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AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

VOLUME 22 NO. 33

FROM SANFORD TO FERGUSON Another killing of an unarmed Black teen has sparked national outrage and has ignited a tinderbox in a Missouri town

Michael Brown’s distraught grandmother, Desuirea Harris, is helped out of Jennings Mason Temple Church of God in Christ on Monday in Jennings, Mo. at a press conference held at the church. Comforting her at right is Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the family.

BY HAZEL TRICE EDNEY TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

They were like shots heard around the nation. The shots from a police revolver that killed 18-year-old unarmed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on Aug. 9. His death was just two days before he was to start his freshman semester in college. Within 24 hours, outrage had boiled over into protests in the streets of the small town, a suburb of St. Louis. The NAACP, the National Action Network and the National Bar Association had taken stands. And the Federal Bureau of Investigation had announced an of-

J.B. FORBES/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH/MCT

ficial probe. Even President Obama weighed in this week: “The death of Michael Brown is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and his commuMichael nity at this very difficult Brown time. As Attorney General Holder has indicated, the Department of Justice is investigating the situation along with local officials, and they will continue to direct resources to the case as needed. “I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding. We should comfort each other and talk See FERGUSON, Page A2

Remembering Civil rights activist Dr. Jefferson Rogers

ROBIN McLAURIN WILLIAMS, 1951-2014

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Dr. Jefferson P. Rogers, a renowned theologian who blazed a civil rights trail across the nation, died Aug. 1 in Daytona Beach. He was 97. Among his numerous notable accomplishments, Dr. Rogers was a member of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s brain trust and his home often served as a center for strategy sessions with Dr. King, the Rev. Andrew Young, Dr. Wyatt T. Walker, Jesse Jackson and many other stalwarts of the Civil Rights Movement. Born Jan. 24, 1917 in Quincy, FL, Dr. Rogers graduated from Florida A&M College (now University) in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. The Rev. Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, president of Morehouse College, arranged a scholarship to Howard University for him to study for the ministry.

Mentored by Thurman

‘The tears of a clown’ KEN HIVELY/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

The young Rogers earned his master’s degree in religion and philosophy from Howard in 1943, where one of his professors and mentors was Dr. Howard Thurman, who also became one of the country’s most influential African-American authors, philosophers, theologians and civil rights leaders. After graduating from Howard and serving as director of Christian education at Jones Tabernacle AME Church in Philadelphia, Dr. Rogers and his wife, Mary Grace, decided to continue their

Comedian/actor Robin Williams killed himself on Monday after fighting addiction and depression for decades. Williams is pictured in August 2009. See Page B1 for a related story on depression and suicide.

See ROGERS, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS

Thurston seeking to make state history as first Black attorney general FROM STAFF REPORTS

Florida House Minority Leader Perry Thurston is seeking to make history this year as the state’s first Black attorney general and the first elected Black cabinet officer since Reconstruction. Thurston currently is the top Democrat in the Florida House of Representatives as minority leader, the leader of the party that has fewer members in the House. Perry His goal is to unseat inThurston

ALSO INSIDE

cumbent Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Nov. 4 general election. But first he faces primary opponent George Sheldon, former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families. Early voting in the state primary begins Aug. 16 and ends Aug. 23. The primary election is Aug. 26.

Criticism of Bondi A criminal defense attorney in South Florida, Thurston has been a longtime advocate of automatic restoration of the civil rights of ex-felons who have served their time and

FLORIDA | A3

otherwise completed their criminal sentences. He is critical of Bondi for making it harder for felons to have their rights restored. “It’s an important issue in my community and it causes disenfranchisement of a good part of my community. It affects jobs, earning a living to be a contributing part of their family and voting,” Thurston said in a previous interview with the Florida Courier. “It has taken the heart out of our community. It destroys communities and systematically bars men from doing what they need to do.’’ Thurston also has criticized Bondi’s position on the medical marijuana initiative, her defense of the same-sex marriage ban and the state’s legislative maps.

Morehouse to state House Thurston, of Broward County, was first See HISTORY, Page A2

Willie Gary reflects on $24 billlion settlement

OBITUARY | B2

Journalist Roger K. Clendening II dies at 44

FOOD | B6

Bring out the best of summer vegetables

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 NATION: IS PRESIDENT OBAMA DRAGGING DOWN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY? | A6

Courts create ‘rocket dockets’ for immigrant children

FOCUS

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

Redistricting session ends but battle over map continues BY BRANDON LARRABEE THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – The special redistricting session held by the Legislature lasted just five days, but the two-year battle over the boundaries of the state’s 27 congressional districts seems to be far from over. Voting-rights groups who sued to get the original map overturned say the new plan, approved Monday on nearly partyline votes in the House and Senate, isn’t enough of an improvement for Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis to sign off on it. And there’s still no clarity on whether an election that is already underway in some counties will be delayed.

PETE MAROVICH/MCT

Looks familiar

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown listens to testimony during a hearing on Capitol Hill in February. In a ruling last month, a circuit judge said lawmakers put too many African-American voters in her Florida district.

Deirdre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, said Tuesday that the map passed by the Legislature this week “looks suspiciously like” the blueprint that Lewis tossed in July. Lewis ruled two congressional districts approved by lawmakers in 2012 violated anti-gerrymandering standards that voters added to the Florida Constitution in 2010.

“We don’t believe the (new) maps comply with the criteria the judge laid out,” Macnab said. She wouldn’t comment specifically on whether Lewis should redraw the districts, as some critics of the map have suggested. But she also made it clear that the league believes lawmakers have had several chances to draw a map correctly.

“The Legislature’s already had one opportunity to comply with the amendments,” Macnab said. “This was their second chance.”

Hearing on Aug. 20 During the debate over the map Monday, Democrats were less restrained. Rep. Jim Waldman, DCoconut Creek, said he hoped that Lewis wouldn’t give the Re-

publican-controlled Legislature a third chance to craft districts if he strikes down the new map. “I hope he decides to do it, or at least have an impartial panel do it,” Waldman said. “Because the fact is that this map has been tainted from the beginning.” Lewis is supposed to hold another hearing Aug. 20 on the map and a proposed schedule for a possible special election. Even if he decides to uphold the new plan, Lewis could delay voting in the seven congressional districts affected by the changes to the map. Republicans have opposed any plan to change the election dates, saying tens of thousands of Floridians have already cast absentee ballots in the Aug. 26 primaries. Also, early voting has started in some counties. And if Lewis rules in favor of the Legislature on all counts, the plaintiffs in the redistricting lawsuit could appeal.

Evened out In his initial ruling last month, Lewis said lawmakers put too many African-American voters in Congressional District 5, currently represented by Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown, in an apparent effort to channel

FERGUSON

Vigilant but calm His call for calm is being backed by civil rights leaders. “The death of yet another African-American at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve the community where he lived is heartbreaking. Michael Brown was preparing to begin college, and now his family is preparing to bury their child – his life cut short in a tragic encounter with the police,” stated NAACP President/CEO Cornell William Brooks. “As the NAACP’s Missouri State Conference and St. Louis Branches seek answers about the circumstances surrounding Michael Brown’s death, the National office will remain vigilant until accountability and justice are served for the countless individuals who lose their lives to misguided police practices throughout the country. Even as we call for accountability by those charged with protecting the community, we call on the community to act – collectively and calmly until we secure justice for the family of Michael Brown.”

Young and unarmed It is a déjà vu situation in which similar killings of unarmed Blacks have become commonplace around the nation. The killings of Trayvon Martin, 17, by George Zimmerman in Sanford; Jordan Davis, 17, by Michael Dunn in Jacksonville; Johnathan Ferrell, 24, in Charlotte, N.C., also shot by police under questionable circumstances; and Renisha McBride,

education at Yale University from 1945 to 1947. Mrs. Rogers received a master’s degree in sociology while he earned a third degree – this one in social ethics.

Gifted preacher His keen interest in racial issues, theology and social justice led him to Cleveland, Ohio, where in 1947 he became Race Relations Secretary of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, headquartered in Cleveland. The Rogers left for Washington, D.C. in 1953, when he was called to pastor Plymouth Congregational Church. Rogers became well known there for his scholarly, intellectual and spiritual presence, and for

For now, GOP lawmakers say they’re waiting for Lewis’ final ruling. Speaking to reporters after the session ended Monday night, Senate President Don Gaetz didn’t rule out appealing if Lewis rules against the Legislature, but said he didn’t think it would be necessary. “We place our trust and confidence in his judgment,” said Gaetz, R-Niceville. “I don’t believe that there’s going to be any need or reason to appeal. It is (neither) Speaker Weatherford’s nor my desire to spend more time, more money and more energy on litigation. “

As of the Courier’s press deadline, Jackson had not released the name of the officer who shot Brown. On Tuesday, attorney Benjamin Crump, the lawyer representing the Brown family, said police should have released the officer’s name 72 hours after the shooting. If police are going to ask residents of Ferguson to obey the law, he said, “then it’s got to work both ways.” Crump was one of the attorneys who represented the family of Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot in 2012 by George Zimmerman.

with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. Along with our prayers, that’s what Michael and his family, and our broader American community, deserve,” the president said in a statement distributed by the White House.

from A1

Waiting for ruling

Crump: Release officer’s name

from A1

ROGERS

those Democratic-leaning voters away from surrounding districts. The judge also found fault with an appendage of White voters added onto Congressional District 10, now represented by Republican Congressman Dan Webster. Lewis said the voters were placed in Webster’s district to try to help the incumbent hold onto his seat. Because all congressional districts must have roughly equal populations, lawmakers Monday evened out the numbers by shifting the boundaries of five other seats.

