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METRO POLICEMAN PLAYS ROLE OF KEYSTONE COP

The New Majority: Houston Press Club 3rd Place Award Winner For Texas Print Journalist Of The Year

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THE " H O U S T O N ' S

M I N O R I T Y

N E W S

R E A D E R "

vol. 2 • no. 6 • October 2008 • www.thenewmajority.net • 713-434-0374

PRE-ELECTION EDITION

WHY SENATOR BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, WILL BECOME PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett Because she tossed her support behind Senator Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Presidential Primary race and they voted overwhelmingly for Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama in the Texas Primary some of the good folk of the 18th Congressional District want to give Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee the “heave-ho.” Voting someone out of politi-

Arguably no presidential candidate in the history of American politics has perked the attention of young voters (18-29) more so than Barack Obama. Beginning in the Iowa Caucus where Democrats experienced a 135 percent increase in the youth vote compared to 2004, Mr. Obama outpaced his nearest competitor at a 4 to 1 clip. The presidential election of 2004 saw 49 percent (up 9 percent from 2000) of all 18-29 year-olds cast a vote. Of those, 56 percent voted for John Kerry. Many pundits believe as many as 60 percent of young voters will punch a ballot in the 2008 presidential election which bolds well for Mr. Obama. A July Pew Poll gave Mr. Obama a 66 to 23 percent edge against Republican presidential candidate John McCain amongst registered Latino voters. Registered African American voters are favoring Mr. Obama at least 90 percent in all national polls. And a recent Gallup Poll showed that 81 percent of Hillary Clinton primary voters will vote for Mr. Obama in

the general election. Mr. Obama’s stance against the Iraqi War in 2003 affirms him with the majority of Americans. His ability to use internet technology to raise money has changed the game when it comes to political donations. But more than anything else, the Illinois senator has given insight into how an Obama presidency will be run; with unprecedented organization and efficiency unparallel to any which has come before. A little more than 4-years ago, Mr. Obama was an unknown state legislator from Illinois. Today, he is one election victory from becoming not only the first African American president of the USA, but also the first non-White national leader of a European (or descendant) dominated country. (Note: It is well established that Mr. Obama had a White mother and was raised by his White grandparents. But Mr. Obama has affirmed his racial identity as African American. And The New Majority will follow his lead. Similar, The New Ma Continued on p(3)

ANGER OVER JACKSON-LEE SUPPORT OF CLINTON IS OBTUSE

Sheila Jackson-Lee and Marcus Davis with Jesse Jackson during happier tim By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

Because she tossed her support behind Senator Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Presidential Primary race and they voted overwhelmingly for Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama in the Texas Primary some of the

good folk of the 18th Congressional District want to give Representative Sheila JacksonLee the “heave-ho.” Voting someone out of political ofﬁce should be made of much sterner stuff. If anything, Ms. Jackson-Lee’s support of a long time friend, no matter the consequence should be hon Continued on P(4)

TSU: MAYBE DR. JOHN M. RUDLEY IS YOUR SOLUTION

OBAMA AND FAMILY: A BOOTLEGGER DREAM By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

The candidate of change is having lots of illegitimate ﬁscal “change” made off him and his family during his historic run for the presidency. Democratic Presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama is a clothing bootlegger’s dream. There’s T-shirts with his image, hats with his name, and stickers featuring both. There were even shirts with images of his wife and children. How much of the loot is actually going to his campaign? “I don’t know,” said one

bootleg merchant at Kings Best Market, 5110 Griggs Road where The New Majority found

bootleg merchandise at several storefronts during an undercover investigation. A typical

Asian based Obama tee shirt sold anywhere from ten to $25. One store owner said he purchased his Obama supply whole sale from another supplier and that he should not be held responsible to insuring that the gear had a direct relationship to the Obama campaign. “If you buy a name brand do you check the whole thing? They had a sale on it, and I just bought it,” he said. Shortly after, another Obama clothing bootlegger chimed that those who purchase the bootleg gear should be held responsible. Continued on p(3)

New Majority Editor Paul Bennett with TSU President John Rudley

Upon initial glance, John Rudley comes off as some petite soft spoken English teacher whose demeanor suggest he’s barely “president” of himself, yet alone leader of one of America’s largest Historically Black Colleges or University’s (HBCU). But as New Majority Editor Paul Fitzgerald Bennett discovered in a recent in-

terview, Mr. Rudley’s second layer features a man who is achievement oriented and could care less about pleasing everyone. In two words, TSU’s 11th president might be described as “Politically Incorrect.” And if that interpretation is a true assessment of TSU’s latest Czar, Continued on p(4)

2 | NEWS

THE NEW MAJORITY October 2008

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Since The New Majority’s April 2007 birth, we have received daily calls from readers who have expressed their enjoyment of our (your) publication. You have told us that The New Majority is as issue oriented and well written as any publication in Houston and we thank you for the kind words of encouragement.

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AWORD FROM THE PUBLISHER

The New Majority is not a politically correct publication. It is our goal to give praise where it is deserved and point out inadequacies when merited. Anyone who has read this publication since its inception knows that the accomplishments and failure of New Majority persons (historical minorities) and Old Majority persons (Anglo Americans) have each been covered with the same subjective pen. In our first few months of operation support from advertisers has grown significantly and we are confident this trend will continue. At the same time The New Majority is struggling similarly to a lot of small publications which are often times seen as insignificant by large corporations when it comes to receiving advertising dollars. We at The New Majority view this as a slap in the face, not only to this publication, but to our readers as well.

BUT THE NEW MAJORITY IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT AND NEITHER ARE YOU Therefore, we are asking your help friends in the continuation of The New Majority’s five year goal of becoming a national publication. We are inviting our readers to support their publication with a check or money order. Any amount that you are able to give will be appreciated. In return, The New Majority will list a personal ad displaying your picture and amount given in a new section called

“Supporters of The New Majority.” The New Majority refuses to become a member of the heap of publication past.

Please make checks and money orders to The New Majority. Our address is 2656 South Loop West, Suite 585, Houston, Texas 77054

NEWS | 3

THE NEW MAJORITY October 2008

WHY VOTING MATTERS By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

Recently, my 97 year old uncle, Floyd Shackelford departed this life. During Uncle Floyd’s time on the planet, the most signiﬁcant events in human history took place. Three years after his August 27, 1911 birth in Huntsville, Texas came the “Great War” or World War I from 1914-1918. World War II would follow from 1940-1945 and Uncle Floyd answered the call of his country by serving in the United States Air Force. But it was the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s which he said had the biggest affect on his life. While growing up in Huntsville in the 1920s and 1930s, Uncle Floyd recounted numerous stories of racial injustice against the town’s Black populace. As a

Floyd Shackelford

lationship with Jesus Christ which spanned his entire life culminating with his membership at Christian Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He would not have married his soul mate, and my

Floyd helped pay for the college education of several siblings. He and Aunt Elnora did their part in administering a blow to racial ignorance with the purchase of a home in 1953 in the then dominated White Jewish community of Third Ward. The couple was the second Black house hold to purchase a home in their immediate Truxillo Street community. The victory of Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic Primary and his likely elevation to the American presidency gave my uncle uncommon pride. It’s the reason that he looked forward to casting a vote on November 4th for Mr. Obama and had voted in every presidential election since 1936 when Jim Crow forced Black Americans to pay racist poll tax.For as long as I can remember, the decorated World War II Air Force veteran kept his voter registration card

THAT OPPORTUNITY IS AFFORDED TO YOU; VOTE! worker for a local Huntsville drug store during the Great Depression, Uncle Floyd witnessed a White Walker County peace ofﬁcer hit an elderly Black lady because she dared to walk on the side walk. “If I had had a gun I would have killed him,” he told me once.Thank God he did not. If such an event would have taken place, Uncle Floyd would not have had the opportunity to strengthen his personal re-

aunt, Elnora Archie in December of 1931. And though, Uncle Floyd greatly admired Black Americans who participated in the Civil Rights struggle, like most Black Americans he was not a direct-active participant. “I had a wife to take care of,” he said one day when I challenged him on the subject. But he more than did his part. Because of money earned at the drug store in Huntsville, Uncle

underneath the glass petition on his coffee table.“You gonna have to push me in this wheel chair to vote for Obama,” he told me shortly after the Democratic Convention. “Boy, this is a day I thought I would never live to see.”My uncle did not live to see Mr. Obama become our nation’s leader. He did not get the opportunity to pull the lever or maneuver the voting booth mechanism which determines such things.

