COMMUNITY
JOURNAL www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents
VOL.XL Number 9 September 30, 2015
The Milwaukee
W I S C O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S PA P E R
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SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE CENTER HOSTS NEIGHBORHOOD MEET AND GREET
HEALTHY LAUGHS!
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CEDRIC “THE ENTERTAINER” helps MILWAUKEE
HEALTH SERVICES, INC. celebrate Open House at renovated ISAAC COGGS HERITAGE HEALTH CENTER
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Award-winning comedian and actor Cedric “The Entertainer” provided humorous words of wisdom regarding health and leading a healthy lifestyle during the Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.’s recent open house at their newly renovated Isaac Coggs Heritage Center, located at 8200 W. Silver Spring Drive. Patients, employees, elected officials and community members came together to celebrate the renovation and enjoy special performances from Milwaukee’s own Christopher’s Project, featuring singer Jackie Caldwell (Photo A, far left, pictured with the band’s namesake and leader Christopher Pipkins). Pamela Clark (pictured far left in Photo D with Cedric “The Entertainer” and Dr. Tito Izard, president/CEO of MHSI), corporate communication specialist for MHSI, said the open house provided the opportunity for the health agency to invite the community to get reacquainted with the updated Health Center; and explore the services it offers and to speak to the providers and staff. Attendees were also able to receive services at the event such as flu shots, immunizations, health screenings for a number of health issues, as well as enjoy food, games, a Farmer’s Market, and a chance to enter to win a Grand Prize Evening with Cedric “The Entertainer” and Friends on Oct. 10 in St. Louis, MO. Other photos-- (Photo B):Cedric “The Entertainer” received proclamations from various levels of government from (left to right): Hope DeVougas, Constituent Liaison and Outreach Specialist for U.S. Cong. Gwen Moore; City Health Commissioner Bevin Baker, Ald. and Mayoral Candidate Joe Davis, Sr.; and City Treasurer Spencer Coggs. (Photo C): Members of the community enjoy the festivities during the open House. (Photo E): Program participants front row: VeVougas, Coggs, Baker, Davis and Dr. Izard. (All photos by Yvonne Kemp)
BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT NO. 4668
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PULSE OF THE
COMMUNITY Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp
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Poster with artists rendering of the Sojourner Family Peace Center once its complete.
In advance of opening, in January of 2016, its new facility which will be a national model that will bring community partners together to provide coordinated services under one roof for adults and children who are victims of domestic violence, Sojourner Family Peace Center hosted a neighborhood meet and greet at the still unfinished center Saturday, located at 619 W. Walnut Street. The meet and greet was held to give the center’s new neighbors the opportunity to learn more about the organization and new facility. Rather than individuals and families impacted by domestic violence needing to go to multiple offices and locations, the new facility will provide an on-site shelter with dedicated space for medical and social services, law enforcement services, legal services, mental health and AODA counseling, job training and faith-based services. The community partners joining Sojourner in the new building include: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, and agencies focused on addressing domestic violence. Sojourner Family Peace Center is the largest provider of domestic violence prevention and intervention series in Wisconsin, serving nearly 10,000 clients annually. Its mission is to transform lives impacted by domestic violence. The Center’s primary goals are to ensure the safety of victims of family violence and to provide a pathway out of violence for victims and abusers through opportunities to make positive and lasting changes for themselves and their children. This year, Sojourner is celebrating 40 years of transforming lives in Milwaukee. As experts in the field, it has a proven track record of providing safety, support and emergency assistance to families in need. Pictured above: (Photo A)--A Milwaukee Police officers helps three children write messages of peace in the parking lot of the new center during its meet and greet. (Photo B, left to right)--Carmen Pitre, executive director of Sojourner Family Peace Center; Mark Thomas, associate director of programing for Sojourner Family Peace Center; Vincent Lyles, executive director of the Boys&Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee; Thelma Sias, WE Energies vice president of local affairs. (Photo C)--Residents from around the new center, especially those from the Walnut Way neighborhood, meet, greet...and eat! (Photo D)--A member of the Sojourner Family Peace Center staff in front of a display about what the center offers. (Photo E)--Other staffers and volunteers gather for a photo wearing T-shirts made for the occasion that read, “Peace Is Possible.” (All photos by Yvonne Kemp)
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “Do you think the new Sojourner Family Peace Center will help make more children and women in Milwaukee safer?” MARK THOMAS: “Yes, by bringing more resources into the community, Sojourner will be able to educate others and help prevent violence.” JOHNNELL BROCK: “Yes, Sojourner helps a lot of people everyday and looks forward to helping many more. Sojourner tries to reachout and save one life at a time.” TANYA KERN: “I think Sojourner will improve the community because we strive to educate awareness to all. The first step in change is acknowleding and being aware of that fact there is a problem. Sojourner recognizes that and helps others recognize it too. STEVE ADAMS: “The Sojourner Family Peace Center provides key services to our community. I am so excited by their new facility, which will enhance the great work that Sojourner Family Peace Center does. Helping our community one step at a time.”
THE PULSE
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 2
The WHO•WHAT•WHERE• WHEN of YOUR Community!
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C o m m u n i t y
H a p p e n i n g s
CITY AND HOUSING AUTHORITY AWARDED $30 MILLION HUD GRANT FOR NORTHSIDE TRANSFORMATION
Several partners in the City of Milwaukee and Housing Authority’s Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plan gathered for a photo after the announcement of the $30 million award by HUD Deputy Secretary Nani Coloretti and Regional Administrator Antonio Riley. Pictured: Front row, left to right: Shirley Ellis of Congresswoman Gwen Moore’s office; Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver; Gracie Leonard of the Westlawn Resident Council; Housing Authority Executive Director Tony Perez; Westlawn Resident Council President Jackie Burrell; HUD Deputy Secretary Nani Coloretti; HUD Regional Administrator Antonio Riley. BACK ROW, left to right: Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn; Redevelopment Authority Assistant Secretary Dave Misky; Milwaukee County Circuit Judge and Housing Authority Commissioner Joe Donald; PNC Financial Services Wisconsin Regional President Chris Goller; Milwaukee Planning Manager Vanessa Koster; Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker; Deputy Commissioner of City Development Martha Brown; Greater Milwaukee Committee President Julia Taylor; Public Works Commissioner Ghassan Korban; Sean O’Brien of WHEDA; Brown Elementary School Principal Raymond Unanka.
