December 4 -10, 2014
VOL. 63, No. 48
www.tsdmemphis.com
75 Cents
What next after the killing of ‘a good guy like JoJo?’
by Kirstin L. Cheers
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Home invasion death spurs ‘A Call to Action’
“Is it true?” “OMG” “Please. Please. No. Say it aint so.” “Tell me I’m having a bad dream.” “Lord, have mercy.” On Friday night (Nov. 28), these were a few tweets among hundreds of young Memphians who had heard the news of a young couple involved in a home invasion by two men dressed in all black with gloves and ski masks. The intruders rushed into the home in the 600 block of North Walnut Bend before the couple could lock the door. They demanded money, but left with much more on their hands. One day after Thanksgiving, Jarmelle “JoJo” Jones, 26, was
while his girlfriend suffered two gunshot wounds, one in each leg. Frantically, she called 911 for help. She was taken to Regional One Health Center, where she was said to be in non-critical condition. Hours later, Twitter and Facebook ignited with heartbreaking condolences from friends and classmates. Many were in disbelief that a person such as Jones could become a victim of such a heinous crime. Many were afraid for their own lives. Many wanted to reach out to the girlfriend, who was also wellknown throughout the community. Jones was a 2011 graduate of the University of Memphis and a member
Jarmelle “JoJo” Jones, 26, was killed by intruders the day after Thanksgiving. (Courtesy photo)
brutally killed during the invasion
of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He was a devout mentor in his community and throughout Memphis. During his tenure at UofM, Jones made a name for himself by promoting and hosting college parties, which he continued to do until his death. He was also an entrepreneur and worked several years at Ching’s Hotwings. “He was a hard worker who maximized all 24 hours in the day,” said Jessica Pollard, a close friend. “Every time I saw him, it made me reevaluate myself, like we all could do a little bit more and push ourselves more to achieve our goals.” Family, friends and colleagues of JoJo’s want to grab the city’s
attention to stop violence in Memphis. Together, they’re hosting “A Call to Action: A Night for JoJo” on Thursday (Dec. 4) at The New Olivet Baptist Church, 3084 Southern Avenue at 6 p.m. “Jojo was a type of person who would give the shirt off his back to you if you asked for it,” said Greg Vann, Jones’ (fraternity) line brother. “He didn’t believe in making enemies because he was a businessman and didn’t like creating bad blood. He made sure he was friends with everyone and anyone who was willing to be a friend to him.” SEE JO JO ON PAGE 3
Honorees get and give at 2014 Freedom Awards by Megan Mottley
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder
U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder to headline local summit Dec. 9 Focus: improved quality of life for ‘Young Men of Color’ by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
Special to the New Tri-State Defender
Incidents of mass fighting, spontaneous outbreak of mob, youth violence, and exorbitant illiteracy rates here in Memphis prompted Mayor AC Wharton Jr. to launch the Inspiring Young Men of Color initiative back in mid-July. Next week, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will headline the local “My Brother’s Keeper Summit” event to support improvements in education, healthcare, employment, justice and literacy for “black youth.” African-American males, parents, teachers, school administrators, community leaders and concerned citizens are invited to convene with Wharton and Holder on Tuesday (Dec. 9) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hattiloo Theater, 37 S. Cooper. Inspiring Young Men of Color is the city’s effort to connect with the White House aim of putting a national focus on realizing better outcomes for young men of color. Tony Nichelson, executive director of Men of the House Mentoring Program, will be on hand, not just to connect to others who are reaching out to African-American boys, but also to greet Holder, a very “old and dear friend.” “Eric and I worked together in 1987, mentoring boys who were locked up in the juvenile system in Washington D.C. at the time,” said SEE HOLDER ON PAGE 3
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
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REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
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Friday Saturday Sunday H-64 L-50 H-60 L-48 H-59 L-41 H-60 L-52 H-54 L-47 H-58 L-49 H-71 L-57 H-68 L-51 H-70 L-54
Since 1991, Beverly Robertson, now former President of the National Civil Rights Museum, and a dynamic team have used the annual Freedom Awards to recognize men and women who have evoked change in their communities and across the nation. That ongoing endeavor has helped turn the Lorraine Motel – the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination – into a symbol of triumph over tragedy. On Tuesday morning, the 2014 Freedom Awards celebration began in a familiar manner with the Public Forum hosted at the Temple of Deliverance C.O.G.I.C. By the evening’s end, the rejuvenating energy that surges with each year’s celebration had filled The Cannon Center for Performing Arts and touched the men and women of all ages and various persuasions. None seemed moved more than the four honorees – Charlayne HunterGault, International Freedom Award; Robert Parris Moses, National Freedom Award; Frank Robinson, Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award for Sports; and Tom Brokaw, Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award for Journalism. “This is a very special award,” said Moses, an educator and civil rights activist whose name is synonymous with the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. “The fact that this country will be able to own its own history is so important.” Hunter-Gault, the veteran and award-winning journalist who initially gained notoriety as the first African-American female student at the University of Georgia, experienced a renewal. “Thank you,” she said, “for refueling my dream & drive as a
The 2014 honorees – Charlayne Hunter-Gault, International Freedom Award; Frank Robinson, Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award for Sports; Robert Parris Moses, National Freedom Award; and Tom Brokaw, Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award – at the Public Forum held at Temple of Deliverance C.O.G.I.C. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley) journalist…” Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Robinson spoke of the value of emulating the doers of good deeds. “My goal was to always give back in the game of baseball because someone paved the way for me,” he said. The uniqueness of the National Civil Rights Museum clearly affected Brokaw, who became a household image nationally and internationally as the anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News,”
“The fact that the National Civil Rights Museum exists is profound,” said Brokaw. “(It) sheds light on the darkness that existed and serves as a teaching tool…. I owe you so much for this award.” The honorees had entered the room to resounding applause after the PreShow presented by Garry Goin, the Freedom Awards musical director. Black Violin, a dynamic violinist duo, and a DJ rocked the house with an upbeat performance. With the program underway, Ziad
Ojakil with Ford Motor Company introduced the Master of Ceremony, Michael Eric Dyson, whom he referred to as the “Street Fighter in a suit and tie.” Dyson went to work, captivating the guests with his charisma and a quick run-down of all that was in store for the evening. Tributes to phenomenal people such as the Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles and performances by The Reddick Singers, Collage Dance Collective SEE HONOREES ON PAGE 2
Love of teaching shaped Dr. Sarah Chandler’s legacy by Wiley Henry
whenry@tsdmemphis.com
She was a woman of “grace, substance, intelligence and wisdom” – attributes that endeared Dr. Sarah Chandler to family and friends. Many noted her “good looks” but it was her penchant for reading and her love of teaching that shaped her legacy. Those who knew Dr. Chandler were impressed with her skillset and her commitment to equip students with the skill to read books that could take them anywhere they wanted to go in the world. She taught sixth-grade and retired in 1992 after serving as principal of Dunn Elementary. Dr. Chandler died Friday, Nov. 28, following a long illness. She was 84. Herman Morris Jr., a former student, said he loved Dr. Chandler at first sight. “I met Dr. Chandler when I was in the 4th grade and again in the 6th grade at Lester Elementary School. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, other than my own mother. “She was well read. She said you can go anywhere in the world and do anything that you dreamed by reading a book. So I wanted to be well read,” said Morris, attorney for the city of Memphis. “She inspired me and my classmates to be
Dr. Sarah Chandler and her daughter Judge Jayne Chandler. (Courtesy photo) excellent. We all wanted to please her.” Dr. Chandler set the bar high for herself by earning a master’s degree and a doctorate. She valued her family and challenged them and others to get an education, no matter what rung of the socioeconomic ladder was the starting point. “Sarah Chandler was the cheerleader for the underdog and the downtrodden – always trying to help those at a disadvantage to be able to enjoy the benefits of the ‘haves.’ That is one of the reasons she worked hard to ensure that her
students were good readers and orators,” said Daryl Leven, Dr. Chandler’s son-in-law. “She knew that without those skills, students would struggle in adult life and have difficulty in being successful.” Dr. Chandler also challenged her children. “I remember her buying a set of encyclopedias – the animal encyclopedias and the science encyclopedias – and encouraged us to read them,” said her son, Horace L. “Randy” Chandler Jr. of Houston, Texas. “If you’d ask her a question, she would say, ‘Look it up
and come back and we’ll talk about it.’” Dr. Chandler would challenge his three children as well. He grew up with a sister and they were taught that success demands hard work. “I had the kind of mother that was perfect for a boy,” said Chandler. “I’m going to miss her.” She also was the kind of mother who was perfect for a “village,” said her daughter, City Court Judge Jayne Chandler. “She was an educator and teacher and saw children as her own. Although she was human with human frailties, she was perfect for me. And God blessed me to have her as my mother.” Judge Chandler said she was raised to be independent. She recalled her mother giving her an American Express card when she was 18. “She wanted me to be independent and instilled in me a sense of truth and righteousness and a desire to help people. I had to do the right thing.” Dr. Chandler also encouraged honesty and a higher level of ethics, said Judge Chandler, recalling her election to the bench after detractors had railed against her. “When I ran for judge my Mom, like others, did not think I could win,” she said, “because I was a young, newly licensed attorney SEE CHANDLER ON PAGE 3
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December 4 -10, 2014
NEWS
HONOREES
reporter for Action News 5 and Moziah Bridges, the 13-yearold owner of the nationally recognized brand, Mo’s Bows. One by one, the honorees were presented to the eager students with captivating video footage of their journeys. After each video presentation, the honorees drew the students in even more with humorous
CONTINUED FROM FRONT and DeltaCappella helped shed light on a time that must never be forgotten. The moment of the evening was the presentations of awards. Bathesheba Sams of International Paper, J.R. Hyde III of the Hyde Family Foundation, Brian Woods of Nike and Connie Lewis Lensing of the FedEx Corporation presented the awards to the honorees. In addition to their expressions of appreciation, each honoree shared elements of their tumultuous journeys. After the awards ceremony, guests quickly moved to the Cook Convention Center for a dining experience with tossed garden salad, chicken bistro, Italian lemon cake/orange sherbet cake and a choice of hot/cold beverages. And of course evening was not complete without dancing, mingling and photo opportunities.