METRO POLICEMAN PLAYS ROLE OF KEYSTONE COP By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

Recently, Joe Crosby played a real life supporting acting role to a Metro ofﬁcer’s Keystone Cop moment. All Mr. Crosby did was pull the bell for his Old Spanish Trail Metro Bus to stop near its Scott Street exit. Ofﬁcer “Inept” did the rest. “We heard a loud boom,” said Mr. Crosby. “I got off the bus and the policeman’s car was pinned in back of the bus.” Terrance Woods and Ira Johnson had a view Mr. Crosby was not privy to. They were in the car next to the non-attentive cop right before Mr. Crosby’s descriptive “boom” took place.

“The lawman had his head down, working on the computer. The bus stopped and he ran

right into it,” said Mr. Woods. “The hood popped, the air bags came out, and the tires went ﬂat. He simply wasn’t paying attention,” added Mr. Johnson.Both Mr. Woods and Mr. Johnson said they were happy that no one was seriously injured. But… “If one of us did that you’d hear about reckless driving,” said Mr. Johnson. “The cop turns around and does the same thing. What does that tell you?”It tells us all that the spirit of the Keystone Cop is alive and well.PS…for those of you unfamiliar with the term Keystone Cop, look it up.

continued from p(1) OBAMA AND FAMILY: ...

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“How stupid American people are?” she said. “They see the sale. And they buy it. So.” she said. “So you call them stupid, but you do the same thing,” retorted The New Majority reporter. “You get a good deal on whole sale clothing and you just buy.” “No, if they (Americans) stop buying, we will stop selling,” said the store owner. “Customers see it, they like, they buy.” To insure that purchased Obama gear is supporting his campaign directly, Houston Obama campaign spokesperson Angel Gayden said there are several ofﬁcial campaign outlets available. Not every one was on the Obama bootleg tip. Chris Williams, manager of POW Clothing said some people will do anything to make a dollar. “They probably aren’t even voting for him,” said Mr. Williams.

OPINION

“WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH…” Is an attempt to simultaneously poke fun at, as well as offer serious food for thought at humans and their institutions

WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH… By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

…all the “so called expert journalist” (and others) who are not admitting they were wrong when many of them tried to pressure Hillary Clinton into abandoning her run for the presidency during the Democratic Primary citing that her presence would harm eventual Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama’s chances at winning the presidency. At a Houston Association of Black Journalist workshop in April, radio talk show host and CNN contributor Roland Martin suggested that Ms. Clinton’s insistence on remaining in the primary race would hurt Mr. Obama down the road after he became the nominee. He said Mr. Obama needed to begin focusing on Republican Presidential nominee John McCain. At the same workshop I suggested that Ms. Clinton had the right to remain in the race if for no other reason that she and Mr. Obama were in a virtual popular vote dead heat for their party nomination. In addition, I told workshop participants that more debates against Ms. Clinton (who was definitely Mr. Obama’s superior in every debate they had) would probably help Mr. Obama against Mr. McCain (who was definitely the superior of Mr. McCain in every debate they had). Finally, I suggested the fact that Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton were still battling in April for their party nomination was nothing new. Historically, most Democratic nominations have been decided at the party convention. Mr. Martin’s response was that history also gave us silent movies and now we have sound. To which I quipped that many of the silent movies were a lot better than this junk we watch and hear today. Maybe, it’s time for speaking heads like Mr. Martin to follow the likes of Charlie Chaplin and keep quiet. …people coming down so hard on Sarah Palin, saying she is not qualified to be President (or Vice President) of United States. (Yes, she is) These fools act like a national leader or politician needs special intelligence (No, they don’t). Remember, George “Dubya”? Ignorant. Dan Quayle? Ignorant. How about Ronald Reagan? Ignorant. What about Adolph Hitler? Evil and Ignorant (and in case some of you don’t know, Mr. Hitler and the Nazis was ELECTED to public office in Germany. Hell! He actually garnered more votes than any of his opponents as opposed to “Dubya” in 2000). In order to serve as vice president one must be a natural born American citizen, 35 years of

Paul Fitzgerald Bennett

age or older, have lived in the country at least 14 years, and not have served two terms as president. That’s it folks! Nothing else! By this definition, Sarah Palin or any “freakin” restaurant owner is eligible to be vice president of the United States...the number of people driving on our city streets who simply can’t drive? Folks, here is the unadulterated truth; most humans are non-driving morons who need their licenses taken. And I’m including myself in the mix. My problem is the total lack of patience I have when I come across organisms who drive 40 mph in the fast lane (far left) on the highway when the speed limit is 60 plus. Numbers suggest that young men are involved in most accidents. What the numbers don’t tell you is that young men are impatient when they come across non-driving fools. And listen people; STOP SIGNS AND RED LIGHTS ARE NOT PAUSE SIGNS AND PAUSE LIGHTS! When you come to a stop sign or a red light, your donkey needs to come to a COMPLETE STOP! I can’t count the number of people I’ve seen talking on cell phones and holding up traffic. Pull your donkey to the side of the road and continue your conversation...teaching administrators who say they are looking for more Black men to teach. No they’re not. I’m currently enrolled in the Region 4 Alternative Certification Program. In August I passed the English grade 8-12 curriculum which would allow me to teach until I become certified. Unfortunately for me, all the English jobs in HISD were gone by then. So I’ve applied to what’s called Teaching Assistant gigs in an effort to both familiarize myself with the inner workings of the teaching field and to determine if I even want to teach. Now in order to be a teaching assistant a degree is not necessary. In fact, it’s a glorified substitution job from what I can see. So even though

