Wayne Township Trustee-Richard Stevenson

Rick Stevenson
Well it appears that the City of Fort Wayne can rally around helping some more families living in filth. That is if they are really concerned about such issues, after earlier learning about some children living in similiar conditions.

According to a report on Fort Wayne.Com, the newly elected Wayne township trustee was quite taken aback about the deplorable living condition for three families and staff. Richard Stevenson, found the families living in squalor-like conditions at an apartment complex in which the township was paying rent. In the words of a friend, "ain't that sad." But my response is, that's probable just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

Bummer-Indiana Photo I.D. Law Stands

With a 2-1 opinion Indiana will require a photo I.D. to vote. It will take me a minute to read the 15 page opinion of Crawford, William v. Rokita, Todd.

The United State Court of Appeals of the Seventh Circuit found standing in the suit. Judge Richard Posner's ruling suggests that folks without a photo I.D.. would probably not vote anyways. Especially, since, having a photo I.D. is almost a mandate in order to move about the world.

Even though it is exceedingly difficult to maneuver in today’s America without a photo ID (try flying, or even entering a tall building such as the courthouse in which we sit, without one; see United States v. Smith, 426 F.3d 567 (2d Cir. 2005)), and as a consequence the vast majority of adults have such
identification, the Indiana law will deter some people from voting.

And more than likely those folks on the low end of the pole of survival, economically poor, would vote Democratic. That is if these same folks managed to or are motivated to even show up at the polls to vote.

No doubt most people who don’t have photo ID are low on the economic ladder and thus, if they do vote, are more likely to vote for Democratic than Republican candidates.

Exit polls in the recent midterm elections show a strong negative correlation between income and voting Democratic, with the percentage voting Democratic rising from 45 percent for voters with an income of at least $200,000 to 67 percent for voters having an income below $15,000. “Exit Polls", http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/US/H/00/epolls.0.html; see also Jeffrey M. Stonecash, Class and Party in American Politics 114 (2000) (tab. 5.7). Thus the new law injures the Democratic Party by compelling the party to devote resources to getting to the polls those of its supporters who would otherwise be discouraged by the new law from bothering to vote. See Havens Realty Corp v. Coleman, 455 U.S. 363, 378 (1982); Smith v. Boyle, 144 F.3d 1060, 1061- 63 (7th Cir. 1998).

Having say that the evidence was not enough to motivate the Judge to find a single plaintiff who would vote or not vote based on the new law among those who stood before the district court.

There is not a single plaintiff who intends not to vote because of
the new law—that is, who would vote were it not for the law. There are plaintiffs who have photo IDs and so are not affected by the law at all and plaintiffs who have no photo IDs but have not said they would vote if they did and so who also are, as far as we can tell, unaffected by the law. There thus are no plaintiffs whom the law will deter from voting.

Nor did the Judge believe the new I.D. photo law would reduce the voters roll any more than the National Voter Registration Act law that required the purging of the voters rolls.

The plaintiffs point out that the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. § 1973gg-6(a)(4), requires all states to purge their registration rolls of ineligible voters. See also the Help American Vote Act, 42 U.S.C. § 15301, particularly § 15483(a)(4)(B). The purge has not yet been completed in Indiana. One thing that is slowing it down is that removing a name from the voter registration roll requires notice to a registered voter whose address appears from postal records to have changed, and only if a voter fails to respond to the notice and fails to vote in two successive federal elections can the state remove him from the rolls. 42 U.S.C. §§ U.S.C. §1973gg-6(c), (d). And when the purge is completed, it is likely to eliminate many more eligible voters than the new Indiana law will do, cf. Jeffrey A. Blomberg, “Note: Protecting the Right Not to Vote From Voter Purge Statutes,” 64 Fordham L. Rev. 1015, 1016-17(1995), yet provide only a short-term solution, since as soon as the purge is complete the inflation of the registration rolls will recommence.

The fact that the law requiring the purging is not being followed in a timely fashion did not appear to have swayed the Judge in considering the State of Indiana's ability to follow the Election laws as negligible.

Judge Terrence Evan, expressed an understanding that more and more voters are optioning out of participating in the political process.

