Charlottesville Special Report

Edition: Aug 2017

- Since 1979 -

‘The Truth Network’

President Donald A Trump: A °Profound °Pathological °Hypocritical °Fabricator - Story on Page 3

Dubious President’s remarks were welcomed by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Dukes, who tweeted: ‘Thank you Presidet Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth.’

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A combative President Donald Trump insisted "there is blame on both sides" for the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, appearing to once again equate the actions of white supremacist groups and those protesting them.

His remarks were welcomed by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who tweeted: "Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth."

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Edition: July/Aug 2017

- Since 1979 -

‘The Truth Network’

‘The System That Works For Criminal Rehabilitation’

President Donald A. Trump: A °Profound °Pathological °Hypocritical °Fabricator!

Commentary by: Rev. Dr. Harold E. Bailey Chicago, IL: When an individual contemplates Donald A. Trump, President of these United States, you view him as the most profound hypocritical liar ever to occupy the nations White House.

A nonviolent gathering in Charlottesville, Virginia, of individuals to remove a statue of Lee Grant, who was associate with the Confederates and was a Slaves owner. Attacking the demonstrators were White supremacist, Neo-Nazis and the KKK. The assembly then turned into a blood-bath with one woman killed and over 20 persons hospitalized. Some, including Civil Rights activists have called the attack an act of blatant Terrosism! However, the Trump administration first labeled the attack as domestic violence. The clashes left a peace protester; Heather Heyer, 2 police officers who’s helicopter crashed and injuring 19 people. A 20-year-old man James Alex Fields, said to have harbored Nazi sympathies as a teenager was arrested and denied bail at an initial court hearing.

Rev. Harold E. Bailey

Attacking the demonstrators were White supremacist, Neo-Nazis and the KKK. A noticeable absence of addressing the attack was President Donald Trump! Trump, Commander-and-Chief of the United States, failed to be the lead voice in such a disaster, however the timid voice the Attorney General, Jeff Sessions said is was a domestic violence. On the 2nd day, by the prompting of cabinet and family members, the President said, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. “The statement ‘On many sides’ did not resonate well with the masses but rather enraged the nation! However, David Dukes, former head of the KKK, tweeted: "Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth."

James A. Fields, Jr.

Whenever the president speaks before an assembly, you must ponder the validity of the words that crosses his lips. His presidential history and beyond, dictates that not only is he an outright liar but known to some as the father of all liars. With recent acts of ‘Terrosism’ in our country – law abiding citizens hastens to wonder why we are looking across the Continued on page 4.

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President Donald A. Trump: A °Profound °Pathological °Hypocritical °Fabricator!

Continued from page 3. world at others who are deemed as terrorist when our own president merely winks at our terrorist attacks!

Much said from the White House admonishing others seems now to be a little hypocritical! Is this Fake or Hypocritical?

The alleged driver of the car that caused havoc was James Alex Fields Jr., who was described by one of his former teachers as a sympathizer of Nazi views. A by-standers said, “Tell the truth as truth… this was premeditated murder!” It appears that the driver had intent to hurt or kill someone in the crowd. And, the attackers believed they had permission via lead of the president to do any bodily harm… as he had previously said in campaign gatherings.

Having enough of the real side of President Trump and the White House Lies, Ken Frazier/CEO of Merck and Co., has sat next to the president, resigned. CEO Kenneth Frazier, who is black, didn’t name Trump or criticize him directly in a statement posted on the drug company's Twitter account, but the rebuke was implicit. "America's leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy," said Frazier. In a strong rebuke to the president, the chief executive of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, Merck & Co Inc, resigned from a business panel led by Trump, citing a need for leadership countering bigotry. This man deserves to be applauded. Trump responded by saying unprofessionally, “Now that Ken Frazier of President Donald Trump Ken Fraizer Merck has resigned from President’s Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!” the president wrote on Twitter. Such a sad commentary coming from the leader of the U.S… 6 other White House Council business partners have also resigned. Others are expected to resign shortly.

History dictates that once a Slave-Master would have completed his use of a colored/negro/black/African American man, woman, boy or girl – the process is generally to send the person (s) back into the fields or into obscurity. A word to the wise my Black and Hispanic brothers and sisters!

21st Century Racism: Trump admonishes America then speaks of racism via his lips, but peace is not from the heart. Trump cares little to remember his own actions especially while campaigning, he blatantly set the pace for race violence in his campaign and those bigots will to follow his lead! He on occasions would give his audience-supporters permission to do unkind things to those who choose not to agree with him. And now as in supreme leadership, many of those unseemly things have come back to bite him with a vengency! Now Trump says, "Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans," This even to a child is known a Steve Bannon Paul Manafort hypocrisy.

How can Trump surpass beyond that which he sees and hears? With Paul Manafort under investigation and will adviser Steve Bannon, ever speak out to defend himself regarding the rumors as to his association with a White supremacist on-line group?

Trump Daily Tweets: President Trump continues to forward daily tweets which leads the nation into confusion. This action is intentional and purposed driven to deter the U.S. away from serious National matters—liken unto the Russian investigations. Trump Creates Confusion—I hasten to point out that God is not the author of confusion!

