MR 052812 Web

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NET - WEEK OF MAY 28 - JUNE 3, 2012

Rochester, NY VOL 5. NO. 31
may 28 - June 3, 2012
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From Information to Understanding
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In This Issue:
COVER Pgs 8 - 9
- Urban Renewal
By Rodney Brown
READERS WRITE Pg 3
LOCAL Pgs 4 - 5
- Longer School Day and Year
Planned For Northeast Prep
- Carol Jones to Remain Principal of
Vanguard
- Court Rules NY Towns Prayer
Violated Constitution
- Benet Concert to Promote
Education and Agriculture in Africa
- Joe Flowers
- Local Army National Guard
Aviation Unit to Deploy
STATE Pgs 6 - 7
- NY Girl, 4, Calls 911 to Help Save
Choking Brother
- Raising Minimum Wage
Impossible Politically
- Forced to Fly Solo, Even on
Family Vacation
- Cuomo Ends Finger Printing for
Food Stamps in NY
NATIONAL Pgs 10 - 11
- NAACP Backs Same Sex
Marriage as Civil Right
- Women Gets 20 Years for Firing
Warning Shot
HEALTH Pg 12
- Occupational Therapy Works!
POLITCS Pg 12
- Romney to Raise About $10M in
NY
COLUMNS: Pg 14-15
- ROCn The Beach 2012
By Gloria Winston Al-Sarag
- City School District Secrets
By Diane Watkins
- The NAACP Has Turned Its Back
on God and Colored People
By Ayesha Kreutz
0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF MAY28 - JUNE 3, 2012 Rochester, NY VOL 5. NO. 31
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This message speaks volumes about
who and what some of us are. When our
President needs convicted felons to vote,
our President needs to be replaced. Parole
O cers need to hold some idiots hand
and walk him/her through the registraon
process? Are you serious! Once again, we
blame everyone else for the inadequacies
within ourselves. Mom didnt do a good
job raising me, and Dad didnt sck around.
Now its a Parole O cers job to show me
how to be an adult. How about this, if
you or your minor children process an EBT
card, you DONT get to vote unl such me
as you become a producve member of
this Country, rather than a leech.
~Bigchubb6570
I say the president should get his support
from the gay community he so vehemently
supports; especially since he has refused
to oer such rm support to the Black
community and to ge ng jobs for the
Black community... I guess thats not as
polically correct.
There is a long list of things convicted
fellons needs to be aware of; and, vong
is probably not at the top of the list.
Hopefully they are making changes to
their lives so they can become producve
cizens of society.
~Joe Alexander
Good point Joe. Yes, the beloved Obama
suddenly has decided to hang the Im not
totally opposed to same sex marriage
carrot out in front of gay America. And
dont forget the very recent removal from
Iraq, that he assured us nearly four years
ago he was going to do. Oh, and just today,
the purposes removal from Afganistan.
How convenient.
~Bigchubb6570
Wake Up Convicted Felons: Time to Register & Vote
(hp://www.minorityreporter.net/fullstory.php?id=1021)
A Clear Choice (in the upcoming Presidenal Elecon)!
(hp://www.minorityreporter.net/fullstory.php?id=1024)
Maybe this just shows that Chrisans
shouldnt put their trust in the government
or ANY o cials, as they have aws and
that includes those that profess to be
followers of Christ. Hence, the reason why
our trust should be in Him, regardless of
what stance a polician makes.
With this said, policians are what they are
and with teams telling them what to say
and so forth, Im not even sure if Obama
even agrees with that stance. This is given
what he has stated in the past. Who knows
though (besides God)?
Also, we have to be careful, as the word
also talks about taking care of the poor
and those that get more should give more
as well. We only get because God blesses
us to be proper distributers of resources
too.
~C. Hud
Pressing Towards Your Vision
The 11th Annual Pressing Towards Your Vision
conference was held April 19th @ Diplomat Banquet
Center with host Golden Lewis
Court Rules Town of Greeces Prayer Policy Violates Constuon
(AP) The town of Greece violated the
constuonal ban against favoring
one religion over another by opening
nearly every meeng over an 11-
year span with prayers that stressed
Chrisanity, a federal court of appeals
ruled Thursday.
In what it said was its rst case
tesng the constuonally mandated
separaon of church and state, the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit ruled the town of Greece
should have made a greater eort to
invite people from other faiths to open
monthly meengs. The towns lawyer
says it will appeal.
From 1999 through 2007, and again
from January 2009 through June
2010, every meeng was opened with
a Chrisan-oriented invocaon. In
2008, aer residents Susan Galloway
and Linda Stephens complained, four
of 12 meengs were opened by non-
Chrisans, including a Jewish layman,
a Wiccan priestess and the chairman
of the local Bahai congregaon.
Galloway and Stephens sued and, in
2010, a lower court ruled there was no
evidence the town had intenonally
excluded other faiths.
A town employee each month selected
clerics or lay people by using a local
published guide of churches. The
guide did not include non-Chrisan
denominaons, however. The court
found that religious instuons in the
town of just under 100,000 people are
primarily Chrisan, and even Galloway
and Stephens tesed they knew of no
non-Chrisan places of worship there.
The court ruled the town should
have expanded its search outside its
borders.
``The towns process for selecng
prayer-givers virtually ensured a
Chrisan viewpoint, it ruled.
The court acknowledges there was no
formal policy on who should be invited
to deliver invocaons, and that the
town was open to people of all faiths
speaking at meengs. But it also noted
the town board didnt publicize the
idea that anybody could volunteer to
deliver prayers and made no comment
when a prayer in October 2007
described people who objected to
the prayer pracce as a ``minority . . .
ignorant of the history of our country.
Rev. Barry W. Lynn, execuve
director of Americans United, which
represented Galloway and Stephens,
was pleased with the ruling.
``Government meengs should
welcome everyone, he said. ``When
one faith is preferred over others, that
clearly leaves some people out.
The Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-
based group that presses faith-
based cases in courts naonwide,
represented the town in court. It said
it will appeal the ruling.
Joel Oster, senior counsel for ADF who
argued the towns case, called the
ruling ``highly inconsistent with what
the Supreme Court has said on the
issue and said it means towns will have
to ``complete an obstacle course
before they can qualify to say a prayer
before a meeng.
``The town has no obligaon to go
outside of its borders as if its an
a rmave acon program, he said.
Flowers Pleads Guilty to Addional Charges
Sta
Joe Flowers, the imprisoned former
pastor of the Walk of Life Chrisan
Center, pleaded guilty to a federal
charge of transporng a minor with
the intent to engage in criminal sexual
acvity.
Flowers who is currently serving a
seven year sentence for repeatedly
sexually abusing a boy between 2007
and 2010, took a plea deal Wednesday
in court and will face an addional 1
and 1/3 to 4 years for the new charges.
According to court documents, in 2004
Flowers drove a child under the age of
15 to an amusement park in Florida
where he sexually abused the child.
Flowers will be sentenced in September
on the new charges.
In statements to the media, Flowers
aorney Maurice Verrillo said, He is
very remorseful about the situaon
which hes admied to and I believe
thats genuine from what Ive seen
both in the case today and the case
yesterday. He is very sorry about what
happened.
He will face another trial for similar
allegaons made by two other boys.
Local Army Naonal Guard Aviaon Unit to Deploy
Several dozen members of an Army
Naonal Guard aviaon unit based
in western New York le for training
before theyre deployed to Afghanistan
this summer.
A departure ceremony was held
Wednesday morning at the Army
Aviaon Support Facility at Rochester
Internaonal Airport for more than 55
soldiers assigned to the 3rd Baalion
of the 126th Aviaon Regiment.
Theyre headed for Fort Hood in Texas,
where theyll train before their nine-
month deployment to Afghanistan
starng in July.
The aviaon unit ies CH-47 Chinook
helicopters, the largest own by the
Army. The Chinook can carry more
than 30 Soldiers and 14 tons of cargo.
