1 :: WWW.CNYVISION.

COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012

Syracuse, NY
VOL 3. NO. 21 april 19 - 25, 2012
www.cnyvision.com www www. wcn cnyv vis sioon. nco c m ww
vision
cny
Tr ayvon Mar t i ns Case
Ofers Us All Lessons
2 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
LOCAL OFFICE:
2331 South Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13205
PH: 315-849-2461
HEADQUARTERS:
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Rochester, NY 14614
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FAX: 1-888-796-6292
EMAIL: info@cnyvision.com
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PUBLI SHER/EDI TOR
Dave McCleary
davemc@cnyvision.com
BUSI NESS MANAGER
Pauline McCleary
pmccleary@minorityreporter.net
ART DI RECTOR
Catie Fiscus
artdirector@MinorityReporter.net
PHOTOGRAPHER
La Vergne Harden
lharden@cnyvision.com
ADVERTI SI NG
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advertising@cnyvision.com
REPORTERS
Rodney Brown
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CONTRI BUTORS
Ko Quaye
James Haywood Rolling
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Boyce Watkins
CNY Vision is a publication of Minor-
ity Reporter, Inc. We are a family of
publications and other media formats
committed to fostering self awareness,
building community and empowering
people of color to reach their greatest
potential. Further, CNY Vision seeks
to present a balanced view of relevant
issues, utilizing its resources to build
bridges among diverse populations;
taking them from information to under-
standing.
CNY Vision reserves the right to edit or
reject content submitted.
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Call 315-849-2461
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In This Issue
COVER: Pg 6
-Trayvon Martins Case Offers
Us All Lessons
CALENDAR Pg 2

LOCAL Pgs 3, 7
-Mayor Miner Proposes City
Budget
- No Smokers Allowed at the
Beach
- SCSD Duplicates City Strategy
to Close Budget Gap
HEALTH Pg 4
- Beyond Drowsy, Too Little
Sleep Ups Diabetes Risk
POLITICS Pg 5
- Obama Wants to Target Oil
Market Manipulation
NATIONAL Pg 8
- Thirteen Ways Government
Tracks Us
-Michigan Lottery Winner
Charged with Welfare Fraud
COLUMNS: Pg 10
- African American Youth, An
Endangered Species
By Ko Quaye

- Lets Get Down To Business
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux
- African-American Producers
Bring All-Black Revival of A
Street Car Named Desire to
Broadway
By Marc Morial
-Time to Revive Civil Rights
Commission
By Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
1 :: WWW.&1<9,6,21&20 - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012 Syracuse, NY VOL 3. NO. 21 april 19 - 25, 2012
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OZe
7UD\YRQ0DUWLQV&DVH
2IIHUV8V$OO/HVVRQV
GED Classes
Monday thru Friday
Time: 9:00am11:30am
Locaon: Beauchamp Branch Library -
2111 South Salina St.
(NO CLASSES APRIL 16-23)
Free study sessions designed to help those
who are interested in obtaining their GED.
Must Sign-Up. Contact Pat Booker 435-
6376.
18,24 and 25
GED Classes (Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Time: 9:00 am and 12:30 pm
Locaon: White Branch Library - 763
Buernut Street
Catch these free study sessions designed to
help those who are interested in obtaining
their General Equivalency Diploma, the
equivalent to a high school diploma. No
registraon required, just come in and get
started on your new future.
18, 24 and 25
AARP Tax Help
MARCH THROUGH APRIL
Time: 10:00 am 1:00 pm
Locaon: Bes Branch Library- 4862 South
Salina St.
AARP is available every Tuesday and
Wednesday morning in March and April
by appointment to prepare your income
tax return. Clients must bring last years
tax return, valid picture ID, and all W-2 and
1099 forms. Call 435-1940 to schedule an
appointment. Tuesdays and Wednesdays,
by Appointment
18 and 25
Computer Basics for Job Search
Time:5:30-7:00 pm
Central Library is oering a free computer
instrucon series to assist job-seekers.
This 10-week course covers the basics
of searching, organizing, and submi ng
informaon online; including navigang
the web, Internet safety, online job
searching, applying online, using Microso
Word Resume templates, saving les,
se ng up e-mail accounts, and more.
Reservaons are required: call 435-
1900 for more informaon or to make a
reservaon.
18,25
Beginning Yoga
Time: 4:00 pm
White Branch Library is oering an adult
weekly Yoga program for beginners:
basic yoga, breathing, stretching, and
meditaon, facilitated by Dil Dahal, who
has two cercates in yoga from Nepal.
Please bring your own yoga mat or small
blanket and remember to wear loose
clothing.
19
free vision screening
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m
Locaon: Aurora of CNY, Inc., 518 James
St.,
call 422-7263 to make an appointment.
20,23,27 and 30
Computer Tutoring - 60 minute sessions
Friday and Monday Mornings
Locaon: Bes Branch Library- 4862 South
Salina St.
Free one-to-one computer tutoring is
available by appointment only. Use our
computers, or bring your own laptop.
Please call 435-1940 to schedule an
appointment.
20
Now Youre Cooking
Time: 3:00 pm
Locaon: Mundy Branch Library - 1204 S.
Geddes St.
Lets bring out the babycakes and try our
hand making savory snacks. For ages 12
and up.
21 and 28
English for Speakers of Other Languages -
ESOL Classes
Time: 9:00 am
Locaon: White Branch Library - 763
Buernut Street
These free English language classes will
teach grammar, vocabulary, reading and
wring so that non-nave speakers will
learn to more clearly and eecvely
communicate in everyday situaons.
20
Now Youre Cooking
Time: 3:00 pm
Locaon: Mundy Branch Library - 1204 S.
Geddes St.
Lets bring out the babycakes and try our
hand making savory snacks. For ages 12
and up.
21
Farmers Market at the CNY Regional
Market
Time: 7am2pm
Locaon: 2100 Park St.
Open year round. Also open Thursdays
10-6 from May to November. For
more informaon: hp://cnyrma.
com/>cnyrma.com.
25
Save the Rain with a Free Rain Barrel!
Time: 5:30-7:15 pm
Locaon: Mundy Branch Library - 1204 S.
Geddes St.
Onondaga Countys Save the Rain program
will oer a workshop on how to properly
install and maintain a rain barrel. All city
residents who aend the workshop are
eligible to receive a free rain barrel. For
reservaons, please call Amy at 443-1757.
28
Big Rig Day
Time: 11am3pm
Locaon: Burnet Park
REV UP YOUR ENGINES FOR BIG RIG DAY.
Kids rev up and join us for the annual Big
Rig Day event.children and their families
will have the opportunity to get a close-up
view of some of the citys bigtrucks,
including re engines,snow plows,
payloaders, and dump trucks along
with some big rigs from area companies.
