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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

Walker dropsout of GOPpresidential raceWASHINGTON -- Once considered a favorite for the Republican presi-

dential nomination, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announced Monday that heis dropping out of the race, amid sinking poll numbers and fundraising con-cerns."I suspend my campaign immediately," he said at a press conference in

Madison, Wisconsin. Walker implored other candidates to consider exiting the race as well, in

order to winnow the field."I encourage other candidates to do the same so that the voters can focus

on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative al-ternative to the current front-runner," he said, referring to real estate mogulDonald Trump. "This is fundamentally important to the future of the party,and more importantly, to the future of the country."Walker also criticized the other GOP contenders for resorting to "personal

attacks" and straying from the party's policy message."In the end, I want voters to be for something, not against someone," Walker

said. "We need to get back to the basics of our party."Walker informed GOP sources and campaign supporters of his decision

earlier Monday, according to The New York Times. Campaign officials thenconfirmed the announcement to several other news outlets.According to a CNN poll released Sunday, the first major poll since last

week's Republican debate, Walker's support among GOP voters had droppedto less than one-half of 1 percent, putting him below most of the contendersin the field.Walker's exit from the race marks a stunning defeat for a candidate who, in

the early summer, was considered a top-tier candidate for the nomination. Heat one point led primary polling in the early caucus state of Iowa, where hehad roots and where his Midwestern appeal was considered likely to boosthim to victory.His lackluster performance in the GOP presidential debates in Cleveland

By Marina Fang and Igor Bobic, courtesy of The Huffington Post, Posted Sept. 21, 2015

DAVID MUHAM-MAD: “The CommunityJournal is always therewhere people are doingpositive things. I knowI’m in the right place andwhen I see you (thepaper’s photographer), Iknow the word got out that something good is hap-pening, and our people need that right now.”

LaSHAWNDAWILKINS: “When Iread the Community Jour-nal, I enjoy reading the“Pulse of the Commu-nity.” There is always arelevant question thatseems to intrique mymind. Pulse of the Com-munity not only gives Milwaukee a voice, but ithelps to give others life, through opinions. I ab-solutely love it.”

MICHAEL JACKSON: “I like theCommunity Journal be-cause it informs who weare as AFrican Americansin our own community. Ittells the true story ofwhat is happening rightnow. Thank you editorial department. Keep up thegood work Community Journal.”

CORA F. QUART-MAN: “I love the Com-munity Journal because:1-The community events(photos) on the frontpage keeps the commu-nity in the loop. 2-I enjoythe questions and espe-cially the answers by all walks of life. 3- The edito-rial is done by your editor, who keeps us informed.4-Welcome back SIGNIFYIN’, you were missed.”

PULSE OF THE COMMUNITYPhotos and question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:“With your Milwaukee Community Journal gearing up to celebrate 40 years of feeling the

pulse of the community, we asked four individuals what they like best about the newspaper?”

GREEN, GOLD, AND BLACK!Photographer Kim Robinson captures the action at Green Bay

Packer’s Home Opener against the Seattle SeahawksThis young couple drove from--of all places--Los AngelesCalifornia to attend their first Packer game ever. They drove26 hours straight to Titletown so she could give her hus-band-a big Packer fan--the perfect birthday present.

MCJ Photographer KimRobinson (shown aboveafter the Packer’s firstgame of the season, a win

over archrival ChicagoBears) was on hand atGreen Bay’s LambeauField to see the Packersmake their home debutbefore their fans (and anational television audi-ence) as they defeatedthe Seattle Seahawks27-17. Even some of theold timers of Packer leg-end were on hand to seethe team win in impres-sive fashion. (All photos by KimRobinson)

On Tuesday, September 22nd,known throughout the nation as “Na-tional Voter Registration Day,” localcommunity leaders and elected offi-cials urged community residents toregister to vote and update their voterregistration if they have moved sincethe last election. “The stakes are simply too high.

We cannot progress as a communityif we wave the white flag and sitANY election out,” said MikeWilder, Co-Chair of the WisconsinAfrican-American Civic Engage-ment Roundtable in a press statementbefore the news conference.

“This year, new state electionlaws have made it more difficult forresidents across the state of Wiscon-sin to register to vote.“We can’t let ANYONE silence us.

Our issues are way too important. Wehave to come out in full force in2016, both in the local Spring elec-tion, and the Presidential and U.S.Senate election.” The Roundtable has collaborated

with Our Democracy 2020 and othercommunity organizations for a mas-sive community voter registrationpush. The coalition was joined by State

Senator Nikiya Harris, State Repre-sentative Mandela Barnes and Mil-waukee County Supervisor SupremeMoore Omokunde.“Over the past several years in the

State Legislature, we have seen in-creasing attempts to cripple the voiceof Wisconsin voters,” stated Senator

Student Minister William Muhammad, the head of Mosque #3 ofthe Nation of Islam in Milwaukee spoke to members of theNAACP board and other concerned citizens about the upcom-ing Justice or Else event in Washington D.C.--in which the 20thAnniversary of the Million Man March will be observed--and is-sues that are of local concern, such as the proposed Bucksarena, during NAACP’s monthly meeting/Town Hall held at theNAACP Milwaukee Branch offices, 2745 N. MLK Drive. Individu-als attending were also able to sign up for the trip to the na-tion’s capital. (Photos by Yvonne Kemp)

Nation of Islam andMilwaukee NAACPmeet at Town Hall

Eddie Lacy gains some yardage against Seattle’s stub-born defensive on this run before leaviing the game with asprained ankle.

Packer legends Antonio Freeman(left) and LeRoy Butler watch the ac-tion on the field from the sidelines.

Former Wisconsin Badger now Seattle Quarterback Russell Wil-son prepares to throw a pass.

Packer Wide Receiver JamesJones celebrates after catchinga touchdown pass from PackerQB Aaron Rodgers.

Gov. Walker

(continued on page 8)

Local community leadersand elected officials encourage Milwaukeeans toregister to vote on NationalVoter Registration DayDespite new state electionlaws designed to discouragevoting, community leadersurge residents to make theirvoices heard!Compiled by MCJ Staff

(continued on page 8)

AP Photo

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 2

THETHE PULSEPULSEThe WHO•WHAT•WHERE• WHEN of YOUR Community!F o r m e r l y t h e 4 W C o m m u n i t y H a p p e n i n g s

Mayor Barrett Presents 2016Budget to theCommonCouncilPrioritizes Public Safety,Tax Relief, Job Creation,Community DevelopmentMayor Tom Barrett presented his

2016 proposed executive budget that gives Milwaukeeresidents needed relief and does not cut City services.Among the highlights of this year’s budget are an empha-sis on public safety, economic security for residents, joband neighborhood development, core infrastructure in-vestment and solid fiscal management. Mayor Barrettpresented his 2016 fiscal plan to the Common CouncilTuesday morning.“More good things are happening in the City of Mil-

waukee than any other in the state,” Mayor Barrett said.“Milwaukee is a great city. Our natural beauty, our his-tory and our public and private sector investments haveall contributed to Milwaukee’s greatness. This proposedbudget prioritizes people – their safety, their neighbor-hoods and their employment – so that Milwaukee’s great-ness continues.”The 2016 proposed budget includes a tax levy freeze,

which will provide the owner of anaverage-valued residential propertywith a City government tax levy de-crease of $4.92, compared with 2015.The proposed levy freeze, combinedwith continued investment in eco-nomic and neighborhood develop-ment initiatives, will improve thecity’s financial environment for in-vestment and redevelopment.One of Mayor Barrett’s top priori-

ties includes a commitment to publicsafety. The 2016 budget includes$4.15 million to hire 100 new policeofficers by 2017, along with$880,000 to fund body cameras forall street officers. “Body cameras are the next evolu-

tion in policing technology and weare proud to be at the forefront of this

public safety initiative,” Mayor Barrett said. The Mil-waukee Fire Department will also see a major investmentof $1.5 million for two new engines and two new para-medic vehicles.Furlough days will be eliminated for police officers in

2016 at a cost of $1.5 million. For 2016, funding for Compete Milwaukee will place

a greater emphasis on links to ongoing job placements forprogram participants and continue to build on efforts tobetter match training programs and employer demand. The Strong Neighborhoods Plan, which was introduced

in the 2014 budget, will see continued support in 2016.“The $10.9 million for the Strong Neighborhoods focuseson reducing code violations, enabling essential home re-pairs, creating incentives for area redevelopment and sup-porting investment in commercial properties,” MayorBarrett said.

Tenth Annual Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit AnnouncedFamily resources to be provided to fathers bycommunity partnersMen from around Milwaukee will mark the 10th year of getting the

opportunity to become more effective fathers.Mayor Tom Barrett’s Fatherhood Summit will be held Friday, Oc-

tober 16 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (kick-off at 8:00 a.m.) and Sat-urday, October 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Destiny Youth Plazalocated at 7210 N. 76th Street in Milwaukee. The theme of the Summitis “Celebrating 10 Years of Building Better Fathers and Families.” Thefree, public event will bring together a wide array of groups, agencies,businesses and individuals to provide the resources needed to buildstronger fathers.The goal of the two-day event is to create more effective fathers and,

in turn, stronger families and communities. It is organized and spon-sored by the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative,Milwaukee County Child Support Services, Center for Driver’s Li-cense Recovery, and Social Development Commission. Resources tobe offered at the summit include employment resources, child supportservices, driver’s license recovery, criminal record expungement, fi-nancial literacy, health screenings, education resources, housing andfamily services.In 2005, Mayor Barrett launched the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initia-

tive to increase the number of children with involved, committed andresponsible fathers. Mayor Barrett’s Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative remains the largest

annual gathering of men in the state, drawing an average of 1,000 meneach year. Thanks to the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative’s many donors and

collaborative partners, more than 10,000 men in our community havebeen connected to services in the areas of education, employment, jobtraining, child support, driver’s license recovery and men’s health serv-ices.“I’m so proud of the work of the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve helped men become more effective fa-thers and enhanced the lives of children around the City,” Mayor Bar-rett said. “By collaborating with other organizations and communityleaders, we will continue to work to make a positive difference forfamilies in the City of Milwaukee.”To date, the MFI has reduced over $10 million in child support in-

terest debt to help fathers better meet the financial needs of their chil-dren. Through the MFI driver’s license recovery program, thousandsof fathers have restored their driving privileges and improved theiremployability. The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative is workingclosely with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Challenge andthe Black Male Achievement Advisory Council to build upon its foun-dation to advance the achievement of boys and men of color and otherpopulations of color.Pre-registration for the Fatherhood Summit has begun at the Mil-

waukee Fatherhood Initiative and Social Development Commissionwebsites at www.MilwaukeeFatherhood.com and www.cr-sdc.org.

