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1 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF AUG 27 - SEPT 2, 2012Rochester, NYVOL 5. NO. 43 aug 27 - sept 2, 2012

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From Information to Understanding

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Martin Luther King Jr. Interview Found in Tennessee Attic

CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD GETS A FAILINGFAILING GRADEFROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS

2 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF AUG 27 - SEPT 2, 2012

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PHOTOGRAPHYTemple Boggs, Jr.Todd Elliott

COLUMNISTSGloria Winston Al-SaragC. Michael Tillman Rev. Michael Vaughn Vincent FelderDiane WatkinsMike DulaneyDavy VaraAyesha Kreutz

Minority Reporter, Inc. is a family of publications and other media formats committed to fostering self awareness, building community and empowering people of color to reach their greatest potential. Fur-ther, Minority Reporter, Inc. seeks to present a bal-anced view of relevant issues, utilizing its resources to build bridges among diverse populations; taking them from information to understanding.

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In This Issue:

COVER Pg 8

- Martin Luther King Jr. Interview Found in Tennessee Attic

LOCAL Pgs 4 - 5

- Cops: Western NY Couple in Apparent Murder Suicide - 15-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot on Rochester Street- Legislature Defeats Bill to Prohibit Publicly Funded Ads- F29 New Homes to be Built in 19th Ward- Community Weighs in on Civilian Review Board Revisions

STATE Pgs 10, 12

NATIONAL Pg 10

- Walmart Offering Christmas Layaway Program

COLUMNS: Pg 14-15

- Why Hasn’t Jose Cruz Resigned from the School Board?

By Gloria Winston Al-Sarag

- President Obama’s Pro-Growth Solutions by the Numbers

By Ayesha Kreutz

- Learning the Lesson of Forgiveness

By Michael Vaughn

- NYPD: Out of Control With a Blatant Disreguard for Citizens’ Constitutional Rights

By Davy Vara

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Craig Heard Deserves Be er[Original Op/Ed by Davy Vara at: h p://www.minorityreporter.net/full-story.php?id=1138

Craig heard was out at 3 am but not because no one cared for him but because he had ran away from home with friends! That’s not his moms fault his mom and other family members had been out looking for him! When a child runs away that doesn’t mean the parents are bad! And those cops didn’t have a car driven towards them! And even if they did why not shoot out the res instead of shoo ng him in his head twice... TWO TIMES... They shot Craig in the head as if he was a animal! It sickens me to even think how they shot him in that car a young boy A BABY FOR HEAVENS SAKE gone to soon!! No he wasn’t a perfect child but he didn’t deserve to die the way he did!~ Mindyourbusiness

Let’s not drive cars at police offi cers, or anybody else. Perhaps then we won’t have to sit around second guessing where police should or shouldn’t be shoot-ing. Instead of running and pu ng everyone’s lives in jeopardy, why don’t our ci zens just pull over when the police a empt to stop them? Why do we get to second guess the people ac ng lawfully in these situa ons, rather than crimi-nals that ini ate the situa ons. What do you suppose Craig would be doing with his life today, had he not made those choices 10 years ago? I know what the answer is sta s cally speaking, but what do honestly think? My educated guess would be that at this point in his life he would have had nega ve impacts on several others by now, and probably fathered numerous children we’d all be paying for. Clearly heading toward a life of incarcera on, Heard would be cos ng taxpayers $35k a year to keep locked up. I will shed no tears for the loss of this boy, period. I feel bad for the offi cers who were forced to take a life that evening.~Bigchubb6570

Conserva ves and their Evil Abs nence Ploy[Original Op/Ed by Ayesha Kreutz at: h p://www.minorityreporter.net/fullstory.php?id=1147

A well wri en arguement for Abs nence. Your statement regarding schools teaching our children not to be ashamed to try, “all kinds of sex” is quite ac-curate!

Prior to public schools teaching sexual educa on, the Gay community was quite small. As sexual educa on became more invasive and graphic, the num-ber of children coming out of the closet grew. The Gay community grew over the years and they teamed up with Planned Parenthood to fi ght against the teaching of Abs nence in schools.

Now the Gay community has become so large and poli cally powerful that they fi ght the teaching of Abs nence like it is a deadly cancer. The Gay com-munity claims, based on a fl awed study performed decades ago, that their is a Gay gene, while others (including myself) claim that being or becoming Gay is a result of Sexual Educa on in Public Schools. The facts are on our side prooving that the Gay community began a sharp growth in rela onship with Sex-Ed in public schools.

Start teaching Abs nence in Public Schools, and do away with Sex-Ed, and within a genera on the growth of the Gay community will come to a crawl. Not to men on Planned Parenthood will fall on their sword as their own lies and deciept will be exposed. The result will be negligible teen pregnancies, and nearly non-existent abor ons.~ Steve Smith

This is a well-ar culated ar cle. The promo on of the healthy lifestyle of abs nence un l marriage is good for our na on, in that cri cal thinking, moral compass and the pi alls of sexual experimenta on prior to marriage can be avoided. The money saved by not providing abor ons can be used to educate our children and help people who fall on hard mes through no fault of their own. Our children Woukd be happier and healthier if they were allowed to ma-ture according to the season they are in rather than taking on responsibili es they are ill-prepared for emo onally or fi nancially.~ Lore a


Cops: Western NY Couple in Apparent Murder-SuicideWHEATLAND, N.Y. — Police are inves ga ng the apparent murder-suicide of a western New York couple in their 80s.

Major Steve Koster of the Monroe

County Sheriff ’s department tells local media the couple’s daughter found them dead Tuesday morning in the town of Wheatland, 15 miles southwest of Rochester.

He says inves gators believe the husband shot his wife and then himself.

Both had health problems, but Koster says they weren’t incapacitated and

remained ac ve. No note was found.

The names of the couple haven’t been released.

15-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot on Rochester StreetRochester police are inves ga ng the fatal shoo ng of a 15-year-old boy.

Offi cers responding to a report of a shoo ng around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday found the teen at the

intersec on of N Goodman St and Short Street on the city’s east side.

Police say the boy had been shot several mes in the torso. He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where

he was pronounced dead shortly a er midnight.

According to Rochester Police the circumstances that precipitated the shoo ng were unclear and no suspects

have been taken into custody.

Offi cers remained at the scene of the shoo ng Thursday morning as their inves ga on con nued.

Legislature Defeats Bill to Prohibit Publicly Funded AdsOn Monday, a Democra c sponsored bill that would have prohibited County elected offi cials from appearing in publicly funded adver sements was defeated by the Republican controlled Legislature.

