Women History

Whew, African-American history is over! Not really. I used the designated month to highlight small bits of history that often goes unnoticed. To ignore African-American contribute is ignoring the true making of America. I attempted to offer from my lens a different perspective in telling the story of America. Surprising, I did not get a lot of negative feedback, with the number of hits. **happy** So folks are reading about African-American history, so keep reading.

March 1, 2007 began Women History Month with little fanfare in the local blogosphere. But not much was posted in the local blogosphere about African-American history. coinky-dink?! Politics may be local but it sure ain't female driven. But guess what? Yep, I will writing about women during the month.

I will be posting from other women on issues impacting women and directing you to their sites. I will be feminizing the local blogosphere. If you are local and would like to present a post on women issue email me at dowdells@comcast.net to direct my reader to your site.

The Million Voters March Presidential Campaigning Tour on the Move

After a gathering or a crowd reported to be over 20,000 in Austin, Texas;

Obama website reports:

Just last week, record crowds bursting with energy also attended events in Los Angeles, Iowa, Kentucky and Ohio.

And online, people have been inspired to engage with this campaign in record numbers.

In the two weeks since this campaign kicked off:

- 3,306 grassroots volunteer groups have been founded and attracted tens of thousands of members who are organizing online and offline

- 4,416 personal fundraising pages have been established, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in small contributions

- 6,706 people have created their own blogs and begun chronicling why they are supporting Barack and their campaign experience

- 38,799 people have created profiles and started networking with other supporters in their community and across the country

This morning Obama will hit the airwaves on all three morning news-talk shows

Working Family and Property Taxes

The local officials will spread the property tax increase amongst the working families and retired seniors of lower valued homes. How will this take place? A home owned by a senior citizen, that is valued at $40,000 will see an increase in their property value. Although homes may not be selling in these neighborhood, the increase is needed to offset the homestead deduction for homeowners. The homestead deduction is a tax break provided by the State of Indiana to homeowners. The deduction can be as much as $45,000 depending of the value of the home. After the deduction, local officials calculates the property tax.

However to maximize the amount of property tax collected, local officials will artificially increase the home values by taking into account the homestead deduction. By artificially increasing the value of the home, it recaptures the deduction given to the homeowners from the State of Indiana. With this manipulating of the numbers, local official will tout that there was a increase in the homestead deduction bu tin fact reduced the deduction provided by the homestead deduction. So a home valued at $40,000 reduced by a homestead deduction to $20,000 taxable value will see their home value artificially raised above the $40,000 Why, you say? The answer from IDLFG: Read more click here.

Credit for High end Home Owners Imposed by the State of Indiana

Those homeowners should be happy with the circuit breaker rule. The reason why because the state know the greed of the local officials and will only allow two percent of the value of your expensive home. What does this mean? It means the local government will have to be conscious of the two percent cap. From the IDLGF website

The circuit breaker provides property owners with a credit for any amount of taxes over 2 percent. For example, the maximum amount of property taxes a homeowner would pay on a $100,000 house would be $2,000. In this example, the credit limits the tax liability for the property to the 2 percent cap of $2,000.

The impact the Circuit Breaker may have on local governments and taxpayers will not be fully known until the annual adjustments of assessed values are completed later this year. With the new assessed values, counties and the state will be better able to fully calculate the impact of the Circuit Breaker.

But warning, these same local official could increase your tax rate to met the two percent cap. Oh my cooking the book is such a fun game to play with the tax payers.

2006-2007 Assessment-Hiding the baseball

If you did not believe what I had to say about local officials screwing over you in the last reassessment read the comment from a former deputy budget director. I prepare income taxes, and it never fails to amaze me how many folks don't understand the distribution of their earnings on the W-2 form.

And these same folks will be robbed under the property tax reassessment because of the lack of understanding in the process. The words elected officials will likely throw around, will be it's too complicated. Translation in the meaning of the words are, we have willy-nilly increased your property values to put money into other accounts beyond what we are legally required to do. But none of your property taxes will be used to build a hotel, stadium or Harrison Square (wink wink).

And the real reason you are paying more in property tax is because of the half billion building improvement for the children of Fort Wayne Community School. Not true.