The youngsters can climb in and around
the vehicles, even get behind the wheel.
There will also be acvies for the kids
and refreshments will be available for sale.
Free admission and no pre-registraon
required.
29
SPRING CONCERTS AT ONONDAGA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Time: 3:00p.m.
Locaon: Storer Auditorium
Spring Concert I featuring OCC Wind
Ensemble and Concert Choir.
For info: please call (315) 498-ARTS (2787)
or visit online at www.sunyocc.edu.
CALENDAR
APRIL
3 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
Mayor Miner Proposes City Budget
Sta
In a tough scal environment, Syracuse
Mayor Stephanie Miner has requested
city council approved a $662 million
budget.
Miners proposed budget increases
spending by 7.1 percent, requires no
tax increase and adds 21 jobs to the
non-school payroll.
According to the Mayors O ce, the
city received an advancement of $21
million from the state postponing cuts
to this years budget.
The state aid advancement will
increase the citys 2012-2013 annual
allotment from $71.8 million to $92.6
million. The extra money from the
state does not have to be repaid.
If passed it will be the rst me in ve
years the city didnt have to use funds
from its reserve to close a gap in its
annual budget.
In comments to the media, Miner
stated The idea that we could cut
more I dont think is a realisc idea,
unless we start to cut services. We
are at the very bone, she said.
In addion 14 new police o cers
will be hired. The newly added 21
non-school payroll jobs represent a
spending increase of $12.3 million. The
Mayor has designated in the budget
more than $290 for city operaons.
In reference to next year budget
challenges, Miner warned about
skyrockeng pension cost that could
cripple the citys spending on services,
sponsored programs and force layos.
Over the last 10 years the Mayor
reported the city has seen pension cost
rise 580%. In the last six years (2007-
2013) pension cost has increased more
than $18 million.
The health care plan is projected to
cost $44 million next year. Miner has
warned a 161 employees not covered
by union contracts to expect to pay
more on their health premiums next
year.
Bob Wilmers, chairman and CEO of
M&T Bank, and Marc Shaw, senior vice
chancellor of City of University of New
York are two of a three panel of experts
recruited by Miner to advise the city
on nancial maers. The board will
be chaired by former Lt. Gov. Richard
Ravitch.
This is a learning process, Miner
told reporters. You can say to people,
theres a crisis coming, lets solve it.
But unl they feel the heat of that
crisis, they wont.
No Smokers Allowed at the Beach
Sta
Cayuga Lake and other state-run
beaches including Green lakes, Verona,
Fair Haven and other recreaonal
havens across New York will no longer
permit smoking on its grounds.
Current laws prohibit smoking
inside public buildings. This new law
takes the old law a step further by
prohibing smoking in public shared
environments outdoors such as, picnic
areas, overnight cabins and pavilions.
The Parks Agency say, before the new
ban is enforced signs will be properly
placed in cabins, coages and bath
house areas. It is projected to take up
to three weeks to have the signs in
place.
In a press release Commissioner Rose
Harvey said:
It makes sense to ensure all visitors
have a place to go in the parks to enjoy
fresh air, while also protecng children
playing at our pools and playgrounds
from the dangers of second-hand
smoke and reducing lier discarded
from cigaree bus.
Dan Keefe, a spokesperson for state
parks said o cials expect that people
will follow the ban with reminders
from the new signs and park sta. If
needed, park sta can call state Park
Police to help enforce the rule. If a
person fails to comply, the park police
could charge a smoker with disorderly
conduct violaon, he said.
SCSD Duplicates City Strategy to Close Budget Gap
Sta
Both the Syracuse City School District
(SCSD) and the City of Syracuse have
asked the state for an advancement
to avoid making cuts to this years
budgets.
The state recently approved a request
from the city for an advancement of
$21 million, the SCSD stated earlier
this week, theyll be asking the state
for an advancement of more than $24
million.
According to SCSD Superintendent
Sharon Contreras, despite that cuts
were made to nearly every department
and over a hundred posions were
eliminated through rerement or
arion the proposed budget sll had
a $24 million budget gap.
The proposed 2012-2013 budget
would also close Elmwood Elementary,
one of the districts lowest performing
schools. Elmwood Family Teacher
Organizaon President Twiggy Billue
once strongly opposed the closing but
now supports the districts decision.
In reports to the media, Billue said,
They dont have it in the budget to
be able to give them proper tools,
the proper classroom pieces, the
proper pieces to bring it up to where it
needs to be. So this would be the best
soluon.
A program that teaches students about
drugs, pregnancy and bullying will also
be cut. The districts Chief Financial
O cer Suzanne Slack and Contreras
both agreed the district should borrow
money from the next years state aid.
Obviously its not the best accounng
pracce but the alternave is to
eliminate 350 posions. Im not
willing to make that recommendaon,
Contreras told reporters.
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& indoor air quaIity conrtroI
Be safe,
Be sure,
BD Trauma VirgiI Hutchinson
315.475.0945 www.bdtrauma.com
4 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
Beyond Drowsy, Too Lile Sleep Ups Diabetes Risk
By LAURAN NEERGAARD
WASHINGTON (AP) More people
pull the night shi. Teens text past
midnight and stumble to class at dawn.
Travelers pack red-eye ights.
Nodding o behind the wheel isnt the
only threat from a lack of shut-eye.
Theres growing evidence that people
who regularly sleep too lile and at
the wrong me suer long-lasng
consequences that a nap wont cure:
An increased risk of diabetes, heart
disease and other health problems.
We have a societal conspiracy for
sleep deprivaon, says Russell Sanna
of Harvard Medical Schools sleep
medicine division, who aended a
TEDMED conference last week where
sciensts called sleep loss one of
health cares big challenges.
Just how unhealthy is it? Consider how
sleep may play a role in the naons
diabetes epidemic.
Studies have long shown that people
who sleep fewer than ve hours a night
have an increased risk of developing
Type 2 diabetes, the kind that tends to
strike later in life.
Rotang shi work three or more
night shis a month interspersed with
day or evening hours raises the
risk, too, says a recent report from
researchers who analyzed years of
medical records from the huge Nurses
Health Study.
Diet and physical acvity are big
factors in Type 2 diabetes. Certainly its
harder to work out or choose an apple
over a doughnut when youre red,
especially at 3 a.m. when your bodys
internal clock knows you should be
sleeping.
But a study published last week shows
sleep plays a more complex role
than that. As sleep drops and normal
biological rhythms are disrupted, your
body physically changes in ways that
can help set the stage for diabetes,
reports neuroscienst Orfeu Buxton
of Bostons Brigham and Womens
Hospital.
Buxtons team had 21 healthy
volunteers spend almost six weeks
living in a laboratory where their diet,
physical acvity, sleep and even the
light was strictly controlled.
The volunteers started out well-rested.
