1 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.

NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012

Rochester, NY VOL 5. NO. 29
may 14 - 20, 2012
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From Information to Understanding
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CRACKING
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In This Issue:
COVER Pgs 8 - 9
Cracking Blacks
By Rodney Brown
READERS WRITE Pg 3
LOCAL Pg 4
- Fight Crime
- Gay Alliance Opens Senior Center
- Not Enough Black Jurors
STATE Pgs 5 - 6
- Obama Visits Albany High-Tech
Center with Cuomo
- Crews Set to Begin Dredging
PCBs from Upper Hudson
- Custodian Set to Graduate from
Columbia University
NATIONAL Pg 12
- Will Smith Supports Obamas Call
for Higher Taxes
- Pitt. to Recieve 1.3 Million for
Nuclear Research
- GOP Blocks Senate Debate on
Dem Student Loan Bill
- Welfare Drug Testing Bill
Advances to La. House
COLUMNS: Pg 14-15
- Drum Major for justice Gets His
Props: You Just Had to Be There
By Gloria Winston Al-Sarag
- Youve Earned a Say
By Bishop Eric Garnes
- Bigoted White Democrats are
Bigger Danger to President Obama
than Romney
By Earl Hutchinson
- Claim Your Destiny, Even in a
Tough Economy
By Julianne Malveaux
1 :: WWW.0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF MAY7 - 13, 2012 Rochester, NY VOL 5. NO. 28 may 7 - 13, 2012
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What Mothers Day Means To Me
It really does not maer to me, were the words that my son Jusn said to me on
Mothers Day. He dove deeply into his heart pu ng my wants before his.
It was prom me and Jusn had been invited to the prom by a classmate who wanted
him to be her date. I was excited and encouraged Jusn to go. I told him it is a special
event he will always remember like graduaon or ge ng married. I shared with him
how I regret not aending my prom even then. Jusn said he was not interested in
going and would tell his classmate. I was disappointed with his decision and thought,
Kids dont listen and they just dont get it.
To my surprise on Mothers Day Jusn invited me to be his date to his junior prom.
He said he would not go unless I agreed to be his date. Jusn said it was important to
him to take me because I missed mine. I was overcome with emoon and wept. Aer
I wiped the tears from my eyes I accepted the invitaon and felt honored; however, it
was hard for me to imagine that my teenage son wanted to take me, his mom to the
junior prom--unusual, but what an honor. I was concerned about Jusn being teased
by his peers at the prom. I shared my concerns with him. Jusn said, It really doesnt
maer to me, which helped eased my concerns.
We only had approximately one week to prepare for the prom. Fortunately we were
able to pull it o with all the xings. My son and I looked stunning in our black and
white matching tux and gown. Aer my son pinned me with a beauful corsage we
rode o in a limo to the prom. I felt like a princess and both of us had a wonderful
me. What a special night to remember!
What does Mothers Day mean to me? Remembering special mes with important
people you love.
Thank you son! Love you!
Mom
4 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
Sta
The numbers are eye opening: the
number of kids abused or neglected in
one year could ll every seat in Madison
Square Garden, more than three mes
over. Monroe County District Aorney
Sandra Doorley, Monroe County Sheri
Patrick OFlynn and Rochester Chief of
Police James Sheppard released a new
report from law enforcement leaders
and crime survivors across the state on
the extent of child abuse and neglect
across New York.
The report prepared by Fight Crime:
Invest in Kids New York shows that
at least 77,000 children in New York
State, over 2,000 of them from Monroe
County, suered abuse or neglect in
2010more than 200 every day. Child
abuse and neglect claimed the lives of
114 of those children across the state.
The report emphasizes the benets
of voluntary home vising services,
which help new parents cope with
the stresses of raising a young child.
Research shows that quality home
vising programs can cut child abuse
and neglect by as much as 50 percent,
signicantly reduce later crime and
save taxpayers money.
Speaking at a news conference Fight
Crime: Invest in Kids members called
on Governor Andrew Cuomo and state
legislators to protect and increase the
states investment in home vising
services to help reduce child abuse
and neglect and later crime. They
also urged members of the states
Congressional Delegaon to protect
and expand federal funding for
evidence-based home vising services.
One of the most heartbreaking crimes
we prosecute involve children who
are vicmized by someone entrusted
with their care, D.A. Doorley said.
Collaborang with our partners in law
enforcement, there are ways we can
prevent these tragedies before they
happen. Programs that give parents
the tools they need to beer care for
their children have an immeasurable
eect in prevenng abuse and neglect,
breaking the chain of violence that so
oen impacts our community. I am
happy to support and work with Fight
Crime: Invest in Kids, and their eorts
to help families. Ensuring safe living
environments for our children is not
an opon, its our responsibility.
Chief Sheppard said home visitaon
services were cost eecve and
would save the taxpayers money.
Research shows that providing home
vising services to parents at high
risk of abusing their babies pays big
dividends in cu ng crime and the cost
of social programs, he said. Making
these services available to families of
newborns signicantly reduces early
abuse and neglect, fosters posive
child development and sets families
on the road to success.
D.A. Doorely, Sheri OFlynn and Chief
Sheppard are members of Fight Crime:
Invest in Kids, a naonal an-crime
organizaon of 5,000 police chiefs,
sheris, prosecutors and violence
survivors, including over 300 members
in New York State.
Gay Alliance Opens Senior Center
Sta
LGBT senior residents will now be
able to gather for social acvies in
Auditorium Theater.
The center will be managed by Gay
Alliance of the Genesee Valley.
The Rainbow SAGE group, a LGBT
senior organizaon merged with the
Alliance to form the Gay Alliance.
The center was created to fulll and
growing interest among LGBT senior
residents to nd an outlet to nd
friends who would understand them.
In comments to the media, Kelly
Clark, Director of Intergeneraonal
Programming at the Alliance stated,
Ge ng people out of their homes and
stay acve. We know that community
connecon is one of the hallmarks of
good health and psychological well-
being.
According to Gay Alliance the senior
center is the rst of its kind, specically
dedicated to gay and lesbian senior
cizens.
Those wish to network can visit the
center on Mondays and Tuesdays from
11am to 3pm.
Not Enough Black Jurors?
Sta
The populaon in our jails and prisons
are predominately packed with
minories which is mathemacally
backwards based on the fact; blacks
represent the smallest percentage of
the populaon.
According to a 2010 study more than
70 percent of African-Americans in
Monroe County are court defendants;
despite they comprised only 13
percent of the countys populaon. In
regards to the jury pool, blacks account
for only 7 percent in Monroe County.
Several black lawyers, clergy leaders
and non-prot groups have held
meengs asking residents for their
input. According to the group, they
will design a strategy based on the
communitys input and seek resources
to execute it.
