experience that is free ing the decision to extend an in- from negative media scrutiny and vitation to Secretary DeVos, Pres- controversy. ident Edison Jackson referenced While we have voiced our disthe University of Chicago’s 1932 pleasure with the selection of lecture invitation to a controver- the 2017 Spring Commencement sial speaker. Dr. Jackson stated speaker, we want to be clear that that then-University of Chica- we unequivocally and wholego President supported the invi- heartedly support our beloved altation by asserting, “the cure for ma mater. Our criticism and pasideas that we may oppose lies sionate opposition comes from a through open discussion rather place of love and deep concern than through inhibition....” about the decisions made by the This University of Chicago ex- University’s leadership. Neverample is irrelevant. During com- theless, we remain committed to mencement, there will be no the institution and our charge to open discussion. Secretary De- protect dear B-CU. Vos has been invited to deliver a monologue, not to engage in dialogue. There will be no sharing We must speak Commencement at Bethuneof ideas; rather, the Secretary has been given a one-sided opportu- Cookman is a joyous, momentous, and sacred occasion for nity to speak. Dr. Jackson also asserts that it is our graduates, their families, and not beneficial to suppress voices friends. The integrity of Dr. Betthat we oppose. We agree. Having hune’s legacy and our own comSecretary DeVos appear before mitment to serve compels us to the student body in a town hall speak out. We cannot support any action meeting or other open discussion forum would have served them that will overshadow their day. We implore B-CU to rescind its far more effectively. A commencement speech of- invitation to Secretary DeVos – fers no opportunity to engage in perhaps choosing to invite her for meaningful dialogue, gain expo- more purposeful discourse at a
Trump, DeVos don’t care that vouchers hurt students The nation’s only federally funded private school voucher program, foisted on the overwhelming Black student population of Washington, D.C., by the George Bush administration in 2004, inflicts negative effects on student achievement levels, according to a new study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. Low-income students who were selected by lottery to receive the taxpayer-funded “scholarships” performed 7.3 percent worse on math and 4.9 percent lower in reading than students from similar backgrounds who remained in public schools because they did not make the lottery pick.
GLEN FORD BLACK AGENDA REPORT
capital through “quality education.” (When Williams declared that Washington could easily accommodate 200,000 new residents, everyone knew he wasn’t talking about additional Black people. By the 2010 Census, D.C. had lost its Black majority.) In 2004, Williams endorsed the Republican plan to impose an “experimental” five-year private school vouchers program on Washington, using Congress’s unique powers over the District to make it the only federally-funded vouchers scheme in the nation. “We had never had a locally elected Black official, a Democrat from a city like D.C., asking for something like this before,” said Shokraii Rees, an operative for George Bush’s Department of Education. “That’s the single strongest factor that got people’s attention.”
cued from rejection by the Senate by only one vote, will have an additional $250 million to fund private school voucher programs in Washington and, she hopes, the 13 states that currently finance their own voucher schemes. Trump proposes an overall increase of $1.4 billion for school voucher and charter programs, with the goal of ramping it up to $20 billion – while immediately cutting the total federal edu- Blacks in opposition Safety first Most of the nation’s Black DemParents of voucher kids seemed cation budget by $9 billion, or 13 ocrats opposed vouchers, as did oblivious to their children’s rela- percent. large majorities of the Black ranktive underachievement, but beand-file, because of the scheme’s lieved the private schools they at- ‘Experimental’ program Neither facts nor democra- roots in Jim Crow-era White “segtended were “very safe, compared with the parents of students not cy have been allowed to stand in regation academies.” Never in history have Black selected for the scholarship offer” the way of the school privatizers. – confirming ample anecdotal ev- Polls showed 85 percent of Black Americans marched, rallied or idence that safety concerns are residents and three-quarters of petitioned for private school at the root of much pro “school D.C. voters of all ethnicities op- vouchers. Therefore, the corpochoice” sentiment in the Black posed vouchers in late 2002, as rate privatizers had to create a did most local elected officials. Black pro-voucher “movement” community. If President Trump’s budget The exception was Mayor Antho- out of thin air – or rather, through had passed, Secretary of Educa- ny Williams, whose avowed mis- the political “astroturfing” power tion Betsy DeVos, the billionaire sion was to draw more “middle- of their checkbooks. school privatizer who was res- class” residents to the nation’s In 1999, some of the most right-
DeVos just made life harder for student borrowers By disregarding the needs of 40 million debt-laden student loan borrowers who collectively owe more than $1.2 trillion, it seems one of the US Department of Education’s top priorities is to respond to concerns of student loan servicers hired and paid with taxpayer dollars. Where is a Betsy DeVos plan to address these growing concerns? In 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) re-
CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER
ceived 12,300 student loan complaints. The vast majority – 67 percent – concerned either their lender or their servicer. Another
EDITORIAL
A5
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: B-CU COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER BETSY DEVOS
DARYL CAGLE, CAGLECARTOONS.COM
later date. Respectfully, Former leaders of the Student Government Association Kellie Adesina, President, 2002–2003 Adrienne M. B. Davis, President 2001–2002 Jeff Branch, Vice President, 2003–2005 Darnel Butler, Vice President, 2001–2002 Sharlee B. Peabody, President, 2006–2007 Jared M. Yancey, President, 2004–2005 Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant, Vice President, 2000–2001 Andrew J.W. Knowles, President, 2007–2008 Camille D. Burge, PhD, Vice President, 2007–2008 Asia McCoy, Student Representative to the Board of Trustees, 1999–2000 Jason Logan, President, 1998– 1999 Corey J. Bartley, MBA, Executive Treasurer, 2000–2002 Ryanna Hooks, Senior Class President, 2002–2003 Reverend Charles E. Williams, Vice President, 1998–1999 Brian Barker, Junior Class President, 2000–2001 Jasmine Carnell, Miss BethuneCookman University, 2007–2008 Nnenna Muoghalu, Treasurer, 2007–2008 Keone Thomas, Councilperson at Large, 2007–2008 Tiffany Marshall, Vice President, 2008–2009 Dr. Jessica (Brereton) Peterkin,
Miss Bethune-Cookman University, 2009–2010 Chandra Fleet, President, 2009– 2010 Walter Servance, Secretary of Inventory, 2008–2009 Morgan Blount, Women’s Senate President, 2009–2010 Ebony Minter, President, 2011– 2012 Courtney Bennett, President, 2005–2006 James William Robinson, Senior Class President, 2005–2006 Adia Brown, Executive Treasurer, 2003–2004 Chekinaa Turner, Executive Secretary, 2011–2012 Tavious J. Peterkin, Chaplain, 2007–2009 Shenique Gilbert, Secretary of Organizations, 2004–2005 Ricardo P. Deveaux, President, 1989–1990 T. Eileen Martin-Robinson, President, 1981–1982 Thometta J. Cozart, Secretary of Public Relations, 2002–2003 Kelli Fuller, Sophomore Class President, 2000–2001 Camilla Peterson-Jenkins, Vice President, 2005–2006 Carla Bell, Executive Secretary, 2001–2002 Rasa (Aaron) Drane, Miss Bethune-Cookman College, 2004– 2005 Ensa Huger, Freshman Class Vice President, 2004–2005 April Wilson, Miss Freshman, 2004–2005 Tim Anderson, Secretary of Community Affairs, 2004–2005
wing foundations and fat cats in the nation spent millions to found the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), which then tapped into additional millions in direct federal funding once George Bush won the presidency. Among the BAEO’s founders was the first-term Newark, N.J. City Councilman Cory Booker, a true believer in privatized education who helped operate two private schools and evangelized about forming a national movement to spread the “choice” gospel.
