MINORITYREPORTER

from information to understanding

november 18 - 24, 2013

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Equal Justice Fellow Fights for

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LOCAL
Four indicted, including County Executive Maggie Brooks Husband Robert Wiesner
By Delani Weaver Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks husband, Robert Wiesner, Daniel Lynch, president of Treadstone Development Corp., John Maggio, president of Navitech Services Corp. and Nelson Rivera, former information technology manager for Monroe County, have all been indicted and criminally charged for allegedly scheming to rig contracts for Monroe County projects for connected vendors. They were charged with arranging the projects and then embezzling the money from the contracts to use it to pay for personal expenses such as campaign donations and golf outings. Brooks husband, Wiesner, is facing two charges of bid-rigging. He pleaded not guilty to his felony charges in an arraignment Wednesday. In a press conference held this week, Brooks refused to comment on her husbands arrest. You know, therere two things I dont talk about, personnel issues and personal issues. My husband is a personal issue, said Brooks. I will tell you that Im the county executive today, Im going to be the county executive tomorrow and I believe I have two more years left on my term. Brooks defended the LDCs, or local development corporations, which have been the focus of the investigation. In addition, County Legislature Minority Leader Carrie Andrews (D-Rochester) offered the following statement in relation to the criminal charges: If the County Executive truly cares about taxpayers, she must recuse herself from the internal investigation of corruption involving LDCs and turn everything over to the County Legislature. Something has clearly gone terribly wrong in this government, and it is obvious that the executive can no longer overseeor have any involvement inthis internal investigation. Andrews also said the legislature needs to be involved if the investigation is to have any credibility. I understand she doesnt want to discuss the situation with her husband, but he is involved, said Andrews. This is not a personal matter involving a personal incident. This is a public corruption investigation into the county government overseen by the executive, and her husband is alleged by a grand jury to be involved. This presents a clear conflict of interest. We have tried repeatedly over the past six years to oversee these contracts, but our colleagues have repeatedly said no. Its time for the legislature to take over the internal review.

Union Approves Wage Increase for University of Rochester Service Workers

Approximately 1700 service workers at the University of Rochester (UR) will receive a salary increase between 1.7% and 2.1% under an agreement approved Saturday for their union contracts second year. Under the amendment to the current collective bargaining agreement, employees will receive a salary increase depending on longevity. The raise is retroactive to September 22, 2013. The University also renewed its commitment to pay 100% of the employees health plan with no increase in out-of-pocket costs. The current agreement between UR employees and management required that negotiations reopen to set wage rates for the contracts second year. Talks began in September. The current contract expires in September, 2014. Good benefits and wages have always been the cornerstone of our union contracts. said Jerald Drain, an environmental service worker at the UR Medical Center and member of the unions negotiating committee. To achieve another contract agreement that continues both makes it worth coming to work at the University of Rochester. Service workers on UR campuses are members of SEIU Local 200United, and those working at the UR Medical Center and its Strong Memorial Hospital division belong to 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Both union groups negotiated together with UR officials.

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LOCAL

Monroe County Libraries Offering Help With Health Care Enrollment

Rochester, NY, November 15, 2013 The Monroe County Library System, in partnership with Monroe County Legal Assistance Center, will provide certified HealthCare Navigators for individualized assistance to library patrons seeking help during open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act. These Navigators and In-Person Assistance programs will be made available at the Central Library and participating branch and town libraries for the remainder of the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, which ends March 31st 2014. The Affordable Care Act is a set of health insurance reforms that started in 2010 and will continue to roll out in 2014 and beyond. Navigator and In-Person Assistance programs are federally-funded and operated in accordance with the Act to make inperson support broadly available for those who need additional assistance enrolling. Just as our communities turn to libraries for help to learn about citizenship and passport requirements, use public access computers to get disaster relief information and obtain assistance with copyright and patent questions, we expect libraries will receive many inquiries from the public about the Affordable Care Act, stated ALA President Barbara Stripling. As always, libraries do not promote specific programs or points of view, but provide the public with balanced, unbiased access to information. Consultations with In-Person Assistors are on a first come-first served basis and sessions are scheduled to run from November to March, 2014. Appointments are not being taken, however, if patrons are unable to make a session at their local branch or town library, they may come to Central and will be provided with bus tokens or parking garage passes to defray any costs associated with the visit. Based on these efforts, and more, the Monroe County Library System has been named a Champion for Coverage by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Champions for Coverage help to make sure all Americans can get the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Schedule: November 2013 Friday 11/22: 1 to 4 PM - Central Library Monday 11/25: 9 AM to Noon - Gates Library Tuesday 11/26: 1 to 4 PM - Central Library December 2013 Monday 12/02: 1:30 to 4:30 PM Central Library Thursday 12/05: 1:30 to 4:30 PM Winton Branch Library Thursday 12/12: 12:30 to 3:30 PM Central Library Friday 12/13: 1:30 to 3 PM - Lyell Branch Library Monday 12/16: Noon to 4 PM Henrietta Library Thursday 12/19: 11 AM to 3 PM Central Library Monday 12/31: 2 to 5 PM - Central Library January 2014 Friday 01/03: 10 AM to 2 PM - Pittsford Library Tuesday 01/07: 3 to 6 PM - Penfield Library Thursday 01/09: 11 AM to 3 PM Central Library Monday 01/13: 11 AM to 3 PM Brighton Library Wednesday 01/15: 1 to 4 PM - Central Library Tuesday 01/21: 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM Webster Library Thursday 01/23 9:00-12:00- Central Library Monday 01/27: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM Greece Library Tuesday 01/28: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM Central Library February 2014March 2014 Monday 03/03: 10 AM to 2 PMPittsford Library Wednesday 03/05: 1 to 4:30 PM Central Library Tuesday 03/11: 10:30 AM to 2 PM Penfield Library Thursday 03/13: 1 to 4:30 PM - Central Library Friday 03/21: 10 AM to 2 PM - Central Library