In comments to the media, City Court
Judge Theresa Johnson said one thing
that grabbed her aenon about the
study is, Judicial leaders say nearly
19% of the qualicaon quesonnaires
sent out in urban communies for
cizens to serve as potenal jurors is
non-deliverable or not responded to.
Judge Johnson co-chairs a taskforce
created to reform the process on how
residents receive correspondences
requesng their service on juries.
A 2010 study, Illegal Racial
Discriminaon in Jury Selecon:
A Connuing Legacy, Equal
Jusce Iniave states, The
underrepresentaon and exclusion
of people of color from juries has
seriously undermined the credibility
and reliability of the criminal jusce
system, and there is an urgent need
to end this pracce, said Bryan
Stevenson, EJIs Execuve Director.
While courts somemes have
aempted to remedy the problem of
discriminatory jury selecon, in too
many cases today we connue to see
indierence to racial bias.
The study found:
Racially biased use of peremptory
strikes and illegal racial discriminaon
in jury selecon remains widespread,
parcularly in serious criminal cases
and capital cases. Hundreds of people
of color called for jury service have
been illegally excluded from juries
aer prosecutors asserted pre textual
reasons to jusfy their removal.
Prosecutors have struck African
Americans from jury service
because they appeared to have low
intelligence, wore eyeglasses, walked
in a certain way, dyed their hair, and
countless other reasons that the
courts have rubber-stamped as race-
neutral.
Some district aorneys o ces
explicitly train prosecutors to exclude
racial minories from jury service and
teach them how to mask racial bias to
avoid a nding that an-discriminaon
laws have been violated.
Many defense lawyers fail to
adequately challenge racially
discriminatory jury selecon because
they are uncomfortable, unwilling,
unprepared, or not trained to assert
claims of racial bias.
There is wide variaon among states
and counes concerning enforcement
of an-discriminaon laws that protect
racial minories from illegal exclusion.
EJI oers detailed recommendaons
for ensuring full representaon of
people of color on juries throughout
the United States within ve years.
These recommendaons include:
Dedicated and thorough enforcement
of an-discriminaon laws designed to
prevent racially biased jury selecon
must be undertaken by courts, judges
and lawyers involved in criminal and
civil trials, especially in serious criminal
cases and capital cases.
Prosecutors who repeatedly exclude
people of color should be subject to
nes, penales, suspension, and other
consequences to deter the pracce.
Community groups can hold their
district aorneys accountable through
court monitoring, requesng regular
reporng on the use of peremptory
strikes, and their vong power.
The criminal defense bar should
receive greater support, training
and assistance in ensuring that state
o cials do not exclude people of color
from serving on juries on the basis of
race.
States should strengthen policies
and procedures to ensure that racial
minories are fully represented in jury
pools. State and local governments
should expand their jury lists and use
computer models that weight groups
appropriately.
5 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
Crews Set to Begin Dredging PCBs from upper Hudson
FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) _ Crews are
set to begin a third year of dredging
PCBs from the upper Hudson River.
General Electric Co. o cials said
Tuesday that dredging will begin
Wednesday if weather permits with
a single dredge about 40 miles north
of Albany. Work will ramp up over the
next few weeks.
GE released poly-chlorinated biphenyls
into the river decades ago and is in the
middle of a Superfund cleanup that
could cost more than $1 billion. It is
expected to take four or more years
to remove the remaining 2 million
cubic yards of sediment from the river
boom.
PCBs, once used as coolants in
electrical equipment, are a suspected
carcinogen.
Heavy rains and high water delayed
the start of dredging last spring.
NY Fines 15 Insurers Over Mental Health Noces
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ New York regulators
have ned 15 insurers $2.7 million for
failing to nofy small businesses they
were eligible to buy special coverage
for mental illnesses and children with
serious emoonal disturbances.
Superintendent of Financial Services
Benjamin Lawsky says they are the rst
nes under Timothys Law, named for
a teen who commied suicide aer his
parents were unable to obtain needed
mental health treatment. The law took
eect in 2007.
The law requires insurers give small
employers the opon of purchasing
the mental health benets when they
buy or renew basic health insurance
plans.
Insurers say the violaons in 2009 and
2010 were unintenonal and they have
taken steps to prevent recurrences.
Fines include $1.3 million for Oxford,
nearly $500,000 for Empire, and more
than $200,000 each for HealthNet and
MVP.
Obama Visits Albany High-tech Center with Cuomo
By MICHAEL GORMLEY
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ In separate
speeches, President Barack Obama
and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
made clear a central theme that will
emerge as this presidenal campaign,
and perhaps the next, plays out: The
economy is ge ng beer.
During a Tuesday visit, Cuomo praised
Obamas leadership aer the two
men toured a high-tech facility in
Albany, which was created out of a
partnership with private enterprise
and biparsanship encompassing
decades of leadership by Democrac
and Republican governors and
legislave leaders. Cuomo reected on
the economic woes that baered the
naon and state since 2008 and said
there was no doubt there had been
plenty of pain to go around.
``But there is also no doubt, Mr.
President, that your leadership has
brought this naon through the storm
and we thank you, Cuomo told his
fellow Democrat.
Cuomo made jobs and the economy
part of his ``new Democrat movement
in his 2010 campaign.
When Obama took the stage, he
and Cuomo embraced and the
president returned the praise his own
speech, saying Cuomo has exhibited
``extraordinary leadership.
``He is doing outstanding work here in
New York, Obama told the crowd.
The brief upstate New York visit has
some long-term impact. Cuomo is
said to be interested in running for
president in 2016. Being close to a
president with such foreign relaons
experience addresses a weak spot for
most governors. Cuomo also shows
a Democrac execuve can forge a
scally conservave agenda and work
closely with Republicans, something
with the president has struggled with
in Washington.
``This presidenal appearance
proves by inference what is wrong
in Washington, by showing what is
right in Albany, said Bruce Gyory,
consultant to governors and a polical
science professor at the University at
Albany.
``Gov. Cuomo has a me-tested and
honored role in American polics,
Gyory said. ``As the most popular
governor from his party in the country,
Cuomo is a prized commodity for
President Obama.
The speeches came a day aer
Obamas campaign released a new ad
on the economy, the issue Republicans
see as his greatest vulnerability.
The ad says the country is ``coming
back aer the economic meltdown
caused by acons ``all before this
president took the oath. The ad is
running in baleground states, which
dont include Democrat-dominated
New York.
Republican Naonal Commiee
Chairman Reince Priebus said
Obama ``spends a lot of me looking
backward and blaming others for his
own economic failures.
The trip is Obamas third as president
to high-tech sites around Albany that
are expected to be part of the naons
future economy. Tuesday he visited
the College of Nanoscale Science and
Engineering at the University at Albany,
a research and development center, in
the heart of the Rust Belt state.
