Urban News Features

Gun Worship and Two Sets of Killers

By A. Peter Bailey

A._Peter_Bailey

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - As many people in the nation grieve the cold-blooded murder of 20 little children and six of their teachers in Newtown, Conn., it is obvious that the chickens are coming home to roost in a society that consistently glorifies violence in endless movies, television programs, video games, songs and all kinds of death-dealing guns easily available to everyone, including potential killers. Of course, most people who soak up this glorification don’t become killers; but, enough do so to persist as a major problem in this country.

There are basically two sets of killers who have been produced by this combination of glorifying killing with guns and making them easily accessible. One consists of low-income Black males, mainly in large urban centers, who frequently kill each other for ridiculous reasons: “You bumped me and didn’t say excuse me,” “You dissed me,” “You invaded my turf,” “You messed with my drugs money," "You messed with my woman," “You looked at me the wrong way,” “You got the latest fashionable jacket and I want it.” In most instances of these, it’s not a case of strangers, as, in the majority of such encounters, the victim and the killer have a previous relationship to some degree. This raises the question of how we help low-income Black males to peacefully resolve their social conflicts..

That’s not the question with the second set of killers - middle-income White males, who make up most of the mass murderers. The reasons behind their killings are harder to discern, as they ruthlessly and randomly kill people, including innocent 6 and 7-year-old children.

Occasionally, the collateral damage of Black-on-Black conflict will be accidental killing of a small child; but, I have never heard of one of them deliberately going into a school and mowing down first graders. It’s revealing that in this society, street killings by low-income black males elicit feverish commentary from politicians, journalists, and academicians about “The pathology of Black males,” while commentary on middle-income White mass murderers most often focuses on the pathology of the particular individual. Killings by any Black male is always portrayed as a defect of all Black males; while, killings by White males is described as a personal defect. The concept of “The pathology of White males” apparently is never considered or entertained.

The most significant connection between the two set of killers is that they watch the same violence-glorifying movies. television programs and play with the same gory video games. Some supposedly intelligent people have insisted that these pop culture mainstays really have little, if any, connection to those actions of those young killers. It’s true that most young people who immerse themselves in this kind of “entertainment” don’t end up as murderers. But, previously, these connections affect enough young Black and White males to make them wreakers of havoc` in their communities.

And, if watching many hours of movies, television programs and spending many more hours playing with killing-focused video games have no effect on the minds and actions of increasing numbers of young killers, then one must believe that corporations are wasting their money when they spend billions of dollars for 30-60 second commercials designed to motivate people to purchase their products. We know they are not wasting their money.

These pop culture icons, along with the easy availability of all kind of guns, are a key reason why the chickens are coming home to roost to a gun-worshipping country.

This is Why I'll be Saying 'Merry Christmas'

By Dr. Barbara Reynolds

barbarareynoldsheadshot

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - For me, there is only one reason for this season. It is to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ and the hollow, fake, generic greetings of “Happy Holiday,” instead of “Merry Christmas,” are making me less happy, less merry. They are as irritating as the constant scratching of pigeons who like to camp on my roof and leave their droppings as they depart.

For years various merchants and atheists have done their best to detach Christ from Christmas, first substituting ‘’X-mas for Christmas and now the greeting of “Happy Holiday.” For example, Rhode Island recently held a “holiday tree” lightning . I am told that federal and state employers are being reminded not to give a “Merry Christmas” greeting because other faiths might find it offensive. Christmas Carols, such as “Silent Night and “Joy to the world” are disappearing from shopping malls and other public places.

I earnestly respect the religions of others, such as Hanukkah, Buddhism and Islam. Like Christianity, most religions have at the core the virtues of love, peace and helping the less fortunate even if the practice is different from the preaching. I am upset about the push-back of celebrating the birth of Jesus, who Christians worship as our only Risen Savior on this earth from here throughout eternity. To the 2.2 billion Christians in the world, Jesus remains our Greatest Gift of all.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of American Adults prefer Merry Christmas. Just 23 percent like Happy Holidays instead. So what is with this constant undermining of faith? Is it malicious or is it political correctness run amuck?

