Vol. 49 No. 1
April 26, 2018 - May 2, 2018
This publication is a Certified DBE/ SBE / MBE in the State of California CUCP #43264 Metro File #7074 & State of Texas File #802505971 “If you can control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do. If you make a man feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself. If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one.” Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro
The San Bernardino American News Celebrates Their 49th Year Of Service To The Community
Waffle House Shooter: White Affirmative Action Strikes Again Blacks are disproportionately killed, while guns are given back to the Waffle House shooter, despite concerns about his mental health issues and previous violent threats.
Editor in Chief’s Corner Email: sbamericannews@gmail.com Clifton Harris Publisher of The San Bernardino AMERICAN News
Colin Kaepernick Wins Ambassador of Conscience Award, Uses Platform to Slam 'Lawful Lynchings' "In truth, this is an award that I share with all of the countless people throughout the world combating the human rights violations of police officers, and their uses of oppressive and excessive force," Kaepernick said. By Kaitlyn D'Onofrio
By Jayme S. Ganey
Waffle House Shooter,Travis Reinking
The Waffle House shooter had his guns taken away and given back to him, and the question is whether or not that would've happened if Travis Reinking was Black. His father, who ultimately was given the guns back by the police, promised to keep the weapons secure and out of his son's possession, according to Southern California Public Radio's report. Both the father and the police were aware of Reinking's history of mental instability, but chose to give Reinking another chance. Similar courtesy was given to Dylann Roof, who is now facing the death penalty for shooting nine Black churchgoers in 2015. He was hungry, so North Carolina police took him to Burger King. But this is not so in the cases of Blacks who suffered from mental health issues,
like Saheed Vassell (gunned down by police in April), Danny Ray Thomas (gunned down by police in March) or Deborah Danner (killed in 2016, and whose killer, a police sergeant, was just acquitted in February). This is not a new concept. The Washington Post's police shooting database reflects that about one in four people shot and killed by police officers struggled with mental health issues at the time of their deaths. Last year, 987 people were killed by police, 236 of them with mental illness. About 17 percent of them were Black (Blacks are about 12 percent of this country's population, so do the math). Blacks are killed more often. Not all problems of community police relations can be at-
Two African Americans appointed to the California Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census Charlene Muhammad| California Black Media
Regina Brown Wilson
Alex Johnson
Two African-Americans have been appointed to the California Complete Count Committee for the 2020 federal census. Governor Edmund Brown Jr. announced creation of the diverse 25-member committee on April 13. The panel of community members will guide outreach to help ensure every Californian is counted in the upcoming census. “It is vitally important for
California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census,” said Governor Brown. Regina Brown Wilson of Sacramento brings her skills as executive director and chair of California Black Media, and a former statewide education and faith-based outreach manager for Census 2010. Wilson is a gradu(continued in next 2 columns)
tributed to ignorance, according to The Sentencing Project, which promotes sentencing reform and the use of alternatives to incarceration through program development and research. Their manual for practitioners and policymakers, "Reducing Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System," states: "A policing study in St. Petersburg, Florida found that disrespect toward minorities was statistically lower than police disrespect toward whites, and the authors attributed this to the police chief 's visible work toward suppression of police abuses." They also say that most police training programs don't offer cultural competency measures. Training exists for officers regarding risk assessment
and appropriate interventions when they encounter those with mental health conditions called Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), but it's not mandatory. In the case of Dylann Roof, officers said that he was calm and not problematic, according to the New York Daily News. This is a reason that is given many times to justify decisions made by police, and it seems those decisions may result in allowing many whites who are mentally ill to carry on, while people like Danny Ray Thomas (whose killer was fired from his police duties, according to The Guardian's report yesterday), don't get these privileges. They don't get Burger King, or get second chances to choose a different course of action. They get killed.