Planning for the center began as
early as 1993 under then-Gov. Mario
Cuomo, the current governors father,
who secured $1 million in research
funding for 10 years.
``It is a naonal example of an
excing economic partnership, said
Andrew Cuomo of the eort begun
under former Gov. George Pataki, a
Republican.
On Monday, Cuomo conrmed he
plans to write a book about his
philosophy of government and what
he has accomplished and hopes for
the state. Such books have oen been
wrien by policians to support a
presidenal campaign.
Cuomo is one of the naons most
popular governors and President Bill
Clintons former housing secretary.
He also plans to campaign for Obama
aer saying two weeks ago that he
was unsure if he would. That could
be a crical way to get Obama to big-
money polical donors in Manhaan,
while Cuomo is counng on a $2 billion
loan from the federal government to
fund a top priority, replacement of the
Tappan Zee Bridge.
``I will support the president however
they want me to support the
president, Cuomo said Monday. ``I
want to be as helpful as I can be.
6 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
Custodian Set to Graduate from Columbia University
NEW YORK (AP) _ A Columbia
University custodian who took the job
nearly 20 years ago so he could take
tuion-free courses at the Ivy League
school is about to get his bachelors
degree in the classics
Gac Filipaj will get his diploma from
the Manhaan school on Sunday.
But the 52-year-old immigrant from
the former Yugoslavia told the Daily
News (hp://nydn.us/JlnUhT ) hes not
nished with his educaon. He wants
to earn a masters or Ph.D.
Filipaj came to the U.S. in 1992, barely
speaking English. He took the cleaning
job at Columbia at the suggeson of a
language tutor.
Hed aend classes in the morning,
work from 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and
then go home in the Bronx to study.
He confessed he was oen very red.
La Voz i s publ i shed mont hl y
Ar t i c l es ar e pr i nt ed i n bot h
Engl i sh & Spani sh
Contact Us At: 585.301.4199
NUESTRA CI UDAD / NUESTRA CULTURA / NUESTRA VOZ
A Mont hl y Newspaper Ser vi ng The
Hi spani c Communi t y
OUR CI TY / OUR CULTURE / OUR VOI CE
Available at many locations in the City of Rochester
also available online at www.rochesterlavoz.com
Record Number of
Minories Taking FDNY Exam
NEW YORK (AP) _ O cials say the
42,161 would-be reghters who took
New York Citys re exam this spring
are a more diverse group than ever
before.
The Fire Department says nearly 46
percent of the potenal recruits were
members of minority groups.
The number of women test-takers also
saw an increase this year. Nearly 2,000
women took the test. Thats more than
the past three test years combined.
Of the 11,200 uniformed reghters in
New York City, just 9 percent are black
or Hispanic. The city is under a court
order to boost the hiring, training and
promoon of minories.
John Combs is the president of the
black reghters group, the Vulcan
Society. He tells the New York Post
(hp://nyp.st/IOh2tA ) he hopes the
increases in minories taking the test
translate into actual employment.
Harlem resident and reghter Khalid Baylor responded to an applicaon he
received at a street fair. Eight years later, hes one of the faces of the FDNYs diversity
recruitment campaign. (DNAinfo/Je Mays)
7 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
The Rochester Genesee Valley Club Celebrates Founders Day
Rodney Brown
Sta Reporter
The Rochester Genesee Valley Club
of the Naonal Associaon of Negro
Professional Womens Clubs recently
celebrated its 54th Annual Founders
Day in the excellence of presenng the
organizaons renowned awards.
The honorees include:
Cynthia Benjamin - Professional
Woman of the Year;
Karen Iglesia - Businesswoman of the
Year;
Rev. Cynthia Lindsey Cole - 2012
Community Service Award;
Mr. Kenneth Harris - Man of the Year
Award;
Ashley Robinson - 2012 Youth
Empowered to Succeed Award;
Tiani Fox - 2012 Scholarship Award
The 2012 Sojourner Truth Award,
the organizaons highest honor was
presented to Audrey Lewis Cummings.
According to Martha Lorea Scoeld
Hope, the clubs president, The
Sojourner Truth Award is given each
year by the Naonal Associaon of
Negro Business and Professional
Womens Clubs, as a reminder of the
endless eort which freedom demands
of those who would be free; and to
recall the fact that slavery comes in
many forms, enveloping the spirit as
well as the body.
More than 200 awards and 72
scholarships have been presented
to honorees in the organizaons 54
years of service.
For over half a century, the Rochester
Genesee Valley Club has exemplied
the meaning of community and
service, as members have supported
one another and contributed to
greater Rochester through their
involvement in educaonal issues,
business aairs, professional equity,
polical acon and a host of other
iniaves, said Rochester Mayor Tom
Richards. The Naonal Associaon
of Negro Business and Professional
Womens Clubs founders established
the groundwork for much good today
connued by the Rochester Genesee
Valley Club and other a liates that
exist throughout the United States and
in many countries.
Cynthia Benjamin, Professional Woman of the Year
Rev. Cynthia Cole, Community Service Award
Audrey L. Cummings, Sojourner Truth Award, the highest award .
Sojourner Truth is the organizaons patron and icon.
Tiani Fox, $500 Youth Scholarship Award
Eunice White, Portrayed Sojourner Truth, a local actress in the
Rochester Area
Mr. Kenneth Harris, Man of the Year Award
8 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
CRACKING BLACKS
Rodney Brown
Sta Reporter
While the dust has somewhat seled
around Governor Cuomos sudden de-
cision to sign-o on the new district
Senatorial lines, there remains a bier
taste in the mouths of many African-
Americans throughout the Empire
State.
The new district lines drawn by New
Yorks Republican-led Senate split up
minority communies in Long Island,
Rochester, and Bualo and places
each of them in several districts, none
of which have a majority of minories.
Aer the passage of the Vong Rights
Act of 1965 that outlawed discrimina-
tory vong pracces; many predomi-
nately Caucasian legislave bodies in
southern states started to weaken the
power of the black vote by spli ng-up
minority communies. The fragment-
ed areas from the minority commu-
nies were then placed in suburban
districts. Redistricng o cials referred
to this unconstuonal pracce as
cracking.
The new district lines approved by
Gov. Cuomo moves Rochesters 19th
Ward and other predominately urban
African-American communies in the
city into suburban districts where the
populaons are predominately White.
According to the way the lines are now
drawn, the southwest side of Roches-
ter, goes into the 61st Senate district,
which stretches to north of Bualo.
That seat is held by Senator Michael H.
Ranzenhofer (R) of Amherst, NY.
Democrats and civil rights advocates
say in Bualo, a Senate district once
represented by Black Democrats has
been redrawn to ensure the Republi-
can incumbent is re elected.