If the object is to be inclusive, that is the wrong goal. Christmas on December 25 is a federal holiday designated by Congress for a specific divine person—Jesus of Nazareth. And despite how it is observed it is not Santa Claus Day either.

“How many of us on our birthday would appreciate a generic greeting card meant for just anybody?” asks Rev. Louise Battle, a Pentecostal minister in the district. “Our cards have our name on them. Why do people think Christ should just be snatched out of Christmas?

Hi-jacking Christ from Christmas has deeper meanings, I believe. Min. Wendy Carter, a district minister thinks: “It is not just the greeting and what we hear or say. I believe bottom line the spirit of Christmas is missing.”

This spirit of valuing something sacred, even miraculous in our culture, which certainly should be paramount during Christmas, began rapidly declining after June 25 1967 when the Supreme Court banned prayer from the nation’s schools. Serious consequences resulted from our pushing God out of the public lives of our children.

As a child in the 1950s growing up in Columbus, Ohio, we prayed before each class. But when prayer and spiritual values went out the classroom a moral decline accelerated. Drugs, metal detectors, police and guns came in. Today with school shootings, such as Sandy Hook overwhelming us, how can we not at least question the secularization of our culture?

As the nation became more secular, certain spiritual values of back in the day were tossed out the window. Too often money or materialism became our god, what we worshipped. Violent movies, video games, television shows overshadowed the Sunday school lessons of the Good Samaritan. Over the years we suffered a moral meltdown, from which we have yet to emerge.

Back in the day, there was a better blend of the spiritual and the secular. Yes, we waited in joyous anticipation for Santa Claus, but our parents also took us to church, where we gave thanks for our parents, our homes and even for the gifts. Santa may have brought the gifts, but somehow we understood Christ helped our parents pay the bills.

Back in the day, gifts were simple and did not seem as important as the family with which we shared them. I remember receiving jacks and a ball for Christmas and skates; perhaps $30 covered all the gifts. Recently I asked a young relative what he wanted for Christmas and he told me an IPAD and tennis shoes each costing more than $100. He is not getting that from me, even if I could afford them.

Too often Christmas has turned into a series of Black Fridays with stores full of shoving cash-strapped adults overcharging and overspending to keep up with the Joneses. The emphasis on extravagant giving to satisfy the wants or “demands” of spoiled children does not give parents what we really want. The children get spontaneous, momentary bliss, when they really need the inner gifts of peace, love and purpose that can come from spiritual blessing.

Continue to take Jesus Christ out of Christmas and we lose the very lessons our culture needs. Christ was born in a stable surrounded by the smell of sheep since the shopkeepers did not make room for him in their inns. His birth tells us that greatness is not measured by status nor wealth but by divine purpose and that no matter how lowly our lives begin they can still have a miraculous ending.

What better time to share these miracle stories and scene of joy, love and new birth than Christmas. That is why I will be saying Merry Christmas and not “Happy Holiday,” everywhere I go.

Anti-Gun Momentum Builds in Massacre’s Wake

By Zenitha Prince

Courtesy Photo

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - On Dec. 17, Newtown, Conn., began to bury its dead.

There was Noah Pozner, an avid reader and taco enthusiast, who loved the dish so much that he had talked about becoming a manager in a taco factory to forever satisfy his craving and Jack Pinto, a devoted New York Giants fan and a whirling dervish of a boy, who bounced from one activity to another.

A somber sky mantled the anguished town as it buried the children in the first of many planned funerals following the Dec. 14 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

“There is a sense of shock and vulnerability...and outrage,” said Dr. Gerald Sheiner, a psychiatrist with the Detroit Medical Center and a professor at Wayne State University, of the town’s reaction to the killings.

And it’s a reaction that rippled through the nation—and across continents—as the rest of the globe joined Newtown in mourning.

“I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation,” President Obama said at an interfaith prayer vigil in Newtown on Dec. 16. “I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you’re not alone in your grief; that our world, too, has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you, we’ve pulled our children tight.”