Sponsored by Deputy Democra c Leader Josh Bauroth, the bill would have also applied restric ons to publicly funded adver sements sponsored by en es related to the County such as the Airport Authority.

According to Bauroth, in addi on to ads at the Airport, there are numerous such adver sements featuring elected county offi cials all around at places like the Zoo and MCC Sports Centre.

In response to the legisla on, Monroe County Communica ons Director Jus n Feasel issued a statement saying, “The only abuse of taxpayer money on display today is the Legislature Democra c Caucus using their governmental offi ce to launch baseless poli cal a acks against the County Execu ve on behalf of Louise Slaughter. In full compliance with State law, the County does not use tax dollars to fund any adver sements featuring the County Execu ve. Our most signifi cant public service eff orts promo ng recycling, handicap parking compliance, and lead paint remedia on do not contain the likeness of the County Execu ve. When the Airport has vacant adver sing space, it may display signage promo ng economic development, part of its core mission. The economic development signage in ques on does not take the place of paid adver sing and therefore has no impact on the revenues of the Airport.”

Bauroth said, “This legisla on was a common sense step towards ensuring that taxpayer dollars were being appropriately spent. The taxpayers of this County-with the highest property taxes in the na on-should not be subsidizing adver sements featuring local elected offi cials.”

The bill was submi ed to Legislature President Jeff Adair, who assigned it to the Legislature’s Agenda/Charter Commi ee who voted 3-2 to defeat it.

Josh Bauroth, Deputy Democra c Leader


PathStone Corp.Green for Gold400 East AvenueRochester, NY 14607

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Kodak wants to sell its document im-aging and personalized imaging busi-nesses to be er focus on prin ng and business services as it tries to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protec- on.

Eastman Kodak Co. said Thursday that the sale of the units, along with cost-cu ng measures and the auc on of its patent por olio, will help it emerge from bankruptcy some me in 2013.

Kodak’s document-imaging division makes scanners and off ers related so ware and services. The personal-ized imaging business includes photo paper and s ll-camera fi lm products. It also off ers souvenir photo products at theme parks and other venues.

Antonio Perez, Kodak’s chairman and CEO, said the planned sale is “an im-portant step in our company’s reorga-niza on to focus our business on the commercial markets.”

The storied photography pioneer fi led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protec on in January. It has kept opera ng while it tries to sell its digital imaging pat-ents. So far, it has not found buyers.

Rochester, N.Y. based Kodak was founded in 1880. Kodak introduced the iconic Brownie camera in 1900. Selling for $1 and using fi lm that cost just 15 cents a roll, it made hobby pho-tography aff ordable for many people. Its Kodachrome fi lm, introduced in 1935, became the fi rst commercially successful amateur color fi lm.

Kodak’s workforce peaked in 1988 at nearly 150,000 employees. But the company couldn’t keep up with the shi from digital photo technology over the past decade and with compe- on from Japanese companies such

as Canon.

It said earlier this year that it would stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames as it tries to reshape its busi-ness.

Kodak to sellimaging units, focus on prin ng

Antonio Perez, Kodak CEO

Several Rochester City Offi cials cel-ebrated the groundbreaking of the Brooks Court project that will feature 29 new single-family homes to be built in the 19th Ward.

The Brooks Court project will feature the construc on of a new neighbor-hood street called Brookcrest Way. On the street, 29 new single-family homes will be built with designs reminiscent of the Cra sman and Bungalow “city house” styles that were prevalent in the early- to mid-1900s.

Construc on of the new street at the former Valley Court Apartment site in the 19th Ward has begun and the homes will begin to be constructed in September. They will be available for occupancy in the late fall of 2012. The en re project is expected to be com-pleted in 3 years.

“Rochester is improving because of the quality of life in our neighbor-hoods,” said Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards. “Strong neighborhoods are really what will make Rochester the

best mid-sized city in America. Where else could you own a home near the waterfront, next to a major univer-sity, a new, urban commercial center like Brooks Landing and an Olmsted-designed park in an historic neigh-borhood like the 19th ward? We are thankful to Woodstone Homes for their investment in our city.”

The homes will feature a variety of ranch, cape, and 2-story plans, rang-ing from 1,200 square feet to 1,800 square feet in size. Each home will have a large front porch, 2-1/2 baths and a 2-car a ached garage

The homes -- priced at $150,000 to $180,000 -- are being built by Wood-stone Custom Homes. The company successfully responded to the City’s June 2010 Valley Court request for proposals (RFP). The development cost will be more than $1 million and when completely built out, the value of the development, including infrastructure improvements is expected to be more than $5.5 million.

Offi cials a ending the groundbreaking ceremony included Mayor Thomas S. Richards, Neighborhood and Business Development Commissioner R. Car-los Carballada, Rochester City Council

Vice President Dana Miller, along with Jeff rey Smith, President and CEO of Woodstone Custom Homes, Inc. and Jodi Weinberger of Woodstone Realty.

Brooks Court Groundbreaking

29 New Homes to be Built in 19th Ward


Last Thursday, City Councilman Adam McFadden and Rochester Chief of Police, James Sheppard held a com-munity mee ng to discuss proposed changes to the Ci zen Review Board (CRB), the group that handles ci zen’s complaints against the police; but resi-dents are not ge ng what they want — an independent board with the power to subpoena police offi cers.

The mee ng which lasted about 90 minutes included an outline of the proposed changes to the current ci-vilian review process by McFadden. Residents were then given an opportu-nity to take the podium. Speaker a er speaker voiced their disappointment that the police department would be the organiza on conduc ng inves ga- ons brought by ci zens against police

offi cers.

“It’s the same old, same old, nothing is changing,” said community ac vist Alex White. “The inves ga on should be performed by non-police person-nel, maybe in conjunc on with some police personnel; at best it should be 50/50.”

McFadden’s proposed changes include appoin ng a community advocate and sending monthly progress reports to city council for review; but residents say that’s not good enough.

Emily Good, who rose to the na onal spot right a er she was arrested last year, expressed this concern. “I don’t really believe that the police can in-ves gate themselves; I think that this whole issue needs to go back to the drawing board.”

“That’s the fundamental fl aw to this whole process,” said Good. “If we don’t have an independent Civilian Re-view Board we are not going to have any police accountability.”

The current CRB is run by the Center for Dispute Se lement but McFadden said City Council will be sending out an

RFP to solicit other agencies to bid on the project.