But it sounds good to be able blame someone else rather than blaming yourself for electing these folks into office. Damn those non learning children of Fort Wayne Community School, close the damn schools, will be some of your responses to increase in your property tax bill. (stomp stomp, off you go, sigh). Don't believe them, its because of Big Dick, Mayor Dick that is, and his projects. Read more here.

Positive Liberty

I requested writers and so far have not received any responses. However, Positive Liberty has a carnival of citizens by Jason Kuznicki blogging this morning on religion and state. Also posted here.

Credo writes on Barack Obama and Illinois’ segregationist history at Fort Wayne African-American Independent Woman. I’ve often seen the claim that there need to be more local-interest blogs, and that we could learn many interesting things from citizen-journalists with an eye to local events. This is just one example of what I hope will be a trend in that direction.

Mediashuttle presents a list of bloggers.

Investing in your political future

In this morning paper:

Steve Shine, local Republican chairman, said the Democrats may have won some township seats, but the Republican money was well-spent in locking up every countywide elected office.

Read more click here.

Circuit Breaker

If you are wondering why so much talk about Harrison Square and Fort Wayne Community Schools cost, it came in the mail for some homeowners. The property tax bill with increase. The assessor office has until March 12, 2007 to bill these notices of a reassessment. The last reassessment saw the willingness of dishonest assessment and the state government stepped in and imposed a circuit breaker rule. Read more click here.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Ida Barnett Wells was born during slavery and lived during the emancipating of enslaved African-American. Wells witnessed the birth of Jim Crow laws instituted to prevent African-Americans for what Abraham Lincoln stated about African-American, "free but not equal" under the separate but equal doctrine. As an educated woman she discovered that would not protect an African-American woman from being manhandled by raced white men. During Wells time period she experienced the silence on the intersectional position of being both an African-American and a woman. Click here to read more.

Al Sharpton

Once again I was going to write about Ida Wells. But. Who could not stop and chuckling when hearing that good old Dixiecrat,Strom Thurmond's ancestors may have or did enslave some of the ancestors of Al Sharpton. What does it mean, ask Black Professor website? Read more click here.

DePauw University of Indiana

DePauw University is making national news. A sorority on campus has brought attention to the University for allegedly kicking out young women based on personal characteristics. However, one students writes that the attention should not be on these women but on the University silence on such attention to reduce the memberships. The reason for the University silent is motivated for wanting a justification for taking property after these organization closes. As evidence to the intent of the University, the writer mention several other fraternities and sororities losing their property after they were closed.

The students are leaving that many Universities are a business and they invest their dollars in building rather than students. It does not just happen at the Pre k-12 level the donors money is used sometime to acquire land.....

Oprah

Oprah adopts a nation...a nation of young women.

Racialist Behavior by AWB

I decided to post the complete article from yesterday newspaper in it's entirety. I wouldn't wont folks to think I called anyone a racist.

Obstacles persist for local minority candidates
But color has less influence on vote as ballots see more diversity
By Benjamin Lanka
The Journal Gazette


Even as Sen. Barack Obama tries to blaze trails by becoming the nation’s first black president, minority candidates still face hurdles in winning elections at the local level.

Many political candidates, officials and experts said the issue of race is becoming less of a factor in local elections, but it will continue to hold influence for some time.

Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics, said race undoubtedly affects local politics, as it does everywhere. The reason is simple, he said.

“There are still some racists out there,” he said.

In Fort Wayne government, one of 11 elected officials is a minority. In Allen County government, not including the court systems, one of 17 elected officials is not white. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Allen County is 80 percent white, while minorities make up about 26 percent of the Fort Wayne population.

Women in Fort Wayne and Allen County have held many elected positions. They currently hold the offices of city clerk, county auditor, county assessor, county prosecutor, one of the three county commissioners, two of the 10 Allen Superior and Circuit Court judges and three of the seven county council members.

This year’s Fort Wayne city elections include several minority candidates, and at least one will win. Councilman Glynn Hines, D-6th, will face Joe Smith, a Republican minister, to represent southeast Fort Wayne in the only race to pit two blacks from opposite parties. This is an area home to many minorities.

