LAWT 11-10-2011 by LA WATTSTIMES

W E E K E N D E R

L.A. Watts Times Vol. XXX, No. 1257

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

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IBRA ~ You may receive some news that troubles you, but recognize what you can and can’t do about the situation. As powerful as you are, you are still not required to do everything for everyone. Do what feels most loving. Soul affirmation: I smile and trust in the powers beyond myself. CORPIO ~ Your leadership skills are shining this week, so get out there and glimmer with good vibrations. Others are looking to you for guidance and as a path to follow. Let your journey through the week provide a good model. Soul affirmation: I let worry fly away. AGITTARIUS ~ You are brilliant this week as you gather materials and resources together for an important project. There’s a good probability for wonderful news late in the afternoon. Ride the vibes and be gentle with your own feelings. Soul affirmation: There are plenty of fish in the sea waiting for me. APRICORN ~ A date or meeting that is unexpectedly cancelled may make someone very unhappy. Recognize that all things work for good and that a better solution is being provided in the space between what you think you want and what you are getting. Soul affirmation: This week silence speaks loudest and truest. QUARIUS ~ Serenity is yours as you realize you can get what you need. It’s coming and you deserve it! Take a few quiet moments this week to listen to your inner voice. It will give you a powerful hint about what activities you should be pursuing right now. Soul affirmation: I let positive emotions carry me through the week. ISCES ~ In all of the hustle and bustle of the week this week, take some time to observe the now. There’s a great deal to be thankful for! A great idea could come to you when you are out with friends. Soul affirmation: I celebrate with those around me.

Five $2,000 awards will be given to outstanding preschool teachers in Los Angeles County LOS ANGELES – Nominations are currently being accepted to recognize outstanding educators who teach preschool in Los Angeles County. They’re to be honored for going above and beyond the call of duty to better prepare preschool students for elementary school — and life. The Los Angeles County Preschool Teacher of the Year Awards, sponsored by Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP), are open to all preschool teachers in Los Angeles County. Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by anyone associated with the nominee’s preschool, such as parents, coworkers or administrators. One winner will be selected from each Los Angeles County supervisorial district for a total of five. Each winner will receive a $2,000 cash award.

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RIES ~ A surge in your personal power enables you to slay any dragons that you happen to meet this week. If you keep your attention on your own personal dragons, you’ll be advancing your own best self by knocking out some less than healthy habits. Use the force for good! Soul affirmation: Shining brightly is something that I can do even in shadows. AURUS ~ Here’s a chance to get to the bottom of an issue that’s been bothering you for quite some time. This week you’ll feel objective enough to focus on the situation and not the person who may unwittingly have caused the situation. Go for it! Soul affirmation: The enjoyment of good food is high on my agenda this week. EMINI ~ Information flows smoothly to and from you this week. You are in your element as communications come and go. You’ll learn much as you listen and observe others. Be easy on yourself this week. Soul affirmation: I enjoy flirting with new ideas. ANCER ~ Someone may try to push your buttons this week. Don’t let it get on your nerves. You have the power to focus your attention on positive thoughts and ideas. They will prove much more worthwhile in the long run than a short-term blow-out with an unequal adversary. Soul affirmation: When I am clear about who I am, the world becomes clearer. EO ~ Conclusions can be reached, but don’t jump to them. Things are working out in your best interests. Ignore any negative attitudes and stay focused on your goals and plans. You are winning! Soul affirmation: My hunches pay all week this week. IRGO ~ This is a perfect week for some fun. You know how to have fun and it’s calling you out to play. Say what you need and the rest will follow in perfect order! Have a good time! Soul affirmation: The search for fun occupies my time. Enjoy!

Inside This Edition Nominations sought for Preschool Teacher of the Year awards

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Winners will have demonstrated a strong commitment to a quality preschool education and a dedication to making a positive contribution to the children they serve, using creative instructional strategies as well as contributing to the well-being of the child, preschool and community. To obtain a nomination form, please visit www.laup.net/teacher. To be considered, applications must be received by November 18. Nominations will be screened and based upon a balanced, thoughtful and impartial evaluation, taking into consideration the candidate’s record. The winners will be celebrated at an event that will be held in mid-March 2012. In 2008, LAUP created the See PRESCHOOL TEACHER, page 3

HAVE YOU BEEN DENIED YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS? Let me assist you. There is NO Fee until we win. Jacquelyn Brown, Disability Appeals Rep.

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Black farmers finally getting paid BY VALENCIA MOHAMMED SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER The U.S. District Court approved a settlement in the ongoing saga between Black farmers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), providing an additional $1.2 billion for thousands of plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit. The Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, decided Oct. 27 by Judge Paul L. Friedman, was derived from a class action suit initiated in 1997 — Pigford v. Glickman — in which African American farmers (initially, James Copeland, Earl Moorer and Marshallene McNeil) jointly alleged a pattern of systemic exclusion from USDA grant and lease programs. It was alleged that the USDA discriminated on the basis of race in various federal programs, denying Black farmers loans and other benefits that were granted to White farmers. Allegedly, when Black farmers filed complaints to USDA, their claims were not investigated. In addition, no remedies were sought to correct egregious violations of civil rights laws. The USDA’s alleged failure to act deprived countless farmers of credits and payments under various federal programs, which resulted in financial and real estate losses to them. “This agreement will provide overdue relief and justice to African American farmers and bring us closer to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on,” said President Barack Obama at a recent press conference. The resulting consent decree was soon enlarged to include about 40,000 persons, after Congress acknowledged the historical validity of the claims by expanding the statute of limitations. This allowed

the litigation to proceed unhindered by the 1981 to 1996 time span. Uncertainty about who qualified as a “Pigford complainant” persisted as thousands more submitted claims. The number reached 61,252 by 2000, and most of these claims were allowed for consideration after passage of the 2008 Farm Bill. By 2010, about 16,000 complainants received over $1 billion in “direct payments, loan payments and tax relief.” These direct payments threatened to deplete the $100 million in funds allocated under the Farm Bill to make the remaining qualified complainants whole. Additional relief was sought. “I am glad to see that this day has finally come. For years, Black farmers have faced discrimination — not only from businesses, but from the very government that was meant to protect them. The U.S. District Court’s approval of the settlement is a major step forward in closing an ugly chapter of USDA’s civil rights history. Not only will this agreement provide overdue relief but it will provide justice to African American farmers who have been disenfranchised,” said chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo. John W. Boyd Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, hailed the ruling granting the motion to certify and approve the settlement in this historic discrimination case. “Today, because of a Congress that was willing to once again waive the statute of limitations and to appropriate $1.25 billion to help further redress the historic discrimination against African American farmers, the court is pleased to approve the settlement agreement proposed by the moving plaintiffs, and endorsed by the United States, as fair, reasonable and adequate.”

Boyd added, “Today is an important day — in fact, a truly historic day for the nation’s Black farmers and for all of those who worked so hard to give every farmer their day in court so they may be compensated for the government's discrimination.” Boyd reminded the farmers there is still more work to do. “It is also important for the farmers to know that all cases must be adjudicated before the payments go out to the farmers. After all we have been through, justice always finds its way home. I have been praying for this day. “The settlement isn’t perfect but we’re glad the judge finally resolved the situation. The farmers need their money. But it’s unfortunate it took so long. Many of them have died waiting while this struggle played out.” Researcher DeRutter Jones contributed additional material to this story.

AP Photo/GosiaWozniacka

Will Scott, president of the African American Farmers of California, stands among sorghum plants at the group’s demonstration farm in Fresno, Calif. on Thurs., Sept. 15, 2011. The number of Black farmers has been in a long decline nationally, and in California, only about 400 farms are still owned by African Americans.

WARNING Chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm are contained in crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum products and byproducts. Chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm are also contained in and around oil fields, service stations, refineries, chemical plants, transport and storage operations, including pipelines, marine terminals and tank trucks, and other facilities and equipment that manufacture, produce, process, handle, distribute, transport, store, sell or otherwise transfer crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel or other petroleum products or byproducts. The foregoing warning is provided pursuant to Proposition 65. This law requires the Governor of California to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity." This list is compiled in accordance with a procedure established by the Proposition, and can be obtained from the California Environmental Protection Agency. Proposition 65 requires that clear and reasonable warnings be given to persons exposed to the listed chemicals in certain situations. BP America Inc. and its subsidiaries (and under the trademarks ARCO and Castrol)

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President Obama, during a 2010 White House visit, congratulates John Boyd for work on behalf of Black farmers.

