Ricardo Lewis
Associate Editor

The controversy surrounding the unwarranted forced resignation of Shirley Sherrod has shaken the beehive of racial controversy in America. Sherrod resigned from her federal job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture after snippets of a speech she gave at a local NAACP freedom fund banquet in March were published on the Internet. The website, biggovernment. com, posted a heavily edited version of the speech that Sherrod gave. Biggovernment.com is the same website that published video footage of ACORN workers counseling actors who were posing as pimps and prostitutes.

In the video posted on the website, Sherrod tells the story of how she was hesitant to help a white farmer who sought her help 24 years earlier when she was an employee for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. The organization is a nonprofit group that helps family farmers. FoxNews.com published a story about the video which caused a fury of hasty activity in a matter of hours that threw Sherrod in a whirlwind of controversy.

The NAACP issued a statement calling Sherrod’s comments “shameful,” even though she had given the speech at one of their branch functions. Sherrod received phone calls from several USDA officials. In one of those calls USDA Undersecretary, Cheryl Cook, asked Sherrod to send her resignation via her Blackberry.

“The irony of this is you have one black woman who said she didn’t give white people her best and it shakes up the world,” said Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor. “This is a testament to how hard and how loyal our women have been.” The Secretary of the USDA., Tom Vilsack, after viewing the entire speech, has since apologized to Sherrod and offered her a job with the agency. At press time, Sherrod said that she is considering the offer.

“Sometimes you can rush to justice, but I think that the situation was taken care of as quickly as it possibly could. I believe that the ones who put it out there, they did not have good intentions,” said Ernest Ferrell, president of the Tallahassee Urban League. “It seems to be the prevailing attitude among some that whatever can be stirred up to divide us, they are going to stir it up,” Ferrell continued.

Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, issued a statement in the wake of the controversy apologizing for rushing to judgment and saying that the organization was “snookered” by FoxNews into believing that Sherrod’s comments had racial intentions.

“I think the lesson that was learned in all of this is that some folks who work with the media can be deceitful,” said Dale Landry, president of the Tallahassee chapter of the NAACP. Landry stated that the controversy was just part of what is a much larger issue between Tea Party affiliates and the NAACP. He noted that since the NAACP has asked the Tea Party to disassociate themselves with elements that represent white supremacy, there has been an attack on the NAACP.

“This whole issue has impacted us here locally,” Landry said. Jealous stated in an interview on the Rachel Maddow show that since the NAACP has questioned racially divisive ideas of the Tea Party, the NAACP has received hundreds of death threats.

“Someone was just picked up today in Florida for saying that they were a Klansman and threatening the lives of NAACP members,” Jealous said during the interview with Maddow which aired on July 20.

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ North Florida Chapter (NOBLE) wants your gun. They are even willing to pay you for it to keep it from falling into the hands of a juvenile or worse, being used to commit a violent crime.

“We have seen a spike in gun violence over the past year, primarily with African-American males being both the perpetrators and the victims.” said Captain Glenn Sapp of the Tallahassee Police Department and vice president of the North Florida NOBLE chapter. The group has teamed up with the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, police from Florida State and Florida A&M universities, and several other community organizations to help make Tallahassee and Leon County safer. Gun owners are being asked to turn in their guns at the “Bury A Gun, Not A Loved One” gun buy back event, Saturday, Aug. 7 at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 501 W. Orange Ave.

“We felt that we needed to take some sort of action and attempt to partner with the community to make a statement saying, enough is enough,” Sapp said. According to a city of Tallahassee press release, gun owners will receive a $50 gift card for handguns, shotguns and rifles, and a $75 gift card for assault rifles. Persons who give up their guns will be given a reprieve.

In a new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives report, more than 18,000 guns were either recovered in or traced to the state of Florida in 2009, according to the Bureau’s Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information. Of those reclaimed in Florida by ATF, 721 guns had been used in a homicide and 1,017 in an aggravated assault. In the latest Uniform Crime Report, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported that 1,138 juveniles in Leon County were arrested for criminal offenses in 2009. Of those arrested, eight were arrested for murder and 365 were involved in an aggravated assault.

Three years ago Gov. Charlie Crist appointed then Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan and current Department of Corrections Secretary Walt Mc- Neil to lead a “Blueprint Commission” to examine the state’s juvenile justice system. One of the commission’s findings was that African-American youths comprise 51 percent of the state’s juvenile justice prison population.