Sta
Rochester City School Board members
passed a resoluon, Tuesday, to
lengthen the school day, week and
year for students at Northeast College
Preparatory High School.
Beginning in the fall of 2012, students
will be in school Monday through
Saturday for 11 hours per day--7:30am
to 6:30pm. Their new school year will
run from September to July with one
month o in the summer.
The schools name and locaon at the
Douglass Campus will not change.
In addion to three meals per day--
including dinner--students will also
receive laptop computers, medical
and dental care and tutoring. Arts,
music, and athlecs will be part of
the curriculum and homework will be
completed at school.
The plan, which has support of
Rochester City School District (RCSD)
Superintendent Bolgen Vargas and
School Board president Malik Evans,
was thought up by Wegmans vice
chairman and general council, Paul
Speranza.
Speranza said the program should not
cost the district more money because
it will rely on mostly volunteers.
According to RCSD documents
regarding the new program, teachers
will be fairly compensated if they work
a longer school day or school year;
and, costs not covered will be paid for
by donaons.
RCSD o cials say each students
schedule will be tailored to t their
needs and if the plan works it will be
implemented at other schools.
Board members voted unanimously
for the program. School Board
Commissioner Cynthia Ellio noted
she wished that designers of the
program would have targeted more at-
risk youth.
Longer School Day and Year Planned for Northeast Prep
Benet Concert to Promote Educaon and Agriculture in Africa
A benet concert to promote rural
educaon and sustainable agriculture
in Ghana, West Africa will be held at
Water Street Music Hall on Sunday,
May 27.
The event starts at 4 p.m. and goes
unl 12 a.m.
Arsts to perform include: Audioinux,
Subsoil, Skribe, T.A.O., Windsor Folk
Family, Evelyn Agrah Aborgah, Grupo
de Pagodinho, African warrior, Pimpim,
Live Painng and many special guests.
All proceeds are going to Ndor Eco
Village to help complete an adobe
school building for children and
start a guest house for volunteers in
Aklobortornu, Ghana.
Donaons of school supplies are
welcome at the event.
About Ndor Eco Village
Student Yao Foli founded Ndor Eco
Village in 2008 as a sophomore at
Cazenovia College in upstate New York.
Yao Foli grew up in the town of Hohoe
in the Volta region, the son of farmer
and one of ve kids. Yaos leadership
in the environmental movement in
the Volta region resulted in his full
scholarship to Cazenovia College
where he has developed the reading,
wring, and crical thinking to fulll
his lifelong dream to create Ndor Eco
Village in the Volta region.
At Ndor Eco-Village (Ndor means Sun
in Ewe) we are inspired by the latent
opportunity and promise in rural
Ghana where over half of Ghanas
nearly 24 million people live. Working
in the Volta region in the village of
Aklobortornu, they are developing a
holisc approach to poverty reducon.
Aklobortornu is a small community
in the Volta region, Ghana with a
populaon of 300 people including
adults and children. The main lucrave
industries in Aklobortornu are
farming, shing, and Kente weaving.
Aklobortornu lack many developing
facilies, few to menon, quality
educaon, electricity, and quality
water; all these add up to the decline
in educaon and development in
Aklobortornu.
Issues like distance to and locaon of
school dampen parcipaon in school.
Children have to walk two miles to the
nearest village; carrying their tables
and chairs on their head back and
forth to and from school. This scenario
discourages a child from going to
school. Most of the children end up
on the farm helping parents instead
going to school. The public school in
the nearest Aklobortornu town lacks
many facilies as well such as qualied
teachers, reading books, crayons, pens
and pencils.
Ndor has successfully purchased ve
acres of land for the project and hired
a local architect to create plans for the
school and guest houses. In addion,
Ndor has collected bags full of school
supplies and other donaons for the
community available for immediate
distribuon.
For more informaon, or to donate
contact: Email: ndorecovillage.gmail.
com
Website: www. ndorecovillage.org
For donaon visit www.bluekitabu.
org and donate online.

Carol Jones to Remain Principal of Vanguard
Sta
In an execuve session, Tuesday, that
ended at midnight. Rochester City
School District Board members voted
to keep Carol Jones as principal of
Vanguard Collegiate High School.
Jones, whose job was in jeopardy due
to low student performance and test
scores, received great support from
parents and students of the school.
Earlier in the evening a group of
students, parents and sta spoke to
the School Board telling them that
Jones was not the problem. They say
Jones was not given enough me to
turn things around.
Jones, who has been on the job for
two years, spoke at Tuesdays meeng
in her own defense. I wanted kids to
have a voice. I think I over did it, she
said. I want them to be heard and I
want them to understand that their
lifeme they are the ones that have to
be heard because they are such a force
to our community.
Upon hearing the vote by School Board
members late Tuesday, supporters say
they are happy with the verdict.
Catholic Dioceses, Colleges Sue Over Obama Mandate
By RACHEL ZOLL
AP Religion Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ Dozens of Roman
Catholic dioceses, schools and
other instuons sued the Obama
administraon Monday over a
government mandate requiring most
employers to provide birth control
coverage as part of their employee
health plans.
The lawsuits led in federal courts
around the country represent the
largest push against the mandate since
President Barack Obama announced
the policy in January. Among those
suing are the University of Notre Dame,
the Archdioceses of Washington, New
York and Michigan, and the Catholic
University of America.
``We have tried negoaon with the
administraon and legislaon with
the Congress, and well keep at it,
but theres sll no x, said New York
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops. ``Time is running out, and our
valuable ministries and fundamental
rights hang in the balance, so we have
to resort to the courts now.
The U.S. Health and Human Services
Department adopted the rule to
improve health care for women.
Last year, an advisory panel from
the Instute of Medicine, which
advises the federal government,
recommended including birth control
on the list of covered services, partly
because it promotes maternal and
child health by allowing women to
space their pregnancies.
However, faith leaders from across
religious tradions protested, saying
the mandate violates religious
freedom. The original rule includes a
religious exempon that allows houses
of worship to opt-out of the mandate,
but keeps the requirement in place for
religiously a liated charies.
In response to the polical furor,
Obama oered to soen the rule
so that insurers would pay for birth
control instead of religious groups.
However, the bishops and others have
said that the accommodaon doesnt
go far enough.
Health and Human Services
spokeswoman Erin Shields said
Monday that the department does not
comment on pending ligaon.
Notre Dames president, the Rev. John
Jenkins, said in a statement that the
school decided to sue `àer much
deliberaon, discussion and eorts
to nd a soluon acceptable to the
various pares. The university argued
that the mandate violates religious
freedom by requiring many religiously
a liated hospitals, schools and
charies to comply.
``We do not seek to impose our
religious beliefs on others, Jenkins
said. ``We simply ask that the
government not impose its values
on the university when those values
conict with our religious teachings.
Other religious colleges and
instuons have already led federal
suit over the mandate, but observers
had been closely watching for Notre
Dames next step.
The university, among the best-known
Catholic schools in the country, has
indicated past willingness to work
with Obama, despite their dierences
with him on aboron and other
issues. Notre Dame came under
unprecedented cricism from U.S.
bishops and others in 2009 for inving
Obama, who supports aboron rights,
as commencement speaker and
presenng him with an honorary law
degree.
Cuomo Announces $15 M to Help Energy Companies
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The state is
providing $15 million to that will help
companies develop high-technology
energy products and jobs.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the
money will be divided among three
companies statewide. The state is
inving universies, scienst and
research organizaons to partner with
businesses to move breakthroughs in
laboratories to market.
The money will be used to accelerate
the sale of innovaons and aract
private sector investment.
The recipients will be chosen soon.
NY Girl, 4, Calls 911 to Help Save Choking Brother
AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) _ They talked
about calling 911 in Grace Varleys
prekindergarten class. She must have
been listening.
The 4-year-old New York girl calmly
dialed for help Wednesday aer her
younger brother choked on a piece of
chicken and passed out.