HUD Choice Neighborhoods Program Revitalizes Distressed Neighborhoods and Increases Opportunity for Low-Income Residents
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Secretary Nani Coloretti and Regional Administrator Antonio Riley visited Milwaukee today to award a $30 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Implementation Grant to the City of Milwaukee and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) for a comprehensive plan to transform a nearly three-mile square area of Milwaukee’s northwest side. The City of Milwaukee was the lead applicant and HACM was the co-applicant for the grant. Other lead partners include the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools. Mayor Tom Barrett joined Deputy Secretary Coloretti, HUD Regional Administrator Riley, HACM SecretaryExecutive Director Tony Pérez, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver, Executive Director of Havenwoods Economic Development Corpo-
ration Stephanie Harling, Westlawn Resident Council President Jackie Burrell and other partners for the announcement, which was held outdoors at Silver Spring Drive and 64th Street in the Westlawn Gardens neighborhood. “This award is going to invest in Westlawn, it’s going to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood, it’s going to help bring your plans for progress to life,” said Coloretti to the many public and private community partners who had gathered for the announcement. “You deserve this award. You competed with 33 communities and only five cities are being awarded and you are one of them.” Atlanta, Kansas City, Memphis and Sacramento also received grants. “We are thankful to HUD and the Obama Administration for this very significant investment in our locallydriven, comprehensive strategy to transform the northwest side of Milwaukee into an inclusive community of opportunity with all of the amenities that attract homeowners, businesses and investment,” said Mayor Barrett. (continued on page 8)
PERSPECTIVES The Good, the Bad,
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 3
Quote of the Week:
and the Ugly of Parental School Choice My dear sister Polly Williams is probably turning over in her grave. One of my all time favorite politicians, Polly is probably looking down at so-called “Bishop” Doris Pinkney and the hopefully permanently closed “school” she insultingly named Daughters of the Father Christian Academy, and crying on her wings. Pinkney’s “school” was the latest in a parade of “businesses” that have received negative publicity for failing to educate its charges under the Milwaukee Parental School Choice Program (MPCP) while receiving millions in state aid. Many critics of the choice program make an issue of the “diverted” tax dollars that could have gone to public schools. (Which may sound legitimate until you look at MPS’ embarrassing history of educating Black children; a major reason for the educational options school choice created.) But the real concern here should be about the harm done to the children. Failing to educate (or under-educate, if that’s a word) these precious children is a set back to their development that is not only immoral, but should be illegal. Don’t get me wrong. I have not waivered from my support of school choice. I continue to support the program not only because it empowers low-income Black families, but also because it provides them with options, and the ability to determine where their children will go to school. An Africentric education? That was my choice. A religious school? Prayer has never been the enemy of Black people. A public or charter school? If it serves your needs, why not. The problem with school choice is not the concept, but some of the schools allowed to participate in the program, and the poor decisions of parents to send their children to those rip-off academies. Obviously, the current evolutionary stage of the school choice program is not what Polly envisioned when she led the crusade against overwhelming odds to birth the initiative. I know because I was there at its inception. In fact, my public support for the ground breaking program predated State Rep. Annette ‘Polly’ Williams’ involvement. Two years before her introduction of a school choice initiative, I was writing editorials endorsing Governor Tommy Thompson’s broader voucher proposal. While Polly’s legislation was written specifically for a small group of existing community schools—in-
SIGNIFYIN’ By Mikel Kweku Osei Holt
cluding Harambee and Urban Day— Thompson’s was closer to what the program has morphed into today. A year after Thompson’s proposal was shot down, Milwaukee Public Schools’ Superintendent Robert S. Peterkin called a meeting of community-based school representatives to discuss an unprecedented partnership with MPS: if agreed upon, he would seek legislation for a school choice program to provide MPS Black and Hispanic schools an option they had previously been denied—an opportunity to attend a private school. You could say Peterson’s proposal was self-centered—he acknowledged in meeting with community school representatives that they had been successful educating at-risk children and securing parental involvement where MPS could not. Some school reps were suspicious, but the majority of the seven agreed and their actions set in motion what has been called a national educational revolution. I won’t get into all the details (you can order my book, “Not Yet Free at Last” on Amazon, or wait for my updated version hopefully early next year). Bottom line is special interests got involved and killed the proposal, prompting Williams’ involvement. Williams’ agenda was two-fold: to provide low-income Black parents the option of determining where their children could attend school. And to create a scenario where MPS would be forced to tear down the walls of educational apartheid. If you recall—as many have failed to remember—MPS was a mess. Milwaukee had one of the highest Black drop out rates in the country. The gap between White and Black students was a wide as Kim Kardasian’s butt. Nazis patrolled outside some schools where a majority of Black students were not proficient in math, reading or science. The situation was so bad, a few years earlier Williams had sponsored legislation that carved out a “Black school district,” which would be controlled and staffed by Black people who, she declared, would care about the children. To counter the opposition of the teachers union, the Democratic Party (yes, our saviors fought tooth and nail to block an initiative that would empower Black parents) and the NAACP, Williams created an army of frustrated and inspired Black par-
THE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY JOURNAL Published twice weekly, Wednesday & Friday
3612 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communityjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net MCJ STAFF: Billing Dept./Publisher’s Patricia O’Flynn -Pattillo Admin. Assist. Publisher, CEO Colleen Newsom, Robert J. Thomas Classified Advertising Assoc. Publisher Jimmy V. Johnson, Todd Thomas, Vice Pres. Sales Rep. Mikel Holt, Assoc. Publisher CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr., Richard G. Carter, Fr. Carl Editor Diederichs, Rev. Joe McLin Teretha Martin, Technical PHOTOGRAPHER: Consultant/Webmaster Yvonne Kemp
Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Letters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for content and length.
ents who lobbied politicians, including unreceptive and loyal public school supporters (several were ordered, others were intimidated). We threatened to boycott some ‘liberal’ White lawmakers, picketed outside political fundraisers, and bused hundreds of children to Madison to ask Black lawmakers why they supported educational apartheid. I served as press secretary, propagandist and strategist for the crusade. (continued on page 8)
“I don’t want you to let people keep telling you that ‘Black’ people can be racist--YOU CANNOT BE RACIST! The word does not exist for you. ...Racism means a POWER relationship--a power relationship between two groups, where one group owns and controls so much, that they can use their wealth and their power to deprive, hurt and injure another group--THAT’S WHAT RACISM IS! And no place, can you find a ‘Black’ person on Earth who can be a racist. What you can get--AT BEST--is a ‘Black’ reactionary. ...If ‘Black’ folk had been racist, they would have been racists 400 years ago. ...We can’t practice racism. We don’t even have a community to practice racism.”
--Dr. Claud Anderson
ALL LIVES MATTER...