ble for boosting charters to onethird of total school enrollment. Charters now account for 44 percent of Washington, D.C. public school enrollment, while voucher schools serve only a small fraction of the city’s students.
Worked with DeVos
Helped by Obama Corporate America, the real force behind school privatization, found its education champion in Barack Obama, whose “Race to the Top” program coerced states across the nation to create a “market” for charter schools, which tap directly into the public-school funding money-stream. A true troglodyte from the “segregation academy” school of politics, Donald Trump wants to throw billions of dollars at private voucher schools. He and DeVos will doubtless do a lot of damage with their voucher schemes, but the main thrust of privatization will continue to be the methodical construction of an alternative – and, in much of Black America, dominant – charter school system that is accountable only to its managers and corporate service providers. Voucher schools are smallscale privatization. Charters are the corporate Mother Lode.
While rising steadily in Black Democratic politics, Booker was also a star in the right-wing corporate political firmament, serving for ten years with the American Federation for Children, a leading school voucher and charter advocacy outfit founded by Betsy DeVos, and chaired by her until last year. Booker joined all of the Senate’s Democrats in voting against DeVos’ confirmation, claiming he had problems with her positions on school safety issues. It is surely true that Booker’s efforts to distance himself from his private school voucher roots have a lot do with his presidential ambitions. But, much more importantly, vouchers have long been eclipsed by charters as the most effective Glen Ford is executive editor means of wholesale privatization of BlackAgendaReport.com. Eof public education. As two-term mayor of New- mail him at Glen.Ford@Blackark, Booker was largely responsi- AgendaReport.com.
30 percent focused on fees, bill- need to begin paying their stuing, credit reporting, defaults and dent loans.” In everyday language, fraud. that sounds a lot like, ‘You don’t pay me enough to do this job.’ Secretary DeVos subsequently Want more money Despite minimal standards of rolled back important guidance accountability, on April 4, the Na- on student loan servicing. The tional Council of Higher Educa- now-retracted guidance provided tion Resources (NCHER), which borrowers access to accurate inrepresents student loan servicers, formation and consistent service; wrote the chairs and ranking used regular audits of records members of the House Appropri- and complaints in compliance ations Committee and its Educa- reviews; and connected servicer compensation to measurable action subcommittee. In part, the letter said that, “the tions such as payment processing amount that is paid to servicers time and errors. CFPB is the consumer’s federis not sufficient to cover the currently requested services or the al cop-on-the-beat. That agency expected services that borrowers is also facing challenges as Presi-
dent Trump has publicly vowed a regulatory rollback in general and a haircut specifically for the CFPB. As some have maintained in public policy debates, regulation has gotten in the way of private enterprise. The American people shouldn’t be shortchanged for the sake of private entities looking for more lucrative contracts. That’s something the Education secretary needs to learn.
Charlene Crowell is the deputy communications director at the Center for Responsible Lending.
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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017 is time for him to show it.” Steven Forester, the immigration policy coordinator with the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, says the “criminal” inquiries are “a red herring” and may be the government’s way of trying to demonize Haitians. “The bipartisan support and merits of the argument for TPS —Hurricane Matthew’s devastation last October; the unchecked cholera epidemic; incomplete earthquake recovery; Haiti’s inability to safely assimilate 50,000 new deportees or replace their remittances, which support as many as 500,000 relatives in Haiti; the destabilizing consequences to Haiti — may mean that those who oppose any immigration at all may be grasping at straws,” he said. “This is a complete non-issue unless the government is trying to demonize Haitians.”
TPS since earthquake
BEHARE KHODABANDE/NURPHOTO/SIPA USA/TNS
Above are the remains of a market in a small town called Kanyon on Oct. 6, 2016 in southwest Haiti after Hurricane Matthew devastated the area. Haitian advocates in Miami point out how the country is still recovering from the hurricane.
Trump administration seeking Haitians’ criminal history Inquiries being made as government considers future of TPS program BY JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD/TNS
MIAMI - Haitian immigrant advocates say they can’t believe that the Trump administration has launched a “witch hunt” for Haitians with criminal records as it decides whether or not to keep allowing thousands of them to remain in the United States under a special immigration humanitarian program. “It’s a big show,” Randy McGrorty, an attorney and director of Catholic Legal Services in Miami, said about the inquiries being made by the Department of
Homeland Security as it decides whether to continue with the Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, program for Haitians. “I can’t believe that this is the focus of the decision on whether or not to extend TPS. TPS is a form of humanitarian relief; it makes no sense.”
Email inquiries According to The Associated Press, internal emails it obtained show that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made inquiries into the Haitian community’s criminal history. The emails also reveal that the agency wants to know how many of the 58,000 Haitians enrolled in the Temporary Protected Status program are taking advantage of public benefits, which they are not eligible to receive. The revelation comes just
weeks after DHS announced the creation of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office to help victims of crimes by immigrants, and on the heels of a recommendation by James McCament, acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians as of January.