A police o cer who lived near the
familys Amityville home was on the
scene within moments. O cer John
Adriella was able to dislodge the food
and get the child breathing again.
Now Gracie is being hailed as a hero.
The police sergeant who took her call
tells Newsday (hp://bit.ly/L70FW4)
she was ``cool and collected on the
line.
For a few minutes, the situaon was
desperate. A grandmother taking care
of the children was unable to clear the
boys airway and had carried the child
outside yelling for help.
Hes doing ne now.
Cuomo: Raising Minimum Wage Impossible Polically
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Gov. Andrew
Cuomo says its impossible to raise
the minimum wage this year because
of legislave polics. But advocates
for the poor say he can force a change
administravely.
Cuomo says he supports raising the
minimum, but that its not in the
``realm of possibility to get the
measure passed in the Republican-led
Senate. Cuomo made the comments
Monday on public radios ``Capitol
Pressroom.
But the Hunger Acon Network says
his administraon could force the
change through a provision in state
Labor Law that hasnt yet been tested.
Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto says
the provision cant be used to raise the
wage for most workers.
The minimum is now $7.25 an hour.
The Democrat-led Assembly wants it
increased to $8.50.
Cuomo Ends Finger Prinng for Food Stamps in NY
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo is ending the nger
prinng of recipients seeking Food
Stamps.
He says the an-fraud measure was
turning away families who need the
subsidy to help provide nutrious
meals for their children.
He says 1 in 6 children in New York
live in homes without enough food
on the table, yet 30 percent of New
Yorkers eligible for Food Stamps dont
get them. Thats more than 1.4 million
people.
The acon announced Thursday by
Lt. Gov. Robert Duy was praised
by advocates for the poor. Cardinal
Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New
York, says Cuomo did simply the right
thing.
Forced to Fly Solo, Even on Family Vacaons
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
AP Airlines Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ If youre ying this
summer in the U.S., be prepared to
kiss your family goodbye at the gate.
Even if theyre on the same plane.
U.S. airlines are reserving a growing
number of window and aisle seats for
passengers willing to pay extra. Thats
helping to boost revenue but also
making it harder for friends and family
members who dont pay this fee to
sit next to each other. At the peak of
the summer travel season, it might be
nearly impossible.
Buying ckets two or more months in
advance makes things a lile easier.
But passengers are increasingly
nding that the only way to sit next to
a spouse, child or friend is to shell out
$25 or more, each way.
With base fares on the rise _ the
average domesc roundtrip cket this
summer is forecast by Kayak.com to
be $431, or 3 percent higher than last
year _ some families are reluctant to
cough up more money.
``Who wants to y like this? says
Khampha Bouaphanh, a photographer
from Fort Worth, Texas. `Ìt gets more
ridiculous every year.
Bouaphanh balked at paying an extra
$114 roundtrip in fees to reserve three
adjacent seats for him, his wife and
their four-year-old daughter on an
upcoming trip to Disney World. `Ìm
hoping that when we can get to the
counter, they can accommodate us for
free, he says.
Airlines say their gate agents try to
help family members without adjacent
seats sit together, especially people
ying with small children. Yet there is
no guarantee things will work out.
Not everyone is complaining.
Frequent business travelers used
to get stuck with middle seats even
though their last-minute fares were
two or three mes higher than the
average. Now, airlines are se ng aside
more window and aisle seats for their
most frequent iers at no extra cost.
``The customers that are more loyal,
who y more oen, we want to
make sure they have the best travel
experience, says Eduardo Marcos,
American Airlines manager of
merchandising strategy.
For everybody else, choosing seats on
airline websites has become more of a
guessing game.
To travelers who havent earned
`èlite status in a frequent ier
program, ights oen appear full even
though they are not. These casual
travelers end up paying extra for an
aisle or window seat believing they
have no other opon.
But as ights get closer many of the
seats airlines had set aside for those
willing to pay a premium do become
available _ at no extra cost.
`Àirlines are holding these seats
hostage, says George Hobica, founder
of travel site AirfareWatchdog. ``The
seat selecon process isnt as fair as it
used to be.
Airlines are searching for more ways to
raise revenue to oset rising fuel costs.
In the last ve years, they have added
fees for checked baggage, watching TV,
skipping security lines and boarding
early.
Now they are turning to seats.
Since last summer, American, Delta
Air Lines, Froner Airlines and United
Airlines have increased the percentage
of coach seats requiring an extra fee.
Some _ like those on Delta, JetBlue
Airways and United _ come with more
legroom. Others, including those on
American and US Airways, are just as
cramped but are window and aisle
seats near the front.
Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines go
one step further, charging extra for
any advanced seat assignment. On
Spirit, passengers who arent willing
to pay the extra $5 to $15 per ight,
are assigned a seat at check-in. The
computer doesnt make any eort to
keep families together.
`Ìt gets really di cult, unfortunately,
because all you end up with is a lot of
onesies and twosies, says Barry Bi e,
Spirits chief markeng o cer. `Ìf you
want to sit together, we would highly
encourage you to get seat assignments
in advance.
Delta just launched a discounted
``Basic Economy fare on certain
routes where it competes with Spirit
that doesnt include advance seat
assignments.
`Àirlines have to be careful. They
can only push this so far before they
risk incurring the wrath of customers
or the government, says Henry
Harteveldt, co-founder Atmosphere
Research Group.
Summer brings passengers traveling in
larger groups and fewer empty seats.
Last July and August, a record 86.4
percent of seats were lled by paying
customers. Planes will be ``slightly
fuller this year, says John P. Heimlich,
chief economist at the industrys trade
group, Airlines for America. Add in
seats occupied by o-duty airline
sta and passengers who redeemed
frequent-ier miles, and on many
ights there wont be a spare seat.
On a July ight from Dallas to San
Francisco on American, a recent search
showed only 28 of 144 coach seats
available for passengers unwilling to
pay extra. Of those, 21 were middle
seats. There were ve spots where a
couple could sit together; groups of
three or more were out of luck.
It was dramacally dierent for elite
frequent iers. They could pick from
75 seats including nine rows with four
or more seats together.
Another ight _ New York to Los
Angeles on Delta _ oered its most
loyal iers almost twice as many seats
for free: 111 versus 60.
For those unable to nd two or more
adjacent seats, new seat assignments
can be snagged for free starng ve
days before departure as some elite
iers are upgraded to rst class.
Another block of seats is released 24
hours in advance when online check-
in starts. Finally, gate agents can
somemes put families in seats set
aside for disabled passengers or ask
others to move.
NY Assembly to Vote on Bills to Help Disabled
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ The New York
Assembly has set votes on measures
to help the disabled, though the
Cuomo administraons bill to create a
new state agency to police abuse isnt
on its current agenda.
The Senate has passed the bill that
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says would beer
protect about a million disabled New
Yorkers under state-funded care.
It would establish a new prosecutor
and inspector general, hotline and
central registries to handle some
10,000 annual abuse complaints.
Some advocates say reports were
oen buried in-house and cases
should go straight to police and county
prosecutors.
The Assembly is reviewing Cuomos
bill. It has scheduled votes Monday
to require eight-foot access aisles for
handicapped parking spaces and to
require counes to maintain registries
of the disabled for sheltering and
evacuaon during disasters.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Gov. Andrew
Cuomo says new ethics and lobbying
regulatory board he created needs
some changes aer the Senates deputy
majority leader was publicly idened
as the subject of a preliminary case
review.
Cuomo tells public radios ``Capitol
Pressroom that the Joint Commission
on Public Ethics needs what he called
``ne tuning aer news organizaons
reported its considering an allegaon
against Sen. Thomas Libous of Broome
County.
Cuomo says Monday the commission
cant be used as a polical tool.
Democrac Binghamton Mayor
Ma Ryan had said hed request
an invesgaon of the Republican
senator aer a felon tesed during
an unrelated corrupon trial that
Libous used his polical inuence to
land a law rm job for his son.