Multiculturalism as White Racism’s New Weapon against the Black Agenda, Part One
to eliminate both Fred Hampton and George Jackson, deNATIONWIDE (BlackNews.com) -- Dr. Martin Luther spite the latter’s incarceration, thereby effectively cutting King, Jr. had only been buried for little more than a year the head off of one of the most revolutionary potential when the Stonewall Riots during the summer of 1969 leadership contingencies since the loss of King and X folerupted in New York City, formally ushering in the Gay lowing their ’65 and ’68 state sponsored assassinations. Rights Movement, and thereby effectively shifting the naInto this void, formerly occupied by the Black agenda, tion’s attention from Black rights to Gay rights. With the militant political agenda of the Black Liberawould be shuffled the White Gay Rights Movement. tion Army and Black Panther Party, the United States Yes, Blacks were present in this movement also, but as with most white run organizations, LBGT Blacks were relPower Structure needed to find a relevant social issue that egated to invisibility as dues paying contributors with abcould effectively challenge and replace the Black agenda solutely no decision making power. on television and in the newspaper. Thusly, white supremacy was effectively rescued from For more than a decade, the Black civil rights movement having to forfeit any degree of political power to angry had commanded the attention of the American public, and Black youth by being able to take the focus off of it’s most thereby the attention of the government. despised population and put it back on white people, by In order for White Privilege to remain safe from a comswitching over to a sexual rather than a racial agenda. plete revolutionary overhaul of it’s power relationship to In so doing, the issues of unemployment, mis-education, the Black underclass, a new minority issue would need to mass incarceration, and race-based poverty, all concerns be “created” that did not posit the elimination of racism as with a uniquely Black flavor, could be avoided outright, it’s core goal. in deference to the homophile agenda. With the FBI orchestrated murders of the Black Even before the Dr.King killing, Congress was already Agenda’s leading charismatic organizers in Malcolm X and Dr.King, the movement was left without a courageous By Dr. Umar Johnson plotting to eclipse the Black Civil Rights Agenda with the Gay movement. symbolic messiah that could simultaneously command the School Psychologist & In fact, the language of the ’64 Civil Rights Bill was coattention of the mainstream media and the federal legisla- Political Scientist, Founder of National opted, following the assassination of President Kennedy, ture. Movement to Save Black Boys when the words “sex” and “gender” were entered into the The assassination of the late 20th Century’s dynamic duo of Black Leadership, Malcolm and Martin, left a void that was to be filled final draft, successfully paving the way for White women and White Gays to with younger Black militant leaders who were in many respects more uncom- hemorrhage the benefits of this bill from Blacks and redirect them to members of their own political in-groups. promising than their legendary predecessors. It’s no secret that Affirmative Action programming, when it existed, beneRather than make the mistake of allowing this young Black leadership to establish a national movement, complete with a mainstream paparazzi fol- fitted White women more than the Blacks, who were the ones who actually lowing their every move, as X and King had done, the Hoover Gang decided (continued on page 8)
GUEST COMMENTARY COMMENTARY
Justice or Else Part 5: We Are Free, Aren t We?
I know it is very offensive to be called a slave and I am definitely not trying to offend you. In fact, I’m trying to do just the opposite. I’m trying to call you into your greatness, your power, and your purpose. I love my Black people and I believe in the power of Black people. However, we can no longer live off the accomplishments of previous generations. We must stand on our own accomplishments within our collective struggle. We have a responsibility to contribute to the ongoing struggle of Black people. We do not have the right nor the luxury to take our foot off the pedal. The question for us is not whether we are physically free. It is obvious that we are. The profound question that we are compelled to answer- is whether or not we are mentally, emotionally and psychologically free? Unfortunately, we have stalled and, in some respects, we have even lost ground in our individual and collective efforts to ensure these freedoms. We have stymied in building the infrastructure needed to compete as a group, and we have swapped out a culture of struggle for self-determination for a culture of assimilation as a measurement of success. This detrimental perspective of success as assimilation is magnified when we consider the following: • Our culture isn’t producing excellence at any level and no real opposition to the social and economic conditions that Blacks face in America exist
(there is no mandate coming from the various sectors of the Black community that urges them to continue the fight and struggle for self-determination); • The current generation of Black leaders do not honor the legacy and sacrifices of our ancestors who paved the way for all of us by continuing the struggle of self-determination (our most accomplished Blacks are detached both physically and emotionally from the struggle); and • As a people, we lack a real “organized” and “collective” voice that speaks to the past and current injustices against Blacks with the unified goal - to hold America accountable for her crimes against our people. Notably, even when actions are taken, Black leadership implements these actions in isolation and silos with no real coordination and organization. Everyone is a free agent accountable only to themselves and/or their organization. Blacks are physically free to do whatever we desire to do; economically free to pool our resources to build our own economic pie; politically free to exercise our political will for the achievement of our own political agenda; free to defend ourselves against those who seek to harm us socially and economically; and free to build our own interpretation of American life. If we want a new Black experience in America, we must use the freedom we have to build this new experience. If we are going to establish Black
life in America the way we desire it, we must do the work and no one will or can do this for us, but us. However, in doing so, it is essential that we work together. This unity in bringing about a shared vision of success is where we run into deeprooted problems and we must again ask ourselves: Are we really free? Brothers and sisters, we must stop making excuses for what isn’t being done for us by other people. When we are free, what others do for us is irrelevant. Understandably, if those who are in power are working against us, it requires us to work harder and smarter to defeat them, but when we are free, we don’t have an excuse. Let’s stop romanticizing about the problem as if somehow this ill-informed romance will exempt us from the real work that must be done to solve the problem. The real work involves first unifying our people because we have become so grossly divided. We must eliminate the excuses, stop the B.S and just do it! We must come together as a group someway and somehow. We must break the curse of Willie Lynch and exercise our freedom to be truly free. Today we’re physically free but we’re divided in so many ways: colorism, skin tone (light vs. dark), intelligence, class, where you live (turf wars over areas we don’t even own); east vs. west, south (continued on page 8)
RELIGION
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 4
Young girl meets Pope Francis during a ceremony after his speech at the White House. President Barack Obama is standing nearby. First Lady Michelle Obama has her back to the camera. PHOTO: White House/Twitter across the country to hear the pope speak. As an attorney in Chicago who lived in Mississippi during the civil rights era, she said the pope’s reference to the historic movement pleased her. “He was tremendous,” Anderson, who is Catholic, said. “He understood the struggle that black people By James Wright--Special to the Trice Edney News Wire went through. I went to Tougaloo from the Afro American College and King was frequently on my college campus and I am glad Newspaper(TriceEdneyWire.com) The worldwide leader of the the planet, restore the dignity of that the pope mentioned Dr. King’s Roman Catholic Church addressed a workers, combat poverty and strive dream.” D.C. Council member Brandon joint meeting of the U.S. Congress for peace and social justice,” Clay Todd (D-Ward 4) was among the Sept. 24 and delivered a message that said. “He reminded us that all of us who were on the upper terhundreds was seemingly pleasing to African were once immigrants and he aprace of the West Lawn. Todd said the pealed to our greater capacity and Americans. pope’s message had a special meanPope Francis spoke to an audience moral obligation to put faith into acing for him. of the U.S. House of Representatives tion to advance human dignity and “The pope’s speech was very foand the U.S. Senate as well as repre- the common good.” cused and people-centered,” Todd, an While the House chamber, where sentatives from the diplomatic corps Episcopalian, said. “He encouraged and some members of the U.S. the pontiff spoke, was packed with us to do more to help the youth, the Supreme Court. Pope Francis, in his visitors in the gallery, tens of thouelderly and those of us who are most one-hour, 10-minute speech, focused sands of people watched the event needy. I agree with him and that is on aiding the poor, accepting immi- via Jumbotrons set up on the West why I ran for elected office.” grants as human beings needing help Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and on the In his remarks, the pope said that and talked about Dr. Martin Luther National Mall. Some people arrived politicians should “initiate process King Jr. and the Civil Rights Move- as early as 5 a.m. to witness the instead of occupying space.” When ment to the delight of U.S. Rep. G.K. pope’s address and to be in his preselected to the council in April Todd, Butterfield, D-N.C., chairman of the ence. heard that, he chuckled in agreement Congressional Black Caucus. Some African Americans, like “The pope delivered a message Gwendolyn Anderson, came from (continued on page 7) that said to look out for your fellow human beings,” Butterfield said. “He charged those of us in the Congress to look out for those who are in poverty and suffer from hunger. He told us that we have an obligation to look out for those who can’t help themselves.” Butterfield, who is Baptist, said that the pope’s reference to the work of King and the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march was appropriate because “those stories are instructive.” Nearly 31 percent of the House and Senate consider themselves Catholics, compared with 22 percent of the general U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are Catholics along with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. CBC members who are Catholics are Reps. