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Selby Ave JazzFest: Featuring Kim Waters (R) and Pippi Ardennia (L) Sept. 12th, 11am-7pm, Selby and Milton.

August 31 - September 6, 2009 • MN Metro Vol. 35 No. 35 • The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • www.insightnews.com

Protest blocks traffic; gets attention Minnesota State Baptist Convention pastors and parishioners last week Thursday morning protested Minnesota Department of Transportation’s failure to uphold federal and state laws and the department’s failure to meet inclusion goals for minority workers and businesses. Clergy and civic leaders led a protest that blocked rush hour car traffic heading into downtown Minneapolis at 7th Street North and Olson Memorial Highway, blocking all incoming traffic on southbound Lyndale Avenue and eastbound traffic on Olson Memorial Highway. The 7:45 am protest resulted in thousands of cars stopped in their morning commute into downtown Minneapolis. The action is an outgrowth of a Transportation Town Hall meeting held Monday in North Minneapolis by U.S. Rep Keith Ellison, D-MN, that featured testimony by State Rep. Bobby Champion DFL-58B and business owners, Kathy Meyer, of Meyer Contracting, and Richard Copeland of Thor Construction, and job developer Alex Tittle, of Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center (SAOIC), MnDOT executive Bernard Arseneau, MNDOT director of Policy, Safety and Strategic Initiatives represented Transportation Commissioner

PROTEST TURN TO

Weigh in on Health Care Reform We want to hear from you. Write to us at info@insightnews.com

Suluki Fardan

Observers said traffic was backed up from 7th Street to Hwy 100 by protesters during rush hour Thursday morning demanding that MnDOT address persistent, pervasive denial of work and business opportunity to women and people of color.

of Murua Moms celebrates with a community baby shower

Since March on Washington:

Has Black activism weakened?

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By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – This week marks the 46th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963. Nearly a half century since the march that drew more than 200,000 to Washington, D.C., Black activists confess they have changed their strategy in the wake of an African American President, but they contend that their commitment remains the same. “I think that some leaders are now reluctant to engage in public struggle because President Barack is in the White House. But, I would remind you that a public demonstration for justice would not be a march on the President. That would be unfair,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, president and CEO the Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. “We supported Kennedy over Nixon,

OREGON (NNPA) - From the mid-’80s to the late ’90s, the number of youths in detention nationwide skyrocketed, with average daily populations ballooning from 13,000 to 28,000 in about a decade. A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that number is finally decreasing. The foundation, concerned for the large number of youth detained for non-violent crimes and the nearly system-wide practice of not properly screening youths for best-outcomes, developed the

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at March on Washington, August 28, 1963. but we still had the march on Washington. We supported Johnson over Goldwater, but we still had the march on Selma.” Though public demonstrations by Black activists have been scaled back significantly since the election of America’s first Black president, the intense focus

ACTIVISM TURN TO

Report says youth detentions on the decrease By Brian Stimson Special to the NNPA from the Portland Skanner

Inaugural class

Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative in 1992. Although the initiative received mixed success in its first five pilot sites, those in Multnomah County and Cook County in Chicago, IL, came back with positive results. Racial disparities were reduced and more youths remained arrest-free and showed up for their court dates. There are currently 110 jurisdictions that utilize the JDAI model with the majority of them reporting deeper reductions in juvenile arrests for serious violent offenses than jurisdictions that hadn’t employed a detention reform initiative. Studies show that locking up youths

YOUTH TURN TO

Courtesy of HHYD

Rev. Johnny Hunter, a by-product of HHYD in 1967 (first kid on the left seated)

Celebrating the mission

Josiah Jackson

50 years of faith based outreach By Brenda Colston There is a lot to be said for keeping families together. In the early 1960s, Helen Hunter passed away, leaving her husband Buford to raise 10 children. The State of Minnesota felt it would be best to split up the family because they assumed that Mr. Hunter could not handle the load. He refused to allow his family to be broken up.

With boldness, tenacity and courage, he raised all ten of his children. The children all went on to be productive citizens, excelling in areas such as counseling, ministry, and social services. Combined, they have over 35 years of service with one company. Mr. Buford remarried and together they raised 17 children. One would say, they did

HOUSE TURN TO

wins big at International Modeling and Talent Association

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Suluki Fardan

Rev. Johnny Hunter

Clinton’s speech in Nigeria touches a nerve (GIN) Commentators are still analyzing Hillary Clinton’s straight-talking speech in Sec. of State, Nigeria during swing Hillary Clinton her through Africa one week ago. The Secretary of State pulled no punches at the Abuja Town Hall meeting on August 13. “While Nigeria is a country that produces 2 million barrels of oil a day,” she said, “with the seventhlargest natural gas reserves of any

country in the world, the poverty rate is up.” “Forget that she reminded us that the poverty rate in Nigeria has gone up from 46 percent to 76 percent over the last 13 years,” wrote Nigerian writer Salisu Suleiman Suleiman on the website SaharaReporters.com. “Forget that she attributed the failure to corruption, lack of capacity or mismanagement, or that the World Bank recently concluded that Nigeria has lost well over $300 billion during the last three decades to corruption. None of that is new.” “We must confront the state of

roads that cannot be driven on; water that is laced with disease; rivers that are glazed with waste; millions of people with no work to do; elected officials that steal us blind and their unelected relatives that rob us to starvation point,” Suleiman wrote. “The most important message she delivered to Nigerians is that: ‘Nigeria is at a crossroads, and it is imperative that citizens be engaged and that civic organizations be involved in helping to chart the future of this great nation’... the future of Nigeria is up to the Nigerians’.

Vick joins The City of Brotherly Love, Burress joins a cellmate

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Page 2 • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Insight News

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Inaugural class of Murua Moms celebrates with a community baby shower Six Murua Moms™ celebrated the true meaning of the African proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child” by participating in the inaugural “Community Baby Shower.” The Community Baby Shower was sponsored through the generous donations of community partners, Kwanza Church, Zion Baptist Church, New Hope Church, and private contributions from community members Dr. and Mr. Yele Akinsanya and Ms. Barbara Starks. The inaugural shower was held Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, and honored the first class of mothers to complete the eight-week Murua Moms™ (Swahili for RESPECT) Maternal mental Health and Wellness program created by licensed psychologist Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, of Brakins Consulting and Psychological Services/African American Child Wellness Institute. The Murua