Let’s not beat around the bush:
The Indiana voter photo ID law is a not-too thinly-veiled attempt to discourage election-day turnout by certain folks believed to skew Democratic. We should subject this law to strict scrutiny—or at least, in the wake of Burdick v. Takushi, 504 U.S. 428 (1992), something akin to “strict scrutiny light”—and strike it down as an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote.

Judge Evan even suggested shopping malls as a creative way to get out the vote. And even suggested that the voter fraud is just a veiled attempt at keeping certain voters away from the poll.

The fig leaf of respectability providing the motive behind this law is that it is necessary to prevent voter fraud—a person showing up at the polls pretending to be someone else. But where is the evidence of that kind of voter fraud in this record? Voting fraud is a crime (punishable by up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 in Indiana) and, at oral argument, the defenders of this law candidly acknowledged that no one—in the history of Indiana—had ever been
charged with violating that law. Nationwide, a preliminary report to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission has found little evidence of the type of polling-place fraud that photo ID laws seek to stop. If that’s the case, where is the justification for this law? Is it wise to use a sledgehammer to hit
either a real or imaginary fly on a glass coffee table? I think not.

At the end of the day, reviewing the new law fail to rise to the level of strict scrutiny leaving it up to the reason provided by the State.

Hat tip to ILB

Dear Honorable Phil Giaquinta:

Dear Attorney General Steven Carter:

Can you tell me when the below signer of the letter will be resigning from his job as Manager of the City Utilities as he holds a position with your I mean our general assembly? Isn't this undue influence on the voters?

How can he manager my doggone utilities in this city while he is hanging out with MMM? Somewhere I'm a thinking there is a conflict of interest. Can you help me out on this one?




Hat Tip: FWOB

The Democrat who is Running for Mayor

I don't know. And even more surprising is to read on the Democratic Weblog about a hat tip to Rush. Rush Limbaugh ! And a debate on who will run against Nelson Peters and the viability of Matt Kelty for Mayor, both Republican candidates!!!

Somebody scream. Where do you go to read about the Democrats if the Dem is not writing about its own party??!! Just thinking out loud.


Gabcast! Fort Wayne African-American Independent Woman #16 - Interview with James Clingman

Taxes,Taxes, Income Taxes!!!!

Tax Tips

Those w-2 forms should be coming to your mailbox soon. For those who have not received their w-2's but are curious about their refund, be careful in using your last paycheck stub at certain tax preparers because you may get locked into their services only. This will prevent you from shopping around for a lower charging service. Remember it's your money.

If you are a noncustodial parent, you may be able to claim a child as your dependent, if that child does not live with you. You must attach to your return a written declaration your right to claim the dependent. For all you computer savvy e-filer you can attach form 8453 or 8332.




Need more information remember to check with a tax preparer.

A New York's Hero has a name-Wesley Autrey

The subway train is indifference as it races down it tracks. Folks hop on and off as they rush to their destination. No cries of "hold that door". If you should arrive a second late and the train is on time..the doors closes and the train speeds to its next destination.

No exchanges of "How you doing" or "Excuse me, is that seat taken?"

Yesterday, New Yorker saw a man rush to save a life beating the train indifference.


According to news report on the Early Show, Wesley Autrey saw a young man,Cameron Hollopeter, 19, go into a seizure. The Hollopeter falls down onto the track. Hollopeter bearings and awareness of their surrounding were probably alittle off kilter, especially after suffering a seizure. As was apparent when the young man ended up on the subway tracks, as explained by Autrey.

Autrey stated that earlier he tried to help the young man who went into a seizure while on the platform. The young man was still in a seizure disoriented state as he stumbled onto the track with arms and legs moving. Autrey laid on top of the man and locked his arms around the man to protect the man's arms and legs.


Autrey does not see himself as a hero, but his actions spoke louder than any words as he reassured his two daughter left standing on the platform, Daddy's alright. Yep, at that moment daddy was alright.

There's a Woman in the House

There is a woman in the house..Nancy Pelosi that is.

The measure of a real rich man

A Billionaire Divorce -- And Not a Lawyer in Sight
By ROBERT FRANK, The Wall Street Journal..fair is fair in a matter of hours when divorcing."We have always tried to live our lives with dignity and respect," Tim says. "We wanted to do the same in divorce."

Public Servant/ Or Welfare- you be the judge

COMMUNITY SERVICE
When you have free time-just give a little or you are just among the walking dead..talk is cheap R.I.P.