But for three of those weeks, they
were allowed only about 5 hours
of sleep every 24 hours at varying
mes of the day or night, to mimic a
bad shi rotaon or prolonged jet lag.
That knocked out of whack the bodys
circadian rhythm, a master biological
clock that regulates such paerns as
when we become sleepy and how
body temperature rises and falls.
What happened was startling: Blood
sugar levels increased aer meals,
somemes to pre-diabec levels,
because the pancreas stopped
secreng enough insulin, Buxton
reported in the journal Science
Translaonal Medicine.
At the same me, the volunteers
metabolic rate slowed by 8 percent.
The researchers had them on a diet so
they didnt gain weight but Buxton
says typically, a metabolism drop of
that size could mean gaining 10 to 12
pounds over a year.
The results make sense, says Dr.
Michael Thorpy, sleep center director
at New Yorks Monteore Medical
Center and a neurology professor at
Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
If were going to spend a third of
our day sleeping, theres got to be a
good reason for it, says Thorpy, who
notes that diabetes is far from the only
worry.
Up to 70 million Americans are
esmated to suer from chronic
problems with sleep, from insomnia
to sleep apnea. Impaired sleep has
been linked to high blood pressure,
heart disease, obesity, depression,
memory impairment and a weakened
immune system. Sll another concern:
The World Health Organizaon has
classied night shi work as a probable
carcinogen, because too much light at
night may hamper a hormone involved
both with sleep and suppressing tumor
cells.
Dont people adjust to the night shi
if theyre on it long enough? Buxton
says rotang shis probably are most
worrisome. In his study, the volunteers
bodies went back to normal aer
nine nights of su cient sleep at the
right me. No one knows how long it
takes before sleep deprivaon and an
o-kilter biological clock may cause
permanent damage.
Monteores Thorpy says natural night
owls seem to adapt beer to night
shis, but that people never fully
adapt if they swing back to dayme
schedules on their days o. Also, about
30 percent of regular night workers
have trouble sleeping during their o
hours or are parcularly fagued, he
says, something termed shi work
disorder.
The consumer message:
The Naonal Instutes of Health
says adults need between seven and
nine hours of sleep daily for good
health.
If you work nights, go straight to bed
when you get home, Buxton advises.
Avoid too much light along the way.
Thorpy says wearing yellow- or orange-
nted sunglasses on the drive home
can block short-wavelength blue
light that triggers wakefulness.
Let natural light help keep your
biological sleep clock on schedule,
advises Harvards sleep-educaon
Web site. For most people, sunlight
in the morning is key. For the night
shi, more bright light in the evening
shis peoples internal clock, Buxton
explains.
For anyone, a sleep-inducing
bedroom is one thats dark, quiet
and cool. Avoid caeine, alcohol and
stressful situaons near bedme.
Electronics right before bed arent
advised, either. Going to bed and
waking up at the same me every day
also helps.
5 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
Obama Wants to Target Oil Market Manipulaon
By JIM KUHNHENN
WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack
Obama pushed Congress Tuesday
to give oil market regulators more
muscle to deter price manipulaon by
speculators, the latest White House
response to determined Republican
aacks on administraon energy
policies amid high gas prices at the
pump.
Obama wants Congress to strengthen
federal supervision of oil markets,
increase penales for market
manipulaon and empower regulators
to increase the amount of money
energy traders are required to put
behind their transacons.
We cant aord a situaon where
some speculators can reap millions
while millions of American families get
the short end of the sck, Obama said
at the White House.
The plan is more likely to draw
sharp elecon-year disncons with
Republicans than have an immediate
eect on prices at the pump. The
measures seek to boost spending for
Wall Street enforcement at a me
when congressional Republicans are
seeking to limit the reach of federal
nancial regulaons.
The presidents $52 million proposal
comes as Republicans have been
hammering Obama on his energy
policies, recognizing the polical cost
of high gas prices on the president.
Obamas plan would turn the tables
on Republicans by taking aim at Wall
Streets role in the oil price chain.
Obama was joined during his Rose
Garden remarks by Aorney General
Eric Holder, Treasury Secretary Timothy
Geithner, Commodity Futures Trading
Commission Chairman Gary Gensler,
and Federal Trade Commission
Chairman Jon Leibowitz.
The president didnt shy away from
casng the issue in parsan terms,
drawing aenon to Republican
opposion to a plan to end tax breaks
for oil and gas companies.
So heres a chance to make amends,
he said.
Even before the White House
announced Obamas plans, House
Speaker John Boehner called it
a polical ploy and cricized the
president for not using authority he
already has to deal with such problems.
The president has all the tools
available to him if he believes that
the oil market is being manipulated,
Boehner told reporters Tuesday.
Wheres his Federal Trade
Commission? Where is the SEC? Hes
got agencies there. So instead of just
another polical gimmick, why doesnt
he put his administraon to work to
get to the boom of it?
Boehner used the acronym for the
Securies and Exchange Commission,
whose dues include regulang
markets.
Senior administraon o cials who put
together the proposal would not go as
far as to say that market manipulaon
is responsible for rising gas prices,
but the o cials said they wanted to
curtail the ability of speculators to
take unlawful advantage of oil price
volality. The o cials spoke on the
condion of anonymity to discuss
details of the plan.
None of these steps by themselves
will bring gas prices down overnight,
Obama said. But it will prevent market
manipulaon and make sure were
looking out for American consumers.
At issue is the increasing role of
investment in oil futures contracts by
pension funds, mutual funds, hedge
funds, exchange traded funds and
other investors. Much of that money is
be ng that oil prices will rise. Analysts
say it is possible that such speculaon
has somewhat inated the price of oil.
At the same me, investors can also
bet that prices will go down indeed,
speculators have been credited for
low natural gas prices. Studies of the
eects of speculaon on oil markets
indicate that it probably increases
volality, but doesnt have a major
eect on average prices.
The average price of a gas at the pump
has dropped slightly but is sll higher
than it was at this me last year.
Obamas plan this me calls on
Congress to:
Increase six-fold the surveillance and
enforcement sta of the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission to beer
deter oil market manipulaon.
Increase spending on technology
to provide beer oversight and
surveillance of energy markets.
Increase civil and criminal penales
against rms that engage in market
manipulaon from $1 million to $10
million.
Give the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission authority to increase the
amount of money that a trader must
put up to back a trading posion.
The administraon o cials said such
authority could help limit disrupons
in energy markets.
The White House eort comes as
Republicans have talked of liming
the reach of a nancial regulaon
overhaul that Congress passed in 2010
over their objecons. Though the
House Republican budget, which calls
for sharp reducons in government
programs, does not specify reducon
in spending by the trading commission,
the administraon o cials said that if
the cuts were applied the commission
would lose more than ve mes what it
spends on regulang energy markets.