Neither Libous nor his son has been
accused of a crime.
Cuomo Says New Ethics Board Needs Fine Tuning
Passengers crowd the kiosks to check in and print boarding passes in June last year at San Francisco
Internaonal Airport in San Francisco. Airlines are se ng aside more rows for passengers willing to pay extra
for a beer seat. That means families are going to struggle to sit next to each other unless they booked early
or are willing to shell out anywhere from $5 to $180 extra, each way. (AP Photo/George Nikin, File)
Rodney Brown
Sta Reporter
In this years State of the City address
Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards
announced the city has invested more
than $1.7 billion to redevelop the
center of the city and surrounding
neighborhoods to combat urban
decay.
The scope of Mayor Richards overall
strategy indicates that all four of
the citys quadrants and the citys
center have numerous areas that are
experiencing urban decay.
Richards redevelopment plan is a fresh
look at his new recongured Focused
Investment Strategy where the city
dedicates a higher poron of federal
funds and community development
revenues to make a visible dierence.
However, before going forward,
perhaps we could all learn from past
lessons.
In the study, Rochester History:
Housing and Urban Renewal, by Blake
McKelvey, in the beginning years of
the 20th century, a peon was
signed by 3,000 residents from the
citys predominately white 22nd Ward
that supported the construcon of
public housing (commonly referred to
as gheoes or projects) as a response
to the rapid inux of blacks migrang
to inner-cies with bustling economies
such as Rochester who were seling
in the historic Corn Hill District and
proximies centered-around St. Paul
and Upper Falls boulevards.
During the migraon more than
3,000 homes were built in the citys
suburban territories such as; Greece,
Gates, Chili, Henriea, Brighton and
Irondequoit. The populaon numbers
for Rochester stood at 332,448 in 1950
and saw a decline to 318,611 in 1960.
The migraon of blacks to inner
cies in America precipitated what
is referred to as white ight, a term
that originated in the United States,
starng in the mid-20th century, and
applied to the large-scale migraon of
whites from cies to suburbs.
The roads built via the Naonal
Interstate and Defense Highways
Act (1956) and its successors served
to transport suburbanites to their
city jobs, thus facilitang white
ight, and proporonately reduced
the citys supporng tax base, thus
consequently, beginning urban decay.
Plans by local and federal governments
in the 20th century to refurbish
Americas inner-cies failed because
neither addressed the racial issues
in the communies they sought to
rebuild.
White residents of the 20th century
living in Rochester didnt want black
people in their neighborhoods, and
to produce predominately white
neighborhoods, discriminatory taccs
such as redlining where lenders
refuse to lend money or extend credit
to borrowers in certain struggling
areas of town were pracced.
Redlining became known as such
because lenders would draw a red
line around a neighborhood on a
map, oen targeng areas with a high
concentraon of minories, and then
refused to lend in those areas because
they considered the risk too high.
Even though it is now against the law,
some lenders today are sll accused of
redlining.
In addion, local and federal
governments of states in the North
and South failed to address acts of
mortgage discriminaon and restricve
covenants. Before the 1950s, these
covenants were legally used to create
segregaon. A covenant promised that
only members of a certain race could
occupy the property.
In hindsight, many social sciensts
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th that at o ori rigi gina nate tedd in in t the he U Uni nite tedd St Stat ates es,
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have determined that concentrated
poverty, disproporonately high
unemployment, and ineecve
educaonal systems in Americas
urban inner-cies today are the result
of the racist laws and policies passed
and upheld by our local and federal
governments of the past.
During an interview Ruth Sco,
Rochesters rst black city council
member, vividly recalled blunt acts of
discriminaon that sll existed when
she moved to Rochester with her
husband in 1969.
The couples early involvement within
the Rochester community began as
volunteers for a housing discriminaon
program run by the Urban League of
Rochester where they would enter
predominantly-white neighborhoods
and try to rent apartments or homes
from landlords who were white.
In nearly every incident, Ruth said,
they were turned away with the white
landlord saying, Weve just rented it
out to someone else.
A 1958 study on race relaons in New
Yorks ve major cies revealed that
Rochester had the most rigid barriers
against the sale of houses in the
suburbs to blacks.
McKelveys study noted, that leaders
of the 22nd Ward proposed that rather
than moving slum residents out to
blight another district on the outskirts,
the city should clear part of the slum
and build the new housing project.
By the me the cluster of seven-story
apartment houses was opened in 1953,
the connuous inux of blacks made
the area even more predominately
non-white and praccally branded the
project as a colored one.
Records from the study indicate, in
order to reduce the cost per unit, the
authority had increased the number of
dwelling units on the six-acre site from
137 to 392, thus tripling the density of
an already congested area.
So many poor people were crowded
into the 7th Ward that city manager
Louis Cartwright requested the
Planning Commission draw up a plan
for the redevelopment of the 156-acre
tract surrounding Hanover Houses.
The pracce of packing hundreds
of poor people in merely habitable
buildings without opportunies for
meaningful employment or to obtain
a decent educaon created a volale
situaon that eventually sparked a riot
in Rochester in 1964.
Desmond Stone wrote in the Times
Union newspaper that if poor housing
was not the direct cause for the riot, it
was a major contribung factor. Stone
said a rapid inux of Negroes occurred
during the two previous decades, with
Rochesters non-white populaon
increasing from 5,000 to 30,000 during
the period.
Currently, Mayor Richards Focused
Investment Strategy is a mix of
renovaon, selecve demolion,
and commercial development
and tax incenves to revitalize the
neighborhoods.
His redevelopment approach, which is
referred to as urban renewal, is similar
to the community development plan
iniated by the City Council in the
early 20th century.
Many minories living in the city
today face debilitang issues,
including concentrated poverty,
disproporonate high unemployment,
and ineecve educaonal systems
that black migrants from the South
faced in the 20th century. And like the
past, the local government o cials in
Rochester today have yet to address
the racial issues in the communies
they seek to rebuild.
In addion, Rochester leaders have
yet to introduce a comprehensive
plan that would successfully relocate
the hundreds of minority residents
who will be displaced by urban
gentricaon a process in which low-
cost deteriorated neighborhoods are
physically renovated; property values
increase and an inux of wealthier
residents oen replace the prior
residents.
The process oen returns decaying
parts of a city to their original funcon
as middle-class, economically viable
neighborhoods; however, it oen
forces low-income residents to move
due to the increase in property values
and rental payments that usually
accompanies such gentricaon.
These wealthier residents somemes
move from suburbs, but more oen
they are from other, nicer parts of the
city.
811 West Avenue
Rochester, NY 14611

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youthneed
mentors?
Just one
theonewho
needs you.
A message from the Boomer Mentor Project of Rochester Mentors at Lifespan.
Youve got what it takes
tomake a difference in
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Call 271-4050 or visit www.RochesterMentors.org
School Pulls Boy From Class
for Black Face Costume
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) _ A
white Colorado second-grade student
who wore black face paint as part of a
Marn Luther King costume has drawn
cricism from school o cials.
Sean King was pulled out of class
Wednesday aer donning the makeup
for a project requiring students to
dress up as a historical gure.
The Colorado Springs boy said he
was trying to honor the slain civil
rights leader. His parents knew about
his costume and came to watch the
presentaons.
School o cials ``thought it was
inappropriate and would be
disrespecul to black people, but I say
that its not, I like black people, the
7-year-old King told KRDO-TV (hp://
bit.ly/KqIxqM ).
The parents refused a request from
the principal to remove the students
makeup and took him home, the
staon said.
School o cials say the student will be
welcomed back in school.
Blackface was common in minstrel
shows in the 19th century when
featured white performers played
stereotyped black characters.
Steve Klein of The King Center in
Atlanta told the staon the youth
apparently had good intenons but
he said the child and his family need
to understand some people are sll
oended by white people wearing the
makeup.
``These shows portrayed blacks as
subservient, childish and had negave
stereotypes, he told The Associated
Press on Friday.