Trump’s shameful display of premeditated evils are unalterable! They’re cruel and unusual punishment for innocent citizens of this country! To lend integrity to U.S. Terrorism is a kiss-off in the 21st Century. And as for David Duke, saying that Trump was his leader lends little hope for sanity in this country, for it all sounds alike a grand conspiracy to bring back the KKK as it was years ago ...

And in the late 20’s Trumps father was allegedly arrested for being in a Klan's march. The Trump and Duke symbolizes are: hatred, malice, division, war and other attributes of evils that are not to be numbered among Christians.

Yes, these series of Trump occurrences smacks of hard-core-racism but goes deeper that the public can at this moment envision—its spiritual to destroy! And, as per David Dukes, Demons know and are loyal to their Master! President Trump’s verbal response renders too little and certainly too late to any sane person to try and rationalize! For all practical purpose, God has allowed the President to be spiritually exposed! The true-baptized believer knows unmistakable that its going to take God’s intervention with the White House to change conditions! However, there is nothing too hard for God! More than a few million citizens have now awakened to the demonic devices used in this country! We pray for our children who we worked hard to give them a safe haven, but that too is threaten by the layer of events taking place and the treat to send children to war. God help us all, our children and our children’s children.

God-fearing people, Donald A. Trump activities emanates directly from the Pit-of-Hell! ‘And ye shall know them by the truth they bear… Inspect the fruit! As Biblically spoken by Jesus Christ, many of these unpardonable acts depict – Coming of The Christ!

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‘Republicans Blast President Donald Trump’ Republican lawmakers blasted President Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon following a wild press conference where Trump doubled down on his claim that the violence at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally was caused by "many sides."

"The organizers of events which inspired & led to the Charlottesville terrorist attack are 100% to blame for a number of reasons," Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted.

The rally was initially organized to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, the Civil War general, but quickly grew into a confrontation between the alt-right and "antifa" or anti-fascist groups.

"They are adherents of an evil ideology which argues certain people are inferior because of race, ethnicity or nation of origin," Rubio added. "When entire movement built on anger & hatred towards people different than you, it justifies & ultimately leads to violence against them."

The Florida senator was specifically referring to the white nationalist groups that organized the protest in Charlottesville on Friday and Saturday. The violence left one counter-protester dead, and many injured.

"These groups today use SAME symbols & same arguments of Nazi & KKK, groups responsible for some of worst crimes against humanity ever," Rubio continued. "Mr. President, you can't allow White Supremacists to share only part of blame.

They support idea which cost nation & world so much pain."

"The White Supremacy groups will see being assigned only 50% of blame as a win. We can not allow this old evil to be resurrected," Rubio added.

Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House, backed up Rubio's statement. "We must be clear," Ryan tweeted. "White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity."

"We should call evil by its name," Orrin Hatch, the longestserving Republican in the Senate, said. "My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home."

Hatch further tweeted an image of the alt-right protestors surrounding the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville with the caption: "We should never hesitate to call out hate. Whenever and wherever we see it."

"This is simple: we must condemn and marginalize white supremacist groups, not encourage and embolden them," Todd Young, the Indiana Republican, said.

"There is no moral equivalency to Nazi sympathizers," Gov. John Kasich, an Ohio Republican and Trump's opponent in the 2016 primary said. "There can be no room in America — or the Republican Party — for racism, anti-Semitism, hate or white nationalism.

Period."

"The violence in Charlottesville was caused by racists & hate groups," Sen. Susan Collins said. "We must unite against them."

Tim Scott, the only Black Republican serving in the Senate, tweeted out an op-ed he wrote for USA Today on Monday following the events in Charlottesville.

"This weekend’s events involving white supremacist groups are as disturbing and disgusting as they are heartbreaking," Scott wrote. "The attack was a stark reminder of the darkness of hate."

"We must come together, as we have before, to confront the issues that chip away at the very foundation of who we are and what we stand for as a country."

"We must speak out clearly against the hatred, racism and white supremacists who descended upon #Charlottesville," Sen. Rob Portman said. "'Very fine people' do not participate in rallies with groups chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans and displaying vile symbols of hate," Rep. Justin Amash, the Michigan Republican said.

"Blaming "both sides" for Charlottesville?! No," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican, tweeted. "Back to relativism”

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White supremacist Richard Spencer says Trump's anti-racist statements were not serious White supremacists and alt-right leader, Richard Spencer says that President Trump’s denouncement of hate groups was not serious.

Trump’s comments came two days after facing criticism for blaming “many sides” for the violence that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia during a white supremacist rally over the weekend.

“Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans," Trump said on Monday.

"You can say racism is evil; we should all love one another; the sun should always shine, seven days a week; everyone should be above average; everyone should be a wonderful athlete; everyone should love each other. It’s just silliness,” Spencer said.