The debate will pit Republicans who
blame Obama for high gasoline prices
against a White House that blames
Republicans for coddling Wall Street.
6 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
OpEd by Devanshu Naran
The media has played a very important role in
what has played out in connecon with the case
of the unfortunate killing of the seventeen-year-
old teenager, Trayvon Marn at the hands of
George Zimmerman in Florida.
It did not so much bother the vast majority of
African American residents of United States that
a boy among them was targeted as a criminal
just because of his colour and the hood that he
wore, as that unfortunately has been a reality of
life for many of them. The same even holds true
for many young male adults of dierent colour
than white, living in the Western world.
However, what has caused greater uproar and
indignaon in this case is that Zimmerman was
allowed to walk free within hours of the fatal
shoong and would have remained free for the
rest of his life, lest the media would not have
made it a naonal cause.
While a lot has been wrien on the case, few
issues remaining as old wounds have resurfaced.
One is, would the police have acted in a similar
way if a black or a coloured person had fatally
shot a white person, in the same act of so-called
standing your ground? Or, what would have
happened if the 17-year-old had been white
and the 28-year-old Zimmerman been a person
of colour?
If some of those factors had been altered, would
the journalisc response to the episode sll
have been termed a media circus? Would there
sll have been insensivies toward the people
who stood up for Marn and calling them as
doing it because of their colour or would it be
considered a cause to rise for the passing of a
young soul?
Its also troubling how the police and local jusce
o cials decided in a few hours that Zimmerman
was not guilty, when, forty ve days later, they
were able to collect enough evidence to charge
him over the same incident? It appears this
followup only happened because of the mass
upheaval over how the case was rst handled.
It makes me wonder how a common family
can expect to being treated in jusce and law
enforcement circles especially if they are not of
the colour of the majority? Should my anxiety
only be limited to the United States or the enre
Western world?
The job of law enforcement agencies is to
provide jusce for all. How can they justly decide
on the fate of a case such as this within hours?
How many criminals are being let go and how
many vicms suering in light of the ndings
that at mes law enforcement agencies focus
on winnable cases and not on jusce?
Then, what is the dierence between
Zimmerman and the police o cers who arrested
him and then let him go within hours on the
advice of the aorney who said that there was
no winnable case? They both took the law in
their hands and delivered their own jusce
instantly.
Whether this was a case of self-defence, an
accident or a cold blooded murder and a race
crime should be decided in the court and in a
civilized society everyone is expected to do their
part of the job.
The police need to be the fact nders, to put
together all evidence, without any prejudice,
before the courts.
The aorneys and the jusce department must
scrunize the evidence gathered and give their
learned decision.
Media must highlight such cases and bring them
forward to show the mirror to the society and
bring about necessary discussion on them,
which for the record has been ably done in this
case.
Last but not the least, you and I, the common
people, have a role. We must introspect and
decide as to whether our lives are long enough
to be ruined by suspicions, hate and mistrust of
each other unl such me as realizaon occurs
that all that maered was one act of faith or one
act of love to bring happiness and peace.
Devanshu Narang is a member of the Guelph
Mercury Community Editorial Board.
Op OpEd Ed b byy De Deva vans nshu hu N Nar aran an Ho Howw ma many ny c cri rimi mina nals ls a are re b bei eing ng l let et g goo an andd ho howw
Tr ayvon Mar t i ns Case
Ofers Us All Lessons
7 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
Financial Aid
Confusion?
- Complete nancial aid applications
- Respond to a 'verication' request
- Be aware of student debt
- Interpret communications from colleges
- Understand Say Yes scholarship eligibility
- Compare nancial aid awards from
dierent colleges
Walk Ins Welcome
Open to SCSD Seniors, Parents
and recent SCSD grads
Syracuse Say Yes to Education
109 Otisco St., 2nd f.
Syracuse, NY 13244
315-443-5300
SayYesCollege@syr.edu
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109 Otisco St., 2nd foor
Saturday Mornings
10 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
April 7 September 8, 2012*
*FACC closed on 5/26, 7/7 and 9/1
Find Direction at the
Say Yes Financial Aid
Counseling Center
A Lewiston man who accused former
Syracuse assistant basketball coach
Bernie Fine of molesng him was
sentenced Wednesday to three years
and three months in prison for sexually
abusing a boy in Maine.
Zach Tomaselli, 23, pleaded guilty in
December to gross sexual assault,
unlawful sexual contact and two other
sex-related counts, while seven other
counts were dropped. The plea bargain
called for a 12-year sentence, but the
amount of me served was capped at
three years and three months.
At Wednesdays hearing in
Androscoggin County Superior Court,
Tomaselli accepted responsibility
and apologized to the vicm, who
aended a camp where Tomaselli was
a counselor. The boy was 13 and 14
at the me at the me of the sexual
abuse.
Tomaselli told Jusce Robert Cliord
he was using drugs and was angry
because he was sexually abused and
his abusers werent brought to jusce.
I let my past manifest itself into my
acons instead of thinking about what
I was doing, he said.
Tomaselli is one of three men to
accuse Fine of molesng them as boys,
but his is the only case that falls within
the statute of limitaons. The U.S.
aorneys o ce is invesgang his
claim that Fine molested him in 2002
in Pisburgh. Fine, who was red, has
denied the accusaons.
Tomaselli grew up outside of
Watertown, N.Y, before moving to
Maine to live with his grandmother in
Lewiston. Aer counseling, Tomaselli
said he understands that hed groomed
the boy for a sexual relaonship, and
he has said he intends to get addional
help.
On Nov. 17, Bobby Davis and Michael
Lang publicly accused Fine of sexually
abusing them when they were team
ball boys in the 1980s. Police cant
invesgate those claims because they
happened too long ago.
Ten days later, Tomaselli came forward
to say Fine touched him mulple
mes in a hotel room in Pisburgh
when the team played there.
Wednesday, Assistant District Aorney
Nicholas Worden said it took courage
for the vicms family to see the
case through to the end because the
vicm had to relive the abuse through
Tomasellis repeated presence in the
media.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. A Syracuse man
whose toddler was killed in a drive-by
shoong has been charged with what
police are calling another gang-related
street shoong.
Rashaad Walker Sr. was charged
Saturday with felony assault and
weapons possession. Police say he
was riding in the passenger seat of a
car when he allegedly shot a 22-year-
old man in the neck on March 20. The
man survived.
The shoong came a week aer
reputed gang member Saquan Evans
was convicted of murder in the
November 2010 killing of 20-month-
old Rashaad Walker Jr. Prosecutors said
the toddlers father was the intended
target in a gang-related retaliatory
shoong. The child was in a minivan.
Walker was arraigned Sunday and sent
to the county jail on $100,000 bail.
Police didnt know if he has a lawyer.