Unorthodox move McCament made the recommendation to Department of Homeland Secretary John Kelly in an April 10 memo. Kelly has until May 23 — 60 days before the program’s July 22 expiration date — to render a decision. The AP says that while the move is considered to be unorthodox, it suggests that Kelly may be looking at other criteria in deciding whether the United States
should continue to shield the 58,000 Haitians enrolled in the Temporary Protected Status program from deportation. “It is disheartening to hear that instead of renewing TPS for theses hardworking families who are at risk of losing their jobs, Secretary Kelly has decided to go on a witch hunt for criminals,” said Marleine Bastien, a leading Haitian advocate and head of the Haitian Women of Miami. “Haitian nationals with criminal records to do not qualify for TPS or benefits.”
Their best champion? Bastien, recalling the olive branch that President Donald Trump extended to the Haitian community during a presidential campaign stop in Little Haiti, said “President Trump promised to be Haitians’ best champion. It
Temporary Protected Status was first provided to Haitians under the Obama administration following Haiti’s devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake. It has been renewed every 18 months since. Recipients are required to be fingerprinted and they are filed and re-checked when the status is extended, immigration attorneys say. McGrorty, whose office represents Haitians and other immigrants seeking immigration relief, said he doesn’t believe that it’s a coincidence the request for criminal histories is being made just weeks after the administration launched the VOICE office and hotline.
Misdemeanors count Homeland Security officials said the purpose of the office is to answer questions about immigration enforcement, and give updates to registered victims about the custody status of immigrants who have committed crimes. “If you have two misdemeanors no matter how minor or one felony, you’re not eligible for TPS, so that the people in the TPS programs have relatively clean criminal records and they have to demonstrate that every 18 months to the U.S. government,” McGrorty said. Tom Jawetz, vice president for immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, said sending Haitians back to their homeland is not the right move. “USCIS may be twisting itself into a pretzel to find a way to get to ‘no,’ but the decision lies with Secretary Kelly,” he said. “Haiti’s recovery from the 2010 earthquake and 2016 hurricane remains incomplete and very fragile and sending 50,000 people back now is short-sighted and dangerous.”
Flight cancellations lead to chaos at Fort Lauderdale airport SUN SENTINEL/TNS
FORT LAUDERDALE – Flight cancellations by Spirit Airlines led to chaos among irate passengers Monday night at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Video posted to social media showed upset passengers confronting airline employees as Broward Sheriff’s deputies were on hand attempting to keep order in the terminal after at least nine flights were canceled.
Pilots blamed Miramar-based Spirit blamed the flight cancellations on labor negotiations with its pilots. “We are shocked and saddened to see the videos of what took place at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport this evening,” Spirit said in a statement. “This is a result of unlawful labor activity by some Spirit pilots designed to disrupt Spirit operations for our customers, by can-
Deputy fired for waving weapons, quoting Denzel in ‘Training Day THE ORLANDO SENTINEL
ORLANDO – A Lake County deputy sheriff has been fired for
celing multiple flights across our network,” the statement said.
Fights ensued According to the online travel site Skift, Spirit filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Miami on Monday accusing its pilots of taking “an unlawful job action.” Lines at the Spirit Airlines counter were persisting Tuesday morning as passengers lined up to see if they could get booked. Visiting from Chicago, Tamari Cameron, 23, and Latreece Smith, 26, spent the night at the airport after their flight was canceled. “It started last night, flights were canceled,” Cameron said. “Fights broke out due to the frustration with Spirit and customers and then it turned into customers against police.” With an 8:30 a.m. flight to Chicago showing as canceled, Cameron and her travel companion were eventually told they could fly out Wednesday morning.
playfully waving his firearm and taser while quoting lines from Denzel Washington in “Training Day,” an action movie about a corrupt cop, the Sheriff’s Office said last week. Deputy Dean Zipes, who was hired in December 2015, was fired April 21 for the incident and other allegations that Zipes twice pulled out his firearm in an office setting and once made a motion to draw his service weapon at a pizza delivery boy,
JOE CAVERETTA/SUN SENTINEL/TNS
Latreece Smith rests as her friend Tamari Cameron checks flight information on Tuesday at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. The Chicago pair were stranded as Spirit cancelled flights due to a labor dispute.
joking that he was alleged Orlando cop-killer Markeith Loyd.
Profanity and pistols Zipes was quoting a profanity-laced scene in the 2001 movie about 4 a.m. Feb. 16 in which Washington’s character points two pistols at a rape suspect and rubs his weapons together in front of a police trainee, according to an internal-affairs report. During the incident outside
the sheriff’s Minneola substation at City Hall, 800 N. U.S. Highway 27, Zipes rubbed his taser and pistol together — also near a trainee — in the direction of nearby Kangaroo Express convenience store, the report said. Several other deputies were present, according to the report.
‘Going through stuff’ Zipes said he doesn’t know
what “sparked” his actions that morning but was trying to be funny and was also on edge due to an armed robbery his sector responded to that night, the report said. “I am not a rogue, reckless, dangerous, insane guy that slipped through the cracks at the hiring process and somehow got a gun and a badge,” he told investigators, adding that he’s “just a guy going through some stuff.”
