Our Time PressThe Local Paper with the Global View

Dr. Mathieu Eugene’s recent win for Brooklyn’s 40th District seat made City history. He’s the City’s first Haitian-American councilmember. Now, with Haitian unity growing in power, members of Eugene’s community already forecast more Haitian elected officials.
“It’s not good enough for us [Haitian community] to keep saying this is the first one to do achieve this or be that. No,” says Greg Durandisse of Haitian Enlightenment and Literacy Project. “We should be saying this is the fourth or sixth or hundredth Haitian to do this or be that.”
Those sentiments mean good news to Una Clarke & Associates, the political firm credited with masterminding Eugene’s campaign organization and strategy. Customers as candidates are sure to swarm into her political club in exchange for favor and power in future Brooklyn elections.
But it won’t be that simple. A confidential Haitian source told OTP that Eugene paid for his seat, with 12 years of allegiance and dues to Clarkes’ political club. According to the source, Eugene had allegedly confided in him that he’d been tapped by the machine two years ago, to run for another seat, yet was undecided. When news of Clarke’s victory last year [OTP, November 2006] emerged, so too did Eugene’s decision. He was going to run for her City seat. He had permission, of course, as Yvette hit voters with public smiling endorsements, while Una (her mother) stacked support from PACS and steered the campaign from the backend.
Not leaving without a fight.

Eugene’s success may equal deep obligations to the Clarkes. And the Clarke’s are not playing with the seat that’s been in the family for nearly 16 years. Their massive efforts to band Haitians with Jamaicans, according to the source, mean the Clarkes’s will be looking for payback in 2009, in the form of more Haitian votes for a firmer grip over New York’s 11th Congressional District. Those with the belief that any minority group achievement inspires more minority success will probably read the news of Eugene’s win as awe inspiring.
Una Clarke, of course, paved the political way by becoming the city’s first Caribbean-born woman elected to City hall, in 1991. Yvette, her daughter, followed in 2001. A version of primogeniture (eldest male child inheritance) could have occurred in the 40th as it had with the Boyland family in Brooklyn’s 41st District, until Darlene Mealy broke it up. Yet, Yvette had no offspring to mold and the family dynasty over the 40th district ended when she moved on to higher ranks.
Ghost writing legislation, For better or worse
Just four months ago, the City recognized Guy Sansaricq as the first Haitian-American to serve as Bishop. Yvette Clarke, played a role in honoring the newly appointed bishop with the proclamation he received. It was a public display of unity. And with district unity, Brooklyn’s 40th district may actually begin to gain leverage over quality of life and economic opportunities Forest City Ratner development in downtown Brooklyn will have on them. Big on Clarkes’ spoken agenda was the future of their transportation industry. Flatbush Avenue boasts of being able to move massive amounts of people (and money) daily. For sure, the issue of job development within the transportation industry will force the TLC and West Indians to sit and discuss possible win-win strategies for them and the district. Questions of whether a medical man with childcare experience has the readiness to tackle such a debate arise, as does the concern of Eugene as an effective legislature for immigration issues. Of note is that when answered they come from the lips of Una Clarke. “He’ll have at least five, well informed staff members to help research, and draft legislation,” said Clarke. Maybe, Eugene’s legislation will be ghostwritten as well.
Fact check list:
Gregg Durandisse, Haitian Enlightenment and Literacy Project   917-319-6773
Anonymous source  (keep Private) P. Pouchon, Caribbean Images