Warren Transition Team Now Accepting Resumes

Chris Christopher Mayor-Elect Lovely A. Warren announced Sunday that her transition team has set up a web site and is now accepting resumes. The web site (www.warrentransition.com) provides up to date news about the transition, a means to submit a resume and cover letter for consideration for employment with the new administration, and a contact form to submit questions to the transition team. Interested parties are invited to submit a cover letter and resume for consideration by the incoming Warren Administration. The cover letter should indicate the position or department for which you would like to be considered, and why you believe you will be an asset to the Warren Administration and the people of Rochester. The transition team is led by Christopher Thomas, Esq. and Dr. dt ogilvie. Mayor-Elect Warren also announced that the firm of Strategic Community Intervention LLC will be retained as consultants. Christopher D. Thomas, Esq. is a partner with the law firm of Nixon Peabody and is the spokesperson for the transition. Dr. dt ogilvie is Dean and Professor of Business Strategy and Urban Entrepreneurship at the Saunders College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is formerly Professor of Business Strategy & Urban Entrepreneurship at Rutgers Business School - Newark and New Brunswick. Strategic Community Intervention is management consultant business founded by former Rochester Mayor William A. Johnson. The transition office will open be open Monday-Friday, 9-5, in the Ellwanger Building, Fourth Floor, 39 State Street in Rochester. Individuals who are interested in being considered for a position with the new administration are strongly encouraged to submit via the web site (www.warrentransition. com) however resumes and cover letters will be accepted in person or by mail.

Test again at
Lead paint poisons more than 300 kids in Monroe County every year. The damage to their brains and bones is permanent. Make sure your children are tested at one and again at two years old. Have your home tested today. You can get the information you need to protect your children. Call 585-224-3125. Or visit www.letsmakeleadhistory.org.

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5 www.minorityreporter.net | november 18 - 24 | 2013

LOCAL

Vargas Unveils Plan to Have Colleges and Universities Manage Some City Schools
Rochester children could attend District schools in 2015 that are managed by local colleges and universities, as part of a plan Superintendent Bolgen Vargas, Ed.D., is developing to improve student achievement with a heightened sense of urgency. Dr. Vargas told a Board of Education committee last night that his plan will incorporate five proposals to accelerate the pace of improvement in Rochester schools. Colleges will manage some District schools. Employing a model that is being used in Buffalo and New York City, the District can contract with colleges and universities to manage one or more District schools. Under the agreements, which require state approval, the school teachers and staff would remain District employees. However, the sponsoring college or university receives District funding for the students and exercises all powers of the Superintendent in managing the school. We have access to many great colleges and universities, with an excellent track record of successful education management, Dr. Vargas said. They can help some of our struggling schools to improve more rapidly, while strengthening the Districts focus on managing other schools. CTE will be revitalized, with help from BOCES. Explaining that District does not offer career education in many fast-growing fields, Dr. Vargas said that he has ordered a thorough review of career and technical education (CTE) programs that will be completed in the next two months. He will propose major changes to CTE based on the review, and said he intends to give students the chance to attend BOCES programs not offered by the District in the next school year. Engage the community to improve student behavior. Saying that too many students are either victims or perpetrators of violence, Dr. Vargas called for a task force to address student behavior issues inside and outside of school. Led by the District and representing all segments of the community, the task force will review the current code of conduct and disciplinary actions. We need to create shared expectations for proper student behavior, wherever they happen to be, Dr. Vargas said. Eliminate summer learning loss for young students. The District will expand summer learning to support the academic priority of helping students to read at grade level by third grade. Dr. Vargas said the goal should be to offer at least four weeks of summer instruction to the more than 10,000 children entering kindergarten through fourth grade. End the annual budget crisis.

Dr. Bolgen Vargas

Explaining that annual budget gaps create uncertainty and instability for school communities, Dr. Vargas said that he will include a five-year plan for closing the structural deficit as part of the 2014-15 budget presented in March. Dr. Vargas said he will provide more details about the proposals in an action plan requested by Board members, which he will present next month, and in the Districts budget proposal for 2014-15. He previewed the proposals

before a meeting of the Boards Excellence in Student Achievement committee. I am confident that we are moving in the right direction, but we need to move more quickly to improve student achievement, Dr. Vargas said. I look forward to working with the Board of Education and the community to make these proposals a reality and improve the opportunities for our young people to achieve and succeed.

STATE
NYC to Ban Tobacco Sales to Anyone Under Age 21
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to sign landmark legislation Tuesday banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21, making New York the first large city or state in the country to prohibit sales to young adults. City health officials hope that raising the legal purchase age from 18 to 21 will lead to a big decline in smoking rates in a critical age group. A majority of smokers get addicted to cigarettes before age 21, and then have trouble quitting, even if they want to do so. The ban has limitations, in terms of its ability to stop young people from picking up the deadly habit. Teenagers can still possess tobacco legally. Kids will still be able to steal cigarettes from their parents, bum them from friends or buy them from the black-market dealers who are common in many neighborhoods. But City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said the idea is to make it more inconvenient for young people to get started, especially young teens who had previously had easy access to cigarettes through slightly older peers. Right now, an 18-year-old can buy for a 16-year-old, he said. Once the law takes effect, in 180 days, Farley said, that 16-year-old would have to find someone in college or out in the workforce. Tobacco companies and some retailers had opposed the age increase, saying it would simply drive teenagers to the citys thriving black market. What are you really accomplishing? Its not like they are going to quit smoking. Why? Because there are so many other places they can buy cigarettes, said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. Every 18-yearold who walks out of a convenience store is just going to go to the guy in the white van on the corner. Bloomberg also was to sign legislation Tuesday that will seek to keep the price of tobacco high by prohibiting coupons and other discounts and setting a minimum cigarette price of $10.50 per pack. Large cigarette companies now commonly offer merchants incentives to run price promotions to bring in new customers. For someone who might be trying to quit smoking, it makes it easy for them to buy on impulse, Farley said. Calvin said the elimination of discounts would further feed the drift away from legal cigarettes, and toward illicit supplies brought into the city by dealers who buy them at greatly reduced prices in other states, where tobacco taxes are low. Both bills were passed by the City Council late last month. The legislation also prohibits the sale of small cigars in packages of less than 20 and increases penalties for retailers that violate sales regulations.