Richard Spencer

Trump's recent actions on Twitter may have added to the thought that the president wasn't "serious" in his denouncement statement. Trump tweeted that the media would "never be satisfied" shortly after making the comments.

The president also retweeting a message from Jack Posobiec, an alt-right conspiracy theorist .

If you have children and you’re thinking of moving to a new state, one cause for concern is safety. Unfortunately, one very real

States with the Most Registered Sex Offenders

Sex Crim

threat in our society is sexual offenders. If you’re concerned about the safety of your state or you want to do some research on a state, you might want to review the state’s sex offender registry.

In addition to contacting the local police precinct for information, here are 15 states that have the highest rates of registered sex offenders per 100,000 people, according to research from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. How safe is your state?

Minnesota/out of 15 numbered—Minnesota is the 15th.

Number of sex offenders per 100,000 people: 319 Total number in this state: 17,589 Minnesota comes out as the state with the least number of sex offenders on our list. This state has 319 registered sex offenders per 100,000 people. When analyzing the sex crimes for major cities in Minnesota, Minneapolis had the highest number of reported rapes per capita (210), according to the FBI’s semiannual Uniform Crime Report. Minneapolis has a very high violent crime rate of 83.9, according to Sperling’s Best Places. This is much higher than the violent crime rate of 31.1 for the entire United States. The Minnesota sex offender registry can be found here.

Trump told reporters during his "working vacation" at his New Jersey golf club that the U.S. would respond with "fire and fury" to North Korea if the rogue nation continued to make threats. Just hours before his remarks, reports surfaced that North Korea developed a nuclear warhead that could fit on a missile.

Amid rising tensions between the United States and North Korea, people are quick to point the finger at who they feel is to blame for escalating the situation.

While some believe President Donald Trump is responsible, more than twice as many people feel North Korean President Kim Jong Un is at fault, according to a new AOL News survey.

The poll finds 50 percent think the leader of the hermit kingdom is primarily responsible for escalating tensions with America. Meanwhile, 32 percent of those surveyed said both leaders share equal responsibility for the rise in tension. Nineteen percent of respondents said Trump was primarily responsible.

Trump told reporters during his "working vacation" at his New Jersey golf club last week that the U.S. would respond with "fire and fury" to North Korea if the rogue nation continued to make threats. Just hours before his remarks, reports surfaced that North Korea developed a nuclear warhead that could fit on a missile. "He has been very threatening beyond a normal state," Trump said. "As I said, they will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before."

Kim Jong

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‘Durham: No Racist U. S. A.’

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round 7 p.m. Monday, a group of protestors, inspired by the violent riots over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, decided that if Durham County was in no hurry to take down the rebel soldier, they’d do so themselves. As Durham County commissioners met inside the building, which now houses county offices, a group of protestors wrapped a yellow rope around the statue and pulled. In what might seem a blunt metaphor for the fate of Confederate symbols in progressive Southern cities like Durham, the statue tumbled down with barely any effort, crumpling at the feet of its imposing granite pedestal. (Although the icon was allegedly made of bronze, one doubts.)

More: By the time I arrived, less than an hour after the statue had fallen, the street was blocked off by sheriff’s deputies’ cars. The protesters had marched a few blocks down Main Street, toward where the Durham Police Department is building a controversial new headquarters. A mix of young and old, black and white, graying hippies and black-clad anarchists, yelled “Fuck Trump” and held signs saying, “Black Lives Matter” and “The Whole Damn System Is Guilty as Hell.” “Street medics” stood to the side, ready if anyone was hurt. One man toted a guitar, seemingly more as prop than instrument.

More: And it’s hard to imagine that Durham will prove unique in this matter. Video of the statue coming down zoomed around the web, where it will inspire protesters elsewhere. There are plenty of potential targets. Just down the road from Durham is Chapel Hill, a quaint, liberal college town like Charlottesville. On the campus of the University of North Carolina stands a monument to alumni who fought and died for the Confederacy. “Silent Sam” has stood for more than 100 years, but he’s increasingly contro-

versial, and has been repeatedly vandalized recently. If Silent Sam continues to stand watch over campus, will Carolina students and Chapel Hillians wait patiently for his removal through legal processes, or will they, too, turn to extralegal means?

Police did nothing, arrested no one. What an appalling scene — even if you think that Confederate statues should come down.

Why was it appalling? Because this is how the rule of law ends: in the violent frenzy of mob action.

This is the ultimate end of identity politics of all kinds. You cannot reason with it. It grounds Truth in identity — in race, in ethnicity, in religion, in sex, and so forth. Its lethal alchemy turns people into arguments, or rather, assertions masquerading as arguments. You cannot argue with an identity politics zealot, because to deny their assertion is to deny their personhood. In turn, you aren’t simply wrong when you disagree with those zealots; you are a threat to their existence. Having depersonalized you, they owe you no respect. The higher cause of asserting and affirming their identity excuses everything.

Again: this is how the rule of law ends, and law is replaced by will to power. An angry mob, no matter what it stands for, is always the enemy of the truth.

