1 :: WWW.CNYVISION.

COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012

Syracuse, NY
VOL 3. NO. 22 apr 26 - may 2, 2012
www.cnyvision.com www www. wcn cnyv vis sioon. nco c m ww
vision
cny
2 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
LOCAL OFFICE:
2331 South Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13205
PH: 315-849-2461
HEADQUARTERS:
17 East Main Street
Rochester, NY 14614
TOLL-FREE: 1-888-792-9303
FAX: 1-888-796-6292
EMAIL: info@cnyvision.com
WEBSITE: www.cnyvision.com
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
Dave McCleary
Lucy Smith
advertising@cnyvision.com
REPORTERS
Rodney Brown
Sharlene McKenzie
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
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issues, utilizing its resources to build
bridges among diverse populations;
taking them from information to under-
standing.
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sibility concerning advertisers, their po-
sitions, practices, services or products;
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ments constitute or imply endorse-
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Deadline for all copy is Tuesday at
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CNY Vision invites news and story
suggestions from readers.
Call 315-849-2461
or email
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In This Issue
COVER: Pg 6
-Can Obama Hold on to Youth
Vote?
CALENDAR Pg 2

LOCAL Pgs 3-5
-Secretary of State Speaks at
Syracuse University
- Commissio0n Says Jail Guards
Suffocated Inmate Raul Pinet,
Jr.
- Upstate Crackdown on Texting
While Driving
- Syracuses Fab Melo to Enter
NBA Draft
POLITICS Pg 5
- THE RACE: Endorsements
Keep Rolling in for Romney
NATIONAL Pgs 7-8
- Zimmerman Freed on
$150,000 Bail, Rev. Jackson
says it Cheapens Black Life
- Obama Takes on College
Costs, Eyes Young Voters
COLUMNS: Pg 10
- Syracuses Black Businesses
Battle Apathy, Eachother
- Taxi Battle Erupts
By Ko Quaye

- Perhaps Trayvons Mother
Should Stop Talking
By Boyce Watkins
-Blacks Need Not Apply to
Virtually White Senate
By Earl Hutchinson
- Black Women and the Mommy
Wars
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux
1 :: WWW.&1<9,6,21&20 - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY2, 2012 Syracuse, NY VOL 3. NO. 22 apr 26 - may 2, 2012
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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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

May
GED Classes
Time:9:00 am 11:30 am
Locaon: Beauchamp Branch Library- 2111
South Salina St.
Monday thru Friday. Free study sessions
designed to help those who are interested
in obtaining their GED. Must Sign-Up.
Contact Pat Booker 435-6376.
1, 8, 15 and 22
FOR CHILDREN & TEENS: Funwork
Homework Help
Time:3:00-5:00 pm
Locaon: Beauchamp Branch Library- 2111
South Salina St.
Get help with homework and have fun
with Mrs. Hayden. Free!
6
SPRING CONCERTS AT ONONDAGA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Time: 3:00p.m.
LOcaon: Storer Auditorium
Spring Concert II featuring OCC Jazz
Ensemble, Lan Ensemble, and Singers.
Events are free and open to the public with
free parking. The most convenient lots are
Lots 2 and 3 directly behind Ferrante Hall
and Storer Auditorium.
For info: please call (315) 498-ARTS (2787)
or visit online at www.sunyocc.edu.
CALENDAR
APRIL
3 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
Mr. Quaye;
One of the rst instances that I
remember where Syracuse police
killed a man when I was in my teens,
(I am 59-yrs old). The vicm was a
homeless man named Raul Mora who
was intoxicated and had tried to enter
some vehicles in the parking lot of
Upstate Medical Center to sleep it o.
They beat him to death because he got
belligerent, he was Lano/Hispanic/
Spanish. Most public senment was
shock but no call for Jusce by the
white community, because Mr. Mora
was considered to be a person of
color by most white people. The
true is the same today. Think of all
the horrible names we call each other,
ironically I have not heard any really
nasty names for whites,things like
cracker, redneck, honkie, ofay (?)
are not exactly shockers. Yet whites
have names for those of Lano/
Hispanic/Spanish descent, i.e., spic,
beaner, wet-back. Whites also call
each other unaering names like
Pollack, Kike, Frog, Limey, etc. We are
equal opportunity bigots.
Yes, the SPD and the Syracuse African-
American community have had a
contenous relaonship and connue
such in a slightly lessened degree, sll
more needs to be done. Unfortunately
this distrust between these groups has
caused problems in nding qualied
minority candidates as recruits for
the SPD. Those within the African-
American community with the power
should seek out the best candidates
and preen them for a career in
law enforcement with a accent on
establishing the proper community
relaons that will prevent, or at least
reduce the number of confrontaons
between police and young black males.
As Bill Cosby stated recently the
problem with young black males in
America is the gun. As long as guns are
so pervasive, as long as gun advocates,
the NRA, resist any gun controls that
will actually make the average, and
majority of Americans safer people
will sele their disputes with violence
and the gun makes this extremely easy.
Yes, it can happen in our community,
we are not immune from such things,
safety is only an illusion as George
Zimmerman and Trayvon Marn
learned most tragically.
Thank You for your valuable me,
your most gracious paence and any
consideraon given.
Sincerely,
Clayton E. Andrews, Jr.
info@cnyvision.com
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Re-establishing American leadership
around the world is critical in the
aftermath of the recession, Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said
Monday during an appearance at
Syracuse University, where she urged
students to become involved in the
political process.
American leadership remains as
essential as it has in the past. Its a
daily struggle, Clinton said during a
question-and-answer session arranged
through the Maxwell School of
Citizenship and Public Affairs. I hadnt
fully grasped how nervous people were
about what they could expect from us
(after the recession). Theres a thread
of concern about where we are and
what we can do.
The former U.S. senator from New
York covered an array of topics in a
discussion titled America and the
World. Speaking to an audience of
more than 1,000, Clinton touched on
the U.S. economy, human rights, public
health, energy diplomacy, climate
change, social media and the gridlock
that has paralyzed Congress.
If were going to be judging the rest of
the world, we have to judge ourselves,
she said. We make mistakes. We
have to be asking ourselves what we
can do better.
In addressing human rights issues,
including those involving gays in the
African nation of Liberia, Clinton said
that sometimes public criticism is not
the best avenue because it might hurt
those youre trying to protect.