Activism From 1 on issues is still the same, Jackson says. “In 1963, we were marching for the right to vote. Now we’re marching to the polls by the millions all over the nation. Activism now is the election of city councils and state legislatures, Congress and President of the United States,” Jackson said. “When you fight, you fight with the whole armor of God – litigation, legislation, registration, demonstration. All of those are forms of fighting….Even in 1963, we had won the ’54 Supreme Court decision, the ’55 Montgomery bus boycott, and students across the South marched on Selma. Even then, we used litigation, legislation, registration and demonstration. We’ve always used several forms of fighting.” Jackson admits that the current lack of street activism that had resurged during the eight years of the Bush Administration may be necessary to make ultimate progress on issues through the first four years of the Obama Administration. “We have made milestones

Moms Program is proudly sponsored through the Minneapolis Urban League as one of its many outstanding Social Wellness Cluster initiatives. Murua Moms™ is funded by the Minneapolis Department of Health & Family Support (MDHFS). The goal of the Murua Moms program is to promote wellness and improve birth outcomes for pregnant African American women. Program participants gain hands-on guidance in learning skills that promote wellness in themselves and their unborn babies using lectures, guest speakers, fun activities, and videos. Most importantly, mothers and dads get intensive individual wellness coaching as well as group emotional support. Research indicates that one of the primary contributors to the high mortality rate among African American babies is maternal

politically – two African American governors and an African American president – but we still have a disproportionate number of infant mortality, shorter life expectancy, discrimination in hiring, in home foreclosures and in student loan debt. So, it’s mid day in our politics, but mid night in our economy,” Jackson said. He was referring to the nation’s jobless rate that has neared double digits while the Black unemployment rate has passed 14 percent and well above that for Black males. Street demonstrations are not only still needed to fight remaining inequities, but to counteract the uprising of white-led right wing activism around the nation in the wake of health care legislation, Jackson said “The evidence of hostility is shown clearly in the town hall meetings,” he said. “We are still fighting. But we’re winning. The reason why the right wing is acting so hostile is because they are feeling desperate. They lost the White House. We won.” Jackson said: “Our agenda has not changed. It’s just that instead of having an adversary in the White House, we have an ally.” The National Urban League’s Marc Morial agrees. “We have to be fundamentally

Elliot Stewart-Franzen

Murua Moms in line (left to right) Courtney Franklin, Kierra Mullins, Felisha Slaughter, Brittney Baker, Treda McIntosh, Lorena Roberts. stress and isolation. Consequently, the program lets all of its participants know that they are not alone and features a Community Baby Shower during which moms and dads to get free items in preparation for their babies and a “showered” by the

support of the community as we seek to support them as parents welcome their new babies into the world! To sign up for the next Murua Mom’s class, please contact Kesha Walker, program case manager, at (612) 302-3146.

realistic. Our constituencies voted for this President … Black leadership’s roll is to support the public policies that we believe will benefit our constituencies. I think we must realize that personality politics in my opinion are [unnecessary] when there’s an opportunity to work along with a president for the shaping of public policy that benefits our community. Having said that, I believe it’s important to recognize

media. In the previous administration, sometimes we had no choice but to hold press events, to write letters and to do things,” Morial said. “There’s an opportunity with this administration if we access the system, if we push our agenda aggressively, if we seek to meet with and participate in shaping the public policy as some of us are. It’s not just about what we say publicly. It’s about what the

“The financial crisis is killing people. And of course if it’s making white people sick; then it is murdering Black people.” that Black leadership’s roll is to hold every elected official accountable. And I sometimes wonder why people say we have to hold Obama accountable, when I don’t hear that kind of conversation from some people about the Congress of the United States, congressional leadership, about the governors and the mayors,” said Morial. Morial said it is much easier to work with a president who has been historically friendly toward civil rights and equality. “Some of the fights and the pushing and the shoving takes place beyond the view of the

results of the policies and the programs are.” Morial said he has been working with the Department of Labor on accessing green jobs and green job-training in the Black community in order to lower the Black unemployment rate. Political observers have intently watched the first 200 days of the Obama presidency. Dr. Julia Hare, co-founder of the San Francisco-based Black Think Tank says while Black leaders should not treat Obama any differently than the 43 white presidents who came before him, there does appear to be a need for

Elliot Stewart-Franzen

Dr. Jan Tyson-Roberts, Murua Moms Wellness Coach, Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya and Barbara Starks, community resident and shower donor, hold two healthy babies recently born to program graduates.

more activism on economic equity. “I don’t believe they’ve become too soft on this president,” she said. “They didn’t press white presidents on issues such as draconian drug laws and police profiling.” But, Hare observes there has appeared to be a fear factor in Black leadership’s reluctance to criticize the first Black president on issues such as the need to get economic stimulus dollars to the poor faster instead of to banks and financial institutions that caused the crisis. “Some of them are terrified of being accused of being haters, jealous of the man,” Hare said. “The financial crisis is killing people. And of course if it’s making white people sick; then it is murdering Black people.” US Rep. Barbara Lee (DCali.), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus which now has 17 subcommittee chairs and four full chairs in Congress, says the president is doing a remarkable job given all that’s on his plate. She says it’s a relief to not have to fight like they did with the Bush Administration. “We met with Attorney General Eric Holder. He gets it on mandatory minimum, on the devastation of this policy on

African American males in terms of crack cocaine and powder cocaine disparity. We’re working on that, straight up, out front, we’ve talked to him about it and we’re working on it. And there are many, many issues like that,” said Lee. “So, this wouldn’t have happened, I know, under a different administration. The president gets it. … When you look at what he’s done already, it’s just amazing.” She concludes that giving praise when politicians do right is just as important as criticizing them when something is done wrong. “The positive is what we need to accentuate. We have a very forward-thinking, progressive, bold agenda and that’s what we’re working on in terms of the Congressional Black Caucus agenda, but also the president’s agenda, which 99 percent of the time is in sync. So, I see us as being in partnership with members of Congress with the Executive Branch that speaks to the Black community, communities of color, but probably the whole country,” said Lee.