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Gabourey Sidibe discusses career, weight-loss surgery in new book See page B2
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE
A salad that’s perfect for Mom See page B6
Mother’s
SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA
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The Florida Courier staff pays tribute to their moms with personal photos and narratives
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To the chairwoman of our board: Thanks for being our anchor in the stormy seas of life. We love you! Chuck, Glenn, Cassandra Happy Mother’s Day, Ma! You’re the best Mom a girl could ask for and I’m so grateful to have you in my life. Nobody else could do what you do for us and I’ll appreciate you for the rest of my life. Enjoy your special day! Love you lots, Chayla Ma: Thank you for always supporting me in whatever I do, whether it be chorus, band, or whatever music event I participate in. Happy Mother’s Day! Love, Wig
The love of a grandmother never fades whether she is here or in heaven. Love you both, Jamal
Happy Mother’s Day to the one who knew me before I knew myself, Mrs. Mamie Lee, who taught me how to love unconditionally, and to be kind and compassionate. It’s no surprise that so many have adopted you as their “Mom” too because you’re simply the best. May God forever bless and keep you. I love you more than you will ever know. I thank God for blessing me with you as my Mother! Love always, Lisa
My mother supported my dream of becoming a veterinarian even when others thought it was strange that a Black person would like to work on animals. She stayed up late nights to help me with school projects and my interest in science and math came from her. She always told me to be myself and not what other people wanted me to be. Mom is a good Christian woman with a positive outlook on life. I pray that she will live a long and healthy live like her mother who was with us for over 100 years! I love you Mom! Dr. Glenn Cherry
Happy 90th Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day to Alma Barlow Jones. We love you! Chicago, Rebecca, Annette and Valerie The days go by, but the memories I have will never die. On this Mother’s Day without you, the sadness returns, but when I remember your voice, your laugh, and your constant love, my heart gets a little lighter. Sending thoughts of roses and love to you Mom until we meet again! Happy Mother’s Day! Valerie
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 and Cynthia She was my Mama, my friend, my confidante. Thanks for leaving so many gems to live by. I love you, Julia
My Mom, Elizabeth Hendricks This is the first Mother’s Day without my mother. It will be a sad milestone, but I miss her every day. She was strong and inspirational, believing in women’s rights before it became a popular issue. She encouraged her girls to be independent women, and made it possible by insisting we go on to higher education. Knowing that she always had my back, I reached for the stars throughout my life. She lived a long, fulfilling and happy life. This photo was taken when she was in her 90s. Eleanor Hendricks McDaniel
Clara Coaxum, you’ve been a wonderful mother, so caring of my well-being, and responsible for the very essence of whom I’ve become. It’s amazing how you taught your children to speak proper English - not knowing the path that I would take. I thank God for you, and look forward to that great ingathering in Heaven. Jerry (Jeroline D. McCarthy)
Dear Mom (Ethel Jones), We celebrate you every day, but on this day we owe you a special round of applause for being an excellent mother. You are our foundation, a rock that has grounded us for more than six decades. You are our earthly pillar of strength, a joyful presence that brings a smile and a peace that calms us when trouble appears. Happy Mother’s Day Your daughters, Natalie Burgess, Linda Herron, Natalie Burgess and Penny Dickerson
CALENDAR & BOOKS
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MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
STOJ
FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR
MARIAH CAREY
Tampa: The Tampa Black Heritage Festival will present a free Mother’s Day festival on May 14 at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park at 1 p.m. in partnership with Jazz Tyme Productions featuring David Sanborn. Details: tampablackheritage.org.
Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey are scheduled Aug. 11 at the Amalie Arena in Tampa.
Miami: The Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival is May 28 at the James L. Knight Center. Performers include Bruce Bruce, Bill Bellamy and Luenell. Tampa: The Weeknd’s Legend of the Fall tour stops at the Amalie Arena on May 12. Miami: John Legend’s Darkness & Light Tour stops at Bayfront Park Amphitheater on May 12, Clearwater’s Coachman Park on May 13 and St. Augustine Amphitheater on May 14. Jacksonville: Diana Ross is scheduled at 8 p.m. June 28 at Daily’s Place. Clearwater: Idina Menzel performs May 25 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Miami: The Urban Collective, producers of the Art Africa Miami Arts Fair will host a free IAMART Miami for youth in Historic Overtown May 18-20. More information: 786-897-8854 or email info@harrispublicrelations.com. Daytona Beach: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert featuring artist J. Dubose is May 12 at the Peabody Auditorium. Hollywood: Catch KC & the Sunshine Band on May 12 at Hard Rock Live. Miami: Chance the Rapper is scheduled June 13 at AmericanAirlines Arena and June 14 at Tampa’s Amalie Arena. Orlando: Plans are underway the 18th Annual Darrell Armstrong Classic Weekend Aug. 11-13 for his foundation that helps premature babies. Sponsorship info: Call 407-252-333 or email jbm395@gmail.com. Miami Beach: The Macy Gray Live show is at the Faena Theater on June 2.
BENJI BROWN
A “Momma So’’ comedy show featuring Benji Brown is May 13 at Bethune-Cookman’s Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center in Daytona Beach.
West Palm Beach: Catch Trevor Noah on June 3 at the Kravis Center.
TANK
The fourth annual Mother’s Day Experience is May 14 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. Performers: K. Michelle and Tank.
Tampa: Tickets are on sale for the Total Package Tour with Paula Abdul, New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men at the Amalie Arena on July 15.
Gabourey Sidibe pens funny, revealing memoir BY BARBARA VANCHERI PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
a mother who sang (beautifully) in the New York subway.
Darned if the soothsayers aren’t right some times. Take the one who approached Gabourey Sidibe and announced: “I’m psychic. … I can see in your eyes that you have a big future in front of you.” The woman predicted the world would listen to Sidibe, that she would talk to Oprah Winfrey and be famous one day. “You’re going to write a book. You’re going to help people with your confidence.” The book, “This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25), is here, and early forecasts of fortune from that stranger and others came true. It’s all bundled in a revealing memoir that explores family, fate, fame, depression, bullying, eating disorders, panic attacks, therapy, patience, weight, money, dating, social media hoaxes, and an unconventional upbringing as the daughter of a Senegalese cab driver father married to two women at once and
Her road to stardom If Sidibe’s life were turned into a movie, certain twists would seem too far-fetched to swallow. For instance, director and acting coach Susan Batson approached Alice Tan Ridley, Gabby’s mom, about playing the mother in an adaptation of the novel “Push” by Sapphire. She declined, suggesting Mo’Nique might be perfect. Five years later, Lee Daniels was directing the movie now called “Precious,” Mo’Nique would be cast as the abusive mother in a turn that would win her an Oscar and Sidibe would be invited to audition for the title role. She wasn’t an aspiring actress but a psychology student secretly working at a phone sex business for the money. The day of the audition, she could go uptown to the Bronx for a role she was “never going to get” or head downtown to class. A movie crew, of all things, forced her in the direction of the casting call and she land-
ed the part that led to an Academy Award nomination and the series “The Big C,” “American Horror Story,” “Difficult People” and “Empire.”
Discusses dates, surgery Sidibe, who turned 34 on May 6, writes in a conversational, sassy, smart way with occasional R-rated language and details. She also goes where few celebrities have gone before, acknowledging some family members treated her like an ATM, borrowing money they never could — or would — pay back. She recounts the plussize prom dresses she bought for early “Precious” premieres (she had no money and no stylist), the marriage proposal from an Egyptian Muslim cabbie who needed a green card and her least favorite game of “Is this a date?” Is a flirty dude interested in her or her ability to advance his career? As recently revealed, she underwent weight-loss surgery, writing that it took her years to realize that what she was born with, “what was shaped, the mold it
took, is all beautiful.” She wanted to move comfortably in heels, climb stairs without pain and stop worrying about diabetes.