In Washington, D.C., the Sandy Hook slaughter has reignited the gun control debate, with a growing clamor of mostly-Democratic voices calling for policies that limit the easy access to certain weapons.

According to Connecticut law enforcement, the gunman, Adam Lanza, a 20-year-old mentally disabled man, shot and killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at their home, and armed with an arsenal of guns, including a Bushmaster .223 semiautomatic carbine, a shotgun, and two semi-automatic pistols, visited a bloodbath on the school, killing 20 children and several employees. The coroner told reporters that all the victims’ bodies were riddled with bullets.

Some lawmakers question why an average American would need such firepower.

“Weapons of war don’t belong on our streets or in our theaters, shopping malls and, most of all, our schools,” stated Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) who said she plans to introduce a bill on the first day of 113th Congress to ban the sale, the transfer, the importation, and the possession of automatic weapons, as well as big clips, drums, or strips of more than 10 bullets.

“I hope and trust that in the next session of Congress there will be sustained and thoughtful debate about America’s gun culture and our responsibility to prevent more loss of life.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) also said he wants to introduce a ban on high-capacity magazines.

“Americans are sick and tired of these attacks on our children and neighbors and they are sick and tired of nothing being done in Washington to stop the bloodshed,” he said in a statement. “If we do not take action to address gun violence, shooting tragedies like this will continue.”

Pro-gun Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, and some conservatives signaled shifting opinions about gun regulation in the wake of the slayings.

However, Capitol Hill Republicans and other gun rights activists have mostly remained silent. The single GOP voice in the resurrected gun control debate has been right-wing Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-Texas) who suggested that more—not less—access to guns could have prevented the Sandy Hook carnage.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday on Dec. 16, he said, “I wish to God the (principal) had had an M-4 in her office, locked up so when she heard gunfire, she pulls it out and she didn’t have to lunge heroically with nothing in her hands, but she takes him out, takes his head off before he can kill those precious kids.”

Gohmert argued that states with stringent gun laws have the most violence—a fact disputed by the California-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in a study that concluded that seven of the 10 states with the strongest gun laws are among the jurisdictions with the lowest crime rates.

Gun control advocates seem positive that substantive changes will be made. Though an ABC News/Washington Post poll taken after the Newtown murders showed that 54 percent of Americans favor stricter gun control in general, 52 percent favor banning semi-automatic handguns and 59 percent support banning clips that carry more than 10 bullets, which is consistent with public opinion in recent years, a pro-gun control petition submitted Dec. 14 on the White House’s “We the People” online platform amassed almost 175,000 signatures in four days.

And, the NRA, the nation’s powerful gun lobby, didn’t speak until Dec. 18 when it issued a statement expressing dismay at the carnage. In the wake of the killings, its Facebook page disappeared and its Twitter chatter halted.

Meanwhile, the funerals continue.

Aspirations: Purposeful Giving

By Michelle Thornhill

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - We’ve all heard the adage, “the more you give, the more you receive.” I believe that most people are willing to give, but uncertain about how to make the most meaningful contributions. It’s perfectly fine to give as opportunities arise. However, being proactive about charitable giving allows you to deliberate about how you “invest.” That’s right, charitable giving is an investment and should be treated with as much forethought as any other investment.

Although my family has always made charitable contributions, I’ve spent the last few years developing a specific giving strategy for us. Here are the things I considered:

Identify a cause
In deciding where to invest, I began by identifying areas where my family is most passionate. Having school-age children, my husband and I are particularly passionate about education. Our goal is to ensure that we prepare our sons academically to compete in a global society. Beyond this, it is also our desire to help as many students as possible achieve success, particularly disadvantaged students.

Whatever your passion, always consider ways to align your charitable efforts with a relative cause/organization.

Decide what you’ll invest
After you identify what you’re passionate about, give careful thought to what you will invest – time, talent or treasures. When we think of charitable giving, we typically focus on treasures (or money). Thinking more broadly allows you the opportunity to contribute in a way that works best for you, even when you may not have the financial resources.
Are you really good at doing something, or are you professionally trained? Perform services for an organization that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

Select an organization
Once you’ve decided how you will invest and a cause you want to help, determine where you will invest. Whether volunteering or providing financial resources, nonprofits rely on individual contributions. However, stretching yourself too thin by contributing to multiple organizations might not be as valuable as focusing on one or two to concentrate on. Again, you want to make sure the organization supports a cause that is important to you. For instance, given my passion around education, I decided to search for a local organization that advocates for success in education. I now serve on its board of directors, where I can dedicate my time in a meaningful way.