AlderwomanCoggs to hosttown hall covering citybudget, contestwinnersAlderwoman Milele A. Coggs in-

vites residents to a town hall meet-ing tomorrow that will include adiscussion of Mayor Tom Barrett’s2016 proposed budget with CityBudget Director Mark Nicolini.Alderwoman Coggs will also an-nounce the winners of the 6th Dis-trict Landscape Awards, and variousother city departments will be avail-able to answer residents’ questions.The meeting will take place startingat 5:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday,September 24) at the SiloahLutheran School, 3730 N. 21st St.Mayor Barrett’s budget includes

funding body cameras for the Mil-waukee Police Department and taxcuts for property owners. Mr.Nicolini will be present to explainthe changes that could potentiallytake place and how they may affectresidents. Alderwoman Coggshopes that residents will take advan-tage of this opportunity to gain abetter understanding of the budgetand its potential impact on the 6thDistrict.“There are certainly many ques-

tions and concerns held by residentsand observers, and I encourage indi-viduals to attend Thursday’s townhall meeting to ask questions andoffer input,” she said.

Ella Brooks (The Quilt Lady) believes quilting is an African American vernacular art formthrough which the artist is able to share and express life experiences and feelings. Brooksrecently demonstrated and taught a hands-on class in this form of artful self-expressionto a class of woman of various ages who are interested in learning traditional AfricanAmerican quilting methods that help continue the art form at the Capitol Library, 3969 N.74th Street. (Photos by Yvonne Kemp)

AFRICAN AMERICAN QUILTING CLASS AT CAPITOL LIBRARY

Brooks holding oneof her creations.

Brooks shows Maethell Webb how tosew a patch for a quilt. (Photo below):the full class at the Capitol Library.

Mayor Tom Barrett

Ald. Milele CoggsPhoto by Andrea Waxman, coutesyof Milwaukee Neighborhood NewsService

SDC’s Senior Benefits Program Save Seniors MoneySenior citizens living on fixed incomes continue to face

escalating expenses. The Social Development Commission(SDC) offers programs and services that assist low-incomeresidents of Milwaukee County including its vulnerable sen-ior population. SDC has a senior benefits specialist dedi-cated to assisting low-income seniors with enrollment inmoney saving programs.Many times individuals have a preconceived notion that

they will not qualify for programs. With the cost of healthcare and day-to-day expenses continuing to rise, it is worth-while for seniors to invest the time to determine whetherthey qualify for programs that provide savings. Seniors areoften pleasantly surprised that they qualify for these pro-grams and how much money they can put back in theirpocket.The senior benefits services provided by SDC not only

help identify what programs those with low-income qualifyfor, but assist in the completion of applications required forprogram enrollment. Once enrolled, households realize valu-able financial savings. The Medicare Savings Program pays for the Medicare

Part B premium if it is currently deducted from a Social Se-curity check. Medicaid returns the premium back to thecheck. To be eligible, the monthly gross income for a single

household cannot exceed $1,324 and the liquid asset limit,which includes items such as bank accounts, stock, and CDs,cannot exceed $7,280. For a dual household, the monthlygross income limit is $1,792 and the liquid asset limit is$10,930. The first $20 of unearned income will not count to-ward this limit.Medicare Extra Help Part D, a prescription drug plan, can

pay for all or part of Medicare Part D premiums and, de-pending on the income level, it may also pay for all or mostof prescription drug costs. In a single person household, themonthly gross income is limited to $1,471 and the liquidasset limit has a cap of $12,140. For a two-person household,monthly gross income cannot be in excess of $1,991 and theliquid asset limit is $24,250.The SDC senior benefits specialist is able to assist seniors

with applications for FoodShare, which can provide finan-cial assistance with the purchase of groceries. Individual’smonthly gross income may not exceed $1,946 and the limitis $2,622 for two-person households. There is no asset limitto qualify for FoodShare.Seniors 65 and over may also be interested in completing

a Senior Care Prescription application. There is no de-ductible, and the maximum cost for generic prescriptions is$5 and $15 for brand name drugs. The individual householdgross monthly income limit is $1,569 and the gross monthlyincome for two person homes cannot exceed $2,124. Thereis no asset limit. Once enrolled, Senior Care does have a $30annual program fee.Seniors interested in applying for one or more of these

money saving programs, can schedule an appointment withthe senior benefits specialist that is free of charge. To sched-ule an appointment, call 414.906.2706.

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESThe Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 3

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communi-tyjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster

Billing Dept./Publisher’sAdmin. Assist.Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Richard G. Carter, Fr. CarlDiederichs, Rev. Joe McLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

“‘In my mind, I see a line. Andover that line, I see green fields,and lovely flowers, and beautifulwhite women with their armsstretched out to me over thatline, but I can’t seem to get thereno how. I can’t seem to get overthat line...’ That was Harriet Tub-man in the 1800s. And let me tellyou something. The only thingthat separates women of colorfrom anyone else is opportunity.You cannot win an Emmy forroles that are simply not there.So here’s to all the writers, theawesome people… People whohave redefined what it means tobe beautiful, to be sexy, to be aleading woman. To be Black.”--Viola Davis’ acceptance speech for Best LeadActress in a Drama Series at the 67th EmmyAward Show. She is the first African Americanwoman to win in that category for her role in“How to Get Away with Murder.”

I think I made a mistake.Several weeks ago I wrote a col-

umn about my grandson’s desire tohave me buy him a cowboy outfit—complete with hat, vest and two sixguns—for his birthday.Given the current climate of vio-

lence in our community and a hodge-podge of incidents in which severalchildren have been killed by policewho thought their toy guns were dan-gerous weapons, I decided to pose aquestion about my grandson’s desireon Facebook.The results were not unanticipated.

Over 90% of the women quizzed saidno. In some cases, declaring emphat-ically ‘no!’Nearly 75% of the brothers (and

cousins) said yes.The numbers spoke for them-

selves, but being a recovering chau-vinist, I disregarded the sisters’concerns, and sided with the minor-ity.It’s not that I ignored the rationale

of the women, particularly the as-sumption that providing kids withguns promoted violence and desensi-tized them to the escalating violencethat defines our community. But, Icountered that argument by assertingthat I, and most products of my era,played with toy guns and fantasizedabout being cowboys. Maybe a result of our ignorance of

American propaganda, we ‘playacted’ that we were John Wayne, orless offensively, the Lone Ranger orSteve McQueen, killing bad guys andIndians.I know what you’re thinking—that

we fell prey to a racist agenda thatled to the near genocide of the Amer-ican Indian. Nope, I factored that inas well, telling my grandson that theNative Americans were the goodguys, as were the soldiers in blue,and the sheriffs.For the record, I also taught him

about gun safety and the responsibleuse of a weapon.Obviously, my decision was a self-

serving paradox to justify my deci-sion to bring a smile to mygrandson’s face. But in truth whenweighed against the rationale of themajority, it didn’t hold up.I admitted as much Monday

evening during a meeting of the OldSchoolers. Among the speakers wasDr. Pat McManus who provided apresentation on a Black Health Coali-tion education campaign to educateparents on the link between violenceand toy guns.It was a compelling presentation

punctuated by a brief mention of thecase of 12-year-old Tamir Rice.The 12-year-old youth was playing

with a bb gun on a Cleveland play-ground in his neighborhood whenpolice arrived. After confrontingTamir, one of the officers shot him,

saying he pulled a ‘gun’ on him.The exact circumstances of the in-

cident sparked protests and con-frontations with the police. But that’sanother story.The point here is that a toy gun

held by a Black youngster caused hisdeath.Our discussion about the Health

Coalition’s soon-to-be announcedcrusade morphed into a debate aboutthe prevalence of guns in the commu-nity, the lack of training and egos ofthose who legally possess them, andthe availability of guns to children.But those comments paled in com-

parison to a short statement by AlHolmes, a former law enforcementofficer who recalled a homicide casethat has plagued him for decades.A Black boy had shot and killed a

close friend. When police arrived andquestioned the assailant he seemedirritated by their inquiries, finallysaying it wasn’t a big deal, becausethe victim would “be back tomor-row.”Confused and angered by his com-

ment, Al pulled the blanket off thevictim and forced the assailant tolook at his dead body.Exacerbated, the assailant repeated

his statement, adding that he watchedtelevision shows where an actor waskilled one day, only to reappear in an-other show the next day.That’s what he believed would

happen to his friend.The kid lived in a fantasy land, one

of make believe created not out of re-ality but of television propagandaand ignorance.Al’s statement was a sobering

point in our discussion that led me toapologize for my decision. I shouldhave bought my grandson morebooks, or a tablet with educationalgames instead of a cowboy hat andsix guns, even though they were or-ange.As my grandson gets older I will

put him in karate class—as was thecase for each of my sons—to teachhim self-defense and provide himwith the skills to protect himself andhis family.At a later date, I will also teach

him about guns, their safe use androle in an uncivilized society.On his next birthday his birthday

gift will be something more appropri-ate—and safer—than a toy gun.Hotep

On October 16, 1995, approximately 2 million Black men went to Wash-ington,D.C, to take personal responsibility for themselves, their families, andfor their communities in the Million Man March-an action that was sorelyneeded. While I wasn’t able to attend that historic event, the overall response that