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Lacy Clay, D-Mo.,. Clay said that he liked what his religious leader said. “The Holy Father Pope Francis’ inspiring message challenged us to rise above our petty divisions to protect
Blacks Embrace Pope Francis’ Address to U.S. Congress
Teen Dating Violence
lationship. October is Intimate Partner Aware• Compromise. In a dating relaness Month (formerly known as Dotionship, each partner does not almestic Abuse Awareness). ways get his or her way. Each should This month, allow this writer to acknowledge different points of view speak on a related topic: Teen Dating and be willing to give and take. Violence. Dating violence is wide• Individuality. Neither partner spread with serious long-term and should have to compromise who short-term effects. he/she is, and his/her identity should Many teens do not report it because they are afraid to tell friends not be based on a partner’s. Each and family. should continue seeing his/her A 2011 CDC nationwide survey friends and doing the things he/she found that 23% of females and 14% loves. of males who ever experienced rape, Each should be supportive of physical violence, or stalking by an his/her partner wanting to pursue intimate partner, first experienced new hobbies or make new friends. some form of partner violence beUnhealthy Relationships tween 11 and 17 years of age. Unhealthy relationships are A 2013 survey found approximarked by characteristics such as mately 10% of high school students disrespect and control. It is important By Rev. Judith T. Lester, reported physical victimization and for youth to be able to recognize B.Min., M.Th. 10% reported sexual victimization signs of unhealthy relationships befrom a dating partner in the 12 months before they were fore they escalate. Some characteristics of unhealthy relationships include: surveyed. • Control. One dating partner makes all the decisions Youth must be taught the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships before they begin dating. Respect and tells the other what to do, what to wear, or who to for both oneself and others is a key characteristic of spend time with. He or she is unreasonably jealous, and/or tries to isolate the other partner from his or her healthy relationships. An unhealthy relationship, on the other hand, is where friends and family. one partner tries to exert control and power over the other • Disrespect. One dating partner makes fun of the opinphysically, sexually, and/or emotionally. ions and interests of the other partner or destroys someYouth.gov compiled a list of traits that distinguishes thing that belongs to the partner. between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Due to • Dependence. One dating partner feels that he or she space limitations, five characteristics each are presented. “cannot live without” the other. He or she may threaten See more at: http://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating- to do something drastic if the relationship ends. violence/characteristics#sthash.crnNq4qi.dpuf • Physical Violence. One partner uses force to get his Healthy Relationships or her way (such as hitting, slapping, grabbing, or shovHealthy relationships share certain characteristics that ing). teens should be taught to expect. They include: • Sexual Violence. One dating partner pressures or • Mutual Respect. Respect means that each person val- forces the other into sexual activity against his or her will ues who the other is and understands the other person’s or without consent. Beloved, it is extremely important to educate youth boundaries. • Trust. Partners should place trust in each other and about the value of respect and the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships before they start to give each other the benefit of the doubt. • Honesty. Honesty builds trust and strengthens the re(continued on page 7)
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McFadden, Elizabeth Age 64 yrs. September 17, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 11AM. Visitation Thursday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Rowsey, George Age 57 yrs. September 8, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 1PM. Visitation Wednesday 12 Noon until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Davis, Emma L. Age 87 yrs. September 17, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 25, 2015 at 11AM at Greater Galilee Baptist Church 2432 N. Teutonia Ave. Visitation Friday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Reeves, William A. Age 89 yrs. September 18, 2015. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 6PM at Christ Presbyterian Church 1930 W. Walnut St. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Baldwin, Kenneth W. Age 62 yrs. September 18, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 at 11AM. Visitation Monday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Harmon, Rodney Alexander Found peace on September 14, 2015 at the age of 62 years. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 2:00PM at Metropolitan Baptist Church 1345 W. Burleigh St. The family is
J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director
served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Lyday, Caspar W. Age 93 yrs. September 14, 2015. He was preceded in death by his wife Virtrue D.F. Lyday. Mr. Lyday was the owner of Caspar's Lounge on the corner of 13th and Keefe Avenue. Caspar's Lounge was always know as a fun-filled neighborhood bar that many individuals enjoyed. He is survived by his loving daughter Geri Lynne Lyday. Beloved brother of Cleatus(Maria)Lyday and Ruby(Emerson)Knox of Roseville, MI. Further survived by one little companion, Sinatra and a host of other loving nephews, nieces and other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 11AM at Calvary Baptist Church 2959 N. Teutonia Ave. Visitation TODAY 3-6PM(Family reception from 6-7PM) at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Barrett, Sherman L. Age 70 yrs. September 20, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 at 1PM. Visitation Monday 12 Noon until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Taylor, Jeannette Marie (Nee Cahn) Age 72 yrs. September 20, 2015. She was preceded in death by her husband Walter Taylor. Beloved mother of Duane(Mary)Taylor of VA and Danielle Beal of SC. Loving daughter of Marjorie Cahn. Sistter of Monte Cahn, Kenneth Cahn of Tx; Kevin Cahn, Stacey McKay and Taimika JohnsonParker. Further survived by 4 grandchildren and a host of other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 11AM at Northside Church of God 4858 N. 19th St. Visitation Saturday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Families served by:
Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier
Milwaukee 6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218 Telephone: (414) 462-6020 Fax: (414) 462-9937
Racine 800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402 Telephone: (262) 637-6400 Fax: (262) 637-6416
Giving thanks after the game
Just as they did after last week Sunday’s game with several players from the Seattle Seahawks, members of the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs kneel in the middle of Lambeau Field after their game and say words of thanks to the Lord for delivering them to the conclusion with no series injuries to either team. The Packer’s won the game. (Photo by Kim Robinson)
Ald. Coggs Announces Winners of Sixth District Landscape Awards
At a 6th Aldermanic District town hall meeting Thursday night, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs announced the winners of the 6th District Landscape Awards. The winners include the Birchfield family at 2629 N. 4th St., the Ray family at 3520 N. 25th St. and the We Got This Garden at the corner of N. 9th Street and W. Ring Street. Honorable mentions include residents MingYon Blackwell, Barbara Janczak and Josephine Jones. “I want to thank all the great participants in this year’s landscape awards, and everyone who takes the time to beautify their neighborhood by maintaining creative landscaping on their property,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “The efforts of these hard-working residents make this a more appealing place to live and, I truly believe, provide a boost to everyone’s quality of life.” Alderwoman Coggs reiterated her commitment to consistently supporting and encouraging the beautification and improvement of the district’s neighborhoods. The landscape award is a part of Alderwoman Coggs’s broader Clean City Project. “Congratulations to all of the winners and honorees,” Alderwoman Coggs said. “Thanks to all participants for doing your part to keep Milwaukee beautiful!”