When you have human rights
standards that are so foreign to other
cultures, its just not understood in a lot
of places, she said. LGBT (lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender people)
is a totally foreign concept in many
countries. Its your problem. Its a very
difcult conversation.
On climate change, Clinton made a
plea for evidence-based decisions
based on arithmetic, not ideology. She
said politicians do great damage
when they make ideology more
important than facts.
We need to be honest about what the
true facts are. Lets not disagree with
the science, she said. Weve been
slowly cleaning up our own house and
were making progress. ... At some
point, the world will realize we have to
have international agreements.
Clinton closed by imploring younger
generations to become involved
politically.
You have to be willing to enter into the
political fray, she said. We need you
more than ever.
Her message resonated with the
students, many of whom stood in line
for hours; hundreds were turned away
on a cold, rainy day.
What stood out was how she
responded to other countries views
on human rights issues, said Sarah
Schuster, a freshman from Connecticut.
I thought it was really noble of her to
explain the differences, talking to other
countries about why they believe that
way and acknowledging that there are
cultural reasons why people do things.
Secretary of State Clinton Speaks at
Syracuse University: US Leadership is Key
By Sta
State invesgators say Syracuse jail
inmate, Raul Pinet Jr., died because
depues improperly restrained him during
a struggle in 2010.
The Commission of Correcon, a state
agency, calls the death of Pinet Jr. a
homicide, caused by asphyxia during
restraint; a ruling that contradicts the
Onondaga County medical examiners
ndings that the 31-year-old died of
a syndrome called excited delirium
brought on by cocaine use.
The commissions report, released Tuesday
says the restraints depues put on Pinet
interfered with his ability to breathe.
The report further states that depues
failed to properly supervise Pinet and get
adequate medical aenon for him
Pinet was being held on an aempted
burglary charge when he started
ghng with depues. The commission
determined the o cers knelt on Pinets
neck and chest and improperly t him with
a mask to control his spi ng, causing him
to suocate.
The medical examiner declined to
comment on the ndings. County District
Aorney William Fitzpatrick said his o ce
is invesgang the death but have not
made public any ndings as yet.
Commission Says Jail Guards
Suocated Inmate Raul Pinet, Jr.
Raul Pinet, Jr.
4 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
SCSD ask Community to Get Involved Financially
Sta
In the midst of a $24 million shorall
for this year; along with a recent report
projecng a $35 million budget shorall for
the 2013-2014 school year- the Syracuse
City School District (SCSD) has created a
Advocacy Forum on its webpage that calls
on employees, parents and community
members to lobby for more state money
for the city schools.
The tool includes a sample script to state
o cials that specically ask Gov. Cuomo to
drop regulaons that disqualify the SCSD
from applying for compeve grants. In
addion the leer asks legislators to
give $4 million extra in state aid to cover
enrollment growth.
SCSD Superintendent Sharon Contreras
has proposed a 2012-2013 that would
increase spending by more than 10
percent. The requested nancial
commitment in current proposed budget
is down from the previous year and seeks
to cut 464 jobs.
The webpage states, If the state does not
come up with the money, the district faces
potenal consequences, incline as many
as 450 jobs cuts, a reducon or eliminaon
of prekindergarten and kindergarten
services, fewer courses for students and
less tutoring and academic support.
SCSD Restructure Board of Educaon
Sta
The Syracuse City School District Board of
Educaon announced the restructuring
of the Board of Educaon commiee
structure. The new structure will now
consist of two work sessions, Educaon
and Operaons and an Audit Commiee.
The Educaon Work Sessions will take
place on April 25, 2012 and May 16, 2012
from 4:30-6:30 PM. The Operaons Work
Sessions will take place on April 24, 2012
and May 22, 2012. The April 24th work
sessions will take place on April 24, 2012
and May 22, 2012. The April 24th work
session will begin at 3:30 PM with the May
22nd work session running from 4:30-6:30
PM. The work sessions will be held in the
main Board Room, 725 Harrison St.
The Educaon Work Session will incorporate
Curriculum, Instrucon, Assessment and
Professional Development. The Operaons
Work Session will include Finance, Human
Resources, Facilies, Informaon and
Technology, Transportaon, Food Services
and Security. The Audit Commiee will
funcon as it previously has, meeng
quarterly with experts from the nancial
community advising the Board of
Educaon on maers relang to nance
and audit.
The new structure should allow the
Board of Educaon and school district
to maximize e ciency while improving
communicaon amongst the various
departments. It will also hopefully allow
for increased aendance from parents
and community members, said Board of
Educaon President Richard T. Strong.
The previously scheduled commiee
meengs for Facilies, Policy, Budget
and Finance and Curriculum have been
cancelled. Future work session dates will
be adopted at the Board of Educaon
Annual Meeng on May 8, 2012 at 4:00
PM.
Source: SCSD
Upstate Crackdown on Texng While Driving
Sta
Operaon Hang Up, which runs from April
23-29, is a devised plan by State Police to
catch motorists who text while driving.
During that enre week in April, Troopers
will increase their focus on hand held cell
phone usage by drivers while patrolling
with plans to hand out nes totaling
up to $150. In addion violators could
face mandatory court surcharges and
a deducon of three points from their
drivers license.
In reports to the media, Major Molinari of
the State Police said Electronic devices
have become commonplace in our lives,
but they have no place in the hands of a
driver. Ive instructed our Troopers to take
a zero tolerance stance.
Recently released data from a Naonal
Highway Tra c Safety Administraon
nds:
Drivers talking on cell phones are four
mes more likely to get into crash which
is equivalent to the behavior of drunk
drivers;
You are twenty-three more mes likely to
get into a crash while texng and driving;
The Naonal Highway Tra c Safety
Administraon aributed more than
3,000 deaths last year to distracted
driving, calling it a dangerous epidemic on
Americas roadways.
Troopers plan to use unmarked vehicles to
hide their immediate identy in pursuit of
violators. Theyre called CITE (Concealed
Identy Tra c Enforcement) vehicles.
The State Police are making distracted
driving enforcement a priority, and we
are changing our taccs accordingly to
step up enforcement, Major Molinari
said. Every available state trooper will
be on patrol during this week, watching
for people using cell phones as well
as other electronic devices. Speeders,
impaired drivers, vehicle occupants who
are not properly buckled up, and other
tra c violators will also be cited, where
appropriate.
