VOL. 62, No. 9
www.tsdmemphis.com
February 28 - March 6, 2013
Police union taking it to the streets
Citizen-support pitch planned Saturday Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
The Memphis Police Association will conduct a public awareness protest at Poplar & Highland on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to bring attention to what union president Michael Williams terms gross mismanagement by mayor AC Wharton Jr.’s administration. The meet-and-greet encounter is a giant public handshake designed to increase the volume on the union’s
Wake Up, MEMPHIS! campaign. “We think there has been a campaign going on to actually discredit the police in this city,” said Williams. “We think there are a lot of things that aren’t being addressed while running us down.” While citizens have a right to know what’s going on in the Memphis Police Department, Williams said “all kinds of things” may happen at other high-profile places and “you don’t see that all over the news.” “From the looks of it people may think that police aren’t disciplined a
CornerstoneLester rift oozes out of hearing Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Dorothy Bracy Alston Memphis Police Association President Michael Williams speaking about slain Memphis Police Officer Martoiya Lang. (Photo: WMC-TV) lot, but that’s not true,” Williams told The New Tri-State Defender in an interview. “As a paramilitary organization we can be disciplined for almost anything. If you don’t complete a report properly, you can get suspension days.” The problem affects citizens in many ways, said Williams, but most importantly in the bottom-line application of tax funding of the city’s needs. “Unless you’re a criminal, most
citizens like public safety and what we always tell people is to check the facts about what we are saying. The administration is concentrating on and spending too much on mess that doesn’t do a thing for the common citizen,” said Williams. “The mayor said he wasn’t going to lay off police officers because of public safety,” said Williams, “but SEE POLICE ON PAGE 2
Rosa Parks: ‘Larger than life’
Washington leaders host a statue dedication ceremony in honor of the late Rosa Louise Parks in National Statuary Hall. (Pool photo)
Civil rights icon honored with statue in Capitol CNN
by Corinne Jones WASHINGTON – Had it not been for Rosa Parks and others of her era, President Barack Obama said he wouldn’t be unveiling a bronze statue of the civil rights icon in the U.S. Capitol. “We can do no greater honor ... than to carry forward her principle of courage born of conviction,” President Obama said at a ceremony on Wednesday. Fifty-eight years after she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala., Parks became the first African-American woman to be honored with a full length statue in National Statuary Hall. The statue shows Parks sitting with her hands folded neatly in her lap, reminiscent of
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“The tired feet of those who walked the dusty roads of Montgomery helped a nation see that to which it had once been blind. It is because of these men and women that I stand here today.” President Barack Obama
the day of her arrest. Her action echoed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s notion that civil disobedience could be effective in challenging segregation. “The tired feet of those who walked the dusty roads of Montgomery helped a nation see that to which it had once been blind. It is because of these men and women that I stand here today,” Obama said. “It is because of them that our children grow up in a land more free and more fair. A land truer to its founding creed, and that is
why this statue belongs in this hall.” The President was joined at the unveiling by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Despite rising acrimony between President Obama and congressional Republicans over the forced government spending cuts set to go into effect on Friday, Obama kept his remarks focused on Parks’ legacy. He praised her courage and the lasting effects of her actions. Congressional leaders did the same. The National Statuary Hall Collection consists of two sculptures gifted from each of the 50 states. They honor distinguished people throughout U.S. history, including several presidents. Parks’ statue was authorized by a special act of Congress that was introduced two days after her death in 2005. Jesse Jackson Jr., then a U.S. Representative from Illinois, played a key role in securing the statue’s authorization.
Is it leadership, ineffective and insensitive teachers, cultural insensitivity, or all of the above? All were touted as reasons of concern when a packed house of parents, children, religious leaders, educators and community advocates convened Saturday (Feb. 23) to participate in a legislative hearing chaired by State Rep. G.A. Hardaway Jr. at the Lester Community Center. Time did not permit all to voice their concerns, but the 3½-hour buzz included testimonies from 12 parents, a current teacher, a former teacher, a minister and a community activist. Their stories reflected concerns about alleged inequities and unfair treatment impacting kindergarten through third graders at Cornerstone Prep Academy’s Lester Campus. Allegations mushroomed after the state-run Achievement School District approved Cornerstone Prep as the charter operation to reverse Lester School’s failing test scores. Meanwhile, administrators and staff have continued to stand up for Cornerstone, pointing to positive results in the classroom and on standardized tests. Unlike an earlier community meeting where police were called to assure order, Saturday’s session was an orderly and professionally facilitated affair. Hardaway made sure of that. He spent 10 minutes explaining how he hosts meetings, establishing parameters by which those testifying would adhere, and even telling the audience not to laugh or applaud. Everyone complied. It felt and looked like a legislative confirmation hearing on CSPAN. Hearing panelists were State Rep. Barbara Cooper, State Sen. Brian Kelsey, ASD Supt. Chris Barbic, and School Board Commissioner Sara Lewis. “Our goal here today is to gather information. This is a fact-finding meeting,” said Hardaway. “It’s not a debate one way or the other. We’ll gather information from those who testify and refer it to the appropriate agencies. Everything you tell us today needs to be factual.” Parents were respectful as they shared testimonies of embarrassment and humiliation suffered by their children. Some parents were not comfortable in testifying before a large SEE SCHOOL ON PAGE 2
- INSIDE -
• Why the Onion’s crappy apology is worthless. See Opinion, page 4. • The key to a good smoothie is the ingredients. See Health, page 5. • Workers over 50 are the new ‘unemployables.’ See Business, page 7. • Around the globe with Logan Westbrooks. See Entertainment, page 10.
New deadline for ‘The Teacher That Changed My Life’ essay contest
Did a teacher affect you so deeply that the course of your life was literally altered by the exchange? Well, if so, and if you can relay that experience in 500 words or less, you have a shot at coming up a winner in an essay contest dubbed “The Teacher That Changed My Life!” The New Tri-State Defender – in partnership with New America Media (NAM) and other media collaborators – are presenting this essay contest opportunity. The deadline has been extended and now is set for April 5. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by then, and all entries
are subject to the contest’s Official Rules. Winners and their teachers in each category will win $500 cash.
Eligible contestants
All contestants must reside in the city of Memphis or Shelby County. You can only enter one of the following categories: Teenagers between 14 to 18 years old; Write about a teacher, who is not your relative, who teaches in a public or private school in the city of Memphis or Shelby County. Adults 19 years of age and older;
Write about a teacher, who is not your relative, who teaches in a public or private school in the city of Memphis or Shelby County who have changed your life or the life of your child.
Teachers in memory
Write about a teacher, who is not your relative, who might have passed away or whom lost contact with, or a teacher who taught you in your home country.
(Visit www.tsdmemphis.com to read the official rules and download an entry form.)
Jamie Foxx
• Oscar Recap: ‘Argo,’ yes; Family affair, no! See Entertainment, page 12. • Grizzlies make monstrous comeback. See Sports, page 16.
NEWS
Page 2
Tri-State Defender
February 28 - March 6, 2013
POLICE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Pictured (l-r): School Board Commissioner Sara Lewis, State Rep. G.A. Hardaway Jr., State Sen. Brian Kelsey and Achievement School District Supt. Chris Barbic. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Madeleine Taylor, executive director of the Memphis Branch NAACP, and Rev. Keith Norman, pastor of First Baptist-Broad and branch president, observe students in the Wake Forrest classroom at Cornerstone Prep – Lester Campus in the Binghampton community during a tour for parents, community leaders and the media on Jan. 17 following allegations that some students were being mistreated. (Photo: Cardell Orrin)
SCHOOL
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
crowd. They, as well as some children, presented statements or testified in private. The general consensus of those testifying dealt with issues of teachers having no control in the classrooms and restrictive rules on bathroom breaks that caused children to have repeated accidents before teachers acknowledged them. Other complaints included three teachers to a classroom, and teachers who were too young, inexperienced and not certified. Some speculated that teachers had no children of their own and could not relate to the students. Rep. Cooper drew upon her 30-plus years as a retired public school educator. “Often teachers need training on how to deal with students,” said Cooper. “It’s lack of training and professional certification. Some are not certified and some just don’t know how to handle children.” Karen Walker was among 12 former Lester Elementary School teachers who attended the hearing. She said none of the types of problems that drew parents’ complaints occurred during her 28 years as a teacher at Lester. “As a teacher, we knew the parents well enough to address them by their first names. They might not have sent us Rhodes Scholars but we worked with what they brought us,” said Walker. “We had to build a community in our classroom and not just within the community…. “We should be listening to these kids. We have to deal with what we’ve got and you have to listen to the kids,” said Walker. “Kids know when you love them and every kid has to know that they are loved.”
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Audra Johnson, Dr. Willie W. Herenton and Chanduleon Julio Douglas at Saturdayʼs legislative hearing. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Dr. Herenton’s report
Former mayor and future charter school administrator, Dr. Willie W. Herenton, attended the earlier meeting and had committed to talk with Gov. Bill Haslam about the stated concerns. On Saturday, he was back with a report. “I promised to make contact with the governor to express your concerns. I’m old school, a man whose word is his bond,” said Herenton. “Before speaking to the governor, I wrote down my concerns, indicating that I saw evidence of lack of respect, trust, transparency and poor communications (at the school).” According to Herenton, Haslam said, “Tell the media we had an open and candid conversation. I think we’re doing a good job in Memphis.” The governor, said Herenton, “never asked me, ‘Willie, Dr. Herenton, do you think there is any credence to the complaints being levied by the parents? Is there any credence to the teacher’s behavior?’ “He never asked what I saw or thought. I left the conversation with the feeling that he was, apathetic and totally indifferent.”
As Herenton was about to make his exit three hours into the meeting, one of the remaining parents popped this question: “If you are in support of Dr. Herenton taking over Lester and running it as a charter school, come forward and let your support be known.” Fifteen people stepped forward. Dr. Herenton was clearly surprised. Supt. Barbic spoke after all testimonies were taken. “This is the second public meeting I’ve attended. I want this to be right,” said Barbic. “It has to be both building relationships and academic performance. We have some work to do. It’s not perfect, but we’re working incredibly hard to make this happen. We really want to get this right.”
(Dorothy Bracy Alston is a journalist, author, freelance writer and adjunct English professor. Visit Dorothy’s blog at www.CisbaAssociates. blogspot.com; join her on Facebook at www. facebook.com/dorothybracyals ton, email her at DBAlston@hotmail.com, follow her on Twitter @DBAlston, or call 901-570-3923).
what he did is to make us lose more than 300 officers by attrition. And because they’re constantly talking about taking benefits away from officers we have officers and potential recruits running away from the MPD. “You’re not going to be able to recruit quality individuals in a city with one of the highest crime rates in the nation. It is a direct issue of public safety.” Mayor Wharton was in Nashville as the deadline came for this story and the TSD was not able to reach him for comment. In public statements, however, Wharton has stressed that police – by the nature of their work – should be held to different, indeed higher, standards. City Hall sources reached Wednesday noted these points: • The City Council – not the mayor – allocates budgets. • The union’s message campaign has the major flaw of being top heavy. • The police union should follow the lead of other unions. Specifically, the MPA should work closer with City government and bring forward solutions that are well thought out and doable. • Heated public discussions
“Unless youʼre a criminal, most citizens like public safety and what we always tell people is to check the facts about what we are saying.” – MPA President Michael Williams (Photo Christopher Hope_
are just not Mayor Wharton’s way of doing business. The union’s website displays a list of things that Williams ticked off as junk expenditure of city resources. “They say we don’t have any money, but you got riverboats, river docks. They say they want to expand the Fairgrounds, etc., and we feel that it’s coming from resources better devoted to public safety,” said Williams. “We have people getting ultra wealthy from our tax dollars, so we want to bring awareness to what is really going on. Look at the projects where your money is spent.