Applications available for Fire Cadet and Police Aide
The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission is currently accepting applications for Fire Cadet and Police Aide! Police Aides and Fire Cadets are full-time, paid positions with a generous benefit package. If you are interested in a career in public safety, these positions are for you!
Minimum qualifications for both positions include: • At least 17 years of age at time of application and no more than 19 years of age at time of appointment • Cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0 upon graduation • Graduated from an accredited high school prior to July 1, 2016 Applications are available online at www.milwaukee.gov/jobs and must be submitted by December 4, 2015. For more information call the Fire and Police Commission at 414-286-5000.
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 5
The AT&T Pioneers present a $3,000 donation to the Open Door Café in Milwaukee to help provide free meals for the city’s homeless and needy families.
Open Door Café Receives $3,000 Donation from AT&T Pioneers to Help Provide Free Meals to Milwaukee’s Needy
The Open Door Café received a $3,000 donation from the AT&T Wisconsin Pioneers to help provide free meals for Milwaukee’s homeless and needy families during an event at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist today. The donation is from the Pioneers’ Charitable Foundation. The Open Door Café is the heart of the Cathedral’s commitment to outreach, providing a free hot lunch to approximately 180 people a day, 6 days a week. In addition, the Open Door Café provides transportation assistance, hygiene kits, and medical, veteran and housing-related outreach to its meal guests. “The Open Door Café helps fill a great need in Milwaukee by providing a hot meal to the homeless and to those struggling,” said Gloria Van Aacken, president of the AT&T Wisconsin Pioneers. “We are very proud to support their mission through this financial donation and volunteer efforts.” After the check presentation, the AT&T Pioneers joined other volunteers in serving food to guests. The Pioneers have been serving lunches at the Open Door Café for two to three days a month since April 2007. The Open Door Café serves any guests who are hungry and hasn’t turned anyone away in its history. “The Open Door Café is a wonderful ministry that shows compassion to those in need in Milwaukee through a hot meal,” said State Senator Lena Taylor. “We are fortunate to have so many great volunteers like the AT&T Pioneers giving of themselves to support our community.” The Pioneers are a local organization of AT&T employees and retirees who are dedicated to volunteering their time to various community causes. To learn more about the Open Door Café, please visit http://www.stjohncathedral.org/index.php/outreach-ministries/open-door-cafe/.
Y&E
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 6
YOUTH&EDUCATION
Lawmaker and Lt. Governor visit Grateful
Recently, state Sen. Lena Taylor (far left) and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (far right) visited Grateful Girls Safe Haven, Milwaukee County’s first specialized group home for young women ages 16-21 involved in the human trafficking industry. Chandra Cooper (center), executive director of Grateful Girls, invited the lieutenant governor and senator to tour the group home and learn more about the services provided by the organization, and to engage them in a discussion about the impact of human trafficking in the city of Milwaukee. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
Spotlight Schools showcase success
MADISON — Ten schools across the state have received $25,000 grants to showcase successful practices that improve student achievement. The 2015-16 Wisconsin Spotlight Schools are • Academy of Accelerated Learning, Milwaukee Public Schools; • Bruce Middle School, Bruce School District; • Converse Elementary School, Beloit School District; • Grant Elementary School, Sheboygan Area School District; • Howe Elementary School, Wisconsin Rapids School District; • Lawrence-Lawson Elementary School, Sparta Area School District; • Longfellow Elementary School, Eau Claire Area
School District; • Mercer School, Mercer School District; • Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary School, Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District; and • Tiffany Creek Elementary School, Boyceville Community School District. “These schools all have a record of increasing academic performance for students from low-income families,” said State Superintendent Tony Evers. “Opening their doors to other schools, becoming a school for schools so to speak, will advance our efforts to close achievement gaps and ensure every child graduates college and career ready.” Each of the 10 schools was a previous Title I Spotlight (continued on page 7)
College Students Targeted In Phone Scam
The FBI Milwaukee Division is warning consumers to be on alert for a phone scam that primarily targets college students using the FBI’s phone number on caller ID. The FBI has received multiple calls from college students at various universities in Wisconsin, and their parents complaining of a phone scam from someone claiming to be representing the U.S. government, and threatens to arrest them if they fail to pay thousands of dollars.
In each case, the threats are associated with false claims ranging from money owed for student loans, to delinquent taxes, and overdue parking tickets. During each attempt to gain personally identifiable information from the students, the caller claims to have specific student information. The originating number used by the fraudsters, which appears on students’ caller ID is masked as the number for the FBI’s local office in Wis(continued on page 7)
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 7
KALEIDOSCOPE the MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section
BOOKSHELF
mately into losing sight of the lighthouse that had always been in place for me. And it was by way of my wolf, that I was led away from this world and to others. Worlds that were so terrifyingly dark and unforgiving. And for a moment, I left it all behind and stayed in this world. I stayed far beyond the point of rationality and basic human instinct. And it was in this world, his world, that I encountered an indescribable darkness. The place where evil was being housed… There are things in this world, in this life, that will happen to you. Things that will forever change who you are and what you believe to be real. For me, meeting Nefarious was my turning point.
Local writer Regina Cooper of Milwaukee, will debut her first work of non-fiction, “The Wolves That Lie In Wait.” Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, “The Wolves That Lie in Wait” is the story of what can happen when a “sheep” meets a “wolf” and when “the flesh” battles “the spirit.” Regina Cooper It is the story of how wolves get awakened and become their most ravenous in hunger. And how these wolves “hunt” for other human beings. It is the story of deceit, manipulation and hypocrisy at the most inhumane level. It is the story of a writer’s brush with true darkness and the real sub-levels of evil that she found among us in this world. It is a story that will ultimately leave the reader questioning, “Who is the wolf in their life?” Cooper has planned her book release party for October 8, and has chosen the venue of The Big Eazy, 2053 West Martin Luther King Drive, to formally launch her book. Cooper is a free-lance writer for The Milwaukee … I thought I had met the perfect man. His name was Times and a former Community Columnist for The Nefarious and he made me want to love again. But as time went on, Nefarious began to change. I began to rec- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ognize things so dark and sinister within him, as I She is a produced playwright and motivational watched him go from the man that I loved to ultimately speaker. being the wolf that had lied in wait for me. In addition, she is in the process of developing a A wolf, my wolf, so evil that he moved my watchtower, company that will both encourage and inspire others deceived me into leaving behind my lifeboat and ultiin the pursuit of their dreams.