I have a degree, several years experience as a professional journalist, publisher-editor of my OWN publication, and child volunteer efforts coming out the “ying-yang”, I’ve only interviewed for TWO teaching assistant jobs. At Ryan Middle School, the principal there kept referencing my journalism experience for some reason. And at Pilgrim’s Academy, I noticed that the interim principal didn’t seem to appreciate when I cited my love and appreciation for the so called “mean” teachers that I had during my years as a grade schooler and that I would use them as examples of what a teacher should be. I told the lady I didn’t want to be my student’s friend but their teacher. I also told her I would expect excellence from every student I came across, regardless of social-economic backgrounds. I guess those values are not promoted at Pilgrim’s Academy. And I’m not the only one, I know several Black men who share my predicament who are NOT teaching (or assisting). All have professional experience in other ﬁelds which would only add to the table of what they could offer to students. So let’s stop the facade folks. The truth is that if you are a Black man in today’s society not too many folk want to hire you regardless of your experience and/or morals; and this includes other Blacks…inner city politicians (and others) who are always talking about the importance of public schools but who send their kids to private schools. Let’s stop the bull! If you send your kid to a private school, it’s because you think public schools suck! Don’t try and act like you are down with the “homies” in the hood. We are inundated with hypocritical morons who with one mouth speak about how a public school education helped shaped their morals, but then escaping from the southern part of their body with similar ease is the advent of their own children having their morals shaped by “Sister Margaret.” Here’s a clue boneheads! It’s not the school that determines what sort of educational success a student will have; it’s the reinforcement of education at home which determines what sort of educational success a student will have… people who keep saying John McCain has a chance to become president. To hell with former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and his effect (look it up). I’m writing with bold contention and several days before the election that Barack Hussein (dammit, it’s his name) Obama IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES…END OF STORY!

continued from p(1) Why Senator Barack Hussein....... jority believe that others who are in a similar racial make-up should be called White American or Bi-racial American if it is their choosing). Mr. Obama’s community organization background, though belittled by some political opponents, is the key factor to his success. Having ﬁrst hand knowledge of the inner workings of the smallest cogs of the political machine was a gift that none of his opponents possessed. It’s the reason he performed so well in the caucus states during the Democratic Primary. It’s the reason he gained more delegate votes to Ms. Clinton in Texas, while losing the popular vote. And when he obtains the presidential seat in January, his very name will afford him the opportunity to reach out to professed

enemies of America, while at the same time bolstering the promise of America. Avowed American haters such as Syria and Iran will hear a name they can relate to in Barack Hussein Obama. America’s light may give cause to professed democracies like Israel to judge its would-be leaders based solely on substance rather than religious or ethnic make-up. The possibility of a Christian assuming the presidency of Egypt may no longer be fanciful thinking. There is a precedent. When Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister of India in 2004, he became the ﬁrst Sikh leader of the Hindu dominated country. Mr. Singh’s rise to the leadership role in India may have more miraculous designs than Mr. Obama’s obtainment

of the American guidance helm. India has a longer history of skin tone based judgment ignorance than America. And when one adds in the religious perception that Sikh’s were once (and still are in some circles) looked upon by the majority of Hindus in India with total disgust and distain because of their beliefs, Mr. Obama’s achievement is nothing new on the total world stage. Mr. Singh is largely credited with India’s economic boom which began ironically when he was its Finance Minister during the early 90ties. Such events are not happenstance when persons are judged solely based on content and character. President Barack Hussein Obama will add a sandy brown hand to this American stir.

4 | NEWS

THE NEW MAJORITY October 2008

TSU: MAYBE DR. JOHN M. RUDLEY IS YOUR SOLUTION Continued from p(1) it’s about time! Bennett: What’s your goal for this university? Rudley: I would like for TSU to be one of the ﬁnest public universities in Texas. I want our students to be competitive when they enter the work force like they did in the 60s and 70s when we produced people like Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland, Craig Washington, Rodney Ellis and a host of others. Bennett: You talk about the way it used to be; the reality is that a whole bunch of negative things have happened in America since the 60s and 70s when it comes to minority youth. Young Blacks and Latinos make up the majority of persons in our nations prisons. High school test scores are down. One would think that there has to be something extra ordinary to get things back to the way it used to be? Rudley: Well not necessarily. People overlook the fact that most of our young people are not in jail. Most of our young people do not drop out of high school. There are students out there who are quality students and we’re going to make sure that we are here for them. Part of that process is to make sure that we have admission standards so that the crop of students who come here are the kind of kids that we want. Bennett: Well, let’s talk about some of the students who are here now. I’m a graduate of this school and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. When I was here, we may have been broke, but one thing about my particular fraternity is that we always dressed well. I visited campus one day last year and was about to approach the Kappa bench. What I saw were several young men who looked like they were in a low budget rap video. I kept walking. There’s a part of me that loves our young folk in terms of what they have been able to overcome. But there’s also a part which almost hates them in terms of how they present themselves. How are you going to change that? Rudley: I was on this campus last year also and it was something I didn’t appreciate. But you have to realize they are still children. They have to be taught. You have to understand that the images they see were taught to them. I’m not criticizing the Hip-Hop culture, but our young kids need to have duality. They can enjoy themselves on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but on Monday when they come to TSU, it’s time to go back to work. We are going to teach the young freshmen who come here what’s appropriate when it comes to dress. This is a new day at TSU. When they step outside this campus they are still representing this school. They have to realize they are not in high school anymore. My solution is to start with the 1200 or so new students. I think you will ﬁnd all

of them to be people that you will respect. Each year we will add a thousand or more students. And they in turn will see the students who came before them as examples of what a college student should look like inside and outside the classroom. Eventually the culture will change. Bennett: The new Academy you had this summer seeks to give potential freshman students who do not satisfy the new academic standards at TSU a chance to prove themselves. How did that go? Rudley: We had roughly 300 students in the program this summer. And out of that 300, about 200 matriculated to the university. Bennett: What about the other 100? Rudley: Well, they did not want to get up early in the morning and do the things necessary to stay in the program which means they really were not committed to coming to Texas Southern and graduating in four to five years. In the past, those 100 kids would have come here, dropped out, and really made our statistics look pretty poor. Now we do not have them; they have made a decision to do something else. Hopefully, they will go to community college. But at least they won’t be here messing up our statistics. Bennett: Now personally; I love that answer. But come on, you know that answer you just gave is politically incorrect. We live in a society that says, “You have to love everybody. You have to help everybody. You have to please everybody.” Sir, I have to tell you that answer you just gave is not an “everybody” answer. Rudley: No sir, it’s not. We ignore the fact that students have to make some decisions on their own. And college is not for everyone. Here’s some straight talk; some students would come here just to get the financial aid. They had no intention of graduating whatsoever. That was not fair to TSU. Now, before prospective students even step on this campus we are challenging students on several fronts. Do you want to graduate from Texas Southern in four or five years? That means you have to go to the library to study. You have to go to class. You have to be on time. And yes, you have to dress appropriately. You have to learn how to walk and talk so that when you do graduate you can be a valuable member of the work force. (EVA ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION BELOW) Bennett: There’s that be a valuable member of the work force thing again. A criticizing of some like Robert Muhammad of the Nation of Islam here in Houston is that folk like you are too busy teaching students how to be a member of the work force and not teaching them to become their own boss? Bennett: What makes Dr. John Rudley uniquely qualified to