Denise Porter-Ross, Eddie Arrington, Melvin Billingsley and Tom Essex, all Democrats, are seeking to become the first minority – all are black – to win a citywide elected office as they run for one of three at-large city council seats. Essex is the former Wayne Township trustee.

Hines said he doesn’t believe running as a minority in Fort Wayne is a problem, pointing to the success of Rick Stevenson in last year’s race for the Wayne Township trustee. Stevenson, who is black, unseated two-term incumbent Matt Schomburg in a result that was a surprise to many Republicans.

Stevenson said his family has local roots dating back to 1915, giving him more recognition within minority circles and throughout Wayne Township.

“I could just about name every black individual in Fort Wayne,” he said.

Mike Cunegin, a Republican, served as president of the Allen County Council before losing a race for county commissioner and then leaving to take a job with the state.

Race did not play a factor in losing the Republican primary to current Commissioner Nelson Peters, Cunegin said. He said the main color in that race was green – Peters was able to outspend him.

Party choice

Both major political parties claim to be the party of choice for minorities. Kevin Knuth, chairman of the Allen County Democratic Party, announced during his state of the party speech this year that the party will form a black caucus, along with caucuses for other minority groups.

Knuth said starting the caucus is a way to drive interest in politics for minorities as well as develop minority candidates. This will not only help minority candidates, it also will help the party increase its appeal, he said.

“I think the party as a whole has taken the black vote for granted and that’s a mistake,” he said.

Hines said the caucus is an excellent idea, although he believes many black Democrats have been meeting informally for years. He said one of the best ways to get minority candidates is to first get minorities working on campaigns for people of all colors. That way they get involved with the political process.

He also didn’t believe the candidacy of Obama for president would help local candidates, but said it will work in reverse. If local minorities participate in elections and win, he said, that will energize the entire minority community to get out and support national candidates.

Steve Shine, Allen County Republican chairman, said the local party has been able to reverse the national perception that minorities flock to the Democratic Party.

“Our record with members of the multicultural community is stellar,” he said.

Shine pointed out that Herb Hernandez was the first Hispanic – and minority – elected to countywide office. Shine also cited Cunegin’s accomplishments.

Two blacks, Ivan Hood and Wilbert “Duke” Brown, are running for mayor of Fort Wayne as Republicans. While Hood and Brown aren’t seen by many as candidates with legitimate chances of winning, Shine said they are given every opportunity within the party to succeed.

“They have to run their own campaigns,” he said.

Winning big

Minority candidates in Fort Wayne and Allen County have had success winning races confined to small areas of the community. For example, the 6th District City Council seat has historically been held by a minority.

In fact, some seats favor minority candidates. Shine said his party tried to attract a minority to replace Cunegin on the ticket for the 1st County Council district, which represents southeast Allen County. A Republican caucus nominated James Ball, a white business owner from New Haven. Ball then lost to Maye Johnson, a black Democrat, in the fall election.

Winning across a broader population has been more difficult for minorities. In fact, officials could point only to Hernandez as a minority who won a countywide race. He was elected to an at-large County Council seat in 2000. Hernandez, however, only made it to the fall ballot through an appointment by Shine after the death of Jack McComb.

Hernandez did not seek re-election to his seat in 2004, instead running a fairly low-key race for commissioner against Cunegin and Peters. He finished third.

Council candidate Essex handily lost a race for Fort Wayne mayor in 1995 against incumbent Paul Helmke.

Downs, a self-proclaimed optimist, said he believes minorities can win elections, but that it will take specific qualities for them to win city or countywide. For example, a minority candidate would have to have some initial name recognition to start. Candidates would also need the ability to raise significant money, Downs said, and they would likely have to hope their opponent does not run a perfect campaign.

Cunegin said one of the reasons he lost his election for commissioner was because his campaign did not adequately target absentee voters.

Knuth said a concerted effort to bring out Democratic voters last year helped spur both Stevenson and Johnson to victory. He said a similar effort on a larger scale could propel a minority to win a citywide seat.

Shine said he would hope race doesn’t play a factor in elections anymore.

“I hope they would judge someone on their merits rather than on the color of their skin,” he said.

