Black-ish - Black College Monthly

Transcription

Black College Monthly
Back To School
Special Edition
Visit us on the Web at
http://blackcollegemonthly.com
www.blackcollegefootballtoday.com
www.africanamericanvotersguide.com
On Every Campus
In Every Community
Blacks
Disappointed
With Obama See
Little Reason to
Vote for Hillary
August 2015
Wildcats Place
Seven on All-MEAC
Preseason Team
“Black-ish”
Changing The Way
America Looks at
Black Families
Shaq Picks Kobe
Over LeBron
Alachua County
seventh-graders earn
top scores on college
entrance exams
Los Angeles' minimum wage on track to go up to $15
Rattlers Don
Pads For The
First Time
Family of couple shot
137 times
issues
statement
Now at
http://blackcollegemonthly.com
Black College Monthly August 2015
2
August 2015 — BLACK COLLEGE MONTHLY
Alachua County seventhgraders earn top scores on
college entrance exams
by G. Brown
A boxer learns the toughest
battles are outside the ring…
Michael Ealy is not “The
Perfect Guy” and seven
short films look at the social
injustices facing the Black
community. Here are some
of the films headed to the
theaters and big screens
soon in this week’s First
Reel Look.
Fifty-four Alachua County
Public School 7th gradershave
been recognized for earning
high scores on college
entrance exams, including ten
who were among the top
performers in the nation.
The students all took either
the SAT or the ACT as part
of the annual Duke University Talent Identification
Program (TIP). The prestigious program identifies and
honors high-achieving middle
school students from across
the nation. More than 55,000
seventh-grade students took
part in Duke TIP this year.
“Barbershop 3? Bringing More
Razor Sharp Comedy: Here’s Your
First Reel Look
Caleb Goston from Lincoln Middle
School scored the highest score on
the SAT in Florida
The top students from
Florida, including the 54 from
Alachua County Public
Schools, whose scores were as high as the top-performing 50% of high
school juniors and seniors who took the same tests were recognized at a
ceremony at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
Ten of those students were honored, May 20, at the Grand Recognition
Ceremony on the Duke University Campus in Durham, North Carolina.
All ten earned scores equal to or better than 90% of the juniors and
seniors who took the tests. About 2200 students nationwide achieved
such high scores.
“It’s amazing how well these students are doing on college entrance
exams even before they’ve reached high school,” said Superintendent
Dr. Owen Roberts. “These will be students to watch over the next few
years, because they’ll certainly be accomplishing more great things.”
The Grand Level winners include:
Howard Bishop Middle: Logan Neale
Ft. Clarke Middle: Jackson Carcaba, Abigail Krecic, Pletji
Mautjana, Madison Roth, Caroline Tosolini
Lincoln Middle: Zina Alm, Amy Cohen, Ben Harnsberger,
Aham Lee, Jiawei Ma, Kira Nagoshi, Brindha Rathinasabapathi
Oak View Middle: Zachary Hilman
Westwood Middle: Ambite Fernandez
The State Level winners include:
Howard Bishop Middle: Katherine Buchanan, Ethan Pauly,
Clara Summerford, Andrew Tran, Sara Waldrop
Kanapaha Middle:Zachary Atkins, Lucas Avery, Alexander Bala,
Diego Blaylock, Kyle Cole, Cody Kelley, Zaria Killingsworth
Lincoln Middle: Jared Beaufait, Cierra Boutin, Wilson Bullard,
Eric Chen, Alexis Chun, Joshua Cohn, Alexander Dang, Vlad
Dobra, Caleb Goston, Hannah Humphreys,
Helena Jiang, Benjamin Lidsky, Ann Stalvey, Richard Ye
Mebane Middle: Sean Winner
Oak View Middle: Nathan Breman,Christian Cook, Meredith
Forrester, Zachary Freeman, Natalie Oyenarte, Emily Simpson,
Nicholas Swanger, Tyler Wycoff
Westwood Middle: Zoe Dupler, Ethan Gamble, Anna Hennis,
Logan Macewan
Michael Ealy is anything but Michael Ealy is anything but “The Perfect Guy”
“The Perfect Guy” Ealy
stars in this thriller as the kind, handsome guy who finally wins over Sanaa Lathan
after her recent heartbreak and separation from her previous partner, Morris Chestnut.
Latham quickly discovers that her new prince charming is far from perfect as his
seemingly safe façade is replaced by his true unbalanced nature and he begins to
terrorize her. This is Ealy’s second role playing a sinister, dark character—he just
ended a season of playing a serial killer on FOX’s “The Following”. Ealy’s new
movie, “The Perfect Guy” will be released in September, but here’s your First Reel
Look.
Cube and Cedric bring Razor Sharp Wit to Barbershop 3 It was supposed to be the
quiet little throwaway movie about a barbershop back in 2002. The comedy ended up
grossing almost $80 million at the box office and has grown into a beloved franchise
ready to open for business again 10 years after its last movie. Ice Cube has inked a
mid-seven figure deal to return to the shop along with Cedric the Entertainer who also
starred in
the original movie.
Also joining the cast for
“Barbershop 3? are rappers
Common
and Nicki Minaj.
“Barbershop 3” is targeting
a theater
release sometime
early next
year. Here’s a
behind the
scenes look.
Director
Shows Us
Outside
Antoine Fuqua
the Real Battle is
the Ring in
“SouthPaw” Fuqua
directs
Jake Gyllenhaal and
Forest
Whitaker in ‘Southpaw”. Gyllenhaal stars as Billy “The Great” Hope—a boxer who finally fights his way
to the top and finds his life falling apart once he gets there. All the money, fame and
celebrity he worked so hard to achieve is meaningless after a tragic accident kills his
wife. Billy loses all hope after her death and begins spiraling out of control into alcohol
and prescription drugs. Rock bottom comes when Billy loses custody of his daughter
because of his drug problem. A has-been boxer named Tick (Whitaker) steps in to
help Billy rebuild his life. Fuqua brings some of the grittiness and harsh reality that he
used to make “Training Day” a hit. “Southpaw” is headed to theaters July 24, but
here’s your First Reel Look.
Police Violence and Black Identity Focus of LA Film Festival #BlackLIfeBlackProtest
is showcasing seven short films that take a hard, truthful look at issues dominating and
suffocating the black community. Topics include police violence, human rights and
black identity. After the films are aired, organizers plan to open a public dialogue on
how films can be used as a tool to force social change. The filmmakers hope that
young people connect with the movies and see not only the problems but how to
make things better. Director James Lopez’ “AmeriCAN focuses on the unrest caused
by the police shooting of Michael Brown. Lopez says,“I felt like no one was listening
to each other. You had people on one side saying that police are bad, and on the other
side they’re saying African American males are criminals and deserve to be shot. So I
wanted to make something that both sides would listen and relate to.” Some of the
films offer an emotional release such as “We Demand Justice for Renisha McBride”
about the fatal shooting of the 19 year old who was unarmed and shot in the face.
BLACK COLLEGE MONTHLY — August 2015
3
Blacks Disappointed With
Obama See Little Reason to
Vote for Hillary
For years there have been jokes and skits
about the sort of change we’d all
seeclinton-and-obama once a black man
was elected president. So when Barack
Obama campaigned on ‘change we can
believe in’, it looked as if we were poised
for a shift in American politics. Regrettably,
by Yvette
that didn’t happen. Obama’s presidency
Carnell
could be defined by cautiousness, but not
transformation. And if the first black president couldn’t bring
about change, why should blacks invest their hopes in the first
woman president?
The Washington Post’s Robert Samuels spoke to black Jacksonville, Florida residents about how their disappointment with
Obama might impact Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambitions.
“What was the point?” asked 23 year old grocery store clerk
Regenia Motley. “We made history, but I don’t see change.”
On issues important to blacks, many don’t feel that Obama
moved the needle. The unemployment rate among blacks still
remains substantially higher than whites and drugs and crime are
still problems that plague poor black communities.
During Obama’s presidency, we’ve also seen unprecedented
numbers of
protests across
the country
demanding an
end to the
slayings of
blacks by
police.
So if Obama
couldn’t–or
wouldn’t–bring
about change in
the black
community,
why should blacks invest their hopes in Hillary Clinton? That’s
the question many are asking.