Garner rally Saturday LAURIE SKRIVAN/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH/MCT

“I am out here because I am part of the masses of people in St. Louis and soon to be in the nation that is exhausted and fatigued with the progression of police genocide. It’s not police brutality anymore. It’s genocide against young Black Americans,” said Sunny Ford during a rally on Tuesday in Clayton, Mo. 19, by Theodore Wafer in Dearborn Heights, Mich. are among the most recent highly publicized killings of unarmed youth. But nothing has historically raised the ire of Black communities like the shooting of yet another unarmed Black youth at the hands of a police officer. The killing of Brown, a recent high school graduate, touched that national nerve this week.

Hands raised According to widespread reports, Brown and a friend were walking in the street on the way to his grandmother’s house when they were approached by a police officer. Despite police claims that an altercation and struggle ensued, eyewitness accounts said one thing is clear – the unarmed teen was shot once before dropping to his knees with his hands raised; then was shot several more times by the officer, whose name was undisclosed by the Florida Cou-

his devotion to promoting integration, and his participation in the Civil Rights Movement. He founded the Church of the Redeemer in September 1958, serving as its pastor until 1970. His eloquence led The Washington Post to refer to him as one of Washington’s “gifted preachers” and the Washingtonian Magazine recognized him in December 1969 as one of the city’s best preachers. In 1970, Rogers became president and executive minister of the Black Ecumenical Commission in Boston. And in 1972, he was called to Hollis Presbyterian Church in Hollis, New York, as that congregation’s first African-American pastor.

From New York to Miami The couple joined the faculty of then Florida Memorial College around

rier’s Wednesday night press deadline. “You don’t do a dog like that,” said Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, in an exclusive interview with NewsOne reporter Brittany Noble. “They didn’t let me identify him or anything,” she said. “It was some girls down there that had recorded the whole thing, took pictures, and she showed [me] a picture on her phone. She said ‘ain’t this your son’ and I just bawled even harder…just to see my son laying there like this for no apparent reason.”

Vigil turns violent Anger spilled into the street’s late Sunday as a peaceful vigil became disorderly on both sides. CNN showed video of citizens breaking a store window, looting and banging on police cars. One police officer was caught on camera describing the people as “animals.’’ Officers have fired tear gas at people standing in their own

backyards. Ferguson Police Department officials were set to meet as soon as Thursday with Brown’s mother. Police Chief Thomas Jackson held a press conference Wednesday, telling reporters that he was working with the NAACP and the Department of Justice to set up the meeting. The shooting, the protests and the ensuing police response have exposed latent racial tensions in the city, which is composed mostly of African-American residents but governed overwhelmingly by White public officials. Black residents are also disproportionately pulled over in traffic stops by the Ferguson Police Department, which has just three Black commissioned officers out of a total of 53. Jackson said Wednesday it’s been a “struggle” to diversify the police force, but he’s been trying to do so during his tenure as chief.

selor – to join the board of trustees of the school. The couple also established New Birth Corporation Inc., which eventually acquired, renovated and continues to preserve the childhood home of Dr. Howard Thurman in Daytona Beach.

Stetson series Dr. Jefferson P. Rogers and his wife, Mary Grace. 1980. While there, they worked together to foster educational, economic and social development projects in Miami-Dade County, partly through a popular Distinguished Lecture Series that drew audiences to the campus. He succeeded in getting tennis great Arthur Ashe – to whom he was a longtime friend, mentor and coun-

After their time in Miami, the Rogers relocated to Daytona Beach where, in partnership with Stetson University in nearby DeLand, Dr. Rogers established the Thurman Lecture Series, which ran from 1996 to 2011. As in Miami, the series featured outstanding scholars, authors and civil rights stalwarts, including Kwame Ture (aka Stokely Carmichael), Congressman John Lewis and the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. One of the last New Birth projects that Rev. Rogers strongly encouraged and

Meanwhile, the anger has mounted across the nation. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who was invited to Ferguson by Michael Brown’s mom, also is in the midst of a justice fight in the July 17 chokehold death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old Staten Island father of six who died after being choked by New York Police officers who were detaining him. The videotaped assault showed Garner repeatedly saying he could not breathe before falling unconscious under the excessive force of the police officers. Sharpton and Garner’s family have announced plans for a “We Will Not Go Back” march and rally on Saturday, Aug. 23. The demonstration, seeking justice for Garner, will be held on the 25th anniversary of the murder of Yusuf Hawkins, an unarmed Black teen who was shot twice in the chest and killed while walking with friends through the White neighborhood of Bensonhurst, in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1973. The four were attacked by a White mob.

Updated information from Blackvoices.com was added to this report.

endorsed is a collaborative effort between New Birth Corp. and Bethune-Cookman University. In April, New Birth and BethuneCookman held a roundtable discussion on the Cradle to Prison Pipeline phenomenon.

Service on Saturday A memorial service for Rev. Rogers will be held Saturday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. at the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, 580 George W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach. Mary Grace Rogers, his wife of more than 70 years, predeceased him in April 2012. Rogers is survived by three children, Anita Rogers Howard (Richard Andrews) of Cleveland Heights, Ohio; Qasim Abdul-Tawwab (Najwa) of Daytona Beach; and Weldon Rogers of Atlanta; eight grandchildren; and 13 great grandchildren.

HISTORY from A1

elected to the House of Representatives in 2006. He graduated from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance in 1982. He went on to earn a Jurist doctorate degree from the University of Miami’s School of Law in 1987. He joined the Broward County Public Defender’s Office as assistant public defender and later moved into private practice where he specializes in criminal defense and public finance. Thurston was elected as a state representative for House District 93 in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2010.

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

FLORIDA

A3 year as of July 7. Florida’s share was the third highest, following Texas and New York, of the 30,340 resettled with sponsors, typically family members. Dozens more are expected to arrive this month to be sheltered and placed in homes. Under a 2008 law signed by then-President George W. Bush, unaccompanied minors cannot be removed from the country without getting a chance to claim they should remain because they face danger if returned to their homeland. Some of the children have become permanent residents and some have been deported, but figures were not available. The numbers have gradually increased to crisis proportions because countries such as Honduras have descended into lawlessness as drug trafficking escalates and violent gangs attack families, including children. Many come to Florida, home to nearly 4 million immigrants and the largest Honduran community in the nation.

A major stop

C.M. GUERRERO/EL NUEVO HERALD/MCT

Randy McGorty, left, and Elizabeth Sanchez Kennedy, far right, both staff attorneys for the Catholic Legal Services for the Archdiocese of Miami, speaks with “Karen,” an unaccompanied minor who crossed the border from Honduras through Mexico into the United States on June 26 in Miami.

Courts create ‘rocket dockets’ for immigrant children cases Hearings will decide if children can stay in US or be deported BY WILLIAM E. GIBSON SUN SENTINEL (MCT)

WASHINGTON — Florida immigration courts, swamped by a growing stream of unaccompanied children who illegally crossed the Southwestern border, are creating “rocket dockets” to quickly decide whether they should be sent back to their turbulent homelands. Volunteer attorneys are scrambling to prepare for as many as 50 hearings a day per judge to assert the children’s right to become permanent residents, or at

least avoid immediate deportation. The speedy procedure more than 1,500 miles from the border stems from a huge influx of children fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. More than 3,000 have come to Florida this year to join family members, but they still must establish their right to remain.

On their own Three immigration judges in Miami and two in Orlando are now focusing entirely on cases of border

children who have settled in Florida. Government officials promise to give the children their day in court, but immigration advocates fear that even though justice may be swift, it will not necessarily be fair. Only three of the 25 children who appeared before one Miami judge on a recent Friday afternoon were represented by attorneys, said Lesley Mendoza, executive director of the pro bono project of the Cuban American Bar Association. “The rest were expected to appear by themselves,” she said. “Without speaking the language, without any knowledge and limited education, they are expected to navigate the legal

system on their own. That’s just wrong. “By expediting hearings and not giving them time to find an attorney, many who do have a legal right will be sent back. Being sent back for some of these kids means continuing to get raped on their way to school. For the boys, it means doing whatever a gang asks them to do, or being killed.”

ing safe haven. “A lot of children are appearing before immigration judges alone, without any legal counseling,” said Camila Pachon Silva, immigration attorney for the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association. The group is organizing a training session in September for attorneys to deal with the cases. “We have seen a dramatic increase in the last year, but these are not the first children to come,” she said. “The numbers right now have skyrocketed, but children have crossed the borders on their own ever since we’ve had immigration in the United States.”

Dramatic increase

Escaping violence

A similar onslaught is clogging the Immigration Court in Orlando, where legal-aid attorneys are rounding up volunteer lawyers to represent large numbers of children seek-

Federal officials reported that 3,181 of the children apprehended on the border — most of them teenagers from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — had come to Florida this

Gary discusses $24 billion settlement against R.J. Reynolds BY RON HARRIS NNPA NEWS SERVICE

ATLANTA — He has been called many names: The Giant Killer. Super Lawyer. Celebrity Attorney. These days, they are calling him the $24 Billion Man. His name is Willie Gary and his recent verdict against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., in the wrongful death of an addicted smoker has garnered the nation’s attention. For an attorney worth an estimated $100 million, one who has won over 150 multimillion dollar cases and oversees a practice of 35 lawyers and 125 staff, Stuart attorney Gary has long been in the national and legal spotlight with stories about him in People magazine, on “60 Minutes,’’ on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,’’ in Ebony, Forbes, The New York Times, Black Enterprise, Willie and on CBS and ABC News. Gary But after a Florida juror handed his client $16 million in compensatory damages and also fined R. J. Reynolds $23.6 billion in punitive damages in the death of the husband of his client, Cynthia Robinson, his reputation has gotten just that much bigger. “It certainly doesn’t hurt,” Gary joked softly while reclining on a sofa recently in his 39th floor suite in a downtown Atlanta hotel. Gary was in Atlanta for the National Bar Association convention. The convention was held July 26-Aug. 1.