I heard from so many who returned to Philadelphia was that it was transfor-mative- a day like nothing they had ever experienced. I heard statements like“when I reached the stage area on the steps of the Capitol and looked out intoa sea of Black men, tears came to my eyes out of love for my people and myfellow brothers. I knew this day would forever cause a change, if not in the world, it would

have a profound change certainly in me.” Although I felt naturally jealousfor not having the opportunity to experience this personally, I was extremelyhappy for the participants and pledged my commitment to the mission andpurpose of the March – personal responsibility. Significantly, many benefits resulted from the March – far too many to enu-

merate in this article. The spirit of the March impacted the entire Black com-munity and increased the level of Black pride. Even those who didn’t attendthe March felt proud of the outpouring of so many Black men in Washington,D.C., who were doing something positive. Black pride was positively jolted. The March projected a powerful visual

image of millions of Black men gathered in solidarity, an image that was un-like anything we had ever seen in America. This wasn’t the typical visual of Black men being arrested and/or being the

backdrop for disruptive behavior. Despite a nearly 400-year campaign to

emasculate Black men and to assault their abilities to lead, this assertion ofBlack manhood and responsibility to community and family was very impor-tant, rewarding and healing. Many Black men who took the pledge of self-responsibility given that day

seriously- advanced an explosion in Black voter registration; increased mem-bership in the NAACP, churches and mosques, and developed a number ofnew organizations of which many still remain in existence today. Notably,the adoption of Black children increased significantly during this time. The March became the model for public demonstrations and inspired other

marches to Washington, D.C., including the Million Woman March, MillionYouth and Family March, Million Mom March, and Million Worker March. In addition, the March became a worldwide model, emulated by mass

When I was a boy,my father gave mesome pretty good ad-vice. My dad told methat as an AfricanAmerican malegrowing up in Mil-waukee's inner city, Ishould get off "theblock" as much as Icould. At that age, I didn't

quite understand the mag-nitude of what my dadwas trying to teach me,but as I got older; I beganto understand this lessonvery well. My dad was telling me that it wasn't going to be easy

growing up in the areas where I lived and there would bemany nefarious influences trying to steer me away fromthings that really matter -- and he was right. Drugs, violence, guns, bullies, and the ever constant

notion from peers that an African American kid focusedon education wasn't really interested in being Black wereeveryday occurrences on my block as a boy. My dad was implying that I should seek opportunities

which would expose me to experiences beyond the fourpoints of "the block" (for many growing up in places likeI did, those four points were similar to these: home;school; a relative's house and; the corner store). I listenedto my dad and did just that.At 14, I had an opportunity to become involved in a

program at my local YMCA. The program, Sponsor-A-Scholar, had a strong emphasis on sending first genera-tion, low-income youth from Milwaukee Public Schoolsto college. Post-secondary education was an important goal for me

to attain but attending college was years ahead of me atthe time. Fortunately, the program had another, very sat-isfying component -- service to our community. With myfather's advice still fresh in my mind, I relished every

chance to get out of my everydayroutine in order to serve my commu-nity.I started by raking leaves and

shoveling snow for the elderly. Itthen grew to packing food donationsfor the hungry. I helped in servingmeals to the less fortunate. It led tohelping to rehab a dilapidated schoolfor children in South America. What followed was a week of ren-

ovating homes in New Orleans afterHurricane Katrina. Later, there was asummer of working with at-riskyouth in London. I continued work-ing with at-risk youth at the Milwau-kee Area Workforce InvestmentBoard. For the last nearly two years,I've been serving our city by workingwith faith-based groups and commu-nity groups from the Mayor's Office.Over these past couple of months

I've taken the time to go door to doorthroughout Milwaukee's Second Al-dermanic District. I have met hun-dreds and hundreds of my neighborswho have expressed to me that theyneed a leader who will serve them

with the best interest of our district and our city at heart. They need a leader with innovative ideas to move our

district and our city forward. They want a leader who isresponsible, accessible, and dependable. They want aleader that they can rely on.I think that my dad knew those experiences off "the

block" would mold me into a well-rounded person whowould be able to see the world beyond the experienceswhere I lived. In doing so, those experiences would en-courage me to come back and serve.I didn't know it then, but that advice from my child-

hood would snowball and lead me to a life of service. Inmy opinion, there is no greater way to serve your com-munity than to participate in our system of self govern-ment. That's why I would be honored and privileged tohave the support of my neighbors in Milwaukee's SecondDistrict and their vote to serve as Alderman.It's a call to service and I am here to answer the call.Chevy Johnson recently served as Staff Assistant to

the Mayor of Milwaukee. A long time resident of the 2nddistrict, Chevy is committed to bringing responsible, ac-cessible and dependable leadership to the MilwaukeeCommon Council. The primary election is February16th, 2016 and the general election is April 5th, 2016.

Sobering story by ex-cop changescolumnist’s opinion about givingtoy guns to our Black children

SIGNIFYIN’SIGNIFYIN’By Mikel Kweku Osei Holt

“A Black boy had shot and killed a close friend.When police arrived and questioned the as-

sailant he seemed irritated by their inquiries, fi-nally saying it wasn’t a big deal, because thevictim would ‘be back tomorrow,’ adding hewatched television shows where an actor waskilled one day, only to reappear in another showthe next day. That’s what he believed would hap-

pen to his friend.”

Quote of the Week:

A Call to Service

GUESTGUESTCOMMENTARYCOMMENTARYBy Chevy Johnson,Second District

Aldermanic Candidate

Justice or Else – Part 4Breaking the Curse of Willie Lynch “Making of a Slave”

(continued on page 8)

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 4

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McFadden, ElizabethAge 64 yrs. September 17, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at11AM. Visitation Thursday 10AM until time ofservices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Rowsey, GeorgeAge 57 yrs. September 8, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at1PM. Visitation Wednesday 12 Noon until time ofservices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Davis, Emma L.Age 87 yrs. September 17, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Friday, September 25, 2015 at11AM at Greater Galilee Baptist Church 2432 N.Teutonia Ave. Visitation Friday 10AM at theCHURCH until time of services. The family isserved by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Reeves, William A.Age 89 yrs. September 18, 2015. AMemorial Service will be held onThursday, September 24, 2015 at6PM at Christ Presbyterian Church1930 W. Walnut St. The family isserved by:Northwest Funeral Chapel

O'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Baldwin, Kenneth W.Age 62 yrs. September 18, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 at11AM. Visitation Monday 10AM until time of serv-ices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Harmon, Rodney AlexanderFound peace on September 14, 2015 at the age of62 years. A Memorial Service will be held on Sat-urday, October 3, 2015 at 2:00PM at MetropolitanBaptist Church 1345 W. Burleigh St. The family is

served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Lyday, Caspar W.Age 93 yrs. September 14, 2015. He was precededin death by his wife Virtrue D.F. Lyday. Mr. Lydaywas the owner of Caspar's Lounge on the cornerof 13th and Keefe Avenue. Caspar's Lounge wasalways know as a fun-filled neighborhood barthat many individuals enjoyed. He is survived byhis loving daughter Geri Lynne Lyday. Belovedbrother of Cleatus(Maria)Lyday and Ruby(Emer-son)Knox of Roseville, MI. Further survived byone little companion, Sinatra and a host of otherloving nephews, nieces and other loving relativesand friends. Funeral services will be held on Mon-day, September 21, 2015 at 11AM at Calvary Bap-tist Church 2959 N. Teutonia Ave. VisitationTODAY 3-6PM(Family reception from 6-7PM) at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Barrett, Sherman L.Age 70 yrs. September 20, 2015. Funeral serviceswill be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 at1PM. Visitation Monday 12 Noon until time ofservices at:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020Taylor, Jeannette Marie (Nee Cahn)Age 72 yrs. September 20, 2015. She was pre-ceded in death by her husband Walter Taylor.Beloved mother of Duane(Mary)Taylor of VA andDanielle Beal of SC. Loving daughter of MarjorieCahn. Sistter of Monte Cahn, Kenneth Cahn of Tx;Kevin Cahn, Stacey McKay and Taimika Johnson-Parker. Further survived by 4 grandchildren and ahost of other loving relatives and friends. Funeralservices will be held on Saturday, September 26,2015 at 11AM at Northside Church of God 4858 N.19th St. Visitation Saturday 10AM at the CHURCHuntil time of services. The family is served by:Northwest Funeral ChapelO'Bee, Ford & Frazier6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020

Today our meditation is on two im-portant teachings: “ Whoever is notagainst us is for us,” and “Would thatall the Lord’s people were prophets.” The first reading comes from

Numbers 11: 16a, 17c, 25-29, thesecond, James 5: 1-6, and the Gospelfrom Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48.In Numbers, Moses is promised

helpers in the great vocation ofpreaching (prophesying). Seventyare anointed and they preached once,but did not do so again. This soundsstrange. But another two, who werenot there for the blessing, Eldad andMedad, did preach. And Joshuawanted to have Moses stop them, be-cause they were not present when thespirit rested upon them. Moses said,no, they should be allowed to preachand “would that all the Lord’s peoplewere prophets, and that the Lordwould put his spirit in them.” His disciples also wanted Jesus to

stop someone from preaching in Hisname. Jesus said, “whoever is notagainst us is for us.” In fact, Jesus says that anyone who

gives a cup of water to someone whobelieves in Jesus will not lose the re-ward. So, we too need to be open to all

who preach Good News and ministerto others in the name of Jesus.And many times preaching “Good