Those riverboats are already bankrupt…. “The statement that we want citizens to come out and support is that if we are fighting for dollars, allocate them where they have the most impact – public safety.” How any of this is affecting relations with the office of MPD Director Toney Armstrong is not clear. While Armstrong was not available for comment, his office did send the TSD a statement making the point that Armstrong is “a member of the union. He meets with them monthly and anytime when it is deemed necessary.”
WORLD
Tri-State Defender
Page 3
February 28 - March 6, 2013
Boy scares off lions with flashy invention for CNN
By Teo Kermeliotis
(CNN) — Richard Turere, 13, doesn’t like lions. In fact, he hates them. Yet this bright Maasai boy has devised an innovative solution that’s helping the survival of these magnificent beasts — by keeping them away from humans. Living on the edge of Nairobi National Park, in Kenya, Turere first became responsible for herding and safeguarding his family’s cattle when he was just nine. But often, his valuable livestock would be raided by the lions roaming the park’s sweet savannah grasses, leaving him to count the losses. “I grew up hating lions very much,” says Turere, who is from Kitengela, just south of the capital Nairobi. “They used to come at night and feed on our cattle when we were sleeping.” So, at the age of 11, Turere decided it was time to find a way of protecting his family’s cows, goats and sheep from falling prey to hungry lions. His light bulb moment came with one small observation. “One day, when I was walking around,” he says, “I discovered that the lions were scared of the moving light.” Turere realized that lions were afraid of venturing near the farm’s stockade when someone was walking around with a flashlight. He put his young mind to work and a few weeks later he’d come up with an innovative, simple and lowcost system to scare the predators away. He fitted a series of flashing
Richard Turereʼs “Lion Lights” are connected to a box with switches and to an old car battery powered by a solar panel. (Photo: Dr. Paula Kahumbu)
Richard Turere, 13, has found an innovative way to protect his familyʼs cattle from lions. (Photo: Dr. Paula Kahumbu) LED bulbs onto poles around the livestock enclosure, facing outward. The lights were wired to a box with switches and to an old car battery powered by a solar panel. They were designed to flicker on and off intermittently, thus tricking the lions into believing that someone was moving around carrying a flashlight. And it worked. Since Turere rigged up his “Lion Lights,” his family has not lost any livestock to the wild beasts, to the great delight of his father and astonishment of his neighbors. What’s even more impressive is that Turere devised and installed the whole system by himself, without ever receiving any training in electronics or engineering. The 13-year-old’s remark-
able ingenuity has been recognized with an invitation to the TED 2013 conference, being held this week in California, where he’ll share the stage with some of the world’s greatest thinkers, innovators and scientists. “I did it myself, no one taught me, I just came up with it,” says Turere. “I had to look after my dad’s cows and make sure that they were safe.”
Human-wildlife conflict
Nairobi is the world’s only capital with a national park, where wild lions, rhinos and other beasts roam free against the urban backdrop of skyscrapers rising from the nearby bustling city center.
Each year, thousands of camera-toting tourists visit the park — which is fenced along its northern boundary but open in the south — hoping to catch a glimpse of the lions inhabiting its rolling plains and valleys. But for the pastoralists and Maasai tribes around the park, a lion sighting is usually bad news; valuable livestock are often lost to lions looking for easy prey, prompting rural communities to take matters into their own hands. In some cases they’ve killed whole prides that they perceived as threat, or as retaliation for lost livestock. The use of pesticides such as Furadan — a tablespoon of which costs less than a dollar and is enough to kill a lion — has become a
particularly ruthless way of doing so. The rising human-wildlife conflict, coupled with a fastgrowing urban encroachment, means that Kenya is now home to less than 2,000 lions, a massive drop compared to the 15,000 that lived there just a decade ago. Large sums have been spent in recent years by officials in a bid to protect the lions and strengthen Kenya’s tourism industry. Yet conservationists say that many of these top-down initiatives fail to gain traction with local populations. And this is why inventions like Turere’s — home grown, simple, affordable and effective — can make a big difference. Indeed, several neighbors of the Turere family in Kitengela have sought Turere’s help, asking him to install the system in their enclosures. In total, around 75 “Lion Light” systems have so far been rigged up around Kenya. “This is a solution that was invented by somebody in the community,” explains Paula Kahumbu, executive director of the Kenya Land Conservation Trust and chairman of the Friends of Nairobi National Park. “Therefore the support for it is very high.”
Bright ideas, bright future
Kahumbu and her col-
leagues first came across Turere’s innovation some two years ago in the course of their fieldwork. Stunned by the boy’s achievements, they helped him get a scholarship at Brookhouse International School, one of Kenya’s top educational institutions, where he started last April. “Richard is quite an extraordinary boy,” says Kahumbu. She describes him as a “very smart, curious and surprisingly confident [boy] for his age and background,” who’s integrated smoothly among his new classmates, most of whom are from wealthy families. “One thing that’s unique about Richard is that if you give him a problem, he’ll keep working at it until he can fix it,” she adds. “He doesn’t give up; he doesn’t find things too difficult; he’s not afraid of being unable to do something and I think this is why he is such a good innovator — because he’s not worried that it might not work, he’s going to try and do it anyway.” Turere says his dream is to work in aviation when he grows up. “Three years ago when I was in the savannah herding my father’s cattle I used to see the planes flying over and landing at the airport and I was like, one day I’ll be a pilot and an aircraft engineer,” he says. For this remarkable boy, it’s clear that the sky is the limit.
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OPINION
Tri-State Defender
February 28 - March 6, 2013
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
Lessons from Mark Essex and Christopher Dorner
Over a 43-year career in journalism, I have been blessed with some memorable experiences: I have covered presidential and vice presidential campaigns, I have flown on Air Force One, I have gone to parties at the White House, met Pope John Paul II, spent two weeks in Egypt, visited former slave dungeons in Dakar and Accra and have traveled around the world, including Rome, Paris, London, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Havana, Vienna and recently Beijing and Shanghai. Of the thousands of stories I covered since I began my career in 1970 – primarily for Sports Illustrated, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Chicago Tribune, Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service – one has affected me more than any other. It was the violent death of 23-yearold Mark Essex on Jan. 7,1973. Essex, who was known as the New Orleans Sniper, killed nine innocent people, including five police officers, and wounded 13 others. I was sent to Emporia, Kan., to interview relatives and friends in an effort to learn what triggered Essex’s outburst. What has stayed with me over the years is not the carnage he inflicted – though that’s unforgettable – it’s the events that led up to that point. Essentially, Essex felt that he had been harassed in the Navy, an account partly supported by friends, and he became so embittered that he was ready to die. In fact, that’s exactly what he wrote home to his parents shortly before his death. I interviewed Essex’s mother and father after his bullet-riddled body was pulled from the roof of the Howard Johnson Hotel and sent back to Emporia for burial. Family members told me how a quiet, happy go lucky youth became embittered in the Navy. So bitter that he began hating all white people and was never the same again. I suspect the reason the story has stuck with me for four decades is because I realized that had I not been able to handle the stifling racism while growing up in segregated Tuscaloosa, Ala. during the 1950s and 1960s, that could have been me. Because I had relatives and adults who coached me on how to deal with overt racism, I didn’t go down that bloody path. When I first heard about Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles cop who also went on a murder spree, I was reminded of Mark Essex. Like Essex, he complained of reporting racist acts to his supervisor and nothing was done about it. His manifesto, while rambling, gave clear details of his torment. Dorner wrote about a white police officer using the n-word. Dorner said when he challenged the officer to not use the word in his presence, the officer replied, “I’ll say it when I want.” At that point, Dorner said he jumped over the passenger seat and began strangling the officer until they were separated by other cops. Dorner also wrote about the blue line, the code of ethics that prevents cops from testifying against one another, even when that officer is
wrong. Interestingly, while in the midst of killing innocent people, both Essex and Dorner spared some lives. In his case, Dorner did not shoot the person whose vehicle he hijacked George E. toward the end of Curry the police chase. He also did not harm a couple that arrived at their mountain cabin only to find it to staked out by Dorner. At the Howard Johnson hotel in New Orleans, a black maid said Essex told her, “Don’t worry. Mark We’re not killing Essex blacks today, just whites.” In the aftermath of the deaths of Mark Essex and Christopher Dorner, there is something we can take away from their lives. One of our greatest chalwhen Christopher lenges dealing with Dorner young people, especially, is that we must teach them how to survive life’s slings and arrows without going over the edge. It would be interesting if communitywide forums were organized for young people to listen to what their elders went through. Not just listen to them, but learn from them. Alex Haley said his grandmother taught him to listen more than he spoke. She said if God had wanted us to talk more than listen, He would have given us two mouths and one ear. Like you, I don’t know exactly how we can prevent people from resorting to self-destructive deadly violence. But I know we must start somewhere in our community – whether it’s school, church, home, community centers or a combination. In an interview Sunday night with blog radio host Zandra Conway, we discussed various coping techniques. I told her that whenever I feel down, I always visualize life as a Ferris wheel. I try to hold on while I am at the bottom because sooner or later, I will glide back to the top. How do you manage to cope during difficult times? Don’t tell me, tell someone close to you. It just might save their life.
(George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He can be reached via www.georgecurry.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.)
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Targeting Hispanics but not African Americans?
I have been extremely critical of President Obama for using the black community as his personal political pawn. I have been just as critical of the black community’s acceptance of that treatment. There are so many other issues I would like to write about – Africa, economics, international trade, etc. – but I feel compelled to speak out when there is an injustice being perpetrated against my community, especially from within. Last week, Obama did a drive-by meeting with the usual cast of black, media-appointed leaders – Al Sharpton, Ben Jealous, etc. Nothing unusual about that. But, what I did find unusual was the stated purpose of the meeting. According to the White House, the purpose was to discuss Obama’s “plan to strengthen the economy for the middle class and continue to build ladders of opportunity for those striving to get there.” Once again there was not one businessman at the table, even though the stated purpose of the meeting was to discuss the economy. The black apologists that Obama met with last week often criticize me for being too hard on Obama. They say he can’t do anything overtly targeting blacks because whites will think he is being partial. But it’s OK for whites to think Obama is being partial to Hispanics and homosexuals when he pushes legislation that they are interested in. So, I bring to your attention two statements issued by the White House, one after meeting with blacks last week and the other after meeting with Hispanics last month. The statement that was released by the White House said after the president met with Black leaders: “The President met with African American leaders yesterday in the Roosevelt Room at the White House to continue their dialogue on his plan to strengthen the economy for the middle class and continue to build ladders of opportunity for
those striving to get there. “The President reiterated his commitment to supporting policies that will directly impact those hardest hit by the economic crisis by making sure that AmeriRaynard ca is a magnet Jackson for jobs, increasing access to job training programs, partnering with high-poverty communities to help them rebuild, and encouraging companies to invest in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The president also reiterated his call to reform education by expanding universal pre-K for every child as a way to significantly decrease the achievement gap. “The president and the leaders expressed a shared concern about the need to implement common-sense improvements to the voting process because our democracy works best when every American eligible to vote has the opportunity to cast their ballot and make their voices heard. “The President called on the leaders to continue the national dialogue on the need for a balanced approach to deficit reduction. He stressed the harm that the automatic cuts known as the sequester will have on thousands of jobs while cutting services to children, seniors, mental wellness programs, small businesses, and those in our military. “The President praised the participants for their steadfast leadership on a broad range of issues critical to improving the economy and strengthening our country. The leaders in attendance also highlighted their goals to continue to build momentum for Congress to act in the best interests of the American people by supporting policies that help move our country forward.” Hardly sounds like a Black Agen-
da. Now examine the statement released by the White House after the meeting last month with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus: “The President and Senior Administration Officials met this morning with leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss the need to make things fairer for and grow the middle class by fixing our broken immigration system so everyone plays by the same rules. The President thanked the Members for their longstanding leadership on the issue, and reiterated that this is a top legislative priority. “The President was pleased to hear from CHC members and noted that they share the same vision, including that any legislation must include a path to earned citizenship. The President further noted that there is no excuse for stalling or delay. The President made it clear he will continue to lead on this issue, and that he looks forward to working with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other key Members of Congress in a bipartisan process to move this debate forward at the earliest possible opportunity. “The President will be traveling to Nevada on Tuesday to redouble the Administration’s efforts to work with Congress to fix the broken immigration system this year.” There you have it: President Obama is stuck on his rising tide lifts all boats when he speaks with blacks. Yet, when he talks to Hispanics, he says the “I”-word –immigration. He then talks about creating a path to citizenship and says it will be one of his top legislative priorities. I rest my case.
(Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.based public relations/government affairs firm. He can be reached via www.raynardjackson.com. follow him on Twitter at raynard1223.)
Why the Onion’s crappy apology is worthless
When I watched Quvenzhané Wallis telling the story of a little girl called Hushpuppy and her adventures living in a poor Bayou area in “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” I was enchanted by how well she articulated her life and the world around her. I had so much hope that she might be the youngest person ever to take home a golden statuette and wanted to believe that everyone else on the planet shared my sentiment. The best actress trophy went to Jennifer Lawrence for “Silver Linings Playbook,” and the pervasive thinking for Quvenzhané was probably something like, “It’s OK, Princess, you were still wonderful.” But that wasn’t the case in the offices of the Onion, the Chicagobased satirical news website. Someone, possibly a social media editor, as yet unnamed, decided to place this on Twitter: “Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhané Wallis is kind of a c—t, right?” The tweet was reportedly taken down an hour after it was posted, but not really. Anyone who follows the Onion on Twitter and everyone who doesn’t got wind of this tweet, and it spread across the Web like, well, the smell of bad onions! The controversy has, at least for half a day – which is equal to months on the Internet – became to the Oscars what the Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” became to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Nobody’s even thinking about “Argo” or Ben Affleck or red carpets or lengthy,
Madison Gray
tearful speeches now, and anybody with access to a keyboard is pissed, and rightly so (except for those who try to explain that the joke was aimed at Hollywood itself and not the girl, and make themselves sound fugazi in
the process). “How dare they use that kind of vulgar language when referring to a 9-year-old girl?” “This wasn’t funny!” “They’ve gone too far!” ... And on and on it goes. That’s until something else catches people’s short attention span. Onion CEO Steve Hannah, betting on short attention spans, quickly whipped up a mea culpa for the tweet, offering his most humble “we screwed up” plea for forgiveness. But that’s why the Onion’s halfassed apology for the tweet, while maybe sincere, isn’t enough, and nothing they can do ever will be. “Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry.” When you put something out there in the media, good or bad, it’s out there and can’t be taken back, no matter how sorry you are. Just ask Don Imus. His infamous “nappyheaded hoes” quip was heard and never unheard, because the damage was done, like throwing acid in the
face of a girl in Afghanistan who is trying to get an education, or a slave owner raping one of his slaves. It’s just that sexist and racist, and I’m not sparing the feelings of anyone at the Onion, since they didn’t spare Quvenzhané’s. So while an apology is part and parcel when someone says or does something this thoughtless, it only really pushes the envelope a little further for someone else who believes that in order to be funny someone needs to be offended. Don’t get me wrong – edgy comedy is funny. Hell, Richard Pryor did it for years, and I’ll argue that he’s the funniest man of all time. But as raunchy as his language was, he never directly aimed it at anyone’s child. He was smart enough to know that what he said had to be carefully engineered not only for maximum impact, but to make the social statements that he intended. So perhaps that’s the takeaway from all this: When you try to be funny, be adhesive. What came out of the Onion was the opposite. In fact it was like dress socks on a bamboo floor: It caused the people at the Onion to slip and fall on their unfunny asses. This is why, as many n-words and M-Fs as Pryor spewed, he never once had to apologize for them, because there was nothing to apologize for. It was just hot, sticky truth.
(Madison Gray is a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based writer and Web journalist. This article courtesy of The Root. Follow him on Twitter.)
Tri-State Defender
HEALTH
February 28 - March 6, 2013
CHEF TIMOTHY
Five wellness tips for dads
Fathers playing an active role in their children’s lives, including their health and safety, can make a positive difference. According to the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC), setting a good example is the most important way to teach children healthy behaviors. Even if you don’t share a home with your children, following healthy habits when you are together encourages them to do the same. Resources available on the NRFC website (www. fatherhood.gov) confirm that healthy fathers are more available to emotionally and financially support their children and families. With fathers in mind, here are five wellness tips: 1. Psychological health Life can get complicated and overwhelming. So being a loving, involved father isn’t always easy. If you are depressed, are abusing drugs, or have other issues that affect your emotional and mental health, they can cause problems between you and your children. There are many support and treatment options available to help you get past the barriers that could be holding you back from a better relationship with your children. 2. Physical health – Exercise regularly. Find an activity that you enjoy so you are more likely to maintain a routine. When planning your workouts, discuss them with your children. Explain your exercise routine and how they can join in too. Set realistic workout goals. Be sure to balance your workouts with proper sleep. 3. Dietary health – Eat healthy foods in moderate amounts. Drink water and snack on fruits and vegetables. Discuss your diet with your children. When in the grocery store, point out healthy choices. Read the labels on food items with your children and discuss nutrition information. You are what you eat, so be sure to encourage and model healthy eating habits for your children. 4. Social health How you conduct your adult relationships has a direct effect on your children. Studies show that people who enjoy healthy relationships have more happiness and less stress. If your relationships in the past were stormy or troubled, you can start now to undo attitudes and behaviors that might have contributed to an unsatisfying personal life. Dealing with past mistakes allows you to move forward by establishing positive, fulfilling relationships. 5. Interpersonal health Healthy interactions are often the most neglected component of well-being. Healthy relationships take time and effort. Look for ways to add laughter to your activities with your children. Make sure your children know and understand your values by living them every day. Focus on your successes and not what you consider to be your failures. Let your children know that it is OK to fail and that no matter what, you’ll always love them. (For more information, visit www.fatherhood.gov or call 877-4DAD411. Stay in touch with the NRFC on Facebook and Twitter.)
Memphis Overeaters to host regional
Overeaters Anonymous Greater Memphis Area Intergroup will host a regional conference March 15-17 at the Hilton in East Memphis. With the theme of “GAS Up in Memphis At the Crossroads of Recovery,” the Southeast Overeaters Anonymous Region 8 Recovery Convention and Business Assembly will focus on the message of 12step recovery from compulsive eating and other food issues. Region 8 of OA includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, South America, Central America and the Caribbean Islands. Hilton Memphis is located at 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. For reservations, call 901-6846664 and mention SOAR8 for special room rates. For more information, go to www.oaregion8.org. For online registration, go to www.gasupinmemphis.eventb rite.com.
The key to a good smoothie is the ingredients by Chef Timothy Moore
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
No matter what plan you’ve tried, losing weight is not all that easy. A smoothie – if it’s prepared the right way – can be a big boost. This week, I’m going to share with you some of my world-famous smoothie recipes that have helped many in their quests to feel better and return to that youthful look. These smoothies are fruit rich and blended with water instead of yogurt and milk. Convenient, ultra-fast and energizing, they can be used as a meal replacement. Choose your fruits carefully, because our bodies are made differently. Fruits, of course, have a lot of natural sugar. Moderation must be the key in keeping blood sugars under control, even if you’re not diabetic. If you are diabetic, you should use fruit
smoothies as meal replacements only as needed. Some of us have food sensitivities, allergies or o t h e r health concerns Dr. Timothy that require us Moore to avoid or limit our intake of certain foods. Apply this knowledge to everything you prepare or ingest. Experiment with adding similar foods until the taste is perfect for you. Remember this: The keys to a great smoothie are with the maker of the drink and the chosen ingredients. The fresher the ingredients, the better the beverage. So enjoy the smoothies and enjoy life again.
Glorious Green Smoothie
This is such a beautiful smoothie! It’s cold and perfect after a hard workout. 2 cups (packed) red Russian kale ½-cup blueberries ½-cup strawberries, whole ½-cup water ¼-cup currants, dried green stevia powder to taste (If you can’t find dried currants use raisins instead) Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Apple-Collard Green Smoothie
This is a wonderful winter smoothie! The sweet taste hits the spot and the collards keep you warm for hours! 2 medium apples 1 medium banana 5 leaves of collard greens 1 date 1/4 tsp. green stevia powder 1/4-1/2-cup water (If you don’t have green stevia, use raisins or another dried fruit instead.) Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Strawberry Ambrosia Green Smoothie
Brings out the rich and sensuous flavor of the strawberries. What a celebration! 2/3 lbs. spinach (4-5 cups, packed) 1/2-cup water 1 ½-cups strawberries, whole 1 1/2 medium bananas 1/3-cup raisins 1/4 tsp. vanilla Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Strawberry and Banana Green Smoothie
Amazingly, this smoothie tastes like strawberries and bananas even though it has three cups of chard in it. 3 chard leaves (3 cups, packed) 1 medium banana 1 ½-cups strawberries, whole 1 medium peach 3 medium apples Preparation: 1. Juice the apples and pour into the blender. 2. Blend the juice and remaining ingredients until smooth.
Beet Greens Smoothie
Perfect for people who are new to green smoothies. You can’t even detect the greens. Plus, it’s red! 3 cups (packed) beet greens 2 cups strawberries, whole 1/2-cup mangos 1/2-cup blueberries 2 medjool dates 3 medium apples (Save your beet tops for this smoothie!) Preparation: 1. Juice the apples and pour into the blender. 2. Blend the juice and remaining ingredients until smooth.
(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, international wellness coach and personal plantbased chef. He is the author of “47 Tips To Reverse Your Diabetes.” He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@ cheftimothymoore.com, visit him at www.cheftimothymoore.com or follow him at www.twitter .com/cheftimmoore.)