Meridian Elementary Principal Erica
Mason hopes to turn the situaon into
a teaching moment by asking the local
chapter of the NAACP for help while
se ng up a class for adults and children
to understand why stereotypes can be
oensive.
MIAMI (AP) _ The NAACP passed
a resoluon Saturday endorsing
same-sex marriage as a civil right
and opposing any eorts ``to codify
discriminaon or hatred into the law.
The Naonal Associaon for the
Advancement of Colored Peoples
board voted at a leadership retreat in
Miami to back a resoluon supporng
marriage equality, calling the posion
consistent with the equal protecon
provision of the U.S. Constuon.
``The mission of the NAACP has always
been to ensure polical, social and
economic equality of all people,
Board Chairwoman Roslyn M. Brock
said in a statement. ``We have and will
oppose eorts to codify discriminaon
into law.
Same-sex marriage is legal in six states
and the District of Columbia, but 31
states have passed amendments to
ban it.
The NAACP vote came about two
weeks aer President Barack
Obama announced his support for
gay marriage, se ng o a urry of
polical acvity in a number of states.
Obamas announcement followed
Vice President Joe Bidens declaraon
in a television interview that he was
`àbsolutely comfortable with gay
couples marrying.
``Civil marriage is a civil right and
a maer of civil law. The NAACPs
support for marriage equality is deeply
rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment
of the United States Constuon
and equal protecon of all people
said NAACP President Benjamin Todd
Jealous, a strong backer of gay rights.
Gay marriage has divided the black
community, with many religious
leaders opposing it. In California, exit
polls showed about 70 percent of
blacks opposed same-sex marriage
in 2008. In Maryland, black religious
leaders helped derail a gay marriage
bill last year. But state lawmakers
passed a gay marriage bill this year.
Pew Research Center polls have
found that African Americans have
become more supporve of same-sex
marriage in recent years, but remain
less supporve than other groups.
A poll conducted in April showed 39
percent of African-Americans favor gay
marriage, compared with 47 percent
of whites. The poll showed 49 percent
of blacks and 43 percent of whites are
opposed.
The Human Rights Campaign, a leading
gay rights advocacy group, applauded
the step by the Balmore-based civil
rights organizaon.
``We could not be more pleased with
the NAACPs history-making vote today
_ which is yet another example of the
tracon marriage equality connues
to gain in every community, HRC
President Joe Solmonese said in a
statement.
NAACP Backs Same-sex
Marriage as Civil Right
Woman Gets 20 Years for Firing Warning Shot
By MITCH STACY
TAMPA, Florida (AP) _ Marissa
Alexander had never been arrested
before she red a bullet at a wall one
day in 2010 to scare o her husband
when she felt he was threatening her.
Nobody got hurt, but this month a
northeast Florida judge was bound by
state law to sentence her to 20 years
in prison.
Alexander, a 31-year-old mother of a
toddler and 11-year-old twins, knew
it was coming. She had claimed self-
defense, tried to invoke Floridas
``stand your ground law and rejected
plea deals that could have goen her
a much shorter sentence. A jury found
her guilty as charged: aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon. Because
she red a gun while commi ng a
felony, Floridas mandatory-minimum
gun law dictated the 20-year sentence.
Her case in Jacksonville has drawn
a fresh round of cricism aimed at
mandatory-minimum sentencing
laws. The local chapter of the NAACP
civil rights group and the districts
African-American congresswoman say
blacks more oen are incarcerated for
long periods because of overzealous
prosecutors and judges bound by the
wrong-headed statute. Alexander is
black.
It also has added fuel to the controversy
over Floridas ``stand your ground
law, which the judge would not allow
Alexander to invoke. State Aorney
Angela Corey, who also is overseeing
the prosecuon of shooter George
Zimmerman in the Trayvon Marn
case _ in which a neighborhood watch
volunteer fatally shot an unarmed
black teenager _ stands by the handling
of Alexanders case. Corey says she
believes Alexander aimed the gun at
the man and his two sons, and the
bullet she red could have ricocheted
and hit any of them.
At the May 11 sentencing, Alexanders
relaves begged Circuit Judge James
Daniel for leniency but he said the
decision was `òut of my hands.
``The Legislature has not given me the
discreon to do what the family and
many others have asked me to do, he
said.
The states ``10-20-life law was
implemented in 1999 and credited
with helping to lower the violent crime
rate. Anyone who shows a gun in the
commission of certain felonies gets an
automac 10 years in prison. Fire the
gun, and its an automac 20 years.
Shoot and wound someone, and its
25 years to life.
Crics say Alexanders case underscores
the unfair sentences that can result
when laws strip judges of discreon.
About two-thirds of the states have
mandatory-minimum sentencing laws,
mostly for drug crimes, according to
a website for the Families Against
Mandatory Minimums advocacy
group.
``Were not saying shes not guilty
of a crime, were not saying that she
doesnt deserve some sort of sancon
by the court, said Greg Newburn,
Florida director for the group. Rather,
he said, the judge should have the
authority to decide an appropriate
sancon aer hearing all the unique
circumstances of the case.
U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, whose
district includes Jacksonville, has been
an advocate for Alexander. Brown was
present at the sentencing, where she
and Corey had a brief, terse exchange
aerward as sign-tong supporters
rallied outside the courthouse.
``The Florida criminal jusce system
has sent two clear messages today,
Brown said aerward. `Òne is that if
women who are vicms of domesc
violence try to protect themselves, the
`Stand Your Ground Law will not apply
to them. ... The second message is that
if you are black, the system will treat
you dierently.
Victor Crist was a Republican state
legislator who craed the ``10-20-
life bill enacted in 1999 in Gov. Jeb
Bushs rst term. He said Alexanders
sentence _ if she truly did re a
warning shot and wasnt trying to kill
her husband _ is not what lawmakers
wanted.
``We were trying to get at the thug who
was robbing a liquor store who had a
gun in his possession or pulled out the
gun and threatened someone or shot
someone during the commission of the
crime, said Crist, who served in the
state House and Senate for 18 years
before being elected Hillsborough
County commissioner.
On Aug. 1, 2010, Alexander was working
for a payroll soware company. She
was estranged from her husband,
Rico Gray, and had a restraining order
against him, even though theyd had
a baby together just nine days before.
Thinking he was gone, she went to
their former home to retrieve the rest
of her clothes, family members said.
An argument ensued, and Alexander
said she feared for her life when she
went out to her vehicle and retrieved
the gun she legally owned. She came
back inside and ended up ring a shot
into the wall, which ricocheted into
the ceiling.
Gray tesed that he saw Alexander
point the gun at him and looked away
before she red the shot. He claims
she was the aggressor, and he had
begged her to put away the weapon.
A judge threw out Alexanders ``stand
your ground self-defense claim,
nong that she could have run out of
the house to escape her husband but
instead got the gun and went back
inside. Alexander rejected a plea deal
that would have resulted in a three-
year prison sentence and chose to go
to trial. A jury deliberated 12 minutes
before convicng her.
``The irony of the 10-20-life law is
the people who actually think theyre
innocent of the crime, they roll the
dice and take their chances, and they
get the really harsh prison sentences,
Newburn said. ``Whereas the people
who think they are actually guilty
of the crime take the plea deal and
get out (of prison) well before. So it
certainly isnt working the way it is
intended.
Alexander was also charged with
domesc baery four months aer
the shoong in another assault on
Gray. She pleaded no contest and was
sentenced to me served.
Her family says that doesnt erase
the fact that a relavely law-abiding
person _ a woman with a masters
degree _ who was making posive
contribuons to society will endure
prison for two decades over a single
violaon in which no one was hurt.
``She had a restraining order against
him. Now Marissa is incarcerated
and hes not, said her father, Raoul
Jenkins. `Ìm wrestling with that in
my mind and trying to determine how
the system worked that detail out. Its
really frustrang.