lead TSU to this promise land? You were the interim chancellor at the University of Houston which is basically the same as president. But they didn’t hire you to lead UH. Rudley: That also means they did. Bennett: But you didn’t get the job full time. Why are you good enough to lead TSU? Rudley: I agreed not to apply for the job at UH. An interim job holder is usually someone who is not going to apply for the job. Bennett: So then what makes you uniquely qualified to get TSU successfully to the next decade? Rudley: I understand academia. I’ve been in this business 21 years. I have a business background. Besides serving as the Vice Chancellor and Vice President for Administration and Finance at the University of Houston, I was Vice President for Business and Finance at the Tennessee Board of Regents which is the sixth largest postsecondary education system in the country. I also had the opportunity to go to Washington DC and work with former Education Secretary (Lamar) Alexander. To add to that, my background as a college student in the 70s is similar to many of these students. My parents were not well off financially. But I made a goal for myself to go to college. I needed some helping hands every now and then. And we are going to do the same thing here. When you add that all together, that makes me qualified to lead this university. Bennett: Let’s talk about some of the people who are going to help you take this university to a higher level. The board of regents comes to mind. I did a little internet research, and what I found is that not one TSU board member had anything to do with TSU academically. But when I checked UH, the University of Texas (Austin), and Texas A&M, with the exception of one person at each school, all had board members who had at least one degree from that school. Many had multiple degrees from the same school. Now, I’m sure TSU’s board is going to do a fine job. But doesn’t it just make common sense to believe that a person who went to a university will have a little bit more concern about a particular university than someone who didn’t? The fact that UH, UT, and A&M have board members who went to those schools suggest that to be the case, right? Rudley: I have met all of the board members and have worked with them. They all have their hearts in the right place. They want to see this university be a success. I have spoken to them individually. They are motivated as much as I am to make sure this university is viable. You should ask yourself this question; why would they want to come in the aftermath of what’s happened

to this university in the last few years? Many come from Dallas and other cities. Quite frankly, this could be a career-ender for them. But I don’t think that’s going to be the case. Look at what we are doing. We passed one of the best budgets we’ve ever had at TSU at the last board meeting. And not only that, we passed a 4 percent increase in salary for faculty. We have 14 or so construction projects going on simultaneously so that this campus is conducive to teaching and learning. So, in the short time that I’ve been here this board is doing some good things. Bennett: You bring up construction; a past complaint is that many of the construction vendors who have worked at TSU have not been Black or minority. How many of the current vendors are minority? Rudley: I believe we have over 40 percent representation from the minority community serving as vendors. We are new here, but I promise you that you won’t see those low statistics of the past. Bennett: I don’t want to get into some of the past scandals at TSU. After all, you didn’t have anything to do with that. But it goes without saying that TSU has historically been under financed by the state of Texas. Now, the state of Texas has the audacity to criticize TSU for its shortcomings when it’s played a big role in those shortcomings. Don’t you think Governor Rick Perry and the state are out of line? Rudley: It is a legitimate complaint that no matter what state you are in, in the South, that if you are a Black college, I can guarantee that you have been under-funded. I want to confirm to you as a CPA and as a person who has worked on the finance side at several colleges that you are right. For example, there was a discrepancy between the sorts of finances received by a school like Middle Tennessee State compared to Tennessee State. The formula used by states to finance Black colleges which is the same formula they use to support majority White colleges always leave Black colleges in the hole. You can’t fund a university like TSU based on 10,000 students. It has to have additional funding in order to keep up. And that’s what I would like to see the state do in the future. The state needs to ignore the formula which is what they did with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) money. The OCR money was $12.5 million a year for TSU and Prairie View. That’s a good start. But it needs to be more than that. The other part of that is that alumni have to give back. What I have noticed at Black colleges is that the financial contribution at these colleges can be vastly improved. We as a people need to come back and embrace these universities with our checkbooks. Bennett: Let’s talk about the

Kevin Granger episode. Here’s a man who is a TSU graduate. He was the best basketball player on inarguably its best team, notwithstanding Harry “Machine Gun” Kelly and the squad which won a national title. He has coaching experience at the high school level where he led his team to the playoffs. He was an assistant coach at TSU. He had gained the support of several NBA players who had promised to support TSU ﬁnancially. Rudley: And they never do. Bennett: Okay, but why did you pass him up for Tony Harvey, an individual who violated NCAA rules while at Missouri which included giving players money? Rudley: Well, let’s talk about giving players money. You can give a player 5 dollars and you will be in violation of NCAA rules. You have a situation were a kid wants to go home to see their parents and they don’t have the money. You see, I was one of those athletes. I played basketball at the University of Toledo. When I came out of the low income housing projects and didn’t have all the money I needed, people would just help me. So you can get in violation of the NCAA in a hurry. When I look at Tony Harvey and the Missouri program, he took the bullet for them. He’s like most Black people who are always good soldiers. Basically he protected the institution. But also I looked at the fact that he was from a big time program. If you know anything about me I expect to win at whatever I do. When I looked at the basketball record on this campus it was abysmal. In a big time basketball program, I don’t think people waste their time discussing about who you hire. You just try to get the best people for the job. If an administration comes in and sees there is no performance there, the coaches are gone. And the same thing is going to happen on my watch, we are going to perform. The people who were here before did not perform. And you should also ask me why did I change the provost? Why did I change the Vice President for Institutional Advancement? I’ve changed a lot of people on the academic side as well. It’s the same mantra; we need to get better at everything we do. And by the way, Kevin Granger still works for the university. Bennett: What does he do? Rudley: Kevin Granger is athletics operations manager. We believe in giving everyone a chance. We dismissed all the people who were not performers. The fact of the matter is when Kevin started campaigning for the job, which I thought was inappropriate, I didn’t have any animosity towards him. If I did he wouldn’t be working here. I’m all about winning. Bennett: But let me get back to Mr. Harvey. You’re not making light of the fact that he gave students 5 or 500 dollars are

you? Surely, you don’t want him to repeat that same mistake? Rudley: And he’s not going to repeat that mistake, that’s why we hired Charles McClelland. I’m not going into this situation with a blind eye. Johnny Cole, you didn’t mention him. He had a lot of NCAA violations. I guess you like him? Bennett: No, it’s something I didn’t know. Rudley: Well, Johnny Cole has more NCAA violations than Tony Harvey. The point is that I’m giving both of these young men a chance, but I have a superlative athletic director who is great at NCAA compliance. We hired the guy who can keep a watchful eye on the Tony Harvey’s and the Johnny Cole’s. We’re asking Tony Harvey and Johnny Cole to win on the field, but do it the right way. Bennett: How is TSU doing financially? A while back someone sent me some documentation which suggested TSU was in the black during the 20072008 school-year. I didn’t use it, because I couldn’t substantiate it. But how goes it at TSU when it comes to money? Rudley: Well, it could not have been in the black last year if the state had to give you $12.5 million. I think everybody is wasting a lot of time criticizing this university without the facts. One thing I’m going to do in my administration is avoid all of the bloggers who really don’t have all of the information. The fact is that this university was facing a solvency question from May through July. If we had not received that $12.5 million we were facing insolvency. Bennett: So how is the school doing right now? Rudley: We’re good. We passed a balance budget at the last board meeting; a budget that makes sense. It’s a budget based on 9,052 students and we expect to have about 9,200 students. We know what we’re doing with this budget. Anybody who asks you how we’re doing, just tell them to come talk to me. Bennett: Speaking of money, what’s the update with the Tavis Smiley donation? Rudley: I had a conversation with him and told him that I would come out to California and we will revisit that issue. He was up front with me and told me how that whole situation transpired. There was a misunderstanding between him and the previous administration about what he was supposed to do. But I’m going to see him September 12th or the 15th. And we will talk about how to restart this relationship. Bennett: What’s your two year and five year plan for TSU? Rudley: My 2-year plan is my day to day plan. I want to see progress everyday. If we have progress on a daily basis, I don’t worry about 2 to five years. When I come here daily, I expect to move TSU forward in all respects.