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NATION
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Tri-State Defender
February 28 - March 6, 2013
Trayvon Martin did not die in vain COMMENTARY CNN Contributor
by Roland Martin
In the age of short attention spans and mass media hopping from one story to the next, it is fairly remarkable that the shooting death of Trayvon Martin one year ago Tuesday continues to resonate among the consciousness of many Americans. Most of this is because a dedicated group of activists, bloggers, social media afficionadios and members of the media – mostly the black press – have been diligent in ensuring that what took place on a cool, rainy night in Sanford, Fla., deserves to be brought out into the open and not to become a drive-by media story. And no doubt the vigilance of Trayvon’s parents – Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin – has made it hard for people to forget. Since Trayvon was shot and killed after an altercation with George Zimmerman, a one-man neighborhood watch guy, Fulton and Martin have attended many high-profile events like the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend and the NAACP Image Awards, walking red carpets and telling anyone who would listen that their son should not have died and there was no justice. They have been shepherded through this process by their attorney, Ben Crump, who has transformed his law practice into a 2013 version of what Johnnie Cochran – famed criminal defense attorney – was when he was the go-to guy for national social justice legal cases. Crump has become the guy that black par-
ents call when their children, mostly young men, have been shot and killed. Even though the trial of Zimmerman won’t take place until June – almost 16 months after the fatal shooting of Trayvon – a lot of things have changed and are in the process of being debated. First, while everyone continues to focus on Zimmerman and whether he will invoke a Stand Your Ground law defense, efforts are under way in the Florida Legislature and other states to get rid of such laws, or change them. Florida Democratic State Rep. Alan Williams has introduced a bill in the legislature that would do away with the Stand Your Ground defense, which law enforcement personnel and district attorneys have said makes their job harder in prosecuting shootings. Many believe the Florida legislature won’t overturn the law, but changes have been bandied about by the Republican majority, which is a good thing. The death of Trayvon exposed the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a shadowy, corporate-funded group that has been one of the leading forces behind stand-your-ground laws. Once the light hit them, their involvement in other issues, such as voter ID laws, was made public. The ALEC is one of those nondescript groups that were formed to assist corporations to fight tax policies and to advance an economic agenda. But then they use their war chest to expand into other controversial areas, like stand your ground laws. It wasn’t until Change.org led petition drives for major
The vigilance of Trayvon Martinʼs parents – Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin – has made it hard for people to forget their son was shot and killed after an altercation with George Zimmerman one year ago. (Photo: CNN.com) corporations to pull out of ALEC that the group disbanded some of their other efforts. Had the consciousness not been raised after Trayvon’s death, ALEC would probably still be going about their business writing and pushing for laws that are unjust to many Americans. Trayvon’s death also awakened the inner fighting spirit of many young people, as well as African-Americans in sports and entertainment. When the Miami Heat donned black hoodies to show their solidarity with those who protested Trayvon’s death, that represented one of the biggest examples of today’s sports stars standing up for a social cause. Black history is replete with individuals who made it clear that life wasn’t all about sports. Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Kareem Abul-Jabbar, Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson were athletes who refused to hide away in the locker room. They used their platforms to speak about societal ills, and bridged the gap between activism and entertainment. The likes of Jamie Foxx, Cedric the Entertainer and so many others in Hollywood have answered the call of activist-entertainer Harry Bela-
Cleotha Staples of the Staples Singers dies The Root
by Hillary Crosley
Cleotha Staples of the soul group the Staples Singers passed away last week (Feb. 21) at her home in Chicago, reports Billboard. She was 78. Staple was the eldest sister and member of the group her father Roebuck “Pops” Staples started in the 1940s. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for the past decade, said family friend and music publicist Bill Carpenter. The group included sisters Pervis, Yvonne, Mavis and Cynthia, but Cleotha was the backbone, defining herself by being the “strong, silent type,” said Carpenter, author of “Uncloudy Day: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia.” “A lot of singers would try to sing like her,” Mavis Staples said in a statement. “Her voice would just ring in your ear. It wasn’t harsh or hitting
The Staples Singers/Warner Bros. you hard, it was soothing. She gave us that country sound.” Staples, known as “Cleedi,” was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with her family in 1999 and received a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys in
2005. The Staple Singers gained a huge audience with their first No. 1 hit “I’ll Take You There” in 1972 and followed with top 40 hits “Respect Yourself,” “Heavy Makes You Happy,” and “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me).”
fonte to use their celebrity for more than just the next project. They have gone down to Florida to stand in solidarity with Trayvon’s parents and bring attention to the issues surrounding his death. But what is most needed – more than just keeping the focus on Trayvon – is for his death to spark an uprising of awareness and consciousness, maybe similar to what Emmett Till’s death did in 1955. Till’s lynching death in Mississippi helped spark the Civil Rights Movement, which radically altered the course of this nation. It’s time for America to move beyond the mind-set of me, myself and I, and understand that this is about we, us and our. For every Trayvon Martin, there are thousands of others who don’t get the media attention, but they deserve justice, too. This isn’t about black or white; it’s about what’s right and wrong; fair and unfair. No matter what happens in the trial of George Zimmerman, those who marched, protested, tweeted, Facebooked, lit candles and wore hoodies know that without all of that collective action, Zimmerman would be walking around free and would have never seen the inside of a courtroom. Standyour-ground laws would exist
Demonstrators gathered in New York City on the one-year anniversary of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)
Trayvon’s dad declares ‘Hoods Up Day’
(The Root) – On the one-year anniversary of the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, his parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, addressed a crowd of hundreds gathered in New York City’s Union Square for a rally billed as a “Million Hoodies” rally. Also speaking at the rally was entertainer Jamie Foxx. The Root was there, and heard the following: “As parents of Trayvon Martin, we certainly are declaring today, in our households, Hoods Up Day. This day, until the day I die, will be Hoods Up Day for me.” – Tracy Martin “I’m a mother of two boys. I have one son on Earth and one son in heaven, and I’m going to continue to fight for my boys, as well as your boys and girls.” – Sybrina Fulton “It’s a personal thing with me and Sybrina. I saw her at the (NAACP) Image Awards, and we had a moment together, and I don’t want to share everything that was said, but she said, “My baby’s gone.” As I stood there with my daughter, who is 19 now, I started to think what would I feel like if she wasn’t there with me. So I made a commitment that night.” – Jamie Foxx
with nary a peep of opposition; and we would all be living our lives as if all is good. One young man ended up dead in Sanford, Fla., on the night of the NBA All-Star Game, but a heckuva whole lot has changed for the better as a result. Trayvon Martin did not die in vain.
(Roland Martin is a syndicated columnist and author of “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House.” He is a commentator for the TV One cable network and host/managing editor of its Sunday morning news show, “Washington Watch with Roland Martin.”
HAVE YOU HEARD? ‘Bra Bandits’ strike Victoria’s Secret – again
REDMOND, Wash. – In the past couple weeks, Victoria’s Secret in Redmond Town Center has been targeted by thieves who are grabbing thousands of dollars worth of bras and other merchandise from the retailer, police said. Jim Bove with the Redmond Police Department said the first incident happened the day before Valentine’s Day. Since then, two suspects — a male and female — reportedly stole 48 bras worth close to $3,500 from the store. But the thieves didn’t stop there — on Feb. 23, two female suspects were caught on surveillance cameras taking 15 bras that were worth $700 and on Feb. 24, a group of four to six males and females
were spotted stealing 33 bras that were worth $2,700. The suspects were reported to be seen leaving in a silver or gray SUV; no other information is available. Anyone with information should contact Redmond police. (Source: Web Desk, KCPQ, Redmond, Wash., via CNN)
Pastor: Toy gun buyback may help curb gun violence
A St. Louis pastor wants to organize a toy gun buyback. Pastor Rodney Francis told FOX2 keeping toy guns away from children may help end our “culture of violence.” “It is all about changing the way they engage with others,” Francis said. “I don’t know why would people ever think that it is OK to let kids
play with things like that.” In 2012, 108 people were shot to death in St. Louis. “That is more than a problem,” Francis said. “People are getting killed.” There have been 19 murders in St. Louis in 2013, with 18 of those people who were shot to death. “This needs to be part of our conversation about ending this violence,” Francis said. “It is one aspect of this problem.” During an interview after two officers were shot, St. Louis Chief of Police Sam Dotson said that “society” needs to do something to keep guns away from criminals. “It all starts when they are children,” Francis said. Francis is still working on the details of the toy gun buyback.
(Source: Anthony Kiekow, KTVA, St. Louis via CNN)
BUSINESS
Tri-State Defender
Page 7
February 28 - March 6, 2013
“I’ve thought about taking 10 years off my resume. It’s not like we’re senile. The average age of Congress is something like 57. Joe Biden is 70. Ronald Reagan was in his 70s when he was president. So what’s the problem?” — Clair Matthews
Workers over 50 are the new ‘unemployables’ CNNMoney
by Annalyn Kurtz Unemployed workers in their fifties are increasingly finding themselves stuck in limbo. On one hand, they’re too young to retire. They may also be too old to get re-hired. Call them the “new unemployables,” say researchers at Boston College. Older workers were less likely to lose their jobs during the recession, but those who were laid off are facing far tougher conditions than their younger colleagues. Workers in their fifties are about 20 percent less likely than workers ages 25 to 34 to become re-employed, according to an Urban Institute study published last year. “Once you leave the job market, trying to get back in it is a monster,” said Mary
Clair Matthews, 58, who has teetered between bouts of unemployment and short temp jobs for the last five years. She applies for jobs every week, but most of the time, her applications hit a brick wall. Employers rarely get back to her, and when they do she’s often told she is “overqualified” for the position. Sometimes she wonders: Is that just a euphemism for too old? Her resume shows she has more than 30 years of experience working as a teacher, librarian, academic administrator and fundraiser for nonprofits. “I’ve thought about taking 10 years off my resume,” she said. “It’s not like we’re senile. The average age of Congress is something like 57. Joe Biden is 70. Ronald Reagan was in his 70s when he was president. So what’s the problem?”
That’s a question on the minds of many older workers. Take Jill Cummings, 55, who has thought about dying her gray hair to improve her chances of landing a job. Then there’s Tony Kash, 50, who wonders why his 30 years experience in manufacturing and management is no match for 25-year-olds fresh out of college with business degrees. Nearly two-thirds of unemployed workers age 55 and older say they have been actively searching for a job for more than one year, compared to just one-third of younger workers, a recent survey by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found. Older workers also have the longest bouts of unemployment. The average duration of unemployment for workers ages 55 to 64 was 11 months as recently as January, according to the Labor
Department. That’s three months longer than the average for 25- to 36-year-olds. Given these circumstances, many workers can’t help but think age discrimination is a factor. AARP’s Public Policy Institute surveyed unemployed baby boomers in 2010 and 2011. While 71 percent blamed their unemployment on the bad economy, almost half also said they believed age discrimination was also at play. About 23,000 age discrimination complaints were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in fiscal 2012, 20 percent more than in 2007. Proving discrimination is next to impossible, though, unless it’s blatant. “It’s very difficult to prove hiring discrimination, because unless somebody says, ‘you’re too old for this job,’ you don’t know why you weren’t hired,”
said Michael Harper, a law professor at Boston University. Plus, employers may have rational qualifications that are inadvertently weeding out older candidates. Recent education and technological skills are two areas where older workers are more likely to come up short compared to the younger competition. “When there’s a large supply of unemployed workers, employers can afford to be choosier, and they’re opting for workers they think are less expensive or more recently trained,” said Sara Rix, senior strategic policy advisor for AARP’s Public Policy Institute. That’s a hard reality for older job-seekers. “When you’re at 55 or 60, you’ve had a lifetime of work. You’ve played by the rules, and the rug has been pulled out from you,” Rix added.
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Dress for Success: Reaching back Dress for Success is one organization that takes a professional look to heart by reaching back. Its mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life generally. Founded in New York City in 1997, Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization offering services designed to help their clients find jobs and remain employed. Each client receives one suit when she has a job interview and can return for a second suit or separates when she finds work. This week, “On Our Way To Wealthy” visits with Cheryl Bingham, the group’s executive director.
Carlee McCullough: Tell us a little bit about yourself? Cheryl Bingham: I am a native Memphian and a graduate of Manassas High School. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Fisk University in Nashville. I have a Masters in Education and Leadership from the University of Memphis. My career really began at LeMoyne-Owen College. I worked in the business office and then with the City of Memphis in the Community Action Agency as an accountant. I work at Southwest Community College, which is formerly known as State Tech, where I have spent over 30 years. I was the Director of Foundation Scholarship Program Alumni Affairs and Special Events. I am currently an adjunct professor at Southwest. CM: What is a professional look?
CB: A professional appearance is a total package. You are selling yourself in the clothing that you wear. If you’re serious, then you want to wear the earth tones – black, brown and gray – or other colors Carlee McCullough which are suitable for daytime wear. The total package is neat hair and nails that are a presentable length and neutral nail color. Also check your breath to make sure that you are fresh. Make sure that your shoes are presentable and not “run over.” CM: How does your organization assist clients? CB: Our clients are referred to the agency to be “suited”. They may have an upcoming interview the same day they come here. They may come in dressed one way but they leave out another. We have two outstanding volunteers, Ms. Ruby and Ms. Louise. hey will measure them and make a selection for them by picking out a suit for them to wear. CM: What are some basic items a woman should have in her wardrobe? CB: Black suit, white blouse, hosiery, shoes, scarf and a broche.
CM: How can I make a financial gift to Dress for Success? CB: We invite guests to visit www.DressforSuccess.org/Memphis, click on Donations.
Cheryl Bingham
CM: How can I make a clothing donation and what type of clothing do you accept? CB: We accept clothing that you would want to wear when you want to look your best.