McFadden said his process for reform-ing the CRB included bringing together stakeholders from various segment of the community including a community commi ee, a government commi ee, a police administra on commi ee, a CDS (Center for Dispute Se lement) commi ee, and a police union com-mi ee.

McFadden outlined “CRB Points of Agreement” that the commi ees ap-proved including:• Appoin ng a community advocate• Mul ple op ons for intake and in-ves ga on• Members of CBR must be city resi-dents• Timetable for inves ga ons• Case update le er sent every 30 days• Monthly progress report to city council• Addi onal confl ict resolu on train-ing for police• Addi onal community outreach• Addi onal youth outreach• Overhaul intake process• Intake op on at city hall• Fast track procedural courtesy com-plaints• Disciplinary details shared with com-plainant

CRB issues that remain “unresolved” according to McFadden were:• Autonomous CRB with en rely sepa-rate Professional Standards Sec on and CRB inves ga ons• Filing complaint will sa sfy no ce of claim requirements to avoid statute of limita ons that would expire before an inves ga on was complete• Separate repor ng for complainant injuries• Standardized intake ques ons• Procedures for evalua ng mul ple separate complaints against an offi cer

McFadden says there was a request for greater access to offi cer and in-ves gator fi les as well as mandatory

reconcilia on programs; but, because of collec ve bargaining issues both ac-cess to offi cer’s fi les and reconcilia on procedures must remain as they are.

City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes next month.

Ci zens Disappointed over lack of “Independence” of Proposed Civilian Review Board

Several dozen Rochester residents a ended the CRB mee ng at City Council chambers at City Hall

Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard, Rochester City Councilman Adam McFadden

Saturday, people with disabili es and sup-porters joined disability groups from all over the na on in protest in front of Good-will stores to highlight the na onal boyco called on by the Na onal Federa on of the Blind (NFB).

The ac on in Rochester will be taking place, Saturday, August 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in front of Stoneridge Plaza, 1518 W. Ridge Road.

The protesters, organizing in front of the Stoneridge Plaza, 1518 W. Ridge Road, say

they wanted to raise awareness of and op-posi on to Goodwill Industries’ prac ce of paying subminimum wages to many of its workers with disabili es.

According to the NFB, freedom of informa- on requests fi led by the them confi rmed

that Goodwill Industries employees with disabili es have been paid as low as $0.22 an hour.

The NFB and nearly fi y other organiza- ons of people with disabili es support

legisla on, the Fair Wages for Workers

with Disabili es Act (H.R. 3086), which would phase out and then repeal the nearly seventy-fi ve-year-old provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act that permits special cer fi cate holders to pay submini-mum wages to workers with disabili es.

The Rochester protest also targeted ABVI-Goodwill President and CEO, A. Gidget Hopf. Hopf is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of Goodwill Interna onal, the organiza on protesters say is exploi ng workers with disabili es and opposing the elimina on of the sub-minimum wages

rule for people with disabili es.

“As a Board Member of Goodwill Interna- onal, Ms. Hopf is a policy-maker and in a

posi on to strongly advocate for an end to sub-minimum wage, but she has refused to even send a le er to Goodwill Indus-tries,” said Bruce Darling, organizer with Rochester ADAPT. “She should tell people why she thinks they should not be paid minimum wage.”

Disability Rights Groups Protest Goodwill Pay Prac ces


www.hcrhealth.com

ATLANTA (AP) -- An outbreak of in-fected ta oos has led to an unlikely source: the ink.

With the growing popularity of tat-toos, health offi cials say they are see-ing more cases of a nasty skin infec on caused by a common bacteria traced to the ink. In the largest outbreak, 19 people in Rochester, N.Y., ended up with bubbly rashes on their new tat-toos, researchers reported Wednes-day.

Infec ons from ta ooing are nothing new. Hepa s, staph infec ons and even the superbug known as MRSA have been ed to ta oos. Dirty nee-dles and unsanitary condi ons are of-ten to blame.

But all the New York cases were linked to an uniden fi ed ar st who wore disposable gloves and sterilized his in-struments. The problem, inves gators concluded, was in the ink.

“Even if you get a ta oo from a facil-ity that does everything right, it’s not risk free,” said Dr. Byron Kennedy, deputy director of the health depart-ment in New York’s Monroe County. He is lead author of a report on last fall’s Rochester cases was released by the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday.

In the past year, there have been 22 confi rmed cases and more than 30 suspected cases of the skin infec on in Colorado, Iowa, New York and Wash-ington state, health offi cials said. The infec ons were ed to ink or water used to dilute the ink. Ta oo ar sts and ink makers should use only ster-

ile water to dilute ink, health offi cials advise.

Sca ered reports of the illness in tat-too customers have been reported over the past 10 years. But they may be growing more common as more people get ta oos, experts said. An es- mated 1 in 5 U.S. adults have at least

one ta oo, an increase from years past, according to polls.

The illnesses were caused by a bacte-rial cousin of tuberculosis named My-cobacterium chelonae (pronounced chell-OH-nay). The bacteria can cause itchy and painful pus-fi lled blisters that can take months to clear up, and in-volve treatment with harsh an bio cs with unpleasant side eff ects.

The bacteria are common in tap water, and have been seen in the past when ta oo ar sts used contaminated wa-ter to lighten dark ink. The ink used in New York was “gray wash,” used for shaded areas of ta oos. The ink was recalled and has not returned to the market.

Companies that make gray wash some mes use dis lled water to lighten the ink, thinking it’s clean of infec on-causing contaminants. But the bacteria can live in that too, said Tara MacCannell, who led a related in-ves ga on by the Centers for Disease Control and Preven on. Her study ap-pears in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Wednesday.

Some ink manufacturers add witch ha-zel or an alcohol preserva ve to lower risk of certain viruses, but those addi- ves don’t kill off the hardy chelonae

bacteria, she added.

Inves gators found the bacteria in opened and unopened bo les of ink at the New York ta oo parlor. They did not fi nd it in water at the shop, Mac-Cannell said.

Health offi cials say ta oo customers should ask what kind of ink is being used and what measures are in place to prevent infec ons.

Study: Ta oo infec ons traced to tainted ink

Lil Wayne 2011 Photos

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By George Brown

In a dusty old a c in Cha anooga, Tennessee, Stephon Tull was rummaging through dilapidated boxes le there by his father many years before, when he came across an interes ng fi nd.

In one of the ba ered boxes was an audio reel marked, “Dr. King interview, Dec. 21, 1960.”

“I’m a rummager, a packrat,” said Tull. “That piqued my interest.”