“She is focusing on exactly the right issues,” Rev. Lee Harris of
Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church told the Post. “But here in
Jacksonville, the issues won’t be enough.”
In recent speeches Hillary Clinton has “promised to deliver” on
issues important to the black community, such as prison reform,
but does the black community believe her? Many remember the
mass incarceration epidemic was largely a consequence of former
President Bill Clinton’s policies. The black community gave Bill
Clinton their vote and he gave us mass incarceration and welfare
reform.
Clinton recently discussed his role in the mass incarceration
epidemic.
“The problem is the way it was written and implemented is we
cast too wide a net and we had too many people in prison,”
Clinton said. “And we wound up…putting so many people in
prison that there wasn’t enough money left to educate them, train
them for new jobs and increase the chances when they came out
so they could live productive lives.”
Those are just words. Just as Obama’s promise of “change we
can believe in” was just sloganeering. Will blacks fall for words
again or negotiate a bargain for our vote? We’ll soon find out.
New Gainesville City Commissioners
Promise Change at Swearing in Ceremony
Gainesville, FL - "It's an exciting day of
course because it represents the official
transition of power in our representative
system and it's a day to celebrate the new
commissioners coming in and you know they
worked very hard during their campaign,"
said Mayor Ed Braddy
Newly elected commissioners Harvey Budd
and Charles Goston took their oath of office
in front of an audience of friends, families,
and supporters at the Thelma Boltin Center
in downtown Gainesville. Budd took over the
city's at-large seat replacing Lauren Poe and
Goston defeated the incumbent Yvonne
Hinson-Rawls for the District One seat.
Charles Goston, newly elected
commissioner representing the
Eastside of Gainesville
Now that Commissioner Goston and Budd
have been sworn in, they're both going to
focus their attention bringing Jobs to East Gainesville and lowering GRU bills.
"We have some of the worst utility rates you now in the city because it's the east side
and that's where the lowest wages are," said Goston.
"I'm planning to have an intern that's going to work on just one project for me to help
me find the data to be able to recruit businesses to the east side of Gainesville," Harvey
Budd told GTN.
Budd says it could take some time before the city starts seeing results from GRU, "We
go right into budget hearings in July so I won't really be able to get on that issue until
August until we get the budget out of the way."
When Goston got his turn at the lectern, he told the crowd he would serve all of the
people of District 1 — those who believe in him and those who don’t.
Goston, who spoke on the campaign trail of the need to bring an emergency medical
facility to the east side of town, told the crowd at the Thelma Boltin Center Thursday,
“There are more animal hospitals on the west side than there are hospitals on the east
side.”
He also talked about Gainesville’s high utility rates and said he must work with his fellow
commissioners to bring those rates down to livable levels for everyone.
“This office is not mine,” he said. “It’s the people’s office
Goston says now that he's been sworn in, he's ready for the long road of hard work
ahead of him, "It's just like having a baby the real work don't start until after you have
the baby ok so that's what makes this whole procedure a beautiful procedure because
now i can officially go to work."
Both Commissioners were elected last month during a run-off election.
Los Angeles' minimum wage on
track to go up to $15 by 2020
L.A. City Council approves increase in city's minimum wage, despite concerns from
business groups
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday backed a plan to raise the city’s minimum
wage to $15 per hour, joining a trend sweeping cities across the country as elected
leaders seek to boost stagnating pay for workers on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.
Lawmakers agreed to draft an ordinance raising the $9-an-hour base wage to $15 by
2020 for as many as 800,000 workers, making L.A. the largest city in the nation to
adopt a major minimum-wage hike. Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle already have
approved similar increases, and raising the federal minimum wage has moved to the
forefront of the Democratic Party’s agenda.
“Make no mistake,” said Councilman Paul Krekorian, who was instrumental in shaping
the city’s plan. “Today the city of Los Angeles, the second biggest city in the nation, is
leading the nation.”
4
Can African Americans
Use Buying Power To
Fight Racism?
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Author and political analyst
The Second Deadly Assault on Sandra Bland
It started within moments after Sandra Bland was
found hanging in a Waller County jail cell. And it
hasn't let up for one moment since her dubious
death. The "it" is the non-stop litany of
of veiled and not so veiled hints, innuendoes,
digs, and crass, snide, accusing comments,
remarks, slander and outright lies about Bland's
activities before, during and after her death.
Here's a brief checklist of the defamatory, selfserving, litany of slanders against her. She was
uncooperative with Texas Highway Patrolman,
Brian Encinia. Her cigarette could have posed a
potentially dangerous weapon. She smoked
marijuana before and after her arrest. She had
serious mental issues that made her suicidal. She
had a block sized chip on her shoulder against
law enforcement given her involvement with
Black Lives Matter and her alleged diatribe
against law enforcement on her Facebook
page.
She was alive and in good spirits when she
entered her jail cell. This comes courtesy of a
video that Texas officials released to counter
allegations that she was dead before she was
booked. The video has been challenged both
on the timing of its release and authenticity.
Then to bolster their case that there was no
foul play in her death, a co-inmate magically
appeared to corroborate her supposed
suicidal state.
For one brief moment Waller County prosecutors
said that they'd investigate her death as a murder.
It was just that, brief. It got tossed in the midst of
their pile on of allegations about her alleged bad
conduct and state of mind and a forensic finding
that concluded that she died at her own hands.
The predictable assault on Bland has three aims.
The first is to stop in its tracks the widespread
call for a full bodied Justice Department probe
into Bland's death. This can only be accomplished through the second aim. That is to
deconstruct her as a bad behaving, chip-on-her
shoulder, unstable black woman, and not the
sympathetic victim that supporters and some in
the press depict her as. The other aim is to
exonerate in this order: Encina, Texas Highway
Patrol officials, Waller County jail officials, and
the Waller County District Attorney's office. All
have been fingered as being complicit in her
death either directly or through their gross
negligence and desperate effort to avoid a fair
and impartial probe into the cause of her death.
If enough mud can be tossed on Bland to cast
doubt and suspicion about her character and
motives, the hope is that the issue will quietly go
away.
None of this should surprise. The assault on
Bland follows the same script used in the dubious
and controversial killings of Trayvon Martin, Eric
Garner, Michael Brown, and countless other
young African-Americans who have died or been
killed under questionable circumstance after
encounters with police.
The pantheon of stereotypes
and negative typecasting the
script relies on has been time tested. It's the
shortest of short steps to think that if an innocent,
such as Bland fits the caricature of the terrifying
image that much of the public still harbors about
young black males and increasingly females as
witnessed by the edge up in assaults on them and
a rash of their mysterious deaths in jail cells, then
that image seems real, even more terrifying, and
the consequences are just as deadly.
The flip side of this is that police, prosecutors and
jail officials in Bland's death hold the major cards.
They can leak, publish, and put on display for the
press and the public supposedly incontrovertible
evidence to make their case that the circumstances surrounding her death are exactly as
officials say it is. They are secure in the knowledge that any evidence real or circumstantial that
contradicts the official version can be dismissed
out of hand as pure speculation, hearsay or is
driven by an anti-police agenda.
There's one other trump card that officials can
play to boost their Simon pure innocence in a
death such as Bland's. That is the bulging numbers of blacks in America's jails and prisons seem
to reinforce the wrong-headed perception that
crime and violence in America invariably comes
with a young, black face such as Bland's. Martin,
Brown, and Garner were roundly vilified for
having run-ins with the law, or being a border line
school delinquent.
In Bland's case, she had no criminal record to
wave in the press and public's face. So they
settled on her alleged emotional instability to
prove her deviant behavior. It is crucial to plant
this in the public's mind since she did not die from
a provable and observable police bullet or
chokehold as in the case of Brown and Garner.
The clamor for the truth about whom or what
killed Bland won't go away. This insures that
Texas officials will spin out more new "revelations" to the press and public about Bland's
character. The second deadly assault on Bland
will continue unabated.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is a frequent MSNBC contributor. He is an associate editor of New America
Media. He is a weekly co-host of the Al
Sharpton Show on American Urban Radio
Network.
By Robert
Stitt
Black
Americans
comprise
13.7 percent
of the United
States’
population,
making us
the second largest racial minority group behind the
Hispanic/Latino population. Of that percentage,
nearly half are under 35 years old. So, many black
people are in their peak earning years, contributing a
great deal to the American economy.