That Durham mob (and what it represents) is a far, far greater threat to this country today than Confederate monuments, and what they represent. Where were the police yesterday? Why did they let this happen?

This is a very big deal. You want to see far-right white mobs descending upon civil rights monuments, desecrating them and even tearing them down? That mob in Durham has just laid the groundwork for it. And when the white nationalist mob comes in with clubs swinging, to what is this left-wing mob going to appeal for protection, having defied the same law that protects them and public monuments in their zeal to destroy what offends them?

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‘About General Robert E. Lee’ Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American general known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. A son of Revolutionary War officer Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy and an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years.

During this time, he served throughout the United States, distinguished himself during the Mexican–American War, and served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy.

When Virginia declared its secession from the Union in April 1861, Lee chose to follow his home state, despite his desire for the country to remain intact and an offer of a senior Union command. During the first year of the Civil War, Lee served as a senior military adviser to President Jefferson Davis. Once he took command of the main field army in 1862 he soon emerged as a shrewd tactician and battlefield commander, winning most of his battles, all against far superior Union armies. Lee's strategic foresight was more questionable, and both of his major offensives into Union territory ended in defeat.

Lee's aggressive tactics, which resulted in high casualties at a time when the Confederacy had a shortage of manpower, have come under criticism in recent years. Lee surrendered his entire army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. By this time, Lee had assumed supreme command of the remaining Southern armies; other Confederate forces swiftly capitulated after his surrender. Lee rejected the proposal of a sustained insurgency against the Union and called for reconciliation between the two sides.

resisted till overpowered & called upon the other people to rescue them."[52] Less than two months after they were sent to the Alexandria jail, Lee decided to remove these three men and three female house slaves from Arlington, and sent them under lock and key to the slavetrader William Overton Winston in Richmond, who was instructed to keep them in jail until he could find "good & responsible" slaveholders to work them until the end of the five-year period.[52] The Norris case In 1859, three of the Arlington slaves—Wesley Norris, his sister Mary, and a cousin of theirs—fled for the North, but were captured a few miles from the Pennsylvania border and forced to return to Arlington. On June 24, 1859, the anti-slavery newspaper New York Daily Tribune published two anonymous letters (dated June 19, 1859[54] and June 21, 1859, each claiming to have heard that Lee had the Norrises whipped, and each going so far as to claim that the overseer refused to whip the woman but that Lee took the whip and flogged her personally. Lee privately wrote to his son Custis that "The N. Y. Tribune has attacked me for my treatment of your grandfather's slaves, but I shall not reply. He has left me an unpleasant legacy."[56]

Wesley Norris himself spoke out about the incident after the war, in an 1866 interview printed in an abolitionist newspaper, the National Anti-Slavery Standard. Norris stated that after they had been captured, and forced to return to Arlington, Lee told them that "he would teach us a lesson we would not soon forget." According to Norris, Lee then had the three of them firmly tied to posts by the overseer, and ordered them whipped with fifty lashes for the After the war, Lee supported President Andrew men and twenty for Mary Norris. Norris claimed that Johnson's program of Reconstruction and intersecLee encouraged the whipping, and that when the tional friendship [citation needed], while opposing overseer refused to do it, called in the county conthe Radical Republican proposals to give freed stable to do it instead. Unlike the anonymous letter slaves the vote and take the vote away from exwriters, he does not state that Lee himself whipped Confederates. He urged them to rethink their posiany of the slaves. According to Norris, Lee "frequently enjoined tion between the North and the South, and the reintegration of former Con[Constable] Williams to 'lay it on well,' an injunction which he did not fail to federates into the nation's political life. Lee became the great Confederate heed; not satisfied with simply lacerating our naked flesh, Gen. Lee then hero of the War, a postwar icon of the "Lost Cause of the Confederacy" to ordered the overseer to thoroughly wash our backs with brine, which was some. But his popularity grew even in the North, especially after his death done. in 1870. Barracks at West Point built in 1962 are named after him.

The Norris men were then sent by Lee's agent to work on the railroads in In 1857, his father-in-law George Washington Parke Custis died, creating Virginia and Alabama. According to the interview, Norris was sent to Richa serious crisis when Lee took on the burden of executing the will. Custis's mond in January 1863 "from which place I finally made my escape through will encompassed vast landholdings and hundreds of slaves balanced the rebel lines to freedom." But Federal authorities reported that Norris against massive debts, and required Custis's former slaves "to be emancicame within their lines on September 5, 1863, and that he "left Richpated by my executors in such manner as to my executors may seem mond...with a pass from General Custis Lee. Lee freed the Custis most expedient and proper, the said emancipation to be accomplished in slaves, including Wesley Norris, after the end of the five-year period not exceeding five years from the time of my decease."[51] The estate was in the winter of 1862, filing the deed of manumission on December in disarray, and the plantations had been poorly managed and were losing 29, 1862. money.