News” may not sound “good”.James lays it out clearly and simply:he addresses “rich” people, not justbecause they are rich, but in relationto how they treat people who are notrich, in fact, people who have helped

make them rich. He is ac-cusing the “rich” of extortion andstealing in order to become rich.“The wages of the laborers who

mowed your fields, which you havekept back by fraud, cry out, and thecries of the harvesters have reachedthe ears of the Lord of hosts.” Andin the process of getting rich on thebacks of the poor, “You have con-demned and murdered the righteousone who does not resist you.”The current state of affairs in our

world pretty much resembles theworld of James. Where should webegin? First of all, we need to listen to the

voice of God no matter where itcomes from. Anyone who standswith the poor and powerless andchallenges the rich to be caring andsharing is a true prophet. That means we need to be open to

the political movements that are nowadvocating for an equal distributionof wealth in our country. We mustrespect those who are advocating fora “living wage” not just a minimumwage. We need to listen to environmental

groups who show us how we havemade Mother Earth our garbagedump and worse. We need to listen to advocates who

not only preach against abortion, butalso for support of single moms, poormoms and dads, anyone who is try-ing to nurture children with meagerresources. We must not participate inthe “abortion of the born” by forget-ting the newborn.And labor unions, so marginalized

today, need to be supported and therights of workers need to be pro-tected. That is preaching “GoodNews.” The prophets of social justice

come from many places and back-grounds and we who follow Jesusmust see them as “being for us.” And that includes the prophets

who are speaking out about racial in-justice and police brutality andagainst the ugly behavior of bigotsand racists. Notice the person raising“hell” because that person may be atrue prophet of the Lord God.At the end of the wonderful en-

cyclical by Pope Francis On Care For

BREADIN THE WILDERNESSBy Fr. Carl Diederichs,All Saints Catholic Church

Twenty-Six Sunday of Ordinary Time

(continued on page 5)

Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson (number 3) leads teammates andPackers players in prayer following the game between the two teams at LambeauField Sunday Night. Wilson is a devout Christian, as are a great number of playerson every team in the NFL. Perhaps the most prominent NFL player ever was thelate Reggie White, a former Packer and Hall of Fame defensive end. (Photo by Kim Robinson)

Giving thanks for a good game!

Archbishop Listecki to Preside at Annual Red MassSt. Thomas More Lawyers Society Hosts Annual Event Oct. 8Continuing a longstanding tradition, the St. Thomas

More Lawyers Society of Wisconsin will host its an-nual Red Mass on Thursday, October 8, 2015, at theCathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 N. JacksonSt., Milwaukee.The evening will begin with the procession of the

judges at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Mass celebrated byArchbishop Jerome E. Listecki. A reception and dinnerwill immediately follow the Mass at the MilwaukeeAthletic Club, 758 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. Tickets to the reception and dinner are available $60

for adults, $35 for students and must be purchased inadvance no later than October 1, 2015.Honorable Diarmuid O’Scannlain, Judge, U.S.

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, will give thekeynote address entitled, “The Supreme Court and thefuture of Religion in the Public Square.” Joseph D. Kearney, Dean and Professor of Law,

Marquette University Law School, will receive theFaithful Servant Award.

The Red Mass is a rich tradition that dates back tothe 13th century, marking the official opening of theterm of the court for most European countries. Government officials, lawyers and judges proceed

into church wearing vestments or red garments to sig-nify the fire of the Holy Spirit’s guidance upon all whopursue justice in their daily lives.The Red Mass has been a tradition in Milwaukee

since 1958. Other dioceses across the nation also mark the day

by praying for God’s blessing upon members of thebar, legislature, law enforcement and governmentalagencies.To purchase tickets, become a table sponsor or if

your media outlet is interested in covering the Mass,please contact the President of the St. Thomas MoreLawyers Society, Shawn Govern of DeWitt Ross &Stevens, at (262) 754-2867, or by email at smg@de-wittross.com.

The Women’s Auxiliary of the Ah-madiyya Muslim Community andHephatha Lutheran Church (withother partners) will host a FamilyWellness Conference (FWC) on Sat-urday, September 26 from 11:00 am-4:00 pm, at the Hephatha LutheranChurch, 1720 W. Locust Street, Mil-waukee, WI 53206. The Conference is open to all

women but will especially cater toAfrican American women betweenthe ages of 18 and 40.The FWC’s purpose is to serve its

inner-city neighbors by educatingand empowering African Americanwomen to become more knowledge-able in a broad spectrum of daily liv-ing essentials. The Ahmadiyya (pronounced AH-

MA-DEE-YAH) and Hephatha

Ahmadiya Muslimwomen and areaLutheran Churchto host FamilyWellness ConfabSept. 26

(continued on page 5)

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 5

Milwaukee6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218

Telephone: (414) 462-6020Fax: (414) 462-9937

Racine800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402

Telephone: (262) 637-6400Fax: (262) 637-6416

Our Common Home, he prays: “En-lighten those who possess power andmoney that they may avoid the sin ofindifference, that they may love thecommon good, advance the weak,and care for this world in which we

live. The poor and the earth are cry-ing out. O Lord, seize us with yourpower and light, help us to protect alllife, to prepare for a better future, forthe coming of your Kingdom of jus-tice, peace, love and beauty. Praisebe to you!”

women are also collaborating with a wide-ranging groupof businesses and organizations in the city. UW Extension will instruct on nutritional meal prepa-

ration. Fit4You will discuss the necessity of physical fit-ness. North Milwaukee State Bank will teach financial man-

agement. Milwaukee Succeeds' literacy and educationprograms will be presented. Interfaith Restorative Prac-tices Coalition will provide a preview of its extensive pro-gram on conflict resolution in relationships andcommunities. Sisters4Cure, a breast cancer organization, will provide

information on this disease. There will be a mini-clinicto discuss diabetic issues, screen for impaired vision,check blood pressure, and BMI. A dentist will discuss illnesses related to lack of proper

oral hygiene. There will be four keynote speakers,whilethe remaining partners will provide information at theirrespective booths. Pastor Mary Martha Kannass of Hephatha Lutheran

Church has ministered with free meals and pastoral coun-seling to church members and inner-city neighbors for 24years. The church, built 102 years ago, is a haven forthose who seek guidance and help. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious or-

ganization, international in its scope, with branches in207 countries in Africa, North America, South America,Asia, Australia and Europe. Founded in 1889, it pro-motes peace, universal brotherhood, and service to hu-manity under its philosophy of Love For All, Hatred ForNone. Media are welcome.For more information, call Ayesha Sa-eed at 414-731-

5409 or email milwaukeesadr@lajnausa.net.

Mt. Zion tohold annualWomen’s DayOct. 10-11Mount Zion Missionary Baptist

Church will celebrate its AnnualWomen's Day Activities on Octo-ber 10-11, 2015. Our theme for thisyear is "Fill My Cup, Lord".Theme Scripture: Ephesians

3:19. On Saturday, October 10th, aPrayer Breakfast will convene at9:00 a.m. in Coggs Hall (LowerLevel) of the church. The Speakerof the morning is Sister DelcieGreen'On Sunday, October 11th. the

Women's Day Worship Service willbegin at 10:00 a. m. The Speakewill be Minister Sylvia McDanielsof Grandview, Missouri.A Post Fellowship Dinner at the

Mayfair Radisson Hotel will imme-diately follow the Worship Service.(For ticket holders only).There's great anticipation of a

joyous time in the Lord, and theMt. Zion family cordially invitesYOU to come and share in the ex-perience.

It was an historic and momentousoccasion as the Mt. Zion AssemblyHealing Temple of the ApostolicFaith, located at 4300 N. Green BayAve., celebrated 64 years of preach-ing, teaching and spreading thegospel with the official installation ofa new senior pastor.During the ceremonial service Pas-

tor Monica Parchia Price was ele-vated as senior pastor of the churchher father, the late Bishop Dr. EarlParchia, founded and passionatelyled until his passing in 2010. Follow-ing his death, his wife, Dr. Cora L.Parchia became interim pastor withPrice serving as co-pastor. Sunday’sservice was sanctioned and officiatedby Bishop Dr. Richard Howell (Min-neapolis), Diocesan of the 7th Epis-copal District, Minnesota, WisconsinDakotas Council of the PentecostalAssemblies of the World. Conse-crated along with her husband, ElderRicky Price and before the entirecongregation, comprised of churchmembers, family friends and otherdistinguished guests; Bishop Howell also announced Pas-tor Price’s promotion to District Elder.Many local and out-of-state pastors and ministers were

on hand to witness the ceremonial anointing of PastorPrice, which reflected the biblical anointing of the priest-hood; confirming the theology of her late father, who au-thored a book titled, “Are Women Preachers Called ofGod?”As she reflected on Pastor Price's childhood, Dr. Cora

Parchia said neither she nor her late husband had any ideathat their daughter would one day be anointed to followin her famous father’s calling.

“When you walk with God, your steps are ordered byHim. Through faith, prayer and supplication, you are ableto hear the Word of the Lord. To God be the glory for thewonderful things He has done,” Dr. Parchia said.The event marked a milestone in the 64-year history of

the church that began as a small mission on 12th Street,to its present edifice built by Bishop Parchia, which seatsmore than 900. Under the leadership of Pastor Price, the ministry is ex-

panding to reach a broad range of demographics, extend-ing to audiences of various socioeconomics. The ministryis now undertaking measures to further extend thechurch’s legacy, by reaching a wider range of audiencesthrough streaming live broadcasts and other media out-lets.

Among the historical highlights of the church’s legacyis its church-owned and administrated K-12 school onGood Hope Road, with an enrollment of upwards of 400students.As a pastor, known for her compassionate and passion-

ate commitment to serving people and their spiritualneeds, Pastor Price is also heavily involved in social out-reach: She is a certified chaplain with qualifications inNew Jersey, New York and Wisconsin. She is the onlyminority Board Member of Wisconsin Chapter of PreventBlindness. Along with the late Dr. G. Manns, she co-founded B.A.B.E.S. Inc., a Respite & Counseling Serv-ice, and child abuse prevention program in Appleton,Wisconsin.With local and national notoriety, Pastor Price has trav-

eled the world preaching and teaching the gospel. Herleadership abilities have her led her throughout the nation.In 2000 she was recruited to relocate and assist a bur-geoning church and legal management firm in Brooklyn,NY.Proud alumnus of University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

(Journalism and Public Relations), this past summer shereceived a Masters in Biblical Studies from Grace to HelpTheological Institution. Of her new elevation, Pastor Price said: "I am standing

on the shoulders of many pillars who built Mt. Zion. Thelegacy is rich and with God’s wisdom and guidance, Ilook forward to the challenges that are ahead of us."

