Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, April 2, 2011

8/7/2019 Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, April 2, 2011

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April 2, 2011 - April 2, 2011, The Afro-American A1

www.afro.comVolume 118 No. 34

Copyright 2011 by the Afro-American Company

afro.com

YourHistoryYourCommunityY

ourNews

APRIL 2, 2011 - APRIL 8, 2011

$1.00

Listen to First Edition

Join Host Sean Yoes

Sunday @ 8 p.m. on

88.9 WEAA FM, the

Voice of the Community.

Continued on A4Join the AFROon

Twitter and Facebook

A9VCUs Shaka Smart DrawsComparisons to Obama B2

Unemployment Main Focus of NULState of Black America Report

Continued on A10

What WouldDr. King Say?A2

By Zenitha PrinceAFRO Washington

Bureau Chie

Family and supporters

of Georgia death row

inmate Troy Davis say

they remain optimistic in

their ght to save him from

execution despite the U.S.

Supreme Courts decision

to reject his appeal, March

28

People always ask

us every time there is a

decision especially a

negative decision how

do we feel, and we feel thesame way: that this is far

from over and that were

not going to stop ghting

until there is nothing left to

do, Davis sister, Martina

Correia, told the AFRO.

In June 2010, Davis

supporters had much to

celebrate: After a years-

long battle, his lawyers

based on a U.S. Supreme

Court ruling returned to

a Savannah, Ga. court and

offered evidence, including

recanted testimony, which

they believed would negate

his 1991 conviction for

the slaying of off-duty

police ofcer Mark Allen

MacPhail. Three months

later, the U.S. District

Court ruled Davis had not

met the required standard

to prove his innocence,

taking him one step closer

to the death penalty.

Sending the case back

to Savannah for a hearing,

we knew it was a long-

shot because its sending

it back to the same judges,

and same prosecutors that

convicted Troy, and, of

course, theyre not goingto admit that they lied

and had misconduct in

this case, Correia said.

So we knew this was an

uphill battle, just as all

his hearings have been an

uphill battle.

Amnesty International

USA (AIUSA), which

has been advocating on

behalf of Davis, said it is

extremely disappointed

by the high courts decision

to reject Davis appeal of

the federal district courts

ruling.

Continued on A4

Continued on A3

Continued on A4

Supreme CourtDismissesTroy Davis Appeal

Redistricting ChangesBaltimores Political Landscape

by Shernay WilliamsAFRO Staf Writer

Leaked documents that

reveal Councilwoman Belinda

Conaway, D-7, owns a home

in Randallstown have many

questioning whether she lives

in Baltimore City.

Under city charter rules,

city councilpersons aremandated to reside within the

district they represent, but

according to a deed leaked

by political blogger and

city council aspirant Adam

Meister, Conaway may have

lived outside the 7th districtfor several years.

In the deed dated June

21, 2006, Conaway amends

ownership of a Randallstown

home she purchased in 1997,

adding her husband and her married

name, Belinda Washington. She also

signed an afdavit that day, certifying

the home as her principal residence.

Yet Conaway insists she lives

on 3210 Liberty Heights Ave., a

2.5-story brick home located at the

far edge of her district.

According to the Maryland

Elections Center, she, her brother

State Delegate Frank M. Conaway

Jr. and her father, Clerk of the Court

Frank M. Conaway Sr., list that same

Ashburton address as their primary

By Shernay WilliamsAFRO Staf Writer

Flanked by her husband, Anthony

Bubba Green, Nancy Green sat behind a

long, narrow table before several members

of the Maryland Public Service Commission,

telling the gruesome story of how her

daughter Deanna was killed by stray

electricity.

Deanna didnt touch a live wire or an

electrical box, she said, ghting back tears.

We live every day without Deanna because

she simply touched a fence ... Every day

I wonder what did I not do to protect my

By Gregory Dale

AFRO Staf Writer

John Cashin, dentist and revered

Alabama civil rights advocate, died from

kidney failure at a Washington D.C. hospital

on March 21, according to the Associated

Press. The 82-year-old was widely known

for his establishment of the Alabama

National Democratic Party and his run,

against George C. Wallace in 1970, forAlabama governor.

Cashins death was conrmed by his

daughter, Sheryll Cashin, who said her

father was ghting pneumonia prior to his

death.

According to the New York Times,

Cashin was born in Huntsville, Ala. in

1928. After receiving a doctoral degree in

dentistry from Nashville, Tenn.s Meharry

Medical College, he served with the Army

Dr. John Cashin DDS,

known for his run for

governor against GeorgeWallace, died March 21.

He was 82 years old.

John Cashin, Alabama CivilRights Activist Dies at 82

Photocourtesyo

ftheHuntsvillePublicLibraryArchives

Druid Park Electricity Victims

Family Faces Commission

CourtesyDreamstime

Conaway Fights Questionsabout Residency

My properties arepublic information.This is not some-thing new.

- Councilwoman

Belinda Conaway

Photo by Bill Tabron

Baltimore Councilwoman Belinda

Conaway said while she owns a house inRandallstown, her main residence is in

Baltimore City.

Photo by Bill Tabron

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blakesredistricting map becomes eective April

1.

By Shernay WilliamsAFRO Staf Writer

The Baltimore City Council swiftly approved Mayor

Stephanie Rawlings-Blakes redistricting map during the March

28 city council meeting, despite nays from Jim Kraft, D-1,

Belinda Conaway, D-7, and Carl Stokes, D-12.

Councilmembers planned to return the map drawing table if

state-issued prison numbers resulted in overpopulated districts,

but the gures, released last week, documented only a 6,000

population increase, too-small of a margin to readjust the map.

After its passage, Kraft, co-chair of the councils redistricting

committee, thanked staff persons involved in the process. While

it didnt turn out the way I wanted it to, I want to recognize

people involved, he said.

It wasnt until City Council President Bernard C. Jack

Young, who voted in favor of the map, moved onto council

announcements that Conaway, the staunchest opponent of the

proposal, spoke on the city hall oor. Despite efforts to keepme quiet ... I still stand that it is an illegal map and it needs to be

changed, she said.

After her brief speech, the council quickly continued on

with announcements, including councilperson appearances and

notable newspaper articles.

Following the meeting, Conaway told the AFRO she plans to

sue the city over the map.

There are people that want me to be distracted and there are

denitely people that want me to be quiet, she said. It will take

more than this to stop me.

At several redistricting public hearings, Conaway insisted

New plan, eective April 1, shifts Council representation for some residents

Demands greater protection against reoccurrences everywhere


2/20

A2 The Afro-American, April 2, 2011 - April 8, 2011

Your History Your Community Your News

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AFRO National Briefs

4th Annual Governors Leadership in Aging Award

Older Americans/Marylander Month

Celebration

May 10, 2011, 12 noon 2pm

Catonsville Senior Center

501 N. Rolling Rd., Catonsville, MD 21228

CategoriesTrailblazerAn individual, community group, business or organizationthat has demonstrated leadership in advocacy or developed aninnovative program, research or training for seniors.

Visual and Performing ArtsAn individual, 60 years of age or older, or a group (membersmust be 55 years of age or older), who has demonstratedexcellence in the visual or performing arts.

PhotographyAn individual 60 years or older who demonstrates excellencein photography or photojournalism that portrays SuccessfulAging.

Health and VitalityAn individual 60 years or older who demonstrates acommitment to healthy living and who serves as a role modelto others.

Instructions

Select a Category. Complete the nomination form and attach

a 500 word or less description of recommendation(why the nominee meets criteria).

Visual Arts nominations must be accompanied byphotos, slides, or CD of artwork.