In the City of Rochester--where Blacks
comprised nearly 45 percent of the
populaon--has been divided among
three Senate districts and the county
into six districts.
The quadrants set to be divided into
parts and moved are represented by
Monroe County Legislators- Willie
Lighoot (27th District), John Lighoot
(25th District) and City Councilmen
Adam McFadden (South District) and
Dana Miller (at-large).
Black elected o cials in Long Island,
Bualo, and Rochester have publicly
stated they believe state Senate Re-
publicans have inuenced how the
lines are drawn to ensure no future
Black Senators are elected from these
areas in the State of New York.
A great majority of Democrats are
backing a lawsuit led by the state
chapter of the Naonal Associaon for
the Advancement of Colored People
(N.A.A.C.P.) that accuses state Senate
Republicans of cracking.
In comments to the media, Hazel N.
Dukes, president of the NAACP in New
York said, Republicans are advancing
an agenda of excluding the African-
American community along with other
minority groups to maintain their po-
lical power. They have just gone out
for blood, she said.
Host of MSNBCs Polical Naon
and Civil Rights Acvist, Al Sharpton
told reporters he was very concerned
that despite the overall increase in the
states minority populaons, lawmak-
ers seemed reluctant to draw districts
in which minority voters made up a
majority of the populaon.
Theyre trying to t a size 12 foot in a
size 10 shoe, Sharpton said. We can-
not allow that to happen, where we
just say, these are tradional black and
Lano seats.
Local Democrats in Rochester are con-
cerned minority communies will not
received adequate resources from Al-
bany if their representaves live in a
dierent city 60 miles away.
City Councilman Adam McFadden,
Rochesters most vocal component
against the new district lines noted,
The Senate in Albany used the pro-
cess of cracking in Monroe County
where the majority of the people of
color live in about three quadrants or
maybe four and those quadrants have
been mostly represented by one Sena-
tor; now those quadrants are repre-
sented by three.
What it did was strengthen the Re-
publican Party because it made it un-
beatable, McFadden connued. I
was very crical of Senator Joe Robach
(56th District) not standing up and say-
ing something because no maer how
his district would have been drawn he
would have been safe. If he kept the
district he had he would have been
ne or with the new district he would
have been ne. Out of all the people
impacted at the Senate level he should
at least stood up and say this is wrong
for communies of color in my district
because it makes no sense but he re-
mained silent on the issue.
McFadden believes, The only thing
Senator Robach stood up for was the
University of Rochester to be drawn
back in his district because he saw the
university as good polical capital and
not the minority communies. Aer
doing this, the outcome in my mind
was they knew they were doing some-
thing wrong because they could have
drawn the southwest area back into
the district as well.
Monroe County Execuve Maggie
Brooks has publicly stated she believes
representaon should come from
within the community and by having a
representave for areas of Rochester
living in another city like Bualo will
force the Senator to serve two masters
which she has noted as problemac.
McFadden said he had a conversaon
with Senator Robach in which they dis-
cussed how safe his seat was because
in either situaon his polical hold on
the seat would not have been weak-
ened and his answer to that was, Im
going to sll show up and be at these
things for people.
Its good that you show up. People
New Di st r i c t Li nes Wi l l Di senf r anc hi se Mi nor i t y Communi t i es
City Councilman, Adam McFadden
Senator Joseph Robach
9 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
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want to see our elected o cials--Im
not knocking Senator Robach for that,
McFadden connued. If you support
policies and laws that disenfranchise
the same people that you say you
are with then youre not really with
us because we cant measure you by
you coming to just kiss our babies, eat
our chicken and take pictures with us.
People may like it but thats not the
job. The job is resource allocaon,
policy and law. When you start ge ng
absent on those were going to have
problems, he said.
We have to be smart about how we
go about our business. Had it been me
or another African-American elected
o cial we wouldve been challenged
by our folks. We hold us (Black elected
o cials) dierently than we hold other
folks because you dont ever hear any-
one speaking out about this and thats
sad that we are silent towards this and
not challenge the genuineness of peo-
ple who pander to us.
In response, Senator Robach said he
doesnt understand why McFadden is
singling him out. Robach noted, Gov.
Cuomo, Lt. Gov. Duy (Rochesters
former Mayor) and a considerable
amount of elected o cials in the dem-
ocrac controlled State Assembly sup-
ports the implementaon of the new
district lines.
Senator Robach says McFaddens at-
tack on him is polically movated-
-nong that the new drawn district
lines are not that dierent from what
already existed.
When it comes to my constuents I
have always and will connue to do
the very best I can for them, Senator
Robach said. Over the years Ive been
successful in delivering money for
Rochester, colleges, urban and subur-
ban communies. My record and ac-
ons speak for itself.
People have no problem showing up
for fried chicken and to listen to some
black music and pretend theyre with
us but when you ask them to stand up
and do whats right for us they disap-
pear, McFadden said. We got to get
pass having picture moments with
elected o cials and ask them to do
some real stu. Thats not me being
upset with people its just poinng out
the obvious because there are some
folks that have no problem ge ng on
the radio or showing up to our events
pretending to be our cousin. When
you ask them to stand up for our jus-
ce they dont know anybody all of a
sudden.
When the new district lines were ini-
ally proposed Gov. Cuomo told dem-
ocrac voters and the states minority
communies he would veto it if chang-
es were not made.
In a statement the governor acknowl-
edged that he changed his decision in
order to fulll a campaign promise to
reform the process.
Inial reports indicate, in the deal,
state Senate Republicans will support
a constuonal amendment that cre-
ates a biparsan commission to over-
see the next redistricng in 2022.
Crics of the deal points out, If the
evenly split biparsan commiee be-
comes deadlock with both sides hold-
ing stalemate posions the duty of
drawing new district lines fall back in
the hands of the party in power which
they say, According to the way the
new lines were drawn in 2012, Repub-
licans will be the majority in the state
Senate unl 2052 if not overturned.
10 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
1 :: WWW.0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF APR 30 - MAY 6, 2012
Rochester, NY
VOL 5. NO. 27
APR 30 - may 6, 2012
www.MinorityReporter.net
w
t
From Information to Understanding
www.MinorityReporter.net
w
t
From Informa
om Information to Unde
n to Und tanding
rstanding
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4HE2OLEOFTHE"LACK#HURCH
1 :: WWW.0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF APRIL 23 - 29, 2012
Rochester, NY
VOL 5. NO. 26
APRIL 23 - 29, 2012 www.MinorityReporter.net
w
t
From Information to Understanding
www.MinorityReporter.net
w
t
From Informa
rom Inform tion to Unde
on to Und Understanding
rstanding
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11 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
Obama and Romney Campaigns Target Hispanic Voters
By BETH FOUHY
NEW YORK (AP) _ President Barack
Obamas re-elecon campaign is
launching a series of Spanish-language
television ads in three baleground
states.
