Jan. 5, 2014

Jan. 5, 2014

Poll: Obama World's Most Admired

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Richmond Free Press

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Americans named President Barack Obama and former Secretaryof State Hillary Clinton as the world’s most admired living man and woman in 2013, according to a Gallup poll releasedat the close of the year.

President Obama topped the annual list for the sixth consecutive year, a typical ranking for a sitting U.S. president, the polling organization noted. However, he got fewer votes. The percentage of those surveyed who chose him as the most admired man fell to 16 percent thisyear, down from 30 percent in 2012 — a reflection of the changein his job approval rating.

That public rating dropped during a year marked by a botchedhealth care rollout and his inability to overcome the congressiona lblockade to his legislative initiatives during the first year of his second term. Clinton earned the top spot among most admired women for the 12th consecutive year and 18th time overall, more than any other woman in the poll’s history.

Fifteen percent of Americans surveyed gave the former secretaryof state, U.S. senator and first lady the highest ranking, down from 21 percent who named her as the most admired woman last year, the poll stated.Gallup said its data came from a poll of 1,031 adults inearly December and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Besides President Obama, other men who made the list included former U.S. presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; Pope Francis and the Rev. Billy Graham; actor and director Clint Eastwood; Microsoft Corp. co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

The women who finished behind Mrs. Clinton included media mogul Oprah Winfrey, First Lady Michelle Obama, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and actress Angelina Jolie. Also on the list were Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for demanding education for girls, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.

SCLC Wins Historic Victory In School Name Change from KKK Leader

Nathan Bedford Forrest, a slave trader and the first “grand wizard” of the Klu Klux Klan. (Courtesy Photo)

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Seattle Medium Newspaper

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) has assisted in scoring a major victory against the relics of racism in Jacksonville, Florida as the Duval County School Board last week voted 7 – 0 to change the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School.

The School was named after Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1959 when the United Daughters of the Confederacy successfully lobbied the city of Jacksonville to rename the school in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision which outlawed segregation in schools and public accommodations.

According to community activists in Jacksonville, there have been numerous attempts to change the name of the school over the last fifty year, but those attempts were unsuccessful. This time around organizers argued that the name of the school was “an embarrassment to the city.”

“Because of the many failed attempts there weren’t very many people who were confident that it would happen,” said Opio Sokoni – the local SCLC President in Jacksonville. “We got it done because the city saw that the activists were unified and took high quality actions to educate the public about who this man was.”

“It was very hard for those wanting to keep the name to overcome Forrest’s record of atrocities,” added Sokoni.

According to Sokoni, Nathan B. Forrest amassed his fortunes in the late eighteen hundreds buying, selling and enslaving human beings in Tennessee. He also employed slave catchers that would capture enslaved human beings who were seeking freedom. During the U.S. Civil War, he is best known for being responsible for the worst massacre during that conflict. He was reported as giving the orders to kill over three hundred surrendering, Black Union soldiers, women and children at Fort Pillow. Soldiers who wrote about the affair said that the river ran red for over 200 yards from the blood of the slaughtered.

Last month, the Duval County School Board voted to go through the process to see whether the name would be changed. That process included surveys given to the students, alumni and the surrounding community. There were also several forums where the community could voice their opinion on the issue. Both sides were in attendance and made impassioned arguments for their sides.

The SCLC led an action that pulled together a coalition of organizations which included the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, Change.org, the New Jim Crow Movement, the NAACP and the Florida New Majority- as well as a few individuals. One of those individuals was Omotayo Richmond who placed a petition on Change.org which gained close to two hundred thousand signatures from around the country.

 

Sokoni claims that organizers were able to utilize technology and an old Civil Rights strategy to help tip the scales in their favor.

“Just like the 1960s Birmingham movement, we took children out of school, went to the major streets near the school, and while buses of students passed by we held up signs advertising our position,” said Sokoni. “We caught the morning and evening traffic which also included parents going to work. We then wrote letters to board members and used social media to create the buzz among the students and throughout the city.”

The tally from the surveys showed that two thirds of the students voted in support of the name change. The next step is for the school to vote on a new name and mascot – The school currently goes by the Rebels and incorporates the Confederate flag as part of its mascot.

“This was for the children, said Sokoni. “Now they can lift their heads up high and show their diplomas with pride.”