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Insight News • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Page 3

Real Healthcare requires a real public option By Rep. Barbara Lee, chair, Congressional Black Caucus; Rep. Michael Honda, chair, Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus; Rep. Nydia Velazquez, chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus; Rep. Raul Grijalva, cochair, Congressional Progressive Caucus; Rep. Lynn Woolsey, cochair, Congressional Progressive Caucus Throughout the month of August, defenders of the healthcare status quo have assailed efforts to reform a system in crisis. They have

raised any number of spurious claims ranging from the absurd to the macabre in a desperate attempt to stand between 47 million uninsured Americans and their doctors. But the debate over reforming America’s broken healthcare system isn’t only about covering the uninsured. We must also control the escalating premiums and deductibles draining the bank accounts of the two-thirds of Americans with health insurance. Without healthcare reform, the American taxpayer will continue to suffer from the economic

consequences of absorbing healthcare costs that are spiraling out of control. One in every six dollars spent in this country is now spent on healthcare. The quality of life of millions of Americans and the health of our economy hang in the balance. The crisis is real, and it is urgent. The insurance industry has demonstrated it is incapable of meeting the twin challenges of covering all Americans and controlling costs. As long as we rely solely on

private health insurers, healthcare coverage will remain out of reach for 47 million Americans, and costs will continue to soar for everyone else. Every year those with insurance each pay an extra $1,100 in premiums to compensate for the costs of the uninsured and it will get only worse. Insurance costs for a family of four are projected to jump $1,800 a year without healthcare reform. The only reasonable solution— and the cornerstone of comprehensive healthcare reform— is a robust public health plan option

like Medicare. The benefits of a public health plan are obvious: it will guarantee coverage regardless of pre-existing condition; give patients a choice of doctors and hospitals, and create incentives for private insurers to lower costs to compete. The insurance industry can do none of this because its profits and administrative costs consume about one-third of every health care dollar. Without a public option there will be no way to keep insurance companies honest and their rates down. A public

health option that competes with private insurers will set standards that could help lower costs and improve access. A bill without a public option will result in the public, both as insurance purchasers and as taxpayers paying even higher rates to insurance companies. In a July 30th letter to the House leadership 60 members of Congress signed stated unequivocally that “we simply cannot vote for such a proposal.”

Protest

over 40 years ago, Minnesota reported minority and women owned business were being awarded less that 1 percent of State construction contracts. Today, she said, the figure still hovers at about 1%. Copeland said progress toward inclusion has only happened when

there has been protest in the streets and in the courts, challenging pervasive bias in government contracting and hiring. The Rev. Jerry McAfee, president of the Minnesota State Baptist Convention announced the direct action protest during the Town Hall Meeting. Louis King, co-chair of the HIRE-MN Movement said the Black Church has given us more than enough time and support to create solutions to the decades old problem of exclusion from workforce opportunity and exclusion from business opportunity by MNDOT and contractors they award billions of dollars in taxpayer finance public works construction projects. “We have led a good faith effort. We have met every challenge. We have demonstrated our willingness to sit down and talk about getting work and contracts for our people. We have trained and gotten people ready for the workforce. But now, church leaders, who are beholden to no one but the community, are saying our strategy hasn’t worked. They are saying they will use direct action including civil disobedience to demand justice, equity, and inclusion for workers and businesses from communities of color,” King said. Church leaders are inviting people of conscience to stand with a community that contributes much to Minnesota in the form of labor and taxes, but is being denied opportunity to work and do business by the state on highway construction projects. Following the protest, participants gathered at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church to debrief. Said Kenya McKnight, the youthful candidate for Minneapolis 5th Ward City Council, “I want to thank the Elders here for their

courage and leadership. This protest tells my generation, the young people, the up and coming voters and leaders, why and how your generation took to the streets to demand social change, and it instructs us in the methodology of direct action as a tool for mobilizing the community for justice and equality.” Elizabeth Samuels, a guiding light in the Coalition of Black Churches and African American

Leadership Summit, said the protest was long overdue. “We demand justice, fairness, equality, and opportunity,” she said. “And we demand it now.” Church leaders are demanding: Economic opportunity. It is deplorable that Minnesota Department of Transportation is now saying it cannot meet inclusion goals because of the weak economy, when in fact they have not met inclusion goals for over 20 years.

Transparency. MnDOT must publicly declare and uphold inclusion goals and establish an independent monitoring authority to inspect and report on failures in compliance. Accountability - MnDOT and its contractors cannot be allowed to make empty promises in the name of “good faith efforts”. Contractors that don’t meet or exceed goals should be barred from doing business with MnDOT.

From 1 Thomas K. Sorel. Meyer said when the Minnesota Chapter of National Association of Minority Contractors was formed

Suluki Fardan

Rev. Jerry McAfee, president, Minnesota State Baptist Convention, said Black people and people of conscience must stand against the injustice of expediency and neglect that characterizes the contempt MNDOT now displays towards people of color and women.

Suluki Fardan

5th Ward City Council candidate Kenya McKnight and community organizer, Liz Samuels.

Page 4 • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Insight News

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EDUCATION Dr. Josie R. Johnson appointed Saint Peter Claver Catholic School Principal Saint Peter Claver Catholic Church community recently announced the appointment of Dr. Josie R. Johnson as principal for the 2009-2010 academic year. “Dr. Johnson embodies everything we are about at Saint Peter Claver,” said the Rev. Kevin McDonough, Pastor of Saint Peter Claver Church. “She herself was educated in a Catholic school like ours. She has dedicated her whole life to the advancement, and especially the educational

advancement, of AfricanAmerican young people.” Johnson has played an active role in the civil rights

University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents from 1971 to 1973. The University of Minnesota offered her a senior

became responsible for minority affairs and diversity at the college as the associate vice president for academic affairs

Johnson has played an active role in the civil rights movement since the early 1960 when she lobbied for passage of bills concerning such issues as fair housing and employment opportunities. movement since the early 1960 when she lobbied for passage of bills concerning such issues as fair housing and employment opportunities. She served on the

fellowship in 1987 and subsequently she Johnson directed its All-University Forum as diversity director from 1990 to 1992. She then

in 1992. The University of Minnesota established the annual Josie Robinson Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award in her honor

Recently retired principal Teresa Mardenborough preceded Johnson as the principal of the K – 8th grade school located in The Rondo community, near downtown Saint Paul. She considers her successor to be “a dedicated, talented, and caring educator. I am confident that Dr. Johnson and our fine teachers will continue to mature and sustain our students in our shared mission to be a school of excellence for Twin Cities urban children.”

