Feb. 7, 2016

Will Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Officials Ever Induct Kool & The Gang?
Band founders react at recent sold-out Maryland Casino performance
By Timothy Cox

 

Robert "Kool" Bell and "DT" Thomas embrace fans immediately following their 90-minute performance at RamsHead Casino Theater. PHOTO: Timothy Cox  
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - More than 4,000 hardcore RnB fans filled the RamsHead Theater at the Maryland Live Casino in suburban Baltimore recently to witness the legendary sounds of Kool & The Gang.

With more than 80-million records sold world-wide, one would casually assume that this successful band that spans six decades would have already been thrust into rock royalty - as members of the illustrious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

But, that's not to be. And, during a post-concert interview with bassist/bandleader Robert Earl "Kool" Bell, he confirmed that the 52-year-old band has yet to achieve Rock HOF status. He also seemed a bit disappointed and even shocked as to why his group has yet to achieve such an honor. 

The group's original drummer, "Funky" George Brown, who also helped found the group in 1964 in their hometown of Jersey City, N.J.,  seems equally unclear and desponded as to why the band has yet to be so honored within Rock HOF ranks.

Last October, the band was honored with its very first Hollywood Walk of Fame Star - an achievement that “Kool” Bell says is a very welcomed and ironic honor. "Afterall, we wrote a song called "Hollywood Swingin' - so, it's sort of appropriate that we would achieve this honor," he said. In 2015, the group was also honored with a Soul Train Legend Award, while being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Along with his brother and tenor saxman, Ronald "Kahalis" Bell, a young "Kool" Bell, along with their parents, Bobby and Mabel Bell, moved from their original hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, to Jersey City, N.J. "I was 10 when we moved from Ohio," Kool confirmed after the Maryland show, while reflecting on a popular inner-city, amusement attraction known as Idora Park, during his “Y-town” childhood. In the early 1960s, the James Brown Revue would perform at the Idora Park Ballroom. Incidentally, as native Ohioans, the Bell brothers are part of an esteemed Ohio RnB fraternity of which several funk bands, musicians and singers have hailed from the Buckeye State --ultimately to become internationally-renown performers - some who are even HOF inductees at the Ohio-based Rock museum.

Such groups include The Ohio Players, The Isley Brothers, The O'Jays, Lakeside, Zapp and Roger Troutman, Bootsy Collins, Phelps “Catfish” Collins, Howard Hewitt (Shalamar), Bobby Womack, the Ingram brothers, James (Quincy Jones) and Philip (DeBarge); Ruby and the Romantics, Phillipe' "Soul" Wynne (Spinners), MidnightStar, Heatwave, Faze-O, Dayton, and New Horizons featuring the Thomas brothers. 

During their 90-minute Casino performance on Jan. 17, the Kool Gang provided a non-stop, 18-song set-list that featured a diverse selection of the plethora of hits that have made them extra Hall of Fame-worthy. Especially significant was "Ladies Night," "Celebration," "Reggae Dancin," "Jungle Boogie," and the syncopated funk-retro tune from their early years, "N.T." Fortunately, the show was booked exactly one-week ahead of Jonas: Blizzard of 2016.

In accessing the Rock HOF's website, the following verbiage acknowledges just how its nominating committee justifies how performers can be inducted into the prestigious hall:

To be eligible for induction as an artist (as a performer, composer, or musician) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the artist must have released a record, in the generally accepted sense of that phrase, at least 25 years prior to the year of induction; and have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence. We shall consider factors such as an artist's musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique, but musical excellence shall be the essential qualification of induction. 

Based on the preceding premise, one would quickly assume that Kool & The Gang easily fits the bill and warrants becoming Rock HOF inductees, considering their existence for six decades - and how much they have influenced several generations of pop, soul, funk and jazz musicians. 

Cecil Willingham, a long-time road manager for the band, noted that the group is "the most sampled band in RnB history" - topping even the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, he said. Willingham also said the group is currently "in talks" with HOF authorities, and that an induction could possibly occur within the upcoming year.

In an online video from 2013, group members visited the HOF facility and following the tour, "Kool" Bell called the experience "beautiful" -- adding that "we got to get up in here. They've got to show us some love."

Feb. 6, 2016

Trump – The Republican Frankenstein
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, III

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “Although Victor Frankenstein claimed to be creating his monster for the betterment of humankind, it's more likely that he did so out of arrogance, or out of a desire to become like God.” Cliff Notes

As of this writing Real Clear Politics has Donald Trump 13.2 points ahead of Sen. Ted Cruz (33.6 vs. 20.4) in the Republican race for the White House.  A number of Conservatives have attacked Trump in the National Review.  Glen Beck –“If Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination, there will once again be no opposition to an ever-expanding government. This is a crisis for conservatism.”  David Boaz – “From a libertarian point of view — and I think serious conservatives and liberals would share this view — Trump’s greatest offenses against American tradition and our founding principles are his nativism and his promise of one-man rule.” Mona Charen – “Put aside for a moment Trump’s countless past departures from conservative principle on defense, racial quotas, abortion, taxes, single-payer health care, and immigration …The man has demonstrated an emotional immaturity bordering on personality disorder, and it ought to disqualify him from being a mayor, to say nothing of a commander-in-chief.”