6 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

STATE

Fans fall from deck at NY stadium caught on video

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An unruly football fan who survived a fall from the top deck of Ralph Wilson Stadium onto a man below has been banned from the stadium and could face charges, officials said Monday. Video from Sundays game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets shows the fan sliding down the 300 level railing in a seated position before flipping backward and plummeting about 30 feet to the 200 level. He and the man he landed on were treated inside the stadium before being taken to a hospital, where they were treated and released, authorities said. Bills President and Chief Executive Russ Brandon called the fallen fans behavior irresponsible and in violation of the fan code of conduct. This individual will not be permitted back into Ralph Wilson Stadium, Brandon said in a statement. Season ticket-holder Jeff Savidge, of Rochester, said play on the field had stopped for a television timeout when the falling fan suddenly landed across the neck and shoulders of a man across the aisle from him. He kind of bounced off him and landed about two rows down on the ground, Savidge said in an interview. I heard somebody scream from behind us, Oh my God! or something like that. The man who fell got up and said he was OK but was stopped by security from leaving, Savidge said. Arriving emergency workers put a neck brace on him and carried him away on a chair stretcher, he said. A security officer, meanwhile, held the head of the fan who was struck to keep him from moving as he sat upright in his seat awaiting medical attention, Savidge said. He was carried out on a backboard. As much as it was kind of chaotic, everybody was in control, he said. The Bills ban on the man sliding down the railing was supported by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, who said the fan has shown that he is a danger to himself and others. Yesterdays reckless and dangerous incident at Ralph Wilson Stadium is an example of the type of behavior that gives Buffalo a bad reputation and that can never be tolerated, dismissed or accepted, Poloncarz said. The Bills lease the stadium from the county.

Brandon said the team is cooperating with an Erie County Sheriffs investigation of the incident. Sheriffs spokeswoman Mary Murray, citing the investigation, did not release the names of the men. She said charges are possible. In September 2012, a 20-year-old fan from Tennessee died when he tumbled over a railing at the Georgia Dome and struck a man below during a college game.

Since 2003, more than two dozen cases of fans falling at stadiums have been reported across the United States, according to the Institute for the Study of Sports Incidents. The institute is part of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security, based at the University of Southern Mississippi.

NATIONAL
November is National Adoption Month
(SPM Wire) Every year, more than 100,000 children in foster care are available for adoption. Many spend more than five years waiting for permanent, loving homes, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To raise awareness and help these children find permanent adoptive homes, each November the Childrens Bureau, in partnership with AdoptUSKids and Child Welfare Information Gateway, sponsors National Adoption Month. The initiative, which has been held yearly since 1995, also serves to celebrate adoption and recognize families with adopted children. The month-long celebration also includes National Adoption Day, when courthouses nationwide participate in finalizing hundreds and hundreds of adoptions simultaneously. This year it is being held on November 23rd. In 2012, more than 4,500 children were adopted during the National Adoption Day celebration in almost 400 cities across the United States. Prospective adoptive parents can learn more from such organizations as the Childrens Bureau (childwelfare. gov/adoption/nam/) and the National Adoption Day Coalition (nationaladoptionday.org), which has helped nearly 44,500 children move from foster care to permanent families. All across the country, local state and county departments of child and family services are hard at work seeking people who are considering starting or expanding their families through permanent adoption. Source: StatePoint Media

7 www.minorityreporter.net | november 18 - 24 | 2013

NATIONAL

George Zimmerman Arrested

APOPKA, Fla.(AP ) The man acquitted of criminal charges in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin was arrested Monday after deputies responded to a disturbance call at a house in Florida, authorities said. Former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was being transported and booked into jail, according to a Seminole County Sheriffs Office statement. Authorities provided few other details, and it was not immediately known what charge he faced. Messages for comment left by The Associated Press with the sheriffs office were not immediately returned. Just when you thought you heard the last of George Zimmerman, said neighbor Catherine Cantrell. She said she had twice seen a man who looked like Zimmerman get out of a truck thats been in the driveway for nearly a month. The truck parked there Monday appeared to be the same one that reporters have seen Zimmerman drive previously. Im in absolute shock. He was never outside. Its not like he was out flaunting around, she said. Cantrell said the woman who lived in the home was very sweet and quiet. Sarah Tyler, 26, also lives across the street from the tan stucco house on a cul-de-sac street of single family homes in Apopka, about 15 miles northwest of Orlando. Its kind of frightening, she said, adding that she only saw a woman came out of the house. Zimmerman, 30, was acquitted in July of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. The death of the black teenager, who was unarmed, touched off a nationwide debate about race and self-defense. Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Hispanic, has said he shot the 17-year-old to defend himself during a fight in February 2012 inside a gated community in Sanford, just outside Orlando. He wasnt charged until 44 days after the shooting, leading to protests nationwide from people who believed he should have been immediately arrested. The case sparked accusations that Zimmerman had racially profiled Martin, and demonstrations broke out again after his acquittal. Federal authorities are now reviewing the case the see if Martins civil rights were violated. Zimmerman has had other brushes with the law since his acquittal. Zimmerman and his estranged wife were involved in a domestic dispute in September just days after Shellie Zimmerman filed divorce papers, but police later said no charges were filed against either of them because of a lack of evidence. Zimmerman has also been pulled over three times for traffic stops since his acquittal. He was ticketed for doing 60 mph in a 45 mph zone in Lake Mary in September and was given a warning by a state trooper along Interstate 95 for having a tag cover and windows that were too darkly tinted. He was also stopped near Dallas in July and was given a warning for speeding. George Zimmerman In 2005, Zimmerman had to take anger management courses after he was accused of attacking an undercover officer who was trying to arrest Zimmermans friend.