Action News 5’s Kontji Anthony and Moziah Bridges of Mo’s Bows were the emcees at the Public Forum.
The Public Forum Students from various Shelby County Schools poured into the Public Forum at Temple of Deliverance for the opportunity to witness the occasion and dialogue with the honorees. Radio personality Stan Bell of V 101.1 tapped into their energy with his witty and funloving school roll call during the pre-program. And Bishop Milton R. Hawkins of Temple of Deliverance delivered a stimulating invocation. New NCRM President Terri L. Freeman was formerly introduced to the students and she shared heartfelt words on the ongoing efforts of the museum and the many accomplishments to come. Three outstanding high school students were honored for their impact on their local communities with the 2014 Keeper of the Dream Awards: Katlyn Bryant, Dellarontay Readus and Nicholas “Cole” Perry. Mark Sutton, CEO of International Paper, presented the awards. The White Station High School Chorale, under the direction of Nikisha Williams, provided music throughout. The forum’s emcees were Kontji Anthony, anchor/
The honorees: Frank Robinson, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Tom Brokaw and Robert Parris Moses. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)
The New Tri-State Defender
and inspiring messages of overcoming struggle and hope for a better future. The event ended with a heartfelt benediction and like the other elements of the day and night celebration seemed right in line with the theme: “Breaking Barriers & Advancing Freedom.”
(To donate to the National Civil Rights Museum and to help further its efforts, visit http://www. civilrightsmuseum.org.)
(Megan Mottley is CEO of MTLY Communications, publisher of DIVINE Magazine and author of several books and e-books.)
The New Tri-State Defender
December 4 -10, 2014
NEWS
Poll: Tennesseans approve of Haslam, Legislature
CHANDLER
CONTINUED FROM FRONT with no money. However, she supported me financially and encouraged me to pursue my dreams.” Inger UpChurch was smitten by her aunt’s intelligence and commitment to family. “Some people called her Sarah, but she was ‘Auntie Mae’ to me. She knew the family history and was a strong advocate. She encouraged us to stick together.” Dr. Chandler wouldn’t accept failure, added UpChurch, who manages the Cornelia Crenshaw and Gaston Park branch libraries. “When I wanted to give up, she would say, ‘I’ll kick you in the butt if you quit.’ She was strong and hard on us, but loving nonetheless.” She was a true Renaissance woman, said UpChurch, a woman who juxtaposed her gifts as an artist, songwriter, wordsmith, art critic, and lover of music, history, and the game of Jeopardy with her lifetime dedication to community service. It was Dr. Chandler’s love of community that prompted her and lifelong friend Josephine Bridges to found a charitable organization in 1953 that they named JUGS, an acronym for Just Us Girls. The letters now stand for Justice, United, Generosity, Service International. There are as many as 11 chapters in the U.S. and Bahamas. Dr. Chandler graduated from Manassas High School and received her undergraduate degree from LeMoyne College. She earned a master’s from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, followed by a certificate in library science from Memphis State University. She was conferred a doctorate in education, administration and supervision from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Chandler will be eulogized at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, during a family graveside service at Memphis National Cemetery, 3568 Townes Ave., at Jackson Avenue. R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home has charge.
Page 3
Travis Loller Associated Press
JO JO
CONTINUED FROM FRONT Vann said former student leaders from the University of Memphis gathered on Sunday night after the fatal incident. Through their despair, they chose to use their energies to host a rally to not only commemorate Jones, but to push the need for Memphis to stop violence, especially in African-American communities. Fifteen people, including Jones, were shot over the weekend. For those who knew him, the overarching questions was this: “How could anyone want to hurt such a good guy like JoJo?” JoJo’s frat brother Vann got married after graduating from the University of Memphis and the couple moved to Biloxi, Miss. He says the death of someone such as Jones should be a wake up call for Memphis. “When I first heard about the incident, I said, ‘I’m not going back to Memphis ever again.’ I felt like there was too much crime and too much hatred in the city. But then I realized Memphis needs more people like JoJo in the city,” said Vann. “JoJo loved Memphis,” said Vann. “He has always wanted to give back to the city through great parties for college students or mentoring
boys through his church. He even stressed being a mentor for his little brother.” Vann and his friends hope to attract Memphians from all backgrounds on Thursday in honor of Jones’ love for everyone regardless of race. The group has been raising support from social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. They and many others want to make sure Memphis pays attention to the great young people in the city; those like JoJo, who too often go unnoticed. “It’s important for us, especially as the black community, to start guiding each other,” said Vann. “Even those guys who killed JoJo, I’m sure they needed mentors and positive male figures when they were younger. Sometimes we get so distracted with other things that we ignore those who sit at the table with us or live in the same house or are in the same family. JoJo never overlooked anybody.” The rally will feature special remarks from guests, including Dr. Jeffrey Futtrell, president and CEO of Young Man University, Pastor Karen Todd of New Direction Christian Church, and Harry Cash, manager of Youth Services for the Executive Division of the City of Memphis. Friends and family are asking guests to wear University of Memphis paraphernalia or blue and grey.