Burdened with victory

While campaigning last year, Stevenson said he heard references to shortcomings of previous black trustees in Wayne Township. While it was not expressly stated, he said the message was clear that their past mistakes should be lumped on Stevenson because he is also black.

Most people would consider it ludicrous to associate a white politician’s failings with another white politician, just because of their race, Downs said. Still, he said, some people use this line of thinking with minority candidates.

“This is something that we have seen for decades,” he said. “It took the right African American to break into baseball, and he knew that.”

That is one of the reasons Hines said he strives to achieve the highest level of performance in government.

“You gotta be able to show them by example that you can do it,” he said.

This not only quiets critics, he said but also inspires younger minorities to seek these positions.

Stevenson said he believes sometimes that he is carrying much of the black community on his shoulders. That is why he makes sure to do everything he can to be a great example, he said.

“I don’t want to let those people down,” he said, “who have now developed hope.”

blanka@jg.net


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elected minorities

Black

Statewide

In 2001, there were 86 black elected officials in Indiana state, county or local government, out of 11,636 total elected officials.

Nationwide

In 2001, there were 9,101 black elected officials across the country. In 1970, there were 1,469.

Hispanic

Statewide

In 2001, there were 10 Hispanic elected officials in Indiana state, county or local government; that number increased to 13 in 2005.

Nationwide

In 2005, there were 4,853 Hispanic elected officials across the country. In 1984, there were 3,063.

Source: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Both datasets can be accessed through the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Press-During World War II

I wanted to write about Ida Wells today, but found this instead, its about the Negro Bulletin. The article The black press: setting the political agenda during World War II - African Americans and World War II is written by Charles G. Spellman with additional information on the black press. I will read it later. To Read more Click here

CREDO FOR THE NEGRO PRESS

I Shall Be A Crusader...

I Shall Be An Advocate...

I Shall Be A Herald...

I Shall Be A Mirror And A Record...

I Shall Have Integrity...

I Shall be a crusader and an advocate, a mirror and a record, a herald and a spotlight, and I Shall not falter.

So help me God.

The Credo, wrtten by Journal and Guide editor P. Bernard Young, Jr. represents a declaration to provide truth, honesty, and service to the black community. When the Credo was written, the black press was the sole "Voice of the Negro." As a crusader, the black press fought vigorously for Negro rights. As an advocate, the black press fought vigorously to ban "Jim Crow" laws which legally sanctioned segregation. As a herald, the black press was the bearer of both good and bad news, always heralding those causes that others would suppress out of bias or perceived lack of interest.

The black press gained its respectful reputation for being the "Voice of the Negro" in the early days of segregation and unconscionable discrimination. African Americans were often negatively depicted in the white media. The negative images were reflective of the perceptions held by many whites, resulting in the development of the advocacy movement by the black press.

In the early years of the black presence in America, access to the white press was denied to the "Negro." As a result, African Americans founded their own newspapers. In 1827, Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm established the first black newpaper, Freedom's Journal writing in an editorial:

"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in the things which concern us dearly."

Although Cornish and Russwurm were primarily concerned with negative aspects of the colonization of free African Americans and the gradualism of emancipation as advocated by the white press, they addressed many issues of concern to their readership. From this auspicious beginning, the black press became the primary voice for information and journalistic expression in the black community. That role remained a key one up to and during World War II.

When the war began, the news and information needs of the black community increased. The absence of news about African Americans in the segregated white media inspired additional coverage by the black press. As the only means of constant mass communication information particularly relevant to the African American, the black press assumed the awesome responsibility of relating the activities of the war to its readership. As reporting increased, so did newspaper circulation. Since the primary news of interest to African Americans appeared in the black press, it reached its peak circulation during the war years. The Pittsburgh Courier had a circulation of 350,000; the Chicago Defender, 230,000; the Baltimore Afro-American, 170,000 and the Norfolk Journal and Guide, 100,000.

The black press enhanced the political awareness of its readership during World War II while mobilizing black public opinion. As America went to war to fight against Nazism and Fascism abroad, the black press formulated a political agenda at home. Theoretically, "the [black] press did not tell its readership what to think; it told its readership what to think about."