In addition to African-American population growth,
consumer growth in black America surpassed the
rest of the country’s population by 30 percent.
While the median income for an African-American is
$47,290, according to the Nielsen Company, the
number of black households earning upwards of
$75,000 or more increased by over 60 percent,
faster than any other group in the nation.
In June, the National Association of Black Accountants he ld a conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
Statistics shared during the conference estimated
that the spending power of black America would be
in excess of $1.1 trillion by the end of 2015.
What does this mean? It means that more than ever,
African Americans now have the opportunity to levy
change with buying power. Significant economic
shifts can be made by African Americans who refuse
to patronize businesses that persistently discriminate
against them.
With money comes options, and with options,
comes power.
The number of African-Americans in television
commercials has grown tremendously in the last few
years. Expect the numbers to grow even more as
advertisers and marketing execs start to realize the
market size and spending power of black Americans.
Soon companies will be catering to the technological
and recreational needs of the black community as
well, and black people should ensure they own some
of the companies that take advantage of this growing
market.
According to Black Enterprise, the Nielsen Company conducted a study called “African-American
Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing.” The study
showed that there was tremendous
“underrepresented potential and spending power”
just waiting to be discovered.
Calvin Harris, Jr., President & CEO of the National
Association of Black Accountants, looked beyond
the numbers to something he felt was more important: contribution and ethnic pride. “The Nielsen
report is very encouraging because it shows the
African American population is a tremendous
financial asset to this country’s economic recovery,”
he said.
5
Santorum: Single Moms Are
"Breeding More Criminals"
The GOP candidate claimed in 1994 that single mothers were destroying
the "fabric of the country." His solution? "Kicking them in the butt."
—By Tim Murphy and Andy
Kroll
During his first US Senate
campaign, Rick Santorum
warned voters of a growing
menace that was "breeding
more criminals" and threatened to destroy America from
within: single mothers.
"Most people agree a continuation of the current [welfare]
system will be the ruination of
this country," Santorum told a
town meeting in Clairton, Pa.,
in February 1994, according
to transcripts of the appearance obtained by Mother Jones. "We are seeing it. We are seeing the fabric of this country
fall apart, and it's falling apart because of single moms."
Santorum, who often trumpets his role in pushing through landmark welfare reform during
stump speeches and debates, made the federal program a centerpiece of his 1994 race
against incumbent Sen. Harris Wofford (D-Penn.). At his Clairton town hall, Santorum
came prepared with a prop—a poster-size chart tracking the increase in the welfare rolls
since 1965, alongside the increase in children who were born out of wedlock.
"Open up the current periodicals—study after study, article after article, children having
children is destroying the fabric of our country," Santorum said. "If you want to close your
eyes to it, if you don't care about it, if you don't want to solve it, if you want to continue
the system, to let people stay and spiral—go ahead. Not with me." Single mothers,
Santorum argued, needed politicians who weren't afraid of "kicking them in the butt."
It wasn't just a matter of cutting government spending and playing life coach, though. One
month later, at an appearance in Erie, Pa., Santorum framed welfare reform as a public
safety issue. "What we have is moms raising children in single-parent households simply
breeding more criminals," he said. When Santorum wasn't comparing single mothers to
animals, he still pressed the issue of out-of-wedlock births and crime. He told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1994 that "we will never solve the crime problem unless we solve the
welfare problem. They are deeply intertwined." (Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley did
not respond to a request for comment.)
Santorum, who as a second-term congressman described his views as "moderate," made
single mothers a focal point of his welfare policy. He introduced legislation that would have
required single mothers who had been on welfare for more than two years to work at least
35 hours a week in order to receive benefits. They would also be denied benefits if they
could not identify their child's father. "If they don't give the name, they don't get any
welfare," Santorum told the Inquirer. Under his plan, which did not pass Congress, unwed
teen mothers would not be eligible for welfare at all.
The solution to poverty, crime, and moral decay, he insisted, was to turn off the money
spigots. "We have programs right now that pay children to have children," he explained on
the CNN's Crossfire in 1994.
It wasn't just single moms that came under assault from Santorum. He told his audience in
Clairton that the welfare program's ballooning costs were also due to "aliens," "drug
addicts," and children "who have learning disabilities" as well. Santorum went on to suggest
that cases of attention deficit disorder were being faked to bilk the government. "[Y]ou
have a lot of testimony indicating that parents are coaching their children to stay in that
situation in order to receive benefits," he said.
Santorum has since toned down his broadsides against single mothers (if only slightly), but
he's singled them out during his presidential campaign. In October he told Family Research
Council president Tony Perkins that single moms are "the political base of the Democratic
party." He continued, "Why? Because it's so tough economically that they look to the
government for help and therefore they're going to vote. So if you want to reduce the
Democratic advantage, what you want to do is build two-parent families; you eliminate that
desire for government."
8 Ways US Mayors
Can Enhance Police
Organizations
by COL (Ret) Byron Freeman
A Mayor is a key figure in creating real change to policing a
city or community! It is time to stop the “business as usual”
approach to policing not only because of recent police
shooting incidents, but because of the new threat as indicated by the FBI Director in a recent US Today article
when he stated that the Islamic State influence is growing in
the US. We have already seen or heard of this threat within
our cities and communities. As first responders, our police
officers must be the best trained and equipped, and held to
the highest standards of conduct to stay in front of this new
and emerging threat.
The annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors is
approaching. I want to offer Mayors my over 34 years of
law enforcement experience and knowledge in leading
numerous large organizations to successful and effective
policing by offering 8 ways US Mayors can enhance police
organizations. There will be people who say, “we can’t or
don’t need do that” or “it won’t work,” but these proven
ways do work. They can be modified as needed to fit any
type of city or community. Mayors can be the champion of
policing change by adopting these 8-ways:
1. Direct an external evaluation and assessment be conducted by an outside law enforcement agency on your
police department.
2. Create a policy that no police officer, regardless of
position/rank, will be assigned to the same job/position/
location for more than four years. He/she must rotate to
another job/position/location.
3. Create a promotion system based on annual performance
and potential evaluation reports as well as quarterly written
counseling sessions.
4. Create a law enforcement “Think Tank” of experts to
review, rewrite and/ or develop policies, standard operating
procedures, guidelines and techniques/tactics. These experts
will meet at least annually.
5. In an effort to change the culture and infuse needed
leadership, hire more military veterans especially noncommissioned officers and officers who possess leadership/
professional development training and courses, can bring a
new, fresh perspective and thought-process, and have some
different skills sets that are vital in today’s uncertain environment. Offer early retirement incentive programs to open
up opportunities to hire new people (entry, mid and executive levels).
6. Improve pay, equipment and specialized training (for
example, cultural awareness/astuteness, criminal analysis,
police intelligence, consideration of others, etc). This is a
“need to have” not a “nice to have.”
7. Ensure contentious cases like police shooting deaths are
investigated by an external law enforcement organization.
8. Create an annual law enforcement proficiency test which
is administered by external law enforcement experts who
report directly to the Police Chief and/or the Mayor’s
designated representative.
This is a wake-up call to get serious about creating positive
change in policing within our cities and counties and holding
police accountable to maintain the professional standards
expected and people deserve.
6
Family of Cleveland couple shot 137
times issues statement
Cleveland –Cuyahoga County Judge John P. O’Donnell found Officer Michael Brelo not guilty of
felony involuntary manslaughter in the killing deaths of Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell.
Williams and Russell were killed in November 2012 after Cleveland police officers unleashed 137
gunshots into the couple’s car following a police pursuit. The family of Timothy Ray Russell
released the following statement in response:
“We are deeply disappointed in Judge
John P. O’Donnell’s ruling, which
failed to administer justice on behalf
of our beloved Tim and his friend,
Malissa Williams. The judge began
the explanation of his ruling by
pointing to the countless instances
across the nation where racialized
policing has
occurred and
resulted in the
untimely deaths of
Black and Brown
women, men and
children. Even as
Judge O’Donnell
acknowledged the
disproportionate
killing of people
of color, he failed
to hold Officer
Michael Brelo
accountable for his reckless and cruel
actions. Across this nation, we have
witnessed countless acquittals and
non-indictments where officers have
walked free in the face of overwhelming evidence attesting to a
disregard for human life, violations of
police codes of conduct, racial
profiling, excessive behavior and
lethal force. Our hearts are heavy to
see this all too familiar scene playing
out once again.