Tull acquired a reel-to-reel player and listened to what sounded like his father interviewing Dr. Mar n Luther King Jr. about nonviolence and the civil rights movement.

“I could not believe what I was hearing,” said Tull.

Tull’s father had grown up in Tennessee during the years of racial tension, oppression, and the so-called “Jim Crow” segrega on laws.

“He planned on wri ng a book on how

bad things were back in that era,” said Tull, but he never fi nished it, “He fell ill, and is now in Hospice care.”

Tull’s father’s recorded his conversa on with King three years before the civil rights leader delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, four years before President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law and eight years before King was assassinated in Memphis, across the state from where Tull’s father lived.

In the interview, King can clearly be heard discussing his defi ni on of nonviolence, and its importance in the civil rights movement.

“I would … say that it is a method which seeks to secure a moral end through moral means,” he said, “and it grows out of the whole concept of love, because if one is truly nonviolent that person has a loving spirit, he refuses to infl ict injury upon the opponent because he loves the opponent.”

King con nued, “I am convinced that when the history books are wri en in future years, historians will have to record this movement as one of the greatest epics of our heritage,” he said. “It represents struggle on the highest level of dignity and discipline.”

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, one of the founders of the Southern Chris an Leadership Conference with King in 1957, said the tapes are a reminder of the work King started that is not fi nished.

“One of the things that occurred back then, we eff ec vely communicated that nonviolence as a tac c, as a technique, was very eff ec ve for civil rights protests,” said Lowery. “What we failed to do was express it’s not just a tac c, but a way of life.”Lowery went on, “We’re losing the

ba le of violence versus nonviolence as a means of resolving human confl ict,” he said, “I hope Dr. King’s message, wherever it shows up will help us in the struggle.”

In another part of Tull’s recording, King describes a recent trip to Africa. He explains to Tull’s father the importance of the civil rights movement both in the United States and abroad.

“There is quite a bit of interest and concern in Africa for the situa on in the United States. African leaders in general, and African people in par cular are greatly concerned about the struggle here and familiar with what has taken place,” he said, “We must solve this problem of racial injus ce if expect to maintain our leadership in the world, and if we expect to maintain a moral voice in a world that is two thirds color.”

The recording is intriguing to Clayborne Carson, a professor of history and founding director of the Mar n Luther King, Jr., Research and Educa on Ins tute at Stanford University.

“It’s hard to know what we’re dealing with,” he said, “There are thousands of interviews with Dr. King, and it’s hard to tell the historical signifi cance of this (one).”

“What is interes ng about this is rather than just a transcript, you can hear his voice,” he added.

In 1985, King’s widow, the late Core a Sco King, invited Carson to direct a long-term project to edit and publish the civil rights leader’s works.

Martin Luther King Jr. Interview Found in Tennessee Attic

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“One of the things that occurrethen, we eff ec vely communthat nonviolence as a tac c,technique, was very eff ec ve frights protests,” said Lowery. we failed to do was express it’s na tac c, but a way of life.”Lowery went on, “We’re losin


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Walmart Off ering Christmas Layaway Program

Walmart recently announced they are bringing back their customer layaway program for the 2012 Christmas season.

Star ng Sept. 14 customers of the $444 billion retailer will be able to layaway items and make payments through Dec 14, giving them 90 days to pay off their purchases.

“Last year, millions of Americans relied on layaway at Walmart to provide a great Christmas for their families. Because of their feedback, we’re off ering the service again this year and making it be er than ever,” said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising and marke ng offi cer, Walmart U.S.

Customers who sign up for the program will pay a $15 fee to open the account and a down payment the greater of 10% or $10 on their purchases.

The company says they have extra

feature in this year’s layaway program including an expanded list of eligible categories, a full refund of the $15 open fee, and early layaway access for shoppers who “like” their local Walmart store on Facebook.

For more informa on on the Walmart Layaway program visit www.walmart.com/layaway

www.MinorityReporter.netor Find us on Facebook


22Wednesday A ernoon at the Movies - How to Train Your DragonTime: 2:30PM-4:00PMLoca on: Central Library - 115 South Ave.A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.

25The Password is Hope - A breast cancer charity benefi tTime: 6PM - 10PM (VIP recep on from 5PM - 6PM)Loca on: One Nightclub, 1 Ryan Alley, Rochester, NY 14607Join us as we bring the jazz-era speakeasy to you 2012-style. This evening will feature the vocal stylings of Rochester’s own Danielle Ponder, casino gaming tables and a silent auc on. 100% of the proceeds from this event will benefi t Webster, NY based SIS - Sustain, Inspire, Survive and The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.Tickets are $25 for general admission and $40 for

VIP (include access to VIP recep on from 5PM - 6PM). Buy ckets online at h p://thepasswordishope.eventbrite.com/, or call Traci at 585-905-8547

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20Hochstein Announces 2012-2013 Spotlight on Faculty ConcertsTime: 7:00pmBlues by Five, Lisa Salvaggio Clark, vocals, - Nick Bock, keysJoe McNinch, bass, - Leo Medler, guitar, -Tristan Greene, drumsThe Spotlight on Faculty Concert Series highlights the pres gious Hochstein faculty in a variety of ensembles and musical genres from voice to chamber music to jazz and contemporary classical. Concerts run one hour and take place in the Hochstein Performance Hall. Door admission is $5 per person, with a $10 family maximum. Each concert concludes with an ar st recep on.

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By Beth Fouhy

RALEIGH, N.C. — Diff erences between Mi Romney and Paul Ryan’s posi ons — this me on hot-bu on social issues — were on display Wednesday as the GOP cket found itself dragged into a debate over abor on.

The vice presiden al candidate emphasized anew that Romney is the nominee, brushing aside diff erences in their records.

“I’m proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress. It’s something I’m proud of. But Mi Romney is the top of the cket and Mi Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administra on,” Ryan told a Pennsylvania TV sta on.

Romney does not oppose abor on in cases of rape and incest or if it will save the mother’s life, while Ryan does oppose abor on in cases of rape and incest.

Since choosing Ryan as his running mate, Romney has been dogged by ques ons about how his own views diff er from the Wisconsin congressman’s. Ryan is the architect of a controversial budget blueprint that

would drama cally change Medicare, and a er his selec on Democrats immediately began trying to e Romney to his new No. 2’s plan. The likely Republican nominee has said his plan is diff erent, but largely refused to outline specifi cs of the diff erences. Instead, he’s emphasizing what he calls shared principles and insis ng that Ryan joined the Romney cket, and not the other way around.