Teacher killings bring professions risks to light

When a 16-year-old student slammed a metal trash can onto Philip Raimondos head, it did more than break open the history teachers scalp, knock him out and send him bleeding to the floor. It changed my whole world, Raimondo said about the attack in the school where he taught for 22 years. Experts say the phenomenon of student-on-teacher violence is too often ignored. Theres some reluctance to think that the teaching profession can be unsafe, said Dr. Dorothy Espelage of the University of Illinois. The educational psychology professor recently headed a national task force on classroom violence directed at teachers. The group found that little has been done to try to understand or prevent such incidents despite the potential implications on teacher retention and student performance, among other things. But the October deaths, one day apart, of Nevada middle school math teacher Michael Landsberry, who was shot on a basketball court by a suicidal 12-year-old, and Massachusetts high school math teacher Colleen Ritzer, who authorities said was attacked by a 14-year-old student inside a school bathroom, have brought the issue to the forefront. About 4 percent of public school teachers reported they had been attacked physically during the 200708 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education, citing a 2012 school safety report. Seven percent were threatened with injury by a student. A 2011 survey found that 80 percent of teachers reported being intimidated, harassed, assaulted or otherwise victimized at least once during the previous year. Of the 3,000 teachers surveyed, 44 percent reported physical offenses including thrown objects, student attacks and weapons shown, according to the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence Directed Against Teachers, which conducted the national web-based survey. The task force recommended creating a national registry to track the nature and frequency of incidents, saying this would help develop plans for prevention and intervention. It also suggested that all educators be required to master classroom management before they are licensed to teach. Raimondo, who taught in Buffalo, N.Y., was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and thought about suicide after suffering a concussion and other head injuries that required 32 staples and more than 40 stitches. Unable to return to teaching, the history teacher who coached crosscountry, girls basketball and softball remains in therapy and on medication today, nearly 10 years later. I trusted kids, Raimondo said, becoming emotional as he told The Associated Press his story for the first time. I loved what I did. For 22 years, that was my identity. His attacker, one of two girls he had stopped from fighting, pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to up to six months in jail. The National Education Association, the largest teachers union, has reported anecdotal incidents of teachers being struck with a computer keyboard and of being body slammed. One had hearing loss and blurred vision from a tossed M-80 explosive, the union said. NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said that while school campuses remain safe places, more attention and resources should be directed at diagnosing and treating mental health issues and training educators in classroom management and safety. The big key is prevention, Van Roekel said. In a sign of the times, the National Teachers Hall of Fame has begun raising funds for a granite memorial to fallen educators, to be built in Emporia, Kan. The reality is, it can happen anywhere, said Columbia High School Principal John Sawchuk, who in 2004 found himself wrestling a 16-year-old student for the loaded shotgun the boy used to wound a teacher in his East Greenbush, N.Y. school. That was the most terrifying moment of my life, something I will never forget, Sawchuk said. I kept thinking, if I let go, hes going to kill me. You never really get over it. You try to learn from it, said Sawchuk, who added security officers, stepped up emergency drills and has stressed heightened vigilance since the shooting. We dont leave a stone unturned anymore, he said. Diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder are not uncommon for victimized teachers, given the generally peaceful profession, said Dr. Gerald Juhnke of the University of Texas at San Antonio, an expert on the disorder. Teachers dont carry guns or badges, he said. Teachers believe that theyre safe in their environments for the most part, so when they experience violent behavior or threats it shakes them to the foundation - because they are there to help students. Richard Iannuzzi, president of New Yorks largest teachers union, said lesser disruptions from disrespectful students - mouthing off or refusing to take off a headset - are more troubling to teachers on a daily basis than is the threat of physical violence. Teachers know what to do in those cases, he said. Thats not always true when things escalate. When I worked in prisons, you had a panic button, Juhnke said. Schools typically dont have that.

8 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

COVER

Equal Justice Fellow Fights for

BY DELANI WEAVER

Rochesters LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community is no stranger to discrimination and hate crime. In March of 2008, police said Lance Neve was attacked and beaten unconscious at a bar, leaving him with a fractured skull and a broken nose because he was gay. His attacker, Jesse Parsons, was sentenced to more than five years in prison for the assault. In June of this year, Timothy Woods, a transgender man who went by the name Fatima Woods, was stabbed to death outside a gas station on Dewey Ave. Although there were no signs that this was a hate crime, police chief Sheppard said that if anything was found that pointed to a hate crime, it would be thoroughly investigated. The FBIs 2011 hate crime statistics showed that sexual orientation, including gender identity, was the highest motivator for hate crime incidents, coming in second only to race. There were 30 anti-LGBT murders committed in 2011 as reported by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP). But, the LGBT community in Rochester may find their lives easier, with new advocates currently fighting for the rights, benefits and equal treatment of LGBT individuals and couples who live in the state of New York.

The Empire Justice Center on W. Main St. has been spearheading a project run by Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellow Julia Hall. The Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellowship is a two-year program established in memory of Hanna S. Cohn, who passed away of cancer but served as the executive director of the Volunteer Legal Services Project for 20 years, Hall said. As the Cohn Fellow, Ill be spearheading my LGBT Rights Project in Rochester for the next two years. Ill be providing free legal services to low-income LGBT New Yorkers who meet our income guidelines, with a focus on anti-discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations such as doctors offices, movie theaters, restaurants and asylum and adjustment of status cases in Western and Central New York. Adjustment of status for LGBT immigrants seeking to be documented and gain legal status in the country. Currently, there are no practitioners in the Rochester area that are devoted only to practicing LGBT rights law for free. Empire Justice Center is a public interest, nonprofit law firm that offers free civil legal services for the LGBT community. LGBT clients face many barriers to accessing legal services, including a

shortage of public-interest attorneys specializing in LGBT legal issues, stated Hall. The LGBT Rights Project aims to close this gap, particularly for the most underserved clients, including LGBT people. Im letting people know Im here, and that these are free legal services for people. People are discriminated against in these settings every day, particularly in employment. We get so used to being discriminated against, LGBT people either dont pursue their rights or they dont think they have any. Im here trying to vindicate those rights and protect them. Monroe County is ranked ninth among all counties in New York State for having the most LGBT couples, at 48,932. In 2010, there was a reported 592,337 LGBT individuals in New York State. We have a big LGBT population and part of that is because our biggest employers, like Kodak and Xerox, offered LGBT benefits 20 or 30 years ago before other companies were doing that. Here are some statistics: In New York state, 27 percent of gay and lesbian workers have been verbally harassed in the workplace within the last five years, while 7 percent said they have been physically harassed.