NASHVILLE — Tennesseans approve of their elected officials but want them to work with members of the other party, even if it means compromising on values and priorities, according to a poll released Tuesday from Vanderbilt University. The survey of about 950 registered Tennessee voters was taken Nov. 11-20, shortly after the election, and had a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points. Seventy percent of respondents said they approved of Gov. Bill Haslam, who was re-elected with 70 percent of the vote. “Politicians love it when they get over 50 percent,” poll co-director John Geer said. A 70 percent approval rating should have them “dancing in the streets.” Fifty-five percent said they approved of the Tennessee Legislature. But voters’
HOLDER
CONTINUED FROM FRONT Nichelson. “We were a part of the same organization, Concerned Black Men (CBM) and our program was called the Youth Offender Program. There were ten to fifteen of us reaching out to help young men who were in trouble.” Holder was also a traffic judge at that time. “I’m excited about the summit and the enormous possibilities of what might come out of it,” said Nichelson. “But it’s just really going to be good to see my old friend. He was assistant Attorney General under Janet Reno. And now, he is the Attorney General. I am proud of him and all he’s been able to accomplish.” Although the focus will be on inspiring and informing young men in their education and future aspirations, it is expected that Holder will address the protests and outbreaks of violence that ensued after a now former Ferguson, Mo. police officer, who is white, fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr., an African American, and a
priorities for the Legislature differed somewhat from lawmakers’ agenda. Forty percent said the economy should be the top priority, followed by education at 27 percent and health care at 20 percent. Only 2 percent said guns were the top priority and 6 percent chose immigration. Seventy-seven percent said they wanted their legislators to compromise with members of the other party. About 46 percent opposed Common Core, a set of English and math standards adopted by Tennessee and most of the other states. Only 38 percent said they supported it. But when respondents were asked the question a different way, without using the term “Common Core,” 43 percent supported it. Geer said he thought that was because people who were not truly opposed to national standards were “reacting to the phrase Common Core.” On health care, only 20
percent said they had a generally favorable view of the Affordable Care Act, and 56 percent supported expanding Medicaid coverage for low-income Tennesseans. So far, Tennessee has declined to expand it. People were also asked to say whether they would be in favor of several hypothetical laws restricting abortions in Tennessee. On Election Day, an amendment passed giving lawmakers more power to restrict abortions. According to the poll, 55 percent support a two-day waiting period, 49 percent support requiring secondtrimester abortions to take place in hospitals and 47 percent support requiring women to undergo an ultrasound prior to an abortion. Only 34 percent approved of President Barack Obama and 39 percent said the U.S. economy was either good or very good. Sixty-four percent thought the Tennessee economy was good or very good.
grand jury’s decision to forgo an indictment. “Mr. Holder continues to say that citizens have a right to peaceful protest, but that violence is certainly unproductive and unhelpful to those who live in that community,” said Nichelson. “He also recognizes that there is a traditional mistrust of police officers by the black community – and for good reason.” Holder was back in the spotlight on Wednesday after the announcement that a New York-area grand jury had decided not to indict a police officer in the high-profile killing of Eric Garner, 43, who died July 17 after being held him in an apparent chokehold during a confrontation with cops trying to arrest him as he allegedly sold untaxed cigarettes. Protestors took to the streets throughout Manhattan and during a press conference carried live throughout the nation, Holder said a federal civil rights investigation would be opened in the case. Federal prosecutors, he said, “will conduct an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious
investigation.” Nichelson is among those who believes that much of the solution to the AfricanAmerican community’s issues with “law enforcement and our boys” lies within its grasp. “We’ve got to realize that there are thousands and thousands of police encounters involving African-American males that don’t result in death,” said Nichelson. “We must teach our boys not to steal cigars and fight with the police. When we can instill some level of respect for authority, I believe we will see some resolution of this problem.” Police offices need more training in dealing with certain situations, “but we have some responsibility to our children. We have some work to do,” said Nichelson. The My Brother’s Keeper Summit is open to the public.
(For more information, contact Lillie Flenorl at: Lillie.Flenorl@memphistn. gov. For volunteer mentoring opportunities with Tony Nichelson, visit: www. manofthehouse.net.)
December 4 -10, 2014
Page 4
The New Tri-State Defender
OPINION
Zip code should not determine a child’s future
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951-1997)
The Mid-South’s Best Alternative Newspaper Powered by Best Media Properties, Inc.
Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
7 revelations from Janay Rice’s ESPN interview
“What the hell is Janay Palmer thinking?” It was the question asked by nearly everyone who saw “that video,” the one that clearly showed Palmer’s then-fiancé, former Baltimore Demetria L. Ravens running Lucas back Ray Rice, knocking her unconscious on an elevator, then dragging her limp body off it. She’d stayed with Rice after that, married him even. And she publicly apologized at a press conference and then publicly defended him when he was dropped by his team and indefinitely suspended by the NFL. For domestic-violence survivors it was textbook behavior. For those who had never been abused, it was baffling. Was she doing it for the money? Did she grow up in an abusive home and that this was normal? Was she a “classic victim” of domestic violence? How will she explain staying to her daughter someday? These were just the start of the questions, and finally Janay Rice has publicly answered them (and more) in an interview with ESPN’s Jemele Hill, which was published on Nov. 28, preceding a much-hyped twopart TV interview with “The Today Show’s” Matt Lauer, which aired Monday and Tuesday mornings this week. There is no question about the timing of these print and TV interviews. On Friday, Rice’s indefinite suspension from the NFL was overturned, making him eligible to play again. Rice – and his wife – are on a de facto apology tour to clean up Rice’s image and make him less of a PR nightmare to potentially interested NFL teams. Janay’s account to Hill doesn’t quite do the job in this sense, though she does try hard – too hard even. Many parts of her interview come across as too sanitized, too “handled” by a crisis manager that taught Janay how to spin a story instead of telling it plain. Janay earnestly talks about her husband’s community service and the amount of counseling they received, She conveniently doesn’t recall what they fought over on the night that she was knocked out and says she was completely uninjured after receiving that blow to the face that left her unconscious. In fact, Janay says she felt, “perfectly fine.” She might as well have said, “See my husband’s not a bad person, the punch didn’t even hurt.” But even the neat version of Janay Rice’s story can’t cover up what she ultimately is: a domestic-violence victim--though Janay doesn’t consider herself one--blaming herself and defending her abuser. She repeatedly talks about her bad attitude on the day she was knocked unconscious. She describes how she agitated Rice by reaching for his phone and that’s why he spit on her, as if that is a reasonable response. She claims she’s never experienced domestic violence before (or since), but it took only hours for her to forgive her man, who she also never considered leaving. Here are the top revelations from Rice’s ESPN interview:
She doesn’t remember much
Janay Rice: “We got into the elevator and what happened inside is still foggy to me. The only thing I know – and I can’t even say I “remember” because I only know from what Ray has told me – is that I slapped him again and then he hit me. I remember nothing else from inside the elevator. “The next thing I do recall is being in the casino lobby, surrounded by cops…The cops tried to tell me what happened and I refused to believe
them… There were no marks on my face or body, and I felt perfectly fine.” She forgave him the next day “Ray accepted responsibility from the moment we left the police station… At first, I was very angry, and I didn’t know what to say. This came out of nowhere. Nothing like this had ever happened before. I knew it wasn’t him. “But as angry as I was, I knew it was something that we could move on from because I know Ray. I thought about our daughter. When she comes in the room, it’s like nothing is going on. We knew it was definitely going to take work, and we knew we had to be by each other’s side. I just needed to get away from him for a little while and spend a few hours taking my space to get my thoughts together.” She never thought twice about marrying Rice “We were married March 28, the day after he was indicted for aggravated assault. We didn’t choose that day because of the indictment. It just happened to be a Friday and a time when our families could attend our wedding without having to interrupt their work schedules. I didn’t understand why that was suspicious to some people. We’d been together seven years and had been engaged for two. What happened that night wasn’t going to change the fact that we were going to get married. “If anyone knows me they know I never have and never will be with Ray because of what he can do for me. I stuck with Ray because I truly love him.” She felt apologizing at the press conference was the right thing to do “I know some people disagreed with me publicly apologizing…But at the same time, who am I to put my hands on somebody? I had already apologized to Ray, and I felt that I should take responsibility for what I did. Even though this followed the Ravens’ suggested script, I owned my words.” She’s never watched the video of Rice knocking her unconscious. “How was seeing it going to help me? I knew that would only bring me back there. After Ray watched it, I asked him not to look at it again, because I knew it was only the devil trying to come in and ruin how far we’ve come. I refused to go backwards.” She doesn’t believe she’s a ‘victim’ “I still find it hard to accept being called a ‘victim.’ I know there are so many different opinions out there about me – that I’m weak, that I’m making excuses and covering up abuse – and that some people question my motives for staying with Ray. “However, I’m a strong woman and I come from a strong family. Never in my life have I seen abuse, nor have I seen any woman in my family physically abused. I have always been taught to respect myself and to never allow myself to be disrespected, especially by a man.” What she’ll tell her daughter (when she’s old enough) “I don’t know exactly what I’ll say, but we’ll be honest with her. I will obviously tell her that it was wrong and it’s not something that you allow and to respect herself foremost, just like I was told as a child. But I’ll also tell her that people make mistakes and you have to learn from them.”