5 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
THE RACE: Endorsements
Keep Rolling in for Romney
By TOM RAUM
The Republican primary race is eecvely
over but Mi Romney keeps piling up
delegates and endorsements.
He was expected to ghten his lock
on the GOP nominaon by sweeping
Pennsylvania, New York and three other
northeastern states holding primaries
Tuesday. They oer a combined trove of
209 delegates.
The presumpve GOP nominee
campaigned in Pennsylvania on Monday
with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, oen
menoned as a potenal running mate.
He also picked up the endorsement of
former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani,
a 2008 rival. Giuliani, who joins a long
line of Republican luminaries to back
Romney, said the former Massachuses
governor won fair and square. The value
of endorsements has long been debated.
But generally, theyre beer to have than
not. And in Romneys case, they help
him demonstrate that hes solidifying his
partys support.
No endorsements for Romney have yet
come from vanquished rival Rick Santorum
or from Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former
House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Santorum once hoped to break his losing
streak with a home-state Pennsylvania
win in Tuesdays primary. But amid
discouraging polls, he bowed out April
10. Hes widely expected to make the
endorsement and may be waing unl
closer to the convenon in August in
hopes of giving it more punch.
Gingrich did campaign acvely ahead of
Tuesdays primaries in Delaware.
Cash short and deeply in debt, Gingrich
picked it hoping for an upset and because
of its proximity to the Washington D.C.
area where he lives.
Paul has a base of diehard supporters and
has had lile trouble raising contribuons.
He told CNBC he has no plans to quit.
You dont quit because you happen to be
behind, he said. You want to see how you
do. And who knows? Maybe somebody
will stumble.
___
EDITORS NOTE _ With 196 days le unl
Elecon Day, here are insights into todays
highlights in U.S. polics
NEW YORK (AP) A federal prosecutor
has announced criminal charges and a
$40.5 million selement related to an
invesgaon of a construcon company
involved in New York City projects
including the stadium where the New York
Mets play and the Sept. 11 Memorial.
Court papers in Brooklyn show Lend
Lease U.S. Construcon, a division of an
internaonal construcon company, was
accused of defrauding federal, state and
local government contracng agencies by
falsely billing them from 1999 to 2009. The
government also criminally charged one
company execuve.
A phone message le at a company o ce
in New York wasnt immediately returned.
The company was formerly named
Bovis Lend Lease. It changed its name
aer a fatal re during its demolion of
the former Deutsche (DOY-chuh) Bank
building in lower Manhaan.
Feds: $40M Selement
With NYC Construcon Firm
Syracuses Fab Melo to
Enter NBA Dra Aer Breakout Season
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Syracuse center
Fab Melo is entering the NBA dra aer
a breakout season in which he twice was
held out because of eligibility issues.
The 7-foot sophomore from Brazil made
the announcement Thursday. He averaged
7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for Syracuse
(34-3) this past season. He led the Big East
in blocks per game and was named the
conferences defensive player of the year.
Being able to play professional basketball
has been my dream since I rst starng
playing this game and now I have the
opportunity to accomplish that dream,
Melo said in a statement. Coach (Jim)
Boeheim and the rest of the Syracuse sta
have helped me develop as a player and as
a man, and I will always be appreciave for
what theyve done for me.
Melo missed three games in late January
due to an academic issue, was reinstated,
and just before the start of the NCAA
tournament was ruled ineligible again and
did not play another game.
The Orange, the Easts top seed, sll
advanced to the round of eight before
a loss to Ohio State deprived them of a
berth in the Final Four.
Melo had 88 blocks this season for
Syracuse, which was ranked No. 1 for six
weeks. The Orange opened the season
with 20 straight wins before losing 67-58
at Notre Dame without Melo. Syracuse
then won 11 in a row.
Melo was just one of several storylines
in an Orange season that wont soon be
forgoen. It began with the dismissal of
associate head coach Bernie Fine aer two
former ballboys accused him of sexually
molesng them in the 1980s. While
charges have yet to be led against Fine, he
was red in late November. Boeheim and
the university are also facing a defamaon
suit led by the ballboys Bobby Davis
and stepbrother Mike Lang.
Despite the issues, the Orange nished
17-1 in conference play.
6 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
By PHILIP ELLIOTT
WASHINGTON (AP) Once thought to be
solidly behind President Barack Obama,
younger voters burdened by a bleak
employment picture, high gas prices and
student loan debt are being aggressively
wooed by the Democrat and his likely
Republican challenger, Mi Romney.
In 2008, Obama had a 34-point advantage
over Republican Sen. John McCain among
voters under age 30. He won about two-
thirds of the vote in that age group.
But a new Harvard poll suggests the
president may face a harder sales job
with younger voters this me around.
Obama led Romney by 12 points among
those ages 18-24, according to the survey.
Among those in the 25-29 age group,
Obama held a 23-point advantage.
Its an opening Republicans hope to
exploit by focusing on young peoples
disillusionment with the candidate who
promised hope and change.
I think young voters in this country have
to vote for me if theyre really thinking
about whats in the best interest of their
country and whats in their personal
best interest, Romney said Monday
in Pennsylvania aer announcing his
support for an eort Obama is pushing to
keep the interest rate on federal student
loans from doubling in July. Obama is
vising college campuses in key states
this week to rally students around the
proposal.
The presidents policies have led to
extraordinary stascs. When you look
at 50 percent of kids coming out college
today cant nd a job or cant nd a job
which is consistent with their skills, how
in the world can you be supporng a
president that has led to that kind of
economy? Romney said. I think young
people will understand that ours is the
party of opportunity and jobs.
While Republicans dont ancipate
erasing the Democrats long-held
advantage among the under-30 voter
group, they would like to trim it enough
to help Romney win the White House.
His aides and advisers have been
sharpening a message that assails Obama
for an economy that has young people
feeling the pinch, too. The Republican
Naonal Commiee is preparing to
launch what it calls the Social Victory
Center, which promises to turn the
Facebook accounts of supporters into an
outreach arm of the party. And Romneys
ve telegenic sons, none of them younger
than 30, are ready to reprise their roles as
campaign surrogates.
Obama has spent the past week casng
himself as a defender of the middle
class and urging Congress to keep the
3.4 percent student loan interest rate
from doubling to 6.8 percent in July. He
rallied students during visits Tuesday to
college campuses in North Carolina and
Colorado, to be followed by a stop in Iowa
on Wednesday. Obama carried all three
states in 2008, and they are considered
among several that could help decide
Novembers elecon.