The black press reported vital information that increased awareness about war activities and black participation in the armed services. As significant political information about the state of black affairs in the Armed Services was gathered and reported in the black press, black opinion leaders emerged. Ministers, politicians and community leaders were responsible conduits for spreading the word about the war. Consequently, government, political, social, and wartime issues were covered with great care. Important issues concerning the acceptance of African Americans in the armed forces, the types of jobs African Americans would have in the armed forces, the treatment of African Americans in the Armed forces, and whether or not African Americans would be allowed the "right to fight" for their country were among the most important issues covered.

What emerges from the analysis of news coverage is a composite picture of a black press that generally supported the involvement and participation of African Americans in the war effort. For example, the Afro-American Newspaper, based in Baltimore, Maryland, led the way. In an editorial entitled 'We Are For War," September 16, 1939, the editors provided the following reasons for supporting the war:

1. The War would stimulate black migration to the Northern industrial states, a benefit to the race,

2. The War would mean eventual freedom for African Americans, and

3. African Americans were against Hitler because of his race hatred of Jews.

In a strategic move, the press began to look carefully at the Nazi situation, comparing Nazism to racism. It was concluded that there was little difference between the two. Although Hitler had not been guilty of oppressing African Americans, his hatred of Jews sent a clear message that Nazism and racism were based upon similar principles. One black newspaper, The Pittsburgh Courier provided a detailed analysis of Nazism and racism by comparing Germany and Georgia. It suggested that the only difference between the two was that Germany was planning to do what the South had already done. This vivid comparison caught the attention of the black press readership, mainly because "Negroes" had been so negatively affected by racism.

As the black press continued to address issues of concern to the black community, its role and function began to crystalize. It becomes clear, through editorial analysis, that the black press was a "team player." While some editorials justly questioned the segregationist and discriminatory policies of the military, a sampling of messages disseminated through the black press about the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor reveals substantial support by the black press for the nation's war effort.

For example, the December 11, 1941 edition of the Savannah Tribune declared "The Black Tenth is ready," referring to the 10% black population, but wondered whether the country would let African Americans fight. The December 13, 1941 edition of The Afro-American headlined 'Mr. President, Count on Us;' "Strongly proclaims an allegiance to America" appeared as a headline in the December 18, 1941 edition of the Chicago Bee. One of the strongest statements appeared in the California Eagle. The editorial vowed that the newspaper would "Continue to fight against segregation and discrimination but indicated that it would also emphasize citizenship duties since quasi-democracy in America was superior to Fascism and therefore Nazism." As the war progressed, so did the vigilant news gathering and reporting efforts of the black press. Issue oriented messages were regularly sent to a large, disenchanted black audience anxious for information about their friends, relatives and loved ones.

A primary concern to the audience of the black press was the unequal treatment of African Americans in the military. Although abhorrent social conditions related to inequality at home garnered much of the national news, the black press was also instrumental in seeking military justice for soldiers. As wartime casualties increased, so did the numbers of black men and women soldiers. As the number of soldiers increased so did the number of complaints about social injustices. Many were stationed in southern towns where race relations were at best poor. Many of the young men and women were from the North and had not experienced the "Jim Crow" laws they were subjected to upon their arrival. Soon, the black newspapers published stories detailing the complaints of soldiers. Selected opinion leaders were motivated to action after reading the complaints, focusing on the segregationist policies of the military and seeking social justice for the troops. Titles of selected articles appearing in the black press clearly document some of the concerns and issues:

"The Army's policy of racial segregation," Chicago Defender, April 18, 1942

"Military justice," Pittsburgh Courier, December 11, 1943

"Will They try to Discredit Our G.I.s?" New York Amsterdam News, December 2, 1944

"Wacs who staged a strike to protest discriminatory treatment and hostility directed at them," The Afro-American, March 31, 1945; Pittsburgh Courier, March 24, 1945.

Rather than suppress these politically oriented issues about the conditions affecting the lives of black soldiers at home and abroad, the black press chose to aggressively pursue and report all the news, whether good or bad.