AARP VITA/TCE Program in Fort Wayne, Indiana
AARP VITA/TCE Program in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Mayor’s Initiative Tax Program
Maple Grove Community Center Volunteer Outreach Coordinator
Volunteer Income Tax Assistant for Low Income Clients in Virginia
Volunteer Income Tax Assistant for Low Income Clients in Indiana (2)
Volunteer for Indianapolis Law School fundraiser AIDSWalk/ 1st place winner
Community Cable Television Program Producer
Board Member of Indiana Purdue Communicator Newspaper
Volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocate,
Cooper Teen Center,
Pontiac Urban League,
AmeriCorp,
Wayne Township 21st Century Scholars
Served on Panel Discussion with Malveaux, Julianne
Served on Panel Discussion with Returning Adult Students
Participated in Women Studies Discussion on Race


Business Writing
Board Member of Indiana Purdue Communicator Newspapers
Business Law
Client Counseling Competition
Commercial Law
Mediation Course
Sales Law Course
Administrative Law
Nonprofit Law Course
Business Plan Course

Edited Indiana Public Defender Criminal Law Book
That's just a little somethin'..somethin'

New Year – New Strategy

Blackonomics
By: James Clingman

New Year – New Strategy

For those of us who were blessed to see it, another year has arrived and brings with it another opportunity to start afresh with new ways to move our people closer to economic empowerment. The New Year brings a clean slate, so to speak, since we like to make resolutions and promises regarding things we would like to change. So what will we write on our 2007 slate? What will be our agenda this year? What strategy will we employ to empower our people? Will we stay on the endless circular path that has led to where we are today? Will we follow a new path? Will we adopt a new strategy?

Whatever we decide to commit ourselves to will certainly not be new; everything we need to do in 2007 has already been done by our ancestors who lived and survived in this country for centuries, under the worst treatment human beings could suffer. But 2007 will be new, and it’s always good to look at our commitments in a new light, with a new resolve, and out of a renewed strength. Are you ready?

Here we go. Don’t fall for the same old tired rhetoric we hear everyday from self-appointed “leaders” who do what James Brown described as “talkin’ loud and sayin’ nothing.” Don’t continue following folks that are only sending you deeper into the woods of poverty, while they relax in the lush fields of prosperity.

Don’t get hood-winked by pandering politicians and pontificating preachers who are only interested in what they can get for themselves, and how they can use you to get another pair of “gators,” a Bentley, a mansion, or elected to public office. Don’t be lulled to sleep by intellectual banter that makes you feel good but never tells you how to do good, or do well, for that matter.

Don’t succumb to celebrity claptrap, which only excites the Paparazzi rather than enlightens our people. Don’t get down in the muck with entertainers who strut their stuff by denigrating themselves and their own people. And please don’t subscribe to the same old “okey-doke” that has literally and figuratively programmed our people to such a degree that some of us are still waiting to be rescued by people who really care very little about us. Please stop the nonsensical behavior in 2007, and let’s get down to the business of taking better care of ourselves.

What must we do? First, raise the level of your Black consciousness by reading, by studying, by listening, and by associating with brothers and sisters who are serious about doing the work of liberation and unashamed to proclaim their Blackness. Connect with other individuals and collectively establish economic initiatives that benefit Black people; trust me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that; other groups do it all the time.

Be prepared to make the small individual sacrifices required to move the masses of Black people forward, both locally and nationally – and then let’s move on to internationally. Always define yourself, and do not accept definitions like “minority” and “person of color.” Terms like those really lose something in translation, namely, us.

Stand up against injustice and wrongdoing, no matter who the perpetrator is, white, Black, or any other color. Follow through on your commitments to one another and the commitments to yourself. Get fired up, but stay fired up long enough to get the work done. Teach your children how to navigate through this world; that’s right, you teach them. If you don’t know what to teach them, get some help for yourself, and then teach them.

Take better care of yourself. Find something physical that you can do and keep doing it for the rest of your life. Yes, it will hurt sometimes, but it’s worth it. I ride a bicycle, and I plan to ride as long as I am physically able to pedal and hold the handlebars. Besides that, I love it. Anyone out there want to race? Try not to eat so much of whatever you are eating. Just eat less of everything and get up and do something to burn some calories.