From millions to billions Gary and his team, which included attorney Chris Chestnut of the Chestnut Firm in Atlanta, proved that R.J. Reynolds was negligent in informing consumers of the dangers of tobacco. Consequently, the jury ruled it caused the unnecessary and untimely death of Michael Johnson, Sr., who died from lung

The Orlando court handles immigration cases from the northern part of the state, and the Miami court deals with those from the southern part, including Broward and Palm Beach counties. “By having a special docket, you can move these cases, hopefully without stepping on anybody’s rights,” said Jeffrey Brauwerman, a former immigration judge and now an immigration attorney in Fort Lauderdale. “I think the judges will be pretty fair-minded. The key thing is to unclog the docket.” Florida has absorbed influxes before — including the Mariel Boatlift, which brought 125,000 Cubans in 1980, and fleeing Haitians in the 1980s and 1990s. But rarely have immigration courts resorted to expedited proceedings, sometimes dubbed a “rocket docket,” to quickly resolve cases. “This is a major stop,” Brauwerman said, “because when they come over the border, many hit the Greyhound bus and come all the way down to Miami, where there’s a lot of family. Remember, we’re still the gateway to the Americas.”

cancer after he became addicted to cigarettes and was unable to quit smoking even though he apparently tried numerous times. Gary said the extremely large punitive award grew out of R.J. Reynolds’ arrogance. “I had suggested $100 million,” he said. “But R.J. Reynolds told the jury, ‘Do you think $100 million is going to make us stop our ways of doing what we do?’, and I think that got the jurors upset.’”

Chestnut weighs in Fellow attorney Chestnut had his own thoughts on the verdict. “The environment today is completely different than it was in the ‘50s and ‘60s, when Robinson’s husband was alive,” Chestnut had told USA Today. “Reynolds knew its product was addictive, but . . . the company lied and marketed cigarettes as safe.” Legal experts say the huge punitive verdict will probably be reduced upon appeal, and Gary said he is sure that R.J. Reynolds will appeal. “They appeal even when they win,” he joked. “But we are going to fight for our verdict.”

Other big settlements The process could take another two years, unless R.J. Reynolds agrees to a settlement, “which is a good possibility,” he said. Gary certainly is no stranger to large verdicts. In 1995, a jury awarded his legal team $500 million against one of the world’s largest funeral chains. He won a $240 million jury verdict against the Walt Disney Corporation for his clients, who alleged that Disney stole their idea for a sports theme park. In 2001, a jury awarded Gary a $139.6 million verdict against Anheuser Busch. That doesn’t include multi-million dollar verdicts against Motorola, Microsoft and Dell.

This story is special to NNPA from The Atlanta Voice.

EDITORIAL

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

Make time for a vacation I don’t do vacations well. I have to be pushed and prodded, just about guilt tripped, into taking time off. Sure, I’ll take an hour here, an evening there, to read a book or play word games. But it just about takes an act of God to get me to go play. Yet, when I play I find a lightness of spirit, rejuvenation, a rush of fresh ideas, a cessation of frustration. I play and remind myself of an 8-year-old me, pigtails (ugh) flying, water fighting, immersed in a careless and carefree world. I like to think that those few days, or maybe weeks in August prepared me for the coming school year. And I always think of September 1 as the new year, the day when many schools open and when we start our academic year over.

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

gust. Congress is on break and will accomplish nothing (as if they accomplished anything when they were not on break). That means that Washington, DC is kind of empty and restaurants you may have waited a month to reserve are open for walk in diners. New Yorkers have deserted the Big Apple for the Hamptons, and Bostonians have run to Martha’s Vineyard or the Cape. But there are some folks who must work in August; because they don’t have the same vacation privileges that so On break many do. In most European countries, inFew folks, it is said, work in Au-

cluding France, Italy, and Germany, workers are entitled to about 20 days a year. Many of the shops in Paris are closed in August because so many people have taken vacation time. Inconvenient? That’s just how it is. People need time off to relax, replenish, and revive. In Japan and Canada, people are entitled to at least 10 days off. That’s less than the European Union countries, but more than the United States. What do these countries see that we don’t? They see that a relaxed workforce is a more productive workforce. They see that workplace stress is an issue. They understand that people “snap” when there is an unrelenting amount of pressure they must deal with.

Few benefits I write about this as a labor

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: ROBIN WILLIAMS

DAVID FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 222 The state of Black America – Two weeks ago, I described our summer visit to Atlanta’s Center for Civil and Human Rights. My initial feeling? “Sadness” I wrote. “Seems that strong, principled, focused, strategic, visionary Black leadership worthy of ‘followership’ has largely disappeared.” I came back “more pessimistic than ever about the direction of Black America.” This week, I’m reminded why. Another Black male is killed by cops as his family grieves, the killer is not immediately prosecuted, the Black community protests, Rev. Al Sharpton and Attorney Ben Crump fly in, mainstream media cover it for a few days, Fox News focuses on the community reaction rather than the killing, Bro. Prez makes a lukewarm statement, the Department of Justice starts an investigation. It’s “déjà vu all over again,” as Yogi Berra once said. The differences from Trayvon’s killing? An eyewitness who saw the daylight shooting by a cop in the middle of a Black neighborhood. Viral video of the dead body left uncovered for hours. Violence and looting, primarily by opportunistic local youth. When you tour the Atlanta museum, you understand why it’s the cradle of the civil rights movement: strong Black businesses and community institutions like churches and schools; multiple historically Black colleges; an understanding of

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

the importance of economic leverage, and the willingness to strike or boycott when necessary. Leadership was local, not flyin, and it existed before the shootings, killings, or mass firings that were catalysts for community anger. Nothing was left to chance. Civil rights protesters took classes on how to respond to violence. They dressed up so the mainstream media wouldn’t focus on their appearance. “Freedom songs” kept their spirits up during dangerous marches. Activists held frequent community meetings to keep people informed. The civil rights focus was on permanent systemic change, not on lawsuits and prosecutions. I’m not saying 1960s tactics would work today. But given the weakness of most post-desegregation Black community-based institutions, where will the new tactics and strategies come from that could move Black America forward?

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.

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

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economist, a person who studies workplaces, their designs and their outcomes. I write about this as a person who has managed people and who understands their challenges. I write about this as a person who will not take a vacation unless you make me. And I write about this as an AfricanAmerican who understands how infrequently African-American workers have the opportunity to simply chill. African-American families earn about $31,000 a year, compared to about $50,000 for Whites. AfricanAmericans have much higher unemployment rates than the overall average. African-Americans are overrepresented in the number of people holding multiple jobs. African-Americans are both the most needy of chill time and the least likely to afford it. Those who work hardest and get the fewest benefits need vacations more than the rest of us do. The Starbucks barista, standing on her feet all day, and fake smiling when somebody asks for a tri-

ple chai latte, the housekeeper at a hotel who hopes the person who left her room a mess also left a tip, the sidewalk sweeper who watches the street he just cleaned muck up in an instant, these are the folks who need vacations. Our national policy does not entitle people to vacation time, sick leave, or other kinds of leave. Too often, employers provide it as a “perk” not a necessity. Still, when you look at our unproductive Congress taking a monthlong break, you have to wonder why everyone doesn’t get his or her perk. Or at least a week, at least two weeks, something. You can’t do your best without a rest. How can we possibly compete with our European Union colleagues when we treat our workers with less concern?

Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist, and educator based in Washington, DC.

Charlie Crist going after the Black vote in Florida governor’s race The Black vote will start determining the winner in many statewide races around the country. When Black men realize their voting power and partner with Black women, they will create a block that will determine the outcomes in many major races. Governor Scott has dismissed the Black vote as if it does not exist, and Charlie Crist has taken the opposite strategy and approach. Crist is opening campaign headquarters in Black communities, and this will make a difference in getting the Black vote out during a mid-term election. Historically, the Black vote has been more effective during a presidential election cycle, but all the experts are watching this mid-term election very closely. Last week, Charlie Crist drew a crowd of 200 supporters to the opening of his campaign office on Sistrunk Boulevard. This is the main street in the Black community, in northwest Fort Lauderdale, and two other Black candidates have offices in the building. Thaddeus Hamilton, who is running for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, and incumbent Alcee Hastings, running for U.S. House of Representatives, both have offices in the building. In order to become Florida’s governor as a Democrat, Crist must convince Blacks and minorities that he will allow them to sit at the table and be involved

ROGER CALDWELL GUEST COLUMNIST

There is power in the Black vote in Florida, and Crist must make an all out effort to get the Black vote out in 2014 in his campaign. Many believe that Alex Sink lost the race for governor in 2010, because she did not have a strategy for Blacks and Hispanics. Anthony Man, a Sun Sentinel political reporter says, “A central element of Crist’s strategy against Republican Gov. Rick Scott in November is trying to boost turnout among black voters, which tends to dip in midyear elections between presidential contests.” It will be very important that Crist has other campaign headquarters in Black Neighborhoods around the state. At this point in the campaign, many Blacks are concerned and hesitant about Crist’s change from

Republican to Democrat. When Crist opens Black neighborhood campaign headquarters, he must spend money with Black outreach volunteers and put Blacks in leadership positions. Blacks are tired of seeing young white political activist getting paid, making decisions, and trying to build partnerships in Black communities. Crist has collected over $5 million for his war chest, and he has a PAC that has raised around $5 million. A percentage of this money must be allotted to the Black and Hispanic community, if Crist is going to win in Florida. The Black vote is the key to Crist winning the election, because there are 2.3 million Blacks registered to vote in Florida. Rick Scott won the election in 2010 with only 2, 619,335 votes. Blacks have the political power to deliver to Charlie Crist 2 million votes, if 85% of registered Blacks voted in the 2014 governor’s election. There is power in the Black vote in Florida, and Crist must make an all out effort to get the Black vote out in 2014.