On the home front, one of the most significant issues was "the fight for the right to fight." This struggle evolved because of the armed services practice that clearly restricted the use of Negroes in combat missions. Justifications for the practice were the Negroes perceived inability to fight, the impression that Negroes were afraid to fight based on their performance in World War I, and the fear that Negroes could not be trusted with weapons. As a result, the armed services developed a practice to only employ African Americans in menial service jobs behind the lines. The practice relegated black soldiers to a degraded status and further perpetuated their status as second class citizens.

The "right to fight" campaign was supremely important to the cause of equality. To be successful, the fight for the "right to fight" campaign needed wide coverage. The editors of blakc newspapers concluded that a positive record of combat service would significantly further the cause of the African American's civil rights. The editors also wisely concluded that "full equality" could not be achieved for African Americans without a combat record that showed black contributions to the war effort. With this goal, the editors of the black press began to write stories reflecting the right to fight campaign strategy.

To further emphasize the necessity for the success of the "right to fight," the November 27, 1943 edition of the Journal and Guide highlighted the importance of black soldiers being allowed to fight in combat units. "If Negroes didn't fight on the front lines and stayed behind the lines, it could be reasoned that they were not fully entitled to their full share of the fruits of society."
The idea of African Americans actually fighting in combat situations was not received well nor fully accepted. However, the task of the black press was to convince its readership that full participation in the war effort, including combat, would eventually pave the road to freedom, justice and equality. The black press also had to show its readership that World War II was not just a "white man's war." Without black participation in the war effort, losing the war abroad could mean absolute defeat at home. What emerged from this strategic thinking was a struggle for victory on two fronts: victory at home and victory overseas. The double "V" victory struggle became a cause celebrated by the black press. The official campaign was named "The Double V Campaign." For readers of the black press this campaign slogan meant there could be no victory at home without a victory against the Axis powers abroad.

None of the accomplishments of the black press would have been possible without the help of black correspondents who were information gatheres and writers. Most messages and articles were processed through a government censor to make certain vital classified information was not revealed. Even so, the right and need to know about the war effort was significantly enhanced by the presence of black war correspondents. The Pittsburgh Courier, The Afro-American, Chicago Defender, and the Norfolk Journal and Guide had foreign correspondents. The National Negro Publishers Association and the Associated Negro Press filed sotries with several newspapers during the war.
Vincent Tubbs of the Baltimore Afro-American, one of the most notable foreign correspondents, was the first black journalist in the Pacific, arriving in March 1943. He filed numerous stories about conditions affecting the black troops. He later became a movie publicist in Hollywood.

The black press during World War II was the single most important information source for African Americans. The black press set the political agenda for African Americans and was a crusader for human and civil rights. When soldiers were treated badly, the black press investigated and printed the facts.

The primary function of the black press during World War II was to impart vital military, political, social and cultural information to its readership and to ultimately have a significant impact on military and political awareness and participation.

Key objectives were to impact the opinion formation process of the black reader and to move its readership to active participation in the affairs of state and country. The desired result was full citizenship rights. Based on a theory of social responsibility and the Credo for the Black Press, one can only conclude that the black public was well served by the black press during World War II.

Jennifer Hudson -Dream Girl and Forest Whitaker -The Last King of Scotland

Jennifer Hudson leaves the stage of American Idol for wannabee stars. Hudson wins a place in Dreamgirl.Hudson win an Oscar for best supporting actress in Dreamgirl almost two years later. Forest Whitaker took home an Oscar for best actor in The Last King of Scotland.

Former Fort Wayne Urban League Leader-Gayle Greer

Christopher Vaugh's article which appeared in Black Enterprise

Gayle Greer, the highest-ranking black woman at a cable company, is a quintessential mentor. She is both office and group vice president, national division, of the second-largest cable system in the country, Denver-based American Telecommunication Corp. (ATC). Greer oversees operations at ATC's 25 cable operators in the Midwest. Her department of more than 350 employees brings in $95 million in revenues annually. The executive has been at ATC for almost 14 years, and says the senior vice president who hired her, proved that mentioning can be valuable for a young executive's career.

"I had a master's degree in social work and was working as executive director of Fort Wayne, Indiana's Urban League, trying to get minorities invilved in cable franchising, when ATC approached me about a job. I knew virtually nothing about the cable industry," she recalls. "The timing was excellent, though. [Cable] was an emerging young industry and lots of folks were being hired at that time. Luckily, David Kinley, the guy who hired me, took an interest in may career and guided me by identifying various political and business relationships that proved key to my develepment."