owes his candidacy and not the sort of Black support of Mr. Davis’ ilk. In recent presidential elections Blacks have voted at least 85 percent for the Democratic ticket. The seven to ten percent surge of Black support is not the reason Mr. Obama will be the next president of America. With that written, was their a solid reason why Ms. JacksonLee should have reneged on her pledge to Ms. Clinton? No! The virtual dead heat in the national popular vote (and depending which scale is used, Ms. Clinton actually garnered more votes than Mr. Obama) between Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama suggest Ms. JacksonLee’s support for the would-be ﬁrst female president was not an anomaly. The almost identical stance on issues (save for the Iraq war) between the two proposes Ms. Jackson-Lee was not off base. The monthly whippings that Mr. Obama endured from Ms. Clinton during their numerous debates suggest Ms. Jackson-

Lee was on point if the goal was to choose a president based solidly on the ability of one to articulate their positions. Admittedly, I fail out of love with Ms. Clinton’s candidacy when some began questioning Mr. Obama’s intelligence and experience for the nation’s head job. I found her response to such accusations wanting. In the end, I decided to forgive Ms. Clinton (but still support Mr. Obama) and former President Bill Clinton for this mishap, focusing instead on their body of work in the minority community compared to others.If the goal of Mr. Davis and others like him is to focus on Ms. Jackson-Lee’s body of work in the 18th, then that is an objective that should be welcomed by everyone including Ms. Jackson-Lee. Judging Ms. Jackson-Lee because of her support for Ms. Clinton makes no sense, when a great argument can be made by the objective or subjective eye that she was the better candidate. Meanwhile, Ms. Jackson-Lee is the same representative today

as she was when beginning her first term in office in 1995. Take one look at her liberal record and there’s no doubt that she makes some liberals say “Damn! You’re liberal!” But if she is declared guilty by the voters of the 18th in 2010 (Mr. Davis decided not to declare his candidacy in 2008, but there are politically “ill” winds which suggest he made make a run in 2010) and is ousted out of office because of her record, what does that say of the intelligence of 18th district voters (like Mr. Davis probably) who re-elected her in 1996, 1998, 2000, and so on, and so on, and so on...

continued from p(1) ANGER OVER JACKSON-LEE SUPPORT .... ored. Others would do well to follow her example. Many of the same 18th district residents, who are now angry with Ms. Jackson-Lee, elected her to ofﬁce in 1994; re-elected her in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. But according to Marcus Davis of The Breakfast Klub restaurant, Ms. Jackson-Lee’s time as leader of the 18th is up. "The past few years have been about show, more than substance," said Mr. Davis in a recent Houston Chronicle article. "These things became more evident as a result of her support for Clinton." Mr. Davis’ former assessment is shared by some. His latter appraisal lacks good judgment and unfortunately ﬁnds company with many previous Jackson-Lee supporters. Is Mr. Davis and those like him upset with Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy who endorsed Mr. Obama while the state he represents overwhelmingly supported Ms. Clinton? When he suggest that the last

few years of Ms. Jackson-Lee’s tenure as representative has been “about show, more than substance,” then why didn’t Mr. Davis and others come out in 2006 in an attempt to oust Ms. Jackson-Lee? Remember, the deﬁnition of the word “few” means two or three; meaning those in the anti-Jackson-Lee camp should have reared their dissatisﬁed heads in 2005 or 2006. They did not. And Mr. Davis is wrong and so is anyone who shares his thought process concerning Ms. Jackson-Lee’s decision to side with Ms. Clinton.When Ms. Jackson-Lee declared her support for Ms. Clinton in May 2007 there was no major uproar in the 18th; maybe because many current Black Houstonian Obama supporters shared her view. As late as October 2007 a national AP-Ipsos Poll gave Ms. Clinton a 46 percent to 25 percent edge over Mr. Obama. A CNN poll taken during the same period among registered Black Democrats had Ms. Clinton garnering 57 percent of the

vote to Mr. Obama’s 33 percent. The same CNN poll concluded that Black female Democrats favored Ms. Clinton at a clip of 68 percent to 25 percent for Mr. Obama; some 22 percentage points greater than the nationwide AP-Ipsos poll and three percent greater than the same poll nationally for all registered Black Democratic voters. Meanwhile, Black men like Mr. Davis were in a virtual dead heat in deciding who they would choose to be the Democratic nominee with 42 percent favoring Ms. Clinton and 46 percent favoring Mr. Obama in the CNN poll. By the way, the sampling error for that particular poll question was plusor-minus 8 percentage points, meaning that Ms. Clinton could have been favored by Black men as well.At its root, Mr. Obama’s apex to the Democratic presidential nomination can be traced to one group; young White voters from Iowa who in January helped him win a state which is 93 percent White. It is to them that Mr. Obama

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OBAMA: TOO ARAB FOR SOME AMERICANS, TOO BLACK FOR SOME ARABS day. Even in countries in which the practice of slavery never existed, the view of blacks as inferior has been prevalent for many years, and carries its own brand of prejudice culturally and politically.

By MAHMOUD SALEM

CAIRO, October, 2008 (MENASSAT) – It was one of the more memorable moments of the US presidential campaign. At a campaign rally for Republican nominee John McCain, a woman supporter voiced her mistrust of Democratic nominee Barack Obama by saying, "He's an Arab." McCain, shaking his head in disapproval, said, "No, ma'am. He is a decent family man that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about." McCain's well-meaning comment led to much humorous speculation on the late night talk shows about the possibility of a person being of Arab descent yet still somehow loving his family. Ironically, if John McCain had been addressing an audience in the Middle East, the comment might well have been, "He's black." 'Better them than us' While in America it is considered uncouth to mention the "race" factor in the elections, there are some in the Middle East who have no qualms about opposing Barack Obama's candidature simply because he is black. In that camp falls Ahmed Roshdy, an Egyptian businessman in his ﬁfties, who seems to harbor the view that Barack Obama is unqualiﬁed to be the President of the United States

solely because of the color of his skin. "I just don’t see how he will be able to be president of America. The Americans would never vote for a black guy, especially not in the middle of the mess they are in right now. He would ruin everything", says Roshdy, while reclining in his seat at the exclusive Heliopolis Sporting Club in Cairo. He concedes, however, that he would ultimately prefer an Obama presidency to a McCain one, if for no other reason than that he would rather see the US continue to "sink in chaos" than

to have any more turmoil in the Middle East, which he believes a McCain Presidency would bring. "Better them than us," he chuckles. While this level of racism may come as a shock to the average American voter, for people living in the Middle East it comes as no surprise. Racism against black people has been alive and well in Arab countries for a long time, with Saudi Arabia ending its own private brand of slavery only at the beginning of the sixties and Mauritania still maintaining a very active slave trade until this