Performing Arts nominations must be accompaniedby a DVD or web link to a video sharing site

(i.e. YouTube). Photography nominations must be in .jpg or .gif and

must not exceed 5 MB in size. Nominations that do not require supporting materials

can be faxed to: 410-333-7943

All nominations must be postmarked or e-mailedno later than April 8, 2011.

You may download copies of the nomination form by visiting

the website at: www.mdoa.state.md.us

For more information, call: 410-767-1064 or 1-800- 243-3425

Nomination Information

DEPARTMENT OF AGING

For Excellence and

Outstanding Contributions

to the Field of Agingand Quality of Life for Seniors

Unemployment Main Focus of NUL State of Black

America ReportJob creation and unemployment are at the heart of the 2011

installment of the National Urban Leagues State of Black

America report.

In a conference call March 25, Marc Morial, CEO and

president of the league, and Valerie Wilson of the National

Urban Leagues Policy Institute, said the report will zero in

on how Black America has been battered by this recession,how small business owners are surviving through the tough

economic climate and how imposing extreme budget cuts

will affect Blacks.

The prospect of a reduction of the federal budget when

Congress reconvened March 28 could mean the loss of 500,000

to 700,000 jobs this year, Morial said, due to extreme budget

cuts.

The report, released every year by the Urban League,

reveals disparities between Blacks and Whites with regard

to housing, education, social justice, health and economics,

according to the organization, which reported nding extreme

disparity rates in the economy between the races, according to

Wilson.

Economics and social justice are in grave condition, she

said.

Wilson added that the report found that more African-

American families were not able to get their children to a

doctor due to job inequality. Additionally, household earningsdeclined among both Whites and Blacks.

The release of the report this week comes after a town

hall meeting at Howard University, March 29 through March

31, which will be moderated by Black political analysts Jeff

Johnson and Roland Martin.

A link to the report is available at afro.com.

Controversial Ad Featuring Serena

Williams ShelvedA racy video game ad featuring Serena

Williams wont be aired on broadcast

television after the games developer said it

was too risqu.

The ad for Top Spin 4 features Williams

as the worlds sexiest tennis player facing

off against Rileah Vanderbilt, an actress

labeled the worlds sexiest tennis gamer.

The scantily-clad women make suggestivefacial expressions, motions and moaning

while showing lots of skin, to the tune of a

techno soundtrack.

The public response to the ad, after

Vanderbilt allegedly introduced it to

cyberspace through her Twitter account, was

negative. As a result, 2K Sports, the games

developer, canned the commercial and

distanced itself from it.

As part of the process for creating marketing campaigns

to support our titles, we pursue a variety of creative avenues,

the company said in a statement. This video is not part of

the titles nal marketing campaign and its distribution was

unauthorized.

However, to some people, 2K Sports response rings hollow.

Many say that the company was behind the ad from the start,

but didnt want to deal with the negative attention it brought.

2K Sports deliberately created an absurdly racy ad to drum

up interest in the game but didnt have the courage to ofcially

endorse the commercial because of possible public backlash, a

commentary on the website Sports by Brooks said.

Raped by White Men 70 Years Ago, Black Alabama

Woman Receives ApologyNearly 70 years after an African-American woman from

Alabama was gang-raped by a group of White men, state

ofcials and the current mayor of the town where the crime

happened have issued an apology.

According to The Associated Press, Abbeville, Ala. Mayor

Ryan Blalock and State Rep. Dexter Grimsley at a March 21

news conference expressed their sorrow to 91-year-old Recy

Taylor and her family members. I would like to extend a deep,

heartfelt apology for the error we made in Alabama, Grimsley

said at the news conference, according to Gather News. It was

so unkind. We cant stand around and say that it didnt happen.

In 1944, Taylor, then 24, was walking home from church

when the married woman was abducted and raped by seven

White men and left on the side of a barren road. Following the

incident, ofcials declined to investigate the crime and bringcharges. The police are alleged to have mismanaged the case

and harassed Taylor.

After the press conference, Taylors brother Robert Corbitt

told Colorlines News that his sister and his family still arent

satised. While Im pleased with the mayors apology, its

nothing ofcial. We were looking for an ofcial one from

the city, the state and the county, Corbitt, told Colorlines

Benjamin Greenberg. I did hear the

representative say he was [going to] get a

resolution in to the state, but I never heard

the mayor say that he was going to present it

to the city council. He just said it must come

from the city council. He never said anything

about when he was [going to] do it.

Grimsley said at the event that he would

attempt to introduce a House resolution for a

state apology to Taylor before the legislative

session adjourns.Taylors story generated national attention

following the release of the book, At the Dark

End of the Street: Black Women, Rape and

Resistance, which details her story. Shortly

thereafter, social activist website Change.

org issued a petition demanding an ofcial

apology. As of March 25, the site has received

more than 15,680 signatures.

SerenaWilliams Courtesy Photo


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A4 The Afro-American, April 2, 2011 - April 2, 2011 April 2, 201

1 - April 8, 2011 The Afro-American A3

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Maryland Prescription Abuse Predicted to Grow Without LegislationBy Jessica Harper

Capital News Service

WASHINGTON - By October

2009, the Maryland State

Board of Physicians had

heard numerous complaints

from pharmacists across

the state about abusive

prescription practices.

So news that came late

that month about Dr. Nicola

Tauraso overprescribing the

pain killer oxycodone -- an

addictive and often-abused

sythetic opiate -- from a barn

on his residential property

in Frederick came as little

surprise.

Dr. Peter R. Cohen,

medical director for the

Maryland Alcohol and Drug

Abuse Administration, said

Tauraso, whose license was

suspended in August 2010,

is indicative of a growing

problem in Maryland: doctors

who overprescribe pain killers

to patients.

This is where were

most vulnerable, said

Cohen. Unregulated pain

management treatment

without appropriate standards

or guidelines.

Overuse of prescription

drugs causes addiction, leads

to increased hospital visits

and is potentially deadly,

particularly when the drugs

are mixed with alcohol or

other substances, the medical

literature indicates.

In the short term,

painkiller abuse can prompt

lethargy, an inability to

concentrate, nausea, vomiting

and breathing problems,

according to theantidrug.com.

The site lists Vicodin, Tylenol

with Codeine, and Percocet

in addition to OxyContin as

some of the most commonly

abused medications.

Prescription drug

abuse is rampant in the

U.S., according to a late

February report from the

Washington Post. Cohen

said a prescription drug

monitoring program law

is the best solution to this

escalating dilemma because

it would ensure that the state

addresses not only abuse but

also addiction.

Florida leads the pack

in phony prescriptions,

with medical practitioners

purchasing 41.3 million

oxycodone pills in early

2010, according to the Post

report. And while it has a

prescription monitoring law

on its books, the regulation is

not being enforced because

of resistance from Gov. Rick

Scott.

Maryland hasnt even

gotten that far. Maryland is

not among the current 43

states, including Florida, that

have passed a prescription

monitoring program law,

according to the National

Alliance for Model State

Drug Laws. The question

facing Maryland health

professionals is whether their

state is on its way to catching

Floridas record.

Gene Ransom, executive

director for The Maryland

State Medical Society, said he

doubts Maryland will eclipse

Florida in overprescriptions,

despite its lack of a

prescription monitoring law.

We are not in a similar

situation, said Ransom.

People who do this in

Maryland are punished. And

in some ways, we might be a

little too aggressive in going

after them.

One of the chief

ways overprescribing is

discovered in Maryland

is from complaints from

pharmacists, and Ransom said

the Maryland State Board

of Physicians takes those

complaints seriously. Still,

one area the state can improve

is its implementation of

clinical monitoring programs,

he said.

This is a very complex

issue, and it would be nice

if there were a tool that

(clinicians) could use to make

sure the people who are in

pain get what they need,

Ransom said. If people have

an ailment unrelated to pain,

we want to make sure they are

not misdiagnosed and (given

medication they dont need).