Janay Rice (Screenshot/ESPN)
Source: The Root
Bill Cosby speaks at the 20th anniversary of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s organization, National Action Network, on April 6, 2011, in New York. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Bill, please just ‘say it ain’t so’ When I was 10 years old my dad bought an album. It was Bill Cosby’s first one, “Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow.” Mom fried fish that night, and our neighbors came over because back then Bill Rev. Rodney Beard Cosby was an event we all experienced together. In 1963, I couldn’t relate, but my parents and the other adults sitting around the big Sears phonograph had a side-splitting good time. The kids mostly enjoyed our parents laughing, but Bill Cosby became a name and brand that we all loved. We played that album over and over, until the next one came out. By that time, I could relate and Bill Cosby was the cleanest, classiest and really funniest fellow in our world, “our” black man. Three years later when “I-Spy” came on, we never missed an episode or re-run. Seeing Bill Cosby on television as the first intellectual, cultured, educated black gentleman of our time gave us tremendous pride. We just loved him in every way. We rejoiced with Bill in every event of his life from getting married, his awards and accolades, all the way to the pinnacle…“The Cosby Show.” He was “our” black guy. Now we are faced with awful allegations about an icon of our generation, and “America’s dad,” that none of us could possibly have conceived of. Cosby is the guy that many aspired to be in some way. He was a perfect guy on and for TV as Dr. Huxtable, with the cutest family anyone has ever seen since. I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan, as it all seemed a bit contrived for my reality-based sensibilities at the time. I wasn’t that kind of dad at all, and maybe watching it for me was like pouring salt into my own selfinflicted wounds, and the ones that I had caused. I thought it was too good to be true, but never thought that way about Bill personally…no way! Now, in 2014 with violence against women being on the forefront of our societal thoughts, we have to think about these allegations that have been made about the guy/character that I thought was too good to be true.
FLASHBACK: 2009
Shall we? On second thought, you already know what’s being reported, so let me save some space. They say that “where there is smoke there’s fire,” and it seems that Bill has about 21 fires generating a lot of smoke. Now, my purpose is not to cast any aspersions whatsoever toward him or the 21 women, but as the title of Bill’s book says, “Come On People!” It’s hard to talk about this, but we have a responsibility to engage in this dialogue because of what it means when it comes to violence against women. If any of this is true, it’s suggesting an astounding level of brutality, disrespect, egoism, rape, verbal abuse, cover-up and rampant drug usage by someone that we respect so much. So, we’d all be so relieved if Bill would just step up and clear this up for all of his fans, including myself, and say, “I didn’t do that.” Then explain. But whatever he did do (say… consensual activities) he may want to “fess up” so he and his wife can work through that, but at least we’d be clear; there was no violence toward any woman. But, what if he did it? Twenty-one accusations with the same “MO” is quite disturbing and maybe telling. What if he only did it, let’s say…five, two, or just 1 of those times? Would it be less revolting, repugnant or disgusting to us? Would we be OK thinking that “Americas Dad” is an egotistical, misogynistic maniac who hurts and objectifies someone’s daughters by rendering them unable to resist rape? I think not. Let’s not judge either side of the issue for now, but use Godly wisdom with much prayer for discernment. Sexual abuse of our children and violence against women cannot be tolerated no matter who the power person, perpetrator or pervert; it’s time to deal with it openly, honestly, critically, and end it. “Come on Bill and just say it ain’t so! If you are not a serial rapist tell us that.” But, somehow I think we all know the truth already. Enough is enough. Tell me your thoughts. (The Rev. Rodney Beard is pastor of The Living Word Community Church in Nashville and president of The National Action Network for Greater Nashville. Contact him at pastorbeard@comcast.net.)
When I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the mid 90’s, I moved to New York City. And I did what most young folks did them: found the cheapest apartment I Derrell could afford Bradford in the nicest neighborhood possible. That place was a first-floor front studio near Central Park. The block was lovely, but I lived in the worst building on it. Sanitation workers used to wake me up when they threw the cans against my outside windows. In the winter, I heated the place with my open stove. And if anything broke, it took forever to get it fixed. I paid about three-fourths of what I made to live in that apartment, and my landlord knew that. And because of this, our relationship was uneasy. I only pushed so hard to get things fixed because I couldn’t afford to move. She only did enough to make it barely livable. And we both knew there were hundreds of kids, just like me, ready to take my spot if I decided to head back home. It was all win for her and, because I could not move, all lose for me. My relationship with my old landlord is the same relationship most parents and children of color, particularly in cities, have with their neighborhood schools and school districts. The quality of instruction is poor and, according to the Office of Civil Rights, students are far more likely to be taught by a teacher who is out of subject specialization than elsewhere. There are 90 schools in New York City, for instance, where not one minority child passed the recent round of state tests. These kids and families are stuck with their schools just like my old landlord and I were; the school only giving what it must, and the family desperate to get more for their child’s education. Eventually I got lucky, got a new job, and moved to a better apartment. For most folks, however, moving to a better “building,” or a school or school district in this case, just isn’t an option. If you have money or influence in America, you don’t even blink when your local school doesn’t deliver. You know you can “move” to a private school or another school district, and the local school does too. So if that power is good enough for the wealthiest and most influential, why shouldn’t we give low-income families in southwest Baltimore where I’m from, or Newark, or New York the same options? As a child I got a scholarship to an excellent school and that changed my life, forever, and there is no day I don’t wake up and know how blessed I am because of it. “Parent Choice” in education is the one thing that can help families, just like mine, and help them today. Take a lesson from my old landlord. Your zip code and your income might dictate where you live… but they shouldn’t determine your child’s future. (Derrell Bradford is executive director of the New York Campaign for Achievement Now {NYCAN})
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The New Tri-State Defender
December 4 -10, 2014
OPINION
Did the boycott matter to Black Friday retail sales?
Protesters gather at the spot where Eric Garner died as they rally against police brutality in Garner’s memory Aug. 23, 2014, in Staten Island, N.Y. (Photo: Stan Honda/ AFP/Getty Images)
by Danielle C. Belton The Root
What is it going to take to indict when police kill an unarmed black man? There was a video of officers putting Eric Garner in a banned choke hold by Danielle C. Belton The Root
There was video. The move was banned and Eric Garner’s death was ruled a homicide. But in the death of Garner, a father of six from Staten Island, N.Y., these things weren’t enough for a grand jury to bring charges against the officer who killed him. Think about that again: None of the overwhelming circumstances and evidence – from the video taken by a passerby to the fact that the asthmatic Garner was being wrestled to the ground through the use of a move that the New York City Police Department banned back in 1993 – was enough for a grand jury to say there could be a trial. None of it was enough to say a crime had been committed. What is it going to take? I didn’t expect an indictment, not because I had any inside insight or knowledge beyond being a black woman who grew up reading the newspaper, but because, of course, there would be no indictment. The victim was black and the perpetrator was a white police officer. We’ve seen this scenario over and over again. When it comes to black people killed by white people – especially if that person has police ties – getting a case heard in a
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courtroom is often the hardest part. Mostly what you get are trials of public opinion with black victims being judged and measured, demonized and dragged in the media. Yet as we watch character assassination – he smoked weed, he resisted arrest, he stole cigarillos, he sold loose cigarettes, he looked like a “demon” – obscure facts, such as that he was unarmed and people don’t deserve to die over routine traffic stops and petty crimes, we are faced with another cynical response: Get over it. This is your “justice.” African Americans are told that if we want justice, we must go again and again, politely and patiently, to the same system that has oppressed us historically, as if we’re a racewide Oliver Twist, asking, “May we please have some justice?” Then, when we are told, “Justice denied,” we are expected to politely shut up and go away because our anguish and tears are upsetting and scary to a public that loathes to be reminded of our racial inequities in this not-soglittering age of Obama. This is why we get upset. This is why people in Ferguson, Mo., took to the streets in protest for months after the death of teen Michael Brown, killed by then-Officer Darren Wilson. This is why
Brown’s stepfather and mother cried out in when no indictment was announced in their son’s death. This is why the stepfather screamed for the streets to “burn,” something police in St. Louis County are considering pressing charges against him – claiming that his words may have incited some to riot. You’re not supposed to yell fire in a crowded theater – but what if the theater is actually on fire? Being black and living in America is, in some respects, to always be on fire, under threat of fire, yet we are being told not to see the flames. We are being told to deny the explosions around us in the form of Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, John Crawford, Ezell Ford – don’t see those flames, don’t see those lives burn, pretend that you don’t feel the heat. The nonindictment in Garner’s death shows that we need to go further than body cameras on arresting officers – we need a systemic shift in how police business is conducted. Law enforcement in this country is on fire. How many more will have to die until all see the flames? (Danielle C. Belton is a Washington, D.C.-based satirist and blogger. Follow her on Twitter.)