(continued from page 4)

Ahmadiya Muslim women and area LutheranChurch to host Family Wellness Confab Sept. 26

(continued from page 4)Bread In The Wilderness

Pope faces changing Catholic identity in U.S.Article courtesy of USA TODAY via “The Rundown”A photographer shooting the land-

scape of American Catholicism todayneeds a wide-angle lens.The image would have to stretch to

include a Hispanic family at a boom-ing Phoenix church, a disaffectedmillennial in Seattle who just barelycalls herself Catholic, a Mass-every-Sunday senior in Boston and a con-vert, such as Republican presidentialcandidate Jeb Bush.Of course, Pope Francis can't see

this entire panorama on a six-dayvisit, but they can see him. Andmaybe there will be a "Francis effect" that prompts new levels of pride andengagement in the church.The entire U.S. religious marketplace is in constant churn, with people leav-

ing their childhood faith for other religions or none at all. Nearly 1 in 4 adultsare now "nones" - people who claim no denominational identity.

Historic Church Mantle Fallsto Late Founder’s Daughter64 year church anniversary celebrated with installation of new pastor

Pastor Monica ParchiaPrice (on the right), newlyelevated senior pastor ofMt. Zion Assembly HealingTemple of the ApostolicFaith, with her mother, Dr.Cora Parchia. (Church photo)

(continued on page 8)

Pope Francis

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 6

YY&&EEY O U T H & E D U C A T I O N

Before there was aUniversity of Wiscon-sin–Milwaukee (UWM)there was a belief that ifMilwaukee was to trulybe a great city, it wouldneed a great public uni-versity. I couldn’t agreemore.Milwaukee and UWM are very

much tied together. The communitylinks we have, combined with the ac-cess and engagement UWM pro-vides, make lifelong differences toour students, their families and to thecity we call home. We need eachother to grow and excel.UWM is the only public urban re-

search university in the state andamong the top universities nationallyfor community ties. Earlier this year, UWM was named

among the nation’s top universitiesfor community engagement by theCarnegie Foundation for the Ad-vancement of Teaching. This classification recognizes col-

leges and universities that benefittheir communities.Some examples include the Col-

lege of Nursing’s work with West-lawn-area community groups topromote wellness and reduce expo-sure to environmental toxins. UWM student teachers and super-

visors learn and work with neighbor-

hood residents and professionals inmore than 170 public, private, charterand voucher schools. The Milwaukee Fire Department,

Milwaukee County EMS, MedicalCollege of Wisconsin, UWM andothers work together to offer thecommunity paramedic program.None of these would be possible

without the energy and power of thepeople of Milwaukee. People makethings happen. And at our core, Milwaukee’s stu-

dents are the reason why we are hereand why we work together to fulfillstudents’ potential.M3, a new collaboration with Mil-

waukee Public Schools, MilwaukeeArea Technical College and UWM isdedicated to achieving student suc-cess in Milwaukee, from kinder-garten through college. Together, we can have dramatic

impact on your and your family’s ed-ucation when we combine the en-ergy, connections and resources ofthe three largest public educationalinstitutions in the state. Our reach isin the hundreds of thousands of indi-viduals.We are collaborating in ways we

haven’t before, and thinking andlearning at levels to advance Milwau-kee to its fullest potential. That is thepower of community ties. Please visit UWM or one of the

hundreds of schools, businesses, hos-pitals, youth organizations and more,that we partner with and see for your-self what a difference we can makewhen we combine positive forces.

UW-Milwaukee’s Community Tiesand the Power of PeopleBy Mark A. MoneChancellor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

UWM Chancellor Mark A. Mone:“Milwaukee and UWMare very much tied to-gether. The commu-nity links we have,combined with the ac-cess and engagementUWM provides, makelifelong differences toour students, theirfamilies and to thecity we call home. Weneed each other togrow and excel.”

ADVERTORIAL

R'Reona Mills, a student atMilwaukee Public Schools' Lin-coln Center of the Arts MiddleSchool, was recognized Mondayat the White House for her workwith Girls In Action, Inc., a lead-ership and anti-violence organi-zation led by a fellowMilwaukee teen.Girls In Action CEO Erica Lofton

honored Mills, described by thegroup as "one of our must trusted anddedicated members," during theevent honoring pairs of young peopleand law enforcement officials as"'Champions of Change' who arebuilding bridges between youth andlaw enforcement, while improvingpublic safety." MPD Officer William Singleton was theMilwaukee law enforcement partner honored.Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the event aimed at

highlighting lessons learned "that can help to inform sim-ilar efforts around the country."Girls In Action has promoted anti-violence in part

through encouraging youth and leaders to take a pledge:

"I don't commit violence, I speak outagainst it." The group raised money to make

bracelets that display the slogan andso far, more than 2,000 people havereceived the bracelet and taken thepledge, including Milwaukee MayorTom Barrett, members of the Mil-waukee Common Council, membersof the Milwaukee Police Department,church leaders, MPS students andothers. The group has also worked to

serve the homeless and helped stu-dents explore career options.Mills' mother, Shenika Moss, said

she is incredibly proud of her daugh-ter."She's caring. She has a big heart

and she wants to be the solution to changing her commu-nity," Moss said. "She wants to show other women youcan make it."The White House created "'Champions of Change' ...

as an opportunity for the White House to feature individ-uals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspiremembers of their communities."

Mills (left) with Officer Singletonand Erica Lofton, courtesy ofGirls in Action on Twitter(@girlsinaction3)

MPS student recognizedat White HouseLincoln Center student R'Reona Mills recognizedfor work with 'Girls in Action'

“Girls In Actionhas promotedanti-violence inpart through en-couraging youthand leaders totake a pledge: ‘Idon't commit vi-olence, I speakout against it.’"

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 7

KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEt h e M C J l i f e s t y l e & e n t e r t a i n m e n t s e c t i o n

“IF IT DON’T FIT,DON’T FORCE IT!” RELAXIf you’re sick and tired of being sick andtired…Relax and let it go.If someone has shown you their WORSTtrue colors for the BEST…Relax and let itgo.If the marriage is trulyover…Relax and let itgo.If the car battery diedagain for the fifth timethis week…Relax and let it go.If family members keep getting on yournerves…Relax and let it go.If trying to change someone’s behaviorand the situation is to hard…Relax andlet it go.If you’re wondering how and where themoney will show up…Relax and let it go.If you have not given all of this over tothe Father…RELAX, LET GO AND LETGOD!!!Sonya M. Bowman“It is what it is”

Fit for RoyaltyA good fit is smoothA good fit is easyA good fit is rightA good fit is healthyA good fit is strongA good fit is tailor-madeA good fit is exactA good fit is a matchA good fit is suitedA good fit is never strained, because itwas intended just for you!Zelda Corona“Vision Represents Faith”

“Dedicated to Black Men ThatGot Black Men’s Fronts” – This pagewill appear in the October 5th edition ofthe Milwaukee Community JournalNewspaper prior to the 20th Anniversaryof the Million Man March that willcelebrated in Washington D.C. Oc-tober 10, 2015. Brothers we are invitingyou to participate on this page by sponsoring thename of a Black man that has played an instru-mental role in helping to guide your life by keep-ing you on the right track or helping you to getback on track. There are many Black men in our lives such as

Grand Fathers, Fathers, Uncles, Brothers, Cousins,Teachers, Mentors, Coaches, Ministers, Gang Lead-ers, Barbers, Father-in-Laws, Brother-In- Laws, etc.that gave us great insight about what we would be facing in life as a Black man whether we lis-tened at the time they told us or not. We know that without this knowledge and wisdom that was conveyed to us, we could have

made some decisions in life that would have proved disastrous. We also know that many of uswere in disastrous situation already and the advice we were given helped us to turn our situa-tions and our lives around. We encourage you to take the time to honor the men living or those who have joined the

world of our ancestors. The cost to participate is $25.00 per name. If you are interested contactme by calling 414-374-2364 or email me at Anthony.courtney@ymail.com.

Black Men’s Collaborative is holding the “300 Strong Rally” at Wash-ington Park Band Shell Saturday, September 26th from Noon to4PM. Brother’s, let’s turnout and turn up for this rally.

Old School: We Ain’t Through Yet! – We invite Black men over 60 years of ageto join us on Saturday, September 26th from 9AM – 11AM and on Monday, September 28thfrom 4PM-6PM at the Wisconsin African American Women’s Center 3020W. Vliet St. We are meeting to share ideas of how we can begin to play a significant role in turning our

community around. We had excellent discussions at last week meetings. Three powerful Blackwomen presented at our Monday meeting.

Dr. Patrricia McManus, Executive Director, Black Health Coalitionof Wisconsin, Annie Woodward, Mary Church Terrell Club of Mil-waukee and Josephine Hill, Executive Director of the WisconsinAfrican American Women’s Center. We will be asking brothers in the community to step upand help support these institutions financially and with our participation.

“Stress free for Life” – The most important thing you can be doing in life at thistime is developing your brain and your mind and keeping it healthy. You need to know whatkinds of supplements you need to keep it sharp and know about the things you need to elimi-nate to keep it that way. Order this book today “Stress free for Life” by Ra Un Nefer Amen bycalling 718-469-3199 from the Taui Network.

