Oct. 27, 2014

Black Leaders Skeptical of GOP’s Black Outreach Campaigns
By Zenitha Prince

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

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Black leaders and political analysts range from cautiously optimistic to downright skeptical of the Republican Party’s renewed campaign to reach African-American and other sidelined communities. The outreach arose out of the Republican National Committee’s Growth and Opportunity Project, a plan to reform the GOP after the stinging political losses of the 2012 election.

“Our efforts at the Republican Party to engage the Black community are sincere and we’re making a committed effort because people are hurting—regardless of color, but especially African Americans—as a result of the president’s (Barack Obama’s) policies and we have solutions to those problems,” said Orlando Watson, the RNC’s communications director for Black media. As part of their campaign, Watson pointed to their recognition of Black Republican trailblazers and Black military veterans during Black History Month and visits to HBCUs, Black churches and other meeting places and media-based efforts to familiarize African Americans with the party and its ideals.

“We have to talk to people we have not always talked to or listened to in the past,” he told the AFRO, acknowledging the GOP’s alienation of the African-American community. “It is on us to make up that ground, not only because the success of our party depends on it, but also the success of our country.” Some are dubious of the Republican Party’s latest promise to increase its inclusivity, however, saying it has become a tired refrain. “I’ve been watching the Republican Party talking about this for a long, long time,” said David Bositis, a longtime expert on Black voters and politics.

“I think it’s PR….There’s nothing there.” Some local leaders say they have not seen or heard about any outreach efforts in their area, which makes them question the veracity of the GOP’s stated goals. “I don’t think it’s real; I think they have written Maryland off,” said the Rev. Alvin Hathaway, senior pastor, Union Baptist Church in Baltimore. The well-known minister added, “I would think that in Baltimore – particularly when you think of the conditions of African Americans in the city – they would make a concentrated effort to offer a different option…[and] to recruit qualified Black Republican candidates.”

The Rev. Grayland Hagler, senior pastor, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C., mirrored that complaint. “I haven’t seen any outreach at all,” he said. “They reach out to those who share their conservative, reactionary views. They would have no problem if they had hundreds of thousands of Clarence Thomases or Condoleeza Rices but they would have a problem with other Blacks.” Watson conceded that the RNC’s campaign has a lot of uncovered territory but said their commitment is firm. “Our presence is growing—we have not reached the end goal yet, but we’re working to get there,” he said.

Still, Black leaders and political experts said their concerns about the GOP’s outreach efforts go deeper. “The party has no real outreach agenda because it does not want to change or evolve [and] they have allowed themselves to be hijacked even further to the right,” Hagler said. “Words are words. The reality is if you’re going to become diverse you can’t operate out of a racist paradigm.” Bositis added, “They want to still be the party of White Southern populists and want African Americans to come along and support the policies of the same people who used to lynch African Americans.”

Hilary Shelton, the NAACP’s senior vice president of advocacy and policy and director of its Washington bureau, said Republicans’ attempt to make inroads in the Black community will require more than words. “It’s a great idea that they are outreaching but it will have to come with changes to their policies because that is what people are more concerned about,” he said. For example, Blacks are severely underrepresented as delegates to RNC conventions, which is reflected in the resulting agenda.

“If you don’t have African Americans at the table then the policies don’t reflect the real needs and concerns of the African-American community,” he said. Shelton expressed some optimism, pointing to Republican advocacy on issues such as Wisconsin Republican Jim Sensenbrenner’s push to renew the Voting Rights Act, Kentucky Republican Rand Paul’s outspokenness on re-enfranchisement of ex-felons and poverty and more. “We are really happy to see that in some small quarters there is leadership on issues important to the Black community,” Shelton said.

“We have a few and that’s more than we had last year.” Bositis, however, was unimpressed and said most African Americans are similarly unconvinced by the GOP’s outreach. “They think African Americans are stupid. But I have news for you—they’re not,” Bositis said. “The vast majority [of African-American voters] think it is a joke.” 

Oct. 21, 2014

Killer Of Michael Brown Claims He 'Feared For His Life,' A Common Defense in Deadly Cop Shootings

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from BlackManStreet.Today

(TriceEdneywire.com) - Ferguson, Mo., cop Darren Wilson, who shot to death 18-year-old Michael Brown (pictured) on August 9, has told investigators that he 'feared for his life,' a common defense used by police officers in deadly shootings involving African-American men. Pro Publica, the Pulitzer-prize winning online newspaper, reported that wording was ruled legitimate in a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Tennessee vs. Garner.

The 6-3 ruling in the case said cops could justify the use of deadly force if they feared for their lives. However, several eyewitnesses have said that the unarmed Brown was fleeing from Wilson with his hands up when he was shot, which would have negated the use of deadly force.
There were 1,217 deadly shootings by police from 2010 to 2012 and blacks, 15 to 19, were killed at the rate of 31.17 per million while just 1.47 per million white males in that age range died at the hands of police, according to Pro Publica.
From 2005 to 2009, the "officer under attack" defense was cited in 62 percent of police killings, compared to 33 percent of police deadly shootings from 1980 to 1984, Pro Publica reported.

Oct. 21, 2014

Some Black Voters Still Focused on "Bread and Butter" Issues

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Despite outrage over killings by police, concern about Ebola, and U. S. troops now fighting ISIS in the Middle East, it appears that so-called “bread and butter issues” – the economy, education and jobs – are still very much on the minds of voters heading to the polls across the nation through Nov. 4.

“I think the inequality in the way the wealth in this country and even in my city is dispersed is an outrage,” says Charlotte Marcoulis, 20, a college student planning to vote in Los Angeles. “More and more people suffer and nothing is done…I feel that all we have is each other in the big schemes of things so I think it’s in our best interest to support and lift one another up.”

