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THE OUTSIDER......IOOKINGC INSIDE
The trials of
Senator Tarver...
Sources close to the Outsider say that Mr. Tarver has
really had a lot on his mind lately. With his recent trials
coming to the light right in front of an entire city. Nev
ertheless, according to significant sources, that should be
the least of his worries.
[t is alleged, and even Mr. Holland referred to this on
the Champ Walker show; that Senator Tarver tried to pos
sibly keep him quiet by offering something to “appease”
him. Thi.\ s hccausl: some say thdt the Scn;l(nr was on
both sides of the fence and playing both sides with him
sclf; considering Tarver is a senator and the attorney for
the Housing Authority.
Yet, others are saying that you cannot let Mr. Holland
off the hook that easy though. Sources close to the Out
sider say that he knew of the events to come. However he
was reluctant to bring them up because of the negative
impact for him in the community. These same sources
have also shown proof of similar actions taking place
before and being cut off at the neck by then Senator Walk
er. People in the community are saying that they are get
ting more and more nervous everyday. If they were able to
sneak a project like this in, what is next...?
- The views expresed are the views of the
Outsider....... Looking Inside and do not necessarily repre
sent the views of the publisher
Is one percent good enough?
Lately, we have been lower
ing our standards to the point
of being “stuck on stupid”. A
prime example is the recent
ownership controversy caused
by the new stadium gift going
to the owners of the Washing
ton Nationals baseball team
here in DC. The powers of
the “Chocolare Ciyy”
demanded better local and
Black representation within
the ownership of the team.
This was certainly reasonable
as the residents of DC were
yoing to be stuck with the bill
lf(‘or building the new stadium
via issuance of revenue bonds.
The dty is overwhelmingly
Black and Black representa
tion should be realized in any
endeavor that the people wiil
have to pay for.
So, wgcn the ownership of
the team was unveiled there
was a sprinkling of a few
Black faces - high Profilc but
just a few. Councilman and
former Mayor Marion Barry
became terribly upsct about
the “rent a Negro™ approach
to ownership. In dfc end,
Cheer : “Too many young peopl come from poor families who are struggfing
Continued from page 4A
women were barred from edu
cation. When she came to the
United States five years ago, she
spoke four languages, but no
English. Adjusting to her new
life was difficult. Classmates
taunted her, and her brother
was beaten up on his second
night in Houston. She began
her freshman year at the YES
College Prep School with a
been denied schooling for years
in Afghanistan, Anosha spent
every spare minute studying to
Marion was proven correct.
Despite the showcase and
spreads in the mainstream
media, the total dollar
amount invested by these so
called owners equated to no
more than just Ipercent.
Somehow the community of
DC capitulated and let the
deal go through. My brothers
and sisters 1% is better than
nothing but not too much
better. In fact, its right next
door to nothing. Why do we
settle for so littde? Where is
our outrage? What happened
to our ability to protest? In a
city 70 percent+ Black and a
sports game that is 50 per
cent+ nonwhite we afi)nw
ownership to be 99 percent
white. It is economically sui
cidal.
Cities around this nation
are suffering from this low
expectation. Philadelphia. has
a beautful sports mmplcx.
Beautiful bascball stadium,
football stadium (perhaps the
best in the NFL) and basket
ball/hockey arena share the
same address and provide a
catch up while working 40
hours a week at a shoe store
help support the family.
Other equally inspiring hon
orees this year are Fanny
Briceno, Cortney Gee, Ngan
Ho and Zachary Menk in
Texas; and Jacqueline Bonilla
and Choua Yang in Minnesota.
We all know young people
who are thriving academically,
contributing to their commu
nities and serving as role mod
els to younger children. They
deserve our active encourage
ment and support. We must be
mindful, however, of the many
others who find the conditions
AUGUSTA FOCUS
BLACKONOMICS By James Clingman
Spelling error led to war in Iraq
Colin Powell ominously dis
played the acrial views of dan
gerous chemicals and biological
weapons n [raq. George and
Condi sp()kc to us about
“mushroom” douds and the
yellow cake purchase from
Niger. Cheney and all the
PNAC boys sounded the alarm
about WMD, and it was on!
We were at war in Iraq. Since
that time, the reason for going
to war has changed so many
ames its ridiculous. From U.S.
dollar hegemony (Petrodollars
if you will), to control of the oil
in the region, to Saddaam
killed his own people, to libera
ton of the Iraq people. All
have been offered as reasons for
this stupid war. But now [
know why we are there in Irag;
it was all due to a spelling error.
| can hear the conversation
now between George Bush and
Dick Cheney, of course, with
Condi and Karl lingering near.
