paper

THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS May 14-May 20, 2009 3

Metro Briefs ANNUAL MALCOLM X ESSAY CONTEST

As the Malcolm X Cora memora tion Committee gears up to observe the 84th birthday of Malcolm X, Friday sees the awards ceremony for the Malcolm X in the Classroom Project. The project is an essay contest for area elementary, middle and high school students who responded to the question, "What does the living legacy of Malcolm X mean to me?" The project is proudly done in collaboration with the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, better known as the Shahazz Center, under the direction of Sis. Dowoti Desir

The award ceremony will be held at the Shabazz Center. 3940 Broadway at 165th Street on Friday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is free and open to the pub- lic. Teachers are encouraged to bring their students to what will be an inspiring and culturally correct field trip. For more information, call Herman Ferguson (718) 949-5153

HONORING ELOMBE 6RATH On Saturday. May 16, at 2 p.m.. Operation POWER,

a collective of community organizers and organiza- tions, will present an Africa policy forum at the House of the Lord Church (415 Atlantic Avenue, between Hoyt and Bond streets) in Brooklyn.

Councilman Charles Barron will moderate. Pan- elists, including Viola Plummer, Rev. Herbert Daugh- try, Milton Alimadi, publisher oTBlack Star News, and Diop Olugbala, international Uhuru Movement, will discuss the push for the new administration to intro- duce the People's Africa Policy.

There will also be a special tribute to noted Pan- Africanist Elombe Brath for his five-decade-Iong con- tribution to the struggle for liberation in Africa and for Africans of the Diaspora. The Operation Power Mal- colm X Award will be presented to Brath's family. For more information, call (917) 584-7604.

WORKING HOMELESS TO BE CHARGED RENT FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS

On Thursday, May 14, at 11 a.m., Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, State Senator Dan Squadron and advocates for the homeless will rally on the steps of City Hall in protest of working homeless being charged rent in New York shelters. Last week, the Bloomberg administration ini- tiated the practice, and the assemblyman and other homeless advocates accused the city of misuse of NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which governs the management of homeless shelters in NYC.

"Balancing the New York City Department of Home- less Services on the backs of the most needy population in the city is poor policy and is downright inhumane," said Assemblyman Wright.

Call (646) 652-1723 or (518) 455-4793 for more infor- mation.

GANG TO PRISON PREVENTION WORKSHOP On May 20, Wings for Youth, Inc., presents Gang to

iVison Awareness: Prevention Workshop. Parents, con- cerned family members and counselors are encouraged to bring young people who are at risk, disconnected from school, have attitude/behavior issues, are experi- menting with illegal drugs or have had contact with the police/court system. Former NYC correction officer Lorenzo Steele, founder of The Future Leaders Pro- gram and consultant to Prison/Gang Awareness, will provide youth and adults with information designed to bring awareness of the consequences of negative behav- ior that leads to incarceration, premature death and academic failure.

RSVP by May 19 at (917) 662-6405 or e-mail wings- [email protected]. The event will be beïd at 1958 Fulton Street in Brooklyn.

—CompUed by DAA'IYA L. SANUSI

Is Bloomberg good or bad for Black people in New York City?

By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews

With each new debate, CEMOTAP (Committee to Elim- inate Media Offensive to African People) pushes the proverbial envelope a little bit further, plac- ing critical issues before the community to ponder.

At the organization's sixth debate, Councilman Charles BaiTon and Deputy Mayor Den- nis Walcott will face off on whether Mayor Bloomberg is good or bad for Black people.

This is a very timely debate, as the mayor seeks a third term and with deep pockets enticing a number of notable Black resi- dents to jump on his bandwagon.

"Thus far, our debates have been very lively, full of vital information and well attended," said Betty Dopson, who, with Dr. James Mcintosh, co-chairs the sponsoring organization. And

that popularity is evidenced by the standing-room-only crowds packing Salem United Methodist Church.