Dr. Josie R. Johnson

Klobuchar among the ribbon-cutters at Normandale Activities Building Normandale welcomed US Sen. Amy Klobuchar to the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at its newly renovated Activities Building. “I’m here today as the granddaughter of an iron ore miner, the daughter of a teacher and a newspaper man, and the first woman to be elected to the United State Senate from Minnesota,” said Klobuchar. “I’m not sure any of this would have been possible without my family’s history with community colleges.” A crowd of more than 200 people looked on as Klobuchar,

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Vice Chancellor Laura King, Trustee Scott Thiss and Normandale President Joe Opatz cut the ribbon on the ‘recycled’ Activities Building. “Today we’re beginning a new chapter in the history of Normandale Community College,” said Klobuchar. “This is a history that has seen hundreds of thousands of students, faculty, staff and supporters walk through your doors and make a difference in the world around you.” Karla Caspari

L to R: Scott Thiss, Trustee, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Joe Opatz, President, Normandale Community College and Laura King, Vice Chancellor, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

MPS to hold “Changing School Options” town hall meetings The Minneapolis Public Schools will hold a series of community town hall meetings during the weeks of September 7 and 14 on Changing School Options, a comprehensive plan the MPS administration will submit to the Board of Education on September 1 to create financial sustainability and build a new foundation for academic success. At the meetings, participants will have the opportunity to learn more

about school changes recommended for the 2010-2011 school year, ask questions and share comments.

for closings and benefits of changes. Hmong, Spanish and Somali interpretive services will be available at all meetings.

Information about schools in N/NE Minneapolis (N of 394/Cedar Lake/Downtown/U of M)

The meeting agenda will include a brief overview of district-wide recommendations and strategies to strengthen academics at struggling schools; a question and answer session moderated by area parent leaders; and area-specific handouts will provide rationale

Meeting dates, times locations are as follows:

September 10 – 6:30 p.m. (social 6:00 p.m.) Roosevelt High School 4029 – 28th Ave S | Co-hosted by Area B Information about schools in SE/S Central Mpls (E of Chicago Ave and S of

and

September 9 – 6:30 p.m. Sheridan Global Arts & Communications School 1201 University Ave NE | Cohosted by Area A

35W/U of M) September 14 – 6:30 p.m. Washburn High School 201 West 49th St | Co-hosted by Area C Information about schools in SW Minneapolis (W of Chicago Ave and S of 394) September 15 – 6:00 p.m. Public Hearing on Schools Recommended for Closure in

2010 Washburn High School 201 West 49th St The Board of Education will vote on the Changing School Options recommendation on September 22. Please call 612-668-0230 or visit www.mpls.k12.mn.us for more information.

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Insight News • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Page 5

AESTHETICS Josiah Jackson wins big at International Modeling and Talent Association Caryn International recently represented Josiah Jackson at International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) in New York. In July, Jackson won Honorable Mention (top ten) for Actress of the Year and Monologue. In addition, she won Second Runner up in TV Host and TV Real People. Monologue is when a contestant performs a one minute monologue, either serious or comedy, for a panel of judges. TV Host is when a contestant reads a teleprompter for a potential live show for a panel of judges. TV Real People is when a contestant performs a non beauty commercial on a closed set for a panel of judges. Her week in New York consisted of days of competitions with hundreds of others, seminars, auditions, callbacks and the awards night. For someone new in the business, the awards night is comparable to the Academy Awards. Before going to New York, Jackson was trained at Caryn International and was chosen to attend IMTA. IMTA is a modeling and talent event where over 400 major market agents, managers, casting directors, network representatives and music producers come to find

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Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane CFO Adrianne Hamilton-Butler Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Vice President of Sales & Marketing Selene White Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Sr. Content & Production Coordinator Elliot Stewart-Franzen Web Design & Content Associate Ben Williams Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Contributing Writers Brenda Colston Julie Desmond Marcia Humphrey Mehgaan Jones Alaina L. Lewis Rashida McKenzie Brandi D. Phillips Ryan T. Scott Photography Suluki Fardan Tobechi Tobechukwu Contact Us: Insight News, Inc. Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Ave. N. MinneAPOlis., MN 55411 Ph.: (612) 588-1313 Fax: (612) 588-2031 Member: Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium (MMMC) Midwest Black Publishers Coalition, Inc. (MBPCI) National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Postmaster: Send address changes to McFarlane Media Interests, Marcus Garvey House 1815 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411.

new faces. During competitions, models and actors showcase their potential of industry professionals who can get their career started. Some winners

Martha and Harry R. Jackson who are both deceased. She has ten siblings. Those living in the twin Cities include Peter Jackson, Esther Jackson Riley,

In July, Jackson won Honorable Mention (top ten) for Actress of the Year and Monologue. include: Seann William Scott, Katie Holmes and Ashton Kutcher. Jackson is the daughter of

Joseph Jackson and Daniel Jackson. Jackson graduated from North Community High School

in 1987, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO,, in 1992, Minnesota’s St. Mary’s University in Winona, in 1998, Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, 2004, and Le Cordon Blue, Mendota Heights, Minnesota, in 2000. In addition, Jackson wrote and published God Called Her Josiah, an autobiography, and wrote four children’s short stories on MP3. She is a public speaker in her business Josiah Limited, LLC. She has also taught elementary and middle school grades.

“The IMTA experience meant getting to the next place in the entertainment industry,” Jackson said. “I learned how to focus on my craft and am working on advancements and contracts for the future.” Caryn International has received over 1500 local, national and international professional awards and modeling contracts including the prestigious IMTA Lifetime Achievement Award. Caryn International is located at 2600 Fernbrook Lane North, Suite 104, Plymouth, MN 55441.

Josiah jackson For more information, phone (763) 746-3695.

Page 6 • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Insight News

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LIFESTYLE Do your homework now-Save big later! Style on a dime

By Marcia Humphrey I can already hear you complaining: “Don’t ruin our last few days of summer vacation by talking about the h-word!” I’m sorry, but we must to talk homework for a minute. You know my focus is always to share with my readers how to save, save, save. Well saving money is not the primary focus today, but trust me, we’ll get to that.

Please bear with me as I try to convince you that doing homework right now, in the form of a before-school-review, can create some great savings in your home. You will save yourself the stress of realizing (often too late) your kids have fallen behind, your kids will save the frustration of being confused in class, and you’ll save some of those cuss words that you use right before you hit that boiling point. (Now you know you don’t need to be using those cuss words anyway, but I’ll save that for a future article.) Rather than sending little Martez off to school unprepared for the next grade, invest some time and a few well spent dollars to help him get off to a strong start.