Cohen disagrees,

contending that clinical

monitoring programs only

skim the surface of this issue.

MedChi is making an

argument that is three years

old, said Cohen. It doesnt

move the conversation

forward at all. (Proposing a

clinical monitoring program)

is the best they can do to

respond.

The Maryland General

Assembly passed a bill

legalizing a monitoring

program in 2006, but then

Gov. Robert Ehrlich vetoed

it. Renewing momentum,

several Maryland ofcials

testied before the states

Senate Finance Committee

in Annapolis last week about

the need for a prescription

drug management program

and declared their support

for measures HB 1229 andSB 883, both pro-painkiller

management program bills.

The measures would

establish the Prescription

Drug Monitoring Program in

the Maryland Department of

Health and Mental Hygiene

and create an Advisory

Board on Prescription Drug

Monitoring that assists in the

design, implementation, and

evaluation of the program.

The Maryland Advisory

Council on PrescriptionDrug Monitoring released

a legislative report on

December 31, 2009, in

which it made several

recommendations for the

state. These recommendations

included identifying the

prescription drugs to be

monitored; identifying the

types of dispensers required

to submit information to a

prescription drug monitoring

program; and determining

the process for submitting

prescription drug monitoring

data to a prescription drug

monitoring program.

Maj. Vernon J. Conaway,

commander for the Maryland

State Polices Drug

Investigation Command, said

the number of prescription

drug trafcking cases now

nears the tens of thousands

in Maryland with the most

signicant one occurring

along the I-95 corridor in June

2009. Thats when a Maryland

state trooper stopped the

driver of a Florida-registered

Toyota in route to New

York, transporting 34,000

oxycodone pills, he said.

Conaway said lax attitudes

about prescription drug abuse

contribute to this uptick in

trafcking.

Theres this

misconception that the

abuse of prescription pills is

somehow less harmful than

the abuse of harder drugs,

he said. Thats incorrect.

Conaway said both pose

tremendous dangers.

Doctor shoppers or

patients who hop between

various medical practitioners

for prescriptions present

another problem, the experts

said.

We dont have the kind of

data mechanisms in place that

would allow a pharmacist to

alert a physician about doctor

shopping, said Cohen. Such

a mechanism, he said, would

make it easier to detect and

suspend the licenses of faulty

practitioners.

It appears that the justice system is comfortable allowing

someone to be executed when there are lingering doubts about

guilt in the case, said Laura Moye, AIUSAs death penalty

abolition campaign director, in a statement, Monday. Noobjective person could condently determine that Davis is

guilty beyond a reasonable doubt from the evidence available

now in his case. That leaves an ominous cloud hanging over

an irreversible sentence such as the death penalty.

Moye said given the questions raised in this case, the

Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles could commute Davis

sentence to life instead of executing him.

Correia said her brothers lawyers are looking into

possible next moves and Daviss supporters are going to

continue raising their voices on his behalf. Because of the

advocacy and the activism weve amassed around the world

around Troys case, weve always had hope and will continue

to have hope and will continue to ght. The lawyers are going

to continue to look for legal avenues and were by no

means giving up.

Troy Davis AppealContinued from A1


4/20


the mayors proposal stiesdiversity and limits voting

power by packing threepredominately-Black

neighborhoods into her

district and removing twoWhite communities. Packing

violates federal law, she said

at one hearing.She added that the proposal

robs her district of resources,including Hampdens 36th

street shops and the 25th streetstation, a development project

she actively advocated.My district is being

dismantled in a way that does

not serve my residents, shesaid. I will not rubberstamp

legislation that benets aselect few ... This is a agrant

insult.Mayoral spokesman Ryan

ODoherty called the packing

allegations unfair and said theBaltimore City law department

approved the proposal.Under the new map,

Conaway loses Remington,Hampden and a section

of Park Heights but gains

Reservoir Hill. Severalresidents from the latter

have contested the shift toConaways district. One such

resident, Jacob Green, said hecollected 46 signatures in 24

hours for a petition to protest

moving under Conawaysreign.

We vehemently opposeredistricting, he said. We

would not like to have anothernail in the cofn when our

neighborhood is struggling tocome back, he said.

The community had been

a part of Councilman WilliamColes more afuent and

predominately White 11thdistrict. There is speculation

the redrawn lines centralize

Coles control over centralBaltimore, rming up his

resources and access to largeredevelopment projects and

wealthy residents.

It is clear, even to thenaked eye, that something

questionable happened with

the 11th district that hada negative, trickle down,

affect on other districts,

Former Baltimore CityNAACP President Marvin

Doc Cheatham said in anemail. Packing, cracking

and stacking seemingly tookplaceto purportedly better

protect the councilman in the

11th district. A councilman thatI have privately and publicly

stated my support for re-election.

Councilman Kraft saidthe map violates charter

provisions by splitting up

several communities in his 1stdistrict, including Butchers

Hill and Upper Fells Point, inorder to reunite Greektown.

Existing council lines werenot taken into account as

mandated, he said. Its

disappointing that this hashappened.

Despite his strongopposition, Kraft told the

AFRO there was no sense inghting the map because his

colleagues made an agreementwith the mayor to vote downany amendments to her

proposal.In response, ODoherty

said, We were asked ifwe support Conaways

amendments and we said we

were not familiar with theamendments. Thats the only

comment we made.He added that Kraft had

not proposed amendments

to the mayors plan. If JimKraft didnt like the way his

district was drafted, he did not

offer a single amendment onthe oor of the city council,

ODoherty said.

Butchers Hill residentscame out in droves to

redistricting hearings to claimtheir allegiance to Kraft. The

mayors plan halves thatcommunity between Kraft and

the 13th district. At the nal

public hearing at BaltimoreCity Community College, one

Butchers Hill woman called

the map gerrymandering.(The mayor) reconstructed

the 2nd district so her candidatecan win, Terri Ehreneld,

a 12-year Butchers Hill

resident said. We are going toremember this during the next

election.

Brandon Scott fromthe mayors Ofce of

Neighborhoods is expected

to run in the second district,replacing incumbent Nicholos

DAdamo, who has vowed toretire.

I dont think the mayorcut up the city in 15 parts for

Brandon Scott, DAdamo

told the AFRO after a citycouncil meeting. And I

dont think she was out to

get anybody. But all mayorshope to get redistricting every

10 years. Thats the way theythank their supporters, he

said.

Councilwoman Mary PatClarke, who had been unhappy

with the map, decided to

support the measure duringthe nal vote. I fought my

battle with my amendments.I lost, so I voted for the

map, she said. I do supportCouncilwoman Conaway and

her work with the 7th district.I did everything I could to

help, she said sadly.But

its hard to vote against aredistricting map because you

dont want the people cominginto your district to think you

dont want them.Stokes, who initially voted

in favor of the map but voted

against it during the lastmeeting, said he had never

sat on the city council and seen

a colleague so disrespected asConaway had been. She lost

part of her district that she feltstrongly about ... Normally,

there is councilmanic courtesy.

If it doesnt affect you in anyway and other councilpersons

agree to it, the council agrees

to it, he said.Said ODoherty, Its

ne to throw out allegationsbut if you look at the facts

and talk to more than onecommunity, you get more

than one perspective, he said.The plan was supported by

an overwhelming majority

of the city council and anoverwhelming majority of city

neighborhoods, he added.The mayor is pleased the plan

was approved.The map goes into effect

April 1. To learn how your

neighborhood is affected byredistricting visit http://www.

baltimorecity.gov/LinkClick.


Continued from A1

Conaway Fights QuestionsContinued from A1

Green Family Calls for Regulations

Continued from A1

for nearly 500 years, african americans have taken a journey from st

I f .