Who is supporting Trump?  According to Real Clear Politics, “Trump’s supporters are a bit older, less educated and earn less than the average Republican…One half of his voters have a high school education or less…Slightly over a third of his supporters earn less than $50,000 per year, while 11 percent earn over $100,000 per year. Definitely not country club Republicans, but not terribly unusual either.  According to The American Values Survey,  “a majority (55 percent) of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who support Trump are white working-class Americans.”

Trump’s racist, xenophobic rhetoric resonates with his “white working-class supporters” because racism has been a tenet of the “so-called” conservative strategy (“so-called” because racism is not a tenet of true conservatives). Many times it has been the covert sub-text to mainstream Republican dialogue, particularly since the election of President Obama in 2008.  According to The Hill  “…29 percent of Americans and 43 percent of Republicans, believe Obama is a Muslim.”  Other still believe that he was not born in America.  Republican leadership (except for Sen. McCain) did not tell the “Birthers” they were wrong.  Their deafening silence was seen as tacit agreement and became part of the Republican strategy to delegitimize the president.  Historically, the office of the president was more important than the man in the office.  The election of Barak Obama changed all of that.

Proof of this strategy? Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) called President Obama a liar and former House Speaker Gingrich called him a Mau Mau in the White House, "What if (Obama) is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan anticolonial behavior can you begin to piece together (his actions)?”  Gingrich went on to call Obama a conman, “This is a person who is fundamentally out of touch with how the world works, who happened to have played a wonderful con, as a result of which he is now president.”  As members of the Tea Party spat on Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), called Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) an nigger and Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass) a faggot, members of Republican leadership such as McConnell (R-KY), Graham (R-SC) and Cantor (R-VA) did not tell the Tea Party that there’s no place in the American political dialogue for such bigotry and hatred.  Why? Because they did not want to risk alienating those voters.  Even more, race baiting is one of the few tools Republicans have left to retain an ever-dwindling base. Again, their deafening silence was seen as tacit agreement.

Now Donald Trump, a twice divorced, three-time married and four-time bankrupted billionaire and newly proclaimed Christian says very overtly to America that Mexicans are drug dealers, rapists and murdering thieves and Muslims should be banned from the country. The Republican leadership is now aghast. They spent all that time crafting covertly racist language and policies in such a way that they could deny racist motives by their accusers. Now they are left to ponder how has Trump captured the party? It’s simple; Trump is the Frankenstein that Republican’s covert, racist and xenophobic code language has created.

Now Republican leadership is attacking Trump with ads and Op Ed’s like the villagers attacked Frankenstein with pitch forks and torches.  There’s a good reason why Trump’s “I want to make America great again” sounds a lot like Tom Tancredo’s Tea Party chant, “we want our country back”.

Trump is appealing to the white working-class, high-school educated American who feels betrayed.  He/she was sold “The American Dream” and told that their whiteness; their white privilege would carry the day.  More and more of them have come to realize that it’s no longer true and they are angry, very angry.  In his book, White Nationalism Black Interests Dr. Ronald Walters called it the “politics of resentment”.  Whites resent that people of color who they’ve been taught are inferior are, “making a claim to equality with the dominant class to which they are not entitled.”

There is a reason that morbidity and mortality rates in midlife among White Americans are on the rise.  White Americans are killing themselves at alarming rates according to a recent report. “When seen side by side with the mortality increase, declines in self-reported health and mental health, increased reports of pain, and greater difficulties with daily living show increasing distress among whites in midlife after the late 1990s.”  The report concludes, “This increase for whites was largely accounted for by increasing death rates from drug and alcohol poisonings, suicide, and chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis.” Their whiteness is failing them.

Ironically, billionaire Trump is speaking their language. Trump is speaking directly to a growing number of angry and disaffected White Americans who feel betrayed.  The Trumps of the world are watching their assets grow while these disaffected Americans see their wages stagnate and they have been convinced that it’s the fault of African American’s and the “hordes of illegal Mexican immigrants” who are taking their jobs and depressing their wages.

Trump is saying very clearly what many Republicans, ultra-conservatives and neo-cons have been saying with covert language.  He has “jumped their shark”. He’s using a gimmick to attract their interest and beating the Republican establishment at their own game.  He is the Republican/Neo-Con Frankenstein.