December 30, 2013

To Be Equal 
Black News Events of 2013: Triumphs and Tragedies

By Marc H. Morial

The shocking aquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

The death of Nelson Mandela.

The U. S. Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act.

50th Anniversary of the March on Washington Aug. 28, 2013.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won.” James Weldon Johnson 

As the sun sets over a tumultuous 2013 and rises over the promise of a brighter new year, we have put together a list of the top 10 events that have particularly affected African-Americans and communities of color over the past 12 months.  Presented in no particular order, this list is a mix of triumphs and tragedies that mark the progress we’ve made, highlight the problems that still plague us, and point the way forward in 2014.  There is no doubt that all of our lives were touched in some way by these headline events of the past year.

1.   Voting Rights/Voter Suppression:  Despite an unprecedented outbreak of voter suppression efforts across the nation and the Supreme Court’s appalling ruling in June that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional, African Americans are going to the polls in record numbers.  In fact, Black voters were decisive in ensuring the second inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20th.  African American voter turnout in the presidential election surpassed white voter turnout for the first time in history.  As voter suppression efforts grow more intense, African Americans must continue the fight where it matters most - at the polls.

2.   George Zimmerman Acquittal:  African Americans and people of goodwill throughout the nation were stunned by the July 13 not-guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old high school student on February 26, 2012.  The killing of Trayvon Martin reminded us of the persistent gap in racial attitudes in America and generated new calls for an end to racial profiling.

3.   March on Washington Anniversary:  2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech.  On August 24th, the National Urban League joined thousands of citizens in a return pilgrimage to the Lincoln Memorial and the new King Memorial to commemorate that historic moment in a march for Economic Power and Justice - and to call for a continuation of the work that remains undone.

4.   Affordable Care Act:  While start-up problems have plagued the roll-out, the new law expands access to affordable health care to more than 30 million people, including 6.8 million African Americans who make up the largest share of the uninsured. This isn't about politics. It's about people.

5.   Stop-and-Frisk/Shop-and-Frisk:  On August 12th, a New York District Court Judge ruled that the New York City police department’s stop-and-frisk program, which disproportionately targets African Americans and Latinos, was unconstitutional. An appeals court subsequently overturned that ruling.  Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has pledged to make changes in the policy - which is practiced in communities across the country - and has appointed a new police commissioner.  African American shoppers in stores across the country have also been unfairly profiled.  The New York State Attorney General has launched an investigation into security practices at a few retailers after at least four customers claimed they were unfairly targeted for police action while shopping in the stores. The National Urban League, National Action Network and other civil rights organizations were instrumental in working with several national retailers on the release of a "Customers' Bill of Rights" aimed at protecting customers from profiling practices.  We will continue to work with the retailers on recommendations towards high standard, best-in-industry store security protocols and cultural sensitivity efforts that can be adopted by retailers across the country.

6.   Government Shutdown/Effects of Sequestration:  The across-the-board “sequestration” budget cuts that went into effect this year slashed funding for Head Start, youth job training, long-term unemployment benefits and other critical human service and safety net programs. With the nation’s highest unemployment rate at 12.5 percent, these cuts fell especially hard on African Americans, who still have double-digit unemployment.  The 17-day Government Shutdown in October also had an out-sized impact on African Americans who make up a large share of the Federal workforce. Thankfully, Congress has taken necessary steps to avoid a repeat in January 2014. However, while "governing by crisis" has ended for now and there is partial relief from sequestration cuts, a major flaw of the budget deal is its failure to include a crucial extension of federal jobless aid where more than 1.3 million workers will immediately lose unemployment benefits - a vital source of income that covers basic family needs.

7.   African American Leaders Convening (AALC)/Release of the 21st Century Agenda for Jobs and Freedom:  On August 23, 2013 at the National Urban League's "Redeem the Dream" Summit during the 50th Anniversary March on Washington celebration, national civil rights leaders joined together - for the first time - for an historic release of a policy agenda addressing five urgent domestic goals for the nation - the 21st Century Agenda for Jobs and Freedom.   It covers critical areas including jobs and the economy, healthcare, education, voting rights and criminal justice system reform.  The document was the result of months of joint meetings convened by me, along with Rev. Al Sharpton/National Action Network; Benjamin Jealous/NAACP; and Melanie Campbell/National Coalition on Black Civic Participation with nearly 60 of America’s leading civil rights, social justice, business and community leaders.