By Akosua Kathryn Albritton

Don’t Snitch Policy: Who Penned It?
Did anyone catch the segment on CBS’ 60 Minutes (April 21, 2007) where mega rap stars, Busta Rhymes and Cam’ron had the mike to wax intellectually? These men fell down on the job. The issue is the current theme of “no snitching to cops” under any circumstances. True, for several months different rappers are penning and rhyming threats to those in the ‘hood who want to call the police.
It doesn’t matter whether a shooting, a robbery or drug sale is the reason for the call. Rappers are now teaching that calling the police is bad. In essence, crime does pay. Our teens are listening to this. Once they start dancing to it, it’s a done deal. That message is saved in deep memory. For those unaware of the power of dance: it is a form of communication. We send and receive messages from watching and doing the dance. People who love gangsta rap are singing and dancing to the breakdown of the social fabric.
The impetus to 60 Minutes looking at this music trend is most likely Harlem Children’s Zone’s Geoffrey Canada. The murder of a young man well-known to him occurred and no one has come forward to give information on the murder, though he was in the company of others, namely Busta Rhymes. Canada asked whether “anyone held the young man in their arms” as his life ebbed away or was it cold avoidance.
Busta Rhymes took part in the segment and stayed clear of any direct language regarding the murder. Rather, a video tribute to the slain man is what Busta Rhymes gives to a life that ended so early. Canada is very concerned about this turn in rap music. Rappers are teaching fans to avoid the police and let crimes be resolved within the community. Cam’ron displayed bullet wounds in his upper arms. He stated that if he knew a mass murderer lived next door to him, he wouldn’t call the police. He would move. That’s fine for Cam’ron. He has money that’s too hot for his pockets. What about the average working person. Can we quickly put together two or three months of rent to move to another apartment. If you’re in New York, that’s $2,700 or $3,000. Cam’ron would have people spend thousands of dollars when all they need do is dial 9-1-1. Cam’ron would have folk spend thousands of dollars to move away from domesticate violence when possibly, shouting “Hey, quiet down or I’ll call the cops,” may do some good?
These two men had an opportunity to represent to the world what it means to be a man, a celebrity and a role model. They follow the script of “no snitching.” Who told them to stick to the policy? Cam’ron points the finger to the record company. Cam’ron says he wouldn’t be able to sell records without it. He’s not saying the rap audience wouldn’t buy it because that crew buys different genres within rap. The rap world appears to be directed to write certain lyrics or the music won’t be heard; to dress a certain way or they won’t be seen and do certain things or they won’t get paid.
Their comments have generated much dialogue on the web and blogosphere.  All Hip Hop’s website features an editorial entitled “21 Questions for Cam’ron and his ‘No Snitching’ Ethos”.  Technorati, a blog search engine has 3,241 search results for the key words, ‘no snitching.”  At the top of the list is “21 Questions for Cam’ron and his ‘No Snitching’ Ethos”.  How deeply embedded this ethic is within gangsta rap fans is to be seen.  It’s a feather in CBS’ cap for bringing it to the attention of its audience.
NEW YORK CITY BROADBAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
On Tuesday, May 22, from 12 noon to 3 pm, in Brooklyn Borough Hall’s Courtroom hearing room, the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee will convene its second public hearing to hear testimony from Brooklyn residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses. Gale Brewer thanks the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz for their help in securing this beautiful space. Brooklyn Borough Hall is located at 209 Joralemon Street in downtown Brooklyn If you would like to testify at this hearing, please contact Jeff Baker (jeffrey.baker@council.nyc.ny.us / 212-788-9193), Counsel to the Committee on Technology in Government. Brooklyn residents, nonprofit organizations and businesses are particularly encouraged to testify (Reprinted from E-Update for the Committee on Technology in Government of the City of new York, April 22, 2007).
Attention Film Aficionados: Tribeca Film Festival
If it’s spring then, it’s time for the Tribeca Film Festival.  This year it runs from April 25 through May 6, 2007.  This year over 200 are offered from Canal @ Sixth Avenue, Canal @ Varick and Franklin Street @ Varick.  Special niches include Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, Tribeca Family Festival, Tribeca Talk Panels and Tribeca Drive In. For details about all locations, film descriptions and festival events, visit www.tribecafilmfestival.org