Biographers of Lee have differed over the credibility of the account of the Lee tried to hire an overseer to handle the plantation in his absence, writpunishment as described in the letters in the Tribune and in Norris's pering to his cousin, "I wish to get an energetic honest farmer, who while he sonal account. They broadly agree that Lee had a group of escaped slaves will be considerate & kind to the negroes, will be firm & make them do their recaptured, and that after recapturing them he hired them out off of the duty."[52] But Lee failed to find a man for the job, and had to take a twoArlington plantation as a punishment; but they disagree over the likelihood year leave of absence from the army in order to run the plantation himself. that Lee flogged them, and over the charge that he personally whipped He found the experience frustrating, since many of the slaves had been Mary Norris. In 1934, Douglas S. Freeman described them as "Lee's first given to understand that they were to be made free as soon as Custis experience with the extravagance of irresponsible antislavery agitators" died, and protested angrily at the delay.[53] In May 1858, Lee wrote to his and asserted that "There is no evidence, direct or indirect, that Lee ever son Rooney, "I have had some trouble with some of the people. Reuben, had them or any other Negroes flogged. The usage at Arlington and elseParks & Edward, in the beginning of the previous week, rebelled against where in Virginia among people of Lee's station forbade such a thing. my authority—refused to obey my orders, & said they were as free as I was, etc., etc.—I succeeded in capturing them & lodging them in jail. They Continue on page 8: Lee's views on slavery

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Studies have long shown that money is pretty damn gross. Sci­ entists have found all kinds of icky stuff on our cash, from mold to the flu virus to feces and even co­ caine, as a recent Scientific American argument for going cashless points out.

Handling less paper money — like the Swedes do — clearly has advantages in terms of conven­ ience. But, until re­ cently there hasn't ‘Keep money out of mouth’ been such definitive proof that physical cash can actually make people sick.

Now, a new paper has found that the bacteria on money might be more dangerous than we thought. Concerned with the in­

creasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, Dr. Jun Li and researchers at the University of Hong Kong wanted to test whether bacteria could actually grow on money, as op­ posed to just surviving. And what the team found will almost certainly have you reaching for the Purell.

Bacteria actually love money, according to the study, recently published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. To test their theory, researchers scraped samples from Hong Kong bank notes and grew them in a lab so they could test them for their bacterial presence.

And what did they find? Bank notes were found to have more kinds of bacteria on them than people's hands, the air you breathe in the metro, drinking water and even marine sedi­ ment.

In other words, money is a bacteria party, and everyone is invit­ ed. That would include potentially deadly types of bacteria like E. coli and the bacteria that causes cholera, plus — perhaps more distressingly — antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, sometimes known as superbugs.

‘

Photo: Clarence McMillan 9

‘Both Presidents are Similar’ Almost two of a kind!

‘Former President Richard a

President Donald Trump’

‘About General Robert E. Lee—Lee View on Slavery’ Continue from page 6. Lee's view on slavery> Since the end of the Civil War, it has often been suggested Lee was in some sense opposed to slavery. In the period following the war, Lee became a central figure in the Lost Cause interpretation of the war. The argument that Lee had always somehow opposed slavery helped maintain his stature as a symbol of Southern honor and national reconciliation. Freeman's analysis places Lee's attitude toward slavery and abolition in a historical context: This [opinion] was the prevailing view among most religious people of Lee's class in the border states. They believed that slavery existed because God willed it and they thought it would end when God so ruled. The time and the means were not theirs to decide, conscious though they were of the ill-effects of Negro slavery on both races. Lee shared these convictions of his neighbors without having come Continue on page 8. in contact with the worst evils of African bondage. He spent no considerable time in any state south of Virginia from the day he left Fort Pulaski in 1831 until he went to Texas in 1856.

All his reflective years had been passed in the North or in the border states. He had never been among the blacks on a cotton or rice plantation. At Arlington, the servants had been notoriously indolent, their master's master. Lee, in short, was only acquainted with slavery at its best, and he judged it accordingly. At the same time, he was under no illusion regarding the aims of the Abolitionists or the effect of their agitation.[68] A key source cited by defenders and critics is Lee's 1856 letter to his wife:

Lee at age 31

... In this enlightened age, there are few I believe, but what will acknowledge, that slavery as an institution, is a moral & political evil in any Country. It is useless to expatiate on its disadvantages. I think it however a greater evil to the white man than to the black race, & while my feelings are strongly enlisted in behalf of the latter, my sympathies are more strong for the former.

The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, socially & physically. The painful discipline they are undergoing, is necessary for their instruction as a race, & I hope will prepare & lead them to better things. How long their subjugation may be necessary is known & ordered by a wise Merciful Providence.

— Robert E. Lee, to Mary Anna Lee, December 27, 1856 The evidence cited in favor of the claim that Lee opposed slavery included his direct statements and his actions before and during the war, including Lee's support of the work by his wife and her mother to liberate slaves and fund their move to Liberia,[69] the success of his wife and daughter in setting up an illegal school for slaves on the Arlington plantation,[70] the freeing of Custis' slaves in 1862, and, as the Confederacy's position in the war became desperate, his petitioning slaveholders in 1864–65 to allow slaves to volunteer for the Army with manumission offered as a reward for outstanding service.