8.   Rise of Economic Inequality:  While the richest one-percent have seen their incomes rise astronomically over the past 20 years, millions of middle class and low-wage workers are falling into poverty and struggling to make ends meet.  This phenomenon worsened in the wake of the recession - and has only widened through the recovery. This growing inequality is not only unjust; it is unstainable for our economy.  This year, Pope Francis, President Obama and a growing number of economists sounded the alarm.

9.   The Death of Nelson Mandela: On December 5th, the world lost one of the greatest champions for freedom, justice and peace ever to walk this Earth.  After 27 years of political imprisonment as a leader in the fight against apartheid, Mandela was released from prison in 1990.  In 1994, he became South Africa’s first democratically elected president.  His leadership was marked by his constant reliance on forgiveness, reconciliation and unity in the building of a new South Africa. His life and legacy will forever inspire the world.

10.   Banner Year for Black Films:  This year was a notable one for Black films ranging from the true event-inspired stories of the  "The Butler," “12 Years a Slave,” “Mandela:  Long Walk to Freedom,”  and “Fruitvale Station” to the highly anticipated “Best Man Holiday” and holiday classic “Black Nativity.”

From the National Urban League family to yours - we wish you a blessed holiday and a Happy New Year.  In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right."

Marc Morial is President/CEO of the National Urban League.

Dec. 30, 2013

Airline Pilots May Get Better Security Than President Obama
 By Hazel Trice Edney

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

Three-inch tip of letter opener inside gift box given to thousands at high security CBCF dinner where President Obama shook hands with hundreds of people. TSA refused to allow it on an airplane.

Letter opener and pen set given at high-security CBCF dinner.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – He described it as a “dagger”. That was the word used by a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supervisor at Reagan National Airport Dec. 6 to describe a six-inch metal letter opener with a razor sharp tip at the end of a three-inch blade.

“This could be used as a dagger,” Supervisor Joshua Hunt told this reporter after he was summoned by TSA Officer Venus Washington. Washington had discovered the knife-like instrument inside a large leather purse as it moved through the x-ray machine at the U. S. Airways terminal.

The agents were doing their jobs to protect airline pilots, other employees and passengers. They gave this reporter a choice to either trash it, check it, or FedEx it to herself. She chose the latter.

The TSA officers were unaware that the U. S. Secret Service had apparently given the same letter opener the green light to be distributed by the thousands in a ballroom where President Barack Obama alongside First Lady Michele Obama shook hundreds of hands, separated from the crowd only by a rope.

That night was Sept. 21 at the 43^rd Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner, where the President was keynote speaker. The letter openers, which were incased in black cardboard boxes alongside matching ink pens and placed in each chair, were gifts to the more than 3,000 dinner guests.

The security was so tight for people going into the gala that the Secret Service even confiscated umbrellas. Yet, as the President and First Lady strode from the stage to the floor and worked the rope line after the speech, hundreds of people leaving the event with the ‘dagger’-like instruments in their possession pressed to shake their hands and take photos. The couple interacted with individuals in the crowd for at least six minutes.

President Obama has spoken at nearly every CBCF Phoenix Awards Dinner since he was elected. The friendly, non-threatening audience receives him warmly at the event which showcases the 43-member Congressional Black Caucus and its honorees.

But, hate experts and those familiar with assassination plots indicate no event should be taken for granted. That’s because ambush - a common strategy for deadly attacks on elected officials – remains a constant threat.

When asked for comment, Mark Potok, a spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), among the nation’s leading trackers of hate crimes, simply pointed to all the failed plans to assassinate Obama. They included an Oct. 2008 plot foiled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which arrested two racist skinheads in Tennessee, who had taken several steps toward a plotted killing spree of 88 African-Americans, culminating with Obama, who was then only the Democratic nominee for president.

SPLC reports the number of hate groups leaped to an all-time high of 1,007 in 2012, coinciding with the presence of a Black President in the White House. That - in part - is why President Obama has been protected by a larger Secret Service security force than any other President. The force has done its job successfully, which is why the loose letter openers seemed rather odd.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin M. Donovan said risks can only be minimized, not totally omitted.