“Young people between the ages of 14 and 25 are at the highest risk for using illegal guns,” former ATF acting director Michael Sullivan said in a speech at the National Project Safe Neighborhood Conference. Sullivan, a Clinton administration appointee, said “guns are about five times more likely to be used in a murder than any other weapon.”

Gun buy back programs have been used as a tactic to keep neighborhoods safer and prevent the escalation of violent crimes by juveniles for more than 20 years. While these programs have been touted for their success in keeping guns off the streets, experts from the National Institute of Justice and the University of Wisconsin’s Medical College have reported that only a small percentage of firearms reclaimed in gun buy back programs can be traced to violent crimes, primarily because those who commit homicides or other gun crimes do not turn in their weapons.

“There are a lot of critics who say that buybacks are not effective, I say that we might not be able to quantify the effectiveness of prayer, but if you ask most people they will tell you that it works,” said Sapp who is a 23-year veteran of the Tallahassee Police Department. NOBLE and local law enforcement agencies want lawbreakers to know that “gun crimes will not be tolerated in our community.” Guns turned in at the “Bury A Gun, Not A Loved One” buy back event will be examined by police and given back to their owners if police determine that the guns were stolen. The remaining weapons will be extinguished.

Ricardo Lewis
Associate Editor

Ken Armstrong sat on his couch watching the movies “Sniper” and “Sniper 2.” What was supposed to be a lazy day of relaxation would eventually turn into the inspiration for his first book.

“After watching the movies I began thinking, what if the President had a secret assassin that was his last line of defense, someone that not even the Secret Service knew about,” said Armstrong. “I told my wife about the idea, and every day I would add some new twist I had thought of to the original thought, so one day I decided to write all of the ideas down.”

The product of Armstrong’s idea is “Saving the President,” a fictional novel that details the life of the president’s very own personal protector. Armstrong has led the United Way of the Big Bend for 15 years, and co-workers believe that some of the characteristics that aided him in writing “Saving the President,” are responsible for his success as president of the United Way of the Big Bend.

“He is a visionary,” said Heather Mitchell, vice president of resource development for the United Way of the Big Bend. “He looks at things from the 30,000- foot level rather than from the ten foot level.”

Before moving to Tallahassee, Armstrong was introduced to the United Way organization by a friend in Dallas, Texas. He had worked in administration at several colleges across the United States, having received his doctorate in higher education administration. Armstrong liked the community aspects of the organization, noting that while working as a college administrator he was not given the chance to be very involved in the community. He informed the friend of his interest in making a career of working with the organization. A short time later, his boss at the United Way in Dallas told him of an opportunity to head the United Way of the Big Bend in Tallahassee.

“I moved here in 1996, and I have absolutely fallen in love with the place,” said Armstrong of his stay here in Tallahassee. “I had worked in college administration, so some of the attraction came from having the three colleges here.” The work of Armstrong and the United Way of the Big Bend is reflected throughout the Tallahassee community. The organization is different from other non-profit organizations because it does not focus on just one community need, but instead assists those in need in a variety of areas, from utility bill assistance to the “Meals on Wheels” program.

“Chances are there is a United Way agency that focuses on exactly what you need. I am very proud that we are there for everybody, not for the few or for the select, but for all,” Armstrong said. The United Way of the Big Bend operates strictly on donations. Many people believe that the United Way operates under a parent organization, which Armstrong noted was not the case.

“Everywhere anybody lives, there is a United Way of something. We do not have chapters that have to answer to a national body. We are a community organization, and we get to reflect the values of our own community. United Way of the Big Bend belongs to this community,” Armstrong said. In the years that Armstrong has led the United Way of the Big Bend, the organization has enjoyed some of its most successful campaigns. Much of this success is attributed to the leadership of Armstrong.

“He is great to work with,” said Ayesha Townsend, vice president of operations for United Way of the Big Bend. “He has a great sense of humor and pleasing personality. People love him and they enjoy him. I think that is why he has done so well with the United Way.”

Kimberly Dantica
Contributing Writer

City commission candidate Kristin Dozier is “going back to school” to build economic development without risking environmental sustainability.