“A hailstorm of more than 137 shots
rained down on Tim and Malissa on
November 29, 2012. No one deserves such a fate. Fleeing is not
grounds for death. The exoneration
of Officer Brelo speaks to a complete
disregard for the extreme and
unnecessary force meted out against
some American citizens who happen
to be Black and Brown. It also
speaks to the refusal of some to
acknowledge the dignity and value of
these human lives. This issue was
underlined in a December 2014
Department of Justice report on the
Cleveland Police Department.
“Tim and Malissa were unarmed and
they were afraid for their lives. Given
the realities of racial profiling and
prejudiced policing, they were fleeing
to escape the very fate imposed upon
them. Their tragic death serves as a
painful reminder of a systemic
culture of violence that we cannot,
and should not, ignore.
“While Officer Brelo goes on
vacation with his family, Tim and
Malissa will never come home. We
will never look at his face and behold
his infectious smile. We no longer
have the privilege of sharing with our
brother the celebrations that come
with summer, the delight in Memorial
Weekend excursions. We cannot
escape the tragedy of our loss even
as we remain steadfast in a spirit of
love and faith that God will see us
through this painful moment.
“Tim was a beautiful human being
with a deep love for others. He
wouldn’t hurt a fly. He was an
evangelist that carried his bible
everywhere and enjoyed sharing his
faith with others. The
mischaracterization of Tim is also
grievous as he was working diligently
to overcome depression and addiction, struggles that have impacted
millions of Americans. These realities
didn’t mean that Tim was a criminal
or complicit in his own death. His
personal, and very human, struggles
didn’t justify the execution that
occurred that night.
“If Tim were alive, he would push
for justice and accountability. He
would urge us to remain vigilant and
advocate on behalf of those who are
unfairly criminalized because of the
color of their skin or socio-economic
status.
“In Tim’s honor, our family will
continue pushing for justice even as
we begin our journey of putting our
lives back together. As we move
forward, we know that we are not
the only ones that need to progress.
The City of Cleveland has a moral
responsibility to improve as well. To
that end, we call on
Mayor Jackson and
the City to:
Mandate cultural and racial
sensitivity training and education for all officers,
Train officers to use alternative
measures to prevent excessive/
lethal force,
Improve hiring standards for
Cleveland Police officers.
Utilize a vetting system that
includes police employment
background, mental health and
stability checks,
Work collaboratively with the
Department of Justice and
ensure their December 2014
report is followed by action and
real change, and
Mandate officers live in the
city where they serve,
Ensure peaceful policing and
improved community relations.
Ensure legislation is passed
to hold accountable officers
who indiscriminately discharge
their weapons without any
measure to avoid murder,
“While our family calls for peace, it
does not mean we cease calls for
reform. We encourage everyone who
values justice to stand up, speak out
and demand change.
Study shows teachers love
punishing black children
Reported by Liku Zelleke
A study done by Stanford University has unveiled some disturbing facts: a
Black student is likely to be punished more harshly than a White student —
not due to overt racism, mind you — but because of an unconscious partiality
to White students.
The phenomenon has been dubbed “implicit bias” by psychologists who also
point out that it was just as likely to come from a Black teacher as much as
from a White one.
What’s more, the finding isn’t just limited to the classroom. When students
are suspended or expelled, it reduces their chances of graduating and going to
college. This, in turn, increases their chance of being arrested or getting shot.
In other words, implicit bias and not “white supremacist intention” on the part
of individuals has a larger impact on people at almost every stage of their
lives, the study suggests.
A 2012 report made by the Department of Education shows that this impact
of school discipline policies affect Black students three and a half times more
that White students, as they are more likely to be suspended or expelled than
their White peers.
In a paper published in the April issue of the Psychological Science, Jason A.
Okonofua and Jennifer L. Eberhardt said that “racial disparities in discipline
can occur even when black and white students behave in the same manner.”
They think this could be a pattern that carries on to the criminal justice system
by way of interpersonal bias. “Just as escalating responses to multiple infractions committed by Black students might feed racial disparities in disciplinary
practices in K–12 schooling, so too might escalating responses to multiple
infractions committed by black suspects feed racial disparities in the criminaljustice system,” the explain.
7
Being a cop showed me just how racist and
violent the police are. There’s only one fix.
By Redditt Hudson
Redditt Hudson, a former cop, works for the NAACP and chairs the board of the Ethics Project. The views expressed here
are his own.
will reduce police brutality. My fellow
officers and I took plenty of classes
on racial sensitivity and on limiting the
use of force.
As a kid, I got used to being stopped
by the police. I grew up in an innerring suburb of St. Louis. It was the
kind of place where officers routinely
roughed up my friends and family for
no good reason.
The problem is that cops aren’t held
accountable for their actions, and they
know it. These officers violate rights
with impunity. They know there’s a
different criminal justice system for
civilians and police.
I hated the way cops treated me.
But I knew police weren’t all bad. One
of my father’s closest friends was a
cop. He became a mentor to me and
encouraged me to join the force. He
told me that I could use the police’s
power and resources to help my
community.
So in 1994, I joined the St. Louis
Police Department. I quickly realized
how naive I’d been. I was floored by the dysfunctional culture I encountered.
I won’t say all, but many of my peers were deeply
racist.
One example: A couple of officers ran a Web site
called St. Louis Coptalk, where officers could post
about their experience and opinions. At some point
during my career, it became so full of racist rants
that the site administrator temporarily shut it
down. Cops routinely called anyone of color a
“thug,” whether they were the victim or just a
bystander.
This attitude corrodes the way policing is done.
As a cop, it shouldn’t surprise you that people will
curse at you, or be disappointed by your arrival.
That’s part of the job.
But too many times,
officers saw young black
and brown men as
targets. They would
respond with force to
even minor offenses. And
because cops are rarely
held accountable for their
actions, they didn’t think
too hard about the
consequences.
Once, I accompanied an
officer on a call. At one home, a teenage boy
answered the door. That officer accused him of
harboring a robbery suspect, and demanded that
he let her inside. When he refused, the officer
yanked him onto the porch by his throat and
began punching him.
Another officer met us and told the boy to stand.
He replied that he couldn’t. So the officer
slammed him against the house and cuffed him.
When the boy again said he couldn’t walk, the
officer grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him
to the car. It turned out the boy had been on
crutches when he answered the door, and couldn’t
walk.
Back at the department, I complained to the
sergeant. I wanted to report the misconduct. But
my manager squashed the whole thing and told me
to get back to work.
I, too, have faced mortal danger. I’ve been shot at
and attacked. But I know it’s almost always
possible to defuse a situation.
Once, a sergeant and I got a call about someone
wielding a weapon in an apartment. When we
showed up, we found someone sitting on the bed
with a very large butcher knife. Rather than
storming him and screaming “put the knife down”
like my colleagues would have done, we kept our
distance. We talked to him, tried to calm him
down.
It became clear to us that he was dealing with
mental illness. So eventually, we
convinced him to come to the
hospital with us.
I’m certain many other officers in
the department would have
escalated the situation fast. They
would have screamed at him,
gotten close to him, threatened
him. And then, any movement
from him, even an effort to drop
the knife, would have been
treated as an excuse to shoot until
their clips were empty.
I liked my job, and I was good at it.
But more and more, I felt like I couldn’t do the
work I set out to do. I was participating in a
profoundly corrupt criminal justice system. I could
not, in good conscience, participate in a system
that was so intentionally unfair and racist. So after
five years on the job, I quit.
Even when officers get caught, they
know they’ll be investigated by their
friends, and put on paid leave. My
colleagues would laughingly refer to
this as a free vacation. It isn’t a
punishment. And excessive force is
almost always deemed acceptable in
our courts and among our grand
juries. Prosecutors are tight with law enforcement,
and share the same values and ideas.
We could start to change that by mandating that a
special prosecutor be appointed to try excessive
force cases. And we need more independent
oversight, with teeth. I have little confidence in
internal investigations.