When a big chunk of every paycheck
goes towards loan debt, thats not just
tough on you, thats not just tough for
middle-class families, its not just tough
on your parents, its painful for the
economy, because that money is not
going to help businesses grow, Obama
said at the University of North Carolina
in Chapel Hill. I mean, think about the
sooner you can start buying a house,
thats good for the housing industry. The
sooner you can start up that business,
that means youre hiring some folks. That
grows the economy.
And this is something Michelle and
I know about rsthand. I just wanted
everybody here to understand this is not
... I didnt just read about this. I didnt just
get some talking points about this. I didnt
just get a policy brieng on this. Michelle
and I, weve been in your shoes.
Despite aempts to relate to college
audiences by opening up about his and
his wifes experiences with student loans,
polling suggests Obamas job approval
rang among these voters has declined.
The 75 percent rang he enjoyed in 2009,
the year he took o ce, has dropped to 57
percent, according to Gallup.
That opens the door for Romney and the
Republican Party.
Consider North Carolina. Obama won it
by fewer than 14,000 votes, making him
the rst Democrat to carry the state since
1976.
Rick Wiley, the RNCs polical director,
said Democrats pulled o that victory by
registering a boatload of college kids.
But fast forward four years and those
college kids are not going to be there.
Theyre not on campuses anymore.
Theyre probably under-employed, he
said.
As a result, Democrats and Republicans
alike have to court a new class of college-
age voters this elecon cycle, not just in
tradional GOP states like North Carolina,
Virginia and Indiana that helped push
Obama to victory in 2008, but across the
country.
Its me for a change, and a lot of
young voters Ive seen are losing faith in
Obama, said Maggie Cleary, head of the
Washington, D.C., Students for Romney
chapter and president of Georgetown
University College Republicans. The
biggest challenge were going to have is
excing people about Gov. Romney. ...
They dont know a lot about him other
than that hes quote, unquote boring.
Thats one reason why Romneys advisers
and the RNC want to turn the elecon
into a vote against Obama, and not
necessarily into a vote for Romney.
Paul Conway, a former chief of sta to
former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, said
the new normal for college students
and 20-somethings is a series of part-me
jobs or unpaid internships.
These are the people who are feeling
the impact of the policies, said Conway,
who runs Generaon Opportunity, a
nonparsan group created to encourage
young people to vote. They believe
Washington is mortgaging their future.
Theyre watching Washington put them
further in to debt.
The last Republican presidenal
candidate to win voters under age 30 was
Republican George H.W. Bush. He won
52 percent of those voters on his way to
defeang Democrat Michael Dukakis in
1988.
Associated Press Deputy Director of
Polling Jennifer Agiesta contributed to
this report.
7 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
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and recent SCSD grads
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315-443-5300
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April 7 September 8, 2012*
*FACC closed on 5/26, 7/7 and 9/1
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Zimmerman Freed on
$150,000 Bail, Rev. Jackson
Says it Cheapens Black Life
By Hazel Trice Edney
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - George
Zimmerman the killer of 17-year-old
Trayvon Marn has been released from
the John E. Polk Correconal Facility in
Seminole County, Fla. Aer posng a
$150,000 bond, Zimmerman was ed
with a GPS monitor and was released
around midnight Sunday to an undisclosed
locaon.
His release comes aer Judge Kenneth
Lester ruled last week that Zimmerman
can relocate out of state unl me for his
trial on second degree murder charges for
the February shoong.
Under the condions of his release,
Zimmerman must check in with
authories every three days and he is on
a strict curfew that prohibits him from
leaving home between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
His locaon is a heavily guarded secret for
his protecon. He is also not allowed to
have access to rearms or alcohol and he
cannot communicate with Marns family
or any of the witnesses in the case.
The killing of the unarmed teenager
forged protests and a naonal discussion
on race relaons in America. Police 911
tapes reveal that Marn was proled;
yet Zimmerman was only arrested aer
naonal outrage.
During the bond hearing, which took place
in Sanford, Fla. on Friday, Zimmerman
apologized to Marns family saying he
was sorry for the loss of your son.
Zimmermans apology for Marns death
was not well received by aorneys
represenng Marns family. They said
his statement during the bond hearing
was self-serving. Marns family did not
immediately respond to the apology.
At the heart of the legal case is a so-called
Stand your ground law in Florida. The
law allows people to kill another human
being if they simply feel that their life is
being threatened.
Civil rights leaders connue to monitor the
case and have vowed to watch unl they
see jusce done. They are also concerned
about similar laws in other states.
Naonal Acon Networks concern is
that there is a fair trial, said the Rev.
Al Sharpton in a statement. And it is
imperave that a review of the Stand Your
Ground Law be conducted because aer
todays hearing it is clearly the strategy
of the defense. As long as this law stands
on the books in Florida and other states
we consider this a danger and we are
commied to ghng that law.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. called for the
FBI and Department of Jusce to play
a crical role in the civil case even
aer the criminal case is nished. Racial
proling and killings have become a
naonal paern, he said.
Also in a statement, Jackson expressed
deep disappointment at the judges
decision to set the bond at only $150,000
when prosecutors had pressed for a
million dollar or no bond.
He said, This decision cheapens Black
life.
George Zimmerman
8 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
Health Care Under Assault:
Congressman Outlines Pains Before Life Changing Act
By Hazel Trice Edney
(TriceEdneyWire.com) Before President
Barack Obama signed the long-awaited
Aordable Care Act into Law, many
Americans suered but African-
Americans suered disparately, largely
because of economic hardships.
According to U. S. Rep. Congressman
Cummings:
Prior to the enactment of the Aordable
Care Act, more than 47 million Americans
were uninsured. Of this number, nearly
half were working adults. Another 7
million were children.
Nearly 41 thousand people suered a
premature death because they lacked
access to quality, aordable health
insurance.
Every minute, eight people were denied
coverage, charged a higher rate, or
otherwise discriminated against due to a
pre-exisng condion.
These were the condions outlined by
Cummings as he spoke to an audience at a
Symposium on U. S. Health Care at Howard
University last week.
If Congress had not acted, the cost of
health insurance would have driven more
people from the market. Health insurance
policies would have been out of reach
for more small businesses. And more
people would have been forced to declare
medical bankruptcy following an illness or
accident, Cummings said.