Black Memorabilia,Art, Doll & Collectible Show

April 16-17, 2011Saturday: 10 AM 7 PM ** Sunday: 10 AM 5 PM

Montgomery County Fairgrounds16 Chestnut Street ** Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877

An Education on the African American Experience

Purchase Black Memorabilia and Collectibles from many dealersfrom across the United States

View Educational Exhibits including Slavery Artifacts, Civil War, Buffalo Soldiers,Jim Crow, Black Panther Party, Marcus Garvey, Tuskegee Airmen, Malcolm X, Blacks inHockey, Madame C. J. Walker, George Washington Carver and others..

Meet and obtain autographs from former Negro League Baseball Players;Jim Kelly, Karate Champion and movie actor; and Marlin Briscoe, former AFL/NFL player.

Admission: $6, Children 16 and under freeAll Indoors Good Food Free Parking(301) 649-1915 ** www.johnsonshows.com

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For more Information: Call 410-358-6856or visit www.myerbergseniorcenter.org

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New York Examiner2/2011

daughter.

Her 14-year-old was

electrocuted and killed whenshe leaned on two fences after

a softball game in Druid HillPark May 2006. Roughly

270 volts of stray electricity,called contact voltage, surged

through her body.

An eighth-grade picture ofDeanna in a dark denim jacket

sat on the table in front ofher parents during her moms

speech.The Greens said they

had come to humanize a

set of regulations theyveproposed to the commission

that would mandate eachutility company in Maryland

survey public roadways, parksand playgrounds for contact

voltage and immediatelyeradicate it. The lethal

voltage occurs when aging

or damaged underground

electrical wires energizepublic surfaces.

A BGE spokesman saidthe company currently scans

only half of the light poles andmanhole covers they operate

every year.

Deemed the Deanna

Camille Green Rule, theGreens plan would require

utility businesses to conductat least two thorough scans

a year in Marylands majorcities to mitigate contact

voltage. If the commissionenacts the rules, utility

businesses would use mobile

detections or scanner trucks

that instantly recognize publicsurfaces with high voltage

counts as they drive.Baltimore City

transportation ofcials toldthe AFRO that they purchased

hand-held devices to detect

the stray electricity, a buy the

Greens call ineffective andmore expensive than mobile

scanners as they requireworkers to manually inspect

surfaces.Under their plan,

companies would alsotrack and submit extensiverecords to the public service

commission detailing theirscans, including the location

of energized surfaces, anyinjuries caused and the length

of time it took to make repairs.

Companies could face rateadjustments of 75 basis points

on annual earnings if they failto employ tests.

Similar regulations wereenforced in New York State

after a young woman died

from contact voltage in 2004.The Greens have received

letters of support from at least

three legislators includingCongressman John P.Sarbanes, Baltimore County

Del. Adrienne A. Jones, and

Baltimore City Councilwoman

Mary Pat Clarke, D-14. U.S.Sen. Barbara Mikulski has

publically testied in supportof the proposal and Princeton

University professor CornelWest also sent a letter of

encouragement.

The ve public servicecommissioners listened

intently to the familys tearfulplea for enactment of their

proposal. I pray that noother family will have to go

through this as you have,

Commissioner Harold D.Williams told the couple,

adding that he would doeverything in his power to

pass the regulation.Commission Chair Douglas

R. M. Nazarian concurred. Ihave two daughters that playsports. Regardless of how

this proceeds today, we arecommitted to addressing this

problem, he said.They advised the Greens

to disassociate their plan from

another proposal that calls forincreased utility reliability

during storms.Its been ve long

suffering years, Nancy Greensaid. But any delay in the

vote for the Deanna Green

Rule or its implementationwould only put others at risk.

A commission ofcial told

the AFRO it will take at leastsix weeks for the ofce to ruleon the proposal.

residence. State records show Conaway

Sr. owns the property.The Conaway family has dominated

city elections for decades with theirpowerful last name and Mama Bear,

Papa Bear, and Baby Bear campaigns.

Mother Mary Conaway is associatedwith another address on Cross Country

Boulevard.When the AFRO knocked on the door

of the Ashburton home last weekend,a man who sounded like Conaway Sr.

responded from a window. Soon after,Belinda Conaway answered the door.

While inside, she asserted that she

and her husband own the Randallstownproperty but she lives at the Ashburton

dwelling. She would not say whether herhusband lived with her. My husband is

not an elected ofcial, she said.

The councilwoman said she

welcomes other media outlets to show up

unannounced any morning to watch herleave to take her two children to school.

A woman who lives directly behindthe Ashburton property said she sees

Conaway leave the home regularly. Her

car is parked there every morning andshe speaks and shes always nice, the

woman said.But a man who lives next door to

the Randallstown home said he seesConaway there at least four times a

week. He pointed out vehicles that hesaid belong to her husband and mother-in-law.

No one answered when the AFROrang the doorbell of the two-story, vinyl

siding home on Southall Road, althoughtwo cars were parked in the driveway.

Conaway said the whirlwind of

attention surrounding her residency is

a little bit funny. My properties are

public information, she said. This isnot something new.

She wouldnt say if she rents out theproperty in Randallstown.

At least two other city councilpersons

have faced residency issues in recentyears. Council President Bernard C.

Jack Young was challenged about aproperty he listed as his primary address

that was found to have unoccupied-likewater bills last year, and political insiders

joke that Councilwoman RochelleRikki Spector, D-5, actually lives in aritzy condominium with her boyfriend in

the 11th district.A spokesman for Youngs ofce

said the Ethics Board or InspectorGeneral would handle sanctions if a

councilperson was found to live outside

their district.

We live every day without Deannabecause she simply touched a ence.

- Nancy Green

Redistricting Changes Baltimores Political Landscape

Despite eforts to keep me quiet ... I still stand that it is an illegalmap and it needs to be changed.

- Belinda Conaway


5/20

April 2, 2011 - April 2, 2011, The Afro-American A3April 2, 201

1 - April 8, 2011 The Afro-American A5

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terms and sources of electricity and natural gas vary from

supplier to supplier. You should find the supplier thats

the best fit for you. BGE can help:

L Go to BGE.com/energychoice

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By Brandi Forte

Special to the AFRO

On March 27, more than

300 communities across

the nation celebrated the

promising future of Black

families during the ninth

annual Black Marriage

Day. From Detroit to Dallas

and Atlanta to New York,

Black marriage festivities

demonstrated the collective

efforts of community

partnerships and unity.

In the District, thousands

of couples celebrated Black

Marriage Day with an

array of healthy forums,

recommitment ceremonies,movie screenings, couples

mentoring, training and

merriments to newlywed

couples. To promote the

signicance and sacredness

of marriage in the Black

community, Nisa Muhammad,

executive director of the

Wedded Bliss Foundation,

birthed Black Marriage Day

in March 2003.

This is about community

wellness. Marriage is a divine

concern, said Diane Sims-

Moore, executive director

of the African American

Healthy Marriage Initiative.

To the brothas in prison,we say to you we need you to

come homeyour children

and family need you. When

other people nd out that

children dont have fathers

they know that those children

are vulnerable. Know that

marriage saves.

In the spirit of Married

and Proud of It, village

partners included the

Anacostia Community

Outreach Center, Wedded

Bliss Foundation, Marriage

First, Family First DC and DC

Children & Youth Investment

Trust, who hosted a Black

Marriage Day program atGreater Mt. Calvary Holy

Church. The event honored

married couples with children,

offered tips on how to sustain

a healthy marriage, presented

a recommitment ceremony

and debut the screening of

Men Aint Boys by indie

lmmakers Lamar and Ronnie

Tyler.

One thing that I have

learned is why do we as

Black women have to talk

about how strong we are? Just

think of how strong we can

be when we come together

with a strong brother, said

Ayanna Maat, co-host of the

program. It is OK to lean on

someone.