The focus on abor on comes in the wake of comments from Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, who is challenging Democra c Sen. Claire McCaskill. Asked in an interview aired Sunday if abor on should be legal in cases of rape, Akin said: “If it’s a legi mate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

Ryan on Wednesday defended a bill he cosponsored in the House to permanently ban federal funding for abor on except in cases of incest and “forcible” rape. That language, which was eventually changed, would have narrowed the excep on for rape vic ms. Akin and 225 other members of the House, including 11 Democrats, also cosponsored the bill.

Democrats have seized on the bill and

accused Ryan of trying to “redefi ne rape and remove protec ons for rape vic ms.”

“As a Republican leader in the House, Paul Ryan worked with Todd Akin to try to narrow the defi ni on of rape and outlaw abor on even for rape vic ms,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith said in a statement.

Akin has refused to heed calls to step down — including one from Romney — and now would need a court order to leave the race. He has un l Sept. 25 to do so; a er that point, he would have no way to remove his name from the ballot.

Ryan, a colleague of Akin’s in the House, called the Missouri congressman to urge him to bow out of the Senate race. Ryan said Wednesday he doesn’t have any plans to speak to him about it now that Akin is staying in.

“He’s going to run his campaign and we’re going to run ours,” Ryan said of Akin.

The ques ons about abor on were overshadowing the GOP cket’s campaign events in Iowa, Virginia and North Carolina Wednesday, as they were seeking to a ack President Barack Obama’s stands on Medicare and again minimize the diff erences between Romney and Ryan on that subject.

That comes in a new TV adver sement linking Obama’s divisive health care overhaul to cuts in Medicare. The ad, tled “Nothing’s Free,” asserts that Obama raided $716 billion from Medicare in order to pay for his health care law. It’s the fi rst ad Romney’s campaign has run focusing on health care since the Supreme Court upheld Obama’s federal mandate in June

Romney has promised to roll back the Medicare spending cuts approved under Obama, while Ryan kept the cuts in his budget proposals. The campaign did not say where the health care ad would run.

Romney was fl ying Wednesday morning from Texas, where he held

campaign fundraisers Tuesday, to Iowa. During remarks in a key Midwestern state, he planned to focus on the increases in the na on’s debt during Obama’s term.

Ryan, less than two weeks into his new role as GOP running mate, was campaigning in Virginia and North Carolina and focusing Wednesday on a tax overhaul. The GOP campaign says Obama’s calls for le ng George W. Bush-era tax cuts on people earning more than $200,000 a year expire at the end of the year would hurt small businesses because many fi le as individuals.

Obama, meanwhile, readied for a second straight day of cri cism on the GOP cket’s proposals on educa on, an issue that resonates with middle-class voters.

Obama was campaigning Wednesday in Nevada, one of the states hit hardest by the na on’s economic slowdown. The president planned to meet with teachers at a Las Vegas high school and promote his administra on’s plans to make higher educa on more aff ordable before speaking at a larger event at the school.

Campaigning in Ohio Tuesday, Obama accused Romney of being oblivious to the burdens of paying for college. The president’s campaign sees educa on as another avenue for linking Romney to Ryan’s budget, which calls for $115 billion in cuts to the Educa on Department.

In a new ad released Wednesday, the Obama campaign suggests Ryan’s educa on cuts would lead to larger class sizes. A couple featured in the ad bemoans the prospect of increased class size and says Romney “cannot relate” to their desire to have the best public educa on system for their children.

The ad is running in Virginia and Ohio.’

Associated Press writer Jim Kuhnhenn in Nevada and Julie Pace in Iowa contributed to this report

Abor on Debate Shows Diff erences of Romney, Ryan


Why Hasn’t Jose Cruz Resigned From the School Board?A few weeks ago Jose Cruz resigned as Chief Opera ons Offi cer at Ibero-American Ac on League, Inc (IBERO) in light of a federal ethics inves ga on concerning his alleged viola on of the Hatch Act.

This story made the news for a hot

second and even qualifi ed for a men on that garnered eight whole comments on Facebook.

One of the eight comments was from a staunch supporter of Jose’s who was trying to jus fy Cruz’s handling federal dollars as COO of a non-profi t, by saying his alleged ac ons were just recently considered a poten al viola on of the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act was enacted in 1939.

The Hatch Act aims to enforce poli cal neutrality among civil servants. But some people really do think they are smarter than others, and are more than ready to jus fy a empts at skir ng and breaking the law, if that turns out to be the case.

We will never know if he was in viola on because he is currently running for a NYS Assembly seat. Is that, or is that not, the reason he resigned?

Some feigned ignorance and even cited an incident that occurred during the last mayoral race. Baloney!

As far as I am concerned ignorance of the law is not an excuse. I have seen it before. Some people seem to think the law is only meant to be enforced on others. The problem comes when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It is an unspoken philosophy for those who want to run with the big dogs. They seldom think the rules apply to them. Rochester is laden with them. They then whine, cry, and point fi ngers looking for others to blame when they get caught.

The concern I have is: Why hasn’t Jose Cruz resigned as a commissioner of the RCSD School Board? A few months ago he voted in favor of a tutoring contract for IBERO. Keep in mind this vote took place way before the recent resigna on. I think the New York State School Board Associa on’s Code of Conduct policies clearly outline when school board members should publicly disclose an interest they have in any contract.

If Cynthia Ellio , an employee of Baden Street can abstain when contracts aff ec ng her employers arise; and if Melisza Campos can conveniently be absent when contracts aff ec ng IBERO (the agency her mother leads), then who does Jose Cruz think he is? Why was their no public outcry or outrage about the fact the he chose to vote on the IBERO contract?And just how fi ckle is this community?

I guess he lives in the right city and state, because I know folks that have literally gone to jail for confl ict of interest. I guess he needs to thank his God he does not live in Ohio where confl ict of interest is taken very seriously. I know of someone in Ohio who sat on a high profi le board

and his insurance company won a bid from the Board with no help from him but he went to jail anyway, once the confl ict was determined. Maybe that is what needs to happen here more o en. Send folks directly to jail, do not “Pass GO” and do not “Collect $200.”

Some folks truly play this community, over and over again because they know there are no consequences to their ac ons. The things we sweep under the rug and don’t pay a en on to in this community is mind-boggling to me. We ignore the things, that in my opinion, add to the hints of corrup on already suspected in the system we call the Rochester City School District.

This campaign season, as like any other, we as voters need to know that everyone knocking on our door seeking our support for public offi ce is not worthy of our vote or any considera on.