Milwaukee writer’s debut book focuses on the battle between “the flesh” and “the spirit”
Spotlight Schools showcase success
(continued from page 6) School. They received the 2015-16 grant for success in the area of teaching and learning as well as one of the other five areas of effective schools practices: decision making and accountability; family, school and community partnerships; leadership and governance; professional development and teacher quality; or vision, values, culture and climate. Schools receiving grants are eligible for Title I funding, a federal grant program designed to give educational assistance to students living in areas of high poverty. Grants cover expenses related to travel, substitute teachers, and materials to share effective practices with three visiting school teams during the 2015-16 school year. Additional grant funds are used to support continuous school improvement in the Spotlight School. Visiting school teams typically have the opportunity to directly observe classroom instruction, collabo-
College Students Targeted In Phone Scam
(continued from page 6) consin. The public is reminded; the FBI does not call private citizens requesting money. If citizens receive a call that seems suspicious, they should disconnect immediately and notify law enforcement. If you receive these calls, do not follow the caller’s instructions. Rather, you should: • Notify your banking institutions. • Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file. • Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger. • File a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center www.IC3.gov.
ration meetings, and intervention groups as well has hear presentations on topics such as using data to drive instruction or how a school’s vision can support common planning time, exploratory classes, and behavioral expectations. Visiting school teams also have opportunities to interact with Spotlight School staff. One visiting teacher wrote that the time spent vis-
iting her host school was more beneficial than any workshop that she had attended in the last five years. “To be able to ask professional educators what is working or not working and to learn from their procedures was huge,” she said. The Department of Public Instruction has awarded Spotlight School grants to 33 schools since the program began in the 2011-12 school
Blacks Embrace Pope Francis’ Address to U.S. Congress
(continued from page 4) with the pontiff. “That’s my job,” he said,” to make people’s lives better.” Todd was invited by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) to attend the address. Bowser was in the House chamber where the pope spoke and has followed the pontiff throughout his schedule in the District. Among the hundreds on the upper terrace with Todd was Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson. Carson said that he couldn’t understand some of what the pope said because of his sometime incomprehensible English, but supported the pope’s message in principle. “The pope said that he supports preserving the family, preserving life and preserving the environment,” Carson, a conservative, said. “I don’t see those things as necessarily liberal, and who would argue with those things?” Rep. Mark Stanford, R-S.C., invited Carson to the pope’s address. After his speech, the pope, along with the leaders of the U.S. Congress and Vice President Biden, appeared on the Speaker’s Balcony overlooking the West Lawn and the National Mall. The pontiff, in Spanish, said that he was delighted by the number of children who were present. Samuel Merga, a junior at Archbishop Carroll High School in the District, said he was happy to be in the pope’s presence. “I am interested in government and politics and I am religious,” Merga said. “I am not Catholic, but I did want to hear what he had to say.”
Teen Dating Violence
(continued from page 4) date. Youth may not be equipped with the necessary skills to develop and maintain healthy relationships, and may not know how to break up in an appropriate way when necessary. Maintaining open lines of communication with one’s teen may help them form healthy relationships and recognize the signs of unhealthy relationships, thus preventing dating violence before it starts. The writer does not assume responsibility in any way for readers’ efforts to apply or utilize information or recommendations made in this article, as they may not be necessarily appropriate for every situation to which they may refer. This information is for educational purposes only. If you would like to contact Rev. Lester, write to her c/o P.O. Box 121, Brookfield, WI. 53008.
year. Those schools have hosted more than 1,050 visitors from 174 Wisconsin schools. Due to reductions in federal funds that support recognition programs for high performing schools, 2015-16 is anticipated to be the last year of the grant.
Tony Courtney and his daughter Aziza Courtney Happy Earth Day to my youngest daughter Aziza Courtney who turns 27 years old on October 3rd. She is outspoken, pro-Black and down for her people. With love your Daddy. Old School: We Ain’t Through Yet! – Brothers and Sisters 50 years and older are invited to put your party shoes on, so you can dance or pat your feet to the music. On Friday Night October 2,,2015 from 6pm-8pm start your night off at Coffee Makes You Black 2803 N. Teutonia Ave. Jon Gee and Ahvant Soul Band will be playing many of the songs of the 60’s and 70’s artists like Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Johnny Taylor, Billy Stewart, James Brown, Al Jarreau, and other greats. Admission is free. As soon as this party is over and you’re already to keep on keeping on, then join us at the Wisconsin African American Women’s Cen- By Tony Courtney ter 3020 W. Vliet St. for the Soul Lounge featuring Jeannie Holiday from 8:15pm until. This party is sponsored by the Hansberry Sands Theater Company and the cover charge is only $10.00. If you got children in their 30’s and 40’s that grew up listening to your music then invite them to come along with you and party with you so you can show them how it’s done right. A lot of our young people don’t really know how to party. Let’s show them how it’s done. “Dedicated to Black Men That Got Black Men’s Fronts” have extended the deadline for sponsorship until October 24, 2015. We are waiting until after the Million Man March so that other Black men will be inspired to participate. If you are interested in sponsoring a Black man that has played a significant role in your life by recognizing him in a full page advertisement that will be appearing in the Milwaukee Community Journal newspaper call Tony Courtney at 374-2364. The cost is $25.00 per name. The Black man you sponsor can be living or have transitioned to the world of our Ancestors. Women's Healing Dance - Sisters you are invited to come and experience the power of dance and healing on Friday, October 2, 2015. Doors open at 6:30pm at 4712 W. fond du Lac Ave.(upstairs). Wear comfortable clothes. For more information call Zakiya Courtney at 526-9329.This event is hosted by theAusar Auset Society.
FROM THE BLACK
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 8
Universally Speaking
(continued from page 3) vs. north, hair (coarse vs. straight or long vs. short), and age (young vs. old); politically (anti-politics vs. pro-politics, Democrat vs. Republican, or progressive vs. conservative); religiously (Christian vs. Muslim); within Christian religion (Baptist vs. Jehovah Witness, COGIC vs. 7th Day Adventist, Methodist vs. Pentecostal); within the Islam Religion (Sunni vs. Nation of Islam, Sallifiyah vs. Ahmadiayyah); and lastly and most deadly, we are divided as a family unit (male vs. female). These differences are physical differences that point to a bigger, psychological divide around approach and methodology. The Willie Lynch torture approach was used to engrain and deeply embed within the psyche of the Black man a high level of distrust, which, if properly manipulated, is stronger than trust. Envy, if correctly instigated, is stronger
SIGNIFYIN’
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Parental School Choice
(continued from page 3) The Community Journal threw its might and influence behind the campaign (the only local paper to do so). We shared Polly’s vision and her Black nationalistic philosophy. Education is the last destination of the civil rights movement, we editorialized. If our children are not educated and taught truth, we become a rootless tree. The new system of educational revolution required that parents be given an option. And parents quickly embraced that possibility, seeking to send their children to the same community schools where Judge Joe Donald, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Alderman Russell Stamper attended. They wanted to send their children to the same schools where MPS teachers sent their children, and to pose the question to teachers as to why they didn’t send their children to the schools where they taught. But something happened on the way to the Promised Land: owners and businesses that didn’t share the culture and motivations that we shared at Harambee, Urban Day and Bruce Guadalupe, entered the program. Check that. Some of the new school owner/operators were well intentioned, but inexperienced and or ill prepared to handle the important responsibilities of running a school. As goes the old saying: “Just because you’re a good cook doesn’t mean you should open a restaurant?” Most of those schools eventually fell by the wayside. Unfortunately, they detoured hundreds of lives in the interim, and for that we should be unforgiving. Then there are the predatory poverty pimps, profit motivated entities that are created not to benefit the children, but the adults. Sadly, there are dozens of them among the 130 schools participating in the program, with “Negroes” or “Judases” heading most of them. Many folks would include Pinkney’s “Daughters of the Father Christian Academy” among that latter group. After a succession of alarming problems at the school over the past four years, Pinkney closed the doors nine days into the current school semester, leaving 150 students in limbo. I can think of a dozen others who fit the profile, all of which tapped into the choice program to the tune of the O’Jays’ hit song, “For the Love of Money,” not children. Several individuals who run these sham schools have managed to con the taxpayers into paying their elaborate salaries while their charges--the children--fail miserably in the basic “Three Rs.” Some within the school choice community want to hide their heads in the sand about this problem, noting the success of a third of the schools at the other end of the spectrum like Hope, St. Marcus and Messmer. Hope not only holds the distinction of being the only local high school with a 100% gradu-
Multiculturalism as a weapon against the Black agenda