Black = slave In old Egyptian movies, the servants of the house were all black, either Sudanese or Nubian. The Egyptian government still carries out discriminatory policies towards Egypt's Nubian population, and the idea of having a suitor for one's daughter who happens to be dark skinned is grounds enough for the parents to disapprove of the marriage in many Arab countries. One of the highest selling type of cosmetics in Egypt, Sudan and the Gulf today are skin-whitening creams that carry names such as "Fair and Lovely," "Ultra Fair" and "B-White," and whose advertisements send the message that girls will get the job/ men/look of their dreams if only they were whiter. "Most westerners do not have an idea of how racist a place the Middle East can be," said Anthony Badran, a Lebanese Fellow for the DC-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. "They are completely unaware, for example, that in many Arab countries, the word still used to refer to a black person is 'abed' or 'slave.'" While he believes that such a view is reprehensible, he acknowledges that it is shared by many people, and that the world-wide goodwill that the average American Obama support-

er hopes an Obama presidency would bring, might not translate very well in Arab countries, or even with Arab leaders. Many people expressed amusement at the notion of the ﬁrst time either the Egyptian president Mubarak, or the Saudi King Fahd, who are both in their eighties, would have to meet with Barack Obama – an African-American half their age – as the president of the most powerful country in the world. Ahmed Gamal, an Egyptian political analyst, holds a different view.Although he admits that some Arabs may harbor racist views, he says it ultimately doesn't matter because they would welcome an Obama presidency if for no other reason than the change it promises to bring, whether to the US or the region. "After eight years of Bush, any change at all is welcome," he said.This view is also shared by Zaghloul Rabee', a newspaper salesman in the luxurious Cairo neighborhood of Mohandeseen. "His skin color doesn't matter to me. My skin tone is tanned, and so are the majority of Egyptians, with many being very darkskinned. We were never really white people." Pro-Israel? But Rabee' has a different reason to oppose an Obama presidency."I heard he was a Muslim named Hussein, but since the Jews who control America would never allow a Muslim President, he stopped being a Muslim and changed his name to Barack [like former Israeli PM Ehud Barak,] to make

them happy. Why would I be happy to see someone like that being the President of the United States?"Indeed, the American view that if some Americans attack Obama for being an Arab, then the Arab world must certainly support him, is not necessarily correct. As Robert Lane Green and Josie Delap, both writers for The Economist, argued in an article for the conservative journal, The New Republic, Arab pundits "have been arguing that [Obama] is not so unconventional an American politician when it comes to the Middle East, and that the people of the region have reason to be worried about an Obama presidency."The souring of Arab opinion-leaders against Obama has primarily revolved around his Israel platform, say Green and Delap. "His recent speech to AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group, caused particular dismay. He promised to maintain billions in military aid to Israel, and said that "undivided" Jerusalem must remain Israel's eternal capital." The recriminations from Arab opinion pages were swift, Green and Delap note. In Al Sharq Al Awsat, journalist Nazir Majali noted that "Obama's words were more biased towards Israel than the speeches you hear at Likud conferences." In Al Masri Al Yawm, an Egyptian newspaper, Wahid Abdul Majid predicted that Obama's rhetoric on Israel will become more belligerent because "Obama feels he is weak as a result of the suspicions raised around his afﬁliations, his family, and the Muslim identity of his father."

HOUSTON SLAVERY SCANDAL! GROUPS FIGHT DEPORTATION OF 33-YR-OLD WOMAN ALLEGEDLY HELD CAPTIVE FROM THE AGE OF 10 BY HOUSTON SOCIALITE WITHOUT ANY EDUCATION. IT'S SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST! READ By Anthony Obi Ogbo

INTERNATIONAL GUARDIAN As the country battles to put behind it the dark history of a Black race devastated by the controversial dehumanization and battery that defaced its existence during the 18th century, ugly but similar incidents perpetrated by persons of the same Black race ridicule the entire healing process. In fact, such events make the long-time reparations battle seem most ridiculous. Today it appears that the slave traders, keepers, hawkers, rearers and human traffickers are no longer the Portuguese, other Europeans or early missionaries. The truth is far more embarrassing; a revelation that could result in shocking updates to an already shameful history. Adding to the documented timeline of recent stories related to human trafficking all over the nation, the latest incident which occurred in Houston, a massive city, and one of the most diverse in the United States, has thrown its 100,000 African residents into a sea of shock, causing a heated battle between rights groups and local socialite, Mrs. Beatrice Nwakego Ikeakor. The crime? Ikeakor is accused of holding a 10-year old trafficking victim captive for more than 19 years. As of press time, the following groups, Africans In America, Inc., Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc. in collaboration with YMCA International, have exchanged indignant communication with

Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Honorable members of the United States Congress and the Attorney General of the United States to halt deportation of one immigrant, Celestina Ifeacho Joseph, alleged to have been shipped into the country for labor purposes to Mrs. Ikeakor in 1984. International Guardian investigations reveal other agencies including the Texas State Department of Aging and Disabilities, U.S. Department of State, Office of Trafficking in Persons, and the World Organization Against Torture, USA have been put on alert to secure a petition to grant this victim unconditional amnesty and to prosecute the captor. It was gathered that Mrs. Celestina Ifeacho Joseph, who hails from an impoverished family in Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State of Nigeria was just a 10-year primary school scholar when she was brought into Houston in 1984. According to Celestina, "I did not know much, but my parents told me I would be going to America to live with my rich Auntie and go to school.” Celestina, however, was recruited by a Nigerian-based influential civil servant, Mrs. Josephine Nwosu, who falsely claimed her as a daughter during the visa application process at the United States Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria. Then she was transported to the new plantation - the home of Nwosu's sister in Houston, Mrs. Ikeakor. It was gathered that her alleged traffickers secured a twoweek US visa bearing Celestina Ifeacho Nwosu for the sole

purpose of shipping their human merchandise. According to Celestina, "I was so excited as everybody talked about the wonders of America and how I would finish school and start helping my poor family." How far did Celestina's excitement go? As soon as she arrived in the United States, her dream, without a moment's notice, turned into a total nightmare. Poor Celestina was welcomed into her new dream home with a long list of domestic duties, which gradually metamorphosed into denial of rights and physical and mental abuse. Ultimately, she was confined to her plantation-like home for more than 19 years. She told International Guardian that "the first day I came, they started me with babysitting some kids, and then cleaning the house and doing laundry. I was surprise that, from then on, nobody mentioned school." But this story did not soon end for the girl forced to perform petty domestic chores. The following is taken from powerfully worded documents filed by Africans In America, Inc., and Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc. to the Board of Immigration Appeals, Department of Homeland Security, and copied to the Attorney General of the United States and all honorable members of the United States Congress - o Celestina worked as a live-in housemaid from 1984 to 1999 without pay. o Forced/coerced to raise the 4 children during the same period, without pay. o Worked at a Nigerian restaurant owned by her mistress without pay. o Sexually abused by Mr. Gabriel Ikeakor, Beatrice's husband. o Denied primary and secondary school education as was promised. o Worked at her mistress' assisted living homes without pay. o Immigration status was not adjusted as promised due to suspicion that it would guarantee her an escape from a life of labor. The petition has since gotten the attention of the US Secretary of State, YMCA International, World Organization

Against Torture, USA, Houston Area Women Center and U.S. Department of State, Office of Trafficking in Persons. It is agreed that Celestina was totally unkempt and medically neglected. According to the document, " whenever the victim became seriously ill, due to injuries sustained during incidents of abuse, she was smuggled to clinics run by Nigerian doctors, or public health centers with Nigerian staff as part of the cover-up. Though some of the allegations sound stranger than fiction, Celestina cried as she confirmed these incidents that devastated her life, leaving her mentally and psychologically distressed. She wept loudly as she narrated an incident where she was forced to sleep in the wash room for almost one year. Said Celestina, "When I turned 13 and started seeing my period, I did not know what to do. Then they said I have body odor and Auntie Betty [referring to her mistress, Beatrice] made me sleep in the washroom every day for almost one year." Kimberly Washington of the Guardian newsroom, contacted the alleged captor but could not get a response. Mrs. Ikeakor, following orders from her attorney declined an interview. A brief dialogue ensued: Kimberly: I am doing research for a story, let me get my questions Betty: Sure Kimberly: Do you know Celestina Ifeacho Betty: Yes Kimberly: What is your relationship to Celestina Ifeacho Betty: She is my cousin, why are you asking me this. Kimberly: I am doing research for a story, I am calling on behalf of Guardian News Betty: Kimberly, my lawyer says I shouldn't answer any questions Kimberly: Would you like for us to speak to your lawyer Betty: No, I will call him and see if he wants to talk to you. What she is saying, it is false.. it is all lies and anyone who writes a story about it will be