Getting in the black got a little bit harder for some retailers this holiday season thanks to everyone from the retailers themselves to nationwide protests related to Ferguson. In figures released Sunday by the National Retail Federation, sales were down by 11 percent this past Thanksgiving weekend. That’s a near $7 billion drop in revenue – from $57.4 billion last year to $50.9 billion. Why the drop? Some blame stagnate wages in our recovering economy. Others credit online retailers with edging out Black Friday. But could it also be the nationwide protests over the nonindictment of former Ferguson, Mo. police officer Darren Wilson? After a grand jury did not return an indictment against Wilson in the shooting death of teen Michael Brown, activists across the nation continued protests, including #ShutItDown, a series of protests targeting major retailers, shopping malls and areas of transit throughout the U.S. One organizer did feel the
protests had an impact on declining sales. “Boycotting Black Friday was something we’d been pushing for a while,” said T-Dubb-O, 26, a St. Louisbased hip hop artist and activist who participated in Black Friday protests and was at the White House on Monday with several other Fergusonrelated activists. “It wasn’t just something pushed locally … It’s something we’ve been pushing (nationally). The fact that other communities looked up and joined that fight I’m not surprise Saying those involved in the Black Friday protests “wanted to make a bigger impact,” T-Dubb-O said retailers were specifically targeted as a way to bring the plight of communities of color to those least impacted by police brutality – Madison Avenue and the consumers they target. “This country focuses on the power of the dollar more than anything and corporations influence a lot of policy changes,” T-Dubb-O said, adding that organizers wanted retailers to know they could not “continue to be fed from our pockets.” Also contributing to the decline of Black Friday?
Retailers desperate for dollars who’ve extended Black Friday sales from one day YouTubed waffle iron fights to week long sales. Wrote Annie Lowery for NY Magazine’s Daily Intelligencer: “at Walmart, Black Friday has officially become a ‘five-day event.’ And really, this year, it has become an eight-week one. Target started pushing out its Black Friday deals on November 10, and Walmart on November 1. Stretching out the traditional Black Friday shopping window has reduced the pressure on families to shop on Black Friday itself — as evidenced by the deflation of the weekend’s sales numbers.” But the reality that our economic bounce back isn’t being felt by all may go even further than week-long sales and the power of protest. Matthew Shay of the National Retail Federation – which predicted a big sales season this holiday – struggled to explain the dip. The best answer he could come up with to the New York Times was “there are a significant number of Americans out there for whom the recession is not yet over.” Ferguson and worker’s rights protesters demonstrate outside Macy’s in NYC, November 28, 2014. (Photo: Screenshare Yahoo)
December 4 -10, 2014
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The New Tri-State Defender
BUSINESS
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Money saving tips and cautious credit reminders for the holidays Now that Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, a few weeks are left before Christmas for those planning to take on the task of shopping Carlee for gifts. So this McCullough, week our focus is Esq. on money saving tips and cautious credit reminders for the holidays. Start early Christmas shopping for most folks begins with Black Friday. But the best way to save money and time is to shop all year for Christmas. Bargains and sales can be found year round. There is no rule that you have to wait until after Thanksgiving to shop for Christmas gifts. Once the gifts are purchased simply make sure you hide them where no one will find them and don’t forget the hiding space. The list The list is just as important as the
gift. Without the list some people may be left off inadvertently. The key to a well-drafted list includes listing the people that will receive gifts as well as the budgeted amount of the gift per person. Also remember to provide a “holiday” tip for those folks that provide year round services such as the mail carrier, baby sitter and sanitation workers. They provide much needed service and are often forgotten. As you address each person on the list, check them off. Hopefully by Christmas Eve, everyone’s name will have a check. Shop online Online shopping allows immediate comparison to competitors. Frequently, online purchases are cheaper than instore purchases. An additional advantage to shopping online is the ability to research reviews. But verify the delivery dates of the purchases because many stores will have a cutoff date to ensure Christmas delivery. There is nothing like that disappointing feeling of purchasing a gift but not having it in your possession by Christmas. When shopping online make sure that the sites are secure by
looking for the “https” in the web address. Do not store your credit card information on the site because this exposes your personal information to potential theft. So be very cautious when giving out your credit card info. Only use reputable verifiable sites. Handmade gifts If you are crafty and creative, handmade gifts are becoming very popular, especially in light of a struggling economy. Gifts of candles, knitted gifts, earrings, cakes, cookies and beverages are gifts that can be presented beautifully. Viewed as gifts from the heart, they should be greatly appreciated by the receiver. Online posting While this is the season of giving, remember this is also the season of taking. Be extremely careful when posting pictures to social media of the Christmas tree with all the gifts under it. Use caution after Christmas as well when posting photos of all of those wonderful gifts. With “friends” or “links” that you know and don’t know, it is easy to become a target simply by sharing photos of your
blessings with the world. Holiday loans Make no mistake, we do not want to encourage the behavior of obtaining holiday loans for Christmas shopping. However, if you must, try to obtain loans with the lowest interest rate possible. Credit unions usually have the lowest interest rates. Title loans and payday loans should be avoided if at all possible. The interest rates are too high and you could end up paying bills years after Christmas has passed. Reason for the season When you truly understand the reason for the season you can make the holiday special without all of the bling. Getting caught up in the commercialization of the season is easy to do. But try to remember the true meaning of Christmas. The opportunity to be with family is greatly underrated. Appreciate the time you have with your loved ones because too frequently that time can be cut short. In sum, shop conservatively and be safe while doing so. (Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at jstce4all@aol.)
MONEY MATTERS
What is the most tax-efficient way to take a distribution from a retirement plan? If you receive a distribution from a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k), you need to consider whether to pay taxes now or to roll over the account to another tax-deferred plan. A correctly Charles Sims implemented Jr., CMFC, rollover can avoid LUTCF current taxes and allow the funds to continue accumulating tax deferred. Paying current taxes with a lump-sum distribution If you decide to take a lump-sum distribution, income taxes are due on the total amount of the distribution and are due in the year in which you cash out. Employers are required to withhold 20 percent automatically from the check and apply it toward federal income taxes, so you will receive only 80 percent of your total vested value in the plan. The advantage of a lump-sum distribution is that you can spend or invest the balance as you wish.
The problem with this approach is parting with all those tax dollars. Income taxes on the total distribution are taxed at your marginal income tax rate. If the distribution is large, it could easily move you into a higher tax bracket. Distributions taken prior to age 59½ are subject to an additional 10 percent federal income tax penalty. If you were born prior to 1936, there are two special options that can help reduce your tax burden on a lump sum. The first special option, 10-year averaging, enables you to treat the distribution as if it were received in equal installments over a 10-year period. You then calculate your tax liability using the 1986 tax tables for a single filer. The second option, capital gains tax treatment, allows you to have the pre-1974 portion of your distribution taxed at a flat rate of 20 percent. The balance can be taxed under 10-year averaging, if you qualify. To qualify for either of these special options, you must have participated in the retirement plan for at least five years and you must be receiving a total distribution of your retirement account.