Meanwhile, a Republican o cial said
Tuesday that Mi Romney is ``sll
deciding his posion on immigraon,
then took back that statement.
Taken together, the ads and the
comment underscored Obamas
advantages and Romneys challenge
in wooing the naons fastest-growing
ethnic group, Democrac-leaning
Hispanics.
The Obama campaign ads promote
the presidents federal health care
overhaul, and are running in Florida,
Nevada and Colorado.
Polling shows that Obama has a wide
lead over Romney among Hispanics.
Romney has taken hardline posions
on immigraon issues but has signaled
that hell consider policies that may
not line up with the opinions he
expressed during the primary.
NYs Cuomo: I Wont Push Obama on Gay Marriage
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo says he didnt discuss
the eort to legalize gay marriage
during his private conversaons with
President Barack Obama, and doesnt
intend to push the issue.
Cuomo is a hero to the movement
for his personal drive to get same-
sex marriage legislaon through New
Yorks legislature a year ago. But he
says the topic didnt come up when he
and Obama met at an event Tuesday
in Albany.
Obama supports equal rights for gay
couples, but hasnt endorsed same-sex
marriage. Vice President Joe Biden and
Obamas educaon secretary recently
said they support gay marriage rights.
Cuomo says Wednesday he wouldnt
presume to advise Obama on the
issue, but legalizaon in New York
speaks loudly for the cause.
Home Health Care Technology:
Introducing Telehealth Monitoring
By Yvee Conyers, RN, MSN, CTN-B
HCR Home Care
Home health care sure has changed
over the years. These days nurses,
therapists, and even home health
aides use digital devices, like tablets,
to record paent informaon and
to connect with physicians and their
colleagues. Another technological
advancement in home health care
technology has been the use of
telehealth monitoring devices.
Telemonitoring systems can help
home health care providers address
a large percentage of the chronically
ill paent populaon including
those with hypertension (high blood
pressure), heart failure, COPD, asthma,
and diabetes.
Telehealth monitoring systems are
installed in the paents home and
allow for remote monitoring by clinical
health providers. Informaon is sent
through a telephone or internet line
and then home health care providers,
like nurses, are able to monitor vital
signs along with the symptoms of the
disease. Reminders can also be sent
to paents and calls made to help
improve overall paent compliance
with treatment care plans. The goal
of using telehealth monitoring is to
idenfy symptomac paents and
intervene early to prevent unnecessary
hospitalizaons, as well as to support
health outcomes, communicaon
among all clinical disciplines on the
care team, and opmize the care a
paent receives.
High blood pressure or hypertension
is one of the diagnoses that Telehealth
monitoring can help treat, as in the
case of Fernando Marnez. Marnez
started receiving home health care
services in 2010 aer mulple and
frequent trips to the hospital because
of elevated blood pressure.
Hypertension is more common in
African Americans, more severe,
develops at an earlier age, and leads
to more complicaons than in non-
Hispanic Whites. According to Finger
Lakes Health Systems Agency, the
prevalence of hypertension is 30%
higher among African Americans in
our area. Hospitalizaon rates alone
are 500% higher for African Americans
due to hypertension.
In order to help Fernando Marnez
combat his hypertension, HCR Home
Care installed telehealth equipment
in his home so that he could monitor
his blood pressure on a daily basis. His
readings would then be sent to nurses
at HCRs o ce. The daily monitoring
allowed nurses in the o ce to
communicate directly with Marnezs
physicians, so that his medicaons
could be adjusted according to his
daily readings.
Telehealth transmits the data using a
phone line to the main o ce where
it is monitored and reviewed. If a
high blood pressure reading was
transferred, Marnez will receive a call
by a registered nurse (RN) who will ask
a series of quesons
in order to discover
what might be
causing his elevated
blood pressure.
These quesons
allow the nurse to
determine if the
paent did not take
their medicaons,
if the medicaons
may not be working
a p p r o p r i a t e l y,
or other issues
that may arise. It
is a way to catch
issues before they
get worse and a
hos pi t a l i z at i on
occurs.
There are many benets associated
with using Telehealth. Paents do not
need to go to their physicians o ce
every me they need to have their
blood pressure levels checked; with
Telemonitoring, paents can do this
in the comfort of their own home.
Since transportaon is an issue for
many individuals receiving home
care, including Fernando Marnez,
Telemonitoring works from inside the
paents home, liming their need to
travel.
Marnez remains on telehealth as
it is used as a movator for him to
connue to see posive results.
Marnez states, Telehealth has made
a big improvement on my health. I am
very happy with the service.
Yvee Conyers is Director of Nursing
for the Transcultural Team at HCR
Home Care, whose purpose is reducing
disparies in health outcomes of
African Americans and other minority
groups. HCR provides nursing,
therapy, home health aide service, and
companion care to older adults in the
comfort of their homes. It is the only
home care agency in our region to be
designated a winner of the naonal
Top 100 Home Care Elite Award, and is
a valued partner of Minority Reporter
and the Perspecves TV show. To learn
more call us at 585-295-6590, or visit
www.hcrhealth.com.
12 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
Will Smith Supports Obamas Call for Higher Taxes
By RYAN PEARSON
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ One of
Hollywoods biggest and best-paid
stars is supporng President Barack
Obamas call for higher taxes on the
countrys top earners.
Will Smith said while promong his
new lm ``Men In Black III last week
that he supports the move.
``Im very supporve of that idea,
Smith told The Associated Press in an
interview. ``America has been fantasc
to me. I have no problem paying
whatever I need to pay to keep my
country growing.
Obama has proposed that everyone
earning $1 million a year or more
should pay at least 30 percent of their
income in taxes. One research group
said the change would aect around
210,000 taxpayers.
Vanity Fair has reported that Smith
was paid an esmated $20 million for
``Men In Black III.
PITTSBURGH (AP) _ The Department of
Energy says its awarding $1.3 million
to the University of Pisburgh to help
train the next generaon of nuclear
sciensts.
The DOE says in a release Tuesday
that the graduate fellowships and
research grants will support a project
to help develop a plan for a very
high temperature reactor and a new
radiaon detecon laboratory.
Pi to Receive $1.3 Million for Nuclear Research
GOP Blocks Senate Debate on Dem Student Loan Bill
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Republicans have
blocked the Senate from debang a
Democrac bill keeping interest rates
on college loans from doubling this
summer for 7.4 million students.
Republicans say they support heading
o higher rates on subsidized Staord
loans. They oppose how Democrats
would pay for the measure _ raising
payroll taxes on high-earning
stockholders of some privately owned
corporaons.
The vote was largely symbolic
because the measure had no chance
of approval in the Republican-run
House. It was also designed with
Novembers elecons in mind because
it could produce fodder for Democrac
commercials against GOP senators.