Found her purpose There is no Alec-Baldwin-throwing-shade-atHarrison-Ford moment, as in his memoir, or even any dishing about what it’s like to be Oscar-nominated alongside Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and “The Blind Side” winner Sandra Bullock. The emphasis is on the personal and the author uses sarcasm, self-deprecating humor, openness, a willingness to share humiliating as well as glorious moments and perceptive insights to tell an uncommon story. “How many psychics does it take to convince a sad little girl that she can be much more than the world is telling her she is? None. She’s got to be able to convince herself to show up for her own life. I still don’t see any real value in fame. … Fame isn’t what gets me out of bed in the morning. It’s purpose. I’ve found my purpose and this is it.”
COURTESY OF HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
“This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare” by Gabourey Sidibe; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (256 pages, $25)
New book explores contemporary attitudes toward experts BY DR. GLENN C. ALTSCHULER SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER
“They say, ‘oh, Trump doesn’t have experts,’” The Donald told a crowd in Wisconsin in 2016. “They say, ‘Donald Trump needs a foreign policy adviser’….But supposing I didn’t have one. Would it be worse than what we’re doing now?” In the fall, the man who claimed that Barack Obama was born in Kenya and charged that Senator Ted Cruz’s father was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, took his assault on knowledge all the way to the White House. In “The Death Tom of Expertise,’’ Tom Nichols Nichols, a professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, acknowledges that antiintellectualism is as old as America, but makes a compelling case
BOOK REVIEW Review of “The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters.” By Tom Nichols. Oxford University Press. 252 pages, $24.95 that there is something new – and ominous – about contemporary attitudes toward experts. These days, he writes, “the issue is not indifference to established knowledge; it’s the emergence of a positive hostility to such knowledge.”
On conspiracy theories “The Death of Expertise’’ is engaging and informative. Conspiracy theories, Nichols reminds, are ubiquitous in 21st century America. Almost a third of Americans, for example, believe that a secret elite is conspiring to take over the world;15 percent that the media or government adds mind-control techniques to television broadcasts; half of respondents think Princess
Diana was murdered; and substantial numbers are certain that UFOs are prowling the skies and aliens have landed. Conspiracy theories, Nichols emphasizes, can do a lot of harm. When they spread misinformation about the danger of vaccines, millions of children were at greater risk for preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. “Confirmation bias” is so powerful with baby boomers, GenXers, and millennials, Nichols suggests, because they have been taught “that their feelings override every other consideration.”
The usual suspects Nichols also points out that experts discredit their expertise when they move from explanation to prediction. And when they opine, as they are wont to do, on areas outside their expertise. In analyzing the death of expertise, however, Nichols rounds up the usual suspects: higher education, the Internet and social
media, and the “new” journalism. His discussion of these factors, alas, often recycles familiar themes, and is, at times, superficial and simplistic. In a one-size-fits-all chapter on higher education, for example, Nichols exaggerates the extent to which colleges and universities cater to the whims of undergraduates (with plush dorm rooms, fitness centers, and dining halls), hand out high grades and unearned praise in the classroom, and, often consciously encourage students to believe that their views are every bit as valid as those of their professors. Nichols does not give Wikipedia nearly enough credit for trying – and often succeeding – in designing procedures to ensure that its entries are accurate. And his “unsparing” critique of journalists as “too lazy or inexperienced” to get their stories right,” underestimates the pressure to give equal time to experts, pundits, and partisan spinners (and fail to distinguish one from the other.) Nor
does he factor in the radical reduction in the number of experienced and knowledgeable reporters in newspapers, magazines, and television networks.
Opine on experts Despite these limitations, “The Death of Expertise’’ conveys an urgently important message. Nichols is surely right that when the public disdains experts, “the result will not be better policy but more politicization of experts,” because policymakers “will rely on experts who will tell them – and the angry laypeople hanging on their office doors – whatever it is they want to hear.” And woe to our democracy, Nichols implies, when a leader can decide to bomb a distant nation, support a health care policy, scrap a climate change agreement because he “knows” that his “alternative facts” are as good – or better – than those of an expert.
Dr. Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. He wrote this review for the Florida Courier.
STOJ
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
HEALTH
B3 of them offer primary health care in rural parts of the nation where the opioid crisis is most acute. The two federal agencies that issue licenses — the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration — have so far approved them for 560 nurse practitioners and 184 physician assistants. Mitra Ahadpour, who oversees buprenorphine licensing at SAMHSA, said she expects applications to increase as more health care professionals learn about the new law and take a free, three-day online training course. Applications for licenses to prescribe buprenorphine may not surge, however, unless states change their scope of practice laws to allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to use their prescribing power on their own.
Making changes
CHRISTINE VESTAL/PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS/TNS
Anthony Green writes a letter in his room at Gaudenzia, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Baltimore. Maryland is one of four states with federal permission to use Medicaid dollars to expand residential addiction treatment in response to the opioid epidemic.
Nurse licensing laws block treatment for opioid addiction Twenty-eight states prohibit nurse practitioners from prescribing buprenorphine unless they are working in collaboration with a doctor who also has a federal license to prescribe it.
Barriers to nurse practitioners treating opioid addiction A new federal law allows nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction. But laws in 28 states restricting nurses’ scope of practice are thwarting some from prescribing it. Nurse practitioners have limited scope of practice Nurse practitioners have full scope of practice WA
MT
OR
CA
ID NV
BY CHRISTINE VESTAL STATELINE.ORG/TNS
WASHINGTON – Confronting an opioid overdose epidemic that is killing at least 90 people every day, two federal agencies in March gave more than 700 nurse practitioners and physician assistants the authority to write prescriptions for the anti-addiction medication buprenorphine. The goal: To let them help treat as many of the more than 2.5 million people addicted to painkillers or heroin in the nation as they can. Tens of thousands more nurse practitioners and physician assistants could be helping too, by applying for a federal license to prescribe the potentially life-saving medicine. But laws in more than half the states are likely to prevent nurses from using their licenses in rural areas that need it most.