CM: Is there an organization like Dress for Success for men? CB: Not to my knowledge. However, we accept men’s clothing for our upscale garage sale every year. We will be hosting it on May 2 at Idlewild Presbyterian Church on Union Ave. We will have men’s and women’s clothing, furniture and household items. CM: How can I become a volunteer? CB: They can call us and work in the office or they can be presenters in our career development program. Whatever their gifts or talents are, they can share it. They can also participate in COINS – “Circle of Influence Network Soiree,” which is a
gathering where individuals can invite folks out to their home, church or business to hear about Dress for Success. We hope that at that time, they will be so motivated they will take an envelope and put something in it. CM: What is S.O.S. – Send One Suit – Weekend? CB: March 8, 2013. People can take a new or slightly-used suit to Dress Barn here in the city for Dress for Success. After the suit drive, Dress Barn will pack them up and make sure that we receive those suits.
CM: Closing remarks? CB: As the new director, our goal is to make sure that every client that walks through the door leaves with an enhanced sense of calling, support and career development and/or suited for it. (For additional information about Dress for Success, email Cheryl Bingham at cheryl@dfsmemphis.org or call 901-363-3100.)
New chair of Automobile Dealers Assoc. blazes trails The New Tri-State Defender Staff
Combine the name Jenell Ross with the Mercedes-Benz label and Ross’ ethnicity and you have an unfolding AfricanAmerican history story. The American International Automobile Dealers Association recently announced that Ross – a Centerville, Ohio, dealer – is its 2013 chairwoman. She took over the position during AIADA’s 43rd Annual Meeting and Luncheon, earlier this month in Orlando, Fla. Ross is the president of Bob Ross Automotive, which Jenell operates Ross Buick, GMC, Fiat, and Mercedes-Benz franchises in the Dayton, Ohio, area. She inherited the role from her father and mother, who founded the dealership group in 1974. Mercedes-Benz of Centerville was the first Mercedes-Benz dealership to be owned by an African American and is currently the only one owned by an AfricanAmerican woman. “Our brands, more than ever before, are America’s brands – and I’m going to tell that story,” said Ross during the AIADA meeting. “In 2013, we are no longer bogged down by the natural and economic disasters that hobbled us for the past five years. Now is the time to surge forward and grow our businesses, claim new market share, and ensure our continued strength and sustainability.” A member of AIADA’s board of directors since 2000, Ross is an active member of the auto retail industry, as well as her community. In 2012, she created the “Pink Ribbon Driven” campaign on behalf of her mother, Norma Ross, who died from breast cancer. Her community involvement includes the Diversity Council for the Centerville-Washington Township, the Miami School Alumni Council, and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Business Partnership. AIADA’s annual session also included special recognition of Cincinnati dealer Mike Dever, who was honored with the 2013 David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is named after the late AIADA chairman who was known for his commitment to his community and the industry. Dever is a 45-year veteran of the auto retail industry and operates nine dealerships in Ohio, Kentucky and Utah. “Mike embodies the very best of America’s international nameplate dealer community. Much like Dave Mungenast himself, Mike’s success as a dealer is only surpassed by his reputation as someone who has invested his time and resources into improving his community,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. In addition to Ross, AIADA’s 2013 officers of the board of directors are: Ray Mungenast, immediate past chairman; Larry Kull, chairman-elect; and Greg Kaminsky, secretary/treasurer .
Minimum wage jobs on the decline CNNMoney
by Tami Luhby The number of people working jobs that paid the federal minimum wage dropped last year, according to new labor statistics published Wednesday (Feb. 27). An estimated 3.6 million people were paid hourly rates at or below the federal minimum in 2012, down from 3.8 million a year earlier. Just under 60 percent of all U.S. workers are paid hourly, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An estimated 4.7 percent of those hourly workers make minimum wage or less, down from 5.2 percent, a year earlier.
That share is the lowest since 2008. The $7.25 minimum wage has been in the spotlight recently after President Obama proposed raising it to $9 in his State of the Union address. Worker advocates are pushing hard to raise the level, which is not adjusted to inflation and has lost 30 percent of its purchasing power in recent decades. It was last lifted in 2009. Eighteen states, plus the District of Columbia, set their own minimum wage rates above the federal level. Washington state’s is the highest, at $9.19 an hour, while San Francisco has the highest local rate, at $10.55 per hour. The minimum wage is $7.25
per hour in Tennessee and Mississippi and $6.25 in Arkansas. Workers toiling at the $7.25 federal minimum wage or less tend to be young, female, single and lacking a high school diploma. There’s not much difference when it comes to race: Around 5 percent of white, black and Latino hourly workers earned up to the minimum wage. Among Asians, the share was about 3 percent. About half of workers paid at or below the minimum wage work in the leisure and hospitality industry, with the vast majority employed in restaurants and food service. Many make tips and commissions to supplement their wages. The states with the highest
proportion of minimum wage workers were Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Idaho, all between 7 percent and 8 percent of their hourly workforce. On the flip side, Alaska, Oregon, California, Montana and Washington have the lowest share, all under 2 percent. All of those states set their own minimum rates above the federal level. The federal stats, however, miss many minimum wage workers because they don’t include those paid a fixed weekly amount, such as maids or landscapers, whose hourly rate often equals the minimum wage. The federal minimum wage translates into about $14,500 a year for a full-time employee.
About half of workers paid at or below the minimum wage work in the leisure and hospitality industry, with the vast majority employed in restaurants and food service. (Photo: Sabriya Rice/CNN)
RELIGION
Page 8
Tri-State Defender
February 28 - March 6, 2013
Point made…
The Rev. Dr. Darron McKinney, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md., preached a sermon on penalties and Godʼs forgiving nature during a service Sunday at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood. His appearance was part of a weekend salute to The Ushers Ministry. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Shady Grove MBC – the church on the hill – celebrated its anniversary with message, fellowship and song.
Guest speaker The Rev. Edward Parker and Shady Grove MBC Pastor Kent Hall are on point during a service marking the churchʼs 121st anniversary. (Photos by Christopher Hope)
121 years ‘on the hill’ An anniversary of note for Shady Grove MBC Special to the New Tri-State Defender
by Viola Cage
African-American History is not the only memorable element celebrated in the month of February. Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church provides a case in point. Last Sunday (Feb. 24), Shady Grove marked 121 years of serving as a beacon of light in the South Memphis community. The Rev. Edward Parker, pastor of Berean Baptist Church and the guest speaker, spoke from experience. “As a child growing up in the neighborhood, I can always remember that there has been a Shady Grove, the church that sits on the hill,” said Parker. No celebration of the life
and ministry of Shady Grove would be complete without a salute to the late Rev. Bogan Smith, who had the vision to build a small storefront church on the hill. Also noteworthy are the pastors who followed in his footsteps, the late Reverends J.W. Hardaway and Wardell Johnson, and Shady Groves’ current pastor, the Rev. Kent Hall. As a celebratory message in conjunction with AfricanAmerican History month, Rev. Hall has encouraged members to, “Continue what was started.” Drawing upon Nehemiah 4:6-11, Rev. Hill has reminded Shady Grove members throughout the month that it is good to remember the past, but don’t let it stop there; build on it.
Historic celebration…
Bishop William Samuel Wright and his wife, Debra, zero in on a person of interest during the Inaugural Banquet honoring Wright, the Jurisdictional Prelate of the Tennessee Southwest Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ, Inc. The high-profile occasion included the presence of COGIC Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake (left). (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
‘Wise Men Going On To Perfection’…
That was the theme for the Annual Menʼs Day Program held at St. John Baptist Church, 640 Vance Ave., last Sunday (Feb. 24). The Rev. Dr. Michael C. Ellis Sr. (second from left), pastor of Impact Baptist Church, was the guest speaker. Pictured (l-r): Alexus D. Lewis Sr., Ellis, Peter McNeal Sr. (Man of the Year), the Rev. Albert Collins and Reginald Williams. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
PRAISE CONNECT -A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
901-946-4095 fax 948-8311
Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am
WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm
Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter
TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
672 So. Lauderdale 38126 P.O. Box 314 Memphis, Tn 38101 Phone (General) 774-1572 Pastor: 775-0740 Secretary: 775-1909
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
WEEKLY SERVICES
Sunday Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Night YPWW 5:00 p.m. Night Service 6:00 p.m. Tuesday Night Prayer 6:00 p.m. Bible Study 7:15 p.m. Wednesday Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Friday Morning Prayer 9:00 a.m. Night Service 7:30 p.m. BROADCASTS 9:30 a.m. Sunday WDIA - 1070 AM
No Telecast Service
Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor
— Proverbs 1:7
“The Founder’s Church”
First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. —Revelation 1:8
ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. —Ecclesiastes 3:1
867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106
(901) 948-3441
Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!” AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM
TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org
Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor & Clothes Closet Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Co-Pastor Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM
“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”
Tri-State Defender
LEGACY
Farewell your ‘Honor’
February 28 - March 6, 2013
Services were held Friday (Feb. 22) for The Rev. Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr., the first – and only – African American to serve as Shelby County Sheriff. Mr. Higgs died Feb. 15 at Baptist Hospital East. He was 75. Above: Mr. Higgsʼ brother, Tony James, speaks at the homegoing service held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. Below: The exiting procession for Mr. Higgs, whose influence on Memphis-area politics and the judicial systems of Tennessee made him an iconic figure. (Photos by Tyrone P. Easley)
Page 9
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, February 28 - March 6, 2013, Page 10
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Late to ‘Scandal’ & hooked already
I’m willing to bet that I know what the majority of you will be doing on this Thursday night. It’s probably the same thing I will be doing now. Watching “Scandal” on ABC, right? For the life of Myron me, I don’t know Mays how I have managed to go all this time without watching this show. I mean, it feels like I have been keeping up with the show already just be being on Facebook each Thursday. You can actually get a full play-by-play update as the show is going…but only during commercial breaks. I got a little curious a couple of weeks ago and decided to tune in to get an understanding of this phenomenon. I had to see what the hoopla was all about. What was so special about this show that has people putting their lives on hold to watch it? How can one show make the world stand still when it comes on? What kind of drug is this? Twenty minutes into the show and it was almost as if I was immediately hooked. I didn’t even catch from the beginning. I hardly knew the characters and there I was wondering what was gonna happen next. Not only was I glued to the TV set, I, too, had to take to Facebook and talk about it….only when the commercial came on though. The only thing I could say was, “Guess I’ll be watching Scandal now.” And it was true. After the episode ended, I had tons of questions. How did things start off? How did the characters get to that point? Who was this guy? Who was that guy? I was intrigued and I needed answers NOW! Then I was reminded that I needed to get a hold of myself. I could find out all the answers I needed just by going to ABC’s website and catching up on all of the episodes I’d not seen. So, guess how I have been spending my free time? However, as I’m writing I’m thinking to myself: “Under other circumstances, this could actually be a cry for help.” Lol But I’d better get a grip. One day this series will have to come to an end. And the last thing I’ll need is to have to take a 12-step program to deal with my “Scandal” withdrawals.
Packed weekend
This past weekend was packed with a lot of activity! I started out the morning at the Memphis Black Expo at the Cook Convention Center, pulled off the What’s Happening Myron Book Club at Evergreen Grill and capped off the night by checking out the production of “Many Thousands Gone” at Abundant Grace Church. Talk about a day well spent. I missed last year’s Black Expo but made it a point to get out to this one. It was quite an adventure as the experience included workshops on making it in the entertainment business, great food samples, exciting things to buy as well as great performances from local musicians and artists. I have to commend Viara Boyd and her crew on a great show. I’m looking forward to attending next year. Hats off to Pastor Dwayne Hunt and the staff at Abundant Grace Fellowship for putting on such a great play. “Many Thousands Gone” was very good. If you were expecting a “local” church play filled with a cast of people who were just acting for fun, you were at the wrong place. If you didn’t attend, all I can say is that you missed out. This was no amateur production. It was high quality and professional from beginning to end. It was a great script and a cast of actors that could perform anywhere in the world. The only downside is that you probably have to wait until next year to see it again.