Classes on Egyptian (Khamitic) Spirituality – Come and learn about theteachings that made Ancient Egypt one of the greatest Black Civilizations in the world. Many ofus are astounded by the great accomplishments and contributions of this great civilization, butmany people do not know that this civilization was Black. The classes for this 3 week session is Health and Nutrition and Learn to Meditate that will

help you to become healthy and achieve your goal. Classes begin Sunday, Septem-ber 27th at 2:00PM & 3:30PM. The cost of class is $5.00 for one class and $7.00for two classes. Classes are three weeks long and are held on September 20th, September 27th and October

4th. Classes will be held at the Ausar Auset Society 4712 W. Fond du Lac. (up-stairs).

ADVERTORIAL

FROMTHEBLACKBy Tony Courtney

Sister Speak . . .S ister Speak. . .”Speak Lord!””Speak Lord! ”

Kenny Baldwin, owner of the seminalrock nightclub, The Starship from 1979to 1982 that contributed heavily to Mil-waukee’s punk/new wave/alternativescene, died last week Friday after a four-year battle with lung cancer. He was 62.Baldwin was also a respected drum-

mer, playing with a number of groupssuch as The Prosecutors, Colour Radio,

Locate Your Lips, and others.Baldwin’s father originally owned the

320-person capacity club, then calledStarship Encounters, when he turnedover ownership to his son, who turned itinto a music venue.Though open for a short period of

time, the club became legendary forshowcasing some of the most importantbands during the punk music era, suchas Captain Beefheart, Black Flag, TheEquators, Sun RA, and The Cramps.The club and Baldwin earned respect

for his showcasing local bands like TheOil Tasters and Die Kreuzen. Many whoknew him, played at his club, or on theBriggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage

Baldwin managed for a number of yearsas part of the Summerfest staff, recalledhim as a kind, fun-loving person with agreat sense of humor who had a found-ness for pulling pranks.So important was Baldwin to the Mil-

waukee music scene during the earlypart of the 80s, he was part of a docu-mentary on that period and was memo-rialized on the marquee of Shank Hall,which held a open mic tribute in hishonor last Monday.Baldwin’s Facebook page was full of

rememberances and fond farewells to aman who played an important part ofthe city’s music scene.--Sources: The Jour-nalSentinel and Facebook

New study on2015 summerdrowning numbers, over 1100 incidentsDrowning is one of the leading and most pre-

ventable causes of death in the United States.Overall, drowning incidents for the summerpeak swimming season, between Memorial Dayand Labor Day, were down slightly in 2015 ac-cording to new research from the United StatesSwim School Association (USSSA). There were 1,114 media reported drowning

incidents in 2015 compared to 1,126 in 2014.Drowning incidents among children were alsoslightly lower. The media reported 511 drowning incidents

involving children age 18 and under in 2014compared to 461 in 2015.

While the number of media reported drown-ing occurrences was lower, USSSA warns parentsand all swimmers to remain vigilant becausethe numbers could be deceiving as there is nouniversally required method of reporting a neardrowning or drowning.Of the 461 drowning incidents involving chil-

dren age 18 and under the most common loca-tion a drowning occurred was in swimmingpools (209) followed by lakes (76), rivers (51),ponds (25) and oceans (25). The majority of drowning incidents involved

males (65%). Females accounted for about28.8% and gender was not reported for the re-maining 6.2% of cases. The states with the mostreported drowning occurrences were Texas (48),California (38), Florida (38), Pennsylvania (18)and Arizona (17).Overall, of the 1,114 drowning occurrences

in 2015, females accounted for 20.2% andmales accounted for 76%. The most common lo-cations drowning incidents occurred were inlakes (287), swimming pools (275), rivers(231), oceans (99) and ponds (62). The stateswith the most drowning incidents overall wereCalifornia (95), Texas (94), Florida (77), NewYork (49) and South Carolina (40).

Local musician Kenny Baldwin, owner of the legendary punk music club “The Starship” passesHelped put Milwaukee on the music map by hostingimportant punk bands of the 80sKenny Baldwin

Photo of the club, whichwas located at North 5thStreet near West WisconsinAvenue. (Photo courtesy ofRon Faiola from Facebook)

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 8

and in Simi Valley, California, where he appeared wooden and stunted, failedto generate enough buzz to survive the "summer of Trump" or to overcomethe appeal of other outsider candidates like Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson.Walker's campaign suffered because of the candidate's own missteps as

well. His refusal to answer simple questions about President Barack Obama'sfaith and love of country, for example, or about the issue of birthright citi-zenship, generated endless negative headlines and drowned out his largermessage of conservative reform.His exit is a positive development for other presidential candidates aligned

with the establishment wing of the Republican Party, like former Florida Gov.Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who nowhave a free pass at Walker's wealthy donors and supporters.Some of them are already jumping ship. Walker's New Hampshire state co-

chair, Cliff Hurst, will be joining Rubio's campaign, Rubio campaign managerTerry Sullivan told reporters Monday at a National Review event held inWashington, D.C.Walker is the second GOP candidate to exit the race, following former

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who bowed out earlier this month after his fundraisingdried up, with many of his staffers working without pay in the campaign'sfinal days.

--Marina Fang is Associate Politcs Editor for The Huffington Post; IgorBobic is Associate Politics Editor for The Huffington Post

Nikiya Harris Dodd. “On NationalVoter Registration Day, we should doeverything we can to encourage ourneighbors and communities to regis-ter to vote. All Wisconsin residentsshould have access to the polls with-out unnecessary barriers or restric-tions.”

A new Pew Research survey ofU.S. Catholics, released Sept. 2,found that 20% of Americans callthemselves Catholic by religiontoday. That's a statistically significantdrop from nearly one in four (23.9%)in Pew's original 2007 ReligiousLandscape Survey.The Pew Research survey also

found that 13% of all Americans callthemselves former Catholics - peoplereared in the church who no longerclaim the label. Although the Catholic Church out-

performs every major U.S. Protestantdenomination in keeping believerswithin the fold, Pew still calculatesthat six Catholics leave the churchfor every one person who chooses tojoin. Sociologist Mary Gautier, a senior

researcher for CARA, says she does-n't like the terms "former Catholic"and "ex-Catholic." Gautier prefers tocall them "lapsed" Catholics because,she says, they may reclaim theirCatholic identity at any time."The core things about what it

means to be Catholic haven'tchanged for generations: concern forthe poor, love for Jesus and Mary,prayer," Gautier says.Even if such people reclaim a

Catholic identity, they still might notreturn to Mass or resume receivingthe sacraments. Most Catholics don'tattend or partake, either, according to"Sacraments Today," CARA's 2008study of beliefs and practices,Only about 1 in 3 adult Catholics

(31.4%), chiefly older women, attendMass in any given week, accordingto that survey of 1,007 self-identifiedCatholics.

protest movements in other parts of the world. In spite of the overwhelmingsuccess of the March, there were critics that stated the March didn’t have aspecific demand on government and there wasn’t enough follow-up. For allits stunning symbolic power, the March failed to take the next step, whichwas converting the rally's energy into a viable political and social movement. Some of these criticisms are legitimate but some were just Monday morning

quarterbacking. Leadership demands reflective practice. Reflective practicenecessitates that when you plan any event, there are always a ton of thingsthat you could improve if you had to do it over again. However, some of thecritics went overboard with their criticisms, i.e., unrealistic expectations. Ourpeople are so damaged by our experience in America that we suffer from adeep level of depression, hopelessness, and dysfunction that produces an un-realistic expectation of how deep and sustained change occurs. Certainly, theMarch could have produced more (though it remains as an unbelievable ac-complishment), but where is the energy, disgust, and distain for the real cul-prits – those who have orchestrated the most horrific and inhumane conditionsagainst Black people? Where is the anger and angst pointed at those who created the need for a

Million Man March? It wasn’t like the Black man was and is an equal mem-ber of American society. In fact, the Black man in America is a “targeted”group that is being threatened with a real functional extinction. The criticsof the March seem like they only have the energy to attack the organizers ofthe March and we see absolute silence from them and nearly every other sec-tor of the Black community when it comes to justice for Black people. Whereis the outcry against them? How come the critics of the March aren’t also criticizing America, at an

even higher level, for what it has done and continues to do to Blacks in Amer-ica – this is clearly a sign of a psychological damage. The expectation that this March or any march will replace the hard work

of building the organizational infrastructure needed to really challenge thesystemic and structural racism embedded in America’s institutions is just un-realistic and naive at best. We can’t wish or pray the challenges away thatthe Black community face because they are real; they are financial, structural,and psychological. It’s financial because we live in a capitalistic societywhere wealth is the measurement for how much you are able to live the Amer-ican dream and our ancestors were robbed of their earning potential for nearly400 years. If that wasn’t enough, after the brutal enslavement of Black people, White

ancestors use every measure to purposely thwart any attempt by Blacks toopenly compete economically in America by denying access to participate inAmerica’s vast and perfected institutions. Using the brutality of terrorismand an “openly” racist legal system, Blacks were targeted and undermined inspite of an overwhelming advantage by their white counterparts. Unlike othertypes of discrimination, the discrimination against Blacks was thorough be-cause it was based on the color of our skin – one can hide their sexuality, race,religion, but one can’t hide his or her blackness. Even after the hard foughtlandmark civil rights legislation of the 1960’s was achieved, the climate andculture of racism was fully integrated into the institutions and in the heartsand minds of those that controlled them then and today, these systems are nomore friendly or kinder to Black people now than when they were openlyracist. What’s even sadder, is that Black people are supposed to act as if historic

or systemic racism and oppression did not happen. White America tells Blackpeople in a thousand different ways to just “get over it” because the playingfield has been leveled (“We even have a Black president!”). The Black manis just lazy and therefore deserving of his place on the economic ladder. White

people are naturally superior to Black people- so just get used to it. We arealso led to believe that there is no such thing as White privilege even thoughWhites inherit nearly 90% of the national $120 trillion of wealth and Blacksinherit poverty. Presently, nearly two-thirds of all Black people live at/or nearpoverty and all of the factors (i.e. capital, education, expertise, etc.) that canfree one from this fate structurally work against blacks. Yes, attitude plays abig part but even attitude can’t just wipe away this massive disadvantage. Sothe phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” doesn’t apply when you don’thave boots. These scars are very deeply rooted into the Black psych and their roots can

be seen from a heavy dose of White supremacy and Black inferiority (I callthis the legacy of slavery). America was built on racism and now we’re toldto forget this fact. Who does this benefit and who does it hurt the most? I’lltell you this benefits the children of the slave owners and hurts the childrenof the enslaved. We can trace many human triumphs during a period whenBlacks were so maligned but still prevailed – one of the poignant examplesof this, was in spite of what Whites did to Black people, Black people havebeen some of the most loyal Americans spilling their blood in all of its warsand never retaliating against White people in any way, shape, fashion, or formfor the inhumane treatment we experienced at the hands of White people. Sig-nificantly, up until recent history, many Black women raised and served aswet nurses to many of the children of White people. Unlike other minorities in America that Blacks are often compared to,