“We’re unable to remove all risks when our protectees go somewhere - any of our protectees - the President, the Vice President or anybody else we protect,” Donovan explained in an interview with the Trice Edney News Wire, Sept. 23, the Monday following the dinner.

Donovan, who was not at the dinner that night but said he has worked presidential security in the past, sought to detail why the letter openers were allowed to be so close to the President and Mrs. Obama.

“I would say presumably these were purchased well in advance of the dinner. So, when our advance agents get there setting up security, they have to make a decision based on what the committee tells us. The host committee would say, ‘Hey we’re giving these out as gifts.’ So, you look and you say ‘Oh my goodness, you’re going to give these out to everybody that’s attending?’” he said. “The decision had to be made, ‘Are we going to ask them not to give them out until after the President leaves or are we going to ask them to give them out as people depart? Or are we going to just let them give them out the way they want to?’ So the decision was made to give it out the way you want to.”

CBCF spokeswoman Shrita D. Sterlin-Hernandez declined comment on the CBCF’s interactions with the Secret Service on the matter of the letter openers. She wrote in an email, “I am not comfortable making comments on behalf of the Secret Service's security protocols. Please direct all of your questions about the security of the President to the Secret Service.”

Donovan said as long as the President and First Lady were accompanied by attentive Secret Service agents as they shook hands with the crowd, any danger was minimized.

“That’s their job to look for anything unusual; to look for anybody that’s acting in a way that’s not appropriate or certainly if someone has taken this out of the box and is brandishing it,” he said.

He compared the letter opener to dinner ware.

“They go into a room to visit people, we don’t remove the furniture although someone could pick up a chair presumably and try to strike them,” he said.  “At that table there were knives and forks on the table, there were glasses on the table. Someone could certainly break a glass and cause a problem for us as well.”

The presence of the razor tipped letter opener so close to the President was initially brought to this reporter’s attention by a photographer who observed what appeared to be extremely high security surrounding the event except when it came to the letter openers. The photographer asked to remain anonymous. But that observation gave rise to this Trice Edney News Wire investigation into how many high security areas that letter opener could enter undetected.

Incased in the same black gift box inside a purse, the letter opener was not flagged as it went through the x-ray machine and bag search at the Secret Service headquarters where the interview with Agent Donovan took place Sept. 23.

On Nov. 6, it went undetected through an x-ray machine and bag search at the U. S. Capitol. Yet, afterwards, when asked whether a letter opener would be allowed inside the Capitol building, U. S. Capitol Police spokesman Shennell Antrobus responded in a Nov. 7 e-mail, “Visitors are strictly prohibited from carrying any pointed object, such as letter openers, knitting needles, etc., into the Capitol and Capitol Visitor Center, at all times.”

Then, on Nov. 20, the letter opener was not flagged as it went through a Secret Service x-ray machine and bag search at the White House. That day, it was taken into an East Room ceremony where President Obama bestowed 16 Presidential Medals of Freedom.

It was finally flagged Dec. 6 at the airport security gate, where Officer Washington took no chances. Her immediate alarm was a sharp contrast from the non chalant response of the Secret Service. “I saw something in here that looked like a letter opener, but it looked rather sharp,” Washington said, removing the purse from the x-ray belt and beginning to search.

Despite the sharpness of the letter opener, it apparently did not violate airport security. The list of “Prohibited Items” on TSA.gov doesn’t even mention letter openers. Washington gave a one-sentence explanation as to why it was not allowed on the plane. “It’s to our discretion, Ma’am,” she said.

As the Secret Service successfully handles hundreds of events a year during which the President and/or First Lady conduct rope line greetings, the loose letter openers indicate all loopholes are not closed.

"A lot of what happens in many instances is determined by what the President wants to do," said U. S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, ranking Democrat and former chair of the Homeland Security Committee. For example, he noted that President Clinton would unexpectedly go to a McDonald's  or greet  people who have gone through no security.  "So, I think those are some of the risks associated with it."

Stressing how Secret Service agents "put their lives on the line every day" to protect the president, Thompson concluded, "I'm confident that the Secret Service does a good job. I know that when I chaired the Committee, [President Obama] had more threats on his life than any other President before him. So we were able to, even before he became President, we got him a security detail there early; and obviously they've done a good job. But, even with that, there are still potential vulnerabilites that a president or any other person with a detail just has to face."