NY Man Charged in
Shoong; His Son Killed in 2010
Ex-Bernie Fine Accuser
Sentenced for Molestaon
Gary Morris, Sr., MBA
Licensed Real Estate Broker/Owner
Regina E. Morris
O ce Manager/Owner
G&R Real Estate 2007, LLC
761 North Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13208
GaryRegina5521@msn.com
O ce 315.399.5183
8 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
Thirteen Ways Government Tracks Us
By Bill Quigley
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Privacy is
eroding fast as technology oers
government increasing ways to track
and spy on cizens. The Washington
Post reported there are 3,984 federal,
state and local organizaons working
on domesc counterterrorism. Most
collect informaon on people in the
US. Here are thirteen examples of
how some of the biggest government
agencies and programs track people.
One. The Naonal Security Agency
(NSA) collects hundreds of millions of
emails, texts and phone calls every
day and has the ability to collect and
si through billions more. WIRED just
reported NSA is building an immense
new data center which will intercept,
analyze and store even more electronic
communicaons from satellites and
cables across the naon and the world.
Though NSA is not supposed to focus
on US cizens, it does.
Two. The Federal Bureau of
Invesgaon (FBI) Naonal Security
Branch Analysis Center (NSAC) has
more than 1.5 billion government
and private sector records about US
cizens collected from commercial
databases, government informaon,
and criminal probes.
Three. The American Civil Liberes
Union and the New York Times
recently reported that cellphones of
private individuals in the US are being
tracked without warrants by state and
local law enforcement all across the
country. With more than 300 million
cellphones in the US connected to
more than 200,000 cell phone towers,
cellphone tracking soware can
pinpoint the locaon of a phone and
document the places the cellphone
user visits over the course of a day,
week, month or longer.
Four. More than 62 million people
in the US have their ngerprints
on le with the FBI, state and local
governments. This system, called the
Integrated Automated Fingerprint
Idencaon System (IAFIS), shares
informaon with 43 states and 5
federal agencies. This system conducts
more than 168,000 checks each day.
Five. Over 126 million people have
their ngerprints, photographs and
biographical informaon accessible
on the US Department of Homeland
Security Automated Biometric
Idencaon System (IDENT). This
system conducts about 250,000
biometric transacons each day.
The goal of this system is to provide
informaon for naonal security,
law enforcement, immigraon,
intelligence and other Homeland
Security Funcons.
Six. More than 110 million people have
their visas and more than 90 million
have their photographs entered into
the US Department of State Consular
Consolidated Database (CCD). This
system grows by adding about 35,000
people a day. This system serves as a
gateway to the Department of State
Facial Recognion system, IDENT and
IAFSIS.
Seven. DNA proles on more than
10 million people are available in the
FBI coordinated Combined DNA index
System (CODIS) Naonal DNA Index.
Eight. Informaon on more than 2
million people is kept in the Intelligence
Community Security Clearance
Repository, commonly known as
Scaered Castles. Most of the people
in this database are employees of the
Department of Defense (DOD) and
other intelligence agencies.
Nine. The DOD also has an automated
biometric idencaon system
(ABIS) to support military operaons
overseas. This database incorporates
ngerprint, palm print, face and iris
matching on 6 million people and is
adding 20,000 more people each day.
Ten. Informaon on over 740,000
people is included in the Terrorist
Idenes Datamart Environment
(TIDE) of the Naonal Counterterrorism
Center. TIDE is the US government
central repository of informaon on
internaonal terrorist idenes. The
government says that less than 2
percent of the people on le are US
cizens or legal permanent residents.
They were just given permission to
keep their non-terrorism informaon
on US cizens for a period of ve years,
up from 180 days.
Eleven. Tens of thousands of people
are subjects of facial recognion
soware. The FBI has been working
with North Carolina Department
of Motor Vehicles and other state
and local law enforcement on facial
recognion soware in a project
called Face Mask. For example, the
FBI has provided thousands of photos
and names to the North Carolina
DMV which runs those against their
photos of North Carolina drivers. The
Maricopa Arizona County Sheris
O ce alone records 9,000 biometric
mug shots a month.
Twelve. The FBI operates the
Naonwide Suspicious Acvity
Reporng Iniave (SAR) that collects
and analyzes observaons or reports
of suspicious acvies by local law
enforcement. With over 160,000
suspicious acvity les, SAR stores
the proles of tens of thousands of
Americans and legal residents who are
not accused of any crime but who are
alleged to have acted suspiciously.
Thirteen. The FBI admits it has about
3,000 GPS tracking devices on cars of
unsuspecng people in the US right
now, even aer the US Supreme Court
decision authorizing these only aer a
warrant for probable cause has been
issued.
The Future
The technology for tracking and
idenfying people is exploding as is
the government appete for it.
Soon, police everywhere will be
equipped with handheld devices to
collect ngerprint, face, iris and even
DNA informaon on the spot and have
it instantly sent to naonal databases
for comparison and storage.
Bloomberg News reports the newest
surveillance products can also
secretly acvate laptop webcams or
microphones on mobile devices,
change the contents of wrien emails
mid-transmission, and use voice
recognion to scan phone networks.
The advanced technology of the
war on terrorism, combined with
deferenal courts and legislators, have
endangered both the right to privacy
and the right of people to be free from
government snooping and tracking.
Only the people can stop this.
Bill teaches law at Loyola University
New Orleans and works with the
Center for Constuonal Rights. A
longer version of this arcle with
sources is available. Quigley77@gmail.
com
Michigan Loery Winner Charged With Welfare Fraud
By ED WHITE
LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (AP) A
Michigan loery winner was charged
with fraud Tuesday for collecng food
stamps and public health insurance
despite pockeng a $735,000 jackpot.
Amanda Clayton, 25, was silent during
a brief court hearing aer spending
a night in jail. A not-guilty plea was
entered, and her lawyer vowed to
ght the charges.
Loery winners collecng welfare
benets have embarrassed Michigan
o cials. Clayton is the second person
in the state caught with food stamps
despite newly minted wealth, and
Gov. Rick Snyder last week signed a
law requiring the loery to nofy the
Human Services Department when
someone wins at least $1,000.
Clayton is charged with failing to
inform the state that her income had
changed as a result of the loery
prize and a job. She won a $1 million
jackpot on a game show, Make Me
Rich! and chose a $735,000 lump
sum, before taxes, last September.
Its simply common sense that
million-dollar loery winners forfeit
their right to public assistance, said
Aorney General Bill Schuee, whose
o ce led the charges. The maximum
penalty is four years in prison.
Clayton, the mother of a 1-year-old,
is accused of collecng approximately
$5,475 in food stamps and public
medical benets over eight months
unl Detroit TV staon WDIV broke
the story in March. She told WDIV
that she believed she could collect
food aid because she didnt have a
job at the me.
