September 7, 2013 - September 7, 2013, www.afro.com
Volume 122 No. 5
The Afro-American A1 $1.00
SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 - SEPTEMBER 13, 2013
Military Response to Syria
Cummings Uncertain Cardin Votes Yes
Maryland lawmakers are mulling over the difficult decisions that must be made in the coming days concerning the conflict in Syria and American intervention. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) reflected support for President Obama Sept. 4, voting along with nine other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a 10-7 vote to support Obama’s call for a strike against the Syrian government in response to allegations of chemical weapon use on Aug. 21 in Damascus. The entire U.S. Senate will vote on whether American resources should be used to intervene in the Syrian civil Continued on A6
A4
Faces at the 2013 March
B3
Cuba Gooding Jr. The Butler Interview INSERT • Walmart
Listen to “First Edition”
afro.com
Your History • Your Community • Your News
Join Host Sean Yoes Sunday @ 8 p.m. on 88.9 WEAA FM, the Voice of the Community.
Join the AFRO on Twitter and Facebook
By Krishana Davis AFRO Staff Writer
Anthony Stanton, of Baltimore, said he began keeping up with the coverage in Syria following news reports of the devastation following the use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians. But while he acknowledges the horror of such attacks, he believes that U.S. involvement would lead to the conflict getting out of hand and thousands of troops, including many young African Americans, being deployed there. “Going to war [would] be an injustice,” said Stanton, 28, a neo-soul and jazz musician. “I don’t think it will be a good idea. We’ve already lost…thousands of our people in war and to go right back would be an injustice to the American people.” Stanton said the U.S. government should first consider other options, such as negotiations and conflict resolution before waging war on Syria. The Belair-Edison resident said his cousin, who served in the U.S. Navy for four years, “heavily discouraged” him from joining the military. “If they did a draft I would be going to jail,” said Stanton. “I refuse to be solicited somewhere I am not welcomed.”
By Alexis Taylor AFRO Staff Writer
INSIDE
Baltimore Residents Leery of U.S. Involvement in Syria
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.)
Photo by Krishana Davis
Anthony Stanton, 28, said the United States should exercise other options instead of declaring war on Syria stating the war will have a negative impact on the U.S. Glen Oak resident, Gregory Prince, 27, who works as a police officer in Baltimore city, said he had not been paying much attention to the pending conflict in Syria. He said he heard the United States is “supposedly going to war.” Continued on A6
Balto. Grand Prix Shakes Up Inner Harbor By Alexis Taylor AFRO Staff Writer Roaring sounds filled the air Aug. 30 - Sept. 1 when the Baltimore Grand Prix brought professional racing to the Inner Harbor. Fans flooded the downtown area for the threeday Labor Day weekend event, which draws an impressive roster of drivers and fans from around the nation. “It brings revenue into Baltimore and takes away some of the bad vibes the city usually gets,” said area-resident Antonio Edison, 27, who attended Sunday’s final events with his four-yearold son, Ari Edison. “We came the last two years and he really likes to see the racing. I just want him to experience something different.” The Grand Prix of Baltimore is a total of three different racing series: the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the IZOD IndyCar Series, and the Firestone Indie Lights that all take place annually during Labor Day weekend on the urban racetrack. “There are only a handful of cities in the United
States that have their own Grand Prix,” Rayne McAndrews, of Visit Baltimore, told the AFRO. “We’re lucky enough to have our own.” The non-profit organization has a mission of keeping the city’s tourism industry booming, and McAndrews said this is the perfect event to keep out-of-towners coming back. This year the Grand Prix boosted its focus on fun for the entire family with side-events such as the indoor go-carting offered at the Esskay Family Fun Zone, an obstacle course sponsored by Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and a Pinewood Derby hosted by the Boy Scouts of America Baltimore Area Council. “We like race cars and we thought it would be great family event,” Joseph Cauthen, 43, told Continued on A3
Photo by Anderson Ward
IndyCar winner Simon Pagenaud
Military Leaders Credit ‘63 City Replaces Fire Department Training Structure MOW for Their Success By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer
By John R. Hawkins III AFRO Staff Writer
It may have been labeled a march for civil rights but the historic demonstration in Washington, D.C. in August 1963 had an impact on the nation’s military, too. Before the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom there were no African-American fourstar generals or admirals in the U.S. military. As America observes the 50th anniversary of the March, there are three generals in the Army, two in the Air Force and one Navy admiral. The first African-American fourstar general was Air Force Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James. He first became a brigadier general in 1969. “If the 1963 March had not taken place, there is no way we would have gotten the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Dad never would have become a general [four-star] in the Air Force. It was people like my father and others
Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, US Army (ret.) in the Civil Rights Movement in 1963 who laid the …to allow the African American pursuit of excellence,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, son of “Chappie” James. “The 1963 March on Washington strengthened and reinforced policy actions to ensure fair treatment were executed by senior military leaders during the 60’s era to recognize the
A new, state-of-the-art fire building for training firefighters is being built for the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) after the demise of the old structure that stood for more than two decades in East Baltimore. As part of her initiative to rebuild Baltimore, Mayor Stephanie RawlingsBlake, accompanied by a host of elected officials, broke ground on Aug. 29 for a new fire training building, which will be partially funded by Exelon—a Chicago based energy company. “Generations of Baltimore City firefighters have trained at this site. This new facility, when completed, will help cadets learn to work together to suppress fires and protect the residents and businesses of Baltimore,” said RawlingsBlake According to acting Fire Chief Jeffery Segal, the new burn building will allow all cadets to train in a live-fire situation near the same site where they receive classroom training. “Since 2008 we have been traveling to Aberdeen, Md., which takes away from valuable lesson time for our cadets,” Segal told the AFRO. The structure has been unoccupied since 2007, after fire cadet Rachael Wilson died during a training exercise at the now demolished structure. Under an agreement with Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) in 2011, the BGE emergency team will be on hand to control the building during the simulated fires. Segal said training in the burn building is the best way to teach young
Continued on A5
Copyright © 2013 by the Afro-American Company
Continued on A6