Fifteen percent to 43 percent of LGBT workers have experienced being fired, denied promotions or harassed. Ninety percent of transgender respondents suffered harassment, mistreatment or discrimination at work. Eleven thousand six hundred were fired from their jobs, 21,500 were not hired for a job, 11,600 were denied a promotion, 11,000 have been denied housing, and 4,600 have been evicted due to antitransgender bias. They could tell you, Oh, we filled that position, Hall stated. Thats called a pre-textual reason. Or employers, especially for the transgender community, will literally say, Thatll make customers uncomfortable, you cant be hired here. Our human rights law protects sexual orientation as a status, and a lot of people are including sexual orientation, if not gender identity, in their equal employment policies, but its not always been enforced and practiced. Discrimination can be hard to prove. I urge people who just have that gut feeling that they were discriminated against because theyre LGBT to come because we can look into it. There are things we can do to try to prove it even if its an uphill battle. Hall also said there hasnt always been a good police response to discrimination because there hasnt been a solid way, publically, to

9 www.minorityreporter.net | november 18 - 24 | 2013

COVER
have equal rights enforced. Smaller employers, such as mom-and-pop businesses, dont usually have an equal employment policy. They may say, We hire everybody, regardless of race and sexual orientation. However, according to Hall, those that do, rarely enforce it. In addition, Hall said discrimination and harassment directly contribute to a high level of poverty, especially among minority LGBT communities, which includes blacks and Hispanics. Transgender people have the highest rate of unemployment, and transgender people of color have four times the rate of homelessness, Hall said. Theres increased poverty for LGBT people of color. So, people who are impoverished have more employment discrimination. People of color are already discriminated against because of their race and ethnicity, and then theyre discriminated against because theyre LGBT. So, those two things together, you can imagine how bad it is. Same-sex couple families are also significantly more likely to be poor than heterosexual married-couple families. Transgender people of color are four times more likely to have an annual income of less than $10,000, twice the rate of homelessness and are more likely to be targeted by police violence and hate. GENDA (Gender Expression NonDiscrimination Act) is a proposed New York law that was introduced in 2003 to both the Assembly and the Senate. If passed, it will add gender identity and expression as a protected class in the states human rights and hate crime laws. That would mean discrimination in public accommodations, employment, housing and anti-LGBT crimes would be illegal and have high penalties. The problem is Genda is a law that hasnt passed in New York yet, so we dont have a state-level protection for gender identity, but we do have it for sexual orientation, Hall said. Therere those gaps in the law. African-American people, immigrant populations, especially people in the African-American rural populations, are particularly hard hit because theres not the employment protection. And theres hiring discrimination and bias within the community. People are being fired, theyre not being hired, and theyre being evicted from their home or theyre not being allowed to sign leases if they come out. There have been some changes made in favor of the LGBT community. Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between one man and one woman for all federal benefits and rights was struck down last year by the landmark Supreme Court Case, United States v. Windsor. There are two sections of DOMA. Section 2, which governs state law and section 3, which was knocked down by the Windsor decision, said Hall. Thats a huge deal for people who have had no other way to gain lawful permanent residence and citizenship here in the states. Now, someone can sponsor their same-sex spouse if youre a citizen. Section 2 is still in place and basically says that states have the right to define marriage for their own laws and they have the right to not recognize out-of-state marriage. So we still have a long way to go. Section 2 is a big barrier, but the fall of section 3 was huge for a lot of couples. LGBT rights and treatment are of a personal matter to Hall. Her personal and professional experiences have given her the determination she needs to continue her efforts. I am an out gay person and I have been doing LGBT activism since early on in high school when I came out at 15, she stated. This is something that has always been near and dear to my heart. Right now, I experience discrimination. If my partner and I were to get married and we went to a state like Virginia, they would not recognize our marriage. If she got hurt, I would not be allowed to visit her in the hospital if she, say, broke her arm. Before I went to law school, I worked with homeless youth and really saw that, while marriage is important in granting rights, we do not have a federal employment protection for sexual orientation or gender identity. An employer could fire you for being gay and you would have no recourse. Society often refers to the LGBT community as having a lifestyle and heterosexuals have a life. When asked why there was a difference, Hall had this to say: I think that most straight people never ask themselves, why do I have a life and LGBT are considered having a lifestyle? I think the word lifestyle really demeans my life in a way. I think that the majority, meaning

heterosexuals, have to start thinking that this is a life and it isnt a choice. In communities of color, being LGBT is still a very critical subject. People are coming out much earlier, children are coming out at 12 or 13 years old. When a teenager says, mom or dad I think Im gay, people usually say, Well how do you know? Just wait and see. I dont know a single parent who would say that to a boy who has a crush on a girl at 12. Hall said she believes that life will get easier for LGBT couples and individuals. She said changing laws will ensure that it does. I think things are changing, and its leading to a more uniform national policy by protecting same sex couples

and making sure they have all the benefits heterosexual couples have, she said. Especially, for couples raising children, these are really important rights for parentage. With the immigration status, weve had binational couples, and people who were removed by immigration who had no way of getting back into the country. Weve literally had families who have been split apart, and now people can apply for adjustment status. So, the tide is really changing culturally, and now the law has to catch up. The law is always behind culture, and its catching up.