(continued from page 3) fought, marched and died for its passage. In addition to sexual orientation, since multiple strategies and options are always more desirable that just one towards doing away with an undesirable group of people, White Racism has also effectively employed the White Women’s movement as an additional “minority” issue that could be used to wrestle attention away from the priorities of Afrikan-Americans in the States. The government’s usage of the White Women’s Agenda, as a distraction from the Black rights initiative, dates back to the years of American slavery, when in 1850 the First National (White) Women’s Convention took place in Massachusetts, the exact same year that the Fugitive Slave Bill was enacted by Congress. When Black leaders of the Abolitionist struggle attempted to raise awareness against this new and most powerful legal mandate, which threatened to make every northern Black freeman a slave, the majority of America’s newspapers remained unsympathetic and callous towards the Abolitionists, and instead chose to print only on the women’s rights cause as their primary social justice concern at the time. Even the Great Frederick Douglass had to take a stand against the attempts by White women to equate their struggle with the struggle for the emancipation of the only enslaved population in world history to be considered less than human. When Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton suggested that Douglass delay his fight for the right of free Black men to vote, until White women had the same, Douglass as Black America’s leading freedom fighter at the time, exclaimed that the racism and violence against Blacks in America made their cause more pressing than that of White women, all of whom had husbands who could cast a vote in their honor. President Obama also did his part to placate the White women’s agenda while ignoring the pressing issues of an embattled Black minority by fighting for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Interestingly, this law amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act, but doesn’t, in any way, focus upon the primary objective of the ’64 Civil Rights Bill which was to bring equality to Blacks. Rather than focus on the disproportionate and disgraceful unemployment levels of Black men, women and children, which are significantly higher than the national average, instead the 1st Black president, as all of his predecessors have done, ignored the Black agenda in deference to a “convenient” minority issue, the pay rate of privileged White females. The fact that half of the Black men in most major American cities are unemployed was of no concern to the 44th President of the United States. Unfortunately, the Feminist wing of the White Women’s Rights Movement has its greatest source of support from an unlikely ally, young Black college educated females. Benefitting from a racist political-economic strategy that intentionally miseducates and under employs Black men, while simultaneously providing
than adulation, respect or admiration. One of the most detrimental and most significant divide was the strategy to pit the Black male against the Black female. To be successful, the slave-owners taught the Black female that she could not depend on the Black man nor could the Black man trust the Black woman (this attitude is in full operation today). “If done with fidelity, the female, from a survival perspective, will teach the children to follow suit in perpetuity.” Today, although we are physically free, we do not fully understand the magnitude of the psychological harm that has been done to us and the degree to which our minds and psyche have been damaged and destroyed. Notwithstanding, we have made individual gains and accomplishments (it really speaks to our greatness and resiliency), but what would those gains and accomplishments look like if we were united? Given the level of competition and the significant place we find ourselves in, you would think that this realization would be universally acknowledged. Many of us realize that we are behind, but we don’t really comprehend and fully appreciate how far behind we are as a group. This can be confusing for many of us. Emancipation was not a starting line for us because, even though we were freed, we did not have the capacity to compete fairly and we have yet to achieve that capacity. Thereation rate, but 100% of its graduates are accepted into college. Last year they earned over $2 million in scholarships. Messmer was right behind in graduation rate and college acceptance. They are joined by dozens of other schools, mostly sectarian. But the bad onions, the corrupt and the chaotic, often overshadow those successes, particularly in a media starved for sensationalism. In the middle is the Department of Public Instruction, which some say has been complicit in perpetuating the negatives. Many theorize DPI could have, and can still close those questionable schools through safeguards built into the MPCP legislation. That the department does so little is questionable, at best. There was also a screening process introduced several years ago that has apparently gone by the wayside. The brother appointed to head it found himself sued by several ‘’Black” school administrators when he ruled they did not bring enough to the table to insure the success of their students. Which leaves us at a turning point. But instead of standing still, I say let’s move forward, full speed ahead. Like a cancer, let’s cut out the not so good, the bad and the ugly. I don’t have a full recipe to prepare that would eliminate the problem schools, but what ever is developed should include an ingredient that would allow for the closing of failing schools. For example, instead of requiring schools to meet one of four legislative criteria as a condition of remaining in the program—attendance, academic performance, grade advancement and parental involvement—I would increase that number to two, or three, along the lines of the charter schools. I would recreate the screening board, but indemnify it, so the victims of fruitless lawsuits would not shoulder the burden for legal fees. I would also allocate funds for a public education program through which parents would be educated on school history, academic records, staffing and other participating school criteria. Truth of the matter is most parents use word of mouth or proximity to their home as the primary criteria for school selection. Many are ignorant of what to look for in a school. Maybe we should hire liaisons as well. I would even go so far as to have school operators being forced to sign a personal conduct, commitment contract. Those who violate the contract would be jailed, kicked out of town and forced to listen to Al Sharpton 24 hours a day. Hey, poverty pimps who knowingly bring harm to our children should be thrown under the Freedom Train. And particular scrutiny should to be given to those operators of private schools who use the Lord’s name in vain. They not only deceive the public by falsely linking their schools with religious connotations, but also are an affront to God in the process. In other words, it is not just a civil crime, but a moral one. And God does not play that. “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” —Matthew 18:6 Hotep
slightly more opportunity for Black women, many college-educated Black women have been able to improve their academic and financial standings in American society, unfortunately while also suffering the brainwash of the American Social Order by falling for the Illusion of Inclusion Argument against Black men, which chiefly posits that Black males have the same opportunity as anyone else, and therefore are in their current educational-economic situation because they choose to be. Although most Black women recognize the institutionally racist American policies that strip Black males of their right to fix their lives after paying their debts to society, a growing contingency of “liberated” Black women expose no concern for the plight of their Brothers. In fact, some younger-generation Black women will use the fact that Black women out-earn their counterparts as justification for their belief in the superiority of Black women over Black men. This is in direct contradiction to traditional Afrikan culture which firmly posits the equality of Men and Women. In fact, the central focus of Afrikan society is the family itself, thereby arranging a successful life path for the children. Traditional Afrikan culture is based upon the harmony between feminine and masculine energy in the community, with neither being more important than the other. Such a treatise has been totally lost on the minds of 21st century college-educated Afrikan-Americans of both genders. If having the government ignore the rights of the descendants of the very Afrikan people who built this country, and who also paved the way for its current world super power status isn’t enough, in preference to the concerns of White LGBT’s and White women, added to this equation is the final piece of this Trinity of Deception, and that would be the Latino Rights Movement. Whereas some Afrikan-Americans can clearly see the contradiction of having the Black Rights Struggle integrated with privileged White women and gay movements, the U.S government needed to find a non-white minority agenda issue towards which it could redirect it’s resources away from Afrikan-Americans. The most effective weapon to date has been to use America’s largest nonwhite minority group to draw attention away from the Black agenda. Giving more attention to the Latino rights struggle has been constantly defended by the United States government due to the growing size of this constituency. In 2003, the United States Census Bureau boldly proclaimed that Latino’s were the largest non-White minority group in the country, surpassing AfrikanAmericans with a population of just under 40 million, and expected to triple by 2050. However, what this statistic doesn’t include is the process by which Latino’s were “made” the largest non-white minority group in the United States. Government strategies to hold steady the growth of the Black population, while allowing the Latino population to explode include: a) keeping Afrikan & Afrikan-Caribbean immigration rates as low as possible, b) encouraging and financing multiple birth control, sterilization & abortion methods for Black women of nearly all ages, c) instigating record-breaking Black male fratricide rates via the CIA’s inner-city drug trade, d) engineering one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world for Black children, e) and structuring the highest Black criminal and mental institutionalization rates in recent history. Without question, Latino didn’t merely “out birth” Blacks, but they received some unintended assistance from the U.S government on their way to becoming “minority group numero uno.”