However, despite his stated opinions, Lee's troops under his command were allowed to raid settlements during major operations like the 1863 invasion of Pennsylvania to capture free blacks for enslavement..

In December 1864 Lee was shown a letter by Louisiana Senator Edward Sparrow, written by General St. John R. Liddell, which noted Lee would be hard-pressed in the interior of Virginia by spring, and the need to consider Patrick Cleburne's plan to emancipate the slaves and put all men in the army who were willing to join. Lee was said to have agreed on all points and desired to get black soldiers, saying "he could make soldiers out of any human being that had arms and legs."

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T

he 13th Amendment to the Constitution declared that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." Formally abolishing slavery in the United States, the 13th Amendment was passed by the Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the states on December 6, 1865. Today the U.S. still is permitting the various acts of SLAVERY!

disclosures, according to Rey LópezCalderón, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, an advocacy organization focused on civic change., Given that model legislation drafted by ALEC rarely has the group’s name stamped on it, how big has ALEC’s footprint in Illinois been? By virtue of it being a Blue State, Illinois is a little less likely to attract the interest of ALEC and its corporate clients, López-Calderón said.

member of ALEC and also received the group’s 2011 Private Sector Member of the Year Award, according to Source Watch, a project by the Madison-based Center for Media and Democracy, which has closely followed ALEC through its ALEC Exposed project.

When questioned about its association with ALEC by the Center for Media and Democracy in 2012, State Farm reportedly said, “Our work with ALEC is limited to research projects for use by public officials considering matters that impact the affordability and accessibility of insurance."

But that doesn’t mean that ALEC hasn’t had a hand in any legislative changes in the state. In fact, López-Calderón said, one issue that constantly makes headlines has López-Calderón warns that even if some of the hallmark of ALEC: education reform. the more punitive legislation put forward by ALEC, like Arizona’s immigration bill, hasn’t There‘s another practice of Slavery which The Illinois Charter Quality Act, passed in come to Illinois, that doesn’t mean it won’t the public deems legal—but read below …

2011, expanded the authority to approve in the future. “ALEC ends up being very Slavery is dressed in new clothing! charter schools from school districts to an active in states like Texas, who end up If you haven’t heard about the American being pioneers for these laws,” LópezLegislative Exchange Council, that’s Calderón said. because ALEC, as it’s commonly called, Following a rash of bad press and divestprefers to work behind the scenes. But ment campaigns last year, 10 companies that has become increasingly difficult. In dropped their associations with ALEC, inrecent years, ALEC, a group that brings cluding Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the Bill & together corporations and legislators to Melinda Gates Foundation. And last draft model legislation, has come under fire month, Sen. Dick Durbin announced that for its role in several infamous pieces of he would hold a hearing on Stand Your legislation, including Florida’s Stand Your Grand laws and the American Legislative Ground Law, and Arizona’s punitive Exchange Council’s influence on the SB1070 immigration bill. appointed state commission. On ALEC’s spread of those laws across the country.

The ALEC held its 40th Annual Meeting in website, a similar bill is filed under “model López-Calderón sees hope in these kinds Chicago and a group of protesters supportlegislation.” According to López-Calderón, of moves, and the growing public pressure ed by the Chicago Teachers Union, among ALEC helped fund the effort to pass the against ALEC. “People are starting to see others, have promised not to let the Illinois Charter Quality Act. After the act that this is a major fight,” he said. “You group’s conference have a quiet stay. Six was signed into law, the state created the can’t fight against racism and poverty unprotesters were arrested during the sit-in at Illinois Charter School Commission, which less you are fighting against the organizathe lobby of the Palmer House Hilton Hotel was then given authority to approve charter tions that make those things possible. downtown, where the meeting was held, school applications. and protests are planned for each day of Disclosure: Rey López-Calderón was a the conference.

Illinois involvement: ALEC doesn’t member of The Chicago Reporter’s Readpublicly disclose its members, but Lópezers Board while Alysia Tate was publisher.

ALEC has become a key symbol of the Calderón named two Illinois legislators as continually blurring line between corporaALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a key members of ALEC. One of them is tions and politics. The group has an agenRepublican Sen. Kirk Dillard, who López- lobby or a front group; it is much more powda heavy on private prisons, education erful than that. Through ALEC, corporations Calderón called one of the most active privatization and anti-union bills, several of hand state legislators their wish lists to benlegislators in ALEC in the state. Another is efit their bottom line. Corporations fund alwhich have been found to enrich the corpoRepublican Rep. Renee Kosel, said most all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a rate sponsors that helped draft the legislaLópez-Calderón. Neither of the legislators seat on ALEC task forces where corporate tion. And because most of the meetings responded to requests for comment on lobbyists and special interest reps vote with between state legislators and corporations elected officials to approve “model” bills. their relationship with ALEC. happen at conferences like the one taking Learn more at the Center for Media and Deplace this week in Chicago, ALEC’s impact In addition, some Illinois-based compa- mocracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out eludes the traditional paper trail of lobbying nies contribute to ALEC. State Farm is a breaking news Continue on page 10

Slavery is a central paradox of much of American history. I n fact, most of the country's founding fathers owned slaves.