Demonstrating a

loving union, Ayize and

Aiyana Maat, founders of

relationship coaching and

counseling rm B-Intentional

LLC, hosted the event. The

energetic young couple have

been married for nine years

and have four children. They

both offered holistic and

realistic advice to the crowd

of couples.

Why marriage to the

men? We (men) need the

support, encouragementand we need to be inspired.

We need that partnerthat

cheerleader in our corner,

said Ayize Maat.

According to the U.S.

Census Bureau, two out

of three African-American

children will be raised without

biological fathers in the home.

During the program ,The

Marriage First Project (MFP)

announced that these statisticshave stagnated because

nearly 9,000 African-

American couples have

obtained marriage licenses

within the last two years.

Rallying support for

newlywed couples with

children, young couples

the Ledbetter and Johnson

families were presented

checks for $1,000 from the

Marriage First Project. MFP

provides D.C. couples married

after Oct. 1, 2008, or engaged

to be married by June 1, 2011,

who have children living in

their home with marriage

education, nancial literacyand support for participation

in their program.

While D.C. is faced with

a 9.5 percent unemployment

rate, 25 percent high school

dropout rate, marriage

is more than meaningful,

as studies show marriage

has a positive impact on

communities.We are in the community

teaching marriage education

and how it positively

changes the community,

said Marjorie Grays,

founder of Family Matters

Empowerment Center in

Northeast D.C. Married

couples are the gatekeeper to

the villagespecially dads.

When the man stands up the

village prospers. You know

that women are going to do it

anyways.

For more information on

healthy Black marriages or

marriage counseling visit:www. familymattersec.com.

Communities Celebrate Love,Commitment on Black Marriage Day

Courtesy Photo

Ayize and Aiyana Maat, ounders o relationship

coaching and counseling frm B-International LLC

By Courtney A. Bonaparte

Special to the AFRO

At this years Maryland Day ceremony, the Maryland Historical Society (MdHS) honored

Eddie and Sylvia Brown as the societys Marylanders of the Year, for their philanthropic

contributions to various local causes. Over the past 15 years the Brown family has donated $22

million to better the lives of the less fortunate in Baltimore City.

Eddie and Sylvia have generated spectacular dividends for impoverished inner-city

residents and leveled playing elds across the country in the realms of education, healthcare

and art, said Burt Kummerow, MdHS president, at the luncheon. However, a number of their

gifts have been targeted to improving the quality of life in the broader Baltimore community.

The C. Sylvia and Eddie C. Brown Family Foundation was founded in 1996.

We have tried to create a model of philanthropy that spurs other African Americans of

means to become more involved with charitable giving to our community, said Eddie Brown.

Most of our grants require that other African Americans give up to a third of our gift. Both of

us have been very pleased with the results achieved.

Although Brown is the founder of Brown Capital Management, which accumulated more

than $6 billion in assets under his management, as a child, he grew up in Apopka, Fla., inpoverty. His academic excellence prompted an anonymous benefactor to completely nance

his educational expenses while attending Howard University, where he earned an electrical

engineering degree in 1961. Born in King William, Va., Sylvia followed in the footsteps of

her parents and became an educator. She and Eddie shared a vision about education being

benecial to creating equal footing for achievement.

With this vision in mind, the Browns have given their largest gift, $6 million, to Maryland

Institute College of Art (MICA), to assist in construction of the Brown Center, which is located

in Baltimore. They have also funded many full scholarships for African-American students to

attend MICA. They have also contributed to $5 million to the Turning the Corner Achievement

Program that encourages success for inner-city Baltimore youth.

Other organizations that have received charitable assistance from the Browns include:

University of Maryland Baltimore County, Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns

Hopkins University, Center for Urban Families (CFUF), Baltimore School for the Arts,

Howard University, Middle Grades Partnership in Baltimore City, the Soulful Symphony/

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Partnership and the Enoch Pratt Library.

Baltimore Couple DeemedMarylanders of the Year

Landover, Md. (March

25, 2011) Giant Food of

Landover, Md., recently

announced that, along

with its sister Ahold USA

supermarkets, $100,000 will

be donated to the American

Red Cross Earthquake and

Pacic Tsunami Fund to

support disaster relief efforts

to help those affected by the

earthquake and tsunami in

Japan.

Additionally, Giant Food

will collect donations in allstores for the victims of

Stock Photo

Giant Foods will collect donations in all stores throughApril 8 or victims o the earthquake and tsunami in

Japan.

Local Giant Food to Collect Donations forJapans Natural Disaster Victims

Continued on A6


6/20


RISING ZION BAPTIST CHURCH2300 Llewelyn Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21213

REV. THEODORE D. ADDISON, SR., PASTOR

The Church AnniversaryCommittee is excited and we

want you to know youre invited.

Come join us at our

33rd ChurchAnniversary

Celebration ServiceA Grateful And Thankful Church For 33 Years

Teaching Gods Perfect Will To Positively Affect

The Demands Of An Imperfect World.

Services

Pre 33rd Church Anniversary Celebration Service

Sunday, April 3, 2011 - 11:00 a.m.

Reverend Dr. Clarence R. Morton, Evangelist

C.R. Morton Evangelistic Ministries

33rd Church Anniversary Celebration Service

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.

Reverend P. M. Smith, Pastor

Huber Memorial Church

Thursday, April 7, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.

Reverend Gregory Perkins, PastorSt. Paul Community Baptist Church

Friday, April 8, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.

Reverend Cleveland C. Alexander, PastorSt. Paul Baptist Church

Sunday, April 10, 2011 - 11:00 a.m.

Reverend John Robinson, PastorSpirit Of Truth Baptist Church -Washington, DC

Rev. Theodore D.Addison, Sr.

Co-Chairpersons Deacon Kenneth GainesBrother Martellies Warren

ChairpersonsBrother Willie Mickens

Sister Nichelle Washington

Continued from A5

the natural disasters in Japan

on behalf of the American


Pacic Tsunami Fund through

April 8. One hundred percent

of the money collected will be

donated to relief efforts.

Due to the extent of the

recent natural disasters in

Japan, we want to do as much

as we can to help with relief

efforts. Starting Friday, our

associates and customers

will have an easy way to

contribute to the victims,

said Don Sussman, acting

division president of Giant

Food of Landover, Md., in

a prepared statement. Im

condent that our generous

customers and associates will

support this effort. Together,

we can make a difference by

contributing to the American


Pacic Tsunami Fund.

Local Giant Food

By Melissa Jones

Special to the AFRO

The rst lady of the United States of America is anAmerican icon. As a gurehead, she is the epitome of poise

and grace and for the rst time in this nations history

that woman, icon and gurehead is a Black woman. East

Baltimore native Peggy Brooks-Bertram along with historian

Barbara Seals Nevergold co-authored Go, Tell Michelle:

African American Women Write to the New First Lady in

2009 after the historic election of the rst African-American

president of the United States.

The compilation of letters expressing the hope, tears,

memories, dreams and well wishes from women of all ages

and nationalities, was the subject of the staged reading of

Go, Tell Michelle: Letters to the First Lady performed by the

co-authors

along with

modern

day griot,

musician and

educator,Karima

Amin at

the James

Weldon

Johnson

Auditorium

at Coppin

State

University.

The three

women

sat on an

otherwise

empty

stage with

microphones

and reading stands before them and gave voice to the

hundreds of women that submitted letters to the rst lady as atribute to her existence. A rhythmic mash-up of varied verses

from letters primed the ear before the performers dramatized

the selected readings, adopted and directed by Robert Knopf.

