Oct. 5, 2014

Muhammad Ali, a Hero of Our Time
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Muhammad Ali Center has awarded football great and courageous civil rights advocate Jim Brown and Bill Russell its Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award. But the real celebration was for Muhammad Ali himself, a giant now weakened by his three decade struggle with Parkinson’s.

Ali was a champion in the ring. “I am the greatest,” he said, and he was telling the truth. He won his first heavyweight championship at the age of 22, a massive underdog against reigning champion Sonny Liston. He said he would “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” and so he did.

And later, as age diminished his speed, he showed a remarkable capacity to take a punch, even inventing what was called the “rope-a-dope” strategy against George Foreman. He is recognized as the greatest fighter of his generation, and along with Joe Louis, of all time.

But Ali was more than a remarkable champion in the ring; he became a hero outside the ring. He stood up to assert his rights, and used his prominence to fight for religious freedom and racial justice. He stood on principle against the fury of the crowd — and sacrificed enormously for his beliefs.

After defeating Liston, Ali announced his conversion to Islam, joining the Nation of Islam. In 1967, he refused a draft order to join the military in Vietnam, claiming conscientious objector status. He stated that “War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. We don’t take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers.” More succinctly he remarked that, “No Vietcong ever called me nigger...Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?”

This stance generated public venom, and official prosecution and conviction for draft avoidance. Ali was stripped of his title, his license to fight and his passport. In the prime of his athletic life, he went nearly four years without being able to fight. It is hard to imagine a more costly sacrifice for a world champion. Ali responded not by getting bitter but by getting bigger. He spoke at colleges against the war and for African-American pride and for racial justice.

His courage inspired millions, including Dr. Martin Luther King. Before King delivered his historic Riverside Church address against the war, Ali and Jim Brown visited with Dr. King. He returned to the ring in Georgia in 1970, with the assistance of State Sen. LeRoy Johnson, the lone African-American in the Georgia State House. I was there that evening and had prayer with Ali — what a night. He was victorious on a third round knockout over Jerry Quarry. Later, in 1971, when Ali’s conviction was overturned by a unanimous Supreme Court, he avenged a title match loss to Joe Frazier — he fought three of the greatest fights ever with Joe Frazier.

Three years later, against the odds, in “the Rumble in the Jungle,” against George Foreman in Kinshasha, Zaire, at the age of 32, he won back his title. By the time the fight was over, Ali was not simply a champion, but a HERO — known across the world. Ali kept growing and living his beliefs. He helped deliver food to millions in Africa. He brought needed medical supplies to embargoed Cuba. In the first Gulf War, he traveled to Iraq, met with its dictator Saddam Hussein, and worked to free 15 U.S. hostages. He did much of this even as he struggled with an increasingly debilitating Parkinson’s disease. Now Ali, once reviled, is hailed across the world. He was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and Sports Personality of the Century by the British BBC.

President George W. Bush presented him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of this nation’s highest awards. The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville carries on his work for peace, social responsibility, respect and personal growth. Giants have big heart and immense courage. Champions show this on the field or in the ring. Heroes demonstrate this in the political and social life of their time. Athletic champions ride on the shoulders of others. Heroes provide the shoulders that others can ride on. Muhammad Ali is surely a transformative hero of our time. 

 Oct. 5, 2014

The Secret Service: Friend or Foe?
 By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

(TriceEdneyWiire.com) - I doubt that anyone old enough to remember the events of November 22, 1963, will ever forget them.  On that afternoon, President John Kennedy was assassinated. Images that seared in the minds of those who witnessed it were the courageous actions of Secret Service Agent Clint Hill as he chased the limousine of the stricken President and jumped on the bumper, then crawled across the trunk of the car to shield the President and First Lady with his body.

It’s doubtful you could find any American who didn’t believe the Secret Service Presidential Protection Division would take any action, including "take a bullet," to protect the President, his family or entourage. That day, they were "heroes" to all Americans and no wrong could be found in their actions.

September 5, 1975, in Sacramento, California, President Gerald Ford survived the first of two attempts on his life.  Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of the infamous Charles Manson Family, approached President Ford and aimed a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol at him.  Before she was able to fire a shot, she was tackled by Secret Service Agents and wrestled to the ground.  Once again, Secret Service Agents acted with courage, without concern for their personal safety, averting another disaster.

On March 30, 1981 President Ronald Reagan, and three others, fell victim to shots as they were leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel.  In response to the gunfire of John Hinckley, Agent Jerry Parr pushed President Reagan into his limousine, while Agent Tim McCarthy was struck in his abdomen by a bullet as he threw himself over the President to protect him.  In the years since this attempt, analysts have critiqued the performance of the Secret Service.  While some find fault in some decisions of the Secret Service, most critics credit the two agents’ quick response with saving the life the President. Although a bullet ricocheted off the limousine into Reagan's chest, Agent McCarthy's act of self-sacrifice most certainly prevented the President's death.