PRESCHOOL TEACHER Continued from page 2 Preschool Teacher of the Year Awards to recognize the contributions of preschool teachers in Los Angeles County and to highlight the importance of a high-quality preschool experience. LAUP did so because preschool teachers play a critical role in a young child’s social, educational and

emotional development by nurturing the child’s confidence, inspiring their imagination and creativity and advocating for the well-being of the children and their families. For more information about the application process, please call 213-416-1274 or email lrocha@laup.net.

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Freedom Riders honored for the ‘hell’ they endured SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE ATLANTA VOICE ATLANTA – It happened 50 years ago, but they remember it like it was yesterday: “It was May 14, Mother’s Day, and all hell broke loose,” said Charles Person, a freshman at Morehouse when he rode one of the first two Freedom Buses to Alabama in 1961. “They firebombed the first bus and burned it to the ground. And they beat us on both buses.” Fellow Freedom Rider Bernard LaFayette picks up the story: “After we heard about the first bus being firebombed, we started making out our wills before we left Tennessee, because we didn’t know if we’d make it back. “A mob awaited us in Montgomery, and I was standing next to John Lewis when he was hit over the head with a Coca Cola crate,” said LaFayette, who dropped out of American Baptist Theological Seminary to become a Freedom Rider. After the beatings, many of the Freedom Riders — people like Julia Aaron Humbles — were sent to jail. “I was jailed for 90 days in Jackson, Mississippi, because when the judge called us rabble-rousers, I told him we were not rabble-rousers but citizens of the United States demanding our equality,” said Humbles, then a junior at Southern University. Other Freedom Riders, people like Larry Hunter, got special treatment. “When the jails filled up in Jackson, they sent us to the maximum security state prison,” said Hunter,

then a student at Tennessee State. “It was 49 days of hell.” It is because of the “hell” the endured — and the sweeping social change they ignited — that Freedom Riders were honored last week by the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta. Starting in 1961, Freedom Riders rode interstate buses into the segregated South to protest Jim Crow laws forcing Black people to ride on the back of the bus. The Freedom Rides of the early and middle 1960s helped refuel a sputtering civil rights movement and helped spark the passage of several civil rights laws. One of the lifetime achievement awardees was 100-year-old Amelia Boynton Robinson, the first person to be assaulted during “Bloody Sunday,” the first voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Boynton Robinson, who attended Dr. Joseph Lowery’s 90th birthday party in Atlanta last month, could not be present at the Freedom Rider ceremony but sent a representative to receive the award. “Without people like her, we would not have a Black president today,” said Michelle Williams. Also accepting a lifetime achievement award was Freedom Rider John Lewis, now a U.S. congressman, who urged attendees to remain vigilant in the fight for social change. “This gives me the strength to keep going,” Lewis said. “The Freedom Riders were very young, so I want young people to know that you have to be persistent and never give up.” Dr. Richard Cobble, president of the

Courtesy of Kalin Thomas, Atlanta Voice

U.S. Congressman John Lewis accepts a lifetime achievement award for activism as a 1960s Freedom Rider and for his longtime commitment to civil rights. The key to social change, Lewis said, is simple: “Be persistent and never give up.” Concerned Black Clergy, said the organization opted to honor the Freedom Riders to salute the past and help prepare for the future. “We usually salute Black fathers during our October fundraiser, but this year we decided to honor the contributions made in the past,” Cobble said. “We have to tell our stories to the young people on how we got

over, and remind them that there’s still work to be done.” Freedom Riders attending the ceremony said they struggled and sacrificed then so that future generations could benefit. “We were willing to give our lives if we had to,” said Freedom Rider Larry Hunter. “We thought ‘If not now, when?’ ”

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Veterans’ employment challenges mirror the community’s BY FRANCIS TAYLOR SENTINEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER President Barack Obama has announced that the troops in Iraq will be back home by the end of the year. In line with his $447 billion jobs bill, he has also recently launched job-locating initiatives that are specifically targeted to help returning veterans and others find employment. “Veterans face the same employment dilemma non-prior-military civilians experience in locating meaningful employment opportunities in this depressed economy,” said Jean Bland, a recently discharged U.S. Army service member. “The best bet for recent vets is to first secure unemployment benefits, then become familiar with and take advantage of the full range of support services that are available from the Veteran’s Administration (VA).” In addition to health and medical

benefits that are provided for veterans, the VA provides generous educational support that includes tuition and books for advanced education as well as a stipend for living expenses during the course of the veteran’s academic studies. For veterans whose military occupational specialty (MOS) does not naturally prepare them for civilian employment, the VA’s educational assistance will equip them with academic credentials that will assist in their future employment pursuits. President Obama, facing the worst economic condition since the Depression, has been struggling with Congress to pass measures that will stimulate a dramatic improvement in the United States’ economic condition. For the last two years, it appears as if Congress has decried nearly all of the initiatives the president has advanced — and the American Jobs Act is no exception. See VETERANS, page 15

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Flanked by the nation’s heroes: President Barack Obama, accompanied by veterans, talks about the American Jobs Act on Monday in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

Help me drink healthy! When it comes to healthy nutrition, water and 2% milk are the best choices. Give your kids the calcium and nutrients they can’t get from juice or soda.

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

U.S. appeals court upholds Obama health care law BY NEDRA PICKLER ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — A conservative-leaning panel of US appellate judges on Tuesday upheld President Barack Obama’s health care law as constitutional, helping set up a Supreme Court fight. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington issued a split opinion upholding the lower court’s ruling that found Congress did not overstep its authority in requiring people to buy health insurance or pay a penalty on their taxes, beginning in 2014. The requirement is the most controversial requirement of Obama’s signature domestic legislative achievement and the focus of conflicting opinions from judges across the country. The Supreme Court is expected to decide soon, perhaps within days, whether to accept appeals from some of those earlier rulings. The suit in Washington was

brought by the American Center for Law and Justice, a legal group founded by evangelist Pat Robertson. It claimed that the insurance mandate is unconstitutional because it forces Americans to buy a product for the rest of their lives and that it violates the religious freedom of those who choose not to have insurance because they rely on God to protect them from harm. But the court ruled that Congress had the power to pass the requirement to ensure that all Americans can have health care coverage, even if it infringes on individual liberty. “The right to be free from federal regulation is not absolute and yields to the imperative that Congress be free to forge national solutions to national problems,” Judge Laurence Silberman wrote in the court’s opinion. Silberman was joined by Judge Harry Edwards. Judge Brett Kavanaugh disagreed with the conclusion without taking a position on the merits of the

AP Photo/J Pat Carter, File

Big win: In the first ruling by a federal appeals court on his health care overhaul, President Obama scores a win. law. He wrote a lengthy opinion arguing the court doesn’t have jurisdiction to review the health care mandate

until after it takes effect in 2014. The federal appeals court in Cincinnati also upheld the law. The federal appeals court in Atlanta struck down the core requirement that Americans buy health insurance or pay a penalty, while upholding the rest of the law. And like Kavanaugh’s dissenting opinion, an appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, ruled it was premature to decide the law’s constitutionality. The White House said Tuesday it is confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the law, as the Washington court did. Obama advis-

er Stephanie Cutter said in a White House blog post that opponents who say the individual mandate provision exceeded Congress power to regulate commerce “are simply wrong.” “People who make a decision to forego health insurance do not opt out of the health care market,” she wrote. “Their action is not felt by themselves alone. Instead, when they become ill or injured and cannot pay their bills, their costs are shifted to others. Those costs — $43 billion in 2008 alone — are borne by doctors, hospitals, insured individuals, taxpayers and small businesses throughout the nation.”