“We need to have new ideas on economic development by utilizing the resources the universities provide which are future entrepreneurs, engineers and doctors. Right now 7-8 people who are graduating from engineering look elsewhere for jobs. We produce these phenomenal students and then they’re gone,” Dozier said.

In addition to promoting using Tallahassee’s student prospects, Dozier’s goal is to create jobs without harming the environment. “Sustainability, the economy, our quality of life and human services are necessary for our economic well-being,” Dozier said. “For me, it’s all interdependent.”

Dozier was a founding member of the Florida Capital Region Chapter of the U.S. Green Buildings Coalition and of Sustainable Tallahassee, a nonprofit business project established and promoted out of the Knight Creative Communities Institute based at Tallahassee Community College. Dozier is able to relate and adapt to different people because of both her teaching and learning experiences at the Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University.

“There have been hundreds of people, I’ve worked with in the past four years in all capacities,” Dozier said. One reason Dozier is running for commissioner, is because of incumbent Bob Rackleff’s political approach to people who have a difference of opinion from his own views.

“Bob is very aggressive with those who disagree with him,” said Dozier. “If you’re saying the right thing and no one is listening to you, you’re not saying anything.” Dozier said.

Sean Blackmon
Contributing Writer

Incumbent Bob Rackleff is seeking a fourth term as a member of the Leon County Commission in the upcoming election. Rackleff who was first elected in 1998, has been most concerned with neighborhood protection, land use and the economic development of the Southside of the city and wants to continue addressing these issues if reelected.

According to Rackleff, a major part of development on Tallahassee’s Southside is to weed out companies who practice discriminatory policies in the chiefly African-American area. “We need to do away with the redlining of the neighborhood by white owned private businesses, including banks,” said Rackleff.

Rackleff has a long record of civil rights activity, dating back to him marching with Rev. C.K. Steele to gain voting rights for African-Americans in Gadsden County. He also wants to redevelop the fairgrounds to help attract families who have been leaving the area due to recent school closings.

Rackleff also opposes the demolition of the former McCrory’s department store, which is the site of the city’s first lunch counter protest. Rackleff wants to help stimulate the local economy by having incubator programs for start-up companies and accelerator programs for established businesses. He believes this will help to keep businesses in Tallahassee, and give the city the potential to become an international marketplace.

“We should have an emphasis on technology businesses to grow our export economy,” he said. “This could create business services and products that the world wants to buy.”

Antonio Rosado
Contributing Writer

David E.Ward retired from the Tallahassee Fire Department in 2005. He understands the need for affordable, accessible emergency services. Ward wants to stop raising fees aimed at the use and administration of public service if elected as the next Leon County Commissioner for District 5 on August 24.

“For 25 years at the fire department, I saw waste in local government,” Ward said. “In my present job, which is a project manager estimator, I see how they continue to waste money, and enough is enough.” Instead of raising fees, Ward plans to save millions of dollars and improve emergency services by combining the Tallahassee Fire Department and the Emergency Medical Services.

“Leon County took over the EMS in January of 2004, and those departments should’ve been functionally consolidated at that time,” Ward said. “The way they’re doing it right now is costing the taxpayers of Leon County millions of dollars.”

Ward has made vows to the citizens of Leon County on his website, one being his withdrawal from future re-election if he doesn’t complete the platform issues on the site. In addition, he also self imposed a two-term limit cap on his time as a commissioner and thinks there should be term-limits for all officials.

“I just feel like when you’re in there for a long time you get so many political buddies and special interests that it could influence your decisions,” Ward explained. “I feel like if eight years is enough for the President of the United States, then eight years is enough for every elected official in this country.”

Candidates for City Commission Seat 3

Candidates for City Commission Seat 5

R.B. Holmes,Jr.

Publisher

The saga of Shirley Sherrod has dominated the media for the last several weeks. This story will have a long shelf life, and we must use this opportunity to launch a meaningful conversation on race and racism.

The Sherrod story definitely proves to us that race matters. It matters to the White House; it matters to FOX News; it matters to the NAACP; it matters to the USDA; it matters to the Tea Party; and it matters to the Right/Wrong Wing activist Andrew Breitbart, and it matters to Shirley Sherrod. The challenge is: How do we develop a moral, positive, rational conversation on race and racism? The question is: Where do we go from here in gathering all the significant parties together to forge a process to begin to address the core of “institutional racism?”