Newburn says Alexanders case is not
an isolated incident, and that people
ensnared by mandatory-minimum
laws cross racial barriers.
In central Florida, a white man named
Orville Lee Wollard is nearly two years
into a 20-year sentence for ring
his gun inside his house to scare his
daughters boyfriend. Prosecutors
contended that Wollard was shoong
at the young man and missed.
He rejected a plea deal that oered
probaon but no prison me. Like
Alexander, he took his chances at
trial and was convicted of aggravated
assault with a rearm. Circuit Judge
Donald Jacobsen said he was ``duty
bound by the 10-20-life law to impose
the harsh sentence.
`Ì would say that, if it wasnt for the
minimum mandatory aspect of this, I
would use my discreon and impose
some separate sentence, having taken
into consideraon the circumstances
of this event, Jacobsen said.
By Jennifer Thompson, Occupaonal
Therapist at HCR Home Care
Upon returning home aer an elecve
hip replacement surgery, Brenda
Barone was afraid to get into her
bathtub. She lived in an apartment
furnished with a small bathroom
containing minimal oor space. To
make maers more complicated, the
oor of the tub was not level with the
oor of the bathroom, which caused
Barone to have to hop and jump to
get in and out of the tub.
Although the tub was equipped with
grab bars, Barone described them
as being awkwardly placed and so,
useless. A sink that was posioned
quite close to the tub, made it even
more di cult to use the grab bars.
She did have a tub seat in place, thus
providing her the ability to sit down
and rest while taking a shower. Barone
was referred to Occupaonal Therapy
and upon the inial evaluaon, she
reported her fear of ge ng into the
tub to her Occupaonal Therapist and
her concerns of the set up from her
bathroom oor to the tub.
Occupaonal Therapy (O.T.) is a
health care profession with the goal
of assisng paents in achieving a
maximum level of independent living
aer surgery, disease, accident, or
deformity. Therapeuc intervenons
in the home care se ng are
designed to promote or enhance
safety and performance in acvies
that individuals perform every day,
including bathing, dressing, and
preparing a meal. This can be achieved
through various treatment techniques
including home modicaon and
equipment recommendaons,
instrucon on compensatory
strategies and or development of a
home exercise program to improve
strength and endurance.
Barones bathroom oered lile space
for mobility, but her Occupaonal
Therapist quickly idened
opportunies for environmental
modicaons to opmize safety and
mobility. The rst step taken by her
Occupaonal Therapist was to assure
the paent that she would be able to
safely get into her tub; avoiding risk
for falls and maintaining the mobility
precauons set forth by her orthopedic
surgeon. The Occupaonal Therapist
then verbally instructed Barone on
the recommended environmental
modicaons for the bathroom and
proper techniques for transferring in
and out of her bathtub. Barone was
beginning to believe that there was
indeed a way to get safely in and out
of her bathtub, even with the pain and
uncertainty resulng from her recent
hip surgery.
At this point, Brenda Barone and her
Occupaonal Therapist entered the
bathroom in order to make adjustments
to the height and placement of the tub
seat providing more room in the tub for
transferring. Barones Occupaonal
Therapist educated her on the proper
placement of her walker, hands, and
feet for each step of the transfer;
ulizing an alternave technique than
what Barone had previously been
familiar with.
Aer Brenda Barone observed the
therapist demonstrate the transfer,
she gained the condence to
aempt the tub transfer with direct
supervision of the Occupaonal
Therapist. The therapist oered step
by step verbal cues and provided
some physical assistance to help the
paent get her aected leg over the
tub wall. Following two more aempts
by Barone, the therapist needed to
provide only contact support and
minimal cues for her to perform the
tub transfer.
Lastly, the Occupaonal Therapist
instructed Barone on the proper
placement of her bathing supplies
and toiletries ensuring her ability to
reach all items during the acvies
of her shower. Upon compleon of
the second follow-up visit by the
Occupaonal Therapist, Barone was
feeling much more comfortable with
the tub transfer and the showering
process. Brenda Barone gladly stated
with the changes you made to the
bathroom and teaching me where to
put my hands and feet, ge ng into the
tub was 80% easier than before I had
the surgery.
Generally, people want to return to and
stay in their own homes following a
surgery, accident, injury, or illness and
as they age; Occupaonal Therapy is a
tool that can help individuals remain
independent and secure in their
home. If you or a loved one is having
more di culty compleng every day
acvies safely or independently,
consult an Occupaonal Therapist
who can assess, treat and provide
recommendaons to help make this a
reality.
Jennifer Thompson is an Occupaonal
Therapist with HCR Home Care
whose Transcultural Teams purpose
is reducing disparies in health
outcomes of African Americans and
other minority groups. HCR provides
nursing, therapy, home health aide
service, and companion care to older
adults in the comfort of their homes.
It is the only home care agency
in our region to be designated a
winner of the naonal Top 100 Home
Care Elite Award, and is a valued
partner of Minority Reporter and the
Perspecves TV show. To learn more
call us at 585-295-6590, or visit www.
hcrhealth.com.
Occupaonal Therapy Works!
www.hcrhealth.com
By STEVE PEOPLES
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) _ Mi Romney is set
to raise about $10 million during a
fundraising swing through New York
and Conneccut.
Romneys top nance aide told donors
in New York City on Monday that the
presumpve Republican presidenal
nominee was set to raise at least that
_ and possibly ``substanally more
_ during more than a dozen events
during two days this week.
Romney also plans a July fundraiser
with former Vice President Dick Cheney
in Wyoming, according to a ``Save the
Date invitaon to the event.
Romneys fundraising has skyrocketed
since he started raising money with
the Republican Naonal Commiee.
With the party, Romney raised $40.1
million in April. Thats nearly as much
as the $43.6 million that President
Barack Obama and the Democrac
Party raised together last month.
Romney to Raise About $10 Million in NY, Conn.
15-31
Nazareth College Hosts Photo Voice
Project Exhibit
Time: 8:00a.m.-8:00p.m.
Locaon: Nazareth Colleges Loree
Wilmot Library
There will be an opening recepon
on May 17, at 6:00 p.m.The event is
free and open to the public. About:
In the fall of 2011, the Photo Voice
Project was developed in an eort
to bring awareness to what it is
like to be homeless in Rochester
while incorporang parcipants
photography and wring skills.
Individuals took photos of their daily
lives and then reected on these
captured moments. The project seeks
to encourage new ideas and soluons
to the epidemic of homelessness.
29
Flower City Looking Good -
Horculture Workshop
Time: 6:15 PM-7:00 PM
Locaon: David F. Gan Community
Center, 700 North Street
Join a free gardening talk designed
to address your specic gardening
quesons. Subjects include gardening
on a budget, growing plants from
seed, planning a vegetable garden,
raising herbs, and more.
JUNE
1-3
Fairport Canal Days 35th Anniversary
Celebraon
2
CTV-15 THROWS OPEN ITS DOORS
IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK MUSIC
MONTH
Time: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Locaon: 21 Gorham Street
This is a FREE community celebraon.
Refreshments will be available for
purchase. The full musical line up will
be listed at www.RCTV15.org.
2
CPR and Emergency Preparedness
Training
Time: 11:00AM-1:00 PM
Locaon: South Ave Recreaon
Center, 999 South Ave
2
Flower City Looking Good -
Horculture Workshop
Time: 6:00PM-7:00 PM
Locaon: Maplewood Branch Library,
1111 Dewey Avenue
raising herbs, and more.
4
FIS Looking Good - Marketview
Heights
Locaon: Rochester Public Market,
A-Shed
FIS Looking Good is a new
program that will give residents
and homeowners in our Focused
Investment Strategy (FIS) areas the
skills and resources they need to
improve the appearance of their
front yards through landscaping and
gardening.
Free owers and plants will be
provided to workshop parcipants!
This is an invitaon only event.