WY UT AZ
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PA NJ OH IN IL WV VA MO KY NC TN SC AR MS AL GA
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Shortage of providers VT NH MA RI CT DE MD DC
LA FL
HI Source: American Association of Nurse Practitioners Graphic: Stateline/TNS
No licenses Twenty-eight states prohibit nurse practitioners from prescribing buprenorphine unless they are working in collaboration with a doctor who also has a federal license to prescribe it. The problem is, half of all counties in the U.S. do not have a single physician with a license to prescribe buprenorphine. In addition, laws in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming explicitly prohibit nurse practitioners
providing medication-assisted treatment,” said Maureen Cahill, senior policy adviser at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. But some of those governors should blame their own “scope of practice” laws. Those laws restrict what nurse practitioners and physician assistants can do, including providing buprenorphine to people with opioid addictions to help them kick their habit.
from prescribing buprenorphine — one of three anti-addiction medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — with or without a doctor’s supervision. And a law in Kentucky prohibits physician assistants from prescribing the safe and effective drug. “We’re losing people every day, and governors are asking how long it will take before this additional group of clinicians is able to get out there and start
Treating opioid addiction with buprenorphine can be highly effective. It prevents withdrawal symptoms and curbs cravings. But a federal license is required to prescribe it for addiction treatment. Only 1 in 10 people in the U.S. with an addiction receive treatment. In large part, that’s because of a shortage of trained treatment providers, especially ones who can prescribe buprenorphine. To help address that, Congress last year enacted the Comprehensive Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act. One of the law’s most significant provisions allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to apply for a federal license to prescribe the medicine. Until now, only doctors could prescribe buprenorphine, and in the 15 years since the drug was approved, fewer than 39,000 doctors have sought a license to do so.
More applications Meanwhile, there are more than 222,000 nurse practitioners and about 109,000 physician assistants in the nation, and many in those who don’t have heart problems, too. The reason for the connection between NSAIDs and heart disease is unclear. The risk was first uncovered in a clinical research study conducted in 2003. The study looked at NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors, and it found that the medications were increasing cardiovascular events. Some drugs were taken off the market as a result of that study. The COX-2 inhibitor that’s now on the market, celecoxib, is formulated differently than those in the 2003 study. The heart disease risk associated with celecoxib is lower than the older COX-2 inhibitors, but it still exists.
OK to take DREAMSTIME/TNS
Research has shown that taking NSAIDs can raise the risk of heart disease, particularly heart attacks and strokes.
Heart disease associated with NSAIDs MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK/TNS
Research has shown that taking NSAIDs can raise the risk of heart disease, particularly heart attacks and strokes. To keep your risk low, if you use NSAIDs, take the lowest dose possible for the shortest amount of time necessary to relieve your symptoms.
NSAIDs are drugs commonly used to treat pain and inflammation. Examples include the nonprescription medications ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). NSAIDs available by prescription include diclofenac sodium (Voltaren and Solaraze) and celecoxib (Celebrex).
Although aspirin is considered a type of NSAID, it doesn’t appear to be associated with a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
Reason unclear The risk of heart disease associated with NSAIDs is highest in people who already have a heart condition. But it can be a concern
However, research has shown that celecoxib’s heart disease risk is no higher than that of ibuprofen or naproxen. Celecoxib is most often recommended for people with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, menstrual cramps and injury-related pain. It’s available by prescription only. Although there is a higher risk of heart disease associated with NSAID use, that doesn’t mean these medications are unsafe. If you don’t have a history of heart problems, it’s fine to take NSAIDs occasionally in the recommended doses for short-term pain relief. NSAIDs become a more significant concern if you regularly use them to treat chronic conditions,
Some have. West Virginia, which ranks No. 1 in the nation in overdose deaths, last year changed its scope of practice law to allow nurse practitioners to diagnose, prescribe and treat patients without a doctor’s supervision, with the exception of prescribing schedule II drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin. South Dakota granted nurse practitioners full practice authority in February. Oregon is updating its rules to authorize nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction. Nurse practitioners in Oregon already have authority to prescribe schedule III drugs, including buprenorphine, for pain management. But previous state rules, which reflected federal law at the time, prohibited prescribing it for addiction.
More training Changing the laws isn’t easy, though, despite the training that nurse practitioners and physician assistants have. In addition to an undergraduate nursing degree, nurse practitioners must complete a graduate program to be certified. Physician assistants, who work directly with doctors, must complete at least two years of advanced studies after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. A 2010 Institute of Medicine report cited nearly 50 years of academic studies and patient surveys in concluding that primary care provided by nurse practitioners has been as safe and effective as care provided by doctors. But state medical societies, which represent doctors and wield significant influence in most legislatures, are reluctant to cede professional turf to nurses. Arguing that nurse practitioners lack the necessary level of medical training, they insist that it is unsafe for patients to be treated by nurse practitioners without a doctor’s supervision. such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, over a long period of time. If you take multiple doses of NSAIDs daily for weeks at a time to combat pain due to a chronic illness, talk to your health care provider about an alternative that may be able to keep your symptoms in check without increasing your heart disease risk.
Talk to doctor If you have a history of heart disease or other heart problems, talk to your health care provider before you take any NSAIDs, including those you can buy without a prescription. He or she may recommend you use another type of medication, such as acetaminophen, for pain relief that isn’t associated with an increase in heart disease risk. Whenever you visit your health care provider, make sure he or she knows about all the medications you take regularly — both prescription and nonprescription, including NSAIDs and other over-the-counter pain relievers. If you have any concerns about your medications, your provider can help you review the pros and cons, and sort out what’s right for your situation. Finally, when you take NSAIDs, read the label instructions carefully before you take them, and use NSAIDs only as directed. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about NSAIDs.
B4
HISTORY
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
STOJ
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THURGOOD MARSHALL CENTER FOR SERVICE AND HERITAGE
Cecilia Marshall (second from left) and Justice Thurgood Marshall (right) are shown with their two sons.