But, now that the U. S. Supreme Court is
reviewing the Constuonality of parts of
the Aordable Care Act, new health care
benets and those not even enacted yet
are at risk. The main contenon is that
the Act requires people to purchase some
kind of health care, which some say the
government has no right to enforce. The
Court has heard arguments on both sides
and is expected to render its decision in
the fall.
With the passage of the Paent Protecon
and Aordable Care Act, we made the
statement that health care would no
longer be a privilege. And on March 23,
2010, President Obama established health
care as both a right and a responsibility
of the American people, Cummings said.
Today, this promise is under assault by
those who would turn their backs on the
social contract.
In the luncheon speech punctuated by
applause, Cummings also outlined what
America could lose if the court ruled
against the plan. The benets currently
enjoyed under the act include:
Children with pre-exisng condions are
no longer denied access to private health
insurance.
Young adults are allowed to remain on
their parents health insurance plan unl
the age of 26.
Small businesses that oer health
insurance to their employees are eligible
for a 35 percent tax credit.
Seniors are receiving discounts averaging
$500 per year on their prescripon costs.
Medicare prevenve services are being
provided without co-pays, coinsurance, or
deducbles.
Grants have been provided to the
community health centers, hospitals,
doctors, and other healthcare
professionals responsible for providing
care to those most in need.
Yet, 27 states have joined Virginia and
Florida in a lawsuit against the Act. The
other states are South Carolina, Nebraska,
Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Michigan,
Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington,
Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota,
Arizona, Georgia, Alaska, Nevada, Indiana,
Mississippi, Wisconsin, Oklahoma,
Wyoming, Ohio, Kansas, and Maine.
This is unacceptable for a naon as
wealthy and as generous as ours. I connue
to believe not only that the government
has the authority to implement health
reform, but that it has the moral obligaon
to do so, Cummings said.
The day-long symposium included
discussions by experts, including doctors
and researchers. The audience included
health care professionals, students and
the general public.
This is an important me to bring
together voices for change, Cummings
said. At one point he drew laughter from
the audience describing how he went to
the House chamber early in order not to
miss the vote for the Aordable Care Act.
But, even if the plan prevails in court,
Cummings said many economic pialls
remain.
Even if we could guarantee health
insurance for everyone - regardless of
race, ethnicity, age, or disability - could
we guarantee that everyone could get to
the doctor? Could we ensure that each
persons bus would arrive on me or
that each persons car would start that
morning? Could we ensure that each
person could aord to take the me o
from work to visit their doctor?
He concluded, The answer, of course, is
no. But once the Aordable Care Act is
fully implemented, it is my sincere hope
that many of the well-known barriers to
care will be lessened, even if were unable
to remove them completely.
Obama Takes on College Costs, Eyes Young Voters
By BEN FELLER
MORRISVILLE, N.C. (AP) Wooing young
voters, President Barack Obama is on a
blitz to keep the cost of college loans from
soaring for millions of students, taking
his message to three states strategically
important to his re-elecon bid. By taking
on student debt, Obama is speaking to
middle-class America and targeng an
enormous burden that threatens the
economic recovery.
Before Obama got his road trip under
way, Republican opponent Mi Romney
found a way to steal some thunder from
the presidents campaign argument: He
agreed with it.
The competors are now on record for
freezing the current interest rates on
a popular federal loan for poorer and
middle-class students. The issue is looming
because the rate will double from 3.4
percent to 6.8 percent on July 1 without
intervenon by Congress, an expiraon
date chosen in 2007 when a Democrac
Congress voted to chop the rate in half.
Obama is heading to campuses in the
South, West and Midwest to sell his
message to colleges audiences bound to
support it. As he pressures Republicans in
Congress to act, he will also be trying to
energize the young people essenal to his
campaign those who voted for him last
me and the many more who have turned
vong age since then.
The president speaks Tuesday at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill and the University of Colorado at
Boulder, and then the University of Iowa
on Wednesday. All three universies are
in states that Obama carried in 2008, and
all three states are considered among
the several that could swing to Obama
or Romney and help decide a close 2012
elecon.
Both campaigns are ghng for the
support of voters buried in college debt.
The naonal debt amassed on student
loans is higher than that for credit cards or
auto loans.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has
esmated about 15 percent of Americans,
or 37 million people, have outstanding
student loan debt. The banks put the total
at $870 billion, though other esmates
have reached $1 trillion. About two-thirds
of student loan debt is held by people
under 30.
Obama, previewing the message he will
give at all three colleges, said over the
weekend that allowing the interest rates
to double this summer would hurt more
than 7 million students. The White House
said it would cost students $1,000, based
on the average amount borrowed a year
($4,200) and the average me it takes to
pay the loan (12 years).
That would be a tremendous blow,
Obama said. And its completely
preventable.
Romney agreed with that conclusion even
in the midst of blasng Obamas economic
leadership. Given the bleak job prospects
that young Americans coming out of
college face today, I encourage Congress to
temporarily extend the low rate, Romney
said in a statement.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said
the administraon welcomed support
for freezing the interest rate from any
Republican. But Carney said it was ironic
that a Republican could both back the
interest rate freeze and support a budget
proposal from Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.,
that the White House says would double
the student loan interest rate freeze.
Romney has said he is very supporve of
the Ryan budget.
With Romney all but certain to sweep
the ve Republican presidenal
primaries being held Tuesday, the
former Massachuses governor planned
a denive pivot toward the general
elecon, with a speech in New Hampshire
tled A Beer America Begins Tonight.
The student loan rate freeze Obama and
Romney are championing amounts to
a one-year, elecon-year x at a cost of
roughly $6 billion. Congress seems headed
that way. Members of both pares are
assessing ways to cover the costs and win
the votes in the House and Senate, which
is far from a polical certainty. All pares
involved have polical incenve to keep
the rates as they are.
Obama carried voters between the ages of
18-29 by a margin of about 2-to-1 in 2008,
but many recent college graduates have
faced high levels of unemployment. That
raises concerns for the president about
whether they will vote and volunteer for
him in such large numbers again.
___
AP Educaon Writers Kimberly Heing and
Jusn Pope contributed to this report.