Hire a budget-friendly tutor My eighth grader struggled in math last year, so the college senior we hired to tutor her this summer has worked well. While tutors normally charge around $40/hour, her rate is $15/hour (a

one outing to another. Instead of listening to music, or letting the kids watch a video while you drive, test your student on her addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts. Make it fun by giving a penny or nickel for

Instead of listening to music, or letting the kids watch a video while you drive, test your student on her addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts. win-win situation). Even just a couple of sessions of review before school starts would be helpful. Do math drills to-go Because our families have such full schedules these days, we are often on the road, travelling from

each correct answer. Find online resources There are several great websites that can help your kids prepare for a great school year. A retired math teacher recommended several to us: www.coolmath.com, w w w. m a t h p l a y g r o u n d . c o m ,

http://tulane.edu/cps/images/match_at_table.jpg

www.mathslice.com www.funbrain.com. These sites use math (and reading) games to make learning fun and some have free printable worksheets and flashcards. As parents we would never dream of sending our children to school without a book bag and necessary supplies (as long as we can afford them). Sadly, we sometimes leave the responsibility of preparing our children for another school year solely to the teachers. That’s not right. Chantelle’s first week of school should not mainly reflect the bargains scored at the mall, because stylish outfits don’t earn A’s. As our children’s original teachers, we must reinforce messages like “you are most beautiful when you are using your brain, (not when rocking your new Baby Phat gear)” and

“clowning in class is not cute.” God has placed great potential in each one of our children and we must help them to tap into it. Let’s make the time to help our kids get excited about a new school year and review gradeappropriate material with them before they hit the school grounds. This way we send to the hard-working teachers our children who are prepared to learn, grow and excel. After all, they are our leaders of today and tomorrow. Enjoy! Marcia Humphrey is an interior decorator and home stager who specializes in achieving high style at a low cost. A native of Michigan, she and her husband, Lonnie, have three children.

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Insight News • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Page 7

Should leaders apologize? Should anyone? By Julie Desmond julie@insightnews.com Top leaders never apologize; mistakes are part of doing business, they say. Thoughtful, compassionate leadership is the last thing a busy business owner has time for, but it can be a critical social skill to learn. Sometimes the only way out of an awkward corner is to say, sincerely, I’m sorry. At other times, simply pointing out the problem is enough. While wildly successful leaders don’t grovel, they do acknowledge their culpability by changing course when mistakes do occur, often owning the mistake without ever apologizing for it. Is acknowledging a mistake the same as apologizing for it? Although we can’t all lead the

world’s largest corporations, we can learn from those in the hot seat. Do not apologize for everything. You are sorry you arrived late to the meeting. You are not sorry you cannot take my call. Using apologies casually can create tension and undermine communication. Does Brett Favre apologize to the fans every time he throws an incomplete pass? Save your regrets for Super Bowl situations. Do apologize for mistakes and missteps of a personal nature, especially if they impact coworkers or clients. You are human, and if you make a serious mistake that affects someone else, admit it. Do apologize actively. Say those huge words, I’m sorry, earnestly, and then make an effort to correct the situation. Not

making amends undermines credibility and makes the next apology suspect. Do not apologize for making tough decisions. Cutting the budget, laying someone off, ending a business relationship: these situations are unfortunate and uncomfortable, but they are not personal. Do not apologize for taking the last pen, notepad or printer paper. Do arrange for replacements when you wipe out the supply. Exception to the rules: There are three beings in the world that everyone should apologize to every time they goof up: your spouse, your dog and God. Send your career planning questions to Julie@insightnews.com.

A window on the local cricket scene By Pauline Chandra Ask Charles Peterson why he plays cricket and he’ll say, “It’s in my blood.” He’ll recall childhood days spent with his brothers and friends in Antigua, playing cricket in the street. He’ll recall dodging cars, forsaking chores and the occasional run-in with a neighbor whose garden had been sacrificed to youth cricket. It is a story that belongs not only to Peterson but to any number of those, from practically any corner of the world, who play cricket in Minnesota. With hands wrapped around a bat formed out of coconut branches or found wood, the skills and passion for cricket were honed wherever a flat surface could be found. In some cases these were cow pastures or sugar cane fields, said Peterson. In villages and towns in all these countries experiences like Peterson’s are common. With rules created by the vaunted Marylebone Cricket Club in England, cricket has become the favored sport for youngsters in the Caribbean, India, Pakistan, Australia and other former British colonies. Youngsters playing pick-up cricket develop a passion for the game and a few go on to stellar careers in cricket. Most take their enthusiasm

wherever they go. And it was only natural that upon moving to Minnesota and finding a few likeminded individuals around him that Peterson would start playing cricket here. As a founding member of the Minnesota International Cricket Club, he has seen cricket in Minnesota grow from 18-20 dedicated individuals to 22 teams in two divisions, now administered by the MN Cricket Association (MCA). Gathering at McCrae Park in Minneapolis or others in Bloomington and Little Canada, the early cricket games were mainly a labor-of-love, said Peterson. It was impossible to create a permanent cricket pitch in parks that were usually home to youth baseball. Eventually, unfettered enthusiasm and dedication would lead to two cricket pitches at Bryn Mawr park which is in some respects the home field. There are three others across the metro area. An inclusive group Decades old discussions about forming a women’s cricket league in the Twin Cities have not yet materialized but that doesn’t mean women are only standing on the sidelines. Josine Durant from St. Vincent in the Caribbean came to cricket through her husband Peter.

CP Images

“When I first met Peter he was playing cricket, he told me that he loved cricket and it was important to him, and I knew that I could not tear him away from the sport.” Consequently, Josine got involved behind the scenes. “This organization welcomes all regardless of national origin, race, gender, religion. I was President for two years and we had an almost all female executive with three of the four members being female.” Josine Durant is chairing the “2009 USA Cricket Invitational Tournament” which takes place over Labor Day weekend. It is the longest continuously running tournament in the USA and this year will feature cricket clinics with notable cricketers, Mike Findlay, Nixon

CRICKET TURN TO

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HEALTH Students’ at risk as schools abandon health instruction Health & Wellness

By Brandi D. Phillips I am passionate about developing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health of children. I

have dedicated 20 years of my life to working with children in various capacities, whether it be dance, mentoring, or life skills training. Over this time, I have witnessed first hand children who are becoming less and less healthy. This article is based on my personal opinion, observations and experiences. Over the years, I have observed that children are becoming more and more

deprived of many aspects of health and wellness in their academic education. I have been a dance teacher at a high school for the last five years and the students are increasingly unhealthy by being overweight or underweight; less intelligent and unable to write a simple paragraph. I have noticed an increase in children who selfmutilating via cutting in order to deal with the emotional pain they are experiencing; and they are less

likely to express their spiritual or religious faith amongst their peers. Included in health care reform should be the discussion of providing children with the needed health and wellness education and resources they so desperately need. If we do not address the health of our children in our nation’s health care reform, we should at the very least continue to address the health of our children in our schools. At the school where I currently teach there is not a gym for physical education, so the only fitness these students can get is either by taking Tai Chi or my dance class. These classes are taken in the school lunchroom, that triples as a theatre and dance studio. This is okay for some, but what about those students who do not choose to take either of these fitness classes? The answer is these children get nothing in the form of physical activity. I am not saying that these children are not receiving a quality education from the staff at my school, because one of the core competencies of the school is the teaching staff that pride themselves on meeting the needs of the children with the resources and opportunities that are provided to them as professionals. My concern is for the state and federal programs that are being cut in our schools and community programs. What happened to the days when children danced in class until they perspired without complaining? Do our children still have to take the national fitness test that each child was required to do annually when we were kids in order to ensure they are progressing in terms of positive health and physical attributes? What about the peer education classes dealing with sexual health education and disease awareness? How many students have access to peer education classes dealing with mental health, self-esteem, communication and relationship building?