Roger Caldwell is the president of On Point Media Group. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Follow the leader Every day now it seems like some Black man or some Black woman is being falsely accused, overcharged, beaten, choked or shot down in broad day light! After almost every incident somebody rushes to Facebook or Twitter to post what Black community members should do in response to neighborhood atrocities. We are told not to protest, don’t fight, don’t burn, don’t loot, don’t riot, don’t participate in civil disturbances, don’t get involved in mayhem and don’t treat perpetrators the way perpetrators treat Black victims! We are, however, told to follow our leaders! Well, all of the “leaders” that I know were either self-appointed or given their leadership titles by enemies of the Black community like the imperialist press, better known as majority media outlets! Just because you have a title, it doesn’t make you a leader. Just because you are a preacher, a teacher, a politician, a social worker or an organization president, it does mean that you are the leader of any Black community.

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

America’s Black communities to unite and work together to solve Black community problems. We need the pacifists and we need the revolutionaries. We need the radicals and we need the conservatives. We need the quiet and we need the outspoken. We need the meek and we need the mighty. We need the able and we need the disabled! It takes a community, or a village, to raise a child and it takes a community to improve a community, to make it prosperous, to make it safe and to make it educated! If you see a so-called “leader” in your community telling you that no one’s opinion should be considered or heard except for his, that so-called leader should be exposed and rejected! You don’t need social media or White newspapers to tell you who the Black community leader is in times of trouble. The Black sheep will always recognize the voice of the Black Shepherd! Follow the leaders that follow the truth!

ple that have titles, have been elected or have been appointed, it is obvious the most accomplished in our community can certainly contribute in community times of need. But everybody can contribute and we need everybody to contribute in our fight for equal rights, justice, respect, recognition and a better way of life. This idea that Black Christians are leaders and Black Muslims, Black Yorubas and other Black religious practitioners are not is crazy. The idea that Black doctorates are leaders and Black farmers, Black housekeepers and Black folk that are uneducated and unemployed can’t lead is preposterous. And, the idea that Black Democrats and Black Republicans are leaders and Black Independents, Blacks with no party affiliation and Black nationalists are not leaders is a devilish Buy Gantt’s latest book idea that must be immedi- “Beast Too: Dead Man ately discredited and aban- Writing” and contact Ludoned! cius at www.allworldconMore than sultants.net. Write your We need them all one leader own response at www.flNo disrespect to the peoWe need all members of courier.com.

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

From Voting Rights Act to Voting Rights Amendment One of the greatest weeks in progressive political history started on July 30, 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Medicare and Medicaid bills into law. It ended on Aug. 6, when LBJ penned his signature on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, an act that he described as “a triumph for freedom as huge as any victory won on any battlefield.” We should take a moment to remember that wonderful week, 49 years ago. Progressive victories like those do not come along very often. Our victories did not start in LBJ’s White House, of course. You could say that we began to walk the freedom road toward the Voting Rights Act on the day that Rosa Parks sat down on the bus in Montgomery, Ala., and refused to give it up. Or you could point to the day in Greensboro over half a century ago, when four brave North Carolina A&T students sat down at the lunch counter, and refused to move. Or you could give great credit to Dr. King.

ple, in motion. . . . We won voting rights on the bridge at Selma. We, the people, provided the answer.” Those progressive landmarks are now under attack. Conservatives have never liked Medicare or Medicaid. (Conservative icon Ronald Reagan derided Medicare as “socialized medicine” years before he was even elected governor of California.) Nor have right-wingers ever liked the Voting Rights Act. The neo-Confederate wing of the GOP in particular has always chafed under federal supervision of its (often unfair) voting procedures. But public sentiment in favor of expanded voting since Dr. King’s death has remained strong enough to withstand most of their attacks.

Sit-ins and marches

The right gains control

I described that outside/inside process in my 1996 speech to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago: “Desegregated public accommodations came from Greensboro and Birmingham, from the sit-ins and marches and street heat. From we, the peo-

Then came the backlash election of 2010, when Tea Party voters who claimed to be upset about the deficit — a deficit brought on by President George W. Bush, but ignored until the first AfricanAmerican president took office — turned out in big numbers and

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

The St. Louis County Sheriff Department even sealed the roads leading to Ferguson in a vain attempt to prevent protesters from reaching the city. His name was Mike Brown, he was 17 - and he would have started college next week. Instead, his family is struggling to come up with funeral costs.

A little over 24 hours ago in Ferguson, Missouri - USA the Ferguson Police Department shot an un-armed teen 6 times and killed him. His body was left to lie in a pool of blood in the sweltering heat for hours while the police militarized the area against protesters and attempted to concoct a reasonable story as to why they snatched this innocent student’s life for no reason.

The entire global collective of Anonymous is outraged at this cold blooded murder of a young teen. Not a week goes by that some young person, usually of minority ethnicity - is slaughtered by murderous police in the USA. For this reason Anonymous will not be satisfied this time, as we have in the past - with simply obtaining justice for this young man and his family.

Minorities targeted

moved the House of Representatives and many state legislatures solidly to the right. However, this tea party is not a Boston Tea Party, the kind that launched the American Revolution — this is a Fort Sumter tea party, a nullification tea party, a states’ rights tea party. This led to an immediate attack on the voting rights gains we made 49 years ago, with a rollback of voting rights in dozens of GOPcontrolled statehouses across the nation, including cutbacks on early voting, and increased requirements for voter verification using ID cards that far too many poor and minority voters do not have. On top of that, progressives were hit hard by the most ideological, corporate, activist and conservative Supreme Court in modern times — a court that last year gutted the Voting Rights Act, by only a 5-4 margin. We, the people, need to get back in motion.

Right to vote We, the people, need to provide an answer to this attack. Civil rights groups are working hard right now to try to salvage a compromise that can keep the Voting Rights Act in play, but given the electoral benefits that the GOP reaps from unfair voting laws, our immediate chances to retain a fair, unbiased voting system all

Anonymous demands that the Congressional Representatives and Senators from Missouri introduce legislation entitled “Mike Brown’s Law” that will set strict national standards for police conduct in the USA. We further demand that this new law include specific language to grant the victims of police violence the same rights and prerogatives that are already enjoyed nationwide by the victims of other violent criminals. The Equal Protection clause of the US Constitution demands nothing less.

Support from group To the good people of Ferguson, take heart - and take your streets. You are not alone, we will support you in every way possible. Occupy every square inch of your city. Open your homes and

Keeping our money within our community I don’t know about you but it saddens as well as sickens me to see so many people within African-American communities go outside of their community to do business. Anytime money is taken out of the African-American community and invested into another community that isn’t giving back, hurts our community. Many (and definitely not all) businesses that refuse and even neglect to hire people from within the community in which they serve are obviously investing their money elsewhere. According to a report published by the NAACP in 2012, discovered the following: “Currently, a dollar circulates in Asian communities for a month, in Jewish communities approximately 20 days and White communities 17 days. How long does a dollar circulate in the Black community? 6 hours!!! African-American buying power is at 1.1 Trillion; and yet only 2 cents of every dollar an African-American spends in this country goes to Black owned businesses.”

Keep our money here This is a major problem for the African-American community. With circulation of the dollar lasting only 6 hours at the most, it’s no wonder why many businesses close and unemployment is so high within the African-American community. Without doing a critical assessment of why we can’t keep our money within the community, we will find ourselves continuing to

DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

support other communities and neglecting our own. A mental transformation must happen. Unless we understand where our money is going, we will continue to throw it away. Let’s face it – we have supported too many businesses that don’t cater to the betterment of our community. Supporting liquor stores, pawn shops, and title pawn companies only cripples our community. Think about it for a moment.

The corner store Within the confines of most inner cities, you’ll find a liquor store, pawn shop, and/or title pawn company on every corner. Why is that? Because they know we will support them and not say anything to them about their business practices. These stores for some strange reason can come into our neighborhood and profit, take their money home, and don’t care or even support the community in which they operate in. The time for these businesses to come into our neighborhoods and rob us must end. The time for us (as a people) to be smart about our money must begin today. Here’s what we must do: 1. Invest our money within our community with businesses and organizations

that help and not hinder. Through investment, opportunities will be created. 2. Ask businesses in our community to hire people from within our community. If a business wants to thrive in our community, then they need to look within our community for help. 3. Start more businesses. 4. Teach our children about the value of a dollar and the importance of giving back. 5. Monitor our spending habits. Without properly monitoring our spending, we will always remain consumers and never become manufacturers. I’m well aware of the fact that making a declaration of keeping more of our money within our community will bring about criticism, however, I don’t hear anyone telling other nationalities and ethnicities to become more diverse in their community spending. Diversity is good, but don’t get fooled into not supporting your community for the sake of being politically, socially, and culturally correct. Other cultures are building up their community by reinvesting back into their community; it’s time for us to do the same thing.