Given these past acts and its storied history of selfless service to the Office of the President, one has to seriously question the character and competence of the current Presidential Protection Division.

With the exception of those who harbor extreme enmity towards President Obama, we were shocked and appalled by the Secret Service sex scandal in Columbia. We understood the behavior attributed to the President's protective detail to be a violation of their oath and the trust placed in them by the President and the Nation.

Although the Agents’ behavior there was a serious breach of standards, their failure at the funeral of President Nelson Mandela in South Africa foretold of their increasing ineptitude.  When one is familiar with the attention to detail that is required for Presidential security, it’s impossible to understand how a phony sign-language interpreter could be allowed to stand within feet of the President.

These acts were egregious. Then we learned that an intruder jumped the White House fence and just walked inside.  Next, we heard shots were fired at the White House, resulting in structural damage.

Thinking things could get no worse, we learned a man with a criminal record and a gun, shared an elevator with President Obama!

A Richard Pryor comedy skit suggested mortal threat to the first Black President. It was easy to laugh then, but when faced with the serious failures of those entrusted to protect the real first Black President, that skit isn’t funny at all.

I wonder about the value placed on the President's life by his protective detail. Sadly it appears to be the same one placed by his detractors in the extreme right who whip up hate for the President daily. This foolishness must stop lest we lose credibility around the world.

(Dr. Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.  www.nationalcongressbw.org)

Oct. 5, 2014

Voter Suppression - 2014
By Julianne Malveaux

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked an appeals court ruling that would have restored seven days of voting in Ohio.  In just three sentences, the court reduced voting access to tens of thousands of Ohioans, in yet another effort to suppress the vote.  In North Carolina, the Appeals Court granted an injunction to restore same day registration and out of precinct voting.  It didn’t strike down early voting restrictions because of time constraints, but they did acknowledge that reducing early voting is a way to suppress the vote.  If the North Carolina case goes before the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court is likely to lift the injunction in North Carolina, again making voting more difficult.

When the Voting Rights Act was attacked, too many tuned out and turned off from the details, although leaders like Barbara Arnwine of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law warned that we would begin to feel the effects of this legal setback with various forms of voter suppression.  The Lawyers Committee developed a “map of shame” to show the many states that had curtailed ballot access.  Either more ID has been required, the days and times of voting have been changed, the number of polling places has been reduced, or other barriers have been introduced to curtail voter access.  Those who would suppress the vote in 2014 have put those who advocate ballot fairness on notice.  2014 is the first step toward a suppressed or stolen 2016 election.

The stakes are high, both now and in 2016.  Presently, Democrats hold the Senate, and provide at least some help to President Obama on issues of political and economic fairness.  It is very possible that Republicans will take the Senate; it is a foregone conclusion if people don’t vote this year.  Republicans now hold the House of Representatives; their presence is the House is likely to increase without a strong vote on November 4 (and in the weeks before, with early voting).

President Obama’s effectiveness has been weakened by the Boehner Congress that has thwarted the him at every turn.   Although these last two years of the Obama Presidency are lame duck years where little is likely to get done, the duck will be not lame, but paralyzed, if the Republicans hold both the House and the Senate.  President Obama’s only powers, then, will be the Executive Order and the veto.  It is unlikely that the minimum wage will be adjusted upward, or that other economic fairness matters will be addressed if Congress is a Republican stronghold.

Lots of pro-democracy organizations are working to get out the vote for the 2014 elections, with local and state office as important as federal office.  Secretaries of state, for example, are the chief elections officers for their state.  As such, they have significant power around the mechanics of voting.  They can decide to open more polling places, to have more (or fewer) voting machines available, and to manage the details of voter registration.  In Ohio, where a week of early voting has now been eliminated, Nina Turner, a charismatic African American state legislator with her efforts clearly focused on justice, is a candidate for Secretary of State.  Her election would be an antidote to voter suppression efforts in Ohio, and an inspiration for those who cherish election fairness.  Imagine how different voting conditions would be if in states like North Carolina, Florida, and other “stars” on the Map of Shame had progressive Secretaries of State!

Voter suppression is not new.  We’ve seen grandfather clauses, poll taxes, and literacy tests as historical barriers to the vote.  Now, we see a reduction in voter flexibility, with more ID requirements, fewer early voting days, and stricter rules about voter registration.  Still, those who would suppress the vote can do so only if we allow it by failing to vote.  There are too many important elections to be decided, like Nina Turner’s in Ohio, for voters to stay home.

_______________________________________________________________________Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author based in Washington, DC.

Sept. 29, 2014

Holder Resignation Catches Civil Rights Leaders Off Guard
Sudden Announcement Causes Need to Regroup

By Hazel Trice Edney

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – When the news broke that Attorney General Eric Holder had decided to resign from his seat after six years, civil rights leaders were in the middle of a press conference Sept. 25 alongside the parents of Ferguson police shooting victim Michael Brown and the mother of Staton Island police choking victim Eric Garner.