Two African Americans appointed to the California Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census...continued ate of Wilberforce University with a degree in communications. "I thank the governor for getting a jump start on the census and understanding all that is at stake in the form or representation and resources. In particular, the African-American community has been a vulnerable population and it’s my desire to ensure this community and other hard to count communities are informed, organized and engaged for the 2020 Census,” said Wilson. Alex Johnson of Los Angeles, managing director at Californians for Safety and Justice, has served as executive director at Children’s Defense Fund-California. He was assistant senior deputy for education and public safety in the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, where he also served as deputy for education and public safety. “Honored to be appointed
by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a member of the California Complete Count Committee. This body is tasked with devising an outreach strategy for the 2020 Census and ensuring that ALL Californians are counted by the federal government,” said Jones on his Facebook page. Johnson was an attorney at the New York City Department of Education and an assistant district attorney in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. Johnson is president of the Los Angeles County Board of Education and a member of the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network Board of Directors and the Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development Board. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the American University College of Law. The California Complete Count Committee will be coming together to have its first public meeting in May.
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick once again used his public image to bring attention to racism and police shootings of Black men. The athlete received the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award on Saturday. According to the organization's website, the prestigious honor "recognizes remarkable individuals and groups who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights by acting on their conscience, confronting injustice and using their talents to inspire others." When he accepted his award Kaepernick addressed the very issue he has most publicly acted on. "Racialized oppression and dehumanization is woven into the very fabric of our nation — the effects of which can be seen in the lawful lynching of Black and brown people by the police, and the mass incarceration of Black and brown lives in the prison industrial complex," he said. In 2017, police killed 1,129 people. Officers were only charged with a crime in 1 percent of cases. And of the 1,129 people officers killed, 27 percent were Black — despite Blacks being just 13 percent of the population, according to Mapping Police Violence's 2017 Police Violence Report. Of those unarmed when they were killed, 35 percent were Black, and of those unarmed and not attacking, 37 percent were Black — despite only constituting 13 percent of the population. "How can you stand for the national anthem of a nation that preaches and propagates, 'freedom and justice for all,' that is so unjust to so many of the people living there?" he questioned.
Kaepernick filed a grievance late last year alleging that the NFL blackballed him after he started taking a knee during the National Anthem. Even when other quarterbacks became injured during the NFL season, no one would bring Kaepernick to their team. Kaepernick had a lot to lose when he started his protests. And this style of courageous risk-taking in the name of social justice is exactly what made him the award's recipient. "Just like the Ambassadors of Conscience before him, Colin Kaepernick chooses to speak out and inspire others despite the professional and personal risks," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International secretary general. "When high profile people choose to take a stand for human rights, it emboldens many others in their struggles against injustice. Colin Kaepernick's commitment is all the more remarkable because of the alarming levels of vitriol it has attracted from those in power." In 2017 singer Alicia Keys received the Ambassador of Conscience Award for her work with refugees and Keep a Child Alive, the non-profit organization she co-founded that helps families affected by HIV in India and Africa. That same year, the award also recognized the Indigenous rights activists in Canada. Nelson Mandela received the honor in 2009 for his lifetime of activism. Despite any possible collusion at the hands of the NFL, Kaepernick has been keeping himself busy. He has donated over $1 million to philanthropic causes. And in addition to this award over the weekend, in December he received Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.
Our Values, Mission, & Vision Statement Our Values: Treat all people with care, respect, honor, and dignity. Tell it as it is with love, truth and integrity. Promote the interests of advertisers and sponsors along their strategic interest for the betterment of the community and beyond. Speak truth to power. Our Mission: To continuously improve communication between all people of the world. Our Vision: To be the best community newspaper in our region and the nation. Provider of: A voice for the poor, the underserved, those that are marginalized, Positive and edifying news about people, places and businesses. Keep San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties informed about global trends while retaining the consciousness of local events and processes. Memberships and Associations: The San Bernardino American Newspaper is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, National Newspaper Association and addociated with California Black Media.