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

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: DO-NOTHING CONGRESS TAKES DO-NOTHING RECESS

Anonymous Operation Ferguson Editor’s note: Anonymous is an Internet based group that became known for a series of well-publicized publicity stunts and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on government, religious, and corporate websites. This release was distributed on Aug. 10 in response to the death of 17-yearold Mike Brown who was killed by a member of the Ferguson Police Department.

EDITORIAL

RJ MATSON, ROLL CALL

across the country are not great. We need a guaranteed right to vote. And to counteract our states’ rights system of voting, with a different set of restrictions in each of the 50 states plus D.C., we need a federal voting system. We need one set of rules for everyone, with a level playing field for all voters everywhere, North and South, urban and rural. We need a solution that galvanizes voters, that helps us mobilize to push back against those who would weaken civil rights and voting rights. At the National Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, we are organizing support for HJRes 44, a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to vote, introduced by Rep.

Mark Pocan and Rep. Keith Ellison. (To find out more about HJRes 44, go to http://www.fairvote.org/reforms/right-to-voteamendment). This is a long-term fight, but since the right to vote is held up as one of the greatest things about being an American, it should be a fight we can mobilize around, build a large and strong grassroots movement, and eventually win. Keep hope alive!

Jesse Jackson Sr. is founder of the Rainbow/Push Coalition. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

help in any way you can the protesters who will come to your city from every part of Missouri and the USA. Businesses and householders that are near protest rallies, open your WiFi routers so that live streamers and other independent journalists can use the Internet connections. Feed each other, keep each other safe - and stay in the streets until we are totally victorious in all our demands. To the Ferguson Police Department and any other jurisdictions who are deployed to the protests: we are watching you very closely. If you abuse, harass - or harm in any way the protesters in Ferguson we will take every web based asset of your departments and governments off line.

and release the personal information on every single member of the Ferguson Police Department, as well as any other jurisdiction that participates in the abuse. We will seize all your databases and E-Mail spools and dump them on the Internet. This is your only warning. The time has come for more than simple justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand and say “no more dead kids,” no more police killings and beatings. Anonymous is drawing a line in the sand, and that line runs right down the middle of Main Street Ferguson, Missouri. Police impunity ends with the barbaric death of Mike Brown. We are anonymous - we are legion - we will not forgive - we will Group warning not forget-expect justice - deThat is not a threat, it is a prom- mand change. ise. If you attack the protesters, Write your own response at we will attack every server and computer you have. We will dox www.flcourier.com.

Necessary light to unnecessary violence The fatal tragedies of Eric Garner, the forty-four year old male from Stanton Island, New York who was choked by a police officer and Mike Brown, an unarmed young Black teenager from St. Louis, Missouri, who witnesses say was shot numerous times with his hands in the air by law enforcement, again brings necessary light to what seems to be unnecessary violence by police. With this being said, many from the African-American culture have come together to be upset and have chosen to riot other cultures and their police departments. Yet I do not see anyone rioting or trying to stop Black-on-Black crimes.

SIERRA THOMAS GUEST COLUMNIST

able to stay out until 10 p.m. on school nights and 11 p.m. on weekends. Violators and their parents or guardians could be required to attend counseling sessions or face a fine of up to $500. Why must the local government have to do this when parents can just tell their kids to be in the house by a certain time? Yes parents have to work, and many work long hours or even Concern for families overnight shifts, but it is not the reEven though my heart goes out to the victims and their families, we as a sponsibility of the inner city to do what culture need to open our eyes to Black- parents should be doing. on-Black crime every day. Our African-American culture does not come Teach our youth together to end Black-on-Black crime. Why is this a topic for lessening I believe we have to do better in that Black on Black crime? Simply because area before we try to speak up in any other areas because no one takes “us” many Black deaths could be avoided if serious when we are killing our own we could come together in our communities and help teach our children people. According to Ben Shapiro, editor for respect for each other. Teach them that Breitbart News, 49 percent of murder there is nothing wrong with walking victims are Black and 93 percent of away from an argument. Teach them those are killed by other Blacks. In fact, that the more education they receive, most Black-on-Black crimes do not make it to the media, they are simply the higher their income can be. Teach them that when we hurt each other, we swept under the rug. make it easy for other cultures to look down on us as being inferior. Teach Starts at home Crimes in many of the inner cities them that even though we may grow have gotten so out of control that city up without many things and have to governments have begun to imple- struggle, we are more than capable of ment and enforce curfews. Stephanie doing great things in this lifetime. Rawlings-Blake, mayor of Baltimore, has received much criticism from parSierra Thomas is a 21-year-old seents following a recent update to the nior and reigning Ms. VUL at the Vircity wide curfew for children. The update requires unsupervised children ginia University of Lynchburg where under 14 to be off the streets by 9 p.m. she maintains a 3.75 G.P.A. Facebook.com/lovely.sie. Write your own year round, including summertime. Children aged 14 to 16 will only be response at www.flcourier.com.

NATION

TOJ A6

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

Is Obama dragging down his party? Another poll indicates president’s standing among voters hurting Democratic candidates

President Obama, center right, meets with local officials, including Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings, Texas governor Rick Perry, top center, and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in Dallas on July 9. Obama was in Texas to discuss border and immigration issues, and to help raise money for Democratic candidates.

BY ANITA KUMAR MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU (MCT)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is dragging down his party and hurting the prospects of fellow Democrats as they head into midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll. Obama is beset by problems at home and abroad. Just 40 percent of voters approve of the way he’s doing his job, tying his worst mark in three years and the second worst of his presidency. Just 39 percent approve of the way he’s dealing with the economy and only 33 percent approve of how he’s dealing with foreign policy, the worst of his years in office.

POOL PHOTO BY LOUIS DELUCA/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/ MCT

Obama and the Democrats have introduced proposals that could appeal to their base of supporters, including paying men and women equally, easing student-loan burdens and increasing the federal minimum wage. But support for the Democrats has continued to erode.

sputtering,” said Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York, which conducted the national survey. Republicans are making the campaign a referendum on Obama, hoping that discontent with the president will help them win control of the Senate and hold their majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to gain control of the Senate, which many analysts see as within reach. The Republicans’ House majority, now 234 to 199, appears safe.

More likely to vote GOP By 42 percent to 32 percent, voters say their opinions of Obama make them more likely to vote this fall for a Republican than for a Democrat. And for the first time this election cycle, more people said they would vote for a Republican than a Democrat for Congress, by 43 percent to 38 percent. “The Democrats are

More independents In December, voters’ opinions split evenly between the major parties. In February, they favored the Democrats by 2 percentage points, 46-44. In April, they favored the Democrats by 6 points, 48-42. Now they lean toward the Republi-

Against impeachment idea

cans by 5 points, 43-38. Independents are driving the change. The number of Americans who consider themselves independents has risen since Obama took office in 2009, Miringoff said, and now more of them are supporting Republicans. Independents break for Republicans over Democrats by 40-26, with 12 percent picking neither party and 22 percent undecided. “More people see themselves as independents, and those people seem to have bailed on Obama,” Miringoff said.

Republicans have the edge overall heading into the elections in all parts of the country, the poll found. One surprising source of support: Latino voters give only the edge to Democrats by 40 percent to 38 percent. Whites support Republicans by 48 percent to 34 percent; African-Americans support Democrats by 64 percent to 19 percent. Twenty-six percent of voters think Congress should begin impeachment proceedings against Obama, while 69 percent do not. The numbers were

the same among independents. With scant support, impeachment proceedings could produce a backlash that would help Democrats. By 43 percent to 38 percent, voters said they’d be more likely to vote for a Democrat than a Republican if Congress started impeachment hearings, reversing the Republican edge heading into the elections. Again defining the landscape, independents by 39 percent to 32 percent would be more likely to vote Democratic in reaction to impeachment proceedings.

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Report: Brown dismembered after death See page B5

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA

Report slams portrayal of Black women in videos See page B5

WWW.FLCOURIER.COM

SECTION

SYMPTOMS OF CLINICAL DEPRESSION • A persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood, or excessive crying • Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain • Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain • Irritability, restlessness • Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling “slowed down”

JANE TYSKA/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP/MCT

Fans of actor and comedian Robin Williams visit a memorial in front of a home on Steiner Street in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco on Aug. 12. Scenes from the film “Mrs. Doubtfire,” which starred Williams, were filmed at the home. The actor and comedian was found dead in his Tiburon home on Aug. 11. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office ruled the death to be a suicide by asphyxia.

Comedian’s death makes public the usually private agony of suicide BY MARK EMMONS SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS (MCT)

KEVIN SULLIVAN/ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER/MCT

Presenter Robin Williams jokes with Mo’Nique, who won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on March 7, 2010.

‘You can look like you have everything in the world going for you, and at the same time you can consider yourself unworthy inside, and none of that outside stuff matters. That’s hard to fathom, but it’s also true.”’ – Dr. Keith Humphreys Stanford University professor of psychiatry

nytime someone takes their own life, a circle of heartbroken family and friends are left struggling with a question of haunting simplicity: Why? Now, in the wake of the news that comedian Robin Williams committed suicide at age 63, an entire world linked by social media has been left trying to process why a successful and widely admired man could become so overwhelmed by despair that he felt compelled to commit suicide. Williams’ death undoubtedly has affected the public in such a profound way because of his ability to make us all feel as if we really knew him. And while mental health experts say the reasons for suicide are complex, the outpouring of raw emotion this week has made it easier to discuss a sensitive topic that has touched so many.