Research your charity
Giving in any form is a commitment, which is why it’s important to know whether the organization you choose is registered and reputable. Several sources evaluate charities and compile findings in an online database of registered organizations (see references below). If you’re unable to find a specific charity using these resources, contact the organization directly to request documentation, including: 501(c) (3) status; IRS Form 990; or its most recent annual report. For local organizations, or national organizations with regional offices, you can also contact your state government for verification.

Better Business Bureau -Wise Giving Alliance
http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/

Charity Watch (formerly known as American Institute of Philanthropy - AIP)
http://www.charitywatch.org/index.html

As you begin to set goals for 2013, make sure creating a giving strategy is on your list.

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The accuracy and completeness of this information is not guaranteed and is subject to change. Since each individual’s financial situation is unique, you need to review your financial objectives to determine which approaches might work best for you.

African-American Teen Aces SAT

Perfect Score Puts Cameron Clarke in Elite Group of 360 U.S. Students

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspapers

Cameron Clarke PHOTO: Courtesy/Facebook

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Cameron Clarke, an African-American teen from Philadelphia, attained a perfect score on this year’s Scholastic Aptitude Test, joining an elite group of 360 U.S. students.

More than 1.66 million pupils took the college preparatory test in the spring of 2011, but Clarke, a Germantown Academy senior, was among the few to score a perfect 2,400. His target college: Princeton University.

It was an achievement that the teenager, in his humility, didn’t want to “brag or boast” about, said his father, Peter Clarke, in an interview with BlackAmericaWeb.com.

“He really didn’t want anyone to know about his score, so he didn’t tell anyone at Germantown Academy about it when he got the result in June,” said the elder Clarke, manager of the The Jamaican Reef Restaurant and Lounge in South Philadelphia’s upscale Penn’s Landing neighborhood.

Clarke’s extraordinary feat began receiving public attention after Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Jenice Armstrong heard about it “through happenstance,” his father said, and published the news in her column.

“He is the one who set all this in motion,” said the elder Clarke of his child’s accomplishment. And, the gratified parent said he told his son, “I am very proud of you, but I am also very happy for you, because you did this on your own.”

In an interview with the Inquirer’s Armstrong, the 18-year-old scholar said his perfect score required hard work and perseverance. This was the second time Clarke took the test—the first time he scored 2,190, which is better than 98.5 percent of all test-takers. However, the high-schooler knew it did not reflect his full potential.

"I put in a lot of work," Clarke said. "I took a prep class with some of my friends, and I did a lot of practice tests from a book.

"But that only prepares you so much," he added. "The difference between getting, like, a 2,400 and a couple of points lower is just focus.

"You can screw up or mess up on the smallest of things. And I just feel like on that particular day, I was focused and I got kind of lucky, I guess, that I didn't make any mistakes."

But Clarke had also shown extraordinary ability from an early age. His parents, Mary Jones, a Spanish teacher at Father Judge High School, and his father, the restaurant manager, took him for an IQ test at age 4. He scored a 151

And he distinguished himself during his time at Germantown Academy, which he attended since pre-school. Clarke is first cellist in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, is also a member of Germantown Academy’s Math Club, a math tutor, writes for the school newspaper and a member of the school’s cross country team.

Young Clarke is “an extraordinary young man who represents all the best things of his generation,” said Richard Schellhas, the headmaster of Germantown Academy’s Upper School, in an interview with BlackAmericaWeb. “He is smart, funny and a true Renaissance man in the breadth of his talent.”

This year’s SAT saw the largest class of test-takers in history, according to officials, and also the most diverse. Forty-five percent of test-takers were minority students (up from 44 percent in the class of 2011 and 38 percent in the class of 2008).