The performance enveloped the audience in a four part guide

through the fulllment of ancestral dreams, the intangible

scars of skin hue prejudices in the Black community, a

moving juxtaposition of Sojourner Truths 1851 declaration

of Black femininity and the modern day embodiment of

Black motherhood attributed to Obama, and moving accounts

of painful recollections of Jim Crow seemingly healed or

comforted by the appointment of a Black man to the highest

ofce in the land. While Amins artistry shone through in

her vocal depiction of African and Hispanic contributors,

redundant subject matter at times made the hour long

performance drag, almost begging for an accompaniment or

creative backdrop to hold the audiences attention.

Go, Tell Michelle almost deies the rst lady and teeters

along the problematic line of attempting to represent an entiregroup or population, particularly Black women, through

a singular lens. Obama is an intelligent, gorgeous, stylish,

wife and mother who balances career and home seemingly

awlessly while cultivating an outwardly passionate and

loving relationship with her husband who also happens to

be the leader of the free world. In a historical media context,

Black women have never been served well by a narrowly

dened perception of who she should be and what she is

not. However what saves Go, Tell Michelle is the outward

expression of female solidarity, love and communal exaltation

of success often missing from the public discourse centered

on Black women. Women of varying ethnicities will enjoy

the performance, hopefully leading to hearty reections and

discussions that can bridge age and cultural gaps.

Stage Performance HighlightsLetters Written to Michelle Obama

Courtesy Photo

Karima Amin, Peggy Brooks-Bertram and

Barbara Seals Nevergold

By Gregory DaleAFRO Staf Writer

At 92 years old, Washington,D.C. resident Ira Blount hassurely experienced his share oftribulations and triumph. Alongthe way, he's utilized a uniquepastime to help him make itthrough.

Blount, just a few yearsshy of being a centenarian,is a multitalented artist andcraftsman. His remarkablecollection of handmade worksthat span from weaved baskets,quilts and other eye-catchingitems has spurred much attentionin his Ward 7 community.

But his noteworthy skills

were originally incited by tough times.Born in Memphis, Tenn., in 1918, Blount attended Tuskegee

Institute after graduating from high school. Shortly thereafter,he was drafted into the Army and stationed in Virginia. Afterholding the position of rst sergeant for four years, he left theArmy and entered into a marriage that later went sour.

That gave me a lot of depression, I didnt know which wayto go, Blount told the AFRO in a recent interview. I then wentthrough a period of alcoholism.

Troubled, Blount turned to craft making as an outlet to his

despair. "It more or less turned my life around," he said.Following the breakthrough, Blount doubled his time

working, and continuing to add to his collection of crafts,which he continues to create today.

He says that out of all his works, he's particularly fond ofhis handmade quilt that he crafted as a way of paying homageto his mother.

"She was a good seamstress so I wanted to do a quilt in hermemory," Blount said. "She had given us the basics of sewing,but beyond that, I didn't have any instructions on how to do it."

Determined to master the skill, he explained that he keptworking at it and nally mastered the process. The experiencewent on to be a rule of thumb for h is future projects.

"Going to classes to learn how to [create crafts] is ne, butwhen you do these things without any help, I think it's morebenecial and the product turns out to be better because of thefact that you put a lot of work into it and it's your own," he said.

Blount added that he's also very proud of the many eggbaskets he's made because of their intricacy.

The craftsman's work drew wide attention and sparkedthe interest of the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative nonprot. Theorganization then worked with local producers to create adocumentary in his honor. The nal project was titled, Ira

Blount: The Common Threads That Bind and premiered atAsbury United Methodist Church in August 2009.

Ultimately, Blount says before he leaves the Earth, he wantsto ensure more people are exposed to his work. He's currentlyin talks with local organizations in hopes that they will featurehis projects in a permanent exhibit. Blount believes as a result,the pieces could motivate others to take up the same pastimeand nd solace doing so, just as he did.

"I [would like to] get these items out to the public, in hopesto inspire others my age and younger to work with their handsand get peace of mind doing that," he said.

At 92, District Craftsman Aims to Inspire Others Through Art

Courtesy Photo

Ira Blount


7/20


April 2

Women Be Enlightened!

St. Matthews Church,5401 Loch Raven Blvd.,

Baltimore, Md. 8:30 a.m.-3

p.m. Spend time with thewomen of St. Matthews at

this conference focusing on

mind, body and spirit. $30.For more information: 410-

900-9933.

Terry McMillan Book

Discussion

Enoch Pratt Free Library,

Cherry Hill Branch, 606

Cherry Hill Road, Baltimore.2 p.m. Read and discuss Terry

McMillans book Mama. For

more information: 410-396-1168.

April 4

Fourplay

Rams Head Tavern, 33West St., Annapolis, Md. 8

p.m. Jazz and funk quartet,Fourplay will bring theirunique sounds to the Rams

Head stage. $49. For more

information: 410-268-4545.

Get Fit At Your Library

Enoch Pratt Free Library,Waverly Branch, 400 E. 33rd

St., Baltimore. 12-2 p.m.Get your Monday workout

to popular line dances,

hip-hop, Caribbean andAfrican rhythms. For more

information: 410-396-6053.

April 6

Poetry in Motion

Enoch Pratt Free Library,Herring Run Branch, 3801

Erdman Ave., Baltimore. 4p.m. To celebrate National

Poetry Month, expand your

creative abilities at thisweekly workshop with local

poet Gail Langstroth. For

more information: 410-396-0996.

April 8

Cirque Du Soleil

Westport Waterfront,

2001 Kloman St., Baltimore,Md. 8 p.m. Watch a dramatic

mix of circus arts and streetentertainment. $38.50-$350.

For more information call1-800-450-1480 or visitwww.cirquedusoleil.com.

April 8

Crowns

Gilliam Concert Hall,

Morgan State University,2201 Argonne Drive,

Baltimore Md. 7 p.m. Singalong in a musical tribute

to church hats and African-

American women. $10-$20.For more information: 443-

885-4440

April 9

Black Male Initiative

Scholarship LuncheonMorgan State University

Student Center Ballroom,1700 East Cold Spring

Lane, Baltimore, Md. 1

p.m. Morgan men will meet

together for an afternoon of

dining and fellowship. $10.

For more information call:443-885-3388

Volunteer Tax Preparation

Enoch Pratt Free Library,

Brooklyn Branch, 300 E.

Patapsco Ave., Baltimore.10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Volunteers from the AARP

will be on hand to help you

prepare your tax return. Formore information: 410-396-

1120.

April 10

Baltimore Urban Book

Festival 2011Frederick Douglass-Isaac

Myers Maritime Park, 1417

Thames St., Baltimore. 3-7

p.m. Celebrate Baltimoresrst book festival for African-

American literature and

programming for childrenat this festival lled with

entertainment, information,

reading material, workshopsand activities. $5-$10. For

more information: 410-685-

0295.

April 12

Do Something With Mayor

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

American Visionary Art

Museum, 800 Key Highway,

Baltimore. 5:30-7:30 p.m.Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-

Blake will meet with

hundreds of volunteers to

celebrate the impact of civicengagement in Baltimore for

National Volunteer Week.

$10. For more information:410-244-1900.

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Community Calendar


8/20


By Melissa Jones

Special to the AFRO

At rst glance, Lance Lucas does not quite t the bill of thehead of a technology rm. Neither does he resemble the typical

denition of a social activist. However, the 35-year-old Coppin

State University graduate has worked in both arenas and isnot bashful about his success. The founder and CEO of Digit

All Systems, a non-prot information technology company

that trains low-income Baltimore area residents for jobs ininformation technology through various technical certications,

says that his work is a labor of love. Technology saved my

life. It helped me elevate to another level so that I can createstability for myself, said Lucas as he sat down with the AFRO

after a meeting with the Greater Baltimore Black Chamber ofCommerce where he currently serves as vice president. We are

the Habitat for Humanity of technology. Our program changes

lives.Students attend classes at Digit Alls headquarters at 200

E. Lexington St., free of cost.

Additionally, the materialstudents are trained with for

various industry certicationsis reduced from a daunting

500 page textbook on average,

to about a 10-page document.We have a 100 percent

retention rate and an 82

percent certication rate. Mostfor-prot schools cant put up

those kinds of numbers, said

Lucas. What these schoolswont admit is that education

has changed and we found away to upgrade the education

side of it. We do certication

rates, not money. Money iswood with ink on it. So I

basically gured out a way to get people the information they

need at no cost, in a way that they can understand it.