Got us talking “More people die of suicide than in car accidents or of breast cancer each year,” said Julie Cerel, the board chair of the American Association of Suicidology. “Twice as many people die of suicides than homicides. But nobody talks about it. And whenever there is a loss close to us, we feel so alone, and that nobody wants to listen. So when somebody like this dies and is so beloved, it can bring up those feelings of our loss and get us talking.” Starting late afternoon Monday, people have talked, Tweet-

ed and posted on Facebook about little else. As the initial reports of Williams’ suicide at his California home surfaced, social media exploded — and in a deeply personal manner that went beyond our usual celebrity-driven culture. “I know when I first heard, it was like ‘What?’ Who?” said Katrina Gay, spokesperson for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “I think everybody felt that way, and suddenly the faucet was opened. It became very easy to add your pour to the mix because everybody has some story to add to this tragedy, whether it’s the struggles of someone we know or even yourself.”

‘No easy solutions’ Sharing, Gay added, is comforting because there is a mystery to mental illness in general, and suicide in particular. “There’s so much that we don’t know, and there are no easy solutions,” Gay said. “And that can lead to fear.” Added Cerel: “There is a natural question where people wonder, ‘If it can happen to someone like this, who else can it happen to?’” Williams was an Oscar-winning actor with unique brand of frenetic comedy as well as brooding intensity in dramatic roles. He essentially provided the laugh track for Baby Boomers and their children. His charitable endeavors and his common-man nature earned him admiration as someone who didn’t act the part of a Hollywood star, as his life-long affinity for the Bay Area showed. But while he was in the busi-

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism • Sleeping too much or too little, early-morning waking • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions • Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts SOURCE: MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA (WWW.MENTALHEALTHAMERICA.NET)

ness of making others smile, he also was willing to reveal the pain in his life — talking openly about troubles with drugs and alcohol. He recently had been seeking treatment for depression and had been in a rehabilitation center. “Being wealthy and accomplished doesn’t inoculate you from having addictions and other problems,” said Dr. Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor of psychiatry. “You can look like you have everything in the world going for you, and at the same time you can consider yourself unworthy inside, and none of that outside stuff matters. That’s hard to fathom, but it’s also true.”

39,000 a year In fact, other have-it-all celebrities have taken their lives over the years, including musician Kurt Cobain in 1994. But while he was a one-ofa-kind entertainer, Williams now sadly shares commonalities with others who commit suicide. Men are three-to-four times more likely to take their own lives than women. Also, suicides among middle-aged men are rising. Overall, it is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 39,518 suicides in 2011 — or an average of 108 a day. “Ten years ago, we were talking about 30,000 suicides a year See SUICIDE, Page B2

WHERE TO GET HELP National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) - a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

Mental Health America: www.mentalhealthamerica.net American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org Depression screening: www.depression-screening.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness: Support helpline: 800-9506264; website, www.nami.org. National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov

American Association of Suicidology: www.suicidology.org National Organization for People for Color Against Suicide: www.nopcas.com

EVENTS

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

STOJ

African-American center looking for Kwanzaa program presenter JAZMINE SULLIVAN

The Tampa Urban Music Fest with Anthony Hamilton, Jazmine Sullivan and Lyfe Jennings is at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on Aug. 23.

ISRAEL HOUGHTON

Israel Houghton and New Breed along with Miel San Marcos are scheduled at the Almavision Miami radio anniversary on Sept. 12 at BankUnited Center in Coral Gables.

The African-American Research Library & Cultural Center (AARLCC) in Fort Lauderdale is accepting proposals from experienced Kwanzaa program presenters for its Saturday, Dec. 27 event. The program is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a variety of events including children’s arts, crafts and music centered on the seven principles of Kwanzaa and a three-hour adult program that highlights some aspects of social, educational, spiritual and economic empowerment issues of people of African ancestry in relation to Kwanzaa and the seven principles.

Qualified Individuals or organizations are invited to submit one proposal plus two copies of past Kwanzaa or cultural events that meet the requirements. This information should be provided in the proposal: • Prior experience of the company with specific attention to experience with Kwanzaa and the seven principles. • A description of key staff to be assigned to this project and what they will do. • A statement concerning why the individual or organization would be the best choice. • Brochures, technical documents and other de-

tailed information should be provided. • Three references from venues where the presenter offered similar cultural or artistic programs. • Applicants must include all costs for the proposed event. All proposals must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. to Janice Henry, president of the Friends of AARLCC, c/o Pearl Woolridge, African-American Research Library & Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. For more information about the proposal, call Woolridge at 954-357-6207.

SUICIDE

2000s. Then they started to climb again, with many experts linking the rise to the economic recession. Another troubling trend is that military veterans are among the highest at-risk groups with an estimated 22 vets a day committing suicide. A recently released survey by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that nearly half of those who have served in those conflicts know someone who has attempted suicide, and 40 percent know someone who has died. There rarely is a single root cause for a suicide, experts say. “Suicide is a multi-cause behavior,” McIntosh said.

“That’s why it’s so difficult to prevent.”

from B1

and now we’re at 39,000,” said John McIntosh, an Indiana University South Bend psychology professor and leading suicide researcher. “That’s a steep climb. It’s always a tragedy when it happens to someone like this who is so widely liked. But the reality is that it happens every day, and affects so many people on a smaller scale.”

22 veterans a day McIntosh said suicides in the United States had been decreasing for about 15 years until the mid-

‘A cultural moment’ What they also stress that there is assistance available for anyone contemplating thoughts of harming themselves. If something positive can come from this, it’s that Williams — a man who did so much good in his life — may now play a role in lessening the stigma toward mental health struggles. “This is a cultural moment,” Stanford’s Humphreys said. “Celebrity has that ability to break through the din and make people pay attention. If it can be used wisely, more people can be helped.”

CHRISETTE MICHELLE

The Back to Love Tour with Anthony Hamilton and Chrisette Michelle makes a stop at the James L. Knight Center on Sept. 20. Michelle also is scheduled at the Ritz Theatre in Jacksonville on Sept. 19.

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Ponte Verde Beach: Reggae artist Beres Hammond will perform Aug. 29 at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.

Jacksonville: The Unity Fest featuring Future and Tamar Braxton is set for Aug. 31 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

St. Augustine: Tickets are on sale now for an Oct. 11 show at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre featuring Earth, Wind & Fire. Shows also are scheduled Aug. 15 at Hard Rock Hollywood and Aug. 19 at Hard Rock Orlando.

Orlando: The MEAC/SWAC Challenge begins at 11:45 a.m. at Bright House Networks Stadium on Aug. 31. Daytona Beach: The Bethune-Cookman University Volusia County Alumni Mass Choir will give a concert at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center. Jacksonville: Tickets are on sale for an Oct. 3 concert featuring Keith Sweat, El Debarge and Howard Hewitt at the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts. Orlando: Keyshia Cole’s Point of No Return tour stops at the House of Blues Orlando on Aug. 11.

West Palm Beach: Drake vs. Lil Wayne is scheduled Sept. 3 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre. Tampa: Candy Lowe hosts Tea & Conversation every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3911 N. 34th St., Suite B. More information: 813-3946363. Orlando: Lauryn Hill is scheduled Aug. 15 at the House of Blues Orlando. Miami: Tamela Mann and Vashawn Mitchell are scheduled at the James L. Knight Center on Aug. 16 for a 7 p.m. show. Tampa: Tickets are on sale for the Drake vs. Lil Wayne concert on Sept. 4 at the

‘Trekker,’ tenor Clendening, who considered him-

Visit us online at flcourier.com

MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Kissimmee: The Allstate Tom Joyner Reunion takes place Aug. 28-Sept. 1 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. More information: www.blackamericaweb.com. St. Petersburg: Christian Academy, a non-traditional hours preparatory school for high school students, is now enrolling students for the 2014-2015 school year. It opens Sept. 2 at Bay Point Christian Church, 2001 62nd Ave. S. A school fundraiser will be held Aug. 16. For more information, call Denise Ford at 727-504-3149 or send email to fordchristianacademysp@gmail.com. Hollywood: The Wayans Brothers perform Aug. 15 at Hard Rock Live Hollywood and Aug. 16 at Hard Rock Live Orlando. St. Petersburg: Catch Macy Gray on Oct. 10 at Janus Live.

St. Petersburg journalist Roger K. Clendening II dies Roger K. Clendening II of St. Petersburg died July 23 at Kindred Hospital after complications from open-heart surgery at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg on March 21. He was 44. He was born in New York City and moved to St. Petersburg with his family in 1973. Clendening was a gifted writer, journalist and author who wrote poetry, science fiction and filk songs, and self-published his work under his Independent Triviot Press imprint. He was a reporting inRoger K. tern and staff writer at the Clendening II Pasco Bureau of the St. Petersburg Times. His byline appeared in the newspaper from 1988 to 1996. A Lakewood High School graduate and co-editor of the school newspaper, Clendening attended New York University and St. Petersburg College.

Read All About Black Life, Statewide!

self a “Trekker,’’ also was a talented tenor. He sang with The Boys Choir of St. Petersburg, the NYU Choral Society and the Alumni Singers of St. Petersburg. He worked with and performed in Bethel Community Baptist Church of St. Petersburg’s annual Black History pageant. Raised as a Christian, he attended McCabe United Methodist Church and Faith Community Worship Center in that city.