Let me be clear here: racism is as old as ice cream and apple pie, and as fresh as the morning dew. We cannot ignore it; we cannot escape it, and we better not try to endure it. Somehow and someday we must truly find a way to move toward a post racial society. The epiphany of Shirley Sherrod may be our most authentic “teachable moment.” The “Beer Summit” unfortunately was not.

Shirley’s story may be, because she manifested a powerful way on how to move beyond hate, bigotry and racism. The story that she told 24 years ago on how she was not going to give a white farmer the benefit of doubt but was touched by her better angels, and God moved her to help the farmer. Here is where the mess begins: Breitbart posted a two minute, 38-second clip of Sherrod’s 45 minute speech last March to an NAACP event. His action started a firestorm around race and racism. Breitbart was trying to get back at the NAACP for their resolution demanding that the Tea Party scrub the racist elements from their membership.

The NAACP did the right thing; the Tea Party does have some bad folk in the party. Moreover, the poor journalistic acts of Breitbart had many rushing to judgment and initially accusing Sherrod of being a racist. You know the story, Breitbart used her; the NAACP prematurely condemned her; Bill O’Reilly vilified her; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack fired her; the White House misused her; but the white farmer, Roger Spooner, saved her. And finally, the whole story was told, and Mrs. Sherrod was justified, vindicated, and admired.

Once the truth came out, she became a winner. Her story was refreshing and challenging. She was able to overcome the murder of her father, overt racism and rise above it to focus on the content of a person’s character and not the color of the person’s skin. She helped saved the Spooners’ farm and maybe she can help save America’s soul.

Yes, all have apologized to her. Yes, she has been offered a higher job at USDA. Yes, she has become rightfully so the 21st century Rosa Parks. Yes, the White House never again should let FOX News outfox this administration. Yes, the NAACP must never let the enemy “snooker” them again. Yes, the Tea Party must immediately cleanse themselves of the racist elements in their party by beginning with Breitbart. Yes, the media has to get all the facts because half truths, loose pens, sleazy stuff on the internet will cause great harm to people, government and institutions. And yes of course, the young and old alike must learn something from the character of Shirley Sherrod.

She taught all of us how to “overcome” a racist past and behaviors. Sherrod is the head teacher in this story. Let’s listen to our new “teacher.”

Be encouraged!

Congressman Alcee Hastings

Serving the 23rd District of Florida for nearly 20 years, Congressman Alcee Hastings has long been an outspoken advocate for progress and a champion for the rights of minorities, women and the elderly.

Growing up in Florida, Congressman Hastings was a witness to the trials of segregation and racial disparity. These life lessons have guided him to where he is today and driven his commitment to ensuring the people of Florida receive the resources they need to close the digital divide.

In an effort to promote universal broadband adoption and make it more accessible to communities of color as well as rural communities, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released a National Broadband Plan. However, shortly after, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski would then go on to propose a reclassification of broadband as a telecommunications service, a category with telephone and cable services, and add additional regulations.

Determined to level the playing field and deeply concerned that the latest FCC proposal will hinder broadband adoption and use, Congressman Hastings and over 70 Democratic members of Congress submitted a joint letter to Chairman Genachowski. The letter urged the chairman to rethink his reclassification proposal and asked that he work with Congress to create positive new broadband policies which will benefit all Americans, particularly the underserved, and help close the digital divide.

Broadband stands to be a major driving force in recovery efforts as well as the future of education, commerce and health. As he continues his mission of bringing equality to his constituents, Congressman Hastings is prepared to put all of his effort into ensuring no ill-conceived regulations are passed that will prevent new job creation or distract from the plan’s mission of making broadband more accessible to minority and rural communities.

Julianne Malveaux

NNPA Columnist

Last week the United States Senate passed the financial services reform legislation that it has been considering for the better part of a year. It was a nearly strictly partisan vote of 60-39, with Democrat Russ Feingold (Wis.) voting against the legislation because it does not go far enough, and Republicans Scott Brown (Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) voting for the legislation.

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Congressman Barney Frank (DMass.) are to be commended for their persistence in shepherding this legislation. To be sure, it isn’t perfect, but it is a step in the right direction, and it includes much needed protections for consumers.