Do kind things for those less fortunate than you. It doesn’t always have to be money. It could be an encouraging word, a hug without words, some baked cookies, a small gift just because, or a few hours spent with a child who may not have a father or a mother. You don’t need a program to do this; you just need yourself.

Seek out new Black leadership, authentic leadership, or be a leader yourself. There are young folks all across this country waiting to step up to the task of leadership, many of who are leading right now. Find them, especially you old soldiers out there; you can’t hang on forever, you know. Teach the young and pass the baton to them, not to someone on the other team.

Start viable businesses, grow those businesses, and create jobs for our people. Build economic enclaves throughout this country, like our relatives did two hundred years ago. Identify industries where we have the competitive advantage because of our consumerism, and build vertically integrated businesses within those industries. James Brown also said, “Let’s get together and get some land; raise our food like the man. Save our money like the mob; put up a factory and own the jobs.”

Boycott prisons! Stay out of the cells and get into sales, the legal kind. And finally, do all of these things under the Bring Back Black mantra, because the time is long overdue for us to take our rightful place in this country, politically, socially, educationally, and most of all economically. Have a wonderfully blessed year in 2007.

12/30/06 www.blackonomics.com

The Veil of Secrecy-The Steve Shine Divorce

The public right to know and Steve Shine's need to be protected from embarrassment has swung in favor of the Teflon attorney. According to Fort Wayne.Com, "a special judge has sealed the divorce filings of Allen County Republican Party Chairman Steve Shine."

But what I found to be more interesting read was what I found on Indiana Law Blog. On ILB there is an article about a judge deciding the public right to know weighted more in favor of the public than hiding salacious information contained in the documents. The reason cited by the judge, "the openness of court files must be maintained, so that the public ... can be assured that there is no favoritism shown to the rich and the powerful." There is an article also about the docket sheets.

However, a judge decided to keep sealed a divorce record because of the financial records of other folks. In other words the disclosure of the financial information of others was the controlling reason, the divorce record "contained trade secrets and confidential financial information, which are specifically excepted from the public access provisions of the Public Records Act." Under section 4(a), trade secrets See footnote and confidential financial information are mandatory exceptions. Public records containing mandatory exceptions, such as trade secrets and confidential financial information, “may not be disclosed by a public agency, unless access to the records is specifically required by a state or federal statute or is ordered by a Court under the rules of discovery.” I.C. § 5-14-3-4(a)(4), (5).

A decision to seal all or part of a public record must be based on findings of fact and conclusions of law, showing that the remedial benefits to be gained by effectuating the public policy of the state declared in section 1 of this chapter are outweighed by proof by a preponderance of the evidence by the person seeking the sealing of the record that:

(1) a public interest will be secured by sealing the record;
(2) dissemination of the information contained in the record will create a serious and imminent danger to that public interest;
(3) any prejudicial effect created by dissemination of the information cannot be avoided by any reasonable method other than sealing the record;
(4) there is a substantial probability that sealing the record will be effective in protecting the public interest against the perceived danger; and
(5) it is reasonably necessary for the record to remain sealed for a period of time.

Hmmm, check, check, oh it must be for the 3rd reason that the judge decided to seal the record, prejudicial effect. But how did the file fall under any of the
5-14-3-4(a) exceptions and there is a whole laundry list.

But, what about my first amendment rights to know something, or just to read the docket sheets?

I'm still reading.

Safety-Cellphones-Snitches-Safety?

Give me a break. I used to work for the Allen County Public Defender's Office and had access to a list of the confidential informers. Can we say "big joke". People it is the undercover police officers who have the real power, not confidential informers. When was the last time you were arrested by a confidential informer?

Confidential informers are not worried about being caught, but more about keeping their own behinds from doing time in prison. So they will lie and set up innocence folks to remain in the community to cause more harm to its community. It's a lifestyle..no different from pimps looking for innocence girls. Come on folks, tell me again, what is it you working with? The blurb coming from the television called news!!! A confidential informer is a snitch only when he or she turns in their partner in crime rather than an innocence bystander. Are you having a light bulb moment, yet?

Second, scheduling for the courtroom are between 9-3:30 generally. You will find the processing of criminals quick. These judges don't have time for them, the judges have to know the law, and where do you find the law in books, in cases, and from some brainy attorney who appears in their court with some new law the judge was caught sleeping on.. come on people stay with me. Furthermore, few cases go to trial because it would cost the attorneys too much of their time overlapping and eating away at their private practice income.