Outside the court in suburban Detroit,
defense aorney Stanley Wise said he
would ask that charges be dropped at
the next hearing, on April 24, when a
judge is expected to decide whether
theres enough evidence to send the
case to trial. He didnt elaborate on
his strategy.
Aer a night in jail, Clayton was
upset but shell be ne, Wise said.
Euline Clayton told reporters that
her daughter used bad judgment but
that a criminal case is crap. She said
Amanda called the Human Services
Department about her winnings but
could never reach anyone.
The charges are very extreme. ...
They arrested her like a vulture, the
elder Clayton said. She didnt steal
$1 million.
Asked why her daughter didnt write
a check weeks ago to x things, she
replied: Its not that easy. Come on.
Clayton wasnt the rst Michigan
loery winner to keep claiming
public benets. Leroy Fick, 60, of Bay
County was using the food program
despite winning an $850,000 lump
sum prize in 2010. He told o cials
about his wealth but was allowed to
temporarily keep his card because
one-me windfalls at that me were
not counted as regular income under
the program.
The state has since banned anyone
with assets of more than $5,000,
excluding a car, from the food stamp
program. That knocked Fick o the
rolls.
Michigan Human Service Director
Maura Corrigan said the new law
requiring communicaons between
the loery and her agency will make
it easier to ensure that outrages
involving instant millionaires on
public assistance dont happen in the
future.
9 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
CLASSI FI EDS
PUBLIC NOTICES
SERVICES
NOTICE TO BIDDERS: The Central New York Regional Transportaon Authority (CNYRTA) is
requesng Bids from qualied independent individuals or rms to be the General Contractor for the Renovaon
and Paving project at the Centro of Oswego garage and o ce building in Oswego, NY. This is a New York State
Prevailing Wage project. The project has a 100% cered Minority/Woman owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE)
sub-contracng goal. Individuals or rms who desire to submit a Bid may request a Invitaon to Bid Package from
Edward J. Moses Jr., Manager of Procurement and Designated Contact in wring at fax number: 315- 442-3369,
mailing address: Central New York Regional Transportaon Authority, PO Box 820, Syracuse, New York 13205 or
e-mail: ejmoses@centro.org. A Pre-Bid meeng will be held on Tuesday April 24, 2012 at 10 AM EST at the Oswego
Garage located at 512 East Seneca Street, Oswego, NY 13126.Bids must be received in the o ces of the Central
New York Regional Transportaon Authority, aenon Edward J. Moses Jr., no later than 2 PM EST on Thursday
May 10, 2012. Bids received aer this me and date will be returned, unopened. Firms wishing to submit Bids do
so enrely at their own risk. There is not an express or implied obligaon on the part of the CNYRTA to reimburse
responding rms for any expenses incurred in preparing and submi ng Bids in response to this request. The
CNYRTA reserves the right to reject any and all Bids for any reason.Bids received within the connes of the due date
will remain in eect sixty (60) days from the due date.All Bidders will be required to cerfy that they are not on the
Comptroller Generals List of Ineligible Contractors.Each Bidder will be required to comply with all Equal Employ-
ment Opportunity Rules and Regulaons.The CNYRTA hereby noes all Bidders that it will a rmavely insure that
in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this adversement minority/women owned business enterprise
(M/WBE) will be aorded full opportunity to submit bids to this invitaon and will not be discriminated against on
the grounds of sex, race, color, or naonal origin in consideraon for an award.
Noce to Bidders:
Economy Paving Co, Inc
will be preparing a quotaon for
the Costello Parkway & Fremont Rd
bridge project in Manlius and NYS
DOT project D262027 bridge repairs
in various locaons that bids 5/3/12.
We encourage cered DBE rms
to submit quotes for services and/
or supplies. Please call our o ce for
plan info 607-756-2819. Fax quotes
to 607-756-4742 or email to jjump@
economypaving.com
10 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 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.
AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS MAKING AN IMPACT IN BUSINESS IN SYRACUSE
About three years
ago, Tijane Sikuri
arrived in Syracuse
and began looking
for a job.
Nothing worked in
his favor.

Not only was he an
immigrant, he was
new to the area and
had no friends or
family in this city to
help him in any way.
He was basically on his own in a strange city
and had to depend on his insncts.
According to him, the decision to make
Syracuse his home was not planned; he was
passing through en-route to New York City
and disembarked from the from the train
just to check out the city he had heard so
much about in the Big Apple.
He liked what he saw.
There was something about Syracuse that
gave him a feeling of connectedness.
He also knew what he was up against he
had set himself up to do the impossible
nd a job in a city in which he was a total
stranger.
Being new to the city meant he lacked the
resources that make the process of looking
for a job less di cult. He had no contacts
to give him leads to sources of potenal
employment or provide him with references.
He knew it wouldnt be easy to nd a job,
but he was determined and had made up his
mind to stay and to explore every situaon
that presented the chance to get a job.
Tijane says the unemployment situaon in
Syracuse three years ago was no dierent
from what it is today, and possibly worse.
It was indeed a naonal crisis. Unemployment
had hit an all me high according to media
reports. And Syracuse was no excepon.
It didnt take long for Tijane to nd out that
this city has been hit hard by the downturn
of the naons economy.
People were looking for jobs and were not
successful. Many gave up in frustraon and
desperaon.
Tijane was not about to give up. It didnt
even enter his mind to think about anything
else other than to keep looking for a job.
He was thinking about what to do to nd a
job when the idea struck him: How about
going into business for himself?
It made perfect sense. Going into business
would take care of two huge problems:
He would cease being jobless and create a
source of income.
The queson was what kind of business
could he get into in a city where he was a
complete stranger?
Again, providence seemed to have worked in
his favor. A chance meeng with an Indian
taxi-driver started him thinking about the
taxi business.
To make a long story short, he entered into
the taxi business and three years later, he is
proud owner of a taxi company that operates
a eet of taxis that display the name of his
company, Tisko Taxis.
Within a relavely short period of me, he
has put together a taxi and transportaon
company that rivals other taxi companies
that have been in business for decades and
has emerged as one of the most successful
entrepreneurs in the African immigrant
community.
He found out later that he was not the only
African immigrant to enter the taxi cab
business.
A number of Somalians and other African
immigrants had preceded him and were
driving taxis in Syracuse as independent cab
operators or drivers for taxi cab companies.
What factors contributed to the success
of Tijane? What prompted him to go into
business rather than connue looking for a
job?
Tijane said: Being in business is nothing
new to me. He traces his entrepreneurial
ambions to his young days in his nave
countries, Nigeria and Ghana.
His father immigrated to Ghana and
operated a number of successful businesses
there before returning home.
Aer graduang from high school, his
father went into business as an importer
and exporter specializing in automobiles. He
sll does shipping and clearance under the
business name Tisko Motors.
Tijane is a prime example of a trend
that has taken hold in African immigrant
communies all over the country: African
immigrants who become businessmen and
women and accomplish the goals they set
for themselves.