Parcipants will receive an invitaon
postcard in the mail. Registraon is
required by calling 311
5
Flower City Looking Good - June 5
Horculture Workshop
Locaon: Flint Street Community
Center, 271 Flint Street
raising herbs, and more. Info: Michael
Warren Thomas, 428-8820
5
FIS Looking Good - Beechwood
Time: 6:00Pm-7:00 PM
Locaon: North East Area
Development 360 Webster Ave
gardening.
6
FIS Looking Good - Dewey & Driving
Park
Locaon: NCS Community
Development Corp. 275 Driving Park
Ave.
gardening.
CALENDAR
May
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Schools Modernizaon
Program -- Phase 1A, RCSD
Charloe High School from
NY State Cered MBE,
WBE, SBE a& DBE rms
on 5/22/12 @ 12:00 pm.
Please contact Joe Ferrauilo
@ 585-328-8910 or joe@
ferrauiloph.com EOE
Public Noces:
For Sale:
Now Hiring
Now Open:
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.
STRAIGHTNO CHASER
ROCn the Beach 2012
Jennae Moran, the
wife of WCMFs
Bill Moran, has
extended an
invitaon to me to
aend ROCn the
Beach 2012, on
Saturday, June 2.
So naturally, I want
to extend the
invitaon to the
enre community.
Please make a point to aend the second
ROCn the Beach family picnic; and support
a movement I believe was created to quell
any fears that may have been inslled
by the outrageous behavior of a few bad
apples.
The event will be held at Ontario Beach
Park, where for the second year in a row
some out of control young folks have
sought to air their dierences through
violent behavior.
Please come and occupy Ontario Beach
Park with your family. Make the thugs stay
away. There will be no charge for this event
and all are encouraged to bring a dish to
pass. There will be lots of fun acvies,
games, and live bands.
Any band that has a desire to perform
needs to contact Bill Moran at WCMF, who
is the brainchild of the event.
What saddens me most about the event
are the circumstances that triggered the
need to hold it.
Some may recall the violence that occurred
at the beach last Memorial Day caused the
park to be shut down early.
Some may recall how families out for a day
of fun felt threatened by a group of unruly
teens parcipang in violent acvies that
put others in harms way. That was last
year.
Well according to reports the same kind of
behavior has found its way into 2012 and
Memorial Day is not even here yet.
Last week arrests were made as Ontario
Park once again was closed early due to
violence.
It appears collecvely that we sll do
more preaching than teaching. It appears
once again the violent behavior that some
young folks carry into public places is
something they feel comfortable doing.
We all know that all young people are not
violent. Some are actually taught how to
behave and carry themselves in public. But
it is the handful of disrupve young folks
that spoil it for all the rest.
What is ultra-embarrassing is the fact that
these kids look like me.
Since the month of May has reportedly
seen an increase in violence and death
among young folks, I can only surmise
that what ever eorts this community is
engaged in to prevent such acts are failing
miserably.
God knows, I wish I knew the answer to
curbing the unfortunate behavior some of
our young folks engage themselves in.
I certainly wish I could prove I am right
about the root causes I suspect these
behaviors stem from.
Oh, if I only had the power to point in the
right direcon, the poverty pimps, and
others ge ng paid to get and keep our
kids on track.
If only their parents cared enough or
knew enough to teach them what social
behaviors are acceptable.
Those parents who are failing connue to
raise children who make negave news
and who show a blatant disregard for the
safety of others, are seemingly oblivious to
the potenal for deadly consequences.
These children consistently create hosle,
unsafe environments for other individuals
and families.
Are these the same children who dont
expect to live past 25-years-old?
I believe we are looking in the wrong
places for answers as it relates to those
falling through the cracks.
In many cases we are poinng ngers at
the wrong persons. There are those who
constantly blame the educaonal system
and all of its ills. I dont.
Educaon is primarily responsible for
the increase of knowledge. I have always
been of the impression that educaon is
supposed to broaden horizons and expose
folks to the variety of choices available to
them in life.
Although knowledge can contribute to
behavior pro or con, the exposure to
or the lack of educaon is not enrely
responsible for the lack of home training.
Those wiser than I can produce studies
and data up the ying-yang but no one will
convince me that behavior does not begin
and end at home.
I consider myself an authority on behavior
because I was actually raised to respect
others. As I oen write, I was blessed to be
brought up in an era where what children
said, saw, did and acted like they actually
maered to everyone.
I dont know if it is because I was raised in a
two- parent home that made a dierence
or not, especially since all of my friends
were not raised in two-parent homes but
knew how to act in the street.
Being from a single-parent home could
not possibly hold water as an excuse for
behavior problems in my day.
If a child were misbehaving he or she
would be put in check by someone elses
parent, relave, friend or a total stranger.
Stepping out of line and demonstrang
inappropriate behavior was unacceptable.
My parents were also more than 15 years
older than me and that could have made a
dierence on what my brothers and I were
taught.
At least they were grown and had some
knowledge about raising children that
they could pass on to their children when
they started a family.
You cant possibly teach what you dont
know. If you have parents trying to raise
children who themselves were given no
boundaries or taught how to act when
they were developing then what we are
experiencing is the end result.
I am convinced these unruly terrorists
come from a culture, and environment of
constant unhealthy images in their homes.
I believe they leave home angry and
frustrated because the love and nurturing
that should be a part of their emoonal
and spiritual foundaon just does not
exist.
I believe they come from homes where
they witness the use of drugs, and are
subjected to violent behavior as a means
of problem solving in their homes. Some
are so angry they may be vicms of
molestaon. Repeatedly, I have said there
really are no bad children but we have
more than enough bad parents.
These children and families do not
represent the majority in their age group,
or race, but what they do represent makes
it hard on others.
But as a community, we cant stay home
and let them win. Come join me Saturday,
June 2 for ROCn the Beach, and refuse to
let this handful of home-grown terrorists
prevail.
GLORIA WINSTON
AL-SARAG
----------------------------------
Gloria Winston Al-Sarag is a Community Activist, Writer,
Communicator, Political Activist. She is a native Roches-
terian and has been involved with numerous community
orgainzations in Rochester.
Contact Gloria at: JazzyG4202@aol.com
City School District Secrets
Over the last
couple of weeks,
I have worked
with my students
on racism; and
of how it relates
to past Jim Crow
segregaon and
current life in
Rochester.
At some point it
dawned on me
that a big part of
why schooling connues to be bad in the
City School District is because those of us
who work in the district tend to keep a lot
of secrets.
I dont mean personal secrets, those who
is sleeping with whom secrets; or which
childs mother or father arent upholding
their parental dues.
I mean basic everyday secrets that
negavely impact the overall well-being
of some of our most vulnerable young
people.
I am talking about children who are
mistreated by having their property taken
or damaged; or children endure daily
classroom disrupons by other children
who do not want to be in school and are
forced to aend.
I am talking about the mental, physical
and verbal violence that our children are
subjected to.
I am talking about school workers or
leaders who are incompetent, self-
aggrandizing or disconnected; and I am
talking about school programs that look
good on paper, but have no semblance to
what happens in real life.
I could go on but I think that you get the
point.
I personally know of many, many
individuals who work really hard for their
students. Some of them spend their own
money, work unl dark every day, organize
aer school acvies or coach sports, but
I think that we also know of people who
are there simply to collect a paycheck and
seldom do the jobs that they were hired
to do.
Seldom to do we call a spade a spade
outside of hush conversaons in our small
circles. I would like to suggest that when
it comes to doing what is right and ethical
for our students in the City School District
that we, in the words of Prophetess Juanita
Bynum, operate under no more sheets.
No more hiding behind professionalism,
team building and fake slogans.
It all sounds good in sound bites or on
billboards but in day-to-day pracce, some
of us do not take our vow to put children
rst as seriously as we should.
Acons speak louder than words and
somemes, our acons show that our
schools mainly funcon on the same old,
highly-punive Jim Crow policies and on
enhanced rigid policies, pracces and
procedures rooted in the antebellum
South.