Parting shot
This weekend, I will be checking out the premiere of “Suspended,” a new TV series by Nadia Matthews. The premiere takes place at Victory College, 255 North Highland, this Saturday night. The Red Carpet starts at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7, For more information you can check them out at www.lilyrozestudios.com. Until then, that’s what’s happening! (Got an event you’d like me to cover or attend? Email me at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com.)
This trio of influence features (l-r) Don Cornelius (“Soul Train” founder), Logan H. Westbrooks (founder of Source Records) and Dick Griffey (founder of Solar Records). (Photo: Courtesy of Logan H. Westbrooks)
A Congressional Black Caucus dinner in Washington, D.C. in the mid-ʻ70ʼs brought together (l-r) Congressman John Lewis and his wife, Logan Westbrooks, a female guest, Julian Bond, Jo Bridges, a CBC guest and Florence Tate. (Photo: Courtesy of Logan H. Westbrooks)
Around the globe with
Logan Westbrooks Memphian makes music history Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by LaRita Shelby
Logan H. Westbrooks kicked off Black History Month 2013 at Indiana University with his signature lecture titled “Bustin’ Loose: Breaking Racial Barriers in the Music Industry.” The subject matter was fitting because the Memphis native is a music industry pioneer. “I decided to pursue a career in music while participating in a management training program at RCA Victor Distributing Corporation in Chicago in 1966,” said Westbrooks, a Booker T. Washington High School graduate. During his tenure at RCA, Capitol, CBS, CBS International and Soul Train Records, Westbrooks used his marketing savvy to navigate the careers of – are you ready for this – Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderly, Lou Rawls, Glen Campbell, The Beatles, Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Buddy Miles, Rod Steward, Errol Garner, Melba Moore, Carlos Santana, Earth Wind and Fire, The O Jays, Sly & The Family Stone, Billy Paul, Johnny Nash, Taj Mahal, Johnny Mathis, O.C. Smith, Ronny Dyson, Miles Davis, Charlie Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Ramsey Lewis and The Isley Brothers. While fans fell in love with the stars, it was business executives such as Westbrooks who secured airplay, staged major tours, scheduled television appearances and booked community events that sealed the imprint of soul music and African-American culture around the world. “We made sure that black music not only benefitted the record company, but that it also had an impact on the black community,” said Westbrooks. “We raised the consciousness of people of color in an esoteric manner and we spiked economic growth from the allocation of millions of dollars in revenue for advertisements in African American-owned publications such as Ebony, Essence, Jet, Black Enterprise and more. “By doing this, it not only enhanced the popularity of black artists, it resulted in more sales for the artists,” said Westbrooks. “This revenue also supported social and political causes of organizations such as Jessie Jackson’s PUSH-Black Expo (Chicago), the Martin Luther King Center (Atlanta), Congressional Black Caucus (D.C.), National Medical Association (representing black physicians) and for various political candidates.”
South Memphis roots
Westbrooks’ journey began in South Memphis on Carnegie Street. After graduating from BTW, he spent his collegiate years at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. His ambitions led him to Hollywood, where he broke ground as the first African-American territory salesman for Capitol and Mercury Records. He later became CBS Records’ first Director of Special Markets (1971) and led their expansion into Africa. With his mark made at major labels, Westbrooks founded and presided over Source Records, which was distributed by MCA Universal. It became the home to Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Sharon Paige, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and the group Smash (which was composed of the Debarge brothers). The Source Records label string of hits included the chart-topping “Bustin’ Loose,” which made it to No. 1 in 1979. Recorded by the late, great godfather of go-go music, Chuck Brown, “Bustin’ Loose” also provided the catchy rhythm tracks for Nelly, who customized his version in 2002 under the title “Hot In Herre.” Nelly’s version shot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was certified double platinum, earning him the Best Rap Male Solo Performance award at the 2003 Grammys, which was a brand new cat-
Logan H. Westbrooksʼ music industry career has brought him in contact with the biggest stars, including Paul McCartney during McCartneyʼs days with The Beatles. (Photo: Courtesy of Logan H. Westbrooks) as a music industry executive, entrepreneur, teacher and philanthropist. On display throughout February in the Neal Marshall Bridgewater Lounge, the exhibit was presented by Indiana University’s Archives of African American Music and Culture.
‘My biggest fan’
Logan H. Westbrooks speaking at Indiana University during Black History Month. (Photo: Courtesy of Logan H. Westbrooks) egory at the time.
Sharing experiences
Westbrooks documented the academics of the music business when he authored the book “The Anatomy of a Record Company,” which became widely used as a textbook at many colleges and universities. The co-architect of “The Harvard Report, A Study of Urban Music in the 1990’s,” Westbrooks contributed to the book “Soulsville USA” and has appeared on several PBS specials. Today, Westbrooks spends a great deal of time as an educator and lecturer on AfricanAmerican music and culture. “It is important to share my experiences and hopefully to motivate young people of today and make them aware of the many opportunities available on the business side of music,” he said. That was Westbrooks’ intent on Feb. 4 as he spoke to students, faculty and members of the community gathered at the University of Indiana’s Neal-Marshall Grand Hall. His address was part of the “Black History Month-Bloomington Style: Lessons in Leadership” celebration. The occasion also served as the unveiling of the “Logan Westbrooks Exhibit, “ a personal collection of artifacts from his career
Westbrooks and his wife, Geri Westbrooks, enjoy a dual residence in Los Angeles and in the Southwind area of Memphis. An active member of the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association, Westbrooks is working on the 2nd Edition of the book “The Anatomy of a Record Company.” He’s a real estate entrepreneur and pastor of The Temple of Faith, COGIC in Azusa, Calif., where he serves as a founding member of the City of Azusa’s Human Relations Committee. The Westbrooks formerly owned the Helping Hands Home for Boys and their story inspired the movie “The Gridiron Gang,” which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (2006). For those desirous of pursuing opportunities in today’s music industry, Westbrooks offers this advice: “You have to love your work and be 100 percent dedicated to all of your endeavors,” said Westbrooks. “My drive and determination was instilled in me by my parents and my teachers at Lincoln Elementary and Booker T. Washington, and thus it has carried over into my adult life,” he said. “My biggest fan has always been my wife, Geri, and that has kept me motivated.” (Logan H. Westbrooks’ appearance at Indiana University was also sponsored by the Liberal Arts and Management Program; the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs; Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology; African American Arts Institute; African American & African Diaspora Studies; and American Studies. For more on the exhibit, visit http://bit.ly/Wpi56t. Online readers may access the exhibit at http://bit.ly/YydGhk. (LaRita “Jazzy Rita” Shelby – a former Memphian and Tennessee beauty queen – is a contributing journalist to www.eurweb.com, home of The Electronic Urban Report. She works as an artist and independent brand strategist for her own company, SB Music, Media & Marketing. Visit www.LaRitaShelby.com. Email 2jazzy@sbcglobal.net.)
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 11
February 28 - March 6, 2013
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening March 1, 2013
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“21 and Over” (R for drug use, alcohol abuse, graphic sexuality, frontal nudity, coarse humor and pervasive profanity) Raunchy teensploit revolving around a straight-A college student (Justin Chon) taken out by his best friends (Skylar Astin and Miles Teller) for a wild night of debauchery and overindulgence on the eve of an important med school interview. Cast includes Sarah Wright, Jonathan Keltz and Francois Chau.
“Jack the Giant Slayer” (PG-13 for frightening images, brief profanity and intense violence) Bryan Singer (“The Usual Suspects”) directs this action fantasy about an ancient war that resumes when a young farmhand (Nicholas Hoult) accidentally opens a portal to a world inhabited by giants. With Bill Nighy, Stanley Tucci, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor and Ian McShane.
“The Last Exorcism: Part II” (PG-13 for terror, violence and brief profanity) Horror sequel finds the heroine (Ashley Bell) who survived an agonizing ordeal in the original again possessed by demonic forces. Ensemble includes Andrew Sensenig, Muse Watson and David Jensen.
“Stoker” (R for sexuality and disturbing violence) Psychological thriller about a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) who becomes increasingly suspicious of the motives of the uncle (Matthew Goode) she never knew existed when he comes to live with her and her emotionally-unstable mother (Nicole Kidman) after the untimely death of her father (Dermot Mulroney) in an auto accident. With Jacki Weaver, Harmony Korine and David Alford.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek” (Unrated) Civil War mockumentary about four, forgotten Civil War heroes: a gay colonel (Matthew Ludwinski), a nerdy, fugitive slave (Barron A. Myers), an aging, Chinese launderer (Scooter MacRae) and a one-armed prostitute (Mara Kassin). With Tim Cusack, Emily Mitchell and Christopher Lukas. “The Condemned” (Unrated) Suspense thriller revolving around a dying doctor’s daughter (Cristina Rodlo), who travels to the town where he ran a free cancer clinic in order to restore his reputation. Co-starring Dolores Pedro, Axel Anderson and Rene Monclova. (In Spanish with subtitles) “Day of the Falcon” (Unrated) Costume dra-
Rachel Mwanza as Komona in “War Witch”. (Photo courtesy Tribeca Film)
ma, set in the Thirties, chronicling the fortunes of a Middle Eastern prince (Antonio Banderas) torn between tradition and modernity at the dawn of the Arab oil boom. Ensemble cast includes Mark Strong, Freida Pinto and Eriq Ebouaney.
tary capturing the dangers encountered on a daily basis by the hardy crew of a New Bedford fishing trawler plying its trade in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Massachusetts.
“The Frankenstein Theory” (Unrated) Found-footage horror about a camera crew’s ill-fated expedition to the Arctic Circle in search of proof that Mary Shelley’s classic novel “Frankenstein” was inspired by an actual, scientific experiment gone bad. Starring Kris Lemche, Joe Egender, Timothy V. Murphy and Eric Zuckerman.
“A Place at the Table” (PG for mature themes and mild epithets) Poverty documentary about the 50 million people living in the U.S. who have no idea where their next meal is coming from. Featuring actor Jeff Bridges, activist Raj Patel and celebrity chef Tom Colicchio.
“A Fierce Green Future” (Unrated) Ecodocumentary recounting the environmental movement’s evolution from the Sixties to the present. Co-narrated by Meryl Streep, Van Jones, Robert Redford, Ashley Judd and Isabel Allende.
“Genius on Hold” (PG for mature themes, brief profanity and smoking) Father-son documentary about the diverging life paths taken by Walter Shaw and Walter Shaw Jr., the former, a prolific inventor who died penniless, the latter, a common jewel thief who picked his profession because his dad had been ripped-off.
“Hava Nagila: The Movie” (Unrated) Musical documentary celebrating the history of the festive, Jewish folk song. Featuring commentary by Harry Belafonte, Glen Campbell, Connie Francis and Leonard Nimoy.
“Here I Learned to Love” (Unrated) Holocaust documentary in which two Jewish siblings, now in their seventies, embark on a journey retracing their roots from Israel to Europe where they had been saved as toddlers from extermination by the Nazis. (In Hebrew with subtitles) “Leviathan” (Unrated) Deep sea documen-
“Phantom” (R for violence) Ed Harris stars in this Cold War thriller as the captain of a Soviet submarine on a covert mission cloaked in mystery who finds himself forced to contend with rogue KGB agents determined to commandeer the vessel’s arsenal of nuclear weapons. Cast includes David Duchovny, William Fichtner and Lance Henriksen.
“The Sweeney” (R for sexuality, graphic violence and pervasive profanity) Big screen adaptation of the BBC-TV show from the Seventies stars Ray Winstone as a tough as nails cop who catches criminals by taking the law into his own hands. With Ben Drew, Hayley Atwell and Alan Ford.