Thurgood Marshall’s widow keeps his legacy alive On the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court justice’s widow laments the lack of progress. BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA NEWSWIRE
Cecilia Marshall never imagined that the battle for equal rights in schools and elsewhere would still be as vital today as it was six decades ago when her husband, United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, fought to end legal segregation as a civil rights lawyer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. “We haven’t made too much progress,” said Cecilia Marshall, 88. “Sixty-three years later, we’re still fighting in the courts for equal treatment and that’s not what my husband, nor I would have imagined would be going on today.” There’s little argument that one of the greatest achievements in the long and illustrious career of the late justice, who died in 1993 at the age of 84, was the landmark decision in the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education.
Key strategist According to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, in 1940, “Marshall became the key strategist in the effort to end racial segregation, in particular, meticulously challenging Plessy v. Ferguson, the Court-sanctioned legal doctrine that called for ‘separate but equal’ structures for Whites and Blacks.” The Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit began as five separate cases filed in South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Kansas. The plaintiffs in all of the cases alleged that the civil rights of their children under the 14th Amendment had been violated. A biography about Marshall that appears on the Legal Defense Fund’s website said that, “Marshall won a series of court decisions that gradually struck down [‘separate, but equal’], ulti-
mately leading to Brown v. Board of Education, which he argued before the Supreme Court in 1952 and 1953,” finally overturning the doctrine and acknowledging that segregation greatly diminished students’ self-esteem.”
“We haven’t made too much progress,’’ said Cecilia Marshall, Justice Thurgood Marshall’s widow.
The work continues
Genius, courage
On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that separate educational facilities were “inherently unequal” and that racial segregation of public schools violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Brown v. Board of Education decision came more than a decade before Marshall’s appointment to the Supreme Court. The decision has been credited with inspiring the Civil Rights Movement that unfolded over the next decade and it also led to Marshall being recognized as one of the most successful lawyers in America. “He accomplished so much and worked so hard, but I thought by now we would have come so much further. He would have thought that, too,” said Marshall, whom loved ones and others affectionately call “Cissy.” Her work continues in her husband’s memory.
Leaders from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and others plan to join Marshall at the historic event to celebrate the life and legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall. “The NNPA reaffirms the living legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA. “We note this month the 63rd anniversary of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision. Marshall utilized his legal genius and courage to win that case.” Chavis continued, “Today, it’s important to reassert the critical importance of continuing to demand equal, high-quality education for Black American students and all students across the nation.”
Gala planned On the 63rd anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Marshall and the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust plan to host a fundraising gala to observe the historic decision and to announce a call to action, which she’s titled “Equal Education for All Based on the Brown Decision.” The event will be held at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage in Northwest, Washington, D.C. “The problems remain and this event, this anniversary, comes against the backdrop of a significantly troubling retrenchment of access to education for African-Americans, Latinos and other children,” Marshall said.
Human rights report She cited a Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights report that said there are numerous factors that appear to have
‘Never give up’
Left to right: Cecilia Marshall is shown with John W. Marshall, Justice Thurgood Marshall and Thurgood Marshall Jr. combined to cause the rapid re-segregation of schools since 1991, the year her husband retired from the bench. The courts began turning against desegregation plans in the 1980s—denying new petitions to desegregate schools, ending previous court imposed plans and even striking down voluntary plans created by local school districts, according to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a diverse collective of more than 200 national civil and human rights groups.
Further, executive branch agencies topped the aggressive campaign to enforce the Brown decision and the Civil Rights Act that proved successful in the 1960s and 1970s, the Leadership Conference reported. In a statement about the report, the Leadership Conference said that the rapid growth of the Hispanic and African-American populations and growing income disparities have increased the concentration of minorities living in high poverty districts.
Marshall said she still gathers with the wives of former and current Supreme Court justices. “We’re a big family, we call ourselves ‘sisters,’” she said. Those get-togethers, as well as the success of her two sons— Thurgood Jr., and John W. — serve to further validate her husband’s legacy. “Seeing his sons grow up to become adults —Thurgood, Jr. a lawyer; and John serving in civil service—has been a great joy,” she said. “My husband gave me and all of us a great life and his favorite slogan was something we’ve always lived by and I still live by today, especially when I think of the state of things in this country.” She said that slogan is, “Never give up.”
STOJ
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
Meet some of
FLORIDA’S
finest
FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT
B5
Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest? E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier. com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/ glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.
Thousands of Caribbean culture lovers converge on South Florida every year on the Columbus Day weekend to attend the annual Miami Broward Carnival, a series of concerts, pageants, parades, and competitions. On Carnival Day, “mas” (masquerade) bands of thousands of revelers dance and march behind 18-wheel tractortrailer trucks with booming sound systems from morning until nightfall while competing for honors. Here are some of the “Finest” we’ve seen over the years. Go to www.miamibrowardcarnival.com for information on this year’s Carnival. CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER
Strong roles for women in ‘Guardians’ BY RICK BENTLEY THE FRESNO BEE/TNS
LOS ANGELES – Zoe Saldana, who reprises her role as Gamora in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” says it’s great that there are more strong roles for women in film. “Women are going to go to these movies because they are going to find themselves in these characters whether it be Nebula or Mantis or Gamora. They are going to have options of strong women to chose from,” Saldana says. “These are very diverse characters with very distinct personalities that are so special and charming.” The strong women of “Vol. 2” start with Saldana who gets to show several different strengths as Gamora. She can be ferociously motherly or throw a pitch that can loosen teeth (or whatever chomping items an alien might use). Then there is Karen Gillan’s Nebula who was emotionally limited in the first film but this time gets to show both her brutally bad side while also getting to reveal a more sensitive element through issues of sibling rivalry. And Mantis, the newest member of the superhero gang as played by Pom Klementieff, has an undeniable mental and emotional strength.
Strength, personal issues Saldana was attracted to Gamora in the “Guardians” franchise because of the power of the role and the elements of family. To accept a role, she has to be moved by the script and be part of the kind of production she would pay to go see. “There are definite issues between the sisters because Gamora almost had to kill her sister to survive. But this also addresses the problems she had with her father and the problems Quill has with his dad,” Saldana says. “I have a really soft spot for fathers.” “Guardians” is not the only time Saldana has been attracted to a character with both strength and personal issues. Both her work as Neytiri in “Avatar” and Uhura in the “Star Trek” franchise have given her similar roles to play.