Republicans want a vote on their own
bill freezing interest rates and paid for
by abolishing a health care fund.
Tuesdays vote was 52-45 to debate
the measure _ eight votes short of the
60 needed.
By MELINDA DESLATTE
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) _ A House
health care commiee moved ahead
Tuesday with a proposal that would
mandate drug tesng of welfare
recipients, over the objecons of
Catholic leaders who said the bill raises
moral issues by vilifying poor mothers.
The bill has been repeatedly rejected
in the Louisiana Legislature in recent
years, and its chief sponsor didnt win
his re-elecon bid. But new state Rep.
Sherman Mack, R-Livingston, revived
the idea again this session.
Macks bill would require 20 percent
of adults who receive aid through
the Family Independence Temporary
Assistance Program to be drug-tested.
Anyone who tests posive would be
required to receive drug treatment to
connue ge ng welfare.
Supporters said they want to make
sure welfare checks pay for family
needs, not drugs.
``This is not about benets being
taken away from people. Its about
idenfying problems, Mack said. ``All
you have to do is go to treatment. If
you do that, your benets are not
suspended at all.
Opponents said the proposal unfairly
targets poor mothers with no proof
they are more likely to be on drugs
than others who receive taxpayer-
funded aid. They quesoned how the
state would aord the costs of the
tesng and treatment, with connuing
budget shoralls.
Rob Tasman, associate director with
the Louisiana Conference of Catholic
Bishops, said the bishops oppose these
types of proposals around the country,
saying they raise constuonal and
moral issues.
``This bill implicitly infers that a great
number or majority of FITAP recipients
are drug users, Tasman said, calling
the bill ``suspicion-less drug tesng.
Lawmakers bristled at the moral
cricism, and the House Health and
Welfare Commiee voted 11-5 for the
bill, sending it to the full House for
debate.
Nearly 5,900 people are on welfare in
Louisiana, receiving $192 per month
on average. Of those, 3,300 are adults
who would be subject to the random
drug tesng, according to data from
the Department of Children and Family
Services.
The department already screens every
applicant for possible drug use and
refers people to treatment programs,
but without the mandated drug test.
DCFS Secretary Ruth Johnson said the
department doesnt have the money
required for the tesng and treatment
in Macks bill. The Legislave Fiscal
O ce esmates it could cost the
agency nearly $27,000 annually,
though Johnson esmated the cost
would be as much as $176,000 a year.
Welfare Drug Tesng Bill Advances to La. House
13 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
11-20
Lilac Fesval
Time: 10:30AM - 8:30PM
The only 10-day free fesval of
its kind in North America. It is
inspired by a magnicent lilac
collecon at Highland Park that
plays host to over 500 variees of
lilacs on more than 1,200 bushes.
What was rst planted in 1892
by horculturist John Dunbar has
turned into the worlds largest
lilac collecon that even Martha
Stewart has enjoyed when she
visited the fesval in 2007.
12
CPR and Emergency Preparedness
Training
Time: 11:00AM-1:00 PM
Locaon: an Community Center,
700 North St.
12
Flower City Looking Good -
Horculture Workshop
Time: 6:00PM-7:00 PM
Locaon: Monroe Branch Library,
809 Monroe Avenue
Join a free gardening talk designed
to address your specic gardening
quesons. Subjects include
gardening on a budget, growing
plants from seed, planning a
vegetable garden, raising herbs,
and more. Michael Warren
Thomas, 428-8820
15-31
Nazareth College Hosts Photo
Voice Project Exhibit
Time: 8:00a.m.-8:00p.m.
Locaon: Nazareth Colleges
Loree Wilmot Library
There will be an opening recepon
on May 17, at 6:00 p.m.The event
is free and open to the public.
About: In the fall of 2011, the
Photo Voice Project was developed
in an eort to bring awareness
to what it is like to be homeless
in Rochester while incorporang
parcipants photography and
wring skills. Individuals took
photos of their daily lives and
then reected on these captured
moments. The project seeks to
encourage new ideas and soluons
to the epidemic of homelessness.
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Responsive, Professional and Prepared
14 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.
STRAIGHTNO CHASER
Drum Major for Jusce Gets His Props: You Just Had To Be There
The expression
on the face of
Minister Franklin
Florence, Sr. in the
photograph that
appeared on the
front page of the
local secon of the
May 5, Democrat
and Chronicle, says
it all.
It is a picture
worth more than
a thousand words. The love and the
gratude that is beaming from Minister
Florences face was caught on camera as
he embraced Congressman Jesse Jackson,
Jr.
I am assuming the embrace occurred
aer the Congressman delivered a wake
up call to those in aendance at the
recognion dinner in honor of the minister.
It was a night to remember. The summary
of the event authored by D&C Sta writer,
Gary McLendon were more accurate than
any other reports I read.
It was a pleasure to read about an
event where more than 700 were in
aendance; primarily black folks and
where no incidents of violence that
occurred.
The quotes included seemed to reect a
certain degree of accuracy and pride.
What I did nd interesng though, as
chair of the event, that only men were
interviewed. Women were in aendance,
women worked on the commiee and
a woman chaired it. One of those lile
things in 2012 that makes me wonder.
Because the Minority Reporter did have
sta at the event I will not reinvent any
wheels or duplicate any potenal eorts
to cover the program and highlights. All I
can say is you should have been there.
The only thing that did not occur that
should have that evening is the sharing of
the greengs for Minister Florence from
the White House, signed by President
Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle
Obama.
That greeng, even though it arrived in a
mely fashion, got overlooked and sat in
mail that was not opened unl the day
aer the dinner.
Oh well, what is it called, Murphys Law?
The law says: Whatever can go wrong, will
go wrong.
There was nothing that went so wrong that
night that could possibly overshadow the
accomplishments and contribuons made
to this community by Minister Franklin
Florence, Sr. You just had to be there.
Ive received phone calls aer the event
from people telling me they are grateful
they aended; and telling me what they
learned about Minister Florence and the
F.I.G.H.T. organizaon that evening.
Some folks thought they knew this mans
history; some admied they learned
much.
I have also received a number of inquires
as to how to obtain copies of the Drum
Major for Jusce documentary that
debuted at the dinner.
The documentary, the brainchild of
Assemblyman David F. Gan, was
produced by Chrisne Christopher and
directed by Carvin Eisen (of RCTV) and will
hopefully be made available to the public
and all educaonal instuons at some
point.
I was more than pleased that young folks
aended so that they could get connected
to a history that is not taught in schools, at
least not yet.
Young folks from CONEA, Baden Street,
Community Place, and the Rochester City
School District had the opportunity to nd
out one of the shoulders they and their
parents stand on. You just had to be there.