We basically govern and operate schools
to sasfy adults, and the acvies that are
most comfortable us and will get us the
most credit or recognion.
(CONTD ON NEXT PAGE)
DIANE
WATKINS
The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.
The NAACP Has Turned its Back on God and Colored People
Three of the
biggest killers
of blacks are
aboron, AIDS,
and black-on-black
homicide.
Aboron kills
1,500 black babies
a day - more black
Americans than
the next seven
leading causes of
death combined.
What is the NAACPs stance on aboron?
Theyre for it.
Before the legalizaon of aboron in 1973,
whites made up the bulk of its vicms.
Since the legalizaon, the number of
blacks killed has skyrocketed.
The incidence of breast cancer in women
has increased by more than 40 percent, as
well.
According to recent data from the
American Cancer Society, this cancer now
ranks as a leading cause of death in black
women.
Aboron and miscarriages (to a lesser
extent) both increase a womans risk of
ge ng breast cancer because the lactaon
process is prematurely halted when the
woman is no longer pregnant.
Mandang acceptance of aboron is the
true war on women.
The reasons most oen given by women
seeking aborons are the desire to
postpone childbearing, lack of nancial
resources, or relaonship issues with a
partner.
So, today in America, over 70 percent of
black children are born into single-parent
homes, less than 50 percent of young
black men graduate high school and a
large percentage of those that graduate
are funconally illiterate.
How are men supposed to live up to their
desired obligaons to care and provide for
their families and to being the father they
wish to be for their children when they
cannot even read?
Instead of focusing on aboron as a civil
right and promong the self-genocide
of our people, maybe the NAACP should
focus on educaon and the freedom that
comes with a good educaon, as we at The
Frederick Douglass Foundaon do.
Blacks in America have gone from 22
percent of the populaon to 13 presently.
Without the inuence of aboron,
homicide and AIDS, it was projected that
by 2012, blacks would be 40 percent of the
populaon.
Yet, the NAACP supports the aboron of
black babies.
AIDS is another major killer of blacks in
America.
More than 1.2 million people in America
are living with HIV or AIDS. Almost 50
percent of the new HIV infecons every
year are in black Americans.
Among women, more than 60 percent of
women with HIV are black. Among gay
and bisexual men, more than 40 percent
of those living with HIV are black.
Among HIV-posive youth between the
ages of 15-29, nearly 70 percent are black.
If the NAACP wanted to tackle the AIDS
epidemic in our community, they would
be dealing with the fundamental issues
of family and educaon so that our men
would stop ending up in jail, where many
of them have their rst homosexual
experience.
They come out of jail with HIV and pass
it on to the woman they love. If the
NAACP were serious about AIDS, instead
of encouraging a lifestyle that too oen
causes the spread of AIDS, they would be
encouraging fatherhood.
Instead, the NAACP has come out in favor
of President Obamas desire to redene
marriage as an anything goes contract
between any two people regardless of
their sexuality.
Redening a God-dened sacrament that
existed before the United States was
even imagined will only serve to make
heterosexual marriage increasingly rare.
If marriage already has a meaning, allowing
awed men to give it a new meaning will
render it meaningless in the minds of too
many people.
And I ask: What right does the Obama
administraon and the NAACP presume
to have that would allow them to redene
Gods law?
A wholesale endorsement of the gay
lifestyle through redenion of marriage
in order to make homosexual relaonships
equal to heterosexual relaonships will
drive more black boys and men to feel
comfortable trying homosexuality.
They will take the HIV and AIDS that they
get in prison and spread it to black women.
More black women will die. How does this
advance colored people? How is this not a
war on women?
Black-on-black homicide and gang-related
homicide also lead to way too many dead
black folks.
If a young black man isnt killed by another,
he is too likely to be sent to jail. Some of
the biggest threats to the black community
are broken homes and incarceraon.
By the me a black male is 40, there is a
70 percent chance that he has spent me
in jail, rehab or some kind of instuon at
least once; and 32 percent of black males
will serve prison me over the course of
their life.
These are stats that break my heart and I
simply cannot live with.
Where is the NAACP on these issues? You
know the answer to that. They are on the
wrong side. Theyre more interested in
keeping their power by making money
from the aboron providers and the
homosexuals, and in turn, they promote
aboron and gay marriage against the
interests of the people they presume to
represent.
Follow the money. It doesnt go to
helping the black community. It helps the
policians get campaign funds. And what
have they done for you lately?
Every me I turn around the NAACP
is calling something a civil right. Have
they lost all sense of reality? I have to
wonder what type of educaon people
are ge ng these days. It seems as though
the educaonal system is really just an
indoctrinaon system.
If the right to marry someone of the same
sex is a civil right, like the kind that black
folks fought for to get equal protecon
wrien into the law, then the world is
turned upside down. Choosing to live a
gay lifestyle is not the same as being born
black, and to say otherwise only cheapens
the advancements in civil rights that we
black people earned.
As well, there were Chrisan arguments
behind Frederick Douglass and Dr. Marn
Luther Kings crusades for civil rights.
There is no biblical argument whatsoever
for redening marriage for gay people.
The NAACP needs to stop supporng our
genocide and needs to stop taking us for
suckers.
If we really cared about what students
want, we would ask them, remove the
barriers, and put some of their plans into
acon.
Students and families must have some say
in what they are or are not willing to do.
Every day we take away student property
(phones, music players, or clothing) and
somemes we lose it.
There are no rules in place that say that
if school sta loses or breaks a students
property, that the school sta must
replace it.
I can guarantee that at least 100 district
families can tesfy that this scenario
ts them, and maybe I am wrong, but I
cant see this same paern happening 20
minutes south in Brighton schools. This is
what racism looks like in pracce.
Some high school students in the City
School District get ejected from their
academic classes because they are not in
uniform or because they have on a hoodie,
or jeans, or a hat, or a head scarf, or they
have their pants hanging o of their bus.
The laer in my opinion is a stupid style
but to put children out of Social Studies,
Science, Math or English over clothing, or
to interrupt a class to take clothing is even
stupider.
Kids with rich parents have access to
lawyers who quietly clarify with school
sta what the First Amendment is and
how important it is for their children to be
in class for their academic studies.
Since our local school districts are
predominately segregated by race and
economic class, these geographically
reinforced pracces make sure only certain
kids get punished. This is systemacally
racist.
When the Pisford school district oers a
selecon of courses students can choose
from in order to graduate, they mean it.
Course selecon for many city high school
students means that their counselor will
assign them to one of the slim selecon
of classes that they oer. Somemes the
classes that students want or need are
unavailable.
A student recently asked me to help her
review a graduaon plan which included
the schools scope and sequence.
This packet, which had been sent home to
parents, oered classes that dont exist.
I assume that this document was just
for show, or to get approval of a funding
source, or to recruit students. Nonetheless,
it is unethical.
And believe it or not, some City School
District students have to repeat courses
that they have already passed because it
is either the only course that is available
in their school during a parcular me
period in their schedule; or so many
other students have failed a parcular
course that sta ng higher level courses
for students who have already passed
becomes too challenging.
We in the RCSD tend to aim low in order to
meet the needs of the lowest performing
students. It creates a vacuum for high
achievers.
I see the whole course selecon debacle
as another way that we limit city student
access to success. It is therefore structurally
racist. It is me to stop hiding dirty lile
secrets. Racism connues through
policies, pracces and procedures.
Whats happening in your childs school?
AYESHA
KREUTZ
----------------
Ayesha Kreutz is President of the Frederick
Douglass Foundaon
1 :: WWW.0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF APR 30 - MAY 6, 2012
Rochester, NY
VOL 5. NO. 27
APR 30 - may 6, 2012
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erstanding
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1 :: WWW.0,125,7<5(3257(5.NET - WEEK OF APRIL 23 - 29, 2012
Rochester, NY
VOL 5. NO. 26
APRIL 23 - 29, 2012 www.MinorityReporter.net
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