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Continued from page 9.

ALEC is mainly comprised of corporations who create laws for Republicans lawmakers.

These are laws that implicate the incarcerating of Blacks and Hispanics… all to swell the bowels of their coffers. its ALEC membership "after considering the broad range of criticism being leveled at ALEC") State Budget Solutions, Bob Williams

on our PRWatch.org site.

The African American and Hispanic Community has an inherited right to know those companies who joined together and were complicit in increasing more jails and prisons with inhabitants being African American and Hispanics. Listed are present corporations while some have since dropped out. To support them becomes a matter of choice!

State Farm Insurance Co., Roland Spies United Parcel Service (UPS), Richard McArdle Wal-Mart Stores, Maggie Sans (Wal-Mart announced on May 30, 2012, that it is suspending its ALEC membership.

SAP America, Steve Seale - National Chair - Resigned from ALEC on November 6, 2014 (due to ALEC policies on climate change, renewable energy, guns and voting rights.)

American Bail Coalition, William Carmichael - Vice Chair

A

American Water, was a "Trustee's" level funder of ALEC's 2016 Annual Conference.

fter working nearly 30 years as an urban school educator, I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the rules of the public school game are rigged against poor and Black children. The guardians of the game focus on three strategies to rig it: deception, fear, and misinformation.

Altria Group, Daniel Smith, "Vice Chair" level sponsor of ALEC's 2016 Annual Conference ($25,000).

AT&T, William Leahy, "Vice Chair" level sponsor of ALEC's 2016 Annual Conference ($25,000).

As a former public school insider, I see and understand how politicians and educators deceive the public, manipulating data to draw pictures of progress, which in many instances are nothing more than illusions. An increase in high school graduation rates does not mean the students are ready for college or careers. An increase in college enrollment does not mean a higher college completion rate. A decrease in student suspension rates does not mean the school environment is safer.

Achieving a level of proficiency on standardized tests does not mean one can think and grasp complex concepts.

Coca-Cola Refreshments, Gene Rackley (Coke announced on April 4, 2012, that it had “elected to discontinue its membership with” ALEC.) Diageo, Kenneth Lane Energy Future Holdings, Sano Blocker ExxonMobil Corporation, Cynthia Bergman, was a "Chair" level sponsor of ALEC's 2016 Annual Conference ($50,000).

The emphasis on standardized tests may be the most damaging type of deception that public schools practice. Politicians persistently pressure public school personnel to produce improved standardized test results, which are the main measurement of school quality. This places teachers in a dilemma.

They either teach to the test, as often directed by school administrators, or they risk their job security.

GlaxoSmithKline, John Del Giorno (GlaxoSmithKline CEO Sir Andrew Witty said in a response to a shareholder's question at the company's annual meeting in May 2013 that the company had decided to sever its relationship with ALEC. Intuit, Inc., Bernie McKay. Member of ALEC's Communications and Technology Task Force (Intuit told the CMD April 5, 2012 that it had declined to renew ALEC membership)

Arguably, many people become teachers because they love teaching. Most probably had no idea to what extent politics would influence their teaching practice. They quickly learn that standardized testing is the most politically charged aspect of their job. Ironically, teachers are not taught to teach to the test.

Yet, this practice of teaching to the test dominates their pedagogy on all levels, particularly grades 3 through 12. Furthermore, the overemphasis on test prep robs children of quality instructional time, not to mention limiting any attempts at creativity by teachers. Teachers know that if their students’ tests scores are low, they face the threat of a negative rating or termination. This is one reason they support unions: job security. Written by: Bernard Gassaway, Ed.D. Urban School Educator and Author Former

Johnson & Johnson, Don Bohn (J&J announced it would "suspend" its ALEC membership June 12, 2012) Koch Companies Public Sector, Mike Morgan Kraft Foods, Inc., Derek Crawford (Kraft announced it would leave ALEC April 5, 2012) NetChoice, Steve DelBianco Peabody Energy, Kelly Mader Pfizer Inc., Michael Hubert PhRMA, Jeff Bond Reed Elsevier, Inc., Teresa Jennings (Reed Elsevier announced on April 12, 2012, that it had resigned its board seat and dropped

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New York City teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Chicago, IL: The galvanizing voices of such great African-American leaders such as the late Congressman William Dawson, Justice R. Eugene Pincham, Mayor Harold Washington, President John Stroger, John Sengstacke, Lu Palmer, Vernon Jarrett, Congressman Ralph Metcalfe, Neal A. Bratcher, Sr., Dr. Margaret Burroughs, Marion Williams, Alderwoman Anna Langford, and so many others have been called into eternity.

These brilliant-minded people spoke back and with truth to power! As you perhaps might already know, many of these dedicated hard-hitters gave all that they had – as some died of broken hearts!