Republican group under fire for Obama email SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE FLORIDA BULLETIN-SENTINEL A Halloween-themed email from the Loudoun County, Va., Republican Committee was swiftly condemned by conservative and liberal groups for featuring an image of a ghoulish-looking President Obama with a bullet hole through his head. The message, with the subject line “Halloween 2011,” invites supporters to a community parade where “we are going to vanquish the zombies with clear thinking conservative principles and a truckload of Republican candy.” It also features a caricature of House Courtesy of Florida Bulletin-Sentinel Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a No laughing matter: Image of jack-o-lantern, and cartoons of President Obama. zombies. The email was first reported by the blog Too Conservative, which said the group had gone “way too far” and should be reported to the U.S. Secret Service.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Citizens of Lancaster fight back Citizens of Lancaster protest the arrest of outspoken community activist David Grajeda

The citizens of Lancaster are fighting back! A very outspoken community activist, David Grajeda, was arrested outside of Lancaster City Hall last month. Mr. Grajeda is known for attending Lancaster City Council meetings and speaking out on corruption by the Council and the sheriff’s department in Lancaster. Mr. Grajeda was physically attacked at a prior city council meeting, but the sheriff’s department refused to make a report on the incident or take a complaint on the assault. Mr. Grajeda is being subjected to continued harassment and retaliation by city leaders as well as members of the Sheriff’s Department in Lancaster for his numerous complaints to these public officials, in direct violation of Mr. Grajeda’s First Amendment constitutional rights. At a Lancaster City Council Criminal Justice meeting several weeks ago, Mr. Grajeda was escorted from the building by sheriff’s deputies for speaking out on threats that were made against him and demanding accountability from city council members. Mr. Grajeda is in possession of videos and audio recordings showing sheriff’s department personnel engaged in misconduct as well as numerous other tapes showing harassment by the sheriff’s department and city officials directed at Mr. Grajeda for his continuing to speak out against these officials at public meetings. On Oct. 25, 2011, Mr. Grajeda attempted to enter Lancaster City Hall for a public city council meeting. He was immediately arrested by sheriff’s deputies on a warrant for disturbing a public meeting. Mr. Grajeda is now incarcerated in Los Angeles County jail in solitary confinement, with a $25,000 bond because he exercised his First Amendment Constitutional right to free speech. The Citizens of Lancaster are tired of the corruption and disregard of civil rights by Lancaster City Officials and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s See LANCASTER, page 14

“I’ll be vindicated,” says Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. his behalf offered to raise funds for ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich in return for an appointment to Kankakee, Ill. - U.S. Rep. Jesse President Barack Obama’s vacated Jackson Jr. is predicting he’ll be Senate seat. “Let me be clear: I believe in the “vindicated” by an ethics investigation into whether he or someone on American system of justice,” Jackson, a Democrat, said Saturday at a Kankakee County NAACP dinner. “The process is continuing, but in the end I believe I will be vindicated.” The House Ethics Committee announced earlier this month that it would resume a probe that began before Blagojevich’s trial. The panel had agreed to abide by a Justice Department request to take no action in the investigation, which is normal practice when the department is concerned a congressional inquiry interferes with its own investigation. Jackson, who has AP Photo/Paul Beaty not been charged, has denied Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., has repeatedly denied any repeatedly wrongdoing. wrongdoing in ethics probe. SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE FLORIDA BULLETIN-SENTINEL

Medical pot advocates sue feds over crackdown BY MARCUS WOHLSEN ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Attorneys for medical marijuana advocates Monday sought a temporary restraining order to put a stop to a federal crackdown on California pot dispensaries, claiming the effort by the state’s four U.S. attorneys is unconstitutional. Plaintiffs asked U.S. District Court Judge Donna Ryu in Oakland to issue an order barring the government from arresting or prosecuting patients, dispensary owners or landlords of properties housing dispensaries. Pot advocates said dispensaries

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

Four California-based U.S. attorneys recently announced they have stepped up efforts to curtail both marijuana cultivation and retail sales under California’s 15-year-old medical marijuana law. in the San Francisco Bay area would start closing this weekend if a restraining order was not issued. The state’s four federal prosecutors last month announced a broad effort to close pot clubs, in particular by sending letters to landlords who rent space to pot dispensaries, threatening to seize their property under federal drug trafficking laws. Lawsuits filed starting Friday in all four of California’s federal court jurisdictions accuse the Department of Justice of entrapping pot providers by reversing its own policy, among other legal issues. Plaintiffs’ attorneys cited a Santa Cruz County medical marijua-

na cooperative’s agreement with federal prosecutors to dismiss its case against the government because the department issued a memo telling U.S. attorneys to defer to states on medical use of the drug. The lawsuits claim that by introducing the Justice Department’s socalled Medical Marijuana Guidance memo as part of that case, prosecutors were essentially laying out their policy on medical marijuana. “They locked themselves in,” said San Francisco attorney Matt Kumin, lead attorney on the suits. Based on the memo issued in 2009, other medical marijuana See MEDICAL POT, page 14

F E AT U R E

Thursday, November 10, 2011

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

by Jason Lewis | Sports Editor

Earvin “Magic” Johnson stood tall on the Staples Center floor on Mon., Nov. 7 — just like he did 20 years ago to the day when he bravely announced that he had contracted the HIV virus. Johnson could have hidden from the public eye. He could have abruptly retired and faded oơ into the sunset without a word of the disease. But he decided to let all of us into his life at a time when he was the most vulnerable. He let us experience what many people thought would be a public death. Johnson approached the podium on the Staples Center floor, took a deep breath and said, “God is so good. Here I am … 20 years later. Wow, what a blessing!” If those words were written in a script 20 years ago, most people would not believe that Johnson would be the one saying them. But he has fought the good fight against HIV. He put a face to a disease that nobody wanted to. His eơorts not only prolonged his life, but also they have prolonged the lives of countless other people. Many people have said that Johnson has survived because he can aơord to buy the best drugs; but his physician, Dr. David Ho, says otherwise. “Our Hall of Famer here is now the symbol of treatment success,” Dr. Ho said. “What he gets in terms of his therapy is typical of what most American patients receive. So he is not the exception — he is the rule. He symbolizes hope because of his status.”

Even with the advances in HIV treatment, Dr. Ho still points out that there is no cure, that 25 million people have already died from it, that 30 million people live with it today, and that 7,000 people are infected with the virus on a daily basis. Dr. Ho said that HIV is the worst plague in human history. This disease has hit all races, all lifestyles — heterosexuals and homosexuals — but it has hit the African American and Latino communities the hardest. A 2006 study showed that for every 100,000 people, 115.7 Black men and 55.7 Black women will contract HIV. For Latino men, it is 43.1, and for Latino women, it is 14.4. For White men, it is only 19.6, and for White women, it is only 3.8. While African Americans represent approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population, they account for almost half of the people living with HIV in the U.S. An analysis by the Black AIDS Institute found that if Black America were its own country, it would rank 16th in the world in the number of people with HIV, ahead of Ethiopia, Botswana and Haiti. The rate of new HIV infections for Black men is about six times as high as the rate among White men. Black women are far more aơected by HIV than women of other races. The rate of new HIV infections for Black women is nearly 15 times as high as that of White women. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 213,000 Blacks with AIDS have died and, according to the most recent published data, AIDS is the third leading cause of death among Black women aged 25-34 and 35-44 and among Black men aged 35-44. African American adults are not the only group that is contracting this disease at a high rate. Of the 25,000 infections estimated to occur each year among African Americans, more than one-third (38 percent) are among young people aged 13 to 29. Many African American youths are diagnosed late in the course of infection, when it may be too late to fully beneﬁt from life-prolonging treatment. Johnson’s press conference at Staples Center was not as much a celebration of his 20 years of beating the disease as it was a way to bring more awareness to it. As a 20-year survivor, he brings people hope and he

educates people about the disease. “My main goal now is to bring the numbers down in the Black and Brown communities,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to do that.” Johnson is making a diơerence by being a leader, just like he was on the court, where he led the Los Angeles Lakers to ﬁve NBA championships. “I’ve always been a leader my whole life,” Johnson said. “I’ve always led. I don’t know how to do anything else. But I never thought that I would have to lead in the HIV and AIDS community and be the face of a disease that is deadly and can kill somebody. “When God said, ‘This is how you’re going to lead today,’ I took it and I’m happy that I’ll be the face of this disease. The only problem is, I’ll be happier if the numbers in the Black and Brown community goes down.” Johnson is not only the spokesman for this disease, but his foundation has empowered the community for 20 years. The Magic Johnson Foundation has donated