I remember growing up having access to Black Achievers with Major Topps, Peer Education groups at North High School with Keith Davis, the Oak Park Drill Team with John Jackson and Michael Moore. I have to give props to the sexual education groups provided by Pilot City Neighborhood Center (now called NorthPoint Health and Wellness Neighborhood Center) led by a woman named Stacy. These programs have produced many well-rounded children based on a community and team effort- this collectivist ideology goes back to the African proverb “It’s takes a village to raise a child.” In the past 10 years, since getting my Bachelor of Science degree in Family Social Science (the study of different types of families) from the University of Minnesota, I have worked with children who cut themselves to deal with emotions and cognitive processes, children who hoard, binge and steal food, as well as children who cannot write a simple paper without plagiarizing or writing in the improper format or font. I put a call out to adultsparents, teachers, mentors,

community and religious workers and other professionals, to advocate for the health and wellness of children in all areas including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. I ask all those that care about the future of our children - who will ultimately be our primary caretakers and decision makers in our old age – to work with your state and federal lawmakers as well as your school superintendents, to find ways to continue to incorporate health and wellness services that treat the child as a whole and not just treat parts of the whole. I think it is very important to protect and educate our children now to ensure they are able to be healthy adults and provided wise decisions to health concerns based on their knowledge and upbringing as children. Brandi is a life skills coach, personal trainer and professional dancer, who with a passion for cultivating healthy children and sustaining healthy seniors.

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House From 1 the right thing. Armed with compassion and a love for Hospitality House and the community in which it sits, one of those siblings, the Rev. Johnny Hunter spearheads the mission of Hospitality House Youth Directions HHYD. He stands by the mission: “Existing to provide a Faith-Based outreach, focusing on the diverse needs and development of urban youth” Since 1967, Hunter has been engaged in the daily activities of Hospitality House. HHYD was founded in 1960 by Elwood Woody Larson. In those days, men coming home from the service were housed and fed, preparing to

Cricket From 7 McLean and Ian Allen who all once played professionally on the West Indies Cricket Team. In the Caribbean cricket is more than just a game. Peterson recalls

Youth From 1 indiscriminately can often lead to more, rather than less, crime in the future. It also appears to have a positive effect on recidivism. Washington state has become a model in its own right, using the Assessments Research Database, which tracks juvenile offender assessment, tracking and treatment in the state. The project will be fully operational by June 2010, when it will be used to measure the utilization and outcomes of treatment programs, prevalence of behaviors, risks, behavior trends and demographic differences. In 2007, 70 percent of offenders remained offense-free in the next 12 months. Although Gov. Kulongoski has made it a priority to reduce the number of African-Americans and other minorities in the juvenile justice

Insight News • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Page 9

The goals of HHYD are to: • Empower youth to better futures through educational enrichment and economic opportunities • Provide a “safe zone” where youth are supported by teachers and mentors • Inspire youth toward

leadership and accountability by developing their capacity for personal vision, self-confidence and solid personal values • Affirm and integrate cultural and familial perspectives into all programs • Collaborate and coordinate with other community support services Today’s programs are focused on the education of the whole child; incorporating their family and community. Social and emotional competencies are emphasized as vital for school and lifelong success. They also work to address the growing community issues that are associated with drugs and alcohol. HHYD recognizes that all areas of a participant’s life must be reached in order to effect positive and lifelong change. Athletic

programs such as Midnight Basketball, which is held every Friday evening from 7pm to Midnight, involve the youth as well as young men from the community. HHYD continues to build strong community support by reaching out to other community organizations. For a complete list of community partners, visit www.hhyd.org. They have an extensive volunteer network of over 700 active volunteers, contributing over 13,000 hours annually. On any given day, one may find the most dedicated educational supporter of HHYD – Dr. Foster. She has been a fixture at HHYD for many years. The love and concern that she shows for the youth are unmatched by any. She has served in the

educational system for many years, and is now a vital part of the HHYD family. Her years of experience are a great blessing to the community in which she serves. Together, she and Hunter are excited about bringing community leaders together to learn about and support the mission of HHYD. HHYD will be celebrating their 50th year of service with an unbelievable host of talented individuals. The “Legacy of Hospitality Unity Concert” will take place on September 10, 2009 at 7pm at Bethel University – Benson Hall in St Paul, MN. Performers include Robert Robinson & TCCGC, Sara Renner, Darnell Davis & the Remnant and Tonia Hughes. For more information, contact Linda Mahoney at 651-430-3942.

regional and international tournaments coming to Antigua. “It was like a festival. Families would go to the large enclosed ball park. Those folks with more means were seated in the stands while others of more modest means sat on the ground ringing the boundary. It was colorful, noisy and oh so intriguing to listen to the men embellish their

most treasured memory of a long gone star. One popular anecdote involved a man call Babass who batted for three days and scored only three runs,” said Peterson. The Marylebone document, adopted by the International Cricket Council, outlines 42 laws governing all aspects of cricket matches including scoring, ball change, end

game and more. Among the unwritten rules is that players in a tournament, who wore mostly white or cream colored uniforms, would break for the traditional English tea. But change has come to cricket and now players are likely to be wearing all manner of colorful outfits. Around here, rather than tea and scones, the breaks are more likely to

be for Jamaican Jerk Chicken or curried goat. And the tea? “Well, let’s just say it’s probably not tea,” said Peterson.

For more information visit: w w w. m i c c - c a v a l i e r s . c o m , www.minnesotacricket,com & www.icc-cricket.com.