“Hey, Dick, tell me again what
our reason is for starting a new
war with Iran,” George asks. “If
we have told you once, George,
we have told you a million
tames. [ran is the real culprit in
the war on terror; it poses the
greatest threat to us. Havent
you been watching Sean Han
nity, Glen Beck, and our other
buddies on the news? Havent |
told you to watch Fox News at
least once a day?”
Condi chimes in, “George, |
have told you what to say and
when to say it as well; whats
wrong with you? Why is your
attention span so shor?”
venue that makes millions
and millions of dollars for the
owners of these teams. How
much of that ownership
belongs to local Black resi
dents of Philadelphia?> My
estimate Is, at best, 1 percent.
Tax breaks, revenue bond
financing by the residents of
the city provides treasure
roves fnr the fat cats and
none of the fat cats are us.
History will show that these
scenarios were some kind of
high tech robbery. Stealing
from the masses of Black folks
for the benefit of a few pow
erful Whites is something
that borders on Hell not
Heaven.
God will bless the child
who has his own and we
African Americans have got
to start demanding and insist
ing on our fair share of the
pie. We need to get away
from “fronting” and paper
schemes that profess to
include us. Stadiums, sports
teams, casinos, hotels, enter
tainment projects, etc. must
include the people paying the
in which they live overwhelm
ing. Too many young people
come from poor families who
are struggling to meet their
most basic needs. They may
witness or experience violence
in their homes and have no one
to protect or nurture them.
'fl\ey walk o sch()ol thmug)
dangerous neighborhoods only
to arrive in clasrooms where
teachers have low expectations
for their success. These young
people often have no place to
feel safe or be smart—and their
calls for help are ignored. We
must support them as well, by
fighting to provide opportuni
George responds, | dont know,
Conds; I just scem to get dis
tracted so easily, you know, this
is hard work, hard work. But let
me get this straight: our greatest
threat is Iran not Iraq, righe”
George thumps the side of
head like the man in the V-8
commercial and says, “Now |
get it! Its that damned “Q” that
got me confused. | should have
put an “N” in there instead of
that darmed “Q.” What was [
thinking?”
“Back in 2002, when we
were talking about going to
war, | kept thinking it was Iraq,
and | kept writing Iraq in my
notes. N( W you are tL‘"ing me
that Iran is the real threat. I'm
sorry; | have been misspelling it
all this ume,” George laments.
“Its that dam “Q; Iraq, Iran,
this is so confusing. How will |
ever explain why we wasted,
thats right, [ said ‘wasted” more
than 3,000 soldiers and
maimed 30,000 others, all
because of a stupid ‘Q?”
Karl responds in exaspera
ton, “Thars all right, George,
well take care of it, just like we
always have. The American
people bought the WMD
story and all the other reasons
we gave them, and they will
understand that you simply
made a spelling error and
ordered the destruction of Iraq
rather than Iran.” Cheney
interjects, “The more we tell
them Iran is our greatest threat
and the place we should be
worried about, the more we
scare them out of their wits
bill or generating the income.
Over the years how many
record labels, sports teams,
movie studios have built
empires through the talent
ancr sweat of African Ameri
cans. Yet, we have a pitiful
picce of the ownership
imvolved in these industries.
We settle for too licde. We
have become happy with vir
tually nothing.
So, let us turn our attention
to the biggest opportunity at
hand. The Rebuilding of the
Gulf is before us and we need
to seize this opportunity.
Louisiana and Mississippi
have Black populations that
exceed 30 percen cach. The
contracts that will be generat
ed from the federal govern
ment alone will approach
SIOO billion over the next few
years. What share of the busi
ness participation will our
corporations receive? Well,
right now it is about 1 per
cent. Thats right, just like
Sec Percent, page 8A
ties so they can bloom with
excellent schools and health
care fadlities and effective child
service agendes.
But for now, if youre
depressed about the “if it
bleeds, it leads” 11:00 o'dock
news, tell your media leaders to
start reporting on hope. And
take solace in the knowledge
that young people all across the
country are beating the odds.
And thats something we can
stand up and cheer about! For
more information on CDF’s
Beat the Odds Scholarship Pro
gram, go to www.childrensde
fense.org/beat_the_odds.
about nudear weapons being
developed over there, the casier
it will be for us 0 go o war
with Iran.”
“Thats right” George
responds. Those people are not
even as smart as | am; they will
believe anything we tell them,
at least they used to. Do you
really think they will buy: it this
ume, Dick?”