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Earvin “Magic ‘ Johnson speaks during a press conference to announce his retirement from Los Angeles Lakers, 11/07/91, after learning he had tested postive for the AIDS virus. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill)

RIGHT: “Magic” Johnson, right, of the Los Angeles Lakers drives past Joe Dumars of the Detroit Pistons for a basket during the first quarter of their NBA game at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., Friday night, Dec. 2, 1989. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) LEFT: “Magic” Johnson and his wife Cookie arrive at “Magic Evolution,” a gala to celebrate his 25-year business career, in Beverly Hills, Calif., Friday, Sept. 29, 2006. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)

over $10 million to organizations implementing grassroots programming in order to combat HIV; has tested over 40,000 people in the last 10 years; has served over 245,000 individuals through its Community Empowerment Centers; has given over $3.2 million dollars in scholarship support to youths; has provided over 1,500 youth and young adults with GEDs and improved academic performance of over 6,000 youths; and has hosted over 45,000 youths and distributed over 300,000 toys since 1994 through the

Magic Johnson Foundation Annual Holiday Party. As much work as Johnson has done in the ﬁght against HIV, he realizes that there is still a long road ahead of us to conquering the disease. “This is a bittersweet day,” Johnson said. “Yes, I’m living. But people are still, even today as we speak, getting the virus, so we must change the mindset and we must do a better job of educating those who live in urban areas — in both Latino and African American areas.” Johnson has been able to stand tall through all of this and touch many lives because of the support that he has received at home. “It takes a family to support somebody who has

HIV,” Johnson said. “Without a support system, I knew that I would not be here 20 years from now. The one person who stood by my side, through thick and thin, has been my incredible, beautiful wife. When I think about the time when I had to tell her 20 years ago … It was devastating for both of us. I told her that she could leave if she wanted to because I understand that this is tough for her. And right when I said that she hit me so hard, and she said that we’re going to beat this together, and we’re going to pray on it right now.” For more information about the Magic Johnson Foundation, visit www.magicjohnson.com.

COVER: Basketball legend turned entrepreneur Magic Johnson tours the Sports Museum of America in New York, Friday, Nov. 21, 2008. Johnson was there to promote his new book, “32 Ways to be a Champion in Business”. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Magic Johnson backs Stern after racial suggestion

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

No way, say the players: Los Angeles Lakers’ Derek Fisher, center, president of the NBA players’ association, and union executive director Billy Hunter, left, at a news conference Tuesday.

NBA union: No deal; no fear of ultimatum, either BY BRIAN MAHONEY AP BASKETBALL WRITER NEW YORK (AP) — NBA players made it clear Tuesday: No deal.

No fear of Commissioner David Stern’s ultimatum, either. “The current offer on the table from the NBA is one that we cannot accept,” players’ association president Derek Fisher said. Instead, the players said they will ask for another meeting with owners before Stern’s Wednesday afternoon deadline — and sound willing to agree to a 50-50 split of revenues under the right circumstances — in an attempt to end the lockout and save the season. In an interview on NBA TV, Stern said that whether he agrees to meet “would be guided by the labor relations committee.” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the league has not yet heard from Hunter. A month of the season has already been lost, and the NBA risks losing fans without an agreement soon. Some already appear to have forgotten: Blake Griffin, last season’s rookie of the year, stood around in the lobby of a busy hotel off Broadway and was rarely approached by fans. The league’s current proposal calls for players to receive between 49 percent and 51 percent of basketball-related income, though union officials argue it would be nearly impossible to get above 50.2 percent. “The players are clearly of the mind that it’s an unacceptable proposal,” union executive director Billy Hunter said. “But because of their commitment to the game and their desire to play, they’re saying to us that we want you to go back, see if you can go back, get a better deal.” If players don’t take the deal by 5 p.m. Wednesday, the next offer will call for salary rollbacks, a 53-47 revenue split in the owners’ favor and essentially a hard salary cap. “Our proposal on the table now goes away (Wednesday),” Stern

said. “Our next proposal will then go to the players, and we will see where negotiations go.” The players are willing to negotiate further on the revenue split if they get some concessions on the salary cap system. Without them, Fisher said, “We don’t see a way of getting a deal done between now and end of business” Wednesday. The league is seeking to limit the spending options of teams above the luxury tax threshold, believing that would lead to greater competitive balance. Players want all teams to be options for free agents. When asked if there’s still wiggle room on system issues, Stern said that as of 3 a.m. Sunday there was none left. The players insisted they will not be forced into taking a bad deal by an ultimatum — though Stern refused to call it that. “The players are saying that we understand their position, but unfortunately we’re not intimidated by all that,” Hunter said. With more than 40 players ranging from All-Stars to minimum salary players behind them, Fisher and Hunter dismissed Stern’s warning, had hard words for Michael Jordan and repeated that they are willing to negotiate and believe they have made more than enough economic concessions to get the salary cap system they want. That message was not just for the owners. They also were speaking to the players and agents who advocate disbanding the union in an attempt to take on the league in court. Union leaders said there was very little discussion about decertification, saying they understand there would be differences of opinion with a membership of 450, but that the team representatives summoned to New York knew the best interests of their teammates. The union called the meeting See NBA UNION, page 15

AP Photo/Alison Wise

Staunch supporter: Earvin “Magic” Johnson has decried those who have attacked NBA commissioner David Stern on racial grounds, saying Stern is largely responsible for the league’s current diversity.

NEW YORK (AP) — Magic Johnson said it’s “ridiculous” to suggest David Stern is racist, saying it’s OK to disagree with the NBA commissioner but that you “can’t attack the man and what he stands for.” Johnson was responding to comments made by attorney Jeffrey Kessler, representing the NBA players’ association, who told the Washington Post that owners are treating players like “plantation workers” during the ongoing lockout. That was similar to the comments Bryant Gumbel made last month on his HBO show, when he said Stern “always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern plantation overseer treating NBA men as if they were his boys.” But Johnson said Stern has always done right by players, noting the number of Black players such as himself, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas who have followed their Hall of Fame careers by going into management or ownership positions. “This league is more diverse than any other league and has more minorities in powerful positions than any other league,” Johnson said during a phone interview. “That’s all about David Stern and his vision and what he wanted to do. He made sure minorities had high-ranking positions from the league office all the way down to coaches and front-office people.” Stern did not comment, though he told the Washington Post that Kessler’s conduct “is routinely despicable.” Kessler planned to apologize to Stern on Wednesday morning. “The comments that I made to the Washington Post reporter were made late Monday night after a

long day,” he said. “Looking back at this now, my choice of words were inappropriate. I did not mean to offend. I was passionately advocating for the players. I am going to call Commissioner Stern this morning and apologize for my choice of words. It is very important that the parties not have any distraction and that we all work very hard to try to reach an agreement to save the NBA season.” Players such as Johnson and Bill Russell called the league office to support Stern, who is leading owners in a bitter dispute with the players. “It was David Stern who took this league worldwide. And so those guys know it was because of David Stern and what he was able to do,” Johnson said. Johnson recalled it was Stern who offered him a place in the 1992 NBA All-Star game, even over some players’ wishes after he had retired the previous November because of HIV. And it was Stern who included Johnson that summer on the Dream Team that won the Olympic gold medal. And it was Stern, he said, who called him after Johnson’s comments about Thomas in his book ignited a public feud between the longtime friends, urging Johnson to work it out. “He has always done what’s right for both the players and owners. I’m going to have to say this personally, David, he didn’t have to do that. That’s the type of commissioner he is. “He always is looking out for the players and what’s best for the league, and I disagree with anybody who says he’s trying to be a plantation owner. It’s ridiculous we’re even talking about it.” See MAGIC JOHNSON, page 15

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Heavy D leaves lasting final lyric: ‘BE INSPIRED!’ BY DERRIK J. LANG AP ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

AP Photo/File

In this March 8, 1971, file photo, Muhammad Ali. right, takes a left from Joe Frazier during the 15th round of their heavyweight title boxing bout in New York. Frazier won a unanimous decision. Frazier, the former heavyweight champion who handed Ali his first defeat yet had to live forever in his shadow, died Monday Nov. 7, 2011 after a brief fight with liver cancer. He was 67.