10 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

WORLD

Philippine corruption magnifies effects of typhoon

TACLOBAN, Philippines (AP) - When a newspaper for Filipino workers in New Zealand told readers how to donate to the typhoon relief effort in their homeland, it mentioned agencies like the Red Cross but not a list of government bank accounts that the Philippine Embassy had sent over. Im not going to mince words, said Mel Fernandez, the editorial adviser for the Filipino Migrant News. We would like every cent to reach those poor people there rather than getting waylaid. Corruption is a concern after any major natural disaster, as millions of dollars in cash and goods rush in from around the world. But those worries are especially acute in the Philippines, where graft has been a part of life for decades. The government of President Benigno Aquino III, who has made fighting corruption a priority, is promising full transparency in reconstruction spending in areas devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Yolanda. It announced Monday that it has established a website called the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub where funds given by foreign donors can be tracked. Theres an urgent call now for us to monitor the movement of foreign aid funds for Yolanda so they will go exactly where theyre supposed to: to the survivors of the typhoon, Undersecretary of Budget and Management and Chief Information Officer Richard Moya said in a statement. More than $270 million in foreign aid has been donated to help the victims of the Nov. 8 typhoon, which killed at least 3,976 people and left nearly 1,600 missing, according to government figures updated Monday. More than 4 million people have been displaced and need food, shelter and water. The typhoon also wrecked livelihoods on a massive scale, destroying crops, livestock, coconut plantations and fishing boats. Several battered communities appeared to be shifting from survival mode to one of early recovery Monday. Markets were reopening, though with very limited wares. Some gasoline stations were pumping and residents were repairing damaged homes or making temporary shelters out of the remains of their old ones. The darkest night is over but its not yet 100 percent, regional military commander Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda said. On Sunday, Aquino toured the disaster area and promised to step up aid deliveries. Aquino said he was happy to see typhoon-battered areas slowly rising from the devastation. The aid effort remained daunting, he said, adding that the government is feeding about 1.4 million people a day. One is tempted to despair, Aquino told reporters in Alangalang town in Leyte province, where he met with officials and survivors. But the minute I despair, then everybody gets hampered in the efforts to get up. Presidential spokesman Ricky Carandang said Aquino would stay for a second night in Tacloban city and visit more typhoon-battered towns on Tuesday. In one sign of how much work is ahead, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla pledged to restore power in all typhoon-battered regions by Dec. 24, a job that will require erecting about 160 giant power transmission towers and thousands of electrical posts toppled by the typhoon. He said he will resign if he fails. Its difficult to celebrate Christmas without light, Petilla said. The government wants to show that it will be more responsible than previous administrations were following other natural disasters, when that funds intended for reconstruction were allegedly siphoned off. Prosecutors are investigating allegations that $20.7 million in government funds for rebuilding towns devastated by a 2009 storm in northern Luzon island were stolen by local officials via bogus nongovernmental agencies. On Nov. 7, a day before Typhoon Haiyan hit, Filipinos were glued to their television screens, watching Senate testimony in which Janet Lim Napoles denied allegations that she masterminded a plot to plunder millions of dollars of government funds intended for projects to relieve poverty. It is far too soon to say how much aid intended for victims of last weeks Typhoon Haiyan might end up in the wrong hands. Foreign donors demand strict anti-graft measures in projects they fund, but privately admit that leakage of funds is sometimes inevitable. Much of the assistance in the early phase of a disaster response is in the form of food, water and other supplies. Far richer opportunities for graft occur later when rebuilding occurs and contracts are up for grabs. But corruption probably has already made this typhoon worse. Money for roads was diverted, giving people less ability to evacuate. Hospitals didnt get the resources they should have. Some houses might not have been flattened if they had been built to code. Petty corruption in urban areas means that building inspections dont happen

A plea for help in SOS is painted on a road in an aerial view from a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter over San Jose, Philippines, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by Typhoon Haiyan, which tore across several islands in the eastern Philippines on Nov. 8. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

and building codes are not enforced, said Steven Rood, the Manila-based representative of The Asia Foundation, a nonprofit development organization. Even middle-class homes are not built to withstand a typhoon, much less poor homes. Filipinos working abroad and sending money home to their families are an important source of cash in the country under any circumstances, but Fernandez, the New Zealand editorial adviser, expects that they will be skeptical about giving money to the government. He said he thinks they will simply donate to nongovernmental agencies providing aid to typhoon victims, but Rood wasnt certain even of that. Theres a lot of cynicism, particularly in the expat community, Rood said. People are put off. You see it in the social networks. People are saying theres no point - if they give money, it will just get stolen. The typhoon has come at a time when some feel the Philippines might finally be cracking down on corruption. In its latest global corruption report, Transparency International found the Philippines was just one of 11 countries in which people said they were noticing an improvement in corruption levels. Rood said he believes Philippine government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development are less corrupt than they once were and can be relied on to take the lead after disasters like the typhoon. Doracie Zoleta-Nantes, a Filipino and research fellow at the Australian National University, said the recent debate in the Philippines on corruption has been intense and people are demanding improvements. She said

media scrutiny on places like Tacloban, a city devastated by the typhoon, will help ensure aid gets distributed. But some victims will be marginalized because they are not aligned politically, she added. Tecson John Lim, the city administrator in Tacloban, said the city is recognized for its good governance and its accounts are transparent. He added that corruption concerns tend to center around people like cement suppliers, and right now, you cant even buy anything. Valerie Amos, the U.N. humanitarian chief, said in Manila that the U.N. is not expecting to find widespread corruption as it responds to the disaster. Everyones concern is focused on getting the maximum aid to the people who need it, she said. Aid agencies are taking their own precautions to avoid corruption. Chris Clarke, the chief executive of World Vision New Zealand, has visited areas affected by the typhoon. He said World Vision has its own supply chains, collects donations directly, and even issues microchips to victims to record the amount of aid delivered to them. Its always an issue were asked about, he said. Does the money get there, and does it get to the right people? ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. AP writers Teresa Cerajano in Tacloban and Jim Gomez in Manila contributed to this report.

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12 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

OPINION/EDITORIAL
had zero people sign up. Yet, we have been led to believe there have been millions waiting to sign up. Instead, the administration increased the eligible income levels for Medicaid, and those applying for Obamacare have often been shuffled off to Medicaid. However, if one hasnt qualified for Medicaid, he or she has most likely been sent to exchanges that offer highpriced insurance plans, often with very high deductibles. A bronze plan for an individual in one state costs $175 a month, but it has a $6,000 deductible for healthcare, and another $6,000 deductible for prescription drugs. As a result, an unhealthy person, actually needing healthcare and expensive drugs, would pay nearly $14,000 before getting a benefit for their money. Its true that those with lower incomes will have their insurance subsidized, but what happens to those who dont qualify? In 2012, the poverty line for a family of four was just over $23,000. With tax credits for children, the actual aftertax credits with paid income would be over $30,000. This does not include the benefits for free healthcare, which could be valued at $15,000, food stamps or any other benefit that this family might receive. With all the benefits added, a low-income family could earn anywhere from $32,500 to