Always know your audience. It has been rumored that some candidates, par cularly in Gates get their pe ons signed by not declaring who they were running against. Some voters felt they were deceived when folks did not tell them that David Gan was the person they were trying to replace. You know what they say, don’t cha?

When you a empt to dig a hole for someone, make sure you dig two. The other one will be for you. A candidate that represents me must have credibility fi rst. They must be honest and convince me they have the community in their best interest not themselves or their personal agendas.

Personally, I have several bones to pick with any Hispanic in this community who fails to recognize and pay homage to those whose shoulders they stand on. Many appear to get fat and then turn their back on those who fought to give them viability. I have problems with any person who bites the very hand that has fed them for decades.

I also have a slight problem with the fact that IBERO was not in a endance in full-force at the Minister Florence Recogni on Dinner. If it was not for a Minister Florence, and others, who fought to design and create IBERO, they would not exist.

The person who opened the doors for Hispanic involvement in the local poli cal arena is named Assemblyman David F. Gan . Just ask Nancy Padilla, David Perez, Gladys San ago, Melisza Campos and others what David Gan did to help them. And if I am not mistaken Jose Cruz was in that number also. And now he wants to do what? So much for loyalty to those who help you.

So, am I the only one who wants to know or who is bold enough to ask the ques on? Why hasn’t Jose Cruz resigned as school board commissioner?

He could not possibly think the vote he cast – when he should have abstained – has been forgo en.

GLORIA WINSTONAL-SARAG

----------------------------------Gloria Winston Al-Sarag is a Community Activist, Writer, Communicator, Political Activist. She is a native Roches-terian and has been involved with numerous community orgainzations in Rochester. Contact Gloria at: [email protected]

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

STRAIGHT…NO CHASER

C. MICHAEL VAUGHN

This past week I had the unfortunate task of eulogizing one of the latest homicide vic ms here in Rochester, Alfred Carter. Aff ec onately known as “Ahphiya” he was 32-years-old when his life was tragically cut short by mul ple shots to

his torso while in the shadowy yard of an Electric Avenue home, on August 10. I met this young man through his wife; a woman who my wife and I have taken in as our “daughter.” She is a wonderful young lady that loves the Lord and desires to fulfi ll God’s will for her life. I was saddened to learn of her loss but honored to be able to do whatever I could for her. When she asked me to do the eulogy, it was the topic which really caused me to think. As I meditated on the topic, I began to see that this woman had captured the essence of the central themes found in the word of God - love and forgiveness!

By reques ng these topics, she also put her hand on two things that are so needed in our society if we truly want to stop the violence in our na on.

Before a person violently takes an innocent person’s life there are underlying problems: one is a lack of respect for life; another is a lack of love for themselves; and a third is an unwillingness to let things go.

When we speak of love I am talking fi rst about the love that one has to have for themselves. One has to be able to look into the mirror and see that they have worth and value. They have to know that they are here for a purpose and have a divine commission to make an impact in their genera on. When they do this, they develop a sense of purpose, concern, and love for themselves that helps to mo vate them to be concerned for others. Only someone secure in who they are can truly love someone else – at least to the extent that they are willing to see the needs of another person and do what they can to help them. To the contrary an insecure person sees others as objects to be bossed around,

played with, beaten or even killed. When an individual’s life has meaning so do all of the lives around them and they are far less likely to do someone harm.

When one begins to love themselves and therefore love others, they are more willing to forgive, more apt to let things go.

When we hang onto the wrongs that are done to us and refuse to forgive, we are actually hur ng ourselves.

I heard it said that unforgiveness is like taking poison and expec ng the other person to die.

Unforgiveness will eat away at one’s very being and cause them to miss out on the reason why they are here, and why God placed them here in the earth’s realm. When people focus on whom did them wrong, what they did to them, how it made them feel, it just causes more bi erness, more anger and even can breed hatred.

That is why we have to forgive. Forgiveness is one of the highest callings that a human being is commanded to do.

We have to forgive; we have to let it go. We have to learn that in order to move forward in my life, we have to release the wrong and begin concentra ng on the right!

Ahphiya did not dot every “I” and cross every “T”. He gave cause for his wife to be angry with him and not forgive him. However, she decided to do what the bible has commanded. She decided to love him and therefore forgive him! She did that which most people would call her crazy for doing. However, God would say that she did right, she represented Him well. Through her act of love and forgiveness in the midst of hurt and tragedy, she has taught us all a lesson – to love when it is hard to and to forgive when it seems impossible.

This is the lesson that we can learn from this tragedy and I thank this wonderful woman of God for moving past her hurt to teach it!

If you would like to contact me, please email me at [email protected]

Learning the Lesson of Forgiveness SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...




Once again, the NYPD has shown they are out of control.

This me, it was the shoo ng of a mentally-ill man which was caught on video, by onlookers and tourists, in crowded Times Square on

Saturday, August 11, 2012.

It all started minutes earlier when NYPD offi cers claim to have spo ed 51-year-old Darius Kennedy smoking a joint in front of a military recrui ng sta on near 44th Street and 7th Avenue.

According to the NYPD, when approached by offi cers, Kennedy became angry and pulled out a knife, at one point tying a headband around his head.

What followed was a slow foot chase down seven of the most crowded blocks in New York City, in which dozens of NYPD cops, with their guns drawn and pointed at Kennedy, are seen following him down 7th Ave.

Several videos of the pursuit have been posted on the internet, and a few on YouTube, show diff erent angles of the incident.

Then, sounds of NYPD sirens followed by several quick gunshots can be heard on the videos, as a crowd of NYPD cops and onlookers can be seen looking down at the sidewalk.

Diff erent comments can be heard on the videos.

In one, someone says “They killed him.”

In another, someone is heard saying “That was not a jus fi ed kill. …That was not a jus fi ed kill.”

However, none of the videos show the actual moment in which NYPD offi cers claim that Darius Kennedy “lunged” at them wielding his knife, and as a result was shot in the torso by NYPD cops who shot at least 12 rounds, which could have seriously injured or even killed innocent bystanders.

Enter Julian Miller, a 21-year-old Boston resident who was visi ng New York City.

In an interview, Miller says that the NYPD confi scated his phone a er he recorded video of the confronta on between the NYPD and Kennedy.

Miller said he followed the pursuit down 7th Avenue, from 44th to 37th Street, all the while recording.

A er the NYPD shot Kennedy mul ple mes, Miller says an NYPD detec ve

stopped him, pulled him aside and asked to see his phone, and the video of the shoo ng.