Boxing world mourns loses its “soul” BY KENNETH MILLER SENTINEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER How ironic that the death of boxing great Joe Frazier was reported during a nationally televised Monday Night football game with his hometown Philadelphia Eagles, who succumbed to the Chicago Bears with their playoff hopes at stake. One could say that without Joe Frazier, the Eagles had no punch left. Muhummad Ali will forever be considered the media darling and the glitter of the sport of boxing, but ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier was the soul of the sport. One could argue that Ali would not have become the world icon that he is today without Joe Frazier. Born in Beaufort, S.C., on Jan. 12, 1944, Frazier took up boxing early after watching weekly fights on the black and white television on his family’s small farm. He was a top amateur for several years and became the only American fighter to win a gold medal in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, despite fighting in the final bout with an injured left thumb. He died on Monday after a bout with liver cancer. As news of his death spread like a forest fire, the boxing community took to social media to display its affection for a man who never got the respect that he rightly deserved while alive. However, his death has touched millions, including a deep admirer of the sport’s history, unbeaten world welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

On Twitter late Tuesday after hearing of Frazier]s death, Mayweather tweeted, “My condolences go out to the family of the late great Joe Frazier. The Money Team will pay for his funeral services.” Mayweather has committed to such a gesture before, earlier this year paying for the funeral of a one-time opponent, Southland former world champion, Genaro Hernandez. Frazier had struggled financially after his boxing career ended. He made public appearances to earn an income, such as one just this summer at the Saratoga Race Track in New York to commemorate the 40-year anniversary of the first fight in his epic trilogy against Muhammad Ali. Those who were there were concerned by how frail Frazier looked. On Saturday, word came that he was receiving hospice care, that he was near death. His last such public appearance was at Mayweather’s last fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Frazier won the 1971 bout — the so-called the ‘Fight of the Century’ — at Madison Square Garden in New York, with an estimated 300 million watching at closed-circuit venues, according to his manager. The loss was Ali’s first, as Frazier knocked him down in the 15th round with his signature left hook, winning by decision. He lost a decision to the skilled Ali in the rematch, and then the pair engaged in a war for the ages, the ‘Thrilla in Manila,’ in 1975. See JOE FRAZIER, page 14

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It was as if Heavy D knew that it would be his last tweet. The self-proclaimed “overweight lover” of hip hop, who became one of rap’s top hit makers with his charming combination of humor and positivity, enthusiastically told his Twitter followers Tuesday morning to “BE INSPIRED!” He later collapsed outside his Beverly Hills home following a shopping trip, unable to breathe, before he was transported to a nearby hospital where he died. He was 44. Detectives found no signs of foul play and believe his death was medically related, said police Lt. Mark Rosen. “BE INSPIRED!’ was typical of the positive tweets Heavy D would send, and as his final tweet, it was fitting for the life that Heavy D lived. The Jamaica-born rapper, who grew up in New York, became one of the genre’s most integral stars in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as it relied on new voices and star power to fuel its phenomenal growth in the mainstream. Heavy D and his crew — Heavy D and the Boyz — unabashedly burst onto the rap scene in 1987 with their debut album “Living Large.” The deep-voiced rapper’s earliest hit, “The Overweight Lover’s in the House,” played up his hefty frame. But while that nickname would stick, his weight did not become his shtick like the Fat Boys. What drew people to his music was his singular style celebrating an easygoing, party vibe — sometimes humorous, sometimes inspiring and usually positive. Combined with the fusion of the “New Jack Swing” musical style, Heavy D was a constant presence on the charts, and a go-to figure for several performers. He collaborated with Michael Jackson on the 1991 single “Jam,” rapped with a young Notorious B.I.G. in 1993 on “A Buncha N-----” and dueted with B.B. King on the 1997 tune “Keep It Coming.” Heavy D, who was never afraid to bust a move or perform as a character, also found success on the screen. He created the theme songs for the sketch comedy shows “In Living Color” and “MADtv” and acted on such TV shows as “Boston Public,” “The Tracy Morgan Show” and “Law & Order: SVU,” as well as in the films “Life,” “Step Up” and most recently “Tower Heist.” While switching between acting and performing in the late 1990s,

AP Photo/David Goldman

We got nuttin’ but love for you, brother: In this Oct. 1 photo, rapper Heavy D, also known as Dwight Arrington Myers, performs at the BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta. Heavy D wasn’t as musically successful with his later Boyz-free albums. He attempted a reggae-fueled comeback in 2008 with the album “Vibes,” which didn’t contain any rapping, before he returned to his lyrical roots on his most recent effort, “Love Opus,” which was released in September. A lighter Heavy D — coming in at apparently 135 pounds less than his former weight — returned to the stage for a pair of energetic performances last month. He delivered a medley of past hits at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta, and joined La Toya Jackson on stage for a rendition of

“Jam” at the tribute concert for Michael Jackson in Cardiff, Wales. The impact of Heavy D's inspiration was omnipresent Tuesday among the hip-hop community on Twitter. His sudden death prompted “Law & Order” actor and rapper Ice T to remind everyone to “stop for a second, take a breath and realize how lucky you are to be alive,” while reminding MC Hammer that Heavy D was always “part of what’s good about the world.” AP music writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody in Los Angeles and AP writer Mesfin Fekadu in New York contributed to this report.

Ruby Dee is alive, Twitter reports false NEW YORK (AP) — Contrary to a flood of tweets overnight, Ruby Dee is very much alive. Jeffrey Leavitt, representative for the 87-year-old actress and civil rights activist, corrected the false reports Wednesday. Dee’s rumored death apparently resulted from confusion between her name and that of Heavy D, the popular rapper who died in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Tuesday at age 44. The mix-up was compounded when the Rev. Jesse Jackson informed his Twitter followers that Ruby Dee had died, and she became a trending topic on the social network. Shortly afterward, Jackson corrected his post. “The news of the passing of Ruby Dee HAS NOT BEEN confirmed,” he tweeted, and AP Photo/Gus Ruelas urged his followers to pass the Alive and kicking: Actress Ruby Dee word.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

‘Basketball Wives’ star Samuel L. Jackson signs six-figure book deal talks about his Evelyn Lozada, star of VH1’s #1 Hit Reality Series, “Basketball Wives,” which is set for an explosive fourth season, has just signed a multiplatform six-figure deal with Cash Money Content for literary and feature film projects, it was announced by Tracy Christian of Don Buchwald/Fortitude. Music moguls Bryan “Baby” Williams and his brother Ronald “Slim” Williams are founders & CEOs of Cash Money Content, the publishers that are overseeing the book deal. The first of the projects is Lozada’s book series, “The Wives Association,” coauthored by novelist and former “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” writer Courtney Parker, which will follow her alter ego, character Eve Inez-Landon, and will fictionalize aspects of real-life events that have come from years of dating a professional athlete. Although the books are not considered “tell-alls,” Evelyn reveals they will be an exciting mix of her own experiences and those of other athlete’s wives and girlfriends. “The stories that you hear — what goes on in these relationships, and just being in that circle — I decided to let everyone experience a piece of it for themselves by writing this series of juicy novels,” said Evelyn. “We will support Evelyn’s project, 100%” said Cash Money Founder and CEO Williams. Cash Money Records is a legendary record company whose label has grown into a multimillion dollar urban empire and is considered the most successful independent record label in America as well as an enduring global street brand. “By partnering with Baby and Cash Money Content, we AP Photo/Evan Agostini have the potential to turn these novels into a full-fledged Big plans: Evelyn Lozada says, “By partnering with brand,” Lozada explains. “Everything Baby and CMC touch Baby and Cash Money Content, we have the potential turns to gold, and our brands together will be magical.” to turn these novels into a full-fledged brand.”