Third, part of the funnel of the criminal justice system, to reduce the court load burden and makes the judges time on a the bench a piece of cake, is the mechanism of plea bargain. Let me repeat, the judges do not want to see these folks in their courts, it takes up too much of the judges time. Many defendants without or with little money are appointed a lawyer. Many of these appointed attorneys have way too many clients including their private clients to adequately represent these defendants. Often times, not all the times, these defendants will not see their attorney until they appear in court. The next piece of correspondence they will receive from their attorney will be an opportunity to "cop a plea".

Fourth, the jury must exit and enter the same doors as witnesses and spectators. Did you notice how I lumped them all together in one sentence. Surely, you did not think the jury was on the same level as the judges. You need to get out more. Many folks do not want to be even a part of the jury pool because they know they are not taken seriously. But here's a big one, it is a crime to threaten or intimidate a witness or juror. The last thing you want to do is have a juror report acts of intimidation. Give me a break. Juveniles are protected by private hearings. So what is all the noise? It's just some folks who have a lot of time on their hands. Just visit the courthouse anytime, roll the dice and see how many time you will find all the courtrooms with a judge sitting on the bench. It is not going to happen. Safety, sounds more like a George Bush mentality, tell them any lie to keep them in fear so that we can continue to do what we do.

Fifth, attorneys get business by folks knowing who they are, so when did they begin requesting privacy unless they are doing drugs with their clients,beating their wives, or stealing money from their client's trust funds. Oh yeah it happens. Usual, it is the clients who are giving the attorneys grief, telling the attorneys how they want to be represented in court with a dream team and the client does not have a pot to pee in.

Sometimes the client need to be proactive, because the attorney does not have a clue.

For a person who has studied the criminal justice system and criminal law, can you tell me again why cellphones without cameras are being banned from the courtroom?

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations around Town

MLK Club, Inc.--January 15, 2007--11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Commemorate the Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
the 22nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Unity Day Celebration
Grand Wayne Convention Center Downtown

IPFW Hosts Community Martin Luther King Celebration

(Fort Wayne, Dec. 28, 2006) -- Indiana University—Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) will host a community-wide 2007 Martin Luther King celebration Jan. 13 titled “Keeping the Dream Alive: Black, White, and Beyond.” The free celebration is from 9:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in the Walb Student Union.

University of Saint Francis--January 15-19, 2007

Acting on the Dream with the University of Saint Francis
The University of Saint Francis community will unite both on and off campus through a variety of efforts. Won’t you join to make this holiday “a day ON,” and not “a day OFF”?

Fort Wayne, Indiana-Lincoln MuseumJanuary 15, 2007 1:00 p.m.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 15 • 1 p.m.
Author Rodney David Deal presents, Courage Creates Change: In honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Remembering the Year 1865. Museum open free of charge, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in remembrance of Dr. King. In honor of the this special day, The Lincoln Museum will display the two most memorable documents from the Lincoln era: a copy of he resolution for the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, signed by Abraham Lincoln to free the slaves and a Lincoln-signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Both documents are a part of The Lincoln Museum’s collection.

Mr. Deal has a B.A. and M.A. education in sociology from Wayne State University. He taught Introduction to Sociology at Wayne County Community College District Mr. Deal is the founder of F.O.R. 1865™, the creator of Flag of Remembrance 1865™, and the author of The Flag of Remembrance 1865™: In Commemoration of the Thirteenth Amendment. Mr. Deal is an author, educator, historian, artist, and sociologist.


Thursday, January 11, 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Ivy Tech Community College
MLK Celebration – Keynote Speaker, Hana Stith, Curator, African/African American Historical Museum.

Sunday, January 14, 4:00 p.m. Pilgrim Baptist Church, 1331 Gay Street
We Are the Dream: A Martin Luther King Commemoration. The Heartland Chamber Chorale will be joined by hundreds of community singers to show that Martin Luther King's dream is possible when we form one voice - in song - for change. There is no charge to attend.