The number of people in uniform who will
knowingly and maliciously violate your human
rights is huge. At the Ferguson protests, people are
chanting, “The whole damn system is guilty as
hell.” I agree, and we have a lot of work to do.
five points that Reditt wished
every American would understand
about police officers in America:
There are officers who willfully violate
the human rights of the people in the
communities they serve
The bad officers corrupt the departments they work for
The mainstream media helps to
sustain the narrative of heroism that
even corrupt officers take refuge in
Cameras provide the most objective
record of police-citizen encounters
available
There are officers around the country
who want to address institutional racism.
Since I left, I’ve thought a lot about how to
change the system. I’ve worked on police abuse,
racial justice and criminal justice reform at the
Missouri ACLU and other organizations.
Unfortunately, I don’t think better training alone
8
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11
It Took A Century for America to
Award Black Hero With the Medal Of
Honor
After nearly a century of waiting, Sgt. Henry Johnson of the
“Harlem Hellfighters” was finally awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor. During World War I, Sgt. Johnson, also
known as “Black Death,” fought off two-dozen Germans with
Hundreds Of Slaves Died On This Ship
But Their Story Is Incidental To
Researchers
Nearly 221 years after the
sinking of the Portuguese
slave ship, São José Paquete
Africa, a reminder of the
horrific realities of slavery
were recovered from the
bottom of the ocean. According to the New York Times
piece, the slave ship carried
between 400 and 500 slaves
packed on top of one another
for a trip that was to last nearly four months. The story of this ship’s journey tragically
ended just 24 days later.
As the ship traveled around the Cape of Good hope, it along with approximately 212
African slaves were lost at sea. Centuries later, fragments from the ship were found
exactly where it went down. The wreckage was discovered as a result of the ballasts
that were used to balance the “live cargo” whose weight moved and shifted throughout
the journey.
only a gun and a knife.
According to NBC News, Johnson joined the Harlem
Hellfighters and was shipped out to France where he was
placed on menial tasks such as digging latrines. When it
became clear that France’s war efforts were in trouble, the
United States Army lent Johnson and the Harlem Hellfighters
to the French.
In a battle with the Germans, Johnson and his fellow sentry,
Pvt. Needham Roberts, were cornered. The Germans attempted to carry off Pvt. Roberts; however, Johnson refused to
allow the enemy to take his fellow soldier. He fought his way
to freedom while also freeing Roberts using his gun —which
had been jammed—as a bat. Once the gun had finally broken,
he pulled his knife and slashed his way out. During the melee,
Johnson suffered twenty-one1 injuries. When asked about it
later in life, Johnson stated that he was simply fighting for his
life and that every slash meant something.
Johnson was recognized by the French with their highest honor
for valor and was heralded as a hero back in the United States.
However, because of clerical errors, Johnson was unable to
collect his pension after his service. His heroic efforts were
also overlooked because of his skin color.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer stated:
“Sgt. Henry Johnson, an Albany resident and Harlem
Hellfighter, is a true American hero, who displayed the most
profound battlefield bravery in World War I, yet the nation for
which he was willing to give his life shamefully failed to
recognize his heroics, just because he was a black man,”
It took twenty years of research and an act of Congress to
finally bring honor to this heroic soldier. The White House
conferred the honor posthumously upon Johnson. Johnson died
at the age of 32. He had no surviving family to receive the
medal on his behalf. It was, instead, received by New York
National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson.
The museums and researchers involved in the ship’s discovery were looking for
fragments of an actual slave ship to include in their exhibits. Their focus was on
obtaining items from the wreckage to display for their public. The realities of their
find, however, give us a grim look into the horrors of the slave trade. After 24 days of
traveling in the bowels of the São José–while being pressed back to back and on top of
each other–hundreds of black people lost their lives. They were incapable of escaping
their watery grave. The names, histories, personal stories, and cultures were entirely
erased. All that was left were the iron ballasts that were used to counterbalance their
weight.
In 2013, researchers discovered government archives which were dated in the same
month and year of the sinking of the São José Paquete Africa. These documents
verified the sale of a single slave – one out of the 400 hundred on board.
“The document confirmed the sale of a man who was taken from the mainland to
Mozambique Island and was aboard the São José…. this was just one man, one slave,
out of 400, and he had been given no name in the document save “Black Man.”
And while the narrative of the São José Paquete Africa suggests that the ship’s crew
frantically attempted to save as many slaves as they could, it was done so –according
to the NYT article–not because of their value as a human being but because of their
value as a slave. Hundreds perished. Those that survived only did so to be sold within
two days of the tragedy.
According to researchers who took part in this discovery, this is the very first time
that the wreckage of a ship that was lost with slaves on board has been recovered.
Alabama Senate seeks to rename Edmund
Pettus Bridge as Journey to Freedom Bridge
MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Alabama senators took a step toward renaming Selma’s
Edmund Pettus Bridge, a historic site in the voting rights movement that also bears
the name of a Ku Klux Klan officer.
Senators approved a resolution Wednesday to rename it the Journey to Freedom
Bridge. The bridge became a symbol of the fight for voting rights after marchers
were beaten by state troopers in 1965.
The bridge is Selma’s most notable landmark, but its KKK association has drawn
the ire of some in the majority black city. Pettus was a U.S senator, a Confederate
general and a KKK grand dragon.
Watch a report on the Edmund Pettus Bridge’s history below:
The Alabama House of Representatives has not voted on the idea.
Lee Sentell of the Alabama Tourism Department said changing the bridge’s name
could threaten its status as a national historic landmark.
13
Good Times Father ‘Killed
Off’ Because He Wouldn’t
‘Shuck and Jive”
A judge in Cleveland ruled Thursday that probable cause existed to
charge two Cleveland police officers in the death of a 12-year-old boy,
Tamir Rice, but the judge also said he did not have the power to order
arrests without a complaint being filed by a prosecutor.
Media portrayal of
African Americans is a
significant and ongoing
issue. The manner in
which we are portrayed on television
has a significant
impact both on how
we see ourselves and
how the rest of the
world views us.
In his ruling, Judge Ronald B. Adrine, presiding judge of the Municipal
Court, found probable cause to charge Officer Timothy Loehmann,
who fired the fatal shot, with murder, involuntary manslaughter,
reckless homicide and dereliction of duty. He also found probable
cause to charge Officer Loehmann’s partner, Officer Frank Garmback,
with negligent homicide and dereliction of duty.
John Amos, famed
father on Good Times,
revealed in an interview with the American Archive of Television that he was fired from the show
because of how vocally he spoke out against the “shucking and jiving.” According
to Callahan, Amos’ position “seemed to have rubbed the show’s creator…the wrong
way.”
All of the drama came to a head when
Amos received a call out of the blue that
his character was no longer needed.
Amos recalled receiving the news from
“Good Times” creator Norman Lear
himself during the show’s hiatus.
“Big John, I got some good news and
some bad news. What do you want to
hear first?” Amos said Lear asked him.
“Hey, it’s your dime, you made the call,”
Amos replied.
From there, Lear gave him the good
news, which involved “Good Times”
being picked up for another season. For
Amos, that news wasn’t a surprise.
“You want the bad news?” Lear asked.
“Sure, how bad can it be?” Amos asked.
“You won’t be with us,” Lear responded.
Despite not being surprised by the new
since was he was already labeled a
“disruptive element,” Amos mentioned
that he was shocked.
And for those wondering how Amos
responded when Lear asked if he wanted
to say something, it was real simple. He
said no and hung up the phone.
Cleveland Judge Finds
Probable Cause to Charge
Officers in Tamir Rice Death
Amos’ contention was that
the show could have been
carried by the positive
aspirations of the younger
two children–one of which
wanted to become a Supreme
Court justice. However, the
show began to center around
the “chicken-hat wearing”
J.J. whose character
shucked-and-jived his was
through every episode.
“I felt too much emphasis
was being put on J.J. and his
chicken hat and saying ‘dyno-mite’ every third page,
when just as much emphasis
and mileage could have been
gotten out of my other two
children.”
Amos’ account aligns with
that of Florida Evans–
portrayed by Esther Rolle–
who left the show shortly
after Amos’ television death.
In regards to J.J.’s role,
Esther Rolle stated in a 1975
Ebony Magazine article:
“This court determines that complaints should be filed by the prosecutor of the City of Cleveland and/or the Cuyahoga County prosecutor,”
Judge Adrine wrote.
The shooting of Tamir last Nov. 22 was one of a series of killings of
unarmed black males by police officers around the country that have
prompted widespread protests and calls for reform in race relations and
the use of force by officers. The county prosecutor, Timothy J.