Broadway debut BY LINDA ARMSTRONG SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS “The Mountaintop” opened last Thursday at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on West 45th Street and held its opening night gala at Espace on West 42nd Street. It was so exciting being in this energized atmosphere, where champagne was flowing, the music was playing and a buzz charged the entire room. That buzz went to new heights when the first of the play’s two stars entered the room — Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He co-stars with Angela Bassett in this original AP Photo/Jeff Christensen play by Katori Hall, which is Now on the Great White Way: A great directed by Kenny Leon. Black actor, Samuel L. Jackson Jackson was glad to do a one-on-one interview with the Amsterdam News. We sat on a couch, and he was incredibly friendly and charming. He shared his feelings about this play, which marks his Broadway debut. AmNews: Why did you decide to make your Broadway debut in this piece? How did you hear about the script? Jackson: I didn’t want to do a remake of any play I’d been in or seen. I wanted to do something that was fresh. I just happened to be in the car with Kenny when they called him about this play. I said, ‘Oh, that’s that play about Martin Luther King they were doing at the West End. I’ve never had a chance to see it, but let me read it when you get it.’ He emailed a copy to me and I read it. I said, ‘So, are you going to do this play?’ He said he hadn’t made up his mind yet. I said, ‘Well, you keep trying to get me to do a play — if you do this play, then I’ll do it.’ He said, ‘For real?’ It was a fresh play. Even though it had won the Olivier Award in London, it hadn’t been done in America, and I wanted to be part of the American debut and do something that was meaningful. I thought it was a pretty meaningful piece of work. AmNews: How does it feel to play Dr. King? You do it with such an obvious respect. Jackson: I’m trying to present a man who’s different from that icon we know — we don’t know this guy. He’s not making a speech and he’s not leading a march. He’s not doing any of that stuff. He’s just come from making a great speech, he doesn’t feel well, he closes the door, lets his shoulders down and lets all the air out and says, ‘Here I am, I want a cigarette, I’m tired, I’m lonely, I’m a little scared.’ I just wanted to present him as a man and as those men who were my grandfather, my uncle, those men who taught me at Morehouse, those Southern preachers and those sedate-as-only-we-know-Morehousenegroes-can-be — but with a genuine heart. AmNews: What do you think of the timing of this play? Do the generations here now need to see this side of this famous civil rights leader? Jackson: It would be interesting if a lot of young people could see it and understand that kind of fame. That he wasn’t just a speech — he was an ideal. He was an ideal that made people want to kill him, that made people love him. That was a price he paid that would be greater than any price they’ll ever pay for being who they are. There’s an ideal that allows them to be who they are today that wasn’t always present. AmNews: What impression of Dr. King do you want to leave with the audience? Jackson: He was a man who had a very clear understanding of his mortality. Even though he was standing up for us and fighting all the battles for us in a very real kind of way, it was never his intention to die fighting those battles. AmNews: You and Ms. Bassett maintain such a high energy on stage. How did you come to play off each other so well? Jackson: We have a great level of comfort with each other ,and there’s a great level of trust.

Thursday, November10, 2011

Eddie Murphy follows Ratner and quits Oscar gig BY DAVID GERMAIN AP MOVIE WRITER LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eddie Murphy has bowed out of his gig as host of the Academy Awards, following pal Brett Ratner’s decision to leave the show as producer because of an uproar over a gay slur. The news of Murphy’s departure came Wednesday, a day after Ratner quit as producer of the Feb. 26 show. Ratner left amid criticism of his use of a pejorative term for gay men in a question-and-answer session at a screening of his action comedy “Tower Heist,” which opened last weekend and stars Murphy and Ben Stiller. Murphy’s exit deprives Oscar organizers of a top star for an often thankless job that’s tough to fill, since some past hosts have found little to gain from the gig and plenty to lose if they do a poor job as emcee of Hollywood’s biggest party. The two sides departed with cordial words, though. “I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony,” Murphy said in a news release

from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.” Academy President Tom Sherak bid Murphy farewell graciously. “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” Sherak said. Still, losing Murphy is a blow to a ceremony that has struggled to pep up its image amid a general decline in its TV ratings over the last couple of decades and a rush of hipper awards shows that appeal to younger crowds, such as the MTV Movie Awards. Oscar planners have sought to shorten the sometimes interminably long show and have tried new ways to present awards in hopes of livening things up. They also have experimented with unexpected choices as hosts, which worked nicely with the songand-dance talents of Hugh Jackman three years ago but backfired at last season’s show, when perky Anne Hathaway was paired with lackluster

MSNBC to air film on Michael Jackson’s doctor the inside story of Michael Jackson’s doctor. MSNBC says Murray, who did not take the stand at his trial, breaks his silence in the p r o g r a m , “ M i c h a e l Jackson and the Doctor,” which has been two years in the making. Murray reveals personal details of his relationship with the King of Pop as well as untold events that led to Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009. The network announced the film will have its U.S. premiere on Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern time. It will be repeated on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Murray was found guilty Monday of involuntary manslaughter for supplying Now, a convicted felon: The jury in the Michael Jackson Jackson with a involuntary manslaughter trial found his doctor, Conrad drug he craved for sleep. Murray, guilty.

NEW YORK (AP) — Just days after the guilty verdict for Conrad Murray, MSNBC will broadcast a documentary that promises to give

co-host James Franco. When the academy picked Murphy in September, it marked a return to the traditional funnyman as host, a formula that delivered some of the best-remembered Oscar pageants when Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal ran the show. Academy officials would not discuss the personnel changes or plans to replace Ratner and Murphy. Ratner’s producing partner for the upcoming ceremony — Don Mischer, who coproduced last year’s Oscars — remains on board for the show. Any decision on who will replace Murphy as host likely will not come until Oscar planners make a decision on whether to bring in another producer to work with Mischer. Organizers still have plenty of time. The show is more than three months away, and much of the work in staging it has to wait until Oscar nominations are announced Jan. 24, anyway. There’s also no great rush to name a new host. The academy did not announce Hathaway and Franco as hosts until the end of November last year, while the announcement on Jackman three years ago did not come until mid-December.

“

AP Photo/NBC, Peter Kramer, file

He’s out: Funnyman Eddie Murphy.

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

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JOE FRAZIER Continued from page 11 Legendary promoter Don King, who promoted Joe Frazier that fight, in what was the finale of Frazier’s phenomenal trilogy with Muhammad Ali, made the following statement from his South Florida home after learning last night of the death of his longtime friend: “Smokin’ Joe Frazier was the embodiment of what a great heavyweight champion and person should be. He was a great gladiator. When Smokin’ Joe came to the ring, you knew you had someone who was coming to fight. I was proud to have known and promoted him, and I was honored to call him a friend. The courage Smokin’ Joe showed in the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ — answering every Ali onslaught with an equally withering response —will remain in the hearts and minds of boxing fans around the globe forever. It was one of the most dramatic fights in history. Although the warrior inside Smokin’ Joe wanted to answer the bell for the 15th and final round, his chief second and friend, Eddie Futch, acted as more than a corner man to step in and refused to let him continue so that he could live to fight another day, and smoke ‘em some more. “One cannot underestimate the contribution Smokin’ Joe and Ali made to progress and change by creating the space, through their talent, for Black men to be seen, visible and relevant. The ‘Thrilla in Manila’ helped make America better. Not only was he a great fighter but also a great man. He lived as he fought — with courage and commitment, at a time when African Americans in all spheres of life were engaged in a struggle for emancipation and respect. Smokin’ Joe brought honor, dignity and pride for his people, the American people, and brought the nation together as only sports can do.” “This was it for both of them, the end of the world, a war that neither could lose,” the fight’s co-promoter, Bob Arum, said. “Ali didn’t let on that he was nervous. But I know Ali. He was nervous. There was so much tension in both of those camps. You can't believe it.” Arum, who will be promoting Manny Pacquiao’s mega fight on Saturday in Las Vegas, told the Sentinel; “Joe was a great guy and proud warrior. Even though I was affiliated with the Ali camp, Joe always treated me with kindness, and I really appreciated that.” Manny Pacquiao offered, “Boxing lost a great champion, and the sport lost a great ambassador.” Mike Tyson, who, more than any other fighter, fought similarly to

Black Facts.com November 11, 1957 By winning the Long Beach Open, Charlie Sifford becomes the first Black person to win a major professional golf tournament. November 15, 1990 On this day, the U.S. Golf Association bans racial and gender discrimination.