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

Obamacare, aka The Affordable Care Act, Part I

Obamacare Hinders Social Mobility
You know, Ive spent a lot of my life trying to figure out how to get off government assistance and subsidies. Now, I am witnessing a government that is telling ayesha Kreutz me that being on government assistance is something to strive for, or that I should be fighting for it. It makes me wonder a lot. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is better known as Obamacare, because it isnt affordable at all. In fact, this ACA is so unaffordable that many in the middle class will probably be plunged into the lower class, and few in the lower class will ever find enough reason to try to climb into the middle class. So far, many people havent even been able to sign up because the $643 million web site works like a unionized government bureaucracy. By that, I mean it doesnt work at all. Most of the people who the government claims have actually signed up were probably actually informed that they qualified for Medicaid, a government program that existed before Obama became president. In many states, even where the exchanges are working, they have nearly $50,000, depending on the level of benefits needed and healthcare costs. Now, the family making four times the poverty level doesnt qualify for subsidies for Obamacare, and their company will likely unload them onto the Obamacare exchanges because it saves businesses a lot of money. This could add another $15,000 to their tax bill, which is where Obamacare is paid when you dont pay on a monthly basis. So, a family making $92,000 per year could expect to pay at least 40 percent of their money in taxes, between federal, FICA, state, property and sales tax. Before taking away the $15,000 Obamacare bill, and before taking into account any deductibles on top of that number, the familys actual income would be reduced to $55,000. If healthcare cost the family just $20,000, once all the deductibles have been paid, this familys after-tax income would be reduced to $35,000. When you consider the likelihood that this family would probably also have higher property taxes, mortgage costs, and living expenses than a family making $23,000, it also becomes clear that something stinks in the state of Denmark. What would there be now to motivate this middle-class family to work hard, when they would have so much of their income taken away due to the cost of healthcare? And what incentive do poor people have to work harder and move into the middle class to obtain the same income and benefits? A family making $60,000 per year is barely as well-off as a family making $23,000 a year. Is this what socialists call the equality of outcomes? Margaret Thatcher said it best when she said, The trouble with socialism is, eventually, you run out of other peoples money. What seems like free healthcare now will most likely cost more later. We may think its tough now, but wait until we get the bill for this supposed free healthcare. The result, over the coming years of income-level experimentation, will be that fewer and fewer folks will leave the lowerincome brackets, and many folks will decide to move down into the lowerincome brackets. Fewer folks will be willing to pay the cost of the system, and more folks will be seeking to receive benefits from the system. Does increasing demand for a smaller pot of benefits mean everyone will be happy? I doubt it. The middle class will get smaller, and those living below the poverty level will probably increase. -------------------Ayesha@fdfny.org

HOW MUCH ARE WE EXPECTED TO TAKE?

I am not an advocate of turning the other cheek, primarily, and foremost, because the behavior is rooted in a concept infected with contradictions. sinks and toilets one day, a woman (white, I would imagine, from the young womans tone) came in, dirtied the sink, and threw the used towel in the young womans direction. The thrown towel was accompanied by a look of disdain toward the young woman, who politely responded, Thank you. The young woman reported she swallowed her pride because of her employment. She did not want to lose her job, her income, her source of livelihood, or her economic status. The WDKX radio show hosts commended the young woman on her attitude. They said it was better than the distasteful, repugnant, offensive, obnoxious, unpleasant womans, who had the audacity to be rude to a young woman who merited more respect than she was given. However, to stop the kind of behavior that drove this particular woman to dirty the sink, behave in such a discourteous manner, and throw the soiled towel at the young working woman, it takes more than merely turning the other cheek for another slap in the face; or a polite reprimand in the form of, Thank you, for your discourtesy. The question I am left with is, is having a better attitude than someone else tantamount to accepting the eternal focus of white racist behavior? How much are we expected to take? I am reminded of a Langston Hughes poem: HARLEM (DREAM DEFERRED) What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? --------------------Wallace Mabry associates2@aol.com

Wallace Mabry

I am writing this letter prompted by an account from a female who called the radio station, WDKX, the morning of Saturday, November 09, 2013. The young woman, just 22 years old, spoke of working in an establishment where she is a host who has the responsibility of cleaning the restroom. After she had completed cleaning the

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13 www.minorityreporter.net | november 18 - 24 | 2013

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14 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

OPINION/EDITORIAL
to plan what you will tackle, may I be so bold as to offer one suggestion? Please remember the people that got you elected! They may not have been the biggest donors, and may not have any political clout, but they are everyday Americans who just want better lives for themselves and their families. You may not deal with this everyday American too many times during your term; not because you dont want to, but because they are busy tending to the priorities that concern them. But, you will not forget them if you help to make sure that their neighborhoods are safe. This does not occur by giving credence to political activists who are standing by bashing the police department (that you will now be over). There are bad eggs in every walk of life, including police officers, lawyers, politicians, etc. We must deal with those bad eggs, but not at the expense of causing the good eggs to be damaged. Being a strong advocate for the police department supports those men and women in uniform, and encourages them to do an even better job. This, in turn, will help keep neighborhoods safe, which is what that everyday American wants.