If I’d had my druthers, the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would have been freestanding, not part of the Federal Reserve. Still, the new bureau will have a presidentially appointed independent head, and it will have to power to enforce rules dealing with mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products. Consumers have not had federal protection for a very long time, and this provision, alone, makes the legislation worthwhile.

The bill comes in at 884 pages, and I’ll confess to relying on congressional summaries for information about the legislation. It is reassuring to know that large financial firms are no longer “too big to fail”, but instead can be taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Too, bankers can no long shop to find the friendliest regulators, since the new legislation streamlines regulation, eliminating some groups, and dividing the work among others.

The market for financial derivatives is more closely regulated, which means that people can’t sell futures on castles in the sky, but instead be forced to monetize their bets. All of these are steps in the right direction. Do they level the playing field between Washington and Wall Street, or is the field still tilted in Wall Street’s direction?

With all the money that Wall Street pours into elections, and with the active participation of Wall Street insiders in this regulatory process, the fact is that Wall Street may still hold the upper hand. Still, consumers get a break, and taxpayers may be protected from having to bail out and pay off future Wall Street chicanery. The unfortunate reality is that the quality of new regulation will depend on the new regulators. In other words, the quality of the appointments will make a big difference in the ways this legislation is implemented.

Who will be the new head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? If this person serves as the pleasure of the President, will a more conservative President appoint someone less inclined to fight for consumer rights? Will Wall Street come to Washington (as Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has done) to protect their former interests? Or will consumers really have a voice in the way regulation is enforced?

One of the provisions of the new legislation relates an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion in all of the financial service agencies, with the charge of regulating diversity in management, employment and business activities. Kudos to Congressman Maxine Waters (D-CA) for consistently representing the least and the left out around financial issues. I remember her stellar work during the S&L meltdown in the early 1990s and fully expected that she would weigh in on the role of women and people of color in financial services reform.

This work has the possibility of ensuring that those who have much to offer, but few opportunities, can participate in the financial services arena. While conservative commentators have railed against the diversity requirements in the new legislation, the provisions survived the Senate vote and will be implemented. With the Senate having passed financial services reform, perhaps they will now turn to extending unemployment benefits for the 2 million Americans who have been cut off by their inaction.

In many ways the 2 million who have lost benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. Many others don’t even quality for benefits for various reasons. Still, the senate has not failed to pass bailout legislation, or tax breaks. Why do they continue to turn their backs on the unemployed? Extending unemployment insurance benefits, like passing financial services reform, is an imperfect solution, but a step in the right direction. Why not take that step?

Julianne Malveaux is an economist and president of Bennett College for Women.

George Rowan

NNPA Columnist

How can your home’s energy bill take a toll on your health this summer? When you choose not to turn on fans or the AC because you’re worried you can’t pay the bill, you may face serious health conditions, such as heat stroke or aggravation of other chronic conditions. With record-high temperatures this summer, now is the time to understand the dangers that many older Americans face from high home energy costs.

Between 1,700 and 1,800 deaths per year in the United States are attributable to heat-related conditions. New research by AARP and the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association shows that unaffordable energy bills pose a serious and increasing threat to the health and well-being of a growing number of older people, and especially those with low- and moderate-incomes. The average low-income household spends 16 percent of its annual income on home energy costs—more than four times the national average.

So what can you do to combat some of the issues related to high home energy costs?: First, think before you drink. Drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty, to help keep your body cool. Avoid caffeine or alcohol, which can dehydrate you. Also, lower your daytime electric bill and avoid peak temperatures by visiting public places with air conditioning.

Next, if you have to go out, wear loose-fitting clothing and protect yourself from the sun with a hat and sunglasses. Check your local public transportation system. Some offer free rides on particularly hot or smoggy days. If you can afford to pay your energy bill, the best way to avoid the heat may also be the most relaxing— just lay low at home.

Put off any big chores around and, especially, outside your home. Lower your shades to keep out sunshine, and stay on lower levels as heat rises. Use your air conditioner if you have one—it can be a lifesaver. If you need assistance paying your electric bill, ask your utility company about payment options and assistance programs.

For additional resources go to www.aarp.org/blackcommunity and type in LIHEAP.

George Rowan is a member of the AARP board of directors.