McGinty, has been handling the case, and although Judge Adrine’s
ruling is not binding, it puts added pressure on Mr. McGinty in a
closely scrutinized case.
Supporters of Tamir Rice outside Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland
on Tuesday before Game 3 of the N.B.A. Finals. Credit Ken Blaze/
USA Today Sports, via Reuters
Mr. McGinty released a terse statement indicating that he would not be
rushed into filing a criminal complaint.
“This case, as with all other fatal use-of-deadly-force cases involving
law enforcement officers, will go to the grand jury,” he said. “That has
been the policy of this office since I was elected. Ultimately, the grand
jury decides whether police officers are charged or not charged.”
In a statement, a city spokesman, Daniel Williams, said city prosecutors would leave the case to Mr. McGinty to “review and to determine
whether charges will be issued.”
This week, a group of activists and community leaders asked the court
to have the officers arrested under an Ohio law that allows “a private
citizen having knowledge of the facts” to start the process by filing an
affidavit with a court. They argued that the widely seen video of an
officer killing Tamir had given nearly everyone “knowledge of the
facts.”
The Ohio law, in effect in various forms since 1960, is unusual and
rarely invoked, and lawyers have disagreed about what might be
achieved by using it.
“He’s eighteen and he
doesn’t work…He can’t read
or write. He doesn’t think.
The show didn’t start out to
be that. Michael’s role of a
bright, thinking child has been
reduced. Little by little…they have made J.J. more stupid and enlarged the role.
Negative images have been slipped on us through the character of the oldest child.”
Amos demanded that his television family be portrayed in the most positive manner
possible. His clear position in the debate ultimately got him fired. Nearly forty years
later, it would appear that the debate of the type of images portrayed by and of
African Americans on television may have been lost. In many ways, there are more
negative portrayals of blacks on television than positive. However, if these are the
images that our own community consumes and seeks out, is there anyone to blame
but ourselves?
Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir, a 12-year-old boy
fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer, speaks during
a news conference
Here’s what makes for a mature relationship
by Dr Sinclair Grey III:
So many individuals want to be in a relationship,
but fail to understand that it takes work. Whenever two people come together, there’s bound to
be differences, as well as similarities. That’s why
it’s important that trust and communication are
foundational components. Just as trust and
communication are foundational in any relationship, maturity is also a key factor to making it
work.
“Black-ish” Changing The
Way America Looks at
Black Families
By Joshua D. Copeland
Unfortunately, too many people in relationships
aren’t mature enough to sustain it. With all of the
demands and pressures that come from the outside
world, the last thing a person wants to deal with is
immaturity within their relationship.
Sadly and shamefully, too many people are
looking to the wrong things when it comes to
seeking relationship advice. Let me give you an
example. If an individual is looking at reality
shows for relationship advice, then that person is
immature and not ready for a relationship of
substance. In addition to that, listening to “drama kings” and “drama queens” will only cause
confusion and bring unhappiness into your life.
Whenever two people decide on being in a relationship, they are making a commitment to each
other. That commitment isn’t just trust and loyalty—it’s also maturity. It’s telling and showing
the other person that you are mentally and emotionally ready for a long-lasting relationship. To
say it more plainly, you’re telling the other person that you’re going to act your age and not
your shoe size when it comes to communication, decision-making, understanding, and planning.
Here are a few components that make a mature relationship:
1
There’s no jealousy. In other words, mature couples don’t entertain the thought of
being jealous of their partner’s income, career, education, or friends. Each person
within a mature relationship is secure within himself or herself and won’t try to
compete with their partner or even hate on their partner. They celebrate and embrace who their partner is.
2
They see each other as the best of friends. Without friendship, two people cannot
really get to know each other on an intimate basis. As friends, mature couples want
the best for each other and see the person as an individual of value and worth.
3
They know how to communicate. They talk to one another and not at one another.
Let’s face it—unless couples can communicate effectively and efficiently, miscommunication is bound to happen. To avoid assumptions, mature couples communicate
their concerns.
4
They work through conflict/disagreement. Mature couples deal with the issue that
sparked a conflict and seek to remedy it as soon as possible. They don’t bring up
past situations, because they are more concerned with addressing the immediate
problem. In addition to that, mature couples understand there has to be some
compromise, and won’t hold grudges.
ABC’s hit series “Black-ish,” starring Laurence Fishburne,
Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross was recently
honored at the TV Academy Awards.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Black-ish” creator
Kenya Barris and stars Fishburne and Ross joined other
guests at the affair included Transparent actors Jay
Duplass, Judith Light and Bradley Whitford, , ABC news
reporter Bob Woodruff, producer of ESPN’s Stories of
Boston’s Strongest, who infused his acceptance speech
with echoes of his own challenges recovering from injuries
sustained after an explosion in Iraq in 2006.
For quite some time, ideas revolving around the every day
life of a Black family has been constructed by reality TV.
Unlike old school shows like “Good Times” and “The
Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” its a lot harder to pin point family
morals and values in the midst of drama and catty pettiness. Luckily, “Black-ish” still gives us hope for Black
families on television.
Where the “Good Times” family may have appeared
broken down; and while families like the Huxtables and
the Bankses may have been too rich to be believable;
many people can agree that “Black-ish” gives us a realistic
medium. The show is a moderate display of a Black
family in the middle class of society. And many Black
families can relate to that.
5
They set aside quality time for each other. This a no-brainer. Mature couples leave
emails, social media, and the cares of the outside world alone at some point to focus
on each other.
“Black-ish” is well deserving of such an honor because of
the show’s success in changing the way Americans see
Black families. One of the most rewarding outlooks on
“Black-ish” is that while it provides a healthier perspective
as opposed to a negative one, it reminds us that this Black
family is a family just like any other.
6
They don’t need to be in contact with one another 24/7. They trust each other and
know that each person has their own life. Mature couples don’t operate in a state of
insecurity.
7
Mature couples keep people out of their business. They realize the more people in
your business, the more likely chaos will happen. They understand their private lives
are just that—private.
Clearly, there are more things that make a mature relationship. Hopefully with this list, you will
begin to evaluate your own relationship to determine whether it’s mature or not. It takes two
people to make it work. One person cannot do all of the work while the other person fails to do
anything.
Remember—no relationship is perfect, but a relationship that isn’t mature won’t ever work.
Seek to have a mature relationship, and you’ll experience happiness and fulfillment.
Dr. Sinclair Grey III is an activist, speaker, writer, author, life coach, and host of The
Sinclair Grey Show heard on Mondays at 2pm on WAEC Love 860am (iHeart Radio and
Tune In). Contact him at drgrey@sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @drsinclairgrey
Editor & Publisher
Charles E. Goston
President and CEO - Charles E. Goston
National Offices Florida and Georgia
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Phone # 1-352 335 - 5771
e-mail bcft2bcm@gru.net
“Its more than a College Magazine”
15
5 Things College Students do to Ruin their Lives
by Boyce Watkins,
PhD
As a college professor for the past 16
years, I’ve noticed
two things about
college: It can be a
place to make your dreams come true, and it can
also be a breeding ground for your worst nightmares. So, I thought I would compile a list of
things that I’ve seen college students do to ruin
their lives over the years. Hopefully, you and
your child can learn from what I am about to
share.
very careful with how much you buy with the
card, and that you have a careful plan to pay it all
back. Putting yourself in over your head can easily
destroy your credit. That is not a good cycle to get
into. Not taking care of your student loan obligations can ruin your credit as well. You should
manage your debt as best you can, because if you
don’t, it can take decades to fix the problems that
1) Sex, drugs, alcohol and gambling
College is a great place to pick up a lot of really
bad habits. The worst part is that people tell you
that these things are ok. It’s not that all of these
are bad things to do, but at the very least, they
should be done in moderation. It doesn’t matter
if you are in college: If you have sex with too
many people, you are going to catch a disease or
get pregnant. If you use drugs, you are going to
become a drug addict. If you drink too much,
you will become an alcoholic. Gambling can also
ruin your life as much as drugs or alcohol. I have
several dozen friends with really messed up lives
to this day, all of whom started their downward
5) Pledging a fraternity or sorority too
early
are created.
