THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1934
May 7–13, 2020 Vol. 86 No. 40
85Anniversary
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Why destroy food when so many are hungry?
th
1934 - 20 19
“AS IT WAS SPOKEN ... LET US RECORD.”
National News Briefs
It’s more about logistics than scarcity By Michah McKinney Contributing writer
M
any people struggling through the coronavirus finding it difficult to put food on the table have been outraged by news reports describing farmers destroying crops and even livestock. One group, Second Harvest is working to try to prevent that surplus from going to waste. Even in the best of circumstances, the richest country in the world has struggled to feed all of its hungry mouths. According to The Economic Research Service from the Department of Agriculture, 37.2 million people were food insecure in 2018. The pandemic crisis has only exacerbated that need. Why then do we see headlines like “Dumped Milk, Smashed Eggs, Plowed Vegetables” from the NY Times for stories about
Produce box farmers purposely destroying food? And why is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issuing executive orders to make it easier for livestock farmers to “depopulate and compost” their livestock? Culling the herd isn’t new to America. In Burton W. Folsom’s book “New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR’s Economic Legacy Has Damaged America,” the retired professor of history at Hillsdale College brings to light some of the darker aspects of the New Deal. During the Great Depression,
sevelt, as a part of his New Deal, introduced the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA). This legislation paid farmers to kill millions of hogs and cows and plow under over 10 million acres of cotton to artificially inflate prices. Unfortunately, this occurred as millions of Americans were going hungry. This tactic was widely scrutinized and criticized. It was difthe cost of livestock and crops ficult for farmers to reconcile, were so low that Franklin D. Roo- having worked hard to raise
Unprotected NYC Black hospital workers fall to virus ShivelFarm produce
While the State of New York has failed to compile a list of those who have died from exposure while working in hospitals, a New ■See FOOD on page 5 York Times article reveals that non- medical staff who succumbed to COVID-19 were overwhelmingly Black According to the article, at least 32 Black and Brown people have died from the disease who worked in New York hospitals as medical records clerks, greeters, orderlies who deliver patients from one place to the other, custodians, chefs, food preparers, medical waste removers and hospital security. Some of the workers who handed out hospital supplies, inthat.” cluding N95 respirators, also fell victim to the disease. Apparently, A new University of Minne- being in the hospital environment where there were diseased pasota study released last week said tients proved fatal, as these workers were left totally unprotected that the pandemic could last at with no PPE at all, even as some of them delivered the life-saving least two years and recommends equipment to others. that the U.S. prepare for a worstAmong the victims were, pictured above clockwise from top left, case scenario. The Center for Edward Becote, Derek Braswell, Rafael Cargill, and Priscilla Infectious Disease Research and Carrow. Policy surmised that COVID apPhotos provided by family members and social media pears to spread more easily than the flu because of a large incubation period, and it can spread more among people who have no symptoms. The study concludes that the virus won’t be halted until 60-70 The number of coronavirus cases in Georgia has surpassed percent of the world’s population 27,000 with nearly 1,000 new cases reported in a 24-hour period immediately after the state reopened, according to the Georgia Department of Health. The State reported 27,134 cases, up from 26,175 recorded on the previous day. The majority of the state's cases are in the metro Atlanta area. At least 1,147 Georgia residents have died as a result of COVID-19.
Pandemic exposes deadly impact of disparities
meetings as they occur over the coming weeks, the MSR also is talking to others both locally and nationally about the impact the Part 4 of a continuing story coronavirus outbreak is having or may have on our local Black The national NAACP is hold- community. This week: Where to ing virtual town hall meetings go from here. throughout the month of April The NAACP is strongly advoto discuss the health, economic and social impacts of the CO- cating an action plan to address VID-19 pandemic on the nation’s the historical social, educational, Black communities. In addition economic and health inequities to providing excerpts from these that have affected the Black comBy Charles Hallman Contributing writer
munity, which has been at the epicenter of this country’s coronavirus crisis. They held four virtual town hall meetings on the virus last month, and a weekly average of 20,000 people participated in the events. Originally billed as a discussion on creating a post-COVID action plan, the NAACP weekly meetings mostly consisted of talking points rather than offering any concrete solutions. “It will take months and years to truly understand the impact” of the virus, said Dr. Patrice Harris of the American Medical Association.
As Georgia reopens, COVID-19 cases surge
“Let’s use this moment to expose the chronic injustice faced by African Americans and solve it.” “The COVID-19 is shining a bright light on many preexisting conditions on health and inequity” on the Black community and communities of color, she added. “Now we have COVID on top of
is immune. It could take 12 to 18 months to test a vaccine, then manufacture and distribute it. All invited panelists—national lawmakers, doctors, ■See DISPARITIES on page 5
County, nonprofits partner to safeguard homeless By Analise Pruni Contributing writer
PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
According to Ramsey County’s HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), a database system used to count the number of people using emergency shelters annually, roughly 3,300 people experienced homelessness in Ramsey County in 2019. In 2020, already vulnerable
unsheltered people are now dealing with the added fear of the coronavirus pandemic. “If we bring the crisis from the lens of homelessness, we already know that people who experience homelessness face extraordinary barriers in their daily life,” said Max Holdhusen, Ramsey County’s housing stability manager. Everyday struggles such as addiction, trauma and mental health issues are now being compounded with tight living spaces in shelters. “From a pandemic perspective, that dense congregated setting is really dangerous,” Holdhusen said. The Ramsey County Board allocated up to $1.8 million on March 17 to focus on reducing the potential spread of COVID-19 at area homeless shelters. According to a press release from Ramsey County Manager Ryan O’Connor, as part of these efforts, “On
Atlanta crowds defy death for new Air Jordans After the Georgia’s Governor Kemp opened up the state for business as usual, crowds of Black people gathered in Atlanta to buy the new Air Jordans without face masks or practicing social distancing. People anxious to purchase the new Air Jordan 5 "Fire Red" Sneakers caused a massive crowd at the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, forming long lines. The lines stretched from the entrance of the Jimmy Jazz store inside the mall, all the way outside where a large number of people waited for their turn to buy the shoes.
symptoms, and do daily temperature checks, because we know that fever is a common symptom of COVID-19.” If someone’s condition at Mary Hall were to worsen, they are then sent to the emergency room. Another part of this initiative includes a partnership between Ramsey County staff, Catholic Charities, City of St. Paul staff, Carlos and a local hotel to provide 60 rooms for homeless elders aged March 27, Ramsey County and 60 and up. They were moved Unequal enforcement of the law was on display recently when its partners opened a respite facil- from the Higher Ground shelter social media users captured NYC police patiently handing out ity at Catholic Charities’ former at the end of March and begin- face masks to Whites in one part of town while brutalizing and Mary Hall location near down- ning of April. arresting Black youth elsewhere—all on the same day. A cop was “Most or many of them have town Saint Paul. caught on video attacking, The facility accommodates slapping and throwing a up to 140 people showing COBlack youth to the ground VID-19 symptoms who are rewho was simply standing ferred from the primary shelter around. facilities in the East Metro: CathNew York City Mayor olic Charities Higher Ground, Bill de Blasio tweeted, Union Gospel Mission, and the “Saw the video from the Safe Space facility at Ramsey Lower East Side and was County Government Center really disturbed by it. The East.” officer involved has been Holdhusen noted that “Mary placed on modified duty Hall is a non-medical facility, so Bruce and an investigation has begun. The behavior I saw in that video the nurses’ job there is really to ■See HOMELESS on page 5 is simply not acceptable.” do the initial intake, monitor
Protect and Serve or Protect and Slap?