Indeed there were over 750 in aendance
that evening. Those who wanted to be
there and did not make it mainly fell into
the category of typical Rochesterians who
fail to respect and honor deadlines.
We did have to shut down cket sales
causing some people to miss this historical
event. Even though the commiee was
gracious enough to extend the cket sale
deadline and did a comprehensive job of
le ng folks know that no ckets would be
sold at the door; we did of course, have
folks who tried to squeeze under the wire.
Some made it, some didnt.
What is it about deadlines, food counts,
and guaranteed seang, or how that all
works hand-in-hand, that my folks just
dont seem to comprehend?
I also applaud the commiee for handling
di cules that arose when folks got
creave and failed to stay in their lane.
Problems are guaranteed to arise when
folks fail to do what they are asked to
do. When folks who are intelligent fail to
follow direcons one can only imagine
what truly drives their agenda.
I applaud the commiee for handling
those with egos so big that the Rochester
Riverside Convenon Center could hardly
contain them.
Some folks clearly did not understand that
every one could not sit up under Minister
Florence.
Those who did sit with him did so because
that is what he requested.
I am sorry for those who took it out on
commiee members because their name
was not in that number. Those who did not
make it around him or sit in his lap, failed
to understand it was the commiees
intent to assign tables on a rst come, rst
serve basis.
So, if you waited unl the last minute
to purchase a seat or table, let your
imaginaon help you determine why you
may have had to sit against the wall.
If you truly love, respect, or were a
member of Minister Florences sta then
reserving your table should have occurred
the minute the recognion dinner was
announced.
I am not trying to diminish the signicance
of the recognion dinner. A good me was
had by all in aendance.
In conclusion, I would be remiss in not
menon those who profess to have so
much love and respect for their history
but who failed to show their faces at the
Rochester Riverside Convenon Center on
May 4.
Thanks to all who had a role in making the
program a success, especially the Keynote
Speaker Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Crics did queson his presence since
he is not a New York representave, but
hopefully my introducon helped them
understand his connecon to Minister
Florence because he is considered family.
Of course, you would have had to be there
to understand that.
GLORIA WINSTON
AL-SARAG
----------------------------------
Gloria Winston Al-Sarag is a Community Activist, Writer,
Communicator, Political Activist. She is a native Roches-
terian and has been involved with numerous community
orgainzations in Rochester.
Contact Gloria at: JazzyG4202@aol.com
Youve Earned a Say
Tabernacle of
Praise
Every day were
presented with
o p p o r t u n i t i e s
to speak up on
behalf of ourselves
and others
opportunies to
lend a helping
hand. God calls
Chrisans to be
our brothers and
sisters keepers,
to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Compassion for our fellow man should
compel everyone to do the same,
regardless of religious beliefs or cultural
tradions.
In these tough economic mes, weve all
known people suering through job loss,
foreclosure, increased debt, lost health
insurance, and any number of painful
circumstances. But simply thinking, What
a sad situaon, wont make it beer. We
must speak up and take acon to cause
change in peoples lives.
Now more than ever, we need our
government and elected leaders to work
for us and include our voices when they
make decisions that aect us and our
communies.
Just recently, AARP started a conversaon
with the rest of the naon about the
future of Medicare and Social Security
called Youve Earned a Say. Its a chance
for anyone concerned about their future
to tell policians in Washington what
they think should happen to make these
programs stronger.
As lawmakers discuss cu ng back and
even dismantling these programs to
reduce the naons debt, they seem more
concerned about talking to each other, not
about listening to the rest of us.
I think we can all agree that a real
conversaon about Social Security and
Medicare is long overdue, and everyone
deserves to be part of this naonal
conversaon. Everyone.
As a pastor in this community for the
last sixteen years, I know rsthand just
how vital seniors are to our families, to
Tabernacle of Praise and to the greater
well being of our community. We love
them dearly and were going to speak
up on their behalf. Most seniors are old
enough to collect Social Security. For many,
its the only income theyve got. Millions
are also old enough to receive Medicare.
They need that crical medical coverage.
But protecng these benets isnt just
about the elderly. In the sanctuary and
out and about, I see parents with their
children, and grandparents raising their
grandkids. They deserve the protecon
and peace-of-mind of Social Security and
Medicare, too, as they grow older.
So speak up, not just with words but with
deeds. We demonstrate our faith by our
good works, and acvely parcipang in
our countrys decision-making process
stands among our good works.
Lets raise our collecve voices, as working
Americans and as current and future
rerees. Lets tell lawmakers how we
feel about these benets. Weve spent a
lifeme paying into these programs, and
we are counng them in our rerement
years.
A lifeme of hard work has earned us the
right to have a say about our future and
the future of our families. So look for
Youve Earned a Say events happening
in our state. Go. Express yourself. If you
cant go to an event, go to the website,
www.earnedasay.org, or pick up the
phone, 1-888-OUR-AARP. It doesnt maer
whether youre working or rered. What
maers is what you have to say about the
future of rerement security.
We have the right to speak out. And as our
brothers and sisters keepers, we have an
obligaon to speak out.
BISHOP ERIC
D. GARNES
15 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.
Bigoted White Democrats Are
Bigger Danger to President Obama Than Romney
A hanging e gy
that looked
s u s p i c i o u s l y
like President
Obama on a
atbed truck in
New York City
and the sign
on the Peach
Oyster Bar in
Unincorporated
D r a k e t o w n ,
Georgia I do not
support the N.....
in the White House normally could be
wrien o as the by-now pro-forma
crackpot bigotry of the professional
Obama loathers. Not a week goes by
without some juvenile delinquent
demonstraon of their fear, hatred,
and ignorance toward the president.
But what set o a bell is that New York
City is a Democrac Party bason, and
there is some faint hope that Obama
might be compeve in Georgia this
elecon year. But the racial outburst
in these places points to a danger
that could cause damage to Obamas
presidenal drive in 2008. Thats the
absolute refusal of some otherwise
rock-solid white Democrats to back
him.
This was conrmed late last year in
a Harvard study that found that race
cost Obama 3 to 5 percentage points of
the popular vote in the 2008 elecon.
Put another way without the racial
animus, Obama would have routed
GOP presidenal foe John McCain
in the popular vote. The percentage
drop-o wasnt just biparsan but was
heavily weighted toward Democrats
who simply stayed home rather than
vote for Obama.
Obama fortunately didnt need their
votes. The stratospheric turnout
among blacks, young persons, and
the majority support he got from
centrist independents oset the
defecng white Democrats. He also
got a huge boost from widespread
GOP disaecon and even disgust
from many in the GOP at Bush and the
GOPs dismal record on the economy,
two wars, and GOP sex and corrupon
scandals, and revulsion over McCains
laughingstock pick of Palin as his VP
running mate. But those overwhelming
favorables for Obama arent there
in 2012. He will again get an o-the-
charts percentage of black votes, a
decisive majority of Hispanic votes, and
a signicant majority of the youth and
womens vote. But the elecon wont
be decided solely on percentages, it
will be decided on numbers. He got
them in 2008. But this me around
with a relavely unied and movated
GOP, Obama will need insurance. The
insurance is a unied Democrac
Party; the majority of those are sll
centrist white Democrats.