“His eyes got big when he saw the video,” Miller said, adding that he had captured the shoo ng on video. “He went to go show his boss, and then they took my phone away.” He said the offi cer told him not to speak with the news media.

And just like that, what was probably the only video capturing the exact moment in which NYPD cops shot and killed a man with some obvious mental health issues, who needed help, and who they claimed lunged at them, is gone.

And the chances of that video ever being seen by the public are slim to none.

Now, while disturbing, the fact that the NYPD, without any exigent circumstances, or legal basis illegally confi scated a private ci zen’s phone, is nothing new.

Not just with the NYPD, but with law enforcement everywhere.

In fact, a er Miami Beach police offi cers fatally shot motorist Raymond Herisse, in a hail of gunfi re on Memorial Day 2011, offi cers tried to confi scate Narces Benoit’s cell phone, a er Benoit, who was driving in the area with his girlfriend, recorded the shoo ng.

Benoit said that a er Miami Beach Police offi cers saw him recording the shoo ng, they confronted him.

“When he no ced me recording, one of the offi cers jumped in the truck, put a pistol to my head,” he said. “My phone was smashed. He stepped on it, handcuff ed me.”

“They handled us like we were criminals,” Benoit’s girlfriend, Ericka Davis said. “The offi cer came over to the driver’s side, on my le , and just put the gun to my head.”

“They took everyone’s phones and smashed them,” she said.

Benoit was able to remove the phone’s ny memory card, hiding it from offi cers,

a er they told him to hand over the video.

“I took the chip out and put it in my mouth,” Benoit said. Narces Benoit kept the memory card in his mouth, even while being interviewed by Miami Beach Police at a nearby mobile command post.

The video shows a Miami Beach Police offi cer on a bike approaching his truck and poin ng a gun directly into the camera; giving an indecipherable command; and then backing away.

Then, another offi cer is seen ordering them to stop fi lming and get out of the truck, and then the video ends.

Throughout the country, police confi sca ng ci zen’s cameras and cell phones and, as a result viola ng ci zen’s fi rst and fourth amendment rights.

It has become a serious problem.

Which brings me back to the NYPD, a department which despite it’s long standing history of dishonor, corrup on and murder, is s ll heralded by many as the best police department in the country. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

In 1999, Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 23-year-old Guinean immigrant was shot at 41 mes by NYPD cops for simply having his wallet in his hand.

In 1997, Abner Louima, a 30-year-old Hai an immigrant, who suff ered severe internal injuries when NYPD offi cer Jus n Volpe sodomized him with a brooms ck in Brooklyn’s 70th Precinct, a erwards according to a story in the New York Daily News, proudly displaying the excrement and blood stained brooms ck to fellow offi cers as he bragged that he “broke a man down.”

And, in 2006, Sean Bell, was essen ally executed by NYPD undercover cops on the morning of his wedding day, in Queens, a er leaving a club with friends. NYPD cops fi red a total of 50 rounds at Bell’s vehicle, killing Bell and severely injuring his friends.

Yep, the NYPD has no shortage of deplorable, disgus ng acts of abusing, torturing and killing innocent ci zens.

And, when it comes to abusing, falsely arres ng and viola ng the rights of photographers, whether with the media, or independent private ci zens, the NYPD has proven that they are truly out of control.

We saw this during the Occupy movement in New York City where it seemed as if every day a new video was surfacing on social media sites like YouTube, showing NYPD offi cers mistrea ng, bea ng and falsely arres ng photographers.

Earlier this month, Robert Stolarik, a veteran freelance photographer who has worked for the New York Times, and has covered confl icts on three con nents, as well as the D.C. Sniper and Virginia Tech shoo ngs in the United States, was beaten by NYPD cops for taking photos of the NYPD arres ng a 14-year-old girl.

According to Stolarik, as he was taking photos, an NYPD offi cer instructed him not to take pictures. Stolarik iden fi ed himself as a journalist for The New York Times. At that point, a second offi cer appeared,

grabbed his camera and slammed it into his face.

Stolarik said a er he asked for the offi cers’ badge numbers, the offi cers took his camera, dragged him to the ground and proceeded to kick him. As a result he received scrapes and bruises to his arms, legs and face.

In an August 9, 2012 New York Times editorial piece regarding Robert Stolarik’s bea ng by NYPD, Mickey Osterreicher, General Counsel for the Na onal Press Photographers Associa on (NPPA), wrote: “The arrest of Robert Stolarik, a freelance photographer for The New York Times, by New York City police offi cers is a giant step backward in police-press rela ons. Despite police asser ons to the contrary, it appears that Stolarik was only doing his job when he was tackled and handcuff ed by offi cers in the Bronx. Adding insult to injury, the police also seized his cameras and their contents and confi scated his press creden als. Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly’s citywide direc ve last November instruc ng offi cers to cooperate with the press was a good start. It is unfortunate that the rights of the press and the public to record and photograph ma ers of public concern on city streets are frequently disregarded by both patrol and supervisory offi cers. To improve the situa on, we urge the New York Police Department to work with us to improve training and supervision for its members star ng from the top down.”

I contacted Mickey Osterreicher, asking him what advice he could give to ci zens who may fi nd themselves in a similar situa on as Julian Miller, whose phone, with which he recorded the NYPD’s shoo ng of Darius Kennedy in Times Square, was confi scated by the NYPD.

“Every situa on is diff erent. My only advice is that consent must be voluntary – in other words only display your recordings or provide them to law enforcement if you want to. If offi cers ask for or try to seize your device off er to supply them with a copy of the fi le (if you want to). You might even be able to share or email the fi le right at the scene. Once again only consent to this is you want to. If your device is seized make sure you obtain a property receipt for it,” said Osterreicher.

Given the NYPD’s con nuous pa ern of abusing, bea ng, falsely-arres ng innocent ci zens and viola ng their fi rst and fourth amendment rights, I asked Osterreicher what he felt it was going to take to get the NYPD under control.

“I believe the department already has adequate guidelines in place but without more, those are just pieces of paper. It will take proper and con nuing training of offi cers and supervisory staff as well as appropriate discipline of offi cers who violate those wri en policies. It is very

NYPD: Out of Control with a Blatant Disregard for Ci zens’ Cons tu onal Rights

DAVY VARA

Con nued on next page


diffi cult to bring about cultural change in any police department unless those direc ves are constantly enforced,” Osterreicher said.

Carlos Miller, a mul media journalist, and founder of Photography Is Not A Crime (PINAC), who himself has been arrested for photographing law enforcement offi cers, had this to say from his home in Miami, Florida. “Cops are pre y much out of control when it comes to viola ng our Cons tu onal rights to record them. The law is very clear but cops know they can violate ci zens rights and get away with it, so they con nue doing so.”