“The Unspeakable Act” (Unrated) Dysfunctional family drama about a 17 year-old (Tallie Medel) frustrated by the fact that her big brother (Sky Hirschkron) doesn’t share her incestuous inclination. Support cast includes Aundrea Fares, Kati Schwartz and Caroline Luft. “War Witch” (Unrated) Coming-of-age drama, nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category, about the ordeal of a 12 year-old girl (Rachel Mwanza) forced to shoot her parents and join the rebel forces in her sub-Saharan nation’s civil war. With Serge Kanyinda, Mizinga Mwinga and Ralph Prosper. (In French and Lingala with subtitles)
HOROSCOPES
Feb. 28-Mar. 6, 2013
ARIES Get in touch with those who can help you achieve your goals. Place the accent on initiative. Romance, passion and work are singing in harmony this week and tonight. TAURUS Joy this week comes from love. You are especially attractive. Stage your week so that you spend time around people you want to attract. It is easy for you to bring harmony into your relationships. Your ability to communicate is greatly enhanced. Use it to your best advantage. GEMINI Are you spending money with little or nothing to show for it? This is because you’re looking for something that money can’t buy. Now is a good time to spend some of your emotional currency, and don’t be cheap. You’ll create a situation in which people will work hard to please you. CANCER You may like to go to war, but avoid an argument with a friend; it will slow down all the wonderful progress you’ve been making. Your patience will be tested this week, stay on task. LEO Skip it! Don’t sweat the small stuff, it’ll only bring you down. Don’t run around inside your own head this week. Focus your awareness outside on something beautiful. Compromise is a key idea this week. VIRGO Someone in the family is ready to give you something. Open yourself up to it. Home improvement – mental, physical and spiritual – is this week’s best theme. Seek the simple pleasures from a neglected hobby this week. LIBRA How efficient you are this week! Your busy mind is focused on productivity and achievement. Both come easily to you, so take your advantage and press forward. SCORPIO Entertainment and companionship are high on your list of things to enjoy this week. Use your mental gifts to speed carefully through your work so that you’ll have more time for fun this week. SAGITTARIUS Your only real caution this week is to watch your budget. Other than that, happiness remains the focus, as relationships heat happily up. Your family is very supportive and loving right now; let them meet your new admirer. CAPRICORN Happiness with partners remains the order of the week. Relations between partners are exceptionally harmonious right now. You are in sync with loved ones. Much is being accomplished by your attitude. Don’t overdo your physical workout. AQUARIUS The time has come to forgive and forget. Take the first step in reconciling a friendship. You thought no one knew, but you may be romantically attracted to an old pal. PISCES Romantic daydreams may distract you from work this week; try to stay focused, but also enjoy your mental trips to romantic sunnier spaces. These images will inspire you to take action regarding a trip or get-together with your honey. Source: NNPA News Service
Jet’s aged Fantasia cover: A bad choice? by Richard Prince
Relying on public relations photos for your cover shots can be messy, as Jet magazine is finding out. Jet editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller on Friday (Feb. 22) issued a defense of the magazine’s use of a 10-year-old photo of Fantasia. “JET magazine is honored to have Fantasia grace the cover of its March issue,” her statement began. “It is unfortunate that Fantasia is displeased with the cover selection, however JET stands by its decision,” Miller wrote. “As standard editorial practice, JET consulted with Fantasia’s team, but reserves the right to select the image we deem as most appropriate for JET’s brand and reflective of the cover story sentiment. “JET continues to root for Fantasia’s success and encourages her fans to pick up the new issue.” Clutch magazine wrote on Wednesday, “Fantasia has been the subject of harsh criticism in the public eye for everything from admitting her illiteracy to being involved with a married man who eventually betrayed her. When news hit that she had attempted suicide, many of us wondered if she’d ever be able to find peace. She also recently posted about gay marriage in a rant about being judged, that many took issue with. “The American Idol winner recently sat down with Jet Magazine for an interview in which she muses about self-love and raising her children, and appears to be in a better place....” However, Clutch added, “...The singer erupted on Instagram, chastising the magazine for using an old photograph of her: “’This saddens Me!!! It is clear that this pic-
ture is 10 Years Old and JET Magazine puts it on the Cover!! After I send them the NEW LOOK AND DIRECTION. . SAD!!! I WANT A PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM JET. Now im not sure if the interview is correct. SEE!! America they and use me as they crash Dummy BUT NO MORE. IF I DONT STAND FOR SOMETHING ILL FALL FOR ANYTHING.’” While its full-size Ebony sibling shoots its own covers and was the only major black magazine to post an increase in advertising pages during 2012, Jet has lagged. Its frequency has been reduced from weekly to every two weeks, and although it now has editors from the hiphop generation and has been redesigned, it saw a 16.1 percent drop in advertising pages last year. Ebony’s rose 22.9 percent. Still, Jet’s reputation was partly built on photographs, such as those in 1955 of the mutilated body of the lynched 14-year-old Emmett Till, and years of Jet centerfold beauties. So why wouldn’t Jet want to shoot its own cover subjects? “Cost cutting is the name of the game or so it seems,” Samir Husni of the University of Mississippi, known as “Mr. Magazine,” told Journal-isms by email. “Fewer magazines are taking their own photos, so this is more of the norm of small magazines rather than the exception.” He added, “...times have changed and competition is now tougher even for the African American magazines...” Miller told her Facebook friends she was exasperated. “The fact that I wasted an hour of my workday writing a press release to address an issue created by a person who cannot even read it is just... #whyiwannaBahousewife.” Source: Richard Prince’s “Journal-isms” courtesy of The Root.
Photo by world-renowned photographer, Marco Glaviano. Janet Jackson confirmed Monday, Feb. 25, that she and billionaire Wissam Al Mana are married, and have been since last year.
Janet Jackson, Wissam Al Mana are married According to a rep, the 46-year-old entertainer is married to Wissam Al Mana, and she has been for a while. As “Entertainment Tonight” reports, their wedding happened months ago. “Last year we were married in a quiet, private, and beautiful ceremony,” the married pair said to “ET” in a statement regarding speculation that they were planning an “extravagant wedding.” “Our wedding gifts to one another were contributions to our respective favourite children’s
charities,” they continued in their statement. “We would appreciate that our privacy is respected and that we are allowed this time for celebration and joy.” Jackson’s union with Al Mana marks her third; she was previously wed to James DeBarge and René Elizondo Jr. Jackson secretly married Elizondo in 1991 and they split in 2000. (HLN’s Richelle Carey contributed to this report.)
Page 12
ENTERTAINMENT
February 28 - March 6, 2013
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Legal notices Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington (Photo by Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Sally Field, Oscar-nominee for Actress in a Supporting Role, greets Chris Tucker. (Photo by Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson were presenters during the Oscars. (Photo by Darren Decker / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Octavia Spencer arrives for The Oscars. (Photo by Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
‘Argo,’ yes; Family affair, no! Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
Ben Affleck got the last laugh after being snubbed by the Academy in the Best Director category when his film, “Argo,” won the award for Best Picture. However, Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” landed the most Oscars overall, four, including an upset of Spielberg for director. The only other major surprise arrived at the outset of the telecast when Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor (“Django Unchained”) in a race thought to be between Robert De Niro (“Silver Linings Playbook”) and (Tommy Lee Jones (“Lincoln”). As for this critic’s prognostications, I got 15 of 21 correct. Much of the pre-Oscar buzz had been about Seth MacFarlane’s hosting, and how his irreverent brand of humor would be received by the crowd. Although he didn’t take many potshots at Hollywood royalty, his monologue, performances and banter did reflect a disappointing coarsening of the culture. Whether invoking the name of porn star Ron Jeremy or doing a song and dance celebrating nude scenes “We Saw Your Boobs,” MacFarlane frequently resorted to racy material inappropriate for children. He also took a few jabs at Jews, implying that claiming to be at least half-Jewish or a big supporter of Israel was a prerequisite to making it in show business. But he leveled the lion’s share of his acerbic barbs at African-Americans. For example, in a skit inspired by Denzel Washington’s film “Flight,” he had a black, hand puppet drinking alcohol and snorting coke. Then there was his shockingly-pedophilic sexualizing of 9year-old Best Actress nominee Quvenzhane Wallis (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) by speculating about when she’d be too old to date George Clooney. And he made light of domestic abuse when he suggested that Chris Brown and Rihanna considered “Django Unchained” a date movie because it was about a man trying to get back a woman who’s been subjected to unspeakable violence. MacFarland also quipped that it’s OK for Quentin Tarantino to use the N-word “because he thinks he’s black,” and he wondered whether Daniel DayLewis might’ve tried to free Don Cheadle had he bumped into him on the studio lot while still in character. The offensive fare revolving around race was ultimately offset somewhat when they had First Lady Michelle Obama open the envelope for Best Picture from the White House. Still, this Oscar show was anything but a family affair.
Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger, Queen Latifah, and Catherine Zeta-Jones present the Oscar for achievement in music written for motion pictures. (Photo by Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
First Lady Michelle Obama announces the Best Picture Oscar to ʻArgoʼ live from the Diplomatic Room of the White House (Photo by Pete Souza)
Quvenzhane Wallis and Halle Berry (Photo by Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Jennifer Hudson (Photo by Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
Zoe Saldana arrives for The Oscars Sunday Feb. 24. (Photo by Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.)