3) Working too much outside of school and
forcing yourself to drop out
spiral on a college campus. You should not think
that because you are in college, you are immune
to these problems. If something doesn’t feel
right, then you shouldn’t do it. Be mature enough
to make smart decisions.
2) Falling for the credit card scams and
ruining your credit
There are no serious credit card scams in college,
only the little people who stand out in front of the
bookstore trying to get you to take their “free
money”. Credit cards are very tempting when
you are in school, especially since you are broke.
If you decide to take one, make sure that you are
There are a ton of students out there who are
spending every waking moment of their Sophomore, Junior and Senior years trying to compensate for the massive mistakes made during their
Freshman year. If you get off to a bad start,
you’re asking for serious trouble all through
college. You will have to do 10 miles of work to
get 5 miles of reward. Don’t put yourself in that
position if you can avoid it. The best way to
avoid problems in the freshman year is to use a
consistent study strategy. That means, you
should set aside at least 5 hours per day in which
you go to a secluded spot in the library and stay
there. Make sure that no one else is around. You
can do whatever you want for the rest of the
day, but make sure that your studies get their
proper attention. After you’ve put in your class
and study time, you will have a good 5 or 6
hours a day to have all the fun you want,
especially on the weekends (remember: there are
168 hours in a week. If you are in class for 15
hours, sleep for 56 and study for 42, you still
have about 55 hours left for parties! That’s a lot
of party time!)
Getting a job in school is not a bad thing to do. In
fact, it builds character. But you should work only
to support your basic needs. If you find yourself
working non-stop in order to pay for things that
you shouldn’t be buying in college, then that is
when it is time for you to settle down and reconsider your priorities. Your professors are not going
to care if your grades are in the toilet because you
are engaged in too many outside activities. It is
your responsibility to keep up in class. You will
have the rest of your life to work, make money
and buy all the things that you want. If you do it
all too early, you are going to kill your chance to
ever have the finer things in life. My mother used
to say to me that “People who work hard before
they are 24 get to party hard when they are 30.” I
didn’t understand that then, but when I was 31
years old bringing in the New Year on a cruise ship
in the Bahamas, I understood what she meant.
Additionally, the temptation to leave school for
“just a little while” may seem to make sense, but it
doesn’t. Most Americans never graduated from
college, but most of us went to college for at least
a while. For many college drop outs, the distraction may have seemed temporary at the time, but
turned out to be quite permanent. Don’t get off
the educational track, because the hurdles of the
real world can be very deceptive.
4) Screwing up their freshman year
The quickest way to ruin your GPA and put
yourself on a downward spiral in college is to
pledge a fraternity or sorority during your
freshman year. Some frats and sororities are
responsible enough to make sure that they don’t
allow freshmen to pledge. But even if they are
not a freshman, you should not allow yourself to
pledge until you’ve had a good academic year. If
you are still struggling academically after your
freshman year, you should wait and pledge the
grad chapter. You will have the rest of your life
to be part of the group, and you can still go to
the parties and have lots of fun without being in
the organization. I never pledged, but I had
friends in every fraternity. The difference was
that I didn’t have an obligation to anyone, but I
had respect for people in all the different greek
organizations.
Education matters more than almost anything
you’ll ever do you in life. If you blow the
opportunity over foolishness, you’ll spend the
rest of your life regretting it.
Wildcats Place Seven on All-MEAC
Preseason Team
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
Date
Sat.9/5
Sat.9/12
Sat.9/19
Sat.9/26
Sat.10/3
Thu. 10/8
Sat.10/17
Sat.10/24
Sat.10/31
Sat.11/7
Sat.11/21
Schedule
Opponent
at Miami (FL)
at Grambling State
vs. Lane
vs. Savannah State
at N. C. Central
vs. South Carolina St
at North Carolina A&T
vs. Norfolk State
at Delaware State
vs. Morgan State
vs. Florida A&M*
Time
6:00 PM
5:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:00 PM
4:00 PM
1:00 PM
4:00 PM
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
2:30 PM
TV
ESPN3
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ESPN3
ESPNU
ESPC
Schedule
Opponent
Time
at South Florida
7:00 PM
at Samford
3:00 PM
at South Carolina St
7:30 PM
vs. Tennessee State
4:00 PM
at Savannah State
7:00 PM
vs. N. C. Central
4:00 PM
vs. Delaware State
3:00 PM
vs. North Carolina A&T 3:00 PM
at Hampton
1:00 PM
at Morgan State
1:00 PM
vs. Bethune-Cookman* 2:30 PM
Location
TV
ESPN3
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ET
ESPNU
ESPC
Schedule
Date
Opponent
Time
Sat.9/5
Sat.9/12
Fri. 9/18
Sat.10/3
Sat.10/10
Sat.10/17
Sat.10/24
Sat.10/31
Sat.11/7
Sat.11/14
Sat.11/21
Sat.11/28
vs. Texas State
vs. South Florida
at Boston College
at Wake Forest
vs. Miami (FL)
vs. 24 Louisville
at 8 Georgia Tech
vs. Syracuse
at 15 Clemson
vs. N. C. State
vs. Chattanooga
at Florida
8:00 PM
11:30 AM
8:00 PM
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TV
ESNN
ESPN
ESPN
vs. Bethune-Cookman
at Florida Atlantic
vs. Nebraska
at Cincinnati
at 5 Florida State
vs. Virginia Tech
vs. 15 Clemson
at Duke
vs. Virginia
at North Carolina
vs. 8 Georgia Tech
at Pittsburgh
Location
A total of three Wildcats were voted to the preseason third team, led by redshirt senior
quarterback Quentin Williams (Tampa, Fla.) and redshirt senior running back Anthony
Jordan (Atlanta, Ga.) on the offensive side of the ball. Wrapping up the all-conference
preseason selections for Bethune-Cookman was junior punter Jonathan Cagle (Pensacola,
Fla.).
North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while South Carolina
State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was selected as preseason Defensive Player of the
Year.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Three-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) champion Bethune-Cookman Football ranks third in the BoxToRow preseason
poll, announced Friday afternoon from the BoxToRow home office in Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Bethune-Cookman went 9-3 a season ago, finishing third in the final BoxToRow poll behind
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champ Alcorn State (10-3) and co-MEAC
champion North Carolina A&T (-3).
Under the direction of first-year head coach Terry Sims, the Wildcats are predicted to finish
third in the MEAC preseason order of finish, just behind South Carolina State (second) and
North Carolina A&T (first).
2015 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Preseason Football Coaches Poll
Schedule
Sat.9/5
Fri. 9/11
Sat.9/19
Thu. 10/1
Sat.10/10
Sat.10/17
Sat.10/24
Sat.10/31
Sat.11/7
Sat.11/14
Sat.11/21
Fri. 11/27
* - Neutral
On the second team offense for the Wildcats, junior running back Michael D. Jones
(Sarasota, Fla.) and junior offensive lineman Trevin Huff (Tallahassee, Fla.) earned preseason honors, while redshirt senior safety Marquis Drayton (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) picked up
second team honors on defense.
In this year’s poll, Alcorn State begins the year atop the rankings, followed by North
Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman, South Carolina State and Southern to round out the top
five.
Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Opponent
North Carolina A&T received nine first-place votes to receive the first place ranking in the
conference’s preseason poll for 2015 MEAC Football Season. All five teams that earned a
share of conference title last year rounded out the first five spots of this year’s preseason
predicted order of finish. That included South Carolina State in second place, followed by
Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina Central and Morgan State, respectively.
BCUGridIron Ranks Third in Preseason BoxToRow Poll
Florida State Seminoles
Day
As a team, Bethune-Cookman was predicted to finish third in the preseason poll, picking up
a first place vote in the process. Under the direction of first-year head coach Terry Sims, the
Wildcats have won at least a share of the last three consecutive MEAC titles.
Dariusz Bladek, a senior from Kissimmee, Florida, made his way onto the preseason allconference first team. A season ago, Bladek started in 11 games along the offensive line,
primarily playing at the left guard position. On the campaign, he graded out at 91 percent on
all assignments, playing an average of 93 percent of all snaps throughout the year.
Florida A&M Rattlers
Date
Sat.9/5
Sat.9/12
Thu. 9/17
Sat.9/26
Sat.10/3
Sat.10/10
Sat.10/17
Sat.10/31
Sat.11/7
Sat.11/14
Sat.11/21
* - Neutral
NORFOLK, Va. – Bethune-Cookman senior offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek headlined a
group of seven Wildcats named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason
Football Team, announced Friday at the 2015 MEAC Football Kickoff in Norfolk, Virginia.