Blacks have a unique experience – of being forced into involuntary chattelslavery that was orchestrated in the most brutal of ways. It was not only thescale (it was the largest kidnapping in human history; and it was the length(it lasted more than 300 years) and the type; it was chattel slavery with theenslaved having no rights and their children being destined to becomingslaves unless death occurred first. Every aspect of the African life, religion,language, and culture was purposefully and strategically broken and shatteredto render the Black enslaved ready for a massive programming and mentalconditioning. In the beginning of the American Institution of slavery, the slave masters

practiced an extreme level of brutal treatment with the hope that this wouldforce the enslaved to accept his plight and become the highest producingslave. In many respects, this approach wasn’t sustainable and backfired be-cause the retaliation was constant and it ultimately compromised the prof-itability of the slave business. Willie Lynch, a slave-owner from the WestIndies, came to the Virginias to advise America slave owners on a newly de-veloped model (a combination of old and new) that if done correctly wouldcontrol the master’s slaves. Willie Lynch told the American slave-owners “I caught a wiff of dead

slaves hanging from the trees. You are not only losing valuable stock (en-slaved) by hangings, you are having uprisings, slaves are running away, yourcrops are sometimes left in the fields too long for maximum profits, you sufferfires, your animals are killed. In my bag, I have a full proof method for con-trolling your slaves. I guarantee if installed correctly it will control the slavefor at least 300 years. I have outlined a number of differences among theslaves and I take these differences and make them bigger. I use fear, distrust,and envy for control purposes. I call this making a slave.”

Doesn’t this sound familiar today? As a community we are so divided be-cause we have been made to be divided. Colorism, shade (light versus dark),intelligence, class, where you live (turf wars over areas we don’t even own);east versus west, south versus north, hair (coarse versus straight or long versusshort), and age (young versus old) are all subliminal divisions amongst theBlack community.

The one controlling all of these tactics was the White slave-owner who in-stilled a deep level of fear of the White man and deep level of self-hatredamongst ourselves. Conscious of the injustice and wrong doings that theWhite slave-owners were perpetrating on the Black enslaved and what theythemselves would do were they the victims – they were constantly lookingfor the signs of retribution. This behavior has severely and negatively im-pacted White people and their fear of Black people is at the highest level andhas allowed them to master these tactics which are now completely embeddedinto the psyche and culture of Black people. The disturbing reality is the manyBlacks don’t know or believe this systemic indoctrination or oppression ispossible.In spite of these inherent fears, Blacks have been overly loyal to White peo-

ple. In spite of being treated like less than dogs for centuries - the love ofBlack people for White institutions and validation is overwhelming. Yes, wehave had groups articulate a more assertive response to the oppression ofBlack people by White people, but even those groups have not defendedagainst blatant hatred and violence being perpetrated by White people againstBlack people. This hatred and violence is many times disguised by the use oflaw enforcement- specifically, using every level of the America’s police force(i.e. FBI, State and Local Police, Task Forces, COINTELPRO, etc.) all Black-led organizations were infiltrated and ultimately squashed even though themajority were using the “stated” and “legal” pathways to fight against injus-tice. Blacks and Whites must ask why justice for the Black man in Americais such an evil word and why it is so hard to achieve? Much can be attributedto Willie Lynch. The March was beginning of the movement and not the finality of the

movement. The March was a “call” to personal responsibility which is thefirst step with the real work to take place when the men returned home –someone needed to tell our Black men that they had to have a personal re-sponsibility for the conditions of our Black families and our Black commu-nities. Yes, the Black man has been done an unbelievable wrong, but at theend of the day, the Black men must take ownership for finding and imple-menting solutions. The call for personal responsibility was a powerful andprofound one but it was just the beginning. The real work for transformationcan never be achieved without hard work. Frederick Douglass stated that“power will never concede without a demand or a fight, it never has and neverwill.” I believe that those who criticize the March have louder voices and more

access to media because the enemies of the Black man wants this message tocause doubt in the minds of Black people- because doubt keeps Black peoplefrom coming together (doubt is the traitor of the mind). We must grow betterantennas to detect the tricks of divide and conquer. We must always reservea certain amount of doubt about anything that is said negative about Blackpeople, specifically Black leaders – even when it’s coming from Black people.Blacks are already vulnerable to negative descriptions and overall negativityabout themselves – we’ve had nearly 500 years of depictions as being lessthan human and for too many of us we have come to believe this because it’sburied deep within our psyche - Blacks must be able to withstand the attacksfrom our enemy. Yes, there is a need for a national movement but the foundation work must

be done at the local level FIRST and be led by Black men who were impactedby the March to take personal responsibility. I could never see the Marchbeing a failure – if anything was a failure, too many Black men didn’t takecharge when the returned home (life got in the way). So instead of criticizing,what we should be looking at is what we could do differently if given the op-portunity – today, we have that opportunity but we will need to begin to ad-dress the “Unmaking of a Slave.”

(continued from page 3)Universally Speaking: Justice or Else – Part 4

(continued from page 5)

Catholic identity inU.S. changing

(continued from page 1)

National VoterRegistration Day

(continued from page page 1)

Walker dropsout of GOPpresidential race

ANNUAL BUCKS OPENPRACTICE AND FANFEST SLATED FOR SATURDAY, OCT. 3, ATTHE BMO HARRISBRADLEY CENTERSingle-game tickets for the 2015-16season on sale beginning Oct. 3The third annual Bucks Fan Fest will return to theBMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, from9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Fan Fest will once again be highlighted by the

team’s annual open practice, which will take place from10:30 – 11:30 a.m. The event is open to the public and FREE! (tickets are

required, but can be downloaded and printed for free atwww.bucks.com/fanfest).The Bucks’ annual open practice will tip off Fan Fest

at 10:30 a.m. and provide a rare peek into the inner-workings of an NBA team, including a first look at thenew faces on the Bucks squad. The practice will take place on the BMO Harris

Bradley Center court and last for approximately onehour. General admission seating in the lower bowl willbe available on a first-come, first-served basis.Following the team’s open practice, the arena will be

transformed into a festival celebrating the new seasonof Bucks basketball. Fan Fest will run from noon – 2 p.m. and include op-

portunities for autographs and photos with current play-ers, coaches and broadcasters, the chance to shoot a freethrow on the Bucks court, appearances by Bucks gamenight entertainment crews, a FOX Sports Wisconsin “Bea Sports Anchor” booth, the opportunity to purchaseBucks gear and memorabilia featuring the new teamlogos, and “Bango’s Backyard” with interactive games. This year’s event will also feature video game stations

where fans will have the chance to challenge Bucksplayers at the popular NBA 2K16 video game.Fan Fest will also mark the first time that single-game

tickets for the 2015-16 season will be on sale to the gen-eral public. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. and can be pur-

chased in person at Fan Fest at the BMO Harris BradleyCenter box office, as well as online at www.Bucks.comor by calling 1-800-4-NBA-TIX. Single-game ticketswill also be available for two of the popular Bucks pro-motional packages: Bucks Night Out presented by CoorsLight, which includes a ticket, a voucher for a beer orsoda and a Bucks pint glass beginning at just $19, andthe La Famiglia Family Pack presented by Palermo’s,which includes four tickets, four slices of pizza and foursodas and starts at just $79. Fans can get a jump start onpurchasing individual game tickets by registering atBucks.com for an exclusive presale that begins Monday,Sept. 28. Additionally, tickets for the Bucks’ two BMOHarris Bradley Center preseason games are now on saleas well.

A total of 87 out of 91 former NFLplayers have tested positive for thebrain disease at the center of the de-

bate over concussions in football, ac-cording to new figures from the na-tion's largest brain bank focused on

the study of traumatic head injury.Researchers with the Department

of Veterans Affairs and Boston Uni-

versity have now identified the de-generative disease known as chronictraumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in96 percent of NFL players thatthey've examined and in 79 percentof all football players. The disease iswidely believed to stem from repeti-tive trauma to the head, and can leadto conditions such as memory loss,depression and dementia.In total, the lab has found CTE in

the brain tissue in 131 out of 165 in-dividuals who, before their deaths,played football either professionally,semi-professionally, in college or inhigh school.Forty percent of those who tested

positive were the offensive and de-fensive linemen who come into con-tact with one another on every playof a game, according to numbersshared by the brain bank withFRONTLINE. That finding supportspast research suggesting that it's therepeat, more minor head trauma thatoccurs regularly in football that maypose the greatest risk to players, asopposed to just the sometimes violentcollisions that cause concussions.But the figures come with several

important caveats, as testing for thedisease can be an imperfect process.Brain scans have been used to iden-tify signs of CTE in living players,but the disease can only be defini-tively identified posthumously. As such, many of the players who

have donated their brains for testingsuspected that they had the diseasewhile still alive, leaving researcherswith a skewed population to workwith.Even with those caveats, the latest

numbers are "remarkably consistent"with past research from the centersuggesting a link between footballand long-term brain disease, said Dr.Ann McKee, the facility's directorand chief of neuropathology at theVA Boston Healthcare System."People think that we're blowing

this out of proportion, that this is avery rare disease and that we're sen-sationalizing it," said McKee, whoruns the lab as part of a collaborationbetween the VA and BU. "My response is that where I sit,

this is a very real disease. We havehad no problem identifying it in hun-dreds of players."