Note that these special tax treatments are one-time propositions for those born prior to 1936. Once you elect to use a special option, future distributions will be subject to ordinary income taxes. Deferring taxes with a rollover If you don’t qualify for the above options or don’t want to pay current taxes on your lump-sum distribution, you can roll the money into a traditional IRA. If you choose a rollover from a taxdeferred plan to a Roth IRA, you must pay income taxes on the total amount converted in that tax year. However, future withdrawals of earnings from a Roth IRA are free of federal income tax after age 59½ as long as the account has been held for at least five tax years. If you elect to use an IRA rollover, you can avoid potential tax and penalty problems by electing a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer; in other words, the money never passes through your hands. IRA rollovers must be completed within 60 days of the distribution to avoid current taxes and penalties. IRA rollover allows your retirement
Grand opening…
On Tuesday (Dec. 2), H & R Block officials celebrated the grand opening of one of their 11,000 offices across the country – including 47 throughout the Mid-South – at 1909 South Third St. in the South Gate Shopping Center. From left: Dejuan Hendricks, Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce; Lavera Tolvert, Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce; Telisa Franklin, H & R Block’s district marketing coordinator; Sarah Piper, H & R Block; Rusty Gates, H & R Block; Chuck Sharp, H & R Block; Suzanne Brown, H & R Block; Lorraine Ferguson, Wider Systems; Wanda Farmer, H & R Block; Willie McCalister, H & R Block; Calvin Ricks, H & R Block; and Anita Earvin, H & R Block. (Photo: Wiley Henry)
nest egg to continue compounding tax deferred. Remember that you must begin taking annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) from tax-deferred retirement plans after you turn 70½ (the first distribution must be taken no later than April 1 of the year after the year in which you reach age 70½). Failure to take an RMD subjects the funds that should have been withdrawn to a 50 percent federal income tax penalty. Before you decide which method to take for distributions from a qualified retirement plan, it would be prudent to consult with a professional tax advisor. The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security (Charles Sims Jr., CMFC, LUTCF, is President/CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup. com.)
Free training to help land manufacturing jobs
The Department of Workforce Development, along with Continuing Education, is conducting orientation sessions to find candidates for the free Industrial Readiness Training (IRT) classes taught at Southwest Tennessee Community College’s campuses, centers, and site. Upon successful completion, in just four and a half weeks, candidates will be eligible for entry-level jobs in the fields of advanced manufacturing, logistics, and process control. These classes were developed with some of the area’s largest manufacturing employers in order to prepare workers for high demand jobs that pay a livable wage. The IRT Orientation event will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Whitehaven Center located at 3035 Directors Row, Building 6. Attendees will need to bring a valid driver’s license or state ID, a Social Security card, an updated resume, and a pay stub (if currently working) in order to register for the IRT classes. For more information contact: Jaleesa Ivy at 901-333-4846 or jivy9@southwest. tn.edu; Taylor Tagg at 901-333-4845 or wtagg@southwest.tn.edu; or Travis Wilson at 901-333-4847 or tswilson@ southwest.tn.edu. All contractors are invited
The City of Memphis has announced the award of $2.1 million to Southbrook Properties Corp. for energy efficiency improvements to Southbrook Towne Center. The board of directors is inviting perspective sub-contractors for the mall project to a briefing Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1:30 p.m. on the mall progress. They will be placed on the contractor’s list and must be licensed, bonded and insured. The documentation is needed to qualify. Hip Hop Toy Drive for Toys for Tots
GTFU and CLE Events will present the third annual Santa Clause Presents: Hip Hop Toy Drive for Toys for Tots on Dec. 12 at the historic Hi-Tone Café, 412 N. Cleveland. The event will feature a diverse lineup of some of Memphis’ best independent talent and showcase the not often seen heart of Memphis’ hip hop community. The lineup includes notable veterans and newcomers alike including Iron Mic Coalition, S.O.U.L., Dick Solomon, Da Ladie, Ricache’, Nina 9, Sleepy J Barksdale, Bartholomew Jones, Chinese Connection Dub Embassy and DJ Wyzlyfe. The toy drive concert is dedicated to furthering the mission of the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, which is to collect new and unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community where the campaign is conducted. The goal is to send a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters and ensure a happy holiday season for everyone. The price of admission is 1 new unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Without a toy, the cost is $5. All money will be given to Toys for Tots. For more information, contact Jay Austin (Sleepy J Barksdale) at 901-4380554 or by email at sleepyjbarksdale@ yahoo.com.
The New Tri-State Defender
December 4-10, 2014
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RELIGION
Unique opportunity to shop at ‘MOSAIC Wonderland’ for the holidays The MOSAIC extravaganza benefits Freedom’s Chapel’s Community Outreach Ministries
Earnest Pugh
Earnest Pugh guest psalmist at Grace MBC Watch Night service
Gospel recording artist and psalmist Earnest Pugh will be the special guest at Grace Missionary Baptist Church, 1203 North Manassas St., for the church’s special “Watch Night” service entitled “‘Reflecting, Rejoicing and Celebrating.” The service starts at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, and culminates 2014. The public is invited. There will be individual prayers and group prayers for people and world leaders, including the country, the church and community. Following prayer, ministers will encourage believers to share their brief life-changing “miracles” for the “Testimonial Period,” which will conclude with a sacred “Anointing of Faith” ceremony. To highlight the evening, before the clock turns a second past 12 midnight, the church and numerous community singers will form a large mass choir for a musical praise featuring national gospel recording artist and Stellar Award-winner Earnest Pugh. Pugh and the mass choir will “sing us into the 2015 New Year,” said the Rev. Ronnie King, the night’s coordinator and director of Ministries at Grace Baptist Church. “This is not only going to be a great service, it’s going to be a great experience.” “Given the fact that there are so many world and national issues affecting our communities and churches, this service is an awesome way for us to participate and focus our energies to begin and continue addressing and solving some of the problems challenging Christian believers,” said Dr. Coleman Crawford, Grace’s senior pastor. For more information, call (901) 527-9144.
Freedom’s Chapel, 961 Getwell (near Park Ave.), will be the setting for MOSAIC: An Arts Extravaganza on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. There will be unique hand designed gifts, culinary delights, and a MOSAIC Wonderland complete with Santa and an exciting array of entertainment for attendees. This holiday festival will offer attendees the opportunity to browse and shop wearables designed by local crafters, designers and fiber artists, including handmade items, jewelry, dolls, origami, doll fashions, and artwork by “The Fulton Four” family of artists and more. The festival will also feature signature culinary gifts and concessions. Hourly performances by local talent including American Idol’s Lil Rounds, Collage Dance Col-
lective, and a special presentation by Hattiloo Theater top the acts scheduled for the day. Other entertainment includes spoken-word poetry, Latin dance and mini jazz concerts. Children will have a chance to share their holiday wishes with MOSAIC Santa, who will be awaiting them in MOSAIC Wonderland where there will be storytelling and other whimsical enjoyment. “As a prelude to the holiday season, we want to offer extravaganza-goers a unique event that blends the creative and the spirit,” said Dr. Shavetta Conner, event orga-
nizer. “For example, vendors have been carefully selected to create a show that would offer those attending the chance to purchase quality items that have been created with love, while enjoying an eclectic festival experience.” Proceeds from MOSAIC benefit Freedom’s Chapel’s Community Outreach Ministries. “We have been blessed and are looking to expound our blessings by expanding our outreach in the Memphis community,” said the Rev. Rosalyn Nichols, pastor of Freedom’s Chapel. “Whatever we profit
Dainty dolls, such as the one above, and-one-of-a-kind Nuno felt hats will be for sale at the Mosaic Art Extravanganza on Dec. 6. (Courtesy photos) from MOSAIC will be used to support our efforts to help address the multitude of needs in the community around us.” Organizers look forward to holding MOSAIC annually during the holiday season. Tickets for MOSAIC are $5
and can be purchased at the door. For more information, contact Freedom’s Chapel at (901) 244-7661 or Like MOSAIC’s page on FACEBOOK at https://www.facebook.com/#!/ MosaicArtExtravaganza.
Bishop Rance Allen
Giving thanks... Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ, 229 South Danny Thomas Blvd., celebrated Thanksgiving during a 10 a.m. morning service on Nov. 27. Bishop Charles H. Mason Patterson Sr. delivered the message. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)
Gospel greats to help celebrate Bishop Rance Allen’s birthday There will be a whole lot of clapping, foot stomping, and rocking in the pews when a cadre of gospel recording artists converge in Memphis on Sunday, Dec. 7, to help Bishop Rance Allen, leader of the famed gospel dynamo The Rance Allen Group, celebrate his birthday with a concert at First Baptist Church-Broad, 2835 Broad Ave. Hosted by Christian comedian Broderick Rice, the concert will start at 6 p.m. and feature special guests Earnest Pugh, Dorinda Clark-Cole, William Murphy, Jekalyn Carr, Beverly Crawford, Evelyn Turrentine Agee, and Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson. Bishop Allen is an international evangelist and has been the pastor of New Bethel Church of God in Christ in Toledo, Ohio, since 1985. The late Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson founded the church that year. Tickets can be purchased at all Suits U locations (1232 Shelby Dr., 4835 American Way, 6297 Winchester Rd. and 3485 Austin Peay Hwy.), Southern Son Printing (3331 Winchester Rd.), One Stop for Churches (1200 Madison Ave.) and D.J. Grocery (3152 Johnson). For more information, call (901) 859-3969 or (419) 206-0288.