Sept. 27 memorial He is survived by his mother, Constance M. Costley-Clendening, St. Petersburg; father, Roger K. Clendening, Denver, Colo.; sister, Rashida M. Clendening, Oakland, Calif.; grandmother, Eleanora Jones; and a host of other relatives around the country and in the Caribbeans. A memorial celebration is set for 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 at Old Landmark Cathedral Church, 4201 Sixth St. S., St. Petersburg. In lieu of flowers, the family can be contacted via email at irememberraj@ gmail.com.

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

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

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

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

Twitter @ccherry2

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

HEALTH

PHOTOS BY DALIA COLÓN / SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

During the BEST Summer Academy graduation ceremony, students react to a video recapping their time in the program.

Summer program started by Tampa doctor prepares students for health careers BY DALIA COLÓN SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Kinnette Scallo’s eyes welled up as she embraced her daughter. Danielle Scallo, a diminutive figure in maroon scrubs and a curly ponytail, also fought back tears. “She’s my oldest,” Kinette said. “I love her to death, and she knows I would do anything on this earth to make her happy, for her to succeed.” For Kinette, that meant enrolling 16-year-old Danielle in the Brain Expansions

Scholastic Training (BEST) Summer Academy. The intensive four-week program helps prepare teenagers for health careers through science lessons, learning games and real-life experience shadowing professionals at Florida Hospital Tampa.

Confidence, calmness and focus At the academy graduation in July, Danielle stood in the Wallace Conference Center of Florida Hospital Pepin Heart cradling a congratulatory bouquet from

her family. Just like those pink and yellow flowers, Danielle has blossomed over the course of the program. She’s more confident, having participated in medical ethics debates and presented cases of fictitious patients to her peers, program staff and community leaders. “I was really shy before… but now I’m more confident. I’m not afraid to speak in front of large crowds or an audience in general,” said Danielle, an aspiring general surgeon and a senior at Tampa’s Wharton

Foday Jaward poses for a photo with his mother after the ceremony.

High School. She’s also more calm under pressure, thanks to chess lessons that taught the students to think critically while beating the clock. In fact, at the graduation ceremony, Danielle was named “Miss Chess” for her stellar skills in the game. And her memory has improved, after being instructed in mnemonic tricks to retain all that medical jargon. “She’s a lot more focused,” Kinette said of her daughter. “It opened her mind to a lot of new and exciting things, which I’d hoped this program would do. So I thank Dr. Frederick for giving her this opportunity.”

Making ‘a huge difference’

The LATCH system makes it easier to be sure your child’s car seat is installed correctly every time. Just clip it to the lower anchors, attach the top tether, and pull the straps tight. To find out more, visit safercar.gov.

For the past decade, Dr. Dexter Frederick has been giving this opportunity to Hillsborough County students like Danielle Scallo. The Tampa internist and pediatrician created BEST to give aspiring doctors and nurses concrete tools to move toward their dreams. Since 2004, “the biggest change has been the integration of the hospital shadowing at Florida Hospital Tampa and the wide range of medical hands-on activities that our students have been able to be engaged in,” Frederick said. During the academy, the 20 participants spent eight hours a day hearing medical lectures, getting CPRcertified and honing their suturing technique on oranges at the Area Health Education Center on the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. A cornerstone of the program is a course in PreCollegiate Anatomy and Physiology. From the students’ pre-test at the start of the summer to their posttest four weeks later, their scores increased by 30 percent, according to instructor Lauren Terpak. Terpak, herself a secondyear medical student at the University of South Florida, says a program like BEST would have made “a huge difference” when she was in high school. “I’m actually a first-generation college student, just like many of these stu-

dents,” Terpak said. “Something like this would’ve helped guide me so much easier, just to know exactly what I wanted to do and how to get there, and to have someone help pull me up.”

A good foundation BEST targets high school students for a reason, Frederick said. “A career in the health science encompasses the ability for student to be well-rounded. That includes a good foundation of math, science, reading, professionalism, being inquisitive like a scientist. Those are skills that should be nurtured by ninth or 10th grade. If it is not nurtured at that time, the chances of entering a health profession is very low,” he said. While the academy doesn’t count for academic credit, participants earn volunteer hours and get a leg up on their classmates in the fall. They also learn lessons that carry over at home. At the graduation ceremony, Foday Jaward’s parents commented on how he had matured since entering the program. At home, Foday now cleans his bathroom without being asked and encourages his younger sister to wash her hands more often. “I was a germaphobe to start off, and now I’m an extreme germaphobe,” joked Foday, who is a senior in King High School’s Inter Baccalaureate program. He also now drops medical terms into conversation with his parents, who both work in the health field.

Widening the scope The BEST program is a partnership between students, parents, volunteers, paid staff and the organization’s community partners, which include Florida Hospital Tampa, USF Health, Morsani College of Medicine, Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring, South University and Discount Uniform Store, which supplies scrubs to help students look the part. “Community partners create the echo of who we are,” Frederick said. “They provide the credibility that

we need for parents and students to invest in us as we invest in them. Their ability to provide funding to sustain this nonprofit is invaluable and is the only way to stay sustainable,” Frederick said. As Frederick looks back on BEST’s first 10 years and anticipates the decade to come, his dream is this: “The goal is to widen our scope of influence outside of Florida and to nurture and follow up on our alumni,” he said.

Determined to help others Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as an adolescent Frederick suffered from Osgood-Schlatter disease, a disorder that causes severe pain in the knees. He had always been fascinated by the human body, and after being treated for his knee Dr. Dexter pain he set Frederick his sights on a medical career so he could relieve the suffering of others. Frederick trained at Washington Adventist University in Maryland and served as chief pediatric resident at Loma Linda University Medical Center outside of Los Angeles before settling in Tampa. “I would have students who admire what I do and want to be a doctor and want to be a nurse, and they had no idea of how to start,” said Frederick, 44. “In terms of sports, there were many opportunities for that. But not this.” The BEST program is open to students in grades 5 through 12. Programming during the academic year includes math and science tutoring, memory training, chess instruction and tournaments, and mentoring. For more information, contact Frederick at 813892-2182 or brainexpansions@gmail.com.

Dalia Colón is a multimedia journalist based in Brandon. Her website is daliacolon.com. For more information on the BEST program, visit brainexpansions.org.

EDUCATION

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

STOJ

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

College dorm essentials

or the entering college freshman, the days leading up to the start of the academic year can be filled with great anticipation and anxiety. But there are ways to begin this new journey on the right foot with a little preparation ahead of time. Below are a few major aspects of college life, along with some ideas to help you succeed in each one.

A properly outfitted dorm room or apartment is one supplied with the right items to keep clutter to a minimum, yet stocked with all the necessities to promote a successful academic year. The following are a few must-have items for the college bound individual.

Tips for Achieving Academic Success

Add Some Class to Your Wardrobe

Open your mind with these tips for achieving academic success during college: Don’t stress about your major While many students are pressured into choosing their field of study before enrollment or very early in their college career, most college graduates will admit it took some time to figure it all out. Unless you are 100 percent certain of your career path, go a safer route by signing up for courses in several subjects that interest you. This will allow you to sample different disciplines and develop passions you may not have been introduced to during your previous studies. Know your professor Take advantage of office hours and visit with each educator throughout the semester. This not only helps build a relationship with your teacher, it also gives you one-on-one time to go over any concepts or ideas you do not understand. Follow your passions Though your schedule likely includes many prerequisite and general education courses, you should always allow for at least one “fun” class that lets you focus on talents, skills and subjects that truly interest you. If you have one class to look forward to, it can make all the difference when trying to balance your studies.

Looking your best gives you the confidence to excel in other ways, too, whether in the classroom or developing your new social circle. Set yourself up for success with these style tips: Best foot forward If you’re like most freshmen, you will want to put your best foot forward. Having a stylish head-to-toe look can give you the confidence you need. One of the hottest options now is the Nike Zoom Soldier VIII, the newest evolution of the Zoom Soldier, and the preferred model on court by LeBron James this past season. You can find this favorite, featuring Flywire technology for more flexibility and breathability, and other quality must-haves from sneakers to apparel at Foot Locker stores and at www.Footlocker.com. Express yourself During your college years, you’ll never be far from your trusty laptop or tablet, which makes it an ideal way to showcase your personality while protecting your investment (and critical course notes). These days, the sky is the limit for stylish covers with options ranging from basic colors and patterns and pop culture icons to custom designs featuring your favorite photos. Just be sure to check for a proper snug fit for maximum protection from scratches or other accidents.

While the start of your college career may seem intimidating, you can be confident and ready for everything this special time has to offer by putting a few of these ideas into practice.

Stylish organizers A successful academic year begins with the proper tools to stay organized. The Premium Cube Organizers from ClosetMaid bring design and function to living spaces, and offer a convenient place to stash everything from laundry tools to snacks or even a shower caddy. Available in three finishes — Weathered Oak, Dark Chestnut and Black Walnut — they feature vertically adjustable interior shelves to fit books and binders upright. Offered in six- or nine-cube designs and new at Target and Target.com, ClosetMaid Premium Cube Organizers also include decorative posts to add style to any room. For more information, visit www.ClosetMaid.com.

Keep digital devices in check Do you need a way to keep earbud cords from becoming a tangled mess in your backpack? Are those long cords that power your laptop creating chaos within your study space? VELCRO® Brand One-Wrap Cable and Cord Ties offer a reusable, adjustable and convenient way to keep all of your digital accessories organized. With sizes available to fit all of your needs, Velcro Brand One-Wrap Cable and Cord Ties are the perfect solution to keep tools tidy. For more information, visit www.velcro.com.