Sunday, January 14, 7:00 p.m. Plymouth Congregational Church. 501 W Berry Street.
22nd Annual MLK Service of Repentence and Reconciliation, sermon by Rev. Dr. Michael Murphy, Pastor and Founder of St. Stephen’s Community Church of Lansing, MI and served as Michigan State House of Representatives. This program is sponsored by Associated Churches & Inter-Denominational Ministerial Alliance
Call 423-9424 or 422-3528 for more info

Book
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
by Helen Frost

Questions answered for the new year

This blog is always seeking writers.

Want to see your event on this blog?

Great pictures.

Want copies of photos or permission to copy or the name of the photographers: email dowdells@comcast.net

Another lost life of a young man

$10.88, I would be told after calling in my order. There are few places that still deliver on the southside. Tasty Pizza is one of those places. I would call in my order. One of the young guy, who made deliveries, I debated constitutional law. (I always tip !!!) After one delivery I gave him my favorite constitutional law book. In your heart of heart you indistinctly know these young folks, working in these types of businesses, are risking their lives. Generally working alone, and not knowing your customer..not because it's on the southside. Just simply the nature of the business makes it risky.

How sad that some one would take this young man life. How sad that he joins the rank of Damian Wheeler, Curtis White, Jr. where the killer is still on the street. How sad that a quiet demand for quick apprehension for those who would point a gun at the head of a young person, pull the trigger and end these young folks' lives. And all we can say is, let's hope for swift justice. Oh no, required quick justice to restore order on our streets is the right demand.

Cellphone ban in the court buildings

Today, would give new meaning to the saying, "quiet in the courtroom". Individuals entering the courthouse would have to do so absence their electronic recording devices. A new electronic device ban has been enacted and that include the always handy cellphone.

Some heard about the cellphone ban on the 5:00 a.m. news. Some received telephone calls from a member family or friend. But others did not know or did not care, showed up with their cellphones. Read the posted signs and entered the building with their cellphones anyways. Hoping they could at least park their cellphones in the security area.

They were told they would have to take their cellphones out of the building. Some took their cellphones to their car. Some reluctantly passed it to a friend not having to go to court. One stated he was going to take his to his probation officer down the street. Others called someone to come pick up their cellphone.

After overcoming the cellphone ban they joined others who stood inside or went outside to smoke cigarettes, they had one more surprise. The court business had been delayed under 9:30 a.m. instead of the normal 8:30 a.m. This would give the guy hooked up to his Ipod just enough time to take his favorite tunes back to his car.

The 38th President that pardon Nixon

The 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford, funeral service will be held today at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Ford took office in August, 1974.

Funeral services were held in the cathedral for former presidents Eisenhower in 1969 and Reagan in 2004, and ex-President Wilson is buried there.

Ford will be laid to rest in Grand Rapid, Michigan.

A Republican President who understood the country was being torn apart by the Vietnam war...unlike today unyielding republican President George Bush, Jr. with our troops in Iraq.

Former Secretary of the State, Henry Kissinger called Ford an humanitarian. in restoring dignity to the office of the United State presidency. "In his understated way he did his duty as a leader, not as a performer playing to the gallery," Kissinger said. "Gerald Ford had the virtues of small town America."

In 1976 Jimmy Carter defeated the accidental president with nearly 90% of the African-Americans votes.

3000th U.S. Troops Casualty Candlelight Vigil

Herb Summers, Dave Lambert(Fort Wayne Peace Action)



Terry Anderson(Peace and Justice Commission of Associated Churches of Allen County)

Darlene and Paul Smith
A commemoration and candlelight ceremony was held in memory of the troops who have died in the Iraq War on New Year's Day. Fort Wayne, Indiana and other cities all across the country marked this sad day at approximately the same time.

The vigil was held at the Pavilion at the north end of Calhoun St. in downtown Fort Wayne (Headwaters Park West)from 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Go to www.fwagitator.org for more complete information.

Remember also Iraqi casualty count as well (near 60,000 civilians).

Endorsers:
American Friends Service Committee; Iraq Veterans Against the War; Theater for Ideas; Fort Wayne Peace Action;Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren; Friends of the Third World; Plymouth Congregational Church; Veterans for Peace; Military Families Speak Out; Peace & Justice Commission of Associated Churches of Allen County; Gold Star Families for Peace; United for Peace & Justice.

2007 Polar Bear Plunge

can you see them?

we are ready for anything

aye !



Charge!