At the beginning of that one-hour press conference, the civil rights leaders all praised Holder and expressed high expectations of his participation in the fight against the “pandemic of police misconduct,” as described by NAACP President/CEO Cornell William Brooks. But, as text messages of the resignation began circulating among reporters and civil rights leaders at the National Press Club, it became clear that they had no clue whether Holder would even be there long enough to carry out their requests.

“I would hope that if the report is true, that the attorney general intervenes and looks directly into what we have said today about the Justice Department taking the criminal investigation of the killing of Michael Brown and the killing of Eric Garner,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton upon receiving the news. “I might add that Attorney General Eric Holder, who we all know, there is no attorney general that has  demonstrated a civil rights record equal to Eric Holder,” he said to applause.

Hours later, the news was confirmed as President Obama stood by Holder, the nation’s first Black attorney general, to publicly announce that he would be leaving as soon as his successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the U. S. Senate.

Calling the moment “bittersweet”, Obama lauded Holder for agreeing to stay until his successor is in place although he had said publicly that he was ready to leave at the beginning of Obama’s second term.

“So all told, Eric has served at the Justice Department under six Presidents of both parties,” Obama said, “including a several-day stint as acting Attorney General at the start of George W. Bush’s first term.  And through it all, he’s shown a deep and abiding fidelity to one of our most cherished ideals as a people, and that is equal justice under the law.”

Standing by the President, Holder said, “I come to this moment with very mixed emotions:  proud of what the men and women of the Department of Justice have accomplished over the last six years, and at the same time, very sad that I will not be a formal part - a formal part - of the great things that this Department and this President will accomplish over the next two.”

Although his formal public service is coming to an end, he hinted that he will continue to fight for civil rights in other venues.

“In the months ahead, I will leave the Department of Justice, but I will never - I will never - leave the work. I will continue to serve and try to find ways to make our nation even more true to its founding ideals,” he said.

Though Holder has received high praises from civil rights leaders for his commitment, they now have a litany of requests of his office that remain outstanding.

“In short, in recent weeks and months, confidence around the concept of justice for all in our nation has plunged to the lowest levels we’ve seen in a generation,” said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League giving the reason for the press conference.

Morial recounted the past two months of police killings of unarmed citizens.  He described July 17 when 43-year-old unarmed Eric Garner of Staton Island, N.Y., an asthmatic father of six, was confronted by plain-clothed police officer Daniel Pantaleo who ultimately put Garner into a chokehold, which killed him as he gasped for breath and repeatedly pleaded, “I can’t breathe.”

He then recounted the Aug. 5 death of 22-year-old John Crawford in Beaver Creek, Ohio, shot and killed by officers inside a Walmart store as he carried a BB gun that he had picked up from a store shelf. The officers were not indicted.

Then he described Aug. 9 when 18-year-old unarmed Michael Brown was shot six times and killed by Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson while Brown was running away; then turning around and kneeling with raised hands.

“Today, we come to demand justice, we come to demand fairness, and we come to demand a full and complete investigation by the United States Department of Justice into Michael Brown’s death and Eric Garner’s murders,” Morial said. “And very importantly, we come collectively unified as civil rights social justice and concerned men and women to stand with these families who’ve lost loved ones.”

Brooks, Sharpton, Morial, Black Women’s Roundtable Convenor Melanie Campbell; ACLU Washington Director Laura Murphy and Michael Brown’s family attorney Benjamin Crump, among the parents of Brown and Garner, stood before cameras listing plans of action which required Justice Department involvement, including the Brown and Garner investigations, which have already begun. The question is whether Holder will be able to finish the work that he has started and whether his successor will be as dedicated.

With his pending departure, some say civil rights leaders must now change their strategies.

“What I feel is that a tremendous burden just shifted to us and we lost a significant ally in the sense that Eric wasn’t just performing the role of attorney general. He took a leadership role. I think that we’re going to have to have some serious internal discussions. We’ve really got to regroup,” said Barbara Arnwine, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She praised Holder’s work against voter suppression.

“We can’t do business as usual. We’ve got to find some new styles,” Arnwine said. “We’ve got to really, seriously figure out how to use our best resources.”

The next attorney general will also have a much shorter time to do the work that Holder had as the Obama presidential term ends in two years.

Harvard Law School professor Charles Ogletree agrees the next attorney general must have unique qualities.

“It will be difficult if not impossible to replace him, but it must be done,” Ogletree says. “The next Attorney General will have to establish a relationship with the African-American community and let people know that he is tough on crime but a firm believer in racial justice. Holder's successor will have to be committed to service and spent many hours in visiting members of the community, as Holder has done, rather than simply punishing those charged with crimes.”

Meanwhile, civil rights leaders will likely strategize.

“We are going to have to really, seriously regroup,” says Arnwine. “You can be assured that there will be tremendous internal dialog going on in the civil rights community about next steps.”

Morial concludes, “We will not quit and we will not rest. We will continue to fight.”