The sacking of Don Imus marks a welcome, high-profile victory for common sense and decency. After years of scattered efforts to hold Hollywood, Madison Avenue and the record business accountable for the negative images and messages they spew, the issue finally came to a head.
A key part of the equation that led to the firing of Imus is the presence of black execs at NBC, CBS and several of the biggest corporate advertisers on the networks. As the furor over Imus= racist remarks increased, Ken Chennault, the CEO of American Express, announced that the company was pulling its ads. A few days later, Bruce Gordon, the NAACP president who sits on the board of CBS, said he thought Imus should be fired.
And the National Association of Black Journalists applied pressure on NBC and CBS to get rid of Imus.
Years of breaking down barriers and patiently building corporate careers has created a powerful and growing network of influence. As Imus discovered too late.
* * *
The Wal-Mart Question
Wal-Mart=s recent announcement that it has given up on trying to open a store in Manhattan leaves open an important question: how do we get lower-priced goods to people in inner-city neighborhoods. Right now, the typical urban family is paying hundreds more than their suburban counterpart because the big retailers have a hard time getting a foothold in the city.
For years now, in every place Wal-Mart has looked for a home, labor unions, lobbyists and politicians have thrown up roadblocks, sometimes by passing zoning rules to exclude Wal-Mart=s trademark megastores.
The unions and politicians that worked so hard to keep Wal-Mart out of Gotham have a moral obligation to help low-income New Yorkers find another way to get low-cost goods.
The opposition to Wal-Mart by organized labor has been understandable, even commendable. The company is notorious for using union-busting tactics: In 2000, after a majority of butchers in a Jacksonville, Tex., Wal-Mart voted to unionize, the company simply stopped carrying fresh meat and fired all the butchers.
That hardknuckled approach goes hand in hand with offering lousy pay and skimpy benefits to employees. Many full-time Wal-Mart workers live near the poverty line and rely on government benefits or a spouse=s health benefits to get by.
So many women have complained about Wal-Mart=s job-assignment and promotion practices that more than 2 million women – current and former employees – have banded together in the largest sex-discrimination lawsuit in U.S. history.
But opposing Wal-Mart=s odious practices is only half the equation. The anti-Wal-Mart forces also need to face the fact that working families in our city, including union households, need price relief.
For decades, inner-city neighborhoods across America have watched supermarkets and retail stores vanish, leaving an impoverished captive audience with few choices of what to eat or wear.
Study after study has confirmed what inner-city residents already know all too well: It=s hard, and sometimes impossible, to find fresh, cheap produce in the ghetto. Some bodegas and small supermarkets carry organic and low-sodium foods, but not nearly enough.
Every serious discussion of the inner-city epidemic of chronic diseases like hypertension, obesity, diabetes and heart disease eventually bumps into the urgent need to make better and cheaper goods available.
Beyond the question of food is the simple, vital matter of helping poor people save money. A family that pays less for everything from diapers and baby food to coats, shoes and dresses can easily end up saving $400 to $500 a year – a significant amount for a household with $20,000 to $30,000 in income.
The unions and politicians who keep chasing Wal-Mart away should keep holding strategy meetings – this time, to work on ways to bring supermarkets, food co-ops, green markets and discount retailers to the city residents who need them most.
* * *
Fight Back Against Gun Violence
More people die by gun violence in America than anywhere else in the civilized world – nearly 30,000 souls every year, an average of more than 80 deaths every day.
Recent casualties in New York City include Rowan Clarke, a restaurant owner killed during a recent home invasion robbery, and Courtney Atkinson, an airport skycap and father of six shot to death near his Queens home.
The death toll also includes Alfredo Romero, Eugene Marshalik and Nicholas Pekearo, all shot to death last month by a madman named David Garvin who had two illegal weapons and 100 rounds of ammunition. Police ended Garvin=s rampage by killing him.
In North Carolina, 40 kids under 18 were shot to death in 2005, a 50% jump from the year before. In Aurora, a suburb of Chicago, there have been 32 shooting incidents this year, triple the number last year. Four people have died so far. In Newark, a single 17-hour stretch last month saw nine people shot, one fatally.