Frazier, issued a statement, calling Joe’s passing a “sad day,” but saying, “We should honor him by celebrating his accomplishments.” Tyson went on to Twitter and wrote, “Frazier and Ali were quintessential, the apex of pedigree fighting in which each man would not give an inch until they were dead. Their era was competitive fighting at the highest level.” He added, “As a young fighter, it has always been an honor to be compared to Frazier. My family and I are sending our sincerest condolences to the Joe Frazier family.” Frazier’s nemesis, Ali, issued a statement saying “The world has lost a great champion. I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration,” said Ali, 69. “My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones.” George Foreman’s long-time publicist Bill Kaplan said: “He was a very fun guy, and he was a great fighter. The first fight with Ali … at the time, it was considered to be the biggest fight promotion of all time — and it probably still is. Ali and Frazier were both undefeated, Ali had been on a forced hiatus for three-and-a-half years, and while he was gone, Joe became what we knew as the undisputed heavyweight champion.” British promoter Frank Warren added, “He was part of that era of the best heavyweights there have ever been. The trilogy of fights that he had with Muhammad Ali, the tough fight he had with George Foreman and the good wins on the way — he was one

of the most exciting heavyweights ever. People talk about Mike Tyson at the age of 21 … Joe Frazier, when he was a young fella, was every bit (as good as), if not better than, Mike Tyson.” Frazier’s business manager Leslie Wolff reflected, “If you look into the history of what took place, there is a lot of emotion. When you have a legend, people respond to a legend.” Fellow Russian heavyweight champions, Vladimir and Vitali Klitschko, issued a statement; “He was a huge fighter, huge champion, huge personality. I didn’t have a chance to see his fights live, because in 1971 … the Soviet Union professional boxing was forbidden. But we studied and listened about this fighter a lot, and after that, we had a chance to see the fights. It was a great lesson for all new generations.” Legendary fighter Bernard Hopkins added: “About two or three years ago, everybody was asking me why I was fighting. Joe Frazier said you fight as long as you feel you can do it and win with dignity. That was in Joe. I was at Hand’s Gym while I was in Philly. I told him I could and that I was in great shape. He walked out of the place. I remember that. Those few minutes were like an hour. You’ve got to listen to him and listen to him clearly.” The words for Joe Frazier this week were much like his signature punches: relentless great volume, but sadly, he is not here to appreciate them.

MEDICAL POT Continued from page 7

LANCASTER Continued from page 7 Department. They are taking their fight to the public. In the fight for justice for Mr. Grajeda, it has come to light that there has been a recent opinion by the California Appeals Court that has stripped even more civil rights from the citizens of California. In the case of Miracle Star v. State of California, California Supreme Court Case #11-359, the court removed the right to compensation in the State of California if citizens are injured or wronged by a government official, including law enforcement. Attorney Jeffrey Moffat is the counsel of record for Lancaster in this case. With the family of David Grajeda fearing retribution by city officials and the sheriff’s department, it is unsettling to realize that if something should happen to Mr. Grajeda, there is no recourse for damages. Because of this court ruling, two petitions are being circulated to request that the U.S. Supreme Court hear this case. The situation in Lancaster is bleak. The City of Lancaster is being investigated by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for

REQUESTING SUB-BIDS ON ALL TRADES From Qualified DBE/UDBE Subcontractors & Suppliers Goal: UDBE 6.4% For the following project: SAN BERNARDINO ASSOCIATED GOVERNMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION ON HIGHWAY IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ON INTERSTATE 10/CITRUS AVENUE INTERCHANGE IN THE CITY OF FONTANA FROM 0.5 MILE WEST TO 0.3 MILE EAST OF CITRUS AVENUE OVERCROSSING BID IFB C12036 AC GRINDING ($250,000.00- 0.5%), AC PAVING ($2,500,000.00- 5.3%), ANTI-GRAFFITI ($250,000.00- 0.5%), CIDH ($25,000.00- 0.1%), CONCRETE BARRIER ($500,000.00- 1.1%), CONSTRUCTION AREA ($10,000.00- 0.0%), CONCRETE PAVEMENT ($2,600,000.00- 5.5%), DEMO ($1,000,000.00- 2.1%), DRIVEN PILE ($2,000,000.00- 4.3%), SHORING ($2,250,000.00- 4.8%), EARTHWORK ($3,500,000.00- 7.4%), EROSION CONTROL ($80,000.00- 0.2%), ELECTRICAL ($3,500,000.00- 7.4%), FENCE ($650,000.00- 1.4%), FLAT WORK/CURB AND GUTTER ($300,000.00- 0.6%), JOINT SEAL ($100,000.00- 0.2%), LANDSCAPING ($2,500,000.00- 5.3%), MISC. MATERIALS ($150,000.00- 0.3%), POST-TENSIONING ($450,000.00- 1.0%), PRE-CAST GIRDERS ($2,500,000.00- 5.3%), TRAFFIC CONTROL ($1,300,000.00- 2.8%), MSE WALLS ($1,500,000.00- 3.2%), ROADSIDE SIGN ($150,000.00- 0.3%), RAILINGS ($700,000.00- 1.5%), REBAR ($3,500,000.00- 7.4%), SHORING ($1,500,000.00- 3.2%), SIGNAGE ($50,000.00- 0.1%), STORM DRAIN ($1,500,000.00- 3.2%), SIGN STRUCTURE ($150,000.00- 0.3%), STRIPING ($250,000.00- 0.5%), STRUCTURAL CONCRETE ($7,500,000.00- 16.0%), SWPPP ($1,100,000.00- 2.3%), TRACK WORK ($350,000.00- 0.7%), WATER ($1,500,000.00- 3.2%) BIDS: January 4, 2012 at 2:00 PM BIDS DUE: January 3, 2012 BY 5:00 PM Plans & Specs available for review from 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday at: GRIFFITH COMPANY (AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER) 3050 E. BIRCH STREET BREA, CA 92821 PHONE 714/984-5500 FAX 714/854-0227 Contact: Brad Austin 100% BONDING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR ALL SUBCONTRACTORS ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE IN OBTAINING BONDS, LINES OF CREDIT, INSURANCE, NECESSARY EQUIPMENT & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRIFFITH COMPANY INTENDS TO CONDUCT ITSELF IN “GOOD FAITH” WITH DBE FIRMS REGARDING PARTICIPATION ON THIS PROJECT.

civil rights violations. The sheriff’s department is being investigated by the California State Attorney General, along with Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris for censoring city council meetings. The actions of these public officials are leaving all citizens with a bad taste in their mouths. The corruption and abuses in Lancaster are far worse than the recent scandal involving the city of Bell. Citizens in Lancaster are being attacked and retaliated against by law enforcement for speaking out and exercising their rights protected under the Constitution of the United States. The injustices and violations perpetrated by Lancaster City Officials, with the support of the sheriff’s department, are having a devastating effect on the lives and well-being of the citizens residing in Lancaster and the Antelope Valley. A fund to help Mr. Grajeda raise bail has been set up by his attorney, Amy Konstantelos. Go to (http://akonstantelos.chipin.com/fre e-david-grajeda-now) A Facebook page has also been set up in support of Mr. Grajeda. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Free-David-G-NOW.

providers in the state could reasonably assume they would no longer face federal prosecution, the suits argue. “The conduct of the government officials and their statement led the nation to believe that the government had changed its policy in 2009, ensuring that those who comply with state medical cannabis laws would not be subject to federal prosecution,” according to the suits. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California had no comment, spokesman Jack Gillund said. Pot advocates hailed the 2009 memo as the fulfillment of an Obama campaign promise to respect state law on medical marijuana. But since a short honeymoon, the federal government has steadily moved toward more restrictive marijuana policies, even as more states began permitting legal use of the drug for medical purposes. The California lawsuits argue that the federal government is also violating the 14th Amendment of the Constitution requiring equal protection under the law because medical marijuana operations in Colorado are not facing a similar crackdown. The suits claim patients’ rights to make their own health decisions are protected by the 9th Amendment, which retains rights

for citizens not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution and that the socalled Commerce Clause of the Constitution prevented the federal government from getting involved in an issue purely related to the instate marijuana trade. National medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access filed its own suit last month challenging the federal crackdown. That suit claims that recent raids of licensed dispensaries and letters warning city officials they could be prosecuted for trying to regulate medical marijuana cultivation and sales constitute an illegal power grab under the 10th Amendment. The amendment awards to states legislative authority not explicitly reserved for the federal government.