Rank
Time
6:00
8:00
3:30
7:30
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
School (1st Pl Votes)
W-L
Pts.
2014 Poll
TV
PM
PM
PM
PM
ESPN3
FS1
ESPN
1
Alcorn State (12)
10-3
2
North Carolina A&T (3)
9-3
3
Bethune-Cookman
9-3
4
South Carolina State (2)
8-4
5
Southern
9-4
6
Grambling State
7-5
7
North Carolina Central
7-5
8
Tennessee State (1)
6-6
9
Morgan State
7-6
10
Alabama State
7-5
Others receiving votes: Jackson State (5-7)
A&M (5-5) 5, Alabama A&M (5-7) 3.
169
1
154
3
126
2
121
5
114
4
96
8
69
6
48
10
43
7
26
9
10, Hampton (3-9) 6, Prairie View
17
CAMP REPORT:
Rattlers Don Pads
For The First Time
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Aug.10) –
The clashing of pads made the
inevitability of football season a
reality as the Rattlers prepared for
their Sept. 5 opener against USF.
Head coach Alex Wood was full of
Coach Alex Wood guides the Rattlers through the first day of energy and enthusiasm as he
sprinted from station to station,
hitting in Fall practice.
expecting the same energy from all
of his players. With a mix of drills, conditioning, special teams and position play, the Rattlers displayed
what the Wood era is based on…execution.
After a segment of execution, the Rattlers raced from station to station, as walking was not allowed by
the FAMU coaching staff. Coming off a solid Spring session, the team had grown accustomed to Wood’s
style…fast-paced, nearly frantic.
With an emphasis on execution, the teams went through individual position drills with each of the position
coaches. Of certain interest to the Rattler faithful is the play of the quarterback. With Carson Royal
taking snaps at the No.1 position, a solid battle for the No.2 slot is in full effect. Kenneth Coleman took
snaps under center, as did Davonte Austin. Early fan favorite, freshman Ryan Stanley finally appeared in
the orange and green. All four quarterbacks will vie for time, with Royal having the decided advantage
after Spring practice.
The Rattler receiving corps looked sharp. Under the spirited direction of assistant coach D.J. McCarthy,
the players went through several drills emphasizing routes, blocking and of course catching the ball.
Judge Approves $60
Million Payment For
Athletes In Landmark
NCAA Video Game Case
BY: John “Hennry”
Harris
U.S. District Judge
Claudia Wilken has
orally approved a
combined $60 million
settlement that paves
the way for thousands
of football and men’s
basketball players to be paid for their past appearances in NCAA-branded video games.
Video game manufacturer Electronic Arts, Collegiate Licensing Company and the NCAA were
sued over the use of players’ names, images and
likenesses in video games. Rob Carey and Steve
Berman, two attorneys for the plaintiffs, confirmed Wilken’s landmark decision after a hearing
ncaabuildingThursday (July 16, 2015) in California.
The maximum amount a player will be able to
Running back Gerald Hearns looks to again lead the running backs. His solid performance on the field and receive from the settlement is around $7,200,
leadership-by-example style is a good fit for this revamped coaching staff.
according to Berman. More than 20,000 claims
The Ratters have depth at both offensive and defensive lines. With a core of veterans returning and some have been filed
promising newcomers, competition at all offensive line positions should be fierce. With the switch from
It is also possible that the dollar amount will
the 3-4 defense to the 4-3, the defensive line will get more action and should open up the veteran lineincrease. Attorney Rob Carey says it is “very
backer corps to pursue rushers.
possible” that Wilken will reduce attorney’s fees
from 33% of the $60 million settlement to 30%
which will increase the pool of money and
payment for athletes who file an approved claim.
Tyrese Tops the Album Charts, the Old Fashioned Way
R&B singer/actor Tyrese is riding high at the moment, having costarred in the blockbuster film Furious 7 earlier this year, he’s
since returned his focus to music. His latest effort, Black Rose,
recently topped the Billboard album charts. And he’s quick to
remind you that Black Rose is, in fact, an album. “[It’s] A full
album,” he stresses. “That you can play from top to bottom and
don’t skip anything. It still exists.”
vidgames“She wants what we want: a fair
payment for the attorneys, who took tremendous
risks, and the best results for those athletes who
make claims,” Carey said. “The claims rate is
approaching 30 percent and that is a great
response. The awards are sizable, and the
athletes who were there — (Sam) Keller and
(Shawne) Alston — are elated with the result and
their roles in it.” (cbssports.com)
While the very idea of referring to a group of songs as an “album”
seems to be going the way of the 8-track, Tyrese is up front about
his affection for older music, and the way music use to be packaged and sold. He’s also not trying to jump on any trends, as he
recently told us in a Radio.com interview.
After Wilken formally approves the settlement
there will be a 30-day objection period. If there
are no appeals, payments could start going out as
soon as September.
“I got just one rapper on my album,” he notes, referring to
Snoop Dogg, who guests on “Dumb S***.” (Other guests include
Chrisette Michele, Tank and Brandy.)
“I’m sorry! I ain’t twerkin’, I don’t know nobody named ‘Nae Nae.’ Sorry!”
Additionally, he’ll remind you that, when you go to see him perform, he’s doing things the old fashioned
on stage as well. “When you come see me in concert, it’s gonna be me! I ain’t got 15 people comin’ from
behind the curtain! I’m sorry! There’s live music, no autotune, it’s real singing from the soul and it’s raw,
[it’s] the music that we all know and fell in love with.”
Clearly, Black Rose means a lot to him, and not only because he’s nostalgic for the LP (or CD) era. He’s
gone through a lot in life in the years leading up to the release of his latest album.
“I am not trying to live up to no hype, I ain’t trying to create no false perceptions. I’m not trying to get
nobody caught up in nothing that ain’t real. I am simply asking, that, for an album that took me three and
a half years [to make]… I lost my girl of five years, I was in and out of court for three years fighting for
my daughter, I lost my brother Paul Walker, who was one of my closest friends of 14 years… everything
imaginable tried to take my legs from under me, and stop me from getting in that vocal booth and finishing
this album.”
“It is art,” he continues. “It is my heart, it is the best of me, it is real, it is transparent. I don’t have no
‘turn up’ for you. It is my best. And I am asking people to do something that most people don’t do these
days: go to iTunes, go to Google Play, go to the store: Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and all of the independent record stores that are still left—shout-out to all the independents!—and buy a full album.
The NCAA is also allowing current football and
men’s basketball players who played during the
period vidbasketballthe games existed to receive
their payments without losing their NCAA eligibility. Right now, there about 400 to 450 current
athletes that have made claims.
The determining criteria of the amount of money
a player receives varies depending on whether his
name appeared on a team roster, his jersey
appeared on a virtual avatar, his photograph
appeared in a game and which years he appeared
in a game.
From the years of 2003-2014, 111,174 real roster
football players and 21,309 real basketball players
appeared in the games.
“I’m pleased to be part of a landmark effort that
will get student-athletes paid for the first time in
history,” Berman said.
federally insured
by the ncua
For more information call (352) 377-4141 or visit our Gainesville branches:
2831 NW 43rd St. | 3720 NW 13th St., Suite 10C | 2785 SW 91st St.
www.flcu.org
19
Lawyers who put clients first.
Glassman &
Zissimopulos
Law
Attorneys
Dan Glassman
and
Nick Zissimopulos*
Glassman & Zissimopulos Law is a civil and criminal defense law
firm in Gainesville, Florida. With more than 30 years of practicing
legal representation between them, Gainesville attorneys Dan
Glassman and Nick Zissimopulos have represented clients in cases
involving:
Wrongful death
Professional Negligence Criminal Defense
Auto accidents
Premise Liability State Federal Criminal Defense
Medical Malpractice
Nursing Home Negligence
Glassman & Zissimopulos Law
804 NW 16th Ave.,
Suite B
Gainesville, FL 32601
We put clients first!
Call (352) 505-4515
Toll-free: (844) 787-2543
www.putclientsfirst.com
20 April 2014

Black-ish - Black College Monthly

Transcription

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