In today’s “tech world” there are applica ons where one can download video one has just recorded, therefore saving it, for example to your computer, in case a police offi cer confi scates or breaks your camera or phone.

Miller added, “One app I just wrote about in my blog is TapIn.Tv but there are several others out there. The problem with this is that when you record with your phone, you risk ge ng your phone confi scated, which contains a lot more personal informa on than just video footage.”

I asked Carlos Miller what advice he had for anyone interested in documen ng law enforcement and their interac ons with ci zens. “Never leave home without a camera and always ensure you have enough hard drive space and ba eries to video record, because you never know when you’re going to need it. Also, it is essen al to learn the laws because police will lie to you about laws,” Miller said.

Yes. Police will lie to you about laws.

As we have seen, and con nue to see, from confi sca ng people’s personal property, to smashing their phones a er holding guns

to their heads, police will do just about anything to prevent you from recording them.

Perhaps MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, host of The Last Word, says it best in the show’s Rewrite segment, where he breaks down the NYPD’s brutality against ci zen-journalists during the Occupy Wall Street protests.

O’Donnell begins by saying “This week a few troublemakers turned a peaceful protest against Wall Street greed into a violent burst of chaos. The troublemakers carried pepper spray and guns and were wearing badges.”

O’Donnell then plays a video showing several NYPD offi cers, including an NYPD Commander grabbing a man who is holding a video camera and slamming his head into a parked car.

As the video plays, Lawrence O’Donnell is heard saying “The reason this man is being assaulted by the police is because of what he is holding in his hands. He’s holding a professional grade video camera. Since the Rodney King bea ng was caught on an amateur camera, American police offi cers have known video cameras are their worst enemies. They will do anything they can to stop you from legally videotaping how they handle their responsibility to serve and protect you. So, this police commander has decided that the correct response to this man shoo ng video is to grab him and slam his head into a parked Volvo.”

And with that, Lawrence O’Donnell hit the nail right on the head. The NYPD and law enforcement everywhere will do anything they can to stop ci zens from legally recording them.



President Obama’s Pro-Growth Solu ons by the NumbersWhen running for president Barack Obama assured us that he had pro-growth policies and solu ons that would make America compe ve and would bring the whole na on

together.

He promised us that his policies would provide shovel ready jobs.

In 2009, Obama also said: “I will be held accountable. I’ve got four years. …A year from now I think people are gonna see we’re star ng to make some progress. But, there’s s ll gonna be some pain out there. If I do not have this done in three years then there is gonna be a one-term proposi on.”

Obama’s, so-called pro-growth strategies, are in lock-step with dubious socialist ideals of how to fi x the economy. He believes in government-based solu ons and that the public sector is the key to saving the economy by growing government-based programs, building infrastructure, expanding state-sponsored welfare and unemployment.

In short, he’d rather keep the government in control of things instead of individuals, even though government can never be held accountable like individuals can be.

The people aren’t allowed to fi re the whole government without some sort of bloody revolu on.

So, I wanted to explore the results of

Obama’s so-called solu ons, put forth as he has exhausted almost every government-based solu on to fi x the economy.

Where have his pro-growth policies go en us? Let’s see look at the numbers and see if they stand up to the defi ni on of success.

Unemployment is presently at 8.3 percent, meaning 12.8 million people are out of work (which means they are technically looking for a job because they are on unemployment, which hasn’t run out for them yet. They can be on unemployment for almost 2 years).

Black unemployment is 14 percent, youth unemployment is 23 percent, and the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and more) is li le changed at 5.2 million.

These individuals accounted for 40.7 percent of the unemployed.

In the last three years, Obama has claims to have created 2.6 million new jobs — a number that does not even keep up with the average popula on growth or with the number of (legal) immigrants.

Furthermore, there are s ll 4.3 million fewer people actually working than in January of 2009 when he was inaugurated. As well, in that same three-year period, 3.1 million people signed up for Social Security Disability. This is another history making moment for Obama.

He is the fi rst president in history to create more disabled people than workers. Should we call him the disabler-in-chief?

To be honest, when I started researching for this ar cle, I thought that since Obama will meet privately with actors, homosexuals, Hispanic- and white-business owners before he meets with black-business owners and that seeing as how he has no minority businessmen in his inner circle, this would be a great angle to go on.

But, a er looking at the numbers, I discovered it doesn’t ma er how we look at it. It is all bad. There are many reasons for such a poor showing in the numbers, but I think two s ck out. Small businesses create 65 percent of all new jobs (not the Fortune 500 companies).

So, the fi rst is the lack of predictability Obama provides. Obama is constantly shaming the successful, talking about raising taxes on the job creators and hanging the costs of Obamacare on the backs of businesses. All that has been created is more uncertainty.

That alone is the biggest business and job killer there is. Predictability and certainty are what gives business owners the confi dence to risk more, spend more, try harder, expand and ul mately hire more people. The second reason that stands out is that most non-Marxist economists steer away from the socialist model. Why?

The government is reliant upon taxpayer money, and, in order to have a windfall of taxes, you need economic and business growth. To fuel big government you need a big private sector economy, but socialism seeks to take over the private sector, so the economy becomes unstable.

The government is not a profi table en ty. It is funded by the taxes paid by profi table en es. If the government takes over a part of the private sector, that newly na onalized private sector is no longer profi table. It’s just another part of the government. I know: but what about the fact that government workers pay taxes on the incomes they receive? Well, if they work for the government, their pay comes from the government, and it is ul mately paid with tax dollars that came from tax revenues from those that do not work for the government.

So, when socialism takes workers out of the private sector, thus making them government workers, we have fewer actual taxpayers and more employed people being paid with tax dollars.

This increases the budget and requires more private-sector money from a shrinking private sector. For example: doctors pay a lot in taxes because being a doctor is quite profi table. Under Obamacare, once the private insurers go out of business due to their inability to compete with the tax-free government insurance plans, all doctors will inevitably work for the government.

Their pay will mostly come from government-issued checks, and so will the taxes that they pay. Where will the government make up for the loss of revenue? More taxes? Keep this in mind: if you took 100 percent of every wealthy person’s income, you couldn’t even fund the government for four months. That’s part of Obama’s “success record.”

------------------------------------------Ayesha Kreutz is president of The Frederick Douglass Founda on of New York.

AYESHAKREUTZ

Davy Vara... Cont’d


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