sued for libel. It is all lies. cut short and horrible moKimberly: I understand ments avoided if those acBetty: Yes, so I cannot talk quainted with her captors had about it, it is all lies intervened. "Everybody tried . Kimberly: I understand, that to take advantage of me," she is all I need then said as she narrated multiple Betty: Ok incidents of sexual molestaKimberly: Have a good day tion she suffered from Gabriel, Betty: bye husband to her mistress, who Proof of Celestina's years in al- passed in 2004. Previously, she leged captivity may have helped had vowed never to reveal any her case, providing investiga- sexual misconduct because, tors with sustainable evidence according to her, "Nobody was that could detain her deporta- going to marry me if they knew tion process. In 1999, at the I had been raped. age of 25, Celestina demanded Shortly before she escaped, her freedom and payment for another family friend, Emeka forced labor. At that time, she Nzewi, initiated an arguably was logging unpaid hours at consensual affair with Celesone of her trafﬁcker's assisted tina. living homes for persons with "He would sneak into the disabilities. But the deﬁant house to take advantage of Madame Ikeakor threatened to Continued on p(6) hand her over to immigration if she ever mentioned that again. According to Celestina, "she would a l w a y s threaten to harass my family back home Is looking for freelance reporters familiar with or threaten issues of importance to African, Asian and Latino to hand me over to Americans. the law for immediate We are also looking for commission sales deportapersons. tion." Her years in active slavery could have been

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HOUSTON SLAVERY SCANDAL!

RUSH LIMBAUGH CANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T HANDLE CRITICISM OF PALIN? TOO BAD BY MARY MITCHELL Sun-Times Columnist

When you step on a pig's tail, it squeals. Rush Limbaugh is a squealer. And why is he squealing? Because John McCain and Sarah Palin are losing ground in a contest that they thought was theirs. And they are losing it to a black man. Of course, Limbaugh won't say that. Instead, on Thursday he spent his time berating me for saying Palin needs to apologize for inciting crowds that hurled racial epithets at black members of the press. I'm a 'wuss, wimp columnist,' Limbaugh says. So why would a multimillion-dollar squealer use his air time on a 'wuss and a wimp?' The reason Limbaugh is squealing like the pig he is, is because he's the epitome of white privilege. Feeds off angry crowds He can't wrap his small mind around the fact that Barack Obama is kicking McCain's butt in the polls. To make matters worse, how dare a black woman ask a white woman who is on the GOP ticket to apologize for the inappropriate behavior of her supporters? But my position is really a no-brainer. Whenever a crowd gets whipped up to the point that they turn ugly and start hurling racist insults, it is common sense that the candidate moves to rein it in. But McCain is so desperate to win, he's feeding off of those angry crowds. Come on. The squealer was among

MARY MITCHELL Sun-Times Columnist

the ďŹ rst to demand that Barack Obama (Barack, Rush, not Barry) denounce his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, for comments deemed offensive to white people. I repeat. Had Obama fans acted a fool the way McCain fans did, every pundit -- with the squealer leading the way -- would have demanded he offer some kind of apology. I'm the 'racist nutball,' but the squealer is the one who has made a fortune ridiculing black people at every opportunity. I confess. I don't listen to Limbaugh. Another journalist called me and told me he was on the radio tearing me limb from limb. But just in case you don't recall who Limbaugh is, he's the fat guy who got hooked on painkillers and had to go to rehab -- sort of like my girl, Amy Winehouse. As I noted in a column I wrote in 2003 (the real source of the squeals I'm now hearing, since Limbaugh didn't address a single issue I raised in the column he attacked), despite Limbaugh's drug addiction, he was still allowed to return to his popular radio show. That, my friends, is white privilege.

Limbaugh likes to rant about the 'liberal media.' What does he call me, a 'drive-by journalist?' Well, maybe I should have driven by his studio in 2003 when he was using his hired help like a common drug mule, and broken that story. Like most people who get drunk on white privilege, Limbaugh likes to project his bigotry on others. So now I'm the racist, and he wants me to lose my job. Well, stand in line. There are people ahead of you who can't stomach the idea that I can say Sarah Palin makes me sick. She does. The potential elevation of Palin into the second-highest position in the country shows that we have ďŹ nally sunk as low as we can go. Bully tactics won't work While conservatives like the squealer can't get enough of ridiculing black youth for honoring bling bling over intellect, what did they think McCain was doing when he tapped Palin for VP? It didn't matter that she is probably the most inarticulate politician ever to step up to the microphone. She had the right amount of quirkiness and naughtiness to draw in the 'American Idol' and reality TV crowd.I get it. But I have a voice, too. And all of Limbaugh's bluster and all the calls of his rabid followers won't be enough to silence me when bigoted bullies are running amuck. Besides, I'm not running for VP. Limbaugh's sorry-ass Palin is. If Limbaugh wants to spend his time trying to bully me, as they say in my neighborhood, bring it.

Continued from p(5) her," conďŹ ded a source. According to Celestina, "I thought he was going to get me out of my situation and marry me, but when I found out he was just taking advantage of me, I stopped seeing him.â&#x20AC;? Nzewi admitted to a consensual relationship with Celestina, according to him, "when she was already an adult." When asked why he did not report Celestina's situation, or even render any aid, Nzewi did not elaborate. Similarly, the Guardian uncovered, a Catholic father very close to the family knew about Celestina's ordeal but maintained silence. Sources gathered that Rev. Romanus O. Muoneke, an administrator with St. Francis of Assisi Church in Houston plays a much more signiďŹ cant role in the Ikeakor house than the late head of household, Gabriel. "I know that the Father even has the key to that house and I'm wondering why he did not do anything for this child," queried a Houston registered nurse who claimed to be one of Celestina's benefactors when she was trying to get her life back. Since the Catholic Community plays such a major role in both providing and advocating safe grounds for refugees, immigrants and various victims of social discrimination, International Guardian confronted Father Muoneke for comments, but came away with very little. Muoneke admitted being close to the family and knowing the alleged victim "very well," but declined any further comments, saying he could not discuss the matter on the phone. Celestina conďŹ rmed Muoneke did not play any signiďŹ cant role that "I knew of but was like a household member. I only saw him sometimes when I was serving food." However, a reverend sister visiting from Nigeria proved to be more observant and, in fact, more "Catholic". Celestina said "she asked why I had not received Holy Communion and why I was not conďŹ rmed in the church." The Sister confronted