AFRO: How did come up with the concept for Digit All

Systems?

Lance Lucas: I started out selling computers at Staples.

While I was working there I became the best salesman in thecity and then the state and then the east coast. I went to sell a

computer to a private school and ended up teaching a media

literacy class and [soon after] got into teaching. I also startedteaching computer classes to a small group of students at Aunt

Hatties Place [a long-term home for children in foster care]

which eventually grew to a class of about 30 students. WhenI lost my job at the private school, I got hired at a software

company. And within 5 months I convinced the technicians to

quit and come work with me out of a little private school ina classroom that I bargained with the principal for. We set up

phone lines and fax machines and started this company with

about $1,500. Since then I have

AFRO: Why did you decide to start a non-prot instead of a

for-prot business in a eld as protable as technology?

LL: I went to all the computer schools and I saw how

crappy they were and I saw how they really didnt care, theyread the books and all they wanted was a check. That got me

thinking that most people dont stand a chance. If you do this to

people working at the post ofce or MTA trying to get a betterlife and take their three or four thousand dollars in a for-prot

school and the certication rate is 5 percent, they dont have

[any] hope of getting into the computer industry. Thats not

going to work for us.

AFRO:Who are your students/clients?

LL: People come to us from all walks of life. We serve

ex-offenders that are trying to integrate themselves back intosociety, people that are on social services, people that are

referred through [Baltimore] Housing. We have people thatused to be in gangs [that are] now working at the NSA, the

Navy, Hopkins and the University of Maryland. Right now we

are also training a group of parents that come in on Saturdays toget the same certications that their kids are getting.

AFRO: What are some of the classes that you offer?

LL: We offer certication classes in Comp TIA, Microsoft,

Adobe, A+ and C++ for entry level IT positions. High school

students are now able to earn 1 college credit when theybecome certied as Microsoft Ofce Specialists. In the very

near future we should also have the ability to provide the

physical side of CISCO Systems training and we are alsoa Certiport Authorized Mobile Testing Center. All of our

certications are recognized by Microsoft, CompTIA and theAmerican Council on Education.

AFRO: Whats next for Digit All Systems?

LL: We plan to actively pursue some additional grants I

2011. Weve only gotten a $10,000 grant from Verizon so far.

We also have our rst fundraiser coming up in June. But long-term D.C. is next. Theres nothing like Digital All Systems

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9/20


Opinion(NNPA) The mass

protests that led to thedownfall of Egyptian

President Hosni Mubarak

after 35 years in powerand the 23-year tenure of

Tunisian President Zine al-

Abidine Ben Ali have inspiredprotests throughout Northern

Africa and the Middle East including in Libya, Bahrain,

and Yemen and have

underscored the United Statesinconsistent foreign policy.

While professing support

for democracy around theworld, the U.S. has openly

supported dictators who routinely exploited and killed their

own people, as was the case in Egypt under Mubarak and is thecase in Bahrain under King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa. In those

and other instances, the U.S. turned a deaf ear to human rightsviolations because the leaders of those countries were allied

with America in the ght against international terrorism.In the case of Libyas Moammar Gadda, he has been

considered both friend and foe.

Libya, a mostly desert country about four times the size of

California, was divided into three different provinces, each withdeep tribal tension, until a Gadda-led revolution ousted its

former king in 1969. Even Gaddas severest critics concede

that he has used Libyas newly-discovered oil wealth to upliftthe poor, improving hospitals and schools. But detractors say

he runs an oppressive regime, where political opponents arevictims of public hangings.

Gadda became an international pariah 25 years ago. In

1986, the Reagan administration accused Libyan agents ofbombing a disco in Berlin, Germany, in which two American

soldiers were killed. Reagan retaliated by bombing Libya. In

the process, dozens of innocent civilians were killed, includingGaddas adopted infant daughter.

Two years later, Libya experienced the wrath of the

international community after it was suspected of bombing PanAm Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, resulting in the deaths

of 270 people. In 1992, the United Nations applied sanctions

against Libya for failing to turn over two suspects in the bombing.Beginning in 1998, when Libya became the rst nation to

issue an international arrest warrant for Osama bin Laden, it

took a series of high-prole actions

to repair its tarnished internationalreputation.

In 1999, Gadda turned over two

suspects in the Pan Am bombing,prompting the U.N. to lift economic

sanctions against Libya. Two years

later, when the two suspects were foundguilty of murder, Gadda condemned

the Sept. 11 attacks and urged hisfellow citizens to donate blood to the

victims. The U.N. made additional

concessions in 2003 by lifting traveland weapons bans against Libya after

it formally accepted responsibility for

the Pan Am bombing. Libya paid morethan $2 billion to settle claims by the

victims families.

In another step toward regaininginternational respectability, Libya

disbanded its nuclear program andprovided the CIA with information that

helped uncover a nuclear undergroundmarket in Europe. President George W. Bush, eyeing Libya asa potential partner in the war against terrorism, lifted most U.S.

trade sanctions in 2004.

Describing the newly-thawed relationship, the Los AngelesTimes, which spells the Libyan leaders last name differently

from most news outlets, observed: As it struggles to combat

Islamic terrorist networks, the Bush administration has quietlybuilt an intelligence alliance with Libyan leader Moammar

Kada, a onetime bitter enemy the U.S. had tried for years to

isolate, topple or kill.

Kada has helped the U.S. pursue Al Qaedas network in

North Africa by turning radicals over to neighboring pro-Westerngovernments. He has also provided information to the CIA on

Libyan nationals with alleged ties to international terrorists.

The newspaper continued, In turn, the U.S. has handedover to Tripoli some anti-Kada Libyans captured in its

campaign against terrorism. And Kadas agents have been

allowed into the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba tointerrogate Libyans being held there.

Now that the U.S. has joined France, the United Nations

and now NATO in launching air strikes on Libya, however,some African leaders wonder what that will mean for African

democracy.

The international medias obsession with highlighting onlywar, disease, poverty and national disasters in Africa means

that many Americans dont know about the progress beingmade in expanding democracy on the continent. The leaders of

Egypt and Libya have been in power more than three decades.

However, two-thirds of the 54 countries in Africa have leadersthat have been in power 15 years or less.

According to a 2008 poll of 19 African countries by www.

afrobarometer.org, 29 percent of those polled rated theircountry as a full democracy, 30 percent of the respondents

described their country as a democracy with minor problems,

25 percent labeled their country as a democracy with majorproblems and only 11 percent said they either didnt live in a

democracy or didnt know the status of their nation.Despite those statistics, some African leaders fear the

Obama administration may now use its incursion into Libya

as an excuse to support military intervention in other Africancounties, providing a further setback to sovereignty and self-

governance on the continent.

George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazineand the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, mediacoach and NNPA columnist. He can be reached through his website,www.georgecurry.com You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/

currygeorge.

The U.S. Switches Back and Forth

George E. Curry

As a father, my greatest

hope is for the continued

social progress that will allow

my daughters to achieve the

full measure of their dreams.

That is why during Womens

History Month each year, I

am thinking more about ourfuture than about our past.

Recently, President

Obama (also the father of

two daughters) expressed the

same perspective. While

enormous progress has been

made, he observed, there is

still work to be done before women achieve true parity.