These are men and women from Africa,
seeking opportunies to pursue higher
educaon and aracted by all the nice things
that are aributed to the United States
such as being the only country in the world
that makes it possible for everyone, including
African immigrants, to become successful.
Quite oen, they nd out aer arriving in
the United States, that the streets are not
paved with gold, and that they have to look
long and hard for jobs, housing, and deal
with bias and prejudice from some segments
of American society that doesnt care for
immigrants.
Most importantly, many end up se ng up
businesses that sell products or provide
services to the African immigrant and
African-American communies.
In Syracuse, that fact has been clearly
established. African immigrants have made
inroads into the business community and
have created and sustained businesses that
are thriving and cater to the immigrant
community as well as the general populaon.
On the north side in parcular, the presence
of a number of African businesses has made
a huge impact.
Today what was once known as Lile Italy
has just as many businesses owned by
African immigrants with such names as the
African Internaonal Restaurant, African and
Caribbean Market and Maka Market.
They have replaced stores that once bore
Italian names.
What are some of the factors that
contribute to success of African immigrant
entrepreneurs such as Tijane or Mohammed
Mohammed of Maka Market?
Its simple, Tijane says.
His business operates with one goal in mind;
provide one of a kind service that leaves a
lasng impression on customers to the point
where they will call his company whenever
they need cab service.
Repeat business is essenal in the taxi cab
business and the only way to get that is to do
an extraordinarily good job, he said.
How has the Syracuse community responded
to the new businesses owned by African
immigrants?
I have no complaints. So far, its been
posive. I havent had any problems with my
business. I have nothing but good things to
say about the city and people of Syracuse
when to comes to my business, he said.
According to Tijane, his experience has been
posive all the way around.
He was apprehensive and skepcal in the
beginning.
Having experienced corrupon and
bureaucrac indierence in Nigeria and
Ghana, he didnt know what to expect. But
his concerns have since disappeared.
When he met with City of Syracuse License
Commission, and other law enforcement
o cials, he was made to feel that the
process was fair and uncomplicated. He was
granted the licenses he needed and advised
on what to do to maintain them and remain
in good standing with the authories.
Ironically, he has had more problems dealing
with his nasness from other cab companies,
mostly Somali cab operators who are his
compeon.
Arguments have occurred that had
the potenal to explode into open
confrontaons. But he hasnt allowed that
to demoralize him. If anything, he sees that
as another challenge to overcome.
I leave it to the city authories to deal
with that. They know how to invesgate and
what to do, Tijane said.
KOFI QUAYE
--------------------------
Ko Quaye has been a Syracuse resident for
more than 30 years. He is a writer, author and
publisher. Over the years, he has been involved
with the publication of several African American
focused newspapers in Syracuse.
Time to Revive Naonal Civil Rights Commission
(TriceEdneyWire.
com) - Prosecutors
in the Trayvon
Marn case
Trayvon was the
young African
American shot
to death on
the streets in
Sanford, Fla., by
a self-appointed
community watch
volunteer have
decided not to
send the case to
the grand jury, even while announcing the
invesgaon connues.
Meanwhile, according to stascs
compiled by Kali Akuno and Arlene Eisen
on behalf of the Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement, the Black Le Unity Network
and the US Human Rights Network, police
or private security people have slain 17
other African Americans since Trayvons
death. Across the country, people are
quesoning the promise of liberty and
jusce for all.
Fundamental quesons need to be
answered about stand and defend
laws more accurately, free pass for
murder laws about racially skewed
school-discipline pracces (Trayvon
had been suspended and was vising
his father when he was shot); about a
criminal jusce system sll rife with bias,
and about the dangers of walking while
black in America. The man who shot
Trayvon needs to be tried in court. But
these broader issues require independent,
forceful invesgaon.
So where is the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights? Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican
president, created the biparsan
commission in 1957 to invesgate the
facts and issue credible reports on
progress or challenges in our civil rights
laws and pracces. It was, as early director
Theodore Hesburgh stated, to be the
conscience of the naon on our progress
in civil rights.
In the 1960s, for example, hard-hi ng,
authoritave commission reports on voter
suppression in Montgomery, Ala.; school
desegregaon in Nashville, and housing
discriminaon in New York, Chicago and
Atlanta helped lay the foundaon for the
Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964, the
Vong Rights Act of 1965 and Fair Housing
Law of 1968.
Today, the need for a revived commission
is apparent. The commission should be
invesgang school-discipline policies
and our biased criminal jusce system.
We need a clear look at the apparently
coordinated eort of Republican governors
to erect barriers to registraon and vong
that have a disproporonate eect on
the young, the poor, the elderly and
minories. The apparently racially skewed
eorts to direct African-American and
Lano homebuyers into exoc, subprime
mortgages needs to be probed as well.
Yet the commission thus far has been
largely absent without leave. This isnt an
accident. Under Reagan, conservaves
began to cut away at the commission,
reducing its budget and sta. In theory,
the eight-member commission is
biparsan, with no party having more
than four members. Then, under George
Bush, two Republican acvists changed
their registraon to independent,
enabling conservaves to hold six seats on
the commission, rendering it less useful.
By 2011, Wade Henderson, president of
the Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights, issued a report concluding
that the commission was so debilitated
as to be considered moribund.
Now that President Barack Obama has
named three members to the commission,
including the chair, Marn Castro, it is me
to revitalize the body. The rights of women,
gays and immigrants are balegrounds.
African Americans connue to experience
disparate treatment in the workplace, the
schools and on the streets. An aggressive
commission can provide a voice of jusce,
a ray of hope. Where is the conscience of
the naon on racial jusce when we need
it?
REV. JESSE
JACKSON, SR.
------------------
The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson,
Sr., founder and president of the
Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is one
of Americas foremost civil rights,
religious and political gures.
11 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APRIL 19 - 25, 2012
African-American Producers Bring All-Black
Revival of A Streetcar Named Desire to Broadway
The landscape
of any Tennessee
Williams play is
the human heart,
and I have a cast of
people with heart.
- Emily Mann,
director of the new
Broadway revival of
A Streetcar Named
Desire with an
all Black cast like
Hollywood,
Broadway has
historically been reluctant to cast African-
Americans in mainstream classics,
especially those originally created for
White thespians. But, unlike Tinseltown,
the Great White Way has moved much
more forcefully in recent years to open
up new avenues for black actors. The
latest example is a new all-black revival of
Tennessee Williams Pulitzer Prize winning
play, A Streetcar Named Desire, set to
open April 22nd at Broadways Broadhurst
Theatre.
Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski rst
screamed the immortal line, Hey Stella
in 1947 when Streetcar originally
premiered on Broadway. The other
leading members of that original cast
included Kim Hunter, as Stanleys wife,
Stella; Jessica Tandy as Stellas delusional
sister, Blanche DuBois; and Karl Malden as
Blanches scorned suitor, Mitch.