fore, I would argue that we are not only at zero; we are way below zero in the deep negatives (i.e. negative 500 years). Let me try to explain further. If you are in the negative and you move closer to zero (starting place), this is progress, unless you believe that you are at zero and therefore you do not appear to progress. Black people have been fooled into believing that the starting place is zero when our competition (those that we will compete against) already owns it all. They own all of the resources; they control all of the institutions; they control every level of government; and they control the propaganda and the media that communicates to everyone this imbalance is fair. The problem is that Black people, not knowing our own history and how it has affected us, believe that our start (zero) is at emancipation. So if you do the math, we’re 500 years behind the children of the slave-owners and because of the damage of slavery, we have been “made” to act like slaves even though we are were physically free. Significantly, we have been ‘made’ to serve others always, even at the expense of our own. With freedom comes responsibility and to our detriment, we spend too much time talking about what others are doing to us. I always say, it’s not what they are doing to us anymore, it’s more what we are not doing- and what we are not doing is leveraging our collective strengths. What we are not doing is working together at any meaningful level. We are more divided now than ever. Aren’t we supposed to be more accomplished; more sophisticated; more astute; more savvy; more educated; more resourced; and more experienced than our ancestors were? Then, what’s is going on with these contradictions and why can’t we accomplish more than they did? Why can’t we place our survival in our unity and begin to work together? Are we truly free? When we don’t work together to address our challenges, it equates to selfdestructive behavior. Maybe this behavior would be acceptable IF BLACKS WERE NOT THE LOWEST PERFORMERS AND AT THE LOWEST LEVEL ON THE ECONOMIC STRATA OR DID NOT EXPERIENCE SUCH ALARMING DISPARITIES THAT IT WILL REQUIRE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE TO ALLOW THE WORK TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL GENERATIONS JUST TO THWART THE DISPARITIES, LET ALONE BRIDGE THEM. When I speak about self-destructive behavior, I’m not just talking about those with the least means and education and what we see happening in our urban core (i.e. teen pregnancy, Black on Black murder, tattoos and vulgar music, etc.), With limited access to quality education, unstable family life, and the inheritance of social pathologies, which all contribute to self-destruction, , in many cases, this group cannot interrupt this behavior without help, guidance, and tangible support. Importantly, when I speak about self-destructive behavior, I am also talking about the self-destructive behavior of our most accomplished and most influential (leaders). This leadership includes those Blacks who have the capacity, knowledge, and resources and are not a part of the struggle in fighting for justice for Black people. In many respects, our behavior is much worse and more damaging to the Black cause because we represent a tangible solution that goes unfulfilled. We represent the highest level of talent and capacity that has the best chance to provide leadership and solutions to the problems that the Black community face. In many respects, we are the help, guidance, and the tangible support that Black people who are trapped educationally, economically, and socially need. If we are not providing this assistance to our people and we are free to do so, the incomprehensible question we must ask yourself is -Why? Is it because we are not truly free? Unfortunately, too many of us are so impressed with our credentials, pedigrees, and appointments that the white establishment has anointed us with that we have fallen deeper in love with our oppression, even to having the distinction of becoming an honorary white person. Instead of using our skills and talents to advance the Black agenda, we are too busy trying to prove how assimilated we can be. Think about it. I’m not saying that this applies to everyone, but it has affected enough of us so that nothing remotely organized is coming from this group. For too many of us, our whole existence is about seeking the pleasure of those who seek to do us harm and really don’t want anything to do with us. However, our self-loathing is overwhelming and we are too “in love” to see the reality of our oppression. In fact, this behavior is exactly what Willie Lynch said would happen if the slave-owners would institute “making a slave”, the psychological science of mind control-- estated differently--”brainwashing.”
“...white supremacy was effectively rescued from having to forfeit any degree of political power to angry Black youth by being able to take the focus off of it’s most despised population and put it back on white people, by switching over to a sexual rather than a racial agenda.”
Still further, the propaganda from American media and governmental spokespersons constantly attempts to draw a parallel between the Latino struggle and the Black struggle for rights in this country. This is done to hypnotize politically uneducated Blacks into thinking that they actually have something in common with Latino immigrants, both legal and illegal, in this country. This has been an especially effective strategy as the new public conversation on race and civil rights has straightjacketed Black leadership into always including the Latino plight whenever they discuss the plight of Afrikan-Americans. In fact, most Black leaders and scholars are afraid to discuss Black issues without including their so-called Latino brothers and sisters. However, the reverse is rarely true, as Latino leadership hardly ever includes the issues of Afrikan-Americans in any meaningful way. In no place is this disproportionate favoritism shown more towards Latinos, to the detriment of Blacks, than in the field of public education. In fact, most non-white educational legislation since the ’64 Civil Rights Bill has focused to a very large and concentrated degree on Latino children to the exclusion of Afrikan-American children. During 1963, even before public schools were desegregated for Blacks, Latino children began receiving bilingual education. It was in 1970, while Black parents were still fighting to have their children bused into white schools, that the government declared Latino children couldn’t be denied education for not being able to speak English. Even in 1974, Congress passed the Equal Educational Opportunity Act, which single-handedly made Spanish an official language in public school. So while the U.S government was working to make schooling more convenient and accessible for Latino children, it was preparing to deal Black youth their worse setback since Jim Crow when during the following year in 1975, it formally gave birth to the first federal special education law, via the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) which saw the re-segregation of Black children away from White children with rates not witnessed since the pre-Brown V Board Supreme Court ruling of 1954. --Part Two Next Week!
The Newspaper with its FINGER on the PULSE of YOUR Community! The Milwaukee Community Journal
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 9
The Milwaukee Community Journal September 30, 2015 Page 10