Barron's opposition to the mayor's policy is known by most New Yorkers, save for those stumbling from caves, and Wal- cott, a former New York Urban League leader, can certainly hold his own in defense of his boss.

As is the practice of the debates, other commentators will offer their opinions, along with their assessments of the debate. Among those invited are Jitu Weusi, the noted Brooklyn educator; Brandon Bryce of HiphopRepublican.com; attor- ney Rosemari Mealy and her husband, educator Dr. Sam Anderson; and Dopson.

"Despite the fact that some say anybody is better than Giu- liani, I think Walcott will need

all his skills as a communicator to defend Bloomberg in the Harlem community, where 50 percent of the men are unem- ployed and the majority of kids don't get a Regents diploma," Dopson asserted in a press release.

Dr. Mcintosh will moderate the debate, which will be preced- ed by a commentary from the embattled Bernard White of WBAI-FM. White will deliver an update on his employment sta- tus at the station where he has been the program director for years.

The event is Sunday, May 17 at 6 p.m., at Salem United Methodist Church, located at 129th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard. Additional information may be obtained by calling Dr. Mcintosh at (718) 322-8454 or by e-mailing Bash- [email protected].

Harlem community leaders unites against violence By CYRIL JOSH BARKER

Amsterdam News Staff Recent violence across the city

involving young people put a spark in several community and political leaders to say enough is enttugh. On Saturday, dozens of local residents came out to the first Harlem Unites Awareness Day to learn about ways to cut the numbers of murders from gun violence.

The event, which was held on 126th Street behind the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, was in response to the recent shooting deaths of 13- year-old Chris Owens and 17- year-old Corey Squire last week.

Along the back of the State Office Building, dozens of shoes thiit were worn by victims of gun violence lined the sidewalk at the evtint. Shoes displayed were from

victims as young as 4 yoars uld and some even had bloodstains. Notes from loved ones were attached to shoes telling stories about victims' lives.

Several organizations were represented at the event. Groups present included American Friends Service Committee, the Harlem Clergy and Community Leaders Coalition (HCCLC), Harlem Mothers SAVE, Uptown

Residents Who Care and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

"This is a day for peace," said Pastor Vernon Williams, presi- dent of HCCLC. "From this day, we will start the catalysts to move forward to watch over the Harlem community and even over New York City. I've made a call out to the young people for no violence. We want them to

(Continued on Page 34)

MTA vote $2,25—Ws offícial—riding the rails goes up By CYRIL JOSH BARKER

Amsterdam News Staff It's official. Single subway and

bus fare will only go up to $2.25 at the end of June. The MTA approved a rescue plan on Mon- day during an emergency meet- ing after the state Senate pro- posed the plan last week. The plan raises the fare by only 10 percent.

In an 11-2 vote by the MTA board, the new plan will raise 30-day unlimited MetroCards to $89, 14-day MetroCards to $51.50, seven-day cards to $27 and one-day passes to $8.25. There will still be a 15 percent bonus when riders put $8 on MetroCards. Bridge and tunnel tolls will also go up to $5.50

The plan also eliminates pro- posed service cuts, allowing sev- eral New Yorkers to continue their normal travel routines.

MTA Chairman Dale Hem- merdinger thanked elected offi- cials fi*om Albany, including Gov. David Paterson and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, for their work on think- ing of the plan.,

"Here at the MTA, there were many folks who worked tireless- ly over this long, long stretch to get us to this solution," he said. "Today, we implemented a bit- tersweet solution that comes with additional pain for our cus- tomers, our employees and those who live and work in our region. But it will—at least for the short

term—prevent the Armageddon that loomed large when we last met."

Fares on buses and subways will increase beginning on June 28 and tunnel and bridge fares will increase on July 12. The MTA will still see more than 200 service booth closures. However, according to MTA Executive Director and CEO Elliot Sander, no station agents will be laid off and any positions removed will be by attrition.