ENTERTAINMENT The New Tri-State Defender, December 4 -10, 2014, Page 8
George Clinton, shown performing at Handy Park in Memphis on Beale Street (June 2010), was a natural choice to be a featured guest at the Bar-Kay’s 50th Anniversary gala. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
‘Yo George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You?’
LENS & LINES
Unexpected funk! by Warren Roseborough
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
There’s a reason I always carry my camera everywhere I go and I got a fresh reminder of the need to be ready during a visit to the Chicago area last week. I never dreamt that I would be at a concert taking photos of Cameo, Zapp and Joe Torry when I headed to my hometown of Harvey, Ill. to attend my aunt’s funeral. My brother purchased tickets for the concert, and I took my camera with me to Governors State University located in University Park, Ill., a suburb right outside of Chicago. Right before the concert started, my sister-in-law and my brother located the promoter of the show and told him I took photos for The New Tri-State Defender in Memphis. I always carry my credentials with me, along with my business cards, but I
Comedian Joe Torry, the opening act, poked fun at relationships and people in general. (Photo: Warren Roseborough) never expected this. The promoter provided me credentials, along with backstage passes for all three of us. My family and I were treated me with so much respect; no red tape whatsoever. (I wish all promoters were like this.) They even gave us permission to dine with
them. The food was so good that I asked the caterer for his card because my son is getting married in September. Well, I guess I need to tell you about the show. Comedian Joe Torry opened up and soon had the crowd laughing as he talked about relationships and people in general. Zapp was up next. The group had disbanded in 1999 following the murdersuicide tragedy that took the lives of Roger Troutman and Larry Troutman, starting back up in 2003. They were sensational performing “More Bounce to the Ounce,” “Computer Love” and an array of other hits made in the ’70’s and ’80s. People were in the aisles dancing and singing. Cameo came out jamming with “She’s Strange,” “Candy,” “Aligator Women,” “Sparkle” and arguably their biggest hit, “Word up.” Sensational!
The legacy of George Clinton by Tony Jones
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Fans filling the Cannon Center on Thursday night (Dec. 4) to soak up the vibes emanating from the BarKays’ 50th Anniversary will surely recognize the guest of honor, the one and only George Clinton. Now in his mid 70’s, Clinton was the icon of the great funk age in which the Bar-Kays legacy was created. Featured on the group’s “Grown Folks” CD as a guest star, his appearance here is one of hundreds of dates he still makes every year. Contemplating his Memphis salute to the Bar-Kays’ anniversary, I harkened back to an exchange I had with Clinton two years ago as he focused on a keynote address at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. We discussed privately why his music is still so revered, the state of black music and his pursuit to update copyright laws. At the time, he had just started sporting a suited-and-booted look. “This is how we looked in the ’50’s when we were doing doo-wop,” he said with a smile. Clinton has released an autobiography entitled “Brothers Be, Like Yo George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You?” It encapsulates his memories of one of the signature musical catalogs in pop music and is available through the usual book sales channels. Those looking to accent their musical books collection may find it more fun to order a copy from the group’s website, where they will be entertained by the graphic history of Clinton and the bands he spearheaded like none other. His new CD, featuring Sly Stone among 33 songs, bears the same title as the book. The Parliament/Funkadelic franchise is considered one of the key cultural markers of the time and the band one of hottest to ever play a stage. Guided by Clinton, a template was created that shook the industry and fed a generation of music lovers with thought while they blasted across dance floors. My mental playlist features the allegorical “America Eats Its Young,” the deeply meditative “Maggot Brain,” the amazing commercial tales “Mothership Connection” and “The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein” blended into the inspirational masterpiece “One Nation Under A Groove” and it’s follow-up homage to the Black Panthers, “Uncle Jam Wants You.” Their catalog has been so influential it’s even credited as an influence for a new thought concept called “Afrofuturism” presented at a symposium event at Vanderbilt University in October. Such events fill Clinton’s life nowadays, as the Funkadelic sound still draws crowds every weekend. In his book, Clinton reveals the behind-the-scenes stories of his hit-making days. However, a great deal of the book explores the twists and turns of copyright laws, including an ongoing back and forth with the Library of Congress seeking to properly assign the rights to the songs in the Parliament/Funkadelic catalog. “It’s for all the members of the band that wrote the music with me: Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy, Bernie Worrell, Gary Shider…for the families. We’ve been to Congress, the Senate, the Black Caucus, because all of this music is being returned to us in 2015. The 1978 (Copyright) Act says that after 35 years all of your rights come back to you, the masters and the copyrights.” The battles with the industry began because his business model was too far out for a black man. “They thought we had stayed out on the dance floor for too long,” he said. “We had five records in the Top Ten. They figured they had got rid of Motown, they got rid of Stax, and here we come and try to start all this stuff over again with Uncle Jam Records –Zapp, Bootsy, The Brides of Funkenstein, Parliament – we were getting ready to do Motown all over again. “Then hip-hop started and we were on every label. Somebody was sampling our songs on every label there is. So we’re fighting to get all that money from all that music.” Clinton’s imprint is extensive. As the website notes, he introduced the late Roger Troutman and Zapp as part of the Funkadelic tribe, discovered the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others he told us about. “I’ve been knowing Eminem since he was 15 years old,” Clinton said. “A lot of people don’t know that he’s a funkateer. His producer was my son’s producer, so they’re part of the family.” Clinton’s advice to older music heads is to quit being so critical of today’s hip-hop and pop culture. “To me, hip-hop has been better for race relations than any other music ever was. Remember playing ‘the dozens,” when whoever got mad first was the one who loses? That’s all hip hop is. Like the N-word, hip-hop took the sting out of it. “When I hear older people and parents say they don’t like a certain kind of music because it gets on their nerves, that’s what I listen to because kids are supposed to get on our nerves.”
Cameo performed the hit single, “Word Up.” (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
“Word Up! Yes, it’s me (far right) posing backstage with Cameo’s Larry Blackmon (3rd from left) and other lucky fans. (Photo: Gwen Roseborough)
MOVIE REVIEW
‘Top Five’ gives us ‘just a tad’ of Chris Rock’s comic genius Gabrielle Union and Chris Rock star in the comedy satire “Top Five.” (Courtesy photo)
by Dwight Brown NNPA News Service
Chris Rock recently hosted “Saturday Night Live.” During the show’s normal intro section, he did around 10 minutes of standup. One of the targets of his wicked humor was the new World Trade Center. He said he would never go in it. There were audible gasps, and a bit of controversy followed. Some weren’t amused that he had the audacity to say what people think. That’s the brilliance of Rock, who is a talented social satirist; he’ll say anything. “Top Five” gives us a glimpse of that comic genius. Just a tad. Andre Allen (Rock) is a hip New Yorkbased stand-up comedian who has stretched his talents thin. He’s in a plethora of movies; none are particularly good, though they have brought him fame and fortune. His ladyfriend, Erica Long (Gabrielle Union), a gorgeous, sexy brown-skinned woman with a blonde, two-tine weave, has a reality show, and Andre is a frequent guest. An impending filming of their marriage will put their fragile relationship to the test, on coast-to-coast TV. He lives in a fish bowl. Rock’s script sets up the incessant turmoil of Andre’s life perfectly. You know something deep and meaningful is missing in his existence, yet you don’t feel sorry for the wealthy brotherman. A normal screenwriter/ director would add just a couple of more characters to the soup. But not Rock. His script calls for an endless parade of cameos, from his own friends and acquaintances that turn the proceedings into a potpourri of New York Who’s Who and Who Cares. Fate brings a tall, lovely, head-on-hershoulders-right journalist into Allen’s life. She’s Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) and she’s writing a profile piece about the comedian. He’s reluctant at first. His agent (Kevin Hart) twists his arm. Then almost instantaneously, Allen is smitten. Chelsea is everything Erica is not: genuine, smart and
not playing to the cameras. Could she be the one that helps him find a more fulfilling life? Over a 24-hour period, sequences on the red carpet, in the ghetto, the streets, fancy apartments, busses and bathrooms blend together like a drunken night spiraling out of control. It’s New York. Anything can happen, and it does. The over-the-top scenes peak with a mini-orgy and Allen trying to manhandle two sexy, insatiable ladies. It’s the funniest scene in the movie. As a director, Rock’s style is either controlled mayhem or he’s letting his cast run amuck. An endless parade of headstrong comedians, movie stars, journalists and celebrities play to the balcony seats. They overpower the thin plotting. And the waytoo-talky script makes the movie feel like a play on wheels. If you get the feeling that this vanity project panders to a shallow, attentiondeficit, reality TV-type audience, you’re not alone. But so what? You’ll laugh anyway. Rock is solid as the comedian in turmoil, and he looks dapper. Dawson is the kind of alluring actress most men wish they could date, and her Chelsea character has an equally come-hither persona. Gabrielle
Union’s Erica is a synthesis of all the Housewives of Wherever shows. Shallow, glamorous and add another pinch of shallow for good measure. Saying Kevin Hart is manic as the agent, is redundant. He does frantic better than anybody. Chilean cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro was the D.P. on Lars Van Trier’s controversial sex drama Nymphomaniac: Vol. I. Maybe that’s why the bedroom scene was so much fun to watch. Editor Anne McCabe (Maria Full of Grace) has OK timing; the laughs, outrageous moments and funny cameos come at the right times. There’s a good chance this nugget of urban and urbane humor will find a laughstarved audience this holiday season. But if Chris Rock truly wants to give his fans a holiday treat, he will film a new standup comedy concert and talk about: Police shootings. Global warming. Oil pipelines. Poll tax. National healthcare. Immigration. Or, even the new World Trade Center. It’s what he does best. Visit NNPA Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.