Even with her degree and Urban League credentials, Greer started at a low-level job, recruiting cable franchises in different cities so that ATC could build its cable operating system. While there were no minority officers at ATC, she realized that the bottom-level training she was getting would teach her how the cable business really operates, and would help her to grow right along with it. There were five other blacks hired with her, and she is the only one of that group left at ATC. "I had the experience of what it's like to work in a 'man's world' while I was working in Indiana. In fact, the first time I became aware of sexism was from my black brothers at the Urban League," she says. "When I got into cable, it was rougher and more intimidating, but it wasn't something totally new. I advise everyone I talk to--especially black women--to make sure you understand what you want from this business and to have a lot of inner strength, or it will chew you up. When I was in franchising, I went into offices and was asked to leave the room because the guy I was scheduled to meet with refused to deal with a black woman."
Harsh realities such as these make Greer determined to help others climb the ladder to cable's corporate boardrooms. "I just brought in two black women to handle marketing and customer service in the Indiana area, and one of them is definitely on her way," Greer says. "There are definitely management opportunities in this business for minorities. Sometimes it helps, rather than hinders, to be black and a woman. It certainly helped me coming in."

After 11 years in purchasing and advertising personnel at Procter & Gamble and four years as an account supervisor at the New York-based Ogilby & Mather advertising agency, LaVida Dowdell-Cammon moved to the cable industry. She began in 1989 as director of trade marketing for Showtime Networks Inc., where she handled advertising programs, advertising support and sales support for the network's affiliates. Today, as Showtime's vice president of advertising and field marketing, she develops consumer and trade advertising and oversees five employees and a seven-figure budget.

As the only black woman at the executive level in the company, Dowdell- Cammon acknowledges that at times she feels "extremely visible." But she says her confidence in her own ability helps her deal with the uncomfortable realities of advancement that may be harder for some to ignore.

"I've felt confindent all along that I could do a good job, and that goes a long way in allowing you to ignore whatever glass ceiling is said to exist. I can understand, though, how a black man's radar goes up quicker than mine when the' glass ceiling' or 'advancement' discussion begins," says the 39-year old Dowdell-Cammon. "I always thish of how something could be done better, and never think that anyone wouldn't want me to have the job or the assignment. I've alwas thought I was qualified for whatever assignment I was up for."

Political Pandering of the African-American voters

Ben Lanka hedges in his article about race not mattering on the ballot. Lanka wrote several other articles about the potential candidates running for Mayor which conspicuously left out the names of Ivan Hood and Wilbert Brown, both African-American males running for the position as Republicans. Lanka in his most recent article uses a quote from Andy Downs,

Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics, said race undoubtedly affects local politics, as it does everywhere. The reason is simple, he said.

“There are still some racists out there,” he said.

Downs uses this statement with the word "racists" to show his solidarity in the uplifting of the African-Americans in spite of his privileges received by being a spoke person for the African-Americans community. When in fact we all live in a racist society. But people exhibiting a deep seeded belief in maintaining this system practice racialist behaviors which is against the law. This behavior is built into organizational structures, developed as a culture of permissible practices of discrimination and segregation.

Andy Downs, board member for the Allen County Election Board is incorrect in labeling voters who do vote for African-Americans as racists. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties encourage racialist behaviors by it leaders and followers.

Lanka used another quote by Micheal Cunegin, who is a republican to suggest that race does not matter yet, Cunegin often appealed to the African-American community voters who normally voted on the Democrat ticket,

Mike Cunegin, a Republican, served as president of the Allen County Council before losing a race for county commissioner and then leaving to take a job with the state.

Race did not play a factor in losing the Republican primary to current Commissioner Nelson Peters, Cunegin said. He said the main color in that race was green – Peters was able to outspend him.

. Cunegin suggest it was green that determined the outcome, which takes the issue away from the fact that over 90% of African-American lives in the city of Fort Wayne and not one of the County Commissioners are African-Americans.