"The fare and toll increase passed today is not ideal, but it spares our customers from actions that would have been extraordinarily painful," said Sander. "Implementing severe

(Continued on Page 34)

' M'aVf4-M'ay ^D, 2ÓÓ9

Justice (Continued from Page 13) cost of improving public defense services, it is clear the greatest cost is paid every day by countless inmates who sit in prison solely because of their inability to exercise

their right to an effective defense.

And Albany lawmakers should know that if they do not act, they may be ordered to do so by a judge presiding over a class-action lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union charging the current system is so deficient

as to be unttconstitutional. As my good friend George Bundy Smith, a former judge on our state's highest court, recently wrote, "Albany's decision mak- ers should look at the lawsuit filed against them as an opportunity to do what they already know to be the right thing—honor our state's com-

mitment to equal justice by creating an independent pub- lic defense commission."

With Gov. Paterson, Assem- bly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith all publicly in support, now is the time to build on their success reforming the Rockefeller

drug laws and create the inde- pendent public defense com- mission.

Justice delayed is justice denied. It is incumbent upon those of us committed to equal justice to urge our leaders not to wait any longer before reforming our state's broken public defense system.

Sonny (Continued from Page 6) females," remembers longtime acquaintance Mama Lubaba. "He was an organizer. He had so many great attributes, yet he was tough. He knew how to deal with the police and politi- cians, and they all respected him."

Carson has been making his mark while combating what he saw as an oppressive system of exploitation since the 1950s. Whether it was shutting down traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge and other vital locations in the city in

protest of police brutality, replacing the names on some of Brooklyn's streets and schools or boycotting the Korean grocers in Flatbush during the early '90s, he was always on the frontlines.

"Abubadika felt that renaming the streets and schools was a part of the total effect io put back into Black people what has been beaten out of us," assessed Carson's comrade Brother Tarik Hask- ins. "I used to be very moved when I used to hear him do a presentation. His intent was to immediately communicate to Black people that great harm has been done to us and

we must unite to put the brakes on any future pain. I am so sorry Abubadika is no longer with me."

Often criticized by certain media outlets as being anti- Semitic, A.B. clarified the issue. "Don't confine my dis- like to Jews. I don't like the conduct and character of European men in relation to us as a people," recollected Committee to Honor Black Heroes Chairman Ali Lam- ont.

Already immortalized in film and print in the 1970s after his autobiographical book, "The Education of Sonny Carson," was made

into a movie, the hip-hop gen- eration also kept his legacy more current by sampling excerpts from his movie and incorporating them into their art form. "Sonny used to say, 'Never mind the messenger. We must begin to look at and pay attention to the mes- sage!'" affirmed Lamont.

If still physically alive today, what would Sonny say? "Sonny would not have been for mayoral control of the schools. That's too much power in one man's hands, where the parents and the teachers have no say-so about the curriculum, but these are our tax dollars," established

Ferguson. He continued, "With the

current mayor, the school sys- tem is in worse shape than before he took it over These are the things Sonny would be fighting for right now, which his organization is still fighting for at the same time. Sonny would've been on the forefront. He is missed because only Sonny can be Sonny. There won't be nobody like him again."

Mae Carson reflected on her late husband's calling, saying, "I understand that we were married, but I also knew that he belonged to the people!"

Carter (Continued from Page 11) Obama's choice of gaffe-prone Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

Palin's undeniable personal appeal and star power attract- ed 70 million TV viewers to her Oct. 2, 2008 debate with Biden—second only to the 80- million who saw Reagan and Jimmy Carter spar 28 years

earlier. And it exceeded the number watching any of the three, mostly boring presiden- tial debates between Obama and McCain.

Notwithstanding bad advice and tepid support by McCain's campaign staff—and disastrous national TV inter- views with Charlie Gibson of ABC and Katie Couric of CBS—Palin may represent the GOP's best hope of

reclaiming the White House. And she also has stayed the course despite vicious news coverage of her family's per- sonal problems.