The New Tri-State Defender
December 4 -10, 2014
Page 9
ENTERTAINMENT
Son of ‘Young And The Restless’ star commits suicide
by Kam Williams
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
For movies opening Dec. 5, 2014 BIG BUDGET FILMS “The Pyramid” (R for violence and gruesome images) Subterranean horror flick about a team of archaeologists who find themselves hunted by an evil creature after getting lost while exploring a labyrinth inside a lost pyramid discovered in Egypt beneath the Sahara Desert. Co-starring Garsha Arristos, Joseph Beddelem, Omar Benbrahim and James Buckley. “Top Five” (R for sexuality, nudity, crude humor, pervasive profanity and drug use) Chris Rock wrote, directed and stars in this star vehicle about a standup comic trying to become a serious actor. With Gabrielle Union, Tracy Morgan and Rosario Dawson. INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS “The Barefoot Artist” (Unrated) Poignant portrait of 73 year-old Lily Yeh, the Chinese artist-turned-global humanitarian who, based on a belief that access to art is a fundamental human right, created a foundation which transformed abandoned lots and buildings into parks, gardens, theaters, studios and educational facilities for poor kids in Philadelphia, Rwanda, Kenya, Ecuador and elsewhere. “By the Gun” (R for sexuality, nudity, graphic violence, pervasive profanity and drug use) Mafia drama, set in Boston, about an ambitious mobster’s (Ben Barnes) efforts to become a made man. With Harvey Keitel, Toby Jones and Leighton Meester. “Comet” (R for profanity, sexual references and drug use) Time travel adventure set in a parallel universe and chronicling a starcrossed couple’s (Emmy Rossum and Justin Long) tempestuous relationship. With Eric Winter, Lou Beatty Jr. and Kayla Servi. “Concerning Violence” (Unrated) Liberation retrospective, narrated by Lauryn Hill and inspired by Frantz Fanon’s “Wretched of the Earth,” recounting events transpiring in nine African nations during their struggles for freedom from European colonial rulers in the Sixties and Seventies. (In English, Swedish, French and Portuguese with subtitles) “Dying of the Light” (R for profanity and violence) Revenge thriller about a CIA agent (Nicolas Cage) who goes rogue, rather than retiring as ordered, in order to track down the terrorist (Alexander Karim) who tortured him years earlier. With Anton Yelchin, Irene Jacob and Adetomiwa Edun. “The Foxy Merkins” (Unrated) Unlikely-
Tracy Morgan stars in Chris Rock’s debut movie “Top Five.” (Courtesy photo) buddies comedy about a cash-strapped, asthmatic, lesbian, wannabe whore (Lisa Haas) who joins forces with a wealthy, seasoned streetwalker (Jackie Monahan) well-versed in picking up and satisfying women, despite being a heterosexual. With Frances Bodomo, Diane Ciesla and Claudia Cogan. “Lap Dance” (Unrated) Greg Carter wrote and directed this semi-autobiographical drama about an aspiring actress (Ali Cobrin) moonlighting as a stripper with the permission of her fiancé (Robert Hoffman) in order to pay her cancer-stricken father’s (James Remar) medical bills. Co-starring Stacey Dash, Mariel Hemingway, Carmen Electra and Nia Peeples. “Life Partners” (R for profanity and sexuality) Romantic comedy revolving around a couple of BFFs, one gay (Leighton Meester), one straight (Gillian Jacobs), whose longterm friendship is tested when the latter starts dating a doctor (Adam Brody). Support cast includes Gabourey Sidibe, Abby Elliott, Greer Grammer and Kate McKinnon. “Night Will Fall” (Unrated) Holocaust documentary culled from recent found-footage shot in 1945 by Alfred Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein in liberated concentration camps in Germany. “Pioneer” (R for profanity) Fact-based political thriller, set in the Seventies, about a grieving diver’s (Aksel Hennie) determination to expose an oil company and Norwegian government conspiracy to cover up the truth about how his brother (Andre Eriksen) died during the installation of a gas pipeline in the North Sea. With Wes Bentley, Stephanie Sigman and Jonathan LaPaglia. (In Norwegian
and English with subtitles)
Emmy-winning and longtime star of the popular soap the “Young And The Restless,” Kristoff St. John, and his wife, Mia, announced via Twitter that their “beautiful” 24-year-old son, Julian committed suicide, thereby ending his lifelong battle with mental illness. Julian, whom his parents say was a gifted artist, suffered from serious bouts of depression. Julian’s emotional toils caused him to become homeless, grapple with drug addiction and have run-ins with the authorities, according to his mother. He dealt with depression since childhood and was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 18. Julian has had his paintings and drawings compared to another young black artist who also battled emotional demons, Jean-Michel Basquiat. Mia took to Twitter to tell the world about her son: On November 23rd Kristoff St John and I lost our beautiful son, Julian St John. Our son was the light of our lives, an artist with a beautiful mind and spirit. He fought long and hard against an illness for which there is no cure. Unfortunately the pain became too great for him and I dare not say he lost the battle–he simply chose to set himself free. My fight for mental health will continue. They may not find a cure in my lifetime, but we can try and prevent the loss of another beautiful soul. Julian would have turned 25 on December 5, which will now be the day of his burial.
“Poverty, Inc.” (Unrated) “The more things change, the more they stay the same” documentary questioning whether the West’s Anti-Poverty Industrial Complex has been at all effective in alleviating the plight of Third World peoples. “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” (Unrated) Female Empowerment documentary recounting the rise of the women’s movement in the Sixties. Featuring appearances by Muriel Fox, Ellen Willis, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Kate Millett, Susan Brownmiller and Linda Burnham. “A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness” (Unrated) Surrealistic metaphysical realm exploration of today’s challenge to find space for spirituality within an increasingly-secular Western culture. “Wild” (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity and drug use) Reese Witherspoon stars in this adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, an Oprah Book Club selection recounting her transformational 1,100 mile solo trek undertaken across the Mojave Desert at the age of 26 to heal herself after a divorce, heroin addiction and the death of her mother. Cast includes Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michael Huisman and Gaby Hoffmann. “Zero Motivation” (Unrated) Comedic portrait of the clash of personalities among the members of a bored, all-female unit of Israeli soldiers stationed on a military base located in the desert. Starring Dana Ivgy, Shani Klein, Nelly Tagar and Heli Twito. (In Hebrew with subtitles)
Kristoff St. John