Cricket Events MN Championship – Sat Aug 29 Bryn Mawr – (12-6P) USACI – Sept 4th-6th – Bryn Mawr

Pauline Chandra is a Twin Cities freelance writer who previously reported on education and a range of subjects for Southwest Newspapers.

system, recidivism disparities remain. Looking at just the African-American juvenile offenders, 57 percent did not recidivate. With white juvenile offenders, 78 percent did not recidivate. Of Hispanic juvenile offenders, 65 percent did not recidivate. According to the Oregon Youth Authority, overall recidivism decreased from 1998 to 2007, from 37 percent to 32 percent of all youth offenders. The initiative has had uneven affect on disparate rates of detention for minority offenders in Multnomah County. Detention rates hit an all-time low in 2000, when only 22 percent of youth brought to the juvenile justice center were detained. This was the second year that the percentage of minority youth and white youth detained were equal, a statistic that began to diverge soon after. The next year, detention rates rose again, but minority detention rates rose higher. By 2003, the

number of white juveniles detained decreased and the number of minorities detained increased. In 2007, 41 percent of minority youth detained by police were held in detention compared to 31 percent of white youth. David Koch, director of Multnomah County Juvenile Justice, says they pay close attention to the statistic and believe it is moving back to equality after a few years of blips. He said the statistics were largely influenced by events out of their control – an influx of Hispanic youth brought in by cartels to deal drugs and a rise in high intensity crimes by some African American youth. Largely, though, the disparities represent the

disparities system wide – minority youth are more likely to live in poor, higher crime areas and therefore are more likely to have had contact with the police. They are also more likely to be in the foster care system and community support systems have been negatively affected by reductions in the county budget. He says the JDAI model has had positive effects after 14 years in the county. “These are embedded principals in the way the Multnomah County Juvenile Justice System operates,” he said. “It’s about making good policy decisions on the data.” While helping to reduce the overall number of youth held in detention, it does not directly

address the issue of mental illness. Mark McKechnie, director of the Juvenile Rights Project, says it indirectly helped mentally ill youth by freeing up money spent on detention to be spent on mental health resources. Still, critics say the juvenile justice system in America tends to be the modern day asylum under a different name – much like the adult system, where it is estimated that 25 percent of prisoners suffer a serious, chronic mental illness such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. “Part of the problem with treating mental illness in juvenile detention is that the institutional care they’ve received hasn’t been effective for them before,” he said. “So rather than trying a

different approach, we’re doing the same thing but calling it something different.” Koch says decreases in the county budget have affected the sex offender treatment program, and increased reliance on community mental health providers. Many of the treatments offered by Juvenile Justice address underlying mental health issues, he said. A mental health coordinator also screens youth when they enter the system to determine their status. He said, “It’s not good practice to have mentally ill youth in detention if they can be managed in the community safely.”

go back into society at places called hospitality houses. They were, in a sense, halfway houses for soldiers. This was a vital piece in men being successful and reentering society. Larson recognized that North Minneapolis youth needed a safe place to gather positive direction and constructive role models. HHYD became a highly visible and mobile boys club, literally operating out of the back of Woody’s 1955 station wagon. A few years later, HHYD expanded to provide after-school activities in local schools. Today, HHYD is an established 501(c) 3 organization in a permanent location, serving over 3,000 youth annually through a variety of educational, outreach and athletic programs. HHYD has been involved in the lives of over

100,000 North Minneapolis children and youth. The hearts and souls of young people are what keep the staff and volunteers at HHYD committed to their mission. These are children that want and deserve a better life. They want to do better in school and they want to be achievers. HHYD operates programs for all children and youth regardless of religious affiliation, who live in North Minneapolis neighborhoods.

Page 10 • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Insight News

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Send Community Calendar information to us by: email, ben@insightnews.com, by fax: 612-588-2031, by phone: (612) 588-1313 or by mail: 1815 Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Free or low cost events preferred. Events LoLa Art Crawl - Aug. 29 through 30 10 am - 5 pm in the Greater Longfellow neighborhood, Mpls. Visit www.lolaartcrawl.com to see a complete list of artists and their products, along with directions and maps (including light rail stops). Weight Watchers sessions at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center - Sept. Everyone is welcome to join. This session will be 12 weeks and will include 8 weeks of free e-tools. This group meets Fridays from 12 - 1 pm. If you are interested, please call to Doris Hanson at. - 612-5432886 or 612-543-2577. NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, 1313 Penn Avenue North, Mpls. Pillsbury House Theatre presents Non English Speaking Spoken Here: The Late Nite Series - Ongoing September 12, October 10, and November 14. Jazzy music,

intense dance, new theatre, slammin' poetry, and fresh beats featuring José James, Kenna Sarge, D'Lo, The St. Paul Soapboxing Slam Team, and DJO and more. Food served at 8pm, and performances at 9pm. 3501 Chicago Avenue South, Mpls. More info / tickets and packages can be purchased by visiting www.pillsburyhousetheatre.org. Sample Night Live - Sept. 2 Wed, 7pm - 8:15pm, at the History Theatre, 30 East 10th St, Saint Paul. If any question please contact Barbe Marshall, (612) 201-4000. The Outpouring Youth Conference - Sept. 2 - 6 Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 W. Broadway, Minneapolis MN. For more Information and Registration call 612-302-1463 Coffee Talk with Council Member Elizabeth Glidden Sept. 3 Thurs, 9am at Senior Center Café, 310 East 38th St. Minneapolis. Contact the Senior Center at (612) 821-2306, Please call if you plan on attending. Seniors Day Stretch and Stroll at the Fair - Sept. 3 Thursday. 9:30 a.m. - Registration

lines open; live music and singalong. 10 a.m. - Program begins on stage. 10:45 a.m. - Stroll kick-off seniors walk the fair. For more information, call UCare at 1-866610-7213 (toll free). The Rocky Road to Peace: Israel, the Palestinians, the U.S. and the U.N. - Sept. 10 Thursday, 7 PM. Florence Steichen, CSJ, will speak with a Q&A afterwards. This free program is sponsored by NW Neighbors for Peace and will take place in the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701-36th Avenue North at Boone in New Hope. For more information, Pat Helin, 763542-1966. Hospitality House 50th Anniversary Concert - Sept. 10 Thurs, concert starts at 7pm at Bethel University's Benson Hall, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online www.ticketweb.com. 8th Annual Selby Ave JazzFest Sept. 12 Sat, at the intersection of Selby & Milton Avenues in St. Paul. Interested parties can call Golden Thyme Coffee & Café at 651.645.1340 or on the web at www.selbyavejazzfest.com.

Auditions for the Great Russian Nutcracker performance at the Orpheum Theatre - Sept. 13 10AM at City Scape Dance; 9363 Penn Ave. S., Bloomington, MN. Anna Tyutyunnyk, a soloist with Moscow Ballet, will conduct the audition. Applicants must have dance experience and be between 7 and 16 years old. Applicants must also dress in dance attire and may bring Pointe shoes. For more information please contact Chandra Saign at (952) 881-6217. Lake Street Calendar Events September 13th: Mexican Independence Day Celebration 12:00 - 7:00 PM, 4th & Lake September 20th: Uptown Market 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Lyndale Ave. & 29th St. The Law and Mental Health Series - Ongoing A Free Training Series for Parents and Caregivers, Advocates, and Support Group Leaders. 9:30 am Registration & light breakfast. 10:00 am - 1:00 pm - Session. Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Road. Presented by: Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health www.macmh.org 651-6447333. There is no charge but space is limited; you must call to register.