A cool place for snacks, drinks Though most students eat in the dining hall or the student union, having an additional place to store snacks and drinks is always a bonus. Keep your favorite yogurts, sodas, fresh fruits and more cool and ready with a miniature refrigerator. Available in various sizes to accommodate your living space, this helpful snack storage can come in handy during those lengthy study sessions.

STOJ

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

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

jada

david

In a picture sent to her Twitter followers, Jada Pinkett Smith shows off her 40-year old bod. Photo courtesty of Twitter One of David’s favorite things to do is travel, which he says affords him a number of opportunities to get to know different cultures, places and people. He models, acts and is an interpreter and teacher of English and Spanish. When not working on a project, he enjoys eating out, spending time with good friends or working out at the gym. Contact him at davidclaxtonhere@gmail.com or on twitter @claxman. Photo credit: Pmodel Talent

‘Pornographic Performances’ report slams portrayal of Black women in videos

James Brown’s wife, Tomi Rae Hynie Brown, blows a kiss to a relative before his private funeral service at Carpentersville Baptist church in Augusta, Ga., on Dec. 29, 2006.

FROM WIRE REPORTS

C. ALUKA BERRY/ THE STATE/MCT

Report: Brown’s legs cut off; body was moved 14 times after death EURWEB.COM

James Brown may be back in the public eye, thanks to a new biopic, but the late music icon is far from resting in peace, according to his widow. In an interview with MailOnline.com, Tomi Rae Hynie Brown detailed for the first time just how complicated things are with Brown’s family as she touched on the battle for the soul legend’s $65 million fortune as well as how a paternity suit resulted in the dismembering of his body which has been moved 14 times since his death. Although Brown’s biopic, “Get On Up,” “gives a good depiction of my husband’s life,” Tomi Rae feels James all the drama since the singer’s Brown death is “is more painful and outrageous than anything a scriptwriter could dream up.” “James would be spinning in his grave if he knew the hell I’d gone through over the past eight years,” she told MailOnline.

Will ‘disappeared’ Since Brown’s death on Christmas Day 2006, feuding among the entertainer’s children has left Tomi Rae “virtually penniless” as the children – legitimate and otherwise – have launched legal claims on Brown’s estate along with lawyers, hangers-on and business associates. In addition, there’s the situation with Brown’s will. According to Tomi Rae, a will leaving half of Browns’ fortune to her and the rest to a charitable foundation to help underprivileged children ‘mysteriously disappeared’ in the days following the legendary entertainer’s death. On the flipside is a will Brown signed in 2000 that his children are standing by. That will, which was

made before the singer married Tomi Rae and their son James Jr.’s birth, lists Brown’s six adult children as the beneficiaries. “He thought he had provided for me and Little Man, as he called our son. But every piece of scum and slime came crawling out of the woodwork the day he died,” Tomi Rae said. ‘There have been lawsuits and countersuits… I know I will prevail eventually, but I’m in a living hell.”

‘Legs hacked off’ The legitimacy of James Jr. as the elder Brown’s son has been questioned by the singer’s other children, who claim Brown had a vasectomy in the 1980s. The squabbling ultimately resulted in a judge ordering a DNA test, which confirmed that Brown was James Jr.’s father. Despite the verification, the way in which the result was reached is an issue that Tomi Rae gets emotional discussing. “They couldn’t do the normal DNA test because of all the embalming fluid in his body. So they had to cut off his legs to get to his bone marrow,” she revealed. “I wept uncontrollably when I found out. My husband, the greatest dancer in the world, had his legs hacked off in death.”

Working on documentary Tomi Rae goes on to reveal that in the six months after Brown’s passing, the singer’s body was moved 14 times. It eventually ended up in a temporary grave in the garden of Brown’s oldest daughter Deanna’s home in Georgia. ‘That is the final insult to James,’ said Tomi Rae, who was hired by “Get On Up” executive producer Mick Jagger to be a consultant for the film. The Rolling Stones frontman and Tomi Rae are currently working on a two-hour documentary that will shed light on the story of the drama over Brown’s estate.

According to the International Business Times (IBT), the depiction of women in music videos “creates a ‘conducive context’ for violence against women and girls,” the IBT writes about the recurring theme, which is especially prominent in hip-hop lyrics. “Pornographic Performances’’ was released in Britain by End Violence Against Women Coalition, Imkaan and Object. The report condemns the portrayal of women in pop videos as hypersexualized and “endlessly sexually available” objects. Those who view such videos have been found to have an associated tolerance of racist, sexist and even rape-tolerant attitudes, the research stated.

Videos cited Calvin Harris’ “Summer,’’ “Never Say Never’’ by Basement Jaxx and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines’’ are cited in the report, which is being sent to leading figures in the music industry, as well as media regulators and politicians, with recommendations of change. The three organizations advocate compulsory age ratings for all music videos, to ensure there is consistency in the regulation of music videos viewed online and on hard copy, as with film. “Some forms of media, such as television and film, are well regulated and our society accepts and supports this. Other forms like music videos are getting away with very little scrutiny and as such seem to be competing for who can most degrade and insult women,’’ said Sarah Green of the women’s coalition. “If the ‘creative’ people who make them won’t stop this, regulators should rein them in and implement age ratings,” she added.

Sexist and racist The report draws attention to the portrayal of women in very traditional gender roles in popular culture, with men representing characters of power and dominance and women as passive recipients of their gaze. “Frame by frame there is a much greater focus by the camera on women’s body parts, especially those associated with sex, and many of the film conventions of pornography are used,” it reads. The report highlights the portrayal of Black women as “wild and animalistic” hypersexual objects.

‘Sexual double standard’ For the report, researchers conducted studies among students to examine the effects of watching music videos with sexist or racist elements. They found that those who have viewed sexualized music videos in a controlled setting express more sexist attitudes toward women and are more tolerant of sexual harassment. They are more likely to endorse a “sexual double standard” – which sees men who have many sexual partners as admirable and women who do so as “sluts.’’ In one study, viewers who watched the videos and who were then asked to comment on an “acquaintance rape” scenario were more likely to make excuses for the perpetrator.

Years of complaints According to the International Business Times, Lia Latchford, of Imkaan’s Young Women’s Team, said that for years women have been coming forward with complaints about the representation of women in popular culture. “We are happy to finally see a briefing which reflects their experiences and the harmful impact of racism and sexism in music videos,” she said in the IBT story. “We believe in women’s right to self-expression and freedom of movement. Our concern is how the music industry uses music videos as yet another vehicle to colonise and commodify Black women’s bodies.”

F0OD

AUGUST 15 – AUGUST 21, 2014

TOJ

SPICES AND HERBS Bring out the best of summer vegetables

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

e all want to eat more vegetables — and in the summer, when farm ers markets and grocery stores are filled with fresh, colorful produce, it’s eas ier than ever. From juicy red tomatoes and yellow sweet corn to vibrant green broccoli, seasonal produce can be even more enjoy able with the addition of spices and herbs. “I’m always thinking about ways to make vegetables taste great and be more healthful and exciting — other than just adding but ter and salt,” said registered dietitian Wendy Bazilian. “Adding spices and herbs is easy to do, and they only cost pennies per serving. Plus, they’re already in your kitchen.” To add flavor to everyday vegetable favor

ROASTED BROCCOLI & TOMATOES Servings: 4 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Coarse Ground Black Pepper 12 ounces broccoli florets 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons honey 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Basil Leaves 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Oregano Leaves Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix oil, garlic powder and pepper in large bowl. Add broccoli and tomatoes; toss to coat well. Spread in single layer on foil-lined 15-by-10-by1-inch baking pan. Roast in oven 13–15 minutes or until broccoli is lightly browned. Meanwhile, mix vinegar, honey, basil and oregano in small bowl. Drizzle over roasted vegetables after removing from oven; toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

ites like zucchini and carrots, Bazilian rec ommends an easy rule of thumb: start with 1/4 teaspoon of spices and herbs, such as basil and oregano, per cup of veggies, along with a splash of citrus juice or olive oil. “You can also dial up the flavor depend ing on the cooking method,” Bazilian said. “Roasting vegetables like broccoli and to matoes creates a caramelized flavor that pairs deliciously with garlic, basil, oregano, honey and white vinegar. Grilling vegetables gives a smoky, charred flavor. Or, let the nat ural flavor of green beans shine by steaming them with rosemary and thyme.” Try these simple flavor tips to season your favorite vegetables and visit www.McCor mick.com for more ideas you can use all year long.

MIXED VEGETABLE GRILL Servings: 6 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Basil Leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Black Pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 cups assorted cut-up vegetables, such as asparagus, bell peppers,

zucchini, yellow squash, red onion and small sweet potato Mix brown sugar, basil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in small bowl. In large bowl, drizzle oil over vegetables; toss to coat well. Add seasoning mixture; toss to coat well. Place vegetables in grill basket or rack, or thread onto skewers. Grill over medium heat 10–12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally. Kitchen tip: If using sweet potatoes, pierce them with fork and microwave two to three minutes on high or until tender.

HERBED GREEN BEANS Servings: 4 1 pound trimmed green beans 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon finely crushed McCormick Rosemary Leaves 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Thyme Leaves 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt from McCormick Sea Salt Grinder 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Black Pepper Place beans in medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer four to six minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Return beans to saucepan. Toss with vinegar, oil, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat one to two minutes or until heated through.