And students at Public School 21 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, had to run for their lives when gunfire erupted just outside the school=s gates at 4:15 in the afternoon. Two teenagers were arrested nearby with a .357 magnum.
A common thread in the epidemic of gun violence is criminals= easy access to illegal weapons, supplied by a handful of corrupt dealers. According to federal statistics, an estimated 60% of guns used in crimes trace back to just 1% of merchants. They tend to operate from states like Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Indiana that have lax gun regulations.
Nine out of 10 guns used in crimes in New York City come from out of state, leading Mayor Bloomberg to sue 27 out-of-state dealers for selling weapons without using legally required background checks, waiting periods and recordkeeping.
Recognizing the profound spiritual crisis that lies behind the statistics, a group called God Not Guns is calling on people of faith to use prayer vigils, teach-ins and other campaigns to stir the nation to action.
The group=s Web site (www.godnotguns.org) has a quote from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who warned in 1963 that Aby our readiness to allow arms to be purchased at will and fired at whim; by allowing our movies and television screens to teach our children that the hero is one who masters the art of shooting and the technique of killing . . . we have created an atmosphere in which violence and hatred have become popular pastimes.@
We have indeed. And there=s no better time to join the campaign to set things right.

Rev. Herbert Daughtry led a delegation representing the National Religious Leaders of African Ancestry Concerned about Darfur, Sudan. Accompanying Daughtry was Darfurian Yahya Osman, Secretary General of the Darfurian Rehabilitation Project.
 .Osman, whose family has suffered greatly due to the conflict, was instrumental in personally introducing Rev. Daughtry to leaders of various factions in southern Darfur.  Keeping the ultimate goal in mind, Osman promised the people in the refugee camps that the delegation would speak out for them.
The timing of their trip happened to coincide with a meeting of the leaders of southern Darfur, who met to come to a resolution to the ongoing conflict. The central Sudanese government claims it also wants a solution, but says the Darfurian leadership is >fragmented,= therefore thwarting resolution.
With Sudan=s border touching nine countries, there is a threat of spillover into other nations. Spillover has already begun. Rev. Daughtry visited Abeche, a city in eastern Chad that houses 17,000 Darfurian refugees and displaced people.
According to Daughtry, the crisis is as bad as, or worse than, reported.

Daughtry saw women fight over water due to insufficient underground water supply. The 4-gallon per family per day is not nearly enough. He says the displaced can make a house from mud and straw, but the lack of water leaves these homes in a state of incompleteness.
Daughtry also saw naked childrenCwithout clothes or shoes. They had sores and blisters, and some were deformed.
Daughtry says medical service is inadequateCa donkey-driven cot served as an ambulance. Old canvases are used to construct housing.
Daughtry reports scores of refugees continuing to pour into the camps, increasing stress upon the villages and towns of Darfur.
Daughtry and Osman report that currently there are approximately 400,000 displaced persons in 81 refugee campsC12 camps are in Chad, 69 are in Sudan.
Daughtry heard >stories of cruelty that would disgrace a nation of savages.=
Daughtry heard stories of children being crushed and thrown into fire.
He met young girls in the bush who were fighting with rifles. When Daughtry asked them why, they said they had nothing else to do. One=s sister was raped; another=s parents were killed.
Story after story had consistent elements: First airplanes dropped bombs, then, military machines came through firing large guns. Finally the horseback ridersCthey call them AjejuinCevil on horseback@Ccame through burning, killing, stealing, raping, and confiscating property.
Daughtry was told that some managed to escape and found their way to the camps, where the young find conditions unsafe. If the young men stay in camp, they are beaten, and sometimes they >disappear.= If the young women stay in camp, they are beaten, raped, and also can >disappear,= so they go into the bush.
Through interpreters, Daughtry asked rebel leaders why they were fighting. They said they would lay down their arms if a solution were found tomorrow.
Yet with all the suffering, Daughtry saw signs of humanity.
Through dazed looks, the children laughed and smiled. Children will be children, finding imaginative ways to play. One 7-year-old gave Daughtry three pieces of >money= he had made. All he asked for in return were books.
Osman believes one strategy of Arab cultural domination is to keep the indigenous Darfurian Africans in camps for 5-10 years while the Arab children are being educated and getting their Masters degrees. Even if people eventually come out of the camps, they will be unskilled and unprepared, and therefore, essentially unemployable.
Through conversations with refugees in camp and the bush, Daughtry was told that, overall, the displaced had >high praise= for the U.S. role in providing assistance. Although they wished the USA would do more, they fondly remembered that Colin Powell called the situation >genocide.=  They are grateful for religious Christians and Jews, but wish religious Muslims would do more. In fact, the displaced are disappointed that Muslims have abandoned them, leaving them feeling alone.