His observation is backed up by kitchen table economics:

When women are not treated fairly, their families suffer as a

result.

One would think that the concept of equal pay for equal

work is so American that it would already be a done deal in

this country. Yet, we know that equal pay is not yet a reality.

Family hardships result from the harsh reality that women,

on average, make just 77 cents for every dollar earned by

men in comparable jobs (just 69 cents if you are an African

American woman and 59 cents if you are Latina).Last week, Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski was afforded

another opportunity to remind everyone of this still to be

achieved civil rights goal as we participated in an event

honoring Lilly Ledbetter, the woman whose Supreme Court

equal opportunity case led to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

of 2009.

As Sen. Mikulski was applauding Ms. Ledbetter for the

courage and determination she had shown ghting for fair pay,

I had the opportunity to reect on Barbara Mikulskis vision

for America and upon all that she has achieved in public life.

Marylands senior senator is a remarkable human being

and a person I am honored to call my friend.

When I rst entered the Congress after a special election

in 1996, Barbara was there for me, helping us to get our

ofce up and running as quickly as possible so no one in

Baltimore would lack representation. I have never forgottenthat kindness. It was a practical demonstration of the same

human compassion that Barbara Mikulski has offered to tens

of thousands of Marylanders over the years.

It is why she has become a national leaderwhy her

colleagues in the Senate have supported her work and

leadership on two of its most prestigious committees:

Appropriations and the Committee on Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions.

We all have an interest in women and their families

receiving fair pay for the work that they perform, and Barbara

Mikulski has always understood this reality.

Our senior senator was one of the essential leaders in ourefforts to enact the Affordable Care Act, as well as the Lilly

Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Yet, despite the national prominence

that she has achieved, Senator Barb has never lost that

candor, honesty and strength that are so typical of the

Highlandtown of her youth.

In her familys grocery store, she learned the challenges

faced by working families. Then, as a social worker, she

perfected the skills that she needed to become an effective

leader in our cause.

Today, I doubt whether there is a single person here in

Baltimore who does not know what Sen. Mikulski stands for.

Her progressive values are solid and clear and we know that

she is going to ght for all of us every single day.

Less well known, however, is Barbara Mikulskis lifetime

vision of bringing all of Americas working families together

in support of progressive change. It is a dream that tiestogether her roots in Highlandtown with my own South and

West Baltimore heritage:

Unfortunately, because of old prejudices and new fears,

she observed back in 1970,

anger is generated [within

European ethnic communities]

against other minority groups

rather than those who have

power. What is needed is an

alliance of white and black, white collar, blue collar and no

collar based upon mutual need, interdependence and respect

an alliance to develop the strategy for new kinds of community

organization and political participation.

Today, 40 years later, Maryland is led by an Irish-American

and an African-American in Annapolis, by a Polish-American

woman and a Jewish-American man in the Senate, and by

Barbara Mikulskis goulash of Americans in the House of

Representatives.Americans all, my daughters and our entire nation,

are better off for our progress toward achieving Barbara

Mikulskis dream and the movement toward a better America

that her dream sustains.

Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Marylands

Seventh Congressional District in the United States House of

Representatives.

Barbara Mikulskis Vision

Elijah Cummings

Pimlico Racetrack Impact Funds Cut from State Budget!

I write to you today because of what has been revealed to us as a travesty in Annapolis. I amperplexed at the thought that our elected ofcials in Annapolis would fail to communicate that

our community would lose half a million dollars a year and no one said a word.

The Pimlico Racetrack Impact Funds are calculated by a percentage of the revenuegenerated by the number of racing days at Pimlico Racetrack. These funds, averaging about

$500,000 annually, were slashed from the budget by lawmakers in Annapolis. The RTIF, for the

past 20 years, has gone to community projects in Northwest Baltimore, as the funds could onlybe used within 1 mile of the Pimlico Racetrack. Over the last four years, the funds have been

used primarily to fund Park Heights Renaissance (PHR), the non-prot organization created to

implement the city-approved Park Heights Master Plan.

How did this happen? The area impacted in Northwest Baltimore is represented by six state

delegates and two state senators as it borders on the 40th and 41st Legislative Districts. ThePark Heights community stands to lose up to $500,000 per year! The area is represented by

Del. Barbara Robinson, Del. Frank Conaway Jr., Del. Shawn Z. Tarrant, all of the 40th District;

and Del. Sandy Rosenberg, Del. Nathaniel Oaks, and Del. Jill P. Carter, all of the 41st District;

with Sens. Catherine Pugh and Lisa Gladden, respectively.

Del. Barbara Robinson sits on the House Appropriations Committee. With that said, how didshe NOT know that this major cut was in the budget? When did she know? And why was the

community not informed? We ask these questions of the entire 40th and 41st delegations. OnlyDel. Jill Carter informed our ofce that the RTIF was being taken out of the budget as it was

being voted on the oor of the House, meaning that at some point, the rest of the delegation

knew about the cuts. Why were we not informed then and how did they all vote?Not one phone call, other than Del. Carters, was made to the community. Not one call was

made to the three councilwomen that represent Park Heights: Rikki Spector, Sharon Middleton

and Belinda Conaway. Not one call was made to PHR. Not one call was made to the mayorsofce. Not a call to any community leader. Not a call to the PCDA. Not one. Had it not been

for the call we received, we would not have known yet either. Our elected ofcials in the 40th

and 41st districts need to be held accountable for this. How do you allow $500,000 to go out ofyour own district? The community is demanding answers and this will not go away.

We thank Sen. Pugh, Sen. Gladden and Del. Carter for keeping the community informedand working to restore the funds, but for the rest of the delegation, this is gross negligence.

Your obligation is to the people of the 40th and 41st districts and once again, you have failed

them.

Will J. Hanna II, president/CEO

The New Park Heights CDC, Inc.

Letter to the Editor

We all have an interest in women - and their families- receivingfair pay for the work that they perform, and Barbara Mikulskihas always understood this reality.


10/20



Morgan State UniversitySpring 2011 Open House

April 8th

RSVP Today @ www.morganstateadmissions.com

All students must register to participate. If you have 8 or more people,

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The last day to register online is April 1st.

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Were notjust in your

neighborhood.Were inyour corner.

. :

Dental Corps in France.

He and two other Black men ran

for mayor of Huntsville in 1964, and

according to the Huntsville Times,

their candidacies marked the rst

time the town had seen any Black

candidates for ofce.

We knew we werent going to

win, but somebody had to break

the ice, Cashin told the Huntsville

Times during a 1996 interview.

In 1968, Cashin founded the

National Democratic Party of

Alabama, which was created as

an alternative to the states anti-

integration Democratic Party.

Through the groups efforts, sixAfrican-American candidates won

local seats in Alabamas Black Belt

region, despite heavy opposition.

Cashin unsuccessfully ran

for governor in the 1970 general

election. Wallace, his opponent,

won 74.51 percent of the vote, while

Cashin came in second place with

nearly 15 percent.

Despite his loss, many people

across the country respected Cashin

for his fervent efforts to integrate

Alabamas Democratic Party up until

the NDPAs disband in the mid 70s.

As a young man growing up

in Alabama, it was important to

see men like Dr. John Cashin who

helped us know that we, too, couldachieve as he had, Dr. David

Wilson, president of Morgan State

University told the AFRO. He

was a true trailblazer. Breaking the

political color barrier in Alabama

was not easy at the time but he did it

by running for governor of the state,

which created an enormous amount

of pride within the Black community

and all across the country. John

Cashin made a path for many of us

who came after him.

Cashins high school friend, Anne

Emery, echoed Wilsons thoughts

on the leaders indelible legacy. He

was highly intelligent and very civil

rights conscious, Emery told the

Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, April 2, 2011

Documents

Transcript of Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, April 2, 2011