Fort Wayne Indiana New Year's Celebration

New Year-New Strategy-Blackonomics

Blackonomics
By: James Clingman

New Year – New Strategy

For those of us who were blessed to see it, another year has arrived and brings with it another opportunity to start afresh with new ways to move our people closer to economic empowerment. The New Year brings a clean slate, so to speak, since we like to make resolutions and promises regarding things we would like to change. So what will we write on our 2007 slate? What will be our agenda this year? What strategy will we employ to empower our people? Will we stay on the endless circular path that has led to where we are today? Will we follow a new path? Will we adopt a new strategy?

Whatever we decide to commit ourselves to will certainly not be new; everything we need to do in 2007 has already been done by our ancestors who lived and survived in this country for centuries, under the worst treatment human beings could suffer. But 2007 will be new, and it’s always good to look at our commitments in a new light, with a new resolve, and out of a renewed strength. Are you ready?

Here we go. Don’t fall for the same old tired rhetoric we hear everyday from self-appointed “leaders” who do what James Brown described as “talkin’ loud and sayin’ nothing.” Don’t continue following folks that are only sending you deeper into the woods of poverty, while they relax in the lush fields of prosperity.

Don’t get hood-winked by pandering politicians and pontificating preachers who are only interested in what they can get for themselves, and how they can use you to get another pair of “gators,” a Bentley, a mansion, or elected to public office. Don’t be lulled to sleep by intellectual banter that makes you feel good but never tells you how to do good, or do well, for that matter.

Don’t succumb to celebrity claptrap, which only excites the Paparazzi rather than enlightens our people. Don’t get down in the muck with entertainers who strut their stuff by denigrating themselves and their own people. And please don’t subscribe to the same old “okey-doke” that has literally and figuratively programmed our people to such a degree that some of us are still waiting to be rescued by people who really care very little about us. Please stop the nonsensical behavior in 2007, and let’s get down to the business of taking better care of ourselves.

What must we do? First, raise the level of your Black consciousness by reading, by studying, by listening, and by associating with brothers and sisters who are serious about doing the work of liberation and unashamed to proclaim their Blackness. Connect with other individuals and collectively establish economic initiatives that benefit Black people; trust me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that; other groups do it all the time.

Be prepared to make the small individual sacrifices required to move the masses of Black people forward, both locally and nationally – and then let’s move on to internationally. Always define yourself, and do not accept definitions like “minority” and “person of color.” Terms like those really lose something in translation, namely, us.

Stand up against injustice and wrongdoing, no matter who the perpetrator is, white, Black, or any other color. Follow through on your commitments to one another and the commitments to yourself. Get fired up, but stay fired up long enough to get the work done. Teach your children how to navigate through this world; that’s right, you teach them. If you don’t know what to teach them, get some help for yourself, and then teach them.

Take better care of yourself. Find something physical that you can do and keep doing it for the rest of your life. Yes, it will hurt sometimes, but it’s worth it. I ride a bicycle, and I plan to ride as long as I am physically able to pedal and hold the handlebars. Besides that, I love it. Anyone out there want to race? Try not to eat so much of whatever you are eating. Just eat less of everything and get up and do something to burn some calories.

Do kind things for those less fortunate than you. It doesn’t always have to be money. It could be an encouraging word, a hug without words, some baked cookies, a small gift just because, or a few hours spent with a child who may not have a father or a mother. You don’t need a program to do this; you just need yourself.

Seek out new Black leadership, authentic leadership, or be a leader yourself. There are young folks all across this country waiting to step up to the task of leadership, many of who are leading right now. Find them, especially you old soldiers out there; you can’t hang on forever, you know. Teach the young and pass the baton to them, not to someone on the other team.

Start viable businesses, grow those businesses, and create jobs for our people. Build economic enclaves throughout this country, like our relatives did two hundred years ago. Identify industries where we have the competitive advantage because of our consumerism, and build vertically integrated businesses within those industries. James Brown also said, “Let’s get together and get some land; raise our food like the man. Save our money like the mob; put up a factory and own the jobs.”

Boycott prisons! Stay out of the cells and get into sales, the legal kind. And finally, do all of these things under the Bring Back Black mantra, because the time is long overdue for us to take our rightful place in this country, politically, socially, educationally, and most of all economically. Have a wonderfully blessed year in 2007.

12/30/06 www.blackonomics.com