While some present warriors continue to lift their voices in honesty, their lights appear to be dimmed by in-house internal-politicalfractions. Much of these political fractions and power-grabs are attributed to greed, power and for the love of money! Now, this is not to say that all Blacks seeking higher offices or any office is seeking funds for their own bank-accounts! However, it has been established that in the past (before the changes of the law) some candidates would run for office knowing they could not and would not win; but afterwards, many ran all the way to the bank with the community’s contributed dollars.

The community should remember those political persons sitting in authority who promise liberation, but in return, often gave back a good dose of disappointments coupled with a bunch of untruths!

In earlier political years a fraction of power was brought about by the downtown voices -of-deceit who came to rob, steal and destroy and they did it quite well! They gave crumbs to Blacks and rewarded them with low paying jobs. The paybacks for jobs were for Blacks to give them a percentage of their paychecks. These deceitful voices and faces have perhaps changed, but their theories of thought remain the same… get all you can while you can! It now appears that many Black politicians have taken on

the mindset of the over-seers (masters) who governed the slaves.

I think the tax payers forget that he/she is the politicians’ employer and that employees can be fired. Are we living in an era where we now call the right – wrong … and the wrong right? And if so, the scriptures says we are living in the last days.

Rather, fight with your knowledge and money…in the community for those things in plain view such as criminal justice, education, poverty and the lack of food among our elders, and just so many other important day-to-day matters!

Note: I speak to those who are vying for politics on their own and not to those who under the guides of God seek to battle the divisiveness of the enemy. Because if God Can you remember those loud persons does not build the house the laborer builds above the crowd who promised everything in vain. I hasten to point out that if you are – but gave little or nothing in return? Note on your own politically and not holding on that this mythology now extends to this day to the word of God the enemy will give you and to the nation’s capitol and sits among a dose of medicine where you our United States Congress. I may not have an immediate would advise that the commucure for. Stay in your calling! nity watch with a jaundice eye those persons vying to occupy Years ago, I recall that there available seats in Congress, was a sincere mindset by the perhaps seeking an opportunilarge majority of political candity to take us back 100-plus dates to give of themselves to years. those less able to fend for themselves … but today, some In my humble opinion and with are helping themselves and, of an apolitical view, I suggest course, filling their own coffers. that present leaders in addiThe public goes along with tion to want-to-be politicians what’s happening and simply who honestly want to fight for living off a thing called hope. a struggling people, focus inChrist is the hope of Glory and on African American political history, thusly He sends the ministers to protect and warn realizing that you may now be at the brink the people. The scripture says: The people of blood-baths that has historically caused will perish for the lack of knowledge… but strife and bitterness in this city! This may not on my watch! serve only to divide and conquer! You cannot erase the historical evils that were put The true ministers of the gospel of Jesus into place by the powers-that-be at that Christ have been put on alert to stand on time and will be long remembered by our the wall and warn the people. And, the children’s children. But you can play the scripture says: Danger to the shepherd hand of being wise as a serpent yet harm- who allows the sheep to be scattered. less as a dove!

I would sincerely suggest to those political Black political history just ought to instruct candidates praying for the favor of God us that Blacks not travel the old path of and have love and mercy for the people of being misled again. And, speaking of mis- God, to first seek ye the kingdom of God leading, may I quickly ask an important and His righteousness – all other things question… why is African-American Eduwill be added unto you! Candidates just cation not implemented in the Chicago ought to make sure their calling to serve School System as set-forth via the law in has been sanctioned and ordained of God! the 90’s? What is the hold-up? Point being, All candidates and sitting politicians are if Blacks don’t know where we’ve been presently with a new face smiling and how then can we get a perspective on tocould cares less about a thing called honday or the many tomorrows. Or quite honest intent! Some folk want to believe in that estly, is this the plan? world of fantasy, while others digest the lie.

African American political candidates Praying people best turn to the Lord who please stop fighting for political entraphas promised to lead and guide us! ments that lay in wait for your very demise!

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‘Mr. Chi-Lites’

T

he legendary Chi-Lites formed in 1959 in Chicago, Illinois, with the soulful blues melodies of the band with their leader, Marshall Thompson, and the remaining Chi-Lites, their songwriter and lead singer Eugene Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester and Creadel "Red" Jones. Known first in the early '60's as the "Hi-Lites," they changed the name to the "Chi-Lites" in 1964 to pay tribute to their hometown - Chicago. Sweeping the nation with #1 hits, "Oh Girl" and "Have You Seen Her," the Chi-Lites became an instant sensation on the R&B, Pop and Soul charts. Marshall Thompson, The Last Man Standing, tells his personal story from childhood to the bands origination, its rise to fame, and the many struggles along the way. "With the good times, came the misery," recalls Marshall. Losing a member of the band, his best friend, and beloved wife in a terrible automobile accident. This is the story of the personal side of a man who sang about love, romance, and dreams. It will have you laughing out loud one moment and tear at your heartstrings the very next. Last Man Standing, like the songs the legendary Chi-Lites delivered, will keep your pulse beating from the first rhythmic verse until the final note.

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