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PROJECT NAME: HALLS DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS – PHASE III Federal Project # STP-EN-4900(55) State Project #49LPLM-F3-010 PIN #108778.03 Description: The project includes removal and replacement of asphalt parking for ADA compliance and surface drainage corrections. Also included are concrete curb, brick crosswalk, landscape planting, landscape irrigation, lighting, site furnishing. OWNER: TOWN OF HALLS, TENNESSEE Sealed bids for the HALLS DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS – PHASE III will be received by Mayor Eugene Pugh at the Town of Halls City Hall at 208 North Church Street, Halls, TN on March 26, 2013 no later than 2 p.m. and then bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. A pre-bid conference will be held on March 12, 2013 at 2 p.m. at the Town of Halls City Hall at 208 North Church Street, Halls, TN. PROPOSAL CONTRACTS WILL BE ISSUED UNTIL THE TIME SET FOR OPENING BIDS The Information for Bidders, and other contract documents may be examined at the following: 1) TOWN OF HALLS 208 NORTH CHURCH STREET HALLS, TN 38040 2) A2H, INC. 3009 DAVIES PLANTATION ROAD LAKELAND, TN 38002 3) BUILDERS EXCHANGE 642 SOUTH COOPER MEMPHIS, TN 38104 4) WEST TENNESSEE PLANS ROOM 439 AIRWAYS BLVD. JACKSON, TN 38301 Printed copies may be obtained at Tech Plus, Inc. CONTACT: Tina Murphy at tina@techplus.com PHONE: 901386-2083 or Hub City Blueprint CONTACT: Susan Stewart at sassy@hubcityblueprint.com PHONE: 731-424-2583 upon payment of printing (non-refundable). No contractor shall be required to obtain a license before submission of a bid or before the bid may be considered for award of a contract. A Prime Contractor must prequalify with the Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 54-5-117 of the “Tennessee Code Annotated” and Tennessee Department of Transportation Rule 1680-5-3 prequalification of contractors before biddable proposals will be furnished. List of pre-qualified contractors: http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/ construction/prequal/prequal.pdf To become pre-qualified: http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/ c o n s t r u c t i o n / f o r m s / Prequalification_Questionnaire_5-1007.pdf To be added to the official bidders list, each prospective bidder and subcontractor will be required to file a document entitled “Pre-qualification Questionnaires.” The foregoing shall be filed on a form provided by the Department of Transportation. The form must be filled out completely, and the truth and accuracy of the information provided must be certified by a sworn affidavit signed by an officer, partner, owner or other authorized representative of the applicant who has authority to sign contracts or other legal documents on behalf of the applicant. A prospective bidder must be pre-qualified by and in good standing with the Department of Transportation prior to being given authorization to bid. A prospective subcontractor must be pre-qualified by and in good standing with the Department of Transportation prior to being approved as a subcontractor. Each prospective bidder or subcontractor shall notify the Department of Transportation if there is any subsequent change in the name, organization or contact information provided. The Town of Halls in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color or national origin in consideration for an award The Town of Halls is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service. Town of Halls (731) 836-9653 The Owner reserves the right to waive any informalities or to reject any or all bids. No bidder may withdraw his bid within 60 days after the actual date of the opening thereof. THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED. Bidding documents and information, and plans, may be obtained by contacting: Town of Halls 208 North Church Street Halls, TN 38040 At least the following information must appear on the outside of the envelope containing bid. 1. NAME OF BIDDER 2. ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER OF BIDDER 3. NAME OF PROJECT FOR WHICH BID IS SUBMITTED Any bid submitted from a bidder not on the official bidders list, that is maintained at the office of A2H, Inc., and/or not containing the above information will not be opened. Mayor Eugene Pugh
Tri-State Defender
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH February 28 - March 6, 2013
Page 13
African American Police Association’s 40th Anniversary An amazing evening in a surprising place Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
Since its inception as an official national commemoration nearly half a century ago, African American History Month has become something many of us take for granted. But if one candle is enough to keep a bonfire going, we happened to stumble upon a small, refreshingly sincere, and humbly very powerful program at the Lambert Church of God In Christ this past Sunday (Feb. 24). Matchbox size, Lambert is located “two blocks up Park from Airways and then to the right” on Keating Street in Orange Mound. For it’s African American History Month Program, the church helped sponsor a 40th Anniversary Salute to the African American Police Association (AAPA). It turned out to be something truly special to witness, share in and even report about. The only thing that could have made the program better would have been for stupidity rapper Lil’ Wayne and others like him to have been there unarmed and alone to learn something from so many people who literally dedicated their lives to give young African Americans a fair chance at life. Lil’ Wayne’s recent release denigrates civil rights martyr Emmett Till. Fortunately, the stories told at the program trump the negativity of such madness. Nearly every moment was a chilling, upbeat reminder of what African-American police officers had to overcome to gain their profession, and what the AAPA does now to extend its mission. Led off by a performance from the Memphis Police Department’s Peacemakers choral group, there were too many moments to highlight, but it would be wrong to skip a spontaneously funny moment in the midst of the keynote sermon by the Rev. Erick Nesby. A member of the MPD’s COPS Unit (Community Oriented Policing), Nesby’s theme of “Grace and Mercy” was illustrated with offbeat observations of how spiritual beliefs often feed into police and civilian interaction. “Often the first thing we hear when we pull someone over is for mercy,” he quipped, “and it’s grace when we let you get by without giving you a ticket.” Nesby’s easy presentation style was peppered with a funny moment illustrating the down to earth, energetic tenor of the evening. It was rather warm in the church during the event and Nesby meshed a joke about it into his sermon, eliciting good-natured surprise from Senior Pastor Elder Charles Moore, who asked, “Was he checking me?” Later, Moore continued the joke and brought the house down with his own admonishment along church lines. “It is hot, but you know there’s a place hotter than this don’t you,” he tweaked the crowd.
Criticize it as cliché if you will, but the warmth of the building compared little to the warmth of the hearts in the room. Following a powerful vignette presented by the Young Actor’s Guild and Harriet Jubilee Performers, we were later introduced to the group’s founder Christi Chandler. We learned that the AAPA has supported the group for several years, growing talent that has gone on to Broadway and other major venues. After informing us that Chandler had nearly succumbed to a major illness, Elder Moore called for a special donation on her behalf. People gave willingly, but the pretty, somewhat frail artist seemed to shy to receive it. “Come on up here girl, we got you,” Moore told her. When presenting Community Service Award recipient Lt. Dwight Woods (ret.), AAPA President Chris Price recounted an effort to raise money for slain fellow officer Martoiya Lane, with $14,000 eventually raised to support her children. And it was such a night. One of the city’s best known “American Idol” contestants, Gideon McKinney, sang a tribute to how the AAPA’s “running man” – Tyrone Currie – mentored him from a painful childhood to playing stages all over the world. The Whitehaven Wall Mart received a special commendation for its support of the AAPA’s sports teams, several members were given individual contribution awards and all there were given a gift to hopefully inspire more community service.
“American Idol” contestant Gideon McKinney spoke of how AAPA member Tyrone Currieʼs mentoring intervention led to his success on the show and in starting his entertainment career.
Retired MPD Major and Lambert COGIC Elder Charles Moore extols AAPA member Tyrone Currieʼs work as “the glue that holds us together.”
Framing African American History…
Shirley Harris, who works in the Shelby County Clerkʼs Office, won first place in the employee art contest that was part of Shelby County Governmentʼs salute to African American History Month. Her winning entry depicted the programʼs theme, “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.” She was presented with a $100 cash prize. (Courtesy Photo)
Keynote speaker the Rev. Erick Nesby delighted his fellow officers with a sermon about how spiritual “grace and mercy” affects everyday policing.
Memphis Living Legends…
The Rev. Dr. L. LaSimba Gray and New Sardis Baptist Church on Sunday (Feb. 24) continued its tradition of saluting Memphis-area icons for African American History Month. This yearʼs honorees (not in order): Ekundayo Bandele, Birteal Taylor Benson, Delois Sneed Bolden, Stefanie Bolton, Daniel B. Brown, Professor James Gholson Jr., Coach Shirley McCray, Corria Boggan Williams, William Hudson Jr. and Warren Lewis. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, Februray 28 - March 6, 2013, Page 14
The FedExForum was jammed with Grizz fans, who watched the home team pull off one of the biggest comebacks in the teamʼs history. (Photos: Warren Roseborough)
Grizz comeback leaves Dallas feeling ‘punked’ Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kelley Evans
During the first half of their game Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks the Memphis Grizzlies looked and played more like “The Get Along Gang” than the grit-and-grind squad that area fans have come to love. The FedExForum absorbed 16,041 fans for the game and when it was done, Memphis had defeated Dallas 90-84. The Mavericks made sure the Grizz worked for it. The Grizzlies did not score a field goal until halfway through the first quarter. Austin Daye scored on a jump shot, adding to Tony Allen’s points from free throws. By the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks led 38-19, with Daye’s 10 points pacing Memphis. Grizzlies head Coach Lionel Hollins couldn’t get a spark from his core group, so he turned to his bench. “After giving up 38 points in the first quarter, we outscored them 71-46, so our defense kicked in,” Hollins said. “Also, offensively in the fist half, Austin Daye came in and made a couple of shots to stop the bleeding a little bit.” Dallas scored all eight of its points in the paint in the first quarter. “You could make all eight of your shots in the paint too if we didn’t guard you,” Hollins said. “We just didn’t guard. We were just out there messing around on penetration, all kinds of things. “I don’t’ know what their mindset was coming in, but it wasn’t about going out being professional and doing what they
were supposed to do and playing the way they are capable of playing all the way to the end.” When Hollins put all his confidence in his bench, some of the Grizzlies starters were anxious to get back in the game, but there was no chance at that point. “We came out lackadaisical,” Grizzlies guard Tony Allen said. “We played like we had a back-toback, honestly. Coach wasn’t having it. He called a time out quicker than he normally does and gave us another chance to go back out, but we couldn’t get it done. “He brought in the bench and they gave us a spark,” Allen said. “From there it was just a grind game all the way.” The Mavericks, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks the night before, were in no mood for games, but they couldn’t sustain the pace in the second half. At halftime, Dallas still led 5542. Memphis was only 32 percent from the field while Dallas shot 59 percent. The Grizzlies were even out-rebounded. Marc Gasol was the leading scorer with 13 points. Then there was a turnaround. The Grizzlies turned to their “grit-and-grind” mantra and scrapped their way back. In the third quarter, Memphis was 11-of-24 from the field. The Mavericks were 2-of-17 shooting (11 percent). Memphis held Dallas to only five points and out-rebounded them by 11, forcing seven turnovers and ending the quarter 66-60. The Mavericks’ five points tied for the fewest points in a quarter this season in the NBA. By the end of the game the Grizzlies had forced 21 turnovers. Memphis matched a franchise-record for the largest comeback in team history.
Randolph led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, his 25th double-double of the season. Gasol recorded his 12th double-double, with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Grizzlies are 10-2 when Gasol scores more than 10 points per game. Shawn Marion led the Mavericks with 16 points. Marion said the Grizzlies became the aggressors. “It’s hard to get shots when you turn the ball over,” said Marion. “They punked us and took the game from us.”
NOTE: The Grizzlies will take their skills to South Beach to face the Miami Heat on Friday.
Mike Conley drives and scores over Mike James of the Mavericks. Former Grizz O.J. Mayo (right) finds something to talk to Tony Allen about during a game that looked like it might be a loser for the Grizzlies throughout the first half.
Tigers need to do more than ‘win’ to beat stereotype Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by J.R. Moorhead
Most of us would agree that stereotypes are generally a bad thing. It’s not a good practice to assume things about people or situations without knowing all the details. Even with this being said, many people have to fight preconceived notions on a daily basis. If sterotypes are generally false, then why would people still choose to believe them? It’s because although deep down stereotypes tend to be overblown exaggerations about a large group of people, sometimes – repeat sometimes – there is still a kernel of truth. For example, everyone has heard the “dumb jock” stereotype. Now, are all athletes idiots? Certainly not. Are there some meatheads among the group? You betcha! But is that enough to continually reinforce a blanket association? I don’t think so. The University of Memphis basketball team has to fight a stereotype of its own. Many people think that Memphis is
continually over-ranked and that its soft conference schedule allows the Tigers to pad the win column. They say that Memphis has a fan base that is blinded by 20-win seasons and C-USA titles. Maybe these critics have point! Before Tuesday night, the Tigers led the nation with an 18-game winning streak. They have already wrapped up the conference regular season title with three C-USA match ups remaining. These feats are nothing to scoff at, yet how much weight do they carry? After a 64-62 loss to Xavier on the road (Feb. 26), the Mempis stereotype continues to pervade the minds of the masses. Hey, an 18-game win streak is impressive! Many teams would love to boast of such an accomplishment. Unfortunately, that type of win streak coupled with a loss to the first out-of-conference team Memphis has faced in over a month only feeds the thought pattern. Frankly, it’s hard not to agree on some level. The Tigers are still 24-4 and
Coach Josh Pastner and the Tigers bench prepare to celebrate after the Tigers defeated University of Southern Mississippi 89-73 at the FedExForum. (Photos by Warren Roseborough)
all of their losses are to worthy advisories (Louisville, VCU, Minnesota and Xavier). In the eyes of a national audience, aren’t those the games that Memphis needs to win to validate themselves. Doesn’t the shine of 24 wins diminish when one realizes Memphis truly hasn’t beaten a top program this season? Memphis head coach Josh Pastner has done a great job in his short tenure at Memphis in many aspects. He is a great recruiter and the Tigers have
won a share of the conference title (either regular season or conference tournament) three out of the last four seasons. However, Memphis has not beaten a Top 25 team or won an NCAA tournament game with Pastner at the helm – facts that are becoming tougher to overlook. Especially when you take into account the Tigers run C-USA and have 20-plus wins a season. Something isn’t translating. Memphis has three games left on the schedule and a bid
for the NCAA tournament is already clinched. Still, the outcomes of their remaining contests will heavily influence their seeding come midMarch. Stereotype or not, the True Blue Nation has high expectations. These 20-win seasons and conference titles have become expected. What might earn a coach a pay raise or contract extension at other programs has become the norm for the Tigers’ tired and true.
Look for the conversation about Pastner’s ability to win games against top competition to heat up over the coming months. Another loss in the regular season, anything but a conference tournament title, or an early exit from the big dance will only add fuel to this fire. No one can argue Pastner’s character; however, at the end of the day it’s all about winning. And sometimes nice guys do….