9 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
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Ofce Manager/Owner
G& R Real Est at e 2007, LLC
761 North Salina Street
Syracuse, New York 13208
Email: GaryRegina5511@msn.com
Ofce: 315.399.5183
Fax: 315.399.5191
PUBLIC NOTICES
CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
One Centro Center, 200 Cortland Avenue, PO Box 820
Syracuse, NY 13205-0820
INVITATION FOR BID
CNY Centro, Inc., will receive sealed bids for the sale of various rered service vehicles.
Various company vehicles and equipment have been removed from service and are available for
inspecon at the Centro of Syracuse garage at 200 Cortland Ave, Syracuse, NY 13205 from 9:00 am
to 2:00 PM weekdays, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 through Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Please contact Larry
Stackhouse or Jim Mahan at 442-3300 extensions 3322 & 3418 to arrange an appointment.
Bid documents and Instrucon to Bidders will be on le in the Purchasing Department of CNY Centro,
Inc., 200 Cortland Ave., Syracuse, NY 13205, where copies may be obtained by wrien request from
Geo Ho via fax at 315-442-3301 or by mail at 200 Cortland Avenue, P.O. Box 820, Syracuse, NY
13205-0820 or via email at gho@centro.org.
Bids will be received at CNY Centro, Inc. o ces unl 2:00 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Bids received
aer this me and date will be returned, unopened.
CNY Centro, Inc. reserves the right to reject any and all bids and waive any informality in the bidding.
10 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
Last week, I wrote about Tisko Taxis, a taxi
business begun by an African immigrant
called Sikiru Tijani that appears to be thriving.
I was doing what I have done over the
years with this column; write about whats
happening in business, polics, housing,
educaon, and other issues in Syracuse.
Lile did I know that the mere menon of
the possibility of an undercurrent of rivalry
between him and his Somali counterparts
would ignite a restorm of controversy
between Africans in the taxi cab business in
Syracuse.
A couple of days aer the arcle was
published, Sikiru Tijani, owner of Tisko Taxis
discovered that one of his taxi cabs had been
vandalized.
Someone had put sugar in the gas tank. He
reported it to the police. There had been
prior incidents where he had come out at
night to nd that the air had been let out of
the res of his taxis.
Tijani says he has his suspicions but knows
he cant do anything on his own. The culprit
has to be caught in the act or the police have
to follow the leads he has given them. He
believes the police know precisely what to
do to nd out who is responsible for those
acts of vandalism that resulted in the loss of
one of his cars.
Meanwhile, he has to gure out how to deal
with the problem of open hoslity from
other African immigrant taxi cab operators.
He has had confrontaons with other African
taxi cab owners, to which he assigned no
signicance other than the fact that pey
rivalry is to be expected in a business as
highly compeve as the taxi cab service.
According to Tijani, he has made every eort
to help other Africans by providing jobs to
a few over the past couple of years. And he
didnt limit his choice to immigrants from his
own country; he has hired cab drivers from
Sudan, India and plans to do more as he
expands.
Its hard to understand the reason for the
animus directed at him, he says.
I was told in no uncertain terms by one
Somali taxi cab driver that he doesnt like
Ghana people. I was abbergasted, to say
the least. And that is what saddens me; that
African immigrants are behaving in ways
that reinforce the noon that Africans and
African-Americans dont support each other,
and would do things to hurt, not help each
other as other people do.
There is tension in the air, and it has the
potenal to escalate, if nothing is done
about it. I have had conversaons with taxi
cab drivers who talk openly about arming
themselves and bearing all kinds of weapons
for defensive purposes and, if necessary,
as an oensive deterrent that they wont
hesitate to use.
The African immigrant community and by
extension, the larger African-American
community doesnt need ugly confrontaons
between Africans.
I suggest that our African-American and
African leaders take the iniave and
mediate this before it gets out of hand.
I know Syracuse African-American leaders
such as Van Robinson, president of the
Syracuse Common Council, has shown an
interest in advocang for and on behalf
of African immigrants and made moves
aimed at bringing the African immigrant and
African-American communies together.
Mike Atkins, a great friend of the African-
American community and others in the
African-American community has made
similar moves as well.
It is also about me that Kwame Oeku,
or Victor Aah, and other leaders in the
African immigrant community, take acon
to mediate and stop the ugly confrontaons
from escalang into actual violence.
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision
SYRACUSES BLACK BUSINESSES BATTLE APATHY, EACH OTHER
The Eco
Laundromat lled
a vacuum when it
was set up a few
years ago on South
Avenue, and it
seemed to have
worked, at least
that was the image
it projected.
It looked like it
was being used
by neighborhood
residents.
I knew for a fact, the laundromat had
become useful to the community when a
colleague, Pete Wynn, who has lived in the
neighborhood for decades, asked me to help
him bring his laundry to the place.
That Pete chose to go to that parcular
laundromat was signicant in many ways.
It meant that the laundromat had made
the transion from being just another new
business in the neighborhood to potenally
being permanently embraced by the
community.
If the intent was to provide the African-
American community on that side of town
with a laundromat that could be easily
accessed, the owners couldnt have made a
beer choice. Its locaon is ideal.
Si ng on the corner of South Avenue and
Tallman, it is next to the busiest corner
grocery store in the area, across the street
from the leading night club and bar on the
South Side of Syracuse, the B&B, and down
the street from the busiest community
center in the African-American community,
the South West Community Center.
It is within walking distance for most people
in the neighborhood.
That its owners made an eort to make it
consumer friendly is beyond doubt. The
overall theme was the focus on making it a
laundromat that didnt contribute to making
the environment worse than it is in terms of
polluon.
It doesnt maer whether it was a markeng
ploy or gimmick. It didnt even maer if
the neighborhood residents didnt care or
couldnt relate to the fact that the laundromat
was designed with environmental concerns
in mind. The important thing is it provided a
needed service.
Eco Laundromats ownership has fought
the good ght, but based on my own
observaons, and comments from
neighborhood residents and others, I have
to report that the laundromat has closed.
It is no longer in business.
The neighborhood has lost its only African-
American owned Laundromat and the
queson being asked is: Why did it go out of
business?
The answer is simple: lack of community
support. There is no other way to explain it.
The owners seem to be disinclined to
disclose details about the decision to close it.
And that is perfectly legit. They dont have to
tell the public why they decided to take that
acon, whatever the reason may be.
As far as I am concerned, the story of the
coming and going of the laundromat on
South Avenue gives me reason to focus
on the theme of lack of support for our
community-based businesses and to
connue my quest for answers to a number
of quesons regarding the reasons why a lot
of African-American owned businesses fail in
Syracuse.