MARVEL STUDIOS/TNS
Zoe Saldana is Gamora in the film, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”
More complicated Saldana also saw a strength in Gamora that some might overlook. At first glance, Gamora seems like the biggest buzzkill on the planet with her forecasts of doom and ability to kill a joke. That’s not a negative to Saldana as she sees Gamora as being very necessary for all of the other characters to bounce off of and having the strength to be the focus of the interweaving stories. These elements will, she says, convey more depth to her character. This time Gamora is more complicated than being one of the top assassins in the universe. Saldana says the idea comes across that in her heart, Gamora really doesn’t like violence. Gamora just keeps getting pushed into violent acts either to save the universe again or to deal with Nebula. Gillan says, “In the first movie Nebula was along the lines of just being an evil villain. I had an is-
sue with my sister but we really didn’t explore that. In the second movie, we really get into that. “So, she remains a very strong character but she begins to evolve and you get to see another side of her. What I liked about Nebula is her relationship with her sister and this jealous sibling rivalry she possessed.”
Nebula’s take Gillan started thinking about her role in those elements hours before she went to work. During the four hours it takes to transform her into the colorful colored Nebula, she listened to heavy metal music to get into the right frame of mind. Gillan, who was best known for playing Amy Pond on “Doctor Who” before “Guardians” came around, is happy the film is loaded with so many strong female characters. The other aspect of the film she likes is that “Guardians” deals heavily with family issues that Gillan sees as conduits for all ag-
es to like the movie.
‘Cool messages’ She stresses that the film still has plenty of action and big explosions. Often, Nebula is either in the middle of those scenes or at least has been a catalyst. “But, this movie also has cool messages about strong women and family along with all the other cool stuff,” Gillan says. Helping present those cool messages is the new alien on the block in Mantis who has empathic abilities. Because Mantis has been raised on a planet with only limited contact to the outside world, Mantis can calm a beast with her mind but struggles with her own social skills.
Mantis’ role Klementieff plays Mantis with a strength coming from deep inside. “Her strength is that she is resilient,” Klemtieff says. “It’s interesting to show strength in a
very different way especially in the Marvel movies where you often see women who are badass, strong and confident. “Mantis is more awkward and special in her own world. She’s innocent and wide-eyed. It is interesting to get to show that.” She expected Mantis to be more like other strong women in the Marvel Comics universe and spent time training in martial arts to be ready for any big fight scenes. It wasn’t until she saw the final script that Klementieff realized Mantis was more of a thinker than fighter. That still didn’t stop the actress from pitching ideas where Mantis could throw a few more punches. There’s little room to argue that the fighting prowess of Gamora and Nebula are strong traits. Klementieff thinks the ability Mantis has are both a powerful thing to have and also a bit of a curse. But, she calls that duality a reason Mantis belongs among the ranks of the diverse, strong women in “Guardians.”
FOOD
B6
MAY 12 – MAY 18, 2017
A salad that’s perfect for
Mother’s Day
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BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE/TNS
Make this easy dinner for mom on Mother’s Day or for anytime. No cooking necessary. Just chop the vegetables all about the same size, add some low-sodium deli roast beef and serve with warm focaccia bread. Ask the deli to slice the roast beef in one thick slice about 1/2-inch thick. You can then cut the slice into cubes for the salad.
Helpful hints • Cubed roast chicken breast can be used instead of roast beef. • Any type of salad greens or vegetables can be used. The secret is to cut them all about the same size. • The salad can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. • Countdown: Preheat oven to 350 degrees to warm the bread. • Prepare all ingredients. • Assemble the salad and serve with the warm bread.
Shopping list Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Quick Fix dinner. • To buy: 1 focaccia bread, 1 bunch celery, 1 green bell pepper, 1 head romaine lettuce. 1 bunch peeled carrots, 1 large tomato, 3/4 pound low-sodium deli roast beef (cut in 1/2-inch slice), 1 package
Take a trip to flavor town and dress up this dinner staple BY SARAH E CROWDER THE KITCHN
Roasted broccoli is a dinner staple in our household. It’s one of the easiest ways to get some greens on our plates — especially on those nights when our dinner timeline is particularly tight. I can grab a bag or two of frozen broccoli and we can eat as we normally do, but with a fraction of the prep. Since we eat it so regularly, I’ve tried
plenty of variations on roasted broccoli. To date, this sesame-ginger roasted broccoli is my family’s favorite. Loaded with flavor, it’s still versatile enough to serve alongside almost any meal. I’m a big believer in generously salting roasted broccoli, and in this case the vegetables get both saltiness and umami flavor from soy sauce instead. My favorite part is the zesty addition of ginger — fresh or frozen. Finally, the roasted broccoli gets a generous garnish of toasted sesame seeds. SESAME-GINGER ROASTED BROCCOLI Serves 4 2 medium heads broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds total), or 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen broccoli florets 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, or other neutral cooking oil
frozen corn kernels and 1 bunch scallions. • Stapes: olive oil, Reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing. ROAST BEEF CHOPPED SALAD WITH WARM FOCACCIA BREAD 1/2 focaccia bread 4 ounces total 1 cup sliced celery (about 1/2 inch sliced) 1 cup green bell pepper cut into 1/2inch pieces 10 large romaine leaves sliced into 1/2-inch pieces about 4 cups 1 cup sliced carrots, 1/2 inch 1 medium tomato cut into 1/2-inch (about 1 cup) 4 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing 2 scallions, sliced (about 1 cup) 1/2 pound reduced-sodium all natural Deli Roast Beef thickly sliced 1 cup defrosted corn kernels 1 tablespoon olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place focaccia bread in oven to warm. Cut all vegetables about the same size. Cut sliced roast beef into 1/2-inch pieces. Place celery, green bell pepper, lettuce, carrot and tomato in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss. Add scallion, roast beef and corn. Toss again. Remove bread from oven, drizzle with olive oil and serve with salad. Yield 2 servings. Per serving: 522 calories (32 percent from fat), 18.6 g fat (3.8 g saturated, 9.7 monounsaturated), 91 mg cholesterol, 41.9 g protein, 53.5 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 499 mg sodium.
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425 F. If using fresh broccoli, cut off the woody part of the stem and cut the rest into bite-sized florets. Place the fresh or frozen broccoli on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and soy sauce or tamari. Sprinkle the ginger, toss to evenly coat, and spread into a single layer. Roast until the broccoli is tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 30 minutes for fresh or 40 minutes for frozen, stirring halfway through. Garnish with sesame seeds. Recipe note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
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