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

An Open Letter to Rochesters Mayor-Elect

For this weeks column, I wanted to share with you an open letter I wrote to the mayor-elect of Rochester, Lovely Warren. At the time of this writing, it had been over C. MICHAEL VAUGHN a week since Rochesterians went to the polls and elected the citys first female mayor. That, indeed, is quite an accomplishment. And it is equally great that she happens to be AfricanAmerican. With that beginning, the letter I wrote to Lovely Warren is below. Mayor-elect Warren, congratulations on your historic victory in last weeks election. I know that you and your family are very excited about your win. I also know what this means to you, your family, and the city of Rochester. As you are well aware, there are many challenges that face our city; and I, for one, will be praying for your success as you take on this enormous responsibility. However, as you begin You will not forget them if you stand with a loud voice for reform in the Rochester City School District. I realize that your power is limited because of how the district is structured, but you have a bully pulpit now, and can make sure that your voice is heard loud and clear. Its time that the teachers union gets back to what is good for the children of Rochester instead of what is good for them. The graduation rate in the RCSD is intolerable. Change has to occur, and you can be a loud voice for that change! That everyday American wants their child to get the best education possible, and currently the RCSD is not delivering! You will not forget them if you do everything within your power to keep a viable corporate community in Rochester. People need jobs to make sure that they can sustain themselves and their families. Taxes and regulations are a huge job-killer. And, while they are needed, too much of something can be bad. Right now, in New York state, we have too many taxes and too many regulations. You can help this city become a place where companies want to be. That means more jobs, and that is what the everyday American wants. You will not forget them if you are a voice for hard work and achievement. The very fact that you will be the leader of this mid-sized American city is a testimony to your hard work. Please dont let anyone get away with settling for being a victim, looking for a hand-out or making excuses. The method is to do the hard work and the reward will follow. People need to stop depending on the government for their sustenance. And, while that may be hard for the everyday American to hear, it is really what they need to know. You have a platform now; I pray that you use it wisely. Be blessed, and know that I am praying for your success! -----------------------Michael Vaughn, Sr. Pastor New Wineskin Church. If you would like to contact me, please email me at mvaughn.seniorpastor@ newwineskin.org

STRAIGHTno chaser

OPINION/EDITORIAL
I was bewildered, sad and angry all at the same time. All I could do was shake my head and call this woman stupid. The last time I got a call like that, it was over 30 years ago. The call was from the wife of a friend I had contracted to do some welding in my house. She found my phone number in his pants pocket, and decided to call and ask me 20 questions about how it got there. I was really quick then. I asked, Whose wife are you, and where did you find my phone number? She told me again who her husband was, and also told me the phone number had been in his pants pocket. I asked which pocket. She replied it was the right pocket. I said, OK, listen up carefully. If you look in the left pocket you will find my house keys, and if you continue to make stupid calls like this, I promise I will be his wife and you wont be. Needless to say, I never heard from her again. But, because I have never been a person to go through my mans pockets, wallet or cell phone, I dont understand what insecurity drives stupid women to do so. I have always believed that if it is trouble you are looking for, it is trouble you will find. I have also believed that, if a man wants to do something, you are not going to stop him. Consider it done. Ladies, if you dont trust your man, you have no business being with him. And, if you feel the need to investigate him, you dont have love. For one thing, a real man is not going to exploit your insecurities. He is going to make you feel safe and secure. Some stupid women really need to get a grip on their emotions. Most of them dont recognize if their men are being unfaithful, and, a lot of the time, it is their fault when men stray. Oh yes, there are women who have no respect for other womens marriages or relationships, but a strong woman in a secure relationship knows, she has nothing to fear but fear itself. Unless your man is a straight-up dog, ladies, you have to remember that the same thing that got him hooked is going be the same thing it takes to keep him. I think stupid women forget that. Stupid women assume because they had a baby, or they have been on First Street a number of years, that it may mean something. It means nothing to an unhappy man. Some women want to be treated like Queens, but forget to treat their men like Kings. All women are looking for the same thing. All women want a man they can trust; one that shows love and respect. But, mine has to bring more than sex to the table. He has to first be God-

15 www.minorityreporter.net | november 18 - 24 | 2013

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

Stupid Women Do Stupid Things

Every now and then, I find it necessary to share some of the stupid things that stupid women do. I was home, minding my own business on a recent Saturday GLORIA WINSTON AL-SARAG morning, when my phone rang. The phone number on the phone came up as restricted. Normally, I do not answer restricted numbers because I find it curious that some people feel the need to hide their identity in this day and age. But, because I do have one special friend who, when calling from home, has a landline that registers restricted, initially I thought it may be her. So, I answered, but only to be hung up on abruptly. My first thought was, maybe the caller had changed their mind. I had answered the call in a timely fashion, so I didnt think the hang up was attributed to anyone on the other end not having patience. As a result, I just shrugged the call off and continued to do whatever it was I was doing. Within minutes, however, the telephone rang again. The call was once again from a restricted line, but, once again, I answered. This time, when I answered the call, I said, Hello. The female voice on the other end responded by asking me who I was. I said, Pardon me? She proceeded to ask who I was again because, apparently, she found my phone number in her husbands phone and was surprised to discover it was a female who answered when she called. I told her that, since she called my number, I thought it might make more sense for her to tell me who she was. Then, I asked her to please let me know who her husband was because, without knowing who he was, I could not begin to offer any explanation as to how my number wound up in his phone. She told me her name was Mary, and I immediately thought she was just giving me any name in hopes that I would cooperate by identifying myself. She then explained she was not going to give me her husbands name, because I might call and warn him, before he got home. Warn him? About what, I asked? Then, I got mad and let go of the ghetto sistah that dwells within me. The one stupid people get a chance to meet when they tick me off and waste my time. When I got through educating her, she abruptly hung up the phone. fearing. I had a recent conversation with one friend who was bragging to her best friend about how well her man treated her. The best friend then became available to her friends man, letting the friend know she was jealous of her life, thereby trying to take it from her. True story. You need to be careful who you call friend, ladies, because if you have a man, or a husband, and your friends dont; you just need to be careful. IJS. Maybe I should be writing a column for those who dont get it, or need to ask somebody before they make calls to another woman. Personally, I love it when a woman lets me know I rock her world. It makes me feel like I am all that, a bag of chips and some dip. I love it when women are so insecure they accuse me of trying to steal their man. I consider it flattery that you think your man may see something in me he doesnt see in you. But, I think you are stupid if you ever think I will spend five minutes defending myself to any one woman. I think you are truly stupid if you have a problem with your man and fail to discuss it with him first. He is the one with the answers. Not another woman, or someone you perceive to be competition. Ladies, dont you know that some men love to make you think they have another woman? Some use your insecurities to keep you on your toes, or in line. If a man feels you are jealous of another woman they will find a way to keep that woman in your face just to keep your stupid behind in your place. You should really look forward to getting him out of your life and the door. You need to see whats standing behind him trying to get to you. He may be blocking the biggest blessing of your life, and you will never see it if you are playing stupid, and trying to research every move he makes. If you want him investigated, there are professionals that would do that for you. Stop being stupid, ladies.

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16 www.minorityreporter.net |november 18 - 24 | 2013

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