her hosts, the Ikeakors, and made sure little Celestina received both communion and conďŹ rmation. This was the only education she received in the 19 years she was separated from her parents. Celestina made several attempts to escape but could not get help. In 2003, however, the victim made her way towards freedom as she ďŹ&#x201A;ed the harsh world of the Ikeakor home. Unfortunately, there was to be no counseling or therapy to afďŹ rm her sense of normalcy. Vulnerable, timid and hopeless, Celestina rushed into marriage in the vain hope of a secure life. But misfortune kept raining in. International Guardian gathered that with her husband came challenges that jeopardized Celestina's dogged attempt to settle into regular life. At this point, the need for professional help became unavoidable. It was an idea she had always rejected for fear of punitive retaliation from her former captor. Chief Eric Ufom, Chairman of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc. told International Guardian that "We met Mrs. Celestina Ifeacho Joseph who married Mr. Joseph, in about February 2003, when a fellow Nigerian introduced her to our organization. After listening to her predicament, we accepted her as one of our members, opened up a case and began veriďŹ cation and high-level advocacy on her behalf. According to Ufom, "We referred her to Houston Area Women Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and others. "We ďŹ led motions for amicus curiae (friend of the court) to recommend that the court to reopen and reconsider her case as a victim of human/child trafďŹ cking, violence against women, sexual abuse, rape, slavery, child labor, torture, etc. This group contacted the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Celestina's certiďŹ cation as a victim of these unfortunate crimes. According

to Ufom "we had to go through this route based on advise given to us by the United States Department of State, Department of mentoring of Human trafďŹ cking, who also referred us to the Department of Homeland Security to request an immediate interview for us in certifying her. "We contacted all members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, to include different committees. We also contacted the United Nations, Africans In America, Inc, IDC, IDA , RI and 100s of other organizations," Ufom said. Bonaventure N. Ezekwenna, Executive Director, and Co-Chair of the Board of Africans in America Inc. said "there is really not much I can do because we are based in New York, however, we have expressed support and provided lots of information based on our experience with these types of cases." He continued, "we are not involved in day-to-day case management of this issue, because it is outside our jurisdiction. However, whatever support Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc. needed, we were able to provide." Ms. Veronica Zeitlin, Director of OfďŹ ce of the United States Department of States, Washington, DC, referred our newsroom to one Robin Jones, who was said to have been following this case. Jones, who works with the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC, was out of town and could not be reached at press time. As time runs out in Celestina's deportation process, International Guardian gathered that agitating groups have vowed to maintain their demands for justice regardless of the outcome of Celestina's case. Around March 27th, Mr. Ezekwenna of Africans In America, Inc. wrote a detailed letter on behalf of Celestina to President George Bush stating that "deporting this victim at this moment will only serve to protect her still-living trafďŹ ckers and their associates." Celestina is not giving up al Continued on p(7)

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continued from p (6) HOUSTON SLAVERY SCANDAL! though her ordeal may have turned her into a villain. She has revealed that she is fighting both a battle for survival and yet another to free herself from an attorney she claimed "has wrongly represented me." According to Celestina, "he came here and told me that Auntie [Mrs. Ikeakor] is his good friend, and as a result, he will not do anything in this case that will incriminate her. She said "This attorney also told me he was referred by my sister in Nigeria, only to find out she was sent by Auntie Betty to set me up for deportation. So I asked him to withdraw." International Guardian obtained a notarized contract termination letter addressed to one Attorney Ike Nweze and Associates. The letter states, "I will no longer be needing the services of your law firm. I believe that Mr. Ike Nweze is not representing me to the best of ability due to conflict of interest on my case." Calls to this law office have not been returned as of press time, but International Guardian is informed that his services are being contested and may end up as a complaint at Texas Bar Association. Celestina now relies on Nweze's camp, human rights groups and a benefactor as her only hope towards obtaining justice. A 'Celestina Ifeacho Defense Fund'

has been established by the Africans in America Inc. soliciting financial assistance to aid their progress. Although there are some who are determined to support Celestina's fight for justice, the Guardian newsroom has been recently informed that there is much debate among members of the Houston branch of an organization based in Celestina's very own hometown of Enugu Ukwu as to whether or not they will come to her aid in this matter. Members of the organization could not be reached for comment. Child trafficking is no small matter in the today's world as it competes with drugs in hollowing a serious dent in social stability. Its magnitude cannot be overstated. For instance, State Department data "estimated 600,000 to 820,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders each year, approximately 80 percent are women and girls and up to 50 percent are minors. The data also illustrates that the majority of transnational victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation." Due to the felonious nature of trafficking and differences in methodology, the exact extent is unknown.Furthermore, an estimated 14,000 people are trafficked into the United States each year. Human trafficking has

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been increasing tremendously in Africa, South Asia and into North America. Children from Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana are trafficked to Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Gabon. Children are trafficked both in and out of Benin and Nigeria. Some children are sent as far away as the Middle East, Europe or America. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country is a recognized source, transit, and destination country for trafficked women and children. From there, victims are trafficked to Europe, the Middle East, and other countries in Africa for the purposes of punitive labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation. Females are frequently smuggled into Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Cote d'Ivoire, and South Africa for forced prostitution. Other children are trafficked for involuntary domestic labor and street hawking within Nigeria and to countries in West and Central Africa. The statistics gets worse. In fact, States Department confirmed that the Nigerian government does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and places the West African Nation on what it called "Tier 2 Watch List" because of the continued significant complicity of its security personnel in trafficking, and the lack of evidence of increasing efforts to address this complicity. The criminal provisions in the comprehensive anti-trafficking law passed in June 2003 in Nigeria remain untested, US Government clarified, although the government created the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), as the law mandates, in August of the same year.

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ALZHEIMER’S ERASING HAND everything to me. Don’t You know how much You mean to me?” (Gotta, speak fast! Faster! Before She leaves me again!) “I love You Mama. You have nothing to worry about, Mama. Whatever you want I’ll get it. All you have to do is relax. If something’s upsetting You, don’t worry about it. I’ll tend to it. If there’s something You need, I’ll get it. I know You love westerns, Mama. Gunsmoke is Your favorite show, remember?” “Yes, Paul. I do,” She says.

By Paul Fitzgerald Bennett Despite tears unanswered from Heaven’s Gate, The Brave Warrior refuses to accept her fate. She speaks to make sure Her voice is still there, Topics unrelated, She does not care.

The same Human who taught him how to curse, The same Cook whose food he once did eat, The same Bail Bondsman who released him from jail, The same Overseer who beat him with a switch after he dared to roll his eyes at Her… The same, The same, The same, She was there.

Her feet move quickly to an unknown place, Desperate eyes search intensely to recall a son’s face. On a day when these word’s purveyor was at his work, His mother sat down next to him with a strange look. At ﬁrst he ignored the familiar incisive wanting plea, But story deadlines weakened when soft words said “Paul, please help me.” He turned to his left and looked into her eyes. And She was there. The same Woman who delivered him birth, The same Person who gave him mirth, The same Spirit who caused him pain,

“That’s good, Mama. We can watch it together on the Western Channel. And look here Mama?” I quickly turn away to the computer to pull up You Tube on the Net. I type in the name Jackie Wilson. That’s Lula’s favorite singer. The words “Lonely Tear Drops” explode from the mouth of Michael Jackson’s idol. “There he is Mama. The only man Daddy is jealous of.”

My Mama was there. I took Her hand and stroked Her hair. “Oh! Mama don’t worry, I’ll always be here. You have done so much for me, and I promise to now do the same for you. Do you understand?” I asked just to make sure She was still there. “Yes, Paul,” was Her reply. With the same desperation Her three year journey had taken her, I sped up unrhymed words to make sure they would never escape Her. “Mama, there’s not a person I love more in this entire world. There’s not anything that I wouldn’t do for You. You mean

I laugh. She does not. I turn to look at Her. But she is staring back at me. “Mama, Mama.” I force her to look at Mr. Wonderful. “What’s his name Mama?” She searches frantically. She ﬁghts to remember. My heart tells me She knows. She knows. She knows. She knows. her mouth says, “I don’t know who that man is.”

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