African-Americans have the right to run for office based on the Constitution, on representation, not green. Party leaders suggest that they have to select which African-American candidates represents a certain model for running as an African-American for their respective party. The political parties are made up of many people but the African-American voter is told he or she must earn the support from the party. In other words, the African-Americans must seek permission to run by raced whites who think they are running things, you see!

When in fact, the party leaders are saying go to the back of the line, and if we need the African-American vote to get our preferred candidate, like Tim Pape,we will allow you, African-American to appear on the ticket. I say appear on the ticket because the party will not fund the candidate to run a viable race. And at the end, the party will say the African-American candidate did not have enough money. Money that could have come from the party. You know from those little fundraisers

The local Democrats have been found out to be a party that is a mini-Republican, not accepted by the Republicans and unwilling to go to the back of the line. These Dixiecrats, I mean local Democrats use the African-American voters to get their candidates into office. The local Democrats are not trying to be the inclusive party for the African-American. Take one look at the webpage, and you will see the only type of inclusiveness that the Democrat is building has to do with raced white women, and says nothing about welcoming African-Americans in that picture. The Party keeps its money but needs the African-American vote, yep need the African-Americans votes found throughout the city. How do you explain just one African-American on the city council seat and one on the county seat where over 90% of African-Americans live...Ben, race does matter, go ask Obama.

Focus 15-Free advertisement

Focus 15 unable to provide a balance brings only the selling component of the Harrison Square team. This is not objective reporting does it think its viewers are that uninformed. Or did it fail to read the informal survey that readers opposed the Harrison Square project.

mark the reporter wanted to know why eminent domain was not used? But did not know how to ask the question. The answer is that the buying of property would be more open to the public instead of sneaky deals to take advantage of the property owners.

Steve Brody tries to spin the deal as being not a park but to create a job and revitalize downtown. Brody also says the hotel is doing well downtown but says nothing about that great glass edifice called the Grand Wayne.

Spin and sell, spin and sell

Okay, mark does another take on those who are not strongly support this take over of property. Mark Kelty, a Mayoral Candidates get air time. But beside him is a Kim Bowman, a business professor is pushing the issue as something other than a baseball park. Bowman suggest that a multi use and private investment and the Harrison Square needs to bring in more private dollars.

Hey it's the stealing of land and money from the citizens, people.

The State of Virginia Apologies for Slavery

In 1619, the first enslaved African-American touched the shores of Virginia. Today, Virginian wakes up to learn that the Virginia General Assembly apologized for its role in the institution of slavery,

Larry O'Dell of the Association Press writes.

The resolution says government-sanctioned slavery "ranks as the most horrendous of all depredations of human rights and violations of our founding ideals in our nation's history, and the abolition of slavery was followed by systematic discrimination, enforced segregation, and other insidious institutions and practices toward Americans of African descent that were rooted in racism, racial bias, and racial misunderstanding. In Virginia, black voter turnout was suppressed with a poll tax and literacy tests before those practices were struck down by federal courts, and state leaders responded to federally ordered school desegregation with a "Massive Resistance" movement in the 1950s and early '60s. Some communities created exclusive whites-only schools.

Virginia is preparing it's state for the 400 year anniversary of Jamestown. Virginia legislators understanding just simply saying African-Americans should just get over slavery is not the appropriate response to a people in which their country committed one of the greatest crime against humanity.


Indiana is still rewriting history as African-American wait for its apology.

African-American Newpapers

Long before Fredrick Douglass started his newspaper the North Star,there were African-American newspapers. Many were short lived. Some Africcan-American newspapers shelf live was limited by finances, death and some were seized and destroyed.

James Williams writes about the "Freedom Journal". The "Freedom Journal" editor was John Russwurm, America's first African-American college graduate. Russwurm words, " We wish to plead our own causes.. Too long have others spoken for us. Too Long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in things which concern us dearly, through in the estimation of some mere trifles; for though there are many in society who exercise toward us benevolent feelings; still (with sorrow we confess it) there are others who make it their business to enlarge upon the least trifle, which tens to the discredit of any person of colour; and pronounce anathemas and denounce our whole body for the misconduct of the guilty one,", quoted by Williams. Read more click here.