Finally, there is Rice, 54, touted by Dick Morris, former Bill Clinton guru and pollster, in his 2005 book "Condi vs. Hillary, The Next Great Presi- dential Race." Here is some of the reasoning he has used on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox

News Channel, before Palin entered the picture:

"I think a Hillary candidacy will make a Condi candidacy inevitable. I think the public will increasingly realize that the only way to beat a woman is with a woman. And the only way to beat the Democratic Party is to take away the Afiican-Ameri- can vote. And every single Black mother is going say to herself that my baby will know there is

no ceiling if this woman IRice] is elected."

Could such a scenario play out in 2012 or 2016? Would Condi trump Hillary by siphoning off a major portion of the Black vote from Obama in 2012? On the other hand, could we possibly see a three- way female tussle down the line between Hillary, Sarah and Condi? Whoa! Stranger things have happened.

Shabazz (Continued ñ*oin Page 4) and some haven't reached their teens. Most are teenagers. It is the teenagers abroad, all over the world, who are actually involving them-

selves in the struggle to elimi- nate oppression and exploita- tion," El Hajj Malik Shabazz noted.

Each year, a caravan of vehicles—including a couple dozen school buses carrying hundreds of young students who will be exempt from their daily academic chores for the

day and other interested truth-seekers from throughout the tristate area—make their way up to the burial grounds. Thousands of youth, ranging from elementary school up to college-bound high school stu- dents, come out to experience the annual ceremony. Admir- ers, comrades, family mem-

bers, modern-day contempo- raries and relatives alike speak at the gathering and express the relevancy of El Haji Malik Shabazz's message today.

Those interested in attend- ing are being asked to con- vene at 10 a.m. at the corner of 125th Street (Dr. Martin

Luther King J r ) and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. Following the pilgrimage, the December 12th Movement, along with a few other organ- izations, will shut down 125th Street, forcing stores to close their doors for a few hours in honor of the legacy of Malcolm X.

Shoes (Continued from Page 3) make a commitment."

WiUiams also said that he wants to begin a movement that will continue through Harlem's African-American Day Parade in September.

Radio personality from Harlem-based radio station WHCR Iesha Sekou and Uptown Residents Who Care President Landon Dais served as emcees for Saturday's event. Young people performed spo- ken word along with musical performances, including rap group T-Breezy, featured on

BET'S "106th and Park." Several prominent Harlem

political figures came out in support of the Harlem Unites Awareness Day, including Rep. Charlie Rangel and Assembly- men Keith Wright and Her- man D. Ferrell Jr.

Mothers from the organiza- tion Harlem Mothers SAVE

were on hand to discuss their experience with violence in city streets. Members of the organi- zation are made up of mothers who have lost children to gun violence. Founder Jackie Rowe- Adams, who lost two children to gun violence, said that par- ents need to step up.

"Parents need to stop trying

to be their child's friend and stop smoking weed with their kids," she said. "They need to get their children involved in some of these programs and stop not knowing where their children are going. At Harlem Mothers SAVE, we can't bring our children back, but maybe we can help another mother"

MTA (Continued from Page 3) fare increases and deep service cuts directly contradicts the MTA's mission and my goals as CEO. It is a great relief to

know we will be able to contin- ue providing the service our customers expect at an afford- able price."

Sander announced last Thursday that he is resign- ing from his position as exec- utive director and CEO of the MTA. The move comes

after state lawmakers pro- claim that in order to fix problems with the MTA, they plan on fusing the CEO and MTA chairman posi- tions.

Sander's resignation will take effect on May 22. Pater- son is set to find a replace-

ment in the next four to six weeks. The governor report- edly said he plans to look "nationally and internation- ally" for the right candidate to oversee the MTA.

Reports indicate that Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign

said that while the public thinks the fare increases are a burden, the prices are bet- ter than what it would've been. The best news, accord- ing to Russianoff, is that nearly all proposed service cuts of nearly 40 bus lines and subway service are gone.

Serving your community for more than 100years Smsfcriiam Nctus The new Black viewr