The story centers around the emoonal
unravelling of Blanche, a Southern
belle hiding a tawdry past, who moves
into Stanley and Stellas New Orleans
apartment causing all manner of conict
and tragedy.
In this rst all-Black Broadway revival,
Blair Underwood is cast as the brush
Stanley; Daphne Rubin-Vega plays his wife,
Stella; Nicole Ari Parker is Blanche; and
Wood Harris is cast as Mitch. Five-me
Grammy winning jazz trumpeter, Terrence
Blanchard has composed original musicfor
the play.
The revival is being co-produced by
Stephen Byrd, founder of Front Row
Producons and his business partner, Alia
Jones. Byrd and Jones are the African-
American producers who brought the
all-black revival of another Tennessee
Williams masterpiece, Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof to Broadway in 2008. That play,
which won the Laurence Olivier Award
for Best Revival of a Play, starred Terrence
Howard, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad
and James Earl Jones.
From 1890 to 1910, most of the blacks
on Broadway were featured in African
American minstrel shows, playing to all-
White audiences. In the 1920s composers
like Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle
popularized the black Broadway musical.
But it wasnt unl the 1935 producon
of George Gershwins Porgy and Bess
that African Americans really hit it big on
Broadway. The momentum has connued
to build.
In the 1970s we saw Broadway plays
like Purlie, Raisin, Aint Misbehaven, and
The Wiz. With the 80s came shows like
Dreamgirls and a number of plays by the
great August Wilson, including Fences
and Jitney. And since the 90s producons
like Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk,
The Color Purple, Fela and Sister Act have
aracted mainstream audiences.
While these producons have resulted in
more work for black actors, Stephen Byrd
and Alia Jones are sll a rarity as full-me
African American Broadway producers.
Black superstar entertainers like Alicia
Keys (Sck Fly), Will Smith, Jay-Z and Jada
Pinke (Fela),
Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act) and Oprah
Winfrey (The Color Purple) are making
inroads as Broadway producers, but there
is obviously room for many more.
We want to congratulateStephen Byrd
and Alia Jones and their award-winning
director, Emily Mann, for
bringing this new all-black revival of A
Streetcar Named Desire to Broadway. We
cant wait to see the
usually debonair Blair Underwood in a
t-shirt screaming, Hey Stella.
--------------------
Marc Morial is president/CEO of the
Naonal Urban League.
Lets Get Down to Business
(Tri ceEdneyWi re.
com) - Now that
former Senator
Rick Santorum has
withdrawn from
the Republican race
for nominaon,
it is a foregone
c o n c l u s i o n
that former
Ma s s a c h u s e t t s
governor Mi
Romney will be
the Republican
nominee. To be
sure, he sll has to deal with the nuisance
factor of Newt Gingrich, whose lack of
money has
not only torpedoed his campaign, but also
one of his think tanks. Maybe Gingrich
can nd work, as he suggested
that inner city youth do, by taking on some
janitorial tasks. So its down to Romney
and President Obama as
opponents in November.
The entertainment is over. Lets get down
to business. Those who are undecided
about the polical path theyd
like to take ought to look at several areas
of contrast, and consider what either
candidate might do in three areas:
JOBS. The unemployment rate cked
down just a ny bit last month, from 8.3
to 8.2 percent, but only 120,000 new jobs
were created. We need to create at least
300,000 jobs a month for the next year or
so to just begin to catch up with all
the jobs that were lost. Black
unemployment, at 14 percent, is at the
Depression level of 25 percent when
hidden unemployment is considered.
Unemployment is trending down, if
slowly, and the Obama Administraon has
been quick to share these facts. Further,
if President Obama had been able to pass
job creaon legislaon at the end of 2011,
one
might think the rate might have dropped
even faster.
My queson to Mi Romney would be
how he plans to accelerate the pace of
job creaon and lower unemployment
rates. Id also ask him about high black
unemployment rates, and targeng.
Finally, Id ask him whetherhe sll enjoys
ring people and what message he thinks
that sends to the least and the le out.
Id ask President Obama at least two of
those three quesons. Id certainly ask
what he would do to change the pace of
job creaon, what kind of legislaon he
thinks is needed for him to implement his
plan, and whether he thinks he can pull a
polical consensus together to pass such
legislaon. Id also ask him about black
unemployment and targeng, not to put
him on the spotor to play the race card,
but because this is an important queson.
Finally, Id ask about a focus on youth
unemployment, given the fact that young
people who graduate from college and
cannot nd jobs
have lifeme eects from or two years
worth of joblessness.
TAXES. Former Republican candidate Herb
Cain, he of the 9-9-9 plan that just didnt
add up, the foreign policy ignorance, and
the ery, if inept, blather said that Romney
was being picked apart by the tax
issue. But Romney pays a lower proporon
of his income on taxes than the average
(not upper income, just
average) working person does, mostly
because investment income is taxed at a
lower rate than earnings. Romney has
also called for an extension of the Bush
tax cuts, while President Obama would
eliminate them.
Id ask Mi Romney why he thinks it is fair
for the rich to pay proporonately less
in taxes than middle income people do.
Id ask him bluntly whether he thinks he
favors the rich and if so, why. Id ask him
to detail his objecons to the Bue plan,
and to oer an alternave plan for tax
fairness.
Id ask President Obama (who not only pays
his fair share in taxes, but also contributes
generously to charitable causes (including
the United Negro College Fund) to oer,
beyond the Bue plan, other keys to tax
fairness. Id ask him whether investment
income should be taxed at an equal or
higher rate than earnings. And Id ask him
what kind of coalion is needed to turn
the Bue plan into public policy.
STUDENTS. While President Obama has
vigorously defended Pell Grants, Mr.
Romney would not only eliminate these
grants but many other social programs.
Furthermore, students pay more than 6
percent interest on federal loans, while
some of the bailout banks paid less than
1 percent interest on their loans. If we
believe that children are our future,
why arent our future workers, students,
more highly considered in the budget
process.
Id ask Mi Romney what his horizon is
for US prosperity and what role todays
students play in that prosperity. Id
ask him why he is opposed to Pell grants,
and what he thinks of the interest
dierenal between the way students are
treated and bailout banks are treated.
Before I asked President Obama anything
on educaon, Id thank him and commend
him for his ght to protect HBCUs and
other colleges. They Id ask about the
interest dierenal, and about his progress
on his pledge to restore the US to world
leadership in educaonal aainment.
Now that we dont have the distracon of
debate about peripheral issues, maybe we
can get down to business to compare and
contrast the candidates.
JULIANNE
MALVEAUX
------------------------
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is President of
Benne College for Women in Greensboro,
North Carolina.
MARC MORIAL
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.
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