Black Facts.com November 10, 1898 George P. White, an outspoken twoterm Republican Congressman from northeastern North Carolina, introduces the first anti-lynching legislation into Congress (though it was defeated). Also he founded the first Black bank, and, after leaving North Carolina in the wake of Black disenfranchisement in 1901, he founded an all- Black community called Whiteville near Trenton, NJ. After White left Congress, it would be 70 years before North Carolina sent another African American there.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

STAFF ASSISTANT FOR GROUP HOME Looking for staff for Group Home for the developmentally disabled. Part time or possible full-time. Must have first aid, CPR, physical and TB clearance. Email or fax resume to: Email: confidencareinc@yahoo.com Fax: (323) 290-1012. Attention: Ms. Rebecca Cornet

VETERANS Continued from page 5 With Veteran’s Day celebrations, it is fitting that President Obama has acknowledged the men and women who put their lives on the line for the safety and continued freedom of all Americans, including, of course, the Republican constituents whose elected representatives appear unwilling to embrace even a negotiated approach to the president’s initiatives. It may be difficult, if not politically unsavory, for them to continue the stalemate and political gridlock that keeps our nation from advancing an economic policy that is favorable and in the best interests of everyone. The president’s most recent plan calls for significant tax credits for employers that hire veterans. With $5,600 for unemployed veterans and $9,600 for disabled veterans (on the table for servicemen and women injured while serving their military duty), it is possible that veterans with employable skills will be in a stronger position to negotiate with prospective employers to secure the ‘employment offer.’ “My position is that veterans should demonstrate the same leadership and analytical thinking that was necessary in Iraq, Afghanistan or, for that matter, in Vietnam, even though I was not alive at that time,” said Bland. “I am taking courses at the University of Southern California, with my veterans benefits, and hope to complete my degree requirements and pursue a career that I was able to prepare for as a result of my service to America

BURBANK-GLENDALE-PASADENA AIRPORT AUTHORITY ENGINEERING GROUP

NOTICE TO PREQUALIFIED GENERAL CONTRACTORS & VENDORS, SUPPLIERS, CONTRACTORS & CONSULTANTS The Bob Hope Airport hereby, extends an invitation to the below named Prequalified General Contractors to attend a MANDATORY Outreach Meeting for purposes of establishing and/or maintaining communications with all subcontractors, including DBE’s, SBE’s, DVBE’s, IS-DVBE’s and Tri-Cities businesses interested in participating in the upcoming bid process for Project E10-35-(I). This meeting is mandatory for the twelve (12) prequalified general contractors to remain eligible to bid the project, but, it is not mandatory for potential subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, consultants; however, attendance is strongly encouraged. PREQUALIFIED GENERAL CONTRACTORS S. J. Amoroso Construction Austin Commercial Suffolk Construction Bayley Construction Taisei Construction Corporation Bernards Brothers W.E. O’Neil Construction KCS West, Inc. Walsh Group McCarthy Building Companies Webcor Builders PCL Construction

NOTICE TO DESIGN BUILDERS & ALL INTERESTED CONTRACTORS & VENDORS, SUPPLIERS, CONTRACTORS & CONSULTANTS The Bob Hope Airport hereby extends an invitation to all interested Design Build entities to attend a MANDATORY Outreach Meeting for purposes of continuing outreach efforts to all subcontractors including Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE’s), Small Business Enterprises (SBE’s), Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE’s), In-Service Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (IS-DVBE’s) and TriCities businesses interested in participating in the upcoming design-build proposal process for Project E10-35-(II). This meeting is mandatory for prospective designbuild entities; it is not mandatory for potential subcontractors, subconsultants, vendors, suppliers; however, attendance is strongly encouraged.

Original Project E10-35; Revised to Project E10-35-(I) Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC) (Federally funded; hence federal guidelines apply) Project Type & Description:

New Construction – Regional Intermodal Transportation Center Structure, Transit Station, Elevated Walkway, Site Work & Off-Site Work (excluding Replacement Parking Structure) Meeting Date & Time:

10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M., NOVEMBER 10, 2011 Location:

Bob Hope Airport, Main Terminal, Skyroom 2627 Hollywood Way Burbank, CA 91505 (parking is available in the parking structure next to the main terminal, on the roof level only – validation will be provided) OUTREACH The purpose of this Outreach meeting is to continue to facilitate the process whereby Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE’s), Small Business Enterprises (SBE’s), Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE’s), In-Service Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (IS-DVBE’s) and Tri-Cities businesses have the opportunity to interface with representatives from each of the Prequalified General Contractors. Subcontractors, Vendors, Suppliers should expect to leave this meeting equipped with knowledge of the project, and Pre-Qualified General Contractors bid contact person information, email addresses, fax numbers and phone numbers. The project has undergone a redesign to fit within budgetary constraints and is targeted for re-bid on November 29, 2011. Visit Website: www.bobhopeairport.com Hyperlink: Business Opportunities

… At that time,” Bland concluded, “I hope that our then commander in chief will have gotten our nation on

the path of economic recovery and veterans and other Americans are back to work.”

from players. Jordan now owns the Charlotte Bobcats and is considered one of the hardliners who never wanted Stern to offer the players a 50-50 split. “I would give him the advice that he gave to Abe Pollin,” Hunter said. After the press conference, Fisher bumped into an old acquaintance from Arkansas, former President Bill Clinton, who was at the hotel preparing to appear on an evening talk show. Clinton signed a

copy of his new book, “Back to Work,” for Fisher as players looked on. Next, Fisher would like to meet with Stern, believing there is room to compromise. After previously saying they wouldn’t go below 52.5 percent of BRI, players said Saturday they would be willing to go down to about 51 percent, with 1 percent going to a fund for retired player benefits. They might go even further, but only with some movement on the system issues. “We’re open to discussions, open to negotiation,” Fisher said. “We’re open-minded about potential compromises on our number, but there are things in the system that are not up for discussion that we have to have in order to able to get this season going.”

NBA UNION Continued from page 10 after Stern issued his ultimatum early Sunday morning following an eight-hour bargaining session with a federal mediator. Fisher said 43 players, including superstars Carmelo Anthony and Griffin, attended the meeting and that 29 of the 30 teams were represented. Jordan provided perhaps the most memorable moment of the last lockout, chastising former Washington owner Abe Pollin that he should sell his team if he couldn’t make a profit without concessions

MAGIC JOHNSON Continued from page 10 The 69-year-old Stern is likely nearing his final years on the job after becoming commissioner on Feb. 1, 1984, just as Johnson and Larry Bird were renewing the longtime rivalry between the Lakers and Boston Celtics. Johnson said he's

“tired of people taking shots” at Stern, especially because so many of them have jobs connected to the NBA that Stern created. “He’s a tough businessman and a smart businessman,” he said. “That’s what he’s supposed to be.”

Original Project E10-35; Revised to Project E10-35-(II) Replacement Parking Structure Project Type & Description:

New Construction – Replacement Parking Structure (RPS) Meeting Date & Time:

1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M., NOVEMBER 10, 2011 Location:

Bob Hope Airport, Main Terminal, Skyroom 2627 Hollywood Way Burbank, CA 91505 (parking is available in the parking structure next to the main terminal, on the roof level only – validation will be provided) OUTREACH The purpose of this Outreach meeting is to facilitate the process whereby all subcontractors, including DBEs, SBE’s, DVBE’s, IS-DVBE’s and Tri-Cities businesses have the opportunity to interface with potential prime entities that may be proposing on this project. Subcontractors, Subconsultants, Vendors, Suppliers should expect to leave this meeting with knowledge of this design-build process, a copy of the Request for Proposal, and have had an opportunity to meet prospective prime proposers for this project. The project is open to all interested design-build entities (architects/general contractors). There are no prequalified firms for this procurement. Visit Website: www.bobhopeairport.com Hyperlink: Business Opportunities

Thursday, November 10, 2011

We owe so much of our success to you. 25 years ago, we set up shop in

Georgetown, KY, and we haven’t stopped since. Today, Toyota operates ten plants throughout the U.S., including our newest one in Blue Springs, Mississippi. We know that none of this would be possible without you, our loyal customers. And we’d like to thank you for standing by us, and making us feel so welcome in the communities we call home. Toyota.com/usa