Is it true that the community does not
support businesses that provide essenal
services that are owned and operated by
African-Americans?
Is there any legimacy in the asseron that
African-Americans have the tendency to
distance themselves from community based
businesses owned and operated by African-
Americans?
The answers sll elude me. Personally, I feel
totally disinclined to begin to believe that
there is an element of truth in the noon
that African-Americans simply dont like to
support businesses owned by people from
within the community. Unfortunately, my
own personal experiences do nothing but
reinforce that percepon.
I have asked those quesons in previous
arcles.
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.
Perhaps Trayvons Mother Should Stop Talking
I havent spoken
with Al Sharpton
in a few months.
But if we were sll
speaking and he
were to ask me
what to do with the
mother of Trayvon
Marn, my answer
would be very
simple: Get her o
the stage right now.
Trayvons mother,
Sybrina Fulton,
appeared on The
Today Show last week and actually said
that she thinks that George Zimmerman
shot her son by accident.
One of the things that I sll believe in, a
person should apologize when they are
actually remorseful for what theyve done.
I believe it was an accident. I believe that
it just got out of control and he couldnt
turn the clock back. I would ask him, did
he know that that was a minor, that that
was a teenager, and that he did not have
a weapon?
When I heard these words, I froze in my
tracks. I couldnt believe that Trayvons
mother would make a statement that was
in such stark contradicon to the charges
being brought forth by the prosecutor. In
fact, theres a big part of me that wonders
why she was on the show at all.
According to Findlaw.com, second-degree
manslaughter is dened as:
1) an intenonal killing that is not
premeditated or planned, nor commied
in a reasonable heat of passion or 2) a
killing caused by dangerous conduct and
the oenders obvious lack of concern for
human life
There is nothing about the word
accident that implies intent, which is
why its called an accident. Although
Sybrinas aorneys have worked hard
to clean up aer her mistake, the truth
is that she cant argue that Zimmerman
accidentally thought that Trayvon
looked suspicious or that he accidentally
chased him down. The only part of this
interacon where the word accident
readily applies is in the actual shoong
itself. If I were George Zimmermans
brother, I would send Syrbrinas aorney
a thank you card.
God bless Sybrina for being honest (if that
is what she meant to say), but there are
some things beer le unsaid. For the
mother of the vicm to make a statement
in naonal media that directly contradicts
the eorts of the prosecuon is nothing
short of disastrous.
George Zimmerman stalked my son and
murdered him in cold blood, Sybrina
later said to MSNBC in another interview,
retracng her earlier statement.
My queson at this point is this: Why was
there another interview in the rst place? I
am not a lawyer myself, but I presume that
theres a reason that aorneys tell their
clients to be quiet. All of the cleansing
in the world will never take away the
fact that Sybrinas comments have had a
remarkably negave impact on the ability
of the special prosecutor to do her work.
Sybrinas words have opened the door for
millions of people to understand when
George Zimmerman is let o the hook
with either an acquial or a plea bargain
for a lesser charge. This remark also
undermines her credibility as she seeks
to have Zimmerman convicted of second
degree murder. Why would I tell someone
to punish you for deliberately doing
something that I believe to be accidental?
Trayvons parents have done their
work and theyve done it well. Theyve
achieved the rst steps toward jusce for
their son, and now its me for them to
try to rebuild their lives in private. Rev.
Sharpton has done a wonderful job of
highlighng the racial dimensions of this
highly unfortunate incident. At this point,
the conversaon about black men in the
jusce system must grow beyond Trayvon
Marn, and the prosecuon should be
allowed to do its work. The family, as well
all associated racial advocates, need to
strategize in private, listen to the evidence
and just stop talking.
----------------
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at
Syracuse University and founder of the
Your Black World Coalion.
DR. BOYCE
WATKINS
FROM THE BOYCE BLOG
Taxi Bale Erupts
11 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012
Blacks Need Not Apply to Virtually White Senate
What do Kendrick
Meek, Alvin Greene,
Mike Thurmond, and
C. Anthony Muse
have in common?
They are black, male,
and all four had
hoped to join one
of the worlds most
elite, select and
polically powerful
bodies in the world,
the U.S. Senate.
They didnt make
it. Meek, Greene,
and Thurmond lost
their bids for Senate seats in 2010. Muse lost
his this year. Their loss gave the U.S. Senate
the dubious disncon of being one of the
last remaining polical basons in America
where blacks are invisible. It has been almost
impossible for black Senate candidates to crack
the dried plaster hard racial ceiling of the U.S.
Senate.
Disgraced and imprisoned former Illinois
governor Rod Blagojevichs hotly disputed
Illinois senate appointee Roland Burris in 2008
was the last black to hold down a Senate seat.
But that was just barely. When the Blagojevich
corrupon and bribery scandal publicly
exploded, the Senate gave hard consideraon
to giving Burris the boot. A big factor in the
Senate pull back from going aer Burris was
that it would have le the Senate especially
moderate and liberal Senate Democrats wide
open to the embarrassing and awkward rap
that a bunch of white senators torpedoed the
appointment of a black man. But thats no
longer a worry. Burris declined to run when his
truncated term was up and that meant a return
to a Senate with no blacks.
Thats not the worst part. The worst is that the
odds are good that the Senate will have no
African Americans for years to come.
The Senate has sole power to approve a
declaraon of war, debate treaes, approve
nominaons to the Supreme Court and
decide the guilt or innocence of an impeached
president, and put the nal stamp on all vital
legislaon at the naonal level.
The Founding Fathers made no secret that
they wanted the Senate to be an Olympian
lawmaking body. James Madison bluntly wrote
that the Senate should be the ulmate check
to prevent the people from overwhelming
government. For nearly 125 years, state
legislators elected senators. The 17th
Amendment passed in 1913 changed that. But
it did not end the Senates polical insulaon
and elism. Over two-dozen senators are
millionaires. Many have been in the Senate for
decades, and they are virtually impossible to
unseat. The six-year Senate term of o ce is the
longest of any elected body in America. That
spares senators the need to connually debate
issues and policy decisions directly with voters.
It also shields their legislave acons from
public scruny.