Even new voters will be headed to the polls with finances on their minds. "Anything related to reducing the wealth gap!" agrees Jalen Price, 18, of St. Louis.

It was a suburb of St. Louis - Ferguson, Mo. -  where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson Aug. 9. The shooting of the unarmed teenager – allegedly with his hands up - resulted in outrage across the country. The Rev. Al Sharpton, president/CEO of the National Action Network, has been traveling the country on what he calls a “Hands Up Voter Drive”. He is calling on “African-Americans to vote on Nov. 4th in the name of Michael Brown and Eric Garner”, another unarmed man who died after a police chokehold in Staten Island, N. Y. on July 17.

Sharpton is among other groups and civil rights leaders who are also encouraging African-Americans to vote. Mid-term elections, in comparison to presidential elections, usually draw a much lower voter turnout.

Because of this, a new group called the Power Check Coalition has hooked up with comedian Sommore to promote a “check your power” campaign through a new national non-partisan network of leaders and organizations. The network is focused on "tapping the power of social media to engage infrequent voters", says a statement released last week. Sommore was scheduled to hold an event Saturday, Oct. 25, in Harrisburg, Pa., attempting to rev up excitement about voting.  

Typically, voters will go to the polls when there are issues that they believe they can impact. The NAACP, which compiles an annual report card for members of Congress, scores Republicans and Democrats based on their votes for or against what the civil rights organization calls "bread and butter" issues. These are issues like jobs, quality health care, civil rights, and affordable education, which disparately affect African-Americans.

There has been much focus on the deadly Ebola virus that has killed more than 4,400 in West Africa and one in the U. S. Americans have also been concerned with more troops being sent into Iraq in order to fight a relatively new terrorist group, ISIS, which has become known for its ruthless beheading of people. But, based on various interviews, it is the bread and butter issues that appear to be driving many voters to the polls. 

The push to register early and get out the vote is largely in response to sweeping changes to voter laws that have caused alarm in the civil rights and African-American communities.  But, the push to get out to vote is also in response to high tension between Republicans and Democrats that has resulted in a battle for both parties to either maintain or take control of the U. S. House and Senate. Currently, Republicans dominate the House and Democrats dominate the Senate.

"I would really like to see Democrats...control the whole congress and see what they could accomplish,” says Monte Kenton, 40, a service clerk in East St. Louis, Ill., “Having an imbalance is keeping anything from getting done."

But, some voters are thinking closer to home as they go to pull the lever. Gayle Todd, 45, a self-employed realtor in Dallas, says she’s planning to vote in the Texas gubernatorial race, where the abortion rights issue has resurged. 

"I am concerned with keeping or furthering the rights we have right now. Big thing in our race for governor is Pro-Choice. I feel women should have a say so about their body,” Todd said.

Affordable college tuition rates, global warming and the environment are some of the other issues inspiring voters to the polls. 

“The environment is also a huge issue here in Los Angeles. There is an intense drought which I believe is direct effect of the warming going on globally. Something has to be done about it or we could be in some serious trouble in the next few years,” Marcoulis says.

Despite issues that directly affect people’s lives, such as health care, education and jobs, some still question whether their vote will really matter. Ayana Matthews, a 33-year-old working mom in San Francisco, is convinced that every vote counts. “While I’m in the booth I sit and ask myself, Does my vote really matter? Am I voting for a reason and or a purpose?,” Matthews says. “The most important election to me is every election because there was a time when Blacks weren’t allowed to vote at all, therefore I take advantage of every opportunity that I have to be able to vote.”

This article was compiled from interviews by Howard University journalism students Kahdijah Cole, Victoria Lockhart, LaShawn Moore, Grier Spry, Jennifer Thomas, and Sydney Todd.

Oct. 21, 2014

Nigerian Girls - Will Government Keep It's Word and Find Them?

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Global Information Network

(TriceEdneyWire.com) –With frustration boiling over at government foot-dragging over the fate of 219 girls, kidnapped from a government secondary school in Chibok last April, the Nigerian government took the audacious step this week of announcing a truce with the alleged kidnappers and a possible date for their return.

The surprise announcement claimed that since a meeting between high level officials and the “secretary general” of the rebel group Boko Haram took place, a truce was in the works and the missing girls would be home soon.

Celebrations were subdued since the same government of Pres. Goodluck Jonathan had said, shortly after the kidnapping, that the “Chibok” girls had come back - which turned out to be false. Then the government said that they knew where the girls were hidden but in the interest of the girls’ safety would not make any risky moves for their rescue.

Now the latest story from the Goodluck Jonathan administration appears to be questionable at best.

The first piece of the hastily-crafted story to fall was the claim that Chadian President Idriss Deby had overseen the talks. A spokesman for President Deby declined to confirm the report. Similarly, a spokesman for the president of Niger, also said to be part of the negotiations, told the press that he was not aware of any such dialogue.

Ahmad Salkida, a former journalist with access to some top Boko Haram leaders, had serious doubts about the reported deal. “It appears that govt is more interested in shadows and bubbles, than in substance and clear headed engagement,” he wrote on Twitter. A U.S. State Dept. official said no American officials were aware of a cease-fire.

Boko Haram has not commented on the alleged truce and this week launched new raids, killing people in three villages and reportedly abducting 40 women. Speaking to the press, Nigerian military officers on the frontline claimed they were yet to receive an operational order to cease hostilities.

“Honestly, we are yet to receive any operational order on the ceasefire. As such, we are battle-ready and would confront the terrorists if we see them,” a senior military officer told the news agency AFP.

A false alarm could further damage re-election chances for Pres. Jonathan. The nation is set to vote in mid-2015.