June 13 – 19, 2010 | FREE
Volume 79 Number 33
www.defendernetwork.com
America’s racial tensions rising
Advocates blast BP for disaster
Percy “Frenchy” Creuzot Jr. Remembering a Houston Icon
By Hazel Trice Edney
By Jesse Muhammad SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE FINAL CALL
By ReShonda Tate Billingsley
NNPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DEFENDER
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - U. S. Rep. John Lewis was headed for the Capitol to vote on President Obama’s health care bill in March when he was pelted with racial epithets when passing near a group of conservative Tea Party protesters. Days later, reports of attacks on Democrats around the country included bricks smashing through windows, a potentially lethal gas pipe cutting at a home thought to be owned by Virginia Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello. According to reports, the FBI announced the agency would investigate Tea Partyers and a race hate group as potential suspects. The madness continued into the spring as former Alaska governor, Sarah Palin, and others accuse the Obama administration of trying to kill the elderly with
(NNPA) - The deepening crisis in the Gulf Coast caused President Barack Obama to amend his Memorial Day weekend plans; plus make several trips to the disaster area. He landed in Louisiana to tour the devastation amid frustrated complaints that his administration has responded too slowly and has Barack been weak in its Obama pressure on British Petroleum (BP) to halt what is being called the largest oil spill in the nation’s history. “We expect that frustration and anger to continue until we solve the problem,’’said President Obama during his May 28 speech at Grand Isle. He still was unsure whether the “top kill” method will halt the ecological disaster.
H
oustonians are mourning the passing of Percy Creuzot Jr., a popular local fast-food entrepreneur who recently died at the age of 86. But friends and family members say the legacy of the man known affectionately as “Frenchy,” continues to live on. Creuzot suffered a stroke earlier this month and never fully recovered, family members say. He died June 6th. His wake was held at Texas Southern University’s Granville Sawyer auditorium on June 9th and a private memorial service will be held on Friday, June 11 at St. Peters Episcopal Church. He is survived by his wife, Sally, two sons, Percy “King” Creuzot and John Creuzot; a daughter, Angele Creuzot; and a sister, Martina Cox. “My father would want people to remember him as a ★FRENCHYS, Page 8
★RACE, Page 4
★BP, Page 7
Black-white marriages increase over last three decades By Gregory Dale SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER
(NNPA) - While the trend of interracial marriages between whites and American-born Asians, and whites and Hispanics has slowed over the years, Blacks are more likely than before to marry whites, according to new census data. The latest census reveals that the number of interracial marriages in the U.S. has increased by 20 percent since 2000 to nearly 4.5 million, according to the Associated Press. While the overall number of interracial marriages is still rising, the pace of that increase has slowed from the 65 percent increase seen between 1990 and 2000. Interracial marriages now account for 8 percent of all U.S. marriages, up from 7 percent in 2000. According to the data, Blacks are now three times more likely to marry whites than in 1980. Nearly 14.4 percent of Black men and 6.5 percent of Black women are in interracial marriages. Experts attribute the number to a more racially integrated military, higher educational attainment and a rising Black middle class that offers more interaction
with other races. Despite the increase, there are still Blacks that would traditionally feel more comfortable only marrying inside their race. “I would consider dating outside my race but I probably would stay inside because of fewer complications on [my partner’s] family not accepting me,” said Courtney Gamble, a 22-year-old African-American student at Rutgers University. “I might date outside my race but I would [definitely] marry inside my race.” However, American-born Asians and Hispanics have increasingly married members of their own races over the last decade, according to the census data. Nearly 40 percent of U.S.-born Asians marry whites—a number that has not changed since 1980. But their likelihood of marrying Asian immigrants has multiplied 3 times for men and 5 times for women, to nearly 20 percent. U.S.-born Hispanics saw a small increase in their likelihood to marry whites, which grew from 30 percent in 1980 to 38 percent today. But their likelihood of marrying foreign-born Hispanic immigrants has doubled, to 12.5 percent for men and 17.1 percent for women.
New census data shows Black/white interracial marriages have increased by 20 percent over the last ten years.
INTERVIEW
The many shades of Jada By Kam Williams CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Besides playing the title character on the TNT series “HawthoRNe,” which is starting its second season, Jada Pinkett Smith executive-produces the show through her production company, 100% Woman. With her husband, Will Smith, she is serving as producer of “The Karate Kid,” starring their son, Jaden, and also of Fela!, the Broadway musical nominated for 11 Tony Awards. Jada’s recent film credits include “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” as the voice of Gloria, and director Diane English’s remake of “The Women.” In the past, she’s teamed up with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in “Reign Over Me,” and enjoyed a pivotal role opposite Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Michael Mann’s “Collateral.” However, she perhaps remains best known as the take-charge Niobe of “Matrix Reloaded” and “Matrix
Revolutions” fame. Here, Jada reflects on the challenge of balancing career and family when each member is a showbiz celebrity in his or her own right. Kam Williams: Thanks for the time, Jada. It’s nice to have an opportunity to speak with you again. Jada Pinkett Smith: Oh, thank you! KW: Well, first of all, let me say congratulations! You’re blossoming on every front. Let’s see, “HawthoRNe’s” starting its second season, you’re on the cover of the July issue of Essence magazine, your Broadway musical has been nominated for 11 Tonys, and Jaden is starring in “The Karate Kid,” a picture you and Will produced. How does it feel? JPS: It feels good. These are the moments that you keep in your back pocket to remember, “All of those were good times!” [Laughs]
Click on Defendernetwork.com Weekend
Weekend
Monday
Marian Wright Edelman
Family Life
Julianne Malveaux
Threats to School Diversity
Dont Bail Out Your Family
Our Jobless Recovery
★JADA, Page 3