Dr. Wilmer Leon is the Producer/ Host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program “Inside the Issues with Leon,” on SiriusXM Satellite radio channel 126. Go to www.wilmerleon.com or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. www.twitter.com/drwleon and Dr. Leon’s Prescription at Facebook.com

© 2016 InfoWave Communications, LLC

Feb. 7, 2016

First Elected Black Governor Says the Black Vote is Clinton's Only Hope to Win Presidency
By Joey Matthews

Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who launched a four-month bid for president in 1992, has a piece of advice for Sen. Hillary Clinton.

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

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder — the nation’s first elected African-American governor and one-time Democratic presidential candidate — issued a cautionary warning to Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton’s campaign prior to a talk and book-signing event at his alma mater, Virginia Union University.

When a Richmond Free Press reporter asked him to assess Mrs. Clinton’s skintight victory over Democratic rival U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses, Wilder said, “I was shocked that it was that close.”

He continued, “I think everyone will see now that the only way Hillary Clinton will get the nomination is with a massive African-American vote,” he added. “Without that, it’s gone.”

The former U.S. secretary of state edged out Sen. Sanders by less than a percentage point in the first leg of the presidential nominating process. Voters then shifted their focus to the next contest — the New Hampshire primary, Feb. 9.

In 2008 and 2012, President Obama’s presidential victories were fueled largely by huge turnouts from African-American voters, where he earned well in excess of 90 percent of the black vote, including in Virginia.

Political pundits also have forecast Clinton will need substantial support from the African-American community if she is to prevail in the primary process or be successful in November’s general election against an as-yet undetermined Republican contender.

Riding the wave of popularity and national publicity, his election as governor brought in November 1989, Wilder announced midway through his four-year term that he was seeking the Democratic nomination for president. His candidacy lasted just under four months, from Sept. 13, 1991, to Jan. 8, 1992, when he announced he didn’t have time to seek the nation’s highest office and effectively run the state.

At the book signing, Wilder said that he is not ready to endorse a candidate for president at this point.

Minutes later, the governor broached the subject of the African-American vote again in his address to about 100 people in the L. Douglas Wilder Library & Learning Resource Center, where he also autographed copies of his new autobiography, “Son of Virginia: A Life in America’s Political Arena.”

When people talk about a candidate’s possibility of being elected president, “you hear, and I hear someone always saying, ‘We’ve just to have the young people’s vote for this to happen. We’ve just to get that millennial vote. We’ve just got to get the women’s vote. Don’t forget the Hispanic vote. We’ve got to have it.’

“Now I want you to raise your hands. How many of you have heard anyone publicly proclaim, ‘We have got to have the African-American vote?’

“And you won’t hear it,” he said. “People say, ‘Well, you know, they take us for granted.’ Well, what do you do about it? When you stand up, you’re not a team player.”

Wilder told the young people in the audience that it was important for them to attain the best education they can.

“When I was growing up, it was not are you going to college, but, where are you going to college?” he said.

“If you have no more than education,” he later added, “you are one step ahead of the person who doesn’t have it.”

In opening remarks, VUU President Claude G. Perkins introduced Wilder — who grew up in Church Hill in the East End section of Richmond, and served in the state Senate, as lieutenant governor and as Richmond’s mayor — as a “man from the East End who has gone to the far ends of the world to carry the message of hope, equality and dignity to mankind.”

Richmond residents and longtime friends LaVerne Cooper and Florence Neal Cooper Smith said they were thrilled they could come to see Wilder at the book signing event.

“We went to Armstrong High School with him from 1943 through 1947 and then went to Virginia Union with him from 1947 through 1951,” Cooper said. “And our husbands were members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity with him and they were all friends. And we still stay in touch with him today,” she added.

“We’re so proud of him,” Smith said. “He’s always been a leader and a go-getter.”

Former Richmond Judge Willard H. Douglas Jr., who sat near the former governor, noted that when he was elected in 1974 by the General Assembly and became the state’s first full-time African-American judge, it was then-Sen. Wilder who had nominated him.

“He helped me and a lot of other people along the way,” the retired judge said. “He has been a great public servant for the state and the nation.”

After his address, about 70 people lined up to have their books signed by Wilder.

Dr. Gerard McShepard, chair of VUU’s Department of Natural Sciences, was first in line.

“We talk about him in one of my classes on African-American perspectives in science,” McShepard said. “He graduated from Virginia Union with a degree in chemistry and we talk about how he used his degree in the STEM field to accomplish all that he has.”

Behind him, Delores Llewellyn, an associate math professor, said, “He’s an inspiration to all of us on what you can become in life with hard work and determination.”

Jamal Ciego, a VUU junior majoring in history and political science, said he wanted to see “in person the first elected African-American governor in the nation, who has done a lot of great things. He’s an inspiration to a lot of people like me.”

Feb. 7, 2016

Behind Flint Water Horror, a Corrosive Cynicism
By Jesse Jackson Sr.