In addition, Daughtry was told that the displaced believe the root of the problem is Arab expansionism. Those whose lands were destroyed and taken are Christian and Muslim Africans. The displaced also believe there is a >master plan= by some Arab leaders to expand Islam and Arabism, and are sad that Muslims of African ancestry cannot see the problem.
According to Daughtry, Darfurians did not choose to go to refugee camps because they love refugee camps. They were forced to leave their lands. The displaced believe someone must pay; their lives need to be restored.
Daughtry and Osman report that the central Sudan government put forward a plan that was rejected by most of the Darfurian leadership groups because there was nothing on the table to redress wrongs, recoup lands, and establish power sharing. One Darfurian group, the Sudan Liberation Army, was forced to sign the agreement with the central Sudan government. They subsequently became part of the Sudanese government, and many were later killed in a questionable incident.
Daughtry explained further: AYes, the root of the problem is British colonialism, but Arabs are as vicious as anybody. For too long, Arabs got a free pass because we blame Europeans.@
One of Daughtry=s immediate goals is to have heartBtoBheart talks with Imams of African ancestry.
Daughtry states the more difficult problem is that black Muslims have not challenged Arab Muslims on the >authenticity= of Islam the way black Christians had to challenge European Christianity. Daughtry asks: AWhy have they not taken a stand?@
When asked what role slavery played in this situation, both Daughtry and Osman admit there are conflicting reports.
Osman stated that there are undeniable kidnappings, people are loaned out to work, and the children are being >pawned= to rich people. Daughtry said there is a question regarding slavery as we know it. Osman added that people may not be chained, but if their resources are controlled, if people are forced to beg to be able to eat and are required to do a job for free, that equals slavery.
Having laid out the facts, Rev. Daughtry asks, AWhose side are you onCthe baby or the buzzard?@

At one time or another, teachers may ask themselves, AWhy do so many children commit educational suicide? They do not care about school. They come to class without books or homework. They fail classes and tests. So, why do they come to school?@
A student=s response may be, AThings never stop. I=m always fighting. I=m tired of having to watch my back. I=m for real. It=s crazy. I=m stressed at home and at school. So much is going on in my life. Do you feel me? I don=t like school. I can=t get a job. I got to get mine. Nobody cares about me. Kids are always trying to violate me. Damn! I=m tired. It=s always something. Stop stressing me. I want out. I want out of my house. I want out of my neighborhood. I want out of school. I want out of Y@
School children who seek suicide by educator deliberately act in a disruptive manner toward teachers or children, which provokes confrontations, failing grades, suspensions, expulsions, or arrests. They feel disconnected, uncared for, stressed, confused, and angry. They are almost always victims of abuse or neglect. They are deficient in math and reading. To them, school is irrelevant; failure is common; life is rough; fights are frequent. They lash out at school officials both verbally and physically. Anything or anybody may become the target of their anger.
School personnel are not trained to deal with the level of anger they are experiencing with children; as a result, they often respond to them with punishment, suspension, failure or arrest. They say, AHe is out of control. Suspend him! Fail him! Arrest him!@ Rarely do public and school officials, particularly in urban, poor school districts, address the conditions that caused the children=s disruptive behaviors. In most cases, school officials contact the parent(s). Ironically, in a cruel twist of fate, the home is likely a contributor to the source of the child=s problems. So, like in school, the child goes home to get punished, even physically beaten. After the child returns to school, nothing has changed, and the behavior is often repeated. This cruel process perpetuates the cycle of stress, confusion, and anger.
In urban school settings, administrators respond to student anger with punishment therapy. In New York City schools, for example, a child is more likely to be suspended or arrested for an emotional outburst than to receive counseling. This is especially true since the Division of School Safety merged with the New York City Police Department several years ago. School safety agents have been given increased authority to make arrests. School administrators, in the name of zero tolerance, and because they lack other sound options, are quick to support student arrests. I am convinced that student arrests have increased exponentially since the merger. The charge of choice is Adiscon,@ which is short for disorderly conduct. Any angry child may be subjected to arrest on any given day. They are easy prey for people who look to exercise police powers over powerless peopleCour children.
In a perverse way, children who seek suicide by educator find comfort in chaos. They curse at adults to get an immediate reaction. They disrupt classes and school to get attention. They gain status and notoriety among their peers by breaking rules. When they are confronted about their behavior, they are adept at shifting the blame. AYou don=t like me. You=re always picking on me.@
They frequently express what someone has done to them. They usually see themselves as victims, never victimizers. They learn this behavior by watching people in their homes and communities. 
Culture of Failure
For children who seek suicide by educator, failure has become synonymous with school. They may have experienced institutional failure from as early as preschool. I believe some children have become immune to it. In fact, failure, for many, is an anticipated result. They say, AI know I am going to fail.@ When asked how they know this, they respond, AI just know.@ It is not uncommon to hear students say, AI only failed four classes.@ Failure has become so common in schools that children who fail all classes may go virtually unnoticed.
Parents seem surprised that they were not notified by teachers. Teachers seem surprised that parents were not monitoring their children. This pattern is repeated each marking period. Meanwhile, the children have convinced themselves that school is to failure what crime is to prison.
It is also not uncommon for these children to be sentenced to failure by their parents. I=ve heard mothers say to their sons, AYou are just like your father. You ain=t going to amount to nothing, just like him.@ These prophetic words provide a confused child with a psychological blueprint for aberrant behavior.
Some children who seek suicide by educator are in a constant state of denial.