A vacant home for $1.00 means a new beginning for an historic Saint Paul neighborhood The Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) recently hosted two open houses that highlight homes available for purchase through the 4th Street Preservation Project. The 4th Street Preservation Project is designed to strengthen the Heritage 326 Maria Avenue Preservation District in the Dayton's Bluff Neighborhood by directing rehabilitation resources and technical assistance toward a targeted area in the neighborhood in order to preserve the housing stock and encourage home ownership. To date, the City's Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) has acquired 11 single-family homes and duplexes within the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood for this project. The HRA will be accepting proposals from individuals who are interested in rehabilitating the homes. A neighborhood planning process convened with the assistance of the Dayton's Bluff Community Council, the Dayton's Bluff Urban Partnership, Historic Saint Paul, and other community partners created development principles that will be used to review the proposals for rehabilitation and other community development projects. For a complete list of properties for sale and more information on how to submit a proposal for one of the homes, interested parties should visit the City's web site at www.stpaul.gov/4thstpp or contact Sheri Pemberton-Hoiby at (651) 266-6615 or Tom Sanchez at (651) 266-6617.

Call For Bids Project: MPHA #PH08-53E IO #3 22 Scattered Sites, South Minneapolis Bid Date: 2 pm, Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Sealed bids due to Construction Manager: Mitchell Construction, 125 W. Broadway, Ste. 100, Mpls, MN 55411. Scopes: Exterior improvements at 1-family homes: Concrete/asphalt paving, roofing, regrading, window wells, metal railings, siding/fascia/gutters, painting, caulking, ltd. carpentry & demolition. One furnace & water heater replacement. This project is funded by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Owner: Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, 1001 Washington Ave N, Mpls, MN 55401. Printed bid docs and specs available at Mitchell Construction. For PDF, contact 612.588.3112 or klela@mitchellconstructionmn.com.

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Insight News • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Page 11

SPORTS Vick joins The City of Brotherly Love; Burress joins a cellmate By Ryan T. Scott ryan@insightnews.com Now that the Favre Favre is settling down, we can slip in some commentary on the interesting issues of the Plaxico Burress twoyear jail sentence Michael Vick signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. “HIDE YOUR DOGS” was the headline of the Philadelphia Daily News in regards to the Philadelphia Eagles acquisition of Michael Vick, who was recently released from prison on dogfighting charges and is now eligible to return to work in the NFL for work. Now I’m not sure everyone who goes to prison should pick back up with their previous line of work, but if a person has fulfilled all the penal and social requirements during and after prison, then give’em a time card and tell’em to quietly work over in the “just got out of prison corner.” In regards to the headline, I bet the last thing Michael Vick wants to see, or hear, is a dog. Vick has probably banned anyone from even playing Snoop Dogg songs in

his house. Now personally, when I first heard the news that the Eagles signed Vick, I joined the international chorus of Brothas who were simultaneously exclaiming, “WooooHoooooooo!!!” (draw each syllable out extensively to achieve the desired effect). I mean, when I called my homeboy to tell him about Vick, he got so loud with his Woo-Hoo’in that he made his infant son cry. The reason for that

aboard. I imagine when McNabb first thought of having Vick on his team he popped up and said, “Woooo-Hoooooo!!” A situation such as that with the Eagles is ideal for Vick so that he can comfortably work his way back to playing football at the NFL level. The mysterious excitement comes from the wonderment by many, of how the Eagles will use Vick’s many athletic abilities that extend beyond just throwing the football. Vick and Vikings new quarterback

Would it have been better if Burress shot himself in the butt? excitement from many is due to the addition of Vick to an already extra-talented team that almost made the Superbowl last year; that team includes the Chunky Soup pitchman himself, quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb is a seasoned starting quarterback for the Eagles, and thus, there is no question about who’ll be starting quarterback for the team. As a matter of fact, it was McNabb who led the charge to bring Vick

http://blogs.news-journalonline.com/pigskinny/vick.jpg

Michael Vick

Brett Favre will be at the top of all football fans curious list. Now there is another group of people that have Michael Vick at the top of another kind of list (I suppose I would be in-bounds and scientifically accurate to call it a ‘fecal list’). Now we had to know that in this World of unforgiving humans, that some people won’t be satisfied with Vicks punishment until he wears a scarlet letter D on his chest, or is burned at the stake. Those people and many others, who were trying to be on the fence about the issue, seemed over stimulated by the fact Vick landed in a situation so good that you had to know someone was praying for him; some folks don’t like to see other’s prayers answered, and prefer to watch them suffer; still others simply never learn the lesson about casting stones at others. Because of all those…haters…it was all too gratifying to see Vick’s calm, intelligent, composed press conferences and interviews after signing with the Eagles. Sure, Vick has PR people coaching him, but he sure looked more believable than actress Lindsay Lohan or singer Britney Spears ever have after they we’re released from rehabilitation. I wrote previously about Vick’s countenance looking a little gruff for someone seeking the appearance of innocence in

Plaxico Burress federal courtrooms as the trial went on. Now I’m not saying that Vick emitted a saintly glow in the aftermath, but somehow you could see that Vick has been positively affected by reflection over this whole episode. Obviously we know that some people would come out hardened and not care about their future (Vick’s brother Marcus might be that example). Vick will certainly have his renewed spirit tested once greater success comes his way. Hopefully he is well planted when that

http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/carlisle/Plaxico.JPG

success comes because success can be much more difficult to handle than failure. Should that success come to pass, Vick has a golden opportunity to positively influence young many young fans in regards to their decisions in life. Now as for Plaxico Burress being sentenced to two years in jail for shooting himself in the leg at a club, the situation is ridiculous all around. It costs taxpayers a lot of money over two years to house a millionaire athlete that is being charged with accidentally shooting

himself. Burress is obviously not terribly bright for not using part of his $35 million contract to purchase a holster so the gun wouldn’t slide around. I wonder: if the gun had been in the small of his back instead of his hip, and when it slipped he accidentally shot himself in the butt instead of the leg, would he have gotten off easier because it was so hilarious that he shot himself in the butt?

Page 12 • August 31 - September 6, 2009 • Insight News

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