Mississippi is a textbook example of how
changing racial demographics have lile
eect on Senate incumbents. Blacks comprise
a third of the states populaon, and more
than a quarter of the voters. They are solidly
Democrac. Mississippi has one of highest
percentage of black delegates at the Democrac
convenon in 2008. Yet before Trent Lo quit
the Senate, he and Thad Cochran had been in
the Senate more than four decades.
The problem for blacks, and for that maer
women, Lanos, gays, beyond race and gender,
of ge ng into the white, male, privileged,
clubby ole-boys Senate is money and polical
connecons.
A Senate candidate must raise millions, get
their partys o cial stamp and appeal to
conservave, white middle-class voters to get
elected. Senate seats arent cheap. Obama
raised a record $4 million dollars in a three-
month span in his winning Senate eort.
Obama preached a centrist, conservave
message of family values, tax fairness and
military preparedness and an emphasis of
toughness on naonal security and the war
on terrorism. He had to in order to draw
support from conservave white Democrat
voters and neutralize Republicans in central
and downstate Illinois. But the key was sll
money, Obama had plenty of it, and that was
the clincher. How much did he and do other
candidates or incumbents need to run for or
hold on to a Senate seat? According to the
Center for Responsive Polics, in 2010, the
average winning House candidate spent nearly
a one and a half million dollars to run (not
necessarily to win). A Senate seat cost almost
10 mes more. The average price to win it
soared to nearly $10 million.
The Senate is not unaware that it is a body that
is grossly undemocrac and unrepresentave
of the countrys racial, ethnic and gender
demographics. In fact, senators have been
repeatedly asked about their virtually white,
rich, and male club. They have either declined
to comment or simply issued a template
statement that diversity is a good thing for
America. But as far as diversity in their body,
their silence has been deafening. In the words
of one senator, its not an issue thats discussed.
It really wouldnt maer if it was discussed.
The hard fact is that to win a Senate seat is a
polically elite controlled, mul-millionaires
derby that excludes just about everyone who
doesnt t that category, which is just about
everybody. The unstated message at least for
the foreseeable future is that blacks need not
apply for the Senate.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and polical
analyst. He is a weekly co-host of the Al Sharpton
Show on American Urban Radio Network. He
is the author of How Obama Governed: The
Year of Crisis and Challenge. He is an associate
editor of New America Media. He is host of
the weekly Hutchinson Report Newsmaker
Hour heard weekly on the naonally network
broadcast Hutchinson Newsmaker Network.
Black Women and the Mommy Wars
(TriceEdeyWire.com)
- When Democrac
commentator Hilary
Rosen said that Ann
Romney had never
worked a day in her
life, Ann Romney
behaved as if she had
just hit the loery.
She smugly made
the media rounds
talking about how
hard it was for her
to raise her ve sons.
And shes right. Stay at home moms work
extremely hard to cook, clean, run a shule
for their children and their various acvies,
parcipate in school acvies like Room
Mom and Cookie Mom. How do I know,
having never had chick or child? A very dear
friend, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has been
mostly home with her children, one of whom
is my godson, for the past decade or so, and
it shows.
I digress. Hilary Rosen misspoke when she said
Ann Romney had never worked. What she,
perhaps, might have said is that Ann Romney
never needed to work in the paid labor market.
Even when Mi Romney was in graduate
school, they survived by living on the returns
from their investments, according to them. So
it isnt that Ann Romney never worked, it is
simply that she was never forced to.
This enre conversaon is a blast from the
past, reminiscent of arcles that I wrote in
the 1980s. Even then this was a mostly white
womens conversaon since few black women
have or are married to the kind of wealth that
would allow them to stay home. Conservave
stay home moms oen say that people have
to make sacrices to stay at home, perhaps
cu ng out luxuries like restaurant meals and
extra clothing. But unless food is a luxury, there
are black women who are in the labor market
simply because they have no choice.
The o cial unemployment rate among African
Americans is 14 percent. The uno cial rate is
more like 26 percent, and in many inner cies
the black male unemployment rate is nearly 50
percent. This is a burden to African American
women who oen dont have the economic
assistance they need to raise a family. As a
result of this burden, nearly 40 percent of
African American children live in poverty, too
oen supported by a single mom (more than
40 percent of African American households are
headed by women)
While there is a group of African American stay-
at-home moms called Mocha Moms, and there
is lile data to suggest the size of the African
American stay-at-home mom populaon, it is
clear that historically, African American women
had no choice but work. I am not invoking
ancient history when I reference the women
who, as maids, were paid to take beer care
of their employers children than they could
possibly take of their own. And then they oen
paid fairly, with used clothes and leover food
substung for cash. Patriarchal tradion
kept white women home, while white men
were paid a family wage that was enough
to support a whole family. Such patriarchal
tradion was not economically present in the
African American community. Few African
American men were paid a family wage, but
instead something like a subsistence wage.
Women needed to work to help keep the
family together.
Unl the late 1980s, the labor force
parcipaon of African American women
exceeded that of white women, which means
that proporonately more of us were working.
African American womens earnings oen
make the dierence between poverty and
comfort for their families. Mommy wars? Give
me a break. Lets talk about survival wars.
Even those African American families who have
been blessed with higher educaon and good
jobs are well aware that African Americans
are last hired, rst red. Too many so-called
middle class families are a paycheck or two
away from poverty. Last me I checked, African
American households had only 2 percent of our
naons wealth, hardly a cushion to fall back
on, with few investment returns to life on
when no one is working.
This Tuesday was Equal Pay Day, which counts
the extra days women have to work to earn as
much as a man did last year. This hits women
of all races, but it may hit African American
women harder. Indeed, if African American
women had an Equal Pay Day comparing their
wages to those of white men, we might have to
work unl June 30.
We can only laugh and shake our heads at Hilary
Rosens faux pas and Ann Romneys smugness.
We working African American women, stay at
home or in the paid labor force understand that
life for us aint been no crystal stair. Educated
or uneducated, middle class or working class,
the labor market has never been a level playing
eld for us, and our salaries show it. Mommy
wars? We ght survival wars in the workplace
and in this economy.
JULIANNE
MALVEAUX
------------------------
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is President of
Benne College for Women in Greensboro,
North Carolina.
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision
EARL
HUTCHINSON
-----------------
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and
political analyst. His new book is How Obama
Governed: The Year of Crisis and Challenge
(Middle Passage Press).
THE HUTCHINSON REPORT
12 :: WWW.CNYVISION.COM - WEEK OF APR 26 - MAY 2, 2012