MCJ SPORTSMCJ SPORTS

League of Denial: 87 deceased NFLplayers test positive for brain diseaseArticle courtesy of PBS via “The Rundown”

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 9

protest movements in other parts of the world. In spite of the overwhelmingsuccess of the March, there were critics that stated the March didn’t have aspecific demand on government and there wasn’t enough follow-up. For allits stunning symbolic power, the March failed to take the next step, whichwas converting the rally's energy into a viable political and social movement. Some of these criticisms are legitimate but some were just Monday morning

quarterbacking. Leadership demands reflective practice. Reflective practicenecessitates that when you plan any event, there are always a ton of thingsthat you could improve if you had to do it over again. However, some of thecritics went overboard with their criticisms, i.e., unrealistic expectations. Ourpeople are so damaged by our experience in America that we suffer from adeep level of depression, hopelessness, and dysfunction that produces an un-realistic expectation of how deep and sustained change occurs. Certainly, theMarch could have produced more (though it remains as an unbelievable ac-complishment), but where is the energy, disgust, and distain for the real cul-prits – those who have orchestrated the most horrific and inhumane conditionsagainst Black people? Where is the anger and angst pointed at those who created the need for a

Million Man March? It wasn’t like the Black man was and is an equal mem-ber of American society. In fact, the Black man in America is a “targeted”group that is being threatened with a real functional extinction. The criticsof the March seem like they only have the energy to attack the organizers ofthe March and we see absolute silence from them and nearly every other sec-tor of the Black community when it comes to justice for Black people. Whereis the outcry against them? How come the critics of the March aren’t also criticizing America, at an

even higher level, for what it has done and continues to do to Blacks in Amer-ica – this is clearly a sign of a psychological damage. The expectation that this March or any march will replace the hard work

of building the organizational infrastructure needed to really challenge thesystemic and structural racism embedded in America’s institutions is just un-realistic and naive at best. We can’t wish or pray the challenges away thatthe Black community face because they are real; they are financial, structural,and psychological. It’s financial because we live in a capitalistic societywhere wealth is the measurement for how much you are able to live the Amer-ican dream and our ancestors were robbed of their earning potential for nearly400 years. If that wasn’t enough, after the brutal enslavement of Black people, White

ancestors use every measure to purposely thwart any attempt by Blacks toopenly compete economically in America by denying access to participate inAmerica’s vast and perfected institutions. Using the brutality of terrorismand an “openly” racist legal system, Blacks were targeted and undermined inspite of an overwhelming advantage by their white counterparts. Unlike othertypes of discrimination, the discrimination against Blacks was thorough be-cause it was based on the color of our skin – one can hide their sexuality, race,religion, but one can’t hide his or her blackness. Even after the hard foughtlandmark civil rights legislation of the 1960’s was achieved, the climate andculture of racism was fully integrated into the institutions and in the heartsand minds of those that controlled them then and today, these systems are nomore friendly or kinder to Black people now than when they were openlyracist. What’s even sadder, is that Black people are supposed to act as if historic

or systemic racism and oppression did not happen. White America tells Blackpeople in a thousand different ways to just “get over it” because the playingfield has been leveled (“We even have a Black president!”). The Black manis just lazy and therefore deserving of his place on the economic ladder. White

people are naturally superior to Black people- so just get used to it. We arealso led to believe that there is no such thing as White privilege even thoughWhites inherit nearly 90% of the national $120 trillion of wealth and Blacksinherit poverty. Presently, nearly two-thirds of all Black people live at/or nearpoverty and all of the factors (i.e. capital, education, expertise, etc.) that canfree one from this fate structurally work against blacks. Yes, attitude plays abig part but even attitude can’t just wipe away this massive disadvantage. Sothe phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” doesn’t apply when you don’thave boots. These scars are very deeply rooted into the Black psych and their roots can

be seen from a heavy dose of White supremacy and Black inferiority (I callthis the legacy of slavery). America was built on racism and now we’re toldto forget this fact. Who does this benefit and who does it hurt the most? I’lltell you this benefits the children of the slave owners and hurts the childrenof the enslaved. We can trace many human triumphs during a period whenBlacks were so maligned but still prevailed – one of the poignant examplesof this, was in spite of what Whites did to Black people, Black people havebeen some of the most loyal Americans spilling their blood in all of its warsand never retaliating against White people in any way, shape, fashion, or formfor the inhumane treatment we experienced at the hands of White people. Sig-nificantly, up until recent history, many Black women raised and served aswet nurses to many of the children of White people. Unlike other minorities in America that Blacks are often compared to,

Blacks have a unique experience – of being forced into involuntary chattelslavery that was orchestrated in the most brutal of ways. It was not only thescale (it was the largest kidnapping in human history; and it was the length(it lasted more than 300 years) and the type; it was chattel slavery with theenslaved having no rights and their children being destined to becomingslaves unless death occurred first. Every aspect of the African life, religion,language, and culture was purposefully and strategically broken and shatteredto render the Black enslaved ready for a massive programming and mentalconditioning. In the beginning of the American Institution of slavery, the slave masters

practiced an extreme level of brutal treatment with the hope that this wouldforce the enslaved to accept his plight and become the highest producingslave. In many respects, this approach wasn’t sustainable and backfired be-cause the retaliation was constant and it ultimately compromised the prof-itability of the slave business. Willie Lynch, a slave-owner from the WestIndies, came to the Virginias to advise America slave owners on a newly de-veloped model (a combination of old and new) that if done correctly wouldcontrol the master’s slaves. Willie Lynch told the American slave-owners “I caught a wiff of dead

slaves hanging from the trees. You are not only losing valuable stock (en-slaved) by hangings, you are having uprisings, slaves are running away, yourcrops are sometimes left in the fields too long for maximum profits, you sufferfires, your animals are killed. In my bag, I have a full proof method for con-trolling your slaves. I guarantee if installed correctly it will control the slavefor at least 300 years. I have outlined a number of differences among theslaves and I take these differences and make them bigger. I use fear, distrust,and envy for control purposes. I call this making a slave.”

Doesn’t this sound familiar today? As a community we are so divided be-cause we have been made to be divided. Colorism, shade (light versus dark),intelligence, class, where you live (turf wars over areas we don’t even own);east versus west, south versus north, hair (coarse versus straight or long versusshort), and age (young versus old) are all subliminal divisions amongst theBlack community.

The one controlling all of these tactics was the White slave-owner who in-stilled a deep level of fear of the White man and deep level of self-hatredamongst ourselves. Conscious of the injustice and wrong doings that theWhite slave-owners were perpetrating on the Black enslaved and what theythemselves would do were they the victims – they were constantly lookingfor the signs of retribution. This behavior has severely and negatively im-pacted White people and their fear of Black people is at the highest level andhas allowed them to master these tactics which are now completely embeddedinto the psyche and culture of Black people. The disturbing reality is the manyBlacks don’t know or believe this systemic indoctrination or oppression ispossible.In spite of these inherent fears, Blacks have been overly loyal to White peo-

ple. In spite of being treated like less than dogs for centuries - the love ofBlack people for White institutions and validation is overwhelming. Yes, wehave had groups articulate a more assertive response to the oppression ofBlack people by White people, but even those groups have not defendedagainst blatant hatred and violence being perpetrated by White people againstBlack people. This hatred and violence is many times disguised by the use oflaw enforcement- specifically, using every level of the America’s police force(i.e. FBI, State and Local Police, Task Forces, COINTELPRO, etc.) all Black-led organizations were infiltrated and ultimately squashed even though themajority were using the “stated” and “legal” pathways to fight against injus-tice. Blacks and Whites must ask why justice for the Black man in Americais such an evil word and why it is so hard to achieve? Much can be attributedto Willie Lynch. The March was beginning of the movement and not the finality of the

movement. The March was a “call” to personal responsibility which is thefirst step with the real work to take place when the men returned home –someone needed to tell our Black men that they had to have a personal re-sponsibility for the conditions of our Black families and our Black commu-nities. Yes, the Black man has been done an unbelievable wrong, but at theend of the day, the Black men must take ownership for finding and imple-menting solutions. The call for personal responsibility was a powerful andprofound one but it was just the beginning. The real work for transformationcan never be achieved without hard work. Frederick Douglass stated that“power will never concede without a demand or a fight, it never has and neverwill.” I believe that those who criticize the March have louder voices and more

access to media because the enemies of the Black man wants this message tocause doubt in the minds of Black people- because doubt keeps Black peoplefrom coming together (doubt is the traitor of the mind). We must grow betterantennas to detect the tricks of divide and conquer. We must always reservea certain amount of doubt about anything that is said negative about Blackpeople, specifically Black leaders – even when it’s coming from Black people.Blacks are already vulnerable to negative descriptions and overall negativityabout themselves – we’ve had nearly 500 years of depictions as being lessthan human and for too many of us we have come to believe this because it’sburied deep within our psyche - Blacks must be able to withstand the attacksfrom our enemy. Yes, there is a need for a national movement but the foundation work must

be done at the local level FIRST and be led by Black men who were impactedby the March to take personal responsibility. I could never see the Marchbeing a failure – if anything was a failure, too many Black men didn’t takecharge when the returned home (life got in the way). So instead of criticizing,what we should be looking at is what we could do differently if given the op-portunity – today, we have that opportunity but we will need to begin to ad-dress the “Unmaking of a Slave.”

The Newspaperwith its FINGERon thePULSE of YOURCommunity!The MilwaukeeCommunity Journal

The Milwaukee Community Journal September 23, 2015 Page 10