“No problem, George, we'l
handle it. After all, its ame we
build your legacy. | can s it
now, George W. Bush, the
Greatest War President in
American History. Even
though you went into Iraq by
mistake, because of a simple
spelling error, it was an honest
mistake. Now you have the
opportunity to fight two major
wars at the same ume. Wow!
What other President can
claim to have done thae?”
“Thanks, guys; youre the
best team a President could
ever have. You all are doin’ a
heck of a job,” Bush says, as he
breathes a sigh of relief.
The new campaign has
begun. We are being told on a
daily basis, many ames over,
that Iran is the country we
must fear as we seek control of
the so-called Middle East. Its
Iran that has killed the most
Americans prior to 911, Iran
that poses a nuclear threat, [ran
that funds the terronses. les
now lran, stupid!
But wait. Didnt the folks
who flew the planes into the
World Trade Center come
from Saudi Arabia? Hasnt it
GUEST COMMENTARY By Erivn Milton
One person can make
a big impact on justice
Last weekend, 1 paracipated
in the Sixth Annual College
Round-up Day in Tarboro,
North Carolina, an event that
targets youth in the Black com
munity. More than 1,000 high
school and college age young
people from across the state and
beyond were in attendance. Dr.
Willie ]. Gilchrist, Chancellor
of Elizabeth City State Univer
sity, gave a rousing motivation
al speech. There were also
financial aid workshops as well
as workshops on how to make
life better while growing up. Of
course, colleges were represent
ed as well as some trades which
may have been of interest o
young persons not planning to
attend college.
Events like these are held year
round across the country, but
this college day is unique
because it is not sponsored by a
college or school administra
tors. [t is the ininatve of Bob
Whitehead, a Black man who is
not a teacher, a school adminis
rator ora parent. He is a scem
ingly ordinary man with a big
vision for the young Black peo
ple in his community. Several
years ago, Whitchead observed
the condition of many Black
youth around him and believed
he could do something to make
their situation better—and he
has! He pulled together friends
and others like me, who were
also interested in doing some
thing positive to help those
around them. He spent his
own time and money to make
his dream of opening doors for
the youth around him a reality,
and he asked others to do the
same.
College Round-up Day start
ed out small, serving just a few
April 5, 2007
been proven that the Saudis
have funneled money to fund
terrorists’ Wasnt ilt Saudi’s that
were allowed to leave the coun
try by arplane when no one
clse was allowed fly after
9112 Oh yes, [forgot, the Saudi
Royal Family is friends wath the
Bush Royal Family. Sorry for
being so naive.
OKkay, try this one. Wasnt
Osama Bin Laden the one who
ordered the WTC and Penta
gon destruction? Wasnt he liv
i 0 sole cve N
Afghanistan, where we went
prior to going into Iraq? What
cever happened o Bin Laden
anyway? Oh well, as Yul Bryn
ner said in the King and [, “Its
a puzzlement.” But at least we
have a plausible reason for our
impending war with Iran; Bush
couldntspell it, and he ordered
troops into to Iraq instead.
Back to the conversation.
Condisighs, “The Iraq war was
all a huge mistake. Much like
Dan Quayle could not spell
‘potato,” George, you couldnt
spell Iran.” Cheney, in support
of his President says, “That
darned *QQ” kept getung in his
way, but what a difference one
letter can make, huh? Hallibur
ton made tons of money; Im
set for life!” Bush boyishly
chimesin, “I may notbe able to
spell, but Saddaam did oy ©
kill my daddy!”
young people in the immediate
arca. Now, 1t reaches thousands
of Black youth and is open to all
who wish to participate without
rvg.lrd o race, & )I« r or Cn‘cd.
M)’ hat 1s nflA to Bob White
head and those who work are
lessly with him to make such an
event possible. These people
have indicated that they want
to give back to the community
some of what was given to
them. By the way, they contin
ue their work throughout the
year with follow-up events in
the community.
My hatis also off to people in
other communities throughout
the naton who are willing o
use their tme and resources to
make a difference and bring
about justice for those who are
disadvantaged and disenfran
chised. This Lenten scason,
when Christians are recommit
tng their lives and souls to their
faith, is a good time to recom
mit our lives to the causes of jus
tice for everyone. We all can
make a difference.
The United Church of
Christ has more than 5,700
churches throughout the Unit
ed States. Rooted in the Chris
tian traditions of congregation
al governance and covenantal
relationships, each UCC setting
speaks only for iself and not on
behalf of every UCC congrega
ton. UCC members and
churches are free to differ on
important social issues, even as
committed to unity in the
midst of our diversity.
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