They seem surprised or angry when they receive a report card with all failing grades. They ask the teacher, AWhy did you fail me?@ The typical response to such a question is, AYou failed the tests and did not do the homework.@ The teacher fails to see the broader meaning of the student=s question. The student knows he or she did not complete assignments and did poorly on tests. In his or her mind, an effort was made to come to school, and that should count for something. As a response to the documented failure, the child uses this as an opportunity to engage the teacher in a confrontation. Some teachers unwittingly comply, while others wait until the last minute to tell students their final grades in order to avoid a confrontation. Either scenario results in lose-lose situations for students and teachers.
There are no simple solutions. What can we do?
I.      Coordinate social services to support the entire family. We will continue to leave children behind as long as we leave families behind. Poor parenting is a social disease. Like alcoholism and drug addiction, it must be treated. Poor parenting is a plague that is responsible for the slow death of millions of children. If we were to successfully teach and enrich parents, we would eliminate thousands of corporations that profit directly from familial dysfunction, delinquency, dependency, deprivation and depression, all of which lead to other social maladies. 
II.      Remove failure from the equation. Failure is what feeds the need for suicide. For a young person who is starved for attention, failure fits the bill. If we feed children failure, that=s what they will crave. If a child fails to complete a class sequence satisfactorily, why do we require him to repeat the entire sequence? Why do we excessively test children in the name of accountability? Clearly, we need to rethink our methods of assessment and instruction. 
III.      Replace failure with praise. Seek every opportunity to praise these children. They are often deprived of what so many take for grantedCkindness and praise. Schools and community organizations should incorporate kindness into their culture. Good morning. Hello. You look nice today. You have a nice smile. Thank you. All of these niceties take little effort but have tremendous value.
IV.      Support teachers. Fight to defeat the external forces that prevent good, creative teachers from teaching children. Like parents and students, good teachers lose hope. They, too, are often beaten down by the system. 
V.      Protect children. They need positive reinforcement. They need comfort, care and attention B not punishment.
VI.      Provide children and parents with options. The current school paradigms, public and private, are not sufficient. We need to do more than think outside of the box; we need to come up with other shapes and designs.
Children who seek suicide by educator are victims of their environments. They have been dealt an unfair hand in life. We, society in general, have failed these children. Because we have not figured out how to Afix@ them, we beat them. We punish them. We label them. We kill them. Listen carefully when a child says, ANobody cares about me. So why should I care?@
www.bernardgassaway.com
bgas37@aol.com 8 April 2007