Obama simply cant aord a repeat
of what happened in the Democrac
primaries in 2008. In the Democrac
primary in Ohio, Obamas Democrac
rival Hillary Clinton beat him out and
she did it mainly with white votes. But
that wasnt the whole story. Nearly
one quarter of whites in Ohio atly said
race did maer in vong. Presumably
that meant that they would not vote
for a black candidate no maer how
polically aracve or competent he
was. Four years later, the warning sign
is sll there that an undetermined
number of white conservave
Democrats have not relented one bit
in their racial hoslity to Obama. In
recent interviews with Democrac
voters in Ohio a small number atly
said they sll wouldnt vote for him,
and race was the reason. If even a
small percentage of them meant it,
that could result in a percentage point
or two dropped from his Democrac
vote total. This could be devastang
in a state where the race is projected
to be close and absolutely crucial for
either Obama or Romney to win.
Ohio is hardly a special case. An
equally strong hint that defecng
white Democrats could pose a danger
for Obama came in Pennsylvanias
primary in 2008. A huge percent
of Pennsylvania voters are blue
collar, an-big government, socially
conservave, pro-defense, and intently
patrioc, and theres a tormenng
history of a racial polarizaon in the
state. If Obama had not decisively won
the states two big, racially diverse
cies primarily with black and youth
votes, Clinton would have trounced
Obama by an even wider margin than
she did. The same percent of white
Democrats as in Ohio told exit poll
interviewers that they would not back
Obama. Race was the prime reason.
Clinton racked up victories in the West
Virginia, Kentucky and South Dakota
primaries. Again, a signicant percent
of white Democrats said they would
not back Obama, and the reason was
race and many made no eort to hide
it.
In an AP-Yahoo poll, one-third of
white Democrats said they had
negave views of blacks. Violent,
lazy, boasul, complaining and
irresponsible were the terms many
used to describe blacks. More than 40
percent of them said they would not
back Obama.
Many of them ulmately did swallow
whatever racial reservaons they had
about Obama and voted for him. The
prospect of a connuaon of Bush
policies under another GOP White
House regime was just too much for
them to stomach. But four years later,
theres no Bush to kick around, and
with a sll very problemac economy,
this could be pping points for many
white Democrats who sll cant totally
reconcile themselves to Obama. They
could spell bigger danger to Obama
than Romney. Team Obama is knows
it.
THE HUTCHINSON REPORT
EARL
HUTCHINSON
------------------
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and
political analyst. His new book is How Obama
Governed: The Year of Crisis and Challenge
(Middle Passage Press).
Claim Your Desny, Even in a Tough Economy
(TriceEdneyWire.
com) - One
hundred and
nine Benne
College students
shook my hand
and received
their diplomas
on Saturday,
May 5. With big
smiles and a lile
swagger, they
went through the
t i me- honor ed
ceremonies of
baccalaureate and commencement.
And, we were blessed to have
phenomenal friends join us. Rev.
Al Sharpton was our baccalaureate
speaker, and the Hon. Alexis Herman
was our graduaon speaker. Wow!
Between the two of them they oered
lessons for graduates all over the
world.
Rev. Sharpton is an exceponal leader,
brother and friend. He made lots of
accommodaons (including taping his
show) to get to Benne on me. He
was gracious, kind, and took pictures
with all my folks. But most importantly,
he brought an incredible message to
the campus. He told our students to
claim their crown, claim their desny.
He reminded them of the many ways
that the rejected eventually prevail
and asked them to claim their crown.
Earning several minutes of standing
applause, it is clear that Rev. Sharpton
knocked it out of the park.
And then we had the Honorable
Alexis Herman, the former Secretary
of Labor whose down home humor
and corporate knowledge combine
to oer sage, savvy, and humorous
advice. She shared that a potenal
employer said the best job she could
get was as a secretary, and she fullled
his predicon by being Secretary
of Labor for the United States. She
oered students pointed advice about
navigang a labor market that is
lagging, about one that only generated
115,000 jobs last month, when more
than 170,000 people withdrew from
the labor market because they are so
discouraged that they think the jobs
are not there. But my sister Alexis
Herman didnt allow in the negave,
but encouraged students to be
posive and encouraged, to do their
homework and prepare for interviews,
to be focused and phenomenal. It
is important to note that she is the
woman Dr. Dorothy Irene Height laid
hands on, a sister who brings us all
together and encourages us all to
make a dierence.
Between Herman and Sharpton, my
students got a blessing. They were
told to persevere, to accept their
crown and desny, and to do their
homework to make their dreams come
true. While Drs. Herman and Sharpton
were simply speaking to Benne
students, in some ways they were
speaking to our naon and our world.
They were reminding us that despite
tough and crazy economic mes, each
of us can make a dierence in our own
circumstances when we are focused,
commied, and forward thinking.
There are more than 1.7 million young
people, and some not so young, who
will graduate from college this May
and June. How many will have the
one-two punch of Rev. Al Sharpton and
Alexis Herman. They are my friends
and I am glad to have them. They are
luminaries, and visionaries, folks who
speak both Ebonics and high phonics.
They sowed into the lives of 109
Benne women who have graduated,
but they have also sowed into the life
of our naon. I have been blessed to
have them grace our campus presence.
The boom line of the Sharpton/
Herman message was powerful.
Rev. Sharpton urged us to claim our
crown, our dignity, and the array of
our possibilies. The Honorable Alexis
Herman reminded us that to win the
game we have to play it. Between
them, they advised Benne students
to claim their desny, even in a tough
economy. Its an interesng me.
Young people are being kicked to
the curb with the possibility that Pell
grants will be further cut, with the
possibility that interest rates will raise
in student loans.
The absolute boom line is that this is
a tough and challenging economy and
there are opportunies. At Benne
there where to speakers who urged
students to claim their crown, to never
give up, despite the challenges of the
economy. Their message hit home on
our campus, but it also hit home in our
naon and our world. Thank you, Rev.
Al Sharpton and Hon. Alexis Herman
for coming to Benne and for sharing
your wisdom with our students.
As of May 6, May 2012, Julianne
Malveaux is President Emerita of
Benne College for Women. She is an
economist, author, leader, and global
thinker.
JULIANNE
MALVEAUX
------------------------
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is President of
Benne College for Women in Greensboro,
North Carolina.
16 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF MAY 14 - 20, 2012